"Well. Ah. That was...temporary."
Otto dislodges himself from Tomas' shoulder. Apart from the headache, the sounding like he's gargled with cement, and the not being able to feel most of his extremities (which, upon reflection, was probably something he should be concerned about), he appeared to be physically healthy. At least, given the alternative.
As for his state of mind...well. Otto was very good at compartmentalizing.
The gunsmith looked around the ashen landscape, groggily. "...Who's...who's room is this?"
The Eye of Anubis: Book Eleven
Sascha claps a hand on Otto's shoulder, glad to see the gunsmith whole once more.The Whistler wrote:The gunsmith looked around the ashen landscape, groggily. "...Who's...who's room is this?"
The warmth in his face flickers and dies replaced by a grim cast as he surveys the landscape. "I suspect I know the answer to your question Herr Schultheiss, ash falling from above would imply I am to be the next guest of this twisted place."
"I have renounced my demons already, I know the weight that hangs on my heart, I strive to redeem myself!" He shouts heavenwards in a ringing voice that echoes across the empty space.
Obtaining no immediate response Sashca stalks forward to the nearest tomb, scraping off the gray mantle of ash to inspect the coffin.
"I had a dream, which was not all a dream.
The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars
Did wander darkling in the eternal space..."
The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars
Did wander darkling in the eternal space..."
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Rock of the Fraternity
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 6844
- Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:16 pm
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Nathan of the FoS
- Fiendish Enforcer
- Posts: 5247
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:39 pm
- Location: San Francisco CA
Charles shakes Otto's hand, wordlessly, as soon as the Lamordian has enough control of his limbs to return the gesture. Sometimes silence is the best eloquence.
Turning away before he loses his composure entirely, Charles follows Sascha to the tombstone and asks, "Does it...furnish any further information?"
Turning away before he loses his composure entirely, Charles follows Sascha to the tombstone and asks, "Does it...furnish any further information?"
[b]FEAR JUSTICE.[/b] :elena:
-
NeoTiamat
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 4119
- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:00 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Tomb of Menetnashte
August 30th, 761, 12:15 AM; Day 165 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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You couldn't make out the source of the deathly dry voice. Its source was muffled by the falling snow and ash, giving the voice an eternal quality. It was everywhere, and it was nowhere, all at once. But you could hear it.
The snow and ash whipped around faster, falling in whirling slurries about you. You coud barely see twenty feet in front of your face through the grey-white mess, the world reducing itself to just yourselves, the statues of Thoth and Anubis, the endless rows of sarcophagi, and in the distance the outlines of great shapes, inhuman shapes with the heads of animals.
For a moment, you fancied that you could see other shapes in the snow and ash, momentary patterns in the way they twisted and twirled. Perhaps that was a face, or a bit of an arm. A quick flurry of snow became the lines of a formal dress, the falling ash the hair of an old soldier. Brief glimpses, barely there, just a trick of the mind. Save that you could hear them speak, a gentle, barely audible chorus that nevertheless made for a damning indictment.
"You've redeemed yourself in your own eyes, Sir Dzemianovitch." Professor Devereux said. "Have you done so their eyes? Redemption isn't so easy a thing to grasp."
"By whose word does this man speak...?" A voice asked from the outer darkness. The deathly dry voice answered. "By my will."
"The old Akiri gods were fond of justice, but less so of mercy." Devereux said, obliviously or intentionally ignoring the whispering voices, you couldn't tell. "If Sir Dzemianovitch is to survive, he'll need voices to speak for him as well, not just against him."
[OOC: Here is how our little Challenge works. Each PC or NPC can make a single argument or plea in Sascha's favor, to counter-balance the ghost's words. Doing this is a multi-part process.
First, you decide which skill you wish to use. The most obvious two skills are Diplomacy (for arguing by means of eloquence) and Knowledge: Religion (for arguing through scriptural means), but I will accept most skills if you can convince me how they apply to the situation at hand (so, say, Sense Motive could be used to argue that Sascha has truly redeemed himself.)
Secondly, you set the DC. You can set any DC you like, and then you try to meet it. Please include the DC in the dice-roller email.
Thirdly, you roll. If you meet the DC, the amount of the DC is added to the party total. If you fail to meet the DC, only the rolled amount is added. (So, if you want to argue Diplomacy to a DC 30 and have a +20 modifier, then if you roll a 13, that's 33, meets the DC, and adds 30 to the party total. If you roll a 8, that does not meet the DC, and thus you only add 8 to the party total.)
Finally, the results for all of the PCs and NPCs are tallied together. There are five 'threshold' DCs, at 160, 200, 240, 280, and 320 total. What happens at each threshold, well... that's what Sascha is going to find out soon, hmm?
Also, each PC can speak only once. Devereux has already gone. Any questions?
August 30th, 761, 12:15 AM; Day 165 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"Perhaps you have renounced your demons... have they renounced you?" The voice that spoke was barely audible, a bone-dry whisper that slid across your senses unpleasantly. It was a cultured voice, speaking in educated and mellow tones, but with an undeniable undercurrent of boredom with the whole affair. "You are redeemed... have you been forgiven?"Lostboy wrote:"I have renounced my demons already, I know the weight that hangs on my heart, I strive to redeem myself!" Sascha shouts heavenwards in a ringing voice that echoes across the empty space.
You couldn't make out the source of the deathly dry voice. Its source was muffled by the falling snow and ash, giving the voice an eternal quality. It was everywhere, and it was nowhere, all at once. But you could hear it.
The snow and ash whipped around faster, falling in whirling slurries about you. You coud barely see twenty feet in front of your face through the grey-white mess, the world reducing itself to just yourselves, the statues of Thoth and Anubis, the endless rows of sarcophagi, and in the distance the outlines of great shapes, inhuman shapes with the heads of animals.
For a moment, you fancied that you could see other shapes in the snow and ash, momentary patterns in the way they twisted and twirled. Perhaps that was a face, or a bit of an arm. A quick flurry of snow became the lines of a formal dress, the falling ash the hair of an old soldier. Brief glimpses, barely there, just a trick of the mind. Save that you could hear them speak, a gentle, barely audible chorus that nevertheless made for a damning indictment.
- "They attacked my farm when I was at the market..."
"I was tired of fighting, tired of killing..."
"I couldn't be a slave any more..."
"I hadn't meant to be disrespectful..."
"There was nothing left of my home..."
"I deserted. I couldn't take it any more..."
"I had to fight. Die on my feet, at least."
"I didn't mean to spill the drink..."
"It was burned to rubble..."
"I ran..."
"We did well at first... took out two soldiers..."
"I didn't mean it... I'm sorry..."
"My animals were slaughtered..."
"They followed us. Losing a war, and they followed us."
"They couldn't let us live."
"I'm really sorry."
"My wife... my children... they... they hadn't died quickly."
"They caught us near the border..."
"There were so many of them..."
"Stop hurting me..."
"I was lost..."
"Damn knight brought me back..."
"The armored one killed four of us..."
"I won't do it again, I promise!"
"There was nothing left...I took the sickle..."
"The burn you for desertion..."
"Days in the gibbet before you die..."
"It hurt so much..."
"I cut my belly open... what point was there?"
"It's a slow fire... you feel your legs burn to coal first..."
"Just a skeleton... before I died... already a skeleton..."
"I'm sorry..."
"You've redeemed yourself in your own eyes, Sir Dzemianovitch." Professor Devereux said. "Have you done so their eyes? Redemption isn't so easy a thing to grasp."
"By whose word does this man speak...?" A voice asked from the outer darkness. The deathly dry voice answered. "By my will."
"The old Akiri gods were fond of justice, but less so of mercy." Devereux said, obliviously or intentionally ignoring the whispering voices, you couldn't tell. "If Sir Dzemianovitch is to survive, he'll need voices to speak for him as well, not just against him."
[OOC: Here is how our little Challenge works. Each PC or NPC can make a single argument or plea in Sascha's favor, to counter-balance the ghost's words. Doing this is a multi-part process.
First, you decide which skill you wish to use. The most obvious two skills are Diplomacy (for arguing by means of eloquence) and Knowledge: Religion (for arguing through scriptural means), but I will accept most skills if you can convince me how they apply to the situation at hand (so, say, Sense Motive could be used to argue that Sascha has truly redeemed himself.)
Secondly, you set the DC. You can set any DC you like, and then you try to meet it. Please include the DC in the dice-roller email.
Thirdly, you roll. If you meet the DC, the amount of the DC is added to the party total. If you fail to meet the DC, only the rolled amount is added. (So, if you want to argue Diplomacy to a DC 30 and have a +20 modifier, then if you roll a 13, that's 33, meets the DC, and adds 30 to the party total. If you roll a 8, that does not meet the DC, and thus you only add 8 to the party total.)
Finally, the results for all of the PCs and NPCs are tallied together. There are five 'threshold' DCs, at 160, 200, 240, 280, and 320 total. What happens at each threshold, well... that's what Sascha is going to find out soon, hmm?
Also, each PC can speak only once. Devereux has already gone. Any questions?
Ravenloft GM: Eye of Anubis, Shattered City, and Prof. Lupescu's Traveling Ghost Show
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
-
Rock of the Fraternity
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 6844
- Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:16 pm
"Ladies and gentlemen," Lia speaks up. The mixture of ash and snow falls on her robes and her mask, painting them grey instead of inky black, but fail to hide the steady glow of her eyes.
"Though this man, Sascha Dzemianovitch, has not spoken much to me of his past, it is clear to me that he has committed terrible crimes. Is he redeemed now? He has proven himself a loyal comrade and a strong protector in our battles, this much I know. He shows much disgust at the evil acts of others, as well as his own flaws, this much I know.
Ladies and gentlemen ... When can we say that a man is redeemed? Men and women are hard put to judge such things, it seems to me, until a man's life has come to its proper conclusion. When the man lies still, and all the facts of his life, all his deeds, can be held in the balance against one another, then may we judge. While a man lives, he can always change his course -- if he has the strength of will.
Ladies and gentlemen, a great battle lies ahead of us. A battle against undeniable evil: the evil of an archfiend, the evil of a demented necromancer, the evil of totalitarian brutality. All those evils lie ahead of us, and Sascha Dzemianovitch, this man ... he has offered us his strong arm in our defense, his all in the battle against evil.
Ladies and gentlemen, a man's life can not be properly judged until all his deeds have been tallied. Let Sascha Dzemianovitch show us all what kind of a man he is, not by the deeds he has done in the past, which is fixed and can no longer be changed, but by the deeds he has yet to perform. Let him continue along his path with us, and let him show us all whether he is redeemed. And if he is redeemed, mayhap you may find it in yourselves to forgive. I pray that you will have occasion to do so.
Please let us all pass on and beyond this chamber."
(OOC: Making a Knowledge (religoion) check, and passing the DC of 20.)
"Though this man, Sascha Dzemianovitch, has not spoken much to me of his past, it is clear to me that he has committed terrible crimes. Is he redeemed now? He has proven himself a loyal comrade and a strong protector in our battles, this much I know. He shows much disgust at the evil acts of others, as well as his own flaws, this much I know.
Ladies and gentlemen ... When can we say that a man is redeemed? Men and women are hard put to judge such things, it seems to me, until a man's life has come to its proper conclusion. When the man lies still, and all the facts of his life, all his deeds, can be held in the balance against one another, then may we judge. While a man lives, he can always change his course -- if he has the strength of will.
Ladies and gentlemen, a great battle lies ahead of us. A battle against undeniable evil: the evil of an archfiend, the evil of a demented necromancer, the evil of totalitarian brutality. All those evils lie ahead of us, and Sascha Dzemianovitch, this man ... he has offered us his strong arm in our defense, his all in the battle against evil.
Ladies and gentlemen, a man's life can not be properly judged until all his deeds have been tallied. Let Sascha Dzemianovitch show us all what kind of a man he is, not by the deeds he has done in the past, which is fixed and can no longer be changed, but by the deeds he has yet to perform. Let him continue along his path with us, and let him show us all whether he is redeemed. And if he is redeemed, mayhap you may find it in yourselves to forgive. I pray that you will have occasion to do so.
Please let us all pass on and beyond this chamber."
(OOC: Making a Knowledge (religoion) check, and passing the DC of 20.)
-
Nathan of the FoS
- Fiendish Enforcer
- Posts: 5247
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:39 pm
- Location: San Francisco CA
Charles clears his throat and taps gently at his chest, then begins to speak in astonishingly good Akiri. "As we are encouraged to bring our strong arguments before you, Divinities, I will make bold to speak, not only of ourselves, as has been done so ably by those who have spoken before me, but of you. For you know well what it is we seek; what evil it wrought in times gone by, and what evil it may yet wreak in unhallowed and grasping hands. I recall you, Anubis, most righteous judge of the dead, to the blasphemies done in times gone by, combining your name and worship with the name and worship of the fell demon imprisoned in the jewel which now bears your name. I ask you to consider, Thoth, the Keeper of Records, the knowledge turned to ends so evil the mind recoils from the very thought of them. Shall such evil be allowed again upon the earth, so that the very names of the gods be forgotten, their countenances effaced, and the worship which they have received from the foundation of the world given to a usurper? There are those now near us…perhaps within this very tomb…who would throw down all gods and seat themselves in the heavens. This man,” Charles gestures to Sascha, “stands against them; he stands with us, and with you, in the preservation of the very pillars of the earth. Make no mistake, o Divine Ones; this struggle concerns your worshippers and yourselves as much as it does we, few and humble, who take up arms now in defense of all that is. Shall the world be plunged again into a thousand years of night, blasphemy, and ignorance for want of a single sword to save it? I beg of you, let it not be so! I urge you, let the good which he may do for uncounted millions—aye, and for you yourselves—lighten his heart and strengthen his hand, and count him worthy to pass this judgement. ”
Casting glibness and setting a Bluff DC of 50. Passing with a 62. W00t!
Casting glibness and setting a Bluff DC of 50. Passing with a 62. W00t!
[b]FEAR JUSTICE.[/b] :elena:
Tomas just looks kind of shocked for a second. Now these things are finally talking to them, and it's to tell everyone how flawed and unworthy they are. Tomas's hands clench, his eyes flash, and he seems to be physically restraining himself from snapping at the 'gods'.
"So, what, risking his life and his soul to stop this problem we've been shoved into trying to solve isn't enough?" Tomas cannot keep behind his teeth, however. He stops, then, taking a breath. This isn't about you, Tomas. This isn't about how you don't like the fact that you are going to die doing what these things were too lazy to stop a thousand years ago...
"I don't know everything about Sascha's past." Tomas tries again, having forced himself to calm down. "But I know that every day I've spent with him, he has suffered under the weight of his guilt and worked towards making the world a better place. Not because he's afraid of some punishment, or trying to bargain for his life, but because he wants to bring a little decency into the world! Do you hungry ghosts have something better to ask of him? Or do you just want to see him hurt, as you were hurt?"
(OOC: Got a 29 on a dc 30. Sorry Sascha.)
"So, what, risking his life and his soul to stop this problem we've been shoved into trying to solve isn't enough?" Tomas cannot keep behind his teeth, however. He stops, then, taking a breath. This isn't about you, Tomas. This isn't about how you don't like the fact that you are going to die doing what these things were too lazy to stop a thousand years ago...
"I don't know everything about Sascha's past." Tomas tries again, having forced himself to calm down. "But I know that every day I've spent with him, he has suffered under the weight of his guilt and worked towards making the world a better place. Not because he's afraid of some punishment, or trying to bargain for his life, but because he wants to bring a little decency into the world! Do you hungry ghosts have something better to ask of him? Or do you just want to see him hurt, as you were hurt?"
(OOC: Got a 29 on a dc 30. Sorry Sascha.)
-
NeoTiamat
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 4119
- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:00 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Tomb of Menetnashte
August 30th, 761, 12:22 AM; Day 165 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"By my will." The answering voice had a rough, reverberating quality. A woman's voice, but not that of a soft or pleasant woman. You could almost make out the source of the voice in the flurry of ash and snow, a statue of a woman with a horribly familiar, sting-tailed headdress.
"By my will." Another woman's voice, softer, almost seductive, with a decided purr within it. But not, perhaps, a voice that should be trifled with. You peered through the snow and ash to make out the details of this statue. It had a feminine form, but a sleek and feline one.
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"I'm not much of a speaker..." Edmund said. "But we've fought with Dzemianovitch now. He tried to save me from one hideous beast already today. Whatever and whoever he was before, he's not the same person now."
"By whose word does this man speak?" The ritual question was asked once again.
"By my will." A gentler voice, also a woman's, came now from the distant shadows. Unlike the previous speakers, this one was proportioned like a human, albeit a human with a grand, feather-like headdress.
"The past is important. It can't be forgotten." Edmund said, Mordentish to the bone. "But it's also done and gone. Sascha's changed, and whatever he's done before, I trust him now. Maybe I shouldn't, but I do."
Edmund makes a DC 25 with Sense Motive. Currently, the count stands at:
Lia = 20
Charles = 50
Tomas = 14
Edmund = 25
Total = 109
August 30th, 761, 12:22 AM; Day 165 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"By whose word does this woman speak?" The dry, bored voice asked, coming as before from nowhere and from everywhere.Rock wrote:"Though this man, Sascha Dzemianovitch, has not spoken much to me of his past, it is clear to me that he has committed terrible crimes. Is he redeemed now? He has proven himself a loyal comrade and a strong protector in our battles, this much I know. He shows much disgust at the evil acts of others, as well as his own flaws, this much I know."
"By my will." The answering voice had a rough, reverberating quality. A woman's voice, but not that of a soft or pleasant woman. You could almost make out the source of the voice in the flurry of ash and snow, a statue of a woman with a horribly familiar, sting-tailed headdress.
"By whose word does this man speak?" Again the scholarly, detached voice asked.Nathan of the FoS wrote:"As we are encouraged to bring our strong arguments before you, Divinities, I will make bold to speak, not only of ourselves, as has been done so ably by those who have spoken before me, but of you."
"By my will." Another woman's voice, softer, almost seductive, with a decided purr within it. But not, perhaps, a voice that should be trifled with. You peered through the snow and ash to make out the details of this statue. It had a feminine form, but a sleek and feline one.
"So shall your word be recorded." This time, the ritual question was dispensed with, as the bored-sounding scholar seemed, for just an instant, a little less bored.DocBeard wrote:"So, what, risking his life and his soul to stop this problem we've been shoved into trying to solve isn't enough?"
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"I'm not much of a speaker..." Edmund said. "But we've fought with Dzemianovitch now. He tried to save me from one hideous beast already today. Whatever and whoever he was before, he's not the same person now."
"By whose word does this man speak?" The ritual question was asked once again.
"By my will." A gentler voice, also a woman's, came now from the distant shadows. Unlike the previous speakers, this one was proportioned like a human, albeit a human with a grand, feather-like headdress.
"The past is important. It can't be forgotten." Edmund said, Mordentish to the bone. "But it's also done and gone. Sascha's changed, and whatever he's done before, I trust him now. Maybe I shouldn't, but I do."
Edmund makes a DC 25 with Sense Motive. Currently, the count stands at:
Lia = 20
Charles = 50
Tomas = 14
Edmund = 25
Total = 109
Ravenloft GM: Eye of Anubis, Shattered City, and Prof. Lupescu's Traveling Ghost Show
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
-
yalenusveler
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 1266
- Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:44 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania...or Baator
Andre...had been writing. Ordinarily, being a theologian of sorts, this would all be rather fascinating on a multitude of levels. However, when a companion's life is at stake, one doesn't really have time to conduct interviews about changes in depiction following dynastic change.
Apparently however, Andre had time to write, as well as draw. Sure, it wasn't quite papyrus, but then again Sascha wasn't exactly Akiri, so theoretically any claim the Akiri deities would have to judgment would be moot. However, being a theologian and priest, and not a barrister Andre wasn't exactly about to bring up THAT argument.
However, there was a certian delicious irony to using Akiri funerary practices in this situation. Yes, you could die a second time in the Akiri underworld..but if you knew the proper invocations, you could also all but write yourself a "Get out of Duat free" card. Which was just what Andre was doing.
Some of the spells and incantations didn't exactly apply. They had voice, and breath, so those particular charms were right out. However, there were several charms that applied perfectly. As he finished writing them out, glad that apparently penmanship didn't apply when writing in Ancient Akiri, Andre made his way to Sascha, handed him a series of pages of text..and then spoke.
Akiri"O takers of hearts, who crush hearts as you have done, Homage to you, lords of eternity, servants of infinity. Do not take this heart of the Sascha Dziemianovitch in your fingers, this heart of his which is there. May you not cause words of evil to come into being against him, because the owner of this heart of the Sascha Dziemianovitch is the heart of the Great of Names, the Great of Words of his limbs.He sends his heart which is at the front of his body; his heart is ignorant before the gods, the heart of the Sascha Dziemianovitch, true of voice. May he have mastery over it, not saying what he has done. It is he who has mastery over his own limbs. His heart obeys him; he is your lord, and you are in his body; may you not rebel.It is I who give commands; may you obey me in the underworld, the warrior Sascha, true of voice in peace, true of voice in beautiful Amentet, on the mountain of eternity. " Andre said, then took a moment to pause and catch his breath, Akiri not having that way of rolling off the tongue that some other less esoteric languages possessed.
Akiri "My heart of my mother, my heart of my mother, my heart of transformations,Do not stand against me in witness, do not turn me back at the council, do not make your rebellion against me in the presence of the keeper of the balance. You are my ka in my body, which unites and strengthens my limbs; you have come forth to the beautiful place to which we run. Do not cause my name to stink to the nobles of the court, who make the people to stand. " And with that final bit, Andre said his peace, and muttered something about apologies about the penmanship, just a bit sheepish.
OOC:Knowledge religion, DC set to 30, passed with authority with a 42. Almost wish I didn't play it safe.
Apparently however, Andre had time to write, as well as draw. Sure, it wasn't quite papyrus, but then again Sascha wasn't exactly Akiri, so theoretically any claim the Akiri deities would have to judgment would be moot. However, being a theologian and priest, and not a barrister Andre wasn't exactly about to bring up THAT argument.
However, there was a certian delicious irony to using Akiri funerary practices in this situation. Yes, you could die a second time in the Akiri underworld..but if you knew the proper invocations, you could also all but write yourself a "Get out of Duat free" card. Which was just what Andre was doing.
Some of the spells and incantations didn't exactly apply. They had voice, and breath, so those particular charms were right out. However, there were several charms that applied perfectly. As he finished writing them out, glad that apparently penmanship didn't apply when writing in Ancient Akiri, Andre made his way to Sascha, handed him a series of pages of text..and then spoke.
Akiri"O takers of hearts, who crush hearts as you have done, Homage to you, lords of eternity, servants of infinity. Do not take this heart of the Sascha Dziemianovitch in your fingers, this heart of his which is there. May you not cause words of evil to come into being against him, because the owner of this heart of the Sascha Dziemianovitch is the heart of the Great of Names, the Great of Words of his limbs.He sends his heart which is at the front of his body; his heart is ignorant before the gods, the heart of the Sascha Dziemianovitch, true of voice. May he have mastery over it, not saying what he has done. It is he who has mastery over his own limbs. His heart obeys him; he is your lord, and you are in his body; may you not rebel.It is I who give commands; may you obey me in the underworld, the warrior Sascha, true of voice in peace, true of voice in beautiful Amentet, on the mountain of eternity. " Andre said, then took a moment to pause and catch his breath, Akiri not having that way of rolling off the tongue that some other less esoteric languages possessed.
Akiri "My heart of my mother, my heart of my mother, my heart of transformations,Do not stand against me in witness, do not turn me back at the council, do not make your rebellion against me in the presence of the keeper of the balance. You are my ka in my body, which unites and strengthens my limbs; you have come forth to the beautiful place to which we run. Do not cause my name to stink to the nobles of the court, who make the people to stand. " And with that final bit, Andre said his peace, and muttered something about apologies about the penmanship, just a bit sheepish.
OOC:Knowledge religion, DC set to 30, passed with authority with a 42. Almost wish I didn't play it safe.
"Sometimes, Mr.Liquor cabinet is my only friend"
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Kaitou Kage
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:53 am
- Location: Here and there
- Contact:
"Karma," Kuzan said, stepping forward. He paused, then began to explain himself.
"We mortals are free-willed creatures," he said, "The gods gave us minds and bodies and the ability to do what we wish with them." The priest paused and glanced to Sascha briefly, then back to the deities ahead. "That does not mean we should do what we wish."
"We are all judged by our deeds in life, and we are continually judged. As we perform deeds and thoughts, our karma flows and changes. And the gods judge and act based on our karma. If a man does good in his life, he will be rewarded, either in this life or the next. If a man commits evil, he will be punished. In other words, we all reap what we sow. The justice of karma comes for all in due time."
"Sascha has created bad karma for himself in his past." Kuzan gestured widely at all the caskets around. "And he will be punished accordingly. Perhaps he has already been punished or perhaps he is still being punished. However, he has also worked hard to create good karma. I have seen him act selflessly, heroically, and virtuously since I met him."
He paused again, then looked once more up at the judges before him. "We are free-willed creatures, able to choose between good and evil. The choice is not always easy, but it is ours to make. Sascha has made his, and while I do not dare to presume I can judge in the place of the gods themselves, I ask this: If his actions and words I have witnessed are not deserving of good karma, then what is?"
Divine Insight for +17 on my Knowledge (religion) check DC 35.
Got a 35 or something.
"We mortals are free-willed creatures," he said, "The gods gave us minds and bodies and the ability to do what we wish with them." The priest paused and glanced to Sascha briefly, then back to the deities ahead. "That does not mean we should do what we wish."
"We are all judged by our deeds in life, and we are continually judged. As we perform deeds and thoughts, our karma flows and changes. And the gods judge and act based on our karma. If a man does good in his life, he will be rewarded, either in this life or the next. If a man commits evil, he will be punished. In other words, we all reap what we sow. The justice of karma comes for all in due time."
"Sascha has created bad karma for himself in his past." Kuzan gestured widely at all the caskets around. "And he will be punished accordingly. Perhaps he has already been punished or perhaps he is still being punished. However, he has also worked hard to create good karma. I have seen him act selflessly, heroically, and virtuously since I met him."
He paused again, then looked once more up at the judges before him. "We are free-willed creatures, able to choose between good and evil. The choice is not always easy, but it is ours to make. Sascha has made his, and while I do not dare to presume I can judge in the place of the gods themselves, I ask this: If his actions and words I have witnessed are not deserving of good karma, then what is?"
Divine Insight for +17 on my Knowledge (religion) check DC 35.
Got a 35 or something.
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The Whistler
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 1454
- Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:38 pm
- Location: Southshore
Otto…
Otto did not appear to be paying attention to the various pleas being made on Sascha’s behalf. Otto had been staring very, very hard at Anubis’ right hand.
Oh, no.
Oh, yes.
Otto adjusted his spectacles, attempting to lean forward as inconspicuously as he was able.
That is extremely impossible, and I am definitely mistaken.
Yeah—no, you’re not. There’s only one Anubis out there, so if you actually think it through…
Oh, my.
Yep.
Well, I certainly can’t just *tell* him about it…
Riiiight. See how long *that* lasts.
Unfortunately, if there was one thing that Otto knew how to be, it was a mildly obsessive mechanical engineer. For a full ten seconds, the gunsmith looked rather like a ten-year-old boy trying not to eat a chocolate bar. Then:
“—Anubis!” The gunsmith stepped forward with an air of desperation, then stepped back hurriedly, horrified at his own lack of manners. “I mean—your…ah…Your Omnipotence. Otto…Otto Schultheiss, of Schultheiss Firearms. We…ah…we’ve met before.”
He cleared his throat a few times, looking rather green. “…Please find it within yourself to pardon my intrusion, but…I believe that your scales are misaligned. Slightly! And I lay the blame entirely on myself: after the rather frantic events of the past fifteen minutes, I believe I had neglected to repair the effects of my…ah…spiritual guidance, upon your apparatus.”
Otto stood straighter now, apologetic, yet somewhat more confident. “I would not ordinarily make so bold…but nor would I have the rectitude of your judgment compromised by my own childish error.” He removed a small tool kit from one of his belt pouches, holding it up as one would an offering. “In my mortal fallibility, I should never presume to conduct the repairs myself, though I am willing if such is your wish. If it would please you more thoroughly, however, perhaps my…patron might deign to perform them, in my stead.”
Using a full charge of the Gloves for a +26 on a Disable Device (!) check; setting the DC at 27 to make it automatically pass, because I’m obviously going to roll a 1 if I set it any higher. If the whole above premise is totally unjustified, let me know and I'll edit.
Otto did not appear to be paying attention to the various pleas being made on Sascha’s behalf. Otto had been staring very, very hard at Anubis’ right hand.
Oh, no.
Oh, yes.
Otto adjusted his spectacles, attempting to lean forward as inconspicuously as he was able.
That is extremely impossible, and I am definitely mistaken.
Yeah—no, you’re not. There’s only one Anubis out there, so if you actually think it through…
Oh, my.
Yep.
Well, I certainly can’t just *tell* him about it…
Riiiight. See how long *that* lasts.
Unfortunately, if there was one thing that Otto knew how to be, it was a mildly obsessive mechanical engineer. For a full ten seconds, the gunsmith looked rather like a ten-year-old boy trying not to eat a chocolate bar. Then:
“—Anubis!” The gunsmith stepped forward with an air of desperation, then stepped back hurriedly, horrified at his own lack of manners. “I mean—your…ah…Your Omnipotence. Otto…Otto Schultheiss, of Schultheiss Firearms. We…ah…we’ve met before.”
He cleared his throat a few times, looking rather green. “…Please find it within yourself to pardon my intrusion, but…I believe that your scales are misaligned. Slightly! And I lay the blame entirely on myself: after the rather frantic events of the past fifteen minutes, I believe I had neglected to repair the effects of my…ah…spiritual guidance, upon your apparatus.”
Otto stood straighter now, apologetic, yet somewhat more confident. “I would not ordinarily make so bold…but nor would I have the rectitude of your judgment compromised by my own childish error.” He removed a small tool kit from one of his belt pouches, holding it up as one would an offering. “In my mortal fallibility, I should never presume to conduct the repairs myself, though I am willing if such is your wish. If it would please you more thoroughly, however, perhaps my…patron might deign to perform them, in my stead.”
Using a full charge of the Gloves for a +26 on a Disable Device (!) check; setting the DC at 27 to make it automatically pass, because I’m obviously going to roll a 1 if I set it any higher. If the whole above premise is totally unjustified, let me know and I'll edit.
"Enough" Sascha whispers, his mailed gaurtlets clutching the edge of the sarcophagus before him.
"More than enough has been said on my behalf. I do not seek forgiveness for there can be none for the crimes I have committed, nor do I claim the right to redemption, that step lies with fate to deliver."
Looking back at the others he speaks softly.
"As each of you has spoken for me, you should at least know what you speak for. My soul is marked black with evil, stained with the blood of innocents and ravaged by the fires of destruction I have worught in the name of the thrice cursed hawk. I am no knight, no holy avenger, I was a lost youth wallwoing in the violence in my heart and now I am simply an old man trying to somehow redress the balance.
Turning he thrusts a finger at the gods.
"You who seek to judge me, know that I am aware of the state of my heart and come my dying day I will gladly accept the eternal damnation due to me. I am not under any illusions that my future deeds will wipe the slate clean. Yet I yearn for the chance to deliver some good into this world."
"I was gifted a second chance by some manifestation of the heavens themselves, I swore an oath to turn my back on my previsou life , and since that day my path has been one of honour, poverty, obediance and protection for those in need. Will you deny me this path? "
[OOC: as the rest of Sascha social skills are less than stellar, heers an intimidate check of 32 against DC 25 - Im not sure intimidating gods is a good idea but hey..
]
"More than enough has been said on my behalf. I do not seek forgiveness for there can be none for the crimes I have committed, nor do I claim the right to redemption, that step lies with fate to deliver."
Looking back at the others he speaks softly.
"As each of you has spoken for me, you should at least know what you speak for. My soul is marked black with evil, stained with the blood of innocents and ravaged by the fires of destruction I have worught in the name of the thrice cursed hawk. I am no knight, no holy avenger, I was a lost youth wallwoing in the violence in my heart and now I am simply an old man trying to somehow redress the balance.
Turning he thrusts a finger at the gods.
"You who seek to judge me, know that I am aware of the state of my heart and come my dying day I will gladly accept the eternal damnation due to me. I am not under any illusions that my future deeds will wipe the slate clean. Yet I yearn for the chance to deliver some good into this world."
"I was gifted a second chance by some manifestation of the heavens themselves, I swore an oath to turn my back on my previsou life , and since that day my path has been one of honour, poverty, obediance and protection for those in need. Will you deny me this path? "
[OOC: as the rest of Sascha social skills are less than stellar, heers an intimidate check of 32 against DC 25 - Im not sure intimidating gods is a good idea but hey..
]"I had a dream, which was not all a dream.
The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars
Did wander darkling in the eternal space..."
The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars
Did wander darkling in the eternal space..."
-
NeoTiamat
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 4119
- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:00 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Tomb of Menetnashte
August 30th, 761, 12:22 AM; Day 165 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"By my will." A woman responded, a soft, kind voice. The shade had the feminine curves of Charles's patron, but without the dangerous edge towards them, and without the feline aspect. Rather, another of the headdresses, this time the shape of a throne, was the sole clue to the speaker.
"By my will." A man's voice now. Low tones, harsh and cold, emerging from an animal-headed shape in the snow and ash. A jackal's head, perhaps, or that of the wild ass, you couldn't quite tell from the blurred outline.
"By my will." There was little doubt about this voice, male, the clipped, sharp tones of the soldier. In the shadows and snow, you could just barely make out the outline of the wolf-headed god.
Lia = 20
Charles = 50
Tomas = 14
Edmund = 25
Andre = 30
Kuzan = 35
Otto = 27
Sascha = 25
Total = 226, Second Threshold
The falling ash and snow now parted, bringing into your line of sight another of the free-standing doors. Before, the doors had been clad in black jet and blue lapis lazuli. This door, though, was inlaid with green chrysoprase. It swung open, revealing the infinite darkness behind it, ready to lead you further into the cenotaph of Menetnashte.
"Go forth."
August 30th, 761, 12:22 AM; Day 165 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"By whose word does this man speak?" The unseen scholar asked the gathered shadows.YalenusVeler wrote:"O takers of hearts, who crush hearts as you have done, Homage to you, lords of eternity, servants of infinity. Do not take this heart of the Sascha Dziemianovitch in your fingers, this heart of his which is there. May you not cause words of evil to come into being against him, because the owner of this heart of the Sascha Dziemianovitch is the heart of the Great of Names, the Great of Words of his limbs.He sends his heart which is at the front of his body; his heart is ignorant before the gods, the heart of the Sascha Dziemianovitch, true of voice. May he have mastery over it, not saying what he has done. It is he who has mastery over his own limbs. His heart obeys him; he is your lord, and you are in his body; may you not rebel.It is I who give commands; may you obey me in the underworld, the warrior Sascha, true of voice in peace, true of voice in beautiful Amentet, on the mountain of eternity. "
"By my will." A woman responded, a soft, kind voice. The shade had the feminine curves of Charles's patron, but without the dangerous edge towards them, and without the feline aspect. Rather, another of the headdresses, this time the shape of a throne, was the sole clue to the speaker.
"By whose word does this man speak?" The reserved voice asked the ritual question.Kaitou Kage wrote:"Karma," Kuzan said, stepping forward. He paused, then began to explain himself.
"We mortals are free-willed creatures," he said, "The gods gave us minds and bodies and the ability to do what we wish with them." The priest paused and glanced to Sascha briefly, then back to the deities ahead. "That does not mean we should do what we wish."
"By my will." A man's voice now. Low tones, harsh and cold, emerging from an animal-headed shape in the snow and ash. A jackal's head, perhaps, or that of the wild ass, you couldn't quite tell from the blurred outline.
"By whose word does this man speak?" The deathly dry voice asked the ritual question one final time.The Whistler wrote:“—Anubis!” The gunsmith stepped forward with an air of desperation, then stepped back hurriedly, horrified at his own lack of manners. “I mean—your…ah…Your Omnipotence. Otto…Otto Schultheiss, of Schultheiss Firearms. We…ah…we’ve met before.”
"By my will." There was little doubt about this voice, male, the clipped, sharp tones of the soldier. In the shadows and snow, you could just barely make out the outline of the wolf-headed god.
Lia = 20
Charles = 50
Tomas = 14
Edmund = 25
Andre = 30
Kuzan = 35
Otto = 27
Sascha = 25
Total = 226, Second Threshold
"Mortals choose their paths, and choose them anew with every breath." The previous voices had been whispers, subtle sounds coming from the edge of hearing. This one was not. It was a strong voice, a powerful voice, the voice of a god. You could hear in it the rhythm of a thousand chants, the mourning wails, the howling of the desert jackals. This was a god who was alive in this Tomb, vibrantly, gloriously alive. "And in their choosing, they prove themselves mortals."Lostboy wrote:"I was gifted a second chance by some manifestation of the heavens themselves, I swore an oath to turn my back on my previous life , and since that day my path has been one of honour, poverty, obediance and protection for those in need. Will you deny me this path? "
The falling ash and snow now parted, bringing into your line of sight another of the free-standing doors. Before, the doors had been clad in black jet and blue lapis lazuli. This door, though, was inlaid with green chrysoprase. It swung open, revealing the infinite darkness behind it, ready to lead you further into the cenotaph of Menetnashte.
"Go forth."
Ravenloft GM: Eye of Anubis, Shattered City, and Prof. Lupescu's Traveling Ghost Show
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24
Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing