A Doomlord's Call

[*Agony_Aunt]

((Dorian was just preparing the action, remembering the words to the spell, maybe fingering a material component))

Dorian thinks - "Not really ideal to be riding Skeletal horses when meeting such as these.... think quickly!"

He speaks: "Greetings good sirs! My name is the Great Grimwald! You have problably heard of me and our Circus of the Macabre! Famed throughout the land! And only a silver piece for entry!"

*he gives a bow*

"And this is all that remains of my troupe after the Tanarri attacked our merry band! We have travelled far and are weary. Will you give us sanctuary?"

[*Midnight]

As Dorian preares thes the spell he feels something there ready to answer him. Something that longs for violence.

//Roll bluff please.

[*Agony_Aunt]

As Dorian preares thes the spell he feels something there ready to answer him. Something that longs for violence.

//Roll bluff please.

((Always prefer the DM makes rolls via forums. ;)

Dorian has no points invested in Bluff, base CHA=20 with +4 item giving a +7 Modifier, so pretty darned charismatic. Also worth reminding that Dorian is masked with a fine silver mask. This means no tell-tale clues can be given away (for someone experienced in reading faces for signs of lies) but also means he cannot use his facial features to reinforce the bluff))

[*Krayt]

Mauric mused if pointing out the insanity of Dorian to the Knights was a good call. Making it seem as he had been forcing them against their own will to beseech the demons would be awful alot of fun if it succeded. He had hoped that they would run into the demons first thus the choice of attire and mount. Harbouring hope is a sin, will you never learn? She rewards naught that is positive. Despair is the pool form which to draw. He had made his bet and lost he thought. Everything is lost anyhow it makes Little difference he countered his own though quickly and smirked behind his iron mask watching Dorians perfromance. Then he looked to the Knights gauging the distance, their equipment and raiments. He fought the urge of an rude interruption of violence.

[*Er_Nano_Infame]

ayase shifts her eyes between the knights and the city walls, see how many other soldiers can be more or less seen on them. then looks back to the knights surrounding them, stands on the saddle, jerking her arms open, nothing in her hands, and speaks, her voice unusually ringing and lighthearted, although with a tone of sadness beneath it. faked of course

''indeed my kind sirs! master Grimwald holds his well earned bit of wisdom! it is with heavy heart that we still strive to survive with our beloved profession, that sure earned us fame but also derision and suspiciouns due to its unusual attractions. But tell us, kind sirs, what are artists and performers supposed to do even in the darkest of hour if not to try to lighten the spirits of people and keeping true and faithful to their art and their role they themselves sewed on their own persons?
we are just poor shades of a glory that was, my sirs, masks without any more past and few hopes for the future. but the laurel crown was placed onto our heads, kind sirs, and once such and endorsement is gained, an artist has to keep playing, because such are the life and role he chose for himself! Both a recognition, and a prison.''

*she lowers her arms, still standing on the saddle, balancing herself, appearing tired. dramatic pause*

''we had lost our fellows, we were forced to leave many of them rotting and getting devoured by fiends and crows, and the few whose corpses we could take away with us, we buried them personally-... not in a gloomy shroud, but in their costumes, because an artist's life and death are his masterworks, and he must pay due to the end and keep the show live. few other things are so important to a travelling performer...'' *says in grim tone*

*she lowers back to sitting, still facing the knights, always masked, appearing limp and without forces*

''that said, my sirs, i'm sad to admit i am weary and hungered, so i hope you'll excuse me if for now i rest. the laurel crown is a heavy crown...i am Talarra the Shade, at your service, once i'm rested enough.
Master Grimwald, i return the scene to you.' *says to dorian, having finished her show*

*she then bows her head slowly to the knights, then gives a weary faint wheeze as she hold her stomach, breathing slowly, and waiting*


///her bluff should be about 20, so you know///

[*Midnight]

There is some indecsion amongst the group of knights.

"Look at what they ride. Just kill them."

The speaker a man behind the knight with the raised visor is equipped in finally made full plate. It hums with magical energy as Mauric stays silent and asesses them he would realize they are well equipped and professional.

"And if they are telling the truth would you have us slaughter tjem? Are we to become the monsters that we fight.?'

The second speaker is to their leaders left. As she glances at the walls Ayase would see they are well manned but if what the Heronites say is true they are expecting an army of demons. The first knight considers and the doomguard are struck with the umcomfortable devsion they may live or die by his decsion. There is a tense silence.

"Perhaps they are lying and they are all that you fear."

He addresses the man behind him.

"They appear capable though and I would rather have them inside the city fighting tje demons than outside possibly aidimg them. We cannot be picky where our aid comes from at a time like this."

He now addresses the doomguard.

"I will allow you the shelter of the city, but the undead are not permitted insidand you must remove your masks."

As he finishes another rider aproaches. Not wearing armour and much much younger,a squire not a knight.

"My lord there are two more trapped in the gatehouse."

[*Agony_Aunt]

((+1 to er_nano for an awesome performance))

Dorian curses the fact that the others did not know even the rudimentary sign language of the Judges... although it would have been a sin for him to teach them a single sign. They really should have worked out some method of silently communicating with each other. He had heard the Drow on some planes had a highly evolved sign language.

Too late for that though. Fight, flight, or cooperation?

And two more what? Demons trapped? They needed room to manouver, to make a decision. If their target was in the city, then entering the city was the right choice, if their target was with the demons, then they didn't want to be in the city at all!

Demons are untrustworthy, but could be dealt with. Knights were simply impossible!

It was obvious which way the Destroyer would prefer. A bloody slaughter right here. The little one though has some brains and could be useful inside the city.

And of course, the largest issue, for Dorian at least. To unmask himself in front of the unshriven. Untenable! He would rather die an ignoble death on the sword point of one of these idiotic knights.

He still shuddered when he recalled how that buffoon Hildmor had unhoused his soul from his body, trapping his spirit in that gem, stopping his intended destruction of Sigil, and he had been unmasked for the whole Bazaar to see. Never again!

Delay! Distract the knights. Find some way of signalling his intention to the others. Fight or flight, but no revealing his face!

All those thoughts flashed through his mind in a matter of seconds, maybe it would seem like he was hesitating to comply so he quickly spoke, addressing the young squire:

"Pray tell, two of what are trapped in the Gatehouse?"

Out of the corner of his eye-slit he tried to see if he could quietly catch the attention of the other two and possible signal some action, perhaps point to his sword hilt and give a nod. Preferably to Mauric the Destroyer, he would be sure to go along with it. Ayase would just have to react.

He also kept in mind that it would take him about 6 seconds to speak the words of the incantation that would bring the summon spell to completion. His off-hand slowly drifted to his chest, resting on the holy symbol of Helios hanging from his neck, a stylized sun made from volcanic rock.

[*Midnight]

The squire answers without thinking.

"A traveling scholar from a Fraternity of something, and a tall silent tattoed man with dark armour."

His voice trails off as he gets a look from the lead knight and he realizes he has said too much. The circle of knights stand around the three a quick count would indicate they outnumber the doomguard roughly five to one.


//Gave Nano a bonus on his bluff roll for that.

[*Er_Nano_Infame]

ayase narrows her eyes beneath the hood, turning slightly toward the squire at the mention of a certain ''fraternity of something''. eventually she catches glimpse of dorian fidgeting, hesitating or whatnot. She assumes a blank expression at that, although it remains unseen.
glances at the knights. there's no time. ''grimwald'' asked for shelter in their town, and acting differently now that they're willing to concede it, would just ruin everything. and besides, seems there's a reason to enter that town anyway.
she leans forward a bit, and speaks with a quieter voice, but still affable

''sir, i think my fellows will agree with me if i say that we can without problems leave these undead mounts outside the town, in any location that you prefer so not to scare the inhabitants beyond the walls with the sight of their appearance. even if these steeds were part of our circus show, we get the situation here is clearly too dire to offer the denizens other frightful visions. thinking about it now, you did well to send this party at us, or we'd have approached the town without considering that we'd offered an unwanted sight.''

she pauses, but ready to finish to speak as soon as anyone replies to her or takes word in whatever manner

[*Agony_Aunt]

The Fraternity? Here? Those meddlers!

As Ayase speaks, Dorian pauses, waiting to see the reaction of the knights' leader.