[The Mound]
"Well if we're gunna assume he isn't a dope then either he's got something tricky planned or he's gunna go after somewhere small," Khannie reasons as her eyes follow to what Koshal is probably referring to.
The big heap of dirt over there.
That one's gotta different colored flag than all the others. That's probably important, right?
"My illusions work best when it isn't something that's gunna get beaten up. I could try a shovel or two but I dunno, they might come apart as soon as you stomp on one of 'em. I've got a real shovel, though," she says, pulling exactly that out of her saddle bags. A little collapsing shovel!
What?
If you're into Action Archeology you had better have the equipment you're going to need to do some digging!
"It's only the one shovel, though. Are you sure it's okay for you to dig, Koshal? You were worried about over-exerting."
Does digging count as too strenuous?
Skullfort Town
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
Koshal waves Khannie away with a laugh.
"Khannie, a little light workout is what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm just not supposed to be doing body-building or risking pulling something right now."
Though put simply, the shovel is definitely sized for someone of Iknika's height. Either way, one of them can do the work.
Koshal waves Khannie away with a laugh.
"Khannie, a little light workout is what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm just not supposed to be doing body-building or risking pulling something right now."
Though put simply, the shovel is definitely sized for someone of Iknika's height. Either way, one of them can do the work.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
"I think I'm better-sized for using this one." Iknika isn't normally fond of mentioning her small size, but this time it's practical. She begins to quickly dig in the indicated place.
"I think I'm better-sized for using this one." Iknika isn't normally fond of mentioning her small size, but this time it's practical. She begins to quickly dig in the indicated place.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
She is a gob and she's digging a hole.
Diggy diggy hole.
Diggy diggy hole.
Digging into the earth, it isn't long before Iknika unearths what looks like...
Okay seriously it looks like a magical bomb. A big capsule with a corroded clockwork readout and mechanisms for setting it. Part of the casing is made of glass to leave the interior visible, though instead of being filled with spooky ghostly energy the inside is empty and dark. It also looks suspiciously like a larger version of some of the components that were cluttering the necromancer's office.
"...he's gunna set of a necrotic bomb."
Why did he leave the original here instead of bringing it back to his office, though?
Maybe he already did and then returned it to where he found it?
She is a gob and she's digging a hole.
Diggy diggy hole.
Diggy diggy hole.
Digging into the earth, it isn't long before Iknika unearths what looks like...
Okay seriously it looks like a magical bomb. A big capsule with a corroded clockwork readout and mechanisms for setting it. Part of the casing is made of glass to leave the interior visible, though instead of being filled with spooky ghostly energy the inside is empty and dark. It also looks suspiciously like a larger version of some of the components that were cluttering the necromancer's office.
"...he's gunna set of a necrotic bomb."
Why did he leave the original here instead of bringing it back to his office, though?
Maybe he already did and then returned it to where he found it?
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
"I mean, yeah? What else was it gonna be? Didn't think it was gonna look so...obvious though. I thought it would be like, a pulsating skull or something."
He's not sure how else an evil dude was going to kill a whole bunch of people besides summoning a skeleton army or something and that would never work around these parts.
"I mean, yeah? What else was it gonna be? Didn't think it was gonna look so...obvious though. I thought it would be like, a pulsating skull or something."
He's not sure how else an evil dude was going to kill a whole bunch of people besides summoning a skeleton army or something and that would never work around these parts.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
"...I wasn't expecting that." Iknika is less well-versed in the ways of necromancers than her two companions. "But we need to safely disarm it. Or make sure it doesn't explode in some other way."
"...I wasn't expecting that." Iknika is less well-versed in the ways of necromancers than her two companions. "But we need to safely disarm it. Or make sure it doesn't explode in some other way."
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
Khannie eyes the device for a few moments, lightning her horn as she examines it. It doesn't feel as corruptiony as the bone heaps did so maybe...
"I think this one already went off. Like many things temple got yanked into the Nexus on top of it and it blew."
That would explain why everyone here was a ghost. Maybe?
"I think I can track an active bomb from the leftover spooky on this thing. C'mon, let's get moving."
That said?
She's going to head back up the ladder!
Thankfully that's actually possible due to her equestrian flexibility and grabby front hooves.
Khannie eyes the device for a few moments, lightning her horn as she examines it. It doesn't feel as corruptiony as the bone heaps did so maybe...
"I think this one already went off. Like many things temple got yanked into the Nexus on top of it and it blew."
That would explain why everyone here was a ghost. Maybe?
"I think I can track an active bomb from the leftover spooky on this thing. C'mon, let's get moving."
That said?
She's going to head back up the ladder!
Thankfully that's actually possible due to her equestrian flexibility and grabby front hooves.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
Koshal nods and follows behind Khannie. This is all beyond his skillset at this point.
Koshal nods and follows behind Khannie. This is all beyond his skillset at this point.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
A deer-unicorn climbing a ladder isn't a sight Iknika ever expected to witness. Wonders truly never cease.
"If it went off, that would explain why everyone is dead. Really wish people like him would put all this cleverness to something less... horrid."
A deer-unicorn climbing a ladder isn't a sight Iknika ever expected to witness. Wonders truly never cease.
"If it went off, that would explain why everyone is dead. Really wish people like him would put all this cleverness to something less... horrid."
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
Well Koshal has hooves too and he manages! Honestly it's that equestrian flexibility. Khannie's bones aren't actually made of marshmallows but you could be forgiven for thinking that.
"It's a dumb villain thing. They think that just cuz they're smart or powerful that means they can treat other people like things," Khannie says as she returns to the study and begins following her horn through the ruins and back outside again.
Phew! It's nice seeing the sun. It feels like they've been down there for MONTHS.
The parties bloodhound slash unicorn will lead them up on top of another little hill nearby with a small grove of scraggly trees growing atop it. And nestled in the middle of the grove is another bomb. This deceive isn't as artful as the other, clearly it was built with utility in mind.
And most importantly its interior is filled with the ghostly green lichlight of tormented souls. A cable is attached to one end of the device, leading away from the hill in the general direction of Skullfort.
Thankfully the analog countdown timer on the bomb isn't ticking.
Well Koshal has hooves too and he manages! Honestly it's that equestrian flexibility. Khannie's bones aren't actually made of marshmallows but you could be forgiven for thinking that.
"It's a dumb villain thing. They think that just cuz they're smart or powerful that means they can treat other people like things," Khannie says as she returns to the study and begins following her horn through the ruins and back outside again.
Phew! It's nice seeing the sun. It feels like they've been down there for MONTHS.
The parties bloodhound slash unicorn will lead them up on top of another little hill nearby with a small grove of scraggly trees growing atop it. And nestled in the middle of the grove is another bomb. This deceive isn't as artful as the other, clearly it was built with utility in mind.
And most importantly its interior is filled with the ghostly green lichlight of tormented souls. A cable is attached to one end of the device, leading away from the hill in the general direction of Skullfort.
Thankfully the analog countdown timer on the bomb isn't ticking.
Re: Skullfort Town
the Mound
Koshal eyes the bomb. He doesn’t really know what to make of these things. Let alone what it could really do if it’s all the way out here.
”Can you eat its power supply, Khannie? Or maybe if we let it rest in the grass I conjure the good energy would slowly sap out the bad?” he suggests. He doesn’t know much about magic bomb disposal.
Koshal eyes the bomb. He doesn’t really know what to make of these things. Let alone what it could really do if it’s all the way out here.
”Can you eat its power supply, Khannie? Or maybe if we let it rest in the grass I conjure the good energy would slowly sap out the bad?” he suggests. He doesn’t know much about magic bomb disposal.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
"I'm out of my element here. Could we let the souls out so they... dissipate and go to where they're supposed to go instead of exploding?" Iknika ventures for lack of anything else to contribute.
"I'm out of my element here. Could we let the souls out so they... dissipate and go to where they're supposed to go instead of exploding?" Iknika ventures for lack of anything else to contribute.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
"I can't really 'eat' souls but I think I can mess with the corruption that keeping 'em stuck," Khannie says, pacing around the machine. "So I'm thinking I kill the corruption, Koshal fills the ground with his lifey nature magic, and then Iknika smashes the glass with her hammer to let the souls out."
The unicorn looks to the others for agreement before firmly planting her hooves and focusing her ire on the grease, cloying corruption gripping the souls. The surroundings are thrown into sharp contrast as black mist flows from the bomb into her horn, the darkness binding the souls slowly fading.
"I can't really 'eat' souls but I think I can mess with the corruption that keeping 'em stuck," Khannie says, pacing around the machine. "So I'm thinking I kill the corruption, Koshal fills the ground with his lifey nature magic, and then Iknika smashes the glass with her hammer to let the souls out."
The unicorn looks to the others for agreement before firmly planting her hooves and focusing her ire on the grease, cloying corruption gripping the souls. The surroundings are thrown into sharp contrast as black mist flows from the bomb into her horn, the darkness binding the souls slowly fading.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
Koshal nods and raises his hands. The grass grows from the ground, slightly shimmering. It's very soothing. Except to undeath and people he's particularly mad at.
Koshal nods and raises his hands. The grass grows from the ground, slightly shimmering. It's very soothing. Except to undeath and people he's particularly mad at.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
When her two companions work their magic, Iknika does what she does best (or so she claims) and smashes the glass with her hammer. She puts all her strength into it, since who knows what kind of glass this is.
When her two companions work their magic, Iknika does what she does best (or so she claims) and smashes the glass with her hammer. She puts all her strength into it, since who knows what kind of glass this is.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
With Khannie weakening the corrupt binding Koshal's magic causes color to begin returning to the souls, from a sickly pale green to something that looks more... alive.
A good sign, right?
Then Iknika smashes the glass with her hammer.
Our heroes will feel a powerful gust wind rolling over them along with a vauge feeling of gratitude. The necrotic bomb is now dark and inert.
And someone is also yelling at them.
"NO! You fools! You've ruined everything!"
He doesn't look like your average necromancer decked out in black and skulls. He's wearing jeans and a flannel shirt with a well kept beard. Guy could probably be mistaken for a lumberjack.
With Khannie weakening the corrupt binding Koshal's magic causes color to begin returning to the souls, from a sickly pale green to something that looks more... alive.
A good sign, right?
Then Iknika smashes the glass with her hammer.
Our heroes will feel a powerful gust wind rolling over them along with a vauge feeling of gratitude. The necrotic bomb is now dark and inert.
And someone is also yelling at them.
"NO! You fools! You've ruined everything!"
He doesn't look like your average necromancer decked out in black and skulls. He's wearing jeans and a flannel shirt with a well kept beard. Guy could probably be mistaken for a lumberjack.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
Koshal rounds on the man, drawing his sword.
"In the name of Lady Message, you are under arrest. Surrender, or else we will not show restraint." he says, sounding very official with his deep minotaur voice that does hide that his age.
Koshal rounds on the man, drawing his sword.
"In the name of Lady Message, you are under arrest. Surrender, or else we will not show restraint." he says, sounding very official with his deep minotaur voice that does hide that his age.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
"Ruining everything was the point, pal." Iknika hopes her quips are up to snuff. She can't be a proper knight if she can't banter with her enemies. "Your creepy necromancy plans are officially off the schedule."
"Ruining everything was the point, pal." Iknika hopes her quips are up to snuff. She can't be a proper knight if she can't banter with her enemies. "Your creepy necromancy plans are officially off the schedule."
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
Necromancy, like most of the more applied forms of wizardry, is all about preparation.
This necromancer was prepared for doing dastardly deeds, not throwing down with a trio of adventurers. That doesn't mean he's totally helpless, though.
"Lady Message murdered my order and I will have my revenge!" the necromancer replies as he pulls a femur etched with dark sigils out of his jacket and begins intoning a terrible incantation!
Sounds like he doesn't like Lady Message much.
Necromancy, like most of the more applied forms of wizardry, is all about preparation.
This necromancer was prepared for doing dastardly deeds, not throwing down with a trio of adventurers. That doesn't mean he's totally helpless, though.
"Lady Message murdered my order and I will have my revenge!" the necromancer replies as he pulls a femur etched with dark sigils out of his jacket and begins intoning a terrible incantation!
Sounds like he doesn't like Lady Message much.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
"Your order was a bunch of murderous psychopaths, and you were planning a genocide." Koshal says flatly.
Going back to his mount to get here was good, because it allowed Koshal to get all of his gear. Including the sidearm he keeps in the saddlebag which is now strapped to his leg. Koshal draws it with the hand that wasn't holding his sword, aims and fires.
"Your order was a bunch of murderous psychopaths, and you were planning a genocide." Koshal says flatly.
Going back to his mount to get here was good, because it allowed Koshal to get all of his gear. Including the sidearm he keeps in the saddlebag which is now strapped to his leg. Koshal draws it with the hand that wasn't holding his sword, aims and fires.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
Iknika, meanwhile, charges forth, hefting her hammer. If she knows one thing about fighting magic-users it's to get in close and clobber them before they can get a spell off. So that's what she'll do, with a battle-cry whose ferocity leaves something to be desired.
Iknika, meanwhile, charges forth, hefting her hammer. If she knows one thing about fighting magic-users it's to get in close and clobber them before they can get a spell off. So that's what she'll do, with a battle-cry whose ferocity leaves something to be desired.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
Hey, the battle cry of a goblin coming for your knees with a hammer is a credible threat.
Khannie, for her part, flares her horn in a mostly undirected pulse of magic aiming to foul whatever spell the necromancer is weaving. It isn't the most precise sort of counter spell but sometimes overloading an incantation is all it takes.
The necromancer's spell falters thanks to Khannie's efforts and blips completely when Iknika hammers the guy right in the kneecap. He doubles over from the blow and gets shot right in the head when before he would have been hit in the chest.
Khannie gasps! "You shot him!" she says, doing an excellent job of pointing out the obvious. She sounds like she doesn't approve of killing villains.
Hey, the battle cry of a goblin coming for your knees with a hammer is a credible threat.
Khannie, for her part, flares her horn in a mostly undirected pulse of magic aiming to foul whatever spell the necromancer is weaving. It isn't the most precise sort of counter spell but sometimes overloading an incantation is all it takes.
The necromancer's spell falters thanks to Khannie's efforts and blips completely when Iknika hammers the guy right in the kneecap. He doubles over from the blow and gets shot right in the head when before he would have been hit in the chest.
Khannie gasps! "You shot him!" she says, doing an excellent job of pointing out the obvious. She sounds like she doesn't approve of killing villains.
Last edited by Rebonack on Mar 17, 2024 4:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
Koshal blinks. "Yes? He planted a bomb that would have killed thousands and then aimed an unspecified necromantic spell at us that could have killed us instantly for all we knew. Was I supposed to let it hit you and check how seriously he was fighting before deciding what to use? Besides, it's not like swords and hammers were going to be significantly less lethal. Hammers don't work like in the movies." It's not like Koshal enjoys it. But he's not going to let his friends get killed because he was playing with kid-gloves while fighting genocidal maniacs.
Koshal blinks. "Yes? He planted a bomb that would have killed thousands and then aimed an unspecified necromantic spell at us that could have killed us instantly for all we knew. Was I supposed to let it hit you and check how seriously he was fighting before deciding what to use? Besides, it's not like swords and hammers were going to be significantly less lethal. Hammers don't work like in the movies." It's not like Koshal enjoys it. But he's not going to let his friends get killed because he was playing with kid-gloves while fighting genocidal maniacs.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
Iknika is silent while Koshal and Khannie argue, looking queasy and leaning on her hammer due to her knees shaking slightly. This is something both her teachers warned her about and she thought she was ready... but predictably enough it wasn't quite true.
Iknika is silent while Koshal and Khannie argue, looking queasy and leaning on her hammer due to her knees shaking slightly. This is something both her teachers warned her about and she thought she was ready... but predictably enough it wasn't quite true.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
"There's a buncha ways to stop a spell from being cast without shooting someone in the face!" Khannie objects. "Heroes shouldn't be killing people. Not even BAD people!"
Ah, see.
There's the difference.
Heroics are a very important thing to Khannie. While the guy Koshal has largely been influenced by is a mercenary. Those are two very different outlooks on things.
While Khannie and Koshal are busy arguing Iknika may notice that the necromancer is, very weirdly, not falling over. He's just kind of... slumped over backwards and hanging there like he's suspended by wires.
"There's a buncha ways to stop a spell from being cast without shooting someone in the face!" Khannie objects. "Heroes shouldn't be killing people. Not even BAD people!"
Ah, see.
There's the difference.
Heroics are a very important thing to Khannie. While the guy Koshal has largely been influenced by is a mercenary. Those are two very different outlooks on things.
While Khannie and Koshal are busy arguing Iknika may notice that the necromancer is, very weirdly, not falling over. He's just kind of... slumped over backwards and hanging there like he's suspended by wires.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
Koshal doesn't even turn to Khannie. This is an old argument to him.
"That's cool, but I am not trained in any of them. I'm trained in using a sword and a gun and spraying fire at things. All of those kill monsters. Trying to use trick-shots and nonlethal attacks is a risk to you and everyone around you. It's my duty to attempt to solve things without violence and make sure not to ever enjoy it. Didn't work, tried to kill us. Gloves were off. He tried to genocide my entire town."
He goes over, glaring at the body.
"See, he's still doing magic nonsense. Probably isn't even dead. You should be making sure he doesn't have a death-curse instead of yelling."
Koshal doesn't even turn to Khannie. This is an old argument to him.
"That's cool, but I am not trained in any of them. I'm trained in using a sword and a gun and spraying fire at things. All of those kill monsters. Trying to use trick-shots and nonlethal attacks is a risk to you and everyone around you. It's my duty to attempt to solve things without violence and make sure not to ever enjoy it. Didn't work, tried to kill us. Gloves were off. He tried to genocide my entire town."
He goes over, glaring at the body.
"See, he's still doing magic nonsense. Probably isn't even dead. You should be making sure he doesn't have a death-curse instead of yelling."
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
The fact that the necromancer may not be dead yet shakes Iknika out of her shock, partially at least.
"Yeah... something else is happening. Maybe he has a magic failsafe?"
The fact that the necromancer may not be dead yet shakes Iknika out of her shock, partially at least.
"Yeah... something else is happening. Maybe he has a magic failsafe?"
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
The unicorn is about to object some more but all of a sudden it feels like someone just slapped her horn with an oily rag. That jerks her attention toward the floating corpse? and the corrupt magic coursing through the body like blood.
"No he's dead I think he's gunna-"
There's a gross slorch sound as body flops to the ground, ripping away an inky black spectral skeleton with burning red embers in its sockets. The skeleton floats up into the air and throws out its bony hands toward our heroes, releasing a wave of arcing energy of venomous green bathed in black the color of rotted flesh.
The necrotic lightning is unlikely to kill anything. Like most of the offensive uses of necromancy it's more about causing debilitation and torment. The magic will sap strength and cause foul blisters to form across the skin, neither of which are very much fun. Likely the specter is hoping to incapacitate the trio so he can conjure up something more lethal.
The unicorn is about to object some more but all of a sudden it feels like someone just slapped her horn with an oily rag. That jerks her attention toward the floating corpse? and the corrupt magic coursing through the body like blood.
"No he's dead I think he's gunna-"
There's a gross slorch sound as body flops to the ground, ripping away an inky black spectral skeleton with burning red embers in its sockets. The skeleton floats up into the air and throws out its bony hands toward our heroes, releasing a wave of arcing energy of venomous green bathed in black the color of rotted flesh.
The necrotic lightning is unlikely to kill anything. Like most of the offensive uses of necromancy it's more about causing debilitation and torment. The magic will sap strength and cause foul blisters to form across the skin, neither of which are very much fun. Likely the specter is hoping to incapacitate the trio so he can conjure up something more lethal.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
Koshal shouts as he falls over in pain. Faye appears from his shadow, grabbing his hand in her jaws and pulling the two of them away into the shadow of a nearby stone and out of the wave of energy. Still, shocked as he is Koshal can't do much more than snap a finger and conjure another little burst of his holy green fire at the specter.
Koshal shouts as he falls over in pain. Faye appears from his shadow, grabbing his hand in her jaws and pulling the two of them away into the shadow of a nearby stone and out of the wave of energy. Still, shocked as he is Koshal can't do much more than snap a finger and conjure another little burst of his holy green fire at the specter.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
When the lightning reaches Iknika, her brooch suddenly glows and an indistinct figure of her beetle mount appears, much larger than normal. Instead of appearing beside her, it envelops her, deflecting the lightning long enough for Iknika to spin and send her hammer flying at the skeleton.
When the lightning reaches Iknika, her brooch suddenly glows and an indistinct figure of her beetle mount appears, much larger than normal. Instead of appearing beside her, it envelops her, deflecting the lightning long enough for Iknika to spin and send her hammer flying at the skeleton.