Session Start: Sat Nov 24 17:19:35 2007 Session Ident: #castlevania * Logging for #castlevania started [Soon, cracks appear in the square around the pit and start to lance out thoughout the city proper.] * Charlotte runs. @_@ * Skip follows close behind. * Nyyx speeds along the rooftops. * Charlotte ruuuuuuns * Theodore casts fly on himself and flies near the rest of the group [The city continues to shake and rattle. The party bolts to the west desperate to outrun the collapsing brickwork and the rising dust. About one minute into their run, the party comes across a crowd starting to scatter from one of the larger buildings.] * Nyyx glances over at the crowd as she runs. [The crowd is starting to scatter from the house and most pick up on your lead and start to follow.] * Charlotte flies! * Nyyx keeps running. * Skip follows, warping in and out of shadows as he goes. [Another minute passes. The crowd is following behind and mostly making good time, although a few folks trip and stumble. The group might be about two dozen. You don't see any other groups, but do hear a lot of howling to the south.] I have a feeling that's something from the graveyard making that noise. Okay, I don't do the graveyard thing. I don't know if you noticed, lady, but my mojo's really not up to dealing with those things. * Nyyx smirks. "That's fine. I wasn't really in any hurry to go there, if we don't have to." Good! Hey, I'm all for beating up a graveyard. After some prep time. [The party reaches the west wall. The party is about 500' south of the west gate at this point and the crowd is beginning to collect up behind the slower party members.] Um... right. Anybody know how to get these guys over the wall? Or do we go to the gate? To the gate! I've got the rope. Otherwise, the gate's that way, to the north. going once? going twice? SOLD To the gates! * Biff runs up the wall and runs down the top towards the gate. * Charlotte goes for the gates. * Nyyx speeds toward the gate. [The crowd starts to hustle down alleys and narrow streets toward the West Gate. The party spots a second group forcing the gate open when they reach the gate.] Alright, let's get this thing open! * Nyyx gets to work helping the group with the gate. Uh, sure. I'll get right on that, toots. * Charlotte goes to help [Between Nyyx and Biff, the controls to the Gate locks are quickly disposed of and the villagers have the gates open in under a minute. Everyone, now about five dozen people, start streaming out into the plains west of the town.] * Nyyx looks back toward town. [The city center is a dust cloud at this point. Howls and screams can be heard from the south and yelling can be heard from the northeast. The outskirts of the city seem to not be collapsing, however.] * Biff looks back at the slowly collapsing town and mutters, "Damn all load-bearing monsters to the hells." [Cromwell, another crow and a large eagle decend outside the gates.] [A silent figure sits on the eagle's back.] * Nyyx approaches Cromwell and the others. "I'm glad you made it." She looks up at the figure on the eagle's back. Cromwell: "Wow! What a mess! Master Worst will be mad he missed this!" * Nyyx smiles a little. * Biff leaps up onto Nyyx's shoulder. Well, it might not be over quite yet. Eagle: "Get back in there and help Sirrus! She went down near the city center!.... Him? I think he's mute. Sirrus said he was a priest of the 'Wandering God.'" Oh, geez. Sure thing. Crow: "There are more people back there! We have to do something! We have to save Sirrus!" * Charlotte yells at the crowd. "Help anyone you can. We're going back for some." What? All right. Near the city center? Any other details about her location? Crow: "She fell near the tower." * Nyyx grimaces. Who's fast? ... I am! I've got nothin' for dealing with a giant cloud of dust. * Charlotte runs to get her ...stupid girl, how's she going to see? * Charlotte starts flying * Nyyx runs after Charlotte. Wow. It's... hazy there. * Charlotte slows down a bit. * Biff dances around a bit on Nyyx's shoulder, having no trouble at all balancing, and suddenly Nyyx is running a hell of a lot faster. This is going to be a problem Woah. @_@ * Nyyx keeps running. "Thanks, Biff." Don't forget to hold your breath. * Skip follows close behind Nyyx and Biff. * Nyyx nods. "I won't." * Skip stops just short of the cloud of dust, "I won't be able to follow you in there. I'll watch the perimeter and help the citizens. Be safe!" * Charlotte goes to help people Right. Leave it to me. Nyyxie, I've got a detect going for her. Just follow my tail. * Skip trails off down a side street and starts scouting out the area. He is moving outside the dusty area in a southerly direction. Will do. * Nyyx heads toward the dust cloud, keeping an eye on Biff for any indication that he's found Sirrus. * NotNyyx has joined #Castlevania [Skip reaches the building where the villagers were hiding. It appears deserted at first glance. There are still yells coming farther south.] [The building is two stories tall and looks like a tavern.] * Nyyx jogs briskly around the circumference of the dust cloud, waiting for a sign of Sirrus to register. Anything, Biff? * Skip sees movement from the familiar building. As stealthy as he can, Skip scales the tavern wall and enters through a second-floor window. Yep. * Biff takes a deep breath and points with his tail. Let's rock. * Nyyx takes a deep breath, then plunges into the dust cloud after Biff, relying on her blindsense to navigate. ( or, after Biff's signal ) * Nyyx is now known as NyyxAFK * NotNyyx is now known as Nyyx * Charlotte searches for folks back in town to help * Theodore attempts to determine what the monster is, by staying close to the rooftops [Theodore skims over the rooftops for about a minute before seeing a horrifying scene. Multiple groups of villagers are trapped on the south end of town near the graveyard and a creature, hulking, massive, nearly 20' tall and made of graveyard is slowly running them down. It catches them in dead-ends and drops houses on them. Theodore even sees it chuck a headstone into a villagers back as she ran.] [Toblaeh works quickly outside the city, healing wounds and sending people south, out of harm's way.] [Biff and Nyyx quickly work their way through the dust and ruined streets. If not for Nyyx's unnatural powers of perception and Biff's homing tail, they would have been lost within seconds.] [Charlotte finds a villager a few hundred feet from the west gate and hauls him to safety.] * Theodore returns to try to find the rest of the team before engaging the beast * Biff does some quick triangulation in his head, and figures out that the silly druid's gotta be at least a hundred feet below street level. This is gonna be a tough climb. * Nyyx is totally up to the climb, though, even without leet spiderclimb powers. [Nyyx and Biff run down the street through the dust for several hundred feet. Nyyx's quick feet and inhuman reflexes keep the pair on course. Suddenly, Biff's sense of Sirrus's location points nearly directly below them.] * Biff abruptly points his tail DOWN. * Nyyx stops about two inches away from an abrupt drop in the street level, goes bug-eyed, and then climbs down. * Skip makes short work of the window and crawls into the room. [The room is a common sleeping room in the tavern. It's been used as a makeshift living space for a great many people for the last several weeks, you estimate. It smells foul. There is a doour leading to the stairs at the far end.] * Skip sneaks across the room to the door and listens for any sound of movement. [door] * Skip slowly pushes the door open and sneaks through the shadows. He stops at the top of the descending stairwell. [Skip sees nothing out of the ordinary.] [Theodore reaches the villagers camp and Tobleah and Charlotte on the Northwest side of town.] * Skip climbs the wall and attaches himself to the ceiling. Hang on with hands and feet, Skip crawls out over the stairs and tries to get a glimpse of the activities below. * Nyyx climbs effortlessly down the loose rocks of the cliff, slapping her hand on the wall to stop herself whenever a handhold gets uppity and gets way, and in no time flat, she's at the bottom and following Biff's tail to the druid. [Skip spies a deserted common room, ransacked and foul. Only a single figure sits near the fireplace, shifting quietly in the light of the dying fire.] [Nyyx and Biff reach the unconscious druid about 120' below the street on an outcropping within the pit. The dust is stiffling and damp. They can hear more collapses beneath and all around them.] [The figure near the fireplace is small, about halfling size, but lankier. And appears made of gray, gnarled wood.] * Biff uses a bit of breath to whisper over his messagelink, "Theo, Nyyx and I need some help getting out of here." Thheo, did you see anyhting? [The druid is unconscious and sprawled out on the rock, blood soaking her head.] "There is a huge monster... it looks like it is made of a walking graveyard..." * Nyyx crouches next to the druid. * Theodore asks Biff via message "how can I get you out?" * Biff sends back, "Dunno. Fly would help. I'm gonna fling a glitterdust straight up. Get above the dust cloud and go straight down from there." * Theodore says "See you in a minute" * Theodore flies to get Biff * Biff throws a glitterdust straight up in the air, as high as he can [A pair of warriors come running up to Charlotte and Tobleah at a very high speed.] "What in the hells is going on?" Someone's stuck in there. Our friends are getting them out Warrior: "Stuck in the city? We know that. Why is it exploding?" * Skip continues to crawl across the ceiling and walls -and always in the shadows- until he is about fifteen feet from the creature. "How does the day greet you, friend?" * Biff throws a ball of brightly glowing dust two hundred feet up, but who knows if it can be seen outside the dust cloud? Only Theo, because he's up there. No idea. All we did was kill a dragon thing. * Theodore attempts to follow the spell to its source Creature: "Bittersweet, little halfling. You would make a good domnii, climbing and sneaking like that. But there will not be any more of us here, I fear." Warrior: "You found something in command in there? And people, I see? Are there any more in trying to get out?" I'm not sure. I found... one other person, but that's all. It looks like practicalyl everyone's made it to the gate. Warrior: "Excellent. Why is the city falling in?" No idea [Theodore decends into the dust storm and tries to land on Biff.] * Nyyx draws her sword and bangs the pommel on a rock to draw Theo's attention. [Theo follows the noise and gingerly lands on the ledge. Nyyx has to keep him from landing on the druid.] how many of us are there? * Skip moves across the ceiling to the new position, "Then you will be on your way? I can escort you to the druids, if you'd like." Warrior: "Well, where should we go next?" Four, counting you. "Ready for a teleport?" Yeah. Fine with me. * Theodore casts teleport * Charlotte follows as easily as she is able Domnii: "You do not understand. I am this house. I cannot leave. I protected the people for as long as I could, but the beast's rage is too much now. They had to run and my house will topple." * Skip hangs in a corner, "The beast's rage? Do you mean that stone abomination at the tower?" Domnii: "No, it's father beneath the city. I only hope my brothers and sisters fare better." * Skip freezes in place, his eyes growing wide. "That thing had a father? What is it and what will it do?" * Theodore casts teleport. Nyyx, Biff, the druid and Theodore all arrive at the West Gate. Domnii: "I do not know. Take the people under the city. Eat them. Eat the city. Then leave and eat other towns too. You need to help my siblings and the people. They are all over the city and in trouble. And under it as well...." * Skip skitters down to the ground and approaches the domnii respectfully, "What is your name?" [The domnii smiles a crooked little smile.] "We domnii don't need names. It is enough that we are unique homes." What do we do? [The warriors approach the group as it suddenly appears. Tobleah runs up the druid and begins casting spells quietly.] "What in the hells is going on here?" That's a good question. What IS going on? * Skip bows before it, "Then I thank you for your service to the people." Skip moves swiftly to the staircase and begins his ascent. "We have a large monster killing villagers in the south. I think that takes priority." Oh great. And here I am, just about tapped out from taking on a gigantic gargoyle from hell. How far south? * Skip stops while he can still see the domnii, "Do you not despair, brave domnii. I will return with my friends and carry on your good works. Farewell!" He dashes up the stairs, out the window, and back onto the street below. * Skip moves about the tavern, looking for a marker or sign. Frustrated, he mumbles to himself, "What is the name of this place?" Warrior: "Monster, where?" "In the southern part of town, by the graveyard." [The sign on the exit door to the tavern is of a red mustang.] * Skip nods, commits it to memory, then dashes north toward the west gate. Warrior: "Okay, we need to get these people south to our camp and tell everyone else about that thing. We can take it!" We gotta act fast... I'm up for more. What about you? Warrior: "ALRIGHT, EVERYONE!!! WE HAVE A SAFE HAVEN FOR YOU TO THE SOUTH ABOUT A MILE! GET MOVING, IT ISN'T SAFE HERE. ABLE-BODIED HELP THE INJURED. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!" [One of the warriors turns and bolts south at high speed while the other helps the nearest injured villager.] I'm about tapped out, luv. * Skip continues to sprint at top speed to the western gate, looking for signs of life as he goes. I don't think it's going to wait until we're all fully rested... is it? [Skip finds no other signs of life.] [About a minute later, Skip reaches the gate. He sees about sixty people, including his comrades, working their ways south.] * Skip rushes over to his comrades, panting and out of breath. Oh, hey. * Skip reaches Theo and Nyyx and looks around, "We've got....problem. Big." He stretches out his arms. "BIG problem. Huge." He wheezes and coughs. So I heard. * Skip finally regains his composure, "I know why the city is collapsing. It's the father. That thing. The big stone thing we killed. It's only the son." ...you're not making a lot of sense, here. * Skip nods and nods and nods. "I know! But I talked to the Red Mustang Tavern and it told me that there is a large thing under the city. We destroyed its son and now it will destroy the town with its rage. It is literally eating the city and its people. And the people! There are more trapped in some of the buildings. Lots more!" You talked to what? "The tavern is alive? What? It called itself a domnii. It seems like a druid thing. Apparently, all the buildings in town have one. It's a little stick thing that protects the townsfolk and watches over the building in which it lives. "I see. And does it know how to stop the thing from destroying the town? No, it just wants to the townspeople rescued. They're apparently grouped up in some of the buildings. The domnii have been protecting them. Any idea how long they can hold out? As long as the buildings keep standing, I think. And from the look of things, that's not very long. Let's go do something Okay, we need to know what's destroying the town, and how to destroy it. Let's not put the mouse before the hunt, here. We might want to talk to the druids. Maybe they can commune with these domnii people. Right... where do we go? I don't know, do we have a loremaster or something? Has anybody even seen this thing? [The villagers and warrior proceed south in the afternoon sun. The dust continues to rise into the air over the center of town and screams and howls echo from the city.] No idea.. We may need to split up. Some of us should find safehouses and get the people to safety, while others start to gather information about this thing. "Maybe we should evacuate the civilians from the town. We have no idea which buildings are safe." I can find creatures, if my spell's not blocked, and lead them out. I can scout around. "Do we know what we are up against? Other than one talking tavern, we don't know much." Biff, take your spell, find everybody you can, and get them out of the city. Charlotte, Theodore, Skip, help me find Roland. Maybe he has something on this. Sure. Fine by me. * Biff races off into the city. * Charlotte goes to help find Roland * Skip follows the others to the campsite. "I hope we can help the domnii. They remind me of the forest." Yeah * Nyyx races off with Skip... as much as one can while wearing fairly heavy armor. [End of Session.] Session Time: Sun Nov 25 00:00:00 2007