The Psionicle, Part IV

[GnomeWorks]

Desimus - the potion heals Shardorn for 3 points.
[/OoC]

Shardorn wakes up, albeit very slowly. "That was painful..." She says with a moan. "What's going on now?"

 

[GnomeWorks]

Jirlai stands up, and looks the group over.

"Well... I see that you have revived my cleric... excellent..."

He sets his staff down lightly upon the rock he was hiding behind earlier.

"Well. We have but a little time before a half hour has passed. Have you decided upon your course of action? I would like to end this rather soon. I have made a deal with... certain people, that the Crystal would be delivered to them in a timely manner. Therefore I have little time to sit and play games with you."

He sighs sarcastically, and crosses his arms.

"Well then? Have you made your decision, or are you going to make me wait the remainder of the half hour I have given you, just to spite me?"

 

[GnomeWorks]

Jirlai speaks once more, and arrogance is strong in his voice, as is sarcasm.

"Well, I see that you have used up all of the time I have given to you. You don't seem to understand - I don't have to give you a choice in this matter. I could easily kill you all. You will make your decision, and make it now!"

OOC:

OOC: Please understand, folks, that I am not trying to be rude or angry, that I understand that there may have been RL circumstances keeping you from posting within the timespan I set. In no way is my opinion being reflected in what Jirlai is saying.

"However... I am a reasonable man. I see that you have not had time to prepare entirely." He sighs. "I know that the 'Kreen are coming. However, I shall stop them. Of course, it will limit your options for leaving this place... but I am sure that you will learn to cope... or die down here..." He smiles a cold smile as he lifts his staff, and points it at the overhang above.

"Kaladok!" He yells, and a stream of ice emanates from the staff. As it does, a wall of pure, seamless ice appears in the overhang, completely blocking the view to the floor above. He speaks the word again, this time pointing the staff at the small cavern with the staircase in it - the steps of the staircase heading up becomes a solid wall of ice.

"I have bought you time. However, they will soon find another way down. I am not certain where the other entrances are, but I assure you, we have less than ten minutes." He sits. "I, at least, have the satisfaction of knowing that I will leave this place alive. Do you?" He smiles icily at you.

Deadline for choosing an option has been pushed back to 7:00pm CST on Tuesday, April 30, 2002.

 

[Animus Abdicerer]

I am the Narrator of My Mind

"Why am I here? Well I came down here to find my sister... though I really can't remember when I lost her, or where she could have went. I suffer from acute amnesia. I have trouble remembering cause after I see effect. Does that make sense? I guess not..."

"I can remember something, until it starts something else. I know I have a sister, and I know I love her. She is gone now, and that is the effect of some action I can't remember."

"That is why I look for her in strange places... though I can't remember the names of any of those places. I came down here, probably off some hint that was at least credible. I came down here and looked for her, and something happened. Now that something has happened I forgot why I was here in the first place."

"Don't think I always forget... my mind is selective. It tends to focus on forgetting anything to do with my sister. Sometimes I think it is someone else's doing that I can't remember. What happened to me? What happenened to my sister?"

"I forgot my name... that is one thing I know I forgot. Every once in a while I change my name to suit a purpose. Some time ago I was doing something, and someone called be Abe. I forget who they were, and why they called me that."

"Now I am known as Animus... and I am an Abdicerer. I leach off of the powers of my enemies minds to fuel my own power. This is evil, no? I don't think I am evil... but I am compeled to drain the energy of my foes anyway."

"I am lost in this cave... there are many earthy creatures, and lost miners down here. I heard a noise far away... I wonder who could be so loud when the only noise I can make is breathing."

"Oh, you did not notice? My tounge is cut, removed completely. I know it was done with a knife, and I remember the face of the man that did it. I don't remember why he did it. It made me angry... but maybe I deserved it. I could have commited a crime, maybe that is why my sister was taken from me. Do you know? Do I know? Who Knows?"

Making a Move Silently check to move closer to the party. (+3 Rank +2 Dex)

OOC: The Above: This article is taking place in my own mind. If you can't tell already, I think about myself in third person. This is because I am... detached. I have a reluctant memory, and I have no tounge. If anyone can understand telepathy, they may hear me, otherwise you will have to listen to me through actions more than words.

 

[Hand of Vecna]

*telepathically to Jansson* "I'm gonna go ahead and try to sneak around behind him, try to ge that staff away from him...."

OOC: 0 ranks in Move Silently, +2 Dex

Nathan mentally prays to whoever is listening that his footfalls are silent...

 

[Animus Abdicerer]

Making a Move Silently check to move closer to the party. (+3 Rank +2 Dex)

"Hello... can anyone hear me?" Animus whispers in his own thoughts.

"Hello? Do any of you know my sister?" Animus whispers to himself... knowing full well that nobody he is looking at can hear him or respond. At least, this is what he thinks, as he does not suspect anyone he can see has telepathic senses.

 

[Jarval]

"Jirlai, I will duel you. You have agreed to release your staff while we fight. Are there any other conditions?"

Jansson will start to ready himself for the fight to come.

OOC: Before the duel with Jirlai starts, Jansson will manifest Vigor on himself, use a charge from his Dorje of Biofeedback and has Desimus' Resistance active. He'll also use Valor for any saves he may need to make. He also has 3 psi tattoos of Lesser Body Adjustment.

OOC: This gives him 37 hit points (28 normal, 9 tempory), +1 to all his saves (+2 when using Valor), and takes the first 2 points of any damage as subdual.

 

[GnomeWorks]

Jirlai smiles, and rises.

"Ah, very well then. I see that at least one of your number is brave enough to fight me." He nods at Jansson. "I admire your courage, halfling. For surely, you know you shall die. Your sacrifice will have been in vain."

He nods his head in agreement with Jansson. "Yes, I did say that." He sets it down lightly on the rock behind him. "And no, there are no other stipulations. This is a duel to the death, winner takes all - all being my followers and the Crystal below us."

He smiles coldy. "And, of course, if you cheat... I will kill all of you. With no hesitation. I am an honorable man. Towards those without honor, however, I am ruthless without stipulation."

---

Initiative and first action, Jansson. Your pre-battle activities have been noted, and all effects on you right now are being tracked very carefully.

Good luck! I'm going to be ruthless with you. I won't be pulling any punches - he will go all out on you, and he will do his best to kill you, and use all of his resources, other than the staff, against you. I hope that you live, my friend, because I'd hate to see your character - or anyone else's - die...

-----

Animus, your footfalls do not appear to have been heard by anyone, nor have you been noticed by anyone. You are close enough to hear and observe what is going on, though.

 

[dkoz]

"Luck be with you Jansson."

Desimus spreads out away from the rest of the party. He is carrying his loaded crossbow at his hip. As the mage prepares for the fight Desimus peers intently at the staff and asks himself silently, "I wonder if it weighs more than 5 pounds?"

OOC: Does it look like it is move than 5 pounds Gnome? Desimus is thinking about using Mage Hand if need be.

 

[GnomeWorks]

Desimus - the answer to your question is - yes. The staff is quite slender. It does appear that it could weigh less than five pounds, although it is really long - around 5 feet. By length alone, even though it is slender, it could be 5 pounds, perhaps even more.

If you are planning on doing anything, please roll initiative...