A Smaller Task pt3
"They look hungry, but they're not.. wait.. those... Toha, you..." Yes, Alaryn's mind is skipping around like a record with a giant scratch on it. "Harmony... when things are in balance, there's harmony. When there's harmony, you don't have this gods be damned racket going on!" She reaches her hands up and presses her palms to her temples, "STOP IT!" she cries out with her eyes shut. Then she pauses and opens them again, "Damn. Okay, so look. It's like we got some sort of subtle mental magic tweaking our brains. You remember when I told you this was a bad idea? Well, I said I'd enjoy saying I told you so... well.. I told you so." She mutters, "So how do we fix the disharmony out there? In the giant insectoid fiddle players?"
Sargon squints this way and that. "If we spread out we may be able to find the source of the sound," he advises. He moves in the direction of the crickets, fists raised and held in front of his chest for protection.
Lawson pointedly ignores Alaryn and looks for the source of the discordance. Of course, if they were to search for the source of their OWN discordance......
Toha let's the hammer slide further down in her grip, until the head rings against her fist, the 'peaciest' way to hold it, and begins the walking stick routine off toward the noises, pausing now and then to cant her head to either side, trying to place the off note, taking one such pause to inquire, "How do they make the sound?"
GAME: Toha rolls perception: (6)+6: 12
GAME: Lawson rolls perception: (5)+5: 10
GAME: Sargon rolls perception: (12)+9: 21
GAME: Edinaz rolls perception: (3)+7: 10
GAME: Alaryn rolls perception: (6)+7: 13
"Look. This... odd sound, is kinda generated by our own minds ... magically. We need to make it sound better to fix things. I'm not sure how we're supposed to do that. For all I know, it might involve a teapot song and some toenail clippings. Fey are weird." mutters Alaryn as she shakes her head and does her best to try to figure this all out, closing her eyes and using just her ears.
SPreading out a bit is easy enough. It's hard to even think over all the racket the crickets are generating, harder to try to identify ONE cricket out of the hundreds of GIANT HUMAN SIZED CRICKETS, that are lurking around the giant lake, with giant blades of grass all around. It is like you shrank, really.
Finally, though, Sargon seems to identify one that seems a little different in appearance. A black mottling along its edges as it chirps away.
Sargon freezes. His eyes shift over to Alaryn and then back to the concentration of crickets ahead. "That one," he gestures with his chin, unwilling to let down his guard to point. "Does anyone else see
"Yes. Giant grass blades. I told you we shrunk." mutters Alaryn. "Oh, you probably mean that one oddball giant cricket. Yes... but how do we get'im in tune? I'm not a bard." she says with a shake of her head, "I couldn't teach anyone music."
"Crickets actually use their wings to chirp." Lawson says softly. "I don't know enough about music to put it in tune, but it's likely trying. But I'm also not a bard."
In a world of chaos magic, experiencing a significant loss in relative stature and doggie paddling in a fair depth of wierd, the Golem turns toward the others, "Why not ask it?" After all, they they could very well talk for anything they all know. She begins to make her way slowly over toward the indicated iconoclast, trying to figure out a mood on such a radically different face.
"Crickets don't talk..." replies Alaryn instantly. But then she scrunches up her nose and shakes her head, "I guess I mean normally. Stupid fey!" she exclaims, lifting a clenched fist, "Magic runs on rules you weirdos!" she calls.
Sargon scowls. "If they can talk, then they can understand us. We should not antagonize them." He studies the odd cricket, watching for signs that it can understand them.
That said, now that you've called at tention to it, the cricket chirps once. It's wings rub together and chirps a few more times. Then it starts to tremor. Shake. Violently, actually.
Lawson says, "Here we go." Lawson says....watching it as it changes."
Toha comes to a halt as things start to develop. There could be a glance, possibly a glare thrown back as the mage gets angry, then there's a shake of the head as she turns back in time for the cricket to tremble. She lets the hammer fall to one side and she holds her hands up and empty before her, and starts to make her attempt at a crooning sound, trying to be soothing as she would a horse. Maybe it's just upset?
GAME: Toha rolls handle animal: (17)+7: 24
Sargon had been lowering his fists ever so slightly, and now he drops his hands to his sides. "I don't think it means us harm," he says confidently. All the same he edges backward to where the rest of the party is.
Lawson has his sword casually on his shoulder, but is behind Toha...should she need him. But he doesn't seem eager to rush into battle to defend the ones he's with...yet.
The cricket... shakes violently. There's a cracking sound as tentacles begin to rise up out of its back. A writhing mass of them. Oh good.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
NeverSleepsPool has dropped a TIMESTOP!
Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for NeverSleepsPool to instruct you further. You may earn RPP by logging a scene for a GM.
For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
"It isn't a cricket...? It seems... but the way it's moving..." Toha starts, vaguely puzzled, and concerned, just in time for things to get more... spicey.
She has no eyelids, and she must blink.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 21.
It is now Alaryn's turn! Cricket-Things Jr is next!
GAME: Alaryn rolls ranged: (6)+4: 10
GAME: Alaryn rolls 1d8: (2): 2
Shaking her head as things start up, Alaryn is already reaching for the dragonspitter holstered at her waist. "Okay. Tentacles mean bad things. I suppose harmony can be achieved by shutting this one up..." she remarks as she brings the pistol up and a snap shot sends a bullet into the carapace.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 18.
It is now Cricket-Things Jr's turn! Toha is next!
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+1: (12)+1: 13
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+1: (18)+1: 19
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+1: (14)+1: 15
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+1: (15)+1: 16
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d4+2: (4)+2: 6
Immediately, small... cricket like winged things begin emerging from itys back. They're all /off/ somehow. Physically. Just... /off/.
They fly towards Alaryn, tiny razor-thin whip tentacles ripping across his flesh.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 18.
It is now Toha's turn! Lawson is next!
GAME: Toha RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 4 temporary HP
GAME: Toha rolls melee: (15)+7: 22
GAME: Toha rolls 1d4+5: (1)+5: 6
As the cricket erupts in tendrils and, subsequently, an exchange of ranged dishchordance with the mage, Toha's inner fury manifests. A baleful crimson mote of light appears in her eyeslit, focused on the flying things asssailing Alaryn as she turns, now wafting a faintly glowing silver mist from her seams, and waylays one of them with one of her spiked fists.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 9.
It is now Lawson's turn! Sargon is next!
GAME: Lawson rolls weapon1: (7)+8: 15
GAME: Lawson rolls 1d10+4: (2)+4: 6
The not-crickets rush their way forwards and attack Alaryn. After they do, Lawson shoulders his way in between Alaryn and the not-crickets, and slices one in two. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 8.
It is now Sargon's turn! Edinaz is next!
GAME: Sargon rolls 9: (6)+9: 15
GAME: Sargon rolls 9: (7)+9: 16
GAME: Sargon rolls 1d8+7: (3)+7: 10
GAME: Sargon rolls 1d8+5: (3)+5: 8
Sargon raises a hand and then brings it down palm-first on one of the smaller creatures, smashing it to the ground. Then he clenches a fist and strikes the next, knocking it back. But his eyes are drawn to the bigger one.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 7.
It is now Edinaz's turn! Cricket-Thing is next!
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d20+7: (18)+7: 25
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d8+4: (3)+4: 7
Edinaz draws his swords, looking probably just a little too eager. He steps forwards, swinging through one of the little crickets. It gets bisected messily.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 5.
It is now Cricket-Thing's turn! Alaryn is next!
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+9: (17)+9: 26
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d6+3: (4)+3: 7
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+9: (2)+9: 11
Tentacles erupt from its vibrant back adn then wrap around Toha, seizing the means of robot locototion!
Only it fails. Still, it's horribel to behold.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 21.
It is now Alaryn's turn! Cricket-Things Jr is next!
GAME: Alaryn rolls ranged+3: (20)+4+3: 27 (THREAT)
GAME: Alaryn rolls ranged+3: (10)+4+3: 17
GAME: Alaryn rolls 3d6+9: (12)+9: 21
As Lawson steps in front of her, Alaryn is already working. She reaches her left hand to her belt and twists the crystalline belt buckle around one hundred and eighty degrees. Her armor begins to glow with a silvery blue light as she drops her pistol to the ground. She takes a step back and her right hand draws her half-length staff out of the back of her belt.
With a pass of her thumb over a stud, the staff goes to full length. She whips the weapon about.. the flanges around the crystal head sparking with power. She grips the staff with her off hand and takes careful aim... the head flaring with power as a beam of pure arcane power lashes out and strikes the giant Cricket dead center...
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 18.
It is now Cricket-Things Jr's turn! Toha is next!
/More/ tiny cricket things, despite you having killed the entirety of the first wave, are erupting from the back of the damaged cricket monster.
There's a fresh handful of them buzzing in the air around it.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 18.
It is now Toha's turn! Lawson is next!
GAME: Toha rolls melee-2: (11)+7+-2: 16
GAME: Toha rolls melee-2: (20)+7+-2: 25 (THREAT)
GAME: Toha rolls melee-2: (1)+7+-2: 6 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Toha rolls 1d4+5: (4)+5: 9
Half spun on impact by the tentacle's climsy attempt at grabbing her, Toha's focus swivels toward the cricket she'd previously been trying to soothe, the red ember sliding along her eyeslit before her head, then body pivots to stalk angrilly toward the creature, unleashing one razored first, then another. While the first whistles past, the second scores soundly against the creature's carapace.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 9.
It is now Lawson's turn! Sargon is next!
GAME: Lawson rolls weapon1: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL)
Lawson lets out a breath as he sees more little ones come from the back of the big one. "COncentrate everything on the big one, or we'll be facing unending monsters." He rushes his way forward, but his sword scrapes off the carapace.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 8.
It is now Sargon's turn! Edinaz is next!
GAME: Sargon rolls 9: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Sargon rolls 9: (12)+9: 21
GAME: Sargon rolls 1d8+5: (4)+5: 9
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 7.
It is now Edinaz's turn! Cricket-Thing is next!
GAME: Edinaz RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 4 temporary HP
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d20+9-2: (2)+9+-2: 9
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d20+9-2: (2)+9+-2: 9
Edinaz's eyes and tattoos glow with a cold fire as he fights, his swords flashing as he swings both at... oh, hells, they're tangled. Get out of the way. Augh! Well. He tried.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 5.
It is now Cricket-Thing's turn! Alaryn is next!
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+4: (12)+4: 16
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+4: (13)+4: 17
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+4: (19)+4: 23
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d4+2: (1)+2: 3
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d4+2: (1)+2: 3
GAME: NeverSleepsPool damaged you for 3 points. 43 HP remaining.
There's a whole lotta the buzzing blighters now, making a ridiculous rucket in your heads.
They do sting, though, with their tiny tentacles and lashings. Only Toha and Sargon really are injured at all this go arounbd.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 21.
It is now Alaryn's turn! Cricket-Things Jr is next!
GAME: Alaryn rolls ranged+3: (6)+4+3: 13
GAME: Alaryn rolls 2d6+5: (9)+5: 14
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 18.
It is now Cricket-Things Jr's turn! Toha is next!
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+9: (20)+9: 29
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+9: (9)+9: 18
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 2d6+6: (7)+6: 13
GAME: NeverSleepsPool damaged you for 13 points. 30 HP remaining.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+9: (15)+9: 24
GAME: Toha rolls fort: (10)+5: 15
GAME: Edinaz rolls fort: (8)+5: 13
GAME: Edinaz rolls fort: (15)+5: 20
GAME: Sargon rolls fort: (8)+7: 15
GAME: Alaryn rolls fort: (18)+5: 23
GAME: Lawson rolls fortitude: (20)+7: 27 (CRITICAL SUCCESS)
<OOC> Lawson says, "I think I passed."
So, the horrible tenteacles narrowly grab hold of Sargon, but he's able to escape... bleeding from numerous spikes and spines on each tentacle.
Still, that's not all. It's the inferna lracket coming from its wings rubbing together that itnensifies. It hurts. everyone has blood oozing out of their ears at this point...
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 2d6: (9): 9
GAME: NeverSleepsPool damaged you for 9 points. 21 HP remaining.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 18.
It is now Toha's turn! Lawson is next!
GAME: Toha rolls melee-2: (20)+7+-2: 25 (THREAT)
GAME: Toha rolls melee-2: (7)+7+-2: 12
GAME: Toha rolls melee-2: (16)+7+-2: 21
GAME: Toha rolls 1d4+5: (3)+5: 8
GAME: Toha rolls 1d4+5: (2)+5: 7
The horrid rubbing cacophany resonates along the surfaces of Toha's armor, and further still to something, or perhaps some-things- important inside, as fine rivulets of silver begin to trickle out of her ears and a couple of other places along her head. The Golem, still past pain in her current state, continues to flail savagely away at the noisey cricket.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 9.
It is now Lawson's turn! Sargon is next!
GAME: Lawson rolls weapon1: (14)+8: 22
GAME: Lawson rolls 1d10+4: (8)+4: 12
Knowing his armor is sufficient to ward off the lesser creatures' attacks....Lawson concentrates his attacks on the larger one. His sword breaks through the chitin and into the fleshy organs.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 8.
It is now Sargon's turn! Edinaz is next!
GAME: You spend ONE point of KI POOL. (0 remaining)
GAME: You refresh special ability pools/uses per day.
GAME: You spend ONE point of KI POOL. (3 remaining)
GAME: Sargon rolls 7: (17)+7: 24
GAME: Sargon rolls 7: (9)+7: 16
GAME: Sargon rolls 7: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Sargon rolls 1d8+11: (3)+11: 14
GAME: Sargon rolls 1d8+9: (7)+9: 16
GAME: Sargon rolls 1d8+9: (3)+9: 12
Sargon sways on his feet. Blood oozes from cuts and wounds - and from his ears. It's the last that seems to be costing him his sense of balance. He shakes his head vigorously to try and clear it, but it doesn't seem to help. Finally the Oruch clenches his fists and turns to punch the larger bug, fists smashing into the thorax and head.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 7.
It is now Edinaz's turn! Cricket-Thing is next!
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d20+7: (12)+7: 19
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d20+7: (5)+7: 12
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d8+6: (7)+6: 13
Edinaz keeps fighting, and eventually gets his blades moving properly. One goes sliding off of the carapace, while the other drives in through a gap.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 5.
It is now Cricket-Thing's turn! Alaryn is next!
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+9: (7)+9: 16
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d4: (4): 4
A single lashing series of tentacle strikes try to get hold of Toha this time, though they merely deflect off the golem's armored carapace.
For now. Perhaps it was sensing its weakness.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 21.
It is now Alaryn's turn! Cricket-Things Jr is next!
GAME: Alaryn rolls 1d8+3: (3)+3: 6
Between the blows of her frenzied flailing, the infusion of restorative magic begins to seal the internal ruptures and other damage she'd suffered in the frackas. Toha's next swing is very wide, though the one afterward crunches the giant insects shell with a sound like stomping mud through a thin sheet of ice.
"Hold on!" yells Alaryn to Toha. She reaches into a pouch and comes up with powdered crystal dust. She grips it tightly in one hand and manages to coax the mana stored in each grain forward. Then she takes a breath and steps in towards Toha before pressing her palm to the golem's back... infusing restorative power into the golem, even as she is struck almost as if it were punishment for doing that.
GAME: Alaryn casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 18.
It is now Cricket-Things Jr's turn! Toha is next!
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+4: (11)+4: 15
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+4: (18)+4: 22
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+4: (20)+4: 24
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+4: (6)+4: 10
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d4+1: (2)+1: 3
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5
GAME: NeverSleepsPool damaged you for 5 points. 16 HP remaining.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 18.
It is now Toha's turn! Lawson is next!
GAME: Toha rolls melee-2: (4)+7+-2: 9
GAME: Toha rolls melee-2: (15)+7+-2: 20
GAME: Toha rolls 1d4+5: (4)+5: 9
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 9.
It is now Lawson's turn! Sargon is next!
GAME: Lawson rolls weapon1: (10)+8: 18
GAME: Lawson rolls 1d10+4: (6)+4: 10
Lawson keeps his focus on the big one, even as it's tendrils whip away at him. Eventually, when the 'storm' subsides, Lawson hops forward and, with a loud 'HENH!'....cuts through the exo-skeleton with enough force that the rest of it cracks open....and causes the rest of the 'cricket' to drop to the ground. Lawson simply flicks his blade to the side, despite the bruises he has...and turn towards the rest. His job wasn't done.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 8.
It is now Sargon's turn! Edinaz is next!
GAME: You spend ONE point of KI POOL. (2 remaining)
GAME: Sargon rolls 9: (12)+9: 21
GAME: Sargon rolls 9: (11)+9: 20
GAME: Sargon rolls 9: (20)+9: 29
GAME: Sargon rolls 1d8+9: (6)+9: 15
GAME: Sargon rolls 1d8+5: (2)+5: 7
GAME: Sargon rolls 1d8+5: (1)+5: 6
Sargon weaves between smaller bugs, punching and jabbing. His fists and forearms are drenched in ichor as he punches through cricket after cricket. He still can't hear beyond the ringing in his ears, and he looks around wildly to try and spot the insects before they reach him.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 7.
It is now Edinaz's turn! Cricket-Thing is next!
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d20+7: (16)+7: 23
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d20+7: (5)+7: 12
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d8+6: (7)+6: 13
GAME: Toha ends her rage.
GAME: Edinaz ends his rage.
GAME: NeverSleepsPool removes the timestop.
Timestop by NeverSleepsPool has left.
Edinaz keeps cutting, a little lost in the fight. He swings into the last bug, slicing through it with a decisive splatter.