The Demon's weregild: chapter 1

[agentaaa]

First topic message reminder :

T-H-E D-E-M-O-N-S W-E-R-E-G-I-L-D



Chapter one:
The Jewel thief

Steve Frankenson and Angus Magec walk to the doors of the bright city of Ashta, grateful for the rest from their wandering, likely. As they come near the city, the gigantic metal gates of the walled fortress in front of them open, without any guards nearby. The gate didn't appear to be in possession of an automatic unlocking system, and whatever suspicion you might have had of it's condition is soon cut short as the door falls off it's hinges, and the smell of blood rushes into your nostrils.
Walking into the city, all you find is dead guards, townsfolk, animals, killed in spectacular amounts of butchery. What could do all this damage? The guards seem well armed and armored, and this town had resisted attacks from orcs, wizards, trolls, ogres, and even dragons in the past. there seemed not to be a threat the city couldn't handle, and even the drow had concluded it impossible to take the town after many attempts. Surely an army had come, and destroyed this city....
"Just give the ruby to me, you stupid woman, before I get angry." A man's voice could be heard shouting.
"You killed them, you bastard! They were the first to accept me! I'll kill you!" A woman's voice could be heard, as you round the corner. "Die, you heartless-" The woman, a dark haired beauty in a red dress, created a red fireball in her outstretched hands...
only for it to be dissipated with a snap of the man in front of her's fingers. The man had a long, brown beard, and wore violet robes filled with arcane energy. The staff he carried was long and black, the top appearing to be carved in the shape of a demon, but like none any mortal had ever seen. "hehehehahaha! Oh, you little fool! Your power truly is nothing next to mine.
as you hear the man say this, however, you hear a sickening crunching sound. Looking all around you, you see the remains of the dead piled around you move through the air, creating a barrier around you, leaving only one path open - right to the mage - for mage the man must be - and the woman.
"Right on time, Angus Magec, Steve Frankenson." The man remarks, regarding them with a smirk. "I can't use my own magic to steal this ruby, so I might as well take it from your corpses. I don't doubt you'll attempt to fight, of course - heroes always do, particularly when a little bit of power has managed to inflate their little heads - but, well, I'm prepared for you, and you must surely realize, by now.
I am the creature that destroyed this town."
Raising his staff, he readies himself for battle. Perhaps you should do the same.

[Angusm3]

I use prestigidation to put a statuette of Vaprak the Destroyer in my hand and shout "Stand away back or I'll destroy it! Lest I turn my focus on you!"

[agentaaa]

"Yeah, morsel, ya little tricks no be foolin' us when you be doin' it in front of us, hehahaha" One of the trolls said, seeing through the ruse(+10 to perception for doing it in front of the trolls)

[Angusm3]

OOC: just out of curiosity, what did I roll, or did I auto fail from having 9 perception, jack of all trades adds 2 so I had like... a 5% chance of winning

Angus roars an incantation at the top of his lungs. A burst of fire flies from his body, toward the closing trolls. "You force my hand fools!" he shouts, trying to stifle his fear.

edit: it was fire burst, sorry I was going to post that after but forgot :S

[agentaaa]

(I do not know what ability you just used. Please tell me what ability you in fact just used. also, wait for Nutty to post his action this turn.)

[Nut_Column]

Well, Assuming that I did all that I said, which you seem to be loathe to post about, I strike from the shadows at the Shaman with Unbalancing Act with Steve, and (Assuming he's not dead) Piercing Strike with Ravager.

(PS. this doesn't unstealth me due to using Hide in Plain Sight.)

[agentaaa]

(Attacks do give you a minus to stealth nonetheless. Hiding in plain sight lets you move as though there were cover, but attacking kind of... doesn't fall under that.)
The troll shaman falls, steve seeming to cut through his chest like paper, and he dies, and topples over.
"'Da chief is dead!" One of the trolls says, and after closely looking, despite steve's best efforts to hide, he is finally spotted. "It be him, man! Kill that Git!"
(You killed him. Trolls rolled a 19 on stealth check, and they get a couple other bonuses that made up the difference.)
(Will post an attack when Angus posts what spell he used.)

[Angusm3]

this turn:
Angus doesn't care what it takes, he knows about trolls and he's not going to let this one regenerate. As he (uses his move action) runs toward the fallen shaman, fire begins to sprout from his hands (uses fire plume) and flies at the shaman's wounds.

[agentaaa]

very well, you killed the already dead shaman even more(Those might be trolls... BUT THEY NOT MY TROLLS!!!)

[Nut_Column]

(Saw it coming.) (Also, it's their attack I do believe.)

[agentaaa]

The trolls attack, most of them aiming for Angus, while a pair of them strike at Frankenson. Steve narrowly dodges the spear that came at him, the attack scratching his leather armor, and ducks underneath the axe that attempts to decapitate him, the troll telegraphing his attack so as to make the attempt easy for Steve.(You dodge.)
Angus, on the other hand, used his magically enhanced armor and speed to dodge most of the attacks, moving so as to narrowly dodge between two arrows, knock away a spear, and get out of the way of a hastily lobbed rock, before having the next troll's charge only graze Angus, the damage stopped by his armor. However, a throwing axe from his side grazed angus's back, leaving a slight scar(took 6 damage from one attack, all others miss)

[Nut_Column]

I Use Rogue's Luck on Steve on the one who grazed my armour, cuz I can. Then I use Piercing Strike on the other one who attacked me with Ravager. I also say some witty one liner, like "My Turn!" or "Miss me?" or "John Malcovich!"

[Angusm3]

Angus moves a bit to grab his back, only to cast frostburn at the troll that had thrown the axe at him then I use fire burst, because I edited it into my last post but you missed it so I'm using it now.

[agentaaa]

well, you didn't mention it, so THERE
Angus fires a bold of fire and ice at the nearby troll, one of the trolls getting out of the way of it, but the other, and Angus' main target, is struck by the blast, now being cut by shards of ice, and burned by flames burning red hot, at the same time. Howling in pain, he looked at Angus and said "You gonn.. pay for dis... mo'sel..." He said, barely holding himself up. "Yo' flesh... Gonn' be so sweet."
(Use it at what? Specify a target for fire burst next time, because this time I'm just assuming you meant the same troll you fired frostburn at)
Angus merely smiled, and said "I'm not done yet." As a fiery red, magical bead formed in his hand. looking at the troll, he fired the bead, and as it hit the troll, it exploded in a swath of flame, seeming to kill the troll.
However, the troll, skilled and crafty, flipped himself out of harms way in a stunning acrobatic move, spinning in the air, and the nearby troll jumped out of harms way as well. This would be no easy fight.(Frostburn did 15 damage to the target, and you missed with fire burst because these guys have good reflex)
Meanwhile, Steve came in with a nasty upwards slash at the troll who grazed his armor, cutting it neatly in half as Steve moved through the Troll as easily as if it were cutting into a piece of cloth. coming in with his deadly blade ravager at the other nearby troll, who narrowly knocked it away with his own spear. "I'm Steve. Knife to meet you." You yell out with a grin.

[Nut_Column]

Laughing now, I use piercing Strike with Steve on the troll I missed, and Piercing Strike with Ravager (As a backstab) on the troll Angus keeps missing. I shout "Saved your life!" when I attack the other troll.

[Angusm3]

I cast the staff of death spell at the troll that dodged my attack while it is in midair so that it has a penalty to AC. "It isn't over until you're dead fool!"

OOC: I only missed once, reference to 8 bit theatre dnd?

[Nut_Column]

(No, you missed one Troll twice, but speaking of PURE EVIL!CLICK THIS LINK! OLOLOLOL)

[agentaaa]

Steve attempts to stab the troll in front of him with his dagger, but the troll manages to stop his stab with his axe, driving the dagger upwards. Smiling, the troll makes a short twist with his axe, and sprains Steve's wrist, causing him to stumble back. in pain, he is only just able to hold onto his dagger, and cannot even think of using his blade for a few seconds
(Rolled a 1 to hit, but I'm feeling generous, so only a minor problem, and as a result, -1 to hit with W/E hand you use steve in, and you forfeited your second attack.)
(Already landed. No AC penalty for you.) Angus fires a green, swirling ray of energy out of his staff at the wounded troll, and it is unable to dodge out of the way, falling in a crumpled heap. it's body already seemed to be beginning to decay as it hit the ground. as it falls, Angus seems to grow stronger, and his wound healed almost completely as dark energy reconstructed it.(heal for 5 hp, the troll died. you got the entire rest of his HP)

[Nut_Column]

"Ow! That Hurt! You're Such a Jerk!" Steve shouts, using the same attack plan as before. After all, it's the last thing the trolls would expect right?

[Angusm3]

Angus carefully positions himself to make sure the attacks will do as much damage as possible and unleashes lightning serpent and thunderlance on two of the trolls that are focused on him

[agentaaa]

Steve moves right next to the troll, into his defenses, and stabs into the troll's spine, the creature letting out a faint gurgle before falling over, dead before it hit the ground. Moving to Angus' side, he attacked the second troll with blinding speed, but was surprised to see the blade stopped with a knife the troll himself owned, pulled out of his belt to stop the strike. (hit and a miss.)
Angus fires his spell at another troll, his eyes flashing as he uttered the words of power. A bolt of lightning crackled from his fingertips, and like a tendril moved from his hand to the troll. the end of the bolt changed, to become like a snake's head, and the troll, stunned by the sudden appearance of the creature, is unable to move before the electrical serpent grabbed his arm in it's jaws and bit down, a pulse of lightning going into the troll, as it emitted a cry of distress before falling down in pain. the troll lets out one final scream, before falling to the ground, convulsing in pain, before stilling finally. Angus didn't even pause to watch it fall, however, as he found another pair of trolls to attack, a lance of thunder arcing out from the palm of his hand, striking the nearby trolls with an explosion of lightning. One troll m but jumps out of the way in a graceful pirouette, smirking as he lands none the worse for wear. the other troll was not so lucky, and screams as he is incinerated by the lightning. (Lightning serpent is a single target spell, so only one guy, but it hit for 22 overall, with your INT modifier, so dead troll counter increased by 1. one of the trolls dodged your thunderlance, as well, but you did 28 damage to the other guy, so total dead troll counter for you is 2.)
the remaining two trolls look at the devastation you caused, and retreat to the nearby trees, saying "where's the odda' guys, mon?"
the nearby gate breaks as something flaming is shoved through it. looking a little closer, you realize it's the carcass of a dead troll. "The hell's taking you guys?" your guide says, dusting her hands off as she walks through the gate. "I can't believe you made me deal with all of that myself. Thoughtless buffoons..." she says, a trio of carcasses behind her as she strides through the gate.fire burns from her hands, and she appears to be wearing some sort of shimmering armor.
"Sheet! We gonn be back, mon!" The trolls say, disappearing into the woods.

[Nut_Column]

"Shall we give chase?" Asks Steve.

[Angusm3]

"I can't yet" replies angus "the only spells I have left couldn't kill them, you could though..."
Angus then sheaths his sword and eats a piece of kentucky fried parrot while slowly turning to face the guide.

[Nut_Column]

Steve lets out a whoop and Great Leaps his way over to the fleeing trolls, Landing on one, stabbing with Steve, and Leaping over to the other, Stabbing with Ravager and Unbalancing Act.

[agentaaa]

steve manages to catch up to the trolls, coming down upon the fleeing troll in front of him with Steve. The trolls, however, were adept woodsman, and the troll, jumping from tree to tree, manages to dodge out of the way of Steve's blade, moving to the side and continuing to move. Steve attempts to move to the next troll to attack with ravager, but forgetting his first opponent, the first troll attacked Steve from behind with his axe, damaging him from behind. The second troll, alerted to Steve's presence by the first troll's attack, manages to dodge out of the way as well(You missed, twice, and due to you moving in and out of melee range of the first troll, he got a free opportunity attack. take 16 damage.)

[Angusm3]

"I think I'll have to have nice little nap so that I can remember how to do all my daily spells again" he whips open his magic carpet and lays on it. "Follow the rogue around from a safe distance until I'm rejuvenated" he commands the carpet as his eyes close.

[Sponsored content]