A halfling walks to church (3)

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alhoon
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Post by alhoon »

Kumuriel passed the door to the meeting room screaming in false panic among the throng of the frightened men that were trying to leave the room with every possible way.
Ixevim have gripped them good. Bodyguards were stepping over their clients in their rush to escape and guards were screaming afraid like girls.
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Post by VAN »

It's the first time for Kimuriel being present in such chaos and for sure it's the first time he doesn't enjoy it. Even for the half-elf's trained mind, some of the images are very scary and only the thought that are only projected images can calm him and make him capable to reason.

Kimuriel knows very well that the mind flyer will continue his mind games in order to create even more panic among the crowd. So, before passing the meeting's room door, he looks one more time back to the ball room and rises the same fiendish like scary shadow on the cieling. The shadow lasts only a moment, because Kimuriel wants to enter in the next room. But even this moment is enough to create more panic. Some guards who are starting to believe that they have get rid of the fiendish creature, get in panic again and start fire towards the ceiling. An evil lough is heard and a voice which seems coming from very far away says:

"Stupid humans, you can do nothing to stop me. Your arrows and bullets do nothing to me. Yous lives and souls are mine. Be prepared for my revenge."

Among his fake panic, Kimuriel nods to Ixevim and enters the meeting room.
Last edited by VAN on Sun Dec 26, 2004 5:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Wiccy of the Fraternity »

Following the lead the others had set, Heinrich pulled on Nostalia, rushing the pair through the open door and thrust her against the wall on the other side. He shielded her there and quickly scanned their surroundings before looking back through the door one last time. under his cloak he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready for any threat that may appear.
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Post by Coan »

Having gone in before the others Artemis had slipped into the room and observed the area. Alerting the pair of psionics that it was safe the other four entered the room.

Only to be shocked at what they found.

The room was virtually bare save the heavy doors behind them, a door to their left and windows covered with outside hedging infront of them. A glass roof looked over them and to the right sat a raised throne with several other chairs surronding it in a semi-circle -backs to the new comers.

The man who sat in the throne was lean, elegant and matched the description and photograph given of Lord Pieter, he was pale, his face well boned and blond hair slicked back. Clothed in a scarlet robe covering his body he sat straight and tall in the leading chair. At his left was a marrionette hanging from red meaty strings connected from his palm, at his right stood Artemis smiling broadly and clapping lightly.


"Well I thought it was a good show, didn't you?" the diplomat said

The marrionette grinned a smile full of hundreds of white needle thin teeth, grotesquely long. Bowing from its strings it swept its hands as figures stood up from behind the throne.

In one highbacked chair Lurzed stood up and moved closer waving his hands as if to indicate they had done something terribly incorrect


"No No No, your not meant to be here! This is a private meeting."

"Silence your tongue toady." a Falkovnian/Invidian mixed accent spoke from another chair "These are the assassins." Otto explained standing up with a large glass of brandy in his hand, swishing it slightly he drank deeply

Lurzed's fat cigar hanged from his shocked face and open mouth "Why wasn't I told of this!? Its not fair. As an ambassador I demand full information pertine- partie - relevant to my safety!"

At the side in three other large chairs sat other familiar figures. The three brothers, dressed in black and white, who had given them the key to the prison observed the intrusion.

"We are satisfied." the tallest said
"Ixevim belongs to us now." the second spoke
"We shall take him back to our home." the shortest finished

Rising from their position the image of their appearence shimmered as air in the heat of day. Where once were humans now stood three mindflayers, the taller of the trio raised its hands and Ixevim's connection to his thralls snapped. Dropping to the ground the formerly controlled guards lay like broken toys, and from behind the group heard a very loud click as the door behind them was locked.

Nostalia hung onto Heinrich for life as she watched a rotting corpse drag itself on unbalanced legs to a hulking standing position.


"My boy. Kimmy my lad, come to me child."

And to the surprise of everyone the half-elf did. Hugging the remains of his father he took a position to his side. Eyes vacant and personality removed.

"Ooooooooh so thats how you did it." Artemis admired
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Post by alhoon »

Ixevim stopped projecting images and voices and send a telepathic message to his kin and the others in the room.
"What do you want here and how you know my name?"
It was mainly painted with frustration and wonder, but underneath it was a thin blanket of fear. Of course all these emotions were subtle for the untrained human mind to understand and categorize. Even Kimuriel's trained mind (while understanding the general concept) didn't get the multitude of emotions.
Ixevim didn't let his anger for the apparent death of his thralls show, but any mind flayer would know the emotional ties between master and thrall, even a Tamer that would sacrifice dozens of thralls with just a thought.
Without wanting to admit Ixevim was a bit thrilled talking to someone that could discern the light emotion dots in the thoughts he send.

PS. Ixevim's 4th level gives him a Power Resistance 30 so he isn't overly afraid. The Zombie Lord is another problem however.

PS2. Ixevim checked for spells when he shockingly found that the room is empty with a spellcraft check.

* * * * * * * * * *

In the ball room's image in the ethereal plane, Simone lurked without purpose, without feelings. He saw the reflection of the walls suddenly changing. There was blackness and the smell of death. There was fear resonating from every furniture and every wall. Echoes of afraid voices broke the peace. Simone understood that great fear gripped the people in the room.
He remembered that to an alive man, that would be frightful and certainly it would percieved as bad. He even managed to remember how these emotions were. But was unable to feel them. In any case, the emotions were penetrating him generating in him . . . an attraction. Not interest exactly, but an attraction. Then he noticed the Busengeists coming. Weak spirits of sadness, unable to rest, these ghosts were drawn to sites with strong emotions like the places where disaster struck.
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Post by Wiccy of the Fraternity »

Heinrich stood near the door, his hand still poised on the sword, ready to draw it at a moments notice, but instead drew his mercy dagger, the weapon was less noticable beneath his cloak. He kept Nostalia behind him to protect her. The mind flayers were not things he could handle on his own, but the walking corpse and the others would fall at his hands in a battle. The strange puppet caught alot of his attention, he was puzzled by its unexpected presence.

Taking the initiative, he walked forward a little, removing his hat and mask, showing the brand on his forehead to everyone present. Otto may take the ruse, believing Heinrich to be with him. If it worked, and he hoped it did, he could get close enough to the man to strike him down and cause enough confusion for them all to have a chance.


"Otto, I wasn't told you would be present. Our lord told me that only a single Falkobnian would be present, namely me."
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Post by VAN »

Nostalia composes her fear. Letting the "Lady in distress" attituge go, she almost manages to mask her fear and she speaks with a mostly unbroken voice to Lord Pieter. Hints of scornfullness enters her voice.

"We haven't met for a long time Lord Pieter."

Then she turns to Artemis.
"Once a traitor always a traitor." She says saddly.

OOC> Nostalia probably knew beforehand that Artemis would be there. She just doesn't want to show it to Lord Pieter.
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Post by Coan »

The trio of mindflayers turned to look at each other.

"He is contaminated."
"Perhaps a side effect of the time process?"
"We must proceed with caution." the third finished in usual timing. Turning back they addressed the renagade as one would a child
"You are unwell."
"Since your previous appearence we have been forced to seek you out."
"Come with us and we shall forgive you."
"You can now be corrected." the first outstretched his hand in a synthetic 'human' show of trust.

Meanwhile Ixevim's quick study of the door reveals some kind of illusion on the outside. Though he could not tell for sure he was confident that some triggered illusion had masked the entry way to all but a select few. The fact that they were part of that select group worried him as to the possible success of their mission and continuation of their lives.

Relaying this to the group Artemis interrupted him with a dismissive wave in Heinrich's direction.


"Stupid Falkovnian refuses to even accept the facts when his enemy clearly labelled him as the 'assassin'." the diplomat's sneer and cutting remark received several chuckles from others in the room "I can't believe the world thought your kind worthy of concern 50 years ago."

"Enough" Pieter spoke "The corpse has its child and Ambassador Lurzed has had his mission completed."

At this Kimuriel's father started to quiver again his head snapping back and forward at irregular speeds. Grasping his face he mumbled something to his son. "It had to be this way Kimmy. I can't keep it up, it hurts... The pain! Dont you understand?"

"Well I believe my part in this facade is just about complete. Master Otto if you would be so kind as to fetch me my agreed quota." Artemis' request seemed to stir anger into the butcher's face changing it from the cheerful gaze his insults had brought earlier
"You should watch your tong-"
"Do as the man bids." the puppet interupted its mouth and teeth chattering. Otto ceased and nodded, moving over to his chair he slid over a black box near the foot of his seat towards the betrayer's direction with a kick of his boot.

Bending over Artemis knelt and opened the container. Smiling he closed it and picked it up.

"Excellent these should do nicely."
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Post by alhoon »

Ixevim's frustration started to grow. "Which previous appearance? I've been missing for 50 years. I'm surprised there are kin who remember me, except the wretched, power-hungry ulitharid Vastinus." And moved away from the offered hand, and the possible treachery of his "fellow" mind flayers.

While he said that Ixevim's eyes tried to see in the box Artemis has received in the few moments he kept it open. Has the Diplomat finally betrayed them after so much time? Was this one of Artemis' ruses to make their opponents feel safe? After all, this was Borca, the land of intrigue.
Also Ixevim had much more pressing matters at hand than the feuds between humans. Few in this room could easily harm him. Perhaps the mysterious human or the marionette (that seemed able to command a Falkovian officer), but the undead father of Kimuriel scared him as all the others together. And of course, while his kin wouldn't be easily able to harm him with psionics, he also wasn't able to harm them either. Also They were three and he was one.
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Post by Wiccy of the Fraternity »

Heinrich slowly circles Otto, studying the man carefully before coming to a halt in front of him again.

"You are a failure Otto, a pathetic man holding onto a dream that can never be acheived, you do realise that don't you? You and Artemis are much alike in that way."

The warrior gives one of his lopsided smiles.

"I have a request for you, accept a challenge to duel, we have done so before but never had a victor come out on top. Would you like to find out which of us is truly better than the other or are you to frightened that you might lose your head to me?"

No matter how he did it, Heinrich was determined to even the odds somehow. An agreed duel seemed a good idea.
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Post by Coan »

Ixevim's reaction seems to momentarily shock the mindflayer trio's 'leader' and he retracts his hand.

"50 years?"
"The disease may have spread?"
"Is it possible we have miscalculated?"
"We must proceed."
"This has become a distortion."

The second mindflayer breaks away from the others slightly and addresses his renegade kin directly.
"You are Ixevim. You are an anomaly. You must be stopped."

Meanwhile Otto addresses Heinrich.
"I am nothing like the traitor here." his face full of anger and hate "Invidia rules your homeland. WE conquered the world and succeeded where you couldn't."

"Yes do please get over it." Artemis interrupts

"Shut up Kaufmann " Otto spits holding out his palm to him for silence

"Well really!" the diplomat almost whines then mutters "Mostly luck anyway..."
"What did you say?" Otto turns as the marrionete giggles and a smile appears on Pietor's porcelain like face
"Falkovnian was invaded only after the events of the Illithid invasion beginning in the south-west. A treaty was signed allowing Falkovnian troops entry via the Four Towers countries so to combat the threat. Due to poor supplies and biological warfare Invidia saw its chance and invaded after a coup' thereafter installing a puppet government that only become more 'Invidian' after two decades." The diplomat made a smile of bravado and brought out a large book to his hand. "I managed to procure the rest of the series old chap." he sneered dropping the book to the ground and kicking it slightly so as to slide near the group, close enough now Heinrich, Kimuriel, Nostalia and Ixevim could read the title

Printed in gold: 'A history of Falkovnia and the Invidian dilemna -written by Sesska Ardent.'

"Bah you dog! I'll show you what a true man can do." Otto yells clicking his fingers at which point a large hand scythe appears in his hand "Your duel is accepted Falkon scum!"

"By all means tear both yourselves to pieces." Lord Pietor smiles with a nod to Artemis "You are excused Artemis, may your life bring you luck."
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Post by Wiccy of the Fraternity »

Heinrich sneers at the traitorous Artemis.

"Do not run to far traitor, when I am done here it shall be your head I seek next."

He then walks a few steps to the side, drawing his sword, thinking uot to Kimuriel and Ixevim, if they can hear him asking for some form of protection against attacks against him, if he is not protected already. He stops before Otto and holds the tip of his sword toward the man.

"My country may be appear to be ruled by Invidian cowards, but we grow stornger each day and it will be not much longer before we tear your cruel tyranny apart. Have at you wretch!"

He then alters the orientation of his weapon to beter suit combat and prayed his long years of military service would be enough to lay waste to the man before him.
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Post by alhoon »

Ixevim grabs the book from the ground. "Sesska Ardent? A relative of yours Artemis?" Turning back to the mind flayers he sent them a mental message.

"I have been banished. I cannot go back to the beautiful sunless citadel of Bluetspur."
He sent a reassurance to Heinrich.
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Post by Wiccy of the Fraternity »

Receiving Ixevim's message, a toothless, ruthless grin spreads across Heinrich's face.

"What is wrong Otto, are you frightened?"
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Post by VAN »

Totally unexpected, the fog that prevented Kimuriel of controlling his body and thinking clearly starts fainting. The half elf realises that he can move and think at his will, but he doesn't know how much this can last or what will happen if he gets an order to do something against his will.

Kimuriel sees Otto ready to attack Heinrich, the man seems strong enough, but on the other hand, their bodyguard seems very decisive to put an end to this.

Not sure of what to do, Kimuriel desides to not intervene yet. He prefers to wait and when he gets the full control of his mind powers attack when no one expect it or aid Heinrich. However, the spark which turns back to his eyes gets Ixevim's attention.


OOC> Heinrich doesn't have inertial barrier, only Kimuriel has.
- The first 2 Feats a wizard should take are "point blank shot" and "Precise shot"!
- W H A T ! ? !
- Or they should NEVER memorize rays!
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