Kethean's incognito adventure. Oh, and we're there, too.

[Corwin]

[00:32] <@Carthrat> Brost... the tiny village, a mere dot on most maps of Tethyr north. Bordering between the great forests of Suldath, the coast, and the barren deserts that flash all the way to Calimshan, Kethean can see his hometown on the horizon once more... a town that, when last he visited, did not recognize him in the slightest.
[00:35] * @Kethean takes a deep breath as he spots the town, and releases it slowly, before turning to his companions. "My family's home is on the west end of the village," he informs them.
[00:36] <@Maz> "Seems okay from here," Maz comments, peering into the distance.
[00:36] <@Thrall> "Do you want to go alone?" Thrall offers from astride his own horse as they approach. He's not quite sure how Kethean's family might feel about their son's choice in travel companions.
[00:37] <@Kethean> "It doesn't matter too much. I merely wish to check up on them, and it's not like they even recollect what I look like, if my last visit was anything to go by," Kethean admits as he continues heading towards the town, looking around for familiar sights/faces.
[00:40] <@Carthrat> The town is typically quiet, but that's because most people are out farming. A simple dusty road leads towards the centre of the place, a few stone and wood buildings making up a sort of town square. The centre of it contains a well with dripping bucket hoisted. The rickety general store is closed, and a creaking sound echoes through the desolate place, as does the wispy sound of a scythe through grain...
[00:43] * @Thrall remains on his horse as they ride into town, glancing around without much interest. Tiny hamlets like this never have anything interesting in them, in his experience.
[00:43] <@Carthrat> CRACK!
[00:45] * @Maz turns in the direction of the sound, seeking out anything out of the ordinary.
[00:45] <@Carthrat> A snapping sound echoes through the town, and the bucket of the well starts plummeting towards the bottom of the shaft, along with the rope.
[00:45] <@Carthrat> A soft splash signifies the end of it's descent.
[00:46] <@Kethean> "This place looks a lot worse off than when I last left..." the monk mutters. "Where is everyone?"
[00:47] <@Carthrat> It's not that unusual for the townsfolk to be out farming. Or just inside their homes...
[00:47] <@Carthrat> ...especially when they would've seen the menacing man in black armour long before he got near.
[00:47] <@Maz> "Farming?" Maz offers with a shrug.
[00:47] * @Seraphin blinks, glancing around. Certainly a...well, there isn't much to be said about the place at all.
[00:48] * @Thrall shrugs. "Seems like any one of the hundreds of other hamlets across Faerun." Seen one, seen them all...
[00:52] <@Kethean> "I'm heading to my family's place," Kethean informs the others before heading in the direction of his former home.
[00:53] * @Maz settles to wait, mentally going over her various spells to keep herself busy.
[00:54] * @Thrall dismounts his horse in order to feed it, remaining with Maz near the well as Kethean goes to meet his family.
[00:54] <@Carthrat> Your former home stands before you, two stories of stone. The shutters are tightly closed... the door slightly ajar.
[00:58] * @Kethean frowns at the open door, remembering the vision of what he'd find inside and steels himself, knocking on the front door, and announcing his presense. "Hello? Is anyone home?"
[00:59] <@Carthrat> "Um, ah, yes!" comes a light voice; one of your younger, still-teenage sisters. Karen Evenwood...
[00:59] <@Carthrat> "..ah, hello," she says, politely, pulling the door ajar open for you, giving you a brief view into your house. "Um.. who are you?"
[01:02] * @Kethean smiles. Looks like the vision didn't come to pass. "I'm merely a wandering cleric in the service of Savras. Sorry to be a disturbance," he offers politely, giving a small bow to his sister.
[01:04] <@Carthrat> "Savras? Oh, boy! Mum says my brother ran off to join Savras!" she says, looking suddenly happy. "Mum, mum! A cleric of Savras is here! He'll help Anastasia for sure!"
[01:08] <@Kethean> "Help Anastasia?" he prods, curious as to what has happened around this place.
[01:10] <@Carthrat> Karen runs off. A moment later, you hear your mother slowly shuffle towards you, looking down. "Eh, cleric," she says, peering closely at you. Her hair is grey, and you recall that her eyesight was never the best of things. "What brings you here?"
[01:15] <@Kethean> "I..." he starts saying before he gets control of his emotions. "I had a vision from my patron deity involving those of this household. I wished to see what I could do to stop it. The younger girl said something about helping Anastasia?"
[01:17] <@Carthrat> "Oh, yes. Helping Anastasia," croons the woman. "Aye, saw her in the cart the other night. Dragged off by some dwarf with no beard," she rattles. "I don't know what the hairless midget wants with my daughter, but I'm terrified for her. I knew I should've made Darvin stay when he came last, what with all the bad omens.."
[01:21] <@Kethean> "Darvin has been by?" Kethean asks in surprise, slipping and forgetting he's supposed to be a stranger.
[01:22] <@Carthrat> "You know him, eh?" says the woman, eyes blinking. "Aye, our eldest has come by at least once a year to visit. He's grown into such a fine young man, and cuts such a strapping figure with those two swords."
[01:25] <@Kethean> "...Ah," Kethean replies with a nod. "Well, I'd be happy to be of assistance with your trouble. Can you tell me anything that might help in the search? Which direction they took, or anything else?"
[01:26] <@Carthrat> "They went west! Towards the coast! And I don't know what they're doing there with her... gods, please save my daughter, cleric. I've nothing to pay you with..."
[01:30] * @Kethean smiles gently. "Do not worry. As I said, I had a vision that led me here. Perhaps this is the reason why," Kethean offers, trying to console the woman...his mother. "I'll do my best to get her back home safely."
[01:31] <@Carthrat> "Thank you," she replies, ancient eyes still not recognizing you. She really has gotten old...
[01:35] * @Kethean nods and starts to head out, to find his companions and inform them of the slight additional delay.
[01:39] <@Carthrat> They're still around town, seeming very non-thrilled at the prospect of hanging out here much longer.
[01:40] <@Kethean> "Everyone, some news," he calls out to them, to get their attention.
[01:41] <@Thrall> "Hmm?" Thrall turns to Kethean, idly biting out some hard tack he's having for lunch.
[01:41] <@Maz> "Hmm?" Maz muses, setting her spells and new research ideas aside for the time being.
[01:42] <@Seraphin> "The town's been abandoned for five years and you aren't sure where your family is?" Seraphin jests sarcastically.
[01:42] <@Kethean> "No, Seraphin. Still, at least it wasn't the bad news I expected, but still not great. Apparently, one of my sisters has been kidnapped recently," he explains, with a slightly grim tone.
[01:43] <@Maz> "You expected more badness?" Maz asks.
[01:49] <@Kethean> "I was expecting to see all of their bodies as rotting carcasses in the house, yes," Kethean replies firmly. "Not a pleasant vision."
[01:51] <@Thrall> "Keep your expectations low and you won't be disappointed," Thrall notes with grim amusement.
[01:52] <@Kethean> "Mmm...one way to look at the world, I suppose. Anyway, the kidnapper apparently headed west, a dwarf with no beard," Kethean adds.
[01:52] <@Maz> "We're going after her, I take it?" Maz asks. "Where did this dwarf go?"
[01:53] * @Thrall glances at Seraphin and raises an eyebrow.
[01:53] <@Seraphin> "A very valuable dwarf then," Seraphin adds, lifting her eyebrows.
[01:55] <@Kethean> "Shall we be off then?" Kethean asks as he waves towards the west.
[01:56] * @Thrall nods as he saddles up. "Sounds good to me," he agrees.
[01:56] <@Seraphin> "Sure...the dwarf is worth roughly fifteen-hundred gold if we can locate the employer in Saradush," Seraphin nods, mounting her horse.
[01:57] * @Kethean whistles. "A nice sum for the dwarf."
[01:59] <@Carthrat> The party travels west, easily locating the tracks of a prior cart heading in this direction. After only a half-day of travel, the tracks veer off into patchy grassland, and from there, the air becomes saltier, and you hear the sound of waves. The cart continues down onto the beach proper, where the tracks are gone... yet the cart stands on the shore, near a great, yawning cliff...
[02:00] <@Carthrat> ...it rises up from the sandy beach, a massive hole in the centre. A wooden sign is hammered into the dirt just inside; "Here Lies The Portal to the Caverns Below. Abandon Hope, all Ye Who Enter Here!" Bleached bones hang on the sign, and a tattered pirate flag, skull and crossbones together, is nailed on to the shaft.
[02:01] <@Maz> "Pirates!" Maz exclaims. "How exciting! I always wanted to meet one!"
[02:01] <@Kethean> "Homey feel to the place, Seraphin?" Kethean asks.
[02:01] * @Thrall snorts. "Dramatic, isn't it?" he notes, unimpressed.
[02:03] * @Seraphin yawns softly, shrugging. "Don't know, never been to the Abyss. Dad doesn't write, either."
[02:05] * @Kethean casts detect magic as he looks at the entrance, giving it a cursory glance for trouble.
[02:05] <@Carthrat> The entrance is distincly non-magical. It is, however, rather dark.
[02:06] <@Maz> "How does it look?" Maz asks those better-inclined than her to look for any entrapments.
[02:07] * @Thrall dismounts his horse, tying it off a ways from the actual cavern itself before approaching the rest of the way on foot, letting Kethean and Seraphin watch for traps.
[02:08] * @Maz follows Thrall's lead, deciding to bring up the rear this time, her wand of magic missiles ready for action!
[02:08] <@Kethean> "Dark, but otherwise non-magical," Kethean replies as he picks up a small rock from the ground and casts the light spell on it.
[02:09] <@Carthrat> A mystical light springs into being, guiding the feet of the iterient monk.
[02:10] * @Seraphin likewise dismounts, getting out in front. Never should've told them I could work with traps... a little voice murmurs, as she begins to work her way in, checking as she goes.
[02:10] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[02:10] * +Hatbot --> "Seraphin rolls 1d20+12 and gets 13."12 [1d20=1]
[02:12] <@Carthrat> Seraphin can't find any implements of death as she walks into the dark cavern... which is pretty big. Perhaps it used to flood with water when the tide came in. At the back of the wall is a large iron door.. rusted and open, a staircase behind it plowing down into the depths.
[02:14] * @Seraphin continues along, one of the many dagger's from Calenstat's bodyguard used as a tapping probe as she checks the door and staircase as they continue on downwards!
[02:14] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[02:14] * +Hatbot --> "Seraphin rolls 1d20+12 and gets 15."12 [1d20=3]
[02:17] <@Carthrat> Seraphin continues to determine the path is as clear as she can see. Heading down this staircase leads the group to a room; a once-grand mess hall, now tattered with disuse. Two long wooden tables sit paralell in the centre of the room, which spans about sixty metres. Chairs are strewn about the room, mostly, but there is one spot, at the end of the left table, where they are arrange. (More)
[02:18] <@Carthrat> This area is also not dusty like the rest of the room. At the opposite side, a giant pirate flag hangs from the roof; once mighty, it is ripped on all corners and has a great tear through the centre. A cutlass sticks through it, pinning it to the wall behind. There are four doors at the other side of the room, on either side of each corner.
[02:19] <@Maz> "Message spell," Maz whispers, as she casts it on her three companions.
[02:20] * @Kethean looks around, searching for any magical auras besides his rock, or his companions.
[02:20] * @Thrall nods to Maz as he steps further into the room. "Which way from here?" he asks, looking over at the doors to see if any look to have been disturbed recently.
[02:20] <@Carthrat> There's an exceptionally strong magical aura coming from the right table. It is still dusty, and the aura is of all eight kinds of magic.
[02:23] <@Kethean> "Something magical on the right table," Kethean notes as he moves a bit closer and focuses on that aura to see if he can tell anything about it.
[02:23] <@Carthrat> There are scratches in the table here, surrounding a small wooden cube and heavily obscured by dust, making them difficult to see. The top face of the cube peers up at you, a skull facing at the top. As you approach the table, you feel cold.
[02:24] * @Maz keeps towards the back for now, staying near the entrance to the room, and occasionally checking behind, towards the entrance.
[02:25] <@Kethean> "Brr," Kethean mutters, as her rubs his arms, and takes a step back, though he continues to focus on the magical aura to try and figure it out.
[02:26] <@Carthrat> The magical aura is of all eight schools of magic, binding them all into one item. It is very strong.
[02:27] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+9
[02:27] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 20
[02:27] <@Carthrat> The scratches about the die look kind of like writing, though you can hardly read it through the grains.
[02:29] <@Kethean> "Whatever it is, it's got all eight schools of magics in it. It has something written on it too," Kethean informs his companions, as he risks moving closer again, this time ready for the cold feeling.
[02:30] <@Thrall> "Think it's a trap?" Thrall asks, keeping a safe distance himself.
[02:30] <@Carthrat> The cold doesn't hurt.. it's just a chill in your bones, like a wind hit you. But there's no wind in here...
[02:30] <@Maz> "Need some assistance?" Maz offers.
[02:32] <@Kethean> "If you want. All I can tell so far is that imakes me feel a bit cold," Kethean says as he looks at the writing.
[02:33] * @Maz continues observing Kethean, content to let him examine his find.
[02:33] <@Carthrat> The writing takes a little brushing away to become visible. It's some kind of poem, carved out in a childs scrawl.
[02:33] <@Carthrat> roll dem bones
[02:33] <@Carthrat> said i too jak
[02:33] <@Carthrat> and he got a
[02:33] <@Carthrat> speshial nife
[02:33] <@Carthrat> roll dem bones
[02:33] <@Carthrat> jak said too i
[02:33] <@Carthrat> fifteen men on a
[02:33] <@Carthrat> dead mans chest
[02:33] <@Carthrat> that dead man is
[02:33] <@Carthrat> you
[02:33] <@Carthrat> you
[02:33] <@Carthrat> you
[02:33] <@Carthrat> you
[02:37] <@Kethean> "Oooookay..." Kethean pronounces after a bit of thought. "I have no idea what the hell this is."
[02:38] <@Maz> "What is what?" Maz asks him.
[02:40] * @Kethean recites what he just read for the others.
[02:40] * @Maz frowns, and approaches the cube, taking the moment to cast Resistance on herself.
[02:40] <@Carthrat> Approaching finds a chill sent down Maz's skin. One of the unpleasant kinds.
[02:41] * @Thrall shrugs, uncaring. "Sounds like nonsense," he offers his own perspective.
[02:41] * @Maz has been expecting the cold from Kethean's mention, but is slightly miffed that someone tried to ruin the greatness of cold.
[02:42] <@Maz> Not finding anything herself, she shrugs at last. "You could keep it until we check out what it does?" she suggests to Kethean.
[02:44] <@Kethean> "I'm not sure I want to grab it," Kethean says warily.
[02:44] * @Maz examines the table itself, looking for any scratches that might be writing or symbols.
[02:45] <@Carthrat> There doesn't seem to be any meaning to the scratches beyond which is obviously apparent.
[02:48] <@Kethean> "Anybody have something we could wrap it in?" Kethean asks.
[02:48] * @Maz offers Kethean a pair of old gloves.
[02:49] * @Kethean places the gloves on top of the die, wrapping it so he can pick it up, hopefully not being affected by it.
[02:50] <@Carthrat> OOC: WILL SAVE. +2 bonus.
[02:52] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+11
[02:52] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+11 --> 12,0 20
[02:53] <@Carthrat> The dice shivers in Kethean's unusual grip, and Kethean feels an urge.
[02:53] <@Carthrat> An urge to roll it.
[02:53] <@Carthrat> But he represses this urge, able to stow the die away...
[02:54] <@Maz> "Anything strange or unusual?" Maz asks Kethean, observing him.
[02:57] <@Kethean> "An urge to roll it. I'm surpressing that urge, but I think I was right when I said it's probably not anything good," Kethean replies with a frown.
[02:58] <@Maz> "Let's sell it to someone we don't like, then," Maz suggests, nodding firmly.
[02:58] <@Seraphin> "Mm," Seraphin hums from where she stands watch by the door. "Anything more in this room? " she asks the others, glancing towards the deeper entrances pointedly.
[02:59] * @Maz decides to search the room at Seraphin's words in the meanwhile, as she checks out the other doorways.
[03:00] <@Carthrat> OOC: Search checks.
[03:00] <@Maz> roll 1d20+5
[03:00] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+5 --> 12,0 9
[03:00] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[03:00] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+12 --> 12,0 22
[03:01] <@Maz> "Nothing I can see," Maz answers. "And yourself?"
[03:03] <@Seraphin> "Door on the left will fall on whoever opens it, everything else seems normal," Seraphin provides, shrugging. "Thrall might just be able to heave it if he knows it's coming," she hazards, glancing at the big ol' orc.
[03:04] <@Thrall> "Unless there's something heavier behind it," Thrall rumbles, starting towards the doors on the right. "Let's come back to that one, later."
[03:05] * @Maz is ready to bring up the rear again, giving Kethean a nod as she relies on him to spot any magical trouble to come at them.
[03:06] <@Carthrat> The rightmost door opens easily, revealing the buzzing of flies. A half-riddled corpse lies on the ground, freshly bleeding just inside the door. He wears leather armour, but seems to be carrying no weapon.
[03:07] <@Carthrat> Beyond the corpse appears to be a kitchen of some kind; several large stoves and pots are present, along with a larder, and a three-foot-long butcher's cleaver, lodged into the wall.
[03:09] <@Thrall> "Nothing here," Thrall snorts, closing the door and going to open its neighbour.
[03:09] <@Maz> "Anything of magic?" Maz asks Kethean.
[03:10] * @Kethean shakes his head. "Nothing that I've seen since the die, yet."
[03:10] <@Carthrat> Behind door number two lurks a stone chamber... "..good GOD what are you bastards doing here," comes a voice from behind it. A sandy-clothed man that you saw back at that oasis stands at the end of a corridor that promptly turns off. In one hand, he holds that red-jewelled bow he had earlier, and he looks at you with total shock.
[03:15] <@Thrall> "Not those bloody Sharrans, again!" Thrall growls, grinding his teeth.
[03:15] <@Kethean> "Seems like. Well, let's get this over with quickly," Kethean replies to Thrall before turning to the Sharran. "In three words: Dwarf. Girl. Rescue party. You?"
[03:16] * @Seraphin curses several times in Draconic, deciding she might take a break from her usual Infernal vocabulary when expressing her dislike for such people as this.
[03:17] <@Carthrat> "Friends. Met up. Here. Don't know why," replies the archer, snorting. "We're not Sharrans. We're just mercs. Darvin told us to come here and wait for him, so we did."
[03:17] <@Carthrat> "I don't have a quarrel with you people, but I'm guessing you don't feel the same way, huh?"
[03:17] <@Seraphin> "Well, it kind of depends," Seraphin agrees idly. "On your whole status with our friend the beardless dwarf."
[03:18] <@Thrall> "And what you know about the girl who got kidnapped," Thrall adds for Kethean's benefit.
[03:19] * @Kethean nods. "It is odd, you know, given she's, oh, Darvin's sister..." the monk comments, mentally adding, 'and mine.'
[03:19] <@Carthrat> "Haven't seen him in weeks since he paid us," replies the archer. "I heard some girl got kidnapped from a local village. Didn't know where was here, though. It'd make the perfect place- place is filled with warrens and nasties on the left-hand side, and undead things over here."
[03:20] <@Seraphin> "Well, then I don't think we have a particular need to go about butchering each other," Seraphin shakes her head.
[03:20] <@Carthrat> "I am mighty relieved to hear that."
[03:21] <@Maz> "Are you sure we should just trust him?" Maz asks, raising an eyebrow.
[03:21] <@Maz> "He did sell out to the Sharrans, and was involved in a kidnapping."
[03:22] <@Seraphin> "Trusting him, and not feeling a need to kill him yet are two very separate things," Seraphin clarifies, shaking her head.
[03:22] <@Thrall> "I don't see any need for senseless bloodshed," Thrall agrees, relaxing just a little.
[03:23] * @Maz pouts. "You're forgiving him for shooting you without even getting a recompensation of some sort?"
[03:23] <@Carthrat> "That's pretty rich, seeing as you guys were the ones who came up after us. And we were all minding our own business, too."
[03:24] <@Maz> "With your dark Sharran Weave-tearing rituals?" Maz's eyebrow climbs higher. "Do you seriously think you're in the right, here?"
[03:24] <@Kethean> "Well, you did involve yourselves with Sharrans. What did you expect?"
[03:24] <@Seraphin> "Well, Thrall hasn't exactly made a point of bearing a grudge over one of his buddies who I spread inside out over an alleyway in Waterdeep..." Seraphin answers simply.
[03:24] * @Kethean nods in agreement with Maz.
[03:24] * @Thrall grins toothily, "I got recompense when I cut a hole in his chest, last time."
[03:25] <@Carthrat> "I don't know anything about rituals," he replies, snorting. "Sharrans give me money. I shoot things that try to kill Sharrans. Works for me."
[03:25] <@Seraphin> "So I don't see a need to bear a grudge on someone who didn't manage to kill us, no."
[03:26] <@Maz> "So where can this Darvin, the dwarf or the girl be found?" Maz presses on.
[03:26] <@Carthrat> "I told you, I don't know where the dwarf or the girl is," he replies, exasperatedly. "Darvin should be here by now... I was scouting ahead to see if he was around. Ain't down this way, though, not with all the undead."
[03:27] <@Maz> "So this is your hide out?" she asks. "Are you guys pirates?"
[03:28] <@Carthrat> "We don't have a hideout. We just roam around," he replies. "Was back in Darromar, couple weeks back. Darvin said he had some stuff to do, but that he'd meet us here now. And so here we are.. well, here I am."
[03:29] <@Maz> "Did he have business with an elf wielding a rapier or a really creepy female elf mage? Or with the mage guild in Darromar?"
[03:30] <@Thrall> "How long you been waiting?" Thrall asks, glancing towards the door he just closed, "And know anything about the dead guy in there?"
[03:31] <@Carthrat> "I dunno if he had business with the pope of lathander," replies the man. "Oh, that guy. Walked in on the pantry and the bastard tried to maul me with that knife. Undead critter, had flies all around him. Somehow got out of that one without relying on sparky, here."
[03:32] <@Carthrat> "Hey, you see that die?"
[03:34] <@Kethean> "You know anything about it?" Kethean asks, looking curious now.
[03:34] <@Carthrat> "Naw. I was wondering if one of you guys had rolled it."
[03:34] <@Carthrat> "Gave me the chills, it did, so I didn't."
[03:34] <@Maz> "It might be in your best interest to know who Darvin had business with," Maz comments idly, "given those three I mentioned were stealing people's souls right and left and reprocessing them."
[03:34] * @Kethean shakes his head. "Like you said, the chills and the message on it...didn't seem smart to roll it."
[03:36] <@Carthrat> "I'll be sure to tell him about.. elves with rapiers, female elves with magic, and mage guilds," promises the archer, leaning on his bow. "Did I get all three?"
[03:36] * @Maz keeps an eye out for anything living, dead or undead that might decide now is the time to sneak up on them.
[03:37] <@Maz> "Pretty much," Maz agrees. "That dwarf seems like a bad social investment, too, given he's into little girls and needs to be stopped."
[03:37] <@Carthrat> "Aye. Just waiting for a hero of justice and good to stop him," nods the archer.
[03:38] <@Maz> "Then we're on the same page," Maz says. "Shall we lock the door again and leave you to your cowering from the dead fly-covered corpses?"
[03:39] <@Carthrat> "I was just heading out, but it's hard to fit through the corridor at the moment," he deadpans.
[03:40] * @Thrall backs away from the door and bows mockingly. "By all means, be on your way," he gestures.
[03:40] <@Maz> "Of course you were," Maz readily agrees.
[03:41] <@Carthrat> "Good to see some manners!" he replies, heartily. "My most gracious thanks, sir orc. Indeed, your axe was quite painful. May it never come near me again."
[03:41] <@Carthrat> He starts to casually walk past the lot of you, back into the main room.
[03:42] <@Thrall> "Likewise on your arrows," Thrall snorts, turning to the others. "Well, how about the last untrapped door, since that way's full of undead if we believe our friend there?"
[03:42] <@Kethean> "Well, that was interesting. Off track, but interesting..." Kethean notes with a shake of his head as the archer disappears.
[03:42] <@Maz> "Wasn't he talking about the guy in the kitchen?" Maz asks.
[03:42] <@Carthrat> The archer doesn't go far, sitting on one of the tables nearby, and taking a swig from a flask.
[03:44] <@Thrall> "He didn't know how that one got up here - most of them were further down that way, from his meaning," Thrall gestures down the stone chamber. "But he also said there were warrens and nasties over there," he points at the two remaining doors on the other side of the hall.
[03:45] <@Kethean> "Well, I can't say I'd be surprised if our dwarf friend is that way then."
[03:49] <@Thrall> "Anyway, let's try door number three," Thrall shrugs, going to open the last untrapped door.
[03:50] * @Maz shrugs, passing their archery not-quite-enemy on the way there.
[03:51] * @Kethean checks the inside once Thrall opens the door, checking for any magical signatures.
[03:51] <@Carthrat> Lit torches line a stone hall, ten-feet-wide, as far as you can tell, and it quickly curves around to the left. The archer glances at you curiously as you head down the hall.
[03:52] <@Carthrat> There aren't any magical signiatures here.
[03:52] * @Thrall starts carefully down this hallway, slow enough for Kethean and Seraphin to alert him if they spot anything hazardous to his health.
[03:52] <@Carthrat> "Hey, hey, you people!" says the archer, suddenly.
[03:52] <@Maz> "What's up?" Maz calls out to him.
[03:52] <@Seraphin> "Yeah?" Seraphin asks, turning as she's about to do hr usual trap check.
[03:53] <@Carthrat> "Care if I tag along?" he asks, hopping off the table. "If Darvin's already here, I gotta find him, too."
[03:53] <@Carthrat> "Thought you were gonna head down the other way," he adds, by way of explanation.
[03:54] <@Thrall> "So long as you don't mind if we wind up killing him," Thrall snorts.
[03:54] <@Maz> "You're more than welcome to be in the lead," Maz suggests.
[03:59] <@Carthrat> "That so? Well, I'm sure he'll be through with you before you know it. Ain't wise to tempt a swordmaster," he notes, shrugging. "But he's a pretty straight-laced guy. You want me in the lead, eh? Sure. Gonna heal me if I get stabbed?"
[03:59] <@Maz> "That could be arranged," Maz agrees, mentally adding, 'For a price.'
[04:00] <@Thrall> "Swords are overrated," Thrall grunts, sparing a baleful eye at the rapier he has at his waist.
[04:01] * @Seraphin snorts softly. "Name's Seraphin Zephaeriel," she offers, shaking her head. "Yourself?"
[04:02] <@Carthrat> "Surprised you'd come to a place like this without your favoured weapon," replies the archer, holding his bow aloft. "Anyway. Oho! My name is Alastor Har-Vialin. A pleasure to meet you all under less violent terms."
[04:03] <@Maz> roll 1d20+9
[04:03] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 28
[04:03] <@Thrall> "A true warrior must be proficient in all weapons," Thrall dourly repeats a platitude from his training days. Often accompanied by being stabbed/beaten/sliced by said weapons.
[04:05] <@Maz> "So how did the Sharrans recruit you, anyway?" Maz asks, glancing at Alastor with curiousity.
[04:06] <@Carthrat> "Proficient, sure. Focused? Naw." Alastor glances at Maz, shrugging. "Dwarf contracted us," he replies. "Met him on the Saradush-Darromar trade route on the way back to Darro' from another job. Said he had some guard duty work for us to do. I reckon Darvin knew him from earlier, though. You can always tell by the eyes."
[04:08] <@Kethean> "Well, I assume Darvin won't have much trouble with us taking out his former employer when he finds out that it was his sister that was kidnapped," Kethean notes.
[04:08] <@Carthrat> "Anyway, he lied, y'know," he adds.
[04:08] <@Carthrat> "I was the only one on guard duty. Made the rest of us head down into that temple. Not sure what happened there. The oasis blew up after you left."
[04:09] <@Thrall> "So we saw..." Thrall mutters, shaking his head. "Hope it killed a few Sharrans when it did, at least."
[04:09] <@Maz> "And what of those others who went below? Did they ever return? Were they the same?" Maz asks, a touch of eagerness in her voice.
[04:09] <@Carthrat> "Oh, sure," he replies, shrugging. "Underground people didn't have a scratch. Left right quickly, though. Gave us the gold on the spot and ran."
[23:16] <@Carthrat> Alastor walks forward, bow at the ready as he peers into the darkness. "Good thing these torches are here," he murmurs, somewhat lighter on his voice than he was previously.
[23:18] <@Seraphin> "Humans..." Seraphin murmurs dryly, and half jokingly, at least s long as she wants to stay on Kethean's good side...
[23:18] <@Thrall> "Yes, all the better for us to be seen coming," Thrall snorts contemptously as he follows along behind the bowman.
[23:18] <@Carthrat> The path begins to curl and bend rapidly, so that it's soon difficult to judge where you are in relation to the room from where you came. At an approximation, it would seem you're somewhere underneath it. "There's a fork in the road," says Alastor, after a while. "Ahead, left, right, and down."
[23:19] <@Kethean> "The humans could always stay back and let you lead, Thrall," Kethean offers.
[23:19] <@Maz> "And where would each section of the road lead next?" Maz inquires.
[23:19] <@Carthrat> "That's a very good question. From here, I can't tell," he replies. "They bend in such a maddening fashion."
[23:21] <@Maz> "Does any of them come to a dead end?" she asks next.
[23:22] <@Carthrat> "Don't know. Shall we go and find out? They all lead and turn off somewhere. I hope someone is keeping a map, otherwise we might get lost."
[23:22] * @Thrall just grunts, continuing to follow.
[23:22] <@Maz> "I'm good for that," Maz assures him. "And let's go clockwise from the right-most branch."
[23:23] <@Carthrat> "So.. are we the twelve or the six?"
[23:24] <@Maz> "We're heading towards the twelve," she says firmly with a nod.
[23:25] <@Carthrat> "Alright," replies Alastor, abruptly turning right and beginning to wind his way down the ever-changing passage. "Oh. The torches go out along this way," he says, sounding annoyed. They do, though those with darkvision can see that there are still actual torch-holders.
[23:26] <@Thrall> "I'll let you know if you look like you're about to hit something," Thrall offers grimly from behind their 'guide'.
[23:26] <@Carthrat> "Ha ha. I won't be hitting anything in advance if I can't see it, you know."
[23:26] <@Carthrat> He taps his bow, pointedly.
[23:26] * @Maz makes sure to glance back plenty to cover their travel
[23:28] * @Kethean examines the path ahead cautiously for magical items or traps to look out for.
[23:28] <@Seraphin> "There are still rungs," Seraphin answers in a softer voice, not anywhere near as grumpy as Thrall seems to be this morning. Or afternoon. Whatever. She sighs, stepping up beside the mercenary. "You have a torch, don't you?" she asks, glancing at him sideways.
[23:29] <@Carthrat> "I can't hold it and have an arrow ready at the same time," he replies.
[23:29] <@Carthrat> "Hey, I don't mind being blind. But I ain't going in front if I am, alright?"
[23:29] <@Thrall> "Give it here, then," Thrall extends a hand. Not like he needs both of them to use his dinky toy sword.
[23:30] <@Carthrat> The archer pulls out a torch, wrapped in oiled cloth. A strike of the flint later, and it's on fire. He hands it to Thrall.
[23:30] * @Thrall holds the torch up in his left hand, casting flickering illumination over their path as they advance.
[23:33] <@Carthrat> So the party continues down winding tunnels. However, through this path, they seem to slope less and less, eventually moving on a more or less straight and narrow path. Alastor pauses a minute, however, and then nods. "There's a door up here," he says, walking up to it. There is a door- it appears to be made out of reflective glass. (More.)
[23:34] <@Carthrat> Set into the end of the pathway, it has a handle, and a small hole, about a thumb wide, into which it seems something can be inserted. There's some writing on the door, just above this insert.
[23:35] <@Kethean> "There's some magic on the door, careful with opening it," Kethean warns. "Abjuration on the door."
[23:35] <@Carthrat> You hear some kind of slow, flapping movement from behind the door. Like something rubbery is pounding against the ground.
[23:35] <@Maz> "What about the writing itself?" Maz asks him, coming closer.
[23:38] <@Carthrat> "Abjuration on the door!" squawks a parrot that has been riding on Maz's shoulder the whole time underground, and all of you know about.
[23:39] <@Kethean> "It's the door, not the writing," Kethean clarifies.
[23:39] * @Maz absently pats Relly. "It seems so," she agrees. "I hope I don't explode again, that wasn't very nice. And the soot was annoying."
[23:39] * @Seraphin peers at the writing curiously, being a person of languages!
[23:40] * @Maz makes sure to stand out of range, just in case, as Seraphin leans to read it
[23:41] <@Seraphin> "Okay...that's abyssal, I can't read abyssal," Seraphin winces. "I hate abyssal, it's like really, really screwed up chicken scratch infernal," she growls.
[23:42] * @Kethean laughs. "Chicken scratch infernal?"
[23:43] <@Seraphin> "They use the same letters, damned demons just don't know how to write them," Seraphin hrumphs.
[23:43] <@Thrall> "I can read it," Thrall mutters, leaning over besides Seraphin to do just that, reading it aloud for the others. "Sounds like a riddle or something..."
[23:43] <@Carthrat> The writing reads, in the abyssal tounge... "Darkness exists not without light to compare. To pass through the cauls, the initiate sacrifices a shard of the sky."
[23:44] <@Maz> "Sacrificing and passing membranes sounds annoying, let's go down another path," Maz suggests.
[23:44] <@Carthrat> "Bah, they probably just mean some glorified key," harrumphs Alastor.
[23:45] <@Maz> "I'm not really interested in anything abyssal, but you are more than welcome to take the lead again!" Maz tells him with a bright smile.
[23:46] <@Thrall> "Well, if we find anything that looks like a shard of the sky, we can come back here... for now lets try the other way," Thrall suggests, backing away from the door.
[23:48] <@Carthrat> "I'm so glad I'm with this group instead the old group, who'd, you know, put the archer somewhere other than the front line!" replies Alastor, cheerfully walking back to the front and leading the group back to the crossroads. "This way, right?" he says, glancing towards the 12 o'clock passage.
[23:48] <@Maz> "Yep," Maz responds brightly, not rising to his dig.
[23:49] <@Carthrat> After a few minutes of walking down this path, the land straightens out. The earthen walls slowly change into wooden walls of good construction, and a simple wooden door lies ahead. Behind it, you can hear the sound of clockwork.
[23:49] <@Thrall> "Our last archer ran off to fight a dragon by himself. We haven't seen him since," Thrall notes with sick humour.
[23:50] <@Seraphin> "Hey, I'm an archer..." Seraphin protests. "I just preffer stabbing things, and tearing them to pieces, with sharp implements," she provides sweetly.
[23:50] <@Carthrat> "Well, if you ran off from your companions and killed a dragon by yourself, would you come back?"
[23:50] <@Maz> "We have a strict policy of people showing their value to us first, now," Maz agrees with Thrall.
[23:50] <@Maz> "The legends of recent dragon-slayings are scarce...."
[23:51] <@Carthrat> "You wouldn't want other dragons after you because you killed their sibling."
[23:51] <@Thrall> "Anyway, anything odd about this door?" Thrall gestures at the wooden door, glancing at Kethean and Seraphin as he tries to get things back on track.
[23:51] <@Maz> "Yes, I'm sure that's it," Maz says dryly
[23:52] * @Kethean shakes his head. "I don't sense anything. That doesn't mean there might not be a more mundane trap of course," he comments.
[23:52] <@Seraphin> "Just a second," Seraphin answers, shortsword going tap-tap-tap as she checks it.
[23:52] * @Maz takes the customary distance before the door is checked for traps or opened
[23:52] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[23:52] * +Hatbot --> "Seraphin rolls 1d20+12 and gets 13."12 [1d20=1]
[23:54] <@Seraphin> "...Gold, shiny," Seraphin comments, reaching down to pick up a gold piece, and then glancing back at the party. "Er...I didn't find anything, I think."
[23:57] <@Maz> "Do your thing, Alastor," Maz says, patting him on the back.
[23:57] <@Averages> "That's right. Alastor, opener-of-doors, they call me," he snorts, walking forward to the door and turning the handle. Pushing it open, a hideous scything blade lashes out from the woodwork!
[23:57] <@Averages> roll 1d20+12 will this hit I hope it doesn't
[23:57] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+12 12,0will this hit I hope it doesn't --> 12,0 13
[23:58] <@Averages> But it chinks against Alastor's forearm! The amulet he wears glows slightly as it does! The man himself yelps, and steps back!
[23:59] <@Maz> "Well, isn't that familiar," Maz comments, nodding to herself. "Good job, Alastor."
[23:59] <@Averages> "Hah! I opened that door, didn't I? Consider it the last one I open."
[23:59] <@Seraphin> "i've never had very good luck with those," Seraphin admits. "Thrall will tell you all about the last one."
[23:59] <@Maz> "Centuries from now, songs will be sung by bards all over. The tale of man and door, one versus the other."
[00:00] <@Thrall> "And of course that means I can get the next one as well..." Thrall grunts unhappily, nonetheless starting through the now open door.
[00:00] <@Kethean> "No they won't," Kethean replies. "They'll probably tell stories about the woman who bossed the man into opening the trapped door. The audience will all ask, 'Was she his wife?'" Kethean jokes.
[00:00] <@Averages> Behind the door is some kind of bizzare contraption. A 6-foot-tall creature in sickly black full plate lurks behind, a great horned helm masking away his features. He wears no gauntlets, but holds a bastard sword in great clawed hands. His heavy booted feet are wreathed in flame. He looks at you, and growl in a fierce manner. (More.)
[00:01] * Halbarad is now known as Hal-employment
[00:01] <@Averages> He is currently inside a transcluent orb of some kind, which he presses against, but cannot break. It stands underneath the head of a mysterious contraption that is something like several spheres joined together. They make an upside-down L shape, the upper part extending like a beam across the creatures head.
[00:02] <@Averages> The spheres creak and spin, and a large crank is attached to them. To one side of the room is a table, on which an open book and a variety of dissection tools are arrayed.
[00:03] * @Kethean focuses his magic sight on the creature to see if he can find out more about it.
[00:03] * @Thrall starts a little at the sight of the fierce monster, but relaxes on seeing it magically bound. "Let's not do anything to get it out of there, shall we?" he suggests, stepping fully into the room so the others can follow.
[00:04] <@Maz> "Roger," Maz agrees, and makes sure not to venture beyond Kethean's magical sight, waiting on him to examine the creature and the table and its contents
[00:04] <@Averages> The creature is being surroudned by some kind of powerful abjuration and evocation, presumably being formed by that device.
[00:05] <@Maz> "Are the books and the table clear?" Maz asks.
[00:06] <@Averages> OOC: Yeah, only magic is on the big thing before you.
[00:06] <@Averages> OOC: Your DM doesn't penetrate the sphere, I should note.
[00:06] <@Averages> OOC: And I think it's almost run out, it's 1m/level, yeah?
[00:07] <@Kethean> "One second," Kethean says as he starts looking around the room. "I was focusing on the prison. My magic can't penetrate it though."
[00:07] <@Averages> Kethean can't find anything else magical about the room.
[00:07] * @Maz nods and waits
[00:08] <@Kethean> "Everything looks okay, on the magic end," Kethean comments finally.
[00:08] * @Maz nods again and heads for the table. There, she glances at the title of the book, before skimming over the opened section.
[00:09] <@Averages> The book is a magical log. As you get closer to it, you see that several nails have been put through it, hammering it into the table. The page it is on at the moment reads...
[00:09] * @Thrall just remains by the door, eyeing the bound creature suspiciously. "Makes you wonder where the person who put it there is..." he remarks.
[00:10] <@Maz> "There's still one junction we haven't explored," Maz comments absent-mindedly.
[00:11] <@Averages> "I finally got the Cambion imprisioned, but the Sharrans have decided that they don't need to pay me, after all! This is the last time I work for any religious cults. I'm not even going to do them the courtesy of releasing the Archon I stole from Lathendar's place. It's got that ability that burns people with dark hearts, and the Sharrans certainly have them! It's probably going to go mad in confinment, though... well, not to worry, by the time the Sharrans find out, it's ability to smite them down will be too strong."
[00:11] <@Averages> It's probably going to go mad in confinment, though... well, not to worry, by the time the Sharrans find out, it's ability to smite them down will be too strong."
[00:11] * @Seraphin moves over next to Maz, curious about anything written at least. And probably magical to boot.
[00:11] <@Averages> "Now, all I need to do is get out of here. First, I need to-" the rest of the page is splattered with blood.
[00:12] <@Maz> "Wow, talk about unlucky," Maz says with a low whistle.
[00:13] <@Kethean> "Find something interesting?"
[00:13] <@Seraphin> "Ouch...yes," Seraphin winces at that. "Sharrans killing mages that don't want to work for them when they don't get paid."
[00:14] <@Maz> "Yeah, this guy got a Cambion and an Archon for the Sharrans, but they didn't pay him so he died."
[00:15] * @Maz checks to see if the pages are nailed down as well, or is it just the book's cover
[00:15] <@Averages> The nails are through the pages, into the cover, and presumably the table.
[00:15] <@Maz> "Hey, Seraphin, do you figure this book is trapped so if I remove the nails, badness occurs?" she asks her fellow tiefling.
[00:16] <@Seraphin> "Sec," Seraphin replies, glancing around the book, under the table, to the roof, and all that fun.
[00:16] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[00:16] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+12 --> 12,0 17
[00:17] <@Averages> If someone tries to remove the book, they'll set off a kind of spring-loaded nailgun from across the room. This is a recent installation- and rather shoddy, by Seraphin's standards.
[00:18] * @Thrall walks up to the sphere, looking the Cambion up and down. "Can you understand me?" he asks, making use of his recently learned Abyssal skills.
[00:18] <@Seraphin> "Wow, that is one craptacular nail shooting trap," Seraphin snorts, indicating the weapon. "Anyway, a second more," she sighs, setting about disabling the darned thing.
[00:18] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+10
[00:18] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+10 --> 12,0 25
[00:19] <@Averages> "I WILL FEAST UPON YOUR BONES, MORTAL! I WILL EXTRACT YOUR LIVER AND LUNGS, AND SQUEEZE YOUR PATHETIC SOUL FROM YOUR REPREHENSIBLE HEART! THE VIOLATION OF YOUR INNERMOST THOUGHTS WILL BE PRIVY TO THE ABYSS, AND YOUR BLOOD WILL FLOW FREE THROUGH THE WINE-CUPS OF TARTARUS!"
[00:19] <@Seraphin> "He sounds like family!" Seraphin pipes in.
[00:20] <@Averages> Seraphin manages to disarm the nail-trap, though the nails are still regrettably through the book.
[00:20] <@Maz> "My, isn't he a well-mannered one!" Maz exclaims, placing a hand to her cheek.
[00:20] * @Kethean startles at that and looks at the beast. "Did it say something?"
[00:21] <@Seraphin> "Yeah, in Abyssal, frecking chaos language," Seraphin growls, starting to yank nails out of the book now that the coast is clear.
[00:21] <@Averages> roll 1d20+6 will it nat 20 I so hope it does
[00:21] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+6 12,0will it nat 20 I so hope it does --> 12,0 19
[00:21] <@Averages> OOC: omg so close
[00:21] * @Thrall scowls. "Yes would have done," he replies, spitting at the floor in front of the sphere. "Now, are you going to answer some questions, or carry on blustering?"
[00:21] <@Maz> "It said it didn't like puny humans and something about feisting on liver."
[00:21] <@Averages> The creature pounds a mighty claw against the orb! It shudders and creaks as black power coruscates through it- but it remains intact for now!
[00:22] <@Seraphin> "I thought I caught the Infernal word for rape, but y'know," Seraphin shrugs.
[00:22] * @Thrall snorts, turning his back on the sphere. "Nevermind," he says, returning to Common. "We're not going to get anything useful out of him."
[00:22] <@Maz> "That would be of the soul, yes," Maz agrees. "It was really quite colorful."
[00:22] <@Kethean> "He did, did he? Tell it that it's mother was a cow," Kethean requests from Maz.
[00:22] <@Averages> "YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED ONLY WHEN YOUR SINFUL SPIRITS ARE FORCED INTO THE GRAVE! THEN YOU WILL BE ANSWERED BY THE MOST MIGHTY NALFESHNEES, AND THE TOTALITY OF YOUR LIES WILL BE REAPED THROUGH YOUR INNARDS LIKE BLOODY SPEARS!"
[00:22] <@Maz> "Let's not upset the nasty demon in a creaky glass cage," Maz cautions.
[00:22] <@Averages> It swiped another hate-filled claw towards the orb, seeming to gain strength every time it is addressed!
[00:23] <@Averages> roll 1d20+7 OOC: 19-20 gogogogogo
[00:23] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+7 12,0OOC: 19-20 gogogogogo --> 12,0 22
[00:23] <@Averages> OOC: dammit
[00:23] <@Maz> "Seriously. Let's not upset it," Maz adds.
[00:23] * @Seraphin just leaves the creature be now, focusing on getting this potentially useful book for her fellow fiendchild.
[00:24] <@Thrall> "Then let's leave it," Thrall grunts, starting back for the door. "Maybe the Archon will be more helpful."
[00:24] <@Averages> Some work with the nearby scaples eventually removes the nails, though a fair portion of the book is damaged.
[00:24] <@Maz> "Anything else trapping it?" Maz asks Seraphin. "Or its removal sets off some kind of device?"
[00:24] * @Maz flips through the freed book, reading it from the beginning.
[00:24] <@Averages> roll 1d20+8
[00:24] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 19
[00:25] <@Averages> The creature continues taking swipes at the globe, as Maz settles down to begin reading the book!
[00:25] <@Averages> OOC: Are you skim-reading or reading-reading?
[00:26] <@Maz> OOC: Skim, going for chapter titles/index/summaries
[00:27] <@Averages> This book appears to be the diary of a mercenary-mage, named Asul, and his quest to earn lots of money by taking on any job that exists. Apparnetly, this was the last one he ever took.
[00:27] * @Maz nods to herself, and puts it away, asking Alastor, "Ever hear of this Asul mage?"
[00:28] <@Averages> "Nope. I make it my business to never know the names of the mages I need to work for. They always get attacked first," he explains.
[00:28] <@Averages> "Except you, I'm sure," he adds.
[00:28] <@Maz> "That makes me very sad, deep inside."
[00:29] <@Averages> roll 1d20+9
[00:29] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 11
[00:29] <@Maz> "So, what next?" she asks the others. "We could probably kill it, but do you guys want to? It's kinda pathetic like this."
[00:30] <@Seraphin> "Let's just leave," Seraphin shakes her head.
[00:30] <@Thrall> "Let's leave it for now," Thrall agrees, starting out the door. "It looks pretty feisty."
[00:30] * @Maz nods and walks outside.
[00:30] * @Seraphin leaves with the others.
[00:30] <@Thrall> roll 1d20
[00:30] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20 --> 12,0 8
[00:31] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+9
[00:31] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 22
[00:32] <@Kethean> "Wait. That crank keeps unwinding a bit each time the beast hits the shield," Kethean warns as he catches the result of the creature's actions.
[00:33] <@Maz> "Wanna wind it back?"
[00:33] <@Averages> roll 1d20+9
[00:33] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 18
[00:33] <@Averages> Another mighty blow strikes the confinement! The crank indeed winds back a little!
[00:34] <@Averages> He slams a mighty claw against the sphere again, and forces unholy mighty through his limbs! The entire orb shuddered, and the crank starts unwinding at a constant pace!
[00:35] * @Thrall goes over to grab the crank!
[00:35] <@Averages> The crank is being propelled like some horrible force! Thrall will need to use all his mighty to turn it back!
[00:35] <@Averages> OOC: Opposed stength checks~
[00:35] <@Averages> roll 1d20+4
[00:35] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 20
[00:35] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+4
[00:35] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 19
[00:36] <@Averages> A duel of arm takes place! The crank strains as orcish power and demonic strength battles for supremacy! But in the end, the wheel turns.. clockwise! It spins off it's hinges! The powerful abjuration is dispelled!
[00:37] * @Kethean casts mage armor on himself as battle looks to be coming soon.
[00:37] <@Averages> The orb falling away like class before it, the Cambion hefts his bastard sword! "AT LAST! THE EVIL IN THE HEARTS OF MORTALS GRANTS ME STRENGTH! PREPARED TO BE DESTROYED, FOOLISH ONES!"
[00:37] <@Averages> OOC: Init rolls.
[00:38] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+5
[00:38] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+5 --> 12,0 15
[00:38] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+3
[00:38] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+3 --> 12,0 12
[00:38] <@Thrall> "Hell's teeth!" Thrall curses, tossing his torch aside as he draws his rapier and downs his potion of Bull's Strength!
[00:38] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+2
[00:38] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+2 --> 12,0 14
[00:40] <@Averages> roll 1d20+1
[00:41] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+1 --> 12,0 12
[00:41] * @Maz reaches into her pouch for a few fox hairs and spreads them in a semi-circle around her, chanting quickly as a magic aura surrounds her for a moment, fading away as it centers around her head.
[00:41] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4
[00:41] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 5
[00:41] <@Averages> roll 1d20+3
[00:41] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+3 --> 12,0 11
[00:41] <@Averages> Seraphin>Thrall>Kethean=Cambion>Alastor>Maz
[00:42] <@Seraphin> OOC - Holding action until flanking HO.
[00:42] * Averages changes topic to 'Seraphin=Thrall>Kethean=Cambion>Alastor>Maz'
[00:43] <@Thrall> Magic now coursing through his bulging orcish muscles, Thrall growls savagely as he... pokes the Cambion with his rapier!
[00:43] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+14
[00:43] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+14 --> 12,0 34
[00:43] <@Averages> OOC: Threat.
[00:43] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+14 to confirm
[00:43] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+14 12,0to confirm --> 12,0 27
[00:43] <@Averages> OOC: Damage.
[00:44] <@Thrall> roll 1d6+6
[00:44] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d6+6 --> 12,0 10
[00:45] <@Thrall> roll 1d6
[00:45] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d6 --> 12,0 5
[00:45] <@Averages> Thrall's nimble rapier... savagely punches through the black-plate of the cambion, renting a fierce hole in the creature's protection! He has to shake something off the rapier before he pulls it out!
[00:46] <@Seraphin> Seraphin darts behind the creature as Thrall takes the front, two shortswords flickering out in a flash of steel and gems to tear into the demonic thing's flesh!
[00:46] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+6
[00:46] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+6
[00:46] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 25
[00:46] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 12
[00:46] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+6 crit threat check
[00:46] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+6 12,0crit threat check --> 12,0 11
[00:46] <@Averages> OOC: Sneak attack, one normal hit.
[00:47] <@Seraphin> roll 2d6+4
[00:47] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 2d6+4 --> 12,0 12
[00:47] <@Averages> 4"PREPARE TO MEET YOUR ETERNAL TORMENTOR IN THE PITS OF ROTTED FLESH!" screams the cambion, swinging his blade powerfully at Thrall!
[00:47] <@Averages> roll 1d20+11
[00:47] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+11 --> 12,0 31
[00:47] <@Averages> roll 1d20+11
[00:47] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+11 --> 12,0 16
[00:47] <@Averages> roll 1d10+10
[00:47] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d10+10 --> 12,0 16
[00:48] <@Averages> roll 1d20+6
[00:48] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 10
[00:48] <@Averages> His first swing almost takes off Thrall's head, and the orc barely gets his.. guard.. up to block the backswing!
[00:48] * @Kethean mutters words as he releases a burst of magic that covers all his companions, even Alastor, granting them a blessing on their attacks.
[00:49] <@Averages> Alastor snaps up his bow, firing a pair of arrows at the creature from point-blank range!
[00:50] <@Averages> roll 1d20+9
[00:50] <@Averages> roll 1d20+9
[00:50] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 16
[00:50] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 14
[00:50] <@Averages> Both, however, glance off the creature's armour! It snarls at the impact, nonetheless!
[00:55] <@Maz> "Lightning Bolt," Maz says almost lazily, her hand stretched out in a leisurely motion towards the Cambion, with none of her companions in the way. Lightning arces across her fingertips before flying from her index finger towards its intended target, the clap of thunder accompanying it!
[00:55] <@Maz> OOC: DC of 20  >_>
[00:55] <@Averages> roll 1d20+4
[00:55] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 20
[00:55] <@Maz> roll 5d6 lightning
[00:55] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 5d6 12,0lightning --> 12,0 15
[00:56] <@Averages> The creature is barely affected at all by the lightning bolt, Maz's spell causing it to flinch a little!
[00:57] <@Thrall> Staggering a bit at the fierce blow he just took, Thrall is undaunted, arm a blur of motion as he furiously fences with his elegant weapon against the savage half-fiend!
[00:57] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+14
[00:57] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+14 --> 12,0 23
[00:57] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+9
[00:57] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 15
[00:57] <@Averages> OOC: Hit/miss
[00:57] <@Thrall> roll 1d6+6
[00:57] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d6+6 --> 12,0 10
[00:58] <@Seraphin> Seraphin's a touch less elegant, shortblades ripping and tearing at the creature's hide and armor, trying to drag out more of its flesh and blood to spill on the ground!
[00:58] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+6
[00:58] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+6
[00:58] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 15
[00:58] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 14
[00:58] <@Averages> Thrall's first blow undercuts the creature's guard, slipping past it's defences and dishing out some damage! But he can feel the creature's flesh resisting his weapon even as he strikes!
[00:58] <@Averages> OOC: MissMiss
[00:59] <@Averages> Glaring at Thrall's weapon, the cambion lashes out with his sword again, once more trying to decapitate the half-orc!
[00:59] <@Averages> roll 1d20+11
[00:59] <@Averages> roll 1d20+11
[00:59] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+11 --> 12,0 25
[00:59] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+11 --> 12,0 31
[00:59] <@Averages> roll 1d20+11 check
[00:59] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+11 12,0check --> 12,0 29
[01:00] <@Averages> roll 3d10+30 good god
[01:00] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 3d10+30 12,0good god --> 12,0 42
[01:01] <@Averages> The weapon of the beast rents Thrall's armour, gutting him from the inside out! The half-orc feels pain blossom all about, in a form of terrifyingly lethal!
[01:01] * @Kethean was about to cast Bull's Strenght on Seraphin, but seeing the damage Thrall takes, quickly changes his mind and with a wince converts his Owl's Wisdom spell to a cure spell for Thrall.
[01:01] <@Kethean> roll 2d8+3
[01:01] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 2d8+3 --> 12,0 10
[01:02] * @Thrall screams in blood-curdling agony, the half-fiend's sword doing much to shred his usual stoic demeanour as he's visibly gutted, yet somehow hangs onto dear sweet life!
[01:02] <@Averages> Alastor winces at Thrall's injuries, notching another pair of arrows and firing them with blistering speed!
[01:02] <@Averages> roll 1d20+9
[01:02] <@Averages> roll 1d20+9
[01:02] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 12
[01:02] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 27
[01:02] <@Averages> roll 1d8+6
[01:02] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d8+6 --> 12,0 10
[01:03] <@Averages> Alastor's arrow slams through the armour in the side of the creature, another wound added to many as the thing roars a furious battle-cry!
[01:03] <@Maz> "Lightning Bolt the Second!" Maz exclaims, gritting her teeth in anger at Thrall's condition, her right arm pointing at the evil creature as the other arm supports it from below, steadying Maz's aim.
[01:03] <@Averages> roll 1d20+4
[01:03] <@Maz> roll 5d6 lightning, again
[01:03] * Kethean changes topic to 'Seraphin=Thrall>Kethean=Cambion>Alastor>Maz | REMEMBER THE FLANKING AND BLESS!!!'
[01:03] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 11
[01:03] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 5d6 12,0lightning, again --> 12,0 18
[01:04] <@Averages> Shrieking as it is electrocuted, the creature readies itself, it's terrible sword starting another sweep towards Thrall, to finish him off!
[01:05] <@Seraphin> Seraphin doesn't stop, her blades persistently tearing into the creature's back, or trying to, as she begins to growl in frustration and anger, desire to see more blood, to hear more of those shrieks of blessed demonic pain encoraching!
[01:05] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+9
[01:05] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+9
[01:05] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 23
[01:05] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+9 --> 12,0 24
[01:05] <@Averages> OOC: hithit
[01:05] <@Averages> OOC: sneaksneak
[01:06] <@Seraphin> roll 4d6+5
[01:06] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 4d6+5 --&g

[Corwin]

[01:12] <@Thrall> Feeling a bit better, even if his armour is a shredded ruin, Thrall shakes and sheathes his rapier and promptly picks up the bastard sword. "Probably shouldn't wear the helmet till we know what it does," he adds, insteads stuffing it in his backpack.
[01:13] <@Averages> Thrall feels vile power coursing through his hands as he picks up the sword!
[01:15] <@Thrall> "Or not..." Thrall grunts at the sickly feeling he gets from the sword, dropping it. "Anyone got something to bundle this up in? I don't want to use it, after all."
[01:16] <@Averages> The sword clatters to the ground, the hilt squirming a little from the impact.
[01:17] * @Maz has a blanket she offers Thrall for that task.
[01:18] * @Thrall wraps the sword up thickly in the blanket, using the mass to pad it out enough that he can fit it through the axe harness on his back, for now. "Let's hope we don't find anymore of those things in here..."
[01:19] <@Averages> "Yeah. I'll even open the next door for you, in consolation," says Alastor.
[01:19] <@Kethean> "Would be pretty bad if Thrall got struck by a trap at this time," Kethean agrees.
[01:19] <@Thrall> "You're too kind," Thrall snorts, picking up the torch once more, tempted to down his last healing potion but deciding to hold off. It might not be needed, if they're lucky...
[01:20] <@Maz> "I'll accompany you at the front, this time around," Maz offers. "Between my magical sight and Seraphin's skill for finding traps, we should be covered."
[01:21] <@Averages> "Alright," replies Alastor, falling in step. "I hope there aren't more of these things, too. If Darvin chances across one by himself.. well, that'll be that."
[01:22] <@Averages> He leads the party back to the crossroads, glancing down the final hallway. "Don't need to rememorize spells or anything, right?"
[01:22] <@Maz> "I'm not helpless without those lightning bolts," she responds.
[01:23] <@Thrall> "I can still fight... though I won't object if it doesn't come up," Thrall mutters under his breath.
[01:24] <@Averages> "Let's just hope there aren't lots of things down this way," he replies. He starts off down this corridor. Unlike the other two, which were highly straight affairs, this one seems to open out into a large cavern. The lights down this way are all off, to, but this cavern is big when you reach it- so big that it extends beyond the darkvision of the people involved.
[01:25] <@Averages> Far across this distance, though, is a shining light, easily more than 120 feet away. Like a lighthouse, it glows dimly in the blackness. But as well as it, you can also hear... breathing.
[01:25] <@Averages> Long, slow breaths.
[01:25] * @Maz makes certain to examine as far as she can see with the magical vision for any auras.
[01:25] <@Averages> OOC: Argh what's the range on that again
[01:26] <@Maz> OOC: 60ft, cone
[01:26] <@Averages> OOC: Nope.
[01:27] <@Maz> "Would you like to scout ahead under cover of invisibility?" Maz whispers to Seraphin, walking closer towards her.
[01:28] * @Seraphin blows at a silver bang. "Sure, why not," she murmurs back to Maz, voice barely above a breath.
[01:30] * @Maz nods and sets out the components of the spell, mixing them in her hands as she murmurs the arcane words quietly. As they begin to glow softly, she blows on them, and they turn into dust, flying to cover Seraphin's shape, which shimmers slightly before steadying back.
[01:31] <@Maz> "Whisper back through the spell if you need anything," Maz tells her quietly.
[01:31] <@Averages> As Seraphin approaches the cavern proper, she can hear a dripping sound from somewhere deep within. OOC: Move silently check, please.
[01:31] * @Seraphin gives a wry little wave as she departs into the cavern. "Of course," she adds in a whisper through the spell, sneaking closer to the light.
[01:31] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[01:31] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+12 --> 12,0 14
[01:31] <@Averages> roll 1d20+8
[01:31] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 11
[01:32] <@Averages> As Seraphin nears deeper into the cavern (which, even though she is about 60 feet further up than previous, is still longer than her sight can see), she can smell something. The scent of brimstone...
[01:33] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+5
[01:33] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+5 --> 12,0 6
[01:33] <@Maz> roll 1d20+7
[01:33] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+7 --> 12,0 8
[01:34] <@Averages> OOC: Continue, Seraphin!
[01:34] * @Seraphin stops right there. "I can smell brimstone," she whispers VERY softly, frowning.
[01:36] * @Maz takes her mind off Asul's most exciting adventures, and thinks back on what creatures he was mentioning in his book that would fit the profile.
[01:36] <@Averages> Maz can think of three sources of sulphuric fumes in particular; demons, devils, and red dragons.
[01:37] <@Maz> "If it's a dragon, run," she whispers back.
[01:37] <@Averages> Maz recalls from the book a line... "And when I got to the cavern of the dragon, there was this awful stench, like back in my academy days; sulphur, no doubt, or brimstone as the theatricalists would like to call it."
[01:38] <@Seraphin> "I can't see it from here, and I'm not sure I want to get closer," Seraphin whispers right back at her fellow genius fiendborn.
[01:38] <@Maz> "I think it's a dragon," she responds just as quietly, "so let's get you back."
[01:38] <@Averages> Suddenly, two things happen. First, the light at the other side of the cavern, shining in it's resplendant glory... goes out.
[01:38] <@Averages> Second, an alarm like a bell sounds out.
[01:39] <@Kethean> "...Well that can't be good," Kethean mutters under his breath.
[01:39] <@Thrall> "I think maybe we should leave..." Thrall mutters, looking over Kethean's shoulder at the dark cavern ahead.
[01:39] * @Seraphin ducks back towards the group, under the cover of invisibility. Leaving time!
[01:39] * @Maz casts Shield on herself as she waits for Seraphin to get back.
[01:40] <@Averages> 7"Who dares?"1 rumbles a voice, a dark being beyond measure. "Who dares to steal the light of the sun from whence I guard?" But it's not addressing you.. it's focused in the opposite direction, towards where the light was.
[01:41] <@Seraphin> Seraphin is so leaving! It's not addressing her! It shouldn't be addressing her! It's quite better that they leave everything as is!
[01:43] <@Averages> A gout of flame flashes out from the centre of the cavern, and a burning fire erupts from something therin! A reptilian face hovers in the gloom, peering up to the dimly illuminated place where the light just was.. revealing a humanoid figure, skukling about on a raised ridge!
[01:45] <@Averages> The humanoid at the top ridge- too far away to easily see- starts running, as one might- enhanced by what appears to be supernatural speed! He makes no sound as he walks, but he tears down the ridge, making his way around the vast circumferance of the cavern! As he gets a little closer, you can see he's holding two unsheathed blades.. but doesn't appear to be in a hurry to put them to use.
[01:47] <@Averages> Alastor teeters on the edge of the corner, peering closely at the running figure.
[01:47] <@Maz> "Know him?" Maz whispers next to him, peering at the figure as well.
[01:48] <@Averages> "Dunno. Might be Darvin," whispers Alastor. "Didn't think he was that stupid, though."
[01:48] <@Averages> OOC: Hmm. Let's roll init now.
[01:48] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+2
[01:48] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+2 --> 12,0 17
[01:49] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4
[01:49] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+4 --> 12,0 19
[01:49] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+5
[01:49] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+5 --> 12,0 12
[01:49] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+3
[01:49] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+3 --> 12,0 8
[01:49] <@Averages> roll 1d20+3 Alastor
[01:49] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+3 12,0Alastor --> 12,0 4
[01:49] <@Averages> roll 1d20+3 ???
[01:49] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+3 12,0??? --> 12,0 21
[01:49] <@Averages> roll 1d20 save or die!
[01:49] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20 12,0save or die! --> 12,0 5
[01:50] * Averages changes topic to '??? > Maz > Thrall > Seraphin > Kethean > Save or die! > Alastor'
[01:50] <@Averages> The running fingure runs. Very fast. He's about one-third the distance he's going to have to make to reach you.
[01:51] <@Averages> "..I think it *is* Darvin," snarls Alastor, as the man approaches closer. "Damn. Who else would be here?"
[01:52] * @Kethean blinks. "Darvin?" he asks as he takes a peek at the running man himself.
[01:52] * @Thrall remains right where he is, safe and out of the dragon's range. "Well, looks like we won't need to worry about fighting him ourselves..." he mutters, though honestly not too keen on fighting anyone right now.
[01:52] * @Seraphin darts back behind the corner, a realist about such things as dragons and her likely survival! Fugue wasn't fun! She doesn't want to go back!
[01:52] <@Averages> Kethean could easily believe that man is Darvin... but he could do the same for many men at around 200 feet. Still, he does recall that Darvin favoured weilding two blades at once.
[01:53] <@Maz> "Let's wait for him further back," Maz suggests, moving further into the cover of the corridor.
[01:55] * @Maz also takes the opportunity to cast Mage Armor on her person from a scroll she kept close by, just in case.
[01:57] * @Kethean nods and sticks with Maz.
[01:57] <@Averages> 7"Fool! There is no escape for you now, no matter how far you run!"1 shrieks the dragon, loping over towards the fleeing man and lashing out with a huge claw, as if to grab him!
[01:57] <@Averages> roll 1d20+19
[01:57] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+19 --> 12,0 33
[01:58] <@Averages> roll 1d20+12 OMG ATTACK OF OPPORTUNITY TO RESIST GRAPPLE
[01:58] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+12 12,0OMG ATTACK OF OPPORTUNITY TO RESIST GRAPPLE --> 12,0 26
[01:58] <@Averages> !
[01:58] <@Averages> roll 1d10+6
[01:58] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d10+6 --> 12,0 7
[01:59] <@Averages> But the running figure swings at the claw as he runs past, barely escaping what could have been a crushing end!
[01:59] <@Maz> "I think it's only a juvenile red dragon at the most," Maz relates to the others quietly, as she observes the scene.
[02:01] <@Averages> "I really, really, really hope he makes it. If it is Darvin. Because if he was, I'd want to save him. Even though I can't on my own," comments Alastor, sounding somewhat bitter. The running man, meanwhile... continues to run, about the edge of the cave! Yet his magical haste is apparently dispelling! He's running as fast as a normal man, which double the remaining time he'll take to make it!
[02:01] <@Thrall> "Still a lot bigger than us," Thrall mutters, making no move to intervene.
[02:01] * Averages changes topic to '??? > Alastor = Maz = Thrall = Seraphin = Kethean > Save or Die!'
[02:02] <@Seraphin> "Dragons, y'know, aren't something to be tackled in an impromptu manner," Seraphin notes dryly.
[02:03] <@Maz> "Too bad we don't have your axe," Maz laments sadly, watching the spectacle.
[02:04] <@Averages> 7"Stop running. Start dying!"1 yells the dragon, in a hideous booming voice. It lashes out- this time with both claws, loping after the man to try and knock him down!
[02:04] <@Averages> roll 1d20+19
[02:04] <@Averages> roll 1d20+19
[02:04] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+19 --> 12,0 32
[02:04] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+19 --> 12,0 32
[02:04] <@Kethean> "Or your friend Siggy. I'm low on spells, if we get into a fight," Kethean agrees as he continues to look, wondering if 'Darvin's' luck will run out or not.
[02:04] <@Averages> roll 2d8+14
[02:04] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 2d8+14 --> 12,0 21
[02:05] <@Averages> The claws rip through the man, causing him to tumble over, sprawling forward in the dirt! He stares towards the light that your group is emitting, from your distant tunnel... "A-a-Alastor! Bargash? HELP!"
[02:06] <@Averages> 7"There is no help for you, little man! Even had you allies, all would perish before my mighty flames!"1 snarls the dragon, ready to lash at the man once more! Alastor grits his teeth, and stares straight ahead. "If I go out there, will you guys help me?" he asks, notching arrows to his bow.
[02:07] <@Maz> "It would be expensive for me to fight a dragon," Maz muses.
[02:08] <@Thrall> "I'll distract it, but no more," Thrall replies, reaching for a small clay flask of acid from his backpack. No way he wants to get in melee with a Dragon, young or not.
[02:09] <@Seraphin> "Yeah, that's about my role," Seraphin adds, unslinging her bow. "Stupid sentimalist day..." she sighs, knocking an arrow.
[02:09] <@Averages> "That's one sort of and one probably not, so far," mutters Alastor.
[02:09] <@Kethean> "We did come here to save someone...though it wasn't Darvin admittedly," Kethean mutters under his breath, feeling conflicted. Taking a deep breath, he finally nods. "I'll help," he speaks firmly.
[02:10] <@Maz> "Will you recompense me for loss of magical components and the like?" she asks Alastor.
[02:10] <@Averages> "That's what I'm thinking!" says Alastor, firing a single arrow from his bow, right towards the dragon!
[02:10] * @Kethean casts a guidance spell on Alastor, that his first arrow may fly true.
[02:11] <@Averages> roll 1d20+12
[02:11] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+12  --> 12,0 28
[02:11] <@Averages> roll 1d8+6
[02:11] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d8+6 --> 12,0 8
[02:12] <@Averages> It lodges itself somewhere in the massive scales of the beast, but it elects a startled yelp! It's gaze swerves around to face you! 7"THEN SO BE IT!" 1 it roars.
[02:12] * @Seraphin brings up her own bow, and looses an arrow to help cover the whole event.
[02:12] * @Maz rolls her eyes, but unrolls a scroll, and brushes her arm against it in a wide arc, causing it to float in the air, the words on it etched in gold. "Third time's the charm," she whispers, before murmuring, "Lightning Bolt!"
[02:13] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+8
[02:13] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 20
[02:13] <@Maz> roll 5d6 lightning
[02:13] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 5d6 12,0lightning --> 12,0 19
[02:14] * @Kethean goes to try and help Darvin while everyone distracts the dragon.
[02:14] <@Maz> OOC: DC 20?
[02:14] <@Averages> roll 1d20+8
[02:14] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 22
[02:15] * @Thrall steps out along with Alastor, but seeing that the dragon is so far away, doubts he has a chance of hitting it with a throw from here, instead remaining where he is, ready to do more if it gets closer.
[02:16] <@Averages> The dragon roars as Seraphin's arrow grazes across it's skin, just as Maz's lightning bolt strikes it! It stares balefully at the group, before taking note of Kethean, rushing towards his brother! Furiously uncertain, it takes flight, ignoring those two in favour of heading towards the entranceway in one great leap!
[02:18] <@Averages> As Kethean reaches Darvin, too, he sees his brother staggering painfully to his feat, great gashes ripped in gleaming white full-plate armour! "A monk.." he mumbles, staring as the dragon cuts off the escape route.
[02:18] <@Averages> "I don't know who you are, but my thanks for coming here," he whispers. "It seems that our escape is cut off. So there's only one thing to do."
[02:19] * @Thrall drinks his last healing potion as the dragon leaps, deciding he might have to get scratched at this rate...
[02:19] <@Thrall> roll 1d8+3
[02:19] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d8+3 --> 12,0 9
[02:19] <@Kethean> "What kind of moron takes on a dragon alone?" Kethean asks, as he reaches Darvin, giving him a hand to help him stand.
[02:20] <@Averages> "I wasn't here to fight it. I was here to get my sister back," replies Darvin, painfully standing upright. "It's just that I needed to open this door, and.. well.. um... I guess it was kind of stupid, huh?"
[02:21] * @Kethean snorts and laughs. "Well, we were here to help rescue your sister as well, so I suppose you at least forewarned us about the dragon this way."
[02:21] <@Thrall> With the dragon right in his face, Thrall decides to risk the quantifiably powerful demonic sword, deciding its the lesser of two evils at the moment. Yanking it free of the rags on his back, the half-orc moves to swing it right at the dragon's snout, bellowing an orcish war cry! "9WAAAGH9!"
[02:21] <@Averages> "Really? Brilliant! HEY, DRAGON! I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD ON A PLATE!" he yells, a phrase he tossed around back in your childhood days!
[02:22] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+12 (I'm adding in the masterwork bonus and taking -2 for power attack. Any other bonuses you can add them, oh GM)
[02:22] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+12 12,0(I'm adding in the masterwork bonus and taking -2 for power attack. Any other bonuses you can add them, oh GM) --> 12,0 18
[02:22] <@Kethean> "Hey! Why the hell are you trying to get the dragon's attention back on us?" Kethean asks, gaping at his brother.
[02:22] <@Averages> OOC: That's a hit!
[02:23] <@Averages> "That's the only way out!" replies Darvin, holding his swords like wings, and speeding towards the rear of the beast!
[02:23] <@Thrall> roll 1d10+14 (adding my strength and power attack and +1 for magic - anymore is all you, GM)
[02:23] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d10+14 12,0(adding my strength and power attack and +1 for magic - anymore is all you, GM) --> 12,0 20
[02:23] <@Seraphin> Seraphin throws the bow back around the corner (no need to leave it somewhere it'll get stuck if they have to leave!) and draws her shortswords for an onrush of blades!
[02:23] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+8
[02:23] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 24
[02:23] <@Kethean> "What about m-your sister?!?" Kethean shouts, keeping up with Darvin.
[02:24] <@Averages> OOC: Geez. Hit, too.
[02:24] <@Seraphin> roll 1d6+4
[02:24] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d6+4 --> 12,0 5
[02:24] * @Maz clenches her fist, concentrating, and when her fingers unfold, an ice crystal remains on her palm. "Taste icy fury!" she exclaims, commanding a multitude of snowballs to fly at the dragon, focusing the spell on its back so that it wouldn't extend towards herself or her friends.
[02:24] <@Maz> roll 3d6 cold
[02:24] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 3d6 12,0cold --> 12,0 11
[02:28] <@Averages> roll 1d20+8
[02:28] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 27
[02:31] * @Kethean takes a running leap as he passes by Darvin, who hasn't deemed to respond him, and focuses on the problem at hand, taking a mighty leap at the back of the beast and attacking its wings with flaming nunchukus!
[02:31] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+6
[02:31] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 12
[02:32] <@Kethean> ooc: 16 then
[02:33] <@Averages> Kethean's flying attack fails to appreciable harm the dragon, which takes no notice of it! The creature bellow: 7"NOW, KNOW YOUR DOOM!"
[02:33] <@Averages> It exhales, vomiting forth a brilliant cone of scorching fire across the packed corridor!
[02:34] <@Averages> roll 1d20+11
[02:34] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+11 --> 12,0 25
[02:34] <@Averages> roll 1d8+6
[02:34] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d8+6 --> 12,0 11
[02:34] <@Averages> Alastor fires forth an arrow towards the thing! It lodges somewhere in it's mouth, and is promptly immolated by the blast of painful flame! OOC: Reflex saves, Seraphin, Thrall, Alastor, Maz.
[02:35] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+2
[02:35] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+2 --> 12,0 13
[02:35] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+8
[02:35] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 18
[02:35] <@Averages> roll 1d20+6
[02:35] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0 15
[02:35] <@Maz> roll 1d20+5
[02:35] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 1d20+5 --> 12,0 8
[02:36] <@Averages> roll 6d8
[02:36] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 6d8 --> 12,0 13
[02:37] <@Averages> The fire blitzs the corridor, but it is the 'weak' breath of a young dragon, not the savage fury of an elder! Darvin leaps behind the beast, trying to cut it apart with a mighty right-hand stroke!
[02:37] <@Averages> roll 1d20+16
[02:37] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+16 --> 12,0 33
[02:37] <@Averages> roll 1d10+6
[02:37] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d10+6 --> 12,0 15
[02:38] <@Averages> The dragon roars in terrible fury as it is assaulted on all sides; swords, feet, snow and arrows in every direction!
[02:39] * @Thrall continues to roar in savage orcish fury as he assails the wyrm before him, arms a blur of motion as he ignores all pain to continue rending his foe, seeking more and more blood!
[02:39] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+11 (same as last time, -2 power attack)
[02:39] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+11 12,0(same as last time, -2 power attack) --> 12,0 15
[02:39] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+7
[02:39] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d20+7 --> 12,0 24
[02:39] <@Averages> OOC: Geez. Second hits.
[02:39] <@Thrall> roll 1d10+10 (adding +1 magic)
[02:39] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Thrall rolled :12,0 1d10+10 12,0(adding +1 magic) --> 12,0 12
[02:40] * @Kethean joins in on the backside attack, once more targetting one of the wings, unleashing a flurry of blows at it!
[02:40] * @Maz brings her index and middle fingers to her lips, touching them lightly with her lips, before snapping that hand at the dragon with a call of, "Magic Missile!"
[02:40] <@Maz> roll 3d4+3
[02:40] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Maz rolled :12,0 3d4+3 --> 12,0 10
[02:41] <@Seraphin> Seraphin's hiss is nearly palpable, shorter weapons whipping and striking in a silvery blur of reddening sharpness, tearing at flesh, rending life and bringing the sweetest pain!
[02:41] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+8
[02:41] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+8
[02:41] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 28
[02:41] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 11
[02:41] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+8
[02:41] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+8
[02:41] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 23
[02:41] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0 15
[02:41] <@Averages> OOC: Ahem. One hit for both of you.
[02:41] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+8 crit check
[02:41] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d20+8 12,0crit check --> 12,0 11
[02:42] <@Seraphin> roll 1d6+4
[02:42] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d6+4 --> 12,0 5
[02:42] <@Seraphin> roll 1d6
[02:42] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Seraphin rolled :12,0 1d6 --> 12,0 4
[02:42] <@Kethean> roll 1d6+3
[02:42] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Kethean rolled :12,0 1d6+3 --> 12,0 5
[02:42] <@Averages> Alastor throws in his attack, too! The beast staggers! Dragon blood sprays all across and behind the thing! An arrow flies forth!
[02:42] <@Averages> roll 1d20+11
[02:42] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+11 --> 12,0 16
[02:43] <@Averages> roll 1d4 haha breath delay
[02:43] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d4 12,0haha breath delay --> 12,0 1
[02:43] <@Averages> The dragon readies itself- a furious attack on all sides! Wings, tail, claws and mouth strike out in every direction, attempting to utterly demolish his opponents on all sides!
[02:43] <@Averages> roll 1d20+17 bites Thrall
[02:43] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+17 12,0bites Thrall --> 12,0 20
[02:43] <@Averages> roll 1d20+17 claws Seraphin
[02:43] <@Averages> roll 1d20+17 claws Seraphin
[02:43] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+17 12,0claws Seraphin --> 12,0 25
[02:43] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+17 12,0claws Seraphin --> 12,0 30
[02:44] <@Averages> roll 1d20+17 Tail-Slaps Kethean
[02:44] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+17 12,0Tail-Slaps Kethean --> 12,0 35
[02:44] <@Averages> roll 2d8+7 Thrall
[02:44] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 2d8+7 12,0Thrall --> 12,0 16
[02:44] <@Averages> roll 2d6+6 Seraphin
[02:44] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 2d6+6 12,0Seraphin --> 12,0 10
[02:44] <@Averages> roll 1d8+3 Kethean
[02:44] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d8+3 12,0Kethean --> 12,0 9
[02:45] <@Averages> Darvin rises up behind the beast, a volley of three sword-blows lashing out to try and finish it, once and for all!
[02:45] <@Averages> roll 1d20+10
[02:45] <@Averages> roll 1d20+10
[02:45] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+10 --> 12,0 23
[02:45] <@Averages> roll 1d20+5
[02:45] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+10 --> 12,0 30
[02:45] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+5 --> 12,0 6
[02:45] <@Averages> roll 1d20+10
[02:45] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 1d20+10 --> 12,0 18
[02:45] <@Averages> roll 2d10+12
[02:45] <+Rei-chan> 12,0Averages rolled :12,0 2d10+12 --> 12,0 24
[02:46] <@Averages> With a final brutal double-stab into the creature's back, the dragon let's loose a terrible howl, echoing across the black cavern roof! It topples over, head sliding out the entranceway, almost comincally! Darvin slouches on the ground, leaving his swords inside the thing as the beast shakes the earth it falls on...
[02:47] <@Maz> "Perish, foul creature," Maz calls in contempt and anger.
[02:47] * @Thrall only laughs maniacally, despite his grevious wounds, continuing to hack wildly at the deceased creature. "Blood! More blood!" he screams in his berserk frenzy.
[02:48] * @Maz backs away from the crazed person.
[02:49] <@Maz> Now that the immediate danger seems over, Maz lets her magical sight cover the area around her once more, examining the dragon, her companions and the new arrival.
[02:49] <@Averages> Thrall is currently strong in enchantment!
[02:49] <@Averages> It is beginning to fade, however. Slowly.
[02:50] <@Averages> The new arrival, it seems, carries one magical weapon, and is wearing a magical ring, as well.
[02:50] <@Maz> "Thrall is being enchanted, it seems," she whispers to Seraphin and Kethean.
[02:51] <@Seraphin> "Well...what do we do about it?" Seraphin sweatdrops, eyeing Thrall. "Not much I can think of with how big he is..."
[02:51] <@Maz> "Wait it out," Maz replies, "and see if it weakens naturally."
[02:51] <@Maz> "Avoiding threatening motions or close proximity is of the good," she adds.
[02:52] * @Maz continues observing him, trying to estimate the rate by which the spell is fading.
[02:52] * @Thrall seems to slow in his wild chopping, berserk strength fading as he sags, starting to breathe heavily before the sword clatters from his now free fingers and he kneels in the steaming dragon blood pooling all about him, a silly grin on his face.

[Corwin]

[23:40] <@Skye> Darvin cleans and sheaths his swords, panting himself, though hardly looking as winded as Thrall does.
[23:41] <@Kethean> "You alright, Thrall?" Kethean asks cautiously, as the half-orc winds down.
[23:42] * @Thrall seems to return to himself a little, standing up and appearing to be leaking a fair amount of his own blood to match the dragon's, streams of red glistening as they dribble through his lacerated armour. "I don't think I should use that sword again..." he remarks, somewhat embarrassed even through his usual gruffness.
[23:42] <@Seraphin> "I think that's a rather obvious 'no'," Seraphin provides, eyeing the half-orc warily. "I've never seen an orcish berserker so close up. I don't think I want to.
[23:44] <@Kethean> "At least he was pointed the right way," Kethean jokes, feeling it's not too wrong for the atmosphere with them having just had a victory.
[23:44] <@Maz> "We can always sell it to someone we don't like," Maz muses quietly.
[23:45] <@Thrall> "It felt rather liberating, but I don't want to make a habit of it..." Thrall returns, shaking his head as he retrieves the sword and bundles it up once more, blood soaking through the rags he uses. "Still, we killed a dragon!" he looks down at the thoroughly mutilated wyrm corpse. "Not many people can say that."
[23:45] <@Skye> Darvin stretches. "Well, my most gracious thanks once again," he says, staring at the lot of you. "You said you're here to help rescue my sister?"
[23:46] <@Skye> He blinks a bit, and glances at the corpse. "Oh, I suppose they can't. The credit is all yours, though."
[23:46] <@Maz> "And in doing so, we rescued this obviously grateful person," Maz pipes in.
[23:47] <@Seraphin> "Well, most of us are here for a myriuad of reasons. The sister part's mostly his," Seraphin indicates Kethean, beginning to move over towards the dragon's resting place. "Money is a large factor."
[23:47] * @Maz nods at Seraphin's words.
[23:48] <@Skye> "I think the dragon had some of that," shrugs Darvin, gesturing further into the cave. "It seems all of us are destined to get what we want."
[23:49] <@Skye> He speaks in a genial, but hurried tone, worry frequently crossing his eyes. "Are you all alright?"
[23:50] * @Seraphin snorts and adds a mixed bag of muttered Infernal about what people want while she goes looking for dragon hoard.
[23:51] * @Maz happily accompanies Seraphin to check out the horde with her magic-attuned senses!
[23:51] <@Maz> roll 1d20+7
[23:51] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 1d20+7 and gets 22."12 [1d20=15]
[23:51] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[23:51] * +Hatbot --> "Seraphin rolls 1d20+12 and gets 30."12 [1d20=18]
[23:52] <@Skye> The dragon itself is radiating faint evocation, that is becoming fainter by the second. Aside from him, the pair of tieflings finds something- a great pile of coins! Thousands of them, of all kinds, silver, gold, copper, electrum- just sorting through this would be a money-changers dream... or possibly nightmare. With her magical senses, Maz also detects something underneath the pile!
[23:53] <@Skye> There are many scattered coins across the lair, as well, along with a few pieces of uncut rock underneath the dragon itself.
[23:53] <@Maz> "There's something magical under that pile," Maz cautions Seraphin, before concentrating on it, trying to discern the origin and strength of the object's aura.
[23:54] <@Skye> There's some faint evocation coming from whatever is underneath.
[23:55] * @Seraphin begins to push coins aside with her unmagical blade, the other casually held ready as she tries to uncover whatever's magical.
[23:55] <@Maz> "Do you think you could check for any traps?" Maz asks, observing it before indicating the area.
[23:55] <@Skye> Seraphin sees a silver circlet underneath the coins, tipped with a literally glowing golden gem.
[23:55] <@Kethean> "Any idea where the dwarf might be hiding?" Kethean asks his brother, as the girls do some searching.
[23:56] * @Seraphin pauses, glancing at Maz. "You think it'd boobytrap it's own horde?" she asks, picking up the circlet. "Think this is it."
[23:56] <@Skye> Darvin frowns. "I think he's behind that door," he mutters. "This is some kind of sick test, I swear..."
[23:56] <@Maz> "No, but he might've kept something cursed for amusement," Maz responds with a shrug.
[23:56] <@Skye> "Anyway, I came here to get this-" he pulls out a glass jar, a bright light stoppered and caught inside.
[23:57] <@Skye> "At least, I think."
[23:57] <@Thrall> "Is that the shard of the sky to get past that door with the Abyssal writing on it?" Thrall asks, wincing a bit as he continues to leak vital fluids.
[23:58] * @Maz returns to the dragon, analyzing it and mentally cataloguing the parts she could use
[23:59] <@Skye> "Yeah, that's the one," replies Darvin, nodding. "Abyssal.. and you said it would be useless unless I actually died," he adds, pointing an accusing finger at Alastor, who snorts.
[00:00] <@Kethean> Seeing Thrall being a baby and not sucking up his wounds, Kethean goes to the half-orc and uses up one of his spell to help Thrall stop bleeding all over the floor.
[00:00] <@Kethean> roll 1d8+3
[00:00] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d8+3 and gets 11."12 [1d8=8]
[00:00] <@Maz> "And what exactly is past that door?" Maz asks, entering the conversation.
[00:01] * @Thrall sighs a bit as he stops dripping blood all over everything. "Thanks," he nods gratefully.
[00:01] <@Skye> "I don't know, " mutters Darvin. "Probably a trap."
[00:01] <@Seraphin> "Alastor says a lot of things he probably shouldn't," Seraphin agrees softly, yawning and stretching as she returns to the group, only a slight wince at her wounds.
[00:01] <@Kethean> "No problem," the monk replies with a nod.
[00:03] <@Skye> "I don't want to wait around, either." One hand grips the hilt of a sword, while the other holds onto the glass jar. "Are you people going to help me, or is this horde the end of your quest?"
[00:03] * @Kethean shakes his head. "I'm helping. I already told you I was here to help rescue the girl."
[00:04] <@Maz> "Where there's monetary rewards..." Maz says, smiling.
[00:04] <@Thrall> "It's more of an unexpected bonus," Thrall shrugs, glancing at the dead dragon. "I'm still in."
[00:05] <@Skye> "There's the reward of defeating heartless villians and saving the innocent!" nods Darvin. "Then, we can claim their equipment, and trade it for money!"
[00:05] <@Skye> "It's the adventuring way!"
[00:05] <@Maz> "I like that way!" Maz echoes.
[00:06] <@Thrall> "So, shall we?" Thrall gestures for their errant swordmaster to lead the way back towards that door with the abjuration magic and abyssal writing.
[00:06] * @Kethean snorts. 'Darvin still has his way with words...' he notes mentally.
[00:07] <@Skye> "Onward, my unexpected allies!" He strives boldly forward into the darkness, holding a leading light in front!"
[00:07] * @Maz dutifully intends to bring up the rear
[00:08] * @Kethean follows close behind Darvin.
[00:09] <@Skye> Darvin walks back to the crossroads, Alastor- sullenly, it seems- coming up alongside him, and shortly heading off back towards that other door.
[00:12] <@Skye> Once he reaches it, he glances back to make sure everyone else is with him, before looking at the vial he holds. With some degree of uncertainty, he unstoppers it and tries pouring it into the small hole by the writing. With a sibiliant hiss, the literally vanishes in a flash of muted light!
[00:13] <@Skye> Beyond the door lies... blue, all around. A glass dome, underneath the sea, the pressure of water somehow unbroken by the liquid. The light from the sun casts odd shadows, down here...
[00:14] <@Skye> There are no obvious exits... apart from, perhaps, the four rectangular pools of water that are raised up from the glass floor.
[00:18] <@Thrall> "Okay..." Thrall looks around warily. "Now what?"
[00:19] <@Skye> Darvin pauses, walking further into the room. "I.. don't know," he mutters.
[00:19] * @Maz looks around again, trying to see any traces of magic
[00:20] <@Skye> Strong conjuration magic lurks on each of the four pools of water.
[00:21] * Halbarad is now known as Hal-work
[00:21] * @Kethean walks around the room, looking for any writings or clues as to what can be done in this room.
[00:22] <@Maz> "The pools contain conjuration, so they could hold the way out," Maz muses out loud. "Of course, they could also summon things or conjur up tentacles, for all we know."
[00:22] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+1
[00:22] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d20+1 and gets 13."12 [1d20=12]
[00:23] <@Skye> Without looking in the pools themselves, Kethean can't find very much- though he does notice that there are traces of something red in one of them, through peripheral vision alone.
[00:23] * @Maz decides to observe the pools specifically, but not actually touching them.
[00:25] <@Skye> On the edge of each pool is an inscription- "By the water flowing through life, the blood of good, evil, law and chaos summons mine creation."
[00:25] * @Kethean walks towards the pool with the appearance of something red, looking curious.
[00:26] <@Skye> This pool has a distinct red tinge to it. Also, Maz notes that the area around it is wet, and it has slightly less water in it than the other pools.
[00:26] * @Maz relates the inscription to the others, before commenting, "Since blood summons something, the bleeding people should stay clear for now."
[00:26] <@Thrall> "No argument," Thrall agrees, keeping well back of the pools.
[00:27] * @Seraphin nods, leaning against the entrance. "I'd rather not," she agrees.
[00:29] <@Maz> "Why are we here again?" Maz asks Darvin and Alastor.
[00:30] <@Skye> Alastor shrugs, while Darvin curses. "They must be keeping her somewhere else," he mutters. "But why the elaborate lock?"
[00:31] <@Kethean> "She's right, it doesn't look like the dwarf came this way," Kethean agrees, even if he is somewhat curious as to what the purpose of this room is, and what is summoned. "We can worry about this room later, after the girl is safe."
[00:31] <@Maz> "You thought that dwarf went past the dragon, stole the key, dumped the girl here, locked it again and returned the key to the dragon?" Maz asks incredulously, before turning to the others. "Should we follow this one?"
[00:32] <@Thrall> "There's still that trapped door upstairs we haven't tried," Thrall suggests, preferring that over the undead tunnels Alastor mentioned.
[00:32] <@Skye> "I thought they'd *aligned* themselves with the dragon," replies Darvin, hotly.
[00:32] <@Maz> "Yes, and they locked a young girl behind a magical lock of considerable powers, guarded by a _dragon_, of all things, since they feared her escaping might?"
[00:33] <@Skye> "If they wanted to *ransom* her with me they'd have met me at the door! Or not made it so *easy* to die!" replies Darvin. "I don't know what they're up to, but it doesn't make sense. How can I predict them like this?"
[00:34] * @Maz ponders the dilemma. "Well, it's rude to ask about alignments though we all know they exist, but what's yours?"
[00:36] <@Skye> Darvin blinks, and then he scowls. "I don't believe that alignment crap," he snorts. "It's just a trick, made up by priests and paladins to force us to follow their values."
[00:37] <@Seraphin> "Spoken like a true human," Seraphin snorts.
[00:37] <@Maz> "We'll see what you say when you touch an artifact of opposite alignment," Maz says with a disdainful glance at Darvin. "In any case, do you have a better idea than bleeding into a pool?"
[00:38] <@Kethean> "Like a true human?" Kethean asks, raising an eyebrow at the tiefling.
[00:38] <@Skye> "There were other places to go," he replies, turning around. "They probably just use this room to summon demons or some rot."
[00:38] <@Maz> "Excellent," Maz agrees. "Let's go check out the last, trapped door. You go first."
[00:39] <@Skye> "You've checked the other two already? What was there?" asks Darvin, blinking.
[00:40] * @Seraphin waves her hand. "Humans are the first to disregard the outer planes and the way they operate simply because they haven't stared Hell in the face," she answers, shrugging.
[00:40] <@Thrall> "Alastor mentioned undead," Thrall supplies with a wave towards the bowman, ignoring the theological discussion.
[00:40] <@Maz> "We've checked one more," Maz clarifies. "Your friend checked the other."
[00:41] * @Maz nods at Thrall.
[00:41] <@Skye> "I'll worry about how they operate when I'm dead," spits Darvin. "People get what they deserve, in the end."
[00:42] <@Skye> He glances at Alastor, after that. "Hey, I didn't go far," replies the archer, shrugging. "You know. With the undead. Leave well alone, I thought."
[00:42] <@Kethean> "No they don't. I certainly doubt a certain girl deserved to be kidnapped," Kethean reminds as he starts heading towards the next door to try out. "Now shall we move on, and save the bickering for after we've saved someone?"
[00:42] <@Maz> "I prefer the mystery of the last door over the appeal of undead company," Maz comments.
[00:44] <@Skye> "I'm sure that would change if you were the one who opened it," comments Darvin, walking up to the door. "Unless you have some way of disarming it?"
[00:44] <@Maz> "Not without replenishing my spells."
[00:45] <@Kethean> "Oh for heaven's sake, I'll just trigger the trap myself and try to avoid it," Kethean mutters as he opens the door, ready to avoid any traps hopefully.
[00:45] <@Thrall> "It's built to fall on you when you open it - probably with something heavy behind," Thrall supplies, recalling what Seraphin said. "You could just pull the handle from the side of the door without standing in front of it."
[00:46] * @Seraphin taps her shortsword once or twice, before just snorting.
[00:47] <@Skye> A long walk back through the corridors takes the group to the opening room, with Darvin frowning a little on Maz's comment. "Maybe haste isn't a necessity," he says, slowly. "I'm starting to wonder if anyone else is even here."
[00:47] <@Skye> "Do you think it wise to rest?"
[00:49] <@Maz> "Yes, but I don't feel entirely helpless, nor am I alone in this decision," she responds.
[00:50] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+7
[00:50] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d20+7 and gets 18."12 [1d20=11]
[00:51] <@Skye> Kethean leaps aside as the door plummets to the ground, accompanied by a heavy stone idol!
[00:51] <@Skye> It's of some kind of grinning grinning demon.. a contracted balor, note the occultists in the party.
[00:51] <@Kethean> "That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Kethean mutters as he wipes dust off his shoulders.
[00:52] * @Maz reigns in her first response.
[00:52] <@Seraphin> "Bah, Abyssals and more Abyssals, why all the love for the chaos mongers?" Seraphin gripes at the idol.
[00:52] <@Skye> "A fiend is a fiend," mutters Darvin. "Does it matter what other words they use to dress it up?"
[00:53] <@Seraphin> "Yes," Seraphin answers simply, rolling her eyes at the imbecile.
[00:54] * @Maz looks at what's past the statue.
[00:54] * @Kethean rolls his eyes as the two continue to rub each other the wrong way.
[00:54] <@Thrall> "Since there was that half-fiend down there, and the Abyssal writing, I think it's safe to say that we won't find anything connected to devils, here," Thrall notes, peering over the fallen idol to the room beyond.
[00:54] <@Seraphin> "But they're so much nicer..." Seraphin sighs sarcastically, going to look down the hall with the rest of the group.
[00:55] <@Skye> Behind this door appears to be some kind of metal cage, a great chain holding it up over a deep shaft. Mechanical contraptions lie to the side and above it, and a great lever is on one side of the wall. The cage has an open door in the front, a thinly-grated mesh.
[00:55] <@Skye> "Nicer? They kill people for pleasure," mutters Darvin.
[00:55] <@Skye> "Money is one thing, but that's just sick."
[00:56] * @Seraphin giggles for no apparent reason. "You've never tried comparing Abyssal and Infernal as languages. If nothing else, they're more comprehensible."
[00:56] <@Maz> With a twirl of her wand, Maz's magical sight returns! She moves towards the very opening into the room, making sure not to cross it, and examines everything inside, especially the level and the cage.
[00:58] <@Skye> The mechanics of the cage, strangely, don't actually seem to be magical. A complex gear system appears to drive whatever machine is here. You can see down the shaft... for a while, but it appears to be very far down. The cage itself is about three by three metres.
[00:58] <@Maz> "No magic," she gives the all-clear to the others. "Can't speak of more traps, but I wouldn't expect any with this degree of machinery, if they wanted to keep it in working order."
[01:00] <@Seraphin> "And if there are...ugh, that kind of gearing just makes me wince," Seraphin mutters, eyeballing the machinery. "It'd be hell to pick out. It'd probably just be  a release system that drops you."
[01:00] <@Skye> "I'm scared of heights," says Alastor, to nobody in particular.
[01:00] <@Seraphin> "I'll hold your hand if you want," Seraphin smiles, giving Alastor a bloody-eyed smile full of false sincerity.
[01:01] <@Maz> "That time on the ledge you jumped off must've been just horrible," Maz mutters.
[01:01] * @Kethean blinks. "An archer scared of heights?" he asks with disbelief. "That just seems odd, considering..."
[01:01] * @Kethean nods in agreement with Maz.
[01:01] <@Skye> "It was alright, then- I couldn't see it."
[01:02] <@Maz> "That makes it all better, then," Maz agrees. "Want another dose of Darkness to keep your senses?"
[01:02] <@Skye> Darvin glances at Alastor, a quizzical expression on his face. "But what about that other time? When you fell off the bridge?" Alastor pauses a moment, then nods, sadly. "That was the day when I first developed this fear.. and, um, no, thank you."
[01:03] <@Thrall> "So, are we going to chance this contraption or try our luck with the undead, then?" Thrall asks, just wanting to get moving.
[01:04] <@Maz> "Contraption gets my vote, if Seraphin vetted it."
[01:05] <@Kethean> "Might as well try the contraption. I'd hate to waddle through a mountain of corpses only to find out we have to come back to this room later on," Kethean replies.
[01:05] <@Skye> Darvin stares down the dark tunnel, sighing, and nods, bravely taking the first step into the cage.
[01:05] * @Thrall nods and enters the elevator.
[01:06] <@Skye> The elevator shakes a little as Thrall and Darvin, both plate-clad warriors take up a fair bit of room.
[01:06] * @Seraphin makes a quick eyeball of the machinery, hooping to pick anything out before stepping in herself.
[01:06] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+12
[01:06] * +Hatbot --> "Seraphin rolls 1d20+12 and gets 23."12 [1d20=11]
[01:07] <@Maz> "Want to take this in turns, guys?" Maz suggests.
[01:07] <@Thrall> "Might be a good idea," Thrall agrees, looking a bit nervous at the shaking while suspended over a pit he can't even see the bottom of.
[01:08] <@Seraphin> "Uh...we'd better," Seraphin agrees, eyeing the machinery. "Send those two down, no more than four at a time to be safe, and someone wearing plate counts for two," the tiefling advises.
[01:08] <@Maz> "See you in a few!" Maz says cheerfully. "Want me to pull the lever?"
[01:08] <@Thrall> "We'll send it back up once we're down," he offers, nodding to Maz.
[01:09] * @Maz makes sure to stand clear of the contraption, and waits until everyone else is safely away before pulling on that lever.
[01:10] <@Skye> The iron gate clangs shut! Gears begin turning and pulleys begin working, and the contraption begins to lurch downwards, deep into the shaft. Surrepitously, Darvin blinks. "I knew I forgot to light a torch," he mutters, as the thing plunges into the depths...
[01:14] <@Carthrat> After about five minutes of churning, the pulleys and gears eventually stop.
[01:19] <@Carthrat> And the promptly start again! After another five minutes, the contraption reaches the top.
[01:20] <@Maz> "Found anything down there, Thrall?" Maz whispers, as the contraption reaches the top once more.
[01:25] <@Carthrat> Alastor glances as the thing comes up again, looking somewhat nervous.
[01:26] <@Kethean> "What've we got so far down there?" Kethean asks Maz.
[01:27] <@Maz> "Lava, fire creatures, don't appear to be hostile, got'cha," Maz tells Thrall. "We're coming down."
[01:27] <@Seraphin> "Oh relax," Seraphin tells Alastor, grabbing him by the elbow and pulling him with as she steps in. "If the genius demon spawn are doing it, so can you."
[01:27] * @Maz takes the chance to replace a few scrolls in her bandoleer, before stepping into the elevator. "Let's go?" she tells the others.
[01:28] <@Carthrat> "This doesn't look genius to me," he mutters, stumbling in the elevator. "But someone will need to stay outside to send you down."
[01:28] * @Kethean nods and steps into the elevator along with Maz.
[01:28] <@Maz> "Couldn't our swift monk pull the lever and run quickly before the doors closed on him? she wonders idly.
[01:30] <@Seraphin> "Or rope works," Seraphin shrugs.
[01:30] <@Kethean> "I don't know if I'm -that- fast. Seraphin's idea probably has more merit," Kethean replies.
[01:31] <@Maz> "Yes, unless our new friend is lacking in bravery and would prefer to stay behind," Maz agrees.
[01:32] <@Carthrat> Alastor looks at the lever, and shrugs. "If you want."
[01:32] * @Seraphin shakes her head, pulling out some rope and tieing one end to the lever. "I'd need a club, a chair leg, and some needles if he was," she rumbles softly, tying it off, and getting back inside before tugging the lever via the rope.
[01:34] <@Maz> "Is this another of those sex rituals you were discussing with Ashton?" Maz inquires with curiousity.
[01:34] <@Carthrat> The lever jerks downwards, and the group makes the black descent down to the ground...
[01:35] * @Kethean decides not to ask what Maz is talking about, merely raising an eyebrow at the two tieflings.
[01:35] <@Seraphin> "I guess violating torture might be considered a sex ritual if you're a fiend..." Seraphin muses idly.
[01:36] * @Maz nods in agreement.
[01:37] <@Carthrat> "You know how to make a guy not feel sorry for shooting, don't you?" grumbles Alastor, leaning against one of the the cage and closing his eyes.
[01:37] <@Maz> "Don't look now, we're descending into the endless pit," Maz bites back.
[01:38] <@Seraphin> "Yeah, actually, I'm pretty good at it," Seraphin agrees with a warm tone.

<--->

[01:13] <+Carthrat> The cage plunges through the dark shaft, Thrall's dark vision picking out only smooth walls on any side. Eventually, however, he sees something.. bright, below him. Bright like fire. With a gasp, Darvin sees it all, too! The elevator, if it continues at a straight-line course downwards, is going to land in a small 'island' in the middle of a lake of lava, only a few metres bigger than the cage itself!
[01:14] <+Carthrat> A stony bridge leads off from the platform and extends onto a larger landmass of stone, like a beachead from a fiery ocean.
[01:14] <@Thrall> "Oh, for..." Thrall groans, looking down at the island, though at least relieved to see a bridge off of it. "Who builds things in these places?"
[01:16] <+Carthrat> "This would be an excellent defense against intruders," notes Darvin, as the gate settles on the ground. "See, if the owner of this place simply waited across the bridge with a 'fireball' spell or some such, he could incinerate everyone here at once- and probably stumble them into the lava. He peers across the bridge, thankful that no such person appears on the other side.
[01:17] <+Carthrat> Tiny children, made of fire, seem to be playing on the shore of the lake, which extends backwards only a short distance before meeting a stony wall. A second great lever stands to the side of this elevator, and you can make out a crystal-lined passageway that leads further into the depths.
[01:18] * @Thrall pushes the lever to send the lift back up, peering across the lava. "I suppose it fits, for a wizard..."
[01:18] <+Carthrat> The lift lurches back up. The 'children' stare at the pair of you, curiously. You can't help but notice that when they put their hands on the stone, it scorches it black...
[01:19] <+Carthrat> If the lift comes down with more people on it, it's going to be hard to all fit on this island...
[01:20] * @Thrall steps onto the bridge, but looks in no hurry to cross it without the resident ice mage along.
[01:20] <+Carthrat> The bridge arches about half a metre over the lava. But it looks rather thin...
[01:21] <+Carthrat> "Found anything down there, Thrall?" The half-orc hears that very mage's voice, a whisper in his ear thanks to a magical message.
[01:22] <@Thrall> "Lots of lava, you'll love it down here," the half-orc replies in a dour whisper. "Also weird fire monsters across on the other side of the lava. Don't look hostile, yet, though."
[01:29] <+Carthrat> The creatures on the side chitter, smiling brightly, and begin wading through the lava towards the bridge.
[01:30] <@Thrall> "Oh, Hells, they're coming closer," Thrall grimaces, fingering the hilt of his rapier.
[01:30] <+Carthrat> "Think these swords will stand up to the heat?" says Darvin, humourlessly. "I say we cross this thing."
[01:31] <@Thrall> "Rather not be caught here with no room to fight," Thrall agrees, starting across the bridge in a hurry.
[01:33] <+Carthrat> You manage to cross the bridge without too much trouble. The fire-children reach up with hands to climb on top, but never completely leave the lava, slipping back down into it's burning embrace.
[01:34] <@Thrall> "At least it looks like they can't get out of the lava," Thrall notes with some relief, backing towards the crystalline hallway.
[01:36] <+Carthrat> The cavern is fairly wide, but somewhat straight before you; the crystals border on the edges. There's a growl coming from somewhere deeper in the cavern... a sudden, snapping sound, followed by a screech, and then a thud.
[01:37] * @Thrall tenses, gripping the hilt of his rapier and wishing he had his axe instead. Or even a non-demonic bastard sword...
[01:38] <+Carthrat> The hilt of the rapier is warm in your grasp...
[01:38] <+Carthrat> With a lurching, crunching sound, the lift reaches the island platform at the bottom once again.
[01:39] * +Maz quickly takes stock of the situation, by both normal and magical means.
[01:39] <+Carthrat> The lava is plainly magical, radiating strong evocation. The fire-children look at Maz with positive *glee*.
[01:40] * +Maz does not return the glee.
[01:41] <+Carthrat> Alastor opens his eyes. "Did we end up in hell or something?" he mutters, stepping out the cave and looking around.
[01:41] <+Maz> "Let's get across the bridge?" Maz suggests, before setting out to do just that, briskly.
[01:41] <+Carthrat> Once again, the children try to leap onto the bridge, and once again, they fail utterly.
[01:42] <@Seraphin> "No, Hell's not NEARLY this nice," Seraphin provides, nodding to Maz and moving across the bridge.
[01:42] <+Carthrat> "Maybe this is the lobby," he returns, following you across the bridge.
[01:42] * @Thrall nods to the others as they reach the other side. "Heard something nasty down that way," he supplies, nodding his head towards the crystalline corridor.
[01:43] <@Kethean> "Think that's the way to go?" Kethean asks.
[01:44] <@Thrall> "Unless you want to swim in the lava," the half-orc shrugs eloquently.
[01:45] <@Kethean> "No thanks. A little too warm for my taste, I think..."
[01:46] <+Carthrat> Darvin peers dimly into the crystalline caverns, though the light spells of the party provide adequete illumination. "Yeah. Let's keep going," he mutters, staying near the group.
[01:47] * @Thrall nods, likewise starting down the only path ahead.
[01:48] * +Maz keeps her distance, observing the surroundings with her spell-augmented sight and making sure no one is following them from behind.
[01:49] * @Seraphin moves along with the group, eyes and ears open to whatever's happening as they move through the tunnel.
[01:50] <+Carthrat> This cavern leads to a great circular place, half-natural, half-carved by mortal hands out of the stone. Seraphin can hear distant growls, somewhere, and what sound like... footsteps, echoing in the distance? It could be your own or someone elses. This corridor, in due course, leads to a room very similar to the one you saw upstairs, previously- but instead of glass and the sea, there is simply rock. The four raised 'pools' lie ahead, but the cavern continues on beyond this place.
[01:51] <+Carthrat> The four raised 'pools' lie ahead, but the cavern continues on beyond this place.
[01:54] * +Maz examines the pools for any inscriptions or blood and other foreign objects inside them.
[01:54] * @Seraphin frowns, looking around. "Everyone stop a moment," she instructs, waiting for quiet. "I'm hearing footsteps, and in these caves...impossible to tell if they're ours."
[01:54] <+Carthrat> Each pool is marked with a glyph that symbolizes one of the four alignments. The pool that is marked with 'good' appears to have a small amount of water in it, while the other three are simply rocky recepticles.
[01:55] * @Thrall stops as instructed.
[01:55] * @Kethean stops, and tries to listen as well on his part for the sound of footsteps not theirs.
[01:55] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+6
[01:55] <+Reikobot> 1,0Kethean rolls :1,0 1d20+6 --> 12,0[ 1d20=20 ]12,0{26}
[01:56] <@Seraphin> roll 1d20+8
[01:56] <+Reikobot> 1,0Seraphin rolls :1,0 1d20+8 --> 12,0[ 1d20=1 ]12,0{9}
[01:59] <@Kethean> "I hear it. You're right, Seraphin, there's several about, some of them light and others wearing heavy mail, clanking along. Can't tell where they're going though," Kethean notes, when Seraphin doesn't confirm her suspicions about the sounds.
[02:01] * @Seraphin shakes her head. "Must've caught something in passing, my ears aren't that sensitive..." she murmurs, shrugging. "Well at least we know."
[02:01] <+Maz> "When you fill the pools above with blood, their contents seem to go here," Maz comments, having finished her examination. She decides not to mention anything about the alignments.
[02:04] * +Maz takes the time to briefly flip through the dead mage's journal for any references to these pools, alignments, the inscription she read above and all related material.
[02:05] <+Carthrat> OOC: Nope.
[02:05] <+Maz> OOC: No fire critters, too?
[02:05] <+Carthrat> OOC: Nope.
[02:12] <@Thrall> "Anyway, no sign of our kidnapped girl here. Let's keep moving," Thrall suggests, doing just that.
[02:12] * +Maz throws a nervous glance back, before following, though still keeping her distance.
[02:14] * @Seraphin gives Maz a nervous glance, keeping an eye on her fellow tiefling to make sure she doesn't fall too far back and disappear to some assassin's kniife sneaking up behind them.
[02:14] <+Carthrat> Another low growl echoes from further along the cavern, which appears to get slightly darker than it was before, if anything- even causing issues with the darkvision of half the group. Maz detects faint evocation emnating from this area.
[02:20] * @Thrall squints, slowing his pace. "Perfect place for a trap," he can't help but note as they reach the magical darkness.
[02:21] * +Maz silently agrees, which is why she's perfectly happy to let Darvin take the lead.
[02:23] <+Carthrat> As Thrall and Darvin venture into the darkness, he *sees* some.. shape.. something inside there! It looks like it could be.. some kind of winged lion, by shape?
[02:24] <+Carthrat> It growls as the pair approach, padding slowly around, seemingly to face them!
[02:26] <@Kethean> "Think we can get past it without having to resort to fighting it?" Kethean asks, pretty sure of the answer. But who knows, maybe someone in the group gets along well with animals.
[02:26] * @Thrall pauses, eyeing the creature warily. Hopefully Darvin can start the fight and draw most of its ire - Thrall's in no mood to be further bitten/clawed/burned/etc.
[02:27] <+Carthrat> "Is there something there? I can't see," mutters Darvin, drawing his swords and squinting.
[02:28] <@Thrall> "Winged lion thing," Thrall supplies, unsure exactly what to do since it isn't actually attacking.
[02:28] <+Carthrat> The creature stares at the party a moment more, and then growls- probably bearing teeth! You can hear a long, sweeping sound behind it- the tail?
[02:30] * @Thrall decides to back off since the lion isn't charging or anything. "It's not attacking, but I don't think it'll let us past without a fight."
[02:32] <+Carthrat> The thing growls again, advancing a step towards Thrall and Darvin! Darvin recoils, slightly, but grumbles. "We'll need to go through it anyway!"
[02:33] <+Carthrat> A low whistle sounds out, somewhere beyond the darkness, and you can faintly see the creature padding away...
[02:33] <@Thrall> "Well let's lure it out of the darkness so we can kill it better, then," Thrall suggests, drawing his rapier before stopping as it backs off. "Or not..."
[02:37] <+Carthrat> Darvin snarls, and stalks forward into the darkness, frustration plain in his angry growls.
[02:37] * @Thrall lets Darvin take a few steps lead before he follows.
[02:38] <+Maz> "Something in the darkness?" Maz asks Thrall, following cautiously.
[02:38] <@Thrall> "Winged lion," Thrall repeats. "It's master must be nearby, since it backed off at that whistle."
[02:39] <+Maz> "Wait a moment for me," Maz tells him, and makes her way towards Thrall. She takes out a scroll and reads from it, gesturing at the appropriate times, before placing her now-glowing hands on his rapier. "For luck," she tells him with a shrug.
[02:40] <+Carthrat> "You!" snarls Darvin, from the other end. As Thrall reaches the edge of this magical darkness, he sees a dwarf before him, clad in bulky black plate mail, and armed with a stout crystal shield, carrying a dark flail in this other hand. The manticore stands to one side of him, and behind him is a curious black hemisphere rising out the ground, radiating magic. "Hello," he smiles, a remarkably cultured voice, for a dwarf, a clean-shaven face smiling like a Thayan merchant.
[02:40] <+Carthrat> clean-shaven face smiling like a Thayan merchant.
[02:42] * +Maz examines everything with her spell, using the time of pre-battle banter for that task.
[02:44] * @Thrall bites off a curse, deciding to drink his last potion. Really should've kept his old axe...
[02:45] <+Maz> "Manticore," she whispers to the others. "Evil. Nasty claws and bite. Tail shoots spikes."
[02:46] <+Carthrat> "You should probably know that killing me won't get you very far," he *smiles* at you. "Or, rather, perhaps it will, but you'll waste valuable time doing that while your sister- nay, your entire family is ground beneath the heel of that Dark Moon."
[02:47] <+Maz> "Flail and shield are magical," she relays, concluding her investigation. "Magic from the hemisphere I'm wagering is his Dark Moon."
[02:49] <@Thrall> "So why shouldn't we kill you, then?" Thrall asks, readying his crappy (but at least now magical!) toy sword.
[02:51] <+Carthrat> "Certainly, you can try," pronounces the dwarf. "But for you, now, every second counts. Where do you go? To slay me? To rescue Anastasia, held in the right wing? Back to Borst, to stop the raiders?" He tsks. "You said you'd never go through our initiations, Darvin? Unfortunately for you, it has already begun..."
[02:51] * +Maz casts Shield on herself discreetly from a scroll, as she waits for the inevitable collapse of negotiations.
[02:56] <+Carthrat> Darvin grits his teeth. "Why're you doing this?" he says, backing off a step. "Even if you kill everyone close to me, I'll only loathe you more!" The dwarf just smiles.. once again. "Perhaps that is our goal," he murmurs. "Will we play the game of blood and skulls, or will you be the dutiful son?"

[Corwin]

[23:17] <@Emo-GM> Darvin stutters, hands tightening around his swords. His tounge fumbles as he tries to work out what to say, fear, worry, and anger intermingling across his features.
[23:20] <@Kethean> "There's no guarantee we'd make it in time to save everyone in Brost, Darvin...let's focus on who we can save right now, and the enemy at hand," Kethean suggests with a little difficulty. Raiders? Is that what his vision had been all about?
[23:23] <@Emo-GM> Darvin grits his teeth, glancing back at the path behind him, over his shoulder. "I want to run and get my sister! But this dwarf.. urgh, I want him dead," he swears, blades quivering in his hands.
[23:24] <@Maz> "In fact, the chances of us getting there in time are nill," Maz adds calmly. "And should this dwarf live, he will become an enemy at our backs when we go after the girl into the other tunnel."
[23:25] * @Kethean nods in agreement. "Darvin...let's focus your rage on this guy first, shall we?" Kethean comments as he tries to focus Darvin.
[23:25] <@Thrall> "I say we kill the Dwarf, first," Thrall agrees. "Shouldn't take too long..."
[23:26] <@Maz> "You're being underestimated," Maz tells the dwarf with a smirk. "That must be a pain."
[23:26] <@Emo-GM> He stares murderously at the dwarf, lapping up your every word! "Then, you die," he snarls, readying himself! The dwarf cackles. "Misinformation. The one constant of all war! Perish here, then, in the name of Shar!"
[23:27] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+2
[23:27] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d20+2 and gets 15."12 [1d20=13]
[23:27] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+3
[23:27] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d20+3 and gets 9."12 [1d20=6]
[23:27] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4
[23:27] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 1d20+4 and gets 10."12 [1d20=6]
[23:27] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+4 Seraphin
[23:27] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+4 Seraphin and gets 12."12 [1d20=8]
[23:28] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+2 Manti
[23:28] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+2 Manti and gets 7."12 [1d20=5]
[23:28] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+5 Dwarfy
[23:28] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+5 Dwarfy and gets 19."12 [1d20=14]
[23:28] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20 ???
[23:28] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20 ??? and gets 16."12 [1d20=16]
[23:29] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+4
[23:29] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+4 and gets 7."12 [1d20=3]
[23:30] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+1
[23:30] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+1 and gets 14."12 [1d20=13]
[23:30] * Emo-GM changes topic to 'Dwarfy > ??? > Thrall > Darvin > Seraphin > Maz > Kethean > Manti = Alastor'
[23:31] <@Emo-GM> The dwarf sets his stance nearby the black orb, his shield up and in a highly poised position, waiting for the right moment to strike! Black tendrils extend from the bizzare orb, striking his body and causing him to glow with power!
[23:34] * @Thrall decides to tackle the Dwarf's pet, since Darvin and Kethean have a more personal stake in killing the shortarse, themselves. Moving to engage, he stabs his now magical rapier right at its ugly face!
[23:34] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+12
[23:34] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d20+12 and gets 13."12 [1d20=1]
[23:35] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+13
[23:35] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+13 and gets 29."12 [1d20=16]
[23:36] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d8+7
[23:36] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d8+7 and gets 11."12 [1d8=4]
[23:38] <@Emo-GM> The manticore easily bashes your rapier aside with it's wing, the terrible tail at the rear snapping in indigniant fury! The dwarf, meanwhile, advances towards you, lashing out with his flail in a skillful blow that beats Thrall across the side, putting another dent in his well-worn armour! It glitters with black energy, a dark jewel in the haft sparkling!
[23:38] * Emo-GM changes topic to ' ??? > Thrall > Dwarfy > Darvin > Seraphin > Maz > Kethean > Manti = Alastor'
[23:39] <@Emo-GM> Darvin screams an angry cry, rushing towards the dwarf and lashing out with one of his heavy swords!
[23:40] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+14
[23:40] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+14 and gets 27."12 [1d20=13]
[23:41] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d10+6
[23:41] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d10+6 and gets 7."12 [1d10=1]
[23:42] <@Emo-GM> The blade slips past his shield, doing a minor injury to the stout fanatic! Seraphin slinks up beside the manticore, alongside Thrall, twirling her ornate shortsword before driving it towards the creature's flank!
[23:42] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+10
[23:42] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+10 and gets 21."12 [1d20=11]
[23:42] <@Emo-GM> roll 2d6+4
[23:42] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 2d6+4 and gets 13."12 [2d6=4, 5]
[23:43] <@Emo-GM> The blade carves a long wound across the foul creature's side, black blood dripping from the tiefling's pristine blade...
[23:44] <@Maz> "This will help you," she tells Kethean softly, before unrolling a scroll. Maz moves towards Kethean as she reads the ancient words, breathing power into them! A light in the form of an inverted pentagram appears on the sheet of parchment, before shooting out towards the monk's chest!
[23:45] * @Maz returns her attention to the powered-up dwarf and the strange, foreign hemisphere, focusing her magical senses and knowledge on them!
[23:46] <@Maz> roll 1d20+15
[23:46] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 1d20+15 and gets 35."12 [1d20=20]
[23:47] * @Kethean nods his thanks to Maz as he moves to assist his brother, giving a magical command of "Die!" to the dwarf as he approaches, hoping to leave the dwarf completely open to Darvin's rage, and making that command a reality hopefully.
[23:47] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+7
[23:47] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+7 and gets 9."12 [1d20=2]
[23:51] <@Emo-GM> The dwarf's eyes grow slightly wider at Kethean's command, and he drops to the ground, writhing slightly in the clutches of the spell! The manticore engaging Thrall takes a step back, crouching... and then snaps it's tail, unleashing a storm of needles upon the entire room, striking towards Darvin, Thrall, and Seraphin, all at once!
[23:51] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[23:51] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[23:51] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[23:51] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[23:51] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[23:51] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[23:51] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 9."12 [1d20=1]
[23:51] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 19."12 [1d20=11]
[23:51] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 17."12 [1d20=9]
[23:51] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 9."12 [1d20=1]
[23:51] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 13."12 [1d20=5]
[23:51] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 11."12 [1d20=3]
[23:51] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d8+2
[23:51] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d8+2 and gets 3."12 [1d8=1]
[23:52] <@Emo-GM> One spine lodges itself in Darvin's shoulder, but the warrior barely notices as he stands over the dwarf's fallen form! Thrall and Seraphin block and evade the needles respectively, as Alastor returns fire at the beast!
[23:52] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+11
[23:52] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+11 and gets 17."12 [1d20=6]
[23:52] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d6+6
[23:52] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d6+6 and gets 9."12 [1d6=3]
[23:52] <@Emo-GM> It scabs the creature in the flank, matching Seraphin's blade!
[23:55] <@Maz> "The hemisphere is a hut, housing up to ten," Maz cautions the others, keeping her gaze on it.
[23:55] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+6
[23:55] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+6 and gets 24."12 [1d20=18]
[23:56] <@Emo-GM> A black beam streaks out from the sphere at Maz's words, striking Darvin in the chest! His hands go limp, and his sword-points droop towards the ground!
[23:56] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d6+3
[23:56] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d6+3 and gets 9."12 [1d6=6]
[23:56] <@Thrall> A little unsteady after being banged by the Dwarf's flail, Thrall's skill is still undiminished as his shiny toy sword flashes intricately through the air, stabbing into the Manticore while Seraphin flanks it!
[23:56] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+13
[23:56] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d20+13 and gets 27."12 [1d20=14]
[23:57] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+8
[23:57] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d20+8 and gets 19."12 [1d20=11]
[23:57] <@Thrall> roll 1d6+5
[23:57] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d6+5 and gets 6."12 [1d6=1]
[23:57] <@Thrall> roll 1d6+5
[23:57] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d6+5 and gets 10."12 [1d6=5]
[23:58] <@Emo-GM> The dwarf froths on the ground, lashing out with his flail at Darvin's feet, even though he can hardly get much momentum from the ground!
[23:58] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+9
[23:58] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+9 and gets 26."12 [1d20=17]
[23:59] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d8+7
[23:59] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d8+7 and gets 11."12 [1d8=4]
Session Time: Sun Jul 09 00:00:00 2006
[00:01] <@Emo-GM> Darvin's swords work in fury, points driving down and down to slaughter the one who would harm his relatives!
[00:01] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+12
[00:01] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+12
[00:01] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+12
[00:01] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+12 and gets 19."12 [1d20=7]
[00:01] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+12 and gets 16."12 [1d20=4]
[00:01] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+12 and gets 27."12 [1d20=15]
[00:01] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d10+6
[00:01] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d10+6
[00:01] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d10+6 and gets 14."12 [1d10=8]
[00:01] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d10+6 and gets 11."12 [1d10=5]
[00:01] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+6
[00:01] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+6
[00:01] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+6 and gets 23."12 [1d20=17]
[00:01] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+6 and gets 14."12 [1d20=8]
[00:01] <@Emo-GM> roll 2d6+4
[00:01] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 2d6+4 and gets 11."12 [2d6=5, 2]
[00:02] <@Emo-GM> Darvin's blades plunge twice into the dwarf, who, somehow, does not scream at the pain, as Seraphin skims her swords through the manticore, twisting the sword inside it's gut!
[00:05] * @Maz grimaces at what she is about to do, but she can't let a mage and who knows how many of its flunkies to snipe at them from inside the magical hut. Thus, it is with great reluctance that she takes out the scroll with the fireball spell inscribed on it, and reads from it.
[00:05] <@Maz> "Oh, source of all power, light which burns beyond crimson, let thy power gather in my hand. FIREBALL!"
[00:05] <@Maz> roll 5d6 for FIRE IN THE HUT
[00:05] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 5d6 for FIRE IN THE HUT and gets 19."12 [5d6=4, 3, 4, 3, 5]
[00:05] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+4 oh dear
[00:05] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+4 oh dear and gets 24."12 [1d20=20]
[00:06] <@Emo-GM> There's a muffled cry from within the orb... but even as the flame wreaths across it, the dwarf on the ground begins to laugh!
[00:08] <@Kethean> With the dwarf not out of commission, Kethean moves to attack the dwarf from the side opposite Darvin, pulling out his nunchukus and striking at the dwarf.
[00:09] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+6
[00:09] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d20+6 and gets 11."12 [1d20=5]
[00:10] <@Emo-GM> Despite his fearsome blow, the dwarf's armour defends him, even as he begins to struggle to his feet! The manticore nearby snaps it's tail once again, a hail of needles sent flying at Maz and Alastor, this time!
[00:10] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[00:10] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[00:10] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[00:10] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[00:10] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 22."12 [1d20=14]
[00:10] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[00:10] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[00:10] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 17."12 [1d20=9]
[00:10] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 26."12 [1d20=18]
[00:10] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 15."12 [1d20=7]
[00:10] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 19."12 [1d20=11]
[00:10] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 23."12 [1d20=15]
[00:11] <@Emo-GM> roll 2d8+4
[00:11] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 2d8+4 and gets 14."12 [2d8=2, 8]
[00:11] <@Emo-GM> roll 2d8+4
[00:11] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 2d8+4 and gets 16."12 [2d8=6, 6]
[00:11] <@Emo-GM> Spines lodge in the archer and Maz both, even as the bowman returns fire! Alastor seemed to get the worst of it, but neither he nor Maz look well-off after that volley!
[00:12] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+9
[00:12] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+9
[00:12] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+9 and gets 13."12 [1d20=4]
[00:12] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+9 and gets 22."12 [1d20=13]
[00:12] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d6+6
[00:12] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d6+6 and gets 10."12 [1d6=4]
[00:13] <@Emo-GM> His arrow knifes through the manticore! While he does so, the dwarf yells at the black circle- "Juan! We flee!" Harsh words expel themselves from the orb, and the entire room is suddenly drowned by sleet, making vision virtually impossible for all involved! Harsh snow pounds down underground, and it's difficult to even move!
[00:15] * @Thrall growls in guttural rage as he stabs blindly in front of him - the Manticore's a decent target even with all this blasted snow!
[00:15] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+13
[00:15] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d20+13 and gets 14."12 [1d20=1]
[00:15] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+8
[00:15] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d20+8 and gets 17."12 [1d20=9]
[00:16] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d100
[00:16] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d100 and gets 48."12 [1d100=48]
[00:16] <@Emo-GM> OOC: Damage, I'll say it doesn't have total concealment cos you ARE right next to it.
[00:16] <@Thrall> roll 1d6+5
[00:16] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d6+5 and gets 11."12 [1d6=6]
[00:17] <@Emo-GM> The manticore howls in fury, and you hear a solid THUD as the heavy body drops to the ground!
[00:18] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+3 MYSTERY
[00:18] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+3 MYSTERY and gets 19."12 [1d20=16]
[00:19] <@Emo-GM> Across the blinding snow, you can hear trudging feet away from the dwarf's former position! Heading towards the rear wall, somewhere! Darvin lashes randomly with his blades, but they're nowhere near striking something!
[00:20] * @Maz downs a potion as the enemies cowardly retreat.
[00:20] <@Maz> roll 1d8+3
[00:20] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 1d8+3 and gets 7."12 [1d8=4]
[00:22] * @Kethean attempts to follow after the sound of footsteps, hoping to keep up with the dwarf.
[00:23] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+6
[00:23] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d20+6 and gets 16."12 [1d20=10]
[00:24] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+5 balance
[00:24] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d20+5 balance and gets 25."12 [1d20=20]
[00:26] <@Kethean> As he gets closer to the sound of footsteps, Kethean pulls back a fist and aims it in the direction he's moving, his fist hopefully leaving the dwarf too stunned to make his escape in full.
[00:26] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+6
[00:26] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d20+6 and gets 16."12 [1d20=10]
[00:28] <@Emo-GM> Kethean cops a bruise across his hand as it slams into the plate-armour the dwarf wears! He can see, out the corner of his eye, some figure alongside the wall with the dwarf! It does... something... to the wall, and Kethean can witness the dwarf stepping through some kind of hole!
[00:30] <@Thrall> "Can anyone see them?" Thrall calls, groping blindly amid the driving snow as he turns towards where Darvin and Kethean were attacking the Dwarf.
[00:33] <@Maz> "I see snow, lots of it. It is nice," Maz deadpans.
[00:33] * @Kethean attempts to dash in before the hole closes, while making a yell to his allies. "They're over here! There's a secret passageway!" he shouts as loud as he can, so there's no doubt where he's at.
[00:34] * @Maz follows bravely, invigorated by that healing potion!
[00:34] * @Thrall starts in the direction Kethean's voice came from!
[00:34] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4 balance
[00:34] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 1d20+4 balance and gets 6."12 [1d20=2]
[00:35] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+2
[00:35] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d20+2 and gets 19."12 [1d20=17]
[00:37] <@Thrall> Seeing Kethean enter the secret passageway, Thrall follows, eager to end things!
[00:37] <@Emo-GM> Kethean plunges through the gap in the tunnel, his vision clearing from snow! He's in a very narrow rocky tunnel, only big enough to fit people marching in single file through! The dwarf stands before him, with a black-robed figure behind, and the warrior growls as Kethean approaches! "Persistant, ain't ya? Let's see how long it takes to put you down!"
[00:38] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+4 for Seraphin
[00:38] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+4 for Seraphin and gets 24."12 [1d20=20]
[00:39] <@Emo-GM> Seraphin and Thrall manage to skitter towards the entrance, barely seeing Kethean just in front of them, and hearing the words the dwarf says!
[00:40] <@Kethean> "You're kidding. You're running like the big coward you are, and -now- you get cocky?" Kethean asks with a raised eyebrow. "Please...don't be stupid."
[00:40] <@Emo-GM> The mage snorts. "Not long, I'll say," he says, flicking a finger and sending a trio of magical darts flying towards Kethean!
[00:40] <@Emo-GM> roll 3d4+3
[00:40] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 3d4+3 and gets 13."12 [3d4=4, 2, 4]
[00:42] <@Thrall> With Kethean blocking his way, Thrall takes the acid flask off his belt, hurling it past the Monk and at the evil Mage!
[00:42] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+8 for ranged touch attack
[00:42] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d20+8 for ranged touch attack and gets 19."12 [1d20=11]
[00:42] <@Thrall> roll 1d6
[00:42] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d6 and gets 6."12 [1d6=6]
[00:42] * @Kethean winces a bit at the pain, and makes a mental note to attack first next time and then reply to threats of doom as he pulls his nunchukus again, and attacks the dwarf.
[00:42] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+6
[00:42] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d20+6 and gets 19."12 [1d20=13]
[00:44] <@Emo-GM> The mage hisses in pain, clutching one side of his face as Thrall's chemical chaos makes contact! A splash hit's the dwarf's head, but he barely notices it, as he lashes out twice with his flail, attempting to beat down Kethean where he stands!
[00:44] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+13
[00:44] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+13 and gets 28."12 [1d20=15]
[00:44] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[00:44] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 14."12 [1d20=6]
[00:45] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d8+7
[00:45] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d8+7 and gets 13."12 [1d8=6]
[00:45] <@Emo-GM> A solid blow catches the monk on the head, blacking one eye and filling his vision with blood!
[00:49] * @Maz belatedly attempts to follow the direction everyone left towards, having almost slipped on the ice the last time, withdrawing her wand of Magic Missiles as she does so.
[00:49] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4 balance so lame
[00:49] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 1d20+4 balance so lame and gets 8."12 [1d20=4]
[00:50] <@Emo-GM> Maz manages to walk on the spot.
[00:51] * @Maz must like the ice too much to part company with it so soon.
[00:55] * @Kethean winces in pain and decides to leave the dwarf to his companions, in the state he's in. Hoping to make more room for them, as well as take on the mage, Kethean attempts to use his acrobatic might to tumble past the dwarf and attack the mage.
[00:55] <@Kethean> roll 1d20+10 tumble
[00:55] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d20+10 tumble and gets 12."12 [1d20=2]
[00:55] <@Emo-GM> As Kethean tries to slip past the dwarf, he lashes out with his flail, trying to kill the monk as he flies past!
[00:55] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+13
[00:55] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+13 and gets 28."12 [1d20=15]
[00:56] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d8+7
[00:56] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d8+7 and gets 11."12 [1d8=4]
[00:57] <@Emo-GM> He bashes Kethean out the way, sending the monk flying to his rear, between the mage and the dwarf!
[00:57] <@Emo-GM> The holy man falls unconscious, the sounds of battle dimming with his sight!
[00:57] <@Emo-GM> Cursing, Ser leans into the corridor, firing an arrow from her shortbow at the mirthful zealot!
[00:58] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[00:58] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 12."12 [1d20=4]
[00:58] <@Emo-GM> But it glances off his robust shield!
[01:01] <@Emo-GM> The mage glances at Kethean, lying comatose on the ground, and grunts, hands raised in front of him, ready to cast a spell! The dwarf snorts- "Aye, then! Come meet your dooms!"
[01:05] <@Thrall> "Damn you..." Thrall growls as he sees their cleric put down like a rabid dog. Holding his rapier forward, the half-orc plants his other palm on the base of the hilt, intending to drive every bit of muscle into impaling the Dwarf as he charges forward to ream him!
[01:06] <@Thrall> roll 1d20+13
[01:06] * +Hatbot --> "Thrall rolls 1d20+13 and gets 16."12 [1d20=3]
[01:07] <@Emo-GM> The dwarf interposes his shield in the way, taking advantage of the tight space and limited room to feint and maneouver! "Ha-Ha! Too bad, my tusky friend!" he shouts. "Killing you is something me and my people can actually agree on!" The mage snaps his fingers and releases magical bolts, flying in a trio towards Thrall!
[01:07] <@Emo-GM> roll 3d4+3
[01:07] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 3d4+3 and gets 10."12 [3d4=2, 1, 4]
[01:07] <@Emo-GM> The dwarf lashes out with his flail, attempting to finish off the half-orc!
[01:07] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+13
[01:07] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+13 and gets 28."12 [1d20=15]
[01:07] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d8+7
[01:07] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d8+7 and gets 8."12 [1d8=1]
[01:08] <@Emo-GM> His flail claims a second victim for the day, dropping his half-orc foe to the ground!
[01:08] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+3
[01:08] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+3 and gets 14."12 [1d20=11]
[01:09] <@Emo-GM> But as Seraphin grits her teeth, she sees Darvin advance into the tunnel- "You'll fall now, fiend!" he yells, managing to get through the ice and to the entrance of the cave!
[01:09] <@Kethean> roll 1d100
[01:09] * +Hatbot --> "Kethean rolls 1d100 and gets 40."12 [1d100=40]
[01:10] <@Maz> roll 1d20+4 balance not funny anymore but getting kinda sad come on this is snow and ice what's the big deal?
[01:10] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 1d20+4 balance not funny anymore but getting kinda sad come on this is snow and ice what's the big deal? and gets 12."12 [1d20=8]
[01:12] * @Maz heads carefully towards the opening of the tunnel, getting close to Seraphin as she takes stock of the situation. Seeing two of her comrades on the ground, she flushes scarlet, and brings her index and middle fingers to her lips. She bestows a light kiss on them, before flinging her arm out in the direction of the evil mage!
[01:12] <@Maz> roll 3d4+3
[01:12] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 3d4+3 and gets 12."12 [3d4=2, 3, 4]
[01:12] <@Emo-GM> The dwarf glances behind as Maz's bolts strike true, sending them mage down in one swift stroke!
[01:13] <@Maz> "It seems we were underestimated as well!" Maz calls out to him bravely.
[01:14] <@Emo-GM> The dwarf spits as he sees Maz's face, cursing all the while. "A pox on all of ye'!" he cries, slamming his flail towards Kethean's fallen form, a parting shot before fleeing!
[01:14] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+13
[01:14] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+13 and gets 33."12 [1d20=20]
[01:15] <@Emo-GM> The monk's body is ruined from the onslaught, and the dwarf flees down the corridor, Darvin charging after him to give persuit!
[01:15] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+10
[01:15] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+10 and gets 23."12 [1d20=13]
[01:15] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d10+3
[01:15] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d10+3 and gets 4."12 [1d10=1]
[01:17] <@Emo-GM> He screams in anger as his blade chases after the dwarf, doing another minor wound as the pair step over two broken corpses!
[01:17] * @Maz rushes towards Thrall, forcing a healing potion between his stiff lips.
[01:17] <@Maz> roll 1d8+3
[01:17] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 1d8+3 and gets 11."12 [1d8=8]
[01:18] <@Thrall> "Urgh..." Thrall weakly opens his eyes, sitting up slowly as the magic courses through him, far from repairing all his wounds but doing enough that he can function.
[01:19] <@Emo-GM> Seraphin leans into the alleyway, anger bottled up in her crimson eyes! She doesn't risk firing another shot- "Even though I don't care so much if I hit the buffoon," she mutters.
[01:19] * @Maz keeps watch, her wand out. "Are you alright?" she asks him tersely.
[01:20] <@Thrall> "I'll live," the half-orc nods as he leans against the wall, glancing down at Kethean's ruined form with a pitying look. "More than I can say for him..."
[01:22] <@Maz> "There was nothing I could do," she says, before heading out towards the rest of the tunnel cautiously. "I'll make sure nothing's there to come after us."
[01:22] <@Emo-GM> Darvin chases the dwarf somewhere far down the tunnel, and it turns, out of sight... the sleet storm behind the group dissapates, leaving behind only a field of rapidly melting snow, and that ominous black orb.
[01:23] <@Thrall> "Should we follow them?" Thrall asks, sounding rather beaten.
[01:23] <@Emo-GM> Maz rushes after them, and manages to gain on them, Seraphin heading rapidly behind her! They see the dwarf turn around and engage the human fighter in melee- one he seems poised to lose...
[01:24] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[01:24] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[01:24] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 13."12 [1d20=5]
[01:24] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+3
[01:24] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 24."12 [1d20=16]
[01:24] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+3 and gets 4."12 [1d20=1]
[01:24] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d10+6
[01:24] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d10+6 and gets 9."12 [1d10=3]
[01:24] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+13
[01:24] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+13 and gets 17."12 [1d20=4]
[01:24] <@Emo-GM> roll 1d20+8
[01:24] * +Hatbot --> "Emo-GM rolls 1d20+8 and gets 19."12 [1d20=11]
[01:24] <@Thrall> Seeing the other two chase, Thrall does indeed follow!
[01:24] <@Emo-GM> Darvin deals a slash across the dwarf, while the counterattack is neatly deflected! OOC: Maz?
[01:25] * @Maz flings out her wand arm, a pair of magical bolts flying unerringly at the evil dwarf!
[01:25] <@Maz> roll 2d4+2
[01:25] * +Hatbot --> "Maz rolls 2d4+2 and gets 6."12 [2d4=3, 1]
[01:26] <@Emo-GM> The dwarf stumbles, and collapses at Maz's assault, the flail skittering from his grip! Darvin pants, but seems mostly fine, despite all the combat that has just gone on!
[01:27] <@Maz> "That's for Kethean, you Sharran freak!" Maz spits out at the fallen enemy.
[01:28] <@Emo-GM> The dwarf does not respond, unconscious or dead. Darvin starts. "..what?" he murmurs, turning to face you.
[01:28] <@Maz> "Make sure the evil thing is dead before talking!" Maz snaps out at Darvin. "You've got a sword, use it!"
[01:30] <@Emo-GM> Darvin glances numbly at the dwarf, one of his swords slipping from his grasp. He lets out a sudden cry, pounding his other sword through the dwarf's chest, a blow that sinks the blade into the stone beneath ti!
[01:32] <@Maz> "Good," Maz grates, and sags against a nearby wall. "How about you guys? Fit enough to retreat?"
[01:32] <@Emo-GM> "Was that monk Kethean?" snaps Darvin, pulling himself up. "Tell me it wasn't. Tell me I misheard you."
[01:33] <@Thrall> "I think we need to rest before anything else," Thrall agrees wearily as he catches up. "We're in no shape for another battle, especially without a cleric to heal us..." he looks down disgustedly. Poor Kethean... he was alright.
[01:34] <@Maz> "What, didn't you recognize him?" Maz asks Darvin, before shaking her head. "What a family...." She turns to look at Thrall, then, frowning. "Yes, which is why I asked if we were in any shape to retreat. Those lava creatures might decide to follow us, if we stay here long enough. Plus, who knows what else is here?"
[01:34] * @Thrall nods. "That's what I meant - we should retreat so we can recover," he reaffirms his agreement with Maz.
[01:35] <@Emo-GM> "He.. he left home a long time ago, I haven't seen him in many years," murmurs Darvin. "What.. why, how did he come to be here? Why didn't he *tell* me?"
[01:35] <@Maz> "He certainly didn't have any problems recognizing _you_," Maz mutters. "And why do you think? To save that sister of yours."
[01:36] <@Thrall> Looking up at Darvin, Thrall just appears very tired. "I think he wanted to wait until after we found your sister..."
[01:37] <@Emo-GM> Darvin wrenches his sword out the dwarf's body, and starts shouldering past you. "So that's.. that. Aha. Family Evenwood, reduced to one by now..."
[01:38] <@Maz> "What are you, an idiot?" Maz snaps at Darvin. "You'll just leave that kid sister of your that Kethean gave his life to save? What's that reduced to one crap?!"
[01:40] <@Emo-GM> "Where do you think I'm GOING?" he snarls, suddenly. "She was probably dead before I even got here, anyway, but if all I do is avenge her..." He starts running back down the hall, and with a brief look at Kethean's body, he shakes his head and keeps running back through the corridor, towards the elevator.
[01:41] <@Maz> "Send it back for us!" Maz calls out after him, not in any desire to run at the moment.
[01:42] * @Thrall sighs. "So much for a peaceful visit to his family..." the half-orc mutters bitterly. "Come on, let's get out of here. We can worry about the rest tomorrow."
[01:46] * @Maz nods, and goes to check the enemy mage for any valuables, not intending to ever return to this evil cavern in the future.
[01:46] <@Thrall> While Maz does that... "We can at least get some money for this head, if we ever return to Saradush," Thrall notes to Seraphin, collecting the crystalline shield and flail from the Dwarf's lifeless fingers.
[01:47] <@Emo-GM> Seraphin snorts. "Yeah. It might almost make this worth it," she spits, but she kneels down next to the dwarf and starts sawing off his head with her jewelled sword.
[01:48] <@Maz> "Keep this close," Maz tells Seraphin, handing the black jewel back to her. "I'm pretty much done studying it, and it'd be a decent help in the future. Just remember the minute and a half time limit on its use, or it'd explode."
[01:49] <@Emo-GM> Seraphin blinks, but nods, and pockets the jewel. She wraps up the fallen head in a small sack, and stands up. "I'm good to go."
[01:50] <@Thrall> "Likewise," Thrall agrees, shield held on his back between the sword and armour and flail stuffed into his pack. "I'll... carry Kethean," he adds. The least they can do is provide a proper burial.
[01:53] <@Emo-GM> <-A few hours later...->
[01:54] <@Emo-GM> As the party sits outside the huge cave, they witness Darvin coming out, looking like hell- parts of his armour have been clawed off and he's holding one of his arms as if it's broken. He only has one sword, and he glances morosely at you all, wordlessly dropping to the ground nearby. Alastor is nowhere to be seen.
[01:55] * @Thrall looks up from their campfire at Darvin, only nodding in grim recognition. The fact that he doesn't have the girl with him tells enough.
[01:57] <@Emo-GM> "Thanks for being there," he mutters. "It feels sick to say it, but at least I'm not dead, too."
[01:57] <@Emo-GM> "And.. well, sorry."
[01:58] <@Thrall> "Don't apologise..." Thrall mutters dourly. "Not what we expected when Kethean said he wanted to visit his family..."
[02:00] <@Emo-GM> Darvin nods, grimly, staring at the sky. "They turned my sister into some undead creature," he murmurs. "I burned her body.. damn." He pauses, somewhat uncomfortable.
[02:01] * @Thrall just shakes his head, idly poking the campfire with a stick. "Sharrans are sick bastards, no doubt about it..."
[02:02] <@Emo-GM> "'Lady of Loss', they call her. It's like they did all this just so I.. we.. would lose something."
[02:07] <@Thrall> "Aye... succeeded, too," Thrall growls. "Psychotic bastards. At least with Umberlee or Bane you know where you stand. Shar, though... I bet she'd be happy with this, even though we killed her servants."