First Five Begins Now!
We continue right after the old man says…
Grimblethorn: “It, guards the entrance to hell.”
“Hell?” Velencia says with a slight chuckle, the 20 or so guards and the master of these lands, Mr. Grimblethorn gives her a surprised look.
Making everyone jump, Chance lets out his typical belly laugh, making Khamyra smile at first then have her stomach sink.
The people around them are now backing up a bit worried about what is about to go down, considering the large man is laughing at something, but they are unsure to what.
Hamza shakes his head, chuckles knowing this is not a very loyal bunch and they are looking to run if the shit hits the horsetail.
Everyone almost gasps and backs up now that torch light is hitting the group and this very large man in this demonic armor steps up, helm still on his head looking like he crawled out of the hell this man spoke of.
“That, thing, was guarding… hell?” Chance says pointing back and approaching the man somewhat aggressively.
Khamyra grabs for his arm, but there was no stopping him.
After another laugh, the Champion dips his head down, tilts slightly, “that thing, couldn’t guard a dog from its food bowl…” he finishes with a growl.
The older man, not used to being spoke to like this, was half scared and half offended.
“And to whom am I speaking too, what authority do you have to say…” is all the man got out with a shaky voice, as light softly formed behind the mask. Starts a deep red, flickers to an orange and snaps to a blue.
Velencia smirks, shakes her head, “and… here we go.”
“By Animax!” he exclaims backing up.
Unlatching his helm, Chance takes it off, and the people can see the faint glowing blue veins fade, the eyes pulsating on this darker featured, scarred faced – short tipped quarter elf. Now fluttering to his usual colored eyes.
“Do you have any idea what hell is, what is your name, Mr.Grumbledoor?” Chance says eyeing him up watching him shrink and few of his guards run off in panic.
Shaking a bit, glancing up, the fear starting to get to Grimblethorn, “It’s, uhh, my name, it is, it’s Grimblethorn…”
“Sure it is…” he says in a growl that makes Velencia smile wide under the hood, though she wouldn’t let chump see that.
Khamyra walks to him puts her hand on his arm, trying to tug him back but to no avail.
“Three things for you sir,” the quarter elf says with a bit of whip, puts up one finger, “one, hell, or it’s true name; the Fires of Ardor, is no where near this building and a good click straight down underground, at least.” (“Click” in Legon is about a mile)
The man glances past Chance and looks to the small mausoleum, then back to the large man who seems to have eased up a bit, now his fear fading a little.
Holding up two fingers, “I’ve been to this, hell you speak of, and that creature wouldn’t protect you from a lesser demon let alone a gaggle of devils,” Chance says standing a bit straighter.
“Finally three, even if that was a gaping hole to the Fires of Ardor itself, there would be nothing coming out,” the tall Champion finishes, with three fingers up, eyes turning to slits, “so your guardian would of been protecting us from what? A dirty sock? A rodent?”
There is a long silence as Chance lets the information sink in.
A guard perks up, “me a pardon, why no demon enter a ground big hole?” he asks in broken common.
“That is a good question, I think,” the Champion retorts to the guard, waving his hand around to encompass the area, “they need heat to survive, they crave it. This area here would be the last place they would want to be.”
Khamyra was waiting for some backlash but she didn’t know Chance was already back to his normal self and was now trying to charm the man (DM: Rolls a 23) and seemed to be very successful. Pleasantly surprised at the reaction, she backs off of her husband.
“And… and, you. You were in hell?” the man looks up to Chance, now a much more civilized looking person, “I would not think anyone could survive that.” The man finishes off with a bit of disbelief.
The Champion slowly grabs the mans hand, he tries to pull back a bit but doesn’t fight too much. To their defense a few guards are alerted and move in closer.
He places the hand on his armor and the man can see the exquisite detail this armor was crafted, albeit horrific. The oddest thing, it is radiating heat.
“Mr. Grambletorn, this armor was forged in the belly of the Fires of Ardor, and is the only reason I am alive. Walking through the Crucible of Blood would of made me nothing more than a pile of ash,” Chance finishes, adding in information to drive home the point, letting the mans hand go.
Shaking his head, still staring at the armor, the older man says, “Grimblethorn, my name is Grimblethorn.”
“My apologies,” Chance finishes and backs off a little.
Looking around the old man sighs, “well, come on then, you were trespassing and we have a bit to discuss,” he starts out then looks around, “two guards to me, the rest, get back to the patrol and for Animax’s sake get those who ran away will you?”
The group makes their way through the village that is just a complete mess, a slum and honestly in ruins for what seems a decade or more.
Eventually they make it to a half stone, half wood building, square and probably the largest structure in town. Some guards making their way in and out and seems to be fairly busy.
“la-la-lord, dungeon open, lock to be ready people here be ya messing,” one guard says pointing to the stairs leading down.
Hamza scrunches his forehead, leans to Velencia, “what the fuck did he just say?”
She giggles and shakes her head.
“No no, we are heading up to my chambers,” the old man says pointing up, walking with a little limp and keeping a few guards around him.
The group makes their way into a very large room. Easily 40′ x 40′, to the left and right are ceiling to floor bookshelves. A work station or two, a large candelabra hanging with some lanterns lit on either side of the wall. Straight ahead is a large desk, and two huge bay windows covered in a heavy curtain tapestry behind it with a fireplace inbetween. It has an old book like smell, and it seems a little hazy with some of the light in the room. Set in on each book shelf on the left and right wall is large wooden doors.
“Guards, stand outside please,” Grimblethorn says while walking around his desk, then glances up to the guards who look much more fit and able, they look a little apprehensive about leaving him. “I’ll be fine, if they wanted me dead, I’d be nothing but a pile of bones outside the grave yard gates, now get.”
The guards walk out, close the door. The old man sits heavily in his chair and gives the group one long apprehensive look.
“What am I going to do with you all?” he says with a sigh, then leans forward a bit, “I am going to ask you to all leave, never come back and we can forget about your little trespassing incident…”
A scoff and a harsh voice responds, “not going to happen old man, you know why we are here and we will find out what is in that little stone shed you have,” Velencia finishes out.
Leaning even more forward a scowl on his face, “miss, ma’am, there is no door to it, and their is no key to any door you may think exists on that thing…”
Just then a door opens and in walks a woman, blonde hair, striking eyes, well built. Her hair is up in a pony tail, she is in a nightgown with a robe loosely wrapped around her.
The older man glances over, surprised, “Flora, what are you doing up and this is not a meeting I want you to be a part of!” He says somewhat frantically, standing up suddenly.
Everyone looks over to her as she then stops her aggressive walking to a stuttered halt seeing the group. Her eyes growing bigger, her mouth now open. She just mumbles, “whoa.”
Grimblethorn waves her back, “Flora, dear, please go back to bed, I will talk with you in the morning,” he says with a some what worried and shaky voice.
She gives the man a tilt of the head and then back to the group, “you guys killed the Devourer? Really?”
“Sure did sweet cheeks,” Velencia snaps back from under her hood, “took the other mantle pieces with it too.”
Nodding her head looking back at her apparent relative, “no Minotaurs either? The Charnel House is now unguarded?” Flora asks with a bit of worry in her voice.
A loud sigh erupts from the old man and he again sits heavily in his chair, “yes. It is.”
She has stopped at the side of the desk, dipping her head and rubbing her temples, “this is not good, when word gets out about the guardian of hell…”
“It’s not a guardian of hell…” Chance snaps back without thinking, making her stop and give him a look.
“I know that you dolt,” she fires back angrily, without thinking and her eyes turning to slits, “but we can’t let everyone know that can we? We would of had hundreds more trying to pillage the Charnel House each week. We don’t have the…”
“Yes yes, Flora, calm down,” the old man says keeping an eye on the large man in case he took too much offense from her verbal assault.
Chance growled and took a step forward.
A soft chuckle erupts from under Velencia’s hood, “I like her, I like her a lot…”
She stops, takes a deep breath and Flora continues, “there is no way into the Charnel House, the door is all but hidden from our view and even so, no way to unlock it. So you might as well leave.”
Velencia steps up and Chances heart skips a beat hoping she doesn’t do anything rash, apparently Khamyra thought the same thing as she stepped forward a bit, just in case.
“Listen pumpkin tits, we came all this way to get a looksee inside and down that staircase in that, what did you call it, Charnel House and…” Velencia said but gets interrupted.
Putting her hand up, the blonde woman is staring a this well spoken, rough woman under a hood, “what staircase, what are you talking about?”
That alerted Grimblethorn himself as his eyes grow and looks over the group again.
Khamyra sighs and drops her shoulders knowing Velencia just let on that they can get in.
“If you would let me finish, jebus… rude?” Velencia says with a bit of whip, “we, will, have a look. Find out what is down those stairs and then afterwards we will consider not causing more trouble.”
The old man and his apparent grand daughter glance at each other, then back to the woman, “and who am I speaking with, one that seems to know things no one else on Legon knows?” he finishes with the slightest bit of sarcasm.
Chance leans his head back, sighs and says, “and… here we go.”
She whips her hood back, puts both hands on the desk and gives the man a long stare.
Only took him a second, and he jumps, scrambles and him and the chair go toppling over, “by Animax, off, ouch!”
Oddly this Flora, looks to her with wide eyes, blushes a bit and smiles.
Velencia double takes and gives the woman a sexy smile and a little flirt with her eyes.
After a second of being slack jaw, Flora runs over to the old man and helps him up.
“By Animax, why would you be here, of all people?” he says with a shaky and surprised voice, “please, do not hurt us, do not hurt Flora.”
The blonde woman, glances to the party then back to her grandfather, “Uh grand-pop, what are you talking about,” she asks as his eyes get bigger and bigger looking at Chance, then Khamyra, then hamza… but he raises an eyebrow as he looks to Rafferty picking his nose and practically falling asleep.
“Dear god, this is Finster’s most powerful people,” he says slowly, looking at each one, “Velencia, High Priestess, The Champion, The Mage and…”
Khamyra’s eyes wide, “uh, I am a Warlock, thank you very little… a Warlock. Goddammit,” shaking her head.
Chance and Velencia both giggle a little, and look over to the Onyx Elf.
Flora turns to all of you, “is this true? You are the minions of Finster?”
The High Priestess, snorts and laughs, “yeah sure, we are minions I suppose.”
After a few minutes of calming down the old man, getting his chair upright and everyone awkwardly trying to save face, they continue.
“I’m confused, the door is hidden, the lock has no key and can’t be picked, yet you seem to know what is inside this building?” Flora says with a bit of force, gulping down her fear.
Velencia reaches into her cleavage and pulls out an old ornate key, “we have our ways…” she says holding the key up for them to see.
The Blonde woman all but jumped for it with wide eyes as Velencia pulls it back and gives her an amused annoyed look, “I’m sorry, do you think we are going to hand this over to you?”
“It is rightfully ours!” Flora says, face flushing giving Velencia crazy eyes.
Hamza just chuckles, but both Chance and Khamyra move closer to Velencia afraid of what she might do.
The High Priestess gives the girl a soft smile, even a slight blush and then turns it to a smirk with slightly slitted eyes, “rightfully yours? Why wasn’t it with you then? You mean you know who gave this to us? Where it was before hand?”
She stops, looks about the room and shakes her head, “even in our deepest lore, the key was never spoke of apart from opening a door, no location or even what it looked like. Where did you find it?”
Velencia glances over to Chance, nods her head.
“Oh, you’ll let me speak huh? Yes,” Chance says with sarcasm, only to get a nudge from Khamyra and a scowl from Velencia.
Shaking his head, the Champion continues, “a Demon gave it to me. One that I met not long ago on a road…”
“Wait!” the Old man says, eyes a bit wide and a little anger in his voice, “you made it quite clear that no Demon would want to be above ground, how is it that you met one on the road… to where?”
Flora chuckles, with sarcasm, “perhaps to the Crucible?”
“Crucible of blood? No, my dear, no. The party I traveled with would be ash and to be honest would of never made it that far,” Chance says matter of fact like, then it hits him, “wait… you know of the Crucible of blood?”
Velencia waves her hands around, “no, no, we are not going to get sucked into some back and forth information exchange that is useless and boring,” she says with a snap, “we are going down there tomorrow at sunken sun. Period.”
Khamyra tugs on Chances arm and gives him a look, talks softly, “that is a good question, how was this demon able to survive the temperature then? Wouldn’t he be…” she went to continue but gets a pat on her hand.
“He was already using cantrips with the illusion he was making, so I am assuming that he had something gifted to him from his lord, to keep him warm or protecting him,” Chance says leaning down and talking softly.
Velencia squares herself up to the both of the Grimblethorns, her eyes starting to flame out with a purplish glow, her mouth in a small smirk, “we can do this the easy way, or we can do this the… dead way,” she growls.
Chance wanting to jump on her and say ‘no way, not a chance we hurt them,’ has had enough experience now with Velencia to not throw a wrench in her works, so instead? He turns his eyes ablaze and growls too.
After a few minutes, the two Grimblethorns are whispering to themselves in front of Finster’s “Minions,” they turn to the group.
“If you do this. Promise that you will not hurt anyone in our Town, will not hurt me or Flora? Afterwards do you promise to leave and never come back?” He says wide eyes in anticipation.
Chance looks to the group and nods his head, then speaks before the Priestess could act, “we promise everything but a return visit. I doubt we would need to, but in case we have too…” he finishes, much to Velencia’s displeasure.
“And… I am going with you,” Flora blurts out now standing a bit taller and trying to be confident.
Old man Grimblethorn almost falls over again, “Flora, never, not a chance…” He says exasperated giving her a worried look.
Then the High Priestess steps forward even more with an amused look on her face, the room seems to darken a little, air turns a bit thin, her form has an evil aura now and she starts in, “you two act like you have a say in this, that is cute,” she says with a smooth silky voice that sent shivers up everyone’s back, “I have been through too much and am far too old for this kind of shit.”
“We will return to the Charnel whatever it is called, at sunken sun, with or without a wake of dead bodies behind us,” she’s says making her eyes grow to slits slowly, tilting her head in an aggressive way, “we will head down the stairway find out what is down there, then once we are done, we will leave. No addendums, no promises, it will be what it will be on our terms, understand… and oh, yes, Flora you are more than welcome to join us…”
Velencia finishes looking at Flora like she was a piece of meat.
By now the group has noticed that the Priestess and this Flora seem to have a connection of sorts.
“Oh she is in for the ride of her life,” Khamyra mumbles with a slight giggle.
Grimblethorn is beside himself, breathing a bit heavy and does not look good. He makes a grunt noise and he winces.
“Grandpop?” she says walking to him as he grabs for his left arm and winces, “ohhh, damn that hurt,” he says falling back into his chair.
Flora now frantic is over to him, “Grandpop!!!” she exclaims looking down, looks back to the group, “get a cleric, get a monk, anyone!!”
Chance thought of jumping over the desk to help but if he is a follower of Animax, it could get ugly.
“Is he a devout follower of Animax,” Velencia says with a sigh, glancing at her nails, then back to her.
She shrugs her shoulders, shakes her head, “what? What does that have to do…” then it kind of hit her who is standing in front of her, “oh! Well I mean he doesn’t go to mass very often and rarely speaks of him, why, can you..?”
Flora glances down to the old man, face now washed with fear gasping for air and in great discomfort.
“Fine,” Velencia walks over grabs the woman’s arm to move. The High Priestess deliberately rubbed her boobs on hers as her face flushed.
Velencia grabs her necklace, dips her head, mumbles a few things and puts her hand on the mans now sweating forehead. A soft dark and purple glow radiates from them for a short time. He all but collapses in the chair, motionless.
“All done,” the tattooed woman says with a smirk, glances to Flora who is even more frantic trying to get past her.
“What have you done, he is dead!” She exclaims dropping to her knees looking at her Grandfather.
With a sigh and a head shake, “he is in a deep sleep, he will wake up tomorrow feeling just fine girl, calm down…” the dark woman says.
Velencia looks at the group, waves them on, “we are done here. See you at the gates at Sunken Sun then?”
Flora wheels around with an almost pleading look on her face, a long awkward moment locking eyes with Velencia and she nods.
The High Priestess gives her a wink, and follows everyone out the door, but not before she mumbles, “hell, I might be seeing you a little sooner than that…”
Everyone piles into the main room that they are teleporting in and out from. Locking the door behind them and a Dark War Cleric at the guard.
“You can head back to my compound, get some rest. I have a few rooms ready for you,” the tattoed woman says, pointing at the sigil, looking at Khamyra and Chance.
They nod their head and walk to the sigil.
“I have, well, other things to attend to,” Velencia says with a slight chirp to her voice, rubbing her hands together.
The Champion and Warlock make it to the compound, find a room that was luxurious beyond measure, make quick work of a poke and fall fast asleep.
Starlay 7:00AM
The couple wakes up to a servant with steaming beanwater and some easy to eat breakfast rations.
“Damn, we should sleep here more often!” Khamyra says with a smile making the servant nod and smirk.
Eventually they make it back to the Inn’s top floor, teleporting with the sigils to find Hamza there rummaging through some things.
“Morning!” Chance says happily having slept good and a decent meal in his belly.
Hamza glances back and then keeps looking through things, “where is Velencia, is she not with you?”
The couple glance at each other and shake their head, not thinking that the Priestess also probably was sleeping at the compound.
“Well head down to the bottom, I am sure she will want to eat this morning,” he says continuing to look and grunting in disapproval.
The two head down to the ground floor, at a table is Rafferty eating a simple breakfast, using utensils and even a napkin. Still looks like he was ate by a Wyvern and shat out, but he does seem to have some manners right now.
“Good morning Rafferty, have you seen Vele… er, I mean our Priestess,” Khamyra says stopping herself from using her full name, giving a quick look around the mostly empty room.
He glances up and shrugs his shoulders with a shake of his head, “not this morning Warlock, I just got down here myself.”
Chance scoffs, “I see you are in your, no psycho mode, this morning,” finishing off with a bit of whip as he goes to sit.
“Yes, Champion, unlike your face that you have to live with…” he snaps back taking another bite of food.
Hamza walking down the stairs makes quick work of it as he heads for Chance who’s eyes were bulging and was ready to get up out of his seat, “easy big guy… that is Raffy, he will pick you apart if you let him…”, he says putting both hands on the big guys shoulders.
Khamyra turned not to laugh, got herself presentable and turns back around to see the Priestess walk in the front door of the Inn.
The group looks at each other, then back to her.
Giving a surprised look back, the Priestess gives everyone a small scowl, “what?” She sits down at the table and looks for a wench or waitress of some kind.
Rafferty responds without looking, “having an early start to the day does not make sense with our current situation, so are we to assume you engaged in some exchange of bodily fluids with our host Flora?” Then taking another bite.
A wild, wide eyed look from the tattoed woman lands on this Welf, “excuse you?” she says in a harsh tone, “I think I like you better as a stuttering yelping idiot!” She finishes with a bit of force, slamming her hand on the table making the mixed elf miss a bite.
“He is in rare form this morning,” Hamza mentions finding a seat and plopping down.
With everyone staring at the Priestess she again gives everyone a look and exclaims, “what?!”
Just then in walks Flora, in an elegant armored coat, skin tight leather outfit, a belt or two, some over the knee leather boots and her hair down and about her shoulders. She spots you guys and walks to the table. Not before a few people in the Inn almost bow to her and greet her.
Velencia looks over and double takes, then starts to blush and looks the woman up and down.
Khamyra and Chance both look at each other and smile knowing neither of them probably got much sleep.
The woman stops, looks and an instant blush washes over her face, and she looks down almost acting shy.
“You look really good, girl,” Velencia says wanting to get up but the look from this other woman, she obviously carpet munched, made her stop and settle back in. “Join us, we are just getting some breakfast.”
Raffarty looking the two over, opens his mouth to say something and got a wild look and a finger point from the Priestess that made him hesitate, think twice and go back to eating.
Flora sits and looks about the table, face still flushing and what seems a permanent smile on her face, “so what are we having for Breakfast?”
Turn Based Begins Here
DMaster: Flora’s face still flushing as she looks around. Velencia with a playful smirk on her face.
Chance: I will just sit back and watch this interaction between Velencia and Flora with a raised eyebrow. Plus a small smirk growing on my face.
DMaster: The place is mostly empty, a few people coming and going. A waitress attends to you and eventually you get served breakfast. Not a lot of conversation, it is mostly quiet. Some exchanged glances but not much else. The morning is dragging on.
Chance: Sigh, finish up my bean water. Looking to everyone else.
DMaster: FLO: Well, we can go to our private library and look things over. I hope it is the best collection of information about Grimble Thorn… I mean, you know. Maybe we can find something that might help.
The lot of you end up in the basement of the town’s town hall. The same place you went to after you killed the devourer. There are some books and such, lore on Grimble Thorn and other things. It is a very large room with many pillars holding things up. A lantern on each pillar and a candle on every tables. Plenty of room and it seems to be well taken care of. A scribe or two in the far corner working on some papers.
Chance: Well since this is the “library” I will see if any books catch my eye
DMaster: DM: Todd rolls a straight 17 – a mix of investigation & perception. You are looking through some books, the scribes all look at you and kind of move away. You get to a section that looks like there is much more journals or sorts than books and scrolls.
Chance: Start digging through some of these, seeing how far back it goes.
DMaster: You find a few books of what seems the daily on goings and reports of the town. Glancing through it goes back decades if not further. They are filled with thefts, a fire or two, mostly fights at the local Inn or tavern. But there are some you are seeing, talking about the people tried to get to the structure. At one point it looked like there is a number next to each encounter and you surmise it was how many seconds they lasted. One was labeled 200, another 15.
Chance: Walk over to the group. Chuckle.
Chan: Apparently, they have times and most likely bets on the people who were dumb enough to try and get to that Charnel House.
DMaster: Khamyra looks to you raised eyebrow.
KHA:Uh, hun. That would make us dumb enough to do it too.
Then gives you a really look.
Chance: Chan: Oh, well… yeah.
Looking down at the book than back up.
DMaster: Flora looks over after Velencia whispers something about you being as bright as a bag of doorknobs.
FLO: Yeah, I know before my time they had a betting ring of sorts. Put money on the next ones to enter and die.
Shaking her head and chuckling. Then giving Velencia a wide eyed response.
Chance: Think for a moment, shake head about Vel. She is never going to change.
Chan: Glad they don’t have that betting ring now, imagine how much coin they would of lost with us.
DMaster: Flora gives you a side-wards glance.
FLO: Or.. would of won.
Everyone nods their head and goes back to what they were doing.
Chance: Glance through some books, hope for some nude pictures but probably find none. Relax a bit in a comfy chair.
DMaster: You are sitting in a plush chair, looking around kind of dozing off. Lukan is playing with a few things on the floor. Flora is fascinated by the lynx. Both Khamyra and Velencia are looking over things as well as Hamza. It appears they are getting very little information about what is down the stairs, hell that staircase isn’t even mentioned either. Raffy is curled up in the corner sleeping. Eventually, Flora has some food brought down and you have a nice lunch. The day goes on and she then escorts you around the graveyard, pointing out a few things but nothing of significance. Still a bit timid to go in just in case there are undead stragglers left.
Chance: Keeping my eyes peeled as we are moving to reassure Flora she is safe with us
DMaster: Eventually you get back and have a real good dinner. DM: Rolls for dinner; (12 on the menu chart) . (19 on taste). It is quite the elaborate dinner and it is amazing. Charlot Pork Hash with Egg, Baked Corn. Everyone full and happy, start to get ready for the dive.
Chance: Take my time and actually enjoy dinner, since we have the time. Try not to go full caveman.
DMaster: You guys are in the room, gearing up. Out the two big bay windows you see the sun is starting to set. Everyone is ready to go now and heads down. Old man Grimble Thorn makes his way into the Inn and spots you all, not hard to do considering. He looks good, flushed cheeks and walking with a bit more pep in his step
Chance: Head down to the Inn’s bottom floor, bar room.
Chan: Good to see you up and about Mr. Grimblethorn, sir.
Nod to him.
DMaster: He smiles briefly, nods and heads over to his grand-daughter.
GRIM: I beg of you Flora, please do not go. You are the heir to this town and if anything happens to you…
Velencia glances over with a snarky tone.
VEL: Town? This is barely a village old man.
Flora gives Velencia a look that makes the Priestess shrug her shoulders and finish strapping on a dagger very high up on her leg. This makes the Old man double take to her beautiful silky well formed leg, then blush and look away.
FLO: I am safe with Velencia and her people here.
Chance: Chan: I can assure you, she is safe with us.
Nod my head and smile. “With “HER” people here?” Shake head and scoff a little, then realize she just said her name out loud.
DMaster: Everyone’s eyes get big including the High Priestesses, Flora looks around
FLO: Wat?
Chance: Giving a look to Flora.
DMaster: Flora is still looking around. Then Hamza touches her arm says a bit quieter.
HAM: It is not wise to say, uh, her name out loud in public.
Subtly pointing at the Priestess who now has a smirk on her face. The younger Grimblethorn’s eyes bulge a little and she starts to blush.
FLO: Oh, yeah, damn. Sorry.
Then Velencia gives her a look, a hand on her arm and they exchange glances. A slight blush for both. DM: OMGT = Old Man Grimble Thorn, to make it easier, maybe. OMGT gives the two a look, took a second but then his eyes flash and he gets flustered a bit, blushes and even a bit angry. Now staring at Flora who just took notice.
Chance: Wide eyes, tilt my head back.
Chan: and… here we go.
DMaster: Khamyra is sensing a long drawn out conversation or argument, looks out the door to the dimming light. She interjects
KHA: I apologize for the interruptions, but it is getting to be that time that we need to move. Anything you two have to talk about can we shelve it for another time, perhaps?
Looking around the room, snaps her finger.
KHA: Lukan? Hun?
The cat darts under tables, through chairs and one leap sends the lynx into her necklace. “Poof.” OMGT steps back, wide eyes and looking at the gorgeous Onyx Elf.
Chance: A small smile grows on my face still marveling at this familiar of Khamyra’s
Chan: well, isn’t it about time we make our way to… that place we are meant to go?
DMaster: They all nod and head out. OMGT gave one last plea before hand but you all start walking to the graveyard. As you start off, much to the dismay of Flora, 4 guards with you, a better grade of guard. Walking through the town a few people eyeing this up and exchanging glances. DM: Weather: 64, 21, 33 (see the charts for more info). It is about 45 degrees, a nice subtle sunset, not a cloud in the sky. but there is a brisk wind blowing (hee hee) through the streets (@ 20+mph).
Chance: Unlatch my helm as we are walking and put it on and get my shield on my shield arm. Keep moving along with the guards
DMaster: Making your way through, the main street that is barely a pathway now. You stop at the front gates and Flora talks with the guards. The guards open the gates up after they have an extra patrol with them.
FLO: Guards, you can wait here, close the gates now.
She says as you make it past the entrance. The 4 guards are shaking their head in disapproval.
GUARD: No, Flora, Sir Grimblethorn said…
She gives them a fierce look, reminiscent of Velencia.
FLO: I said, you wait here, I am as much the lead for this town as he is. Now make sure the gate is locked. Got it?
Their eyes bulge a little, nodding their heads. Taking a step back and the gate is closed and locked. Velencia almost has a proud look on her face. Moving forward, there is an unkept pathway to this small shed-like structure. Gravestones all about.
Chance: Shake head giggling internally seeing a little resemblance of Velencia. Just like yesterday. I will let Velencia take the lead on this, keep my eyes peeled to the grave yard waiting for something to attack. I pull out Silent Fate, just in case.
DMaster: DM: Todd has to roll for encounter. He rolls an 11. You make your way through, with no push back. The wind is messing with your hearing but you do not see anything or even sense anything.
FLO: See. The building has no door…
She walks up to it, pointing.
Chance: Look around again than back at it.
Chan: just give it time, you will see it Flora
DMaster: Curious to your statement she gives you a quick curious look and back to the building. She is walking to each side looking than back to the group. Rafferty is staring blankly at the building. Velencia glances to the Welf, and sighs.
VEL: Son of a bitch, he is out of it again.
Khamyra smirks, walks to the wall, rubs her hand on it. Solid. She glances at everyone.
KHA: Uh, why is this not working?
Chance: Chan: Did we miss our window of opportunity?
Looking up at the sky to see the positions of the moons
DMaster: Moons are barely out, you see one half of the big one, but not the other one yet. Everyone is looking around, a little off put by it not working.
Chance: Chan: well, the moons don’t quite seem to be in position yet. I am guessing we wait until then.
DMaster: They glance up to the sky, to the horizon and all chuckle
VEL: That’s embarrassing…
She turns to the group with a defeated look on her face. Khamyra gives her an odd look that she notices.
VEL: Chump over here realized it before we did. I must be ill or something.
Chance: Give her a resting bitch face, then shake head and assume a position to wait for the moons. Keep scanning the graveyard.
DMaster: After about a half hour of anecdotes, Velencia flirting with Flora and Rafferty snapping out of his state… the smaller moon is now visible and in front of the big one. There was no other encounters in fact it was pretty quiet, just the wind rustling a few things that were laying about.
Chance: Watching to see if the moonlight hits the small shed like it did before
DMaster: It finally does. Velencia glances up, then to the wall. Rubs her hand on the wall, it goes through and the door appears.
Flora’s eyes are huge, she is shaking a little, kind of a big moment for her.
Chance: Nod my head and smile, wait for Velencia to open the door
DMaster: She pulls out the key, hands it to Flora. They exchange glances, and it was probably to say “I’m gonna munch on you tonight like no ones business,” but that is just speculation. The Grimblethorn woman walks to the door, puts the key in and a clink, clank… the door opens slowly. Flora puts the key in her belt. You thought of saying something, but you see Hamza slide in, very quietly take it from the belt and put it in his pocket.
Chance: Giggle a little, shake head and smirk waiting for us to move into the now open doorway. Look down the stairs.
DMaster: It took a minute, but everyone is starting down the stairs. Simple stone stairway, roughly 15 feet wide. It goes about 30 feet and there is that shimmer.
Chance: Tighten my grip around Silent Fate, as I see that shimmer
DMaster: You guys are a few stairs from the shimmer. They are giving it a once over.
VEL: Raf? Want to see what’s past this?
RAF: Ahhh yes, of course I will, since I am the most dispensable… sure.
Flora double takes to this welf as his voice is smooth, refined and seems to be walking with dignity.
Chance: Shaking head watching to see if Raffy goes into a wild shape form
DMaster: He does not, he slowly dips his toe down and he hits the barrier, like it was a solid object. He glances to everyone, back to the barrier then he strolls on to the barrier all the way to the upper portion of the wall.
RAF: Well, it’s a protection barrier and well, it’s protecting.
Everyone sighs and looks around
Chance: Sigh and look down. Trying to remember if the demon said anything that might help us get past this barrier. I start to move past a few people closer.
DMaster: You can see the staircase continue down, the barrier is semi-clear. The Demon didn’t say much of anything about what was in it, just a reward for telling him about the Angel.
Chance: well, I will take a step forward and go over to champion form
DMaster: Flora sees this, gasps a bit and pushes herself against the stairways wall. Everyone else steps aside, except Velencia.
VEL: Really? You think you can do just about anything huh?
Chance: Move her forcefully out of the way. I will slowly approach the barrier and carefully reach out my hand
DMaster: VEL: Bitch, don’t be touching me…
Khamyra gives her a nudge and look. Flora has a strange look to the both of you. You reach out your hand and it goes through the barrier, a weird sensation; like it was going into warm water. Velencia’s eyes bulge.
VEL: Goddammit, You have to be kidding me!
Khamyra is glancing on but has been rifling through her spell book. She stops and smiles wide.
Chance: Chan: I am sorry, you were saying something Priestess? Or was that Rafferty letting out some gas.
Smirking as I look back at Velencia
DMaster: She looks a bit beyond you, slightly red faced and annoyed.
VEL: Shut it. Well then, see what’s down there you dolt.
Chance: Give her a really look and push through the barrier, but moving forward slowly.
DMaster: It just felt like you were walking through warm water.
Chance: Keep walking until I am through the barrier, give one more look back at the group. Wave and smirk. Then continue forward.
DMaster: You can’t hear them and you are pretty sure Velencia insulted you in some way because Khamyra gave her a wack on the arm. You can see them, but can’t hear them.
Chance: Looking around to get my bearings.
DMaster: Right now it is just a staircase that has very little light filtering down the stairway. Your dark vision is doing well and can see a good 30 feet and it is still only stairs. As you continue after about 100 feet, that is a lot of stairs, you can see a landing. There seems to be a pulsating blue light.
Chance: Take a deep breath and move forward, letting my instincts take over and lead me. Going to see if I recognize this blue light.
DMaster: DM: Rolls for perception (thought about history) – 22. That’s good. You slow down for a few steps remembering this light reminds you of that foul smelling place found in the lower regions of Finster’s old Abode.
Chance: Shit, a portal. Carefully make my way onto the landing and look around. Tighten my grip around Silent Fate
DMaster: You get to the landing and on the far wall, you see, unmistakably a portal. But this one has a silver framing, a few braziers (unlit) Even a rug that has seen better days that is leading to it. Where the other in Finsters seems just thrown against the wall haphazard. The room is a good 30′ x 30′ and all but empty. To the left and right are two archways leading to hallways. From the light you can see a decent layer of dust that has not been disturbed.
Chance: Making sure that damn portal is a good bit aways! Give one more look around, then before I do anything rash I better head back up and let the group know what I have found. Turn and make my way back up the staircase.
DMaster: You walk up and go through the barrier. Once you get through you can hear your wife.
KHA: Ow, fuck! That hurt!
Khamyra is in serious pain. Holding her hand. Velencia lets out a chuckle, glances to you.
VEL: Heal your wife Chump, Warlock magic does not work on the barrier…
She says in a half joking, half defeated voice.
Chance: Walk directly to her, give her a hug grabbing her hand.
DMaster: She smiles, groans a little, leans into you.
KHA: Ahhh, my Champion.
She is melting into your hug despite the armor. Then as you heal she moans… It was quite the moan. Hamza and Velencia chuckles. Flora is looking about curious.
Chance: Wrap my arms around Khamyra and smile. Then begin to tell the group what I saw, while still keeping my arms wrapped around my wife.
Chan: So lots of stairs that lead to a landing. There are two hallways to the right and left and then in front, in the middle of the wall…
Giving everyone an eyebrow raise.
DMaster: They all are looking on with anticipation.
Chance: Chan: A goddamn portal.
DMaster: Velencia looks a little surprised and glances to Flora and Hamza,
VEL: Well, now we know what they are protecting… if it even needs protecting.
Flora is shaking her head.
FLO: Protecting a portal? What is that, why would it need protecting?
Chance: Shake head and look down to Khamyra.
DMaster: VEL: Well, Portals can take you long distances in a very short amount of time. It is similar to the Sigil’s we use but with portals there is no latency, there is no limitations probably because they are not really based in real magic. Sigils can only go so far no matter how powerful they are. But Portals are fairly static. The one in Finsters dungeons is perplexing and I am pretty sure it was taken from a different location and then put there by Finster himself. Sigils can be created and moved and recreated anywhere at any time with little effort.
Glancing around. Khamyra leans up and gives you a kiss on the cheek. Moves off.
Chance: Look back to Velencia.
Chan: Really? So we couldn’t sigil from here to say, Thoraxe?
DMaster: She shakes her head.
VEL: Doubt it Chump, and we wouldn’t do that. You would be three mugs deep in ol’ Grim Eyes brewery before we even knew where you were…
Hamza and Khamyra giggle a little.
Chance: Nod head.
Chan: You are not wrong.
DMaster: FLO: The King of… Thoraxe?
KHA: So, that would be the reason we were jumping all over the place in that crazy couple days from Break Water…
Your thoughts drift to a moment when you drank Grim Eyes brew, met the people of Keyrune and spoke with Dragons.
Chance: Smile across my face.
Chan: That was nuts, but man, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything
DMaster: VEL: So a portal… where does that lead?
She looks down, sighs.
VEL: Guess it doesn’t matter much if we can’t get through this barrier.
Meanwhile the Welf is on the barrier against the ceiling of this staircase down, he is doing something. Some dirt flying about, then a brick of sorts lands on the barrier.
Chance: Chan: Uh, is it wise to let ol’ stinky here do what he is doing?
Thumbing in his direction.
DMaster: VEL: yeah, Raff, what are you doing?
He glances back and shakes his head.
RAFF: I am finding out if the barrier goes beyond the confines of the staircase…
Hamza gives an impressed look and Velencia shrugs her shoulders.
VEL: Good thinking, I think.
Chance: Keep an eye on him.
DMaster: RAFF: As I suspected, the barrier stops at the staircase ceiling, if we dig far enough we can pull out enough bricks here to make it through. Maybe even your fat ass can get through, Velencia.
Velencia is nodding her head and suddenly stops. A look of pure disbelief, head snapping to him.
VEL: Wat? Wat the fuck did you just say?
Her face red, starting forward, eyes ablaze. Hamza all but ran up the stairs, hand cupping his mouth, to avoid any backlash of him laughing. Khamyra grabs her arm and shakes her head in a small chuckle.
Chance: Laugh out loud.
Chan: Well, you are one brave son of a bitch, that is for sure. But the Priestess does not have a fat ass.
DMaster: Velencia gives you a small smile, then snaps her head away. Hamza is sitting a bit higher.
HAM: If we all pitch in we can probably make enough space in a few hours maybe.
They nod, look about.
KHA: I tried to dispel it and it backfired. So I am not going to try that again with this.
Chance: Giving Khamyra a long look. Thinking…
Chan: well, let’s try one more idea and if it don’t work, we wait or it is a tale tell sign I am meant to do this alone.
DMaster: VEL: Great. What are you going to do? Bore it to death?
Rafferty continues to pull out dirt and such, it takes about 10 minutes but he has another brick out.
Chance: I walk back over towards the barrier, remove my gloves and hold out my hand to Khamyra
Chan: I just want to test something love, if it hurts pull back as fast as you can
Lets see if they can make it through if I am touching them.
DMaster: She is looking at you with some trepidation. Grabs your hand. DM: Rule of cool is in full effect. I was open to ideas, but the idea that Chance could connect with someone and pull them through was interesting. So Todd gave it a go. I gave him a fighting chance. 15-20 – straight roll. He rolls a 14. Fuck it, close enough, that was good thinking by Todd. A few sparks and her eyes are big, but once you get her hand through, she just falls through the rest of the way.
Chance: I will lead her through with me, to the other side of the barrier.
DMaster: She is smiling wide.
KHA: Hot damn, it worked! Good thinking hun!
Chance: Chan: I am guessing now I am the working key to get everyone through this.
Looking back at her with a big smile
DMaster: KHA: Well, have fun holding ol’ stinky.
She giggles, glances down the stairs and even squints a bit.
Chance: Chan: Stay here babe, I will be back
Slump shoulders, thinking about Raff. Make my way through the barrier.
Chan: okay, who is the next passenger?
Giving a little chuckle as I say that
DMaster: As you make your way through, Hamza and Velencia stop a conversation about what you believe is Ikon, and your connection to him. You grab each one and make your way through. Flora was shaking like a leaf, but wide eyed and excited. Raffy looks disinterested and didn’t smell half as bad as you thought he should of been. Hamza was making light of the situation, fake flirting with you. Velencia just stared at you, awkwardly, the entire time.
Chance: Once done. I will lead the group down to the landing. Shake my head thinking, what a bunch of damn clowns.
DMaster: Everyone ends at the landing, they are looking around, mostly straight ahead with the brighter blue light of the Portal, the pattern slowly going in a circle. Raff is squinting down one hallway, Khamyra is looking down the other one.
KHA: Can’t see much past 30-40 feet. Just a hallway.
She says glancing back
RAFF: Same here.
Chance: Sigh, thinking of how much I really hate portals or sigils too for that matter.
DMaster: Flora is squatting, ink well on one knee, has a notebook out of sorts, making notes. Looks around and continues to work. From what you can see some notes and a rough map. Then she finishes and Flora ends up just staring at the portal. Hamza is checking the walls and the archways for traps and such.
Chance: Chan: Doesn’t look like anything has been down here in a very very long time but that portal still seems to be active. I wasn’t gonna check it out until I got us all through that barrier.
DMaster: Velencia looks at you.
VEL: Wat? You want a cookie?
Shakes her head then waves her hand.
VEL: Gather up!
Everyone heads to the middle of the room
VEL: Two hallways and a portal. I say we check the hallways before the portal, any objections?
Chance: Shake my head as to say, no objections from me
DMaster: Everyone seems to agree on the left one, so they get set to go.
VEL: I will lead, Chance behind me, Khamyra and Flora in the middle, Hamza, Raff you bring up the rear, Everyone ready, lets go.
Chance: Get in my position and move out.
DMaster: You guys head down the hallway. It is a bit tight, no more than 10 feet wide, maybe 10 feet high. A bit dusty. You are 100% positive that no one has been down here for years if not decades.
Chance: Keep moving down the hallway
DMaster: After a good 200 feet there is an entrance, a light bursts from the room as Velencia put up a light spell to see
Chance: Wince a bit, step in.
Chan: Damn bitch, warn us Elfen eyes before you do that.
Put up shield a bit look around the best I can.
DMaster: She shakes her head, mumbles
VEL: Should be used to that, every time you pull down your pants…
Raffy starts in on a small giggle. Hamza covers his mouth.
Chance: Stop and look to her, grunt. Peer up over my shield to look around the room
DMaster: The room is 40′ x 40′, very dusty. (Almost 50… fifty nutz in your mouth!). It seems empty; a few crates that have been long destroyed, a crooked candelabra, not lit, not much else
Chance: Knowing looks can be deceiving give the walls a quick check over
DMaster: Everyone starts to have a look over everything. DM: There was nothing in the room, so even if I rolled anything good… there still would be nothing of value here. Todd rolls a 15 for investigation. Raff and Hamza are looking things over, you join in. It is just dust, nothing more.
Chance: Make my way back to the rest of the group and wait for Velencia to make the call to head back the way we came.
DMaster: Everyone is looking around, somewhat disappointed. Velencia gives them a smirk.
VEL: Wat? Expect hordes of gold, an armory of weapons? A fire breathing dragon perhaps?
She waves everyone on with a chuckle.
VEL: Not every room is going to be bonkers fun crazy! (pause) Well, lets try the other hallway then.
Chance: Nod my head, assume my position and head back the way we came. Walk with the group.
DMaster: Another 200 feet but you notice it doesn’t seem as dusty. Not like anyone has gone through here for a year or so, but it is noticeably less dirty. Finally enter into the room, but this time everyone skitters to a halt. A small hand cart in the middle, some tools strewn about. A broken table with some supplies all over the floor. Three coffins sit leaned up against the wall to your left, one larger one leaning to your right.
Chance: Eyes get big seeing the coffins, letting Velencia make the first move I get my shield ready
DMaster: You can see 2 skeletons, up against the wall, they do not look active in fact one doesn’t have an arm, the other a few bones are sitting around it. The Priestess turns to you, a bit worried.
VEL: Chump? These are not the Angel coffins are they? Because if they are, that is going to suck real bad…
Chance: Shake head.
Chan: If they are, they are way different from Cescatia’s. Plus her’s magically appeared and was flat on the floor, these are leaning and…
DMaster: VEL: I can see that Chatty Cathy, thanks.
Waves you off like usual. Flora curious now.
FLO: Angels?
Chance: Sigh and shake my head, start to look around.
DMaster: Before she could say anything else, all four doors are blown off the coffins, it looks like Mummies come crawling out.
ROLL FOR INITIATIVE BITCH!
Battle Begins Here!
The battle is:
Chance with Silent Fate (+2 in champ form) and a shield, Velencia with dual Kukri’s (+2 each w/poison) & spells, Khamyra with Spells, Mystic flame sword, Hamza with a horsemans spiked axe (add 1d6 necrotic dmg) and a main Gauche and Rafferty with two Kama’s (both +1). Flora with a long dagger.
Vs.
Three Mummy’s called FRED, SAMMY & PAUL and one Mummy Lord named EARL.
TOP OF ROUND ONE
There are 3 Mummys and 1 Mummy Lord. Any attack on Flora (Roll the chance dice) will result with another roll of chance. She is being protected by the group. Trying something new, naming the creatures to keep better track of them.
Khamyra is looking around wide eyes, and a small smile on her face. “Hmm, mummy’s… this is a first.” she mumbles. Turns only to get a punch to the side of the head by FRED the mummy, making her stumble and then yelp a little (9hp of bludgeon, 10hp of necrotic). She puts her hand up to the side of her face and looks at the mummy. “They have something extra with their punch!” She yells out to the rest of the group. Then looks back at the creature and its eyes flare a bright yellow but Khamyra just gives it an odd look, (Khamyra made Parallelization save).
A wild swing from the Mummy called SAMMY flies over the head of Hamza who tumbled to one side, glancing back at the Mummy it glares at him and Hamza snorts (Made the Paralyze save).
Velencia is watching this unfold and with her experience DM: I had Velencia make a history check, trying to figure out the eyes, she rolls a 18. “Watch out for the eyes!” she yells looking around, “I think they do something other than look pretty!” As she finished saying this a mummy with unnatural speed streaks for her directly, probably because she was yelling. The Priestess made herself a turnstyle and the undead just zinged on by. It turns to glare at her and with curiosity she stared back. Then smirked and winked. She decides to hold her attack until the end of the round.
Chance watched as his wife got a sucker punch and his blood starts to boil, mumbling under his breath, “you mother-fucker…” with blinding speed as he has turned full Champion and a dark covering starts to form on his body (Bark Skin). FRED the Mummy just had time to turn a bit as it gets Silent Fate ripping through it’s body, the sudden violence of it made him take a step back (10hp of damage). In a twirl move the Champion slices mid-range and again rips through more than half of this creature; some congealed blood, dust and a wrapping or two go flying (10hp of damage) and he finishes off with a thrust into the mid section of its chest making it all but fall over. It grabs the sword to keep standing (1hp of damage grabbing sword, 11hp of damage otherwise).
The Mummy Lord EARL comes ripping over and it is odd to watch these docile looking undead move so fast. As it rumbles along it flails its one arm and out shoots a stream of fire towards Velencia. She was eyeing this guy up for a while so she tried to dodge it and for the most part did, doing one of her fantastical, overly dramatic dodging move(10hp of damage, halfed with dex save). AS she situates herself, Velencia figures its going to take a swing. She brings herself up just a little and at the last moment drops down and the arm goes sailing over head. It turns to strike again (Legendary action) only to have her dodge another one. It lets out a booming growl of frustration.
Flora is panicking, she is unsure what to do and with the Lord EARL close and its back turned she tries to stab it. EARL does not even realize she is there as the dagger just bounces off it.
Hamza gets in a stance and takes a swing at SAMMY, the one who attacked him earlier. The one blade grazes but the other strikes true (4hp of slash, 4hp of necrotic). It was an off balance swing and when he regained his footing it was too late to attack again using his surge. Grumbling he looks around and makes sure Velencia didn’t see it, and she didn’t.
A loud screech can be heard and this smelly little welf runs and dives at the mummy PAUL. Chances eyes get big hearing the weird sound and mutters, “well, shit, he is going to die isn’t he?” It was not a great attack style as he flings himself at PAUL the mummy and it catches him, as much as a raised eyebrow can be done for a mummy and he throws him across the room. He rolls violently to the wall but takes no damage.
Khamyra’s eyes turn purple, a small smile on her face. Dust tracing, a symbol drawn, “eldritch!” she hisses. Three streaks of purplish arcane energy erupt from her hand and strikes FRED straight on, as it was hitting the undead the Warlock mumbles “skubbe.” Some wrappings and dirt flying about (13hp of damage). It staggers and as though an unseen force was pushing it, FRED stumbles back (Eldritch force – 10ft push, save for prone, it fails) It falls on its butt sliding a bit. Unfortunately by the time she was able to get her blade spawned, the turn ended with her swearing under her breath (Rolled a “1”).
Velencia eyes up EARL, the Lord and sees he is not paying all that much attention to her now. She grabs his arm and though it effected her (3hp of necrotic damage, she made the save – halved). It blasted the Mummy making him shutter and tense up straight, eyes flashing (36hp of damage). Then with a evil smile, releases his arm, grabbed daggers and jams both into him (immune to poison – Still does 14hp of damage).
TOP OF ROUND TWO
There are 3 Mummys and 1 Mummy Lord. Fred the mummy is out of this round. Any attack on Flora (Roll the chance dice) will result with another roll of chance. She is being protected by the group. Chance has 1 more round of bark skin and is in full Champion mode.
While FRED was getting his bearring’s about him, SAMMY went after a frozen target in Flora. Velencia catches that and awkwardly steps inbetween them two. She gets a sucker punch to the side of the face making her head snap back (5hp of bludge 3hp of necrotic). Flora screeches, almost drops her dagger and looks around frantically. Velencia rubs her face now forming a weird spidery bruise. The Priestess knows enough not to look at the mummy, so the stare attempt fails.
On the opposite side of Flora comes PAUL, and his aim was true. By the time Miss Grimblethorn turned she got punched square in the nose making her stumble backwards, land on her butt and hold her nose; blood starts to pour out and the weird spidery bruise forms (7hp bludge, 8hp necrotic – she has 2hp left -). She can feel herself get dizzy and gets up, tears streaming down her face. This negates any staring chance so it failed. Velencia noticed, wide eyes and races over to her, “Shit, hun, sorry!” she blurts out among the chaos of battle.
Keeping the shield up Chance looks about and sees FRED wobbling to a full standing position. He races for him, slashing hard. A little by surprise the blade digs deep and starts to cut through him like butter. If a mummy could show pain, this would be the time (15hp of slashing damage) and it practically slides into two pieces (killing blow). Turning and giving a wild slash, Silent Fate digs deep into PAUL giving him a jump scare, as much as undead can be. Slicing half through his back, wrappings flying about. Chance waves his hands around, knocks a few wrappings away, “why dont you just go back to sleep you dead fucker!” – finishing out with a growl.
Khamyra backs up looking about, raises an eyebrow, “not sure dead can really sleep hun!”
Velencia turns to the good ol’ Earl, the Mummy Lord. “By Finsters Fire!” she exclaims and raises her hand while holding her necklace. Flames immediately erupt from the ground engulfing EARL (fire damage 31hp of damage). Seeing this thing on fire, she thinks twice about attacking it again and turns and jams her daggers into SAMMY the Mummy. It barely notices but some dirt and debris plop out afterwards (10hp of damage).
The Lord is now starting to flame out and with fear rising in her, and chaos about Flora lunges for this creature with her (silver) dagger. the strike lands square in the middle of it’s back making the creature stiffen up (Critical hit 11hp of damage). She tries to pull it out, stumbles a bit and drags the blade through the creature. Half burnt wrappings flying about, dust and some blood come out making the scared woman gag. EARL’s head slumps, his body follows and lands dead on the ground. The Priestess wide eyes and a huge smile looking past the smoke and debris to a scared shitless Flora staring at her dagger with this monster dead in front of her(killing blow). “Good job!” The Priestess yells.
Hamza distracted by the odd scene strikes at SAMMY only to lose his footing on the ground with all the debris piling up (Rolled a crit fail). He rights his ship and backs up in a defensive stance; only to wince when he hears his Priestess sigh loudly. Then turns slightly to her left, then Chance mumbles, “well… shit.” That surprisingly makes Velencia giggle.
The Welf is getting up from his last toss and he races for PAUL the mummy. Both daggers out and screaming very loud. Everyone winces at the sound and he leaps at the mummy. “Jebus Raff, someone squat on your dinner tonight?” Velencia says with a bit of whip. Both daggers land and push the undead back a few feet from the onslaught (18hp of damage). This time he ducks the grab of the creature and slides back, eyes wide, spit flying, breathing heavy.
The Warlock all ready to rumble, flings her arm, with charcoal dust following. She stops aiming straight at SAMMY, tracing a symbol with a snarl, “enfuego hilo.” She braces and this straight line flame bolt of sorts jumps from her hand making her push back a little. It strikes SAMMY hard, he stumbles back, semi on fire (20hp of flame damage). Not caring about the flames she jumps to one side that is not smoldering, and drives her flaming blade into the side of the creature (6hp piercing, 5hp flame damage).
TOP OF ROUND THREE
There are 2 Mummys. Any attack on Flora (Roll the chance dice) will result with another roll of chance. She is being protected by the group. Chance has lost his bark skin and is in full Champion mode.
The battle is winding down. SAMMY attacks Velencia and hits her like a baseball bat and it makes her stumble a bit and its eyes flare. Then while that was happening PAUL goes for Flora and as the Priestess was avoiding the one, it gets in the way of the other. It makes PAUL change direction and take a swing at the Priestess instead and it misses. Eyes flaring.
Chance races to PAUL slashing hard down. Rips through the creature and wrappings dust fly (12hp of damage), twirls and slices again hitting as it was stumbling back (12hp of damage). The Champion then gets in a stance.
The Priestess gets inbetween the two Mummys and with one hand she jams the dagger into SAMMY (9hp of damage – Killing blow). It stutters, raises its arm and its eyes turn dark and collapse on the floor. PAUL with a bit more HP just stutters a little. She goes to strike him, only to have the mummy stutter to far away and her blades wizz on by, “BULLOCKS!” she yells, eyes a blaze.
Hamza recovers and lunges for the last one, his weapons go deep, he turns them and pulls them out; dust, some blood maybe and some wrappings go flying. It falls over.
Turn based starts here again
DMaster: Then the room grows quiet. Some panting, a shuffle or two, but mostly of a woman crying softly.
Chance: Sigh looking over knowing it has to be Flora. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea bringing her in raw like that. Letting Velencia deal with it, I make my way to Khamyra.
DMaster: Velencia walks to her and squats down, her hands on her knees. Softly.
VEL: Hun, it’s ok. They got in a few shots but we took care of them.
Flora buried herself into Velencia almost sending her backwards. She is softly crying with a few sniffles. They sit there in an embrace as the Priestess strokes her hair. Everyone jumps a bit as the Warlock says, loudly mind you; leading towards a bad joke.
KHA: Well! That was a first! Mummies…
Chance: Jump a little give my wife a look. Lean close in to Khamyra and whisper
Chan: She shouldn’t have come with us.
Then glance over to Velencia watching her console her.
Chan: This is a side of Velencia I haven’t seen
Put my arm around my wife, and heal her.
DMaster: She snorts a little, whispers back
KHA: No, I think you have, because I am pretty sure she wants to fuck her again, so yeah… she’s being nice. Must be one hell of a pussy.
Chance: Spit, scoff & chuckle a little and smile at Khamyra. Shake my head.
DMaster: The Warlock is walking off to the Coffins to see if anything is in them, and then turns quickly back to you.
KHA: Hey, I don’t think you were attacked at all? That is also a first! I guess Mummies don’t like you. I wonder if “Daddies” do?
Her face lit up, smile growing. Rafferty is just staring, blinking. Velencia lets out a small grown and Hamza, wide eyes just keeps walking and looking.
RAFF: Oh brother.
Chance: Give her a wide smile and a nod.
Chan: By Finster.
DMaster: Finally the Priestess looks to her, helping Flora up. A playful wide eyed look shaking her head slightly.
VEL: wow, that… wow. Khamyra babe, I… I…
Shaking her head, Khamyra playfully offended.
KHA: Fine… FINE! Humor is lost on you all!
Rafferty smiles a bit still shaking his head.
RAFF: No my dear, I think humor may of missed “you” all together.
Khamyra is looking at the coffins with Raffy and Hamza now.
Chance: Nod and smile. Alright, fighting mummies are pretty cool.
DMaster: HAM: This all seems like they are in transit or stored here. I guess these were supposed to be buried somewhere else?
He is looking around, raised eyebrow.
RAFF: Velencia is right, you must be a genius.
Hamza clenches his fist, face turns a bit red.
RAFF: The real question is, why have they been here so long, by the dust on the floor and what flew off the lids… it has to be a decade at least.
Chance: Shake head.
Chan: Not sure, laziness? I mean burying someone is not exactly fun or… well…
DMaster: Memories flood your mind of Shanna slumped against the well motionless, you digging a grave for her before the break of dawn. That day still hits you hard. You well up a bit in the slightest.
Chance: Bury that shit deep. I’ll shut up, and turn to the entrance-way.
Chan: So let’s get healed up and head back, alright?
DMaster: Everyone nods, but Khamyra is giving you an odd look curious why you stopped talking mid sentence. Flora is up, wiping her tears that has blood mixed in it. A weird bruise right in the middle of her face with some vein like ripples, A big spidery bruise.
VEL: Can you heal her?
Flora looks up to you, red eyes and trying to get herself in order. Sniffling a bit and breathing short and quick.
Chance: Nod my head and give Velencia a soft smile
Chan: Of course.
Walk up to Flora and gently touch her face, as I heal her
DMaster: She moans a little with wide eyes, looks at you.
FLO: Whoa… What the hell was that?!
Velencia chuckles,
VEL: You should feel it when you are a follower of Finster, knocks your panties right off.
Then as the moments of the battle start to sink in and Khamyra walking over trying not to giggle at the moan; Flora confronts her.
FLO: You are casting magic? We could of all exploded?!
Chance: Give her a look.
Chan: Surely Velencia explained it is safe to use magic?
DMaster: VEL: When have I had time to do that chump? You are as tall as you are dumb.
The Priestess blushes slightly, a small smirk.
VEL: We haven’t had time to talk all that much, umm, not really at all.
Rafferty has wider eyes and opens his mouth. He slams it shut when he gets a death stare from Velencia.
Chance: Chan: Well, Flora it is safe to use magic now. Finster has ascended and our Lord sits with Animax. He is called the “bringer of magic,” after all.
Giving a small chuckle and walk to Velencia
Chan: Now try not to moan too much, Priestess
DMaster: She gives you a push and a smirk.
Chance: I lay my hands on her and heal. Then straighten back and assume a guarding position by the doorway. Letting Velencia and Flora have a moment alone together, if they need it.
DMaster: Velencia did everything in her power not to moan but her face flushed a lot. Rafferty is licking his daggers, Hamza also is at the entrance-way. He glances to the welf, and slowly shakes his head.
HAM: That… well, that is gross, lets go already.
Chance: Wait for the group to get together.
Chan: I guess that leaves the portal now.
DMaster: He waves them on and after doing a quick once over, there is nothing left in the room. The mummies did not have anything on them, even the Lord EARL had nothing much of value. He was just bigger and stronger than the rest… looked a bit uglier and had some symbols that have been smeared.
Chance: They are mummies, not like they keep treasures laying around. Make our way back to the landing.
DMaster: You are now in the room with the Portal. It is vibrating a blue with an odd pattern rotating slowly. It doesn’t make much of a sound. This one is in near perfect shape. An archway of silver that peaks in the middle, the entryway frame is roughly 9 inches wide all around.
Chance: Give Velencia a look.
DMaster: Velencia is contemplating, glances to you and gives you a look back.
VEL: Wat. Wat is it chump?
Chance: Chan: Why did Finster have one of these in his dungeons? How the hell did he get it there, I really don’t think it was created there considering the status of it. Like he ripped it off a wall and threw it down in his dungeons.
DMaster: She raises an eyebrow slowly shaking her head.
VEL: I don’t know. Maybe experiments with it? We can’t look past the fact it led to the Red Death and over the Evershimmer. Could be part of the reason…
FLO: Red Death?
Khamyra is shaking her head.
KHA: Yes. But these can’t be easy to find either, so I am not sure he could of been that picky.
Hamza is shaking his head getting in front of everyone, a little impatient. Points to the portal.
HAM: Well, let’s just see where this goes alright?
Chance: Nod head
Chan: well what do you think Priestess, as much as I hate portals, I guess we should find out where this goes.
DMaster: She nods her head back, looks around then to the far wall. Flora is staring at the portal, looking a little less for wear.
VEL: Flora did you want to stay here?
Flora shakes her head.
FLO: No way I am stopping now. Decades of not knowing, getting through barriers and getting socked in the nose by a mummy… I think I’ve earned that right.
Everyone chuckles a bit, nods their head.
Chance: Chan: I will go first. I better see everyone on the other side.
DMaster: The Priestess is giving you a “really” look. Then shaking her head.
VEL: No Chump. Change over, go through, investigate a little and come back…
Khamyra is shaking her head.
KHA: No way, if one goes we all go.
Vel gives her quite the sarcastic look.
VEL: Sure, just like we did with the barrier back there, right?
She is thumbing towards the stairs.
Chance: Interrupt.
Chan: That’s fine. I doubt anyone is sitting there staring at the thing anyways, in my Champion form I can make the transition much easier.
DMaster: Khamyra looks up, puts her hand on your arm and nods.
KHA: Just don’t do anything stupid?
The Warlock quickly turns to Velencia who was just opening her mouth. A stern finger point and a death stare stops the Priestess cold.
Chance: Walk to the Portal, make sure I am full Champion. Unsheathe Silent Fate. Walk close to it.
DMaster: The initial part of portals it feels like you should be in excruciating pain, but you are not. By the time you figure out what is going on you get thrown out. This time you don’t land on your knees, you stutter a bit, and catch your balance; a bit nauseous but you handle it.
Chance: Look around as I regain my senses
DMaster: You are in a round room that is about 25 ft wide. Plain with nothing you can see in it. There is an entryway in front and you can see light down this hallway.
Chance: I grab my necklace.
Chan: Nvidea
DMaster: You instantly go invisible, 95% anyways but with your stealth you are almost impossible to detect in the normal ways. DM: Chance used his invisibility necklace that he is attuned too. It gives him about 2 minutes of near invisibility (95%) but his high stealth stats he is almost undetectable. It only works once a day, at high moon it reset’s itself.
Chance: Make my way forward as quietly as I can, and down the hallway
DMaster: You get to the entryway and inside is really bright, but it has a shade of orange almost sepia. As you stepped closer to the entryway you could hear buzzing.
Chance: Chan: Goddammit, the Under-earth.
Keep slowly walking, sneak even.
DMaster: The area is vast, you can see a rock-face on both your left and right. It has to be 250 feet wide. The ground is a mix of sand and the white stone you see in front of you. But the highlight of this area is in the center where there is a pyramid that leads up to a leveled off area with railings. It is a good 125-150 wide, and it looks to be roughly 30-35ft high to the railings. As you step just slightly in, to your left and right is potted plants, troth’s of flora, surrounding the pyramid is more wild flowers, mostly what you can remember from the Under Earth. It is hard to see past the Pyramid, but it does seem like this is either a huge cave or it is a place cut into a mountain or hillside.
Chance: Definitely Underearth, but hmm… the white stone, massive size of temple. Ikon maybe? Shake my head. I will see if there are any other doorways as I look around the room from where I am standing
DMaster: Straight ahead is the massive pyramid. It has what looks like a short hallway cut into it, with 2 huge double doors leading inside. Other than that it just seems like a huge cave or a stark valley cut into a mountainside. This seems to be kept up very well, no dust, cobwebs or disrepair.
Chance: Not going to go anywhere else without the rest of the group, so I will make my way back. Not taking any risks.
DMaster: When you get back to the portal, you are no longer invisible.
Chance: I will step into the portal.
DMaster: Instead of walking near it, you walked directly into it sending you faster. You get spat out, you stumble a bit to one knee coughing.
Chance: Chan: Fuck! That sucked.
Finish my bit of coughing and stand back up.
DMaster: A few people jumped as you were literally spat out. Everyone walks to you, curious.
Chance: Chan: Do “NOT” walk into this goddam thing. Just walk close, it will grab you and take you. It’s still an ordeal but it’s a little better. Anyways, what is on the other side…
Wipe off my front. Looking around to the group and tell them what I saw, go into as much detail as I can, once done:
Chan: I didn’t want to go off exploring anymore until you all were with me, even as curious as I was
DMaster: Velencia is standing there rubbing her chin, Khamyra is also thinking. Raf is chewing on some jerky, and Hamza is organizing something. This has peaked Flora’s interest.
FLO: So the orange color and hiss? This would be the Underearth? We step through and we are there?
Wide eyes shaking her head.
Chance: Chan: Yes. The lovely mind numbing buzz and eye bleeding sepia tones. For all to enjoy!
Saying with sarcasm, wave my hands around. Then slap my hands, give everyone a look, getting frustrated.
Chan: so do we go in the portal now or we just gonna stand here looking like we are constipated?
Giving a little smirk
DMaster: Everyone jumps a little and gives you an annoyed look, except Raff.
RAF: I could shit
Hamza burst out laughing.
VEL: Hold up.
Velencia takes Flora over to the landing area from the stairs. They are talking quietly.
Chance: Chan: Raff, at least you would have plenty to wipe with, back there.
Point to the room where the mummies were
DMaster: He slowly glances to you, smile forming and a wild cackle, Khamyra and Hamza also start to giggle. Khamyra comes over, puts her arm around you.
KHA: So we go through this, we will be in the under earth.
Pause and scoff a little.
KHA: I was a little jealous knowing you went and I didn’t.
Chance: Chan: Not really a notch on my belt. It’s not a place I wanted to make a return trip too, love. Bad memories.
looking down and then back up giving a fake smile
DMaster: Everyone is gearing up, hyping up to go through. Velencia and Flora coming back.
FLO: Bad memories?
Chance: Nod head.
Chan: Was sent down there with no information, half of my power and a decision I had to make; one I should of died from. Just a lot of crap to deal with.
Look at my wife.
Chan: If it is a trip to the underearth, we won’t have magic to rely on and even my Champion form will be weakened
DMaster: She glances at you. Everyone shrugs their shoulders.
KHA: I thought magic worked, Talia said she was good. It was the god given abilities that were stifled
Chance: Shake head again.
Chan: No you are right. I am getting confused.
DMaster: VEL: Shocker.
Chance: Chan: Shut it slut.
Look at her from the corner of my eye, getting more anxious.
DMaster: Everyone tightens up, and Khamyra grabs your hand. You are getting anxious knowing where you are going, and Vel is pushing those buttons again. Velencia’s head snaps to you, eyes turn to slits.
KHA: Ok. Lets get going shall we?
Chance: Chan: How is this going to even help us? Are we expecting a chest of gold here?
I look down and take a deep sigh
DMaster: Khamyra and Velencia shrugs her shoulders
VEL: Well, let’s not engage then.
She says walking over
Chance: Take a deep breath and just look at Velencia
DMaster: VEL: We got this far, let’s find out more. Flora will be in the back
Chance: Shake head, wait.
Chan: well then lead on
DMaster: You all go to the portal and just get close, you went first again. You get out of the way and Khamyra, Raffy and Flora both toss their cookies. Velencia seems to do alright and Hamza wasn’t phased hardly.
KHA: Oh my god! (puke) that is the worst! (cough)
VEL: Gross
Chance: Let them finish tossing their cookies and give a shoulder shrug. Before leading them to the room with the Pyramid, see if my Champion form is being hampered at all
DMaster: Yeah, you can feel it like last time. Like it is fighting you to change.
Chance: while I am waiting for them to finish with the cookies tossing, sigh and turn back to normal.
Chan: and here we go, half power again. Great.
DMaster: Everyone is getting back to their feet and looking forward
Chance: I will lead the way till we get to the room
Chan: This is why I figured it would be better to come get everyone
DMaster: Everyone’s eyes are wide looking on, they are hovering at the entrance
KHA: This… is the underearth?
Hamza is looking at the flora. it reminds you of the under-earths style too.
Chance: Chan: Unmistakable. No doubt about it.
I describe what it looked like to the group on my last visit to the underearth, quickly.
DMaster: Looking up you can see the orange crystals. It is a bit different, it almost echoes in the place, but you figure it is from the cave or mountainside walls. DM: Velencia rolled a 21 in Passive perception.
VEL: Air is, (pause), wait, hold up, hold up
She is waving you guys back to the entrance, You can hear something too
Chance: Go back towards Velencia and give her a look
DMaster: The sound is like a door, opening and closing a few times. But the doors in front of the pyramid have not moved.
Chance: See if I can tell which way the noise is coming from
DMaster: From behind the structure, then coming from both sides; one left side the other right. Creatures, body of a snake, wrapped similar to a mummy. Weapon on their side, eyes glowing. The slither along almost silent and they look to be around 8 feet tall. Across the Pyramid a feline creature with snakes coming off it, bounds over some steps.
VEL: What… the fuck are those?
Chance: Chan: (whispering) Do we really want to find out?
DMaster: Hamza turns, goes to grab for the welf.
HAM: Oh goddammit!
RAF: AHHHH!
The Welf races out weapons drawn and screaming.