The Lore Knights ride again! Morning Star Issue #1

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Admin wrote:That left three witches looking defiantly up at Morningstar. "You'll never get information from us!" "Pig!" spat another. "The master will destroy you! He has promised us immortal life and power unmatched!" said the third.

Bowcaster looked on speculatively. He'd never been that confident around women and wondered if the ladies were right. But looking at his new found companions, he wondered if they had a trick or two they could pull to bring them around.

In any case he wasn't keen to hang around, talk of an all powerful master, sent a shiver up his spin, right now they needed to make sure that all enemies were accounted for. If there was someone else running around, they'd better take care of him and quickly.

OOC:

Ok let the others have a go at persuation otherwise ready to check out that door. But also want to make sure there are no booby traps or hidden nasties lying in wait.

Sj

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

ooc: We will try to be nice for now.

"Which master would that be," he asked politely. "Hitler? Mussolini? Lord Haw-Haw? Or someone else? Someone nearby? Someone who could be summoned to flatten us upstart men, perhaps?"

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

OOC Like anything else, Charisma/Persuasion is easily resolved with a roll. Your Acting/Effect value are your Charisma Skill (5). The Opposing/Resistance values are the Targets Influence/Spirit (both 2). Easy enough. Except the target in this case is Hostile to the Lore Knights, making things altogether trickier! That boosts OV/RV to 8/8 meaning the target number is 11+8-5=14 or more, and even then, a good roll is needed to boost the effect of your Charisma. Let's see... 9+7! A decent roll, but enough? Effect Value (5) plus 1 for the roll (up to 6) vs 8 RV. Failure

The woman smiles, then hawks and spits in a most unladylike manner in Morningstars face!

"You'll never make us talk! The Master will reward us!" she spat. The others started thrashing about in the makeshift bonds Buccaneer had trussed them in.

Buccaneer, with his rogueish good lucks (OOC Attractive advantage) and Charm (OOC Gift of Gab advantage) smiles and leans in. "Allow me, dear fellow." he says, winking at Morningstar. The woman looks sullen, but the other two gasp as they recognise the man behind the mask. The leader remains defiant, however, raising her chin. He gently strokes her chin with a finger, which causes her to yank it away and stare balefully.

"My, my! This won't do! You spoil your beauty with such anger! Why, I'd wager you and your friends here have been somehow bedevilled by this 'Master'. Who could ever hope, dare, even, to claim such beauty as his own to command, to send scurrying back and forth as a servant? You are a vision, and I'd see you freed, aye, from this place as well! What manner of man would dare keep such loveliness cooped up in a dingy hole such as this? He sounds like a villain of the blackest sort!"

"The Master..."

Buccaneer leaned in close. "I swear to you, on my honour, beauty..."

"Don't... don't call me that..." she whispered, gazing into his eyes.

"To call you other would be to deny the truth in front of my own eyes! All of you... a vision of loveliness, and somehow bewitched to follow the dreams and orders of some... madman?" smiled Buccaneer, gentle in voice and manner. "Now come, beauty, tell us.. tell us your tale of woe. Let us then free you from this awful fate, enslaved to a man who uses you for his own evil design, whereas I would worship you, and lavish love and praise at your feet, for I am barely worthy to look upon the whole of you, so dazzling is the light of loveliness that shines from you!"

OOC Pure cheese. Let's see if it works. The OV/RV of a hostile target is 8. His attractive advantages drops that to 6. Gift of Gab drops that to 2. Resistance value is still 8 though - still need a decent roll! 7+8 - 15! Let's see.. that bumps up his effect value from 5 to 8. 8 vs 8. Oh dear.

The woman leans in, and Buccaneer smiles, leaning in to kiss her.

DUFF!

He reels, having been headbutted by the woman who thrashes wildly now, like a she-cat!

Clutching his face, Buccaneer turns to his comrades. "Not a word." he snarls from behind a hand which clutches a bloodied nose...

OOC Persuasion didn't work then. Any other tactic, or moving on?

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Admin wrote:The woman leans in, and Buccaneer smiles, leaning in to kiss her.

DUFF!

Bowcaster winced at the blow that looked painful from even where he stood. But he raised his bow, unsure as to what might be best in this situation. Whilst he wrestled with his feelings he waited on Morning Star to give the word. As for himself he was less eager to enjoy this particular brand of hostility and was more interested in finding out what lay behind that door.

OOC:

Its funny that given how well you wrote out what Buccaneer said, I'd have made that an automatic success, but seeing the way you put it I think that you handled it really well. Sometimes the dice are plain wrong, and despite the roll, it leads to a non sequitur. But then sometimes its good to let the dice fall where they may.

Anyway I'll freeze them up and move on I think. Assuming Dave/Morning Star is good with that to.


Sj

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER


"Let me take her somewhere privately," Morningstar told the other two Lore Knights but loud enough for the other women to hear him. "Better the others don't know what is going to happen to her now. After we are gone, why don't you see if you can get one of the others to talk. Anyone who refuses ... well ... I guess I will have to take them ... away as well."

With that, he walks over and grabs the woman [who is probably struggling and cursing him], summons his ghost horse and flies out of the room.

ooc: Actually, he is not going to do anything with her other than put her in a cell. He is trying the old Good Cop/Bad Cop routine and being the bad cop. Give Bowcaster and Buccaneer a try at her LTs. and see if one of them will talk.

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

DavidMcMahon wrote:
"Let me take her somewhere privately," With that, he walks over and grabs the woman [who is probably struggling and cursing him], summons his ghost horse and flies out of the room.

It took a moment for what Morning Star was saying to sink in, but not knowing if he had any better chance than Buccaneer, Bowcaster put away his bow and came forward. Feigning shock, he leaned casually against the wall as he tried to sympathise with the ladies left.

"Hmm doesn't look good. I came down here to help out, but well, you saw what Morning Star did to the other lady there." Bowcaster nodded at the smashed remains of the Medusa.

"I don't fancy what he might get up to since you've pushed him so far. I appreciate your master is about, but he's done precious little to help you out. Save yourself some grief, why don't you let me know what's going on. I want to protect not harm."

OOC:

Ok I am standing close, but not head but close. In case this goes badly for me. So here is my roll:

2d10=5 Ok walk along nothing to see here, that's a miserable fail (1+4) man the dice seem to be worse than ever at the moment.

Ok I'm freezing them and suggesting we get on out of this place.

Sj

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Morningstar dragged the protesting woman out. At first the other two didn't twitch, then they exchanged worried glances. After they heard screaming in the corridor, one looked up "You are fiends!" she spat. "but if you let Barbara... I mean Sister Tyrannus go, maybe the master will go easier on you, and simply torture you for a short time."

Bowcaster tried the 'good cop, bad cop' on the women, and they simply scoffed. There were more screams from the corridor. The third woman spoke up "Torture will get you nowhere! Do as you will!"

Annoyed, Buccaneer grabbed the woman up, dragged her out of the room. As Bowcaster started to speak, and ask what the Lore Knight was doing, he gave an annoyed look as in 'Be Quiet!'. Soon more screams were heard.

"Alright!" screeched the last woman. "All I know is that the Master was once a man named Frank Burton! He has now ... transcended! When he opened the gate with the 'others' help we started to get powers, abilities, as promised, but there is a price!" She looked at the pulped head of the medusa, then at the frozen forms of the giants in the arena. "Always a price." she whispered. She snorted. "Frank wants to be called 'Asmodeus' now. he thinks he's in charge, but whatever that other thing is inside him is really in charge..."

With tears in her eyes, she said "Lean in..." Bowcaster was dubious, and minded himself, but leant in anyway. "Silver. I believe silver is somehow the key. We were told to take off all jewellery, and the Master flew into a rage when one of the acolytes held up a necklace, asking whether it, too, should be removed. He destroyed her. Linda was my friend, and he killed her..."

She bowed her head, sobbing quietly. Nearby, the baleful stares of frozen acolytes fixed on the woman - she'd betrayed them!

The other two came in without the women, and all three walked over to the door, having renewed the freezing effect on all in the room.

The door opened without incident into a corridor, and Bowcaster turned to the other two. "Torture is not..."

He quietened when Morningstar held up a hand, and Buccaneer explained. "Couldn't agree more, old chap, but we needed information! Besides that, tickling leaves no lasting effects, but by jove, the second one hated her feet being tickled. Positively thrashed about, she did!"

=========

The trio made their way down the corridor, cautious and on the lookout for traps.

Morningstar in the lead, the Lore Knights checked for traps as they made their way down the dark corridor, the glow from the Mace, the Bow and the sword lighting the way. Buccaneer smiled as he checked his nose. "As good as new! By jove, I think I not only run fast, but I heal fast too!" He took a glance at Morningstar "That's not an invitation to test it out, old chap."

Turning a corner, the warriors came to another door. This one was heavily bound with iron straps and solid in every respect. It looked like it could take a battering ram. There was a slot in the door where someone on the other side might open it and speak, but not big enough to see properly through if the Lore Knights stood to the side, and besides, there was little light.



Buccaneer shrugged and whispered "No lock. Probably barred from the other side. What do you think? Smash it down or... well, knock?"

OOC you are on the left hand side of the map now. Forgot to mark it, but you're at the door. The room you last went in is the arena. The only other room (with the door) marked on the map is the prison cell. Buccaneer can open/close that lock with ease thanks to his world class skills.

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Admin wrote:He quietened when Morningstar held up a hand, and Buccaneer explained. "Couldn't agree more, old chap, but we needed information! Besides that, tickling leaves no lasting effects, but by jove, the second one hated her feet being tickled. Positively thrashed about, she did!"

Bowcaster then smiled ruefully. "I imagine torture may have been kinder, you fiend!" He added tongue firmly in cheek as he chided the two in mock seriousness.

=========

Admin wrote:Buccaneer shrugged and whispered "No lock. Probably barred from the other side. What do you think? Smash it down or... well, knock?"

"Well," Bowcaster added with a look toward Morning star, "For what its worth I'd suggest the more covert root, surprise and all that. What do you fella's think?"

Bowcaster looked between them, open to hear alternative suggestions.

Sj

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

"Well," Bowcaster added with a look toward Morning star, "For what its worth I'd suggest the more covert root, surprise and all that. What do you fella's think?"

Bowcaster looked between them, open to hear alternative suggestions.

"Anyone who doesn't know we are here by now is either stupidly overconfident and didn't place any alarms around the place or a fool or unconscious but let's try quiet this time and see what happens. If either of you can pick the lock, do so, otherwise I will smash the door down."

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

"You don't do subtle, do you?" asked Buccaneer. "Besides that, there's no lock on this door. I suppose we'll just have ..."

BANG!

He stepped to the side as Morningstars mace slammed down, destroying the door (OOC roll of 4 required. Got 7. Bang!) and sending shards of wood flying everywhere!

As the dust and wood settled, the trio looked into the darkness of a corridor and those that could see in the dark saw something stirring. Buccaneer glanced to the other two. "There's something..."



In deadly silence skeletal warriors charged down the corridor at the Lore Knights, swords held high!

OOC You stand 3 abreast and the skeletons are coming down the corridor around 5m away, charging. There's half a dozen of them. Initiative shows you have a frame before they act. Don't underestimate them!

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Admin wrote:
In deadly silence skeletal warriors charged down the corridor at the Lore Knights, swords held high!

OOC You stand 3 abreast and the skeletons are coming down the corridor around 5m away, charging. There's half a dozen of them. Initiative shows you have a frame before they act. Don't underestimate them!

Bowcaster didn't hesitate for a moment, he lifted his bow with a practiced ease the belied his actual inexperience. And again let loose with another freezing arrow, aiming for the lead Skeleton, so as to hamper the other two if he could.

OOC:

Roll to hit, not brilliant, 2d10=10

Sj

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Morningstar steps forward to be in front of Bowcaster so the man can fire without having to worry about anyone engaging him in melee.

"Side by side I think, Buccaneer," he said calmly. "Since they are skeletons, I don't think your pigsticker is going to affect them much."

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Almost to everyone's' surprise, the leader shouts, in a cackling voice "Have at them lads!", whilst sidestepping Bowcasters' arrow! (OOC 11 need to hit the leader as he has the same Dex as your Weaponry (10) - he is incredibly agile, and steps aside at the last moment) With a flourish he brings his sword up. "We've waited a thousand years to feel the air on our bones! Let's not waste the time!"

Morningstar meets the oncoming rush of one of the Skeletal warriors with his own. (OOC The Skeleton has 8 Dex, Morningstar has 11 Weaponry, so needs 8 or more. Roll of 9+3, 12. Boosts effect value to 16. Against RV7=9 damage. SMASH! Tinkle!)

The mace obliterates the skeletal warrior and the rest of them appear to gasp, seemingly becoming more intelligent and lifelike with every passing moment!

Buccaneer laughs. "Have at thee, fallen pirates!" and whips out his sword. "I'll show you how to do it, Bowman!"

(OOC His Weaponry (9) vs 8 Dex means 10 or over. Roll of 2+4. Miss)

The Skeletal warrior, a legend in his own time and land, steps aside and gives a teeth clattering laugh at his foe who gapes!

The lead skeleton whips the sword about, showing off. "I say, you there, mace fellow? How about I teach you a trick or two?"

OOC With 10 Weaponry the leader is looking at 8 or over to hit. He tries for a critical blow, boosting the difficulty to 12 or more. Roll of 5+5, double, then 7+2, total 19! The effect value is 9, boosted by the critical blow to 15, then boosted further by the roll to 18. 18-16RV (M Stars defence) means 2 damage, dropping him from 11 to 9. He tries the same trick again, three more times. 15, hit, no damage. 2+2, then 6+4, 14 total, hit, no damage, 11, miss.

"Gods! I thought myself the equal of any man, living or dead! Only the dark sea could claim me when me ship sank below the waves, but I'll be damned if I can't find a way to your soft underbelly, warrior! Your name sir, in case you send me back to hell like mine companion!" it cackles.

The others are less talkative. One fills the gap left by Morningstar and attacks Bowcaster, whilst another is on Buccaneer, (OOC who dodges with his next four frames using all these from this round plus one in the next) who is somewhat less confident in his own skill having seen this supernaturally powerful undead warrior make a mockery of his own skill with the blade!

OOC On Bowcaster - 11 or more needed to hit. Four attacks. 11, 12, 13, 12. All hit! However, Bowcaster is made of tough stuff (RV8) and the effect value of the skeleton, despite possessing superhuman strength, is 7. No damage.

The skeleton hisses in frustration as it stabs its sabre into Bowcaster again and again, only for his skin to harden at the point of impact and make the blade bend!

"Captain!" yells the skeleton. "This one is as tough as an oak!"

"Chop the bugger down to size then!" laughs another skeleton, who swings at Buccaneer.

OOC 8 Dex vs 18 Opposing value (Buccaneer is dodging). There's no chance of hitting here, but will go through the motions. Need 21 or more. 12, 8, 15, 7. All miss.

"Gods! This one is fast! Watch!" shouts the Skeleton, and he thrusts the sword at Buccaneers head, only for him to sidestep it and watch it hiss by! By the time the warrior has finished swiping, Buccaneer is leaning against the wall, checking his nails!

OOC Then it's your guys turns. 3 frames apiece. I assume Morningstar is doing his thing against the leader... 11 Weaponry vs 10 Dex, 10 or over needed. 14 rolled. 17 Effect vs 9 Body, 8 damage!

Bone flies everywhere as with a swipe of his mace Morningstar clatters the leader, despite his incredible superhuman agility!

"Arrrgggh!" he wails. "Wait! I yield! YIELD!" and he drops his sword, hands up. The others look upon their leader and back off, still holding their weapons but unsure of the next move...

OOC Which is yours... M Star still has 2 frames, Bowcaster 3, Buccaneer has used all his and 1 from next round.

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Admin wrote:"Arrrgggh!" he wails. "Wait! I yield! YIELD!" and he drops his sword, hands up. The others look upon their leader and back off, still holding their weapons but unsure of the next move...

OOC Which is yours... M Star still has 2 frames, Bowcaster 3, Buccaneer has used all his and 1 from next round.

"Thank goodness for Morningstar!" Was all Bowcaster could think, as despite the incredible power of the bow, his aim, his ability or his luck seemed to be all rotten. Seeing how he was a artillery specialist, he took to the available space above, giving him greater flexibility and hopefully opportunity to down his opponents.

Even though the leader looked to parley, Morningstar didn't look as if he was on speaking terms. Bowcaster stood ready, to fire again, should he need to, as he waited for Morningstar's response. "I don't trust them Morningstar, this could be some kind of a trick?"

OOC:

Just out of interest Paul, what do I do in melee? I've got a bow and can I use it at point blank range? In 4thEd such an attack allows your opponent a free attack against you. I wouldn't wish to contently attack with range, if getting in their might help. But I am a striker, an artillery specialist but I suddenly wondered what I am supposed to do with limited room and nowhere to fly?

Anyway if things go south, I'll hit at them as needed.

Sj

Admin wrote:OOC Point blank range is fine for you. Though you have a bow, it's really just a manifestation of your power. If it appeared as a gun, a spear, a sling, a crossbow, you can use it from touch range onwards. D&D4e probably breaks things down into the minutiae, with grids and rules for any and every situation from the sounds of it. Sure it's not a wargame? I can see the attraction but that's why I always preferred BECMI as a game. AD&D (or plain D&D from 3.0 on) always struck me as providing the kitchen sink when all you need is the bare minimum - do you win the fight, or have to run? I gather D&D4e fights take hours... I'd hate to think a gaming session was taken up with one or two scraps, especially in a 'levelling' or 'grind' game where killing monsters and taking their stuff is a priority. You could play for years and not go up a level (unless you get hundreds of xp for an orc etc?) I really will have to sit down and take a look at it before dismissing it, but it does seem very much like they took a look at WoW and thought to appeal to the 12 million or so players of that game. Anyway, no problems with range for you. If you had an actual bow, I might say you need a couple of metres distance, but even then its just two steps back and fire.

Ok that is great, thanks.

4thed, fights can take long but that is only because there are sooo many more options. I love the game and my bi weekly players seem to prefer it over 3.+ simply because its a bit more straight forward - it does have its draw backs, but we're working around them. Certainly as a DM its easier to prep, from what I gather.

I like the older versions to, but 3.0 seemed to bring some new things to the table, that previous editions didn't and some see them as innovation and others unwelcome intervention - hence the number of old school editions that keep cropping up. I still have a special place for OD&D, but death was so frequent and deadly, fun for a one off, terrible for any sort of long term campaign.

Sj

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Bone flies everywhere as with a swipe of his mace Morningstar clatters the leader, despite his incredible superhuman agility!

"Arrrgggh!" he wails. "Wait! I yield! YIELD!" and he drops his sword, hands up. The others look upon their leader and back off, still holding their weapons but unsure of the next move...

"My name is Morningstar," the heavily armored clad hero says, stepping back a bit and lowering his morningstar. "That is Bowcaster and Buccaneer. We are Lore Knights here to rid the land of evil. If you yield, where will you go and what will you do?"

ooc: D&D 4.0 is fun and fast, like a video game. Not a lot of skills. Currently playing Pathfinder, which is a version of 3.5. with lots of skills. Prefer that as it has more roleplaying involved.

OOC Didn't know you played Fantasy RPGs David (M), but I guess the only games you and I have been involved in together have been supers types. The problem with Fantasy games by post is the levelling thing. Unless you house rule the experience system progress is glacial, and that more or less kills interest in the game for the long term. Giving 10x the experience out for foes seems like 'cheating' so you are kind of caught between a rock and a hard place. If there was a way to house rule a fantasy game to satisfy everyone for online play I'd run one alongside the Vanguard game. That said, this week I'm a bit pushed, so will shut up and get on with it (short shifts after today though, so I will be up to date and tapping my feet waiting for you lot to post! Well...maybe...)

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

"I remember..." said the Skeletal warrior... "I was once Denholm Roberts, duellist and mercenary! Never lost! I was legend - at least to those who knew me. My enemies never lived to spread the tale though, and perhaps when I later became a pirate, I should've let some go to become a glory hound like Blackbeard and those others. Pah! Never lost a fight. The ransom on my head was never collected though - the sea, and a wild storm, claimed me and my boys. I suppose they think I simply disappeared, or was bested. Ha! Never!"

The Skeleton paused, and looked at the trio facing him. "Until now. Me and my lads were promised new life, and power such as we never imagined! All we had to do was what we did best in life - kill our enemies! But... it wasn't like that. I never killed an unarmed man, nor hurt a woman or child. If someone died defending themselves, why I figured that was fair - after all, the same could happen to me. Except..."

The Skeleton paused, glancing at his 'lads'. "I didn't expect this. Not like this. They said I'd regain flesh on my bones, pass as the handsome man I was once... but that i could only do so by bathing in the blood of the living." He turns to the skeletons. "What say you lads? Purgatory for our misdeeds and wickedness is one thing, but do we drag others down with us? It sits wrong with me."

He looked at Morningstar. "What do we do next?" He knelt down to place a hand on the remnants of his shattered crewman, and a glow surrounded the bone fragments. Before the Lore Knights eyes the bones reassembled, whole, into the Skeleton Warrior again! "We're already dead! All that you can do is slow us down." explained the Dread Pirate Roberts. "I've a mind to return to the pit I crawled from, but I'll have to carve a path through him that summoned me, and he's not likely to go without a fight. What say you lads? I'll wager beyond these walls is a different world, a different time. We wouldn't fit in, and bathing in the blood of the living doesn't sit well."

Buccaneer shrugged. "We could 'sic him on the Nazis?"

The Skeleton turned. "Nazis? Are they innocents then? Never heard o them. From some place in those lands they call the Americas?"

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

ooc: Started playing D&D back around 1977. Played pretty much all genres but prefer supers and fantasty. With space adventures and 30 Pulp adventures coming in second. Don't like cyberpunk.

Playing Living Pathfinder, which is a world wide campaign or at least North American. They have a rule of you level for every three mods you complete and don't worry about individual xp for monsters and such. So you level pretty fast.

Here's the link if you want to look at how they do leveling and such: http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety

Download the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play

Buccaneer shrugged. "We could 'sic him on the Nazis?"

The Skeleton turned. "Nazis? Are they innocents then? Never heard o them. From some place in those lands they call the Americas?"

"Enemies of England and all the Free World," Morningstar explains. "The Nazis rule Germany, which is a united nation in our time period - 1940. I think it was just a bunch of principalities and duchies and tiny nations in your day, broken up from the Holy Roman Empire. They have unnatural weapons and men with powers a lot like ours but hundreds, if not thousands of them. They want to stamp out all who do not live up to their expectations of racial superiority and will not accept their rule."

"I'm not much into religion and redemption but maybe you could find some sort of redemption if you aided England in its fight against this evil."

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

DavidMcMahon wrote:"I'm not much into religion and redemption but maybe you could find some sort of redemption if you aided England in its fight against this evil."

Bowcaster nodded in agreement, strangely warmed by the tale of the undead mercenary in front of him. Nonetheless he was minded to not the man had a long history of vengeful, illegal and questionable activities. Might it be the 'man' was just trying to dupe them?

He remained vigilant for any dirty tricks that they might try to pull.

Sj

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

"Redemption you say?" cackled the Skeleton. "Bit late for that. Only God knows how many souls I've sent up to him and I reckon even he's not likely to forgive or forget what I did in life."

He turned to the skeletons. "Still.. these people you talk about. Nazis? Sounds like they are beyond redemption, and maybe whilst God can't forgive or forget what I did in life..."

He looked at the Lore Knights, then, slowly, went for his sword, raising it above his head. "Maybe he can forgive me for what I do in death!" he turned to the other skeletons. "What say you lads? To hell with serving someone who will damn us more than we already are, or are we sheep, dead things for him to order about?"

The Skeletons looked at one another, then at Roberts. "We're with you Cap'n! Arrrggggh!" they shouted.

The Skeleton shrugged, sheathed his sword and gave a ghastly fleshless grin. "We're with you, so long as we get to kill these Nazis and maybe, just maybe, do the odd good deed along the way!"

OOC You have new allies!



The Skeleton Captain bids his 'men' to sheath their swords, which they do, though some 'eye' (with empty sockets) the Lore Knights, still untrusting of them, especially the one who'd been smashed by Morningstar! He walked around the corner, coming up to a junction in the corridor. "Now, we came from up there." (OOC Direction A) "And we was told ta be good skellies and do what we was told - guard that door and let no one in. Well, you smashed the door, so as far as I'm concerned, there ain't nowt to guard. An' we certainly never let you in..." The former Captain continued "There's two rooms up that way. One is a big place, that's open to the night sky, a thing I ain't seen for a long long time till this night. The other place is where we was woken, and came to in these bags of bones we where. It's a place o dark magic, for sure! A black, twisting swirling tornado o pure magic, and th' fellow that's in charge of it? Well, I hope you have an answer to his magic, cause otherwise we're all gonna be back where we started mighty quick!"

Buccaneer turned to the other two. "This is all... I mean, come on! Talking skeletons? Ogres and trolls out of childrens fables? Dark Magic? This is 1940! It's the 20th century! Such things shouldn't exist!" He clutched his head, looking about, wild eyed. "This place is nuts!"

"Ha! Now ya finally understandin'!" laughed the Pirate, clapping Buccaneer on the back with a bony hand. "Ya don't have ta be nuts ta work here, but bein a few pennies shy o a shillin' certainly helps!"

"Alright, now down there..." (OOC direction B) "Is somethin' else he set ta guard whilst he's turnin' ordinary folk into them there things o fable this poppinjay was on about..."

"Poppinjay? Why I should..." started Buccaneer. Roberts cackled, then turned to Bowcaster and Morningstar "Touchy type isn't he? Nowhere to powder his nose an' he's scared the women won't go fer 'im! I'll wager those soft hands never saw a days work! Not like me, eh lads? Works my fingers to the bone, I does!" and with that he waggled a fleshless hand, to the laughter and jeers of his men.

Just then a deep growl emanated from down the corridor (OOC Direction B). "Yeah, there's somethin' big n nasty down there all right..."

OOC you have a choice of directions. Roberts seems friendly enough, but whether you can trust him or not is another thing!

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Buccaneer turned to the other two. "This is all... I mean, come on! Talking skeletons? Ogres and trolls out of childrens fables? Dark Magic? This is 1940! It's the 20th century! Such things shouldn't exist!" He clutched his head, looking about, wild eyed. "This place is nuts!"

"Try spending five years in a Gulag in Siberia, Buccaneer," Morningstar says drolly, "and you will learn to accept just about anything!"

"Ha! Now ya finally understandin'!" laughed the Pirate, clapping Buccaneer on the back with a bony hand. "Ya don't have ta be nuts ta work here, but bein a few pennies shy o a shillin' certainly helps!"

"Alright, now down there..." (OOC direction B) "Is somethin' else he set ta guard whilst he's turnin' ordinary folk into them there things o fable this poppinjay was on about..."

"Poppinjay? Why I should..." started Buccaneer. Roberts cackled, then turned to Bowcaster and Morningstar "Touchy type isn't he? Nowhere to powder his nose an' he's scared the women won't go fer 'im! I'll wager those soft hands never saw a days work! Not like me, eh lads? Works my fingers to the bone, I does!" and with that he waggled a fleshless hand, to the laughter and jeers of his men.

Just then a deep growl emanated from down the corridor (OOC Direction B). "Yeah, there's somethin' big n nasty down there all right..."

OOC you have a choice of directions. Roberts seems friendly enough, but whether you can trust him or not is another thing!


"Oooohh! I'm all for smashing the big growly thing before taking out his boss, what says you lads?"

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

DavidMcMahon wrote:
"Oooohh! I'm all for smashing the big growly thing before taking out his boss, what says you lads?"

Bowcaster was about to say, "I!" Before he stopped himself. Though he wasn't sure he should trust the Captain and his men, nonetheless he was taken by them. Even in death the man had a winning personality.

"I agree, we don't want to be caught between a hard growling thing and that whirlwind of magic!" And with that Bowcaster floated up so that he had a better aim over the heads of the others. "Shall I scout ahead, less chance of triggering traps from up here?" He added.

Sj

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

Buccaneer glanced to Morningstar, Bowcaster, and then the Skeletons. "I think you're all bloody lunatics!" he spluttered, greeted by an "Arrhhhhh!!!!" from the cackling skeletons.



OOC green dot - M Star and co (Sleletons and Buccaneer with him). Blue dot, Bowcaster. Red dot... the following...

Bowcaster, with a shrug from the others, crept on through the darkness. Bow at the ready he noted the corridor to the right, branching off from the main corridor leading on into the darkness - and where a strange creature stood guard. It turned - clearly it could see behind itself without a problem and in the dark!



OOC presented in glorious greyscale ...

A strange creature that rather looked like it's head was far too big and heavy even for it's own hulking 7' tall 300lb mass!The head turned, the body following it, and there sounded a wet tearing noise with every movement it made. The body looked shaky, as if it were drunken, and the head? The head was monstrous!

As the creatures gaze fell on Bowcaster he felt very strange. With every step closer he seemed to be weaker, the corridor getting darker! Were his powers failing somehow? Though he was around 40m away, he knew that every step he took in the direction of the creature would be harder. It felt like he were a normal man, and in this place?

That would be suicidal!

Before he took any more steps forward, he considered his options - fight the thing from a distance with his bow, assuming he could still summon it, or move back, out of range and hope the creature stayed where it was, or perhaps try and reason with it... It *might* have been a man at one point. Now, whatever it was, it was clearly no longer 'just' a man!

MORNINGSTAR & BUCCANEER & BOWCASTER

As the creatures gaze fell on Bowcaster he felt very strange. With every step closer he seemed to be weaker, the corridor getting darker! Were his powers failing somehow? Though he was around 40m away, he knew that every step he took in the direction of the creature would be harder. It felt like he were a normal man, and in this place?

OOC: Arh Charming!
====

Bowcaster sought to throw off the effects he felt. It could be no coincidence that the creatures central eye, balefully glared at him with undisguised malevolence. After all how can a normal man be floating unaided! Know he'd resist the and fight.

Pulling his mysterious bow from the air (OOC: assuming I can of course) Bowcaster growled in defiance, "He bug eyes, take a look at this!" He says letting loose with what he hoped would be a flare arrow, hoping to blind the creature.

OOC: Rolling: 2d10=12, where are the doubles when you need them.

Ok if it hits I'll tell the others to come quickly (they should no prompting from such a devastating flash) and take advantage of its blindness if I manage to cause that to happen. If it fails to hit I'll retreat to explain what's ahead.

Sj