For Tiberius and Anshelm, who are outside, all at once there is a definite increase in the amount of electricity in the air. They can both feel the hairs on their arms and on their necks stirring with the static. Udo shouts into the wind, which is not at the party's backs and is actually putting pressure there, to "COME ON!" Though his mouth shows that he did shout, much of the sound is carried away and Anshelm and Tiberius barely here. Udo picks up his feet and starts to run through the lane.
The sound has climbed several levels. It is difficult to talk to one another, and a throbbing has grown in the party's heads from the pressure drop.
Udo comes to a difficult stop (he has to grab the gate handle to end his progress) in front of Mizer's house. It is a fair-sized merchant's property, with a courtyard, a large double-doored gate 8' high and 14' wide, made of solid wood. The house beyond rises three stories, is separate from the other houses and is about 40' by 35' in size.
Udo shouts something but it is lost in the wind.
Sheathing his sword, Tiberius will try to push against the gate.
ReplyDeleteAnshelm sheathes his blade as well, but keeps his hand on the grip as takes a quick scan up and down the street.
ReplyDeleteHe moves to Udo and shouts "What?!"
Udo indicates by hand gestures and mouthing the words that this is Mizer's property.
ReplyDeleteThe gate is barred from the inside.
The wind is blowing at almost gale force now, fifty miles an hour. Tree twigs are breaking from the trees, the occasional roof tile is being caught and brought to the ground (the pottery tiles break, the wooden tiles tumble along the lane) and there is a lot of dust.
Shielding his eyes from the loose debris, Tiberius gestures at Anshelm to ask if it's possible for him to climb the gate.
ReplyDeleteAnshelm nods and looks around for a decent place to climb.
ReplyDeleteClimb roll = 94 (damndamndamndamndamndamndamndamndamn)
(OOC: If I get over [please d6 don't fail me], I will run to the gate and lift the bar)
ReplyDeleteAnshelm will get atop the gate, and a gust of wind (along with a piece of wall-plaster) will snatch him, toss him into the courtyard beyond, where he'll tumble until he comes into contact with the gate of the stable some twenty feet along. 5 damage.
ReplyDeleteIt will take a good ten seconds for him to shake his head clear, and then longer for him to get up and fight his way back against the wind to the gate.
The courtyard is empty, except for a large branch from a horse-chestnut tree which has fallen and general debris.
(OOC: Figures, the one thing a thief is good at at first level... :) )
ReplyDeleteAnshelm will lift the bar from the gate and let Tiberius and Udo in.
"Let's go!" Tiberius shouts, trying to make himself heard above the wind. He will go inside the courtyard and head towards the house.
ReplyDelete(OCC: interesting, since you lift this bar just as Delfig lifts the other one. I swear, it's coincidence, and has nothing to do with what is happening--you couldn't conceivably know that you and Delfig are both lifting a bar at the same moment, so don't get distracted by that.
ReplyDeleteJust as you lift the bar, the sound stops.
All movement of the air stops.
All characters at once act as though they are in a dream--it is virtually impossible to move, to push one's hand forward or upwards, to change position. As though time has stopped.
ReplyDeleteAnshelm very very slowly finds himself looking back over his shoulder; Tiberius straightens, very very slowly, and lifts his face towards the sky. A blue-green column, much more like the pouring of clouds than a funnel, has appeared over the center of Dachau.
Anshelm's hand is part-way through lifting the gate--its still moving, but it will take prospectively take a full minute to lift the bar out of it's place, as Anshelm's perception and time seem not to act in tandem.
(OOC: Is the above all through Anshelm's perception? Should I assume that Tiberius perceives time normally?)
ReplyDelete(OOC: No, ALL characters perceive time the same way)
ReplyDeleteAnshelm swallows (probably very slowly) and tries his damndest to get the gate open as soon as possible.
ReplyDelete(OOC: black box word is "fused." That's making me laugh for about three different reasons right now.)
Tiberius is very concerned about this phenomenon of time and what it could mean. Upon seeing the blue-green column, however, he cries out in fright and says, "What is that?!"
ReplyDeleteTiberius cries out in fright very slowly.
ReplyDeleteTime continues to pass.
(OOC: Can I take you up on the offer to hit me over the head with a clue by four? INT check, you said?)
ReplyDelete(OOC: Would take a "knowledge" check; when Tiberius started, he was invited to choose a field of study and a specialty in that field. Not sure at the moment what he chose, but it would have to be relevant what is happening for him to have a chance of knowing what's going on.
ReplyDeleteOf course, there's always player intuition)
Ah, he took Civitas, Current Affairs. So no, he has no idea either.
ReplyDeleteAfter his shouting is done, Tiberius will slowly make his way into the courtyard with Anshelm.
ReplyDelete(OOC: Gate's not open yet; I'm slowly lifting the bar...)
ReplyDeleteAnshelm continues lifting the bar....
(OOC: Player intuition...ha!)
I want to catch Delfig before he begins his dreaded commute, so here goes:
ReplyDeleteAll at once time returns to normal.
However, a shock wave begins in the center of town, centered at the blue-green column previously mentioned. Anshelm is blown from his place by the gate (the bar clatters to the ground, as it had been lifted out of its frame). Tiberius and Udo find themselves against the far side of the lane where they were standing. There is no damage.
Above, the clouds continue to roil and flash with lightning, but there's no wind. It is unnaturally still. The cloud column slowly climbs again into the sky.
In this sudden stillness, you altogether see hundreds of puffs of smoke, spattered through the air, ranging from apple-sized to pumpkin-sized. I'll let you chew on that a moment while I catch up with the others.
(OOC: Wow! Awesomer and awesomer.)
ReplyDeleteAfter picking himself up from the ground, Anshelm swipes at a few of the puffs. Anything unusual about how they look or react?
If nothing special, Anshelm motions Tiberius and Udo to follow him as he runs to the front door of Mizer's home.
Stunned and gathering his wits about him, Tiberius asks Anshelm and Udo, "Are you alright?" He'll follow Anshelm to Mizer's house.
ReplyDeleteA series of screams break out in the silence from the houses all around you.
ReplyDeleteAmid many smaller ones, a large puffs of smoke near the gate coalesces into physicality about eight feet from Anshelm. A similar puff appears within six inches of Udo. Each slug that appears is about 4 feet in length, weighing about 50 lbs. They are eyeless, pure white in color, very translucent and they smell, well, awful.
I'll need Anshelm to roll a d6.
ReplyDelete(OOC: Argh. Got a 2)
ReplyDelete(OOC: Oh wait, I guess I'm at the far side of the lane. Sorry, my reading comprehension needs an upgrade.)
ReplyDeleteI got a 4 for initiative. Anshelm has +2 on his initiative die roll for his 17 dexterity, so he and the slug act simultaneously. The slug will move about five feet towards the thief, which isn't sufficient to be within reach of striking.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, the slug in the alley will strike at Udo. It will roll a 14; hitting Udo. Udo will scream. A sizable burn will melt away the guide's clothing, and his skin will erupt into horrid purple-black necrosis. Udo's only response is to collapse in agony on the stone pavement.
Tiberius looks aghast at Udo's crumpled form. Fearing that nothing can be done for the man, Tiberius will withdraw and run towards the gate.
ReplyDelete(OOC: Coward! Sure, let the guide die. *laugh laugh laugh.*
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can get your 3 s.p. back).
(OOC: My jaw is literally hanging open right now.)
ReplyDeleteAnshelm beats feet toward Mizer's house.
(How far away is that? If I can reach it in one round, I'm going to start hammering on the door.)
(OOC: I thought he was already dead? Is that not the case?)
ReplyDelete(OOC: I said he collapsed in agony, not in death. I did not mean every inch of his skin exploded in necrosis--just where the slug touched him).
ReplyDelete(OOC: Oh. I seriously need to start reading these at least three times. I keep missing important details.
ReplyDeleteIn that case, can Tiberius stay and attack whatever this thing is? Rolled a 14 to hit and a 3 for damage.)
Anshelm,
ReplyDeleteYou can reach the door in a round, just--it is about 25' across the court. Hammering on the door will require another round. There's nothing to stop you doing that, but I think Tiberius is going to rethink an action and I want to see what he does. The slug in the court, meanwhile, since this is happening simultaneously, had turned as you ran by and is now about 20' feet away (4 hexes, if that helps. It moves 1 hex per round).
Just to describe your position now, you are partially sheltered by the corner of the stable, and are about to hammer on the rear door of the house.
Tiberius,
ReplyDeleteI'll accept the change in plan. Yes, please read the posts carefully. And please resist giving more than one action at a time (damage after rolling to hit remains acceptable).
You hit the slug. It's body recoils from the blow of your sword, which cuts into its soft membrane, spilling out a milky fluid which, if you can believe it, smells worse. Please roll a d20.
Anshelm will pound at the rear door next round, hoping someone inside hears.
ReplyDelete(OOC: would it be another round to pull out the sling, or could I have the sling out and ready to fire the round after knocking?)
(OOC: Rolled a 20. That would have been cool if I'd rolled that to hit.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'll try to do better in the future.)
Tiberius,
ReplyDeleteYour sword discolors from the acid but seems unaffected.
Gentlemen,
Let us leave it here for the day. The slug on Tiberius is stunned, and Anshelm will begin the round with hammering on the house door (with the slug moving closer).
(OOC: Great session today!)
ReplyDelete