Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 3 Chapter 10 From: gamer@host.yab.com Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 12:08:34 -0700 (MST) Subject: AAE:Coming of the Dark one. The Controller^1, having finished his conversations with himself and Knightshift, opens an X-window to Darath the Black's castle, while The Controller^2 begins working on a special project in the secret tomb. Darath the Black emerges from the murky waters of his bath as The Controller walks into the chamber. Bowing deeply, The Controller says, "Lord Darath, I have need to speak to you, may I do so now, or should I wait for you to don your clothes?" DtB laughes as he takes his robes from a skeletal attendant and throws the towel he was using over the head of a nearby Zombie. "That is one thing I think I appreciate most about you Golem. Few creatures could bear to look me in the face without feeling ill and revolted. Which is why I surround myself with the undead, beings that know no fear, nor revoltion, nor anything else. But they are not much to talk to. But in you I have not only a loyal servant that can stand to look at my deformed face, but someone to hold intelligent conversation with as well. Speak, speak! I have been informed by Darath that he was vicotrious against the God of Theives this day, so I am in grand spirits." "You may not be for long," The Controller solemnly replied, "Zag is under seige by the Army of Light. Those captured muast be assumed to have been freed, and the Secret police are being crushed." "What? This will _not_ do! Order Drisonel to be executed for her gross incompetence! If her Drow can no do their duties, than _I_ shall!!" roared Darath the Black, swinging a backhanded blow that shattered a nearby skeleton. As DtB moves on, the bones begin to shift on their own, re-assembling back into its former form. The Controller hurriedly follows Darath the Black as he storms his way down the hall. "Executing her would be a waste of a good contact and loss of many resources. This can not be entirely thrown upon her head. The Army of Light was formidable in the past against mear drow, and now they are much larger in number. What they do require, are reinforcements and leadership only you could provide." "Yes, _yes!_ you are right of course! I shall don my armor and set out immediately! This Army of Light shall see why it is _Darath the Black_ who rules Misern!" A short while later, the city gates of the City of Misern open up and a single figure races out from them onto the moonlit dunes of the Misernian desert. The black platemail is not nearly as fear inducing as the steed, a skeletal form that looks as if it must have once been a unicorn, The dark rider and skeletal steed race across the dunes at a pace no normal lance creature could match. The desert is crossed in less than an hour and a half, and the Skelicorn seems to leap across the mountains as it runs through. (Ok, I'll let Knytt decide whether he is going to intercept this figure or not before I have him arrive in Zag.) =========================== From: gamer@host.yab.com Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 17:42:05 -0700 (MST) Subject: AAE-Dealing with Death Well while we wait for posts... here's a little interlude from the current action. Driscoll lays there in the nothingness. He can make his realm appear any way that he wishes, but why bother? Memories of the pain still haunt his every thought, seeming to travel through his body in his very blood. Then in the blackness, a door opens, and in steps Chaos. He looks about with his cat head and puts his chimpanzee hands on his ostrich hips. "Tch Tch Tch you've really let the place go Driss Comeon! let's get this place fixed up, its' depressing the heck out of me!" Reaching at the darkness, Chaos pulls down on it and realeases it and a three foot square of light opens up. As the light touches the darkness, it begins to change. Wooden walls and a hardwood floor appear and a fire burns in a small fireplace. The darkness Driss reclined on becomes an unfinished wooden rocker. Driss grumbles and shields his face from the sight of all this. "what's it matter what this place looks like? It's a sham. A fascade. Just like my Immortality." Chaos leaps into the air and flutters down slowly onto a large feather bed. "why yes it is! You're alive, and this is all really here. What more do you want?" Driss sat upright and glared at Chaos, "Alive? Alive yes, if this si living. Alive, yet dead! I was killed, I felt it. I-I still feel it! If i'm so immortal, how could I lose? how could I die??" Chaos begins to laugh as his head changes into that of a donkey, "You think immortality means invulnerablity? Darath is immortal as well you know, and much older than you. You think he never felt a death before you killed him yesterday? And for that matter, how _could_ you beat him yesterday if immortality means you can not be killed, and that you can not be defeated?" Driss opened his mouth to reply, but his brain engaged before he spoke. Snapping it shut again, he looked down and made a show of pushing a knot back in its hole before speaking again. "I just never thought. I mean a God doesn't die. You never hear stories of this god dying, or that god being hacvked up into little bits!" Chaos's arms changed inot black raven's wings as he pointed at Driss, "Of course not. Who would worship any god if they didn't know wether or not that God would be there to help them if asked? Death for a God is not like Death for a mortal, you've already experienced that. It's more like a discharge. for nearly a full day, all your power uses itself to heal you back to normal. knowing how much their Gods like to fight amongst themselves, why would they want to worry about following a god who's currently powerless?" "I-I don't know I guess they wouldn't but... well Ok I'll come out and say it. I don't like feeling like this! I won't feel like this again. I refuse," Driscoll sighs. Chaos is now wearing a cheerleading outfit, "that's better! Gimmee a D! Gimme an R!!! Gimmee an I!..." "I'm not fighting anymore." Driss finishes. Chaos tosses his pompoms over his shoulders and gives Driss a good hard slap, "Ya _gotta_ fight! That's the dumbest thing ya coulda said ya bum! Ya want him ta have alla the power? Ya want him to have _your_ power? At least now ya have the rewards of Godhood, if he gets your power, you're nothin butta bum! You always have been a bum and ya always will be a bum ya bum!" Driss looks at Chaos with a puzzled look on his face as he runs a hand over the spot on his face where Chaos slapped him, "Why do you keep calling me a bum all of a sudden. I thought you were on _my_ side!" Chaos looks surprised at Driss for a moment, then a sheepish grin crosses a sheep's face. "I just like saying bum! bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bumbumbumbumbumbum!" Driss plops back in teh rocker, "I'm just not in the mood right now Chaos." Chaos lets out a sigh, "ok, I'll go. Just remember what I said. Immortality has its price, you just happened to run into one of the larger ones, or so it seems right now. Mostly you're just showing fear of the unknown, but if you look back on what you've experienced thusfar, you'll see I'm right and there's nothing to fear." Then turning, he pulls the door shut behind him with one of his insect legs. The blackness returns around Driss, but a tiny pinhole of light can now be seen like a distance star. Chaos appears on a rooftop next to Driscoll. In the distance flames can be seen licking out of the temple of Darath and the sounds of combat can barely be heard. "I just came back from seeing you. You were pretty down." Chaos sadi casually, following Driss's gaze to the temple. "Yeh, I remember." he replied quietly. "Well, it seemed touch an go for a while there. I'm glad you got over it and everything got better though." Chaos replied, patting Driss on the head before vanishing. "Did it though?" replies Driss to the empty night air. =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 21:23:40 -0500 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: Re: AAE:Coming of the Dark one. Been waiting for the writing muse to cram another idea in my head...but I can certainly have Knytt inform everyone of the coming 'thing'... At 12:08 PM 5/26/97 -0700, gamer@host.yab.com wrote: > A short while later, the city gates of the City of Misern open up >and a single figure races out from them onto the moonlit dunes of the >Misernian desert. The black platemail is not nearly as fear inducing >as the steed, a skeletal form that looks as if it must have once been >a unicorn, The dark rider and skeletal steed race across the dunes at >a pace no normal lance creature could match. The desert is crossed in >less than an hour and a half, and the Skelicorn seems to leap across >the mountains as it runs through. > (Ok, I'll let Knytt decide whether he is going to intercept this >figure or not before I have him arrive in Zag.) SATELLITE DEL SPARKY: "What the!?! Boss, you there? Check your GPS monitor." {Gods! What is THAT? Sparky! Am I right in my guess where that monster is going?} "If you're thinking Zag, I think you're right." --------------------------------- Knytt comes through the link quite strongly despite the distance. /Morgan, Fuzzy, et al. You look to be getting company soon. Take a look.../ Knytt sends what he is watching on the satellite's advanced telescope. Darath the Black is just leaving the desert and crossing the mountains. /No offense to y'alls abilities, but I'm coming back...I can do recon later./ --------------------------------- The Volvo has just come out on the other side of the mountains. The Misern Desert stretches out in front of it. The car stops. The engine revs as a loud rush of air surrounds the car. The Volvo's tires rise off the ground as the car floats in midair. A second sound, small turbines roaring into life, echos off the mountains as twin engines slide out from the trunk. Wings fold out from the sides of the trunk as two stabalizers appear from the front bumper. The 'Volvo' roars out above the sands of Misern before lifting and turning into the night sky. /This is your captain speaking, thank you for flying Air Quaren. We are at an altitude of 30,000 feet, and will be arriving in Zag in approximately 20 minutes. We hope you enjoy your flight this evening and hope you will again choose Air Quaren./ "Hey, Sparky, we got any of those honey-roasted peanuts left?" --Knytt and Sparky 0.9 Since the universe is curved, there cannot be any truly straight answers. -- J. Michael Straczynski http://www.smartnet.net/~mjknight/index.html =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 20:51:09 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE - Xzerrion takes a trip On Mon, 26 May 1997 gamer@host.yab.com wrote: > Czaris grins at Xzerrion slyly, "Oh now I never said _that_. It's > not hard to believe they would have figured out the escape route by > now and posted guards. All I said was it was much easier than a > frontal assault." Czaris whispers. He then makes some hand gestures > to Blacky, who scrambles up a wall, onto the ceiling and races down > the tunnel, only to return a moment later. "There'sss people down > there, but I don't think they're guardsss. I wish Onan wasss here to > cassst a divination and find out. I didn't want to kill any of them > in case they were essscapeesss." Xzerrion sheaths his sword, peering down the tunnel with elvensight. `They're escapees, all right. Not only that, it sounds like all hell is breaking loose up there.' He pauses for a moment. <* Morgan, where are you? Are you all right? I'm on my way in, with friends. *> `From all this chaos, I'd guess my friends must be involved in this somehow. To me, this looks like the best opportunity you guys will get to strike at Darath the Black for years. Care to join me in taking it?' - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 20:52:44 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE - Xzerrion takes a trip On Mon, 26 May 1997, Caprice wrote: > As the first few stragglers come stumbling out to the sewer, it's > obvious they are escapees. Many of them are in poor shape, and all > are eager to get the heck out of the dungeon. Xzerrion, just to add to the chaos, passes out weapons to the escaping prisoners. > Soon they are followed by a raggedy grey kitten. `Do I know you, friend? I get this feeling I've seen you before somewhere ...' =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 20:58:37 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: AAE:Coming of the Dark one. At 09:23 PM 5/27/97 -0500, Michael Jon Knight wrote: >Knytt sends what he is watching on the satellite's advanced >telescope. Darath the Black is just leaving the desert and crossing >the mountains. > >/No offense to y'alls abilities, but I'm coming back...I can do recon >later./ Morgan relays this to any she's in contact with that aren't on the lens-link (just in case - I've lost track of who's linked to who ). I'm going to make an assumption here, and if anyone wants to say differently feel free. The last of the CAoL prisoners has made their way out of the dungeon, by whatever means, and have retreated to the nearest likely spot to regroup. Together now should be Fuzzy, Morgan, Stranger, Crow (I'm assuming you didn't stay in the cell , and first change I get I'm reclaiming my "dagger" and thanking you for holding it), Will, the bots, John, Kitty with Roland and Roscoe, and the "kids". I'd also like to think Caprice followed after unlocking cells, but I leave that up to her. Knytt's on his way back, and Xzerrion's in touch. That should be everyone. Retaining her Drow form until she decides a different one will serve, Morgan says what she usually says at times like this: "Now what?" "Considering that undead thing he's riding, this could get _real_ ugly." Then at 08:51 PM 5/27/97 -0700, Xzerrion wrote: ><* Morgan, where are you? Are you all right? I'm on my way in, with >friends. *> <#* All right, and _outside_. If y'all want a shot at Darath, looks like you'll get your chance. Come on out and play! *#> She sends a grin, and the location of the CAoL. Morgan /|\ =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 20:59:45 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE: Breakfast with The Controller On Fri, 23 May 1997, Michael Jon Knight wrote: > Vincent as quietly as possible, manuevers to a position above the > Robot. Reaching down with a metal screwdriver, he contacts the > robot's outer housing and uses it to convey the plan, via minute > on/off electric impulses. The Robot acknowledges he received the > plan by grabbing Vincent in his claws and holding him above his > head. The Robot uses Vincent to channel arcs of electricity, while > spinning rapidly. Vincent channels those arcs in the four compass > directions. The net effect is, for the Drow, like standing inside a > plasma sphere, with electricity shooting out in all directions. But, > since the spell the mage cast absorbs all light, there is no way to > see the electricity. The Robot simultaneously emits a high-pitched > frequency calculated to disorient and, after a minute, incapacitate > the Drow. The warriors collapse from the energy. In the darkness, Vincent and Robot cannot tell if they are dead or unconscious. However, in a couple minutes, something is heard moving groggily. > /I-I-I-If I'm-m-m Ra-ra-righteh-teh, the-the spa-spa-spell will-ill > dis-s-sip-p-pateh-eh whe-whe-when the Ma-ma-mage fall-l-l-ls > uncah-cah-cah-conscio-o-o-ous-s-s-s. O-o-r-r-r-r when-n-n-n > th-th-th-the electri-tri-tri-city-y gah-get-ts-s him-m-m./ The spell fades moments later to reveal the weaponsmaster staggering to his feet, sword in hand. He looks at the two robots, looks down at the soldiers unconscious or dead around him, turns, and runs. > Hope I have my imagery right. Plasma spheres are the glass > globes that have the lightning inside? When you put your fingers on > them the lightning arcs towards the contact. That is what I am > thinking of anyway. Hmm, would the Drow draw the current? Even if > they were's armed with nice metallic swords? >;-) - Xzerrion =========================== Subject: AAE3: Blaze Date: Wed, 28 May 97 00:05:28 +0100 From: Roland X (OOC: Hi all! I'm back...and things didn't work out the way I hoped. I'm stronger for it, but I hope you folx don't mind my using this game to work a bit of it out. Thanks.) Roland winced and rolled around, his pain seeming to return. Those connected to him feel him his energy flowing away... In his home dimension, in southern England, Byron Gaunt smiles at a beaten adversary. "You should have accepted my offer, Earl Masters. Now I have reclaimed what is mine." The Earl looks up in confusion. An exquisite manor is charred and riddled around them. "You were overthrown for violating the tenets of the Covenant. I was entrusted-" "You were a fool. They sent a child to op- pose me." Gaunt thrust a blade through the Earl's heart. Masters gasped in surprise, and his energy flowed into Gaunt. "This is now Gaunt Manor again." Gaunt smiled as Roland's astral form writhed in fury and Masters died. *Controller. I have the power you wished me to gain. You may have a thousand worlds, if your greed is so epic. I only desire one.* Gaunt laughed as his telepathic power punched through dimensions. *Inform me when your need for the Phoenix child's power is ended.* Roland transferred the information to the CAoL and fell away, back to his body... First, sayeth The Stranger's partner, Kitty: >Kitty moved carefully through the prison corridors, carefully >carrying her precious cargo. > > "Take car of the wounded Kitty" > "I'm going to go and be heroic." > "What did his last slave die of?" *Where the devil do YOU think you're going?* Gaunt roared as Roland tried to resist. *The love you thought would empower you was a fool's errand. The strength you thought you had was a weakness. The light you cling to exists only to differentiate shades of darkness.* Gaunt smiles as he realizes he might actually... *Give in to me, Scion of Phoenix. You have no other path worth taking.* Roland wept green tears... Then, did say the Fuzzy mage: >Same basic construction as the blade of Fuzzy's new sword, no >problems. If Fuzzy Repairs it with the proper varient of a 'part' to >'whole' spell, it will be as good as new. On the other hand if he >uses the repair kit made for his blade the composite should disperse >some magics on contact, if he wills it to. Suddenly, Roland feels his body's sensations again. Something is in his hand. The Phoenix Claw. *He saved it? A...thing...just because it was important to me.* Gaunt frowned. *So? It's just an object.* Roland smiled. *Exactly...* And quoth the Lady Morgan: >Now, as she debated her options, considered how she might escape >whatever the Controller had in mind undamaged, an image came to her. >An image of Roland, locked in combat with the Destroyer, saying, >"When an immortal willingly gives the Halo to a mortal, that mortal >gains all the immortal's powers....." Roland blushes. Again. (OOC: Yep. He was going to give you his immortality back in AAE 2. ) >Her anxiety level dropped as she realized the new additions to her >arsenal. Her musings now took off along a different track - trying to >remember all the skills she'd seen Roland exhibit during their >adventures. > >TBC.... > Roland stirred in his 'cot.' Silver-gold light and ebony darkness wove around him. *Damn,* Gaunt sighed, knowing all to well what was happening. *You got THAT right. So long as I have friends like these, I can _never_ be turned.* *Then be destroyed.* Roland's skin turns bright emerald green, and he drips poison from his pores... Finally, to quote Gamer speaking for DtB: > A short while later, the city gates of the City of Misern open up >and a single figure races out from them onto the moonlit dunes of the >Misernian desert. The black platemail is not nearly as fear inducing >as the steed, a skeletal form that looks as if it must have once been >a unicorn, The dark rider and skeletal steed race across the dunes at >a pace no normal lance creature could match. The desert is crossed in >less than an hour and a half, and the Skelicorn seems to leap across >the mountains as it runs through. > (Ok, I'll let Knytt decide whether he is going to intercept this >figure or not before I have him arrive in Zag.) A figure, armored in white gold and black synthetics appears in Darath's path. In his hand is a katana of shining white gold. On his chest is a rising phoenix of gold, on a field of darkness. A cape of darkness flows behind him; his helm is much like an eagle's head with wings trailing from the ears. Fire and lightning flow around him. Darath doesn't even slow down. "Who the hell are you?" Roland smiles. "I am Blaze," he snarls, "and you picked the wrong fight, with the wrong people, on the _wrong_day!_" (OOC: Light, it's good to be back!) =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 21:10:23 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: AAE : Scrying part Two Feeling drained but triumphant, the house mage breaks off the spell, as his assistants collapse around him. `I found that miserable renegade! The bastard's been sneaking around in human form, and he's betrayed us again.' He rushes to Matron Drisonel's chambers to inform her of the news. Predictably, she is furious. `I'll have his hide for this! No more surrogates! I'll meet him, and his rebels, personally, with all of our drow forces. He must be taken and given to LLoth, to answer for his crimes to her personally!' Drisonel assembles her forces, just in time to meet the weaponsmaster staggering in. `Matron ... we were unable to stop the golems at the gates. I need more soldiers and mages ... or we need to request help from Darath.' The house mage answers this. `It's too late for that, Darath is already on his way.' Drisonel decides quickly. `Let Darath deal with the gates, it's his blasted city for the moment. We need to stop the invasion from below, and NO ONE can beat drow elves at underground fighting. Leave thirty soldiers as reserve, I'm bringing the rest down with me. Weaponsmaster, you lead the reserves to where they are most needed. Mage, you are with me.' - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 21:39:57 -0700 (PDT) From: "K. Ohanlon" Subject: Re: AAE:Coming of the Dark one. On Tue, 27 May 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote: > I'm going to make an assumption here, and if anyone wants to > say differently feel free. The last of the CAoL prisoners has > made their way out of the dungeon, by whatever means, and have > retreated to the nearest likely spot to regroup. Together now should > be Fuzzy, Morgan, Stranger, Crow (I'm assuming you didn't stay in > the cell , and first change I get I'm reclaiming my "dagger" and > thanking you for holding it), (Erm, um, no I'm not still in the cell. Presume that I was with whoever was in the thick of fighting, wielding my katana with great skill and tearing apart amny enemies.) Still breathing a trifle heavily from the exertion and exultation of fighting, Crow returns to Morgan the "dagger" she's been holding all this time. > Retaining her Drow form until she decides a different one will > serve, Morgan says what she usually says at times like this: "Now > what?" > > "Considering that undead thing he's riding, this could get _real_ > ugly." Still receiving the transmission from Knytt, Crow's face goes paler than ashes, but her eyes blaze brighter than ever. "Ugly? M'lady Morgan, ugly is a mild word." With that, Crow moves to a more open space, a bit away from her comrades. She sinks to one knee, and begins a low chant. Though the sing-song beat and the elusive tune drift back to the rest of CAoL, noone can hear what the words actually are. Crow's back stiffens, and she cries out for a moment in wordless agony. Suddenly, the air goes still and silent, and a female figure appears before Crow. Both this new arrival and Crow have facial expressions of implacable determination, though tears trace their way down their faces. "Lady," Crow implores, "Make me your instrument to right this wrong." The impossibly beautiful face stares down at Crow and nods. "For this blasphemy, a price must be exacted. Come with me." Suddenly, wings of ebon black that radiate rainbows spring from Crow's shoulders, and she lifts herself into the air, following after her Goddess. They reach a spot outside the walls of the city, and Areya murmurs a blessing over her champion. Crow kneels, draws her katana and kisses the flat of the blade. Areya rises up into the air, and suddenly flings her arms wide. Any and all in the immediate area feel a sudden blast of power, and the Goddess is no longer anywhere to be seen. Then, twin funnels of destruction appear and touch down on either side of the city. The tornados spin and stretch between heaven and earth, and suddenly begin to converge on the slight figure of Crow. She stands, katana in hand, and raises her eyes to the spot in the sky her goddess so lately occupied. Her face is serene, except for her eyes still blazing an intense green. She throws her head back, and as the twisters still approach, gives a piercing cry. The crystal sound carries over the howls of the dervish wind, a sound no human throat could produce. There, in place of the twisters charge two unicorns. One has a coat blacker than deep space, his eyes, horn and hooves all blaze with the silver of moonlight, only intensified a thousand-fold. The other's coat is the blinding white of new snow, her eyes, horn and hooves alive with the golden light of the sun. Just as these two incredible beasts seem about to crash into Crow, they veer, and are suddenly running side by side. At the same time Crow leaps and does a somersault onto their backs, one foot balanced precisely on each spine. She sings out, a high wild call for vengeance. Her black garments flutter about her like wings. She raises the katana high above her head, and screams out, "For the balance!" Where once two opposites charged side by side, suddenly Crow rides on a single unicorn. The hide of the beast is the grey of mist, the horns and hooves are asparkle with rainbows and hues that defy description, the eyes dark and full of wisdom. Though Crow retains the katana, the rest of her accoutrements have changed. She clothing is also grey, her hair silver, and her eyes are like moonstones. Together, rider and steed head off into the wilds, in the direction of Darath the Black and the Abomination he rides. > Morgan /|\ > =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 21:53:42 -0700 (PDT) From: "K. Ohanlon" Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze On Wed, 28 May 1997, Roland X wrote: > (OOC: Hi all! I'm back...and things didn't work > out the way I hoped. I'm stronger for it, but I > hope you folx don't mind my using this game to work > a bit of it out. Thanks.) > Roland smiles. "I am Blaze," he snarls, "and you > picked the wrong fight, with the wrong people, on the > _wrong_day!_" > (OOC: Light, it's good to be back!) A keening wind whips across the land and flutters Blaze's cape. As both Darath the Black and Blaze turn, they see a figure come charging from over the rise. The steed she rides screams out a challenge to Darath's beast, followed by Crow's own challenge. "Bastard! Abomination from a pit worse than Hell! You have committed blasphemy by your actions! Your evil was bad enough before, but seeing what you have done to one of my goddess' own sealed your fate! Face me in combat, peon of an impotent godling! Or stand and accept the destruction you have earned a million-fold!" With that, Crow draws her katana and stares grimly at Darath the Black. -Kelley, aka Crow. =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 00:58:57 -0400 From: Caprice Subject: Re: AAE - Xzerrion takes a trip >> Soon they are followed by a raggedy grey kitten. > >`Do I know you, friend? I get this feeling I've seen you before >somewhere...' By way of a response, Mischief pounces on Xzerrion's ankle, then scrambles up him in an attempt to perch on his shoulder. Mentally to Xzerrion alone comes the thought *silly person. you know mischief.* =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 22:03:16 -0700 (PDT) From: fuzzy Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze On Wed, 28 May 1997, Roland X wrote: > Suddenly, Roland feels his body's sensations again. > Something is in his hand. > The Phoenix Claw. > *He saved it? A...thing...just because it was > important to me.* > Gaunt frowned. *So? It's just an object.* > Roland smiled. *Exactly...* Fuzzy chose the second option, This is a minor change in the "Nanalloy" not an enchantment, If the wielder wills it so: The Repaired Phoenix Claw Will break spells on contact, and cut spells, enchantments, and Magical barriers, and can block or deflect spells as well as swords. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze Date: Wed, 28 May 97 01:19:39 +0100 From: Roland X Quoth the Crow: >please, huh? And if you need anybody to talk to, well, I'm around and >so are the others.> (OOC: Thanks. Roland'll be a bit more willing to be, uh, friendly... after a while. This hurt. But it also helped, a lot more than I ever would have guessed. I know I am whole, and my reflection Roland will show it. Thanks to you all.) >this one too. *grin* Ready to seriously kick Darath's ass? ;)> (OOC: The more the merrier! ) >another incarnation of Roland? If so, I send greetings and a warning >that trying to keep me out of this fight would be a *bad* idea.> (OOC: His psychic signature is unmistakable to a fellow Callahanian. To anyone else, though, his secret ID is all but impenetrable. IOW, it's me all right. ) *Wouldn't dream of keeping you out of this one. Besides, I have a feeling that there will be more than enough bad guys to go around before this is over...and Fuzzy? Thanks for the anti-magick effect on the Claw.* (OOC: 195 messages! Woof! I'm assuming those in the psi-link allow me to catch up on events...) Back from the edge... =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 22:19:18 -0700 (PDT) From: fuzzy Subject: Re: AAE:Coming of the Dark one. On Tue, 27 May 1997, K. Ohanlon wrote: >> At 09:23 PM 5/27/97 -0500, Michael Jon Knight wrote: >>>Knytt comes through the link quite strongly despite the distance. >>> >>> /Morgan, Fuzzy, et al. You look to be getting company soon. Take >>> a look.../ \Just Lovely, Do you think I should offer to evacuate the town?\ [snip] > Still receiving the transmission from Knytt, Crow's face goes paler > than ashes, but her eyes blaze brighter than ever. "Ugly? M'lady > Morgan, ugly is a mild word." \Ohhh Boy\ > The impossibly beautiful face stares down at Crow and nods. "For > this blasphemy, a price must be exacted. Come with me." > > Suddenly, wings of ebon black that radiate rainbows spring from > Crow's shoulders, and she lifts herself into the air, following > after her Goddess. \Yell if you need assistance, and Try to survive.\ =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 22:26:28 -0700 (PDT) From: fuzzy Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze On Wed, 28 May 1997, Roland X wrote: > *Wouldn't dream of keeping you out of this one. Besides, > I have a feeling that there will be more than enough bad > guys to go around before this is over...and Fuzzy? Thanks > for the anti-magick effect on the Claw.* \It was easier to do that way, and in my opinion the best thing about it is that it is switchable... ;) \ =========================== Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 22:50:02 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE - Xzerrion takes a trip On Wed, 28 May 1997, Caprice wrote: > By way of a response, Mischief pounces on Xzerrion's ankle, then > scrambles up him in an attempt to perch on his shoulder. Mentally to > Xzerrion alone comes the thought *silly person. you know mischief.* Xzerrion bends down and opens the top of his pack, giving Mischief a place to ride along. *Nasty spiders might be coming this way soon, kitty. Mischief like to chase spiders?* =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 00:31:10 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze At 01:19 AM 5/28/97 +0100, Roland X wrote: >Quoth the Crow: >>On Wed, 28 May 1997, Roland X wrote: >>> Darath doesn't even slow down. "Who the hell are you?" >>> Roland smiles. "I am Blaze," he snarls, "and you >>> picked the wrong fight, with the wrong people, on the >>> _wrong_day!_" >>> (OOC: Light, it's good to be back!) Morgan sends a quick mental hug to her sword-brother. <*Good to have you back, Roland!*> >>A keening wind whips across the land and flutters Blaze's cape. As >>both Darath the Black and Blaze turn, they see a figure come >>charging from over the rise. The steed she rides screams out a >>challenge to Darath's beast, followed by Crow's own challenge. >>"Bastard! Abomination from a pit worse than Hell! You have committed >>blasphemy by your actions! Your evil was bad enough before, but >>seeing what you have done to one of my goddess' own sealed your >>fate! Face me in combat, peon of an impotent godling! Or stand and >>accept the destruction you have earned a million-fold!" >> >>With that, Crow draws her katana and stares grimly at Darath the >>Black. Morgan grins at the Callahanians still around her. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to hang back and be reinforcements. The two of them should keep him busy for a while." > (OOC: 195 messages! Woof! I'm assuming those in the psi- >link allow me to catch up on events...) > Back from the edge... Of course we will, bro! Nice to see things picking back up. I'll get into this more tomorrow. C-ya! Morgan /|\ =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 07:49:19 -0400 From: Caprice Subject: Re: AAE - Xzerrion takes a trip At 10:50 PM 5/27/97 -0700, you wrote: >Xzerrion bends down and opens the top of his pack, giving Mischief a >place to ride along. *Nasty spiders might be coming this way soon, >kitty. Mischief like to chase spiders?* Mischief perches in the pack, and begins doing some serious fur-grooming. *nasty spiders? pounce 'em. batbat. knock little buggy brains against stones.* Meanwhile, the figure cloaked in grey has freed the last of the prisoners, and begins following them out. This means she is heading right towards Xzerrion and his party... (OOC: My apologies if anyone got this twice) Albany Anthro Con July 4th-6th, 1997 | This is not the .sig you are http://www.wizvax.net/aloyen/AAC97/ | looking for. Move Along... Truffle Tasting Party! | Move Along... | - The old Jedi .sig trick =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 10:23:16 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE - Xzerrion takes a trip On Wed, 28 May 1997, Caprice wrote: > Mischief perches in the pack, and begins doing some serious > fur-grooming. *nasty spiders? pounce 'em. batbat. knock little buggy > brains against stones.* <* Just remember to be careful of these spiders, Mischief. They might be poisonous. *> < OOC : Help, the grim serious member of the party just got hooked up with a playful fuzzy kitten! (g) > > Meanwhile, the figure cloaked in grey has freed the last of the > prisoners, and begins following them out. This means she is heading > right towards Xzerrion and his party... Not yet aware of this, Xzerrion leads the group up towards the passage in the cells. As he gets closer, he steps quickly to the side, hand on sword blade. `These passages are popular tonight. Someone else is coming.' Meanwhile, further behind the cloaked figure, Drisonel, her house mage, and several drow warriors are entering the tunnel, bringing with them a contingent of giant spiders. Despite her earlier ranting, Drisonle is now moving silently as any drow warrior, fingering her snake headed whip, her eyes blazing with hate. =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 13:24:04 -0500 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: AAE3 - Tidying up. Will moves past Stranger, stepping over the dead bodies of the Drow, and runs down the far right corridor. The Drow are at a doorway at the far end. One is holding the girl, who is kicking and screaming for all she is worth, as the other fiddles with the door lock, "HELP ME!!!" the Buffy stunt double screams. "Yeah, yeah, yeah...you said that already." The guards turn, surprised. The guards look even more surprised when Will shoots them. The girl looks at Will. "Not bad. If only two of the CAoL can rescue someone this quickly, Drisonel, the Controller, and Darath the Black will definitely have a fight on their hands." The girl bows. "Thank you, William Robinson. Never let it be said that KnightShift doesn't thank his rescuers." The woman fades into nothingness, laughing madly. --Will and KnightShift. Just to keep things tidy, I have simply assumed the bots have followed John off to whatever he was up to. When John returns to the group, so will the bots. Will and Stranger are now free to rejoin the group, at Stranger's convenience. =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 14:39:39 -0400 From: caprice Subject: Re: AAE - Xzerrion takes a trip > <* Just remember to be careful of these spiders, Mischief. They > might be poisonous. *> *all spiders poisonous, sillyelf.... just question if it kills you or not.* > Not yet aware of this, Xzerrion leads the group up towards the > passage in the cells. As he gets closer, he steps quickly to the > side, hand on sword blade. `These passages are popular tonight. > Someone else is coming.' "And more are right behind me..." The grey cloaked figure steps out of the shadows, her hands out and empty. "Drisonel herself, her mage, a handful of drow, a group of spiders... and one human." Mischief sits up, putting her paws on the back of Xzerrion's head, and starts to purr. > Meanwhile, further behind the cloaked figure, Drisonel, her house > mage, and several drow warriors are entering the tunnel, bringing > with them a contingent of giant spiders. Despite her earlier > ranting, Drisonle is now moving silently as any drow warrior, > fingering her snake headed whip, her eyes blazing with hate. Argent moves with the drow contingent, her eyes burning with a hatred of her own... She had already brought Drisonel the story of how the Controller let the CAoL escape by his golem removing one of them from their cell, and being defeated by them. As silent as any of the drow, only her pale skin and grey leathers set her apart. =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 15:22:42 -0400 (EDT) From: Shadow Subject: AAE3: Tidying up Xzerrion's trip. :) John continues down the stairs, stopping at the bottom. He seems torn, one way leads to Drisonel's quarters, the other to the dungeons. Hearing the robots coming down the stairs he know he must make a decision now. Steeling himself, He begins a divination. In front of him a scaled model of the castle appears, with several white lights around the dungeon area, and a blinking black light moving towards that area. "Oh crap." He tweaks the spell slightly and staggers back against the wall, however now the spell is visible only to his eyes. A feral grin crosses his face as he turns to the robots, "Robot, Do you have a means of communicating with the rest of the group?" Upon recieving the robot's reply: "Good. Inform Xzerrion that I will collect Will and the Stranger and come on Drisonel's ass from behind. Oh, and let them know we're going to be picking them up." He moves quickly down the right passageway. At a certain point in the hallway, he reaches down to the stone. Glancing at the robots, "This will cut a lot of time off our journey.", he moves his hand in a quick circular motion, then steps back. Nothing happens. "Whaaaah?" John walks forward. As his foot hits the area, it crumbles and he drops from sight, only to float back up. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Helping the robots down he quickly leads them down another corridor. On Wed, 28 May 1997, Michael Jon Knight wrote: > Just to keep things tidy, I have simply assumed the bots have > followed John off to whatever he was up to. When John returns to the > group, so will the bots. Will and Stranger are now free to rejoin > the group, at Stranger's convenience. John steps into the room, followed by the bots. "Hi guys. We're leaving now. Only thing is, Drisonel's in the way. Ready for a fight? Fortuna willing, this'll be fun." John turns an about face and heads for the secret passage. =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 15:31:54 -0400 (EDT) From: Shadow Subject: Re: AAE - Xzerrion takes a trip On Wed, 28 May 1997, caprice wrote: > Argent moves with the drow contingent, her eyes burning with a > hatred of her own... She had already brought Drisonel the story of > how the Controller let the CAoL escape by his golem removing one of > them from their cell, and being defeated by them. As silent as any > of the drow, only her pale skin and grey leathers set her apart. And further behind them, John, Will, Stranger, and the bots move toward the tunnel. (OOC: Can we move this to Tidying up Xzerrions trip, Huh, can we can we? :^) Just what John wants, to meet Drisonel. Those warriors had better be damned good.) =========================== From: gamer@host.yab.com Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 16:33:02 -0700 (MST) Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze On Tue, 27 May 1997, K. Ohanlon wrote: > A keening wind whips across the land and flutters Blaze's cape. As > both Darath the Black and Blaze turn, they see a figure come > charging from over the rise. The steed she rides screams out a > challenge to Darath's beast, followed by Crow's own challenge. > "Bastard! Abomination from a pit worse than Hell! You have committed > blasphemy by your actions! Your evil was bad enough before, but > seeing what you have done to one of my goddess' own sealed your > fate! Face me in combat, peon of an impotent godling! Or stand and > accept the destruction you have earned a million-fold!" Darath the Black looks from Blaze to Crow, his expression hidden by the plain black face of his helm, "So, it is you who Ligi now sends to challenge me. You are both the fools. _I_ am Darath the Black, Lord of the Night, Warlord of Misern, and yet you dare challenge me in both these realms? ha ha ha then let your deaths be decided now,a dn your souls be forever in my service!" The Skelicorn rears up, flashing steel-shod hooves, and fire seems ot burn from the eyesockets, giving a red tint to the reflections off the steel barbs implanted in the unicorn horn. "But let it never be said Darath the Black is a fool, why should I face you when my servents can do it for me?" energy crackles around him, and in the forest all around come the sounds of movemnt. Corpses of all types of creatures begin to emerge from the woods. rabbits, Deer, wolves, even a few humans begin to move between the Callihanians and Darath. Darath lifts his head to the sky and gives out a wolf-like howl that is answered back many-fold seconds later as the Lycanthrope reinforcements race to their master's side. "This is _my_ realm. You don't have a chance of beating me here!" =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 16:17:47 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Wed, 28 May 1997, caprice wrote: > *all spiders poisonous, sillyelf.... just question if it kills you > or not.* <*Yes Mischief, I just don't want any dead kitties, and these could be really big spiders. *> > "And more are right behind me..." The grey cloaked figure steps out > of the shadows, her hands out and empty. "Drisonel herself, her > mage, a handful of drow, a group of spiders... and one human." Xzerrion's face becomes grim and drawn. Any telepathic/empathic types in the area feel a sudden surge of determined anger. He then speaks to the rebel group. `This isn't the easy raid I suggested to you people. If you want out, or want to strike against Darath's forces at another time, I'll understand. Regardless, I intend to stay and fight. Let's just say ...,' Xzerrion drops the illusion, and stands in his natural drow form, clothed in his customary black and violet, `It's personal. So, are you with me?' After waiting for their answer ... > Argent moves with the drow contingent, her eyes burning with a > hatred of her own... She had already brought Drisonel the story of > how the Controller let the CAoL escape by his golem removing one of > them from their cell, and being defeated by them. As silent as any > of the drow, only her pale skin and grey leathers set her apart. Working quickly, Xzerrion digs out a few of his more esoteric supplies, rigging tripwires and nooses in the tunnels, and dropping caltrops in strategic areas. `Any preparations you want to make, do it fast, Drisonel's forces can move fast - this must be her elite guard if she's coming personally.' =========================== Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze Date: Wed, 28 May 97 19:24:43 +0100 From: Roland X Sayeth the Lady Morgan: >Morgan sends a quick mental hug to her sword-brother. <*Good to have >you back, Roland!*> Roland sends a long mental grin... then realizes that his abrupt return could be vary inconvenient to her. He sets up a mental loop that will allow her to maintain her borrowed powers; between Gaunt's rejection and his own power increase, he can go without the spare energy for the moment. >Morgan grins at the Callahanians still around her. "I don't know >about you, but I'm going to hang back and be reinforcements. The two >of them should keep him busy for a while." Roland cries out in the 'divine language' (from 5th Element, and no, he doesn't speak it) and spins his sword. His skill has apparently improved along with his confidence- or it was there all along. (Those linked can 'hear' the words translated as:) "COME, COWARD! I await the opportunity to INCINERATE your undead CARCASS!" =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 19:30:58 -0400 From: Caprice Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) At 04:17 PM 5/28/97 -0700, Paul Campbell wrote: >On Wed, 28 May 1997, caprice wrote: >> "And more are right behind me..." The grey cloaked figure steps out >> of the shadows, her hands out and empty. "Drisonel herself, her >> mage, a handful of drow, a group of spiders... and one human." > > >`Any preparations you want to make, do it fast, Drisonel's forces can >move fast - this must be her elite guard if she's coming personally.' > >positions, or other ideas> The cloaked figure in grey draws her sword, her face still hidden. "Spare the human if you can... she is on our side, believe it or not... if not, then pray for her soul." =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 19:14:59 -0700 From: Gareth L Owen Subject: Re: AAE - Xzerrion takes a trip Paul Campbell wrote: > < OOC : Help, the grim serious member of the party just got hooked > up with a playful fuzzy kitten! (g) > The Stranger =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 21:31:43 -0700 From: Gareth L Owen Subject: Re: AAE3: Tidying up Xzerrion's trip. :) Shadow wrote: > On Wed, 28 May 1997, Michael Jon Knight wrote: >> "Thank you, William Robinson. Never let it be said that KnightShift >> doesn't thank his rescuers." The woman fades into nothingness, >> laughing madly. The Stranger catches up with Will to see the girl fade. "Great." > John steps into the room, followed by the bots. "Hi guys. We're > leaving now. Only thing is, Drisonel's in the way. Ready for a > fight? Fortuna willing, this'll be fun." > > John turns an about face and heads for the secret passage. The Stranger spins and follows John. "Leave some for me..." =========================== Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze Date: Wed, 28 May 97 20:58:04 +0100 From: Roland X Quoth the Gamer: >On Tue, 27 May 1997, K. Ohanlon wrote: >> On Wed, 28 May 1997, Roland X wrote: > Darath the Black looks from Blaze to Crow, his expression hidden by >the plain black face of his helm, "So, it is you who Ligi now sends >to challenge me. You are both the fools. _I_ am Darath the Black, >Lord of the Night, Warlord of Misern, and yet you dare challenge me >in both these realms? ha ha ha then let your deaths be decided now,a >dn your souls be forever in my service!" "Brave words, considering that I am immortal," Blaze snarls. "Face the coming of dawn, servant of the Night!" *Hey, if he wants pompous, I'll give this guy pompous!* Roland sends with a mental grin. > "But let it never be said Darath the Black is a fool, why should I >face you when my servents can do it for me?" energy crackles around >him, and in the forest all around come the sounds of movemnt. Corpses >of all types of creatures begin to emerge from the woods. rabbits, >Deer, wolves, even a few humans begin to move between the >Callihanians and Darath. Roland sighs, and flames dart from his hands. Rabbit stew and venison are the results, though some wolves and humans prove hardier. Roland frowns. "Is this the best the mighty Darath can send against us?" > Darath lifts his head to the sky and gives out a wolf-like howl that >is answered back many-fold seconds later as the Lycanthrope >reinforcements race to their master's side. > "This is _my_ realm. You don't have a chance of beating me here!" "Guess not..." Roland sighs, and the white gold sword suddenly gleams as its alloy separates. In moments the exterior is pure silver. Electric force flows from Roland's hand up through the blade. The sword spins in Roland's hand as the first of the wolf-zombies and human automatons approach. A gruesome display of destruction ensues as the incredibly fast Blaze dances through the undead minions. *Partner, can you clean up the rest of these? Unless you have some silver weaponry on you, I think I'm the best choice for those weyr...* Roland sends to Crow, his sword shifting in mid-attack to a staff, snapping another zombie's spine, and providing him a way to vault over the rest of the line of monsters around him. The lycanthropes approach. Roland scans with his telepathy, hoping to determine their sentience and disposition... ...then grows 14 cm. and growls faintly. "Wrong call, Darath. I'll deal with you soon." =========================== From: gamer@host.yab.com Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 18:26:06 -0700 (MST) Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Wed, 28 May 1997, Paul Campbell wrote: > On Wed, 28 May 1997, caprice wrote: > `This isn't the easy raid I suggested to you people. If you want > out, or want to strike against Darath's forces at another time, I'll > understand. Regardless, I intend to stay and fight. Let's just say > ...,' Xzerrion drops the illusion, and stands in his natural drow > form, clothed in his customary black and violet, `It's personal. So, > are you with me?' > > After waiting for their answer ... "I would have believed you a fool if you _had_ said this would be an easy raid. In Frondi I was raised that elves were Elves, light or dark. That we each were part of the whole and had to respect each other. But then it was here I learned the truth. That Drow are demons, evil mockeries of Elvishkind, and I fight to see that they are exterminated. And it is a fight I know shall one day cost me my life, but it will be worth it if I can leave a pile of those bastards dead at my feet before I go." Czaris replies quietly but through gritted teeth, "Let them come, I have arrows enough for all. But as for you, I think I would save that magic for later rather than wasting it on disguises now. Let them see the faces of their slayers!" Blacky looks like he's trying hard to supress a laugh. "I will ssstay asss well. I have lived my life asss a killer, and it isss much better to die for a caussse rather than jussst gold." Then, in a hoarse whisper in Xzerrion's ear, "I definitely _wouldn't_ let Czaris know you're really a Drow. A torturer's scarring goes deeper than just the skin." Smiling a bit at the momentary surprise on Xzerrion's face that his illusion didn't fool everyone Blacky adds, "In my business it pays to know what's real and what's not. never trust what you see," Flicking out his forked tounge, "Drow and Humans taste very differnt, though few illusions take this into consideration." > `Any preparations you want to make, do it fast, Drisonel's forces > can move fast - this must be her elite guard if she's coming > personally.' Czaris finds a bit of cover, and beings pulling out his arrows and leaning them in easy reach to fire off quickly. Blacky on the other hand uses his claws to pry a mediumsized rock from the base of the wall. Slipping something inside, he replaces the rock as best he can, and secures a string coming out from behind the rock to the opposite wall. Then he scrambles up the wall to wait near the ceiling. (OOC: When the tripwire is triggered, a small explosion and lots of smoke follows. Perfect conditions for throat slitting) =========================== From: gamer@host.yab.com Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 18:42:30 -0700 (MST) Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze On Wed, 28 May 1997, Roland X wrote: Quote the Gamer: Nevermore. (I HAD to do it! I just _HAD_ to! ) > The lycanthropes approach. Roland scans with his > telepathy, hoping to determine their sentience and > disposition... > ...then grows 14 cm. and growls faintly. > "Wrong call, Darath. I'll deal with you soon." "I'd use that sword how you had it if I were you Blaze. The Weres are the blessed of the night, and silver is the metal of the moon. It heals them in this world. Gold is of the sun and burns them on its touch." says a voice from above the battle. Looking up, everyone sees Driscoll sitting on the limb of a nearby tree, dressed in black pants, a white shirt, and emerald green doublet, his cloak flapping in the breeze behind him, and his rapier still at his side. "Hi, I haven't met you yet, but you've met me. I just popped in to lend a hand. So, is this a private ball or may anyone dance?" Grabbing the branch between his feet, Driss flips down under the limb and then leaps, twisting and flipping in the air. A bolt of light seems to shoot from him towards Darath, and Darath screams in pain as a tiny 2" long dagger impales him through his plate armor. "Sunfire dagger. Now you _know_ that's gotta hurt. Two more daggers, no waiting!" quips Driss as he lands on the ground finally, holding up two more of the tiny daggers in his left hand as he draws his rapier with his right. =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 18:58:33 -0700 (PDT) From: fuzzy Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze On Wed, 28 May 1997 gamer@host.yab.com wrote: > On Wed, 28 May 1997, Roland X wrote: >> "Guess not..." Roland sighs, and the white >> gold sword suddenly gleams as its alloy separates. >> In moments the exterior is pure silver. Electric >> force flows from Roland's hand up through the >> blade. The sword spins in Roland's hand as the >> first of the wolf-zombies and human automatons >> approach. A gruesome display of destruction ensues >> as the incredibly fast Blaze dances through the >> undead minions. \The repaired Phoenix Claw will cut the animation spell if used on the undead, which means that at least if parts are cut off the parts stop moving, maybe the entire undead creature stops, beware though it may be possible for DtB to re-activate them but at least that will cost him extra effort\ > "Sunfire dagger. Now you _know_ that's gotta hurt. Two more > daggers, no waiting!" quips Driss as he lands on the ground finally, > holding up two more of the tiny daggers in his left hand as he draws > his rapier with his right. \Blaze if you can tune your energies to a band high in UV it may be more effective\ =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 19:14:11 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze At 07:24 PM 5/28/97 +0100, Roland X wrote: > Roland sends a long mental grin...then realizes that his >abrupt return could be vary inconvenient to her. He sets up >a mental loop that will allow her to maintain her borrowed >powers; between Gaunt's rejection and his own power increase, >he can go without the spare energy for the moment. <*That works both ways, bro!*> Morgan smiles. She taps into the natural energies around her, draws just a bit, and sends it to Roland. <*I know you don't need this right now. But I'm not fighting at the moment, and being an energy conduit for someone else has always been one of my strengths.*> She hasn't felt a particular loss of powers since Roland's reawakening. The phrase "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" keeps playing across her thoughts. At 06:42 PM 5/28/97 -0700, gamer@host.yab.com wrote: >Quote the Gamer: > Nevermore. (I HAD to do it! I just _HAD_ to! ) No, you didn't. :-) > "I'd use that sword how you had it if I were you Blaze. The Weres >are the blessed of the night, and silver is the metal of the moon. It >heals them in this world. Gold is of the sun and burns them on its >touch." says a voice from above the battle. > Looking up, everyone sees Driscoll sitting on the limb of a nearby >tree, dressed in black pants, a white shirt, and emerald green >doublet, his cloak flapping in the breeze behind him, and his rapier >still at his side. "Hi, I haven't met you yet, but you've met me. I >just popped in to lend a hand. So, is this a private ball or may >anyone dance?" Morgan sees this through the link, and Roland can sense the slight waver in the energy flow she's been maintaining. <*If that's the same version I sensed yesterday, he's a few hundred years after the Godling, and also after a trip to the Highlands in the 1300's. Just _please_ keep him away from me - I can't afford that distraction right now.*> > Grabbing the branch between his feet, Driss flips down under the >limb and then leaps, twisting and flipping in the air. A bolt of >light seems to shoot from him towards Darath, and Darath screams in >pain as a tiny 2" long dagger impales him through his plate armor. > "Sunfire dagger. Now you _know_ that's gotta hurt. Two more daggers, >no waiting!" quips Driss as he lands on the ground finally, holding >up two more of the tiny daggers in his left hand as he draws his >rapier with his right. <*He never _did_ outgrow that arrogant self-assuredness, did he?*> Morgan thinks quietly, then returns her concentration to the various fronts on which the CAoL is fighting, ready to go where she seems most needed. Morgan /|\ =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 20:57:47 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Wed, 28 May 1997 gamer@host.yab.com wrote: > "I would have believed you a fool if you _had_ said this would be > an easy raid. In Frondi I was raised that elves were Elves, light or > dark. That we each were part of the whole and had to respect each > other. But then it was here I learned the truth. That Drow are > demons, evil mockeries of Elvishkind, and I fight to see that they > are exterminated. And it is a fight I know shall one day cost me my > life, but it will be worth it if I can leave a pile of those > bastards dead at my feet before I go." Czaris replies quietly but > through gritted teeth, "Let them come, I have arrows enough for all. > But as for you, I think I would save that magic for later rather > than wasting it on disguises now. Let them see the faces of their > slayers!" Xzerrion starts to say something, but then hears ... > Blacky looks like he's trying hard to supress a laugh. "I will > ssstay asss well. I have lived my life asss a killer, and it isss > much better to die for a caussse rather than jussst gold." Then, in > a hoarse whisper in Xzerrion's ear, "I definitely _wouldn't_ let > Czaris know you're really a Drow. A torturer's scarring goes deeper > than just the skin." Smiling a bit at the momentary surprise on > Xzerrion's face that his illusion didn't fool everyone Blacky adds, > "In my business it pays to know what's real and what's not. never > trust what you see," Flicking out his forked tounge, "Drow and > Humans taste very differnt, though few illusions take this into > consideration." `I'll remember that for the future. I'm just glad you'rre a bit more open minded.' To everyone, Xzerrion adds, `I don't know about that, Czaris, if I'm just one more drow, it'll be damned hard for them to figure out who to shoot at.' > Czaris finds a bit of cover, and beings pulling out his arrows and > leaning them in easy reach to fire off quickly. Blacky on the other > hand uses his claws to pry a mediumsized rock from the base of the > wall. Slipping something inside, he replaces the rock as best he > can, and secures a string coming out from behind the rock to the > opposite wall. Then he scrambles up the wall to wait near the > ceiling. > (OOC: When the tripwire is triggered, a small explosion and lots of > smoke follows. Perfect conditions for throat slitting) Xzerrion sighs, and looks over to the grey-cloaked figure. `I guess we're front. I never did like melee combat ...' He shrugs and unsheaths Frostbite and Cobra, positioning himself just around a blind corner. Soon, the sensitive ears of Xzerrion, Blacky, and Mischief are the first to hear the approaching drow band. One of the soldiers chuckles on spotting a caltrop, picks it up, and tosses it aside. Xzerrion hears this and whispers, `That was *really* dumb of him - I coated the caltrops with contact poison.' Just then, the soldier gasps and falls into convulsions. Drisonel kicks the corpse aside contemptuously. `You might as well come out, renegade. I know you're there, and if you surrender, I might be kind enough to grant you a quicker death. Otherwise ... remember my promise - you'll be a thousand years in the dying!' Xzerrion replies, casting his voice so it seems to come from all around her. `No I won't, Drisonel. As I vowed years ago, I'll kill both of us before I let you take me alive.' `You're intitled to your delusions, Houseless One. Soldiers, take them all!' The warriors advance quickly, evading most, but not all, of the preset traps. The troop of giant spiders races along the ceiling, ready to drop into the midst of the ambushing party. `Just bloody wonderful,' Xzerrion snarls, diving around his corner and taking thhe lead drow in the back. As far as possible in the melee, he leaves the spiders to the others, concentrating on trying to reach Drisonel and the house mage, who are waiting behind a shimmering translucent blue wall. Then a drow stumbles over Blacky's tripwire, and the fight degenerates into chaos as smoke rises everywhere. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze Date: Thu, 29 May 97 01:00:22 +0100 From: Roland X Gamer said: >On Wed, 28 May 1997, Roland X wrote: > "Sunfire dagger. Now you _know_ that's gotta hurt. Two more daggers, >no waiting!" quips Driss as he lands on the ground finally, holding >up two more of the tiny daggers in his left hand as he draws his >rapier with his right. Roland smiles, and the silver and gold trade places. "Heh. Good thing the Claw's been upgraded. Care to play, puppies?" The entire pack comes screeching to a halt as fire comes to life around the now-golden staff. Then, Fuzzy said: >\The repaired Phoenix Claw will cut the animation spell if used on >the undead, which means that at least if parts are cut off the parts >stop moving, maybe the entire undead creature stops, beware though it >may be possible for DtB to re-activate them but at least that will >cost him extra effort\ Roland nods and begins working the edge of the undead legion again. "If you pups are really stupid enough to attack me _now,_ be my guest. Otherwise, you may leave in peace-on my world, the Weyr are a Pride of Eternals, and thus kin." And finally, Lady Morgan said: ><*That works both ways, bro!*> Morgan smiles. She taps into the >natural energies around her, draws just a bit, and sends it to >Roland. <*I know you don't need this right now. But I'm not fighting >at the moment, and being an energy conduit for someone else has >always been one of my strengths.*> Roland laughs as his own energies shift and change. *Thank you, my sword sister. Though I was-concerned-* Flashes pass through Roland's mind of 'Alex' being the prisoner of the Controller, and his rage builds, *I'm glad you're safe now.* The very land and sky seem to resonate with him, and the Claw becomes a sword once more. Blaze begins slashing through the undead horde with even greater speed and fury. >At 06:42 PM 5/28/97 -0700, gamer@host.yab.com wrote: >> Looking up, everyone sees Driscoll sitting on the limb of a nearby >>tree, dressed in black pants, a white shirt, and emerald green >>doublet, his cloak flapping in the breeze behind him, and his rapier >>still at his side. "Hi, I haven't met you yet, but you've met me. I >>just popped in to lend a hand. So, is this a private ball or may >>anyone dance?" "Hey, the enemy of my enemy, right?" Roland smiles and cuts off the head of an enormous undead warrior. "There can be only one," he chuckles. Then he adds, "By all means, feel free to choose a dance partner." >Morgan sees this through the link, and Roland can sense the slight >waver in the energy flow she's been maintaining. > ><*If that's the same version I sensed yesterday, he's a few hundred >years after the Godling, and also after a trip to the Highlands in >the 1300's. Just _please_ keep him away from me - I can't afford that >distraction right now.*> *Don't worry, Morgan, I think we'll all be busy with our buddy Darath's playmates-* Roland begins. *Too easy, Scion of Phoenix?* Gaunt sends, laughing. *Allow me to spice things up. Darath! Use your magicks on THIS!* Gaunt's telepathic laughter fades as a headless body falls before Darath. Confused, Darath animates the corpse, which comes to life, clouds and lightning flowing around the torso. As it rises, it towers over Blaze even headless. Long scars criss-cross its body, and metal clamps run along the neck. "Oh no..." Roland whispers. A ghostly head forms. Bald, vicious, and wild-eyed, the warrior roars as an enormous two-handed sword appears in his hand. "You are not the Highlander," it says hoarsely, "but you'll do." Then it laughs. "The Kurgan." Blaze takes the first kenjutsu stance. "Stay back. I'll deal with this." /Deal with this?/ Roland thinks, loudly enough for his thoughts to reverberate through the link. /How in Light's name am I supposed to kill an immortal without a head?!/ The swords clash, and a truly vicious, no-holds-barred duel begins... =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 00:59:02 -0400 (EDT) From: Shadow Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Wed, 28 May 1997, Paul Campbell wrote: > `Just bloody wonderful,' Xzerrion snarls, diving around his corner > and taking thhe lead drow in the back. As far as possible in the > melee, he leaves the spiders to the others, concentrating on trying > to reach Drisonel and the house mage, who are waiting behind a > shimmering translucent blue wall. Then a drow stumbles over > Blacky's tripwire, and the fight degenerates into chaos as smoke > rises everywhere. As smoke and chaos race through the courtyard, from behind the Drow comes another sound. It is a name, being yelled in a sweet, cloying, and false voice. "Drisooonell. Are you trembling yet? When I am through with you you will be grovelling at my feet. I know atrocities the Drow have not even dreamed, and you shall taste them all." Upon hearing John's voice Drisonel whips around, looking down the corridor behind her. She orders several of the warriors back, and tells the house mage to 'take care of him.' The house mage quickly casts a spell, concentrating for several seconds, then prepares himself to meet John. OOC: He has called the force she sent away and told them to get their damned selves back down here before they were all slaughtered. Even he isn't sure which they he was referring to. I assume this is the same mage who John was working with earlier to crack the Controller's anti-magic and thus actually has some clue about how to handle this. Xzerrion, would she be thinking about retreat about now? After all, it's her and her handful of drow and spiders fighting both back and front against me, you, Stranger, and Will? and the Robots? Oh and the resistance. After all, it's your party. :) =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 23:27:09 -0700 (PDT) From: fuzzy Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Wed, 28 May 1997, Paul Campbell wrote: > Xzerrion replies, casting his voice so it seems to come from all > around her. `No I won't, Drisonel. As I vowed years ago, I'll kill > both of us before I let you take me alive.' > > `You're intitled to your delusions, Houseless One. Soldiers, take > them all!' Fuzzy scans via Xzerrion's location to find Drisonel Send Direct to Drisonel, boosting amplitude until I can tell that she hears it... Slight leakage allows the CAoL to hear Fuzzy. \Drisonel, I have an offer that might prolong your life... The position of first concubine in my harem is availible if you will submit to me. {Image: Drisonel as seen through the eyes of a horny adolescent male} \ To the CAoL linkages Not Drisonel \That should leave her just about frothing at the mouth... :)\ =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 23:28:41 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze At 01:00 AM 5/29/97 +0100, Roland X wrote: > "The Kurgan." Blaze takes the first kenjutsu stance. >"Stay back. I'll deal with this." > /Deal with this?/ Roland thinks, loudly enough for >his thoughts to reverberate through the link. /How in >Light's name am I supposed to kill an immortal without >a head?!/ > The swords clash, and a truly vicious, no-holds- >barred duel begins... <*Remember what Fuzzy said about the Claw cutting the spell - if you take the "ghost" head, it should have the desired affect.*> Morgan's concern for her sword-brother wins out over her reluctance to deal with this Driscoll, and she reaches out on the mental 'frequency' he taught her to use, what seems like a lifetime ago. {Dris? Given what you said about silver and gold here, what about mithril?} I'm going to make the assumption that he says it's potentially effective and proceed accordingly. If not, I'll take this next part back :-). <*Fuzzy, you guys seem to have this pretty much under control. I'll be back.*> The Drow female begins to reform. The face goes indistict as Morgan considers what form to take, then a smile becomes evident. The face settles into familiar features. If Roland had a sister, this is how she might look. Morgan draws slightly on the power-link she shares with Roland and concentrates, banishing the doubtful thoughts that rise as she attempts something major for the first time. Cutter and Leetah, sensing what she's up to, press tight against her legs, and in a moment Fuzzy sees all three fade from view.... Only to reappear next to Driscoll. Morgan spares a brief smile, and reaches out on their link to let him know who she is. Before he can respond, she then turns all her attention to Roland and the Kurgan. <*I won't interfere unless you need me, my brother, but I feel better having your back-up close by.*> Morgan /|\ =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 23:34:34 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) At 11:27 PM 5/28/97 -0700, fuzzy wrote: >Fuzzy scans via Xzerrion's location to find Drisonel > Send Direct to Drisonel, boosting amplitude until I can tell that >she hears it... Slight leakage allows the CAoL to hear Fuzzy. > >\Drisonel, I have an offer that might prolong your life... > >The position of first concubine in my harem is availible if you will >submit to me. >{Image: Drisonel as seen through the eyes of a horny adolescent male} >\ > >To the CAoL linkages Not Drisonel >\That should leave her just about frothing at the mouth... :)\ Morgan, having just departed the city, picks this up through the link and unsucessfully stiffles a giggle. <*Yeah, I bet! I would _not_ want to be in your shoes if she catches you, oh fuzzy one!*> Morgan /|\ I'm _so_ glad I put the Hornsby's down before I read this one. That would have been serious alchohol abuse, and not much good for the keyboard. ;-) =========================== Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 23:46:58 -0700 (PDT) From: fuzzy Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Wed, 28 May 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote: > Morgan, having just departed the city, picks this up through the > link and unsucessfully stiffles a giggle. <*Yeah, I bet! I would > _not_ want to be in your shoes if she catches you, oh fuzzy one!*> \Thats OK, neither would I... Don't worry whenever it seems she is getting her temper under control, I will send her a booster with less clothes and more drool.\ > Morgan /|\ > I'm _so_ glad I put the Hornsby's down before I read this one. > That would have been serious alchohol abuse, and not much good for > the keyboard. ;-) =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 02:33:48 -0500 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: AAE3 - Before Quaren, Before Callahan's... BEFORE QUAREN, BEFORE CALLAHAN'S: "Ryshak, get up here." {Problem, Mahloy?} Ryshak's voice sounded faint and tinny over the old ship's speaker. Mahloy grinned. "I don't know yet..." {Ooooooookay...on my way, Chief.} "Ryshak, grab our new crewman while you're at it." {Okay, Chief. Out.} Mahloy sat back in his chair. He stared ahead of him, out the main window. "So, friend, who are you and what do you want?" Ryshak stopped at C deck and walked down the corridor. She leaned in the door to the new crewman's quarters. "Hey, um..." "Fihn G Khistt." "Fin Gee Kissed..." Ryshak sounded out the name, grinning a bit, "That is an odd name." "Ryshak. Sounds like a place to make whiskey. Rye Shack." "What about Mahloy?" "What about him?" Ryshak laughed, "C'mon, the Chief wants us on A deck. Says he has something to show us." "Right, as soon as I change my contacts." Ryshak looked at his brown eyes. She smiled then quickly turned and left. Khistt popped the contacts out of his eyes. Blinking a few times, he looked into the mirror. Rainbow static eyes stared back. Behind him, in the mirror, he saw a Vorlon in a pale blue and green mottled encounter suit. It's yellow iris flared. /When will you release me?/ /Once you fully understand./ /Who are you?/ /No one to be trifled with./ Khistt climbed the ladder to the command center, A deck. "What ya got for us, Mahloy?" "Well, we are getting a signal on the emergency band. An SOS." Ryshak replied angrily, "Why didn't you say so? We have to go help them." Mahloy regarded her coolly. Leaning forward, he pointed out the main window. "Because, it is right in front of us. It didn't activate until we approached it. It just drifted into our flight path. THEN, the SOS came on." Khistt moved forward. Squinting into the distance, he looked at the source of the SOS. "Too small for a ship. Too small for a life pod. A buoy." Ryshak had turned on the forward camera. Zooming in, she made out some writing. "It says V.I.N.C.E.N.T." Khistt looked confused, "A buoy named Vincent?" "Bring it aboard," Mahloy said, "Khistt, looks like you start earning your keep around here. Patch that thing into our computers and see what the emergency is." The smell of ozone filled the computer room as Khistt mumbled curses under his breath. Ryshak entered with two cups of coffee. She handed Khistt one. "Thanks." "How's it coming?" "Well, the memory banks are intact, but the battery is near dead. I am trying to hook it up to ship's power to see what all the fuss is about." "Think the SOS is an emergency?" "I think it WAS an emergency. See this little odometer-looking thing? That's an internal clock. Before this bot shut the clock off to keep power to the memory banks, it was September 7th, 2322." Ryshak did the math quickly, "248 years ago." "Yup. Vincent has been adrift for a loooong time." Ryshak stood up, "Well, I have the next watch." She stretched, arms reaching up over her head. "Thanks for the coffee," Khistt glanced up, then did a double take. Ryshak noticed and grinned. "Perv." "I am just admiring the Gods' artwork." Ryshak smiled and squeezed his shoulder. She briefly wondered if he would like a guided tour. /God, I've been in space too long!/ she thought, blushing. Ryshak left the computer room, heading for the ladder that would take her from B deck to A deck, then stopped and glanced back at Khistt, hunched over the open bot panel. "Definitely been in space too long," she muttered as she started up the ladder. =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 02:49:30 -0500 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) At 12:59 AM 5/29/97 -0400, Shadow wrote: >OOC: He has called the force she sent away and told them to get their >damned selves back down here before they were all slaughtered. Even >he isn't sure which they he was referring to. I assume this is >the same mage who John was working with earlier to crack the >Controller's anti-magic and thus actually has some clue about how to >handle this. Xzerrion, would she be thinking about retreat about now? >After all, it's her and her handful of drow and spiders fighting both >back and front against me, you, Stranger, and Will? and the Robots? >Oh and the resistance. After all, it's your party. :) Will and the Bots are with John in the *sewer*. They start shooting Spiders until I can think of something more exciting for them to do. Oh, we now have some light being provided by burning spiders. And to add to the general aroma of the place. =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 04:28:44 -0400 (EDT) From: Shadow Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Thu, 29 May 1997, Michael Jon Knight wrote: > At 12:59 AM 5/29/97 -0400, Shadow wrote: >> > Will and the Bots are with John in the *sewer*. They start shooting > Spiders until I can think of something more exciting for them to do. > Oh, we now have some light being provided by burning spiders. And to > add to the general aroma of the place. OOC: Hey, you can have corridors in a sewer. Granted the bottom/middle is covered in sewage, but it's still a corridor. Anyway... John faces off against the house mage. "So. Do you think you have any chance against me, mageling?" The mage gestures and invokes a word of power. John is staggered, and almost falls to one knee. Regaining his balance, he snarls, "Very good, I wonder where you picked that up from." John begins to cast his own spell, "To bad it wasn't good enough." John throws a dagger into the air, which shatters. The pieces begin to swirl, and advance on the house mage. Before he has time to react, the house mage is obscured from view as the metal shards acheive an almost solid look. John, considering the house mage dead, turns to obliterate the warriors when he suddenly slams into the ceiling. The spinning metal falls to the ground revealing the house mage still standing, unscathed. Jadis's voice floats out of nowhere, "Surely you don't think I'll let you have it that easy, do you? Poor kitty, has to work for his victory." John applies his flying in reverse and begins to move off of the ceiling, only to have the spell released and be slammed back into the floor. John stands, slightly shaken, not stirred, and his staff materializes in his hands. "Fine then. I'll just have to do it up close and personal." The drow wariors suddenly appear ranked in front of the mage. A few laser blasts flicker out at them, only to curve over the targets and go out behind them, towards the main fight. "Alright, this might take just a wee bit longer than I thought." John glances at Stranger, "You want to join this dance? There'll be no interference in a hand-to-hand." =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 02:14:22 -0700 (PDT) From: "K. Ohanlon" Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze On Wed, 28 May 1997 gamer@host.yab.com wrote: > Darath the Black looks from Blaze to Crow, his expression hidden by > the plain black face of his helm, "So, it is you who Ligi now sends > to challenge me. You are both the fools. _I_ am Darath the Black, > Lord of the Night, Warlord of Misern, and yet you dare challenge me > in both these realms? ha ha ha then let your deaths be decided now, > adn your souls be forever in my service!" "Wrong on all counts, bastard of the night! I serve Areya. Huntress, healer, and protectress of the unicorns. Thou hast offened her mightily with thy presumption. To raise one of her own from the dead and imprison its pure soul to do your dreadful bidding is anathema. For that, you will pay in full, Darath the Black." > The Skelicorn rears up, flashing steel-shod hooves, and fire seems > ot burn from the eyesockets, giving a red tint to the reflections > off the steel barbs implanted in the unicorn horn. But within that dreadful form, Crow can feel the soul that inhabited the once-living body of the Skelicorn. It cries out to her for release from the undead hell Darath the Black has condemned it to. > "But let it never be said Darath the Black is a fool, why should I > face you when my servents can do it for me?" energy crackles around > him, and in the forest all around come the sounds of movemnt. > Corpses of all types of creatures begin to emerge from the woods. > rabbits, Deer, wolves, even a few humans begin to move between the > Callihanians and Darath. Crow's face contorts in a grimace of disgust and fury."Let it be shouted from the rooftops, thou art triply a fool! By raising these creatures from the dead you work against the balance that I am sworn to uphold. And thus merely strengthen my resolve to bring thee down." > Darath lifts his head to the sky and gives out a wolf-like howl > that is answered back many-fold seconds later as the Lycanthrope > reinforcements race to their master's side. > "This is _my_ realm. You don't have a chance of beating me here!" Crow nods slowly. "We shall see about that." =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 02:41:37 -0700 (PDT) From: "K. Ohanlon" Subject: Re: AAE3: Blaze On Wed, 28 May 1997, Roland X wrote: > "Brave words, considering that I am immortal," > Blaze snarls. "Face the coming of dawn, servant > of the Night!" > *Hey, if he wants pompous, I'll give this guy > pompous!* Roland sends with a mental grin. <*I must admit, I'm beginning to sound like a bad Arendish novel. But when serving as avatar for both the Balance and Areya, antiquated speech just occurs naturally.*> Crow replies. > Roland sighs, and flames dart from his hands. > Rabbit stew and venison are the results, though > some wolves and humans prove hardier. Roland > frowns. > "Is this the best the mighty Darath can send > against us?" <*My thanks, partner, for taking out the more minor nasties. I dislike trying to take out something more maneuverable than I am.*> > *Partner, can you clean up the rest of these? > Unless you have some silver weaponry on you, I > think I'm the best choice for those weyr...* Roland > sends to Crow, his sword shifting in mid-attack to > a staff, snapping another zombie's spine, and pro- > viding him a way to vault over the rest of the line > of monsters around him. Crow sends a mental grin, and then leaps lightly from the back of the Grey One. <*Certainly, partner. After all, these creatures need to be sent back to their rest, and my goddess and the Balance have given me weapons to fight these creatures specifically. I can take out other monsters too, but dealing with undead is somewhat of a special charge.*> The unicorn's horn blazes brighter with the multi-hued light, and the undead all seem reluctant to close with the beast. Pale moonstone eyes shining, Crow moves to face one of the undead humans. A humming song seems to start from her unknowing, and as she moves forward to deal true death to the undead, her form moves as if in a dance. (Yep, something like bladesinging, for those of you familiar with that from AD&D.) Her katana blazes with a light very similar to that of the unicorn's horn, and she cuts through the ranks of the undead like a scythe through hay. Her slender form always seems just a breath away from being struck by a wolf or zombie. But just as the grotesque creatures lunge or leap for her, she is just inches out of their reach. Her silver hair swirls as she runs her katana thorugh yet another monster. <*Are we having fun yet, partner?*> Crow grins. Meanwhile, the Grey One has also been decimating the crowds of undead, piercing them with his spiralled horn, or breaking their bones with his hooves. As each creature is cut down by Crow's blade, or struck by the unicorn, they fall down truly dead. > The lycanthropes approach. Roland scans with his > telepathy, hoping to determine their sentience and > disposition... > ...then grows 14 cm. and growls faintly. > "Wrong call, Darath. I'll deal with you soon." Crow calls to Darath within her deadly dance, "We shall both deal with thee soon. May thy dark master have pity on the forlorn shreds that remain of thy soul!" =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 11:36:46 +0000 From: caprice Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip The figure in grey fights valiantly, staying close to Xzerrion's side. Argent is fighting close to Drisonel, one of those guarding her. Argent seems to be fighting on the side of the Drow, until Xzerrion and the figure in grey reach the drow... Then suddenly Argent turns, cutting the drow next to her down from behind. =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 14:35:29 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Thu, 29 May 1997, Shadow wrote: > Upon hearing John's voice Drisonel whips around, looking down the > corridor behind her. She orders several of the warriors back, and > tells the house mage to 'take care of him.' The house mage quickly > casts a spell, concentrating for several seconds, then prepares > himself to meet John. As the house mage advances, Drisonel decides on a quick revision of her plans, using her own sigil to call in the weaponsmaster and the remaining drow with him. Soon a second force is moving in, this one behind Stranger, Will, and John. > OOC: He has called the force she sent away and told them to get > their damned selves back down here before they were all slaughtered. > Even he isn't sure which they he was referring to. I assume > this is the same mage who John was working with earlier to crack the > Controller's anti-magic and thus actually has some clue about how to > handle this. Xzerrion, would she be thinking about retreat about > now? After all, it's her and her handful of drow and spiders > fighting both back and front against me, you, Stranger, and Will? > and the Robots? Oh and the resistance. After all, it's your party. > :) - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 15:06:54 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip On Thu, 29 May 1997, caprice wrote: > The figure in grey fights valiantly, staying close to Xzerrion's > side. Argent is fighting close to Drisonel, one of those guarding > her. Argent seems to be fighting on the side of the Drow, until > Xzerrion and the figure in grey reach the drow... Then suddenly > Argent turns, cutting the drow next to her down from behind. Xzerrion does a quick double take. <*Is this what I think it is, and if so, when did you get a doppleganger?*> Xzerrion continues fighting through the chaos, smoke, and flame, avoiding any groups of drow with any kind of coordination among them. His poisoned dagger is busily taking down lone, unwary drow, as he parries desperately with Frostbite. Seeing four trying to rush him and pin him against a wall, Xzerrion turns and somehow runs halfway up the wall, spins, and kicks off, flying over their heads, curling into a ball to try to avoid a hail of hand-crossbow fire which shreds his cloak. As he rolls to his feet, he discovers he is face to face with Drisonel. `Pretty acrobatics, young one, but that won't save you.' Her snake headed whip snaps across Xzerrion's chest, sending him back to the floor. `Kneel before me, for I am your true mistress. It is only fitting that you once again accept the glory of our Goddess before you die.' Xzerrion considers a witty reply, but he's been through too much in the last couple days. Instead, he staggers to his feet, snarling an obscene and biologically impossible suggestion to Drisonel (unless she somehow turns hermaphrodite). Moving more cautiously, Xzerrion tosses a small globe of glowing turquoise light at Drisonel, which sparks against her robes, then vanishes. `Have you forgotten, young one? You forsook are kind so many years ago, you no longer have certain, shall we say, ... resistances. You die this day, and all your friends with you.' Remembering his own words about anti-magic, Xzerrion, rather than striking directly, summons a cloud of fog, engulfing the entire area. `Maybe I will, maybe no, but you'll have to catch me first, Matron.' Meanwhile, the front rank of drow press forward, trying to overrun Czaris and Blacky before the two of them cause more confusion. =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 15:12:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Wed, 28 May 1997, fuzzy wrote: > Fuzzy scans via Xzerrion's location to find Drisonel > Send Direct to Drisonel, boosting amplitude until I can tell that > she hears it... Slight leakage allows the CAoL to hear Fuzzy. > > \Drisonel, I have an offer that might prolong your life... > > The position of first concubine in my harem is availible if you will > submit to me. > {Image: Drisonel as seen through the eyes of a horny adolescent > male} > \ Drisonel snarls, and takes a moment, even in the midst of fighting, to respond. `You will regret that, young fool, in the name of Lloth!' A shimmering appears in the air before Fuzzy. Through it steps a peculiar type of demon. Its upper half appears to be that of an attractive female human, other than the fact that it has six arms, each of which holds a wicked curved blade. Its lower half, however, is that of a giant serpent. `Does this suit your fancy, young one?' The demon advances, waving its blades menacingly. > To the CAoL linkages Not Drisonel > \That should leave her just about frothing at the mouth... :)\ - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 23:12:32 -0700 From: Gareth L Owen Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) Shadow wrote: > > John stands, slightly shaken, not stirred, and his staff > materializes in his hands. "Fine then. I'll just have to do it up > close and personal." The drow wariors suddenly appear ranked in > front of the mage. A few laser blasts flicker out at them, only to > curve over the targets and go out behind them, towards the main > fight. "Alright, this might take just a wee bit longer than I > thought." John glances at Stranger, "You want to join this dance? > There'll be no interference in a hand-to-hand." The Stranger emerges from the shadow he's been skulking in, he has a Drow shortsword in each hand, and a pair of pistol crossbows tucked into his belt with his own swords. John was sure he didn't have any of it earlier, and there's only one obvious source of Drow equipment. "Glad to. Who wants to die first?" Stranger advances on the wall of Drow, apparently unconcerned. One detaches from the rest and lunges at him, he blocks and counters, swords clashing in the dank air. It's at about this point that a spider the size of a large terrier decides to drop onto Stranger, the Drow, seeing his advantage slashes low for Strangers stomach, but somehow finds his blow parried and the spider thrown in his face. Deciding to kill two birds with one stone Stranger stabs the Drow through the spider and he falls dead into the sewerage with the mortally wounded spider impaled to his face. "What a charming place to fight!" The next drow charges at him. ++++ Elsewhere Kitty finds herself alone with one remaining unconscious warrior (OOC: I think). She puts him on the floor and morphs back to cat form. "That's better." /*Stranger? You need backup?*/ /*Er, I don't think so*/ /*Not right now.*/ ++++ Elsewhere a figure wrapped glided silently through the night, wrapped in shadows and filled with hate. The Stranger =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 16:01:51 -0700 (PDT) From: fuzzy Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Thu, 29 May 1997, Paul Campbell wrote: > Drisonel snarls, and takes a moment, even in the midst of fighting, > to respond. `You will regret that, young fool, in the name of > Lloth!' > > A shimmering appears in the air before Fuzzy. Through it steps a > peculiar type of demon. Its upper half appears to be that of an > attractive female human, other than the fact that it has six arms, > each of which holds a wicked curved blade. Its lower half, however, > is that of a giant serpent. > > `Does this suit your fancy, young one?' To Drisonel: \Not near as well as you do, you fiesty thing, you.\ \{image: as before, with less cothes and more drool as promised. Plus a comedy soft-whip with uncountable tails.}\ \Besides, it isn't even kin. You are...\ > The demon advances, waving its blades menacingly. To CAoL: \I have got to find someone to teach me some transport spells one of these days Soon.\ Fuzzy activates one of the Leap coins in his pocket to accomplish a 'Chop/Socky' Back flip onto the top of the 3 story building behind him landing in a ready stance that shows some experiance. as that happens his new sword returns to sword form from the sonic blaster it had been and the sheath to it liquifies and runs up his arm to reform as a small shield not much larger than knuckles to elbow. \Roland, I am very glad the repair kit finished with your sword before this happened, as I think I'm going to need the shield form.\ "Be sure, Be very Sure..." "Before you attack Me, O child of an unwelcome Goddess, I serve the ballance." As Fuzzy's sword and shield start to glow a white/gold that observers can tell is an exact counter match for the Demon's Alignment and Energy level. >> To the CAoL linkages Not Drisonel >> \That should leave her just about frothing at the mouth... :)\ > > =========================== Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 19:07:56 -0400 (EDT) From: Shadow Subject: Re: AAE3 - Tidying up Xzerrion's trip :) On Thu, 29 May 1997, Gareth L Owen wrote: > The Stranger emerges from the shadow he's been skulking in, he has a > Drow shortsword in each hand, and a pair of pistol crossbows tucked > into his belt with his own swords. John was sure he didn't have any > of it earlier, and there's only one obvious source of Drow > equipment. > > "Glad to. Who wants to die first?" > > Stranger advances on the wall of Drow, apparently unconcerned. One > detaches from the rest and lunges at him, he blocks and counters, > swords clashing in the dank air. John follows right behind, then moves up next to Stranger. Finding his staff a little cramped in close quarters; he blocks the blow of the drow facing him, catching the blade on the middle of the staff. The staff then breaks, leaving John holding two smaller sections which proceed into the startled Drow's vital areas. John smiles and steps over the Drow's unconcious form, "Been a while since I got a good workout with the sticks." > It's at about this point that a spider the size of a large terrier > decides to drop onto Stranger, the Drow, seeing his advantage > slashes low for Strangers stomach, but somehow finds his blow > parried and the spider thrown in his face. Deciding to kill two > birds with one stone Stranger stabs the Drow through the spider and > he falls dead into the sewerage with the mortally wounded spider > impaled to his face. > > "What a charming place to fight!" A blast of mage energy fires out at the Stranger from the back ranks, only to splash into a barrier about 2 feet away. "Isn't it though?" ===========================