<@Dreol> [Power Sliders Session 21] <@Dreol> [Last time on Power Sliders. Lex developed a plan of attack in which Micah and some orc dudes go through a tunnel in the mountains and blow it up as a distraction and then he reunites with the rest of the forces who take the human army by surprise! Great plan! Let's see how it works.] <@Dreol> [Begin] * Micah has explosives. He is looking them over very carefully. The expression on his face is like a kid at Halloween. * Lex is looking...very awake, considering the lack of sleep. In fact, possibly more awake than she's been since they started all this. And she seems to have acquired a chain shirt. * Katsuo ... is Katsuo. What more is there to say, really? So, ready for me to run out there and make things explode? Make the ground shake? And let the bodies hit the floor? Yeah. Everybody else ready to go? * Henry is currently standing well away from Micah and his collection of explody things and stifling the very occasional yawn. * Katsuo thumbs-up to Micah. I'm good to go. You go make big explosions. When don't know what to do, use bigger explosions. * Cassiopeia grins at Katsuo. "You have a way with words." * Micah looks over at his Orc companions. He hopes they can appreciate what's about to happen. "Man, I need some good battle music. Oh well." * Lex glances over at Micah and says dryly, "Maybe you can whistle to yourself." Sorry, I no bring iPod. You probably not like music anyways. * Cassiopeia pulls a kazoo out of her coat, and does a passable rendition of O Fortuna. * Henry starts to speak up... and then boggles at Cassie. <@Dreol> [Around noon all of you save Micah and all of the orc army save two orcs with Micah are hidden in the shadow of the mountain waiting to charge in. The human army has begun to form up and start to march. Far ahead can be seen a large tent which is being packed up and a grim looking metal helm is visible above the soldiers.] <@Dreol> [Meanwhile Micah has managed to finally make it to the end of the tunnel where it exits out on the west side of the city. He has his two orc companions and an arm(y)ful of explosives.] * Lex 's eyes widen suddenly as she sees the helmet. "Shit. I hope that's not what I think it is." It's gonna suck if he's already got the thing... What's it do? * Micah tries out his power that he's still not used, making deep fissures in the ground! He's right outside the cave to make rough terrain, then for one in the cave and then for lots and lots of booms. Lets you control other people. Probably how he's controlling that army. * Lex is obviously thinking hard. "Two questions. Does it work on us? And if we get it away from him, what will that army do?" Maybe we need dispel magics? Charm's bad and uhm suddenly notice they're surrounded by orcs? <@Dreol> [The ground splits in front of Micah and the earth rumbles, though not enough to be felt as far as the foot of the mountain where the orcs are.] If we steal it, we can make the human army break out into dance. Don't know if dispel magic will work on that, but we've got to at least try. Any of us able to do that, or do I need to go ask our allies? * Micah will get the bombs set up and start firing them off as he and the rest rush back. No real showing off. No risking his life. No sneaking into the enemy group. He's playing by the book. * Lex goes to ask the orcs if they can do anything to negate the Helm's powers. <@Dreol> [As Micah begins to run a loud series of explosions can be heard like fireworks combined with an earthquake. The valley shakes and the ominous helmed warrior ahead turns towards the source of the explosion and points a large familiar-looking sword in that direction. About half the army begins to rush off towards the explosion on his command, and the other half begin to march towards the city.] <@Dreol> [Kiltuk shakes his head to Lex. "No. If that is the Helm of Domination there is nothing we can do with an artifact of that caliber."] * Lex hears the explosions and snaps around. "That's done it. Regardless, we've got to move." And she does. ... well, there's a distraction. Gird your loins, ladies and gents, I believe the game's afoot. * Henry follows Lex off the mountain! * Micah rushes for the rest of the group! * Cassiopeia unholsters her scythe, takes a deep breath, and starts moving down the mountain. * Katsuo unholsters his pistols and heads in with Lex. * Lex unholsters the crossbow and loads it on the move. "Kiltuk, we'll deal with their leader and the Helm. You make sure their army doesn't take the city." <@Dreol> [The half of the army that has run off to check the explosion is out of sight by the time Micah rejoins the army. The stampede of footsteps alerts the humans, but mostly too late as the army of orcs begin cutting into the surprised army. You are clearly winning the battle thanks to Lex's plan splitting their forces.] * Micah huffs. "I think I did it." and puffs. "That was fun. Did the others keep up?" * Lex looks at Micah and the faintest smile crosses her face. "Yeah, you did it. Good job." * Micah flashes a small smile back. "Nothing fancy like you said." I think your friends rejoined the rest of the orcs. We're going after Xelion. He's already gotten the item for the world - the Helm of Domination. It's how he's controlling that army. Ah, so he's trying to create the proper place and the proper time for it If we can get to him before he gets to us, I'm hoping Katsuo can stun him and we can get it off him. Well, then let's go crown his ass. Yeah! * Lex actually laughs at that. "Yeah, let's." Sure. Oh, Lex? Fuck your epic mounts I outran those motherfucking bitches without it. * Lex rolls her eyes. "Wrong game, Micah." Let's go get Xel. Okay! <@Dreol> [The helmed man can be seen floating into the air and backing up towards the city. His gaze drops to you all and he lifts his sword, poised to attack.] * Katsuo gets ready to unload into Xelion. * Micah smirks. "Bring it fucker. I'm going to get my chance to pound your bitch face. When I finally get my chance it's going to be the end of this." So much for the element of surprise. Ack! <@Dreol> [Xelion hovers for a moment and just seems to be meditating with his sword in front of him. A chorus of footsteps can be heard in the distance from the direction of the explosions.] Damn that Helm. Here we go. <@Dreol> [Oh! Also your bracelets glow!] * Micah rushes in to get in range. * Katsuo runs in closer and motions, a shield of revolving electric orbs sparking to existence around him. He fires off two pistol stun shots at Xelion, one going wide and the other connecting, but it doesn't seem to faze the evil commander. * Cassiopeia runs at Xelion, shouting as she fires shards of ice at him from her free hand. "Hey, Xelion! Better use that helmet to make them bring you a doctor!" * Henry runs and fires the dark beam at Xel, but his shot goes wide. <@Dreol> [Xelion scowls at Cass but the ice goes wizzing past his head.] * Lex fires her crossbow at Xelion, but she seems to've been distracted by something, and she completely misses. She yells, "Hey, guys, calling back the army's not the only thing he did! I don't know what, but we need to make this fast!" <@Dreol> [At that the army appears on the horizon coming on fast. And from the other side of the city another army is seen. This one is larger and full of undead forces. Both armies are approaching quickly and running straight for the city.] ... I think we distracted the distraction. Thaaaat's not good. Shit. We need that Helm. Dogpile him! <@Dreol> [Xelion flies backwards extremely quickly and over the city gates. Several archers appear on the battlements and begin to fire at them, though their arrows appear to have no effect. He floats down behind the gates, which then loudly groan as they open for the advancing armies.] Shit, shit, shit! After him? No other option. YES! * Henry runs for the gates too. "Need Fly T.M." What you think? * Cassiopeia nods, and starts running. * Katsuo runs too! * Micah snarls and hunkers down doing a full out runs at the baddie. * Lex gauges the distance to Xelion and raises her crossbow again. * Katsuo fires off a pair of stun shots, hoping to root Xelion from running away again. * Lex also fires at Xelion, but, unused to shooting at such distances, she misses again. She hisses through her teeth and starts moving closer. <@Dreol> [Xelion is rooted in place and then several things happen at once. The orcs notice the other two armies and start advancing towards the city walls to protect them. The returning human army runs forward to stop the orcs, the east gate of the city opens as several armored orcs rush out of it. The undead army approaching from the east moves past them into the city, and everything goes black around you.] * Henry blinks and stops running. "Uhhhm?" Well crap. That not good end. * Micah slams his fist into the nonexistent ground. * Lex ...sits down very suddenly and presses the heels of her hands to her forehead, partially hiding her face. "*Fuck*." Yeah... and we can't even load from the save and... get there faster? How were we supposed to stop two armies? We had one shot at Xelion. We missed it. * Lex looks as tired now as she looked awake earlier. She says dully, "No way to do it. We lost as soon as we lost Xelion. Maybe even before then." Hrm? Attack in the middle of the night then? * Henry sits down on the dark. We gotta rush from the get go and can't spend the time in the orc camp? * Lex shakes her head. It seems to be an effort. "Where are we now, then? And where do we go?" <@Dreol> [You are once again in the torrent of black that comes with moving between worlds. When the black goes away, the wind remains, and you find yourself on a large wooden ship in the middle of a storm. The clanging of metal can be heard from ahead and you spot two figures fighting. One of them looks very similar to the undead you just avoided, except he's dressed as a pirate and is holding two rather large swords.] <@Dreol> [The other is a woman with short white hair and um... far too little clothes to be comfortable. She has him wrapped around in what appears to be a kind of bladed whip. With a quick tug the man is flung into the air and disappears with a "splash" into the water.] <@Dreol> [Lex is also missing her chain shirt.] <@Dreol> [Session End.]