JollyDoc's Shackled City
Neverwinter Knight
First Post
I get first choice of the halves.gfunk said:
JollyDoc
Explorer
And the winner is....
AGAINST THE GIANTS
Nothing else was said about the encounter with Nidrama, and the following day the group set out once more upon the trail which was marked as ‘gnoll path’ on the crude map drawn by Alek Tercival. As afternoon stretched towards evening, the hunting trail abruptly ended, the trees thinning considerably to the north. In that direction, roiling yellow and brown clouds boiled above a jagged, barren horizon. The jagged line of the Demonskar’s rim could just be seen, brooding at the base of the clouds. The ground before the party was strewn with razor-sharp ridges of volcanic glass and jagged stone. Ruined strips of what could only have been the metal frameworks of ancient structures protruded from the earth like broken fingers from a shallow grave. One particularly large structure jutted from the ground only twenty feet from the end of the trail. It appeared like nothing more than a massive pipe, burrowing into the rock at a gentle slope.
“Round cave,” Rusty said, looking at the pipe, and then pointing out the description scrawled on the map with the same words.
“It would appear so,” Caine replied. The map went on to illustrate a series of passages or tunnels through which they had to travel to reach the final destination called Vaprak’s Voice.
They descended into the pipe several dozen yards, until it leveled out into a broad, metal tunnel. Several smaller tunnels branched at intervals, but from the map, it appeared they were looking for a major intersection. They found it an hour or so later, by which time they were exhausted from their long march. However, the tunnel continued into the darkness, and they had no way of knowing how much further they had to go.
“I’m done,” Tilly said, sliding down one wall, “Let’s camp here.”
“Don’t be a fool,” Ajax said sharply, “There are numerous passages all around us. We have no idea what might lair here, and no defensible position in which to camp. I say we press on.”
Reluctantly, the others agreed, and they continued thru the labyrinth.
Finally, after two more hours of travel, the bedraggled group saw dim light ahead. The tunnel ended, opening onto a small ledge set into the wall of a wide pit. The pit was set at the bottom of a large, fissure among the arid, crystalline hills that bordered the Demonskar. Puffs of eye-watering smoke seeped from a pool at the bottom of the chasm. On the other side of the pit, a pair of gigantic metal tubes protruded from the rock, extending nearly fifty feet, and out of the fissure. The burning stink of sulfur and acid was everywhere, and the ground and walls were wet with foul-smelling condensation. A ramp of roughly hewn stone steps wound down into the pit. As the wind rose and swept through the fissure, the two looming metal chimneys issued a thundering deep bellow that echoed across the landscape.
The water in the shallow pool at the bottom of the chasm bubbled constantly, stirred by acrid vapors escaping from deep underground. A whistling puff of smoke erupted sporadically from the water’s surface, spraying the surrounding rocks with warm, whitish droplets. A natural passage of some sort led from the western side of the pit’s bottom.
At that moment, Tilly began heaving and retching, the horrendous stink of the foul vapor burning his lungs. Rusty went to him, offering him water, and helping him to remove his pack.
“I suggest we rest here,” Caine said to Ajax, “further back in the tunnel. It is sheltered, and we can set up a perimeter here. I don’t think we can go any further. After all, we aren’t immortal like you.” He said this last with a smile, and Ajax nodded, “I’ll take the first watch.”
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From the warm comfort of his boiling pool, Kymzo saw the light of the trespassers in the pipe above. His orders were to only allow the paladin to pass, and since Tercival had come thru long ago, whoever this group was, they were intruders. He had to warn Muggo…and the others. Waiting for the right moment, just when the pool emitted its spray, he blew his steamy breath into the air, creating a high whistle which blended almost flawlessly with the sound of the pool.
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Almost flawlessly. Ajax was sitting at the edge of the pipe, peering down into the dark pit, when his keen ears picked up the subtle difference in the sound of the steam geyser. He stood quickly, scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. Several minutes passed, and he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Thinking that his ears had betrayed him, he settled back to his watch.
Some time later, Ajax distinctly heard a horrendous squeal like the sound of rusty gears grinding against each other. The sound came from the fissure at the western side of the pit. Once again he peered into the gloom and mist at the bottom of the chasm, but this time he saw two large, humanoid shapes materializing out of the darkness. They were headed directly for the ramp, and as they drew nearer, he could see that they were massive, easily nine feet tall. Ogres, he thought at first, remembering the figures drawn on the hegemonic plate, but he quickly realized that if they were ogres, they were unlike any he’d ever seen. For starters, they each had two heads…
The deva shouted over his shoulder to where the others were sleeping, and Caine was deep in meditation, “We’ve got company!” Then, willing himself invisible, he advanced out on the ledge to meet the giants. The first one reached the crest of the ramp, oblivious to the fact that Ajax was there until he stumbled into the unseen warrior. The brute grunted in surprise, and then began flailing at the air before him with a pair of huge morningstars. Ajax easily dodged the clumsy attacks, and moved in under the giant’s guard, intending to strike what he hoped would be a lethal blow. However, just as he thrust his sword, one of the giant’s arms swung back around, knocking him to the side and spoiling his attack, rendering him visible at the same time.
Tilly jumped to his feet, kicking the still snoring Rusty as he did so. He could hear the sounds of Ajax’ struggle outside the pipe, but it was another sound that caught his immediate attention…the soft flapping of wings. He spun about, looking for the source of the sound, but could see nothing in the shadows beyond the firelight. Suddenly, out of thin air a cascade of scalding water began drenching the group. Each of them desperately rolled out of the way of the deluge, except for Cyrano. The rhino was snorting in pain and rage, and began rushing towards the mouth of the tunnel. As Tilly watched the huge animal go, he spotted movement in the darkness. There was a small, winged creature fluttering there. It appeared almost imp-like, but it seemed to be composed completely of steam.
Kymzo laughed gleefully at the results of his little diversion. The fools! They would sorely regret trespassing here. The ettins would tear them limb from limb, and he would have the pleasure of cleaning up the leftovers. He flapped back out over the pit, beyond the reach of the charging rhinoceros, laughing all the way.
The first ettin roared as Ajax suddenly appeared. It swung its morningstars again, with frightening power. One of them clipped the deva on the shoulder, causing his entire arm to go momentarily numb. As he stumbled backward, the second giant moved past him, balancing precariously on the lip of the ramp. Ajax lunged at the beast, opening several deep wounds in its tough hide as it moved to flank him. The ettin bellowed in pain, and then brought one of its own weapons down on Ajax, causing the warrior’s knees to nearly buckle. In desperation, Ajax stabbed out with his sword, hoping to ward off one of the closing giants, but only managing a superficial strike. Suddenly, Ajax’ eyes widened in surprise, for looming up directly behind the giant before him was the huge form of Cyrano.
Wathros dashed towards the ledge, trying to keep the flying imp in sight. He recognized the creature for what it was, a mephit…an evil denizen of the paraelemental planes. Though he guessed the foul thing would be impervious to fire and heat, he trusted in the fact that pure holy might would certainly not agree with it, and he let loose a flamestrike, calling the purifying flame down from the sky. Kymzo screeched, rolling over and over in mid air in an attempt to quench the searing fire. He recognized that the spellcaster was a dangerous adversary that must be quickly dealt with. Flying in close, the mephit opened its mouth and breathed a great gout of hot steam at the druid. Wathros threw his cloak over himself, warding off the worst of the burning attack, and then an idea struck him. If this creature thrived on heat and warmth, then maybe it would be quite adverse to cold. With a quick prayer, he conjured up a veritable ice storm, centering it directly over the mephit. Great hailstones pelted Kymzo, and he shrieked as the ice seemed to burn thru his skin. With a final cry of agony, he fell, plunging into the boiling geyser below.
Although Caine felt that Ajax and the rhinoceros could probably handle the ettins by themselves, he wanted this fight to end quickly. Not only did the violence turn his stomach, but he knew that the longer it went on, the greater the chances of reinforcements arriving from wherever this pair came from. He called Tilly and Rusty to him, and then hurriedly placed upon them a fly enchantment. The dwarf and the halfling took to the air, zooming out of the pipe and towards the ramp where Ajax fought for his life.
Cyrano lowered his massive head, and then lifted it violently, his two-foot long horn gouging deeply into the back of the giant before him. The ettin howled, one of its heads swiveling around to glare at the rhino. It raised one of its morningstars and swatted the animal on the forehead. Cyrano snorted, shaking off the blow, and began pawing the ground.
At that same moment, Tilly alighted quietly behind the second giant, which was currently preoccupied with its sparring of Ajax. The little rogue silently drew his blades, the picked his target carefully. Moving swiftly, he plunged his longsword into the soft flesh behind the ettin’s left knee. The joint buckled, and the giant went down on the wounded knee. Tilly didn’t hesitate, and drove his dagger deep into its exposed lower back. As it doubled over in agony, Ajax ended its suffering with a final thrust to its heart.
Cyrano prepared to charge, fully intending to bowl the remaining giant over the edge of the ramp, but as he lowered his head, the ettin slammed both of its morningstars into either side of his skull. The big rhino staggered under the force of the blows, and shook its head to clear the pain. Just then, it was surprised by sudden appearance of a dwarf descending out of the air next to it. “Don’t worry none, big fella,” Rusty said, “I’ll handle this one.” With that, the priest threw himself forward, darting between the ettin’s tree trunk legs, and then slashing at its Achilles tendons with his war axe. The giant toppled forward, ending its life by impaling itself on Cyrano’s waiting horn.
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“We’ll move further back,” Ajax said simply, trying to answer the question of what they should do know that was posed by his companions. They were exhausted, even more so after the battle. There was no question that they could go no further, certainly not into the lair of these creatures. They had to rest, and the pipe provided the most defensible spot…a natural choke point, especially against large creatures. Reluctantly, the group agreed, and they moved several dozen yards further back into the pipe. Ajax resumed his vigil, and within a half hour, he heard the distinct sound of the gate at the bottom of the pit closing. It seemed as if the denizens had given up for the night. He felt they would be safe at least until morning. Little did he know that he and his friends had merely succeeded in ringing the doorbell, and were now camped out on the front porch.
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“The way I see it, our choices are two,” Ajax said the next morning, standing once more on the ledge overlooking the steamy chasm in the gray, dim light of dawn. “We can enter via the gate from which the ettins came last night, or we can proceed across the pit and up the trail on the far side. For myself, I would choose the latter. When I went aloft this morning to survey the area, it struck me that from above, those two pipes resemble nothing so much as a pair of eyes. If you recall,” he eyed Caine askance, “Nidrama said that we would find Alakast in the lair of her ‘false sisters’ beyond the watchful eyes of the north.”
Caine ignored the jibe, but his tone showed that the implication was not lost on him, “And I say that we do not go that direction for that exact same reason. Your sister was less than helpful with her cryptic advice. I will not follow her words on blind faith. It has been my experience that in the celestials’ quest for the ‘greater good,’ they are more than willing to sacrifice a few mere mortals. I would choose not to be that sacrifice.”
Ajax shook his head in exasperation, “You speak of not sacrificing yourself needlessly, yet you would barge right into a covey of giants! What wisdom is this? Let us decide this matter as a group. What say the rest of you?”
“I’m with Ajax on this one,” Tilly chimed in. “Two of those brutes were more than enough for me. I’d hate to meet a whole clan of them.”
“I agree,” Wathros said, “I know something about giant-kin, and they rarely travel alone or only in pairs. There is likely to be a whole tribe of them in those tunnels, and we are ill prepared for such a confrontation.”
Rusty remained quiet for a time, then said thoughtfully, “I can see both yer points. On the one hand, the angel did give us a clue, but ‘beyond the eyes to the north’ could just as easily mean beyond that gate. I ain’t afraid o’no smelly, stupid giants. I’d soon as take the fight to’em then leave’em behind us, blocking our retreat.”
“It’s settled then,” Caine said, ignoring Rusty’s argument, “We go north.”
They crossed the pit to the far side with the aid of Caine’s gift of flight placed upon Cyrano. It was the most ridiculous sight any of them had ever seen, but the flying rhino managed to ferry across the entire group with little effort, and the beast actually seemed to enjoy it after awhile. On the other side, they found a rock strewn, slippery trail winding further up the rift in the general direction of the Demonskar. After about a hundred yards or so, they spotted a cleft in the western wall of the small canyon. Looking through it, they could see that it seemed to become a cave, but the opening was blocked by a sturdy wooden barricade made up of logs, tables and chairs, nailed firmly together. Rusty stepped up to the barrier and examined it closely. “Looks stout enough,” the dwarf said, “but I think with a little time, I can use me magic to shape us a path around it by meltin’ the stone.”
“No need,” Ajax said, stepping forward and pulling out his adamantine flail. The metal in the weapon was one of the hardest known, and few materials could stand up to its blows for long. The deva proceeded to batter at the obstacle, sending pieces and chunks of it flying in all directions. Rusty winced at the clamor, but in short order, the barricade was only a memory. The tunnel beyond it seemed to widen after a few yards, and Ajax proceeded to that point. Immediately, he was sorry that he had. The passage opened into a large, mostly bare cave with a large fire burning in a pit at its center. Two other passages led out to the south and southwest, while a strange pair of metallic double doors stood to the northwest. What caught his immediate attention, however, where the four giants standing around the cave's perimeter. They were not two-headed ettins, like the group had encountered the night before; no, these were full-blooded hill giants, vicious, evil brutes who reveled in carnage and destruction. Each one carried a massive club, and bore a sack containing several large, smooth rocks.
Despite his protestations and earlier reservations, Tilly was the first to respond to the imminent threat. He had spoken the truth when he had said he did not want to battle an entire giant tribe, but now that the battle seemed inevitable, the brave little halfling would be the last one to shirk his duty. While the giants were still standing there, Tilly tumbled towards the nearest one, jabbing his knife into its kneecap. The monster flinched slightly, looking down at the gnat that had stung it…and then swatted it. The huge club lifted Tilly from his feet, throwing him into the wall nearby. His breath was forced from his lungs, and he slid to the ground, momentarily stunned.
“That’ll be enough o’that!” Rusty bellowed, stepping into the cave, and pointing one finger at the giant that had felled Tilly. A beam of piercing, concentrated light leaped from the digit, striking the brute in the throat. The giant tried to scream, but found its larynx seared, and could only grab its scorched neck and open its mouth in a silent wail. However, Rusty had underestimated these foes as much as Tilly had. A second giant roared a challenge, and charged across the room in three large strides, slamming its club into the dwarf, and driving him back several feet.
Yet another of the giants moved determinedly towards the slumped form of Tilly. As the halfling tried to rise and bring up his sword protectively, the giant smashed his cudgel down with a sickening thud. Tilly fell back, blood flowing freely from his head, his eyes closed.
“Cyrano! Kill!” Wathros commanded, seeing their situation starting to disintegrate. The huge rhinoceros rumbled into the chamber, almost the size of one of the giants itself. Unfortunately, this was not necessarily an advantage, as it made for an easier target, and the nearest giant took full advantage, trading a punishing blow from its club for a deep gore from the rhino’s horn.
Ajax used the opportunity provided by the momentary distraction of Cyrano to rush to Tilly’s side. As he did, the giant still looming over the halfling raised his club again. Ajax brought up his own weapon to ward off the attack, but was surprised when the brute struck directly at the weapon itself. It was trying to destroy his weapon! Ajax almost laughed at the absurdity. Adamantine was almost as hard as diamond. The giant’s wooden club, though monstrous, merely rebounded off the flail, jarring the giant to its teeth. Quickly, Ajax performed a healing charm on the critically injured halfling. As Tilly’s eyes blinked open, the deva whispered harshly, “Stay down!”
Time! They had to have time to organize, Wathros thought to himself. Thinking quickly, he silently thanked Shensen for giving him the idea of using ice storms. He conjured one in an instant, raining heavy hailstones and blinding sleet down in the center of the chamber, catching three of the giants in the deluge. The storm lasted only for a moment, but it had the desired effect of confusing the big oafs and disrupting their coordinated assault. However, the druid’s brief moment of glee faded as he looked to the far side of the room and saw three more giants enter…the two-headed kind.
Cyrano was in trouble. The rhino tossed its head to all sides, slashing with its horns, but now two of the giants had it flanked. The rained blow after blow upon the hapless beast, until at last, with a sharp crack, the animal’s spine shattered, and it fell heavily to the floor.
“Noooooo!!” Wathros cried in dismay, “Bastards!” Instantly, a column of flame engulfed the two giants, scorching them severely, but they showed no signs of slowing. Ajax knew that the outcome of this battle was inevitable. They had to fall back. He flew into the air, away from Tilly to draw the giants’ attention. “Tilly, run!” he shouted in the halfling tongue, and the rogue was up in a flash, leaping and rolling between the giants’ legs towards the tunnel the party had entered through. Ajax landed several good blows against two of the monsters, making a fighting retreat towards the tunnel all the while, trying to buy time for his friends. Rusty took one last swipe at one of the brutes before he too moved up the passage. He paused only briefly as Caine invoked a fly spell upon him to hasten his retreat. Wathros, tears of rage in his eyes, shifted into the form of a hawk, and reluctantly followed. Finally, only Ajax stood at the mouth of the tunnel, the giants and ettins moving inexorably towards him.
Back near the tunnel exit, Rusty and Jules began rendering aid to the wounded of the group. Caine kept his distance from Ajax and the approaching giants, but watched the confrontation closely, waiting for an opportunity. That chance came a moment later as the lead hill giant reached the deva and raised his club to strike. Caine uttered a brief spell, and suddenly the giant found his weapon coated in slick grease. The club slipped from his hands to the floor, and as he scrambled to retrieve it, Ajax was on him, striking like lightning, and driving the lout back into the cave. The giants were slowly beginning to realize their dilemma. Ajax had effectively bottlenecked the tunnel, and they could not go around him to reach his companions. The only way was through him, but that was easier said than done. They could only approach him singly, and each time, the canny deva was able to ward them off and beat them back. Ultimately, the giants fell back into the cave proper, and then began hurling stones both at Ajax, and beyond him, towards the others of the company. However, in a ranged battle, the Bright Axes were not so easily outdone.
Rusty moved just far enough up the tunnel so that he had a clear view of three of the giants and two of the ettins. Summoning a mighty prayer, he smote the five with holy power. One of the giants fell dead outright, while the other two, and one of the ettins were temporarily struck blind. The second ettin was badly battered, and Ajax took advantage of its state to finish it off with two well-aimed sword strikes. Immediately on the heels of this lethal combination, Caine again conjured grease, this time on the floor beneath of one of the blinded giants, causing it to stumble heavily to the floor. Not to be left out, Wathros soared down the passage, lightning bolts crackling around his talons, which he began unleashing at the beleaguered giants.
Ajax continued to press his advantage against the giants' confusion, slashing out at a second ettin as it blundered past him. Two of the remaining giants continued to hurl rocks at the deva, and also at Tilly, who had peeked his head around a corner of the tunnel to assess the situation. The third hill giant retreated towards the strange steel doors. As he approached them, they instantly slid up into the ceiling revealing another large chamber beyond, lit by what appeared to be a roaring blue flame, “Dugobras!” Ajax heard the giant call in its native tongue, “We need you!” That didn’t sound good. The last thing they needed right now was reinforcements. Ajax leaped at the nearest giant, hammering at it with his sword, while Rusty blasted another with a second bolt of searing light. “Fall back!” the giant who had spoken before now called to his comrades, and then he stepped through the doorway, and the steel portals slid closed behind him.
One of the two remaining ettins heeded his superior’s words, and ran for one of the passages on the far side of the cave, disappearing into darkness. The second one was not willing to give up so easily. Dropping its morning stars, it rushed towards Ajax, arms spread wide in an attempt to scoop up and grapple the deva. Ajax ducked under the clumsy attack, and carved two deep gashes into the brute’s back, then delivered a third slash behind its knees. The ettin howled, staggering around to face its elusive prey, only to have Tilly dash in behind to deliver the coup de grace.
Ajax next turned his attention to the last two hill giants. One of them staggered under the force of another of Wathros' lightning bolts. As it was still reeling, Ajax put it out of its misery. The last giant found itself backed into a corner. With a roar of triumph, Rusty flew through the air towards it, but before he could reach it, the giant swung his great club around and shattered the dwarf’s morningstar into flinders. Dazed, Rusty found himself toe to toe with the beast, with no weapon at hand. Before he could retreat, the giant walloped him twice with its tree-sized club. The priest struggled to get away, but the enraged giant kept advancing. Fortunately, a well-timed lightning blast from Wathros bought Rusty a few precious seconds, and then Ajax was there, interposing himself between his friend and the giant, driving his sword into the brute’s belly and finishing it off.
Finding a moment to catch their breath, the companions regrouped in the cave. “We’ve got them on the run!” Ajax growled, “I say we finish them while they are still off guard.”
“Aye, I’m with ye!” Rusty snarled, “They’ve got their tails between their legs like whipped curs!”
“Lead the way,” Wathros said coldly, his eyes resting on the lifeless hulk of Cyrano.
“I’m up for a little payback,” Tilly chimed in. Only Caine remained silent, unwilling to advocate dealing out more death and violence. To his mind, they had won this fight, and should withdraw to plan out their options, but he could see that his friends were determined, and he held his tongue.
Tilly took the lead, dashing towards the steel doors, which hissed open as he approached. The huge, rectangular room beyond was prism-shaped, with a fifty-foot high ceiling. In contrast to the rough-hewn cave, the walls of this chamber were sculpted with a complex work. A shiny, metal furnace stood against the north wall, with rumbling, vertical blue flames inside. A large mound of broken anvils were stacked against the side of the furnace, and several more anvil fragments lay heaped inside, glowing red-hot. An enormous hammer lay on a big iron anvil in the middle of the room, beyond which several more anvils were stacked haphazardly. A great chair sat in the southwestern corner beside a huge metal chest. A seven-foot wide cubic cage of silver and platinum, its bars etched with mystical symbols lay nearby, propped against a pile of metal scrap. Standing near the center of the room were the hill giant and ettin that had escaped, both looking much more hale than they had when they’d retreated. Dominating the chamber, directly in front of the furnace, was another giant. This one, however, had coal black skin, and fiery red hair. His arms rippled with chiseled muscles, and he was clad in a well-crafted chain shirt. He carried a huge warhammer in his strong hands. This was Dugobras. The smith had pointedly ignored the battle in the cave beyond his forge, to engrossed in his work to bother with the struggles of his lesser…that it, until they had spilled over into his sanctum, disturbing his craft. Now, his ire was raised, and there would be Hell to pay.
Tilly began backpedaling quickly from the room, trying to reach the relative safety of his comrades. Wathros’ eyes widened at the sight of the fire giant. He’d heard of such beasts, but had never beheld one, and he now found himself duly impressed. He began chanting a summons, hoping to call forth some creature to aid them, but before he had gotten halfway through his spell, Dugobras leaned over and retrieved one of the glowing anvils from the furnace. The smith hurled the projectile with deadly accuracy, striking the druid full in the chest. Wathros felt the words of the spell blasted from his lungs, and felt his skin searing from the awful heat. He staggered backwards, and away, struggling to draw breath.
Dugobras then lurched towards the door, swinging his hammer as he came, smashing it down upon Tilly. The rogue rolled with the blow, coming up behind the fire giant, and slashing twice at his calves, hoping to cripple or topple him. Dugobras seemed to barely feel the vicious strikes, turning with cat-like reflexes, despite his great size. Once more his hammer fell, and this time Tilly was not fast enough. With a cracking of bones, and a wet rupturing of organs, Tilly fell, and did not rise again. With one fluid motion, Dugobras pivoted towards Ajax, smashing his hammer into the deva’s belly, and then hammering it down upon his flail, actually managing to chip the adamantine weapon in the process. Ajax attempted to strike back, but despite what he felt was a dead-on hit, his blow missed. The giant did not seem to be where he was one second before. What sorcery was this?
Rusty felt it was sorcery as well, and so he decided to do something about it. He conjured up a dispelling field, placing it about Dugobras. The giant’s formed shimmered for a moment, and then reappeared, two feet to the right of where his displacement spell had made him seem to be.
Caine shook his head as the folly of this course of action became all too clear. They had to run. There was no other choice, but he didn’t think the fire giant was going to let them go so easily. Again, the sorcerer greased the floor, causing the hill giant to land flat on its back. As it tried to rise, Ajax delivered a parting shot, and then rendered himself invisible. He made his way to Tilly’s limp body, shouldered it, and flew for the exit, calling for the others to follow. Dugobras stepped over the fallen hill giant, and hefted another anvil, this time aiming it at Caine. The red-hot missile struck the sorcerer full on…and shattered into a hundred fragments on impact. Dugobras roared in anger, and then in outrage as his own feet slipped out from under him. As the giants struggled to disentangle themselves, the Bright Axes made good their escape.
AGAINST THE GIANTS
Nothing else was said about the encounter with Nidrama, and the following day the group set out once more upon the trail which was marked as ‘gnoll path’ on the crude map drawn by Alek Tercival. As afternoon stretched towards evening, the hunting trail abruptly ended, the trees thinning considerably to the north. In that direction, roiling yellow and brown clouds boiled above a jagged, barren horizon. The jagged line of the Demonskar’s rim could just be seen, brooding at the base of the clouds. The ground before the party was strewn with razor-sharp ridges of volcanic glass and jagged stone. Ruined strips of what could only have been the metal frameworks of ancient structures protruded from the earth like broken fingers from a shallow grave. One particularly large structure jutted from the ground only twenty feet from the end of the trail. It appeared like nothing more than a massive pipe, burrowing into the rock at a gentle slope.
“Round cave,” Rusty said, looking at the pipe, and then pointing out the description scrawled on the map with the same words.
“It would appear so,” Caine replied. The map went on to illustrate a series of passages or tunnels through which they had to travel to reach the final destination called Vaprak’s Voice.
They descended into the pipe several dozen yards, until it leveled out into a broad, metal tunnel. Several smaller tunnels branched at intervals, but from the map, it appeared they were looking for a major intersection. They found it an hour or so later, by which time they were exhausted from their long march. However, the tunnel continued into the darkness, and they had no way of knowing how much further they had to go.
“I’m done,” Tilly said, sliding down one wall, “Let’s camp here.”
“Don’t be a fool,” Ajax said sharply, “There are numerous passages all around us. We have no idea what might lair here, and no defensible position in which to camp. I say we press on.”
Reluctantly, the others agreed, and they continued thru the labyrinth.
Finally, after two more hours of travel, the bedraggled group saw dim light ahead. The tunnel ended, opening onto a small ledge set into the wall of a wide pit. The pit was set at the bottom of a large, fissure among the arid, crystalline hills that bordered the Demonskar. Puffs of eye-watering smoke seeped from a pool at the bottom of the chasm. On the other side of the pit, a pair of gigantic metal tubes protruded from the rock, extending nearly fifty feet, and out of the fissure. The burning stink of sulfur and acid was everywhere, and the ground and walls were wet with foul-smelling condensation. A ramp of roughly hewn stone steps wound down into the pit. As the wind rose and swept through the fissure, the two looming metal chimneys issued a thundering deep bellow that echoed across the landscape.
The water in the shallow pool at the bottom of the chasm bubbled constantly, stirred by acrid vapors escaping from deep underground. A whistling puff of smoke erupted sporadically from the water’s surface, spraying the surrounding rocks with warm, whitish droplets. A natural passage of some sort led from the western side of the pit’s bottom.
At that moment, Tilly began heaving and retching, the horrendous stink of the foul vapor burning his lungs. Rusty went to him, offering him water, and helping him to remove his pack.
“I suggest we rest here,” Caine said to Ajax, “further back in the tunnel. It is sheltered, and we can set up a perimeter here. I don’t think we can go any further. After all, we aren’t immortal like you.” He said this last with a smile, and Ajax nodded, “I’ll take the first watch.”
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From the warm comfort of his boiling pool, Kymzo saw the light of the trespassers in the pipe above. His orders were to only allow the paladin to pass, and since Tercival had come thru long ago, whoever this group was, they were intruders. He had to warn Muggo…and the others. Waiting for the right moment, just when the pool emitted its spray, he blew his steamy breath into the air, creating a high whistle which blended almost flawlessly with the sound of the pool.
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Almost flawlessly. Ajax was sitting at the edge of the pipe, peering down into the dark pit, when his keen ears picked up the subtle difference in the sound of the steam geyser. He stood quickly, scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. Several minutes passed, and he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Thinking that his ears had betrayed him, he settled back to his watch.
Some time later, Ajax distinctly heard a horrendous squeal like the sound of rusty gears grinding against each other. The sound came from the fissure at the western side of the pit. Once again he peered into the gloom and mist at the bottom of the chasm, but this time he saw two large, humanoid shapes materializing out of the darkness. They were headed directly for the ramp, and as they drew nearer, he could see that they were massive, easily nine feet tall. Ogres, he thought at first, remembering the figures drawn on the hegemonic plate, but he quickly realized that if they were ogres, they were unlike any he’d ever seen. For starters, they each had two heads…
The deva shouted over his shoulder to where the others were sleeping, and Caine was deep in meditation, “We’ve got company!” Then, willing himself invisible, he advanced out on the ledge to meet the giants. The first one reached the crest of the ramp, oblivious to the fact that Ajax was there until he stumbled into the unseen warrior. The brute grunted in surprise, and then began flailing at the air before him with a pair of huge morningstars. Ajax easily dodged the clumsy attacks, and moved in under the giant’s guard, intending to strike what he hoped would be a lethal blow. However, just as he thrust his sword, one of the giant’s arms swung back around, knocking him to the side and spoiling his attack, rendering him visible at the same time.
Tilly jumped to his feet, kicking the still snoring Rusty as he did so. He could hear the sounds of Ajax’ struggle outside the pipe, but it was another sound that caught his immediate attention…the soft flapping of wings. He spun about, looking for the source of the sound, but could see nothing in the shadows beyond the firelight. Suddenly, out of thin air a cascade of scalding water began drenching the group. Each of them desperately rolled out of the way of the deluge, except for Cyrano. The rhino was snorting in pain and rage, and began rushing towards the mouth of the tunnel. As Tilly watched the huge animal go, he spotted movement in the darkness. There was a small, winged creature fluttering there. It appeared almost imp-like, but it seemed to be composed completely of steam.
Kymzo laughed gleefully at the results of his little diversion. The fools! They would sorely regret trespassing here. The ettins would tear them limb from limb, and he would have the pleasure of cleaning up the leftovers. He flapped back out over the pit, beyond the reach of the charging rhinoceros, laughing all the way.
The first ettin roared as Ajax suddenly appeared. It swung its morningstars again, with frightening power. One of them clipped the deva on the shoulder, causing his entire arm to go momentarily numb. As he stumbled backward, the second giant moved past him, balancing precariously on the lip of the ramp. Ajax lunged at the beast, opening several deep wounds in its tough hide as it moved to flank him. The ettin bellowed in pain, and then brought one of its own weapons down on Ajax, causing the warrior’s knees to nearly buckle. In desperation, Ajax stabbed out with his sword, hoping to ward off one of the closing giants, but only managing a superficial strike. Suddenly, Ajax’ eyes widened in surprise, for looming up directly behind the giant before him was the huge form of Cyrano.
Wathros dashed towards the ledge, trying to keep the flying imp in sight. He recognized the creature for what it was, a mephit…an evil denizen of the paraelemental planes. Though he guessed the foul thing would be impervious to fire and heat, he trusted in the fact that pure holy might would certainly not agree with it, and he let loose a flamestrike, calling the purifying flame down from the sky. Kymzo screeched, rolling over and over in mid air in an attempt to quench the searing fire. He recognized that the spellcaster was a dangerous adversary that must be quickly dealt with. Flying in close, the mephit opened its mouth and breathed a great gout of hot steam at the druid. Wathros threw his cloak over himself, warding off the worst of the burning attack, and then an idea struck him. If this creature thrived on heat and warmth, then maybe it would be quite adverse to cold. With a quick prayer, he conjured up a veritable ice storm, centering it directly over the mephit. Great hailstones pelted Kymzo, and he shrieked as the ice seemed to burn thru his skin. With a final cry of agony, he fell, plunging into the boiling geyser below.
Although Caine felt that Ajax and the rhinoceros could probably handle the ettins by themselves, he wanted this fight to end quickly. Not only did the violence turn his stomach, but he knew that the longer it went on, the greater the chances of reinforcements arriving from wherever this pair came from. He called Tilly and Rusty to him, and then hurriedly placed upon them a fly enchantment. The dwarf and the halfling took to the air, zooming out of the pipe and towards the ramp where Ajax fought for his life.
Cyrano lowered his massive head, and then lifted it violently, his two-foot long horn gouging deeply into the back of the giant before him. The ettin howled, one of its heads swiveling around to glare at the rhino. It raised one of its morningstars and swatted the animal on the forehead. Cyrano snorted, shaking off the blow, and began pawing the ground.
At that same moment, Tilly alighted quietly behind the second giant, which was currently preoccupied with its sparring of Ajax. The little rogue silently drew his blades, the picked his target carefully. Moving swiftly, he plunged his longsword into the soft flesh behind the ettin’s left knee. The joint buckled, and the giant went down on the wounded knee. Tilly didn’t hesitate, and drove his dagger deep into its exposed lower back. As it doubled over in agony, Ajax ended its suffering with a final thrust to its heart.
Cyrano prepared to charge, fully intending to bowl the remaining giant over the edge of the ramp, but as he lowered his head, the ettin slammed both of its morningstars into either side of his skull. The big rhino staggered under the force of the blows, and shook its head to clear the pain. Just then, it was surprised by sudden appearance of a dwarf descending out of the air next to it. “Don’t worry none, big fella,” Rusty said, “I’ll handle this one.” With that, the priest threw himself forward, darting between the ettin’s tree trunk legs, and then slashing at its Achilles tendons with his war axe. The giant toppled forward, ending its life by impaling itself on Cyrano’s waiting horn.
__________________________________________________________________
“We’ll move further back,” Ajax said simply, trying to answer the question of what they should do know that was posed by his companions. They were exhausted, even more so after the battle. There was no question that they could go no further, certainly not into the lair of these creatures. They had to rest, and the pipe provided the most defensible spot…a natural choke point, especially against large creatures. Reluctantly, the group agreed, and they moved several dozen yards further back into the pipe. Ajax resumed his vigil, and within a half hour, he heard the distinct sound of the gate at the bottom of the pit closing. It seemed as if the denizens had given up for the night. He felt they would be safe at least until morning. Little did he know that he and his friends had merely succeeded in ringing the doorbell, and were now camped out on the front porch.
_________________________________________________________
“The way I see it, our choices are two,” Ajax said the next morning, standing once more on the ledge overlooking the steamy chasm in the gray, dim light of dawn. “We can enter via the gate from which the ettins came last night, or we can proceed across the pit and up the trail on the far side. For myself, I would choose the latter. When I went aloft this morning to survey the area, it struck me that from above, those two pipes resemble nothing so much as a pair of eyes. If you recall,” he eyed Caine askance, “Nidrama said that we would find Alakast in the lair of her ‘false sisters’ beyond the watchful eyes of the north.”
Caine ignored the jibe, but his tone showed that the implication was not lost on him, “And I say that we do not go that direction for that exact same reason. Your sister was less than helpful with her cryptic advice. I will not follow her words on blind faith. It has been my experience that in the celestials’ quest for the ‘greater good,’ they are more than willing to sacrifice a few mere mortals. I would choose not to be that sacrifice.”
Ajax shook his head in exasperation, “You speak of not sacrificing yourself needlessly, yet you would barge right into a covey of giants! What wisdom is this? Let us decide this matter as a group. What say the rest of you?”
“I’m with Ajax on this one,” Tilly chimed in. “Two of those brutes were more than enough for me. I’d hate to meet a whole clan of them.”
“I agree,” Wathros said, “I know something about giant-kin, and they rarely travel alone or only in pairs. There is likely to be a whole tribe of them in those tunnels, and we are ill prepared for such a confrontation.”
Rusty remained quiet for a time, then said thoughtfully, “I can see both yer points. On the one hand, the angel did give us a clue, but ‘beyond the eyes to the north’ could just as easily mean beyond that gate. I ain’t afraid o’no smelly, stupid giants. I’d soon as take the fight to’em then leave’em behind us, blocking our retreat.”
“It’s settled then,” Caine said, ignoring Rusty’s argument, “We go north.”
They crossed the pit to the far side with the aid of Caine’s gift of flight placed upon Cyrano. It was the most ridiculous sight any of them had ever seen, but the flying rhino managed to ferry across the entire group with little effort, and the beast actually seemed to enjoy it after awhile. On the other side, they found a rock strewn, slippery trail winding further up the rift in the general direction of the Demonskar. After about a hundred yards or so, they spotted a cleft in the western wall of the small canyon. Looking through it, they could see that it seemed to become a cave, but the opening was blocked by a sturdy wooden barricade made up of logs, tables and chairs, nailed firmly together. Rusty stepped up to the barrier and examined it closely. “Looks stout enough,” the dwarf said, “but I think with a little time, I can use me magic to shape us a path around it by meltin’ the stone.”
“No need,” Ajax said, stepping forward and pulling out his adamantine flail. The metal in the weapon was one of the hardest known, and few materials could stand up to its blows for long. The deva proceeded to batter at the obstacle, sending pieces and chunks of it flying in all directions. Rusty winced at the clamor, but in short order, the barricade was only a memory. The tunnel beyond it seemed to widen after a few yards, and Ajax proceeded to that point. Immediately, he was sorry that he had. The passage opened into a large, mostly bare cave with a large fire burning in a pit at its center. Two other passages led out to the south and southwest, while a strange pair of metallic double doors stood to the northwest. What caught his immediate attention, however, where the four giants standing around the cave's perimeter. They were not two-headed ettins, like the group had encountered the night before; no, these were full-blooded hill giants, vicious, evil brutes who reveled in carnage and destruction. Each one carried a massive club, and bore a sack containing several large, smooth rocks.
Despite his protestations and earlier reservations, Tilly was the first to respond to the imminent threat. He had spoken the truth when he had said he did not want to battle an entire giant tribe, but now that the battle seemed inevitable, the brave little halfling would be the last one to shirk his duty. While the giants were still standing there, Tilly tumbled towards the nearest one, jabbing his knife into its kneecap. The monster flinched slightly, looking down at the gnat that had stung it…and then swatted it. The huge club lifted Tilly from his feet, throwing him into the wall nearby. His breath was forced from his lungs, and he slid to the ground, momentarily stunned.
“That’ll be enough o’that!” Rusty bellowed, stepping into the cave, and pointing one finger at the giant that had felled Tilly. A beam of piercing, concentrated light leaped from the digit, striking the brute in the throat. The giant tried to scream, but found its larynx seared, and could only grab its scorched neck and open its mouth in a silent wail. However, Rusty had underestimated these foes as much as Tilly had. A second giant roared a challenge, and charged across the room in three large strides, slamming its club into the dwarf, and driving him back several feet.
Yet another of the giants moved determinedly towards the slumped form of Tilly. As the halfling tried to rise and bring up his sword protectively, the giant smashed his cudgel down with a sickening thud. Tilly fell back, blood flowing freely from his head, his eyes closed.
“Cyrano! Kill!” Wathros commanded, seeing their situation starting to disintegrate. The huge rhinoceros rumbled into the chamber, almost the size of one of the giants itself. Unfortunately, this was not necessarily an advantage, as it made for an easier target, and the nearest giant took full advantage, trading a punishing blow from its club for a deep gore from the rhino’s horn.
Ajax used the opportunity provided by the momentary distraction of Cyrano to rush to Tilly’s side. As he did, the giant still looming over the halfling raised his club again. Ajax brought up his own weapon to ward off the attack, but was surprised when the brute struck directly at the weapon itself. It was trying to destroy his weapon! Ajax almost laughed at the absurdity. Adamantine was almost as hard as diamond. The giant’s wooden club, though monstrous, merely rebounded off the flail, jarring the giant to its teeth. Quickly, Ajax performed a healing charm on the critically injured halfling. As Tilly’s eyes blinked open, the deva whispered harshly, “Stay down!”
Time! They had to have time to organize, Wathros thought to himself. Thinking quickly, he silently thanked Shensen for giving him the idea of using ice storms. He conjured one in an instant, raining heavy hailstones and blinding sleet down in the center of the chamber, catching three of the giants in the deluge. The storm lasted only for a moment, but it had the desired effect of confusing the big oafs and disrupting their coordinated assault. However, the druid’s brief moment of glee faded as he looked to the far side of the room and saw three more giants enter…the two-headed kind.
Cyrano was in trouble. The rhino tossed its head to all sides, slashing with its horns, but now two of the giants had it flanked. The rained blow after blow upon the hapless beast, until at last, with a sharp crack, the animal’s spine shattered, and it fell heavily to the floor.
“Noooooo!!” Wathros cried in dismay, “Bastards!” Instantly, a column of flame engulfed the two giants, scorching them severely, but they showed no signs of slowing. Ajax knew that the outcome of this battle was inevitable. They had to fall back. He flew into the air, away from Tilly to draw the giants’ attention. “Tilly, run!” he shouted in the halfling tongue, and the rogue was up in a flash, leaping and rolling between the giants’ legs towards the tunnel the party had entered through. Ajax landed several good blows against two of the monsters, making a fighting retreat towards the tunnel all the while, trying to buy time for his friends. Rusty took one last swipe at one of the brutes before he too moved up the passage. He paused only briefly as Caine invoked a fly spell upon him to hasten his retreat. Wathros, tears of rage in his eyes, shifted into the form of a hawk, and reluctantly followed. Finally, only Ajax stood at the mouth of the tunnel, the giants and ettins moving inexorably towards him.
Back near the tunnel exit, Rusty and Jules began rendering aid to the wounded of the group. Caine kept his distance from Ajax and the approaching giants, but watched the confrontation closely, waiting for an opportunity. That chance came a moment later as the lead hill giant reached the deva and raised his club to strike. Caine uttered a brief spell, and suddenly the giant found his weapon coated in slick grease. The club slipped from his hands to the floor, and as he scrambled to retrieve it, Ajax was on him, striking like lightning, and driving the lout back into the cave. The giants were slowly beginning to realize their dilemma. Ajax had effectively bottlenecked the tunnel, and they could not go around him to reach his companions. The only way was through him, but that was easier said than done. They could only approach him singly, and each time, the canny deva was able to ward them off and beat them back. Ultimately, the giants fell back into the cave proper, and then began hurling stones both at Ajax, and beyond him, towards the others of the company. However, in a ranged battle, the Bright Axes were not so easily outdone.
Rusty moved just far enough up the tunnel so that he had a clear view of three of the giants and two of the ettins. Summoning a mighty prayer, he smote the five with holy power. One of the giants fell dead outright, while the other two, and one of the ettins were temporarily struck blind. The second ettin was badly battered, and Ajax took advantage of its state to finish it off with two well-aimed sword strikes. Immediately on the heels of this lethal combination, Caine again conjured grease, this time on the floor beneath of one of the blinded giants, causing it to stumble heavily to the floor. Not to be left out, Wathros soared down the passage, lightning bolts crackling around his talons, which he began unleashing at the beleaguered giants.
Ajax continued to press his advantage against the giants' confusion, slashing out at a second ettin as it blundered past him. Two of the remaining giants continued to hurl rocks at the deva, and also at Tilly, who had peeked his head around a corner of the tunnel to assess the situation. The third hill giant retreated towards the strange steel doors. As he approached them, they instantly slid up into the ceiling revealing another large chamber beyond, lit by what appeared to be a roaring blue flame, “Dugobras!” Ajax heard the giant call in its native tongue, “We need you!” That didn’t sound good. The last thing they needed right now was reinforcements. Ajax leaped at the nearest giant, hammering at it with his sword, while Rusty blasted another with a second bolt of searing light. “Fall back!” the giant who had spoken before now called to his comrades, and then he stepped through the doorway, and the steel portals slid closed behind him.
One of the two remaining ettins heeded his superior’s words, and ran for one of the passages on the far side of the cave, disappearing into darkness. The second one was not willing to give up so easily. Dropping its morning stars, it rushed towards Ajax, arms spread wide in an attempt to scoop up and grapple the deva. Ajax ducked under the clumsy attack, and carved two deep gashes into the brute’s back, then delivered a third slash behind its knees. The ettin howled, staggering around to face its elusive prey, only to have Tilly dash in behind to deliver the coup de grace.
Ajax next turned his attention to the last two hill giants. One of them staggered under the force of another of Wathros' lightning bolts. As it was still reeling, Ajax put it out of its misery. The last giant found itself backed into a corner. With a roar of triumph, Rusty flew through the air towards it, but before he could reach it, the giant swung his great club around and shattered the dwarf’s morningstar into flinders. Dazed, Rusty found himself toe to toe with the beast, with no weapon at hand. Before he could retreat, the giant walloped him twice with its tree-sized club. The priest struggled to get away, but the enraged giant kept advancing. Fortunately, a well-timed lightning blast from Wathros bought Rusty a few precious seconds, and then Ajax was there, interposing himself between his friend and the giant, driving his sword into the brute’s belly and finishing it off.
Finding a moment to catch their breath, the companions regrouped in the cave. “We’ve got them on the run!” Ajax growled, “I say we finish them while they are still off guard.”
“Aye, I’m with ye!” Rusty snarled, “They’ve got their tails between their legs like whipped curs!”
“Lead the way,” Wathros said coldly, his eyes resting on the lifeless hulk of Cyrano.
“I’m up for a little payback,” Tilly chimed in. Only Caine remained silent, unwilling to advocate dealing out more death and violence. To his mind, they had won this fight, and should withdraw to plan out their options, but he could see that his friends were determined, and he held his tongue.
Tilly took the lead, dashing towards the steel doors, which hissed open as he approached. The huge, rectangular room beyond was prism-shaped, with a fifty-foot high ceiling. In contrast to the rough-hewn cave, the walls of this chamber were sculpted with a complex work. A shiny, metal furnace stood against the north wall, with rumbling, vertical blue flames inside. A large mound of broken anvils were stacked against the side of the furnace, and several more anvil fragments lay heaped inside, glowing red-hot. An enormous hammer lay on a big iron anvil in the middle of the room, beyond which several more anvils were stacked haphazardly. A great chair sat in the southwestern corner beside a huge metal chest. A seven-foot wide cubic cage of silver and platinum, its bars etched with mystical symbols lay nearby, propped against a pile of metal scrap. Standing near the center of the room were the hill giant and ettin that had escaped, both looking much more hale than they had when they’d retreated. Dominating the chamber, directly in front of the furnace, was another giant. This one, however, had coal black skin, and fiery red hair. His arms rippled with chiseled muscles, and he was clad in a well-crafted chain shirt. He carried a huge warhammer in his strong hands. This was Dugobras. The smith had pointedly ignored the battle in the cave beyond his forge, to engrossed in his work to bother with the struggles of his lesser…that it, until they had spilled over into his sanctum, disturbing his craft. Now, his ire was raised, and there would be Hell to pay.
Tilly began backpedaling quickly from the room, trying to reach the relative safety of his comrades. Wathros’ eyes widened at the sight of the fire giant. He’d heard of such beasts, but had never beheld one, and he now found himself duly impressed. He began chanting a summons, hoping to call forth some creature to aid them, but before he had gotten halfway through his spell, Dugobras leaned over and retrieved one of the glowing anvils from the furnace. The smith hurled the projectile with deadly accuracy, striking the druid full in the chest. Wathros felt the words of the spell blasted from his lungs, and felt his skin searing from the awful heat. He staggered backwards, and away, struggling to draw breath.
Dugobras then lurched towards the door, swinging his hammer as he came, smashing it down upon Tilly. The rogue rolled with the blow, coming up behind the fire giant, and slashing twice at his calves, hoping to cripple or topple him. Dugobras seemed to barely feel the vicious strikes, turning with cat-like reflexes, despite his great size. Once more his hammer fell, and this time Tilly was not fast enough. With a cracking of bones, and a wet rupturing of organs, Tilly fell, and did not rise again. With one fluid motion, Dugobras pivoted towards Ajax, smashing his hammer into the deva’s belly, and then hammering it down upon his flail, actually managing to chip the adamantine weapon in the process. Ajax attempted to strike back, but despite what he felt was a dead-on hit, his blow missed. The giant did not seem to be where he was one second before. What sorcery was this?
Rusty felt it was sorcery as well, and so he decided to do something about it. He conjured up a dispelling field, placing it about Dugobras. The giant’s formed shimmered for a moment, and then reappeared, two feet to the right of where his displacement spell had made him seem to be.
Caine shook his head as the folly of this course of action became all too clear. They had to run. There was no other choice, but he didn’t think the fire giant was going to let them go so easily. Again, the sorcerer greased the floor, causing the hill giant to land flat on its back. As it tried to rise, Ajax delivered a parting shot, and then rendered himself invisible. He made his way to Tilly’s limp body, shouldered it, and flew for the exit, calling for the others to follow. Dugobras stepped over the fallen hill giant, and hefted another anvil, this time aiming it at Caine. The red-hot missile struck the sorcerer full on…and shattered into a hundred fragments on impact. Dugobras roared in anger, and then in outrage as his own feet slipped out from under him. As the giants struggled to disentangle themselves, the Bright Axes made good their escape.
Black_Kaioshin
First Post
Poor, poor Tilly I feel very sorry for his wife....
I feel very sorry for his wife.... Hah! I thought of an idea...since I just got my new digital camera, the winner can receive an autographed picture of the group
I refuse to pose in da' nude ! Playdwarf offered me 2,500 G.P.'s just two moons ago and I refused. It is bad nuff that me's face is in your laps whens we talks, but I am not taking group shots with yee. S'pecially since Hammerhead won, don' want him a oggling over me beautiful form. Yee will take it in my spiked plate or no shot at all . . .
I refuse to pose in da' nude ! Playdwarf offered me 2,500 G.P.'s just two moons ago and I refused. It is bad nuff that me's face is in your laps whens we talks, but I am not taking group shots with yee. S'pecially since Hammerhead won, don' want him a oggling over me beautiful form. Yee will take it in my spiked plate or no shot at all . . .
Neverwinter Knight
First Post
I'm sorry I ever doubted you, gfunk!
Nice update, JollyDoc. Although I was expecting demons, giants come in handy, too.
Nice update, JollyDoc. Although I was expecting demons, giants come in handy, too.
Angcuru
First Post
I don't think this is the end of Tilly, so Maple(if I'm not mistaken: who is not his wife, unless JD fergot to put that is) will not be dissappointed. Jenya was able to resurrect Gadrid, so she should be able to do the same for Tilly. Unless he's no more than a pile of bones and gook, that is.
I predict either future NPCdom a' la Gadrid; a nice, expensive, closed-casket funeral; or Entropy showing up weilding the Meta-Gamer's Mallet of Ressurection, smashing Tilly's corpse, and adding a covert operative to her little group of Evilness.
But then again I could be completely wrong.
I predict either future NPCdom a' la Gadrid; a nice, expensive, closed-casket funeral; or Entropy showing up weilding the Meta-Gamer's Mallet of Ressurection, smashing Tilly's corpse, and adding a covert operative to her little group of Evilness.
But then again I could be completely wrong.
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