3626 - Shrsholn - Wed Jan 23, 2002 11:00pm

[since some of you folks are west of the big-miss, I'll refrain from announcing this season's victorious robot...

[Getting back into the swing of things...]

Elise having gone through three hapless gremlins, and working on the fourth, determines through interrogation that Trask is not the Wizard Bjolfe (!), and that the Scoundrel is with him...somewhere in the tower.

While the scaley cats were expiring under the loving caress of the MinoElf, Dijani and the Orc were discussing the options for finding the real baddies.

It seems that the Wizard is quite the disappearing artist, and the scent of Dritauge's swamp-gas arrows is not sharp enough to lead on to their where abouts.

Escemine, Silthis, and the recovered Larshes'ke are looking anxious over the loud noises, near sensings, and generall dilly-dallying which has consumed roughly an hour and a half since the party's arrival in the wizard's tower.

Larshes'ke, examining the gremlin leader's stiletto, remarks, "Mmm...there is a big problem here."
Waiting for all ears, she continues, "One enchantment on this blade is a scrying link. It allows the scryer to know the whereabouts of the blade, as well as the state of the holder. Another is --"

But the explosion which tears her to pieces cuts her warning short.

Escemine is catapaulted across the chamber, blood arcing wildly along her trajectory.
Silthis is no where to be found...
The orc is thrown to the ground, and is bleeding from shrapnel.

Dijani must make a L3 STR SR to remain standing, and takes 10 hits before armor -- no fancy armor maneuvering on this one.

Elise must make a L2 STR SR to remain standing, and takes 11 hits -- which bounce off her plate armor.

The room is filled with thick, acrid smoke -- A L2 CON SR is needed to remain breathing functionally (i.e., not coughing your guts out) this round, and 3 + the amount failed by is taken this round from the fumes.

Through teary, burning eyes, the survivors see three distortions in the billowing cloud waver and shift, nearing from the center of the circular teleport chamber.

"So good of you all to come. Please, don't get up on my account." says a voice unfamiliar to the group.

The fringe effect of the invisibility wears off, and Dritauge, Trask, and an older man who can only be Bjolfe the wizard, are standing a fraction of a second at arrow-speed from the three of you.

"We have no time. Kill them cleanly, or I'll slag this whole chamber, and you two worthless dolts with it." Bjolfe says dispassionately.

[tsk-tsk-tsk...]

3629 - dijani_k - Thu Jan 24, 2002 3:54pm

>> Dijani must make a L3 STR SR to remain
>> standing, and takes 10 hits before armor -- no
>> fancy armor maneuvering on
>> this one.

The room is filled with thick, acrid smoke --
>> A L2 CON SR is needed to remain breathing
>> functionally (i.e., not coughing your guts
>> out) this round, and 3 + the ammount failed by
>> is taken this round from the fumes.

[[editor's note: all die rolls verified for accuracy
by the accounting firm of Dewey, Cheatum and Howe.]]

Editor's note: Dijani takes 3+1 hits, and is down to 02 CON.

3631 - Shrsholn - Thu Jan 24, 2002 6:19pm

[Great, a survivor...Now to wait for mistwalker's report...]

-Shrsh'

3638 - Shrsholn - Fri Jan 25, 2002 1:10am

Yes actually, he lives on cherry lane, and has resided there for well over a hundred years.

-Shrsh'
:-Þ

3639 - mistwalker_ - Fri Jan 25, 2002 3:11am

Editor's Note: Missing by 21-3=18 means 18+3=21 hits taken off Elise's CON. This should have killed her, I think?

3640 - Shrsholn - Fri Jan 25, 2002 9:13am

Dijani and Elise defiantly remain standing, both slightly impaired by the noxious fumes created by the exlposion.

Through teary, burning eyes, the survivors see three distortions in the billowing cloud waver and shift, nearing from the center of the circular teleport chamber. Caughing from the smoke, Dijani and Elise present their best face, though spasming from the diaphragm causes them both to wince and shudder.

"So good of you all to come. Please, don't trouble yourself on my account." says a voice unfamiliar to the group.

The fringe effect of the invisibility wears off, and Dritauge, Trask, and an older man who can only be Bjolfe the wizard, are standing a fraction of a second at arrow-speed from the three of you.

"We have no time. Kill them cleanly, or I'll slag this whole chamber, and you two worthless dolts with it." Bjolfe says dispassionately.

"No. I don't think so." replies Spurlious Trask.

He is a skeletally thin, elfin creature, sharply dressed in black silken pants, and a grey poet's shirt. Hip-high eelskin boots accentuate his long legs, and further exaggerate his lithe form.
He is armed with a sheathed rapier, and a sheathed dagger of some sort.
His angular face is nonetheless boyish, perhaps even slightly effeminate, kohle decorating his abalone eyes, and contrasting with his graphite colored skin. Atop his brow rest eelskin goggles, which disrupt his spikey silver hair.

Dritauge by contrast, is bearded and moustached, wearing a black silk blindfold, though he has his bark-covered self-bow in hand -- with arrow notched. His hands are encrusted with writhing fighting rings, which gibber and moan.

The wizard Bjolfe, easily in his sixties, simply attired in a dark grey robe which drapes to the cold stone floor.

"And how is this?", the wizard asks, dazed by the defiance rather than outraged.

"I think not. My boys deserve something better...for all they've suffered. Besides old man, you still have no clue as to where *my* treasures lie." Trask replies, dripping with arrogance.

The orc begins to stand by the two of you.
"I thought you didn't have much time..." he offers, bloody spittle decorating his lips and jaw.

"...Very well..." replies Bjolfe.

The next instant, the surroundings change in a blur.

A similar chamber to the one in which the party had found itself initially is filled with arcane cabinets of vials glowing with an oragneish light, a score of armed Nightshade Gang members outfitted for an expedition, and an irregularly sided, rune carved portal large enough to admit two elephants side by side, which appears to have been excavated from the familiar looking tunnel rock.

"Then I suppose we will have to bring them with us..." says Bjolfe, smiling slightly.

*** [same bat time, same bat channel...] ***

3701 - dijani_k - Thu Jan 31, 2002 11:03am

3721 - mistwalker_ - Sun Feb 3, 2002 2:18am

3722 - Shrsholn - Sun Feb 3, 2002 10:29am

[Sorry, your post slipped by me...]

The odds in the fight are not in the small-group's favor, so resting might not be a bad idea.
Let me see what mistwalker has written recently...

I goofed,
-Shrsh'

3723 - Shrsholn - Sun Feb 3, 2002 10:39am

Bjolfe smiles, "There Trask, I tell you she is more loyal, resorcesfull, and determined than the two of you combined."

Trask shoots a wry smile at the old man, then, "Would a duel, or something so quaint satisfy your honor, m'lady?"

Dritauge, the Archer, spits on the floor a few inches from Elise's left hoof.

The tension in the air hangs heavy...

3724 - dijani_k - Sun Feb 3, 2002 3:44pm

She listened as Elise, personable as ever, spoke to their captors.

"Elise's comments might have changed all that, however." Dijani mused, and she racked her brain for a way out of this that didn't require a lot of strength. The orc looked severely injured, she knew that she wasn't 100%, and Elise didn't look as if she were doing that great either, if Dijani could be any judge of her kind's health status by outward appearances.

"Perhaps I can sneak a few healing spells in under their noses..." She thought, and realizing that they were distracted by Elise's spunk, she placed her hand on the orc and tried just that.

[OOC: I'm not sure what healing magicks Dijani is now aware of after absorbing the Lady's ESS, so I wasn't sure if I should pick a healing spell that Dijani already knew, if you'd like to pick something that she absorbed from the Lady, or if you could e-mail me an updated list of her knowledge and wanted me to pick, oh great and wise DM. :D]

3725 - Shrsholn - Sun Feb 3, 2002 4:55pm

Dijani wisely took the opportunity to heal the Orc, who seems to notice the difference immediately. He nods slightly in stealthy thanks.

3745 - dijani_k - Wed Feb 6, 2002 11:57am

3752 - Shrsholn - Wed Feb 6, 2002 6:30pm

-Shrsh'

3764 - mistwalker_ - Thu Feb 7, 2002 0:49pm

3765 - mistwalker_ - Thu Feb 7, 2002 0:54pm

(OOC: Okay, so she's not real big on diplomacy. But then again, we already knew that. =Þ)

3771 - Shrsholn - Fri Feb 8, 2002 11:55am

3772 - Shrsholn - Fri Feb 8, 2002 11:56am

3788 - Shrsholn - Mon Feb 11, 2002 5:52pm

Unsheathing a Rapier and Swordbreaker, Trask smiles thinly.
[I already have his total, etc.]

* I need an updated Elise emailed before you post, please mistwalker. :-)

3816 - Shrsholn - Sat Feb 16, 2002 2:29pm

Unsheathing a Rapier and Swordbreaker, Trask smiles thinly.

[I already have his total, etc.]

* I need an updated Elise emailed before you post, please mistwalker. :-)

-Shrsh'

3875 - tarandracon - Fri Mar 22, 2002 1:32am

[Taran is referring to the fact that the BFT Club, which is now a Group, imposed some new login procedures which may have thrown off mistwalker.]

3876 - shrsholn - Sat Mar 23, 2002 9:33am

Dijani was able to discern the relative strengths of the guards in the immediate area as Spurlious Trask and Elise prepared to battle to the death.

Bjolfe had disappeared.
Not good.
He might be invisible, or have teleported away, or gone ghostly.

That threw a shoe in the gears...

The blindfolded archer smiled at Dijani whenever they made -- er -- looked in each other's direction.

Willim Dritauge was wanted dead by the Khazan Internal Intelligence Legion (KIIL) for high treason, as well as numerous crimes against the Empire and the Empress.

Puzzled by Lady Silkervish's sudden and unexpected betrayal of the party she organized, Dijani concentrated on finding the answers...

*

"Why did you betray us!" she demanded of the fading ghost imprinted on her brain.

|||"Trask!"|||

"What of him?!"

||"...love..?"||

Dijani could feel the slightest bit of grief for the icy witch.

|...lost...|

*

The sound of shattering steel roused dijani from her meditations.

Both of Elise's trusty broadswords were now silvery dust glittering as they fell to earth.

One hand outstretched to thrust was countered by Trask's main gauche, the blade of which was slowly fading from a reddish glow. The same fading glow surrounded his rapier which had parried her other sword.

In a terrible instant, Dijani saw his ripost lunge through Elise's shattering plate armor, and into the woman.

A look of mild approval crossed Trask's face...

4312 - dijani_k - Sat Jul 6, 2002 5:36pm

IC: [Dijani] As much as it pained her, Dijani could do nothing. Elise had challenged, had persisted, and had been killed. Not that it was a fair fight, mind you. But when one is the only one on one's side amid a league of foes, one stores such bitter moments for a later, and more advantageous, moment's revenge.

Dijani's face showed no emotion, though inside she cringed, and her stomach fluttered.

She waited to be addressed, assessing the skills of the ones near her, and her chances of taking them all on with just the orc as ally.

4392 - shrsholn - Fri Aug 9, 2002 7:52 pm

-Shrsh'

4414 - shrsholn - Sun Aug 18, 2002 2:08 am

IC: [Dijani] As much as it pained her, Dijani could do nothing. Elise had challenged, had persisted, and had been killed. Not that it was a fair fight, mind you. But when one is the only one on one's side amid a league of foes, one stores such bitter moments for a later, and more advantageous, moment's revenge.

Dijani's face showed no emotion, though inside she cringed, and her stomach fluttered.

She waited to be addressed, assessing the skills of the ones near her, and her chances of taking them all on with just the orc as ally.

"What do you intend on doing with us?" asked the Orc.

Bjolfe looks at him in a sidelong glance, then, turning his back on the two of you, addresses Trask. "Do you intend on wasting any more precious time? The gateway will only remain open for a little over a quarter-hour. Not much time for your little games..."

Trask flicks the blood off his transparent rapier. "She's Willam's problem. And as for the Orc..." Trask waves his hand dismissively.

Willam grunts satisfied, a deep grin washes across his face, the black silk blind still wrapped tight.

Whispering, ~"They underestimate us. That may be our only chance..." the Orc leans closer, nodding in the direction of the 'gateway' from whence slow-motion, ethereal lightning languidly forks and arcs.

Willam Dritauge speaks up, "Drop the bubble, Wizard. I want the girl."

Bjolfe turns from giving a gremlin orders. He looks penetratingly at Dijani, "No. She reminds me too much of my daughter. ...Need I remind you two oafs what is at stake here?!"

Both men look at him, each wearing a sour, writhing face.

The force-bubble containing the two of you is moved forward, through the gate room's doorway, and the full grandure of the mad wizard's work can be appreciated.

A tower-clock sits amid of excavated stone shards. The clock face is carven with eldritch sigils, and it appears to have more than one layer, with moving clockwork gears spinning away. The frame itself appears tome made up of cogs and gears driving axels, operating auxillary gauges, etc.

No sound like that which washes in and out of the area has been heard by Dijani. It is like muted conversations, waves on the shore, and the flipping of pages all blended into one overlapping tone.

"Marvelous..." the Orc mutters, awed.

"Yes. This is how we shall travel to another world..." Bjolfe says, smiling widely.

4452 - dijani_k - Sun Sep 1, 2002 10:58 am

"I remind him of his daughter?" she muttered to the orc with an incredulous but subtle grin. He was her only known ally in this insane twist of events. What really amazed her is that he had a daughter, and if he did, that he could really care for her. It had long been her opinion that those that harbored evil lost their abilities to love, so that all that remained of the bonds of love was a sense of perverse possession. Whatever the case with Bjolfe, she was glad she reminded him of something that he didn't want to lose, possession or no.

4457 - Shrsholn - Mon Sep 2, 2002 4:11 pm

"I remind him of his daughter?" she muttered to the orc with an incredulous but subtle grin. [...] Whatever the case with Bjolfe, she was glad she reminded him of something that he didn't want to lose, possession or no.

Dritauge and Trask 'look' at each other, then head in separate directions. Trask moves toward the gateway, while Dritauge ducks out of the room.

An observant Gremlin apparently informs Bjolfe who looks up at Trask, but doesn't say or act against him, watching instead.

"This thing nearly ready old man?" Trask asks, bitter restraint thick in his speech.

Bjolfe regards him for a moment, gesturing with his left hand, then saying, "As you well know, we have less than ten minutes as it is. What is on your mind Trask?" Dijani can sense the activation of a spell from the Wizard.

The Orc nearly falls over as the force-sphere fades like a soap bubble. "Whoa!" he whispers, steadying himself.

"I'd get ready for trouble..." the Orc looks serious.

Trask turns, and addressing Bjolfe, produces a small box from up his sleeve. "I've got something here for you and all your troubles...", then the Rogue wings the box at Bjolfe.

[[great time to drop the force-wall, huh..?]]

4461 - dijani_k - Fri Sep 6, 2002 9:34 pm

OOC: Gee, let's hope this works!? lol

4470 - "shrsholn" - Sat Sep 7, 2002 10:27 pm

"Cover!" Dijani screamed at the orc, and began to cast "Web" in an attempt to form a wall of protection between them and whatever Trask had thrown at the wizard.

OOC: Gee, let's hope this works!? lol

[[OOC: All those blasted spell-name changes... Tell you what...Force Wall is cast...(-06 ESS)]]

Seeing Trask throw the box, Dijani finds herself reflexively casting a spell Lady Silkervish knew. The invisible barrier is erected in front of Bjolfe, shielding him as well.

The box detonates against the force wall in an icy silver blast, followed a heartbeat later by a gout of ebon flame which crawls across the invisible surface like a flood of oil. [[whew!]]

"What is this?!" Bjolfe exclaims with confused delight.

"Traitorous Curr! You and that _goon_ will pay *dearly* for your insolence!" -- then turning to the two of you...

"Arrest me later, if you must! We must stop Trask before he attempts to use the gate or we may all be destroyed!"

[[same bat-time, same bat-channel...]]

4474 - dijani_k - Mon Sep 9, 2002 10:02 am

"What should we do?" she queries.

4505 - Shrsholn - Thu Sep 26, 2002 9:23 am

Dijani nods in agreement. In any case, she had to be alive before she would get a chance to capture her prey! "What should we do?" she queries.

"We have time enough to either step through and sabotage the machine, or ... attempt his capture." Bjolfe looks on with tired, sad eyes.

"Why were you opening the gateway?" the Orc asks of the Wizard.

"I am looking for someone who disappeared long ago. I lured them to assist me simply to have the rest of the work done in a speedy manner. It was my folly..." the disheartened Bjolfe replies.

A gremlin lieutenant stealthily creeps in. He half-hisses at Dijani, an ear recently cut off... He converses with the Wizard in its native tongue, akin to both Feline and Serpentine.

"Well, at least my Gremlin allies are still with us..." Bjolfe smiles grimly.

"Now, I suppose, it is up to you two to weigh our options. For you perhaps a simple and clear cut choice -- for me, I have only one goal."

"To travel through the gateway..." The Orc observed plainly. "Dijani, what say you?"

[Sorry for the delay: personal illness, and such... :-)]

4770 - dijani_k - Thu Jan 23, 2003 3:55 pm

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