This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Fargrim swung at Silas' legs again in an attempt trip him using another Trip Maneuver.
Attack: 18 Damage: 18
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to knock the target down. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you knock the target prone. DC12
Fargrim didn't really know who this Silas was but already didn't like him for making him run after him. Fargrim growled at Silas "This will be easier on you if you let go of that person. If you don't, I have no problem going through them to get to you. Human shields don't work on me but I will make you suffer if I have to hurt someone else."
Silas was battered, smacked and dazed by both magic and hammer as he tried to make his escape. With his adrenaline pumping, he didn't immediately realize how injured he was or how much his reflexes and senses had dulled. So when Moroza dove from the sky to harry him momentarily, he was completely unaware of the advancing Danse's blade coming down right across his exposed shoulder...
Danse roll me (1) d20. This will determine if your are able hold back and deal a nonfatal strike.
Kaisaras:
Cressida sighed as she leaned back in her chair. "Flowery language - Court Speak - is a nice sounding and unfortunate necessity in the circles we are apart of, but as I'm sure you'll learn over the years, it doesn't actually get much accomplished." After a quick beat, she leaned forward in her chair once again and continued. "So I am going to be rather blunt with the both of you; perhaps it's because I see a bit of the adventurer I once was in you I don't know... Anyway, the reason why I wanted to speak with you is because even before the crisis began in the city, I had been asking for more aid - from the King, the Seneschal and even your father and the Sable Company - to no avail. Each time, I'm rebuffed with the same flowery language and promise of help that'll never come. And now, with the Guard already stretched to its breaking point, I am still repeatedly denied with the same empty promises. I suspect your Father sent you in his stead without a clear offer so he wouldn't have to deny me again in person. I'm not going to wait for disaster to strike!"
"So you ask me what I want of you? I want the Brigade! All of it. Under the Guard's command." She let that sink in for a moment before continuing. During that brief pause, Arcadia released a long cartoonish whistle while Alena rolled her eyes amusingly in response. "Though I know that's a foolish dream, it is still what the city needs at the moment; what is the point of having a standing army if the city could go under a any point?" Rising to her feet, she placed her hands on the desk and leaned forward slightly to look at both Ironwards straight in the eye; whatever fatigue she had when the pair had first entered seemed long gone. "My more realistic request is this: Give me half the Brigade partially under my control for 6 months. At the head would be you (she added pointing towardsArcadia), that way we would have enough support to both keep the city safe while also nipping any problems in the bud before they can sprout. Without a more drastic measure, I worry what'll happen to both the Guard and the City and this is the best idea I can come up with given the circumstances and resources at my disposal..."
As soon as the High Marshal was done, Arcadia began laugh the way she typically did whenever she found something riotously amusing. In-between laughing fits, she managed to squeak out, "Father is going to hate this!!"
Kurstin:
"Okay! I'll tell them what you said and that you'll help them out! Hopefully they listen!" Irma replied brightly. Though Kurstin had no idea if his little sister would actually be able convince the other children, his sister's expression left him with a pretty good feeling that she might actually be able to do it.
Your big test is tomorrow. Let me know of any last minute preparations Kurstin may be doing (if any). His test will start in the next update!
Kaisaras offered an amused smile as well, but nodded along with Cressida's words, "...since you dislike the use of flowery language, I'll drop it. However, I only meant to contextualize, not distract. That said, you'd recall that the Brigade was formed BECAUSE the Guard was often found lacking, be that 300 hundred years ago or today....I support and agree with the Guard's intentions and mission, but without a stable backer, they continue to fall into the same slumps of underfunding and corruption that lead to so many in the populace distrusting it. No offense." Kaisaras dropped his smile and steeled himself, "I'll speak to my father about Arcadia and my brother leading two Divisions, that will give you 120 of our men, roughly and Arcadia's field expertise...it isn't much in the long term, but that will give your people time to recover and rest."
"However." The young lord stood up but didn't move his gaze from the Marshal, "The Brigade exists, both to ease the burdens of the Guard in the Eastern Shore, and to protect the city as a whole from invasion. We are a standing army as you said, not police. We fund the army with our family's coffers and through business intended or founded upon the idea that it was developed to keep the army afloat, for the protection of this city...we shall continue to do so as best as we can. Just like you." He'd then offer out his hand, "Does that seem fair enough to you?"
It seemed for the briefest of moments that Danse's momentum would cause him to shear through Silas and leave him dead or dying on the ground. But at the last moment - possibly due to the aid of Danse's new magical abilities - he was able shift the strike from a slash to a "whap" with the side of his blade, causing Silas to fall limply to the floor; alive but in very rough shape. The man he had taken hostage moments before tore himself away and out towards the crowd who had mostly stayed to watch the scene in front of them. In the near distance the sound the clomping hooves or feet could be heard heading towards the intersection Fargrim and Danse now found themselves in...
You just beat the DC of 10! Let me know what you both would like to do now. For reference, it's currently early evening and you're on a random street in the ritzy Heights District.
Kurstin spends the rest of the day tinkering and polishing his homunculus, cleaning away all bits of soot and dirt to make a good first impression. He checked and rechecked the small compartments and their contents - various chemical and alchemical compounds designed to augment the force projectors. He was pleased with the artificial intelligence in the device - he knew better than to tweak that so close to the exam and display. In the back of his mind, running quietly in the background of this thoughts, were thoughts of the other Lambs and how he might help them get off the streets. Maybe his new friends in the Harrowers, or his connection with the Guards.
Fargrim growled at Silas, “If you struggle or scream, I’ll ******* cripple you.” He slung Silas over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Then, to Danse, he said “I used to do a lot of business around here. Let me get my bearings and see if there is somewhere we can get off the streets “
Roll me a history check Fargrim to see what you remember.
Kaisaras:
(Sorry we cross-posted last night and didn't see your post till this morning!)
"This has been one of the most productive conversations I've had since taking over this post a few month ago; sad as it is to hear." Cressida replied as she rose and shook Kaisaras' hand. "Perhaps I'm a bit too gullible and idealistic, but I actually believed the late King when he told me on that day that together, we could actually make some positive changes..." she added wistfully. "It's no matter though, I will take all the help I can get. Speak to Lucian and convince him that this is the right course of action. I suspect he already knows this but he can be a hard man to persuade when he wants to be." Sitting back into her chair, all the exhaustion she had temporarily banished seemingly hitting her again in real time, she added, "And this is only temporary. I have ideas and plans on creating a more stable Guard; plans I suspect that will require the assistance of the "Harrower's" to come into fruition..."
"Well I'm all for this idea!" Arcadia added nonchalantly as she leaned back in her chair. She was about to place her boots on the High Marshal's desk but thought better of it at the last minute. "It'd be a nice change of pace from working in the countryside. And besides, watching Marcus try to lead anyone besides one of his "friends" to the bedroom will be more than worth it! I'm still not convinced he actually knows how to use a sword; well, besides the on-"
"Arcadia! That's enough. Can you ever be serious!" Alena interrupted from the far end of the room.
DC10 Insight check
To see that Alena's face is bright red with embarrassment. She also seems to be pointedly looking away from everyone.
Kurstin:
The day of the exam has finally arrived! At the chosen time, Kurstin was excused from his classes and brought to Verso hall, the largest building on Theumanexus' small campus. Brought down a corridor he had never ventured down before, Kurstin was led to a handless door with the engraved symbol of Theumanexus College: eight interlocking circles - one for each school of magic - surrounding a rainbow colored flame; the engraving seemed to shimmer and glow with a soft magical light. The professor who had been escorting him pulled out a funny looking key and seemingly stuck it into the door to reveal a hidden lock and doorknob. Opening the door to reveal some sort of shimmery gateway, the professor gave Kurstin the all clear and a nod for good luck before stepping back and allowing the artificer to enter the room beyond.
Stepping into the space, Kurstin was surprised to find an exceptionally large chamber. In it was an array of random items and equipment (from practice dummies to archery boards to board games strangely and more) strewn about in an organization system that at first glance seemed to defy any sort of logic. Also randomly placed throughout the space were a series of gravity defying staircases that led up to floating platforms of random size and shape. As Kurstin took in the site in front of him, he couldn't help but feel like he was standing in some sort of magical playroom.
Before he could ponder any further, a booming voice from overhead cut him off. It sounded vaguely like the Headmaster Ellis Toryr IV, but it was hard to tell due to how loud it was. "Kurstin Blacksteam... Welcome to the Verso's Demiplane! Or as we've come to call it: The Den. In this space, you will show us all of the skills and magical abilities you've picked up during your time at Theumanexus. Feel free to use any of the items in this space or 'bring' in anything else you may require. Good luck!" With that, the voice went silent and Kurstin was left in the magical space...
Time to show them what you can do! This will be a two-part exam. The first part will be to show off all of your skills and abilities for the judging panel. Don't worry about resources or anything like that for now and feel free to decide on what kind of items are in this space. The room is a mix of the "Room of Requirement" from Harry Potter and the testing room from the Hunger Games (if you've seen or read either). Essentially if Kurstin thinks of any non-magical item (within reason) it'll magically appear within this room. You can also "summon" small magical golem-like creatures if you'd like something that could move or fight back.
At the end of your post, Please roll me (3) d20 + INT checks please!!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Kurstin bows in respect to the masters, and presents his homunculus for the examination. "Masters, I present my artificer creation for your review. It is an artificially intelligent, battle enhancement construct designed to attack enemies and provide aid to allies. It has a self-contained power source and multiple add-in chemical and alchemical elements. I would first like to demonstrate it's ability to independently maneuver and avoid damage."
The homunculus, named GHOST by the young artificer, floats to the center of the room, hovering about 5 feet off the ground. It begins to maneuver quickly about the room, flitting from object to object, changing altitude, attempting to hide from view. (Stealth check: 5 - removed proficiency and just added it's Dex bonus.)
Next, Kurstin throws a couple of balls at it to demonstrate its ability to evade. (AC13 vs Kurstin's ranged attack: 16; 20)
Finally, he has GHOST demonstrate it's Evasion technique by throwing water balloons at it and watching it dodge the splashing water! (Dex Save: 19)
"Next, I will demonstrate it's combat power. By activating the rune here," he says and presses an intricately carved design, "GHOST can redirect portions of its propulsive force towards an object. Observe..."
GHOST is now active as Kurstin's eldritch cannon, and it fires force damage at several targets set up around the room! (Attack: 15 Damage: 13)
The second attack utilizes a ground crystalline powder to turn the beam into a 15' cone of flame, burning up another set of straw dummies.
The third attack sends a a streak of crackling energy to another target leaving the smell of ozone and charred wood. (Casting Shocking Grasp and using the homunculus to channel it.)
"Finally, my device has protective and regenerative abilities to aid myself or others." Kurstin pulls out his own dagger and tries to cut his arm.
The first attempt seems to cut deeply, but he barely registers the pain and after a moment the wound is gone. (Using the Protector function of the eldritch cannon to provide temporary HP.)
For the next cut, GHOST sprays an adhesive mixed with an antiseptic and numbing agent on the wound, causing the cut to heal immediately. (Casting Cure Wounds through the homunculus.)
"This concludes my demonstration. May fortune favor you and the gods shine their light upon you." Kurstin and GHOST stand for a few moments, waiting for any questions on the demonstration, his design, or the construct itself.
When the Marhs-no, when Cressida fell back to her chair and mentioned the 'Harrowers', Kaisaras couldn't help it as he felt his face twitch at the clear jab to his dealings as an adventurer a few weeks ago. A light sigh relaxed his face as he rolled his eyes at his sister's crude humor, chuckling as he caught sight of Alena's flushed face. "I'm afraid this is her being serious. Though I'm surprised you're still affected by stuff like this Alena, considering how long you've known us."
Danse’s eyes flashed with vindictive glee as he watched Silas crumple. Something inside Danse told him he should feel an inkling of remorse for the other former prisoner of Gaedren, though memories of Silas’s even plausible connections to his former torturer destroyed any trace of pity. In one gaudy maneuver, Danse wiped the blood from each scimitar with two swipes against his blue robes as he delivered each to their respective scabbards.
Some macabre instinct kicked in as Danse gave a sweeping bow to the crowd before turning to address Fargrim. “Thank you for the help, Fargrim. If you permit me to be honest, I never quite expected to get this far. I suspect him to be an ally of Yargin’s. If you have somewhere safe to bring him, I would be interested in it.”
Suspecting some form of guard to arrive shortly - and hoping his reputation would carry him, Danae gave a grin towards the unfortunate man used as a living shield. The tattooed Half-Elf called out to the crowd; “As the victim can likely attest to, no wrong was done here tonight. The streets are safe from another bandit,” he called to the crowd in hopes of alleviating any undue attention which may be brought on by the city guards.
Looking around the Heights District, there wasn’t much that Fargrim could remember regarding hiding spots. There were a series of alleyways that you think might potentially work. Otherwise, besides rather upscale bars and establishments, he recalled a few of the houses that he used to visit in past line of work.
As Fargrim thought on places to go, the sounds of an approaching group drew closer…
Let me know what you would like to do
Kaisaras:
“I am when the High Marshal is around!!!” she blurted out before looking towards Arcadia. “Are you actually going to be serious if you do this? This isn’t a game you know…”
Arcadia stared Alena down as a wicked grin spread across her face. “I’m always serious when it comes to fighting. You more than most should know that…”
As Alena began to make a retort, Cressida put her hand up to still her. “While I’ve been made aware of your capabilities, it might actually be a good idea if we have a trial run off sorts before making more any long-term commitments.”
“Next week, the Cheliaxin Magical Games will be taking place in Korvosa; a last minute decision by the Queen. Perhaps we have our test run then and see this relationship pans out. Thoughts?”
Kurstin:
Overall, Kurstin felt that he had done about as well as he could’ve for the judging panel. GHOST, still a prototype after all, was not quite as agile as he would’ve liked; getting hit by more than a few of the object Kurstin threw his way. It definitively redeemed itself though during its next two demonstrations. During the combat portion, it absolutely obliterated the targets of its force cannon with more power than Kurstin even realized it had. It then performed admirably as Kurstin showed off it’s other offensive capabilities with flair! Finally, during the medic portion, everything went according to plan with GHOST both reducing and healing any damage that received!
After a pause of almost 5 minutes, the same voice from before broke through silence. “Well done! That was quite the show and what a curious invention you have there Master Blacksteam! Now, we will proceed to Phase II…” As the echo faded away, a shimmering door appeared 20 ft in front Kurstin and opened on imaginary hinges; beyond seemed to be an identical room with a slightly red tint.
Coming to conclusion that Phase II was through the magical door, Kurstin and GHOST walked through the opening and into the next space, finding himself at the edge of a circular ring 100ft in diameter. At the center of the ring was a sloping elevated platform about 20ft high, at the peak on a raised pedestal was treasure chest glowing with a shimmery light. He also noticed two of his classmates at opposite ends of the ring with him, a girl about his age and a boy perhaps 2 years older. Both had confused looks on their faces.
“Now let us commence Phase II!” the voice returned gleefully before a loud “Ding! Ding!” boomed in the space. A moment later, as a group of at least 10 magical homunculi appeared out of thin air, as a series of thin 5’ wide x 10’ tall earthen slabs of rock extruded themselves from the ground obscuring Kurstin’s view of the others and the raised pedestal before him...
Time for Phase II! Please let me know what you and Ghost would like to do (there’s no need for initiative in this situation so assume you move first).
Note: For the map, assume that there’s ≈ 10ft between any two earthen slabs expect for immediately around the chest/ pedestal.
Note #2: You also saw that there were roughly (3) homunculi within 40 ft of you but you've lost track of them once the walls came up.
Note #3: This challenge is meant to be a bit vague but if there’s anything confusing/ unclear let me know!
Fargrim sees a nearby bar and scoops up Silas and carries him in. He walks straight to the bar. It was a very high end establishment. "Excuse me, my friend here is feeling a bit under the weather. Do you have a quite room in the back or basement we can take him to get him a bit of rest?" As he says this, Fargrim plops a small bag containing 100 GP on the bar so that it falls open slightly and the bartender can see the contents. "As you can imagine, he would be terribly embarrassed if anyone knew he was in this state so discretion is appreciated."
Kaisaras smiled at his sister and long-time friend before focusing back on the Marshal. Her offer for a test run was both wise and would buy him enough time to convince his father and adjust the logistics to move the two teams into the city. He stood up and nodded with a polite smile towards Cressia, "That sounds good enough for me. We look forward to setting things in order with you and the Guard." Kaisaras would shake hands with the Marshal if she accepted his, and then move to leave with Arcadia.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(@Zoldier - I'm going to assume GHOST is still activated as an eldritch cannon. I will have it use the Force Ballista option =)
Kurstin grins - a true challenge! He thanks the Harrowers and their adventures for preparing the young artificer fort his challenge. He moves directly towards the center area (move 30'), dodging around any earthen slabs in the way. Kurstin looks for either of the other two contestants - his goal was to slow them down but not permanently injure them. He has a couple of initial ideas in mind, depending on what/who he sees or what happens.
Primary plan is to Grease the ramp in front of one of the competitors to make them have to find another way up - or better yet, do it to make them fall back to the base!
If he is attacked by a student, Kurstin will use his reaction to cast shield, then cast Grease at the attacker.
If he is attacked by a homunculus, he will shoot it with his light crossbow, or shocking grasp it if within melee range!
If he encounters nobody else, Kurstin will dash as far as he can to the chest.
Ghost moves diagonally to the left and forward, programmed to find and attack any opponent with its force cannon. Kurstin ensures it targets constructs first... (Attack: 10 Damage: 9 - On a hit, the target is pushed up to 5 feet away from the cannon.)
The bartender looks from bag, to the rag-tag group in front of her, to back to the bag. “Of course. Right this way sirs.” She replied as she quickly grabbed the sack of gold in front of her. Though more than a few of the patrons gave the three men various looks as they walked by, none made any comments – well comments directed directly at them that is. Brought to the back of the establishment to a small enclosed dining area with a few tables, chairs & couches spread throughout, the bartender led the group in before adding, “I don’t want to know what you’re up to, but if you wreck this place or I find a dead body in here, you’ll have more than just the Guard after you.” With a that and a curt nod, she turned and closed the door behind her.
As soon as she left, a small groan could be heard coming from the half-elf. With Danse’s and Fargrim’s medical knowledge – or lack thereof – the duo were unable to tell if the groan - and the fact that his bleeding had slowed greatly from earlier - was a good or bad thing…
Kaisaras:
Rising to shake both of the Ironward's hands as a sign that the meeting was over and the details would be sorted out later, Alena led both out of the office and back towards the entrance of the Citadel. At the gates, Alena turned to you both and said, "Well that went about as well as I expected. And considering the fact that she's only slept twice - literally! - since the King died, she was actually politer than I thought she'd be; she's been rather short with me lately (for obvious reasons). Anyway, if there's nothing else, it's always a pleasure to see you two..." she began smiling in sarcastic manner between friends, "...and I guess I'll be seeing you both around more often since I'm being forced to work you all now."...
Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to add/do this week. Otherwise, your all set as this is what I had for Kai this time around (you can assume that your Father eventually agrees (with some convincing) to the trial run.
Kurstin:
(Let's roll for it!: 4)
The slabs blocking his sight of the others, Kurstin dashed ahead towards the chest at the top of the hill! Though he couldn't see where GHOST had floated off to, he sensed that it had ran into one of the magical constructs in the room and attacked. And though he wasn't positive if its attack had hit, he could sense that it did not take any damage in return.
Making his way to the base of the hill, Kurstin eventually ran into one of the magical constructs himself - who lunged at him cartoonishly without any real hope of hitting him. Around him, outside of the loud chittering noises of the constructs, Kurstin heard two things: a loud boom coming from one end of the ring, and a piercing screech coming from the other...
Perception check! (It won't count as your action):
DC10
The Boom came from the male students direction and he sounded fairly close to the bottom of the hill!
DC13
The scream came from the female student and it sounded like she was in trouble!
Let me know what you're doing this next turn!
Super Secret DM Rolls (that you can totally peek at)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Perception: 7
Kurstin easily dodges the construct's attack, then reaches out to attach a small metal disk to the homunculus. (Shocking Grasp Attack: 25 Lightning Damage: 12) If the disk comes in contact with the thing, an electric shock spreads over it! Kurstin is too busy with the construct, and focusing on the hill, to be able to perceive any good information from the boom or the screech. He just assumed the other students were facing their own challenges...
GHOST continues its search and destroy programming, hunting for other constructs or perhaps another student. (Stealth: 11. Perception: 21 Force Ballista Attack: 10 Damage: 2.)
After biding Alena farewell, Kaisaras makes an effort of speaking to great lengths with his father and eventually manages to convince him to the trial run with the Guard and Brigade. Beyond that, Kaisaras spends the remainder of his week hashing out the logistics of what would be needed to send the trial teams over, filling their gaps in their own ranks, and finally spending some time on getting his own blade worked on.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Fargrim swung at Silas' legs again in an attempt trip him using another Trip Maneuver.
Attack: 18 Damage: 18
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to knock the target down. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you knock the target prone. DC12
Fargrim didn't really know who this Silas was but already didn't like him for making him run after him. Fargrim growled at Silas "This will be easier on you if you let go of that person. If you don't, I have no problem going through them to get to you. Human shields don't work on me but I will make you suffer if I have to hurt someone else."
Intimidation 17
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Danse & Fargrim:
Kaisaras:
"So you ask me what I want of you? I want the Brigade! All of it. Under the Guard's command." She let that sink in for a moment before continuing. During that brief pause, Arcadia released a long cartoonish whistle while Alena rolled her eyes amusingly in response. "Though I know that's a foolish dream, it is still what the city needs at the moment; what is the point of having a standing army if the city could go under a any point?" Rising to her feet, she placed her hands on the desk and leaned forward slightly to look at both Ironwards straight in the eye; whatever fatigue she had when the pair had first entered seemed long gone. "My more realistic request is this: Give me half the Brigade partially under my control for 6 months. At the head would be you (she added pointing towards Arcadia), that way we would have enough support to both keep the city safe while also nipping any problems in the bud before they can sprout. Without a more drastic measure, I worry what'll happen to both the Guard and the City and this is the best idea I can come up with given the circumstances and resources at my disposal..."
As soon as the High Marshal was done, Arcadia began laugh the way she typically did whenever she found something riotously amusing. In-between laughing fits, she managed to squeak out, "Father is going to hate this!!"
Kurstin:
DM Secret Rolls
17
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
D20 roll! 4
Kaisaras offered an amused smile as well, but nodded along with Cressida's words, "...since you dislike the use of flowery language, I'll drop it. However, I only meant to contextualize, not distract. That said, you'd recall that the Brigade was formed BECAUSE the Guard was often found lacking, be that 300 hundred years ago or today....I support and agree with the Guard's intentions and mission, but without a stable backer, they continue to fall into the same slumps of underfunding and corruption that lead to so many in the populace distrusting it. No offense." Kaisaras dropped his smile and steeled himself, "I'll speak to my father about Arcadia and my brother leading two Divisions, that will give you 120 of our men, roughly and Arcadia's field expertise...it isn't much in the long term, but that will give your people time to recover and rest."
"However." The young lord stood up but didn't move his gaze from the Marshal, "The Brigade exists, both to ease the burdens of the Guard in the Eastern Shore, and to protect the city as a whole from invasion. We are a standing army as you said, not police. We fund the army with our family's coffers and through business intended or founded upon the idea that it was developed to keep the army afloat, for the protection of this city...we shall continue to do so as best as we can. Just like you." He'd then offer out his hand, "Does that seem fair enough to you?"
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Danse & Fargrim:
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Kurstin spends the rest of the day tinkering and polishing his homunculus, cleaning away all bits of soot and dirt to make a good first impression. He checked and rechecked the small compartments and their contents - various chemical and alchemical compounds designed to augment the force projectors. He was pleased with the artificial intelligence in the device - he knew better than to tweak that so close to the exam and display. In the back of his mind, running quietly in the background of this thoughts, were thoughts of the other Lambs and how he might help them get off the streets. Maybe his new friends in the Harrowers, or his connection with the Guards.
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Fargrim growled at Silas, “If you struggle or scream, I’ll ******* cripple you.” He slung Silas over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Then, to Danse, he said “I used to do a lot of business around here. Let me get my bearings and see if there is somewhere we can get off the streets “
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Danse & Fargrim:
Kaisaras:
"Well I'm all for this idea!" Arcadia added nonchalantly as she leaned back in her chair. She was about to place her boots on the High Marshal's desk but thought better of it at the last minute. "It'd be a nice change of pace from working in the countryside. And besides, watching Marcus try to lead anyone besides one of his "friends" to the bedroom will be more than worth it! I'm still not convinced he actually knows how to use a sword; well, besides the on-"
"Arcadia! That's enough. Can you ever be serious!" Alena interrupted from the far end of the room.
To see that Alena's face is bright red with embarrassment. She also seems to be pointedly looking away from everyone.
Kurstin:
Stepping into the space, Kurstin was surprised to find an exceptionally large chamber. In it was an array of random items and equipment (from practice dummies to archery boards to board games strangely and more) strewn about in an organization system that at first glance seemed to defy any sort of logic. Also randomly placed throughout the space were a series of gravity defying staircases that led up to floating platforms of random size and shape. As Kurstin took in the site in front of him, he couldn't help but feel like he was standing in some sort of magical playroom.
Before he could ponder any further, a booming voice from overhead cut him off. It sounded vaguely like the Headmaster Ellis Toryr IV, but it was hard to tell due to how loud it was. "Kurstin Blacksteam... Welcome to the Verso's Demiplane! Or as we've come to call it: The Den. In this space, you will show us all of the skills and magical abilities you've picked up during your time at Theumanexus. Feel free to use any of the items in this space or 'bring' in anything else you may require. Good luck!" With that, the voice went silent and Kurstin was left in the magical space...
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Kurstin bows in respect to the masters, and presents his homunculus for the examination. "Masters, I present my artificer creation for your review. It is an artificially intelligent, battle enhancement construct designed to attack enemies and provide aid to allies. It has a self-contained power source and multiple add-in chemical and alchemical elements. I would first like to demonstrate it's ability to independently maneuver and avoid damage."
"Next, I will demonstrate it's combat power. By activating the rune here," he says and presses an intricately carved design, "GHOST can redirect portions of its propulsive force towards an object. Observe..."
"Finally, my device has protective and regenerative abilities to aid myself or others." Kurstin pulls out his own dagger and tries to cut his arm.
"This concludes my demonstration. May fortune favor you and the gods shine their light upon you." Kurstin and GHOST stand for a few moments, waiting for any questions on the demonstration, his design, or the construct itself.
(Requested dice rolls: 21; 20; 15; )
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Insight: 16
When the Marhs-no, when Cressida fell back to her chair and mentioned the 'Harrowers', Kaisaras couldn't help it as he felt his face twitch at the clear jab to his dealings as an adventurer a few weeks ago. A light sigh relaxed his face as he rolled his eyes at his sister's crude humor, chuckling as he caught sight of Alena's flushed face. "I'm afraid this is her being serious. Though I'm surprised you're still affected by stuff like this Alena, considering how long you've known us."
History check with 1d8 addition due to Tactical Advantage maneuver 6 4 total of 10
Danse’s eyes flashed with vindictive glee as he watched Silas crumple. Something inside Danse told him he should feel an inkling of remorse for the other former prisoner of Gaedren, though memories of Silas’s even plausible connections to his former torturer destroyed any trace of pity. In one gaudy maneuver, Danse wiped the blood from each scimitar with two swipes against his blue robes as he delivered each to their respective scabbards.
Some macabre instinct kicked in as Danse gave a sweeping bow to the crowd before turning to address Fargrim. “Thank you for the help, Fargrim. If you permit me to be honest, I never quite expected to get this far. I suspect him to be an ally of Yargin’s. If you have somewhere safe to bring him, I would be interested in it.”
Suspecting some form of guard to arrive shortly - and hoping his reputation would carry him, Danae gave a grin towards the unfortunate man used as a living shield. The tattooed Half-Elf called out to the crowd; “As the victim can likely attest to, no wrong was done here tonight. The streets are safe from another bandit,” he called to the crowd in hopes of alleviating any undue attention which may be brought on by the city guards.
(Mobile. Will clean up later)
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Danse & Fargrim:
Looking around the Heights District, there wasn’t much that Fargrim could remember regarding hiding spots. There were a series of alleyways that you think might potentially work. Otherwise, besides rather upscale bars and establishments, he recalled a few of the houses that he used to visit in past line of work.
As Fargrim thought on places to go, the sounds of an approaching group drew closer…
Kaisaras:
“I am when the High Marshal is around!!!” she blurted out before looking towards Arcadia. “Are you actually going to be serious if you do this? This isn’t a game you know…”
Arcadia stared Alena down as a wicked grin spread across her face. “I’m always serious when it comes to fighting. You more than most should know that…”
As Alena began to make a retort, Cressida put her hand up to still her. “While I’ve been made aware of your capabilities, it might actually be a good idea if we have a trial run off sorts before making more any long-term commitments.”
“Next week, the Cheliaxin Magical Games will be taking place in Korvosa; a last minute decision by the Queen. Perhaps we have our test run then and see this relationship pans out. Thoughts?”
Kurstin:
Overall, Kurstin felt that he had done about as well as he could’ve for the judging panel. GHOST, still a prototype after all, was not quite as agile as he would’ve liked; getting hit by more than a few of the object Kurstin threw his way. It definitively redeemed itself though during its next two demonstrations. During the combat portion, it absolutely obliterated the targets of its force cannon with more power than Kurstin even realized it had. It then performed admirably as Kurstin showed off it’s other offensive capabilities with flair! Finally, during the medic portion, everything went according to plan with GHOST both reducing and healing any damage that received!
After a pause of almost 5 minutes, the same voice from before broke through silence. “Well done! That was quite the show and what a curious invention you have there Master Blacksteam! Now, we will proceed to Phase II…” As the echo faded away, a shimmering door appeared 20 ft in front Kurstin and opened on imaginary hinges; beyond seemed to be an identical room with a slightly red tint.
Coming to conclusion that Phase II was through the magical door, Kurstin and GHOST walked through the opening and into the next space, finding himself at the edge of a circular ring 100ft in diameter. At the center of the ring was a sloping elevated platform about 20ft high, at the peak on a raised pedestal was treasure chest glowing with a shimmery light. He also noticed two of his classmates at opposite ends of the ring with him, a girl about his age and a boy perhaps 2 years older. Both had confused looks on their faces.
“Now let us commence Phase II!” the voice returned gleefully before a loud “Ding! Ding!” boomed in the space. A moment later, as a group of at least 10 magical homunculi appeared out of thin air, as a series of thin 5’ wide x 10’ tall earthen slabs of rock extruded themselves from the ground obscuring Kurstin’s view of the others and the raised pedestal before him...
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Fargrim sees a nearby bar and scoops up Silas and carries him in. He walks straight to the bar. It was a very high end establishment. "Excuse me, my friend here is feeling a bit under the weather. Do you have a quite room in the back or basement we can take him to get him a bit of rest?" As he says this, Fargrim plops a small bag containing 100 GP on the bar so that it falls open slightly and the bartender can see the contents. "As you can imagine, he would be terribly embarrassed if anyone knew he was in this state so discretion is appreciated."
Kaisaras smiled at his sister and long-time friend before focusing back on the Marshal. Her offer for a test run was both wise and would buy him enough time to convince his father and adjust the logistics to move the two teams into the city. He stood up and nodded with a polite smile towards Cressia, "That sounds good enough for me. We look forward to setting things in order with you and the Guard." Kaisaras would shake hands with the Marshal if she accepted his, and then move to leave with Arcadia.
(@Zoldier - I'm going to assume GHOST is still activated as an eldritch cannon. I will have it use the Force Ballista option =)
Kurstin grins - a true challenge! He thanks the Harrowers and their adventures for preparing the young artificer fort his challenge. He moves directly towards the center area (move 30'), dodging around any earthen slabs in the way. Kurstin looks for either of the other two contestants - his goal was to slow them down but not permanently injure them. He has a couple of initial ideas in mind, depending on what/who he sees or what happens.
Ghost moves diagonally to the left and forward, programmed to find and attack any opponent with its force cannon. Kurstin ensures it targets constructs first... (Attack: 10 Damage: 9 - On a hit, the target is pushed up to 5 feet away from the cannon.)
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
(So clearly GHOST has no problem destroying a mannequin, but his programming needs some logic inhibitors to actually attack students! =D
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Danse & Fargrim:
The bartender looks from bag, to the rag-tag group in front of her, to back to the bag. “Of course. Right this way sirs.” She replied as she quickly grabbed the sack of gold in front of her. Though more than a few of the patrons gave the three men various looks as they walked by, none made any comments – well comments directed directly at them that is. Brought to the back of the establishment to a small enclosed dining area with a few tables, chairs & couches spread throughout, the bartender led the group in before adding, “I don’t want to know what you’re up to, but if you wreck this place or I find a dead body in here, you’ll have more than just the Guard after you.” With a that and a curt nod, she turned and closed the door behind her.
As soon as she left, a small groan could be heard coming from the half-elf. With Danse’s and Fargrim’s medical knowledge – or lack thereof – the duo were unable to tell if the groan - and the fact that his bleeding had slowed greatly from earlier - was a good or bad thing…
Kaisaras:
Kurstin:
Making his way to the base of the hill, Kurstin eventually ran into one of the magical constructs himself - who lunged at him cartoonishly without any real hope of hitting him. Around him, outside of the loud chittering noises of the constructs, Kurstin heard two things: a loud boom coming from one end of the ring, and a piercing screech coming from the other...
Perception check! (It won't count as your action):
DC10
The Boom came from the male students direction and he sounded fairly close to the bottom of the hill!
DC13
The scream came from the female student and it sounded like she was in trouble!
Super Secret DM Rolls (that you can totally peek at)
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Perception: 7
Kurstin easily dodges the construct's attack, then reaches out to attach a small metal disk to the homunculus. (Shocking Grasp Attack: 25 Lightning Damage: 12) If the disk comes in contact with the thing, an electric shock spreads over it! Kurstin is too busy with the construct, and focusing on the hill, to be able to perceive any good information from the boom or the screech. He just assumed the other students were facing their own challenges...
GHOST continues its search and destroy programming, hunting for other constructs or perhaps another student. (Stealth: 11. Perception: 21 Force Ballista Attack: 10 Damage: 2.)
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
After biding Alena farewell, Kaisaras makes an effort of speaking to great lengths with his father and eventually manages to convince him to the trial run with the Guard and Brigade. Beyond that, Kaisaras spends the remainder of his week hashing out the logistics of what would be needed to send the trial teams over, filling their gaps in their own ranks, and finally spending some time on getting his own blade worked on.