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Post by Dave B. on Mar 9, 2016 23:06:13 GMT -4
Shorak sighs heavily as he rises. "Let's get this over with." He walks over to look out over the gray mockery of Stormreach. He motions for Histra to join him and points to where only he can see the vortex. "There, where the Temple area of Oldgate would be in my Stormreach." He doesn't wait for a response. He turns and heads back down to the ghoul area, staying watchful and wary.
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Joe
Streko Tavven (halfling)
Streko
Posts: 3,518
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Post by Joe on Mar 9, 2016 23:29:23 GMT -4
Streko follows with Condign. "Well, in between bouts of being crushed by what felt like the pincers of a giant spider wrapped around my torso, we had to convince a room full of undead creatures to chase after us and run down the hall to feed tat hideous creature holding you in its maw. Then, with the utmost in perfect timing, that Wraith-Thing that had been stalking us appeared and, next thing you know, Belarin is being killed and I can't hit the leeward side of a mountain range with a harsh word, let alone keep my friend safe. So, Histra appears out of nowhere, turns him into a giant rooster and freezes him in place long enough for the spider to drop you and scoop him up. Fortunately, many of the ghouls running at us were stupid enough to keep running and get snagged by the smaller spiders. All in all, it could have been much worse. Of course, we aren't out of this place yet and the day is fairly young, so who knows what shall come?"
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
Posts: 5,085
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Post by Brian on Mar 10, 2016 6:21:38 GMT -4
Condign listens to Streko. "No," he says, "we are not yet out of here." He hesitates. "I am sorry you were harmed by that cursed armor. Thankfully you were able to help in ridding myself of it. The thought that I might have been responsible for your death would have been too much for me to contemplate."
The tiefling quietly follows along the others, keeping his eyes open for more trouble.
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Mar 10, 2016 10:40:13 GMT -4
Histra nods at Shorak's words and stays close to him as they descend.
At the bottom of the stairwell, you find the canyon floor to be eerily vacant. The fissure is once again spanned by an intact but possibly illusionary bridge, and there isn't a single ghoul in sight. Just a few dark smears on the ground, a single shorn-off spider leg, and some new piles of rubble that seem to have rolled down from both sides of the rock wall.
Histra surveys the otherwise empty scene and looks to Belarin next.
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Ken
Belarin Malizia
Belarin
Posts: 5,691
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Post by Ken on Mar 10, 2016 11:12:57 GMT -4
Belarin says, "I need to find my dagger. Ideally my wand, too. Please help me and look around, everyone. I'll look for signs..."
_____________
Belarin invokes his Eldritch Sight.
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
Posts: 5,085
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Post by Brian on Mar 10, 2016 11:56:46 GMT -4
Condign nods at Belarin's words and starts searching for the dagger and wand.
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Darren
Kalarian d'Deneith (human)
Kalarian
Posts: 7,310
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Post by Darren on Mar 10, 2016 18:37:08 GMT -4
Kal waves his hand across the blade of his sharrash, which blazes forth with light. He casts a quick, questioning glance at Histra, seeming to ask if the light will be a problem. Then he begins to wave the blade across the ground, aiding in Belarin's search.
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Mar 11, 2016 7:42:01 GMT -4
Histra only shrugs at Kal's silent question.
With his arcane sight, it doesn't take Belarin long to locate his dagger by its emanation of quiet power. Concealed by a pile of rubble on one side of the canyon floor, it lies apart. No stones were actually touching it; it almost looked like everything fell neatly around it.
But neither he nor Condign nor Kal find any trace of his wand.
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Ken
Belarin Malizia
Belarin
Posts: 5,691
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Post by Ken on Mar 11, 2016 8:27:57 GMT -4
Belarin picks up the dagger with evident relief, as though he had just spotted a lost puppy. He welcomes the familiar pulse of energy within the weapon add he reverently sheathes it.
"Alas, the wand is lost, it seems -- pity," he says. "That was my one true find in that hoard back in Sharn. And it probably saved my life in Stormreach when 'Nerrin' was ambushed. Thank you for looking. Let's keep moving."
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Dave W.
Adamant (Warforged)
Adamant
Posts: 4,643
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Post by Dave W. on Mar 11, 2016 13:27:06 GMT -4
Adamant nods shortly, "Yes, I am sorry for what you have lost... I'm sorry for what we all have lost in this cursed place," Adamant thinks again of Syrdan's departure. "But we need to leave here before we lose anything else."
Adamant sets off at the head of the column with Shorak, shield and hammer ready.
I believe he's still shining dim light with the Delver's light. He'll keep it at that.
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
Posts: 5,085
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Post by Brian on Mar 12, 2016 8:18:34 GMT -4
Condign nods at Adamant's words, then follows along with the others.
_____________________________________
Big Red with take a place at the rear of the group.
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Ken
Belarin Malizia
Belarin
Posts: 5,691
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Post by Ken on Mar 12, 2016 10:41:26 GMT -4
Belarin maintains the Eldritch Sight. He'd like to avoid walking into another illusion.
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Mar 12, 2016 12:20:22 GMT -4
Seeing no further discussion, Histra gestures for Shorak to lead on north and soon you walk past where Kal's wall of fire had held back the horde of ghouls. Now you stand in the courtyard where the ghouls laired and once again, it's eerily quiet. Adamant's light doesn't extend the full breadth of the courtyard, but you can see well the strange pillars and the chains that still hang from them. And the old blood stains that encircle them. Shorak sees the vortext of colored light north and west, so it's clear the western street out of here is the way to go. She surveys the courtyard carefully, then nods in the same direction. If she knows anything about this place, she says nothing about it. It's not obvious why the spiders couldn't just venture here, but your gaze keeps coming back to those pillars. In Belarin's sight, the pillars radiate magical energy. Transmutation mostly.As you start to move again, you do see a few pale eyes looking back at you from the nearest windows. Fewer now.
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Post by Dave B. on Mar 12, 2016 12:47:20 GMT -4
Shorak heads for the west street, his Xen'drik boomerang still in hand, keeping an eye out for anything that might hinder their progress or be a danger. "This way." He says to the group, motioning everyone to follow.
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
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Post by Brian on Mar 12, 2016 12:51:57 GMT -4
Their footsteps echo across the empty courtyard. Condign searches for signs of danger.
"Does anyone else see those eyes?" he says and points to the windows across the courtyard.
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Ken
Belarin Malizia
Belarin
Posts: 5,691
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Post by Ken on Mar 12, 2016 13:50:37 GMT -4
"Yes," Belarin says distantly, his attention drawn to something else.
"Don't touch the pillars." He follows Shorak, Histra, and Adamant.
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Darren
Kalarian d'Deneith (human)
Kalarian
Posts: 7,310
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Post by Darren on Mar 12, 2016 14:30:56 GMT -4
"Where are the bodies?" Kal asks as they move past the charred ground.
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Joe
Streko Tavven (halfling)
Streko
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Post by Joe on Mar 13, 2016 11:43:15 GMT -4
"Perhaps the bodies were destroyed and the spirits of those kept here are now at rest?" Streko replies, anxiously moving forward with the group. "I would like to think so, but who can be sure?"
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Dave W.
Adamant (Warforged)
Adamant
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Post by Dave W. on Mar 13, 2016 17:22:23 GMT -4
"Yes, Condign, we are watched. They were more... aggressive... last time. Be alert, but I think they are not a threat now."
"The bodies are a mystery but I think I can live with that remaining so. Let us remain focused on leaving."
Adamant heads west too...
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Mar 15, 2016 9:45:03 GMT -4
Leaving the ghoul-warren behind, you pass once again into passages that resemble streets in Stormreach but have none of the bustling life, sights, or nuances. The path goes westward and runs alongside a dark water stream for a little while, before winding back north toward the Temple section of the city. You continue to feel the occasional eyes on you and wonder if any of them are the yugoloth. But nothing attacks.
Minutes pass as you move on.
Shorak keeps an eye on the sky and the thin swirling vortex of colors and it draws ever near. When you pass into what resembles, if vaguely, the Temple district, the street-like ground becomes pockmarked with small craters and sinkholes. Many of these are filled with standing water. Although the craters are unusual, Shorak knows the presence of water to be somewhat in keeping with this part of Stormreach, for it's located low to the ground and near the Koronoo River. Some parts of the Temple district are downright swampy. Here the ground isn't spongy, but water finds other places to gather.
At last, only a single spire of rock stands between you and where the colored vortex rises. Shorak, Histra, and Adamant lead the way around it. A pair of thick-boned skeletons, each one as tall as an ogre and likely having once been one, stand facing each other as if in conversation. They are not motionless, but move slightly as though still alive. Although mostly unclad, their heads are wrapped in an executioners' hoods. Each one carries a very large club punched through with iron spikes. The scent of pitch is in the air as you draw near, and as Adamant's light begins to fall upon them, you can see their bones have been smeared or soaked in some kind of alchemical solution; it discolors them.
The big skeletons turn to face your way, now about fifty feet away from Shorak and Adamant with his light. The light doesn't appear to bother them, though.
Histra holds out a hand for the group to stop. "These are someone's sentries. We may be able to parley through them."
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
Posts: 5,085
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Post by Brian on Mar 15, 2016 9:59:40 GMT -4
"Your knowledge of this realm surpasses ours," Condign says to Histra. "You are best equipped to bargain with the undead. Would you prefer to make the attempt?"
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Darren
Kalarian d'Deneith (human)
Kalarian
Posts: 7,310
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Post by Darren on Mar 15, 2016 10:24:35 GMT -4
You think Jeff is going to make it that easy, that we just let Histra do all the work? Kalarian nods at Histra and takes a few steps in front of the group. "Be ready to fight or flee," he says quietly to his friends as he moves past them. "Ho there!" he calls out. "May we pass?"
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Ken
Belarin Malizia
Belarin
Posts: 5,691
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Post by Ken on Mar 15, 2016 11:31:09 GMT -4
"Bonescrape's bloody jest," whispers Belarin as Kal steps forward to "parley."
He doesn't intend to be defenseless in another fight. The constant chill in Dolurrh brings to mind a spell that Raeshara tried to teach him, a shielding spell named after a warrior sprite named Soulsorrow. Suddenly, a cold wave of power surges through his veins, and he wonders that maybe, just maybe, he hasn't been abandoned by the fey, after all.
Histra, Adamant, and Condign all feel an intense chill, and it seems to be centered on Belarin. He smiles, apparently pleased with himself. "No, not liching again," he says softly. "Something less deathy and more fun."
He pauses. "Condign," he whispers, "when the nycaloth reappears -- and he will -- stay within reach of me. I have a surprise."
____________
Belarin casts Soulsorrow's armor.
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
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Post by Brian on Mar 15, 2016 11:34:09 GMT -4
"Condign," he whispers, "when the nycaloth reappears -- and he will -- stay within reach of me. I have a surprise." Condign nods silently, a hint of a smile on his lips.
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Mar 15, 2016 12:25:10 GMT -4
Not merely a chill—the rest of you can see that Belarin's clothes, exposed skin, and even his gear are quickly bespecked ever so slightly with the gleam of minute icy shards, giving him a frosty appearance.
The two hooded skeleton giants advance a few steps, then stop and stand apart from one another, spiked clubs hefted. Their bodies face each other, but their hooded heads swivel on Kal as they wait for the Deneith heir to draw closer. "Come and stand between us," one of them says—both of them say at once? it's hard to tell—in an odd voice that sounds like neither the guttural grunt of an ogre nor the hollow monotone of the mindless undead. It almost sounds like a manufactured voice.
"Someone is speaking through them," Histra says quietly, aiming her words mostly at Condign. "It is not the undead we are necessarily speaking with. They are both mouthpiece and guard."
Belarin gains 20 temporary hit points.
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Dave W.
Adamant (Warforged)
Adamant
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Post by Dave W. on Mar 15, 2016 12:49:49 GMT -4
Adamant goes forward with Kal. "I will escort you if you don't mind Master d'Deneith"
Adamant feels the cold on his back and turns a glance back at the frosty Belarin. He turns away again after the human promises that he is not "liching" again. As always, Adamant's faceplate makes it hard to tell if he's relieved. The warforged is relaxed, but shield and hammer are in hand.
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Darren
Kalarian d'Deneith (human)
Kalarian
Posts: 7,310
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Post by Darren on Mar 15, 2016 14:01:45 GMT -4
Kal smiles and spreads his hands. "I'm not a fool," he says, "and I will not place myself in a perfect position to be pulverized before the conversation even begins. No, I think we can hear each other just fine from here." Kal taps his forehead. "But where are my manners? We must have introductions, yes? I am Kalarian d'Deneith. May I have the pleasure of your name?" _________________ Let's try the Diplomatic approach, first.
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Mar 15, 2016 14:12:21 GMT -4
"Come stand between us," the voice(s) say again, and the hooded skeletons don't budge. They also say nothing else.
The only way past them is between them (approximately ten feet apart), or else Shorak will need to double back and find another way around.
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Darren
Kalarian d'Deneith (human)
Kalarian
Posts: 7,310
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Post by Darren on Mar 15, 2016 15:55:19 GMT -4
Kal holds up a hand to forestall any objections. "I'll be okay," he whispers to his friends, then moves forward to stand between the skeletons. "Very well," he calls out, "I will comply. But you are not being a very good host."
---------- At the first sign that the skeletons plan to attack, Kal will use Lightning Shift to get back to the group.
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Post by Dave B. on Mar 15, 2016 20:54:27 GMT -4
Shorak stops with everyone else, staring at the large oddly colored skeletons. He tries to ignore the increased chill emanating from Belarin, but can't help but feel a shiver run down his spine. He watches carefully as Kal moves to a position between the two Skeletons. He should have known there'd be another hurdle to get to their destination.
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