previously... Chapter 1 — The Horror of Awakening

[madMonk]

Rain-in-Summer

“I should have rope and manacles in my pack, wherever they have stored it. But I am not sure if subterfuge will work. There are too many of us. Better to work quickly and either escape or cut off the head of the snake, before suspicion is aroused.” Rain begins donning the other set of chainmail.

 

[Inash]

 

Barhuce

Bahruce spends a minute examining each liquid vial. “They didn't have rope on them, so they weren't expecting prisoners to be bound. Us being armed will throw everything off anyway." Once done with the vials, he grabs the crossbow and loads it. 

Statblock

Barhuce
M NG Human (Kellid) Alchemist (CryptBreaker), [B]Level[/B] 1, [B]Init[/B] 4, [B]HP[/B] 9/9, [B]Speed[/B] 30
[B]AC[/B] 15, [B]Touch[/B] 12, [B]Flat-footed[/B] 13, [B]CMD[/b] 13, [B]Fort[/B] 3, [B]Ref[/B] 4, [B]Will[/B] 0, [B]CMB[/B] +1, [B]Base Attack7 Bonus[/B] 0   
[B]1d8 v undead or constructs, DC 14 Alkahest Bomb (5/day) [/B] 3 (1d4+4, x2)
[B]  light Mace [/B] 1 (1d6+1, x2)
[B]  Dagger [/B] 1 (1d4+1, 19-20/x2)
[B]  Lamellar Cuirass[/B] (+2 Armor, +2 Dex, +1 Deflect)
[B]Abilities[/B] Str 12, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 10
[B]Condition[/B] None 

Move: grab the ranseur

standard: attack (+1 from str, -4 non-proficiency, no flanking included)

[Roughtrade]

Domino 

HP 10/08  | AC 14 |  Fort (01) - Reflex (05) - Will (00)  |  I do not dream of electric sheep.

---

"Should I put those on then?"

"I have been instructed that people will make judgements about you based on your clothing or it's lack."  Domino replied to the stranger as she was getting herself armored and armed.  "It can be an indicator of social standing and economic status, depending upon style and situational modifiers.  Males are more likely to consider you as sexually available, depending on the amount and their personal preferences.  I was told by one man that it is sometimes better to leave some mystery."

Domino pauses with her head and one arm through her tunic.  "But he said that during a successful seduction attempt which concluded with completely disrobing, so perhaps he was lying."

"Clothing is useful as a protection against bad weather, and if you consider armor as clothing, against giant rats or anything else which might seek to cause harm."  She glances at the thigh high boots the stranger is considering and makes a frown.  "The heels on those will get your ankle broken if you try to run too fast but I suppose it is better than being barefoot.  You could break them off.  I am uncertain if it will be better or not."

"Should you wear them is a decision which is very subjective.  Some prefer more sturdy clothing, armor, but I prefer lightly leathered as you see.  That skirt is a bit short, men will consider you with a more sexual context.  This, I have found, can be very useful in manipulating them.  But it takes a lot of practice to get it right, and some men will consider you of less value for being feminine."  Domino finishes her last buckle and shrugs.  "In the end, you will have to make an evaluation of how you wish to present yourself."  

Finished with dressing, and hiding knives up her sleeves, in her boot and settling the rest in place, Domino crinkles her nose at the odd club.  "It does not seem like much.  I could lend you another dagger if you like."   

 

Then they investigate the rest of the room. 

 

"There is some armor here."  Domino hefts the chainmail and then places it on the table.  "Too heavy for my liking, but you might prefer it.  Too heavy for taking with us to sell off if you are not going to wear."  She rummages through the armoire a bit longer.  "I was hoping for some robes.  Or clothing.  Did you see the beings in the other room?  Dressing as they might have been useful." 

Money and the cloudy gemstone, Domino will collect those and do a counting later.  The scroll and vials follow, though those should be easier to count.  Domino is still hoping to get some sense of who owned the room, what purpose they might have had in mind for herself and the stranger.  Something to disguise herself with or provide at least a moment of doubt if they meet anyone.  

There is a soft but visible surge in the lines which decorate Domino like fractal vines.  A pale, blue, glow as her nanites awaken after the dormant period induced by their capture.  Though the traces flash over her body, they concentrate in a bright flare at the wound on her leg, and in their wake it is less damaged than before.  

"Does anything at all look familiar to you?"  Domino asks the stranger.  "We were not bound to those tables.  It is possible.... unlikely but possible...  they found us in a ditch and do not intend harm."  She glances down to her leg.  "Unlike those rats, which were quite unkind."

 

Domino will check the room again, vainly hoping to find another exit.  Eventually the searching and preparing is completed.  

 

"We have a choice then."  Domino says when she is satisfied that the room holds nothing else which might aid their escape.  "The room with the chanting, this is what some might call ominous.  I often miss cues from humans, but this situation feels like one which asks for caution.  We can hope they are preoccupied with their current activity, but I do not expect them to be so blind if we enter."

She looks at the woman directly and asks.  "Are you prepared to kill if they try to prevent us from leaving?"

 

Once the stranger is ready to go (and if we do not find a secret passage or hidden back door) Domino will sidle up to the open corridor and listen to the chanters.  Possibly get a feeling for what is going on.  If they are lucky, maybe it's a long sermon and half of them are falling asleep.

OOC

Much shorter and written cranky...

I offered the masterwork dagger to Belinda last post.  Did she accept it?

Are their any robes in the wardrobe?

I forgot about the nanite surge when the rat bit Domino.  Whatever had us knocked out caused a slow reaction or whatever.  Seemed a better way to handle it than going back and editing old posts.  Either way, two less damage and it's been used for the day.  

How many Scrolls?  How many Vials?  How much Money?  -Domino may not know exactly the last one but easier to track

Rolls for Searching for Secret doors and hiding weapons to follow.  

If Belinda is ready to fight, then Domino will move back up to the hallway and try a listening check.  

 

 

 

 

Map Link so I can stop going back to the first post.

 

[ccanary]

T'Sarra Khonnor 

HP 11/11  | AC 19(+1 vs robots) |  Fort (2) - Reflex (3) - Will (2) 

 

 

 

 

---

 Once armored, T'Sarra was ready to go in whatever direction Val or anyone else was suggesting. One seemed as good as another to her.

 

 

[farothel]

Statblock

Vrilundass 'Vri' Arund

Female NG Half-elf Swashbuckler, Level 1, Init 3, HP 11/11, Speed 30ft
AC 16, Touch 13, Flat-footed 13, CMD 15, Fort 0, Ref 5, Will 1, CMB +2, Base Attack Bonus 1   
silversheen, MC rapier +5 (1d6+1, 18-20/x2)
cold iron dagger +4 (1d4+1, 19-20/x2)
shortbow (20)+4 (1d6, x3)
Studded Leather (+3 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 12, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 15
Condition None 

"Maybe we can have a quick look in the storage area that guard mentioned.  If we're lucky our stuff is in there."

If people agree she would move in that direction, careful and with weapon ready.

[Wiz]

Val nods, draped in a guard's robe and holding the ranseur.  "That's what I said, we should try south, then go back north if we don't see it.  Avoid others, voices, loud distracting battles... at least until we are equipped."

[Inash]

 

Barhuce

“Right. I'd be a lot happier if I had my stuff. I'm pretty sure we could get out once we are all equipped with what we are used to." He holds the crossbow in his right hand and the sword in his left, both down so that they might be missed by someone just glancing at the group. He takes up a position as the first 'prisoner' behind whichever 'guard' takes the lead. 

Statblock

Barhuce
M NG Human (Kellid) Alchemist (CryptBreaker), [B]Level[/B] 1, [B]Init[/B] 4, [B]HP[/B] 9/9, [B]Speed[/B] 30
[B]AC[/B] 15, [B]Touch[/B] 12, [B]Flat-footed[/B] 13, [B]CMD[/b] 13, [B]Fort[/B] 3, [B]Ref[/B] 4, [B]Will[/B] 0, [B]CMB[/B] +1, [B]Base Attack7 Bonus[/B] 0   
[B]1d8 v undead or constructs, DC 14 Alkahest Bomb (5/day) [/B] 3 (1d4+4, x2)
[B]  light Mace [/B] 1 (1d6+1, x2)
[B]  Dagger [/B] 1 (1d4+1, 19-20/x2)
[B]  Lamellar Cuirass[/B] (+2 Armor, +2 Dex, +1 Deflect)
[B]Abilities[/B] Str 12, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 10
[B]Condition[/B] None 

Actions Crunch

For when we are in initiative or if I need to explain a roll.

 

[iantruesilver]

Domino Only

Hearing Domino talk about people judging based upon how or whether one dresses, the woman self-consciously pulled the hem of her skirt down some, and tried her best to yank the fabric of her newfound top up, which in effect did very little other than accentuate her bosom some more.

 

Though she gave up at the suggestion of potentially destroying the boots, perhaps thinking it better to have them for the time being than not. Similarly, she shook her head confusedly with the mention of armour.

 

”Yes, I have noticed. They do not dress the same as we do…” She looked at Domino, scanning her up and down with her eyes, and then herself. But she shook her head after once again assessing her surroundings and their attire. “No, I do not…”

 

Thinking about the possibility of capture or confinement, it feels somewhat ironic to think that you had only recently escaped your prior abductors, only to… well, the possibilities are still unconfirmed in truth.  Either way, you take the scroll, pocket the three vials, and 55gp and 5sp before continuing on.
 

Gulping down something coming up her throat, the woman answered at length when asked if she was prepared to kill, “I surmise I will likely need that dagger then.”

 

Finding no other exits to the living quarter, the woman follows Domino’s lead back into the corridors, where the chanting continues, sounding indeed an ominous sort of sonorous from several voices.

 

There looks to be six standing around the pit, chanting in a deep, primordial tone, following the lead of the vaguely female figure on your left hand side. The sound is as though droning ocean waves were drowning the violence of angry hornets and the occasional barking of canines.

 

 

[[ Map — Location Unknown ]]

Barhuce, Rain, T’Sarra, Val and Vri

Having decided on what to take and who to disguise as guards and would-be prisoners, the group of escapees made their way out of the cell and up the stairs.

 

A short distance in front of them, through a dimly torchlit hallway, you see a storage area to the right just as the guard had promised, and an unlit corridor branching to the left. A chamber lays ahead where it looks as though some other cultists are gathered, and this seems to be where the sound of chanting is coming from.

 

Various crates and chests occupy the space inside the storage area, and it seems that some gear has been haphazardly tossed on top of a pair of crates as well. Some of the things look personally familiar to each of you.

 

A quick whiff and the barest taste of each vial tells Barhuce that both vials contain potions of cure light wounds.

 

 

[[ Map — Location Unknown ]]

(( As there was some confusion with regard to who’s assuming what disguise, I’ll let you all sort that out in your next set of posts, and move your own tokens and such on the map. ))

Edited February 3, 2023 by iantruesilver (see edit history)

[farothel]

Statblock

Vrilundass 'Vri' Arund

Female NG Half-elf Swashbuckler, Level 1, Init 3, HP 11/11, Speed 30ft
AC 16, Touch 13, Flat-footed 13, CMD 15, Fort 0, Ref 5, Will 1, CMB +2, Base Attack Bonus 1   
silversheen, MC rapier +5 (1d6+1, 18-20/x2)
cold iron dagger +4 (1d4+1, 19-20/x2)
shortbow (20)+4 (1d6, x3)
Studded Leather (+3 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 12, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 15
Condition None 

"These are quite good weapons," Vri said softly as they moved through the corridor, before she noticed the scabbard of her own rapier in the storage space, "But there's mine."

 

She took her own stuff and after donning some clothes, she quickly put on her armour as well, just in case.  She did keep the rapier she had 'liberated' from the guards, as it was a good weapon.  Not silvered like her own, but still a very nice weapon, so if she didn't keep it, they could always sell it later.

"Ready to move on," she whispered at the others after a minute or so to put her clothes and armour on.

[Roughtrade]

Domino 

HP 10/08  | AC 14 |  Fort (01) - Reflex (05) - Will (00)  |  I do not dream of electric sheep.

---

Domino notes the other's reaction to the clothing discussion and frowns.  "You have a more developed emotional response than I had after awakening.  And you said the clothing felt familiar." 

She glances at the boots.  "There was a whore in Blackpipe who tried to teach me how to walk in heels.  It was more precarious than I preferred.  You seem more adroit, perhaps you have worn them before."

 

---

The odd sounding chanting is disconcerting at best.  Domino waves the other woman back and retreats to the library room while sticking a finger in her ear and wiggling it to relieve the woogie feeling that listening to the people had given her.  An emotional response for certain.  

"I have no memory of how I arrived at this place, but I do have memories of before.  Do you have any memories of this place?  Does the chanting sound familiar?"  She glances back at the other room for a moment.  "I do believe they have malicious intent towards us, but I do not like to attack someone based on only belief in something."

She takes the other woman's hand.  "Anything at all you might recall could be useful." 

 

 

 

 

OOC

 

There are not many towns on the Numeria map.  I may have to start making names up.  

 

 

 

 

 

Map Link

 

[ccanary]

T'Sarra Khonnor 

HP 11/11  | AC 19(+1 vs robots) |  Fort (2) - Reflex (3) - Will (2) 

 

 

 

 

---

T'Sarra, armored in the stolen chain mail and one of the disguises, was nonetheless overjoyed to find her equipment. Despite it, she didn't change, hanging onto the superior protection of the chain for now. It gave something like a disguise. Even if what she was was hard to disguise.

"We got out stuff, OK, now let's get out. Seems to me like we do NOT want to go in there," she nodded towards the big room with the ceremony and chanting, speaking in a hushed voice.

"On the other hand, if we want to find out why we're here, who took us and how, that's where the answers are going to be."

She watched the hall outside the storage room, looking to see if reinforcements would be sent to check on the missing guards.

 

[madMonk]

Rain-in-Summer

Glad to have her equipment back, Rain grabs her weapons and spell component pouch, though she chooses to remain disguised- the stolen armour was better than what she had previously, regardless. "T'Sarra, can you carry this for me? I fear I will hold us back if I am to carry this alone," Rain whispers, gesturing to the remainder of her equipment. 

"We have found out equipment, but not the others that were in the dream- if they were also abducted, we would do well to rescue them. Especially if one is Val's sister. If we strike, I can attempt to put some of the cultists to sleep. I have rope and manacles- we can hold one of them and interrogate them at our leisure. And if we simply leave now, who is to say we will not be recaptured? We must take this opportunity to remove this threat." 

Rain cocks her head to one side, listening to the chanting. "Can any of you understand what they are saying?"

 

Edited February 2, 2023 by madMonk (see edit history)

[ccanary]

T'Sarra Khonnor 

HP 11/11  | AC 19(+1 vs robots) |  Fort (2) - Reflex (3) - Will (2) 

 

 

 

 

---

T'Sarra looked down at Rain frowning.

"You want me... to carry... your stuff?" she asked in a low voice, quizzical look on her face. Then she shrugged and picked up the other pack as well as her own.

"Well, two backpacks are awkward, especially with the extra sets of armor, but sure, if it'll speed things up."

She was surprised at Rain's suggestion of an attack on the chanting cultists, but couldn't fault her for her reasoning. Then again, she knew she wasn't always the most sensible decision maker around, and could be much too rash. Having someone else thinking of going in hard and getting answers was encouraging.

"What about the rest of you? Up for charging into the teeth of this?"

[Inash]

 

Barhuce

“Groovy. My stuff." Bahruce quickly puts his armor on and grabs the rest of his stuff, stroking his alchemy kit fondly. He offers Val the sword back, but keeps the crossbow-it’s quieter than bombs. “I can help carry some of that. It’ll hide the crossbow and I might look like forced labor.”

Statblock

Barhuce
M NG Human (Kellid) Alchemist (CryptBreaker), [B]Level[/B] 1, [B]Init[/B] 4, [B]HP[/B] 9/9, [B]Speed[/B] 30
[B]AC[/B] 15, [B]Touch[/B] 12, [B]Flat-footed[/B] 13, [B]CMD[/b] 13, [B]Fort[/B] 3, [B]Ref[/B] 4, [B]Will[/B] 0, [B]CMB[/B] +1, [B]Base Attack7 Bonus[/B] 0   
[B]1d8 v undead or constructs, DC 14 Alkahest Bomb (5/day) [/B] 3 (1d4+4, x2)
[B]  light Mace [/B] 1 (1d6+1, x2)
[B]  Dagger [/B] 1 (1d4+1, 19-20/x2)
[B]  Lamellar Cuirass[/B] (+2 Armor, +2 Dex, +1 Deflect)
[B]Abilities[/B] Str 12, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 10
[B]Condition[/B] None 

Actions Crunch

For when we are in initiative or if I need to explain a roll.

 

[Wiz]

Val moves in and begins looking for her stuff, she quickly assembles quite an array of equipment, a well-packed masterwork backpack, some leather armor, and a pistol!  Obviously trained in some alchemy by her father, she pulls out some alchemical supplies and creates a fizzing cocktail which she promply downs, and suddenly seems much more able to handle her load of equipment.  Val's equipment looks either scavanged and expertly altered and/or repaired or brand new, and probably exceeds a thousand gold in value.

"Okay, lets go find my sister!"