The Magic Reality Show (TMRS) – Quest in the West

[Calisson]

As the five harpies regrouped to launch their second assault, a huge blast of fire caught them in the sky.
One of them was transformed into a torch and fell right into the ocean, where the fire was extinguished. These beast don't swim but can learn. The harpy managed to reach a rock near the shore and remained there, shivering and trying to dry off its skin.

The four remaining harpies charged! These were the bravests of their kin.
They were caught by surprise by a cry of war which finished to destroy any combat ability they had left after the noisy cloud and the fireball. They missed all their attacks.

In his frenzy, Metarchis managed to kill two more beasts.
Meanwhile, Marcelus captured one harpy with his burning hands! The harpy tried all it could to get off this blazing grip but without success.

The last harpy, already wounded, decided that it was enough and left the battlefield before Vaelreth could hit it.

The battle with the harpies was over.

Three harpy corpses in a very bad shape were lying around Metarchis, who was trying himself to fly towards the fleeing one.

The last harpy remaining alive was frantically trying to escape the brazier holding its legs. Its wings could not lift it, but at least it whiffled off the fire in its legs. Alas, the fire was coming back all the time!



<OOC
@ smiler666
harpies were chatting together in a concentrated group, that was your chance.
However, it was at visual distance, not breath distance.
Also, I didn't make 12 harpies hit but 2d6, you might have missed some.
PM me if anything ridiculously improbable (considering that magic is NOT improbable in that world )


Spell resolution.

Cry of War:
A.+0 B.+1 C.+0 (unit of harpies) D.+1 (as they arrive) E.+1 6 min F.-2 G.+0 H.-1 I.-2 J.+1 (frenzy instead of cataplexy) K.+0 -1 to cast, fluff added, cast on 3+.
Rolled 6! the harpies are really freightened, they now hit on 6+ and are hit on 2+.
Side effect: hallucination: now you KNOW you ARE flying - but not over the void, I rolled an I test. It lasts only for 6 seconds.


Fireball:
A.+0 B.+1 C.+0 (all harpies) D.+0 (visual distance) E.+2 (6 seconds) F.-2 G.+0 H.-1 I.-2 J.+1 (extreme concentration for 6 seconds) K.+0 total -1 + fluff (I'm too nice with you), 3+. Rolled 5. All harpies fireballed for 6 seconds as they approach.
Side effect 3, same as first round, the hot chili pepper does not do any good to your stomach.
Result of the fireball:
2 harpies @ Vaelreth Velkyn => one "killed" (rolled 6) for 6 sec, will fall into the water but not drown and will be able to fly within minutes; the other one not wounded.
1 harpy wounded @ Marcelus => no damage
2 harpies (one wounded)@ Metarchis => both now have heavy wounds and will be killed by one more wound.
Harpies decide still to charge! (rolled 3 for their Ld test).


Shadow attribute
A.+1 B.+1. C.+1. D.+1 (you're close). E.+2 6 sec. F.-2. G.+1. H.-1. I.-2. J.+0. K.-1 mild. Total +1. No fluff, no bonus. Cast on 2+.
Result 5+, spell cast.
Side effect 4: funny rustle/squeak, lost in the noise made by the thunder and the cry of war.


Combat resolution.

The 5 harpies strike first, but their WS is further reduced: 1 instead of 3. 2 attacks each.
Two harpies @ Marcelus. => 1 fireballed. 1 near miss, 1 hit. No wound.
One harpy, already wounded, @ Vaelreth. 2 miss.
Two harpies (one wounded) @ Metarchis (wounded). => 2 harpies have temporary heavy burns. 1 hit, 1 near miss, 2 miss. No wound (thanks again the buckler).

The elves strike back.
Marcelus hits but does not wound. He did grab the harpy (rolled 1 for D test). His burning hands don't wound, however (another 1).
Vaelreth misses
Metarchis hits, hits, hits, and scores 2 more kills (real kills, not magic "kills").
Harpies decide that it's enough and flee away for never coming back.


There is the one harpy caught by Marcelus, which has no wound yet (very resistant to fire, apparently).
You have one last chance to cast anything at the fleeing harpy if you wish. One spell each. No use of hands for Marcelus.
Then the combat is over and any spell cast for 6 minutes will end.

Compliments, guys!
>IC

[Smiler666]

OOC: Ah, I thought the harpies had split up before we got the chance to cast our spells. Fair enough. Wait, wait, wait... HARPIES CAN TALK?!?!

IC: The khainite had driven hisself mad and slaughtered another pair of the animals that attacked and the beast attacking Vaelreth had broken off even before it had reached the shadowmancer. Recalling the actual goal of the days challenge Marcelus wasn't about to let the beast get away, as he dragged down the harpy he had by the ankles he activated the amulet he had made the day before, hoping to rope the creature back to the cliff.

Spell: Flame cage - bound
Target: Retreating harpy
Duration: 6 seconds
Intended Affect: Burn the harpy out of the sky or drag it back for Metarchis to murderise

Dropping his focus from the enchantment as the flaming trap formed around the idiot animal, Marcelus pulled the last harpy actually on the cliff down to the ground and sat astride it, before gripping it round the throat with his still burning hands. Even if the creature had asbestos fur it could only last so long without air.

[Red...]

[OOC: Hehe, awesome

My character screamed 'Basil' because in the fluff for Cry of War it says that the user shrieks one of the seventeen secret names of Khaine. I figured 'Basil' would be a name that he would definitely want to keep secret!

Will post actual IC text soon!]

[Calisson]

<OOC
Will wait for Dalamar's post. He missed a train already, I should not do it twice.

@ Red... fluff bonus formerly granted was definitively appropriate.
>IC

[Dalamar]

<OOC: Sorry guys, I was literally out all day yesterday, I got back home at 3:30am >.> >

Vaelreth managed to deflect all the blows rained on her by the harpies. Fighting in close quarters was neither her way of doing combat, nor something she was particularly good at, yet her spell and the khainites's cry made the beasts even worse than she was.

It was all over in a couple minutes, three harpies laid dead, one struggled with the sea all the way down the cliff, while two attempted to run. One of the running harpies created enough distance between itself and the three druchii that it was already out of reach, but the second one had a fire mage clinging to it, trying to pull it down.

The Sorceress raised her staff over her head and let out a shrill cry, the arcane formulae spilling out of her lips in a torrent of magical power. The nature wasn't helpful with supply of shadows, but she focused on the flickering darkness caused by Marcelus' burning hands, the shades floating under and around the harpy's wings. Vaelreth focused her magic, urging the dancing shadows to take a shape of half solid chains and wrapping them around the harpy's wings, preventing the beast from flapping away.

Spell: Melkoth's Mystifying Miasma
Target: Harpy held by Marcelus
Duration: 6 Seconds
Intended Effect: Bind its wings, slowing down its escape (Movement reduction)

[Red...]

Metarchis stopped, panting, sweat pouring from his brow. Around him lay the bodies of the two harpies he had just killed, their forms twisted and broken from the ferocity of his attacks. The heat of battle flowed within him, and he felt all powerful. The energy of Khaine flowed throughout his limbs and even as his vision swayed slightly drunkenly, he felt as though he could fly.

He saw his two temporary comrades tustling with the last remaining harpy: the fire mage gripping its wings, initially with just his hands but then with what appeared to be some kind of sinewy, shadowy shackles. Behind him he could seen the frail form of the shadow witch making some kind of womanly commotion: shrieking in a language he did not recognise and twirling her staff in the air. He thought, infantily, about how she reminded him a bit of a middle aged cheerleader at a junior league bloodball game.

Feeling the strength and fury of khaine still churning through his veins, Metarchis rushed impetuously over to the side of the fire mage and his prey, as they struggled bitterly together. Grasping the harpy's neck within his hand, he clamped down hard, forcing all of his strength in a motion that he hoped would break the noble beasts birdlike neck. As he squeezed, he spoke loudly and clearly with booming voice:

"Imbue my hand with the might of many,
That it might crush your enemies,
And rob them of their lives.
Grant to me the Touch of Death"

[OOC:
Spell: Touch of Death (for a second time).
Target: The last harpy.
Duration: About 30 seconds.
Intended effect: Improve the strength of the previous Touch of Death spell, and thus help Metarchis to snap the harpy's neck, thus killing it instantly and painlessly (they are, after all, magnificent manifestions of the all conquering and all mighty Khaine).

After this action is completed - successfully or otherwise - and the various combat spells have ended, Metarchis will suffer heavily from the sudden termination. Given that the spells made him feel drunk, I assume that when they end he will have a mini hangover, for the same duration as the spells (e.g. the next 10 minutes or so)! and suffer accordingly for that period...]

[Calisson]

Poor fleeing harpy! It was not its day.
As it was painfully flying as far as possible from these mad humans, it suddenly found itself caught in a flaming cage of fire!
Harpy screams can be piercing but this one set a record.
No wonder. It was the same harpy which had been wounded by Marcelus' flaming staff.
It narrowly escaped the blast of the fireball.
Wanting to take revenge, it charged Marcelus but found itself facing Vaelreth for some unclear reason. Impressed, it lost interest in the fight and decided that a retreat was honorable at this point.
A third flaming attack was too much to bear for such an low IQ, uncivilized beast.
It closed its wings and its eyes, and fell down... across the flaming cage which burned it even more severely.
It was a perfectly roasted harpy which fell down on a rock, near the cliff. It remained there, wrapped in calcinated wings, with a smell of Lycanius Fried Chicken.
Only an autopsy will reveal if the death was caused by the fire, by a heart attack or by falling on the rock.


Meanwhile, the fight wetween the captured harpy and Marcelus became blurry. Marcelus changed his grip, it was now the harpie's neck which was held by the brazing hands. Slowly, the harpy was suffocating.
Metarchis cut off its head and that was the end of that poor beast sufferings.


<OOC
Sooo, a few more spells to cast.

Spell: Flame cage (from the amulet)
Spell is autocast, with negligible side effect (the amulet stinks already).
The targeted harpy burns for 6 seconds, it burns severely if it moves (but if it doesn't, it falls down).
The harpy cannot be really killed by the magic, but it can be killed by falling a decent height. Wounds made by the magic autoheal when the spell ends (even "mortal" wounds), unless the target has died from other causes.
By the way, you see that the spell is more efficient than what you wanted to achieve initially (a kind of ward save).
The harpy was already wounded.


The captured harpy struggled against Marcelus. As the harpy keeps rolling 1 and Marcelus keeps rolling 6, the outcome is clearly on the elf side.


Spell:
Mystifying Miasma
A.+0 B.+1 C.+1 D.+1 E.+2 F.-2 G.+1 (still wednesday) H.-1 I.-2. J.+1 K.-1 total +1. Easily cast. Negligible side effect.

Last touch of Death cast successfully, no significant side effect.
Not necessary, the harpy was dead anyway.

End of the fight.
What next?
>IC

[Dalamar]

Vaelreth glanced at bloodied Metarchis and the dagger in his hand.

"You should start scalping those beasts, oh fearsome warrior of Khaine" she added with a small smirk.

Her steps took her to the edge of the cliff where the harpies emerged from and she looked down, trying to locate some cave entrance or perhaps a nest or two perched on the cliffs.

"Fire mage!" She shouted behind her "Make yourself useful and see if you can locate a good place to climb down so we can get to the eggs!"

[Red...]

Metarchis looked back, with a flicker of annoyance, as he heard the female sorceress speaking. Who was she to tell him what he should or should not do? He paused, calmed himself, and spoke softly - but clearly - in reply:

"You should be careful with your tone, lady of the shadows, lest it be your own scalp I detach instead."

But he agreed in principle with the idea, and so continued by nodding slowly:

"However, on this occasion I agree with your idea. Go and collect as many eggs as you can find, so that we can win this thrice accursed contest."

These words said, he turned back to face the harpies strewn closest to him. Putting away his mace, he hefted his dagger in his right hand and began the rather pleasant task of detaching the forehead from the remainder of the body of each harpy in turn. His novice training in the halls of Khaine now served him well and he found that he was quickly able to adapt the practices he had learned for removing key body parts and organs from other sacrificial beasts and humanoids for the purpose of scalping the recently deceased harpies.

[Calisson]

<OOC
Harpy scalps. 2 minutes per scalp.
- 3 harpies killed by Metarchis during the assault + 1 captured harpy, now beheaded
=> 8 min
- 1 Lycanius Fried Chicken, which failed to escape.
=> 10 min walk to it, 2 min scalping, 10 min walk back.
=> Metarchis is busy for 30 min, and gains 5 scalps (and some roasted chicken if you wish - in case anyone dared to eat).


Wounds:
Marcelus Lycanius and Metarchis Avax suffer from light wounds.
The wounds will autoheal within a couple of days.
It does not hinder them, but next wound will be a severe wound and will become worrisome ; one more wound would be mortal within hours.

Do you wish to heal them with magic?
- the healing would last one day, spell to cast again every day for 3 days in a row, or would last 1 year, i.e. definitive (the wound heals in the interval).
- next "wound" received would instead remove the magically restored wound.


Nest quest:
There is a small yellowish elevation at the edge of the cliff. The cliff is 20 m high above the waves. Below, the waves break furiously on rocks.
On one of the rocks, a shivering harpy tries to dry off its skin.

Right below the yellowish rock is a narrow platform, at mid height, i.e. at 10 m above the sea and at 10 m below the cliff edge.
The group of harpies which attacked you came from that platform. You understand that the platform leads to a cave inside the cliff.
You cannot see anything inside the supposed cave.
No other harpy nest seems to exist on the cliff.

Examining carefully the cliff reveals no easy way down.
The only possibility seems to have a magic-enhanced move.
There is a choice between two small magic jumps at "breath distance" (i.e. 2 or 3 m), using natural stairs and platforms when possible,
or one direct magic journey at "visual distance" to the platform
or growing wings.
Obviously, harpy wings would provide convenient mundane components.

>IC

[Dalamar]

Vaelreth looked down at the cliff then back at the group fate decided to put her in.

"I can see their cave from here, If you grab me some of those wings Metarchis, I can get us down there with little effort, but hurry up, you're the only one with a blade and taste for butcher's work but time is short"

Vaelreth stood at the edge of the cliff and began concentrating for her spell. She only had as much time as it would take Metarchis to relieve the dead harpies of a couple of their wings but she had to use each moment she had as casting the spell multiple times would simply be too costly. Once the wings were acquired she spoke to her companions.

"Stand close together and don't move until you feel hard ground beneath your feet again... That is unless you fancy a fall down this cliff" She finished with her customary smirk, held the harpy wings in her outstretched hands and began chanting in an arcane language.

Dark mist enveloped the wings in her hands and began changing shape, her loud voice urging the shadows to take form of a large flying beast. It was shapeless but for defined wings, head and legs but type of a creature remained a mystery, although it would definitely fit a manticore with its size. Once the spell was complete Vaelreth urged the shadow steed to take them all the way down to the cave's mouth in one jump.

Spell: Steed of Shadows
Target: The trio of wizards
Duration: As long as it takes to get down onto the cliff
Intended Effect: Fly the three mages down to the cave

[OOC: If the spell is failed, she will attempt to recast it, this time creating smaller beasts for each rider and jumping from cliff to cliff until they reached the cave]

[Red...]

Relieved that he wouldn't need to come up with a solution (Khaine's blessings seemed unlikely to help with anything so mundane as jumping, climbing or flying), Metarchis accepted the cajoling command of the shadow sorceress and turned his attention to systematically cutting the wings off of a couple of the recently scalped harpies. These he collated and brought across to Vaelreth once the cheery job was completed.

"Here you go, dear lady" he said, with just the slightest touch of sarcasm in his tone.

Moments later he had to restrain himself from a bout of infantile giggling, as he watched the ludicrous sight of the nearly naked female standing upright, a large harpy wing held outstretched in each of her diminuitive hands. His stifled giggles turned to silent awe as he watched the majestic shadow beast materialise slowly at her behest.

[Calisson]

Vaelreth's dance blurried the two harpy wings and her chants seemed to animate the growing form.
Soon a huge manticore emerged and took the three Candidates gently in its claws.
The dark creature lifted them with ease and placed them carefully on the cave's platform.
When they turned around to have a last look at the magnificient creature which had transported them, only a faint shadow remained to be seen.


In front of them was the cave.
It was a half circle open to the void of the cliff, ten meters in diameter.
At the entrance, the three elves could stand up, but the cave could be penetrated only by crouching.
The floor was covered with sea bird’s skeletons and droppings.
Inside the cave, 2 harpies were threatening the intruders. Heavily handicapped by the narrowness of the cave, they could not fly and barely move, but their claws and fangs were still dangerous.
Behind them could be seen a nest with 3 large bluish eggs and 5 harplings. The harplings would probably not be able to do any serious harm but were nevertheless annoyingly aggressive.


<OOC: I guess that Smiler666 leaves the flesh cuts and the stair creation to the ones who don't specialize in Fire.
Let's proceed and not wait for his post. He'll have more to think about next time.

Metarchis gained 3 scalps and 3 pairs of wings - one has been used by Vaelreth, the second one will be used for the return trip, the third one is spare.
Don't forget to get the last scalp at 10 min walk when you leave.

Spell Steed of Shadows:
A.+1 movement B.+1 C.+0 for 3 passengers D.+0 (move at visual distance) E.+2 lasts one jump F.-2 G.+1 (its Wednesday) H.+0 I.-1 pair of wings J.+1 high concentration K.-1 mild. spell +2 to cast = autocast. Side effect is a dark smoke which will vanish quickly.
>IC


How would the Candidates kill the adults?
Capture the harplings alive?
Avoid breaking the eggs?
Bring them all up to the plateau?
Travel without losing any?

[Red...]

Watching the mighty manticore emerge into existence, Metarchis sighed in awe. Such a majestic beast. He turned to look anew at the shadow sorceress standing beside him. To have invoked such a beast - one of the divine manifestations of the bloody god himself - must have shown that she held Khaine's favour in some regard. Either that, or she had just performed a heedy blasphemy of unprecedented scope. Still, the reality of the monster standing there in front of them was real enough and as it ferried them to the cave he pondered the question further. Could she truly bear Khaine's favour or was this all just some obnoxious trickery? It would bear further thought.

As they arrived at the entrance to the cave, Metarchis peered in. His years working in the dungeons of Khaine had helped him to develop a pretty good knack at discerning objects in the dark and so the scene looked fairly clear to him. Seeing the two adult harpies and five harplings, he turned to his colleagues and spoke quickly:

"We must be careful, lest we accidentally break the eggs with our attack. I say we try to weaken them while they linger within the cave, and then lure them here, just inside its mouth, to cut them down with cold steel and flesh.

He paused and pondered his two companions for a moment. Perhaps the smirking shadow mistress could be persuaded to hinder the movements of the harpies with her spells, and as long as the silently brooding fire mage could be persuaded away from nuking the entire cave with a fire ball, they should be able to escape with all of the eggs intact. He was willing to shoulder the bulk of the fighting, if only his colleagues would help to disable the beasts before they met him in combat at the cave mouth.

He squinted at the fire mage. He was still unsure of what to make of this quiet fellow. Was his continued silence a result of disdain (which he could understand), intelligence (which he could admire) or stupidity (which he could condemn)? Well, time would tell no doubt, unless his dagger ended the issue before the question could be answered.

In preparation for the coming battle, Metarchis pulled out his knife and made a tiny cut into his left ear lobe - just large enough to cause a tiny seep of blood to flow out and onto the tip of his finger. He then lifted this up to his own face and began to draw the rune of the Lord of Murder upon his forehead. As he worked, he began chanting a supporting incantation:

"Lord of blood and murder,
Grant unto me your zeal and anger,
Your hatred and your lust for blood.
Make unto me a warrior and killer,
So that I may butcher in your name."

[OOC: Spell: Rune of Khaine
Target: Me
Duration: Length of combat
Intended affects: Extra attacks please ]

IC:

Metarchis then hefted up both his dagger and mace and waited to see whether the other magic casters would be willing and/or able to weaken the foes within the cave before they rushed them.

<OOC: Calison, your earlier post suggested that I had already collected all of the harpy scalps (you mentioned that I spent 30 minutes doing this):-

Harpy scalps. 2 minutes per scalp.
- 3 harpies killed by Metarchis during the assault + 1 captured harpy, now beheaded
=> 8 min
- 1 Lycanius Fried Chicken, which failed to escape.
=> 10 min walk to it, 2 min scalping, 10 min walk back.
=> Metarchis is busy for 30 min, and gains 5 scalps

But now you're indicating that we didn't manage to pick up the one that was 10 minute away. Did I interpet your earlier post incorrectly?>

[Smiler666]

OOC: bah!!! I go from not wanting to go first to missing the post in one day, guess thats what I get for procrastinating

IC: Marcelus watched the disciple, who had yet to offer his name, and Vaelreth as they busied themselves readying a spell that would take them all down to the outcrop below, he considered mucking in but thought better of it - his abilities were better suited to destruction and perhaps cooking. Soon enough the khainite handed Vaelreth a pair of wings and the shadowmancer set about calling forth some huge beast out of the darkness, Marcelus channelled a little power into the spell, however he was careful in case he destroyed the shadows that were rather required for success.

The shadows took shape after a moment into a great shaggy beast, which Marcelus did not know the name of but he knew was often used by the freaks from the north and the druchii, without thinking too hard about the monster's seemingly insubstantial talons he allowed it to carry him to the base of the cliff.

Marcelus looked into the cave, it was dark but the sun behind him gave him enough light to make out a pair of somewhat offended harpies, the khainite offered a word of advice against making things explode, which was fortunate as the short incantation to bring forth a fireball was already on the tip of Marcelus's tongue. Taking heed of the acolyte's warning Marcelus quickly reworded the spell.

Spell: Flame cage
Target: The harpies
Duration: Length of combat
Intended Affect: Cut the harpies off from the nest and the entrance

Hopefully the confined space would prevent the harpies from avoiding whatever attacks were sent thier way, with a bow to the khainite he made the cage warp just enough that the khainite would be able to squeeze through without setting hisself on fire, "Your carriage awaits, sire(!)"

[Calisson]

As the Khainite ritually prepared for the fight, the Fire Mage had a bright (!) idea: to prepare an arena of flames.
With an ample gesture, he concentrated the power of Aqshy between his palms and forged a flaming globe.
The globe turned to a snake of flames which slowly extended forwards, entered the cave and curbed around the two frightened harpies, separating them from their youth.
The harplings took refuge as they could at the farthest part of the cave - they had no other place to go, anyway.
The beasts were trapped, and dared not to move the slightest.
The Khainite was hampered by the very low ceiling, but the harpies were trapped and seemed doomed.
The curtain of fire conveniently gave way to allow Metarchis to enter the impromptu arena. As Metarchis bent to enter, he gave another look at the Fire Master, who was showing a strange face with a worrisome grin. What trick that sorcerer had in mind?


<OOC
@ Red...: Metarchis was going to get all scalps, when Vaelreth said "hurry up" and cast her spell, so I figured out that you left the far one for later. The 30 minutes I mentioned were intended, but were not realized yet.

@ smiler666
The cave faces North. There is no sun to illuminate it.
However, your spell will provide ample light.

@ Dalamar
As you wish, cast or enter combat.


Spell: Rune of Khaine
Fist attempt: rolled 1, side effect vomit, it pleases a lot the fishes down below.
Second attempt, one second later, cast successfully with a 5.
Side effect 6, exhaustion (just a feeling for roleplay, not for real).
You'll get your 3 attacks, but you'll feel that the eggs are too heavy afterwards.
Don't worry, it lasts only as long as the spell.

Spell: Flame cage
A.+0 B.+0 C.+0 anywhere in the cave D.+1 E.+1 for 6 min F.-2 G.+0 H.+0 I.-2 J.+1 (no action for the whole duration) K.+0 total -1. Spell cast with a 6, impressive accuracy.
You can make the cage as fancy as you wish.
Side effect 1: you have a kind of hallucination - not the bet thing to get when you are in a near cataplexy, concentrating on the cage around two battling harpies.
RP it as you wish!

The fire did not burn the harpies (double 1), though, and the harpies selected to stay quiet and wait.
>IC

[Dalamar]

OOC: Only a quick post, don't have a whole lot of time tonight.

Vaelreth took a step back, moving slightly behind the other two wizards and began her usual incantations to begin combat.

She raised her arms up high and screamed arcane formulae in the direction of the harpies, calling the shadows inside the cave to envelop the beast and confound their senses.

Spell: Melkoth's Mystifying Miasma
Target: The two harpies
Duration: 6 minutes
Intended Affect: Reduce the Harpies' WS for the duration of the fight.

[Calisson]

After a few incantations from Vaelreth, the fire around the two harpies produced a heavier smoke, which was blocked by the low ceiling and concentrated in front of the harpie's eyes. Handicapped by the fire, the smoke and the low ceiling, they did not stand a chance.

As the fire corridor would make room for the elf, Metarchis bent his body and, a blood drop on the corner of the mouth, he walked resolutely at the first harpy.
His mace wounded the beast and pushed it on what it feared so much: the fire cage. The burn was too severe for the harpy to sustain, it fell on the ground and was properly finished off.

Meanwhile, the other harpy was held in its fire cage and could not intervene.
It was to be Metarchis next victim. With a sinister grin, he walked at the beast as the fire cage opened a passage.
That was the end of the harpy.

Metarchis yelled a victory shout and scalped the two harpies in front of their terrified harplings.



<OOC
Spell Mystifying Miasma cast with ease (rolled 6). Result: WS of harpies reduced for 6 minutes.

Marcelus and Metarchis were still suffering from light wounds.

Combat:
The harpies are severely handicapped: they are impeded by the low ceiling, the fire wall and the miasma.
The fire separates the two harpies: only one can fight Metarchis at a time.

The Khainite is handicapped by the ceiling and wary about the fire.

Melee:
Harpy double miss. Khainite double hit. The wound makes the harpy jump backwards, across the fire, which burns it severely. The elf kills it easily.

Next harpy: double miss. Khainite double hit, harpy killed easily.
>IC



Now the three elves had to capture and bring the 3 eggs and 5 harplings back to the village.

[Red...]

Grinning and covered in blood, Metarchis steps over the corpses of the harpies as the final flickering flames of the flame cage melt away, the two mutilated harpies lieing dead beneath his feet. Looking at the gibbering, panic stricken harplings in the back of the cave, he lifted up one of his blood stained hands and traced a series of complex symbols into the air, forming a pattern. As he did, he spoke softly and rapidly, repeating the name "Khaine" over and over, with a hypnotic regularity, getting gradually louder and louder with each repetition, until his voice is reverberating loudly around the cave. He finishes the spell by plunging his knife deep into the spare harpy wing that he is carrying, twisting the blade and tearing a deep gash into the fleshy pulp inside.

<OOC:
Spell: Hand of Khaine.
Target: the 5 harplings.
Duration: Until the end of the day.
Intended effect: Entrance the harplings so that we can capture them more easily and so that they do not struggle when captured. (this description fits with the fluff description of the spell in the DE Army book, even if not the actual game rule outcome...).
Additional information: Uses a harpy wing (mundane component).

If Metarchis fails to cast, he will attempt to do so again.

@Calisson: Okay, thanks, I'll try to remember to specify picking up the extra scalp on the way back.>

[Dalamar]

Vaelreth smiles to herself and stepped inside the cave. She reached into the folds of her robes and pulled out shadowcat fur.

"You did well. Perhaps better than the other team, you better hope for that"

She touched one of the walls covered in shadows and when she pulled her hand away, a strand of darkness attached itself to her fingers. The sorceress closed her eyes and let the wind of Ulgu flow through her, it was her auspicious day and all her spells seemed to be working perfectly, but this one had to last for their entire trip back to the camp and more concentration was required. It had to be done though, she had no will to return back to that duel cave and she seemed the only one capable of transporting the little harplings. The two worthless males would have to carry the eggs and hopefully not break any.

Arcane formulae spilling out of her lips echoed around the small cave and the strands in her hands began forming a thick net made out of pure shadows. Once the net was large enough to capture all five harplings in it, she threw it over the little beasts, confused by Metarchis' spell and bound them in the net.

Spell: Unique spell - net of shadows
Target: the 5 harplings
Duration: For the duration of the return to the village
Intended effect: Capture all the little harplings inside of a shadow net, so they can't escape.

OOC: She's casting the spell sacrificing the component and maintaining concentration for the entire duration of the spell, hopefully offsetting the long duration, uniqueness of the spell and multiple targets.

[Smiler666]

Marcelus watched the khainite slaughter the two harpies, then let the magical fires fade away, curiously the dying animals had made bleating sounds rather than the screams of the ones on the cliff above. He thought nothing of the strange occurrence until he noticed the harplings had started barking what madness is this?! It all got too weird when the khainite raised a hand, opened a mouth and shouted "MOO!"

Shaking his head and scratching at his ears Marcelus tried to make sense of the information his senses were piping to him, which wasn't helped when Vaelreth let out a short birdsong. Giving up on the assorted oddness and realising that he really wasn't needed with the harplings - unless anyone wanted them cooking - he headed outside and trudged to the harpy that he had roasted out of the sky, scalping it with the head of an arrow and cutting a couple of what he assumed were the choicer cuts of the beast before heading back to join the others who would by now have hopefully have finished up with the younglings.

[Calisson]

The bloodied Khainite somehow managed to order the harplings to shut up and stay quiet. Actually, his weird face would have intimidated even a grizzly.
Now, only their terrified eyes, on the verge of crying, betrayed their position.

With a loving smile, Vaelreth approached the cute little harplings and made for them a cozy nest, with confortable shadowy fluff.
She picked up all harplings and eggs. The net became quite heavy but still, an elf could carry that.

The three elves went on the platform out of the cave, where they could stand up and stretch, with a nice view on the ocean.
The last surviving harpy was there below, standing on one of the rocks battered by the waves, out of reach. Was it shaking out of cold, or fear?

In the day's light, the harplings started to squeak and cackle and twitter and so on. They wouldn't stop.
The sorceress was obviously pissed off with that noise and suddenly, she couldn't stand it anymore.
Throwing the shadow net on the platform, she approached her hands threateningly of one of the harpling's neck.
Despite the piercing shrieks, she regained control of herself and managed not to kill the beastling... for now.

Moving away from the nest, Vaelreth looked ostensibly the opposite way and tried to concentrate on something, anything, whatever...
Oh, Khaine the Bloody, grant me patience, and do it quickly or else...

The party had recovered 6 scalps, one more scalp was waiting upcliff, 3 eggs (edited) and 5 harplings were captured in the nest.
They still had to devise a way to come back to the village.


<OOC
Hand of Khaine.
A.+0 (it is to be considered influence rather than protection) B.+1 C.+0 D.+1 E.+0 F.-2. G.+0 H.+0 I.-1 J.+0 K.+0 detrimental Total -1. well deserved +1 for the outstanding, fluffy description.
Rolled 6, perfect execution, detrimental rolled 1, hallucinations till midnight to RP.
Result: the harplings lost their aggressivity.


Net of Shadows
A.+1 (movement, or lack of) B.-2 (totally new) C.+0 D.+2 (you can touch the harplings now, let's do it) E.+0 F.-2 G.+1 (it's Wednesday) H.+0 I.-1 (1 wing) K.+0 (you cannot remain concentrated, it would prevent you to cast another spell) K.+0 detrimental Total -1+fluff.
Fist try, rolled 2, missed. Second try, rolled 5, cast.
Two side effects (for each try), both for the spell's duration till midnight:
4 and 5. The shadow net makes the harpies scream all the time, and their incessant squeaks keep irritating a lot the sorceress.
I test: she resists killing one of them for the example.
The 3 eggs were tested to resist the fall.


Remember that these side effects will last till midnight:
Shadow nest's noise, Vaelreth aggressivity, Metarchis' hallucinations.
>IC

[Dalamar]

The shadows sorceress dumped the net of harpies unceremoniously onto the cliff edge and jabbed her staff into one of the little beasts.

"Shut the hell up!" She screamed at them and grumbled "This is why I'm not going to have kids"

Irritated by the incessant screams of the little creatures she snapped at Metarchis.

"Get me two more wings of one of those dead harpies Khainite and I'll get us out of here the same way I got down to this place. But be quick about it, I'm ready to toss that net over the cliff anytime now. By Atharti! SHUT UP!" She swung her staff and smacked a baby harpy across its head, knocking it unconscious.

As soon as she had her harpy wings she kicked one of the still conscious baby harpies just to satiate her irritation and began her loud chanting, both wings held high in her hands, letting the shadows of the cave form around her in a form of a flying beast, large enogh to carry all of them back on top of the cliff.

Spell: Steed of Shadows
Target: The trio of wizards + net of harplings
Duration: As long as it takes to get back up on the cliff
Intended Effect: Fly the three mages and their loot on top of the cliff

OOC: Calisson, I never intended the net to be a means for transportation for the eggs, Depending on the size, one person should be able to stack three eggs and carry them in their arms (if they're about the size of an ostrich egg). Net is not the best way to carry eggs, it has holes

[Red...]

<OOC:

Now, only their terrified eyes, on the verge of crying, betrayed their position.

Awww, I feel so sad for the little guys >

IC:

Metarchis stumbled away from the cave, feeling dazed and a bit confused. His spell had worked well, maybe too well, things seemed to be straying in and out of focus.

He shuffled around for a few moments, and then heard the voice of the shadowmage snapping irritatingly at him with yet more directions. He felt anger boiling up in his blood - how dare the little she-witch keep telling him what to do? He twirled on the spot, intending to give her a piece of his mind, but then noticed that some time between now and when he had last looked at her, she had rather improbably transformed into a gigantic horned dragon, with smoke billowing from her nostils and steam puffing out from between her fang filled jaws.

"Errr, sure thing" he mumbled hurriedly and rushed frantically about to gather the harpy wings she needed. You neversay no to a dragon. He thought for a moment that it was kind of strange that she had morphed into a horned serpent, but found this thought cut off when he noticed that where he had last seen the fire mage, there now stood instead a large, black skinned hydra, its many heads lolling inquisitively from side to side.

He blinked, and then blinked again. He pinched his arm, closed his eyes and counted to ten. He opened them again and looked around.

Nope. Defintely still hanging out with a hydra and a dragon.

He made a mental note to try to stop casting so many spells that involved cutting himself with a knife. But, in the meantime, he'd just hope that they hadn't noticed their sudden and unexpected transformation. He hoped it was just a hallucination - otherwise the challenge just got one heck of a lot harder. Anyway, the dragon was signalling for him to get on top of some kind of shadowy magical beast - he'd better hurry: you never say no to a dragon.

[Calisson]

EDITED: The party had recovered 6 scalps, one more scalp was waiting upcliff, 3 eggs and 5 harplings were captured in the nest. One of the harplings no longer moved.


<OOC: and
@ Dalamar
OK, eggs not broken. Edited.
However, one harpling has now a broken skull (yeah, rolled 6...).

Spell: Steed of Shadows
Same result as the first one (I still rolled, to check if there was a miscast).
>IC