S@squ@tch's Against the Giants - Team Black

s@squ@tch said:

[sblock=Morika]

You hurry after the giant, trying to keep him in sight through the dense underbrush. After several tries of hailing him in a normal voice, without success, you give a loud holler,"Hoy there! I be needing to speak with ye!"

The loud footfalls cease momentarily and you hear from up ahead in a low, booming voice,"Ah, 'tis always good ta hear the tongue of nature."

"Now, where ya be, who ya be, and what ya need?"
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[sblock=Morika]"Here!" she calls, hurring up the last few steps to bring her into the giant's view. One hoped that so close to "civilization," giants wouldn't be the "break your bones" type, but it wouldn't hurt to be wary. Morika kept a respectful distance when she talked. "I'm here! I'm Morika, from the Reaches. Got myself sent down here to be looking into a problem, some rogue giants makin' major death-trouble for groups going to the mountains yonder," she explained, jerking her chin the general direction their employer had indicated. "Barely got ourselves off the docks when some invisible spy-type shows up. Be you seen anything of invisible sneaks here or unrest over that way?"

Morika was assuming that a fellow druid wouldn't go for wanton slaughter, even by his kin. Nature killed to eat or to defend, or occasionally in rivalries over mates. Unless the groups of hunters had been invading territory (and considering this was a relatively new occurance, not likely), it was more likely something else was going on. If this giant knew of it, of course.[/sblock]

In Aeranduil's opinion, it would be best at this point to get the lay of the land, and find out some tricks to surviving in the jungles. "Where can we purchase a map of the region? And who might we talk to about survival in the jungles."

If Yogrrith knew the halfling was following along behind him, he made no indication. He kept his eyes forward, passively looking at all the the giant ruins that made up the city of Stormreach. When he finally reached the Keep of the Silver Flame, he entered straight away and made no notice as to whether Ipshivi was following him.

The halfork wanders the Keep a bit, catching sight of the various worshippers of the various gods. Many of these know not the true hand that touches them. I pity them. He thinks to himself.

Finally he sees the very small building dedicated to The Shadow almost hidden against and behind one of the huge stone pillars built eons ago. He nods at the placement of the temple and he steps inside. His eyes adjust almost immediately to the change of brightness to dimness... just one of the minor blessings he has received from his god, and thus he catches sight of the robed man instantly.

"Greetings, brother. How may the Shadow assist you?"

Yoggrith steps into the room and moves towards the man with his hand outstretched. "The Shadow touches me as he touches you. That is all the assist I need. I am here to offer my praise to the one who favors my soul with his dark blessing, even now in a faraway land from my home."

He reaches into his pouch and pulls out several pieces of gold coin which he drops in the tithing plate. "A pitance compared to the wealth He has given me, I know... but one that I hope will find its use here in the Land Of Giants."

Rhun said:

In Aeranduil's opinion, it would be best at this point to get the lay of the land, and find out some tricks to surviving in the jungles. "Where can we purchase a map of the region? And who might we talk to about survival in the jungles."

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"Oh, you can purchase a map in dozens of places." Sanne said. "And some of them will even be accurate, as much as any map of Xen'drik is. The trick is knowing who to buy from -- neither the cheapest nor the most expensive are a safe bet. Fortunately, by the time you're first officer of Lyrandar vessell, one has a fair amount of experience with people trying to sell glass as dragonshards."

[sblock=Morika]

The giant pauses as your words sink in. "Reaches? Can't say I be familiar with that -- bet that be on that other land, i supposes."

"Giants making death? Well, that they do all the time, its in their blood."

He furrows his brow a bit.

"Can't say I know anything 'bout invisible fellers. I be in town usually tah sell me goods and ta keep the peace with the Stormlords and the others." He says, looking down at his laden basket.

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[sblock=Ipshivi and Yoggrith]

"Many thanks, brother -- the Shadow richly rewards those that are not blinded by the light."

He turns and looks past the halfork, towards the doorway.


"Hold, child, the shadow sees all, so there is no reason to hide."

The man gestures and utters a prayer to his god and Ipshivi is outlined briefly with magical energies, which strip away some of her magicks, causing her to become visible to normal eyes.

[Walk Unseen, See the Unseen, and Spiderwalk dispelled]

He looks at the now visible Ipshivi and asks,"Now, child, what can the Shadow do for you today?"

[/sblock]

[sblock=Voadam]
Nardon disappears momentarily, then reappears minutes later bearing a load of journals and records.

"Now, let us delve deeply into these papers, shall we?" He says with a grin.

OOC: He tells you about the normal denizens of the interior of Xen'drik - first, starting with the drow. They are a nomadic society that has become adept at jungle tactics and warfare. They can be deadly opponents when encountered in their home turf.

After the drow, you have the giants -- all kinds can be found, hill, fire, frost, stone, storm, cloud, along with what appears to be an offshoot of the ancient titans, the jungle giant. The jungle giant however, is mostly peaceful and seeks to protect its jungle. Most giants are still living in a primitive society.

One interesting creature found in Xendrik is the scorrow -- half drow, half scorpion, but it breeds true -- these are fearsome hunters.

Dream serpents are prized for their fangs and skins, from which armor and weapons are fashioned.

House Tharashk has also encountered all sorts of variations of animals that have adapted a particular environment on Xen'drik, but are similar to normal counterparts on Khorvaire, like the humpbacked desert lion, web-footed tiger, or stone-hide python.
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[sblock=Sanne and Aeranduil]
You set out for House Lyrander, which you were told was in the ward east of the Tharashk Enclave.

Walking through the bustling city, you push past crowds gathered in front of street performers and merchants. Along the street, you notice carts filled with wondrous fruits and vegetables, the likes of which you have never seen. Various rattan pots also contain wonders of the mysterious continent.

You enter the new ward and hear a commotion coming from your left, screams of terror interlaced with shouts for people to remain calm.

Your curiousity piqued, you wander over towards the gathering crowd.

You are able to get closer to the source of the issue, and notice a body slumped against the back wall of a ramshackle looking building, who is surrounded now by several uniformed men, that look to be some type of city watch.

Upon closer examination, you are fully able to realize why people were shrieking and screaming -- the head has a large hole in it -- and is missing its brain.

You catch yourself starting to shiver, then are unable to control the fear, as you recognize that the dead man was -- Barrak.

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s@squ@tch said:

[sblock=Ipshivi and Yoggrith]

"Many thanks, brother -- the Shadow richly rewards those that are not blinded by the light."

He turns and looks past the halfork, towards the doorway.


"Hold, child, the shadow sees all, so there is no reason to hide."

The man gestures and utters a prayer to his god and Ipshivi is outlined briefly with magical energies, which strip away some of her magicks, causing her to become visible to normal eyes.

[Walk Unseen, See the Unseen, and Spiderwalk dispelled]

He looks at the now visible Ipshivi and asks,"Now, child, what can the Shadow do for you today?"

[/sblock]

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GM [sblock]Even bereft of her concealing spells, the tiny halfling woman was hard to see. The light seemed almost bend around her dark-clad form, and it looked almost as if she might fade from view with but a moment's distraction. She made a brief gurgling noise, an odd sound that might have been a giggle. "I'm actually rather used to walking in shadow, kind of fond of it, even though it is the Traveler who guides my footsteps. But it is the Shadow, I guess, who grants my powers- isn't that what they say, that the Shadow has the power of dark magic... I'm just here with my large friend, a little shadow of his own you might say. And all I'd want is to have my spells restored, so that I can step back into darkness again." She paused, already beginning the nearly reflexive gestures of her invocation. "On second thought, while we're all here and sheltered from the light, have there been any rumors of exotic magic floating about lately, any tales of dweomers more of the Shadow than of Aureon? Or any other folk who wield the same powers I do- even this far out, we're not common..." Only belatedly did she realize that other warlocks, like their spy, might be in service to the Shadow as well, and might have his favor- she and Yoggrith might be in danger here. [/sblock]

s@squ@tch said:

[sblock=Morika]

The giant pauses as your words sink in. "Reaches? Can't say I be familiar with that -- bet that be on that other land, i supposes."

"Giants making death? Well, that they do all the time, its in their blood."

He furrows his brow a bit.

"Can't say I know anything 'bout invisible fellers. I be in town usually tah sell me goods and ta keep the peace with the Stormlords and the others." He says, looking down at his laden basket.

[/sblock]

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[sblock=Morika]The shifter sighed a bit in exasperation; not at the giant, at herself. "From what I'm hearing, 'tis not just death and war, it might be sommat else. Could be that people found things they shouldn't though, wouldn't be the first time. Tiger take it!" she muttered, half to herself. "In town then, be you hearing about anyone that has it in fer House Tharashk, the human and half-orc hunters? Someone belike don't like them?"[/sblock]

Voadam happily [sblock]pores over reports with Nardon, asking probing questions about the inhabitants to see if they are similar to the ones he has dealt with before.

In particular for the drow whether they are generally hostile and cruel, vulnerable to light, worship the spider queen and use sleep poisons. Are they magically advanced? (Voadam originally learned magic from a renegade drow on another world.)

The scorrow sound like scorpion driders, Voadam verifies if they are tauric scorpion drow and whether they are hostile to the drow.

For the giants Voadam wants to get a sense of the primitivism, do they use metal for instance? Also their politics as can best be ascertained, do the subspecies work together, are they organized by small tribe, their relations with the drow, etc.

Voadam "I am not familiar with the term dream serpent, is that another name for coatl, the flying feathered serpents?"

After going over the first hand reports of the Xendrik animal variations, Voadam asks to see the ones about the new encounters.[/sblock]

s@squ@tch said:

[sblock=Sanne and Aeranduil]
You set out for House Lyrander, which you were told was in the ward east of the Tharashk Enclave.

Walking through the bustling city, you push past crowds gathered in front of street performers and merchants. Along the street, you notice carts filled with wondrous fruits and vegetables, the likes of which you have never seen. Various rattan pots also contain wonders of the mysterious continent.

You enter the new ward and hear a commotion coming from your left, screams of terror interlaced with shouts for people to remain calm.

Your curiousity piqued, you wander over towards the gathering crowd.

You are able to get closer to the source of the issue, and notice a body slumped against the back wall of a ramshackle looking building, who is surrounded now by several uniformed men, that look to be some type of city watch.

Upon closer examination, you are fully able to realize why people were shrieking and screaming -- the head has a large hole in it -- and is missing its brain.

You catch yourself starting to shiver, then are unable to control the fear, as you recognize that the dead man was -- Barrak.
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[sblock=For DM and Sanne]
The elf, although a bit frightened, quickly pulls himself together. He has seen worse in his life, though the thought of having his brain sucked out was definitely unsettling. Turning to his companion, Aeranduil shakes his head. "In my mind, this does not bode well for our task ahead."[/sblock]

Yoggrith stands facing forward towards the altar dedicated to The Shadow... but hears quite clearly Ipshivi's talk with the priest. When she mentions her faith in The Traveller as well as a belief that her abilities might be attributed to The Shadow... he nods to himself. He doesn't recall hearing the halfling speak on this previously... if she did he completely missed it... and thus this revelation sits well with him. Perhaps he isn't as alone on this journey as he originally believed. His eyes remain fixed on the altar but he speaks to the small woman behind him.

"The Six will probably have their devoted here just as they do back in Khorvaire I would imagine, Ipshivi. And I'm sure we'll find the darkness worshipped in our travels forward from here. We are but two of millions, of all shapes and sizes."

As she finishes her queries on exotic magic to the priest, he turns his head to him... his curiosity awaiting an answer as well.