Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[OGRE MAGE]

I had to do a little creative interpretation with a couple of you, since I couldn't tell from your actions if you were consuming the refreshments or not.

Under The Zakath Desert
Feeling Froggy
Late Afternoon?

Ceana, Kain, Akhilleus, Cyril, and Taibhse all eat and drink the offerings put before them, while Belloc, Xenos, Sik and Drest do not. Your host doesn't seem to mind either way, apparently understanding the reluctance from complete strangers. The stew is actually very good, while the drinks are basic but acceptable.

Taibhse doesn't notice anything coming closer from the outside, finding it hard himself to drift his attentions away from the influence of the Matron. The expert fighter in the group reasons their host wouldn't poison people from whom she desires aid. Kain, Ceana, and Cyril continue to question the woman, the female in the group garnering most of her attention. "Greetings, Ceana. Daughter of Yoon'Deh. As you can see, most of my garden is made up of species that thrive here in the humid darkness. I can use magical light to coax the surface vegetables to rise from the ground, but I must admit that it doesn't work quite as well as natural sunlight."

She pays close attention to the remarks from Cyril, to which she replies simply enough, "because dwarfs are useless, and disgusting, and stupid creatures who cause me unnecessary trouble."

She finishes up with Kain. "My pets do indeed attract attention, but I have no problem with snakes here. Some of them are actually quite delicious. In fact, I keep one as a pet. It's probably slithering around here somewhere right now."

Her last sentence seems to fall just as Sik and Drest begin looking around nonchalantly, trying to determine if they can pinpoint the location of the hissing they hear. Just then, the sounds of the frogs and toads grows to a loud crescendo. Matron reaches for the tied shells Drest saw earlier, slipping them onto the fingers of both hands.

"And now, a little dinner entertainment. I will dance for thee." Despite the cramped quarters, the flaming red haired woman begins twirling and spinning around the room in some kind of really weird interpretive dance. Her robes flit around her as she plays her shelled finger castanets along to the rhythm of her loudly gleeping pets. She encourages anyone who likes to rise and join her bizarre gyrations.

Actions?

Along with your next action, everyone please include a Sorcery Save (at -1)
Ceana, Kain, Akhilleus, Cyril, and Taibhse can also include a Save vs. Death
It's probably not as bad as it sounds.

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22 Diseased
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 7/7 CLW
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13
Akhilleus (F3) AC4 32/32
Taibhse (Sh1) AC5 7/7
Belloc (M1) AC6 9/9
Sik (Ba1) AC5 9/12 Diseased

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus keeps eating happily and remains entranced, watching the beautiful woman dancing to the rhythm of the castanets.

Saving Throw (Device, Avoidance, Sorcery) - [1d20]=8 -1 vs 15

Saving Throw (Death, Transformation) - [1d20+2]=7+2=9 vs 15 (shit)

[shaidar]

Xenos

As the woman dances, the ixian warms to her charms:

Sorcery save (13+): [1d20]=9

[silifi]

Sorcery Saving Throw: (14+) [1d20]=13

Sik watches the woman's strange dance, bemused but not impressed.

"I've seen better," he says quietly. But as he watches longer, he finds himself oddly entranced, and begins to sway to the song of a hundred toads.

Edit: misinterpreted that -1, woops

[Belkregos]

Belloc

save spell [1d20-1]=17-1=16

"Belloc observes the matron's sensual dance with keen interest, simultaneously noting his friends' reactions. Gradually, he begins to sway and move in sync with the rhythmic dance, gracefully inching closer to the matron as if dancing in tandem, staff in hand."

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

Sorcery Save: [1d20+1]=8+1=9
Death Save (14): [1d20+2]=4+2=6

"I haven't danced since...well, I don't know when!" Ceana giggles. She stands and joins the old woman in her dance around the room, laughing and touching the other members of the group as she passes them.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Save vs Sorcery (14): [1d20]=16
Save vs Death (14): [1d20]=17

Kain gets up and dances with Ceana and the Matron, glad to be in familiar territory once again. He passed the saves but didn't require prompting to dance with them.

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

Trying to shake off being drawn from his watchfulness into the dance of the matron. His body and mind at war with the forces assaulting him.

I initially set this up under the wrong character
Sorcery Save: vs 16 - [1d20+2]=18+2=20

Sorcery Save: vs 16 - [1d20+2]=4+2=6

Death Save: vs 16 - [1d20+2]=9+2=11

[Rex]

Drest

His Sorcery save is 15, but if avoidance is involved it is 13. He gets a +1 for Dex and Con if applicable.

Sorcery Save [1d20]=4

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril

Save vs Sorcery [1d20+2]=16+2=18 -1 = 17 vs 16
Save vs Death [1d20+2]=3+2=5 vs 16

Cyril sips at the tea and cocks his head at the unexpected turn of events. He glances at the rest of the party trying to determine if he is the only one in the room who thinks this quite odd. He then glances down at his tea with newfound suspicion.

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Feeling Froggy
Late Afternoon?

Something odd happens shortly after the woman starts dancing around the room. While Akhileus, Drest, Sik, and Xenos enjoy the movements, slowly moving their heads to the rhythmic chirping, Ceana and Kain actually get up to join in with the mysterious woman, twirling and spinning around the cramped room along with their host. Though Ceana looks quite enthralled with it all, Kain seems to simply be going along for the ride.

Taibhse and Cyril dont enjoy the dance as much, but they can't help feeling an intense love and devotion for the Matron, as do Akhilleus and Ceana. It becomes painfully obvious that she is here to help you and that you should do anything in return to help her with whatever she might ask of you. At one point, The Matron takes the hand of Kainaxarthos, holding him closely and staring deeply into his eyes as they dance. Those who aren't in love with the Matron sense a bit of anger from her as she tries to penetrate the defenses of the Cleric. (MR, please see your private thread)

The only other member of your party besides Kain who seems completely unaffected by the charms of the Matron is Belloc, who in turn also gets up to sashay around the place, slowly edging closer to the Matron with his staff at the ready. Whether he was trying to get her attention or not, the woman snaps her head in the wizards direction, staring longingly at his newly acquired weapon. Belloc instantly notices that, unlike when others have seen the item and reacted with intense paranoia, she reacts with acceptance, smiling at the mage as she twirls and spins, clacking her shelled fingers together in rhythm to her toads song.

The dance seems to go on for a good while, at least a few minutes, and it seems like it will continue indefinitely unless someone wants to try to cut in. The matron shouts out melodically over the din. "So, how does everyone feel about killing the dwarfs now? You all WANT to do that for me, don't you?"

As the dancing continues, only Kain and Belloc seem able to do anything besides enjoying it for what it is. The others can all still act of their own accord, but their desire to please this woman is beyond resistance.

Actions?

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17 Beguiled
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22 Diseased/Beguiled
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 7/7 CLW Enamoured
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13 Beguiled
Akhilleus (F3) AC4 32/32 Beguiled
Taibhse (Sh1) AC5 7/7 Enamoured
Belloc (M1) AC6 9/9
Sik (Ba1) AC5 9/12 Diseased/Beguiled

[shaidar]

Xenos

"Of course, matron. We wanted to go after them anyway, but this makes it even more important that we do it."

[Rex]

Drest

"Of course we want to go after the dwarfs, we hate dwarfs."

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He continues dancing with Ceana and others as he tries to determine who is of their right mind. Drest and Xenos are right out, and he suspects Ceana as well. In any case, the numbers are probably against him right now.

"You are quite the dancer, Matron. Very alluring, almost compellingly so. I'm sure my friends and I can help you with the dwarves. What information can you give us about them?"

He looks around at his companions to see if anyone catches his eye with the 'compelling' comment.

[Belkregos]

Under The Zakath Desert
Feeling Froggy
Late Afternoon?

The only other member of your party besides Kain who seems completely unaffected by the charms of the Matron is Belloc, who in turn also gets up to sashay around the place, slowly edging closer to the Matron with his staff at the ready. Whether he was trying to get her attention or not, the woman snaps her head in the wizards direction, staring longingly at his newly acquired weapon. Belloc instantly notices that, unlike when others have seen the item and reacted with intense paranoia, she reacts with acceptance, smiling at the mage as she twirls and spins, clacking her shelled fingers together in rhythm to her toads song.

Actions?

Belloc couldn't help but notice the matron's scrutinizing gaze sizing up the staff. He tries to suppress the hint of jealousy gnawing at the recesses of his mind. As he extended a touch towards the matron, invoking the dark power of vampiric magic (vampiric touch),

"You fancy yourself superior, perhaps? An attempt to captivate the attention of the great one?" he inquired, a wild smile playing on his lips. "Well, I stand as the guardian of his passage."

Maintaining an unyielding gaze, he sought a connection with her eyes, simultaneously attempting to extract the very essence of life from her.

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril's gaze softens as he watches the dance. He leans over, saying to nobody in particular, "You know I really am quite enamored of the dear woman..." He speaks up, "Matron, I don't know if I hate dwarves but they did try to kill me once...so I'll certainly help you."

[silifi]

"I've not seen these devilish creatures before, but I don't like the sounds of them. I'll slaughter them all," Sik says, entranced.

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

"I've never been a big fan of Dwarves, living in holes with their snooty attitudes. I'll kill every one of 'em, if you want me to, Old Mother."

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"I liked it when I killed those little nasty creatures and I'll gladly do it for you..." says the warrior looking at the dancer's every movement.

[OGRE MAGE]

Belloc couldn't help but notice the matron's scrutinizing gaze sizing up the staff. He tries to suppress the hint of jealousy gnawing at the recesses of his mind. As he extended a touch towards the matron, invoking the dark power of vampiric magic (vampiric touch),

"You fancy yourself superior, perhaps? An attempt to captivate the attention of the great one?" he inquired, a wild smile playing on his lips. "Well, I stand as the guardian of his passage."

Maintaining an unyielding gaze, he sought a connection with her eyes, simultaneously attempting to extract the very essence of life from her.

This seems like an attack.....

If so, I will need an attack roll for this action, as you are required to touch the staff to her for that power to be effective. But since she is distracted by the staff, I will give you a +2 on your roll.