Game: Incubus (Solo)

The thing doesn't follow, but turns it's back to you, and begins to stare down Firefly, who seems absolutely horrified, and is now frozen in fear.

It was a trick....
The creature leaps backward with alarming speed and goes for the attack - it is incredibly quick, making two attacks (in the same time it would take you to make just one) both a forward one-handed thrust and another thrust to bring the spear back. The forward thrust by the spear wildly misses your left side, though not enough to throw the creature off balance. The second attack comes at your back.... not only is the creature very agile, but also very cunning.... it repositions the spear by pulling it away from you - but it makes the reposition itself an attack.... the metal seems magical, and as the creature brings the spear back, the (not as sharp) back of of the spear's head slices a portion of your left arm.. shooting waves of pain down your body.

It seems to be adapting to your evasive style and evolving its strategy - by the way - don't go upstairs.

comes the late, remark from Beraszar.

(OOC: 8 damage)

In a fraction of a second so small, you doubt it even happened... it seems Beraszar did something to your mind..he made an imprint... he made you think...he made you believe that you could do something... create an illusion...

OOC: you may cast Silent Image Next round, if you choose.

Not next round only... from now on.. you know you can do it...

Also, plz roll initiative for the next round

Sorry - I don't understand - are you trying to go etheral, and then casting the spell to see if it still works?

OOC: you have to take 2 rounds then. Etheral jaunt (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/etherealJaunt.htm) and Silent Image (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/silentImage.htm) are both one standard action, so you have to cast the first round, then activate Silent Image the next round. Is that your plan of action?

got it (and I also just realized what you noted about not being able to cast spells on the material whilst on the etheral)

Again the creature lunges and grazes your left side but the initial thrust is not enough to break your tough hide.. the retraction, however, catches you once again.

This doesn't stop you from casting the spell as Lord Beras imprinted, and surely enough, an illusion of you emerges

It's hard to read emotion on this creature.. but you think its body language belies some degree of confusion.. or at least surprise
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In the middle of the action, in the periphery of your senses, you do see and hear the wall behind the creature become destroyed, and Firefly screams at the others to [b]RUN!![/b]

You're right -the creature was in the doorway, but when you dropped down the trap door, it advanced towards the wall at the end- towards Firefly, hence it had its back towards you - effectively being between you and Firefly - apologies for not making this clear.

Also - could you help me out - I'm not sure what happens if a Silent image is hit - will it be destroyed? (like Mirror Image) - or will it just be like a hologram and the spear passes right through it?

The creature once again swings wildly at you.. or what it seems to think is you.. and exhales that horrible scream once again once it realizes it's been tricked.

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Firefly ushers the last of the people through the hole in the wall. Just the three of you in the room remain.

Yes - you have to find a way to disable it -- from the looks of it you will not get 20 strong-willed souls in the same place with that thing present. Something that could really harm it is positive energy. (eg. cure spells).

Firefly doesn't listen to what you say... she takes the sharpened end of the open handcuff, and using it as a weapon, drives into the creature from the back. To her surprise, the handcuff simply is adsorbed by the Tracker's skin (though the creature itself is pushed slightly off balance). It turns it's head completely around, facing Firefly, and as if it were double jointed (or not jointed at all), it drops the spear and successfully binds firefly in a backwards bear hug. It opens its horrendous maw, and is certain to bite the now screaming Firefly.

and suddenly the world turns red..
The creature is thrown back into you by the explosion, whereas Firefly is also thrown back but in the opposite direction through the hole in the wall (though she doesn't go through cleanly.. clipping several stones on her ribs she flies out.. it looks very painful. You are not thrown back from the force of the fireball, but the force of the creature landing backwards into you sends you flying and lying almost directly on top of the trap door on the ground.

The Chosen Tracker once again turns its head 180 degrees and looks right at you with that horrendous (and now, slightly charred) visage.

OOC: Fireball

You passed SR - so you needn't worry about the damage, but just in case you hadn't, it says you have damage resistance of 10 to fire - but does that include magical fire?

Lord Beras again flashes through your mind, imprinting (or perhaps unlocking?) a wealth of knowledge in less than a fraction of a second... in addition, you suddenly know that Firefly is going to be ok... for now... Beras lets you know that he didn't do it.. he seems to be truthful.. though you have a feeling that he can't extend himself onto reality save through you.

You now have several new options - though it seems that none will directly disable the creature...
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you hear spell casting upstairs, though you cannot determine what it is.

OOC: You now know:

Dancing Lights, Obscuring Mist, Mage Armor

Another quick question - just to clarify - you turn ethereal at will (as a free action) right?

Thanks for checking up on that - we'll make it a compromise - all of your spell-like abilities EXCEPT ethereal jaunt automatically provoke an AoO... there is a 25% chance that ethereal jaunt will provoke an AoO from now on.. how does that sound?

hahaha , and of course Samael is still alive... you're not supposed to know it yet, but it's really hard for you to die with that locket... also, seeing as how this is a solo campaign.. it'd suck to end the game right here.... and if not - maybe it'd suck more to wake up to Ventiri's smiling face

Upstairs you enter a circular chamber eerily reminiscent of the chambers in Ventiri's stronghold. A sacrificial altar with dried dark liquid is the centerpiece. Alongside is a male tiefling, a female human wearing similar robes as the two who came downstairs into the trapdoor, casting in synchrony... a bright vapor surrounds them in a triangle (you cannot discern the color of the vapor as everything material is grayscale on the ethereal). No one else is apparent in the room.

They appear to be casting some kind of abjuration upon themselves and the temple themselves. They are both carrying sheathed scimitars and and belts strung with ordinary equipment. As the human casts, her eyes glow and become inhuman like those of her planetouched counterpart.

OOC: are you still in the ethereal? You cannot read minds, nor communicate telepathically. You'd have to come into the material and do so (this may seem like an annoying rule, but one that will eventually keep the game balanced).

Assuming you stepped back onto the material while invisible:

Her thoughts:

Alania. Her lover Vander is beside her, and she cannot and will not be harmed by his side. He will protect her.

Beraszar quickly relays to you that she is casting Repulsion. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/repulsion.htm)
And he is casting a scrying spell.

Your telepathic message goes through, but the woman is unfazed.

Bereszar has his own telepathic message:
Forget them! Prepare yourself!!

You hear something come up the stairs, and the casting of the tiefling and the woman become more urgent, their mysterious hand movements frantic.

A crimson magical aura surrounds your bag of holding, and your invisibility is dispelled.

Something is ejected from you bag of holding...(the thing that was causing the red glow to begin with, not the actual bag).

It is the small, unmarked package that Talia gave to you...it now lies on the floor ahead.

The next few moments are a jumble of confusion:

Beraszar contemplates: Of course! But how.. where did you obtain that?! It wasn't in the catacombs!!

The male tiefer - Vander - gives a surprised gasp at you, then points to the originally brown.. now glowing package...

There it is!

The Chosen Tracker unleashes another horrendous scream and pounces upon the package.

As soon as the monstrosity envelopes the package, it... disintegrates ...right before you...into particles along with the package, and blows away with the faint breeze.

The breeze is cool, and so are the stares from the abyssal priests. Vander unsheathes his scimitar with a look that could only be described as murderous.

You've got some explaining to do, berk. He advances very dangerously towards you, with the woman casting some unknown spell...

Scrying

OOC: cept this time, she's doing a general scry - in game terms- she's going to know all about you - race, class (which you don't really have yet), magical items.

You can try to talk your way out of it, or show him your true form... or both.. though I'm uncertain if either will be efficacious

OOC: now would be a good time to attempt Bluff/Diplomacy/Suggestion..etc

Not backing down an inch, the tiefling continues towards you - Who do you think you are bringing your plunder into this sacred house and having that thing ravage everything in sight?!

Even though he's enraged and advancing towards you with a weapon, the thing that's catching your attention the most is his lack of 'cant. He speaks like a prime, or some other outsider.

Woo! back from Chicago.. hope you had a nice MLK weekend!

The man looks confused for a moment, as if he doesn't know what just happened.

OOC: loses an action.
Beraszar suggests you go ethereal before the woman does something dangerous. The womans thoughts are on discovering who you are and the reason you were being chased... this woman is powerful and passionate. She immediately recognizes the magic laced in your suggestion, and beginst to form theories, albeit incorrect ones about you. ( she thinks you're a sorcerer or bard... though this contradicts her premonitions). She has several magical tatooes. .more runes (hidden 'neath the robes) inscribed on her shoulder, stomach and lower back). One of these will electricute anyone who attacks her with a metal weapon or a touch attack, another will allow her to ethereal jaunt when pressed upon, and the third will automatically activate a ressurection spell should she die. Also, she will become very, very angry should you try to do anything more offensive to Vander (eg. directly attack him)

You manage to slip away unseen twenty paces away via the main entrance that was destroyed by the creature.

As you step out into the Lady's Ward, the Voice behind you speaks again:

Where did you get that box? Chosen Trackers can only be galvanized against one if one has stolen an item of great power or been involved in the murder of a being of great power.

Interesting... it would seem either you were a victim of a random act of treachery, or perhaps something more insidious... though I am favoring the second option...
He continues, more matter-of-fact than condescending:
In real combat, you would be lacking, but could, with relative ease, evade some beings several magnitudes more powerful than you.

OOC: before I continue, a clarification - thoughts in the 'back of your mind' or perhaps hidden conscious are thoughts (that you believe, at least) to be out of the reach of Lord Ber. Thoughts at the forefront, instant sensory data or things you are consciously, clearly thinking about are available to Lord Ber.

As Beraszar is explaining these mostly obvious conjectures, in the back of your mind, you realize something as he starts talking about how you can "evade some beings.."

You realize that your locket was not visible on the etheral plane when you Jaunted to evade the Chosen Tracker.

You don't know Firefly's whereabouts, but you have a good feeling that she's no longer in the temple. You have a strong suspicion that the two priests inside will try and find her, along with the other escapees to not only kill them, but more importantly, to keep them quiet (it is, after all, illegal under Sigilian Law - at least in places like the Lady's Ward where the law is enforced - to abduct/imprison/murder another. There are, of course exceptions to this involving bounty hunting, contracts and the such, but seeing as how the faithful of the Abyss reek of Chaos, there is a good chance that these operations are anything but legal).

Lord Ber replies to your thoughts: Yes, perhaps we could report them to the Harmonium or Sodkillers, but I think the Temple is too politically entrenched within the webs of intrigue to undergo a real investigation. The sons of Mercy, however (as deluded as those fools may be), would be more concerned with 'eradicating evil' than strengthening their position or ties within the city. If it is revenge you seek - find them... or at least find the hag who directed you Undersigil. It is time you threw your weight around.

OOC: make a will save

OOC: Not Firefly, nor the to-be sacrifices are to be found, though a handful of Harmonium officers are gathered around, apparently investigating the scene. It would be amusing to wait around and see what rattling the priests inside ( who will inevitably answer to the guards) come up with to try to get out of this one.

Beraszar remains obstinate on revenge: Of course they failed! ... But that doesn't change anything! Would you like to press your luck and assume that this was a random set up? Next time, they may be better prepared, and strike a harder, more decisive blow. You'd be a fool to not seek them out, and strike them rather than sitting like a Deva in the Abyss and waiting for them to come!!!

After walking away from the temple, you shortly find the hag nervously straddling back and forth where you first found her.

Your fiendish friend continues: Don't trust the crone either! She's the one who sent you down there to begin with. She is what she seems, at least physically, but I say crush her here and now just to stifle a potential adversary.

To Bereszar's profound disappointment, the woman (harboring no ill will towards you, at least according to your perception) gives you no good reason to harm her. She sees you and looks hopeful and anxious at the same time. Her bright, hopeful eyes are in stark contrast to the rest of her weathered, sullen visage.

Did ye do it cutter? Did ye have Malik's ring?

Beraszar is hell-bent (hahah pun intended!!) on getting some kind of blood:

I didn't say do it in front of the hardheads! Why don't you use your charm and lead her into the Hive or somewhere hidden?!

You're beginning to wonder if Beraszar needs you to kill people on a regular basis. Surely enough, as you get very close to the woman, you have a sudden urge to strike her down right there, but are able to hold it back... there are no doubts in your mind as to where those urges originated from.

Ahh! Thank ye Cutter!! Thank ye, may the Lady's Shadow Pass ye bye!

She quickly hands you a fat pouch of gold (OOC: in reading her mind, you know that she has put exactly 2000 jink as promised). And quickly embraces you with vigor that you didn't know existed in her frail body.

Nonetheless, her body is pathetic, and you could easily crush her. There are no guards here, and she could easily be suffocated in the embrace. Perhaps you could snap her vertebrae that protrude from her curved back. There are many ways.....

You realize that those thoughts aren't yours (although there is a reason that they aren't in Beraszar's colors - it's symbolic of the fact that he wants you to think that his thoughts are yours) This Baatezu's attempts to control you are becoming increasingly offensive. You have a feeling, however, that it would not be as simple to rid yourself of him just by removing the locket.

To your (really your) relief, the woman eventually withdraws, says a few final words of thanks, and is ready to be on her way.