# [LANAI] The Rod of Seven Parts: Into the Crucible



## CanadienneBacon (Dec 6, 2006)

The Golden Cockatrice is a posh salon and bar that caters to adventurers, rakes, and other pleasure seekers with plenty of money to spend.  The hall stands on a busy thoroughfare, and other businesses line the street.  A cheap inn, The Wilted Rose, is directly across the byway to the north of the Golden Cockatrice.  The salon opens for business in the late afternoon and closes after dawn, nine days a week.  Fraternal twins Frane and Vaja tend bar at the salon.  Frane and Vaja share golden hair, bright blue eyes, and muscular builds.  Vaja is a little shorter than her brother, Frane, but otherwise both twins look alike.  Both are attractive humans, slow to anger, and quick to laugh.  One of the salon's chief attractions is the covered well and the cockatrice coop.  The well is a cylinder of cunningly laid stones about three feet high topped with a windlass and a slate roof.  Flecks of mica in the stones make even the palest beam of light break up in a spray of motes that dance and dazzle the eye.  The coop is a weighty structure of thick timbers reinforced with wrought iron.  Four bad-tempered cockatrices live inside.  The cockatrices are the festhall's mascots, and the management and regulars do not look kindly on visitors who harass them.  An incredibly lifelike statue of a jolly looking man stands next to the coop.  The figure is hunched over and has one finger stuck through the coop's bars.  Legend has it that the man was a drunken patron who took a dare and poked a finger in the coop.  The hall's owners are said to have left him there as a warning and willingly paid a fine to the city authorities for the right to do so.


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## CanadienneBacon (Dec 20, 2006)

Map of Teggest.


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## CanadienneBacon (Dec 20, 2006)

The Golden Cockatrice is located within the River Ward of the city of Teggest, population 50,000+.  Near the River Market section of the Ward along the city's southern wall, the Cockatrice is just opening for the day.  An oversized wooden statue of a cockatrice splashed with cheap gold leafing that peels and flakes away in places stands on a 3-foot pedestal in front of the festhall's main doors.  A big yellow dog, bigger that what one might normally see skulking in the city's back alleys, sits directly at the base of the statue as the Cockatrice's employees and custom begin to filter in for another afternoon and night of revelrie.  The dog looks healthy if a bit dirty, and sits, attentive, as if waiting for someone.

A pair of stout oak doors with amber-colored molten glass windows stand open during business hours.  A pair of burly attendants--Phud being one of them--are on hand to greet customers and to keep undesirables from entering.  In the gilt light of the Teggest hot afternoon sun stands the pair of bouncers, one of them new.  Introduced just yesterday as Traven, the human man isn't as tall or heavyset as Frane and Vaja normally prefer to hire, but his sharp eye caught a gambling cheat last night at the bones table.  

[sblock=Rowan, Baliss, Arden]There's something off about Traven.  His hair looks like it might be a wig, but a pretty good one, and Arden's pretty sure she though she saw him rub away some sort of face paint yesterday afternoon while the sun was hot and he was scratching his neck.  Phud, bless him, seems blissfully ignorant of this.[/sblock]

The festhall's interior is huge, shadowy, and a bit drafty.  The air inside the Cockatrice is thick with the tang of strong beer, fresh bread, and the lingering scent of last night's Gorles 'baccyweed smoke.  Traven greets the paying custom entering the salon, "Have a seat anywhere.  There's plenty of space at the bar.  The courtyard is open today, too; just walk through those doors there."   The attendant points to a double set of wooden plank doors that are thrown open.  "But stay clear of the birds,"  Traven smirks.

The main common room of the Cockatrice is 100 feet long, and about as wide.  Once an old warehouse, Frane converted the building into its present function as a festhall.  There are dozens of tables, but only the corner ones are currently occupied.  The Cockatrice's regulars, Tailleur (the male half-elf house pickpocket, rumored to be a former Gallancais courtier), Cicer (a local gnome who performs illusionist magic tricks to entertain the crowd), Lowel (a male human hire of Vaja's and very good at spotting cheaters as well as spinning a yarn as wide as the Tegyrn River), and Cheal (a tall, lanky male human with a longsword strapped to his waist) and his six thugs sit at tables inside the large common room.  

Cheal and Tailleur give everyone who enters the Cockatrice an appraising glance then return to their gambling.  Lowel, who stands talking with Vaja next to the bar of undressed stones mortared together like wall in a field, seems to split his attention between Vaja, Tailleur, and the door.  Frane, a blonde giant of a man with fists as big as the mugs of ale he serves, smiles in welcome at custom and employee alike as everyone enters.  Frane's eyes drift from time to time to a new patron, a lithe elf woman carrying a longbow and a quiver full of arrows.  The elf stands to the side of one of the courtyard doors, intently studying handbills offering employ that are normally tacked to a cork board maintained by Vaja.


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## Guest 11456 (Dec 20, 2006)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud stands at the door and smiles at the patrons as they enter. Perched on Phud's shoulder, Bird greets the patrons like Traven does. "Have a seat anywhere. There's plenty of space at the bar. The courtyard is open today, too; just walk through the doors. But stay clear of the birds." This last bit seems funny since Bird is talking about other birds. Every once in a while Phud interjects with a quick comment while pointing to the raven on his shoulder. "What Bird say!"


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## hafrogman (Dec 20, 2006)

*Rhys Brydon, Human Cleric*

Framed against the sun for a moment as he steps through the doorway, the wanderer Rhys arrives at the tavern as he has for the past few days.  He pauses a moment to brush the dust off the long coat that he wears despite the day's heat.  He leans heavily on a spear, using it as a staff, although his youth displays no infirmity that would require it.

He nods a brief aknowledgement to Phud, ignoring the new bouncer as he enters.  However, two steps past the pair, he pauses in midstep as if suddenly struck by a thought.  He whirls his place, his gaze going to Traven . . . for just a moment as he passes over the bouncer to lock eyes with Bird.  He stares at the raven intently, blocking out Phud and his coworker as he gazes deep into Bird's eyes.  After a long moment, he seems to realize what he is doing and shakes his head as he turns away again, muttering to himself.

*"The bird knows something."*

He makes his way to the bar, propping his spear somewhere out of the way as he seats himself.  He smiles at Frane and Vaja and orders himself an ale.

*"Nice day we're having.  Bit on the warm side, though."*


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## Rhun (Dec 20, 2006)

A clicking sound hails the arrival of Rowan Aledown, his stout walking stick echoing off the floor with each step the small halfling makes. He wears simple garb of good make, somewhat worn from days spent on the road. He sports a very fine derby hat upon his head, though his curly brown locks spill out from beneath the cover.

Approaching the bar, Rowan raps his stick gently upon the bar to get the attention of one of the 'tenders. With a smile, and in a loud voice (for one of the smallfolk), he asks for a tankard of ale.


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## pallandrome (Dec 21, 2006)

Wyleck sits on a stool at the bar, enjoying the atmosphere and the booze. When he sees Rowan sidle up to the bar, he lifts his tankard and says, "A merry day to you sir! How's life been treatin ya?"


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## Malvoisin (Dec 21, 2006)

*Baliss Trek, Half-Orc Ranger*

Baliss saunters into the Golden Cockatrice as he does most every day, while stifling a yawn. He waves to Phud and Bird, while glancing sideways at the new bouncer, Traven. Something just not right about that fellow, he bears further watching.

Eschewing the warmth of the courtyard, Baliss finds a corner seat inside, and carefully surveys the room as he walks toward it. He steers well clear of Tailleur and Cheal, but nods a greeting to Vaja and Lowel. As he sits, he carefully arranges his weapons nearby, then signals one of the waitstaff for a strong drink to be brought over, his usual. Baliss can't help but note some distinctive new faces today, as well...the elvish lass with the longbow, and the newly arrived halfling with the walking stick in particular. As he waits for his whiskey, Baliss makes a mental note to check out the posting board today too...maybe an interesting job's come up.


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## Rhun (Dec 21, 2006)

Rowan casts a suspicious look at Wyleck. The halfling was unaccustomed to being addressed as "sir," or being well treated at all for that matter. Taking a swig of ale from his mug, and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, the small conjurerer decides that he must set his suspicions aside some time. With a nod to the man, he responds. "Life has been treating me like a baby treats a diaper," says Rowan. "But things can only get better from here on, eh?"


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## Brain (Dec 21, 2006)

A subtle chorus of twittering birds and the sound of a running brook come from just outside the doorway.  It serves to draw attention to a very short female gnome dressed in earth toned leathers and clothes.  Arden must be in a good mood today; she only makes an entrance like this on occasion.  

Arden strolls in, smiling at the bouncers and winking at Bird.  She jogs towards a barstool and hops/climbs up on it, standing atop it to see over the bar.  

"Hey everybody!  Good to see nothing changed 'round here." Arden exclaims with a broad smile.  Then she takes a moment to look around the room and "inventory" the guests.


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## pallandrome (Dec 21, 2006)

"Well, there's an old saying friend. When life gives you crap, make crap...ade. Um. Seriously though, if your troubles are anything you care to share, sometimes doing so can lighten the load," Wyleck offers, while doing his best to quaff an ale. He's new to quaffing, so most of the booze actually goes down his throat.


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## CanadienneBacon (Dec 21, 2006)

As Rhys enters the Cockatrice, Traven averts his gaze and makes a study of Rancid Crabtree, one of the Cockatrice's regulars approaching from half a block distant.  Rhys enters through the doors, his random comment that "The bird knows something" causing the large yellow dog standing guard by the outer statue to look up and track Rhys with intelligent brown eyes as the human passes.  When Rhys steps over the threshhold, the labrador lifts its head and watches as Rancid approaches.

Smiling at both Frane and Vaja, Rhys orders ale.  Vaja breaks off her discussion with Lowel and grabs a glass tankard.  Slipping the mug under a spigot and filling the cup past the brim, Vaja places the ale in front of Rhys with a smile of her own.  Vaja opens her mouth to offer the day's greeting to Rhys but is cut off as Rowan, accompanied by his booming hobbit voice, enters and plunks himself down at the bar.  Filling a smaller half-pint tankard with golden ale, Vaja deposits the drink in front of Rowan with nary a comment other than an arched blonde eyebrow.  With her arms crossed in a hint of disapproval, Vaja silently watches Rowan and Wyleck toss back their drink.

Engrossed in serving Rhys and the two halflings at the bar, Vaja misses Baliss's nod of greeting, but Lowel sees and returns the half-orc's nod.  Adjusting leather bracers that cover his forearm from wrist to elbow, Lowel strides over to Baliss's table after Luce, one of the Cockatrice's serving maids, fetches whiskey for Baliss.  Pulling up a chair and sitting down uninvited, as is Lowel's custom, the human addresses Baliss in low tones.  The lilt of Lowel's chin at the elf reading the billets suggests that what he says is about her.  "Come in today, askin' ferr work.  Vaja took one look at 'er an' pointed at the corkboard, sayin' there warn't work 'ere.  Gave 'er name as Lynnya, said she knew the forest well an' sommat 'bout magic."   Lowel scratches his head.  "Whole conversation in elvish, too.  What wit me short trainin' in the fey tongue, can't help but feel it were a miracle o' the Maiden that I understood what them two said."  The human has a second appraising look at Lynnya.  "Could be prettier, 'specially fer an elf."

Arden enters, her sound effects trailing behind her like a waft of perfume.  Traven openly stares at the barkskinned gnome, then with a shake of his head turns to greet Rancid.  Bird, however, beats Traven to it and calls out, "There's plenty of space at the bar.  The courtyard is open today, too; just walk through those doors there.  But stay clear of the birds."   Bird punctuates his memorized speech with a raucus caw, then pecks at Phud's earlobe.  Traven scowls at Bird and, his voice full of ire, addresses Phud.  "Your pet would look good on a spit."  Rubbing his stomach, the lanky human grins a smile of crooked teeth and continues obnoxiously, "I'm feeling hungry.  Vaja, what's cook fixin' for supper?  Roast crow?"

Rancid Crabtree follows Arden into the Cockatrice in short order.  Overdressed, and impeccably neat, Rancid is slender with thin mustaches and long hair plaited into a lone braid that falls, corded, down his back.  Looking around the room and avoiding Vaja's stare, Rancid seats himself next to Wyleck.  With an uncertain smile, Rancid offers up, "'Evening to you, little one.  The powers that be have seen fit to grant me the talent of curing wounds, but not the ability to win at the tables."   Rancid's breath reeks of absinthe and Wyleck soon finds himself in a veritable fog of the anise smell.  "If you're wounded or sick and have a few coins to spare, perhaps we can reach a mutually beneficial arrangement?"   

Vaja mutters a quick, "Gods be!" to Wyleck, Rowan, and Rhys as she shoves away from the bar and walks over to where Rancid sits at the bar.  With a curt, "Rancid, where's Frane's money?  You owe us 8 gold and since ye been gone the last tenday, we're wanting payment right short."

Rancid looks up in horror at Vaja's approach, then clams up as she demands payment.  Smiling unctuously at Wyleck, Rancid weakly offers, "So, you see, Wyleck.  I'm in a bind.  And Mistress here wants her gold crowns."


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## Guest 11456 (Dec 22, 2006)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Scowling at Traven, Phud replies with his usual level of wit. "Huh!? Don go spittin' ad Bird. He not like peoplez spittin' ad hem."


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## pallandrome (Dec 22, 2006)

Wyleck looks about himself, patting himself down. "How about this, fella-me-lad: You'll pay me in favor, not in kind. I ask for something, be it healing or be it other, you'll do as you can to provide. Agree, and I'll settle your debt." The little halfling holds out a hand, eight coins arranged upon it in a stack. "And quit antagonizing Bird wouldja? he's got Phuds ear yanno, and that's none you want to be crossing, man or avian."


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## Malvoisin (Dec 22, 2006)

CanadienneBacon said:
			
		

> Adjusting leather bracers that cover his forearm from wrist to elbow, Lowel strides over to Baliss's table after Luce, one of the Cockatrice's serving maids, fetches whiskey for Baliss.  Pulling up a chair and sitting down uninvited, as is Lowel's custom, the human addresses Baliss in low tones.  The lilt of Lowel's chin at the elf reading the billets suggests that what he says is about her.  "Come in today, askin' ferr work.  Vaja took one look at 'er an' pointed at the corkboard, sayin' there warn't work 'ere.  Gave 'er name as Lynnya, said she knew the forest well an' sommat 'bout magic."   Lowel scratches his head.  "Whole conversation in elvish, too.  What wit me short trainin' in the fey tongue, can't help but feel it were a miracle o' the Maiden that I understood what them two said."  The human has a second appraising look at Lynnya.  "Could be prettier, 'specially fer an elf."



"Hrm...did better'n I coulda, Lowel. Don'speak a worda elvish. Mebbe I'll talk with'er after I drink breakfast, see what's posted that's new." Baliss casts an eye about looking for Luce to bring back his whiskey. "Need a job," Baliss adds, almost as an afterthought.

"Whuzzis, now..." Baliss looks over at the exchange between Rancid, Vaja, and Wyleck. "Rancid...name fits. Somebody oughta sort him out, pesterin' people like that." The half-orc shakes his head, disgusted by Rancid's shameless behavior.

Then looking back over at Traven, Baliss mutters, "Say, Lowel, y'ever take a close look at Traven? Looks like he's wearin' a wig t'me."


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## Rhun (Dec 22, 2006)

Rowan sits quietly, watching the exchange take place between Wyleck and Rancid. He sips at his ale as he watches and listens.


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## hafrogman (Dec 22, 2006)

Rhys nods his thanks to Vaja and shyly returns the smile of the beautfil bar owner.  However, as her attention is torn away by the arriving halflings, he quickly finds himself smiling into thin air as she whisks away.  He wipes the grin off his face with a quick glance towards Frane, and then quietly sips at his ale.  

He turns his head slowly, taking a look around the room.  The panhandler next to Wyleck, the elven lass, the man chatting with Baliss, the dog. . . something strikes him suddenly and he looks back to the dog.  Had the dog been. . . watching him earlier?  No, no, no.  Stop.  They're just animals.  The bird doesn't know anything, the dog wasn't watching him.  Just animals.  He shakes his head savagely and knuckles his forehead in an attempt to clear his mind.  He's been seeing things again lately, and not sleeping well.  Some trouble is brewing.  He cannot afford to be distracted by idle fancies.  He must be ready.  His hand unconciously goes to the metal disc concealed beneath his clothing.

Seeing Wyleck distracted, Rhys offers his own comfort to Rowan.  He turns slightly towards the halfling and nods a greeting.

*"I am sorry to hear of your troubles friend.  I cannot say whether it will be for your improvement or not, but mark my words.  Change is in the air."*


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## Guest 11456 (Dec 22, 2006)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud grabs his pecked earlobe with his hand. "Ow!" This was most amusing since Bird had stopped pecking his ear several minutes ago.


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## Brain (Dec 22, 2006)

Not deterred by the lack of response to her arrival, Arden hops back down to the floor and approaches the elven woman.  In Elven, she speaks.  "Anything interesting up on the board today?  It's kinda high up there for me."


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## CanadienneBacon (Dec 27, 2006)

Traven's disdain of Phud knoweth no limit.  Disgusted at not being able to get more of a rise out of the giant of a half-orc, Traven resorts to ignoring Phud in favor of scowling at the yellow dog that sits outside the Cockatrice's front doors.  Launching a kick at the dog, Traven barks out, "Scat!  Shoo!  Get outta here!"   The dog, completely at ease, turns its yellow head to regard Traven but never budges an inch from its spot in front of the gold-leafed statue out front.

Growing more frustrated by the second at not being able to assert mastery over a mere mongrel, Traven kicks at a pile of dirt and instead misses, stubbing the toe of his soft leather booted feet on a stone pillar that supports the Cockatrice's roof overhang.  With a loud cry of pain, Traven begins to curse.  "Son of whore's cuny.  Mother's milk, that bloody..."   The skinny, ill-tempered bouncer counterpart to Phud hops in a circle, clutching his right foot and shooting a daggered look at Phud and Bird.


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## CanadienneBacon (Dec 27, 2006)

At a nod from Rancid, Vaja looks at Wyleck with surprise then mutely juts out her right hand to accept Wyleck's eight gold crowns. "Ye've bought yerself a friend, it seems, Rancid."  The blonde barkeep pockets Wyleck's coins and, satisfied, nods first at Rancid then at Wyleck. "My thanks. Consider the debt paid, Rancid. But ye'll no run a tab in the 'Trice again."  With that, Vaja curtly turns from Wyleck's place at the bar and returns to the bar's end, where she joins Frane in washing clay ale tankards. The pair whisper together and Frane grunts in Wyleck's direction with a nod of approval.

For his part, Rancid looks shiftily around the room then extracts what appears to be a wand crafted of smooth lusterless black metal. At fully fourteen inches in length, the wand causes Rancid a small degree of consternation as he fights, largely unsuccessfully, to discretely pull out the wand from the inside of his billowy shirt sleeve. Once out, Rancid places the black wand on the bar and, with one hand placed protectively across the middle of the black wand, offers, "I don't want to be long in anyone's debt you see.  What's this favor you're wanting?  Or kin I offer you healing johnny on the spot, like, good Sir?"  Wyleck notes that the wand only seems to be over a foot long--really, it looks as if someone has affixed a ten inch piece of ebony to the tip of a very short piece of the lusterless black metal.


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## CanadienneBacon (Dec 27, 2006)

At the corkboard, the elf woman examining the billets glances down at Arden.  "Thank the Gods, someone here speaks my tongue."  The elf nods at Arden then reaches to pull up a chair so that the little gnome can better view the billets.  Continuing in elvish, the elf woman says, "I am Lynnya, Warder to the wilds.  I'm looking for work, but these damnable billets are written only for humans, in their tongue.  Do you see anything posted here that offers work tracking or in service as temporary protection for, say, a band of travelers or merchants?  Such is my skill."   Lynnya pats the wooden bow that curves and peeks from behind her shoulder.

Arden has a look at the billets but, it being off the peak travel season, finds nothing that would fit what Lynnya described.  One advertisement seeks someone strong of arm to serve as nightwatchman down at the Pilot's Guild on the docks.  Another is a general billet that is ubiqitous and seeks entrants for the city's Guard.  Three billets offer employ to "comely maids who like to dance" at various entertainment establishments, most of them of ill repute.


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## Rhun (Dec 27, 2006)

Rowan continues to silently watch the exchange between Rancid and Wyleck, his curiosity piqued by the black wand now laying upon the bar.


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## CanadienneBacon (Dec 27, 2006)

Lowel, responding to Baliss's question regarding whether Traven wears a wig, nods and cranes his neck to stare at the new bouncer.  "Aye.  An' once yesterday I brushed up 'gainst him as I were walkin' out.  Skin don't feel right, either.  Vaja won't hear o' his being let go, though.  Insists he saved 'er an' Frane big money last night.  Ten silver says she regrets lettin' 'im stay in the comin' days."


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## Malvoisin (Dec 28, 2006)

CanadienneBacon said:
			
		

> Lowel, responding to Baliss's question regarding whether Traven wears a wig, nods and cranes his neck to stare at the new bouncer.  "Aye.  An' once yesterday I brushed up 'gainst him as I were walkin' out.  Skin don't feel right, either.  Vaja won't hear o' his being let go, though.  Insists he saved 'er an' Frane big money last night.  Ten silver says she regrets lettin' 'im stay in the comin' days."



 "Think you're right...but if she won't listen t'you, she won't listen t'me."Baliss rises from his seat, and cranes his neck to get a better look at the odd wand Rancid has laid upon the table in his conversation with Wyleck. "What y'make o'that, Lowel? Don't look like a healing wand t'me. Where's my whiskey?" Baliss looks around for Luce with his order.


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## pallandrome (Dec 28, 2006)

Wyleck peers up onto the counter-top at the cobbled togeather wand. "I need no healing now, and when I do need it, tis not likely you'll be round. But if you can see fit to point out to me where one might attain such a trinket as that, I might see fit to forget about a few coins between acquaintances. Barring that, well, we'll just have to consider alternatives."


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## CanadienneBacon (Dec 28, 2006)

Lowel nudges a clay cup containing whiskey at Baliss's elbow.  "The girl brought it when ye were cranin' yer neck ter get a look at the elf."  Lowel grins at Baliss.  Shooting a look at the bar, Lowel shrugs.  "Don't think nothin' of it, other than Rancid's found 'isself a sucker.  You see 'ow he got that bloke to pony up them crowns?"   Lowel chuckles and shakes his head sorrowfully.  "There's a sucker born a minute, they say.  An' it seems what as most of 'em wind up in the Cockatrice."


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## CanadienneBacon (Dec 28, 2006)

Traven's head whips around as soon as Rancid plunks the black metal wand on the bar.  His post at the door forgotten, the skinny bouncer suddenly forgets his stubbed toe in favor of outright staring at first the wand and then Rancid.  Licking his thin lips with uncertainty, Traven starts to walk into the common room but suddenly stops short and looks around.

Rancid, focusing on Wyleck, offers, "Why, I'll sell it to you!  I neither want nor need it, and what with me being down on my luck of late and Freya Silverbraid not looking like she's forthcoming, I'd willingly part with it."  Rancid leans in and whispers conspiratorially, "It's a _magic_ wand, you see.  It's got powers you can't even dream of."   Leaning back away from Wyleck, Rancid proffers, "Asking price is 5000 gold crowns."


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## pallandrome (Dec 29, 2006)

Wyleck barks a laugh, "For a bit o metal you neither want nor need, your asking price be a bit steep. The magic I want I make for myself. I'll give you 50, for the wand and the trouble that undoubtedly goes with it. I'll even call off your debt to sweeten the bargain. Have we a deal, or a debt, between us?"


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## Rhun (Dec 29, 2006)

Rowan, sitting near to Wyleck, nearly gags on his ale when he hears rancid declare that he wants a sum of five thousand gold coins for his so-called "magic wand." The halfling coughs a few times to clear his throat and returns to his drink. Noticing Traven, the cautious halfling keeps an eye directed at him, as well as paying attention to the nearby conversation.


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## Malvoisin (Dec 29, 2006)

Baliss' eyes narrow as he observes Traven's strange behavior upon spotting the unusual wand. "Don' like the looks o'this, Lowel. Trouble's afoot." The ranger grabs his whiskey cup, and quaffs back its contents in one great swig. Then, he stands and calmly saunters closer to the doors, ready to intervene if Traven tries to make a grab for the wand. 

*(Ready Action: Grapple Traven if he tries to grab the wand).*


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## CanadienneBacon (Dec 29, 2006)

Rancid looks unhappily at Wyleck.  "You don't understand."  The man looks a trifle uncomfortable and his face become a touch more serious.  Leaning in so that Wyleck again gets a whiff of stale absynthe, Rancid continues, "There's sommat powerful about--"

Rancid breaks off as a boom of a thud reverberates through the din of the gambling hall. The Cockatrice grows a little quieter and Vaja and Frane exchange a worried look. Cheal reaches for his sword and whispers to his cronies just as Frane reaches beneath the bar and hauls out a malicious looking spiked flail that hangs from a length of chain affixed to a bit of wooden handle. As soon as Frane pulls out the flail, someone shrieks in terror from the back of the festhall, in the kitchen.

Initiative
Wyleck 21
Baliss 17
Kularian 12
Arden 11
Cockatrice NPCs
Rhys 9
Phud 7
Rowan 4
Terror in the Kitchen 3



Initiative will be resolved in the stated order, regardless of when players post for PCs.  Please include pertinent numerical info (attack, weapon, damage, or spell, movement etc) in your post.  If I don't have a post from you 24 hours from now, I will NPC your character that round.  Have at it!


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## Rhun (Dec 29, 2006)

Rowan looks up at the booming thud, and seeing the look on the proprieters' faces, he grimaces. "What's this now? A bit of excitement ton spice up an otherwise dull afternoon..." the halfling trails off as he hops down from his stool, now holding his walking stick in a grip more suitable for warding off any unfriendy advances.

*OOC: Total Defense, bringing Rowan to AC18*


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## pallandrome (Dec 29, 2006)

"Well, that probably isn't good," says Wyleck as he hops down from his stool. "Yssal! Come in here, we might have a spot of trouble." Then Wyleck turns his head up to peer at Rancid, "You know, I don't think this is likely to drive up the price any..."

OOC:Redies an action launch a sling stone at any particularly nasty trouble that rears it's head.


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## Brain (Jan 1, 2007)

Arden was beginning to explain the billets to the elf, save the dancing girls one, when the ruckus happened.  She turns about on top of the chair to use the back of it for some cover, pulls out her little crossbow, and loads it.  To the elf, she says, "This isn't normal.  Prepare for trouble."


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## Malvoisin (Jan 2, 2007)

Baliss spits out a curse in the orcish tongue as he grabs his axes and makes a bee line for the kitchen. "Get folks t' safety, Lowel! I'll see to th' kitchen!" The half-orc ranger charges into the kitchen to investigate the scream, weapons ready for trouble.

OOC: Baliss double moves into the kitchen to investigate what may have caused the scream from there. If there are any enemies afoot, he's ready to lay into them with his battleaxe in round #2...Battle Axe +4 (1d8+3/x3).


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## hafrogman (Jan 2, 2007)

As the boom echoes in the tavern, Rhys's eyes go wide and his hand reaches out for the spear that he had propped against the bar.  After the scream rings out, he slides off his stool and begins pacing his way towards the kitchen, standing behind Baliss with his spear at the ready.

*"Trouble stalks the land, and the world trembles.  What might have men to stand in its path?"*

[sblock=ooc]Move to stand behind Baliss, spear readied to attack anything that comes through the door.  Attack +2, 1d8+3[/sblock]


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## Guest 11456 (Jan 2, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud turns and starts heading toward the kitchen, while grabbing his heavy mace. Meanwhile, Bird has launched himself from his master's shoulder and is 'observing' from above.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 3, 2007)

Cursing, Baliss barks to Lowel to shelter the unarmed folk in the Golden Cockatrice.  As Lowel moves to clear out the few lingering customers in the courtyard, Baliss moves toward the kitchen.  A grim sight greets the half-orc ranger once he opens the kitchen's swinging door. A massive spider, surely larger than any even Baliss has ever laid eyes on, feasts upon the dying cook. Sprawled across a long wooden chopping counter, and pinned beneath the bloated hairy body of a spider the size of a bear, the cook spots Baliss from across the kitchen and silently tries to mouth, "Save me." Instead of words, however, a font of blood gushes from a fresh rip in the human cook's throat as the spider tears at the man's flesh and swallows a hearty chunk whole. At the sound of the door swinging open, the spider turns its head to calmly regard the intruder. Though the creature has the body of a spider, Baliss sees that the spider has a mangy, filthy wolf head filled with a maw of sharp canines. 

The spider jumps down from its prey sprawled across the chopping block, leaving the cook's lifeblood to pump, wasted, from the man's torn throat. With a low growl, the spider fixes its wolf eyes on Baliss and begins to creep forward, the talons at the end of each of its eight furry legs clacking on the kitchen's flagstone floor. The wolf spider that had been feasting on the cook opens its maw and hisses at Baliss in a vile language unknown to the half-orc. Bits of the cook's rent flesh drop from the beast's maw as it speaks, its eyes black as death. Getting no response from Baliss, the wolf spider hisses. A scuttling noise on the ceiling alerts Baliss to the presence of a second wolf spider, just as the creature spends a spray of sticky webbing to rain down on him.  Baliss darts backward away from the sheet of webbing just in the nick of time.

Kularian moves to aid Lowel in sheparding the people out of the courtyard, Cicer and Taiulleur among them, and is soon joined by both Vaja and Lynnya.  From up on her chair, Arden whips out a crossbow and hastily begins maneuvering a bolt into place.  Across the bar, Cheal belts on his short sword but otherwise stays seated at his gaming table.  Cheal's six cronies do the same, though several of their number exchange worried looks.  The yellow dog that had been standing outside by the gold-leafed statue sticks its head inside the festhall and quietly enters, sniffing at the air.  Rancid grabs his wand off the bar and gets down from his stool, clearly uncomfortable.  As he does, Traven's head swivels and the bouncer shuffles into the festhall a few steps.

Frane, who had been behind the bar with a nasty bit of a flail in one hand, catches sight of the creature terrorizing his cook and gasps, "By all that's Holy!  Errol, spare us!"  His eyes wide, Frane adjusts his grip on his flail and moves forward to engage the wolf spider in the kitchen.  Seeing the spider on the ceiling drop webbing in an attempt to catch Baliss, Frane opts for the kitchen's closer door and moves to the doorway, swinging his flail in an arc as he seeks the best place to plant the spiked ball of the weapon on the spider that had been feasting on the cook.  Frane swings the flail forward and the weapon strikes the wolf spider on the creature's furry exoskeleton.  With a crunch, the flail embeds in the spider's flesh, dealing 10 points of damage.

Bird, the wisest of either himself or Phud, launches himself and lights on a rafter high up on the old warehouse ceiling of the festhall.  Safe from his perch but out of reach of Phud, Bird observes everything that goes on.  For his part, Phud grabs his weapon and moves into the common room to do his duty, just as Rhys jumps down from his stool at the bar and moves to stand behind Baliss in the kitchen doorway.  Just before Rhys makes it to the kitchen, a sheet of thick ropy webbing flies down from above inside the kitchen and nearly traps Baliss.  Rowan also gets down from his barstool, but stands his ground and prepares to ward off any unfriendly advances with his trusty walking staff.

The wolf spider on the flagstone floor of the kitchen turns its maw to the side and snaps at Frane.  Unarmored, Frane is an easy target and the spider's sharp canines sink into the tender's left side for 6 points of damage.  As Frane cries out in horror and pain and the gaping wound in his side, the spider spits out the fresh meat as if unsavory and scuttles forward on the web covering the flagstone floor in the kitchen, to better get at Baliss and Rhys.

The second spider, the one that shot the webbing at Baliss, drops on a thick rope of silk to the floor and, leaping on mighty legs over Frane's head, darts into the festhall.  Frane, startled by the second spider's aggression, swings his flail at the creature but misses as it moves past him.  Rhys, however, has better aim and reflexively jabs his spear at the second wolf spider.  The pointed steel tip of Rhys's stick finds an exposed spot between two pieces of thick carapace in the spider's exoskeleton.  Rhys feels his spear meet flesh, as the weapon deals 5 points of damage.  The spider spares not even a backward glance at Rhys.  The creature is utterly fixated on Rancid and anxiously clacks the sharp teeth in its mandible when it spies the thin fop of a human.

Wyleck, who for long seconds had been biding his time and already had a stone planted in his sling, fires at the second wolf spider just as soon as it appears in the festhall.  The stone flies wide, missing the spider, and instead sharply hits the wooden lintel above the kitchen door.  From inside the kitchen, Frane jumps at the sound of rock hitting wood.

Initiative
Wyleck 21
Dog 18
Baliss 17
Kularian 12
Arden 11
Cockatrice NPCs
Rhys 9
Phud 7
Rowan 4
Wolf Spiders 3


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## Brain (Jan 3, 2007)

Arden gasps as the strange spider leaps into the main room.  She keeps an eye on the elf that she was speaking to, wary because she is new to the establishment and an unknown.  Also, she watches "Traven" for signs of betrayal.  She stays ready to shoot either one if they turn hostile, or if a spider comes towards her.


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## hafrogman (Jan 3, 2007)

Spying the burly half-orc moving to intercept the spider that passed him by, Rhys advances on the spider ahead of him.  He stares down the length of his spear towards the abomination that scuttles on the kitchen floor.  Circling around, he attempts to move toward the fallen cook, keeping a healthy distance away from those jaws.

[sblock=ooc]Attempting to move into the kitchen, but not willing to provoke an AoO, never come closer than 10' to the spider.  

If he can't get through, or once he does, attack if the spider is in range.

Attack +1, 1d8+3 damage

If he gets through and the spider isn't around, drop light for a cure minor on the cook, assuming he's bleeding to death and not dead.[/sblock]


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## Rhun (Jan 3, 2007)

Rowan moves to get a clear view at the spider that has invaded the common area. Not really having any spells prepared to deal well with this situation, the halfling twirls his walking stick at the vermin, sending it spinning through the intervening space.


*OOC: Attack +5 thrown club, Damage 1d4/20*


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## pallandrome (Jan 3, 2007)

"Yanno, it occurs to this wee halfling that mayhaps this be the thing it seems it is chasing, Rancid. Would the assumption that the fancy wand what is subject to our negotiations is also the object of their desire be unwarrented?" asks Wyleck, rather circumtuitously. Wyleck then casts Magic Stone, and readies another shot.


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## Malvoisin (Jan 4, 2007)

"Unnatural beast! Let's put'it down, Frane!" With a guttural snarl, Baliss swings his battle axe at the near wolf spider in the kitchen, hoping to chop its head clean off! He is mindful of the webbing and tries not to get ensnared in its sticky embrace.

*Battle Axe +4 (1d8+3/x3), AC 15*


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## pallandrome (Jan 4, 2007)

"Also, Yssal... Kill." adds the halfling, waving vaguely at the wolf spiders.

OOC:Yssal will charge the nearest spider. That's +5 to the attack, for 1d6+3 damage. His AC will be 18 until next round.


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## Guest 11456 (Jan 4, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

The half-orc bouncer advances on the nearest beastie and swings his heavy mace at it.

OOC: Attack with heavy mace; +5; 1d8+5


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 4, 2007)

Getting a stone from a pocket, Wyleck holds the small grey projectile in one hand and calls upon the power of rock and stone to magically bless the stone.  The halfling fits the stone to his sling and bides his time, waiting for an opportune moment.  While he waits, however, the halfling calls out for his companion.  "Yssal...kill."  Yssal, who looks like he might have been waiting for just such an occasion, bolts from beside Wyleck's side and rounds the corner of the bar to get straight into the fray.  The dog, his barding jangling as he runs, finds no direct path to the wolf spider but, regardless, manages to get to the spider and attack.  Yssal bares canines of his own at the fiend and lunges with a snarl, biting the wolf spider on the throat for 7 points of damage.  The yellow dog that had been standing outside the Cockatrice by the festhall's gold-leafed statue follows Ysall into the fracas but stands a more respectful 10 feet back from the spider.  The yellow dog cocks its head to one side, as if thinking where best to bite.

Baliss moves as close to the webbing as he dares, mindful that the thick ropes of silk are still bedewed with sticky gum.  With a mighty heave, Baliss swings his battleaxe of his head just once and brings the full brunt of the weapon to bear on the head of wolf spider 1.  The blade cleaves through the spider's mewling maw, dealing 9 points of damageand slaying the spider.

Kularian and Vaja continue to shephard customers out of the festhall.  Lynnya, from her position in the middle of the common room, nocks an arrow and fires at wolf spider 2 but misses, her arrow flying wide of its intended mark and landing harmlessly somewhere in the kitchen.  Frustrated at her miss, the elf turns from the fray and moves to help Kularian, Lowel, and Vaja get people out of the tavern.  Inside the kitchen, Frane springs around the dead wolf spider and immediately attempt to revive the cook.  Frane's own wounds catch up with him, however, and the big blonde barkeep instead vomits on the floor at sight of the cook's desecrated body.

Traven takes advantage of the utter chaos in the festhall and flings himself at Rancid.  The two men are soon a ball of fury.  During the scuffle with Rancid over the wand, Traven's wig falls off and a pair of false teeth drop with a clatter to the floor. Swaths of what must have been makeup that Traven had been wearing rub off on Rancid's shirt sleeves and the wooden planked floor, revealing what looks to be inhuman purple and blue splotched skin beneath. Traven attempts to grab the wand from Rancid's hand but is bitten by Rancid on the arm as payment for his endeavor.  Traven cries out in pain at being bitten and forcibly extricates himself from the wrestling match, but his eyes never leave the matte black wand in Rancid's hand.

Seeing that Traven has turned hostile, Arden, who had been ready for just such an occasion, fires off a crossbow bolt at the skinny bouncer accosting Rancid.  Despite the chaos unfolding in the festhall, and the fact that Traven and Rancid are in melee, Arden's aim is remarkably true.  The bolt screams through the air and slams into Traven's chest, dealing 2 points of damage to the bouncer.  Rancid looks up in utter surprise at Arden.

From his table, Cheal watches with delight as Traven and Rancid go at it.  When the wolf spider appears from the kitchen and is skewered by Rhys's spear, four of Cheal's thugs get up from their table and scrabble for the front door with the rest of the bar's customers.  The last two of Cheal's thugs look like they'd like to do the same, but at a glance from their boss, they sit back down and remain, albeit uneasily, at the table.  One of the pair of the remaining thugs turns ash white when Frane is bitten on the side.

Rhys takes advantage of wolf spider 2's fixation on Rancid and moves into the kitchen.  Without the first spider alive to bite at him, Rhys is safe for the moment and can easily get to the cook.  It's obvious, however, that the man is dead.  The cook's throat is torn asunder and from the looks of the gallon of blood spilt on the work table and floor, there's practically nothing left of the man to save.  Frane recovers from emptying his stomach and straightens.  Wiping vomit from his lips with the back of his hand, the barkeep looks a bit green to Rhys.  Frane spots the second spider out in the festhall and tries to heft his flail to go after the beast, but falters.  Muttering, "I don't feel so good, this thing's too heavy," Frane drops the flail and pulls out a knife from a sheath at his belt.

Phud lumbers straight forward and swings his heavy mace at wolf spider 2.  The spider dodges Phud's blow.  Rowan climbs on top of the bar to get a better view of the goings on.  The halfling hefts his walking stick to his shoulder, intending to throw the thing at the second spider.  The staff proves heavier and much more unwieldy than Rowan anticipated, however.  The halfling tries to toss the stick at the large spider but misses badly, sending his walking stick to the floor beside the bar with a harmless clatter not 5 feet away.

The second wolf spider fixates on Rancid.  With Phud and the two dogs and the bar blocking its path, the spider scuttles down the length of the back of the bar.  Phud tries to swing at the spider as it moves away, but the half-orc bouncer misses.  Yssal, however, scores a vehement bite on the spider's hind quarters, dealing 17 points of damage.  The riding dog, resplendent in his barding, tugs at the fiend's furry rear leg until the leg snaps off with a rip.  Black ichor drips in thick gobs from the spider's torn leg and the fiend crumples in upon itself as its lifeblood rushes out and dirties the festhall floor.  With a keening cry, the second spider bites the dust.


Initiative
Wyleck 21
Dog 18
Baliss 17
Kularian 12
Arden 11
Cockatrice NPCs
Rhys 9
Phud 7
Traven 6
Rowan 4


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## hafrogman (Jan 4, 2007)

The second spider's keening causes Rhys to cast a brief glance out of the kitchen.  Seeing the spider's body, he spares a moment for the departed.  With a brief frown, he reaches down to close the cook's eyes.  He clutches at the disc beneath his clothing for a brief second as he mutters under his breath.

*"Death comes to all men.  May your god watch over you."*

Then he turns on his heel and moves to Frane, placing a hand on the man's shoulder.  For now he ignores the continued struggle in the barroom.

*"Sit.  Blood boils and darkness hounds you.  The fangs bear death beyond your ken."*

Then with a shake as if to clear his head, he peers in closer.

*"Best let me have a look at your bite.  Besides, your sister would never give me the time of day if I were to let you die."*

[sblock=ooc]Follow Frane to wherever he moves on his initiative.  Attempt to examine his injuries to help treat the (presumed) poison.

Heal +7[/sblock]


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## Malvoisin (Jan 5, 2007)

Baliss grunts once in satisfaction as his axe delivers its killing blow to the wolf spider. "Please be still...nasty thing."

Baliss makes eye contact across the kitchen with Rhys, and the look on the other's face tells him all he needs to know. The cook is dead, nothing more to be done for him now. "Let's put'n end t'this ruckus." Baliss turns and rushes back across the festhall of the Golden Cockatrice, heading for the brawling Rancid and Traven. As he approaches, he sees Traven's unnatural skin  color and mutters, "I knew it..."

*OOC: Baliss double moves to get within melee range of Traven and Rancid.*


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## pallandrome (Jan 5, 2007)

Wyleck frowns deeply at Traven, points at him, and says, "Yssal, KILL." Then he takes a step back a prepares to launch a stone at Traven in case the man makes a run for it.


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## Brain (Jan 5, 2007)

Arden stows her crossbow and pulls out her cute little rapier, and then hops off the chair slightly closer to "Traven" and the action.  To the creature formerly known as Traven, she chimes in, "Ha, didn't expect me to be watching, did you!"


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## Rhun (Jan 5, 2007)

Rowan begins the Words to a spell that will, hopefully, cause this Traven character to fall into a deep slumber. 


*OOC: Cast Sleep on Traven (Will save vrs. DC14), assuming Traven is still standing when it comes to Rowan's turn.*


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## Guest 11456 (Jan 5, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud moves back towards the door, but when he sees the scuffling between Rancid and the Traven thing, he heads toward them raising his mace to strike.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 7, 2007)

At Wyleck's command to attack Traven, Yssal cocks his ears forward.  Instead of complying, however, Yssal choses to sit and gnaw on the chitinous rear leg of the dead wolf spider.

Wyleck rolled a 3 on his Handle Animal check.  Not enough with his Handle Animal check modifier to get Yssal to obey.  The DC was 10.

The yellow dog leaves Yssal to his prize and trots over toward Rancid.  The dog leaves a discrete space between itself and Rancid and Traven but appears to be getting ready to spring at a moment's notice.

Baliss hefts his battleaxe and crosses the festhall's common room to be nearer to the fracas going on between Rancid and Traven.  Not wanting to be stepped on, kicked, or otherwise bitten, Baliss stands within 10 feet of Traven but is ready to attack should either need or opportunity present itself.

Arden deftly stows her crossbow then draws a rapier seemingly cut down to size for a small creature.  Though miniature, the rapier's tip gleams with lethal purpose in the dim lighting of the Cockatrice.  Arden hollers a taunt at Traven.  "Ha, didn't expect me to be watching, did you!"

Kularian, with Vaja's aid, begins shuffling customers out into the street.  The pair are soon lost in the thickening crowd outside, the noise of which fills the festhall.  Lowel moves from the courtyard into the main common room and tries to persuade a particularly recalcitrant drunkard to heave off his chair.  After much badgering, Lowel seems to ignore the old man's protests and looks to be on the verge of simply grabbing the customer and forcibly removing him from the tavern.  Frane takes a step toward the second wolf spider then starts to keel over.  While Frane has a distinct green palor to his skin, his lips are ash.  With Rhys's help, the big barkeep eases himself down to the floor and sits, slumped, trying to catch his breath.  

Rhys confirms his guess that Frane has been poisoned and works quickly to stauch any lingering effects the poison might have.  Rhys knows that Frane may well take a second shock to his system in another half minute or so but for now it's a waiting game.  If the tender is to be saved, Rhys will need to be on hand to minister to Frane.  Judging by the color of Frane's skin and the pale hue to his lips, the spider was monstrous in quality, a type normally found deep in the hearts of the blackest forests or in old abandoned places where men fear to tread.  Examining Frane, Rhys spots the man's tongue, which has turned black as night.  Not normally a symptom of monstrous spider venom, the blackened tongue is a puzzlement to the healer.

Like Baliss and the yellow dog before him, Phud too moves toward the tussling combo of Rancid and Traven.  His mace raised high, Phud looks for an opening to bean Traven on the head.  Finding none, the bouncer holds off a moment.

Traven soon finds himself nearly surrounded by foes.  The hole where Arden's crossbow bolt hit the bouncer in the chest begins to make a sucking sound.  Traven coughs and red foam rushes to his mouth.  With a horrified look on his face, the bouncer screams "NOooooo!" in a high-pitched shriek and backs away five feet from Baliss and Rancid.  Traven starts to violently and, from the look of it, involuntarily thrash.  Right before the eyes of Phud, Baliss, Wyleck, Rowan and Arden, Traven molts his human skin and reveals his true aspect. A third spider stands before them now, though very unlike the two wolf fiends that have already been bested. Chitinous plates cover the creature's back and belly. Unlike the wolf spiders, this new spider is sleek and hairless and its exoskeleton is mottled blue and purple in hue. Arresting to look at, the spider has a wolf head just like the other two, and eight spider legs, but two robust humanoid arms thick like those of a fairy tale ogre's sprout from the base of the fiend's neck.

One of Cheal's thugs panics as Traven sheds his skin and transforms into a spider within mere inches of Cheal's table.  Acting on pure instinct, the thug attempts to push the purple-and-blue spider away from the table.  The thug scores an unarmed blow on the spider's backside for 4 points of damage, but the action comes at a price.  The spider kicks its rear legs at the thug.  The force of the blow crumples the thug's chest and the man slumps back in his seat, his eyes rolled back in his head.  Cheal and the remaining thug quickly push back from their table and flee out the festhall's front doors. 

From his stance on top of the Cockatrice's bar, Rowan intones words of power and points at the new spider.  The fiend doesn't fall to the effect of Rowan's prowess, but Rancid does.  The human fop topples over, already snoring before his head hits the wooden floor with a thud.  The wand rolls free of Rancid's fingers and idly spins on the floor a foot from Rancid's body.  Rowan's action induces a hiss of displeasure from the mottled spider.  In perfectly accented halfling, the spider fixes its eyes on Rowan and says, "It wantsssssssss to play, doessssssssssss it?"

Initiative
Wyleck 21
Dog 18
Baliss 17
Kularian 12
Arden 11
Cockatrice NPCs, Kularian
Rhys 9
Phud 7
Traven 6
Rowan 4


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## pallandrome (Jan 7, 2007)

"Yssal, seriously, kill that thing!" says Wyleck, as a whirls a stone at the beast.


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## Brain (Jan 7, 2007)

Arden gasps quietly as Traven transforms into the spidery beast.  Her mind made up almost instantly, she dashes in next to Rancid to try to snatch the wand off the floor and keep it from the invaders of her favorite tavern.


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## Malvoisin (Jan 8, 2007)

Baliss looks over at Phud and gives a quick nod. "Right. Let's finish this thing." With a shout, he leaps at the grotesque wolf spider that once was Traven, and brings the blade of his battle axe down with lethal intent.

*(OOC: Single attack on wolf spider with battle axe, Battle Axe +4 (1d8+3/x3), AC 15)*


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## Rhun (Jan 8, 2007)

"Surrender now, beast!" shouts Rowan at the spider-thing. "That was just a minor spell of my considerable repretoire." As the halfling speaks, he draws a dagger from his belt.



*Untrained Bluff +0, draw dagger. Action depends on spider's position. If it is close, total defense. If it remains at a distance, Roawn will toss his dagger at it.*


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## hafrogman (Jan 8, 2007)

Rhys steps out of the kitchen to try and secure more aid for the ailing bartender.  At the sight that awaits him beyond the doorway he curses and steps back again.  He tosses his spear down on the kitchen floor and fumbles at his belt for his sling.  He looks at the bartender, with a concerned frown and considers his options.

*"Well friend, either I have taken that final step into true madness, or there is a purple and blue spider beast sitting in your taproom."*

[sblock=ooc]MA: Move out to get a look and then back in again.
FA: Drop longspear
MA: Draw sling[/sblock]


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 9, 2007)

At Wyleck's insistance, Yssal drops the spider leg he was bent on chewing and gets up.  His toenails clacking on the Cockatrice's wooden floor, Yssal runs down the length of the back of the bar and, skirts the far corner, moves in to flank the spider.  Wyleck fits another stone to his sling and whirls the projectile at the spider.  The rock misses, bounces off the floor and lands intact in the room's northwest corner.  The yellow dog bares its teeth at the spider and streaks into the fray to attack in tandem with Yssal.  The yellow dog snaps at the spider and bites one of the spider's forelegs, dealing 4 points of damage.  

His eyes shining with lethal intent, Baliss hoists his battleaxe and springs at the spider.  The blade of the half-orc's axe whistles clean through the air as it fails to strike the beast.  Arden darts into the fray and snatches the wand off the floor.  Rancid, asleep on the floor with a googe egg on his head where he toppled over, continues to snore and proves no threat to Arden when she runs in to grab the wand.

Lowel graps the old man he'd been badgering to leave and hoists him overhead.  The drunk old man tries to swing at Lowel but misses.  The customer firmly in hand, Lowel fireman carries the drunk out of the festhall via the gambling hall's main doors.

Dropping his longspear and drawing his sling, Rhys pokes his head out of the kitchen and considers his options.  Rhys looks back at Frane and remembers hearing someone once say, _"Poison's a nasty bit o' business.  Most of 'em hit ye hard, an' then hit again after a bare minute er two.  Takes a stalwart man to withstand a bite like that...that, er a healer at yer side ter help."_  Frane, by the look of him, has yet to take that second hit from the poison.  Perhaps in another half a minute or so....

Phud, who had been staring at the blue-and-purple-mottled spider, jumps when Baliss barks to attack the creature... _"Colors...pretty..."_.  Phud raises his mace a second time and moves in.  Bringing his mace crashing down on top of the spider's wolf head, Phud beans the creature with a solid hit that deals 11 points of damage.  Blood rains down out of the gaping hole in the spider's head and lands with a smoking sizzle on the Cockatrice's wooden floorboards.

The spider darts its head and, finding itself surrounded, attempts to bolt for the front door of the festhall.  Phud, however, proves quicker and, taking advantage of the spider's momentary weakness, smashes the fiend upside the head a second time, dealing 12 points of damage and immediately felling the creature.

Rowan, still on top of the bar and not to be outdone, shouts, "Surrender now, beast!  That was just a minor spell of my considerable repretoire."  The halfling flings a dagger at the fallen spider.  The spider is prone and proves a ready target for Rowan's blade.  The dagger sinks into the spider's gut, causing a font of foul-smelling ichor to roil out as it deals 3 points of damage.

Initiative
Wyleck 21
Dog 18
Baliss 17
Arden 11
Cockatrice NPCs, Kularian
Rhys 9
Phud 7
Traven 6
Rowan 4


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## Guest 11456 (Jan 9, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud nods at the downed spider as he whacks it once more with his mace. He points toward Rowan on top of the bar. "What him say! Srend er now bist!"


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## hafrogman (Jan 9, 2007)

Taking a look out again, and noting the dead spider, Rhy returns to his patient once more.  Kneeling next to the fallen bartender, he begins rooting around in his pack before pulling out a small wooden box.

He tends to his patient as best he can, watching out for the poison's lingering after effects, and doing the best to stem it's tide.

[sblock=ooc]Heal check to treat poison with use of healing kit. +9[/sblock]


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## Rhun (Jan 9, 2007)

Rowan gives a low whistle as he scans the bar. With a shrug and a smile, the halfling states the obvious. "Now that's somethin' you don't see everyday." Hoping down to the floor, Rowan moves to recover his walking stick.


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## pallandrome (Jan 9, 2007)

Wyleck walks carefully over to the corner of the room to retrieve his sling stone, and speaks to Rancid, "As I said, Fifty gold for running money, and I'll draw them off by taking the wee wand off your hands. I doubt you'll get a better offer, considering the fate of our poor cook."

Wyleck looks around the room, "Besides, if you don't accept, a few of these blokes might take exception to bringing such an item among them."


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## Brain (Jan 9, 2007)

Arden discreetly stows her rapier again at her hip, and holds the wand against the back of her leg, making sure she has a good grip on it.  She says nothing, waiting to watch the drama unfold with a slight wry grin.


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## Malvoisin (Jan 11, 2007)

Baliss looks about, to make sure no further threats suddenly appear, then moves over to stand protectively next to Arden. "Name's Baliss, pleased t'meet you," he rumbles an introduction to Arden in his guttural voice. "Quite a bit of fuss over that wand, what d'you make of it?" He continues to hold his axe at the ready in case Rancid should wake, or anyone else should try to make a grab for the wand. He also casts an apprising eye over at the yellow dog, sure there is more to that animal than meets the eye.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 11, 2007)

Wyleck propositions Rancid, suggesting that Rancid sell the wand for 50 gold, but all Wyleck gets for his efforts from Rancid is a snore.  The man is fast asleep, the victim of Rowan's handiwork.  Yssal looks with longing at the spider carcass in front on himself, then anxiously at Wyleck.  The yellow dog trods over and sits at Arden's feet, its tail thumping on the wooden floor.  Baliss, who approaches Arden, casts an appraising eye at the dog.  The yellow dog followed the wand, defended those fighting the spiders, and now that Arden is in possession of the wand, looks like it wants her attention.  The creature has golden eyes that shine with intelligence.  

About this time, Kularian pokes his head back in the festhall.  "The Guard is coming--I can see them heading on fast feet down the byway.  Me and Vaja and Lowel'll speak with them.  Just a fair warning to any of you lot who might want away before the law arrives."  The minstrel looks around the common room.  "Good work.  You made a quick job of these beastly things."

Rhys pulls a small wooden box from his pack and begins administering care to Frane.  Another half minute, possibly less, goes by.  Rhys works quickly to beat the clock, but when Frane convulses and goes stiff with the poison's second hit, Rhys is ready.  Rhys deftly staunches the poison's attack on Frane's system.  By the grace of his hand and the spirit of Chronepsis, Rhys pulls Frane through.  The blonde barkeep would surely be gravely sickened had it not been for Rhys's careful attention.  Frane still looks weak from his initial bite, but the tender sits up after Rhys's care and begins to look over the gaping hole in his side.  "Thanks, I do feel better.  This wound'll need looking at."   Using the table to support himself, Frane stands.  "I need to get meself to the Halls of Healing.  Where's Vaja?  She'll need to watch the bar, maybe close up." Rolled a natural 20 on the Heal check...I know, I know, it's just a skill check so there is no critical success, but the least I can do is devote some attention with words.

Phud whacks the dropped spider yet another time with his mace and yells at the unmoving thing, "What him say! Srend er now bist!"

[sblock=OOC]Maybe we need a Phud-to-English translater.    It took me about a full three or four seconds to puzzle out that 'Srend er now bist!' means "Surrender now, beast!"  Funny stuff.[/sblock]

Rowan moves behind the bar to collect the walking stick he'd "dropped."

End of initiative.  Please post at will.


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## Rhun (Jan 11, 2007)

The halfling's ears perk up at the word "Watch." Walking stick back in hand, he hurries to collect his dagger from the spider carcass and moves toward the door. "I don't know about you chaps, but the last thing I want is the kind of attention that the Watch is likely to draw. Perhaps we should retire to someplace more...ah, private?"


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## Brain (Jan 11, 2007)

Although a normal person would need to bend down to look a dog in the eyes, Arden is already at around the right height.  She turns her attention to the yellow dog, and attempts to figure out what it might be trying to tell her.  She has spoken to the animals of the forest before, so she figures it should be easy enough.  

ooc: sense motive?


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## pallandrome (Jan 11, 2007)

"Aye, that might be best. Though it might be better if we had this poor fella to quistion about the interlopers, we'll not make it past the guards with him dead to the world like this." As he speaks, Wyleck scribbles a quick note and slides it into the sleeping mans pocket. "There now, step lively lads and lady, and look alive. Leering lawmen loom, and while I don't lend myself to larceny, leastwise being loquatious about the livelyhood of those who allow for such, I've no love for lending them my tongue either." 

Wyleck, as good as his word, steps lively for the door to follow the halfling, calling for Yssal to grab a bite to eat, and follow, "Yssal, dinner, come!"

OOC:The note, if anyone reads it says, "We have taken the wand for safe keeping, in case the guard decides to arrest you, if you want it back, or want to accept my offer to take it off your hands, leave word with the barkeep in one weeks time  -W."


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## hafrogman (Jan 11, 2007)

Rhys almost sets the bartender back down again.  Reaching for the disc around his neck, he is about to offer his own services to save a trip when he realizes that it might not be best to announce his fealty in such a public setting.  Frane is in no immediate danger it seems.  Rhys's hand drops away.

*"Yes, the healing halls.  I will seek out your sister for you."*

Shaking his head, he repacks his healing supplies and gathers his discarded gear around him as he uses the shaft of his spear to pull himself to his feet.  He helps the ailing Frane out into the taproom.  Leaving him at the bar for a moment, he goes in search of Vaja.

*"Blood calls to blood.  I did all I could for your brother, I believe he will survive, but he asks for you."*

Returning to the taproom, Rhys is transfixed by the sight of Arden facing down the yellow dog.  A flash of whatever struck him upon entering the bar returns and he once again ponders the creature's significance.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 13, 2007)

Arden looks into the yellow dog's eyes but try as she might, she can't decipher want the animal wants.  The dog is simply too different from the forest animals with whom she's accustomed to speaking.  Unlike most of the mongrels in the warehouse district, the dog seems healthy, and only a little bit dirty.  The animal nudges Arden's hand, the same one that had held the wand a bit earlier.  While Arden is engaged with the yellow dog, Yssal trots back behind the bar.  Wyleck hears a series of quick crunches, followed by the click of Yssal's toenails on the wooden floor.  When Yssal reappears, it is with an 8 inch black hoary segment of spider leg clamped in his mouth and look of supreme pride in his eyes.

When Rhys goes outside to fetch Vaja, he notes the crimson tabards of what looks to be four pikemen from the Teggestian Guard rapidly approaching down the byway.  Vaja nods at Rhys, saying, "My thanks for tending Frane.  After the terror in the street here, I'm sure no one's likely to venture into the bar while I have a word with the Guard.  Tell Frane to go ahead to Madriel's Halls of Healing and not to worry.  He keeps the coin locked in a box chained to the floor, anyway.  The most anyone could make off with'd be a few clay tankards.  You go on, I'll be back inside shortly."


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## Brain (Jan 13, 2007)

Arden starts to walk around behind the bar, so she'll be closer to an alternate exit.  She also brings the wand in hand, watching what the dog does.  If he doesn't follow, she'll say to it gently,  "Come on, come with me.  We'll figure out what you want with this thing."

ooc: [sblock]Arden is ready to make a retreat to avoid the guard if that's what the group wants to do.  She's trying to get the dog to follow, and will pack away the wand before leaving the establishment.[/sblock]


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## Rhun (Jan 13, 2007)

Rowan slides his hand along the brim of the derby-style hat that he wears. A nervous look is obvious on his face. "Is there a back way out of this place?"


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## pallandrome (Jan 14, 2007)

"Such things can typically be found through the kitchen. If you all will follow me?" Wyleck strides quickly through the crowd and into the kitchen, looking for the back door through which the wood is invariably brought in the keep the stove burning. As he passes Arden's new friend, he makes a quick, surreptitious inspection of the animal. He had previously assumed that Yssal had picked up a friend somewhere, but so far, the golden dog had shown distinctly curious behavior...


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 15, 2007)

The yellow dog wags its tail at Arden and gets up to follow her.  Wyleck casts a passing glance at the dog.  The creature seems well-fed, if a little dirty.  The dog's mannerisms are completely at odds with the normal behaviour of most city mongrels and its eyes belie keen intelligence and kindness.  

Through the kitchen and past the stonework hearth that cook used to bake and stew all manner of edible concoctions, a door inset into the kitchen's south wall stands ajar.  The cloying stench of urine from an outhouse greets those who exit the Cockatrice via the kitchen door.  In the back of the Cockatrice, a narrow strip of garden in which herbs, lettuces, and carrots look to be grown stands thoroughly torn apart.  The lettuces are shredded, the carrots are uprooted, and nary a sprig of any of the herbs still stands, for the earth in the garden is rent.  In front of the empty three-stall horse and pony stable lies a dead boy, his chest torn open and several ribs exposed so that the whites of the bone show.  It takes a second or two to set in, but the boy is reconizable as Schrute, the Cockatrice's stablehand.  In life, the stableboy was a quiet soul of perhaps 14.


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## hafrogman (Jan 15, 2007)

With a glance over his shoulder to the approaching guards, Rhys returns inside.  He moves to Frane's side to relay Vaja's message.

*"Your sister is going to be busy with the guards for a while it seems.  She bid you be on your way to Madriel's."*

He dithers for a moment about whether to leave the bar or not.  Presumably the guards had already seen him as he went outside.  Nonetheless he walks to the back door with the others as they leave, seeing them on their ways.  The sight of the fallen stableboy hits him hard, as a grim expression falls over his face.

He bends down to close the child's eyes and rises again, one hand to his chest as he once again murmers a few words over the fallen.

*"Time and tide move ever forward.  The flow of the ocean cannot be halted.  May you find peace wherever the currents bear you."*


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## Rhun (Jan 15, 2007)

Rowan casts only a brief look at the body of the boy in the courtyard. With a shake of his head, the halfing moves on toward the exit.


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## Brain (Jan 15, 2007)

Absorbed by the dog, Arden doesn't notice the boy's body until she almost stumbles on it.  Giving a startled gasp, she looks at the others with a worried expression.  "This is a bad scene.  Where are we going?"


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## pallandrome (Jan 15, 2007)

His face turns stony as the group passes the body of the boy. "The old city forest. I've got some friends in there, and it should provide us with what seclusion we may require while we discuss potential ramifications and future courses of action. Additionally, it might serve as a fine place to ask this person a few much needed inquiries." Wyleck takes a moment to mount Yssal, and heads out of the alley on the side opposite the approaching guards, to round his way towards the forest.

OOC:I note walls around the old city. Are there guards at the entrances? If so, I'll take the group to the one with the most traffic. I figure I've been pretty much living in the forest off of goodberries and water, and have made myself a little nest somewhere therein.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 17, 2007)

With everyone in agreement, Wyleck leads the way out the back of the Golden Cockatrice toward Citadel Teglund and the Old City Forest inside the citadel's nearly 50-foot-high old stone walls.  A relic of the city that harkens back to ancient times and has long stood abandoned and unused, the Citadel's upper bailey can be seen from nearly any location inside Teggest's outer city walls.  

Wyleck first leads the way through the Warehouse District, the area of the city in which the Cockatrice is home ported.  Located along the southern wall of the city and adjacent the Tegyrn River, the Warehouse District is home to large buildings devoted to storing the goods, wares, and merchandice of those merchants and guildhouses who call Teggest home. The district is notoriously well-guarded by the River Lord's Guard, even at night.  As is by now well known to the party members, days in the Warehouse District are a dusty jumble of wagons, crates, and all manner of folk busy with commerce.  The companions attract little attention on their east- and northward march toward Overtegyrn Byway and the Guild District adjacent to the Citadel.

The Guild District houses all manner of Teggest's guild houses, both grand and insubstantial. Located twixt the Plaza of Gold where the city's wealthiest members parade in a perpetual day and night showcase of their finery, and the Old Wall of Citadel Teglund, the Guild District is nearly the heart of the city, full of bustle at all hours.

From Nickleby Bar at the southernmost section of the city's outer protective wall, Overtegyrn Byway leads directly to and past both the Guild District and the western border of the Plaza of Gold. An open space diamond in shape, the Plaza is bordered on all four sides by grass (a rarity in cramped Teggest), small fruit-bearing trees, benches, and minute suites of table and chairs. The square itself is inlaid with red brick paving stone imported from Daroln. A font in the center of the Plaza sprays water from a statue of Michel Edain, the founder of ancient Edaesmyd. The stomping ground of Teggest's nobility and of those associated with the finer pursuits of life (music, art, epicurean delights, theatre, shopping, and the like), the Plaza of Gold is the place in Teggest to see and to be seen.

The ancient throne of Michel Edaesmyd now long since abandoned, Citadel Teglund is a massive stone castle, only its upper bailey visible from the streets of Teggest. While the lower bailey is below eyesight, at least to the layperson, rumor has it that a forest has overgrown the grounds twixt the castle's curtain wall and the old palisade surrounding the lower bailey. The Citadel rests upon a natural motte and has resisted sinking into the earth due to the striated rock beneath the structure's foundation; the rock of the motte is visible from the castle's front gatekeep and barbicans on the east side of the city. The curtain wall itself is a masterpiece of fortified defense. Easily as tall as the nearby rafters of the Temple of Stone, the citadel's outer wall is made of granite blocks, each the size of a small wagon. A series of watch towers connects each segment of the outer bailey wall, with room atop for armed soldiers to defend the keep not only through arrow slits, but also an overhanging merlon which itself is latticed with murder holes and machiolations. Additional curtain wall defenses include a series of brattices and hoardings, all meant to keep invading armies from sapping the wall or otherwise undermine the wall's integrity.

Odd that the folk of the city so little discuss that which looms so large through nearly every window of every residence and shop. The few who now speak of the citadel do so under their breath and mutter of haunted things that waft and wander at night through not only the empty halls of the keep, but also the forest beyond.

The Old City Forest, Wyleck knows, is home to any number of interesting creatures, natural and unnatural.


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## Guest 11456 (Jan 17, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

The battle at last complete, Phud looks around for his bosses. Seeing Vaja, he moves to her side and clears his throat. "What me do now?" Meanwhile, Bird flies down from his perch above on the rafter and lands on his usual perch, Phud's shoulder.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 17, 2007)

The chaos of the afternoon catches up to Vaja and she barks at the half-orc bouncer.  "Get the hell out of the bar, that's what, you dumb oaf!"   The girl turns away from Phud and started to stalk off, but stops.  The set of her shoulders sagging with defeat, Vaja turns around and says, "I'm sorry, Phud.  It's been a long day, and likely to get longer.  Frane and I will be busy cleaning up the mess in the Cockatrice and then I expect an investigation later this evening or early tomorrow.  I don't know when we'll be able to re-open.  If the Guard decides to be tricky about this, it might be a while."   Vaja pats Phud on the back.  Looking up at the massive half-orc, Vaja offers, "Why don't you go with the others?  They'll look after you until I can send word to you that we need you back at the Cockatrice."


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## Rhun (Jan 17, 2007)

Rowan follows quietly along after Wyleck, his eyes darting back and forth here and there at the sight sof the city. As a newcomer to Teggest, the halfling knows little about the city and its geography...or its history for that matter. Still, no sense in not learning what he can while he stays within its boundaries. With such thoughts on his mind, Rowan pays especial attention to the things along their path, committing each landmark to memory.


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## hafrogman (Jan 17, 2007)

Rhys scratches idly at his chin as he stands at the back door, considering his options.  As he hears the outburst from Vaja, he turns back to Phud and gestures to the bouncer.

*"Come along Phud.  I think they're all going to the forest, Bird would probably like that.  If we hurry we can catch up with them."*

Phud in tow, Rhys hurries back out the door to join the train of others as they head off through the streets towards the forest.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 22, 2007)

Outside, gathering storm clouds knit across the sky and threaten to break the heat of the day.  Though it may well rain by the evening hours, for now the afternoon is humid, the air rank with moisture and dead with mugginess.


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## hafrogman (Jan 22, 2007)

Rhys stands uncomfortably in his armor, sweating in the afternoon's sun and damp.  He looks around at the curious collection of bar patrons now standing around in the forest awaiting nothing in particular.

*"Well, here we are."*


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## Rhun (Jan 22, 2007)

Rowan glances at Rhys as he speaks. "And now that we are here, what do we do?


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## Brain (Jan 22, 2007)

Arden clears her throat and pulls herself up to her tallest.  "Well, we've got to figure out what the deal is with this wand, and why this dog is so interested in it.  Maybe it isn't really a dog?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 22, 2007)

The yellow dog, who followed Arden through the city and into the citadel grounds, wags its tail at Arden.  

Under the eaves of bough and branch inside the citadel grounds, everyone gathered hears soft footfalls land on the forest's thick undergrowth.  The sounds come from south and slightly east, then stop.


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## pallandrome (Jan 22, 2007)

"Oh hurrah. I speculate potential demonic arachnids in yonder underbrush. Dog, if that _is your real name_, why don't you tell us the circumstances, history and particulars behind the wand in question?" asks Wyleck, while leaning against a tree on the north end of the little clearing where the company has stopped. "Before our impending assault and capture by the forces of the underworld would be nice."


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## Brain (Jan 22, 2007)

Arden strains to see what might be approaching.  Also, she speaks in a lilting tongue,

[sblock=in Sylvan]"Who approaches?  Sorry to intrude upon your forest.  Please show thyself so we may become acquainted."[/sblock]


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## hafrogman (Jan 23, 2007)

Rhys picks his spear up off his shoulder at the approaching sounds and peers into the forest.  He gives Wyleck a puzzled glance as the dog is interrogated.  Now surely, there was something about the dog, but . . . which one of them was mad again?

He shakes his head to clear it of his scattered thoughts and attempts to focus on the matter at hand.  His spear held out in front of him, he moves about, trying to get a better view of what approaches.


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## Rhun (Jan 24, 2007)

Rowan attempts to blend in with the undergrowth as he hears the footsteps approaching.


*OOC: hide +7*


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 24, 2007)

Arden, normally perfectly at home in a forest, finds the underbrush's disheveled and haphazard piles of leaves, unfurling fern fronds, and dead logs to be nearly unbearable.  Arden fights a strong urge to cull the dead undergrowth from the forest when her eye catches a bit of damp earth on the butt end of Rowan's walking stick.  The dirt seems a horrible affront to Arden, something that must immediately be cleaned, lest both her own and Rowan's character be impugned.

The dog shifts its golden eyes to look askance at Wyleck, then moves its gaze to Yssal.  Sniffing the air and obviously catching wind of something of interest, the yellow dog's ears prick forward at the sound of a twig snapping nearby.

From behind a nearby oak tree, two feral eyes stare out at the party.  The eyes blink at Arden as the gnome chatters in Sylvan, then the owner of the eyes steps out from behind the old burled tree trunk.  A badger, oversized but squat, with stout legs ending in clawed feet, two broad stripes painted lengthwise down its back, and stout legs ending in clawed feet and a wide mouth full of wickedly sharp teeth, fixes Rowan with a baleful stare and hisses like a bucket of snow thrown onto a white-hot forge.

"Thisbe!  Stop that!  Wait until they bite first."  The voice is clear and cheerful, and the speaker pops into view with a twinkle.  Short, but not as short as Arden, a gnome with pale skin, a bulbous nose and tangled locks orange as a clementine in winter comes crunching through dead leaves and stops just beside the hissing badger.  The gnome extends gnarled fingers and roughly grasps the badger by the scruff of the neck.  "Well.  No need to be unpleasant.  Mazzel Quickblade, Thisbe, and company at your service.  Just passing through, or did you use it yet?"  The gnome winks at Wyleck.


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## pallandrome (Jan 24, 2007)

Wyleck raises an eyebrow at the fierce animal, "Your friend is correct, brother badger. We must comport ourselves peacefully until any and all other possible solutions are exhausted." Turning to the gnome, Wyleck saunters over to Yssal, and scratches at the fur behind his ears, "We've not yet utilized the item, having only recently come upon it in unusual circumstances. Am I to infer that it may transport people from one locale to another? No, that makes little sense if it is so sought after... one planar realm to another?"


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## hafrogman (Jan 24, 2007)

*What, no Pyramis?*

As the gnome appears to be non-threatening, at least for the moment, Rhys hefts his spear up again, bringing it to rest on his shoulder.  He gives the newcomer a curious once over.  This bizzare wand was more trouble than it was worth, it seems.  Everyone knows about it but those who currently hold it.

He leans back against a tree and watches the badger warily.


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## Brain (Jan 24, 2007)

Arden finds herself drawn to the dirt clod on the walking stick.  She mumbles something and uses her shoe to get the dirt off of Rowan's stick.  She then turns to look at the badger and gnome.  

"Hi Mazzel, Hi Thisbe.  Hi whoever else is there.", Arden says cheerfully in common.  "I'm called Arden."


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## CanadienneBacon (Jan 31, 2007)

Mazzel quiets Thisbe with a bit of dried meat fished out from a pocket.  While the badger eagerly gnaws on the tough bit of flesh, Mazzel winks at Arden and nods at everyone else.  "Arquestan was here a bit earlier, said he thought you,"  Mazzel eyes Wyleck then continues, "might be coming through.  Being a goodly sort, Arquestan wanted me to come out of the hole we've got here to wait for you, just in case you couldn't find your way yourself.  Nice bloke, that Arquestan."   Mazzel squints one eye and absentmindedly scratches behind one ear.  "What was I sayin'?  Well, yuppers...lessee...I was just curious if you'd used it yet.  Don't know what "it" is, really.  A magic ring, mebbe?"   The wildhaired gnome leans in excitedly as if expecting to catch a glimpse of just such an item.  "I found one of those once, but when I put it on it went invisible on me...or wait?  Were it me who went invisible?  Don't rightfully recall.  Anyway, Arquestan didn't say what "it" is, just that he thought maybe something important'd been found and that the new owners might be passing through and could I wait, please."   

Mazzel takes a moment to pass another tidbit of dried meat to Thisbe.  "Planar realm?  Don't think so, but then again, I don't know what in the bloody stump a 'planar' is.  This world seems plenty 'plain' 'nuff for me."   The companions now entirely forgotten, the badger chews and growls in pleasure over its meat.  Mazzel shoots a look into the woods.  "Come on out, then, I reckon it's alright now."   Two other gnomes, one with a white shock of hair, the other with brown, pop out of a hole in the base of an oak tree after several seconds.  Bowing in turn, the two new gnomes introduce themselves.  "Fognewtin."  "Dungeddin."

"You'll be wantin' to know who Arquestan is."  Mazzel looks suspiciously about the wood as if unsure of the trees.  "Shouldn't've said his name out loud out here."  The gnome purses his lips regretfully then eyes the companions.  "Come on down in our hole, if you like.  Dungeddin'll bring tea and we can talk a bit with a few less ears listening in."


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## Brain (Jan 31, 2007)

Feeling at home in the company of gnomes, Arden finds herself nodding.  She looks around nervously at her companions.


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## hafrogman (Jan 31, 2007)

Rhys finds himself bewildered by the sudden arrival and mercurial attitudes of this gnomish delegation.  He rubs vigorously at his face, trying to clear it as he mutters to himself.

*"From twixt the forest and the trees step the harbingers of confusion.  They speak in riddles, of things unknown and ask for us to follow them down the rabbit hole into a land of wonder."*

His mind clearing for the moment, he stands up again and moves to follow the gnomes.

*"When can we meet this Arq. . . your friend?"*


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## Rhun (Jan 31, 2007)

Rowan shrugs, and follows the gnomes into their hideaway. Anyone that live in a hidey-hole was probably hiding from something, and that suited the halfling just fine.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 1, 2007)

Dungeddin and Fognewtin hurry on ahead.  Mazzel walks a bit slower, to accompany everyone back into the thicket to his hidey hole.  At Rhys's question, Mazzel puts a finger to his ruddy lips and winks but says no more.  With Thisbe snuffling for mushrooms out front, the blazing haired gnome guides everyone into and through a thorny bramble to the base of an old oak stump that, by the look of it, was struck by lightening and cracked in half.  "Just down in there.  Mind your heads, now, mind your heads!"  The gnome points to a hollowed out knot at the base of the tree with a cleverly hidden set of hardened clay stairs leading downward.  Though it's hard for some of the taller to squeeze through the knot, the inside of the tree opens up vertically and is surprisingly spacious.  Though narrow, the clay steps give way to stone and everyone soon finds themselves down below the tree in a round well-furnished room complete with a wooden plank table, four small chairs, one bench seat, a hearth with a flue that must open somewhere up in the wood, and a hearth that has a bit of copper piping running from the back of the cooktop to the hearth flue as an impromptu exhaust.  Bundles of wild onions, dried mushrooms, lavender, and thyme hang from pegs on the walls.  

Dungeddin and Fognewtin have evidently been quite busy in the interim, for a copper kettle on the stove whistles with steaming water.  Fognewtin pours cups of tea and brings these round while Dungeddin lays a platter of creamy oyster and woody morel mushrooms out on the table for the guests.

Once inside, Mazzel winks again at Rhys.  "Arquestan's a queer sort.  Human, I guess."   The gnome knits his brows.  "Or not.  Hard to say.  He don't ever say when he'll come around, and we don't see him but once every blue moon.  Saved me and me brother,"  Mazzel points at Dungeddin, "when we were both but runts.  Never done me wrong, that much I can say, and saved my hide more'n once.  So when he come 'round earlier, saying to expect guests and point 'em on their way, I says yes."


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## Rhun (Feb 1, 2007)

Rowan looks around the chamber appraisingly, after a few moments gives a nod of approval. This place was certainly to the halfling's liking. Graycloak would never find him in a place like this. Accepting the cup of tea with muttered thanks, Rowan moves to sit down in one of the small chairs. "How'd this man know we'd be coming?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 1, 2007)

"I dunno, but he did.  I've sometimes wondered how Arquestan knows the things he does.  He seems to show up just before things happen sometimes."   Mazzel quirks an eyebrow at Rowan.  "Think he has a crystal ball?  My nephew saw one of those once, in a wizard's tower.  Turned hisself into a toad trying to use the darn thing, though."  Mazzel points at a pot of water in the corner of the room, where a large bullfrog croaks from its perch on a bit of rock inside the pot.

Dungeddin eyes the plate of mushrooms with lust and pops one in his mouth.  Between chews, the gnome asks, "Can we see the thing you got?  Arquestan said he thought something important'd been found.  I'm kinda curious to see it.  I just love magic items, and Fognewtin too!"   Mazzel harumphs.  "Don't mind them two.  We're here on the citadel grounds hoping to find some buried treasure.  Found a few things already, a pretty ladies necklace and a ring.  Lost the ring though."   Mazzel looks thoughtful and touch sad for a moment.


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## Rhun (Feb 1, 2007)

Rowan raises an eyebrow. "Actually, I wouldn't mind examining this thing myself. I have some small knowledge of magic."


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 1, 2007)

"Well, which one of yous gots it?"  Fognewtin eagerly asks, excitement plain in his eyes.


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## hafrogman (Feb 1, 2007)

Rhys says nothing, but simply spreads his empty hands.  He barely caught a glimpse of the thing during the conversation in the bar earlier.  Was that what all this commotion was about?


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## Brain (Feb 2, 2007)

Arden frowns, pouting slightly.  "He told you to expect guests, but you didn't clean the place up?  Maybe you lost the ring in here and can't find it in all of this clutter!"

Arden gestures grandly, and produces the wand subtly while the others might be slightly distracted looking around the room.  She hands the wand to Rowan and begins looking around for a broom or something to sweep up with.


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## Rhun (Feb 2, 2007)

Rowan flips the wand back and forth dextrously in his hands, carefully looking the thing over.



*OOC: Knowledge (Arcana) +5 or Spellcraft +7 to determine if Rowan knows or can tell anything about the wand.*


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## hafrogman (Feb 2, 2007)

Rhys gives the wand a dubious look.

*"That's it?"*


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 2, 2007)

The wand is quite long for an instrument of its type.  Fully 14 inches in length, the wand is crafted of smooth lusterless black metal.  Wyleck, who had already seen the wand back in the Cockatrice before all the abyss broke loose, grunts in recognition.  Rowan tosses the wand back and forth a time or two, long enough to realize that the thing isn't nearly as long as the eye would impart.  The wand only _seems_ to be over a foot long, when in fact it looks as if someone has affixed a ten inch piece of ebony to the end of a four inch piece of matte black metal.

Rolled a 1 on the Spellcraft.  Yowza.    The Know (arc) went a little better.  I bought new dice last night, sorry.

Rowan has a look at the seam where the ten inch length of ebony is affixed to the four inch bit of metal.  While unsure what magical power this "wand" might have, Rowan remembers a book from his master's shelves on the history of House Edain.  One of the Old Kings from that now deceased line was said to have a wand of healing that was used after the Battle of Lucmyd to heal both his own Guard and the entire regiment assigned to protect the hamlet of Lucie-by-the-Sky on the eastern sea.  This wand bears a remarkable resemblance to the one held by the Old King in an illustration inside one of Rowan's former master's book.  History, however, is often overly kind to the great kings of ages past, and certainly Michel Edain would have been no exception.  The party passed a statue of him on their way to the citadel grounds just this morning.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 2, 2007)

Mazzel looks a touch wounded by Arden's accusation about the unordered state of his home.  "Gads, you think the ring's in here?!  Wouldn't that be marvelous luck!  And here I thought the water beast in the Bathmere ate it."   Mazzel looks like he's just about to commence turning over furniture to have a thorough look through his quarters for his long ring when Arden hands the wand over to Rowan.  Dazzled by the prospect of magic in their home, the three rock gnomes jig over to stand close to Rowan and exclaim over the item as it's a holy relic of the God of tricks, Stecckirt Broadbarrel himself.  "Would ya look at that, Dungeddin!  All black, like that.  And long, too.  That's a big wand, gotta be something of the fantastic in that.  Can I hold it?"   At this last exclamation from Fognewtin, both Mazzel and Dungedding fall silent in shock.  Mazzel thunks Fognewtin on the forehead.  "Where's your manners, Fognewtin?  They're guests, don't you be askin' to hold their magics!"


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## Brain (Feb 2, 2007)

Arden gets a cunning grin on her face.  "Maybe if you let me tidy up a bit in here I can convince my friends to let you touch the magic wand.  I can't guarantee anything, of course."


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## Rhun (Feb 2, 2007)

Rowan shrugs, and offers the ebony wand to whoever would examine it next. "Looks very much like something that the Old King Michel Edain once had. I believe that one had the power to heal. Whether or not this is the same item, though, I do not know."


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 2, 2007)

Mazzel licks his lips in indecision but shakes his head.  "Tidy sort, aren't you?  Make a good gnomewif.  But, no, Arquestan said only to tell you 'ruat', to be careful about followers, and for us to point you on your way."  Mazzel smacks his forehead.  "Vaati.  That's what he is.  Been so long since I had to think of that, I'd plumb forgot.  Arquestan, that is.  He's not human, he's vaati."  Mazzel looks confused.  "'Course, I don't rightfully know what the devil that is.  He looks human enough, but once I heard someone else curse him as vaati and that's how I knows it."  The orange-haired gnome shoots a look at Rowan.  "Don't know what you want to do now.  Arquestan said show you the way but maybe there's other things you're needing to tend to."   The gnome rocks back on two heels and twiddles his thumbs in glee.  "Offer's good whenever you like.  If we're not here in the hidey hole, we're probably somewhere else on the grounds or 'neath the keep, digging.  Just come a lookin'."


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## Rhun (Feb 3, 2007)

Rowan shrugs. "I'm not sure what it is we're to do. But I am a wanderer...all that I own I wear, or carry in my pack. And this wand, and your words, have piqued my curiousity. A grand adventure awaits, eh?"


*OOC: Does Rowan have any clue what a Vaati might be? 
Knowledge: Arcana +5, Knowledge: Dungeoneering +4, Knowledge: Local +5, Knowledge: Nature +5, Knowledge: Other (Untrained) +3
*


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## hafrogman (Feb 5, 2007)

Rhys cocks his head at the gnomes.  

*"Show us the way. . . where?"*


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 5, 2007)

The name Arquestan strikes a bell in Rowan.  Rowan remembers seeing a street performer by the name of Arquesta.  A human lass of maybe 19 with a rich throaty voice and a troupe of performing white rats, Arquesta frequents the Rivermark and can oft be found outside Moss's Agates and Gewgaws, a jeweler's shop inside the labrythine market place down by Nickleby Bar.  Other than that, that's all Rowan recalls of the name Arquestan.  Rowan has no idea who or what a "vaati" might be at this point, other than what Mazzel was able to provide.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 5, 2007)

"Down the rabbit hole, a course!"  Mazzel winks at Rhys.  "Look, I reckon you're wanting to see the place Arquestan said ter show you, so I can at least show you the way.  After that, it's up to you whether you go down.  I sure's cain't make you, an' I wouldn't want to.  Bout the best I can do is tell you what I knows of the hole that he said ter lead yous to."   Mazzel offers the platter of mushrooms around.  "Arquestan said there's another piece to that there stick you got, that the piece you got would tell you where the next piece is, and that I'm to show the entrance to the network of caverns where he thinks maybe the next one might be.  Now, I can tell you straight up that we don't much go down this particular hole.  No sir, not after the first time we went down there and Fognewtin nearly got his leg chewed off by a fishman.  There's sinkholes in there, nasty slime and oozes, the mushrooms what as grow down in there ain't no good ter eat, and it smells bad.  Mushroom?"   Mazzel shoves the platter in front of Rowan.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 6, 2007)

Rowan neglects to select a mushroom from the platter, so Mazzel puts the plate down, clearly disappointed.  Brushing his hands together a time or two, the gnome asks around, "So.  Ready, then?  Or sommat else?"


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## Rhun (Feb 6, 2007)

*OOC: Sorry, missed that last post.*


"I'm ready," says the halfling, standing and adjusting his hat. "And perhaps on the way, you can tell us 'bout these fishmen?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 6, 2007)

Mazzel grabs a small pack meant for day excursions, a pick, and his walking stick.  Dungeddin and Fognewtin do the same, only Fognewtin loads up with a supper basket to boot.  "Sure thing,"  says Mazzel, chipper.  "Fishmen.  Just like you might get from their name, they likes the water, they does.  And you wouldn't know it from the way the rest of the city's always dusty and dry, but there's a big aquifer under all this bedrock.  The grounds here're under lock an' key, so I don't reckon you know much about Bathmere, but there's a wellspring just south of the keep on the grounds what as makes a nice looking pool.  Glassy, smooth water.  And clean, has a mossy taste.  No fishmen there, but underneath it all, in the dark and cold, that's where you'll find 'em.  Carry spears and worship a nasty, slimy frog god of some sort.  They'll channel lightening, too.  Watch out when they get their priests all lined up holdin' hands, like.  They'll whip lightening around like a child's plaything, they will."  Mazzel pushes up one of his tunic sleeves and shows off a jagged red burn of a scar.  "Hurt like a mug at the time.  Still does when there's a storm brewin' up top."


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## Rhun (Feb 7, 2007)

Rowan shakes his head in disbelief. Fishmen under the city? That certainly could not be good. "How many of these fishmen are there? And why did they attack you?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 7, 2007)

"Didn't stay down there that long to fully see," Mazzel winks at Rowan, "but what I saw there were enough to make me ill inclined to go back, if you take my meaning.  An' just like Thisbe here, I reckon they'll attack just to defend their lair.  Territorial little buggers."


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## Rhun (Feb 7, 2007)

Rowan sighs heavily. Why was it always danger and death, the halfling wondered. Why couldn't it be fine ale, good food, and pretty spinsters waiting for him?


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 7, 2007)

Hearing Rowan sigh heavily, Mazzel grins and doffs the halfling on the shoulder.  "Chip up, mate.  If you're doing Arquestan's work, you're on the right side, and good always gets Her boon at the end.  The Luckmaiden'll see to that, just you watch."  The gnome casts a look around his hidey hole and scratches his head.  "You all need anything afore we set off?  We gots a few odds an' ends 'round here that don't no one use all that much that we could part with.  Oh, wait...an' I got this...where is it now..."   Mazzel roots through a shelf, sending a spray of knick knacks off to the side to clatter on the floor.  Triumphantly holding up a scroll tube, the gnome jabs goodnaturedly at Rowan.  "Here now, just a little something, but maybe you'll find it useful sometime.  Think there might be a _hornung's guess_ and maybe something else in there, not sure."


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## Rhun (Feb 7, 2007)

"Ah...thank you," stammers Rowan as the scroll tube is shoved into his hands. "That's very kind of you. Very kind indeed."


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## pallandrome (Feb 7, 2007)

Wyleck cracks his tiny knuckles togeather.

"Well, my pappy always tole me, grove rest his spirit, that fishmen were not to be trusted, swam with, or knuckleboned about. I, for one, would be more than happy to thrash some waterlogged sappers!"


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## hafrogman (Feb 7, 2007)

Rhys looks around curiosly at the group.

*"So we're intending to go down a strange hole, to a fallen city full of angry fishmen in search of another wand, like the one we have, which we still don't know what it does?  I'm not objecting or anything, I'm just checking."*


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## Rhun (Feb 7, 2007)

Rowan smiles at Rhys. "Why? Got something better to do?"


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## pallandrome (Feb 7, 2007)

"Well, truth be told, which be good policy among companions and the like, not to bend words or pass fallicies, I've a lack of more interesting persuits, interests, hobbies, pasttimes, or appointments. I've seen forest and dale, city and town, and I'd like to see something new. Time to trade a tavern for a cavern as I see!"


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 7, 2007)

Mazzel shows everyone to three large trunks in another room containing lengths of rope, climbing gear, mining picks, and other miscellaneous odds and ends.  "Help yourselves.  Root around if you like and take what you need with you.  We've plenty of this kind of thing laying about, so no need to be shy."   

Those who look in the trunks see a couple of spare backpacks, a bedroll, caltrops, numerous candles, a 10 foot length of chain, a crowbar, flint and steel, a grappling hook, a hammer, a common lamp, two hooded lanterns, one bullseye lantern, manacles, numerous pints of oil for the lamps, two miner's picks, a collapsible 10 foot pole, three 50 foot lengths of silk rope, a bundle of 10 torches, a whetstone, two empty waterskins, six tindertwigs, a climber's kit, and a jar of mushrooms.

After everyone has helped themselves to anything they might need, Mazzel leads everyone outside.  Even filtered through the deep green of bough and limb, the yellow sunlight of the late afternoon is strong and Mazzel blinks after being underground.  With Thisbe out front and Fognewtin and Dungeddin in tow, Mazzel leads everyone on a half hour trek through the woods on the citadel grounds.  Every now and then, glimpses of the old keep's crenellations flash into view when the trees thin.  Mazzle favors a cunningly hidden path through the woods, at times doubling back or circling around.  Regardless of direction, the citadel seems to be nearly always to the group's right, hulking above all while continuing an ancient vigilance.  As the party treks past a grove of wizened old oaks, Mazzel falls silent and nervously eyes the trees.  After a spell of walking, Mazzel stops by a rock outcropping well north of his hidey hole and points to a crag about 20 feet up.  "There's a cave up there that goes way, way back.  That's the place _he_ wanted me to show you."  The climb looks steep but there are natural hand and footholds in the rock.


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## Guest 11456 (Feb 7, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

When the group had climbed down into the hole, Phud had followed. Once inside he took up a position at the edge of the chamber with his arms crossed and Bird upon his shoulder. Bouncing the only thing he knew how to do, so bouncing he did. But with nothing bad happening he just stood there.

When the group was lead into the other room with the equipment, Phud dutifully packs up everything into the two backpacks and shoulders both packs. "Phud and Bird ready to go!" Then he follows the group out to the crag.


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## Rhun (Feb 8, 2007)

Rowan can only smile in surprise as the massive half-orc fills the packs with kit and hoists them both over his shoulders. The halfling was certain that just one of those packs would crush him under its weight. "We'll be well equipped at any rate," he says out loud, quite happy to let Phud carry the gear.


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## hafrogman (Feb 8, 2007)

Rhys shrugs to himself.

*"I suppose I do not have anything better to do after all.  At least not until Vaja puts her bar back together."*

He follows the gnomes to their stash and retrieves a lantern and some oil, ready for whatever lies beneath.

*"Without darkness there is no light . . . without light. . . I would stub my toes."*


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## Rhun (Feb 8, 2007)

"Well said, my friend," says Rowan, nodding at Rhys. "It dawns on me that I've used some of my arcane power for the day already. If there are aggressive fishfolk to deal with, perhaps it would be best to explore these caves after I've had a chance to rest and study?" The halfing looks around, examining the area. "We could camp right here, and get an early start on the 'morrow."


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## Brain (Feb 8, 2007)

Arden also silently applauds Phud's choice to carry the gear.  After the latest comment, she pipes up, "Did Arquestan leave any sort of timeline with the cryptic instructions?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 8, 2007)

Mazzel pipes up.  "Yer welcome back in our hole, if ye like.  These woods're dangerous at night.  If the hour trek there an' back isn't to your liking and camping's the ticket, then I recommend you climb up into the cave.  Safer there, even with the odd creature rolling out from the dark below, than to sleep here on the forest floor."


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 8, 2007)

Mazzel shakes his head no at Arden.  "That man don't operate on time, I swear.  It's like he don't even recognize that time exists.  To answer your question more directly, no he didn't say nothing 'bout time."


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## pallandrome (Feb 9, 2007)

"Well, then he won't mind the likes o' us not rushin around in taking care of our buisiness and endevours! I say we rest atop this likely crag for the eve. A night amongst the blustery winds will do well against my soul."

Wyleck picks up a rope and a few torches, and begins his ascent after tying rope around Yssal to haul him up after.


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## Rhun (Feb 9, 2007)

Rowan eyes the rockface with a disapproving look on hisface. "I'm really not much of a climber..."


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## Rhun (Feb 9, 2007)

Despite his reservations, the halfling wizard moves forward and begins climbing after Wyleck. 


*Climb +2, Take 10*


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 9, 2007)

Mazzel shakes his head sorrowfully as if believing this may be the last time he sees the companions.  "Suit yerselves!"  The three rock gnomes stand to the side while the others climb up the short bit of rock outcropping.  Dungeddin and Fognewtin hand up packs, gear, and help tie Yssal.  Wyleck is the first to climb up and finds a crack in the outcropping that seems like it might be the narrow entrance to a cave.  Yssal, clearly unhappy about the prospect of being tied and leashed and then _hoisted_ above ground, looks plaintively up at Wyleck.  With a soothing but firm tone, Wyleck stays Yssal's nerves so that the dog is calm enough to be lifted up to the cave on the end of two ropes.  Rowan is next up and finds the climb causes him no difficulty, particularly with the aid of rope to steady his footing and balance.  Once Wyleck, Yssal and Rowan are up the rock, Mazzel eyes Arden, Phud, and Rhys.  "Three up, three down.  You three campin' out here for the night or you going up?"


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## Brain (Feb 9, 2007)

Arden makes sure that the wand is carefully stowed along with the rest of her gear and carefully climbs up (take 10).

She calls down to the gnomes, "Don't worry, I'll come back sometime and visit.  Not enough gnomes in this town and I like your forest."


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 9, 2007)

Arden is soon up the crag and standing beside Rowan.  Mazzel waves cheerfully from the bottom.


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## hafrogman (Feb 9, 2007)

Rhys shrugs and stares up the rocky face.

*"I guess I'm going up.*


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## pallandrome (Feb 9, 2007)

Wyleck spends a few moments rubbing Yssal's back to calm him down from the trip, and then peers curiously down the tunnel entrance.

"I think we should aim for quietude, as echoes might reach an unfriendly ear eh?" he whispered, looking for any signs of movement in the dark.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 9, 2007)

Rhys climbs up next, followed by Phud.  Chunks of rock and small pebbles rain down the crag's face when Phud lumbers up the cliff, causing Mazzel and Fognewtin to step backward away from the outcropping.  The last of the gear up top with Phud, the three gnomes wave a hearty goodbye then depart and are soon lost from view under the eaves of the surrounding wood.  A thrush alights on a boulder near Wyleck and trills a greeting, its head cocked to the side.

Wyleck peers into the crack and finds that the disparity between daylight outside and the dark cave beyond and his own limitations in vision make it difficult to see what, if anything, might be in there.  The best Wyleck can make out is that the cave opens up inside and goes at least 15 feet back, has a decent height that will probably accomodate Phud if the hulk hunches over, and that the floor of the cavern is extremely uneven.  Judging by the feel of the air coming from the jagged opening, there is a source of water nearby.  All inside the cave is silent.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 9, 2007)

Wyleck quickly judges that while Phud will probably fit inside the cavern once inside, getting the large half-orc through the opening may prove to be a challenge.  The hole either needs to be widened or Phud needs to be a little smaller.


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## pallandrome (Feb 9, 2007)

Wyleck scratches his scraggly little beard and considers the problem.

"We either need a smaller Phud or a larger Cave. Does anyone have the makings of a smaller Phud on them? I suspect it would be quieter than the makings of a larger cave. If we have neither, we could always try to slide him through with some oil...Bird? Your thoughts?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 9, 2007)

Bird raucously caws, sending the little thrush winging it off into the air.


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## pallandrome (Feb 9, 2007)

"Hmm...I concur. Ok gentlefolk, we rest here for the night, and break out the picks come dawn."


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## Rhun (Feb 9, 2007)

As Rowan moves into the coolness of the cave, a rather large black rat crawls from his pack to perch upon the halfling's shoulder. It chitters at him noisily. "Quiet, Grinai," says Rowan, retrieving a small piece of cheese from his beltpouch to feed to the rodent.

Seeing Phud's predicament, Rowan thinks for a moment. "I believe I have a solution to your problem, my large friend. I have a spell that can grease up these walls quite nicely."


*CB, will Grease work to slide Phud through?*


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## Rhun (Feb 9, 2007)

Rowan chants the words of arcane power, and feels a tingling euphoria rush through his body as his spell is cast. The rocky walls of the cleft in the cliff-face are suddenly slick with slippery grease.

"Take a run at it now, Phud. You'll slide through like a greased pig.



*Memorized Spells:*
*Level 0 –* Mage Hand, Detect Magic, Acid Splash, Daze
*Level 1 –* Sleep, Summon Monster I, Grease


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## pallandrome (Feb 9, 2007)

"I must confess Rowan, I have not had the ill luck to encounter a greased pig. Do they truly slide that well?"


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## Rhun (Feb 9, 2007)

Rowan smiles at Wyleck. "They truly do. We used to play "catch the pig" when I was growing up." The halfling wizard gets a sad look in his eyes as he remembers the past. After a few moments, he shakes his head to clear the thoughts away. "Anyway, you'd grease a pig and chase it, and the first one to catch it would win the game...you'd be surprised how hard it is to grapple with a greased pig."


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 13, 2007)

At Rowan's suggestion, Phud nods enthusiastically and backs up nigh to falling backward off the cliff face.  Bird takes to flight ere Phud can fall.  Catching his balance with a sheepish grunt, Phud charges forward full bore at the narrow and jagged entrance to the cavern.  The half orc slams into the rock face and comes away with a bloody nose for his efforts.  A few seconds later, bits of rock fall away from the entrance of the cavern.  Eyeing the slightly wider hole, Phud wipes his nose with the back of his sleeve and, this time taking his time, wriggles through the _greased_ opening with ease.  The half orc is soon out of sight, and is followed immediately thereafter by Bird, who lights on a nearby boulder and hops into the cave behind his master.

Phud's eyes adjust to the dark.  Fully 10 feet wide but more like 50 feet long and with an uneven ceiling looming 10 feet above, the cavern floor is rocky and treacherous in places.  The cave angles sharply downward in five sets of 10-foot-wide terraced ledges that run toward the rear of the cavern, where a spring of water wells up from somewhere underground in a dark pool.  Phud's orchish blood allows his eyes to adjust quite comfortably to the dark cave and he soon notes that there appears to be another gaping hole in the rear of the cavern, along the left side of the rocky wall.


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## Rhun (Feb 13, 2007)

"Well, this looks like a fine place to spend the night," says Rowan, glancing around the cavern. "o 'course, a double watch might be a grand idea."


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 13, 2007)

Phud spits more blood and smiles between his tusks.  "Phud and Bird make two!"


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## Rhun (Feb 13, 2007)

"Grinai and I make two as well," replies Rowan, gesturing at the black rat on his shoulder. "Though I must admit, I'd prefer to spend watch with someone that wants to do more than eat."


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## hafrogman (Feb 13, 2007)

Rhys follows the newly greased Phud into the cave beyond the opening, carefully feeding his spear through the opening.  He gazes around and shrugs, it should serve well enough.  

Phud's statement about watches causes him to crack a smile and he remarks to himself under his breath.

*"I expect that Phud and Bird make at most one and a half."*

He refrains from poinint out that he would consider Bird to be the one and Phud. . .  He considers the half orc's bleeding nose with a small scowl.  Tsking slightly, he hands the man a small scrap of cloth.

*"Hold this to your nose."*


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## Brain (Feb 13, 2007)

Arden stands a while longer on the ledge overlooking the forest.  She takes her time and studies the surroundings, reminiscing on years gone by.  A stray tear rolls down her cheek.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 13, 2007)

Phud looks at Rhys's proffered scrap of cloth as if it's a foreign object worthy of suspicion.  After three long seconds pass, Bird caws, startling Phud to action.  With a grunt, the half orc grabs the impromptu handkerchief and stuffs it up a nostril to staunch the trickle of blood.

With the light outside dying fast, the cave quickly withdraws into even deeper darkness.  The pool of water, when tested, seems clean for drinking and tastes of minerals.  Not very deep, the pool is a mere five feet in diameter, and perhaps only ten inches deep.  A drip of water from the cavern wall every few seconds feeds the pool, and the water must leach into the rock bed from there, for no means of egress can be seen within the water.

*Set a watch order, please.*


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## hafrogman (Feb 14, 2007)

Rhys finds a spot to settle down with his back against a wall, somewhere where he can watch both entrances to their little home.  He nods to Arden as he tries to get himself comfortable, but not too comfortable, as he starts his watch.  He spear leans against his shoulder and he scratches idly at his stubble as he tries to get a handle on the day.  It has been an unusual one.  As the night closes in around him, he wonders how the Cockatrice is doing, what lingering effects will the attack have there?


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## Rhun (Feb 14, 2007)

Rowan lays out his bedroll against one wall, near to the outer entrance to the cave. Anything coming that way would have to climb the cliff, and would probably be detected ahead of time. After a few minutes of puttering about, he lays down, and slowly drifts off into a deep slumber.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 14, 2007)

The night passes away mostly uneventfully.  During Rowan's tenure at watch near the cave's mouth opening, he wakes to the sound of snuffling outside.  After moving to the door and peering discreetly down into the inky night, Rowan makes out the shape of a large hairy creature with tusks walking on four feet, its nose bent to the earth as it snuffles along in search of something.  The creature lingers at the base of the cliff where Rowan and the others had stood ere climbing up in the afternoon, then moves on, its nose pressed to the ground.

At dawn, the southward facing crack doesn't permit too much light into the cave, but the quality of the air near the mouth changes enough to let everyone inside know that it's sunup.


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## Rhun (Feb 14, 2007)

Rowan awakes with a stretch and a yawn. After a quick walk around the cave to get his blood flowing, the halfling sits back down to study his spellbook. After some quiet study time to prepare his spells, the halfling rolls up his bedroll and prepares for the adventure before them.


*Rowan prepares:
Level 0 – Mage Hand, Detect Magic, Acid Splash, Daze
Level 1 – Sleep, Summon Monster I, Grease*


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## Brain (Feb 14, 2007)

Arden wakes and packs away her stuff carefully.  Then she uses the morning light to examine the cave and tidy things up in the area.  If there is litter from the other party members, she places it carefully near their packs.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 14, 2007)

Arden walks the length of the cave, tidying, and notes that the pool of water is slightly deeper today than it was yesterday.  Not by much, but enough that she can detect a difference.  Walking around the cave, Arden notes the cave entrance through which everyone slipped yesterday, the gaping hole in the back of the cave, and a third hidden alcove two feet up on the cave's sidewall that looks like it might contain a cunningly concealed door of some sort.


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## hafrogman (Feb 14, 2007)

Rhys rises early and tries to find himself a few moments alone, slightly apart from the rest of the group.  He pulls out the metal disc that is always hanging around his neck and begins to tune out the rest of the cave.  He remains seated, with the disc held tightly in his hands, for a few minutes before rising to rejoin the group.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 14, 2007)

The disc clasped by Rhys is metal, perfectly round, and looks like it might be blank on one side.  The other side has some sort of unusual etching on it.  The entire thing is very alien looking and certainly does not resemble any pendant worn by anyone native to the city.


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## Brain (Feb 14, 2007)

Arden mentions the things she notices to anybody who'll listen.


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## pallandrome (Feb 14, 2007)

"Hmm, interesting door. I propose an investigation of the door as of primary importance. It indicates possible residents that I would rather avoid giving offense." says Wyleck as he stretches and scratches out the kinks from a long night of sound sleep on stone.

*spells prepared*
lvl0:light, cure minor wounds, detect magic
lvl1roduce Flame, Cure Light Wounds


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## Rhun (Feb 14, 2007)

"Indeed," says Rowan, moving toward the door. After a moment's consideration, he continues. "Do any of you have the skill to check such portals  for anything of interest or danger?"


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## Brain (Feb 14, 2007)

Arden nods.  "I'll take a look."  She pads over to the secret door and checks the whole area for any sort of trap before proceeding to determine how it opens.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 14, 2007)

Arden eyes the door frame, lintel, and the door itself.  The door is certainly not trapped nor does it appear as if there's any sort of locking mechanism.  There is no door knob. Arden is fairly certain that the door, while heavy due to being crafted of stone, may simply slide into a recess in the adjoining wall.  Putting a careful ear to the door, Arden listens but hears nothing inside.


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## hafrogman (Feb 14, 2007)

Rhsy stands by and silently watches as the others investigate the hidden door that Arden discovered.  He leans against his spear and drums his fingers along it as he waits.  After a few moments, the drumming becomes more a little tune in his own mind and less of an idle gesture.  Then, as if suddenly becoming aware of his behavior, he clamps his hand down motionlessly on the spear again.

*"Anything?"*


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## Brain (Feb 15, 2007)

Arden shakes her head.  "Not even locked.  Just slides to the side, I think.  Looks heavy though.  Maybe Phud can open it."


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## Guest 11456 (Feb 15, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Hearing his name, Phud walks up to Arden and clears his throat. Then he clears his throat again. Then once more. He pauses a moment. Then clears his throat what might seem like a final time. Then another long pause as if he might be thinking of something. And finally it is time for those words of wisdom everyone has been so patiently waiting for. "Whut me do?" Then he stares down at Arden waiting for her instructions.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 16, 2007)

Arden smiles kindly at the oaf.  "Put your fingers in here," Arden shows Phud a crevice, "and then pull toward you so that this section of stone, it's a door really, slides into the wall just over there."   Arden stands back after explaining to give Phud some room to work.

Phud finds that the door presents no problem when he pulls to slide it.  Inside is a ten foot square cubby with some miner's excavation tools, rope, and a moth-eaten cot.


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## Rhun (Feb 16, 2007)

"Anything of value?" asks Rowan, trying to peer through his companions to see what has been discovered.


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## Guest 11456 (Feb 16, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Hearing someone ask about the contents of the hidden cubby hole, Phud steps back out of the way. "Me movez! Let youz see."


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## hafrogman (Feb 16, 2007)

Rhys peers into the small room, looking over the shoulders of those in front of him.

*"Someone was exploring the cave for a while it seems.  Perhaps our erstwhile gnome friends?"*

[sblock=ooc]Is the cot sized for small or medium?[/sblock]


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## Rhun (Feb 16, 2007)

"Thank you, Phud," says Rowan, a little nervously. Although the half-orc seemed pleasant enough, the way he towered over Rowan left the halfling a little uncomfortable. If Phud ever tripped and fell, Rowan would have to be quick on his feet, or would likely be crushed!


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 16, 2007)

The cot looks sized for someone small, perhaps someone Rowan or Wyleck's size.  Arden hops into the cranny and, tossing the odd bit of equipment to the side, roots around.  When done, she sticks her head up and pipes, "Just some mining gear.  They took the good stuff with them, but some of this might serve if we ever get into a really bad pickle."   The brown-skinned gnome points at the cot.  "Stuff like that, I wouldn't want to mix with my good gear.  The mold might spread."  Arden jumps down from the alcove.  "What now, that hole in the back of the room?  Sure is a cold air blowing up from that thing.  Who wants to go first?"  Arden shivers.


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## Rhun (Feb 16, 2007)

*Rowan Aledown*

"Perhaps one of you big folk would prefer to do the honors of going first?


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## Guest 11456 (Feb 16, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Bird flies down off of Phud's shoulder and lands on a nearby rock. He looks up at his master."Phud goes first!" Phud shrugs and lumbers over to the hole.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 17, 2007)

*Please indicate what light source, if any, the party is using.*

With Phud out front, followed by Arden, then Rhys, and then Rowan bookended by Wyleck and Yssal last of all, the party treks into the gaping black maw of a hole in the rear of the cavern.  After an hour of steady walking at a downward cant, the twisting passage forces the group into narrower quarters, and everyone is shunted into a singlefile line.  Cramped quarters lie ahead, and the reek of decay seems to be coming from somewhere nearby.


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## hafrogman (Feb 19, 2007)

Rhys follows in line, his spear balanced on his shoulder and a lantern raised high in his other hand as he peers into the darkness.  The smell assaults his nose and triggers memories.  He isn't sure who's memories they are, but they overpower him for a second.  He shakes his head, trying to clear it and ignore the scent, muttering to himself.

*"Death lingers, rot takes hold and grasps at the hearts of men.  Beware the darkness."*

[sblock=ooc]Unless someone has something else, Rhys has the lantern he lifted from the gnomes and is using that.[/sblock]


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## Rhun (Feb 19, 2007)

Rowan crinkles his nose at the scent, but says nothing. He has gone from using his walking stick to aid his travels to holding in a grip best suited for beating someone. Or something...


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 21, 2007)

Rhys holds aloft a lantern taken from the gnomes.  With the hooded lantern emanating a strong yellow nimbus of light, the way ahead is illuminated enough for everyone to see that after bottlenecking for ten feet, the tunnel widens ahead into a cavern, the walls of which look to be studded with multicolored chunks of quartz.  Though patches of mold, or perhaps moss, cover the crystals in swatches of brown and green, the crystals beneath pick up the lantern light and reflect it in a milleu of brilliant vermillion, canary yellow, and the deepest aquamarine down to a rich ultraviolet.  The air of the cavern, though fetid, seems to vibrate with energy the closer the group approaches.


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## Rhun (Feb 21, 2007)

Rowan is most interested in the crystal formations ahead. He pokes and prods at them with his walking stick as they pass them, hoping to knock a few pieces loose for later study.


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## hafrogman (Feb 21, 2007)

Rhys watches with fascination as the crystals catch the light of the lantern and cascade it back in so many colors.  He smiles slightly to himself as he treads carefully after Phud.

*"Quite beautiful, really."*


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## pallandrome (Feb 21, 2007)

"Take care of it. Wouldn't trust that beauty to make things ugly soon. My pappy used to talk about cave diving like it was playing chess, where if you loose, you die."
says Wyleck, eyeing the walls warily.


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## Guest 11456 (Feb 21, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud continues plodding forward. Bird, now back on the half-orc's shoulder, rides along.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 21, 2007)

When the group treks into the crystal cavern, the crystals catch and refract the light from Rhys's lantern.  As soon as Rhys steps into the cavern, the crystals vibrate, filling the the cavern with the sound of clattering and grinding rock.  In but a second more, the moss on the wall turns from mottled brown and green to bright violet and a hideously loud raucus shriek emits from it, amplified a hundred-fold by the crystal of the cave.


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## pallandrome (Feb 21, 2007)

"Ach, see? I _told_ you pretty was no good!" shouts Wyleck over the noise, as his hands clap firmly over his ears.


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## Brain (Feb 21, 2007)

Arden's mind immediately starts racing, and she realizes that this is a sort of alarm that will alert anybody who resides further inside the cave to their position.  She springs into action, reaching up to grab Phud's hand and lead him further in the cave and making a snap decision, decides to go whichever way leads away from the fungus and crystals faster while still going forward, with the goal of finding somewhere for the group to hide and observe if possible.  She also waves the rest of the group along with them.


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## pallandrome (Feb 21, 2007)

"Oh this is not a good idea." says Wyleck, but he leads Yssal past the howling mushroom and onward deeper into the caves, keeping one eye on the path ahead, of him, and the other on the path behind...


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 22, 2007)

Arden grabs Phud and darts to the right, down the southern of a pair of passageways.  With everyone else in tow, the pair quickly finds a shallow alcove in the natural rock wall in which to hide.  The air is moist and stalagmites spire from the cavern floor up toward the low 8 foot ceiling in this area.  A few icicle-like stalactites narrowly hang from the ceiling in clusters.  Inside this new cavern, the air is dead still.  The shrieking from the crystal cavern endures another half a minute then abruptly ceases, seemingly of its own accord.  Other than the occasional plink of water dripping somewhere down here, everything is quiet.


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## Rhun (Feb 22, 2007)

Rowan stays toward the rear of the troop, his walking stick in hand, ready to club the first thing that jumps out at him. He also does a mental check of his prepared spells, just in case one of them is needed soon.


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## hafrogman (Feb 22, 2007)

Rhys groans slightly and opens and closes his mouth a few times, trying to get the ringing out of his ears.

*"That was unpleasant."*


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## Brain (Feb 22, 2007)

Arden stays still and whispers to her companions, "Let's observe a while longer.  Whoever heard that might be pretty far away; it was mighty loud."


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 22, 2007)

"BOOM!" Deeper in the network of caverns, the sound of something heavy slamming against rock resounds with thundering ferocity.  The reverberation from the sound causes the dripping plink of water to momentarily cease, then resume with an increased pace for a few seconds before settling back into its former pattern.  Yssal's ears prick.

[sblock=Wyleck]Wyleck makes out the sound of heavy footfalls approaching, albeit from relatively far away.  Whatever is walking seems to be heading in the party's general direction, though not hurriedly.  And it's _big_.[/sblock]


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## Brain (Feb 22, 2007)

Arden nods knowingly.  "As I suspected." she whispers.  She pulls out her crossbow, loading it quietly.  Then she crosses the room to the south to the other alcove and hides there to create an ambush.


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## Rhun (Feb 22, 2007)

Rowan also takes up a position in hiding, ready to aid Arden.


*Hide +7*


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## pallandrome (Feb 22, 2007)

"I hear one, large and approaching our position. Yssal, don't attack until you see the... coloration of it's...eye like appendage...things?" Wyleck whispers to Yssal and his companions. Standing a little away from the others, and slightly behind Yssal, Wyleck casts Produce Flame, and uses it to cast a huge Yssal shadow, in the hopes of keeping the monster's attention away from those in hiding.


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## Guest 11456 (Feb 23, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud takes off his two backpacks full of stuff and then takes Bird off his shoulder and places him on one of the packs. "Stay Bird!" The bird looks up at his master and replies. "Bird will stay." Then Phud turns to his companions. "Phud look round!" Then the large half-orc walks off into the darkness toward the area near C-10. As he gets away from the light his darkvision kicks in and he is able to see without the aid of the light.


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## hafrogman (Feb 23, 2007)

Rhys carefully sets the lantern down at his feet, tightening his grip on his spear.  He smiles a little bit at Wyleck and the lantern light catches in his eyes, giving him a slightly devilish look.

*"What if it has no eyes?"*


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## pallandrome (Feb 23, 2007)

Wyleck shrugs, not daring to look away from the source of the sound. "Then he'll wait until he feels it's appropriate. He's not stupid."


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 23, 2007)

After Wyleck's warning, everyone hears heavy footfalls.  The rocks embedded amidst the dirt of the cavern shudder and groan at the impending approach of the apparently large creature.  Yssal skitters to the side as a stalactite icicle falls from the low ceiling and narrowly misses skewering his tail.  Looking up, Rowan and Wyleck spy an oddity on the cavern ceiling.  Several of the stalactites are _moving_.  A cluster of three, in particular, are headed to the southern patch of ceiling directly above Arden's head.  Just then, the heavy footfalls cease and are replaced by the sound of labored breathing and the scrape of fur and hide against rock.  Judging by the muffled but loud nature of the sounds, something very large is trying to squeeze through a narrow passageway, and whatever it is will come up via the tunnel near where Arden is lying in wait.  Dirt clods and shards of rock fall to the cavern floor, shaken loose by the rumbling approach of the creature.

[sblock=Phud]Phud moves all the way up to C10 and sees that the cavern is perhaps a network of caves.  The section in which he stands is composed of more rock than dirt.  The ceiling is a low 8 feet and there are a bevy of stalagmites littering the floor.  Between two of these rock columns, Phud spots a very large creature pass by the tunnel intersection dead ahead.  The creature is easily taller than Phud and is forced to stoop to accomodate its hulk in the low cave.  Phud catches a glimpse of a hooked beak on the creature's head.[/sblock]


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## Rhun (Feb 23, 2007)

Rowan hisses at his companion, trying to keep his voice low so as not to be overheard. "Hssss...Arden. Look out above you."


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## Brain (Feb 23, 2007)

Arden looks up, expecting to see something that she doesn't want to see.  She hunches down and gets ready to roll away.


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## Guest 11456 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

[sblock]Phud moves through the opening and follows behind the creature at what he figures is a safe distance (about 50 feet). He tries to move as stealthily as possible.[/sblock]


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## hafrogman (Feb 26, 2007)

Rhys looks up as Rowan warns Wyleck of the movement above them.  As his own eyes swing towards the ceiling, he tightens his grip on his spear and tries to figure out what is up there.

[sblock=ooc]Hmm. . . can you ready a spear against a dive?    


```
enemy

  ^            ^
  |            |
  S            S
  P    --->    P
  E          enEmy
  A            A
  R            R
```
[/sblock]


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 26, 2007)

A cluster of three stalactites scuttle another couple of inches across the ceiling and, when centered over Arden, launch themselves in a free fall.  The stalactites' brownish-gray icicle-like points fly for Arden, and she has time before dodging to note that the stalactites aren't mere rock at all but creatures well-adapted to their environment, complete with a white underbelly and two small, barely visible eyestalks protruding from their flanks.  Thanks to Rowan's timely warning, Arden handily dodges two of the stalactites but a third drops a beat later and mpales itself into her shoulder for 5 points of damage.   Arden feels her shoulder go white hot with pain as the creature leaches some sort of acid into the open wound.

*Arden had plenty of time to react and got a nice bonus to her AC because of the foreknowledge, but the third stalactite rolled a natural 20 on its attack.   *  

Rhys warns Wyleck of the stalactites scuttling about on the ceiling and then clenches his spear tighter.  Pointing the sharp tip of the spear upward at an angle designed to impale anything that drops down from above, Rhys stands his ground, as does Wyleck.  Yssal's ears prick and the dog's head whips to the left, to the passageway near Arden.  A low growl escapes the dog's throat.

Initiative

Arden 22
Wyleck/Yssal 17
Big creature 17
Rowan 13
Phud 5
Rhys 4
Ceiling creatures 1


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## Brain (Feb 27, 2007)

Arden lets out a quiet but indignant noise.  She moves away from the two creatures on the ground, getting next to some of her friends.  She then drops her crossbow and tries to get the thing off her shoulder.  She gestures frantically, looking for help if she can't get the thing off by herself.


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## Rhun (Feb 27, 2007)

Rowan grabs hold of the thing imbeded in Arden's shoulder, hoping to yank it out before it can do anymore damage.


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## pallandrome (Feb 27, 2007)

Wyleck, counting on Yssal to guard his back, leaps to grab one of the stalagtites that are stuck in the ground with his burning hand, hoping to scorch it before it can escape.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 28, 2007)

Arden moves closer to Wyleck and drops anything she was holding and grasps the stalactite creature impaled in her shoulder.  Pulling with both hands, though awkward due to the angle, Arden grabs hold of the calcified creature and yanks it free from her shoulder.  Blood freely flows down Arden's arm from a 2-inch gaping hole where the creature's point was embedded in the flesh of her shoulder.  While in Arden's grasp, the stalactite wriggles its eyestalks, frantically trying to feel its way free.

Quick on his feet, Wyleck leaps to grab one of the two stalactites that are now stuck in the ground with his burning hand, hoping to scorch it before it can escape.  The halfling sears one of the stalactites with his open flame, dealing the creature 6 points of damage.  The thing's eyestalks straighten in pain at Wyleck's burning grasp and the acrid smell of burnt mineral soon fills the narrow cavern as the creature's outer shell cracks.  Soon thereafter, the stalactite ceases moving altogether.  

Yssal remains planted exactly where he was and quizically watches Wyleck burn the stalactite.  The dog's shadow flickers on the rock and dirt wall of the cavern.  Movement down the tunnel near where Arden had formerly been standing catches Yssal's attention and the dog barks once, unable to restrain himself.

Wyleck, Arden, Rowan, and Rhys look up at the wall of the southern tunnel gives a great groan and bits of rock shake loose from the ceiling.  Yssal starts to furiously bark and look anxiously at Wyleck.  Just then, a large creature that towers tall enough to necessitate stooping under the low ceiling height and squeezing through the narrow tunnel breaks free of the southern passageway and lumbers its way into the cavern.  The first stalactite creature that had dropped on and missed Arden is handily squished beneath the hulking beast's foot.  The creature has a thick, shaggy coat of fur punctuated here and there with patches of feathers.  The thing's body is like a bear's but it has an avian head with pearlescent opaque white eyes and a hooked beak.  When the creature spies fresh meat ahead, it fixes its blank eyes on Yssal and emits a piercing and raucus caw that shakes more detritus free from the ceiling.  Wyleck and Arden catch the distinct whiff of carrion on the creature's breath.

*Pause here (mid-initiative) for Rhun to restate Rowan's action, if desired.  And also to give Phud and Rhys a bit more time to post their action for the round.  The large creature looks wounded and its rear portion is still wedged in the narrow tunnel behind it, making it vulnerable this round.  Rowan recognizes the large creature as an owlbear.  Very unusual to see such a beast, and a magical one at that, outside of its preferred environment of temperate forests.*


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## Guest 11456 (Feb 28, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud steps in behind the creature and swings his heavy mace at its flank. Meanwhile, Bird, seeing the large creature come through the opening, has flown off of his perch atop one of Phud's dropped backpacks and back away from the action.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 28, 2007)

Rowan lifts the butt end of his walking stick and uses it to pummel the wriggling stalactite held aloft by Arden.  Landing a solid thwack on the creature's soft white underbelly, Rowan beats the stalactite for 4 points of damage.   A red welt rises on the stalactite and viscous white ooze leaks from one of the creature's eyestalks as the calcified thing goes limp in Arden's hands.

Bird picks up and flies away to safety.  Phud hoists his heavy mace and brings the spiked weapon to bear on the rear quarters of the lumbering beast still partially wedged in the southern tunnel.  Everyone else in the main chamber hears the sound of ripping fur and flesh as Phud strikes the beast for 12 points of damage.

Eyeing the bleeding rent in Arden's shoulder, Rhys steps forward and, his hand on his metal disc, weaves magical healing from the thin air and sends the curative energy into Arden's shoulder.  Muscle knits anew and skin regrows, all in an instant.  Arden is healed for 8 points of damage, and soon all that is wrong with her is that her studded leather is torn where the stalactite had dropped on her from above.

The furred-and-feathered creature gives a shriek of pain then reacts, swinging a thick feathered forearm through the air at Yssal.  Yssal suffers a bone-grinding blow and is dealt 5 points of damage.  The creature's sharp beak snaps at thin air as it misses biting Yssal.

Arden spies three more stalactites moving on the ceiling, though this time the cluster is moving _out_ of the cavern, away from the large feathered creature on the attack.

Initiative

Arden 22
Wyleck/Yssal 17
Big creature 17
Rowan 13
Phud 5
Rhys 4
Ceiling creatures 1


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## Guest 11456 (Feb 28, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud continues to press the attack and swings once more on the beast. Meanwhile, Bird watches from a safe distance.


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## Rhun (Feb 28, 2007)

Rowan dodges back out of range of the big creature. "It's an owlbear! We must kill it quickly or we are in trouble," yells the small wizard. Even as he moves away, he intones words of arcane power. Although the halfling knows he doesn't possess the power to hold his summoning for very long, perhaps a short time would make all the difference.

A silver and gold mist appears before the large beast, and wisps away to reveal a large beetle, the glands above its eyes glowing brightly. Its white carapace is lined with silver and gold, and reflects the light of the adventurers' lamp. It moves into the fray, biting at the large creature with its powerful mandibles.



*
OOC: 5' step back, cast Summon Monster I. Celestial Giant Fire Beetle.

Sorry CB, I missed that little bit at the bottom of post 221.

Celestial Giant Fire Beetle* _(Small Vermin Small Magical Beast (Extraplanar); Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp); Initiative: +0; Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares); Armor Class: 16 (+1 size, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-4; Attack: Bite +1 melee (2d4);
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Smite Evil; Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., vermin traits, resistance to acid 5,cold 5, and electricity 5, spell resistance 6; Saves: Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0; Abilities: Str 10, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 7; Alignment: Always lawful good)
_


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## pallandrome (Feb 28, 2007)

Wyleck falls back, flinging fire from his hand at the beast.
"Yssal, don't just stand there, attack!" He shouts, as he launches globs of fire at the monsters head.



Yssal will try to trip the monster if he can.


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## CanadienneBacon (Feb 28, 2007)

[sblock=Rowan]This text appeared at the bottom of post #221.  I think maybe you missed it, possibly because of the font size and/or color?  Sorry 'bout that.

*Pause here (mid-initiative) for Rhun to restate Rowan's action, if desired. And also to give Phud and Rhys a bit more time to post their action for the round. The large creature looks wounded and its rear portion is still wedged in the narrow tunnel behind it, making it vulnerable this round. Rowan recognizes the large creature as an owlbear. Very unusual to see such a beast, and a magical one at that, outside of its preferred environment of temperate forests.* 

Incidentally, that was a Knowledge (arcana) check that allowed Rowan to thusly benefit.   [/sblock]


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## hafrogman (Feb 28, 2007)

Moving towards the beast, Rhys grips his spear in both hands and attempts to take up a position where he can strike at the creature from safety.

[sblock=ooc]Try and take up position behind the front lines, using his longspear
Attack +2
1d8+3 damage

Sorry I didn't post last round.  I assume I get to choose which spell was dropped for Arden's healing.  Dropped Magic Stone for CLW.[/sblock]


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## Brain (Feb 28, 2007)

Arden looks down at the creature's shell in her hands, and grips it in both hands, tumbling in to flank the big creature and try to stab it with the former stalactite.


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 1, 2007)

Arden tucks into a roll and tumbles past the large creature's grasp.  The feathered creature tries to rake Arden with its claws but misses.  Arden jabs the calcified stalactite creature at the large feathered beast but she misses.

Wyleck falls back and flings a glob of flame from his open hand at the large beast.  The fire catches against the beast's fur and scorches through to skin, dealing 6 points of damage.  At Wyleck's command, Yssal stops barking and eagerly lunges in to bite at the large beast.  The dog's jaws clack tightly on the beast's lower leg.  Yssal bites for 5 points of damage and starts to tug at the beast to trip it.  Though Yssal growls through his shut jaw and tugs quite forcefully, he fails to bring the creature down.

The large feathered beast cries in pain as Yssal's jaw clamps shut on its leg.  Two massive and long arms swipe down at the dog, the taloned claws at the end of each arm raking deep furrows through Yssal's fur along the dog's back.  Yssal's backside is soon wet with both his blood and the blood of the creature as he suffers first 4 points, then another 4 points of damage.  The dog yelps and, looking staggered, lets go of the creature but otherwise remains standing.  The feathered creature wriggles all the way free of the narrow tunnel, its broad girth and massive height filling the cavern where it stands.

Rowan, who was already tucked into an alcove, finds that he's as far back as he can go at the moment.  The halfling yells out, "It's an owlbear! We must kill it quickly or we are in trouble!" and begins intoning words of arcane power.  The spell Rowan weaves is both long and complicated and the halfling is soon engrossed in his spellcraft.  Wisps of silver and gold mist start to appear before the owlbear as Rowan shapes his magic and the summoning begins to take effect.

*While there wasn't room for Rowan to move backward, he could move laterally.  If you'd like him to move to the side, let me know what grid square you prefer and I'll be happy to place him there instead of having him stay put.*

Phud swings his heavy mace and misses.  Bird lets out a raucus "CAW!" from somewhere at the back of the cave ahead.

Rhys moves to stand to Yssal's right rear side.  Even from ten feet away, Rhys's spear is long enough to penetrate through to the owlbear.  Rhys jabs at the feathers and though he comes close to poking a hole in the owlbear, the creature's hide is too thick and Rhys fails to solidly connect.  

Initiative

Arden 22
Wyleck/Yssal 17
Big creature 17
Rowan 13
Celestial Giant Fire Beetle 13
Phud 5
Rhys 4

[sblock=Status]
Yssal 0/13 HP
Rowan finishing summoning[/sblock]


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## Brain (Mar 2, 2007)

Arden, unsatisfied with the stalactite's utility as a weapon, drops it to the cavern floor.  She pulls out her rapier and tries that instead, knowing that Phud's presence on the other side of the beast will be enough for her to hit somewhere vital.


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## pallandrome (Mar 2, 2007)

"Yssal! Back up for a moment, I'll heal ya." says Wyleck, as he becons the animal towards him with his not-on-fire hand. Yssal, recognising his masters hand signal, backs to within reach, where the halfling pours glowing green light into the dogs wounds.


ooc:casting Cure Light Wounds on Yssal


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## Rhun (Mar 2, 2007)

Rowan steps around the rockface, putting his back to the open tunnel so that he might flee if the need arises. Grinai, his black fur making him almost invisible in the dim lighting, peaks out of his halfling master's pack and issues forth a series of chitters as he sees the massive bulk of the owlbear.

The halfling wizard quickly chants several more words of power, and hurls a small globe of stinging acid through the air, hoping to give the owlbear pause in its attacks.

The silver and gold mist from Rowan's spell wisps away to reveal a large beetle, the glands above its eyes glowing brightly. Its white carapace is lined with silver and gold, and reflects the light of the adventurers' lamp. It moves into the fray, biting at the large creature with its powerful mandibles.


*OOC: Rowan will move to E6, cast Acid Spalsh. +5 ranged touch attack, dmage 1d3.

CB, can we place the summoned beetle in square G6, as Yssal will get out of the way before my initiative count?*


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## Guest 11456 (Mar 2, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud keeps beating on the beast with his mace. "Die stubid bird-bear!"


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 2, 2007)

Arden, unsatisfied with the stalactite's utility as a weapon, drops it to the cavern floor. Pulling out her rapier, Arden attempts to put her position flanking the owlbear in tandem with Phud to good use.  The tip of the small rapier ably pierces the owlbear's thick pelt.  Arden skewers the owlbear in the side for 2 points of normal and 6 points of sneak attack damage.

Yssal obeys Wyleck's command to retreat and backs up five feet to allow his master to heal him.  Holding the hand back on which _produce flame_ was cast, Wyleck uses his other free hand to weave a healing spell for Yssal.  With a gentle touch, Wyleck places a bare hand on the rakes along Yssal's back, healing the dog for 5 points of damage.  Yssal whimpers once just when catching sight of the green light shed by Wyleck's curative magic but stands fast, faithful as ever.

*For some reason, I balked a bit at the idea of casting a new spell while still having produce flame going, but allowed it after skimming the descriptive text on produce flame, cure light wounds, and the dissmissable nature of certain spells.  Still, I'd be appreciative if you could pop in the OOC at some point with a page number and clarification for why this works, as it's not something I've ever seen another player do before.  Thanks.*

The owlbear relies to Bird's caw with an ear-piercing shriek of its own that sends a spray of rock and dirt showering down from the ceiling on Arden.  Following her dirt bath, two taloned and well-muscled feathered arms smash down at Arden.  Arden is clobbered for first 5 points, then 2 points of damage.

Rowan steps around the rockface, putting his back to the open tunnel so that he might flee if the need arises. Grinai, his black fur making him almost invisible in the dim lighting, peaks out of his halfling master's pack and issues forth a series of chitters as he sees the massive bulk of the owlbear.  The halfling wizard quickly chants several more words of power, and hurls a small globe of stinging acid through the air that lands with a sticky glump and adheres to the owlbear's thick fur.  The acid works better than Rowan's ever seen it work before and quickly singes a large hole straight through the owlbear's protective fur and thick hide for 4 points of damage.

The silver and gold mist from Rowan's spell a few moments ago wisps away to reveal a large beetle, the glands above its eyes glowing brightly. Its white carapace is lined with silver and gold, and reflects the light of the adventurers' lamp. The celestial beetle clacks its mandibles moves into the fray, biting at the large creature for 4 points of damage.

From behind the owlbear, back in the southern tunnel, Phud again swings his heavy mace and scores another solid blow.  The distinctive crunch of bone announces internal damage to the creature as Phud connects for 8 points of damage.  Bird, confused as to whether the owlbear is own of his own kind or not, cocks his black raven's head to the side and looks on with great interest at the raging battle.

Rhys lowers the tip of his longspear and hurriedly casts a healing spell on Arden, restoring her health by 6 hit points.

*Rhys can decide which spell he drops to spontaneously cast cure light wounds on Arden.*

Initiative

Arden 22
Wyleck/Yssal 17
Big creature 17
Rowan 13
Celestial Giant Fire Beetle 13
Phud 5
Rhys 4

[sblock=Status]
Arden 8/9 HP
Yssal 5/13 HP[/sblock]


----------



## Brain (Mar 2, 2007)

Arden begins to fear for her life as she gets pummeled, but gains some confidence upon recieving speedy healing.  She again tries to stab the beast in the vitals, hoping it will fall soon before it gets the better of them.


----------



## Guest 11456 (Mar 2, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud is starting to tire a bit. The large half-orc is not used to having to fight for so long. In the past, what little fighting he had to do had been over in a matter of a few seconds. He lets out a battle cry and swings at the beast once more.


----------



## pallandrome (Mar 3, 2007)

Wyleck holds his action to see if the magical bug is going to get squished before sending Yssal back into the fray.


OOC:holding my action till just after the owlbear


----------



## Rhun (Mar 4, 2007)

Rowan is unsure how to proceed. He is amazed that the creature is still standing, after the amount of punishment it has absorbed. With a shrug of his small shoulders, he flings his walking stick, and the club spins through the air toward its target.


----------



## CanadienneBacon (Mar 6, 2007)

Arden dances backward a step or two, out of the trajectory of the owlbear's grasp.  Lunging forward quite suddenly, Arden tries to skewer the owlbear with her rapier a second time but misses.  The owlbear tries to return Arden's attack by swing one claw at her but misses.  A second claw goes swinging at the giant summoned beetle but that misses as well, and the owlbear howls in frustration.

Yssal barks at the big owlbear but Wyleck holds the dog back, waiting.  The wait provides Rowan enough time to fling his club through the air to strike the owlbear upside the head for 3 points of damage.  The halfling's attack with the club occurs just as the giant silver-and-gold-chased beetle nips a second time at the owlbear.  The owlbear's fur gets caught in the beetle's glowing mandibles.  The beetle chews in a bit more to get a tighter grip on the owlbear, its maw working overtime to hew through the owlbear's thick hide.  Blood runs freely from the wound and the owlbear keels over, listing dangerously to the side of the cave wall as the beetle continues chewing, dealing 4 points of damage.   With a mighty groan, the owlbear hits the side of the wall and slumps backward, the life in its body draining away to nothing.  The creature's sudden death catches Phud off guard.  The half-orc, who was mid-swing with his heavy mace, finds that his weapon meets with no resistance where resistance was expected.  Phud misses badly.  

*End of initiative, please post at will.*


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## Rhun (Mar 6, 2007)

Rowan raises an eyebrow as the great owlbear crashes to the ground. The celestial white beetle slowly dissolves into a mist as the the wizard's spell expires, and Rowan moves cautiously forward to collect his walking stick. "Well, that was bracing, eh?"


----------



## Brain (Mar 6, 2007)

Arden has a glow of sweat about her, and she nods.  "What about those other things on the ceiling?  We need to be wary of them, perhaps we should hunt them down so they don't plague us later?"


----------



## Rhun (Mar 6, 2007)

Rowan picks up his walking stick and eyes the ceiling carefully. That, friend Arden, is an excellent notion."


----------



## pallandrome (Mar 6, 2007)

Wyleck nods as he slowly strokes Yssal's fur to calm his companion. "Indeed, I don't rightly fancy them dropping in on us as we lay down for the nights nap, no?"


----------



## Rhun (Mar 7, 2007)

Rowan moves closer to the dead owlbear, poking it hard with his walking stick to make sure it is dead. He remains ready to spring away from it, though...just in case.


----------



## Guest 11456 (Mar 7, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1*

Phud whacks the dead owlbear a couple of more times with his mace. "Stupid bear-bird!" Then he looks past the owlbear to the others. "Phud find different way. Me get behind stupid bear-bird."


----------



## Rhun (Mar 7, 2007)

Rowan nods at his companion. "Indeed, my friend. Excellent work, Phud." The wizard certainly hoped he never angered the half-orc. One whack from that mace would smash his entire body into pulp.


----------



## CanadienneBacon (Mar 7, 2007)

The owlbear lies still on the cave floor.  Blood mats the thing's thick hide and a few loose feathers drift here and there, littering the floor.  Aside from the northern passageway, Phud stands in the only visible means of egress, a short tunnel of natural rock and dirt that leads off to the south a short ways before opening into what might be either a larger tunnel or another cavern.  The stalactite creatures fled north a bit earlier when the owlbear first made its approach.  Listing to the side as it lies, one of the stalactites that was squished by the owlbear's heavy step now lies visible.  The small creature is perhaps three feet in length and has two mangled eyestalks that lie limply pressed into the dirt.  Bits of calcified outer shell are ground into the floor beside the crushed stalactite.


----------



## Rhun (Mar 7, 2007)

The halfling kneels near the dead owlbear for a moment, and then begins to pluck a few feathers. He quickly stuffs these into his pouch. _Never know when such things might have magical uses._

Rising, Rowan moves to examine the stalagmite creature, thinking back on his studies to whether he has ever heard of such a thing before.


*
Knowledge, Dungeoneering +4
Knowledge, Nature	+5
*


----------



## CanadienneBacon (Mar 7, 2007)

[sblock=Rowan]Knowledge (dungeoneering).  Rowan bends and fingers some of the gritty mineral lying broken about the cavern floor.  The creature's soft white underbelly and eyestalks confirm a suspicion that the stalactite is a piercer, though a larger specimen than is normally encountered underground.  Hard to spot in their preferred environment, piercers favor underground rocky terrain and have a particular penchant for hanging disguised anywhere rocks are embedded on high ground, that they might drop from above on unsuspecting prey.  Carnivorous, piercers secret an acid into the flesh wound of their victim intended to dissolve and soften the meat of their pray, making gorging all the easier.  After seeing Arden suffer, Rowan is confident that the falling damage is slight in comparison to the acid damage and that one of the best ways to counter a piercer attack is to work in concert to get the unpleasant creature out of one's flesh.[/sblock]


----------



## Rhun (Mar 7, 2007)

"Interesting. I believe this creature is what is known as a piercer. And seems to be a fairly large one at that." He looks around at his companions. "We should be careful as we continue on. They are hard to detect, and are quite dangerous. Once they strike a foe they secrete a powerful acid to dissolve the flesh. If any of us are struck, we should do all we can to remove the thing before it can cause a lot of damage."

Those words spoken, the halfling stands and dusts off his pants. Walking stick safely back in hand, he uses it to indicate the passage beyond. "Shall we continue?"


----------



## Brain (Mar 7, 2007)

Arden keeps an eye on the ceiling, talking to her companions without looking at them.  "I wonder if we can go back north and up that other passage without setting off that fungus that screams.  If we can, I think we should, to catch these piercers."


----------



## pallandrome (Mar 8, 2007)

Wyleck nods, "And if not, at least we know of a place to lay down for the evening that has a natural alarum attached to the back door eh?"


----------



## CanadienneBacon (Mar 8, 2007)

The party heads out through the northern passageway with everyone save for Yssal carefully watching the ceiling overhead for scuttling stalactites.  Finding no tracks at all to indicate which way the piercers might have gone, the companions follow Phud and Arden deeper into the network of caves.  The dripping of water resumes and grows louder with each footstep til at last the group enters a much larger cavern than the two caves and network of narrow warrens they've seen to date.  The ceiling in the new cavern opens up to a 20 foot height, the floor is smoother, and five clusters of fat stalagmites litter the floor, obscuring vision to the south.  The rock in here has the look of being worked, though is still in its natural state.  Someone has taken tools and dug and scraped in a rough improvised manner until the worst of the drop offs, holes, and ledges are made even.  Though damp, the air in the big cavern reeks like a barnyard on a hot day.  The floor of the cavernous space is spongy with spoor and offal, out of which sprout a patchworked carpet of mushrooms.  There are normal specimens a few inches in height and giant varities as tall as both Rowan and Wyleck.  Yssal starts to sniffing at the mushrooms with great curiosity.  

Movement on the north and east side catches Arden's, Wyleck's, and Rowan's attention.  Yssal, not to be disturbed from his mushroom-snuffling, appears not to notice, and Phud is busy trying to peer past the stalagmite formation that guards the southern end of the cavern.  Rhys busily stares at the ceiling, hoping to find a piercer before one finds him.  Arden, Wyleck, and Rowan spy several pairs of vacant white eyes clouded with film on the far eastern and northern side of the cavern in an alcove.  The eyes take turns blinking, then one of the creatures haltingly slithers forward, a crude polearm in its grasp.  The thing resembles a squat humanoid with a slug-like tail that it uses as locomotion.  Slimy looking, with gray skin the same color as the mushrooms growing in the cavern, the thing silently snakes closer to Rowan, and the three note a set of humanoid arms holding a longspear.

*Initiative
Arden 17
Slugs 15
Rowan 10
Wyleck 10*

[sblock=Status]
Right now, Rhys, Yssal, and Phud are unaware of the slugs.  This is the surprise round.[/sblock]


----------



## Rhun (Mar 8, 2007)

*Since the slugs act before Rowan, can I hold off until you post to decide on an action?*


----------



## CanadienneBacon (Mar 8, 2007)

Yes.  Anytime any of you want to hold off, that's fine.


----------



## pallandrome (Mar 9, 2007)

Wyleck backs off, holding his hands before him in a warding gesture. "Hey there, we arn't looking for any subterrainian trouble!" As he backs up, he nudges Yssal with his knee and butters under his beath, "Ixnay on the ufflestray."


----------



## Brain (Mar 9, 2007)

Wrinkling her face to show her disgust, Arden reacts quickly, firing her crossbow at the slug in the lead, hoping to catch it off guard.  "Heads up, we've got a slug problem!" she calls out, for the benefit of any who haven't realized the situation yet.


----------



## CanadienneBacon (Mar 9, 2007)

Arden fires off a crossbow bolt and narrowly misses.  The bolt arcs past the slug and slams into the rock wall behind the thing, sending a spray of dirt cascading down to the floor.  The slug with the longspear slowly turns to regard the crossbow bolt in the wall, then turns back to face the companions.  The creature grasps its polearm and makes straight for Rowan.  Even at its fastest, the slug is very slow.  Several long seconds tick by and the creature hunches forward only five feet.  Still the distance covered is more than enough for the slug to level its longspear and jab at Rowan.  Rowan hops out of the way but the miss is a narrow one and the halfling sees that the slug's body and arms are roped with thick beefy muscle.

*Rowan, Wyleck, and Yssal still have their turn.*


----------



## Rhun (Mar 9, 2007)

"Eeep!" Rowan lets out a small squeal as he dodges the thrust of the longspear. He had hoped to communicate with the thing, to maybe find a peaceful way to get out of this situation, but Arden's quick use of her crossbow made the chances of that happening quite slim. Backing away from the creature, the small wizard begins a quick chant and points his free hand at the slug, releasing a blast of scintillating, vibrant colors.




*
AC 14, HP 12/12
Cast Color Spray, DC14

[sblock=Memorized Spells]
Level 0 – Mage Hand, Detect Magic, Acid Splash, Daze + Acid Splash
Level 1 – Sleep, Summon Monster I, Color Spray + Grease
[/sblock]
*


----------



## hafrogman (Mar 9, 2007)

Rhys is busy searching the ceiling for attackers and is totally surprised by the sudden appearance of a threat from in front.  He struggles to prepare himself while the more alert move to engage the slugs.

[sblock=Prepared spells]Tracking from the last battle.  Sorry, I fell ill after my vacation.

0th:  3  (Detect Magic, Guidance, Light)
1st: 2+1 (Command, Magic Stone, True Strike [D])[/sblock]


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 9, 2007)

Rowan backs away from the slugs and, releasing a blast of scintillating, vibrant colors, casts _color spray_.  While the first slug slumps in on itself and ceases moving, the second slug appears to be undeterred by Rowan's arcane prowess.  Wyleck continues holding back, and Rhys is jarred from his examination of the ceiling when Arden cries out, followed in short order by Rowan's casting.

*Wyleck may take his turn now.  I'll check back in later tonight, if I don't see something from him by then, I'll go on without him.*

*Initiative
Arden 17
Slugs 15
Rowan 10
Wyleck 10*


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## pallandrome (Mar 10, 2007)

"What, we're not allowed to even TRY to be civil?" asks Wyleck peevishly as he launches a stone from his sling. "Go on Yssal, give these rapscallions what for!"


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 12, 2007)

At Wyleck's command, Yssal stops snuffling the mushrooms and looks up.  The dog darts past Rowan and bites at the slug.  So eager is Yssal to tear into the new threat that the dog completely misses and slips, narrowly avoiding falling down on a patch of slick mold in front of the first slug.  Though it holds a very lengthy weapon in the form of the longspear, the slug neglects to take a jab at Yssal as the dog bounds forward.  Wyleck reaches into a pocket for a stone and, fitting the projectile to the curve of his sling, fires the rock at the first slug.  The stone hits the slug with soft squelch, dealing 1 point of damage.

*Round 2.  Rhys's up first, then Arden.*

*Initiative
Rhys 20
Arden 17
Slugs 15
Rowan 10
Wyleck 10
Phud 4*


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## hafrogman (Mar 12, 2007)

Spurred on by Arden's cry, Rhy hurries forward to meet the sluggish foes.  His own spear reaches out over Yssal as he jabs at the lead slug.

[sblock=ooc]Move to G15
Attack 'Slug"
Attack +3 . . . minus any cover granted by pillar/dog
1d8+3 damage[/sblock]


----------



## Brain (Mar 13, 2007)

Arden waits to see what the slugs will do next (delay)


----------



## CanadienneBacon (Mar 13, 2007)

Rhys flashes past Wyleck, longspear out.  Stopping just behind Yssal and quickly jerking the polearm forward, Rhys spears the lead slug.  The tip of the longspear goes into the creature's squishy body and exits just as quick with a plop on the other side, dealing 9 points of damage as it impales the slug.  The slug's own spear drops with a squelch to the bed of mushrooms carpeting the cavern floor as the creature stops moving and slumps in on itself.

The onionskin eyes on slug 3 blink once at the destruction wrought by Rhys on the lead slug, and then the creature hunches forward and furiously heaves itself a full five feet, driving the tip of its longspear at Yssal.  Yssal, however, quickly skitters to the side in time for the spear to jab at thin air.  Meanwhile, the second slug slinks out of view on the other side of the stalagmite formation.

*Arden, Rowan, Wyleck/Yssal, and Phud...your turn.*


----------



## Brain (Mar 13, 2007)

Arden stows her crossbow and moves carefully behind the rocks, drawing out her melee weapon as she goes.  

(move silently behind the rocks, 10 ft total - half speed, north toward #3)


----------



## pallandrome (Mar 13, 2007)

Wyleck sidesteps to get a better bead on the third slug, and launches another stone at him to keep him distracted from stabbing Yssal.


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## Guest 11456 (Mar 13, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Seeing the battle with his companions angers the half-orc. Bird, sensing something is up, flies off of his master's shoulder and onto a nearby rock formation. Something deep inside of Phud errupts as he circles around the formation and swings his mace at #2.

OOC: Rage, then moving I-17,I-18,H-19,G-19; then attacking.


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## Rhun (Mar 13, 2007)

The halfling again throws his walking stick into battle, spinning it toward the third of the slugs. Rowan then quickly moves back away from the range of the creature's spear, Grinai chittering all the way as his head pops out from the safety of his master's pack. 


*Throw club at Slug 3: attack +6 (1d4/x2), then move to H15.*


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 13, 2007)

Arden stows her crossbow and moves carefully behind the rocks, drawing out her melee weapon as she goes.  The brown-skinned gnome creeps up behind the stalagmites, stalking the third slug.

Rowan again throws his walking stick into battle, spinning it toward the third of the slugs.  The club connects with the third slug for a solid blow that deals 1 point of damage.  Rowan then quickly moves back away from the range of the creature's spear, Grinai chittering all the way as his head pops out from the safety of his master's pack. 

Wyleck sidesteps to get a better bead on the third slug, and launches another stone at the creature to keep it distracted from stabbing Yssal.  The stone lands with a *critically* sharp thunk on the slug's head and deals a whopping 2 points of damage.  Much like the slug that Rhys finished off seconds ago, the third slug stops moving, drops its longspear and slumps in on itself.  Ignoring any command from Wyleck, Yssal takes off and rounds the corner of the stalagmites to snuff out the last slug.  The sound of the dog snarling and snapping its clacking jaws on thin air is barely audible, dampened as it is by the carpet of fungi.  

*Natural 20 on the attack roll.     Rolled a Handle Animal for Wyleck but rolled a 6, inclusive of his +5 Handle Animal check.*   :\  

Phud flushes red with rage.  Bird, sensing something new seething within his master, flies from Phud's shoulder to perch in safety atop a nearby stalagmite spire.  Something deep inside of Phud erupts as he circles around the backside of the rock formation; swinging his mace in a heavy arc, Phud looses years of pent-up fury on the last slug and immediately crushes the creature with a massive blow that deals 10 points of damage.  Bits of grey slug flesh splatter all over Phud, Yssal, and both the stalagmite formation and the wall to the east.

*End of initiative, please post at will. *


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## hafrogman (Mar 13, 2007)

Rhys cautiously steps up to get a better look at the slug creatures.  He glances around at the three bodies, looking for any sign of identification or indeed, anything beyond their spears.

*"Slime and darkness.  Slow moving death for those unaware.  What did they seek to accomplish?"*


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## Rhun (Mar 14, 2007)

Ar Rhys' words, Rowan casts a look of utter disapproval at Arden. The halfling's voice is stern as he speaks. "We might have found out what they had hoped to accomplish, if someone hadn't acted so hastily." Grinai adds an excited chitter to the end of Rowan's statement. With a brief shake of his head, the halfling recovers his walking stick, and begins to bang the slime off of the crafted wood.


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## Brain (Mar 14, 2007)

Arden frowns, looking away.  "I didn't hear them say anything at all.  Plus, they are gross."


----------



## Rhun (Mar 14, 2007)

"Well, there is nothing for it now, I suppose." Rowan pokes the nearest creature with his stick, examining it. He takes his time, not to be rushed by his companions.


*Does Rowan have any clue what these guys are? Knowledge: Dungeoneering +5*


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## pallandrome (Mar 14, 2007)

"We've no idea of their intentions for good or ill, so lets just agree to give any sentient creatures a chance not to fight from now on, eh?" says Wyleck as he looks over the fallen slime-men. He nudges them over, looking for money pouches and the like.


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 14, 2007)

Rowan doesn't know the slugs' technical genus or species, but upon examination, finds that the creatures basically look like giant slugs with humanoid arms intended to wield tools or weapons.  The giant slugs have a vaguely humanoid face complete with what appears to be a crude toothless maw of a mouth with a long coiled tongue and eyes clouded over with cataracts.  None of the three slugs has a nose.  Rowan notes that the slugs surely were blind and, despite their slow movement, appear to be muscular enough to deal a mighty blow.  Aside from their human arms, the slugs seem to have had quite foreign sensory apparati; perhaps they tasted the air, or had some sort of queer ear-like appendage, or simply used tremorsense to locate foes.  The slugs certainly smell no better than the moist air of the mushroom cavern.  

Wyleck roots around in and by the slugs' bodies and finds no pouch of any sort, but the three longspears look to be very good quality.

Arden looks away and, as she does, spies a crude rack of implements in the northwestern corner of the cavern.  The rack looks to be crafted of simple wood nailed together and the tools that hang from it are what one might normally expect to find in a farmer's gardening shed:  three hoes, a large pair of shears, three trowels, and three shovels.


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## Rhun (Mar 14, 2007)

"Great, we killed three innocent cave farmers," says Rowan with a frown as he notes the farming tools. "I'm not sure who or what those guys were, but I suspect that we may have trepassed into their garden."


----------



## Guest 11456 (Mar 14, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

As he returns to normal breathing, Phud slumps a bit. "Phud tired. Need sleep." As if on cue, Bird squawks a reply to Phud's comment and then flies over to land on the half-orc's shoulder.


----------



## Rhun (Mar 14, 2007)

Rowan smiles at his half-orc companion. "Go ahead and rest a bit, Phud. Although I don't quite think it is time to sleep for the night, a break is certainly in order." With that said, the halfling looks about for a rock to sit on, and quietly takes a seat. The black furred rat in his pack crawls out and perches on his shoulder, and the two chitter to one another as Rowan offers his companion a few morsels of food from his pouch.


*How long have we been exploring for so far, CB?*


----------



## CanadienneBacon (Mar 14, 2007)

*Two hours.*

Rhys and Arden spy three piercers scuttling across the cavern ceiling, away from the party.


----------



## hafrogman (Mar 14, 2007)

Rhys points to the ceiling.

*"Here would not be a wise place to sleep. . . more of those spike creatures lurk above.  Keep your eyes open."*


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## Brain (Mar 14, 2007)

Arden loads her crossbow.  "Hey, would you piercers like to parlay?  No?  That's a shame."  She maneuvers for a better shot and tries to make sure that they aren't moving for a new tunnel.  She carefully aims, trying to hit the fleshy base rather than the shell.


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## Rhun (Mar 14, 2007)

Rowan chuckles at Arden as she asks the piercers to parlay. "I would guess that these caverns are filled with those things. And since they can move, I'd suggest that when we do settle down for the night, out sentries keep their eyes open for trouble from above."


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## pallandrome (Mar 14, 2007)

Wyleck raises an eyebrow, "Hey, no need to be snooty to us just cause yer in a bad mood. Lets see if we can find where these fellas are running off to. We've only been up an hour yet, and frankly, I'm just not ready for another nap."


----------



## CanadienneBacon (Mar 16, 2007)

Arden draws a careful bead on the soft underbelly of the piercer scuttling along the ceiling and looses a bolt from her crossbow.  The projectile slams into the retreating piercer, sending shards of calcified shell outward in a satisfying explosion.  The two remaining piercers redouble their pace and shoot off, away to the south of the cavern.


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## Brain (Mar 16, 2007)

Arden smiles at her marksmanship, and stalks after the other piercers, reloading her crossbow.  "Come on, let's finish these things off."


----------



## CanadienneBacon (Mar 16, 2007)

Crossbow in hand, Arden shuffles after the two remaining piercers.  She takes aim, misses once, but in the end comes out the victor.  Bits of broken outer shell and splattered slug-like flesh drop from the ceiling to the cavern floor.  This area of the large cave has no mushrooms.  Arden spots the ripple of water softly illuminated on the ceiling and walls of the cavern's southeastern corner.  A quick investigation reveals a muddy pool of water with a current coming up from somewhere that causes the water to eddy.


----------



## Guest 11456 (Mar 16, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

After resting a bit and regaining his breath, Phud seems ready to go. "Phud gooder now. Ready go." He looks at the others. "Which way?"


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## Rhun (Mar 16, 2007)

"One way seems as good as another since we really don't know our way. How 'bout this direction?" The halfling points at one of the corridors exiting the chamber.


*Corridor starting at S13? Also, did we explore the southeastern portion fo the chamber? We should do that first.*


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## pallandrome (Mar 16, 2007)

"I don't think we've explored the southeastern portion of the chamber. We should do that first." says Wyleck, as the flames on his hands gutter out.


----------



## Brain (Mar 16, 2007)

Now not distracted, Arden nods and starts searching around.


----------



## pallandrome (Mar 16, 2007)

Wyleck, not being much of the searching type, tries to aid Arden by pointing out interesting nooks and crannies.


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## hafrogman (Mar 16, 2007)

Rhys frowns slightly as Arden chases off after the ceiling creatures, rushing ahead into the dark caves seems foolhardy at best.  Still, he shoulders his spear and follows the others as the proceed deeper into the caves.


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 19, 2007)

The group searches around the southeastern end of the cavern.  A pool of muddy stands in the extreme corner of the cavern.  Despite no apparent means of egress in the corner, the pool's surface ripples from being disturbed by some unseen force.  Testing the pool with a spear reveals that while narrow, the pool has no bottom that can be felt.  Phud bends over and sticks his face right up next to the mud and water and sniffs but finds no trace of any life in the pool.  Aided by Wyleck, Arden makes a thorough search and finds nothing of note.


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 19, 2007)

Pool.


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## Brain (Mar 19, 2007)

Now having an idle moment, Arden finds herself arranging the farming implements and making sure that everything is in order.


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## pallandrome (Mar 20, 2007)

"Ok, I vote we only go pool diving if no other options prevent themselves. I say we take this path here..." *gestures towards the southernmost tunnel (s-13)* "...looks a lively and likely possibility." says Wyleck, as he eyes the apparently bottomless pool of water with trepidation.


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## Rhun (Mar 20, 2007)

Rowan nods his head, and makes a grand gesture at the indicated passage. "If you do not mind leading the way, my large friend Phud?"


----------



## Guest 11456 (Mar 20, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud nods and starts walking toward the indicated passage. As he starts walking Bird looks around as he rides on the half-orc's left shoulder. "Phud and Bird ready to go."


----------



## Brain (Mar 20, 2007)

Arden grips her crossbow, loads it and falls in behind the group, watching the back and the ceiling as they go.


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 20, 2007)

This southern passage heads steadily down.  With Phud out front and Rhys bearing the lantern in the middle, the companions traverse perhaps 700 feet through a narrow twisting passage that plunges downward into the earth.  Phud suddenly stops short, confronted by three choices for where to go.  The passage to his immediate right (A)slopes further downward.  The passage dead ahead and to his left (C) is smooth and level.  The passage dead ahead and to his right (B) is level but rocky and full of cobwebs.


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## Rhun (Mar 21, 2007)

Rowan glances about at the different passages. "I don't like the look of those cobwebs..."


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## pallandrome (Mar 21, 2007)

"I'd guess giant venemous man-eating spiders. And that other path leads downwards, which is invariably trouble. Lets stay on the straight and narrow eh?" says Wyleck, as he continues onward.


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## Guest 11456 (Mar 21, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud giggles to himself. "Do web burn?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 21, 2007)

*Just to be clear, is it passage C, then?*


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## Rhun (Mar 21, 2007)

CanadienneBacon said:
			
		

> *Just to be clear, is it passage C, then?*




*Yes.*


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 22, 2007)

With Phud out front, followed by Yssal, Wyleck, then Rhys with the lantern, and finally Rowan, then Arden bringing up the rear, the group treks down the level tunnel to their left.  An hour into the march, the passageway begins to exhibit queer behavior.  Rowan, walking in the rear of the group, begins to notice a pattern to the passage after the second hour.  

[sblock=Rowan]Relying on his years of study of arcane lore, Rowan keeps a sharp look out at the passageway and comes to the realization that this is no natural passageway, it's a tunnel, and it's been hollowed out by an umberhulk.  The intermittant larger caverns dotting the length of the tunnel are evidence of where the creature stopped to burrow for a rest. [/sblock]

After two hours of picking their way down the passageway, the floor remains smooth as ever, the dirt packed and the rocks less treacherous than the other caverns previously encountered.  No piercers have accosted the group, and no side tunnels have breached the passageway.  Whatever this course leads to, it seems to take a fairly unerring journey to get there.  Just up ahead, the passageway widens out to a larger cavern with a 15 foot ceiling.  Yssal sits down behind Phud for a rest, and Wyleck, reaching to rub Yssal behind the ears, hears a soft flapping sound coming from a crook in the cavern ahead.


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 22, 2007)

Map.


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## Rhun (Mar 22, 2007)

Rowan stutters a bit after examing the tunnel closely. "Uh, gang...I think an, um, an Umber Hulk may have made passageway. Uh, hopefully he is long gone and all, um, but we should be on our guard. If I remember, uh, what I read in Shrood's Chronicles of the Fauna and Beasts of the Known World, uh, even a small such creature would be, well, quite deadly, to say the least."


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## pallandrome (Mar 22, 2007)

"Shhh, I hear something flapping ahead, like a bird or a bat. Any umber hulk having gone through here recently would have surely slain such a creature, but caution would still be prudent." Wyleck explains in a low voice. Then, he and Yssal creep forward along the left wall, as Wyleck fits a stone to his trusty sling.


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## Brain (Mar 22, 2007)

Arden nods and says quietly, "I'll let you guys parlay with the flapping thing.  But if someone attacks, I'm attacking too."

She then looks for a nice area to hide but still get a view of anything approaching.


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## Rhun (Mar 23, 2007)

Rowan, while not exactly frightened to go forward but rather more anxious about what may be ahead, grips his walking stick firmly. Then, he slowly creeps along behind Wyleck.


*Move Silently +5*


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## Guest 11456 (Mar 23, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

"Phud go look. Alone. Phud eyes see dark." Then he advances slowly toward the sound trying to be as quiet as possible.


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 23, 2007)

Rhys stands fast in the cavern's mouth with the lantern while Arden secrets herself ten feet up the cave's wall in a shallow and dark alcove.  From her perch and aided by the light from the lantern, Arden has a good view of most of the cave, save for the far end of the large alcove on the opposite wall and the way behind her from whence everyone just came.

Wyleck, Yssal, Rowan, and Phud creep forward toward the large alcove along the left wall.  The alcove looms into view but is only partially lit by the shadows that play and shift in the light provided by Rhys's lantern.  The ceiling of the alcove is littered with grey stalactites, none of which move.  Wyleck, Yssal, and Rowan all creep forward quite silently, but Phud lumbers forward and trips on a rock, sending the thing spraying down the length of the cavern like a bowling ball.  The noise from the rock is voluminous.  Just as the four of them round the corner to peer into the alcove, Wyleck spies an oddity on the 15 ft. ceiling.  

[sblock=Wyleck]One of the slatactites is black, where all the others are grey.  Just as Wyleck spots the black icicle hanging down, the thing _moves_.  It unfurls, breaking apart to reveal a black squid-like creature with a tough membrane that stretches between its unfolding tentacles.  The creature is small, but a concentric circle of eight red eyes blink and fix on Phud.[/sblock]

Something on the ceiling at the far end of the alcove makes a fluttering sound and then all goes dark.  Not even Phud, with his half-orc blood can see.  

Rhys and Arden, standing a goodly ways back, find that all of a sudden a curtain of inky black night entirely shrouds their companions and the whole of the large alcove from view.

[sblock=Rowan]Something just cast a _darkness_ spell.  Rowan will know all the standard information about that spell, particularly that it lasts quite a long time, blocks darkvision, has a fairly sizeable area, but does provide some concealment.[/sblock]

*Initiative:
Wyleck 23
Rowan 22
Arden 17
Creature 16
Rhys 12
Phud 1*


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## Rhun (Mar 23, 2007)

"Magic!" hisses Rowan, loud enough for his companions to hear. The halfling then immediately moves backward, trying to get out of the spells range.


*Move diagnally 1 square to the northwest, and then 1 square north (top of map i assume).*


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## pallandrome (Mar 23, 2007)

Grabbing a hunk of Yssal's Shaggy mage, Wyleck carefully manuvers back towards where the rest of the party had lain hidden. "Careful, there are more monsters on the ceiling, and these are larger than the last ones!"


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## Brain (Mar 23, 2007)

Arden creeps forward, hugging the wall, listening to try to determine what's going on in the darkness.  

(move silently - double move half speed forward along the wall)


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## Guest 11456 (Mar 24, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Confused that he cannot see, Phud backs out the way he came. Bird flies off of his shoulder back the way they came.


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 27, 2007)

Grabbing a hunk of Yssal's shag, Wyleck carefully manuevers back toward where the rest of the party had lain hidden, calling out as he goes, "Careful, there are more monsters on the ceiling, and these are larger than the last ones!"  Bumping into Rowan and momentarily getting tangled between both Yssal and the halfling wizard, Wyleck at first has a hard time retreating, but Rowan rectifies that by moving backward himself.  

Arden jumps down from her perch up in the wall's alcove, then quietly creeps forward another few feet, hugging the wall and listening to try to determine what's going on in the darkness.  The curtain of darkness prevents Arden from seeing what's going on, but she does notice when first Rowan and then Wyleck step backward out of the dark.  A half beat later, Yssal halfway reappears.

Phud, confused that he cannot see, starts to back out the way he came, but makes no progress as something leathery lands on him from above, slamming into him for 6 points of damage.  Phud feels long dry tentacles encircle his waist, neck, and lower legs but whoever owns the tentacles fails to get a firm hold on Phud.  The tentacles grab hold of a rock by Phud's foot instead and start to squeeze hard enough that everyone hears the rock grind and smash to bits.

*Pause here in case Tailspinner wants to re-declare for Phud.  Darkness grants concealment for a 20% miss chance to attacks.*


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## Guest 11456 (Mar 27, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud swings blindly at the thing with his mace hoping to catch whatever is trying to attack him.


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 27, 2007)

Phud swings with his heavy mace and feels his weapon solidly connect for 10 points of damage.  At the force of his blow, the magical darkness winks out and Phud sees a black leathery-skinned squid-like creature lying in the dirt and rocks at his feet.  A soft bruise in the thing's dark flesh welts in the dim light shed by Rhys's lantern.

*End of initiative, please post at will.*


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## Guest 11456 (Mar 27, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud rubs his chest where the thing slammed into him. "Ow! Bad monster." Phud hits the thing with his mace once more for good measure. (A recurring theme it seems for Phud.) "Leave Phud alone, bad black monster!"


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## Rhun (Mar 27, 2007)

Rowan walks forward to examine the corpse of the newest creature. "Are you alright, Phud?" he querries absently as he moves past the half-orc. Not even listening for a reply, the halfling kneels to examine the black, tentacled creature.


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 28, 2007)

In the dimly light cavern, Rowan stoops down and has a good look at the dark-skinned creature.  A tough, leathery membrane stretches between eight black tentacles, and the thing's cone shaped head is ringed by eight concentric eyes.  Somewhat squidlike, the creature is small, but with the strong rubbery nature of its tentacles it seems like this creature could kill a halfling just by squeezing the life from him.  Rowan's never seen or heard of the creature's likeness before.  The last blow from Phud lands with a splat on the dark creature, severing two tentacles on the lifeless beast.  Sadly, there seems to be no coin pouch attached to the creature.


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## Rhun (Mar 28, 2007)

"Most interesting," says Rowan, standing and brushing the dust and dirt from his knees. "Im amazed by the diversity of the ecosystem within this cavern system. That is to say, who would have expected such an variety of strange and dangerous creatures to be lurking here beneath the city?" The halfling then pauses a moment and looks around at the surrounding cavern. "If we are still beneath the city, that is."


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## Guest 11456 (Mar 29, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

"Phud OK! Me not like stupid black monster dough." At this he starts to try and kick the creature but stops himself when he sees that Rowan is in the way. "Sowwy!"


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## Rhun (Mar 29, 2007)

Rowan smiles up at Phud. "No worries, my large friend. You did well." With a glance to the others, the halfling shrugs. "Should we continue on?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Mar 29, 2007)

Rhys comes forward and has a look first at the dead creature, then at Phud.  "Do you require tending, Phud?"  At Rowan's question, Rhys shoots a look down the length of what of the tunnel his lantern illuminates.  "Sure.  How far do you think it goes?"


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## Rhun (Mar 29, 2007)

"Impossible to tell, I'm afraid," answers Rowan, frowning slightly.


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## pallandrome (Mar 31, 2007)

"Which means stopping now would avail us little. I say we press onwards, with special caution devoted towards the ceiling. It has not treated us with much hospitality thus far." Wyleck states.


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 2, 2007)

After negotiating a series of natural stone staircases that turn in almost a complete circle, the group finds itself round yet another bend, gazing into a tiny chamber filled with mushrooms as tall as barstools.  The fungi are clustered around a pile of offal that smells like rotten fish.  The stench is the strongest yet in this network of tunnels and caverns, and powerful enough to turn even the most stalwart stomach.

From her position near the rear of the party as everyone is still on the spiraling stone tunnel, Arden feels her back grow hot.  Taking off her pack, she notes a bit of smoke steaming from the canvas of her pack where the wand has been stowed.


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## Rhun (Apr 2, 2007)

Stopping to see what Arden is doing, Rowan raises an eyebrow at the smoke coming off her pack. "What's all this now?"


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## Brain (Apr 2, 2007)

Arden takes a few steps back the way they came, and then carefully but speedily opens up her pack, and picks out the wand, using her sleeve as an insulator.  She keeps it near the ground incase it is so hot she needs to drop it.  She also doesn't want to drop it onto any fungus if possible.


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## pallandrome (Apr 3, 2007)

"Interesting. The wand is obviously reacting, but to what? Not fungus, or we would have seen an occurance of this earlier, nor the presence of magic in general, for the same reason. Stimuli unseen or unheard must be the culprit. Either someone is attempting to locate it through means which it is resisting or attempting to aid, or it approaches an object or location which it opposes or seeks..." Wyleck ponders thoughtfully.


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## Rhun (Apr 3, 2007)

"Why yes...it could be reacting to any number of unknown stimuli," says Rowan, considering himself the resident expert on things arcane. "It could be responding to a similar magical field, or even, ahem, a magic field with the opposite properties that this wand possesses. Or perhaps, it is simply reacting to strange radiation from the surrounding rock formations."



*Knowledge: Arcane +6 to determine a cause to the wand's reaction.*


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 3, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud continues to plod forward, oblivious to what is happening in the back of the group.


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 4, 2007)

[sblock=Rowan]Try as he might, Rowan detects no discernable reason why the wand has grown hot, though judging by Arden's reaction when she opens her pack, the thing is most definitely hot to the touch.  The walls of the spiral stair don't seem to contain any ore in them that might cause such a reaction, and there are no mushrooms on the stair (and the last time mushrooms were encountered, as far as Rowan knows, the wand didn't react similarly).  A _detect magic_ spell might reveal more information, or it might not.[/sblock]

While Phud plunges ahead down the last bit of the stair, Rhys draws closer to Arden with his lantern.  Using her sleeve as insulation, Arden cautiously but speedily opens and digs through her pack to extract the matte black metal wand.  The metal wand has grown hot enough that it was starting to smoulder a thin spot in the canvas of her backpack, and when Arden picks up the wand, it makes her hand hot despite the protection of her sleeve.  Once out of her pack in the chill dank air of the stone stair, the wand seems to immediately cool.

Phud, who walked on ahead and came all the way down the remaining bit of the spiral stair, finds himself in a room of the barstool-height mushrooms.  The fungi quiver, seeming to flee from Phud's intrusion in slow motion.  Patches of purple moss cover the southern wall of the narrow chamber.  Phud looks left and right and, his orcish eyes working double time, spies a series of tunnels branching off north and south into the distance.


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## Rhun (Apr 4, 2007)

*Rowan Aledown - AC 14, HP 12/12*

Rowan, noticing his large companion has continued on, calls out down the stairs. "Phud, hold up a moment." The halfling wizard then turns his attention back to the wand, speaking the words of a cantrip that will allow his to detect the presence of any magic. He then spends at least a score of seconds using his spell to examine both the wand and the area around it.



*Cast detect magic. Spellcraft +8 to determine school of magic and any other information that might be available.


Memorized Spells:
Level 0 – Mage Hand, Detect Magic, Acid Splash, Daze + Acid Splash
Level 1 – Sleep, Summon Monster I, Color Spray + Grease*


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 4, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud reaches the bottom of the stairs and sees that there are many choices to chose from. He is about to turn to ask which way when he hears Rowan's voice from up the stairs a bit. Turning he sees that the others aren't following any more. So he plods back up the stairs to where the others are. "Hey. Whud you do? Why'd you Stob?" He motions back down the stairs. "Lots of ways tah go. Don'd know which one."


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## Brain (Apr 4, 2007)

Arden, eyes fixed on the wand, wonders out loud.  "I wonder if it is some kind of warning?  Maybe the wand grows hot if there is a certain type of thing in the area.  But wait, it stopped when I brought it out.  Maybe it doesn't like being stowed away."  She experiments a bit, moving it nearer to her pack, or if that does nothing, putting it lightly back in with her hand right there.  If still nothing, she brings it back out into her hand and walks slowly forward towards the fungus.


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 4, 2007)

Rowan weaves a spell in the air in front of himself and, speaking words of power, begins to scan the area for magical dweomers.  

[sblock=Rowan]The ore in the walls has a faint aura of transmutation to it.  Phud's raven is magical, faint in aura and of indeterminate school.  The wand is magical, in a most unexpected and interesting way.  Rowan peers at the wand and watches the thing change magical "color" right before his eyes.  The wand first radiates faint divine aura of conjuration, then shifts to radiating moderate arcane illusion, then shifts again to a strong aura of indeterminate arcane school, then changes to overwhelming arcane evocation.  Rowan loses focus as the wand switches to its last overwhelming aura.[/sblock]


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 4, 2007)

Experimenting a bit with the wand, Arden moving it nearer to her pack.  Seeing that the wand does not react when put near the pack, Arden puts the wand inside the pack.  The wand does not react to being stowed.  Bringing the wand out of her pack, Arden holds the wand and slowly walks forward down the spiral stair toward the fungi.  The wand is cool in her hand and does not react.  

Back in the tunnel on the stairs, Rhys asks Phud, "What's down ahead?"


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## Rhun (Apr 4, 2007)

Rowan blinks his eyes several times as his concentration wavers and he loses focus of his spell. "Well, that was certainly interesting." he says, removing his hat and running his fingers through his hair. "There is some ore or rocks in these walls that is radiating a transmutation aura...it is possible that is what reacted with the wand. The wand itself, though, is radiating alternating auras...both divine and arcane!"


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## pallandrome (Apr 4, 2007)

"That item is becoming more and more worrisome, but I think we should press on. None of the areas we have yet found are suitable for encampment."


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 4, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud turns at Rhys' query. "Lods uv way tuh go. Don't know which way tuh go."


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 4, 2007)

The group moves to press on down the stairs, but when Rhys gets to the bottom and sees the mushrooms lean away from his light, he stops a moment and has a better look at the room.  Spotting the purple moss on the wall opposite and sensing the hair on the back of his neck raising, Rhys snuffs the flame in the lantern with a cryptic,  "Where no light goes, no sound shall pierce the dark." 

Without the lantern light, the cavern is completely dark.  Those with darkvision can see.

"Which way to go, which way to go?"  Rhys blinks into the dark.  Looking left and right, Phud can see perhaps eight different passageways branching off in odd directions from a tunnel that stretches west-east.  

Rowan, Phud, Wyleck and Arden hear a soft wet splash from somewhere to the west.  Yssal's ears prick and Wyleck feels the dog strain in that direction.


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## pallandrome (Apr 4, 2007)

"Yssal apparently has an idea. I say we follow, and see what it is." Wyleck says as he lets the giant dog pull him onwards. "Also, why did we extinguish our source of illumination?"


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## Rhun (Apr 4, 2007)

Rowan is a bit disturbed by the sudden darkness, but tries to keep calm. "Excellent question, Wyleck...Rhys?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 4, 2007)

Rhys speaks.  "There's that violet moss in here.  I saw it right when I rounded the corner on the stairs.  Remember what happened last time we brought light near that stuff?  We ended up having an owlbear sicced on us.  I thought it better not to alert the entire network of caverns, but if everyone feels differently and would rather have the light back, I can re-light the lantern.  Probably.  If I can find a bit of flint and steel."


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## pallandrome (Apr 5, 2007)

"No, it is fine. Yssal will lead us past the creature, wherein we should be able to advance in a more illuminated fashion."


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## Brain (Apr 5, 2007)

Now in the dark, Arden decides to put the wand in her pocket.  She says, "Would someone lead me by the hand?" and feels around, trying to get a hand to hold.  Once she has that done, she pulls out her trusty dagger and holds it in her other hand.


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## Rhun (Apr 5, 2007)

*Rowan Aledown*

Rowan shook his head, wishing he could see something. Without light, the cavern was black, as black as an ogre's heart. "If we are walking in the dark, we'd best form up...in a line, everybody grab hold of the person in front of them."


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 5, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud shrugs (which no one can see). "Phud see fine."


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## Rhun (Apr 5, 2007)

Rowan moves to find Phud, and grabs a hold of his companion's belt. "Thanks Phud. You can lead us through."


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 5, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

"Oh Tay!" Phud waits until he sees that everyone is linked up and then he starts to move. "Which way?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 5, 2007)

*Here's the map again, if that'll help.  I know Wyleck expressed a preference not to be last, but I couldn't think of how else he's maintain a grasp on Yssal since Phud is first.*

Despite the darkness, Arden feels a breeze flutter over her coming from the south wall.


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## Brain (Apr 6, 2007)

Arden calls out quietly, "I feel a breeze when I stand here, coming from my left."


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## pallandrome (Apr 6, 2007)

"A breeze means either open air, or movement. If it is issuing from the water I heard splashing earlier, I might suggest we refrain from venturing that way in complete darkness, lest we drown in a surprised manner."


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## Rhun (Apr 6, 2007)

Rowan pipes in, his voice slightly annoyed. "Phud, just pick a direction and lead us past that damnable shrieking fungus. Then we can relight our lamp and figure out where we are going."


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 9, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud nods, looks at all the possibilities, makes a quick decision (which in Phud's case takes about 2.7 minutes) and heads in his chosen direction with the group in tow.

OOC: Phud heads forward (to the left on the map) and takes his first left (down on the map; the branch just before the 'T' on the left side of the map).


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 11, 2007)

With Phud out front, the companions intrepidly trek forward a bit into the dark.  Phud rounds the first corner he comes to and, heading south, soon finds himself inside the largest cave he's seen yet in this network of underground caverns.  The ceiling in the cave reaches 60 feet at it's easternmost end but narrows to 20 feet in height at the western end where Phud and company currently stand.  The floor is grossly uneven and littered with loose rock, making movement slow.  The quality of the rock and stone in the cavern is such that both the floor and ceiling are free of stalagmites and stalactites.  The walls and ceiling of the cavern are, like the spiral stair, shot through with thick veins of lustrous silver ore.    

A dank patch of murky, silty water with a thin grey mist floating a few feet above the surface rests at the far end of the cavern.  Beyond the pool stands an immense structure of rough, wet stone chiseled in the shape of a fishlike creature.  Its eye sockets are empty, revealing darkness beyond.  The slick surface of the open-mawed fish is dotted with patches of faintly phosphorescent moss, giving the entire structure a faint blue glow.  A steep but wide stone stairway emerges from the murky pool and leads to the gaping mouth of the fish, where a set of wooden and iron-braced double doors rests, closed.

In the dim light of the large cavern, Rhys looks around, and not seeing any of the shrieking moss, re-lights his lantern.  The sound of Rhy's flint scritching against the steel echoes in the chamber.  A long canoe emerges from the mist and slowly drifts toward Phud.  Crouched at the boat's stern is a silvery, froglike creature the size of a human holding a paddle in one hand and a shortspear in the other.  10 feet from the water's edge, the canoe stops and the creature looks in the party's direction.  The ferryman silently watches the companions enter, waiting.

[sblock=Rowan]The ferryman is a kuo-toan.  Rowan knows everything there ever is to know about kuo-toa warriors, kuo-toan cleric whips, their fish god, and their culture.[/sblock]


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 11, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud waves at the ferryman. "Hi!" Bird scrutinizes the creature in the canoe.


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## Rhun (Apr 11, 2007)

"Ahhh, yes," says Rowan as he sees the fish-like ferryman row toward them. "Kuo-Toans. That makes much more sense than calling them fishmen. It also means we best be on our guard. They can be quite dangerous." The halfling raises his hand to scratch his hairless chin as he ponders for a few moments. "Still, they may know something. And being greeted by a ferryman instead of a group of guards is a positive sign. Perhaps with the proper payment, we may get some answers from these folk."


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 11, 2007)

The ferryman steadies his boat against some unseen force from below that ripples the pool of dank water.  The kuo-toan eyes each member of the group, silently surveying their garb and accoutrement, but otherwise remains in his boat.  When no one comes forward, the ferryman sits, seemingly content to wait.


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## Rhun (Apr 11, 2007)

Rowan steps forward, his walking stick clacking against the stone as he does so. He offers the ferryman a low bow. "I say, do you speak common my good man?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 11, 2007)

The ferryman slowly rises from his seat in his boat and bows to Rowan in return.  In one low hissing breath, the kuo-toan riddles in common, "I go on four legs in the bitter morn sun, two legs at bright noon, and three legs in the dark quiet of the evening."  His riddle delivered, the ferryman quiets the rocking of his boat and waits.


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 11, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud listens to the creature talk and then shrugs. "Me grow old before me figures that out."


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## Rhun (Apr 12, 2007)

"Ha ha," laughs Rowan, slapping Phud on the thigh. Bowing again to the Kuo-Toan, Rowan smiles. "That is an age old riddle my friend, and one I am quite familiar with. You speak of aging, of course. A babe crawls on all fours, as you mature you walk on two, and finally, as old age sets in, you must use a cane to aid you."


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 12, 2007)

The ferryman lowers his shortspear and turns in slow motion toward the set of double doors across the pool from his canoe.  Wafting his hand in a slow arc in the air, the ferryman silently signals for the doors to open, and open they do.  As quiet and careful as the kuo-toan is with his own gestures and speech, the doors are the opposite.  A loud grinding resounds in the large cavern as the doors slowly grate, stone on stone, across the floor, and come to rest fully open with a thunderous and echoing boom against the inner wall of the room beyond.

[sblock=Rowan]Rowan tries but can't discern how the ferryman managed to open the doors from this distance.  If it's a spell, it's one he doesn't know.[/sblock]

Even in the dim light shed by Rhy's lantern and the glow given off by the moss lining the outside of the double doors' lintel, the companions can all see that the walls and floor of the room show evidence of superior masonry.  Tiny droplets of condensation, however, lick the stonework in trickles that seep to the floor to form occasional puddles of what looks to be shallow water.  From this distance, the flagstones seem to be well-fitted but are uniformly wet.  A sheen of water and oil glistens in Rhys's flickering lantern light.

The kuo-toan ferryman softly paddles his canoe within inches of the outer pool's shore.  Holding the boat steady with his spear, the kuo-toa mutely stands, waiting, seemingly bidding the group to enter for a ferry across to the structure beyond.


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 12, 2007)

Rhys takes two steps forward toward the canoe then stops, undecided.  "The eye draws me in, wills me where it would.  Fear alone will not a man undo."


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## Rhun (Apr 12, 2007)

Rowan shrugs at Rhys' words and waves his companions forward. "While I do not know what lies ahead, this chap seems pleasant enough. And we are down here seeking answers, after all.." The halfling wizard again slaps Phud's thigh. "Come on, Phud!" That said, Rowan slowly walks forward, gently stepping into the Kuo-Toan's canoe.


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## Brain (Apr 13, 2007)

Arden surreptitiously puts her dagger back in its sheath, and pats the pocket containing the wand to make sure it is still in its place.  She then smiles and approaches the boat, looking forward to an interesting time at the least.


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## pallandrome (Apr 13, 2007)

"Oh this is going to turn out to be a baaad idea..." Wyleck mutters as he leads Yssal onto the ferry.


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 13, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud shrugs once more and follows his companions into the boat. "Wunder what Vaja and Frane doin' now..." Bird as usual is on his perch atop Phud's shoulder. "Caw!"


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 13, 2007)

The ferryman expertly steadies his canoe as the group steps in but small waves by the rocking boat dislodge thick clumps of brown algae floating on the pool's surface.  The drop off from the edge of the cave to the water is abrupt and deep; the floor simply gives away right at the water's edge, allowing the ferryman to turn his boat sideways directly adjacent to dry land.

When everyone is in the canoe and settled, the kuo-toa dips his oar into the water, taking care to disturb as little of the water and algae as is possible.  The boat glides quietly across the short trip over the water, banking against the stone steps across the way.  The ferryman puts in parallel to the stairs and stands, mutely bidding everyone out.

Exiting the boat and climbing the stairs, the group is able to better see into the room beyond.  From the portico outside the double doors, red and green-tinted frescoes covering the walls of the largely empty chamber can be seen.  A set of carved stone doors stands closed opposite the entryway.  Flanked on the left by a fresco of a frog creature carrying a strange staff with two-tined forks on both ends, and on the right by a squat male humanoid in flate armor with a black sphere where his head should be, the doors are carved with an abstract zig-zag pattern.  Other frescoes on the ceiling depict hundreds of red, spear-wielding kuo-toans marching through caverns.  Curved shards of what look like thin, fragile porcelain cover the floor.  Passageways lead left and right from this chamber.  

[sblock=Arden, Wyleck, Phud]The three of you hear faint rustling coming from the passageway to the left.  The rustling sounds like cloth dragging on stone.[/sblock]

When everyone is off the boat, the ferryman rows away to the side wall of the cavern, where the thick mist soon obscures both him and the shore beyond.


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## pallandrome (Apr 13, 2007)

"Careful. Movement on the left." Wyleck says, without betraying any of his concern in his body language.

OOC: aww crap. Any adventure that has "temple" in the title can't end well...


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## Rhun (Apr 13, 2007)

"And me, nearly out of spells," whispers Rowan quietly, turning his attention to the left.


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 13, 2007)

Map.  You guys are on the stairs outside at the moment.


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## Rhun (Apr 15, 2007)

Rowan moves slowly down the stairs, his back against the wall, trying to stick to the shadows cast by Rhys' flickering lamp.


*Hide +7*


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## pallandrome (Apr 15, 2007)

Wyleck readies himself to command Yssal into action at the first sign of trouble. Being of a somewhat cynical sort with regards to underground tombs and temples alike, he suspects they they shall all be devoured by beholderkin forthwith.


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## Brain (Apr 16, 2007)

Arden senses tension amongst her companions and quietly chirps in with "Looks like a nice place.  What are those shards of porcelain?"


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 16, 2007)

Rowan secrets himself in the shadows that play off Rhys's lantern along the chamber's left wall, close to the entry.  At Arden's question about the pottery shards, Rhys nods and moves forward.  Holding the lantern and crouching amidst the pottery shards, the cleric grasps one and, turning it over in his hand, marvels at his find.  Returning to the group, Rhys holds out the shard.  "It's not pottery, it's an eggshell.  A sacrifice, perhaps?"

[sblock=Wyleck, Rowan]It's a kuo-toan eggshell, but an odd one.  Judging by the curve of the shell remnant, the original whole egg must have been quite large, certainly larger than the average kuo-toa egg.  And the slight leatheryness indicates that the egg might have the product of a kuo-toa bred with something else lizardish in nature.[/sblock]

Arden turns her head enough to get a good look at the fresco painted on the chamber's right wall behind her without sacrificing too much of her view of the room.  The fresco of a humanoid behind her is, unlike most of those portraying kuo-toas along the rest of the walls in the chamber, done with fresher paint and does not crack and peel in places like the other artwork in this room.  The figure portrayed in the fresco is of a squat male humanoid in plate armor with a black sphere where his head should be.

Across the room, along the left wall, a purple glow radiates from behind a ratty tapestry hanging in a doorway.  A croaking sound and then another rustle alert everyone to the probable presence of creatures in that area.

Opposite the tapestry, an iron portcullis partially conceals a hallway running north and south.  Along the hall's east wall is a series of solid stone doors.  This area is dark, the only light provided comes from Rhys's lantern.


----------



## Rhun (Apr 16, 2007)

Rowan stops, hidden in the shadows. He waits to see if any threat is forthcoming, or for one of his companions to invesitgate the tapestry.


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## pallandrome (Apr 16, 2007)

"It looks like the eggshell form a Kuo-Toan half-breed. The other half is lizard-like, possibly even dragon." Wyleck says while idly picking up a stone, casting light on it, and flicking it through the portcullis.


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 16, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud shrugs and the saunters over to the tapestry. He pauses for a moment, long enough for Bird to decide to fly off of his shoulder. Then, his curiousity finaaly getting the best of him, he grabs the tapestry and yanks at it trying to open it.


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## Brain (Apr 17, 2007)

Arden absent-mindedly starts picking up the egg shells, and placing the smaller pieces inside the larger pieces.  Then she will stack them in the corner out of the way.


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 18, 2007)

While Arden unwittingly brings a bit of order to the haphazardly scattered egg shell remains and Rowan remains hidden in the shadows against the wall, Phud meanders across the room to the tapestry and gives a good yank.  As he does, Wyleck lights and tosses a stone into the darkened hallway beyond the portcullis on the rightside wall.  The pebble skips and bounces fifteen feet to the north before coming to a rest in the hall.  Wyleck looks in and notes 4 doors along the hall's eastern side, all of them made of stone but with a small iron-barred window inset in each.  There isn't much time to notice anything else, for just then the loud sound of fabric ripping resounds in the room, followed in short order by the sting of lightening.

Phud grabs hold of one of the wet ratty edges of the tapestry and yanks.  When he does, one of the lightening bolts woven into the thread of the rug animates and zings from the edge of the rug, zapping Phud for 4 points of damage.  The big half-orc sees the trap at the very last moment just as the lightening bolt comes alive and thrums with white hot electricity, but doesn't move fast enough to dodge out of the way in time.  Thankfully, the bolt lodges itself in Phud and courses through his body but does not streak through the rest of the room or hit anyone else.

Behind the ratty tapestry is a room faintly lit by purplish patches of phosphorescence on the floor.  A middenheap sits in the center of the northern area of the room, and the walls have primitive stick-figure carvings of bipeds carrying spears.  Four slight depressions in the floor hold an inch or two of brackish water.  A snap and a twang later, and a crossbow bolt comes flying from behind a russet stone brazier, whizzing through the air with a screech  and embedding in Phud's waist for 5 points of damage.

Yssal stops snuffling the stray broken egg shells on the floor and looks up in Phud's direction, his ears pricked forward.  Phud, Arden, and Wyleck spy a fishlike amphibian lurking behind an unlit brazier in the center of the room.  The creature has bulging silver-black eyes, a wide mouth full of teeth, gaunt willowy limbs ending in vaguely humanoid hands and flipper-like feet, and a pudgy bloated body not unlike a frog.  A little shorter than a human, the creature also has a crossbow trained on the doorway where the tapestry used to hang.

*That was one trap, then a surprise round.  Regular intiative is now up:*

*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
Kuo-toa 13
Wyleck 7
Rhys 3*


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## Rhun (Apr 18, 2007)

Hearing Phud's cry of pain, the halfling wizard moves up behind his large companion, drawing a dagger as he moves. Seeing the Kuo-Toan with the crossbow, Rowan tosses the blade at him, hoping to keep him off balance until Phud can crush the fish-man.


*Move up behind Phud; Thrown Dagger +6, damage 1d3/19-20*


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## pallandrome (Apr 18, 2007)

Wyleck would rather have sought information  from one of the buildings denizens, but upon attacking his new friends, the creature gave up any right to parlay. Wyleck points at the monsterous figure and commands his death, "Yssal, KILL!"


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## Brain (Apr 18, 2007)

Arden moves towards the action, pulling out her own crossbow.  She stops behind a corner to provide some cover as she loads a bolt.

(move to the square near the corner in front of rowan's position on the map)


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 19, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud moves around to the left of the brazier and swings his heavy mace at the creature.

OOC: To Hit: +6, Damage: 1d8+5.


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 19, 2007)

Rowan darts in and, standing behind Phud's towering girth in the hallway, flicks a dagger at the crossbow-wielding kuo-toa hiding behind the brazier.  The blade bounces off the brazier and by miracle sticks in the kuo-toa's gut, dealing 2 points of damage.  Some sort of thick white ooze seeps from the dagger wound as the kuo-toa busily reloads his crossbow and otherwise remains in position.

As soon as Phud crosses the threshhold into the chamber, two scimitar-wielding kuo-toas pounce on Phud from either side of the doorway.  The first kuo-toa swings and misses, but the second kuo-toa flanking Phud has better aim.  *Just before he goes down like a sack of potatoes,* Phud feels the sharp edge of the creature's blade slice his hamstrings for 18 points of damage and belatedly realizes that the creatures had lain in wait hidden in two shallow alcove indentations to either side of the doorway.  

[sblock=Phud]Confirmed critical hit (natural 20, followed by an 18 to confirm--inclusive of attack bonus), plus 16 strength on the creatures, plus sneak attack damage.  Let me know if there's something on your character sheet that I missed that might help your PC out here.[/sblock]

Pulling out her crossbow, Arden quickly crosses to the other side of the chamber where she can benefit from partial cover behind the corner.  The small brown gnome heatedly fits a bolt to her crossbow and begins cranking the firing mechanism into place, filling the chamber with the sound of gearworks.

The kuo-toa behind the brazier finishes loading its crossbow and, finding Rowan standing in the middle of the hall without the benefit of cover from a 6' 10" hulking half-orc, grins wickedly at the success of its comrades before loosing a bolt into the halfling wizard that deals 6 points of damage as it sinks into Rowan's shoulder.

The kuo-toas on either side of the open doorway, who are now visible, appear to openly wait for the next of the group to attempt to enter.

Wyleck screams for Yssal to kill and the dog eagerly leaps forward into the fray.  Yssal crosses the chamber with alarming speed and, taking a flying leap through the air, launches himself at the scimitar-wielding kuo-toa (KT3) who downed Phud.  The dog barrels down on KT3, bullrushing the amphibian backward 10 feet and knocking the kuo-toa prone.

Hearing Phud fall, Rhys reacts on instinct and bolts around the corner to crouch at Phud's feet.  Holding his metal disc in one hand, Rhys whispers to Chronepsis for healing and channels curative power into Phud's fallen form, restoring 10 points.  At Rhys's hurried but powerful healing, Phud wakes from unconsciousness where he lays on the cold wet flagstones.

[sblock=Phud]After the 9 and the 18 points of damage and then the 10 points of healing, I have Phud at 1 HP.  Let me know if your accounting differs.[/sblock]

When Rhys steps forward to heal Phud, KT2 hisses with displeasure and lashes out at the cleric but misses badly.  After its miss at Rhys, KT2 hisses again but remains in place, a look of readiness about it.

[sblock=Rowan]These kuo-toas twice as bulky as a kuo-toa ought to be.  Judging by the fury with which one of them beat down Phud, are stronger and faster than a normal kuo-toa.  Given the zealotry of kuo-toas as a race, these are probably guardians of some sort.[/sblock]


*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
Kuo-toas 13
Wyleck 7
Rhys 3*


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## pallandrome (Apr 19, 2007)

Wyleck, obviously disturbed at the ferocity and cunning of these new adversaries, calls out with his magic to summon a wolf directly in front of the unoccupied guardian, in the hopes of distracting it from further injuring his friends.


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## Rhun (Apr 19, 2007)

Quickly taking stock of the situation, the hafling wizard realizes that the group could be in dire straits. Speaking obscure words in the arcane tongue, Rowan feels the power of his spell begin to course through his veins like fire. His entire body begins to tingle as the climax of the spell approaches, and the he releases the power of his magic into the room beyond...




*
AC 14, HP 6/12
Cast Sleep, centered on the brazier (should catch KT1 and KT2). DC14 Will Save.


Memorized Spells:
Level 0 – Mage Hand, Detect Magic, Acid Splash, Daze + Acid Splash
Level 1 – Sleep, Summon Monster I, Color Spray + Grease*


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## Brain (Apr 20, 2007)

Arden waits for the traffic to clear a little bit before moving in.  (delay)


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 20, 2007)

Rowan, never one to bother with spell components, traces an invisible rune in the air in front of himself and speaks ancient words of draconic power then points at the stone brazier in the room where the kuo-toa guardians linger.  KT1 and KT2 immediately drowse and fall with a thud to the floor where they previously had been standing, their light crossbow and scimitar landing with a clatter at their feet.

Phud, rubbing a sore knot on his head from a 6'10" fall to the hard stone floor, gets up from prone and grabs his heavy mace.  "OW!  Bad froggies, bad!  Phud ANGRY!"  The half-orc glares menacingly at KT3.

The third and sole remaining kuo-toa hisses at Yssal and dives in to attack the dog.  Yssal yelps in pain as the kuo-toa's scimitar drives him between the dog's shoulder blades, dealing 7 points of damage.  Yssal, never one to back down from a fight, snarls and lunges at the kuo-toa.  Yssal snaps his jaws about the kuo-toa's lower leg, dealing 5 points of damage.  The dog doesn't relinquish his grasp on the kuo-toa; quite the contrary.  Yssal starts to tug and pull at the creature and succeeds in pulling down the kuo-toa to the floor, growling all the while with vengeance.

Wyleck moves up 15 feet until he is directly behind Rowan and in range of the kuo-toa in the room.  Grasping his holy symbol and speaking in a language as old as the earth under his feet, Wyleck begins a lengthy magical summoning, intent on bringing forth a wolf.

[sblock=Wyleck]Takes a full round to cast summon nature's ally; the wolf'll appear on Wyleck's turn next round.  Can Wyleck communicate with the wolf?[/sblock]

Rhys steps diagonally around the open doorway to stand beside Phud and behind Yssal.  Obviously torn as to whom to heal, the human reaches a second time for Phud, coursing warm healing magic into the hulking half-orc.  5 points of damage restored.

Arden, delaying action until the narrow way into the room clears, hesitates several beats as she tries to think what best to do.

[sblock=Arden]The two kuo-toas Arden can see are both down.  Phud has stood up and looks like he's about to move to attack the third kuo-toa, which presently Arden cannot see due to the angle.  Rhys has stepped into the room, and now only Wyleck and Rowan are in Arden's way.[/sblock]

*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
Kuo-toas 13
Wyleck 7
Rhys 3*


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## Rhun (Apr 20, 2007)

Rowan moves forward, stepping toward the stone brazier as he goes. With a look of determination on his face, he throws his club, spinning it through the air toward the Kuo-Toan that Yssal has dragged to the ground.




*Move to G14, thrown club +6 (1d4/x2)*


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## pallandrome (Apr 20, 2007)

[sblock=CB] Nope, I got nothin beyond a +5 modifier to Handle Animal. I'll be placing the beast as close as possible to the opponant that Yssal is busy savaging, in the hopes that he'll just pick the nearest moving target (I.E. the Hamstrung Kuo-Toa), so that I can run up to heal my pooch. [/sblock]


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## Rhun (Apr 23, 2007)

*Bump*


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## Brain (Apr 23, 2007)

Arden will stay out in the entrance room, and watch the other archways, covering them with her crossbow.

(ready attack for any enemy looking things with weapons drawn from another area)


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## pallandrome (Apr 24, 2007)

*OOC: just so everyone knows, CB has posted on the ooc thread that she will be out of town for a few days, for family stuff. Further explainations can be found there.*


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 25, 2007)

[sblock=OOC]Thanks, pallandrome.  I actually just took a couple of days to organize travel plans for myself and the baby, and to arrange for someone to stay with my three other children and housesit while I'm away in May.  My husband will be deployed during the time I need to travel back to the States for the memorial service and airfare for five was prohibitive, necessitating help with the children.  Anyway, in addition to the two days I just took, I'll be gone from May 11th to the 22nd.  Maybe a day or two extra as downtime to get over the jetlag.  Thanks again.[/sblock]

With a look of fierce determination, Rowan brandishes his club and moves up to stand beside the stone brazier.  Throwing the club, Rowan puts some english on the weapon, causing it to spin with vehemence through the air.  The meaty end of the club thwacks the prone KT3 directly on the head for a goodly 3 points of damage.

Phud crosses the short space between himself and KT3 with one long stride.  Swinging his heavy mace in a downward arc, Phud misses landing a blow on the kuo-toa guardian's mid-section and instead hits the kuo-toa's very pretty silvery heavy steel shield lying on the ground beside the creature.  The shield, though nicely wrought, proves to be a match for Phud's mace.  Something sticky covers the shield, causing Phud's weapon to be held fast.

With everyone else focusing on the kuo-toa room, Arden keeps her eyes on the main chamber, the zig-zag doors, the foyer leading to the main chamber, and the portcullis opposite her position.  So far, nothing can be seen.  Despite the sounds of battle with the kuo-toas, however, Arden's keen gnomish ears prick to the sound of splashing coming from down the light hallway behind the portcullis.

[sblock=Arden]Maybe four pairs of feet splashing on wet floor?  Give or take.[/sblock]

The last kuo-toa on the floor struggles to keep Yssal at bay with one hand, while its other hand grasps at a dagger in a sheath at its waist.  Yssal, however, proves the stronger and keeps his quarry pinned to the floor.

Wyleck moves up 10 feet and continues to concentrate on his casting of summon nature's ally.  In the heated, wavering air in front of Phud, a wolf forms by magic, its grey eyes glowing with a hunted look of hunger.  Guided by Wyleck, the wolf turns to the prone kuo-toa pinned by Yssal and lunges at the amphibian's neck.  The wolf's jaws clack and with one mighty rip, the wolf rips out the entirety of the kuo-toa's neck in a spray of blood and quivering flesh.  The wolf's bite deals 15 points of damage.  Yssal, surprised to see such a preternatural predator stalking the room, lets go of his grasp on the kuo-toa's shin and growls at the wolf.  The room is soon filled with the sounds of growling hatred as the two canine archenemies face off on either side of Phud.  Yssal's hackles are raised, giving the barded dog a fury of a countenance.

For his part, Rhys silently backs away from the wolf and out of the room, but not without flitting a concerned look at Phud.

The two other kuo-toas nearer the stone brazier snuffle on the floor in their magically-induced sleep.

*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
Kuo-toas 13
Wyleck 7
Rhys 3*


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## Brain (Apr 25, 2007)

Arden stays ready in case of hostile creatures with wet feet, but remains aware of her party's wishes to give things a chance to parlay.  She says in a loud whisper so hopefully only her friends can hear, "someone is coming from the portcullis"


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 25, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Upset that his mace is held fast by the shield, Phud bends down to try and pull the mace from the shield.

OOC: Opposed grapple check? +6


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## Rhun (Apr 25, 2007)

Rowan quickly moves to recover his club and his dagger, and ponders slitting the throats of the two sleeping Kuo-Toans.


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## pallandrome (Apr 25, 2007)

"Rhun, if you could deal with one of those and truss up the other, I have some questions about this place I'd like to see if he could answer. Yssal, come here!"

then, attempting to utilize his supernatural control over the summoned beast, Wyleck commands to towards the approaching reinforcements...


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 25, 2007)

His club and dagger secured, Rowan looks down at the two sleeping kuo-toas.  Both of them stir occasionally but otherwise make no move to wake.

Phud grasps the haft of his heavy mace and tugs.  The thing seems to be held fast to the kuo-toa's shield, but Phud digs in.  Planting one foot on the kuo-toa's arm and the other firmly on the damp flagstone floor, Phud adjusts his grip on his heavy mace and gives a hearty pull.  The mace gives a groan, letting Phud know that with more or fiercer pulling it would probably be freed in time, but for now it remains stuck fast as glue.

Arden continues to scout and listen, and hears the footsteps growing closer.  A snarl in the from behind the portcullis somewhere out of her line of sight is a clear signal that whatever it is likely won't be friendly.

Wyleck calls for Rowan to deal with one of the sleeping kuo-toas and perhaps truss up the other.  Barking a command to the wolf and calling for Yssal, who only backs down from the wolf once the summoned creature exits the room, Wyleck focuses his concentration on maintaining the wolf directly in front of the portcullis back in the main chamber.

Seeing the wolf pad past, Rhys's eyes go wide.  The cleric moves backward into the kuo-toa room, where he whispers to Phud.  "Blood is thick, thicker than water.  How much have you lost and shall I whisper to the aeons for healing for you?"


*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
KT1, KT2 13
Wyleck 7
Reinforcements 6
Rhys 3*


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 25, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud nods at Rhys' question. "Phud hurt bad!"


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## hafrogman (Apr 25, 2007)

Rhy gnaws at his own lip for a moment as he considers Phud's wounds.  The half-orc seems to have a knack for attracting trouble, and injury.  He weighs heavily in his mind the energy that flows through him.  He shakes his head for a moment and his eyes clear a little.

"I'm sorry Phud, it seems as if for some time I have only been watching myself as if from a great distance.  I will see what I can do to aid you now that I have returned.

[sblock=ooc]You'll have to forgive me for being away so long, but does Rhys actually have any healing left?

He's only got three 1st level spells a day, and I count two used just in this last encounter.  How long has it been since we rested?  Phud may have to settle for minors.  How hurt is he?

CLW if there's one left  1d8+2
Otherwise, three cure minors for 3 points, whee     Gotta leave one back in case someone needs emergency stabilization [/sblock]


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## pallandrome (Apr 26, 2007)

[sblock=ooc] I dunno, but I suspect we'll have to rest directly after this next battle. We leveled, and thus got some spells back, but I've got all of one left, which I suspect is about to be used to summon another wolf to help deal with the reinforcements. Better a summon take the first rush than Phud or Yssal. Also, welcome back hafrogman! [/sblock]


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## Rhun (Apr 26, 2007)

Rowan nods at the kuo-toans, a frown on his face. "They will only stay asleep for a couple of minutes. And I'm afraid I'm quite the stranger to performing the _coup_. Perhaps someone with more skill at arms could look to these fellows?" 

The halfling then walks over toward Arden. "My friends, my arcane powers are nearly exhausted for the day...I suggest we deal with these newcomers with alacrity, and then find a safehole to retire to. I have one spell left that, er, may cause the reinforcements some, ah yes...consternation."

*Ready action to cast grease on the corridor coming into this room...I assume Arden and Rhys are in the room now?*


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 26, 2007)

Rowan remains standing by the stone brazier and begins preparing a nasty surprise for the reinforcements in the form of a greased corridor leading into the kuo-toa guardian room.

[sblock=All]I have marked the area to be greased on the attached map.  It isn't greased yet, but will be if reinforcements arrive.[/sblock]

Phud stands still to receive Rhys's healing, which Chronepsis is so good as to provide in the form of 7 points of healing.

[sblock=Rhys]I may have been generous in using or overusing Rhys's healing.  Odds are that sleep will be necessary immediately after this battle--Rowan and Wyleck are almost out of spells.  I don't think you need to fish through the last several pages to determine how much healing Rhys has used.  If you're comfortable, why don't we call this his last _cure light_ and we'll leave him with all his _cure minors_ just in case someone needs to be stabilized?[/sblock]

Carefully maintaining her aim on the portcullis, Arden moves through the soon-to-be-greased corridor into the kuo-toa guardian room with the others.  Should a foe appear at the portcullis, Arden stands ready to fire her crossbow.

Wyleck also moves out of the corridor into the kuo-toa guardian room.  Standing just to the side of the corner entrance to the room very near the sleeping KT2, Wyleck spaces himself so as to be able to peer around the corner with both the portullis and the wolf in full view.  As soon as Wyleck centers himself, however, his magically summoned ally winks out of existance.

At that precise moment, there is a grinding of gearworks and the portcullis begins to raise.  The bit of rock upon which Wyleck had cast_ light _ winks from view and everything again falls to darkness.  The kuo-toa guardian room, which sports patches of phosphorescent moss of some kind that glows purple, is the only source of dim illumination.

*The phosphorescent moss behaves like a candle (provides illumination for a 5-ft radius) and is marked on the map by pink marks on the walls.  Incidentally, there is a rising set of stairs on the southern end of the kuo-toa room that you all have yet to investigate.  Sorry if that was not clearer earlier.*

At the first glimpse of pale bulbous eyes blinking from around the corner near the now raised portcullis, Arden takes the shot she'd for so long held.  Her bolt streaks through the air, crossing the main chamber, and burying itself into the mid-section of the owner of the bulbous eyes, dealing 3 points of damage. 

Everyone hears, but only Phud sees, two kuo-toas armed with longspears flapping across the main chamber floor.  To Phud's eye, KT5 and KT6 spread out and appear to be making to flank both sides of the corridor leading to the guardian room.  KT4, the one Arden hit, stands its ground in the portcullis doorframe, a longspear in hand, as it looks dead on at Phud and croaks in some queer nebulous language.  

The sound of another pair of feet, or perhaps two pairs, flap through the puddles ubiquitous to this area from the somewhere inside the hallway beyond the portcullis.

Rowan points at the corridor, magically and silently slickening the already wet flagstones.

*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
KT1, KT2 13
Wyleck 7
Reinforcements 6
Rhys 3*


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## Brain (Apr 27, 2007)

Arden reloads and shoots at the same one she hit before, hoping to drop it.


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## hafrogman (Apr 27, 2007)

Plunged into darkness as soon as he has finished with Phud's wounds, Rhys stands blinking in the darkness for a moment.  He feels the shaft of his spear in his hands and considers the feeble light shed by the moss.

Caressing the disc at his neck once more, he calls for light.

[sblock=ooc]Or else, perhaps I shall use those level 0 spells for something else.

Cast Light on his spear.[/sblock]


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## Guest 11456 (Apr 27, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Unable to free his own weapon at the moment, Phud grabs KT3's scimitar and checks the balance of the weapon before swinging at KT2 with the newly acquired weapon. Meanwhile Bird has flown over to the brazier and lands atop it.


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## pallandrome (Apr 28, 2007)

Wyleck repeats his druidic summoning, calling upon the very nature of the wolf to bring the beastly ally back into the fight, right next to the large Koa-Toan.


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## Rhun (Apr 30, 2007)

Rowan can only stand and wait for the Kuo-Toans to come.


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 30, 2007)

Rowan stands by the brazier and waits for an enemy to assert itself into Rhys's nimbus of magical light.

Phud ignores his own stuck heavy mace in favor plucking KT3's scimitar up from the floor beside the dead kuo-toa.  Hefting the weapon for weight and finding things to his satisfaction, Phud does an about face and quickly sets to the grim work of coup de grace-ing KT2.   White ichor from the sleeping kuo-toa wells up from the slice Phud carves across the creature's neck, and the kuo-toa guardian ceases stirring.

Arden finishes loading her light crossbow.  Leveling the front of the weapon in order to take aim at KT4, Arden squeezes the firing mechanism and, with a click, a bolt flies from the bow to hit the kuo-toa standing in the portcullis a second time smack in the thigh for 4 points of damage.   The kuo-toa croaks furiously in its foreign tongue and, dying, reaches for something unseen beside the portcullis.  The loud clanging of a war bell rings out into the dark, decrying unwelcome entry.

Using the same tone and incantations from just seconds before, Wyleck begins casting a second summoning spell, eyeing the large kuo-toa all the while.

KT5 and KT6 finish crossing the main chamber and remove themselves from immediate view to either side of the open hall.  The clatter of polearms on the stone floor, followed in short order by heavy machinery being lifted into place echoes in the guardian room.  The war bell back by the portcullis clangs twice more before KT4 slumps in the portcullis doorway, unconscious or dead.

Rhys expends a few quick seconds to magically _light_ his spear.  For all but Phud, the light is welcome addition.  For now, the halls in the temple fall quiet, save for the scuffling of the two kuo-toan soldiers outside the hall and the dying echoes of the bell.

*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
KT1 13
Wyleck 7
KT5, KT6 6
Rhys 3*


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## Rhun (Apr 30, 2007)

Rowan moves toward the stairs, his club in hand, and peers upward. "I realize that running off into the unknown is probably not the, well, the best idea, but I have a feeling that the front entrance may no longer be a, er, well, an effective means to escape."


*Move to E17*


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## hafrogman (Apr 30, 2007)

Rhys blanches slightly as the bell rings out in the darkness.  His prayers bring light to the room, but little comfort.  The Kuo-toans will be coming in force.  His voice is a whisper as he considers theirs options.  But his ears still ring from the alarm.

*"The bells. . . the bells, but no sanctuary.  We cannot stay here, they will come for us."*

He moves away from the portcullis, searching for a path.

[sblock=ooc]Rhys will move towards the unexplored staircase. . . trying to get a look at where it goes.[/sblock]


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## CanadienneBacon (Apr 30, 2007)

The stairs go up and end at a closed stone door on the next floor.


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## Rhun (May 1, 2007)

Rowan continues on, moving up the stairs. "I believe that initiating a, ah, strategic withdrawal would be a, well, a capital idea."


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## Brain (May 1, 2007)

Arden agrees quietly, but indicates that she wants to look at the door first.  "How about you guys search this room quick and the downed enemies, while I look at this door at the top of the stairs?"

Arden proceeds up the stairs carefully and quietly.  First order of business is to try to listen past the door (if there is a crack or keyhole) and also look (same).  Then she checks it for traps and then if it is locked (if not trapped).

(Listen +6, Spot +4, Search +7, Disable Device +9, Open Lock +10 if I get that far)


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## Guest 11456 (May 1, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud moves around the brazier and swings at the last of the sleeping kuo-toans. Bird flies over to Phud's shoulder now that the current threat is over.


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## CanadienneBacon (May 4, 2007)

The stairs are 15 feet in length.  Rowan, followed by Arden, heads up the stairs.  Before Arden has time to get to the top, Rowan's already put a quiet ear to the door and is trying to listen.

Phud shambles around the brazier and gives the sleeping KT1 a solid thwack on the neck with his newly acquired scimitar for 13 points of damage.  A gruesome smile splits the creature's green-skinned neck and after a moment or two of gurgling, the kuo-toa sleeps no more.

Close on Rowan's heels, Arden cuts the corner leading to the stairs and hurries up to the landing.  Straight off, Arden recognizes a security door.  Crafted of solid stone, the portal is of obvious good quality with a stout brass lock attached to a bit of dull silver-hued chain that will undoubtedly require picking.
[sblock=Rowan, Arden]It was a double move for both of you to get to the top of the stairs.  If nothing drastic happens at the hands of kuo-toas this round, I will have Rowan listen and Arden start working on the lock next round if you like.  If you don't like, then by all means please go ahead and supply something else.[/sblock]

Wyleck finishes his spellcraft.  As he does, a wolf nearly identical to the first forms of vapors by the portcullis and immediately begins snarling at the first available target, the kuo-toan with two of Arden's crossbow bolts sticking from its gut that fell by the gate.  The wolf stops growling to sniff a moment, the snaps its head to the side.  Spying living quarry across the room, the wolf turns and flashes across the room, snapping at KT6 with a vengeance.  The wolf grasps ahold of the large kuo-toan soldier by the hamstring and with a furious tug, rips free a steak of quivering flesh good for 13 points of damage.  A hiss of pain streaks from the injured kuo-toan around the corner.

Rhys, standing nigh in the middle of the kuo-toa guardian chamber, gets hit by a crossbow bolt in the upper left arm as KT5 pokes its head out from the corner at the end of the greased passageway long enough to fire a shot.  The bolt lands with a hot thud in Rhy's arm and deals 2 points of damage.  Wounded, Rhys moves out from view of the open doorway and heads toward the stairs.  Something made of both wood and metal drops to the floor as KT6 attempts to deal with the ferocious wolf.  The wolf snaps at something unseen, misses, and then growls again, clearly engaged in battle with KT6.
[sblock=Rhys]I moved Rhys to F17.  He had movement enough left to go further up the stairs, but it's already crowded up top with Rowan and Arden standing there.  If you'd rather Rhys went one square further, to G17, let me know and I'll amend the map.[/sblock]

*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
Wyleck 7
KT5, KT6 6
Rhys 3*


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## Rhun (May 4, 2007)

*


			
				CanadienneBacon said:
			
		


			a hot thud in
		
Click to expand...



What exactly does a "hot thud" feel like? *


Rowan presses his head against the door, hoping to get some kind of clue as to what lies beyond. 


*Listen +5*


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## pallandrome (May 4, 2007)

Wyleck loads a sling stone and waits for one of the villainous creatures to show themselves.

"My wolf will not hold them for long. If anyone has a bright idea, now is the time..."


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## Guest 11456 (May 7, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud searches KT1.

OOC: Search -2


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## CanadienneBacon (May 8, 2007)

Pressing his ear against the stone door at the top of the stairs, Rowan hears the distinct shuffle of four creatures occupying what sounds like a narrow space.  Judging by the langorous quality of the creature's movement and the odd splash of water, the creatures are kuo-toans but seem oddly uninterested in anything going on behind the door.

Phud stoops from his great height to search the body of KT1.  The kuo-toa guardian's light crossbow lies at its feet, a shiny scimitar with zig-zag patterns embellished down the length of the blade rests in a sheath at the kuo-toa's hip.  In a leather case in a bandoleer strapped across the kuo-toa's chest, Phud finds 18 bolts sized for the crossbow.  The kuo-toa is lying on a shield that looks to be crafted after the fashion of the shield belonging to KT3, the one to which Phud's heavy mace stuck fast.

Arden has a quick listen at the door and, hearing nothing at all, sets to work dexterously picking the lock, albeit loudly.  With a startling click, Arden unlocks the stone door and hastily restows her set of picks.

Round the corner, the wolf summoned by Wyleck gives a loud snarl and then a yelp of pain as a bolt from the opposite side of the doorway whizzes through the air of the main chamber.  A half beat later, Wyleck realizes that his wolf has fizzled out from existance on this plane.  The furious cranking of a crossbow resound in the main chamber but only KT5 pokes its head around the corner.  As soon as Wyleck spies the kuo-toa, he lets loose with his sling.  The stone flies in a high arc over the head of KT5, a clean miss, then lands with a boom against the opposite wall of the main chamber, where it shatters into several jagged pieces.  

From his place on the stairs, Rhys keeps an eye on the kuo-toa guardian room, lest Phud or Wyleck fall and the kuo-toan reinforcements invade up the stairs.

*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
Wyleck 7
KT5, KT6 6
Rhys 3*


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## Rhun (May 8, 2007)

"Phud, we need you!," hisses Rowan to the massive half-orc below. "There are more Kou-Toans behind this door, and I am almost completely out of magic."

The halfling grimaces and hefts his club as he waits for Arden to open the door, knowing that their company is truly in dire peril.


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## Brain (May 8, 2007)

Arden whispers to Rowan, "Maybe we shouldn't open it if you hear more of them.  Can we defend the lower room?"


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## Rhun (May 8, 2007)

Rowan shrugs. "The real question is can you defend the lower room? I've no magic left, and my martial skills are, well, somewhat lacking."


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## pallandrome (May 9, 2007)

"There's but two of the buggers! I've little notion that we can't send these fellows off with a sound thrashing, right Yssal? Now ready yourself. When they enter this room, give them a little of their own sneaky medicine eh?" Wyleck says as he backs along the wall, fitting another stone to his sling and waiting for some poor, foolish  Koa-Toan to enter the lower room to deliver it's just dessert.


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## CanadienneBacon (May 9, 2007)

Having relayed the information that four kuo-toas lurk behind the stone door, Rowan calls for Phud.  Holding his club in a hard grip, the halfling arcanist waits for the door to open and opportunity to arise.

*I'm saving a readied action for Rowan to attack a kuo-toa in the room beyond.  Melee or ranged w/ the club?*

Hearing Rowan beckon for his services, Phud leaves off searching the other two kuo-toan guardians in the room and crosses the threshhold to lumber up the stone stairs banking the southern wall.  After edging past Rhys mid-way up the stair, Phud halts a moment behind Rowan and Arden.  "Phud go first?"   The half-orc seems to want to nudge past Arden and Rowan but things on the stairs are looking jumbled.

Arden whispers to Rowan, "Maybe we shouldn't open it if you hear more of them. Can we defend the lower room?"

Wyleck fits another stone to his sling and, pressing his back against the wall flanking the western end of the guardian room, waits for a poor foolish kuo-toa to attempt entry.  At Wyleck's command, Yssal trots across the room to the opposite side of the doorway and lays in wait as well.

KT5 rounds the corner and steps into the short ten-foot corridor leading from the main chamber to the guardian room.  As the kuo-toan steps in the first section of floor, its feet slip out from underneath it and the creature falls to the slick flagstone floor.  Try as it might, the kuo-toa cannot get its footing to rise.  Angry gurgling and croaking speech ensues.  KT6 peeks its head around the corner long enough to spy KT5's predicament and fire a bolt at Yssal that misses.  The bolt hits the stone brazier and lands unscathed at the feet of the dead throat-grinning KT1.

Rhys moves back a step to try to keep an eye on Wyleck and Yssal while simultaneously making room on the stairs for Phud, Rowan, and Arden.

*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
Wyleck 7
KT5, KT6 6
Rhys 3*


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## Brain (May 9, 2007)

Arden heads back down the stairs, making room for others up there.  She loads her crossbow at the bottom of the stairs, without peeking into the room yet.


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## hafrogman (May 9, 2007)

Rhys continues his rear guard on the stairs, wincing as he considers the crossbow bolt in his arm.  He was supposed to be the healer, now who would heal him?  The pain throbs in his arm, bringing a fair amount of lucidity, and his stands in silence as he watches the stairs that overflow with his companions and the room from which they are fleeing.

[sblock=Rhun]







			
				Rhun said:
			
		

> *What exactly does a "hot thud" feel like? *




It's kind of like a "Hot Phud" but more pointy and metal, and less half-orc in a g-string.

[/sblock]


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## Guest 11456 (May 9, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Phud waits until Arden has moved out of the way and then moves up to the door and opens it.

OOC: Delaying action until after Arden moves. How long does the _grease_ last?


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## Rhun (May 9, 2007)

Rowan steps in front of Phud to stop him from opening the door, holding his hands out. "Finish those two guard below, and quickly!" calls Rowan. "Pick them off with your bows! My spell will not last much longer, and we need to slay them so that they can't tell the reinforcements where we went!!!"


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## CanadienneBacon (May 10, 2007)

*Grease ends on Rowan's turn this round.  Tailspinner, given that Rowan just stuck a hand out to stop Phud from opening the door, if you'd like to re-declare for this round you may.  If you don't want to re-declare for the round, that's fine too.*


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## Guest 11456 (May 10, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

The large half-orc frowns at Rowan. "You! Make mind up." Then he turns and heads back down the stairs.


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## CanadienneBacon (May 11, 2007)

Quickly stepping in front of Phud to block the door, the halfling stops the massive bouncer.  "Finish those two guard below, and quickly!" calls Rowan. "Pick them off with your bows! My spell will not last much longer, and we need to slay them so that they can't tell the reinforcements where we went!!!"  Phud frowns at Rowan.  "You! Make mind up."  Turning and lumbering back down the stairs, Phud takes up a position staunchly in front of but five feet back from the short corridor leading from the main chamber into the guardian room.  Readying his blade, Phud stands and waits for the two kuo-toas to attempt entry.

Arden heads down the stairs after Phud and, standing at the bottom near Rhys, hastens to reload her crossbow.  Wyleck and Yssal continue to lie in wait on either side of the open doorway; Wyleck grins with wicked anticipation at the lesson soon to be taught the reinforcements.  

KT5 gets to its feet and bolts forward, full of venom.  As soon as the kuo-toa steps into the guardian room, Wyleck and Yssal spring to action.  Wyleck launches the stone he'd held at the ready but the rock cleanly misses the kuo-toa.  Yssal, however, is closer and darts in, biting the kuo-toa on the lower leg for 6 points of damage.  Yssal begins to tug, trying to fell the kuo-toa much the way he did to KT3.  The kuo-toa resists being pulled prone and remains standing, probably to his doom, for at that exact moment, Phud hauls off and slices a wide gash in KT5 good for 9 points of damage.  KT5 drops the slim dagger it held and falls, dying, to the floor in a pool of its own blood.  From around the corner, KT6 steps partially into view and fires at Phud.  The bolt misses the large target, hitting the wall behind Phud instead and tearing a large hole the size of a fist as it embeds in the quarried masonry.

Rhys, standing from the side near the bottom of the stairs, stands his ground but prepares himself to run into the fray should a comrade require aid.

*Initiative:
Rowan 20
Phud 20
Arden 15
Wyleck 7
KT6 6
Rhys 3*


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## pallandrome (May 11, 2007)

"We've got the bugger right where we want him!" shouts Wyleck as he brandished his club, "Chaaarrge!"

He bolts around the corner at the remaining opponant, hoping to reach him before he can re-load his weapon, and motions for Yssal to do the same.


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## Rhun (May 11, 2007)

From the top of the stairs, Rowan can only watch and hold his walking stick at the ready as he watches the the kuo-toan below fall to the stone floor. The halfling wizard can only stand and watch, hoping that the creatures behind the door don't choose this moment to open it.


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## CanadienneBacon (May 11, 2007)

Yssal, Phud, and Wyleck charge and surround the last remaining kuo-toa.  The beast goes down in just a few short seconds, but not before loosing a bolt that slams into Yssal for 3 points of damage.  As the last kuo-toa dies in the guardian room, so too does the metal bell inside the portullis across the main chamber cease its warning clangs.  Though unlocked, the stone door at the top of the landing on the stairs remains unopened.  Rowan hears movement beyond the door but no assailant seeks to open the portal.  For the moment, a calm blankets the temple's lower threshhold.

*I'll be away until the 22nd.  Please check in at the OOC (nice surprise waiting for you there) and bump this thread as necessary so that we don't lose it off the third page of the forum.  Thanks!*


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## Rhun (May 11, 2007)

Rowan lowers his walking stick as his companions finish off the last of the immediate guardians. With a last glance at the stone door, the halfling walks back down the stairs to join his companions. "We should search this area, and, um, dispose of these bodies before somebody, well, stumbles across them. Then we should, ah, find a place to rest."


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## pallandrome (May 11, 2007)

"Agreed." says Wyleck, as he soothes his friend's wounds with a Cure Minor, "Yssal, help me drag these to the water. We'll dump them there. I'd suggest we hole up for the night if we find a place that would be conducive, as my divine energies are all but depleated."


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## pallandrome (May 14, 2007)

After the bodies are conveniently dropped into the murky water, Yssal and Wyleck return to their resting room beneath the braziere room.

OOC: BUMP.


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## Guest 11456 (May 15, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

The battle at last complete, Phud goes about the task of gathering the bodies of the fallen foes and searching through their belongings for anything of interest. Then he dumps the bodies into the water and piles the loot into a neat group. Then he joins the others in searching the area thoroughly."Phud getting tired."


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## Brain (May 15, 2007)

Arden searches the area thoroughly and announces that she has found a neat little room that looks feasible to rest in.  She also helps search the bodies before they are dumped, and arranges the spoils into neat categories and lines them up for easy and asthetic viewing.


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## Guest 11456 (May 15, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 1*

Once the hidey hole has been located, Phud gestures at all the things they found on the bodies. "Maybe we take dat stuff below."


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## Rhun (May 15, 2007)

Rowan happily retires to the hidey-hole found by Arden beneath the brazier. Completely drained, both mentally and physically, the halfling doesn't wait for his companions to discuss watches and guards and loot and such. He unfolds his bedroll, chitters at Grinai for a few moments (telling the rat to wake him at any sign of trouble), and then lays down. He is fast asleep and snoring within just a few minutes.


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## Rhun (May 18, 2007)

Awaking quite refreshed from his undisturbed slumber, Rowan yawns and stretches. Then, the halfling pulls his spellbook from his pack, and reclines against the wall to study, munching on some rations while he does so.

After long minutes of study, the halfling wizard begins to beam, obviously pleased with himself. He remains quiet though, but is obviously excited about whatever his studies have revealed to him. Finally, he closes his book with a loud thud and packs it safely away again.

"I don't know if it is, well, the amount I've been forced to use my magic the last few days or not, but I've finally figured out a few of the other spells I had been, ah, studying." The wizard continues to smile. "Those kuo-toans won't know what hit them!"


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## Guest 11456 (May 22, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Now rested, Phud feels much better. "What we do now?" Meanwhile bird, rested as well, hops upon his master's shoulder ready to go.


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## Rhun (May 24, 2007)

Rowan looks up at Phud with a bit of a gleam in his eye, and a slight smile on his lips. "Now we go put the beatdown on these kuo-toan thugs."


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## CanadienneBacon (May 24, 2007)

[sblock=Items recovered]Summary of items recovered from dead kuo-toas in both the guardian room and the main chamber:

*KT1:*
--light crossbow 
--a shiny scimitar with zig-zag patterns embellished down the length of the blade 
--leather bandoleer
--18 light xbow bolts
--nice light steel shield

*KT2:*
--light crossbow
--a dinged-up scimitar
--nice light steel shield
--stoppered clear glass vial w/ vermillion-hued liquid (Rhys identifies this as a potion of inflict light wounds [divine])

*KT3:*  
--nice light steel shield (w/Phud's heavy mace stuck fast)
--light crossbow
--a shiny scimitar with zig-zag patterns embellished down the length of the blade
--15 light xbow bolts in a case

*KT4 (dead by portcullis door):*
--light crossbow 
--longspear
--dagger
--leather bandoleer
--13 light xbow bolts
--nice light steel shield
--signet ring
--silver holy symbol of a stylized lobster with lightening bolts crossed in the background(Rowan identifies it as symbol of Blipdoolpoolp)
--stoppered glass vial w/clear blue liquid that smells of almonds (Rhys identifies this as a potion of cure light wounds)

*KT5:*
--light crossbow 
--longspear
--dagger
--leather bandoleer
--17 light xbow bolts (each bolt has a faint transmutation aura detected by Rowan)
--nice light steel shield

*KT6:*
--light crossbow 
--longspear
--dagger
--leather bandoleer
--12 light xbow bolts
--nice light steel shield
--crude-looking stone amulet on a natty leather cord, gives Phud a nasty shock when he touches it (faint evocation aura detected by Rowan)[/sblock]
*The loot is detailed above.  If you want something, please declare what you have your PC take.  If you're unsure about taking something that you think others might want, please use the OOC to hash out details.*

Leaving the bulk of the main chamber unexplored due to the fear of impending discovery, Phud gathers up KT4 from where the kuo-toa lies dead by the portcullis and crosses the main chamber back into the guardian room.  Once each creature is divested of its gear and accoutrement, Wyleck sets about dragging each of the six kuo-toas for deposit into the shallow indentations containing murky water in the guardian rooms.  With only four such pools, two do double duty and contain two dead guards.  The gathered items safely secured in the 20-ft square room secreted beneath the stone brazier and everyone cloistered inside for a bit of rest, time does, indeed, pass uneventfully until Rowan wakes and studies--to his excitement--his spell tome 12 hours later.

As Rowan excitedly boasts of his new lore, Arden's ears prick to the sound of scraping and dragging coming from the guardian room above.


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## Rhun (May 24, 2007)

[sblock=CanadienneBacon]

Rowan would have cast a _detect magic_ on the pile of gear before resting. Anything other than the potions radiate magic?

[/sblock]


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## CanadienneBacon (May 24, 2007)

Rowan casts detect magic and has a careful look at the recovered items.  Potions aside, one case of partially-used light crossbow bolts and the crude-looking stone amulet necklace attract his attention.  Likewise, should he have ventured out into the main chamber before resting beneath the brazier, the door with the zig-zag patterns back in the main chamber radiates a faint aura, though just of what remains elusive to the halfling.  The stone door atop the stairs has an aura to it; by casting his spell and being thoroughly informed of the limits of his arcane prowess, Rowan divines that the door has a faint aura about it that must originate on the inside of the room beyond.  Just what the door's aura is, however, Rowan doesn't know.

*Sorry, rolled a 2 and a 5 for his spellcraft checks on those last two doors.   I've included an edit in my earlier post to detail aura strength and school on the bolts and amulet.*


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## Guest 11456 (May 25, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud digs through the items and decides on the shiny scimitar with zig-zag patterns embellished down the length of the blade and one of the nice light steel shields. "Phud ready go."


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## CanadienneBacon (May 25, 2007)

If Phud wants his heavy mace back, he can try to prize it from the shield to which it's stuck at a DC 20 Strength check.  Would he try or would he be content with the new scimitar?


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## Guest 11456 (May 25, 2007)

OOC: Phud is happy with the new acquisition. As a sorcerer he was only proficient with simple weapons. But with his barbarian levels he has more weapon choices.


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## Rhun (May 25, 2007)

Rowan frowns at the collection of 'big-folk' gear. While a crossbow would be nice to add to his arsenal, certainly these ones were too unwieldy for the halfling. Still, if would be worthwhile to collect anything that radiated magic. "Let's grab this case of, um,  crossbow bolts, the potions, and that amulet. Nothing else appears to be, well, magical, although I suppose there are, ah, spells and such that can disguise an aura."


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## pallandrome (May 27, 2007)

"True, but I doubt any of us have the ability, currently, to determine if such an aura is in place, and were it so, the stregth and willingness to haul such an ungainly stash about untill we DO come into such prowess. I say we leave the mundane loot."


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## Rhun (May 27, 2007)

"Indeed," replies Rowan, "But we should take what we can. Certes some of these items will have value when we leave this place."


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## Brain (May 28, 2007)

Arden nods in agreement.  "The way to do it is to take things that are easy to carry, but have a good value and sell easily."


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## CanadienneBacon (May 30, 2007)

Some of the items secured, Arden stands fast a moment longer and pricks an ear to the scuffling she'd heard earlier in the guardian room above.  Whatever had previously been scuffling has now stopped and things seem, to her practiced ear, to be quiet.


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## Guest 11456 (May 30, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud moves the brazier back out of the way and climbs out. Then he helps the others out of the hidey-hole.


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## CanadienneBacon (May 30, 2007)

Phud strains against the brazier but, where yesterday the stone bulwark was merely heavy and could be shoved aside, this morning the thing does not budge.  Laying aside his gear and climbing up the tunnel to get at the brazier, Phud pushes a second time with all this might, hard enough to make a vein in his forehead press against skin.  His face crimson with the effort, the half-orc grunts and heaves 'til at last the brazier begins to begrudgingly grind against stone.  The brazier moves half its normal width then stops, necessitating a squeeze should a medium-sized creature wish to exit.  From his perch in the tunnel, Phud peers into the darkened guardian room and quickly discerns that, from what he can see of things, the two kuo-toa bodies laid in the shallow pool by Wyleck are missing and the phosphorescent moss covering the walls has been scraped away.  For the moment, at least, all is quiet within both the guardian room and the main chamber that lies down the short corridor to the east.


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## Brain (May 30, 2007)

Arden points out the following as things that should be kept by the party (aside from personal use):

--light crossbow x6 and some amount of bolts
--a shiny scimitar with zig-zag patterns embellished down the length of the blade x2
--nice light steel shield x5 (if they are masterwork)
--stoppered clear glass vial w/ vermillion-hued liquid (Rhys identifies this as a potion of inflict light wounds [divine])
--signet ring
--silver holy symbol of a stylized lobster with lightening bolts crossed in the background(Rowan identifies it as symbol of Blipdoolpoolp)
--stoppered glass vial w/clear blue liquid that smells of almonds (Rhys identifies this as a potion of cure light wounds)
--17 light xbow bolts (each bolt has a faint transmutation aura detected by Rowan)
--crude-looking stone amulet on a natty leather cord, gives Phud a nasty shock when he touches it (faint evocation aura detected by Rowan)[/sblock]


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## Rhun (May 31, 2007)

The gear and loot gathered, Rowan waits for the others to proceed into the chamber above before moving to follow.


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## Guest 11456 (May 31, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud grunts as he has to put his full strength into moving the brazier. "Hard to do." Once he has gotten it as far as he can, he then removes all of his remaining equipment, and tries to wriggle through the narrow opening. Once up top he'll try to get a better footing and see if he can't make the opening bigger by pushing the brazier further open.


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## Brain (May 31, 2007)

Arden will help by examining the brazier and seeing if there is some sort of mechanism that she can access and maybe clear what's blocking it or somesuch.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 1, 2007)

Squeezing through the hole and pushing the rest of the way past the stone brazier, Phud gets up and out and, with Arden right behind him, spots the source of the trouble.  Some of the thick goo much like the substance that had stuck his heavy mace to the kuo-toa's shield yesterday seems to have been glopped on the far side of the brazier.  The adhesive is remarkably strong; with better leverage once he's up top and some exertion, Phud manages to push the brazier all the way to the side, though only barely.  Certainly a creature less well-endowed of strength than he wouldn't be able to manage the feat at all.

Up top in the guardian room, Arden and Phud have a careful look and feel around and, aside from the dead kuo-toas seeming to be missing and the phosphorescent moss having been scraped off the wall, everything else is as it was left when they went below for their rest.  There is no light up top, leaving Arden nearly blind.


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## Brain (Jun 1, 2007)

Arden speaks softly, "Let's get some light going; it's dark up here."


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## pallandrome (Jun 3, 2007)

Wyleck casts Light on a pebble that he has scooped up from the ground. "We should continue up the stairs to see what we heard yesterday." he says, as he makes his way to the through the dimly lit room.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 4, 2007)

The stairs are as they were left yesterday, with one exception.  The stone door at the top has been left hanging open.  From the landing, Wyleck and whomever else accompanies him notes that a narrow corridor 40 feet in length is punctuated by two alcoves and a second door that is closed in the dead center of the hall, on the north wall.  If there is anything in either alcove, the closest of which is directly adjacent to the open stone door atop the stair landing on which Wyleck now stands, it is obscured from sight by the angle.  The corridor is quiet.  Prick his ears as he might, Wyleck hears nothing.


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## Rhun (Jun 5, 2007)

Rowan frowns as he examines the adhesive used to glue them in, and the now open door at the top of the stairs. "Ah, they obviously know that we are here. We must be on, well, on our guard, to be sure." WIth a shrug the halfling turns to regard his companions. "So, do we, um, explore the rest of this area, or head upstairs?"


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## Guest 11456 (Jun 6, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Once he has finished pushing the brazier aside, Phud helps everyone out of the hidey-hole. The he hoists the gear back up and finally climbs out himself. Finally bird flies onto his master's shoulder. "Phud and Bird ready go."


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## Brain (Jun 6, 2007)

Arden seems to be in a little bit of a bad mood.  "We're just walking into a trap whichever way we go now.  I suppose onward and upward."


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 6, 2007)

Phud pushes open the stone door on top of the stairs all the way.  A narrow passageway connects two small chembers.  Neither has any furniture or features beyond the large openings in the south wall, which afford a view of the outer lake the temple faces and the larger cavern beyond.  From the nearest of the two small chambers, the ferryman can be seen sitting, hands serenly folded on his lap, perched in his long narrow canoe resting atop the water on the sidewall to the right.

A stone door in the north wall of the passageway connects the two small eye-alcove chambers.  Arden's ears prick to the sound of faint rhythmic croaking coming from somewhere behind the closed stone door along the north wall of the passageway.  Yssal's prick and the dog whinnies lowly, then pads to the stone door to sniff.


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## Rhun (Jun 6, 2007)

Rowan looks out the window and out over the lake and the front of the temple. His voice is low as he speaks. "The must have, well, seen us coming across the lake. I'm am, ah, thankful that their ambush was not better coordinated."


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## Brain (Jun 7, 2007)

Arden also approaches the stone door, checking it out for signs of glue, and listening for signs of anything beyond.


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## Rhun (Jun 7, 2007)

The halfling wizard turns away from the window to consider the stone door that his companions are clustered around. He breathes deep, mentally preparing for whatever may lie beyond.


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## Guest 11456 (Jun 7, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud points out toward the ferryman in the canoe. "Look! It froggy boat guy." He waves towards the ferryman. "Hi froggy boat guy!"


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 7, 2007)

Phud waves and shouts down to the kuo-toa ferryman, but the creature appears to be deep in silent meditation and does not heed the half-orc's call.

As Arden steps to the stone door, she continues to hear the rhythmic croaking coming as an echo from somewhere in the chamber beyond.  Surveying the door for threats, the brown-skinned gnome notes the cleanliness of the corridor, alcoves, and the well-oiled hinges of the door; someone has carefully maintained order in this area.  Unlike the guardian room below, there are no fetid pools of oily water, no dust, and no patches of slime gracing the walls or ceiling.  Turning her attention back to the door itself, Arden determines that the door is unlocked and does not appear to be warded.  To open the stone portal, all one must do is push.

[sblock=Rowan]Rowan steps up the stairs.  His _detect magic_ winks out at that moment but just as it does, the petite wizard notes the thick pallor of magic lying as a blanket over the stone door around which the others are clustered.[/sblock]


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## Rhun (Jun 7, 2007)

"I believe that door is ah, well, warded," says Rowan to his companions near the door. "It has a magic aura of some type, at um, any rate."


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## Brain (Jun 8, 2007)

Arden frowns.  "Well it looks to my eyes to be unlocked and not mechanically trapped. Let me look again and see if I can find a magic trap or something."


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## Rhun (Jun 8, 2007)

Rowan can only shrug. "Perhaps it isn't a, um, trap, but it radiates a dweomer. I'm not, well, skilled enough in magecraft to dispel such things, though."


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## Guest 11456 (Jun 8, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud pushes past the others to the door. "Me iz Phud! Me open. Stand back." He waits but a moment to allow anyone that wishes to stand back and then he opens the door.


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## Rhun (Jun 8, 2007)

Rowan can only shake his head it disapproval and takes a quick few steps back as the massive Phud moves to open the stone door.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 8, 2007)

After everyone has cleared the door and its immediate vicinity, Phud reaches out to touch the door to push it open.  The door silently opens without so much as a groan or a pop.  A triumphant grin spreads on the massive half-orc's face, then freezes in place.  Phud feels his limbs harden and, ere he can recant his extended arm, is frozen fast in place directly in front of the now open stone door, grin intact.

A sickly green glow exudes from the large open chamber below.  With Phud frozen in the doorway, however, it's difficult to see past to make out details.  The chanting that Arden earlier detected is now clear enough for all to hear.  Rhys and Wyleck immediately recognize the rhythmic quality to the chanting as some sort of religious embellishment on a worship ceremony.

[sblock=Rowan, Rhys]*Rowan:* The door was warded with a necromantic spell.  Rowan's prohibited school is necromancy, making it difficult for him to know just what has been cast, but it does appear that Phud is now paralyzed.  *Rhys:*  Rhys recognizes that Phud has been magically paralyzed.[/sblock]


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## Rhun (Jun 8, 2007)

"Thoroughly unprofessional," comes Rowan's voice as he notes Phud's predicament. The hafling shakes his head again and tries to peer around the half-orc's muscular legs in an attempt to see what is happening beyond.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 11, 2007)

Still thoroughly conscious yet unable to move in the slightest, Phud's frozen form hulks in the doorway.  From where Rowan stands a goodly ways back, he is nearly totally unable to discern what the devil might be going on inside the cavernous room beyond.  The chanting begins to crescendo; by the sound of the many voices joined in unison, whatever ceremony is being conducted may soon come to an end.  A better look into the room will necessitate coming closer to the doorway.


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## Rhun (Jun 12, 2007)

Rowan steps up close behind Phud and tries to peer around his frozen companion. The cautious halfling leans around only enough to look into the chamber ahead, using the half-orc as a shield. The conjurer calls to mind a spell, and prepares to cast it at the first sign of danger.


*Spellcraft +9 or Knowledge: Arcana +7 to recognize the ceremony*


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## Brain (Jun 12, 2007)

Arden takes advantage of her slight stature and squeezes between or around Phud's legs, bringing her crossbow to bear, ready to shoot someone in the ceremony to try to disrupt it if things look bad.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 12, 2007)

Rowan steps up close to the doorway and, using Phud as a shield, peers past the open stone door.  Before a large open chamber lies a small room with shields stacked on the floor and dozens of spears and tridents neatly hanging from two racks flanking the door through which Rowan peers.  After the small armory, Rowan spies a 10-ft wide and 15-ft corridor leading to a set of double wooden doors thickly embellished with lobster claws.  Halfway down the corridor, a pair of torches sits perched in sconces at an angle, their green fire casting a sickly pallor into the hallway but otherwise illuminating things well enough for Rowan to see.  The tooled wooden doors hang open to reveal what looks to be a stone-balustraded balcony of sorts.  The balcony itself is crafted of unpolished green marble and overlooks a large ceremonial open chamber.  The intense rhythmic croaking comes from the chamber.  Even at this distance and hiding behind the paralyzed Phud, Rowan makes out the top of what must surely be a truly enormous stylized lobster statue.  Just precisely what lies down below, however, is beyond the reach of Rowan's sight, but as he stands and gazes, the croaking reaches its final height and with a fantastically loud "Boo-YOP!" in unison, is brought home to a stop.  All is quiet for a count of three, then someone or something from down below begins to hiss in brooding tones.  Rowan, Rhys, and Wyleck recognize spellcasting when they hear it.

[sblock=Rowan, Wyleck]There is a priest down there casting a divine conjuration spell.[/sblock]


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## Guest 11456 (Jun 12, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud's thoughts return to his days as bouncer at the Golden Cockatrice. He remembered Frane and Vaja warning him not to mess with the pretty birds in the cage, lest he end up like the statue next to the cage. Had he now ended up like that statue? There wasn't any pretty birds around. But there was that door. Phud the statue. He wondered how his companions would be able to carry him out of here back to the Golden Cockatrice. He wondered what Frane and Vaja would say about 'Phud the Statue'. Would they put him next to the cage? Would they warn everyone from the pretty birds lest they end up like Phud? Next he wondered what the statue in the Golden Cockatrice must be thinking right now. Perhaps the statue wished he had not tried to touch the pretty birds. Many things to think about, lots of time to think about it. Phud wished he could lower his arm. Wait! Was he still breathing?


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## Rhun (Jun 13, 2007)

"Someone is casting a spell," whispers Rowan to his companions. "I think, that they must, um, being doing some kind of a, well, a ritual summoning."


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## pallandrome (Jun 14, 2007)

"See? Didn't I say temples were always bad news? Yssal, help me pull Phud form the doorway before he's seen, lest we get to tangle with that inevitable demon unprepared." Wyleck moves forward, careful not to touch the door, cross the frame, or peer into the room.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 14, 2007)

*pallandrome, please pop in over at the OOC or check your e-mail; I need a quiet word with you.*


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## Rhun (Jun 14, 2007)

Breathing deeply and trying to control his fear, Rowan sneaks forward as quietly as possible, trying to keep to the shadows. When near enough, he peers down into the temple below, dreading what he might find.


*
Move Silently +5
Hide +7*


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## Brain (Jun 15, 2007)

Arden also moves forward quietly, trying to get a view from the balcony without beeing seen.

(MS +8, Hide +16)


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 17, 2007)

Having crept quietly and discreetly forward onto the balcony, Rowan and Arden peep down below into a very large open-air worship center containing three levels.  A wave of sickening blackhearted energy washes over the pair as soon as they step foot onto the balcony. Intrigued by the ceremony within, Rowan shrugs off the worst of the emanation, but Arden feels the wand burning in her possession and becomes sickened.  

A 70-foot-high obsidian statue of a lobsterlike creature dominates the open-air chamber.  The statue's eyes glow with a bright crimon light that bathes most of the sanctuary in a murky red glow.  Four kuo-toas wearing banded armor stand in knee-deep water at the base of one of three sets of stairs on the ground level that lead up to a mezzanine.  Thirty feet above the watery ground floor is a mezzanine level with a stone-railed balcony that encircles the midsection of the lobster statue, a few feet below its massive crustacean claws.  Large stone doors to the left and right of the platform surrounding the lobster statue stand closed.  On the platform, directly in front of the lobster statue, are four monklike kuo-toas who kneel prostrate as the revel in the obsidian glory of their crustacean Chosen One.  Aside from the platform surrounding the statue, the mezzanine features a balcony that runs three-quarters of the way around the entire chamber and is directly below the balcony on which Rowan and Arden crouch.  To the right and left of this middling balcony are stairs that run both up and down.  Frescoes of bloody sacrifices--mostly stylized kuo-toas carrying dismembered body parts--cover the walls.  Every single kuo-toa featured in the frescoes faces the lobster statue.  The third storey, the one containing the balcony on which they themselves currently hide, contains the least detail.  Aside from the ten foot square stone balustraded balcony, the third level has two two other balconies, both start up after a ten foot gap to the right and left of the balcony on which Rowan and Arden squat.  Not as grand as the mezzanine balcony, these two upper balconies occupy space along the chamber's bottom right and left walls.  While both of these other balconies have a set of stairs leading down to a mezzanine level, neither of them is directly connected to the balcony on which Rowan and Arden currently hide.

For now, Rowan and Arden are fairly well convinced that no kuo-toa down below has spotted them; no one looks up or gives any other signal that their presence has been detected, and neither do they spy other kuo-toas lurking anywhere else in the large open-air chamber below or across from their position.  

Back in the stone hallway, with Yssal's help, Wyleck starts to tug on Phud to get the half-orc free of the doorway.  Rhys steps up with a grunt to help, but puts a foot too far into the armory and promptly turns green.  Leaning heavily against the stone lintel in the doorway, the young man clutches his abdomen then heaves over to the side and vomits up his breakfast of jerky and dried plums.  Straightening up and pointing down the hall at the top of the lobster statue just barely visible, Rhys quietly intones, "Don't you feel its evil, Wyleck?  We need to get out of here before it consumes us."  With Rhys sickened and no help at all, Yssal and Wyleck manage to pull Phud backward 10 feet into the hallway.  

[sblock=Arden]The lobster statue is repulsive.  The wand does not like the statue and the resultant clash of energy between the wand and the statue has made Arden *sickened.*  PHB 312.  Arden's hit for -2 to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.[/sblock]

[sblock=Rowan]The 70-foot-high lobster statue is a statue of Blipdoolpoolp, an aquatic god.  Rowan recognizes a permanent widened unhallow effect originating from the statue that blankets the entire chamber and its balconies.[/sblock]


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 17, 2007)

Map of open-air chamber w/ lobster statue, mezzanine level.  Ground floor level coming...my index finger hurts from pointing and clicking while using Paint; gotta let it rest a bit.


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## pallandrome (Jun 17, 2007)

"A thing like that beneath our town cannot be let alone" Wyleck hisses, despite a complete lack of silibants. "I see no way to deal with it from here, though, so lets move downstairs and look for some advantage over the thing. After we get poor Phud up and running again, of course..." Wyleck starts massaging Phud's limbs, hard, in the hopes that life and movement will return to them more quickly.


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## Rhun (Jun 18, 2007)

Rowan continues to watch, despite the waves of dark energy and sickness that seems to emanate from the ceremony below. Seeing Arden's state, he motions her to return and join the others. The halfling is most curious as to the nature of the summoning below, though, and peers out intently from his hiding place as he tries to determine exactly what is happening.


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## Brain (Jun 18, 2007)

Arden sticks out her tongue at the ceremony and turns away from it, heading back to see what can be done for Phud.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 18, 2007)

Yssal sits down on hind haunches and cocks his head to the side as his master and Arden go about their curious business of rubbing the frozen half-orc.  A queer sort of grin lights up the dog's face and his barding creaks once, softly, in the dim hallway as he shifts his tail while watching Wyleck and Arden.  Despite their best efforts, however, Phud remains held fast, his lopsided grin of victory still in place, and his arm outstretched.

Rowan, lingering on the balcony while observing the ceremony below, has a closer look at the eight kuo-toas in the chamber.  The four creatures in banded mail on the ground floor are obviously guards of some sort, for while not as graceful as the guardians slain yesterday in the guardian room, they carry arms and shields and are of stouter stock than the four monklike-creatures kneeling in supplication on the platform before the lobster statue.  The four kuo-toas kneeling in supplication look to be either monks or clerics.  Remembering the chanting and spellcraft he heard earlier, Rowan especially casts a look around the room for the spellcaster but doesn't see anyone who might fit the bill.  The monklike kuo-toas all seem to have been kneeling prostrate for quite some time.  Certainly, none of the guardsmen on the ground floor carry any sort of spellcasting accoutrement.  Who, then?


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## Rhun (Jun 19, 2007)

Rowan spends a moment wishing he had the power to cast a mighty spell, such as the (in)famous fireball...unfortunately, such magic was not only beyond him, but barred to him. Specialists often got the shaft when it came to what magics could be worked, but Master Greycloak had been more of a brutal dictator than any form of teacher. Rowan considered himself lucky to have learned what he had.

The halfing wizard cocks his head, trying to hear anything that may indicate where the kuo-toan spellcaster may be. He keeps his eyes open as well, confused as to why the summoner isn't central to this type of ceremony.


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## pallandrome (Jun 19, 2007)

Wyleck rolls his eyes at the grinning dog, "Get your mind out of the gutter, Yssal, we're in serious trouble here!" Wyleck hops up from his spot and runs to the stairs leading down, looking to see if anyone is trying to take advantage of their momentary immobility.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 20, 2007)

Rowan spends a few seconds more gazing down into the worship chamber.  Just as he is about to give up on spotting the summoner, the dim flicker of candlelight inside the lobster statue's glowing red eyes captures his attention.  A few moments later, the candle is extinguished, leaving only thin billows of sensuous incense-imbued smoke to waft from the statue's eyesockets.  A quiet click down on the platform near the base of the statue later, and Rowan spies a ninth kuo-toan in red robes emerge from inside the statue.  The priest gestures to the monks kneeling on the platform and the five of them confer near the stairs then start to make for one of the two stone doors, the one on the left.

Several minutes after being paralyzed, Phud regains movement.  At the precise moment when he finds his limbs losing their rigidity, a loud crack in the doorway announces a tangential event.  The wand in Arden's possession grows hot, burning a hole in the bottom of her backpack and falling to the floor with a clatter.  A ray of black energy shoots from the wand's tip, hitting an unsuspecting Rhys squarely in the jaw.  The young human cleric is instantly vaporized, and in his place a shining white light beams down from the broken lintel.  In the space where Rhys stood but half a second ago, a male dwarf garbed in splint mail with a well-fashioned-looking warhammer hanging from his belt and a tower shield in both hands stands, blinking. 

At the loud crack from the armory doorway, the kuo-toas down below look up at the balcony.  While none of the kuo-toas appear to have spied out Rowan just yet, the halfling is certain that if he dares move, he'll be seen.  At a hissing croak from the red-cloaked priest on the platform, the four kuo-toas in mail move to exit the chamber from a door directly underneath Rowan's balcony.  The priests remain fixed in place, peering intently about the room.

[sblock=Wyleck]The dwarf sports a silver holy symbol of Drendd about his person.[/sblock]


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## Arkhandus (Jun 20, 2007)

Standing still for a few seconds, blinking and just plain stupefied, the dwarf slaps himself once, taking his right hand off the grip of his tower shield.  Glancing warily about, his face screws up with an incredulous or seriously confused look.  Right hand reaching towards the warhammer on his shoulder, he mutters in accented Common "Whuh...whot's this then?  'oo are ye?"


This dwarven man stands just over 4 feet tall, appearing a little portly and muscular, garbed in well-polished splint mail armor.  Gauntlets protect his hands, and sturdy leather boots cover his feet, chainmail covering the joints of his armor.  No helm obscures his long, wide-braided, scarlet locks of hair, which extend down his back and over the chest in a beard nearly 2 feet long, all fairly well-groomed.  Overall, this dwarf looks quite loaded down with gear for combat and travel.

Small black ties secure his bearded locks, and an intricate silver emblem hangs over the front of his beard, held by a loose black cord around the dwarf's neck.  This emblem appears to be a symmetrical pattern of braided silver knots, depicting an upward-pointed triangle within a circle, and a kite shield within the triangle.  The dwarf has a broad face, not particularly handsome nor ugly, with a strong brow and wide, flat nose.  Bushy red eyebrows rest over dark, slate-grey eyes, and this dwarf lacks a mustache though his beard reaches high upon his cheeks.  His skin is a dark shade of tan, not quite brown, and unblemished except by a few small scars.

The dwarf carries a stout, oaken tower shield in his hands, plain and unadorned except for the few pieces of reinforcing steel.  A shiny, greyish-white ring of platinum adorns his right forefinger, and a leather pouch hangs from either side of his wide, brown leather belt.  Another, different pouch hangs near the rear-left side, and a reddish clay jug hands from the rear-right of his belt.  What few pockets of the dwarf's clothing that aren't covered by splint mail, buttoned shut, look to be packed with small items.

A stuffed, dun-colored backpack hangs from his shoulders, with a bedroll secured to the left side of that pack.  A well-made hammer, broad and made for combat, is secured in a black leather case of sorts on the dwarf's right shoulder, and the hammer bears symmetrical patterns of knot-work engravings on each side of its head.  A long case for maps or scrolls is tied to the underside of his backpack.  The dwarf also has a sheathed dagger tied to his lower right arm, just over the splint mail vambrace, and some kind of leather cord or thong is wrapped about his left vambrace.


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## Rhun (Jun 20, 2007)

Rowan remains silent and still from his hiding spot on the balcony above the kuo-toan temple. He waits anxiously for the preist's attention to be turned away from his position, and then he scrambles back toward his friends as quickly and quietly as possible.


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## Guest 11456 (Jun 20, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Thankful that he can fianlly move again, Phud sighs with relief. But then as the odd thing happens to Rhys and is replaced by the newcomer, Phud moves over to the dwarf. "Hey! Whud you do wid Rhys?"


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## Brain (Jun 20, 2007)

Arden stands there blinking for a few seconds, and then checks her backpack, putting some sort thing that will cover or block the hole in her pack so that she won't lose more stuff.  Then she picks up the wand, staring at it with a funny look on her face.  

In a low voice, she calmly says, "We've been discovered, we better get moving.  Stick with us, Dwarf, and know that those slimy frog things are our enemy."


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## Arkhandus (Jun 20, 2007)

Same look still on his face, the dwarf responds "Rhys wot?  Frogs?  Wot's 'at surpose'd ta mean, eh?"  He struggles with the Common tongue a bit.


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## pallandrome (Jun 21, 2007)

Wyleck scrapes his jaw off the floor, where it had been relaxing after the transposition of his compatriot and this stranger. "Uhhh, indeed. Pleasure to meet you, welcome to the evil frog-person temple. We'll likely be meeting the temple guards shortly, so unless we want that to conclude our tour, we'd probably better move right along before we get down to full and proper introductions. Down the stairs people!"

Wyleck follows his own advice, and moves quickly to the room below, not bothering with stealth that he doesn't much posses, and urging Yssal to trot happily along behind.


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 21, 2007)

From up on the balcony, Rowan spies the red-cloaked priest extract a 5-inch bit of heartwood, a wand perhaps, from a gold chain hung about his neck.  The priest lifts the wand erect in the air and, with but a word, the air about the tip electrifies in a pale blue aura.  "Coelum."   On the priest's lips, the Latin word is distinct and decidedly un-kuo-toan.  The four monks remain on the platform, but Redcloak exits through the stone door to left, wand in hand.

As Rowan moves off the balcony back into the armory, two of the monks point at his retreating back and exclaim in their native croaking tongue.


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## Rhun (Jun 21, 2007)

"We're about to have company," cries the halfling, running to join his companions. Seeing the dwarf, Rowan skids to a stop, arms flailing wildly about as he fights to keep himself from falling over. "What the who?" he asks, and then shakes his head vigoursly and holds up a hand. "Doesn't matter. You can, ah, explaing later, yes. Right now, we've got, well, we've got trouble!"


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## Arkhandus (Jun 21, 2007)

"Eh?  A'right, let's git movin' then.  I dinnae 'oo ye are, or wot jes' 'appened, but that kin wait." the dwarf says, turning about and trying to follow those who're beginning to make their escape.  His heavy armor and other gear make quite some noise though as he tries to hustle.

_(ooc: can't run in heavy armor, so double move at 20' base speed)_


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## Rhun (Jun 21, 2007)

The halfling runs a hand through his curly chestnut hair and looks up at the stout dwarf. "I hope that you can, er, handled yourself in a fight."


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## pallandrome (Jun 23, 2007)

Wyleck virtually leaps down the stairs, an impressive feat for one with legs so short, as he mutters and gesticulates in bizarre and arcane lingo. His hand gets warmer and warmer until it burts to flames in a flash of heat and light. The flames around his hand are hot, but they do not burn, and they provide Wyleck with much needed light for his flight into the room below...


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 27, 2007)

Wyleck leaps down the stairs, a hound in barding hot on his tail.  The halfling and his dog companion stop at the bottom of the stone stair in the guardian room.  Phud lumbers after the pair, the newcomer dwarf behind him.  Arden carefully wraps and restows the wand, leaving Rowan to linger at the top of the stairs leading down into the guardian chamber below.  

Despite there being no visible foes in the guardian chamber, the loud grinding of stone on stone announces that doors are opening somewhere in the main antechamber to the right.  To Gerak's dwarven eye, this latest chamber is a rectangle some 20 feet wide and roughly 30 or 40 feet in length.  A middenheap sits in the center of the northern area of the room, away from the stairs he only lately existed.  The walls have primitive stick-figure carvings of bipeds carrying spears, kuo-toa soldiers worshipping the lobster deity Blipdoolpoolp.  An unlit stone brazier near the center of the chamber seems to be dislodged slightly, for the corner of a black pit beneath it is visible to Gerak's keen eyes.  Other than the light shed by his new companions, the chamber is dark.  Four shallow water-filled indentations, kuo-toan water beds, flank the middenheap along both the west and east walls of the chamber.  All four water beds are empty, and patches of dried blood turned black smatter the floor in the chamber; a battle has taken place here within the last day, perhaps two days.  A tapestry lies in tatters inside a short hall leading due west.

The hurried sounds of metal armor clanking and padded feet slogging through water clearly echo from somewhere close at hand to the north.  

*The map below has an alpha-numeric grid on it.  If you're feeling particular about where your PC is placed on the map, please be sure to reference the map and supply a gridsquare for where you want your PC to be.*


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## Arkhandus (Jun 27, 2007)

*Gerak, the dwarf*

"Ey lads, 'ave ye been this way a'fore?  There's a passage t' the roit, trash ahaid, an' wot looks like a pit 'neath 'at brazzer in the middle!  An' sounds like comp'nay oun the way!  Wot now?" the dwarf asks quietly, though aware that his clanking armor kind of makes quiet speech a moot point.

After asking this, the dwarf realizes it may get dangerous real soon, so he chants a short phrase in a grinding, guttural sort of tongue, then draws his warhammer.

[sblock=ooc]Gerak's chant is a short prayer in Terran for safety against evil forces.  A Spellcraft check would reveal it to be a divine casting of Protection from Evil, cast upon himself.[/sblock]


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## Rhun (Jun 27, 2007)

Rowan moves down the stairway and into a position to give him a view of the corridor leading into this room. As he does, he intones the words of a protective spell under his breath, knowing that battle will be shortly joined.


*Move to E15, cast mage armor for AC 18 (duration 3 hours).

[sblock=Memorized Spells]
Level 0 – 4+1 Mage Hand, Detect Magic x2, Daze + Acid Splash
Level 1 – 2+1+1 Sleep, Summon Monster I, Mage Armor + Grease
Level 2 - 1+1+1 Summon Swarm x2 + Glitterdust
[/sblock]
*


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## Guest 11456 (Jun 27, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud moves foward and peers around both corners. Phud has his shield and scimitar held at the ready. Phud is ready to strike any enemies should any present themselves. Meanwhile, Bird flies over to the brazier and perches their watching his large companion from a safe distance.

OOC: Moving to J-15 and looking to the left and right.


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## Brain (Jun 27, 2007)

Arden makes sure her crossbow is loaded and ready to fire.  She also keeps her mind on the wand in her pack and makes a mental note to check on it often so that it doesn't fall out and get lost.  _Everything in its proper place_, she thinks to herself.


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## pallandrome (Jun 27, 2007)

Wyleck stomps forward on his tiny hobbit feet, obviously agitated at the continual chaos of the groups situation, as well as his own lack of understanding. People teleporting too and fro? Giant evil statues beneath his fair city? Ferrymen that don't take proper payment? It just weren't natural! He shouts into the dark room beyond, venting at the oncoming foe, "C'mon ya lilly livered, yellow bellied, lobster shelled Varmint-lickers! Yer mammas were Mollusks!"


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 28, 2007)

Double-checking that everything has a place and that each piece of essential gear is properly stowed within said place, Arden at the last draws and fits a bolt to her crossbow.  Remaining ensconced on the stone stairs, the small brown-skinned gnome readies her bow, the crosshairs of the weapon triggered to the room below.

*The stairs' sidewall is too high for Arden to see or fire over; if she wants to get off a shot, she'll need to go all the way down to the bottom of the stairs so that she can at least peer around the corner.*

With Bird perched back in the guardian room atop the low stone brazier, Phud stalks down the short corridor and has a look into the main chamber.  The temple doors leading to the water and the ferryman outside are thrown open, but the portcullis opposite his position has been relowered.  The kuo-toa bodies slain but yesterday have been drug away, through the now-closed portcullis and down the darkened hall.  Phud's orcish blood does not fail him; despite the dark room, his eyes make out clean detail.  The double stone doors marked with lightening bolts chiseled into the stonework along the north wall are, like their southern brethren, thrown open inward.  Phud makes out four kuo-toan soldiers barreling their way down the now-open hall from the north.  Differently garbed and armed from the monk-like sylphs the companions bested yesterday, these four frogmen sport banded mail.  The front two wield longswords and shields, while the rear pair of the foursome are armed not with shields but with longspears.  Spying Phud standing in the hallway, the front kuo-toa rasps out a singular but violent croak and points.

"C'mon ya lilly livered, yellow bellied, lobster shelled Varmint-lickers! Yer mammas were Mollusks!"  From back in the guardian room, Wyleck shouts out a taunting welcome to the approaching kuo-toas.  Though it does not sear his flesh, the flame flickering in the halfling's bare hand dances in merry anticipation of a fight to come.

Moving down the stairway into the guardian room to stand behind the hulking half-orc bouncer moments before Phud heads out of the room into the hallway, Rowan quickly weaves a protective ward about himself.  Noting that the dwarf is busy doing similar while also drawing a heartily crafted warhammer, Rowan peers down the hall but sees nothing other than Wyleck hunkered by the doorway and Phud standing at the end of the short hall.


*Initiative:
Arden 15
Phud 15
Kuo-toan guards 14
Wyleck 8
Rowan 7
Gerak 3*


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## Rhun (Jun 28, 2007)

Rowan takes a deep breath and prepares to cast a spell, waiting for the first of the enemies to come into view. He wished Phud would come back...the half-orc's position opened him to attack from multiple enemies, and did little to allow his companions to aid him.


*I'll post Rowan's actions after the kou-toan's move. *


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## Brain (Jun 28, 2007)

Arden comes around the corner and out into the room, and not seeing any frog-men yet, waits ready to shoot one.

(move to G15, ready action to shoot if she gets a clear shot)


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## pallandrome (Jun 29, 2007)

Wyleck hauls back an arm, ready to fling fire at the first lobster he sees.


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## Guest 11456 (Jun 29, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud moves back a bit to allow the others a chance at the 'froggy guys'. "Four froggy guys. Two wid swords und two wid spears."

OOC: Move to H-14 and ready an action to attack.


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## Arkhandus (Jun 29, 2007)

(Gerak, of course, will be acting after everyone else with his piddly Initiative,    so I'll have to wait and see.)


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## CanadienneBacon (Jun 29, 2007)

Her bolt locked into place, Arden comes around the corner of the stairs and out into the guardians' room.  Not seeing any frog-men yet, the brown-skinned gnome waits, ready to shoot one.  As Arden skirts down the bottom of the stairs, Phud retreats back into the room to give a report.  "Four froggy guys. Two wid swords und two wid spears."  From his perch on the stone brazier, Bird flaps his wings to soothe a ruffled feather then cocks his avian head to the side to examine Yssal from across the room.  Phud feels the raven emote a sensation evocative of warm food and the pleasure of tearing at flesh.

Just then, the wall beside Phud that leads into the short hallway implodes, the once-tidy stonework falling in a pile of rubble and dust to the floor.  Through what was but moments earlier a narrow 5-foot corridor that now has been widened to 10 feet, Rowan spies the tips of spears advancing through a thick cloud of settling detritus lingering in the air after the disintegration of the stone wall.  Four kuo-toans in banded mail advance in sharp report, the unison and militarism of their formation accomodated quite well by the recently widened hallway.  With a pair of longswordmen out front and a complimentary set of spearmen in the rear, the four kuo-toas eye the intruders in their sacred temple with malice and grim determination, though one of them coughs as it inhales unfiltered ground masonry dust.

From her stance inside the room, Arden levels her light crossbow and fires off the shot she'd been holding in reserve.  Despite the cloud of dust that obscures sight, Arden's bolt sings through the air with a screech, finding a terminal home in the chest of the lead kuo-toan (KT1) as it deals 2 points of damage.  Hot after Arden's success with her crossbow, Phud takes a bold step forward and swings his newly acquired scimitar at the lead kuo-toan longswordman.  The massive half-orc has good aim; one mighty swing later, the lead kuo-toa sags a bit under the weight of his own mail as Phud flays open a long gash on the creature's side, good for 13 points of damage.  From somewhere out of sight back in the hall beyond the main chamber, yet another kuo-toan croaks incensed orders.  

Wyleck, not one to miss an opportunity, flings the flame from his hand but misses the injured kuo-toan guard.  Instead of hitting their intended target, the bundle of magical druidic fire lands at the feet of the guard, where they continue to burn with bright furor.

*Still need to hear from Rowan and Gerak for the round.*

*Initiative:
Arden 15
Phud 15
Kuo-toan guards 14
Wyleck 8
Rowan 7
Gerak 3*


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## Rhun (Jun 30, 2007)

Rowan chuckles as he sees the kuo-toans round the corner in their tight formation. "I love it when I can use the same trick twice," he mutters to himself, and then begins chanting low in arcane words of power. As he concludes the spell, the area beneath the fishmen's feet is suddenly slick with oily, slippery grease.


*Cast grease centered to get all 4 kuo-toans.

[sblock=Stats & Spells]
AC 18 (+4 mage armor, 3 hour duration)
HP 17/17

Level 0 – 4+1 Mage Hand, Detect Magic x2, Daze + Acid Splash
Level 1 – 2+1+1 Sleep, Summon Monster I, Mage Armor + Grease
Level 2 - 1+1+1 Summon Swarm x2 + Glitterdust
[/sblock]
*


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## Arkhandus (Jun 30, 2007)

The dwarf, at first looking the wrong way, turns and sees the enemies mentioned by the orcblood.  With a grimace, he charges forward, at first a lumbering shuffle in his heavy armor, then building up some speed as he approaches the uninjured Kuo-Toan at the front of the squad.  "Xylla take ye, maggot!" he growls as his warhammer swings at the frog-man's midsection.

(ooc: Gerak charges at KT2, entering square I-15, and strikes once with his warhammer. Total attack bonus is +6, damage is 1d8+2 if he hits)

[sblock]Status: HP 26/26, AC 17 from charging (touch AC 7)
Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +6, + dwarven bonuses against magic/poison[/sblock]


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## pallandrome (Jul 2, 2007)

"Hold back Yssal, let the big folks do their jobs." says Wyleck to his bemused riding dog, as he continues to fling flame from his flicking fingers.


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## Brain (Jul 2, 2007)

Arden reloads her crossbow, fires at one of the front line frogs, and then steps back and to the side to avoid being directly in the middle of everything.

(5' step to f14 after firing)


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## CanadienneBacon (Jul 3, 2007)

Rowan chuckles as he sees the kuo-toans round the corner in their tight formation. "I love it when I can use the same trick twice," he mutters to himself, and then begins chanting low in arcane words of power. As he concludes the spell, the area beneath the fishmen's feet is suddenly slick with oily, slippery grease.  The previously injured kuo-toa in the front of the military formation falls prone, but his brother up front remains standing tall.  Both of the spearmen in the rear of the formation fall prone in the newly greased area, giving rise to a squirming, writhing mass of three angry hissing kuo-toan soldiers with only the one warrior standing erect, a target unto himself.

Having at first looked the wrong way, Gerak turns to see the enemies mentioned by the orcblood. With a grimace, the dwarf charges forward, at first a lumbering shuffle in his heavy armor, then building up some speed as he approaches the uninjured kuo-toan at the front of the squad. "Xylla take ye, maggot!" Gerak growls as his warhammer swings at the frog-man's midsection.  The warhammer lands exactly as planned with a heavy squelch directly on the kuo-toan's stomach region, bludgeoning the creature for 3 points of damage.

***********************************Start of Round 3**********************************

Arden quickly reloads her crossbow and fires at the kuo-toa in the front that is already wounded and is now prone.  The gnome's light crossbow firing mechanism quietly clicks in the dim room, but the bolt that misses its mark and slams into the wall near Wyleck is anything but quiet.  After her miss, Arden steps back and to the side to avoid being directly in the middle of everything.

Phud strikes again with his scimitar, lashing at the downed front kuo-toan.  A second nasty gash opens along the kuo-toan's shoulder where Phud's scimitar slices open a bloody wound, good for 6 points of damage.  KT1 stops writhing on the floor in the greased area after Phud's attack; the creature's lifeblood spills in copious amounts, adding to the precipitous qualilty of the floor when combined with Rowan's arcane handiwork.

KT2 is struck in the legs by its wriggling companions and soon topples over the fallen, still body of KT1 in the front.  KT3 manages to escape the worst of the ensuing scrabble by rolling to the side toward the freshly caved-in wall; KT3 stands.  Caught as it is beneath the sprawled form of KT2 and KT1, KT4 remains prone and hisses testily at Gerak and Phud.

The cloud of dust hanging over the caved-in section of wall to the north clears.  Wyleck and Gerak spy a fifth kuo-toan hanging back.  Robed in red, the kuo-toan raises a dull iron holy symbol aloft in the air and chants in its native, croaking tongue.  Though the priest is clearly attempting to cast a divine spell, neither Rowan or Wyleck identify the casting.  Gerak, however, makes out the distinct gutteral din of a _dispel magic_ spell being woven.  Moments later, in a burst of sickly green light, Rowan's patch of cleverly _greased_ floor dissipates.

Wyleck flicks yet another glob of flame from his open palm, this time striking KT2 for 4 points of fire damage.  As it lies prone on the stone floor, the kuo-toa's banded mail begins to smoulder, filling the hall with the acrid scent of burning frog flesh and the tang of hot metal.

*Rowan and Gerak, you're up on the init count for Round 3.*

*Initiative:
Arden 15
Phud 15
Kuo-toan guards 14
Wyleck 8
Rowan 7
Gerak 3*


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## Rhun (Jul 3, 2007)

Rowan hesitates a moment as his _grease_ spell is countered, and realizes that the enemy spellcaster must be of greater strength that he himself is. Without being able to see him, though, there was little enough the halfling wizard could do.

Taking a deep breath, Rowan begins chanting low the arcane words of power, casting one of his newly learned spells. The summoning thus began, the halfling knew that very soon the kuo-toans would learn to respect his power as the swarm of bats descended upon them.




*Cast summon swarm. Bat swarm to appear in square with KT4.

[sblock=Stats & Spells]
AC 18 (+4 mage armor, 3 hour duration)
HP 17/17

Level 0 – 4+1 Mage Hand, Detect Magic x2, Daze + Acid Splash
Level 1 – 2+1+1 Sleep, Summon Monster I, Mage Armor + Grease
Level 2 - 1+1+1 Summon Swarm x2 + Glitterdust
[/sblock]

[sblock=Bat Swarm]
Bat Swarm
Size/Type: Diminutive Animal (Swarm) 
Hit Dice: 3d8 (13 hp) 
Initiative: +2 
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), fly 40 ft. (good) 
Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12 
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/— 
Attack: Swarm (1d6) 
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6) 
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft. 
Special Attacks: Distraction, wounding 
Special Qualities: Blindsense 20 ft., immune to weapon damage, low-light vision, swarm traits 
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +3 
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 4 
Skills: Listen +11, Spot +11 
Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes 
Environment: Temperate deserts 
Organization: Solitary, flight (2-4 swarms), or colony (11-20 swarms) 
Challenge Rating: 2 
Treasure: None 
Alignment: Always neutral 
Advancement: None 
Level Adjustment: — 

A bat swarm is nocturnal, and is never found aboveground in daylight. 

Combat
A bat swarm seeks to surround and attack any warm-blooded prey it encounters. The swarm deals 1d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move. 

Distraction (Ex)
Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 11 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based. 

Wounding (Ex)
Any living creature damaged by a bat swarm continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point per round thereafter. Multiple wounds do not result in cumulative bleeding loss. The bleeding can be stopped by a DC 10 Heal check or the application of a cure spell or some other healing magic. 

Blindsense (Ex)
A bat swarm notices and locates creatures within 20 feet. Opponents still have total concealment against the bat swarm (but swarm attacks ignore concealment). 

Skills
A bat swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks. These bonuses are lost if its blindsense is negated.
[/sblock]
*


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## Arkhandus (Jul 3, 2007)

*Gerak Steelriven, Dwarven Pillar of Drendd*

Gerak decides to finish off his first target, swinging his hammer around in a downward stroke towards to frog-man's chest.  Then he steps over to where that kuo-toan was standing, glaring at the upright kuo-toan ahead as he hefts the warhammer back into a ready position.

(Attacks the prone KT2 again at +8 total, 1d8+2 damage, then 5-ft. step towards KT3.)

[sblock=status]Gerak: HP 26/26, AC 19 (touch AC 9)
Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +6, + dwarven bonuses against magic and poison

I'm _assuming_ that Gerak hits and finishes off the kuo-toan, since his chances are better with it prone; if he does not, then Gerak won't 5-foot-step into KT2's space after his attack.[/sblock]


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## Brain (Jul 3, 2007)

Arden reloads her weapon and steps straight to the side (toward the stairs) and gets ready to shoot the caster frog if she sees him and he casts a spell. 

(ready a shot to interrupt a spell)


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## pallandrome (Jul 4, 2007)

Noting a powerful spellcaster has joined the fray, Wyleck decides to add his potent magical energies to the contest. He pours the divine power of one of his higher level spells into a summoning, trying to pull a dreadful swamp beast from the lands far to the south into being. It was a creature he had only heard of spoken in legend, with armored skin, and dagger teeth, and a tail as thick as a small tree trunk. A Crocodile!


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## CanadienneBacon (Jul 5, 2007)

Hesitating a moment as his grease spell is countered, and realizing that the enemy spellcaster must be of greater strength that he himself is, Rowan chants low words of arcane power.  Casting one of his newly learned spells, the halfling begins his magical summoning, knowing that very soon the kuo-toans would learn to respect his power.

*Bat swarm to appear at the start of Rowan's turn next round.*

Deciding to finish off his first target, that he may all the more easily get to the remaining kuo-toas, Gerak swings his warhammer around in a downward stroke toward KT2's chest.  The warhammer crunches through slime and skin into bone, bludgeoning the frog-man for 6 points of damage.   Finding the kuo-toa still prone but alive at his feet, Gerak stands his ground and prepares for a second blow.

***********************************Start of Round 4***********************************

Reloading her light crossbow and darting across the room to take up a position beside Yssal next to the staircase, Arden narrows her aim on the robed kuo-toan hanging back.  With the masonry dust now mostly settled, the gnome fixes on the kuo-toan priest's position and readies a shot should the priest begin to cast a spell.

*Load + move 10 feet = this round's available actions.  I'll keep the readied in shot in mind, but it will need to sit until next round on Arden's turn.*

Fully in the throes of battlelust, Phud steps on KT1, squishing the downed and dying creature.  Crushed beneath Phud's hulking 6' 10" and 340-lb frame, KT1 becomes little more than a mural of blood and innards pressed into the flagstone floor.  The half-orc eagerly swings his scimitar at KT3.  The tip of the kuo-toan blade catches KT3's banded mail on the neck and slices the creature open from shoulderblade to hip in a cruel arc, slashing KT3 for 11 points of damage.   The injured KT3 snarls at Phud, its black-pooled eyes brimming with pain and rage.  As Phud moves past Gerak, the first glob of fire flung by Wyleck sputters and extinguishes on the floor of the hallway.

Finding the floor no longer greased, KT2 and KT4 begin to haul themselves up from prone.  Phud and Gerak, however, have been waiting for just such an opportunity.  Though Phud does not see KT2 lumber to its feet directly behind him, the half-orc bouncer does spy KT4 getting up out of the corner of his eye.  Lashing out with the scimitar with speed amazing for one so large, Phud strikes KT4 for 11 points of damage.  A deep wound opens on the kuo-toa's forearm and blood soon spills to the floor, where it mingles with the ichor of KT1.  Not one to let a downed foe gain the advantage, Gerak lashes out in kind.  Bringing the full brunt of his warhammer to bear on the skull of KT2, Gerak hears and feels the satisfying shattering of bone as his hammer brains KT2 for 9 points of damage.  KT2 goes down hard and lies still at the dwarf's booted feet.

Now standing erect and wary of the combat prowess so obviously possessed by Gerak and Phud, KT4 firms its grip on its polearm and moves backward 10 feet to stand in front of the robed kuo-toan priest.  KT3 hisses at Phud and swings its longsword but misses the half-orc.  Still hissing at Phud, KT3 scrabbles down the pile of stone rubble and retreats five feet.  Having reformed their military formation with the spearman in the rear and the swordman out front, the kuo-toas prepare for another onslaught.  The red-robed priest standing behind the duo reaches out and casts a spell; the cleric touches KT4 on the back and some of KT4's wounds heal.

*Rowan is casting a summoning spell.  Still need to hear from Gerak for the round.*

*Initiative:
Arden 15
Phud 15
Kuo-toan guards 14
Wyleck 8
Rowan 7
Gerak 3*


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## Arkhandus (Jul 5, 2007)

Seeing the kuo-toans retreat, Gerak sneers and drops his warhammer for a moment, taking hold of the silver amulet around his neck as he chants something briefly in a grinding, deep-throated voice.  After a few seconds of chanting, Gerak reaches down to retrieve his hammer and then lurches his heavily-armored bulk forward to stand side-by-side with Phud.

At the same time as the dwarf ends his chant, a dull, featureless grey hammer appears in the air before him, drifting forward as the dwarf retrieves his own warhammer, and his magical hammer-replica strikes at the nearest kuo-toan as Gerak lurches forward!

Gerak casts Spiritual Weapon, directed at KT3.  It strikes at +5 to hit, for 1d8+1 damage (20/x3 crits as per warhammer).  Duration 3 rounds.  Gerak takes a move-equivalent to pick up the dropped hammer, then 5-foot step forward.

[sblock=ooc]Spellcraft DC 17 for anyone to identify the spell as Spiritual Weapon as he cast it.  As before, the language he chants in is Terran, the tongue of earth elementals.[/sblock]


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## Guest 11456 (Jul 6, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud decides for a more powerful yet wild swing at the kuo-toan before him. If the target goes down he will then step forward.

OOC: Power attack -2 to hit, +2 to damage; if KT3 goes down 5-foot step to K-14.


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## Rhun (Jul 13, 2007)

*We miss you CB! Please come back soon. *


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## CanadienneBacon (Jul 13, 2007)

*Gerak's action for Round 4:*  

Seeing the kuo-toans retreat, Gerak sneers and drops his warhammer for a moment, taking hold of the silver amulet around his neck as he chants something briefly in a foreign, grinding, deep-throated voice. After a few seconds of chanting, Gerak reaches down to retrieve his hammer and then lurches his heavily-armored bulk forward to stand side-by-side with Phud.

At the same time as the dwarf ends his chant, a dull, featureless grey hammer appears in the air before him, drifting forward as the dwarf retrieves his own warhammer.  As Gerak lurches forward five feet, hammer in hand, the magical hammer-replica strikes at and bludgeons KT3 for 6 points of damage.  The lead kuo-toa (KT3) snarls and hisses in pain but stands its ground.

[sblock=Wyleck]The dwarf just cast _spiritual weapon._[/sblock]

**********************************Start of Round 5********************************

Initiative:
Arden 15
Phud 15
Kuo-toan guards 14
Wyleck 8
Rowan 7
Gerak 3


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## Rhun (Jul 24, 2007)

*Bump to keep from falling to page 3.*


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## Arkhandus (Jul 31, 2007)

**BUMP* as well.*


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## Rhun (Aug 3, 2007)

*Bumpbumpbabump*


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## CanadienneBacon (Aug 20, 2007)

Thanks for the bump.  I'll edit in a combat post here in an hour or so.  Just waiting for the baby to go down for her nap.


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## CanadienneBacon (Aug 20, 2007)

All:  Thank you for bumping the thread to keep it alive.  Please check in at the OOC.  

*********************************Ending actions for Round * 4:********************************

After the two remainding kuo-toan warriors retreat and reform into battle ranks closer to the kuo-toan cleric standing in the hallway, Wyleck begins pouring the divine power of one of his higher-level spells into a summoning, trying to pull a dreadful swamp beast from the lands far to the south into being.  The druid commences work on an elaborate summoning spell, envisioning armored skin, daggered teeth, and a tail as thick as a small tree trunk as he weaves his magical handiwork.

*Wyleck begins summoning a crocodile.  The croc will appear on his turn next round; please indicate the grid squares where you want your beastie to appear.*

Releasing his last breath of arcane might, Rowan completes his casting and points at KT4.  In the shadows at play in the darkened main chamber, a whirring mass of quck darting shadows forms of the air itself.  The longspear-wielding KT4 immediately ducks, hoping to avoid the wriggling black mass of petite bats swarming both himself at the kuo-toan cleric behind him in the hallway.  The bats, encouraged at finding a food source so readily available directly upon their summoning, wheel in the air and alight on both KT4 and the cleric.  As the swarm of ebony-furred creatures fiendishly settle in for their repast, the main chamber fills with the creatures' cries of high-pitched feverish delight.  KT4 is bitten for 3 points of damage.  The kuo-toan cleric standing behind KT4 is bitten for 6 points of damage.   Despite the revolting sight of so many biting creatures feasting on their flesh, both kuo-toans display the heartiness of their race; neither kuo-toan stands down from its position.  Though busy fighting off the swarm of bats, both kuo-toans croak at KT3, spurring their comrade to action.

*The bat swarm covers 10 feet.  I figured you'd want that on KT4 and the cleric; if you want to place the swarm elsewhere, let me know.*

Bludgeoned by Gerak's summoned warhammer, KT3 turns to stare for a half-beat at the commotion behind him with the bats.  Despite his obvious martial training, disbelief and shock are evident on the creature's face.

*Initiative:
Arden 15
Phud 15
Kuo-toan guards 14
Wyleck 8
Rowan 7
Gerak 3*


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## Rhun (Aug 20, 2007)

Rowan continues concentrating on keeping the swarm of bats in place, a look of intense concentration on his face. He steps forward, closer to the battle, hoping that his swarm of flying rodents can quickly eliminate the Kuo-Toans.


*5' step forward, continuing concentrating on spell. Oh, and just an FYI...please remember the swarm's special effects: Distraction, wounding, etc. 


[sblock=Stats & Spells]
AC 18 (+4 mage armor, 3 hour duration)
HP 17/17

Level 0 – 4+1 Mage Hand, Detect Magic x2, Daze + Acid Splash
Level 1 – 2+1+1 Sleep, Summon Monster I, Mage Armor + Grease
Level 2 - 1+1+1 Summon Swarm x2 + Glitterdust
[/sblock]

[sblock=Bat Swarm]
Bat Swarm
Size/Type: Diminutive Animal (Swarm) 
Hit Dice: 3d8 (13 hp) 
Initiative: +2 
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), fly 40 ft. (good) 
Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12 
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/— 
Attack: Swarm (1d6) 
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6) 
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft. 
Special Attacks: Distraction, wounding 
Special Qualities: Blindsense 20 ft., immune to weapon damage, low-light vision, swarm traits 
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +3 
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 4 
Skills: Listen +11, Spot +11 
Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes 
Environment: Temperate deserts 
Organization: Solitary, flight (2-4 swarms), or colony (11-20 swarms) 
Challenge Rating: 2 
Treasure: None 
Alignment: Always neutral 
Advancement: None 
Level Adjustment: — 

A bat swarm is nocturnal, and is never found aboveground in daylight. 

Combat
A bat swarm seeks to surround and attack any warm-blooded prey it encounters. The swarm deals 1d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move. 

Distraction (Ex)
Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 11 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based. 

Wounding (Ex)
Any living creature damaged by a bat swarm continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point per round thereafter. Multiple wounds do not result in cumulative bleeding loss. The bleeding can be stopped by a DC 10 Heal check or the application of a cure spell or some other healing magic. 

Blindsense (Ex)
A bat swarm notices and locates creatures within 20 feet. Opponents still have total concealment against the bat swarm (but swarm attacks ignore concealment). 

Skills
A bat swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks. These bonuses are lost if its blindsense is negated.
[/sblock]
*


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## Arkhandus (Aug 20, 2007)

*Gerak Steelriven*

The dwarf wills his magically-invoked hammer to fly around the kuo-toan and strike at the one behind it (KT4), while he attempts to crush the closer kuo-toan's face with his own warhammer!

Gerak attacks KT3 with his warhammer at +4 for 1d8+2 damage, while the magic hammer attacks KT4 at +5 for 1d8+1 damage (threat/crit 20/x3)

[sblock=status]Gerak: HP 26/26, AC 19/21 (touch AC 9/11) with Protection from Evil
Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +6, + dwarven bonuses against magic and poison
Spiritual Weapon will last 1 more round after this one[/sblock]


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## Guest 11456 (Aug 21, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud decides for a more powerful yet wild swing at the kuo-toan before him. If the target goes down he will then step forward.

OOC: Power attack -2 to hit, +2 to damage; if KT3 goes down 5-foot step to K-14.
Note: This was already posted above in Post #548, but I reposted here for clarity.


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## Brain (Aug 21, 2007)

Arden decides to get a move on and get a better view of what is going on.  She just moves this round, tumbling between K15 and L15 (ending there at L15)


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## CanadienneBacon (Aug 22, 2007)

*Round 5*

Deciding to move forward to afford herself a better view of the main chamber and corridors, Arden darts past Phud and Gerak, then tucks into a roll and adroitly tumbles past the reach of both KT3 and KT4. Once in position in the darkened main chamber, Arden notes the two kuo-toan warriors and a kuo-toan cleric standing directly behind the polearm-wielding of the pair of warriors.  The portcullis across the room is lowered, and Arden can make out faint details up the north corridor into what looks like it might be another stone balustraded balcony, with a larger room beyond that. 

Phud decides for a more powerful yet wild swing at the kuo-toan before him. Adjusting his grip on his scimitar, Phud swings and cleaves KT3 in twain.  Encouraged at having felled the lead frog-man, Phud boldly steps forward five feet.

The kuo-toan cleric swipes at two bats on its brow and grimaces as others sink hungry fangs into its oiled arms and legs but marshals intestinal fortitude and reaches forward to touch the warrior guarding its front flank, healing KT4 for 5 points of damage.  The cleric steps backward five feet, out of the bat swarm, and croaks a command to its brethren but continues to bleed from a littany of bites covering its face, neck, and exposed limbs.

Phud, Gerak, and Arden witness the knuckles on KT4 go white with tension as the kuo-toan warrior suffers bite and bite from the swarm of bats.  The frog-man backs up five feet.  Though some of its wounds were healed, the swarm is relentless in its hunger and KT4 is bitten anew for another 1 point of damage.  The desperate kuo-toa lunges forward and to the side at Phud, lancing Phud for 9 points of damage  with the longspear as a puncture wound opens in the half-orc's mid-thigh.

Of the air in front of Gerak, a gaseous creature coalesces and forms within eddying swirls of green, brown, and black wisps of smoke.  Gerak readily identifies a summoned creature forming in the corridor.  The creature solidifies into a crocodile which promptly turns its attention to the kuo-toan cleric and begins hissing, thrashing and biting the frog priest.  With a rigorous crunch of teeth snapping bone, the crocodile latches on to the priest's lower leg and begins to masticate.  The kuo-toan cleric lets out a howl of pain and fury as the crocodile chews through flesh, dealing 7 points of damage to the priest. With his current position to his detriment after the shift in battle, Wyleck rounds the corner and enters the southern section of the main chamber.

Rowan continues concentrating on keeping the swarm of bats in place, a look of intense concentration on his face. Stepping forward closer to the battle, and hopeful that the swarm of flying rodents can quickly eliminate the kuo-toans, Rowan finds that the cleric is out of his line of sight but that he is able to direct the swarm for the moment in such a way as to shepard the kuo-toans backward down the corridor.  The bats respond to Rowan's will and chase both KT4 and the cleric as the frog-men retreat.

*Rowan will need to move forward another five feet or more in order to be able to get line of sight around the corner into the north corridor.* 

With KT3 out of the picture, Gerak wills his magically-invoked hammer to fly around the remaining kuo-toan warrior and strike.  The magic hammer strikes KT4 on the backside, bashing the beleaguered frog-man for 5 points of damage.  When KT4 doesn't drop, Gerak shuffles forward 20 feet, the better to be able to get at the pair of kuo-toas. 

*The battlemat changed fairly radically by the time Gerak's turn came up in init.  I altered Gerak's actions to have him attack KT4 (as you indicated in your last post) but added in a forward movement because it seemed to be in Gerak's best interest.  If wish me to reposition Gerak, let me know and I shall do so.  He has 20 feet of movement available to him from his original position at J15.*

Yssal trots back to the stone staircase within the guardian room to keep watch on the stairs.



*Initiative:
Arden 15
Phud 15
Kuo-toan guards 14
Wyleck 8
Rowan 7
Gerak 3*


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## Rhun (Aug 22, 2007)

Rowan rolls his eyes as he realizes the enemy are retreating, and moves forward into the chamber ahead. He steps past Wyleck and behind Arden, continuing to focus his will upon the summoned bat swarm.


*Move to M16. Continue concentration on bats to swarm the Kuo-Toans.*


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## Guest 11456 (Aug 22, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud yelps in pain as he side steps to in front of the remaining kuo-toan warrior and swings at him. "Bad froggy! You hurd Phud. Now gid yourz."

OOC: 5-foot step to L-13 & attack KT4.


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## Arkhandus (Aug 23, 2007)

*Gerak Steelriven, HP 26/26, AC 19 (21 Prot. from Evil)*

_(makes sense, I'm fine with that CB.  Dwarves are bound to be laggards)_  

Gerak misses his opportunity to strike for a moment, but pursues the kuo-toans further while his divine hammer delivers some punishment.  He decides though, that kuo-toan who doesn't seem much like the warriors must be the leader, so _that one_ has to die....

Gerak urges his divine hammer forward once again, to strike at the kuo-toan leader this time, while Gerak shuffles forward a bit further to swing his true hammer at the polearm-wielder...

Gerak attacks KT4 with his warhammer at +4 for 1d8+2 damage, and uses a move action to direct the Spiritual Weapon against the Kuo-Toan Cleric, striking the KTC at +5 for 1d8+1 damage (20/x3 crits)

_(if the polearm wielder is too far for a 5-foot step and attack by Gerak's turn, Gerak will instead move up to 20 feet in pursuit to try and get within melee reach again)_

_(Spiritual Weapon fades away after Gerak's turn, so this will be its last strike)_


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## Brain (Aug 23, 2007)

Arden reloads and shoots KT4


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## CanadienneBacon (Aug 24, 2007)

From her stance nigh in the middle of the main chamber, Arden reloads her crossbow and shoots at KT4, but misses.  The bolt hits the stone wall to the left of the inside of the main chamber wall and explodes into several useless particles.

Phud yelps in pain as he side steps to in front of the remaining kuo-toan warrior and swings at him. "Bad froggy! You hurd Phud. Now gid yourz."  In Phud's hands, the scimitar looks runty but the honed blade streaks through KT4 and cuts the kuo-toa down to dead ribbons as Phud hits a critical artery, dealing 20 points of damage.

Seeing his failure, the red-cloaked kuo-toan cleric draws a hidden dagger from the sleeve of his robe.  After dodging the snapping jaws of the crocodile who reacted at the sight of metal flashing in the corridor, the priest tears his robes and guts himself, a look of failure draining from his eyes even as his life ebbs away.  In pain but not yet dead, the kuo-toan priest staggers to the floor, his dagger still in hand.

Wyleck skirts around the back side of Arden and steps across the main chamber until he feels the safety of stone pressed against his side.  Content for the moment only to watch from safety, Wyleck holds off further action.  The summoned crocodile, however, has better things in mind and, with a hissing roar, snaps at the dying kuo-toan priest.  A look of pain intermingled with sweet relief crosses the priest's face as the crocodile darts forward for its repast, dealing 7 points of damage with one fell bite to the man's exposed innards.  Wyleck calls out to the half-orc, "Are there more on their way?  What say you, Phud?"

Rowan rolls his eyes as he realizes the enemy are retreating, and moves forward into the chamber ahead. Stepping past Wyleck and behind Arden, Rowan continues to focus his will upon the summoned bat swarm.  The flying rodents settle upon the carcass of KT4, content for the moment with their feast.

[sblock=Phud, Gerak]Looking down the corridor past the stone balustrade at the end, neither Phud nor Gerak spots any creature moving toward the main chamber or hiding within the limits of their sight.  The large stone statue of the lobster God within the room beyond obfuscates much of the room, but the red light given off from the statue's eyes (though not visible as a source per se) illuminates enough of the room that some details can be made out.  The room is large, shadowy, and whatever floor there is isn't within sight, as it must be on a lower level.  Across from the balcony at the end of the hall, the large lobster statue--some 70 feet in height-- sits on a stone platform with sets of stairs leading down off the platform.  There looks to be at least one door leading directly off the platform, to the left of the statue.  The door is closed.[/sblock]

*The crocodile and the bat swarm will remain unless or until dismissed by Wyleck and Rowan, respectively.  We are off initiative for the moment, so post at will.*


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## Arkhandus (Aug 24, 2007)

The dwarf stands down once he sees the last two kuo-toans fall, and his magically-invoked hammer fades away as he looks around.  "Hrf, that was shorter'n expected.  An' easier.  Where'd ye folks be headin' now?  Ye aren't too 'urt t' move on, are ye?" Gerak says, turning to look at the group.


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## Rhun (Aug 24, 2007)

The halfing wizard ceases his concentration, dismissing the bat swarm with a thought. "I feel quite well, thank you" he states to the dwarf, moving forward a bit.


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## CanadienneBacon (Aug 27, 2007)

Seeing the bats disappear, Arden shuffles forward and begins turning over the fallen and gutted kuo-toan cleric.  The brown-skinned gnome looks up to answer Gerak, "Nope, not too hurt to move on.  Here, give us a hand and heft this one over, would you?"  The female gnome points to the dead kuo-toa guard in front of the priest.  Having got the cleric laid out straight, Arden recoils from the mess of innards.  "Ugh.  What we need is a mop and some water.  This whole place is...dishevelled.  Very untidy business, that."   Holding her nose, Arden pats the cleric down.  Finding a few trinkets worthy of further investigation, the gnome takes her time in making sure each item is lined up straight, neatly and in precise order, on the stone floor.  In short order, Arden recovers a scroll tube, a cleverly fashioned medium-sized breastplate that is cunningly designed to cover while simultaneously freeing the wearer's stomach area, the kuo-toa cleric's pearl-handled dagger, and a queerly gruesome small length of metal chain with inward-pointing spikes worn around the creature's upper thigh.  When Arden removes the length of barbed chain, she finds the flesh beneath the device to be mortified.  A network of scars, some fresher than others, criss-crosses the kuo-toan's upper thigh like a wreath.

[sblock=Gerak, Wyleck]Knowledge (religion) checks for Gerak and Wyleck reveal nothing known regarding the odd bit of cruel chain found on the kuo-toan's thigh.  Wyleck's never seen anything of the sort.  More classically trained, Gerak has heard that some few religious faithful seek self-chastisement in the form of pain but Gerak has no particular knowledge of this device.[/sblock]

[sblock=Arden]Appraise checks...the scroll tube is sealed with a bit of wax near the top.  The tube itself is made of brass and might fetch 5 gp in a Teggestian market--brass is valued due to its resistance to rust and salt air.  The breastplate might fetch 35 gp.  The pearl-handled dagger is beautiful and nicely crafted.  Arden estimates the dagger's worth at at least 50 gp, maybe more if it bears an enchantment (as beautiful trinkets often do).  The bit of barbed chain is an oddity.  The device is heavy to the hand but fearsome looking.  If sold for scrap metal, the device might fetch 2 crowns.[/sblock]


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## Rhun (Aug 29, 2007)

"Quite and interesting collection of, ah, trinkets," says Rowan, looking at Arden's discoveries. "I can cetainly test them to see if they possess any, well, magical dweomers. But perhaps that should wait unitl later." The halfling wizard shrugs.


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## CanadienneBacon (Aug 29, 2007)

Wincing in distaste, Arden rips free a section of the disemboweled priest's robe and uses it to make a bundle of the dead kuo-toans' items.  "Here, Phud, you're strong, you carry, please."  The little gnome makes to hand the package to Phud.  "I don't know where to go next.  What's down there,"  Arden gestures up the open corridor toward the looming lobster statue, "did you see?"   The gnome's words are punctuated at the end by the low sound of a war drum banging from somewhere inside the cavernous chamber to the north.  Arden nervously looks down that way.  "Right, better make our minds up quick."


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## Arkhandus (Aug 29, 2007)

*Gerak Steelriven, dwarven Pillar of Drendd*

"I s'pose we should 'ead south or somefin'.  I dinnae whut way ye got 'ere frome," the dwarf says.  "Less ye ken 'at way's nae good, in whut case, we go narth."  He continues to struggle with the Common tongue, having rarely needed to speak it before.

"Ah den't ken if 'ere's anywhun in tha narthen room, bhut tha floor's dhun lower'n whut Ah kin see.  An' th-ose drums're coamin' frome 'at way......"

After a moment's pause and a sigh, he adds "Ech, any o' ye ken tha Dwarven toong?"


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## Rhun (Aug 29, 2007)

"I'm afraid not, my dwarven friend," says the halfling, "Though perhaps you can teach me when we have some free time. I'm a, well, a fast learner. I speak five tongues already."


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## Guest 11456 (Aug 29, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud shrugs and takes the bundle from the gnome. "Tay!" He pauses as he looks around. "Phud go dere!" As he points north and strides quickly in that direction.


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## Arkhandus (Aug 30, 2007)

Gerak sighs again.  "Weel, kint let 'im git 'urt runnin' oof by 'isself...."  He makes sure his gear is secure and starts jogging after Phud, hammer and shield still in hand.


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## Rhun (Aug 30, 2007)

A hint of a smile crosses Rowan's face, and then the halfling wizard quickly hurries after his companions as they head north. It wouldn't do to get left behind, he thought to himself. Plus, they would probably need his magics soon enough.


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## CanadienneBacon (Aug 30, 2007)

With the drums continuing to beat, the group spills forward down the 30-foot corridor onto a stone-railed balcony 30 feet above the floor of a cavernous chamber, the size of which the interlopers have yet to encounter while spelunking thus far.  A 70-foot-high statue of a lobsterlike creature dominates the entire chamber.  Crafted of glittering black glass-like rock, the statue's eyes glow with a bright crimson that illuminates the room with layers of flickering red shadows.  A set of stone stairs leads up from a water-filled floor to a platform directly across the chamber from the balcony on which the group currently stands.  This platform encircles the midsection of the lobster statue.

The balcony on which the group is posited follows the walls of the chamber three-quarters the way around the chamber.  To the left and right are stairs leading both up and down.  Some 30 feet up is yet another balcony that extends overhead only halfway along the left and right walls.

Frescoes of bloody sacrifices--mostly stylized kuo-toas carrying dismembered body parts--cover the walls of this large open chamber.  Every one of the painted kuo-toas gracing the masonried walls faces the lobster statue.

[sblock=Gerak]Knowledge (religion) check result of 20 for Gerak.  That is a statue of Blipdoolpoolp, an evil-aligned water deity.  If you have resources that detail Blipdoolpoolp, please feel free to avail yourself of that information for use in-game.  If you don't and are interested, please do contact me via e-mail for details.[/sblock]

When the group steps from the corridor onto the stone-balustraded balcony over looking the chamber, for half a beat all is silent within the cavern.  All too soon, however, murderous whispering fills the air of the chamber, its gutteral calling an unintelligible and invisible whip in the moist air.  Rowan, no stranger to conjuration spells, instantly recognizes a summoning spell when he hears one.

[sblock=Rowan]That is a variation of a _planar ally_ spell and the statue appears to be source of the spell.[/sblock]

A door inset along the far wall to the left of the lobster statue opens and through it issues 4 of the kuo-toas spotted earlier by Rowan while he hid on the upper balcony.  These 4 kuo-toas are dressed as monks, but their green-skinned bodies shimmer blue with magical imbuement.  The 4 kuo-toas split into two sets of two each and on opposite sides of the now-open door on the platform.


*Initiative:
Rowan 21
Kuo-toas 1 and 2: 18
Arden 14
MM 13
Wyleck 11
Gerak 11
Kuo-toas 3 and 4: 9
Phud 5*


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## Rhun (Aug 31, 2007)

"A summoning," hisses Rowan. "I do not have the power to counter it. Be alert!" His words spoken, the halfling begins his own spell, channeling soothing arcane energies over the area occupied by the four kuo-toans, gently lulling them to sleep...


*I'm assuming you won't allow Rowan to use a Summon spell in an attempt to counterspell Planar Ally, right?

If this is true, Rowan will go ahead and cast Sleep



[sblock=Stats & Spells]
AC 18 (+4 mage armor, 3 hour duration)
HP 17/17

Level 0 – 4+1 Mage Hand, Detect Magic x2, Daze + Acid Splash
Level 1 – 2+1+1 Sleep, Summon Monster I, Mage Armor + Grease
Level 2 - 1+1+1 Summon Swarm x2 + Glitterdust
[/sblock]
*


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## CanadienneBacon (Sep 7, 2007)

At Rowan's suggestion that a summoning is being performed, Wyleck frowns with worry and begins casting a spell with which Gerak is intimately familiar, though perhaps in slightly different form.  Even Rowan, with his practiced background in the arcane, recognizes Wyleck's breathy whispering.  Calling upon the natural world, Wyleck casts _guidance_ and seems to gird himself for the battle ahead.


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## Arkhandus (Sep 7, 2007)

Gerak hustles to the west, looking for a way to reach the kuo-toans and attack.

(Just double-moving 8 spaces northwest along the balcony, once it's his turn)


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## CanadienneBacon (Sep 11, 2007)

"A summoning," hisses Rowan. "I do not have the power to counter it. Be alert!"   His words spoken, the halfling begins his own spell, channeling soothing arcane energies over the area occupied by the four kuo-toans, gently lulling them to sleep...

As Rowan begins to weave his spell, KT 1 and KT 2 join hands and begin to chant.  [sblock=Gerak]Gerak quickly recognizes a divine version of lightening bolt being cast by the pair of kuo-toas.  The power of the spell, while not inherently as forceful as the stand-alone arcane version, is amplified by the fact that two of the creatures seem to have linked and are casting together.[/sblock] A bare moment later, the air on the stone platform crackles with white electricity and a bolt of lightening flashes through the damp air and arcs directly through Phud, Gerak, and Arden, who all fail to dodge out of the lightening's path and each suffer 6 points of electricity damage.

Her hair standing stock on end after the blast from the bolt of lightening, Arden winces but levies her crossbow.  Taking aim at KT1, Arden springs the firing mechanism and, with a twang of the bow's quivering metal string, looses a bolt.  The brown-skinned gnome's aim is unerring; the bolt sinks into KT1's neck and disappears into the creature's flesh, dealing a hearty 6 points of damage  even as Arden struggles to get her breath back after being struck by lightening.

An elderly, shriveled kuo-toa (MM) wearing chitin-styled plate armor steps into view beneath the lintel of the open door on the stone platform.  The elderly priest chants, his croaking low and purposeful.  At the end of his casting, the old kuo-toa is surrounded at his front by a flat field of multi-colored hues that ripple in the red light shed by the lobster statue.  
[sblock=Rowan, Gerak, Wyleck]The old priest cast _entropic shield_ on himself, that he might be partially shielded from ranged attacks.[/sblock]

Wyleck whistles for Yssal and, finding his animal companion directly behind himself, casts a critical eye around his companions.  As Gerak hustles off to the west, Wyleck delays a beat and says, "Who's injured?  I can help."

*Wyleck delays to init count 4, after Phud.  He'll heal whomever asks it.*

Looking for a way to reach the kuo-toans and attack, Gerak hustles off to the west.  The dwarf's gait is deliberate and measured.

KT3 and KT4 react to Gerak's approach by themselves snaking forward to guard the top of the stone stairs leading up to the statue.  After moving a short distance, both the kuo-toas adopt a martial stance at the top of the stairs but otherwise appear to settle into a state of meditation, their hands outstretched palm up, their eyes closed.

Phud yowls in anger and pain.  "Phud hurt, Phud BURN!"  The half-orc steps in front of Rowan, obscuring the halfling's view but also offering impromptu bodily shield.  "You make Phud not burn!"  The large half-orc bouncer eyes Wyleck, who nods and complies, healing Phud for 7 points of damage.


***************************************Start of Round 2***********************************

Rowan completes his casting and, to his satisfaction, watches KT4 topple over prone, fast asleep.  KT3 remains standing, seemingly inert, at the top of the stone stairway leading up to the platform. 

*Initiative:
Rowan 21
Kuo-toas 1 and 2: 18
Arden 14
MM 13
Wyleck 11
Gerak 11
Kuo-toas 3 and 4: 9
Phud 5*


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## Arkhandus (Sep 11, 2007)

*Gerak Steelriven, HP 20/26, AC 19 (21 Protection from Evil)*

Gerak keeps up his hustle along the balcony, but checks to make sure his beard isn't burning, patting down any smoldering bits to make sure it's fine.  After hustling forward a bit further, though, the dwarf decides to mutter some quiet prayer to gird himself for whatever the kuo-toas might throw at him next.

Gerak moves north 4 spaces on his next turn, and uses the _protective ward_ domain power for +3 on his next saving throw within 1 hour (hopefully sufficient with his dwarven resilience and with _protection from evil_, though the latter overlaps with the _ward_).


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## Guest 11456 (Sep 12, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud drops the two backpacks from his back onto the platform and then he begins moving around to the right, opposite of Gerak. Meanwhile, Bird takes to the air and begins to circle the statue.


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## Rhun (Sep 12, 2007)

"Confound it all," says Rowan, frowning as his spell only drops a single Kuo-Toan. The halfling knew that he was once again running low on magical energies, and that he would have to get closer to use most of the arcane prowess left at his disposal. Stepping past his large half-orc companion, Rowan begins his own spell of summoning.

*5' step to S14; Cast Summon Monster I, summoning a Celestial Giant Fire Beetle into square M14. Beetle will immediately move forward to attack KT3.*

Celestial Giant Fire Beetle Stats

[sblock=Stats & Spells]
AC 18 (+4 mage armor, 3 hour duration)
HP 17/17

*Level 0 – 4+1* Mage Hand, Detect Magic x2, Daze + Acid Splash
*Level 1 – 2+1+1* Sleep, Summon Monster I, Mage Armor + Grease
*Level 2 - 1+1+1* Summon Swarm x2 + Glitterdust
[/sblock]


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## Brain (Sep 13, 2007)

Arden readies a shot to shoot any Kuo-Toan that begins casting a spell


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## CanadienneBacon (Sep 14, 2007)

"Confound it all," says Rowan, frowning as his spell only drops a single kuo-toa. Realizing that he was once again running low on magical energies, and that the arcane prowess left to his disposal necessitates closer proximity, Rowan steps past Phud and begins a fresh summoning spell.  

*Barring happenstance, the celestial giant fire beetle will appear as desired on Rowan's turn next round.*

[sblock=Gerak, Wyleck]Gerak hears Rowan at work on a spell but because the halfling is to his back, he doesn't identify the spell.  Wyleck, however, recognizes a _summon monster I_ spell--even an arcane version--when he hears and sees one.[/sblock]

Kuo-toas 1 and 2 ready javelins and step closer to the western edge of the platform, their eyes fixed on Gerak and Phud.

Arden readies a shot to shoot any kuo-oa that begins casting a spell.  Despite the distance separating her from the elderly priest who stands in the doorway across the open chamber, Arden recognizes spellcasting when she sees it and, training her crossbow on the old priest, lets a bolt fly.  The projectile smacks the elderly kuo-toa in the neck with a wet squelch, dealing 5 points of damage to the creature.  The old priest winces in pain but leaves the bolt to lie in his neck and, after visibly marshalling some inner reserve, stoically continues on with his spellcasting.

[sblock=Gerak]The old priest cast _divine favor_ upon himself.[/sblock]

Wyleck extracts a smooth skipping stone from his breeches pocket and, standing stock still, imbues the stone with magic.

*Magic stone on the rock.*

Gerak keeps up his hustle along the balcony, but checks to make sure his beard isn't burning, patting down any smoldering bits to make sure it's fine. After hustling forward a bit further, the dwarf decides to mutter some quiet prayer to gird himself for whatever the kuo-toas might throw at him next.

*Gerak will benefit from +3 to his next saving throw made within 1 hour.*

Kuo-toa 3 remains standing in place at the edge of the platform and makes absolutely no move to assist its fallen brother who was put to sleep by Rowan's spellwork.  Not unlike the elderly priest who drew upon some inner well of power to resist the hurt inflicted by Arden's bolt, KT3 marshals its concentration and remains posed at the ready atop the stairs leading to the stone platform.

Phud drops the two backpacks from his back onto the balcony then breaks into a run, moving around to the right, opposite of Gerak. Meanwhile, Bird takes to the air and begins to circle the statue.  Despite his girth, the half-orc is speedy and soon outstrips Gerak's position on the opposite side.  Phud rounds the balustraded stairs leading down into the pit of water below and, in one magnificent push, hurtles himself through the air across the open chasm between the balcony and the platform where the kuo-toas stand.  The massive half-orc flies across the chasm and lands on his feet at the edge of the stone platform, very near the massive lobster statue.


*Initiative:
Rowan 21
Kuo-toas 1 and 2: 18
Arden 14
MM 13
Wyleck 11
Gerak 11
Kuo-toas 3 and 4: 9
Phud 5*


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## Rhun (Sep 16, 2007)

Rowan completes his spell, and a two foot long white-carapaced beetle appears on the steps across the pool. Its legs twitch, pushing its silver-trimmed body forward, and it rushes to clamp its mandibles onto the nearby kuo-toan's leg.

With a nod of approval, Rowan bolts after Gerak, rushing to catch up to the cleric. 


*Run (x3) to O7.*


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## Arkhandus (Sep 16, 2007)

*Gerak Steelriven, the dwarf*

Gerak just keeps jogging now, getting close to the stairs that lead down.

Gerak double-moves to square G-6 on the balcony.


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## Guest 11456 (Sep 19, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

If KT3 has not advanced on him and is still in line of sight for a charge:
Phud charges the kuo-toan and swings his scimitar at the enemy.

If KT3 has moved to engage him:
Phud swings his scimitar at the kuo-toan.

If KT3 has moved back around to the other side of the statue, out of line of sight for a charge:
Phud moves to engage the kuo-toans and swings his scimitar at the closest enemy.

OOC:
Rage: 5 of 6 rounds remain
HP: 29/37
AC: 9 (7 if charging)
Attack: +9 scimitar (+11 if charging)
Damage: 1d6+7
Type: Slashing
Critical: 18-20/x2


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## Brain (Sep 19, 2007)

Arden steps slightly forward, loads, and fires again at the same spellcaster she hit before.


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## CanadienneBacon (Sep 20, 2007)

Rowan completes his spell, and a two foot long white-carapaced beetle appears on the steps across the pool. The glowing white beetle's legs twitch, pushing the creature's silver-trimmed body forward, and it rushes to clamp its mandibles onto the nearby kuo-toan's leg.  The silvery beetle snaps its mandibles at KT3 but misses.

With a nod of approval at his successfully having called a creature from the celestial realm, Rowan bolts after Gerak, rushing to catch up to the cleric. 

*I gave Rowan the last 10 feet of his triple move and placed him on square M7 vice O7.  Please let me know if that is not acceptable.*

Kuo-toas 1 and 2 lean back and toss javelins at Gerak.  Rowan, being smaller and somewhat hidden by the stone balustrade, escapes the bulk of the pair of kuo-toas' notice.  Both javelins miss the armor-clad priest and loudly clatter against the set of stone stairs to Gerak and Rowan's left.

Arden steps slightly forward, loads, and fires again at the elderly spellcaster she hit before.  Arden's aim is just as good as last time and the bolt flashes blue as it barrels past the old priest's magical defenses and strikes the old one for 3 points of damage.

The elderly priest checks himself as Arden's bolt slams into his chest.  Taking a minute step backward and re-centering his focus, the priest continues with his spellcasting handiwork, unphased by Arden's continued barrage of crossbow bolts.  The priest points to the center of the chamber, toward the watery floor some 30 feet below the edge of the platform.  A huge ridge of water rises at the priest's gesturing fingertip, not unlike a winter wave, and crashes hard against both the balcony and the platform.  Where just moments earlier the water at the pit floor was but perhaps a foot or two deep, it now laps halfway up the platform wall, seven times its former depth.
[sblock=Gerak]The old kuo-toa priest just cast _control water_.[/sblock]

Wyleck grows in irritation and casts _produce flame_ and appear to take aim for the elderly kuo-toa across the platform.

Gerak just keeps jogging now, getting close to the stairs that lead down.  Having reached the top of the stairs, Gerak realizes that he'll need to be able to swim if he's to cross the chasm to reach the stairs opposite that lead up to the platform.

Kuo-toa 4 remains prone and unmoving at the top of the stairs leading down to the pit of water.  Kuo-toa 3, however, animates into action at the appearance of Rowan's summoned giant celestial fire beetle.  Kuo-toa 3 slowly assumes a monk-like fighting crouch and, warily snaking to and fro, aims then launches itself at the menacing beetle.  With the chop of one bare hand, KT3 lances the celestial fire beetle in half.  The martial attack deals 17 points of damage to the celestial creature, who instantly winks from sight as it vanishes from the prime material plane.  Having rid itself of the beetle, KT3 slowly turns to regard Phud, fresh from his heroic leap across the pit floor.

Phud wastes no time and charges KT3, swinging his scimitar as he runs forward.  The curved blade of the scimitar slices through the relatively unprotected kuo-toa, dealing 19 points of damage  as the edge of the weapon catches the frogman at the creature's carotid artery.  The kuo-toa spits blood but remains standing but, after dancing lightly to the side, falls prone, its eyes staring blankly up at the ceiling far overhead.


*Initiative:
Rowan 21
Kuo-toas 1 and 2: 18
Arden 14
MM 13
Wyleck 11
Gerak 11
Kuo-toa 4 (sleep): 9
Phud 5*


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## Arkhandus (Sep 20, 2007)

Gerak curses loudly in dwarven, ending in Common with *"By Drendd's sandy beard!  Tha' priest's way be'er an' me!  We're all g'na die if we stay 'ere!"*

As he curses and shouts, Gerak woefully steps forward just a bit, dropping his hammer and shield, taking out his crossbow, and loading a bolt.  To Rowan's eyes, the dwarf visibly slumps a few inches, head downcast.

[sblock=ooc]I seriously think we're all going to die here if we don't run away, and that's Gerak's honest assessment of the situation too, in-character.    Gerak's a terribly lousy shot, too, and now effectively useless for the remainder of the battle.  Nothin' he could've done about it, either, unless he jumped off the balcony in the first place 3 rounds ago, narrowly survived the fall with all his heavy gear, and kept running toward the fishmen right after that....

To his knowledge, that priest far outstrips his abilities, and can probably pound both him and Phud into paste single-handedly if it gets more of its spells going, old age or no old age.  He figures the kuo-toan priest is equivalent to one of the elders at his own home temple, maybe just slightly less powerful.  Not to mention the other kuo-toans, and the veritable sea of water that's cut the rest of us off now. 

Gerak would need to _walk_ on the floor for about half a minute underwater, in his heavy armor, holding his breath, to reach the enemy platform, and only then if the kuo-toans don't take advantage of his veritable helplessness underwater, stabbing him to death or just keeping him underwater _(very easily)_ for the roughly two minutes it would take the hardy dwarf to suffocate.  [/sblock]


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## Guest 11456 (Sep 20, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

If KT2 has not advanced on him and is still in line of sight for a charge:
Phud yells a warcry as he charges the kuo-toan and swings his scimitar at it.

If KT2 has moved to engage him:
Phud swings his scimitar at the kuo-toan.

If KT2 has moved back around to the other side of the statue, out of line of sight for a charge:
Phud moves to engage the kuo-toans and swings his scimitar at the closest enemy.

Meanwhile, Bird continues to circle the statue as if waiting for instructions from his dull witted companion.

OOC:
Rage: 4 of 6 rounds remain
HP: 29/37
AC: 9 (7 if charging)
Attack: +9 scimitar (+11 if charging)
Damage: 1d6+7
Type: Slashing
Critical: 18-20/x2


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## Rhun (Sep 20, 2007)

Rowan is dismayed to see his celestial aid defeated only a moment after being summoned, but smiles as his huge half-orc companion slashes down the kuo-toan responsible. 

With a shake of his head, the halfling wizard points his hand, speaking words of arcane power. Across the water on the platform, a golden orb appears, immediately bursting into a cloud of gleaming, sparkling particles that covers the elderly priest and his two guards.


*Cast Glitterdust centered in G10, affecting MM, KT1 and KT2. Will save vrs DC16 (conjuration).*

[sblock=Stats & Spells]
AC 18 (+4 mage armor, 3 hour duration)
HP 17/17

*Level 0 – 4+1* Mage Hand, Detect Magic x2, Daze + Acid Splash
*Level 1 – 2+1+1* Sleep, Summon Monster I, Mage Armor + Grease
*Level 2 - 1+1+1* Summon Swarm x2 + Glitterdust
[/sblock]


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## Brain (Sep 20, 2007)

Arden focuses in on the old priest, other things going blurry as she reloads and fires again, determined to stop the spellcaster.


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## CanadienneBacon (Sep 21, 2007)

Rowan is dismayed to see his celestial aid defeated only a moment after being summoned, but smiles as his huge half-orc companion slashes down the kuo-toan responsible.  With a shake of his head, the halfling wizard points his hand, speaking words of arcane power. Across the water on the platform, a golden orb appears, immediately bursting into a cloud of gleaming, sparkling particles that covers both the elderly priest and his two guards.  The old priest continues on, unaffected by the golden dust that now lights his entire form, but KT1 and KT2 both immediately rub at their eyes and begin making woeful croaking noises full of dismay.  Both the kuo-toan guards palpate the air about themselves, feebly trying to make sense of direction and space.
[sblock=Gerak]Spellcraft check result 12.  Gerak's never seen the like of that particular spell.[/sblock]
Arden focuses in on the old priest, other things going blurry as she reloads and fires again, determined to stop the spellcaster.  The brown-skin gnome stands steadfast in place and zeroes in on the old priest.  Clicking her crossbow's firing mechanism, Arden releases a bolt through the air of the chamber, but the projectile misses and lands intact with a skid somewhere in front of the wizened old priest on the platform.

*Basically, I'm rolling percentile dice every time anyone fires and misses with a ranged weapon that uses expendable ammo like arrows and bolts.  1-50% = the ammunition doesn't break and can be retrieved and reused.  51-100% = the ammunition breaks.  Unless something particular and unique about the situation calls for it, I don't make these kinds of breakage rolls for non-expendable weaponry like javelins and darts.*  

The old priest emits no exclaim upon seeing his last two warriors become blinded but, casting a spell of his own, grabs a dropped pincer staff and begins to weave a divine imbuement upon the trident-like spear.  
[sblock=Gerak, Rowan]Rowan's got no clue what the old priest is doing, but it's a good a guess as any that he's laying some sort of magic about his weapon.  Gerak knows exactly what the old kuo-toa is about.  The old priest just cast _magic weapon_ on the pincer staff.[/sblock]
Wyleck draws a deep breath of air and leans as far back as he can get then flings a palm full of magically-produced fire at the old priest.  The fire smacks with an incongrous wet sound against the gilded priest, dealing 14 points of damage. 

Gerak curses loudly in dwarven, ending in Common with "By Drendd's sandy beard! Tha' priest's way be'er an' me! We're all g'na die if we stay 'ere!"  As he curses and shouts, Gerak woefully steps forward just a bit, dropping his hammer and shield, taking out his crossbow, and loading a bolt. To Rowan's eyes, the dwarf visibly slumps a few inches, head downcast.  Still muttering, Gerak soon enough has his crossbow drawn, loaded, and at the ready.

His blood at a boil, Phud yawps a warcry and charges the newly blinded KT2.  Blind as it is, KT2 makes an easy target.  Phud eagerly swings his scimitar and neatly slices the kuo-toa's arm from its torso, dealing 9 points of damage  to the sniveling and croaking creature.  KT2 remains standing and attempts to grovel backward but bumps into KT1.  For a moment, KT1 looks on the verge of losing its balance; its arms swing wildly as it teeters on the edge of the platform.  KT1 reaches forward and grabs KT2 on the kuo-toa's remaining good arm and regains its balance without falling into the drink.  Meanwhile, Bird continues to circle the statue as if waiting for instructions from his dull witted companion.

*Initiative:
Rowan 21
Kuo-toas 1 and 2: 18
Arden 14
MM 13
Wyleck 11
Gerak 11
Kuo-toa 4 (sleep): 9
Phud 5*


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## Rhun (Sep 21, 2007)

Rowan smiles that his spell at least blinded two of the foes. "Take them down, Phud," the halfling cries as he moves further along the balcony to get into range for his next spell. He again begins chanting the words arcane, opening a channel through extradimensional space, and summoning a swarm of foul vermin down upon the old priest.


*Move to I6, cast Summon Swarm (spiders) centered in E10. The swarm immeidately attacks the old priest upon completion of the spell.

Spider Swarm Stats*


[sblock=Stats & Spells]
AC 18 (+4 mage armor, 3 hour duration)
HP 17/17

*Level 0 – 4+1* Mage Hand, Detect Magic x2, Daze + Acid Splash
*Level 1 – 2+1+1* Sleep, Summon Monster I, Mage Armor + Grease
*Level 2 - 1+1+1* Summon Swarm x2 + Glitterdust
[/sblock]


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## Guest 11456 (Sep 24, 2007)

*Phud : Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 1 / Barbarian 2*

Phud swings his scimitar once more at KT2. But this time he makes a more powerful, yet less accurate swing.

OOC:
Power Attack +2
Rage: 3 of 6 rounds remain
HP: 29/37
AC: 9
Attack: +7 scimitar
Damage: 1d6+9
Type: Slashing
Critical: 18-20/x2


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## Brain (Sep 24, 2007)

Arden gives a small sigh and repeats her shot, correcting her aim.


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## Arkhandus (Sep 25, 2007)

*Gerak Steelriven, dwarven Pillar of Drendd*

Gerak grits his teeth for a moment, sighs, and shouts out a prayer in Latin to Drennd, beseeching the Stone Father for aid against the foul minions of Blibdoolpoolp.

[sblock=Gerak's spell]Casting Bless, which from Gerak's position will only affect Gerak, Phud, and Rowan.  Since he acts just before Phud, at least Phud will benefit from the Bless effect this round (+1 to attack rolls and saves against fear).[/sblock]


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