Desire and the Dead IC

[Avoraciopoctules]

"I love it when they come to me." Bloody Thorn smirks devilishly, hands out in a welcoming gesture.

"Step right up folks, come one come all to the Galleria en Pourpre. It's one night only, but I'm sure you'll remember it to the end of your days."

One aged but surprisingly spry bearded man dressed in rags shouts at Bloody Thorn as he attempts to sprint around the group. "Get out of here, sodding berks! Whatever that thing is, it ain't friendly!" There are too many people to intercept them all physically unless the group backs up and spreads out.

A flash of reddish light is followed by a sickening crunch around the intersection. The partially crushed body of a dwarf soars up over the buildings between you and flies a few hundred feet before colliding with some spikes projecting from the second floor of a house no more than a few dozen feet away. The carcass is steaming, and looks burnt, in addition to whatever caved in most of the ribcage. It's dripping disgusting viscera, some of which gets on a few of the fleeing Sigilites. A few people are coming up from the opposite direction, probably curious about what's going on.

A barechested human man whose visible skin is half-covered in dark blue tattoos of what look like abstract geometric patterns is the closest to the group. He doesn't seem all that upset by the commotion. "Hey, you're the ones the Voices hired, right? Planning to do something about this?"

[Prak]

Baldraxe failed to reply through the ball gag but went end fetched a barbed whip.

"...I'm torn between horror, fascination, and thinking you'd make a very useful minion..."

[Jilocasin]

Bakir glances over at Bloody Thorn, "Hmmhmm, funny. I trust a little excitement is welcome at this point. Whatever is causing that commotion won't likely resolve itself. I work best from the shadows, I'll see you there."

Bakir takes note of the odd man that doesn't seem perturbed by an airborne dwarvish carcass, but doesn't bother replying as he heads towards the commotion, trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible.

{Hide = 30, Move Silently = 17}

[God_of_Awesome]

"Ha mh hrrdy hnon," Baldraxe replied cooly, "Ha rrker hrrdy nna ha has."

[Quantumboost]

Zevras reshapes his "bracelet" of chaos-matter into its blade form and activates the Navy Secret Mantle and Amulet of Sapphire Magic. He moves wordlessly to the alley, looking for whatever is making the disturbance.

(Hide 23, Move Silently 32)

[Avoraciopoctules]

As Bakir and Zevras carefully turn the corner, using piles of street trash and debris for cover, the air seems to thicken and slightly harder to pass through, slowing them slightly. They continue, and peer down the lane that was previously obscured.

You see a gigantic black tentacle protruding out of what looks like the edges of a white rectangle the size of a door on the building to the right. It is thrashing around wildly, splattering the few remaining people who haven't fled or hidden. It drips a steaming green ichor and is inscribed with glowing red runes. No eyes are visible, but it does look vaguely aware of the area around it.

[Quantumboost]

((Any magical auras detectable?))

[Avoraciopoctules]

{The tentacle is magical, but doesn't look like a magical effect. It's probably part of a powerful creature. The runes on the tentacle are separate magical effects, and they look like mixed abjuration and enchantment. The white rectangle looks like an active portal. There's probably magic on your friends, and lots of weak auras suffusing the area. The thickened air looks like a magical effect centered on the tentacle, or perhaps on the portal it is presumably coming out of.}

[Jilocasin]

Bakir nocks an arrow in his bow and tries to maneuver to a place where he can see better into the white rectangle, still trying to be as unobtrusive as possible.

He looks briefly at Zevras and communicates telepathically, I don't believe I've even seen a creature like this before. Given it's bulk I'm not inclined to attack it, though perhaps driving the tentacle back through that white doorway might be the best we could hope for. I've no means to close it though. Do you have any ideas?

[Mask_De_H]

Bloody Thorn's grin breaks out into a maddening snake's smile at the sight of the tentacle. He pulls out a piece of chalk and begins drawing incandescent blue glyphs around himself. They drape him like a cloak and flare around his fingertips. The air gets heavier with a deeper shade of blue around his general vicinity.

"You two lovers give me one good reason why I shouldn't release my aggressions on this thing or blood starts flying."

{Passions Enflamed, Creative Void, Inhuman Attraction up}

[Quantumboost]

I do not KNOW this portal, or the tentacle. If we drive it back, the portal may close. It is clothed in magic of defense and of mind. We must KNOW the enemy before we can defeat it; I will test its defenses.

Zevras grins at Bloody Thorn (who presumably knows where he is) and gives a beckoning movement - as if to say, "be my guest". On his turn, he'll begin firing the Bolts of Agony at the tentacle, to see what happens.

[Jilocasin]

Bakir, hiding his presence even more, takes aim at the creature. His face suddenly appears even more like marble, and his eyes glaze over. His body is unnaturally still as he studies the tentacle, searching, probing for any possible weak spot. The only hint of life coming from him is a slight upturn at the corner of his mouth. A minuscule grin at the prospect of unleashing vengeance for the dead upon this abomination.

{Bakir prepares a Death Attack, hoping that that's possible of course}

[Mask_De_H]

"Well alright then, no complaints when there's nothing left for the lot of you." Bloody Thorn puts his hand to his face mawkishly; well kept nails extending into wicked black claws. He licks a wayward edge, then his lips in languid pleasure. Index finger extended, he draws a bead on the tentacled beastie and whispers.

"Bang"

A spiraling ray of bright blue energy flies from his claw, trailing behind a crimson string of infernal energies.

{Battle music go! Harpoon Spider shot (in the surprise round?) 15 vs. Touch AC.}

[Prak]

"Alright fellow perverts, we're off to see the wizard before Gimp hurts someone with that thing..."

[God_of_Awesome]

Baldraxe gives him a leather clad finger.

[Prak]

(gives who the finger? Akarchin?)

[God_of_Awesome]

(Who else?)

[Avoraciopoctules]

(Who else?)

{I didn't think Ak-archin was a reverse trap...

Sorry everyone, I was hoping to have a post addressing groups one and two up by now, but I used my time less efficiently than I should have. It should be up shortly after I wake up tomorrow.}

[God_of_Awesome]

((*goes to check char sheets* Oh god damnit))

[Prak]

(she's part sex fiend, she can't be a reverse trap... actually, maybe she can...hmm....)

"In your dreams. ...remind me to go to the dream realm and destroy those later..."

[Avoraciopoctules]

Group 1 (Adventuring Party cancels Patrol: Interrupted by Tentacle):

The tentacle thrashes in a sinuous manner distinctly different from its earlier blind groping. One of the runes flares, then vanishes. Four nearby corpses stagger to their feet, then shamble up to the tentacle and lay their hands upon it. The motion stops and the zombies-maybe begin to glance around the area, maintaining physical contact. Their hands smoke as they are burned by the tentacle's acidic slime.

Bakir, edging closer, acts on an impulse and darts to the wall opposite the portal, where he can use a mostly-smashed heap of black-painted wood and cloth as cover. He is at the very edge of the tentacle's reach. His eyes have adjusted to the peculiar air of this area, and he looks past the tentacle. It is dark beyond the portal, but he can make out more movement and some colorful glows in primary colors. The monster's black body seems to block the gap almost completely. There are momentary flashes of what might be open, lighter space beyond, but the creature is too large to get any meaningful details.

The portal seems to be set into a rectangular recess in the wall. Maybe an ornamental door, though that feels out-of place for this neighborhood. It might be the entrance to a house, though if that's the case, the stairs you'd expect up to the doorway (over a foot above street level) are gone. The white part looks like chalk scraped along the outside of the gap in the wall, in lines about an inch thick. It sparkles in a manner distinctly unlike mundane graffiti.

The tentacle shudders as a bolt of soulfire strikes it about halfway down its length, and recoils about a yard before Bloody Thorn's soul harpoon pierces right through a rune and yanks it back to about where it was before. It flails a bit, and another rune disappears. A circle of white force pops into existence on the side it was hit from. It's about a meter wide, and floats about a foot off its flesh.

The zombies turn, and begin to shuffle towards Zevras and Bloody Thorn. Their hands are burnt, but glisten with the tentacle's acid.

Group 2 (off to see the wizard):

You set off. As before, people seem to be paying more attention to the group than to anything else. A few individuals laugh, and a couple more move away when they see you.

You arrive at where you were told Nymon's shop was. There's a little over half a dozen people in front of it. Rough types, probably street thugs, and most seem to be carrying clubs and knives. From this distance, you can see that it looks like some kind of heated argument is going on, but you'd probably have to go closer to hear more.

One woman is standing watch for them. She looks tougher than the average, and is wearing a metal vambrace on each arm. Her short hair is caked with mud and you can make out heavy scarring on her face even from this distance. She stares at the group, her head cocked at a slight angle as one hand reaches into an inner pocket of her coat.

[Quantumboost]

Zevras redirects his focus to the zombies, as they are more likely to be a threat to the two who aren't hidden.

[Prak]

Akarchin slips her hands, one after another, into her bag, putting on her own bracers, "Wos goin' on, luv? A fight?" she greets the woman standing watch.

[Mask_De_H]

"You punks are smalltime, I'm itching for some Calamari right now."

BT reels himself in towards the tentacled beastie from his soulfire harpoon, flying with reckless abandon towards him. With his free hand he draws intricate, spiraling blue patterns in a maddening flow. When he reaches the tentacle he rends it's being with a flourish, completing the image and sending the patterns to ensnare the being.

{Move Action towards tentacle, Carrion Crawler(paralysis) 18 vs. Touch AC }

[Avoraciopoctules]

{There was actually no library today, but a bunch of other things did come up. None of them allowed for Internet access until around an hour or so ago.}
--------
Group 1:

Zevras pelts the zombies with bolts of soulfire, keeping their attention and bringing down one. They are getting fairly close now.

Bloody Thorn almost flies past the zombies and up close to the tentacle, connects with his blue snare, and wrestles with the tentacle, attempting to hold it in place. He is smeared with a bit of the slime, which burns painfully, but not enough to throw him off the offensive. The azure bonds fracture after a few seconds, but that's long enough for a arrow to come flying from Bakir and pierce right through the center of one of the largest runes on the tentacle. It detonates, showering the area around with crimson sparks and more slime. The bulk of the monster shields BT from the worst of the splash damage, and a shriek comes from the monster beyond the gate as the tentacle separates with a loud pop.

The detached tentacle thrashes around, rolling towards BT, but he steps back and dodges its first swipe. It is bleeding ichor from several places, and is moving more weakly than before.

----------
Group 2:

Akarchin slips her hands, one after another, into her bag, putting on her own bracers, "Wos goin' on, luv? A fight?" she greets the woman standing watch.

"We're having ourselves a little protection dispute. These Greenies seem to think they're all the protection Nymon needs. The League ain't so sure berks like they 're up to the job."

Ak'archin recognizes the woman's stance. She looks ready to throw a knife or other short-range projectile, but relaxed enough that she might pause a second before she decides to attack anyone. Also, the thugs seem to be pretty easy to tell apart by gang uniform. About a third are wearing armor of green snakeskin, and they appear to be the defenders here. Two are in front of a closed window next to what looks like a large sign, facing away from it and the wall so they aren't surrounded. Everyone else but the woman wears at least one off white piece of fabric tied around an arm or leg, and you think you see at least some of them wearing small metal badges.