4 - 060: The Fourth Piece

[K Man]

Romar -

Telena's face hardens when you speak of Sturmguard as so vindictive and unwavering.



"It is strange that you speak of him as such Romar. A leader should be stern yes, but to be so unwavering in policy is more like a tyrant."

"How can this be when I hear nothing but good whispered on the wind about him."

She frowns as she puzzles over it some more, her face furling. Just as she thinks of more retorts, she notices some movement out of the corner of her eye.

A duo of figures moves to the central campfire where the remainder of the council sits. The pair is shrouded, thanks mostly to the darkness of the night, but you catch enough of a glimpse to identify them as they approach and address Erid, one of the council members.

CAELITH! CALLIAN!

You mind almost screams their names when you recognize their faces. They seem different from your last fated encounter where they nearly shot you and Yuri out of the sky, but there is no mistaking who they are.

Telena rises, handing her bowl to you.



"Excuse me Romar, I will return when I know what this is about."

Your heart begins to beat like a drum. What are they here for? What could they be doing...will they ruin this...or more importantly, ruin me again?

....

{You're about 40 ft from them and the remainder of the council.}

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irris and Tineniel -

It takes all you have to walk up and address the council. It's not a matter of courage, but more a matter of your mind flooded with little chunks of pysche that the man triggered. Who was he? How did he know so much? An iceberg? As much as he answered was equalled by what he left in mystery.

Still, the words he spoke had an impact like a maul to the chest.

You make your way through the hundreds of refugee campfires to largest of them all, surrounded by the Council and their many guards. Normally the council would walk unhampered among the citizens of the Dune Palace, but the exodus has garnered the council unwanted attention.

A short exchange of guards and one of the council member, an aged halfling named Erid, waves you over. You approach, calm and stoic, stating your case.

"We have reason to believe that the shard in the Life-Giving Lake---don't look at us so, we know about the shard---will soon be stolen. Within the next two days or so. We ask permission to guard it, and urge the Council to consider moving it or hiding it, for its protection."

The clinking sounds of the soup spoons in the council bowls comes to a screeching halt, a few of them even spit out a little soup. Erid remains calm, his eyes narrowing as he nods to the guards to pull you closer and to keep this conversation to a minimum level.

"How is it you know these things?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

All in the Fortress -

Krysta, feeling the thick air that has stopped her, lashes out with her blades. [Attack Rolls = 18/14, 50% miss chance = Fail] Though her first blade should have gone right through where the air was, it hits nothing...

Girud hears Krysta agree to the pull and gives the rope holding the woman's waist a strong tug. {Unfortunately, a Withdraw is a full round action and Krysta has already taken her action. I understand Girud is performing the action for her, but according to the SRD;

You may not withdraw using a form of movement for which you don't have a listed speed.

Right now, Krysta is flying and cannot use Withdraw to avoid AoO's. Also, she has already taken a full round of action and has no more movement available and Tumble takes movement.

Sorry Krysta, you're gonna eat an AoO for leaving.}

[AoO for Krysta = 29, Damage Roll = 10] As she is pulled back, a thick wave of air slams into Krysta and knocks the wind from her. She is pulled back from the battle and lands on the ledge with an 'oompf'.

Yuri - [No Action?]

[The Invisible Stalker will remain out in the darkness] You cannot tell what has happened to the clearly inivisible creature in the darkness beyond, but none feel a blow or feel its attack...

Galdren remains calm, waiting for any chance to attack...

Alton fires an arrow into the darkness. [Attack Roll = 19, 50% miss chance = failure] The arrow strikes nothing, sailing into the blackness beyond and lost forever.

Adelia holds her action.

Mordrock tries to defend his woman by firing. [Attack Roll = 27/26, 50% Miss Chance = Fail (Both Time)] His arrows also strike nothing, disappearing for good.

This strange battle with the invisible guardian goes on.

[Initiative: Krysta, Girud, Yuri + The Invisible Stalker, Galdren, Alton and Adelia, Mordrock]

Map;

 _________________2_________________
|  _______________#_______________  |
| |...............................| |
| |...............................| |
| |...............................| |
| |...............................| |
| |...............................| |
| |...............................| |
| |...............................| |
| |...............................|R|
| |...............................|T|
| |...............................|D|
| |...............................|M|
1#................*......@@.......#3
| |......................@@.......|K|
| |...............................|G|
| |...............................|A|
| |...............................|Y|
| |...............................| |
| |...............................| |
| |...............................| |
| |...............................| |
| |...............................| |
| |_______________#_______________| |
|_________________4_________________|

[/pre]
<<<Legend>>>

* = Top of Pillar (3ft wide)
# = Top of Staircases, 1-4
...... = Darkened Pit
@@
@@ = Invisible Stalker (50/50)
A = Galdren
G = Girud
M = Mordrock
D = Adelia
T = Alton
K = Krysta
R = Garor
Y = Yuri

__________________________________________________________________________________________

[Jevva]

Galdren waits on the ledge, waiting for the eventual approach of the invisible creature. (Refocus)

[TheUdjat]

Tineniel frowns mildly - He had not thought quite this far ahead. He exchanges a glance with Irris, and it is Irris that speaks up next.

"It would be rather complicated to explain how we know, Councilman. And, I think, it is somewhat beside the point - suffice to say that we know."

Tineniel nods, picking up where his companion left off. "All will be explained, in due time. But please trust us - after all, our unexplained knowledge is accurate thus far, is it not? We know of the shard. We know it is in jeopardy here. We know that it would be very, very bad for it to fall into anyone else's hands. What we don't know - and perhaps you can help us here - is why it's out here. It is not something I feel we need to know, ofcourse - We just want to protect it, with your approval, your blessing, and your aid." He holds back his expression, but he wonders inwardly if he was too vague, or whether he said too much.

[Japic]

Standing now with his sword in hand, Girud looks out to the void and tries to think of a suggestion. How do you hit what you cannot see...?

"If anyone has any bright ideas, now would be a good time to say so"

{I've got nothing, unless I should just throw my blade and hope to hit something.}

[Fangor the Fierce]

"Aim close to where I was..." Krysta says, as the warrior brandishes his returning greatsword. Hopefully, the thing was still there, but either way, the sword would return....

If they could somehow find something to throw over the creature to show its outline, then they could deal with it with force. But what....

Mordrock, not sure what to do, glares about the place, trying to spot this thing....

(If he can, he would like to try to spot this thing, even with it invisible... I think it's possible.... Spot +1 and hoping for a miracle...)

Ready an attack if the thing attacks anyone else....

+8 to hit, 1d4 dmg...

Adelia, seeing the wounds, simply stares out into the darkness, wondering if what she had in mind will work.... Casts Detect Magic, then focusing towards the pillar, trying to find where the magic is coming from and warning the others of where it is....

[VemuKhaham]

Ca-! Caelith and Callian? What in all the Infinite Layers of the Abyss were they doing here? From what he knew of them, he last saw them on the Demonwing, going into hell, never to return from it - for they weren't there with their fellow companions when they returned to the city at the same time as Yuri and Romar, right after their visit to hell, if the tales of past ventures that were exchanged at that hour were true.

Quickly, Romar casts his cap over his head, as he sinks back into the shadows beyond the fire's light. However, wishing to learn of their purpose here, Romar positions himself so that he still looks toward the Council, thus placing his own campfire between them. He tries to overhear the conversation, as much as he can, concentrating on every minor thing he can sense from their words, body language, even the movement of their lips.

---

Listen +11 and Spot (to read lips) +11. Just tell me what I can derive from the conversation. Maybe, since 40ft isn't all that much, it will hardly be necessary.

[Jevva]

A spot check DC 20 can give you an idea of where it is, but you'd still get all the negatives and such. Might as well try, though.