<span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">~ ~ ~ flashback to a few minutes ago ~ ~ ~</span></span><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Alyssa wrote:</cite>If Chrrou consents, she walks to his side and clicks the taps one foot, then the other. "Aspire," she states, and the soles of her boots shimmer as she rises slowly into the air, one hand on Chrrou's scaly flank to steady herself. Once she reaches the level of Chrrou's back, a second command, "Suspend," halts her ascent. From there, she pulls herself over Chrrou's back and finds a relatively comfortable spot between two vertebral ridges.<br/><br/>"Decline." Alyssa delivers the final instruction, lowering herself into the impromptu "saddle" as the shimmer fades from her boots. ~I should be able to hold on if you have to move quickly,~ she tells Chrrou.</div></blockquote>"Ha!" says Jess to Yuki. "She's got float boots just like yours."<br/><br/>"..." no comment from Yuki.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Mindrillia wrote:</cite>A soft rush of air is heard as Mindy's cloak flaps about a little. The telepath smiled a bit at the added spring to her step, looked over to Soma, Yuki and Jess. <span style="font-style: italic">~Come to think of it, do you three have anyway to keep up with them?~</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~If you'd like, I could walk with your group to the arena. Then, if the others find Sashi, or run into trouble, I can dimension door us to their location immediately. Does that sound good?~</span></div></blockquote><span style="font-style: italic">~No, that's ok.~</span>says Jess.<span style="font-style: italic">~We'll ride Soma.~</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~...~</span>Soma blinks; evidently this is news to her.<span style="font-style: italic">~Uh, no?~</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~Come on... :3~</span>prods Jess with a grin.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~Puppy, we've been over this. That body takes a lot of energy to create and maintain.~</span>the egoist frowns.<span style="font-style: italic">~I only use it when it's important.~</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~This <span style="text-decoration: underline">is</span> important!~</span>insists Jess, and her tail sets to wagging.<span style="font-style: italic">~We have to make a big entrance, and what better way than riding on a dragon? It'll be awesome!~</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~It sure would beat walking...~</span>adds Yuki with a wry half-smile.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~Don't <span style="font-weight: bold">you</span> start now.~</span>Soma crosses her arms over her chest.<span style="font-style: italic">~You know that I only have a finite amount of energy. Giving you two a lift, awesome or not, would mean less time I could spend later as a dragon, when we might really need it.~</span><br/>She turns to Mindy.<span style="font-style: italic">~That's a good idea. We'll walk behind with you, and meet up with the others.~</span><br/><br/>"No fair." says Jess out loud. She pouts playfully at Alyssa. "<span style="font-style: italic">She</span>gets to ride a big lizard..."<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">{{assuming that Geno, not being the riding type, opts to walk along with the slow group:}}</span><br/>Sen, who up until now has been silent except for the occasional nod to acknowledge the others' ideas, finally speaks.<br/>"I-I'll walk with you, Geno." he says, as he falls into step alongside his larger friend.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>The party embarks, with Chrrou's nose leading the way. The slower group (Mindy, Sen and Geno, plus the NPCs) soon falls behind and loses sight of the other, though through the mindlink they are kept updated about the destination.<br/><br/><br/>Nocke tries to keep up with Chrrou, but soon finds that he too is falling behind<span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">[speed 80 vs speed 120+]</span>. He opts to circle back and join the slower group, alighting upon Mindy's blonde head and peeping a greeting to her.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">~ ~ ~ Some time passes, Chrrou finds the spot of Sashi's ambush, and tracks it north ~ ~ ~ </span></span><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Irthos wrote:</cite>The path Sashi and her companion traveled was once one of Armel's famous gardens, though the the only things growing here today are the many-colored tents of the numerous mercenaries and and criminal groups that the Free Kingdom seems to attract. the trail disappears down a side path, into a statuary-turned-storage-lot-turned-midden. The scent of blood is thick here, along with a newcomer whose race Chrrou can't quite place: a powerful, dank smell that brings to mind deep caverns and slimy, many-limbed things. The newcomer's smell mingle with, then replaces Sashi's as it and the human continue down the side path and circle back to the main road.<br/><br/>As the group enters the market square, a miasma of new and interesting (if not necessarily pleasant) smells assault the more keen-nosed trackers: the combined odor of hundreds of predators, prey, vendors, spices, and other things best left unconsidered. Even the minutes-old trail of Sashi's captors is difficult to track through the commercial fetor.</div></blockquote><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">~The market...~</span>says Jess when she hears that that is where the scent trail has led Chrrou.<span style="font-style: italic">~That's bad news...~</span><br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">~ ~ ~ the present ~ ~ ~</span></span><br/><br/>The scent of Sashi's captor goes from an isolated line, to one odor among a soup of others.<br/>{{the air of the marketplace resembles an olfactory version of a<a class="postlink" href="http://comoncentsclothing.com/art/kadinsky%201.jpg">kadinsky</a>painting}}<br/><br/>Yet the raptor-shaped druid, while forced to slow, does not lose his quarry. He presses onward, his fleet-footed allies (Auralia, Rihyan, Heshaar and Takal) following close behind.<br/><br/><br/><br/>There is no shortage of things to look at here in Armel Square. Even moreso than it had been the previous night, the market is throbbing with activity: merchants peddling every manner of wares (many of which would be illegal in the Pact Nation); visitors from lands near and far; tattooed cultists gathered in a chanting-circle doing who-knows-what; and, yes, slaves. Slaves by the dozen, some caged, others merely restrained by a leash or the threat of punishment; some fairly well-dressed and well-treated, only identifiable by the collar--others looking half-dead.<br/>To Auralia...the culture of bondage and cruelty is alien, to the point of being surreal. Why...why are these mortals treating each other this way?<br/>To Chrrou, the town square is an embodiment of urban civilization at its worst: ever-consuming, producing nothing.<br/>To Takal, likewise, the crowd is emblematic of a fallen people, so wrapped up in vice and desire that they have lost all sight of the higher truths.<br/>To Rihyan the culture is nothing new; it is all-too-familiar. Jinnai would have felt perfectly at home here.<br/><br/><br/>They do not yet see any sign of Sashi. Understandable, since Chrrou noted that her scent was muffled. Wherever she is, she is likely inside something--or some<span style="text-decoration: underline">one</span>.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>The crowd contains many large preds who look as unfriendly as they do hungry...but none of them get in Chrrou or Heshaar's way.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>Takal, on the other hand, as an unarmed and unarmored human, draws many more hungry eyes than the others.<br/><br/>"Hey, wheh' you goin' in such a hurry?" croaks an 11-foot, grey-skinned ogre with a taste for human flesh.<br/>The giant reaches out a huge hand to snag Takal as he hustles past.<br/><span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">[ogre grapple touch @ Takal: 1d20(5)+14 = 19; touch AC = 25; miss]</span><br/>The monk sees the hand coming a mile away, and easily avoids it.<br/><br/>The would-be maneater pivots and tries again, reaching with both hands this time.<br/><span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">[ogre AoO(leaving threatened area) grapple touch: 1d20(9)+14 = 23; touch AC = 25; miss]</span><br/>But trying to grab this robed human is like trying to grab smoke. The giant's thick fingers close around empty air, and before his slow mind can even register what has happened Takal is already a dozen yards away.<br/>"Hrrghh...." says the ogre grumpily. He doesn't try to pursue.<br/><br/><span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">{{I assume that Takal continues on after avoiding the ogre. If, alternatively, he'd rather stop and get into a random streetfight, then ignore that last bit and roll initiative.}}</span><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>Following the scent trail takes Chrrou and company across the crowded plaza, to the massive multi-story stone structure that occupies most of the northern side of the square. Common sense dictates that this is the Sogluyem Arena, and aerial observations (if the flyers decide to swing above and look down) confirms this: at the center of the structure is a circular pit, 100 feet in diameter, surrounded by rows of benches for spectators.<br/><br/>The primary entrance from the plaza is a wide and elaborate archway crafted (like the rest of the monolithic structure) from seamless stone that bears no sign of mortar or chisel. The scent trail leads up to this archway.<br/><br/><br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">{{About Kahmori: to account for Kitts' absence, I've decided to slightly retcon the events of the previous night. While Kahmori is sympathetic to the PCs and their quest, he still thinks of himself as mostly a solo agent (as he had been for the days leading up to the present). So when the party returned to the suite last night, Kahmori decided to go his own way and attend to some 'personal business' in town. Chrrou perhaps nagged about the danger of splitting up, but the kitsune would have none of it, and he slipped off while promising the meet up with the others in town the next day.}}</div></div></div><br/><br/><span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">[Spot check to notice the following: DC 10]</span><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">&lt;&lt;By the wall of the Sogluyem Arena, 30 feet from the entrance archway&gt;&gt;</span></span><br/>"You're <span style="font-weight: bold">not</span> getting away this time, fox." snarls Narsc as he grinds the kitsune's face into the cobblestones with his hand and drives his knee (which has a steel spike strapped to it) into his back.<br/><span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">[Narsc pin: 1d20(12)+19 = 31; Kahmori is <a class="postlink" href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#pinned">pinned</a> unless he beats DC 31]<br/>[Narsc armor spikes damage: 1d20(20)+15 = 35; threaten critical]<br/>[Narsc armor spikes confirm crit: 1d20(15)+15 = 30; Kahmori takes 20 points of piercing damage unless he beats DC 30. If successful he takes only 10 damage]</span><br/><br/>"Yeah." says Buso. "We know <span style="font-weight: bold">all</span> your tricks now. And your big friends aren't around to get in the way. It's just you--" he pauses to kick the kitsune.<br/><span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">[Buso unarmed strike: 1d20(14)+12 = 26; no damage]</span><br/>"--and us--" he kicks again, aiming for exposed areas held immoble by his ally.<br/><span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">[Buso unarmed strike: 1d20(5)+12 = 17; no damage]</span><br/>"--and some revenge."<br/><span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">[Buso unarmed strike: 1d20(8)+7 = 15; no damage]</span><br/><br/>While her two male allies pound away at their prone quarry, Relm the skunkfolk stands five feet back, arms-akimbo, content merely to watch without comment.<br/><br/>Buso: <div class="inline-attachment">
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<dt><a href="./download/file.php?id=57389&amp;mode=view"><img alt="Buso.jpg" src="./download/file.php?id=57389&amp;t=1" title="Buso.jpg (68.95 KiB) Viewed 439 times"/></a></dt>
<dd> Image stolen from aricat of DA</dd>
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</div><br/>Relm: <div class="inline-attachment">
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<dt><a href="./download/file.php?id=57388&amp;mode=view"><img alt="Relm.jpg" src="./download/file.php?id=57388&amp;t=1" title="Relm.jpg (92.76 KiB) Viewed 439 times"/></a></dt>
<dd> Image stolen from aricat of DA</dd>
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</div><br/>Narsc (mentally subtract the mace and add several pounds of metal piercings, jewerly, spikes, and chains both decorative and functional): <div class="inline-attachment">
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<dt><a href="./download/file.php?id=57390&amp;mode=view"><img alt="Narsc.jpg" src="./download/file.php?id=57390&amp;t=1" title="Narsc.jpg (180.22 KiB) Viewed 441 times"/></a></dt>
<dd> Image stolen from 4th edition D&amp;D</dd>
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</div></div></div></div><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>The scent trail of Sashi's captor continues through the entrance archway into the arena's lobby.<span style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 116%;">{{to be described and mapped in next post}}</span><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">&lt;&lt;Hypogeum level B3&gt;&gt;</span></span><br/>As they navigate the subterranean catwalks beneath the naga's arena, Sashi and Ciro are not alone. Creatures large and small are imprisoned in the dim cages to either side and below them. Many of the occupants are still and silent, either asleep or just timid from their owner's abuse.<br/><br/>Others, however, are quite energetic. And<span style="font-style: italic">hungry</span>.<br/><br/>One of the largest cages contains five serpentine creatures, each with a maw large enough to take a human-sized meal down while barely stretching.<br/><br/>As Sashi and Ciro round a corner and come into sight, these creatures raise from their slumber and observe them with obvious interest. When the pair passes adjacent to the cage the monsters launch themselves against the wall, bludgeoning and clacking their slobbery fangs against the metal bars. Looking closer, Sashi sees that the five creatures are actually a single beast with five heads.<br/><br/>Fortunately, the cage is of sturdy construction and the ravenous mouths are unable to reach their desired prey. Sashi and Ciro are able to pass by without incident, while the noise of the creature's efforts is lost amid the general din of the hypogeum.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>(the following is optional filler-reading)<br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">&lt;&lt;In the Jolly Barbazu main hall&gt;&gt;</span></span><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Alyssa wrote:</cite>"Oh... thank you," Alyssa says to the well-dressed feline, her eyes lingering for a moment on his own before she drags her attention away. The rooms suddenly seems a good deal warmer for some reason...</div></blockquote>As soon as Alyssa and her party have moved to the door and out of sight, Vic the neko drops his non-chalant act and smiles stupidly from ear-to-ear.<br/>"Did you...did you see the look on her face! Ha<span style="font-style: italic">ha</span>! Hahaha!" he laughs in a less-than-suave voice, "She totally dug me!"<br/>He does a little dance in place on his stool, tail swishing excitedly. "<span style="font-style: italic">Who's sexy? Who's sexy? I'm sexy. Aw yeah!</span>" <br/><br/>The neko's juvenile display is enough to make even the stone-faced erinyes smile briefly.<br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Yes."</span> shi nods. <span style="font-weight: bold">"As per the contract."</span><br/><br/><br/>Just then Vic remembers the other perks of the deal. He balls his fists, scrunches up his face, and makes a noise of effortful concentration.<br/><br/>When he opens his eyes, he is still sitting at the bar.  "Er..."<br/>"Hey...you said I'd be able to do the flash thing now, like you guys. How does that work? I've got people I want to pay a visit to."<br/><br/><br/>The androgyne shakes hir head. <span style="font-weight: bold">"You will be granted the remainder of your <span style="font-style: italic">zŭn-yēţön</span> once you have paid in full. As per the contract."</span><br/><br/><br/>"I...huh?" says Vic, his excitement suddenly doused. "Wait! Already!? But...it's only been a few minutes! I thought..."<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Be calm."</span> says the Manager. Shi reaches a pale arm across the bar. <span style="font-weight: bold">"The pain will be but brief."</span><br/><br/><br/>Vic flinches. He feels an impulse from the core of his being to recoil and get as far away from that hand as possible. But fear and indecision paralyze him. He's already in this too deep to back out now. <span style="font-style: italic">"Besides, if I run this girl(?) will just follow me."</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">*Ksshk*</span><br/>The neko gasps breathlessly. Long fingernails pierce his shirt and into his chest, penetrating deep enough to tickle his heart. A cold wave of excruciating nausea crashes over him; his vision blurs; his stomach heaves, and he nearly faints from the pain. After a few seconds, during which he somehow manages not to fall off his stool, his vision clears.<br/><br/>That's when he sees It. There, glittering before him in the Manager's pale fingers, is a jewel unlike any jewel he has ever seen before--and yet somehow it is immediately familiar.<br/><br/>"What is...that?" says Vic in a small voice. But he already knows.<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Your <span style="font-style: italic">ņéūmã</span>."</span> says the erinyes.<br/><br/><br/>"My..."<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Your mortal soul."</span><br/><br/><br/>"!" Vic shivers. He pats the spot over his heart, to find his chest and shirt completely intact. "But...but how...how am I still alive?"<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"A common fallacy."</span> chides the erinyes, hir empty gray eyes staring intently into the kaleidoscopic facets of hir new prize.<br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Deanimation need not occur following <span style="font-style: italic">zêthiņéūmã</span>. When removed properly, the soul remains intact and linked to the body."<br/>"It is somewhat like <span style="font-style: italic">Il-nîmáőt</span>--what you call "Astral Projection" here--except instead of a new shell, you are projecting back into the original."</span><br/><br/>Shi looks up and meets him with a cool gaze. <span style="font-weight: bold">"Your flesh is exactly as before. It will still thirst, and bleed, and <span style="font-style: italic">age</span> as normal for your species. The only thing different now is that it is empty. And when it dies..."</span> Shi trails off with a fangy smile that chills the neko to the bone.<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"When I die, you own me."</span> Vic finishes hir sentence in his head.<br/><br/><br/>The Manager lifts the glimmering gem to hir thin black lips, which part wide. The erinyes's external appearance may be a near-perfect imitation of a human, but this doesn't apply to hir interior. Even a brief glimpse at that green mouthflesh, that forked tongue slithering amongst the rows of carnivorous teeth...makes it clear that beneath the comely disguise this creature is a Hellspawn.<br/><br/>Shi drops hir prize onto hir tongue, and swallows wetly.<br/><span style="font-style: italic">*GLULLP*</span><br/><br/><br/>"!" Vic gasps again. "D-don't!"<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Be calm. I will not digest it yet. This is merely for safe-keeping."</span><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Yet.</span> The word echoes in the back of Vic's mind like a clap of thunder.<br/><br/>"Fine." he grunts, and musters back his suave, charming confidence. No sense giving hir the satisfaction of knowing how disturbed he is. "Whatever."<br/>"Who needs a soul? I never really used it anyway."<br/>"Now tell me how to <span style="font-style: italic">zunyeetun</span>...do the flash thing. I've got some enemies to eat, and girls to screw."</div></div></div>