[Taocow PBEM] [Vesper, Alex, Oz and Ithdalkal] Book 3 - Chapter XIV - Belmont Abbey

[Aaron Clausen]

>> [Keldon]
>> Keldon seems to have recovered. "From my shop!" he says. He pulls out
>> a silvery rune-carved amulet from a sweater pocket and hands it to
>> Vesper. "This is a PPE battery. You should be able to get us back to
>> the shop with your spell and the power within."
>> [/Keldon]

>>> [Vesper]
>>> "I can get us out I can get us through a rift elsewhere."
>>> On the radio to Ted, "Get my items bring them with you."
>>> Vesper follows Alex.
>>> "Living on the run without a moments peace is really starting to piss
>>> me off."
>>> His anger not at her but at the situation shows on his face.
>>> [/Vesper]

>>> [Alex]
>>> "Really could be a curse that follows me," Alex responds. "Been my life
>>> since engaging the Xiticix,"
>>> She continues hunting for a safe path though, still a trained ranger
>>> [/Alex]

>> [Ithdalkal]
>> The Blind Warrior Woman runs over to assist Alex in trying to find a
>> path out of here.
>> [/Ithdalkal]

>> [GM]
>> There are a number of paths out of this garden, but it is a courtyard,
>> so all paths lead to the Abbey itself, or at least to gates to the
>> outside. Depending on the number of Splugorth minions, all or at least
>> the main exits may be covered.
>>
>> Meanwhile the Archbishop is shouting "You must save me. I can give
>> your the location of enough wealth to keep all of you in luxury for
>> years, but if you want it, you must take me with you!"
>>
>> >> Finally Oz's men contact him. "We're at the ship's landing pad. No
>> enemy in sight. We'll contact you as soon as we're aboard."
[/GM]

> [Vesper]
> Vesper nods to Keldon taking the amulet.  "Ok everyone another portal
> to take us to Keldon's shop and then we can get out of here.  I think this
> city is going to fall since the Archbishop failed to just turn us over.
> Someone needs to warn the whole town." Vesper focuses on the amulet
> to bring everyone who wants with him. "Alex come with me."
> [/Vesper]

> [Oz]
> The German shouts back at the Archbishop. "If it's in this town it's
> gone. I'm not going to abandon anyone to the aliens, but I'm not going
> out of my way to save your traitorous ass, either."
> [/Oz]

[GM]
The Archbishop just responds. "I have money... credits... gold... jewels."
[/GM]

> [Oz]
> He radios back to his troops. "Secure that ship! If the captain won't
> stay, leave with the ship and we'll catch up to you. Keeping that ship
> safe is our main priority."
>
> Oz nods at Vesper. "Let's go, then."
> [/Oz]

[GM]
The Sergeant radios back. "Just going up the gang plank now, sir! No
sign of the captain at all. He was in town last time I checked."
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> Before she goes with Vesper, she says to the archbishop, "Pray to the
> virgin, the gold will not protect you."
> She has heard stories of churches protecting those the Coalition are
> after under pain of destruction.
>
> "I can just transmit a wide band warning by radio," Alex states. "Should
> do it here before we teleport."
> Unless told not to, she breaks encryption and transmits in the clear on
> the emergency frequency a warning, "Warning, invaders in the town.
> Attackers from Atlantis."
>
> She smiles back at Vesper, "Here we go again," and grabs Vespers hand
> unless it will interfere with his magic.
> [Alex]

> [Vesper]
> Vesper nods his approval at her warning the city. He takes her hand while
> he works his magic to get them all to Keldon's home. His thumb caressing
> Alex fingers for a moment or two.
> [/Vesper]

> [Alex]
> Before they teleport, "I repeat, Invaders in town. Attackers from Atlantis."
>
> "Cannot do any more, otherwise they can track our radio calls."
> [/Alex]

[GM]
When everyone steps through the portal, they find themselves outside
of a rather odd building. It looks to have been
carved, or, considering the very smooth and rounded lines of the
building, possibly grown from living rock. It is a two story structure
with several doors and windows, none round or square and all at odd
angles and in strange shapes. A sign above what probably is the main
door (which is five-sided) is neon and announces it as "Keldon and
Sons Magic and Items of Interest". There appears to be no electrical
cable leading between the sign, which seems to float about six inches
of the wall of the building, and the building itself.

Up and down the street people are quickly beginning to panic. Clearly
those that did not know of the invasion, now know there is one, likely
due to Alex's radio broadcast. A number of citizens, still putting on
their armor, are forming into a militia of some kind. There are no
Splugorth Minions in sight, but down the street a building is burning,
and tracers from gunfire can be seen in the evening sky. Still, it
presently seems contained to a single area of the town and hasn't
spread.

Keldon pays little attention to what goes on around him. He bursts
through the door. Inside two D-Bees that look nearly identical to
Keldon are hastily throwing scrolls and various other items into a
number of odd, silvery boxes that ought to have, by now, been filled.

Keldon is literally crying by this point. "Seventy years work done and
gone!" he says miserably. "Hurry up lads," he says to the two other
squiddish D-Bees. "If those Splugorth have any skill at all, they will
be able to at least get a general idea of where our friend's portal
took us."

He turns back to Oz, Vesper and Alex. "You can have whatever you want
from this shop, providing you can grab it in about sixty seconds,
providing you take the three of us and the contents of these boxes
with us."

The Archbishop, who has been hanging back, is outraged. "You'll accept
this... this shopkeeper's offer, but my offer is spurned?"

The Sergeant radios Oz. "We're on board, sir. Mr. Smythe and Lady
Louissa are here. Awaiting your instructions."

Quite suddenly the gun fire stops, and in its place sounds like the
heavy pounding of feet down the street.
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com