# IndyPendant's Sunless Citadel



## IndyPendant (Mar 6, 2005)

It was a long, boring trip.  It was also an awkward one.  Mr Hanover had hired you due to rumours of increased bandit activity--and worse--along the route between the two towns.  During the trip, you never saw anything worse than a few crows along the way while guarding the merchant's wagon of high quality weapons.  However, a nasty rainstorm blew in, cutting visibility and turning the muddy roads to a quagmire.  Faced with a choice between holing up somewhere for a day or two and continuing on, Mr Hanover decided to push forward.  He would come to regret that decision.

Along the way, one of those quagmires decided to grab a wheel and not let go.  With some of you helping by pushing from behind, the oxen managed to pull the wagon out--but not without damaging a wheel.  Again refusing to stop, Mr Hanover managed make the wheel last the trip by going slowly and carefully.  Late in the day you were supposed to arrive, barely beating nightfall, soaking wet and caked with mud, the wagon managed to limp into town.

From what you can see, it isn't much of a town.  A handful of buildings along a wider strip in what the locals call the New Road, that serves as a gathering place for local farmers.  Maybe it will look more impressive under the light of the sun.

Rurik Lutgehr, a dwarf serving as the local blacksmith, has informed Mr Hanover that it will take him three days to fix the wagon.  Since this was his destination anyways, Mr Hanover is only a little upset.  He even showed all of you into the Ol' Boar Inn, giving Garon the innkeeper enough coin to put you up for the night, including a plain supper and breakfast the next morning.

Not five minutes after Mr Hanover left, thanking you for your good service--the downpour started to wind down, and now that there's a roof over your heads, the sheets of rain have stopped completely.  That was less than half an hour ago.  It is early evening, and already dark outside.

You have cleaned yourself up as much as possible using the meagre resources of this town's tiny inn, and entered the commons for some much-needed food and rest.  The inn itself is surprising; Garon and his wife Fachelle obviously take great pride in keeping the inn as well-maintained as possible.  There are three tables, the largest being occupied by a large group of rowdy and rough-looking men who are obviously out-of-towners like yourselves.  There is even a young lad sitting in a chair in one corner with a lute, entertaining the guests with music.  If he were only any good at it, and if only the other guests seemed better than gutter-trash, it might have been more enjoyable.  Still, the innkeeper and his wife treat you with courtesy, and apologize once more for having you squeezing the six of you into two rooms as they serve you your meal.  But they only have four rooms available, and two of them are occupied by "them other people".


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## jayaint (Mar 6, 2005)

Ydyr sits quietly in his chair and takes in the surroundings. He barely hears the music and barely tastes his food. If nothing much seems to be happening, he is already thinking of turning in for the night. 

Looking at his newfound companions, he feels a strange sense of pride and comraderie. He wonders if he should be more out-going and vocal, but decides that this is not yet the time. It will come, though.


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## Voadam (Mar 6, 2005)

Jair watched as his wolfhound Terrek shook himself dry then gave that lopsided grin of his with his tongue lolling out. Jair laughed good naturedly at the sight of the bedraggled but happy dog.


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## Mithran (Mar 6, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund seats himself at the table with the others and leans back for a moment taking in the music and the feeling of being dry for the first time in several days. Ivan is sitting on Heirmund's shoulder, still looking half-drowned from being so wet. 

When the food arrives Ivan squawks and hops down on the table near Heirmund's plate and tilt's his head to one side and inspects Heirmund's plate quite thoroughly before grabbing the gnome's bread and drags it over to his side of the plate before starting to peck at it. Heirmund seems to hardly notice and begins eating his food as well.

Once Heirmund is about half way through his food he looks up at the others *"I suppose we should discuss our sleeping accomidations since we all have to fit in two rooms. "*


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 7, 2005)

Dengar's boots left muddy tracks in his passing, and while he knew that he should polish them soon to keep the leather from ruining, he was simply too tired and hungry at the moment to do so.

Looking over at Heirmund, who once more seemed lost in his own world, Dengar wondered how he had let the little gnome convince him to take _leave_ from the militia in order to accompany him while he helped guard Hanover's goods.

_'The most dangerous enemy we faced was boredom...'_

However, the trip had not been without its rewards, as Heirmund was more than willing to tell him stories of his grandfather when they stopped each night, and while he had never admitted aloud, it made his current situation easier knowing that the gnome already accepted him for who he was, not what he was.

As the innkeeper's wife placed their food on the table, Dengar waited until the others had filled their plates before serving himself. While he had been slowly getting to know the other guards, Dengar still had awkward moments when dealing with the others, and he still sought to find his place among them.



			
				mithran said:
			
		

> *"I suppose we should discuss our sleeping accomidations since we all have to fit in two rooms. "*




Washing down the spiced potatoes with his water, Dengar shrugged his shoulders slightly as he gave the obvious answer to the rooming question.

*"If there is beds, we each take one. If there is not a bed, I shall sleep on my roll, it will be a welcome change to not sleep in mud for a night."*


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## jayaint (Mar 7, 2005)

Ydyr looks up at this exchange and smiles slowly. 

*"Beds, rolls, floor. You are right... Anything will be better than another night in the mud."*

He blushes slightly at speaking, and returns to his meager plate of food, hair hanging over his face shyly.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 7, 2005)

The young lad has been eyeing you as he sings for a short while now.  Finally, he stands and carefully sets his lute aside, and approaches your table.  You notice at least one good reason for his lack of talent, as he looks somewhat unsteady.  That and his breath as he speaks lets you know he has already tasted some of the inn's wares.  "*Wow!  Another group, stranger than the firsh--first!*"  He flops down on a chair and looks at you intently, a boyish, earnest grin on his face.  "*My name's Redithidoor Halfmoon!  What's yours?  Why are you here?  Why are you together?  You're a strange lot!  ...I guess I mean...tell me about yourselves!*"


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## JimAde (Mar 7, 2005)

Jerek eyes the young man bemusedly.  _Not a chance_, he thinks, but says *"We just came in guarding a merchant.  Oakhurst is the end of the trip, though and I'm not sure where we'll go from here."*  He pops a piece of bread into his mouth and chews briefly before continuing.  *"How about you?  Did you grow up around here?  What's to do for fun?"*


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## Voadam (Mar 7, 2005)

"*Aye lad, just in tonight. So what news can you tell us of this fine town?*" Jair makes arrangements for Terrek to get a few bones to gnaw on and picks off a piece of his own bread to offer to Ivan with a smile as a friendly gesture before beginning his own food. Jair's shield and spear lean against the wall behind him, but his wooden unicorn symbol pendant of Mielikki hangs from his neck.


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## Mithran (Mar 7, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Ivan hops over to the piece of bread offered him by Jair Ivan speaks slowly and carefully "thank you... Jair".



> "If there is beds, we each take one. If there is not a bed, I shall sleep on my roll, it will be a welcome change to not sleep in mud for a night."




Heirmund shakes his head a bit and continues eating.



> "My name's Redithidoor Halfmoon! What's yours? Why are you here? Why are you together? You're a strange lot! ...I guess I mean...tell me about yourselves!"




Heirmund looks up from his food at the lad asking all the questions then goes back to eating again as his companions begin answering the boy's questions.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 8, 2005)

Lehko smirks, and only stops to speak when his plate is clean and cup drained and refilled. *"There is no harm in mud. Mud is good earth. But, a bed would be preferable. I say we leave it to straws."*

Lehko eyes the boy intensley for a moment. *"Well, Redithidoor is it? I am Lehko, from the Jungle Deeps of Chult! I, like my friends here, came here on buisness. There are great dangers on the road behind, you know."* His tone, gesticulations, and the sparkle in his eye shows he is playing it up a bit for the wide-eyed boy. He nods when Jerek speaks, and says *"Aye, what's for entertainment in these parts? I am... restless."*


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## IndyPendant (Mar 8, 2005)

Redithidoor has a youthful handsomeness that could make many a woman melt with barely a look.  He's dressed in bright mismatching colours that mix into an appealing whole, although you're not quite certain how.  *"Oh, I don't live here.  I'm just passing through on my way to Suzail.  I wanted to see Darius Baden'Tor's hometown, and let them know he's all right.  He gave me this bag of gold so I could apprentice myself and learn how to be a bard!"*  He puts the largish belt pouch back into his tunic as he pauses, visibly marshalling his thoughts.  *"I'm afraid that I'm all that passes for entertainment here.  The last time anything happened here was when Ashardalon left behind the Ashen Plain!  Ha!  --Well, besides the Mystery of the Midsummer Fruit, of course."*  He eyes Lehko with an almost professional interest.  *"Wow, you've come all the way from Chult?!?  Do they all dress like you do?"*


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## JimAde (Mar 8, 2005)

Jerek leaves the table for a moment and returns with a few straws taken from a broom in the corner.  He carefully puts three into his hand as he listens to Redithiroor.  When the lad finishes he holds up his fist to the others, hiding the length of the straws and says, *"We draw twice.  Long straw gets the bed."*

As the others draw he looks at Redithidoor quizzically.  *"Mystery of Midsummer Fruit?  What's so mysterious about that?*


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## jayaint (Mar 8, 2005)

Ydyr draws a very short straw and relaxes visibly. There is no way he would be comfortable being the one who got the bed. He wonders to himself about all of these names the young man is throwing around. _Who are these people and why have I never heard of them?_

The monk tries very very hard to blend into the background and go unnoticed as the party discusses things with the musician. Something tells him that he should keep his eyes and ears tuned to everything else around them... just in case. 

[[Sense Motive on the musician?]]


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## Voadam (Mar 8, 2005)

Jair draws a straw and pays close attention when the youth answers Jerek.


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 8, 2005)

As the straw is offered his way, Dengar waves it away.

*"I will take my quarters in my roll. Moradin and Ilmater both smile upon those who give to their companions."*

Turning to face the young bard, Dengar speaks bluntly to the youth.

*"You should not be quick to advertise that you have a purse of gold at your disposal. There are those who would like nothing more than to release you of that gift."*

Resuming his meal, Dengar listens to the talk around him and begins to scan the crowd to see if any eyes were drawn to the bard, and his purse.


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## Mithran (Mar 8, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund looks over to Dengar "Wise if a bit blunt words Redithedoor" Heirmund takes another few bites then takes a straw "Do tell about the midsummer fruit I'm always interested in odd facts"


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## Voadam (Mar 8, 2005)

"*I too would hear of this mystery lad. The full tale if you have it*."


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 9, 2005)

Lehko laughs. He leans forward, *"I am garbed a bit better than my kin, but yes. And put that away,"* he gestures to the pouch as he speaks, *"My friend here gives good advice."* He raises a quizzical brow and and leans back, slight smirk still on his face, absent mindedley taking a straw. *"Are we talking squash or pears?"* Lehko always follows his instincts, and he has trouble believing the earnestness of the lad.
_
[[Sense motive on Redithidoor as well, and I'm perfectly willing to roll off for the bed with whomever else I share quarters with.]]_


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## IndyPendant (Mar 9, 2005)

You study this young man, unable to believe that someone this naive and foolish could be genuine.  But as you carefully watch his body language and guage hjs eyes, you have to concede you're in the presence of a master.  It's a _good_ disguise.  It seems entirely genuine.  Ydyr and Dengar meanwhile watch the innkeeper and the other guests.  The group of guests quickly decide, under their scrutiny, to lose interest in your conversation and lean towards each other, talking quietly amongst themselves, with only an occasional nvervous glance from them coming your way.  The innkeeper though shows no reluctance, and watches you all intently, not even blinking when Ydir and Dengar catch him at it.  When Redithidoor orders another ale, he brings it almost immediately.  *"Now, don't go scaring my guests away on the busiest night I've had in years, lad!"*  He's trying for humour, but it's obvious something is worrying him, and his tenseness is directed mostly at the group of you.

((Sense Motive on Redithidoor.  Ydyr: 14+5=19.  Lehko: 3+4=7.))

Redithidoor waves him away, grinning dismissively.  *"Oh posh, Garon.  They're good people.  I can tell.  'Sides, that's something bards are supposed to do!  Pick up tidbits of information here, there, everywhere!  I'm not annoying you guys, am I?"*  He plows on without waiting for a response.  *"But yes, the Mystery of the Midsummer Fruit--"* he keeps dropping his voice almost a full octave, drawing out the phrase slowly and quietly for drama, obviously very much loving it-- *"is deep--and very dangerous!  You see, every midsummer, the goblins in the nearby ruins sell the town a single apple, always utterly flawless in shape and hue.  This apple can be cut into quarters and it doesn't rot for months--but that's not all, no, not the half of it!  Anyone who eats a quarter of the fruit is instantly and completely healed of all injuries and ailments!  How did mere goblins acquire such a treasure?  No one knows, but they take great pains to safeguard it.  The farmers here keep trying to plant the seeds from the apple, but whenever some poor saplings begin to grow--sickly specimens, no matter what the farmers do to nurse them to health--shortly afterwards the goblins always find a way to steal it, and one morning the sapling is just...gone!  And that's not all!  Twice now adventurers have gone into the ruins, searching for the solution to the mystery.  Garon here tells of a druid named Belak, with a pet tree frog, that came by many years ago asking about the ruins.  More recently though--just over a month ago--a group of adventurers that included two locals dared to delve the depths of the Sunless Citadel.  Neither group was ever heard from again!"*  He sits back, well-satisfied, beams proudly at you all, and finishes off his drink.

_((Edit: Bah.  Correcting my math.))_


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## JimAde (Mar 9, 2005)

Jerek purses his lips, impressed.  Then says,* "Sunless Citadel?  That's a pretty imposing name for some old ruins."*  He thinks for a moment and says, *"What do the goblins charge for this apple, anyway?  Seems like if they could produce more of them they'd make a nice living out of it without having to live in a bunch of old ruins in the first place."*


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## jayaint (Mar 9, 2005)

Ydyr chuckles to himself, almost relieved to know that the young bard is not as naive and floundering as he seems. Also picturing goblins trying to farm apple trees makes him smirk. 

He says, *"Goblin farmers selling produce in the market...? I need to stretch my legs and ponder that."*

Ydyr gets up and walks randomly around the room, trying to do some recon work while he's up and about. Stopping at a window (if there is one), the outside door (for a breath of fresh air), and then maybe sitting down on the stairs, or at least leaning on the railing for the stairs. He wants to be able to see the whole room for some reason, the hairs on the back of his neck raised by something in the air.


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 9, 2005)

*Dengar Tonhil*

As the patrons around them resumed paying more attention to their own affairs rather than the activities at his table, Dengar listened to the young bard spin his yarn about the goblins and their magical fruit.

_'It is most likely nothing more than a shaman who has mastered a healing spell and placed it in the fruit. The brothers at the temple used to place minor healing spells in the cookies they would give the young children they visited. They steal the tree back so the illusion of the fruit being truly magical is maintained.'_

Not wishing to offend the bard, Dengar kept his thoughts to himself and looked over at Heirmund, trusting the gnome to voice a knowledgable opinion on the matter of the _magical_ fruit.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 10, 2005)

Redithidoor nods, if a little unsteadily.  *"I think they call it that cuz it'sh at the bottom of a ravine, along the Old Road.  The goblins shell the fruit for about fifty gold!  Ha!  I could-could almosht afford that!  But...then I couldn't appren...appret...oppresh...couldn't train to be a bard.  An' that would be bad."*  He concentrates and thinks for a few seconds.  *"I don't think I shoulda had that last beer.  I think I'm gonna go home now.  Well, it'sh not my home.  I'm not from here.  But Mister Baden'Tor is letting me stay with him.  Thanks for the stories.  Bye!"*  He abruptly gets up and stumbles out the door, waving merrily to everyone as he leaves.  A few minutes later, the other group of men quickly leave as well.  The only people left in the small inn are you and the bartender--who is watching the group of you nervously.


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## JimAde (Mar 10, 2005)

*"Well,"* Jerek says casually, *"are we going to let him get robbed or go escort him home?"*  He drains his ale quickly and trots toward the door, his own choice obvious.


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 10, 2005)

_'Unless this young bard is setting us up for a stage of his own...'_

Pulling his flail free as he stood, Dengar looked over towards the innkeeper and glanced down at their unfinished meals and drinks.

*"We shall return to finish these and settle our debts once we escort the young lad home."*

As his tone left little room for arguement, Dengar trusted their table would be the same as it was at the moment when they returned and walked out after the bard.

_'A fool and gold is always a deadly combination.'_


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 10, 2005)

Lehko pops his fingers loudly. Sparks seem to dance across knuckles as he does so. *"Fools follow in the footsteps of bards. Just, keep an eye on the flanks. I smell a tiger in the bushes."* He is already grinning. The prospect of combat always raises his spirits. He uncrosses his legs and stands. He shoves his empty plate into the hands of the inkeeper. *"I trust for that to be full and steaming on my return."* Without wating for a response, he steps outside with the others.


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## Mithran (Mar 10, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund get's up quietly collecting his staff and Ivan on the way out and follows the others out.


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## jayaint (Mar 10, 2005)

Ydyr looks around nervously for a second, before taking a deep breath and then striding to follow. 

_I don't think it is wise to chase after this young lad in the dark in a strange town, but I'd rather not sit all alone under the glare of that barkeep._ He thinks about this, and nods as he moves out with the rest of the party.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 11, 2005)

Jerek, Dengar, and Lehko are the first to leave the inn, less than a minute after the other group left.  But night has fully arrived, and this bump-in-the-road of a town has no lights whatsoever.  You look around quickly, but can't see the group or Redithidoor.  Dengar's darkvision does allow him to spot one man ducking hurriedly between two houses though, about fifty feet away.  Moments afterwards, Heirmund, Ydyr, and Jair also exit the inn.

((Spot checks, DC 5: 5+4=9, 14+0=0, and 2+0=2 respectively.  -5 for distance, -4 for darkness.))


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 11, 2005)

*Dengar Tonhil*

As his eyes caught the movement of a man on the edge of his sight, Dengar raised his hand and pointed in the direction of the houses.

*"I saw someone duck between the houses up there. Prepare yourselves."*

Moving quickly towards the two houses, Dengar wondered if the others would grope in the darkness or think to light a torch to see by.

_'I guess a stumble will be my answer....'_


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## IndyPendant (Mar 12, 2005)

Dengar leaves the rest of the group behind, hustling towards where he saw the man duck between the houses.  He rounds the corner--and sees the man calmly standing, facing a wall, his back to Dengar--and his pants down slightly to bare his butt!  He is the only one Dengar sees--except his companions, who are all still standing in the torchlight from the inn's door.

As Dengar scans the area quickly, the man draws up his pants and turns around.  Dengar recognizes the man as indeed one of those seated at the other table at the inn.  The ruffian calmly ties up his breeches, grinning at Dengar knowingly as he asks with mild sarcasm, *"Is there something wrong, hero?"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 12, 2005)

Lehko growls, his patience for the no-horse town waning quickly. *"Hero indeed."* He grabs one of the torches off the inn entrance and passes it to Jair, keeping the other for himself. *"This is ridiculous, but I still don't like it. You are skilled in the natural ways. See if we can find the trail."* He does so himself, stooping and trusting the others to keep an eye out.

[[Relevant search and/or survival checks to see if tracks are apparent.]]


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 12, 2005)

Frustrated at seeing nothing more than someone finishing from using the bathroom, Dengar ignored the man's verbal jab and returned to the road, looking around once more for the drunken bard. Seeing the others still standing at the doorway, Dengar wondered where the young man could be.

_'Already he has caused more trouble than the entire trip here.'_


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## jayaint (Mar 12, 2005)

Ydyr seems hesitant. The dark, the rain, the travelling have all put him well out of his comfort zone. He will move with the group [[Listen-ing and Spot-ing]] but doesn't like this situation one bit.


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## Mithran (Mar 12, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund takes in the situation then say's "I think we are all getting a bit worked up about nothing are we not?. After all the bard will probably have gotten to wherever he is staying by the time we find his trail and no harm will have come to him."

"I don't mean to discourage the search by saying this, it's just a reminder that this is probably not to serious. And in any case I'm only going to slow you tall-folk down so I'm going to go back inside" with that Heirmund walks back inside and sits down at the groups table.


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 13, 2005)

*Dengar (Fighter)*

Watching the gnome go back inside, Dengar knew the gnome had spoken truthfully, but he still felt uncomfortable leaving the seemingly drunken bard to tempt the gods with his fate.

*"I will wait a few minutes longer before I return to the inn. Those that wish to return, keep my place reserved for me."*

Straining his ears, but doubting he will hear anything, Dengar listened and looked into night around him.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 14, 2005)

You all stand around, feeling worried for the bard's safety--but also slightly annoyed at his naivete, and even feeling a little foolishly paranoid.  Indeed, Heirmund has already had enough and gone back inside, where he sees Innkeeper Garon about to go upstairs.  The Innkeeper starts almost guiltily at the sight of him, and hesitates for a moment, before turning and heading back towards the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Lehko and Jair search the ground hoping to find tracks indicating which way people went.  However, this proves harder than they expected, and without at least some experience or training at recognizing the signs of movement, everything is just a jumble of confusion.

Dengar tries to listen for anything, but the man behind him is making too much noise as he lifts his feet, shaking some of the mud off them, leans and rubs his shoulder against the wall, and coughs a few times (not bothering to cover his mouth.)  It is Ydyr, still near the inn door, that hears something.  In the opposite direction from Dengar, Ydyr distinctly hears the sound of someone exclaiming loudly--a noise which cuts off very abruptly.

((Listen checks: 5+0=0 and 12+5=17 respectively.))


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## JimAde (Mar 14, 2005)

Jerek shrugs.  *"Sorry to lead you all out here for nothing.  I guess I'm just being skittish.  Let's get back inside."*  He turns and heads back toward the inn.

[OOC: Sorry for my absence.  I got hit with a nasty stomach flu and am just now recovered.  Blech. ]


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## jayaint (Mar 14, 2005)

*"This way!!!!"* Ydyr cries and dashes towards the faint sound he heard. *"Grab Heirmund & Dengar and follow me!!"*

_Stop trying to be a hero,_ he thinks to himself. _It is a new "me", _ he replies to himeslf, _and I think that I *am* a hero. _


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 15, 2005)

Lehko grunts and straightens. *"I stlil don't like it."* He is about to turn and head back into the inn when Ydyr charges into the darkness. Never one to respond slowly, he steps to the side and follows Ydyr, trying to keep him in torch range, muttering about fools and bards. Much as he dislikes this chasing about in the shadows, he is part of the company, and comrades-at-arms don't allow eachother to go without backup.


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## JimAde (Mar 15, 2005)

*"What?"*  Jerek calls.  *"Hey, wait up!"* He pelts after the others.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 15, 2005)

Jerek turns around and enters the inn once more, just as Ydyr calls out for Heirmund and Dengar, and runs off--in the opposite direction from Dengar.  Lehko and Jair race off after him, Terek bounding alongside Jair with obvious pleasure.  Jerek races off after them, and a moment later Dengar lumbers a bit more slowly past the inn, calling out for everyone to wait.  They completely ignore him, and very quickly outdistance him, although Dengar can still easily pinpoint them by Lehko's torch.

((Edit: Jerek's post beat mine to the boards. : )  Heirmund can join in the race and arrive slightly late even though I'm moving a bit ahead of that--if he likes.))

Ydyr, Lehko, and Jair run for less than half a minute when they hear, *"...your big mouth, didn't you?  I told you what would happen if you did."*  There's a grunt, and a gasp, and another voice cries quietly in horror, *"You stuck him!  Gods below, Ren, you stuck him!"*  The first voice growls scornfully, *"Of course I stuck him, idiot!  Can't have him running off for help.  And you're going to stay too, if you don't want the same thing."*

Ydyr slows down slightly to go around another building as the voice continues, *"Oh, just let him go.  He ain't going nowhere now."*  The darkness makes details indistinct, but Ydyr can vaguely see a large number of people a ways in front of him, on the outskirts of the field of a farm--one of whom collapses to the ground quietly.  As Jair and Lehko catch up, bringing light with them, they all recognize Redithidoor lying on the ground unmoving, his arms still clasped around his ripped-open gut as if to hold in his entrails, as his blood mixes with the waterlogged mud.  There are seven men standing here.  One of them says with sudden conviction, *"Damn you Ren, I ain't no murderer!"* and turns and runs away into the darkness of the field.  A second simply stands and stares down at Redithidoor.  But the rest fan out around the biggest among them, as he flicks his right wrist to fling excess blood from his blade, calling out softly *"This ain't my fault, Devin!  I woulda just beaten him a bit if George had done his part right!  Maybe I'll come after you next."*  As Jerek joins the three of them, the man faces the newcomers squarely, seeming to grow bigger than he already is, and repeats calmly, *"This is your fault.  You just had to get involved, didn't you?  Just turn and walk away, and the same thing won't happen to you."*  His eyes are _scary_: cold, flat, and seemingly...soulless.


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## JimAde (Mar 15, 2005)

Jerek glances quickly between the two groups sizing up the odds and not liking what he sees.  As he speaks, he casts glances at the others surrounding Ren, trying to decide if they'll stand fast if things get violent.

*"Oh, yes, clearly our fault,"* he says briskly, drifting to one side.  *"Obviously I threw that poor git onto your knife while you were cleaning your nails."*

[sblock] +0 Sense Motive but I'll give it a shot anyway.  Also +7 Sleight of Hand to surreptitiously draw my own dagger.[/sblock]


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 15, 2005)

*Dengar Tonhil*

As the others took off and ran past him, Dengar tried to get the others to wait until the group could go at its full strength, but none heeded his call.

_'If it is just another soul with an irritable stomach...'_

When Dengar reached the others, he saw the body of the bard on the ground and looked over at the men who committed the act. 

*"I will give you all one chance to surrender and be held accountable by whatever laws govern this place. If you turn my offer down, you can discuss the wisdom of your choice with whatever god you follow."*

Dengar drew his flail as he spoke, and waited to see what their reaction would be.

[sblock]Intimidation check +3, if they blow him off, Dengar will go after the leader first hoping to drop him and weaken the morale of the others.[/sblock]


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## jayaint (Mar 15, 2005)

Seeing the man laying broken and bloody on the ground brings Ydyr's senses to a full boil. Memories of the pain and horror of waiting to die in an empty field, course through his veins. His fists clench and unclench slowly.

*"Illmater shall not stand for this impasse," * Ydyr speaks softly to himself, waiting to hear the leader's response to Dengar's challenge.  

[[Are any of the other men armed? If combat begins and the other men are unarmed, I will try to use a double move to get in a flanking position BEHIND the big man. Though, if there are other weapons on the men, I would move to the nearest armed man and attack.]]


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## Voadam (Mar 15, 2005)

Terek senses the agression in the other group and the hackles of the hound rise up along with a low growl in his throat.

Jair lowers his spear at the men, ready to charge in. His eyes are set hard but a grin appears as he looks over the opposition.

"*I have healing magic, if I can get to him soon enough I can save him*." Jair says quietly to his companions out of the corner of his mouth.


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## Mithran (Mar 15, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

((OOC: yeah if Heirmund heard the shouts and stuff he'll come along pretty quick))


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 16, 2005)

Lehko's eyes grow dark, and his hair stands on end a little. Lightning plays off his fingertips, and he says "*Surrendur?*" He lets out a harsh laugh. "*I have no patience for murderers of boys. Take my friend's offer, fool, before this goes too far-... for you.*"

[[Attempting to Aid Dengar's Intimidate check. However, the moment anything goes down, my first action will be to cast Forcewave on the nearest threat standing between Jair and Redithidoor, attempting to give him a path to the lad.]]


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## IndyPendant (Mar 16, 2005)

Heirmund has just sat down at the table again, when he sees the rest of the party race off past the still-open inn door.  He gets back to his feet once more, and races off after them, but he is slightly hampered by the darkness.  As he hurries out the door again, he hears the innkeeper call from behind him, *"Fachelle!  Fachelle!  Get down here, woman!  Now!"*

Meanwhile, the tableau between the two groups holds for a few moments--long enough for Dengar to catch up, push to the front with his flail drawn, and try to scare the rabble off.

Their leader, Ren, is wearing studded leather under a heavy cloak, and is holding a bloodied longsword.  You can see that he is a half-orc, in the flickering light from Lehko's torch, although he seems to have retained very few of his orcish looks.  He stands about thirty feet from Dengar, with two each of his men standing on either side and slightly behind him.  His men are wearing leather armour, carry shortswords at their belts, and don't look nearly as certain about their invulnerability.  Behind the group of men and slightly to one side, another one stands in apparent shock, staring down at Redithidoor's body, completely oblivious to the tension nearby.  You can still faintly hear the final man fleeing--as fast as he can in this near-total darkness, that is.

Jair and Ydyr each stand on either side of Dengar, and just five feet behind him due to his stepping forward to threaten the other group.  Jair has his spear drawn and ready, Terek snarling by his side.  Lehko stands about ten feet behind Ydyr and just to the left, while Jerek sidles slowly to the right towards the wall, quietly drawing his dagger, apparently ignored.

This small home is the only one in the immediate area; beyond it lies farmland.  You stand off the main road, on a little-used wagonpath.  Other than the rest of the tiny town a short distance away, the space is wide open in every other direction.

When the five party members show up, the four men flanking Ren draw their shortswords, looking very nervous.  One of them licks his lips, his eyes darting to each of you, while another actually takes a step backwards, saying *"Uh, Ren, maybe we should just run, y'know?  We got what we--"  "Shut up."* Ren orders, almost casually.  Glancing quickly to his men, Ren obviously realizes he's in danger of losing control of the moment.  He growls *"Screw you, you pastyfaced corpse!"* and moves to attack Dengar!  Somewhat less eagerly, the other four muggers follow him...

((Intimidate checks: Ren 19; Dengar 5+7=12; Lehko 13+7=20.))

((Initiative: Heirmund/14; Jair/14; Ren/12; Ydyr/10; Dengar/10; Lehko/7; Muggers/6; Jerek/4.))

((Everyone gets full round actions because no one was the least bit surprised.  Heirmund will spend this round's action moving to the scene, to end up ten feet behind Lehko.))


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## JimAde (Mar 16, 2005)

As the sides rush together, Jerek hesitates a moment, trying to find a good opening, then he circles the mob and slips his dagger toward Ren's ribs.

[sblock]
[OOC: The pause is just fluff to explain my lousy initiative.   Game-terms: moving to flank Ren without provoking AoO if possible.  If not, flank someone else without provoking, if that's not possible, just a straight attack on whoever's available.  My exact actions will depend on where everyoe has moved by the time I get to go, and of course whether I'm still breathing at that point.
I'm obviously not catching anyone flat-footed since I'm going last. 
[/sblock]


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## Voadam (Mar 16, 2005)

Jair moves straight to engage the closest opponent between him and the wounded boy. The joy of battle enters the druid's eyes as he rushes forward with shield and spear, his snapping and snarling wolfhound at his side.

"*Stand aside or the druid's curse will fall upon you! In Mielikki's name we strike! Aaah!!!!*!"


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 16, 2005)

*Dengar Tonhil Earth Genasi Fighter*

Dengar's eyes never left those of the half-orc, and the former Mistledale soldier knew that unless Ren stood down, none of them would. As those behind him shifted uneasily, Dengar thought for a moment this situation would end peacefully, but then the half-orc snarled and lept at him, no doubt seeking to wet the blade once more with the blood of target.

Trying to roll with the incoming blow, Dengar swung the flail at Ren hoping to drop the man quickly and decisively.

[sblock]ooc: Nothing fancy about his actions. Atk +5 melee (1d8+4/20x2, Flail) and hope he can land something solid on this guy.[/sblock]


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## jayaint (Mar 16, 2005)

Hearing the dissention in their ranks, Ydyr shakes his head solidly and resolves to attack "Ren", the leader. If he and Dengar can topple the large man, perhaps the other cowardly ruffians will turn tail. They certainly didn't seem to want a part in this scrape. 

His eyes glance side to side as the action begins to unfold around him, and he hopes that one of his other companions will aid Jair in his quest to help the battered bard. 

[[Ydyr will Charge the leader, but instead of a melee attack at the end, he will attempt a grapple. With Improved Grapple, there is no attack of oppurtunity. My melee touch attack to GRAB the leader will be @ +4. (+2 from normal attack w/ weapon finesse, and +2 from charge) My opposed grapple check will also be @ +4. (Improved Grapple feat, +0 STR)]]


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## IndyPendant (Mar 17, 2005)

Heirmund comes round the house to discover that the fight has begun without him, ending up about ten feet behind Lehko.  Meanwhile, Jair tries to force his way through the group to Redithidoor, thrusting with his spear at the one mugger directly in his way, and at the same time calling out for his wolfhound to attack.  The man effortlessly knocks Jair's thrust to one side, however--causing the spear's shaft to strike Terek just hard enough to spoil his attack as well.

((Attacks: 7+0=7 and 3+3=6, respectively.))

A few feet away, Ren reaches Dengar, and snarling in anger swings viciously with his longsword--which glances harmlessly off Dengar's armour.  Ydyr, set to charge the half-orc, finds himself able to simply step forward and grapple Ren, unfortunately losing the benefit momentum might have provided to his attack.  Nevertheless, he manages to grab his foe's weapon arm, although his attempted knee to the gut is deflected to Ren's outer leg instead.  Dengar takes advantage of Ren's distraction to arc his flail towards Ren's head, but Ren twists to take the blow on his shoulder.

((Ren's attack: 8.  Ydyr's touch: 17+2=19; grapple: 13+4=17; Ren's: 10; damage: 2+0=2.  Dengar's attack: 17+5=22.  Damage: 1+4=5.))

Lehko sees Jair's goal, and decides to try to move that mugger out of the way.  The startled foe is struck invisibly and stumbles to one side, not out of Jair's way, but definitely wounded.  The two muggers near Jair--including the one Lehko wounded--step in to attack him, giving Terek as wide a berth as possible, but Jerek's armour and shield deflect their blows.  One of the two muggers on the other side calls out *"Hey jerkyface!  Let Ren go!"* and they both attack Ydyr.  Ydyr senses the blows coming, and even though he can't move much due to grappling with Ren, he still manages to dodge one blow.  He can't prevent the other sword from sliding along his chest though, scoring a line of pure agony.  Jerek quickly moves back in to stand beside Dengar, and then to move to flank with Dengar, but it's taking too long.  So he tries to take advantage of Ren's situation by sliding his dagger in at a key moment, hoping to end things then and there.  But he too fails to penetrate Ren's studded leather armour.  The mugger staring down at Redithidoor moans in a fragile voice, *"Oh...gods..."*, and abruptly whirls and staggers towards the wall, where he is violently sick.

((Fort Save: 12. Spell's bull rush: 14+4=18.  Foe's: 14.  Damage: 2+1=3.  Mugger's attacks: 5, 13, 11, 13 respectively.  Ydyr takes 5 points damage.  Jerek's attack: 11+0=11.))

((Jerek had to move to avoid AoO's from the muggers on Jair, which made it so he couldn't quite move to a flanking position and still attack this round, although if he had hit Ren he would still have done sneak attack damage of course, due to grappling.  However, either Dengar or Jerek can now take a 5' step on their next turn, and then they will both get the flanking bonus on Ren.))


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## JimAde (Mar 17, 2005)

Jerek slides to his left, looking again for an opening through Ydyr's and Ren's flailing limbs.  He finds his moment and strikes.

[ooc: Flank and go for the sneak attack on Ren again.  First level is such a drag!   ]


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## Voadam (Mar 17, 2005)

Jair laughs as he catches his opponents' blades on his shield edge. The druid takes a five foot step nearer to the boy and strikes his wounded foe.

"*Nice try lads, but you really should stand aside and let me heal the boy before its too late if you don't want to be accomplices to murder. I'll be happy to spar with you properly once I've saved your necks from the gallows!*"


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## jayaint (Mar 17, 2005)

Ydyr raises his voice as he gets slashed, and keeps yelling as he sees his foe's studded armor repel his attack. The crunch of Dengar's weapon upon "Ren's" shoulder echoes in his ears. 

He presses the attack again, wanting to take down this cold-blooded murderer. _Illmater, as I am now broken and bloody before you, come and help my weapons find their target so that we may save this poor, battered young man._


[[If still grappled, I will try an opposed roll for a pin, hoping for a lucky die roll. If the grapple has broken, I will "flurry of blows" at +0/+0 both on "Ren"]]


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 17, 2005)

As the sword slide harmlessly off his armor, a part of Dengar's mind quickly gave thanks to Moradin for the iron that went into making the steel. However, Dengar's main focus was on the half-orc who managed to twist at the last second and turn a strong blow into a weak clip on the shoulder.

_'I will not underestimate him again.'_

As the combat raged around him, Dengar lost track of the others, but hoped they were doing well against those they faced. Keeping the heavy ball of the flail spinning, Dengar thought he saw Ren's focus shift slightly to the Ilmarti beside him and trusting his instincts, he sent the flail once more towards Ren, its steel head hissing through the wind slightly as it went.


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## Mithran (Mar 17, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund quickly assesses the situation and repositions himself before intoning arcane words of power while retrieving a pinch of several colors of sand once Heirund has the sand in his hand he finishes the spell by blowing across his hand at which point a swirling cone of clashing colors comes into existance.

((Move to catch the largest possible number of orcs without hitting my own people and cast color spray.))


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 18, 2005)

Lehko smiles fiercely but the darkness doesn't leave his eyes as his wave of magical force finds it's target. He remains in position and maintains his focus on the bandit. He claps his hands sharply, and a brillant explosion of multicoloured light scintillatingly flashes for a fraction of a second in front of the mugger.

[[Casting Flare on the same mugger as was targetted by Forcewave, dc 13 fort save.]]


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## IndyPendant (Mar 18, 2005)

Heirmund moves past Lehko, dangerously close to the melee centered around Ren and Dengar, and blows a tiny amount of multicoloured sand into a swirl of bright colours that engulfs the two muggers attacking Ydyr.  Both of them glance his way, startled--and the eyes of one of them roll up into the back of his head, as he suddenly collapses limply.  The other blinks a few times, but manages to shake off the spell's effect.  Meanwhile, Jair attacks the wounded mugger on him with his spear, ripping a deep hole in the man's side.  The man staggers, very badly wounded, but manages to avoid Terek's attack.

((Mugger's saves: 16 and 8.  Jair's attack: 14+0=14.  Damage: 5+0=5.  Terek's attack: 3+3=6.))

Ren actually laughs.  *"Big mistake, fool."*  He then simply grabs Ydyr by the throat with his off hand, and _squeezes_.  Ydyr sees spots swim before his eyes, and then...darkness.  Dengar takes advantage of Ren's momentary distraction, and swings his flail again, this time managing to strike Ren in the side of the head with a satisfying crunching noise.  Ren drops like a stone, almost beating Ydyr to the ground.

((Ren's grapple check: 25.  Ydyr's: 11.  Subdual damage to Ydyr: 6.  Dengar's attack: 11+5=16.  Damage: 5+4=9.))

Lehko causes a bright light to burst in front of Jair's wounded attacker, who blinks rapidly at the pinpoint lights suddenly dazzling his vision.  Then Lehko feels an explosion of agony, and looks down to see the head of a crossbow bolt protruding from his right lung!  He collapses into a red-hot haze, not even knowing where his attacker came from...  The remaining mugger that attacked Ydyr last round, seeing both his target and the man he was trying to protect have fallen, takes a quick look around the battlefield.  Licking his lips as he assesses the situation, he calls out a little desperately, *"Webster!  Help us!  We can still win this!"*  He then takes a step and stabs at Heirmund with his shortsword!  Heirmund can't avoid the blow, but manages to throw an arm in the way so that the sword carves into it laying open the bone, instead of gutting him.  Meanwhile, the muggers facing Jair attack him, but miss completely.  Jerek, seeing Heirmund's desperate situation, quickly moves into a flanking position to attack.  The mugger doesn't even notice Jerek, which allows him to plunge his dagger directly into the man's back, just barely missing his heart.  The mugger calls out in pain, his own blood quickly drenching his armour, but manages to remain standing despite the blow.  The final mugger against the wall continues puking up the inn's meal and drinks.

((Fort save: 10.  Crossbow shot: 14.  Damage: 7.  Mugger's attacks: 18, 4, and 8 respectively.  Damage to Heirmund: 3.  Jerek's attack: 19+2=21, confirm 12+2=14.  Damage: 3+4+1=8.))


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## JimAde (Mar 18, 2005)

Jerek smiles grimly.  *"I wouldn't Webster!"* he calls.  *"Things aren't looking so good here."*

He dances around his foes, his dagger snaking out to strike again.  *"Give it up, you idiots!"*

[OOC: Looking to flank someone again and trying to spot the crossbowman.]


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## Voadam (Mar 18, 2005)

Jair, seeing Lehko's danger will nimbly take a five foot step back out of the threatened range of the muggers and end up next to the sorcerer. Dropping his spear he will invoke Mielikki to cast a cure light wound spell on his gravely wounded comrade. Terek meanwhile will continue to engage Jair's attackers as a snarling blur of snapping jaws that attempt to drag down the enemy nearest to Jair.

ooc, let me know if I misunderstood the positioning and cannot do this. If so I will strike an opponent and make a five foot step towards the nearest dying ally I need to rescue.


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## jayaint (Mar 18, 2005)

Ydyr: ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....


[[lol]]


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 18, 2005)

As Ren fell to the ground with the side of his head caved inwards, Dengar looked down quickly to make sure the young follower of Ilmater was still breathing. Once he saw the rise and fall of his chest, Dengar immediately turned and saw Heirmund's attacker drawing back for another stab at him. Whipping his flail up and across quickly, Dengar tried to catch the man unaware and protect his friend as best he could.

_'Why did he have to step into the fight? Has his drink muddled his mind?'_

[sblock]Attack on the mugger in front of Heirmund. If I get flanking bonus great, if not, still want to get him away from the gnome and focused on me.[/sblock]


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## Mithran (Mar 19, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund steps back pulls out a small piece of leather and chants once more then crosses his arms across his chest.

((OOC: mage armor))


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 19, 2005)

Lehko jerks back as the whistling bolt strikes true. He eyes whip around to whomever shot him, and falls to his knees, hands wrapped aroud it's shaft. And he laughs. He lets out a long maniacal laugh staring directly into the eyes of the crossbow wielder. He laughs still as he falls completely over, but is rendered silent by unconciousness, still gripping the bolt, his Death's Grin static on his quickly paling face.



Spoiler



Go Picard!


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## IndyPendant (Mar 21, 2005)

Lehko looks back where the crossbow bolt came from, and finds himself looking at the corner Heirmund just ran around--but he sees no one there, even as darkness closes around his laughter.  Heirmund takes a step backwards, quickly casting a spell, causing the mugger in front of him to wince and involuntarily close his eyes for a moment.  When nothing happens to the mugger, he grins in relief.  Jair attacks the wounded mugger on him one final time and finally manages to take him down.  As he then steps closer to Lehko, Terek attacks the remaining mugger on Jair and chews on the arm the mugger throws in the way for a long few seconds.  Meanwhile, Dengar moves for the wounded mugger that attacked Heirmund, and swings his flail at the man, but misses him.

((Jair's attack: 16+0=16.  Damage: 3+0=3.  Terek: 10+3=14.  Damage: 4+3=7.  Dengar's attack: 7+5=12.))

That mugger, finding himself now facing three on one, hesitates, drops his sword, and curses, calling out loudly *'There's only two of us left fighting!  I...surrender, damn you.'*  The surviving mugger attacking Jair glances over to him, nods once, says *'Good luck Edgar.  Rot in hell, Webster.'*--and withdraws out of the torchlight into the darkness, so that only Dengar can still see him--and even then just barely, at the edge of his darkvision.  The final mugger turns around, gazing with horror down at the carnage surrounding him, and covers his face, smearing his own vomit as he slides down the wall mumbling over and over again, *"Oh gods...oh...gods...oh gods..."*

A moment later, Lehko's torch gutters out in the wet mud, plunging you all into near-total darkness.

((You can continue the combat by trying to chase down the fleeing muggers.  Or we can switch back to normal actions, whichever you prefer.))


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## JimAde (Mar 21, 2005)

Jerek rounds on the mumbling man (presumably Webster) with his dagger at the ready and through gritted teeth says, *"You will come with us once our wounded are tended to." * He grabs the man by the collar and hauls him roughly to his feet.  *"I want answers."*

[sblock]Again with the no skills.  Intimidate +1 (for CHA)[/sblock]


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## Voadam (Mar 21, 2005)

Jair drops his spear and bends down to the dying sorcerer. Ancient druidic invocations call forth divine power of the land to repair the life force spilling out of this body. Once the task is accomplished Jair moves quickly to repeat the action with the dying boy.


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 21, 2005)

As the other brigand tried to slip away into the shadows, Dengar broke into a sprint after him. While he was not a great runner, Dengar hoped he would catch the man unaware that he could still make him out.


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## jayaint (Mar 22, 2005)

Ydyr: Zzzzzzzzzz....

[[I'm still here. At some point I hope to wake up and take actions, whether they be combat or regular timed...  ]]


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## Mithran (Mar 22, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund stands fairly still but still on his guard since he can't really see anything.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 22, 2005)

It is very difficult to move, with the sudden darkness, the churned up mud, and the bodies lying around.  Nevertheless, by moving slowly and carefully, you manage to operate mostly by feel.

Jerek collars Webster, hauling him roughly back to his feet.  The mugger offers no resistance whatsoever.  Meanwhile, Jair heals Lehko, Redithidoor, and Ydyr.  Each awaken in turn, to find themselves lying in the wet mud, filthy with dirt and blood.  Dengar charges after the retreating mugger, who turns and flees--but finds himself hampered by near-total-blindness.  Dengar easily gains on him despite the bulk of his armour, and just before he catches up with the mugger, the man drops his sword and turns, raising his hands.  *"I surrender!  I surrender!"*

((Healing rolls: 4+1=5, 6+1=7, and the Cure Minor on Ydyr from the OOC thread.  Note that Ydyr is now staggered.))

As Dengar hauls his man back to Jerek, who is dealing with Webster, Heirmund (alone) sees the dim outline of Edgar, the now-unattended mugger that initially surrendered, begin to back away from him.  He (alone) also hears the sounds of more running footsteps approaching from the town road--the same direction you all came from.


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## Voadam (Mar 22, 2005)

Jair scratches the hound Terek under his jowls and behind the ears with a smile on his face then picks up his spear.


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## Mithran (Mar 22, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund takes a few steps closer to the mugger backing away "You'll stand right where you are if you value your life boy" then Heirmund  says over his shoulder to the others "I hear someone running our way, or perhaps more than one it's hard to tell"


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## JimAde (Mar 22, 2005)

Jerek curses under his breath.  Then he adjusts his grip on Webster and holds his dagger in the man's back.  *"If this is more of your friends,"* he hisses in Webster's ear, *"you're going to help us out.  Got it?"*


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## jayaint (Mar 22, 2005)

Ydyr blinks slowly and looks around him in the muddy darkness. He sees his comanions nearby outlined dimly in the moonlight. The others seem to be noticing movement approaching, so Ydyr grits his teeth and helps form a rough line to see who is approaching.

_Illmater has sent this test to break my spirit and my will, to test my inner strength. I arise again in his name, and will meet each new challenge... head on._


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## Voadam (Mar 23, 2005)

At Heirmund's warning Jair readies his shield and spear and awaits whoever approaches with Terek at his side.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 23, 2005)

Lehko climbs lethargically back to the world of the living. He can still feel the healing magucs flow through him, and he has a deep sore spot where the bolt was pushed out by the influx of positive energy. He struggles to one knee,and (with the arm and aid of one of his comrades) unsteadily to his feet. "Well," he manages strength visibly returning, "Looks like you did well without me. How long was I ou--" he begins to ask before hearing the approaching footsteps. Gritting his teeth he mutters "How big is this thrice-damned gang?!" and draws his hands back in the beginnins of a threatening arcane gesture.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 23, 2005)

The mugger retreating from Heirmund freezes at his growled warning, sagging in apparent defeat.  Redithidoor groans for a moment, and then his hands frantically scrabble at his belly.  He looks down, and then collapses back onto the mud, chanting a quick hymn of thanks to Milil.  Webster nods rapidly at Jerek's threat, pleading *"Yes!  Yes!  Whatever you say!  Listen, I'm sorry about the kid, okay?  I thought we were just gonna roll him, I swear!"*  He falls silent after that, listening along with the rest of you as you prepare for this new threat, tired and battered, Ydyr in particular still woozy and staggered from the damage he has suffered.

You all hear a familiar voice call out *"Over here, Fel!  They went this way!  Hurry, I don' like the way it got all quiet alluva sudden!"*  It's Garon, the innkeeper.  You also see torchlight flickering as multiple footsteps approach rapidly.  You have only moments to ready yourselves, before the group stops just out of sight around the corner of the house.  There's a quick few moments of cautious movement, and then the right shoulder and head of a helmeted female quickly darts out.  Looking over her shoulder because her back is flat against the house's wall, she rapidly scans the area and then pulls back out of sight, so fast you might have missed it if you had blinked.

You hear her mutter a curse to herself, and she says quietly, *"Ben, if this goes sour, you haul your ass over to the old church and rouse the militia in force.  --Don't even think about arguing with me!"*  She then calls out, *"This is Felosial, the town constable, you bootlicking sheeprapers!  Throw down your weapons and surrender Redithidoor to us unharmed, and you might survive the night!"*


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## JimAde (Mar 23, 2005)

Jerek laughs and whoops in relief.  "Looks like we're going to live through this after all!" he says.  

Raising his voice he calls, *"No sheeprapers here!"*

*"Well, maybe one,"* he adds giving Webster a shake.  *"Redithidoor, tell the lady what happened."*


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## Voadam (Mar 23, 2005)

IndyPendant said:
			
		

> Redithidoor groans for a moment, and then his hands frantically scrabble at his belly.  He looks down, and then collapses back onto the mud, chanting a quick hymn of thanks to Milil.





Well, Jair thinks to himself as a wry smile crosses his face, he's only off by a few letters on which divine patroness' magic saved him.


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## Mithran (Mar 23, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund walks over to Redithedoor and helps him up "Come it would help us a lot if you would explain this to the authoritys" Heirmund then hands his staff to Redi and leads him over to the corner of the house. Heirmund thinks for a moment then takes off his belt (which holds two knives in their sheaths) and hold it by one end as he and Redi go around the corner.

Once around the corner Heirmund hands someone the belt saying "I would drop this but I don't want it to get muddy" after that Heirmund begins to explain "We aren't the gang I believe you meant that insult for, we've just saved Redi from those persons and have two of them in our custody that is why my companions can't lower their weapons."

"Redi can explain in full but for now we would appreciate it if you would take the two remaining gang members into your custody"


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 24, 2005)

Arriving with the last brigand a few steps in front of him, Dengar kept his flail ready should the guy try to break away once more. As the local militia arrived, Dengar kept his mouth shut and let the others do the talking, know that words were not his strong point.


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## Voadam (Mar 24, 2005)

"*Hail fair constable, we also have a few unconcscious brigands here to be taken care of."* Jair will disarm the unconscious muggers and make sure the one he struck down is not bleeding to death, applying a minor healing if needed.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 24, 2005)

Heirmund helps a bewildered Redithidoor to his feet and guides Red around the corner, to find himself facing a surprisingly young and attractive half-elven female, wearing a chain helm and shirt.  Beside her stands a man wearing a battered, worn breastplate, and behind them stand Garon, awkwardly wielding a home-made club, and another guardsman.  They hide their shock at the sight of your condition with varying degrees of success--but it is obvious for each of them.

Jair examines the three fallen foes, and administers a Cure Minor Wounds to one of them.  The other mugger is conscious, breathing shallowly, and apparently unharmed--but Jair finds that Ren has died of his wounds.  Meanwhile, the rest of you guard the three other surviving prisoners.  The relief in the air, released from the tension of just a few moments ago, is almost visible.

As Heirmund hands over his daggers to Felosial, he sees Redithidoor begin to run his hands through his hair, and then stop in distaste.  *"Ummm...hi Fel.  Don't worry, I'm pretty sure these guys are all friends."*  He looks back towards the rest of you, his eyes lingering upon Ren and the muggers.  *"Some of them anyways.  Uh, I think...?"*

A rough voice calls out, *"Need any help, Fel?"*  You can dimly make out a dwarf holding a rather large warhammer at the ready.  Felosial calls out *"No.  Go back to sleep.  Thanks Rurik."*  The dwarf--who you recognize now as the local blacksmith--eyes you all suspiciously, but only shrugs and turns back towards his nearby home, accross the main road.  *"You got it.  Things change though, you just holler."*

With this less-than-spectacular beginning, Felosial decides to take you all back to her constabulary, ordering Ben and Lou to take the two bodies--which they drag ignomiously along the muddy road.  Garon says *"Well, Fel, these guys did make words like they were gonna help Red.  I just figgered they was acting, y'know?  Trying to put me at my ease.  --No offense."*

Redithidoor scratches his head, forgetting his filthy condition for a moment.  *"Yeah.  You know?  Last thing I remember was crying for help, and then that big brute Ren stuck his sword in me!  Yeah, they really did save me.  These guys, I mean.  Not Ren's gang."*  Felosial shakes her head, hiding a smile, and says *"Red, I'm certain of it."*  She even allows you to keep your weapons as you walk down the muddy road.

The muggers are grim and quiet--except for Webster, who keeps up a nearly-constant stream of pleas for mercy, claiming he's only a petty thief, and he had no part in the violence.  *"These guys can vouch for me!  I didn't fight, I swear!  Look!  Look at this!  This is my puke!  I don't wanna die!"*

Felosial locks the muggers in the the stone building's single cage-like cell, and then turns to you.  *"All right, guys.  What did Red do this time?"*


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## Voadam (Mar 24, 2005)

Jair flashes a brilliant smile at the half elf "*Had problems with the youth before, constable? He's enthusiastic and was greeting us with news of this town in Garron's inn and then started boasting of his bag of gold to sponsor his tuteledge under a bard. He also seemed quite taken with Garon's ale. When he left the inn our man here noted that others had taken an interest in the drunk youth and decided it would be best if we made sure he made it to his lodgings safe. By the time we found where he had gone the brigand leader Ren had stuck him. We confronted them, prevailed and I healed all the wounded. The blubbering one in there did not join in the attackers, although some who did managed to escape. I also think the others in your cell may kill the weeping one for not aiding in the fight if you do not keep an eye on them."*


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## jayaint (Mar 24, 2005)

Ydyr sags onto the nearest available flat surface once the party arrives in the constable's office. He raises his head at Jair's speech, and nods weakly and reclines again. He puts an arm over his head and tries to soothe his aches and pains with one of the meditative practices he learned in the monastary. 

_I'm gonna give up this fighting stuff, and learn how to do something productive for Illmater_, he thinks to himself with a wry smile.


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## Voadam (Mar 24, 2005)

Jair continues loquaciously "*I am Jair Feyfriend, champion of Mielikki mistress of the Light Woods. My comrades and I just entered town tonight with a trade wagon. I am glad we were able to intervene and aid the youth.*" Jair looks serious. "*Another minute and the sword stroke he took to the gut would have been beyond my druidic healing arts*."


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## JimAde (Mar 24, 2005)

Jerek nods in agreement with Jair's assessment of the situation.  *"That about covers it,"* he says.  *"But I got the impression there was something more going on as well.  Questioning Webster should be productive if he believes you can protect him."*


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## Mithran (Mar 24, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Once inside Heirmund leans on his staff and cradles his injured arm while the others tell the story.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 26, 2005)

Felosian listens to your story, and confirms details with Redithidoor and Garon.  *"Hrm.  Well, thanks.  Red's almost one of us by now.  Don't worry about our friends, here.  I'll see they're dealt with.  And if there's anything more to their story, I'll find that out too.  Lou, go pull Jim and Rhoda out of bed.  Ben, walk Red back to Baden'Tor's place and then get back here.  We're pulling double duties tonight.  You guys...get some sleep."*  There's a bit more conversation after that, but not a lot.

Redithidoor also thanks you as well as you split off, and you return to Garon's inn.  In only a few minutes, Garon and his wife Fachelle have cleared out the two rooms the other group occupied, and cleaned them up a bit as well.  During this time, Fachelle informs you that one of the muggers--George was his name--returned, spent a short while in his room, and then left.  She didn't know what had happened, so didn't know to stop him.  But they find the muggers' rooms ransacked, and stripped of any valuables that might have been there.

Garon relays that information to Felosial himself.  You clean up yourselves--again!--and then end up having to decide who gets rooms to themselves, and who gets to share.  The decisions are made quickly and without argument, and shortly afterwards you sleep.

The next morning, you come down to find the inn almost transformed.  The two tables have been combined into one long one, with an actual tablecloth laid out over them, and the benches have been set to one side.  The sounds of intense activities come from the kitchen, but Garon sternly bars you entry.  Once you're all awake, Garon calls goes in there himself--and then he, Fachelle, Redithidoor, and another young lad you've never seen before begin bringing out platter after platter of food, placing it all on the table.

Redithidoor announces, somewhat self-consciously, *"This is my way of thanking you.  You saved my life.  Eat up."*  You find that the fare is relatively simple--but what is here is very good.  And there's enough for three times your party.


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## jayaint (Mar 26, 2005)

Ydyr looks at the young bard and smiles. He can empathize with the rush of gratitude that bubbles forth after someone saves your life. The monk settles down to the table thinking about his first morning at Illmater's monastary, where the Broken Ones reside. He was so grateful he had offered to do all the cooking, cleaning and chores for the whole day. Luckily, the head monk had only allowed Ydyr to help with some chores as he rested his wounds. 

_It seems that the world repays its favors in strange and cyclical ways. As I was broken and taken up and saved, so has this boy; now by the grace of my companions and of Illmater. 

Wasn't there some fruit that was talked about before all of last night's excitement?_ Ydyr mulls over these thoughts in his head.


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## Voadam (Mar 27, 2005)

"*Ach lad, twas a good fight for a just cause. Outside of fine food and fine company what more can a man ask for? But tell me, I think you mentioned that Belak passed through here a few years ago, is there any more word of that cursed blaggard? And do not call him a druid, he has no claim to the title anymore.*


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## Mithran (Mar 27, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

In the morning Heirmund get's out of bed dresses and grooms his beard before going down stairs to be greeted by a banquet. "Mmm looks good, but no thanks are necissary Redithedoor."
Heirmund seats himself at the table and Ivan drops down onto the table near Heirmund's plate.

"It is our duty" Heirmund thinks to himself: _To protect the weak._ "..to help those around us" after Heirmund say's his little piece he starts eating a piece of bread first then seem's to stare off into some far away land for awhile. While Heirmund is thinking Ivan hops over and starts pecking on Heirmund's bread.

Heirmund eventually comes out of his thought's and shoo's Ivan away from his bread before breaking off a piece for him.


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## JimAde (Mar 28, 2005)

Jerek rubs his hands together appreciatively before sitting down.  *"It may be your duty,"* he says quietly to Heirmund, *"but I'll take a little reward when I can get it."*  He enthusiastically buries his plate in sausages and eggs, then sets to work with a relish.  

*"So, Red,"* he says thickly around a mouthful of food, *"what about all that stuff with the goblins you were telling us last night?  Was that for real, or just a little tale to pass the evening?"*  He spears a ripe-looking bit of fruit on the end of his dagger and pops it into his mouth, chewing noisily as he awaits a response.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 28, 2005)

The others sit down on the bench with you, once you have all been served, and begin to eat as well.  Garon says *"Not a druid, eh?  That was one, two years ago.  I seem to remember he looked dangerous.  He was askin a lot of questions about the Midsummer Apple, the Sunless Citadel, things like that.  An he did leave by the Old Road, now that I think of it.  Wouldn't worry though.  Goblins probably killed him."*

Redithidoor nods and adds *"Oh, it was all true.  Once a year, the goblins bring a fruit that can heal any ill.  Why, I hear tell there was a man around here that got mauled by a bear like ten years ago, and had this awful limp because half his leg was torn off.  He ate a quarter of the fruit, and he's been walking normal ever since!"*

Fachelle and Garon fall silent, but after a few moments, she elbows him in the gut, _hard_.  He gets up, walks into the kitchen, and come back out carrying an old handcarved cane.  *"It did leave a scar."* he says, almost defensively.  He stands by the tables and chews for a while, ignoring Redithidoor's quiet *"...Oh.  Oops."* then says almost reluctantly, looking down at the cane, *"...Listen.  You guys...ain't got anythin better to do...you might wanna talk with the Widow Hucrele.  She...deserves closure.  You're so interested in the Midsummer Apple, well...that's where they went."*  He slams the cane flat down on the table.  *"You just make sure you come back, is all."*


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## Voadam (Mar 28, 2005)

"*Aye, Belak the Heretical is outcast and a druid no more*." Jair ponders Garron's words for a moment. "*Are you speaking of the recent band of adventurers who delved the Sunless Citadel in search of the truth behind the goblin fruit? Can you tell us why they believed the citadel would hold the answers? Do the goblins live there*?"


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## JimAde (Mar 28, 2005)

Jerek nods and swallows hard to clear his mouth.  *"Yep, that's what Red said last night, anyway."*  He turns to Garon and says, *"Sorry if I'm being thick, but who's the Widow Hucrele and what does she have to do with all this?"*


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## Mithran (Mar 29, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund continues eating for awhile then say's "Personally I would be most interested in finding out more about this magic fruit."


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## jayaint (Mar 29, 2005)

In between bites Ydyr will stop and start to speak, but then think better of it. He drops his head shyly and then resumes eating. He does this three or four times during the meal. He is glad, however, when the others speak up and ask the questions that intrigue him.


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## Two-Gun Kid (Mar 29, 2005)

Picking at the deer sausage and eggs on his plate, Dengar listened while the others spoke of the magical properties of the fruit, goblins, and an outcast druid. While it all seemed like the fluff of a children's tale, Dengar knew better than to treat the matter too lightly, especially once Heirmund began to speak in earnest on the topic.

_'My grandfather would have turned him away if he was given into idle flights of fantasy. If he feels the matter is serious, then I will treat it as such as well.'_

Washing down the last mouthful with a swallow of water, Dengar asked his first question.

*"When the goblins come into town, are they armed? If they are armed, what is the quality of their blades and armor?"*


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## IndyPendant (Mar 29, 2005)

Your meal completed--it was actually quite good, in a country sort of way, although perhaps a bit too spicy--you spend some time talking.  Some of you still nurse wounds from last night's fight, but nothing anywhere near lifethreatening.  Inevitably the conversation turns back to the Sunless Citadel and the Midsummer Apple.

*"I don' know what they were wearin when they came by with the fruit.  They did have weapons an armour though.  Maybe Rurik would be able to answer that better.  Them goblins do live in the citadel though.  I'm thinkin maybe there's something about the dirt there that makes it so the trees can't live very well.  None of those saplings would have been given a half chance of growin inta trees, if it weren't fer the fact that they came from the magic fruit."

"And that's where my children went."*  An older woman slowly walks into the inn, the eyes in her hawk-like face stabbing into each one of you like daggers, penetrating to your core.  She still retains much of the beauty she must have had in her youth.  Beside her stands Mr Hanover, looking rather pleased with himself.  She continues, *"One month ago, my children joined with two of their friends from out of town, and decided to see if they could find out how the goblins can do all this.  They left by the Old Road...and were never heard from again."*  She pauses, taking a deep breath, and continues with iron control, *"Constable Felosian told me what you did for Redithidoor last night.  And Charles here has informed me that you are trustworthy people--unlike that filth that has been causing trouble here for the last couple of days.  So.  Here is my offer to you.  If you can bring me my son and daughter's signet rings back to me, I will pay you one thousand gold pieces per ring.  I will double that...if you can bring them back alive."*


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## JimAde (Mar 29, 2005)

Jerek sits for a moment in stunned silence.  Quickly glancing at his companions he makes a quick calculation and his eyes light up at the result.  He approaches her and executes a clumsy approximation of a courtly bow.  *"Ma'am, I'm very sorry for your troubles.  I'm sure we can find out what happened to your children.  Please come have a seat and tell us more about them."*  He escorts her to his place at the table.


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## Mithran (Mar 29, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund leans back in his chair and waits for whatever information this woman is going to give them.


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## Voadam (Mar 29, 2005)

Jair nods in approval of Jerek's volunteering the group and backs him up changing the "I he was planning to say into "we" "*If we can find your children we will do our best to bring them back to you. Please tell us more about them so that we might better know what to look for. And if you have anything at this time that still bears their scents, Terrek here is good at tracking*."


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 30, 2005)

Lehko wolfs down almost an entire platter of the fare provided by Redithoor after the previous night's actions. His meal is interrupted by the woman's speech. He puts down the bowl he was eagerly licking remaining juices off of with a slight clatter, and crosses his feet on the table leaning back in his chair. *"Widow Hucrele I presume? Well, I suppose I wouldn't mind wearing the mantle of the hero for time longer."* He slides hs hands through his hair, making it a little wlider looking before adopting an almost manic grin.


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## IndyPendant (Mar 30, 2005)

She sits down beside Jerek, and Garon almost stumbles in his haste to serve her.  She nods to him, and digs in with surprising appetite for such a small woman.  Mr Hanover sits on her other side and also begins to eat, still looking unashamedly proud of himself.

*"There's not much to tell about my children."* she begins--and then proceeds to fill the next hour with details about them, answering any questions you have as best she can.  By the time she winds down, you figure you could recognize them in a city market if you had to.  Talgen, the elder brother, is a fighter, and his sister Sharwyn is a wizard.  Together with Sir Braford the paladin, and their friend Karakis the ranger, they decided to solve the mystery themselves.  That was over a month ago, and nothing has been heard of them since.  She also describes their signet rings carefully, and offers to give Jair one shirt each to take with him, for Terrek to scent.  She has all but lost hope that they are still alive, but reiterates that she will provide one thousand gold pieces per signet ring you retrieve, and will happily double that if you can bring them home alive and of sound mind and body.

Apparently not much is known about the Sunless Citadel itself.  It was a fortress for some sort of cult over a hundred years ago, before an earthquake caused a rift to open and it fell beneath the ground, killing everyone inside.  The rift never closed though, and eventually the ruins were taken over by a tribe of goblins.

She concludes, *"I was beginning to despair that I would have to avail myself of that band of vagrants that almost killed Redithidoor.  --Not that I would have done anything but spit on their corpses after last night.  I do look forward to watching them all hang tomorrow morning.  I can tell from meeting you that Trev--Mr Hanover is an excellent judge of character--and has given me a rare gift."

"Please.  Bring my children back to me."*


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## jayaint (Mar 30, 2005)

Ydyr looks directly at the widow and catches her eye. He nods solemnly and sends out a mental wave of goodness and hope to her. Then he closes his eyes and breathes deeply calming himself for the adventure that seems about to unfold.


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## JimAde (Mar 30, 2005)

*"Well, ma'am,"* Jerek says more soberly, looking around at his companions for confirmation, *"we'll certainly do everything we can.."*


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## Voadam (Mar 30, 2005)

Jair nods along with his companions agreeing to undertake this mission.


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## Mithran (Mar 30, 2005)

*Heirmund (illusionist)*

Heirmund simply nods seeing no need to add anything more.


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## Voadam (Mar 31, 2005)

Once alone Jair talks to the group. "*If these goblins trade with the villagers then some probably speak common. Heirmund, I believe you said you spoke goblin. If we start parleying with them in common they might speak among themselves in goblin. In such a situation it might be best if you did not let on that you understood their tongue so that you might hear their unguarded words."*


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## Voadam (Mar 31, 2005)

"*Also, Ydir, Lehko, do you remember what Ren was saying when we first came upon them?* " ["...your big mouth, didn't you? I told you what would happen if you did." ] "*It sounded like he was attacking him for talking to us, not for his gold. Do you think we should talk some more to Reddithor in private or to the captured thugs?*"


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## IndyPendant (Mar 31, 2005)

You visit the constabulary, and Felosian tells you that as far as she can tell, these were just common ruffians who saw what they thought was a prime opportunity to gain some coin.  Webster claims Ren gutted Redithidoor for starting to call for help, when Ren told him not to.

The only additional information you learned from your conversation at the inn was that the Sunless Citadel was only about half a day's travel down the Old Road.  Knowing that, and knowing that this day is almost half gone, you decide to wait until tomorrow morning to begin your journey--which also allows Jair to heal your remaining wounds.

The locals insist you watch the hanging of Ren's mugger band with them, that morning before you leave.  The gallows was assembled the previous day, and most of the town shows up for this event.  By the talk, only the oldest among them can remember ever seeing such a large group hung before.  It is something that they will talk about with great relish for years, perhaps decades, to come.  Redithidoor even takes notes as the muggers are all hung, two at a time, so he can compose a song or poem about it one day.

Mr Hanover delivers to Jair two shirts, male and female style, and wishes you luck.  And with that, fresh and fully rested, you're off.

The Old Road obviously hasn't been used in a great many years.  It was little more than a wagon trail back then, and now it's just a glorified path.  You pass a few farms along the way, and some of the farmers stop to watch you.  Within a couple of hours though, you leave the farms behind, and enter an uninhabited area of brush and brambles, still following the trail.

You hear the sounds of various animals calling and moving through the plants, and it is all very pleasant and relaxing.  However, at one point Jair notices a strange noise.  As he watches the brush, investigating, the hairs on the back of his neck tingle as they begin to rise.  Terrek begins to growl quietly, low in his throat, picking up his master's unease.

Something small is approaching rapidly through the underbrush to your left.  And whatever it is, it is _not natural_.


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## JimAde (Mar 31, 2005)

Jerek is pulled from dark reveries by the sudden noise.  The hanging has been weighing on him heavily, as he is unable to avoid the thought that the same fate awaited him if he should ever return home.  With a feeling akin to relief he whips out his sword and drops into a ready crouch, preparing for whatever approaches.


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## jayaint (Mar 31, 2005)

Ydyr calls out silently to Illmater. He flexes his knees and loosely brings his arms to attention in front of him. 

_At least this time its not dark out on a muddy road_, Ydyr muses to himself.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Mar 31, 2005)

Idleing along the road Lehko gets plenty of time to think, and seems in a strange mood. Musing out loud to himself and whomever in the group is listening, he ponders. *"You know, one has to wonder something. In a one street town like that, where does a widow manage two, much less  four thousand gold pieces?"* This is pretty much the only detail that sticks for him, and he begins to say something else when he senses the rest of the group's alarm, bringing him out of his head and back to the real world. He looks between his compnaions, Jarek and Terrek crouched and ready for combat, and Ydyr in an offensive stance, the scene almost seems to amuse him. *"Oh for the Earth-father's sake,"* he mutters. In a much louder voice he calls in the direction of the disturbance, *"Hello?! Who's that there in the bushes!?"*


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## jayaint (Mar 31, 2005)

Ydyr shoots a surprised look towards Lehko, and drops farther into a crouch. His eyes also seek for a piece of nearby cover, though he guesses that any archers approaching would aim for the loudest and most apparent target first. 

_I'm no stealthy cat-burgurlar, but I don't find myself yelling off into strange woods at god-knows-what. Do I?_ Ydyr smiles, with at least some kind of admiration for someone with that much confidence.


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## Mithran (Mar 31, 2005)

Heirmund simply keeps his position near Dengar and waits as quietly as he can for whatever is coming up on them.


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## Voadam (Mar 31, 2005)

Sensing the unnatural thing Jair swings his spear and shield in preparation for the oncoming attack and calls to his comrades "*'Ware! From the underbrush on the left*!" Jair readies his spear to fend off anything that jumps out at him.


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## IndyPendant (Apr 1, 2005)

You can all hear the approach now, and the creatures don't noticeably react to Lehko's called-out greeting. In seconds, they burst from the underbrush: what look like halfling-sized, skittering, vaguely humanoid...bundles of twigs.  They hesitate, and seem to clatter their twigs together at each other.  Then...they move to the attack!

((Based on responses and styles, Jair will start the combat at the front of the group, with Terrek and Dengar flanking him.  Behind them are Heirmund and Lehko, and on either side of them are Jerek and Ydyr.  The twig monsters start the round twenty feet away from Jair.  Everyone can act on their initiative, since once again you were all ready for trouble.))

((Initiative: Heirmund=18; Lehko=16; Jair=12; Ydyr=11; Jerek=9; Twigs=8; Dengar=8.))


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## Two-Gun Kid (Apr 1, 2005)

As the twig like creatures rush towards them, Dengar began spinning the heavy ball shaped tip of his flail and set his feet to take their charge. As Heirmund backed up to stand a few paces behind him, Dengar understood his role well.

_~I must protect him while he readies his spells...~_

As the first of the twig creatures neared him, Dengar snapped his flail towards it, hoping the shatter the brindly looking creature.


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## JimAde (Apr 1, 2005)

Seeing that these strange creatures are intent on causing trouble, Jerek seeks to end things quickly.  He leaps forward and thrusts his blade at the nearest of the creatures, aiming for the place where humans keep their hearts and hoping the creature has one.

[sblock]OOC: Trying for the Sneak Attack damage if the creature is considered flat-footed, or if I can flank one.  Otherwise just a regular attack on the nearest target.[/sblock]


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## jayaint (Apr 1, 2005)

After rushing headlong into a choke hold last time, Ydyr will proceed with more caution this time. 

_No I won't. _ 

Ydyr will move to flank one of the creatures who have already been engaged, and attack. 

_For the glory of Illmater!!!_


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## Voadam (Apr 1, 2005)

"*These are unnatural abominations. Stay steady then strike them down when they fall upon us*!"

Jair readies his spear attack to meet their rush not breaking formation with Dengar or Terrek hopefully denying the twiglings the opportunity to flank.


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## Mithran (Apr 1, 2005)

Heirmund calls forth a glowing green orb and seemingly propels it forward with hand towards the creature nearest Dengar.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 2, 2005)

*"I'm beginning to think this job was a mistake!"* He crosses his arm in an 'x' shape in front of him, and rapidly sweeps them downward and to either side with a gutteral yell. His right hand is covered in a couruscating sheath of crackling electricity. *"First an entire street gang and now the very woods themselves?!"* He takes several rapid steps forward to end up on Terrek's side, hoping to close to melee range with one of the wood monsters.

[[casting and holding the charge for Shocking Grasp, moving moving closer to but keeping out of the threat range for an AoO by a ten feet or so.]]

Indy:



Spoiler



If I miss next round for some reason, I'll close to the nearest foe and attempt an unarmed strike


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## IndyPendant (Apr 2, 2005)

There are three of the strange, small mobile twig things.  A dripping green ball streaks from Heirmund past Dengar's shoulder towards the middle one, but misses it completely.  Lehko steps up beside Terrek, his fingers crackling with pent up energy.  Jair and Ydyr wait for the creatures to approach them, but Jerek shows no such hesitation and simply closes with the creatures before they are fully prepared, which forces the Jair and Ydyr to do the same.  Jair attacks the middle one, but his spear skitters off its wood.  Terrek dives in on it with relish however, and his powerful jaws crush the blighted thing into kindling.  Meanwhile, Ydyr and Jerek attack the thing on the right, but neither of them manage to damage the mobile twigs.  In fact, in trying to kick at it, Ydyr finds his foot becomes trapped in between some of the twigs for a quick moment, almost causing him to fall to the ground, before he manages to yank it free.

((Heirmund's ranged touch: 4+1=5.  Jair's attack: 9+0=0.  Terrek's: 14+3=17.  Damage: 6+3=9.  Ydyr's: 1+2=3.  Confirm: 12+2=14.  Jerek's: 4+0=4.))

Now that you are closer to them, you can see that the small creatures really are nothing but vaguely humanoid, mobile bundles of twigs.  They don't seem to have any discernible anatomy, and the twigs look slightly moist, as if lightly coated with an off-colour, slimy liquid.  One of them attacks Jerek, while the other attacks Terrek.  As their needle-like claws rip into their targets, Jerek can feel his body react with physical revulsion as the vile liquid penetrates into his blood.  Dengar, seeing Jerek being affected the worst, hurries forward and swings his flail at that blighted pile of twigs, but it dodges his blow.

((Attacks on Jerek: 19, 14.  Attacks on Terrek: 20, 16.  Confirm: 4.  Damage: 2 to Jerek, 1+2 to Terrek.  Fort save vs poison: 3+1=4 for Jerek, 3+5=8 and 13+5=18 for Terrek.  Effect: +1 damage each to Jerek and Terrek.  Dengar's attack: 7+5=12.))

((Jerek takes a total of 3 points damage, and Terrek 4 points.  There are still two undamaged enemies left.))


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## Mithran (Apr 3, 2005)

Heirmund, seeing what Lehko is likely doing moves over behind Lehko and chants some very familiar words while holding a small piece of leather then Heirmund reachs out and putting a hand on Lehko to finish the spell.

((OOC: Assuming it would be somewhat obvious to a fellow mage that you don't sit there holding anything but a touch spell really. Heirmund casts mage armor on Lehko the crazy touch spell mage giving him a +4 armor bonus to his AC.))


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## Voadam (Apr 3, 2005)

Jair steps forward between the two animate saplings placing himself in a position to be flanked by them but also setting up position for his companions to flank the twiglings. His spear lashes out at the toxic twigs that hit his hound, attempting to destroy the abomination with a quick thrust.

[From the description this sounds possible, if not then Jair will simply strike the one attacking his hound.]


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## jayaint (Apr 4, 2005)

Ydyr will definitely move to flank and continue pressing the attack.

*Fire!?! Does anyone here have fire?* Ydyr asks loudly in the melee.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 4, 2005)

Lehko feel the battlelust fall over him like a cloud. As he steps forward into the fray, he feel Herimund's hand fall on his back, and the protecting energies intertwine about him. He laughs brightly and with a loud *"Hah-hah!"*, he takes a stuttered step followed by a small jump, rolling his shoulder down and extending his fist. the move puts all his momentum into into the upward swing, and sweeps his fist upward attempting to connect with one of the tiny beasts in a smooth graceful motion.

[[Lots of flavour to say that i'm stepping into the fray and and attemtping to deliver my touch spel with an unarmed strike.]]


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## JimAde (Apr 4, 2005)

Jerek screams as the poison sets his blood afire.  He brandishes his sword and tries to get to a better position while defending himself as best he can.

[sblock]Why am I in melee again?    Taking a 5-foot step if necessary to make sure the one that hit me is flanked.  Now a rules question.  If I do Total Defense, do I still threaten?  The rule says you can't take an AoO, but doesn't explicitly say you don't threaten.

If I can still threaten, that's what I do: AC now 19
If not, I'll attack but fight defensively: AC now 17, Short sword -4 melee
[/sblock]


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## IndyPendant (Apr 4, 2005)

Heirmund completes his spell, and an invisible aura of force surrounds Lehko, who then steps forward to attack the twig thing, connecting with a solid strike.  The energy in his hand transfers itself to the creature, disrupting it so that it falls to the ground, to all intents and purposes an inanimate bundle once more.  Jair moves around to the final twig blight, so that he's flanking it with Terrek, and they both attack it.  Before Terrek can even attack it, however, Jair's spear drives into the thing, breaking its torso twigs, and it too falls to the ground inanimate.  All three blighted twigs died without a sound.

((Lehko's attack: 16+1=17.  Damage: 1+5.  Jair's attack: 17+2=19.  Damage: 8+0=0.))


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## Voadam (Apr 4, 2005)

"*Keep an eye out for others as I heal our wounded*."

Jair starts to invoke the blessing of the light woods in healing the wounds inflicted by these corrupted creatures. If no more show up then Jair will inspect the twigling remains carefully. (knowledges and survival may be applicable).


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## Mithran (Apr 5, 2005)

Heirmund leans down and carefully inspects the creatures trying to see if they were anything but animated kindling *"Odd creatures, have any of you seen any sort of stick creature like this before?"*


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## JimAde (Apr 5, 2005)

Jerek shakes his head as he tears his sleeve away from his wound.  *"Never.  The trees where I come from stay put."*  He grits his teeth in pain as he sqeezes the gash.  He fumbles out a waterskin and tries to wash any lingering venom from the wound.

[sblock]This is just flavor text.  Jerek has no ranks in Heal, but binding a cut is just common sense.  If someone with actual ranks wants to step in, that would be great.  Secondary poison damage may be less than a minute away...[/sblock]


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## IndyPendant (Apr 5, 2005)

Since no further twig things are forthcoming, Jair heals both Jerek and Terrek of their wounds.  Since none of you have healing knowledge, Jerek is forced to wait nervously to see what the venomous sap will do to his body, but as the minutes pass he realizes he must already have fought off the worst of its effects.

None of you have seen creatures like these before.  And creatures they definitely are, not golems or outsiders.  While the piles closely resemble bundles of loose twigs, in actuality they are linked via strong cord-like twists of moist wood.  They also leak sap from their puncture wounds, although their actual bodies can be broken like bird's bones.  They have tiny roots trailing from the bottoms of their 'feet', but other than their general shape and vestigial eyes, they have no discernable internal or external anatomy.

((He has to use both his 1st-level spells, but Jair heals both the wounded completely.))


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## JimAde (Apr 5, 2005)

Jerek takes a deep, relieved breath and says, *"Thank you my friend."*  Then he holds up the ragged remains of his bloodstained sleeve and says, *"Would you look at this?  I just bought this shirt."*  He shakes his head in disgust.


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## Voadam (Apr 5, 2005)

Jair grins then laughs at Jerek's comment good naturedly. Then he inspects the twigling remains again.

"*They are definitely a plant creature, notice that they have no vitals or organs like a beast of the woods would have, no heart, no mouth, no organs. Aye plants, but unnatural, and like none I have ever seen or heard of before. Quite different from the great treants.*"


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## JimAde (Apr 5, 2005)

Jerek considers for a moment, then gathers up one of the fallen creatures.  *"Maybe we can learn more about them in town.  The people here may have run into them before.  If not, it might be worth warning them about."*

[sblock]I'm not clear on how big and heavy these things are.  If bringing a whole one is incovenient, I'll lop off a "head" and "hand."  Maybe we can sell 'em for spell components.  [/sblock]


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## Mithran (Apr 5, 2005)

Heirmund smiles *"Thank you Jerek, I was hoping to be able to study one of the creatures when we camped tonight and I can't very well carry one my self"* Heirmund looks around a bit *"Well I suppose we should keep pushing on for a bit before setting up camp"*


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## jayaint (Apr 6, 2005)

*I wonder what other surprises lay in wait for us on this trip?*

Ydyr looks happily down the trail as the group sets off once again.


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## Voadam (Apr 6, 2005)

"*That is it for all but the most minor stopgap healing magic until the dawn refreshes me*."


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## IndyPendant (Apr 6, 2005)

Jerek finds the creatures surprisingly heavy, considering they seem to be made of twigs and sap.  Since the whole body weighs at least forty pounds, he decides to hack off the head and clawed part of one of the things.  Even that proves taxing, as without a proper axe, he ends up having to resort to labourious sawing to remove the sections.  After nearly twenty minutes, however, he's rewarded with the parts he wanted, still oozing a bit of their vile sap.

Finding nothing further available to do here, you continue on along the Old Road.  You were delayed slightly in leaving Oakhurst, but even so it is currently only early afternoon.  And after only another two hours or so of travel, putting you in mid-to-late afternoon, you encounter what must be the remains of the Sunless Citadel.   At the Old Road's closest approach to the ravine to the west, several broken pillars jut from the earth where the ravine widens and opens into something more akin to a deep, but narrow, canyon.  Two of the pillars stand straight, but most of them lean against the sloped earth.  Others are broken, and several have apparently fallen into the darkness-shrouded depths.  A few similar pillars are visible on the opposite side of the ravine.


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## Voadam (Apr 6, 2005)

"*I suggest we set up a concealed shelter out here a ways from the entrance so that if we enter the underground and come out without enough time (or carrying wounded) to make it all the way back to town that we have a ready and secure place to rest and recuperate. And a concealed place that is not obvious to any pursuers we might encounter would be prudent*."

ooc Jair has survival skills to set up such a natural shelter.


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## JimAde (Apr 6, 2005)

Jerek looks at Jair for a moment in stunned silence then says, *"All right.  I vote the guy with the pointy stick is in charge."*  He moves to help Jair set up the shelter.

[sblock] Survival +2 for Aid Another if it's relevant.[/sblock]


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 6, 2005)

Lehko nods appreciativley. *"Yes. I trust in the Woodsman to guide us safley through the night. I'm unfortunatly somwhat out of my element here."* He he aids the camp set up in anyway he can (in other words however he is told), although he might lack the necessary skills. If anyone propses a small foray into the brush to capture a bit of lunch he will volunteer and agree enthusiastically, otherwise he will simply wiat out the group's next move.


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## Mithran (Apr 6, 2005)

Ivan alternates between sitting on Heirmund's shoulder and flying around looking for anything of interest while Heirmund helps out as much as he can.


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## jayaint (Apr 7, 2005)

Ydyr sits patiently and waits for the groups next move. He tries to calm and soothe without being in-the-way.


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## IndyPendant (Apr 7, 2005)

You set up as best you can, a semi-camouflaged shelter to retreat to, although a fully concealed one is impossible to create in this area.  Still, it should be suitable to spend the night under, although if it rains again like it did before, nothing short of a proper house would protect you...  In the process of creating the shelter, you discover more about the area you are in.

The pillars are old, worn, and broken, and covered in dwarven glyphs.  In and around the pillars are the remains of many campfires, many obviously very old, but some are more recent--a few weeks or months, maybe.  Some effort has been made to keep the campfires from being seen from a short distance away--including from the Old Road.  And finally, a knotted rope hangs from one of the pillars near the ravine itself, and descends over the edge.

A quick peek over that edge, and in the dimness of the ravine you can vaguely see a wide ledge about fifty feet below you.  Stairs descend from that ledge along the cliff into total darkness, and you can't see the bottom of the ravine.  There are also hand and footholds carved into the cliff's face down to the ledge, nearby but much older and more weathered than the relatively recently-placed rope.

By the time you have completed your work, there are only a few more hours of daylight left.


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## Voadam (Apr 7, 2005)

Jair smiles at his comrades' confidence in him and laughs good naturedly, "*We could call ourselves the order of the pointy stick, dedicated to righting wrongs, triumphing over evil, and keeping each other alive as we do so.*" and proceeds to set up the hidden shelter with their aid asking the chultian Lekho to gather branches for torches they might need underground as only the genasi can see in the dark. with survival I expect I can get serviceable torches, and some party members have candles if need be. "*Heirmund, you speak goblin do you not? Do you have any experience dealing with them as a people?"*

When we are ready to proceed into the ravine I will pull out the shirts and present them to Terrek and use animal handling to "push" him to track by scent (DC 25 skill check +11 full round action that can be retried) putting away the shirts when we go so I can wield the pointy sticks.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 7, 2005)

*"It does look like we are to spend the night, unless one of you wants to try that ledge in the dark,"* Lehko mentions offhandedly. After the gathering of a fagot or three, he calls to herimund (after Jair is done with him that is) *"Wizard! Come see this,"* he gestures to the glyphs on the shattered pillars. *"Can you make anything of these? I'd like to know some more about this place if possible."* As an aside, if the discussion turns to the night watch, Lehko will volunteer the pre-dawn shift.


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## JimAde (Apr 7, 2005)

IndyPendant said:
			
		

> A quick peek over that edge, and in the dimness of the ravine you can vaguely see a wide ledge about fifty feet below you.  Stairs descend from that ledge along the cliff into total darkness, and you can't see the bottom of the ravine.  There are also hand and footholds carved into the cliff's face down to the ledge, nearby but much older and more weathered than the relatively recently-placed rope.




*"Hmm,"* Jerek muses.  *"Back door, perhaps?  I could climb down and have a look."*


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## Voadam (Apr 7, 2005)

Seeing the ravine has to be climbed down through ropes or precarious hand holds Jair frowns. "*I was expecting to be able to walk down inside, It looks like I will have to leave Terrek up above here to guard our shelter. We will at least see if he catches the remains of the youths' scent out here*."


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## jayaint (Apr 7, 2005)

*I, for one, will not be trying any ledge... in any amount of darkness. Its going to be dark DOWN THERE no matter what time it is up here, but I think we should rest here while we have the chance. If loud, ungraceful bundles of sticks are what we have to look out for here, they get my vote over collapsed ruins. * 

Ydyr helps gather sticks and branches for a bit, and volunteers to take an early watch, seeing as how he finally escaped a day uninjured and doesn't THINK he needs to pray for spells yet.

*Jair, I have heard stories of wizards making objects and even themselves as light as a feather. They seem able to throw themselves off cliffs in the stories and tales I've heard. Perhaps our magic wielder could be of some assistance. I would feel more comfortable with Terrek's protection. *


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## Voadam (Apr 7, 2005)

"*Excellent suggestions Ydir. I am sure climbing in and out of the ravine will be easier in daylight and so a morning start giving Heirmund the opportunity to prepare appropriate magic if he can sounds wise*." Jair will talk with everybody about their training, skills, and magics so that we are all roughly aware of each others' capabilities.

"*I am not familiar with these glyphs on the pillars, can anybody make them out and what they say?"* [ooc Hint Dengar /Hint]


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## Mithran (Apr 7, 2005)

> "Heirmund, you speak goblin do you not? Do you have any experience dealing with them as a people?"




*"I do speak goblin but no I haven't had a whole lot of experience with the creatures."*



> "Wizard! Come see this," he gestures to the glyphs on the shattered pillars. "Can you make anything of these? I'd like to know some more about this place if possible."




Heirmund walks over to the pillar Lehko is looking at [/B]"Ah yes, I can see learning all those languages when I was young was a good choice, though I hardly expected to be using them on studying pillars"* Heirmund will study the pillar for a time trying to understand their meaning.




			"Excellent suggestions Ydir. I am sure climbing in and out of the ravine will be easier in daylight and so a morning start giving Heirmund the opportunity to prepare appropriate magic if he can sounds wise."
		
Click to expand...



Heirmund shakes his head *"Unfortunately I can only cast the spell of which you speak a certain number of times, so I suggest that the spell be used only for the weakest climbers"


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## IndyPendant (Apr 8, 2005)

Heirmund takes a look at the runes, and for a moment is mystified.  They seem to be gibberish to him.  Then he realizes, the runes are dwarven--but the language is goblin.  They are thuggish warnings about the crudely horrible things that will happen to anyone who dares to challenge their supremacy.

Not noticing anything else of importance, you retire to wait out the night, setting up watches until the morning.  The night passes uneventfully, and you awaken, some of you preparing your spells for the day.

((To make things easier, I'll assume random, paired watches each night unless otherwise stated in advance.  And I'll need you to let me know here if you change your prepped spells for this day--and any other days to come.))


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## Mithran (Apr 8, 2005)

Heirmund wakes up late in the morning and eats before opening up his spell book and studying it for an hour.

((OOC: Spells prepared: 
0-level: Acid splash x2, Detect magic, Daze; 
1-level: Feather fall, Feather fall, Charm person)


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## JimAde (Apr 8, 2005)

Jerek awakes in the gray dawn and quietly goes about his morning tasks, including putting together a cold breakfast for the others.  He also goes to have a look at the proposed climb, picking out handholds and deciding on his route down.

Once the group is gathered around their morning meal he suggests, *"I'll go first and check the rope that's there.  Whoever else is good at climbing can stay up here and tie a rope around each person, holding it to keep them from falling as they go down.  Sound good?"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 9, 2005)

Lehko spends the morning binding the gatherings of dried twigs and the more difficult to burn sticks into makeshift torches, not needing to study. He pauses a moment in his mutting lamentations about how not one of us thought to bring a torch to the Sunless Citadel, to question aloud *"Say, I wonder how well those mostrosities burn?"* He glances at Jair's bag curiously. 

[[OOC: Just out of curiosity, how far back are the bodies of those, I dunno, dire twigs? ]]


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## Mithran (Apr 9, 2005)

> "I'll go first and check the rope that's there. Whoever else is good at climbing can stay up here and tie a rope around each person, holding it to keep them from falling as they go down. Sound good?"




*"That sounds like a good plan"* Heirmund continues eating for a time longer *"I do hope we don't have to try to burn them, who knows what burning that odd sap would do?"*


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## IndyPendant (Apr 11, 2005)

Since the twig blights were left behind about two hours' travel back towards Oakhurst, while Jair and Heirmund prepare their spells, the others each manage to gather and make one very rough torch apiece.  Without proper rags and oil to soak them in, the torches are makeshift at best; since you don't have any rope either, other than the knotted rope already hanging down towards the ledge, it perhaps could be better to go back for supplies.

On the other hand, there is a knotted rope already available, and even at worst case the torches should last you a couple of hours total.  Maybe you can find more light within the Citadel itself...

((Sorry for the lateness guys.  Looks like I may be able to post only one day each weekend at most, myself.  Basically, this is a question for you: continue on, or go back to Oakhurst for proper supplies?))


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## Voadam (Apr 11, 2005)

"*After you Lekho. Let's make a quick initial exploration then maybe return to the village and see if they have rope and everburning or even normal torches in sufficient numbers for prolonged explorations."*

Jair will cast speak with animals to talk with Terrek about the spell and tracking the two individuals and see if he picked up any scents out here, human, goblin, twigling, or otherwise.


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## Mithran (Apr 11, 2005)

Heirmund walks over to the edge of the hole and looks down it for a time "Hmm, hard to get back up from there looks like. I hope some of you are good climbers"


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## jayaint (Apr 11, 2005)

*As a not very strong climber, I would say that it is kind of now-or-never for going to get torches. Down, up and back down again seems like a lot of wasted effort. If we need things, lets just go get them. *


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## Voadam (Apr 11, 2005)

"*The pine pitch torches we made will last several hours. I don't plan for us to spend multiple days down in the goblin's den. Even if we have to spend multiple days searching we should come back out to rest at night. The underground area may not be that extensive and the victims might be within easy reach down there. I would not want to delay that for another couple of days simply to get extra torches when we have multiple hours worth already. Jerek, I simply want to know if the knotted rope is long enough to make a harness for Terrek when we need to come back up before I send him down."*


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## JimAde (Apr 11, 2005)

Jerek shrugs.  *"Looks like it to me,"* he says non-commitally.

[OOC: Jerek doesn't actually have Use Rope skill ranks!  Sorry.  He has a +3 modifier for dex, though.  If we take 10 with someone helping (Aid Another) we can succeed on a DC 15 "special knot" roll to make the harness.  I can't believe none of us brought rope or a light source.  What kind of adventurers are we? ]


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 11, 2005)

Lehko nods. He sticks one of his torches in his belt and glances at the propsed descension. *"It's a sturdy knot with a moderate climb down, on a rough surface with a knotted rope. I don't see a problem. I will go first, if none other will. We do have a quest, and after all they're worth double alive."* He starts down the wall, assuming nobody will stop him. Over his shoulder he calls *"I would appreciate if someone with a strong arm would be at my back."* With that, he swings his legs over the edge, and starts down.


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## JimAde (Apr 11, 2005)

Jerek says, *"I'll cover you.  Just in case."*  He quickly readies his bow and stands at the top of the cliff, poised to shoot anyone who might come out to menace the bold mage.


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## Voadam (Apr 12, 2005)

Jair readies his sling just in case along with Jerek as the Chultian heads down.


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## IndyPendant (Apr 12, 2005)

Lehko makes his way down to the ledge without very much difficulty by going slowly and carefully.  As Dengar starts down after him, Lehko takes a look around himself in the dimness.  The wide but rough ledge overlooks a subterranean gulf of darkness to the west.  Sand, rocky debris, and the bones of small animals cover it, and a roughly hewn stairwell zigs and zags down the side of the ledge, descending into darkness.

Unfortunately, Lehko fails to spot them until it's too late.

Three huge rats--each half the size of Lehko himself!--dart out of the rubble before he can react, and surround him!

((Lehko and Dengar are taking 10 on climb checks, DC 0.  Dengar is currently 20' down the rope, 30' from the ledge.  Jayaint, Jair, and Heirmund stand at the top ready to act; Ydyr would need to ready a ranged weapon if he wants to strike.  Note that you will not be able to take 10 while climbing during a combat situation.))

((Lehko's spot roll: 10+0-5=5.  Rats' hide check: 21.  The rats used the surprise round to move into melee range with Lehko; 2 of the rats are flanking him, and the third 'flanks' him with the cliff wall.))

((Initiative order: Heirmund/14; Lehko/12; Dengar/11; Ydyr/10; Jerek/9; Rats/7; Jair/2))


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## Voadam (Apr 12, 2005)

Since speak with animals lasts a whole minute and is personal range instead of to a limited distance it should still be going so I will try shouting at the rats in rat speak "*Danger! Not food! Not food! Back away! Bad magic! Back away! Danger*!" 

Druidic animal empathy.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 12, 2005)

Not ready to wait for Jair's chittering to be effective, Lehko takes action. He turns to face the one closest to the edge, crosses his arms before him and begins a deep hum in his chest that rises in pitch and volume. He sweeps his arms downward and with a gutteral shout.

[[Designating one of the flanking opponents with Dodge, taking a Defensive Casting action to cast _Force Wave_ against the rat closest to the edge of the pit.]]


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## jayaint (Apr 12, 2005)

Ydyr will delay to see where his help is needed most, and how clogged the rope-climbing is.


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## Voadam (Apr 13, 2005)

"*Heirmund, ready your feather fall for Terrek*." Once Heirmund nods or signifies that he is ready Jair tells his trusty wolfhound to leap down to protect Lekho, trusting in the gnome's magic.


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## Mithran (Apr 13, 2005)

Heirmund nods at Jair and quickly chants for just a moment before touching Terrek as the wolfhound leaps off the edge.


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## JimAde (Apr 13, 2005)

Jerek pulls back his bow, but waits to see if the rats respond to Jair's prompting.

[OOC: Ready an action to shoot the first rat that tries to attack Lehko.  Since I can't ready a full-round action it will be just one attack.

+3 Ranged Short bow (1d6 20/x3)  (I believe the distance is 50 ft, which is no modifier.  If it's inside 30', +1, if it's 60' or more, -1)
]


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## IndyPendant (Apr 13, 2005)

With only seconds left remaining on his spell, Jair decides to use those moments to briefly explain his plan to Terrek, who is still sniffing the ground in the area looking for scents.  Terrek trots over to the edge, looks down, and then looks up at his master, the expression on his face obvious: *"Are you crazy?"*  His spell now ended, Jair has to resort to gestures, but he finally manages to get Terrek to jump down towards the ledge.  The poor wolfhound howls his fear and misery all during the slow trip down, the noise echoing wierdly in this cavernous space, but he does finally land on the ledge unharmed, near Lehko and the rats.

((This definitely required a 'push' check to get Terrek to jump to what he would consider to be near-certain death.  DC I set at 25, with a -5 for the Speak with Animals.  Roll was: 12+7+4=23.))

Lehko tries to cast his spell on the defensive, but having to watch from all directions hampers him and he loses the spell completely.  Dengar tries to climb down as fast as possible, and almost slips but manages to go another 20 feet, so that he ends up only 10 feet above the ledge.  Ydyr decides to risk sharing the rope with Dengar and scrambles down it a bit faster, ending his movement 20 feet above the ledge, and 10 feet above Dengar.

((Lehko's check: 10+4=14.  I had Dengar and Ydyr both use Accelerated Climbing, since there's no risk of falling--just a small one of not being able to move at all this round.  Dengar: 5+4-4-5=0.  Ydyr: 8-5=3.))

Jerek shoots an arrow down at one of the rats, but he tries too hard to miss Lehko, and ends up missing the rat as well.  The rats attack Lehko, but he manages to dance around and avoid two of the rats.  He can't face all three though, and so one of the flanking rats manages to carve a large chunk out of Lehko's leg with its long teeth!

((Jerek's attack: 12+3-4=11.  The rats' attacks: 5, 18, 8.  Lehko takes 2 points damage from the bite.))

((Note that casting Feather Fall is a free action that does not even have to be done on Heirmund's turn, so he could have done something else this round.  And note that Dodge is effectly a flat +1 dodge to AC, so Lehko doesn't need to designate an opponent.))


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## Voadam (Apr 13, 2005)

"*Good boy Terrek! The rats're warned, have at them*!" Jair's sling whirls around and unleashes a clay bullet at the head of one of the rats.

[jair's pushing took a full round action in round 1 so his sling shot will go off in round 2]


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## JimAde (Apr 13, 2005)

Jerek growls in frustration and slips to the side to try to get a clearer shot.  *"Damn vermin,"* he mutters as he releases two arrows in quick succession.

[OOC: Rapid shot this round.  Take a 5' step first if it will give me an unobstructed shot.

+1/+1 Ranged Short bow (1d6 20/x3).  I guess it's Precise Shot next time I get a feat. 
]


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## jayaint (Apr 14, 2005)

Ydyr looks below him at the confusion on the ledge. He scurries down the rope and will take a swing at anything rat-like when he gets to the bottom. 

[[If I have any movement left at the bottom of the rope I would like to flank. If not, and there is a rat within striking distance then just attack as normal.]]


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## IndyPendant (Apr 14, 2005)

Lehko tries again to cast on the defensive at the rat closest to the ledge--the one that is not flanking him--to blast it right off, as Heirmund continues to watch what is happening down below. This time Lehko manages to maintain his concentration, and a visible wave of tangible magical force ripples out at the rat, who fails to resist it.  The rat's skull is smashed in with the force of the blow, and it is blown right off the ledge to fall down into the darkness below.  Meanwhile, Dengar finishes climbing down the rope and moves so that he is flanking the nearest rat with Lehko, drawing his flail as he does so.  Ydyr also finishes climbing--he actually falls the last few feet, though he was unhurt by it, and it looks like nobody noticed it--but can't quite move to a flanking position with the other rat.

((Lehko's check: 17+4=21.  Rat's save: 11.  Damage: 4+1=5.  Spell Bull Rush check: 13+6=19.  Rat's: 8.  Dengar's final climb check: 8-5=3.  Ydyr's: 5-5=0.))

Jerek shoots two arrows down at the remaining unflanked rat, but his shot goes so wide it doesn't even strike the ledge.  The flanked rat attacks Lehko again, and bites out another hunk, this time out of his other leg.  The second rat, to your horror apparently goes berserk, charging Dengar and leaping for his throat!  Dengar drops his flail and tries to grapple with the rat, but the force of the rat's leap causes him to stumble backwards--too far.  His foot hangs over empty space for a few moments--and then he topples.  Heirmund tries desperately to force his Feather Fall to reach and affect Dengar, but it is hopeless; Dengar is just too far below him.

Dengar's gurgling scream cuts off mercifully quickly and abruptly.

((Jerek's attacks: 5+1-4=2; 6+1-4=3.  Rat's attack: 25.  Damage to Lehko: 2 HP.  Lehko is now at 0 HP.  See OOC thread for the why of Dengar's fate.  Note that Heirmund will still have his 2nd Feather Fall available, should that matter; spell was not cast because the target was invalid.))

Jair tries to strike the final remaining rat with his sling stone, but his shock at Dengar's sudden demise causes him to miss badly as well.  But Terek bounds forward, barking madly at the final rat.  Instinctively taking Dengar's place, and flanking the rat with Lehko, Terrek clamps his jaws on the rat's neck and shakes it viciously.  You can all hear the audible snap as the final rat's neck breaks.

((Jair's attack: 5+1-4=2.  Terrek's attack: 17+3+2=22.  Damage: 7+3=10.))


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## IndyPendant (Apr 14, 2005)

((Dammit, wish I'd checked the OOC thread before posting this but I fell behind so I went ahead with this.  Don't respond yet please; incoming edit to incorporate the great idea given to me by Voadam and JimAde. : ))

((Okay.  Edit complete.))


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 15, 2005)

Lehko's triumphant look is cut short, when for the second time in as many days he feels the waves of nausea and loss of feeling while the world slips away. His legs fall out form under him, the deep gashes from the rats oozing blood, and has just enough time to gasp a startled *"Dengar, no!"* before fully dropping into bitter oblivion.


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## Voadam (Apr 15, 2005)

Still in shock at the fate of Dengar Jair consciously focuses on the danger to the battle mage's life which he can do something about and acts "*I need to get down there to heal Lekho before he bleeds to death, watch for more rats and cover me Jerek."*


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## JimAde (Apr 15, 2005)

Jerek grits his teeth in frustration then forces himself to relax.  He quickly looses more arrows at the remaining rats.

[OOC: Rapid shot again, same as last time.  Lousy dice!  ]


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## Mithran (Apr 15, 2005)

Heirmund lets a cry far louder than you would expect a gnome to be able to make when he see's Dengar fall and simply stands in shock for a few moments before mumbling *"Jump whn you are ready Jair"*


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## IndyPendant (Apr 15, 2005)

While Jerek keeps his bow ready if any more rats attack, Ydyr rushes to Lehko and catches him just as he collapses into unconsciousness.  Unable to help him further though, Ydyr carefully lays him down on the ledge, and then hurries to the edge that Dengar fell off of, looking for any sign of him--but in vain.  The fall was too far; Dengar lies somewhere far below in utter darkness.

Meanwhile, Jair forces himself to step off the cliff above, despite every instinct screaming at him not to--and incidentally getting driven home just how much Terrek must trust him, to have done this earlier at his urging alone.  Heirmund is ready with his spell, and Jair falls lightly enough to land roughly but safely on the ledge below.  He immediately hurries to Lehko and prays to heal the rat bites.  Lehko regains consciousness, his wounds completely healed.


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## Voadam (Apr 17, 2005)

Jair pets the wolfhound, gaining some needed comfort from the loyal canine's presence as he explains to the revived Lekho what happened and then his plans for them all.

"*A dire rat took Dengar over the edge and I fear him dead. I want us to proceed down the track here and see if we can recover his body at its bottom. There are druidic rites I can perform to commit and return his body to the earth as his spirit journeys to his patron. Ydir, you and Terrek are our strongest warriors now, I will want you both with me in the lead if the track is wide enough in case there are other crazed beasts down here. Terrek can also check if there is any scent left of the two we were looking for*."


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 18, 2005)

Lehko gets to his feet with the help of Jair. Leaning on him a little, he says, *"Aye, I saw Dengar go over. He was a sturdy ol' dwarf, but I doubt even he could survive that wound to the neck. But if there is a chance, we should go as soon as possible."

He takes up just behind the frontline warriors, waiting for the remaining party to move on.*


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## JimAde (Apr 18, 2005)

Once the others seem to be safely down and no more rats appear, Jerek sling his bow over his back and climbs down the rope.

[OOC: Taking 10]

Dropping lithely onto the ledge he gives Lehko a pat on the back and a grim, thin-lipped smile.  Then he goes to the edge of the drop and peers over looking for the fallen Dwarf.


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## Voadam (Apr 18, 2005)

Jair waits for both Jerek and Heirmund to safely make it down to the ledge before leading the party down the track so that none are left alone and exposed as they go.


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## jayaint (Apr 18, 2005)

Ydyr looks around in bewilderment and tries to recompose himself. He looks to the others and with their consent begins to move on.


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## IndyPendant (Apr 19, 2005)

The group of you head down the switchback stairs, descending into darkness to find your fallen companion.  Lehko lights one of your four makeshift torches, which sputters to life with great reluctance, smoking terribly and giving off barely half the light a proper torch should.  It is enough to see by however, if just barely, and after descending nearly sixty feet, you finally come upon Dengar's body.

He is most certainly dead.

Despite his metal helmet, his head is crushed, his limbs are bent at unnatural angles, and his eyes are wide open, utterly empty of life.  The corpse of the rat lying beside him is of small consolation.

It took you less than ten minutes to travel down to his body, even moving as slowly and carefully as you did.  You still can't see the bottom--although it's only a slight exagerration to say that, with the pathetic light afforded by your torch, the Citadel could be twenty feet in front of you and you might not see it!


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## JimAde (Apr 19, 2005)

*"All right,"* Jerek says grimly to the group, *"I hate to say this, but I think we should turn back.  We should get Dengar someplace we can send him off properly, and we clearly didn't think ahead enough for our needs.  We have to get a decent light source and maybe some rope before we go fumbling around in the dark.  Agreed?"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 19, 2005)

Lehko sighs heavily, and kicks the body of the rat away from Dengar. *"I am loathe to admit it, but I do believe our friend is right. Proper torches, or perhaps a sunrod would significantly improve our chances of suceeding at our mission. I do not worry about losing face, the death of a comrade is more than enough reason to return and resupply. However, if Ydyr or Herimund believes otherwise, I am willing to go along.* He waits expectantly for a decision, examining Dengar's body, seeing if there is a way to easily move him. While doing so, he picks up one of his javelins, and balances it in his hand, testing the weight.


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## jayaint (Apr 19, 2005)

*There is every need to pay respect to this warrior. And some better equipment might help the rest of us avoid his fate. Let us go back and then return with a renewed heart and vigor. *


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## IndyPendant (Apr 20, 2005)

With the majority of the party wishing for a backtrack to Oakhurst for supplies and to return Dengar's body, you decide to head back up.  Climbing up the rope takes a bit of time and effort, since none of you know how to tie a knot very skillfully, but you manage to get both Dengar's corpse and Terrek up without incident--although Terrek ends up howling his protestations of misery the entire time he's hauled upward.  None of you are very strong, and so it takes all of you working together to get them both up, with only Heirmund staying behind below, in case anything were to go wrong--and even then, you have to strip the corpse of its gear, it takes a _long_ time, and you're left utterly exhausted by the time you're done.

Still, it's completed without mishap, and after about an hour to rest, you set up a makeshift travois using yet more branches and begin the long, slow trek back to Oakhurst.  Along the way, you pick up one of the--unmutilated--twig blight bodies, just in case it should prove useful to the townsfolk.

It takes much longer than it would have without dragging the bodies of friend and foe alike, but literally staggering with exhaustion, you round a bend and see Oakhurst a ways ahead of you, barely visible in the twilight dimness.


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## Mithran (Apr 20, 2005)

Heirmund is quiet the whole way back and once the group reachs town moves off without a word to arrange proper burial for Dengar.


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## JimAde (Apr 20, 2005)

Since Heirmund is making the arrangements for Dengar, Jerek returns to the inn where they were all staying earlier to face the inevitable questions of what happened.  He gives a simple, factual account as if reporting action to a superior.  Then he stumbles off to sink into a black pit of exhaustion.

[OOC: In the morning I plan to get us outfitted with:

2 50' lengths of Rope (2 GP and 20 lbs total)
3 Hooded Lanterns and at least 6 pints of oil (22 GP and 12 lbs total)

I think sunrods are out of our price range unless someone has more money than I think.

We'll have to take up a collection for all this and anything else we want to get.  I'll kick in 10 GP...]


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## Voadam (Apr 20, 2005)

Jair approves of Jerek's aquisition plans and puts in another 10 gold from his stores. As Jerek reports to the constable Jair adds his observations about the unnattural toxic twiglings from the forest.

He then talks away from the villagers with Herimund who was closest to the earth touched man. He asks about Dengar's kin and beliefs, whether he would want a druidic ceremony of returning to the earth and whether he has family who his belongings should go to. If appropriate Jair volunteers to perform the ceremony for the gnome's friend and encourages the illusionist to participate in the ceremony as a formal way to say goodbye to his friend's spirit from this life. After Heirmund explains about Dengar's past Jair tells him then that Heirmund sounds like Dengar's heir.  He then gives the gnome some time to himself with his raven.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 20, 2005)

Lehko will go along with the plans that ahd been made. He drops a stack of ten on the table as well. *"More than enough I know. But... see if you can get me two or three sunrods in this one horse town,"* with that last part a bit hushed. *"And if not, get a grappling hook, block & tackle. I don't want to get caught unprepared again."* He tries to see if he can get a moment alone to talk to Heirimund about Dengar's funeral and what he can do to help.... and to see what his plans for his equipment are.


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## Mithran (Apr 21, 2005)

Heirmund takes some time to tell Jair about his departed friend. Heirmund's stories leave the impression that he thought of Dengar almost as a son as the gnome had grown attached to the family having seen three generations of it.

Heirmund the agree's to take part in the druidic ceremony and also agrees to Jair performing the ceremony.
((OOC: assuming the ceremony would be in keeping with Dengars beliefs, otherwise Heirmund would give a flat "no"))

In response to Lehko's inquiries Heirmund tells Lehko the plans for the funeral and that all he can do to help is to pay his repects at the funeral. Heirmund makes no reply to the question about Dengars possesions.

After everyone has had their fill of questions Heirmund walks off into the forest to sit and contemplate for a time.


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## IndyPendant (Apr 21, 2005)

Corkie, Oakhurst's local priest of Torm, died quietly in her bed a few weeks ago.  Since her assistant, Darius Baden'tor, left town seeking adventure (promising to return) nearly two months ago, the town is without a proper priest.  So while some of the more staid townsfolk grumble about it being 'improper', Constable Felosial is more than happy to allow Jair and Heirmund to perform the ceremony themselves, so long as they allow her to observe.  Lehko stays with them, and assists them wherever possible.

((Feel free to adlib the ceremony yourselves...: )  Dengar would most likely be interred in the town cemetary.  Since he has no known living relatives, his possessions will be taken by the constable, some to help pay the interment costs, the rest to be held for a time--up to one year--awaiting a relative to claim them.))

Meanwhile, Jerek and Ydyr check out the small general store, and the local blacksmith, Rurik Lutgher, looking for supplies.  They manage to dredge up everything they need, with only a minimum of outright scorn from the townsfolk--although you can see it in their eyes: they no longer believe in you.  Only four people still seem to trust that you'll succeed: Garon the innkeeper, Constable Felosian, the merchant Mr Hanover, and the Widow Hucrele herself.  The one exception to their gear is a proper harness for Terrek.  Still, at your urging, Rurik rigs up a very rough harness as a makeshift rush job for one gold piece, warning you that it will only last 'a few hauls' before fraying dangerously.

And...one other person apparently believes in you--at least, enough to want to join you.  A leatherclad barbarian who you have been told has been asking a lot of questions about the Citadel as well.   Yet another stranger to the town; one that Jerek and Ydyr encounter while haggling with Rurik over the harness...


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## jayaint (Apr 21, 2005)

Ydyr dumps his small dusty pouch over and lets the 4 silver pieces rattle around on the bar mixed in with the copper bits. [[noted on char. sheet]]

*I'm sorry I can't offer more for the equipment and gear, but, you see, I am at the mercy of Illmater and travel where he takes me, by his grace. * 

Looking at Jerek and the shopkeeper trying to sketch out a wolf-harness in mid-air, Ydyr lets his eyes wander. The rough looking sort wearing armor watching them catches his eyes. Ydyr strolls over and strikes up a general conversation, realizing that the barbarian probably knows more about them than he'd like. [[ Diplomacy (+4) and Sense Motive (+5)]] Where from? Where ya going? etc. etc.


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## Voadam (Apr 21, 2005)

Jair takes up the solemn duty of performing the funeral and returning Dengar to the earth. The ceremony includes reminders that the earthbound body is only a vehicle for part of the spirit's journey, it continues on to the gods after death and that the cycle of life and death is a natural part of the world we walk in on our spirit's journey. "*What matters is how we travel that journey and Dengar in his life strived to do what was right and to help others. His spirit was a good one and will be missed as we return his body to the embrace of the earth mother Chanteau*."

[ooc diplomacy to aid the grieving through the ceremony, knowledge religion for the specific rites and ceremony, and actual ordination and consecration as a druid at work here]


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## Voadam (Apr 21, 2005)

Jair will also talk to the constable afterwards and offer his services as a druid priest for the village while he is there in between forays into the sunless citadel.


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## Shayuri (Apr 21, 2005)

*Kuma speaks*

The large man in a thick leather jerkin worn over a rough-woven shirt is indeed watching Ydyr and Jerek, and with a certain glint of amusement in his eyes that suggests not all the rumors he's heard have been glowing. When Ydyr heads towards him, he breaks into a grin and rises from his seat to indicate his table with a broad sweep of his heavily muscled arm.

*"Come and sit with me,"* he invites with a deep baritone voice.* "Invite your friends if you like. Fate has brought our paths to a crossing."*

He listens with great interest to Ydyr's casual questions and nods. Ydyr's keen senses detect no dissembling from the towering figure, but in fact an expressive honesty that may seem almost naive.

*"I am from the far north, warmlander. From a great crag that juts from the snow like a mighty claw. There, my people live in safety, if not always in peace."* He chuckles. *I have come here in search of many things."* Abruptly he pounds the table with an explosive *CRACK*. 

*"Riches! Great deeds! Destiny!"* At that, he bursts into a momentary peal of laughter.

*"And what of you? What do you seek in that cursed place?*


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## Mithran (Apr 21, 2005)

> Constable Felosial is more than happy to allow Jair and Heirmund to perform the ceremony themselves, so long as they allow her to observe.




Heirmund seems annoyed by Felosial's seeming lack of trust *"Oh since one of our number died we're not trustworthy?, we might might be performing a ritual to turn the boy into an undead after all."* Heirmund continues angrily arguing against Felosial even watching the ceremony but will finally allow her to watch if she gives enough answers to calm the now short tempered gnome.



> Jair takes up the solemn duty of performing the funeral and returning Dengar to the earth. The ceremony includes reminders that the earthbound body is only a vehicle for part of the spirit's journey, it continues on to the gods after death and that the cycle of life and death is a natural part of the world we walk in on our spirit's journey. "What matters is how we travel that journey and Dengar in his life strived to do what was right and to help others. His spirit was a good one and will be missed as we return his body to the embrace of the earth mother Chanteau."




Heirmund waits until directed to do his small part and is very careful in his part.


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## IndyPendant (Apr 22, 2005)

Felosial calmly answers all of Heirmund's and Jair's questions regarding her motives, her answers coming across as honest enough that the two of them are at least partially satisfied--if not mollified.  It seems that she would only be there in an official capacity, and she would be taking his equipment just to pay for the burial.  But once Heirmund describes his relationship with Dengar, she says he can keep anything he wants--particularly once Heirmund explains how you all intend to go back to the Citadel the next morning.

((As an Earth Genasi, it's safe to say that he would probably very much prefer the standard burial ritual, without a casket.  The rest of it I think I shall skim over, this time...))

Jair conducts the ritual with Heirmund's assistance, Lehko spending most of the time watching them with Felosial.  Once completed, and once Dengar's body is properly interred, they return that evening to Garon's inn to find Ydyr and Jerek conversing with a leatherclad barbarian at one of the inn's three tables...


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## JimAde (Apr 22, 2005)

As Jair, Heirmund and Lehko enter, Jerek spots them and rises from the table.  He says, *"Kuma, these are our friends."*  He makes introductions all around and gets drinks for the new arrivals.  Once again seated he says to Heirmund, *"I'm sorry I couldn't be there today, but we had a little trouble getting some of the equipment.  It's all set now, and we met Kuma.  We've been telling him about our experiences yesterday, and I think he's interested in coming with us tomorrow."*


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## Shayuri (Apr 22, 2005)

The burly man nods at each of the others in turn, acknowledging them and sizing them up.

*"I am,"* he replies. *"I have heard on the breaths and mutters of these townsfolk that the dangers of that place have already taken one of you."* He nods slowly.

*"I will not be so fragile."*


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## Voadam (Apr 22, 2005)

Shayuri said:
			
		

> The burly man nods at each of the others in turn, acknowledging them and sizing them up.
> 
> *"I am,"* he replies. *"I have heard on the breaths and mutters of these townsfolk that the dangers of that place have already taken one of you."* He nods slowly.
> 
> *"I will not be so fragile."*




Jair's eyes narrow at the comment and his welcoming smile grows tighter as his eyes harden. "*Lad, not many can survive a fifty foot fall when knocked off a narrow ledge by a crazed beastie. You will not find a tougher one than the earth-touched braclish we buried today. We've fought unnatural plant abominations and creatures at home in the underdark. We go to see if a pair of youths can be rescued from the goblin lair. I am Jair Feyfriend, champion of Mielliki and druid leader of this band by consent. We fight evil and work to do what is right, both in the world and for each other. Tell me about yourself Kuma who would join us as we travel into darkness and danger for a good cause*."


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## Mithran (Apr 22, 2005)

Heirmund nods at Jerek and says *"That's fine Jerek no reason you needed to be there I suppose"* Heirmund turns to the newcomer obviously angered but keeping it somewhat in check *"Indeed tell us about yourself oh 'sturdy' one"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 22, 2005)

Lehko sits, as usual, with his legs up on the table, chair almost dangerously tottering on it's back legs, arms crossed. He has a dark air about him. It seems he has fallen into one of his 'moods'. He doesn't speak much during the conversation, but raises a brow when Jair mentions being leader, although he refrains from speaking. He mutters an order to Garon for a tall mug and a pitcher of dark, sweet wine. He sips it thoughtfully, while the others talk, and Heimund snaps.


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## Shayuri (Apr 22, 2005)

A fleeting embarrassed look crosses Kuma's face.

*"I meant no disrespect to your former companion,"* he explains, speaking more slowly now. *"Sometimes I speak before thinking things through. It is common...among my people...for a new hunter or warrior to boast of his strengths. The rumors...well, I should know better than to trust ill-tempered whispers in bar room corners. My friends, I apologize. I shall buy a round of drinks, and we will toast his memory!"*

He then goes on, *"As for me...I am Kuma, of the Blood of Artok, on my naming quest from my home far to the north. Through spoils of battle, and great deeds done, I will prove myself worthy of the blood of chieftains and one day claim the honor that is mine. I offer my sword and my skill at arms to your group, for it would be madness for us to have the same destination, yet travel separately. What say you? What say you all?"*


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## Mithran (Apr 22, 2005)

Heirmund nods *"I can accept that, long time friends dying makes me a bit touchy as well I suppose"* Heirmund looks towards Jair *"His reasoning is sound enough though he may be somewhat lacking in tact"* 

Heirmund looks a bit embarassed for a moment then says *"I'm sorry where are my manners?, I am Heirmund a wizard of modest talent. On my shoulder here is Ivan"* at this Ivan cocks his head to one said and says *"Hello"*


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## IndyPendant (Apr 23, 2005)

You spend the evening reminiscing about Dengar, and getting to know your new companion.  The next morning, you are again ready to head out to the Citadel to complete your mission.  Lehko feels...a bit off during the trip there--as if he were coming down with a fever--but by the time he reaches the rift, he shakes off whatever it was affecting him, and seems fine.

((I'll need to know Heirmund's prep'd spells, if he changes them.))

The half-day's trip passes uneventfully, and you arrive at the top of the rift once more, to find that nothing has changed in the two days you have been gone.  The knotted rope still dangles down to the ledge, and scavengers work at the two large rat corpses below.  The rift seems almost like a vast, dark, gaping maw.  _Come inside,_ it seems to invite.  _I have already feasted on one of you, and now I shall devour the rest of you as well._  A chill runs down your spine when you realize, watching each other's reactions, that every one of you seems to have had the same thought...


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## Shayuri (Apr 23, 2005)

Upon reaching the edge of the great tear in the earth, Kuma stares down into the inky gloom and says in what is for him a ghostly mutter, though his voice carries easily to everyone's ears even so.

*"So it's true then. This is where the flame fell. This is where my path begins."*

The pensive moment passes as quickly as it arrived, and he shot a confident grin at the others.

*"I will go first, and make sure the way is clear to the bottom."*

With that, Kuma grabs the rope firmly in both hands, and begins rapelling skillfully down into the darkness below.

(Note - taking 10 on Climb for check result of 15)


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## Mithran (Apr 23, 2005)

Heirmund nods and waits for Kuma to get to the bottom. Once Kuma is at the bottom Heirmund says *"Alright Jair, Terrek can go down by spell again and we can save the harness for when we have to come back up"*

((OOC: 0th level spells: Acid splashx2, Detect magic x2
1st level spells: Color spray, Charm person, Feather fall))


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## IndyPendant (Apr 25, 2005)

With your newfound companion Kuma leading the way, you climb down to the ledge.  Terrek floats down slowly again, once more howling his horrified misery the entire way down.  You reach the ledge without mishap, and soon stand together, ready to descend the narrow stairs.  Lehko lights one of the group's lanterns, providing _much_ better illumination than your makeshift torches did, and you begin your careful descent.

The stairs seem of sturdy, solid stone, although covered with a coating of loose rubble.  Very shortly, at the edge of sight, the top of a fortress emerges from the darkness.  The subterranean citadel, though impressive, seems long forgotten--if the lightless windows, cracked crenellations, and leaning towers are any indication.  All is quiet, though a cold breeze blows up from below, bringing with it the scent of dust and a faint trace of rot.

Your best estimate puts you at a hundred feet down from the top of the ridge, far above you, when the narrow stairs empty into a small courtyard, apparently the top of what was once a crenellated battlement.  The buried citadel has sunk so far into the earth that the battlement is now level with the surrounding cavern floor.  The floor of the cavern stretches away to the north and south from the small courtyard at the base of the stairs, and it is apparently composed of a layer of treacherous, crumbled masonry.  To the west looms the surviving structure of what must be the Sunless Citadel, the only entrance you can see being a tower that stands on the west side of the courtyard, with a closed door facing you.


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## JimAde (Apr 25, 2005)

Jerek looks over the cavern and the crumbling citadel.  With a brisk shake of his head he tries to rid himself of the creeping sense of dread that has been growing since they started the descent.  "I'll go have a look at the door," he says quietly, and moves off to do that.

[Checking the door to see if it's locked and to check for traps.  Search +6 ]


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## Voadam (Apr 25, 2005)

[just wanted to get this bit of flavor in for back in the bar] "*Kuma, I accept. I accept your apology, your sword, and your offer of a drink. Welcome to our band.*" and his grin and good nature were back and Jair gives grandiose flattering introductions for everybody in the group who hasn't spoken up yet.

. . .

Down in the citadel

Jair offers the clothing scraps for Terrek to sniff so we can track where the youths went. [This is full round actions that can be repeated to push the wolfhound to track by scent]


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## Mithran (Apr 25, 2005)

Heirmund stays close to Jair and watchs his faithful wolfhound with great interest.


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## jayaint (Apr 25, 2005)

Ydyr shivers and looks around at his companions. 

_Something of ill resides here, I can feel it in my bones. I'm glad to have a rested and properly prepared group with me. _ 

Ydyr waits for the group to move along deeper into the Citadel.


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## IndyPendant (Apr 26, 2005)

As Jair holds out a shirt for Terrek to sniff, Jerek approaches the door, eyeing it for traps--and unfortunately, missing the trap that opens up at his feet!  The slab beneath him disappears, swinging on hinges to strike the newly-revealed pit's wall, and dumping him 10 feet into a stone pit.  Jerek manages to land feet first, channeling the force of his fall into two rapid, compact shoulder rolls, ending up kneeling on one knee, unhurt.

His first impression is of the dimly-seen pair of corpses that lie in the pit with him--one of them rather fresh, by the smell of it.  It is dark in here, with Lekho's lantern the only light; Lehko is standing with the rest of the group, about fifteen feet behind Jerek.  Still, Jerek can hear the scrabbling of eager little claws nearby, a low chittering, and can dimly see an alarmingly large animal shape heading rapidly towards him!

((Reflex save: 3+5=8.  Tumble check to reduce falling damage: 5+7=22.  Fall was 10 ft, so no damage taken.))

And, above him, the stone slab that dumped him down into this pit begins to creak, slowly closing back up...

((Init order: Jerek/17; Heirmund/13; Lehko/12; Kuma/9; Ydyr/9; Animal/5; Jair/5.  No one was prepared, and so no one gains a surprise action.))


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 26, 2005)

With another comrade in impending danger, Lehko's recent torpor seems to break. His muscles visibly ripple beneath his skin as he snaps into action. He dashes forward tword the shutting slab and kicks his legs out from under him, attempting to slide or roll it seems past the closing slab to get into the pit.

[[Assuming he lands with his feet under him near Jerek, He'll turn to face whatever is coming, preparing to cast Flare if capable]]


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## JimAde (Apr 26, 2005)

A quick glance up convinces Jerek that dangling from the closing door while the whatever-it-is gnaws on his feet is a bad idea.  Instead, he quickliy draws a dagger and leaps up, trying to jam the dagger's blade under the flagstones at the edge of the pit to prevent the door closing all the way.

[OOC: Only a +0 Jump modifier, so I don't think I can actually jump high enough to get out, but I'm hoping this will work.  My melee dagger roll is also +0 (sigh).]


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## Shayuri (Apr 26, 2005)

*"Breath of the mountain,"* Kuma mutters in dismay. He edges around the side of the pit and braces himself as well as he can, then reaches down to try to hold back the closing stone.

*"ROPE!"* he bellows. *"We must pull them up quickly!"*


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## jayaint (Apr 26, 2005)

Ydyr rushes past the pit to watch everyone's back (i.e. the door ahead of us) while the trap-pit is closing.

[[ooc: if I have the rope, of course, I will use that instead. But the above was posted without that knowledge. If I have the rope, I will instead, loop it around me and throw it down. If not, my above action stands.]]


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## Voadam (Apr 26, 2005)

"*Use your club to jam it Kuma. Ydir, your rope. Heirmund you and I with covering fire*."

[ooc we didn't specify who was carrying the two ropes, how about Terek and Ydir.]


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## IndyPendant (Apr 27, 2005)

Jerek draws a dagger and tries to jump for the flagstones, to jam the dagger in, but fails entirely to even come close to them.  Lehko rushes forward, but now that you have had a chance to watch the slab for a bit, you realize you may even have a full half minute before it closes.  So, instead of risking injury by dropping into the pit himself, Lehko casts his spell on the animal from up above.  As he approaches, his lantern reveals yet another three-foot-long rat scrabbling towards Jerek.  A burst of light flashes right in front of the rat, who squeals in fear--but keeps coming.

((Jerek's jump check: 6+0=6.  Attack to jam the dagger in, at least *somewhere*: 7+0=7.  Rat's save: 11.))

Kuma runs to the opposite side of the pit from the hinges of the stone slab, plants his hands on the edge, carefully drops his feet down onto the angled slab, and _pushes_.  The slab is slowed noticeably--perhaps even stopped completely!  Meanwhile, Ydyr runs to the edge, and tosses the rope down while holding onto one end of it.  Chittering eagerly, the rat reaches Jerek and tries to gnaw a chunk out of his leg--but he nimbly dodges away from its incisor teeth.  Jair and Terek arrive at the pit's edge, the wolfhound barking madly down into the pit as Jair casts his spear at the rat below--who also dodges away.

((Kuma's Str check: 16+3=19.  Rat's attack: 11.  Jair's attack: 9+1=10.))

Heirmund studies the pit trap itself, noting that it is a little strange.  Your focus has entirely been on the slab that dumped Jerek into the pit--but it is only one of two.  A narrow strip six inches wide of--apparently--solid stone leads away from the exact middle of the door.  On either side of it, slabs of stone have fallen away, their pivots on the sides furthest from the middle strip.  Kuma is bracing against the slab directly above Jerek, but the one on the other side of the narrow strip is still slowly closing.

The pit itself is earthen and damp, with slightly sloping walls.  Jerek might even be able to clamber out of it--if it weren't for the carniverous beast trying to make a meal out of him.  There are actually two skeletons in the pit, probably goblinoid, and one fresh goblin still dressed in tattered leathers, that has quite obviously been used as a food source...


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## Mithran (Apr 27, 2005)

Heirmund quickly chants and releases a ball of acid the second rat and moves over toexamine the workings of the trap a bit more closely.


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## JimAde (Apr 27, 2005)

*"Get off, ya mangy git!"* Jerek shouts at the rat.  Having utterly failed to do anything more useful with the dagger, he dances back and throws it at the creature.

[OOC:  5-foot step and throw.  +4 Ranged Dagger (1d4+1 19-20/x2) including Point Blank Shot.  Duh.  Should have thrown it into the wall in the first place.  Much better numbers... ]


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## Voadam (Apr 27, 2005)

"*Good job Kuma, it seems to be working*."

Jair unwinds his sling and loads up a bullet to hurl at the rat.


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## Shayuri (Apr 28, 2005)

Kuma grunts and steadies himself, thick leather soles digging into the cracks of the ancient flagstones.

*"Club's...too big...to jam it. I can hold it though,"* he says through gritted teeth and corded muscles.


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## jayaint (Apr 28, 2005)

Ydyr makes sure the rope is close to his pit-trapped companion now that he had thrown his dagger.


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## IndyPendant (Apr 28, 2005)

Jerek gives up his attempt to jam the dagger into the wall, instead stepping back and flinging a dagger at the dire rat--striking it solidly in the shoulder!  The rat is still in the fight however, and Jerek now has his back to the wall, below the closing slab of stone that Kuma is bracing.  Heirmund casts a spell and a small ball of acid streaks from his hands to strike the rat, burning its other shoulder.  With a last agonized squeal, it collapses.

((Jerek's attack: 15+3+1=19.  Damage: 2+1=3.  Heirmund's attack: 16+2=18.  Damage: 2.))

Kuma continues bracing against the slab, and he has definitely succeeded in stopping it, although it keeps trying to close with a nasty grinding noise.  The immediate pressure off with the death of the rat, Ydyr moves the rope to a better position, making it as easy as possible for Jerek to climb out.

((Str check: 13+3=16.  I will remember the sling in the future, Jair. )


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## JimAde (Apr 28, 2005)

Jerek gratefully grabs the rope and clambers from the pit.  Once out, he helps Kuma extricate himself from the trap door.  *"Thanks, all.  I am really getting sick of these bloody rats."*


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## Shayuri (Apr 28, 2005)

Once all pit-goers are safe and out, Kuma releases the pit's stone covering and rolls back away from the gaping maw, nodding at Jerek as he rises. He claps his hands together and flexes his fingers.

*"Not much honor fighting rats,"* he agrees, *"Even if they ARE of unusual size. But I'm sure this foul place has thicker meat for our teeth within."* He grins eagerly at the thought, and turns to face the door to the tower.

After only a moment to scrutinize the flagstones between himself and the door, Kuma marches over to it and presses his ear to it momentarily.

(OOC - listen check through the door...assuming I get there )


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## JimAde (Apr 28, 2005)

Jerek follows the big man grumbling to himself, *"...just bought that knife, too.  Really liked it, had the nice wrapping on the handle and..."*.  Arriving at the door, he gets down to the business of determining if it's safe to open while waiting for Kuma's report on noises within.


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## Voadam (Apr 28, 2005)

"*Good job everybody*."

[ooc is it possible for Jerek to have grabbed his dagger and thrown up Jair's spear (his main melee weapon) now that the immediate pressure is not there. If there was time Jair would call for him to do so and if there was anything like pouches or amulets on the goblins for him to grab those.]

Jair takes a good look at the dead goblins from the edge of the pit as Jerek makes his way out. Particularly about how they died, whether it was from the fall, starvation, or rat attacks.


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## IndyPendant (Apr 29, 2005)

Jerek quickly retrieves his dagger, and tosses up Jair's spear, before clambering out.  As he does so, the slab Kuma is bracing against suddenly stops moving with a loud grinding *crrrunch!*--almost dumping him down into the pit himself!  He pushes himself back up onto the floor--and knocks the slab off its moorings.  Jerek suddenly climbs a lot faster, as the slab catches short of falling in, wobbling by a single pivot hinge.

Once out of the pit, Kuma listens at the door while Jerek examines it for traps.  Neither notice anything out of the ordinary.  Meanwhile, Jair looks down at the bodies in the pit, but from this distance it's impossible to discern details--except that the skeletons are goblinoid and have obviously been there a long time, and the recently dead goblin has been used for a meal.  A few times...


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## Mithran (Apr 29, 2005)

While the others are all busy Heirmund studies the workings of the trap itself and even flips open his empty journal to make notes and a few crude diagrams given time.


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## Voadam (Apr 29, 2005)

Jair retrieves his spear "Thank you Jerek. Everyone take note of the safe path for when we come through again."


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## Shayuri (Apr 29, 2005)

On hearing nothing, Kuma draws his sword and nods at the roguish fellow checking the handle mechanism out.

*"If the latch there is safe, open it, and I'll go in first,"* he intones quietly in his deep baritone.


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## JimAde (Apr 29, 2005)

Jerek nods, but before he opens the door he readies his bow and nocks an arrow.  Holding the arrow in place with his finger, he uses his free hand to open the door and steps back out of the way.


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## Shayuri (Apr 30, 2005)

The moment the door's latch is lifted, Kuma kicks it open and bursts into the room sword held at the ready and his battered wooden shield covering his face and vitals. He takes a quick spin around to make sure no one and nothing has waited behind the door, or against the wall there to attack from the rear.

Once he's sure there's no immediate threat (assuming there's no obvious combatants), he sheathes his sword and gestures for the others to join him.


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## IndyPendant (Apr 30, 2005)

Kuma leaps in ready for battle, but finds no assailants, so he beckons the rest of you into the room.  This circular area is cobbled with cracked granite, upon which sprawl four goblin corpses, all apparently slain in combat some time ago.  One stands with its back against the western wall, the killing spear still skewering it and holding it upright.  Above, a hollow tower of loose masonry surrounds you, stretching up 30 feet, but the intervening floors and stairs to its top are gone, except for a couple of crumbled ledges.  The tower itself is 40 feet in diameter, and there is a closed reinforced wooden door to the northwest, and another facing southwest.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Apr 30, 2005)

Lehko brings up Kuma's rear, holding the lantern high. He steps forward, keeping an eye on the ground ahead of him, and kneels beside one of the corpses, examining it's wounds and gear. *"Wizard, are you taking all this down? Maps may prove useful, even rudimentary ones."* Lehko continues to study the corpses, waiting for a move to be made by the rest of the party, taking special note of their gear, hoping to scavenge something useful for himself.


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## Mithran (Apr 30, 2005)

Heirmund seeing the other move forward get's up and puts the book away "I wasn't planning on taking _everything_ down, but maps could be wise I suppose"


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## JimAde (May 1, 2005)

Slipping in behind the others, Jerek hooks the door with his foot and swings it shut.  While Lehko checks the corpses, Jerek moves to a position that allows him to cover both the western doors without including any of the others in his field of fire.  He keeps his eyes on the two doors, with an occasional glance up through the ruined tower toward the sky.  His eyes are drawn unwillingly to the grisly spectacle of the goblin skewered against the wall.  *"Does that look like a goblin weapon to you, Heirmund?  Or were our missing explorers responsible?"*


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## Voadam (May 1, 2005)

Jair looks to the two doors "*A moment lads.*" He bends down and scratches the wolfhound behind the ears and offers encouragement to the large dog. *"All right Terrek, find the scent. Find the youths. you can do it*."

[Jair uses animal handling again to see if Terrek can pick up the trail.]


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## Mithran (May 1, 2005)

Heirmund comes forward to inspect the spear protruding from the goblin for a few moments.


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## jayaint (May 1, 2005)

Ydyr looks around the room and wonders what it was that they fought here. He hopes quietly that the war dog doesn't pick up the scents of either of the Widow's children here.

*This place spooks me. I would rather not dawdle here.*


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## IndyPendant (May 2, 2005)

As Jerek covers the doors, Lehko kneels down and examines the goblin corpses.  They seem about a month old, rat-chewed, and stripped of valuables--although each still has a well-used shortsword nearby.  Jair gives Terrek a smell of the clothes, and the wolfhound begins sniffing at the ground--sneezing a lot from the dirt and dust, but apparently at a loss for finding any scents.  The spear has been driven right through the goblin and apparently wedged into the wall, holding the corpse upright; a casual tug by Heirmund fails to dislodge it.


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## Voadam (May 2, 2005)

"*If there is no scent then it is up to exploring and one way is as good as another, let's try the northwest door*."


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## Shayuri (May 2, 2005)

Seeing the mage's attempt to pull the spear free fail, Kuma sheathes his notched blade and takes the spear by the end.

*"Allow me."*

With a ferocious tug, he tries to yank the spear out of the wall, so it can be examined.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 2, 2005)

Lehko grimaces mildly as he examines the corpses. *"These bodies have been chewed on. Needless to say, keep an eye out for more of the thrice damned rats,"* that said he idly scratches the spot where the last one of those beasts he encountered tore a chunk form his thigh. He selects the best conditioned of the goblin shortswords and gives a practice stab or two agianst the air. After sheathing and un-sheathing it several times to make sure it doesn't stick he straps the scabbard to the small of his back. Pausing for a mmoment he picks up another and straps it tightly to his thigh. Feeling more secure in his armament, despite his unfamiliarity with the weapons, he stands and rejoins the rest fo the group.


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## IndyPendant (May 3, 2005)

Kuma yanks the spear out of the wall and hands it to Heirmund, as Lehko arms himself with goblin shortswords.  It looks like an ordinary spear--for a normal person.  Heirmund quickly realizes it's not a goblin spear.

What is more surprising is what is revealed as the goblin corpse, free of its support, slithers to the ground with a sound like a wet rag--and expelling a gagging, rotting stench.  Etched into the wall behind the body with either fire or acid, a word is scrawled that none of you are familiar with--although something in the back of Heirmund's mind twinges vaguely when he reads it.

*ASHARDALON*

Heirmund has heard the word before, but try as he might, he can't remember where it was from.

Then Terrek, sniffing (and occasionally sneezing) around the northwestern door, begins barking excitedly, jumping up on his hind feet and pawing at it.


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## Voadam (May 3, 2005)

"*Good boy Terrek! I think we have a trail lads*."

Jair moves over to the northwest door.


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## Shayuri (May 3, 2005)

Kuma squints at the strange word, then shrugs. Maybe some goblin warning, or an overly grand name for this forlorn and wasted place. The dog's reaction is far more interesting though, and he draws his sword and approaches the door...


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## Mithran (May 3, 2005)

*"Definately a spear of human make"* Heirmund looks closely at the word for a moment but as his friends begin to move on falls back into line.


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## IndyPendant (May 4, 2005)

Kuma opens the northwest door as Jair calms Terrek down, to reveal a long ten-foot-wide hall heading west.  It extends nearly 40 feet, with doors opposite each other facing north and south near the far end, and a third westfacing door right at the far end.  The southfacing door is unusual; even from here, you can see it is made of stone, carved into a basrelief of a fish.

Otherwise, the hallway is empty.


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## Voadam (May 4, 2005)

Jair is amused by the fish but gives Terrek the lead to track down the youths.


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## jayaint (May 4, 2005)

Ydyr looks at the word blankly and then turns to look down the hallway. He is liking this "Sunless Citadel" less and less. And not for any reason that is in the forefront of his mind, but just for some growing dread he feels in his bones. 
*
Let's all be careful, and stay alive. * Ydyr whispers.


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## JimAde (May 4, 2005)

Jerek nods and murmurs in reply, *"Wiser words were never spoken."*  He moves down the hallway after Kuma and Jair, bow still at the ready.


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## IndyPendant (May 5, 2005)

Snuffling at the ground and occasionally sneezing, Terrek leads you down the hallway past the two doors, to the one on the end.  Jair opens that door to reveal a large and irregularly shaped room beyond.  Crudely executed symbols and glyphs, scribed in bright green dye, decorate this crumbling chamber.  A large pit in the chamber's center shows evidence of a recent bonfire.  A metallic cage in the center of the southern wall contains a gaping hole and stands empty.  A small wooden bench draped with green cloth stands before the cage, and upon it sits several small objects.  A bedroll lies near the wooden bench, from which the sound of whimpering is plainly audible.


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## JimAde (May 5, 2005)

Jerek lingers near the door.  After casting a quick glance into the room, he turns his attention back the way they came, covering the two doors they passed with his bow.  Though the whimpering sound tugs at him, he relies on those more adept at healing to address the situation while he covers the group's back.


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## jayaint (May 5, 2005)

Ydyr takes several steps into the room and scans for other exits than the one they entered from. Then he will make his way towards the bench, stopping short of the whimpering.


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## Voadam (May 5, 2005)

Jair nods approvingly at Jerek taking a covering position and watching their back. Intrigued by the runes and objects Jair will nevertheless proceed to check out the source of the whimpering first, Ydir ready right at his back.


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## Shayuri (May 5, 2005)

Kuma accompanies Jair, sword at the ready and shield interposed between the bedroll and himself. Though he is of split minds about the whimpering, he knows better than to assume that the noise is one of the missing people. This close to the exit, anyone able to whimper should be able to get out as well. 

He spares a glance to the cage though, as he passes. A curious thing to find empty in such a place as this. However, once past the metal structure, his attention is riveted to the bedroll, though he lets Jair make the first move.


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## Mithran (May 5, 2005)

Heirmund moves to the right of the door to examine the glyphs on that wall.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 6, 2005)

Lehko, at the rear of the group, shivers in an uncharacteristic display of insecurity. *"I do not like these tight quarters,"* he mutters under his breath. He pauses when he reaches the two doors, while the others move forward to the fish relief door. Out of curiosity, he very carefully presses his ear to the northward door, and then the southward door.


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## Voadam (May 6, 2005)

With Kuma and Ydir in immediate support positions Jair approaches the wimpering bundle.


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## IndyPendant (May 6, 2005)

Lehko is the only one remaining in the hall as the rest of the party enters the room.  He listens at the northern door, and then at the southern stone door, but hears nothing from the other side of either one.  Meanwhile, Heirmund examines the runes covering the walls, realizing they're a bastardized, barbaric form of High Draconic, spelling out various versions of the phrase *"Here there be dragons!"*

As Heirmund reads the crude runes, Jair, Kuma, and Ydyr approach the whimpering figure, with Jerek providing cover for them.  A small form huddles underneath a filthy green blanket.  It's quickly apparent the form can't be one of the two Hucreles--even before the whimpering abruptly stops and a small, scaled head pokes out from underneath it.  Its glowing red eyes widen when it sees the four of you bearing down on it weapons at the ready, and it scrambles off the bench and flees!  Jerek almost shoots at it, but stops when the thing doesn't get far, instead crashing clumsily to the floor as its legs get trapped in the blanket.  It curls into a fetal ball and keens loudly in abject terror, its thin scaly arms covering its head and its entangled legs still moving as if trying to run.

You find yourself gazing down at a kobold, cowering pathetically on the floor before you.


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## JimAde (May 6, 2005)

Jerek makes a strangled noise as he looks back out the door to check on Lehko.  He hisses at the others, *"Quiet that thing down!"*


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## Mithran (May 6, 2005)

Heirmund seeing he'll be much more useful with the kobold than reading a phrase over again moves a bit closer to the kobold and begins to speak in draconic *"Calm down, there is no need to be afraid"* Heirmund motions the others to back away from the creature.


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## Voadam (May 6, 2005)

Jair nods at Heirmund and will motion the others back while the gnome talks in the lizard language to the scaled humanoid, adopting a less threatening posture with the others.

[ooc aid another on diplomacy by making things seem less threatening?]


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## Shayuri (May 6, 2005)

Kuma sighs and raises his sword.

*"I might have known. They breed like rats in the dark caverns of the earth. One's no threat, but there'll be more, as sure as dragons have wings...."*

His intended action is interrupted by Heirmund's urging. Kuma lowers his sword with a querying expression, but doesn't back away.

*"There isn't?"*

With a roll of his eyes, Kuma sheathes his sword, but looks ready to grab the kobold any second if it doesn't calm down, or if it tries to run again.

(readying action to grapple the little blighter if it keeps making noise, or tries to flee)


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## IndyPendant (May 8, 2005)

The kobold stops whimpering and stops trying to run, carefully looking out at you through its arms.  Its eyes narrow and it bares its sharp teeth in reflexive loathing at the sight of Heirmund looking down at it, and begins to speak in rapid draconic.

*~ihavemanyfriendsandtheywillbecominganysecondvilestonelovingtricksterthiefandthenyouwilldiepainfullyflayedalivenoseeyesearscutoutslowlythoughimightbeabletosaveyouifyourreallynicetomeanddonttorturemekillmeoranythingsosurren~*

It stops midsyllable and takes a deep breath, presumably to rattle on some more--but it suddenly begins hacking and coughing, by the looks of it trying to cough out one of its own lungs.

Now that you've had a bit of time to look at the thing, you see it is scarred all over its body with slashes and burns, as if it has been mauled repeatedly by savage beasts, and then charred by flames.


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## Mithran (May 8, 2005)

Once more in draconic *"Torture you?, no. Kill you?... well the thought crossed my mind but perhaps you could give us some information?. Do you speak the common tongue, Kobold?"* Heirmund looks thoroughly displeased but resolved to do his duty to the party.

Heirmund speaks to Jair in common *"It claims it has friends and that they will torture us etcetera unless we are kind to him, you seem to have claimed the position of party leader so I commit the matter to your judgement."*


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## Voadam (May 8, 2005)

Jair looks at the gnome, back at the kobold and then can't help himself, he laughs. "*Those were threats and not cries for mercy or aid? I really can't tell scalyfolk body language or intonation. OK ignore that for now. Tell the lad we are looking for some humans. Ask him if he knows or has heard anything about any humans coming down here. Also tell him we understood there were goblins down here and ask if he can tell us about them*."


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## Shayuri (May 8, 2005)

Kuma grumbles and looks around.

*"Unlikely this one can tell us much. His scars. He has been bullied and abused. He must be of very low rank among his people. That he was here alone means he may even be an exile."*

He stalks away from the kobold, though an observer would note that he keeps himself between it and its potential escape route. He pauses to squint at the scribbles on the wall.

*"This room may be a place of punishment. What do these scratches mean?"*


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## Voadam (May 8, 2005)

Jair continues "*Tell him I am a druid who is interested in finding the other humans and getting around here. If he provides us with information and acts as a guide I will use my druidic magic to heal him."*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 8, 2005)

Lehko rejoins the others, and has been listening the whole time. *"I do not agree Kuma. Often, the little rat that is over looked can hear many things he was not supposed to. mayhaps we should treat him with some respect, if it will loosen the unfortunate's tounge."* That said, he kneels before the fire pit, casually poking through it, but reguarly looking over his shoulder into the hallway. This place makes him uneasy it seems, his body language does not suggest the nearly manic energy you have come to expect from Lehko.


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## IndyPendant (May 9, 2005)

The kobold stares at Heirmund for a few moments before replying.  */~What information do you want?  I do not speak your feces-ridden tongue, so you will have to--/~*  It cuts off midsentence and sweeps a glare to include Kuma, Jair and Lehko--screeching in thickly-accented common, *"Meepo high rank!  Meepo important!  Meepo Keeper of Dragons!"*  It runs its hands down its scaly body in what would be a loving caress from a human.   *"Meepo earn scars!  You no take Meepo's scars!  You respect Meepo!  You respect Meepo!"*  It sweeps its hand to encompass the writing on the walls.  *"Here There Be Dragons!  Here There Be Dragons!!!"*

Then, of all things, it...bursts into tears.  Great, gut-wrenching sobs, as it collapses to a kneeling position on the floor and covers its face.

Lehko glances over at the kobold, but finds himself interested in the firepit after all.  It has recently been used for a very large fire--and there are many bits of charred kobold bones and armour recently burned, in the pit.  As the kobold rants at him, he also picks up and cleans the ashes from a single small figurine made of skillfully carved jade.  A dragon.


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## JimAde (May 9, 2005)

Jerek rolls his eyes heavenward and grinds out through clenched teeth, *"Could somebody please shut that thing up?"* He returns his gaze to the hallway, bow at the ready for the horde of goblins he expects to come investigate the noise.


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## Shayuri (May 9, 2005)

Kuma takes a step back to the sobbing reptile, an expression of revulsion on his normally taciturn features. He leans down, grabs the kobold by the nape of the neck and says in a quiet growl, *"And now Meepo is our prisoner. And if Meepo doesn't speak quietly and behave himself, then the next band of explorers to enter this place will find Meepo's bones in that pit along with all the others.*"

He looks up at the others, distaste still etched on his face.

*"Anyone else have questions for this one?"*


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## Voadam (May 9, 2005)

"*Somebody watch with Jerek in case trouble arrives*." Jair walks up to the barbarian who has grabbed the kobold and speaks quietly and calmly to the kobold in a reassuring voice. He takes on the role of the "good constable" who provides palatable alternatives to the threats of the intimidating "bad constable", the role that Kuma has assumed, perhaps unknowingly, with the kobold.

"*Gently Kuma. Meepo, listen to me. We are searching for humans who came down here. My healing will not remove scars, only injuries and pain. I want to hear what you can tell us, what happened here, about the dragons, your people, the goblins, and the humans. Let's start with what you know about any humans coming down here though*."


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## Mithran (May 9, 2005)

Heirmund steps back to watch the door with Jerek as his services as an interpreter are apparently no longer needed.

((OOC: I did not post yesterday because I felt it was important to let Meepo reply before Heirmund just went on talking))


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## jayaint (May 9, 2005)

Ydyr has been letting his eyes roam [[Search/Spot]] throughout the room during the kobold's threats and pleas. 

He says, to no one in particular, "*This place gets stranger and stranger, still*."


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 10, 2005)

Lehko pockets the figurine and stands. He waits for a break or pause in the interrogation, and intones, *"How did it happen? Who destroyed your clan? Here there be dragons allright, in the pit. Tell me who did it, and I may find reason to help."* He keeps his tone neutral, and his eyes level, almost mimicing the kobolds proud stance from before.


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## IndyPendant (May 10, 2005)

Meepo whimpers--quietly--in fear as Kuma grips him, but responds to Jair's questions: *"Goblins steal, we kill.  Meepo not know about humans.  Maybe leader know about humans.  Meepo take you to Yusdrayl, you make nice.  Grant you safe passage, you not hurt Meepo.  Maybe you promise rescue Dragon, leader make nice you.  Rescue...Dragon!  Yes.  Yes!  Wretched thief goblins take Calcryx!  You rescue Calcryx, leader answer questions!  Yes!"*

It is so excited by this idea that it immediately begins to scamper away--getting about half a foot before being yanked back roughly by Kuma, who still has a tight grip on its neck.  It whimpers again and says sullenly, *"You not making nice.  You need make nice, Yusdrayl help you."*


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## Voadam (May 10, 2005)

Jair smiles reassuringly to the kobold and speaks in a calming manner "*One moment Meepo. Tell me about your people here first. Your leader is Yusdrayl, and you have scars as a sign of your position with your people. You were a dragon keeper? The dragon was called Calcryx and it was stolen by the goblins? How many of your people live down here and how long have they been here*?"


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## IndyPendant (May 11, 2005)

((Hrm.  It seems I've forgotten to describe the exits from the room you're all currently in.  There are five doors, all shut, and one hallway that lead from this rather large room.  In the northeast corner is an east-facing door.  Near--but not right at--the southeast corner is another east-facing door; this is the door you all came through.  At the southwest corner there are two doors; a south-facing door and a west-facing one.  In the northwest corner a large room 'pushes' into the room you're in, causing your room to have a sort of ';-|' shape, with the break in the semicolon being the hallway, leading west.  Accross from the northeast door is another door, that apparently opens west into whatever room is warping the shape of yours.  Phew.  Hope that's clear...))

Meepo tells some of the story in its broken common, but nowhere near all of it.  Snuffling and whimpering every other word, it describes a raid the goblins made about a week ago, coming from "that way"--it points to the northeast door of this large room.  During this raid, a great many goblins were killed, and a few "noble kobold bounders" as well.  The kobolds were happy with the new goblin bodies, because they have been running a little low on meat just lately, but they burned their comrades' corpses in a great ritualistic bonfire about five days ago.

The most important, utterly heartbreaking (for it) tragedy though, is the fact that the goblins managed in the confusion of the fight to capture and flee with the "Great Wyrm" Calcryx, who was kept in the now-rent cage.  In the course of the story, you learn that Meepo, as Keeper of the Dragon, apparently had great status within this strange kobold community.  Though he won't come close to admitting it, by reading between the lines you can see that with the Dragon gone, Meepo's status has plummeted to zilch.

He insists he doesn't know anything about any other humans, but that Yusdrayl the Wise "sees all, knows all", and would be able to help you with your quest--for a price.  That price, apparently, being rescuing Calcryx.  He is eager and insistant that you all meet Yusdrayl, repeatedly pledging safe passage so long as you "make nice"--sending the occasional petulant glare at Kuma as he says this.

Lehko notices that the bench beside Meepo, draped in the green cloth, looks almost like some sort of altar.  There are vials of green dye, a crude paintbrush, and four more small jade figurines, similar to the one he found in the fire, but much cleaner.  Ydyr studies the cage in the middle of the south wall, noting that the gaping hole in it is almost perfectly sized for Terrek, looking as if something had battered its way out of the cage...

Besides the bonfire remains, bench, Meepo, and damaged cage, there is nothing else of interest that you can see in this room.


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## Voadam (May 11, 2005)

"*Meepo, how many kobolds are in your tribe? And I am a little unclear on some detail here. Describe this dragon, how big was it, is it green like the jade? How did your tribe come to be a caretaker to a dragon? What happened with the cage? It looks like something burst from the inside out*."


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## jayaint (May 11, 2005)

*I think we should allow Meeps here to collect the stuff from his altar and bring it along. I don't want to leave it here unguarded, and yet, from a trust standpoint, I don't think we should just grab it and take it. * 

Ydyr is still puzzling why it looks as though something came OUT of the cage, as opposed to going in.


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## Shayuri (May 11, 2005)

Kuma eyes the jade with interest from where he squats near Meepo. He's released the kobold from his grip midway through the interrogation, but is clearly ready to grab the creature again at a moment's notice.  He scowls at Ydyr's idea.

*"The valuables in this room are ours by right of plunder,"* he protests. *"What do you mean give them to the kobold?"*


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## JimAde (May 11, 2005)

With Lehko now in the room, Jerek closes the door quietly behind them and approaches Kuma.  Under his breath he says, *"These things are a small price to pay if they can lead us to our actual quarry, and the reward that goes with it.  Especially if we can do so without needless fighting."*  He casts a baleful look around the room.  *"I'm sure there will be plenty of chances to wet our blades before this is done.  Let's not burden ourselves fighting all the vermin in the place."*


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## jayaint (May 11, 2005)

*Kuma, look. These things are obviously held in high regard by this kobold. And for better or for ill, as we will find out eventually, he is offering to help us along in this unfamiliar place. To allow him his trinkets now might provide him with a good outlook on us, maybe even enough to keep us out of any kobold-ian trouble. And, plus, honestly Kuma, do you doubt that you couldn't subdue Meepo and take those trinkets at any time you choose?*
[[Diplomacy]]

Ydyr explains slowly and carefully, taking care to show respect towards the kobold and his items while speaking.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 11, 2005)

Lehko sighs impatiently, and uncrosses his arms. *"We waste time with this talk. If our targets are in the 'care' of the goblins, then we must hurry. Take us to Yusdrayl, now,"* He glances at Kuma, *"No harm will come to you, IF you play fair with us."* To illustrate his point, he reveals the dragon figurine found in the pit and places it next to the others on the alter.


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## Shayuri (May 12, 2005)

Kuma grunts, and waves off the comments.

*"Faugh, so be it. They will betray us in the end, and I will be ready. For now, I will follow."*


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## IndyPendant (May 12, 2005)

Meepo eagerly scampers away, saying *"You make nice, we get dragon, you get Yusdrayl!"*  It leads you down the western hallway, which you can see bends to the north and opens up into a huge hall, in which you can see standing a few large pillars.

You don't get to enter the hall quite yet though, as you see a pair of kobolds--these ones dressed for combat--passing by there just as you all reach the bend.  Meepo rushes towards them, screeching in his lizardlike language, and they stop and turn to face you, spears at the ready.


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## JimAde (May 12, 2005)

Jerek slides so his back is to the hall corridor, ready to shoot around his friends if need be.  He does not point his bow at the kobolds, however.

*"Now we'll see what our new ally is worth,"* he murmurs to nobody in particular.


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## Voadam (May 12, 2005)

Jair nods at Jerek's comment, readying himself for diplomacy or battle, depending on how this turns out.


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## Mithran (May 12, 2005)

Heirmund simply stops walking and listens carefully to the kobolds low form of draconic.
OOC: I assume that the kobolds are indeed speaking draconic and so Heirmund can understand them?


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## IndyPendant (May 13, 2005)

The hallway behind you, before the bend and leading to the bonfire room, has three closed doors: two facing south and one facing north.  As you all get ready for anything, you watch the guards look at each other, and then call out into the hall.  Heirmund is tense, but he can hear that Meepo is just telling the other kobolds the 'good news' as it reaches the guards--that you will be rescuing Calcryx.  Meepo turns and waves you forward, and as you cautiously approach, the kobolds equally cautiously retreat a little.  You enter a large hall, roughly twenty feet north-south and a hundred feet east-west.  Two doors close to each other facing south exit this hall; two more doors spread much further apart exit to the north, and a door also exits to the east behind you.

Deterioration and decay thrive here as everywhere; however, a double row of relief-carved marble columns march the length of the hall, depicting entwining dragons.  Three more kobolds approach, and they all escort you to the far western end, Meepo strutting in front of you importantly.  A short throne stands near the west wall here, constructed of fallen bits of masonry stacked against an old altar.  A small, horned kobold in red dyed robes sits in the throne, and a guard of six others surround her.  The altar's top contains a variety of small items, while the portion of the altar that serves as the throne's back features a carving of a rearing dragon, biting down on a metallic key.  There are now a dozen kobolds near you, all but Meepo glaring at you--especially Heirmund--malevolently.

Meepo begins to talk rapidly to the figure in the chair, who raises an arm and makes a few quick arcane gestures, causing a tiny spear of ice to streak from its finger and shatter just in front of Meepo's feet.  Meepo yelps and jumps back, and the robed figure begins barking in their sharp, harsh language.  **~The disgraced one will not speak.~**

The figure then clasps its hands in front of it, and demands imperiously in thickly-accented common, *"Why you here?"*


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## JimAde (May 13, 2005)

As they approach the throne, Jerek glances nervously around at all the kobolds, clearly wondering whether they've chosen wisely to place themselves in such a spot.

After the short exchange between Meepo and the one who is presumably Yusdrayl, Jerek looks expectantly at Jair.


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## Mithran (May 13, 2005)

Heirmund comes up near Jair and motions for him to lean down (Assuming Jair leans down) Heirmund whispers to him *"The one who would appear to be the leader Yusdrayl told Meepo not to speak as he has been disgraced. I may speak their language but they aren't going to like hearing anything from me so it would be best if you spoke to them I would think"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 13, 2005)

Deciding to take initiative before the over-earnest Druid or the volitile Barabarian, and get a handle on the charged situation, Lehko takes a half step forward. *"I am Lehko. My companions, Jerek, Jair, Kuma, and Terrek,"* he motions an open hand to each in turn, purposley ignoring Herimund as they seem to have particular animosity twords him, and hoping Herimund takes the hint. *"We have been told you see and hear everything that occurs in your realm. We seek two young humans, a male and a female that passed this way some weeks ago. We have also been told there would be a price for this information."* He waits expectantly and quietly, showing strength in his body language, and keeping his eyes level.


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## IndyPendant (May 16, 2005)

The cowled figure leans back, still clasping its scaley hands.  *"Yusdrayl know humans.  Humans come more three day tens before.  Humans fear us, go vile goblins.  You find there.  Yusdrayl have price.  Goblins steal dragon.  You say get dragon back, Yusdrayl answer questions.  Give you safety through Yusdrayl's place.  Disgraced One go with you.  Show you where go.  We have deal?"*  Meepo looks up, clearly startled, but doesn't say anything.


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## JimAde (May 16, 2005)

Jerek catches Lehko's eye and gives a tiny nod, indicating his willingness to go along with the deal.


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## Voadam (May 17, 2005)

Jair listens to Heirmund's whispers as Lekho steps forward. Once the kobold makes his offer in common Jair steps forward, taking on the authority of his religious position and drawing the kobold's attention him as he makes the formal address. "*Yusdrayl, leader of kobolds. I Jair Feyfriend, druid champion of Mielikki, accept your offer. This one [gesturing to Meepo] will come as our guide and you will tell us of the humans, the goblins, and the dragon Calcryx. In return we agree to bring back your dragon*."


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## IndyPendant (May 17, 2005)

Yusdrayl nods, once.  *"Jair and Yusdrayl have deal.  Disgraced One not know these.  Yusdrayl know these.  Yusdrayl answer questions now.  Humans come.  Fear us.  Go to goblin places.  Not see again.  Yusdrayl say Jair look for humans in goblin feces."*  It chitters, and after a moment you recognize it as laughter.  Many of the other kobolds join in, although Meepo just gazes down at the ground silently.  After a few moments, Yusdrayl turns serious.  *"Goblins many.  My powerful people, true heirs to Great Dragons, not able to kill.  Yet.  Humans important to you, you come to our place for them.  Jair have more questions, or kobolds take you to goblins now?"*

Another four kobold guards approach from behind you, looking more curious than wary.  There are now sixteen of the humanoid lizards, facing you from all directions...


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## Voadam (May 17, 2005)

Jair notes the kobolds implications about the humans and his eyes narrow. "*I have many questions Yusdrayl. Tell me about the dragon. Calcryx. What type of dragon is he? How long have you kept him and why did the goblins take him? Will we find him eaten as well by the goblins? What is their magical fruit? And I have heard another human came here two years ago. Belak the Black. A man with a frog. Do you know anything about him? Or about unnatural plant beasties now running through the forest*?"


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 17, 2005)

Lehko remains where he is and captures Jair's gaze for a moment, in silent comment. He does not step back, but relaxes his posture some and lowers his eyes slightly from Yusdrayl. Something seems a little off in her dismissive manner, and he is unsure he trusts her. He remains silent however, and stays alert, casting his eyes about examing the kobolds and the room sharply.

((Sense Motive on Yusadryl, and appropriate general Search/Spot checks around the room, I'm never sure which applies to which situations. ))


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## IndyPendant (May 18, 2005)

Yusdrayl's eyes narrow.  *"Goblins not eat Calcryx!  They not dare!  Calcryx come to citadel with kobolds.  He white, like snow.  Magnificent.  Jair ask goblins why take Calcryx.  Then slit goblins throat."*  It pauses, then adds, *"Jair do have many questions.  Yusdrayl answer Jair's many questions.  Then Yusdrayl done answering questions, Jair go kill goblins.  Outcast live below, grow fruit.  He give to putrid goblins, goblins sell to humans.  Plants are Twig Blights.  Pets of Outcast.  Many more below."*

Lehko can sense no deception in Yusdrayl, but he is finding it difficult to read the creature's body language, and its broken common makes determining its tone a challenge as well.  After a few moments' study however, Lehko does realize that Yusdrayl is female.  The only thing of significance he can see is on the back of Yusdrayl's throne, where lie some sort of figurine, some vials of liquid, and some rolled-up scrolls.


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## Voadam (May 18, 2005)

Jair's face looks hard and angry as Yusdrayl talks about "the outcast" and the twig blights "*Yusdrayl, the twig blights are abominations, have your warriors strike them down when they see them. I thank you for your information, the guide, and the safety of your realm. It may takes us multiple trips to recover the humans and dragon, depending on the numbers of the goblins, blights, and the outcast's actions. We shall see each other again.*"


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## JimAde (May 18, 2005)

*"Come on, you,"* Jerek says to Meepo as he taps the creature on the shoulder.  *"Let's get going."*  He continues to look around cautiously as they prepare to get underway.


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## IndyPendant (May 19, 2005)

Yusdrayl nods.  *"You make nice to kobolds, we make nice to you.  Go.  Bounders show you east entrance.  Path humans take."*  And with that, four of the kobold guards lead you away, Meepo accompanying you--and looking none too happy about it.

You are escorted back the way you came, down the southward hallway and into the bonfire room.  They lead you to the northeast door, open it cautiously, and then wave you through, closing the door firmly behind you.  You find yourself in a long, narrow hallway that bends right to the south after about twenty-five feet.  You head down the hall single file, Meepo following reluctantly, and after another twenty feet it corners to head east again, ending in a north-facing door after more than forty feet.

It is pitch dark in here again, and you end up having to use another of your torches, carried by Lehko.


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## Voadam (May 19, 2005)

"*So, many goblins, twig blights, and Belak. And Belak is behind the goblins' magic fruit. Kuma, the twig blights are unnatural abominations in the form of animate plants bound in roughly goblin sized form with toxic sap. Kill them on sight. Belak is a former druid outcast for his heresies*."


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## JimAde (May 19, 2005)

*"Here,"* Jerek says rummaging in his pack.  *"Let's use a lantern instead.  Easier to hide if we need to."*  He quickly fills one of the lanterns and lights it by pulling a bit of twisted fiber from a rope, touching it to the torch, and quickly lighting the lamp.

[OOC: We bought hooded lanterns and oil in town.  I added the party items to my character sheet, but I hope Jerek's not actually carrying everything.  ]


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 19, 2005)

before getting too far down the hallway, Lehko kneels beside Meepo, bringin himself to eye level. *"Your hide is our hide, understand Keeper of Dragons?"* And with that he undoes the belt holding the goblin short sword to his thigh, and presents it to Meepo. *"If and we get into trouble, stay by me."* He stands, and smothers the torch against the wall.

[[Lehko has one of the lanterns and an extra pint of oil, from earlier still.]]


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## JimAde (May 19, 2005)

*"So Jair,"* Jerek begins uncertainly, *"I know it's a bit of a sore spot, but what exactly did this Belak do?  Is he the type that might be sneaking some kind of poison or magical influence into these apples?"*  He walks along, looking around absently before continuing, *"I mean, selling apples that heal people seems a little mercenary but that's hardly something we can criticize, is it?"*


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## Mithran (May 19, 2005)

Heirmund walks along with the others and begins to speak mostly to himself "How does a tribe of kobolds come into possession of a white dragon?.."


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## Shayuri (May 19, 2005)

Kuma has remained sourly silent throughout the negotiations with the kobolds. Having difficulty reconciling 'Talking to Kobolds' with his own sense of honorable battle, he appears to be settling for pretending the kobolds aren't there, or aren't worth his notice.

He takes more interest at the description of twig blights, though still seems a bit...sulky might be the best word. He grumbles something about killing plants and herbalists...though brightens noticibly at the mention of toxic sap.

Finally he snorts at Heirmund's musing. 

*"By trickery and deceit, no doubt,"* he replies. *"Swarming it like maggots might work, if it was a babe fresh from its shell. The idea of returning such a fierce and proud creature to these kobolds makes me sick at my stomach. It deserves better."*


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## JimAde (May 19, 2005)

Jerek stops in his tracks at this exchange between Heirmund and Kuma.  *"Wait a minute,"* he says unsteadily.  *"Are you trying to tell me these guys,"* he gestures at Meepo, *"have an actual dragon?  A real, live, rip-your-guts-out-and-make-a-necklace dragon*?"  He stares around in disbelief.  *"I thought it was a statue like the little ones in the fire.  Meepo!  Is Calcryx an actual dragon?"*


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## Voadam (May 20, 2005)

"*Jerek, part of it is a private matter for the druid council. I can tell you he was cast out for heresy. Druids, whether they worship the evil bitch queen Umberlee of the seas or the fair lady of the forests Mielikki all revere and derive our power from the divine aspects of nature. Unnatural things outside of nature are anathema to us and corruptions of nature is a great crime. Working with nature and mastering its secrets and powers is within the druids' purview. For example Terrek is bound to me by druidic magic and enhanced in many ways because of the bond and my mastery of animal spirit magic. However those twig blights were not simply magical plant creatures. They were unnatural abominations. I studied under treant druids, while many plants are dangerous and even magical, these blights are different, a twisted creation and a perversion. If all these fruits do is heal, then fine and well and Belak is to be commended for doing something worthwile. But if they similarly twist living beings, perhaps planting seeds within those who consume them, then there is a blight upon the land here that must be addressed."*

As the others' conversation turns to dragons Jair agrees

*It is a tale worth hearing. Meepo, how did Calcryx come into the care of your tribe? Is he long out of his egg?*"


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## IndyPendant (May 20, 2005)

Meepo slowly clasps its hand over the hilt of the shortsword Lehko presents to it, almost reverently.  At Kuma's comments, it glares at him, for a moment looking like it would unsheath the sword and take him in the back.  After that moment though, all it does is deliberately belt the sword around its waist, muttering to itself in Draconic.  *~*Stupid human brute should not speak out about that which he knows nothing.  Shows he is all muscle above the neck as well.  Typical.*~*

Once his shortsword is secured, Meepo turns to Jair, staring at the floor.  *"Calcryx is real dragon!  His scales white as snow!  Everywhere kobolds go, surely Calcryx come.  Meepo treat him well!  Kobolds revere Calcryx!  Calcryx is Dragon!   No higher honour!"*  He subsides, then after a moment continues, *"Calcryx come to us from north, many many years ago.  Demand loyalty.  Kobolds give, gladly.  When kobolds come to Sunken Temple, Calcryx help fight off putrid goblins.  Give us living space.  Calcryx beautiful creature!"*

((Heh.  Consider the torch unused. : ))


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## Mithran (May 20, 2005)

Heirmund looks over at Meepo, obviously interested enough to ignore the fact that he's a kobold "How large is Calcryx now?"


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## IndyPendant (May 23, 2005)

As Meepo talks, Jerek lights a lantern and gives it to Lehko.  Thus fortified with light, Kuma opens the door you stand before, as Meepo answers Heirmund's question by raising his hands as high over his head as they will go.  *"Calcryx this tall!"*  Empty and lightless, the roughly-twenty-foot-square chamber revealed is home only to rat droppings, crumbled flagstones, and nameless stains and dust.  There is another door leading north from the room.


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## Voadam (May 23, 2005)

"*So Calcryx was your leader and had you invade here into the goblins territory. As keeper of dragons were you his attendant then? Let's see if Terrek can pick up the scent again.*" Jair then pushes the hound to track for scents.


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## JimAde (May 23, 2005)

*"A good idea, but I only see one way out of here,"* Jerek observes.  He starts moving cautiously across the room, keeping his eyes open and remembering his painful experience outside.  He takes a wide route, hoping to avoid masking any existing scents with his own.


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## jayaint (May 23, 2005)

Ydyr has tried his best to blend into the surrounding walls during the negotiations, and subsequent walk. He is in way over his "dock-worker"-s head and feels very out of place being lead around caves by kobolds.


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## Shayuri (May 23, 2005)

*"And I suppose,"* Kuma grunts sourly, *"that your 'leader' Calcryx chose to spend his days in a cage that he obviously clawed his way out of the first chance he got?"* 

He shakes his head.

*"Enough tales. If we are nearing goblins, let us proceed quietly."*

Kuma then shoots a grin at Meepo, and can't resist adding, *"They are more dangerous than what we've found here up until now."*


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## Mithran (May 24, 2005)

Heirmund speaks quietly *"This is most interesting Meepo. But my... tact-impaired friend here does have a point about the need for silence perhaps we can speak more later."*


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## IndyPendant (May 24, 2005)

Jair can tell that there have been only a small amount of people moving through this room in the past six months, but he cannot determine more than that, and Terrek seems unable to discover the scent again.  Meepo goes obediantly silent as Jerek opens the north door.

Dust and odd bits of stony debris and rubble lie scattered on the floor of this 30 by 20 foot room.  An ornate fountain is built into the eastern wall; though it is cracked, stained, and long dry, the fountain's carving of a diving dragon retains its beauty.  A relief-carved stone door stands on the western wall, and a wide hallway extends northward into darkness.


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## Voadam (May 24, 2005)

Jair whispers to the kobold "*Meepo, how far does your knowledge of this area run? Let me know when we reach the limits of the areas you know. For now lead on, unless that was the end of your knowledge. If so we will continue North*."


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## IndyPendant (May 25, 2005)

Meepo draws himself up.  *"Meepo know all about dragons.  Meepo not care about vile goblins!"*

You continue north, and the hall quickly widens into another room, roughly 40 by 20 feet.  This one is bare except for another door to the west, this one wooden.  The hall continues north again from here, and you can see more wooden doors on either side of the hall, most likely leading to a double line of rooms.  The hall continues north to the limit of the lantern's light.


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## Voadam (May 25, 2005)

"*I'm tempted to check out every door we pass for a thorough investigation, but I believe our best chance to find the prisoners is to go straight down the main hall until Terrek picks up the scent again or there is a dead end*."


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## Voadam (May 25, 2005)

"*So Meepo, I am interested in hearing more about Calcryx and that dragon chamber with the broken cage. Please explain further*."


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## JimAde (May 25, 2005)

Jerek shrugs and moves off down the corridor, keeping his eyes open for trouble.


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## Shayuri (May 25, 2005)

Kuma accompanies Jerek, clearly having no particular desire to hear the yapping of the kobold any longer than he must.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 26, 2005)

Lehko will hang back with the lantern, keeping as much of the group well lit as possible (excepting of course if Jerek or any of the others wishes to be in the dark, Hiding or the like). He seems to have taken quite an interest in Meepo, and wishes to hear more from the little dragonkin. He does seem to relax a little bit once the party enters the larger rooms, but still appears a bit jumpy. He eyes never stop probing the darkness and gloom. *"My skin crawls in this place. I agree with Jair for now, we should press on. Meepo, what was this place that is it so grand?"*


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## jayaint (May 26, 2005)

Ydyr moves with the group. He listens to the kobold with one ear and scans the depths with the other.


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## Voadam (May 26, 2005)

Jair takes a quick look at the tactical arrangement of the group as they go with Jerek, Terrek, and Kuma fully alert and in front. He is confident enough in their abilities to focus on gaining information from the kobold as they travel.


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## IndyPendant (May 26, 2005)

The torchlight slowly reveals that this hallway has six doors along it, three to a side.  Up ahead of you, you can see that the hallway opens up again into yet another room.

Meepo says *"Calcryx is totem to our clan.  I keep Calcryx safe, care for it.  It help take part of temple.  Vile goblins attack.  Calcryx break out of cage to help.  Goblins too many.  Swarm brave Calcryx, strong Calcryx.  Capture Calcryx, take it with them.  And now!  We get it back!"*  It snorts, looking over its shoulder at Lehko.  *"Why else come here, silly human?  This temple long time past.  Temple to Dragon!  It--"*  He is interrupted as three more of the cursed rats scramble out from behind some of the slightly-ajar doors to either side of you, and scurry eagerly forward to attack!

((Initiative: Jair/21, Kuma/20, Lehko/19, Heirmund/13, Jerek/12, Ydyr/10, Rats/8, Meepo/3.))

((Jair and Terrek are about fifteen feet south of Kuma, with Ydyr and Meepo right behind them.  Heirmund and Lehko bring up the rear.  One each of the rats are in melee with Kuma and Jerek from the south, placing the rats between them and the rest of you; the third rat flanks Kuma from the north.  Note that the hallway is only 10 feet wide.))


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## Voadam (May 26, 2005)

"*Terrek attack!*" Jair cries as he rushes to impale a dire rat on his spear.

Jair and Terrek charge forward to engage the rats, their positioning means they are flanking the ones between themselves and Kuma and Jerek.


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## JimAde (May 26, 2005)

Growling his annoyance (and no little fear) Jerek slides back a pace and tries to pin the nearest rat to the floor.

[OOC: 5-foot step out of melee, then +4 Short bow (1d6+1 20/x3).  Did the rats get a surprise round?  If not they're flat footed and I add 1d6 SA damage.  I assume they did, though and used it to close. ]


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 26, 2005)

Lehko rushes forward behind Terrek, stooping slightly to rest the lantern on the ground    next to Meepo as he moves. He stops then, long enough to stand up on one leg, pull his right arm back palm open and facing forward, to about the level of his head, left hand in a fist close to his chest. He brings his foot down hard, and simultaneously extends both arms sharply, causing a blinding jagged bolt to flash from his hands tword the rat flanking Kuma from the end of the hallway. The air is charged with the smell of ozone, and Lehko's hands are smoking lightly, his eyes alight as he moves another ten feet to come up close to the rat that attacked Jerek, but not into melee range.

((Five foot step into Meepo's square, Drop the lantern, cast Electric Jolt _[Ranged Touch Attack: 1d3 Electrical damage]_ at the farthest rat (flanking Kuma), move action another 10ft to end up on the eastern side of the hall,  5 feet from rat attacking Jerek.))


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## Shayuri (May 26, 2005)

Kuma whips his sword from it's scabbard as the rats close in, and crouches low with his shield arm forward to defend against the lunging leg-strikes that these creatures so love.

*"This is more like it!"* he roars. *"To BATTLE!"*

He sweeps the longsword before him in a long arc calculated to follow through easily should the  target fall!

(Targeting north rat with longsword, +4 to hit, 1d8+3 damage...cleave flanking rat if first falls.)


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## jayaint (May 27, 2005)

Ydyr will move smoothly towards a flanking position behind one of the rats and strike. During the normal motions of combat he will also make a "keep it down" gesture to the large barbarian, hoping that he realizes that very few rats will be intimidated by a battle cry in Common. 

He will also keep one eye aimed down the hallway to make sure this isn't just a "diversion" by a goblin patrol of some kind.


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## IndyPendant (May 27, 2005)

Jair and Terrek charge in to the attack, flanking the two southern rats with Kuma and Jerek.  Jair attacks with his spear, and the rat can't quite get out of the way in time, taking a stab in its leg.  Terrek bites down savagely on the rat it is attacking, badly damaging it but not killing it.  Kuma brings his sword down in a sweeping arc, but it bounces off the stone inches from the north-facing rat.

((Jair's attack: 18+2=20.  Damage: 1+0=1.  Terrek's attack: 15+3+2=20.  Damage: 1+3=4.  Kuma's attack: 8+4=12.))

Lehko places the lantern on the floor so it won't shatter and casts his spell, trying to fire a smalt jolt of electricity at the farthest rat, past his companions and into melee.  He almost trips over the lantern he just placed on the ground however, and his jolt heads straight down into the stone floor instead.  Lehko then takes a step closer to the battle.  Heirmund, unable to get a clear shot at anything, picks up the lantern Lehko just put down and moves to stand with him.  Jerek cannot step out of melee, so he draws a dagger and stabs at the rat Terrek just finished chewing on, almost carving its head from its body.  He then steps to the north, so that he stands beside the northern rat.  Ydyr, also realizing he can't get into melee without squeezing past Jair and Terrek and risking an attack from the southern rat, moves to stand behind Jair, ready to help him as needed.  The two remaining rats attack!  --Instinctively going for Kuma, whom they both flank, their sharp teeth carving shallowly into his leg like knives.  Meepo draws its short sword, its red eyes glinting as it watches the battle tensely.

((Lehko's attack: 1+2-4-4=-6.  Jerek's attack: 18+2=20.  Damage: 2+6=8.  Rat's attacks: 22,21.  Damage: 1,2.  Kuma takes a total of 3 points damage this round.))

((Lehko, if you had dropped the lantern, I would have given it around a 75% chance of breaking.  It is a move-eqivalent action that provokes AoO's to set it down carefully.  You also have Jair, a rat, *and* Kuma in the way of hitting the northern rat, plus it's in melee.  Jerek, you are beside Kuma in a 10-foot-wide hallway, one rat northwest of you, two rats south of you.  You can't 5' step and safely shoot.))

((The situation now: Kuma is flanked by two rats to the north and south of him.  Jerek stands beside the northern rat.  Jair flanks the southern rat with Kuma, Terrek beside him.  Ydyr stands behind Jair, and Lehko and Heirmund stand side by side 10 feet behind Ydyr.  Meepo stands behind Lehko.))


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## Voadam (May 27, 2005)

Battle lust falls upon the smiling druid and Jair strikes again, thrusting with his spear as he calls Terrek to join his attack now that Jerek has slain the one hound was worrying in his jaws.

"*Kuma, Jerek, the northern one! Terrek and I will take care of this one. Terrek, Attack! Ha!*"


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## JimAde (May 27, 2005)

Jerek sidles silently around to get the rat between him and Kuma.  He strikes lithely at it, trying to keep his legs away from its razor teeth.

[OOC: Moving to flank, for an extra +2 to hit, plus 1d6 SA damage if I hit.
+2 Melee Short Sword (1d6 19-20/x2 +1d6 SA damage).  More in the OOC Thread.]


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## Shayuri (May 27, 2005)

Kuma snarls at the rat he missed and slashes again, not even seeming to notice the bites on his legs yet.

(second verse, same as the first!)


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## Mithran (May 27, 2005)

Heirmund begins to chant something several times but stops as he trys to find an opening through which he could hit one of the rats.

OOC: Doing nothing but hold the lantern for this round. Sorry I didn't post yesterday.


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## jayaint (May 29, 2005)

Ydyr will delay and will "move into any melee square that becomes unoccupied during this round of combat."

If not, he will use his turn to actively Spot and Listen over the din, down the hallway to make sure there are no other surprises.


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## Voadam (May 29, 2005)

Jair is confident about this fight and seems to be enjoying the thrill of battle.


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## IndyPendant (May 30, 2005)

Jair and Terrek attack again, this time on the same southern rat, but they can't quite hit the agile beast.  Kuma growls his frustration, and this time anticipates the northern rat's dodging, his longsword severing its spine.  In a single smooth move, he uses the momentum of his swing to carry it through in a sweep over behind him, catching the slightly-wounded southern rat unaware and striking it between the eyes, killing it instantly.

In moments, all three rats are dead.

((Jair's attack: 11+2=13.  Terrek's: 11+3=14.  Kuma's: 11(!)+4=15.  Damage: 4+3=7.  Kuma's Cleave: 16+4+2=22.  Damage: 2+3=5.))


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (May 30, 2005)

Lehko regains control of himself and steps forward, kneeling before one of the rats. *"At least I stayed concious this time. Gods above, I hate these things."* He picks up the head of one by the mange on it's neck and stares into it's glassy eyes a moment.


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## Shayuri (May 30, 2005)

With a satisfied grunt, Kuma plants a foot against one of the bloated, oversized rats and scrubs his sword blade against its shaggy hide...cleaning the ichor off before sheathing it.

He then gives the bites on his shins a closer look, but neither seems to particularly faze him. He wraps the larger of the two with a strip of clean cloth, but otherwise leaves them be.

*"I'll wager those rats have a den in one of those side rooms. A nest."* He nods and wipes his nose against the rough leather of his bracer. *"They sometimes like to collect shiny things for their nests."*

At that Kuma grins a greedy grin, and goes towards the nearest side door to take a peek.


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## Voadam (May 31, 2005)

"*Nice sword maneuver Kuma. Although in a nest I'd only expect more rats*."


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## JimAde (May 31, 2005)

Jerek nods.  He says quietly, *"Yes, let's just close the doors in case there are more and get on with it."*


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## jayaint (May 31, 2005)

*These worhthless rats are a distraction... *sigh*  Well, lets get it over with, so we can get out of this place that much sooner. * 

Ydyr seems distracted at hand... yet focused on the mission as a whole.


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## IndyPendant (May 31, 2005)

Kuma peeks into one of the rooms through the ajar door, and in the dimness of what little lantern light leaks in, he sees...a large nest.  Filthy with grime and feces, it has obviously been used for a long time by the vile creature.  The nest seems to be made of straw, dead plants, and other detritus from the area.  He can't see anything worthwhile, but perhaps by sifting through the revolting mess, he might find something of value...

Meanwhile, the others check the other doors to the small rooms, making sure they're shut tight.


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## Mithran (May 31, 2005)

*"I don't know about anyone else but I am growing to hate these overgrown vermin."* While the others close the doors/root through rat nests Heirmund sits down to draw a map of the groups explorations thus far.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 1, 2005)

Lehko does not participate in the 'exploration' of the side chambers. He leans against the cleanest wall he can find and crosses his arms. Muttering to himself, he says loud enough for the others to hear, *"If you really intend on going through that nest for shinies, I suggest a much faster method. The room is made with stone walls, just... burn it,"* his eyes dance at the suggestion. He is always restless, and this pointless (in his mind) dallying frustrates him, and he wants action.

As if something had just occured to him, Lehko kicks off the wall and kneels before Heirimund, studying the maps he draws a moment before speaking. *"Tell me Heirimund, have you thought any on that word scrawled in the antechamber to the Dragon Room?"* He pauses and then, stumbles over the pronunciation, *"Ash-an-dra-lon."*


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## Mithran (Jun 1, 2005)

Heirmund looks up "Yes I have Lehko, and I know I've heard the word before." Heirmund goes back to scratching in his book for a moment then looks up again "I know it must mean something though... something important maybe..." Heirmund sighs "I don't know"


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## JimAde (Jun 1, 2005)

Jerek returns from checking doors.  *"All set,"* he reports.  Crossing the hall he says, *"Kuma, have you found anything?  Let's go."*


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## Shayuri (Jun 1, 2005)

Kuma draws his sword and roots around in the nest, grimacing in disgust as he pulls apart matted tangles of hair and bone and...other substances best not dwelled on.

*"The nest's here all right. Just a moment."*


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## Voadam (Jun 1, 2005)

Jair turns to the kobold "*Dragon keeper, can you tell us anything about Ashandalon*?"


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## jayaint (Jun 1, 2005)

Ydyr bends to examine the map, trying to memorize, or at least, familiarize himself with these dungeon halls.


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## Mithran (Jun 1, 2005)

Heirmund looks up again at the group around him for a moment *"Ashardalon, Jair"* and then Heirmund is back to work on the maps.


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## IndyPendant (Jun 1, 2005)

Kuma is about to give up in disgust, when he spots a slight glint.  He reaches down and snags a tiny green gem--near which lies a single grimy gold coin.  The rats apparently have stored some things of value in their nests!  --If it's worth searching for...

Meepo looks up in startlement at Jair's question, and begins to cast a spell!  --Or so you think, at first.  After a moment, you realize it's a crude warding gesture, similar to the ones peasants sometimes use to avoid ill omens.  *"Ashardalon greatest of dragons!  How you know this name?"*  When you explain about the writing on the wall, it relaxes slightly, and nods, its shrill voice turning self-important again.  *"This past temple to dragon.  Worship true god, not prissy sungods or treegods no one ever see!"*


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## JimAde (Jun 1, 2005)

Jerek actually pauses for a moment and nods in mute acknowledgement of Meepo's remark.  _Scaly little git has a point_, he thinks.


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## Voadam (Jun 1, 2005)

ooc Knowledge religion check now that we are connecting Ashardalon to a dragon worshipped as a god?

"*Tread carefully kobold, lest the wolfhound powered by the goddess Mielikki takes offense and eats you. After all dragon keeper, you have much more to tell about the dragons. So this is a god your tribe worship? He was a dragon who walked the earth. Is he one of your gods or the sole one your tribe worships? Did Calcryx order your invasion to restore the temple*?"


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## IndyPendant (Jun 2, 2005)

Jair has not heard of this particular 'god'--but that's not all that surprising.  Cults that worship creatures as deities spring up all the time, usually only recruiting a few gullible, ignorant peasants, and usually collapsing once the leader is gone.

Kuma, influenced by his companions and the filthiness of the nests, reluctantly closes the door to this final small room, and you all continue into the room to the north.  The cobblestone floor of this 30' by 30' room contains two trapdoors blocked open by iron spikes; if the tops of the trapdoors were flush with the floor, they would be difficult to spot.  The north wall holds a dry fountain carved with the bas-relief of a dragon, and there is a single closed door in the west wall.

Meepo deflates visibly at Jair's words, and eyes Terrek warily.  *"We not worship Ashardalon.  Ashardalon gone long before we come.  Foolish to worship something that not arou--  Aheh.  We not worship Calcryx, either.  Calcryx not big enough.  You say worshipping dragon silly, then you all stuck with idea!  Calcryx not order us, Yusdrayl order us.  Calcryx agree.  Restore!  Pah!  Temple built by vile humans!  We not restore!  We come rid temple of goblin infest.  Almost done."*


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## JimAde (Jun 2, 2005)

With his bow at the ready, Jerek moves cautiously across the room.  Given the racket being generated by Meepo and the others, there's little point in trying to be stealthy.  Nevertheless, he is leery of more pit traps.  The two that have been blocked open may not be the only ones present.  

He carefully makes his way to the door in the west wall and looks it over for traps and locks.


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## Voadam (Jun 2, 2005)

As they continue on Jair ponders the situation and has Terrek join the lead with Jerek so his sense of smell can warn of hidden ambushers.


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## jayaint (Jun 2, 2005)

The room seems dark and ominous to Ydyr. His eyes are on constant search mode, scanning the darkness around the torch light.

*Let's keep moving, folks.* 

_Harder to hit that way_, he thinks.


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## Mithran (Jun 2, 2005)

Heirmund moves forward to examine the open pit spike traps a bit more closely while Jerek is checking the rest of the room for traps.


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## Shayuri (Jun 2, 2005)

Still polishing the gem he found on his sleeve, Kuma strays to the image of the dragon graven in stone. His expression is oddly reverent, though he makes no abasements nor gestures.

*"Greatest of dragons, you say,"* Kuma muses. *"I wonder if he too had a chosen people."*

Then, abruptly realizing he's being left behind, he hurries to join the others, careful of the pits.


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## Voadam (Jun 3, 2005)

"*Good find Kuma. Hmm, well if this was once a human temple to the dragon that would explain the height of the doors and rooms being at human and not goblin or kobold level.*" He switches back to the kobold as Jerek completes his sweep for additional traps "*So keeper, Yudrayl is and has been your leader and Calcryx is then her ally and agreed to aid in the invasion of the goblin lands. Was it to take over the underground complex to establish a home for your tribe here or some other reason that Yusdrayl ordered the invasion*?"


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## IndyPendant (Jun 3, 2005)

Meepo snarls at Jair.  *"You not understand!  You never understand!  Pah!  I try again one time.  But I need help from this one.  Vile he is, but he one smart enough learn language."*  It then turns to Heirmund, whom it has studiously ignored this entire time, and interrupts his examination of the floor traps, chittering, clicking, and humming in its own language.

*~*Tell this idiot that Calcryx is not our master, our god, or our ally.  It is a member of our tribe!  As the Keeper of the Dragon, it is my duty and my honour to raise this magnificent being into its eventual godhood.  It is Yusdrayl who rules us.  Yusdrayl is the one that found the Egg, then led us to this lost temple.  Where better to raise a Dragon than an abandoned temple that already practiced the True Faith before?  Vile, foolish goblins do not even understand they have invaded a sacred place!  They do not care about its history, its treasures, or even about Dragons!  They defile this holy temple with their very presence!  And so they weaken and die.  Soon they will be no more, and I, Meepo, shall be free to raise our Calcryx to true godhood in peace!  You tell him that, in your language of moans and hiss--*~*

Jerek had safely crossed the room and examined the door, finding no traps.  Stepping back, he gestured for Kuma to open it.  Kuma did so, and was struck with the stench of rotting meat that suffused the air.  Stepping in cautiously, Kuma glanced around in the dim light provided by Lehko's lantern outside.  He saw the much-chewed carcasses of several vermin--and of some humanoids, lying upon a floor of filth, old bones, hair, and fur that combined to make a particularly large and vile nest.  The northern wall was smashed, opening on rubble-strewn darkness.

Kuma barely had time to take in this momentary impression of the room, however, before he was in combat, two more of the vile rats diving at his legs from either side of the door!  Their sharp teeth failed to penetrate his armour, but a third rat used the precious moments to skitter into a good position to attack as well.  Meepo's explanation was cut short as you all realized you're under attack!  By rats.  Again.

((That was a surprise round.  Rat's attacks: 11 and 7.))

((Kuma is effectively just inside the door, flanked north-south by two rats, and with another rat attacking him from his SW.  Unless he moves, only one more person could step up behind Kuma into melee range with the rats--and even then, the rats will get a +4 cover bonus to ac from the doorway, since their attacker would be outside the room.))

((Initiative: Ydyr/19; Rats/18; Meepo/18; Jair/15; Jerek/14; Heirmund/11; Lehko/10; Kuma/5))


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## JimAde (Jun 3, 2005)

Jerek slides to the side and tries to pin one of the rats with an arrow.

[OOC: 5' step to the side so as not to block Kuma's retreat. +4 Ranged Short bow (1d6 20/x3)]


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## Shayuri (Jun 3, 2005)

In a flash of steel, Kuma whips his trusty sword from its scabbard and stabs at the heart of the rat to the north of him. Even as he does, he's already pivoting his hips and legs to get in position to aim a savage slash at the rat south of him, should his first target fall.

*"Cursed rodents! My blade will drink deep of your blood!"*


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## jayaint (Jun 4, 2005)

Ydyr clenches his fists and moves to attack.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 5, 2005)

Lehko steps back, a low growl rising in his throat. Crossing his arms in front of him a silvery light starts pulsing along his hands and figertips. He holds this stance and his muscles tremble slightly. Forcing the words through clenched teeth he shouts, *"I need a shot! Move, barbarian!"* 

((5-Foot in any direction that would give me a clear line, and casting Forcewave, but holding the action until said opportunity))


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## Voadam (Jun 6, 2005)

"*Kuma! Push in farther or pull back a step*!" Jair will delay until after Kuma, running in to strike a rat if the barbarian follows his battle command and takes a five foot step after his attack to allow others to move in and engage.

Presumably Terrek who was right up in front will not hesitate and will step into the doorway to attack a rat despite the cover bonus. As an ally though he will not impede a party member going past him if Kuma clears the way.


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## IndyPendant (Jun 6, 2005)

Ydyr hurries up to stand just behind Kuma at the doorway, and attacks one of the rats, deciding not to use a flurry of blows because the rats already have cover from the doorway.  He kicks downward at the northern rat, cracking its skull open and killing it instantly!  The two remaining rats attack Kuma again, the southwest rat missing completely--but the southern rat carves a good slice out of his other leg!  Meepo hangs back again uncertainly, while something _big_ bursts out from under the filthy debris of the nest.

((Ydyr's attack: 17+2-4=15.  Damage: 6+0=6.  Rat's attacks: 7, Nat20/15.  Damage: 4.))

It's a rat.  But what a rat!  Kuma could lay down beside it and it would be almost as long as he is tall--without its tail!  Its body is as big around as Kuma is wide at the shoulders!  It heads right for him and he gazes straight down into its huge, carniverous, slavering mouth.  He instinctively brings up his shield to block, and the teeth come down on it, almost shaving a layer off as its teeth skid down the shield...

((Kuma now faces three rats again: one just south of him, one SW, and the huge mother is due W.  Big rat's attack: 15.))

Jair waits impatiently with Terrek for space to open up--quickly silencing his companion's first few excited barks at the start of the action.  Jerek moves a few steps to the north, and shoots at the only rat he can see reasonably clearly--which still has cover, but is the least difficult shot to try: the SW rat.  He just barely misses, however, though he would swear he could see his arrow leaving a light scratch along the rat's back.  Heirmund again watches, while Lehko impatiently steps to the north, waiting for his opening to cast his spell.

((Jerek's attack: 14+4-4=14.))

Kuma takes the only move he can make and clear some room for others, while still remain in melee with at least the big rat, stepping to the northwest.  He then attacks the big rat, carving into it deeply enough that a normal rat would have been cut in two!  --This one is wounded, but still in the fight.  Before Jair can take the spot Kuma leaves open, Lehko casts Forcewave on the rat Jerek just barely missed.  Unfortunately, while it is not currently in melee, it does still have cover from the doorway and Ydyr.  Lehko is not sure, but he thinks he might have missed even without taking the cover into account though.  Jair then squeezes past Ydyr into the spot Kuma vacated, incurring an AoO from the S rat, which he manages to dodge.  Since Terrek, if he were to move in beside Jair, would incur AoOs from all three rats, Jair orders him to stay behind.

((Kuma's attack: 13+4=17.  Damage: 4+3=7.  Lehko's ranged touch: 11+2-4.  Rat's AoO: 7.))

((Jair now stands just inside the doorway, with Ydyr just outside the doorway behind him.  Jair has a rat to the south of him, another rat to his SW, the big rat to his W, and Kuma to his NW.  The spot to Jair's N is free, and I will rule that Ydyr could 5' step into that space before or after his next attack if he wishes, despite the doorway in the way, because he would be moving through a friendly square.))

((New initiative: Ydyr/19; Rats/18; Meepo/18; Big Rat/16; Terrek/15; Jerek/14; Heirmund/11; Kuma/5; Lehko; Jair.))


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## JimAde (Jun 6, 2005)

Again dropping his bow and drawing his sword in disgust, Jerek moves into the crowded doorway, trying to snake past the others into a spot where he can skewer a rat.  _At least we won't run out of emergency food_, he thinks wryly.

OOC: It's a mess, but I'll try to move past people and flank the big rat.  Use a Tumble check to avoid AoO.  Since I have a BAB of 0, I have to use a Move action to draw my sword, and another to actually move.  So no attacks this round.

Tumble +7
AC: 15


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## Mithran (Jun 6, 2005)

Heirmunds eyes grow wide when he sees the huge rat creature. Heirmund moves forward to Terrek and pulls out a small piece of leather before chanting for a moment and touching Terrek. Heirmund shouts *"I've cast a protection spell on Terrek, he should be much harder for those creatures to hit now Jair!"*

OOC: Mage armor on Terrek since theres no way I'm shooting anything past all those people in the doorway.


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## Shayuri (Jun 6, 2005)

Kuma yanks his sword from the flank of the huge rat and grins ferally at it. Then he _roars._ The sound of his bellow is eerie...it sounds far more like the sound a beast would make than a man...coming from the deep places in his body far more than the shaping of throat and mouth.

The irises of his eyes seem to lighten in color, and rivers of red twist their way through them. Veins stand out on his heavily muscled arms, and along the sides of his neck as he raises his sword and recklessly bashes the huge rat with all his might and more!

(RAGE! -2 AC, +2 to hit and damage and Will saves and +2 HP...attacking big rat)


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## jayaint (Jun 6, 2005)

Ydyr whoops lightly to himself after felling the first rat. 

He looks at the situation at hand and decides to slide past Jair in the doorframe and move into the large rat's room. He decides to swing wildly and rapidly at this larger bulkier foe, figuring that with his monk's skills he will be able to at least make contact. 

[[Flurry of Blows on the large rat, after the 5' step thru the doorway.]]


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## Voadam (Jun 7, 2005)

"*Terrek. Attack now*!" Jair directs the wolfhound to the space Ydir vacated so he can at least start attacking the rat to the south.

Jair will then move into the space occupied by the rat if Terrek kills it (setting up possible flank later on the big rat and allowing Terrek to get into the room to melee the big rat) or attack it as well to finish it off if it is wounded and then move into the space.


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## IndyPendant (Jun 7, 2005)

Jair stabs at the big rat with his spear, striking the stone floor as it dodges to one side, while Heirmund completes his spell of protection on Terrek.  Ydyr slips past Jair to stand to his north, and strikes twice rapidly at the large rat--connecting once with a glancing blow.

((Jair's attack: 14+0=14.  Ydyr's attacks: 17+0=17, 4+0=4.  Damage: 2+0=2.))

Meepo screeches, *"Guthash!"* and backs away slowly, brandishing his shortsword, as the three rats attack!  Two of them attack Jair, but neither of them can get past the protection from his armour and shield.  The big rat, however, tracks Kuma's movements, its beady black eyes disturbingly intelligent, and waits for the precise moment to strike!  Its teeth close on the meaty part of his upper thigh, ripping a large gash there.

((Rat's attacks: 12, 14, 15.  Damage: 5.))

At Jair's command, Terrek steps forward and attacks awkwardly around the corner at the rat south of Jair, missing completely, and almost smashing its nose in the wall.  Jerek decides to enter melee, agilely tumbling past Terrek, then Jair, then Ydyr, and then Kuma, to arrive finally flanking the large rat with Jair.  He does well--until he gets within range of the large rat, which lunges at him and takes a large chunk out his side!  Kuma is badly wounded by now, but doesn't even seem to notice it as he swings at the large rat again, chopping right into its skull.  The rat looks almost like it would still keep fighting--right until it collapses, its eyes cold and lifeless.  Jair is able to concentrate on the smaller rats now, and attacks the one Terrek missed last round--also missing it.

((Terrek's attack: 2+3-4=1.  Jerek's tumbling rolls: 11, 19, 12.  Rat and large rat's attacks: 14, 20.  Damage: 4.  Kuma's attack: 12+4+2=18.  Damage: 7+3+2=12.))

((Jerek, tumbling costs twice normal movement, so you had to use a double move to get in position.  Kuma has taken a total of 12 points damage so far, while Jerek has taken 4.))


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## JimAde (Jun 7, 2005)

Jerek yelps in pain as well as frustration since he can't return the rat's attack (what with it being dead and all).  He turns to help clean up the remaining rats.

[OOC: Move to flank with anybody I can without drawing an AoO, then single attack.]


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## jayaint (Jun 7, 2005)

Ydyr bounces in the rhythm & flow of combat and slides towards a smaller target to press his attack again. His gangly limbs seem to become more supple and move easier, no trace of his un-coordinated walking or nervousness.

[[Move to flank a smaller rat and attack, no Flurry.]]


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## Voadam (Jun 7, 2005)

Jair attempts to strike and move again so others can get in the fight.


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## Shayuri (Jun 7, 2005)

(what? No cleave from the big rat? )

Kuma whirls, sending a thin trickle of blood flying from his shredded leg, and sends his sword's blade on a wide arc towards the nearest of his dimunitive attackers!

(keep on attackin'!)


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## Voadam (Jun 8, 2005)

After his attack, Jair will direct Terrek to the attack, positioning however needed to let the hound take care of the dire rats.


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## IndyPendant (Jun 8, 2005)

Ydyr moves around the outside of the battle, ending up flanking the rat southwest of Jair, and kicks down at it again, but it manages to dodge out of the way.  The rats then each attack Jair, neither even coming close to penetrating his armour.  Terrek attacks the rat to Jair's south, and breaks its neck with an audible snap, despite having to work around the door to do so.  Jerek realizes he can't get into position to flank the remaining rat without risking an attack from it, so he simply steps back and shoots it.  His arrow catches the rat in the shoulder, wounding it slightly.  Kuma rushes forward and finishes it off with a savage swipe of his sword that slams the rat into the far wall, killing it instantly.

((Ydyr's attack: 10+2+2=14.  Rat's atacks: 10 and 5.  Terrek's attack: 18+3-4=17.  Damage: 6+3=9.  Jerek's attack: 13+4=17.  Damage: 1+1=2.  Kuma's attack: 12+4+2=18.  Damage: 6+3+2=11.))

The rats all dead, you finally have a chance to look around you at the room itself.  You can see some coins glittering from within the rather...extreme...filth of the nest.  The opening in the northern wall seems to lead outside the citadel, into the cavern itself.  The humanoid corpses look to be goblinoid, except for one kobold--and one human.


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## Voadam (Jun 8, 2005)

"*Good job everybody! Kuma hold still so my druidic arts may heal your wound*."

cure light wounds on the barbarian.


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## JimAde (Jun 8, 2005)

Jerek moves cautiously toward the human body, wary of any rats or other vermin that might still be lurking in the debris.  "I have a bad feeling about this," he mutters as he bends closer to examine the corpse.

[OOC: Naturally looking for any sign that this is one of our quarry.  Search +6.]


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## Mithran (Jun 8, 2005)

Heirmund walks into the room now that the doorway isn't completely blocked up and looks around *"Just to let you know Jair the spell on Terrek will wear off in a little less than an hour"*


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## Shayuri (Jun 8, 2005)

Kuma whirls at the voice behind him, and for a harrowing instant his eyes seem flat yellow, streaked with red. There's a hint of vertical slit pupils; a glimpse of sharp teeth behind his grimacing lips... Then he closes his eyes and mouth, and his brow furrows as he concentrates mightily on confining the forces within himself that he's unleashed.

A sweat breaks out spontaneously, and the warrior shudders as the pain of his wounds settles into him. *"Agh...blighted vermin,"* he spits. And his eyes are blue, but bloodshot when he opens them; his teeth as flat as any man's. A trick of the light perhaps, or of his fearsome countenance when in the throes of rage.

He nods at the druid's touch, clearly grateful. *"Thanks be to you, shaman."*


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## jayaint (Jun 9, 2005)

Ydyr looks to the corpses, and wonders about their struggles and their lives before ending up here, tossed carelessly in a room in a dark dungeon. 

The monk breathes deeply and feels his energies settle again, his eyes searching out through the torchlight into the darkness.


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## Voadam (Jun 9, 2005)

One of Jair's eyebrows rise in curiosity at Kuma's appearance but he does not pursue it for the moment instead nodding to acknowledge the barbarian's thanks and answering the gnome "*Thank you Heirmund, good to know.*" and then turning to the scout "*Jerek, is it one of the pair we are looking for? Was he a bound prisoner of the goblins? Or was he armed at the time of his death? Can you tell if he had weapon wounds or did he fall to the rats alone*?"


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## IndyPendant (Jun 9, 2005)

Jair heals most of Kuma's wounds as he comes down from his rage.  ((7+1=8.))  Ydyr examines the room, but other than the occasional loose bit of treasure mixed into the huge filthy nest and corpses, there doesn't seem to be anything of significance here.  The break in the north wall leads out into the darkness, a natural, unstable-looking rough stone floor as far as the light will go.  The utter blackness sucks up sounds so that they seem to disappear forever, and he can't avoid the feeling that he too would just...disappear without a trace, if he were foolish enough to venture out there.

Jerek notes that the human corpse is wearing studded leather armour, and has five daggers, a shortbow, a sack containing basic adventuring supplies, a quiver with six arrows, a vial of liquid, and a pouch with seventeen gold coins all lying nearby.  There is also a gold ring on the corpse's finger, but the corpse has swollen such that he would have to cut the finger off to get at the ring.  Still, on the ring is engraved a name: "Karakas".


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## JimAde (Jun 9, 2005)

IndyPendant said:
			
		

> Jerek notes that the human corpse is wearing studded leather armour, and has five daggers, a shortbow, a sack containing basic adventuring supplies, a quiver with six arrows, a vial of liquid, and a pouch with seventeen gold coins all lying nearby.  There is also a gold ring on the corpse's finger, but the corpse has swollen such that he would have to cut the finger off to get at the ring.  Still, on the ring is engraved a name: "Karakas".




Jerek sighs and shows these tokens to his companions.  *"Karakas was the name Hucrele mentioned.  One of the friends of Talgen and Sharwyn."*  He shakes his head.  *"This doesn't look promising."*  Removing the arrows from the fallen man's quiver he says, *"Well these will at least find some of your foes, I hope."*  He places the arrows in his own quiver.  *"We should find some way to cover the body and keep the vermin from it until we can get it back to Oakhurst for proper burial."*  He hands the vial of liquid to Lehko.  *"What do you make of that,"* he asks.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 9, 2005)

Lehko holds the small vial between his thumb and  index finger, and holds it up against the lantern light (though obviously not close enough to potentially combust) seeking any identifying properties. *"Alchemy was never my best subject. But, hold a moment. We shall see what we shall see."* He turns it over several times, studying it's viscosity, the nature of the liquid. While he does so he asks aloud, *"What's in the sack? Mayhaps something useful will come of this lad's death. How did he fall?"*

((Untrained Craft: Alchemy check at a measly +1. Assuming the inevitable failure of the check, will attempt to Aid a check on Heirimund's part.))


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## JimAde (Jun 9, 2005)

Jerek rummages through the fallen man's other things, taking minor items that might prove useful like extra oil for the lantern and so on.  He will carefully count the coins, making sure that at least one other of the company watches him do so, and place them and any other valuables in a cloth.  He ties the cloth tightly and places it in his pack.  *"For his expenses,"* he says simply.


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## jayaint (Jun 9, 2005)

Ydyr says a quick blessing over the broken corpse in the name of Illmater. 

He then looks hopefully towards his companions that we will be on the move sooner, rather than later.


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## JimAde (Jun 10, 2005)

Jerek pauses in what he is doing and looks at Ydyr carefully.  *"Ydyr,"* he says, *"I know this isn't exactly a stroll through the garden, but you seem extra nervous.  Is there something we should know?"*  He gazes levelly at his companion, trying to discern what might be troubling him.

[OOC: Jerek's got that whole military "gotta be able to rely on my guys in a pinch" thing.  ]


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## IndyPendant (Jun 10, 2005)

Ydyr continues poking through the room absentmindedly while he waits, and after a few minutes he's surprised to see the pile of grimy coins has grown to around a hundred silver coins, over a dozen gold coins, and there's even a small gem in there.  And he doesn't even think he's found it all, although getting the rest of it would be almost as bad as digging through pure sh--feces.

The liquid is pale green and very slightly viscous; unfortunately it is not a liquid Heirmund or Lehko have ever seen before.  ((Spellcraft: 6+8=14.))  Without a full alchemical lab, they can not know what it does, if anything.

Karakas very obviously died by viscious animal bites; there does not seem to be a single wound from a weapon on him.  It's hard to be certain however, because the rats have since used his corpse as a source of food...


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## Mithran (Jun 10, 2005)

Heirmund slips the potion into a sufficiently padded area of his backpack *"To be identified later, I imagine I'll be more likely to be spending time with an alchemists lab later on than any of the rest of us so I may as well take it."*


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## jayaint (Jun 10, 2005)

*Jerek. Its okay. A very short time ago, I was a dockworker. No more. No less. And I dockworker I was to be until the end of my days. Until I tried in vain to stop a robbery, and was left to die on the side of a road. A new path has opened before me.

However, this is all very VERY strange to me. Maybe time will cure me of these feelings, but for now, I am uneasy at every turn. By Illmater I shall not show cowardice or weakness, but I will tell you that I am ill at ease in this dark, vile place. * 

[[Diplomacy check?]]

Ydyr looks at his companions and maganges a tired smile. He shrugs his shoulders. 

_I know that I will prove myself to them. It will take time. _


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## JimAde (Jun 10, 2005)

Jerek smiles ruefully.  *"Well I was looking to spend the rest of my days milking cows and hunting deer.  Then one day it was a club over the head and 'You're in the army now, lad!' "*  He chuckles darkly and shakes his head.  *"Everybody's life is a twisted path.  And nobody knows where it comes out."*  He stands up from Karakas' body.  *"Let's get on with it.  The others might still be alive."*


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## Voadam (Jun 10, 2005)

Jair turns to Ydir "*You are doing fine lad. But yes, it is time to continue on. With Heirmund's spell in place and his tracking nose I want Terrek in the lead with Jerek so he can smell out any new ambuses while Jerek does his sweeps for traps. Then Kuma and myself followed by Meepo and Heirmund with Lekho and Ydir as rear guard*."


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## Voadam (Jun 13, 2005)

"*But first, Karakis was the ranger companion the lady Hercule mentioned.*" Jair goes over to make sure the eyes of the corpse are closed and to intone an invocation of Mielikki for the fallen ranger. He will then detect magic to see if any of the ranger's gear was magical, including the flask that might be a potion or some alchemical concoction. Once done he is ready for the party to move on.


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## IndyPendant (Jun 13, 2005)

As you all get ready to leave, Jair does what little he can for the corpse of Karakas, and then casts his spell, determining that none of his equipment is magical--except for the vial of liquid, which gives off a faint magical aura of some sort.

Ydyr ventures out cautiously into the echoing darkness, using the lantern Lehko holds for light, as he watches Ydyr from the opening.  He very quickly discovers that he has left the Citadel completely, and is exposed in the ravine itself.  The floor here is made up entirely of crumbled masonry, and is extremely unstable underneath him.  And in fact, Ydyr hasn't gone more than ten feet before he feels a large piece of rubble _shift_ beneath his feet, dumping him into the darkness below!  The slab slides down with him, narrowly avoiding crushing him underneath it, as he finds himself in a small debris-strewn cavity in the floor.  He is unhurt, but it will take some skill--or luck--for him to climb out.  And, as you all freeze in your sudden startled silence from the way Ydyr just seemed to vanish from your sight--you can hear faint, multiple squeaks floating out there in the void...

Apparently, the ravine is inhabited after all.

((Jair does not have spellcraft, so cannot id the vial's magic school.  Ydyr's balance check: 1+2=3.))


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## JimAde (Jun 13, 2005)

Jerek mutters a curse under his breath and starts uncoiling the rope.  "Someone spot me," he says, holding the rope out for one of his companions to hold.

[OOC: As soon as someone can belay, Jerek will start down quickly on the rope to retrieve Ydyr]


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## Mithran (Jun 13, 2005)

Heirmund moves up near Jerek and peers out into the darkness to watch for rats while the other stronger people try to get Ydyr out of the hole.


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## jayaint (Jun 13, 2005)

Ydyr curses into the darkness softly, under his breath. HE crouches low and tries to reach out into the inky blackness with his senses, waiting for an attack. He listens to his companions moving above, getting rope ready.


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## Shayuri (Jun 13, 2005)

Kuma grunts and takes firm hold of the rope with both meaty hands.

*"We won't find goblins or your friends this way, I think,"* he says. *"Better to backtrack and explore some of the twists and turns we left behind."*

Then he calls down the ravine, *"Tug on the rope when you're ready, and I'll haul you up!"*


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## JimAde (Jun 13, 2005)

Jerek nods at the change in plan and tosses the remainder of the rope down toward Ydyr.  Then he gets his bow ready in case a target presents itself.


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## Voadam (Jun 14, 2005)

"*Side rooms, one at a time then once Ydir is safely back up here*."


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 14, 2005)

While Ydyr cautiously attempts to get back up the rope in the dark, Lehko takes one of his candles and lights it from the lantern he holds. He sets the lantern down and makes a tight fist, knuckles white. When he opens his palm and fingertips glow, and the candle begins to move through the air, down the side of the cliff. 

((Mage hand on the candle to get some light down there. I'm assuming it was about or less than 20ft seeing as Ydyr took no damage. If not I'll make an alternate move if you'd like.))


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## IndyPendant (Jun 14, 2005)

Between Lehko's candle, Jerek's rope, and Kuma's anchorage, Ydyr manages to clamber out of the pit--really, more of a hollow in the loose stone flooring--without mishap.  Heirmund keeps alert, but sees no signs of rats, as the others quickly make their way back into the room without being attacked, despite the growing chittering and squeaking Ydyr's fall stirred up.

You vacate the nest room just in case, shut the door, and organize yourselves in the fountain room.  Once you are ready, you backtrack southwards to examine the rooms you passed on the way in.  The first doors you check are the six doors in the hall leading to the fountain, which you had shut just a few minutes earlier to keep any potential rats from attacking you.  A quick, cautious look in each of these small rooms shows nests with varying levels of filth, unoccupied and with no other exits.

Just past that hallway, you find the second door waiting for you, leading west.  Jerek carefully examines the door and finds no traps, so Kuma opens it--to find a 20' square room empty of anything, except only rat droppings, crumbled flagstones, some minor stains, and another door leading out to the north.  Jerek checks that door, and finds no traps as well, so Kuma opens it--to release a loud clangor of bells, struck by the door as it swings open!

The 10-foot-wide hall revealed is liberally strewn with sharp caltrops.  The northern door 20' away to the north is missing, but the room beyond is partially blocked by a roughly-mortared 3-foot-high wall, complete with crenellations.

((Jerek's search check: 9+6=15.))


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## JimAde (Jun 14, 2005)

Backing away, Jerek winces at the noise and shrugs an apology to the others.  "So much for stealth," he says drawing his bowstring back and taking aim at the top of the short wall opposite.

[OOC:I'm expecting somebody to man that wall momentarily and want to be ready.]


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## jayaint (Jun 14, 2005)

Ydyr thanks the rest of the party for hauling him up during their backtracking.

With the bells jangling, and the half wall beckoning, Ydyr will make bounce lightly thru the hall and step inside the room and crouch down, watching for any motion behind the wall, or farther on.

[[move cautiously through the hallway (tumble, if needed) and be just to the left of the entrance in the room.]]


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## JimAde (Jun 15, 2005)

*"Mind the spiky bits,"* Jerek mutters as Ydyr snakes by.


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## Voadam (Jun 15, 2005)

JimAde said:
			
		

> *"Mind the spiky bits,"* Jerek mutters as Ydyr snakes by.




"*Aye, and expect a goblin welcome soon I'd say. Let's move in and clear a path of the barbs lest we have to withdraw after sallying in. Jerek with your bow, Lekho and Mithran with your spells, watch that wall for enemies while the rest of us clear the way*."


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## Mithran (Jun 15, 2005)

Heirmund moves forward to a position where he can see the wall Jair wanted him to watch and waits.

OOC: Preferably a spot where he is within moving distance of some sort of cover.


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## Shayuri (Jun 15, 2005)

Kuma raises his shield against possible arrows or spears, and starts clearing caltrops away with sweeps of his sword, hoping to open up a corridor suitable for charging when the enemy showed their faces.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 16, 2005)

Ever the practical one, Lehko will hand his lantern to Heirimund and assist Kuma in the clearing of the caltrops, following behind his undoubtably slow movement and gathering them into his sack, seemingly unconcerned with the ahead embattlements.


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## IndyPendant (Jun 16, 2005)

You only have a moment to prepare, and have just started to clear away the caltrops, when two goblins peek over the top of the 'battlements' at the far end of the hall.  They don't hesitate, but each immediately chuck a javelin.  Jerek was ready, and doesn't hesitate either, shooting at a goblin before their first missile is thrown.  Jerek's arrow strikes through the goblin's chest, badly wounding it, but not stopping it.

While Kuma and Jair have just started to sweep the caltrops aside, Ydyr has already moved cautiously forward.  Since he is closest to them, the goblins target him with their weapons, but he easily dodges the incoming missiles.

((Jerek's attack: Nat 20.  Confirm: 11+3+1-4=11.  Goblin's attacks: 14, 13.))

((Initiative: Kuma/16; Jerek/15; Goblins/14; Terrek/13; Jair/8; Lehko/8; Ydyr/5; Heirmund/2.))

((The hallway is 10 feet wide and 20 feet long.  Each 5' square is strewn with caltrops.  You can safely move through them at 1/2 move, or risk 'attacks' by the caltrops if you move at full speed; if the attacks hit, your speed is reduced by 50%.  When you reach the wall, you could jump over it by making a DC 14 Jump check, or climb over it as a move-equivalent action that draws AoOs.  You can also take a full-round action to remove all caltrops from a 5' square, using a long object like a staff, spear, etc--in which case that 5' square does not hamper movement at all.))

((Ydyr starts combat inside the hallway, able to reach the wall with a single move action--even at 1/2 move.  Jair and Kuma stand just inside the hallway as well, crouching, in the process of removing the first 5' square each (you are about halfway done.)  Jerek stands in the doorway shooting at the goblins.  Terrek, Lehko, and Heirmund still stand in the previous room, and do not have a clear line of fire to the goblins.  The battlement provides the goblins with cover relative to you.))


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## JimAde (Jun 16, 2005)

Jerek draws another arrow and steps to one side of the doorway to let the others through.  He takes cool aim at the goblin he hit alread, hoping to put him down.

[OOC: Trying to snipe around the corner, giving myself cover.  Can I do that?  Regardless:

+4 Ranged Short bow (1d6 20/x3) (Includes Point Blank Shot modifier)
]


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## Voadam (Jun 16, 2005)

"*Ydir, engage them and tell us if more are coming, We'll clear a path for if you need to withdraw!"*

If Kuma clears the five foot square in front of him can I then five foot step into that cleared square and sweep the next five foot square? That would clear us a ten foot path, halfway to the wall.


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## Voadam (Jun 16, 2005)

"*Terrek, get through there. Careful boy*." 

The wolfhound moves at 40 so half speed will take him to the wall next to Ydyr.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 17, 2005)

Not seeing an opening for himself, Lehko says to Meepo. *"Your turn, Dragon Keeper! Call to your comrades, if they be. Explain ourselves!*" He also pulls and arms his sling from his belt, swinging it rapidly and keenly looking for an opening. *"Quickly, before there is noone left to explain to."*


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## Mithran (Jun 17, 2005)

Heirmund moves forward to one side of the doorway *"Don't waste the warriors time Jair, I'll clear the path"*

OOC: If I can just 5 foot step then I'll do that and go ahead and clear the caltrops off a square.


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## IndyPendant (Jun 17, 2005)

Kuma sweeps clear the first 5' square while Jerek shoots at the wounded goblin.  His arrow takes the goblin in the chest, who disappears a moment later, collapsing instantly.  The other goblin shoots at Ydyr again, but Ydyr manages to dodge the attack.  The goblin then vanishes from sight--much more mundanely, as it rushes to the west.  Moments later, you can hear it calling out some goblinoid words, although there is too much interfering noise and too much distance for Heirmund to make out more than the occasional word here and there.  There's no doubt the goblin is calling for help, however.

((Jerek's attack: 17+4-4=17.  Damage: 4+1=5.  Heirmund's listen check: 2+0=0.))

Terrek, not understanding what Jair is trying to tell him to do, rushes down the hall, growling fiercely.  He yelps at he nears the barrier, but still gamely tries to jump it to get over the battlement.  He can't get enough force from his injured rear paw, however, and ends up standing on his rear legs, his front paws bracing the barrier, barking challengingly at the goblin.

((Jair's push: 9+11=20.  Caltrops' "attacks": 10, 15, 16.  Damage: 1.  Terrek's jump: 5+8-10=3.))

Jair steps forward and clears the square just ahead of Kuma, while Heirmund clears the square beside Kuma.  Lehko still stands outside the hallway, talking with Meepo, who stares while drawing his short sword.  *"Stupid human!  Vile goblins enemy of Meepo!  Talk to goblins.  Silly, stupid human."*  It chortles to itself in the peculiar clicking manner of its race.  Ydyr, finding himself unthreatened, moves carefully through the caltrops and climbs over the barrier.  He stands alone in a room, looking at the goblin nearby, who is standing at a slightly open door, calling into another room.


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## jayaint (Jun 17, 2005)

Ydyr moves across the room to the nearest bow-wielder and pummels him fiercely, letting out a grunt of rage and power.

*More on the way, this one's shouting for help!!!*


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## JimAde (Jun 17, 2005)

*"This is way too much like work,"* Jerek observes as he starts to move forward.  He carefully threads his way among the caltrops until he reaches the other end of the hallway and halts next to Terrek.  *"How you doin' boy?"* he asks patting the dog quickly before he nocks another arrow.

[OOC: Taking a double move at half speed to get through the caltrops safely.  If I can see Ydyr, I'll just stay here and use the wall for cover while I snipe.  Regardless, I'm done for this round.]


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## Shayuri (Jun 17, 2005)

With the caltrops more or less clear, and having obviously missed more action than he likes, Kuma rumbles in approval at the warning of more and strides forward through the cleared path, slowing only slightly at the ten feet of caltrops.

*"Good, let them come! Let us have battle!"*

With that, he bashes at the rude barrier, trying to smash open a path through it.

(Move of 40, using 20' of movement to get through calts, the rest to get to the barricade, then taking an attack action to try to break a hole in the barricade))


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## Mithran (Jun 18, 2005)

Heirmund moves forward out of the doorway to allow Lehko and Meepo through as well.


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## Voadam (Jun 18, 2005)

"*Keep on him Ydir.*" Jair notes Terrek's wounded paw and makes a mental note to heal it when he gets the chance but for now continues to sweep caltrops in case the party needs to retreat out this way. Hazards that slow movement would be enough to allow pursuers to catch the party if they were fleeing.


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## IndyPendant (Jun 19, 2005)

The room Ydyr finds himself in is 20 feet square.  The layer of filth on the floor, stains on the walls, shabby hides, and much-used fire pit attest to the years of use this room has seen at the hands of the goblins, who are obviously not overly concerned with hygiene.  The battlement stands to his south, and in the southwestern corner, just ten feet from him, the goblin archer stands in a door beside the battlement, opening outwards from the room to the south as well.  This means Ydyr doesn't have to move far to reach the goblin--but it also means that Jerek can't get a line of sight on it.

Kuma moves up to the barricade and tries to break through it, but only chips at the mortar slightly with his strike.  It looks shoddy, but is surprisingly sturdy; still, he would probably be able to break it down--given an hour or three...  Jerek, unable to find a clear target, climbs over the barricade, placing his back against the east wall for safety--and spies the goblin!  Immediately, he shoots the goblin, who no longer has cover, and hits, and the goblin leaves a blood trail as it slowly slides down the wall to lie unmoving.  Heirmund and Jair clear away the next set of caltrops, leaving only five feet in front of Jair and ten feet in front of Heirmund left to clear away.  Lehko follows behind, quickly scooping most of the caltrops into his small bag; he figures he is getting roughly 3/4 of them, even hurrying as he is, and he is confident he can take a few minutes and grab the rest later on.  Meepo nervously stands in the doorway to the hallway, reluctant to enter, while Terrek awkwardly hops up onto the barricade and then over, landing with a quiet whimper on the other side, ending up in between Jerek and the doorway, which Ydyr hurries up to--and then through and out of sight.

Approaching the door, Ydyr sees a short hall that bends to the west after ten feet.  Hearing hurried noises coming from that direction, he cautiously heads down the hall and peeks around the corner.  He sees...another barricade.  With more goblins crouching behind it.  They exclaim as they see him, and a couple javelins clatter near the wall he is peeking around, causing him to quickly pull back before he could get more than a brief impression: a larger room, larger barricade, and more goblins.  At least there aren't caltrops this time...

((Jerek's attack: 13+4=17.  Damage: 4+1=5.))


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## Voadam (Jun 20, 2005)

Jair sweeps the last five feet in front of him with his spear, enough to clear a path so a person could make a full retreat without risking getting spiked and crippled. 
He then moves up to the barricade.

"*It's clear on the left as you come back here lads*."


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## JimAde (Jun 20, 2005)

Jerek grits his teeth, clearly unhappy with the situation.  *"I know it's kind of late now,"* he says to the group at large, *"but do you think they'd be willing to talk?"*  He turns to Meepo.  *"What do you think?  Can they be dealt with?"*


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## jayaint (Jun 20, 2005)

Ydyr will inform whomever catches up with him of the basic layout and number of goblins, etc. Deep in the recesses of his mind, tall tales of adventuring heroes swirl darkly, stories told by mothers to put their children to sleep. He thinks that this would normally be the time for a grand old wizard to hobble up to the corner and zap some kind of light at the foul goblins cowering at the end of the hall.

[[If Heirmund has no distance offense prepared, then Ydyr will offer to charge with Kuma, et al. ]]


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## Mithran (Jun 20, 2005)

Seeing the path is cleared Heirmund moves as far as he can towards Ydyr.

OOC: Heirmunds got... acid splash. lol


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## Shayuri (Jun 20, 2005)

Kuma grins at the door the goblins vanished through.

*"Cowardly bastards. One good charge and they'll likely scatter again."*

He gives the wizard a wary look.

*"Though if you want to lob magic, say so now."*


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## IndyPendant (Jun 21, 2005)

Meepo responds to Jerek's question scornfully in his shrill screech as Kuma hops over the barricade into the northern room.  *"They goblins!  Goblins not talk!  Goblins only kill!  They no deal."*  Jair completes his final sweep of caltrops before climbing over as well, and treats Terrek's wounded foot with amazing success, managing to reduce the worst of its effects.  Heirmund completes his sweeps shortly after, and Lehko bags most of the caltrops; a quick eyeball estimate tells him he has managed to gather roughly 6 regular-sized bags worth of caltrops--and can easily get the rest whenever he has the time.  Then the two of them also climb over the barricade, Meepo sheathing his sword and following last.

All of you now stand in the northern room, facing the hall to the south that Ydyr went down, discussing your next step...

((Jair's unskilled Heal check: 18+3=21.))


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## Voadam (Jun 21, 2005)

"*They threw spears first. Let's get ready to charge them*."


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## jayaint (Jun 21, 2005)

Ydyr nods his head, agreeing that a simple charge might prove most effective here.


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## JimAde (Jun 21, 2005)

Jerek nods nervously.  *"Right.  I'll try to stick whoever looks to be in charge."*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 21, 2005)

Lehko will lay on the floor, and poke his head out around the corner trying to get a view of the emplacement. When he's seen enough, he attempts to reach out a grab one of the thrown javelins. If he notices anything Ydyr did not already relay, he'll say so. Otherwise, he will stand back up with the javelin (hopefully) and prepare to back up any action by the warriors.

((Failing being able to grab trhe javelin, I'll just ready my sling for ranged assault.))


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## Mithran (Jun 21, 2005)

*"I'll try to keep their heads down with a few spells while you charge then, since I'm certainly not of much use with weapons."* Heirmund then moves up close to the doorway into the next room.

OOC: Can Heirmund refocus, or whatever it is called that moves you to the top of the init?


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## Voadam (Jun 22, 2005)

"*Right then, half do covering fire followed by the other half charging. Kuma and Terrek leading*."


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## IndyPendant (Jun 22, 2005)

Lehko does manage to snag one of the small goblin spears after scouting the room; the only things he notices that Ydyr did not are the three humanoid target dummies set up against the southern wall, and the closed door leading out of the room to the west, on your southern side of the barricade.  Another javelin clatters uselessly into the corner as well, from an overeager goblin, as he backs up and relays this information.  Meanwhile, Meepo draws its sword again and stabs downward at the second goblin Jerek shot, explaining that *"This one still alive.  No more."*

You then organize yourselves for the assault on the second barricade as quietly as possible, and attack!

((New init, since combat ended: Goblins/19; Kuma/17; Jair/17; Lehko/'19'; Ydyr/16; Jerek/15; Meepo/15; Terrek/10; Heirmund/5.))

Lehko delays to act just after Kuma and Jair, who both hurry south down the short hall into the large room, and then turn and run north again up to the barricade.  The goblins were ready for them, however, and before they can do anything, four small javelins are hurled towards the first around the corner--Kuma.  None of them even come close however, and Kuma, with his greater speed, is even able to attack a goblin!  Unfortunately, the low barricade, while not tall enough to provide cover to a human, easily provides cover for a small creature, and his sword bounces off the crenelations of the barricade as Jair finishes his movement to stand beside Kuma.

((Goblin's attacks: 8, 12, 9, 12.  Kuma's attack: 2+4-4=2.))

Lehko then moves into the room and throws his javelin at the goblin furthest from Jair and Kuma, who enjoys the cover of the barricade but is not in melee yet with anyone.  His throw falls short however, and clatters uselessly against the wall.  Still, there's at least two more within reach on the floor if he wishes to use more...  Ydyr rushes up to end his movement standing beside Jair at the front, and Jerek moves to stand beside Lehko at the rear, shooting at that same goblin, and scoring a glancing wound in the shoulder.  Meepo and Heirmund also move into the room to stand at the back beside Jerek, as Terrek rushes to the front as well.  Terrek tries impatiently to jump the barricade completely, but can't quite make the leap, and ends up beside Ydyr.

((Lekho's attack: 10+2-4=8.  Jerek's attack: 15+4-4=15.  Damage: 1+1=2.  Terrek's jump check: 5+8=13.))

Now there is a complete faceoff at the barricade, with (from west to east) Terrek, Ydyr, Jair, and Kuma lined up wall-to-wall against four goblins on the other side.  At the south wall, just in front of the target dummies, Meepo, Heirmund, Jerek, and Lehko provide support.  Around the feet of those in the rear are strewn many damaged javelins, but any of them could find at least one javelin within reach that is useable for throwing if necessary.


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## jayaint (Jun 22, 2005)

Ydyr curls his fists and attacks across the half wall. 

[[single attack, i.e. not "full attack" and if the goblin opposite me drops, I will use my "move action to scale/jump/slide over the half wall. If the goblin does not go down... well.. I'll stay put. ]]


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 22, 2005)

Lehko releases his javelin smoothly, and in perfect form, despite it's miss. He extends the motion into a graceful twist, feet actually coming up off the ground for a moment as he bends to pick up the next closest one. He continues his spin even further, extending his arm and leg into a classic javelin throw position, the missile launching from his fingertips. This time he pulls the stance short however, and takes a large step forward, effectivley shedding his momentum. 

[[Picking up another javelin and attacking either the same goblin or again, the farthest non melee, followed by the ubiquitous 5ft step.]]


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## JimAde (Jun 22, 2005)

Jerek growls in frustration at the crowded opening.  "Give me a shot!" he shouts, drawing his bow back again.

[OOC: No penalty for firing into melee (Precise Shot) but the goblins have cover, of course.

Attack Modifier +4, 1d6+1 damage if I manage to hit.

What I wouldn't give for some Alchemist's Fire  ]


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## IndyPendant (Jun 23, 2005)

The goblins all look nervous, as they gaze up at their human invaders.  Nevertheless, they all drop their javelins, draw their morningstars, and attack!  Each attacks the one in front of him, with one exception: the goblin on the far west ignores Terrek completely and attacks Ydyr diagonally accross the barricade.  He is the only one to hit, his morningstar striking Ydyr's shoulder crushingly, the spikes scoring a line of blood down his arm, and almost causing it to go completely numb.

((Goblin's attacks: 19, 9, 6, 11.  Damage: 4.))

Kuma responds in kind, bringing his longsword up and over the barricade--but this time it glances off one of the crenellations, the blade skipping high over the goblin's head.  Jair has better luck, and by thrusting his spear right in between them, he manages to catch the careless goblin facing him directly in the chest, killing him instantly!  Lehko completes his maneuver, knowing he has little chance of hitting--and indeed, the javelin strikes the barricade cleanly, lodging there.  Ydyr strikes out with a fist at the goblin facing him, but his target dodges momentarily behind a crenellation, causing him to miss.  Jerek's shot goes high, sailing over everyone's head to lodge in the wall near the ceiling.  Meepo and Heirmund watch, unable to spot an opening, as Terrek braces his front feet against the barricade wall and lunges the goblin that ignored him with his snapping jaws.  The goblin just leans back slightly, his expression scornful, to avoid Terrek's attack.

((Kuma's attack: 10+4-4=10.  Jair's attack: 19+0-4=15.  Damage: 8+0=8.  Lehko's attack: 18+2-4-4=12.  Ydyr's attack: 16+2-4=14.  Jerek's attack: 6+4-4=6.  Terrek's attack: 13+3-4=12.  Heirmund has Delayed slightly, to go at the beginning of the next round, before the goblins.))


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## Shayuri (Jun 23, 2005)

Kuma spits in anger at the repeated misses due to the barricade.

*"Mountain's breath! I come for you, small demons!"*

With that, he scales the low barricade entirely, raising his sword over his head to bring it crashing down atop the goblin facing him!

(Move action to get over, Climb or Jump check as needed, and attack on Gobby)


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## JimAde (Jun 23, 2005)

"Right," Jerek says tightly.  "Charge!"

He runs toward the barrier, leaping over it without breaking stride.

[OOC: I assume the barrier is only about 2 or 3 ft high since the goblins can shoot over it.  3' is a DC 12 Jump check.  However, the rules also say you can "hop up" onto something as high as your waist with a DC 10 check.  Odd.
Anyway, since I go after most people, my intention is to follow anybody who goes over and try to end up in a spot where I can shoot without provoking AoO.  Still trying to find an important-looking target.
Jump +0, unfortunately...]


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## jayaint (Jun 23, 2005)

Ydyr eyes water at the sting of the pain in his shoulder. He looks one way then the other before attacking again. 

[[Again, if a space opens up after his attack, he will hop over.]]


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## Mithran (Jun 23, 2005)

Heirmund waits for an opening on this side of the wall and then moves up and starts poking over the wall with his staff at the nearest goblin.

OOC: Either attack a goblin or aid another if the positions are right.


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## Voadam (Jun 24, 2005)

With full on joyful druid battle lust going Jair will hop over the wall into the space the dead goblin occupied then strike another with his spear.


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## IndyPendant (Jun 24, 2005)

The goblin to the west just looks contemptuous again, but the one to the east, directly facing Kuma, stares up at him in wide-eyed dismay.  All three attack again, two on Ydyr and the remaining one on Kuma.  Ydyr just barely manages to dodge that first goblin's second attack, but the other two don't even come close.  Then Kuma, figuring he would be unable to clear the barricade in a jump, instead climbs over it, risking attacks from two of the goblins--and the one facing him directly hits him in the chest, almost knocking him back over the wall again!  However, Kuma manages to complete his climb over the wall, and attacks that goblin.  Unhampered by the barricade, his sword easily finds its target, slicing right through the goblin's neck.  In a smooth motion, he brings the sword arcing around to the other goblin within reach, the one Ydyr wounded, and his sword strikes the barricade again--this time, _after_ cleaving straight through the second goblin.

((Goblins' attacks: 15, 10, 6.  Goblins' AoOs: 4, 21.  Damage: 4.  Kuma's attack: 13+4=17.  Damage: 5+3=8.  Cleave: 19+4=23.  Crit check: 3+4=7.  Damage: 6+3=9.))

Jair follows Kuma's lead, climbing over the barricade to attack the single remaining goblin.  That goblin strikes out at him desperately with his morningstar, and hits a glancing blow before Jair plants himself on the other side, and attacks!  Unfortunately, the goblin corpse beneath him causes him to lose balance and his thrust slides off the goblin's small shield.  Lehko, heedless of the odds of hitting, once more twists down smoothely and grabs another javelin nearby, hurling it at the lone goblin, but it sails high.  Ydyr, seeing no way to cross the barricade and still reach this no-longer-scornful goblin, attacks him over the wall, but once again the crenellations get in his way.

((Kobold's AoO: 17.  Damage: 1.  Jair's attack: 6+0=6.  Lehko's attack: 5-4-4=-3.  Ydyr's attack: 16+2-4=14.))

Jerek races up to the barricade and tries to leap over it--clearing it cleanly, if just barely!  He completes his movement by getting into position for a clear shot, and looses an arrow--that slices a clean runnel along the beleagered goblin's armour, but doesn't strike home.  Terrek attacks that goblin as well, but misses completely.  As Heirmund approaches and clambers over the barricade to stand against the eastern wall, the goblin retreats up to the second western door there, which is luckily shut.  Jair attacks him as he withdraws, but misses, and the goblin begins yelling for help in his own language at the top of his lungs.

((Jerek's jump check: 15+0=15.  Attack: 10+4=14.  Terrek's attack: 2+3-4=1.  Jair's AoO: 2+0=2.))

((I realized belatedly that it doesn't really make sense to have the goblins go at the start of the post, since this way you can properly react to what they do...: ))


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## jayaint (Jun 25, 2005)

Ydyr will move away from the goblin at the wall, and move farther down the wall and slip over, heading for a door... presumably through which goblins should be pouring any minute.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 25, 2005)

Frustrated with his innacuracy using the poorly made and too small goblin javelins, Lehko roars out loud and charges over the wall into the melee. He scrambles over the barriacade, and swings a viscous uppercut at the nearest goblin in reach.

[[Just a move to and over the barricade, not an actual charge, into the area that has the least number of potential AoO's.  Bleh, not being a tank in a closed combat sitution.]]


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## JimAde (Jun 27, 2005)

Jerek nocks another arrow and starts muttering a constant stream of inventive curses under his breath.  He moves to stay clear of attackers and looses his arrow.

[OOC: Move as necessary to avoid AoO, fire at the clearest target available (that is, if I can find a target without cover, take it).
]


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## Voadam (Jun 27, 2005)

Jair charges with his spear to impale the last goblin before the others arrive.


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## Mithran (Jun 28, 2005)

Heirmund will hang back and let the others have the goblin.


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## Shayuri (Jun 28, 2005)

Face set in a horrible grimace, Kuma lunges forward and swings his sword in a gruesome arc at the remaining goblin!


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## Voadam (Jun 28, 2005)

Terrek will rush forward to the attack as well.


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## IndyPendant (Jun 28, 2005)

Kuma's attack takes the goblin in the shoulder and continues right through his arm and into his body, cutting off his yelling instantly.  You all then quietly get into position for the next goblin charge, and wait breathlessly.

Nothing happens.

After waiting a short time, you figure it's safe.  Apparently, the goblin's yells for help were not heard.  You find yourselves in what looks almost like a permanent indoor camp north of the barricade here, complete with a fire ring and several iron cook pots.

There are three doors--other than the one you came in through--leading out of this room: one door in the west wall on the south side of the barricade; one door in the west wall on the north side, and the third door leads north out of the room.

((Kuma's attack: 11+4=15.  Damage: 3+3=6.))


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 29, 2005)

Lehko lands hard on the other side of the battlement, and surveys the scene with mild dissapointment. He turns to Kuma and says, *"Well done friend, your blade is a greater asset than I thought!"* He steps forward warily into the room, looking around and paying careful attention to the floor. He steps aside once through the doorway and stays along the wall allowing the others to come through as they will.


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## JimAde (Jun 29, 2005)

Jerek tries to wipe sweat from his forehead but only succeeds in streaking his own blood across his face instead.  Breathing heavily he says, *"I think we need a break.  Let's move back into the room we just came out of, post a watch on this room, and take stock."*


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## jayaint (Jun 29, 2005)

Ydyr waits patiently as the group re-collects and decides what to do next.


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## Voadam (Jun 29, 2005)

Jair takes stock of the party, noticing the significant wounds of Kuma, Jerek, and Ydir.

"*I agree Jerek. It is time to withdraw before we overextend ourselves. I have a little healing magic left but it would be best not to push it. See if the goblins have anything of value and gather their weapons then lets pull back*."


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## JimAde (Jun 29, 2005)

Jerek nods briskly, slings his bow over his shoulder and moves off to systematically loot the fallen goblins.

[OOC: Search +6, taking 10.  Taking any cash, of couse, and any other portable wealth like jewelry.  Goblin weapons can stay unless Heirmund is interested in them (I believe he's the only Small character in the party).  Also any water or wine skins, etc.]


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## Mithran (Jun 29, 2005)

Heirmund follows along with Jerek helping him collect the loot.

OOC: He's got a stick to hold himself up, what more does a good wizard need?


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## IndyPendant (Jun 30, 2005)

The goblins in the two rooms have a small amount of coin on each of them, totalling a little over fifty silver.  The last goblin standing, though, also had a silver flask of liquid, as well as a single key.  There is nothing to use the key on that you can see in this room, nor does there appear to be anything else of value here.

Lehko opens the door leading out to the north, to see an empty hallway leading off to the west, with one door on the north side near the middle, and another door at the far end, both of which are shut tight.  He steps aside to let someone else take the lead, hesitating when Jair announces his decision to rest.  Lehko then reenters the room willingly enough, if without enthusiasm, and shuts the door again behind him.

And with that, you begin heading back the way you came.


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## jayaint (Jun 30, 2005)

Ydyr anticipates a few welcome hours of dreamless restorative shut-eye. He volunteers to take either first or last watch.


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## Voadam (Jun 30, 2005)

"*Let's get to the first room with a door we can secure and gather all the caltrops so we don't have to deal with them again. The three spellcasters will need eight hours uninterrupted sleep and I can do more healing once we have the area secure."*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jun 30, 2005)

As usual, Lehko will assist however he acan with setting camp, including gathering the rest of and placing the caltrops however seems appropriate. He will even consult Jerek on  the best placement of caltrops, and the potentiality of some soft of trip or alarm line using our rope or thread if we can find it.


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## JimAde (Jul 1, 2005)

Jerek agrees, suggesting the caltrops be placed in front of any entrances and they rig a noise-making trip line in front of the door leading to the known goblins.

[OOC: Unfortunately, Jerek doesn't have Craft(Trapmaking), but we can fake it.  I assume this will be a CR 1 trap, so the base craft DC is 20.  The rules don't seem to list a time for creating a simple trap, so I don't know if taking 20 is practical.  If it is, that's what we'll do.  Jerek's modifier is just his INT modifier of +2.  If we have to actually roll I'll need an 18 or better, but Lehko could aid another (DC 10 to add +2 modifier) ]


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## Voadam (Jul 1, 2005)

Jair will use his last first level slot to heal Kuma and then all his minor healing on Jerek and Ydir so that we are all full in the morning after the night's rest. Nonspellcasters on rotating guard duty, including Terrek who knows guard as one of his animal handling tricks.


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## IndyPendant (Jul 1, 2005)

You retreat back to the first goblin room, thinking it might be a good defensible position.  However, it is also utterly filthy--almost as bad as the rat's nests--and you all quickly agree that the stench and squalor (not to mention the blood from the goblin corpses) make it completely unsuitable.

The next room down--the empty, dusty, rat-dropping-strewn room just past it, whose door you opened to first encounter the caltrops and the first barricade--seems ideal.  It's big enough for the eight of you, if you don't mind a little crowding.  It needs some cleaning before it would be serviceable--but that mostly involves just sweeping the floor, and setting aside the worst of the loose flagstones.  It is outside the goblin-populated area, if just barely, and you can close the door leading to the formerly-caltrop-strewn hallway.  And it has another door that leads into the rest of the dungeon, that you can retreat through should the need arise.

Its one flaw is that you can't really effectively lay down the caltrops on the inside of the room with you, and laying them on the outside with you would serve no purpose, since with the door shut you wouldn't be able to see any intruders cautiously approach.  But a quick reconnoitre of the rest of the nearby rooms shows there isn't really any place you can have both.  The fountain room, for example, has the advantage of a long hallway that can be easily caltrop-strewn--but it has no door protecting it, and nowhere to run to should you be required to flee.

No, this room is definitely the best choice.  While Ydyr and Kuma stand guard, Lehko gathers up the rest of the caltrops and adds them to his small sack, and Jair begins healing everyone.  Then, since rigging a sound trap on the door that leads directly into your 'rest-room' would be pointless, Lehko and Jerek rig a crude noise trap on the door between the two goblin barricade rooms.

((Jair's CLW: 4+1=5.  I will need to know how many CMW's you give to each char, please.  Note that I will not roll for things like trapsetting until a) something triggers the trap, and b) you can observe the results.))

You then spend some time cleaning up the room you're going to rest in, and tallying the valuables you have so far managed to gather.  Your total comes to 262sp, 42gp, 3 small gems, a flask of magical liquid, Karakas' gold ring, 16 lbs (8 'uses') of caltrops in a single small sack, a well-made silver flask of some sort of nonmagical _vile_ alcohol, and a key.

All of that takes up a few hours of your time.  Still, all that's left to do now is...nothing.  Interminable hours pass while you wait to be able to sleep.  Your lamp oil dwindles noticeably during this period; a quick tally shows you that you have brought roughly 36 hours of lantern light, 12 hours of torchlight, and 20 or so hours of candlelight between you all.  You decide to use the torchlight while resting and talking in the room, and candles once everyone is finally ready to sleep.

((Once the night's over and you are ready to go in the morning--including the hour's study/prayer/etc time--I will rule you have used up 4 hours of lantern light, 8 hours of torchlight, and 10 hours of candle light.  And yes, I know that doesn't add up to a full day. ; ))

You set up watches, measuring the length of time by the number of candles you burn.  You are lucky and remain undisturbed for the entire night, awakening the next morning somewhat refreshed, and ready to resume where you left off...

((Heirmund, I'll need to know your spell choices for today.))


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## jayaint (Jul 1, 2005)

*Thanks be to Illmater, a night with no interruptions from those vile creatures.* 

Ydyr stretches slowly as the rest of the party awakes, getting ready for his day.


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## JimAde (Jul 1, 2005)

Jerek is reasonably chipper once everyone awakes.  *"Let's have some breakfast.  Let's see..."* He rummages through the provisions they brought and tries to put together something fairly tasty while Jair and Heirmund undertake their spell preparation.

*"We'll have to be extra careful this morning,"* he says as they eat.  *"The goblins will have had plenty of time to discover what's happened and react.  I'll go in the lead and try to root out any surprises they've laid for us."*


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## Mithran (Jul 1, 2005)

Before Heirmund goes to sleep for the night he looks over the three gems and attempts a guess at their value (Appraise +9). In the morning sits in the corner of the room farthest away from the goings on to  study his spellbook.

OOC:
0th- Detect magic, Daze x2, Acid Splash
1st- Mage Armor, Silent Image, Charm Person


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 1, 2005)

The first thing Lehko does that morning, even before his usual limbering up regimine, is check the condition of his and Jerek's trap. Afterward he'll make a small prayer to the earth father over whatever meal is prepared. *"This night was not good. We should definatly keep our eyes open for anything that could be burned well. I am no stranger to the dark, but these goblins call it home. Meepo, come look at this, show me what we did wrong,"* he says, indicating the crude trip line.


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## Shayuri (Jul 2, 2005)

Kuma lapses into quiet during the long hours of rest. He produces small sheets of parchment and sets them one against the other on the floor before him to squint at them. Each piece has a single rune on it, drawn in exagerratedly large strokes. Those with knowledge of Draconic will recognize them as Draconic letters. One to each piece. Kuma's brow knits as he studies them, and his mouth moves soundlessly as he looks at one, then another, and so on down the line.

The following morning, he eats his rations without a word until he lets out an explosive sigh of relief on standing.

*"Let us make better use of this day than last!"* he pronounces like a benediction as he wrestles his armor on and hefts his sword and shield.


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## IndyPendant (Jul 4, 2005)

Lehko checks the trap he and Jerek fashioned, to find that it has been disturbed, but not loudly enough for anyone within the room to have heard it.  The door leading to the second barricade room is shut, at least.  Heirmund examines the gems, and estimates that they are worth roughly 5, 10, and 20 gold respectively.  The big prize turns out to be the silver flask.  It is of dwarven make, and good quality; he estimates its worth at around 50 gold.

((Lehko's assist check: 5+2=7.  Jerek's check: 6+2=8.  Heirmund doesn't know what he rolled for his appraise checks--but he knows he can rely on his estimate of the value of the common gems without risk, at least...))

Lehko calls Meepo over, who examines the trap for a few moments and snorts derisively.  *"Kobold child of five years could do better!  You have piton?  Next time, hammer into door and hang noise maker from it with small rock.  Tie on a bit away from door.  And get better noise maker."*

Once you are ready to go, Jerek offers to scout ahead.  You quickly discover one problem to scouting, however: you need light, and yours is practically the only light in this citadel.  It's all but impossible to surprise anything here, a fact brought home by the startled scramble Jerek hears as he leaves the first barricade room and heads slowly and silently down the hall that leads into the second.  He carefully peeks around the corner, but the goblins he sees don't notice him for long moments, despite being fully aware of the lantern light behind him, and he even has time for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of this room.  He observes four more goblins set up behind the second barricade, exactly as the first four you fought were--except that these goblins apparently gathered up all the useful javelins from this side of the barricade this time.

At least there are still no more caltrops.

((Jerek's move silently check: 9+7=16.  Hide check: 3+7=10.  Goblins' spot check: 9.))


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## JimAde (Jul 5, 2005)

Jerek creeps back to the others and relays the information in hushed whispers.


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## Voadam (Jul 5, 2005)

"*How close were you able to get and still be undetected? If I get to within 25 feet I can summon a spirit wolf among them to provide a short distraction as we rush in. Otherwise it will be a straight charge again*."


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## Mithran (Jul 5, 2005)

"Perhaps you should save your magics for later, it is just another four goblins if Jerek is correct."


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## Shayuri (Jul 5, 2005)

*"Pfraugh,"* Kuma opines. *"All this talk of skulking and spells. Give me half a minute and I'll have them split like last week's firewood."*


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## JimAde (Jul 6, 2005)

*"If we rush them we might get the drop on them,"* Jerek remarks.  *"I might be able to skewer one through the eye as Kuma charges and get them all before they yell for help."*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 6, 2005)

Lehko scowls. *"How many is that now? Eight? Tweleve? Does this place ever run out of goblins?! Your Mage Armour lasts several hours, aye? Maybe we should let him go. He runs out ahead,"* at this he nods tword Jerek's bow and his own sling, *"then we take them from range."* After a pause he adds, *"Our 'alarm' was already disturbed, the longer we wait, the more our chances of further detection."*


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## Voadam (Jul 6, 2005)

"*All right then, I won't be able to get off the spell then and it will be worth keeping it for healing as needed. But as they are waiting for the light to come to them we can get a slight jump on them by having one person hang back with the lantern as the others prepare to rush. Heirmund, I want you to hold the light while the rest of us rush up and jump the four goblins. Then come in quick so we aren't in the dark. Also if you prepared the mage armor again it would be best to cast that before combat begins, as Ydir is rushing into melee it would be very useful on him. Let's do these goblins quick and then move on*."


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## jayaint (Jul 6, 2005)

*Lets not waste magic ahead of time, I agree. Given a night to prepare, the four goblins could just be the bait for some kind of trap. I would rather our spell caster had his full compliment of spells, perhaps enough to save our hide should this prove to be more than a simple skirmish.*


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## JimAde (Jul 6, 2005)

*"All right, then,"* Jerek says.  *"But I still think I can take one of them out before the charge if we time it right.  Kuma and Ydyr sneak forward with me.  I drop one of the goblins and at the same time they rush the others.  Then the rest of us follow as quick as we can and with any luck we can take them out and be on the other side of the wall before reinforcements arrive."*


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## Mithran (Jul 6, 2005)

*"Hang back with the light while the rest of you sneak up on them, alright."* Heirmund looks up at the people arguing around him *"Are you sure sure about the mage armor?"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 6, 2005)

Lehko's scow lightens slightly. *"This sounds good, the Monk is right."* He stands from where he was squatting near the corridor wall and unloops his sling. *"We move?"*


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## JimAde (Jul 7, 2005)

*"Ok,"* Jerek says tensely and begins to creep forward once more.


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## IndyPendant (Jul 7, 2005)

And with that, the plan unfolds.

Even though the goblins are expecting you, by keeping Heirmund back with the light and moving quietly, they are caught unprepared for your attack.  Thus you are able to gain a few precious seconds before they can react.

((Your Move Silently roll: 18.  Lowest mod (Jair): +1-3=16.  Goblins' Listen check: 12.))

First Jerek and Lehko step into the room, allowing them to attack the goblins at range without their other party members getting in the way.  They quickly notice a problem: very little of the light manages to wrap around the corner and cross the barrier to the goblins, which results in Lehko's sling shot clattering against the barricade.  Jerek manages to compensate better however, and his shot takes a goblin right through the throat before they even know you're there.

((Lehko's attack: 8+2-4=6.  Jerek's attack: 19+4-4=19.  Concealment check: 25%.  Damage: 5+3+1=9.))

Then the rest of the party charges.  Only Kuma and Terrek are fast enough to have a chance to jump the barricade before the goblins can react--and Kuma gets there first.  Sailing over the barricade cleanly, he lands over the fallen goblin's corpse.  To the goblins it must almost seem as if their companion had suddenly transformed into a powerful enemy!

((Kuma's jump check: 12+7-3=16.))

Seeing that the plan has gone off without a hitch, Heirmund hurries forward with the lantern, bathing the room in its light once more and negating the concealment the dimness gave the goblins.  Meepo approaches with Heirmund as well, weapon drawn, now that he sees battle is joined.

((Ydyr, Jair, and Terrek end their movement each facing one of the remaining goblins, Kuma on the far side in between two of the goblins.  Lehko and Jerek stand at the rear with ranged weapons, Heirmund and Meepo behind them.))

((Initiative: Terrek 21, Kuma 20, Goblins 20, Lehko 17, Jair 15, Meepo 14, Heirmund 12, Jerek 6, Ydyr 3.))

Terrek immediately attacks the goblin facing him on the other side of the barricade, but misses, despite the fact that the goblins are still surprised.  Kuma brings his sword around in a mighty arc, literally cutting a goblin in two from shoulder to waist!  --This causes his swing to lose momentum however, so that he can't quite carry it through to the other goblin facing him.

((Terrek's attack: 5+3-4=4.  Kuma's attack: 20+3=23.  Confirm: 19+3=22.  Damage: 2+3+8+3=16.  Cleave: 1+3=4.))

The remaining two goblins recover quickly, and amid much yelling, scrambling, and confusion, they--retreat.  One withdraws through the door to the north and down the hall Lehko observed, while the other retreats through the door leading west.  Both are gone from view in moments, although they haven't gotten far; you can still hear them yelling for help as they go.


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## Voadam (Jul 7, 2005)

"*Good job lad! After them!"* Jair goes over the barricade and sends Terrek to pursue the fleeing goblins.


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## Shayuri (Jul 7, 2005)

Kuma grins ferally, shakes his sword and charges after the goblin fleeing to the north!


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## jayaint (Jul 7, 2005)

Ydyr follows Kuma and points down the other hallway to indicate the others to go that-a-way.


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## JimAde (Jul 8, 2005)

Jerek leaps over the wall after the others and tries to drop one of the fleeing goblins.

[OOC: If possible, I want to jump over the wall and shoot one of the goblins trying to escape.  Choose whichever target is clear of cover (if either).  I realize I might not have time to do this, but giving it a try.  Regardless, Jerek is staying with the light, wherever it goes.  ]


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## Voadam (Jul 8, 2005)

"*Stick together, we don't want anybody lost in the dark*."


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## IndyPendant (Jul 8, 2005)

Kuma races after the goblin to the north, disappearing from the rest of the party's view almost instantly, as they take a few moments to once more climb over the barricade before chasing after Kuma.  Jerek, seeing how the others are slowed by the barricade, and that Kuma is already out of sight chasing the north-running goblin, decides to jump it instead--and succeeds!  He moves into position so that he can see the goblin running through the western room, if dimly; once again, Heirmund's light is being taxed to its limits.  He lines up his shot, releases his arrow--and misses, the arrow bouncing off the stone between the goblin's legs just as it reaches the far door of the room.  The goblin shoulders the already-loose door wide open and flees into a dimly-lit, smokey room, quickly angling out of Jerek's narrow line of sight between two doorways.

((Jerek's jump check: 16+0=16.  Attack: 7+3=10.))

Kuma finds himself in even darker circumstances.  However, he's also only in the corridor Lehko glimpsed yesterday and described to the rest of you, and Kuma can still see his enemy, if just barely.  He reaches the fleeing goblin just as the goblin reaches the closed door at the far end of the hall.  There's no way the goblin can get the door open in time.  Or at least, there wouldn't have been--if the ground hadn't opened up beneath Kuma's feet.  Jair and Ydyr are both just entering the hallway and vaguely see Kuma's dim, large shape simply vanish.

In an instant, Kuma goes from swinging his sword triumphantly at the goblin, to falling into utter blackness.  He doesn't fall far before striking the ground, but he is now utterly blind, the only light he can see being a very pale twilight that is far too far away to illuminate anything in this pit.

((Kuma's reflex save: 5+2=7.  Falling damage: 2.))


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## Mithran (Jul 8, 2005)

Heirmund runs after Jair and Ydyr both trying to keep up with the tall-folk and not smash the lantern at the same time.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 9, 2005)

Lehko keeps close to the wall, and attempts to get past or scramble over it, readying his sling once more. If he can, he'll take a shot at the fleeing goblin, but if not he'll move down the hallway twords the door, aiding Kuma if he comes accross the pit before the others.


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## Shayuri (Jul 10, 2005)

_Bloody, burning goblins and their traps,_ Kuma thought irritably as he looked up. The fall hadn't been much, less than a sprain really...but getting back out might be tricky in the dark.

*"Watch out for the pit!"* he called...then paused, and added, red-faced, *"And...bring some rope!"*

Unable to wait for the rope though, he immediately started feeling the masonry of the walls for hand and footholds that might bear his weight.

(Gonna try to Climb out without help until help arrives )


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## IndyPendant (Jul 11, 2005)

Kuma can hear the goblin opening the door above him, and getting away.  --Or...maybe not.  After a few moments of noise, the goblin begins pounding on the door, calling out in his own tongue, panic in his voice.  Apparently, he can't get the door open...

As Heirmund, now past the barricade, brings the lantern past them, Lehko and Jerek can see that the goblin that fled due west is gone from sight.  Heirmund reaches the hallway to the north, allowing Ydyr and Jair clear view of the northern hallway.  The goblin, seeing the light grow behind him, turns and braces his back against the door, holding his morningstar shakily out before him.

As Ydyr and Jair approach, Terrek tense and growling just behind them, Kuma finds he can now at least see his pit.  He's only ten feet or so down, and while the walls are smooth, they're also mostly of packed earth.  There is a one-foot-wide walkway along one side that allows access to the door, and the goblin stands before the door on the other side of the pit.

Kuma tries to climb out, but he can't find sufficient hand and foot holds to do so.  Ydyr gets a rope ready to toss down to him, as Jerek and Lehko join Heirmund at the far end of the hall.


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## JimAde (Jul 11, 2005)

Jerek stands at the back of the group and keeps an arrow nocked.  *"I'll keep an eye out for reinforcements,"* he says as the others start to extricate Kuma from the pit.  *"Can anybody talk to the goblin?  Maybe we can cut a deal."*


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## jayaint (Jul 11, 2005)

Ydyr tries to help Kuma, but keeps one eye on the door.


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## Mithran (Jul 11, 2005)

Heirmund sighs "Didn't anyone else bother to learn a language besides the common tongue?" Heirmund moves just close enough to the goblin that he doesn't have to shout and says in goblin "Would you be willing to talk and perhaps make a deal with us?"


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## JimAde (Jul 11, 2005)

*"I speak fluent High Toulonaise,"* Jerek quips.  *"Does that help?"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 11, 2005)

*"I would be more than willing to help, if he knew Chondathan."* In the meantime, he will approach and attempt to aid Ydyr in pulling up Kuma, or steadying the roap so he can climb out. If needs be, he will also attempt to aid heirimund in his 'negotiations', with the appropriate intimidate or diplomacy checks.


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## Shayuri (Jul 12, 2005)

Kuma rumbles disapprovingly when he has to sheathe his sword to get a good grip on the rope. He starts climbing up it as swiftly as he can.

*"Talking? Making deals? First with kobolds, now with goblins? Are you warriors? Are you MEN? Faugh! Pull the rope harder, and I'll solve these arguments with one swing of my sword!"*


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## JimAde (Jul 12, 2005)

Jerek casts a narrow glance over his shoulder in Kuma's direction.  *"Yes, I'm a man, Kuma,"* he says.  *"And I'd like to get to be an old man eventually."*  He returns his attention to the corridor behind the group.  *"Maybe if we think with something other than our sword arms we can get out of this alive."*


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## IndyPendant (Jul 12, 2005)

Jerek watches the barricade room for reinforcements as Ydyr readies the rope to toss to Kuma.  Jair is helping Ydyr by bracing the rope, with Terrek standing beside him growling quietly at the goblin.  Lehko and Heirmund approach them, Heirmund to talk to the goblin, Lehko to help Kuma climb out--when the north-facing door bursts open, and the hall is filled with goblins!

The party has just been split in half.  Ydyr stands just before the pit, having tossed the rope down to Kuma and Kuma about to start his climb out.  Jair stands behind him, bracing the rope, with Terrek at his side, the two of them facing two goblins wielding morningstars.  Behind those goblins, two more stand face to face with Lehko and Heirmund!  Ten feet behind them, Jerek stands at the door to the barricade room, Meepo watching from the corner beside him.

((Initiative: Heirmund/19, Meepo/19, Terrek/16, Jair/14, Goblins/14, Jerek/12, Kuma/8, Ydyr/6, Lehko/4.))

((Note that Jair and Ydyr are enough between them to brace the rope for Kuma to climb out this round.  If either one of them lets go beforehand, however, the other must succeed in a DC 10 Str check, or have to let go of the rope--effectively trapping Kuma in the pit.  While bracing the rope, you will be considered flat-footed for the purposes of combat.))


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## JimAde (Jul 12, 2005)

Jerek whirls around and sends an arrow into one of the goblins menacing his friends.  Then he quickly drops his bow and draws his blade.

[OOC: I assume I don't have any place to hide and shoot from, so I'll take the shot, then draw my short sword.  Trying to shoot a goblin that is close to an ally, but not taking a target that has cover.  Since I have a +0 BAB drawing my sword takes a Move action.  *sigh*  ]


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## jayaint (Jul 12, 2005)

Ydyr looks to Jair and nods.. and centers his mind for the coming fight. 

[[If Jair drops the rope to attack/defend, Ydyr will maintain a hold and try to pull Kuma free. A flatfooted monk should at least survive... lol. If Jair maintains his hold behind Ydyr, then the monk will try and move to flank an attacking goblin with a fellow party member.]]


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## Shayuri (Jul 12, 2005)

Kuma *CLIMBS!*


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## Mithran (Jul 13, 2005)

Heirmund takes a step back and draws a pouch from his belt and sprinkles some of the sand contained in it on to his palm. Heirmund chants and then blows lightly on the sand which expands towards the goblins in a swirling cone of color.

OOC: 5ft step back and color spray as many of the goblins as I can hit with the cone.


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## IndyPendant (Jul 13, 2005)

Heirmund moves backward out of the goblin's reach, and incants a spell.  A powerful cone of bright, clashing colours assaults the senses of the goblins--and of Lehko!  --The cone also startles Terrek, who stops growling briefly in amazement.  Three of the goblins are overwhelmed, wailing and pawing at their eyes, dropping their weapons and collapsing into unconsciousness!  Lehko and one goblin--the one directly facing Heirmund--manage to resist the magical assault.

((Lehko's Will save: 19+2=21.  Goblin will saves: 15, 12, 18, 9.))

Terrek attacks the remaining standing goblin, but the goblin easily deflects the attack with his morningstar.  Jair, seeing most of the goblins so quickly fall, grits his teeth and decides to keep ahold of the rope.  The goblin, looking around himself and realizing he's the only one of the four standing, glares at Heirmund in rage, steps forward, and swings the morningstar the goblins seem to covet so much, striking Heirmund solidly in the chest!  The other goblin, the one by the door, was momentarily ecstatic to see himself rescued--but that was short-lived.  Nevertheless, he moves along the narrow ledge on one side and attacks Ydyr with his mace, in an attempt to keep Ydyr from helping Kuma up.  Even with Ydyr having to keep still while supporting Kuma however, the goblin's mace strikes only a glacing blow down his side, doing no real damage.

((Terrek's attack: 8+3=11.  Goblin's attacks: 14, 6.  Damage to Heirmund: 3.))

Jerek shoots the goblin that's threatening Heirmund, and hits, despite having to line up his shot over Heirmund's shoulder.  The goblin almost dodged out of the way, however, so the damage was minimal--but still significant for such a frail creature.  Kuma, with Jair and Ydyr bracing the rope, easily climbs up--to find the area occupied by his teammates and the attacking goblin!  He pushes past Ydyr and steps into the spot Terrek vacated to attack the other goblin, drawing his sword in the process.  The goblin uses that opportunity to attack Kuma--and hits, striking a glancing blow into Kuma's side.

((Jerek's attack: 20+4-4=20.  Confirm: 6+4-4=6.  Damage: 1+1=2.  Goblin's AoO: 22.  Crit confirm: 14.  Damage: 3.))

Ydyr, freed of holding the rope for Kuma, risks falling into the pit if he flanks the goblin, so he attacks from where he stands.  His attack strikes cleanly, and the goblin is badly wounded but not quite killed.  Lehko casts a familiar spell on the defensive, and his fingers sparkle with energy.  He then strikes the goblin solidly in the chest, the discharge crackling through the goblin's body, killing him instantly.

((Ydyr's attack: 14+2=16.  Damage: 5.  Lehko's Concentration check: 11+4=15.  UA attack: 14+1=15.  Damage: 3+3=6.))

((There is only one goblin left standing, and he is staggered (0 hps).  3 goblins are unconscious.  I declare combat over, for all intents and purposes. : ))


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## JimAde (Jul 13, 2005)

Jerek sets his bow down and moves to pick up one of the unconscious goblins.  He carries it to the edge of the pit and lowers it in.  *"His friends can retrieve him later,"* he says.

[OOC: Hoping to dangle the little blighter far enough in so he doesn't take any damage on impact.  But if not, oh, well. 

Note I'm fully expecting someone to try to talk me out of this.  ]


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 13, 2005)

Lehko grins as the battle lust fades from, still shaking off the coloured dust. *"Bind him first Jerek, gagged as well if you don't plan on killing him. And turn out his pockets if you can stand the stench."* He turns to the last goblin standing, and grabs him roughly by whatever shirt or cloth he wears. *"Where are your friends? How are they placed? Speak! Perhaps you'll live"* He leaves the rest to clean up the goblins, and seems to have little problem with finishing them off if it comes to that, something he makes readily apparent with body language to his goblin.

((Intimidate check, hopefuly he has an understanding of Common, if not I hope Heirimund takes the hint.  ))


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## Mithran (Jul 13, 2005)

Heirmund seems about to fall but then manages to steady himself with his staff "Why put them in that hole, Jerek? Of all possible courses of action I believe that will do us the least good. Between the three of them they can probably get up somehow and will be none to happy when they do get out."


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## JimAde (Jul 13, 2005)

Jerek pauses in moving the goblin, first listening to Lehko, then setting the goblin back on the ground and rifling its pockets before he responds to Heirmund.  *"No point in killing them,"* he says, turning out the goblin's pouches and pockets.  By his expression it's clear that Lehko's prediction of the goblin's hygiene is accurate.  *"They're no threat to us now and by the time they get out we'll be on our way."*  He pulls the creatures clothing off far enough to use some of it to bind the goblin's wrists behind its back.  He lowers his voice and adds, *"Besides, I think it's a good idea to let our captive see that we can be merciful AND that we have other sources of information if he doesn't cooperate."*


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## Shayuri (Jul 13, 2005)

Kuma keeps his sword out, glowering at the goblins.

*"If one doesn't want to talk, give him over to me,"* the massive warrior growls. *"My sword has yet to taste blood from this battle."*


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## jayaint (Jul 13, 2005)

*We need to make sure that these goblins are not a hinderance to us later. We may very well have to recross this path in order to leave this forsaken place. * 
Ydyr looks about, and at the group's equipment. 

*I would say bind them together and toss them in the pit in a bundle... but I think the rope may be more valuable than the goblins. *


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## IndyPendant (Jul 14, 2005)

Meepo snorts in disgust at Jerek's words, and shrugs.  *"Bah!  Mercy is weakness.  You want show goblins you weak, you choose."*

The goblin looks back and forth between Lehko and Kuma menacing him, and completely breaks down.  Falling to his hands and knees, he crawls forward abjectly, to lay slobbering kisses at Lehko's boots.  All the while, he is babbling in goblin--Heirmund can't keep up with the translation, but it amounts to the goblin saying he would do anything at all, just don't kill him!

Meanwhile, Jerek and Ydyr quickly and crudely tie up the other surviving goblins, and search them for valuables.  They only have about a dozen silver pieces between the five of them, however.  The the three unconscious ones are beginning to stir.


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## JimAde (Jul 14, 2005)

*"Ok, let's toss 'em in,"* Jerek says, completely ignoring Meepo.  Fitting action to words he starts lowering the groggy goblins into the hole.  *"Tied up like that, it should take them a while to get loose."*  After dealing with that he moves to a likely spot and keeps watch for more interlopers.


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## Mithran (Jul 14, 2005)

Heirmund walks over closer to Lehko and says quietly in common *"Essentially he says he'll do anything if you just don't kill him."*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 14, 2005)

Lehko pulls the goblin slowly to his feet by the scruff of the neck, and looks him dead in the eye. Speaking lowly to Heirimund for translation, *"One at a time. How many ahead? How are they placed? What of the humans that passed here?"*


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## Mithran (Jul 14, 2005)

Heirmund obliges and translates Lehko's words as precisely as possible into the crude goblin language.


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## jayaint (Jul 15, 2005)

Ydyr waits anxiously to hear the goblin's responses to the questions.

_Hopefully, there is little to go, and our rescue can proceed quickly_, he prays to Illmater.


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## IndyPendant (Jul 16, 2005)

The goblin babbles, telling everything he knows, interspersed with pleas to spare his life.  He says there were three humans who came here about a month ago.  One was killed in the ensuing fight, but two were lowered into some sort of pit.  He doesn't know what happened to them after that--but no non-goblin who was lowered down ever came back up again.  He's never been down there, but he does know that the pit is supposed to lead to some sort of underground forest, and the druid Belak.

There are about a dozen fighting goblins and hobgoblins left, he says, including their leader Durnn, and their shaman Grenl. That doesn't include the females and children, who live in 'Goblinville', a room just beyond the hall, which apparently is where the other goblin fled to.  He mutters bitterly about how he should have fled that way too, but he had hoped to get the aid of Calcryx the dragon, who lies just beyond the locked--

Meepo interrupts him, literally jumping with joy.  He insists that Calcryx _must_ be rescued before you attack the rest of the goblins, and scampers forward to the locked door, looking for a way to open it, calling out joyously to the other side, announcing that he's coming...


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## Voadam (Jul 18, 2005)

"*Get the aid of ? ... Meepo Hold! Ydir! Kuma! Stop him*!"


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## Shayuri (Jul 18, 2005)

Kuma grunts and lunges after Meepo, attempting to grab the kobold by the scruff of the neck and stop him, though by the glance he gives the door, the barbarian tribesman is a bit curious to meet Calcryx too.


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## IndyPendant (Jul 18, 2005)

Kuma almost falls into the pit again, the narrow walkspace by the wall being less than one foot wide, too small for his big feet to easily traverse.  Still, by placing his back against the wall and shuffling sideways, he manages to get accross the pit without mishap.  Meepo is still trying to get the door open when Kuma arrives, beating on it and calling out to the other side.  No one except Heirmund understands the words, although you can hear the name Calcryx uttered a few times.  Heirmund can understand that Meepo is letting those in the room beyond know that he is here, and Calcryx can come out, he is safe now among friends...

Kuma reaches Meepo safely and simply picks him up, carrying him carefully back, Meepo squirming and cursing Kuma in draconic the entire way.  Even above Meepo's cursing, Kuma can hear the soft noises of the door behind him...as it is unlocked.

There are no other noises from the door, nor does it open.


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## JimAde (Jul 18, 2005)

As Kuma returns with the struggling kobold, Jerek approaches and draws his blade.  He points it at Meepo's nose and says simply.  *"Shut up.  Now."*


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## Mithran (Jul 18, 2005)

Heirmund speaks in draconic "Calm down Meepo, my leader is unsure as to who's side Calcryx would be on as the goblin seems to think it would help him." Heirmund mutters to himself for a moment then continues "It will be cleared up I am sure, but for now you must wait"

Heirmund switches back to common for the rest of the party "I don't like the sound of that..."


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## Voadam (Jul 18, 2005)

"*Lekho, Ydir, get ready to cover the door. Heirmund ask the goblin about the dragon and what exactly is on the other side of the door. Terrek, guard*."


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 18, 2005)

Lehko drops the goblin back to it's feet. He points at Heirimund and says, *"You speak to him now."* With that he turns and takes a place by the door, across the pit. He cracks his neck and pops his fingers,and begins the movements indicitive of a spell. *"As you say, Fearless Leader,"* he speaks lowly, with only the slightest hint of sarcasm.

((Position directly accross the pit from the door, something that will give me a good line of sight should it burst open. And soon as anything does go down, I'm a gonna let whatever isn't being shot by Jerek or punched/slapped/kicked or otherwise impacted by Ydir get fried by Electric Jolt.))


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## jayaint (Jul 19, 2005)

Ydyr moves forwards towards the door and cocks his head at an angle. 

[[Listen at (or near) the door. If the door opens with an angry dragon, I will drop into the pit, rather than engage, immediately.]]


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## Mithran (Jul 19, 2005)

In goblin: *"You, goblin, what is behind this door? and is the dragon on your side now?"*


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## JimAde (Jul 19, 2005)

Jerek re-sheathes his sword and tries to find a clear line of fire to the door.


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## IndyPendant (Jul 19, 2005)

Meepo falls instantly silent as the swordpoint is thrust towards his throat--just in time for the goblins in the pit to begin yelling.  Apparently, they're now conscious, but blind, clawing at their eyes with the pads of their fingers, wailing in terror.

The wounded goblin looks down at his companions nervously and replies to Heirmund in his language, *"Please, we must be quick about this.  If they see me talking to you, they will kill me.  That room there belongs to Calcryx the dragon.  He insisted on his own room when he joined us.  He is our ally now.  He hated being kept in a caHURKH!"*

Kuma and the others had moved to watch the door, now that Meepo was under control, leaving only Heirmund and Jair to interrogate the goblin.  Meepo has drawn his shortsword and thrust it directly into the goblin's chest from behind, killing him instantly, snarling *"YOU LIE!  YOU VILE LYING GOBLIN!  Calcryx not do that!  Calcryx to be god!  Calcryx not leave!  Meepo show what happens to lying goblin!"*  He is literally spraying flecks of spit as he raves, the scars covering his body actually swelling slightly with his tension.

Between the goblins in the pit and Meepo, Ydyr figures there could be an entire army on the other side of that door, and he wouldn't have a clue.


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## jayaint (Jul 19, 2005)

Ydyr will maneuver back towards the group, getting on the far side of the pit from the door.


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## JimAde (Jul 19, 2005)

Jerek rolls his eyes and growls in frustration at Meepo's actions.  *"Meepo, I'm about 10 seconds from turning you into rotisserie kobold,"* he says.  Not pausing to see if Meepo understands his words, he moves to the edge of the pit and points his bow downward.  *"You lot shut up,"* he says.  *"I don't speak Goblin but I think you get the point."*  He then crouches down and looks at the edges of the pit.

[OOC: Trying to see if there's any way to re-set the trap door and jam it so we can cross safely.
Search +6
Disable Device +6
]


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## Shayuri (Jul 20, 2005)

Between the goblins in the pit, and Meepo's sudden hissy-fit, Kuma can't help but start a low, rumbling chuckle from deep in his chest.

*"I told you we should have killed them,"* he says amusedly. *"Even the kobold knows better than to leave an enemy alive at your back."*


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## IndyPendant (Jul 20, 2005)

The trap was nothing more than a standard pit, skillfully concealed with a net of branches and rags, which were then covered with dirt and rubble to resemble the rest of the citadel's flooring.  There is no mechanism to reset.

The goblins all stop yelling almost exactly on the beat of Jerek's "point", and everyone holds their breath for a moment in the sudden silence.  Jerek sees that the goblins are now gazing up at him, fear and loathing on their faces; if that old saw about looks being lethal were true, there'd be nothing left of him but dust right now.

Meepo looks around him, and grows alarmed.  *"What you do?  Wait!  What you do?  You make nice now!  You make deal Yusdrayl!  Bring back Calcryx, we not kill you!  What all this, with weapons?  You kill Calcryx, Yusdrayl kill you!"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 20, 2005)

Lehko turns impatiently.*"Yes. That is our deal. But if you get us killed, I guarantee I'll see your blood on the floor before they finish with me. Now be quiet. Be smart. Don't go running off into the middle of a dozen goblins, shouting your little snout off. I expected more of a Dragon Keeper."* He turns back to face the door, settling himself in again. *'Is somebody going to open that door? We do have a job to do."*


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## Voadam (Jul 20, 2005)

IndyPendant said:
			
		

> Meepo looks around him, and grows alarmed.  *"What you do?  Wait!  What you do?  You make nice now!  You make deal Yusdrayl!  Bring back Calcryx, we not kill you!  What all this, with weapons?  You kill Calcryx, Yusdrayl kill you!"*




The red-haired druid turns his green eyes on the kobold and there is no humor in them as they flash with anger. "*You were to be our guide and aid us kobold. Instead you have killed our prisoner before he could tell us everything I need to know. Has Belak enchanted or suborned the dragon to turn him against the kobolds? What has Belak been up to? Where is the pit the humans were brought to? How do we avoid the other goblins and hobgoblins in getting to the pit. We don't know. Thanks to you. And now the goblins say Calcryx joined them because he hated living in a cage, such as the broken cage in your keeper lair. Tell me about that cage now kobold. I would know*."


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## jayaint (Jul 20, 2005)

Ydyr listens intently to what the kobold has to say to these accusations. He moves closer to Meepo, while keeping an eye on the door.

[[Flanking Meepo, across from another PC... and still watching the doorway.]]


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## JimAde (Jul 20, 2005)

Sorrow The Man Bear said:
			
		

> Lehko turns impatiently.*"Yes. That is our deal. But if you get us killed, I guarantee I'll see your blood on the floor before they finish with me. Now be quiet. Be smart. Don't go running off into the middle of a dozen goblins, shouting your little snout off. I expected more of a Dragon Keeper."* He turns back to face the door, settling himself in again. *'Is somebody going to open that door? We do have a job to do."*



 Jerek sighs.  *"I guess that would be my job,"* he tells the mage without enthusiasm.  He stows his bow and makes his careful way around the pit to the door, positioning himself to open it on a signal from from Jair.


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## Shayuri (Jul 21, 2005)

Kuma pulls his sword back over his shoulder, and nods at Jerek.

*"Open it. I'll deal with what's on the other side."* Then, with a chuckle, he adds, *"Unless it's this Calcryx of course. Then we can let him speak with  our Dragon Keeper here, and we'll see what's going on."*


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## Mithran (Jul 21, 2005)

Heirmund places himself 20 feet from the door and nods to Jair *"Ready"*


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## Voadam (Jul 21, 2005)

"*Blast. No time for the cage explanation now, we'll assume the goblin was truthful about the dragon being in the room and that Calcryx could open the lock that I heard click open. Meepo, go to the door and call out to the dragon. Tell him you have new powerful allies and we defeated the goblins and are here to rescue him. With the goblins defeated and power on our side he might switch back to us. Also tell him he cannot trust Belak. Try to get a response from him. Then I want you to open the door and talk to the dragon more. Jerek, I want Meepo to be the one to open the door, your bow should be out and ready in case of any big surprises*."


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## JimAde (Jul 21, 2005)

Jerek nods silently and sidles back around the pit.  He prepares his bow once again and looks over the edge of the pit.  He holds his finger to his lips and smiles in a sugary-sweet way to the goblins, giving them a wink.


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## IndyPendant (Jul 21, 2005)

Meepo nods eagerly and hurries accross the narrow ledge along the pit again.  Since there's only about five feet of room between the door and the pit, you decide after a few moments to arrange yourselves so that Meepo, Ydyr, and Kuma are by the door, with the others ready to offer ranged support from the other side.

Meepo begins calling out to the other side of the door in draconic, and Heirmund is surprised to hear that he pretty much sticks to the script Jair outlined for him.  When he's done, there's silence for a short while--and then something responds.

Any doubts whether there really was a dragon, or whether it was in that next room, are dispelled the moment you hear it speak.  Something about the gravelly, rumbling voice reaches down into your ancestral memories and evokes a fight-or-flight response from deep within you.  This, even though most of you cannot understand the draconic, and even though something about the voice gives you the impression of great youth.  It becomes easier to understand how the kobolds could worship these creatures as gods, if the voice of one young dragon, heard but not understood from the other side of a door, could provoke such a reaction in you...

Heirmund can't make out every word from his position beyond the pit, but he gets most of it: the gist of it seems to be that to prove he's not under duress, and to give more details, Meepo--and Meepo alone--may enter the room to talk with the dragon.


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## jayaint (Jul 21, 2005)

Ydyr steels himself against the knot that is coiling itself in his stomach as he listens to the rumbling voice of the dragon. He begs his mind and body to calm... and positions himself next to the door, readying for whatever might be on the other side.


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## IndyPendant (Jul 22, 2005)

Meepo hesitates, but in the absence of any opposition, he opens the door slightly and slips inside, closing it behind him.  Kuma and Ydyr catch a glimpse of a cluttered room, filled with stuffed animals, and with sections that are covered in thin patches of ice.  They do not spot the dragon.

There follows a conversation that lasts an interminable time.  Heirmund cannot make out the words from his position on the other side of the pit.  But Ydyr and Kuma can hear that the words seem to grow more and more intense, until finally--the door is locked once more.

And then Meepo begins to scream.


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## JimAde (Jul 22, 2005)

Cursing under his breath, Jerek quickly makes his way to the door.  He pulls on it once and finding it locked sets to with his picks.  *"Stupid lizard," he mumbles as he works, "better not get yourself killed before I get my hands on you..."*

[OOC: Open Lock +7, standard tool kit so no modifier there.  I will of course jump out of the way of any onrushing barbarians that might come my way  ]


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## Voadam (Jul 22, 2005)

"*Blast and dam! Get ready lads once that door is open. Heirmund, call to the dragon and tell him to stop. Tell him we have magic and are here to help. Be forceful, despite its power it is a young and unguided thing, quickly now in draconic.*."


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## Mithran (Jul 22, 2005)

Heirmund moves close to the door and says as forcefully as he can in draconic *"Stop what you are doing! We have magics and we are here to help"* Heirmund takes a deep breath then says quietly to Jair *"Anything more?"*


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## jayaint (Jul 23, 2005)

Ydyr looks at the faces of his companions, sensing the unease and nerves. He turns to the door, hearing Meepo. 

*This is a tough spot... Be ready, friends!*


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## Shayuri (Jul 24, 2005)

*"Wretched creature,*" Kuma mutters. *"Give me some space."*

He then raises the battered pommel of his sword and demonstrates one reason why it might be so battered. He grabs the hilt in both hands and emits a tremendous, *"RRAGH!"* as he slams it into the door...attempting to break it down by main strength alone!

(Str check to bash open door. If that doesn't work, I'll start attacking it next turn unless anyone else stops me with a better idea )


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## IndyPendant (Jul 25, 2005)

Jerek crosses to the near side of the pit, effortlessly traversing the foot-wide strip that gave the others such trouble.  The space is now very crowded, with Kuma, Ydyr, Heirmund, and Jerek all squeezed into a 5' by 10' area.  Jerek kneels down, examining the door and preparing his lockpicking tools--only to be interrupted when Kuma brings the hilt of his sword down hard on the door, right where it meets the wall opposite the hinges, effortlessly smashing it wide open.

--And before they have time to react, the four of them are caught in a conic blast of pure cold!  Ydyr and Heirmund manage to dart to one side, avoiding the brunt of it, but Kuma and Jerek, standing right in front of the door, are struck dead center.

((Kuma's strength check: 17+3=20.  Reflex saves: Heirmund: 20+4+2=26.  Jerek: 6+5=11.  Kuma: 1+2=3.  Ydyr: 18+4+2=24.  Jerek and Kuma each take 6 points cold damage.  Heirmund and Ydyr each take 3.))

Crouched on top of a broken table less than fifteen feet away is a very _tiny_ dragon--about the size of a housecat!  Meepo is kneeling beside it facing you, his chest a gaping wound and his face a mask of clawed scratches.  The wyrmling is covered in blood from its head halfway down its entire body; the other half of it is the pure white of newfallen snow.  With great effort, Meepo stretches out a hand towards you, managing to groan out "Remember...deal...Calcryx die...Yusdrayl...kill..." before toppling out of view behind an overturned cabinet.

You don't have time to register more than the fact that the room is full of clutter--and patches of ice.  The wyrmling licks its bloody mouth with a snakelike tongue, watching as Jerek also collapses onto the stone floor, covered in frost.  And unmoving.

((Initiative: Jair/20; Kuma/18; Heirmund/18; Terrek/16; Lehko/14; Ydyr/13; Wyrmling/4.))

((Kuma stands over Jerek's unconscious body, with Ydyr and Heirmund to either side of him, all three of them crowded into a space meant for two people.  Jair and Lehko stand on the far side of the 10-foot-wide pit, with Terrek behind them.))


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## Voadam (Jul 25, 2005)

"Knock the dragon out before it can breathe again! Heirmund tell it to surrender now or die."

Jair then begins to call out chanting druidic words of power to open a rift to the spirit world and summon an ally to combat the dragon [summon nature's ally I eagle behind the dragon, augment summoning feat enhances the summoned eagle].


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## jayaint (Jul 25, 2005)

Ydyr rushes forward, and attacks.. however, he seems to be concentrating intently on his attack, as though there was some specific craft or technique. 

[[Stunning Fist, and should be flanking w/ summoned eagle. If the dragon remains concious at the end of my turn, drop to the floor next to the table to be out of the way of the next breath cone.]]


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## Mithran (Jul 25, 2005)

Heirmund moves towards the left of the door *"Surrender now or die, Calcryx"*

OOC: Just moving out of the way of any more breathing.


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## Shayuri (Jul 26, 2005)

Kuma staggers under the force of the blast of cold, and flakes of ice and skin break off as he shakes himself and raises his sword.

*"Wyrm of frost,"* he growls, and there's an odd tinge of respect; even reverence in his voice, *"I will not kill you today. Should you crave vengeance in the years to come, I will stand ready to meet you in battle, and the Furies sing my soul to the hereafter."*

And with that, he clomps steadily forward, and swings his sword at the tiny dragon, blade turned sideways to strike it with the flat.

(Can't flank, so I'll just make a normal attack for subdual (-4 penalty from lethal attack). Healers note that Kuma's hurt real bad now, and is obviously not far from falling...though he asks no assistance just yet.)


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## IndyPendant (Jul 26, 2005)

Jair begins casting his spell as Kuma approaches the little wyrmling, finding the room so cluttered he has to watch his step carefully or risk tripping.  He attacks it somewhat awkwardly with the flat of his blade, but unfortunately that very awkwardness causes him to miss.  The wyrmling's rumbling voice is surprisingly deep and _large_ for such a tiny creature as it calls out in draconic, *"You hide behind a wall and yell at me to surrender?!?  I should be telling you to surrender!  But I won't.  I will kill all your friends, then come after you, coward!"*

((Kuma's attack: 11+4-4=11.))

Terrek paces back and forth for a moment, then trots backwards about ten feet before turning and sprinting past Voadam and Lehko.  He sails effortlessly over the pit--and is still in the air as he passes through the doorway, finally landing in the room and stopping on Kuma's right.  Lehko cannot get a clear shot at the wyrmling, what with a barbarian in the way meleeing with it.  Ydyr moves forward as carefully as Kuma, to stand on his left and strike it with a sharp chop.  He is startled by how densely muscled this tiny creature is; it was like hitting a rock, and a glance at the strike site shows barely any damage at all!

((Terrek's jump: 13+8=21.  Ydyr's attack: 12+2=14.  Damage: 2+0=2.))

The wyrmling then makes its choice, spreads its tiny wings, and springs off of the table directly at Ydyr!  Its teeth bite down a fraction of a second too early, however, doing only slight damage and causing its needle claws to only rake a small section of his clothing to shreds.

((Calcryx's attacks: 23, 5, 5.  Damage: 1.  The wyrmling, being a tiny creature, has stepped into Ydyr's space to attack him, but is not actually grappling with him.))


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## jayaint (Jul 26, 2005)

Ydyr continues the attack, just barely pulling each punch at impact. 

[[Attack as normal, though only doing subdual damage. No -4 from monk-ness]]


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## Voadam (Jul 26, 2005)

On Jair's next action he will begin moving forward to heal the severely wounded and dieing as he calls out for his comrades to not pull their punches but rely on his healing to stabilize the dragon if it drops.


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## Shayuri (Jul 26, 2005)

Manuevering to make sure he's not an attractive target for breath (ie - it would only catch him in the area), Kuma evinces none of the usual disgust/disappointment he might for missing. In fact, looking at him, one might think he doesn't really expect to win...but battles on because he must.

(another blow to subdue at -4 *rubs dice and blows on them*)


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## Mithran (Jul 26, 2005)

Heirmund yells in Draconic *"There is a difference between cowardice and wisdom, if you get to be old enough you'll learn that perhaps. But for now I'll just let you wonder what I'm preparing for you out here."* Heirmund gets himself nearer to the door but doesn't block the way. 

Heirmund whispers to Jair *"I'm fairly sure the strong types in our group will be in the way of any useful spells I may be able to unleash for the length of the fight. That leaves me with my spell of armoring..."*


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## Voadam (Jul 27, 2005)

Jair continues to chant out his summons, one thing at a time.


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## IndyPendant (Jul 27, 2005)

Jair completes his spell, calling a spirit eagle to the opposite side of the dragon from Ydyr.  As Jair carefully crosses the pit, the eagle darts in to attack the wyrmling.  The dragon dodges, but one of the eagle's claws still manages to score a line down its side.  Jair meanwhile moves cautiously accross the pit--but, hampered by his armour and shield on the narrow span, he loses his footing...and falls into the pit.

((Eagle's attacks: 16+3+2=21. 7+3+2=12.  9-2+2=9.  Damage: 3+2=5.  Jair's balance check: 5+1-5=1.  Jair takes 5 points falling damage.))

Kuma positions himself so he is not flanking, but at least if the creature were to breathe on him it wouldn't have a good angle to reach anyone else.  He then attacks it with the flat of his blade again--and misses again.  Heirmund's wounds finally catch up with him, and he slumps to the floor unconscious.  Lehko continue to watch from his safe vantage point, as Terrek wades in, instinctively flanking the wyrmling with Kuma, and attacks.  His jaws close on the tiny dragon, and for the first time you hear the dragon screech out a roar of pain and anger--which again reaches deep down into your base instincts, bringing up a thrill of momentary terror...

((Kuma's attack: 9+4-4=9.  Terrek's attack: 17+3+2=22.  Damage: 3+3=6.)

Ydyr attacks the dragon again, taking a step backward to keep himself flanking it with the summoned eagle, and strikes out with the flat of his hand, hitting the dragon with a blow designed to bruise but not to truly injure.  The dragon, definitely looking very wounded now, flies back 5' to end up beside the summoned eagle, and breathes another cone of cold!  However, your maneuvering has made it so that the dragon can only catch two of you in the cone, even after it repositioned itself, so it chooses to catch Kuma and Ydyr within its blast.  Neither of them manage to dodge the breath in time, both of them taking the blast full force--and looking ready to drop...

The dragon roars a triumphant laugh.

((Ydyr's attack: 10+2+2=14.  Damage: 5+0=5.  Kuma's save: 9+2=11.  Ydyr's: 6+4=10.  They both take 4 points cold damage.  Ydyr is now staggered, at 0 HPs, and Kuma is at 1hp...))


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## Shayuri (Jul 27, 2005)

Kuma closes his eyes and for a moment looks ready to fall...then booms, *"NO!"*

His eyes open, and red veins bloat larger over the whites until the black pits of his pupils seem to swim in pure red. His lips peel back, exposing teeth that seem...larger than before.

*"I SURRENDER TO NO ONE,"* he declares with an unnaturally resonant voice, raising his sword again... *"NOT EVEN YOU!"*

With somewhat renewed vigor, he charges the beast, swinging his sword in a vicious semicircle, sharp-edge first!

(RAGE! Charging, and attacking without subdual. +2 from charge, and +2 from rage mean +8 to hit!)


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 28, 2005)

Lehko snaps to as the second cone of frost blasts out. Seeing Heirimund fall, and Ydr staggered form the blow, he once again crosses his arms and rapidly brings them downward, the by now familiar sound of arcing electricity filling the air around him. Lehko rushes along side the edge of the pit hoping to miss the spots that fouled Jair and calls out to him as he passes, *"Be prepared to heal, Druid! I have have no more patience for this little one!"* 

((When (if ) I get to the door, I'll try and crowd in , hopefully in front of the out of commision Ydyr I guess, best I can and land a blow. Lehko to the rescue indeed!))


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## IndyPendant (Jul 28, 2005)

Kuma bellows his rage at the dragon, but it simply is not enough.  As Jair's summoned spirit eagle dissipates, Kuma succumbs to the multiple wounds he has suffered over the course of this short day, and collapses to the floor unconscious.  Ydyr hesitates, realizing that any strenuous movement could tear something fragile inside, watching as Terrek lunges for the dragon, growling fiercely.  His jaws clamp down on the wyrmling, skittering along its tiny scales to close on nothing--but not before managing to knock the dragon sideways right onto its back.

((Terrek's attack: 14+3=17.  Damage: 1+3=4.  Terrek's trip check: 12+3=15.  Calcryx's: 8.))

Jair grabs his spear and stands, looking up from the bottom of the 10-foot-deep pit--in time to see Lehko succeed where he had failed, carefully moving accross the narrow ledge above Jair to the other side, and continuing out of his range of view.  The three bound goblins in the pit with him glare at Jair in loathing and fear.  Lehko steps into the room and casts his spell, watching as Calcryx rolls back onto its feet awkwardly.  Terrek takes advantage of its vulnerability and attacks it again, this time ripping some scales off entirely and finally drawing some actual blood.  The wyrmling then risks hopping into the air, flying upwards at an angle towards the ceiling over 25' up.

((Lehko's balance check: 9+2=11.  Terrek's AoO: 13+3+4=20.  Damage: 3+3=6.))

It rumbles down at you--in common!--as it turns in wide circles above you, *"Another one!  You're like the rats!  You tried to cage me again!  For that alone, you should be slowly tortured before you die!  But I give you this one chance.  Strip yourselves of all your valuables and coin, leave them behind, and the two of you may go with your lives.

"These others will not survive to learn of your cowardice."*


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## jayaint (Jul 28, 2005)

Ydyr stands very still, hands out in a submissive, yet un threatening manner. 

[[If lehko proceeds to disarm and give valuables, ydyr will do the same... however, Ydyr is readying an attack should the dragon-ette come within arms reach]]

*We have no cage, as you can see. In fact, Meepo was only coming to save you, as he revered you as a God. That seems like quite a compliment. We were only looking for two others of our kind, who passed this way not too long ago. Lets us take our friends bodies and be on our way... never to distrub you again.*

[[Butter him up with Diplomacy +4 and Sense Motive +5 to see if he is really going to let us go.]]


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## Voadam (Jul 28, 2005)

Jair picks himself up and readies his spear. If the dragon shows his snout over the pit the druid will let fly instantly.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Jul 28, 2005)

Lehko growls loudly, and points his charging finger at Calcryx. *"You act a common dirt lizard! Come down! These kobolds are yours! You are God to them. Come with us back to Yusdrayl and live up to your heritage! Ignore the fool,"* indicating Ydy. *"You are of the same great race as Ashandalon! Lord among Dragons, former master of this place. it is your place! WE will negotiate a peace. It was wrong to cage you. Come with us, and in force we will get her word. And enforce it if we must. What say you?!"* He finishes his speech, glaring up at the beast, waiting, almost daring it with his eyes.

((Diplomacy I suppose. Unless you think Intimidate would be m,ore appropriate for the speech. Same modifier. Still holding that charge though, and perfectly willing to use it.))


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## IndyPendant (Jul 30, 2005)

Calcryx completes almost one full circuit of the room, apparently thinking it over.  It then hisses *"Your word, Chultan.  Yours too, monk.  And the druid's in the other room.  I will not be caged again!  You will see to it, or you will die.  But first.  There is one for whom there can be no mercy."*  And it arcs just low enough to remain out of melee range, breathing its essence of cold at the floor.  It hits none of the party members, targetting the spot you last saw Meepo topple from sight.  *"You deserve far worse than this.  You are lucky beyond words."*

Ydyr can sense no deception in the dragon--but the dragon is far too difficult for him to read, to be certain.  All it would take is one well-timed breath, and this could all be over for the lot of you...

((Edit: note that the actual skill rolls cannot be seen. : )  Lehko has the higher Diplomacy skill however, so I had Ydyr use the Aid Another action, since you both tried slightly different verbal tactics.))


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## Voadam (Aug 1, 2005)

[assuming the negotiation is in common]

"*Agreed! Calcryx of the Sunless Citadel, I Jair Feyfriend druidic champion of Mielikki give you my word on this agreement and truce between us. Once I am up there and have healed the unconscious I will call in my warhound*."

If possible then Jair will climb out of the pit and start healing everybody up to consciousness.


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## jayaint (Aug 1, 2005)

Ydyr sags to one knee... showing respect, but in actuality, just too damaged to stand. 

*Dragon, hear me now. By Illmater's whole fists and broken body, I shall never attempt to cage you, nor aid those who should attempt the same.*

Ydyr drops his head, but maintains his eyes on the dragonette.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 2, 2005)

*"Very well."* Calcryx says, in heavy tones that remind you of the words of power of a spell, *"We have a deal.  Call off your companion, druid.  You have nothing to fear from me, so long as you keep your bargain.  And you really should not dawdle any further, or your friends--and my new allies--may not survive."*

It is an effort for Ydyr just to lift his head, but at the wyrmling's words, Lehko looks around him, to see that the other three party members have begun turning a very _scary_ shade of blue from shock...


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## Voadam (Aug 2, 2005)

"*Terrek, Heel*!" Jair climbs out if he can, otherwise he calls for rope quickly then begins to heal everybody using his cure light on the worst wounded and his cure minors to stabilize and work on everybody else. Jair uses all his spells.


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## jayaint (Aug 2, 2005)

Ydyr backs away slowly, making his way back towards the door. Once outside, he slumps against a wall in delayed anguish. 

*So close, Broken One. So close to seeing your plane in person. * Ydyr speaks under his breath.

_Lets hope it doesn't happen again anytime soon, okay?_ He thinks to himself.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 3, 2005)

*"I will hold you to your word, Dragon."* Lehko steps tword the wall, and slaps it open handed, dissipating the charge he held into the stonework. He will aid the others in whatever way, and when he has a clear moment will gather the scales that fell, and whatever blood he can soak up into one of the streamers he unties from his arm, the one around his left elbow. *"You did well there, Monk,"* Lehko says lowly with a slight smile.


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## Voadam (Aug 3, 2005)

Once out Jair begins healing the unconscious immediately.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 3, 2005)

Jair cannot find a way to climb out himself, so Lehko has to brace a rope for him.  Lehko manages to to brace the weight while Jair carefully uses the rope; as he does so, Calcryx lands on the same table he was crouched on at the start of the battle, calling in its rough voice *"Heal the big one first and most, Jair Feyfriend.  He showed me proper respect."*

((It was four rounds after the start of combat that you made your deal with Calcryx.  I'm going to be nice and say it only took 2 rounds for Lehko to move back to the pit, ready a rope, and for Jair to climb out.  He can then move and heal on rounds 7, 8, and 9 after the start of the battle.  That having been said, I shall now make the stabilize rolls.))

((Kuma: 93, 65, 14, 21, 8.  Jerek: 34, 83, 5.  Heirmund: 44, 62, 37, 44, 3.))

Jair uses his remaining powerful spell to heal Kuma at Calcryx's insistance, but he does not awaken.  Nervous by their colour, and unwilling to risk the time it would take to examine them, Jair then uses two of his minor spells on each of Jerek and Heirmund.  Knowing the magic has now made them stable, he examines them carefully, but not knowing very much about the healing arts, all he can tell is that the slightest of further traumas would cause their deaths--and they are unlikely to awaken any time soon.  Meanwhile, Lehko searches for some of the tiny scales the dragon lost.  He can still see where they are missing on the wyrmling's flank, but he can't find them in the debris of the room.

((Cure Light: 2+1=3.  Lehko's search check: 5+1=6.))

Calcryx watches for a few moments as Jair tends the wounded, and then comments *"We really must leave.  Durnn is waiting for you to attack him, but he will not wait long before he comes to investigate.  You are hardly in a position to defeat his tribe."*


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## Voadam (Aug 3, 2005)

IndyPendant said:
			
		

> Jair cannot find a way to climb out himself, so Lehko has to brace a rope for him.  Lehko manages to to brace the weight while Jair carefully uses the rope; as he does so, Calcryx lands on the same table he was crouched on at the start of the battle, calling in its rough voice *"Heal the big one first and most, Jair Feyfriend.  He showed me proper respect."*
> 
> ((It was four rounds after the start of combat that you made your deal with Calcryx.  I'm going to be nice and say it only took 2 rounds for Lehko to move back to the pit, ready a rope, and for Jair to climb out.  He can then move and heal on rounds 7, 8, and 9 after the start of the battle.  That having been said, I shall now make the stabilize rolls.))
> 
> ...




"*Indeed. I have stabilized them but we must carry them out. Let us carefully take them over the pit. Then once on the other side I will carry Kuma, Lekho take Jerek, and Ydir take Heirmund. We will leave the Kobold and Terrek will guard as we go back. Calcryx, if you would accompany us. Is there anything portable you need to bring from here*?"


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 4, 2005)

Before picking up Jerek, Lehko steps over to the fallen Meepo, and gently closes his frost encrusted eyes with his fingers. If he sees anything personal yet insignificant to the little one, he will take it as a momento. *"Sleep well Keeper of Dragons."* He stoops near Jerek, and bracing him in the gentlest way possible, lifts him in a sort of fireman's carry. After one last glance across the floor of the room, he steps out and follows Jair across the pit.


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## jayaint (Aug 4, 2005)

Ydyr begins to slowly drag/pull/carry Heirmund around the edge of the pit. He keeps his head bowed andeyes on the ground... moving in a somber silence.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 4, 2005)

It takes you almost ten minutes to cross the pit.

You have one spot of luck amidst this disaster; when Heirmund fell unconscious, his lantern landed upright, and you find it standing on the floor beside his body.  If that had shattered, or tipped over and guttered out...  Lehko finds that Meepo had nothing that he seemed to value--except for a single small jade figurine, carved skillfully to show a dragon in flight, carefully wrapped in cloth in a pouch at his belt.

The narrow span, just under one foot wide, is impossible to cross safely while carrying an unconscious body.  Oh, perhaps Jerek could have managed it, although the weight of the bodies might have been too much for him.  But certainly none of the three of you that are conscious could.  All it would take is a single misstep, and down you would go into the pit--as well as whoever you are carrying, the fall probably killing him.

You are forced to stop at the pit, have Jair climb down a rope braced by Ydyr and Lehko, and then have those two tie the rope around the chests of your unconscious companions, then laboriously lower them into the pit.  After that, they carefully cross over to the other side along the span, while Jair drags the bodies to the other side of the pit, the goblins trapped in it with him glaring at him all the while in fear and loathing.  He ties the rope to their chests again, and then Ydyr and Lehko haul them as gently as possible to the top on the other side.  Jair then climbs out and calls Terrek over to him, who seemingly effortlessly jumps the span again.

You quickly realize a problem: it is going to be flat out impossible to carry the bodies and their equipment at the same time.  You are forced to strip them of their weapons, armour, and gear, and bring them separately.

It's rough and crude, but you can think of no other options.  To try to simply lower the bodies without rope for example, directly to the person in the pit, risks injury again--particularly when those on top let go and the body flops over onto the one bracing beneath.  And all this physical labour requires that Jair use up another of his minor healing spells to give Ydyr a small boost; enough so that his damaged body can withstand the extra effort.

Calcryx spends the time gathering up its treasures into a makeshift sack created from folding and tieing up an ancient tablecloth, all the while berating you about the unnecessary delay.  It seems eager to leave as well, now that this deal has been struck.  You are very nervous when lowering the bodies; braced as you are, all it would almost certainly take is a single blast from Calcryx's freezing breath and then--with Jair down in the pit and Terrek unable to deal with a flying wyrmling--it would all be over for you.

At one point, Ydyr looks over his shoulder to see the tiny dragon nearby watching him, almost as if it were thinking this very thing.

Still, it does not attack, but merely watches.  And finally you are all accross the pit with the gear and bodies.  Utterly exhausted, you take a risk and rest on the far side for a minute or so, knowing you still have to carry the bodies through some rooms and over at least two barricades.  And throughout all this, you are very aware that somewhere in this godsforsaken ruin, the rest of the goblin tribe could arrive at any moment.

Driven by that knowledge, you force yourself to move much sooner than you would have liked.  Your bodies protesting every movement, you each shoulder a companion.  Leaving all of your equipment behind beside the pit, almost staggering under the weight, you pass through the large barricade room, eying as you pass it the open door that you were told leads to the smokey, torch-lit hall of the goblins.

Still the goblins do not come.

You are delayed briefly again at each of the two barricades, but finally end up in the room you were resting in--gods, was it really less than an hour ago?  Terrek guards you the entire way, subdued as if he senses just how wrong this situation is.  Calcryx carries its small makeshift bag in its mouth, moving alongside you in a series of long flying hops that would have looked comical--were your situation not so grim, and were the deadly wyrmling still not half coated in dried, flaking blood.

You are now just outside the goblins' territory, but that goes nowhere near guaranteeing your safety.  You must decide whether to rest--and if so where; how to tend to your abused, unconscious comrades; what, if anything, to do about the goblin prisoners left behind in the pit; and who, if anyone, to risk sending back for your equipment--at least two of you will be needed for that.

((I'm going to rule that the rough handling deals an additional point of damage to the unconscious bodies, but the care and time you put into it causes this damage to happen slowly enough that they don't begin dying again.  Ydyr is now at 1hp, and by my count Jair now has only 1 orison left.  I'll need to know what you do next--and how you do it.))

((Edit: --Oh!  And I will rule that you managed to carry everyone's primary weapons, the coin and small valuables you've gathered so far, Jair's armour and shield, and enough food, water and light for one day.  Everything else--including all other armour and gear--is currently gathered together at the top of the pit.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 5, 2005)

*"Jair, can't we leave everything back there. I'm the more mobile of the two of us, you should stay and watch these three anyhow. If Calcryx will agree to stay here, and make sure our agreement isn't broken (meaning death by goblin), I can take Terrek and gather the equipment."* He kneels next to and begins scratching the wardog underneath  the ears and jaw. *"He's a strong hound, we coul rig a pulling harness for him, wrap our things in a blanket and hightail it back. Unless you think it'll be easier if you go with him."*


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## Voadam (Aug 5, 2005)

Jair considers their situation and starts planning as they haul over their comrades' bodies.

"*I'm thinking I want to pull out the goblins, keep their hands tied and use them as porters for the equipment, then later bargain them back to the goblin leader, possibly for passage through his territory to get to the pit and the humans.*"


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 6, 2005)

Lehko grins wickedly. *"I like your thinking. Okay. Only one of us is needed for that. Who goes? Maybe you should stay back with Terrek and the others, to keep camp."*


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## Voadam (Aug 8, 2005)

Sorrow The Man Bear said:
			
		

> Lehko grins wickedly. *"I like your thinking. Okay. Only one of us is needed for that. Who goes? Maybe you should stay back with Terrek and the others, to keep camp."*




"*No, two. Both you and Ydir should go while Terrek and I remain with the wounded and our new ally. However, if the goblins are out in force then abort the plan immediately and return, we will need the advance warning and your aid to pull them farther back if we need to withdraw in a hurry and our comrades' lives are more important than prisoners or excess gear*."


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## IndyPendant (Aug 8, 2005)

Ydyr and Lehko cautiously return to the pit while Jair guards the unconscious bodies with Terrek, to find no additional goblins.  After passing the second barricade, the door the other goblin fled through, leading to the smokey hall...is shut.  And the goblins in the pit have just worked up the courage to begin shouting for help when you arrive--but they stop fearfully enough at your threatening gestures.

Getting the goblins up out of the pit and acting as porters is severely hampered by the lack of a common language between you, but eventually you get the idea accross to them.  You're not sure humans would have understood so easily--but it seems slavery is an easy concept for the goblins to grasp.

The goblins don't make good porters.  They're slow, clumsy, and stupid.  You suspect in fact that much of that is an act, but they keep their act just short of punishment with an...impressive skill, noticeable even in the interminable minutes it takes them to bring the equipment back to the room.

Calcryx says not a word to Jair the entire time, but only waits and watches.  Finally however, Ydyr and Lehko return--and you have all your equipment once more.  As well as three unconscious bodies, three goblin prisoners, and a tiny dragon to deal with.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 9, 2005)

Fully aware that they have little no idea what he is saying, Lehko turns to the three prisoners in the corner. He points tword the floor, *"Stay put,"* he puts his fingers to his lips, *"And quiet,"* he then points at Calcryx and chomps his teeth loudly, *"And I'll ask him not to eat you."*

Regarding Jair and Ydyr now, *"There's no other way of looking at it. You're the only one with any healing ability, and you need rest. And Ydyr, you're barely standing as it is. I can push through just to keep watch. It'll weigh on me later, but it wouldn't be the first time. I can set a trap, as Meepo showed me and borrow Jerek's bow for the night. If you'll help me bind the goblins, that is."*


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## Voadam (Aug 9, 2005)

"*I need the rest for the healing magic, but the guard time can be split among you, Ydir, and Terrek. Once the other three are healed and can walk we will journey to Yusdrayl and make arrangements for Calcryx according to our given word*."

Jair turns to the dragon and takes on his accustomed role of courteous druid diplomat.

"*Noble Calcryx. The kobolds only told us of their reverence for you and told us you were kidnapped by the goblins as the missing humans were. The kobolds did not tell us of the cage or your exact past relationship with them however. The now dead keeper was most evasive on these points. When we deal with Yusdrayl, what more should we know in order to make arrangements on your behalf.*"


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## IndyPendant (Aug 9, 2005)

Calcryx waits a while before speaking.  *"You must approach Yusdrayl from a position of strength.  If she smells weakness in you, you will be doomed.  Unless you can heal the near-death wounds from a dragon in one day, you must wait.  I will allow you to heal yourselves into that strength, on two conditions.  First, your companions, when they awaken, must swear their own vows not to let me be caged again, or they will die.  Second, I am to receive the first and most powerful healing spell you have available, each day.  Do not try to trick me, Jair Feyfriend.  I will know."*


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## Voadam (Aug 10, 2005)

"*Wise words noble Calcryx. It seems to me it would be best to assert a position of strength together. I propose an alliance between us beyond our current truce so that Yusdrayl knows that in dealing with either of us she is dealing with a greater force that is to be respected. In return for knowledge of the Citadel and its inhabitants as well as mutual support as allies I will heal you as one of our band with my first and more powerful spell each day while we all recover to deal with the kobolds. I will get the others to swear to the agreement and you will see for yourself whether you can trust my words. If Yusdrayl knows you have an alliance with all of us as we return with goblin prisoners she will see your position as strengthened*."


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## IndyPendant (Aug 10, 2005)

Once again, the interminable hours pass within this now-familiar room.  Lehko spends much of the time setting up another trap in the first barricade room, to warn you of goblin incursions.  As Lehko works on this, and as Jair works on a deal with Calcryx...the wounded party members, tended--as best he can--by Ydyr, gradually grow conscious.  Battered, mortally wounded, agonized, and barely able to sit up--let alone fight--Kuma, Jerek, and Heirmund awaken to find themselves alive and (relatively) safe.

Calcryx rumbles chillingly.  *"Do not presume, human.  I speak of no alliance.  I have spared your lives, and in return you are to aid me in establishing my new position among the kobolds--as their leader.  That is all I have offered.  I merely told you to approach from a position of strength, and I am surprised you needed to hear that."*

((Everyone is conscious!  Finally!  --I've recently been bending a _lot_ of guidelines in your favour here, but if I didn't it would probably be weeks before the three of you could play again. : )  Note that Kuma, Heirmund, and Jerek are staggered until they reach positive HPs.))


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## Mithran (Aug 10, 2005)

Heirmund slowly opens his eyes and slowly turns his head from side to side to look around. Heirmund stops on the sight of Calcryx and Jair *"That was most uncomfortable, Jair, what has happened?"*


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## JimAde (Aug 10, 2005)

As Jerek slowly returns to consciousness, he keeps his eyes shut and his ears open, hoping to learn what's going on.  As he hears the haughty but apparently not hostile words of the dragon he peers out from slitted eyes.  Before saying anything he watches the dragon carefully for a few minutes, sizing the creature up.

_More dangerous than I'd give him credit for_, he thinks.  _I'll have to be fast if it comes down to it._

He then closes his eyes without a word to get some real sleep.


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## Shayuri (Aug 10, 2005)

Kuma grunts and shifts position slightly, then opens his eyes. He carefully, painfully looks around the room. Having assessed the situation, he asks, *"What do I owe for my life?"*


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## IndyPendant (Aug 11, 2005)

*"There is nothing else you need know about Yusdrayl and her minions, except that she rules them with a sharp claw, and she is a sorceror of some minor power."*  Calcryx then turns to Kuma and rumbles arrogantly,  *"I have spared your lives, human.  And in return you will help me see to it that I am never caged again!  Jair Feyfriend tells me you did not know of my imprisonment.  Thus, I will forgive your attempt.  But be clear on this: you live on my sufferance!  You will swear by whatever you hold holy to do everything in your power to keep the kobolds from caging me again."*


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## Voadam (Aug 12, 2005)

"*Calcryx, we must be very clear on our dealings with each other. We have agreed to a truce between us and an agreement that you will return to the kobolds with us making sure you are not ever to be caged again. To effectuate that agreement I proposed a more formal alliance between us so that both of our positions will be strengthened when dealing with Yusdrayl and her kobolds. Our truce and agreement holds, we are men of honor and my men will swear to our agreement. However know that I would die before allowing you to kill my men and if you break our truce my every blade, spell, and beast will be set against you to my last breath. Our band are brothers in arms. Threats are not needed between us dragon. Accept my proposal and you will have our full backing including the healing arrangement we were discussing earlier. We will all be stronger and success will be ours in our mutual endeavors.*"

[ooc diplomacy   ]


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## Shayuri (Aug 12, 2005)

Kuma tries to move, and grunts painfully.

*"So be it. By my life, by my blade, and by my honor I swear it. You will not be caged again, little wyrm."*

He manages to raise his waterskin to his mouth, and greedily gulps the somewhat sour, stale liquid before capping it again. Then the massive barbarian's head flops back with a groan.

*"I'll need rest,"* he says, eyelids already starting to flutter shut...


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## jayaint (Aug 12, 2005)

Ydyr looks up at the exchange from a cross legged seated position in the corner of the room. In the heavy gloom, he sighs, and tries again to center himself, reaching out to Illmater, finding a calm restful place inside. 

[[Ydyr is nervous and restless, but understands the power that the wyrm holds over the party right now. He is trying to keep quiet and out of the way, so as not to rock the boat.]]


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## Voadam (Aug 12, 2005)

Jair readies himself for the dragon's reaction, either accepting the proposal, more negotiating, or possibly a violent attack.

"Damned pit." he thinks to himself as he feels the seriousness of his wounds but composes himself for dealing with the dragon, Terrek at his side.


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## Mithran (Aug 12, 2005)

Heirmund decides he's not going to get any response while the dragon-threatening is going on and lets his eyelids droop down.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 12, 2005)

*"There is no alliance between us, human!  I defeated you, then spared your lives at your request, in exchange for a deal.  A deal that you seek now to change.  Do not test my patience!  You presume too much.  Simply comply with the agreement we reached earlier, and you need not fear harm from me.  After we have successfully cowed the kobolds into proper submission.  That is when we will discuss other possibilities.  NOT BEFORE!"*  The last is a roar that almost literally shakes the walls, shockingly deep and loud from such a tiny creature.  The room grows noticeably colder as well, as a chill breeze spreads from the tiny wyrmling.


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## Voadam (Aug 15, 2005)

"*I offered you an alliance and you reject it. Very well. We gave our word that we will return you to the kobolds and make sure they do not cage you again. You have agreed to return with us to the kobolds as long as we swear to see you are not caged again. We will heal up and deal with Yusdrayl. We keep our word dragon. You may place your faith in us. And as you say dragon, once you are reinstated then we can discuss other possibilities*."

[ooc diplomacy again]


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## IndyPendant (Aug 15, 2005)

Calcryx seems to be mollified by Jair's words, and the tension relaxes somewhat.  The hours then pass by mostly in uneasy silence as you pass yet another dimly-lit day within the Citadel.  Lehko returns shortly after setting up his trap for any goblins that may wish to come.  Eventually, you all manage to get some sleep, and awaken the next morning at least partially refreshed.

Watched warily by Calcryx, Jair then heals the tiny dragon as per their agreement, noting as he does so that the dragon seems significantly better now--not fully healed, but not all that far from it either.

((Everyone gains 1hp from the rest.  Calcryx is healed 5+1=6 points of damage.  Jair, I'll need to know if you do any further healing, and if so who gets what.))


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## Voadam (Aug 15, 2005)

Jair uses all of his spells on healing trying to get his comrades active.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 16, 2005)

Jair uses his second spell on Kuma, and Kuma's wounds heal enough that he is no longer using a constant effort of will just to stay conscious.  Jair then splits his remaining minor healing between Heirmund and Jerek, but neither seems safely healed yet.

((Kuma's CLW: 6+1=7.  2 more points are healed to each of Jerek and Heirmund.))

Lehko checks his trap to find it disturbed and the door slightly open; the goblins have been and gone, and again you did not hear them.  They have not come into the room you are resting in, however.

You rest another day or so uninterrupted, Calcryx beginning to show signs of restlessness, and then Jair heals it, and then Heirmund to get him up and moving, and then another minor healing to Jerek to do the same for him.  That seems to get everyone at least able to move feely without causing further injury, and Jair still has three minor healing spells left.

Most of you are still very wounded, however, so you need to decide whether to stay another day--using up the last of your light in the process, and dealing with an increasingly impatient, and nearly healed, Calcryx--or to risk approaching Yusdrayl this day.

((Heirmund's CLW: 3+1=4.  Current hit points: Jair: 7/9.  Terrek: 13/13.  Kuma: 5/14.  Jerek: 1/7.  Ydyr: 4/10.  Heirmund: 2/5.  Lehko: 4/4.  Jair has 3 orisons left.))


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## JimAde (Aug 16, 2005)

Jerek sighs massively as Jair tends his wounds yet again.  Finally, it no longer feels as if his guts are trying to escape, though the wound is still quite painful.

*"Thanks, boss,"* he says tightly and stands.  He carefully stretches his stiff limbs and cracks his knuckles loudly.  *"I think I can at least talk a good game,"* he says.  *"Let's go see the sorcerer."*


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## Mithran (Aug 16, 2005)

Heirmund finally sits up once he is healed and picks up his spellbook from wherever it had been put.

OOC:
0th: Acid Splash x2, Daze x2
1st: Color Spray x2, Mage Armor.


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## Voadam (Aug 17, 2005)

"*Best to do so before our light runs out. I'd prefer for everybody to be fully healed but there is not the time. Let's go lads. Look strong and remember we return triumphant*."


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## JimAde (Aug 17, 2005)

Jerek shakes his head and chuckles ruefully.  *"Triumphs like this I can do without,"* he mutters.  _At least we're all still alive,_ he adds to himself.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 18, 2005)

Calcryx obviously agrees, and with it accompanying you, with its peculiar flying hops, you take your goblin prisoners with you back into the section controlled by the kobolds.  You walk to the kobold hall, where a small group of guards intercept you.  Seeing who you have brought with you, however, not a word needs to be spoken--they begin yelling and cheering to see Calcryx returned to them.

You are quickly led to the throne at the end of the large hall once more, where Yusdrayl awaits you as before, dressed in robes and with a small retinue of guards.  As the kobold jabber slowly dies down, it watches you, then speaks.  *"You have done very well indeed.  Not only have you brought us our dragon back, but you have also brought us more prisoners to eat!  We will have the cage ready to use again within hours.  Tell me how you managed this!  And where is the Disgraced One?"*

At the edge of his vision, Jair sees Calcryx staring at him, beginning to rumble warningly.


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## JimAde (Aug 18, 2005)

Jerek suddenly takes hold of the rope binding the goblins and says firmly, *"They are not for eating."*  He tugs on the rope possessively.  *"These are our prisoners, bought with our blood."*


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## Voadam (Aug 18, 2005)

"*Hold Jerek! While true we must offer the honor due the great leader of the kobolds*."

Jerek bows in formal greeting to Yusdrayl "*I Jerek Feyfriend, leader of this warband offer greetings to you Lady Yusdrayl, Resplendant Mistress of the Citadel kobolds. We gave our word to rescue the dragon that had been kidnapped and journeyed deep into the enemy territory fighting and defeating beasts and goblins with our magic and blades. We have triumphed and return victorious and I will be happy to tell you the tale in fuller detail if you desire as well as of the death of the disgraced one.*

*However there seems to have been a miscommunication, surely the fault of the now dead disgraced one. We agreed to rescue the dragon and bring him here. Noble Calcryx is a dragon coming into his power, a creature of majesty and might and magic. Such a being is not to be caged but to be allied with as a creature of power. If you wish such a potent ally, particularly as a counter to the threats of Balok the Black, I suggest you come to an agreement, for Calcryx will not be caged. I and mine stand with Calcryx in this and have pledged to see he is not caged again. An arrangement between your great powers can be made and I offer my services as mediator if desired for you two to come to terms and enrich each other through an alliance.*

[Diplomacy, diplomacy, diplomacy]


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## JimAde (Aug 18, 2005)

As Jair addresses him, Jerek bows slightly in acknowledgement and hands the goblins' rope to him.  He takes a step back and Jair continues, his eyes scanning Yusdrayl and her retinue for reaction.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 19, 2005)

Yusdrayl slowly stands from its thrown, menace in its every movement.  *"You decided this?  You know nothing of our customs!  You have rescued our dragon from the vile goblins, and for that I will forgive your arrogance.  But what we do with Calcryx now is our affair, not yours.  Leave us in peace and with our blessing.  Stay and risk our wrath!"*

Its tone, of almost parental annoyance, is milder than its words, conveying the impression that you could not possibly know the whole story, so you can be forgiven your transgression--but if you push it you will be punished.  Still, Ydyr and Lehko pick up...something...from it.  Its body language, perhaps, or something in the tone.  They are certain Yusdrayl realizes its situation, and is looking primarily for a way out that saves its stature in the eyes of its people.  It is not necessarily looking for a fight, although it won't back down from one should that be the only option.

However it is obvious that neither Calcryx--who has begun to rumble threateningly at Yusdrayl's words, stepping a few feet away from its small hoard--nor Jair, who is searching for a suitable response, realizes Yusdrayl's position.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 19, 2005)

Lehko steps forward, beside Jair, and places a hand on his shoulder. *"The matter of the wyrmling has been decided Old One, among the proper authorities. Lord Calcryx is rightful heir to the Citidel of Ashandralon, and will take his proper place. It is not a  matter for discussion. Cages can hold many things, do not forget that."* He pauses a moment to let the statment sink in. *"I hold you to your word now. We have completed our bargain. The knowledge we seek shall be ours. We may negotiate for the prisoners as well, if you like. Such precedings may be better handled in private, however."* He stands, strong and tall, hand confidently on Jair's shoulder in a symbol of united strength.


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## Shayuri (Aug 19, 2005)

Startlingly, Kuma steps forward with a hand raised.

*"A moment,"* he says in a deep bass roll that echoes off the walls. *"My companions mean well, but I think there has been a misunderstanding. Let me try to correct this before any...final...decisions are made."*

He pauses, waiting to see if Yusdrayl and Calcryx are gonna do a royal rumble, or not. Assuming they don't, he nods.

*"Thank you. Understand that we are only intermediaries on Calcryx's behalf. The decisions made are his. We merely agreed to bring him to you, and explain them. We have done so poorly so far. Yusdrayl, you are the leader of your people. Calcryx however would be your god. He would shield you with his wings and breath, in return for your service. And yet, what is a god without a high priest?"*

Kuma nods at Yusdrayl. *"What is a god without a most honored one, to bring his word to the faithful, and mete out his punishments, and his favors? Yet no god can be caged, Yusdrayl. Only the weak will suffer to be caged. Do you wish the goblins to think your god weak? Weak gods make for weak peoples. No...if you wish to have Calcryx bless you and yours with his power, he must be free. It is for his best interests, and for yours."*

Kuma pauses again, letting the echo of his voice die down.

*"Work together; grow strong together, and you need fear nothing. Fight and quarrel, and the goblins will pick over the bodies of those who survive. What say you all?"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 20, 2005)

Lehko is somewhat startled. He remains silent, however he does pass Kuma a sidelong glance of mixed admiration, genuine pleasure, and a sort of exasperation.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 22, 2005)

Yusdrayl pauses at Lehko's words--but Lehko and Ydyr notice that it's Kuma's speech that seems to reach it.  Its tone resounding with a strange mix of disappointment and relief, it says *"Very well.  I will speak with Calcryx--privately!--on this."*  Calcryx relaxes slightly, and they step off to one side, out of hearing range, but still within sight.

Their discussion takes many long minutes to complete, during which what could very well be the entire kobold tribe enters into the hall to watch.  The hall echoes quietly and disturbingly with the soft sibilants and clicks of their language.  Eventually, Calcryx and Yusdrayl return and the draconic noise rises for a few moments, then abates.  Calcryx flies to the top of the altar that serves as the back of Yusdrayl's throne, and Yusdrayl moves to stand beside it.  Even the size of a housecat, there is something impressive and imposing in the sight of Calacryx poised on the altar, with a carving of a rearing dragon looking up at it.

With only a few brief words to Heirmund directing him to translate, Yusdrayl launches into a speech in Draconic.  You are honoured for your part in helping to 'rescue' Calcryx from the vile goblins that 'kidnapped' it.  From now on, Calcryx will not be held in a cage, so that such a tragedy will not be repeated, and their godling will not be trapped should the goblins raid again, unable to fight at their side.  The fool who is solely responsible for caging Calcryx in the first place, forever to be known now only as the Disgraced One, has died for his folly, at the hands of the putrid goblins who greedily sought to keep Calcryx with them.

There is much cheering as the kobolds absorb the news, and then Calcryx speaks--into an instant, respectful silence.  It says that as your reward for rescuing it, you may have the key to Old Approach, held in the carved dragon's mouth of this altar--under two conditions.  First, somewhere in the Old Approach there is said to be a green bejewelled dagger; that you must present to Calcryx to be added to its hoard.  Second, you must first retrieve the key, which has been held firm by the dragon's stone jaws for a great many years.  Should you succeed, all of the riches said to be held in the Old Approach--besides the dagger--are yours to keep.


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## Voadam (Aug 22, 2005)

Jair bows and says formally "*I thank you for the honors you award us and offer our congratulations on the reuniting of your great powers*."


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 23, 2005)

Lehko steps closer to Jiar, as if to give him council. And indeed, he does. *"Feyfriend,"* he whispers, *"We are light on provisions. I suggest we barter the prisoners with Yusdrayl for light, food, perhaps a night under their roof."*


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## Mithran (Aug 23, 2005)

Heirmund bows to Calcryx and says *"I thank you for forgiving my lack of respect earlier, I am but an alchemists son and was rather overwelmed by the presence of a being as powerful as yourself."*


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## jayaint (Aug 23, 2005)

Ydyr sags visibly after the negotiations... partly from nerves.. and partly because it was still somewhat of an effort to remain standing. 

_This place might yet sink its teeth into us,_ he thinks. _I'll like it more when its my fists that are doing the talking, instead of this politicizing._


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## IndyPendant (Aug 23, 2005)

Yusdrayl stares at Calcryx for a long moment.  Finally, it turns to face you, hissing slightly--not a particularly pleasant sound.  It then continues in draconic, with Heirmund translating, *"Then we are agreed.  You will eat with us this day, and sleep this night.  And after we sup, you will choose a champion to pry the key from the dragon's jaws.  Tonight we dine on roast goblin!"*  The kobolds around you cheer again.


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## Mithran (Aug 23, 2005)

Herimund translates into common for his companions then waits expectantly for Jair's reply.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 24, 2005)

And with that, it is done.  The first thing Calcryx sees to is the destruction of the cage, and Yusdrayl does not resist this.  Calcryx then sets itself up in the large, long hall, taking the altar behind the throne as its lair.  The kobolds avoid you, doing their best to ignore you.  You rest for a few hours, your goblin prisoners inconsolant and despairing.  It is not long before you discover why.

A fire is prepared, and a different pair of goblin prisoners--in _much_ worse condition than your own--are led out in chains.  Those chains are then tied to a rope at the back of the hall that you hadn't noticed before, and the two goblins are hoisted by their wrists, begging listlessly for their lives in draconic the entire time, so that they have to stand on their toes to support their weight.  The kobolds then take turns, apparently competing for the honour and taking great care to show their skill, in removing very thin strips of skin from the goblins.

The prisoners sound like any human would, screaming their agony as they are slowly flayed alive.

Yusdrayl begins to describe, in common and with relish, how sometimes the prisoners survive the flaying process--in which case the goblin is carried to the pit, and the kobolds get the pleasure of watching the goblin roast alive, turning slowly on a spit high above the flames.  It adds that if the goblin dies from the flaying--as one of these prisoners already has--then the spit is lowered so the kobolds can eat sooner.  In almost precisely the same casually jovial tone, Yusdrayl then begins to ask you questions as to your purpose here in the citadel and what you intend to do next, now that you have rescued Calcryx.


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## Mithran (Aug 24, 2005)

Heirmund starts to look a bit pale then glances at Jair *"Umm... excuse me... I have some writing to do"* and Heirmund withdraws to the place farthest from the goblins he can find.

Once he finds a place Heirmund sits down and shakily opens his book to write about the events of the past few days and attempt some more of his crude maps.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 24, 2005)

Lehko stands stiffly when Yusdrayl asks our future plans. He stalks tword the goblin prisoners and shoves the kobolds aside, drawing his short sword. *"I plan to eat. Enough play."* He then, providing that none of the kobolds are foolish enough to try to stop him, commences to swiftly and efficienty cut the throats of both goblins, ending their misery. *"Many battles lead to a mighty hunger. Where is the cook? I would be certain it's well done."*


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## Shayuri (Aug 25, 2005)

By the time Lehko has acted, Kuma has risen and seems to be backing slowly towards the exit. He freezes however when Lehko does his thing, and prepares himself for possible hostilities.


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## Voadam (Aug 25, 2005)

As Lekho starts to quietly rumble advice into his ear, Jair's consciousness is diverted by a piercing call from the realm of spirits and the sound of beating wings that only the druid can hear. He focuses instantly on this screeching cry and makes contact with the spirit of the Eagle. It calls to him and draws him into its own perspective, granting him clarity of vision that is gained from the soaring vantage point of a flying eagle. The young druid absorbs the moment and experience. As he comes back to himself Jair realizes it will be some time before he can fully understand his experience and its import. With a start the events around him he has been observing with the background of his consciousness come to the foreground and he is too late to save the prisoners.

Horrified at Lekho's actions, pragmatic as they are, Jair stifles his outrage so as not to show conflict among the group in front of the kobolds and dragon. Jair realizes his failure to act played a large part in giving the battle sorcerer the opportunity to step in and practice kobold diplomacy. Instead he moves to take advantage of the situation and the kobold goodwill to solidify the party's position and seek needed supplies from the kobolds if possible.

[ooc diplomacy based off Lekho's goodwill gesture of goblins for food]


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## IndyPendant (Aug 26, 2005)

The kobolds stand in shock at Lehko's action, but Yusdrayl quickly recovers.  *"You are so hungry, human, you get first cut of their meat!  We shall roast the goblins fast and low."*

Shortly afterwards, the food is ready and the kobolds crowd in to get their share.  Yusdrayl gives a short speech in Draconic honouring this feast to the return of their god, Calcryx.  And true to its word, it gives Lehko the first slice of hot, dripping goblin meat straight off the corpse.  It then offers each of the rest of you gobbets as well.

There is a pause, kobolds actually elbowing each other and making quiet side bets for a few copper and even a silver or two, as they see how you respond...


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## Mithran (Aug 26, 2005)

Heirmund looks up from his writing *"Yes thank yo... wait, no, no I can't. Busy, must keep writing I do thank you though"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 26, 2005)

Lehko snatches whatever nearby implement is available, be it fork, dagger, table knife, what have you, spears the hunk of meat, pauses a moment to let the smell of the juices waft into his nose. Then with yes, a smile almost, relishes in a mouthful of the foreign meat. He chews, and swallows, then pauses. *"Have we wine for the table?"* He turns and calls, *"Kuma? Have you ever eaten goblin?"*


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## Shayuri (Aug 26, 2005)

Kuma manages to keep his face straight, but he shakes his head gravely.

*"I have not. Nor shall I now. With respect to our hosts, I will see to my own supper. Tonight I commune with the spirits of this land, and I may eat only what food I have caught myself."*

He produces a long stick of dried jerky and begins gnawing on it, his face pensive and distant.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 29, 2005)

That evening, Lehko finds that he has earned some respect from the kobolds, even Yusdrayl.  The rest of you spend an uncomfortable evening in a culture completely alien to your way of life, brought home in dozens of little ways.

Still, you are kept safe for the evening, and Jair uses the last of his minor healing to help out the others.  The next morning, you are ready to start again.  Your goblins have been kept safe under your care, although there were times it looked like some of the kobold bounders were going to cause trouble over that.  And you have managed to save nearly twenty hours of light by using the kobolds' stinky, smokey torches.

Yusdrayl informs you that you are permitted to travel safely through the flame pit room to and from the lair of the vile goblins, so long as you do not try to penetrate any further into kobold territories.  Calcryx thanks you for your aid in helping him gain his new standing among the kobolds.

And then you are through the door, once more heading down the hall that leads to where you fought all those rats.

And beyond there--the goblins.


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## Voadam (Aug 29, 2005)

Once we are passed the kobold hearing Jair turns to the party "*Good job all around lads, politics is an ugly business but we have done well so far and kept our skins and our prisoners. Lekho, your quick thinking saved those goblins from a slow death and impressed the kobolds with your boldness. My plan now is to enter goblin territory, make contact with the goblins and see if we can arrange for a prisoner swap, our prisoners in return for safe passage through their territory to where the humans were taken past them. Heirmund this will mean a lot of translation work from you as you speak the goblin tongue. * 

"*First I want you to talk to our prisoners and convey their situation to them, that we kept them alive but that if they are taken to the kobolds and the dragon then they will be eaten. The kobolds want them dead and to eat them. I want them to be useful to us, providing us with information and an exchange that will benefit them and their people. Our goal is not to kill goblins but to get the children out and back to their mother.*

"*My plan B if that type of negotiation does not work is to fight our way through them to the hole where the humans were taken*."


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## JimAde (Aug 29, 2005)

Jerek breaks his long silence and says with a sardonic smirk, *"Let's think good thoughts for Plan A, then."*  He then walks to Lehko's side and claps the sorcerer on the shoulder.  *"I didn't get a chance to say anything earlier,"* he says, *"but well done with the goblins.  I hope you're around if I get captured by kobolds."*


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## Mithran (Aug 29, 2005)

During the time with the kobolds Heirmund finishes writing about the events of the past few days that he is aware of. When Calcryx thanks them Heirmund asks if he could be allowed to come back and learn a few things from Calcryx, for the book he is working on writing.

Present:
Heirmund nods at Jair *"Plan A is more to my liking as well, I'll go ahead and talk to our goblin prisoners right now I suppose"* and Heirmund drops back to translate Jair's words into goblin for their prisoners.

OOC:
0th- Mage Hand, daze x2, Detect magic
1st- Charm Person, Color Spray, Mage Armor


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 29, 2005)

Lehko nods appreciativley, a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. *"I have some small experiance with kobolds. Although of different tribes, they were plentiful throughout Chult. Your plan is sound, Jair. But know that I will not fail to hesitate should diplomacy fail and it comes to conflict."*


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## Voadam (Aug 30, 2005)

Sorrow The Man Bear said:
			
		

> Lehko nods appreciativley, a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. *"I have some small experiance with kobolds. Although of different tribes, they were plentiful throughout Chult. Your plan is sound, Jair. But know that I will not fail to hesitate should diplomacy fail and it comes to conflict."*





Jair laughs. "*I'm counting on that lad! Goblins and hobgoblins, depleted as they may be are still a formiddable obstacle. And then we have Belak the Outcast and his horde of abomination twig blights after them. But after we talked down an angry dragon and tribe of kobolds I have hope we can come to an arrangement with the goblinoids. They will not want us as additional enemies after losing their dragon ally and will want the prisoners returned if they can get a reasonable deal for them. Hopefully their arrangements with Belak will not prohibit them from dealing with us. But if so, that's what pointy sticks are for.*"


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## JimAde (Aug 30, 2005)

Jerek chuckles darkly and says, *"All right then.  Let's get moving."*  He moves to the front of the group and heads cautiously into goblin territory.


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## Shayuri (Aug 30, 2005)

Bearing his wounds stoically, Kuma accompanies the rest of the group without comment; his face expressing only bleak determination.


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## IndyPendant (Aug 30, 2005)

The goblins seem a lot more inclined to talk after their experience in the kobold's lair.  Through Heirmund's translation, they explain that they are part of the Durbuluk tribe.  (The Dominators, in their tongue.)  Their chief is Durnn, a powerful hobgoblin, and his mate is Grenl, their shaman.  Durnn made a deal with Belak the Outcast, and sends him prisoners the goblins cature--including the two humans, a male and a female, which were sent down the pit to the Sacred Grove almost a month ago.  None of the prisoners have been down there, so all they know is that the goblins below follow Belak's orders directly--and that no prisoner has ever returned from below, alive or dead.  Their bodies and souls are given to the Sacred Grove, which feeds off the sacrifices to create the Twig Blights.

And they say that Durnn might very well be willing to bargain safe passage for the prisoners' lives.

The first barricade room remains abandoned, but the second holds goblin guards.  --'Guards' that you can hear fleeing at the first glimpse of the light from your lantern, slamming doors behind them before you can even start walking down the hall, yelling all the while in goblinoid that 'the demons have returned'.

You stand in the first barricade room, having just cautiously opened the door to the second.  You have yet to travel down the hall to see what awaits you in the second barricade room.


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## JimAde (Aug 30, 2005)

*"I think they might know we're here,"* Jerek observes wryly.  *"Even so, maybe I should have a look and make sure they haven't replenished the caltrops or left any other surprises.  Why don't you all stay here with the light and I'll take a look."*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Aug 30, 2005)

Lehko nods and intones quietly, *"Careful, Jerek."* He turns to Jair. *"If they do deal, we may use our 'aliance' with the kobolds as leverage."* He squats and waits for Jereks return, rubbing his knuckles accross the palm of his hand, the tiniest of sparks arcing. *"I have a bad feeling about this,"* he mutters under his breath, his mood almost visibly deepening.


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## jayaint (Aug 30, 2005)

Ydyr comes to a halt with the rest of the group and pauses. 

He closes his eyes and inclines his head. _Here's a prayer to Illmater, should he find me and this group in this foul place... a prayer for Plan A_. *sighs quietly*


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## IndyPendant (Aug 31, 2005)

Jerek heads slowly and stealthily down the hall, his eyes and ears alert for anything out of the ordinary.  He reaches the end without incident, and risks a quick look around the corner into the room.  The room appears empty, although it is almost impossible to properly tell without light.  He studies what he can see of the room for a few moments, and then waves the rest of you forward.

As the light approaches and extends further into the second barricade room, you see that almost nothing has changed, except that it is a little cleaner than when you were last here--the spears and javelins on the floor having been gathered up and taken away, as have the goblin corpses.  All three doors leading out of the room are shut tight: the northern door you chased the goblin through to eventually find Calcryx, the upper west-facing door that another goblin fled through into a murky torchlit hall, and the lower west-facing door beside you, that you know no details of.


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## Voadam (Aug 31, 2005)

Jair points to the upper west door that the goblins ran through before as their path of flight is more likely to lead to the heart of the goblin complex.


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## JimAde (Aug 31, 2005)

Jerek nods and goes to check on the door.  Given that the goblins have had so much trouble with us they may have blocked or trapped the door, so Jerek carefully examines it before trying to get it open.

[OOC: Search +6, Disable Device +6]


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## IndyPendant (Sep 1, 2005)

Jerek approaches the door, but doesn't have to examine it long to determine that it doesn't even have a lock, and could be opened easily.  He does not yet do so, but instead cautiously searches for traps first.  After a few minutes, he decides that if the door is trapped, he can't discern it.

While Jerek is completing his inspection, Ydyr and Kuma concentrate on the far side of the door. They listen for the slightest of noises, but cannot hear anything beyond its thick wood.


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## Voadam (Sep 1, 2005)

Jair waits patiently, shield and pointy stick at the ready. Terrek waits at his side.


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## JimAde (Sep 1, 2005)

Jerek makes his way quietly back to the group.  *"Looks ok to me, but maybe somebody else should open it,"* he suggests.  *"I can't very well have my bow ready to fire through the door and open it at the same time."*

[OOC: Of course, the fact that the last door I tried to open got me turned into a Popscicle has nothing to do with it.  ]


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## Voadam (Sep 1, 2005)

"*Ydir. Your fighting style is open handed so you should open it while Kuma is ready with his sword and Jerek with his bow.*."


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## Shayuri (Sep 1, 2005)

Kuma nods and draws his large, heavily notched warsword from its sheathe over his back. If his wounds  pain him, he doesn't show it...though his taciturnity is similar to when he stoically faced death before.


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## JimAde (Sep 2, 2005)

Jerek positions himself to be able to fire into the doorway and readies his bow.


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## jayaint (Sep 2, 2005)

Ydyr moves to the door and nods in assent to open the door, ready to spring away, should there be a surprise waiting on the other side. 

*We did check this door for traps, right?* he asks the group queitly.


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## JimAde (Sep 2, 2005)

Jerek nods and gives Ydyr a thumbs up, then returns his hand to his bowstring.


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## IndyPendant (Sep 2, 2005)

Ydyr opens the door gingerly--and discovers that, indeed, there are no traps.  The door leads to a small storage room, roughly twenty feet to a side.  The north and south walls are stacked halfway to the ceiling with ill-made crates, boxes and barrels.  A clear path allows easy access to the far door--also closed.

Jerek approaches that door cautiously and begins examining it, as Kuma and Ydyr listen carefully again to the far side.  Jerek again determines that the door is neither locked nor trapped--but this time, Ydyr and Kuma can just make out quiet voices muttering agitatedly on the far side of the door, although they can't discern the words.

Somewhere on the other side of that door, and not very far away from it, are at least two--no, three--humanoids.


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## JimAde (Sep 2, 2005)

Jerek whispers to Jair, *"Same approach as last time?"*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Sep 2, 2005)

Lehko snaps to again, a wry grin spreading on his face. *"Plan A is diplomacy, no? I say we knock. It seems impolite to have weapons drawn and ready to burst in. If you want, I'll do it."* He rises and steps tword the door, preparing as if to knock when he pauses, turning to Heirimund. *"How do you say hello in goblin?"*


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## Mithran (Sep 3, 2005)

Heirmund looks amused for a moment then tells Lehko the goblin word for 'hello'. Heirmund then positions himself so that he can see through the doorway once the door is open. Behind a low crate if he can.


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## Shayuri (Sep 3, 2005)

Kuma grumbles, *"This is a mistake. We cannot befriend both sides in this feud. If I'd my way, none here would be spared the blade...but if we must ally, then let us choose our allies and our enemies, and act as such. To make promises of friendship to some, then turn around and offer the same to their enemies...it stinks of dishonor and deceit."*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Sep 4, 2005)

Lehko whirls swiftly on Kuma, keeping his tone a harsh whisper. *"What would you have us do Kuma? Assault them head on, get ourselves killed?! Is there no honor in peace? Who's to say that once the corrupting influence of the Druid has passed there can't be a truce negotiated, by a party in good standing with both? There is nothing wrong with proceeding cautiosly and with a modicum of intelligence. Ther's fdar too much hapoping in the world for the blacks and whites to have meaning do what you have to to survive, I learned that early."* He turns swiftly, mind made up by his recent speech, and rapps on the doorsharly twice, calling _"Hello?"_ Doing his best to repeat the word heirimund spoke and give it in a friendly enough tone.

(ooc: I will note, that there is plenty of time between telling Kuma off (nothing personal dude) and knocking for somebody to try to stop him)


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## IndyPendant (Sep 6, 2005)

Lehko cockily raps loudly on the door--and the voices on the other side instantly hush.

A brief, intense discussion can be heard, followed by a hard thumping noise and a goblin curse.  Moments later, the door is pulled open by a lone, terrified goblin, who quickly skitters backwards while rubbing a welt at his temple.  The open door reveals what seems to be the entire remaining goblin tribe fanned in an arc facing you in the hall beyond.

So much for only two or three goblins.

Your first impression is that there are well over a dozen goblins and hobgoblins here, armed and armoured, spears and shields held tensely.  One hobgoblin, flanked by a small guard, is obviously the leader.  He simply stands and watches you, not moving except to bark out an abrupt few words in goblin, which Heirmund _very_ quietly translates loosely as *"Demons.  Pfagh."*

The tension in the air is palpable; even those without any skill in sensing others' motives know that at the slightest misstep they will attack en masse.

And then Terrek begins to growl low in his throat, teeth savagely bared and eyes blazing with hatred, startlingly loud in the stark silence.


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## JimAde (Sep 6, 2005)

Jerek swallows audibly.  At Lehko's speech he had lowered his bow (though still holding it) and now he nervously flicks one finger against the feather of his nocked arrow.  He takes a deep breath and calms visibly as he selects his target.  Then he casts his eye quickly at Heirmund, who alone can speak to the goblins.

[OOC: If the fur starts to fly, Jerek will take a shot at the goblin leader first.  Hopefully that won't happen, though...]


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Sep 6, 2005)

Lehko _slowly_ raises his hands, palms open in universal sign of non hostility. Out of the corner of his mouth very quietly, *"Jair? Terrek?"* and he reaches for the bindings of the prisoners, bringing them forward almost in offering. *"No big speeches Jair, they don't seem the type to have a long attention span."*



(OoC:Will attempt to aid another on any Diplomacy checks made.)


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## jayaint (Sep 6, 2005)

Ydyr swivels his head between Lehko and Kuma. Catching Kuma's eyes, he shrugs and sighs... bowing his head. 

_Diplomacy, friends, allies... all take second place to "surprise"_ he thinks.


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## Mithran (Sep 6, 2005)

Heirmund steps out to stand in sight of the goblin chief, walking staff in hand and speaks in goblin "Hold your attack! we come in peace, we would like to discuss a bargain!" 

Heirmund whispers to the others in common "Jair, keep him quiet please." as he motions towards Terrek "Just go along with what I say, we can't be seen as confused or undecided.

Back to goblin and talking loudly to the chief: "I will have my men leave this room and shut the door behind them, except for one to guard me. Then you can send forward one of your lower ranks to see that all is as it should be. After that you come forward with one guard and shut the door behind you and we shall discuss the bargain."

"Will you agree to do that?"


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## IndyPendant (Sep 7, 2005)

The hobgoblin leader's eyes tick to each of you in turn, before finally coming to rest on Heirmund with a sneer, stating in goblin, *"You speak for these?  I should have known.  We have a deal.  But only if you give up your prisoners now, and only if four of my tribe guard the rest of your...demons."*  He snickers.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Sep 7, 2005)

Lehko grimaces slightly. "Tell them the doors stay open, in that case. And we keep one prisoner for the duration of the talks." He begins to get antsy almost, shifting weight from foot to foot slightly.


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## Mithran (Sep 7, 2005)

Heirmund nods at Lehko then translates Lehko's changes to the bargain into goblin.


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## IndyPendant (Sep 7, 2005)

The hobgoblin growls angrily, raising his longsword high over his head for emphasis, and yells out in stentorian goblin.  *"You sneak in without talk, kill many of my tribe, steal our new ally, and now you choose to talk?!?  You fight a few of our weakest before, you win.  They call you demons.  Pfagh!  Now you face Durnn himself, and the entire Durbuluk tribe!  I give you one minute to tell me what you want right now, and what you give us in return.  I don't like the deal, you die."*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Sep 8, 2005)

Lehko scowls, his temper rising to match Durnn's. *"What ally? The wyrmling? We seek only passage. And what chance was there for talk?! We approached your territory openly, only to be ambushed in the dark! We seek passage, an audience with the Druid. You have your soldiers back, claim to his grove, and a small, quite small, share of the spoils."* He finishes his proposal, seemingly ready to kill the hobgoblin with looks lone if necessary as very slight sparks play across his brows.

(ooc: Nice vocabulary use, Indy. )


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## Voadam (Sep 8, 2005)

Jair turns to Heirmund "*Tell him what we want is passage through their territory to Belok's hole and offer them prisoners returned in exhange. They have a more pressing foe in the kobolds and the dragon who turned on them and could use all the warriors they can get. We will grant them back their warriors live and unharmed who can tell of the kobolds, or they can see how we fight like demons along with the animal spirits who fight at command of our druid. Tell him I am our leader, a druid with many spirits at my command and that there is great magic at our call in addition to warriors who fight like demons. Tell him he can ask the prisoners whether we keep our word, we kept them alive when we could have killed them on the battlefield and again when the kobolds wanted to eat them*."


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## IndyPendant (Sep 8, 2005)

After Heirmund quickly translates Jair's words--using up more than the one minute's time given, he's certain--Durnn slowly lowers the longsword he was holding effortlessly over his head.  He then responds in goblin *"This is the deal you offer me?"*  He mulls it over for what seems an age, and then slowly begins to grin.  It is not a pleasant sight.  *"I accept your offer!  Come with me.  But should you so much as blink without my permission while passing through my home, I will kill you.  Or worse.  I will leave you alive to be fed to the Tree."*

He then barks a few short words at his tribe, which Heirmund translates as orders basically telling some of the Durbuluk to precede you all, some to follow, and threats of severe violence to the first Durbuluk who attacks without provocation.  A few of the guards, plus one goblin dressed in warpaint and animal parts (teeth, feathers, claws, even a few skulls), watch you warily during the few moments it takes to complete the preparations.

Then Durnn himself leads you down the long, wide, smokey hall toward a door leading north.  On either side of you as you follow are large stone columns marching in step, entwined with carved dragons.  The door opens onto a much smaller hallway, which he leads you down and turns left before ending up at another door.  You have time during this short walk to get a more accurate estimate of the goblins facing you: there are seven total hobgoblins surrounding you, and nine goblins.

He opens this door to reveal a 40-foot-diameter domed chamber.  A wide circular shaft pierces the floor of this chamber, from which dim violet light shines, revealing sickly-looking white and grey vines coating the shaft's walls.  Four torches set equidistant around the periphery of the chamber supplement the light from the shaft.  A crudely fashioned throne of stone sits against the curve of the northeastern wall, and a large iron chest serves as the throne's footstool.  A sapling grows in a wide stone pot next to the throne.  Another door leads south out of this room.

Durnn turns to you, his grin still in place, and explains (again in goblin) *"You will have to climb down, but the vines make this simple.  They are safe, and will easily bear your weight.  Go now, and leave your prisoners here.  You will not be harmed by anyone here while you do.  You have my word."*  His grin widens.

Despite appearances, Ydyr and Lehko can't find any deception in him; as far as they can tell, he is telling the truth.  He's just not telling the whole truth...


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## Mithran (Sep 9, 2005)

After Heirmund translates for the others he steps forward and pokes at the vines with his staff and peers over into the hole.


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## JimAde (Sep 9, 2005)

Jerek finally slings his bow over his back and advances to the hole as well.  Looking down at Heirmund he says, *"Yep.  It's a hole."*  He shakes his head and smiles ruefully.  *"I guess I'll get started.  Hey, maybe there's a tavern down there, what do you think?"*


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## jayaint (Sep 9, 2005)

*A tavern... hmm. I'd settle for a sunny day and no little buggers trying to pierce me, slice me, or freeze me. * 

Ydyr moves to climb down 2nd, after Jerek.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Sep 9, 2005)

Lehko steps in front of Jerek, *"Hold a moment."* He reaches over to the side of the wall and indicates his wish to take one of the torches Durnn. Assuming he motions to go ahead, he'll take the torch and drop it down the hole before anyone ventures into the dark again.


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## Voadam (Sep 12, 2005)

Jair turns to the gnome "*Before we go down, Heirmund, ask him about "the Tree". Is it more of Belak's work, something connected with the branch creatures*?"


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## IndyPendant (Sep 12, 2005)

Jerek is already partway down the hole, with Ydyr just starting after him, when Heirmund translates Jair's question.  They find that Durnn was being truthful about the climb at least; while the plants are unpleasant to the touch, almost slimey, they are at least as easy to climb as a knotted rope would have been--perhaps easier.  And the sickly glow they give off, while horribly unnatural, is easily enough to see by.

Durnn smiles again--you're really coming to _hate_ that grin--and says *"Our bargain did not include information.  Or light!"* he adds, as Lehko moves to grab one.  *"You will leave us with only what you have brought here.  And without the prisoners."* Kuma silently moves to the edge of the pit, read to follow after Ydyr once there's room.

Durnn hesitates, then seems unable to restrain his glee in saying *"I will tell you this: feeding the Gulthias Tree is the reason Belak has need of regular prisoners--and why we would have tried to take you alive had you been foolish enough to fight us.  It would have been the worse fate.  But you will find out soon enough about the Gulthias Tree!"*  He laughs.  Menacingly.  And the rest of his tribe laugh raucously with him.  He raises his arm abruptly and, still smiling, asks *"Tell me, Jair Feyfriend, how do you plan to get your animal down the pit?  Will you sling it over your shoulder?  Or can it climb like a monkey?"*


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## Shayuri (Sep 12, 2005)

Kuma grunts and peers down the pit.

*"Maybe I can carry it under an arm, if I take it slowly,* he muses. *"I'm willing to try."*


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Sep 13, 2005)

*"How far down does it look? Maybe he can jump. In any case, Jerek should still have our block & tackle."* Lehko raises a frustrated brow as Durnn denies him the torch. *"I've always hated the dark. I'll have to make a note to buy some damned sunrods once we get to an actual city."* He turns and goes to make down the vines after Jerek, or the nearest chance, hoping to provide a bit of backup for the rogue.


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## JimAde (Sep 13, 2005)

Cursing and muttering under his breath, Jerek climbs back up past Lehko.  As he does, he says, *"Wait, let's deal with the dog.  We brought this damn harness, might as well use it."*  As he reaches the top he looks at Terrek and his expression softens.  *"We can't leave you behind can we,"* he asks the dog, his voice rising and a smile creeping over his face.  "No we can't," he continues in a singsong, *"We can't leave the big woof-dog behind, no!"*  He scratches the immense hound behind the ears.


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## IndyPendant (Sep 13, 2005)

It is a matter of moments for Jerek and Jair to set up the harness around Terrek, while Kuma waits to lower him down the pit.  Lehko is already climbing down, and Jerek starts climbing again after him, once Terrek is safely harnessed.  Heirmund decides to stay up top in case he needs to translate while Kuma, assisted by Jair, lowers Terrek down into the pit after Jerek.

Ydyr meanwhile, as the person now leading the climb downward, has come across a minor problem: the end of the pit.  It was an 80-foot-deep climb, with little difficulty involved other than the occasional need to rest briefly, but now he's at the bottom--and the pit apparently opens into the ceiling of the room below.  There is no wall to climb down to reach the floor.

There is more of that sickly violet light in the room below.  The air here is damp, chilly, and redolent with the odors of loam and decay.  A layer of earth, mixed with rotting vegetation and the remains of cave animals, covers what floor Ydyr can see beneath the pit.  He can also hear the sounds of...shovelling?...from somewhere in the chamber below.

Ydyr reckons the ceiling here is no more than 10 feet high at most.  If he carefully lowered himself so that he was hanging from the lowest vines, his feet dangling into the room, he figures he could let go and drop the remaining feet with minimal risk of injury, if any.

Lehko is approaching from above him, and while it is possible--if very awkward--for two people to position themselves side by side in this narrow pit, there would not be room for any more.  Ydyr must decide what to do...


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## Voadam (Sep 13, 2005)

IndyPendant said:
			
		

> Jerek is already partway down the hole, with Ydyr just starting after him, when Heirmund translates Jair's question.  They find that Durnn was being truthful about the climb at least; while the plants are unpleasant to the touch, almost slimey, they are at least as easy to climb as a knotted rope would have been--perhaps easier.  And the sickly glow they give off, while horribly unnatural, is easily enough to see by.
> 
> Durnn smiles again--you're really coming to _hate_ that grin--and says *"Our bargain did not include information.  Or light!"* he adds, as Lehko moves to grab one.  *"You will leave us with only what you have brought here.  And without the prisoners."* Kuma silently moves to the edge of the pit, read to follow after Ydyr once there's room.
> 
> Durnn hesitates, then seems unable to restrain his glee in saying *"I will tell you this: feeding the Gulthias Tree is the reason Belak has need of regular prisoners--and why we would have tried to take you alive had you been foolish enough to fight us.  It would have been the worse fate.  But you will find out soon enough about the Gulthias Tree!"*  He laughs.  Menacingly.  And the rest of his tribe laugh raucously with him.  He raises his arm abruptly and, still smiling, asks *"Tell me, Jair Feyfriend, how do you plan to get your animal down the pit?  Will you sling it over your shoulder?  Or can it climb like a monkey?"*




As Heirmund translates Durnn's words Jair looks pensive and mutters "*What is that maniac up to, sacrificing to a tree*?" when the smiling hobogoblin's final words are translated Jair returns the hobgoblin's smile and laughs. "*A monkey wolf that is a good one. No, simply a druidically powered war hound potent enough to take down a dragon. Tell him I heard hobgoblins live by a warrior code and I respect such honorable martial peoples. The kobolds said your people were sickening and dying. If there is an affliction on your people do not trust in the Outcast, he is twisted and offers nothing healthy. True druidic arts include healing lore in addition to spirit mastery, harnessing the might of nature, and other powers. Think about if there is anything you would want from a true druid and we shall talk again when my party returns. Much as my warhound longs to rip out the throats of enemies, I am glad to see you recognize the enemies your people face and we could come to an honorable agreement*."


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## IndyPendant (Sep 15, 2005)

With Terrek soon to be lowered down above them, Ydyr decides to hang and carefully drop to the earth below, while Jerek and Lehko hang on up above and wait to see what happens.  The earth here is almost...mucky, and stains the hands slightly.  The walls of this large cavern are covered with moss and fungus--the source of the sickly light, and probably within the tunnel above as well.  Some sickly-looking plants and saplings grow in the moist earth.  However, it is the two figures that command his attention.  They are shovelling earth into a wheelbarrow.  Or...they were.

As Ydyr watches, they turn to face him--and he is startled to see that only snippets of flesh remain adhered to spots on their skulls, all he can see at first of their cloaked figures.  Dropping their shovels, the skeletons raise their talon-like fingers, obviously intending to attack him!

((Initiative: Lehko/22; Kuma/19; Terrek/15; Heirmund/14; Ydyr/9; Jair/9; Skeletons/6; Jerek/6.))

((Ydyr is standing 40' from the two skeletons.  Lehko and Jerek are hanging to the vines 10' above him.  They can carefully hang and then drop as a full-round action without taking damage by making a DC 5 Jump check.  Or, they can try to make a DC 15 jump check and jump down as a move action.  In either case, a failed roll means the character takes 1d6 falling damage, and a character without ranks in jump will fall prone unless they beat the DC by 5 or more.  Note that no one except Ydyr can see the figures or knows anything is wrong quite yet, as Lehko and Jerek have at most a 20'-radius view of the room below them due to their position in the pit; however, Ydyr can easily call out a warning if he wishes.))

((Terrek is currently 10' above Lehko and Jerek, and being slowly lowered by Kuma and Jair while Heirmund looks down the pit and guides them.  Once Lehko and Jerek are out of the way, Terrek can be safely lowered as a full-round action--but he will still be stuck in the harness.))

((The pit is 80' from the upper room's floor to the lower room's ceiling.  Kuma, Jair, and Heirmund, at the top of the pit, only have a line of sight to a 10'-diameter square of the room below.))

((Jerek, please hold your action until I post the skeleton's action.  I'll have the next round of posts start with your action, since the skeletons very nearly go last.))


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Sep 15, 2005)

Double-post:

Lehko slides, hangs out as far as he can and falls, landing in a three-point crouch. He raises a look of disgust on his face, "Just like home, except for the sli- woah! Trouble!" He raises his hands, preparing to fight.
-
OR
-
Lehko hears Ydyr's cry and snaps a glance at Jerek, not waiting for response or understanding. He slides down as far down as he can go, and releases his hold, attmepting to roll with the fall. Coming back up on his feet, he raises his hands in front of him in an 'X', and sweeps them out, releasing a low, gutteral shout thata ccompanies the wave of force flying from his finger tips.  ((Force-wave, whichever is the better target at the moment.))
- 
((Of course Both scenarios assume I don't totally blow the roll. In that case, I make a wet thumpy noise as my ankle goes out from under me, I suppose.))


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## Voadam (Sep 16, 2005)

Jair holds the rope steady with Kuma, lowering Terrek down.


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## Mithran (Sep 16, 2005)

Heirmund starts the climb down after Terrek reaches the bottom and there is a little more room to climb.


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## IndyPendant (Sep 19, 2005)

Ydyr calls out a warning to you all, although he doesn't give any details.  Lehko responds by simply letting go of the vines and dropping lithely to the surface below, landing beside Ydyr in a slight crouch and already casting a spell.  The wave of force ripples outward to strike the skeleton, but it manages to resist the full force of the blow.  Ydyr decides to be ready to strike when the skeletons approach him, and he quickly lashes out at the one Lehko struck when they move at him, crushing its ribs and almost--but not quite--destroying it completely.

((Lehko's Jump check: 19+1=20.  Skeleton's save: 18.  Ydyr's attack: 19+2=21.  Damage: 4+0=4.))

The skeletons then attack, both of them clawing at Ydyr.  One of their claws strikes Ydyr a tearing wound down one arm, but he manages to dodge the other swipe.  Ydyr and Lehko are startled to see two of the saplings in this strange room uproot themselves, animate, and suddenly charge them.  They're twig blights!  In moments they are within range, one each attacking Lehko and Ydyr.  Ydyr manages to avoid the jagged ends of their claw-like limbs, but Lehko cannot, and as it rips a shallow gash along his stomach, Lehko can feel some of the creature's vile sap coursing through his veins!

((Skeletons' attacks: 16, 11.  Damage: 2.  Twig Blights' attacks: 13, 11.  Damage: 1.  Lehko's Fort save: 11+0=11.  Poison damage: 1.))

Heirmund holds up a hand for Kuma and Jair to wait before lowering Terrek, until Jerek is also clear of the pit, and all three at the top wait.  Durnn continues to taunt you, saying *"Your companions.  They are having troubles?"*  The tribe laughs again.  Nastily.  Some of the goblins raise their spears and move forward, obviously intending to take advantage of the situation--but Durnn, somewhat surprisingly, forestalls them.  *"No.  A deal was struck.  Their prisoners, for safe passage down the pit.  So, let the fools go down.  Into the pit.  But just in case they decide to to break their bargain...Grenl.  Close the door."*

You are _really_ coming to hate that grin...

((I'm going to have Heirmund, Kuma, and Jair delay their actions to go after Jerek.  If Jerek clears the way, Kuma and Jair can then lower Terrek to the ground as a full-round action, and Heirmund can begin climbing down.  So, with that in mind...))

((New init order: Lehko/22; Terrek/15; Ydyr; Twig Blights/7; Skeletons/6; Jerek/6; Kuma; Jair; Heirmund.  It is currently Jerek's action.))


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## JimAde (Sep 19, 2005)

Jerek shouts, *"Look out below!"*  He drops down to join the others, trying to move into a good position to attack.

[OOC: Dropping down like Lehko did.  Tumble +7, then move to flank one of the bad guys.  No weapon drawn since I don't have quick draw and don't have a +1 BAB.  I'll have to draw it next round.]


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## Voadam (Sep 20, 2005)

Jair holds the rope firmly, steadily lowering Terrek so he can enter the fray safely.


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## IndyPendant (Sep 20, 2005)

Jerek follows Lehko's lead and drops to the ground below--but he lands badly, and desperately turns the fall into a quick roll.  He ends up lying on the floor on his back--but at least he's unhurt.  Slightly off to one side of the battle, he's also able to regain his feet without risk, although he's now got the floor's grime all over him.

((Jerek's jump check: 8+0=8.  Tumble check: 10+7=17.))

The pit finally clear, Kuma and Jair lower Terrek to the ground behind Lehko and release the rope.  Heirmund immediately begins climbing down, although if he goes slowly and carefully the battle will be long over by the time he gets there.  Meanwhile, Jair and Kuma vaguely register one of the goblins shutting the door you all came through.

Lehko takes a step back and targets the badly damaged skeleton with another wave of pure force, and smashes it to pieces, the shattered bones flung away so hard some of them strike the far wall of the chamber.  Terrek struggles forward, hampered by the harness he's in and the rope it trails, but still attacking one of the twig blights.  He rips into it with his powerful jaws, tearing it apart into sickly kindling.  Ydyr lashes out at the remaining skeleton with a quick flurry, and manages to strike a glancing blow which leaves a small crack in its arm.

((Skeleton's fort save: 4.  Damage: 4+1=5.  Str check...n/a. : )  Terrek's attack: 16+3-2=17.  Damage: 5+3-2=6.  Ydyr's attacks: 18+0=18, 12+0=12.  Damage: 1+0=1.))

The remaining skeleton and twig blight attack, both of them on Ydyr.  The skeleton can't quite anticipate Ydyr's dextrous weaving, but the twig blight gets in a lucky strike, raking its envenomed claws down Ydyr's back, injecting its sap-like poison into his veins...

((Skeleton's attacks: 11, 15.  Twig blight's attacks:19, 1.  Damage: 2.  Ydyr's fort save: 3+3=6.  Ydyr takes an additional point of poison damage.  He is now at 1 hp.))

((The DC to climb down is 0--an autosuccess for Kuma and Heirmund.  That's at 1/4 speed, however.  You can climb at 1/2 speed by making a DC 5 climb check if you wish--but you risk a slim chance of falling.  Terrek will take a -2 penalty to all rolls and act as if heavily encumbered while in the harness; while anyone can remove it, doing so takes a full-round action that provokes AoO's.  Note that only Ydyr is currently in melee, however.))


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## JimAde (Sep 20, 2005)

Jerek springs toward Terrek, drawing his sword.  He swipes the blade through the rope trailing from the big dog's harness, to prevent his being hampered by it any further.

[OOC: Let's see...Twig Blights and Skeletons.  Me with a short sword...Guess I'll help the dog!  I'm assuming the -2 was from the harness/rope so I'll do what I can to alleviate that.]


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## Mithran (Sep 20, 2005)

Heirmund tries to climb down as quickly as he can, sacrificing some care for speed.

OOC: Accelerate the climb and try to make the checks. I know I won't do well just dropping. The wizard definitely isn't any good unconcious in a battle.


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## IndyPendant (Sep 21, 2005)

Jerek hops over to Terrek, who is about to launch himself at the surviving skeleton, and strips the harness off him as quickly as possible.  Far above him, Kuma and Jair begin climbing down as well, Jair going slowly and carefully, but Kuma clambering down the vines with startling skill and speed.  Even with Heirmund's head start, and climbing as fast as he can, Kuma already draws level with him, back to back in the pit.

((Jair's regular climb checks: 10+0-3=7 and 16-3=13.  Heirmund's current and retroactive rapid climb checks: 6-1=5, 14-1=13; and 12-1=11, 20-1=19.  Kuma, with a +7 climb and -1 acp, auto-succeeds even a rapid climb.  At the end of their actions this round, Jair will be 15 feet down the 80-foot-deep climb, while Kuma and Heirmund are both 40 feet down.))

Lehko darts to one side and summons his powers, his fingers crackling with energy that he launches at the lightly-wounded skeleton.  Unfortunately, their erratic motions as they fight cause him to misjudge, and the bolt arcs between the skeleton's arm and robe.  Terrek rushes in, free of the harness, and attacks the skeleton as well, his jaws closing on its leg--but doing no apparent damage to the bare bones.  Ydyr then attacks the skeleton with another flurry, managing another good strike with his elbow that rocks the head back, almost knocking it right off.

((Lehko's touch attack: 12+2-4=10.  Terrek's attack: 16+3=19.  Damage: 2+3-5=0.  Ydyr's attacks: 2+0=2 and 20+0=20.  Crit confirm: 12+0=12.  Damage; 3+0=3.))

The skeleton attacks Ydyr with both claws, but he easily avoids its clumsy swipes.  Once again however, he fails to avoid the twig blight, and one of its claws rakes down his back exactly parallel to the previous one.  His body manages to fight off the venom this time--but the tearing of the claws itself is too much for him, and Ydyr falls to the floor, unconscious and bleeding.

((Skeleton's attack: 3 and 10.  Twig blight's attacks: 1 and 18.  Damage: 2.  Ydyr's fort save: 16+3=19.))


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## JimAde (Sep 21, 2005)

Jerek leaps at the twig blight that downed Ydyr.  *"Off him, ya woody git!"* he shouts and tries to prune the offending twig.  As he dances around looking for an opening he yells up the shaft, *"A little help, here!"*

[OOC: Try to flank if possible, otherwise just a regular attack: +0 Melee Short Sword (1d6 19-20/x2).  I really need weapon finesse  ]


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Sep 21, 2005)

Lehko turns on the remaining skeleton, attempting to keep the horror's attention on him instead of the fallen monk. With a swift motion, he brings his knee up sharply, attmepting to connect with the ribcage of his opponent.

((Engaging skeleton, not sure if that requires the 5-foot or not. IUS, +1, 1d3+1. It gets a litle hard to keep track of the placement in combat, so i'm not sure if I'm provoking.))


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## Voadam (Sep 21, 2005)

"*Coming*!" Jair climbs down cursing under his breath as he has no skill at clambering. Once down he will rush over to heal the fallen monk.


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## Shayuri (Sep 22, 2005)

*Kuma checks in*

(OOC - sorry for long absence...illness plus a few other factors which I shan't bore y'all with...onward to death!)

Kuma, continues downward, ignoring the pain of his wounds as his fingers find purchase in the strange glowing vines. The battle sounds intense, and he realizes he's reciting his death mantra in the back of his head as he climbs. Not eager for death, but accepting it.

_Forgive me, my people. Perhaps the next to step forward will be worthier of the Dragon Helm. I shed the last drop of my blood for my people, that my spirit may go to the Great Dragon, and watch over the tribe until the Old Blood returns._

He moves as fast as he's able, hoping to clear a space for the other climbers once he gets down.


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## Voadam (Sep 22, 2005)

Jair's mind works over all the problems besetting them as he climbs down, will the hobgoblin and goblins keep their word for safe passage when the party leaves, what is Belak up to, what is this Tree, and now undead with the blights. But more immediately Ydir and Kuma must be healed ASAP and it is more blasted pits and drops to get to them.


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## Mithran (Sep 22, 2005)

Heirmund continues his climb down _May not get down soon enough, but an unconscious wizard isn't any use to the group._


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## IndyPendant (Sep 22, 2005)

Jerek finally manages to draw his shortsword, and then since he is too far away to immediately attack, elects instead to move around the battle to flank the skeleton with Terrek--which, incidentally, puts him in melee with the twig blight as well.  Lehko moves forward and darts a quick chop in at the skeleton with the side of his hand, aiming for the head that has already almost been knocked off, but the skeleton instinctively brings up an arm and deflects his blow harmlessly.  Terrek leaps to attack the skeleton, but his jaws click audibly on nothing as it dances out of his way.

((Lehko's attack: 12+1=13.  Terrek's attack: 7+3+2=12.))

Meanwhile, up above, Heirmund hurriedly continues to climb down--and is effortlessly passed by Kuma, who quickly reaches the bottom of the shaft, looking down at the battle ten feet below from the ceiling of the room.  Jair continues climbing down slowly and carefully above the others.

((Heirmund's climb checks: 17-1=16 and 6-1=5.  Jair's climb checks: 10-3=7 and 18-3=15.))

The skeleton ignores the fallen Ydyr, and turns mindlessly on Terrek, using one hand as a brace while the other rakes into his shoulder, drawing a runnel of blood.  The twig blight turns on the only one within melee with it--Jerek--and attacks with its claws as well, but Jerek is far too nimble--and nervous!--to allow those claws anywhere near him.

((Skeleton's attacks: 15, 18.  Damage: 3.  Twig blight's attacks: 12, 2.))

Kuma grits his teeth, but the unavoidable fact is that he is too wounded to risk a fall from even this height.  So he carefully hangs down and drops to the ground, stumbling but managing to retain his footing on the muddy ground.  Above him, Heirmund reaches the spot Kuma dropped from moments before, facing a 10-foot drop of his own to the ground.  Jair continues climbing carefully down from above--and his heart lurches in his chest as one of the slimy vines slips right out from under his feet!  He holds on for dear life, however--quite literally!--and manages to kick around until his feet find purchase again.  He takes a quick moment to let out a slow breath, and then doggedly begins climbing down once more.

((Kuma's jump check: 12+3-1=14.  Heirmund's climb checks: 6(again!)-1=5 and 12-1=11.  Jair's climb checks: 2-3=-1 and 12-3=9.  Heirmund is at the bottom of the pit, 10' above the floor.  Jair is only 25 feet down out of the 80 so far.  Note that Kuma will need to ready his sword and shield before using them.  He is not currently threatened, however.))

Lehko attacks the skeleton again, attempting to take it out.  He almost trips over the skeleton's bony feet in the process, but manages to recover and be ready for its counterattack.  --And then everyone inside the room notices its single large door open inward.

((Lehko's attack: 1+1=2.))

With an inquisitive grunt, the biggest goblin you've yet seen steps into the room and takes a look around, clearly surprised at the desperate battle he finds taking place.  Standing in the doorway, roughly 30 feet away, wearing a coat of scale mail and a crown of antlers, the burly goblinoid--after a moment, you recognize it as a bugbear!--moves a little closer, allowing room for two more of the hated dire rats to enter behind him.  He raises his morningstar high over his head with both hands and yells a challenge in goblinoid.  Only Heirmund understands the words, which translate roughly as *"Prepare to meet the cookpot!"*

Terrek completely ignores this new development, and tries to crush the skeleton between his powerful jaws.  He succeeds.  The skeleton is ripped apart, falling in a clatter of bones.  The small twig blight fearlessly presses its attack on Jerek, but once again Jerek nimbly dodges its sap-moistened claws.

((Terrek's attack: 18+3+2=23.  Damage: 7+3-5=5.  Twig blight's attacks: 1 and 6.))

((New init order: Lehko/22; Bugbear/17; Terrek/15; Ydyr; Twig Blight/7; Jerek/6; Kuma; Jair; Heirmund; Rats/5))

((It is currently Jerek's action again; however, note that for _this round only_, the rats have already used up their action for dramatic placement. : ))

_((Edit: Forgot: Kuma made his DC 5 jump check by more than 5, so he did not in fact fall prone.  Edited the description above accordingly.))_


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## Shayuri (Sep 22, 2005)

Kuma slams his arm into the braces of his shield, and yanks his sword from its sheathe, a feral gleam in his eyes.

*"If there is to be battle...then let there be WAR!* he bellows.

(Readying both sword and shield, which I believe uses up my turn )


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## JimAde (Sep 22, 2005)

Swinging his blade in wide, threatening arcs, Jerek shouts, *"Hah!  Your mother was an elderberry!"*

[OOC: Fighting Defensively, which makes my AC 17 and imposes a -4 on my attacks.
-4 Melee Short Sword (1d6 19-20/x2).  Basically I'm just trying to keep the thing's attention so somebody else can kill it.]


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## Mithran (Sep 22, 2005)

Heirmund continues to climb down as quickly as he can.


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## Voadam (Sep 23, 2005)

"*Heirmund, tell it  we have an agreement with Durnn and it needs to call off the twig blight and skeletons*." Jair continues to climb down.


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## IndyPendant (Sep 23, 2005)

Jair is startled to hear a rough voice call down from above.  Risking a glance upward, he sees the Durbuluk chief gazing down at him.  Durnn's tone is oddly...mild, almost sympathetic, and it takes a moment for Jair to realize he's speaking in common! *"You waste your breath, Jair Feyfriend.  Our bargain was your prisoners for 'passage through my territory to Belak's hole'.  Our deal is complete.  You have led your tribe to their doom."*

Below, Jerek attacks the twig blight, but moving on the defensive to keep out of reach of its claws, and his sword doesn't even come close to it.  Kuma readies his sword and shield, bellowing his own challenge right back at the bugbear.  Heirmund carefully hangs down from the vines to drop to the ground nearly ten feet below him, and ends up flat on his back beside Kuma, the breath almost knocked right out of him.  Jair continues to climb down, but his agitation causes him to slip again, and he wastes more precious moments scrambling for footing.

((Jerek's attack: 4+0-4=0.  Heirmund's jump check: 6-1=5.  Jair's climb checks: 1-3=-2 and 17-3=14.  Jair is now 30 feet down.))

Lehko steps to one side and moves his hands in the arcane almost-dance, causing a wave of force to ripple out and strike the bugbear.  He withstands the spell though, only suffering minor damage in the process.  The bugbear's eyes widen in surprise--then focus on Lehko in hatred.  He moves his morningstar to his left hand, draws a javelin from the half dozen or so strapped to his back, and heaves it unerringly at Lehko, even from forty feet away.  Lehko feels the thing tear into his left side, and then his world dissolves into agony as he collapses, leaking his life's blood all over the filthy ground, and the bugbear calmly takes a step forward.  Terrek lunges towards the nearest foe to him, instinctively flanking Jerek as he attacks the twig blight.  His jaws close satisfyingly, and Jerek's ears are filled with the cracking of broken twigs.

((Bugbear's fort save: 14.  Damage taken: 1.  Bugbear's attack: 21.  Crit confirm: 11.  Damage: 5.  Terrek's attack: 14+3+2=19.  Damage: 4+3=7.))


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## JimAde (Sep 23, 2005)

*"Good dog!"* Jerek shouts gleefully, before looking around to see Lehko on the ground.  His smile freezes into a grimace as he glares at the bugbear.  *"You want to play catch?  Fine.  Catch this!"*  He takes a step and flings his sword at the creature, hoping to catch it off guard.  *"I've got some more playthings here,"* he shouts and begins readying his bow.

[OOC: Throw the sword as a standard action, -1 to hit (+3 Dex -4 for throwing a melee weapon, plus any range mods, range increment 10 feet).  Correct me if I have the rule wrong but I think that's how it works.  Then use my remaining Move action to try to ready the bow.  I don't know if a Move action is enough, but I'll at least start and hopefully get an attack next round if I should live so long.  All of this prefaced with a 5' step away from the twig blight if it's still alive, but I got the impression that Terrek had eliminated it. ]


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## Mithran (Sep 23, 2005)

When Heirmund hits the ground he lets out a muffled "Oomph" then stands up and takes stock of the situation. Heirmund moves as far as he can towards Terrek.

OOC: Move action and a move action, so I'm done. This appears to be my only course of action this round. Being as, if I have interpreted things correctly, all the enemies are too far away to hit with any spells. And Kuma will be elsewhere by the time I act.


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## Sorrow The Man Bear (Sep 24, 2005)

((I just realized, tonight, that this was in the wrong thread. My bad home-slizzles.))


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## Voadam (Sep 26, 2005)

Jair continues to climb down so he can enter the fray and bring his healing magic to his comrades aid.


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## IndyPendant (Sep 26, 2005)

Jerek throws his shortsword at the bugbear, and watches it bounce crazily along the ground, not even coming close to its target, before readying his bow and taking a quick step backward.  Kuma rushes forward to attack the bugbear, his greater speed allowing him to close the distance.  His longsword swings in a great arc, cleaving into the bugbear--but Kuma is startled to see the bugbear survive one of his more powerful blows!  As Jair finally reaches the halfway mark of his climb down from above, Heirmund gets to his feet and hurries to Terrek.

((Jerek's attack: 9+3-4-2-2=4.  Kuma's attack: 19+4=25.  Crit threat: 6+4=12.  Damage: 5+3=8.  Jair's climb checks: 19-3=16 and 15-3=12.))

At the bugbear's command, the rats arc around him and Kuma and rush towards Jerek.  Only one of the rats manages to reach Jerek before he can react; the other doesn't quite make it.  Then the bugbear grips his morningstar two-handed again, and brings it up in a sweeping arc.  The effortless speed of the heavy weapon catches Kuma off-guard, and it crashes into his ribs, knocking him to the floor.  Even as he fights to remain awake, to get up, to do _something_, his view contracts into a point...and then nothing.

((Bugbear's attack: 24.  Damage: 9.))

Terrek only sees that one of the companions his master designated as 'friend' is being attacked by large animals--and joins the fray!  His powerful jaws close on the nearest rat--the one not threatening Jerek--and breaks its neck.  The remaining rat is directly between Jerek and the bugbear, so Jerek is forced to take a step back and shoot it, but the arrow goes well wide.  As Jair continues to climb down, Heirmund chases after Terrek--who ran away from him to reach the rat--then casts his spell, protecting what is now the group's most powerful warrior still fighting with magical armour.

((Terrek's attack: 18+3=21.  Damage: 5+3=8.  Jerek's attack: 1+3+1=5.  Jair's climb checks: 9-3=6 and 16-3=13.  Jair still has to climb another 30 feet--at 10 feet per round, if climbing cautiously.))

The rat chases after the backtracking Jerek and attacks him, its large teeth carving his leg like a knife.  The bugbear, seeing another spellcaster, shifts his grip once more and readies a javelin, throwing it directly at Heirmund from 30 feet away--and missing!  The bugbear then takes a step forward, once more wielding his morningstar two-handed.  Terrek moves forward again and attacks the rat that is threatening Jerek, biting deeply into it--and possibly for the first time ever, you see a rat survive his mighty jaws!

((Rat's attack: 20.  Damage: 3.  Bugbear's attack: 5.  Terrek's attack: 17+3=20.  Damage: 3+3=6.  It is Jerek's action again.  He is at 1hp.))


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## JimAde (Sep 26, 2005)

IndyPendant said:
			
		

> It is Jerek's action again.  He is at 1hp.



[OOC: But still feisty!  ]

Jerek sidesteps the rat and ignores it, trusting to Terrek's mighy jaws to dispatch the vermin.  His earlier animation is gone and he moves as though half asleep.  Hope and fear are both set aside as he just tries to get his job done.  He calmly seeks a better vantage point, then looses an arrow at the bugbear.

[OOC: 5-foot step away from the rat.  Then move to a better spot if available (i.e. out of easy melee range from the bugbear, ideally up on something high enough to discourage the rats.  No more than a Move action regardless).  +3 Ranged Short bow (1d6 20/x3) (+1 within 30 ft., 60 ft. increment) ]


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## Mithran (Sep 27, 2005)

Heirmund looks around him for some cover from the bugbear then chants and points a single finger at the bugbear, sending forth a small orb of acid.

OOC: Acid Splash that bugger, then move away, to cover if possible.


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## Voadam (Sep 27, 2005)

Jair will double move quickly down the last 30 feet increasing his speed.


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## IndyPendant (Sep 27, 2005)

Jerek cannot move completely away from the rat without risking being injured by it, but he can take a quick, careful step at an angle that would give him a clear shot at the bugbear, and this he does, his arrow striking deeply into the bugbear's shoulder.  Jair continues climbing down, but his greater speed causes him to miss a grip, and he wastes more precious moments finding purchase again.  Heirmund turns and fires a small orb of acid at the bugbear, then moves to the only cover in the room--by positioning himself so that the melee is between him and the bugbear. 

((Jerek's attack: 18+3+1=22.  Damage: 3+1=4.  Jair's rapid climb checks: 17-3=14 and 7-3=4.  Heirmund's touch attack: 18+2=20.  Damage: 2.))

The rat presses its attack on Jerek, stepping forward and ripping into him with its dagger-like teeth.  The wounds finally catch up with him, and Jerek drops his bow, staggers to his knees, and falls unconscious.  The bugbear then moves around Terrek as well, drawing another javelin as he does so and casting it at Heirmund.  In an almost exact repetition of Lehko's fall, Heirmund too feels it rip into his side--and then is consumed by darkness.

((Rat's attack: 21.  Damage: 2.  Bugbear's attack: 14.  Damage: 4.))

The vines seem to be working against Jair, and as he scrambles from yet another slip, he realizes from the noises that only Terrek remains.  And then his loyal companion gives a terrible yelp--and utter silence descends upon the chamber.  He continues climbing, not having any other choice, but knowing he is already too late, far too late.  He looks down into the room to see the bugbear calmly approaching to stand underneath him, the single remaining dire rat following like Jair's own faithful hound--who now lies bleeding with the rest of his dying companions.

((Terrek's attack: 7+3=10.  Jair's climb checks: 4-3=1 and 16-3=13.  Rat's attack: 18.  Bugbear's attack: 21.  Damage: 11.  Jair's final climb check: 16-3=13.))

The world seems to pause for a moment as the two foes gaze at each other; one clinging with one hand to vines in a hole in the ceiling, the other bloodied and standing in the muck below.  Then the moment is broken as the bugbear pulls back his arm to cast the javelin.  Jair draws his spear, and even as the javelin rises to meet him, he launches off the vines, the spear clasped two-handed as he plummets down to the creatures that brought such ruin.


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## IndyPendant (Sep 27, 2005)

_Two weeks later, sitting in a padded chair by a crackling fire, an old widow holds some clothing up to her face and breathes in deeply, uncaring about the stains her tears leave.  The jewelry merchant that loves her hitches his horses to his wagon and prepares to meet the road once more.  Maybe this time he will find a group of heroes that the vile abyss of a ravine will not consume without a trace.  Even he is having trouble maintaining his usual optimism; after all, it has been nearly two months now since her children vanished..._


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