# Elemental's Story Hour: Updated 30 /5



## Elemental (Apr 20, 2003)

Well, here I am trying again. May the writing mojo not desert me.

Some background information: I'm a player in this game, set in the Forgotten Realms and played weekly, online. One of the stipulations is that the PCs are level 1 characters with the half-dragon template. Another thing is that this SH is told from the point of view of my character. 

Since it's played online, the logs can be found at a site run by another of the players, which is here. 

The first session, which I haven't described because the group was still visibly finding their feet, and it doesn't read very well, went thus. The five PC's were summoned to the magical academy of Berdusk, a city near Baldur's Gate, by a gnome wizard who was writing a treatise on dragons, and was looking for the input of some of their half-mortal kin. We didn't meet him in the first session, but stayed in an inn, and met via an unexpected stampede of horses, caused unintentionally by my PC. Estivan managed to earn her emnity, after getting trampled under the stampede. The SH starts the next day.

Estivan (half black / half human): An arrogant, deeply unlikable fighter from Calimsham. The butt of many jokes and sarcastic comments. Good in a battle, though.

Silver (half silver / half elf): A cocky, charismatic sorcerer, he provides magical support, and group accountancy.

Carudan: (half emerald / half human): A dragon-hating cleric of Torm, he's abrasive, unfriendly, and blunt, but dependable and compassionate to those in his care at the same time.

'Blue Dragon' (half blue / half elf): A riddle. A rogue who never shows his face, he has nonetheless proven himself a great, and very versatile, asset. More of his past recently came to light.

Usha (half brass / half human): My character. A fighter who hails from the Moonshae Islands, she is a wandering mercenary with a deep hatred of tyrants, driven to seek justice and righteousness. She is also driven to seek money, good food and new toys, because after all, you can't eat justice, or us righteousness as armour in a fight.

The group started out at class level 1, ECL 4. Right now, we're about level 4, ECL 7.

First updates on the 21'st.


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## Elemental (Apr 20, 2003)

*Prelude*

They were hunting us.

Hounds—or things that sounded vaguely like hounds—howled and drooled behind us. The magically produced rain that came each night and kept this nation from totally becoming a desert—drove down oppressively. They stopped me seeing more than a few dozen feet in any direction, but I could make out Urafak, his dwarven legs labouring to keep up. Behind us, the magic lights burned, pinpoints of light undaunted by the rain and mist.

Ashelt ran alongside me, and we exchanged a glance—neither of us had enough breath for words. He looked as bad as I felt. I had no idea what had happened to the other escapees besides us three. I didn’t have time to consider it—I needed all my concentration not to stumble on the stony, slick, ground. My hair flopped forwards into my eyes, and I swatted it away.

Ahead of us loomed a cliff. Cunning! The tharchion’s henchmen had driven us into a box canyon. The three of us stopped before the wall, and looked up. It was climbable, but barely—though it wasn’t as though we had a choice. A gibbering howl rose from behind us—man or beast, I didn’t want to speculate.

Urafak didn’t hesitate. With a yell of ‘Hurry up!’, the gold dwarf threw himself at the cliff, hauling himself from handhold to handhold. But then, he never had been the hesitant type.

Ashelt drew the sword he’d stolen from the guard. ‘Start climbing, Usha.’ he shouted over the ambient noise.

‘I’m not leaving you! I love you!’

‘I know! I love you too. But damn you, start climbing!’

Not without hesitation, I began climbing, constantly looking back. He began to back towards the cliff himself, waiting until I was safe, the noble fool. But then our pursuers caught up with us.

Varoc stepped forward, the hulking gnoll holding a brutal double axe. He gestured to the other hunters to stop, and restrain their hounds, and advanced forward, grinning ferally.

Ashelt managed to block the first attack, but was knocked back against the wall by the second. He fought as well as he could—and he was as good as you’d expect a Cormyrian soldier to be—but the gnoll was simply overwhelming. I looked down to see his sword shatter, and one head of the axe rise for the kill.

I pushed myself off the cliff face, and jumped down to the ground, almost sending myself sprawling. I inhaled, and sent a jet of fire into the face of Varoc. He howled in pain, and in that moment, Ashelt slipped past him. We both hurried to climb as quickly as we could. From below came an enraged stream of curses, (“Find you and kill you!” was the only legible part.) and a few arrows, though the driving rain foiled those.

‘You could have been killed.’ he said to me, at the top of the cliff.

‘And so could you!’ I replied. ‘I’ve lost too many people I love to this country already. Not one more, Ashelt, not one more.’

He hesitated a moment, then smiled and took my hand. Urafak came over.

‘We need to get moving again. The Aglarond border isn’t that far now.’

I looked back at Thay. This country had claimed so much—my home, my brother, the last few years of my life—but I would come back one day. And heaven help the country when that happened.


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## Elemental (Apr 20, 2003)

*Part 1*

Several months later:

Part 1:

They met up outside the college the next day, to meet one the wizards of the Coast. 

Usha had alread met most of these people the night before, but this was her first clear look at most of them. Estivan....a handsome man, with jet black skin, faintly scaled, in armour. His expression, unsurprisingly, was haughty. There was the one whose name she didn't know.....tall, clad completely in black, and his face concealed by a black mask. Presumably, this was meant to make him look inconspicuous, but he stood out like a sore thumb. There was the cleric, Carudan, a tall thin man sheathed in a cloak. From what could be made out, his skin was a pale green, making him look as if he had some unpleasant illness. And Silver, an elf with large draconic wings and shining silver skin.

The place looked imposing. Twenty-foot tall walls, large gates…..but if it was a fortress, it wasn’t a very well defended one. The entire defensive force of this place consisted of one human sitting near the gates, feet up, and reading a book.

Usha walked up to him. "Hello. We are a band of barbarians, here to burn the tower down. We'll be sure to compliment your master on his superb choice of guards."

"Well you sure picked a good place. We got dwarven reinforced walls and several lightning tower traps situated around here..." replied the guard, looking up.

"Tell me, do you often get run out of town?" asked the half-elf Silver of her. Usha smiled, but predictably, the so-called knight missed the joke. "I am not a barbarian....” he snarled. The half-blue man….she didn’t know his name….didn’t say anything, staying off to one side.

"True, though I am unsure who is the better company." said Silver.

"Be that as it may elf….” (the man had a talent for making almost any descriptive verb sound like a really foul insult) “….I seek the wizard Hergal. I have a scroll of invitation.” said Estivan loudly to the guard.

“Can you let him know that Usha Halmarond is here, along with assorted rabble?" asked Usha. 

"Haven't been called rabble in a week. A new record." noted Silver.

Impolite, maybe, but she couldn’t resist needling Estivan. He made it so easy." I will forgive you this time, wench, but call me rabble again and, on my honor, I'll make you regret those words.”

"Don't be a rabble rouser, miss. He might fall in front of you." said Silver with a grin.

"For all those scales, you seem to have a very thin skin. In any case, dear, it's been my experience that honor isn't in the blood." replied Usha.

"I do not take kindly to being spoken to like that by a low born we...woman such as yourself...”

"And I don't take kindly to being spoken like that by an anyone.” she replied curtly.  “Give, and ye shall receive."

Estivan glared, but didn’t give a retort. Meanwhile, the guard looked over the scroll. "So you're here to cash in on Hergal's request. Well, yes I can sort of see how you would be really qualified for that position. Alright, follow me and stay close, especially you blue boy! I see you slinking back there."

They went in. Estivan took his horse to the ‘bestiary’, whatever that was. The guard turned before they got to the main campus. "Now, before you go in there, I must warn you Hergal is a bit of an odd one."
“In what way?” asked Usha.

"Well for one thing, don't mention that he's bald, during his travels, his hair got scorched off, but he still believes he has it. If you call him up on that, he can get rather... irate. And his eyesight is going so he's a tad... touchy-feely. You don't want to know how many times he's been turned into a toad by the lady mages..."

"I'll stand well back, then. Did he happen to mention why we're here? The invitation was rather vague."

"I'm not sure, something about his book I'm sure. He's been running all over the world watching death in the face and running away..."

They reached a large, ornate, oak door. The guard excused himself. Usha knocked. 

"Who is it?" came a voice from inside.

“Usha Halmarond. You requested my presence?”

“We received invitations to come here regarding something about a book. I am Estivan Deigo late of Tethyr."”

“I just heard about the money.” said the elf.

The door opened into a large, rather untidy study. Books, papers, and bottles of stuff were scattered over the desk at which sat an old-looking gnome in the garb of a wizard. On the other end was what looked like a ceramic sculpture of a dragon with butterfly wings. Hergal got up, and started shaking hands. "Well welcome all! Wow, there's a lot of you, all the better for my research, all for the better. Please have a seat,"

They took seats. Carudan leant forward to have a look at the papers. There were several claw marks and intricate designs of dragons. At that point, a voice from his side asked “Why you so curious?” The cleric looked to the side, and saw the statue blink at him. He took a hasty step back, and looked between pseudodragon and wizard.

Usha was a bit less perturbed. Not like she hadn’t seen a familiar before. "Is he your familiar?"

"Familiar? No, that is Nermize, he's been my aide and a main source of some of my information." The small dragon hopped up and flutters his wings a bit, "Pleased to meet you!" He fluttered round, and looked over the five of them. "Wow, all half-dragons. Don't see that every day."

"I would be nervous if it was normal." replied Usha.

"So you all are here to be in my book then?" asked the gnome.

"I was sent here by my temple to assist you with your research" said Carudan. It wasn’t possible to read from his tone what he thought of this.

"I would rather be unmentioned in the book." said the half-blue man. He’d said so little that Usha had almost forgotten he was there.

“As would I.” added Carduan. Okay, that cleared any question of his opinion up….

"I figure you might as well have a few correct facts." put in Silver.

"But why, er, I'm sorry, but I didn't catch most of your names, wasn't it Emilo?"

“No, my name is Estivan Diego" said the knight with one of the glares that were becoming his trademark. Giving his personal manners, Usha was starting to get an understanding of why he wasn’t in his knightly order, or Tethyr, any more.

“I am called Silver by most.” said the elf.

“Call me the Blue Dragon.”

"I've no objection to being in a book.” said Usha. “So long as I get a chance to proofread it and a signed copy. What information do you want, then?"

“Oh, the part about dragons breeding with other creatures. It is a rather unique feature that only a few other outsiders have.”

So it was a sex thing. Usha had always quietly suspected that all those rods and staves were symbolic of something….she tuned back in time to hear Silver asking to be put in touch with other sorcerers, and the bit about lodgings and board being provided. Nice bonus.

So, do you want to see what I have compiles so far, or get cracking on things about you?"

"I am curious at what information you have collect already." said Estivan.

"I have got the most comprehensive list of draconic habit, society, behavior, mating habits, and almost anything else you could imagine. Where to start?"

Usha winced. “I have a short attention span. Start with a fight.”

He didn’t. He started talking, and went on for seemingly hours. The only break was Carduan’s response to Nermize trying to land on his shoulder. (“Get your filthy claws off me!”….what was his problem?) He went on like this for hours…..or maybe it just felt like hours. Digestive system, means of flight, personal hygiene….about half of it seemed accurate, and none of it was news to Usha. After all, she knew how dragons lived…

"….that there are only really three dragon deities, Bahamut the good father, Tiamat the harsh mother, and their child Hlal the piece keeper. Unlike most individual races, dragons worship all three, only in various degrees according to the dragon's views...sorry, is something the matter?”

"I could stand for a meal." said Silver delicately.

"Dear me! Look at the time, have I been talking that long? Well yes, I guess we can call it a night..."

"I've heard of them, but mother never was that devout....." said Usha, not wanting it to seem that she’d been dozing.

"Your mother was the dragon and you were raised by her? How marvelous..." said Hergal.

"And my father. Human."

"You seem to be my opposite in many ways, woman....” said Estivan. That was a relief—if she thought she was like him, she’d probably jump out the window here and now.

"Are you telling us that it's possible for one of the beasts to actually give a damn about their lesser children." said Carudan, his tone filled with scorn and bile.

"Then I applaud your father's initiative in using a spell to tame her." he replied disdainfully. Usha fought down the urge to punch him.

"No magic involved, for your information. But why am I the only one speaking about myself here?"

"Because you offer information without its request." said Silver.

"I was under the impression that was the reason we had come here."

Estivan spoke up. "Well, I have not much to say about myself, save I am a bastard in the sense that I am a product of rape, and live only though the valor of a band of adventurers, the love of my mother, and the kindness of my step-father in adopting me out of love and honor for my mother's choice."

Carduan nodded. "Through force or wiles, the beasts always get what they want..."

"Most things of beauty and ugliness are often an action apart. I am a testament to the beauty of my parent's love. While their other desires lead them down different paths, they still love each other." said Silver.

"You are a fine person, and as such, I will try not to disturb the sad little fantasy you wish to weave about your mother. As for you," Caruden turned to Usha, "It seems to me that the minority is clearly delusional."

"I'll have to introduce you to her one day.” spat Usha. “Either she'll convince you otherwise, or eat you. Win-win situation."
"I am very aware of the fact my creation is by far the minority but that does not make it untrue." said Silver carefully.

"I apologize, Silver. I did not intend to insult you. I... I let my emotions speak before my mind could."

Hergal, realizing that the conversation had been pretty thoroughly killed, wrapped up his presentation, and showed them to the guest bedrooms.

"Sir Estivan, Carudan, here is your room, I hope it will be to your liking. Blue Dragon, Silver, here is yours. And since we can't have unwed ladies sleeping in the same room as men, this one is all yours."

Usha sighed before going in. "It's been enlightening. Before today, I'd never met anyone quite like me.....and after today, I still haven't."

"I don't know. I wouldn't mind rooming with Usha." said Silver.

"People will talk. And besides, there would barely be enough room for you, your owl, and those wings."

"People always talk. As for the wings, they do make travel more enjoyable. I'd be glad to show you sometime."

"Perhaps later." Not that he wasn’t very handsome, in the anorexic elf kind of way, but given that the other three seemed to have various personality screw-ups, she’d wait till she had a better measure of him before doing anything rash.

Alone in her room, Usha went to bed, and drifted off to sleep. Only before the dreams could start, she was jolted awake shortly afterwards by scratching at the door. Opening it, she saw Silver’s owl move on, to wake up the others. Muttering “Someone had better be dead….”, she grabbed her weapons and shield, before hurrying out to see what was going on.

She arrived, along with the others, to see Hergal sprawled out, unconscious. She hurried towards him. Alive. "Anybody know any healing skills? Where's the cleric gone?"

There was confusion. Carudan picked up the weapon, a sap. "Someone bashed his skull with a blackjack, and left it here.” Estivan looked round in confusion. Silver was flying outside.

"The book's gone. Did anyone see the attacker?" she asked.

They hurried outside, and found Silver there staring into the woods, from which came a whooping cry. 

Usha cursed to herself. This was not a good day. Not at all.



(Note: Wings? The GM let Silver's player start off with relatively poor flight for his starting feat. It remains to be fully seen how that'll affect game balance, but it hasn't been hugley unbalancing yet.)


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## Elemental (Apr 21, 2003)

*Part 3:*

Session 2:

The air was cold enough to make Usha wish she had her chainmail, instead of just a nightdress. But she didn’t have the time to go back and don armor. From the woods, the chattering died away, leaving quietness.

"So, we going in?" she asked when nobody said anything.

“Wait, do any of you know what’s making that noise?” asked Carudan nervously.

“Whatever it is, it’s being very rude. Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

"I can sneak in and back out to see. That way we don't walk into something we cant handle." said Blue. "When it comes to staying out of sight I am a master" draws short sword "Give me a minute and I will be back."

"Leave something for me, at any rate. I tell you, I'll be charging him extra for making me wait out here in the cold."

He vanished into the wood. Usha sat down on a stone and waited impatiently. Several minutes later, he reemerged. “A scaled tail, and the signs of a trail.”

“Well, let’s follow that trail!” snapped Estivan.

“At least we know what we’re following now.” said Carudan.

"Lizardfolk? Or kobolds? Let it be kobolds...." said Usha.

"I heard of a guy that bit the head of a kobold once." put in Silver with a grin.

"No idea. All I saw was a small tail darting between bushes and trees."

"Probably that Pseudodragon. And to think I was nice to it." muttered the elf.

“This way. And try to be quiet.”

Not much success there. Even given that she could see in the dark, the forests were not a friendly place. Trees, slippery moss and easily startled small animals ensured that anything out there would have had to be deaf to miss her.

Suddenly, Blue stopped, and muttered “Oh crap.” Usha followed his gaze up to the trees, but didn’t have time to glimpse what he was talking about before a more immediate problem presented itself—a small sphere flew down from the branches, trailing smoke, and landed among them, exploding into a cloud of foul-smelling smoke. Usha covered her mouth, but to judge from the gurgling and coughing, Carduan hadn’t been so lucky.

"Beshaba's bosom!" shouted Estivan. (That’s right, make yourself a target.) Silver shot into the air, a sling bullet bouncing off of his magical armor as he did so. Usha drew her bow, and looked round for targets, moving out of the gas cloud. She saw what she was looking for. A pair of kobolds carrying sacks, running through the treetops as fast as they could.

"Come on, little guys.” she shouted.  “Is this worth dying for? You'll just go to your god exhausted if you run. Just leave the stuff you stole, and this can all end peacefully."

Silver promptly disproved that by firing a bolt of force at one of them. There was a yelp, and a voice came back down. "Not fool us, as soon as we come down, you eat us!"

"Drop the bags and we'll go right back the way we came. It's either that or annoy me."

"I got more magic to fry the lot of you.” added Silver. “Besides, you’re too greasy to eat."

"We drop you bags, you leave us alone?"

"Yes, we will. I’ll see to it if necessary.”

"Okay, we give you bags." The kobold ran out onto a branch, and dropped the heavy bag right over her head. She ducked back, and it thudded into the earth.

"Don't say I didn't warn you...." she snarled, aiming an arrow, as Silver sent another missile after them. 

"See! You lie! We give bag, but you hurt us!"

"The stuff you stole, I meant. My patience is wearing thin here. Trees burn."

"Don't torch the forest." snapped Silver. Usha rolled her eyes. "Bluff? Why no, we can't have our allies doing that. Even if my companion feels the need to point out when I'm bluffing, I have many other weapons here."

Blue sent a dart towards the kobolds, and there was a yelp of pain. Usha readied an arrow. "Just give us what you stole already! You can't win here."

"Can't have it!"

"Give us the book unless you want another dart." said Blue.

"My poor weasel kicking foot!"

Carudan had apparently overcome his bout of nausea enough to try and climb the tree, but settled for merely dangling. Another bomb came their way, but detonated downwind. Another bullet shot towards Silver, but bounced off his magical protections. "Did you think missiles were my only trick?" he asked, grinning.

Estivan attempted to throw the bag back to the kobolds, but didn’t do anything except break some branches. "First you want bag, now you don't. Make up mind!" they retorted.

“You were warned!” said Usha, sending an arrow flying into the tree. There was a squeal, and both kobolds fell from the tree, one knocked out from having the bag of ammunition land on top of it.

"Where's the book!?” demanded Estivan, pointing his sword at them.

"Don't know about any book!"

"Carudan, could you revive the other one, see if he knows anything?" asked Usha. Something was wrong here….

“You had better not be lying to me.” said Estivan. 

"No lie! Don't know about any book! Just told to throw bombs and keep you occupied for while.”

"By who?"

"Boss..."

"Who are you more scared of right now? Your boss or him? He doesn't need to know you told us, does he?"

"Nermize the Mighty, said once finished, he'd give us a whole pig. EACH!!!!!"

Eventually, the following information was gleaned. It was somewhat hesitant because the rather overbearing tone of the questioning caused one kobold to soil himself, and the other one, once revived, to attach itself to Estivan’s leg. But it was revealed that Nermize was actually a powerful sorcerer who had come to their village, and become leader. Nermize was mighty. Nermize had defeated crocodiles and orcs. Nermize had chosen the best of the best for this mission. The village was that way. No, they really didn’t know what he wanted the book. No, they wouldn’t bother the group again. They ran as fast as they could out of there, Silver’s owl following in case they went to Nermize.

So, apparently, the pseudodragon had been the brains behind this operation.

Usha looked up. "Let's go back, and ask the gnome just what was in that book that made it such hot property."

There was some debate on this. Carudan wanted to go to the village immediately, but was overruled. Usha and Estivan lacked armor and Silver said he was out of his more powerful spells.

Usha summed it up. “Buggered if I’m laying siege to anything in a nightgown.”

"I could think of a few things to lay siege to in a nightgown. A warm bed for one." replied Silver.

“You said you were tapped out, and that took about thirty seconds. No thanks.”

They’d decided to go back to the academy when "I don't think you're going anywhere..." said a disembodied voice.

The voice quickly acquired a body, Nermize the dragon fluttered down from a tree, transformed into a kobold, and looked at them, rather cockily for someone outnumbered five to one.

"If it isn't the little bundle of surprises himself" said Carudan.

Usha sighed. "Why is this book so important to you? Hell, if you're that interested in dragon sex, I could give you a tub of oil and some time alone with Estivan here, for a practical demonstration."

(Three, two one….and there he goes!)

“Filthy wench, never have I been so insulted!”

“I find that hard to believe.”

"Do you two mind? This isn't the time!" snapped Carduan. He seemed really pissed at this. Blue started trying to become part of the background.

"I care not for such crass carnal pleasures, for the moment at least," Nermize said. For a couple of second, he had a faraway look in his eyes. Usha fervently hoped he was talking about sex in general rather than her suggestion in particular, because the latter led into a mental place that sane minds didn’t have any business in. "I am taking this book for my people. A gnome is undeserving of such knowledge of our ancestors, and would do much better in our hands. With this books information, and my magic, I'll be able to bring me and my followers up to their rightful place with you cumbersome larger races!"

Immediately, those followers revealed themselves. Four other kobolds joined him.

Usha sighed. "Do you suppose we'd get extra for this? Otherwise, I don't see any real reason not to let him have the damn book."

"You can't be serious.” spluttered Estivan.

Usha sighed again as the argument rolled on. She didn’t really give a stuff about who had this book. But it seemed that everyone else had their heart set on a fight, and were doing the posturing part. Silver demanded to know Nermize’s style, seeming happy to fight a fellow sorcerer. Estivan kept on spluttering about pay.

I will expect extra for this, that's all I'm saying. Anyway, if you're sure I can't dissuade you about this fight being rather futile?"
"Look, you help us here and I'LL pay you extra.” snapped Estivan.

"I'd accept, but I don't want to get too much slime over the inside of my purse. Anyway, can we do something soon?"

Nermize addressed Silver. "While we might have the same views on some things, you are in my way. Although those two are fine warriors, they can be a bit... chatty." Shrugging to himself, Nermize addressed everyone, "No matter, I've always wanted a dragon skin cape." He began chanting a spell extending a claw, with flame coming out of it.

The others hurled themselves out of the way, with varying degrees of success. Usha’s only action was to raise her shield—not to protect herself but her clothes. When the flames died down, the smoking remains of the sleeve adorned her arm, which was itself untouched.

And then the fight was on. Blue tried to grab the book (apparently, he hadn’t been fleeing…good for him), but failed to get a grip. Carudan charged, but the swipe went over the sorcerer’s head. The kobold drew a wand, and  fired a bolt of acid at the would-be thief, producing a painful hissing sound. Estivan charged, finally landing a blow on the mage.

While four of the heroes heroically ganged up on the sorcerer, and Silver flew overhead, Usha was left to deal with the other four. She sidestepped one sword blow, and another caught her on the weapon arm only to glance off an area of thickened scales. Not expecting that, the kobold lead managed to get his spear stuck in a tree trunk. However, the other two decided that they had a hatred of Blue, and one of them left a nasty-looking slash in his thigh. Not his day, for sure. She drew her axe, and with a twirl, delivered a blow down on one of her attackers, but couldn’t pin the little bugger down until….there. Blood splattered, but the kobold didn’t drop. Tougher than he looked, apparently. Well, it was only delaying the inevitable.

Blue decided he didn’t like the job of target, and retreated, slinging a dart as he did so, which missed narrowly. Carduan extruded claws from his knuckles, and slashed at the sorcerer, but again swiped at thin air. Possibly realizing he was in a bad tactical position, Nermize fired the wand again, but missed, burning some bark off the tree. Estivan brought his scimitar round, cutting the sorcerer in half in a superb display of martial prowess that would have looked very heroic if his opponent was his size and not outnumbered three to one.

Usha caught another sword blow on her shield, and struck another kobold a glancing blow with her axe. Another yell of pain from the side told her Carudan had been wounded. She glanced round, and saw Blue retreating. From kobolds? Good grief.

Carduan and Estivan double-teamed another kobold, and it fell in short order. More swings from the sword-wielder were blocked easily, and she took his head off with a quick slash. The cleric finally got his act together, impaling another on his talons. The third fled, but got too close to Silver, who felled it with a quick slash.

Almost before the body had hit the floor, Silver grabbed the wand from Nermize. Usha gave the elf a distasteful look. "Was that necessary? He was running away."

“And risk a small horde of them?” said Silver.

"He was following orders. Just hope that if you ever have to flee a fight, the commander is a bit more merciful than you, eh?"

"In a fight, the only enemy you let escape are the ones that flee before you're finished, or are left alive to deliver a message. Mercy is a luxury, and we couldn't afford it" said Carudan confidently.

"This book has become more trouble then its worth." said Blue.

Silver grabbed a pendant from the corpse. "I would not object to some healing if you can spare it and I find that trouble abounds enough. Letting enemies live only invites more."

While Carudan was healing the wounded, and Silver was robbing the dead, Estivan approached Usha. "By the by woman, here's your extra."

"Not the first time you've said that to a woman, I bet. Keep it, I'd rather get some sleep before dealing with crass financial matters."

"Very well then, you’re lucky I don't deduce any for people being mouthy.”

She sighed. She seemed to be doing that a lot around this man. "If I wanted it, I'd just take it anyway. Arden, I'm sure you can get fixed up when we get back to the castle. But for now, it's not that safe out here, and we need to get moving."


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## Elemental (Apr 21, 2003)

*Part 4*

Edit: Holy double-post, Batman!


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## Elemental (Apr 22, 2003)

*Part 5*

Part 4:

Returning to the college, they found Hergal recovering from his clubbing, and understandably distressed to find out the truth about his companion. There was much conjecture about what Nermize’s purpose had been, to little end. Apparently, he had been with Hergal for about five years, when he’d been investigating the lair of a dragon called ‘Grilatras the Sour Wind’. Silver also found out how to trigger the amulet, changing himself into a fairy dragon. However, an interruption came in the form of a skittering sound from the room adjacent to the study.

Inside the storeroom, were kobolds, two of them. As Blue reached for his darts, there was a high-pitched squeal. “Please don’t kill us!”

"By Torm... not you two again..." muttered Carudan. “What are you doing here?”

"We got no where else to go!"

“Village in woods, smashed, crashed, burnt down when we got there. Nermize says, if anything really bad happen, find him up here. Something really bad happened, decided to come here."

"See this wand? Nermize is dead." said Silver.

"Bad, very bad. We didn't find other 4 or Nermize there either!"

"That is just nasty. I mean come on." said Blue.

"I'm with you there.” said Usha. “Nermize and co....they attacked us, they accepted the possibility of getting killed doing so. But wiping out an entire village....something needs to be done to whoever did this."

Carudan sighed. "Come on, you two," he says distastefully, "Let's get you cleaned up. Then we can talk some more."

"But, what happen to us? We alone, far from swamp, with many nasty things just waiting to eat us out there!"

"Look we promised not to kill you, I for one won't break my word" said Estivan.

"Come with us if you want. You know the lie of the land." said Usha.

They launched themselves at her feet, kissing them, and mumbling thanks. Carudan stared at her. "How do you do it?"

"It's a woman thing. Oh, hold on, it isn't. It's a give-people-a-chance thing."

"You mean we are taking these stinky little creatures with us?” asked Blue.

"We need their help if we're going to find out what destroyed their village" replied Carudan.

“Please?” asked the kobolds.

He frowned, insofar as anything could be told behind the mask (what was up with that anyway?) "Alright, but I will be watching them for foul play."

"No, no foul play! We promise!" 

"Yea, only pigs be good enough for you!"


The kobolds were given a room, and business was concluded for the night.


The next day, she woke up late the next morning. Nice to have a soft bed after so long, she thought absently. But don’t get used to it.

Getting up, she gathered her equipment, and went down to get some breakfast (there was something of a commotion when the kobolds got into the kitchen), before going out to the stables. Estivan was there, talking with the stablehand, Alibon.

 "…not too bad, Harry the Hook Horror just bit me once this morning." he was saying.

“What sort of beats is that?”

“It's in the basement. We got to keep it there, it'll die if left out in the sunlight too long.”

"Underdark critter, right?" asked Usha.

Estivan looked round. "Here is what I owe you for your service last night.” he said, holding out some coins. 

"My, I haven't heard about that going on last night..." said Alibon with a smirk. Usha was momentarily too overwhelmed by dizziness at the sheer social ineptitude of the man to reply.

"Ah, keep it. I kill evil bastards who torch villages for free."

"I gave my word, besides you did deserve it for helping to retrieve the book.”

"Only in his fevered dreams. It's payment for kobold-slaying, which I just said no to."

"I insist you take it.”

"Well, if he feels the need to part with his gold, I've already set a good bit into a group fund." said Silver, who had just arrived.

Usha bit back the retort that had been on her tongue. "Good idea. Do that."
Estivan and Silver talked finances. Blue hustled the kobolds in, saying something about their having been caught stealing. Carudan brought up some scrolls he’d found in Nermize’s stuff. "Sorry to interrupt, but I found some strange scrolls in Nermize's chambers. Do any of you know how to read magical blueprints?"

"Give them to the Sorcerer." said Estivan. Silver held out a hand.

"So we have another sorcerer?" asked Alibon.

“Another?”

"Well, not really around here, but one does come by frequently enough. A centaur sorceress. Bit of an odd one, but nice enough, comes around for a bit of spell components and such. Can't stand the cobbles of the university proper, and the wizards wouldn't like her in there, so she has to come here."

"Well, we'll stick with our oddball for now." said Usha.

Silver started looking at the scrolls. Usha had a look over the rest of the menagerie. There was a unicorn, asperii, shocker lizard, and some lions and tigers, as well as the horses. Presumably, magic had been used to help them forget their usual culinary relationships.

Alibon noticed Estivan looking at one of the tigers. "Oh, that's Grula, lead lady tiger we have sitting with her cubs. I've done quite a job making sure them and the other big cats here are as comfortable as possible.”

"First time I've seen one of those that wasn't actually trying to kill me." said Usha, not sounding fully at ease.

"I honestly don't know why they would attack a lady like you, they're such noble creatures."

"Magic compulsions, probably. Plus a few spells to fill them with rage. I assume, anyway." Might even be true. Magical compulsions and enhancements had been popular with the owner of the arena in Thay….

"I hope you took revenge on who ever sicced them on you."

“Time will tell.”


The trip to the village was short and uneventful. None of the much-vaunted defenses proved a problem. When they drew closer, it became plain why that was.

‘Sune help me, who could cause much so destruction?’ she muttered to herself, looking round. The village had been destroyed. Damn close to obliterated. Only a few brunt timbers and fence posts were left. No sign of life. Like her own home….

They looked through the village. Other than a bag of weapons, there was little either of value or any signs of survivors. "Somebody got happy with the flame spells. Most likely Fireballs and Flame Strikes." said Silver.

Carudan put his hands on the shoulders of the kobolds. "May Torm watch over the spirit of your people." he said, not entirely without sympathy.

Looking around, Usha found some footprints, about three sets. They looked reptilian….too large for kobolds, but too small for a dragon (mercifully). 

The tracks led into the forest. Blue scouted ahead, but stopped to investigate something in a bush. There was an explosion, and fire rolled out. Usha was unhurt, and Blue managed to get out of the way, but everyone else was scorched. Estivan began cussing and swearing, but she tuned him out, checked that everybody was still alive and receiving healing, and went up to have a look at the next trap. She had assumed that if there were others, then they’d be of the same type, which wouldn’t affect her. Wrong. This detonation was one of freezing cold. She staggered back, and with shaking hands, used two of her own potions to undo the freezing cold.

"Have Silver check it for magic. Maybe he can analyze what's next?" she asked. He did so, and reported no more magic, although there were two other glyphs nearby.

Blue checked the bush again, but just found the two disarmed glyphs and a copper piece, left there in mockery. He went over to the other two.

"Good luck Blue Dragon.” said the elf. “I think they might be the same as the other two but can't be sure."

"You have enough spells to heal me if I fail, priest." he replied.

"Of course, Torm will doubtless expect some applications of boot leather in the name of righteousness as payback....it's only fair, after all." added Usha, joining the others in standing back.

Using his thief mojo, Blue disabled the other two glyphs without incident. Another copper piece was there, this one with a naked orc on the side that seemed to be intended to personify victory.

Frustratingly, the trail ran dry there. Usha thought it likely that the tracks had been an intentional trap. After all, it was spellcasters that had wrought this carnage, so they had probably simply flown or teleported out of there after setting the glyphs.


----------



## Elemental (Apr 22, 2003)

*Part 5:*

Part 5: 

The investigation of the destroyed village proving frustratingly inconclusive, and since no other leads presented themselves, the group returned to the college. Over the next three days, Usha kept an ear out for news of any likely culprits, but nothing useful came from that direction either.

In the meantime, they had the same access in the college as a junior adept, and things got into something of a routine. Hergal would talk with each of them individually about various things, centering around their knowledge of, and experiences with, their draconic parents. Usha related her own experiences.

“I grew up on a little rock in the south of the Moonshae Islands, with both my parents. His name was Meron, a human. He’d been shipwrecked there a few years before, she was called Ahle, she was a brass dragon, and had lived there for a while already. No, I don’t know how long. Never felt the need to ask. No, there wasn’t anyone else living there. We had some visitors once in a while, but it was just us living on the island….”

She was leaving out as much as she actually said. Notably her brother of sorts, Khalid. It wasn’t relevant to what the questions were, and there were a few things she didn’t intend to share just yet. If ever.

Unexpected things began to happen on the third day. Usha spent a bit of time practicing archery in the morning, as usual, with Estivan noisily practicing sword fighting elsewhere. Carudan was with Alibon…apparently, he was learning unarmed combat. Silver was meeting the other sorcerer that had been mentioned, the centaur called Ferila. Blue was….sneaking around.

When she was done, Usha went up the stairs to Hergal’s study. However, she stopped outside the door, on hearing the sounds of an argument coming from the other side. One voice was the gnomes, the other she recognized as the dean of the university.

"What do you mean by that?!” exclaimed Hergal. “I'm THIS close to being finished with the book!" 

"Yes, and how many times have I heard this before? 3 times in the past 2 years, mostly ending with you going off on another 'field project’!” said the other one.

"Yes, but what about all of this!" (thud, sounded like someone pounding on a book)

"What of it? All I see is some chicken scratches lumped together and connected by metal bands! I'm sorry, but if you haven't noticed, we're trying to survive, with the Rainbow Robes in Baldur's Gates, the Great Waterdhvian University, and not to mention the countless Thayan embassies scattered across the lands. We can't be throwing money in little pet projects."

She decided this was an apt time to knock on the door.

“What?” snapped the dean.

Hegal opened the door. "Oh Usha, is it that time already? I'm sorry, I sort of forgot, it was just Dean Ogerud had to talk to me about..."

"Your folly," said the other.

“It's Usha. We were supposed to be talking right about now? If I'm interrupting something here I'll come back later."

'Not any more!" Ogerud declared, "I'm tired of these freeloaders just wandering around the grounds as they please. I want them out of here, and I want you back to teaching basic beast and aberration anatomy!”

“Ogerud.... That's a really silly name, you know. But fair enough. Pay up and I'll be out of here."

Hergal shuffled his feet together, "Well, I had the money, but when you said you all wanted copies I got several books and bindings for it, pretty much using all of my money. But my salary was coming in tomorrow so I could pay you then and give you the book, except for this snag..." 

"That and the fact he put your room, board, and pay on to the school's account, which is immediately suspended, as of now."'.

“Why not just let him finish the thing? I promised momma a signed copy. And when she gets angry, she gets—“ (gestures indicating growl, snarl, whoosh of flame), “-you know?"

“Well I'm sorry to disappoint Moma Scaly, but there will be no book, and there will be no money, and no room for the rest of you. I suggest to you go tell your friends that they have been evicted..."

“Or....we could talk business. All those enemies you mentioned, surely you could use a mercenary with low prices, who incidentally, charges real low to take out Red Wizards. I can't speak for the others, but you've got to admit, you're letting some talent go to waste here.”

He didn’t reply, but just walked out. Usha turned to Hergal after a moment. “He’s not much of an employer, is he?”

"No he's not..."

She thought for a moment. I feel bad about this....actually, I don't, since I didn't have anything to do with this. But is there a way I could help here?”

He sat down rather heavily on a stool. "Please close the door when you leave, I won't be a pretty picture..."

“Well....if you do think of anything, tell me. If it is as bad as it seems, you could always come along with me. Think about it." She closed the door behind her, and shook her head sadly. She headed down to the Bestiary to share the bad news.
When she got there, she found Silver talking with the centaur. 

"We've been fired. Pack up your stuff, be out by dawn, don't claim any cash or even your free copy."

"The way the stars dance in elven cities, the gentle rustle of the wind across the wild plains, the statues men and dwarves build, each have their own...say what?!"

"Our sponsor has run out of money, and had the funding dropped."

"Ah, well that is most unfortunate. It was a fun little stop in the road."

Estivan came in, leading his horse. “What was this about funding dropped?”

"Just wish there was something I could do to help. Or at least that I could find out who torched the village. That's still bugging me...." said Usha.

The knight glared at her. “Hold on, what is happening?”

"You don't think it was the faux pseudodragon?" asked Silver.

"They don't breath fire. And in any case, the footprints don't fit."

"No woman, I heard you say something about funding, what on Toril do you mean?” snapped Estivan.

"I said, our sponsor has run out, and isn't getting any more."

"So you are saying that the gnome is out of money and can't pay use or finish his work?"

Give the clever little puppy a bone. “That’s right.”

Silver looked to Ferila and whispers. "Ignore the lout's shortcomings. He is useful as a moving shield but rather deplorable in his treatment of the fairer sex."

"Where is he now?"

"In his study. He asked to be left alone. He's a bit cut up over this, and no wonder."

Estivan pulled out several clanking pouches, "I shall go and see if I can cheer the good gnome up. After all his endeavor is rather noble and hate to see such unfinished.” He left.

"So, unless the dean has a change of heart, I guess I'm done here.” mused Usha.  “Do some more looking for those folk that wiped out the village, then maybe go south....."

A couple of minutes later, Blue came running up, expression unreadable under the omnipresent mask. "Hey, guys, Carudan wants us to meet him in Hergal's office. They cut the funding to his project."

Then Ogerud came in. "Alibon, I need to ask you about this odd rash on my hor..." He then noticed the other people there. "Oh, it's you..." with a bit of a sneer. Silver looked at him rather strangely. "Well, getting ready to head back to the mountains, or swamps, or where ever you guys come from?" 

Alibon leant over the stall door, "Come on, why are you so hostile?"

Usha’s reply was cut off by Silver. "Good sir, I do believe you are rather ill so your commentary that makes Estivan seem truly nice will be ignored."

What?

“Miss Ferila, do you know any spells for removing mental commands?"

"Yes, I do... just a general dispel, and I definitely feel something wrong too..." the centaur said. 

Usha’s hand wandered, oh-so-casually, towards her weapons. "Have I missed something here?"

"Magic can be used for more then armor and energy blasts and becoming a fairy dragon. It can effect the mind. This gentleman has had that happen probably when he was asleep."

Ogerud sneered. Well there is magic all over this place, you're probably just picking up the residue from some of my spellcasting, that's all!"

"Nobody could be that much of an ass without magic assistance, huh?" said Usha.

"And who would do some thing like that?" asked Blue.

"The obvious answer? Someone who doesn't want this book to come out. Either our buddy from the swamp or another enemy. Everybody's a goddamn literary critic!"

"Only an idiot would cast mind influencing spells on himself.” said Silver. “Blue Dragon, could you examine his sleeping quarters to see if our spell caster left any clues? Remains of his spell components or the like."

"I warn you, I won't have you freaks tossing spells all over this place. And I surely not allow you to defile my room!" At this statement, he and the centaur began casting a spell simultaneously.

Silver had proven himself to be a man of great perception and wits with noticing the enchantment like that, but any goodwill that had built up fizzled when he went for the man with claws outstretched. Because when you’re dealing with a good man who’s been enchanted, you want to use lethal force. Fortunately, he cause more than a scratch, and more fortunately, disrupted whatever spell the man had been casting. Usha selected the whip, and sent it whipping out to try and wrap round his ankle and trip him, but couldn’t get a hold. Blue vanished up the stairs. The centaur cast her spell. There was a sound like breaking glass, and Ogerud stopped, and looked confused. "Why you... Wait... Why did I call you all those things, and why was I so hostile to you?"

"There's a gnome you may want to apologize to.” said Usha. “But firstly, do you remember anything odd happening? Anyone odd?"

"Sorry we had to rough you up but you were most unwilling to let us dispel it and began casting something.” said Silver. “I was too busying trying to make sure that didn't happen to really determine what."

"I remember everything, but why I went off on you and why I wanted you out and thought dragons were such vile, creatures..."'

"But do you remember when you started feeling like this? And anyone who was casting something when that happened?" pressed Usha.

"Well it was mostly this morning. Before that I do have to admit that I got this strange feeling, but one gets so many strange feelings around here.”

"Well, you're the head of this place. Who here could cast magic like that?"

"Well it must have been an enchantment. It doesn't really surprise me. I'm an evocation wizard and don't know the first thing about enchantment. But I know no wizard around here would dare to cast something like that on me. And why would they want to get rid of you? Damn, what could have done this! What ever it is, I think you should see to Hergal. What ever did it, seems to have something against you, and most possibly him..."

Usha nodded, and then hurried up the stairs.

She arrived in the hall outside Hergal’s office, to find Estivan and Carudan standing amongst the corpses of about five humanoids with fish-like faces, thick, rubbery skin, and a foul odor. Or maybe that was just Estivan. Carudan turned, yelling "Hergal, check on Hergal!"

"Where is he?"

"Don't know, we discovered these three on the way to his office. Don't know if he's there"

Usha opened the door to see Hergal crouched behind an upturned desk, looking fearfully out. Silver had flown up to the window outside. "What the hell was that?" asked the gnome.

"Calamari. Are you all right?"

Blue came up and threw another dead fishman on the floor. “I found him sneaking around the Dean’s room.”

Hergal stood up. "Well thank you, but where did they come from? What did they want?"

"Well, for our part, the Dean seems to have been enchanted. He's better now, and you're back in business." said Usha. She had a look at the feat of the attackers, out of interest. "Not our arsonists. They had no tail."

Blue spoke up. "I think I know where they came from." He held up a note. “I also found this. It says something about taking the dragon book, killing the gnome, killing us, and stealing the Deans stuff."

"Why they want the book, and the dean's things?" asked Carudan.

"No idea. But I think I know how they’re getting in. Well, earlier today when I was...well when I...lets just say I was walking around I found a secret door in a basement storage room. There was slime all over the place much like these thing give off."

“Did you look beyond?”

"Couldn't get it open."

“But how did they get here with out being detected?” asked Carudan. “Is there a maze of entrances through this place? We should alert the guards and the other wizards, and see if any of them have noticed anything fishy going on"

"Well this college was rebuilt over the ruins of a previous college that was demolished for several decades. There were some catacombs that were turned into storage areas or rooms, but some of the more rough areas were simply sealed off." said Hergal.

"Well, it should be obvious they've got at least one quite powerful spellcaster working with them." said Usha.

"Yeah the note says something about a boss snake mage" replied Blue.

This guy is full of surprises. thought Usha.

Estivan headed off to sound the alarm, worried there might be other of these things (Apparently, they were called “Skum.” Apt, though once you gave a race a name like that, what choice did they have but to become foul and slimy?) around the building.

Blue read out the note, which was in Aquan. "Look nasty dragon book. Find gnome. Kill. Find nasty dragon people. Kill. Find Head-Man, loot but live. Come back to Boss-snake/mage."

"The snake-mage and the Boss might be two different people." pointed out Silver.

Usha smiled brightly. "I say we take the fight to them. All in favor?"

Estivan did another of his glares as he returned. "Do I even need to answer that?”

"Yes, you do. What do you think they'll send next time, pray?" asked Usha. He didn’t have an answer.

Carudan had a look at the note, after uttering a brief prayer to Torm and invoking a spell. "It sounds like these skum serve a "Great Magic Serpent, so that answers the question as to how many people it refers to.”

"And whatever this Great Magic Serpent is, it sent only five of these things?” asked Estivan.

"Are they referring to a dragon?" asked Carudan. He seemed genuinely angry at the thought, Usha noted. What was with him? He turned to Hergal. "Are there any sentient serpents that are known to command these skum-things?"

"I'm not sure, I know that they are common slaves of aquatic underground powerful races. So I don't know, a Naga, or a Yuan-ti?"

"We might want to do some quick research, narrow down what we might be walking into and see if there's an exploitable weakness... but we have to move fast,"

Usha shrugged. “Agreed.”

"Alert the guards, ask the animal expert. We should have a few of us at the door incase more come through or try to go back." said Silver.

"If I can get some help opening the door I could do some advanced scouting while you find out some info." said Blue.

"Seems a bit risky. We'd better go in together." said Usha. Part of the reason she said that was concern for his safety, and part of it was hope that there might be something valuable down there, and she didn’t quite trust this shady character enough to give him first pick.


----------



## Elemental (Apr 25, 2003)

*Part 6*

Part 6:

They went down to the cellar shortly afterwards. The tunnel was pitch black, although that was no obstacle to darkvision. From the tunnel wafted an unpleasant, briny, smell, and from somewhere down there came the faint sound of something hissing. Beyond the senses, though, there was something else down there, something that made her skin crawl. A glance at the other four proved that she wasn’t alone there. Hergal accompanied them down. 
”I have a bad feeling about this.” said Estivan, ever the master of the obvious.

"Lets go.” said Silver, sounding uncharacteristically concerned. “I've less reason to like what ever is in here every second."

"Want me to take the front?" asked Usha.

“I’ll take point.” said Estivan curtly 

"Have it your way. Want some help painting the target on your forehead?"

"Do you guys think you can sneak in? I would rather not charge in and get killed." said Blue, doubtless recalling what had happened in the forest.

"Blue, look at what I am wearing.” said Estivan with a tone of exasperation. “I am in  armor. I don’t sneak.” 

“Like I told the centaur lady, he makes a great moving shield.” whispered Silver to Carudan.

"I heard that.” the knight replied.

"An amazing feat, good knight."

"Thank you, your approval means everything to me.” replied Estivan sarcastically.

Usha sighed to herself. "We may have a problem fitting the egos down this tunnel....."

"Well we haven't seen any more of those things around, but we'll keep on the look out.” said Hergal. “But if this is the way they're getting in, I don't think there are going to be any more. Are you going in there to investigate?"

“Yes, we are.” replied Estivan.

"Well if it's alright with you, we'll stay here to make sure nothing else gets past you." said Alibon.

"If it does, then it's probably killed all of us, so you should bear that in mind if you decide to fight it." said Usha with a smile.

They headed down the slippery, slime-encrusted tunnel, which led onto a spiral staircase, roughly hewn out of the rock, and going down. A couple of exits were passed on the way down, but they had caved in long ago, and were impassable. Eventually, it came to a large room that seemed to have been some sort of foyer, the desk is long rotted and chairs broken.

"What do you reckon they used this place for?" asked Usha.

"Looks to me to be a waiting chamber. of sorts, like those of public officials." replied Estivan, looking round for any danger.

There was only one door out of the room, which seemed to be locked. A search yielded something made out of bone and shell that was either a musical instrument, or some sort of tool. ("Ugly, primitive, barabarica but still fascinating") Blue found a button connected to the door. Usha poked it with the haft of the halfspear, in the absence of any other way forward. There was a loud buzzing noise, and then the door opened. Usha winced. She’d like to think that that had just been a magical doorbell, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she’d just rung the dinner bell there.

The room beyond looked like a library. It had been ransacked at some point, with broken shelves, books thrown about or torn open. Some of the papers seemed to have seen utility as toilet paper.

They went in. Silver made a beeline over to the intact books, and started looking through them. Usha’s ears pricked up. There was a sound from behind one of the doors that sounded like running water. She opened it.

She squinted into the blackness. And barely had time to register the thing flying towards her before it was on top of her and Estivan. A net! Not fast enough to evade it, she was stuck and entangled. And the caster wasn’t shy about making himself (herself?) evident, even if the awful brine odor hadn’t been a giveaway. From the darkness emerged three skum, two of them armed with tridents, one with a longsword. Usha realized this wasn’t a good situation. She tried to throw the net off, but the slick cords defied her grip. Cursing, Usha barely managed to deflect a trident thrust with her darkwood shield. A grunt of pain and splatter of blood from her right side informed her that Estivan hadn’t been so lucky. A javelin and some kind of corrosive projectile shot at the attackers from the rear of the room, but both missed, the dart spearing one of the discarded books.

The hell with this. She opened her mouth, and released a jet of flame that briefly illuminated the scene in a hellish red cast. But it had done what she’d hoped for—burnt a hole in the net. And the sound of sizzling skum flesh was a nice bonus, though their slime shielded them from the worst. Estivan, one step behind, did the same trick, the jet of acid felling the weakened creatures. Usha shrugged off the net, her morningstar already jumping to her hands. At some point, two other skum, bearing kamas, had burst in through the other door, and were assaulting Carudan and Silver, presumably expecting easy kills. However, Blue decapitated one with a well-aimed slash, and the next one had barely had time to notice it had been hit with another acidic projectile, before Usha brought the morningstar sweeping round in a crescent with pain on the end, sending it’s head sideways with a sickening crack. It fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

There was silence. Nothing else seemed to be coming through. With the threat apparently past for now, Silver began gathering the surviving books for later examination.

Silver also picked up the longsword carried by the skum leader. "Usha, want a new sword? I think you'll like the one that beast carried."

"I'll stick with what I've got for now."

"Your loss, to turn down a magic blade."

‘Magical, you say? Maybe I will….’ She said, biting back the urge to grab it, and start crooning ‘mine….mine’ in an unsavory manner. She scraped the muck from it, and gave the blade a couple of practice swings. Handled well, but didn’t burst into flame, or demand to be fed souls. Ah well, there were still rooms unexplored. She also picked up one of the tridents. Not especially good work, but it might have some utility. Both weapons got added to the collection.

“Too bad it’s a longsword….you can have it, I prefer the scimitar.” said Estivan. "Wom…er Usha, you wouldn't happen to have a potion to spare, I will compensate for it."

"I suggest you're more discrete in compensation then you were last time." said Silver sarcastically. 

Usha passed him a healing potion. ‘Keep the money.’ She said. She was a bit irked that he felt the need to insist on financial transactions, even down here. Plainly not a very trusting type.


They went through the place room by room. Plainly, this had been some kind of living complex, before the skum had moved in.

The room the main skum attack had come from seemed to be their living chambers, with several fountains with matted algae placed in them that made beds of a kind. Crude tools were scattered around too.

"Shall we sure this place of anything of interest?" asked Estivan.

Usha gave him a funny look. "If you want to rummage through their bedding...."

"Well, I think not…..”

"Might be another healing potion in the bedding." added Silver half-seriously.

As Silver scanned the room for magic, drawing Arden’s attention to a corner, Usha waited for them to finish, and kept watch for another attack. "We know that as well as the skum, we're looking at the snake thing and at least one mage.” she thought out loud. “Hopefully, they're the same person. Or I could be just being optimistic. This is possible."

A secret compartment revealed a pair of boots, that seemed to be the source of the magic, and a cestus.

"I'd wash those boots before you put them on if I were you. Bear in mind who'll have been wearing them." advised Usha. She didn’t even want to think about what you could catch through sharing footwear with a skum. 

"Well, if they are truly useful, I can clean them." pointed out Silver.

"I don't see how they can be useful, being rather common looking, to match the Blue Dragon's wardrobe.” pointed out Estivan.

"Looks are deceiving. Here Blue, they might help if you fall from a tower." Arden took them without comment, then moved on to have a look at the next door. Finding it clear, the group went onto the next room, which had once been a kitchen, though now dusty and cobwebbed. Checking the door beyond produced a flash, and a smell of ozone. Carduan didn’t look perturbed by the electricity. Lucky I let him disarm that one, thought Usha. She decided that sometimes doors needed picks, sometimes they needed a boot, and thank Tymora that they had someone to help them tell which.

The magical trap appeared to be exhausted, at least for the present. They went through the doorway.

The last room in this complex seemed to be a small living quarters, in rather good shape, save for the passage of time. It looked like some sort of wizard used to live here. Visible was a lavish bed, and a desk with various books on it. From what could be seen, there doesn't seem to be anything rather magical, no spell books or items left behind, but clothes and such hadn’t been disturbed.

The customary search showed up a ring of some kind. Silver tried it on. There was a bright light surrounding Silver for a second, then when it was gone, he looked like he’d just stepped out of a beauty salon He didn’t have a speck of dirt on him, his clothes were straight, he positively beamed, and smelt faintly of lavender. Wish I’d claimed that, she thought ruefully. Purely apart from the sheer practical value, she was quite certain his ego didn’t need the boost. Too late now.

She picked up a book on the desk. Strangely well-preserved. Maybe some kind of magic. She looked over the first few paragraphs, and her eyes widened. Seeing the others looking at her, she read it out loud.

_ "1070 17 of Mirtul: A new Arch-mage has come down to work here with us in The Pits. When I first heard that he requested this duty, I thought he was nuts, only those too hard pressed of time and money, or wish to make a name for themselves in a hurry would dare work here. Then when I saw that he was a dwarf, that explained a few things, he should feel right at home here down in the bowels of the earth..."

"1070 20 of Mirtul: Well Herrnemil definately doesn't feel at home down here in the tunnels we've carved for ourselves. He keeps complaining about the shoddy work done about the walls, and how it's too bright down here, and not dry enough. Of course it's not dry enough, the Pits were mostly dug out so some arch-wizards and unlucky students could find some way to get that damnable desert of Anauroch beaten back. Despite being down here, he doesn't know about that project, could he be starting a new one?"

"1070 30 of Mirtul: The High Priest at the Temple of Lathander is throwing a bit of a fit once again as he reviewed the grounds today. I didn't get to see much of it, since I seem to be perpetually chained to my work, but I've gotten news from the 'surface dwellers'. It's always about the few priests that we detain down here to help with some of the more complex spells. I honestly don't know why we allow them down here, they are competent with their own form of magic, but they definitely aren't suited to the extended hours of research required down here. They need to go 'worship their god' a little too often to effectively work underground in my opinion."
"1070 14 of Flamerule: Mystra, what Herrnemil is don't isn't sorcery, it's metallurgy! I've been seeing an inordinate amount of metal tools and such for a while, but didn't think much about it. Today they brought an entire forge down here, and dug an exhaust tunnel so they can work in a totally enclosed laboratory. We have some people work on magical arms down there, but most of the metal work takes place up top. Why would they need that sort of secrecy for?"
"1070 25 of Eleasis: Poor Karliek, today he came down in the pits without the proper warding against all the stray mana flying around these tunnels. As soon as he came to the major cross roads, there he was turned into an Ettin! Took us all day to drag him out of the tunnels, and that's not the worst part, his two heads were constantly blaming each other for who was the numbskull that got them into that predicament. I only pray that they can revert him back soon..."
"1070 2 of Eleint: Something odd happened today, it took 15 men to draw Herrnemil off of a sorcerous prodigy who came down to do a bit of work. As soon as they crossed paths, the dwarf launched himself on the unsuspecting sorcerer, not with spells but with a poker he had close at hand. He was clubbing him over the head in it in some strange sort of rage, cursing him out in dwarven, which I have no knowledge of. Afterwards we had to rush the sorcerer to the temple as fast as possible, it took a few spells to get him up to snuff, but they almost lost his pseudodragon familiar. I wonder why he went off like that? He seemed distant, but he did not seem at all violent."

"1070 30 of Uktar: Mystra, I am tired, it's been a very long month, and I've mostly spent every waking moment of it down in the depths. Earlier there was a major accident, one of the condenser crystals in the raw mana understanding experiment some how crossed streams with Herrnemil's elemental forge. So understandably, all the power got translated into one of the largest explosions this university has ever seen. I've been called in to help contain the magic from blowing the other crystals in the laboratory, not to mentioning the whole dimensional damage done by it. All of the nearby walls were blown down forming some sort of massive room. It even opened a great rift into an unknown cavern system, from which we have heard chittering and squishing of things down in the depths, already we have had to fend off several goblins. I fear we might have reached the Underdark, but hopefully we'll have the tunnel contained before too long..." _ 

Usha felt a chill on mention of the Underdark. She recalled stories from her childhood. Even if the reality was only a tenth as bad, she still wasn’t going down there anytime soon, if she got any say in the matter.

The last entry said something about being under siege by those Calimport bastards, but finished with a squiggle, as if he’d been abruptly called away

“So this place was some kind of a secret forge…..” said Blue.

“I wonder what Calimshari were doing this far north….” mused Estivan.

Silver said "First it only might have opened. Second, they said it should be contained. We have only seen skum up here. If we end up going further down, then we can worry."

Usha thought for a moment. “Skum are aquatic, therefore they’ll have come from the bottom. But speculation is useless. We need to look ourselves.”

The salvageable books were gathered up, and left in the junction where the fight with the skum had been. Silver wondered out loud if they should start charging the collage for all the books they’d found for them.

Usha went through the second door. As she stepped over the threshold, she felt a sudden sense of vertigo. Voices whispered on the edge of her mind, speaking wordless entreaties to flee, to run before you die, you can’t win here….

But she was made of sterner stuff than that, and fought back the wave of unreasoning panic.

She shuddered, and looked round nervously as she passed through the door. "Something.....something's here, trying to cause fear."

Again, this trap seemed to have been a one-shot. The doorway led into a small room with no exits, save the stairwell leading down into deeper darkness. Usha smiled grimly, and said “Into the deeps.” She took a step onto the steps, noting that at some point she’d become point man rather than Estivan. Guess he’s less keen on leading after taking some knocks, she thought with a mental chuckle. And then laughter in an echoing, deep, voice echoed through the room—no, not through the rooms, through their minds—as yellow mist oozed into the doorway. 

Her new sword was already in her hand. _ Alright, time to put your money where your mouth is, _she thought grimly.


----------



## Elemental (Apr 25, 2003)

*Re: Part 6*

Part 7:

Looking for the source of the laugh yielded nothing. But what did become audible was the sound of someone coming down the corridor. Usha peered down it, but her darkvision didn’t yield anything until….

"Carduan. You had us worried there."

"Sorry, things took a little longer than planned." he said, returning to the group. There was the sound of many weapons being sheathed, and mutters of annoyance.

Estivan led the way down the stairs. The old spiral staircase, smoothed by time and water flow, carried on down for quite a bit before it came to a door out, with a sign above saying "Warning: Random Thaumaturgic Generation Ahead."

"Our friend the wizard." said Usha.

"Thaumatugic?" asked Carudan.

“Magical radiation.”

“Ah, lovely.”

"I'd guess it's faded. The skum didn't seem too badly affected."

"How could this radiation affect us?"

"Random transformations, destructive energy, general weirdness." said Silver.

"Dangerous to us?"

“I am not afraid of such things!” sneered Estivan.

"I would rather not be turned into a weird thing.” said Blue. “Any protection you could come up with Silver would be great."

"Shouldn't need to. It's mostly burnt out. A few pockets that fade out and will probably only annoy."

"Then let's press on." said Usha, and did that. She didn’t feel comfortable standing here and waiting; she wanted to be doing something.

As they got to the bottom of the sloping tunnel, it became plain that there had been some radical changes wrought in this place, by magic or nature. The carved stone walls were pitted, eroded, and broken in places, and the briny smell was more pronounced. 

"This smells like the sea, I remember it from home. I heard there actually are subterranean seas in the Underdark." said Usha.

"We have only gone down two levels.” said Blue. “Do you really think we are in the Underdark already?"

"When we meet an embassy, we'll have to ask."

“Hold up.” said Blue, looking at the T-junction in front of them. “Remember those pockets I mentioned? The intersection has one, and it’s not moving.”

"Well, we could send a small creature through, to see how effective it is...." said Usha. She glanced at Silver’s owl familiar, then shook her head. "Any chance you could summon something?"

"Summoning isn't my style."

"What do you suggest we do, sorcerer?” asked Estivan.
Silver drew a dagger and threw that into the middle of the field. There was a flash of light, and when it faded, the weapon was visible, hovering in the air and turning to face in different directions like a more lethal compass needle. Usha made sure her shield was between her and it.

"A rock wouldn't have worked. It needed silver, iron or diamonds to distort the effect." said Silver.

"So is it safe to go in or not?" demanded Estivan.

"Should be but watch the dagger. It’s got all the juice now."

Estivan and Carudan went through. The floating dagger hit his shield, and fell to the ground, where Silver recovered it. Blue stopped. "There is something buried in the intersection."

It wasn’t buried very deep, so Usha used her spear and shield to move the earth away. It turned out to be a small quartz crystal with some etchings on it.

“Well, it looks pretty at least, so it's not totally wasted effort." she said.

"Well that’s something. Not sure what but something." said Silver.

"Hmm, quite interesting, isn't it, Silver?" said Carudan.

“Do I get to know what it does?” asked Usha.

"Question now is which one of use counted as the certain being."

Since the answer to her question was apparently no, she pocketed the gem, and went onto the door at the end of the corridor. It opened onto a forge. An anvil and heap of metal slag, various tools, and something that looked like a furnace were positioned around the room. Also, a pair of bellows and a lever of some kind, which Estivan tried out.

"I wouldn't have thought it possible, but you proved me wrong.” said Usha. “You found a way to produce even more hot air that normal."

“It is paltry compared to the amount you produce, wench!”

“I think he’s jealous.” said Silver with a chuckle. Blue dug up a large shield, with a symbol of a griffin on it. Estivan took that.

Carudan had a look over at the tools. "If you want the tools, we can toss them into the sack." said Silver, seeing his interest.

“Not really, I’m just curious is all. Though now that I think about it, we should remember to come back here. These could be worth some money, or be a nice gift to the school.”

"Just put them in the sack. Usha found a gold mine when she discovered it."

"If we secure this area for them the it could be an income generating source for them." said Estivan. "Silver, I believe this shield to be of some sort of magical nature, perchance you could tell me what sort?"

Their attention was distracted by the fact that the forge seemed to have come back to life of it’s own accord, the red glow intensifying.

Blue stepped back. "Everybody, there is something wrong with that forge. I suggest we move."

"Back away from the forge! Something is in it!” declared Estivan, with his usual flare for the dramatic. He brandished his shield, though it was anyone’s guess what he meant to do with it.

"Estivan, move it. There is no reason to die fighting a forge. There is no glory in that."

Estivan instead used the shield to push through the flames into the forge (it seemed to have protective properties), and threw a waterskin into it. To the surprise of no-one but him, a few ounces of water didn’t extinguish the fires.

"Damn, water is not as effective as I hoped..." said the master of the obvious. Whatever had possessed Estivan, it seemed contagious. Carudan had backed out of the room with Usha, Blue and Silver, but ran in to throw more water on the flames, only to get pushed back by the great heat.

"Silver. Do you have some kind of ice spell that would help?” asked Blue, showing at least some of them were thinking clearly.

Silver didn’t answer, watching the unnatural fires. "Guys, this is a bad thing." he said eventually. "Planar rift. To the fire plane.”

"How do we close it? And how did it open in the first place?"

Carudan seemed to realize how, lunging forward and shutting off the valve. Immediately the licking flames withdrew inside the forge.

"And this is why you don't fool around with switches in a dungeon." said Silver.

“Unless you’re a skilled….treasure hunter, like me.” said Blue.

"Perhaps I should listen to your advise more often, then again perhaps not." said Estivan. Truly, the man had a talent for phrases that seemed sensible on the surface, but were in fact very stupid.

"Now then that you have roasted yourselves, can we move on?"

There were no other exits, so they went down the other corridor of the T-junction. This one led to what looked like a disused laboratory. There were vials, crumbling scrolls and various spell components scattered around. There were also two heavy cloaks, looking in surprisingly un-decayed repair, hanging on the wall.

Usha had a look round for anything that looked like information, and Silver gathered useful bits for useful spell components, but they were both cut off when the cloaks suddenly jumped off the wall, revealing fanged mouths and malicious red eyes, and swooped in to attack. Cloakers!

Estivan reacted, but his scimitar glanced off the creature’s tough hide. Caurdan grabbed at one of the things, slamming it against the wall. It lashed at him with it’s tail, but the strikes just glanced off his skin. Silver launched bolts of fire, which only burnt holes in the walls. The other cloaker released an unearthly, haunting, moan.

Usha tried to grab at the cloaker, hoping to pin it down and deny it its mobility. However, it was impossible to get a grip on the boneless thing. It screeched as Estivan managed to draw blood.

_Oh no, I’m not having you of all people show me up here. _

Carudan managed to keep up the blows coming in on the other cloaker, sending it falling back onto a bench full of sharp glass. However, it wrapped it’s wings around him, enveloping him. A muffled yell came from within the bulk of the creature. Couldn’t be nice being face to face with that mouth of sharp little teeth. Silver tried to stab it with his rapier, but managed to cut Carudan instead.

Usha focused on the other, a slash of her new longsword cutting a gash in its wing. In response, it released a terrible moan, which touched off an unpleasant reaction, as Usha felt nausea rise up in her. She barely avoided vomiting, trying to keep her footing. From the sounds she could hear, she hadn’t been the only one affected, which was scant consolation.

Suddenly, there was another burst of sound, from under the smothering creature. Both cloakers exploded under the sonic assault, in a cloud of gore. Looking round, she saw that Carudan had been the origin of that attack. He’d also hit Estivan, though not as badly.

Carudan staggered towards the injured Estivan, and healed him. Usha sat down, fighting the nausea down. After few moments, it faded, and she looked up. "I vote we finish turning over this room, then go."

Arden had a quick look round the place, but if he found anything, he kept it quiet. Estivan, despite his wounds, insisted on being first out. "So anxious to have a target on your head...." muttered Usha as she followed the group out.

As they left through the other door, into a new tunnel, there came a gurgling, echoing cry of pain from ahead.

"Beshsaba's bosom, what in the nine hells was that?" exclaimed Estivan.

"That sounded unhealthy. I suggest Estivan goes first." said Silver.

"Let's not get hurt too seriously this time.” said Carudan. “I only have one potion left"

The room they hurried into was a natural cavern. It had a lower ceiling than the others, but was a lot larger and there was a pool of water on the floor. Looking round, Usha saw a skum limping away from something, but even as she was drawing steel, it was yanked back into the darkness. More screaming issued, but that was abruptly cut off.

"That's not good..." muttered Carudan.

"Now that's a bad sign" said Estivan.

"Nothing gets past you two, does it?" asked Usha.

"We might want to consider retreating for the time being.” said Carudan. Usha was finding it steadily more hard to believe he was a priest of Torm. She looked over. "Blue, you're our best chance of finding a nonviolent way out, but if you don't want to go into there, I won't blame you a bit."

"It looks dark enough. I shouldn't have any problems sneaking in and out."

But they were cut off by a strange clanking sound, causing the floor to collapse, depositing them all in a large muddy pit. Usha climbed to her feet, just in time to see some hideous creature, like a giant quadruped crab, rise from the mire.

“Beshaba’s bosom!”

“What is it with you and bosoms lately?” asked Usha, before drawing her sword, and attacking this new threat.


----------



## Elemental (Apr 26, 2003)

*Part 7: The Big Fight*

Part 8:

Mud splattered, quickly coating them in a patina of mud, slime and substances Usha didn’t really want to identify. From her sides, she could hear confused attempts to try and get into position from the others, but kept her eyes on the chuul. It sent it’s large yellow claws darting out ahead as it scuttled towards them in the confines of the pit.

"Sorry, nothing personal, but you've got to go. It's the food chain. Superior predator coming through." she said, magic sword ready. Seeing an opening, she slashed at the reaching claw, but it was deflected by the thick shell. Estivan attacked from the other side, managing to draw thick, oily blood. Displeased, the chuul slammed an open claw down, pinning him to the ground before lifting him up. She glanced to the others, but wished she hadn’t, as she saw Blue trying to escape back up the side of the pit, only to fall back into the mud. “Blue, get over here and make with the stabbing!” she shouted.

Silver blasted it with fire, and Carudan somersaulted behind the thing, again with no weapon in sight.

Not your typical cleric.

“Let go of me, you ugly crab!” shouted Estivan as the monster tried to put him into it’s mouth.

“It just wants a kiss.” said Usha. She stabbed into the underbelly of the thing, and the distraction was enough for Estivan to get free. A claw shot through the air towards her, but she ducked it, almost going sprawling in the mud.

Carudan tried to climb onto it’s back, but managed to get himself caught in the claw. Blue took her advice, and tried to stab at the chuul, but failed to do anything. Silver tried firing an acid bolt, but it just sank into the muddy walls and hissed. Usha and Estivan chopped at it, knocking lumps out of the carapace, but it wasn’t going down. There was an unpleasant cracking sound from the thing’s claw, and Carudan went limp. Continued attempts to hack at it were thwarted by the things thick hide.

Flying round it, Silver released a blast of icy cold from his mouth over the rear of the beast, Blue barely getting out of the way. It staggered, off-balance long enough for Estivan to sever its head. The body slumped into the mud, releasing Carudan. Estivan hurried over to the cleric, retrieved a potion from his belt, and used it to bring him back to the land of the living.

Carudan picked himself up. “Thank you….”

“We can’t afford to lose a good man like yourself.”

Silver handed Blue the wand. “Maybe you can use this with better accuracy….”

“What? You had no luck with it, so you’re giving it away?”

"Well if it doesn't work well for you, we can presume it’s jinxed and sell it. If it does, you have a decent ranged magic weapon."

Looking round the pit showed there was a rough exit in the base, leading into a dark tunnel.

Usha handed Carduan another potion. “That’s the last one I’ve got, make the most of it. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought clerics used weapons, especially those of the god of war. For someone who's not too fond of having a dragon parent, you're making ready use of the physical features he gave you.” He ignored her, taking the potion with and quaffing it down quickly.

Estivan picked up the severed head and dropped it. "So do we keep heading forward or set down for a bit to replenish our magic and energy? I think we should move on a bit, I can't rest in a mud hole like this."

"I can fly out of this pit and lower a rope to the rest of you and we can camp up there." said Silver.

"I'm not waiting here.” said Usha. “Anyway, corpses attract scavengers. Blue, do you think you could have a look ahead, see what's next?"

"Yeah if you guys want to wait here. I can sneak down there and back"

"Any trouble Blue and double back to the rest of us." said Silver.

“Or scream, if that’s more convenient.”

He nodded, and vanished into the darkness.

"Its better to rest here, something very bad is down that way, and I would rather be rested facing it.” said Estivan.

"I don't know... someone needs to go back up for supplies, if possible.” said Carudan.

"I thought Torm was the god of bravery?" Usha asked. She was ignored.

The argument about what to do next continued. Eventually, it was decided to send Silver’s owl back up with a request for supplies. Estivan tried to climb out of the pit, but slipped, and fell into the mud. With an angry glare, he tried again, making it up. However, Blue burst out of the tunnel, with an injured shoulder, looking very freaked. “Get ready! Something is coming!”

Usha had sword and shield ready in an instant. “Shall I take point?”

“Get up here first, wench!” shouted Estivan. Her opinion that he wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer received another affirmation, as he seemed to think that whatever was attacking was coming from his level. A few seconds later, he seemed to realize, and jumped down, looking embarrassed.

"Its going for us and has magic. Are best bet would be to set a defense here." said Blue.

They waited for a few tense moments, but nothing came out. From down the tunnel came a splashing as if something was thrashing around in water.

Carudan turned to Blue. "What exactly did you find?"

"I have no idea what it is. Its big and magical that all I know. Look at my shoulder. I heard some chanting and something I could see hit me."

"OK, that’s dealable.” said Blue. “I've got a small collection of arrows built to annoy magic wielders."

"Can anyone still call up a breath attack?" asked Usha. Only Blue replied in the positive. "I say we go down there. I'll go first, as the only uninjured one. That breath weapon can be a card up our sleeve, to give them a shock. That sound acceptable?"

"Usha, take one of my arrows, if it hits near this magic person, it will deafen them and make his casting far more difficult." said Silver.

“If this thing was the one that flattened the village, it's fond of fire. So hopefully, it'll waste that attacking me. I say go ahead. We don't want to give this thing time to gather more forces and attack us."

"She's right. Plus, now that Silver's familiar is going to get supplies, we might make it,” said Carudan. “Otherwise, I'd suggest climbing up and leaving"

"I think we can do this. We just hang together, play to each others strengths and hit hard."

"And pray this thing doesn't have a nice, hard shell like the last one"

The irony of the follower of the goddess of love advocating attacking, and the follower of the god of war advocating retreat wasn’t lost of her.

"Ok, then lets form up, Usha you have point and I'll be behind you." said Estivan. Seemed that he’d lost some of his keenness.

Silver’s owl returned, looking somewhat stunned.

"Does anyone have flint?" asked Carudan. Estivan handed him some. "If I say to get away from this monster, everyone but, I think, Usha, needs to back away from it, pronto."

Silver finished talking with his familiar. "Great. Lady and gents. We have another problem, we are trapped down here. There is a barrier."

"Doesn't make much difference now.” said Usha. “The only way out is through."


The corridor opened up into a large natural chamber. Just perceptible was a natural island in the center. However, more detailed observation was stopped when a hissing voice came out. 

"So, the naughty spawn come..."

"That we do. But you don't." replied Usha.

"Let me guess, you’re the enigmatic snake thing that is behind all our troubles." said Estivan, ever the master of the obvious.

"You were born...”

“I was hatched.” said Usha.

"Shut your trap and show your face!" shouted Carudan.

Something that looked like a giant, purplish cobra, with a whiskered head raised it’s head from the water, and glared at them all. "I tried to get you to leave, so I won't have to smell your stench above me all the time. But I'm sort of glad that you didn't, this will be so much more satisfying...

"What sort of misbegotten troll ugly hellspawn are you?" demanded Estivan.

“Pssst….that’s your reflection.” said Usha.

“At least I am not as trolls-arse ugly as you, wench!” he snapped.

“Death tainted children of the dragon…..” hissed the naga. And a mass of tentacles boiled out of the water near the shore.

"Shouldn't have wiped out the village. Up till then, I'd actually have let you live.....” She turned when she heard Estivan. “Oh, what? You know, you're the most humorless, pretentious, longwinded toerag I've ever had the misfortune to....." 

And then she turned, and fired an arrow in one fluid motion, catching the naga off guard. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem too bothered by the deafening noise it gave off. Carudan threw something that exploded with a burst of flames on the thing’s hide before charging in, to attack the tentacled thing. It recoiled, part of a tentacle severed, and then there was a shimmering of the air around Carudan, leaving him frozen in place. Estivan hurled a spear, which missed. Silver tried another thunder arrow, just as ineffective as the first one.

From behind her, Usha heard Blue’s voice, saying seemingly nonsensical words, but the effect was unexpected, as a semi-transparent sword of energy appeared in the air, striking the naga as it tried to cast a spell of some kind. The magic fizzled.

“Useless piece of crap elf weapons….” She dropped the bow, and hurled the trident she’d taken from the skum at the middle of the darktentacles, missing it. The magical sword attacked again, but somehow, the attack was deflected onto the darktentacles.

From Blue’s position, came a blast of electricity, scorching both enemies in a most gratifying way. The darktentacles fended off Estivan’s attack, as some of it’s limbs reached to distressing lengths, assailing Blue with swords and slaps. The scimitar burst into flames as it hit. He did his best to roll with the blows, but the sword strike cut deeply into his gut, sending him falling to the ground.

Electricity gathered, and was released from the naga as it sent a blast of lightning out, illuminating the cavern in stark white for a second. Usha was sent flying, and landed face first in the water. She picked herself up, smoke emerging from the scorched hole in her chainmail. Carudan was dropped to the ground, still unnaturally immobile.

They were doomed if things kept up this way.

Water splashing, Usha charged through the shallow water, past the darktentacles, towards the naga, which looked surprised. Tentacles lashed out at her, landing several painful slaps, but it didn’t stop her charging sword first at the naga, scoring a deep cut on it’s flank. From behind her came a screech, and the tentacles reaching went limp.

Magic missiles from Silver came in over her shoulder to hit the embattled snake, and the magic sword managed to hit the right target this time, as she landed another telling blow. It raised a wand, and fired some kind of sonic bolt at her, but she managed to step back in time for it to do nothing but send water splashing.

"Bastards... Just because you can kill indiscriminately, you think the world is yours….” it hissed.

“I never kill indiscriminately!” yelled Estivan. To prove this, he made a berserk charge, cutting deep into the snake thing. It slumped into the water with a great splash.

"I do not fight against, abomination. I fight for. You would never understand, even were you not about to meet your end." Usha stepped forward, and nailed its skull to the bottom of the lake with her sword, before withdrawing it. "It's done....thank Sune, I feel awful."

"Good fighting.” said Estivan.

"Careful, that sounded like a complement. You might be going soft." She took two of the creature’s teeth. Something told her the kobolds would appreciate this confirmation the destroyer of their village was dead.

She splashed back to the shore, as Carudan recovered from the paralysis, and ran over to try and heal Blue. He managed to stop the bleeding, despite being out of healing magic.

Usha looked over. Blue’s omnipresent mask was up, from where he’d raised it to use his breath. Beyond the draconic features, it was possible to discern that he was part elf. Not an ugly one, either. She replaced the mask, and as Estivan and Silver finished scouring the area for valuables, she lifted him over one shoulder.

Silver held up an ornate, mean-looking axe. "Perhaps a dwarf made weapon is more your style then elven ones?"

There was a sudden flash of energy, and a deep laugh. Silver dropped it with a yell of pain. "Get yer scaley mitts off me yer, gall dern dragon spawn!" came a voice, apparently from the axe. It was in Dwarven, Usha recognized the language.

Usha sighed. After today, she wasn’t about to sit here and be talked to that way by an axe. "You can come with us, or we can leave you here. Take your pick."

"It doesn't like dragons." said Silver.

“I’d rather spend forty years sitting in an Oytugh’s butthole than with your fire breathing….”

"Well, we can sell you on to a good dwarf warrior.” said Usha. “Or do you prefer being a giant snake's toothpick?” She switched to Dwarven. “There are worse alternatives, I think you'll agree."

It grumbled to itself. "A good dwarf warrior? I would like that very much..."

"Then let us take you back up topside, and we'll see what can be done."

"Alright, but stick me in the sack, I don't want to see your ugly faces for another second...."

With a shake of the head, Usha led the way out of the pit, Blue over one shoulder. It had been a very long day.


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## Elemental (May 7, 2003)

Another update will be coming quite soon. This is my PC as she currently stands--level 5, ECL 8.  And I know the sheet isn't in standard format, but I find this one I came up with easier to find stuff on. It should be pretty self-evident what everything is.

A note on skills--the GM let each PC pick three nonexclusive skills to become class rather than cross-class skills.


Usha Lalita Halmarond

Race: Half Human / Half Brass Dragon
Type: Medium-Sized Dragon
Class: Fighter (4) / Rogue (1)
Alignment: Chaotic / Good
Deity: Sune

Attributes: STR 22, DEX 14, CON 18, INT 16, WIS 12, CHA 16

Skills: Jump 6/22, Swim 6/12, Climb 6/12, Handle Animal 2/5, Ride 3/5, Diplomacy 5/8, Speak Language (Dwarven), Sense Motive 4/5, Spot 4/5, Intimidate 3/6, Listen 4/5, Tumble 7/9, Search 3/4

Languages: Common, Iluskan, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant

Feats: Strong Soul, Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Whip, Iron Will
Bonus: Blind-Fight, Quick Draw, Close-Quarters Fighting

Saves: Fortitude +9, Reflex +5, Will +5

Initiative: +2
Melee Attack: +10
Ranged Attack: +6
Damage: +6

AC: 24 (touch 12, flatfooted 22)
Mobility Penalty: -1
Hit Points: 59

Abilities: 
Immune to fire, sleep and paralysis, breath weapon (60ft line, 3d6 fire damage, Reflex save, DC 17 for half) 1/day, claw and bite attacks, natural armour (+4), darkvision (60ft), +1 to save vs energy drain or death, bonus feats (3), sneak attack (+1d6).

Speed: 60ft
Face: 5x5ft
Reach: 5ft

Attacks:
Longsword: +11, 1d8+7 S damage (19+, x2) No miss chance vs incorporeal targets.
Light Flail: +11, 1d8+6 B damage (20+, x2). Can disarm (+2) and trip. If trip fails, can drop weapon to avoid being tripped.
Whip: +7, 1d2+4 S subdual damage (20+, x2), 15ft range (weapon stays in hand) Can disarm (+2) and trip. If trip fails, can drop weapon to avoid being tripped.
Composite Longbow: +7, 1d6+4 P damage (20+, x3), range 110.
Bite: +10, 1d6+6 P damage (20+, x2)
Claw: +10, 1d4+6 S damage (20+, x2)

Experience: 10,990
Next Level At: 15,000

Equipment: 

Weapons: +1 Ghost Touch longsword, MW light flail, MW mighty (+4) whip, MW mighty composite (+4) longbow, 36 arrows.

Armour / Shield: MW mithral breastplate, darkwood shield.

Miscellaneous Magic Items: Boots of Striding & Springing, Headband of Ferocity, 2 potions of Bull’s Strength, 4 potions of Cure Light Wounds

Mount: Heavy horse, saddlebags, bridle, riding saddle

Miscellaneous: Flint & steel, backpack, bedroll, rope, climbers kit, waterskin, 2 sacks, 3 days rations, 1 vial holy water.

Money: 474 GP

Loads: 1-173 lbs (Light), 174-346 lbs (Medium), 347-520 lbs (Heavy)

Current Load: 91 lbs


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## Elemental (May 10, 2003)

_Dear Diary:

A lot has happened in the last week. After we got back from the undertunnels, things calmed down a bit. Blue was patched up by the resident nurse, a dwarf who is a cleric of Berronar. Though there was some awkwardness when good old Estivan kept referring to her as a man. Must have been the facial hair that had him confused.

The loot was sold off for a tidy profit. Given the damaged state of my chainmail, I decided to seel it and go for something lighter—a mithral breastplate will fit the bill well, and it will look a bit nicer, to boot. It should be ready in a couple of days—I also requested some protective magic. A batch of potions, a new weapon, some magic boots to make me faster, and an enchanted headband that should keep me on my feet longer in a fight round out my haul.

A hundred or so did go into a donation to the church of the cleric—the least I could do, after all.

Something that we still haven’t been able to do is get anyone to identify that dwarven axe. Apparently, the expert on such matters is away on business. Given the shock Silver took, no-one wants to be the one to take it out of the bag—that thing hates dragons (it was made to kill them, so that makes sense) and apparently, that category includes us.

Hergal has continued to enquire about his book—I’ll say this for him, he doesn’t quit easily once his mind is set on something. More questions about my mother. All the talk about my family life keeps making me recall growing up with Khalid—and from there wonder what I could have done or noticed to cause things to turn out differently.

As well as that, staff from the college have been looking down the tunnels…_ 

“…..ah yes, a Banelar, Estivan was asking about it earlier, he's down with Professor Hammerfa right now.” said Albion. “But a Banelar is mostly a underground creature, with maybe some swamp and mountian habitats, although usually near river and minor settlements that they can corrupt, enslave, and prey. They usually have an association to and worship Bane, hince why the're such evil bastards."'.

“....thank you. I'll go talk to Hammerfa.” Usha replied, and turned to leave.

"He's down where you guys were yesterday. Oh, and the professor wanted to tell you that Ogerud wanted to talk to you and your merry band at some time."'.

With a nod of acknowledgement, Usha went back down the tunnels she’d helped explore yesterday, and eventually coming to the underground lake, found Estivan climbing into the lake and saying "Well, I don't see any passages or any way for this thing to get in. Say, do those Banelar's have a particular dislike for Dragons?

"The one we killed probably does.” said Usha. “What's happening here?"

"Hey, would you mind holding this lamp up so I can start working on it?" said the other man, an old, bespectacled wizard. He was cut off by a splash as Estivan jumped into the lake, and gave a sigh that was becoming familiar to Usha as the trademark sound of anyone that spent too much time near him.

"Never had that happen when I walk into a room before." she said. "You're Professor Hammerfa? What is this?"

"Ah, not much but a little dissection of this sucker.” he replied. “Might want to see on Estivan though."

Estivan had started splashing around in the pool, finally seemed to twig on that he’d find looking under the water easier without a heavy backpack, and so took it off, and threw it at her. She stepped aside, and let it hit the wall with a crash. He finally stopped playing around in the water, and came out.

"Well now we know where they come from. That could be an opening to somewhere deeper.”

"The thing that bothers me is this.” she replied. “Whoever destroyed that village used fire spells. This thing didn't."

Right on cue, there was the glare. "That’s right, and that thing doesn't have legs. Remember we saw clawed foot prints with the tail marks...”

"Which weren't the skum."

"Something else destroyed the kobold village.” he said, pointing to the Banelar, seemingly too wrapped up in his own throughts to notice she’d just said pretty much the same thing. 

"I don't know.” said Hammerfa. “If there was a true opening to the Underdark, this place would be crawling with fungus, and illithids and other nasty things, so it probably isn't a big opening, or it might be flooded as well?"

"Well, if we want to look through the tunnels underwater, perhaps one of the wizards could summon something aquatic, and send it through there to have a look? A water elemental, maybe?" she suggested. The only reply was the odd squelch and unpleasant organic sound as Hammerfa continued dissecting the darktentacles.

"You know, if I inherited my father’s ability to breath water, I might have searched it myself." said Estivan unhelpfully.

"And maybe get tipped over a waterfall or eaten by something down there?"

"It might be a great adventure, but thankfully, I didn't inherit it. I'd hate being more like him.”

"What, was he polite and well-mannered?"

No, you wench. He was a black hearted perverse rapist, vilely evil, with out a shred of decency, moral character or redeeming qualities.

Usha closed her eyes, and counted to three. Some people were so blind. "Well, I've got an evil brother, so we're even in that respect. Oh, and call me that many more times, and you're going under that lake again, head first. I'll work with you if I have to, but show a little respect. Understood?"

"Respect why should I respect a low born....." 

Usha glanced at the lake behind him, calculating how much of a push he’d take. But no, he was unexpectedly looking embarrassed. "You are right....”

Hammerfa pulled his head out of the guts of the creature, putting something purple and shiny into a specimen jar. "Well I'm more than likely to stay down here and carve this big guy up. You two can head on up if you want, but as you do, tell Albion to stop by. That and you guys should go and talk to Ogerud, said there was something important he wanted to tell you."

"Yes, Albion mentioned that."

Estivan spoke up, looking profoundly uncomfortable. “My actions toward you and to the nurse yesterday have been disgraceful of me.”

"If you're looking for me to disagree with you at some point, I won't. Actions speak louder than words, if you want to prove your true face isn't the mirror opposite of the one I can see." She turned and left. 

….and that was where we left off. Not sure if I should be relieved that he’s not completely impervious to reason, or annoyed that I didn’t get to stick a fist in his face.

_ I also tried reaching out to Mr Blue…._ 


"Blue, are you in there?"

"Yeah. Come in."

Usha walked into his room. Mask back up. She’d replaced it before the nurse had seen his face the previous day. 

"I just wanted to say thank you. You did well down there yesterday. The other thing is that when Carudan was trying to save your life, we saw your face. I'm assuming you didn't want that to happen."

He hesitated. "Its okay. Did anyone else see me?"

"No, I put it back up on the way out. But if you don't mind me asking, why?"

"The guild that trained me and I had a bit of a disagreement. I left without there permission and currently hiding from them. That’s why I don't use my real name. Just my alias of Blue Dragon."

Privately, she wasn’t sure of the wisdom of that. Concealing a distinctive face, yes, that made sense. But then adopting a name that pretty much stated what you were…..

"At first I assumed it was for a different reason. You've seen how messed up Carudan is about his parentage, I assumed it was the same thing with you."

"No. Nothing like that. This is more for my safety then anything."

"It just seems a pity to keep your true face hidden, no matter the circumstances."

"It doesn't bother me. I have spent a lot of time in the shadows. Besides I have other concerns that are more important then showing my face."

"It still seems a bit of a waste. Well, so long as you're happy with it, that is what matters. If you want, you could probably find a magic item that changes your appearance. Which reminds me, you'll want to talk with Silver about your share of the things we pulled out of the hole."

“How was that for timing?” asked Silver, coming into the room. “I’ve got coin pouches for everyone.”

_ ….another enigma. He seems decent enough, but the nasty little voice inside my mind wonders if his pursuers are entirely unjustified. Still, never let a resource go to waste—I’ve been learning a few of his skills over the last week. I may have skin that could stop a spear, but I’ll be facing worse things than spears, and I’ll need agility to help me stay alive, as that snake-creature proved.

I say snake-creature, and I thought it to be a naga, but according to Albion, it was something else—a Banelar. I hadn’t ever heard of them, but apparently, they’re servants of (surprise, surprise), Bane. I can tell you, when I heard that name, my blood ran cold (and no, that’s got nothing to do with my reptile side, thank you very much). It makes me worry, too. Would a servant of the Black Hand be holding a grudge against the college just for breaking his sleep? I doubt it, there will be a bigger picture.

There always damn well is.

At some point, I started talking about these other four people and me using the word ‘us’. Not entirely accidental, that. You see, the Dean recently called us to his office…._ 

"I hope you're feeling better than the last time we met." said Usha. The five of them were in Ogerunds office, the most expensive and lavishly decorated in the college.

He looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry about that. But please rest assured I have done my best to make sure something like that doesn't happen again. But where are my manners, please have a seat."

"I'll stay standing, thanks." said Silver. Usha took a seat, as did Blue and Carudan.

"Well, although I dismissed your offer earlier last night, I've had some time to think and bring it up with the rest of the chairmen. Usha, I was just wondering if that offer might still be standing?"

What offer….oh yes, that one.

"It could be."

"It's just with the Skum, that mess over in the woods, and several other occurrences around here, I've been thinking that we... might use some extra security around here. Now the entire board hasn't approved it, but from those I've talked to, they see you as a very valuable resource we would be crazy to simply send you away."

Mercenary work. That sounded good.

"I'd be willing to, certainly, especially if you've got servants of Bane nestling under the university. What terms were you thinking of?"

"Well that's what I was going to ask you. I was thinking something like 50 gold a week salary with at least a 5 year contract as security consultants and emergency troubleshooters?"

"Something shorter term, maybe. I like it here, but I don't want to get too committed. How much involvement were you thinking of?"

"Well, if its just five years. I doubt I would grow bored or tired of dealing with wizards in that time." said Silver. He’d certainly changed his attitude on ‘book magic’ at some point, then.

Estivan spoke up. "I would accept this offer, including the 5 year term. I am still very young and which my Draconic blood, who know how many years there will be in my life.

"Are you searching for a shorter term contract or a more flexible 'free' time or vacations?"

"Both, ideally. Tell me what I'm expected to do first." said Usha.

“Mostly helping to make the campus safer, keep nasty magical things like those Skum from messing about, telling us how to beef up security, and handling a few... sensitive situations where we can not spare our own personnel. As you noticed, we only have one security personnel, Marius, and you commented on how effective he is..."

Presumably, Marius had been that guard at the gate when they had first arrived.

"A year, and we'll see how it goes after that. After all, one of us might have become sick of the other by then."

“Only that amount of security, and you are that far out on the fringes of civilisation…..”

"I know, but we didn't have enough money after setting up the college, paying the professors, and getting the supplies for a professional guards or a small mercenary company. But as you have proven, you are quite a better investment."

_ ….and so, dear diary, it might be a longer association with the college and these people then I assumed. I’m not happy at being locked into any contract, but it’s tolerable. And given their less than extraordinary role in stopping all the incursions so far, I doubt the wizards could stop me if things deteriorate enough for me to just get up and leave. Not that I think they will, mind. _



Edit: Missing deity. Don't you hate it when that happens?


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## Carnifex (May 10, 2003)

Intriguing basis for an adventuring group! I think I may well read more of this (don't have the time right now since I need to prepare for a gaming session of my own tonight). I think it's quite innovative to go for an entire group of half-dragons, must be fun to play and the other players wont accuse you of being a powergaming munchkin


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## Elemental (May 10, 2003)

Carnifex said:
			
		

> *Intriguing basis for an adventuring group! I think I may well read more of this (don't have the time right now since I need to prepare for a gaming session of my own tonight). I think it's quite innovative to go for an entire group of half-dragons, must be fun to play and the other players wont accuse you of being a powergaming munchkin  *




First non-me poster. Yay!  

The all-half-dragon thing was the GM's idea. It's a change of pace, for sure, and it's certainly been helpful for creating a bond between the characters, though things have come to a bit of a crux lately, what with the vampire and all......


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## Maldur (May 11, 2003)

Great stuff!

Seems like a blast to play


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## Carnifex (May 11, 2003)

Well, I've just read through it - I especially like Usha's rather sarky comments  The idea of a whole band of half-dragons is definitely rather innovative and new. I noticed that the cleric is half-emerald - are there any rules for half-emeralds anywhere or did your DM just knock them up himself?


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## Elemental (May 11, 2003)

Carnifex said:
			
		

> *Well, I've just read through it - I especially like Usha's rather sarky comments  The idea of a whole band of half-dragons is definitely rather innovative and new. I noticed that the cleric is half-emerald - are there any rules for half-emeralds anywhere or did your DM just knock them up himself? *




It was a pretty simple conversion--just give them an immunity to sonic energy, and a breath weapon equal to the 'Young' age category of the dragon, everything else about the template stays the same. Since it was an energy type rather than a more exotic form of damage (like the topaz' cone of dehydration), it wasn't that hard.


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## Elemental (May 30, 2003)

The contract was finalized. For 50 gold per week, make sure the students and teachers had a comfortable working environment. No monsters, no thieves, and no invading armies of barbarians. Details varied. Usha didn’t want to be tied down for more than a year, and Carudan wanted to lease some land nearby to build a chapel. And the conversation also moved onto the underground lake.

"Yes, professor Hammerfa said he sent one of his boys down there with two potions of water breathing, and he reports it just goes into an underground aquifer, until his first potion ran out. Nothing more hostile down there than some fish that nibbled on his toes."

"Is it linked to that swamp the kobold village was in, by any chance?" she asked.

“I have no idea, but I’d doubt it.” he replied.

"The reason I ask, is that if that monster had no way to the village, there might be something else out there that did torch it."

"Hmm, that is rather disturbing news..."

Usha didn’t know much about magic, having mainly heard stories and legends. One, which she was becoming dissuaded of, was that wizards were chosen for their great intelligence.

Estivan spoke up. "I would suggest you fortify that area where the passage is found and post guards down there, as well as restore the rooms in the area, because as recent events suggested, it is currently a possible threat to the college."

"It might be a good idea if we sent another expedition into the passage. If it does lead to the swamp, then we will need to fortify or watch that area as well." said Carudan.

"Unless one of you can permanently breathe water, I don't see how something like that could happen." 

"That talent isn't one of the thing my accursed "gifted" me with. which is unfortunate.” said Estivan.

"But do rest assured, we will get to the bottom of this problem. Until then, we will post magical sentry wards around the area to make sure nothing nasty comes back."

Usha nodded. “Anything you want doing for the present?"

"Well I don't know, you're not on contract yet... You sure want to start early, eh?"

"It is a practical consideration.” said Estivan. “Since we have verbal agreement, it leaves us unofficially in your employ pending our making it formal. Thusly it is beneficial for both parties to start as early as possible.”

"I just asked because I was bored. But that too."

"Well I have heard that Lady Qu'foval has reported that some of his books have gone missing. Probably just students trying to get a greater edge over their peers, but it's quite an inconvenience to her..."

“Do you have any clue what sort of books are missing?”

"Mostly some of her advanced Illusionary books, nothing irreplaceable, but a bit expensive none the less."

"When were they reported missing, and when was the last time they were seen?"

"I don't think so, but I'm not that sure. We had them reported about two weeks ago which was about midterms, so we didn't pay it too much mind."


"Illusionary books? Interesting. I think things may be far more interesting then we thought. Good day, sir." said Silver, and then left. Well, far be it from the great sorcerer to actually explain what he was thinking once in a while.

"Well, look at where stolen books got us last time....."

After some more fruitless speculation it was agreed that Estivan and Usha would ask her about the books. But nope, apparently some of Estivan’s brooding related to her, and he had a question he wanted to ask as they were going there.

"I have a question for you. "Do you make it a habit of causing people to question beliefs they have had for a long time and question there perceived truths?"

The hell?

"Just the ones I consider wrong."

They entered the classroom past several students leaving the room. Silver was there already, talking with a beautiful female elf. 

…..just a wandering sorcerer, good lady. Following the path of most elves and confronting evil as I find it. Besides how else can an elf encounter new and beautiful sights."

"And there goes the nice chat we were having."

Usha ignored that. After all, if you didn’t want people walking in on your conversations, you let them know what you were doing.

She turned to greet them. "Well hello there, I am amazed that such fearsome warriors can look so handsome...”

"Thank you.” replied Usha. “You are looking most radiant yourself. If we're interrupting something, we can come back later?"

“My associate and I would like to ask you a few question regarding your missing books.”

"A task which I was already in the midst of doing." said Silver. Somehow, Usha doubted that was all he’d been in the middle of doing.

"Oh, well then, what sort of use could those books be? Could then be used for nefarious purposes?" asked Estivan.

"Usha, are you sure this is the real Estivan?” asked Silver. “Too little glares and too much niceness."

Estivan glared at him.

"That's more like it."

"Well I know that there were no direclty harmful spells in those books, but they could give someone a nasty surprise.” said the Lady. “Might be useful for a prank or someone trying to get a night in a lovely lady's bed..."

"M'lady, forgive them. They have no enjoyment in taking their proper time with things." said Silver.
"I see, could they be used to any martial effect? Estivan asked "Or to hide things from people who seek?"

"Well I don't think so, really, you might be able to make a lead coin look like a gold one, but I don't know about martial..."

"Could they make anything else appear as other then they really are?"

Never quite got his head round the idea of ‘illusion’, then?

"More like marital spells, from what you said.” said Usha. “I don't suppose you have any prime suspects, to save me some work?"

"Well with what is in the books it's just basic and slightly advanced illusionary theory. They can make it look like anything roughly about the same size and shape as the original target..."

"Could it work on a opening to a tunnel or a door or some such?"

Usha sighed. "I'm sure you have some sort of safety system in place to stop things like that happening? After all, you two know much more about magic than I ever will."

"Well of course if they have no spellcasting ability they won't be able to do anything. I did have a lock or two on some of the books, but they could be open by an easy knock spell or some such."

Estivan looked at Usha. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

"No, I'm not. Yes, she is very pretty, but try and keep your mind on the topic in hand."

He glared at her in rage. Silver smiled to himself.

"I'm just a bit worried. I mean, you surely heard about what happened to Hergal because of his book."

"Yes, but wasn't that more of some sort of vendetta against him or something? Besides, these books have been around for centuries, and I've only written half of them."

"You're probably right."

"And what were these two threats in relation to my school or magic? I must have missed that some time down the line..."

Estivan spoke up. "Well, there isn't a direct relation, but those missing books could be of use to someone who possibly has similar desires to the last two threats. A loose threat like these books could cause some unforseen complications, which is why we are trying to find out where they are and what they are capable of."

"I think a link to the strange stuff that's been happening isn't that likely. More likely it's either a student or a conventional thief who figured they looked valuable. Just making sure that another skum isn't going to turn up in disguise or something like that." said Usha.

"If you can get my books back to me unharmed, that would be good enough for me. I don't really know or much care about these matters, honestly."

"Which makes sense. Good day, and thanks for your help."


Estivan caught up with her again as she was heading back to her room.

"I am sorry that I called it you a low born wench. Its was disgrace of me and a product of an emotion I didn't want to realize I had.”

"Thank you for apologizing. Most of the time, you're your own worst enemy. You're very good at what you do, you're not stupid, it's just the whole attitude you carry around that puts people off."

"I have realized that my "attitude" as you put it, not only dishonors me, but also my family. Indeed, my mother has in the past been disappointed in the past by it. I know I disappoint her more even now. This I do not want, and the reason for it is something my mother has been fighting since I was born."

_ Oh great, here comes the angst. _ "Well, don't agonise about it, do something about it."

"That is want I am trying to do now and what I have been trying to figure for the past six days. I just have a question for you that has been bothering me since I found that flood passage. What is it you see when you looked at me? What sort of face do I wear in your eyes?”

She sighed. _ Do I really want to go through with this? I don’t want to be the one responsible for making him even more annoying. At least the way he is, he’s good as the butt of a joke once in a while. _ But she couldn’t quite bring herself to come out with a barbed retort. Instead, she spoke from the heart.

"A face, which isn't really important. Behind that, someone who's too used to having people beneath him, and too used to looking at people's station over their true worth. Someone who's brave and stalwart, but at the same time, someone so humorless and arrogant that people don't compliment him on that for fear of bloating his ego still further. You expressed surprise that I follow Sune? It's not for the free love...not entirely. It's a doctrine of not being ashamed to be what you really are, and of cultivating inner beauty as well as outer." She stopped. There was silence for a few seconds, then Estivan spoke.

"Perhaps it’s a mask I should shed, for it is one too close to my father for my liking. Its seems in my zeal to become less like him I because more like him then I ever could have imagined.”

"I think one day, you need to find your father and sort things out with him. Using the sharp end of a sword, probably."

"I have planned all my life to deal my father the justice he deserve, but before that day I just need to realize the true meaning of the word, for I have come to realize that is the reason why my mother kept me and my step father help raise me, though why I won't know for a while.”

_Uh?_ 

"Time enough for all of that later. For now, let's find Blue. You know I'd never have thought it possible, but you're almost tolerable."

They found Blue just outside the walls of the college, as the sun set. "I think I might have come across a good lead." he said. “The only problem is we might not be able to find the person."

"A thief that doesn't want to be found? Who'd have thought it?" said Usha in mock amazement.

"I don’t know if this man is the thief. Its just a lead I got. That all."

He was cut off by the rather unexpected sight of Carudan running towards them, carrying a limp body over one shoulder. It was an old man.

"You seemed like such a nice, quiet person, too....did he overcharge you and drive you into a rage?"

"I found him behind a large rock in the way down to the water passage. Something... drained him, of blood if not more."

At that point, the corpse suddenly lurched upright, and latched it’s teeth onto Carudan’s shoulder. He gasped in pain and shock, and managed to fling the thing loose. Usha drew her sword and stabbed at it. It struck at them with claws—where had they come from?--but after the shock of the initial attack was overcome, it was quickly overwhelmed and cut down.

"What on Toril is that cold handed touch of death thing?” demanded Estivan.

"Okay, my mistake bringing that thing up here." said Carudan.

“Carudan, what were you trying to do?" asked Usha.

"I was trying to get what I thought was a dead body identified. I assumed, if it was undead, it would have attacked me while I was still alone."

"Well, perhaps it just woke up.....that was a vampire, right?"

"That's as good a guess as any. Undead, certainly. I'll have to do some investigation to verify, but a vampire is likely, at the least"


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## Carnifex (Jun 22, 2003)

*waves*
Well I'm still interested in hearing more. I think I'm going to have to include a band of half-dragons in my NWN module now


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