The Ivy Tower

Inside the 6th floor apartment of Desdemona Onanant, once of the Unseelie Court upon the Blessed Isle, aka, the Rat King:

The terrace door opens into a large, roughly L-shaped --roughly because the long wall is the curved exterior wall of the tower. The majority of the space is a living room full of decadent Unseelie (ie, dark) elven furniture and art. The small part of the "L" looks like a kitchen. Some of the furniture is broken up and pots/pans are strewn across the kitchen counter. Recall one troll spent the fight trying to brain Web'r hurling household detritus.

Speaking of, there are two dead trolls here. Both have been properly treated with fire. One looks purple, green, and grayish black from the kiss of fire -- this one was hurling the junk. The other just green and grayish black from the kiss of fire.

There are two exits visible. In the middle of the wall opposite the terrace door (the interior wall) there's a door frame, with no door, which opens into a short hallway. On the far right of interior wall is a door boasting an impressive array of locks and deadbolts.

From the short hallway ahead comes a faint cry of "Help me."

The short hallway leads to a small round room which seems to sit in the center of the tower. There are four doors, all identical. One is open. Inside is a wedge-shaped room, sparsely furnished. What looks like a giant killing board, adorned with dead butterflies, is hooked to one of the interior walls. Crucified on it is Edward St. Grace. Or, as he also calls himself, Singrace, the "angel of transgression". He appears haggard and thin, with long stringy hair and several ill-advised tattoos visible on his sporadically-scourged flesh.

Several more claims follow: he is from a place called the "Endless Horizon" -- which is also where the miniature dryads and Ashura claim to be from-- he is something called an "Agent of Fate", a terrible future will come to pass if both miniature dryads aren't captured and fashioned into a mask to worn by someone named 'Cybelle the Matricide", anyone helping him will be 'richly rewarded by Lady Fate herself'.

At that he croaks out a laugh. "Actually, she's the meanest bitch in all eternity. She cares not one shit for her Agents. But, as always, we do what must be done. So help me down or kill me. Just don't leave me to the Rat King."

Outside:

The sprites from the 3A have stopped jumping to their deaths to avoid the toxic smoke. The elven detective and possible kidnapper, Inspector Bastet, is flying somewhere out of sight, paralyzed by Father Benignus's Hold prayer, but with an unfurled and unread scroll in hand. She wants to arrest you. For your crimes. Wanton destruction of private ivy and demihomicide, for starters.

OOC: Benignus thinks you've got around 10 minutes before the Hold Person wears off. It's been 2 minutes since he cast it. So 8 minutes left. More or less.

Web'r scratches his head, slowly. "Should we...apologize, perhaps? Or is it too late for that? It's hardly our fault that the Fire Spirits were so hungry, and Ivy Spirits so weak."

He peers around the room as he speaks; his looting instincts are well-honed by now.

Choosing to ignore the killing board-pinned man, Web'r casts around for valuables. There's little of note in the room except the captive. A few pieces of once fine-looking clothing that's likely St. Graces. A wooden chest of drawers covered in dust. A bed covered in light blanket spotted with a few faint specks of blood.

Aside from a few torn wisps of clothing, the man is naked and valuableless.

The large L-shaped room was a bit of a mess, what with a troll cannibalizing it for missile weapon. Does Web're search there too? Or somewhere else. There are 3 other doors in the central 'hub' room, plus the securely locked door in the L-shaped room.

Mallus wrote:

Choosing to ignore the killing board-pinned man, Web'r casts around for valuables. There's little of note in the room except the captive. A few pieces of once fine-looking clothing that's likely St. Graces. A wooden chest of drawers covered in dust. A bed covered in light blanket spotted with a few faint specks of blood.

Aside from a few torn wisps of clothing, the man is naked and valuableless.

The large L-shaped room was a bit of a mess, what with a troll cannibalizing it for missile weapon. Does Web're search there too? Or somewhere else. There are 3 other doors in the central 'hub' room, plus the securely locked door in the L-shaped room.

Absolutely. Let the fearless leaders make the big decisions; Web'r just pawn in game of life.

A light wind off the Aster kicks up, smelling of salt and regret over causing unintentional deaths. Web'r, Nameless, Benignus, and a jade cat mask-wearing Pogsley stand on the 5th floor terrace of the formerly ivy-covered Ivy Tower. Which now has several vacancies.

The giant white stag cowers, as much as a beast its size can, in the far corner.

The rest of you notice Nameless scavenged a few items from Inspector Bastets' apartment; a coil of silken rope and several of the leather-bound journals. "The rope's magical. These..." --he hefts the books-- "... might prove useful. In unmasking the villain responsible for the crimes downstairs."

An ashen-looking Bastet says, "The rope is a Rope of Climbing, it obeys commands. It's handy for... oh gods..." She begins to sob quietly. As if to distract herself, she lists the other valuable items she's carries: a potion of flying, a scroll of fireball, the elven chain mail she's wearing under her clothes.

Bastet never looks at Pogsely. Which is a shame, he's more handsome than ever!

OOC: Pogsleys' Charisma has increased by 1.

In the air in the distance, you spot a tiny rider on the winged horse, moving away from the tower. There were three pegasi and a wealthy noble tenant --one Dr. Chasm-- in residence on the 7th floor. That can't be a coincidence, can it?

OOC: now what?

Web'r considers Master Pogsley for a moment. "The Mask Spirit has blessed your face, without question. But if it is indeed evil, I can perform a ritual of exorcism that I learned from the elder of my people. I will need a rock, and you will need to hold very still as I beat the Mask Spirit into submission."

He frowns a little. "This will need to be done before we rejoin Homily," he adds sternly.

Seeing the pegasuses...pegasi...he calls the attention of the others to the sight. "Perhaps we should leave. I never thought it possible, but I think that I've had enough killing for one day."

Rolzup wrote:

"Perhaps we should leave.

OOC: How? The terrace you're on is about 60ft from the ground, unless the tower's Fae architecture is playing tricks with your eyes. Or you could exit through the tower. You've cleared a safe passage as far as Bastet's front door on the 3rd floor.

Oh, and do you leave the stag alone?

Mallus wrote:

Rolzup wrote:

"Perhaps we should leave.

OOC: How? The terrace you're on is about 60ft from the ground, unless the tower's Fae architecture is playing tricks with your eyes. Or you could exit through the tower. You've cleared a safe passage as far as Bastet's front door on the 3rd floor.

Oh, and do you leave the stag alone?

How long is this magic rope that we've obtained?

As to the stag, well.... If he's a skin-changer, that means that he won't make a suitable mount, so Web'r has no direct use for him. On the other hand, that marks him as a shaman, and thus deserving of respect....

"We had to kill the thieves," Web'r explains to the stag, "Surely, you understand that. They offended out tribe, and we had to do what was necessary. But we bear you no grudge. Would you stay here, or come with us? I give you my word, we will not harm you if you choose to follow us, nor will we imprison you."

Rolzup wrote:

How long is this magic rope that we've obtained?

60 ft.

Quote :

"We had to kill the thieves"

The stag snorts once.

Quote :

"Surely, you understand that. They offended out tribe, and we had to do what was necessary. But we bear you no grudge. Would you stay here, or come with us? I give you my word, we will not harm you if you choose to follow us, nor will we imprison you."

The stag's gaze doesn't leave Web'r. When he stops talking, it slowly approaches the body of the fallen druid. Bending its giant head, the stag grasps the dead druid's mistletoe crown in its teeth. Then it tries to gesture with its forelegs, at one point rearing up onto its back legs and almost toppling over.

The stag spits the mistletoe out. It stamps its hoofs, apparently in frustration, before returning to the far corner of the terrace.

"Ummm, guys" says Benignus, appearing in the doorway. "I found these papers. Those half elves were making a list of the most powerful clerics in town. Even the devil-priests".

Remembering stories heard 'round the fire, Web'r has some idea how these things go.

He picks up the crown of mistletoe and puts it on, and then bows to the Stag. "Will this allow me to hear your voice, oh shaman?"

Rolzup wrote:

He picks up the crown of mistletoe and puts it on, and then bows to the Stag. "Will this allow me to hear your voice, oh shaman?"

The stag snorts as Web'r places the mistletoe on the cliff-sized supraorbital ridge he calls a brow. It slowly shakes its head in response to the question.

Mallus wrote:

Rolzup wrote:

He picks up the crown of mistletoe and puts it on, and then bows to the Stag. "Will this allow me to hear your voice, oh shaman?"

The stag snorts as Web'r places the mistletoe on the cliff-sized supraorbital ridge he calls a brow. It slowly shakes its head in response to the question.

"Oh." Web'r sighs heavily, and scratches his head. "I'm not very good at charades. But this is important, yes? Will it help you if I wear it?"

Rolzup wrote:

But this is important, yes? Will it help you if I wear it?"

The stag again shakes its head. Then it just looks at Web'r, ruminating.

Finally it walks towards, him, head low. Trying to minimize the effect it's size has on smaller mammals. It pauses, looking around. First off either side of the terrace. Then at the bodies of the half-elves.

After three quick snorts, it finishes sidling up and nuzzles Web'r's hand.

Mallus wrote:

The stag again shakes its head. Then it just looks at Web'r, ruminating.

Well, it is a ruminant....

Mallus wrote:

Finally it walks towards, him, head low. Trying to Minimize the effect it's size has on smaller mammals. It pauses, looking around. First off either side of the terrace. Then at the bodies of the half-elves.

After three quick snorts, it finishes sidling up and nuzzles Web'r's hand.

"We have a new friend!" Web'r bellows. He pauses, brow furrowing -- a truly awesome sight. Can you make words, Shaman? Flat words you hear with your eyes, not words that you speak? Could you carve those words into the sod? I cannot hear them with my eyes -- I lack the proper teaching -- but some of my tribe could do so."

(Don't suppose Nameless can cast Feather Fall, can he?)

Rolzup wrote:

Well, it is a ruminant....

OOC: I can't help myself.

Quote :

Can you make words, Shaman?

The stag tilts it's magnificently-antlered head to one side. "Snort!". First it paws at the sod with one hoof. Unsatisfied with the result, it then dips other antler to the ground and begins carving the dirt.

HELP ME

Quote :

(Don't suppose Nameless can cast Feather Fall, can he?)

OOC: nope. He can try to cast Levitation directly from his spell book, but there's a chance he'll ruin the book.

Mallus wrote:

Quote :

(Don't suppose Nameless can cast Feather Fall, can he?)

OOC: nope. He can try to cast Levitation directly from his spell book, but there's a chance he'll ruin the book.

Safe to assume that he won't do that, then.

"We will help you, Shaman. But first we must escape from this tower.

"No," he corrects himself, remembering his recent lessons in the way of the blade, "We must retreat. In an orderly fashion. That is what a warrior does, so he does not dishonor the Blade Spirits.

"Do you think that there are many more traps on the stairs?" he asks the others. "One of these," he nudges an elfin corpse, "Could go down them first, and reveal their presence."

Rolzup wrote:

"Do you think that there are many more traps on the stairs?" he asks the others. "One of these," he nudges an elfin corpse, "Could go down them first, and reveal their presence."

It's a good idea, but it doesn't solve the problem of the stag being too large to fit through the door. It's antlers span nearly 10 ft.

Does anyone have anything interesting to propose to the stag?

Mallus wrote:

Does anyone have anything interesting to propose to the stag?

OOC: I'm not sure that a green card marriage will help in this instance...probably wouldn't hurt, mind.

Um. I've a terrible feeling that I'm missing something obvious, but....

"I don't suppose that you could leap down, oh Shaman?"

Web'r eyes light up. "Wait! Should I destroy the crown! Eat it, perhaps?"

Rolzup wrote:

"I don't suppose that you could leap down, oh Shaman?"

The stag glares at Web'r.

Quote :

Eat it, perhaps?"

With a palpable sense of resignation, the stag attempts to bang its head against the terrace wall. It fails miserably -- its prodigious antlers get in the way.

The sound they make raking the stones calls to mind a giant, spiteful child at a chalkboard.

Mallus wrote:

Rolzup wrote:

"I don't suppose that you could leap down, oh Shaman?"

The stag glares at Web'r.

"It was just a thought...." Web'r mumbles.

Mallus wrote:

With a palpable sense of resignation, the stag attempts to bang its head against the terrace wall. It fails miserably -- its prodigious antlers get in the way.

The sound they make raking the stones calls to mind a giant, spiteful child at a chalkboard.

"We have little choice, it seems. We could perhaps come back, with a block and tackle, but I cannot see any other way to get you down."

Rolzup wrote:

We could perhaps come back, with a block and tackle, but I cannot see any other way to get you down."

Nameless pipes up. "I can probably levitate the stag down tomorrow. If it's still here."