Varielky runs to Benita and studies her for just a moment, checking she wasn't somehow poisoned. If Benita or anyone else asks her about her livery, she'll reply: "Oh, don't worry about it. I fell from a running carriage but landed quite well. My shield took the burnt of the fall's force. As long as it is strapped to my left arm, everything will be fine."
Varielky runs to Benita and studies her for just a moment, checking she wasn't somehow poisoned. If Benita or anyone else asks her about her livery, she'll reply: "Oh, don't worry about it. I fell from a running carriage but landed quite well. My shield took the burnt of the fall's force. As long as it is strapped to my left arm, everything will be fine."
Benita quietly nods that she’s fine, smirks briefly at Varielky’s dirt stains in a playful, though sullen, way, then follows Flint.
Flint and Benita return on the carriage some minutes later. They seem to have seen the vestiges of your combat or spoken with the guards, and Flint is eyeing you with measured approval, although he says nothing.
You all fall back into your previous positions, with Strewn and his guests inside the passenger compartment engaged in animated conversation about the performance, Dolkum in the driver’s seat beside Flint, Varielky and Benita on the rear kickboard, Ednyss and Mittens on foot.
As you depart, horse hooves clip-clopping down the lane alongside the reflecting pool, past the Temple of Ellosh and the Library, you notice the distinguished and athletic-looking Khazaran man you saw during intermission, still finely dressed in embroidered white with pointed moustache, displaying a peeved expression under his fur-lined cap as he stands beside an attractive middle-aged Shian woman in a bright red gown, resplendent with expensive jewelry and makeup. Her two handmaidens, whose simple sage-green wrappers are adorned by orange caps and light cloaks bearing the orange floral Amazigh Family insignia which you’ve come to recognize, stand close by. Behind you, you can make out the four of them awaiting their carriage in front of the theater, which never comes. Momentarily, they are surprised to see a single seat closed coach with the sky blue imperial insignia lacquered upon it, arrive with one man wearing the Amazigh livery in the driver’s seat. They all exchange slightly heated words, a few guards come, also speak with the woman in the red gown, who eventually seems to understand that her carriage had crashed, and allows the man in white to kiss her hand and assist her into the little imperial carriage, which then starts off, in your wake, perhaps 100 yards behind you, toward the palace gates, while the two hand women walk close behind it and the finely dressed Kazharan departs, alone, in the direction of the carriage house.
As you reach the south end of the reflecting pool and the north side of the royal palace, you pass the woman guard with the elongated head whom you met much earlier, near the aqueduct, now discussing the night’s events with members of the Bakar Elite, who seem very agitated. It sounds as if someone had charmed their way into the control room, and when the “witches” crept into the palace on the aqueduct, the guard responsible for raising the alarm was “not in his full capacities,” as the exclamation point-headed woman puts it. From the sound of it, that individual may become one of those executed at the next Imperial Games.
There is a line of people and carriages heading toward the palace gates, and each in turn passes the royal palace, then crosses the parade grounds, and then exits through the ornate brass gates out into the city proper. Most if not all who surround you, you realize, are oblivious to the night’s events other than the performance itself.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Perception 22
I'm wondering if we were set up. just a theory, mind you, but perhaps those others we met at the carriage house were paid to pilfer the other carriage, with the pay master knowing it likely that a group of guards would react the way we did? You know, to stir up trouble and dissension, as it were..
As Mittens hears the woman with the elongated head, he stops in his tracks. He says to Ednyss, "If you'll excuse me for a moment..."
He whirls around and marches towards the woman with a very annoyed expression. As he does, he grumbles to himself, "Just about had it with these people..."
When he arrives, he says, "Pardon me, Ma'am, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Since I'm a bit of a magic junkie myself, I need to ask if the guard who didn't raise the alarm was drunk, or was he charmed like the others?" With every word, his glower intensifies.
As Mittens hears the woman with the elongated head, he stops in his tracks. He says to Ednyss, "If you'll excuse me for a moment..."
He whirls around and marches towards the woman with a very annoyed expression. As he does, he grumbles to himself, "Just about had it with these people..."
When he arrives, he says, "Pardon me, Ma'am, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Since I'm a bit of a magic junkie myself, I need to ask if the guard who didn't raise the alarm was drunk, or was he charmed like the others?" With every word, his glower intensifies.
The spindly Orracan woman looks at Mittens, nodding her head, then to the the Bakar Elite Captain, in her rough alto, continues, "Yes, yes! See? That's what I'm sayin. He was charmed. He couldn't help himself! Come on, show some heart." The Elite Captain replies in a growling whisper with a very threatening aspect which makes the long-headed woman grimace, "HIS WEAKNESS was still the CAUSE of your failure to defend the wall. IF this had been an attempt on the Governor's life, they would have made it INTO THE PALACE. This will NOT go unpunished. And, given his --the charmed guard,..."
"Ahmed Khallaf."
"..Ahmed Khallaf's profligate history, known even to me, of vice and the company of courtesans, it is NO WONDER that he was seen as a weak link and targeted in this plot. You say the...footmen? Of Core of Amethyst?...destroyed the Azhvuv who came over the wall? We still do not even know WHO charmed Ahmed Khallaf and left him tied in a closet in the control room."
He then stares at Mittens, his expression indicating that he said more than he wanted to, and glares at Mittens with an unmistakable expression stating: "BE GONE!"
(OOC: If Mittens wants to change the Bakar Elite Captain's mind, choose a tactic and roll: persuasion (possible), intimidation (almost a certain NO); or, other?)
I'm wondering if we were set up. just a theory, mind you, but perhaps those others we met at the carriage house were paid to pilfer the other carriage, with the pay master knowing it likely that a group of guards would react the way we did? You know, to stir up trouble and dissension, as it were..
Perception15
(OOC: Dolkum does NOT notice anything he can pin down AT THE MOMENT. However, in about 1 hour, he will put two and two together about something.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Listening to the man's angry rant, Mittens cocks an eyebrow. He clearly wasn't impressed with the guard.
He says, "Look, even you said he was charmed. If you are charmed, your free will is stolen away from you. Heck, even the weakest mage could control one as such as yourself with minimum effort. Even if Ahmed isn't the most moral person, he shouldn't be punished for actions that he had absolutely no control over."
Persuasion: 12
If the man seems dismissive of his words, Mittens sighs and rolls up his proverbial sleeves as he says, "Look, if you really don't believe me, I can put a harmless enchantment on you to prove my point. The lady here," he gestures to the woman with the large helm, "can beat the poo out of me if I make you do something she doesn't like. Agreed?"
Listening to the man's angry rant, Mittens cocks an eyebrow. He clearly wasn't impressed with the guard.
He says, "Look, even you said he was charmed. If you are charmed, your free will is stolen away from you. Heck, even the weakest mage could control one as such as yourself with minimum effort. Even if Ahmed isn't the most moral person, he shouldn't be punished for actions that he had absolutely no control over."
Persuasion: 12
If the man seems dismissive of his words, Mittens sighs and rolls up his proverbial sleeves as he says, "Look, if you really don't believe me, I can put a harmless enchantment on you to prove my point. The lady here," he gestures to the woman with the large helm, "can beat the poo out of me if I make you do something she doesn't like. Agreed?"
“What makes you think I have not seen this magic before. I know already its power. And I know that falling prey to such magic shows weakness. TRY.”
He folds his arms and glares at Mittens ready to fight the power of his will.
Mittens responds, "All right then." He looks to the woman nearby and says, "Stand back"
With that, he draws a circular symbol in the air and utters a dark phrase. A crown of darkness bleeds into existence over his head, cruel thorns growing from the depths of its baleful shape. As it brought into play, a sound emanates from the crown similar to a serpentine hissing mixed with a chorus of almost unheard whispers.
Action: cast crown of madness on the male guard. DC 14 wisdom saving throw or be charmed. If the woman moves out of range, he shouldn't be able to attack anyone.
((OOC: too bad I can't use inspiration on things like this :( ))
Mittens responds, "All right then." He looks to the woman nearby and says, "Stand back"
With that, he draws a circular symbol in the air and utters a dark phrase. A crown of darkness bleeds into existence over his head, cruel thorns growing from the depths of its baleful shape. As it brought into play, a sound emanates from the crown similar to a serpentine hissing mixed with a chorus of almost unheard whispers.
Action: cast crown of madness on the male guard. DC 14 wisdom saving throw or be charmed. If the woman moves out of range, he shouldn't be able to attack anyone.
((OOC: too bad I can't use inspiration on things like this :( ))
The Bakar Elite Captain is prepared for Mittens' magical assault, and fights hard. He wills himself with all of his inner fire to stand firm and motionless, to do nothing, to say nothing. Mittens' spell unfolds, the thorny crown appears, the Bakar Elite Captain shudders with effort. The haunting tendrils of sound drill down through his mind. A bead of sweat forms on his brow and slowly rolls downward as he stares ahead intently, then a smile of conquest plays on his face ever so briefly before, suddenly, his posture relaxes, his eyes show nothing but a soft dark glow, the crown's form solidifies and he becomes a marionette enthralled to Mittens' whims.
Ednyss stands off to the side watching Mittens' interaction with curiosity.
Ednyss notes a pair of cloaked forms almost lost in the shadows on the other side of the reflecting pool, then they disappear completely from view. Two burly chimps if he had to guess. Or maybe just the shadows. It's been a long night.
Ednyss stands off to the side watching Mittens' interaction with curiosity.
Ednyss notes a pair of cloaked forms almost lost in the shadows on the other side of the reflecting pool, then they disappear completely from view. Two burly chimps if he had to guess. Or maybe just the shadows. It's been a long night.
Varielky sees the same thing. Like Ednyss, she’s not sure. But one of them might have been the same cloaked figure which pursued her, last night, from her room in Chsmpions District to the “squatters lodge” with Benita.
"I may have learnt new information about our foe. If it is true, I may have a name." Varielky whispers to Benita.
Benita looks Varielky in the eye and you see this information lights a fire in her, for a moment. She is curious although not seemingly in the point of acting. “Who? Someone here? Tonight?”
As his spell takes hold, Mittens resists the urge to grin widely. Focusing, he says to the woman, "Normally, he would be in a bloodthirsty frenzy slaughtering everything in sight, even if it was his own mother if I deemed her a threat."
He begins pacing around him, speaking with almost a gloating tone, "Doesn't fee good, does it? The futileness of trying to move, trying to speak. You can only do as I command. There are some people who can completely destroy any will you might have had, leaving you an empty husk following orders without thought." He stops pacing when he is in front of the man, and Mittens looks into his empty eyes as he says, "This is what Ahmed felt. Completely helpless, a prisoner in his own body. You're lucky I don't shatter your mind into a thousand pieces right now." With a disgusted sigh, Mittens moves his hand through the similar in the way one would brush away cobwebs. The crown fades into a dark vapor that clings to the backdrop of the sky for a moment before disappearing with a final sorrowful sigh.
Ednyss passes quietly behind Mittens as the wizard releases his spell and whispers in the cat's ear, "Don't you think that was a little harsh? I mean, after you charmed him, you had already made your point."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
The Bakar Elite Captain stands still for a moment after the spell is released, checking under the hood, as it were, to ensure everything is still there after Mittens' brief inhabitation of his psyche.
"Perhaps you are right," he finally says. "And perhaps," flexing his prodigious muscles and drawing his longsword slowly out of its scabbard until only the tip remains within, "you will now give me the opportunity to demonstrate my prowess to you?" He lets that sink in for a long moment before slowly sliding the sword back fully into its sheath.
"The decision is not mine. The Governor will hear all, and then make his ruling." He glares at Mittens, then at the spindly Orracan woman. "You are dismissed." She leaves, winking at Mittens behind the Captain's back.
"Your powers could be of use to the Governor. I would know the name of the wizard whose powers overcame my will."
Varielky runs to Benita and studies her for just a moment, checking she wasn't somehow poisoned. If Benita or anyone else asks her about her livery, she'll reply: "Oh, don't worry about it. I fell from a running carriage but landed quite well. My shield took the burnt of the fall's force. As long as it is strapped to my left arm, everything will be fine."
Varielky
Benita quietly nods that she’s fine, smirks briefly at Varielky’s dirt stains in a playful, though sullen, way, then follows Flint.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Oh? Our livery? Yes I see I shall have to learn about mending, ho ho.
Dolkum makes a mental note...
POST #12
Flint and Benita return on the carriage some minutes later. They seem to have seen the vestiges of your combat or spoken with the guards, and Flint is eyeing you with measured approval, although he says nothing.
You all fall back into your previous positions, with Strewn and his guests inside the passenger compartment engaged in animated conversation about the performance, Dolkum in the driver’s seat beside Flint, Varielky and Benita on the rear kickboard, Ednyss and Mittens on foot.
As you depart, horse hooves clip-clopping down the lane alongside the reflecting pool, past the Temple of Ellosh and the Library, you notice the distinguished and athletic-looking Khazaran man you saw during intermission, still finely dressed in embroidered white with pointed moustache, displaying a peeved expression under his fur-lined cap as he stands beside an attractive middle-aged Shian woman in a bright red gown, resplendent with expensive jewelry and makeup. Her two handmaidens, whose simple sage-green wrappers are adorned by orange caps and light cloaks bearing the orange floral Amazigh Family insignia which you’ve come to recognize, stand close by. Behind you, you can make out the four of them awaiting their carriage in front of the theater, which never comes. Momentarily, they are surprised to see a single seat closed coach with the sky blue imperial insignia lacquered upon it, arrive with one man wearing the Amazigh livery in the driver’s seat. They all exchange slightly heated words, a few guards come, also speak with the woman in the red gown, who eventually seems to understand that her carriage had crashed, and allows the man in white to kiss her hand and assist her into the little imperial carriage, which then starts off, in your wake, perhaps 100 yards behind you, toward the palace gates, while the two hand women walk close behind it and the finely dressed Kazharan departs, alone, in the direction of the carriage house.
As you reach the south end of the reflecting pool and the north side of the royal palace, you pass the woman guard with the elongated head whom you met much earlier, near the aqueduct, now discussing the night’s events with members of the Bakar Elite, who seem very agitated. It sounds as if someone had charmed their way into the control room, and when the “witches” crept into the palace on the aqueduct, the guard responsible for raising the alarm was “not in his full capacities,” as the exclamation point-headed woman puts it. From the sound of it, that individual may become one of those executed at the next Imperial Games.
There is a line of people and carriages heading toward the palace gates, and each in turn passes the royal palace, then crosses the parade grounds, and then exits through the ornate brass gates out into the city proper. Most if not all who surround you, you realize, are oblivious to the night’s events other than the performance itself.
(All: please roll perception two times.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Perception 22
I'm wondering if we were set up. just a theory, mind you, but perhaps those others we met at the carriage house were paid to pilfer the other carriage, with the pay master knowing it likely that a group of guards would react the way we did? You know, to stir up trouble and dissension, as it were..
Perception 15
Perception 1: 7
Perception: 2: 12
As Mittens hears the woman with the elongated head, he stops in his tracks. He says to Ednyss, "If you'll excuse me for a moment..."
He whirls around and marches towards the woman with a very annoyed expression. As he does, he grumbles to himself, "Just about had it with these people..."
When he arrives, he says, "Pardon me, Ma'am, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Since I'm a bit of a magic junkie myself, I need to ask if the guard who didn't raise the alarm was drunk, or was he charmed like the others?" With every word, his glower intensifies.
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
The spindly Orracan woman looks at Mittens, nodding her head, then to the the Bakar Elite Captain, in her rough alto, continues, "Yes, yes! See? That's what I'm sayin. He was charmed. He couldn't help himself! Come on, show some heart." The Elite Captain replies in a growling whisper with a very threatening aspect which makes the long-headed woman grimace, "HIS WEAKNESS was still the CAUSE of your failure to defend the wall. IF this had been an attempt on the Governor's life, they would have made it INTO THE PALACE. This will NOT go unpunished. And, given his --the charmed guard,..."
"Ahmed Khallaf."
"..Ahmed Khallaf's profligate history, known even to me, of vice and the company of courtesans, it is NO WONDER that he was seen as a weak link and targeted in this plot. You say the...footmen? Of Core of Amethyst?...destroyed the Azhvuv who came over the wall? We still do not even know WHO charmed Ahmed Khallaf and left him tied in a closet in the control room."
He then stares at Mittens, his expression indicating that he said more than he wanted to, and glares at Mittens with an unmistakable expression stating: "BE GONE!"
(OOC: If Mittens wants to change the Bakar Elite Captain's mind, choose a tactic and roll: persuasion (possible), intimidation (almost a certain NO); or, other?)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
(OOC: Dolkum does NOT notice anything he can pin down AT THE MOMENT. However, in about 1 hour, he will put two and two together about something.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Listening to the man's angry rant, Mittens cocks an eyebrow. He clearly wasn't impressed with the guard.
He says, "Look, even you said he was charmed. If you are charmed, your free will is stolen away from you. Heck, even the weakest mage could control one as such as yourself with minimum effort. Even if Ahmed isn't the most moral person, he shouldn't be punished for actions that he had absolutely no control over."
Persuasion: 12
If the man seems dismissive of his words, Mittens sighs and rolls up his proverbial sleeves as he says, "Look, if you really don't believe me, I can put a harmless enchantment on you to prove my point. The lady here," he gestures to the woman with the large helm, "can beat the poo out of me if I make you do something she doesn't like. Agreed?"
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
“What makes you think I have not seen this magic before. I know already its power. And I know that falling prey to such magic shows weakness. TRY.”
He folds his arms and glares at Mittens ready to fight the power of his will.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Mittens responds, "All right then." He looks to the woman nearby and says, "Stand back"
With that, he draws a circular symbol in the air and utters a dark phrase. A crown of darkness bleeds into existence over his head, cruel thorns growing from the depths of its baleful shape. As it brought into play, a sound emanates from the crown similar to a serpentine hissing mixed with a chorus of almost unheard whispers.
Action: cast crown of madness on the male guard. DC 14 wisdom saving throw or be charmed. If the woman moves out of range, he shouldn't be able to attack anyone.
((OOC: too bad I can't use inspiration on things like this :( ))
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
Perception: 17
Perception: 25
Ednyss stands off to the side watching Mittens' interaction with curiosity.
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
The Bakar Elite Captain is prepared for Mittens' magical assault, and fights hard. He wills himself with all of his inner fire to stand firm and motionless, to do nothing, to say nothing. Mittens' spell unfolds, the thorny crown appears, the Bakar Elite Captain shudders with effort. The haunting tendrils of sound drill down through his mind. A bead of sweat forms on his brow and slowly rolls downward as he stares ahead intently, then a smile of conquest plays on his face ever so briefly before, suddenly, his posture relaxes, his eyes show nothing but a soft dark glow, the crown's form solidifies and he becomes a marionette enthralled to Mittens' whims.
The spindly woman gasps and says, "Whoa."
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Ednyss notes a pair of cloaked forms almost lost in the shadows on the other side of the reflecting pool, then they disappear completely from view. Two burly chimps if he had to guess. Or maybe just the shadows. It's been a long night.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Perception: 9
Perception: 8
"I may have learnt new information about our foe. If it is true, I may have a name." Varielky whispers to Benita.
Varielky
Varielky sees the same thing. Like Ednyss, she’s not sure. But one of them might have been the same cloaked figure which pursued her, last night, from her room in Chsmpions District to the “squatters lodge” with Benita.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Benita looks Varielky in the eye and you see this information lights a fire in her, for a moment. She is curious although not seemingly in the point of acting. “Who? Someone here? Tonight?”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
As his spell takes hold, Mittens resists the urge to grin widely. Focusing, he says to the woman, "Normally, he would be in a bloodthirsty frenzy slaughtering everything in sight, even if it was his own mother if I deemed her a threat."
He begins pacing around him, speaking with almost a gloating tone, "Doesn't fee good, does it? The futileness of trying to move, trying to speak. You can only do as I command. There are some people who can completely destroy any will you might have had, leaving you an empty husk following orders without thought." He stops pacing when he is in front of the man, and Mittens looks into his empty eyes as he says, "This is what Ahmed felt. Completely helpless, a prisoner in his own body. You're lucky I don't shatter your mind into a thousand pieces right now." With a disgusted sigh, Mittens moves his hand through the similar in the way one would brush away cobwebs. The crown fades into a dark vapor that clings to the backdrop of the sky for a moment before disappearing with a final sorrowful sigh.
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
Ednyss passes quietly behind Mittens as the wizard releases his spell and whispers in the cat's ear, "Don't you think that was a little harsh? I mean, after you charmed him, you had already made your point."
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
The Bakar Elite Captain stands still for a moment after the spell is released, checking under the hood, as it were, to ensure everything is still there after Mittens' brief inhabitation of his psyche.
"Perhaps you are right," he finally says. "And perhaps," flexing his prodigious muscles and drawing his longsword slowly out of its scabbard until only the tip remains within, "you will now give me the opportunity to demonstrate my prowess to you?" He lets that sink in for a long moment before slowly sliding the sword back fully into its sheath.
"The decision is not mine. The Governor will hear all, and then make his ruling." He glares at Mittens, then at the spindly Orracan woman. "You are dismissed." She leaves, winking at Mittens behind the Captain's back.
"Your powers could be of use to the Governor. I would know the name of the wizard whose powers overcame my will."
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer