Grey Kingdom: The Game

[Larrin]

Mynic: You climb out of the pit, something you're glad you didn't have to do while spears were poking you, and the spear wielders point you in a direction and stand behind you in the classic "I'll poke you in the back if you go the wrong way" stance. They don't say anything to you, just thrust out a spear to guide you here and there. Eventually (10 minutes) you reach a mound of earth, and they march you around it. You circle it three time, and each time you notice (though you doubt a mortal would) that you are traveling out of the mortal realm and into they feyland reflection of this area. you stop at an obvious door that definitely wasn't there before and the dundaes open it and imply you should go in. They make no move to follow you. Upon entering the door you find your self in a large underground room, dirt wall and ceilings with various roots visible. The room is lit by torches here and there, and a large cooking fire over to the side. Over the fire is the carcass of a horse, slowly turning on a spit. Tending to its cooking are tall, vaguely huminoid, forms, they could be fey or elementals, they're fairly insubstantial. The center of the room is a long wooden table that could sear about thirty people, it is covered in food and empty dishes. Sitting in the middle of it all is a Satyr gluttonously eating, belching, and occasionaly singing a few bits from a bawdy song. Also at the table are a fey other fey, dundaes, nymphs, etc. The seem to be eating only sparringly, and not terribly happy about being there. The smell of the room is of burnt food, old drink, and smoke. Eventually the Satyr looks up and sees you, and you get the impression he sees through your disguise with minimal effort. "Welcome!" He brays, spaying food, "What have you done that my pretties bring you to me?"

mottul: (Initiative order: you and max, cultists, round 1) The robed figures are unarmed and as you charge up they have little to do but drop the body they were picking up before you reach them, Max hot on your heels, your passing attack hits the second closest enemie (10dmg) and then you shift and hit the third one with your 2nd attack (15dmg, bloodying it). max uses you as a shield from the first two cultist, and clubs the one you just bloodied (4dmg)

Cultists: (cultist 1is the one you ran past, 2 is the one you did 10 damge to , 3 is the bloodied one) The cultists hiss at you, and all draw curved nasty looking daggers. Cultist #2 moves next to you and lashes out with his dagger, just barely missing you. Cultist 1 moves to flank you with #3, and both begin a creepy chant of three or four syllables and then attack your will. #1 hits you critically, dealing 12 psychic dmg, and as you shudder at the dark horrible images that suddenly invade your mind,he slides you away from max, and between #2 and #3. The other spell seems to have missed.

1;0,2;10,3;19,Mt;12,mx;0

[nubz]

2 Dice Rolls 2nd Attack (#1 ->3)

Witout hesitation, Möttul attacks to draw their attention, attempting to cleave his sword through the wounded one (#2) and into the other injured one (#3). The second attack will cleave from the unscathed enemy (#1) into the one closest to death (#3), with the most sensible option being that this one may retreat if he survives this long, or leaves an obvious target for Max to finish off. If Möttul still has enough wits about him (or action in the round) he will try to figure out what sort of magicks he was the victim of - if it doesn't do him any good immediately he may gain a benefit in the future from knowing what to expect.

Obviously, if one of the attacks doesn't work the way 'he' intends, the general outcome spells itself out.

[nubz]

((I honestly feel bad for the enemies if the 3 hits. Cleave {Standard}, Cleave {Move equivalent At-Will}, Knowledge(?){Minor}. I had originally thought to focus both attacks on the bloodied guy to take one down, but part of me realized that I'd have marked a dead man, and not the other two. Big change from old versions of sword-and-board focusing on one enemy from start to finish))

If next round takes me into bloodied, it will start with a Second wind followed by a cleave attack from the strongest to weakest, otherwise Möttul will entirely duplicate the last round. Edit: as soon as only one is left, Möttul will lead with Precise Strike, use his minor to relate to Max the technique of 'flanking', and then use the reliable old 'reaping strike' until the fiend is done with.

[Death Cobra]

3 Dice Rolls #3

"Among the many large cities there are two very different from each other: one called Warlike and the other Pious.

"The citizens of Pious," he said," enjoy both peace and wealth, obtaining the fruits of the earth without needing to cultivate and without employing the plow and oxen. They are free of disease and they are happy, and they are so just that even the gods frequently visit them.

"On the other hand, the citizens of Warlike are always fighting and oppressing their neighbors. They control many nations and they are not less than twenty million. It may happen that they die of disease, but for the most part they meet their death in battle wounded by wooden clubs or stones since they cannot be harmed by iron.

"They possess so much gold and silver that for them these metals have less value than iron has to us."

Mynic alters his form and walks towards the table as he speaks. His appearance becomes like that of the guard he met on horse back after leaving the pass.

"All I had to do was agree to kill you. They shouted for joy saying only that I should not say or they would deny everything."

[Larrin]

Mynic: The satyr seems to mull over your rant, seemingly nonplussed. "A good story," he says at last "Very allegorical, the warlike mortals and us pious fey, worthless gold and silver in this land of deadly iron. Are you taken with a spirit of prophecy? I must say the last bit was a bit contrived though, dramatic yes, but I don't quite get the symbolism. Why would the kingdoms send a lowly guard to his death at the hands of a lord of the autumn court?" (knowledge(fey): It would be rare for someone not a lord of a fey court to claim to be one, and rarer that he would be any kind of a push over if he is one.) "It seems a waste, come have a seat and tell me more stories, little prophet. Impress me enough and you will live."

mottul:
1;0,2;10,Mt;12,mx;bl

Mottul: Round 2:

you cleave through the 2nd cultist (7dmg) (bloodying him) into the third (5dmg), then spin to take a chunk out of the first(9dmg), flicking you blade of him and through the throat of the wounded one. As the cultist dies, the 2nd one takes an immediate reaction. "Your soul brother, give to kill the living" he chants and releases a burst of necrotic energy hitting you and max. You manage to shrug it off, but it manages to hit max, bloodying him.

Knowledge(13): It seems like the first attack was psychic and you suspect required combat advantage, the blast necrotic and likely an encounter power, you think sort of divine in nature...

Max moves next to you, you think he feels safer there, and sings his club at the cultist who bloodied him, missing by a mile (crit miss)

cultist #2 attacks you (22vs Ac:hit, for 6 necrotic damage) cutting you with a cold, deathly feeling blade. #1 shifts, you had him marked and take and slash at his arm, dealing 10 dmg and bloodying him. He still finished the shift and is now flanking you, he mutters the now familiar chant (7vs will;miss) but his mental attack just doesn't seem so scary and it breaks on your will like wave on a shore.

Round 2:

Mottul: You start out the round attack ing cultist #2 again(hit;10 damage), your sword cuts through his belly and your momentum carries through into cultist #1 (5dmg). Cultist 1 drops to one knee, but still manages to curse you, and as an immediate reaction he chants "Death comes from death" and lays out a blast of necrotic death. This time both you and max stand strong against it and ignore it. (miss, miss). You meet eyes with the last cultist and with a precise strike you drive your sword straight through his throat. He topples over.

end of fight (you have taken 18 dmg, max is bloodied, but will be fine after a short rest.)

You examine the foes, and find that they all carry nastly looking knives, some darkly religious knick-knacks, and a few coppers. They've left a cart which has about 6 bodies on it already, not counting the 4 friends of max.

here is their stats (i made them using the monster tool)

Cultist
medium natural humanoid
XP 100
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +1
HP 26; Bloodied 13
AC 15; Fortitude 13; Reflex 14; Will 13
Speed 6
m Cut of Cults (standard; at-will) • Necrotic
weapon; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 Necrotic

C Death Vengence (immediate reaction; encounter) • Necrotic
blast 3; Trigger: Ally slain; +4 vs. Fortitude; 3d4 + 3 necrotic

M Mind Shudder (standard; at-will) • Psychic
+4 vs. will; 2d4 + 4 psychic, slide target 1 square
need comabat advantage

Alignment Evil
Languages —
Skills Religion +6, Stealth +8
Str 14 (+2)
Dex 16 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 10 (+0)
Int 13 (+1)
Cha 15 (+2)
Equipment Dagger

[nubz]

1 Die Roll Knowledge (religion)

((AC 15? So I would have missed on a one! Basically just rolling for 20s and 1s at that point.))

"Catch your breath," Möttul advises, "They won't be missing for some time." Placing the coppers and daggers into his pack, he pulls out a wheel of cheese and a waterskin. Passing the second to Max, Möttul uses his belt knife to slice off two substantial wedges. Studying the religious knicknacks without touching them, he tries to figure a few things out - like why he always ends up ARRIVING when this sort of thing happens. Why can't the life of a drifter take him to a town where things seem calm and peaceful because they are?

Ignoring these thoughts, he tends to his wounds as best he can, and offers up the same assistance to his young friend. Pity, really, that this lad finds himself in a situation all too familiar to Möttul; having, after all, started out life as a simple farmer before . . . well, before everything changed.

{Healing Surge}

[Death Cobra]

3 Dice Rolls #3

Mynic went and sat at the table saying, "On the edge of their land there is a place named Point of No Return, this being a chasm which is neither dark nor light but is covered by a red haze. In this place," Mynic continued," there are two rivers, one named Pleasure and the other Grief with trees along the banks of both that bear fruit of different qualities."
While speaking he starts to fondle various fruits on the table as if examining them.
"Those that grow along the river of Grief cause anyone who eats them to shed so many tears that he melts into laments for the rest of his life until he dies."
As he speaks the guise of the guard withers into a decepit corpse (think Tales of the Crypt Crypt Keeper).
"But he who tastes from the trees growing by the river Pleasure loses all his desires, forgetting even his previous love, if he had one. Then he is slowly rejuvenated, going through the stages of life in reverse order and dying after becoming an infant."
While speaking this last line Mynics features seem to be restored with life, taking on the appearance of handsome youth.

[Larrin]

Mottul: (yup, Basically, I'm trying different things due to the solo nature, this was a test of things you couldn't miss, but had potential for medium damage to you)

Max takes the cheese and rests, seeming to recover from his injury. You both look over the charms, (religion:18) they look like orcish or possibly goblinish symbols, which would imply cultists to the cruel gods commonly refered to as 'The Princes' The symbols are all the same, with your knowledge of Giant you think you see the symbol for death mixed in with a bunch of other stuff.

Mynic: you notice that the fruit you fondle are over ripe and going bad, you're fondling of them mushes them a little and a small cloud of fruit flies (or very tiny fruit faeries :P ) rise from them. You notice that all the food on the table is a little old, or burnt or in someway unappetizing. The satyr doesn't seem to mind, and he eats continuously while listening to you.

The Satyr applauds your excellent use of shapeshifting, it obviously delights him, "Indeed, there are two choices in this land. One will lead to death, the other rejuvenation, though not without loss of things previously clung to....but some of my court would argue that you got the names switched around." he gives you a wink. "Indeed, i myself will only ever choose pleasure, you can decide for yourself the results."

"Very well done though. Now my little sooth-sayer, what do you really want?" (insight:26->his tone is a little darker, more commanding, he seems to have tired of the banter. Chances are slim he'll react well to any more shenanigans, at least not unless they actually answering his question to his satisfaction. He's all for fun and games, but boring/annoying him is probably not a good life decision....)

[Death Cobra]

3 Dice Rolls #3

" It is the very question you should answer me. I have little ambition and want for nothing. Which is why I have come to you and offer my services. "

Changing form again, this time from the handsome youth to a likeness of the fey with totem staff that 'captured' him.

" No doubt 'those who would disagree' are familiar with the beings of the area. Though amongst mortals, outsiders are seldom noticed for who they are."

[nubz]

"I seem to have come to this town in the midst of some war between the gods..." He lets it trail off, thinking out loud, "Now would be a good time to set in order one's values in life - much may rely on action without time for thought, and the consequences of THOSE choices carry through into the next world."

Möttul listens for the sound of approach as he chews, wondering where the priests of the riverfolk have gotten to. Surely before the day is through, there will be repercussions to his actions - powers both kind and cruel shall test equally his courage and will to survive.