Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone

Subject: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:27 am

DM Post #19 wrote:: [ooc]Bluff check made for half-orc[/ooc]

The half-orc glowers down at Alterith. Rage mixed with slight fear swims through his eyes. After a few minutes, without speaking any further, he slowly nods his head and sighs gruffly in resignation. He moves slowly to the mouth of the cave, to the disabled magical barrier. The group tenses as the suspicion dawns on them that the half-orc is going to try to run past them into the cave. But then the half-orc slowly lumbers onward, past Mystia and Krytox, and the group relaxes. Slightly.

Moving about fiften feet past where Krytox was standing inside the cave, the half-orc moves to the eastern wall and sharply raps his knuckles on a small section of stone the size of a hand. He then moves slightly around the zig-zag in the cave, coming to the opposite wall slightly ahead of where he first stopped, and does the same thing. He repeats this, three more times, at various locations throughout the back of the cave.

The last time he does this, part of the stone cave wall shifts back and slides away, revealing a heavy wooden door.

The half-orc jerks a thumb at the door. "I just saved ye's from yer own deaths, from poison needles and fire and the Archmage's own explosive glyphs," he snarls quietly. "Ye'alls can't be so stupid to think ye's can threaten me now. Not when my group's half a yell away." A wicked smile crosses his scarred lips. "And as ye's don't wanna be gettin' killed, I'd recommend the liddle thiefly approach, eh?" The half-orc cracks his knuckles loudly. "That's why I'm going to sit down right here and wait for ye little pukes to die. Or Holg Bloodaxe. Whichever, it don't matter te' me."

The group cringes with loathing as he stretches, making it seem as though the rough cave wall and floor is the most comfortable beach lounger on the nine Shells. "Although," he adds, tilting his head towards the lizardmen, "I dun' be thinkin' that they'd want those two dead." Turning to them, he smirks. "Ye've caused quite a racket with ye disappearin' on them, hain'tcha?"

A dirty smile twists the half-orc's features. A dirty smile that knows a dirty secret. On questioning stares from the adventuring group, the half-orc merely shrugs as his dirty smile grows and grows.

[ooc]The half-orc no longer responds to any communications. If attacked, he will likely respond in kind, but his warning does seem to make sense: If the hideout really is just past the door, his fellow brutes will most likely hear. Judging from his posture and demeanor, he is probably being truthful about that.[/ooc]

DM Post #20 wrote:: The half-orc meets the demands of the group with complete silence. He does nothing to erase the smug grin on his face though his eyes are now speckled with a hint of anger.

Something tells you that he has some kind of "safety net" factor protecting him that you might not know about. With his back to the wall and his eyes scanning the group slowly in amusement at your indecisiveness, the half-orc leaves no special opening for attack. Despite having discarded his weapons earlier (or at least his large blades), he looks somewhat experienced as a warrior, perhaps more so than even some members of the group.

[ooc]The half-orc does not respond to any of the group's verbal warnings. If any of you wish to attack him at this point, everyone needs to roll Initiative.

Using a weapon designed to inflict lethal damage for subdual damage incurs a -4 attack penalty but does not affect the amount of damage dealt. Using a weapon designed to inflict subdual damage to inflict lethal (normal hp) damage also incurs a -4 attack penalty).[/ooc]

DM Post #21 wrote:: The door opens with an audible creak, but not an exceptionally loud one. Dark elf and poison dusk then move to either side and allow the halfling and blackscale through.

[ooc] I'm assuming Krytox goes in first, followed by Alterith.[/ooc]

The door opens up to a straight passageway heading down into the dimly-lit darkness. There is a group of steps five feet from the doorway where the adventurers stand, and then another cluster of steps five feet from the first group of steps. The group heads down the sequential groups of steps. Coming to the bottom of the dank, stone-hewn stair passageway, the steps twist to the right, opening up into a large room.

In this 20x25 room, a few covered torches along the walls provide dim light enough to read by. In the center of the room, stretching down toward the far wall, is a heavy wooden table littered with half-broken silverware, plates and cups, dirty and worn from abuse and wear and tear. Several crude wooden chairs surround the table. In one of the corners is an iron caldron. This place looks like a mix between a storage room and a crude mess hall.

The group sees two goblins sitting at the table, playing dice and cards. Occasionally, one of them lets out a hissing squeal of triumph, and the other slams his fist down on the table, growling and muttering dark curses. As the adventurers appear around the corner, the goblins look up and notice the adventurers. They immediately begin to squawk, hissing and snarling, and draw their morningstars.

[ooc]Initiative and actions please.[/ooc]

DM Post #22 wrote:: [ooc]Squin, Rasa, next time please declare weapons used, thanks. Mystia, you may delay your action until a specific situation occurs (and then your Initiative remains at that value for the rest of the encounter) but the action must be stated beforehand.[/ooc]

Squin - 18
Krytox - 17
Rasa - 16
Alterith - 13
Goblin 1 - 6
Goblin 2 - 5
Mystia - 5
The startled, frightened goblins die where they stand. Maneuvering his large tauric body, Squin has gently shouldered past his allies, despite the confines of the staircase, and in less than a couple gallops is upon the first goblin, cutting it down with a powerful longsword slice. Krytox bounds around the corner of the thick wooden table and delivers a crushing blow to the second goblin. The little wretch's crumpled body begins falling backwards. A shot fired from Rasa's hand crossbow strikes the dying goblin, and it hits the ground with a small bolt sticking out of its chest. Alterith leaps onto the table and delivers a blow to the goblin dispatched by Squin - what little chance it had of regaining consciousness is now completely gone.

Skythar, being so far in back of the group and covernig their rear, simply stands by and watches, knowing his companions have the situation handled. [ooc]Jack's been busy, hehe - so have I really, but not as much... yet[/ooc]

Obliterated, the two goblin corpses lay spread out flat on the ground next to the table at which they had just sat, playing cards, and sparse mugs with dirty ale and plates scattered all over.

Along the south wall of the room, next to the corridor that opens southward at the room's southwest corner, there are two small barrels, probably holding some kind of spices or seasonings, judging from their appearance.

[ooc]The group inspects the two 16-gallon small barrels and finds both of them partially filled with dangleroot spice. Further inspection is needed to determine amount and value.[/ooc]

The group passes the crude mess hall, leaving the carnage behind. To their left, a storage room opens up, fifteen by twenty feet. This room is somehow not as dank as the other parts of the hideout that the group has been through.

Inside this storage room, the group finds:

2 medium Hide armor
1 small Hide armor
1 medium Leather armor
1 spiked gauntlet
1 longspear
5 spears
1 scimitar
2 short swords
3 barrels
1 fishing net (25-sq ft)
3 sunrods
4 tindertwigs
1 small masterwork warhammer
1 small breastplate
3 locked chests

Glancing down the corridor past this storage room to its end, the group sees the corridor turn left (and go beyond their vision). At the end of the corridor is a large alcove. Some nasty mildewy smell slowly emanates from the alcove, burning the group's nostrils.

Last edited by Boomerwang on Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:08 pm; edited 2 times in total

DM Post #23 wrote:: *click click* Rasa's hands move deftly over the mechanisms of the first chest. Detecting no devious devices built into the lock, the dark elf hears a few satisfying clicks and clacks, and the lid of the first chest slowly springs open.

[ooc]Check PM for contents.[/ooc]

Alterith, just a hair behind Skythar, follows the poison dusk as they creep into the alcoved room off the corner of the corridor [Q26]. The stench of mold and mildew is overwhelming. Apparently the brigands used this area as their lavatory, and it shows. The walls are dark, damp, and thick with nasty brown mold the two adventurers could practically swear was alive. Skythar in fact has never seen such a strange, instinctively disgusting phenomenon. The two peer around at the walls, slathered in dark discolored stains. The two alcoves in the room [Q24, Q28] have holes in the ground about the size of a human head. It is almost too dark for the two to see.

Trailing behind Mystia, Squin strains his neck to hear anything afoot happening deeper in the dungeon. However, the noise his companions are making prevent him from being able to hear anything. Perhaps his companions who are more strategically positioned at the moment will be able to discern something.

The fisherwoman, in turn, is perched practically under Krytox, as both woman and blackscale peer around the corner, staring down the hall [O21]. About twenty-five feet down the corridor another hallway branches out to the left, beyond their view. The main corridor itself continues into the darkness ahead. Krytox and Mystia strain their ears.

[ooc]Krytox and Mystia, check PM.[/ooc]

Skythar and Alterith are about to turn around and leave the disgusting place, when all of a sudden, SCREECH! With a sinister skittering and a hiss, two monstrous centipedes crawl out from the holes in the alcoves, one of them managing to bite the lizardman!

[ooc]Skythar - 1 hp damage[/ooc]

Skythar reels back, as alien poison enters his bite wound and courses throughout his body!

[ooc]Skythar, make a Fortitude save and roll Initiative. The other four (Alterith, Krytox, Mystia, Squin) all see what happened, so they can roll Initiative as well.[/ooc]

DM Post #24 wrote:: Alterith's axe curves downward in a wicked, gleaming arc, splicing one of the monstrous centipedes almost down its middle. All of the dozens of legs on one side of the centipede's tubular body are severed and writhe uncontrollably on the ground. With a shrieking hiss, the centipede on the ground over and over, hissing, screeching, and writhing as nasty sticky ichor erupts from its enormous wounds.

Skythar shakes his head vigorously. He was feeling off-balance and woozy - no doubt an effect of the creature's vile venom - but the lizardman feels unaffected. However, the delay allows the other centipede to surge forward, hissing aggressively. It clamps its mandibles down on Skythar's leg. [ooc]Skythar takes 2 damage - make another Fort save.[/ooc]

Squin strains his ears to listen for any other disturbances and glances at the walls, seeing nothing. Something is happening in the eastward hallway beyond their field of vision - snarling creatures, probably goblinoids, out of the group's field of vision. Accompanying their growling are sounds of banging and bashing, furniture being moved around hastily.

As another dose of dizziness threatens to overwhelm him, the poison dusk takes a half step back and quickly draws an arrow, pointing it right into the gaping maw of the monstrous centipede. Letting loose, Skythar is rewarded with a sickening *rrrrrip!* as the arrow tears violently through the centipede's long body, scattering its various disgusting segmented body parts everywhere and splashing the surroundings with sickening bug-blood. The remains crumple to the floor and settle to the dirty stone floor, sizzling.

Mystia readies her crossbow and levels it at the two monsters, but they have already been dispatched. Krytox likewise relaxes slightly, lowering his club about half an inch. Rasa the dark elf springs toward them, ready for battle, but upon reaching his companions he too sees that the situation has been taken cared of.

Unfortunately, enemies further in the dungeon are sure to know by now that they are here.

DM Post #25 wrote:: [ooc]Because Rasa has to go back down the corridor northward to get back to the armory room with the chests, I assume Squin accompanied him up until the doorway to that room because of their dialogue together.[/ooc]

Rasa trots back down the corridor back into the armory supply room (K23). The dark elf picks out his thievery sets to work on the second chest, feeling over its surfaces with a delicated, gloved hand.

[ooc]Recap: Rasa search traps roll 23, open lock roll 18[/ooc]

The dark elf pauses as Squin waits in the doorway for him after inquiring as to what he found in the containers. Despite having no traps like the first chest, this second chest lock won't come undone. As tiny beads of perspiration forms over his brow, Rasa ponders what to do next.

[ooc]Rasa can move on to the third chest, or try again with the second chest. In the latter case, make a new Open Lock roll.[/ooc]

Mystia examines Skythar's poison wound. It is festering slightly but does not appear life-threatening. The lizardman's head slightly bobs back and forth, as though dizzy. It seems this centipede poison affects the victim's sense of balance and agility. Probably a smart evolutionary trend for the monstrous centipedes and their (normal) foods of choice.

[ooc]Skythar, make two more Fortitude saves against the secondary effects of both poison attacks. Because Mystia aided you with a Heal check you can substitute one of your results with her Heal check result (17) instead.

Mystia - There is no hallway in the westward direction. Did you mean east?[/ooc]

After tending to Skythar's wound the cleric gets behind Krytox again and peers down the eastward corridor. She does not discern anything beyond ordinary dungeon sounds now - occasional skittering of (non-threatening) insects, occasional dripping of water and changes in gentle wind breezes as pressures shift, etc.

Krytox moves up into the eastward corridor, but the sounds have faded away. Straining his ears, Krytox can barely hear the shuffling feet of a few creatures around the bend (

N20). But they don't sound as though they are just around the corner, meaning that there may be a side room off the corridor branch (N20) in which they have chosen to hide. Further down the hallway (O15) just reveals a longer stretch of corridor, with no new changes from the current dungeon environment.

In the near distance, battle seems to be brewing in the air.

DM Post #26 wrote:: [ooc]Result of checks[/ooc]

After the halfling's tense but humorous stumble, the group rights itself, and as Krytox turns his massive head back to warn the rest of his group, Alterith begins walking into the junction of the corridor [O20]. Deciding to move on then, figuring any concealment they have blown, yet still wanting to move with caution, Krytox proceeds a couple feet into the branch corridor.

The two see down the branch corridor, and while Krytox sees fine in the dim light, Alterith notices that the light sources are significantly dimmer now than they were back near the stairway entrance. The hallway dead ends up ahead, with three more branches opening up, one after another, on their right hand side [G,J,M 20].

[ooc]Result of checks[/ooc]

The blackscale can barely see into the first branch, but realizes that it is in fact a room. He cannot see the dimensions of the room from this angle, but the spines on his back bristle slightly. Something - or somethings - is in that room.

Further down the main corridor [O17], the group finally sees the end, with an opening out to the left and a door just left of the dead end against the opposite wall, also barely visible. Something about that door feels disturbing to the group, and they are glad there is still some distance between them and it.

Last edited by Boomerwang on Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:08 pm; edited 3 times in total

DM Post #27 wrote:: The lithe little poison dusk tilts his head, cracking his small but thick neck loudly. The pathetic Miderthian centipede poison is now nothing more than a small blob of inconspicuous fluid flowing along with his blood throughout his body. Mystia glances down the eastern corridor [O14], trying to spot any suspicious movement down that area, but nothing seems to be coming. Rasa strains his ears as well, the large blackscale in front of him blocking his view, and manages to hear some squeals and barks from some creatures nearby... in Alterith and Krytox's direction down the southward branch [M20].

Krytox turns around the corner to peek inside the room as Alterith dives across the doorway, intending to end up on the opposite side [L20]. He acrobatically twists his body in midair so as to see into the room while making sure that he'll land on his feet. The two adventurers looking inside see a daunting array before them.

Five goblins, all hiding further into the room behind some old, broken beds and other pieces of crude furniture stacked up just into the room, creating a sort of primitive barricade. Some of them are wielding bows. "Yipe!" one of them yelps in alarm as the halfling rolls past the doorway. One of the goblins next to him shudders when Krytox's massive reptilian head peers around the corner of the doorway at them.

"Kyyaaaa! They coming!" he shrieks in crude Common. "They coming!"

[ooc]Initiative, gentlemen![/ooc]

DM Post #28 wrote:: Krytox leans around the corner and propels his throwing axe straight into the cranium of the sniveling creature diagonal from him. The goblin's head snaps back (threatening to separate from its small, lanky body) and lifeless eyes stare towards the entry of the room at the blackscale as it falls backwards onto the ground in a writhing, foaming, bloody heap. Alterith gestures his intent to his group members, then proceeds further down the corridor. Stopping at the next room, the halfling glances about inside [J20] and notices the floor of half the room covered in wet, smelly hay and other odds and ends (small soft bones, feathers, etc.), making an extremely crude mattress. Probably a quarters... for the kobolds. Moving on for now since that room was unoccupied, Alterith proceeds to the end of the branch corridor and glances into the last room. This time he sees two human-sized beds and with them some chests and small drawers. The halfling muses that this room was probably occupied by the two half-orcs the group encountered over the course of this ordeal.

Back at the battle, the goblins squeal in shock at their fallen comrade, then return fire on Krytox. The lizardman hides around the corner, but one of the goblin's arrows aims true, striking him in the shoulder and reopening the wound that was there, albeit from the opposite direction ([ooc]Goblin [L16] (shortbow) -> Krytox:[/ooc] [roll]33/22 (3dmg)[/roll] [ooc](crit confirm roll not sufficient due to soft cover)[/ooc]. The blackscale once again finds his blood sprinkling the ground around him. As he flinches from this first attack, a second arrow screams past the corner and grazes his lower leg ([ooc]Goblin [M17] (shortbow) -> Krytox:[/ooc] [roll]22 (3 dmg)[/roll]). The other two goblins' arrows fly wide, and the rest of the group in the branch corridor flinch as one of them smacks and breaks loudly against the opposite wall in that hallway.

Skythar moves further up the main corridor [O18] and gets set, bowstring taut. If these shrieking arrow-casting goblins have any buddies, they'll get a mouthful of the same if they try rounding that corner at the end [O14]. Rasa rolls across the entryway with a finese of an acrobat, coming neatly to his feet. The dark elf puts his back against the wall, the corner of the entryway to his left, and readies his crossbow for some judicious enemy treatment. Meanwhile, Squin moves into position and wisely waits for his companions to deal with the (now) five-fold problem in the room. The centaur figures that too many combatants in a congested area would not be a tactically sound situation.

Effectively having traded positions with the poison dusk lizardman, Mystia brushes by her companions and gets behind Krytox. Recognizing the need to put these critters down before they incapacitate her group, the cleric waits two seconds until the arrow shooting has paused, and then pivots around the blackscale into the entryway of the room, letting loose with a crossbow bolt. It thuds powerfully into the crude palisade, and the entire pile of broken wood and furniture shudders violently. The goblin [M17] flinches backwards with a yelp and lands unceremoniously on his rear, out of view for the moment. Had the bolt traveled but two inches higher, it would have cleared the barricade through a gap in the junk, and probably found a new home... square in the goblin's stomach.

[ooc]See OOC thread for important notices.[/ooc]

DM Post #29 wrote:: [ooc]Mystia does move back to the rear of the party, but not before taking a hit (see below). Alterith moves into the room to assault the barricade. That ends his action for this round. The time sequence is a little screwy and I interpreted it as best I could. This is what we'll go by.[/ooc]

Krytox launches into a charge, pulling out his club mid-stride. The goblins' screeches are a low rumbling in the blackscale's ears as time stands still. Then, all of a sudden, the lizardman has vaulted the barricade, and in a flash, plows into the pathetic creature with his club, exposing its thoughts on the wall and floor for the world to see.

[ooc]Enemy Goblin Destroyed... [L17][/ooc]

Two of the remaining three quivering goblins tightly draw their arrows in fear and let loose at Krytox. Thwack! One of the arrows misses, splintering against the ground, for too close was the lizardman. The other one glances off the blackscale's heavy shoulder, shattered against the wall.

The third goblin hisses and takes aim... at Mystia. The female cleric's head explodes with pain as the arrow strikes true, tearing past her side beneath her ribs. [roll]Mystia takes 5 dmg[/roll]

Skythar continues keeping vigilant watch over the corridor outside. The poison dusk knows the group can handle itself... even if there sure is a lot of crashing, thumping, and screaming going on. Rasa dodges across the doorway, firing as he moves. The trio of goblins squeal as the bolt smacks against the barricade, and clatters to the ground, dented. But the goblins, already distracted by Mystia and Krytox, can only respond by pulling out more arrows from their quivers.

Alterith then acts, taking advantage of the lull, and moving low to the ground and entering the room. Despite his stealthy movements, the goblins see him and continue to squeal and snarl in their excited, high-pitched voices, trying to draw their arrows more quickly to deal with him and Krytox. The halfling wedges his axe into the barricade and grunts mightily, heaving it over.

One of the goblins scream as their broken furniture and junk comes raining down (M17). Amid the noise of splintering wood and crushing and tearing the goblin's cries are lost. The other goblins' eyes shine white with fear as Alterith's own eyes shine red like the Bloodmist of Impetus. The halfling brings his centipede gore-soaked axe to bear, murmuring menacingly at the reamining two goblins.

Mystia recovers from the shock and looks down at her blood-soaked side, scampering away, to find a space behind Squin, safely out of this battle. She relays to the anxious centaur the situation that is occurring in the room. Even with the torn clothes at her side blocking the view of her flesh, she and anyone else observing knows that the arrow wound is a bad one. Very bad. Squin's handsome features knot with concern as Mystia's head lolls.

[ooc]Mystia moved to [O19]. Krytox is in [L17]. Alterith is in [M18]. Rasa is in [N20].

Squin and Skythar have not moved from last time.[/ooc]

Last edited by Boomerwang on Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:09 pm; edited 3 times in total

DM Post #30 wrote:: Krytox looks hungrily at the goblin in front of him and cracks his knuckles as if he had all the time in the world. But his hunger can wait... he's got some questions for the pitiful little humanoid.

The lizardman moves in to grab the goblin. But the little creature takes the oppotunity to re-arm is bow. Thwack! Krytox looks down, an arrow protruding from his tough, dark-scaled flesh, pushing two scales out of the way at odd angles. Something a little like rage boils up slightly within the beast. ([roll]Goblin [L17] attack of opportunity vs. Krytox - 21 (2 dmg)[/roll])

Alterith glances over at Krytox. Just like a big brute of a lizard... to play rough with the enemy. He turns his attention back on the goblin before him [M17], catching him in mid-pull as the bowstring is stretched taut...

And immediately slackened again as the halfling's enormous axe carves the goblin like a hot knife through Thanksgiving turkey. The goblin falls. Or rather, the goblins fall. The disgusting fragments, anyway.

Rasa stares, transfixed, as Mystia's wound completely heals. Before where there was a grevious wound is now just a tiny, faint scar. The dark elf almost shakes his head. Humans... guess they are somewhat formidable. Maybe. The cleric breathes a sigh of relief, enjoying the new sensation of wholeness and health in body. Being complete again - without holes - never felt so good.

Squin smiles faintly, glad to see that his friend is alright. Female she may be... but her god shines favor upon her. No wonder... she is tougher than she seems. Skythar continues watching the corridor that stretches off to the east, as still as a predator. Of course. He's a reptilian... and his people are one of nature's most feared cold-blooded hunters for their size.

[ooc]Alex, see ooc thread for advice on how to start a grapple. This round, the goblin successfully attacked Krytox using an aoo caused by the attempt to start a grapple, and prevented the lizardman from starting the grapple.[/ooc]

DM Post #31 wrote:: Rasa peers around the corner. There is very much so the threat of harm that suddenly springs into full view in the dark elf's mysterious red eyes.

Ahead, the 10-foot-wide passageway opens up into a 10-foot-wide corridor that stretches north for about fifty feet.

Shackles and chains line the walls here, with various crude, rusty "instruments" lying about on the damp stone floor. At the very end of the corridor are two figures chained roughly to the walls. A child, and a young man... Along the opposite wall, about halfway down the corridor towards Rasa's end, is another figure. He is barely the children's size, but has a much more mature posture despite also having been chained. His figure is not quite as stocky as a dwarf's, nor quite as slender as an elf's, but a comfortable fit in between. ... A gnome...?

The child and young man's eyes look blankly into the dark in terror, and grimly Rasa realizes that they are cowering with fear and moaning... in near total darkness. The dark elf maintains his position. Four furry, muscular humanoids with slightly hunched backs and hyena-like heads, torment the prisoners, snarling, growling, and barking. One assails each child, barely restraining themselves, and two bark and snarl at the gnome.

Gnolls...

DM Post #32 wrote:: [ooc]Nice! Congrats.[/ooc]

The goblin perishes under the business end of the blackscale's greatclub. The group seems to a share a collective sigh of relief as the tension of battle slowly drains. Alterith and Krytox exit the chamber and head into the main corridor, just in time as Rasa begins heads back to the group to report the new situation. Ever collected, Skythar keeps watch on the corridor while the dark elf slips by him and addresses everybody.

[ooc]The entire group knows what lies beyond O15 now.[/ooc]

The group pauses momentarily, and suddenly the flesh on everyone's back tingles as they hear a scream, coming from the direction Rasa came.

* * *

[ooc]Dan, no concentration check required. It was good to roll Initiative - that should happen whenever a spell is cast in an non-ally's presence.[/ooc]

The gnolls scream, in their gruff, devilish voices, as spots of light suddenly appear around the gnome's head, illuminating the vicinity with torchlight intensity. Random glances over to his right after his small inward smile of grim satisfaction, and sees two other prisoners chained to the corridor end wall, a young human boy, and next to him, a young human man. The two do not look related in any way. The gnome shifts his attention back on the creatures that captured him - hyena-like heads, furry, muscular bodies, and dangerous-looking teeth and claws highlighting what must be a voracious appetite. Their tongues loll slightly out of their drooling jaws.

One of them blinks, feral features bristling. Then the gnoll raises a club and strikes Random! Lights explode in the gnome's head as the non-lethal part of the club strikes his head. ([roll]Random takes 2 subdual damage[/roll])

Mustering his voice once again, the gnome screams a second time. The gnolls around him look ready to break whatever order is holding them back from devouring the prisoners, and tear him apart with appetite alone.

Misc. DM Post wrote:: [ooc]Everyone, roll Initiative for this new encounter if this is what the group agrees to do. Otherwise, if any party members object to Rasa's plan, discussion can continue instead of the ranged attack plan.

If the group gets a surprise round, Initiative won't apply yet, but for efficiency go ahead and roll it ahead of time.[/ooc]

Subject: Re: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:49 am

DM Post #33 wrote:: Alterith holds his ground, barely containing the blood rage threatening to overwhelm him. From deep inside, the halfling begins to feel an unnerving sense of dread. This time, Bloodlust... feels different to him. Unfamiliar. As though the barbaric nature he had always known and was one and the same as him... has changed forms. They usually sit together in a room in the halfling's mind, Alterith and Bloodlust. Normally, Bloodlust stays silent, seemingly calm. But Alterith knows that beneath the quiet exterior, Bloodlust is an indomitable force, waiting to be released. so, like many times in the past, Bloodlust occasionally snaps. Alterith is subdued into silence, while Bloodlust is allowed to stomp around the room, scream and yelling and foaming at the mouth. After he releases his energy, Bloodlust calms himself, sits back down, and the two are one again.

But this time... it is as though Bloodlust turns toward Alterith, and points to his chest, smiling innocently. But this time, there is no clothing there, no flesh, nor even a beating heart. There is only a dark-

For a brief second, Alterith's eyes widen with frightened surprise, as though waking up from a nightmare. This has never happened before. But within him, Bloodlust immediately overcomes the halfling's thoughts, soothing him with the quiet, dense roiling river of rage, assuring the halfling that all is as it has been. That nothing is out of place. But within Alterith's mind, he knows that something has happened to him, and he does not know why.

The halfling shoulders his axe and waits impatiently, nervously, for his companions to commence with their attacks.

The two gnolls at the end of the corridor continue to torment the child and the young man. They cry out in terror as the gnoll's giggle in their raspy, wheezing voices, hissing laughter. They are using their claws to "tickle" them, and the group imagines them having an evil, sadistic glint in their eyes as they do so. "Stop!" cries the man, gasping in pain as thin red lines are slowly traced over his arms and body, eyes wide with fear now that he can partially see the beasts. "What do you want with me? Let me go! Please!" The boy begins sobbing. "I-I-I just wanna go hoooommmme..." he moans. "Mommmyyyy... mommyyyy..." The gnolls laugh harder, barely paying attention to their two other gnoll companions dealing with the gnome's dancing lights.

Rasa lets his hand fall. Lets the hammer fall.

The poison dusk bolts into action with the dark elf. Rounding the corner, he lets loose with a shaft. The arrow strikes true, spinning the surprised gnoll around and around, shaking its life away. The gnoll falls in a pile of its own limbs, a blank, confused look on its wild face [I14]. Rasa follows up with a shot of his own, and the gnoll writhes on the ground in its death throes, impaled by an arrow and a bullet.

Squin, and Mystia have already moved into position after Skythar and Rasa, and begin loosing more bolts and arrows, near misses all. The projectiles clatter and break against the rough stone floor.

The three gnolls at the end of the corridor see what happened, and they are not pleased. Shrieking like hyenas, the two bare their fangs and growl.

[ooc]Surprise round ended. Some of you have already posted your actions for Round 1 and are all set. Awaiting actions from the rest of the group for Round 1.[/ooc]

DM Post #34 wrote:: The gnolls are now fully alerted to the presence of the adventurers. “Help! Help!” The prisoners began shouting feebly. The gnolls snarl and draw their battleaxes. The group isn’t sure if they are advancing on them or worse yet… about to turn around and cut down the prisoners.

Alterith pushes past his companions, and the gnoll hissing and swatting at the annoying dancing lights looks up and suddenly finds an axe through his head. It falls unceremoniously, in a heap. Zzzip! Skythar follows up with another arrow, but it sails wide. The two remaining gnolls look back and forth, foaming snouts stretched taut. One heads back to the prisoners, and the other advances on Alterith and swings his battleaxe in a downward arc. The halfling winces as the gnoll’s axe glances off his shoulder. Despite the glancing blow, Alterith can feel a seeping warmth inside his thickened leather armor. [roll]Alterith takes 4 dmg[/roll]

The other gnoll snarls at the little boy, who begins screaming as beside him, the young man’s eyes widen in horror at the sight of the bloodthirsty axe-wielding gnoll. “No, don’t-!” he yells. The gnoll sneers evilly at the crying boy. “Friendss cannot help you noww, boyyyy!” He draws a knife and slashes at the child!

The boy slumps down, something thick running down the side of his face.

Rasa mutters darkly at the scene. He curses quietly as his crossbow bolt misses the gnolls and hits the wall behind them. Squin follows with an arrow of his own, and his shaft sails past the raging halfling and strikes the gnoll. An arrow protruding out of its hand, the gnoll shrieks in pain and in a maddened fury, pulls out the shaft and casts it aside.

Disgusted by the poor scene in front of him, Random diverts the dancing light onto the gnolls, who hiss and growl and initially. As they try to fend off the glowing lights with their hands and weapons, they realize that the lights cannot affect them. Mystia puts away her crossbow. With the others in front, she doesn’t want to risk a misfire. The cleric draws her trident.

[ooc]Auto-Action Skythar[/ooc] Skythar also attempts to pincushion the remaining gnolls, but to no avail. The poison dusk fits his arrow and pulls back, only to have the arrow break on the taut bowstring! Skythar nurses his bruised hand. Looks like he just found the dud in the quiver.

[ooc]Auto-Action Krytox[/ooc] The blackscale may look like a monster (by human standards anyway), but his heart seems pure and just. He strides fearlessly past his arrow- and bolt-slinging companions, headed for the gnome to free him. [ooc]Auto-move to [K13][/ooc]

DM Post #35 wrote:: [ooc]Ben, is Alterith unconscious or was that pure roleplaying? My records show that Alterith is still above 0 hit points.[/ooc]

The last of Alterith efforts free the boy. Mystia is able to bandage and stop the boy’s head wounds. The little child is still unconscious but appears to be stable. The cleric decides to conserve her spell energies for perhaps more dire circumstances. Something dangerous looms in the air of the near future, like the accursed shadowy predators of her native world.

Rasa stands back from the door, slightly puzzled. He can hear nothing coming from the other side. A quick rap on the door with his knuckles indicates a flat sound, not like a typical heavy wooden door. The door is locked, and the dark elf frowns as he expertly runs his fingers along the handle. Rasa suspects that it may be trapped.

[ooc]Assuming Alterith really is unconscious:[/ooc]

Squin tries to care for the halfling as best he can, but it appears to be a losing proposition. Alterith seems to have suffer more than flesh wounds, his open eyes distant and unblinking as he continues to lose red lifewater.

Krytox and Random lean against the wall, catching their breath, the former dabbing his wounds and applying pressure as best he can after cleaning up the bodies. On one of them he finds a small scroll. Strange, thinks the blackscale, mind clicking in his native tongue. I can hardly read any civilized tongue on papyrus myself… how could these hyena-creatures be literate?

The dancing lights dissipate and once again the corridor is plunged in total darkness. The young man's breath comes heavy and ragged with fright, but in the darkness those of the group with the special eyes to see notice that he is shutting his eyes tightly, to combat the fear of the darkness. Occasionally the group hears the slight rattling of the young man's chains caused by his trembling. But besides that he is holding his courage remarkably.

"Once you've helped the boy," trembles the young man's voice to any who can hear him, "please help me too. Don't leave me here to die..."

Misc. DM Post wrote:: [ooc]Squin, make a Dex check. Everyone (Squin included), make Reflex saves.[/ooc]

DM Post #36 wrote:: Upon being released, the young man sighs with relief and slumps to the ground, gingerly rubbing his hands and arms, groaning slightly with the aching. He looks uncertainly at Alterith. Though the man appears to be wearing rags, despite his current exhausted and hurt state, he seems to possess an air of expertness that most commoners do not have.

"I am Jakeon, a traveler who wished to see the world." He sighs. "Until these brigands found me and brutally waylaid me on the side of the road. When I woke up, I was chained here, my belongings taken, and those hyena-men ready to devour me. I don't know how long I have been here, but I don't think it has been too long." He actually manages enough strength to spit on the ground next to his feet. "But knowing these dank, smelly places, I've no idea."

Jakeon stares back at Alterith and the rest of the group.

"My, what a group... what a perfect example of 'good Samaritans.'" Jakeon's curiosity gets the best of him. "Doesn't seem good form for a man to ask his rescuers their motives... but what brings you here? For this young boy?" It doesn't sound to Alterith like he is prying for anything beyond conversation and acquaintance.

While the group goes about its business, a certain dark elf begins prodding and feeling along the walls and floor, for anything out of place. Rasa quickly finds it, thanks to his elven heritage. After about another hour, a more thorough review of the entire area reveals yet a second hidden passage.

[ooc]Secret passages marked on the map.[/ooc]

Subject: Re: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:52 am

DM Post #37 wrote:: [ooc]Auto-action[/ooc] Skythar's tongue flicks out and in quickly. "Mmmph. I take boy back alreadysss..."

Jakeon looks at the small lizardman with shock. "You... you're not going to eat him are you?!" In response, Skythar's beady eyes fixate on the young man, and he tilts his head, holding it stone still. The young man breaks out in a nervous sweat.

The poison dusk hisses quietly, but there is a hint of a smirk on his young, reptile face.

"Manss tasste bad. Bad, bad... two bad, sree bad, four bad... Bad bad manss tasste."

Jakeon's expression is a mix of relief, confusion, and horror.

[ooc]At this point this is just a filler post, for roleplaying purposes only. Please respond to David's post, right above this one.

Alex, I'll let you know what Krytox finds in a few hours by PM. If you see this post before you get my PM, you can make the Search check yourself if you'd like.[/ooc]

DM Post #38 wrote:: [ooc] Here's what I see so far:

Planners - Alterith, Mystia, Random

Explorers - Krytox, Rasa

Escorters - Squin

[/ooc]

Skythar nods slightly, approving of the plan. These people don't seem that bad, he thinks. Back on my home Shell humans were not to be trusted - they were nothing more than thieving nomadic bandits. But this female seems genuine. She is probably just naive and inexperienced. No one survives the harsh elements and remains intact. No one.

"I go sssee half-mansss," he hisses. He gestures toward Squin and Jakeon with a small wave of his scaled head. "Ssstay far behind. In case half-mansss try killss usss." Drawing his bow, the poison dusk leads Squin and Jakeon back towards the entrance, the young boy resting more comfortably on the centaur's soft(er) back.

[ooc] YES. Now we play things out as normal. Hahahahahaha.[/ooc]

DM Post #39 wrote:: Poison dusk and centaur head towards the entrance. They emerge from the dungeon into the entrance cave. Surprisingly, the half-orc is still there, at the entrance. The halfbreed doesn’t flinch when the four move through the doorway. Jakeon’s eyes widen slightly in fear. But he quickly regains his composure as the small group realizes that the half-orc is snoring soundly. The two adventurers look down. The halfbreed’s hand is not far from his dagger sheath, as his barrel chest rises and falls slowly, rhythmically.

Krytox goes back to the barracks rooms (G, J, M17) to recover his throwing axe and other equipment, as well as search the rooms for other things of value. ([ooc]Refer to PM later today.[/ooc]) Alterith accompanies him, though for a different reason. The halfling begins hauling pieces of furniture and other substantial pieces of rubble back to the secret door.

Random searches the armory room and recovers his equipment

[ooc]Dan, Random now has full access to his inventory.[/ooc]

A half-hour passes.

Now Alterith and Mystia are setting up the barricade in front of the secret door, per the halfling’s instructions. The obstacle should provide them with some cover from ranged fire should enemies fire through the passageway once they’ve opened it. In addition, it’ll hinder their footsteps should they charge towards the group, giving them time to readjust to their goblinoid and demi-human enemies and attack them more effectively.

Rasa, finished searching, turns his attention on the various items in the armory, followed by items in the barracks rooms. ([ooc]Correspond by PM later today.[/ooc])

Krytox takes time to rest, and aids his companions in setting up the barricade.

[ooc]Random has been briefed on how the dungeon entrance works – on how a command word deactivates the magical barrier from outside… and it offers no resistance to those exiting the cave.[/ooc]

The gnome steps outside, into the afternoon light waning into false dusk. Random looks upward into the sky. The great Gardens of the Creator float overhead, blotting out large spots of sky but leaving plenty of blue, cloud-dotted expanse left.

He concentrates, focusing on the sky. Perhaps it’s where he’s fallen from. Perhaps it’s here he’s headed. Perhaps…

The bat returns, somewhat cautious. Discovering that its master is the same – though somewhat disheveled, the animal finds its way into Random’s hands and then his inside pocket.

As the hour rolls by, Skythar and Squin return, having safely delivered the boy and Jakeon to Sesolston. With them is a third young man. Dressed in sparse, loose-fitting clothing, he looks much healthier and stronger than Jakeon.

[ooc]Jack and Zadok, check your PMs later today.[/ooc]

DM Post #40 wrote:: [ooc]Do you guys prefer the map to be attached to the post like I'm doing now, or like before, where it was just on display within the post?[/ooc]

So suddenly entrained in thought, Random does not hear Krytox' request, and sits on the floor, contemplating. Not unlike the Traveler, who keeps an ever-vigilant eye on the first secret door, hoping for peace but ready for battle. Occasionally, the two and Squin continue their conversation. [ooc](or not, hehe).[/ooc]

At the end of the corridor, net drawn, Skythar stands watch at the second secret door. Nothing has been through yet. The poison dusk stands poised to restrain anyone about to open the wall and pass through, however. Squinting, the lizardman can now see the fine lines that the dark elf pointed out and explained ([ooc]fluff assumption[/ooc]) were the markings of a secret door.

Alterith and Rasa head back to the corridor and the barracks. The pair sees Krytox and Mystia talking in one of the rooms. They look up and greet the halfling and dark elf as they come. Alterith and Rasa voice their concerns for their temporarily missing comrades, while Mystia explains again that she had gone to find Krytox (which they now have), and that there is no need to worry. The four continue their dialogue. [ooc](or not, hehe)[/ooc]

[ooc]Jack, check PM.[/ooc]

DM Post #41 wrote:: Back at the entrance to the primary secret door, with Skythar still holding down the second secret door to counter any enemies that may come through it, the adventurers look apprehensively at one another while the blackscale quaffs the potion.

*gulp!*

Krytox suddenly feels a soft, warm glow from within, as the liquid travels down his gullet. Look down at his shoulder, the lizardman feels a tingly sensation there, and everyone stares in wonderment as the wound begins healing - dried blood flecks away as the flesh and tissue repair themselves, bones reseal, and fresh new scales burst slowly out of the flesh and blossom into the glistening hard natural mail that covers the rest of his body. A trace scar is left, barely noticeable.

Krytox glances down at his leg, where he feels a similar sensation. The wound there is gone as well.

[ooc]Krytox has had hit point restoration. Check PM.[/ooc]

Alterith looks down at his vial with a sort of loathing. The halfling sees what it has done for the lizardman, however, and knowing what these liquids have done for him in the past, knows that at least for now he cannot escape the torment that this blue liquid brings him, along with further life. He also consumes his potion - no reason for their former owners to disguise the same blue liquid as something else.

The halfling finds his bruises and wounds almost melting away into sweet, torturous nothingness. Escape for a few remaining scrapes and scratches, Alterith feels restored, if just a little undignified.

[ooc]Alterith has had hit point restoration. Check PM.

DM Post #42 wrote:: Though the group had already found what they had come for – the young child of old woman Shiane from Sesolston – they discover that they have found something else of significant importance: An entrance into the ruins of the unfinished old dungeon where the brigand so-called Holg is hiding with his remaining followers. The half-orc marauder has robbed and assaulted dozens of travelers on the Great North Road of Sesolston – including Jakeon – and it’s time to put a stop to it.

Find Holg and end his petty reign of terror on the travelling path!

You are standing outside a door that will lead you to Holg.

Misc. DM Post (3) wrote:: The dark elf feels along the door. No traps. Glancing back at the group, Rasa gives them a grim nod. The group nods back apprehensively. Hand on the handle, the dark elf begins to open the door...

And smacks his nose into the locked door.

Subject: Re: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:54 am

DM Post #43 wrote:: It's pitch black! Only Alterith's sunrod lights the way for those without the eyes to see in this large dungeon room.

[ooc]Everything that those with darkvision can see has been shown.

For those with normal vision: Gray areas depict shadowy illumination (opponents gain concealment and can hide), while dark gray areas show where you cannot see.

Low-light vision: You can see twice as far as normal vision characters, so you will effectively have double the radius for normal light and shadowy light. This is not represented on the map so you should keep that in mind.[/ooc]

In the corner of the room, the group spots a flicker of movement just barely within the reaches of the sunrod's illumination - a young child's terrified screaming as a small, scaly form drags him out of sight, hissing and clawing. Alterith perks up at the voice.

Meanwhile the group sees that getting to that second boy (who bullied the first and mocked Alerith with his gang earlier in the day) will not be easy - a distinctly rotten odor of corpses assails their nostrils as they find themselves surrounded by the living dead!

Skeletal figures immediately begin reaching out to them, promising nothing save the cold embrace of death. Four figures in more or less the corners of the room begin stirring as well, patches of flesh on their gangly, bone-thin bodies shifting like withered, spoiled rice paper.

[ooc]Skythar, Squin, Mystia, and The Traveler have heard of undead before, though this is actually the first time they've seen them in person. Random, Rasa, and Alterith have seen them before, even in close action such as a large-scale battle, but have never personally interacted with any. Krytox has seen them from afar in his homeland but he nor his people have never interacted with any.[/ooc]

[ooc]The enemies marked with a white dot in the middle are zombies. The other enemies except for the kobold in [H4] are skeletons.[/ooc]

[ooc]Any questions? No? Initiative![/ooc]

DM Post #44 wrote:: Random's magic missile collides with the skeleton, sending shattered fragments of old decaying bone flying everywhere. The skeleton lurches backward, struggling sluggishly to remain on its feet.

The kobold in the other room continues dragging the young boy, and despite the latter's struggles, both him and the small reptilian disappear from view.

The zombie near the southeast corner of the room utters a low groan like the sound of old cabinet doors swinging as a tiny lance of reflected light glances through the air. The dark elf's aim is true, and the zombie too leans backwards from the crossbow hit, sagging against the wall behind it.

The skeletons, much less slow than their zombie counterparts, creak forward steadily, and the group's fear slightly heightens with the note that such unnatural creatures probably never fatigue. The skeletons raise their fists and clawed fingers.

The first skeleton [L5] misses Alterith, but the second one [L6] hits twice, its fists pummeling the halfling. [ooc]Alterith sustains 3 dmg.[/ooc]

The two skeletons attacking Krytox both hit. The lizardman hisses as bony fingers rake his scaled flesh. [ooc]Krytox sustains 2 dmg and 2 dmg.[/ooc]

The party's new companion, The Traveler, levels his stance at the zombie next to him. Even as the vile creature begins reaching out for him, the monk lets loose with a flurry of blows, pummeling the zombie into a second death. It collapses on the ground in a pool of its own slimy, oozy filth.

The other zombies begin lurching forward, intent on rending the characters bone to bone with their sickly, sharp fingernails. They sluggishly approach the group, moving awkwardly slow. The slowness of their motions seem almost comical, but they are clearly more of a threat than first meets the eye.

Krytox turns around and assaults the zombie near the northwest corner. As he does, the skeletons attack him one more time. [ooc]AoO's from K6, L6: Miss, Miss.[/ooc] The zombie turns slowly to look at the approaching blackscale, eyes bugged out and leering monstrously, with a dislocated jaw seeping some murky bodily fluid. Down comes the greatclub, smashing the zombie's shoulder.

Seeing that the zombie he was going to attack has come to him instead, Alterith brings his blade down on the zombie's head, splitting it in two. The zombie, however, remains standing despite this violent blow that would have ended the life of any other living creature its size.

Skythar continues to watch the corridor, and his scales tighten slightly as he hears the sound of scratching now coming through the other door.

DM Post #45 wrote:: Rasa slices the zombie in front of him, but it remains standing. It looks balefully back at the dark elf and tries to smother him with its fetid, rotting carcass. The dark elf gingerly escapes its grasp.

Random’s magic missile fires into the skeleton. The damaged skeleton lurches forward the patience of death. Random gasps as the skeleton’s fist pummels him ([ooc]Random takes 1 dmg[/ooc]).

Alterith finds the skeleton blocking his path almost on top of him. Two fists come crashing down clumsily. The halfling sidesteps one and deflects the other with his axe. Rotting bone bests axesteel not. The zombie next to this skeleton reaches out for him, but again the halfling fends of its slow, murderous hands. The halfling waits a split second, and then brings his axe horizontally into the skeleton blocking his path, cutting it apart at the upper legs. The skeleton crashes to the ground in pieces as the halfling rushes by it into the next room. He suddenly stops. The room is pitch black and he can see nothing in front of his face. The halfling realizes with a start that he is not alone! Shrill reptilian voices hiss Draonic in the dark. Alterith listens... and hears the tightening of bowstrings...

Krytox barely notices as a skeleton behind him attempts to maul him. The skeleton’s fists miss, giving the blackscale a chance to smash the zombie. And he does, driving his greatclub through the creature’s body. As the zombie is destroyed its body slams into Squin, and the centaur yelps with pain as its nails rake his flesh ([ooc]Squin sustains 4 dmg[/ooc]).

The Traveler, having dealt with one zombie already, advances in his fighting stance, ready to continue the assault.

Squin himself decides to mobilize. Beating upon a dead body that hurt him will not help matters. Deciding instead to end these abominations to nature, the centaur advances, shaking off his dizziness, preparing to bring his longsword to bear against a skeleton.
Mystia concentrates to ward off these creatures, and it works. The skeletons and zombies halt, as if uncertain. Conflicting orders rage within their animated bodies as Mystia’s commands overwhelm their functions. The undead suddenly appear very eager to end their attack and retreat.

Back in the barracks corridor, the secondary secret door slides open, a large stone section on ancient wheels. There is a flash of green in the darkness beyond, strange arcane lights. Then Skythar notices something staggering slowly out of the doorway, hunched over, with strange limbs and a body composed of bits wood, stone and metal. Something big. The poison dusk suddenly remembers.

A type of nonliving creature seen before with his captors.

Last edited by Boomerwang on Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:11 pm; edited 2 times in total

DM Post #46 wrote:

DM Post #46

Alterith chases the kobold dragging the boy into the next room and, out of the range of the sunrod, meetings total darkness. ziiiip! The halfling hears the sound of arrows suddenly whizzing by his head! He hisses in the dark as a couple arrows find his body. Alterith shudders with the impact as warm and slick liquid flow from his body. "Give me control..." Bloodlust's feral but desperate eyes plead with Alterith's mind. But he knows that he is too concerned for the boy - and fatigued from the previous blood rage.

Alterith sustains 2 dmg.

The halfling calls out for Rasa to bring light. The undead that have not yet been destroyed scatter under Mystia's turning as the rest of the group looks around and hears the halfling's call.

Alterith glances over his shoulder, and sees himself face to face with a skeleton! But it is not interested in the halfling. It simply appears to be running fearlessly... from something.

Skythar looks down at the hulking, moving pile of nonliving materials. The lizardman has seen something like this before. With his captors. The mystery of what one of these is doing here is lost in the current situation. The non-living creature stares back at Skythar, without eyes.

Spoiler:

DM Post #47 wrote:

Rasa casts dancing lights on Alterith. Suddenly the room is lit in torchlight and the halfling sees that, across the room, there are large heavy crates lined up at least six feet tall, and shrieking kobolds like hellish children armed with bows and arrows using them as cover, probably on top of some smaller crates behind the large ones. Alterith cannot see the boy from this angle. Ben, you may want to further edit your action to include movement before Alterith's attack, now that Alterith can see before it is actually his turn to act.

Squin turns around and delivers the final blow to the cowering skeleton even as The Traveler moves in the opposite direction and pummels another skeleton. Despite missing with one of his blows, the monk sends the undead into a shattered oblivion. Random moves into position after drawing his dagger.

Zadok, coup de grace is a full-round action. Fyi. Dan, you are right, Random has performed a full round's worth of actions.

Skythar stifles a hard gulp as the lumbering monstrosity hesitates, its soulless, faceless visage focused on the poison dusk. The lizardman hears faint clicking, like a clock wound out of control, and suddenly realizes its coming from inside the mechanical beast. The thing is thinking..! Suddenly, the creature lurches forward, toward him and the caltrops. Somehow, Skythar realizes that it has identified him.

Spoiler:

DM Post #48 wrote:

Auto-piloting Random…

The gnome moves across the room, picking up the sunrod as he passes by it. It may prove useful later, and besides, is the group’s only physical source of light in this otherwise dark area of the dungeon.

Random has found ]x1 sunrod[]!

Rasa arms his crossbow at the opening to the next room while The Traveler finishes off the (now) remaining zombie. Despite the badly placed first blow, the second one paid off. But touching the slimy, smelly remains of once-living beings has never really been the monk’s idea of rewarding pay.

A hail of arrows meets Alterith and Krytox, but all miss save for one. This one strikes true, plunging into Krytox’s scaly flesh. The blackscale roars – the arrow missed a major artery and thus not only spared his life but also any severe injury – and pulls it out. Blood and messy scraps of reptilian flesh spatter onto the ground. In the world of Structural Damage Capacity, things tend to look worse than they are.

Kobold, shortbow vs. Krytox: 22/17 – hit(1 dmg)

“Good one!” screeches one of the kobold’s companions. “Shut up!” it snaps back. “You all missed!” “Look out!” screams one of the others in their shrill voice, twitchy eyes fixated on Alterith as he bounds towards the tall crates and gives a mighty leap, but unfortunately does not have enough momentum. The halfling’s boots and free hand slam against the side of the crate as he slips down to the ground, right in front of the six-foot obstacle. The kobolds’ wimpy, chittering laughs are cut short as Krytox tries his luck, lunging forward. The halfling backs away from the blackscale’s swing arc as his club comes smashing down on the crate. Despite the heavy blow and some damage caused, the crate remains intact. The kobolds breathe a sigh of relief. If reptilians could nervous sweat, they’d be spouting rivers.

Squin and Mystia gallop and glide over to the opening to the next room where the dark elf is. The centaur glances over and sees the skeleton cowering in the nearby corner of the next room. As Mystia approaches, the skeleton seems to react. Shuddering for just an instance, the skeleton turns back around and reaches out with bony fingers for the Squin’s neck. A quick slash of Squin’s sword breaks the skeleton into pieces.

The arrow strikes the construct and snaps as it glances off the stone-plated exterior. The nonliving creature surveys Skythar with hidden eyes. Primitive gears whir and click inside its body. Suddenly it shifts, and the poison dusk realizes that somehow, it’s recognized him. Not his kind. Him specifically. The poison dusk looks closer as the stone-clad beast lurches forward, slowed by the caltrops but not much else, and notices a symbol dyed onto the stone of its shoulder. The insidious Jinam Protectorate. His captors.

ooc: Skythar, make a Spot check.

Spoiler:

DM Post #49 wrote:

Recall these are 'large, heavy crates.' They measure about six feet on a side. The kobolds aren't standing on them directly or behind them directly either - rather, they are probably standing on smaller crates (or whatever - they aren't visible) stacked up behind these large front crates. This allows them higher ground while still using the tall crates as cover.

Another misc. thing to keep in mind: Characters such as Krytox are described as being monstrously tall and large. Squin may also seem to be larger and thus have longer reach than the others. However, both are (for now at least) still Medium creatures. In the D&D wiki, a Medium creature is listed as having an 8' vertical reach (Small creatures have 4 ft. vertical reach). Just a friendly fyi, just thought it'd be good to know.

"Ack!" screeches a kobold as Rasa turns around and fires. The crossbow bolt glances off the kobold's crude leather armor. "You'll be ssssorry!" it hisses defensively.

The Traveller finishes pummeling the last remaining undead before him. It crumples to the ground in a heap of its own rotting limbs and tattered clothes. The monk looks down at it repulsively, then glances at his hands. Then around, wishing there was something he could wipe them on. Ugh.

"They're trying to pussssh the cratessss over!" screams one of the other kobolds, perched above with his partners. "Sssshoot them, dummiesss!" All of the arrows sail over the adventurers' heads. It's hard to tell just who on Miderth they were trying to shoot. It definitely didn't seem like the group.

Alterith and Krytox put their plan into motion. Despite the additional obstacles bracing these large, heavy crates from behind, the two grunt and roar their way to success. Two of the crates (H6, I6) fall over, collapsing the barrels and smaller crates bracing them from behind - and the two kobolds as well. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh~" wails one of the kobolds. A quick, shrill "Crap!-" is all the other can say before being flattened.

The kobold Rasa fired upon (F6) jabs forward, armed with a long pole. Wait, that isn't just a pole, the dark elf realizes. It's a longspear! Rasa hisses as the stabbing end grazes his abdomen.

Kobold(F6) - Longspear - Rasa: 32/6 5 dmg

The kobold celebrates with a shrill laugh. Instantly cut short as a shadow falls upon him. A galloping centaur. Looking not too pleased.

The kobold shrieks and tries to raise its longspear again. Too slow. Now the weapon is ineffective. Squin tramples the useless longspear to the ground, denting it in several places. His longsword flashes upwards. So does a fan of dark kobold blood and various reptilian anatomy.

Mystia waits out the battle. She's seen enough carnage for now.

Skythar's arrow flies true. Embedding itself into a crevice even the poison dusk couldn't see (but one that his fingers saw), the construct lumbers to a halt and hunches over, gas escaping from it like a great sigh. Skythar looks at the now silent construct quizzically. A Western tongue suddenly overtakes the lizardman. Guess it done got broke.

Don't forget that Skythar's attack roll was actually a 36 - you get a bonus 10 from our critical hit house rule, in exchange that 20s are no longer an automatic hit. That was a sweet roll, but yeah, unfortunately crits don't work on constructs.

Spoiler:

DM Post #50 wrote:: To clarify, Rasa can only use partial actions as long as you remain at 0 hp. Being clobbered doesn't compound this effect, though both status conditions must be remedied before he's restored to full working order.

*Squeak!* The echoes of the two remaining kobolds' voices fade away as their broken bodies crumple to the ground. The group stands over their defeated reptilian opponents, victorious again. The young boy, now able to see Alterith, crawls into the corner and cowers there. "Sorry, sorry...!" he wails. "I didn't mean nothing by this morning! I didn't mean all those things I said...!" He continues to ramble on, sobbing. The group figures that for a human boy less than ten years of age, he's been through quite a lot.

A quick rummage through some small barrels and crates in the southwest corner uncovers more light blue potions and some low-quality animal skins .

Group has found: x4 Light healing potions

With everything suddenly eerily quiet, the group can make out distant hissing sounds, like air escaping from cave fissures.

DM Post #51 wrote:

Auto-Piloting Random wrote:: As Skythar puts away his caltrops, he turns to his right. Down the corridor from the direction of the slave corridor comes Random, the newly-met gnome. "What's going on," says the gnome dispassionately by way of greeting. After seeing and hearing the situation briefly from Skythar, the gnome nods and turns to go back down the corridor. "Just checking," he says. "I'll let them know you're okay."

The DM Post proper:

Alone again, Skythar trains his senses on the door at the end of the barracks hallway. Through the dark doorway at the end that was once concealed, the poison dusk barely sees the slight flickering of candlelight playing off the dark walls beyond. He also hears the chanting come to a stop. "Jinam Jinam Jinam Ji... ..." A low, reptilian voice begins hissing strange, alien syllables.

Skythar rolls back barely in time, as a shining bolt of light slams into the wall behind him, magical energy arcing outward from the impact point along the cracks in the wall as the projectile meant for him dissipates.

The poison dusk sees the flash of a robe as whatever figure was lurking just beyond the doorway ducks back, completely out of sight now due to the candlelight-played darkness.

Rasa inspects the doorway to the east. An iron dungeon door, nothing too special about it, except perhaps the fact that all the other doors in this area have so far been heavy wooden doors.

Those with the dark elf notice the hissing sound issuing from behind the iron door. It sounds like a natural cave sound, probably steam issuing forth between cracks somewhere past the door. They listen more closely.

There are low growling sounds. And they don't sound like natural cave sounds.

Rasa regains 5 hit points from the potion.

DM Post #52 wrote:: The boy looks up wide-eyed at the blackscale. He's never seen such a beast in all of Miderth. His fear-filled eyes dart all over Krytox - the tough, black scales, bony ridges of a skeletal-looking face, massive head sail fin, claws, greatclub...

"No," whimpers the boy. "I never been beyond there." His voice drops to a whisper. "But sometimes the big scary ugly men would talk about "feeding them." And they brought... brought... they brought big animals from the woods to feed them!" The boy cries. Snot dribbles down his chin. "The leader, he's a big scary ugly man too. He's not from around here." ... like how none of you are from around here... his frightened eyes finish saying.

"He says scary things, and dances around sometimes, with his knife. Sometimes there's blood on the knife... he said, he said... I was a good little boy, he said he was gonna use iron to make me strong... then nobody would pick on me, ever!"

DM Post #53 wrote:: The child wrinkles his young, smooth brow in concentration, struggling to comprehend the mature words coming from The Traveler. He knows what words the strange man from another land speaks, but at same time doesn't really fully understand.

Addressed by the centaur Squin, the boy's brow remains wrinkled, though his young mind shifts gears. "Um... um... the big scary ugly man was riding some kind of scary monster... it looked like the dinosaurs we learn about at school but scarier..." the boy's eyes tear up slightly and points up at Squin. "When the big scary ugly man rides the dinosaur he is like you but as big as... him." His finger moves from Squin to Krytox.

"This ugly man was wearing big iron mail. But he had a dark red cloak, dark red cape and red dark clothes too. But," the child's lips quiver, "th-th-they were all covered in blood!" The child wails as his nose wrinkles at the stench of the painful memory.

He ignores Squin's last statement ("If you see him, let us know."). It's obvious the boy has no intention of leaving the group's side (no matter how strange and mean they look too, the young woman has an air of good and peace around her).

As to the centaur's last question, the boy responds with a blank look.

All players, PM me an Intelligence check.

Alterith inspects the door. It opens away from him.

***********************************************************

The scales on Skythar's back bristle venomously as a weak screech emits from the secret doorway. Whoever has spoken is concealed beyond in the darkness of barely-lit candle light.

"I created that barrier to bar entry, by Holg's orders," hisses the voice. "But wonder of wonders! You have returned to us and made our work so much easier! Have you brought your other lizard friend? I certainly hope so!"

The poison dusk cranes his neck to hear. The hidden person is chanting something again!

Subject: Re: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:02 am

DM Post #54 wrote:: Random nods. "Skythar? Oh, the smaller lizard you had me go check on. Yes, he seems to be alright for now. There was some kind of stone contruct with metal parts for joints and such that he was fighting. But it looks like he stopped it somehow." The gnome shrugs, as though not believing that the poison dusk could have stopped it with the weapons he saw him with, and yet not caring too much about the details of what may have happened.

Random looks thoughtful. "There was... something about that construct... it had something on its body, a symbol... I've seen it before somewhere, a long, long time ago..." Random describes the symbol.

Alterith and Krytox's ears perk up and the halfling's backneck hair bristles while the blackscale's backfin raises up, straight out from his back and causing him to visually almost double in size for a moment. Shock.

The gnome's look turns to one of troubledness. "Yes, I agree with the human woman. Let's get this nonsense over with, before they call for more critters and walking corpses. There are some questions that need answering."

Date: 1/28/2008

Subject: #56 Sat Feb 02, 2008 3:31 am

DM Post #55 wrote:: Krytox's arguments fall on departing ears as Rasa, The Traveler and Alterith move back through the rooms to the barracks corridor where Skythar was stationed to check on the status of the poison dusk's situation. There may have been only one enemy encountered so far, but it was tough, and there's absolutely no guarantee that's the only one... more muscle is never a bad thing.

Besides, the trio figures, with the crates laboriously now put in place in front of the iron door that will prevent their enemies from just barging in when they find out that the adventurers have cleaned house, that a group consisting of a massive lizardman, a still young but just as heavy centaur, a sorcerer and a cleric coming from a land where the only thing they could have done there was drown, is more than capable of taking care of itself.

"Divide and conquer," apparently goes the saying. Though "safety in numbers" has never really failed either.

Whatever turned hostile on Skythar comes back out of the secret doorway to make another attack. The creature is reptilian, wearing robes that clearly mark him as a foreigner to the Kingdom of Somi. Some kind of thin visor goes straight across his eyes, giving the creature some kind of mechanical appearance. What strange glasses... Definitely not of Miderth.

The reptilian casts a spell, murmuring quietly but menacingly, strange robes rippling as he waves his arms, and the lizardman sees orange light flickering along his scaly hands and wrists. But his head snaps up at the sound of the others approaching. Skythar uses the distraction and draws an arrow.

The three make it back to the prison corridor in time to see the poison dusk notching an arrow. Their immediate suspicions are confirmed - the construct Random described was not the only opponent to appear after they made an apparent sweep of the place. Looking down the barracks corridor they notice a flicker of light tracing the dark air and a quiet rustling of robes as whatever unknown creature was there retreats back through the secret doorway, around some dark corner, and disappears.

Upon being asked, Skythar reveals that the creature showed up only after Random came to check up on him, and that he has not seen any other creatures besides this one, though he hasn't moved from his spot yet either (besides retrieving his caltrops from earlier).

Back at the iron door where the remaining four - Krytox, Mystia, Squin, and Random - wait, they suddenly hear louder growling issuing from the other side of the door. Then some heavy footsteps, and clawing and tapping.

Suddenly they jump as a loud thud smacks against the door, shaking the heavy crates and slightly cracking some wood. Something's now trying to get through!

Rasa wrote:: "well maybe we should go check out this passage, and see what the deal is...... Hold on, i need to suit up"

Rasa puts on his Stealth and Flame skins, and Loads his BFG into his hand crossbow.

"Alright, let me check it out first....."

Rasa walks up to the passageway, making no audible sound to the untrained ear. He checks it out, looking for any threats.

Rasa gains a +1 technology mod to hide!
Rasa gains a +1 mod to damage with his next hand crossbow attack!
Rasa gains a -1 damage reduction to the next fire based attack!

Hide Check: 9 + 1 + 6 = 16
Move Silently: 14 + 8 = 22
Spot: 2 + 8 = 10
Listen: 10 + 8 = 18

Post #56

The dark elf proceeds down the barracks corridor and towards the open, dark passageway. Faint candlelight - not nearly enough to illuminate anything - flickers sporadically on the stone walls as Rasa proceeds through the arch way. Right away the passage turns right. Doing so, the dark elf comes across a strange creature, who apparently has not noticed him, for he is bent over with his back to the dark elf, rummaging hastily through a large trunk looking desperately for something.

Rasa strains his ears and hears the reptilian-looking creature dressed in alien robes muttering, "Jinam, Jinam, Jinam..." The creature finds what it is looking for, and stands up with a jolt as he quickly turns around.

The two stare at each other, stunned for but an instant. Rasa notices the reptilian wearing strange glasses - some kind of straight dark visor of alien technology. The robes are remarkably non-Miderth. In his hands, the robed reptilian is holding something resembling a musket, but much more alien-looking. Sleeker. More metallic parts. And humming and glowing.

Back down the corridor, Alterith, Skythar, and The Traveler see Rasa disappear into the darkness of the secret passageway now open, they are not sure what is happening, but they hear the startled hiss of a reptilian creature.

"That'sssss the one," mutters Skythar. "Sssssounds like the one that attaaaacked meee."

The reptilian raises the device menacingly. Despite never having seen the strange rifle before, the dark elf immediately knows it's a weapon of some kind - an advanced crossbow that requires no string to draw and fire.

Alterith, The Traveler, Rasa, Skythar - roll Initiative.

Back at the iron door, another loud thump sounds on the door. There, Mystia, Squin, Random and Krytox start again, jumping slightly, as the door shudders and the large, heavy wooden crates splinter and shake. The growling on the other side becomes more hostile. They hear something being shouted in Half-Orc, but they can't make out the words.

"Well, that dang blasted elf musta made more noise than usual. Let's go give him a hand."

Keeping his fears locked down in the pit of his stomach, Alterith limbers his axe, and begins a quick jog down the hallway to his friends aid. Reaching the end of the hallway, he spins around the corner, not slowing a step, but instead, plants a boot on the lefthand wall and launches himself around the corner at full speed, following Rasa's lead.

Init:18+4=22

Subject: Re: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:10 pm

Rasa sees the the reptile, and the odd alien device. He knows whatever the thing has in mind isn't on his list of things to have happen. He instinctively lets his hand crossbow bolt fly, and then dives around the corner for cover, allowing his trusty friend to finish off anything he doesn't get to do himself.

Initiative: 13+4=17
Attack(hand crossbow): 15+4 = 19
Damage: 4+1(BFG)=5
If i get to add sudden strike, +2 = 7 total damage

Subject: Storm on the Horizon Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:36 am

Krytox' hardened nerves fail him as a loud thump resonates through the cave. Blackscales are known for their toughness and brute strength, but the force felt through the heavy metal door and pile of crates spooks him momentarily. After a moment though he realizes what must be done. A quick survey of the room and who remains is taken in by the giant lizard. Damn... hopefully they have magicks that can help in battle, otherwise this might be the end of the line.

"Other room. NOW!" Krytox yells to his companions. The safety of the boy is his primary concern, but when all is said and done he would like to have all five of them live through this. "Squin, help," Krytox firmly says to the centaur. He begins piling any refuse in the small doorway to provide some sort of blockade as defense. Even as he does this, he realizes it is likely a futile effort, for if whatever is pounding on the door breaks through, it will likely be able to continue right through a small pile of broken furniture and crates.

"Mystia, take child. Go, get others... hurry!"

He pulls a throwing axe from his belt, ready at a moments notice to heave the cleaver at whatever may be coming. Krytox glances to the others to make sure they are ready as well. "If breaks through... shoot and retreat."

Dakkon... don't fail me now...

Init (if/when necessary): 7 + 3 = 10

Subject: Re: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:15 pm

The Traveler hears the sound and rushes to aid the dark elf in combat. He does so quietly, keeping to the shadows, that he may engage the creature before it knows he's there.

Init: 16+2=18
Move Silently: 16+5=21
Hide: 6+5=11

AC/Touch/Flat-footed: 21/15/17

Skythar brings up the rear of the group, knowing that his arrows will do him no good at the front. He follows suit and enters quietly and in the shadows, as to not give away his position unecessarily.

hide: 11+8 = 19
move silently: 9+8 = 17
initiative: 7+4 = 11

Subject: Re: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:53 am

Hearing the crates splinter, and the metal door shudder, Squin does likewise: shudders involuntarily and his nerves starting to splinter. Hearing Krytox's yells helps him regain control and snap into action. While still visibly shaken and nervous, he tries to help Krytox set up the temporary weak (and possibly futile) barricade. What on novemterra growls, pounds the metal door, and yells in half-orc? Seems like we'll have more than just a monster to worry about. Oh having a lance or a pike now would be helpful. Or a barricade embedded with them. With that he glances down at his weapons. "Would fire hinder them? Assuming it won't take time to set whatever on fire. Anyone have oil and torch?"

Initiative: 16+3 = 19 (if needed)

Subject: #57 Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:17 am

22 - Alterith
18 - The Traveler
17 - Rasa
11 - Skythar
10 - Monster

Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Intothedarkness-1b

As Alterith, The Traveler, and Skythar rush to aid Rasa, he gets things started, Impetus style: With a flying sliver of steel. Those cutthroat merchants and corporations would be proud. The hand crossbow bolt catches the strange reptilian in the throat. A trickle of fluorescent blue ichor flows from the wound, and the repulsed group can only guess at what it is. Blood? But it seems so... artificial.

The reptilian raises the strange arquebus-like staff at Rasa. Tiny lights, like angry fireflies, flicker at its tip. The reptilian murmurs something, droning on, and suddenly the tip erupts in a flash of brilliant light accompanied by the sound of sizzling air. A stroke of lightning arcs toward Rasa and strikes him in the chest. The dark elf feels his black garments crackle and burn slightly. He loses his breath to a moment of fiery heat.

I've updated Rasa's hp.

Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Intothedarkness-1a

Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Intothedarkness-1a

Squin assists Krytox with heaping up the refuse to form a second line of defense as best he can. Mystia takes the trembling boy further back into the room, readying her crossbow. Random stands near, almost looking resigned.

Squin, Krytox, Mystia, Random: roll Initiative.

Subject: Re: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:43 pm

The Traveler's eyes go wide as the magic slams into the dark elf. How unlucky that elf is, he thinks to himself.

(after alterith goes and assuming that he attacks and does not kill the creature)

He rushes around the wounded elf and gets a better look at the assailant.

Another lizard creature... I have seen more of these creatures in the past few days... Before he finishes his thought he remembers his task at hand and engages the enemy.

This creature wields quite a power, I will have to disable him quickly. He quickly moves close to the creature and, for the first time, employs the most powerful attack his Master taught him before his journey began.

The Traveler inhales calmly through his nose and draws his fist to his side. Then, with a loud "KIAI!" he attacks with the force of his whole body and spirit, delivering a stunning blow of concentrated energy.

Stunning Fist
Attack: 16+2= 18
Damage: 5+2=7
Fort DC of attack: 10+(1/2 my level so 0?) 0+3=13

Subject: Re: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:01 pm

Krytox shuffles his feet, finding the best footing he can in this battle tested room. The ground is slightly sticky with some unknown combatant's quickly drying blood. Using his training, he slows his breathing and calms his nerves. The loud thumping of his heart subsides as his body relaxes and joins his mind with intense focus. The world around him goes dark and all that remains is the banging from beyond the metal door.

He turns to Squin and gives him a thumbs up, paired with the most awkward wink imaginable. "We be okay," he states confidently. "Get ready."

Once more he turns his fiery gaze upon the metal door. Beyond the blockade, beyond the crates, beyond the door lies only another conquest to free the broken and the damned, in this case two young boys. Who knows the cost of their actions? Only time will tell...

Init (from previous post): 7 + 3 = 10

Last edited by on Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:51 am; edited 1 time in total

Init: 17+1 = 18

Mystia hushes the child one last time and checks her crossbow one last time. She nods towards Krytox and says, "I'll get the others, retreat if things get too messy." She glances at Squin and Random, trusting in their battle prowess to hold off the....whatever it is, until she can get the others.

She beckons the boy follow her, and runs towards Alterith's group. "ALTERITH! RASA! SKYTHAR! AN ENEMY APPROACHES! Please come help!" she shouts, praying to Sedna that her voice carries through the dungeon.

Last edited by on Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:55 pm; edited 1 time in total

As Alterith hits the wall and jumps forward, and high, he barely clears the shoulder of a hastily retreating Rasa, and almost ends up landing on his face as he twists in the air to avoid a collision. As he nears the rushing ground, he manages to bring a leg up under his chest and uses it to absorb the shock of his landing by flexing it up and down rapidly, propelling him into another aerial leap. Using his momentum from this action he manages to adjust his flight and hits the ground running. His short legs pump furiously up and down throwing his body directly at his adversary. His eyes never leave the creatures throat where the strange ichor still leaks from the wound inflicted by the crossbow bolt. If anything, the sight seems to inspire Alterith to greater action, and soft words tumble from him unconsciously.

"Never again, you will not subject me to it yet again, no longer an abomination to dissect at their whims, no longer the suffering child, die abomination and take your filth to the fifth hell with you."

As he arrives at his target, his left foot plants, leading his momentum, and his right hand rolls back on his axe haft bringing it parallel with his left hand, and the gleaming blade begins a swift upward arc with all of his speed behind it. His body doesn't slow, and he bears all his weight behind the blow, barreling the poor creature backwards with a blade between his torso and his head. The halfling's momentum is only stopped by the ring of his axe's blade against the stone wall behind the lizard creature.

Jump: 1+5=6
Attack: 19+5=24
Dmg: 10+3=13

Subject: #59 Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:00 pm

Map unnecessary so omitted - End of combat for Alterith's group.

"Thhhhhe.... thhheee... barrriieeeerrrrrrr faaiiiiilllsssss!" screams the strange reptilian as Alterith cleaves it in two. The Traveler, Skythar and Rasa look on. Halfling and visored reptilian stand there for a moment, frozen in time. Then the reptilian begins to bleed. Fluorescent blue ichor begins trickling from his shoulder down to his opposite thigh. With a disgusting slosh, it falls over, separating in a disgusting, nauseating pile of reptile flesh. The visor and strange staff weapon clatter to the dark stone ground, two alien relics out of place in this peaceful world.

The group of four survey the room. Sparsely furnished, it features a bed, a chest, and in two of its corners, tarps of stretched skin, shaved off some unfortunate beast, suspended by wooden frames. The four set to searching the place for spoils and secret passageways - none of the latter are found, but the group comes upon some exciting discoveries.

Had characters Take 20 when unlocking was necessary to speed up play - no trapped locks observed. Refer to the Treasure Records thread in the Technical sub-forum to review your spoils. GP values are added to help you divide spoils evenly later on.

* * *

I will cover the other group (Krytox, Squin, Random, Mystia) later. Gotta run, have a good day!

Subject: Re: Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:46 pm

"DIIIIIIIIEEEEE" Alterith screams at the creature before him, a strange madness radiating in his eyes. Red lines slowly appear within the whites of his eyes, giving him a drunk look, and his face twists into a snarling mask of uncontrolled rage. His shoulders rise and fall as he stares at the blood and body laying before him, then he turns his gaze upon the blue substance coating his axe and the alien items on the floor.

"DESTROY THEM NOW YOU FOOL, THEY MUST BE STOPPED" the voice reverberates through his skull. His hands and the axe within them rise of their own accord, and it appears that Alterith is set upon destroying the artifacts laying before him, but then a sudden gleam sparkles in his eyes, and the bloodshot look passes, his face settles back into a mask of good cheer, and he turns to his companions. "The battle is ours, shall we explore the remainder of the area before making this lair our own?"

Though he seems to have regained himself, a battle continues to rage within. The beast has been unleashed and seeks absolute control, a strange, uncontrolled force now, no longer the protector of their joint body, but an unthinking monster seeking mastery and destruction of these items. Alterith sees them as an opportunity to arm themselves on this shell, while Bloodlust knows they will lead to great turmoil, bringing the battles of his homeland to this relatively peaceful shell. Turning away, Alterith begins cleaning the gore from his weapon, while hiding the internal battle from his companions.

Subject: #60 Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:03 am

Chapter 1: Don't Go Into Dark Places Alone Itd2

The following "spoiler post" is for Squin, Random, Krytox, Mystia:

Spoiler:

The following "spoiler post" is for Alterith, Rasa, The Traveler, Skythar:

Spoiler:

Last edited by on Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:04 pm; edited 1 time in total

Being a tanner himself, Alterith takes particular interest in the hides themselves. Moving along them, he can't help but admire the work done on them. As he finishes examining them, and the contents behind them he hears the call from Mystia.

"A warriors work is never done." Turning to the others Alterith grabs the dagger and slides it in his belt, leaving the potions and other equipment behind. He hands the shortbow to squin, as it appears this one may be a higher quality. "Let's go see what we can do to help." In a quick jog out of the room, Alterith seems to possess endless energy in the pursuit of his goals. However, the strain is beginning to take its toll on his body. He runs with a slight limp in his right leg, and his axe seems to bounce around a lot more on his shoulder than usual, his strength obviously flagging. Rest is something every warrior needs. Alterith possesses huge reserves of energy, but the constant fighting, both with enemies before him, and with his own inner demons is breaking down even his indomitable energy.

» The Dark Knight
» His Dark Materials/Golden Compass? (no spoilers please haha)
» Chapter 7: Bankruptcy
» Chapter I: So Where's the Tavern?
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