(CSDGH) Demon with a Glass Hand [IC]

[Creamsteak]

Upon exiting the strange man's tent, you find yourself looking upon a rather empty market given the hour. There seems to be some uneasiness among the people that are still here. They seem unusually quiet and reserved. One woman bites her lip, or rather sucks her entire lower lip up into her jaw while staring at her child who seems somewhat oblivious to the disturbance.

Suddenly you find yourself made aware of what has disturbed these people. A huge bellowing cry, the sound of a sand worm or dragon making its great battlecry echoes over the market. Did this happen before? Maybe the sound was muffled while you were within the extradimensional tent.

While distant, the sound is powerful and booming. Images of colossal abominations of the desert cross your minds. This is clearly not everyday business.

[sblock=Shard]The sound is something you've heard before, but it seems like it was a long time ago. A very long time ago.[/sblock]

[sblock=Haros]The notion of a creature of the deserts attacking a city is certainly not unfamiliar. Many great beasts of the desert have assaulted the homesteads of the virtues before. However, you remember something of a story that comes to mind.

You've heard rumors that Drevin, one of the most evil god-kings, has a penchant for taming the untamable. The story goes that Kareel (the virtue) has had to put down a number of creatures created or controlled by his brother Drevin. Kareel became known as the Dragoon or Dragonslayer for such acts, and so it has become one of his titles.[/sblock]

 

[Psion]

Upon exiting the strange man's tent, you find yourself looking upon a rather empty market given the hour. There seems to be some uneasiness among the people that are still here. They seem unusually quiet and reserved. One woman bites her lip, or rather sucks her entire lower lip up into her jaw while staring at her child who seems somewhat oblivious to the disturbance.

Suddenly you find yourself made aware of what has disturbed these people. A huge bellowing cry, the sound of a sand worm or dragon making its great battlecry echoes over the market. Did this happen before? Maybe the sound was muffled while you were within the extradimensional tent.

While distant, the sound is powerful and booming. Images of colossal abominations of the desert cross your minds. This is clearly not everyday business.

[sblock=Shard]The sound is something you've heard before, but it seems like it was a long time ago. A very long time ago.[/sblock]

[sblock=Haros]The notion of a creature of the deserts attacking a city is certainly not unfamiliar. Many great beasts of the desert have assaulted the homesteads of the virtues before. However, you remember something of a story that comes to mind.

You've heard rumors that Drevin, one of the most evil god-kings, has a penchant for taming the untamable. The story goes that Kareel (the virtue) has had to put down a number of creatures created or controlled by his brother Drevin. Kareel became known as the Dragoon or Dragonslayer for such acts, and so it has become one of his titles.[/sblock]

[sblock=OOC]To quip Shayuri, "meep?"[/sblock]

Concerned about the nature of what may come, Haros casts some spells and makes ready to move towards the source of the disturbance.

[sblock=OOC, spellcasting]Haros casts True Seeing and Shield of Faith[/sblock]

 

[Creamsteak]

As you cross the plaza heading north, you see that one of the towers near the outer wall has collapsed. A fire seems to have started in the aftermath, and may spread to some of the nearby buildings.

Out in the distance, for only a brief second, you see something in the sky.

It seems to be circling a few thousand feet away, up near the citadel at the center of the city.

Some of the citizens are hard at work trying to contain the nearby flames, but they don't seem to be managing too well. It looks like most of the towns guards are somewhere else.

 

[Shayuri]

"That looks mean," Shard mentions, a bit worriedly as she absently reaches over to grab a hand onto Haros' robe. "Really, really mean. Are we going to fight it?"

 

[Psion]

It seems to be circling a few thousand feet away, up near the citadel at the center of the city.

Some of the citizens are hard at work trying to contain the nearby flames, but they don't seem to be managing too well. It looks like most of the towns guards are somewhere else.

[sblock=OOC]True seeing reveal anything? Does knowledge(arcane) reveal the dragon type. Is it really a Hellfire wyrm. [/sblock]

"That looks mean," Shard mentions, a bit worriedly as she absently reaches over to grab a hand onto Haros' robe. "Really, really mean. Are we going to fight it?"

"You are the master sorceress. Do you think you are up for the task?" Haros smiles gently. "We can wind walk pursuing it and see where it goes, at least. Fighting it was not at the top of my mind."

"Failing that, is there anything we can do about these blazes?"

Haros casts a spell.[sblock=Spellcasting]Cast Omen of Peril to determine what level of danger would be involved in confronting the dragon.[/sblock][sblock=DM]Is there a creature known to me whose form I could enter with Metamorphic Transfer that could extinguish or control the blazes?[/sblock]

 

[Creamsteak]

True seeing reveal anything? Does knowledge (arcane) reveal the dragon type. Is it really a Hellfire wyrm?

I think it's far too distant for true seeing. Your knowledge arcana check also seems to have failed you this time.

Cast Omen of Peril to determine what level of danger would be involved in confronting the dragon.

The vision you are imparted is that of a female angel holding shattered greatsword, a symbol of Peril.

Is there a creature known to me whose form I could enter with Metamorphic Transfer that could extinguish or control the blazes?

Did you have anything in mind OOC, because off the top of my head I'm not sure what knowledge check might be applicable (because, besides a water elemental, I'm not too sure on what's good for dousing fires).

 

[Creamsteak]

I'll hasten things a bit. The two of you work diligently, stopping the blazes cold. After ten minutes, you manage to put out all of the flames, and protect much of the property here. It is difficult and dangerous work, but you're able to handle it shortly (I assume each of you can come up with some appropriate method).

(You each recieve 1,200 xp for your efforts to put out the flames.)

The dragon remains unseen. It last disappeared behind the great castle at the center of the city. After Haros casts Wind Walk, you can persue the creatures path. Once you wrap around to the other side of the keep, you see a massive hole has been clawed open in the side of the great throne-room. Some signs of charing hint that the dragon may have incinerated part of this wall to get inside, but something removed the fires.

Inside the citadel, two figures stand prominently in the center of a massive throne-room. One is an ornately armored man gripping a bastard sword that seems to absorb the light around it. While young in appearance and somewhat handsome, his very presence seems unnerving. His armor is more ornate than Undine's by a wide margin, serving mostly as a decorative armament. His blade seems to be forged from magical darkness, bathed in black fire, not having anything of a metal edge.

[sblock=visual]

[/sblock]

Opposite him, standing just beside the gem-encrusted silver throne three sizes too large for her, is the other prominent figure. It is Undine, dressed in her battle plate as before, with two of her four greatswords drawn into her hands. She seems stoic, stalwart, and unwavering in the face of the mysterious visitor. Her gaze seems to cut right through him, despite the fog of debris and smoke sullying the room.

The throne room is five hundred feet in diameter, walls rising 50 feet from the floor, then another 50 feet to an onion bloomed dome. The decore is that of a desert sultan or indian king, with incredible decorations of gold, silver, and ivory white marble making up most of the motif. Surrounding the room are various advisors, nobles, servants, soldiers, and priests of all walks of life. Dian and Iantia from earlier stand to the left and right of the great throne that Undine rested upon only moments ago. The guard captain is unconcious, his weapons at his side, at the wall opposite the destroyed battlements. He appears to have been knocked away, possibly by the intruder.

It quickly becomes apparent that some kind of discussion is going on. The man speaks now, his voice resonating with incredible charisma and strength. Your entrance catches his words mid sentence.

"... asking only one paltry question. My humble and simple self bows before your incredible, magnificent, and glorious kingdom - and it's noble people. I beg only one tiny scrap of information, one simple fact which I must know. Undine, whom I once traveled alongside, would you not grant an old friend and traveling companion such a mundane favor? Would you not grant your brother-by-marriage one little thing?"

[sblock=OOC]---Also note, this is where I'll start the other two party members once they can jump into the thread. Supposing they do, I'll share with them what just happened only a moment ago.[/sblock]

[sblock=Haros]With True Seeing active, you see that neither Undine nor the strange visitor are in their true form. The man is the same as the Wyrm you witnessed only a moment ago, and undine is a four armed snake-woman of equal size. Undine's true form is something akin to an angelic four-armed marilith. Both are rather alien to what their current guises are shaped like.[/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

(doh! I'm sorry I've been so slow lately...my energy level's been horrible due to a flu that's been dogging me for close to a week. It's finally letting up, but...gah. Anyway!)

With the use of her robe's magic, Shard is able to create elementals of water that surge as she bids, putting out fires as they go. She runs after them, stomping in the puddles and generally exulting in the small victories of the moment.

This doesn't last though.

Upon reaching the broken walls of the palace and witnessing the confrontation within, she becomes quite still and quiet...yet it's not as simple as mere fear. There's a sense of reverence to her as well, and an odd undertone of craftyness. Imagine a child sneaking past her parents as they argue...at once worried from the fight, and yet rather smug about having gotten away with something. Though the reality is, of course, stranger still and far more complex.

Regardless, she remains silent and still at the confrontation, though Haros gets the feeling that if hostilities erupted, Shard might foolishly throw herself into the fray.

 

[Creamsteak]

"... asking only one paltry question. My humble and simple self bows before your incredible, magnificent, and glorious kingdom - and it's noble people. I beg only one tiny scrap of information, one simple fact which I must know. Undine, whom I once traveled alongside, would you not grant an old friend and traveling companion such a mundane favor? Would you not grant your brother-by-marriage one little thing?"

Undine responds to the man, "The traitor is no-longer my sister in any meaning of the word. You have betrayed our pact. You are responsible for more deaths than any other. Your actions are those of a tyrant, Drevin."

The crowd seems to gasp in collective horror. The name is one that has long-been feared and despised in this land. Despite his having almost won-over the crowd with his charismatic and humble words, speaking his name has turned their willing disbelief into a suspended terror.

"You call me a traitor for attempting to stave off annihilation? I'm afraid that my sense of justice prevents me from waiting out the last of my days in idolace. My path is the one of righteousness, to the core. I want to make things right, and my actions have been out of necessity, not treachery. Undine, you are beautiful both in body and spirit. Your efforts to make these people's lives comfortable are just another testament to how your strength is greater than my own. That said, I cannot stop the mechanations that are in motion without your help. I must know one simple thing..."

As he says this, he makes an elequent and noble bow towards Undine. He pauses for the better part of 10 seconds before finishing. His inflection changes from that of a noble leader into that of man filled with purified and purposeful *rage.

"Where is my brother?"

[sblock=*]*I'm thinking "This is Sparta!" from 300.[/sblock]

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Caladan

Suited in his full battle gear, Caladan stands within the crowd surrounding the two champions intently watching them both. He knows that if these two were to come to blows that the best he would be able to do, would to get as many of the innocent bystanders out of main hall as quickly as possible. However, for now he simply waits patiently for a peaceful resolution.