Arc 3 - Glimmers in the Dark (Main Roleplay)

[Kowsauni]

At Valac's word Breezy would simply respond "Ok!" She would press a button on the side of her strange Balista devise. A sound could be heard like stream building up in a kettle. A cloud of smoke erupts from the ballista as it launches a 2 foot long sharpened iron rod. The projectile flies over Roland towards Valac but goes a little wide, missing Valac, instead embedding in the gound several feet away in a cloud of dust. By this point several of the soldiers have stopped their work to watch the spectacle, though they are definitely keeping their distance. "Hmm, I see the trajectory it still a little erratic. Perhaps if I added some fins to help stabilize the rod like an arrow, hmm..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Revenge approaches Faeleen he sees that the bandage has been removed from her forehead. Underneath there lies a jagged piece of metal still embedded in her skull, no doubt from some sort of weapon she was struck with in the battle. It looked like the medics tried to remove as much of it as possible but this piece must have been embedded to deep. Beside this she physically look fine. All her wounds have been healed. However, it becomes apparent that what is ailing her is not physical in nature. An evil aura radiates fro the metal embed in her head. With a bit of studying Revenge can tell it contains a malevolent spirit of sorts, most likely that of a demon. Whats worse, Revenge can tell the evil spirit is currently assaulting Faeleen's mind and soul with the goal of taking over her body. Her falling into a coma is not a good sign. If the spirit is not exercised from her body soon then Faeleen might be lost forever!"  

[Rain Yupa]

((Assuming that's supposed to be 'exorcised'; even if it's correct, I'm not trained in Athletics so I'm still not qualified to handle this.))

"The weapon this girl was struck by is allowing her to be invaded by a hostile spirit. I am not a ritual caster and have the ability to eliminate such an entity. Removing the shard that remains may do it, but... I don't know." He would turn his head towards Kuori. "I'm not sure where you picked up your ritual book, but does it have any rituals in it regarding exorcisms, or purifications?"

He would then turn see if there was some sort of aide around; else, he'd pick the youngest looking healer and say to them, "Can you go find Ruin? A Tiefling I traveled here with, about..." He would level a flat hand around throat level after some adjustment. "... this high. He knows more about such weapons than I, he would be better able to inform us if removing this will solve our problem. Please, hurry. He probably is around the bath area."  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

Ting a moment to study how the magi moved the blocks. Ruin would approach one of them. "Mind showing me how you are doing that, so I could help?" He would say, tapping on his rod, to show he had some training in the magical arts.  

[PupSage]

(GDI, thought that I had posted)

Kuori nods to Revenge. "Love trumps death. this seems like your territory." She continues to wait on the old lady.  

[Mongooseh]

Valac slowly walked over to the iron spike and wrenched it from the ground. Weighing it in his hand, judging whether it would be a suitable javelin he asked Breezy,

"How long till you can loose another spike?"  

[Kowsauni]

One of the medics would respond to Ruin. "We tried to remove the shard earlier when she was first admitted but it would not budge. Its as if something is holding it in place."

Hearing Revenge's words to Kuori the ritual lady would speak up. "Uh, I believe I have a ritual for such a task here, though I have never seen it put into practice." The lady would run back to her clustered bookshelves, and after momentarily searching, emerge with tome. She would place it on her crowded desk and flip though its pages before finally stopping on a page with a complex looking diagram. “Ah, yes. It’s one of the more complex ones…hmm… but we do have the needed materials. This ritual connects the souls of the participants that that of the person who’s under assault. Then, through a trance, they should be able to fight off the evil spirit.” The lady would rotate the tome towards Kuori so she could view the Ritual. “Do you think you could cast it? If you help us in saving one of our soldiers, I’m sure I can arrange to have you given the ritual you want and the supplies you need to cast it as payment for your services.”

When Kuori looks at the ritual she can see its one of the most complex she has ever seen. It causes the caster and those participating in the ritual to transported soul and mind into the person being assaulted by the malevolent spirit. From there they will have to physically fight off the spirit or whatever malevolent force that is trying to take over. However, the ritual is not beyond her casting ability. She notes though that she will probably want to gather up the rest of her companions so they can join in and help try to defeat the spirit.

Irene who had been mostly silent during all this would tug on Kuori’s side and ask her. “So, you think you can do it?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After setting down a large rock with magic the mage that Ruin addressed wipe his brow and chuckle a bit. "Well, it take years of training and practice to get to this level but perhaps we can see what you can do. More help is always appreciated." The mage would look Ruin up and down. "Well, to start,can you cast the spell Mage Hands? Essentially, what we are doing here is casting an incredibly advanced version of that basic cantrip. If you at least know that spell then we might be able to work on something."

As Ruin talks to mage he would be approached by a young human woman who looked to be from the medical ward. "Umm...are you Mr. Ruin? You match the description I was given. You presence is requested back at the medical ward by your companions. It seems one of a patence is in danger of being possessed by a demonic spirit and they thing you might be able to help."

The mage would raise his eyebrow at the woman's words. "Wow that sounds pretty serous. It sounds like your expertise is needed elsewhere then here chucking rocks with us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It would take some effort but Valac eventually wrestles free the metal spike from where it is embedded in the ground. It is a little too short and heavy to be thrown reliably but he could definitely stab someone with it. The point is quite sharp.

Breezy would chime. "Oh, it will just take a moment. The steam ballista carries five shots." Breezy pulls a lever and a loud chu-chunk echos out from the machine. "See, all done! Are you sure you want to go again?"

Mr. Roland would put his head in his hands and sigh. "Why is he egging her on? Breezy please...don't you think this has gone far enough?"

By this point a crowd of soldiers have gathered around and begining to point at the machine and the barbarian and discuss. Ilikan sees money changing hands. They are definitely keeping a safe distance away though from the front of the ballista.  

[PupSage]

Kuori looks to the woman in the bed.
"You ask a high price. Difficult magic is one thing, but you're asking my friends and I to put our lives on the line. Oddly enough though, we're the only game in town."

She sighs, "Option one, I stop the demon from coming through for the a fifty percent price reduction. Option two, I do things your way and cut your deal and you maybe see about having a raise dead ritual ready around the time that I get back."

Why yes, she was negociating over a life, but she served a god of death.

"Irene, can you go get the others just in case? This is going to be an all hands scenario if we do this."  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

"I am sorry, I am not 'Mr. Ruin'. But, I believe you can find him by the front gate. He carries two swords." Vaius would joke, "I hope you find him, that really does sound serious."

(Bluff: 28 to make her believe Valac is Ruin.)

Regardless, if the human bought it or not; Ruin would turn back to the mage. "Sadly, my master never would grant that one. And, I am sorry for disturbing you, but it does see the fates have other plans for me today." And with that the small tiefling reluctantly made his way to the medical ward, and ultimately to Revenge's side. "Anyone try to communicate with them? Do they have names?" ... "The girl and it, I mean"  

[Mongooseh]

"Well at least give me my turn! You best duck Breezy!" Replied Valac as he dropped the iron spike to the floor and drew one of his javelins. Taking a quick aim Valac lobs the javelin at the machination and watched as it deflected harmlessly off it.

<15vsAC or auto hit if it counts as damaging object. Iron has more resist than Valac can do damage with a javelin.>

"You can take another shot if you want Breezy but..." Valac said pausing for a moment to take his vanguard full blade, burying the tip in the floor and striking a confident menacing pose, "...if I'm still standing your machine will meet my proper might."

 

[Rain Yupa]

"Ruin, glad you could join us. You even managed to beat the girl who I sent for you here. Sorry you had to rush so, but I feel it is of urgent necessity."

He would pause, looking at Kuori amidst her 'negotiations', but did not address it yet. "Looks like you were even brought up to speed a little bit. Her name is Faeleen, she was a soldier wounded in that battle. Supposedly, there's a demonic presence fused with the piece of steel that you can see there; since you've shown familiarity with magic weaponry before, I wasn't sure if you could provide any arcane insight. No attempts at communication to either one has happened since she has gone comatose."

A brief pause. "We may need to utilize a ritual to combat the spirit. Kuori is currently making arrangements; otherwise, whatever dark denizen is taking root might bring harm to everyone trying to recover in here," he'd explain, hoping that would sway any shrewdness on Kuori's part since she had family at stake here. "We might need to bring in Valac and that human fellow, Ilikan, if we can convince him. I wish that aide would return so we can have her track them down. Unless someone else wants to go find them?" he'd ask, looking to the other nearby staff.  

[Psychofish]

Ilikan's chuckling turned into a low whistle, impressed at the machine firing, and being readied for a second so quickly. The accuracy hadn't been ideal, but it seemed that she was carting a quick reloaded, and mobile, ballista. If the girl had a bit of discipline in her, she could make a fortune working for a military outfit instead of following the outcast noble. He might suggest it later, but for now he quite liked having the quick transportation handy, since the excursion was already delayed.

He took a few steps away from the wagon, as the javelin flew at it, settling over by the soldier's watching. "What are the odds on, boys?" He wouldn't want to keep standing in front of that thing, but he wasn't the teifling's keeper, and he wasn't going to tell somebody not to test themselves if he was only putting himself in danger. On which note-

"Valac! If you're going to do this, make sure not to hit the parts that make it move, eh?" He called over to the barbarian. "We'll need those!"  

[Kowsauni]

To Ruin the woman would respond "Sorry, my mistake" and head off in the direction of the Gate. However, since she she was previously instructed to look for someone of Ruin's height and stature she passes by Valac and the spectacle he is creating an continues on a wild goose chase as Ruin heads to the medical ward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the ward...

Irene would nod to Kouri and head out of the ward to go grab the others. The lady seemed surprised Kuori's request. "U...umm I've never seen the raise dead ritual before but I can look into it. I mean, if we had that we would bring back to life all the solders we could afford. Like I said, I can probably get you the spirit Idol ritual you want and the supplies you need to cast it in exchange for your service."

Faeleen lays comatose and unmoving in front of Ruin and Revenge, though, they do see her face grimace slightly every now and again. No more of the healers can leave at Revenge's request until the initial one returns, though he does see Irene depart from Kuori's side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the wagon...

Breezy would duck behind her ballista turret as Valac 's javelin bounced harmlessly off the side of the wagon. "Ack, what are you trying to do, kill me?" At the mention off attacking the whoosewagon Breezy would get all flustered. "Wah? You can't do that! This carriage belongs Irene! I just built it and operate it for her! I don't actually own it! I'd get in big trouble if you damaged it! I...I think I am done playing around now!"

Suddenly Irene would appear in front of the gathering crowd and despite her small sickly frame she would shout in an commanding voice. "BREEZY! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? WHY ARE THE DEFENSES ON MY CARRIAGE DEPLOYED?"

Breezy would jump and surprise then stammer to try and respond. "Lady Blackwood! Well, you see...uh...uh..."

Mr. Roland just stood by, hanging his head in frustration.  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

Quote:

"Ruin, glad you could join us. You even managed to beat the girl who I sent for you here. Sorry you had to rush so, but I feel it is of urgent necessity."

"That isn't exactly true," Ruin would place his hand on the back of his head, "if that healer doesn't return with Valac you may want to send someone after her. I told her he was me...Is it a good time to add, that I was eaten today ... by a worm?" He would add as if it was an excuse for his actions towards the young woman.

Quote:

He would pause, looking at Kuori amidst her 'negotiations', but did not address it yet. "Looks like you were even brought up to speed a little bit. Her name is Faeleen, she was a soldier wounded in that battle. Supposedly, there's a demonic presence fused with the piece of steel that you can see there; since you've shown familiarity with magic weaponry before, I wasn't sure if you could provide any arcane insight. No attempts at communication to either one has happened since she has gone comatose."

A brief pause. "We may need to utilize a ritual to combat the spirit..."

Ruin tuned out of Revenge's long explanation and moved as close as he could to examine the metal.

(Arcane 11: Everything Ruin can determine about the magic involved...
Arcane 11: Can the host participate in the combat in the ritual Revenge is talking about?)

After a bit, he would whisper close to her ear(or as close to it as he could get). "Faeleen, my name is Vaius Mizvir, I am a vassal of the Wounded One. I stand here with Revenge, a servant of Sehanine. Please, hang there. To the invading entity, I wish to bargain for this woman's body, mind and soul. let your presence be known."  

[Mongooseh]

Valac instinctively placed himself between Irene and Breezy before answering for Breezy, "Cus I was attacking it, I was wonderin' tough it was and Breezy was just defendin' it from my horrible self. I'll stop I ain't as keen after seein' how deep that iron rod buried itself in the ground."

<19 to bluff that Valac started it out of the blue and wasn't just some weird d**k waving contest that Valac and breeezy were having.>  

[PupSage]

"Yes, but you m'lady hold the fate of that woman in your hands. If there is no vessel, there is no demon, and I have gold on hand to get what I need. This could be the poor girl's time to go and I would be remiss to not let her pass. I am allowing you to persuade my friends and I to shelve our quest, which is already on detour, to risk life and limb, and demonic posession to save a stranger when a simple beheading would end the threat."

She walks towards the bed, ritual in hand, "Point being. This is a job worth what you are offering, but its not like I couldn't afford it in the first place." She sighs, addressing her allies, "For the record, I don't want to do this, but I see that you two do. If The others are on board, I will do this, but I reiterate again that this is reckless to a point even I am uncofortable with."