[RPG] Sword and Sorcery Play-by-Post

Okay, then we are at a consensus. Zataka was tripped and Granberia attempted to snatch the stone (which she could feel by the heat) from Sancireph's cloak. Sancireph had planned for this though and substituted another stone in place of the Veridian Stone of Audamar.

I have an explanation for why Granberia would not be able to tell the difference, which I will supply when I post the update. I will also clarify retconning actions with regard to interacting with locked characters, which will be useful both for PvP scenarios like these and when interacting with locked NPCs (Telivar, Cecette, and Gringham).

So here's my question: Are you guys interested in continuing the fight, or do you wish to allow the dragon and Granberia to escape and move forward with the plot?

Forward, also dont forget my covos with CECETTE i left some boxes fo you to fill in. 😊

Also i tell th old dwarf to watch his back as i fly away. He is a basically a Siegfried. Aka dragon slayer.

I'm with Tamamo, move forward with the story. I'd like to see what she does when discovers her stone is a fake.

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Rule Clarification:

IMPORTANT: Locked Characters and Retroactive Continuity
Up until this point in the game interaction with a locked character has been difficult because players are not allowed to make assumptions about the character. This severely impacts how much a character can actually act as there is no way to anticipate a reaction.

We're going to fix that.

From this point forward players are allowed to make any assumptions they wish against a locked character.
I know what you're thinking. You're saying "CJC, are you out of your mind?!". No, I'm being perfectly sane.

Each player may make an assumption about any character, including a locked character or the character of another player.
Yes, you read that correctly. Here's the twist:

When someone has the key to a locked character (The GM for all locked characters and the owning player for a player character), they may RETROACTIVELY ALTER the continuity of an action against their character (as long as the NEXT UPDATE has not yet been posted).
In other words, consider the following situation:

Avarr: "I stab you in the gut with my awesome axe blades and shove you off the cliff."
Quilni: "You TRY to stab me in the gut, but I jump onto your axe blade and kick you in the face."
Avarr: "You TRY to kick me in the face, but I flick the axe upward and hurl you into the air, subsequently blasting you with a bolt of electricity."
UPDATE: Avarr tries to stab Quilni with his axe, but Quilni jumps on the axe blade and tries to kick Avarr in the face. She is thrown from the weapon though and blasted with electricity, crashing to the ground.

Because this builds on the rules of action tennis, I'm raising the post per update count to 6.

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===========================
Setting Elaboration

Dimension: 3 Types of Energy, 3 Elements, Rules of 3

In the reality in which this game takes place there are three fundamental types of energy:
Wood
Metal
Stone

These three energies mix and permeate the entirety of the reality:

Elements:
Fire is generated by Wood energy
Electricity is generated by Metal energy
Freezing is generated by Stone energy

Humanoids:
Elves are imbued with a concentration of Wood energy
Gnomes are imbued with a concentration of Metal energy
Dwarves are imbued with a concentration of Stone energy

Dragonkin:
Dragontrolls are attuned to Wood
Dragonogres are attuned to Metal
Dragongnolls are attuned to Stone

What is perplexing is when these three energies are mixed in equal portions: they cancel each other out, creating a void. The purpose of void energy and its impact on this reality shall remain a mystery for now, but know that Humans lack a concentration of measurable energy in the dimension and are so imbued with the void.

========================================

(Update to follow)

[MENTION=38704]mrz84[/MENTION] [MENTION=60919]TheDarkOne[/MENTION]
Zataka and Sancireph...
Expecting a comfortable interrogation through bars, you are instead confronted by an ambush. The prisoner CECETTE had escaped prior to your arrival and had her eyes set on the VERIDIAN STONES OF AUDAMAR.
She has a hostage, too, the PRISON WARDEN. It seems she's enchanted him into obeying her.
Before anyone has a chance to react, though, you find you have been flanked by a CURSED SWORDSMAN, some manner of Dragonkin with which you are unfamiliar.

Zataka, she challenges you to a test of skill, with the prize being freedom from the prisons. You accept and begin to enchant your bracers with tree energy to get the drop on her, but you are tired from the battle of ogres and when you blink, she has vanished. She trips you and you fall to the ground.

Sancireph, you feel the hand of this swordsman reaching around in your cloak, but you were prepared for this. The STONE OF AUDAMAR is safely tucked in a secret pocket, no one would be able to find it while you are wearing the cloak. Instead, she pulls away with a RED PEARL you had substituted for the real stone. ...Where did you get that pearl, anyway? You saw something like that when you were in Telivar's mansion, but you can't recall taking it with you.

Zataka and Sancireph, the plundering swordsman takes the stone and slams it into CECETTE'S BOSOM. Before your eyes the prisoner you intended to interrogate transforms into a JADE DRAGON and rips through the walls and ceiling, escaping the mountain.

Sancireph, you ask Evaine what to do now.
"So the stones were a dragon pearl. I can't believe I never knew."
She glances briefly at her soldiers, still stunned by the events that have transpired.
"It's been a long day. You two have earned your rest.

Zataka and Sancireph, Evaine arranges accommodations and you slip into slumber almost immediately. Before you know it, morning roosters cry at the sun.

Sancireph, you notice that your cloak isn't in the same position you left it when you went to sleep. It's upside down. Searching it, you find the pocket has been ransacked.

Sancireph and Zataka, you go to Evaine demanding an explanation. Zataka asks what happened to the stone.
"It's safe."
[Act Medias Res]
Whereabouts of the Stones (Filled)
[indent]~~~~~
No way to keep the stone safe.
~~~~~[/indent]
[/Act Medias Res]
She sighs.
"The city of Audamar thanks you for your services. I think it would be best if you were on your way."
You emerge from the mountain and watch the sun rise over the plains. To the west you can see ships coming and going from a harbor. You could reach it by sunset if you wish. Faster if you hire transportation.
What do you do?

=====

[MENTION=56506]Tamamo[/MENTION]
Granberia, you reflect on the events that led to this altercation in the prisons.
[indent]~~~~~
In Draconic: "That is unfortunate. I'm sorry you had to go through that."
You ask her to tell you a little something about herself."Oh, that story is long and painful. I hate to complain to strangers."
You insist.
"Well, I wasn't fortunate enough to be born in this dimension like you were. I had to re-hatch after traversing a rift. Don't get me wrong, our home dimension is a dump. But the problem with rift hopping is that you can't see your destination. I crawled towards the warmth and emerged from my egg a glorious beacon of jade flame, but unfortunately I crawled out in the treasury of some horrible mountain called Audamar."
She frowns.
"See, the rift I used was crafted by a cabal of magicians trying to gain control of the universe. They expected to obtain ultimate power. Instead, they got me. Of course I was just getting used to my new body and I incinerated one of them. The rest decided they were going to get revenge... or some such nonsense. They pulled me apart, piece by piece, until they ripped my pearl from me."
You shudder at the notion.
"So now I'm doomed to linger around this wretched place, searching for my precious pearl."
You sympathize with her plight and ask if you can help.
"Actually, you can. See, I've been studying this world's magic since they used it to dismember me. I have become a master. But even a magister isn't invulnerable when outnumbered. I tried to take the city with ogres but I was defeated. They're oafish brutes with insufficient coordination to pull off an organized assault. But another of our race... you could help me recover what is mine. You know what to look for."
You say that you both clearly live interesting lives. Then you ask what her plan is to escape.
"Even from a distance I can still control the ogres. It is a simple exertion of LYCAON magic to send them orders; our connection lingers from their creation."
You ask how she went about making the ogres in the first place.
"I drained the essence of the forest to the south to collect Wood energy. This world is rather simple when you dissect it, actually. This I filtered into the bodies of kidnapped gnomes until they were overwhelmed, erupting into ogres."
You ask why such action wouldn't turn them into trolls, since the energy was wood energy. You also ask why they weren't corrupted by her dragon energy.
"Alas, without my pearl I'm no different from any other caster on this rock. As for the formation of the ogres, that I can't explain. I can only figure that the energy was warped within my body as I collected it, since I am a foreigner to this place."
You turn her attention back to the escape.
"Ah, yes, the escape plan. We could leave right now, but as you are aware that warden is a hawk. Instead, we should embrace patience and await the ogres. They will breach the city eventually and when they do we will make our move."
You agree to wait for the opportunity to make your surprise attack.
~~~~~[/indent]
Clearing your mind, you tap the shoulder of the PALADIN standing between you and Cecette and challenge him to a duel.
You use your multiform technique to leave a faint image of yourself in your wake while you move to his backside. Then, you trip him as he casts a wood enchantment on his armor.
Strange, the fight should not have resolved that quickly. Looking him over, you note the fatigue in his limbs and the bags under his eyes. He has not had rest in quite some time.
You sense that he does not have what you seek, though. You can feel heat coming from the ELVEN FIGHTER that was standing next to him. Quickly you reach into his cloak and snatch a spherical object, which you immediately recognize as a Dragon's Pearl.
This you shove into Cecette's bosom, helping her transform back into her natural form. But something is wrong.

She's screaming. You ride her out of the mountain but she will not stop flailing. Up in the sky she thrashes in the moonlight until she throws you from her back.
You're falling towards a desiccated forest. You use bursts of flame to slow your descent but you still crash. You are knocked unconscious by the blow.
A rooster crows in the distance. You realize that it is morning.
"Wrong... wrong pearl."
You can hear Cecette speaking in the distance. She is in pain. You find her sitting in a lake at the end of a trail of blood.
"Wrong... pearl"
Her wings are destroyed and her body has lacerations all over her sides. Some scales are growing to cover the wounds, but they are the wrong color. ...CRIMSON.
"Have to get it out. Have to get him out."
She trails off incoherently, looking off to the west. Before you can approach, she dashes away, cutting a swath through the trees.
What do you do?

[Act Medias Res]
Whereabouts of the Stones
I inquire about the stone that my comrade had and stress that even if you keep both of them here, the city is in shambles after the ogres' attack. What is to stop them from repeating it again until they succeed? Keeping the stones separate until we are sure of why Cecette wants it and what she intends to do once she has them both would be the best option. If she attacked the city and managed to get the stone here, she would have to track us down to get the other. I remain adamant about the safety of the stones above all else as this could escalate into something bigger than the city of Audamar, perhaps even the world's very safety could be at stake.
[/Act Medias Res]

After leaving Audamar, I think of what to do. I remember our comrade sleeping back at the inn and grow concerned for his well-being. I suggest we get transportation to check on him and then decide where to go from there.

(Possible second character introduction)After speaking with Evaine, I mention to Zataka that I met a man at the inn after he had already gone to sleep--I stayed awake a little longer than him. I find the man sitting at a table at the inn and introduce him as Goldleaf. He is a human wizard, about six feet tall, with dark green eyes. long brown hair and a short beard. He wears blue wizard robes with gold trim and carries a quarterstaff. The end of the staff holds a faceted crystal orb, which is transparent and appears to be little more than ornamentation. The nature of his magic is not known to me. I tell Zataka that he wishes to travel with us as his previous companions died in the ogre attack. As we no longer have the benefits of Malichor's magic abilities, having a wizard travel with us could be advantageous.

GOLDLEAF: Chaotic Good Hum Wizard
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Height: 6 ft
Weight: 120 lbs
Equipment: Staff, Ring Of Protection, Amulet (powers not revealed)

It is true that without Malichor we are without someone who can help identify and deal with any magical threats. After a bit of thought Zataka agrees to have Goldleaf accompany them to where ever they decide to go next.

rule clarification.dragonkin and half dragons are different ill go more into it later.

Ii track cecette to telivars mansion.

I rush into the mansion screming.

"keep it down i already removed the damn stone sh i fine but in istress.

I run over to cecette an fall down an embrace her.

"i never ment for any of this to happen. I would never hur you. I... I.. I LOVE YOU CECETETTE"

The room falls errily silent. and finally the old geezer speaks.

"tell me Dragon. Why do you want your stone so bad. Sure it os a part of you. but there is better option. Sur it is forbidden but i have seen much worst magi. you can becom an artificial dragonkin with my help. But i will need a favor and you will be hated by your own kind."

[MENTION=38704]mrz84[/MENTION] [MENTION=60919]TheDarkOne[/MENTION]
Zataka and Sancireph...
You reflect on the argument which preceded your departure from Audamar...
[indent]~~~~~
Zataka asks what happened to the stone.
"It's safe."
Zataka, you warn that the ogres could continue their assault until they are victorious.
"What ogres? There weren't any left after that attack."
Sancireph, you inform her that such was her train of thought the last time they attacked.
"It doesn't matter, the stone is no longer here."
Zataka, you ask where it has gone. Before Evaine can answer, Sanceriph asks why she said stone (singular).
Evaine grows quiet.
"It doesn't matter. The stone is long gone by now."
[Act Medias Res]
One Stone or Two? (Filled)
[indent]~~~~~
If the two are one, why send it away?
~~~~~[/indent]
[/Act Medias Res]
Sancireph demands to know where it went.
"Why, so you can give chase?"
Zataka nods.
"Chase the dragon. I'm sure she knows where it is." She snickers.
Sancireph, you pound your fist on the desk.
"The fact of the matter is that I don't know where it is. It is out of my hands."
[Act Medias Res]
Who took the Stone(s)? (Filled)
[indent]~~~~~
Why risk the world for power?
~~~~~[/indent]
[/Act Medias Res]
Evaine hands off a stack of paperwork to an underling. She looks very tired and you doubt you'll be able to get any more information from her.
She sighs.
"The city of Audamar thanks you for your services. I think it would be best if you were on your way."
~~~~~[/indent]
Still, here you are with the wizard Goldleaf, trying to decide what to do next.

Goldleaf, the ELVEN FIGHTER Sancireph hands you a note from a sheltered box. He claims that he was robbed and this is the only item he has to track the thief. Holding it in your hands your SCRY MAGIC kicks in and you see visions of a warship crossing the ocean. There are claw marks on the port side of the vessel. The vision fades.
You are vaguely familiar with the Audamar area and you suspect the vision was about Seigbert port. It is about a day's walk to the west (5 hours on foot), though you could make the ride in a little under an hour.

Zataka, Sancireph, and Goldleaf
What do you do?

=====

[MENTION=56506]Tamamo[/MENTION]
Granberia...
You follow Cecette to Telivar's mansion, running the scenario in your head about how things will play out: Once she's stopped you can remove the pearl and then the magician whose energy you can feel even from this distance will help you both with the problem at hand.
Unfortunately things rarely play out as you'd expect. You clear the forest and come upon the mansion, where you see Cecette approaching the walls. Squinting your eyes you can make out the faint image of a portly old wizard dressed in blue moons. Blue moons? Really? Who wears blue moon pattern in this day and age? You expect that the two are conversing until you see the tiny man fling fireballs into Cecette's face.
(Telivar is not a dragon mage and--after his brush with Bankraz the Azure Dragon--he isn't taking any chances with the reptilian brood and he certainly won't be making any deals)
He shouts "YEAH! I'm back at full power and I'm not taking any more of your garbage!"
She lets loose a bolt of lightning from her maw, which he deflects with a backhand. The bolt crashes into a neighboring mountain causing an avalanche.
You watch as spiny vines entangle Cecette's feet. A portal of black symbols opens next to her, ripping a wyrmhole (yes, wyrmhole not wormhole) to her left. The wizard rears up a golf stance and--spawning a massive club the size of his mansion--putts the dragon through the wormhole as she breaks from the vines.
"Adios, scaly!" he shouts as she vanishes. Just as quickly as it formed, the wyrmhole snaps shut. The wizard raises his arms in the air in victory and on the ground where Cecette stood a topiary bush of him in a victory pose sprouts. He disappears into his mansion.
Cecette is gone. She's... she's gone.
What do you do?

I raise my sword and slam it down facing the mannsion.

QUDRUPLE GIGA! An the four elements burst forth in a chaotic whirlwind barel keeping itself together that wrecking the mnsion.

TELIVAR!

The hedge wizard stand there white as ghost.

It cannot be the top rankin heavenly knight Granberia.

So you know who i am. Excelent.watch your back im not the only dragonkin who wants you dead. Soon Dragons will flood the sky and Bahamut and Tiamat shall rule their halves of the world. An you ar to blame.

I teleport to dragons grveyrd where wyrmkiller MAJOR ARTIFACT resides.
and also her dads skeleton

Goldleaf: I relate to the fighter and the paladin what my vision revealed. Sancireph says he does not know of this seaport but I have been there in the past. It is the closest seaport so if whatever property was stolen from him is being transported by ship, it would have to be there. The journey could be completed much faster by teleporting. Since I have been there (quite recently, but that's another story), I can cast a teleport spell that will take us there. That is, if my two new companions are willing to hold on to me while I cast the spell, otherwise it will take only me.

Sancireph: I do not know of the seaport Goldleaf mentions, but if his vision was the truth, then that is where the stone must be. I think more on Evaine referring to only the one stone. I had the one and she had the other...oh, no. That can only mean the two have been put together, the very thing the note warned against. This sparks a feeling of dread but I do not know if can trust this wizard enough to tell him of the stones. However, his offer to teleport us to the seaport is acceptable, and I ask Zataka if he is willing to go via the spell or if he would rather walk.

ENTER THE FALLEN

Name Alisia
Race Angel Fallen Valkyrie Class
Weapon +2 holy rapier
alignment LG
Class Ex valkyrie

I fal fromthe sky afte being kicked out of heaven for having relations with a human. I lan in the inn surprising everyone. I mutter the ords love an my wings burn up. i pass out

[Act Medias Res]
One Stone or Two?
I ask Evaine what she meant by stone as I know from the letter that Gringham had (I don't reveal my knowledge of the letter, though
she probably either already knows or doesn't care at this point) that there are two stones that combine into one. If she has already
combined the stones, then I don't see why she sent it away unless she doesn't want to put the city (and herself) in jeopardy if the
stone had a backlash once combined or if it will cause more ogres/dragons to come looking for it.
[/Act Medias Res]

[Act Medias Res]
Who took the Stone(s)?
I inquire who now has the stone. Even if she has it guarded, the stone itself is a threat to those around it, not to mention those who
would do anything to get it (such as the ogres that have attacked the city twice now or even Cecette who covets the stone above all
else it seems and has no qualms with doing anything to get it) Not to mention that it is inevitable that the stone's power will be
unleashed and cause untold damage to even the world itself. Is Evaine really that desperate to risk the world for that kind of power?
I mention that even if she doesn't tell us, we WILL find the stone sooner or later. Her co-operation could mean that countless lives
could be spared from a terrible fate. I have seen first-hand what those who wield power like the stone is said to hold can do. And it
can only ever lead to ruin. I let my warning weigh on her mind.
[/Act Medias Res]

Goldleaf's vision only confirms my worst fears. The stone is whole and Evaine's efforts to move it are merely delaying the inevitable.
I of course agree to the teleportation and once we arrive we must make haste to secure the stone at all costs. The fate of the world
could very well hang on the balance of our success.

Deleted

Deleted

More info on Granberia [MENTION=39330]CJC[/MENTION]

Name: Granberia AKA The Swordswoman of Fire
Race: Dragonkin "Jade Emperor/Human"
Class: Cursed Swordswoman/Heavenly Knight
Alignment: Lawful Evil "Actions have consequences"
Abilities: Self-Proclaimed strongest warrior in the world even her control of flame surpasses her teachers who was the great spirit of fire SALAMANDER 'LOCKED'
Picture: http://pre04.deviantart.net/8f3d/th/pre/i/2013/262/0/b/monster_girl_drawing_challenge__granberia_by_shadowfang42-d6mz47n.jpg

=====

[MENTION=60919]TheDarkOne[/MENTION]
Goldleaf,
Darkspace magic is not your specialty but you figure you can arrange for a wyrmhole for three if they're willing to squat down during the trip. You rip a small hole through the void and toss the two adventurers through one at a time: first the PALADIN and then the FIGHTER. You are the last to dive through the wyrmhole. As you traverse the fold in space you watch a silver dragon spiral around the tube. You have had visions of these beasts from previous trips, but never this close to your spell. Still, you decide it isn't something worth worrying about and you proceed to close the gap, arriving with a tumble in the port city of SIEGBERT.
It is early morning market and there's an elderly woman trying to sell you some dried apple slices. You can see the PORT further to the west, as well as several SHOPS and KIOSKS nearby. The town isn't as big as the gnomish district of AUDAMAR but it's nothing to scoff at.
What do you do?

Sancireph, this new BLUE WIZARD arranges for a teleport to the port city, but the ride is not as smooth as you expected. Zataka goes first, diving into the swirling darkness that the magician summons. You jump next, landing with a roll in the market of the nearby port city. As you arrive, you immediately sense TWO CELESTIAL FORCES; one is coming from the DOCKS and the other seems to be at the INN. The latter is moving away from you.
What do you do?

=====

[MENTION=38704]mrz84[/MENTION]
Zataka,
The conversation with Evaine continues to affirm your dread.
[indent]~~~~~
Zataka asks what happened to the stone.
"It's safe."...
[indent]~~~~~
"It doesn't matter. The stone is long gone by now."
You ask why she said one stone, knowing that she should have two. She cringes.
"Well, it's only one now."
Sancireph bites with rage, shouting 'you combined them?!'
"They were two halves of a dragon's pearl. Unstable. United they'd at least be able to be hidden."
You ask why she would bother sending it away, then.
"The further from here that stone goes, the better. The dragon will pursue. It's therefore best to have a moving target."
She nods, as if convincing herself.
"Yes, it is for the best."
One Stone or Two?[/color]
~~~~~[/indent]
Sancireph demands to know where it went.
"Why, so you can give chase?"...
[indent]~~~~~
"The fact of the matter is that I don't know where it is. It is out of my hands."
You explain your confusion. Why would she join the two stones?
"There is great power in dragon magic. But it didn't... it turned out wrong."
You almost ask her to elaborate, but then you realize what she means.
Evaine hands off a stack of paperwork to an underling. She looks very tired and you doubt you'll be able to get any more information from her.
~~~~~[/indent]
...
She sighs.
"The city of Audamar thanks you for your services. I think it would be best if you were on your way."
~~~~~[/indent]Evaine reunited the stone in the hopes of reviving her murdered cousin. He must have become a monster like that DRAGOON from before, fleeing the city in the night.
...A moving target is right.
You are unsure whether you should tell Sancireph about this, particularly because you are both standing in front of the stranger magician. After all, he might have come to the same conclusion.
You hold on to the revelation... for now.
The BLUE WIZARD opens a portal of darkspace and signals for you to traverse it. It's pretty small, so you make a forward dive into the opening. You land--albeit uncomfortably--in the bazaar of a port town.
You can see the DOCKS to the west. There are also several kiosks and stores around, as well as a bed and breakfast immediately in front of you. Sancireph looks disturbed, as if he has a headache from the teleport. The BLUE WIZARD also arrives but is accosted by a saleswoman with apples.
What do you do?

=====

[MENTION=56506]Tamamo[/MENTION]
Granberia,
You decide you are going to intimidate the wizard, so you attempt to demonstrate a show of force by summoning elemental chaos. Whenever you strive to summon your magical energy you retire to the dragon graveyard in your mind. It is this dark dimension that grants you your power.
Unfortunately you have very little control over the void which constitutes the mixture of three elements and it causes you to stumble. You curse yourself for not sticking to fire, you know you have a good handle of that one and when it comes to a show of force it's best to stick to your strengths.
When you look up, you expect the wizard to be standing on the ramparts shaking with fear. But he is not. Instead, you go to the door of the mansion and find a note pinned to the door. "Gone peach pickin'." ...What?
You can see his tracks leading to the forest where you had recently regained consciousness. You tail him, hoping to get the drop on him.
TELIVAR is holding a single peach pit between his middle and index fingers. He forcefully strikes out with his arm, first north, then south, then east, and finally west. Throwing the peach pit up into the air it explodes, creating a hurricane of colorful wind.
The breeze lifts you off the ground but it doesn't seem to be carrying you. Instead, as the flow of the air makes contact with the dead trees of the forest they spring to life, forming peach trees in full bloom (in the dead of winter?).
When the squall subsides Telivar plucks a single peach and takes a bite, smiling. He turns to you.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I didn't see you there. Would you care for a peach?"
He plucks another and holds it out for you. He doesn't appear to be intimidated by you at all, and he's not reacting to your draconic state in the slightest.
Are you sure you really want to cross steel with this guy? He just revitalized a dead forest because he wanted a snack. He also defeated Cecette without a second thought, and despite your aversion to admit such you know that she was more powerful than you.
What do you do?

Alisia,
For many years you watched through tears in reality as a mortal went about his work. He was a strange young man, always growing miniatures of fruit-bearing trees. He seemed to be some sort of fermentologist, using the pungent odor of fallen fruit to bring others joy.
As you watched this mortal shred the fabric of reality with his magic you began to respect his practice and--over time--you developed feelings for this strange young man. Since such was not acceptable for a valkyrie you turned away from this man; you blinded your gauge and watched him no more.
Eventually the tears dried up. He had moved on to other matters and his magic no longer tickled at the boundary between your worlds. You began to feel a longing for him; you had felt a great connection and you allowed it to slip through your fingers. You decided the next time a tear opened to that world you would traverse it and go in search of the young wizard. It took some time but you eventually saw your opening. A new tear, hovering over a tavern full of happy people. Could the young wizard be there? You leap through the tear hoping to face him at last, to make him see YOU. You were not prepared for the consequences of your action, however.
As you pass though the tear a terrible flame tears at your body, incinerating your wings. You fall, the defining characteristics of your body being sheared away until you are not but a spike of stone shrouded in light. You pierce through the roof of a building, striking a young barmaid in the head. The two of you are embraced in light and for a moment you become a single being while your consciousnesses sort out who is in charge of what.
You are immediately made aware of the woman's name: Navine. She is a barmaid in the town of Siegbert who has secretly been practicing witchcraft. She seeks the affection of a young magister student named TOMA who comes to the region every now and then. You feel a connection with this host, another observer paralyzed by fear of rejection but carrying a flame for love out of reach. You decide to help her; together the two of you can combine your power and conquer your fears.
But you feel another presence: a similar shard of reality that has fallen into this women. This too immediately reveals its identity: it is a demon named Lilith that has bonded with this body in search of revenge. Lilith quickly regains her sense and guards her consciousness, preventing you further access. You decide such is the best action for you as well, locking her out.
A throbbing sensation pulses in the head of NAVINE: there are other celestial presences nearby. One is in the MARKETPLACE while another is emanating from the DOCKS.
What do you do?
(I went in a different direction with Alisia, since this dimension doesn't have angels or succubi or mystic wards... outside the rudimentary paper magic wards which Cecette employed [a relatively new discovery owed its origin from MALICHOR the paper magician's magister's thesis]. This will also allow you more ready access to the other players since this character seems less antagonistic than Granberia)

=====

[MENTION=38528]SUCCESSOR[/MENTION]
Reven,
You awaken on the cold ground of the forest as a layer of moss sprouts beneath your back. How did you come to be unconscious? Your head is throbbing and all of your joints ache... it's almost as if you accidentally exposed yourself to Texia's toxins. Was the SVARK contaminated? Tainted ogreboar meat could have caused such a symptom if magic were involved. There is something odd about this forest.
As you rouse, vision blurred, you notice that the trees around you are now in bloom. They bear the sweet fruit of summer peaches. How long were you out? No, there's still ice on the edge of the lake in the distance. Peach blooms in the dead of winter? It must be that hedge wizard again.
From the still waters of the pond you see the faint rise of bubbles. Out of the darkness a gnarled root emerges, twitching. It continues to grow, surrounded by a dervish of dead leaves which spontaneously return to life. Eventually it takes the form of a woman.
You have seen this before. Thinking back you recall that such a creature is called a DRYAD, and it forms in places where nature has been grossly ravaged by magic. You cannot remember if such creatures are hostile, but you can be certain there will be more than one.
What do you do?

=====

[MENTION=39056]bigjoe[/MENTION]
Jerias,
You have been running all night. You can feel the pull of another pearl on the move. Atticas directed you to it; he warns that it belongs to one of the BIG FISH and that it is to the west. Far, far to the west.
An ocean is in your path, though. There are ships nearby, and you catch the scent of that PALADIN and FIGHTER from before. You're not sure what happened to the RANGER, though... when Atticas told you to move, you completely forgot about him.
Atticas directs you past a clothesline so that you may don a robe to conceal your features. You will be able to move about the town as long as you do not have any direct interaction with strangers.
The DOCKS are your goal. You wonder if there is a boat you might be able to stow aboard in your pursuit. Or perhaps those two from the mansion will help you. They certainly know how dire the big fish will be when they arrive, right?
What do you do?

=====

[MENTION=38796]Xyvol[/MENTION]
Malichor,
You awaken in a daze in the gnomish inn, a MATH WIZARD standing at your bedside investigating you intently.
"What have you been poking around in, friend?" he asks, trying to assess the source of your malady.
You suddenly realize what is happening. You cast a rune of dispel on the pollen in the FILTHY RABBIT TAVERN two nights ago (Yep, a year of play time translated to two nights of game time).
The pollen must have nestled in your sinus and your counterspell is attacking your connection to magic. There must be some way to purge this awful irritant from your body.
What will you do?

Deleted

Goldleaf: Such spells as the one I just cast always leave me feeling hungry. I question the gnomish woman as to the price of her apple slices. "For you, sir mage, a copper for two slices." This seems a reasonable price and I buy six slices. As I eat, I feel some rejuvenation. Darkspace magic is always so draining on a wizard...perhaps that is why there a few practitioners of it. I notice the expression on Sancireph's face...something is not right. Did his eyes glow like that before? There is more to him than he lets on...he is no mere half-elf. (OOC, Goldleaf knows nothing of assimar)

Sancireph: I focus in on the nearer of the two celestial presences, the one from the nearby inn. There is something odd about this one, as though it were not a single being but rather more than one entity creating the presence. I also sense something infernal in this presence, and shift my focus away, as the infernal energy causes me pain. The two celestial presences are awakening my assimar side.--my eyes are starting to emit a golden glow. I focus instead on the presence on the docks, trying to discover if this celestial might have something to do with the pearl.

Granberia
I smile. That was quite the display of magic. You must be a powerful wizard. Although if you get in my way again it might cost you your life. I tell him. That dragon will die eventually, but not until I seize it's fabulous hoard of treasure. See you around wizard.
I walk off to the northwest heading towards...

GM Text Here.

Alisia
I head to the docks and notice a paladins holy aura. I approach him. [MENTION=38704]mrz84[/MENTION]

[MENTION=39330]CJC[/MENTION] I will PM you later today about Granberia and Alisia and tthe goals and personalities. You made assumptions that are not true.

I inquire on the what my comrades wish to do before we depart for the docks. We should make sure that we have everything we need before we board the boat as we could be at sea for some time. I suggest we quickly gather what we need and make haste for the boat. I seek out whatever provisions and whatnot that 1~3 people would need at sea for a voyage. I also purchase backpacks/whatever to carry them in. Once I confirm I have all we need, I locate my allies and depart for the boat.

=====

[MENTION=60919]TheDarkOne[/MENTION]
Goldleaf,
While you recover from the draining effects of the darkspace spell you stare at Sancireph, whose eyes are faintly glowing gold. It looks like he's casting some sort of spell, but you can't discern which school it's from (It's definitely not SCRY magic, which is your specialty. Could it be some kind of Phantom spell?). You follow him to the docks, where he begins a conversation with some high-seas PIRATE CAPTAIN.
It seems like he's trying to arrange transport for the three of you. You wonder why he doesn't ask for another teleport, but then consider that perhaps a trans-oceanic wyrmhole would be beyond your prowess. Instead you close your eyes and focus on the box, plying scry magic to see if the vision has changed. It appears to be the same ship, but the thing is in much worse shape than the last time you saw it. Ruined by cannon blast, it seems. Claw marks are more severe; whatever you are tracking has made its home in this place. There are other damaged ships nearby and you see evidence of a coral reef. Is it some kind of pirate graveyard? As you try to catch a closer glimpse, a vision of some ANGELIC FIGURE interrupts your spell. There's a woman behind you. From her clothes you discern she is a BAR MAID. She seems to be speaking to that Paladin... what was his name? Zataka? Yeah, that's the one.
What do you do?

Sancireph,
As you make your way to the dock you come to recognize the form of the celestial energy drawing you in. Unfortunately it is not the pearl. Rather, it is a pirate: a human woman with bright red hair and a dark sun-worn complexion. You catch a brief glimpse of her eyes, which flash gold as you approach, before they revert to their normal green. She seemed just as pained by your approach as you were by the presence in the inn. It's odd, though... you haven't encountered any other Aasimar since you started this journey and it is bizarre one would pick a profession as debaucherous as piracy.
"Can I help you? We're busy stocking up for an archaeological expedition." She says. She's lying.
You ask if you can commission her ship.
"Do I look like a chauffeur? I'm already on business for a very important client."
She taps her pockets playfully. It looks like she expects some sort of bribe.
What do you do?

=====

[MENTION=56506]Tamamo[/MENTION]
Granberia,
As you walk away, you pause. You ask where he sent the dragon anyway.
"Let's just say, with her destroyed wings it would be a long walk to get back here."
You ask about the pearl in her chest.
"The what now?"
The pearl, the pearl!
"What pearl?"
The pearl in her chest! That flaming red thing that was pulsing in her bosom when she attacked the mansion.
"Huh, that sounds like those orbs in the aviary. Come to think of it, I DID notice one was missing earlier. They're dragon things?"
You scoff. Of course they're dragon things.
"Those were trophies my dad made. Geez, that was a long time ago. I don't know what they're for, but I guess I should get rid of the rest if they attract dragons."
You pause at this statement. Hmm... if the pearl in her chest was attracting her to the others in the mansion, perhaps those two are fragmented pieces of a single pearl as the Veridian stones of Audamar were pieces of Cecette's pearl. If she's mutating into another dragon, you could use the remaining two fragments as bait to draw her out. You redirect to Telivar's mansion to help yourself to the remaining two stones, but pause once more before leaving.
"I know what you want to know. Which way did she go. Well, here's a hint: wrymholes preserve direction, they only ever remove or introduce space between two points."
AHA! He must have sent her to the west! You can see a port city in the distance, he may have sent her across the ocean.
You ask if he'll assist you in the pursuit and capture of the dragon.
"Are you nuts? Why do you think I sent it away? I don't want anything to do with that thing."
You tell him if he will not come willingly he will come as your prisoner.
"Cute." He snickers.
You, however, are not amused. Razing several trees for fuel you prepare an intense burst of flames and engulf him. He vanishes in a dervish of ash, disintegrated by your attack. But something's... off. You don't smell any burnt flesh. Instead, the refreshing scent of PUMPKIN PIE wafts through the air. On the ground where he stood you see a pair of lilies which look like eyes, and a blood red rose which looks like a tongue sticking out at you. Drat, you've heard of this before: damn HEDGE WIZARD MAGISTERS know how to grow copies of themselves. Oh well, it was still fun incinerating him.
You make your way back to Telivar's mansion and enter the front door. Descending the stairs you follow a pair of parrots into an AVIARY, where you see two unclaimed red stones matching the one you placed within CECETTE. These you plunder before departing to the west.
...
You make good time, despite the distance. You know how to draw energy from the world around you, so you use the wild wood powers of the fields to give you the speed of flame. Within an hour you arrive at the port town of SIEGBERT.
The market is bustling but they give you a wide berth as you walk. They see your draconic features and assume you must be some form of dragoon, corrupted by the touch of your prey. Bah! Dragoons are toddlers with toothpicks compared to you!
There's an inn nearby, the only building with any real architectural integrity in the port. The rest seem particularly sheep-shack, positioned on piers to protect their foundations from floods as the tide comes in and out. The docks are also visible from here: there are three ships in port at the moment.
You'll need a means of crossing the sea.
What do you do?

Alisia,
You feel the familiar warmth of heavenly light, and through Navine's eyes you can see that it is the pulsing aura of a PALADIN. More specifically you sense that he is a traveler just as you. How is it he was able to touch this dimension without distortion? Your attention is drawn to the AMULET around his neck; it is radiating a particularly potent form of energy which is enshrouding him in a pocket of his own dimension's physics. What a potent artifact! What gives it the strength to defy this reality so consistently? Turning your focus more intently on the device you can see that it is throbbing in pain. While it is desperate to protect him, extended exposure is causing IT to warp to this world's laws. It is also twisted in the folds of several other dimensions. The object appears to be maintaining its integrity by keeping a connection open between walking realities: ...this man is a walking tear!
You notice that you've forced Navine to stare at this man impolitely for several minutes. He appears to have noticed as well. He asks if he can help you.
Instinctually Navine asks where he got the amulet, as she has fixated on it by your command. You eagerly await his reply.
If he can maintain a consistent tear, perhaps he can assist you in the acquisition of your old form, or the separation of that despicable Lilith from this poor witch's body. Just being near him fills you with the familiar warmth of celestial light.
What will you do?

=====

[MENTION=38704]mrz84[/MENTION]
Zataka,
You procure three barrels of fresh water and six of salt-packed meats, which should be sufficient rations for three for a trip across the ocean. These you place in a man-drawn cart which you pull to the dock. Normally it would be a two-person job, but, well, you're a paladin and you have tremendous strength. You also set up nine sets of traveler rations which you can distribute among your companions, ensuring the barrels need not be opened unless the trip goes long.
You find Goldleaf and Sancireph at the docks. Goldleaf seems to be in some manner of trance, and Sancireph appears to be making arrangements for travel with a SHIP CAPTAIN (she's giving him the salesman shuffle, actually).
Suddenly, you notice that a woman is staring at you. She appears to be some kind of BARMAID, perhaps from the inn in town. You wonder if perhaps you dropped something.
"Tell me, where did you get that amulet?" she asks.
What do you do?

I explain it was a gift from wife before I left on a journey (I leave out that it was blessed by the gods of my world to protect me on my journey, as well as allow me to travel across time and space, at least I leave it out for the time being). While curious as to why a random stranger is interested in my pendant, I remain on guard and remain protective of my pendant. Without it I would be unable to ever return to my own world. And that is a fate I would find unacceptable above all else.

Granberia
I take a big whiff, and a scrowl washes over my face. I smell you Paladin. I follow the scent and attempt to kick [MENTION=38704]mrz84[/MENTION] in the butt. I cross my arms and glare at him. Do you realize what you have done. By giving me the wrong stone which caused me to put the wrong pearl inside CECETTE you have unleashed a terrible monster upon us all warrior. In fact I'm lucky to be alive. That dragon is feared even amung other Crimson dragons, he is nothing less then a Serial Killer. I already spoke with TELIVAR and he gave me these two CRIMSON PEARLS we can use them to attract him. Then we will kill him and reap the rewards. I will also be taking the VERIDIAN STONE off your hand at the end of this journey.

Keep reading Zataka

Alisia
I close my eyes and open an form a telepathic link with the DemonLady inside the BAR MAID.

"I want to make a deal with you. Lilith"

"You don't say Fallen One! I Am all about deals! Name your request, the price is only eternal damnation! Your already half way there anyways!"

"What if If I became your conduit, and you set this woman free. Just don't expect me to sleep with anyone."

"Hmm... an interesting exchange, I'll get back to you later. Let me sleep on it for a day or two."

"Very well."

I seal myself off my Lilith once more. and form a telepathic link with the Paladin. Follow me must discuss something about that bar maid. You sense a CELESTIAL aura from here.

I walk off stopping to look down at my Holy Rapier and grimace.

"It's already starting to burn my thigh, am I making the wrong choice here?" I think to my self.

What do you do Zataka

Hesitant to listen to the voice, I follow. If only to hear what is said.

[MENTION=38704]mrz84[/MENTION]

As we walk I send the Paladin another telepathic message.

"At ease Zataka, I watched you from the heavens for a long time. If my fall from grace bothers you, don't worry. I seek atonement. Which is also part of the reason I need to speak with you."

I stop and turn around and start speaking.

"She's a witch, and a powerful demon has entranced her with beauty and power. Her name is Lilith, I believe she may be of the Demonlord class but I am not sure. I mainly crossed my blade with devils.

I have a plan to set her free from her damnation. But the price is high or so Lilith thinks I say with a smile as I pull out a scroll.

This is a high level banishment spell. If casted at the right time we can send her back from which she came but she must cross from one person to the next less we kill the host. I already spoke to Lilith and offered myself as a more appropriate host. Currently my mind is sealed off from here so she does not know I'm having this conversation. I shall teach you the same skill."

I put my index finger on your forehead and holy energy envelops you.

All done. It works like a barrier of sorts that prevents specified individuals from sensing are presence as well as access to your mind. Also, be sure you keep that amulet safe and out of her reach. There's power in it. I can sense it myself.

"Also about the Dragonkin what she says is neither truth nor lie but a bit both. Yes a great monster has been unleashed. But he is not at full power. She plans to give him the other two stones I believe. Unlike most dragons, ARSONIUS was split in three. His body, mind, and spirit severed and forced into three pearls. The amount of malice coming from those stones rivals the Orcus himself. They should of been destroyed generations ago. Why they still exist is a great danger to history it self.

I take it your going after her?

In that case I shall assist you. It'll be a few days before I hear back from Lilith anyways, and I still need to come up with a back up plan in case she manages to set herself free while I'm gone.

What do you say? Got room for one more on your boat? And don't worry about the rations, I got you covered."

*smiles*

Goldleaf:
Ignoring the paladin and barmaid for now, I listen in on the conversation between the pirate captain and Sancireph. He wants to purchase passage for the three of us, but it seems that she wants more than mere gold. I don't know Sancireph's financial situation but I have something that may interest the woman. An enchanted short sword that I picked up in my travels. I am not skilled in the use of such a weapon, but I thought to sell it. I move closer to the woman and show her the sword, asking if she will accept that in exchange for our passage. Her eyes linger on the weapon--whether or not she can sense its enchantment I am not certain, but she can clearly see the craftsmanship. She appears to be considering the offer but I sense she might be trying to decide if she should ask for more. Sancireph glances at the weapon also, but seems indifferent He probably senses the enchantment but prefers his own blades. Before the woman gives us an answer, I see the flash of gold in Sancireph's eyes again and he swiftly turns around, his gaze fixed on the barmaid with Zataka. What is it about her? Attractive she may be, but his interest in her seems to have nothing to do with that.

Sancireph:
I negotiate with the woman but she laughs off any offer of gold I make. I have offered he the highest amount I can afford and it is still not enough. I begin to think we may have to find another ship but then Goldleaf offers her a well-made short sword. It seems also to be enchanted, and if this woman is a fellow assimar she must know it, also. Before any further negotations can be made, I sense the other presence from before and whirl around. It seems to be coming from Zataka's direction...or more specifically, the bar maid he is speaking with. There is definitely a celestial presence in her, but something else as well. I don't know yet what she is, but aasimar she is not.

[MENTION=60919]TheDarkOne[/MENTION]

All of the sudden a familiar face of Dragankin you saw back at the Dwarven Outpot turns towards you with a smirk.

"Well looks whose here. If it ain't the warrior you sure are hot on the Dragon's tail. I was rude before and didn't properly introduce myself. I am Granberia, Swordswoman of Fire."

She eyes your Oriental Blades, as if she is reminiscing of her past.

"Interesting blades, not everyday do I see those; but even more interesting are those eyes of yours. I don't see many elves with golden eyes like myself. Very interesting indeed. I must thank you for the red stone btw. You've made my job much easier. Take care of yourself elf, see you on the ship"

Granberia teleports out of sight.

What do you do Sacrieph?