Chapter 3: Judged under Open Skies

[Pulpatoon]

Marcus begin to run to the other side of the arena, skirting around the unstable conical depression in the sand. (will arrive next round, and I'll keep the STR roll for then)

Desmond's sligshot stoves in the cultist's head. This is a little surprising to Desmond, who was pretty sure he had not struck a solid blow. The cultists crumples to the sand.

Gizzy runs towards the cultist even as Desmond's stone is mid-air. He reaches the crumpled body and sees hat fully half of the skull is dented in. The cultist is still moving, however, slowly positioning himself to stand upright. Gizzy plunges his sword into the cultist's neck.
Damage: [1d6] = 2

The blade comes back clean, and no blood emerges from the wound. The body lies still in the sand.

The struggling Stormqueens: Aelsede and Lilquathe continue to roll around in the sand, hooked talons tearing at each other. Lilquathe as drawn a long-bladed knife from her belt, and is struggling for a clear shot at Aelsede's neck.

Stormqueen Talon Attack: [1d20+3] = 7+3 = 10 Damage: [2d4] = 5 Miss.
Stormqueen Talon Attack: [1d20+3] = 1+3 = 4 Damage: [2d4] = 4 Miss.
Stormqueen Knife Attack: [1d20+3] = 16+3 = 19 Damage: [1d4] = 3 Hit.

Lilquathe cannot get to her opponent's neck, but cuts deeply into her shoulder.

Flesh of the Earth target: [1d16] = 12
Flesh of Earth attack: [1d20+6] = 15+6 = 21 Damage: [2d6] = 5

The wounded monster's massive jaws strike up out of the loose sand, snatching one of the ants scurrying away from the fighting harpies, and drags it down into the ground.

[DavetheLost]

"I didn't think I hit him that hard."

Eyeing the grappling Storm Queens, the Flesh of the Earth, and the circling harpies Des quickly loads another sling stone, but hesitates unsure of a target.

[KingOfCowards]

Simon will join Marcus in trying to separate the harpies. It sounds like he is a round too far away as well, so I will save a roll for later.

[Pulpatoon]

Marcus tries to impose himself between the two fighting harpies, and is battered by powerful wings for his trouble. It is all he can do to avoid the razor tangle of their claws. Rethinking his approach, he grabs Lilquathe from behind and tries to pull her away from Aelsede. Marcus drags Lilquathe far enough away to foul her attacks, but also forces an opening in her defenses, allowing Aelsede to strike.

Marcus Strength Check(STR:10): [1d20] = 4
1=Aelsede 2=Lilquathe [1d2] = 2
Stormqueen Talon Attack: [1d20+3] = 15+3 = 18 Damage: [2d4] = 4
Stormqueen Talon Attack: [1d20+3] = 6+3 = 9 Damage: [2d4] = 7
Stormqueen Knife Attack: [1d20+3] = 1+3 = 4 Damage: [1d4] = 4

Bürd and Simon are traversing the arena, on their way to join Marcus.

Desmond warily eyes the scene. No sign of the Flesh of the Earth. The battle in the skies continues fiercly, although there are fewer combatants.

At Gizzy's feet, the cultist, despite a crushed skull and bloodless sword wound, is crawling slowly forward towards the conical hole.

[PyroArrow]

Tonkioso 'Gizzy' Gizmoebius [Male Clockwork Child Warrior AC 12 : HP 2/ 5]:

Gizzy will attempt to hinder the Cultist from heading towards the conical hole & quickly looks about for a source of flame first before then proceeding to kick back the body.

If the cultist still keeps trying to move to the conical hole Gizzy will attempt to hack the body to immobilize it.

[KingOfCowards]

Following Marcus' lead, Simon will try to pull Aelsede away from Lilquathe.
STR Check (11): [1d20] = 9

[MonkeyWrench]

Marcus will continue to hold back the harpy queen, getting in the way of them fighting and hoping that his friends come to help him soon.

another strength roll?

[Pulpatoon]

another strength roll?

Yes, please.

[mb.]

Bürd grunts, "yer heart's in the right place lad, but yer head's needin' replacin' if yer askin' me." He approaches the harpies from the other side of the tussle, reaches in and grabs Aelsede, pulling her back with a hefty jerk. "But a friend kinnae let a friend do summat diff'cult alone."

Bürd rolls [1d20] = 1 (STR 15)

[Pulpatoon]

Rolling Marcus' STR for him: [1d20] = 2

Bürd and Simon both grab ahold of Aelsede, and Marcus maintains his grip on Lilquathe. The bloodied Stormqueeens continue to spit and claw at the other, too focused on their rage to have noticed their change in circumstances, quite yet.

Gizzy finds it quite easy to immobilize the Cultist's crawling body, simply by placing a foot on his back, pressing the cultists face deep into the sand. Taking his time, the clockwork bailiff uses his sword to dismembers the cultist. Some sluggish blood oozes from the wounds, but the man's interior is largely a mass of black, grey, and yellow fungus in papery folds.

Pyro: you have all of your equipment on you. Do you have anything to start a fire with? Or would you like to ask any of your companions? Otherwise, the arena is pretty empty of helpful objects.

Near Desmond, a patter of red drops hit the sand, and a harpy in civilian folk dress falls dead with a shuddering thump.

Flesh of the Earth target: [1d16] = 15 Aelsede
Flesh of Earth attack: [1d20+6] = 9+6 = 15 Damage: [2d6] = 8

Even as Simon and Bürd haul back on the screeching Stormqueen Aelsede, the see the terrifying mandibles of the monster erupt from the sand on either side of the harpy and close tightly around her. Bones crack and blood gouts. Aelsede's harsh screeches are cut off mid-breath and her body goes limp.

The monster begins to drag the body under the sand.

There are scattered cries of horror, triumph, and surprise from the airborne harpies. Some cry "Judgement!" or "Flesh of the Earth!" or "Open skies!" Fighting quickly breaks up, although some of the harpies are slower to respond than others.

Lilquathe looks stunned, wild-eyed, as though she has not quite processed what has happened, yet.

[KingOfCowards]

Simon looks on stunned as the harpy queen is gruesomely torn from his grasp. Once the monster retreats back to the sand, he regains his composure back away as he shouts to the other harpies.
"Let us out of here!"

[mb.]

If there's time for it...

Bürd staggers back a step as the monster rips the harpy from his grasp, but quickly whips his axe around and with a roar and a jump takes a two-handed overhead swing down at the retreating mandibles! Aggressive stance for this attack...

To hit with greataxe: [1d20+3] = 12+3 = 15, damage: [1d10+2] = 10+2 = 12 +2 for stance, so 17

[MonkeyWrench]

Marcus, seeing the display of carnage to the other harpy queen, continues to pull Lilquathe back to the wall. As he drags her he lowers down to speak softly in her ear, "You highness, I think this judgement is over, something has obviously gone wrong... Please help me and my friends to get out of here so we can help you fix this..."

[Pulpatoon]

Bürd staggers back a step as the monster rips the harpy from his grasp, but quickly whips his axe around and with a roar and a jump takes a two-handed overhead swing down at the retreating mandibles! Aggressive stance for this attack...

Well, I'm glad you rolled well. I'd feel churlish to turn my back on such a climactic action!

Bürd's strike sinks deep into the sand pouring in to cover the monster's retreat, but he feels it the rightness of its course, cutting down—past the torn body of the dead Stormqueen, past the barbed and hungry mandibles, striking home with a solid crack deep in the mouth of the monster. A torrent of black blood geysers up, drenching Bürd and his axe. Bürd feels a wild strength flowing through him, and, for some reason, is filled with the memory of the deepest places in his fathers halls.

The geyser is visible from the air, and the shocked harpies voice even greater alarm. Some begin to cry, "Judgement!" other, "Heresy!"

A contingent of harpies fly away, fleeing the battle. Several dozen land in the arena itself and gather around the blood-soaked dwarf and the seeping pit under which lies the Flesh of the Earth.

Marcus, seeing the display of carnage to the other harpy queen, continues to pull Lilquathe back to the wall. As he drags her he lowers down to speak softly in her ear, "You highness, I think this judgement is over, something has obviously gone wrong... Please help me and my friends to get out of here so we can help you fix this..."

Lilquathe gathers herself and says to Marcus, "Yes, it is over. She is dead and judged by her own abomination. Even the worst of the zealots won't be able to deny its aptness.

"Your friend may have complicated things, however. Half the zealots are likely to start worshipping him, and the rest will want him dead in the most gruesome and protracted way possible."

Standing up, and wiping blood from her brow, Lilquathe begins to call orders. "You there! Round the remaining ants! You and you and you: retrieve the body of the late Stormqueen, and take it to the white halls for state preparations. You lot, gather the plaintiffs, process the results of their judgement, and see that the are presented with the hospitality of a lawful Aerie. And keep them secure from reprisal."

Looking over to where Gizzy is dismantling the Cultist, she shouts, "What are you up to there, Facsimile?"

Re: The slaying of the Flesh of the Earth:

From Further Afield, on how "magic items of deed" happen:

When a character accomplishes a truly impressive task, the player may make a conscious decision to have an item used in the accomplishment of that task or closely associated with it become a magic item of deed. Doing so simply requires the approval of the whole table and the expenditure of a Fortune Point.
...
Players who invoke this rule are never entirely sure what sort of item they will end up with. These items often have desires of their own. They bear the weight of their own history and all that comes with it.

First and foremost, once a character has created a magic item of deed, she will never again bear any other item of that type willingly, under any circumstances. The sword which she used to slay the dragon is now the only sword that she will ever wield; the ring she wore at her corona- tion as High Queen is the only ring she will wear.

So, if .mb wants to try for a legendary weapon, he needs to spend a Fortune and get the approval of the entire cast.

[PyroArrow]

Tonkioso 'Gizzy' Gizmoebius [Male Clockwork Child Warrior AC 12 : HP 2/ 5]:

Gizzy was in a daze, staring at the abomination, on the ground before him, when he hears Lilquathe,

"What are you up to there, Facsimile?"

Gizzy shakes his head & utters an, " Huh, wha...? Oh, ahh, the cultist, uhmm, i need fire here, this fungus could, uhmm, you know, spread & infect others ! "

[Pulpatoon]

Still a little shaky on her feet, Lilquathe tromps over to Gizzy and inspects the Cultist corpse. She grimaces in tightly-drawn disgust. "Corruption! So, it has an observable physical manifestation?" She looks at Gizzy . "You and yours have claimed some prior knowledge of the source of the foulness. We have wasted valuable time not learning more from you. You will provide a more complete report, yes?"

Looking around at the humans in the pit, she calls out: "Those of you not already bloodied in the ordeal, I request that you submit to a small, precise incision. We would have as a matter of record who is corrupted, and who is clean."

Calling to a few more harpies, "Have as many of the available Weathereyes come and examine this body. They may take limited samples to be held under deepest security and treated as a superlative danger. Once they are done, the rest of the body shall be torched, where it lays, until the sand fuses beneath it."

Any party members who haven't suffered hp damage are approached by a harpy with a dagger. They want to open a cut at either your shoulder or thigh. DO you allow this?

[KingOfCowards]

Simon is already wounded from an ant, so he should be easy to inspect.

He will call out a warning while the inspection is taking place, "Take great care with those specimens. I would hate to see those doing the investigating, become corrupted themselves."

[mb.]

Bürd wrenches his axe out of the monstrosity, shakes it and spins in a circle, spraying the gathered harpies with black blood. He roars, "by th'blood a me forebears an' th'eart a th'mountain itself, if there were judgement here t'day 'twere fer ME!" He continues to spin slowly, staring wide-eyed around him and panting heavily, "if'n any a ye are 'avin' aught t'say about it, step for'ard now and let th'mountain fall on ye!" He hefts his axe and grins at each of the harpies in turn, blood dripping from his beard.

Are you kidding? OF COURSE I'd love for Bürd's ancestral axe to become an item of note. I'm prepared to spend the FP, if everyone is willing to let it happen. All in favour say "aye!" If you missed it, check the spoiler at the bottom of Pulp's post.

Bürd has also been wounded, and it should be obvious by his blood that he's no fungus zombie.

[DavetheLost]

"I've naught to fear from your test. I'm no cultist nor do I want to live if I share their taint."
Desmond steps forward and offers himself for cutting.

[PyroArrow]

Tonkioso 'Gizzy' Gizmoebius [Male Clockwork Child Warrior AC 12 : HP 2/ 5]:

Aye ! On Burd's Axe.