Chapter 2: The Sinews of War

[coil23]

Horton resists the urge to groan in frustration. He quietly calls for the wood boy to be pulled back in, lest he be set adrift all alone once the chaos in here ensues.

The wooden librarian moves to be closer to the entrance they used to come into this room to have a ready exit depending on what happens next. His mind races to think of options. Pride....pride....My, my, as soon as I entered the room it was plain to see that you were the finest statue of all. The nuance of form...the majesty of the silhouette...you truly are a wonder.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Flintlock helps set down the lid and gingerly tries to take the wand and necklace. If he can get them off, he will try on the necklace.

Becoming aware the statue has started to move, he readies himself to use the wand.

if Pride attacks anyone, Flint will point the wand and shout, "KAZHAM! BANG!"

[Urson]

Jake had been focussed on the puzzle-solving, and so had not seen Splinter's launch into the abyss. He runs to the back oif the reed boat and pulls, hoping to drag it back into the room with the others.

St: 14
[1d20] = 20

[ChubbyPixie]

Wikerus checks the princess for signs of life. "Hello... princess? We've come to save you..."
When the statue moves he steps back, axe in hand and waits to see what transpires. Maybe they've won a prize?

[mb.]

Deet peers into blackness below, and, unable to make anything out, looks around at his compatriots. Schroff's a bit quicker on the uptake, and starts growling at the suddenly animate statue. Deet looks up, lets the hatch fall, and crab-walks backwards, wide-eyed. He fumbles his musket up into a more or less ready position, waiting to see if the statue responds to Horton's silver tongue...

[Rowenn552]

Basil Day

Basil looking down at the hatch slowly moves his head up in the direction of the heavy stomping. At the sight of the moving statue he stammers a bit and scrambles back back to the middle of the room , spear pumping and one hand keeping his helmet in place, leaving a trail of paint flakes floating in the air.

"That uh... that was unexpected! This is not a performance I've prepared for!"

[Starbeard]

The sleeping princess awakes just as Flintlock attempts to pry the wand from her hand. "I say, shouldn't you ask first? If a man hasn't manners, what has he?"

She grasps the wand against her breast and tut-tuts those standing around, before swinging her legs to the floor with elegant precision and rising into a very stately posture indeed.

"I recognize none of you, but you must be aware that it is I, your Princess Dormillion, and none other. You may bow and curtsy once I have straightened my gown. Are you with the relief party, come to rescue me back to the Castle? I must say I am disappointed at your tardiness."

She straightens her gown and looks at the others expectantly.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Flintlock withdraws his hands quickly and mutters a half-hearted apology. I... I ummm... Well I just wanted them real bad... He tries a bow. Then a curtsy. He melts beneath her regal attitude and points at the rest of the party - people he has only just met. It's their fault we're late! Then he moves just enough to keep the princess between himself and the animated statue.

[coil23]

Horton's teeth grind in distaste at the entitlement and airy condescension of the newly awakened princess. It immediately conjures images from his time in the seminary of standing for faux inspection by just another fat abbot taking the grand tour of his demesne. May as well put it to work for us, he supposes. Turning to her he speaks up, since your highness is obviously in command then it will be but a trifle for you to order the statue to stand down.

[Rowenn552]

Basil Day

Basil, at hearing the high spoken tone, turns to greet the voice. The Princess Dormillion... Basil then turns fully and bows low.

"My Lady, it is an honor to meet you! I do thank you for attending our rendition of the 'The Beast of Many Colors'. It was not our best performance but thank you for applauding as you had. Now if you'll excuse me I do believe we have an usher approaching... a quite large one at that. "

[Pulpatoon]

Splinters is hauled back into the world of the wizard's tower, and the Princess Dormillion awakes to find greedy blue fingers plucking at her royal wand.

Over the shoulders of the two disreputable-looking ruffians before her, a motley crew stands in various attitudes of alarm and dismay as a statue—its features a grotesque exaggeration of haughty grandeur—lowers itself from a pedestal.

My, my, as soon as I entered the room it was plain to see that you were the finest statue of all. The nuance of form...the majesty of the silhouette...you truly are a wonder.

Horton's WIL (8): [1d20] = 18

Horton's attempts at flattery sound less than sincere; the curmudgeonly librarian's wooden tongue does not lend itself to honeyed words.

Pride steps towards the now-closed hatch, where Deet scrambles to bring his musket to bear.

"Fleadirt," sneers the statue. "Ants not worthy of drowning in my piss."

It raises a arm and brings it down like a club upon Deet.

[1d6] = 2 -1 from Armor. 1 hp damage.

Deet scuttles out of the way, shaken by the near-miss.

Actions!
Next post: Thursday morning, around 10am EDT, 2pm GMT (or when I've heard from everyone—whichever comes first)

[Starbeard]

Princess Dormillon turns to the statue with a raised eyebrow—the telltale indication of surprise for those of royal temperament. "Good gracious, what an ugly beast. Stand down and behave yourself, or I shall have these soldiers treat you rather poorly."

She turns to Basil Day, who greeted her with such eloquence, and smiles. "My good man, make a show of strength to this hooligan, so that he knows his place. You shall be rewarded an extra share from my father's treasury when we return home."

[Urson]

Jake gives Splinter a rough punch in the shoulder. My uncle Hell Tanner once told me- 'There's old heroes and bold heroes- but damn few old,bold heroes.' You coulda died just now,you know.

[mb.]

A little shocked at the statue's speed, and wincing from the hit, Deet jabs his bayonet up at the thing. [1d6] = 2

Not one to lie about while his master is under duress, Schroff growls loudly and sinks his teeth into the statue's calf. [1d6] = 6

Deet scrambles to his feet and tries to get some distance, "ennnnh, friends? To arms? Yup?"

[coil23]

Horton's dry drawl offers commentary as his mind races at pondering possible escape routes. I guess the princess has no authority after all. Shocking.

We probably don't want to go back down the way we came so we can blindly jump down a hatch or all take the boat into space. Any votes? Fighting the ant-drowning piss monster will not fare well for any of us, I fear. Ideas? The sour librarian backs away and keeps his distance from the creature as the group decides on options for escape.

[mb.]

We probably don't want to go back down the way we came so we can blindly jump down a hatch or all take the boat into space. Any votes? Fighting the ant-drowning piss monster will not fare well for any of us, I fear. Ideas?

Remember how the room spun around after we entered it? I'm pretty sure that means the hatch we came through doesn't reliably lead back where we came from any more...

I think we're stuck with:
a) solve riddle quickly to pick a better hatch
b) enter black thing on the wall
c) overcome Pride
d) die here

[Rowenn552]

Basil Day

Listening to the Princess' words Basil squared his shoulders and puffed his chest while humming lowly to warm his vocals.

He closed his eyes briefly and mouthed lowly to himself, "Your lines... what were your lines... bah improvise.."

He stamped the butt of his spear down on the ground and addressed the statue of Pride with his own, "You are not worthy enough to feel the cold pierce of my superior spearmanship you gold plated lout. And by that logic if even you, Pride, are not worthy to be slain by a mere ant of your own reckoning then this mere ant has risen above even you. Stand down sir, there shall be no pissing this day!"

Then he quick looks around and shrugs at everyone else before puffing up bigger waiting for a response from the tall statue.

Basil may have just signed his death papers lol

[Rusty Tincanne]

A clapping is heard echoing in the vastness, the source hidden behind the princess. Flintlock wipes a tear from his eye. Beautifully delivered, wouldn't you say?

[Starbeard]

"Yes, adequately spoken. Adequately spoken indeed," the Princess applauds."If you survive, do let me know whether you prefer silver or spices, and I shall add an extra ten pounds of it to your treasury upon our return."

[ChubbyPixie]

At the princess' awakening, Wikerus exclaims "I knew it! Just like in the stories!" Not sure at all how to deal with an animate statue, the thing must weigh over a ton! he turns to the princess. "Doesn't your wand do anything... you know, magical, miss?" If the creature approaches any closer, he'll strike at it with his axe in order to "save" the princess.

Futile Axe Chop: [1d6] = 6