[IC]Shadow over Stygia

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sat Jul 20, 2013 11:38 pm

Moving silently and holding his breath, Velasco slips through the trap door, with Taotie holding up the door so it does not creak or fall. Moving on all fours, the Zingaran moves over to the grey skin...and as he gets closer, finds that there is much more of it strewn about than he had thought, and that the peculiar musty smell is stronger here. Picking up a piece, he finds it to be a large section of shed snake skin...though of no serpent he is familiar with, it must surely be large to produce such pieces...and then with a moment of choking horror Velasco realizes that the piece he holds has in its shape a woman's pendulous breast...

{Velasco loses 1 Sanity point}

Kurama314 · Post by **Kurama314** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 3:05 am

Recoiling in horror Velasco's gaze whips around back to the three women near the trap door. He gingerly moves back to the trap door and hands Taotie the snake skin. He then draws his dagger and with a blade in each hand moves towards the nearest guard, sticking to walls and silk screens to avoid being seen.

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:45 am

Taotie takes the unusual snake skin and puts it in a bag. He has heard many tales of giant snakes of the stygian wizards, perhaps some can take human form as well?

((are those three girls peeking from behind the silk also of giant stature? like 7ft tall and heavier than a part cimmerian warrior. If the little hippopotamus is in fact a giant snake and this is her skin, perhaps the back map is also at the cushions?))

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:29 pm

The other women are of normal size and with the pale skin of some of the oldest Stygian families, though all of them are rather well-endowed, even plump.

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:00 pm

"Should the need arise, Isandro, throwing that lamp to the ground may allow me to provide a distraction for us."

Under his breath and pantomiming exasperation at his task , Nebemakhet calls upon the Blessing of Yig, trusting to the flickering of the lamps and his robe's cowl for it to remain unnoticed. (If called out, Neb. remarks that he "just feels more comfortable like this".)

(What sort of progress are we making on copying the map?)

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:16 pm

Suddenly, a commotion sounds from the courtyard. The steward hurriedly rushes to a window, fortuitously missing Neb's transformation.

"The master returns!"

Kamose has traced out the portion of the map around Kheshatta and some of the desert westwards, but not much farther.

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:33 pm

"How much more map do you need?"

Kurama314 · Post by **Kurama314** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:18 pm

Once Velasco is within distance of the guard he's sneaking up on he's attacking with both weapons.

(Assuming I get close enough without him noticing that's a full attack with arming sword and ghanata knife. And it'll be a finesse attack since Velasco isn't the strongest of people.)

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:52 pm

The eunuch that Velasco sneaks upon is protected by a heavy layer of fat and grease, but little else; the blade of his arming sword slips under his shoulder, seeking the fat man's heart, even as his blade stabs in to the side of the belly. Mortally wounded, the heavy eunuch guard gives a death-scream as he falls, clutching and tearing down the curtains.

Shocked, everyone in the room now stares at the murder that has just occurred...and from below in the courtyard comes screams... The steward hisses audibly and yells "Treachery! Sssslay them all!"

There is a terrible moment, and all at once the harem-girls are no longer plump but pale-skinned Stygians...now they stand revealed as monstrous serpent women, with heads like oversized vipers, scaled breasts and buttocks still straining against the diaphanous silks they are clothed with, jaws dripping with a thing green venom. Only the eunuchs remain human, as does Nekka, who languidly rises from her couch in astonishment. The girl-slaves that accompanied Neb, Kamose, and Kalus shriek and clutch each other in fear.

Looking around, you see at least eight serpent-women, the unarmed steward, and three more eunuch guards in the room. The doors to the stairs that Neb, Kamose, and Kalus took up here remain shut and locked from the outside. Taotieh remains peeking out of the trap door.

{Spot Check: Kalus sees that Nekka's eyes are dilated, as though she was under the effect of the lotus.}

{Kalus and Taotieh both lose 1 San point at the sight of the serpent-women. Neb, Kamose, and Velasco do not. }

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:12 pm

[[Are any of the harem-girls within five feet?]

"She's under the lotus, either skin her or get her out of here!"

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:14 pm

{The three serpent-girls Velasco had espied from behind earlier are about 5 feet away, and stand between Neb, Kamose, Kalus & co. and the trap door.}

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:36 pm

Karlus will unwrap the cloth from his bardiche (move), 5 ft step towards the serpent girl farthest away from the others, and strike her, power attacking, taking a -2 penalty [standard].

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 9:44 pm

Kamoses takes Nekka's hand and lightly pulls, "Will you come with me, Nekka?" he asks softly. ((Diplomacy check?))

Kamoses is prepared to use Chill of the Grave prefaced by a Perform (Ritual) check for the gift of Usir (+1 PP) if enemies come within range of it.

Kurama314 · Post by **Kurama314** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:04 pm

Velasco will circle around behind the three serpent women that Karlus is engaging. Once he gets into a flanking position he'll just lay into them.

Whipstitch · Post by **Whipstitch** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:14 pm

Isandro will draw his arming sword and also attack a snake girl, preferably in such a manner that he and Karlus are blocking things off so people can't flank them without drawing AoOs. I'm assuming that since it was a social call both his helmet and shield are currently hanging off his back, which leaves him with his duellist's cape and sword for parrying, which puts his parry defense at 21 and his DR at 6 before factoring in anything else. He'll fight defensively and with max Combat Expertise, which should put him at 28 to be hit. His general strategy in later turns will be doing an imp. feint and attack routine on whoever is threatening him. If the feint works, he'll finesse attacke normally (and thus armor piercing sneak attack for great justice) and if it fails he'll do the Combat Expert & Defensive thing again. Since these guys are poisonous I'm fine with spending a Fate point to make a Parry attempt if caught flat-footed first round.

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:24 pm

I should note that Karlus is wearing his full ensemble under his cloak, so everything is as recorded on the character sheet.

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:30 pm

Nebemakhet picls up an oil lamp, steps away from Kamoses, and watches the steward intently, making sure to not make eye contact.

(Ready action to use Warding if steward attempts a spell, is prepared to throw oil lamp followed by smoke powder, dependent on how the martial types seem to be doing.)

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:32 pm

Prak_Anima wrote:Kamoses takes Nekka's hand and lightly pulls, "Will you come with me, Nekka?" he asks softly. ((Diplomacy check?))

Kamoses is prepared to use Chill of the Grave prefaced by a Perform (Ritual) check for the gift of Usir (+1 PP) if enemies come within range of it.

{Waiting until OgreBattle/Taotieh gets his move in, but as a general note the range on that defensive blast is "everything within 10 feet" - so, um, that would kill all of your allies, the eunuchs, the steward and most-but-not-all of the serpent women. Just FYI.}

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:39 pm

((ah, right. Well in that case, if Kamoses gets attacked, I'll use summon beast instead, trying for a Hyena.))

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 2:18 am

Taotie has always wanted to see a monster girl before, he was just hoping it would have more human lady bits at the top and snakey at the bottom Seeing his companions in imminent danger, he slips out of the trap door to engage someone he can sneak attack (The steward if possible. If not then another valid sneak attackable target.)

((My combat maneuver will be to Sneak attack with the war gauntlet, then use my free grappling action from my martial arts style to throw the target into a position that grants an ally an attack of opportunity [the burly bardiche barbarian ideall], or into a fire. If my companions wish to flee or the stygian wants to explode, the trap door should be quite visible by now.

If the Stygian would like to explode, then I'll move back (tumble to avoid OA's) into the trap door after my attack-throw maneuver.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 10:34 am

Taotieh, moving with astonishing speed, leaps from the trap door and punches the nearest serpent-woman in the back of the head with his spiked fist with a sickening crunch; the daughter of Set goes down.

The other snake-women seem to move sluggishly - Neg (spot check) recognizes they too have been drugged with lotus - and between them Karlus, Isandro, and Velasco manage to cut down the other two serpent-girls standing betweenthem and the front door, though Karlus suffers a bite on his arm (-2 hp) and feels the burn of its venom.

Nekka dumbly nods and stands to her towering height, even as the remaining guards and serpent-women move in on Neb and Kamose. The eunuchs are armed with curved scimitars but despite their great size and strength, the two Stygian scholars manage to evade their blows. The sluggish serpent-women have the strength of numbers however, and three of the buxom daughters of Set manage to bear Kamose to the floor. (Kamose is grappled)

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 11:10 am

"Xara naak-yiinik!" Kamoses grits his teeth beneath the women, "Neb- get Nekka and my women out of here! It's about to get ...cold..." His eyes glaze chilly blue as he waits just till allies are out of range before releasing Chill of the Grave.

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 11:24 am

Nebemakhet, his slitted eyes wide, raises an arm imperiously and hisses "In the name of Set, defend your master!" as a horned viper springs from his sleeve towards the nearest guard. He then steps back in an attempt to dodge the eunuch's assault, and continues to glare at the steward.

(If my viper can move sufficiently on its own to attack the guard I'll use its attack bonus instead of the Loathsome Weapons feat granted by Blessing of Yig, and maintain a readied Warding against the steward.)

(Edit: crap, I posted before seeing Kamoses' post. I'll at least move at a diagonal so as to get further away from him. How close is everyone?)

(If I can change my post based on Kamoses' command:)
Nebemakhet, miraculously evading the eunuchs' blades, lunges to take Nekka by the hand and attempt to drag her away from the impending eruption of unearthly power, keeping her bulk between himself and Kamoses. "Girls, get back, now!", he screams.

(Sorry about the edits, I'm trying to keep the used actions clear)

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 11:38 am

{Nekka and the slave girls are about three feet from Kamose. Neb and the eunuchs are about 4-5 feet away. Isandro, Karlus, Velasco, and Taotieh are 6-8 feet away. The trap door is 10 feet away. The steward is 20 feet away, banging on the door.}

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 11:57 am

(Kamoses has no intention of freezing everyone, so he'll try to stay conscious and alive until he's certain that at least Nekka and his girls are clear, but preferably everyone.)

Kamoses cranes his neck to his own slaves "Girls! Help Nekka get out of here! Go to the temple if you can't stay with the men!"