Renew the Pact: Time of our Lives, part 25
Log Info
- Title: Renew the Pact: Time of our Lives, part 25
- Emitter: Whirlpool
- Characters: Paenitia, Aryia, Seyardu, Lyme, Fallon
- Place: Goldcoast of Veyshan, Tashraan: Akoniril's Suite, the Auction Vault
- Time: Friday, December 03, 2021, 9:08 PM
- Summary: Satisfied with the answers from the gods, the Time Trippers plan the next task. They want to guard the vault, they know the vault is down a few guards. They have already implicated Akoniril, perhaps they could show up as her reinforcements. The High Priestess of Taara likes this idea, with modifications. She contacts the auctioneers, chastises them for their sloppiness and offers to restore the guards who were slain, and provide supplementary guards who not the people who showed up under illusions. With her aid, the group successfully gets assigned to the location they might be robbing soon. All they have to do is wait for the door to open, and not fall asleep. They fall asleep.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Paenitia 3'0" 34 Lb Halfling Female A Lucht knight, dark skinned in bold feathery finery. Aryia 4'8" 110 Lb Shadow Elf Female A heavily scarred mul with a curious look about her. Seyardu 5'6" 150 Lb Sith-Makar Female A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint. Lyme 7'2" 435 Lb Orc Butch Black-skinned oruch of suitable stature. Fallon 5'6" 145 Lb Half-Elf Male A short hooded man. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NPCs of Note -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Akoniril Belvade Shadow Elf Female High Priestess of Taara, reluctant participant. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Whirlpool 5'0" Otyugh I am stinky! -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Previously
The Time Trippers are attempting a commune, they have asked two questions and discovered that they can trust Akoniril. They use their remaining to determine Shaevin is somewhat trustworthy, a person caused this time loop, meeting themselves would be a mistake. More questions are posed, and it's followed up by a divination. Something to help them find the shadow that darts between the lines of time, who caused this all.
Aryia sits and lays on the ground, trying to exist herself into this reality. Her hands motion aloud to the ceiling. "Well, I'm pretty sure us, or, our past selves, were stealing items from someone stealing them. The person started the loop, the first iteration. So... and this is just my guess, someone might be gong to the vault soon, and we have to stop them?" <Handspeech>
Lyme pauses. "Fuck. Okay." He looks up. "We can /do/ that. Let's just fucking go do it."
"What we are doing? breaking the hourglass?" Paenitia asks, looking at the handsigns, then back at Lyme.
Lyme shakes his head. "No. Going to the vault, and stopping whoever started this mess by stealing. Let's go." He looks at Aryia for confirmation.
Aryia nods and gets to her feet. She looks worn. Great, back to where guards were killed. Maybe that's why they saw the creature? Because of the first loop?
The Red Knight nods, "Okay, we have the ten hours because it only open twice a day. There will be the questions, if they see us. Maybe there the way we get hired as the new guards. Ha! That would be the laugh."
Akorinil has done exactly what she said she would: stayed out of it.
"So someone else stole things, and we tried to steal from them? We know a person started it, and they started things by stealing?" Seyardu asks after the translation is offered. "We need to stop them, yes, if that's at the vault, then we should stop them there."
"Yes, the vault seem the next step." Paenitia agrees.
Now
Akorinil looks at the lot of you. She sighs.
"So, you want to go into a vault. Exactly how are you getting in? Those things are very secure."
...a pause.
"How... how did you get in last time?"
"Oh, the last time, we promise you would put the Taara Regalia up for auction, and that we are to inspect the vaults to see they are secure." Paenitia answers, her voice bouncing with eager abandon and sly teasing tones as she outlines how they dragged Akoniril deeper into it.
"I suppose we could say, this the follow up, we happy with the vault, and you send us to watch the goods, since they having the guard scarcity." The Red Knight taps one gauntlet against the other, "We have to bring the goods, we use that tactic."
Aryia bobs her head in agreement with Paenitia, though she was a bit busy with... something. Meditation! Right! She had to be ready for the task at hand! Totally.
Seyardu was off to the side as the knight took the front, looking much more like a guard than the cleric, but still, she was there, and believable enough. "Yes, we are here to fill in, until further permanent replacements can be made. I can assure you that we are all reliable, and Lady Akorinil can attest to our capabilities. I understand that with things leading up to the auction soon, further security is a necessity to ensure things will go smoothly."
"..."
Akorinil stares at Paenitia for a long moment. Then at Aryia. She can sense she's being messed with but there's very little she can do about any of it.
She heaves a world-weary sigh. "I see. Well. In that case, let me make this easy on you. You said this ... *creature* killed two of the watchmen. That's going to make it very difficult for you to approach unnoticed. I believe I can assist." A smile.
It is not even a little predatory.
"The help will be appreciated, without Ramirez, I am much more easy to see. There is not the horse-sized peacock to distract others." The Red Knight laments. She doesn't want to think about this too much. He's fine, it'll be fine.
"So what your plan is? I am happy to agree." The little knight does sound happy and agreeable. Perhaps any direction will do, and this seems like a workable plan. Even if she must trust someone who grins like her mask.
Aryia gets the distinct feeling that the Taaranite just wants this all to be over with as soon as possible. She cracks an eye open, looking at the priestess expectantly to elaborate on said plan.
"What, are you that afraid of speaking any praises of us, falsified or otherwise, that you would hide our presence of even being around you?" Seyardu asks with just a quiet chuckle. "Still, they may not agree to work with us, and that may be our only course of action. And if we can be unseen by our thief, then that is all the better, yes?"
Twenty Minutes into the Future
"Oh, so you just let anyone who claims to be working for me into your vaults? Absurd! Dangerous! What carelessness!"
"But we confi--"
"CARELESSNESS! I am *appalled* at the sloppyness of this endeavor. How am I to think that your goods are safe for me to even CONSIDER purchasing if THIS is what you have to show for yourself? And am I to understand some guards were MURDERED? CARELESS! FORTUNATELY, as a cleric of Taara, it is within my power to restore life to the dead. You will pay me to do this thing, and you will pay me AGAIN for my time, and then you will pay me AGAIN to ensure my items that I intended to sell at your auctions, as well as those I intend to buy, are SAFE."
Akorinil wags her fingers at them, seeming horrified at their SLOPPYNESS.
The poor auction-house employee, a young gnome, is staring at Akorinil in horror. An archpriest from Charn is wagging her finger at him and declaring she's going to raise the dead, secure their vault, and more.
"I.. .yes.. of course."
You, it must be noted, are not you. You're in disguises. Illusions. A veil prepared by her as her guards.
Paenitia keeps her mouth shut. She's not sure what disguise the Taaranite has given her. Knowing her luck, it would be something absurd, making her look like a gnome or a goblin. Perhaps a large, puppy-eyed dog, or a vulture.
Whatever it might be, her distinct Isobarian accent would give her away. She might even be disguised as a very short mul'niessa. Horrors!
A mirror is definitely in her future, but for the moment she stares ahead, glaring, attempting to get her illusion to look intimidating.
This is something that perhaps Aryia would have never imagined herself in. Well, would have like to imagine herself in. The mute was decked in a full Taaran black and crimsons, a ebony veil drawn about her features. She has her arms crossed behind the archpriest, seemingly annoyed by her body posture at this who debacle. But rather, she was flustrated that she had to be put in this attire of all things. She would have rather taken the gaudy outfit from before than wear something like this again. She'd like to leave the past in the past.
Seyardu could not tell what she looked like, and making it out was a challenge with the lacking color. Perhaps Akorinil hid some messages that were imperceptible in two close shades, and she was none the wiser. But, it seemed to be working, and none were paying them much attention, though that could be as much the show the Taaranite was putting on as anything else. Remaining silent would probably be best, lest anyone wonder why she was following Akorinil around."
GAME: Seyardu rolls bluff: (19)+1: 20 GAME: Paenitia rolls bluff: (3)+12: 15 GAME: Lyme rolls bluff: (7)+2: 9 GAME: Aryia rolls bluff: (9)+-2: 7
So, the good news is that they're sufficiently cowed by a High Priestess' bluster that even your own discomfort or uncertainty is ignorable to some extent. Spend enough time around them and they'll notice eventually, however.
"... let my guards keep an eye on your vault. If someone is using MY name to obstruct or try to thieve from it, I have a vested interest in ensuring that doesn't happen! WE WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER..."
Oh boy...
Paenitia... stands there with a fixed expression. Her mask has a stylized one, of a man's face, grinning. Perhaps she has been turned into some stoic mul'niessa. In any case, it's unlikely the illusion shows any reaction or expressions beyond the wide smile. Unless it has been made to react to her hidden face.
A horrible thought!
So even though she's double-disguised, perhaps as some errant, escaped shadow elf, or even worse, a Paladin of Taara, the dark lucht remains as passive as possible with a hidden scowl. It should look good either way, if it's translated through. She waits to get to the vaults. Where she will wait again!
Well, the woman said it. Guard keep an eye on the vault. Yes ma'am. Damn, if Aryia didn't want to be out of this situation just as much Akorinil, she'd have already given her a strongly worded fist in the face. But, instead, she takes a step towards where the vaults were, already making like she would get right to her guarding duties.
Lyme looks serious, like a serious orc doing serious things.
A completely different orc than the last one that showed up.
Well it seems that they managed to get close enough to the vault to guard it somehow, but the news from the other day likely did not leave many jumping at the opportunity to take the position suddenly. Which left them the ones brave or foolhardy enough to guard it again on such short notice. And them, with the knowledge that someone had come by, that was able to send time itself into disarray, corrupting the stewards of time in the process. Which was not an encouraging thought.
But they needed to do it, and so the silver sithmakar turned who knows what waited, avoiding speaking up, which likely left them with a very serious and grave expression. Almost like she was thinking of how best to take the advantage of the situation, or that is how it came off to those expecting followers of Taara.
GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (9)+24: 33 GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (16)+5: 21 GAME: Paenitia rolls perception: (16)+5: 21 GAME: Lyme rolls perception: (4)+4: 8
You know *something* happens to the items. That much is a definite. What, exactly, and who is unsure. It could be you. Perhaps its the time hunter. Perhaps something else?
Who can say for sure just yet? Either way, you're playing Guards in Disguise, and hopefully you can go without them thinking there's more than meets the eye to you.
The night begins to pass uneventfully.
...very uneventfully.
Sloooooooooooowly. You are at the vault. And nothing is happening. If you wanted nothing, congrats, you found it.
Paenitia patrols outside the entire vault, marching back and forth in front of the huge door. She takes big steps to make her illusion seem more natural. A bishy swishy back and forth. Its five steps, then turn, five more steps. Only a moment to check the door for suspicious marks. It's sealed tight, it will be for several hours.
After which, she finds a spot that will let her charge. Her warhammer and shield at the ready. She waits.
And waits...
And waits...
Aryia had already rested at the estate. All that running does a number on you. But still, it couldn't help but shake the boredom that crossed her as she stood there.
For a long, long time.
... she gains an insight as to why it was so easy to slip past guards. This was dreadfully dull. And she couldn't even read the book that was burning a hole in her pocket that she swiped from the estate. A foreign copy of an entry to the Crimson Pen. Something about a cultist and a paladin. Looked interesting.
Wait, focus. Guard duty. You are a guard Aryia. The best guard.
Lyme stands there looking bored. He's so convincing because, precisely, he's so fucking bored. Booooored. It's method acting at it's best!
Seyardu waits patiently, quite patiently, so much so that she forgot she was in disguise almost as they watched. Until she looked down, and shook her head. Perhaps Lady Akorinil thought that due to her lack of a lisp, she need not disguise as another Sith-makar. Which was quite strange. It should be fine, as long as she did not lose track of her actual body shape, or hit something with an invisible tail.
Aryia shivers suddenly, her wrapping her arms around her like the most frozen breeze went through the room. Which, didn't make sense, she had her jacket on under the illusion. The mute guard stands more upright, her veiled gaze squinting and looking around. "... something's off..." she motions slowly. <Handspeech>
Lyme looks over towards Aryia, a little alarmed. "Wha--?" He drops his hand to his falchion, suddenly worried, if not actually wary.
Seyardu looks over to where Aryia is shivering. "It is not that cold, is it?" She asks, before she two is squinting more than usual. "What do you mean by that, Aryia? I know I am not doing the best, but it is difficult, I do not no how you manage." She replies with her own hand movements, before looking elsewhere. Was this how Braelnoir or Thurid felt, usually? Or was the disguise merely making her unsure? <Handspeech>
The Red Knight turned Shadow Elf Skulker stands guard, expressionless and willing herself to stay awake. She has spent long hours lurking, waiting for the time to strike. That sinking feeling in her stomach, comes from knowing she might not be the one making the surprise move. Are the shadows around you darkening?
The other guards don't appear to have noticed, if so.
Aryia shakes her head hard. "No. Just... something's not..."
Shimmering eyes sweep around. Tense. It shouldn't be this chilly. So..- no, that was a cold sweat.
What should she do? If she made more of a ruckus about it, the thief might run off, and come back again later when they don't have the time to do it. And they haven't seen copies of themselves, so... maybe the thief doesn't know this outcome.
Maybe.
Something's wrong, I can feel it," she motions slowly. <Handspeech>
Lyme looks up, not understanding the handspeech, just the feeling. He tenses, scowling.
'No, I do not need the tea', Paenitia almost says, in response to Aryia's hand signs. She catches herself, both because her accent will be revealing, and on a guess that she may have translated incorrectly.
She doesn't want any tea, however. Instead she adjusts the lay of her shield, keeps her hand on her warhammer, wonders if she has long flowing hair now instead of curly, and other trivial things.
And waits.
"The shadows do not look right, do they? Just say the word." She asks the mul'niessa, glancing and staring at the shadows in question, before looking elsewhere, in case it was a distraction. "Our fellow follower is uneasy, something feels off." she warns the others.
The rest of you start feeling a chill. It's not abnormal for the desert to become cold in the evening, if one is honest, as it gets late, but it still feels a bit out of the ordinary even then.
The other guards seem to be feeling it as well, adjusting their uniforms.
GAME: Seyardu rolls will+3: (16)+11+3: 30 GAME: Lyme rolls will: (8)+6: 14 GAME: Aryia rolls will: (2)+8: 10 GAME: Paenitia rolls will+1: (3)+5+1: 9
She'll sit down for jusssssst a moment. She's only resting her eyes. Yes.
The Shadow Elf Stalker that might be a Paladina in Disguise slowly slides down the wall and into sleep.
Lyme's eyes flutter closed. He's so tired. So damned tired. He sees blackness, then leans back against the wall and starts to slide. He's already asleep though.
Aryia has a familiar sensation wash over her. A feeling she's felt before. And with Paenitia collapsing beside her, and Lyme on the other end, that confirmed it. "The word," she snips to Seyardu with a hand. "Someone's doing magic bullshit," she mentions, jogging over to Paenitia. If there was a time to eliminate a guard, it'd be when they were asleep. And this was not the way she wants the loop broken. <Handspeech>
Seyardu looks around, and shakes her head as the magic passes over her. "Yes, someone was trying to put us to sleep." She agrees, kneeling down beside the others. She pulls out her holy symbol from her cultist robes, a strange looking movement that sent her hand into her chest that stuck out more than usual, to pull out a circular looped, spiked chain. The makari turned human scowled, but at least it felt the same. "I can wake them up or see if anyone is invisible now. What say you?"
The shadows darken yet again, a rolling black cloud pushing through the door. Something is at its heart, and it's rolling towards the vault...
...and then it stops, noting that two of the guards are awake. There's a ... pulse of smoky darkness from the heart of it.
Oh boy...
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+15: (17)+15: 32 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+15: (19)+15: 34 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+15: (2)+15: 17 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Whirlpool rolls +roll 1d10+8: +(roll 9)+8: 17 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d10+8: (5)+8: 13
The rolling cloud of darkness storms towards Aryia, then, in a sudden surge. Something from within it batters her, leaving her cold, but more importantly, pretty banged up. It's a fusillade of blows shrouded in night.
GAME: Lyme rolls will: (6)+6: 12 (Still asleep!)
Lyme continues to snooze.
Aryia is about to answer Seyardu, but is suddenly blindsided by the rolling cloud of darkness. She gasps in pain, trying to defend herself. Hey... darkness stuff is her thingy. And... so is light!
She needs Paenitia up NOW! The elf rears a foot back, and clangs it against the adamantine armor to try and rouse her. That... might have been a mistake, as her leg vibrates back in turn, like a steel bat striking metal.
GAME: Paenitia rolls will+1: (20)+5+1: 26 (CRITICAL SUCCESS)
"No! Ramirez! Eat the red ones last!" Paenitia shouts loudly, coming suddenly away. She's being shaken by a Charnese guard. Wait! They're all Charnese guards. It's not a dream, she's back in time.
It's also dark."Who is there? Fight me!" The Dark Lucht turned Shadow Elf thingy challenges the darkness. She also moves to nudge Lyme with her foot, assuming her foot can find him.
"The fighting time is now."
GAME: Lyme rolls will: (6)+6: 12
The oruch is not waking up, at all.
Combatty
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
25 Lyme 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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14 Aryia 6 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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11 Paenitia 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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5 Seyardu 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==============================================================================
The plan
<OOC> Whirlpool snickers!
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Okay, so."
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "For the sake of time, I'm going to largely assume you agree to her idea. LIke, "here's my plan..." commercial break, "START AT PLAN." ;)"
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "I promise she's not out to screw you over at this time :)"
<OOC> Aryia noddles!
<OOC> Paenitia nods, "yes, please."
<OOC> Seyardu says, "Sounds alright!"
Puns
<OOC> Aryia says, "lol"
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "What do you call multiple puns about a pegasus?"
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Pegasigh. :D"
<OOC> Aryia snerk
Attack the Darkness
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Guys."
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "I have to point this out."
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "...you're being attacked by the darkness."
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "And no one here has a magic missile."
<OOC> Seyardu says, "Where's the wizard when you need them..."
<OOC> Paenitia nods, has no magic
<OOC> Seyardu says, "Paenitia is very charming though"
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Okay. Let'as pause here :)"
Too much like Life
Whirlpool pages: Paen feels overcome with the sleepies and sits down to sleep. :)
You paged Whirlpool with 'this is too much like RL'
Whirlpool pages: HAHAH