Re: THE ADVENTURE MAIN THREAD

[Kindulas]

Vash smiles, then laughs. "See Sebastian? People can get shit done without doing it at your dictation."

Sebastian frowns for a second, then smirks. It seems my faith in you was well placed. In that case, Olnar and Jess will be your frontal assault. Vash's power is well established, I want to see you and Erin in action, and Olnar and Jess needs the experience as well.

[Nehiel Mori]

((As a note about my current stealth skills. I have a 3 to precision, which becomes a 8 to stealth while a kitten. I also have stealth mode while a kitten, which means for 5 mins I can have a total score of 18. Impressive, but this only lasts for 10 mins. So don't expect me to be able to stealth for long))

[Lapis-Lazily]

Volker stops at the door.

"Jess changes the dynamic, as the plan relied on the brute force of Vash and Olnar at the front. Jess, could you match Vash for brute force, or do you have an invention that would service the brute force purpose of the frontal assault? If not, recalculation is in order."

[Kindulas]

Events of battle transpire

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Lyzolda appears above the cauldron, half of her face looking human with most of her body as mere shadow. "FOOLS!!! THE RITUAL WAS INCOMPLE-" Lyzolda sees the party and stops. "Yooou..." she says, her voice dripping with hatred. "You interrupted this!!!" She looks down at the crumpled Dread Slag. "Forced the final sacrifice in before-"

"So." Vash says and he steps into the room. "You dare rear your ugly mug in the world of the living again?"

Lyzolda smiles and relaxes once she recognizes Vash. "I couldn't stand being apart from you darling. I see you still have a keepsake from me, too."

"Reminds me of the time I slit your throat with it," Vash says, pulling out the Rakdos Rite Knife from his chest as opposed to the massive blade slung over his back. His blood trails from the knife as he pulls it out, and then becomes a long blade extending from the knife. "Fun times, I assure you."

[Jentaru]

"Vash, you know this.... butcher!? She masaquered countless numbers of my comrades." Olnar lifts his hammer, even as sweat begins to pour from his brow. "This blood thirsty harlot will feel my hammer insider her skull for what she has done!" Olnar lets out a loud trumpet from his trunk.

[Kindulas]

"I'd be luckier not to, but she is the cause of my life and unlife alike."

[Lapis-Lazily]

Volker is actually quite shocked, but he manages to compose himself.

"Well, reunions are always pleasant. I think, though, that this one may be a bit premature. Actually, I think you should still be dead, but that's asking too much I believe. Though I do wonder why this ritual was performed in an abandoned warehouse in former Orzhov land as opposed to at Rix Maadi.

[Kindulas]

oh yes, I forgot you guys' earlier perception check. You notice a number of scratched out Rakdos Logos on the altars and things

[Lapis-Lazily]

"Judging by the scratched marks, I'd venture to say this venture was not Rakdos approved. Wonder why, it's not a if backstabbing she-bitches aren't hi type."

[Nehiel Mori]

*Why are people talking, why. We have more fighting to do! Can't they feel the rush! This feeling of power. Control over life and death, ripping the throats out of those... what where they called again? Oh, Rakdos, right.*

Erin's thoughts are lost in her bloodrage, and all she can see is red. Her eyes are bloodshot and glowing a dark red, her hands extended into sharp claws. Her form is hunched over keeping her body low to the ground. She has the look of a panther, or a tiger. A creature running entirely on instinct just looking for the next thing to spring on and pounce; tearing the life from its throat. She looks at her gore stained claws; and extends her tongue out to drink the blood off them. Her teeth are sharp, blood and bits covering her lower jaw.

[Lapis-Lazily]

Volker notices this and walks behind Erin, hugging her.

"It will be okay Erin, stop. This isn't you. Erin, please. Stop."

[Kindulas]

"That's very much her, Volker, she's a tailor-made hunter. However, Erin, I would suggest you not pounce this one, she's a tad out of your league. However, it does seem that you've managed to keep her from being at full strength."
In the blink of an eye Vash dashes half way across the room and slices the Dread Slag in half. Then into smaller and smaller pieces. But it wasn't his primary target. His blade also passes through Lyzolda harmlessly, again and again.

"Sorry son," she says, "But I have a counter-cult to rebuild, and some strength to muster." With that, she wiffs away.

"DAMN IT!!" Vash yells.

[Lapis-Lazily]

"Speaking from experience here, the past is never pleasant, but it always catches up with you. We'll be seeing her again, of this I am sure. At present, it would be best to cut our losses and heal up."

As he says this, Volker begins absorbing the residual life energy from the room. As it flows through the air it acts like flowing stream of light spiraling toward Volker. A bright light flashes around him and when it stops Volker appears visibly younger, from looking to be around 45 to about 23.

[Nehiel Mori]

((+20 to athletics to run over and slash up whatever Vash left))

[Lapis-Lazily]

((+20 to magecraft to magically restrain Erin))

[Kindulas]

[[I did this with real dice, and you both roll 17. However, Volker takes a -5 to Magecraft because he was doing this with no prep-time.]]

"Wow Volker," Jess says, "That's... a neat trick."

Vash put the ritual knife back into his chest.

[Lapis-Lazily]

Volker is visibly strained from his life-stealing spell and the failed effort to hold back Erin. He is out of breath and hunched over.

"Yes... well... we have... more pressing... concerns. Such... as... the *big gasp of air* little bio-weapon we have rampaging around the room. Only a matter of time before that kind of energy turn on us. She's dangerous."

He regains his composure, but is still visibly exhausted.

[Kindulas]

"You all go home," Vash says, gripping the blade on his back, "My ire has been raised tonight and I will not leave until I have spilled an ocean of blood. I'll make sure nothing else here is alive or animated."

[Nehiel Mori]

Erin greedily tears into whatever remains of the corpse that Vash left. Eventually her slashes slow down, before her actions can better be described as slapping it then slashing. Tired; she stands up and stretches her arms behind her back letting out a rather loud yawn. She rubs one of her eyes with the gore stained claws and begins to walk over to the rest of the party with a look of quite happiness. When she reaches the group, Erin flashes a quick smile at them all and her eyes dim back to a normal blue.

[Lapis-Lazily]

Volker begins to walk from the room.

"Very well Vash. If you find yourself needing someone to talk to, I happen to be an expert on things from the past people would like to forget. I know you won't, but the offer stands. I'll be off, it's been a long day and I'm quite tired."

[Nehiel Mori]

Erin trots along behind him, giving Vash a quick wave before she goes.

[Jentaru]

Olnar sighs heavily and lowers his club. "Sebastian needs to know of this immediately. I will report back and hopefully he will know what to do next."

Olnar leaves to go back to the base.

[Kindulas]

BACK AT THE SECRET BASE [[I just wanted to say that]]

Ironically it seems that in dealing with the normally corporeal Rakdos my assistance was in order, Sebastian says as the group arrives. I apologize for not being present. At any rate, you all did very well. Interrupting the ritual probably could've gone better than merely finishing it ahead of schedule, but it was better than if it was allowed to be complete. And now we know why they've been skulking; a subcult devoted to Lyzolda's ressurection, forced out of Rakdos land and forced to find a hidden place to reside. And who knows, perhaps Lyzolda will simply cause further infighting in the Rakdos and the rest of us will be left more along - perhaps this is the best case scenario. Though I doubt Vash will see it that way.

[Nehiel Mori]

"There was so much blood!" Erin says, floating around the room with a childish grin. "That was so much fun!"

[Lapis-Lazily]

"I wouldn't spin this positively yet. I know my history, and that witch i nothing but bad news. Even Rakdos doesn't want her around. Rakdos is scared of her, and I don't want to deal with the woman who can terrify a rampaging demon of carnage and lust."

[Jentaru]

[Gabe, I don't know if you knew this, but Lyzolda controlledthe demon Rakdos at one point... yeah,she's really scary... *whimpers*]

Olnar slams his hand down. "We can't let this half human thing survive to regain full strength. We need to take this witch down while she is weakened.!"

[Lapis-Lazily]

"We have other matters to discuss as well. Erin, while a valuable fighter and a usually innocent childlike shapeshifter, she exhibits quite the bloodlust in battle, to the point where her personality is unrecognizable and she bloodily and happily kills everything in sight. She's dangerous, and it's only a matter of time before a bloodlust like that focuses in on those close to her."

[Nehiel Mori]

"Are we talking about me now!" Erin asks with a happy grin. "I think I like cake, if anyone is interested. And I don't think I can remember what we just did. I had fun though! We should do it again sometime."

[Jentaru]

"It's best you didn't little one. The things that transpired need not be seen by eyes so young." Olnar pats Erin on the head with a heavy hand.

[Kindulas]

A predator's instinct is not equivalent to a lack of control. She is build by the Simic, after all

[Lapis-Lazily]

"That's what worries me. The Simic aren't known for building safeguards. If I recall correctly, they specifically designed Experiment Kraj with the intent to have it one day rage out of control. They like things like that."

[Nehiel Mori]

Erin yawns and stretches her arms behind her back, then runs a hand over her sleepy eyes. "All this talking about me is making me tired. I'm going to go to bed now.
Night all!" She says, then floats off to Jessica's room.

[Kindulas]

To be fair, the Kraj grew out of Simic control, not it's own self-control, and Erin is already out of Simic control, and though she has a child's naivete, she's highly intelligent and capable of choosing allies - you'll notice she did not attack anyone she viewed as friends.

"I'm certainly exhausted," Jess says, "so I'll go to bed too."

When Jess finds Erin in humanoid form on her bed, she sighs. "I should've known this arrangement might get awkward. At least she's still a girl." Jess manages to find room on her bed to curl up and sleep.

[Lapis-Lazily]

Volker silently makes his way to his chamber and goes to bed. He is still worried about Erin, but he will let his fears rest for the time being and just enjoy a much easier night's rest in his now younger body.

[Kindulas]

A new day dawns
But when do our heroes awaken?

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