Session 25

[Bynw]

20:13 <~bynw> |------------------------------------------------
20:13 <~bynw> |          Session 25 - Imperial Dreams
20:13 <~bynw> |------------------------------------------------
20:13 <~bynw> |
20:13 <~bynw> | The preprations have been completed. A ruse
20:13 <~bynw> | against the intelligent owlbears is underway.
20:13 <~bynw> | Alderic must confince them that he is the
20:13 <~bynw> | resurrected Chadwick and they must believe that
20:13 <~bynw> | they are still in the tower in Utha. Every
20:13 <~bynw> | sight, sound, smell, touch and taste must be
20:13 <~bynw> | duplicated in order for this to happen.
20:13 <~bynw> |
20:13 <~bynw> | After meeting breifly with Audric back in the
20:13 <~bynw> | Observation Room. They are lead to an
20:13 <~bynw> | underground chamber. And a set of double doors.
20:13 <~bynw> |
20:13 <~bynw> |------------------------------------------------
20:13  * Alianna checks that both her old pistol and her shiny new pistol are loaded and ready.
20:14  * Maydla gently taps her staff on the floor and readies herself.
20:15 <~bynw> ::stopping at the double doors Audric turns to Alderic:: "Everything is set behind these doors. Once they close after you enter you have about a minute before the owlbears awaken."
20:15 <~bynw> ::he continues:: "Are you going in alone or taking the others with you?"
20:16 < Alderic> ::To Alianna and Maydia:: "You two will have to appear to be bound. Unless you can think of another way to sell why your there to the owlbears."
20:16 < Alianna> "That's reasonable.  Just make it look good but make it possible for us to get out when we need to."
20:18 < Alderic> "Your the sailor Alianna, could you show me a knot that would work for us?"
20:18 <~bynw> ::Audric produces several dried vines:: "These should work for the bindings, make sure you set them out here before you go in. That is the throne room of the tower beyond these doors."
20:18 < Alianna> "Hell yes."
20:19  * Alianna proceeds to take the dried vines and tie them into a knot that looks much more secure than it actually is.
20:19 < Alderic> ::Looks impressed and copy's the knot on Maydla::
20:21 <~bynw> ::Audric:: "If you fail to convince the beasts. They will kill you. Do you want us to kill them at any point?"
20:22 < Alderic> ::To Audric:: "If they attack then we have no choice but to put them down."
20:23 <~bynw> ::Audric:: "How long will your magic hold?"
20:23  * Maydla settles the dried vines against her wrists.
20:23 < Alderic> "Impossible to say. As long as they believe in it it should hold."
20:25 < Alderic> "The beasts may not know anything."
20:27 <~bynw> ::Audric:: "Ready your magic then" ::he says placing his hands on the handles of the door::
20:28  * Alianna shifts a little against the "bindings."
20:33 < Alderic> ::Mutters arcane words under his breath and waves his hands in precise patterns::
20:37 < Alderic> !df 4
20:37 <@ChanServ> Result: ( )( )(-)(+)
20:44 < Alderic> ::His features blur for a moment and then sharpen back into focus. He is now the image of Chadwick, though his leg is bleeding and his head has a large bump::
20:44 < Alderic> "How do I look?"
20:44 < Alianna> "Like an evil druid."
20:46 < Maydla> "Agreed."
20:46 <~bynw> ::Audric:: "Are you ready?"
20:48 < Alderic> "As I ever will be."
20:49 <~bynw> ::Audric opens the doors::
20:51 <~bynw> *opposite your entry way are the double doors of Chadwick's tower throneroom. You are entering through where the windows belong. The stone floor is covered with a soft moss, scrapped and burned in parts. It appears to be regrowing*
20:51 < Alderic> ::Steps inside and moves to the destroyed pod:: "Our story is that I broke free of the pod and took you all down with my magic. The owlbears seemed to be impressed by that."
20:53 <~bynw> *the vines are also somewhat damaged, just as they were when the trio was last at the tower. There is an acid burned spot in the rough form of a man on the floor ... but the moss is growing back over it slightly. the acid smell is gone however to human senses.*
20:54 <~bynw> *the tower reproduction is perfect, it looks like the tower. it smells like the door. and it appears to have battle damage from a recent fight.*
20:54 < Alderic> "But I took a blow to the head and I'm having problems concentrating and must have the owlbears help to remind me where to take you."
20:54 <~bynw> *the owlbears lie on the floor unmoving*
20:55 <~bynw> *as Audric closes the doors behind you. they vanish and the windows are there in place. broken in spots. a cool breeze blows through them. and the view is of the night time sky. mostly clear with the stars shining in the distance*
20:55  * Alianna leans against a wall near Maydla.
20:56 <~bynw> *an owlbear grunts and shudders on the floor*
20:57 < Alderic> ::Uses a wall to help take the weight off his damaged leg. He stands still and waits for the owlbears to wake up."
20:58 <~bynw> ::it's nostril membrane flares abit as it opens the bloodshot eyes and grows used to the dim light as it stands looking around, a bit dazed::
20:59  * Alianna watches warily as the owlbear gets to its feet.
20:59 <~bynw> ::the creature picks up its pike and focuses on the form of Chadwick::
21:00 <~bynw> ::it looks at the two bound women::
21:01 <~bynw> ::then it returns to Chadwick and bows its head:: "Master::
21:01 <~bynw> "
21:03 < Alderic> ::To the owlbear:: "They are defeated, but I used much of my power to do so." ::gently touches the lump on his head:: "I...am having trouble..."
21:04  * Alianna averts her eyes to hide the relief that Alderic's ruse is working from the owlbear.
21:05  * Maydla sags more against the wall near Alianna.
21:06 <~bynw> ::the other owlbear begins to stir::
21:06  * Alianna turns her gaze to the second owlbear as it moves on the floor.
21:07 <~bynw> ::owlbear:: "they have been much trouble Master. Let us feast on their flesh and bones."
21:07 < Alderic> ::To the owlbear:: "We need to transport these two, to bring them...somewhere." ::looks confused, as if he cannot recall something::
21:08  * Alianna averts her eyes again to hide the alarm at the prospect of becoming owlbear chow.
21:09 < Alderic> ::Looks to the owlbear:: "To our ally. Yes to feed their power to our ally."
21:10 <~bynw> ::owlbear shakes its head:: "The Great One ...." ::it mumbles almost alarmed himself::
21:11 <~bynw> ::he walks over to his near sleeping companion and kicks him hard in the ribs:: "Get up!"
21:12  * Alianna continues to watch warily.
21:12 < Alderic> ::Looks a bit unsure, again he gently touches his head:: "It took much of my power to defeat them, I must rest. I cannot recall..."
21:12 <~bynw> ::the 2nd owlbear stirs and opens its bloodshot eyes, a look of wanting to kill but then submitting as it realized who has kicked it::
21:13 < Alderic> ::To the owlbear:: "Show me where the great one is, in your mind; and I will take us there."
21:13 <~bynw> ::the 2nd grunts and slowly stands picking up its pike as it does so and looking around as well::
21:14 <~bynw> ::2nd owlbear snarls at Chadwick and gets a hit hard by the pike of the 1st::
21:16 < Alderic> ::To the 2nd owlbear in a commanding voice:: "Watch the door incase more come."
21:17 <~bynw> ::the 2nd owlbear tilts its head at Chadwick but turns to the doors::
21:18 <~bynw> ::the 1st owlbear:: "Healing magic did not work right. Must go again."
21:19 < Alderic> ::To the first owlbear:: "Relax your mind and think of where the Great One is and how to get there and I will take us there with my power. We will heal ourselves when we are safe there. It is not wise to keep the Great One waiting for his prizes." ::motions to Maydla and Alianna::
21:21 <~bynw> ::the owlbear just stands there looking at the two women::
21:22 < Alderic> ::Mutters words of power and traces a symbol on his forehead with his index finger::
21:24 < Alderic> !df 4
21:24 <@ChanServ> Result: (+)( )(+)(-)
21:47 < Alderic> ::Inhales sharply and nods:: "I see."
21:48 < Alderic> ::Looks directly at Alianna and Maydia:: "I think I have what we came for. Are you ready to drop this?"
21:50 <~bynw> ::the 2nd owlbear turns from the door and and lowers its pike and charges towards Chadwick:: "Lies, I knew it was lies!"
21:51  * Alianna breaks out of the "bindings" and grabs the older pistol with her right hand.
21:52  * Alianna looks down, realizes that out of habit she has grabbed the old pistol, and quickly switches it out for the new one.
21:55 <~bynw> ::the charging owlbear lets out a warcry, a sharp peircing sound the changes pitch from a controlled cry to one of agony as the 1st owlbear joins in the cry of agony*
21:55 <~bynw> *both owlbears drop anything they are holding and stumble backwards away from the windows*
21:55  * Alianna raises the new pistol and trains it on the owlbear who had begun to charge "Chadwick" but does not fire yet.
21:56  * Maydla prepares to burst out of her bindings and rush forward to help.
21:58 <~bynw> ::its breathing labored it stops and focues its red rimmed eyes on the 3 and snarls, while the 1st owlbear shakes off whatever affected it and goes to attack the 2nd::
21:59  * Alianna watches in some surprise as the first owlbear attacks the second.
22:00  * Maydla says to Alianna: "Whats going on with this?"
22:00 < Alderic> ::Stands stunned and watches::
22:01 <~bynw> ::the creatures turn on one another with bloody vengence, not a friendly spar::
22:01  * Alianna turns to Maydla.  "No frakking clue."
22:01 < Alderic> ::Steps back as far from the two as possible and watches::
22:02  * Alianna keeps her pistol trained on the viciously fighting owlbears but leans against the wall near Alderic.
22:04 <~bynw> ::after what seems like a life time the beasts are covered in blood, broken bones and gaping beak wounds
22:04 <~bynw> ::one of them falls dead to the tower floor while the other still tears at its flesh in a bloodlust frenzy::
22:05  * Maydla to the room at large: "Should we end this?"
22:05 < Alianna> "I think we should and get the hell out of here, like ten minutes ago."
22:06  * Alianna aims her pistol at the living owlbear.
22:06 < Alderic> "Wait"
22:06 < Alianna> "For what?  That thing to finish eating its buddy and decide to come try to eat US?"
22:07 < Alderic> ::Shrugs:: "You've got a point. Do it."
22:07  * Maydla raises a brow in question towards Alderic.
22:07  * Alianna aims carefully for the owlbear's head and fires.
22:08 < Alianna> !df 4
22:08 <@ChanServ> Result: (+)( )( )(-)
22:09 <~bynw> ::the gun has less recoil then her original and producess far less smoke from the power. the ball of the shot goes flying across the short space impacting the owlbears skull, more blood splatters everywhere as it does. and the creature falls on top of its companion::
22:10  * Alianna is impressed.
22:12  * Alianna looks at the two corpses of owlbears.  "Well, Alderic, since you got what we came for, shall we get out of here?"
22:13 <~bynw> ::the windows of the tower flicker out of existance as Audric opens the doors to the stage:: "Did you get what you wanted from them? Or do we have to attempt to revive Chadwick?"
22:13  * Alianna smiles in relief to see Audric.
22:15 < Alderic> "I think I've gotten what I can."
22:17 <~bynw> "I'll have someone clean up this mess. Care to discuss it?"
22:17 <~bynw> ::Audric asks::
22:18 < Alianna> "One of them suspected that Alderic wasn't really Chadwick, and the other one attacked and killed it.  Then I shot the survivor."
22:19 < Alianna> "Alderic, what DID you get from the one?"
22:19 < Alianna> "By the way, my lord Schear, I'm impressed with your weaponsmiths."
22:20 <~bynw> ::he looks at the pistol Alianna has:: "No my weaponsmiths. That's a Zulu Arms. Finest around."
22:21 < Alianna> "It is indeed a fine weapon."
22:22 <~bynw> ::Audric leads them back up to hall that contains the guest apartments:: "I'm sure you will want to clean up before we have any talk of what has happened or what is next."
22:26 < Alianna> "I'd love a bath and some clean clothes, yes."
22:27  * Alianna follows Audric to the guest suites.
22:27 < Alderic> "We? We...::makes a motion to encompass Alianna and Maydia:: "wont take anymore of your time Audric. I'll make sure to tell my father you've held up your end of the bargain and should be paid. ::puts a little emphasis on the last word::
22:29  * Alianna cuts Alderic a look.  "Don't be rude, man."
22:31 < Alderic> ::Raises an eyebrow at Alianna, then looks to Audric:: "Lord Audric doesn't want to get involved. His sole concern is his city and being paid. I thought he was very clear on that. He is not an ally, he is a mercenary." ::raises an eyebrow at Audric:: "Am I mistaken?"
22:33 <~bynw> "I would like to meet him you know someday. He is something of a legend." ::Audric says:: "Yes you are, a mercenary goes with the highest bidder. Which means they can change sides. I don't change sides."
22:40 < Alderic> ::Nods:: "Of course Master Audric, my mistake. I'll keep that in mind."