The Slave and Her Sovereign

[Manbearcat]

As he stands in the mercurial, Astral waters, Ishka calls the silverblade back to his hand and calls Kushka-varra to him.

A slow nod gives physical shape to his thoughts. "Very well" he breathes quietly.

"I lied. My people would never ally with you. I may seem young, and I am, but githyanki fight wars from the cradle and I am no different. I have seen much. My sovereign Queen Vlaakith demands it in her name, so in her name I defend our empire from the threats of the Illithid and their Far Realm allies...in her name, a proud slave of duty, I conquer those who may be turned thrall."

He puts his blade away and mounts the red dragon as the waters audibly slosh around her massive legs. He pulls a warhorn from his neck and tosses it to the ground at your feet.

"But I believe your words and your merit. Though my people will not aid you...they would destroy you...I will stall them...I will buy you time...I will aid you; for my people.

Find whatever is sacred in your empire and do it quickly. I know little of your worldly culture but its always the same; whatever invigorates, whatever nurtures, whatever gives shape and purpose. There is where Caiphon's gravity captures and distorts. Find that nexus before you confront your leaders, who no doubt have been corrupted. Without undoing that, you will be overwhelmed by an army of unknowing minions...the birth of terrible influence and unimaginable form lies latent...waiting to manifest.

I can only buy you so much time and the shadow of The Dread Star cometh for your world; and soon. You will feel its chill...its pull...mental and physical...shortly. Call upon us when your plight is most dire. We will answer."

Summon Ishka and Kushka-varra
With a mighty blow of the githyanki warhorn, the githyanki and red dragon swoop in to attack.
Single-Use ✦ Summoning
Minor Action Ranged 10
Effect: You summon a large dragon in an unoccupied square within range. The dragon has a speed of 6 and fly 8. It has a +2 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Fortitude. You can give the pair the following special commands.

Standard Action (Telekinetic Silverblade): Ranged 10 (no OA); targets one creature; level +3 vs. Will; 1d8 + 1/2 level psychic damage, and the target is marked by the I&K-v until the end of your next turn. Until the Telekinetic Silverblade mark ends, if the target makes any attack that does not include I&K-v as a target, it takes a -2 penalty to the attack roll and you can spend an immediate reaction to deal 1d8 psychic damage.

Standard Action (Breath Weapon): Close Blast 3; creatures; level +3 vs Ref; 1d10 +1/2 fire damage.

Opportunity Attack (Tail Lash): Melee 2; targets one creature in range that makes an attack that doesn't include I&K-v; level +5 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1/2 level damage, and the target is marked by I&K-v until the end of your next turn.

Instinctive Effect: If you haven't given I&K-v any commands by the end of your turn, it uses Breath Weapon if two enemies and no allies are in the blast or, if not, it attacks an enemy with Telekinetic Silverblade if it can. Otherwise, it moves its speed to a square adjacent to an enemy.

XP = 700/2 = 350

---

That bolded of Ishka's words? I'm thinking one more Extended Rest in this Tier for this group. After which, "the s*** goes down." Caiphon manifests fully and the githyanki begin pouring into this world to lay waste to all of Bantouk in their war against the Far Realm taint while the rest of the pursuing Legion of Ruth slam against the gates. Githyanki and bladeling horde clashes galore amongst a terrified citizenry (those who aren't thralls of Caiphon).

In light of that, we should probably cut back to our other crew to resolve their conflicts and get them headed back to Bantouk, yeah?

 

[Manbearcat]

@darkbard

Cut to Ibhea in Dolg Hana where The Blessed and the pledged faithful to Delban, The Shadowed Sun, erect a new religious bastion from the ruination only a few days before...

---

Its been only a day since Arunny and Qamra left for the borderlands to seek out the ancient temple of The Moon Maiden and, hopefully, her father.

A pair of hooves and creaking wheel to rutted earth breaks the varying sounds of labors. In full regalia, the priest of Dolg Arat arrives as Omthala's radiant orb burns high in the noonday sky. The folk of Dolg Hana progressively stop their toils.

He disembarks from his seat as his dusty hat disembarks from his head to be dashed against leg so as to relieve it of its road grit. His long robes are sweat-stained, grimy. Piercing eyes look to the sun and barely a squint is registered.

His words are not loud though they may as well be a thunderclap:

"You all know why I am here. False Doctrine. Our Radiant Mother has no son. The Shadowed Sun is a relic of the past. It is a grift for a celestial being of alien origin now as it was then when those heretical words were first written."

He stops for a moment to let that sink in and casts his eyes from the sun to the people.

"Repent and I will see your sin burned out of you."

---

MEDIUM DC

* Religious Bastion established in Dolg Hana: After a Short Rest or Long Rest in Dolg Hana, take +2 forward on your next roll.

Of-level, Complexity 2 SC (DCs 12/16/24): Usurp the head priest's authority ensure the spread of Delban's worship in the three Dolgs.

 

[Manbearcat]

@Nephis

EARLIER...
The child that knew Arunny’s father in the outlying village and attached mission must have received this swatch directly from him. Perhaps Arunny’s father, like her, has something of a latent blessing in seeing portents and acting upon them? Perhaps he gave her that swatch while he was fighting the "Caiphonian bodysnatching" that had taken him hoping that it would somehow get to his children in this exact array?

The arrows of the panel point to an eclipse. But the eclipse is not of the sun and the moon. What is being eclipsed is clearly The Dread Star, purple corona flaring. But is it the sun or the moon doing the eclipsing?

If it is the moon...there is rumors of an ancient temple to The Moon Maiden where those taken by lycanthropic curse or "changing" can be purged. Where exactly it lies is unknown, but its location skirts the borderlands of the Bantouk Empire north and west of this place...where the Bladeling Horde stage military incursions...

If it is the sun...there is legend of a creature who fell prey to a terrible bargain by a false power. He sought deliverance via the burning radiance of the sun in the remote badlands east of the canyon that led you here. Unfortunately, the pilgrimage led to the burning away of the physical legacy of his betrayal; his twisted body. Perhaps your father believed his devout service and stalwart faith would convince Omthala to see him through where the former pilgrim failed?

ARUNNY...
As her mind weaves these experiences together for interpretation, all of her scattering and pondering thoughts coalesce into one intuitive THOUGHT: yes, father would go to the Maiden for succor and healing. And so, too, must they. Could this be where her brother has gone ... as well?

The night settles in after a hard day's push through the relative verdant lands north and east of the Dolgs. Qamra smiles at Arunny's reflexive, charitable offering of water as The Blessed child brings her own waterskin into view next to her face.

The moon creeps behind a regime of clouds and re-emerges as they skirt by, left to right.

Under the canopy of palms, Qamra gazes skyward and whispers "...its nice..."

But her eyes suddenly bulge as she spits out the offering of her wineskin "...it can't be...."

An aurora haunts the sky with suddenness, rippling across it...north to south...toward Bantouk.

Purple...cascading...deforming of the features above you...nausea-inducing...

Your stomach turns, heaves, threatens to lurch its contents from you. The wind whispers terrible things...

---

What do you do? How do you protect yourself and Qamra? Or sanctify this place, repelling The Dread Star's influence.

MEDIUM DC

Of-level, Complexity 1 SC (DCs 12/16): Journey to The Moon Maiden's temple on the borderlands and confront her father's plight (brother's pending...)

 

[darkbard]

@Manbearcat

Here are the bookkeeping details for Ibhea's level up. I'll come back and edit this post a little later to address the fiction and make a move.

Ibhea at Level 8
Key changes: retrain Blade Initiate (MC Swordmage) to Arcane Prodigy (MC Sorcerer); New Feat: Novice Power (swap 3rd level Encounter Power from Delban's Deadly Attention to Flame Spiral); New Item: Leather Armor of Dark Majesty; +1 INT/CHA; +1 to all ATK/DEF/SKILLS*

*actually, many of these will see a +2 bump because of raising attack Stat to new even number value or some similar buff (like Armor of Dark Majesty's skill bonuses)

Spoiler

Ibhea, level 8
Human, Warlock
Eldritch Strike: Eldritch Strike Charisma
Eldritch Pact: Sorcerer-King Pact
Human Power Selection: Heroic Effort
Background: Fugitive from a Vengeful Rival, Heretic, Street Urchin (Fugitive from a Vengeful Rival Benefit)
Theme: Ordained Priest

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 20.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 16.

AC: 23 Fort: 17 Reflex: 21 Will: 22
HP: 59 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 14

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +11, Streetwise +16, Thievery +10, Bluff +17, Religion +17, Arcana +13

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +5, Diplomacy +9, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +5, Heal +6, History +8, Insight +6, Intimidate +11, Nature +4, Perception +4, Athletics +3

FEATS
Human: Mindbite Scorn
Level 1: Arcane Prodigy
Level 2: Cunning Stalker
Level 4: Superior Implement Training (Accurate dagger)
Level 6: Tyrian Bureaucrat
Level 8: Novice Power

POWERS
Eldritch Blast: Eldritch Strike
Level 1 Ordained Priest Feature: Shining Symbol
Warlock encounter 1: Shadow Tentacles
Warlock daily 1: Crown of Stars
Warlock utility 2: Beguiling Tongue
Sorcerer encounter 3: Flame Spiral
Warlock daily 5: Deathly Conduit
Warlock utility 6: Deliverance of Faith
Warlock encounter 7: Touch of Command

MBA:

Eldritch Strike Warlock Attack 1​

The dire power of your attack drives your enemy before you.
Shielding Blade Accurate Dagger +1 +13 vs. AC, 1d4+6 damage, slide 1
At-Will Arcane, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Charisma modifier damage, and you slide the target 1 square. Increase damage to 2d10 + Constitution damage at 21st level.
Special: This power counts as a melee basic attack.

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Thieves' Tools, Necklace of Keys +1, Phylactery of Divinity (heroic tier), Holy Symbol, Veteran's Leather Armor +2, Shielding Blade Accurate dagger +1, Bottle of Wine (3), Doctrinal book, Potion of Healing (heroic tier), Survival Day (2), Rod of Corruption +1, Leather Armor of Dark Majesty +2

---

At first, an icy fear seizes IBHEA'S heart. He uncorks a bottle and takes a long swig. A warming glow radiates from stomach to heart, melting away doubt and fear, buoying his spirits.

"Come, Ervid*, your talk of false doctrine and heresy holds no sway here. The good folk of Dolg Hana have read the prophesies themselves. They know the truth and reject those who claim to stand between them and the Coming Glory of the Black Flame as the interlopers they have been. For centuries, as you note.

"Gan, what did our scriptural reading reveal to us this morning, after our day and night of labor in reconsecrating our temple befouled by alien corruption?"

Gan steps forward and clears his voice. Awkwardly, he recites, struggling to recall the details specifically, "Prepare the way of the Shadowed Sun; make straight in the desert a highway for the god. I will send a messenger on this road who will prepare the way before me, and this messenger will purge the taint and corruption that afflicts my people."

Gan pauses and meets the outlander priest's eye. "That messenger is The Lucent Messenger, Ibhea, here, who, along with Omthala's Searing Voice, saved our girls from magic most foul when our own Omthalan clergy could not. If you're a Goddess-fearing man, you'll recognize the truth of these words and acts."

*Ervid is a rank of second-tier priest.

---

Ibhea makes a Primary Skill Diplomacy check to rally the Dolg Hanans in rejection of the priest's authority, r(9) +9 +2 (Religious Bastion bonus) = 20 vs 16 Moderate DC (presumably). Success.

 

[Manbearcat]

1/6 Successes (0 Failure/1 Hard DC Available/2 Secondary Skills Available)

---

The priest looks past Ibhea's slight as he opens up the back of his wagon.

"Come Gan. Help me offload the milk and honey of Dolg Arat for the people of Dolg Hana. We both know that while Omthala gifted you hands for fine labors and physical offerings, she did not tend to your mind in the same."

Gan, a good man of his people, a beast of burden, works his way to the wagon without thinking,

"Here," the priest hefts a heavy amphora to Gan who takes it.

Voice raised so all can hear it, "...and now he plants you with false witness...vile sorcery that befouls the mind is the first line of attack for petty tyrants and sellers of snake-oil. Fear not and have faith brother. Just as the sun will continue its arc to the horizon...and rise again tomorrow, so will She burn this false-hearted testimony from your soul. Come here brother."

The priest moves to place his hands upon Gan...

---

There are a few things there, the physical offerings, the rebuke, the laying of hands. Address what you wish (each will be MEDIUM DC), but you must address the laying of hands.

 

[darkbard]

IBHEA feels the araq coursing now through his body. The familiar hazy glow and dissolution of fears, of qualms. As the priest of Omthala reaches out to lay hands upon Gan, the whisky priest reacts atavistically, the training of his youth on the streets of Burning Row taking over. He closes the space between the two in a nonce, attempting to grab the priest's outstretched hands, but the two end up sprawled in the sand in an awkward grapple.

"False witness? Snake-oil?!? Do you see, brethren, the lengths to which the soft and indulgent clergy will go to keep you from truth? Have we not read scripture together, wherein is written, 'And so the Messenger divined still more than his rivals. He saw right through the decadent clergy. The same kind of degeneracy was silently preparing itself everywhere: the Empire of Hageri was dying out. And the Messenger understood that the whole world needed him--his means, his remedy, his special artifice for preservation. Everywhere the instincts were in a state of anarchy; everywhere people were in a state of excess. But if the instincts would play the tyrant, discover a counter-tyrant who is stronger than they. Delban, Deliverer through Black Flame, burns away decadence and decay. In Omthala's Son is found the proper restraint.'"

---

Overcome with alcohol's influence, Ibhea makes a Primary Skill Athletics check to prevent the priest from laying hands on Gan, r(11) +3=14 vs 16 Moderate DC. Failure.

He follows this up with a Primary Skill Religion check to counter the priest's oration with his own scripture of restraint, +17 vs 16 Moderate DC= autosuccess.

 

[Nephis]

Arunny at Level 8
Key changes: New Feat: Superior Will; New Item: Unforgettable Cudgel +2; +1 CON/WIS; +1 to all ATK/DEF/SKILLS*

*actually, many of these will see a +2 bump because of raising Stat to new even number value or some similar buff

Spoiler

Arunny, level 8
Half-Elf, Cleric|Invoker
Eldritch Strike: Eldritch Strike Constitution
Hybrid Cleric: Battle Cleric's Lore
Covenant Manifestation: Manifestation of Preservation
Hybrid Invoker: Hybrid Invoker Fortitude
Hybrid Talent: Channel Divinity (Hybrid Cleric)
Half-Elf Power Selection: Dilettante
Background: Missing Master, Divinely Inspired, Missionary Life (Missing Master Benefit)
Theme: Seer

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 13, Con 20, Dex 8, Int 11, Wis 20, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 13, Con 16, Dex 8, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 10.

AC: 24 Fort: 22 Reflex: 16 Will: 24
HP: 59 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 14

TRAINED SKILLS
Perception +17, Insight +21, Heal +14, Endurance +14

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +3, Arcana +4, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Dungeoneering +9, History +4, Intimidate +4, Nature +9, Religion +4, Stealth +3, Streetwise +4, Thievery +3, Athletics +5

FEATS
Level 1: Battle Awareness
Level 2: Hybrid Talent
Level 4: Wary Fighter
Level 6: Mighty Crusader Expertise
Level 8: Superior Will

POWERS
Channel Divinity (Hybrid Cleric): Favor of the Gods
Dilettante: Eldritch Strike
Hybrid at-will 1: Hand of Radiance
Hybrid at-will 1: Brand of the Sun
Hybrid encounter 1: Thunder of Judgment
Hybrid daily 1: Moment of Glory
Level 1 Theme Feature: Cast Fortune (Daily)
Hybrid utility 2: Divine Call
Hybrid encounter 3: Death Surge
Hybrid daily 5: Silent Malediction
Hybrid utility 6: Stream of Life
Hybrid encounter 7: Tide of the First Storm

Melee Basic Attack:

Eldritch Strike Dilettante Attack (Encounter)
Unforgettable Cudgel Morningstar +2
+14 vs. AC, 1d10+7 damage, slide 1
Encounter Arcane, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Attack: Constitution vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Constitution modifier damage, and you slide the target 1 square.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Constitution modifier at 21st level.
Special: This power counts as a melee basic attack.

Unforgettable Cudgel Morningstar +2 +10 vs. AC, 1d10+3 damage
At-Will Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.

ITEMS
Amulet of Protection +2, Supporting Scale Armor +1, Adventurer's Kit, Casque of Tactics (heroic tier), Onatar's Forge +2, Unforgettable Cudgel Morningstar +2

---

Qamra Level 8 Companion Character (Defender/Soldier)

Spoiler

Medium natural humanoid (human)
HP 73; Bloodied 36 Surge 18 Surges per day 12 Initiative +8
AC 24, Fortitude 20, Reflex 21, Will 19 Perception+4
Speed 6

Traits
Divine Sanction
Being subjected to Qamra’s divine sanction means the target is marked by her for a duration specified by the attack power. Until the mark ends, the target takes radiant damage equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier the first time each round it makes an attack that doesn’t include Qamra as a target. The
damage increases to 6 + Charisma modifier at 11th level and 9 + Charisma modifier at 21st level.

Standard Actions
(⚔) Ardent Strike (divine, weapon) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 +9 damage, and the target is subject to Qamra’s divine sanction until
the end of her next turn.

(➶) Sword Flip (divine, weapon) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Ranged 5/10; +3 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 11 damage and the blade returns to Qamra.

⚔ Radiant Burst (divine, radiant) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Close burst 1 (each creature in burst); +11 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d8 +8 radiant damage.

Minor Actions
Ensnaring Sanction ✦ At-Will, Divine, Teleportation
Attack: Close burst 2 (one creature in the burst)
Effect: Qamra subjects the target to her divine sanction. The target remains
sanctioned until she uses this power against another target. Until the sanction ends, if the target makes any attack that does not include her as a target, it takes a -2 penalty to the attack roll. If a target sanctioned by this power is within 10 squares of Qamra when it hits with an attack that does not include her as a target, she can use an immediate reaction after the
target’s entire attack is resolved to teleport the target to any space adjacent to her. In addition, the target grants combat advantage to all creatures until the end of her next turn. If no unoccupied space exists adjacent to her, she can’t use this immediate reaction, and the target doesn’t grant combat advantage as a result of this effect.

Call of Challenge ✦ Encounter, Divine
Attack: Close burst 3 (each enemy in the burst)
Effect: Each target is subject to Qamra’s divine sanction until the end of her
next turn.

Triggered Actions
Heroic Effort ✦ Encounter
Trigger: Qamra misses with an attack or fails a saving throw.
Effect (No Action): Qamra gains a +4 racial bonus to the attack roll or the saving throw.

Dimensional Vortex ✦ Encounter, Divine, Implement, Teleportation
Trigger: An enemy hits an ally with a melee attack
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Qamra teleports the target 5 squares. Thetarget then makes its melee attack against a creature she chooses. If no creatures are within range of the target, the attack is expended.
Attack: Close Burst 10 (the triggering enemy); +11 vs. Will
Hit: 1d8 +9 radiant damage, and the target is subject to Qamra’s divine sanction until the end of her next turn.

Skills Acrobatics +13, Athletics +8, Endurance +12

Str 8 (+3) Dex 18 (+8) Wis 12 (+5)
Con 16 (+7) Int 12 (+5) Cha 10 (+4)

Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Equipment: longsword, leather armor.

---

<Flashback to earlier that day:> As Omthala's harsh rays replace the coolness of Maba's lunar glow, ARUNNY slowly opens her eyes, her lips parting in a soft smile. Despite the heat of the new day already upon them, the Seering Voice senses auspicious tidings on the lingerings wisps of her dreams. The memory of the future is fading for now, but she trusts clarity will present itself at the right moment or space in time.

---

* Daily Power: Cast Fortune: Daily Divine
Standard Action Personal Requirement: You must use this power during an extended rest.
Effect: Roll a d20 when you use this power, and note the result. Before your next extended rest, as a Free Action, you can replace any one attack roll, saving throw, or skill check made by you, an ally, or an enemy with this result: r(19)

---

As soon as ARUNNY senses the sickly sweet scent, otherworldly and falsely reminiscent of jasmine, Omthala's Searing Voice quickly reaches to grasp the hands of her young mentee. Together they will withstand this alien nausea, Goddess-willing, and subsequently sanctify this space, both in Her honor and in the honor of Her Son's Consort.

What follows is an avalanche of painful shards of color - sharp pinks and burning magenta - and sound - the cymbal clash of floral scents and waves of nausea-enducing odor of dank straw - all of these elements created by the whispers in the wind. Throughout Arunny holds Qamra's small but powerful hands in her own, Omthala's Priestess's gaze holding fast to that of Her young and Radiant Shamshar as they are both buffeted in this ill wind.

---

* Primary Skill Endurance check to endure the nausea: r(10) + 14 = 24 vs 16 Moderate DC. Success.

 

[Manbearcat]

2/6 Successes (1 Failure/1 Hard DC Available/2 Secondary Skill Available)

Consequence is -2 forward to your next Primary Skill check and obstacle (see below):

IBHEA feels the araq coursing now through his body. The familiar hazy glow and dissolution of fears, of qualms. As the priest of Omthala reaches out to lay hands upon Gan, the whisky priest reacts atavistically, the training of his youth on the streets of Burning Row taking over. He closes the space between the two in a nonce, attempting to grab the priest's outstretched hands, but the two end up sprawled in the sand in an awkward grapple.

"False witness? Snake-oil?!? Do you see, brethren, the lengths to which the soft and indulgent clergy will go to keep you from truth? Have we not read scripture together, wherein is written, 'And so the Messenger divined still more than his rivals. He saw right through the decadent clergy. The same kind of degeneracy was silently preparing itself everywhere: the Empire of Hageri was dying out. And the Messenger understood that the whole world needed him--his means, his remedy, his special artifice for preservation. Everywhere the instincts were in a state of anarchy; everywhere people were in a state of excess. But if the instincts would play the tyrant, discover a counter-tyrant who is stronger than they. Delban, Deliverer through Black Flame, burns away decadence and decay. In Omthala's Son is found the proper restraint.'"

---

Overcome with alcohol's influence, Ibhea makes a Primary Skill Athletics check to prevent the priest from laying hands on Gan, r(11) +3=14 vs 16 Moderate DC. Failure.

He follows this up with a Primary Skill Religion check to counter the priest's oration with his own scripture of restraint, +17 vs 16 Moderate DC= autosuccess.

Ibhea prevents the clergyman from casting whatever invocation he was tending, but the whole thing turns into an astonishing tussle with potentially terrible aftermath!

In response to the Delban prophecy, the Omthalan priest futilely attempts to shout down Ibhea with his own verse, but Ibhea's ferocity of delivery drowns out the pathetic counter-attempt. However, as the odd scene of dueling scriptures married to grappling match plays out before the gathered host, the wagon is kicked and hip-checked with enough force to send it suddenly careening a foot in its weathered rut.

A foot is all that is needed however, (1) as the milk-and-honey-laden amphoras in the back begin a tilt and then a domino effect toward their sides, threatening to spill all of their contents!

Its as if slow motion, voices rise up to collectively utter "oooooooooooooooooooooooooh noooooooooooooooooooooooo...."

---

MEDIUM DC but - 2 to Primary Check!

Scripture and prophecy are great, but religious bastions need the moralizing security of provisions, especially when those run scarce in such environs!

 

[Manbearcat]

1/4 Successes (0 Failure/1 Secondary Skill Available)

As soon as ARUNNY senses the sickly sweet scent, otherworldly and falsely reminiscent of jasmine, Omthala's Searing Voice quickly reaches to grasp the hands of her young mentee. Together they will withstand this alien nausea, Goddess-willing, and subsequently sanctify this space, both in Her honor and in the honor of Her Son's Consort.

What follows is an avalanche of painful shards of color - sharp pinks and burning magenta - and sound - the cymbal clash of floral scents and waves of nausea-enducing odor of dank straw - all of these elements created by the whispers in the wind. Throughout Arunny holds Qamra's small but powerful hands in her own, Omthala's Priestess's gaze holding fast to that of Her young and Radiant Shamshar as they are both buffeted in this ill wind.

---

* Primary Skill Endurance check to endure the nausea: r(10) + 14 = 24 vs 16 Moderate DC. Success.

The ill wind and purple flaring aurora continue southward, leaving the pair behind in their state of wholeness and concentration.

A sudden, welcome fulmination of natural sounds awaken Arunny and Qamra from their meditations. All is as it seems for a moment but that is when they both hear it.

A howl arrested by a distorting gurgling which is then stifled so that the howl may continue.

The depth of the moon's light above shines across the flat plane of earth, setting into a pool where the silhouette of a Werewolf baying at the moon can be seen. Unfortunately, unlike Arunny and Qamra, the creature was not inoculated from the Caiphonian influence by either mettle or faith. As they behold it from the vantage of some 100 meters, they can see it struggling against a metamorphosis most...unnatural...

---

MEDIUM DC

What are you doing? If you don't get well away from this creature or deliver it from its (second) affliction, there will be problems!

 

[darkbard]

The whisky priest disengages from the scrum with his Omthalan rival and desperately scrambles to his feet at the sight of the listing wagon of provisions. On the mean streets of Bantouk as an urchin, IBHEA was no stranger to incidents of vehicle collision, the collapse of derelict building, shoddily-maintained infrastructure, and the like. Ragamuffins learned at a tender age how to read the physical environment and implement a mechanical intervention as necessary for survival ... and profit. And so he leaps into action, stumbling wildly towards the teetering vehicle, and thrusts his pitted and rusted magic rod as a brace between the wheel rut and the leather thoroughbrace of the carriage, leaving the wagon leaning precariously but upright. The rod groans as if in protest at the weight but holds. Until it doesn't.

The weight is too much, even for a rod ensorcelled by Magick, and it kicks out from its supporting position, ringing out a dull metallic clang as it rolls along the rutted roadway.

---

Ibhea makes a Primary Skill Thievery check to implement a mechanical intervention in the wagon's fall, r(5) +10 (no bonuses from thieves' tools or Necklace of Keys due to situation and type of roll) -2 Consequence penalty = 13 vs 16 Moderate DC. Failure.