You didn't even care to give me a name... the golden sphere replies to Blackthornes, as a shimmering tentacle of light slowly grows in the tiefling's direction.
Game: Great minds think alike (Part II)
MG drops his flindbars to his feet as gravity pulls his massive weight down until he is on his hands and knees sobbing.
"I didn't know.......I'm sorry, I thought you we're fiend...... I didn't know......."
OOC: I rolled a 4. Not happening.
Ian grunts in pain and doubles over before straightening up again.
His eyes tearing up from the pain he says "I didn't realize not likeing puppies was a punishable offence."
*Blackthornes reacts to the thing, backing up until he hits a wall*
"I wanted to name you, honest. I didn't because I was told not to, and not to let my guard down to you. I completely agreed with that. Finding a puppy, in the middle of the abyss, you have to admit, that is a little odd. How did you get here? I was so worried when we got to the door and I couldn't find you. Please let Ian go, please? If you want, I am sure we could find a way to bring you back to life when we get to Sigil. I wouldn't mind taking you on as a companion."
OOC: Diplomacy check to try and sway him back to my side, or at least part of the way there.
OOC: YAY!!!! online dice roller finally came through for me. I'll wait for Joyblood's next post to post again
A golden tentacle slowly drifts towards MG, then gets quicker and hits him right at the heart. Suddenly, the massive gnoll feels the pain of guilt as physical pain... and his heart cramps.
[OOC:first die roll is damage for MG]
Slowly, the tentacles borrow their way through Ian's body, and he feels how they grow towards his heart. It feels like being eaten up by a hundred hungry worms from the inside.
Do you want everyone that you don't like to die? You wanted my death... now you receive death yourself.
[OOC: second die roll is damage for Ian]
The tentacle that moved towards Blackthornes stops in mid-air, maybe even retreats an inch. So you cared... but you didn't show. Is that any better?
Suddenly, Naruk's eyes light up after he observed the golden sphere for a few moments. "I've seen this before! If only I could remember... we need to solve something...!"
The same moment, a tentacle charges at Naruk and hits him right at his forehead. Once more, the puppy-voice appears.
And for you, I was no more than an object of studying...
[OOC: MG and Ian, another saving throw against DC 17 to keep the tentacles from growing. Ian has the feeling that, if the tentacles go much deeper, his very life is in danger.]
Ears still ringing, Azure looks on the scene in horror. "A grave danger after all. I hate it when I'm right about these things, which I usually am. Everything in, from, or associated with the infinite realms of demonholme is a danger, murderous or insidious."
His bow dropped, Azure begins to draw his sword from its shieth, but pauses. "Poking a sharp object at the problem at hand is probably not the answer."
"Hey, 'Little Guy'! I might have been right, but you sure didn't give me what I wanted most. I want to get back home, that much should have been obvious. I was even willing to overlook a (rather obvious) potential danger in order to move on with escaping from this accursed plane as quickly as possible. Had the puppy started to whine and point when we were mentioning the Tower and how to get there, I would have been wary, but I would also have followed."
"So what, of all Balder's friends in the world, is it that YOU want? To accuse us of not caring while you kill us? Seems a little hypocritical to me, but I've encountered worse. So either let my companions go and be a friendly little being of pure energy, or bring it, cuz I've no time for berks when I'm busy surviving" he glares at Encharma.
Saath stands beside the creature's corpse, weapon at the ready, but unsure of what to do.
Bad shinies after all huh. Solve somethin'? Bloody Guvner, that's no help at all!
Saath desperately looks around the room for anything remotely useful while Azure tries to reason with the... whatever it is.
OOC: Spot check if it's needed: 20+7=27
Who is not standing inside the room right now?
occ: 14+12=26 Fort. I'm fine
"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!? OWWWWIIIEEE!!!!!"
"I love how I am being punished for not being stupid, and thinking you were just a dog. I really do."
Ian looks up at the group and closes his eyes.
"Saath, if this goes badly I'm leaving you in charge."
Fort save: 11 + 4 = 15 (Hooray!)
Ian closes his eyes, and attempts to Shadow Jaunt.
*Blackthornes looks at Azure and thinks for a moment, then continues talking to the puppy*
"Think for a moment little guy. If I really didn't care, and didn't show it, why would I agree to watch you? I could have just left you there to rot, or killed you on the spot. But, I didn't. Given our current location and situation at the time we found you, I think, no, I know I showed compassion. Be considerate of that little guy, and just let Ian go. He's a little arrogant, but, at least he was using rational thought at the time. How do you rationalize what you are doing now, little guy? Killing these poor people just because you felt ignored?"
I gave you what I could - myself! And all you gave me was hate and death. I accuse you of turning me into the monster that I am, and you called for your own punishment by making me what I am!
The creature's voice turns slightly hysterical in its reply, but still doesn't give in to any arguments.
Suddenly, Ian disappears in a cloud of shadows that instantly dissolves, leaving nothing but the hovering golden sphere. The creature doesn't hesitate a single moment, though, and charges at Naruk, entering the ex-Guvner's body like it did with Ian's before. All its tentacles remain intact.
Saath feels a tingle in the back of his mind, like... something tried to pull him towards Naruk.
[OOC: I have to admit I lost a bit of orientation. To answer Finwe's question, please everyone still standing outside of the room say so.]
The world surrounding Ian suddenly turns dark... he left the normal reality and entered the Shadow Abyss. The sphere's grab of his body is gone, he is free again.
As he looks around, he instantly notices two things: First, his own body has turned pitch black, with dangerous thorns coming out of his arms and legs, and two horns at his forehead. Second, he can sense a dark presence where, in the "real" world, Naruk should be.
In the same moment, he has a flash of vision, seeing the female balor he encountered... and he knows the shadow shape he sees now is the gift the balor promised.
Ian raises an eyebrow and looks at his new form. Interesting.
Now, to experiment.
Ian glides over to the dark presence he feels, and attempts to attack it with the thorns on his body.
OOC: attack roll 12 + 11= 23 + any bonus to attack that I might not know about that isn't STR or BAB.
[OOC Azure was still outside the room, right by one side of the door]
Encharma will just stand there as if he were confused, "should i do anything to attempt to restrain this supernatural force?"
"Normally I'd say 'if thou can do anything that might work', but I honestly think thee a berk, Day-Elf." Azure sneers, but then whispers, "However, thou art probably the only one of us who this thing isn't mad at, so an action by thee may have a better chance of success. Take this, scoop up the being if thou can, and re-fold it. If successful, my regard for thee will greatly increase." Azure takes his portable hole from his pocket and unfolds it, then hands it to Encharma.
[slight of hand in handing off the hole unnoticed = 10, why do I keep trying things I've no skill points in?]
Azure Twilight will then try to get the thing's attention again. "So, Little Guy ... heh, seems like Blackthornes named thee after all. What I want to know is, why keep trying to justify thy murderous intent? Why aren't thou unappologeticly vile and murderous like the rest of the demons? Dost thou hope to feed of our guilt? For I've none. I knew finding a 'helpless' pup in demonholme was suspicious. My only regret is that I'm hungry again, for trail rations havn't the nourishment of a meal of roast dog."
Encharma looks at Azure and replies " you're a berk" and then charges towards the corpse of the dog beast
i will make jump/tumble checks even if they aren't needed
Jump 11+16 = 27
tumble 9+8 = 17
After making it there Encharma will then try to scoop the corpse into the portable hole
(all of this happens on my turn whenever that may be)
Azure watches in disbelief as Encharma expertly leaps past the attacking ball of energy and scoops up the dead dog-monster.
"Fool." he curses himself as much as Encharma.
[OOC: Out of time right now, I'll post again tomorrow!]
Saath recalls the slight pulling sensation when the ball charged and entered Naruk's body, then tentatively tries to pull whatever that sensation came from back toward himself.
Though he gets distracted when Encharma gracefully jumps and rolls toward the corpse Saath is standing beside.
He stares at Encharma shoving the corpse into the hole. 'Oy... What are you doing?'
With a quick slash, Ian's thorns hit the dark presence hovering over Naruk. The shadow suddenly becomes darker, and Ian can see a monstrous silhouette, sitting on Naruk's back, with two tentacles borrowed into the ex-Guvner's neck. The hulking creature stares at Ian with eyes that are nothing but even darker darkness than the rest of its body. Still, the creature doesn't move.
A second later, Ian realizes something else: There's another presence, this one inside of Naruk, with a spherical shape.
[OOC: Damage for Ian's attack, please!]
The sphere's voice turns sharp like a knife as it answers to Azure. No guilt, no caring - that is why you have to die!
Just a moment after Saath asked his question, everything turns black for him. He feels pain, but he realizes it is not his own... but that of Naruk. And he feels a surprising strength of will, keeping the pain at bay.
A whispering voice flows through Saath's mind, repeating the same words all over again. Guilt fiend from Baator, must have been lost in this place, the only weapon against it is spawning guilt in its mind. Guilt fiend from Baator...
OOC: You gave me the thorns, I don't know what they do for damage.
[OOC: Whoops, sorry! :oops:
Damage is 1d6+4 plus any bonus effects you have.]
[mod]Original post edited by moderators as off-topic to this RP thread. If in doubt, read the rules.[/mod]
OOC: Huh? who is this ^^^^^^^????
[OOC: Either someone who didn't care enough to read the forum rules, or someone who thinks it's funny messing up other people's fun. Just ignore the post.]
[OOC: So, who's doing what?]
Saath gasps, and shakes his head to get his mind back to the situation at hand.
Taking Naruk's mental hint, Saath calls to the incorporeal creature: 'Hey, you! You speak of guilt and caring, but have you even taken a look at what you're doin' now?! You nearly killed Ian, did he ever try to kill you? No! He might not have taken kindly to your presence, but the blood restrained himself. I cannot say the same fer you!'
'Even now, you're causing great pain to Naruk which he did not deserve! The poor sod was kind to you, and this is how you repay him? By killing him?'
Saath slowly walks toward Naruk in who the sphere resides.
'And how DARE you treat him like that?!' Saath points to the Masked Gnoll. 'That is the kindest gnoll basher you'll ever meet. Didn't he love you and take you in, treating you like the adorable puppy that you resembled? Then you suddenly take on the guise of a monster that wouldn't think twice about tearing apart the puppy of before, and attack us. Unprovoked! Ofcourse that monster had to be killed! He protects the innocent from that which you have become: a vicious creature no different from the 'ri that infest this thrice-damned Abyss.'
'Now leave us be and reflect on what you've done. Not even the archons of the Mountain would forgive ye.' Saath crosses his arms and sternly stares at Naruk.
The creature hesitates for a moment, then replies with a stern voice, Unprovoked? Your desires for me shaped me into the monster that I have become! You wanted me to be dangerous, and I became dangerous. You wanted me to die, and I died. And the gnoll was the one to kill me!
Tears swell in the gnoll's eyes from behind his mask as he cries....
"I didn't mean any harm, I thought you were a monster who killed my canine friend. Had I known......"
The hulking creature goes silent as he falls down to his knees, sobbing like a child into his paws...
[OOC: What about everyone else? Anyone acting?]
'Now look at what you did, you made him cry!' Saath says and walks over to MG. He kneels beside him and pats him on a burly shoulder.
' 'S not your fault, cutter.' Saath says to MG, then to the entity:
'It's the hate 'n intent to kill of the Abyss itself that ye picked up on, not us. If anything the Masked Gnoll delayed your change into what you have become. And yet you attack him. You've become a true Tanar'ri!'
He says Tanar'ri like it's the worst insult imaginable.
I am... not... one of those... tanar'ri
The creature's voice has suddenly become unsure... and suddenly all the tentacles retreat and merge with the shimmering globe again.
I am pure potential, I could have become everything...
At that moment, Naruk gains back his consciousness, and opens his pain-filled eyes. "Yes, you are. I know your kind. You could have become everything... but you chose to..."
He makes a pause, breathing deep, to fight his pain. "You chose to accompany us, knowing our emotions, in this place, would be full of doubt and fear and anger. So in the end, you changed yourself."
With every word Naruk says, the globe's light becomes lesser; the entity does not even reply to Naruk's words anymore, although it is still stuck inside his breast.
Encharma will look about as if he knows nothing of what is going on
*Blackthornes just stares blankly at the ball of light. In disbelief, he shouts.*
"Potentially anything? Why in the world would you choose this? why would you hurt those who took you in? I watched, you, and, heck, and I wanted to keep you. Train you to be a good scout. But, no. You choose this. Naruk is right, you have made yourself....."
"I dont think we need to worry of this accursed beast any longer for it knows that as a group we will prevail, no matter what it takes."
Encharma's eyes begin to grow bright green
Encharma readies an attack (just in case) and if nothing happens after 2 minutes he will release the glow in his eyes.
The sphere suddenly begins to flicker, as it replies, "I... no, this must not... this is not what was promised..."
Completely unspectacularly, the sphere simply vanishes as if it had never been there - and Naruk falls down on the ground like a dead body. A moment later, he says a single word: "Ouch."
OOC: Does anything change from Ian's perspective in the Shadow Abyss?
[OOC: Yes, but first of all I still need you to roll damage
"Naruk are you in need of healing?"
If so Encharma will walk towards Naruk and will cast cure moderate wounds
OOC: CMW = thirteen life, naruk gains 13 life
"Yes... yes, thanks," Naruk replies. After receiving the magical life force, he looks a lot better already. "Thank you. And..." he takes a look around, "good work everyone. Saath, your speech was a perfect hook to catch that monster's mind. It was a guilt fiend, you know."
"Guilt? Surely in such a place as this, it must have been starved, for the guilty are many but those that feel guilt, few indeed."
Azure enters the room. He walks up to Encharma, and smiles pleasently, "Might I have my item back now, good sir?"
Naruk nods. "They are something like living weapons of Baator, commonly used against mortals and celestials. Must've been lost in this place, possibly in a Blood War sometime in the past."
encharma turns to look at Azure as if shocked at the question,
"oh yeah i totally for got that i had your portable hole."
Encharma hands the item back
The gnoll stays on his knees, still sobing and takling to himself...
"I didn't know......I've always been the good guy......so why does everything I do go wrong...."
Naruk walks over to the Masked Gnoll, and taps his shoulder. "Don't worry," he says. "You couldn't know, and that's exactly what the fiend used. A guilt fiend lures you into a trap, setting everything up so you have little to no chance to avoid doing something bad. You're still a good guy."
After a small pause he adds, "Of course, anything you might have learned from the situation could still be right. Just don't let anyone tell you that you're a bad guy."
[OOC: On a side note, you're about to get a new bunch of XP. Hope this helps motivating you to post some more ]
Encharma looks around and says,
"i think perhaps we should move on, because if we dont that dirty magic user probably capture us, and i dont like being captured!"
'Hey, you protected us from that monster.' Saath says to the Gnoll. 'It never intended to be a good pup from the start. It was just playin' crackers with your brainbox. So cheer up, we're not out of here yet and there's still plenty of baddies that'll need a pounding.'
After Encharma's remark, Saath says: 'That'd be a good idea if Ian hadn't run off with the sodding portal key. He'll need to get back before we can go through the portal, so I don't know if wanderin' off would be a good idea right now.'
OOC: Been out of it for a bit due to homework and stuff, but (un)fortunately I haven't missed much it seems.
OOC: reflex save!
"Little Guy???"