Instruments of Destruction
Log Info
- Title: Instruments of Destruction
- Emitter: Telamon
- Characters: Patch, Pelka, Skielstregar
- Place: Alexandria Warehouse
- Time: January 15th, 2023
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The Players =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Patch 4'8" 100 Lb Dawn Elf Female A blond Llyranesi with a port-wine stained face. Pelka 5'8" 140 Lb Eaglefolk Male Artifice-laden Egalrin, SKREE! Skielstregar 7'2" 330 Lb Sith-Makar Male A brilliantly silver scale with fangs and empty eyes. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Telamon 5'6" 140 Lb Half-Elf Male A platinum-blond half-sil man with dancing dark eyes -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
- Alexandria Warehouse District, midday
The snow and wind have abated for the day -- well mostly the wind. The snow is still everywhere, and people go about their business bundled up to and fro. So of course there's been an uptick in crime, since it's hard to tell who's just wrapped up to fend off the cold versus who's wrapped up to evade detection and recognition.
That seems to be the thrust of this particular assignment. The Guild has sent you out to monitor a demonstration in the warehouse district of one Urvis Ironshanks, a wizard who's claiming he has 'the next step in town security and safety'. And he's managed to draw a crowd, judging from the curious onlookers (many of whom are probably just bored because hey, it's been a slow winter). The four of you are stationed in the crowd, near the front edge, and a waist-high barricade has been set up around a stage, five feet high. Stout, ubiquitous, and probably borrowed from the Theater District.
On the stage, there are several people. One is evidently the eponymous Urvis, a dwarf dressed in heavy robes with a weirdly asymmetrical beard-styling that makes his face look off. He's accompanied by a heavyset fellow who's armed; probably some kind of hired blade for emergencies. The other five people up there are war golems, all looking distinctly different and some showing signs of newly repaired work. The group is having a quiet discussion, presumably before the presentation starts.
Patch watches from the back of the crowd, her cloak draped over a single shoulder as she tries to absorb all the details of this event that's being set up. Ironshanks, and the wargolems included.
The weather isn't too bad, so Patch's hood has been drawn back, her sharp features a bit stiff as she's technically 'working'. For now the bard just sighs, turning to mingle with the forming crowd, asking her simple questions to see what others have heard.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Argh, why did I call him Longshanks and not Ironshanks? FIX. Not your fault, Patch, this one is ALL on me."
GAME: Patch rolls knowledge/local: (2)+14: 16
Skielstregar? Guarding? That's what a warrior caste is best at!
What better to put a towering, shiny silverscaled makari with a creepy looking halberd front and center, all the way near the front edge. Certainly an intimidating fellow! He's not even bundled for winter! (Winter is his favorite season.)
"Hey, duck down, we can't see!" someone complains at him.
"O-Oh, sssorry...!" Skielstregar rumbles, ducking down slightly, but not helping in the slightest. He was curious to this whole endeavor, perhaps he could gleam some new info on how to keep folks safe...?
GAME: Patch rolls perception+3: (19)+12+3: 34
Pelka keeps his arms crossed tightly against his chest, and his wings folded in tightly against his body. The only time he untucks a hand is to adjust the scarf around his neck. But all his apparenty huddling for warmth, his voice makes it seem like he reasonably comfortable. "I'm here from the Guild," Pelka offers, trying to make his way to the front of the onlookers, and then all the way to Urvis himself, if he is allowed to.
GAME: Pelka rolls craft/artifice: (1)+15: 16 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Skielstregar rolls perception: (5)+13: 18 GAME: Skielstregar rolls knowledge/arcana: (9)+4: 13 GAME: Patch rolls knowledge/arcana: (16)+12: 28
Patch makes a noise, something in the back of her throat once she's weaved through the crowd. Her questions answered, and her glance settling on one of her known compatriots. Skielstregar. It doesn't take long for the woman to reach the silver Makari, sighing as she just starts to speak. "Skielstrgar, this isn't good. Something is wrong with those models. Ironshanks has modified them, and not well. Look." her finger rising to try and guide the Makari's eye to the twitching and odd motions the things make when doing their finer movements. "I can see why someone thought this suspicious." keeping her tone low as she reveals what she witnessed.
"Couldn't find out much about Urvis himself. Man has a little bit ego, but backed with sine talent. Just... maybe not enough." Patch warns, already skeptical of this situation.
The impromptu pep talk and discussion ends, and Urvis swaggers to the edge of the stage. For a scrawny little wizard, he's STILL a dwarf, and his voice carries easily. "WELL NOW!" he bellows. "All these fine folk out here to see me? Well, I won't drag this 'un out, it's COLD out here!" He makes an exaggerated shiver, which draws some laughs from the crowd.
"So let's cut to the chase! I'm Urvis Ironshanks, and I'm here to bring you the next step in town defense! No need to rely on frail men and women when dragons and demons are running loose, or adventurers who'd just as soon run off with your daughters as fight 'em!"
He beckons to the five golems, who step to the edge of the stage. "Just five war golems. All friends o'mine who volunteered -- well, they got paid well enough, fair's fair -- Never notice 'em day after day! But when something -nasty- turns up, well..."
Urvis grins a nasty smile. "We've got a -surprise- for 'em."
Pelka looks between Patch and Skiel and then at the nearest golem. He nods slightly and opens his beak to say something but then his attention is snapped to Urvis as the dwarf begins speaking. "'Something nasty'" Pelka echoes once the wizard is finished. "I wonder what that could be," he muses. Then he turns to look at the other adventurers. "Could it be something that hasn't been revealed yet? Another part of the demonstration, that we haven't seen...?"
Skiel blinks, someone was talking to him? Despite him on his knees, he still looms over most, his big head looking down to her. "... oh. Hello. Erm... Patch. Yesss. What do you... mean?" He follows her finger, dead eyes squinting.
He scratches his head. "... thisss one thinksss it looks like living metal iss all?" Skiel is 'bright', not bright. "But they will take caution. Thisss one thinks the softskin needsss trimming."
Urvis's attention getting makes Skiel watch carefully. "... but thiss one likes the cold," he softly counter complains. But his brow furrows. Rises to his taloned feet, and grips the halberd beside him with a hand. A glance to Pelka. "... thisss one thinksss the living metal isss going to disssplay fangsss.." he guesses to the egalrin man.
GAME: Patch rolls perform/sing: (2)+14: 16
Patch does't seem pleased with what the dwarf is trying to sell. Skielstregar is looked backed upon as she is addressed. "Did he just... I mean. I might have ran away with someone's daughter. But...." laughing suddenly. "I guess he has me on one technicality, but to be fair. She was an adventurer also." that seeming to matter to the bard as she doesn't seem to much like Urvis' words.
"Also, pleasure." Patch says suddenly to Pelka. Since they were briefly introduced before the mission. "I just, after a very bad vacation. I have little trust." she reasons about her doomsaying of this man and his machines.
"OBSERVE!" Urvis yells, loudly.
Two of the war golems jump off the stage, and there's the sound of gears and metal as they seem to be changing shape. This isn't the smooth, elegant transformation of a polymorph effect, oh no. It looks like a contortionist's fever dream -- indeed, one of the two makes a metallic groan as the two twist themselves into short pillars. Almost like... legs and feet?
Then the other three move forward -- one's legs shorten and lock into place with the first two golems, while the last two leap to either side, twisting, another grinding moan of pain as they form the arms and body. There's a loud ratcheting sound, as a different head, a fairly anonymous blank plate only broken by two eyes, locks into position. The eyes glow a dull, sullen crimson, and the fifteen-foot tall metal warrior raises its fists triumphantly.
"BEHOLD!" Urvis shouts at the crowd. "A mighty warrior to do battle with the forces of darkness and chaos! And..." He pauses, as suddenly his mighty warrior takes sight of something. And it takes a lumbering step forward, fists clenches.
You are pretty sure this is NOT part of the show.
Urvis looks dumbfounded for a moment, before he starts shouting as he leaps down off the stage. "No cause for alarm, no need to panic!" He runs next to his hulking creation, slapping at the knee and shin. "Hey, hey, stop, I haven't told you to attack or do anything! Just flex, like he practiced! What are you doing?" Urvis catches sight of Skiel in the crowd. "Don't do anything! I can handle this!"
Skielstregar blinks at the quint-machine morphing and bending into one, a painful wince coming to his features. "... uh..." his head tilts back... back... back. He gulps. "... thisss one thinksss something isss remisss..."
Urvis is shouting things, Skiel getting pointed out. He dumbly points to himself, "Thiss one?" A blink. WAIT- Skielstregar breaks free from the crowd, bounding over the gait with a hop and sliding in front of it. He readies a hand, the tips of claws dripping a black ichor. "Then make it ssstop, before ssssomething bad happensss."
He holds, seeing if the big machine will get its wits together.
Patch tears herself from the crowd, running up to the palisade, an instrument produced from where it had been carried under the fabric. She's already cranking the wheel, her free hand soon playing the keys in a fast and quick beat. Something for the field of battle.
- "They're breaking inside, and they're losing their minds!"
- "They don't belong here, I don't belong here."
- "None of it, anymore. We have to help them sleep tonight!"
Patch's tune filling the air with her magics.
(Performance: Inspire Courage +2 Attack/Damage and Fear/Charm)
The crowd, of course, decides now is a good time to go somewhere else. Head to the market, visit the theater district, pick up the latest Crimson Pen and a poster of Sir Seldan Padaryn -- but be ANYWHERE. ELSE.
So they start fleeing.
Meanwhile, the bodyguard draws his sword and vaults down. "Alright, you horrible lot, just back off, you're not making it any easier for the boss!" he growls, leveling the sword point at Patch and Skiel. "So let's all just back up and let him work..."
GAME: Pelka casts Greater Magic Weapon. Caster Level: 8 DC: 17
Pelka twists his head to try and guage which way the giant construct's headed. He raises a taloned hand and then traces in the air from the eyes in the creation's 'new' head, to what it's looking at but stops once the imaginary 'line ' reaches the crowd. Pelka holds up a small glowy rectangular bit of artifice against the vice-like gear over his wrist, and it remains there even as he lowers his hand. Even as both of the Egalrin's hands are suddenly filled with his giant deathray. Next Pelka spreads his wings and lifts into the air, wings beating as he follows Patch and Skiel. As he passes over the fence he hefts the deathray, but he holds his fire at the Bodyguard's words. "He's got to stop it!" he squawks. "We're just helping!"
GAME: Skielstregar rolls cmb: (4)+14: 18 <OOC> Skielstregar USES A REROLL GAME: Skielstregar rolls cmb: (12)+14: 26 GAME: Patch casts Gallant Inspiration. Caster Level: 7 DC: 16 GAME: Patch rolls 1d4: (4): 4 GAME: Patch rolls 1d4: (2): 2 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+16: (7)+16: 23 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+16: (8)+16: 24 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+5: (5)+5: 10 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+5: (9)+5: 14
As Skiel grabs the towering golem-thing, it turns its fiery gaze on the sith-makar. In a voice that sounds like five voices trying to speak in unison, badly, it snarls, "CRUSH YOU!" Then its fists clench, thick spikes jutting from the knuckles as it rains two brutal blows down on Skiel, drawing blood as the mechanical menace pummels him savagely.
GAME: Pelka rolls will: (18)+6: 24
Urvis angrily stamps his feet, his beard shaking. "I said -back off!- You pack of mangy, undisciplined brutes!" Stepping back deftly, he traces an intricate pattern with his hands, chanting, and a multicolored wash of light blasts out, rolling over Pelka to no effect. "Blast! Don't make me hurt you! You'll regret crossing Urvis Ironshanks!"
GAME: Patch casts Haste. Caster Level: 7 DC: 17
Patch sees the battle errupt, shocked at how quickly the dwarf had turned on them. She drops her instrument with a crash of wood on pavement, and stepping back to get some room. "Allegro!" she calls, a piece of shaved something held before her as the licorice was taken from her pocket. It is soon gone, her magic and Hate flooding over the party, including herself. It leaves a faint scent of sweet for those who are touched by it. Just lingering in the air. The bard seems to focus on trying to support, and control this engagement. "Why are they making this more difficult?!" she finally gets out once her rapier is drawn from her hip. The cold iron blade dark as she brings it forward.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+10: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+5: (2)+5: 7
Pandemonium! The crowd continues to drain away, thankfully leaving the field of combat to adventurers and giant golems. There's that, at least.
The bodyguard whirls as the color spray goes over his head, seeing Pelka hovering there. "Tryin' ta get the drop on me, are ya?" he growls. His sword flashes, describing a brilliant, elaborate figure eight... that comes absolutely nowhere NEAR Pelka. "I see ya now, shakin' in your little metal booties!"
GAME: Pelka rolls 12: (20)+12: 32 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+10: (6)+10: 16 GAME: Pelka rolls 12: (14)+12: 26 GAME: Pelka rolls 4d6+12: (13)+12: 25
Pelka veers through the sudden spray of color. "What was THAT?" he shrieks at Urvis. Patch's spell settles over him next, and a sudden rush of airspeed allows Pelka to pull just ahead of the bodyguard's swings. As he banks fly towards the golem(s) again uses the tail end of his scarf to quickly wipe off his goggles. "We're on YOUR side!" he caws at the wizard as he flies over him. "...you just don't know it yet..." His deathray seemingly disappears as Pelka pulls the wrench off of his forearm. Which a whir and a click the vice-like tool extends a handle that he quickly grasps in both hands...just in time to slam it into the construct's back.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d8: (4): 4 GAME: Skielstregar rolls cmb+5: (1)+14+5: 20 (EPIC FAIL)
Just as the massive machine is about to make it's move, Skielstregar lurches forward and tries to- ack, tries to... almost- A sudden beat from Patch's reverberating song flicks his muscular arm into the right position. "Aha! Got you!"
He's repeatedly punched. "Ow." Well, he did grab them after all. The threats make him glance over to the two. His lips curl back slightly. "Tell your living metal to calm down. Do not make thiss one tell you twice," he growls in frustration, a glimmer of crimson in his eyes, black ichor starting to drip from betwixt his scales. He tries to keep a grip, the hits from earlier makes black and red blood slick his hand, and it pops free!
"Gah!" Skiel acks, stepping to the side towards the guard with magically assisted (and sweet scented!) alacrity. "Foolsss, the sssky-brother isss right, we are on the sssame ssside! Help usss ssstop them!"
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+16: (2)+16: 18 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+16: (16)+16: 32 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+5: (10)+5: 15
The monstrosity shakes Skielstregar off finally, and angrily slams a fist down into the packed snow where the makari was standing a moment before. It lets out a wordless, inchoate bellow of rage, metallic and discordant, like a jagged splash of black tar thrown across a painting. Then the BONG as Pelka's wrench connects, and it staggers, before whirling with uncanny speed and nailing the egalrin artificer with a right hook. "DIE! DIE!"
GAME: Skielstregar rolls intimidate+1: (10)+14+1: 25 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+5: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Telamon says, "Urvis casts Empowered Shocking Grasp, takes a five foot step, and tries to touch Skiel." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+5: (3)+5: 8
Urvis's face turns brick red and you're amazed steam isn't coming out of his ears. "You think you can intimidate me? URVIS IRONSHANKS?! How DARE you!" He spits out a complex incantation, and electricity begins racing up and down his fingers as he stomps towards Skiel. "Let's -shake- on it, you overgrown iguana!" He lunges, and fortunately, does not connect with the angry makari.
GAME: Patch casts Hideous Laughter. Caster Level: 7 DC: 15 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+5: (17)+5: 22
Patch is doing her best to try and control the grump man whom seems intent on beating on Skeilstregar and Pelka while they deal with the mechanical monstrosity. If Pothy were here, he might be happy, as the cost of what she now casts is a fruit tart, and a feather. Sadly, despite weaving her magics, and trying to make the bodyguard laugh, it fails. He doesn't seem amused. "Ah, I should of figured. Doesn't have a funny bone in his damn body."
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20: (7): 7
The crowd has all but dispersed, although there are a few watching the fight progress. Probably planning to sell the accounts to the Tribune. Welcome to Alexandria.
The bodyguard actually looks a little unnerved at Skiel's anger, and grabs his boss, dragging him back a bit. "Hey, Boss, uh, maybe we oughta--"
"Oughta WHAT?!" Urvis squawks. He's shaking the electrically charged finger in the bodyguard's face. "This is my life's work! My dreams! My hopes!"
The bodyguard is flinching away from that crackling appendage. "Yeah, but, uh..."
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d8: (3): 3 GAME: Pelka rolls 12: (20)+12: 32 GAME: Pelka rolls 12: (10)+12: 22 GAME: Pelka rolls 7: (14)+7: 21 GAME: Pelka rolls 12: (14)+12: 26 GAME: Pelka rolls 4d6+12: (14)+12: 26 GAME: Pelka rolls 2d6+6: (8)+6: 14 GAME: Pelka rolls 2d6+6: (7)+6: 13
Pelka's eyes widen as the giant golem swings a fist at him. Some instinct makes Pelka spread out his wings as he does when trying to stop in mid-air, and it's the only thing that keeps him from getting knocked flying as the head-sized fist connects with Pelka's midsection. Instead the Egalrin is folded over the fist, held suspended 10 feet in the air for a moment...then with a wheeze he wriggles off, dropping to the snowy ground along with a quite a few drops of his own blood. More blood spatters into the snow, coming from somewhere below his armored vest. Pelka stares at it, then shifts his gaze as he notices the golem-sized leg planted in the snow nearby. The egalrin turns his gaze to look up blankly at the leg, and golem. Then he blinks. He hefts his wrench again with both hands and proceeds to pound at the construct from different angles.
GAME: Skielstregar RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 18 temporary HP GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon18+2+2+1-4: (8)+17+2+2+1+-4: 26 GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage18+9+2+2: aliased to 1d10+10+9+2+2: (6)+10+9+2+2: 29 <OOC> Skielstregar says, "29 nonlethal slashing good" <OOC> Telamon says, "Sadly, the nonlethal blows seem to do nothing." <OOC> Skielstregar sage nod, twist blade to lethal, continue GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon18+2+2+1-3: (6)+17+2+2+1+-3: 25 GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon18+2+2+1-3-5: (13)+17+2+2+1+-3+-5: 27 GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage18+9+2+2: aliased to 1d10+10+9+2+2: (4)+10+9+2+2: 27 GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage18+9+2+2: aliased to 1d10+10+9+2+2: (4)+10+9+2+2: 27
Skiel barely dodges out of the way as he- ah, lightning! He hops back, tail smushing against the barrier. He looks at Urvis. Stares. "... your threatsss are weak like your sssoftskin jaw hair," he blankly states before turning his attention on more important matters.
He looks at his halberd. Nods to it. Then twirls it in his hands. "BY THE DRAGONFATHER!"
He snarls, muscles bulging as a deathly ichor wafts from between his scales, fangs growing longer, and a deathly crimson fills eyes his. The halberd, gleaming turns to flat the blade. "SIT-" >CLANG< "... oh. That did... FALSITIES! FELL!" Two more polearm swipes come crashing down in magically assisted alacrity, hitting with the full force of an undead roided three thirty pound makari.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+12: (1)+12: 13 (EPIC FAIL)
The golem-thing lets out a groan, and then suddenly it's like a spring snapping back out, as five war golems crash to the snow in a pile of metallic limbs. Hard to say if they're alive or not, but they're all pretty well beat up and mangled between Skielstregar's and Pelka's blows.
Urvis doesn't take it so well. An infuriated screech comes from his mouth, and he pulls a scroll from his hip pouch. Spitting out syllables, waving his hand -- and there's a ripple in the air. Suddenly black tentacles punch out of the ground, around Skiel, Patch -- and his own bodyguard, as the wizard backs away. "Play with that!" he cackles nastily. Fortunately, the tentacles' grabbing seems less effective than one might hope.
GAME: Patch casts Hideous Laughter. Caster Level: 7 DC: 15 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (4)+8: 12
Another tart, and another feather are produced. Luckily none of them a feather of lucky rust. Just cheap white ones she'd picked up at the shop. As Urvis casts his scroll and the black tentacles begin to appear, Patch rushes out, her elven nature and footwork from dance keeping her clear of the grasping black tentacles, her words echoing as she imbues them with power. "Aww, it was just getting fun. Why run when the toy broke? Let's /laugh/ about it." her spell triggered as the dwarf suddenly stops in his tracks, maniacal laughter stopping him near in his tracks. The bard is a little mad. "We were trying to help." she states, trying to make sure this bad-mouther of adventurers doesn't get away.
The bodyguard dives free of the tentacles as well, then sees his employer is down and laughing insanely. The man runs over to cover his boss, sword and shield up. "Look man, I'm contracted and bonded, I -can't- just walk away from the guy. I'll never work in this town again if I break the contract." The sellsword looks extremely nervous, and probably not without reason.
(Bodyguard is holding action)
GAME: Pelka casts Cure Moderate Wounds. Caster Level: 8 DC: 16 GAME: Pelka rolls 2d8+8: (10)+8: 18
Pelka spreads his wings and launches into the air. Still under the effects of Patch's spell, he's able to soar over the fallen golems, readying a small flat patch decorated with two crossed lines. He's able to pass over Skiel - and most importantly over the reach of those dark tentacles. Dropping the patch onto Skiel, he glides on over the tentacles, reaching for another patch for himself.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d8: (3): 3 GAME: Skielstregar rolls intimidate+1: (14)+14+1: 29
Skiel gets down to all fours and rolls aside savagely as the tentacles erupt around him. He almost whirls around and snips at Pelka's aid, but almost like a leash being yanked on his neck, he pulls back. "ThanksSsSsSs...." he growl-hisses to the egalrin, the leaking black blood stopping from the artifice powered patch. No, not that Patch, the other patch.
Stepping out of the black tentacles, Skiel partially gallops on all fours with Malefic held in his maw. He grinds to a stop. Stands. "THISSS ISSSN'T FUNNY, SSSTOP LAUGHING! PEOPLESSS COULD HAVE BEEN SSSERIOUSSSLY INJURED!"
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16
The dwarf is rolling on the ground, eyes wide with anger and frustration ans laughter falls out of his mouth. With a massive effort, he grabs a fistful of snow and slaps himself in the face with it, and -that- seems to do the trick. Mumbling something -extremely- rude in Khazadi, as he lies there behind his bodyguard.
GAME: Patch rolls perform/sing: (16)+14: 30 (Sense motive) GAME: Patch casts Grease. Caster Level: 7 DC: 15 <OOC> Telamon says, "Alright, bodyguard reflex save" GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+1: (8)+1: 9
Patch is not having it. Something she sees in that downed Dwarven man's eyes is not enough for her to let him off the hook. A small pot of butter taken from somewhere in a pocket of her coat, cracking it in her palm. "The stones of the street are hard and slippery, and if you're not careful... you can take a bang, and loose you teeth, with no charge for delivery." the muck on her hands vanishing as sheet of grease suddenly appears beneath her foes, the bodyguard taking a tumble for it. "I'd say surrender to us or the guard. There has to be some violations in all this. Like attacking the help. Just, bad form!" she calls, annoyed, but not angry at this mess.
The bodyguard shifts his balance... and then realizes the packed snow under his feet has now been transmuted to something really slippery. Landing on his back, his breath whuffing out, he groans, "Oh come on, man, it's just a -job-!" He manages to roll onto all fours, and scrabbles a few moments before pulling himself out of the greased area. "Boss, c'mon, this isn't working..."
GAME: Pelka casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 8 DC: 15 GAME: Pelka rolls 1d8+8: (7)+8: 15
Pelka's beak opens at Urvis' words. But then he shakes his head. Pelka glides on over the patch of tentacles. With magical speed still coursing through him, it only a few flaps of his wings to clear the tentacles and also to rise further into the air. With practiced motions he retracts his wrench's handle and clips it back onto his arm. He unclips a pair of bolas from his belt as he flies, setting them spinning in his hand. "Listen to reason!" he squawks. "It's not too late!"
GAME: Skielstregar rolls intimidate+1: (12)+14+1: 27
Skielstregar, with Patch's magical alacrity, gallops onto the stage on all fours, looking like some kind of deranged beast as a trail of black ichor wafts in his wake. He leaps down, landing between the bodyguard and the wizard. Skiel stands up with a leather wrapped stick in one hand, and Malefic- in all its gleaming brilliance- in the other.
"Lisssten to the sky-brother and the Ssssong-Weaver! Yield. YIELD! YIELD OR THISSS ONE WILL YIELD YOU TO THE SNOW LADEN GROUND BY FORCE!"
Okay Skiel, tone it down some.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+14: (10)+14: 24
Urvis... shrinks back from Skiel, even as his fingers slide another scroll from his hip pouch. He smiles, completely unconvincingly, before rolling to the side and sputtering an incantation -- and he disappears!
GAME: Patch rolls spellcraft: (5)+9: 14 <OOC> Patch would use that free reroll? XD GAME: Patch rolls spellcraft: (20)+9: 29 GAME: Patch casts Glitterdust. Caster Level: 7 DC: 16 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (12)+8: 20
Patch goes wide-eyed at that little schemer. She's almost impressed, but also a little bit offended. "Oh, hell no!" she says with a flare of nostrils. Her slender hands are already weaving magic as her tune is sing-song as she speaks. "Not all things precious glitter, and not all that glitters is gold. What I seek to see is not worthy enough to shine on its own. So let me see it. So I can stop it." the last words just a flat tone, glaring at the figure that is outlined within her spell. She's just staring, letting the others decide what to do with the antics they have circumvented.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+5: (12)+5: 17
The bodyguard gets to his knees... then realizes Skiel is next to him. Shouting at the wizard, but... yeah. He's tired, he's covered in snow and magically-conjured grease, and if he gets up he's likely to get punched in the face. The sword clatters from his hand, and he sighs. "Alright, just... y'know, make it look convincing so I don't get too many questions?"
Pelka sets down next to the patch of slippery ground. His own taloned feet skid slightly in the spray of snow, but he turns smoothly, bolas still spinning. "This is going too far," he warns the wizard. He tries switching to Khazadi himself (passable, but far too high-pitched to pass as a native), and repeats the words. Finally he changes back to Common. "Don't you at least want to recover your golems? See what went wrong and to Try Again?" It's practically the artificer's motto.
GAME: Pelka rolls diplomacy: (17)+0: 17 GAME: Skielstregar casts Ghoul Touch. Caster Level: 9 DC: 14
Skielstregar's crimson filled eyes glance to Patch. To the surrendered body guard. To Pelka and his reasoning. His attention shifts to the wizard. He leans down, ichor dripping from his maw and pooling between his feet.
"Feel... how thisss one... feelsss..." he incants in a hollow manner, a hand held out.
Black ichor swarms his taloned, hand frowning as he can't find the invisible... ah! Patch lit him up! There!
The ichor drip drip drips away, his hand looking as if its been decaying for a hundred years. The scales dull and weathered. Parts missing. Use your imagination.
"Stop. Thisss isss your last warning. Lisssten to reassson. You cannot run. You are sssurrounded. You cannot fight. Lap up what little pride you have now and yield."
Urvis stares up at the faces around him. He's pretty clearly outlined in sparkly magical glitterdust, and his expression is one of barely concealed fury. "I... -yield-," he snarls through his uneven-looking beard. "Don't think I'll forget this, though," he adds, looking like he wants to spit.
Patch had to look away. Skielstregar was always an oddity, one she'd usually been able to face with ease. But, that ghoulish touch is a reminder that the Makari is truly a little bit undead. "Oh, I... I think he finally gets the point." she says, a hesitation in her tone as she scrambles to get over the barrier to join the others adventurers.
"Just, go eas.... HEY!" Patch had initially was talking to Skielstregar, but as the dwarf snaps off in his miniature vow for revenge, she just glares at the man again. "I could easily just let my friend beat the shit out of you. I'm just trying to do this by the book." she admonishes, sighing heavily. "It's not like any real damage was done...." a pause, and a glance back to Skielstregar. "Sorry. I meant to the people and city." remembering seeing the shiny one take a heavy blow. "Everyone okay? I was trying to keep these two from running."
Pelka's head bobs and swivels as he looks around. He looks down at himself and rubs some of the blood off of his armor. Luckily this time more blood doesn't come out. "I...think I'm all right," he says wonderingly. "That's the best I've ever done on a mission for the Guild," he admits. Then his head jerks to look at the pile of fallen golems. "I wonder what really DID happen with them..." he muses. "It was a brilliant idea. I'm sure with a few adjustments..."
Skielstregar, still dripping with undeath, keeps his rotten hand held forward. "... don't forget it. Becaussse your misssatkes would have slain many people today. You ARE coming with usss for quessstioning. That IS NOT negotiable."
He curls his bone-showing fingers back, takes a deeep breath. Then the ichor swarms his hand to replace it with the familiar shiny version. And all the undeath abates off him, save for the dead eyes.
Skiel slumps, kicking up his halberd with his tail and leaning against it tiredly. "Thisss one isss fine," he mentions to Patch, a wary look given to Pelka before he shakes his head, sighing languidly.
A look to Urvis, him offering the haft of his halberd to help get him out. "Get up. Bespell your invisibility. Both of you are coming with ussss. Thisss one can carry the golemssss."
At this juncture, the watch arrives. Questions are asked -- pointed ones -- and soon Urvis is being hauled off in shackles. Interestingly, after questioning his bodyguard isn't -- as the guard sergeant puts it, "He was hired to do a job, and since he hasn't really hurt anyone... honestly, we'd MUCH rather have the wizard."
The golems are loaded onto a wagon as well. A watch artificer confirms they're alive, just 'inert' as he puts it. "A few repair spells will have 'em up, but we'll need to examine them. They've been modified extensively." A shudder. "I don't even want to think about what this crazy bastard did to them..."
Statements are taken, and a few people even cheer you as the watch takes care of disposing of the barricade and stage. But as Urvis is being led away, he glances back, and there's hatred burning in his eyes. This may not be the last you'll see of him.