[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter VI - The Enchanter

[Peter Perkins]

----- Original Message -----
From: Aaron Clausen <mightymartianca at gmail.com>
To: The Tao of Cow Rifts PBEM <taocowpbem at zork.net>
Cc: 
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 1:47 PM
Subject: [Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter VI - The Enchanter

>> [GM]
>> The wounded are lead through first, and then the company begins
>> moving through, along with what Sir Havalard has referred to as
>> non-essentials; mainly the younger soldiers and civilian staff.
>> Finally the company starts moving through... Ted (with the little
>> girl, who is picking up pieces of rubble and tossing them idly),
>> Alex, Justin, Louissa, Osmar (with the Baron in tow).
>> 
>> As Osmar is driving through, there are three more "whooshes" and
>> this time the damage is substantial. The main tower of the Keep
>> begins to fall over in a cloud of dust. The remaining members of
>> the party; Koba, Carlos, Lady Frost and Koba, are cut off as huge
>> slabs of stone and large pieces of the armor plating fall into the
>> courtyard.
>> 
>> Somewhere in the distance, or perhaps nearby, the noise from
>> falling debris is loud enough to dim even the loudest cries, can be
>> heard shouts "They're at the gate! They're at the gate!"
>> 
>> Above their heads, through the dust, can be seen the shape of a
>> Splugorth slaver barge, as well as Kittani hover vehicles, one of
>> which is dropping very large looking humanoids in full armor, from
>> a good thirty feet in the air, on to the courtyard below. Nowhere
>> can be seen the rest of their companions.
>> [/GM]

> [Alex]
> Alex will continue offering cover fire until the last minute. Her
> rifle likely has the best range and while not a sniper, she is a
> pretty damn good shot, a natural. [Strikes: 12, 6, 12]
> [/Alex]

[GM]
Alex's covering fire forces the invaders to keep some distance, and two of the shots even make contact, despite the dust filling the air [Damage: 100MD and 120MD]. These two bursts are enough to visibly damage a slaver barge and a Kittani hovercycle.
[/GM]

> [Oz]
> Oz drives through the rift without looking back, not even noticing
> the lost party members. Which wasn't surprising, given that he hadn't
> even been introduced to most of the lost. He was more concerned with
> getting good footage of the Splugorth forces for later analysis.
> [/Oz]

> [Vesper]
> Vesper casts a calling spell to get Lady Frost and the others to get
> to the portal. The explosion causes him to stagger and a large bit of
> masonry knocks him towards the portal. He keeps calling out until the
> slavers get closer and the giant troupes come.
> 
> Only when the portal is about to slam shut does he ride his
> hovercycle through.
> 
> Vesper shakes his head, "I held it open as long as I could, I even
> cast spells to draw your friends there to it but they didn't come.
> Even I can only hold a rift open so long."
> 
> Vesper sits down heavily. He is obviously very stressed about what
> happened.
> [/Vesper]

[Louissa]
"No!" Louissa roars in anger.  "Open it back up!" she shouts at Vesper. "Open that rift back up! Those are our friends, damn you!"

She runs past Vesper and begins clawing at the rubble, despite the fact that the rift has already closed.

"Someone help me!" she cries out.
[/Louissa]

[Father Montessoro]
The Wolfen Catholic priest pats Vesper on the shoulder as he passes. "You did what you had to, friend." he says.

When the priest reaches Louissa, he lifts her up. "They are gone for now, child. Come, those who remain need you. If I understand correctly, your kingdom's ambassador is here, and you will need to make contact."
[/Father Montessoro]

[Louissa]
Weeping softly, Louissa nods and rejoins the company, her face streaked with tears and dust.
[/Louissa]

> [Ted]
> "Given the strange nature of this world, we will probably see them
> again," Ted grumbles.
> [/Ted]

> [Oz]
> From behind the wheel, Oz looks around to get his bearings. He had
> spent a good deal of time in and around the capitol and was
> reasonably certain he could navigate the refugees to safety from
> anywhere near the city.
> [/Oz]

[GM]
Oz recognizes this pretty quickly as Knight's Street. The buildings here are a mixture of medieval and Victorian houses with the odd more modern looking dwelling. To the south can be glimpsed the high walls of New Camelot, at least twenty feet high and seemingly made of stone. North of their location, towering over the town is a domed citadel, with a pyramid atop it. Running directly over the top of the pyramid is a ley line.

One of the knights, a young man, limps up to Vesper and bows. "Many thanks, sir." he says. "You have saved lives this day."

Within moments several men and women in armor come running up, weapons drawn. When they see that many of those in the street are their own comrades they lower their weapons. Their leader, a woman in knight's armor, who looks to be in her mid-40s confers with some of the wounded, and then, with a nod, walks up to the company.

"I only know two of you," she says in a crisp, exact English accent. "Father Montesorro, who is a friend of the King's, and Mr. Wolz who I know by sight only. But Lord Myrrlyn learned of your coming and has asked that I lead you to him. The King will, as I understand it, see you later tonight, but begs your understanding, for he is in a war council."

Even as the knight speaks, the company can see a distant figure atop the great dome, robes waving in the wind.

Ted's companion, the little girl, claps her hands. "Mrrlyn indeed!" she laughs. "Oooh! This will be fun for you!"

Though neither the knight nor the guards seem threatening, still, they're posture and the way they move to surround the company suggests that they are not going to give them much of a choice. Once everyone has their kit together and the wounded have been moved on, the knight beckons to the company, "If you please."

The company is lead up the street and across a couple of intersecting streets, one of which is filled with shops of all manner, and it certainly seems a more than adequate place to get repairs or to buy new equipment.

Finally the company reaches the domed citadel. They pass a great stone stairway with numerous guards, all in glittering knightly armor. Here and there can be seen a large robot or power armor, of Triax manufacture by the looks of them. The citadel is formidably guarded.

The door the company is lead to is smaller, and is guarded by some pretty odd-looking knights [OOC: see attached image]. They stand aside and a door written with strange symbols glows slightly and then swings open. Beyond can be seen a long passage lit with flickering torches.

While no one's sixth sense goes off, there is a sense of foreboding about this particular place.

The little girl gives these strange knights a sharp look. "This is a scary place for me." she says, her voices faltering as if she is about to cry. "I do not wish to enter. Oh please do not force me."

The female knight looks sadly upon the child. "I do not think your business will take long. I can take her to a friendlier place to wait."
[/GM]

[Vesper]
Looks to Loissa and is about to answer when she rushes past to dig at the rubble.
He shakes his head and looks to the Father nodding, "I truly wish it were so easy to open rifts."
He nodded to the thanks of the others and followed the others numbly for a time till he heard the name Merlin.

Vespers eyes narrowed below his helm. 

When the girl appeared affraid, "Oh I think he would love to meet you. Infact I am rather sure of it."

[/Vesper]


-- Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com

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