With a well aimed shot Morganne's missile sunk through the slight opening below water and erupted. The surrounding rock coupled with the water contained the blast radius. As the eruption cleared, the opening was much bigger now.
The three adventurers swam below and through the opening, coming up for air through the opposite side. In this newly discovered area was an immense and once beautiful area, what was once kingly trappings have faded and vanished. In the area are several large thrones, seven in all and on each sat a human skeleton with crowns atop of their heads. Each of the seven also possess a unique looking sword.
"Ye Gods" Twighlah said as she pulled herself up out of the water..."I don't believe my eyes, is this all an illusion? This looks to me like the hall of kings father had been searching for all his life. Do you not know of this Morganne?"
(INT: succeess) Morganne remembers hearing about this fabled place from some brief perusing of the great libram in Lor. Apparently, seven paladins who venerated Wrath a thousand years ago were given special swords blessed personally by the high God. However, their hearts became corrupt and they had fallen to evil. In their greed and lust for their treasure they gathered together and guarded over it themselves, even unto death. Their swords supposedly became cursed by Wrath as retribution, though this has never been confirmed as being truth.
Twighlah: "Don't touch anything! I'll summon something to do that for us. It's obvious there may be guards and wards not visible. I need to rest now"
36 comments:
"Hmm, I guess it goes to show that no matter how pure of heart one seems to be, there is always a price to turn you the other way.." Arik states, as he shakes his head towards the remains of the human skeletons. "Though, this is a wonderful find. Rest is a good thing right about now..." As Arik makes sure that nothing is out of place....
"...these are the fallen. lore speaks of seven paladin who venerated Wrath yet lost their way. Their remains must be laid to rest and their ill fated desires be secured and returned to Wrathian church!" Morganne muses "..if there ever was a time i'd regretted not choosing to don the armor and robes of the Wrathian cleric, now is that time!"
Morganne reaches out with her senses to scan the room and note anything of particular interest
"Twighlah is correct, we shouldn't disturb anything lest we set off any protective wards. I do find it...interesting that seven paladins once devoted to Wrath found their final resting place underneath an Elven Stronghold?"
Twighlah: "The Elflord Delfayne Rathgul summoned them during the eclipse war, to help Lord Delfayne against a horde of undead sent by Darkon. They were trapped inside the tower as Darkon's true threat was presented, a secret force of two thousand orcs who besieged the tower above for a whole month before it fell. Though the tower had been ruined, no orc had stepped foot within as Lord Delfayne laid a curse against evil within the ruins above"
"Darkon eh..well it would seem that what Arik was trying to say was true.."
Morganne searches the room visually, taking care not to move or steap anywhere "..and just how do you expect us to get all of this out of here? The champion swords are cursed and of no use to me or my order but by rights some of this..should go to to you for your help. We should take care not to disrupt any..protective wards around this place. With my luck and past, I wouldn't be surprised if the Seven fallen sprang up and challenged us even!" Morganne snorts.
TWIGHLAH: "They may, if you claim any of those blades for yourself. But the curses can be lifted through proper ritual and rites"
MORGANNE detects a secret door behind a cabinet set in the wall.
You note that there is a trunk at the base of each throne.
Each treasure chest has near invisible runes written on them, Morganne detects.
"Arik, there's a secret door over there..." Morganne motions to secret door "..be careful, i'm going to examine these chests, Twighlah, can you read these runes?" Morganne takes a piece of parchmant and charcoal pencil and copies the runes down before showing them to twiglah "..i'm sure these chests are rigged some how."
Morganne will examine the chest to determine if there are any traps. should Twighlah be able to read the runes she's copied then she will decide if she should disable the traps or not.
Twighlah nods her head in a negative, "Runes laid by a wizard, not the realm of a druid to discern. Father can though"
CHESTS: Only a magic-user would be able to remove the runes safely.
Morganne nods her head and goes back to studying the chests "..hmmm perhaps we can summon your father somehow.." Morganne looks at the swords and simply shakes her head "..i'm neither a spellbinder nor a priest, sure i could roll the bones and attempt to open the chests ignorantly but I fear that would simply invite more doom and destruction...mainly my own.."
Twighlah nodded, and said "Let's return home and await father there. We need to check on Randal anyhow, it isn't safe for him to remain alone with a high fever...in his condition"
Morganne, curiosity taking a hold of her tried to grab one of the swords on the skeletal kings bony grasp. She found it didn't budge or release from its grasp and it sprung up and clutched the fine blade in both hands, raised the sword to its forehead in a salute and advanced on the dhampir.
Morganne *dodges* the skeletal's initial skewering thrust, takes -5 hp dmg as the undead skeletal warrior swung its brand at her side and cut painfully into her ribcage. The undead lord's opposite hand now clutched an insidious looking whip.
actions?
"I agree, lets go back and see what can be done.."
Seeing what is going on, pulls out his sword and leg sweeps the skeleton's legs to attempt to knock it down. If that does not work, he'll be in defense stance to see how this undead warrior fights. While this is going on, Arik eill take a quick look around and see if the other undead warriors are coming "alive"....
Smiling, Morganne leaps back and hurls Bone-Breaker at the skeletal warrior's arm "...well that nagging question has just been answered!"
Morganne will put some distance between herself and the Skeleton and fire a glue bolt at first chance then keep attacking the warrior.
MORGANNE: (6) missed UNDEAD LORD with BONEBREAKER.
UNDEAD LORD charges and swings its sword at Morganne twice. She swirves beneath and sidesteps the attacks.
UNDEAD LORD eviscerates Morganne! -22 hp dmg. A second swing cuts through Morganne's armor like it was made of flimsy paper and delivers another harrowing blow (-12 hp dmg) Morganne throws bonebreaker (2) and missed again. The Undead Lord tries to bash her with his shield but missed.
TWIGHLAH heals Morganne for +7 hp's with a cure light wounds spell.
ARIK: (5) the other undead beings seem to be still and unmoving. You rush at the Undead Lord who easily dodges your obvious attack. It moves with fluid agility and grace it once possessed in life and fights much better than you do! It also brandishes a blade that appears to be a kingly weapon.
Reeling from the Undead lord's viscious attack, Morganne quickly takes the Healing draught confiscated from Randal Thorn and gulps it down quickly, then fires a glue bolt at the undead lord before renewing her assault
MORGANNE is attacked once more by the Undead Lord, and she avoided its keen blade from further harming her. She fires her wristbow once again and it struck the skeletal lord in one of its rib-bones and chipped a piece off (-1 hp dmg) then an explosion of glue smeared all over its legs and held it there. It bashed Morganne with its shield and floors her (-2 hp dmg) she crashes into a marble pillar and the wind is knocked out of her (dazed, 1 round)
Arik came at the immobilized skeletal fighter and slashed at it with his blade. He hacked with ferocious might but the bony frame of the thing made it less prone to sword-work and it only took half the damage from Arik's strokes (-7 hp dmg, dmg reduction)
Morganne regenerates (+1 hp) she quaffs the potion of extra healing (+12 hp restored)
DECISION
Morganne circles around behind the undead lord while it defends itself from Arik to strike it from behind
Seeing that the sword did little to the Undead warrior, Arik takes this time to distract the warrior by attempting to disarm the weapon from the skeleton's hand and make sure the attention is on him....
(17) Morganne cannot backstab a creature without no real back, this includes a skeletal undead. She strikes undead lord with her sword (-10=-5 hp dmg, dmg reduction)
UNDEAD LORD eviscerates Arik with devastating blows! (-17 hp dmg) missing its third stroke aimed at his neck. You stagger back and fall into the murky black water, your sword falling out of your hand it sinks to the bottom of the deep pool. You slip and fade from consciousness.
MORGANNE chops at the Undead Lord and again her weapon is deprived of hitting it. It too swung at her but tripped on a piece of rock, though Morganne's swift swords were deflected by its round steel shield. TWIGHLAH throws a flaming sphere at Undead Lord and engulfs it in a explosion of scorching fire.
UNDEAD LORD came in low and slices off Morganne's right leg at the knee with its bastard sword. It came at her again with a blow meant to finish her but she parries the mighty warrior's attack with asp. The undead warrior bashes Morganne senseless with its rounded shield and she goes flying into the pool of dark black murky water to join Arik there.
Sometime later you both feel yourselves being dragged and pulled...prodded and poked, incoherent voices ringing in your ears as you dream and sleep. You see a vast mountain range in your dreams, and you're flying over them together. There are numerous beings that dwell there, orcs to men to dwarves and giants. Someone or thing beckons you there.
Then you awake, finding Twighlah hovering over you. The fallen crumpled mass of bones that was the undead lord at her feet. She explains that when the thing took Morganne down she happened to have scored a very critical strike against it with her fiery scimitar and destroyed it after transforming into a cave bear and pummeling it to death.
"You were both badly wounded" she says, "If I hadn't scored that lucky hit and then transformed into a raging beast when I had it may have done me in as well" the druidess says. Morganne sees that her leg had been refastened. Both of you are extremely weak, tired, hungry, wet and fatigued from exhaustion. You have a -5 penalty to hit/damage.
REACTION
Morganne sits up, shaking the fog of battle from her consciousness and begins to inspect her wounds "...good binding job Twighlah" Morganne comments "..it'll be stiff for awhile but after a bit of rest, I should be good as..used" Morganne smirks, taking notice of the undead lord "...was a good thing you were here with us then, still, we live yet and the knowledge gained from this encounter won't be forgotten! " Morganne takes out a small scroll and charcoal pencil and makes a few markings and then replaces it inside of a corked tube which goes back inside of the folds of her cloak. "...perhaps a bit of rest then we can start back to the cabin and check in on Randal and your father like you suggested. I'm guessing that the other skeletons are just as deadly if not more so than this one!" Morganne jerks a thumb at an un armed skeleton "...I wouldn't be surprised if that one was a Lich-lord of some sort even!" Morganne chuckles "...will be sure to leave that one alone.."
Morganne looks in her pack for some dried rations and water to drink and will offer some to Twighlah and Arik. Once she is ready to move she will make see if there is any treasure that can be had safely and make her way out of the cave with the others.
Morganne and Arik 7 gems at the bottom of the pool and you have no idea concerning their value or quality, and some discarded silver, gold, and electrum pieces that appears to be of vintage mint. Morganne found a curious dagger of a long dead adventuring thief no doubt. When a button at the handle is depressed in the handle the blade shoots out like a dart. There was also a single scroll-tube wedged in some of the debris at the pool-bottom.
The noxious odor of sulfur fills your nostrils when you all gain the other side, where the demon was had been confined in. Out of a shimmering portal from the abyss the Cambion emerged, completely healed it produced a whip made out of scorching fire and glared with evil purpose at Arik. It then laughed a dark belittling laughter and says "Foolishness was always in a mortals heart...so you thought you had banished me so easily, stupid warrior? I can tell you've been exploring the chamber of the ones who must not awaken...and that they've tenderized you properly for me!"
The cambion came at Arik, the half-demon's sword cut across Arik's chest (-3 hp dmg, 4 hp absorbed from armor) with its off-hand it tried to rake his eyes but missed, barely.
TWIGHLAH is surprised, unable to act.
MORGANNE: actions?
pocketing the coin and gems, Morganne retrieves the handle of the dagger and takes a moment to study it before reassembling it. "..this should come in handy, though i really had my eye on one of those swords.." Morgane quips "...still we've got some travelling to do and would relish a few hours sleep"
Morganne rolls her eyes upon sight of the Cambion muttering "...if it's one thing I've learned that there's never a time when the other boot falls!" Morganne decides to employ a different tactic in helping Arik deal with the half demon. While the Cambion is focused on Arik, Morganne recedes into the shadows (hide in shadows) amd circles around to an optimum attacking position from which to strike. Morganne loads another glue bolt into her wrist bow and pulls out her new dagger (point down) and draws her sword. Reasoning that the Cambion will more likely use the whip to disarm or trip it's attackers, Morganne will use the dagger to entice the cambion to strike her off-hand weapon to whick she'll use the blade's point down position to sever the whip if it tries to attack her. In the meantime, Morganne will wait to strike at the Cambion from behind, leaping in the air high and blindside to strike downward.
The half-demon senses Morganne's thoughts and avoided her rear attack, lashed out at her with its scorching barbed whip. The whip wraps around Morganne's entire body and holds her, though her armor protects her from the flames (damage absorbed: +3, -2 hp dmg from fire)
ARIK took the opportunity to hit the cambion before it should claim victory over him and he knew it was only a matter of a few more strikes from the fiendish foe to end him, striking it twice with his blade (-17 hp dmg) causing it to howl in agony. The thing appeared to be hurt bad but it was regenerating almost as fast as it had received the powerful blows. "Curse you, mortal!" it hisses at you.
ROUND 2:
MORGANNE is held, still entangled in the cambion's fiery whip.
The cambion concentrated and shot a wave of fear at Arik and Twighlah. Twighlah started to flee the cave, not before the Cambion viciously slashed her in the back with its serrated sword. The cambion swung at Arik and hit him in the shoulder (-4 hp dmg) the fighter saw that the weapon was covered with some glistening ichor that was undoubtedly poison...though he wasn't affected by it, yet.
MORGANNE's body became transparent and the fiery whip fell through her as her cloak made her phase out of existence.
ROUND 3:
The cambion eviscerates Arik (-8 hp dmg) Arik avoids being poisoned. Morganne attacks from the rear but the Cambion's barbed tail lashes at her to keep her at bay and she misses. Arik's sword strikes the Cambion with brutal effect, ending its menace it roared in outrage as its body fell over and it died at his feet in a blood curdling roar.
Arik also collapsed to one knee and breathed greedily of the clean air, he was bleeding profusely underneath his armor and had taken too much damage to be of much use. Twighlah rose up off the ground and spat on the fallen cambion's corpse. Morganne regains some more of her strength and vitality. This fight could have gone south very easily for all involved in it.
Both of you feel more experienced and strengthed by this encounter:
Morganne: 7th level fighter
Arik: 6th level fighter
Morganne feels out of touch with her assassin side as she hasn't utilized her skills much as she has the fighter side of her.
Morganne picks up the cambion's serrated sword and inspects it. "..finally i think we can leave..all of this constant fighting head to head, though I feel i've gained some expierence, I feel that some of my other skills have been woefully under utilized..Let's get back to Randal and get some rest eh Arik?"
As sweat beeds off his face Arik looks up at Morganne, "Aye, lets leave this place before this becomes our tomb. But give me a second to check myself..." Arike takes this time to look over himsef and makes sure that he can make it out the cave without passing out. Hopfully with this newly gained insight, that he can become the warrior that people are known for his race to be....
Morganne: the cambion's serrated sword appears to have been forged by dwarf-craft, and it possesses abysmal runes engraved in the blade-length. The hilt appears to be the face of two snakes facing each-other.
The three of you exit the sulfur smelling cavern and head back towards Praxus's homestead. You draw near to a clearing, and Morganne's heightened sense of smell picks up human urine and feces at the base of a tree. Twighlah drops to her knee's and hands then her body shifts and she takes the form of a hawk...flying off and high then circling about in the air until she becomes nothing more than a small black dot.
Morganne and Arik meanwhile hear some movement somewhere close to the clearing. With your elvish boots you approach unheard, invisible and easily spot a pair of sentries lazily standing guard at the southern outer edge of the clearing. Both appears to be of the outfit of men who had earlier threatened Twighlah on her front porch. Except there are more, twenty men in all past the perimeter. About five of them look moderately injured, another five look very tired and worn, and the ten unscathed bandits are sitting about and boasting to one another and cheering the success of a very recent raid. Two men enter the clearing from the opposite (north) side of the encampment. These men look much taller and stronger in stature as you realize that they aren't common bandits but fierce berzerkers, possibly barbarians. Closer scrutiny confirms it as they are clad in the livery of Tiger Nomads. One is carrying a struggling woman clad in fanciful garb on his shoulder. As he lowers her to her feet she pummels his chest with her tiny fists causing all the men to laugh in a uproar. "Some further cure for whatever ails us lads!" one bandit jokes while emptying a leather flagoon full of beer.
REACTION
"..Damn..Tiger nomads and twenty brigands...neither one of us is in good enough shape to handle even half of them..." Morganne looks at Arik's battered form "...still..who wants to live forever.." Morganne takes note of the position of the sentries and begins to quickly formulate a plan to rescue the woman before too much harm comes to her.
"Arik, i'm going see if I can get close enough to her to Rescue her but I'll need you to stay far enough away for me to be able to use the Succundus clasps" Morganne takes note of the wind direction and then takes out some 'nullscent' and applies it to both she and Arik, then continues with her plan "..I'll take out the two sentries and I want you to be ready with your bow loaded with glue and acid bolts, I'm going to sneak in and take out one or both of those barbarians...hmmm no on second thought..they've an uncanny ability to avoid back attacks..no better to take out some of their men.." Morganne pulls out some choking powder and sleeping nascence instead. I'm going to get close enough to place the sleeping inscence in their campfire, I want you to try to move as quietly as possible and stay hidden. Remember, you're pretty weak right now and in no shape for a prolonged fight. Once I'm in the camp I'll get close to the woman and as soon as I am, I'll teleport to you..." Morganne suddenly has another inspiration. "second thought, after taking out the two guards, I'll disguise myself and get in close enough to use the sleeping inscence and be ready with the choking powder, again, once I've secured the woman, we'll tele-port to you and get out of here." Morganne's eyes search the sky for Twighlah "..I don't know if we can wait for her but it doesn't matter, Are you up for it?"
Morganne quickly looks over Arik's more serious of wounds and helps tend to them before laying out her weapons needed and preparing to put her plan into action.
"...Remember Arik, only communicate via the clasp and stay just in range of your bow and the maximum range of the clasp. I'll take out the guard...Say,...do you think your blade would let me borrow it for a while? I've noticed that it has an unusual ability to strike any who strike it's bearer..." Morganne considers what she's asking of Arik and then decides against it.."no nevermind, keep your demon sword, this dagger and Garrote will work fine."
Morganne moves silently and in shadows to her first targets, the sentries posted nearby. Moving in the trees. Once she's killed them she'll don their armor and hide the bodies in the brush before moving on to her next objective.
She will 'change self' to physically look and sound like one of the sentries and make her way into camp, noting how the brigands speak to one another and make her way to the campfire to secretly place the sleeping inscence in the fire and sleeping vials in food and ale tankards when passed to her before waiting for their effects to take hold. once successful, she'll get to the woman and wait for Arik to use an explosive bolt to cause a diversion if the sleeping vials are too slow and simply tele-port herself and the woman away.
Taking out the sentries was an effortless endeavor, for they were both very drunk and sluggish, laughing vulgarly between themselves about some wenching of elvish whores of late.
Morganne moves about in their camp unchallenged and undetected, slipping powder into the flames of the campfire. The smoke renders asleep a nearby dog, the wounded men, and everyone who comes into breathing distance of it.
Morganne places some sleep-poison into various tankards, then enters into the tent the barbarians are at. Arik shot an explosive bolt that detonates just north of the clearing, which empties the encampment of any sober and alert bandits. Only one of the barbarians went, the other was intent on the nights carnal pleasures to be easily diverted but at the last minute said "Don't go anywhere now, lass...I'll be back for ya!" then saunters away, grabbing an axe before leaving the tent.
Morganne entered the tent and was about to grab the girl when the same barbarian came back and spotted her. He drew a knife and spat "She aint for you, dog!" but then Morganne grabbed the girl by the wrist and tried to teleport herself and the girl out, but the clasp wasn't powerful enough to transport two beings through its dimensional door.
The barbarian leaped head-long into Morganne and tackled her to the ground, or at least tried to. Instead he slipped straight through her as her form phased out of existence. Morganne wraps her garrotte around the barbarians neck and began to squeeze the life out of him. The tiger nomad's face became beat red as he struggled.
The woman captive struck Morganne from behind, thinking her to be one of the outlaws. The blow wasn't damaging, but it afforded the tiger nomad a window of opportunity to recover. He whacks Morganne in the temple with the bunt of his axe, enough to sting her. He then leaps up and kicks Morganne hard in the chest with both legs, sending her flying out of the tent and crashing hard into the fleeing girl. Both Morganne and the girl go tumbling down the sloped side of a hill and fall into a small river there...where you're yanked and began floating downstream along with a powerful current.
REACTION?
MORGANNE: (17) fitting a grappler bolt into her wristbow you manage to snag the woman whose being fiercely whisked away by the undercurrent of the river. Realizing that she herself is not much of a proficient swimmer Morganne cursed her luck as she was being towed by the woman who was now crying frantically. Her strength was useless in this case and realized it was impossible to pull the woman to her against the flow of the river. Morganne tries but fails to grab a low hanging branch and is forced to sever the line less she too drowns and is taken by the powerful undercurrent, which was pure doom.
Touching the Succundus clasp Morganne teleports to Arik's side. There were more men in the encampment now, ten more Tiger Nomads and ten more bandits too. There were sentries in pairs of two around the perimeter, and they were accompanied by capable looking attack dogs.
Twighlah returned, swooping upon a low branch and peering down at the both of you. Reverting back into her human shape she says "The girl is safe, Morganne. She fell over the waterfall but I caught her...fortunately she's light as a waif. I let her down on the lower riverbank. She said that those barbarians and bandits had decimated her families caravan and massacred her kinsmen, who were fleeing from a horde of orcs which attacked Stoink recently"
Morganne tilts her head and clears some of the water from her ears "..good work Arik, that bolt was righ on time, unfortunately, now there are more Tiger Nomads and bandits prowling about! I don't think we'll get back to Twighlah's place before we're discovered." Morganne turs to Twighlah "..how far away is the girl now? We should bring her with us less she gets captured by the brigands again.." Morganne stops to scan their immediate area to make sure they aren't being observed or in any danger before walking to the nearest tree and walking up it side to a high branch to scan the area from a better vantage point before returning to the ground below.
"we should get moving and quickly, Nomads, bandits and Orcs..Oh my!!"
"Forget the woman" Twighlah said, "I sent her on her way to a Dwarven fortress two hours northeast of here by foot. The way is well patrolled, and evil ones stray clear of it. The Dwarves there are friendly and benevolent, they will give her shelter and food"
The three of you return to Twighlah's homestead without further entanglements. A reprehensible odor followed by a greasy black cloud of billowing smoke puts everyone on edge. Morganne instinctively covers her nostrils, and she phases out of existence with her cloak wrapped around her so that the smoke passes through her non corporeal body.
Randal and Praxus are in front of the cabin, dumping many hobgoblin bodies onto a burning pyre, with two humans lying sprawled on the ground. One looks to be a cleric and the other a fighter. The mage says "Well thats the last of em!" meanwhile, Randal points towards the three of you and says "There they are, you see? You worry too much old man"
Praxus sighed, giving Twighlah a disapproving look..."I thought I told you to watch over the house, daughter. Something ill might have befallen Randal here. You know the forest is froth with perils and menace, it was irresponsible for you to go sauntering off like that on some foolish mischief! And don't give me any sass girl, you know I'm in the right. Even druid you be, it is no excuse. Is that any way to treat your future husband?"
Twighlah's eyes lit up, "I'm not marrying that...that, that con artist! I'd rather marry Darg Jenkins the half-orc hermit up on Hooknose Crag!" she said in a fume, crossing her arms over her chest with defiance. Randal shrugged sheepishly, turning his gaze back toward Morganne and Arik..."So you two still live, eh? Impressive! So do I" the thief gestures for Morganne and Arik to join him inside while father and daughter squabble and continue their melodramatic squabbling.
He turned toward Morganne and says "I did some scouting after Praxus revived me. I'll tell you what I've found out, there's a shitload of orcs and bandits who've flooded the forest and I think that they're actually looking for you. I was eavesdropping in one of their encampments, and I freed some captives they had locked away in a tent. The orcs were extracting information out of these prisoners, looking for a pair of adventurers who had children with them. I think that they think you have these little brats they made mention of. At any rate, they've just about surrounded the entire forest and have cut off all major routes in and out of it. The dwarf-lord Belg Blackaxe suggests to take the Gate Mountains. I had to get sloppy drunk with the guy to steal all of the information he had about the Gates...and there's lots...and the thing is, we're ill equipped for such an expedition. At least we were until I discovered a sweet little elvish cache of equipment just a mile from here! Haha. Isn't it strange? A group of half-orc assassins were following me trying to find the route to Praxus's lair and I was hiding from them when I discovered it. They've been after the old coot for some time now, because he's a Impiltur agent. Anyways, the Gates are the only safe way out of Dis"
Morganne raises her eyebrow's at the mention of Twighlah marrying Randal but makes no mention of the fact that had things gone differently, Morganne would've killed Randal herself. Upon entering the home, Morganne eases herself into a chair, listening to Randal's story as Praxus and Twighlah continue their argument.
"...I came across a good sized group of bandits myself actually" Morganne interjects "...they made mention of a large force of Orcai in the Dis, Twighlah was very...helpful in helping Arik and myself included get through the forrest actually." Morganne sets her newly captured serrated blade on the table to inspect it and clean it while she continues.." ...we came across a large cache of treasure in an abandoned fortress nearby but barely got out with our lives, the Cambion that haunted the place was defeated but many of the curses still remain" Morganne pauses to offer a prayer to Wrath to bless the Cambion blade as she continues to inspect and polish the viscious looking sword. "...anyway, as soon as Arik here is ready, we should make our way to this cache you mention and then on to the Gate mountains! I don't know who those Orcai think we are but a baby sitter isn't one of them.."
Randal digests Morganne's report and nodded, "Cambion's are tough, and they never forget the faces of those who bested them. He said "Aye, we can leave whenever you're ready"
As the party followed the thief along a narrow game trail, they come across a very tall tree that appears to be an elvish dwelling. You would have passed it up without a second thought if Randal hadn't pointed it out.
Once inside, the thief reveals a trapdoor that opens a rope ladder down into darkness. You enter a large spacious cavern below, where boxes upon boxes lie scattered. Four doors, one in each direction lies within.
"The door to the north are weapons, the right are food and such which are contained in boxes that have a chill cantrip placed on them. The one to the south is full of miscellany macabre. The door to the west are more boxes and a set of stone stairs which leads into the underdark"
"After all that has happened so far, I think it would be best to be on our way as soon as possible.." As Arik cleans his wounds and dresses them for the travel ahead....
"...well this is a very interesting place you've discovered here Randal.." Morganne says "..I take it you've already disarmed any traps left about?" Morganne goes to the door that leads to the underdark "...I've had my fill of Dark elves save for one in particular. Arik, start gathering some food and drink for the three of us. Randal, lets have a look at some of these other crates and get to replenishing our ammunition! Null-scent, healing potions, caltrops, climbing gear..anythign we may need to get us through the Gate Mountains!"
Morganne eyes the area warily and adds "..only what we can carry and be able to run with if we need to! No need to get greedy and keep your eyes open."
Randal sighed dramatically at Morganne and said "Of course I did, the traps were laid by an amateur. Lets go, forget the damned food! Last I checked I was the guide, so follow me and get used to following me...when we get to the Gates you'd better damn well follow my instructions, I've a feeling your lives may bloody well depend on it! We can fetch the grub later. Come along, this way"
He strolls through the northern door and bypasses a dark chamber there filled with elegant and sleek looking elvish brands, kite-shields with a leaf insignia engraved depicting the symbol of the Elven Empire, stacks of yew longbows and quivers of flight arrows, sheaf arrows, and such. As he draws deeper into the room he comes to a section of wall, depresses a brick in the center and opens a secret sliding door. Once through, the door slithers closed behind you. As he touches a part of the wall, a burst of continual light floods the newly discovered room. "Here's where the real goodies are" he says with a chuckle and grin.
Mounted on the wall are crossbows of various make, a dangerous looking barbed whip, and other various weapons from different cultures and provinces. He rummages through a chest and pulls out several items which he places carefully onto the floor:
A wooden rack with 10 potions contained in crystal flasks.
10 leather drawstring pouches full of some alchemist powdery substance. "This powder is Gnomish, it'll blow up when you light the drawstrings...I figure about ten heartbeats until it goes boom real good...at which point you don't want to be anywhere in close proximity unless you just happen to like the feeling of fire scorching your pasty white asses. And in case you geniuses get the notion of using this as weapons scratch that right now out of your head...this will be badly needed in the Gates for other reasons. I don't want to be caught trapped somewhere underground because you fools decided to use this to blow up a bunch of stupid orcs!"
He draws a length of silk rope 50' and hands each of you a coil of it to place in your packs, along with a grappling hook and then a utility belt, a add-on leather vest containing many pouches, and a bag of hand-chalk each. He also gives Arik some spiked boots. Randal says "Praxus is going to get us some fresh horses, we'll need em to carry our gear. We ought be ready within an hour then...take only whats needed, leave the rest...we travel light as possible which is anything other than I'm used to. Hey where'd you get that sword, Morganne?" the thief asks..."It's a snake-blade, an assassins weapon. Hmph, I here I had you pegged for a sweet lass heh...goes to show you can never really truly know a person deeply eh?" he said with a hearty laugh.
As farewells are exchanged, Praxus and Twighlah bades all good journey and Twighlah even kisses Arik and Randal and hugs Morganne, saying "May Silvanus watch over you all, and straighten your paths"
Praxus drew close and said, "I've something new to share if you can hold off for a few minutes and come inside for some fresh mint tea I just brewed" the mage enters the cabin and seats you all around his rectangular oak table. He sighed heavily and took a deep breath then says "Listen, I've been in the spy business for my liege lord for quite some time. I hadn't anticipated you going on a romp through the Gates, but since you are the best thing to arm yourselves with is information. There is a secret history about this area of the mountains you ought know, and hearken to...for it may come in handy.
Ages ago an arch-mage named Iggwilv dwelt therein. The mage had blundered and released a demon prince she had in her custody. Before this grave blunder her forces raped the surrounding lands of its treasures, which her minions then stole from her though she kept a great deal and hid it within somewhere in the mountains. Since that time, many ambitious thieves and bands of mercenaries and even adventuring parties have sought out the lost caverns of Tsjocanth where Iggwilv the mother of all witches dwelt and ruled the realm of Perrenland, a small insignificant fiefdom. That is all that I know, but I know it well. That is all I can say, farewell and good fortune!"
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