XVI. Power Rangers In Retrograde - Mystic Force – Surely Heroines Part 2
(Based from the unadapted Magiranger episode number 8 of the same name)
Rose transforms, under the Manticore's control, and slashes the others with her MagiStaff. As she turns back toward Manticore she opens her eyes, pink fire enveloping her as she drops into a split, spins and knocks the Manticore off his feet, "Rock you like a Hurricane, Rose Ranger!" she announces before turning into a tornado and pin-balling the monster around the park.
The others collapse, recovering quickly and transforming as they form a line around the Rose Ranger, just as Blue joins the fray.
"Furious a Fire! Red Mystic Ranger!"
"Fast as Lightning! Yellow Mystic Ranger!"
"Ever-changing as the Wind! Pink Mystic Ranger!"
"Fluid as the Sea! Blue Mystic Ranger!"
"Danger in Training! Silver Mystic Ranger!"
"Chill as the Midnight Cold! Black Mystic Ranger!"
"Power Rangers! Mystic Force!"
The girls all stop a moment, their Mystic Morpher's going off, "Hey look a new spell code." Blue notes.
"Ok girls," Red says moving to the front, "Let's do this together."
Activating the new spell a pair of pom poms appear in each girls hands, Rose steps forward pointing one hand at the monster, "You like dancing so much," she glances back at the others with a laugh, "Let's show this monster how we rock Power Ranger Style!" thrusting out one hip to her side, as a rock/rap beat suddenly starts, the girls moving with the music.
"Here come the Power Rangers," Red starts to sing.
"Here come the Power Rangers," Green joins in on the second verse.
"Here come the Power Rangers," Yellow adds for the third verse.
"Alright let's go it' s time to turn it on," Rose and Pink sing together.
"Let's set the record straight," Blue dances in smacking the monster with her pom poms.
"We will come through to right your wrong," Pink coming in with a high kick to the monster face, he fall backwards trying to run but the girl dance toward him.
"Fight evil Rangers power standing strong," Silver sings as she leap over the monster turn and back hands him with her pom pom.
"We've got it goin'on," Yellow sing with a hip thrust, lighting shooting from her pom pom.
"Stop it!" the monster begs.
"Mystic Force (yeah)," All the Ranger sing together striking the monster together with one pom pom each.
"Stop! there's Rangers here."
"There's no need to fret."
"We're the ones that will make a way"
"Here to make a change"
"When there's trouble we don't quit."
"Come together to save the day."
"Let's go! let's go! let's go!" Pink, Rose, and Black sing together.
"Here come the Power Rangers," Red starts.
"Here come the Power Rangers," Black joining again on the second verse.
"Here come the Power Rangers," Yellow adds for the last verse.
"Mystic Force go!" All the Ranger once more striking the monster together.
"Here come the Power Rangers
Here come the Power Rangers
Here come the Power Rangers." This time it's Blue, Pink, and Yellow who build the chorus.
"Go go go go go!" Each Ranger flying in to hammer the monster with their pom poms in a drive by attack.
"Here come the Power Rangers," Red opens.
"Here come the Power Rangers," followed by Blue.
"Here come the Power Rangers," and ending with Rose.
"Mystic force let's go! (yeah)." The girls come in for one more coordinated strike sending the monster flying, he explodes.
The girls cheer leaping into the air as the giggle and laugh, sharing a group high five "Girl Ranger Power forever!"
In the Underworld Imperious huffs, creating a spell seal to make the Manticore return as a giant. Quickly the Rangers form up into the Titan Megazord, they swing with their sword, the Manticore dodges, blasting them from a distance.
"Come on girls," Red growls, "Get it together! Let's finish this thing, I still got dancing feet!"
Blue and Black chuckle.
"Titan Megazord," Green announces charging his piece, "Full power!"
The Titan Megazord spin around, and finally finishes the monster off in one strike. The girls once more celebrate with a high five before returning to the ground and powering down.
"I know a great club!" LeeLee laughs poking her head in.
"Well then everyone pile in!" Vida says transforming into her pink beetle form again.
"Girl Power! Let's go!" Chip laughs first to pile in.
"So after defeating the Goblins, and resurrecting Caren you continue you way onward to Mudhollow Inne near Westhaven, the town you were told Mort Kemnon overthrew."
"I know we just sat down but our characters should probably rest for the night after a fight like that," Xander offers.
"I agree," Chip adds, "But I say we sit down and eat and drink as well."
"Might also be a good time to get some questions answered from the locals," Nicole offers, "Who has the highest charisma?"
All eyes turn to Vida.
"And let me guess her only skill for opening social negotiations is her song of seduction?"
Vida flusters, rolling her dice.
Maddie sighs.
"No way, those dice have to be loaded, no one gets that many natural twenties!" LeeLee suddenly blurts out.
"How bad is it?" Blecker groans.
Vicamros seductive song manages to woo not only the hostess but Caren and Loraella as well who vanish off to to a private room.
"Does that happen often?" a patron asks the group.
"More and more often it seems," Xanril answers, patting Crunan's back. "Remember that one time Vic seduced that entire village of Amazons?"
"Do I!" Crunan laughs, "There's still a bounty on our heads in their territories aren't there?"
"I'm afraid to ask this but is there any chance of Vicamros getting me or Loraella pregnant?"
Maddie rolls some dice, "Not yet."
Moving to the barkeep Vicamros asks about a room for the night.
The Innkeeper responds, "I am sorry there are no rooms free."
"Nonsense this Inn is empty, there are plenty of rooms left," Crunan answers, waving his hand slightly.
"Did you just try and Jedi Mind Trick the Inn Keeper," Blecker laughs.
Chip's looks around the table shiftily, "N-nooooo."
"Before you can ask further a cloaked figure speaks from a near table, you are sure you never saw him enter."
"What he means is you are not welcome here!" the figure, a bald man with a tattooed face says as he lowers his hood.
"Mort Agrippa!" The Innkeeper say running off up the stairs.
"You are most certainly not welcome here!"
"Introduction would seem in order," Xanril says ans the group leap to their feet.
"I am the governor of this town and you are trespassing on these lands!"
"These lands belong to the king!" Crunan protests.
"These lands belong to MY king!"
"Mort Kemnon!"
"Yes! And soon you will serve him as I do! Beyond the veil of death!" Mort Agrippa summons a quartet of undead ninjas to attack your group.
The three all leap to action parrying the attacks of the undead ninjas but Mort Agrippa still has one more card to play.
" Xanril your held, Caren, Vicamros, and Loraella you're in."
Vicamros charges the nearest ninja with her sword.
"His sword," Maddie corrects, "You're a guy remember."
"Sorry, forgot."
Loraella lunges for Mort Agrippa, going for the neck.
"It has been less then 12 hours since you last fed you don't need to do that."
"Oh sorry, alright can I see his eyes I want to try and hypnotize him."
"It's a plus 3 difficulty since he's moving about."
Loraella corners Mort Agrippa, his gaze locked on hers, paralyzing him, which breaks the focus of his hold on Xanril.
Caren growls and casts turn undead on one of the ninja, causing it to explode into ash.
Crunan decapitates another one.
"Alright Critical hit!" Chip exclaims.
Norian slices another one, causing it to fall over then disperse, lastly Xanril takes out the last one in a tag team with Loraella.
"We should interrogate him for information," Crunan says.
"I can not just stand idle by while others, even those in the service of evil are tortured," Caren protests.
"I convince him-"
"Her!"
"I convince her to come back to bed with me so the others can interrogate Mort Agrippa," Vida explains.
Maddie suppresses a chuckle, "The two if you vanish back upstairs."
Mort Agrippa refuses to talk, even as you smack and pummel him, after a while he starts laughing manically before he dissipates into a nothing.
"When Vicamros returns I ask him if he found out anything about Mort Kemnon from the hostess." Chip asks.
"You learn Mort Agrippa came from Westhaven, following her advice you set out to get closer to your goal, setting camp for the night a few mines outside Westhaven."
"Tell me minstrel what can you tell us of Mort Kemnon?" Caren wonders.
"He is an enemy of the light and servant of Death, and that is all I can tell you."
"And the Mask of Death?"
"Ah...the God of Oblivion wore the mask when the Creator forged the world. It is say that whoever wears the mask gains the power of the god he serves."
"The Mort Kemnon has all the powers of death?"
Vicamros nods.
"How could Therin allow this?"
"It may be beyond her control, remember how the Hierophant says Therin was missing?" Loraella muses.
"Missing?" Vicamros wonders.
"Trapped," Caren elaborates.
"How can you trap a goddess?" Norian wonders.
"Bardic Knowledge," Vida answers, "Rolling for it."
"Long ago, young Jack Lightfingers stole beauty from the mermaids. The Lord of the Sea was angry and sent his waves to drown Jack. But Jack was too clever, he lead the sea king inland, stretching out the waves which sucked out the sea king's power, which left not enough water to drown Jack. Then Jack trapped the god of the sea in a prison of ice. And ransomed his back to the merfolk."
"Interesting, but what does this have to do with Therin?" Norian asks.
"The only way to trap a deity is in a prison of that gods own element."
"We should go to bed soon," Caren purrs.
"Agreed, we will need our rest if we are to find Mort Kemnon." Norian agrees.
A strange pallor comes over Loraella as she speaks in a different voice, "And what if I should find you first!" Floating above the group she threatens further, "Abandon this road or die on it!"
"Save your threats, you have no power here," Caren growls.
Mort Kemnon counter argues by striking Caren with a Lightning bolt, she is badly wounded but still standing.
Blecker suddenly kisses his character sheet, "Thank you Agility to AC bonus! This armor might just be worth it after all!"
"You shall never obtain the Mask Of Death," Mort Kemnon continues.
"We do not fear you!" Xanril counter argues.
"Then you are greater fools then you appear!"
"You sound afraid," Norian states flatly.
"You don't believe me?" Mort Kemnon continues, "Then come, come and face Drazuul."
"And with that Mort Kemnon releases his hold on Loraella, after checking on her to confirm if she is alright, you bed down for the night." Maddie expositions, "Everyone make a listen check."
The band awaken to a strange rustling sound, a strange peasant is ruffing through your gear.
"I waste him with my crossbow," LeeLee exclaims.
"I see her raise her crossbow and raise my hand to stop her, jumping to my feet and running over to the man," Blecker injects.
As the group leap to their feet to confront the man he is clearly cowering in fear begging not to be killed. Vicamros starts to play a song of soothing which relaxes the man. Caren helping him to his feet.
"Forgive me masters I-I haven't anything to eat in days."
"That reminds me would the others let me drink his blood?" LeeLee asks.
"Probably not," Maddie smiles.
Loraella retreats from the group to drink from her wineskin of emergency blood supplies. The rest invite the man to breakfast sending Vicamros out to collect wood.
"You learn his name is William, he used to live in Westhaven until Mort Kemnon's priests killed everyone leaving him the last one, all that live there now is his fiend Drazuul. Drazuul lead the purges and that is all he will say on the subject, the only other useful information is that Drazuul is holed up in the center of town but he refuses to go back there.
"Caren offers him food and provisions to send him on his way."
"Okay enough of this goody two shoes stuff, I incinerate the useless tool with a fireball." LeeLee counters.
"Caren would not allow that, she would be morally completed to strike you down."
LeeLee smiles devilishly, rolling dice.
As Caren charges at Loraella she cast Paralysis and then Amnesia, wiping out his memories of the last two minutes. As the Paralysis wears off Vicamros is just returning with the fire wood and Caren finishes her pounce crushing his wind pipe, he dies.
"Caren's going to be beating herself up over that for days now."
LeeLee frowns, "Sorry."
"After you resurrect Vicamros the party decide it might be best to have the two morally opposed characters spend some time away so they send Loraella and Xanril to scout out the town, they arrive to find the place strewn with corpses and Drazuul standing in the center. Before you can do anything he compels you both to come to him."
"What are our chances of rolling a save?" Xander wonders.
"As a Death Demon his fear aura is too strong, maybe if you roll a natural 20."
"I roll for it!"
"I roll for it!"
There was a collective gasp from the group, "A one? No that's not fair!"
Xanril is completely enthralled and drops to his knees licking at the boots of Drazuul, "I am yours to command master, tell me what I must do to satisfy you."
Loraella's body is compelled but she tries to resist as Drazuul mentions take her as his dark bride.
"Is he offering anything or just demanding I be his devoted bride?" LeeLee wonders.
"Wait are you seriously considering switching sides NOW?" Blecker exclaims.
"I just want to know if there's anything in it for me, I mean I'm compelled not like I can do much right?"
"I knew I should have killed her when we met," Caren grouses.
"Caren and the others are still back at the camp."
"Well how long before we get worried and go to investigate?" Blecker wonders.
"A few hours at least."
Can we skip to that?" Xander asks, "I mean we're compelled right, not much we can do."
"Is everyone in agreement?"
"Yes."
After several hours the party head to town to investigate, arriving they find Xanril and Loraella compelled they turn toward the group ready to attack.
"Uh if his fear aura is so powerful to enthrall those two from just being in his are aren't the others kinda well..." Manni wonders from the sidelines.
Maddie curses under her breath, "You're right Manni. Who wants to roll to save?"
"Hey I'm a Paladin don't I get some special resistances?"
"Come to me," Drazuul beacons, and once more the group is compelled, all except Vicamros and Caren, as the two stand firm Drazuul looks around the area, "Rise my minions, rise and destroy my enemies."
Slowly the slain town folk rise up, undead pawns of Drazuul and with Xanril, Loraella, and Crunan leading them.
"Caren your suffering a -2 morality penalty to all actions as well, still beating yourself up for inadvertently killing Vicamros earlier."
"So just the two of us against a undead horde, a Death Demon, and our friends..." Vida muses.
"Yes."
"I play a lullaby to put everyone to sleep."
Maddie take a deep breath, "I'm going to have to make a saving throw for every zombie now you know," Then looks to the group, "Each of you roll to save, including you Blecker."
"This is not my day," Blecker grouses.
Vicamros begins to play all parties beginning to drop to the ground into a deep slumber, followed by Xanril, Loraella, Crunan, and Norian. Drazuul yawns slightly but seems otherwise unaffected, Caren also falls asleep.
"If I shake the others to wake them will they be back to normal?" Vida wonders.
"They will have another chance to save, but the odds are the same."
"Is Drazuul advancing on us now that his forces are disabled?"
"Good question! Spot check."
"The Demon is trapped inside the pentagram!" Vicamros says to himself before looking around then gently shaking Caren to wake her.
She snorts and looks confused, "I'm up! I'm up!"
Vicamros hands her a wineskin, "Can you bless this water?"
Caren does so without a second thought, Vicamros advancing on Drazuul holding up the wineskin. "Tell me where Mort Kemnon is or I'll give you a bath, a holy water bath."
Caren presses Vic's hand down, "I can not let you torture any soul."
"Oh come on! Seriously? He's a demon!" Vida protests, "You wouldn't think twice about using Smite Evil or Turn Undead on someone like him."
"Caren is Lawful Good-"
"More like Lawful Stupid," Chip jokes.
Blecker glares at him, "She can't permit torture to go on under her watch, a quick death with Smite Evil is a far different cry from torture."
Vida smiles evilly, "Oooooh I have an idea!"
"You can't be serious, he's a demon, an agent of the god of Death! You trying to protect him?"
"Torture by any means for any means is reprehensible, if I were to let you proceed we would be no better then them."
Drazuul laughs, "Thank you Paladin, now remove these stones and set me free, and I will promise you great rewards!"
"Do not tempt me Demon."
"Well if he isn't going to talk can you at least smite him so our friends and the townfolk will no longer be his thralls?"
Drazuul visibility tenses as Caren smiles wickedly, "Gladly."
Now it is Vicamros who stays Caren's hand, "Tell us where Mort Kemnon is!"
"The mines! You'll find the entrance in the mines!"
"And how do we defeat him?"
"The book, his power is in the book, but he is not the one to fear your real enemy is-"
"You can smite him now Caren," Vicamros interrupts.
Caren stands transfixed, unable to act, "But he just...I can't smite him after he just helped us."
"He's still a demon, Smite him already Paladin!"
Drazuul laughs, "What will you do now Minstrel? The Paladin will not let you commit torture nor will he end my days because I helped you of my own free will."
Vida pauses a moment then looks over to Chip, "Hey Chip we still have that Sword of Absorbing Essence?"
Chip looks through some notes, "Yup it's in Xanril's bags.
"Sword of what now?" Blecker wonders aloud.
"It was a cursed item we picked up, had the soul of a wood nymph bound into it," Xander explains, "We broken the binding spell and released her but that just left us with a sword that would absorb the soul of the next person it slayed, and we couldn't sell it because well think of what would happen if some random warrior used it."
Vicamros ruffles through Xanril's bags drawing out a longsword before returning to Drazuul and running him through. The demon howls before vanishing, the blade turning black. Caren prepares to attack but Vicamros stays her hand a moment.
"He is still alive, just inside this blade now." Vicamros explains, "Everybody wins. Drazuul can't hurt any more people, the dead here can rest in peace, he can't compel our friends, and he is not dead after helping us."
Caren grudgingly nods at Vicamros, "Fair enough. But I will take the blade, so no others may be tempted by his evil. Once we return home the Hierophant should be able to banish him back to the Lower Planes without slaying him."
After rousing the others and catching them up with current events the group prepare to head off, Loraella stops them this time.
"What is it now!" Crunan says irritably.
She looks around the strew about corpses and frowns, "Shouldn't we bury the town's folk?"
Caren's jaw hits the floor, after a moments recovery she moves over to Loraella patting her back, "I knew there was a good person in there."
"Well at least chaotic neutral," LeeLee jokes.
"Hey wait," Chip muses, "Don't we earn Piety points for doing something like this."
Maddie checks her books, "One to three points per level of the victim(s)."
"This totally makes up for that Orphanage we burned down," Vida muses.
Liera, Mannie, Blecker, and LeeLee's eyes fall on her disapprovingly.
"It was an accident!" Xander protests, "We botched a roll and well...the details aren't important."
"LeeLee as your character is the only evil member of the group you will actually loose Piety with your deity, but will earn favor with Therin, are you sure you want to go ahead with the idea?"
LeeLee nods.
The party stay a few hours to give last rights to townsfolk, as they finish their duties they feel a light fill their hearts, however it seems that Vecna is not pleased with Loraella actions and she doubles over in pain a number of severe lacerations appearing across her body. Caren tries in vein to heals the wounds with Lay on Hands but the damage is too severe and Loraella dies.
"I use the Staff of Resurrection on her." Blecker says.
"Your actually resurrecting the Chaotic Evil vampire?" Vida says incredulously.
"Hey she died because she did something really, really good, Caren would feel guilty if she didn't try to do something when she had the power to fix it."
"Thanks Blecker!" LeeLee coos, "That was really nice of you!"
Blecker smiles.
"And I think this is a good point to call it for the night," Maddie says despite rounds of disappointment, "We'll pick up the story next time with you guys at the mine shaft, skipping the travel time, so be ready for the the big climax!"
LeeLee rummages through her bags pulling out a campaign book, "Oh! I just picked this up, can we play this one after."
Maddie takes the book leafing through it, "What's the premise?"
"A new evil has risen, his name already spoken of in hushed whispers, he has already kidnapped the princess and the king is desperate to rescue her, offering a great reward for her successful rescue."
"And who is this vile fiend!" Chip exclaims.
"The Shadow."
"The Shadow?" Xander questions.
"The Shadow!" Chip exclaims dramatically. "I like it!"
LeeLee purrs as she and Blecker walk, "I think their warming up to me!"
Blecker smiles, "It's not that hard once you stop trying to force people to like you."
"Thanks Blecker," LeeLee smiles giving Blecker a peck on the cheek, watching his image be replaced by the Rose Ranger in her mind's eye as they part company, "Rose Ranger," she says under her breath.
LeeLee diverts into an alley before diverting again into an empty warehouse, waiting around for a few moments before a figure descends from the skyline with a drop kick. LeeLee spins away dropping her bags and taking a defensive stance before launching forward with a series of kicks that her attacker deflects easily. The attacker counters with her own kicks before knocking LeeLee back and into a roll. Walking over the attacker is cast into some light from the skyline and broken windows. It's Necra, chuckling darkly as she offers a hand to LeeLee.
"Your growing soft daughter. Perhaps you have spent too much time on the surface."
"Much better then that dank old Pit with that psycho Morticon."
"How did your game go with the Rangers," Necra inquires.
"Really great! We're going to finish Maddie's campaign next time, it's a lot of fun, more then I though it would be!"
Necrolai glowers disapprovingly, "Did you give them the book?"
LeeLee sighs, "Yes, and they seem real excited to start it."
Necrolai cackled, "Excellent, the Rangers will soon be little more then a bad memory, and it will be by their own hands!"
LeeLee sighs waiting for her mother to stop gloating, her voice low, "Can we run the climax out our house. Is that going to be OK?"
Necra chuckles darkly, "Of course, we must keep up appearances after all."
LeeLee looks out to the moon in the sky and sighs, "I don't suppose there would be a way to spare Nicole is there?"
Necra caresses LeeLee's hair, "Only if they decide to come over to the Dark Side."
LeeLee sighs, "Guess that isn't very likely is it mom?"