Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Jon Potter said:
Ha! you should hear them at the table. Don't worry though there are no more exchanges like this one between these two again. Menthos gets a purpose in life and Aust gets something else a gift from Menthos.
The Acrimonious Adventurer Association
Ha! you should hear them at the table. Don't worry though there are no more exchanges like this one between these two again. Menthos gets a purpose in life and Aust gets something else a gift from Menthos.
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
A quickie
A hard knock on the door interrupted the team from their final departure preparations; Kourk opened the door and greeted the pallid man who stood in the doorway.
“I come with an important message for Haimish Letram.” The man states
Kourk snatches it from the man’s hand, “We do not wish to join your foul ranks, tell your master he can sit an eternity without due response. We offer him no respite for this query.”
“Gimme that.” Haimish states, ripping the paper from Kourk’s hand.
Touché bard
You mock me even at your own peril
Meet me along the southern pier in one hour
I have something for you.
Haimish crumples the paper in his hand and tosses it into the fireplace and watches it burn.
“Ha! See putrid one, we shall not be dissuaded by your rotten master be gone from this abode and tell your master ramifications are coming.” Kourk says and shoves the man back into the hallway, “well played bard, if he could cry we would have seen a tear down the side of his face when the paper ignited.”
“Since when did you get overly dramatic?” Adokul asks
“Your concern is misplaced; it should be in our convalescing comrades here.” Kourk replies
“Whatever, lets just get out of here. This place offers no chance at increasing my power.” Adokul complains
“Then you didn’t look very hard.” Haimish answers
Haimish helps the team pack up and get to the arrival circle, once there he tells them he must see an old friend before departing, and teleports away.
“I didn’t think you’d come, your mortal heart impresses me once again.” Kalen says
“Cut the blathering Kalen, what do you want?” Haimish demands
“Oh, a little ego I see. Got yourself a backbone after all.” Kalen answers
“No, I just don’t fear you. You’re easily beaten.” Haimish counters
“Really, have you not noticed the sun glaring overhead and yet here I stand plan as day uninhibited?” Kalen replies
“No, but I’ve also noticed we’re no longer on the prime, so that’s likely not the sun at all.” Haimish answers
“Astute you are pity you couldn’t apply that to your selling of the blood ice.” Kalen states
“Bitter feelings for you are of no concern of mine; go commiserate with your lifeless pals.” Haimish shoots back.
“Tell me my talkative friend, have you ever heard of a rakshasa lich?” Kalen asks
Haimish pauses and thinks about it for a moment, “No, can’t say that I have why?”
“You will. Although I am glad you didn’t give it to dusty rags as that would’ve made your trek through his domain that much harder.” Kalen answers cryptically
“Your innuendos tire me, get to the point or I’m out of here.” Haimish responds
“I merely wished to thank you.” Kalen answers
“Odd way of doing it.” Haimish replies
“This new.” Kalen paused to think over the next word, “existence you’ve given me. It has allowed me to see things I haven’t seen in thousands of years. The sunrise, stained glass, green grass and blue sky.”
“I didn’t do that for you, I was duped and you’ll not find me so easy a target this time.” Haimish retorts
“Settle down, I know you chose the cat’s offer over mine to spite me. I offered you the answer you sought and yet you threw it away without consideration.” Kalen advises
“No the rakshasa’s offer was far superior to yours.” Haimish answers
“Oh you think that now, wait until you’re knee deep in it and you’re searching for a why, you’ll hear my voice echoing back at you a soft I told you so. I go now to prepare for what is to come you’re free to go, we will not meet again.” Kalen declares and teleports away
Haimish returns to the impatient team and with the School of Arcane Knowledge representative they teleport back to Highcastle.
The creature slowly descended from the roof of the dome, circling lazily as it watched Menthos below it. The teifling thought it some deformed butterfly, black bat-like wings flapped above a thin pink line. As the creature got closer, Menthos was able to discern the pink line was human-like in form and two arms and legs presented themselves as well. The creature dipped low as it rounded the far side of the dome and when it swung back around to face Menthos it was nearly at his eye level. It was then he confirmed his suspicions of an erinyes.
“Hello lady.” Menthos greeted the devilish seducer
“I am Malicya, I was told your hand was in my creation.” The creature states
“And fine work I must say.” Menthos answers
“I ache for the flesh of mortals, I have been charged with delivering a being that will allow for my lord’s return to the prime. You are to give me that heir.” Malicya commands
“I don’t have time to do your errands for you; you can fly and use tantalizingly delicious means to further your end.” Menthos answers
“You do not follow half-breed, commence with delivering your seed!” the erinyes shouts
“Well, why didn’t you just come out and say so. I’m always willing to help a lady in need, point me to the bed and I’ll get to..” Menthos is yanked off the platform and lifted into the air
“No beds, this will be done airborne.” Malicya states
“Kinky, I like it, but I like a little more evenness you’re getting what you want. I’m going to need to get something from this as well.” Menthos counters
“Your gift is in knowing of the creation of the vessel, I will permit you to view the birthing.” The erinyes offers
“Yuck, why would I want that? I was thinking more along the lines of information. You’re in the know in low places right? Plus you already said my skills aided your metamorphosis I think you owe me.” Menthos counters
The erinyes flies silently for a few moments before responding, “Fine, produce the conception of the vessel and I shall answer one question.” The erinyes replies
“Two questions.” Menthos counters
“Fine.” Malicya concedes
A hard knock on the door interrupted the team from their final departure preparations; Kourk opened the door and greeted the pallid man who stood in the doorway.
“I come with an important message for Haimish Letram.” The man states
Kourk snatches it from the man’s hand, “We do not wish to join your foul ranks, tell your master he can sit an eternity without due response. We offer him no respite for this query.”
“Gimme that.” Haimish states, ripping the paper from Kourk’s hand.
Touché bard
You mock me even at your own peril
Meet me along the southern pier in one hour
I have something for you.
Haimish crumples the paper in his hand and tosses it into the fireplace and watches it burn.
“Ha! See putrid one, we shall not be dissuaded by your rotten master be gone from this abode and tell your master ramifications are coming.” Kourk says and shoves the man back into the hallway, “well played bard, if he could cry we would have seen a tear down the side of his face when the paper ignited.”
“Since when did you get overly dramatic?” Adokul asks
“Your concern is misplaced; it should be in our convalescing comrades here.” Kourk replies
“Whatever, lets just get out of here. This place offers no chance at increasing my power.” Adokul complains
“Then you didn’t look very hard.” Haimish answers
Haimish helps the team pack up and get to the arrival circle, once there he tells them he must see an old friend before departing, and teleports away.
“I didn’t think you’d come, your mortal heart impresses me once again.” Kalen says
“Cut the blathering Kalen, what do you want?” Haimish demands
“Oh, a little ego I see. Got yourself a backbone after all.” Kalen answers
“No, I just don’t fear you. You’re easily beaten.” Haimish counters
“Really, have you not noticed the sun glaring overhead and yet here I stand plan as day uninhibited?” Kalen replies
“No, but I’ve also noticed we’re no longer on the prime, so that’s likely not the sun at all.” Haimish answers
“Astute you are pity you couldn’t apply that to your selling of the blood ice.” Kalen states
“Bitter feelings for you are of no concern of mine; go commiserate with your lifeless pals.” Haimish shoots back.
“Tell me my talkative friend, have you ever heard of a rakshasa lich?” Kalen asks
Haimish pauses and thinks about it for a moment, “No, can’t say that I have why?”
“You will. Although I am glad you didn’t give it to dusty rags as that would’ve made your trek through his domain that much harder.” Kalen answers cryptically
“Your innuendos tire me, get to the point or I’m out of here.” Haimish responds
“I merely wished to thank you.” Kalen answers
“Odd way of doing it.” Haimish replies
“This new.” Kalen paused to think over the next word, “existence you’ve given me. It has allowed me to see things I haven’t seen in thousands of years. The sunrise, stained glass, green grass and blue sky.”
“I didn’t do that for you, I was duped and you’ll not find me so easy a target this time.” Haimish retorts
“Settle down, I know you chose the cat’s offer over mine to spite me. I offered you the answer you sought and yet you threw it away without consideration.” Kalen advises
“No the rakshasa’s offer was far superior to yours.” Haimish answers
“Oh you think that now, wait until you’re knee deep in it and you’re searching for a why, you’ll hear my voice echoing back at you a soft I told you so. I go now to prepare for what is to come you’re free to go, we will not meet again.” Kalen declares and teleports away
Haimish returns to the impatient team and with the School of Arcane Knowledge representative they teleport back to Highcastle.
The creature slowly descended from the roof of the dome, circling lazily as it watched Menthos below it. The teifling thought it some deformed butterfly, black bat-like wings flapped above a thin pink line. As the creature got closer, Menthos was able to discern the pink line was human-like in form and two arms and legs presented themselves as well. The creature dipped low as it rounded the far side of the dome and when it swung back around to face Menthos it was nearly at his eye level. It was then he confirmed his suspicions of an erinyes.
“Hello lady.” Menthos greeted the devilish seducer
“I am Malicya, I was told your hand was in my creation.” The creature states
“And fine work I must say.” Menthos answers
“I ache for the flesh of mortals, I have been charged with delivering a being that will allow for my lord’s return to the prime. You are to give me that heir.” Malicya commands
“I don’t have time to do your errands for you; you can fly and use tantalizingly delicious means to further your end.” Menthos answers
“You do not follow half-breed, commence with delivering your seed!” the erinyes shouts
“Well, why didn’t you just come out and say so. I’m always willing to help a lady in need, point me to the bed and I’ll get to..” Menthos is yanked off the platform and lifted into the air
“No beds, this will be done airborne.” Malicya states
“Kinky, I like it, but I like a little more evenness you’re getting what you want. I’m going to need to get something from this as well.” Menthos counters
“Your gift is in knowing of the creation of the vessel, I will permit you to view the birthing.” The erinyes offers
“Yuck, why would I want that? I was thinking more along the lines of information. You’re in the know in low places right? Plus you already said my skills aided your metamorphosis I think you owe me.” Menthos counters
The erinyes flies silently for a few moments before responding, “Fine, produce the conception of the vessel and I shall answer one question.” The erinyes replies
“Two questions.” Menthos counters
“Fine.” Malicya concedes
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
The best of plans are laid
“How do I find Thruvimhurax the Cunning?” Menthos asks
“He resides in a living mountain of ice in the heart of the Majestics it slowly traverse all of his land, if you’re going there a show of force to his brood will likely save you from being eaten before you ever reach the White Dragon himself.” The erinyes answers
“How does an erinyes gain free will?” Menthos inquired
The erinyes pauses in midflight and the pair begin sinking in the thick air, a confused quizzical look washes over the devil’s face as their decent picks up speed, “I do not know, I do not have free will to decide.”
“Then by omission you’ve voided the bargain. You cannot be the chosen receptacle.” Menthos replies
“I was ordered to complete this and I an honored to complete this. Failure is not an option; I will tear the seed from your own body if necessary.” The erinyes spits back
“No I’d wager you’d need a living donor, having me dead isn’t going to get you anywhere. I do have a compromise for you.” Menthos responds
“No more bargaining, I demand payment.” The erinyes counters
“You broke the deal by failing to answer the question, I offer you a way to complete your mission and still have face.” Menthos offers
“What is your price mortal?” The devil inquires
“Your name, your true name,” Menthos answers
“I shall not be beholden to you.” The erinyes replies
“The day grows long, soon the sun will set and you will return empty handed to your master, what will be your explanation then?” Menthos observes
The erinyes lands on the small walkway near where Menthos arrived and watches the golden hue of the sun creep ever further down the temple’s domed top. “My name is not a gift I can grant; I have not been given permission to renegotiate any deals.”
“But you see, by giving me your name freely, you will learn something of free will and are you not the brokers of knowledge for your master? What better way to explain free will, than to experience it first hand?” Menthos states
Morning finds Haimish introducing Xanthos, Eeyore, Kourk and Adokul to Dahlgrin and Aust. With pleasantries exchanged the party relays their findings on the island of Croy and within the city of Highcastle. Haimish mentions nothing of Kalen to the party, instead playing off his secret meetings as just how the island does business with a wink to Adokul who also neglects to mention his forays on the island.
“Dahlgrin, what is it you do for a living?” Xanthos asks
“When you walk into a room, you notice the people there, maybe you see familiar faces? You smell the wine and food being served, you hear the conversations swirling around you, and maybe some music plays in the corner? When I walk into a room I see the possibilities and patterns of arraignment all around me, I see communications on a subconscious level and I see their eventual pattern conclusion. I search constantly for those patterns hoping to glimpse a reality that once was.” Dahlgrin answers
“That’s not an answer at all, sounds more like a con man than anything a moral conviction would allude to.” Xanthos responds
“Morality is a fairytale told to children to keep them in line; it has no practical use to me. The powers I come in contact with merely wish to experience the joy of existence again. I am happy to oblige them.” Dahlgrin answered
“Your tone belies your inability to successfully debate someone with practice in the common tongue. Perhaps you should take up another language and practice that one until you master that?” Aust interjects himself into the conversation.
“And you would be the unskilled labor?” Xanthos inquires
“Yes, the mere presence of my body proves drow superiority. For without body there can be no killing.” Aust answers
“Your circular speak is quite impressive, too bad you simply spin your wheel and kick up dirt, failing to get anywhere with that mouth of yours. I almost miss Menthos.” Xanthos replies
“Doopa see Minty today!” The ogre relates. Dahlgrin and Aust smile at each other knowingly at the revelation that this elf has other detractors.
“I’m sure you did Doopa, probably a little too much of that turpentine you’re drinking.” Xanthos counters
“Your ogre friend did indeed see this Menthos person, teifling right? Today, at a local bar, we chatted by the fire.” Dahlgrin replies
“Menthos lives? The man is like a cockroach and not in a good way.” Xanthos responds
“Well, I’m not staying around while you guys reminisce, I’ve got important business to take care of, and anyone wanting some real work with actual gold can come with me. I’ll need some trustworthy individuals to assist me.” Adokul speaks up
“I have no need for coinage. I seek a deeper spiritual relationship with my mountain brothers the Stonebreaker Clan.” Kourk relates
“But you’re human?” Dahlgrin observes
“I see no reason to label people with your archaic prejudices once you have moved past perception you will find there is only law and order and that is what the universe turns on.” Kourk replies
“Well, I agree with you on that part, I’m just not willing to travel down your stream of consciousness without my paddle.” Dahlgrin answers
“Friends, countrymen and emotional baggage!” Menthos shouts as he greets the gathered heroes, “How I’ve missed a couple of, well maybe one or two of you. I guess more like one of you.”
“It lives.” Xanthos said turning his head away from the warlock
“Oh, don’t be shy Xanthos come give me one of those deep kisses with a rear goose you do so well.” Menthos said
“I will most certainly not give you anything, what happened to you after you deserted us in Hledra?” Xanthos demands
“I was whisked away on a fabulous three hour tour of my own personal hell, replete with gnomes and ettin conversationalists.” Menthos answers
“I’ve got my foot out the door people, is anyone with me on the gold train out of here?” Adokul interjects
“What Minty going to do?” Doopa inquires
“I’m going to go chat with a white dragon about some prime real estate I’m looking to buy.” Menthos answers
“I think you should see this first.” Haimish says and pulls out the parchment the rakshasa gave him, “It contains the answer to our ice gate riddle.”
“Excellent, but I still have to go. I promised someone, and I need to follow through.” Menthos answers
“Doopa go where dragon is” Doopa says siding with Menthos
“Well, since I have the answer I will see if this dragon corroborates the rakshasa’s information.” Haimish answers
“I’ll go, just to see you get swallowed whole by a dragon.” Xanthos states
Eeyore, Aust, Kourk and Dahlgrin also elect to travel back to the north. Dejected Adokul mouths off at the party and vows the next time they meet it will be him buying their services.
The party heads out after breakfast in search of an ancient dragon.
“How do I find Thruvimhurax the Cunning?” Menthos asks
“He resides in a living mountain of ice in the heart of the Majestics it slowly traverse all of his land, if you’re going there a show of force to his brood will likely save you from being eaten before you ever reach the White Dragon himself.” The erinyes answers
“How does an erinyes gain free will?” Menthos inquired
The erinyes pauses in midflight and the pair begin sinking in the thick air, a confused quizzical look washes over the devil’s face as their decent picks up speed, “I do not know, I do not have free will to decide.”
“Then by omission you’ve voided the bargain. You cannot be the chosen receptacle.” Menthos replies
“I was ordered to complete this and I an honored to complete this. Failure is not an option; I will tear the seed from your own body if necessary.” The erinyes spits back
“No I’d wager you’d need a living donor, having me dead isn’t going to get you anywhere. I do have a compromise for you.” Menthos responds
“No more bargaining, I demand payment.” The erinyes counters
“You broke the deal by failing to answer the question, I offer you a way to complete your mission and still have face.” Menthos offers
“What is your price mortal?” The devil inquires
“Your name, your true name,” Menthos answers
“I shall not be beholden to you.” The erinyes replies
“The day grows long, soon the sun will set and you will return empty handed to your master, what will be your explanation then?” Menthos observes
The erinyes lands on the small walkway near where Menthos arrived and watches the golden hue of the sun creep ever further down the temple’s domed top. “My name is not a gift I can grant; I have not been given permission to renegotiate any deals.”
“But you see, by giving me your name freely, you will learn something of free will and are you not the brokers of knowledge for your master? What better way to explain free will, than to experience it first hand?” Menthos states
Morning finds Haimish introducing Xanthos, Eeyore, Kourk and Adokul to Dahlgrin and Aust. With pleasantries exchanged the party relays their findings on the island of Croy and within the city of Highcastle. Haimish mentions nothing of Kalen to the party, instead playing off his secret meetings as just how the island does business with a wink to Adokul who also neglects to mention his forays on the island.
“Dahlgrin, what is it you do for a living?” Xanthos asks
“When you walk into a room, you notice the people there, maybe you see familiar faces? You smell the wine and food being served, you hear the conversations swirling around you, and maybe some music plays in the corner? When I walk into a room I see the possibilities and patterns of arraignment all around me, I see communications on a subconscious level and I see their eventual pattern conclusion. I search constantly for those patterns hoping to glimpse a reality that once was.” Dahlgrin answers
“That’s not an answer at all, sounds more like a con man than anything a moral conviction would allude to.” Xanthos responds
“Morality is a fairytale told to children to keep them in line; it has no practical use to me. The powers I come in contact with merely wish to experience the joy of existence again. I am happy to oblige them.” Dahlgrin answered
“Your tone belies your inability to successfully debate someone with practice in the common tongue. Perhaps you should take up another language and practice that one until you master that?” Aust interjects himself into the conversation.
“And you would be the unskilled labor?” Xanthos inquires
“Yes, the mere presence of my body proves drow superiority. For without body there can be no killing.” Aust answers
“Your circular speak is quite impressive, too bad you simply spin your wheel and kick up dirt, failing to get anywhere with that mouth of yours. I almost miss Menthos.” Xanthos replies
“Doopa see Minty today!” The ogre relates. Dahlgrin and Aust smile at each other knowingly at the revelation that this elf has other detractors.
“I’m sure you did Doopa, probably a little too much of that turpentine you’re drinking.” Xanthos counters
“Your ogre friend did indeed see this Menthos person, teifling right? Today, at a local bar, we chatted by the fire.” Dahlgrin replies
“Menthos lives? The man is like a cockroach and not in a good way.” Xanthos responds
“Well, I’m not staying around while you guys reminisce, I’ve got important business to take care of, and anyone wanting some real work with actual gold can come with me. I’ll need some trustworthy individuals to assist me.” Adokul speaks up
“I have no need for coinage. I seek a deeper spiritual relationship with my mountain brothers the Stonebreaker Clan.” Kourk relates
“But you’re human?” Dahlgrin observes
“I see no reason to label people with your archaic prejudices once you have moved past perception you will find there is only law and order and that is what the universe turns on.” Kourk replies
“Well, I agree with you on that part, I’m just not willing to travel down your stream of consciousness without my paddle.” Dahlgrin answers
“Friends, countrymen and emotional baggage!” Menthos shouts as he greets the gathered heroes, “How I’ve missed a couple of, well maybe one or two of you. I guess more like one of you.”
“It lives.” Xanthos said turning his head away from the warlock
“Oh, don’t be shy Xanthos come give me one of those deep kisses with a rear goose you do so well.” Menthos said
“I will most certainly not give you anything, what happened to you after you deserted us in Hledra?” Xanthos demands
“I was whisked away on a fabulous three hour tour of my own personal hell, replete with gnomes and ettin conversationalists.” Menthos answers
“I’ve got my foot out the door people, is anyone with me on the gold train out of here?” Adokul interjects
“What Minty going to do?” Doopa inquires
“I’m going to go chat with a white dragon about some prime real estate I’m looking to buy.” Menthos answers
“I think you should see this first.” Haimish says and pulls out the parchment the rakshasa gave him, “It contains the answer to our ice gate riddle.”
“Excellent, but I still have to go. I promised someone, and I need to follow through.” Menthos answers
“Doopa go where dragon is” Doopa says siding with Menthos
“Well, since I have the answer I will see if this dragon corroborates the rakshasa’s information.” Haimish answers
“I’ll go, just to see you get swallowed whole by a dragon.” Xanthos states
Eeyore, Aust, Kourk and Dahlgrin also elect to travel back to the north. Dejected Adokul mouths off at the party and vows the next time they meet it will be him buying their services.
The party heads out after breakfast in search of an ancient dragon.
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Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Divergent futures
The journey north this time had been easy enough, no harassing dangers chased them and no blizzard slowed their progress. The party arrived in the Majestics only four days out from Highcastle and while the weather showed signs of the bleak winter ahead, the skies withheld their frozen treasure as the party penetrated the high central peaks of the mountains. The cutting slopes of the Majestics caused the wind speeds to accelerate to gale force in the valleys between the peaks, thusly the party attempted to remain on the sides on the peaks and not tread through the valleys.
Xanthos transformed into an eagle and set out to locate the moving mountain, he spotted the mobile home after only a half hour of searching, easily picking it out against a backdrop of other mountains as it was the only peak moving. The druid began to dive in for a closer look when his mind reminded him of what his eyes bore him, a dozen young wyrmlings soared around the mountain and he broke off his examination and headed back to the party.
The snow started falling heavily as the party trekked towards Thruvimhurax’s domain, it seemed as if the white dragon was toying with the party; once they got accustomed to the wind and snow buffeting them from one direction, it would shift and blow from another, a few times knocking over the drow as his body was inexperienced against this force of nature.
“This totally sucks, what human god sat on his gilded throne and thought, hmm cold and windy? I like it!” Aust spat
“Not any god I’d worship, it was probably some bored druid who was done stripping the bark off a dogwood tree to silence it.” Menthos answered
“Your asinine comments are not warranted, if you’re going to spout out the first thing that pops into your head please do it in a language no one here speaks.” Xanthos replied
“How human like winter wonderland?” Doopa asked of Dahlgrin
“I’m fine, as I am not human.” Dahlgrin answered
“Doopa not human also, Doopa is strongest ogre Doopa know.” Doopa boasts
Kourk walked in stupefaction, marveling at the size of the mountains surrounding them, “It is no wonder why my people live among such things of strength and beauty.”
“Huh? Moron, you’re human, quit with the annoying dwarf acting, you’re bad at it and you look like you’ve never stepped foot in a mine let along the underdark, and take that ridiculous helmet off.” Aust mocks
“What surely you jest darkling, I feel the sun’s rays constantly upon my brow.” Kourk answers
“Great, our cleric’s caught the crazies, can you do anything to help him Xanthos?” Eeyore whispered to the shifter
“Reincarnation, best to start over again; I believe he’s exhausted the mileage on that model.” Xanthos replies
The party emerged from the final slope before the valley of Thurvimhurax came into view. Dark shapes sailed across the sky above their heads just high enough to be blurred by the heavy snow, but low enough to cause trepidation within the party.
“The dragon’s offspring no doubt, probably deciding if we’re worth the trouble trying to eat outright.” Eeyore claimed
In the distance, rhythmic thundering could be heard and felt as the snow beneath them shook when the sound waves washed over the party. Pressing on, the party got closer and closer to the thundering as the skies slowed their assault on the party. Soon it became apparent what the sound was, as the Cunning Dragon’s abode strode into view. The mountain was no fixed structure, it walked on two legs possessed two arms and its peak was shaped as a humanoid’s head. The whole mountain was alive.
Xanthos whistled in astonishment as Aust strained his eyes to look up into the blinding sky at the walking edifice. Menthos quickly retrieved his Kador symbol from within his robes as displayed it upon his ten foot pole.
“What do you seek fire one?” a hissing voice spoke from within the storm
“I seek Thurvimhurax the Cunning; I have payment for services to be rendered from Statinistor High Priest of Kador.” Menthos spoke
“You may ascend.” A booming voiced echoed from above
Menthos moved up to a stationary foot and began to spider climb up the icy mountain.
“Chasten dragon! Fear keeps you from delivering us to your presence; I show my superiority by waiting here for your arrival at my feet!” Aust shouts
A solitary dragon dives in low and scoops up the assassin and carries him up the side of the mountain.
“This is more like dragon; your hospitality shall not go unheralded.” Aust claims
The dragon reaches the outstretched palm up hand of the mountain and deposits Aust there.
“Hey! What manner of humor is this? Your joke is weak for I fail to laugh.” Aust complains, the mountain’s arm brings its hand within fifty feet of its cave like mouth opening and Aust feels a great inrush of air as if the mountain itself was taking in a deep breath, then a pause of silence and stillness.
“Ah crap.” Aust mutters as the mountain blows a hurricane force wind out from its mouth, blowing Aust off its hand and sends him hurtling across the small valley on a collision course with an opposite peak.
Xanthos quickly alights as a giant eagle and torpedoes up and grasps the flailing drow before he could be splattered across the landscape. Haimish joins Menthos in spider climbing up the mountain, Doopa however uses his bare hands to lift himself up the mountain. Kourk and Dahlgrin wait on the ground along with Xanthos and Aust. Eeyore shifts into aranea spider form and climbs alongside Doopa up the mountain.
The four reach the cave mouth four hours after their ascent started, all of them out of breath and aching all over. The cave mouth had a breeze that seemed more like breathing than a natural occurrence as the wind would blow in from the outside and then pause only to reverse and blow out from within and then repeat.
The journey to Thurvimhurax’s throne room was a quick one, The dragon surrounded itself with mounds of platinum and silver all buffed to a shiny brilliance that blinded those coming in.
“You have wasted too much of my time, already the mountains grow thin of ox due to mortal meddling. I no longer wish to speak to you. Begone from my sight or face the wrath of my children.” The great white wrym stated
Thurvimhurax’s wyrmlings and half-breeds straightened their backs at the promise of easy food.
“Great Wyrm of the Cold Hearth would the sacrifice of one or two of your children be worth more than the payment I bare to you?” Menthos asked
Haimish kicked the back of Menthos’ leg, “what the hell are you doing? You don’t intimidate a great wrym.” Haimish whispered through clenched teeth.
“You would dare to injure my sired?” The dragon moved its body so as to spread its wings across the cavern
“I would dare to protect myself; I have to doubts as to the outcome of the fight, but which of your children die so that the others may feast?” Menthos’ words stirred amongst the dragon’s brood as each one took their eyes off their prey and focused instead on their brethren trying to ascertain which one of them would be the one to stab them in the back.
“Little one you amuse me with your sowing of discord among my faithful, it appears I will be needing to thin the flock a little.” With those words the dragon recaptured the attention of his children
Menthos shoved both hands in his pockets and he fingered a small warm opal in each one, waiting for the first move to blow the top off of this mountain.
“Still I made a bargain; therefore I will let you have what I have sold. Leave the payment here, my children will escort you to the holding place where I keep the object out of reach. It is there for your taking along with its warning, go now before I grow too hungry to stand your sight any longer.” Thurvimhurax commands
Menthos, Haimish, Doopa and Eeyore are flown through a small cave at the back of the mountain’s left knee. They are told directions to the hiding place they seek and then left to their own devices.
“I wonder why the dragon thinks this is a safe enough place for whatever object you’re retrieving if any of his children can just walk in here and take it, if my father feared something that much and I was a morally corrupt individual like a young white dragon that’s the first thing I would go after.” Haimish wondered aloud
His answer was no long in the coming as the first of dozens of desiccated and frozen white dragon corpses to litter the rest of the path were encountered.
“If it kills like this, why would we want it too?” Eeyore asks
The corridor finally opens up into a small cave, placed upon a pedestal of ivory sits a black orb just smaller than a human’s head in size; it gives off a sickly green light that dimly illuminates the room.
“Haimish, can you discern the writing on the wall behind the object?” Menthos asks pointing to an inscription
Haimish casts a spell of understanding and the magic of the inscription leaps into the bard’s mind, there seemed to be two inscriptions one almost prophetic and the other a reply.
How keen the unrevealed hunter’s eye prevails upon the land
To seek the unsuspecting and the weak;
And powerless the fabled sat, too smug to lift a hand
Toward the foe the threatened from within.
Who cares to dry the cheeks of those who saddened stand?
Adrift upon a sea of futile speech?
And to fall to fate and make the status quo
But no one there had heaven within their reach.
Where was your word, where did you go?
Where was your helping, where was your bow?
Dull is the armour, cold is the day.
Hard was the journey, dark was the way.
I heard the word; I couldn’t stay.
I couldn’t stand it another day.
“What does it mean?” Eeyore said
“I don’t know, there’s more writing on the orb itself though.” Haimish explained
Touched by the timely coming,
Roused from the keeper’s sleep,
Release the grip, fall from the keep
Held now with the knowing,
Rest now within the peace.
Take of the fruit, but guard the seed.
“Maybe Xanadu know what it is?” Doopa offered
“I think you should carry it Haimish.” Menthos surprised the gathered
“Why me, it’s your reward.” Haimish dismissed
“You’ll take care of it better than I can.” Menthos answered
It seemed to Haimish that Menthos was withholding more than he was letting on, although this rare show of concern and responsibility enabled Haimish to brush aside those feelings and grasp the orb.
A small frown appeared on the side of Menthos’ mouth, the erinyes’ words were starting to come true and he felt sorry for what he had offered the bard.
The journey north this time had been easy enough, no harassing dangers chased them and no blizzard slowed their progress. The party arrived in the Majestics only four days out from Highcastle and while the weather showed signs of the bleak winter ahead, the skies withheld their frozen treasure as the party penetrated the high central peaks of the mountains. The cutting slopes of the Majestics caused the wind speeds to accelerate to gale force in the valleys between the peaks, thusly the party attempted to remain on the sides on the peaks and not tread through the valleys.
Xanthos transformed into an eagle and set out to locate the moving mountain, he spotted the mobile home after only a half hour of searching, easily picking it out against a backdrop of other mountains as it was the only peak moving. The druid began to dive in for a closer look when his mind reminded him of what his eyes bore him, a dozen young wyrmlings soared around the mountain and he broke off his examination and headed back to the party.
The snow started falling heavily as the party trekked towards Thruvimhurax’s domain, it seemed as if the white dragon was toying with the party; once they got accustomed to the wind and snow buffeting them from one direction, it would shift and blow from another, a few times knocking over the drow as his body was inexperienced against this force of nature.
“This totally sucks, what human god sat on his gilded throne and thought, hmm cold and windy? I like it!” Aust spat
“Not any god I’d worship, it was probably some bored druid who was done stripping the bark off a dogwood tree to silence it.” Menthos answered
“Your asinine comments are not warranted, if you’re going to spout out the first thing that pops into your head please do it in a language no one here speaks.” Xanthos replied
“How human like winter wonderland?” Doopa asked of Dahlgrin
“I’m fine, as I am not human.” Dahlgrin answered
“Doopa not human also, Doopa is strongest ogre Doopa know.” Doopa boasts
Kourk walked in stupefaction, marveling at the size of the mountains surrounding them, “It is no wonder why my people live among such things of strength and beauty.”
“Huh? Moron, you’re human, quit with the annoying dwarf acting, you’re bad at it and you look like you’ve never stepped foot in a mine let along the underdark, and take that ridiculous helmet off.” Aust mocks
“What surely you jest darkling, I feel the sun’s rays constantly upon my brow.” Kourk answers
“Great, our cleric’s caught the crazies, can you do anything to help him Xanthos?” Eeyore whispered to the shifter
“Reincarnation, best to start over again; I believe he’s exhausted the mileage on that model.” Xanthos replies
The party emerged from the final slope before the valley of Thurvimhurax came into view. Dark shapes sailed across the sky above their heads just high enough to be blurred by the heavy snow, but low enough to cause trepidation within the party.
“The dragon’s offspring no doubt, probably deciding if we’re worth the trouble trying to eat outright.” Eeyore claimed
In the distance, rhythmic thundering could be heard and felt as the snow beneath them shook when the sound waves washed over the party. Pressing on, the party got closer and closer to the thundering as the skies slowed their assault on the party. Soon it became apparent what the sound was, as the Cunning Dragon’s abode strode into view. The mountain was no fixed structure, it walked on two legs possessed two arms and its peak was shaped as a humanoid’s head. The whole mountain was alive.
Xanthos whistled in astonishment as Aust strained his eyes to look up into the blinding sky at the walking edifice. Menthos quickly retrieved his Kador symbol from within his robes as displayed it upon his ten foot pole.
“What do you seek fire one?” a hissing voice spoke from within the storm
“I seek Thurvimhurax the Cunning; I have payment for services to be rendered from Statinistor High Priest of Kador.” Menthos spoke
“You may ascend.” A booming voiced echoed from above
Menthos moved up to a stationary foot and began to spider climb up the icy mountain.
“Chasten dragon! Fear keeps you from delivering us to your presence; I show my superiority by waiting here for your arrival at my feet!” Aust shouts
A solitary dragon dives in low and scoops up the assassin and carries him up the side of the mountain.
“This is more like dragon; your hospitality shall not go unheralded.” Aust claims
The dragon reaches the outstretched palm up hand of the mountain and deposits Aust there.
“Hey! What manner of humor is this? Your joke is weak for I fail to laugh.” Aust complains, the mountain’s arm brings its hand within fifty feet of its cave like mouth opening and Aust feels a great inrush of air as if the mountain itself was taking in a deep breath, then a pause of silence and stillness.
“Ah crap.” Aust mutters as the mountain blows a hurricane force wind out from its mouth, blowing Aust off its hand and sends him hurtling across the small valley on a collision course with an opposite peak.
Xanthos quickly alights as a giant eagle and torpedoes up and grasps the flailing drow before he could be splattered across the landscape. Haimish joins Menthos in spider climbing up the mountain, Doopa however uses his bare hands to lift himself up the mountain. Kourk and Dahlgrin wait on the ground along with Xanthos and Aust. Eeyore shifts into aranea spider form and climbs alongside Doopa up the mountain.
The four reach the cave mouth four hours after their ascent started, all of them out of breath and aching all over. The cave mouth had a breeze that seemed more like breathing than a natural occurrence as the wind would blow in from the outside and then pause only to reverse and blow out from within and then repeat.
The journey to Thurvimhurax’s throne room was a quick one, The dragon surrounded itself with mounds of platinum and silver all buffed to a shiny brilliance that blinded those coming in.
“You have wasted too much of my time, already the mountains grow thin of ox due to mortal meddling. I no longer wish to speak to you. Begone from my sight or face the wrath of my children.” The great white wrym stated
Thurvimhurax’s wyrmlings and half-breeds straightened their backs at the promise of easy food.
“Great Wyrm of the Cold Hearth would the sacrifice of one or two of your children be worth more than the payment I bare to you?” Menthos asked
Haimish kicked the back of Menthos’ leg, “what the hell are you doing? You don’t intimidate a great wrym.” Haimish whispered through clenched teeth.
“You would dare to injure my sired?” The dragon moved its body so as to spread its wings across the cavern
“I would dare to protect myself; I have to doubts as to the outcome of the fight, but which of your children die so that the others may feast?” Menthos’ words stirred amongst the dragon’s brood as each one took their eyes off their prey and focused instead on their brethren trying to ascertain which one of them would be the one to stab them in the back.
“Little one you amuse me with your sowing of discord among my faithful, it appears I will be needing to thin the flock a little.” With those words the dragon recaptured the attention of his children
Menthos shoved both hands in his pockets and he fingered a small warm opal in each one, waiting for the first move to blow the top off of this mountain.
“Still I made a bargain; therefore I will let you have what I have sold. Leave the payment here, my children will escort you to the holding place where I keep the object out of reach. It is there for your taking along with its warning, go now before I grow too hungry to stand your sight any longer.” Thurvimhurax commands
Menthos, Haimish, Doopa and Eeyore are flown through a small cave at the back of the mountain’s left knee. They are told directions to the hiding place they seek and then left to their own devices.
“I wonder why the dragon thinks this is a safe enough place for whatever object you’re retrieving if any of his children can just walk in here and take it, if my father feared something that much and I was a morally corrupt individual like a young white dragon that’s the first thing I would go after.” Haimish wondered aloud
His answer was no long in the coming as the first of dozens of desiccated and frozen white dragon corpses to litter the rest of the path were encountered.
“If it kills like this, why would we want it too?” Eeyore asks
The corridor finally opens up into a small cave, placed upon a pedestal of ivory sits a black orb just smaller than a human’s head in size; it gives off a sickly green light that dimly illuminates the room.
“Haimish, can you discern the writing on the wall behind the object?” Menthos asks pointing to an inscription
Haimish casts a spell of understanding and the magic of the inscription leaps into the bard’s mind, there seemed to be two inscriptions one almost prophetic and the other a reply.
How keen the unrevealed hunter’s eye prevails upon the land
To seek the unsuspecting and the weak;
And powerless the fabled sat, too smug to lift a hand
Toward the foe the threatened from within.
Who cares to dry the cheeks of those who saddened stand?
Adrift upon a sea of futile speech?
And to fall to fate and make the status quo
But no one there had heaven within their reach.
Where was your word, where did you go?
Where was your helping, where was your bow?
Dull is the armour, cold is the day.
Hard was the journey, dark was the way.
I heard the word; I couldn’t stay.
I couldn’t stand it another day.
“What does it mean?” Eeyore said
“I don’t know, there’s more writing on the orb itself though.” Haimish explained
Touched by the timely coming,
Roused from the keeper’s sleep,
Release the grip, fall from the keep
Held now with the knowing,
Rest now within the peace.
Take of the fruit, but guard the seed.
“Maybe Xanadu know what it is?” Doopa offered
“I think you should carry it Haimish.” Menthos surprised the gathered
“Why me, it’s your reward.” Haimish dismissed
“You’ll take care of it better than I can.” Menthos answered
It seemed to Haimish that Menthos was withholding more than he was letting on, although this rare show of concern and responsibility enabled Haimish to brush aside those feelings and grasp the orb.
A small frown appeared on the side of Menthos’ mouth, the erinyes’ words were starting to come true and he felt sorry for what he had offered the bard.
Jon Potter
First Post
Hairy Minotaur said:
Hmm... Very interesting...
I can't wait to find out what the erinyes said to Menthos. And what that orb is.
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Your Meta-plot is showing
“It’s so cold, like it’s draining the warmth right out of my hand.” Haimish observes
“Are you picking anything else up? Like how it killed all those dragons?” Eeyore asked
Menthos turned and looked Haimish in the face, he saw the pale complexion of the bard and marveled at the speed at which the artifact worked. Menthos wondered how Haimish was going to last the night let alone seven days. Haimish concentrated on the object, trying to pierce its veil of secrecy; the identify spell worming its way through the orb’s history. As the first layers were peeled off, Haimish felt the maddening cage that is isolation. The orb had been unbothered for so long it wondered if would never again feel the power of an army at its feet.
Empathy settled over Haimish’s face as he commiserated with the orb on its feelings of loneliness, understanding welled up in Haimish’s eyes as if the orb were a long lost friend who was dying. That peaceful look was purged as the orb showed the bard the last time it felt useful, the last time it was held by someone worthy, the last time it was raised above the form of a wraith as an army of dead shambled forth from the shadowed form and the dark orb.
Haimish’s face contorts in horror as the orb painstakingly relinquishes each detailed memory one by one. The faces of thousands of souls roll by the bard’s mind’s eye in an anguishing procession of victims; their bodies cracked off like a shell and the soul re-appropriated to an existence in limbo.
“This thing is pure evil!” Haimish exclaimed while trying to set the orb back into its placeholder, the mocking cackle from the orb told Haimish getting rid of the orb would prove far more difficult that merely putting it down.
“Why would we need to come all this way for that?” Eeyore questioned
“It was the only way to ensure victory.” Menthos says somberly
“What are you talking about?” Eeyore asks
“Oh no, it’s going to…” Menthos clasped his hand over the bard’s mouth, and leaned in close to his ear.
“Don’t, it’ll only make them panic. We have to get you back to Highcastle, you know of someone the orb would want more than you. Get the orb to that person; it’s the only way to save yourself.” Menthos whispers
Disbelief and anger fill Haimish’s cheeks as he pulls free of the warlock’s grip, “What have you done?”
Paranoia seeps into Eeyore as he watches the exchange between Haimish and Menthos; the ranger pulls his blade out and gets into a defensive stance, “Ok, what’s going on here? I demand to know.”
“You don’t want to know, put your weapon down and go to the cave’s entrance; we have a message waiting for us there.” Menthos states
“Hell no, I’ll turn my back and you’ll cut me down like the dragon bodies before us. You want the message, you go get it. I’m not letting you out of my sight.” Eeyore responds
The three companions stare each other down with distrust and loathing perceptions, Eeyore maneuvers so that his body is midway in the hallway, to his left the exit, to his right the orb’s room. In front of him across the hallway stood Menthos and Haimish. Menthos staring at Eeyore, Haimish staring at Menthos.
“Spill it Menthos, he’s not going to let us leave until you tell him what this is all about.” Haimish states
“I can’t, you won’t do what’s necessary if you knew what it was going to do.” Menthos answers
Eeyore shifts nervously, lifting his blade and pointing it at the pair, “Somebody better start explaining.”
“That’s ludicrous, if it’s the right thing why would you telling me affect it?” Haimish questions
“I know you; you’ll find an alternative way and us that. It has to be done this way or we lose more than just time.” Menthos answers
“Haimish! What’s going on?” Eeyore demands
“You need to ask Menthos, this is his plan.” Haimish replies
“Menthos! Explain this.” Eeyore orders
“Shades of grey Eeyore, I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain this to you.” Menthos answers
“Somebody start talking!” Eeyore screams
“Doopa hungry.” The ogre obliges Eeyore
“Hey Doopa, you hungry?” Menthos asks
The giant nods his head in agreement, “Well, Eeyore here doesn’t want us to eat. If he wasn’t standing there we could get you something to eat.” Menthos says
“Stop it, I want answers!” Eeyore shouts, Doopa reaches over and backhands the ranger staggering the aranea and causing him to take his eyes off of Menthos.
Quickly throwing up a darkness invocation, Menthos cloaks Eeyore’s sight and is able to work his way back to the cave’s entrance where a solitary white dragon waits.
“Has the item been removed?” The dragon asks
“Yes, the package will be traveling back to Highcastle within the hour.” Menthos answers
The dragon nods its approval and hands Menthos a scroll, “Your map.”
Menthos takes the scroll and watches the dragon take flight into the falling snow.
“You used me? What have you done to me?” Haimish pleads
“I saved you, to give you a chance to be the hero you’ve always know you could be.” Menthos answers
“Stop circling the truth, what is this?” Haimish demands
“We need to get you to Highcastle so you can work on halting the transformation. Once done we can strike at Ina-Herit and put an end to the weather’s suffering.” Menthos answers
The name struck a pang of recognition within Haimish, “Ina-Herit? As is ancient mummy?”
“Yes, you know him?” Menthos inquires
“Yes. What does he have to do with the orb?” Haimish asks
“He wanted to create an army of dead and march south from his citadel to conquer, by acquiring this before he does, we’ve delayed that action.” Menthos answers
“Delayed it?” Haimish questions
“The orb’s will eventually will be done, if not with Ina-Herit then with someone else.” Menthos answers
“Then let’s destroy it and be rid of it forever.” Haimish offers
“No, we need it as a distraction, to weaken the mummy enough for us to finish him. I don’t envy the path you must walk for this, but I believe once you are on this path, you will realize that you were the only one capable of performing the task. I already know where you have to go and you know an individual the orb would prefer over yourself. Follow through with that action and we’ll go destroy Ina-Herit.” Menthos explained
Haimish couldn’t believe it, Ina-Herit sat just a few feet from him a week ago. Haimish had the antagonist within strangle reach and here he was now having to deal with his foulness once again. Menthos seemed to be indicating that Kalen would do the same thing with the orb that Ina-Herit would, but that Ina-Herit might be consumed with tracking the orb and not defending his keep the way he should be. Menthos didn’t mention Kalen by name however and wondered if Menthos really knew the vampire “lived”, he decided to keep that part close and not reveal it unless Menthos specifically mentions him.
Doopa arrives carrying Eeyore, “What happened to light in cave?”
“It was telling us it was time to go, we’re going to have to climb down the rest of the way, and can you handle him?” Menthos asks
“Duh, Doopa is strongest!” Doopa answers
The three of them descend the mountain’s leg and reach the rest of the cold party two hours later. Haimish explains they need to head back to Highcastle first before assaulting Ina-Herit.
“Why we’re already up here, why travel all the way back to Highcastle only to turn around and retread our steps?” Xanthos asks
“You can go on ahead; Haimish and I have to go back.” Menthos answers
“They’re planning something insidious, like a demonic invasion or dire lemmings. I’m going to protect myself, there’s no way I let you two out of my sight.” Eeyore spoke up
“What a waste, we could have just gone with atta-a-boy and gotten rich than take the same trip twice in a week.” Aust objects
Haimish turns to leave as Xanthos stops him, “You look different Haimish, as if the color has gone from your cheeks.”
“I have to get to Highcastle, or you’ll all be in danger.” Haimish explains
“Then let me fly you, we’ll get there in half the time and not lose the distance the rest of them have already walked
The idea was sound to Haimish who agreed to the ride. After Haimish and Xanthos has vanished from view the rest of the party looked over each other.
“I want to stop at Kindoras and resupply before pressing on.” Menthos relayed
“Won’t we need to tell them our plans? How are they going to find us again?” Eeyore inquired
“Xanthos is a smart boy, besides they won’t be back anytime soon, if at all.” Menthos answered
The trip back to Highcastle was quick and as promised Xanthos got Haimish back in half the time of only two days. The shifter tried frequently to pry the truth from the bard, but Haimish held close the reason for his return. Several times Xanthos has looked back at a sleeping Haimish and saw the ravages his complexion was enduring, his skin was extremely pale, his eyes looked sunken and hallow, his fingernails were turned a worrisome shade of black and Haimish had to shield his eyes from the sunlight as they flew.
Once back in Highcastle, Haimish sent Xanthos off to retrieve a cleric of from the god of healing. Once out of his sight, Haimish slipped away and fled to the School of Ancient Knowledge, where he used his knowledge of Kalen’s existence to leverage a one-way trip back to Croy. Upon returning with the cleric, Xanthos feared the worst, that Haimish’s mind has fallen into darkness and the bard would be undead in no time. Xanthos paid for several location spells, all of them failed to detect Haimish on this plane. The priests were unwilling to perform communes for a non-petitioner. It seemed as though the shifter had hit upon a dead end.
The rest of the party made it down to Kindoras where they found waiting for them an excited Adokul who was trying to gather up resources to assist him with solving a little problem for a small town and reaping the rewards for doing so. Adokul eagerly explained his offer to enthralled ears. Menthos however left to go speak with Aleena. He found her room abandoned and her things missing, two pyromancers worked at cleaning up the near empty space.
“Where’s Aleena?” Menthos asked
“Statinistor called her back to the temple to help with her baby.” Came the reply
******************************************************************
In the bowels of the Temple of Kador, two men spoke in hushed voices.
“What do we do with the erinyes now?” Helle asked
“She’s no longer needed, set her free. Tell her she failed to produce the heir and to report to Asmodeus for conditioning.” Statinistor replies
“But she is pregnant as well; wouldn’t it be better to hedge our bets?” Helle asks
“Not needed, the child will be here in a month at the rate of this growth, and with her in stasis nothing is going to intercede.” Statinistor answers
“Our lord’s return to the prime shall be a glorious event!” Helle proclaims
“Yes, and even more so that it was our own member who will deliver him, instead of his own erinyes, we shall have very blessed options once he arrives, tell Ina-Herit to secure the divinity sparks for transport. We’ll need them in three weeks.” Statinistor replies.
“It’s so cold, like it’s draining the warmth right out of my hand.” Haimish observes
“Are you picking anything else up? Like how it killed all those dragons?” Eeyore asked
Menthos turned and looked Haimish in the face, he saw the pale complexion of the bard and marveled at the speed at which the artifact worked. Menthos wondered how Haimish was going to last the night let alone seven days. Haimish concentrated on the object, trying to pierce its veil of secrecy; the identify spell worming its way through the orb’s history. As the first layers were peeled off, Haimish felt the maddening cage that is isolation. The orb had been unbothered for so long it wondered if would never again feel the power of an army at its feet.
Empathy settled over Haimish’s face as he commiserated with the orb on its feelings of loneliness, understanding welled up in Haimish’s eyes as if the orb were a long lost friend who was dying. That peaceful look was purged as the orb showed the bard the last time it felt useful, the last time it was held by someone worthy, the last time it was raised above the form of a wraith as an army of dead shambled forth from the shadowed form and the dark orb.
Haimish’s face contorts in horror as the orb painstakingly relinquishes each detailed memory one by one. The faces of thousands of souls roll by the bard’s mind’s eye in an anguishing procession of victims; their bodies cracked off like a shell and the soul re-appropriated to an existence in limbo.
“This thing is pure evil!” Haimish exclaimed while trying to set the orb back into its placeholder, the mocking cackle from the orb told Haimish getting rid of the orb would prove far more difficult that merely putting it down.
“Why would we need to come all this way for that?” Eeyore questioned
“It was the only way to ensure victory.” Menthos says somberly
“What are you talking about?” Eeyore asks
“Oh no, it’s going to…” Menthos clasped his hand over the bard’s mouth, and leaned in close to his ear.
“Don’t, it’ll only make them panic. We have to get you back to Highcastle, you know of someone the orb would want more than you. Get the orb to that person; it’s the only way to save yourself.” Menthos whispers
Disbelief and anger fill Haimish’s cheeks as he pulls free of the warlock’s grip, “What have you done?”
Paranoia seeps into Eeyore as he watches the exchange between Haimish and Menthos; the ranger pulls his blade out and gets into a defensive stance, “Ok, what’s going on here? I demand to know.”
“You don’t want to know, put your weapon down and go to the cave’s entrance; we have a message waiting for us there.” Menthos states
“Hell no, I’ll turn my back and you’ll cut me down like the dragon bodies before us. You want the message, you go get it. I’m not letting you out of my sight.” Eeyore responds
The three companions stare each other down with distrust and loathing perceptions, Eeyore maneuvers so that his body is midway in the hallway, to his left the exit, to his right the orb’s room. In front of him across the hallway stood Menthos and Haimish. Menthos staring at Eeyore, Haimish staring at Menthos.
“Spill it Menthos, he’s not going to let us leave until you tell him what this is all about.” Haimish states
“I can’t, you won’t do what’s necessary if you knew what it was going to do.” Menthos answers
Eeyore shifts nervously, lifting his blade and pointing it at the pair, “Somebody better start explaining.”
“That’s ludicrous, if it’s the right thing why would you telling me affect it?” Haimish questions
“I know you; you’ll find an alternative way and us that. It has to be done this way or we lose more than just time.” Menthos answers
“Haimish! What’s going on?” Eeyore demands
“You need to ask Menthos, this is his plan.” Haimish replies
“Menthos! Explain this.” Eeyore orders
“Shades of grey Eeyore, I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain this to you.” Menthos answers
“Somebody start talking!” Eeyore screams
“Doopa hungry.” The ogre obliges Eeyore
“Hey Doopa, you hungry?” Menthos asks
The giant nods his head in agreement, “Well, Eeyore here doesn’t want us to eat. If he wasn’t standing there we could get you something to eat.” Menthos says
“Stop it, I want answers!” Eeyore shouts, Doopa reaches over and backhands the ranger staggering the aranea and causing him to take his eyes off of Menthos.
Quickly throwing up a darkness invocation, Menthos cloaks Eeyore’s sight and is able to work his way back to the cave’s entrance where a solitary white dragon waits.
“Has the item been removed?” The dragon asks
“Yes, the package will be traveling back to Highcastle within the hour.” Menthos answers
The dragon nods its approval and hands Menthos a scroll, “Your map.”
Menthos takes the scroll and watches the dragon take flight into the falling snow.
“You used me? What have you done to me?” Haimish pleads
“I saved you, to give you a chance to be the hero you’ve always know you could be.” Menthos answers
“Stop circling the truth, what is this?” Haimish demands
“We need to get you to Highcastle so you can work on halting the transformation. Once done we can strike at Ina-Herit and put an end to the weather’s suffering.” Menthos answers
The name struck a pang of recognition within Haimish, “Ina-Herit? As is ancient mummy?”
“Yes, you know him?” Menthos inquires
“Yes. What does he have to do with the orb?” Haimish asks
“He wanted to create an army of dead and march south from his citadel to conquer, by acquiring this before he does, we’ve delayed that action.” Menthos answers
“Delayed it?” Haimish questions
“The orb’s will eventually will be done, if not with Ina-Herit then with someone else.” Menthos answers
“Then let’s destroy it and be rid of it forever.” Haimish offers
“No, we need it as a distraction, to weaken the mummy enough for us to finish him. I don’t envy the path you must walk for this, but I believe once you are on this path, you will realize that you were the only one capable of performing the task. I already know where you have to go and you know an individual the orb would prefer over yourself. Follow through with that action and we’ll go destroy Ina-Herit.” Menthos explained
Haimish couldn’t believe it, Ina-Herit sat just a few feet from him a week ago. Haimish had the antagonist within strangle reach and here he was now having to deal with his foulness once again. Menthos seemed to be indicating that Kalen would do the same thing with the orb that Ina-Herit would, but that Ina-Herit might be consumed with tracking the orb and not defending his keep the way he should be. Menthos didn’t mention Kalen by name however and wondered if Menthos really knew the vampire “lived”, he decided to keep that part close and not reveal it unless Menthos specifically mentions him.
Doopa arrives carrying Eeyore, “What happened to light in cave?”
“It was telling us it was time to go, we’re going to have to climb down the rest of the way, and can you handle him?” Menthos asks
“Duh, Doopa is strongest!” Doopa answers
The three of them descend the mountain’s leg and reach the rest of the cold party two hours later. Haimish explains they need to head back to Highcastle first before assaulting Ina-Herit.
“Why we’re already up here, why travel all the way back to Highcastle only to turn around and retread our steps?” Xanthos asks
“You can go on ahead; Haimish and I have to go back.” Menthos answers
“They’re planning something insidious, like a demonic invasion or dire lemmings. I’m going to protect myself, there’s no way I let you two out of my sight.” Eeyore spoke up
“What a waste, we could have just gone with atta-a-boy and gotten rich than take the same trip twice in a week.” Aust objects
Haimish turns to leave as Xanthos stops him, “You look different Haimish, as if the color has gone from your cheeks.”
“I have to get to Highcastle, or you’ll all be in danger.” Haimish explains
“Then let me fly you, we’ll get there in half the time and not lose the distance the rest of them have already walked
The idea was sound to Haimish who agreed to the ride. After Haimish and Xanthos has vanished from view the rest of the party looked over each other.
“I want to stop at Kindoras and resupply before pressing on.” Menthos relayed
“Won’t we need to tell them our plans? How are they going to find us again?” Eeyore inquired
“Xanthos is a smart boy, besides they won’t be back anytime soon, if at all.” Menthos answered
The trip back to Highcastle was quick and as promised Xanthos got Haimish back in half the time of only two days. The shifter tried frequently to pry the truth from the bard, but Haimish held close the reason for his return. Several times Xanthos has looked back at a sleeping Haimish and saw the ravages his complexion was enduring, his skin was extremely pale, his eyes looked sunken and hallow, his fingernails were turned a worrisome shade of black and Haimish had to shield his eyes from the sunlight as they flew.
Once back in Highcastle, Haimish sent Xanthos off to retrieve a cleric of from the god of healing. Once out of his sight, Haimish slipped away and fled to the School of Ancient Knowledge, where he used his knowledge of Kalen’s existence to leverage a one-way trip back to Croy. Upon returning with the cleric, Xanthos feared the worst, that Haimish’s mind has fallen into darkness and the bard would be undead in no time. Xanthos paid for several location spells, all of them failed to detect Haimish on this plane. The priests were unwilling to perform communes for a non-petitioner. It seemed as though the shifter had hit upon a dead end.
The rest of the party made it down to Kindoras where they found waiting for them an excited Adokul who was trying to gather up resources to assist him with solving a little problem for a small town and reaping the rewards for doing so. Adokul eagerly explained his offer to enthralled ears. Menthos however left to go speak with Aleena. He found her room abandoned and her things missing, two pyromancers worked at cleaning up the near empty space.
“Where’s Aleena?” Menthos asked
“Statinistor called her back to the temple to help with her baby.” Came the reply
******************************************************************
In the bowels of the Temple of Kador, two men spoke in hushed voices.
“What do we do with the erinyes now?” Helle asked
“She’s no longer needed, set her free. Tell her she failed to produce the heir and to report to Asmodeus for conditioning.” Statinistor replies
“But she is pregnant as well; wouldn’t it be better to hedge our bets?” Helle asks
“Not needed, the child will be here in a month at the rate of this growth, and with her in stasis nothing is going to intercede.” Statinistor answers
“Our lord’s return to the prime shall be a glorious event!” Helle proclaims
“Yes, and even more so that it was our own member who will deliver him, instead of his own erinyes, we shall have very blessed options once he arrives, tell Ina-Herit to secure the divinity sparks for transport. We’ll need them in three weeks.” Statinistor replies.
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Menthos recruitment drive
As Xanthos flew Haimish back to Highcastle, he observed the physical changes the bard was going through, his hair was falling out in clumps, Haimish’s fingernails grew at an alarming rate and tuned a sickly yellow, the bards teeth turned a mixture of green and black and his frame grew more and more gaunt as the miles passed. Xanthos tried vainly to engage the bard in conversation, Haimish however seemed intent on starring into the black orb as if it were a crystal ball into a forgotten library of lost knowledge. Xanthos changed tactics and just made insightful observations about the land beneath them, hoping that would prompt Haimish to reply, but to no avail. Once Xanthos could see Highcastle’s wall on the horizon, the shifter noted Haimish’s eyes had turned from brown to pitch black to match the sheen on orb the bard carried.
“I’m going to set you down at the temple to Rontra; I don’t want you wandering the streets.” Xanthos advised
“No, put me down near Moremekar’s place by the cemetery.” Haimish answered with a parched and burning throat
“I think that would be a bad idea, don’t you?” Xanthos questioned
But as the shifter banked to the right to head for the northern part of the city, Haimish leapt from the back of Xanthos’ giant eagle form and feather fall’d down to the ground. Xanthos looped in midair and dove down into the crowd to pick up Haimish; the bard had a few tricks up his sleeve. Haimish turned invisible and waded through the crowd, Xanthos’ awe-inspiring ability of sight allowed him to catch glimpses of the shimmering form even through the mass of marketplace shoppers.
The shifter turned into a sparrow to better navigate the area and not raise alarm the form of a giant eagle would have above a commoner. After only a few dozen few, Xanthos realized Haimish wasn’t headed for the Dead One’s church at all, Haimish was headed straight for the School of Ancient Knowledge. Concerned about Haimish’s real motives more than ever, the shifter abandoned the chase and flew straight to the school. Xanthos arrived a couple minutes before Haimish could wade through the crowd, turning back into an elf the shifter waited for Haimish to arrive.
“What do you think you are doing?” Xanthos spoke as the invisible Haimish climbed the steps of the school.
“Saving us.” Haimish replied
“Saving us from what?” Xanthos said putting his hand out to halt the advancing Haimish
“From Orcus.” Haimish answers and shoves Xanthos off the steps and faces the school’s doors, “I come to negotiate with the daywalker!”
Xanthos quickly recovers and leaps back to the steps in hopes of wresting the orb from Haimish’s grip, the always alert school however acted instantly when Haimish mentioned the experiment and teleported the bard inside the school and Xanthos only grabbed empty space. Xanthos paced in writhing anger wondering what his options were next, he tried pounding on the door, vandalizing the steps, hurling curses at those he assumed were inside laughing at his failed attempts to gain entry. Then a new passion caught fire, this was all Menthos’ fault, he would fly back to the party and force the truth out of that pompous ass if he has to turn into a tick and suck it out of him.
Adokul busied himself regaling the hopeful treasure seekers of the riches promised to him by someone called Anbhas Ceirtlin, this individual promised Adokul all the riches found if he could lead a team on scouting a fact-finding mission.
“To where?” Menthos asks
“It’s underground; I think he was afraid of the place. Probably too dark and spooky for his taste.” Adokul answers
“What is this Anbhas Ceirtlin?” Menthos inquires
“A man with the ability to follow through with his offer.” Adokul answers
“You never answered the question.” Menthos presses
“What difference does it make? The man says we’ll get to keep everything, then we’ll get to keep everything.” Adokul replies
“True, who cares if he’s a kobold or a cambion if we’re getting some due reward from this then I say we should check it out. I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m not exactly swimming in the gold right now.” Eeyore offers
“I agree, I learn nothing by staying in this keep. Only through explorations of forgotten locals can I gain power.” Dahlgren interjects
“Doopa ready to stomp something, Doopa get itchy feeling in Doopa hands.” The ogre announces
“See it’s nearly unanimous considering the drow is passed out drunk, stay here if you want the rest of us go forth to glory! Let’s go everybody.” Adokul rallies.
“What? Now? I can’t go now, I just impressed myself by making it from Hledra to here in two days walking. No way are my feet ready to wander around in the dark looking for the boogeyman.” Eeyore complains
“But I can get you there in no time!” Adokul pleads
“And then I’d still be walking around in the dark, I’m waiting until morning.” Eeyore counters
“I agree a good night’s rest would be very helpful indeed.” Kourk answers
“Aren’t you still hallucinating you’re a dwarf? Why would you be tired?” Adokul replies
“Hallucinating? I don’t follow you’re train of thought wizard.” Kourk answers
“I can’t believe this, all of you are ready and excited to go and then it’s wait! That’s ridiculous!” Adokul bellows
“Maybe tomorrow after a good praying we’ll feel more inclined to travel?” Menthos says
“Religion is a tool for the weak minded to justify their lot in life, I don’t need smoke and mirrors and faith in a rock to help me, I make my own power!” Adokul roars
“Point of order. Do you plan on healing us with your lightening bolt of burning scorchness, or would do you plan for them to die of disease after scraping their hands on a moss patch? I’ve never seen a magic missile of healing before perhaps you’ve located some obscure spell?” Kourk retorts
“This whole keep is filled with useless wastes of nursemaids, Menthos can pick us out a spunky one and we’ll drag them along for healing, we can leave tonight and be rich beyond our dreams tomorrow!” Adokul addresses
“Sure, you convert and I’ll be more than happy to set you up with a spunky little firecracker.” Menthos counters
“Convert? Are mocking me? Or are you that stupid you can’t follow a conversation!” Adokul rants
“Calm down, we said we’d go in the morning, what’s sixteen hours going to cost us anyway?” Eeyore replies
“Rip his nuts off!” Aust slurs drunkenly
“See it’s not even dinner time yet and the drow is one alcohol swab away from cirrhosis.” Menthos points out
Dahlgren helps his friend to his feet and leads him away towards his room, whilst the rest of the party also gets up and head towards the dining hall for dinner. Adokul stands dejected, but does not teleport away. Instead the wizard tracks down Doopa with a plea.
“Doopa, would it be alright if I bunked with you tonight?” Adokul requests
“Sure, if can stand celebration of happy colon.” Doopa responds
That night as Adokul tried in vain to ignore the constant gas seepage from Doopa, the wizard tossed and turned in his bed unable to get comfortable. He thought about getting up and going for a walk but quickly dismissed that as a bad idea. Instead he grabbed his blanket and huddled in the furthest corner of the room away from Doopa. Scrunched up in the fetal position, the wizard propped his head against the cold stone wall and tried to get some rest.
Menthos stood atop the cold and blustery gatehouse, watching the sun quickly recede behind the Majestics, Dahlgren approaches from behind and stands east to watch the darkening sky overtake the last vestiges of the day’s light.
“What troubles you so, that you feel the need to long for the return of object that revisits us daily?” Dahlgren asks
“I see I’m no longer adept at hiding from the keep if you were able to spot me up here.” Menthos answers
“I was coming up here anyway, I’ve searched the patterns of the keep proper and found none, I planned to search the night horizon here as well.” Dahlgren answers
“What are you looking for?” Menthos inquires
“Patterns, symbols, hints at something beyond reach yet once so close. I derive my power from finding these fonts and creating a mutual benefiting pact with them.” Dahlgren answers
“So you talk to dead people.” Menthos remarks
“In a way, I talk to their essence. They no longer exist on this plane physically, but they long to embrace the memory.” Dahlgren replies
“Must prove frustrating, I don’t think you’ve found a thing yet to help you.” Menthos comments
“Quite the contrary, your faith in Kador intrigues me.” Dahlgren states
An awkward silence fills the space as Menthos wonders what Dahlgren is getting at, Dahlgren however leaves the remark hanging there, “Nevertheless, you have still failed to tell me what it is you are doing up here.”
“I see the coming storm, the clouds for it haven’t even formed yet, though I know it comes. I thought that by coming here I could expunge that knowledge, I find that the harder part.” Menthos answers
Adokul is startled awake by a terrifying nightmare of him trying to out run the pursuing Anbhas Ceirtlin, pleading with him for more time. Backed against a cavern wall Adokul tries in vain to ascend the slope backwards. Suddenly a piercing pain in his left forearm forces the wizard back to reality, throwing open his eyes Adokul just makes out the dissolving form of a smoke mephit as it returns to the fireplace. A quick glance down at his arm finds a needle mark with a rapidly expanding area of grey flesh. Adokul reaches over to grab his arm in a worthless attempt to stop the poison but he grabs cold hard stone instead.
In the morning Doopa retrieves Menthos to inform him of Adokul’s odd state, they find a statue of Adokul sitting against the wall looking down at his forearm.
“Security has been breached, get Gorn. Doopa can you please bring Adokul and follow me?” Menthos says
Menthos has Doopa carry Adokul to Aleena’s quarters and place him in the secret viewing room. Lighting the brazier the flame it creates forms a window to Statinistor.
“My you’ve become resourceful haven’t you?” the high priest comments
“Kindoras has been breached by an assassin.” Menthos informs the priest
“Really? That’s alarming, who was killed?” Statinistor asks
“A new convert, I believe we may have a holy war on our hands.” Menthos answers
“What? Show me this death.” Statinistor demands
Menthos parts to the side to show the crouched statue of Adokul.
“That’s not a convert. He’s not even a priest.” Statinistor says
“Not true, just last night I was extolling the virtues of a Kador worship and he was intrigued enough to return with me to Aleena’s room where he read from the Book of Fire and expressed his need to reform. We planned to baptize him in the fire not even one half hour from now.” Menthos bluffs
“Who else knew of his turning?” Statinistor asks
“No one except maybe his god, Orcus.” Menthos bluffs again
“Send him through the gate and we shall check him over at once.” Statinistor requests
Menthos has Doopa toss Adokul through the fire gate. An hour later Statinistor returns with news.
“It’s a very nasty poison the only way I can help him is if I change his make-up a little to better fight the poison long enough for me to neutralize it. It will likely make him less than human.” Statinistor advises
“If it brings him closer to Kador, I believe he would cherish the change.” Menthos bluffs yet again.
As Xanthos flew Haimish back to Highcastle, he observed the physical changes the bard was going through, his hair was falling out in clumps, Haimish’s fingernails grew at an alarming rate and tuned a sickly yellow, the bards teeth turned a mixture of green and black and his frame grew more and more gaunt as the miles passed. Xanthos tried vainly to engage the bard in conversation, Haimish however seemed intent on starring into the black orb as if it were a crystal ball into a forgotten library of lost knowledge. Xanthos changed tactics and just made insightful observations about the land beneath them, hoping that would prompt Haimish to reply, but to no avail. Once Xanthos could see Highcastle’s wall on the horizon, the shifter noted Haimish’s eyes had turned from brown to pitch black to match the sheen on orb the bard carried.
“I’m going to set you down at the temple to Rontra; I don’t want you wandering the streets.” Xanthos advised
“No, put me down near Moremekar’s place by the cemetery.” Haimish answered with a parched and burning throat
“I think that would be a bad idea, don’t you?” Xanthos questioned
But as the shifter banked to the right to head for the northern part of the city, Haimish leapt from the back of Xanthos’ giant eagle form and feather fall’d down to the ground. Xanthos looped in midair and dove down into the crowd to pick up Haimish; the bard had a few tricks up his sleeve. Haimish turned invisible and waded through the crowd, Xanthos’ awe-inspiring ability of sight allowed him to catch glimpses of the shimmering form even through the mass of marketplace shoppers.
The shifter turned into a sparrow to better navigate the area and not raise alarm the form of a giant eagle would have above a commoner. After only a few dozen few, Xanthos realized Haimish wasn’t headed for the Dead One’s church at all, Haimish was headed straight for the School of Ancient Knowledge. Concerned about Haimish’s real motives more than ever, the shifter abandoned the chase and flew straight to the school. Xanthos arrived a couple minutes before Haimish could wade through the crowd, turning back into an elf the shifter waited for Haimish to arrive.
“What do you think you are doing?” Xanthos spoke as the invisible Haimish climbed the steps of the school.
“Saving us.” Haimish replied
“Saving us from what?” Xanthos said putting his hand out to halt the advancing Haimish
“From Orcus.” Haimish answers and shoves Xanthos off the steps and faces the school’s doors, “I come to negotiate with the daywalker!”
Xanthos quickly recovers and leaps back to the steps in hopes of wresting the orb from Haimish’s grip, the always alert school however acted instantly when Haimish mentioned the experiment and teleported the bard inside the school and Xanthos only grabbed empty space. Xanthos paced in writhing anger wondering what his options were next, he tried pounding on the door, vandalizing the steps, hurling curses at those he assumed were inside laughing at his failed attempts to gain entry. Then a new passion caught fire, this was all Menthos’ fault, he would fly back to the party and force the truth out of that pompous ass if he has to turn into a tick and suck it out of him.
Adokul busied himself regaling the hopeful treasure seekers of the riches promised to him by someone called Anbhas Ceirtlin, this individual promised Adokul all the riches found if he could lead a team on scouting a fact-finding mission.
“To where?” Menthos asks
“It’s underground; I think he was afraid of the place. Probably too dark and spooky for his taste.” Adokul answers
“What is this Anbhas Ceirtlin?” Menthos inquires
“A man with the ability to follow through with his offer.” Adokul answers
“You never answered the question.” Menthos presses
“What difference does it make? The man says we’ll get to keep everything, then we’ll get to keep everything.” Adokul replies
“True, who cares if he’s a kobold or a cambion if we’re getting some due reward from this then I say we should check it out. I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m not exactly swimming in the gold right now.” Eeyore offers
“I agree, I learn nothing by staying in this keep. Only through explorations of forgotten locals can I gain power.” Dahlgren interjects
“Doopa ready to stomp something, Doopa get itchy feeling in Doopa hands.” The ogre announces
“See it’s nearly unanimous considering the drow is passed out drunk, stay here if you want the rest of us go forth to glory! Let’s go everybody.” Adokul rallies.
“What? Now? I can’t go now, I just impressed myself by making it from Hledra to here in two days walking. No way are my feet ready to wander around in the dark looking for the boogeyman.” Eeyore complains
“But I can get you there in no time!” Adokul pleads
“And then I’d still be walking around in the dark, I’m waiting until morning.” Eeyore counters
“I agree a good night’s rest would be very helpful indeed.” Kourk answers
“Aren’t you still hallucinating you’re a dwarf? Why would you be tired?” Adokul replies
“Hallucinating? I don’t follow you’re train of thought wizard.” Kourk answers
“I can’t believe this, all of you are ready and excited to go and then it’s wait! That’s ridiculous!” Adokul bellows
“Maybe tomorrow after a good praying we’ll feel more inclined to travel?” Menthos says
“Religion is a tool for the weak minded to justify their lot in life, I don’t need smoke and mirrors and faith in a rock to help me, I make my own power!” Adokul roars
“Point of order. Do you plan on healing us with your lightening bolt of burning scorchness, or would do you plan for them to die of disease after scraping their hands on a moss patch? I’ve never seen a magic missile of healing before perhaps you’ve located some obscure spell?” Kourk retorts
“This whole keep is filled with useless wastes of nursemaids, Menthos can pick us out a spunky one and we’ll drag them along for healing, we can leave tonight and be rich beyond our dreams tomorrow!” Adokul addresses
“Sure, you convert and I’ll be more than happy to set you up with a spunky little firecracker.” Menthos counters
“Convert? Are mocking me? Or are you that stupid you can’t follow a conversation!” Adokul rants
“Calm down, we said we’d go in the morning, what’s sixteen hours going to cost us anyway?” Eeyore replies
“Rip his nuts off!” Aust slurs drunkenly
“See it’s not even dinner time yet and the drow is one alcohol swab away from cirrhosis.” Menthos points out
Dahlgren helps his friend to his feet and leads him away towards his room, whilst the rest of the party also gets up and head towards the dining hall for dinner. Adokul stands dejected, but does not teleport away. Instead the wizard tracks down Doopa with a plea.
“Doopa, would it be alright if I bunked with you tonight?” Adokul requests
“Sure, if can stand celebration of happy colon.” Doopa responds
That night as Adokul tried in vain to ignore the constant gas seepage from Doopa, the wizard tossed and turned in his bed unable to get comfortable. He thought about getting up and going for a walk but quickly dismissed that as a bad idea. Instead he grabbed his blanket and huddled in the furthest corner of the room away from Doopa. Scrunched up in the fetal position, the wizard propped his head against the cold stone wall and tried to get some rest.
Menthos stood atop the cold and blustery gatehouse, watching the sun quickly recede behind the Majestics, Dahlgren approaches from behind and stands east to watch the darkening sky overtake the last vestiges of the day’s light.
“What troubles you so, that you feel the need to long for the return of object that revisits us daily?” Dahlgren asks
“I see I’m no longer adept at hiding from the keep if you were able to spot me up here.” Menthos answers
“I was coming up here anyway, I’ve searched the patterns of the keep proper and found none, I planned to search the night horizon here as well.” Dahlgren answers
“What are you looking for?” Menthos inquires
“Patterns, symbols, hints at something beyond reach yet once so close. I derive my power from finding these fonts and creating a mutual benefiting pact with them.” Dahlgren answers
“So you talk to dead people.” Menthos remarks
“In a way, I talk to their essence. They no longer exist on this plane physically, but they long to embrace the memory.” Dahlgren replies
“Must prove frustrating, I don’t think you’ve found a thing yet to help you.” Menthos comments
“Quite the contrary, your faith in Kador intrigues me.” Dahlgren states
An awkward silence fills the space as Menthos wonders what Dahlgren is getting at, Dahlgren however leaves the remark hanging there, “Nevertheless, you have still failed to tell me what it is you are doing up here.”
“I see the coming storm, the clouds for it haven’t even formed yet, though I know it comes. I thought that by coming here I could expunge that knowledge, I find that the harder part.” Menthos answers
Adokul is startled awake by a terrifying nightmare of him trying to out run the pursuing Anbhas Ceirtlin, pleading with him for more time. Backed against a cavern wall Adokul tries in vain to ascend the slope backwards. Suddenly a piercing pain in his left forearm forces the wizard back to reality, throwing open his eyes Adokul just makes out the dissolving form of a smoke mephit as it returns to the fireplace. A quick glance down at his arm finds a needle mark with a rapidly expanding area of grey flesh. Adokul reaches over to grab his arm in a worthless attempt to stop the poison but he grabs cold hard stone instead.
In the morning Doopa retrieves Menthos to inform him of Adokul’s odd state, they find a statue of Adokul sitting against the wall looking down at his forearm.
“Security has been breached, get Gorn. Doopa can you please bring Adokul and follow me?” Menthos says
Menthos has Doopa carry Adokul to Aleena’s quarters and place him in the secret viewing room. Lighting the brazier the flame it creates forms a window to Statinistor.
“My you’ve become resourceful haven’t you?” the high priest comments
“Kindoras has been breached by an assassin.” Menthos informs the priest
“Really? That’s alarming, who was killed?” Statinistor asks
“A new convert, I believe we may have a holy war on our hands.” Menthos answers
“What? Show me this death.” Statinistor demands
Menthos parts to the side to show the crouched statue of Adokul.
“That’s not a convert. He’s not even a priest.” Statinistor says
“Not true, just last night I was extolling the virtues of a Kador worship and he was intrigued enough to return with me to Aleena’s room where he read from the Book of Fire and expressed his need to reform. We planned to baptize him in the fire not even one half hour from now.” Menthos bluffs
“Who else knew of his turning?” Statinistor asks
“No one except maybe his god, Orcus.” Menthos bluffs again
“Send him through the gate and we shall check him over at once.” Statinistor requests
Menthos has Doopa toss Adokul through the fire gate. An hour later Statinistor returns with news.
“It’s a very nasty poison the only way I can help him is if I change his make-up a little to better fight the poison long enough for me to neutralize it. It will likely make him less than human.” Statinistor advises
“If it brings him closer to Kador, I believe he would cherish the change.” Menthos bluffs yet again.
Jon Potter
First Post
This can't end well.
But I must confess that I'm intrigued: two party members transformed/transforming into something else. How fun!
But I must confess that I'm intrigued: two party members transformed/transforming into something else. How fun!
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
A thorn is removed
As the rest of the party gathered in the keep’s common area awaiting Adokul’s arrival to lead them to a promised treasure hoard, Menthos and Doopa waited in Aleena’s quarters for the result of Statinistor’s experiment. The drab morning was broken up by the grating voice of a veteran solider.
“Where is Menthos!” Gorn shouts as he shoves his way purposely through the loitering party, he receives shrugs and empty stares.
“Arrest them all on suspicion.” Gorn orders his contingent of keep guards
“What? What did I do?” Eeyore asks
“Suspicion of what?” Dahlgren inquires
“Suspicion of pissin’ me off.” Gorn snaps his forearm at the party and the guards move in to shackle the party.
Satisfied with his morning accomplishment, Gorn storms off towards the priest area of the keep to find Menthos. He makes immediately for Aleena’s former quarters and discovers his quarry there.
“You’re under arrest for attempted rioting, screaming intruder and sending the whole keep into a panic, what did you think would happen?” Gorn declares while motioning to his guards to arrest Doopa.
Doopa hefts his weapon up ready to fight off the men, “Take it easy there ogre, I’ll knock knee you into a Hoblin.” Gorn states
“Hoblin?” Menthos questions
“Like a goblin but more lame, maybe you ain’t got the message ‘bout Aleena’s leave of absence. When she ain’t here I’m in charge.” Gorn replies
“So it’s your fault security was breached by an assassin last night, I’m sure the keep will sleep more comfortable knowing they’re under the ever vigilant eye of a blind person.” Menthos responds
“Funny man are ya?” Gorn says as he approaches the warlock, “You’d sound a lot funnier beggin’ fer mercy.” Gorn shoves his knee into Menthos’ crotch and then smashes his mace in the same spot to drive home his point.
Menthos collapses to the floor and empties his stomach contents over Gorn’s boots.
“That’s gonna cost ya.” Gorn utters
Doopa whips his weapon around and batters three guards into the wall, he turns to face the remaining eight guards as Gorn throws a small cube onto the floor beneath the barbarian. Doopa’s attention is diverted long enough to see the cube expand rapidly and encase him in a small room of force.
“I told ya ogre, you’re gonna learn respect from a dwarf if it takes me killin’ it out of ya.” Gorn declares
“Perhaps you should be taught respect to properly learn the meaning of the word?” a voice behind Menthos challenges
“Eh, who’s hiding back there, get out here now ‘fore I drag you out through your own puke.” Gorn demands
“I have a much better idea.” With the flick of his wrist the cage around Doopa disappears and in the span of two seconds, several guards used their eyes to widen in disbelief for the last time.
The man stepped forward to stand next to the hunched Menthos, Doopa thought he saw Adokul for a brief moment but the man’s features were all wrong. Short yellow horns protruded from the man’s hairless scalp. The man’s complexion was somewhere between rotting flesh and burnt hair, his smile was a razor filled field of pain as his teeth came to impossibly sharp points.
“So’s ya want to fight do ya?” Gorn offers as he steps in to swing at the newcomer. Then the room went dark, pitch black and Gorn missed wildly with his swing.
Doopa found it easy picking off the struggling guards as they stumbled blindly in the darkness. Gorn swung again and again but only managed to get winded in the effort.
“Come out here and fight like a man.” Gorn challenges
“I believe you’ve got one heck of an inferiority complex, luckily I have just the thing to correct that character flaw of yours.” The newcomer states
With the utterance of a string of arcane words the spell was cast and Adokul slapped Gorn across the face to deliver the spell. The darkness was lifted and the now fiendish Adokul helped Menthos to his feet as Doopa scanned the room for more victims and spotted the fleeing female goblin and began to chase her down.
“Adokul?” Menthos spits out.
“Yes, thanks to you and the glory of Kador, I have been remade on the forge of fire into something better, stronger, faster.” Adokul explains
“Impressive.” Statinistor’s voice intoned from the flame gate, “You have brought a most worthy addition to our ranks Menthos, and you have my thanks. Your deed shall not go unrecognized, I will personally see to it that you are properly bequeathed.”
“I live to serve.” Menthos answered
“Yes, as do I thanks to your compassion Menthos. Come let us go find some non-believers to immolate.” Adokul responds and heads for the door.
Menthos turns back to the image of Statinistor.
“Something else you wish to ask of me?” Statinistor inquires
Menthos pauses and sighs deeply, before answering, “No I guess not.”
By the time Adokul and Menthos reach the common area, Doopa is chasing the new Gorn in a circle around the chained party while Eeyore bemoans his fate.
“Hear me out oh commoners of Kindoras. For I have done nothing to deserve to be treated with such thoughtlessness. I demand the local barrister be called to adjudicate my case.” Eeyore calls out
“Help me, someone get the ogre off my back!” Gorn squeals as he races around the circle of prisoners
The keep guards are unsure what to make of the situation, Gorn and the guards who went with him, haven’t returned and the people he went to go arrest are walking free.
“Release them and I will get the six hundred pound gorilla off your back.” Adokul offers
“Fine, anything. Do as he says!” Gorn shouts, but his guards who have been trained against magical attacks, dismiss the female goblin’s rants as the cries of a savage.
Gorn’s new form quickly tires and the more robust Doopa catches up to him and pounds the creature into goop ending Gorn’s life. A wry smile crosses Adokul’s lips as the abyssally connected creature finds the conclusion amusing.
Aust frees himself and with the help of Doopa they free the rest of the group, this puts the guards on alert and they brandish weapons.
“Hear me loyals of Kindoras, Gorn’s faith faltered in the face of his lord Kador. His death was long and painful as he saw the end closing in on him. Do not tread upon the ground he walked, you must find your own path through the fire and be reborn upon the forge of Kador as I have been. I assure you that the pyromancers will assume stewardship of this keep until a more suitable person can be found to continue its rise to glory and affect happenings in the southern Majestics. I trust that you will grant Kador’s will in this.” Adokul speaks to the amassed keep.
His words inspiring hope among the fanatical, Adokul motions for the party to follow him out of the keep, “Let us go and claim the riches I promised you, as I will correct an individual who was sloppy last night. His failure will need to be addressed.”
The party heads off to the southwest as Xanthos races back from Highcastle to intercept them and have it out with Menthos. Xanthos reaches the party an hour from their destination, Xanthos dives in at Menthos hoping to get his attention if his moves, or preferably knock him into a new climate zone. The warlock spots the diving bird and manages to dodge its main body while receiving two claw marks across his face. Xanthos lands, transforms and gets in the warlock’s face.
“What did you do to Haimish?” Xanthos demands
“I did nothing to him, he took the orb of his own volition.” Menthos answers
“You sent him back to the school to die!” Xanthos responds and slaps the taste out of Menthos’ mouth.
“Hold friend, I assure you that whatever you feel Haimish is doomed to go through, was meant to happen. You must have faith in the divine course of free will.” Adokul intervenes
Xanthos turns to face this new addressor, his other senses beyond sight tell him the man before him is Adokul, “what happened to you?”
“I have been reborn through the fires on the forge of Kador.” Adokul responds
“Oh no, not another one. I’ll deal with the charm person spell he put on you in a moment.” Xanthos retorts
“There is no spell to counter, I am who I am and I have Menthos to thank for it. Perhaps a discussion in what drives your passion is in order?” Adokul answers
“Back away flame boy, this is between me and the liar.” Xanthos remarks
“I can offer you salvation and a part of the eternal flame of Kador.” Adokul replies
“You have nothing I want nor desire.” Xanthos answers
“You are incorrect, are you aware that forest fires clear the underbrush of dead and ground clogging debris to bring about a new growth of plant life. For without the cleansing fire your forest would choke itself and die. You need me more than you think you do.” Adokul counters
“Haimish took the orb to buy us time. Our enemy is an ancient mummy with many enemies. This diversion that Haimish goes to create will allow us to get close to him and strike while his resources are diverted.” Menthos states
“Oh for the sweet price of ignorance there but I depart.” Aust offers
As the rest of the party gathered in the keep’s common area awaiting Adokul’s arrival to lead them to a promised treasure hoard, Menthos and Doopa waited in Aleena’s quarters for the result of Statinistor’s experiment. The drab morning was broken up by the grating voice of a veteran solider.
“Where is Menthos!” Gorn shouts as he shoves his way purposely through the loitering party, he receives shrugs and empty stares.
“Arrest them all on suspicion.” Gorn orders his contingent of keep guards
“What? What did I do?” Eeyore asks
“Suspicion of what?” Dahlgren inquires
“Suspicion of pissin’ me off.” Gorn snaps his forearm at the party and the guards move in to shackle the party.
Satisfied with his morning accomplishment, Gorn storms off towards the priest area of the keep to find Menthos. He makes immediately for Aleena’s former quarters and discovers his quarry there.
“You’re under arrest for attempted rioting, screaming intruder and sending the whole keep into a panic, what did you think would happen?” Gorn declares while motioning to his guards to arrest Doopa.
Doopa hefts his weapon up ready to fight off the men, “Take it easy there ogre, I’ll knock knee you into a Hoblin.” Gorn states
“Hoblin?” Menthos questions
“Like a goblin but more lame, maybe you ain’t got the message ‘bout Aleena’s leave of absence. When she ain’t here I’m in charge.” Gorn replies
“So it’s your fault security was breached by an assassin last night, I’m sure the keep will sleep more comfortable knowing they’re under the ever vigilant eye of a blind person.” Menthos responds
“Funny man are ya?” Gorn says as he approaches the warlock, “You’d sound a lot funnier beggin’ fer mercy.” Gorn shoves his knee into Menthos’ crotch and then smashes his mace in the same spot to drive home his point.
Menthos collapses to the floor and empties his stomach contents over Gorn’s boots.
“That’s gonna cost ya.” Gorn utters
Doopa whips his weapon around and batters three guards into the wall, he turns to face the remaining eight guards as Gorn throws a small cube onto the floor beneath the barbarian. Doopa’s attention is diverted long enough to see the cube expand rapidly and encase him in a small room of force.
“I told ya ogre, you’re gonna learn respect from a dwarf if it takes me killin’ it out of ya.” Gorn declares
“Perhaps you should be taught respect to properly learn the meaning of the word?” a voice behind Menthos challenges
“Eh, who’s hiding back there, get out here now ‘fore I drag you out through your own puke.” Gorn demands
“I have a much better idea.” With the flick of his wrist the cage around Doopa disappears and in the span of two seconds, several guards used their eyes to widen in disbelief for the last time.
The man stepped forward to stand next to the hunched Menthos, Doopa thought he saw Adokul for a brief moment but the man’s features were all wrong. Short yellow horns protruded from the man’s hairless scalp. The man’s complexion was somewhere between rotting flesh and burnt hair, his smile was a razor filled field of pain as his teeth came to impossibly sharp points.
“So’s ya want to fight do ya?” Gorn offers as he steps in to swing at the newcomer. Then the room went dark, pitch black and Gorn missed wildly with his swing.
Doopa found it easy picking off the struggling guards as they stumbled blindly in the darkness. Gorn swung again and again but only managed to get winded in the effort.
“Come out here and fight like a man.” Gorn challenges
“I believe you’ve got one heck of an inferiority complex, luckily I have just the thing to correct that character flaw of yours.” The newcomer states
With the utterance of a string of arcane words the spell was cast and Adokul slapped Gorn across the face to deliver the spell. The darkness was lifted and the now fiendish Adokul helped Menthos to his feet as Doopa scanned the room for more victims and spotted the fleeing female goblin and began to chase her down.
“Adokul?” Menthos spits out.
“Yes, thanks to you and the glory of Kador, I have been remade on the forge of fire into something better, stronger, faster.” Adokul explains
“Impressive.” Statinistor’s voice intoned from the flame gate, “You have brought a most worthy addition to our ranks Menthos, and you have my thanks. Your deed shall not go unrecognized, I will personally see to it that you are properly bequeathed.”
“I live to serve.” Menthos answered
“Yes, as do I thanks to your compassion Menthos. Come let us go find some non-believers to immolate.” Adokul responds and heads for the door.
Menthos turns back to the image of Statinistor.
“Something else you wish to ask of me?” Statinistor inquires
Menthos pauses and sighs deeply, before answering, “No I guess not.”
By the time Adokul and Menthos reach the common area, Doopa is chasing the new Gorn in a circle around the chained party while Eeyore bemoans his fate.
“Hear me out oh commoners of Kindoras. For I have done nothing to deserve to be treated with such thoughtlessness. I demand the local barrister be called to adjudicate my case.” Eeyore calls out
“Help me, someone get the ogre off my back!” Gorn squeals as he races around the circle of prisoners
The keep guards are unsure what to make of the situation, Gorn and the guards who went with him, haven’t returned and the people he went to go arrest are walking free.
“Release them and I will get the six hundred pound gorilla off your back.” Adokul offers
“Fine, anything. Do as he says!” Gorn shouts, but his guards who have been trained against magical attacks, dismiss the female goblin’s rants as the cries of a savage.
Gorn’s new form quickly tires and the more robust Doopa catches up to him and pounds the creature into goop ending Gorn’s life. A wry smile crosses Adokul’s lips as the abyssally connected creature finds the conclusion amusing.
Aust frees himself and with the help of Doopa they free the rest of the group, this puts the guards on alert and they brandish weapons.
“Hear me loyals of Kindoras, Gorn’s faith faltered in the face of his lord Kador. His death was long and painful as he saw the end closing in on him. Do not tread upon the ground he walked, you must find your own path through the fire and be reborn upon the forge of Kador as I have been. I assure you that the pyromancers will assume stewardship of this keep until a more suitable person can be found to continue its rise to glory and affect happenings in the southern Majestics. I trust that you will grant Kador’s will in this.” Adokul speaks to the amassed keep.
His words inspiring hope among the fanatical, Adokul motions for the party to follow him out of the keep, “Let us go and claim the riches I promised you, as I will correct an individual who was sloppy last night. His failure will need to be addressed.”
The party heads off to the southwest as Xanthos races back from Highcastle to intercept them and have it out with Menthos. Xanthos reaches the party an hour from their destination, Xanthos dives in at Menthos hoping to get his attention if his moves, or preferably knock him into a new climate zone. The warlock spots the diving bird and manages to dodge its main body while receiving two claw marks across his face. Xanthos lands, transforms and gets in the warlock’s face.
“What did you do to Haimish?” Xanthos demands
“I did nothing to him, he took the orb of his own volition.” Menthos answers
“You sent him back to the school to die!” Xanthos responds and slaps the taste out of Menthos’ mouth.
“Hold friend, I assure you that whatever you feel Haimish is doomed to go through, was meant to happen. You must have faith in the divine course of free will.” Adokul intervenes
Xanthos turns to face this new addressor, his other senses beyond sight tell him the man before him is Adokul, “what happened to you?”
“I have been reborn through the fires on the forge of Kador.” Adokul responds
“Oh no, not another one. I’ll deal with the charm person spell he put on you in a moment.” Xanthos retorts
“There is no spell to counter, I am who I am and I have Menthos to thank for it. Perhaps a discussion in what drives your passion is in order?” Adokul answers
“Back away flame boy, this is between me and the liar.” Xanthos remarks
“I can offer you salvation and a part of the eternal flame of Kador.” Adokul replies
“You have nothing I want nor desire.” Xanthos answers
“You are incorrect, are you aware that forest fires clear the underbrush of dead and ground clogging debris to bring about a new growth of plant life. For without the cleansing fire your forest would choke itself and die. You need me more than you think you do.” Adokul counters
“Haimish took the orb to buy us time. Our enemy is an ancient mummy with many enemies. This diversion that Haimish goes to create will allow us to get close to him and strike while his resources are diverted.” Menthos states
“Oh for the sweet price of ignorance there but I depart.” Aust offers
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Digging in the dirt, to find the places I got hurt
Adokul led the party southwest through a barren landscape not even the Steppe Barbarians would raid over. They passed small communities of nomadic herders as they hiked. The strange site of armored men moving across the landscape sent the herders scampering into hiding among the small rocks and boulder debris that littered the plain.
After three days of marching Adokul finally signaled they had arrived at their destination, a small village next to a petite stream stood out against the brown backdrop of the horizon. To Xanthos there seemed to be quite a bit more people meandering through the couple of streets than there were buildings to house them all. There were no visible buildings on the outskirts of the village and no beaten paths to mark if there were outlying farms.
“I have returned to save your village as promised, I bring with me the tools with which to mend the rift and bring closure to your problem. In the name of Kador I burn for you.” Adokul recites.
“What problem are you talking about? I thought we were seeing someone named Anbhas Ceirtlin?” Eeyore questions
“And we are, but we must go through the sinkhole to meet with him.” Adokul says still pressing on through the village.
“What sinkhole?” Eeyore asks
“That sinkhole.” Adokul points out.
More like an open wound than a sinkhole, Xanthos immediately spotted that the edge of the sinkhole did not angle down towards the bottom of the hole. It looked as if the top layer of soil was an egg shell and the village sat on hollow ground. There was no telltale water reservoir at the bottom of the hole either, just darkness, even beyond what his exceptional vision could see.
“That’s no sinkhole, that’s not natural.” Xanthos remarks
“The same could be said of you, now come along don’t dawdle we mustn’t keep or host waiting.” Adokul replies and feather falls down the huge maw in the ground.
Xanthos grabs Doopa, Eeyore, Dahlgren, Kourk, and Aust and transforms into a giant eagle to fly them down the hole.
“Hey what about me?” Menthos shouts
“I’m not carrying you; find your own way down, preferably fast and hard.” Xanthos answers
Menthos activates his spider climb and steps out over the edge of the hole, his foot pulls his body over and under the ledge, swinging him one-hundred and eighty degrees and resting his feet on the underside of the ground he was just standing on. Taking a moment to orientate himself, Menthos walks along the inside top of the hole toward the edge and then down towards where the party waited.
The walk took most of the day as Menthos was in no hurry to get to where he needed to go, this was Adokul’s mission anyway, Menthos was merely here to increase the size of his wealth and take his mind of other troubling matters. It was with great anxiety that Adokul paced for his arrival.
“You took your time getting here.” Adokul addresses Menthos
“Yes, the elevator was broken so I had to walk it. Besides you don’t fan the flames of passion by igniting the fires of fandomhood, otherwise the fanee becomes the faner and then the fanny gets burned.” Menthos replies
“It’s as if your colon is attached to the back of your tongue.” Xanthos comments
“So where is this host you speak so highly of?” Eeyore wonders
“This way, follow me.” Adokul motions
The mage leads them through twisting tunnels and dripping caves to a carved out space replete with a sitting area and tapestries on the wall.
“Have a seat; I’m sure he’ll be along shortly.” Adokul advises
Dahlgren waves off the reclining gesture and moves to investigate the tapestries on the walls. Aust tries out every available seat he can find looking for the one that suits him best, finally deciding on the stone floor. Eeyore and Doopa sit down in wide sturdy wooden chairs while Xanthos sniffs the air and comes to a disconcerting conclusion.
“Your host isn’t natural is he? In fact I bet he doesn’t even walk.” Xanthos states
“Your senses run true changeling, I do not need legs to transport myself through my domain.” Anbhas Ceirtlin had shown himself finally in all his beholder glory.
Doopa and Aust immediately leap to the feet, weapons readied. Eeyore tries to slink away from his seat and get behind Doopa.
“I see you are more resilient than I gave you credit for flesh bag.” Anbhas stares at Adokul
“I have found faith your poisonous action held no power over it.” Adokul answers
“Appears to have changed you nonetheless. Have you returned to complete your bargain, or is this your way of trying to renege on our agreement?” Anbhas speaks
“I have brought companions who seek the thrill of adventure just as I have, they will help me complete the mission.” Adokul states
“You wish their assistance?” Anbhas asks
“With it your request shall be completed by sunrise.” Adokul states
“Hmm, perhaps you should not be so hasty in your assessment of a problem you have not even seen the question to? Maybe a scouting foray should be your next step?” Anbhas offers
“If you wish to extend the timeframe I have no quarrel with that.” Adokul replies
“I extend nothing, I do not tolerate failure. Your overconfidence in this matter will only bring about exposure to myself in this matter. Subtlety will win the day, not your grounded way of dirt combat.” Anbhas says
“Because I can be punctured by an arrow and not blow myself into oblivion proves that your primitive method of balloonish warfare is an infinity loop of stupidity.” Aust comments
“Drow, I will assume you’re implying how you got down my hole and not that you wish to end up disintegrated and flushed away with my children’s urine.” Anbhas answers with two of his stalked eyes pointed at the drow.
Xanthos heard the shuffling of many feet all around the party, at least his children weren’t beholders as well.
“Pfft, what power has any windbag carried for longer then the breeze blew him. You’re a marshmallow of oppressive gas; you wouldn’t frighten a rat even if it was in your mouth.” Aust retorts
“Very well then.” Anbhas aims an eyestalk at Aust and a sickly green light beams its way onto Aust’s chest. The drow’s eyes grow sullen and his face seems to lose its youthful complexion.
The large central of Anbhas scans the rest of the party and settles on Adokul again, “chose your most capable person and then I’ll send you forth to investigate.”
“I chose Xanthos; his abilities will be most helpful in scouting.” Adokul answers
“Then he stays here as collateral, the rest of your surface walkers will go with you, you have four hours to return with the knowledge I require before the changeling ends up as a dinner guest.” Anbhas says laughing
The party stands in defiance of the beholder.
“What you wish for me to provider you with the starting gun? Very well!” Anbhas rotates his top most eyestalk and emits a yellow beam from it. Where the beam lands matter is disintegrated, the beholder uses the beam to herd the party toward an exit near Menthos as his “children” come out of hiding to confiscate Xanthos.
Anbhas then utters an arcane word and a wall of fire erupts between him and the hallway the party was corralled into, “Hurry, time’s wasting and I grow hungry from all this talking.”
Xanthos is led away down a side tunnel, he notices most of the creatures are troglodytes with massive heads sporting at least two extra eyes, some with upwards of six extra eyes. All of them are functional as they follow Xanthos’ movement down the hallway; they lead the shifter into a common room filled with last night’s meal, some of it still trying to escape.
The rest of the party turns to Adokul.
“Now what? You lost the only tracker we have.” Dahlgren states
“I can track.” Eeyore speaks up
“Moron, you lost the only tracker we have and the only cleric I’ll let touch me to fix me of this weakening condition.” Aust mutters to Adokul
“I can track! What are we looking for?” Eeyore shouts
“Xanthos! Dahlgren shouts back a reply to Eeyore
“People let’s be civil about this, obviously this beholder is sadistic and wishes to put us in harms way for his personal enjoyment. I counter that we instead mount an offensive to rid this part of the underdark from an obviously disturbed and uncaring force of evil and replace him with a more stable form of aristocracy.” Kourk suggests
“I vote myself in as duke; the rest of you serfs can bow down before me.” Aust grinds through his teeth.
“I plan on completing the mission, retrieving Xanthos, and keeping my winnings. Adokul says, “Menthos what say you?”
“I say we do both, collect our winnings and kill the beholder and take his stuff too.” Menthos answers
“Doopa like that answer best.” The ogre agrees
“Okay, but when we kill him, I want first choice at eyestalks.” Adokul states
Adokul leads them on into the crushing darkness of the underground, when the party reaches an intersection Dahlgren halts the group.
“It occurs to me that you may not know what it is we’re looking for nor where it is located Adokul.” Dahlgren voices his concern
“Nonsense, Anbhas gave me explicit directions the first time I was here. There is a floating crystal in a huge cavern up ahead. Anbhas wants us to check it out.” Adokul answers
“Check it out for what, a geode?” Dahlgren questions
“Apparently he can’t get close to it so he needs us to go instead of sending his children to do the job.” Adokul answers
“Sounds like a suicide mission to me.” Eeyore relates
“Possibly, but where the beholder is scared to go, I see a potential ally waiting to take his place.” Adokul replies
A few more twists and turns brings the party to a tunnel with a bright light shinning from the end of it.
“Daylight?” Eeyore asks
“Impossible, we’ve been heading deeper. This is likely what we’re looking for.” Kourk answers
The party reaches the end of the tunnel and finds themselves several hundred feet up the side of a cavern wall, the opposite side of the cavern is at least a mile away and the center of the cavern hangs a slowly spinning crystal shard which illuminates the entire cavern.
“I’ll reconnaissance for the front door.” Adokul says as he casts fly on himself and steps out into the cavern.
The mage flies for the underside first, the crystal spans all but fifty feet from the top and bottom of the cavern which is nearly a mile tall, as he comes in near the bottom of the crystal, his spell wavers and ends suddenly. Adokul falls sixty feet to the cavern floor, landing in a stream of water created by runoff from the crystal’s bottom point.
“Well that was interesting.” Dahlgen says as he steps out and levitates to the bottom of the cavern taking Aust with him
Menthos hands Doopa and Kourk some rope and starts to spider climb up the cavern wall.
“What about me?” Eeyore says
“Can’t you spider climb too? The rope is so we can drop down on the top of that crystal.” Menthos says
“Aren’t you concerned for Adokul?” Eeyore asks
“Not so much.” Menthos answers and continues his ascent.
Once over the crystal, Menthos and Eeyore lower Kourk onto the top point, then Doopa.
“You’re next.” Menthos says to Eeyore
The ranger begins his descent carefully, taking his time. Not wanting to wait, Menthos releases his grip from the cavern’s ceiling and falls the fifty feet into Doopa’s arms. Eeyore crashes onto the crystals top shortly after.
“Sorry, grip gave out. I’m not a strong as you think I am apparently.” Menthos states
Adokul led the party southwest through a barren landscape not even the Steppe Barbarians would raid over. They passed small communities of nomadic herders as they hiked. The strange site of armored men moving across the landscape sent the herders scampering into hiding among the small rocks and boulder debris that littered the plain.
After three days of marching Adokul finally signaled they had arrived at their destination, a small village next to a petite stream stood out against the brown backdrop of the horizon. To Xanthos there seemed to be quite a bit more people meandering through the couple of streets than there were buildings to house them all. There were no visible buildings on the outskirts of the village and no beaten paths to mark if there were outlying farms.
“I have returned to save your village as promised, I bring with me the tools with which to mend the rift and bring closure to your problem. In the name of Kador I burn for you.” Adokul recites.
“What problem are you talking about? I thought we were seeing someone named Anbhas Ceirtlin?” Eeyore questions
“And we are, but we must go through the sinkhole to meet with him.” Adokul says still pressing on through the village.
“What sinkhole?” Eeyore asks
“That sinkhole.” Adokul points out.
More like an open wound than a sinkhole, Xanthos immediately spotted that the edge of the sinkhole did not angle down towards the bottom of the hole. It looked as if the top layer of soil was an egg shell and the village sat on hollow ground. There was no telltale water reservoir at the bottom of the hole either, just darkness, even beyond what his exceptional vision could see.
“That’s no sinkhole, that’s not natural.” Xanthos remarks
“The same could be said of you, now come along don’t dawdle we mustn’t keep or host waiting.” Adokul replies and feather falls down the huge maw in the ground.
Xanthos grabs Doopa, Eeyore, Dahlgren, Kourk, and Aust and transforms into a giant eagle to fly them down the hole.
“Hey what about me?” Menthos shouts
“I’m not carrying you; find your own way down, preferably fast and hard.” Xanthos answers
Menthos activates his spider climb and steps out over the edge of the hole, his foot pulls his body over and under the ledge, swinging him one-hundred and eighty degrees and resting his feet on the underside of the ground he was just standing on. Taking a moment to orientate himself, Menthos walks along the inside top of the hole toward the edge and then down towards where the party waited.
The walk took most of the day as Menthos was in no hurry to get to where he needed to go, this was Adokul’s mission anyway, Menthos was merely here to increase the size of his wealth and take his mind of other troubling matters. It was with great anxiety that Adokul paced for his arrival.
“You took your time getting here.” Adokul addresses Menthos
“Yes, the elevator was broken so I had to walk it. Besides you don’t fan the flames of passion by igniting the fires of fandomhood, otherwise the fanee becomes the faner and then the fanny gets burned.” Menthos replies
“It’s as if your colon is attached to the back of your tongue.” Xanthos comments
“So where is this host you speak so highly of?” Eeyore wonders
“This way, follow me.” Adokul motions
The mage leads them through twisting tunnels and dripping caves to a carved out space replete with a sitting area and tapestries on the wall.
“Have a seat; I’m sure he’ll be along shortly.” Adokul advises
Dahlgren waves off the reclining gesture and moves to investigate the tapestries on the walls. Aust tries out every available seat he can find looking for the one that suits him best, finally deciding on the stone floor. Eeyore and Doopa sit down in wide sturdy wooden chairs while Xanthos sniffs the air and comes to a disconcerting conclusion.
“Your host isn’t natural is he? In fact I bet he doesn’t even walk.” Xanthos states
“Your senses run true changeling, I do not need legs to transport myself through my domain.” Anbhas Ceirtlin had shown himself finally in all his beholder glory.
Doopa and Aust immediately leap to the feet, weapons readied. Eeyore tries to slink away from his seat and get behind Doopa.
“I see you are more resilient than I gave you credit for flesh bag.” Anbhas stares at Adokul
“I have found faith your poisonous action held no power over it.” Adokul answers
“Appears to have changed you nonetheless. Have you returned to complete your bargain, or is this your way of trying to renege on our agreement?” Anbhas speaks
“I have brought companions who seek the thrill of adventure just as I have, they will help me complete the mission.” Adokul states
“You wish their assistance?” Anbhas asks
“With it your request shall be completed by sunrise.” Adokul states
“Hmm, perhaps you should not be so hasty in your assessment of a problem you have not even seen the question to? Maybe a scouting foray should be your next step?” Anbhas offers
“If you wish to extend the timeframe I have no quarrel with that.” Adokul replies
“I extend nothing, I do not tolerate failure. Your overconfidence in this matter will only bring about exposure to myself in this matter. Subtlety will win the day, not your grounded way of dirt combat.” Anbhas says
“Because I can be punctured by an arrow and not blow myself into oblivion proves that your primitive method of balloonish warfare is an infinity loop of stupidity.” Aust comments
“Drow, I will assume you’re implying how you got down my hole and not that you wish to end up disintegrated and flushed away with my children’s urine.” Anbhas answers with two of his stalked eyes pointed at the drow.
Xanthos heard the shuffling of many feet all around the party, at least his children weren’t beholders as well.
“Pfft, what power has any windbag carried for longer then the breeze blew him. You’re a marshmallow of oppressive gas; you wouldn’t frighten a rat even if it was in your mouth.” Aust retorts
“Very well then.” Anbhas aims an eyestalk at Aust and a sickly green light beams its way onto Aust’s chest. The drow’s eyes grow sullen and his face seems to lose its youthful complexion.
The large central of Anbhas scans the rest of the party and settles on Adokul again, “chose your most capable person and then I’ll send you forth to investigate.”
“I chose Xanthos; his abilities will be most helpful in scouting.” Adokul answers
“Then he stays here as collateral, the rest of your surface walkers will go with you, you have four hours to return with the knowledge I require before the changeling ends up as a dinner guest.” Anbhas says laughing
The party stands in defiance of the beholder.
“What you wish for me to provider you with the starting gun? Very well!” Anbhas rotates his top most eyestalk and emits a yellow beam from it. Where the beam lands matter is disintegrated, the beholder uses the beam to herd the party toward an exit near Menthos as his “children” come out of hiding to confiscate Xanthos.
Anbhas then utters an arcane word and a wall of fire erupts between him and the hallway the party was corralled into, “Hurry, time’s wasting and I grow hungry from all this talking.”
Xanthos is led away down a side tunnel, he notices most of the creatures are troglodytes with massive heads sporting at least two extra eyes, some with upwards of six extra eyes. All of them are functional as they follow Xanthos’ movement down the hallway; they lead the shifter into a common room filled with last night’s meal, some of it still trying to escape.
The rest of the party turns to Adokul.
“Now what? You lost the only tracker we have.” Dahlgren states
“I can track.” Eeyore speaks up
“Moron, you lost the only tracker we have and the only cleric I’ll let touch me to fix me of this weakening condition.” Aust mutters to Adokul
“I can track! What are we looking for?” Eeyore shouts
“Xanthos! Dahlgren shouts back a reply to Eeyore
“People let’s be civil about this, obviously this beholder is sadistic and wishes to put us in harms way for his personal enjoyment. I counter that we instead mount an offensive to rid this part of the underdark from an obviously disturbed and uncaring force of evil and replace him with a more stable form of aristocracy.” Kourk suggests
“I vote myself in as duke; the rest of you serfs can bow down before me.” Aust grinds through his teeth.
“I plan on completing the mission, retrieving Xanthos, and keeping my winnings. Adokul says, “Menthos what say you?”
“I say we do both, collect our winnings and kill the beholder and take his stuff too.” Menthos answers
“Doopa like that answer best.” The ogre agrees
“Okay, but when we kill him, I want first choice at eyestalks.” Adokul states
Adokul leads them on into the crushing darkness of the underground, when the party reaches an intersection Dahlgren halts the group.
“It occurs to me that you may not know what it is we’re looking for nor where it is located Adokul.” Dahlgren voices his concern
“Nonsense, Anbhas gave me explicit directions the first time I was here. There is a floating crystal in a huge cavern up ahead. Anbhas wants us to check it out.” Adokul answers
“Check it out for what, a geode?” Dahlgren questions
“Apparently he can’t get close to it so he needs us to go instead of sending his children to do the job.” Adokul answers
“Sounds like a suicide mission to me.” Eeyore relates
“Possibly, but where the beholder is scared to go, I see a potential ally waiting to take his place.” Adokul replies
A few more twists and turns brings the party to a tunnel with a bright light shinning from the end of it.
“Daylight?” Eeyore asks
“Impossible, we’ve been heading deeper. This is likely what we’re looking for.” Kourk answers
The party reaches the end of the tunnel and finds themselves several hundred feet up the side of a cavern wall, the opposite side of the cavern is at least a mile away and the center of the cavern hangs a slowly spinning crystal shard which illuminates the entire cavern.
“I’ll reconnaissance for the front door.” Adokul says as he casts fly on himself and steps out into the cavern.
The mage flies for the underside first, the crystal spans all but fifty feet from the top and bottom of the cavern which is nearly a mile tall, as he comes in near the bottom of the crystal, his spell wavers and ends suddenly. Adokul falls sixty feet to the cavern floor, landing in a stream of water created by runoff from the crystal’s bottom point.
“Well that was interesting.” Dahlgen says as he steps out and levitates to the bottom of the cavern taking Aust with him
Menthos hands Doopa and Kourk some rope and starts to spider climb up the cavern wall.
“What about me?” Eeyore says
“Can’t you spider climb too? The rope is so we can drop down on the top of that crystal.” Menthos says
“Aren’t you concerned for Adokul?” Eeyore asks
“Not so much.” Menthos answers and continues his ascent.
Once over the crystal, Menthos and Eeyore lower Kourk onto the top point, then Doopa.
“You’re next.” Menthos says to Eeyore
The ranger begins his descent carefully, taking his time. Not wanting to wait, Menthos releases his grip from the cavern’s ceiling and falls the fifty feet into Doopa’s arms. Eeyore crashes onto the crystals top shortly after.
“Sorry, grip gave out. I’m not a strong as you think I am apparently.” Menthos states
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