Map of Fort and close-up of Manor
New thread, because the old one was getting long.

Faliol finds a blanket for Cas in the bedroom down the hall.
When he returns, Mako says, "I'm glad you're back, Red. We were just discussing exactly wha happened here last night, and how your band helped Master Ash defeat an invasion of reavers and riven. It was a battle that ultimately took his life."
He fixes you with a hard stare. "Your friends can explain to you what I mean. I have to see if I can rally the fort. Unless I miss my guess, there is still a riven band to deal with."

Cas looks at Faliol, "You didn't see my stiletto anywhere did you? It has my name on it and I would hate for them to wonder why Ash has Cas's stiletto all wrapped up in cloth."

OOC: Okay, so it doesn't have her name on it but she really likes that weapon and wants it back.

"Rest, Cas. I will look for your stiletto."

I momentarily look at Mako as if he has lost his mind...

(from a previous thread)
Beka - "Of course you are right Commander. I was relieved to see Master Ash work so hard against the Reavers. I am so sorry at his loss. He was a hero."

.oO(The wind has shifted, Ash is now a hero instead of a murdering lunatic...)

"Miss Beka, you are our leader. If this is the way you want it, I will obey. But, what about poor Handle and Able? What about Cas and Celeste? Everyone in this fort has suffered from Ash's actions. Are we going to sweep Ash's evil deeds under the rug?"

"I'm sure they have a reason for wanting it that way Faliol, where is Handle is he all right?"

"Handle and Riccoco will recover eventually from their conditions."

"Oh, and Vagrant, you should have that wound looked at."

"It isn't so bad, but if you insist."

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OOC: Just bleeding to death and dying from poison. It's alright, not to worry your pretty little head abut...

OOG Sorry, I didn't realize you were hurt so badly.

A startled Faliol looks over at Beka, "Sit down, Miss Beka. I am sorry, with all the chaos... This might hurt a little..."

I begin to clean the wounds and tie strips of cloth for bandages.

Paramedics, 12-
3d6: 13 Fri February 28, 2003 @5:05 PM (CST)

(slaps forehead)
Repeat after me, "The Dice God been berry berry good to me..."

Rinse, lather, repeat.

.oO(He's going to rip off my toenails.)

OOC: that was before I saw your roll, oh well, I didn't really need those toenails anyway.

I was working on a chest wound!



"Miss Beka, we can re-attach it with tree sap or pitch! It should heal just...URK...Rath..I...need....my...throat...to...breathe...!!!"

"Lookey there! A red fox turnin' blue!"

"I've had a lot of experience tending to Beka," Rath leans over and whispers loudly to Faliol, "She's always getting into trouble and I have to get her out of it." Rath gives a sly wink to Beka while trying to bandage her wounds.Paramedic 12-
3d6: 10 Fri February 28, 2003 @9:42 PM (EST)

"I know it sounds wrong, but a judge can get anything out of someone. I don't want anything to happen to any of you. Ash probably had a lot of psychist friends, that means judges. Beasts are treated pretty well in Tallon compared to other cities but that certainly doesn't mean there are Adepts (no offense Nuyok) who are willing to see beasts are better than one of their own. Handle and Nuyok both have something to hide or they wouldn't have been available for this caravan in the middle of the night. Celeste is a barbarian, no one listens to them no matter how much they know. Rath is riven and he wouldn't live very long with some of the purists that are in power in Tallon. And Commander Mako said we have two riven (looking at Vagrant) so that person would be in danger as well. Besides, I'm not ready to face my father without an excellent profit from this trip."
Yeah, he wouldn't like to see you since you stole -mmupfh- I quickly shove Peaches back in my pouch "Shh, you need to rest to get better."
"So, we should rest here until we're all up to snuff and then complete our trip. As long as we know what truely happened, we know we did the right thing!"
I sink down into the chair
"Sorry, that was longer than I wanted to talk..."
.oO(But much shorter than usual, I must not be feeling too well.)

"Vagrant can't be Riven, he didn't even know what a Reaver was, right Vagrant?"

"Prejudice continues into this world directly from my
own. Sad it is..."

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"Yes, Miss Beka. I will comply with your decision."

My tail begins twitching rapidly.

.oO(She is right, of course. Not an easy decision for her to make.)

Nuyok intends to leave to check on Celeste and do what he can, but will be wary of any wandering Riven or Reavers about, and will want to first check out the window quickly to see what's going on with the "rescuers".

The shutters open readily to Nuyok's command. Outside, the paddleboat seems to be making progress toward the harbor. There are running lights that allow you to see it. Little more can be seen or heard through the dark and the rain.

(You might see more with spirit sight, but this window faces away from the fort.)

Nuyok, you have left the manor for the Sanctuary (Church). Civilians have wounded have been brought there since the walls are still slightly enhanced.
Celeste does not look good. She is in wrse shape than Cas, whose primary problem was simply loss of blood. Celeste has several aggravated injuries, including damage to internal organs. A full healer would be more qualified, but you will be better by far than Stout, who has merely been able to slow down her slide into death.
Much like the otter, you will have to decide between speed and thoroughness. You have never treated someone this close to the great beyond.
Jareek and Kent are there with worried faces. Stout does not look hopeful.

After observing Celeste's condition, he conceals any sort of concern by letting out his appearance of exhaustion from his earlier healing. Unsure of her conscious state, Nuyok will say "I will do what I can for you, and Stout, if you can help as much as you can," with Nuyok pointing out the problematic areas to Stout and getting his thoughts to help out in how Nuyok goes about healing Celeste. Based on her condition, Nuyok will quickly assess how much time he has to work with to get in a couple of attempts.

PS: Healer, 13- (-4 for 8D6, +? for time, +? for Stout's guidance), thus ??- roll (at least 11- with a few minutes and no help from Stout)
3d6: 1, 4, 2 (STUN: 7, BODY: 2) Fri February 28, 2003 @2:48 PM (EST)
Paramedics, 8- (complementary)
3d6: 2, 3, 2 (STUN: 7, BODY: 3) Fri February 28, 2003 @2:48 PM (EST)
Healing, 8D6
8d6: 2, 5, 4, 6, 1, 1, 2, 3 (STUN: 24, BODY: 7) Fri February 28, 2003 @2:48 PM (EST)

2nd attempt as necessary:
PS: Healer, 13- (-4 for 8D6, +? for time, +? for Stout's guidance), thus ??- roll (at least 11- with a few minutes and no help from Stout)
3d6: 5, 3, 3 (STUN: 11, BODY: 3) Fri February 28, 2003 @2:48 PM (EST)
Paramedics, 8- (complementary)
3d6: 4, 3, 1 (STUN: 8, BODY: 2) Fri February 28, 2003 @2:48 PM (EST)
Healing, 8D6
8d6: 3, 4, 4, 1, 6, 3, 5, 3 (STUN: 29, BODY: 8) Fri February 28, 2003 @2:48 PM (EST)

Looks like a successful first attempt, regardless of time, with enough on the Healing roll to cover 2xBODY in one attempt! (Presumably only 1 healing in X time can be done? If more than one, and if she were really really bad off still, Nuyok might would do the 2nd attempt, though he'd be basically lifeless from LTE use.)

Nuyok, your first attempt was probably a few minutes, since the results were critical. She was farther than -8 though and since 8 is the most you can heal, she was still "dying" after you finished. However, by that time, Parmedics could stabilize her, and Stout has an excellent skill.
Nevertheless, in character POV, it would be prudent to continue working on her with both approaches, regardless of whether the rules support this.
I treated a second attempt (taking several hours)as a positive modifier on the Paramedics roll.

Nuyok and Stout work on Celeste far into the night. Wounded are brought from different areas of the fort, but none are so badly hurt as to interrupt their efforts. Finally, somewhere in the wee hours of the morning, Stout looks at Nuyok and says, "Master, I don't think there's any more we can do for her. Deus willing, she will recover, though she will require much rest. You look like something the reaver spat out, begging your pardon. Get yourself to the inn and a bed. I'll make sure she's tended to."

Whether or not the exhausted Nuyok complies, Celeste is eventually moved to the infirmary, where she sleeps through the night. In the afternoon of the next day, she weakly opens her eyes. She will live!

A strong wind rises and the Sea Dog lurches to one side. Celeste quickly turns to catch the last of Tjen's words...he is not there. She casts about over the deck...nothing. Quickly she runs along the gunwales to the stern...nothing. The wind picks up driving the Sea Dog farther out to sea. There is no sign of Tjen on the deck or in the water. Storm clouds roll up off the horizon; flashes of lightening fortell the coming of a violent thunderclap. A driving rain shoots down out of the clouds, rending the sails of the Sea Dog. Celeste runs to the pilots wheel, desperate to take control of the ship. She finds it is in ruins, as is all of the ship, much like it would appear if it had sunk to the bottom of the sea. Realization dawns on her; that is exactly what happened six weeks ago. Sea Dog is a 'ghost ship'. .oO(That means...not Tjen, but me.?) A wave of nausea and dizziness strike her. Celeste falls to her knees amid the ragged ruins of the Sea Dog; wind and icy rain battering from every side. Immense sadness washes over her... .oO(It is my time, isn't it...) She looks at her hands and sees blood. Her right arm is bleeding freely from a wound; her abdominal muscles exposed and bleeding from a cut that travels from her left side down to her right hip. She stares in wide eyed wonderment, staggers to her feet and makes her way to the gunwale. Taking one last look at the tortured sky around her, she climbs atop the railing and....

Just before she steps over the rail, Celeste hears a voice behind her. She turns and sees a figure on the deck. He is speaking to her, but she cannot make out the words, the wind and rain create too much interference. He looks familiar, but he does not belong on a ghost ship. He belongs...at that moment the Sea Dog tilts madly to one side and does not right itself, it is taking on water. Celeste loses her footing on the rail and falls through the air...and something, 'someone' catches her hand and squeezes it...another voice

The ship is gone. Celeste finds herself standing outside an impressive manor house; she staggers a bit as the change from rolling ship to solid land takes her by surprise. There are well tended gardens inside the wall that surrounds the house and brightly colored flowers abound. She walks towards them, bends over and picks a handful. She is six years old and as she straightens a shadow looms over her. It is her father, Astercaar, and he is yelling something about flowers and weaklings. He strikes at her hand and the crushed flowers fall to the ground....no, this time his hand misses and she defiantly stares at him, the flowers clutched tightly in her little fist. Now she is grown again, the flowers still in her left hand and the falchion in her right. She holds the tip of the sword under his chin. A slight trickle of blood runs down the blade. Astercaar vanishes. The manor house suddenly looks shabby, the garden untended. She walks toward the gate and sees that it is shattered and rent, and steps through the gate...

You can get better now.

OOC: Well, she was just going to keep moving in the direction of the infirmiry until you said okay. Oh, and there was going to be a carnobroc with Ash's face in place of the pod head... I didn't really creep you out, did I?....nah...

[EDITED on Sun March 2, 2003 @9:13 PM (PST)]

OOC: All I can say is...WOW!

OOC: Keith stopped me before I got to the best part.
OOC: Well, I should say 'healed me'

[EDITED on Mon March 3, 2003 @11:37 PM (PST)]

...let me stop you.
As a matter of fact, you could collect them and post them for all to see. I haven't decided about opening this thread yet.

OOC: If you don't think it's too sappy, I will...probably only one more part anyway....(without the carnobroc) I have to think out the details.

Down a gravel path she walks; the wind has risen again, colder than anything she has felt before. There are buildings all around that might provide shelter. She turns to look at one she walked past. It is closest; the doors are open. Before the door, Celeste hesitates, she is so tired,.oO( I just need to rest a bit) and again in her mind she remembers the sensation of being pulled down into the deep waters. .oO(That is where all sea folk should end.) She feels no fear, just a sense of comfort. Waiting at the door, she feels the winds grow colder…and the crackling feel of something reaching for her. The static feeling causes her hair to stand on end, and this drives her to take that step over the threshold of the building. Inside the roar of the wind is absent, it is warmer here. There are people everywhere; some are standing, and some are lying on blankets . She looks for a chair to sit in, but all furniture has been moved to one end. People are moving about and speaking in low voices. Celeste walks amongst the people in the building, they seem not to notice. She recognizes some in the room, but doesn’t know why this is so. At the far end a group is clustered around someone, they look very sad. .oO(This place is too crowded to rest) Celeste turns to leave the building but her legs and feet suddenly feel very heavy. It is all she can do to take a single step in the direction of the door. Two steps are nearly impossible. She turns and looks at the group at the far end of the room, and takes a step in that direction. It is a step that takes her clear across the room.

Celeste is lying on her back looking up at persons standing over her. Someone has covered her with a blanket, and a boy in a man’s body is telling her they will bury her with flowers in her hair. For some reason, she doesn’t find this odd. Another man kneels beside her and says "I will do what I can for you." When he places his hands upon her, the feeling is familiar and she slips into comforting darkness.

OOC: Would you like me to post it?

Anywhere on the Storyboard. (It is definitely in-character)

OOC: Should that reaver still be on the map?

Ricco struggles against his stunned Psyche to little avail. His roll emphatically in his masked features.

How long till Ricco can return to his spunky... (Dang Porn Hero) ...plucky self?

Nuyok has left the building in search of Celeste to heal.
All characters in the manor have been moved into the drawing room. The wunded are being made comfortable.
Riccoco and Handle are slowly returning to normal. They may both act and speak, though weakly.
Ignore reavers or battle markings on the map. I probably won't be updating it. The big middle room upstairs in the manor is open to the central hall below. The two openings on the south wall of this space are arrow slits so that archers can protect the Master. The East room is Ash's bed chamber. The south room (above the front door) is an office.
Faliol finds the bodies of the two snipers. One is in the hall, the other in the office. In the hall he finds a dagger meant for human hands, not Cas'. He believes it to be Handle's. The blade is smeared with an oily brown fluid.
He also finds a basement with a sewer. This is presumably how the two most flexible riven (Houma and Miss Bones) entered the manor unobserved.

Faliol, in the basement you discover a servant. He is an older man, physically unimposing. He is terrified of this strange fox, armed and armored, poking around the basement. At your hail, he comes out from behind a stack of wine barrels.
"P-please gentlebeast, don't kill me. My name is Devlin. I am only a servant. I have been loyal to the Master.What has happened? I heard a lot of fighting and I hid."
In his hands he holds a bundle plainly containing Cas' dagger. He is holding it before him in a gesture of surrender.

"Please place that bundle on top of that box and back up to that wall behind you."

If he complies.... I step forward to the bundle.

"Calm down. You are my prisoner for now. I am going to draw my sword, but I will not harm you unless you attack me."

I draw my sword. "Please roll one of those full wine barrels on top of that sewer grate."

If he complies...

"Is this little knife yours?"

The servant quickly complies to all commands (and will continue to do so. "Please sir, no. It belongs to either the Master or the vixen, depending on who has survived the night."

Keeping an eye on him the whole time, I scoop up the bundle with my left arm.

.oO(If he goes first, he could push me down and lock me in here...)

"Mr. Devlin, if you would be so kind as to follow me upstairs?"

I sidle slowly up the stairs of the basement, sword arm facing Devlin.

Once near the front door, I motion Devlin forwards.

"Upstairs please."

I plan on taking him to Beka/others. Should I begin posting in another thread? Does this happen before or after the move to the inn?

Post it to general visibility. State that it occurs as everyone is packing up to go. When the soldiers arrive, they will take custody. Sorry I can't give more direction, but the family is about to get in the car.
TTFN

.oO(I never wanted to grow old but, I now think I may enjoy doing it more slowly...)

I raise one hand and look at it, the bracer strapped to it chafes and I see the dusty remains of my skin flaking away from under it. I return my arm gingerly to the floor and lay there unmoving.

Mako looks out the window at the approaching transport. "I've got to get out there. I'm sorry about the way things turned out, but we all know what really happened. I'm sending soldiers to lock this place up." He recovers Ash's sword.
"Make sure everything stays where it is. Ash's personal effects belong to his family. As soon as you can, get to the inn. You've got a free stay there for as long as I command this fort." He leaves.

A few minutes later, three soliders will come to follow his orders. If you do not say anything to the contrary, I will assume you comply as well, and all subsequent dialog will take place at the inn.

"I lost my weapon somewhere around here," Cas says. "If you find it, please see that it makes it way to me. It is a very fancy stiletto that was a gift from a very important friend of mine." Cas will describe the stiletto as best she can to the soldier and then willingly transfer to the inn.

OOC: Keith asked me to post this via general visibility. The timing of this post happens when everyone is packing to go, just before the soldiers arrive.

I enter the drawing room (hopefully most are present) with a servant. My sword is drawn and he precedes me into the room.

In my left arm is a bundle containing a knife.

"Says his name is Devlin and that he is, err, was Ash's servant. I found him hiding in the basement with this bundle. There is a sewer entrance down there that was probably used to gain entrance to the Manor by Houma and his too skinny female companion. I had Devlin roll a full wine barrel on top of it, but it should be guarded."

I hand Cas her stiletto. "Cassandra, here is your stiletto. Is anything else in this bundle yours?"

I watch Cas' face as she sees Devlin. That servant will wish he were dead if he helped Ash torture her...

My tail begins to move in quick, jerky motions...

When the others are not looking, I slip Handle a knife with a strange liquid on its blade.

I whisper "I believe you may have dropped this."

I wink at him in conspiratorial fashion.

Louder "Are you feeling better?"

Cas perks up and takes the blade into her hand. She looks up at Faliol with her face filled with energy, "You don't know how much this means to me. I owe you one Faliol!" She examines the weapon over to make sure nothing creepy was added to it. Then she sheathes it.

"Seeing you in better spirits after the horrible ordeal you suffered this day is reward enough."

.oO(I probably shouldn't bring this up right now, but I must know the truth...)

"Cassandra, I am sorry to bring this subject up just when you are feeling better, but I have to know. Did this Devlin fellow help hurt you?"

"He only took my weapon away. He never hurt me."

I sheath my sword.

"Mr. Devlin, please forgive me for startling you in basement. I was wrong to treat you as a potential threat. Please accept my apologies. Oh, yes, you can put your hands down now. You are no longer my prisoner."

I rub my eyes.

.oO(So tired, So very, very tired...)

Keith, any idea what you plan on doing with Rath when I leave? Just wondering if I should start setting something up or not. Maybe the rest of the Riven aren't so blood thirsty without Houma and Ash and I feel like I fit in with them, sort of make a deal with Fort Lizard we provide protection in exchange for trade goods or whatever. Just some thoughts.

That's actually a better idea than the one I had in mind. Let me think about it, and I'll come up with something. BTW, since this thread will probably become visible, follow up through TheGM@comcast.net

Celeste is eventually moved to the infirmary, where she sleeps through the night. In the afternoon of the next day, she weakly opens her eyes. She will live!

A messenger is thoughtfully sent to the Inn to deliver the news to the recovering adventurers.

OOC: Due to limited visibility of the original posts, I am posting this in its entirety by GM suggestion. If you would rather not know what goes on inside a characters mind, then I would suggest you not read it as it hints at things that as of yet,Celeste has spoken of to no one.
High Tide
Waves break on the distant shore, the sound is comforting. The full moon is high and bright in the sky, whispers of clouds play over its face. A warm, gentle breeze tugs at the sails of the Sea Dog. No sign of rain, tomorrow will be a good day.

Celeste stands on the foredeck, undoing her long braid and allowing the wind to blow through her hair. She stands there for what seems a long time. No sounds but the gentle creaking of the ship as she moves through the water. No one pilots the Sea Dog, she seems to move of her own will; heading south, well south of Tallon. Tallon? The name seems familiar, and yet, unfamiliar. No matter, Sea Dog is whole and alive once more! .oO(I could stay here forever...but I am alone...my family is...) She loses her train of thought, grasping for images of her family. There is her mother, Solisti, but the other images are 'different' somehow, but they are family.

And then she feels a presence, so familiar, but absent for a while. A boot-step on the deck, a strong familiar hand upon her shoulder, she knows all will be well with the world.

The shore is almost completely out of sight now and the full moon is close to setting. Tjen holds her within his bronzed arms and she rests her head against his shoulder.
--(I don't ever want to leave here...)----(I know, but I can't stay here...I'm not...)--
Change in the Winds
A strong wind rises and the Sea Dog lurches to one side. Celeste quickly turns to catch the last of Tjen's words...he is not there. She casts about over the deck...nothing. Quickly she runs along the gunwales to the stern...nothing. The wind picks up driving the Sea Dog farther out to sea. There is no sign of Tjen on the deck or in the water. Storm clouds roll up off the horizon; flashes of lightening foretell the coming of a violent thunderclap. A driving rain shoots down out of the clouds, rending the sails of the Sea Dog. Celeste runs to the pilots wheel, desperate to take control of the ship. She finds it is in ruins, as is all of the ship, much like it would appear if it had sunk to the bottom of the sea. Realization dawns on her; that is exactly what happened six weeks ago. Sea Dog is a 'ghost ship'....oO(That means...not Tjen, but me.?) A wave of nausea and dizziness strike her. Celeste falls to her knees amid the ragged ruins of the Sea Dog; wind and icy rain battering from every side. Immense sadness washes over her... .oO(It is my time, isn't it...) She looks at her hands and sees blood. Her right arm is bleeding freely from a wound; her abdominal muscles exposed and bleeding from a cut that travels from her left side down to her right hip. She stares in wide eyed wonderment, staggers to her feet and makes her way to the gunwale. Taking one last look at the tortured sky around her, she climbs atop the railing and....
***
Voices
Just before she steps over the rail, Celeste hears a voice behind her. She turns and sees a figure on the deck. He is speaking to her, but she cannot make out the words, the wind and rain create too much interference. He looks familiar, but he does not belong on a ghost ship. He belongs...at that moment the Sea Dog tilts madly to one side and does not right itself, it is taking on water. Celeste loses her footing on the rail and falls through the air...and something, 'someone' catches her hand and squeezes it...another voice
***
Another Voice
The ship is gone. Celeste finds herself standing outside an impressive manor house; she staggers a bit as the change from rolling ship to solid land takes her by surprise. There are well tended gardens inside the wall that surrounds the house and brightly colored flowers abound. She walks towards them, bends over and picks a handful. She is six years old and as she straightens a shadow looms over her. It is her father, Astercaar, and he is yelling something about flowers and weaklings. He strikes at her hand and the crushed flowers fall to the ground....no, this time his hand misses and she defiantly stares at him, the flowers clutched tightly in her little fist. Now she is grown again, the flowers still in her left hand and the falchion in her right. She holds the tip of the sword under his chin. A slight trickle of blood runs down the blade. Astercaar vanishes. The manor house suddenly looks shabby, the garden untended. She walks toward the gate and sees that it is shattered and rent, and steps through the gate...
***
Lost
Down a gravel path she walks; the wind has risen again, colder than anything she has felt before. There are buildings all around that might provide shelter. She turns to look at one she walked past. It is closest; the doors are open. Before the door, Celeste hesitates, she is so tired....oO( I just need to rest a bit) and again in her mind she remembers the sensation of being pulled down into the deep waters. .oO(That is where all sea folk should end.) She feels no fear, just a sense of comfort. Waiting at the door, she feels the winds grow colder…and the crackling feel of something reaching for her. The static feeling causes her hair to stand on end, and this drives her to take that step over the threshold of the building. Inside the roar of the wind is absent, it is warmer here. There are people everywhere; some are standing, and some are lying on blankets . She looks for a chair to sit in, but all furniture has been moved to one end. People are moving about and speaking in low voices. Celeste walks amongst the people in the building, they seem not to notice. She recognizes some in the room, but doesn’t know why this is so. At the far end a group is clustered around someone, they look very sad. .oO(This place is too crowded to rest) Celeste turns to leave the building but her legs and feet suddenly feel very heavy. It is all she can do to take a single step in the direction of the door. Two steps are nearly impossible. She turns and looks at the group at the far end of the room, and takes a step in that direction. It is a step that takes her clear across the room.

Celeste is lying on her back looking up at persons standing over her. Someone has covered her with a blanket, and a boy in a man’s body is telling her they will bury her with flowers in her hair. For some reason, she doesn’t find this odd. Another man kneels beside her and says "I will do what I can for you." When he places his hands upon her, the feeling is familiar and she slips into comforting darkness.

[EDITED on Thu March 6, 2003 @1:06 AM (PST)]