Death of an Artist - Game Thread

[Kuroimaken]

The dour kalashtar shrugs at the noise. "Go ahead and probe us. What will it prove? Even if you find nothing, you can still claim we're quori puppets and slay us. Whatever justification is necessary for you to slay us and still sleep peacefully."

His talkative companion looks much less laid back about the situation.

"We might have a hard time finding a coffin that accomodates your large balls. But I'm more interested in knowing whether there's a chance you are actually that crazy."

[PhaedrusXY]

Eddie says "Unfortunately, I agree. If they've been mind fucked by the Inspired, I doubt even I could even tell. So we should just do what ever we want: help them, kill them, whatever, and plan for the worst. Hope for the best, but expect the worst. That's my motto." He chuckles cynically at his own joke.

[Kuroimaken]

"There is one alternative I've just now considered. I could make them into Dread Warriors. This way, we can ensure with almost 100% certainty that if the Inspired DID mess with their minds, that it won't matter at all. They will retain their original thoughts and the ability to think, though their personalities will be... a touch subdued." Nax considers. "The only drawback is that I can only make one Dread Warrior a day."

[Bozwevial]

The kalashtar look at each other at this proclamation, identical expressions of fear crossing their faces.

[Kuroimaken]

"Looks like your balls won't need a separate coffin after all. Where'd your determination go?" Nax offers with no small modicum of amusement. "You aren't afraid of death... yet you ARE afraid of undeath. I could make you into VERY formidable warriors indeed." Nax's grin widens from ear to ear, quite disturbingly so. "But maybe you would care to tell us exactly why that is, and keep your ability to breathe."

At this point, the diminute young man had been petting the top of his scepter's skull, eyes ever-so-fixed into the two kalashtar. His gaze seemed not to focus on them specifically, but on what they would become.

[spoiler]An intimidate check might be in order. Shame I'm not very good at it. I love the smell of wet pants in the morning (1d20+9=21) I suppose circunstamce bonuses MIGHT apply.  [/spoiler]

[PhaedrusXY]

Eddie says "Hmm... I have another idea. Although it is trivial to... clean up... the undesired memories of a mind, I don't know of any way to remove psychic impressions left in an area. Strong emotions can leave impressions that a sensitive mind can detect.

You gentlemen claim to have... dealt with... the Inspired that once resided here. Could you show William where they were dealt with? They should have left psychic impressions of the horror of their deaths there, which might still be detectable.

Probe will accompany you."

As if on cue, the small crystal scuttles in on its spidery legs and stops just in front of the two kalashtar, as if waiting. An older human man walks in behind the crystal and also waits silently.

"William is getting somewhat advanced in years. If he performs well, maybe this will be his chance to earn his immortality. The power of the mind is not dulled in undeath, if the ritual is performed properly. Indeed, undeath merely frees you from many of the threats posed by other psychics while preserving the power of your own mind for eternity..."

At this, the old man smiles and a look of fond hopefulness passes over his face.

[spoiler]William is now my Seer 4s name. [/spoiler]

[Kuroimaken]

"Failing that, I could always raise the corpses and ask them." Nax punctuates.

[Bozwevial]

The pair regard each other inscrutably, their faces carefully blank. Finally, the more taciturn of the pair turns back to the group and nods once. Both of them rise as one, waiting for further instruction.

[spoiler]You know, at first I misread the word "detectable" as "delectable." [/spoiler]

[PhaedrusXY]

[spoiler]You know, at first I misread the word "detectable" as "delectable." [/spoiler]

[spoiler]Eh, either one works. The fact that you misread it means that I must be doing good job making Eddie seem like an incredibly creepy, weird, and evil bastard. [/spoiler]

[PhaedrusXY]

The psicrystal crawls up onto the old man's shoulder, and the man says "Well, I'm ready when you gents are." Felix also comes in, wearing the mobile portal that maintains a connection back to Eddie and the ship.

[Kuroimaken]

"Funny, it's the first time in a while I've been called a gent." Nax pointed with a chuckle. "I'm ready."

[Bozwevial]

"Will your manservant be accompanying us as well?" the dour kalashtar asks, inclining his head in Felix's direction. His companion says nothing, instead rolling his head in a circle with a series of cracks and pops.

[PhaedrusXY]

Eddie says "Yes, he will. You never know when you need a good butler to clean up a mess." and chuckles to himself as if he'd told a joke only he gets.

[Bozwevial]

Without further ado, the kalashtar make their exit, accompanied by Felix and William. Upon exiting the ship, the strange group makes its way across the dusty plains, quickly becoming hard to follow in the swirls of dust. The pair of kalashtar put their goggles and masks back on as they enter the dust storm.

A few minutes of walking takes them to the foot of the mountains, where one of the kalashtar wordlessly indicates a small crevice in the rock that they crawl into one at a time, quickly vanishing from sight.

[spoiler]So, do we trust them enough to send our minions in after them? [/spoiler]

[Kuroimaken]

Without further ado, the kalashtar make their exit, accompanied by Felix and William. Upon exiting the ship, the strange group makes its way across the dusty plains, quickly becoming hard to follow in the swirls of dust. The pair of kalashtar put their goggles and masks back on as they enter the dust storm.

A few minutes of walking takes them to the foot of the mountains, where one of the kalashtar wordlessly indicates a small crevice in the rock that they crawl into one at a time, quickly vanishing from sight.

[spoiler]So, do we trust them enough to send our minions in after them? [/spoiler]

[spoiler]They're in for emasculation otherwise. Plus, we can always raise the dead bodies.[/spoiler]

[PhaedrusXY]

[spoiler]So, do we trust them enough to send our minions in after them? [/spoiler]

[spoiler]Felix has one of the Ring Gates, and Eddie's psicrystal. So Eddie is basically "with them", too.

Speaking of which, can he actually see through those? And if so, what orientation do they need to be in? Facing "inward" towards the ship?[/spoiler]

[Bozwevial]

[spoiler]I'm pretty sure you can see through a Ring Gate. And yes, now you're thinking with portals. [/spoiler]

The fissure is cramped and narrow, but Probe, Felix, and William make their way inside without much trouble, though William has cause to complain about his knees. A few hundred feet in, the tunnel opens up onto a cavern about one hundred feet across, filled with bunks, a small kitchen, and a fair number of corpses, dried blood congealed about wounds in various places on their body. Another tunnel at the back of the room leads...somewhere else. The kalashtar are standing near the entrance, a grim smile floating about the face of the dour one.

Everyone back on the ship:
[spoiler]Anyone who might be above deck (and yes, anyone who *is* the deck ), kindly make a Spot/Listen check.[/spoiler]

[Agita]

[spoiler]Being busy with school is a wonderful thing, ain't it?

Lucy will be trying to get front-row seats to watch through the portal... and readies an action to stick her arm out and burninate if things turn ugly (or fun, if you ask her).
Her cohort, however, might be on deck. She also has a higher Wis, and thus an actual chance to spot something.
Spot cohort (1d20+5=17)
Listen cohort (1d20+5=8)
Hold on, Aasimars also get +2 to Spot and Listen on top of that, don't they? Not that it's likely to matter...

Reminds me that I need to persist some spells on the group. Nax wants a Death Ward and Life Ward, IIRC. I think everyone will appreciate a Chained Persisted Reached Greater Vigor. Any other wishes?[/spoiler]

[Kuroimaken]

[spoiler]Being busy with school is a wonderful thing, ain't it?

Lucy will be trying to get front-row seats to watch through the portal... and readies an action to stick her arm out and burninate if things turn ugly (or fun, if you ask her).
Her cohort, however, might be on deck. She also has a higher Wis, and thus an actual chance to spot something.
Spot cohort (1d20+5=17)
Listen cohort (1d20+5=8)
Hold on, Aasimars also get +2 to Spot and Listen on top of that, don't they? Not that it's likely to matter...

Reminds me that I need to persist some spells on the group. Nax wants a Death Ward and Life Ward, IIRC. I think everyone will appreciate a Chained Persisted Reached Greater Vigor. Any other wishes?[/spoiler]

[spoiler]With that much help, I'm probably better off not asking for anything else.  [/spoiler]

[PhaedrusXY]

[spoiler]Spot; Listen 1d20+8=23, 1d20+5=14