The Selgaunt Campaign

[Xen]

Tal

OOC: Xen, does the fact that Arweil isn't running away change Tal's mind about sticking his head through the portal? (This seemed like a good case to pause the action while asking for clarification.)

OOC: Indeed it does. Here is a revised chain of events.

Hope this one is something like the last one we went through, Tal thinks to himself as he twists his body at the waist to dislodge his pack and lower it to the ground. He uses a foot to push the pack slightly away, while his eyes search for where Arweil has gotten off to. "Watch your Back Marduke." says Tal when he sees that Arweil is running towards the two of them full on. Tal stands up, takes a step over his pack, and turns his body so that Arweil is approaching on Tal's left, while the portal is on Tal's right - drawing his Great Sword as moves.

OOC: Tal is waiting to see what Arweil intends. He'll delay further action until Arweil gets closer. If Arweil is still in a full run as he comes close to crossing in front of Tal - and seems in any way to be threatening Tal or his friends, Tal will kick his pack into Arweil's path, with the intention of tripping him. In the event that this happens, I've rolled an attack roll for the backpack move of 21 (18 +3 BAB - not completely sure how to treat this, so feel free to correct).

 

[haiiro]

Owlbear Path

Still focused on the portal, Arweil closes the distance between you to about twenty paces. As he runs, he takes an object out of his pouch -- it looks like a small rock, about the size of a lemon -- and does something to it with his other hand, as if he were pushing a button. He lets the hand holding the thing hang loose at his side, and then looks up in your direction again.

Seeing that Tal has his sword out and appears to be guarding the portal, Arweil slows down (but doesn't stop), and his mouth tightens in concentration.

The thing in his hand is now glowing bright purple.

 

[Xen]

Tal

Seeing some hesitation in Arweil's step, Tal moves to face him wihtout completely blocking his path, putting his own back to the portal. "Please, give care to those inside as some are my companions - and DO NOT close this portal, they may be in need of it!"

OOC: Tal uses his meager knowledge of the planes, roll 17 ([16], +1), to learn something about the purple rock.

 

[haiiro]

The tower:

Amidst the chaos of another building pulse, the shimmering man's continuing scream, the rapid dwindling of Jaehn, Olo and Milo, and the abrupt appearance of another portal, Artemis is an oasis of calm.

Letting Cupric and Tuggle know that he heard something -- although heard it from where is another matter -- he approaches the shimmering man's writhing form (staying just out of reach) and listens intently.

Another pulse goes off, blasting soundlessly through the remaining Follies so quickly that it doesn't register until it has already happened.

Artemis only:

Spoiler

As the pulse passes, Artemis hears something -- vague and indistinct, as if carried on a slight breeze, and much fainter than before: "...no, the Occulants haven't...expire...no chattel in the..."

It's been three days since the last DM post for the tower side, so I'm moving on.

 

[haiiro]

Whoops -- double post. I'll turn this into something useful later, probably the next Owlbear Path DM post.

 

[dharmabum]

In position

Tuggle moves to Artemis' side near the portal. He is readying to jump through to Owlbear path if more light flashes threaten to translocate his party or if the gleaming purple orb comes sailing through with the threat of a sudden explosion.

As he does this, he gestures to Cupric to move as well.

 

[Artemis Blade]

"It's something about 'Occulants' an 'Uroboran' and 'Fifteen Gates.'" Artemis tells Tuggle as he draws near. "Maybe someone is screwing with portals. Mephiskaran maybe?" Artemis moves into touching range (M-19) and beckons to the Portal man with his hands.

OOC: I continue to listen intently, and make no attempt to avoid the portal man if he reaches out and touches me, deliberately or inadvertently.
Listen: 13

 

[thedangerranger]

Cupric moves forward, renewing his song of friendship, and pulls even with Tuggle and Artemis. He signals with his hands and eyes as he continuess to sing that he sees the other portal and sees what is happening to Jaehn, Olo and Milo; but has no clue what to do. If Tal ends up facing him fo rmore than a second he would also wave a hello.


-tdr-
OOC: Perfom 23

 

[haiiro]

Calling to Tuggle and Cupric over his shoulder -- telling them bits of what he heard -- Artemis steps right up to the shimmering man. With both hands, he beckons to him, as if trying to tell him to float out of the wall.

Keeping an eye on the others -- including the still-dwindling, Evermeet-bound Follies, who are now the size of housecats -- Tuggle moves to the portal. Half-crouched, the gnome's ready to try and pounce through it if danger looms.

Standing between Tuggle and Artemis, Cupric shifts his soothing song to one of friendship. It's a peaceful ballad, not unlike the one he used in the mosaic room when they encountered the shimmering man there.

Through the flickering, unstable portal at the end of the corridor, Cupric and Tuggle can see Tal's tableau unfolding: the stranger with the long hair is running towards them, holding some sort of glowing purple thing. A dwarf they don't recognize is standing near Tal, holding a dwarven urgrosh -- a weapon with an axeblade at one end, and a spearpoint at the other.

Facing the shimmering man, Artemis is resolute: unafraid, even as the figure's arms spasm and weave around him. Somehow, despite coming close several times, neither the glowing being nor the barbarian touch one another. Still listening for voices on the wind, Artemis hears nothing.

Then the shimmering man begins to curl up, almost as if he is headed for a fetal position, and his persistent, echo-less scream starts to fade. Though it's still quite loud, as the volume goes down so does the light level: the shimmering man is becoming transparent as he curls up.

And at the far end of the corridor, the portal shudders and ripples, like the surface of a pond when you toss a pebble into it. Darts of energy skim around its edges, and the view of Tal and the others becomes less clear.

Its edges contracting, the portal begins to shrink.

OOC: The updated map.

Okay, Artemis moved to M-19 -- directly in front of the shimmering man. db, you said Tuggle would be both by Artemis and by the portal, but they're nowhere near each other. Since by the portal seemed more important from your post, that's what I went with. tdr, you followed Tuggle's lead with Cupric, so I've got you somewhere between the two.

If this were combat, I would have paused for clarification. Using the map grid in your posts will help keep me less confused.

 

[Artemis Blade]

"I don't think we can help the shimmering man." Artemis sighs. "Should we stay here to deal with our missing or go help Tal?" Artemis asks Cupric, as he walks by to stand next to Tuggle.

Move to M-9. Prepare to follow the lead of other party members if they go through the shrinking portal.