Renew the Pact: Time of our Lives, part 26, fin
Log Info
- Title: Renew the Pact: Time of our Lives, part 26, fin
- Emitter: Whirlpool
- Characters: Paenitia, Aryia, Seyardu, Lyme, Fallon
- Place: Goldcoast of Veyshan, Tashraan: Akoniril's Suite, the Auction Vault
- Time: Friday, December 10, 2021, 9:54 PM
- Summary: Waiting at the time vaults, the adventurers are disguised as Akoniril's guards and attacked. A shadow-figure emerges, puts half of them asleep, and attempts to take out Aryia. Battle ensues, Paenitia is roused by Aryia, and despite the lucht's efforts, she can't wake the oruch. He doesn't for quite some time. She's also unable to hit, with Seyardu and Aryia focusing on the shadow figure. Fallon shoots arrows, which are snatched out of the air, and Lyme finally engages. This fight is interrupted by another appearing, the Time Hunter, who immediately grabs Paenitia and tries to throw her into oblivion. She doesn't go easily, but she's going painfully. Aryia grapples the shadow-thief, immobilizing it, and Fallon's diplomatic efforts succeed. It's his fabulous hair, and the Time-Hunter is convinced there is something else that it can't see, namely the Shadow-Thief. Especially after scale polish makes it obvious. Illusions are dispelled and it's revealed to be a Lamprey-Aryia. Full of incandescent hate for the others and nearly successful in taking them all out. She, is the cause of the time looping. Where other eel-like, corrupted-versions of the adventurers are is not clear. Perhaps they died, perhaps they're waiting. The Time-Hunter takes Lampraryia, the guards remain asleep, and everyone is right where they used to be, time wise. Creeping back to Akoniril, she is updated, the Time Trippers are sent ahead, past when they killed Shaevin. He asks them to leave his body, the others, as they are. Hopefully this doesn't add another knot to the timeline. They return to Farland, who wanted to know why they had to rush off. He does at least, have the star. Success!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Paenitia 3'0" 34 Lb Halfling Female A Lucht knight, dark skinned in bold feathery finery. Aryia 4'8" 110 Lb Shadow Elf Female A heavily scarred mul with a curious look about her. Seyardu 5'6" 150 Lb Sith-Makar Female A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint. Lyme 7'2" 435 Lb Orc Butch Black-skinned oruch of suitable stature. Fallon 5'6" 145 Lb Half-Elf Male A short hooded man. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NPCs of Note -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Akoniril Belvade Shadow Elf Female High Priestess of Taara, reluctant participant. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Whirlpool 5'0" Otyugh I am stinky! -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Previously
Farland, an associate of Griva, contracted some adventurers to come with him to Veyshan and assist with purchasing an item at an auction. Before they were to do so, they had to don elaborate costumes and follow potential bidders around the market, and assess their tactics. Att he auction, and still in costume, they one by one notice that items going on the block change... and everyone seems to recall them being the new item.
They were originally sent to get a sword, or a scroll, and encounter High Priestess Akoniril, who successfully out-bids them. In the aftermath it's determined something fishy was going on. The adventurers decide to visit the Temple of Navos, and one of Farland's friends, Shaevin. Taara's priestess tells them they are wasting their time. They go anyhow. Shaevin is intractible and has to be forced to acknowledge there is an issue. He insists they stay, and they insist they want to change.
After visiting Shaevin, they went back to the Inn. The adventurers got taken by guards in the night to jail. They were questioned about Farland committing a murder, then locked up. Later there was a commotion, and they broke out, and discovered the commotion was caused by Akoniril. They went and got their gear from the Inn, then went to the Temple of Navos. There, sneaking in, they discovered Shaevin and other priests of Navos making sacrifices to a void beast. Battle ensued! The priests and beasts were killed. The adventurers found a small hourglass and a room with a socket where it would fit. Placing it into the socket, they apparently jumped back one week in time. The 'Time Fuckery' is in full swing at this point.
Unsure what to do, they went to bother Akoniril and told her she was part of a time loop and thus, had to help. They discussed items vanishing and changing before their eyes at the auction. Akoniril had an original list of auction items and it was quite different from the list the adventurers received when they arrived (a week in the future). So, clearly some items got stolen. They decide to check the auction vaults, to see who might have done what. While there, they see images of a past iteration of themselves, trying to steal the objects in question. They were also being chased by something. The something arrives, kills several guards and chases them through Tashraaan. It's some kind of Time Vulture. Evading it, they return to Akoniril and explain what happened.
Commune and Divination were used to determine what to do next. Akoniril didn't interfere, she can play nice sometimes.
Satisfied with the answers from the gods, the Time Trippers plan the next task. They want to guard the vault, they know the vault is down a few guards. They have already implicated Akoniril, perhaps they could show up as her reinforcements. The High Priestess of Taara likes this idea, with modifications. She contacts the auctioneers, chastises them for their sloppiness and offers to restore the guards who were slain, and provide supplementary guards who not the people who showed up under illusions. With her aid, the group successfully gets assigned to the location they might be robbing soon. All they have to do is wait for the door to open, and not fall asleep.
They fall asleep.
Oh boy...
The rolling cloud of darkness storms towards Aryia, then, in a sudden surge. Something from within it batters her, leaving her cold, but more importantly, pretty banged up. It's a fusillade of blows shrouded in night.
Lyme continues to snooze.
Aryia is about to answer Seyardu, but is suddenly blindsided by the rolling cloud of darkness. She gasps in pain, trying to defend herself. Hey... darkness stuff is her thingy. And... so is light!
She needs Paenitia up NOW! The elf rears a foot back, and clangs it against the adamantine armor to try and rouse her. That... might have been a mistake, as her leg vibrates back in turn, like a steel bat striking metal.
"No! Ramirez! Eat the red ones last!" Paenitia shouts loudly, coming suddenly away. She's being shaken by a Charnese guard. Wait! They're all Charnese guards. It's not a dream, she's back in time.
It's also dark. "Who is there? Fight me!" The Dark Lucht turned Shadow Elf thingy challenges the darkness. She also moves to nudge Lyme with her foot, assuming her foot can find him.
"The fighting time is now."
The oruch is not waking up, at all.
Now
Aryia raises her fists as the rolling inky blight lashes out at her. Already bruising, she twirls backwards, squinting hard in the dark. "There's a person in there!" she quickly gestures to her friends.
The pugilist takes a deep breath in takes a deep breath in. She's only had to do this once so far under stress. Where is it... where is it...?
Plunge into the waters. Dark below. Light above. Grey around. Reach up, pull! Make it meet you! It's yours!
A wave of brilliant, shimmering moonlight erupts across the floor. It rolls out like a wave, tinging all in its silver hue, and her torch bright eyes flare to a vibrant star.
All bathed in the light are reassured: a guiding star was present. <Handspeech>
...the darkness abates somewhat upon Aryia's action, leaving some of the cloud surrounding the figure that's revealed to be banished. It's humanoid. Like a humanoid nimbus of anti-light, anyway. Light seems to evaporate INTO its being. It's very presence is cold and dark, yes. There's a pained sound from it, entirely too human-sounding.
GAME: Fallon rolls weapon1: (7)+7: 14
Fallon frowns as his shot goes awry, and Paenitia is even more unlucky. "The thing stole my arrow. Please kill it faster."
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5: (2)+11: 13 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5-5: (1)+11+-5: 7 (EPIC FAIL)
"The light! No! I am still wake up. He is too bright." Paenitia launches herself at the shadowy-figure, flailing away.
She trips, does the splits, spins and slides across the floor in an arc. For her second attack, she somehow knocks her helm around so it's facing backwards. The Smiling Man grinning madly at the party.
"I need the moment." She says, getting back up and adjusting her helm.
Needless to say, she missed by a mile.
TWICE.
GAME: Seyardu casts Blessing of Fervor. Caster Level: 11 DC: 19
Seyardu reacts slowly to the emerging threat as she wonders how to act, if she should even pretend that her legs were straight and she did not have a tail behind her. Upon seeing what it was capable of however, she moves to act much more quickly, taking the holy symbol from earlier and holding it aloft. The prayer offered is further jarring as it is spoken in draconic, and the movement of the disguised sith is even stranger as she sprints to the other side of the foe. "You will have to get through me!" She shouts at them, brandishing her billhook in their direction.
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+16: (9)+16: 25 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+16: (8)+16: 24 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+16: (19)+16: 35 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+11: (6)+11: 17 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (3)+6: 9 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d10+8: (10)+8: 18 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d10+8: (6)+8: 14
There's a hiss of pain. The arrow he holds in his hand is whirled around and chucked back directly at Fallon. It embeds in the wall beside him before he swiftly, smoothly, delivers blow after blow to Aryia. They're in his way. He came for something. He is of a mind to get to it. The vault is right there.
Clearly, he was not anticipating your presence, whoever he is. If its a he. It's hard to see.
GAME: Lyme rolls will: (8)+6: 14 <OOC> Lyme is having the /best/ dream :)
Lyme is still slumped against the wall, insensate.
<OOC> Aryia will shove the guy off to deal with the other two melee folk flanking them. <OOC> Aryia will take AC buff from BoF and run over to Fallon, provoking AoO. <OOC> Aryia willHave mobility, so AC is 31. Try and shake Lyme awake. <OOC> Whirlpool says, "He attempts an AOO grapple to stop you! Unlikely to succeed given your CMD but let's find out" GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+24: (9)+24: 33 <OOC> Aryia says, "CMD is like... uh.. REALLY high versus grapple, its like 47 right now" <OOC> Whirlpool says, "Yeah. Didn't happen. Came close to beating your normal grapple CMD but"
Aryia gives a light gasp as she tries to bob and weave around the blows, able to see them easier given her gifted sight, as well as whatever was giving her the ability to banish the dark. Seeing as they were missing someone still, she grits her teeth and tears away briskly.
A hand tries to grab at her, but she elbows it out of the way she tears over to Lyme. Skidding on her knees, she grabs him by the shoulders and shakes him violently. Pugilist alarm clock plus glaring moonlight hopefully would do the trick.
GAME: Lyme rolls will: (15)+6: 21
Lyme comes around.
GAME: Fallon rolls weapon1: (5)+7: 12
Fallon scampers away from the melee combatants and takes aim again. Another arrow is let loose and another arrow is caught. Fallon just hisses back. Why not.
<OOC> Paenitia says, "Sense motive on the shadow thief, extra attack from BoF, Full attack, +3 from challenge, +2 flanking" <OOC> Paenitia says, "sensing 'is this an alternate timeline Aryia, from how he/she moves/fights'" GAME: Paenitia rolls sense motive: (13)+13: 26 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2: (9)+11+3+2: 25 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2-5: (1)+11+3+2+-5: 12 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+2+3: (3)+11+2+3: 19
With her helmet on straight once more, Paenitia launches herself at the shadowy figure. "Ignore me at your peril!"
An ominous taunt. She swings, swings, swings again. Only one comes close, so close.
She misses.
She feels an unparalleled, personalized hate radiating off it. It hates all here. HATE. As If hate were inscribed on every millimeter of its being.
GAME: Seyardu rolls 6d6: (16): 16
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+5+8+2+2: (3)+5+8+2+2: 20
GAME: Seyardu damaged you for -16 points. 75 HP remaining.
2 nonlethal damage healed. 0 nonlethal total.
GAME: Seyardu damaged your companion for -16 points. 52 HP remaining.
Seyardu squints and the divine power of Althea radiates and restores her companions. She swings with her bill hook at the shadow figure and misses.
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+16: (5)+16: 21 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+16: (9)+16: 25 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+16: (8)+16: 24 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+11: (13)+11: 24 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (15)+6: 21
There's a crackling hiss from it as it swiftly takes another arrow from the air, twirling it in slender, shadowy fingers before whirling towards Paenitia in hate. So much hate.
It batters the little knight, but her armor proves too strong for the moment. The flurry, rapid and familiar in its spins of shadowy punches and kicks, simply glance off.
<OOC> Lyme gets up, moves into range, apply falchion to thief. Is flanking available? GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2: (2)+11+2: 15
Lyme gets up, scrambling into the fight. He takes a wild swing, hits air, steps back and starts to try to settle into the rhythm of the fight.
<OOC> Aryia says, "distance to shadowy monk?" <OOC> Whirlpool says, "Like 15 feet." <OOC> Aryia says, "okay! Flying kick into position to flank with Seyardu, taking +2 to att/ac. Going to try and get some blows in, flurry" GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2: (4)+15+2+2: 23 GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2: (11)+15+2+2: 30 GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2-5: (3)+15+2+2+-5: 17 GAME: Aryia spends ONE point of KI POOL. GAME: Aryia refreshes special ability pools. GAME: Aryia spends ONE point of KI POOL. <OOC> Aryia says, "stunning fist this last one, applying sickened" GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2: (2)+15+2+2: 21 GAME: Aryia spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST. GAME: Aryia rolls damage0: aliased to 2d6+3: (4)+3: 7 <OOC> Aryia says, "das it" <OOC> Aryia says, "bane of the 2s" GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+13: (5)+13: 18 (vs DC19)
Now that Lyme was in the fray, and a bit of healing reinvigorated her, Aryia pivots around and rushes in. Leading with a telegraphed kick, she spins to the side to get a hit on their flank, the rest of her blows blocked or dodged.
She grits her teeth. Damn... this one really knew how to fight. Felt like she was sparring sister.
Focus. Anticipate. Prepare.
GAME: Fallon rolls weapon1: (11)+7: 18
Fallon fires an arrow. It misses.
<OOC> Paenitia says, "okay, same, extra attack, full attack" GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2: (16)+11+3+2: 32 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2-5: (6)+11+3+2+-5: 17 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2: (3)+11+3+2: 19 GAME: Paenitia rolls damage5+8: aliased to 1d8+1+8: (8)+1+8: 17 <OOC> Whirlpool says, "You slash it! There's a crackling hiss of pain."
Impacts rattle the Red Knight's armour. It holds.
"Raaaaaaaah!" Paenitia swings, finally landing a blow. There's a crackling hiss of pain from the shadow creature, "I tell you, focus on me."
"The hate comes off this one. It hates all of us, with the every inch of itself. I do not know what we fight." She shouts to the others. "I think it is not you, Aryia."
The mul'niessa has a lot of hatred, but not this much. She'd have to time-loop at least two more times.
<OOC> Seyardu says, "I'm going to full attack it here, power attacking this time" GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+8+5+2+2-2: (1)+8+5+2+2+-2: 16 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+8+5+2+2-2: (15)+8+5+2+2+-2: 30 GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+3+5+2+2-2: (18)+3+5+2+2+-2: 28 GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d8+3+2+9: (3)+3+2+9: 17 GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d8+3+2+9: (4)+3+2+9: 18
The silverscale swings her bill hook several times, slashing at the shadow figure.
....the shadowy figures raises its hands again in response to strike at Seyardu and Lyme in turn, but then -- something else happens. Something else arrives.
... the hunter. It slides through the wall of the room like it wasn't even there. Black eyes focus.
"... at last," it says, "I have you. All of you."
But it's ... like it can't even *see* the shadow that is present. Like it's somehow obscured from its sight. It looks at each of you in turn, but *not* it.
There's a hiss from the thief as it takes a step back. It's manner seems ... smug.
<OOC> Lyme is going to follow smug-thief attack no PA and flank, (if possible) because that's best-hope for Lyme, Second attack" from BoF GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2: (12)+11+2: 25 GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2: (6)+11+2: 19
Lyme snarls his frustration, "Oh, for FUCK's sake" as the hunter comes through the wall, then snaps out a pair of quick cuts at the thief -- one even almost hits!
<OOC> Aryia says, "point at the hunter for the others, then lay into the thief, taking bonus to hit/ac, flanking" GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0: (1)+15: 16 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2: (6)+15+2+2: 25 GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2-5: (14)+15+2+2+-5: 28 GAME: Aryia spends ONE point of KI POOL. GAME: Aryia spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST. GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2: (9)+15+2+2: 28 <OOC> Aryia says, "well, they all miss" <OOC> Aryia says, "wait, is the hunter humanoid?" <OOC> Whirlpool says, "Aryia, it's AC is 27 right now" <OOC> Whirlpool says, "the THIEF is humanoid" <OOC> Whirlpool says, "The thief's AC is 27" <OOC> Whirlpool says, "So you hit twice." <OOC> Aryia nod! DC 19 for save or sickened for one minute GAME: Aryia rolls damage0: aliased to 2d6+3: (3)+3: 6 GAME: Aryia rolls damage0: aliased to 2d6+3: (3)+3: 6 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+13: (5)+13: 18 (vs DC 19)
Aryia is about to step up and strike as she sees the creature from before emerge from the wall. Her eyes widen, and her grey face grows ashy. "FUCK! We have to kill this fucker!" she gestures quickly, jabbing the finger at the thief. <handspeech>
She barrels forward, briskly jabbing at center mass, getting a singular strike in before abruptly changing direction and sending a foot straight upward. Betwixt legs.
That should make them off their game for a bit.
GAME: Fallon rolls weapon1: (10)+7: 17 Fallon continues to try to shoot the shadow creature while his companions engage it, but he remains even more comparatively useless. The hunter is noted, and Fallon keeps his distances. Hopefully it'll eat the others first. <pre><OOC> Paenitia says, "full attack the thief, say some things," GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2: (9)+11+3+2: 25 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2-5: (8)+11+3+2+-5: 19 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2: (6)+11+3+2: 22
A swing. A miss. A swing. A miss. A swing, another miss.
The little Red Knight really wishes her Ivory Steed was here to finish the job for her. At least, Tarien gets his laugh, and her opponent too.
"I challenge this one. We do the fight, as long as it takes. Rally against the hunter." She suggests.
GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (16)+24: 40 GAME: Fallon rolls sense motive: (16)+3: 19 GAME: Fallon rolls perception: (8)+10: 18 GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (12)+6: 18 GAME: Lyme rolls perception: (11)+4: 15 GAME: Paenitia rolls perception: (7)+5: 12 GAME: Aryia rolls sense motive: (6)+17: 23 GAME: Paenitia rolls sense motive: (6)+13: 19 GAME: Lyme rolls sense motive: (13)+3: 16 GAME: Seyardu rolls sense motive: (3)+11: 14
"I think not, little ones. No more flying away from me. You are trapped. Time distorts here. It bends all around you. This is the point."
It steps towards you.
"Oblivion awaits." It stretches a hand out towards Paenitia, grabbing hold of them with the ease of a giant picking up a child.
GAME: Paenitia rolls fortitude+1: (7)+9+1: 17 <OOC> Whirlpool says, "You are in AGONY as the hunter starts to annihilate you! You are holding on for the moment!"
The little lucht screams in pain.
<OOC> Seyardu says, "I'll cast prayer for this round" <OOC> Seyardu says, "and another channel energy" <OOC> Seyardu says, "I have quick channel and prayer is an action" GAME: Seyardu rolls 6d6: (18): 18 GAME: Seyardu damaged you for -18 points. 75 HP remaining. GAME: Seyardu damaged your companion for -18 points. 52 HP remaining. <OOC> Seyardu says, "+1 to hit, saves and damage" <OOC> Aryia says, "enemies take -1 to hit saves and damage too"
Seyardu squints when she sees the bird appearing. And then at the hunter stepping back. She glares at the creature. "Okay, servant of the inevitability of time. We are trying to sort out the problems from before we got here, as you should know we are not here before going back in time. So if you could please leave us be, that would be wonderful." She yells at the creature to get it's attention. "This being has corrupted your purpose, surely you realize this?"
While doing this, she holds up her holy symbol, and she quickly chants a prayer under her breath, bestowing a bit more strength behind the beleaguered group, and mending their wounds.
The thief is, of course, fine with this. it doesn't OD anything. In fact, it steps back, seemingly content to let the hunter prey on you.
<OOC> Lyme says, "Choose double attack. The thief can suck it (full attack)" GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2+1: (17)+11+2+1: 31 GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2+1: (17)+11+2+1: 31 GAME: Lyme rolls 2d4+10: (3)+10: 13 GAME: Lyme rolls 2d4+10: (6)+10: 16
Lyme drives forwards at the thief, ignoring the hunter behind him. Singleminded, he cuts in once, twice, timing the dodges. There's blood on his blade now.
<OOC> Aryia says, "Aryia is going to gesture, her all big and bright to everyone something really important, <OOC> Aryia says, "then she's going to attempt to grapple the thief. Improved grapple grapple" GAME: Aryia rolls cmb+2: (5)+15+2: 22 <OOC> Whirlpool says, "I'd spend some RPP on that :)" GAME: Aryia rolls cmb+2: (5)+15+2: 22 <OOC> Whirlpool says, "You can again if you want, or accept it. xD" GAME: Aryia rolls cmb+2: (11)+15+2: 28 <OOC> Whirlpool says, "that's better! It has excellent defenses, but, for some reason, you're able to pierce them."
Aryia squints at the keeper of time. She glances between them, the thief, then back to the bird. Her eyes widen. "HEY! The bird can't see the fucker! Get the fucking bird to look for him!" she gestures crudely before rushing straight at the thief. Light versus shadow. She swoops for them a few times, hissing curses under her breath, before, finally-
Snagged.
An arm is wrenched and pulled back, snaring the cocky foe. Her heart is racing. Her friend is screaming. Come on, come on... <Handspeech>
GAME: Fallon rolls diplomacy: (5)+1: 6
Fallon looks between the shadow thief and the hunter as all the chaos ensues. He's still a fair distance away. He cringes at Paen's scream of pain. "Hunter... thing!" He calls out to the creature. "We're after the same guy! *We're* not the ones distorting time." He points at the shadow thief, which is fortunately grappled at the moment. "THAT especially annoying guy is! Please kill him!"
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Paen!" <OOC> Whirlpool says, "More like PAINitia. Geddit." <OOC> Seyardu says, "Alright, right before Paenitia's turn, using liberating command on her." <OOC> Seyardu says, "immediate action, immediate action for Pae to escape artist check with +22" GAME: Paenitia rolls escape artist+22: (13)+-1+22: 34 <OOC> Paenitia says, "okay, then attack the shadow-thief to point her out to the time-hunter, am I close enough to full attack?" <OOC> Paenitia says, "then take the +2 on attacks" <OOC> Seyardu says, "don't forget +1 from prayer" GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2+1+2: (3)+11+3+2+1+2: 22 (+2 Bof, +1 Prayer, +3 challenge, +2 flanking)
Seyardu, seeing the others and what they say, tries to take the creature's attention off of grabbing Paenitia. "Cease." the cleric shouts, imbuing the lucht knight with a burst of speed to slip out of the giant bird creature's grasp. <Draconic>
The little knight's screams cut short. She is still in agony, her teeth clenched and grinding loudly. The Time-Hunter won't see her suffer, her mask ensures that. She exercises her will, so he will not hear it. A silent prayer to Tarien, for help.
Answered by Althea, through Seyardu. Paenitia feels the divine power giving her a break, and she wriggles free. She lands with a gasp.
The shadow-thief is over there. She is not one for flying kicks. She will have to clank over.
"Rrraaaaagggh!" She shouts, lurching close enough to swing. Her warhammer arcing through empty air. Again. "This the one you want."
It would be more convincing and more helpful if she could be seen to strike something. At least the Time-Hunter has been told it's around her and Aryia.
"There is nothing there, little one! I tire of these games, I tire of them and ..."
The Time-Hunter looks at Fallon. Then at Paenitia, slowly. Back and forth, then at the spot where Aryia is struggling with ... nothing?
"What is this game?" it demands.
"There is the thing there you cannot see." Paenitia says, pointing, then dropping to one knee, falling forward and catching herself with her hands. She breathes, her gauntlets clenched in the ground.
"Someone will show you."
"It's not a game," the ranger answers the hunter. "He is magically concealed. Can you not see us fighting something? Or -trying- to, at least. I assure you we're not fighting an imaginary foe." He looks to the others. "I have rope, but if you have any better ideas..."
Aryia snarls as she struggles with seemingly nothing. The foe is putting up a good tussle, yet the pugilist just keeps them locked there. She can't help with negotiations. Her manner of speaking is busy telling someone off, her two manner of speech tied up at the moment. Sweat trickles down her face, staring the inevitable down with a bit of panic. Yet still she shines like the full moon, and the only thing keeping her in the now and focused was going home.
When the creature seems to back off, Seyardu uses it as a chance to move back, to take stock of the situation. They seemed to be able to listen to reason.
"Servant of time, you must stop and think to yourself. You are back here, but, the problems started before we got here, as the auction was not proper when we got to it. We went back to fix this because of that. And something has been done to make you not see the true problem."
She reaches into her pack, trying to think of something that her handy haversack could give her to reveal an invisible person. She had used what was left of her flour making fajitas for the group last night.
The bag answers. Into her hand snaps a small jar. She opens it, and takes a cloth that was wrapped around it. scooping a large amount, she roughly smears it over their face, and most of their torso, before it is stowed away.
"She was right, it does look horrible on people without metallic scales." Seyardu chuffs. "But please, servant, you can see there is a person here, their form is obscured, but their physical presence is here. They have been attempting to steal things to upset the balance."
The person was covered in very bright, silver paste that glittered sharply in response to Aryia's daylight magic.
Scale polish! Much better than Lyme's oruch common sense. Cut the thief, and smear blood all over them till they can be seen.
...well, then.
The Hunter raises a clawed hand to its beak, as if its pained. Trying to focus. Trying to focus on Aryia and the target in her grasp.
"I.." It looks towards Fallon, then at the space.
"...time to end this..."
It raises its hands up and a light pulses from it, soft and silvery.
It radiates outwards and then it would appear that the concealed is concealed no more. Magical effects abruptly cease.
... and there are two Aryias, one holding the other. The second Aryia, held by the first, is black-veined and scarred, her mouth open wide with razor-teeth like a lamprey-eel. She's no longer fully herself, it seems, but it is her. Was her. A version of her.
... a version of her, of perhaps all of you at one point, was behind this?
It would appear to be so.
Seyardu says, "my head hurts."
Lyme looks between the Aryias. "Oh. For FUCKS sakes!" His head hurts, and he looks profoundly annoyed, angry, scared. He's thinking about what he looks like with a lamprey-mouth and just not loving it at all.
Paenitia raises her head, looking at the pair of Aryias. "Ah. The first instinct was the right one." She says quietly and returns to pained breathing and staring at the floor.
Aryia blinks as the hand emits a glow, and reveals all.
She looks down at who was in her grasp. She was in her grasp. Herself. Me? Wait...
The struggling pauses for a moment. "... I'm not that ugly," she signs with disgust, a hand before readjusting her grip to try and shove herself down to the ground. "Stop. Squirming. Bitch."
Would she kill her twin?
... yeah, probably. Her form is weak. <Handspech>
Fallon blinks twice when Lamprey Aryia is revealed. "... If it was a choice between that and the silly haircut, then I understand the other me a lot more now."
Lyme raises his sword, and stares at Neo-Aryia. "Where are the rest of us? And who are you stealing for?"
The person is revealed, and Seyardu audibly groans. "This does not make sense in the slightest. Aryia was never hear at this time before this mess even started."
"Perhaps you know better why things are confused. perhaps you were looking for them and confused us with them. But we have no reason to be back in time without the problems already in place."
"Maybe she go alone to the Temple of Navos, the first time, and catch the corruption from Shaevin, kill them all and go back into the time to steal the thing. Which almost work, but we end up interfere, so we loop." Paenita says, her voice firm and forced, as she stands with the assistance of her warhammer.
The ever grinning mask stares at the lamprey face, "Can you make the signs and explain?"
"It may be something else. It does not matter." The mask turns towards the time hunter, "Is you take her fix it all, or there more to do?"
The Other Aryia hisses and licks and attempts to free herself.
"... this one is not from this time. It is from another. Time has holes in it. The holes are bleeding through from other times. Time is missing. History is missing. It's bleeding."
The Hunter grimaces.
He reaches out to the other Aryia, then, now that he can see her.
"I see you, intruder. You have vexed me for the last time. I will take you now. And you, all of you, will return to your proper place in time."
The hissing other Aryia continues to squirm wrathfully, but shows no fear.
Only spite.
Only rage.
"TIME IS BLEEDING," repeats the Hunter.
"So am I." The Red Knight says, and she might be. What blood escapes her armour will be hard to spot against the crimson of it. "It will pass. I am ready for the go back to the forward now."
She slips her warhammer into its frogs, pressing a hand against her side. She stares, impassively, at the lamprey-Aryia and wonders what her own alternate self might look like, how corrupted she would be.
Then again, how would she know.
Fallon frowns at the explanation, but the sooner Neo-Aryia was put out of her misery, the better. He'd love nothing more than to get back home, too. "I have no qualms with that. Let us be done with this mess."
Lyme lowers his sword. Someone above his pay grade just started talking weird shit.
Lyme is clearly in the ass-end of his inspiration and understanding, right now.
Aryia snarls at herself before yanking her corrupted alter self into the waiting palm of the inevitable. She had no words or cruel gestures, just her glaring at what she could have been.
And that gave her resolve for what she was now.
"This does not make sense though. Aryia would not act like this." Seyardu sighs. "I will tend to wounds when it is safe to do so. But we will not leave unless it is certain that things will be safe to. Will whatever you do with them not affect us? And will Aryia be alright?"
Yes. Very weird how they only got Neo Aryia. Almost like Other shadow-selves could be out there. There is one piece of information missing, these adventurers don't know, most of them, is that other adventurers have done battle with corrupted versions of themselves in the Sea of Mana. Parallel versions, from other times.
"TIME BLEEDS THROUGH. SOMETHING HAS BROKEN THE WAY. You bear the seeds of it inside you -- take great care."
And then the Hunter and Aryia are gone. The other Aryia. Not your Aryia. Who does not have lamprey teeth.
...yet.
Lyme pokes himself. "I really don't like the sound of that."
Aryia blinks, then shuffles on her feet. "... yes, I don't either. Um... are... we back in our time now?" <Handspeech>
"Maybe you get the voice to prevent turn to her." Paenitia suggests, with a short shrug as she stares out of her mask at Aryia. "Or the pants. Sometimes the pants or not is the difference in becoming evil."
She looks towards the Silverscale, "it is okay. I do not need the healing. Are we wait here more, until the vault open?"
Carefully, the little knight limps over to the other sleeping guards. The ones they were reinforcing. She gives one a gentle nudge.
Fallon assesses himself and their surroundings suspiciously. "It looks like we're back?" He couldn't really tell, outside of Neo-Aryia and the time hunter now being gone. He sighs. "I guess we'll find out soon enough..."
Seyardu squints, but she looks around, and sighs. "I do not think we are back when we came from, it just removed them from this time. ... Somehow. I would not dwell on it. I will heal everyone, but we have a long night ahead of us. We can not let any others show up."
Guarding the place isn't easy.
They spend the night there, of course, with the guards still sound asleep through most of it. They appear non-responsive, perhaps too weak of will to fight off the impact of the Shadow-Thief -- Aryia's -- powers.
Either way, nothing else happens. Eventually, they are able to check in first with Akorinil, who has questions, many questions, and likely the answers she receives grant her grim bemusement more than anything else.
The days will past until they've caught up with the original timeline, it would appear, and nothing else of note occurs. Meeting with Shaevin, of course, is the next step.
"Truth be told," he explains to you, "I don't have a lot of time left. When you catch up to the right moment. I can feel time's pull. I'm going to, uh .. .well... you probably don't want to witness it. You killed me, so you know. Time is likely to decide I still need to be dead for a reason. I'm going to send you, before I do, *into* the future, so as to avoid the issue of you meeting yourselves, and to hold this threadbare timeline together. Please leave my body parts alone when you get there. I'll probably see you again, eventually, if the resurrection works, and at least i'll be spared the void wankery."
A pause.
"..hopefully, since the cycle is broken."
A pause.
"... it better be broken or me sending you into the future is going to be a colossal problem."
Another pause.
"...anyway, you have things to do, items to get .. .now that you can get them." He clears his throat. "Good luck!"
...and like before, the time-device will be activated, its gears set, and you will be propelled back into the future, finding the temple in much the same dissaray you left it, though in this case there's no signs of void corruption. Just a lot of dead acolytes and a dead Shaevin, all broken and mangled and bloody and oh gods you better hope you don't get blamed for *this* one.
...seems like it's time to find Farland, though, and get out of Veyshan. Were you even arrested in this timeline? It doesn't appear to be so, because the guards you pass don't recognize you, don't care. And Farland? Farland is waiting at the inn.
With the Star.
"Why you had to rush off to the Navosian Temple, I don't know, but you have concluded whatever business took up all this time, right?"
Combatty
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
27 Shadow-Thief 1
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25 Lyme 1
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>> 14 Aryia 6 <<
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11 Fallon 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)
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11 Paenitia 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)
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5 Seyardu 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)
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==============================================================================
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 3 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
27 Shadow-Thief 1
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25 Lyme 1
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>> 14 Aryia 6 <<
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11 Fallon 1
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11 Paenitia 1
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5 Seyardu 1
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==============================================================================
Imagine a World with the Bell Curve mirrored
GAME: Fallon rolls weapon1: (7)+7: 14 ---Becomes--> (14)+7: 21 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5: (2)+11: 13 ---Becomes--> (19)+11: 30 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5-5: (1)+11+-5: 7 (EPIC FAIL) ---Becomes--> NAT20+6: 26 GAME: Lyme rolls will: (8)+6: 14 ---Becomes--> (13)+6: 19 GAME: Lyme rolls will: (15)+6: 21 ---Becomes--> (6)+6: 12 GAME: Fallon rolls weapon1: (5)+7: 12 ---Becomes--> (16)+7: 23 GAME: Paenitia rolls sense motive: (13)+13: 26 ---Becomes--> (6)+13: 19 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2: (9)+11+3+2: 25 ---Becomes--> (12)+11+3+2: 28 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2-5: (1)+11+3+2+-5: 12 (EPIC FAIL) ---Becomes--> (Nat20)+11+3+2-5: 31 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+2+3: (3)+11+2+3: 19 ---Becomes--> (18)+11+2+3: 34 GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2: (2)+11+2: 15 ---Becomes--> (19)+11+2: 32 <OOC> Lyme says, "...yeah, doesn't matter" <OOC> Paenitia settles in for a long night of 2s GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2: (4)+15+2+2: 23 ---Becomes--> (17)+15+2+2: 36 GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2: (11)+15+2+2: 30 ---Becomes--> (9)+16+2+2: 28 GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2-5: (3)+15+2+2+-5: 17 ---Becomes--> (18)+15+2+2+-5: 32 GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2: (2)+15+2+2: 21 ---Becomes--> (19)+15+2+2: 38 GAME: Fallon rolls weapon1: (11)+7: 18 ---Becomes--> (9)+7: 16 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2: (16)+11+3+2: 32 ---Becomes--> (7)+11+3+2: 23 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2-5: (6)+11+3+2+-5: 17 ---Becomes--> (15)+11+3+2+-5: 26 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2: (3)+11+3+2: 19 ---Becomes--> (18)+11+3+2: 34 GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+8+5+2+2-2: (1)+8+5+2+2+-2: 16 (EPIC FAIL) ---Becomes--> (Nat20)+8+5+2+2+-2: 35 GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+8+5+2+2-2: (15)+8+5+2+2+-2: 30 ---Becomes--> (6)+8+5+2+2+-2: 21 GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+3+5+2+2-2: (18)+3+5+2+2+-2: 28 ---Becomes--> (3)+3+5+2+2+-2: 13 GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2: (12)+11+2: 25 ---Becomes--> (8)+11+2: 21 GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2: (6)+11+2: 19 ---Becomes--> (15)+11+2: 28 <OOC> Whirlpool says, "Aryia, it's AC is 27 right now" GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0: (1)+15: 16 (EPIC FAIL) ---Becomes--> (Nat20)+15: 35 GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2: (6)+15+2+2: 25 ---Becomes--> (15)+15+2+2: 34 GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2-5: (14)+15+2+2+-5: 28 ---Becomes--> (7)+15+2+2+-5 :21 GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+2+2: (9)+15+2+2: 28 ---Becomes--> (12)+15+2+2: 31 GAME: Fallon rolls weapon1: (10)+7: 17 ---Becomes--> (11)+7: 18 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2: (9)+11+3+2: 25 ---Becomes--> (12)+11+3+2: 28 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2-5: (8)+11+3+2+-5: 19 ---Becomes--> (13)+11+3+2+-5: 29 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2: (6)+11+3+2: 22 ---Becomes--> (15)+11+3+2: 31 <OOC> Paenitia says, "I miss Ramirez and another 3 attempts to roll above 10 a round" GAME: Paenitia rolls fortitude+1: (7)+9+1: 17 ---Becomes--> (14)+9+1: 24 GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2+1: (17)+11+2+1: 31 ---Becomes--> (4)+11+2+1: 18 GAME: Lyme rolls 1d20+11+2+1: (17)+11+2+1: 31 ---Becomes--> (4)+11+2+1: 18 GAME: Aryia rolls cmb+2: (5)+15+2: 22 ---Becomes--> (16)+15+2: 33 GAME: Aryia rolls cmb+2: (5)+15+2: 22 ---Becomes--> (16)+15+2: 33 GAME: Aryia rolls cmb+2: (11)+15+2: 28 ---Becomes--> (10)+15+2: 27 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+3+2+1+2: (3)+11+3+2+1+2: 22 ---Becomes--> (18)+11+3+2+1+2: 37 Original: Mirrored: Hits 9, Hits 17, Misses 20, Misses 12, Saves 1, Saves 3, Epic Fails 4, Epic Fails 0, Crits 0; Crits 4, Note that while Epic Fails and Crits essentially swap places, the relationship between hit and miss is different because of target numbers. Whirl's rolls weren't included, but were similar. With (potential) crits added in, the Mirror universe's hit/miss ratio was 21/12, compare with 9/20 which is what we got. Proof time is bleeding and we're in the beta-verse.
OOC
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Everyone's dice has been bad tonight."
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Mine included!"
<OOC> Aryia says, "fighting a neopae and a neorameriez sounds spooky"
<OOC> Paenitia says, "but how would you know? if the armour is the same, it could be anyone inside it, and if it was different it wouldn't be obvious"
<OOC> Aryia says, "ez, rameriez wouldn't be handsome"
<OOC> Paenitia says, "yes, but Ramirez has an 80% chance of not showing up in scene, typically."
<OOC> Aryia says, "what if the inevitable was rameriez the entire time chasing us"
<OOC> Paenitia says, "maybe 70%"
<OOC> Paenitia says, "well all things considered, it would have been a hell of a slapstick fight if they all showed up and rolled like we did, or total murder if they rolled better."
<OOC> Whirlpool laughs.
<OOC> Lyme says, "Party on party was scary. ;)"