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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 4567472" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p>When the party comes back to the causeway, they halt their journey. Drellin’s Ferry is to the south of it, but they know that a monstrous hydra lurks in the water. It took one of their friends from them, after all. After putting their heads together for a moment and talking it over, Kifla casts <em>haste</em> on the party, and then all of them run together, bursting across the causeway with incredible speed. The hydra doesn’t even show itself; perhaps it is still busy with its recent meal. Tears stream down Kifla’s face at the thought.</p><p></p><p>Once well past the causeway, the group slows again to a walk. The gnome’s spell only lasts a few moments anyway. The shade of the trees overhead is comfortable and calming. The trail winds along, and Kifla and Barouk banter as they walk, with Gorsh throwing in an occasional half-orc witticism (such as they are) and taciturn Jorr mainly keeping his eyes and ears open, rather than his mouth.</p><p></p><p>“Hey, whatever happened to that ruined keep that Speaker Wiston told us about?” Kifla asks suddenly.</p><p></p><p>“Vraath Keep,” Gorsh puts in helpfully. </p><p></p><p>Jorr grunts. “It’s not too far ahead,” he says in his deep voice.*</p><p></p><p>“We must have missed it when we went cross-country before,” Barouk grumbles. Glancing at Gorsh, he adds, “I blame Kifla.”</p><p></p><p>The party continues along for a little while. Then something comes into view. Up ahead, half-screened by trees, are the ruins of a keep. The old castle sits on a small rocky hillock, and there is a broken tower thrusting drunkenly upward into the sky. There is an overgrown footpath that appears to lead up the hillside towards the keep.</p><p></p><p>“Should we check it out?” wonders Kifla. </p><p></p><p>“We need to report in at Drellin’s Ferry,” Barouk points out.</p><p></p><p>“Yeah, but if there’s anything here- so much closer to town than Skull Bridge- we should know about it,” Gorsh counters. This seems to win the argument, and the party advances cautiously up the hillside, staying away from the footpath in order to maximize discretion. </p><p></p><p>The old keep is in terrible shape. The gatehouse is partially collapsed, as is one section of wall in the south. A small wooden building sits next to the remains of a long-abandoned garden in front of the structure. The walls surrounding the keep are about fifteen feet high, with a two-story tower looming in the southwest corner of the courtyard within. Large boulders lie strewn amid the ruin of the two watch towers, and a giant skeleton slumps in the ruin of the northern one. The skeleton still wears tattered fragments of hide armor, and a large club lies next to one of its bony arms.</p><p></p><p>Approaching cautiously, the party enters the courtyard. They move quietly to one of the many doors leading into the various rooms of the keep. Jorr motions at one of the doors and whispers, “I hear voices back there. Can’t be sure what kind...”</p><p></p><p><em>Well, whoever is here is most likely up to no good,</em> thinks Barouk, and exchanges a glance with- and gives a nod to- Gorsh.</p><p></p><p>Gorsh strides forward and kicks in the door with a loud BOOM!\</p><p></p><p>Beyond are not only a pair of goblins, but also their worgs. </p><p></p><p>Instantly, the battle begins, with Jorr snarling and unleashing a pair of swift arrows at one of the goblins, plugging him in the chest twice. But the goblin is tougher than the wily human expects, and even with two arrows sticking in him, he still begins to sprint for his worg. His friend does likewise, taking a crossbow bolt in the shoulder from Barouk. </p><p></p><p>The worgs quickly prove themselves smarter and more dangerous than a normal wolf by a long ways. They try to pull the heroes down (sometimes succeeding, if only for a few brief moments). Kifla uses a <em>spectral weapon</em> spell to easily land blows on the goblins, while Barouk and Gorsh take a more direct approach. Barouk even manages to drag one of the worg-riders from atop his worg!</p><p></p><p>Just as our heroes are starting to get the sense that they’ve got this one in the bag, with Gorsh slaying one of the goblins and Barouk the other, a loud roar comes from part of the ruin. One of the buildings seems to have either no roof, or a large hole in its roof; for a terrible beast emerges from it, standing catlike atop the wall of the keep. With a body resembling that of a tiger, huge, bat-like wings, a tail that sprouts dozens of long, vicious-looking spikes and a face with a disturbing resemblance to a human’s, the monstrosity is the most terrifying thing that our heroes have ever seen. </p><p></p><p>Fortunately for them, it doesn’t seem to interested in jumping into the fight. For a moment, it just perches, watching. Its tail flicks back and forth like a cat’s, excepting the deadly mass of spikes at the end. </p><p></p><p>Then it flicks its tail up and over its head, contracting certain muscles, and a volley of spikes shoots out. Barouk tumbles out of the way as best he can, but still ends up with a spike about 6” long and as big around as an arrow lodged in his leg. The dwarf groans as the manticore unleashes another burst of tail spikes at him; he dodges most of them but takes another pair of wounds. <em>This is bad,</em> he thinks, and quickly quaffs a <em>potion of cure light wounds.</em> </p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, Jorr stabs one of the worgs most unkindly, ramming his knife up inside its tenderest parts and ripping a huge rent out of its body. It falls, dead. The other worg gives out a howl and then flees out into the open air. </p><p></p><p>The manticore, meanwhile, has had enough of toying with Barouk, and leaps upon him in earnest, ripping terrible wounds into his chest, his guts and his hips. He gives a cry of outrage and pain, and with a terrific effort he throws it back, off of him.</p><p></p><p>”Time to go, Barouk!” Kifla screams, casting her last <em>haste</em> on him as she takes her own advice. Indeed; everyone in the party begins to retreat. </p><p></p><p>Fortunately for them, the manticore is not interested in pursuing the heroes. They hurry away, gasping and badly wounded. Barouk is in immense pain from the manticore’s attack, and they move off a couple of miles and then make an exhausted camp. Kifla takes the first watch, but she doesn’t see anything of note.</p><p></p><p>At least, not until it reveals itself to her.</p><p></p><p><em><strong>Next Time:</strong></em> Corbin the Conjurer!</p><p></p><p></p><p>*Think of Jorr as having the voice of Sam Elliott.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 4567472, member: 1210"] When the party comes back to the causeway, they halt their journey. Drellin’s Ferry is to the south of it, but they know that a monstrous hydra lurks in the water. It took one of their friends from them, after all. After putting their heads together for a moment and talking it over, Kifla casts [i]haste[/i] on the party, and then all of them run together, bursting across the causeway with incredible speed. The hydra doesn’t even show itself; perhaps it is still busy with its recent meal. Tears stream down Kifla’s face at the thought. Once well past the causeway, the group slows again to a walk. The gnome’s spell only lasts a few moments anyway. The shade of the trees overhead is comfortable and calming. The trail winds along, and Kifla and Barouk banter as they walk, with Gorsh throwing in an occasional half-orc witticism (such as they are) and taciturn Jorr mainly keeping his eyes and ears open, rather than his mouth. “Hey, whatever happened to that ruined keep that Speaker Wiston told us about?” Kifla asks suddenly. “Vraath Keep,” Gorsh puts in helpfully. Jorr grunts. “It’s not too far ahead,” he says in his deep voice.* “We must have missed it when we went cross-country before,” Barouk grumbles. Glancing at Gorsh, he adds, “I blame Kifla.” The party continues along for a little while. Then something comes into view. Up ahead, half-screened by trees, are the ruins of a keep. The old castle sits on a small rocky hillock, and there is a broken tower thrusting drunkenly upward into the sky. There is an overgrown footpath that appears to lead up the hillside towards the keep. “Should we check it out?” wonders Kifla. “We need to report in at Drellin’s Ferry,” Barouk points out. “Yeah, but if there’s anything here- so much closer to town than Skull Bridge- we should know about it,” Gorsh counters. This seems to win the argument, and the party advances cautiously up the hillside, staying away from the footpath in order to maximize discretion. The old keep is in terrible shape. The gatehouse is partially collapsed, as is one section of wall in the south. A small wooden building sits next to the remains of a long-abandoned garden in front of the structure. The walls surrounding the keep are about fifteen feet high, with a two-story tower looming in the southwest corner of the courtyard within. Large boulders lie strewn amid the ruin of the two watch towers, and a giant skeleton slumps in the ruin of the northern one. The skeleton still wears tattered fragments of hide armor, and a large club lies next to one of its bony arms. Approaching cautiously, the party enters the courtyard. They move quietly to one of the many doors leading into the various rooms of the keep. Jorr motions at one of the doors and whispers, “I hear voices back there. Can’t be sure what kind...” [i]Well, whoever is here is most likely up to no good,[/i] thinks Barouk, and exchanges a glance with- and gives a nod to- Gorsh. Gorsh strides forward and kicks in the door with a loud BOOM!\ Beyond are not only a pair of goblins, but also their worgs. Instantly, the battle begins, with Jorr snarling and unleashing a pair of swift arrows at one of the goblins, plugging him in the chest twice. But the goblin is tougher than the wily human expects, and even with two arrows sticking in him, he still begins to sprint for his worg. His friend does likewise, taking a crossbow bolt in the shoulder from Barouk. The worgs quickly prove themselves smarter and more dangerous than a normal wolf by a long ways. They try to pull the heroes down (sometimes succeeding, if only for a few brief moments). Kifla uses a [i]spectral weapon[/i] spell to easily land blows on the goblins, while Barouk and Gorsh take a more direct approach. Barouk even manages to drag one of the worg-riders from atop his worg! Just as our heroes are starting to get the sense that they’ve got this one in the bag, with Gorsh slaying one of the goblins and Barouk the other, a loud roar comes from part of the ruin. One of the buildings seems to have either no roof, or a large hole in its roof; for a terrible beast emerges from it, standing catlike atop the wall of the keep. With a body resembling that of a tiger, huge, bat-like wings, a tail that sprouts dozens of long, vicious-looking spikes and a face with a disturbing resemblance to a human’s, the monstrosity is the most terrifying thing that our heroes have ever seen. Fortunately for them, it doesn’t seem to interested in jumping into the fight. For a moment, it just perches, watching. Its tail flicks back and forth like a cat’s, excepting the deadly mass of spikes at the end. Then it flicks its tail up and over its head, contracting certain muscles, and a volley of spikes shoots out. Barouk tumbles out of the way as best he can, but still ends up with a spike about 6” long and as big around as an arrow lodged in his leg. The dwarf groans as the manticore unleashes another burst of tail spikes at him; he dodges most of them but takes another pair of wounds. [i]This is bad,[/i] he thinks, and quickly quaffs a [i]potion of cure light wounds.[/i] Meanwhile, Jorr stabs one of the worgs most unkindly, ramming his knife up inside its tenderest parts and ripping a huge rent out of its body. It falls, dead. The other worg gives out a howl and then flees out into the open air. The manticore, meanwhile, has had enough of toying with Barouk, and leaps upon him in earnest, ripping terrible wounds into his chest, his guts and his hips. He gives a cry of outrage and pain, and with a terrific effort he throws it back, off of him. ”Time to go, Barouk!” Kifla screams, casting her last [i]haste[/i] on him as she takes her own advice. Indeed; everyone in the party begins to retreat. Fortunately for them, the manticore is not interested in pursuing the heroes. They hurry away, gasping and badly wounded. Barouk is in immense pain from the manticore’s attack, and they move off a couple of miles and then make an exhausted camp. Kifla takes the first watch, but she doesn’t see anything of note. At least, not until it reveals itself to her. [i][b]Next Time:[/b][/i][b][/b] Corbin the Conjurer! *Think of Jorr as having the voice of Sam Elliott. [/QUOTE]
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