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Author Topic: Dangerous Ground - Steeple  (Read 46473 times)

Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #50 on: December 05, 2015, 08:11:47 pm »

Steeple places a hand on the wall and then a foot, easing himself onto it and then simply walking sideways - and then upside down, were he mortal he'd have felt the blood rushing down to his head - now feeling only the mildest discomfort at the memory of the experience.

A quiet chuckle from Prince Maurice.

"No one ever looks up."

From his hidden vantage point, cloaked by Obfuscate as well as shadows, Steeple keeps a close eye on the approaching group.

What had seemed a mere flicker of movement several miles back is now clearly a small collection of four armed and armoured men, each leading a monstrous thing before them on long metal chains for leashes. The barking reaches Steeple's super-sensitive ears and he understands that these fleshcrafted... hounds? Wolves? Whatever they are, they are likely tracking his and Celestyn's scent.

Stopping before the temple, one of the men nods, like he'd been expecting this, and then barks out a quick order to one of the others. The chosen man nods in return and then hands off the leash to who is presumably his superior (who Prince Maurice marks out as "the tall one with the rough voice") before taking off at a dead sprint back from where he came.

The three remaining spread out into the outside ruins, presumably beginning to search for another way in.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #51 on: December 05, 2015, 09:49:53 pm »

Steeple continues to bide his time patiently - confident that they will have to come in this way - and feeling pretty good about the potency of the sleeping spell.

With luck, he'll only have to deal with one or two himself (and hopefully get a surprise attack or two off, before having to get involved in a toe-to-toe).
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #52 on: December 05, 2015, 10:01:02 pm »

Prince Maurice speaks up then - "Uh, Steepleton, did you ever make sure there were no other entrances to the temple?"

It, in fact, occurs to Steeple that he took the very first entrance he'd layed eyes on.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #53 on: December 06, 2015, 10:56:28 am »

"Huh, I suppose not..." Steeple replies with an almost overwhelming sense of rueful chagrin.

Then, without giving it any further thought, he bellows loudly out of the hole in the side of the tower - "WHO THE FARK DARES DISTURB THE RUIN OF NINE HELLS?!?"

"YOU SNIVELING BITCHES COME UP HERE AND DIE!"

...

"AND YOUR LITTLE DOGS TOO!!!"
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #54 on: December 06, 2015, 08:51:54 pm »

"Ah, subtlety, you've always been extremely well-versed in it Steepleton."

Steeple feels that if Maurice had been capable, he would have been nodding his head sagely.

One of the hunters points to Steeple where he hides from the sun in the shadows of the temple, and calls out to the others. One of the men takes out a grapple and some rope, while another unslings a bow and begins to cautiously take aim at Steeple.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #55 on: December 06, 2015, 09:34:07 pm »

Steeple doesn't wait to be shot at of course, and simply moves out of sight from those on the ground, before useing Elemental Form to shape himself into a stone ceiling support.
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #56 on: December 23, 2015, 11:04:16 pm »

The sly madman slips further into the protective walls of the temple, breaking line of sight with the ghouls outside. No arrow is launched towards him, the archer must have stayed his shot.

A rapidly whispered incantation and Steeple molds himself into an ornate torch sconce sprouting directly from the ceiling, Prince Maurice enshrined inside the sconce.

"Ah! The wise subtlety of your actions is unquestionable Steepleton! None shall ever suspect us here!"

A grapply is secured at the edge of the entrance; Steeple hears the rope strain and the heavy breath of one of the ghouls as he pulls himself up, soon making it to the top of the hole. He draws his weapon on reaching the top and stares in wearily, but does not advance. He shouts and order down to the others, speaking in a strange dialect Steeple has difficulty understanding - though he can understand that he's telling the others to climb up.

It isn't long before the other two join him, among them the bowman and the "leader". It seems they've had to leave their dogs outside.

"All the better", Maurice says quietly. "Those looked to be some rather vicious mongrels!"

The men begin to advance, not yet within the range of the sleep ritual but not far from a weakened section of the floor that could be collapsed with just the slightest bit of magical suggestion. Directly below Steeple, in fact.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #57 on: December 25, 2015, 06:02:29 pm »

'Going down?' Steeple chuckles to Maurice, as he activates Animate the Unmoving to persuade the floor under the intruders to give way beneath them.
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #58 on: December 30, 2015, 10:14:44 pm »

Steeple reaches down and through the stones, and mentally pushes outwards, striking the weak spots in the ground.

The only warning they get is a slight cracking sound. The leader's eyes widen, and he looks as if he's about to shout something out when - CRACKOOM!

The floor falls away beneath the three and they fall roughly down 10 feet below, the one with the bow landing on and breaking it in the fall. Dust flies up, stopping Steeple from seeing anything more of the group, though he does hear their pained groans and profuse curses.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #59 on: December 31, 2015, 06:41:45 am »

Steeple continues to listen for any indication that at least one or two of them have fallen victim to his sleep trap.

If they climb out, Steeple will continue to bide his time.

Once the sleep trap starts to kick in, Steeple will consider trying to go down to deal with them physically - biting and draining one at the very first opportunity that arises.

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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #60 on: January 02, 2016, 02:31:43 pm »

Having fallen vertically downward, none of the men have actually entered the radius of Steeple's most masterful spell. He has been given, however, through his most strenuous efforts, a perfect time to strike at the group of three confused, injured and mostly blinded ghouls regardless of the sleep trap, and so takes it.

Prince Maurice has already started humming some sort of war-hymn in anticipation.

Taking a moment to undo his transformation and return to a more familiar form, Steeple clings quietly to the top of the ceiling where he remains unseen, clouds of dust yet to settle keeping him obscured for the moment. The men below have started coughing as the dust kicked up by the broken stones enters their lungs.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #61 on: January 02, 2016, 04:36:08 pm »

Activating Celerity and Strength of the Earth (all Strength), plus two Blood for Dexterity, Steeple drops down on one of the ghouls to sink his fangs in and start draining!

He hopes the clouds of dust and injuries from the fall will be enough to keep him mostly out of harms way, but is prepared to dodge (using his victim as a human shield) should the need arise.

'Tally Ho!!!' he elates mentally.
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #62 on: January 04, 2016, 02:59:49 pm »

Steeple falls agilely and soundlessly through the air, only the slightest disturbance and a flitting shadow marking his passage.

On the ground, he hears someone ask something that vaguely resembles a question - most likely, "Hey, did you guys hear that?"

The person to ask just so happens to be Steeple's target, however, and he does not get much time to hear the answers.

He is tense but for a second, when Steeple's fangs sink deep into his neck he melts into the mad vampire's arms and lays content there, not minding in the least that his lifeblood was being drained away.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #63 on: January 04, 2016, 07:00:31 pm »

Steeple really wished he didn't have to kill the man, but blood could be scarce following this encounter, and he would need it to face the other two.

As such, Steeple had no choice but to continue draining the man, until he was full, or the man perished.

As he feasted, the 'Mad Python of Barbary Bay' held his victim up from behind, so as to look (through the dusty haze) as if the man was still simply stumbling around near the wall, looking for a way up.

'Granted, I haven't been to Barbary Bay,' Steeple admitted mentally to Prince Maurice, 'but it has such a cheeky ring to it does it not? 'The Mad Python of Barbary Bay!'

'And the old bastard did say I was a snake after all. Yes, a python, I fancy! Hiss Hiss Hiss! Hehehehehehe . . .'
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #64 on: January 05, 2016, 01:35:01 pm »

Steeple continues to drain the man. He had already been limp but he grows cold and loses consciousness as more and more of his blood is taken from him. Another few seconds of this and he will die.

By now the others in the room have gone silent. The dust is beginning to clear as well.

Going to have to fight them soon, Maurice mutters
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #65 on: January 06, 2016, 06:45:56 am »

Realizing the man is unconscious but still alive, Steeple forces himself to stop - no sense killing him off needlessly if there's a chance he could recover and be used as a bargaining chip or pawn later.

Steeple increases Dexterity again and makes sure Celerity is still going, before lowering the man to the ground and smiling at the other two.

"Looking for me?" he asks coyly, before leaping at the man with the bow!
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #66 on: January 06, 2016, 02:50:24 pm »

Steeple's voice alerts the two others that all is most definitely not well! One draws a blade and the other fumbles with a bow he has yet to realize has been broken. Steeple reaches him and they wrestle briefly, the ghoul managing to throw Steeple off before he could put the man into a hold.

He gives a hoarse cry and the other man moves in and takes a swipe at Steeple, who effortlessly sidesteps the blow and grapples with the huntsman again, this time managing to overpower him and savagely sinking his teeth into the man's neck.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #67 on: January 06, 2016, 03:33:33 pm »

'Ah, fortune smiles on us,' Steeple thinks to his Prince, draining the huntsman with gusto (and hopefully to unconsciousness); while continuing to try to maneuver, so that the huntsman's body remains in between his and the free man!

(OOC - Bump Strength to max to assist in retaining grip on huntsman)

« Last Edit: January 07, 2016, 08:46:20 am by BerkaZerka »
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #68 on: January 08, 2016, 11:54:59 am »

The man struggles with pulling out his sword and attacks Steeple, only for the Malkavian to swing the man's companion into the blade's path. Further drained of blood and ruthlessly hacked at by the swordsman, Steeple can tell the man isn't far from expiring.

He weakly resists Steeple (snapped out of his reverie by the sudden violence) but accomplishes nothing of consequence.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #69 on: January 08, 2016, 12:36:36 pm »

Steeple drops the wounded man to the floor, keeps Celerity active, and bumps his Dex to max.

"I don't supose you'd consider surrendering, eh?" he asks, ready to dodge any sword strokes that come his way - and counter with some more fangs if the man is unwilling to talk...
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #70 on: January 10, 2016, 11:09:37 am »

The man doesn't hesitate for a second, immediately chopping at Steeple's waist. The agile malkavian simply steps back and lets the blade swing through the air in his place.

"Well, it seems he does not wish to accept your generous offer", Maurice intones.

The man spins, using the momentum from his backswing to fuel his attack. He lands with his right foot back and pushes off forward, thrusting the blade towards Steeple's guts. Steeple, again, simply sidesteps, easily avoiding the attack.

Steeple dashes forward then, and seizes the man's arms, trying to lock them together and leaning up to bite the man's neck, only for the ghoul to fling himself out of his grip (dropping his sword in the process), pushing Steeple back slightly. He lands on the ground and rolls over to the huntsman, grabbing one of the broken pieces of bow and standing up in one smooth motion.

"Oh ho ho! Clever one! Too bad you're already behind him..."

Indeed, as the man had rolled Steeple had swiftly moved along with him, and stepped behind him when he stood up, now looking around wildly.

The madman wraps his arms around the man's neck and puts him into a hold, violently swinging him into the ground and holding him there prone. From there he sinks his fangs in and the warrior ghoul is forced to give up his fight by the Kiss.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #71 on: January 10, 2016, 02:46:04 pm »

'I dare say this one is some kind of leader,' Steeple observes to Maurice, as he drains the man unconscious.

"You don't suppose he's too dangerous to keep alive do you?" he then asks aloud with real concern...

Once satisfied that the man is truly out of it, Steeple will haul him up the side of the pit and drop him in the center of his sleep trap. He'll then go back down and do the same with the other two - being sure to keep their weapons down in the pit.

"And what do you think we should do with those doge things?"

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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #72 on: January 11, 2016, 02:02:09 pm »

"Too dangerous for you? NONSENSE, you can take him any time, any day, any night, anywhere!"

When asked about those other two...

"Well, that with the sword cut definitely isn't going to make it. Maybe keep the other around for Cestyn, or if you need some more blood yourself."
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #73 on: January 11, 2016, 03:08:22 pm »

"Ah, too bad then, but we musn't waste," Steeple replies in regard to the advice of his true prince.

He then drains the severely wounded man completely.

Once the other two are safely in the sleep spell area, Steeple gets a little more creative, actuall taking the time to tie them up in a standing position against the statues in the room, before using Animate the Unmoving to have each statue actually reach around and wrap them up in both arms to hold them in place.

He also blindfolds them with shreds of the dead man's tunic.

"They seem to be missing something..." Steeple says, trying to figure out what it is...

At length, he simply says to Maurice, "I just had the oddest impression that I should roll little pieces of white parchment up, stick them between their lips, and light them on the ends... Weird huh?"
« Last Edit: January 11, 2016, 03:11:32 pm by BerkaZerka »
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #74 on: January 13, 2016, 08:48:05 am »

"That seems a rather creative method of torture!" Prince Maurice exclaims, "But you would have to tighten their mouths to make sure they couldn't just spit out the parchment, otherwise they'll avoid the burns."

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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #75 on: January 13, 2016, 01:04:48 pm »

"Oh, I wasn't thinking torture," Steeple explains, "It was more... I don't know... some kind of aesthetic thing."

Once everything has been set up, Steeple goes to spy out the hole in the side of the tower again (carefully avoiding the sunlight) to see what the canine things are doing - and if anyone else has happened by yet.
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #76 on: January 15, 2016, 07:39:54 pm »

Nothing else has appeared, Steeple doesn't think the messenger will have even reached the vovoide's childe by now, unless the vampire was already exceptionally close by.

The dogs are all leashed to a broken off pillar. They could no doubt chew through the leashes if they needed to but not for a while yet.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #77 on: January 15, 2016, 08:05:37 pm »

"Time to shoot some fish in a barrel," Steeple chuckles mischievously, as he retrieves the broken bow and some arrows.

Using Animate the Unmoving, he has the bow mend itself together with the addition of hoops off the handle. When that is done, Steeple takes a seated position, hooks the hoops over his feet and commences to lean back, so he can fire arrows at the war-beasts with his good arm.
« Last Edit: January 15, 2016, 08:11:38 pm by BerkaZerka »
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #78 on: January 17, 2016, 02:12:29 pm »

Unable to get a shot at the hounds and shut in by the sun, Steeple is forced to leave the beasties be.

It is some three hours more before he hears them. Another few minutes before he could see them.

A veritable small horde of monstrous creatures appear to be headed for the temple. From his vantage point, Steeple sees a group of hunters riding fine-looking horseflesh besides a hooded carriage draw by a truly massively misshapen monster. Though he can't quite get a good look at it from this distance, he suspects it is one of the famed Vozhd, gigantic siege ghouls created by crafting dozens of lesser ghouls into each other, the result being a horrifyingly powerful, completely insane beast.

A few dogs are scattered here and there, but nothing special in that regard. Steeple could probably get a more accurate tally later.

« Last Edit: January 18, 2016, 06:15:56 pm by Drakilian »
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #79 on: January 20, 2016, 02:43:35 pm »

"Hmm... look at that big dope," Steeple says quietly to Prince Maurice, regarding the war ghoul thing.

"I bet it wouldn't be too hard to set that thing off ..."

Then a deliciously evil idea forms in the sly Malkavian's head - and he slips off beyond the sleep trap area, to try out his Summon Elemental ritual.

"My Noble Prince," Steeple intones, "grant me the smallest portion of your boundless wisdom, so I can summon up a fire elemental!"

"Then we'll wreak havoc on that wanker's wagon haha!"

---

(OOC: Summon Elemental (fire) ritual - Burning Willpower as needed to get an amiable fire elemental...)
« Last Edit: January 20, 2016, 02:47:44 pm by BerkaZerka »
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #80 on: January 23, 2016, 08:22:28 pm »

"Now that's an idea isn't it?"

Steeple grabs a torch from the men's packs and takes out the leader's sword, violently dragging the blade across the walls of the temple (leaving small scores in the stone) and sending Sparks flying. A few strokes is enough to ignite the torch, which Steeple quickly releases, a little unsettled by the flame.

Working the power of his will Steeple reaches into the flame with his power and seizes the spirit of the elemental, pulling it from the fire and honing it with his own magicks, pulling from the heat of the sun outside to further strengthen the summoning. The flame from the torch dies out and in its place is a ghostly creature made of living fire, taking up a humanoid shape - which Steeple puts it into for his own benefit.

Steepleton then puts his magick to work at chaining the elemental to his will. He meets with some moderate success, but has some difficulty achieving it - the elemental is a significant one.

On taking form it looks to him,  saying no words but with both of the two knowing they can understand each other perfectly.
(4 successes on summoning, 3 on controlling).
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #81 on: January 24, 2016, 10:54:12 am »

"Burning spirit of fire," Steeple says with an impressed nod of his head, "outside the walls of this ruined temple, in that direction there..." (Steeple points) - "a rather sour man with no sense of humor resides in a hooded carriage, draw by a remarkably dimwitted monster of respectable size."

"I would be most grateful, if you could assist me in a little prank to lighten the mood a bit."

"All I would need, is for you to go light the roof of the carriage on fire. Then we can sit back and watch the giant monster try to put it out, as hilarity undoubtedly ensues haha!"
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #82 on: January 25, 2016, 05:11:05 pm »

The fire elemental cocks it's ethereal head at Steeple, and then condenses briefly into a white-hot ball of flame - Steeple gets the impression of a spring coiling up. It launches itself through the entrance and hits the ground hard, spreading out as if it had splattered against the hard earth. The elemental rushes across the ground, the fire leaving a trail of scorched earth in it's wake. A few soldiers point and wave their weapons, most definitely not pleased at the sight before them. A few let loose some arrows, which go harmlessly through the elemental's ethereal body.

The fire reaches the carriage and engulfs it into flame entirely, setting every inch of the thing alight.

"Ohhhhhhh that's naaaaaaasty", Maurice says. Steeple soon sees what he means. The elemental, having set the carriage alight, now moves from the carriage and physically engulfs the Vozhd, which had plodded along rather mindlessly till now. The thing lets out an earth shaking roar, driven mad by the pain and fire and fear, immediately charges forward, pulling the carriage ahead of the host. The elemental drops from the vozhd and turns to Steeple, waving at him in the form of a man from the distance, and then fading back to it's own realm.

The vozhd, rushing blindly forward, trying ever so stupidly to escape the flames that have captured it, ends up slamming into the main gate of the temple (bared and sealed shut by time and ruin). It's there that Steeple realizes why these are called siege ghouls - no ram could have hit that wall. Ear as hard as the vozhd did, meaty, sizzling flesh and mistake slams into the wall so hard as to crack the stone. The Koldun's flaming carriage slams into the back of the vozhd, pulled forward by the momentum of the ghoul's charge, and breaks on the vozhd' snack, sending a figure Steeple cannot identify flying out, shrouded in the burning hood of the vehicle.

The vozhd rears back and slams it's two arms against the gate wall in frustration, again and again and again, the temple shakes each time and Steeple feels the gate begin to give away as surely as he senses the new structural weaknesses forming around him. If the place weren't so solidly built of stone it would be in rather great danger of collapse. Finally the gate breaks open and the vozhd roars, just as a chilling wind overtakes the valley. The flames die down and the vozhd drops and flails wildly in the dirt, seemingly under some greater degree of control. It eventually manages to put the fires on itself out but Steeple sees that it was at no small cost, it must be in terrible pain. Currently the thing is simply a mass of quivering, raw burns that ooze with the wetness of an open sore. Fresh burns.

Of the Koldun, there is no sign.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2016, 07:02:55 pm by Drakilian »
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #83 on: January 25, 2016, 06:33:03 pm »

Steeple watches the entire spectacle in abject awe, utterly enthralled, as every fascinating detail plays out before him.

Pure magnificence! A Malkavian Prank for the ages!

His attention is then caught suddenly, by the seemingly far off sound of maniacal laughter - hysterical giggling - mad cackling - outright lunacy!

'Gods, what is that racket?!?' He thinks to Prince Maurice, when the sounds abruptly stop . . . and Steeple realizes that the noise was coming from him.

'Oh my ...,' he says with horrifying realization, 'do I really sound like that? Am I really mad?'
« Last Edit: January 28, 2016, 12:09:58 pm by BerkaZerka »
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #84 on: January 28, 2016, 11:42:41 am »

"Of course you are Steepleton", maurice exclaims; "but that's why you have me".
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #85 on: January 28, 2016, 12:11:38 pm »

"Oh," Steeple replies thoughtfully, "when you put it in that perspective, I guess it isn't so bad."

"Just have to remember not to let it show so much haha!"
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #86 on: January 28, 2016, 12:26:41 pm »

"It's okay," Maurice says thoughtfully, "it's not like many of them will live to tell anyone is it!"
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #87 on: January 28, 2016, 01:12:53 pm »

Steeple smiles, feeling much better.

He then turns to check on the assembly of henchmen in the temple area outside the broken gate and their burning wagon/siege ghoul.

"Let's see what they are up to now, shall we?"

"You got to admit though, that was one hell of a show!" he chuckles.
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #88 on: January 28, 2016, 03:43:49 pm »

"Hell is absolutely the right word for it!" Maurice says in perfect agreement.

Still no sign of the koldun, though his assembly of soldiers is approaching the gate. The vozhd still takes deep, pained rasping breaths. Whenever it shifts it leaves glistening wet, ruined skin behind.

If Steeple dies here, at least he'll know he'll have cost the vovoide of this land an infuriating amount of repair time on that thing.

"I doubt they'll act before their leader comes to. Maybe we should check on Celestyn? He might have finished that thing he was talking about."
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #89 on: January 28, 2016, 09:43:25 pm »

"An excellent suggestion," Steeple replies - and taking his supplies and all of the torches, heads deeper into the ruins.

Activating Heightened Senses, he listens for Celestyn, while sniffing the air for his scent - ever wary of any traps the Tremere might have left for his enemies.

"Celestyn," Steeple calls softly every now and then...
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #90 on: January 31, 2016, 11:17:16 pm »

Steeple hears the Tremere long before he sees him, the blood mage's incantations and chanting clearly mark out his location to Steeple's super-human senses.

He finds the man where he'd seen him before. Celestyn does not stop from his chanting to answer Steeple's appearance, nor even show a change in demeanor. Of course, such a thing might interrupt the ritual.

Looking about the room, Steeple does see a bloody note hastly scrawled and placed next to a bowl that appears to be full of shards of broken glass and sand.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #91 on: February 01, 2016, 03:48:42 pm »

Remaining quiet, so as not to ruin Celestyn's ritual, Steeple heads over to the note to see what it says.
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #92 on: February 01, 2016, 05:59:34 pm »

Three simple words are written on the parchment paper - "sands of time".

Coupled with the previous description Celestyn gave, Steeple recalls the ritual in question - it is a very potent ritual that drastically slows anyone sprinkled with the substance of the bowl depending on the potency of the casting.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #93 on: February 02, 2016, 10:14:24 am »

Steeple carefully takes the enchanted sands and heads through the ruins with them in the direction of the broken gate.

He needs to see if the Tzimisce guy survived his little prank and head him off before he can get to Celestyn.

"These are sure to come in handy, especially if that flaming teet-zee is still kicking around hehehe..." Steeple whispers to Prince Maurice.

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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #94 on: February 02, 2016, 05:48:03 pm »

Steeple makes his way through the corridor, bowl in hand, prince in shoulder.

"Alright chap, we're armed and dangerous, the predator in the night, the awesome mage-hunters. Keep your ears wide and your eyes open. Huh, is that how you say it or.."

While Prince Maurice rattles on almost nervously, Steeple's hyperactive senses catch the clanking of armoured soldiers moving throughout the temple halls. Dammit! It seems they've started without him.

He hears a muffled voice barking out orders, but is content in knowing that the room Celestyn is in has been sealed by himself so as to only have one entrance. Some of the soldiers might also die to the traps he's set around the temple, but he has no doubt that given a bit more time and no misdirection, they'll reach his current location.

The sounds seem to be coming from below Steeple, meaning the soldiers probably haven't found a way to the second floor yet (or come up the way he personally uses).
« Last Edit: February 02, 2016, 05:49:41 pm by Drakilian »
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #95 on: February 02, 2016, 09:19:56 pm »

"Let's get this over with quick-like!" Steeple whispers to Maurice.

He then splits a torch to create a long thick splinter and uses Animate the Unmoving to open a hole in the floor over the sound of the Koldun below!

Presuming the Koldun is down there, Steeple will activate Celerity, Bump Dexterity by 3, and toss some of the Sands of Time Down on him and any men close by!

He'll then scramble through (using his Clinging of the Insect), bump Strength by 3, followed with Strength of the Earth all to Strength for another 3 - to grab the Koldune and drag him back up through the hole in the ceiling, where he'll juggle closing the hole up behind them, with more Celerity (if needed) and stabbing the Koldune through the heart with the torch splinter to put him into topor!

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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #96 on: February 04, 2016, 02:23:14 am »

Steeple manages to have the floor open below him, but does not identify the vovoide's childe he just sees three soldiers making their way across.

On of them looks up at the sound of grinding stone...
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #97 on: February 04, 2016, 10:37:43 am »

"Well... That's rather disappointing," Steeple complains, about the distinct lack of his prey being under the hole.

"Ah well... take what we can get, right old bean?"

With that, steeple uses Celerity and bumps Dexterity, as he tosses Sands of Time down on the three men and scuttles spider-like through the hole and onto the ceiling over them, to get a better look at what he's up against.

If it's just the three men, Steeple will activate Strength of the Earth and take two of them out with his mace, saving the third for being drained with fangs!
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Drakilian

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #98 on: February 05, 2016, 12:45:25 am »

It's almost absurdly easy.

Sprinkling a few pinches of sand down the hole, Steeple drops into the middle of the three ghoul's. Shclacta - armoured and altered for combat by the looks of them.

For the moment, Steeple sees no others in sight.

"Time for some bloody old work chap", Maurice murmurs softly.

The first ghoul is still turning his head towards steeple when the Malkavian takes out his mace, takes the time to chant an incantation to increase his strength, and then violently mashes the man's skull against the wall, leaving pretty blood spatter and brain decorating the environs.

The second ghoul's eyes don't even finish widening before Steeple drives the mace into his stomach, stepping lazily around him and bring the mace down in the back of his neck, twice. He's dead before he hits the ground, though it will take him quite a bit of time to actually do so..

The third's hand had almost reached his sword when Steeple's fangs sink into his neck.
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BerkaZerka

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Re: Dangerous Ground
« Reply #99 on: February 05, 2016, 07:39:01 am »

Steeple completely drains the man.

With that done, Steeple cranes to listen for the sounds of the other men, as he cautiously walks along the ceiling in the direction he last heard them moving.

Thrilled by the action and giddy over the 'chase', Steeple fancies himself a sleek black jungle cat stalking its prey through the jungle.

Or maybe a jungle bat. He is hanging upside-down after all...
« Last Edit: February 05, 2016, 07:50:24 am by BerkaZerka »
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