Suspicious Stalker (Part 2)
Log Info
- Title: Suspicious Stalker (Part 2)
- GM: Aftershock
- Place: Mithral Fork, Alexandria
NOTE: Magpie piloted Auranar for this part of the plot.
The woman Kebba blinks at Simony in absolute confusion. She offers a half-smile that only emphasizes how strange she finds it to be addressed by something other than her name. "Ummm... Is this some kind of in-joke? Something that you guys have made up because you're friends? I know we started off on a rough foot, but... I'm still hoping to figure out the real story here!"
She leans forward eagerly and her eyes turn black as she grabs the front of Simony's vestments and yanks her forward, trying to slam her head into the table. "REALLY!"
GAME: Corey rolls Will: (11)+18: 29 GAME: Corey casts Greater Angelic Aspect. Caster Level: 14 DC: 18
"Simony!" Corey calls out, panic and concern wracking his face as he lunges onto the table, quickly striding forward and drawing his rapier. "Stay thy thirst," he murmurs to the blade, but the same goes for the fiend that is clearly possessing poor Kebba, who doesn't deserve this.
He murmurs a prayer to Gilead, something that makes angelic wings form from his back, washing the area around him immediately in a holy aura, coming to a stop next to Simony. "I won't let you hurt her or anyone else!" he declares to the fiend-ridden Kebba, a fury burning in his eyes. He won't permit harm to come to Simony.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+28: (18)+28: 46 GAME: Simony rolls level+5+4+4+4: (10)+level+5+4+4+4: 27 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6+12: (1)+12: 13
The Goblin is startled momentarily as it appears that Kebba IS in fact Koz'gon, or at least, possessed by a fiend. As Corey dances into position on the table, and the fiend looms over her, Simony regains her calm. And despite a headbutt to the face, she prays, calling upon Navos in her time of need, to aid her friends in the battle against this foe.
"Oh holy Raven, I ask of you to infuse myself and my allies with but a mote of your Divinity, that we may send this foul being back to the depths."
GAME: Simony casts Blessing of Fervor. Caster Level: 17 DC: 19 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+27: (8)+27: 35 GAME: Corey casts Liberating Command. Caster Level: 14 DC: 15 GAME: Simony rolls escape artist+20: (8)+1+20: 29
As the demon holds tight to the cleric in it's fist, blood dripping down the face of the woman whom it's possessing, it grins at Cor'ethil. "How are you stopping me?" It asks cruelly, purposefully harming Simony just to be a touch more evil. "Too late."
Simony begins to age in the fiend's hand, her body reacting to the mere presence of the creature's touch. One year. Two years. Four. Ten. Everyone watches in horror as she gathers time that she has not spent. "Your life is delicious little cleric," The creature inside Kibba purrs.
GAME: Magpie casts Smug Narcissism. Caster Level: 13 DC: 23 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+26: (17)+26: 43 GAME: Auranar rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (10)+17: 27 GAME: Auranar casts Remove Curse. Caster Level: 10 DC: 19
Auranar rushes the woman who is possessed. She's not sure what has possessed her, but she wants to rescue the woman from the fiend that is consuming her. She knows she can help. She knows because unlike at some points in her life, she has faith in her abilities. She's gotten wiser of late. Bolder. Braver.
Her fingers touch the woman and she lets loose the spell settled on her tongue, allowing it to flow into the woman and free her of the cursed mark in her mind. "We just need to get the fiend out now! She's free of the mark!" She feels a moment of victory.
Somewhat puzzled that Corey begins quoting poetry, Auranar falls silent, and Simony looks like she's about to get them all kicked out of a really awesome restaurant before the entree course even gets started--
--and then their 'guest' abandons the 'game' entirely, bouncing Simony's head off the counter and clinging on like a particularly mad monkey. The lightshow blasts into being, and Magpie watches, horrified, as the fiend within Kebba *drains away Simony's time,*, eyes flicking left and right as she searches her mental archive for curses and their effects, and finds herself hoping that such a powerful theft of life is as temporary as the spell based upon it.
After a moment's panicked thought on how to proceed, Magpie pauses, tilts her head, and passes both hands down her face, molding the collected magical energy into a roiling green-and-yellow heart, which she brings up to her mouth.
<< I *love* what you've done with your hair! >>
The brief hope in the gnome's eyes dies away, as she can *feel* the spell being swatted away from the creature's mind with contemptuous ease.
GAME: Corey rolls Knowledge/Religion: (20)+19: 39
Corey wishes keenly that he had holy water. He _really_ needs to acquire some for the next time a fiend appears. It's twice now that he's been caught unprepared. What would Mother say? What would all of the Wardens back in Llyranost who trained him would say?
Then his eyes dart to the table. There's a glass of water someone had been drinking.
Corey smiles brightly. "Sorry, get you another glass in a moment!" he says, snatching the glass up into his hand. He raises it into the air, and he prays over it. "O Gilead, Defender of the Wilds, Defender of Mortalkind: bless this water with your holy presence!"
He then splashes it over Kebba. "I drive you out, Koz'gon!" Corey cries out defiantly.
GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/religion: (13)+13: 26 GAME: Simony rolls cleric+5+4+4+4: (19)+17+5+4+4+4: 53 GAME: Simony casts Banishment. Caster Level: 17 DC: 21 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+26: (13)+26: 39
The Goblin squirms and wiggles under the fiend's grasp. A low moan escapes her as time is stolen from her. "May it be bitter ashes in your mouth, cause you heartburn, and give you the runs for all eternity, fiend."
Forcing herself to concentrate one more, she prays, her holy symbol glowing, and rattling on her armor. "Get thee hence to ENDLESS NIGHT!", she commands, a thrusting hand presenting said holy symbol forward.
Panting, she sighs. "He's still here... isn't he?"
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+28: (20)+28: 48 GAME: Corey casts Paladin's Sacrifice. Caster Level: 14 DC: 16 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d6+12: (5)+12: 17 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d6+12: (9)+12: 21
The fiend reaches out as it is expelled from the body hosting it, grasping Auranar by the arm with claws that are quickly forming. It's nails dig in, but no harm is done to the elvish woman. Her body doesn't age like Simony's had. Doesn't bleed like it should. Instead Corey bleeds. The fiend laughs. "SO MUCH LIFE!"
It's not fully formed, not fully *here*, and yet it is dangerous enough to cause havoc.
GAME: Magpie rolls 1d20+sorcerer+2: (7)+13+2: 22 GAME: Magpie casts Baleful Polymorph. Caster Level: 13 DC: 23 GAME: Magpie rolls 1d20+sorcerer+2: (5)+13+2: 20
<Magpiepose>
GAME: Auranar casts Dimensional Anchor. Caster Level: 10 DC: 20 GAME: Auranar rolls ranged+2: (3)+9+2: 14 GAME: Auranar rolls ranged+2: (17)+9+2: 28
Freed by the power of her wedding ring from the fiend, Auranar swiftly steps away from the fiend and uses the chair between her and it to try and get a bead on where it is. She fires off a brilliantly lit line of spellwork, tying the fiend to this plane so that it can not flee properly. "Trapped it!" Now they only need to try and destroy the blasted thing.
GAME: Corey spends ONE use of SMITE EVIL. GAME: Corey rolls weapon1: (3)+23: 26 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4: (8)+23+4: 35 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4-5: (16)+23+4+-5: 38 (THREAT) GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4-5: (6)+23+4+-5: 28 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4-10: (19)+23+4+-10: 36 (THREAT) GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4-10: (8)+23+4+-10: 25 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4: (11)+23+4: 38 GAME: Corey spends TWO uses of SMITE EVIL.
Corey's eyes shine as he sees the fiend at last. _This_ is the work of a paladin. Auranar successfully anchoring it means it's not going anywhere, either. "You're great, Auranar!" he calls out to her, before raising his rapier up again.
He speaks the words. "O Gilead, fill me with your fervor! Let me bring down this fiend on this day!"
Once again, the deity answers. Corey is filled with cheer, smiling brightly as he brings his rapier to bear upon the enemy. Even though only two of his strikes find it true, he's smiling.
It's because he has a plan.
"O Gilead, I grant all my allies your blessing, too!" he calls out, infusing his allies with his holy ability to smite his foes. "Go get that fiend, everyone!"
GAME: Simony rolls weapon14+4: (14)+17+4: 35 GAME: Simony rolls weapon14+4: (10)+17+4: 31
Simony feels a certain sense of relief as the fiend releases her, and for a moment she rests, looking around. It goes for Auranar, and the Goblin frowns, once more evil is attacking her friends. And she's laying on the table. Is that her chicken and herb soup?
With a grunt, she rolls off, standing up to find herself by the fiend. Encouraged by the Paladin, and feeling his God's strength added to her own, Simony draws Spidermasher, and springs into action, swing two heavy blows that bounce off the fiend.
The fiend senses the swelling of goodly energy and it's barely-formed mouth forms into a frown. It seems like Koz'gon doesn't much like the idea of facing FOUR paladins! Particularly ones with other abilities to boot. It vanishes where it stands.
GAME: Corey rolls Perception: (9)+21: 30 GAME: Magpie rolls perception: (5)+13: 18 GAME: Auranar rolls Perception: (13)+5: 18 GAME: Simony rolls perception: (15)+24: 39 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+19: (3)+19: 22
"It turned into a bug!" Corey points out, directing a finger at an innocuous bug that's flying in Auranar's direction. "Watch out, Auranar!" He is very certain of this. Karasu's given him plenty of practice in watching almost-imperceptible things flying through the air.
GAME: Magpie rolls melee+2+2+4: (19)+6+2+2+4: 33 GAME: Magpie spends TWO uses of PROTOPLASM. GAME: Magpie rolls 1d6+28+3+1d3+2-1: (6)+28+3+(2)+2+-1: 40 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+18: (12)+18: 30
Bug?! What?! Whe--
A black dot passes her field of vision, and Magpie's friend-helping reflexes spur her into action. Clambering onto the table, she draws her morningstar, leaps up, and brings the weapon down in a divinely-empowered overhead smash, culminating in a small burst of wobbly gray-brown magic that splatters on the table, smoking faintly as the conjured acid eats into the wood.
Wincing, Magpie points at the bug's new position. "I'll pay for the damages there.... but I got im!"
GAME: Auranar rolls 1d20+9+1+1+1+1+2+4: (5)+9+1+1+1+1+2+4: 24 GAME: Auranar rolls 1d20+9+1+1+1+1+2+4: (2)+9+1+1+1+1+2+4: 21
Auranar tries to focus on the insect, but pinning a bug down with an arrow is a lot easier said than done! She misses terribly with her arrow, putting a hole in the floor. "Sorry!" She calls out to Magpie. The bill on this meal is going to be *horrendous*.
GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4: (2)+23+4: 29 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4: (6)+23+4: 33 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4-5: (11)+23+4+-5: 33 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4-10: (16)+23+4+-10: 33 (THREAT) GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4-10: (9)+23+4+-10: 26 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4: (20)+23+4: 47 (THREAT) GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4: (14)+23+4: 41 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+1d6 nonlethal+paladin+paladin: aliased to 1d6+8+1d6 nonlethal+paladin: (6)+8+(2 nonlethal)+14+14: 44 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+1d6 nonlethal+paladin: aliased to 1d6+8+1d6 nonlethal+paladin: (1)+8+(1 nonlethal)+14: 24 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+1d6 nonlethal+paladin: aliased to 1d6+8+1d6 nonlethal+paladin: (3)+8+(3 nonlethal)+14: 28 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+1d6 nonlethal+paladin+damage1+paladin: aliased to 1d6+8+1d6 nonlethal+paladin+1d6+8+1d6 nonlethal+paladin: (5)+8+(6 nonlethal)+14+(4)+8+14: 59 GAME: Corey rolls Heal: (19)+17: 36
It's a hardy little bug, but then again, it's a fiend. Corey decides to make it less hardy. He strikes out with his rapier again, poking four holes into it. He strikes one very hard blow at the end, but the bug--the fiend--is very much still alive, if greatly irritated by his attacks.
"It's badly wounded!" he tells everyone. "I think we can bring it down soon if we all work together!" Ever-hopeful, Corey remains... Corey.
GAME: Simony rolls weapon14+4: (13)+17+4: 34 GAME: Simony rolls weapon14-5+4: (11)+17+-5+4: 27 GAME: Simony rolls weapon14-10+4: (2)+17+-10+4: 13 GAME: Simony rolls weapon14+4: (18)+17+4: 39 GAME: Simony rolls damage14+28: aliased to 1d6+4+28: (1)+4+28: 33 GAME: Simony rolls damage14+14: aliased to 1d6+4+14: (3)+4+14: 21 GAME: Corey uses an AoO! 6 remaining. GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4: (12)+23+4: 39 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+14: aliased to 1d6+8+14: (3)+8+14: 25 GAME: Corey rolls 1d6 nonlethal: (6 nonlethal): 6 GAME: Simony uses an AoO! 0 remaining. GAME: Simony rolls weapon14+4: (4)+17+4: 25 GAME: Simony rolls weapon14+4: (16)+17+4: 37 GAME: Simony rolls damage14+14: aliased to 1d6+4+14: (3)+4+14: 21 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+28: (20)+28: 48 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+28: (10)+28: 38 GAME: Corey rolls 1d100: (100): 100
The bug, infuriated by the fact that Corey has been attacking it - successfully - has had it up to its tiny little feelers with him. It zips forward like lightning, staggering under two attacks but finding a place on his ear-tip to land. Immediately Corey feels the drain. The pull of years yawning where they were never meant to be felt. For the first time in his life... He feels...
Mortal.
Even as his mind reaches out toward his god for answers there's a loud 'pop' and Tanith appears on his shoulder, looking mad as a hornet herself. "DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?!" She screeches loudly and then blinks when she realizes where she is and SNAP. Corey feels something wet on the tip of his ear.
Dragon mouth.
As for the bug?
"EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW!" Tanith rolls on the shoulder she finds herself on, whining for all she's worth. "Not fish! NOT FISH!"
Despite aging a decade in moments, the Goblin is energized by Corey's pronouncement. She hops and jumps about, swinging her flyswa... warhammer around, managing a few hits in the process. "Did he seriously possess a fly? Or shapeshift into one?"
Losing track of the bug momentarily, she swings at the same time as the Paladin, while the bug tries to flit between them. Then suddenly Tanith.
The Goblin makes a face at the though oc inhaling a bug. She can't help but giggle. "I have no knowledge of bug-shaped fish.. you might wish to think about spectacles, Miss Tanith. Respectively, of course."'r
Corey blinks rapidly. His brain's taking a moment to process this. And then he squints, and...
"The evil is defeated." That line rolls out of his mouth because it's a line that has stuck with him since he was very, very little, listening to his mother reading from a book. He breathes out, and then he looks at Tanith, wide eyes at the little golden dragon. "The fiend is gone. Tanith? How'd you come here? _Why_ did you come here?"
He laughs a little as he realizes that last question sounds very rude. "Sorry, I completely welcome your presence, I'm just... gobsmacked." Then he looks around at the establishment and looks sheepish. "I'm sorry, we ruined everyone's dining experience. It was to get rid of a fiend, I assure you!"
Corey smiles brightly. "Is everyone okay? I can give healing to the injured if need be." He's worried about the feeling he felt from Koz'gon's attack, but he has to put other people first. He wouldn't be a good paladin if he put himself first.
Auranar clasps Corey on the shoulder - the one not bearing a dragon - and looks at him. "You need heal yourself paladin... You're the one bleeding on the floor. Because of me I think." She frowns a little deeper and nods her head low to him. "You've my gratitude for bearing my pain. My wife's as well. She would have been worried sick if I had come home injured."
She smiles a little and rights a chair. "Might not have let me out of the house again for some years. Though I'm curious. If a fiend is eaten by a dragon... does it die? Return to the place it came from? Koz'gon has been causing us to no end of issues after all."
"Uh..."
Things have happened *really fast.* And even Magpie needs a moment for her brain to catch up with reality. The demon is gone, even in bug form. Tanith is with us, and giving Corey's cheek dragon kissies, which is.. a nice change from a few seconds ago. Corey and Simony both now seem far, far older than their years, which is *seriously concerning.*
Last, but most immediately worrying, a fight broke out in the middle of a fancy restaurant, and it was her table.
Sighing quietly to herself, she raises a hand in the direction of the host. "Hey uh... if I promise to pay for damages, can we still have our meal? Also if you have any kind of fish recipes, how'd you like to get the endorsement of a very discerning dragon?"
Immediate business taken care of, she casts her eyes over the table. "Well, uh... really hope someone can do something about the time that got stolen from you two... but... the dinner was a success?"