A Walk on the Wild Side
GM: |
The following took place over our lunch conversation today, where we went ahead and rolled out the next few scenes.
CONTENT WARNING: There's a gruesome scene near the end of this post. I did not enjoy writing it, but it had to be done, because it makes sense for Clare's alignment and worldview. Proceed at your own discretion.
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GM: |
Initiative:
Respen: 21
Ky:16
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In a flash of inspiration, Respen realizes what must be going on. ~Her eyes are so glassy... This girl is being controlled somehow... She's been sent to perform a task... Her intentions CANNOT be amorous... Disrobing is a distraction, to shift my focus away from her true intent... but what? She is unarmed. What could she possibly.... SHE'S A BARD! SHE'S GOING TO FASCINATE ME!~
GM: |
+500 XP to Respen for figuring that out! I didn't expect you to figure it out. Well done.
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Respen quickly mutters the words to a
Hypnotize spell, hoping to catch her before she can start singing.
GM: |
Affecting roll: 6 HD = Success (Ky is 6 HD, therefore, she can be affected.)
Dispel Magic vs. Clare's Domination:
Clare's Caster Level = 12; DC = 11+12 = DC 23.
Respen's Caster Level Check = 1d20+8 = 12 (Fail.)
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Kylaendra shrugs off Respen's attempt to Hypnotize her, and begins to sing a soft, lilting tune, which is soothing to the senses.
GM: |
Fascinate:
Perform Check = 1d20+15 = 22 (Which becomes the DC)
Respen's Will Save = 1d20+6 = 15 (+2 Elf Racial Bonus) = 17 (Fail.)
Respen is Fascinated.
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As Kylaendra's song takes effect, Respen's countenance softens, and his body relaxes, and a soothing wave of calm washes over him.
Kylaendra says, "You should follow me now, back to my bed chamber, where we can be alone."
GM: |
Suggestion:
Will Save = 10 + Half of Bard's Level (3) + Cha Bonus (6) = DC 19.
Respen's Will Save = 1d20+6 = 15 (+2 Elf Racial Bonus) = 17 (Fail.)
Respen falls prey to Ky's Suggestion.
Duration = 1 hour per level (i.e., 6 hours) or until task is completed.
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Respen smiles, saying, "Lead the way, my dear," as he gets up and begins to follow her.
Kylaendra climbs down the rope out of the extra-dimensional space, and the golem helps her to avoid stepping on the yellow pad. Respen follows suit, and the golem helps him as well.
Then Kylaendra turns to Respen and says, "Hold my hand." Respen takes her hand, and she says, "Shalistaurimon," before stepping onto the red pad, causing both her and Respen to teleport to Dame Clare's fortress.
Respen and Ky appear in Clare's laboratory, which is guarded currently by Number 7 and Number 11. Kylaendra leads Respen out of the lab, down a long corridor with many doors. The last door on the right-hand side is Ky's, and she opens it, allowing Respen to enter.
GM: | Compelled task now complete. | |
Ky tells Respen to sit on the bed and wait for her, saying that she will return momentarily. Respen, who is no longer compelled, realizes that waiting might not be such a great idea. He intends to act.
GM: |
Initiative:
Ky:28
Respen: 16
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Not realizing that Respen intends to act, Ky opens the door.
Ky moves her normal movement rate down the hallway (30 ft.)
GM: | Double move complete. | |
Respen steps out into the hallway, and casts
Hypnotize once more.
GM: |
Affecting roll: 4 HD = Fail (Ky is 6 HD, therefore, she cannot be affected.)
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Kylaendra, not realizing what Respen has done, says to him, "I told you to wait!";
Respen ignores her however, and follows her down the hall. Ky leads Respen into Clare's study, where the Sorceress herself is waiting. Ky motions to Respen, saying simply, "Here he is."
Clare: "Have a seat, dear Respen."
Respen obeys, not having expected Clare to be so nearby.
Respen: "Look, I know how this works; I know that you are in control of Ky, and that you will soon control me as well, but why not do something novel, just for a change of pace? Why not talk to me first, and let me answer your questions of my own free will?"
Clare laughs mischievously, "Ok, let's try that. You said you'd met one of the Old Ones?"
Respen: "Yes, his name is Margull."
Clare: "The Lord Mayor of Dyvers? That makes sense. Yes, it makes perfect sense; most people think him to be a demon, or at least a Wizard; Indeed, I had thought him to be a Wizard at first, since I could not scry his location, or even sense his presence. But all of my spies told me that he looked so awkward and uncomfortable carrying that big staff of his around. And there was also the issue of his longevity. Now I know why. The staff is a disguise, a prop, designed to mislead the casual observer into thinking that his power comes from the Arcane. Being a Wizard is also convenient for explaining why he stays locked in his tower during the day. All of that studying and research to do, while the good light lasts."
Respen: "Margull comes out during the day. He does so quite often. He does not fear the sun like most of your kind."
Clare (Taken aback): "Oh, really? Then he truly is old. They say the Old Ones can walk in the sun, but I've never seen one of our kind who could actually pull it off."
Respen: "Perhaps he is not of your kind; remember, he considers himself a TRUE Vampire. Perhaps it is more than arrogance. Perhaps there are different SPECIES of Vampires, in the same way that there are many species of Elves. I don't know exactly WHAT Margull is, but I do know that he is powerful beyond reckoning. He has journals, notes, and other literature that I have seen snippets of. From what I can gather, he is not the only one of his kind, although their numbers are few."
Clare: "What literature? Where did you come by such things?"
Respen: "I've been in Margull's tower, inside his private abode. He has an entire library, and lab, just like you. He has a mirror and a globe as well, just as you do," he says, noting the presence of both things in Clare's study.
GM: |
Dominate:
Will Save = 10 + Half the Vampire's HD (13) + Cha (7) = DC: 30.
Respen's Will Save = 1d20+8 = 22 (+2 Elf Racial Bonus) = 24 (Fail.)
Respen is Dominated.
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Clare (Sensing that Respen's will has been crushed): "You belong to me, now."
Respen: "Yes, mistress."
Clare: "So, first things first, shall we? You owe me for the destruction of Number 14. Remove your shirt."
Respen removes his shirt, exposing his bare skin.
Clare picks up a cat-o-nine-tails from a nearby display stand; it is not the kind with metal spikes. Instead, it is the type made of rope, with large knots occurring at regular intervals. The hemp rope is a deep, crimson red, almost black, having soaked up untold amounts of blood over the long centuries of its use.
Clare: "This flail has been in my possession for over 300 years. I use it to bring order to chaos, discipline to the reckless. Stand still, and do not move until I am done."
Clare whips Respen savagely, beating him to within an inch of his life. She shows no emotion while doing so; it is plainly not done for pleasure. This is clearly a business transaction. A repair bill for damaged goods. Nothing more. Clare carries out the beating with cold, calculated efficiency.
GM: |
New Saving Throw.
Respen's Will Save = 1d20+8 = 22 (+2 Elf Racial Bonus) = 24 (+2 For Infliction of Harm) = 26 (Fail.)
Respen remains Dominated, and endures the beating.
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When she is finished, Clare summons Kylaendra, and commands her to heal Respen's wounds. Using her Bardic powers, it takes Ky 2 whole days to accomplish this.
GM: | Even after being completely healed, you will always have deep scars on your back. Make a note of this on your character record. | |
After Respen is fully healed, Clare summons him to her. "You shall spend the next four days with Nelvranda. She is anxious to meet you. You will mate with her as often as she desires it, and when those four days have elapsed, I shall teleport you to Dyvers, where you will enter Margull's tower, take the books and notes you mentioned, and return them here, to me. Is that understood?"
Respen: "Yes, mistress."
Kylaendra leads Respen to another bed chamber; waiting for him is Nelvranda, a comely Drow female (CHA 21) clad much the way that Ky is, that is to say, scantily.
It does not take long for Respen to discover Clare's insidious methodology; Respen: You are
Dominated, therefore, you do not hesitate to couple with her; during the four days you are with her, it becomes obvious to you that Nelvranda has not been
Dominated; she has been
conditioned.
As a Wizard, you understand the effects of
Dominate Person; it forces obedience, but the victim remembers the force, retaining their sense of self and personality, and can harbor resentment and loathing toward the user. Nelvranda, however, is happy and content, and thinks the world of Clare. She goes on and on about how great Clare is, and about how much she admires her, and how she can't wait to bear children for Clare to raise and train. You cannot believe that someone who has been enslaved like this would ever be so compliant, until you come to a shocking realization:
Clare has been using Kylaendra's Bardic powers to condition Nelvranda, using
Suggestion on her every day (for who knows how long?) to implant the idea of Clare's benevolence within her head, in order to make Nelvranda compliant, and even somewhat complacent.
But to what end? You can't be sure.
HOWEVER, the thought occurs to you that Nelvranda might be a good source of information, since she does not feel ill-at-ease in this environment. After all, you have four days to complete your task, which requires a tremendous amount of intimacy. Therefore, talking and asking questions during these proceedings is a matter of course.
GM: | You need to come up with a list of any questions you want to ask of her, and post them here. | |