After the exchanges that took place with the hermit, Randal says to Morganne "Don't ever interfere with me or my business again the next time we encounter a strange character like that, Morganne. You can very well leave your notions of civility and courtly manners for city-life, that rot will get you killed up here! For all we knew that old bastard was a spy or an informant of some kind, maybe even the Dragon Praxus told me lairs up here in the mountains...or an Illusionist, or a Doppelganger. If you listened as well as you spake so glibly you may gain some wit yet. I wasn't rude flippantly but to test the old man to see who he was. His response could have betrayed something hidden but instead you interfered and bungled instead, acting on impulse. I admire your ability to act fast but I also condemn it it's your major flaw. Your cavalier attitude is too rigid"
The party encounters a group of six Ogre's from afar. They don't notice you, and appear to be standing about outside of a cave that they just sealed with a boulder.
REACTION?
81 comments:
Looking at the Orgres, He see if the Ogres brought anything out of the cave or try to over hear anything that is spoken in common to tell what might have happened recently. Arik tries to see what type of party these Orgres are, a patrol, workers. Anything that might tell their purpose....
Arik: you have no clue what the ogre's are all about, at all. Just an ogre clan.
From now on state your characters overall intentions/decisions e.g. if ogres look hostile Arik attacks, Morganne observes the ogres for a few minutes and sneaks up behind them. It'll make the story progress faster.
With an evil grin and using the clasp, "We can take them. They must be guarding something behind them.". As Arik places his ham on the hilt of his sword. Waiting for a good sign to proceed...
RANDAL: "Hmmm, that wasn't the question that I was asking myself, Arik. I think bloody well you can make short work of the six by your own sword alone. We'll see then" the thief hurls a dart into the leader of the Ogre's and its shaped explosive blast injures two of its bodyguards. "Get ready to fight you guys"
Randal disappeared into the overlaying shadow of the cliff wall.
As one the ogre's spent their spears and threw them all at the party without hesitation. One strikes Morganne in the stomach for -18 hp dmg, piercing her back and sending her flying into the air. She lands 10 feet behind where Arik and Randal is. She phases out with her cloak and the spear fell through her non corporeal body. The blow was sudden and sharp but she recovered herself quickly.
Three Ogre's came rushing at the party with their spiked studded war-clubs poised to bludgeon you to death. Randal threw three dags at one and the third found the ogre's heart and it crashed into the dirt flat on its face, dead.
Morganne launched her glaives and both flew past Arik and Randal then struck OGRE #1, tearing across the monster's bicep and knee (critical: -11 hp dmg) bonebreaker misses with an 8. The Ogre was seared badly from Randal's fiery blast and it died right next to the one Randal's dagger claimed.
The 3rd came at Arik, but the fighter stabbed the hideous humanoid with his blade and then slashed at its throat, slitting it and opening up a fount of its hot black life-blood. The sickly ichor sprayed Arik in the face and the dying thing nearly fell atop of the fighter but he sidestepped it at the last second.
The three remaining Ogre's howled loud obnoxious vulgarities in Ogrish and launched another barrage of spears intent on skewering you. All three missed and then they drew their axes while the leader sported a black scimitar blade.
The leader said something and his two guards easily moved the boulder out of the way. The leader went inside and the two guards quaffed something out of a vial and then refit the boulder back in place, sealing the leader within.
ACTIONS?
"blah, blah blah Randal, I understood very well what it was you were trying to do! Don't assume that because I disagree with your particular methods, that I disagree with your intent behind them! I'm no novice youngling sell-sword! I've lived through much worse than anything we've faced so far... please, lead on then! I defer to your...considerable skills and judgment" Morganne says, her voice dripping with sarcasm and venom.
sullen and growing ever so weary of traveling through these mountains, Morganne eyes the assembled Ogres and decides to simply observe them for a few moments.
Seeing the look on Arik's face and Randal's movement towards the large humanoids 'wonderful, just wonderful' Morganne thinks to herself. Communicating via the clasp to both of them "..we'll need at least one of them alive to move that rock out of the way should things go south"
Pain, both sharp, sudden and brief, registers in her mind as she quickly pushes the thoughts to the recesses of her mind and wills herself to focus on the task at hand. Morganne continues to use both of her bladed ranged weapons until she's too close and changing tactics, will sneak around behind one of the Ogres and leap upon it's back, striking with her black short-sword
Since Morganne opts to come within melee striking range, she advances and closes the distance 15' toward the ogres. Ogre #1 took two heavy rocks and launches them at her. The first shattered harmlessly against her breastplate but the second rock shattered across the side of her head (-7 hp dmg)
Meanwhile its comrade drew out a pair of great-swords, one per hand and came upon Morganne with a ferral snarl. "Arrggghhh!!" it roars as it lunged, missing her. It spun around and tried to bring its blade in a swing but tripped on shards of loose rock on the ground. The ogre collapsed at Morganne's feet from the obvious fumble and it was stunned as the side of its abnormally large head struck the side of sharp rock. Morganne pierced the Ogre in the back but only the point seemed to pierce the Ogre's hide, and something prevented the blade from running its course (-2 hp dmg against the ogre)
The Ogre spun around on the ground, it had stirred from its dazed state and it grinned evily then grabbed Morganne and held her tightly by the ankle. The Ogre who still stood by the cave entrance hurled two leather pouches at her, each one with a lit wick and both blow up directly behind and to the side of her in fiery grenade-like blasts (-24 hp fire-damage) she's hurtled against the cliff-wall with violent sudden force from the blast.
Randal drew three daggers and flung them at the Ogre who threw the explosive bags. Dagger #1 plunged into the creatures right eye-socket, Dagger #2 into its mouth, Dagger #3 straight through its neck and it toppled over, dead before it reached the ground.
The thief walked over toward the cave-entrance and was plucking his daggers out of the fallen ogre, inspecting the boulder
A bloodied and seared Morganne picked herself up off the ground, mired in dirt and her own blood. Before she could do anything her keen senses saw the two Stone Giants from before approaching from further down the road. As her eyes zoomed in closer, she noticed that one the shoulder of the first Giant sat a black hooded figure, clad in black robes and embroidered with silver patterns in the arms. His face was covered with a mask that had only eyeslits and a opening where the mouth was, what function it served was beyond anyones guess. Every few the two stone giants stopped, looked around in search of someone or something and it seemed they did so at the command of the man who now traveled with them.
"Friend of yours?" Randal asked via the clasp sarcastically. "Why don't you go and show us that skill you were boasting to me about, I'll hide behind some rocks and keep you cover. Arik do you know how to use a crossbow at least? You're too depedent on that sword...while its a nice blade a good crossbow is needed"
"you're becoming a real ass Randal!" Morganne snarls as she takes the last sip of her first healing draught before wiping her face on her sleeve as best she could and sits casually on top of the now dead Ogre, pulling out a small steel mirror to clean her face and fix her hair. via clasp ("this will more than likely get real ugly, stay out of sight") Morganne loads an explosive bolt into her wrist bow and sits with her serrated snake sword, calmly and seemingly unconcerned with the approaching stone giants and the new comer.
Randal says "You're hurting my feelings!" with a wry laugh. The two towering stone giants lumbered on then stopped, noticing the now dead ogres. The black robed figure said something and one of the stone giants cupped its hand and gently lowered the man down to the ground. The figure knelt low and examined the wounded ogres briefly then looked around in both directions. Satisfied that none was looking, the masked figure poured something on the bodies of the dead ogres that melted their flesh, presumably acid. He then chanted something and then rolled the boulder inwardly with little effort. Entering into the cave the mysterious figure said something to the two Stone Giants who took a guard-stance on either side of the cave mouth and one of them resealed the boulder back into its closed position.
REACTION
Looking at the mysterious figure and checking to see what he is doing..."This is interesting. I am happy that you like my sword. I'm a sword fighter, not a bowman. But if we need one, then that won't be a problem..." With taht being said, he'll switch weapons and set up the crossbow and take up a good position for a clear shot.
"forget about it Arik, stick with what you know best, though I would take Randal's suggestion and practice with a ranged weapon whenever you have the time. No one likes a one-trick-pony for very long.." Morganne says via the clasp "..what now oh fearless leader? that masked man reeks of magical power and if you remember, the ogre leader went inside as well..."
Randal shook his head, "Well aren't you special! Really? You like your sword how quaint! How crafty! Your stupid sword won't be much good if you have foes that can throw boulders to flatten you dead. You'd better start liking the crossbow or the bow real fast pal, or you're going to get killed"
The thief said to Morganne "So? Why ask me? I'm just the guide, your ways are much superior than mine so come up with something good. Like how to get past those giants for starters. Since you're very confident I'm sure you'd have no issue bluffing them, right?"
Morganne rolls her eyes at the thief, and simply shakes her head "..you don't get it do you Randal! Tell me Why I should care about getting past these two in the first place? Oh and spare the treasure and greater reputation line for some other fool, coin is good, a fearsome reputation is better but in my line of work, not being known is preferable! Not to mention that Me and sir I-love-my-sword-alot over here would rather get through this as quickly as possible and put these mountains far behind us.."
Morganne studies the scene before her and shrugs "...two problems, the stone giants and the rather large boulder. We need one to deal with the other without raising too much alarm and without being scene." Morganne scratches her chin, pondering the problem "...sneaking around and using an old performer's trick to confuse them into believing that there's someone on the inside wishing to get out. once they open the passage, I could take your clasp and throw it inside and then dimmensional door inside" Morganne's voice trails off and shakes her head "No that won't work, I don't think you can dimmensional door without a clasp but then again, i've never tried."
Morganne paces and then offers her second plan "...or I could disguise myself as that masked figure and simply try to bluff my way past them...of course that is the more dangerous plan that seems to end up with me getting squashed and nothing for either of you two.."
Randal said "That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard, and I've heard plenty. Fine, since you lack the wit to discern the painfully obvious I'll tell you why...since you haven't any shred of self preservation. That masked man is potentially a mighty foe, and I think if he can exert control over two stone giants as though it were an easy feat we should run like bats out of hell. So you want to go IN the cave, did you happen to see that the man moved the boulder by himself? I don't think the giants will want to disturb his business. Yeah you get into the cave, just to be fried like a piece of bacon on a skillet! I don't see the logic in your continually bringing up my motivation versus yours is convincing me much of anything other than your tactless talent to strip every ounce of inspiration out of this adventure. So do it, go and find your way out of the mountains nobodies forcing you to tag along on my quest if thats what it takes to shut your incessant grumbling"
Randal slips into the shadows and disappears. He slowly moves past the two giants and continues up the road.
Morganne fumming, uses the cloak clasp and dimmensional door to where Rankal is. Once there under her breath "...first of all, you have no idea what Arik and I have been through and have to continually go through! Were it not for your greedy nature, you wouldn't even BE here to argue with me in the first place! Incessant grumbling! By Wrath's beard I wonder sometimes why I didn't leave you tied up in that cabe of the Ettercap in the first place! Sure you could make a case that Arik and I wouldn't have lasted more than a day without YOUR help but at the least I wouldn't have to hear you brow beating every comment and decision I make!" Morganne hisses! Sure you're good at what you do! Pointing out the obvious! Are you sure you're not Related to Orath, out of Nyr? You think I want to sneak past those two guards and into that cave? I only mentioned it because of the off chance that you assumed that the cave was someplace YOU wanted to go in the first place! Sure Arik doesnn't say much but I'm sure the last thing he wants to do is walk into what would surely be our deaths! You want to go off? Fine, hand over the cloak clasp and be on your way then! I've seen your map enough to commit it to memory and can probably make my own way out of here! Unless that is you still want to go off on your own!"
Morganne stares at the thief for a few seconds then closing her eyes takes a few deep breaths and allows her features to soften and her anger subside "...tell you what, Arik and I will go on your little quest if it'll make you happy but since it's your quest, you'd better be the one to decide what your intentions are and not assume that I or Arik can read your mind! I swear on the blood of my father that you'll get no further arguments out of me, once this is over than we can continue out of this barren place."
Randal scoffed, "You still babbling about the ettercap huh? You had little choice in the matter, letting me live wasn't any act of mercy it was an act of survival. I told you a hundred times to avoid confrontations, am I speaking Goblin? You bungled my talks with the old coot back there and defend your meddling with lame reasons. Do I rudely disrupt you when you're prattling on and on about whatever...? You don't know the art of timely shutting up, Morganne! When did I ever mention I would deign to go into that blasted ogres den? Never! So you're wrong about that as well. As I spoke to you earlier about you and your friend have very little choice in the matter of accompanying me. And please, I'm not like swordboy there who likes to hear your constant yakking. Here, here's your clasp back. We can part company once you find your way out, if ever" the thief resumed marching down the road.
You come upon an avalanche which is easily circumvented (and would have delayed your progress by a day) on the other side:
THE CRAGGY DELLS
THis isolated place is one of rugged beauty, with rock spires and jutting mesas rising from a dish-shaped valley. The rock formations make the place a series of meadows and dells. There are scattered shrubs and a few copses of trees but most of the area is covered with lush grasses. You don't seem to see or hear Randal anywhere.
DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO/HOW YOU PROCEED.
Morganne, still fuming, decides to let the argument pass and continues on after the thief. Realizing that she's lost sight of him, she crouches down to search for any tracks he may have left "...fine, so I assumed but neither did he make clear his intentions either.." Morganne grumbles to herself "..I swear this is the last time I take a job in the middle of nowhere!..I should've taken Sister Dalia's offer to train as a cleric but no, I had to go to the temple of the Spear instead.." Morganne pauses to scan the area around her, hand on throwing daggers should she need them while Arik catches up to her
Morganne doesn't find any of Randal's tracks, and she has no reference of what his boot-prints look like. He is not a heavy man so he rarely leaves prints where he walks.
She does however find numerous men and orc prints in the ground. She is hardly a ranger and can't determine with any accuracy numbers or times the tracks were left. Also, she smells hippogriff distinctly in the air, remembering the Watcher-mounts upon the assault on Mountain-Hold only a number of days earlier. It's a hybrid scent of horse and eagle.
Morganne detects an encampment towards the center of the vale. Stretching her extruded vision she see's two pairs of sentries...the first are human bandits and the second a pair of fat ugly orcs. The orc sentries are armed with spear and short-swords. The bandits are outfitted with crossbows. At the east side of the camp are numerous horses grazing there, and they are watched by a single burly orc thats chomping on a leg of mutton. Further scanning reveals pairs of two brigand crossbowmen perched in the trees, more bandits and orcs sleeping in tents. One tent that stands out from the rest is guarded by four orcs brandishing each a war-axe and a spear.
DECLARE ACTIONS, If you don't declare it don't assume it's already a given.
'Great' Morganne thinks to herself, 'could either avoid this altogether or dive into the belly of the beast' Morganne says to herself as Arik moves closer to her. signaling to him to crouch down and to stay hidden she finds cover and relays to him what she's uncovered "....so, there's no hint of where Randal is, I'm no tracker and he doesn't leave much of a footprint anyway" Morganne quickly begins to go through her pack to see what items she could use while coming up with the basis of a plan to sneak in or at least closer.
"Ok, I still have some sleeping herbs left but not much and a few more choking gas bolts. It's too bad you've no experience with a cross-bow or a long-bow, could've used the cover." Morganne takes out the clasp from Randal and thinks to herself. "..two options, could use this as a quick escape method of last resort or to get into the camp quickly. We're too far away for me to see anything else but there are brigands in the trees and on the ground, can't tell if they're in a festive mood and we've no idea what we're up against either! So before I come up with a plan Arik, what do you want to do? Sneak into the camp, or Avoid it altogether?"
Morganne checks her garrotte, stilleto and throwing daggers.
"my plan will invoive you staying ready to provide a distraction should i need you to. Stampeeding some of their horses and taking some of them would be one thing to do. putting an explosive bolt into their sleeping tent would also help. I figure on burying the extra clasp somewhere outhere in case we become trapped or need to make a quick escape. I can disguise myself as one of the brigands and make my way into camp but i'd rather try to take out some of the brigands in the trees first and then try to get in as closely as possible! The Orcs can see at night and will raise alarm at anything that gives them a reason to.."
Seeing the signal from Morganne to stay hidden, pauses and scans the area in his recent hiding spot.
"Once we have time after all this, I'll make a point to learn how to use a bow and/or cross bow. With the experiences that you and I have been already, it might save our lives or at least make it easier.."
"I think we should avoid the camp altogether. There is alot to risk it seems for little. We are pressed for time and if there is nothing 'interesting' in the camp, then let us not leave an impression that we were here..Is there a way just to steal some horses and make our way without being noticed?" Arik states....
Morganne sighs and shakes her head "...Randal is gone, I have no idea where he is or what's happened to him, moreover, we have no way of contacting him since he returned the extra clasp" Morganne looks around to make sure there are no patrols "..stealing horses? and where would we ride them to? We're blind, it's dark, and we're dumb to try to romp around. No I'm afraid Randal was right, we need him to get out of here even though i've seen his map more than a few times, I hadn't taken the time to copy it."
Morganne goes through Arik's pack to take some of his explosive wrist bolts "...no what we need to do is get close enough to find out what's so important here and then get out of the camp as quietly as possible. If we can take out some of the guards and when the time is right, have you cause as much of a ruckus to mask our intention, we may get lucky. With that being said, our course is laid before us, I'll take my clasp and secure it someplace where it won't be seen or lost and the extra one will be laid out here in case one of us needs to make a quick escape. As far as the cross bow goes, I've trained quite a bit with them and the long bow though i prefer my glaives for ranged combat."
Morganne will stick to the shadows and take out the brigands in the trees and on the ground. Once a path into the camp is secure Morganne will take her clasp and secure it underneathe her armor where it won't be discovered or lost, and hide the extra one far enough to allow her to teleport quickly. Morganne will disguise herself as one of the Human guards and tray to gather some intelligence about the group and see if there are any captives If nothing of importance is gained she will make her way out of the camp.
To Arik. "..once i've taken out the guards hiding in the trees on my approach path, you'll need to take the place of one of them on the perimiter patrol. you'll need to make your way to where the horses are being kept and keep that wrist bow loaded with either a smoke or flash bolt incase theres trouble! I'll put some sleeping inscence near the fires and near some of the tents like before. Do not come rushing into camp if things go bad! Start firing flame or explosive bolts near the tents and somewhere near the horses! I'll hide the extra clasp out here so that if you're going to be taken or outnumbered, teleport to it and get away quickly! we won't have much of a head start but maybe we'll get lucky. If Randal is in there then I'll get him out. Got it?"
Morganne says to Arik before melding into the shadows and making her way to the first of her targets.
Arik nods and checks his wrist cross bow and loads it up with some smoke tipped bolts. He'll make sure that the other bolts, like the explosive, fire are easy to get to. He will make his way to the horses once the guards are taken care of. Make his was slowly and watching out for sticks and trying to step on hard ground if he can help it....
MORGANNE: You attempt to move silently into the encampment...
Morganne is detected by one of the men in the trees. Before the bandit can say anything she kills him with a single throw of corvus. The glaive severs the brigands jugular and he fell from his roost in the tree. His companion suddenly turned and realized his friend was dead. He noticed Morganne and was about to cry out when Morganne launched bonebreaker which cut the bandits head off. The headless body fell from the trees with a thud.
Miraculously, none of the other sentries were wise to Morganne's presence. She crept closer with as much stealth as she could summon. Her skill in stealth failed her. One of the bandits in the trees spotted the dhampir and fired at her. The missile pierced the tree next to her. The second crossbowman's shot was dead on, and the missile struck into her arm and penetrated her bone (-8 hp dmg)
An alarm is immediately raised, and immediately eight orcs charged out of the camp towards Morganne's position. 12 men were now running at her from an opposite direction, some bore spears and half that had broadswords drawn and readied. She sensed more were circling around her trying to cut off any possibilities of escape or retreat.
ARIK stood over the body of a lone orc who he quickly dispatched. He clambered aback one of the horses, when he saw a one-eyed half-orc l emerge out of one of the tents, sporting a crossbow. The half-orc took aim and fired on Arik. The missile grazes Arik's arm (-6 hp dmg) tearing through the opening in his armor.
The half-orc barks something in the black tongue of orcish. 8 Orcs rush out of various tents, each armed with a cruel edged pole-arm and a hand-axe tucked in their belts.
The brigands came on Morganne before she could do anything, and they swung or thrust with spear and sword but none could touch her. The orcs too came fast, and she slit the first orcs throat with a slash of corvus.
The half-orc shouted something once more and 10 bandits descended behind Arik's position from the trees. They unloade their crossbows at him, and only one struck him (-2 hp dmg) stinging him in the right forearm. When he turned to regard the half-orc leader Arik saw that he had vanished.
DECLARE ACTIONS!
Morganne pulls the bolt from her shoulder and curses her luck '..well at least the question of how many are in the camp has been solved' she thinks to herself. Morganne side-steps the first Orc rushing to attack her. ' stupid move!' and slashes with Bone-Breaker in her off hand across it's exposed throat. ' this is going to go south pretty quickly, Morganne knows that she wouldn't last too long out here in the open. 10+ against 1 aren't the best of odds and with no time to see how Arik is doing decides that discretion is the better part of valor fires a flash bolt at the nearest of her attackers and uses the clasp to retreat to where she'd hidden the third clasp, hoping to get a moment to alter her plan an aid Arik if need be.
Morganne severed the first orcs sword-hand clean off from the limb. It collapsed, snorting and grunting angrily as it quickly died. She fired her flash-bolt that thuds into one of the brigands nearby and all in the immediate area are blinded by the intense light. A crossbow bolt flew out at you from the shadows and struck the tree where you were standing, then you faded out and teleported back to where you had hidden the other clasp.
ARIK is quickly surrounded by a cadre of orc warriors. He manuevered his stolen steed to avoid most of their blows but two pole-arms struck him hard and quick with long reaches. The first painfully ripped into his ribcage (-8 hp dmg) and cut his flesh, leaving a horrible scar there. The second pole-arm pierced his left arm (-4 hp dmg) the horse panics in fright but Arik's horsemanship calms it down.
Arik suddenly noticed a suspicious outline of someone lurking in the nearby shadows and it took aim then fired its crossbow at him, two bolts shot out at the fighter...the first in his left-arm, and the second in the same arm and it was lodged deep in his bone (-8 hp dmg) and he felt instantly sickened, hacking up blood he collapsed in the saddle his body began to spasm as poison flooded his bloodstream. He was frozen stiff from paralysis and couldn't so much as batt an eyelash or move a digit on hand or foot.
The half-orc stepped out of the shadows and barked a command to the eight orcs who seized Arik and held him upright. Then it turned and roars "Spread out, find the blasted wench! Make sure she doesn't leave the vale alive! Go on you worthless fools or I'll feed ya to the hippogriffs for breakfast! Get going you idiots!"
The camp soon emptied, and brigand horsemen were fast approaching Morganne's hideaway. The half-orc snarled "Get that blaster into one of the tents and hogtie him good, post a guard on him too we'll decided what to do with his stupid ass if he survives the poison"
Morganne see's a fairly muscular brown haired fighter approaching her general direction, a torch in his hand. He has a shield attached to his left forearm thats keeping the torch raised, in his right hand is a drawn short-sword and tucked at his belt a flail. He says "You're here aren't you?" while searching for you.
REACTION?
With all the noise and actions, feels that it is best to teleport out, but while reaching for the clasp..feeling some pain and then noticed it was too late and found himself not moving. Too slow, thought Arik as he is approached by the orc warriors....
'Orath is a genius!' Morganne thinks to herself as the familiar discomfort of traveling via the clasp washes over her. quickly retrieving the hidden clasp she senses that some one is fast approaching. Silently and quickly she scales up to a higher branch and using the point of her dagger, makes a small cleft in the tree to secure the clasp. Placing her hand over the clasp she catches Arik's surface thoughts and his line of sight. '..well it's not as if I didn't expect him to be captured, though i'd thought he'd at least remembered the escape plan. No matter, him getting caught works out pretty well actually' Morganne thinks to herself as she reloads her wrist-bow with another flash bolt. and focuses her mind on the image of the Half-Orc leader seen through Arik's eyes and (change self)alters her appearance to look like him. Scanning the area to be sure that she's not being observed before she does so.
Morganne will teleport into the tent Arik is being held in before they can discover the clasp. If it is discovered then she won't teleport into camp but will simply make herself look similar to one of the Half-orc male fighters and infiltrate the camp to get close enough to their leader to assassinate him and escape with Arik.
Morganne couldn't rightly see the leader's face. Arik's entire body was frozen stiffer than a stone pillar and his eyes were closed, he was unconscious.
She materialized into the tent where Arik stood bound to a table. He was butt naked and weaponless, the succundus cloak clasp was on the ground beneath him. He was only covered with thick ropes.
As Morganne noiselessly crept toward Arik, a crossbow bolt penetrates the tent flap and pierces her left hand. She could smell the noxious syrupy venom coating the tip of the bolt. She resisted the poison, and her regenerative abilities erradicated it (save vs. poison successful: 18)
The attack was a skilled one, and Morganne knew that the poison was one that professional guild trained killers utilized when they achieved higher levels of skill and proficiency in their 'art'. There were no sudden calling of guards or shouts and cries but now only eerie silence. If the bolt had penetrated a vital it might have slain her on the spot, she knew.
What do you do?
"damnit!" Morganne hisses as the bolt expertly pierces her sword hand and into the handle of her short sword. Morganne quickly activates her phase cloak to allow the bolt to fall through her hand and fall to the floor. Moving around the table She quickly cuts through Arik's binds and stays under cover. Whomever this half-orc was, he's no fool. Morganne felt that the sniper was toying with her, them and would soon tire and possibly bring some of his guards to bear against her.
Weighing her options, and they were few and diminishing fast Morganne reasoned that the sniper can and would pick them off at leisure.
Option 1, grab Arik's body and teleport out of the tent with him unconscious and defensless and attempt to heal and revive him. Option 2. cut a slit out of the back of the tent and escape on foot, leaving Arik until she could rescue him..or not.
Option 3. try to revive him here in the tent and then the two of them teleport out of the camp together but run the risk of running into the search parties.
Option 4. attempt to parley with the Half-Orc and try to talk their way out.
Morganne opts to cutting Arik free and pulling him away from the table and onto the floor to administer another healing potion, keeping the table between themselves and the tent flap. "...get up damnit, we're going to have to get out of here and I need you alive and kicking.." she says to Arik" Morganne uses her spectral sight to peer outside the tent and will attempt to judge the sniper's possible location based on where she was struck.
Morganne 'phased' out and the bolt dropped to the ground. As she was sawing through the thick rope, she felt a nasty prick in the small of her back, and a dagger had pierced her deep there, thrown from the half-orc who was hid in the deep of the shadows, its feet soundless and its presence masked in shadow.
It stepped out and pried a bastardsword from its scabbard, and wore a coat of black splintmail. "You'll never leave here alive, bitch!" he spat in common, laughing..."You'll entertain me before I send you off to the higher hells"
Morganne laughed as she whirled around throwing a dagger at the Half-Orc "...entertain you? I'm very entertaining but you won't like my finale! Morganne says as she draws her snake sword "...I've been to hell already..." Morganne reasons that this Half-Orc is much more skilled than she is, though she relishes the chance for some one on one combat..at least until Arik gets his lazy arse off of the table.
Morganne: your dagger clips the half-orc on the right side of his ear (-1 hp dmg)
The half-orc swung his sword swiftly and it struck you in your off-arm, penetrating through the living armor which protected it (-20 hp dmg, CRITICAL) your off-arm became temporarily useless. Morganne returns tit for tat and with the hellsword cut the half-orc in the face, slashing the left-side of his cheek (-16 hp dmg) then a pair of snakes that were engraved on the sword-blade animated and came to life, this pair of serpents shot out of the sword length and clamped their fangs on the half-orc's neck, pumping him full of venom. He collapsed to the ground, his body convulsing with spasms and his breath straining for air. In a span of five seconds he died.
Two orcs opened the tent and peered inside. They eyed the half-orc then were wide-eyed in astonishment when they regarded Morganne. They turn and fled, more out of terror for their own continued health and well being than to raise any sort of alarm.
DECISION?
Morganne, taking no chances, cleaves the head of the half-orc from his shoulders "..hope that was entertaining for you." Morganne quaffs another sip of her healing draught and checks the body for anything of use then quickly tends to Arik once more telling him to take the dead leader's armor and clothing until they could find his armor.
Morganne will Change self to look like the now dead half orc and will hide the body within the tent and look for the command tent once Arik is ready.
ARIK requires healing spells or a potion and until that time, Morganne realized he's remaining unconscious. The half-orc poisoned him, she could tell. She smelled it on one of the crossbow wounds in his arm. He's lost nearly two pints worth of blood as well.
The half-orc had a suit of high quality splint mail worn that appeared sturdy and well crafted. His bastard sword was also of a fine craftsmanship and wasn't any common blade. He had a light crossbow slung over his back, too. Sifting through his various pouches she found 2 gems, a jeweled earring, and a jeweled silver brooch. 3 ep, 11 gp, 21 pp were all the coinage that he had in his purse, but the items looked exceedingly more valuable.
She squanders her change self ability as the entire camp appeared to be utterly deserted. It seems all the orcs and men fled and scattered when word leaked that the woman they pursued hotly had easily slain their leader.
After a brief inspection of the half-orc's tent she found nothing there worth her time, though on a table lied a stack of parchment papers. There was a letter that read:
"Boss, commence operations throughout the Gates...gather Hippogriffs and break them, we will buy them from you at the agreed price you gave my lady. A substantial bonus shalt be given if you meet the quota at the deadline my lady gaveth"
-Jules Pepper
Morganne pours the precious remains of a near empty healing potion down Arik's throat and revives him when she returned to the tent. Groggily he rose from the table and stretched his corded muscles, his left arm was practically useless right now and he had a bolt lodged deep in his bone which would only injure him more if he were to pry it out now. The shaft is sawed off.
DECISION
"..good, you draw breath yet Arik" Morganne says to the Sindsun "...the band has been routed though your armour and sword along with anything you happened to be carrying are all gone.." Morganne makes no outward sign of embarassment at Arik being devoid of any clothing and inspects his wounds. I've managed to revive you but you need a true healer to deal with your wounds. I can bind the wound but with no guide, you'll probably either die, or never use that arm again...."
Morganne makes Arik comfortable and begins stripping the half-orc of his clothes and helps to dress Arik "..thee clothes will provide you with some modest protection, and the Armor and weapons I claim but at the least you can don this armor to protect you, maybe you can fit it till we can get to an armorer"
Morganne pockets the parchment and everything of value before going over to check on Arik, "Stay here for a moment while I check on the rest of the camp or at least try to get some mounts.
Morganne leaves Arik in the tent and cautiously searches the nearby tents and looks for any horses not taken by the fleeing brigands. If none are found she'll return to Arik and with the equipment gathered, she'll hand Arik his succundus clasp and retrieve the third clasp before making their way out of the valley.
Morganne walks outside and her search uncovers nothing useful. She see's a road here that winds its way southward toward a distant cave. Overhead she heard a piercing shriek as a hippogriff soared and spread its wings in majestic flight and she thought she saw a brief flash of Randal's face. She monitored the creature and saw it fly toward a jagged spire about ten miles or so toward the northeast. She saw several more Hippogriffs fly out of the cave and they took immediate flight and soon became indistinguishable dots in the air. If she'd remembered to check on the cave she might have been able to procure one as a aerial mount.
Arik was too incoherent and unresponsive to make out the words Morganne was saying to him. He had little strength in him, and required abundant rest and days worth of deep sleep. As Morganne spoke he inadvertently latched out a hand and choked her, somewhere in a state between conscious and half asleep. The poison still tormented him and he could not abide anything other than the strong desire for rest. He was sweating profusely and his face was turning purple.
DECISION
Morganne frees herself form Arik's fevered grip and tries her best to make him comfortable. "..I'm no alchemist nor am I a healer..." Morganne thinks for a moment then goes into her bag and retrieves one of the special potions she found and wonders if it will help break the poison fever. (INT, WIS) Morganne will give it to Arik, reasoning that at least he'll be able to move under his own power. They need to secure mounts and a Hippogriff is as good as any.
Morganne pours the contents of the flask down Arik's throat and manipulates his jaw so that he swallowed. In a span of seconds he is up and feeling very invigorated, and all exhaustion is gone and the effects of the poison seems to have been neutralized at least until the duration of the potion.
The two of you both stop to eat some rations and to relax, but after having had the potion Arik is no longer hungry and feels completely nourished. Morganne is fatigued and exhausted from too much battle and not enough self maintaining. As a result her regenerative ability is hampered and her weariness causes her to suffer a -2 penalty to hit/damage/saving throws until she is fully rested or quaffs the second potion of vatality. Also, left-arm is badly wounded from the half-orc's powerful blow and she will need to rest for it to be right once again.
DECISION
"...Arik, that potion isn't going to last forever, I only have one more and I could either use it now and go with you southward towards a cave i spied, I'm thinking that we can take a hyppogriff as a mount and get out of here but all of this fighting has me drained and weary. I would be of very little use to you if I don't get some rest. If I use the second flask, i'll be just as invigorated as yourself for as long as the effects last then I'll be back to where I am." Morganne shows Arik the direction of the cave she spied and relays what she saw while he was unconscious. "..take the Half-Orc's armor and sword, I'm going to literally dig myself a hole and crawl in to get some rest. Not to worry, with the phase cloak, i can sleep peacefully while you search near the cave. I think I need about half a day's rest so if you return to wake me by then and you need the second potion. I'll give it to you then.."
Morganne will find a secure place to sleep, setting up traps around her postion and then once she's satisfied, will wrap the phase cloak around her and sleep.
Arik takes the sword and the armor. He takes the time to put on the armor. He listens to Morganne and nods in agreement. "I'll check out the cave and will stay in the area until you get 100%. Do what you need to do." Arik will wait until she is safely hidden, then he'll make his way to the cave. Making sure that he keeps his eyes and ears open....
ARIK: The cave Morganne found is only a quarter mile away. Near the entrance you see a very dead orc shaman there, his throats been slit and a dagger was plunged repeatedly into the small of his back. Your adventurer instincts tell you that someone got the drop on him and dealt him a quick death, also. You find a necklace of gems around the dead orc shamans neck, a potion tucked into his belt and a pouch with 17 gold pieces within. Apparently whoever murdered him didn't give pause to deprive him of these treasures.
The cave looks to have been converted into a pen with logs and boulders, and that they once housed Hippogriffs. The creatures look like they've been all freed and they no longer are caged inside. Other than that you find little else of use here really. Having an aerial mount might have proven very beneficial in avoiding further encounters throughout the Gate Mountains. With one less man in the now two man party especially.
Arik stood guard over Morganne, and he discovers he doesn't get sleepy in the slightest. After four hours he notices some of his wounds lessen in severity (+1 hp from potion of vitality)
When morning came, Morganne was still in deep sleep. Arik found the suit of scalemail fit tightly but was still wearable and a sturdy coat. The bastard sword was a bit heavier than a normal longsword but it too swung swift and he sensed that it guided his hand more accurately than a normal brand would.
He felt eyes at his back and he spun around, then saw a hooded woman standing there. She wore a saber and a short-sword at her delicate hips and had an elfin petiteness to her when Arik realized the woman was a half-elf, with a well endowed physique and a feminine yet tough countenance. She said "Who are you? One of Scar's men? Where are all the hippogriffs? They didn't arrive. Why's the camp deserted?" she asked softly, with some challenge in her voice as well as suspicion. She unfurled a whip from behind her belt when she noticed Arik carried a sword behind his back.
At the mouth of the cave, Arik picks up the dropped items from the dead body. These will come in handy in the near future, though Arik.
As Arik was looking at the half-elf, Arik says, "I have no idea what you are taking about, please be on your way. I am no interest to you or interested with these men/camp you are talking about.." With that, Arik shifts his stance to be more defensive, but keeping the sword behind his back.
Arik shifts his gazes quick behind here to see if she is traveling alone or maybe in a group...
For all Arik can sense she is alone, and he sees is her horse tied to a tree.
The woman sneered, her pretty features narrowed angrily. "Don't patronize me you little bastard! You have some explaining to do, whoever the hell you are! What did you do with the hippogriffs?! Explain or I'll tear the truth out of you and shove that blade up your ass!" she spoke in a heated fashion.
REACTION
"Looking" confused, Arik states, "You must be crazy. If you look around, what ties me to these 'hippogriffs' or this 'Scar person'? I am just one person wondering though, mining my own business. What you have me do?" As Arik leans on a tree and arms folded across his chest....
The half-elf quickly regained her composure and seemed upset..."I ought to loosen your tongue with my whip for your insolence, but you don't look like the deceptive sort I'm used to having to deal with. Plus I've enough headaches to deal with than to make sport out of some swashbuckling hoodlum like you!"
The female half-elf mounted her horse and glared disdainfully at Arik one last time before riding off the way she had come.
Morganne awoke two hours after Arik had a simple breakfast of bread and coffee. She felt much better with the sleep she had and her bodies injuries were completely gone. Despite her rejuvenation she was more sleep deprived than she would have guessed and had relied too heavily on her vampiric heritage to carry her through. However, because she hadn't drunk any blood in so long she required much sleep to regain her powers. The twin micro-suns of Scarlor blared and her eyes stung and were slightly red. The sun negates her spectral vision as well as her extruded sight, and her regenerative powers were also negated. Suddenly the shadowed canopy of the Forest of Dis didn't seem all that bad...
DECISION
Morganne instinctively pulls the deep set hood of her cloak over her head and looks around their surroundings "...What happened while I slept Arik?" Morganne asks "..Did you find the cave I told you about?" Morganne pulls out the piece of parchment she found earlier "..I think these brigands were working to deliver the Hippogriffs to this woman, my guess is that she'll come here looking for them sometime soon..."
"A very good guess" a woman's voice purred into Morganne's left-ear. It was smooth and melodius, the voice of the woman standing behind her. The Dhampir felt a dagger slide skillfully underneath her chin and the point of a shortsword at the small of her back. Her senses were dulled by the suns rays, and her reflexes painfully slow because of the weakness caused by the two suns.
Another woman entered from the front flap, and she boldly came forward. She wore her hair semi-long, just past the nape of her neck and it was almond brown, her eyes were a lustrous amber hue and her face was smooth and comely, though her eyes spoke of volumes of experience and intellect not easily measured.
"I knew it couldn't have been one man working alone" the woman stated flatly. There were some men and women in the camp now. The woman eyed Morganne squarely then turned her dark eyes towards Arik. "You two, you've costed me much gold. We ran into Scars men with wild tales that the half-orc was slain at the hands of a red haired assassin. However, what we are hard pressed to figure out is how exactly you managed to free the hippogriffs at the same time dealing with Scar? It doesn't add up. Shiela Krai there told me some other hooligan liberated the creatures...we use those beautiful beasts for many purposes and they don't come cheap. Sure the half-orc was a real bastard but he supplied the noble beasts and now my investors will be pressuring me. Do you two fools always just go plunging headlong into the thick of things so recklessly? Aish!"
"We should kill them both Mi'lady. Now our benefactors will surely become our worst foes and they will not accept their own coin back amicably. You know they will dispatch their deadliest assassins to kill you and sever whatever ties they had!"
The woman casually sighed and waved a hand, "Oh very well kill em both and bury their bodies"
DECISION
"..now just a second there..whoever you are! We were searching for our guide who we thought came this way! With all of their security, we only sought to see if he was being held against his will. Arik here was taken prisoner and I rescued him! Your..friend Scar, thought to make my death a sick game and like many before him,.." Morganne pauses, Well lets just say that Wrath looks out for his faithful! You must've came across Arik here while I was trying to recover from my injuries. I spied someone flying off with some Hippogriffs in the distance and they fled Northward" Morganne eyes the Half-elf female, judging her reaction "..Now I can empathize with your..predicament, perhaps some sort of..arangement can be reached?" Morganne uses the Succundus clasp, hidden underneath her armor to communicate to Arik (there's another clasp hidden outside of camp, if things go south, use it to escape) "..what do you say? perhaps we can take care of your employer for you? before things get rough for you? Killing us won't stop them from sending someone after you now will it? Why don't you let me handle your..client? you can keep my comrade as a gesture of good faith?"
[MORGANNE: Vs. CHR] The woman's eyes softened and gleamed, stroking her chin. The half-elf looked toward the dark haired human female expectantly as if waiting for a signal. The dark haired lady waved a dismissive hand toward the half-elf who begrudgingly releases Morganne and sheathed her short-sword. "Well, since you were able to kill Scar and survive his lackey's I'm sure your services are considerably more than I'd be able to afford. You two must be adventurers, seeking the lost caverns aye? Don't lie, I hate liars and I can magically tell if you're lying to me. Why are there so many of your ilk parading up here in the Gates, interfering with the natural equilibrium of the mountains so frequently? There are no caverns! All who've sought them have died horrible deaths.
The woman turned and eyed Arik up and down, a devilish smile crossed her delicate features..."I think we need to break this one" she said with a wry grin.
Then she turned her face back towards Morganne and said "Very well, I'll let you live...but you'll have to compensate me. There's a Giant Hawks nest a half mile past that northern ridge there. Gain the nest and steal me an egg, two if you'd be so kind. Your friend will remain here and keep us company...for his life is dependent on your success. Fail me and he's my slave...should be easy enough for someone whose obviously stealthy and vicious"
Looking back at the woman, "Break this one down?..huh?" Arik becomes quite when Morganne and the other woman started to talk to each other. Arik will pause to see how the situation pans out. As the woman states about Arik being her slave if Morganne fails, mouth opening and was about to say something, but choose not to say anything. Didn't want to make the situation anymore worse. Arik stood there with his arms folded and a frown on his face...
The dark haired female fighter smiled and laughed at Arik's rhetorical question, laughing..."Aye, but you can always buy your freedom in...pleasurable ways..." she said with a lustful gleam in her eye. She playfully slaps Arik across the face and grabbed his cheek forcefully..."Why, you go something to say you little bastard?" she let go with a slight shove and laughed...then quickly drew a dagger so fast even Arik's keen eyes couldn't register the move. She pressed tight against your throat until you had to tilt your head back. The dark haired woman's eyes turned to Morganne and she said "You still here?"
"..Just a couple of eggs? Consider it done then.." Morganne turns to Arik, seeing the look on his face "Don't be such a sour-puss Arik, you'll be in good hands while i'm gone." Morganne turns back to the Half-elven female "...I'll need a horse to borrow, seeing as you're not going anywhere, I'll borrow yours."
Morganne strides out of the tent and rides near the location indicated. Once she gets close, she'll stick to the shadows to observe the nest and plot a course of action.
The half-elf Shiela Krai says: "Hah! I don't think so, darling! It's not even a mile away, I think you can rough it by foot just fine!"
When she reaches the cliff and the nest, Morganne scales up its wall until 50 high...clinging to the shadows cast by the cliff and avoiding the stinging sun. She found that she had to climb without her usual ability to cling to the walls, for the suns effects ruined those too.
In the nest lie 3 eggs. The mother is huddled in the corner asleep, and you notice the broken shafts of several crossbow bolts lodged in its wings.
The remnants of a half-eaten giant Salmon lies atop the eggs. You steal one and leave...if it was night you'd be able to take two but carrying something fragile and climbing at the same time is hard enough.
You hear a piercing screech from nearby...maybe the father...
ARIK:
The half-elf, Shiela whispers something to the dark haired fighter-woman, whose eyes bore into you. She says "So, stranger...what is thy name? My bodyguard Shiela here is interested in knowing more about you...whose your lady friend? Some wench you picked up at a local tavern? Surely you could do better!"
"Me, a sour-puss..nay.." as Arik shaking his head. As Morganne walked away, he lookied at both of them of a short time, he finally says, "My name is Arik. The woman that you are referring to is Morganne. We are adventures that teamed up. It's far better to be in a group than by yourself. You'll survive longer. I know this might seem strange, but I recently lost my memories before I met Morganne, so anything from my past, I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to..."
Morganne uses the cloak clasp to teleport herself to Arik. Knowing that with her own skills diminished the Great Hawk would easily catch up to her.
Morganne reappeared, and Jules Pepper smiled when she saw the dhampir had a giant hawks egg. The dark haired warrioress says "That was fast, even by fast standards...well done. Tis a pity, seems my protector and I have taken a liking to your boyishly handsome young friend here...oh well, such dalliances will have to be had at more opportune times. This egg ought to pacify some of our patrons...now, you'd best scurry off then!"
A man burst into the tent, gasping for breath. Jules looked to him and her cocky demeanor turned to one of attention. "Report!"
The man stood erect and said "M'lady, orcs and men...lead by a formidable looking mage clad in black, with a sinister aspect about him. The orcs and men look like Scar's former goons. The mage has two Stonegiants with him as well who carry him aloft. They are headed straight towards us!"
The woman nodded, and didn't seem to care much about the news. "Narn, gather the men and ride back to the keep...I'll be behind you"
The woman smiled and said "Good fortunes to you both, I suggest you flee straight away...it appears another leader has replaced the former now!"
"we could use a guide out of here, If we could travel with you My friend here might be very grateful." Morganne says with a knowing glance and lightly elbows Arik. I promise we won't be any further trouble to you."
Doing a quick double take at Morganne, Arik looks at the other two women and says, "We don't want to be a bother..."
Jules laughed "Take you with us?! Sorry we can't spare any mounts. You two reckless meddling idiots caused me a great deal of headache and gold!! I would have ordered you slain, but where's the profit in it? We're not guides, Morganne...and we're not even friends so go on your own way before I change my mind about having spared your lives. Some words of wisdom: You might want to draw less attention next time!"
Sheila Krai glared menacingly at Morganne then smiled wryly at Arik for a brief moment.
Just outside the tent, several of Jule's female archers took down a pair of bandit scouts with sheaf arrows. One of the scouts, still alive fires a missile into the air that makes a strange whistling noise before one of Jules men sticks a spear through the scouts stomach.
Rushing down a mountain slope came several of Scar's former men, orcs mostly. They were being lead by one man who now brandished Arik's sword in his hand...a human fighter clad also in his armor too.
Jules and her fellows ride away, but she orders a barrage of arrow fire to make the small force of brigands and orcs think twice about charging blindly.
DECISION?
"That guy has my armor and sword...." Rage built inside of him. "I'm going to get my stuff back," stated Arik as his eyes locked on the warrior. Without missing a step, Arik while walking towards the group of men, picks up a spare spear and making sure be had the distance...concentrating with all his might, heave the spear as hard as he can towards the warrior. Let my aim be true, as he spoke to himself. Arik take out the sword that he obtained and points at the warrior, waiting to see if his throw made him proud....
The fighter laughed obnoxiously as the spear flew over his shoulder. He pointed his sword at the fighter and said "Kill that blasted fool, fifty gold to whoever brings me his head!"
*TWWWWWIPPTTTTTT* Arik's shot by a crossbow bolt from one of the human bandits. The bolt pierces him in the stomach, sinks in whole way to fletching (-9 hp dmg) a second missile tore across his arm (-2 hp dmg)
Amazingly, Arik ducked, parried, and dodged at least twenty attacks made against him...including two large boulders that flew out from the hands of Stone Giants who were under the power of the masked black robed magic-user.
The fighter that now wore Arik's armor and wielded his former sword rode to a swift gallop, cutting the blade into Arik hard...the sharp edge cutting a deep gash into his shoulder (-16 hp dmg) the fighter laughed then snarled "Ironic, eh? That you should perish at the end of your own blade fool!"
Arik was extremely hurt, bleeding profusely it would only take him one more hit before death claimed him forever more.
"..we're going to be captured once again and this time, I won't be able to do anything about it! Remember what happened to Kharston? He fell because he became too attached to a thing! the odds don't favor us and we've no mounts to make our escape!"
Morganne watches as Arik stubbornly walks away and she clenches her teeth and shakes her head. Morganne draws Scar's crossbow and takes aim at the human fighter assaulting Arik from behind cover. "if i can nail him, i'll let Arik deal with getting his stuff back! Ill slip away towards the direction t Sheila went. Perhaps Arik can teleport to me if he gets into trouble."
With all the pain and becoming weak, Arik decides to use the clasp and teleport back to Morganne. Breathing heavily, "Wow, I misjudged that by alot.." as he breifly smiles and then check his wounds....
(8) Morganne's missile flew past the warrior, revealing her hidden position.
A scorching ball of fire shot out and blasted into the rocks Morganne and Arik now hid behind. Morganne phased out of existence and suffered a little less of the damage and her armor absorbed some too (-11 hp dmg) Arik was less fortunate, and he was consumed and enveloped in flames (-21 hp dmg) he fell at Morganne's feet and died there.
The mounted warrior rode up toward Morganne and set its steed to try and cow her. He cut away at Morganne and struck her twice, the blade cutting deep into the area where her neck met her shoulder, and on the side of her arm (-27 hp dmg) and she fell on her back, fading into unconsciousness.
It felt like an eternity when both of you awoke at the mouth of a cave entrance. There was a fire burning and the fragrant scent of roasted boar woke you, and fresh coffee brewing.
Praxus and Twighlah stood watch over you. Arik was revived with the same rod of ressurection Praxus appropriated for reviving Randal. The mage handed Morganne a tin cup full of coffee and smiled, "You live yet, my friend" he said, genuinely glad.
Twighlah wore a puzzled look, "Where's Randal then?"
"In there, somewhere" Praxus answered her. "Most likely dead, I fear...or soon to be. The lad had the thief's curse of being too ambitious I'm afraid, my dear. And now, Arik will have to be your new betrothed...fairs fair, my lad. I saved your life, after all" he said with a wry smile.
Being a little out of it and had his mind wonder on distance plans of thought and was very displeased with himself and his performance. Couldn't believe how dumb he was on trying to get his stuff back. Remembering what Morganne said before how other people have gave their lives for certain items. Shaking his head and told himself that he will not make that mistake agian....Hearing his name and only caught roughly the end of the coversation said..."What was that again, if I may ask?"
Praxus: "You're betrothed to my daughter now, lad. I rescued you from the jaws of cold death. Twighlah had her little spies follow you from our home and when she saw you were in deep peril we decided to intervene on your behalf. It was foolish to have separated as you had, and now Randal's gone into the caverns alone...I told you all before the start of your course to stick together and be cautious!"
Twighlah says "No, father. I will go after Randal. I chose him...this one, I fear is not the one...he is not sharp witted, and only lives by the blade. I must go, I love him father!"
With that she breaks off and rushes into the caverns. Praxus shook his head in dismay, chasing after her.
Morganne stands up and turns to follow Praxus, calling behind her to Arik "..get off of your arse boy! This is your fault after all! You had two women practically falling overthemselves for even a simple smile, a wink even? Not every battle is won through force of arms! I even tried to give you a hint, to speak up for yourself! Sheila and her band would've gladly taken us with them and we wouldn't owe Praxus and Twighlah a blood debt!" Morganne says "...do what you will but I intend to help Twighlah and Praxus find Randal! you can sit and wallow in your own rot for all i'm inclined to care about right now.
Morganne leaves to follow Praxus and Twighlah
Getting up and following after both Morganne and Twighlah, "Well, I know this is my fault, but come on, I had no idea about those women eailer. I thought they were joking at me. If I had known they were into me, I would have gone with it. Sorry if I have little experience in such things. I can only react to things I know. Everyday I am learning, but too slowly it seems..."
After descending a long flight of steps, you pass north
about 20’ into a natural chamber some 70’ wide and 50’
deep. You have ignored a narrow passageway to your left
(west) in order to enter this area, for your light has glinted
off something on the far wall of the place. Now you see that
there are weird faces carved in bas-relief around the walls of
this cavern. There are, in fact, six such visages hewn from
the rock itself. Each face is by the side of one of six tunnels
leading off in one direction or another from the cavern to
unknown. Although each face is slightly different from its
fellows, all are strange and doleful looking: one has doglike
ears, another protuding tusks, a third drooping wattles,
etc. There seems to be no relationship between the size of
the passageway and the stony visage beside it. Nothing else
in the chamber seems remarkable. There are a few stalactites
on the ceiling above, a few fallen to the floor amid a
handful of stalagmites.
As you draw close to one of these visages, the one with the protruding tusks's mouth moves and it bellows: "“TURN BACK ... THIS IS NOT THE WAY!”
Praxus stroking his chin, said "A magic mouth spell, nothing to worry about"
The same thing is repeated again: “TURN BACK ... THIS IS NOT THE WAY!” when Arik straggles into the room, as it did when Morganne entered too.
You note something glittering within the mouths of each weird face, a gem and each one is different from the other. The colors are from L to R: amber, purple (amethyst), pale blue (aquamarine), deep
red (garnet), olive green (peridot), and dark pink (tourmaline)
Twighlah says "Hmmmmm, strange"
Praxus: "What is?"
Twighlah: "That Randal didn't take any of these gems"
Praxus: "Well, he might have his sights set on more valuable treasures...the lad loves the challenge to his skills so he's going to seek out Iggwilv's most guarded treasure, wherever it lies"
WHAT DO YOU DO?
Praxus says to Morganne: "We'll need to try and ascertain the way Randal took, any ideas?"
"Hmm, how about that passageway that we all past that went to the west of us. Maybe Randle went that way and didn't come this way yet? We could check that way first and see where it leads us. This is pretty much a dead end at the moment it seems." Arik looks at the ground to see if there were anything to indicate any other person that might have been in this room, i.e. dust or dirt on the ground with other foot prints other than our own....
Praxus glared daggers toward Arik, "Dead end? Start using your brains fool! Go and check out that cave if you think it fruitful and spare us your keen observations. Stand guard or something!" the mage shook his head in annoyance at Arik. Then he went up to Arik and poked him in the chest, hard..."Don't you have any cunning?! Any craft?! It's utterly amazing you've lived this far being an imbecile. Wake up and keep your wits about you, we're in a dungeon and stupidity will not aid you in this place!"
Arik couldn't find any footprints or signs of passage.
"Arik, don't be so quick to take the esy road! Twighlah wouldn't have tracked Randal to this point if he'd simply turned off somewhere else! I agree with Praxus, these tunnels are trying to get people to choose the wrong one or simply turn them away."
Morganne walks up to Arik and Snatches his cloak clasp and hands it to Praxus, "..just need to borrow it for something" Morganne sits near one of the tunnels and will use her spectral and extruded vision to see what lays beyond each of the tunnels "Now Arik, for the love of Wrath! Keep your eyes open! I can't see what's immediately around me when i'm..Far-seeing! So It'll be up to you should something...happen.." Truning to Praxus "..I need you to be able to see what i'm looking at and get a better idea of what i'm seeing and to direct me to look elsewhere if need be. Randal doesn't make hardly any traps with those elven boots of his but you can bet that if he's come acrose any traps, and they're disabled then we might have a better chance of finding him."
AS Morganne tried all she saw were the same things, cavernous tunnels that stretched and stretched endlessly and nothing really stood in her eyes. All of the passages are naturally formed it seemed and there was scant evidence of mining. Ceiling
height varies from 10’ to 15’ in 10’ wide passageways. The rock
formations in these caverns are quite colorful. Stalactites depend
from the ceilingsof most areas. At the entryway, the walls
and floor tend towards drab grays and gray-browns, but further
along the stone is red, yellow, green, and blue. Some areas
have sparkling mica or quartz, shining, low-value, onyx deposits,
or various hued strata of minerals that make the place look
like a wonderland in torch or lantern light. Once again the voice above the passage entryways bellowed in their deep ominous sounding voices. However, the passage on the farthest right reveals...
GROTTO
The walls of this place are carved and chiseled into a running
series of forms and figures which extend from the floor
to the arched ceiling. You do not recognize most of the
forms, but fungi, blind fish, and various insect forms common
to the underground world are familiar. The work is
bas-relief of a caliber superior to that of the stone faces.
There are stone chips on the floor. You note a worked shaft
about 4’ high and 2‘ wide running northwest from the far
end of the grotto.
Praxus handed the clasp back to Arik and was studying the weird faces. He went up to one and said something to it. Twighlah asked "What is it, father?" but the mage just kept studying and said "Stick out your tongue" to one. Amazingly, the visage's mouth opened and its tongue rolled out with the gem on it. Praxus took the gem and smiled, handing it to Twighlah..."Hmmm, interesting"
Morganne cocks an eyebrow and walks over to another and tries to get one of the other stone faces to do the same.
The same thing happens, and you gain a few new gems.
"...curious, Randal would pass this up? Something else must've driven him further.."
Turning to Praxus, "..ok, sure we could get some priceless gems but how is this supposed to help us find Randal?" Morganne goes to each of the stone faces to see if she can get gems from each of them.
Praxus: "Perhaps in his impulsiveness he simply overlooked the trick. But instead of asking me how, maybe you should determine it yourself from this simple demonstration?" the mage answers, leaning on his staff and sighing.
YOU WILL NEED TO TELL ME YOUR CHARACTERS ACTIONS in order to proceed.
Post a Comment