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The Collected Journals of Artemis Heuw Cannith
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<blockquote data-quote="sniffles" data-source="post: 3856287" data-attributes="member: 30035"><p><strong>Azlin's tale, part 9</strong></p><p></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>DH: "So you'll trust the bloodthirsty goblin but not the harpies. You guys kill me."</p><p>sniffles: "We kill you? How much XP do we get?"</p><p>DH: "Well I'm not a very good GM so my CR must be pretty low."</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p>Before the harpies carry us off, Conshru casts a spell so he can relay messages between us. Wonderful, now I can hear the halfling yammering in my head on top of being carried by a harpy. </p><p></p><p>The harpies were going on about something they call the Mountain That Eats. At one point during our trip Conshru says he sees it below us. I don't open my eyes.</p><p></p><p>I've never been so relieved to touch good native stone. The harpies have set us on a ledge. Griffons bring our horses. </p><p>[sblock]</p><p>DH: "As you look around, you see other shelves on the mountainsides."</p><p>Zora: "Great, we're on the display shelf."</p><p>DH: "It's a diorama."</p><p>sniffles: "A dire-rama?"</p><p></p><p>DH: "You see the horses down below. They're shouting, 'Help, I'm being devoured!'"</p><p>Devo: "Listen's not a class skill for me."</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p>In the evening we have dinner with the harpies. Turns my stomach. I can't believe we're doing this. We've agreed that as a show of good faith, we'll try to help get rid of the Mountain That Eats! What kind of insanity is this? We don't even know what it is. The harpies claim it's unbelievably big and their songs don't affect it. </p><p>[sblock]</p><p>sniffles: “I don’t want to see harpies dancing.”</p><p>patv: “It’s better than listening to them sing.”</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p>Conshru and Gwaenna go to have a look at this thing when it's light. The rest of us have to sit around and keep company with the harpies. They're telling stories. One of them tells a story about how the Host turned against them. I'm no bard, but I've got to tell them a parable of the Host to let them know they're wrong.</p><p></p><p>The gnome and halfling are back. According to them the Mountain That Walks is every bit as big as the harpies claimed. I have no idea what sort of creature it could be.</p><p></p><p>But it's got a sort of collar, like the screaming beasts. Looped around one of its horns. And we've conceived a plan - well, Artemis, Conshru and Gwaenna have - to swoop in and steal the collar. Artemis says the collar is controlling it. </p><p></p><p>Oh, Dol Arrah save me, I have to ride a griffon. Surely the depths of Khyber couldn't be any worse than this.</p><p></p><p>At least I don't have to get as close as Conshru and Sten. Sten's going to shoot the collar with his energy bolts. I just have to stay close in case anything bad happens. Like flying isn't bad enough.</p><p></p><p>My knuckles are white from clinging to the griffon's back. I'm sure I'm going to faint if I look down. Oh, Onatar's hammer, that thing is big!! There aren't words to describe how big. It could devour the world! The armies of Aundair couldn't slay it.</p><p></p><p>But the Host are with us. Sten's bolt flies true and the collar drops off the thing's horn and plummets to the earth. Free of the gem's compulsion, the monster just wanders away. I'll have to make a big tithe of thanks at Citadel of the Sun when we get back to Sharn.</p><p></p><p>The harpies are certainly happy. In return for this favor they'll take us to another ancient ruin, one they claim contains a portal to Cazhaak Draal. </p><p></p><p>The harpies have dropped us off at the entrance to the ruins. Glory to Onatar, they're beneath the roots of the mountains. I feel at home here, even if it is hobgoblin delving.</p><p>Gwaenna's excited by the carvings of heroes and kings on the walls. </p><p>[sblock]</p><p>Hedrin: “Actually it’s the wall of registered sex offenders.”</p><p>Devo: “Great king, priest, priest, priest… Yep.”</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p>We're faced with three doors, two sealed and one hanging open. We decide to check the open one first. </p><p></p><p>Down a short passage we come to a ledge over a chasm. The height’s not quite as bad when it's under the earth. I'm not standing next to the edge, though. And hobgoblins are bigger than me - why in Onatar's name did they make those winding stairs so narrow?</p><p></p><p>There's a very narrow causeway across the chasm to another ledge with some kind of structure on it. I do not want to cross that causeway on foot. Not that I want to fly across, either. </p><p></p><p>Conshru rides over to check out the other side, clinging to the causeway like a spider. As soon as he approaches, a whirlwind starts up and rushes him, nearly sucking him up in its embrace. Then it crosses the chasm and scoops up Artemis and Sten!</p><p></p><p>I grab hold of the nearest statue to avoid being swept up by the whirlwind. It's blowing so much dirt and grit around that I can barely see. </p><p></p><p>The wind is gone, so I take the chance of looking over the edge of the ledge. Sten’s on the narrow stairs. He must have a griffon token. That reminds me, I still have the one Artemis gave me before we went after the monster. </p><p></p><p>I can see Sten and Artemis floating down toward something that looks like fog. Gwaenna warns that the elemental might return. I back away from the edge.</p><p></p><p>Now the wind is back. Boldrei lends me her strength so I can avoid being caught up. I retreat down the passageway. Curse it, I have no magic that will affect this wind. But I pray and extend the Host’s protection to my friends who are still with me.</p><p>[sblock]</p><p>patv: “Oh, no, the master is gone!”</p><p>Hedrin: “Are you trying to do a bad Roddy McDowell impression?”</p><p>patv: “I was kind of going for a bad C3PO.”</p><p>Zora: “You have a good one?” </p><p>[/sblock]</p><p>Sten's rushing down the long stairs to find Artemis. Conshru and Gwaenna can fly down. I hear a few faint voices, I think, but I don't know what's going on down there. I need to get down there. </p><p></p><p>Dol Arrah protect me. I activate the griffon token and step off the edge.</p><p></p><p>Ugh! Spider webs! I manage not to get stuck in the web. Artemis is nearby, not badly hurt from what little I can see. But he’s yelling about a huge spider! </p><p></p><p>It lunges and bites me. I can feel the poison in my blood. I quickly pray to the Host and summon up a divine axe. The Host are on my side. The axe chops the spider in two with one blow!</p><p></p><p>Conshru's burning away some of the webs. The spiders are dead. We can use the remaining webs to get back to the stairs. </p><p></p><p>Artemis says he thinks the portal is in the structure on the other side of the chasm. But we may take time to explore more of this place before we try the portal.</p><p></p><p>I don’t think we’re going down, though. We still can’t see the bottom of this chasm. For all we know it may lead all the way to Khyber.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="sniffles, post: 3856287, member: 30035"] [b]Azlin's tale, part 9[/b] [sblock] DH: "So you'll trust the bloodthirsty goblin but not the harpies. You guys kill me." sniffles: "We kill you? How much XP do we get?" DH: "Well I'm not a very good GM so my CR must be pretty low." [/sblock] Before the harpies carry us off, Conshru casts a spell so he can relay messages between us. Wonderful, now I can hear the halfling yammering in my head on top of being carried by a harpy. The harpies were going on about something they call the Mountain That Eats. At one point during our trip Conshru says he sees it below us. I don't open my eyes. I've never been so relieved to touch good native stone. The harpies have set us on a ledge. Griffons bring our horses. [sblock] DH: "As you look around, you see other shelves on the mountainsides." Zora: "Great, we're on the display shelf." DH: "It's a diorama." sniffles: "A dire-rama?" DH: "You see the horses down below. They're shouting, 'Help, I'm being devoured!'" Devo: "Listen's not a class skill for me." [/sblock] In the evening we have dinner with the harpies. Turns my stomach. I can't believe we're doing this. We've agreed that as a show of good faith, we'll try to help get rid of the Mountain That Eats! What kind of insanity is this? We don't even know what it is. The harpies claim it's unbelievably big and their songs don't affect it. [sblock] sniffles: “I don’t want to see harpies dancing.” patv: “It’s better than listening to them sing.” [/sblock] Conshru and Gwaenna go to have a look at this thing when it's light. The rest of us have to sit around and keep company with the harpies. They're telling stories. One of them tells a story about how the Host turned against them. I'm no bard, but I've got to tell them a parable of the Host to let them know they're wrong. The gnome and halfling are back. According to them the Mountain That Walks is every bit as big as the harpies claimed. I have no idea what sort of creature it could be. But it's got a sort of collar, like the screaming beasts. Looped around one of its horns. And we've conceived a plan - well, Artemis, Conshru and Gwaenna have - to swoop in and steal the collar. Artemis says the collar is controlling it. Oh, Dol Arrah save me, I have to ride a griffon. Surely the depths of Khyber couldn't be any worse than this. At least I don't have to get as close as Conshru and Sten. Sten's going to shoot the collar with his energy bolts. I just have to stay close in case anything bad happens. Like flying isn't bad enough. My knuckles are white from clinging to the griffon's back. I'm sure I'm going to faint if I look down. Oh, Onatar's hammer, that thing is big!! There aren't words to describe how big. It could devour the world! The armies of Aundair couldn't slay it. But the Host are with us. Sten's bolt flies true and the collar drops off the thing's horn and plummets to the earth. Free of the gem's compulsion, the monster just wanders away. I'll have to make a big tithe of thanks at Citadel of the Sun when we get back to Sharn. The harpies are certainly happy. In return for this favor they'll take us to another ancient ruin, one they claim contains a portal to Cazhaak Draal. The harpies have dropped us off at the entrance to the ruins. Glory to Onatar, they're beneath the roots of the mountains. I feel at home here, even if it is hobgoblin delving. Gwaenna's excited by the carvings of heroes and kings on the walls. [sblock] Hedrin: “Actually it’s the wall of registered sex offenders.” Devo: “Great king, priest, priest, priest… Yep.” [/sblock] We're faced with three doors, two sealed and one hanging open. We decide to check the open one first. Down a short passage we come to a ledge over a chasm. The height’s not quite as bad when it's under the earth. I'm not standing next to the edge, though. And hobgoblins are bigger than me - why in Onatar's name did they make those winding stairs so narrow? There's a very narrow causeway across the chasm to another ledge with some kind of structure on it. I do not want to cross that causeway on foot. Not that I want to fly across, either. Conshru rides over to check out the other side, clinging to the causeway like a spider. As soon as he approaches, a whirlwind starts up and rushes him, nearly sucking him up in its embrace. Then it crosses the chasm and scoops up Artemis and Sten! I grab hold of the nearest statue to avoid being swept up by the whirlwind. It's blowing so much dirt and grit around that I can barely see. The wind is gone, so I take the chance of looking over the edge of the ledge. Sten’s on the narrow stairs. He must have a griffon token. That reminds me, I still have the one Artemis gave me before we went after the monster. I can see Sten and Artemis floating down toward something that looks like fog. Gwaenna warns that the elemental might return. I back away from the edge. Now the wind is back. Boldrei lends me her strength so I can avoid being caught up. I retreat down the passageway. Curse it, I have no magic that will affect this wind. But I pray and extend the Host’s protection to my friends who are still with me. [sblock] patv: “Oh, no, the master is gone!” Hedrin: “Are you trying to do a bad Roddy McDowell impression?” patv: “I was kind of going for a bad C3PO.” Zora: “You have a good one?” [/sblock] Sten's rushing down the long stairs to find Artemis. Conshru and Gwaenna can fly down. I hear a few faint voices, I think, but I don't know what's going on down there. I need to get down there. Dol Arrah protect me. I activate the griffon token and step off the edge. Ugh! Spider webs! I manage not to get stuck in the web. Artemis is nearby, not badly hurt from what little I can see. But he’s yelling about a huge spider! It lunges and bites me. I can feel the poison in my blood. I quickly pray to the Host and summon up a divine axe. The Host are on my side. The axe chops the spider in two with one blow! Conshru's burning away some of the webs. The spiders are dead. We can use the remaining webs to get back to the stairs. Artemis says he thinks the portal is in the structure on the other side of the chasm. But we may take time to explore more of this place before we try the portal. I don’t think we’re going down, though. We still can’t see the bottom of this chasm. For all we know it may lead all the way to Khyber. [/QUOTE]
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