The Romance of the River Kingdoms
- Thread starter Dr Simon
- Start date
Walking Dad
First Post
Ape will have an eye for them and other possible dangers, but insists to return to the vashti as fast as possible.
Dr Simon
Explorer
The men let you past unmolested, but as you move down the streets of Cormondal to the riverside you notice that they are following you at a distance. They are joined by the two other men that Ape spotted, at which point they get a bit of swagger back to their walk (although they remain a distance down the road such that it *could* be a coincidence that they are going the same way...)
More join them as you go, so by the time you reach the ghat, there are eight men in total, making muttered comments and laughing, wolf whistles at Annika, 'meow' sounds at Xielt.
At the ghat, the men fan out to form an arc behind you. Various daggers, small clubs and a length of chain are produced from inside clothing.
"Oh, here's your precious Vashti," says the lantern-bearer with a sneer.
From inside the funeral cupola steps another man. The young Vashti is bound and gagged, held closely in front of him. He has a knife to her throat.
"Hand over the statue," he says. "And no-one gets hurt."
Edit: Added Map.
Each square= 5ft.
Dark blocks represent buildings, steps of ghat and river at the bottom of the screen. The funeral cupola is a dome supported on columns, not a solid circle as shown on the map. Hopefully everything else is clear.
On a side note, Cormondal is nominally a law-abiding town (overseen by the Merchants League). As such, there may be repercussions for wanton slaughter, self-defence or not. It is, however, the middle of the night and there's not a sign of anyone else around. Moral dilemma....
More join them as you go, so by the time you reach the ghat, there are eight men in total, making muttered comments and laughing, wolf whistles at Annika, 'meow' sounds at Xielt.
At the ghat, the men fan out to form an arc behind you. Various daggers, small clubs and a length of chain are produced from inside clothing.
"Oh, here's your precious Vashti," says the lantern-bearer with a sneer.
From inside the funeral cupola steps another man. The young Vashti is bound and gagged, held closely in front of him. He has a knife to her throat.
"Hand over the statue," he says. "And no-one gets hurt."
Edit: Added Map.
Each square= 5ft.
Dark blocks represent buildings, steps of ghat and river at the bottom of the screen. The funeral cupola is a dome supported on columns, not a solid circle as shown on the map. Hopefully everything else is clear.
On a side note, Cormondal is nominally a law-abiding town (overseen by the Merchants League). As such, there may be repercussions for wanton slaughter, self-defence or not. It is, however, the middle of the night and there's not a sign of anyone else around. Moral dilemma....
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At the sight of Vashti with the knife to her throat, a change comes over Annika. She straightens up and her eyes flash angrily. She steps forward and faces the men, sliding her gaze from one end of the semicircle they've made to the other, then back to the one holding Vashti.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asks, her voice thick with contempt. "Do you even know what the statue is? Or what guarded it?"
She ticks off fingers. "Giant wolves that think like men. Cunning traps made with magic. Spirits of water and greed! All had to be overcome, and we did so!"
"Do you really think you scare us?"
Flames ripple around her arms, and lifts her red hair around her head...giving her an eerie 'underwater' look. She spits a word in the tongue of spirits, and a bolt of fire streaks out to burst on the street in front of the man holding Vashti.
"Whatever you're being paid, it's not worth it. Release her, or I will not hold back again."
(Intimidate check: 16. Yes, that was her last Ray of Flame.
I included a Bluff check if needed, but technically speaking nothing she said was a lie. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1655573/ )
"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asks, her voice thick with contempt. "Do you even know what the statue is? Or what guarded it?"
She ticks off fingers. "Giant wolves that think like men. Cunning traps made with magic. Spirits of water and greed! All had to be overcome, and we did so!"
"Do you really think you scare us?"
Flames ripple around her arms, and lifts her red hair around her head...giving her an eerie 'underwater' look. She spits a word in the tongue of spirits, and a bolt of fire streaks out to burst on the street in front of the man holding Vashti.
"Whatever you're being paid, it's not worth it. Release her, or I will not hold back again."
(Intimidate check: 16. Yes, that was her last Ray of Flame.
I included a Bluff check if needed, but technically speaking nothing she said was a lie. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1655573/ )
Dr Simon
Explorer
At this fiery display from Annika them men surrounding the group falter. No-one runs, but each one shows concern, worry, even fear in his face (except perhaps the lantern-bearer who still shows an arrogant sneer).
The one holding a knife to the Vashti falters for a moment. He keeps his hold on the young priestess but the knife drops a little from her throat. He shifts his stance, licks his lips.
"Don't make me do this," he says, "I'll kill her if I have to."
[SBLOCK="Annika"]
He doesn't look or sound sure. The magical display seems to have put most of the thugs on the verge of surrender.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK="Growling Ape"]
1 - The shillelagh spell (duration 1 minute) has worn off. 2 - These thugs looked perturbed by Annika's magical display. The one holding the Vashti looks very nervous; maybe he can be persuaded to give up, but any attempt might also provoke him into attacking her.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK="Xielt"]
The weak human holding the Vashti doesn't have the stomach for murder, but he seems very agitated and might do something rash if provoked.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK="Three Flowers"]
From their stance these are not men trained in true fighting styles. They lack discipline and grace. A concerted resistance should make them run away.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK="Jar'Thol"]
The thug holding the Vashti seems unsure, but he looks dangerous - you think he means what he says.
[/SBLOCK]
The one holding a knife to the Vashti falters for a moment. He keeps his hold on the young priestess but the knife drops a little from her throat. He shifts his stance, licks his lips.
"Don't make me do this," he says, "I'll kill her if I have to."
[SBLOCK="Annika"]
He doesn't look or sound sure. The magical display seems to have put most of the thugs on the verge of surrender.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK="Growling Ape"]
1 - The shillelagh spell (duration 1 minute) has worn off. 2 - These thugs looked perturbed by Annika's magical display. The one holding the Vashti looks very nervous; maybe he can be persuaded to give up, but any attempt might also provoke him into attacking her.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK="Xielt"]
The weak human holding the Vashti doesn't have the stomach for murder, but he seems very agitated and might do something rash if provoked.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK="Three Flowers"]
From their stance these are not men trained in true fighting styles. They lack discipline and grace. A concerted resistance should make them run away.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK="Jar'Thol"]
The thug holding the Vashti seems unsure, but he looks dangerous - you think he means what he says.
[/SBLOCK]
Walking Dad
First Post
AC 15 (T15, FF13), HP 25/25, F +4,R+2,W+5
"Don't assume we had to use up all our ressources to get the statue. We are still more than capable to deal with your like, human. I could blunder you with my bare hands into submission, with my staff, or assume my beast form and rend you with my teeth. Harm the Vashti and you will fall next. And don't forget, she is the Vashti, and she has many more friends than just us." Ape addresses mostly the man holding the Vashti.
"Don't assume we had to use up all our ressources to get the statue. We are still more than capable to deal with your like, human. I could blunder you with my bare hands into submission, with my staff, or assume my beast form and rend you with my teeth. Harm the Vashti and you will fall next. And don't forget, she is the Vashti, and she has many more friends than just us." Ape addresses mostly the man holding the Vashti.
The Rolling Man
First Post
Jar'Thol, Salsham'ai shaman
Jar'Thol adds to the ape man's words. "There is no one between us five and you. If you do the unrepairable, kill her, nothing will stop us from hurting you. Stow your knife and loosen your hold on her and we can discusss your demands."
Jar'Thol adds to the ape man's words. "There is no one between us five and you. If you do the unrepairable, kill her, nothing will stop us from hurting you. Stow your knife and loosen your hold on her and we can discusss your demands."
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Annika nods. The time for closed fist was past. Now was the open palm.
"It is taught that our actions return to us, magnified. Do violence now, and you will have great violence in return. Show mercy now, and you will recieve mercy. It is not Vashti's life that will shield you...it is your own actions."
"It is taught that our actions return to us, magnified. Do violence now, and you will have great violence in return. Show mercy now, and you will recieve mercy. It is not Vashti's life that will shield you...it is your own actions."
Xielt holds his hands out, away from his claw-stick. Besides, there are many other ways that this can be resolved. It would be better for all of us if we could simply discuss this peacefully. Of course, that's not possible with all of these weapons out. He gestures for his companions to lower their weapons.
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