Barriers
Chapter 5, Part A
Session Start: Sat Dec 12 22:30
Session Close: Sun Dec 13 01:00
Elapsed Time: 2h, 30m
Total Elapsed: 23h, 23m

Cast (In Order of Appearance)

J. Desorme as Will Dosyani "Andrew" as Finn MacGovray Danny Capote as Cassandra Kalikar

Storyteller as PseudoCassandra, One, Two, Pyrotechnic Storen as Guard A (aka One/Lenny) Lucca as Guard B (aka Two)

Katarina Zone

[Storyteller] As the ladies and Criz walked off to the west, you watched. After they turned a corner in the trail, falling out of view, you turned back to each other.  The wind blows, rushing through your thick clothes like daggers. It's time to get moving.
* Will lets out a deep breath, taking a moment to lift off his goggles, blinking in the bright light.
[Will] So... I guess we're a bit of a team now, huh?
* Finn walks, clutching his coat around him tightly.
[Finn] Guess so...
* PseudoCassandra pulls her cloak around her and follows the group.
[PseudoCassandra] You ever been to Nanza, Finn?
* Will marches forward in his current, warm clothes, checking his compass with a little map.
[Finn] No...
[Will] So... where do you come from?
[Finn] Meryod, sort of. Yourself?
[Will] Me? I'm from Iluk!
[Storyteller] The compass points dead behind you, which means you're a bit off course. You could either go south through the pass, or cross right over the mountains. The mountain would be a shorter route, but fret with more danger.
[Will] Well... that and Myght's tower. But, more importantly...
[Finn] Myght's tower? You lived there?
[Will] We're a bit off to Nanza... if we took the mountains, we might get there quicker, according to my little chart- but it's probably much more dangerous. It's either that, or the pass.
[PseudoCassandra] Doesn't make a difference to me.
[Will] What do you say... er...?
[Finn] Let's go through the mountains...
* Will nods.
[Will] Right! Mountains it is then!
[Finn] Live dangerously for once.
* Finn smiles and treks towards the mountains...
* Will chuckles.
[PseudoCassandra] Sounds good to me.
* Will puts his goggles back in place, stuffing his compass in a little pocket and folding the small chart up.
* Finn casts a sidelong glance at Will, raising an eyebrow as he walks.
[Will] (Hm... nice enough people... but I can't seem to figure out the... uh... woman.)
[Storyteller] The three make their way up the mountain. From time to time, they are forced to help each other up or around an outcropping or such. Up ahead, you hear a rustling in the scrub growth.
* Finn climbs steadily up, refusing to look down.
* Will looks around.
[Will] What... was that noise?
* Finn reflexively draws his sword.
[Finn] I don't know.
* Finn moves forward, looking around cautiously.
[Will] W-wait... shouldn't we see first what it is? Chances are it's just a little mountain thing, if not the wind!
[Storyteller] Something leaps from an outcropping above your heads. It lands behind a rock near you, too quick to see.
[PseudoCassandra] What the fuck was that?
* PseudoCassandra draws her whip.
[Will] Er... then again!
[Storyteller] Back where you heard the original rustling, you hear a some sort of animal baaaaah-ing.
[Finn] Lovely.
* Will takes out his hammer from his pack.
* Finn tenses up...
[Storyteller] A reply comes from the rock with the "something" behind it. Baaaaaaaah!
[Finn] Maybe they're just really agile sheep.
[Will] In the mountains..? I don't know!
[Finn] I was making a pathetic attempt at being optimistic...
* Finn starts moving forward.
[Will] Er... go with... um... *points at Cassandra* to the bush thing... I'll go see what's behind the rock!
[Storyteller] Something rushes across the path in front of you.
* PseudoCassandra walks behind, but off to one side of Finn.
[Will] Uwaa! Another one!?
* Finn nods to Will and moves towards the bush...
* Will brandishes his hammer slowly, ignoring whatever zoomed past him, walking towards the rock.
[Storyteller] A furry thing (a goat, definitely a goat) hops up on top of the rock. It joins the other goat by leaping, using Cassandra's head as a midway point. Cassandra is KONKed!
* PseudoCassandra falls to the ground, unconscious.
* Will looks stunned for a moment, and laughs a little.

Combat! Round 1!

[Storyteller] MountainGoat A uses Trample!
[Will] Just goats... why are they attacking us...?
[Storyteller] Finn takes 18 damage from MountainGoat's skill.
[Will] They're serious!
[Storyteller] Will takes 20 damage from MountainGoat's skill.
* Finn looks slightly rattled...
[Finn] That hurt.
* Will goes back a step or two, wincing
[Storyteller] MountainGoat B attacks Finn! Blllllllllllleaaaat! MountainGoat hits Finn for 3 damage.
[Storyteller] MountainGoat C attacks Finn! Blllllllllllleaaaat! MountainGoat hits Finn for 2 damage.
[Will] Wh-whew...!
* Will wipes some sweat off his brow with his gloved hand.
[Finn] These things are psychotic...
[Will] I guess we can't hold back!
* Finn nods to Will.
* Will grips the hammer's handle tightly, shifting his grip uncomfortably. Taking a moment to gather momentum, he approaches the enemy line and swings his hammer at it in an uneven arc! "Hammer Swing!"
[Storyteller] MountainGoat A takes 47 damage from Will's weapon skill. MountainGoat B takes 44 damage from Will's weapon skill. MountainGoat C takes 50 damage from Will's weapon skill.
[Finn] Woah...nicely done.
* Will stumbles back to his position, visibly strained.
* Finn takes careful account of MountainGoat A's position, takes off into a running start towards it, and drives his sword into its side...
[Storyteller] MountainGoat A takes 56 damage from Finn's weapon skill and dies!
* Finn flinches slightly...
[Finn] I hate killing animals..
[Will] I don't like this either... but... it's either them or us!
[Finn] Yeah, I know.

Combat! Round 2!

[Storyteller] Mountain Goat B rushes toward Will. It spins around and hits him full in the chest with both legs. MountainGoat B hits Will for 20 damage. Will is KONKed!
[Will] Augh!
* Will is knocked against the mountain wall, against which he promptly collapses onto the ground.
* Finn looks slightly worried, and rushes MountainGoat B, stabbing it twice with his sword.
[Storyteller] Finn missed! Finn hits MountainGoat B for 10 damage and kills it!
* Finn slices C with his dagger.
[Storyteller] Finn hits MountainGoat C for 6 damage and kills it!
[Finn] Whew...

Victory!

* Finn sheathes his sword and walks over to Will...
[Finn] Hey...you alright?
* Will coughs, and sits up, rubbing his eyes.
[Will] I've been better... ^^;
* PseudoCassandra pulls herself up too.
[PseudoCassandra] Did somebody get the number of that truck?
[Will] Er... are you... all right... um...?
* Will twitches, forgetting both names.
[Finn] I'm decent.
* PseudoCassandra has a nice set of goat-prints on her brain-box, so she's not in much of a bitchy mood anymore.
[Will] What about you? You got a nasty kick!
[Finn] Perhaps an herb would be in order for both of you?
* PseudoCassandra shakes her head...
[PseudoCassandra] I'm all set... I think...
* Will uses a Herb!
[Storyteller] Will regains 20 HP!
* Will gets up, rubbing his arm gingerly
[Finn] You'll just need to be redoing your hair when you get a chance...
* PseudoCassandra runs a hand through her hair...
[PseudoCassandra] Huh? Shit...
* Finn smirks...
[Finn] Anyways...onward?
[PseudoCassandra] If you think you can handle it...
[Will] We should be more careful the next time... or we might just get killed by goats! That would really... right! Let's go!
* Finn pulls his coat around him and keeps walking.
[Finn] Being killed by a goat would be very undignified. I can't think of many worse ways to go...
[Storyteller] Now keeping a much better eye out for the indigenous critters, the group continues on. They manage to get over the mountain range and down into the foothills by nightfall. Seeing as they're all tired, the group decides to stop for the evening. With his command of lightning, Will is able to start a nice fire to keep them warm.
[PseudoCassandra] Anybody got a tent to pitch for the night?
* Will sits down, catching his breath.
[Finn] Hmm...not me...
* Finn sits down slowly and exhales.
[Will] I used to sleep in my cart.. so... huff... no soap here...
[Finn] I'm tired, though...I suppose we should try to find shelter to be safe...
* PseudoCassandra curls up against a tree by herself and quickly nods off. The bruise on her head must be getting to her.
* Will huddles close to the fire, his mind apparently somewhere else.
* Will hmms.
[Will] So... well... Finn was it?
[Finn] Yes...
[Will] Er... who were those people you and... uh... her... were traveling with?
[Finn] An eclectic group...we met up pretty much by coincidence... I wonder how they're doing right now.
* Will coughs.
[Will] Do you know anything about... well... the... nice girl?
[Finn] Audrey, you mean?
[Will] Is that her name? The one who was always asking me if I was okay.
[Finn] Well, she's a priestess... And a very upright and moral one at that. But I suppose priestesses are supposed to be upright and moral.
* PseudoCassandra mumbles in her sleep...
[PseudoCassandra] Don't you mean uptight and anal?
[Will] A priestess...?
[Finn] Yeah... Of Althena.
* Will furrows his brow, not knowing much about priests in general, and then preferring logic over faith...
[Will] But... she's not a fanatic, is she? Not like some of those priests and religious people you hear about?
[Finn] No...it's her friend that's the fanatic...
* Will looks relieved.
* Finn uses an herb on himself as he talks with Will.
[Storyteller] Finn regains 20 HP!
[Will] Well... that's nice to know... I wonder how she's doing now...
[Finn] I'm sure she's fine, she's got a good head on her shoulders...
[Will] I thought so too! And she's pretty, too! ^_^
[Finn] Indeed...but be careful...
[Finn] I'm not sure exactly what the rules of being a priestess are...
[Will] Well... it can't be a bad thing, right?
[Finn] But I'm not sure whether they're allowed to have...uhm...relationships...
* Finn shrugs.

Later that Evening

[Storyteller] Two dark figures circle the camp. Using the dying light of the fire, they look over the party.
[One] Two men and a woman.
[Two] He said girl...
[One] Girl, woman... What's the difference?... Let's just grab her and go.
[Two] Okay.
[Storyteller] They slip into the camp, and quickly bind and gag Cassandra. They tie her inside a burlap sack. With some effort, they carry her back to their horses. One of them scribbles something on a sheet of paper, the puts the paper over his arrow. He launches it into the camp. It hits the ground right between Finn and Will. It quivers a moment, then stops. The two men ride off into the darkness.

Morning

[Storyteller] The two awake with the rising sun. The fire has fallen to barely an ember. It's rather cold.
* Finn wakes up, rubbing his eyes.
[Will] Eeeh... maybe... *yawn* I should have kept the fire going on a bit longer...
* Will stretches, feeling a bit stiff but rested up.
[Storyteller] Will's hand hits the arrow as he stretches.
[Finn] Hey...what's that?
[Will] We should go wake... huh?
* Will blinks, and looks at the arrow.
[Will] What's this...? An arrow...?
[Storyteller] There is a sheet of parchment securely fastened to the shaft.
* Will removes it from the ground.
[Will] A note... let's see...
* Will takes the goggles off his eyes to get better lighting.
[Storyteller] The note reads.

A few friends showed up while you were asleep.
I went with them to Nanza for some fun and
games. Later.

* Will blinks
[Will] Friends...? Here? What's going on?
[Finn] What... Cassandra?
* Finn looks around and notices she's gone...
[Will] This... woman is weird... and she didn't even sign it...
[Finn] No, this isn't right... Where the hell would she get an arrow?
[Will] Maybe she didn't.
[Finn] No kidding...
[Will] Besides... what would friends of her be doing around here at this hour?
[Finn] We should get going to Nanza right away to try to find her...
[Will] Are you sure? What if she's not in Nanza...?
[Finn] If she's not, then we have very little chance of finding her... We have no idea who those men were, or why they took her.
[Will] I... guess you're right...
[Finn] Chances are, though, that they want us to go to Nanza... They're probably more inclined to want to screw us up or kill us than to sidetrack us... So we'll have to be careful.
[Will] .oO(Now why would they take her...? I don't think they'll get much money for ransom... and... well... coming out here to kidnap her just because...)
* Will nods, still thinking... .oO(But they could have killed us right there and then... if the arrow was aimed at us instead of the ground...)
[Storyteller] Having reached a decision, the two set out toward Nanza. The trip is slow going, as they try their best to not get captured. Or worse. The walk takes the better part of the day, leaving them outside the walls of Nanza just around night fall. The sun sets behind the massive cliffs of the Barrier. The two adventurers hunker down behind a small hill to make plans.

Guard Building, Nanza

[Storyteller] You've spent most of the last 12 hours in the dark. Bound and gagged, you didn't have much of a say in the matter. The first thing that you really remember is being unceremoniously dumped in a corner of a room. You can hear two or three voices talking near you, but they're speaking a language you can't understand. The voices stop, followed by the sound of a closing door.
[Storyteller] An hour or two passes, nobody comes back...
* Cassandra speaks quietly.
[Cassandra] Hello?
[Storyteller] No answer.
* Cassandra screams at the top of her lungs for help.
[Storyteller] You can't manage open your mouth to speak that loud. Your mouth is gagged still.
[Cassandra] Shit...Someone...? Anyone...?
[Storyteller] Again, no response to your soft, muffled pleas.
[Cassandra] I hope these people aren't into S & M...I'm not that rough...
* Cassandra tries to get her hands free in any way possible.
[Storyteller] Cassandra takes 3 damage. By popping some of her joints out of their sockets, she manages to free one of her arms.
* Cassandra moves her arm around to get blood circulating normally again and then removes the gag and blindfold to see where she is.
[Storyteller] It appears to be some sort of guard room. There's a door at one end, and a table in the middle. Up against the wall is a small rack of weapons and a single suit of armor.
* Cassandra leans over and tries to untie the knot at her feet.
[Storyteller] It's a bit difficult, 'cause her fingers are still blue from lack of blood, but she manages to get it undone.
* Cassandra stands up slowly and leans against the wall for support. When she finally gets her balance, she goes to the weapons rack, gets a dagger and tries to cut loose the remaining rope on her other arm.
[Storyteller] She frees herself from the remainder of the rope.
[Storyteller] Items on Shelf: Tisai Katana x2, Carapace Vest.
* Cassandra takes the katanas and checks to see if she can fit the armor on.
[Storyteller] The Carapace Vest is much to large for her to use, but it might fit one of her companions.
* Cassandra takes the vest just in case.
[Storyteller] Sitting under the vest is a ring. It looks like a stylized snake, the head biting it's own tail.
* Cassandra takes the ring.
* Cassandra slips the ring on a finger.
[Storyteller] You hear somebody fumbling with the door.
[One] Damned handle is jammed again.
[Two] Well, Lord Koran wants to see the woman.
[One] You think she's the wrong one?
[Two] I dunno...
* Cassandra looks at the door and mutters.
[Cassandra] Shit...
[One] Ah ha!
[Storyteller] The door starts to swing inwards.
* Cassandra looks for a place to hide... .oO (Shit! Shit! Shit!)
[Storyteller] There's a barrel of ale in the corner behind the door.
* Cassandra crouches down behind the barrel.
[Storyteller] Two "men" enter the room. Despite their proportions and size, they're very reminiscent of the peons you fought at the shrine. They have swords very similar to the black one you confiscated, but longer. They also carry long bows.
* Cassandra tries to keep her breathing quiet even though she's really nervous.
[One] Shit?! Where the hell did she go?!
[Two] How did she cut the damned ropes?
[One] You didn't tie them tight enough! Maybe she chewed through!
[Two] Don't pin this on me. *You* go tell Lord Koran.
[Storyteller] The two freakish parody's of humans run out of the guard building. You hear a bell right outside.

Outside Nanza

[Storyteller] Just as you're about to put your plan into motion, noise rises from inside the city. You can hear the clanging of bell, and a large number of people running around.
[Finn] Hoo boy...
[Will] ...? What's that?
[Finn] Who knows... Maybe we should get in right away, while there's commotion...if they have some sort of trap planned, it'll be a lot more difficult for them now...
* Will nods.
[Will] Right!
* Finn enters the city.
* Will follows suit.
* Finn looks around to try and figure out what's going on.
[Storyteller] Amid the commotion, you're able to slip in over the wall. You can see people running around. It looks like they're trying to find somebody.

Nanza

[Storyteller] As unlikely as it seems, when you stick you're head out the door you see two shadowy figures come *over* the wall and *into* Nanza.
[Cassandra] Out of the frying pan and into the fire...
[Storyteller] More fellows like Ugly One and Ugly Two are rushing around, lighting fires and setting lanterns. The whole city is quickly becoming illuminated. Soon, the 50 feet between you and the outer wall will be lit...
* Cassandra quickly runs out and into the nearest area of shadows.
[Storyteller] Finn & Will see somebody slip out of one of the buildings, then rush around the corner. You catch a faint glimmer, like weapons shining in the firelight.
[Will] Let's follow him! Maybe he'll guide us to where Cassandra is!
* Will chases after the figure with Finn!
[Storyteller] You rush across toward the figure. Just as you're half way there, a bonfire nearby lights up, shedding light all over you.
[Woman] Stop where you are!
[Will] Uh-oh...
* Will stops.
[Finn] Or what?
[Storyteller] You see two vile freaks with bows. Standing between them is a woman in a dark ruby robe.
[Finn] Er...um. Heh.
[Will] Wh-who are you?
[Woman] Or you burn... Seize them.
* Finn draws his sword.
[Will] Hold it a second! What's this for?!
[Storyteller] The two ugly big peon's advance.
* Cassandra attacks one of the peons.

Combat! Round Zero!

[Storyteller] Cassandra gains the benefit of surprise!
[Will] ...Cassandra? Is that you?
[Finn] Cassandra!
[Storyteller] Cassandra hits Guard for 24 damage.
* Cassandra grins evilly.

Combat! Round 1!

[Finn] Where'd you come from?
[Will] Where have you been! We thought you'd been kidnapped!
* Finn whispers to Will.
[Finn] Give that mage a good smack with your hammer...
[Storyteller] Guard A draws back his long bow and lets fly at Finn. Guard hits Finn for 0 damage.
[Storyteller] Guard B fires an arrow at Cassandra! It hits her right in the stomach, tearing as it passes through. Critical Hit! Cassandra takes 30 damage.
[Guard B] That's for kickin' me in the nuts!
[Will] Wh-whoa! Cassandra! You okay?
* Finn winces...
* Cassandra holds her stomach in pain.
* Will takes out his hammer quickly.
[Will] (No... I know!)
* Will drops the hammer..
* Will raises a hand, gathering a swirling, misty ring of brown energy around it. "Stone Spear!!"
* Will points his hand towards the mage, the previously ethereal energy condensing into a big rock spike which gathers momentum and smashes into the target!
[Storyteller] Pyrotechnic takes 21 damage from Will's spell.
[Storyteller] She falls to one knee briefly, the pushes herself back up, using her cane for support.
[Pyrotechnic] Your magic is weak!
[Will] ... well... practice makes perfect!
[Finn] Oh geez...
[Pyrotechnic] Flames of wrath spring forth! FLAME SWEEP!
[Storyteller] A wall of flame rises between the two party's and flows over the group.
[Will] Ah... ha ha... ha... ^^;
* Cassandra looks up from her wound and frowns.
[Cassandra] Shit...
[Storyteller] Cassandra takes 35 damage from Pyrotechnic's spell and is KONKed! Finn takes 33 damage from Pyrotechnic's spell.  Will takes 23 damage from Pyrotechnic's spell.
[Will] Aaah!
[Finn] Well fiddle dee dee...
* Will is driven back, barely alive.
* Finn draws his blade and snarls at the mage.
[Finn] Let's see how big your mouth is after this...
* Finn leaps at the mage and drives his sword into her gut.
[Storyteller] Pyrotechnic takes 39 damage from Finn's weapon skill. She falls under the business end of his dual-bladed attack.
* Will struggles up, taking his hammer again.
[Finn] You okay, Will?
[Will] Not... really!

Combat! Round 2!

[Guard A] Hey, they got the boss!
[Guard B] Let's show that scrawny guy what real pain is!
[Guard A] Yeah! Kill! Maim! Hehe!
[Storyteller] Both guards take shots at Finn, the slayer of their mage.
[Storyteller] Guard A hits Finn for 1 damage. Guard B hits Finn for 1 damage.
[Finn] Yeah, that's some real pain alright...
* Finn smirks.
[Will] Ugh... I guess it's my fate...!
* Will grips the hammer's handle tightly, shifting his grip uncomfortably. Taking a moment to gather momentum, he approaches the enemy line and swings his hammer at it in an uneven arc! "Hammer Swing!"
[Storyteller] Guard A takes 40 damage from Will's weapon skill. Guard B takes 43 damage from Will's weapon skill.
[Storyteller] Guard A dies!
[Guard A] Mommy!
* Will falls to the ground, exhausted..
[Guard B] Oh my god, you killed Lenny. You bastard!
* Finn slashes Guard B across the throat twice with his sword...
[Storyteller] Finn hits Guard for 8 damage and kills him!
[Guard B] Oh my god, you killed me! You bastard!

Victory!

[Will] We... We did it...
[Finn] Some healing would be in order...
[Storyteller] Hearing the fighting, guards begin to pour in your direction from all over Nanza.
[Finn] Okay, umm...let's go!
[Will] Er... uh... I suggest... we run like rabbits!
[Storyteller] None of the appear to be humans. They're all some sick vile parody of humanity, or they're incredibly beastly.
* Finn runs.
* Cassandra sits up. She takes out two herbs and uses them on herself.
[Cassandra] I'm in so much pain...
[Storyteller] Cassandra regains 40 HP.
* Will weakly gets up, uses his last herb, and starts off.
[Storyteller] Will regains 20 HP.
* Finn uses an herb on himself.
[Storyteller] Finn regains 20 HP.
* Cassandra follows Finn as fast as possible.
[Cassandra] Remind me to give you some stuff I found that you could use in battle after we get away from here, Finn.
[Finn] Okay...thank you.
[Cassandra] For a price, obviously.
* Finn keeps running.
[Finn] Price?
[Cassandra] We'll work out the details later.
[Will] .oO(I can't believe this... we're... escaping from a mob... and they're discussing money!)
* Finn starts clambering up the wall to try and get out of the city.
[Storyteller] You help each other scramble over a broken section of wall. You run off into the night... Arrows nip at your heels, but you're soon out and clear. You all collapse into a heap behind a large tree, dead tired...
[Finn] Goddess...what in the hell were those creatures?
* Will closes his eyes.
[Will] Gaaah.
* Cassandra gives Finn the two katanas and vest she stole.
[Cassandra] I was just kidding about the price.
[Finn] Woah...
* Finn smiles gratefully at Cassandra.
[Finn] Thank you.
* Finn stores his short sword, dagger, and heavy clothes, and equips both katanas and the vest.
* Will rubs his head.
[Will] What just happened? Were they after you, Cassandra?
[Cassandra] I guess... I was to be presented to some guy, Lord Koran...
[Will] Do you know why?
[Cassandra] I think they're looking for somebody important, but I don't recall ever meeting anyone with that name.
* Will thinks, .oO(Koran...? Never heard of him... well... I don't hear of many people in the tower... a Lord? Hmm...)
[Will] Strange... Maybe they confused you with someone else?
[Cassandra] Besides, what would I have that they'd want? I'm just a poor, unemployed waitress.
[Will] That's what I was thinking.
* Cassandra shrugs.
[Cassandra] Maybe... But who else looks like me? Seriously, look at me...
* Will looks at Cassandra.
[Will] Er... well...