JollyDoc's Savage Tide-Updated 10/8!
theredrobedwizard
Explorer
These gents would fit in well with my group, as it seems that every time one of them does something "evil", I get the urge to pat them heartily on the back for a job well done.
Marius torching innocent bystanders?: No such animal. They should've ran away faster. Natural Selection at work.
The Legion directly responsible for the deaths of two Jade Ravens?: The only thing wrong with this is that there were still Jade Ravens alive. I hate those guys.
Skald given to evil cultists for a crime he didn't commit?: Ok, I admit, this might have been a bad choice, given that Skald seems useful. Then again, they didn't know for sure that the people he was turned over to were cultists.
Avner sold into indentured servitude?: That mother-frakker deserves everything coming to him. Besides, it's for the good of the company that he be sold, considering he considers the primative Masticans (or whatever) to be little more than property. I guess a more proper punishment would've been public castration, then covering him in brown gravy mix and steak tips, then leaving him in a room with a Rabid Dire Pseudonatural Half-Fiendish Vampiric Werewolverine Frenzied Berserker on PCP as his only companion. Oh the fun he'd have. Then Reincarnate him, hopefully as something ugly and idiotic; like a Mongrelfolk or an Awakened potted plant.
Lirith murdered in cold blood?: She was a skank. Also, that's what she gets for trusting a Gnome. See Natural Selection.
What's left?: No one's killed the obvious sources of annoyance yet, as Urol and the Jade Ravens are left breathing.
Drowning kittens and stealing lollipops from babies?: Absolutely not. Kittens are sacrosanct and are to never be harmed under any circumstance. Failure to comply results in a one way trip to Getting-Flayed-Alive-Then-Buried-In-Salt-And-Glass-Shards Avenue. Lollipops are fair game to be stolen, so long as the baby is fat. Fat babies need less candy. See Natural Selection.
-TRRW
Marius torching innocent bystanders?: No such animal. They should've ran away faster. Natural Selection at work.
The Legion directly responsible for the deaths of two Jade Ravens?: The only thing wrong with this is that there were still Jade Ravens alive. I hate those guys.
Skald given to evil cultists for a crime he didn't commit?: Ok, I admit, this might have been a bad choice, given that Skald seems useful. Then again, they didn't know for sure that the people he was turned over to were cultists.
Avner sold into indentured servitude?: That mother-frakker deserves everything coming to him. Besides, it's for the good of the company that he be sold, considering he considers the primative Masticans (or whatever) to be little more than property. I guess a more proper punishment would've been public castration, then covering him in brown gravy mix and steak tips, then leaving him in a room with a Rabid Dire Pseudonatural Half-Fiendish Vampiric Werewolverine Frenzied Berserker on PCP as his only companion. Oh the fun he'd have. Then Reincarnate him, hopefully as something ugly and idiotic; like a Mongrelfolk or an Awakened potted plant.
Lirith murdered in cold blood?: She was a skank. Also, that's what she gets for trusting a Gnome. See Natural Selection.
What's left?: No one's killed the obvious sources of annoyance yet, as Urol and the Jade Ravens are left breathing.
Drowning kittens and stealing lollipops from babies?: Absolutely not. Kittens are sacrosanct and are to never be harmed under any circumstance. Failure to comply results in a one way trip to Getting-Flayed-Alive-Then-Buried-In-Salt-And-Glass-Shards Avenue. Lollipops are fair game to be stolen, so long as the baby is fat. Fat babies need less candy. See Natural Selection.
-TRRW
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JollyDoc
Explorer
HERE THERE BE MONSTERS
Urol took the lead the following morning, explaining to the group that he planned to take them inland through the jungle in hopes of making the foothills of the mountains by nightfall. When questioned about what they might expect to encounter along the way, the gnome shrugged nonchalantly, but couldn’t quite conceal the uncertainty from his voice:
“Well…I suppose we could run across another flock of terror birds, but fortunately there are several large game trails we can follow, so we should make good time. Plus, I’m an excellent outdoorsman! I can look for signs that the birds might be nearby, and we should be able to avoid them easily.”
Despite the druid’s less than sincere enthusiasm, the company did indeed travel swiftly throughout the day. The jungle consisted mostly of tall trees, flush with brightly colored birds and thick hanging vines. The canopy kept the region shaded, with only occasional shafts of light penetrating. Due to Urol’s skill, or just blind luck, they came upon none of the predatory raptors. Sometime shortly past the sun’s zenith, the jungle began to thin, and they found themselves on the lip of a vast depression that stretched away to the horizon.
“A star fell here, many decades ago,” Urol explained. “It stretches for miles! Isn’t it amazing?”
“Fascinating,” Anwar replied, rolling his eyes. “What sort of local fauna calls this pit home?”
Urol looked a bit crestfallen that the bard did not share in his appreciation of the crater, but he brightened again at the mention of wildlife. “Oh yes!” he clapped. “If we’re fortunate, we might catch glimpse of a large heard of diplodocuses that roam here!”
“Diplwho?” Sepoto asked.
“Di-plo-doc-us-es,” Urol said slowly, as if speaking to a dim-witted child. “They’re dinosaurs, but not like the T-rex. They’re herbivores.” Sepoto stared at him blankly. The druid sighed. “They only eat plants.”
“Then we could have used them on the sargasso,” the goliath rumbled.
“They’re perfectly harmless,” Urol continued. “Let’s get moving. I hope they’re active at this time of day!”
As they made their way through the crater, Thrisp took up a point position some fifty paces in front of the group. Darting between shadows, and as quiet as a breeze, his companions were barely able to keep sight of him. So it was that the wily gnome was the first to hear the distant rumbling. Something large was headed their way from a copse of trees about thirty yards ahead. He stood up, holding one hand in the air as a signal for the others to stop. Soon, they all heard it. Thrisp quickly ducked into the cover of some nearby scrub, while Sepoto and Samson moved several feet in front of the main group. Anwar laid a hand on Tavey’s shoulder, while singing the words to a spell. Slowly, the boy faded from view.
“Head that way,” the bard instructed the invisible lad, nodding towards another group of trees to their left. “Amella, I think you and Urol should go as well. Things could get dangerous.”
“I’m flattered,” the Captain smiled, “but I can take care of meself.”
“I’m certain of that,” Anwar smiled back, “but I would feel better just the same. Urol and the boy need someone to watch over them should something get past us.” Amella nodded, smirking. She knew the bard was trying to impress her, and he was doing a fairly good job of it. Beckoning the gnome and the cabin boy after her, she started for the cover of the trees.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Anwar asked Basil as the wizard moved to follow the trio.
“Umm…well…” the mage stammered, “I just thought I would be of more use if I could observe from a distance and use my spells accordingly.”
“Of course,” Anwar sneered. “Just make sure you stay where I can see you. I would hate for you to have an accident.”
Basil gulped, nodded and hurried after Amella.
Gradually, the sounds grew louder, and the Legionnaires could hear a loud trumpeting, like that of an elephant, mixed in with several high-pitches shrieks. Suddenly, the trees ahead ripped apart, and a large creature came charging out into the open. It appeared somewhat elephantine in its size and basic shape, though its neck was elongated, and topped by a small, reptilian head. It also sported a powerful tail, which it whipped from side-to-side in agitation as it ran. Soon, the reason for its flight became apparent. A flock of terror birds, no less than six, came running and screeching from the trees behind it.
“It’s just a baby!” Urol cried, panic-stricken. “You have to help it!”
Sepoto looked at him, incredulous. “Help it? Who’s gonna help us?”
The terror birds began to swarm around the juvenile diplodocus, tearing at its thick hide with their beaks and claws. The dinosaur swung its tail, swatting one of the birds away, but it only gained a momentary respite.
“Captain!” Urol pleaded, tugging on Amella’s arm. “Do something!”
Amella shrugged her arm violently away from the gnome’s filthy touch. She could care less what happened to the stupid beast, but she was truly concerned for Anwar’s safety. The bard was still out there, putting himself in danger for her. She hefted her crossbow, cranking a bolt into place. Aiming carefully, she fired, sinking her shot directly into the flank of one of the birds.
The Seeker in Marius was mildly curious about the dinosaur, but not enough to put his own life at risk. “Survival of the fittest,” he muttered as he began his magic. Immediately, a huge explosion of fire rocked the ground, completely engulfing all of the terror birds as well as the diplodocus. To the amazement of the warmage, none of the creatures were dead when the flames cleared. All were more than a bit singed, but he had hoped for more.
“No!” he heard Urol shoot in rage, but he ignored the druid, intent on preparing his next spell.
Samson charged ahead of Sepoto, his acidic breath scorching one of the raptors. The bird dodged away, only to be swatted by a massive sweep of the diplodocus’ tail, which bowled over three other birds as well. At that moment, a second fireball exploded, this one much smaller than Marius’, but no less effective. The four downed birds were left as smoking carcasses. Basil grinned broadly and gave Anwar a thumbs-up from the sidelines. Meanwhile, Sepoto charged in, practically wringing the neck of a nearby terror bird with his chain. The animal reeled, unsteady on its feet, and Anwar saw his chance to impress Amella further. Quickly knocking an arrow, he fired at the creature. The arrow barely nicked the bird, but it was enough to take it down. Amella beamed at the bard. Sepoto’s expression was several orders of magnitude less friendly.
The terror birds reacted quickly to the new threats, and new prey. One cawed loudly and charged across the open ground towards Marius, but as it moved the diplodocus batted it a glancing blow with its tail, snapping its neck nonetheless. Only two of the raptors remained, and the diplodocus took the opportunity to lumber away towards the safety of the trees and its distant herd. One of the birds ran at Thrisp, but the beguiler halted it in its tracks with a well-timed spell. Marius quickly followed this with a scorching orb of fire, roasting it were it stood. The last raptor leaped at Sepoto, gouging the goliath’s shoulder with its beak. As it drew back for a second attack, another of Amella’s bolts sprouted from its neck, and then Samson was there, bludgeoning it into unconsciousness with his morningstar.
As the combatants caught their breath, their attention was drawn by a tirade of gnomish curses leveled at Marius by Urol, who now stood eye-to-eye with the warmage. Marius’ eyes smoldered, and the tips of his fingers began to smoke as his own anger mounted. Anwar, sensing the flash-point to come, quickly stepped in.
“Urol,” he said, his voice soothing and calm, “I understand your anger, but we did save the dinosaur, so what harm was done?”
“What harm?” the druid shouted, stamping his foot. “Only third degree burns over a quarter of its body, that’s what harm!”
“Consider this, though,” Anwar continued, “perhaps the beast has learned a valuable lesson: not to stray from the herd. Not only did it encounter predators, but also fire. I think it will be quite some time before it wanders from its mother’s side again.”
Urol did not seem entirely placated, but nonetheless he was at a loss for words to counter Anwar’s argument. Instead, he stalked away, sullen and silent.
___________________________________________________________
Near sunset, the jungle again began to thin. Soon, it opened up to reveal an area littered with ancient stone ruins. They appeared to be Maztican in origin, but the jungle was slowly overwhelming the crumbling walls and they were infested with spiders. Most were of the mundane variety, but some were as large as small dogs, though these scuttled into dark holes as the company approached. Spider webs caressed the ruins, hanging between old walls, and carpeting the ground. In a clearing in the center of the buildings, there was a throne made of webs and bone. An old woman sat there, watching the group approach. As they drew near, she beckoned them forward.
“I am called Lithira, queen of these ruins, the old woman said, though she spoke in an ancient dialect of Maztican that only Thrisp understood. Anwar had not advanced as far in his studies. “Who are you that has wandered into my web? You are not from this place. I have not seen your like in an age. What brings you to my domain?”
Thrisp walked forward, and bowed. “We are merely traveling through. We came to the island by ship from a distant land called Chult.”
“Tell me of this land,” Lithira said. “I would hear a tale of your adventures.”
Thrisp proceeded to tell of their time spent in the ruins of Tamoachan, and the perils and wonders they encountered there. Anwar, getting the gist of the conversation, provided musical accompaniment to the story, much to Lithira’s delight.
“I thank you for your tale,” she said when Thrisp had finished. “The world beyond sounds truly wondrous and I would very much like to visit it one day. As for your journey, there is little I can do to aid you. You should know that the way south is dangerous. There are unnatural things that lurk in dark places, now more so than in the past. I know that four eyes have gazed upon you and their servant seeks you out. You would do well to avoid him. If you plan to head south, take the dark mountain pass that travels under the peaks. It was made by the ancient ones, but beware…hungry birds nest near its opening, not far from here, and they are fierce near their young. May you wander the web to find your way home.”
“Can you tell us more about this dark pass?” Thrisp asked.
“It leads to the bay on the far side,” she said, “but I have not been that way in ages. Still, it is an easier path than traveling around or under the mountains.”
“What of these ‘four eyes’ that you mentioned, and the unnatural things under the mountains?” asked Thrisp.
“My premonitions are often unclear to me,” she replied.
“Then we thank you for what you have given us,” Thrisp bowed again. “If I may ask one more question, though? Are you aranea?” The gnome had read about the shapeshifters in the journal of Lavinia’s mother.
Lithira smiled sadly. “I am, though I am outcast from my home these many years. Perhaps one day I may return.” Before Thrisp could inquire further, though, her form shifted and melted, until an old, hairy spider crouched where she had sat. Slowly, it crawled into the darkness, its children following.
____________________________________________________________
The group made camp just beyond the ruins, and the next morning, as the others were breaking camp, Anwar asked Amella to take a walk with him. When they had gone a few hundred feet from the others, he turned, holding her hands in his.
“I’ve been thinking a lot lately about your husband’s death. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for your loss, and I know that nothing I say can ever encompass your pain, but if you would indulge me, I would like you to hear a song I’ve written.”
Amella looked uncertain, but nodded silently. Anwar began his ballad, a haunting tale of a brave sea captain, his undoing at the hands of those he trusted, and the love he left behind. Amella listened raptly, her eyes welling as the bard’s melodious voice wove his story. But that was not all Anwar’s voice did. Unknown to the Sea Wyvern’s captain, the minstrel also incorporated a powerful Suggestion into his song, implying that the next person Amella looked upon after she heard the tune would remind her deeply of her dead husband. As his final words trailed away, Amella blinked for a moment, then quickly wiped her eyes. When she looked up again, she gasped audibly.
“I never noticed before,” she said breathily.
“Noticed what?” Anwar asked innocently.
“How much you remind me of Heldram…”
_____________________________________________________________
Once the group was packed, they continued on towards Dark Mountain Pass. Once again, Thrisp took point, and so it was that he arrived on a small bluff overlooking a clearing leading up to a large cave opening in the cliffs ahead. The first thing the gnome noted, however, were the four large nests spaced fairly evenly between the foot of the bluff and the cave entrance. Each was occupied by a terror bird. Lithira had not lied. Quietly, Thrisp crept back to the group to advise them on what he’d seen.
It was decided that Amella, Tavey and Urol would stay behind while the Legionnaires dealt with the birds. The companions arrayed themselves on the bluff, still unseen by the raptors. Marius got the show underway, dropping a bomb-like fireball atop the nearest three birds. At that moment, however, a fifth bird emerged from a copse of trees, this one much larger than the others. Shrieking, she charged up the bluff, directly towards Samson. The little dragon shaman turned towards her, breathing out his acidic breath, only this time, instead of dissipating on contact, it clung to the bird like a second skin, scouring and burning her feathers down to the skin beneath. Still she came on, snapping her massive beak around the goblin’s waist, lifting him into the air, and shaking him like a rag doll.
The remaining birds charged as well, ignoring their pain in defense of their nests. As the nearest one came towards Sepoto, the goliath sliced its head off at the neck with a flick of his chain. He was not quick enough to fend off the other three, however, each of which rent his flesh with wicked bites.
“I’ve got your back!” Anwar shouted, knocking an arrow and firing at the most obviously injured bird, dropping it with a well-placed shot.
“Thanks for nothing!” Sepoto snapped back.
Seeing that the goliath had his situation well in hand, Marius and Basil focused on the nest mother. The war mage lobbed a second fireball, this time positioning it in such a way that it detonated behind the bird, scorching her, but leaving Samson unharmed. Basil, meanwhile loosed a sizzling line of flames at her, searing her hide even more. The great bird turned, Samson still clutched tightly in her beak. She took two steps towards the trees, intent on fleeing with her prey, but in that moment, her feet stuck themselves to the ground, rooting her to the spot.
“Thanks!” Samson called to Thrisp, grimacing against the pain. “Now do you think you could do something about getting me loose?”
Marius and Thrisp obliged again, pummeling the terror bird with a combination of Magic Missiles and Scorching Rays. The nest mother toppled to the ground, Samson rolling free and springing to his feet. Without even pausing to assess his wounds, he rushed to Sepoto’s defense, and in seconds, the pair dispatched the last of the raptors.
When Amella, Tavey and Urol joined the group, they could not help but be impressed with the efficiency of the Legion. Urol’s admiration was short-lived however, as he spied an egg still intact within one of the nests. Rushing to it, he scooped it up, examining its surface for cracks. Satisfied that it was intact, he wrapped it carefully and tucked it into his pack.
“Isn’t it wonderful, Missus Grazzle?” he said to the crow which constantly rode his shoulder. “When it hatches, we’ll train it! I think I’ll name it George.”
_____________________________________________________________
Dark Mountain Pass proved to be just that, a black hole running deep beneath the mountains. Thrisp leading, the company left sunlight behind and began what would be a three hour trek through darkness. Amella was not happy during the journey, complaining bitterly about rat warrens fit for naught but gnomes. Tavey glanced about constantly, struggling to hide his nervousness with a constant stream of inane comments and weak jokes. Urol talked as well, though his nattering was mostly about the fascinating workmanship of the tunnel. He took numerous rubbings along the way, and paused every now and then to make a quick sketch or two. Once during the hike, Tavey ceased his talking, closing quickly to Sepoto and pulling on the goliath’s trousers.
“I though I saw something back there,” the boy said, looking fearfully back the way they’d come. Sepoto looked back as well, peering into the gloom.
“It’s nothing,” he said finally, his sharp eyes seeing nothing unusual. Tavey seemed to accept this, and returned to his spot near Amella, but within an hour, he was at the crusader’s side again. This time, the whole group had heard the distant sound of skittering rocks, as if something had kicked loose stones in the dark. Thrisp ducked into the shadows, retracing their steps. He found a small pile of pebbles in the corridor, but nothing else. He returned to the group, shrugged and continued on.
After three hours, the tunnel finally opened up into a large chamber shrouded in shadows. A small, stagnant fountain lay directly opposite the entrance, while a stone throne sat on a dais at the far end of the room. A humanoid ribcage was pinned to the throne, held there by an ancient spear, while all around it lay the remainder of the poor soul’s bones. Thrisp gave the room a quick once-over, pronounced it safe, and the others entered. Basil went directly to the throne, his magically enhanced vision revealing the dweomer on the spear. He withdrew it gingerly, and marveled at its workmanship. Meanwhile, Marius strolled near Urol.
“What do you think of the markings on the walls?” he asked nonchalantly.
Urol immediately scowled, but after a moment, the academician in him took over.
“Well,” he said, attempting to sound indifferent, “they’re obviously Maztican, but the style…” and so on. He warmed to the topic quickly, and before long the war mage regretted the olive branch he’d offered. Lastly, Samson peered over the edge of the fountain into the water below. Just for a moment, he thought he caught a flash of color. Crawling over the side, he lowered himself into the water, only to find it over his head by about a foot, and he sank right to the bottom. There, lying in the murk, he saw what had caught his attention. It was a rod made of red stone. The dragon shaman quickly grabbed it and pulled himself back out of the fountain. He wasn’t sure what his discovery was, but he tucked it into his gear, nonetheless.
Thrisp left the room via a large, broad stair climbing up several feet, the others right behind him. The stairs ended at a broad platform overlooking a wide chasm. Two primitive stone statues flanked the balcony, their impassive countenances caked with mildew. The chasm itself dropped away into a black gulf of swirling water. Two bridges spanned the chasm, exiting the room through separate double doors on the far side. Peering closely at the statues, Thrisp could see that beneath the grime there were deep hack marks, perhaps made by an axe. Immediately suspicious, he warned his colleagues to stay clear of the sculptures, and continued onto the balcony, and began crossing the left-hand bridge.
Basil and Anwar had just stepped on the balcony, brining up the rear, when both caught a sudden glimpse of movement high above them in the shadows of the cavern’s ceiling. Two of the shadows abruptly detached themselves, scuttling down the walls and resolving themselves into a pair of gargantuan centipedes. Acting quickly, Basil shouted a warning to the others, and then launched a volley of Magic Missiles at the nearest behemoth. Behind him, Marius added his own pair of fire rays. The giant vermin screeched, but fell to the floor and rolled into a ball when a second barrage of scorching rays from Basil burned holes in its carapace. By that time, the second centipede had made it down to the balcony, but also by then, the Legionnaires were ready for it. It died in a blinding pain of acid, fire and steel.
The massive stone doors were stuck fast, and it took all of Sepoto’s strength plus Samson’s to finally pry them open. Beyond, the air was stale and dank. A corridor stretched away into darkness before angling to the left. Deep niches were set into the walls of the hallway, each holding fragments of human skeletons caked in mold and fungus. Rusted metal collars and iron necklaces rested in each nice as well, and a few still retained fragments of crumbling burial shrouds. On spaces where no niches have been carved, intricate murals of a skeletal humanoid or hound, each wreathed in a long, coiling snake, decorated the walls.
Thrisp moved ahead. The hallway continued on, branching occasionally, before taking a sharp turn to the right some fifty feet further. All along it, more of the niches were carved, stacked six high per side. As the others filed into the hall, Anwar noticed something different about the contents of one niche. The body within seemed unusually well preserved, its shrouds intact. Cautiously, he leaned forward, probing at the corpse with one finger. To say he was stunned when it turned to look at him, grinning evilly, would be a horrible understatement. Despite himself, the bard shrieked, backing several steps up the hallway. To the horror of the others, the corpse began to drag itself from its resting place, rising to its feet and shambling forward. It may have been a trick of the acoustics of the burial chambers, but it seemed as if, in the distance, other shuffling footsteps echoed back.
Urol, Tavey and Amella had just entered the hall when the mummy emerged, and each of them gaped at it in wild-eyed terror. Almost as one, they turned, fleeing back across the bridge. The creature moved as if to follow, but Samson leaped into its path. He swung his cudgel, slamming it into its belly, but it was like striking stone. Dust puffed into the air, and aging sinew creaked as it turned to gaze down at the goblin. Suddenly, it grabbed its eyes as a blinding spray of colors flew from Thrisp’s hands towards it.
Sepoto had been moving further up the corridor when Anwar cried out. As he turned back towards his companion, however, he saw a second mummy approaching from a side passage. Instantly, the crusader was on guard, his chain flashing out and ripping into the long-dead flesh. As he pulled the weapon back to his hand, he continued to flick it out in rapid strikes, creating a veritable thicket of blades about him that the undead thing could not pass through. Yet on it came, heedless of the damage inflicted upon it. Swinging one arm clumsily, it cuffed the goliath on the side of the head, yet to Sepoto it felt as if he’d been hit with a sledgehammer.
Anwar had ducked into a second passage, safely away from the melee…or so he thought. From behind him came a scuffling sound, and when he swung in that direction, the blood drained from his face as two more of the walking dead lurched towards him. One reached out, dropping its fist onto his shoulder. The bard felt something snap, and then the second one moved behind, flanking him. Desperate, he called a spell to his lips, vanishing from sight. As the mummies looked around in confusion, Anwar slipped away into the dark.
Thrisp, using the magic of the cloak he wore, scuttled up the wall of the hallway, clinging to the ceiling like a spider. From that vantage point, he uttered a spell, seeking to slow the movements of the three mummies that he could see. Alas, only one seemed affected, its shuffling gait faltering. At the same time, Basil fired a barrage of arcane missiles at the first horror, while Samson, seeing that his weapon was next to ineffectual, breathed acid on the corpse. The wrappings of the creature hissed and sputtered, yet it lunged at the dragon shaman, batting him to one side with an almost casual swipe of its arm. Then, from behind, one of the mummies that had harried Anwar, swung into the main hall, closing rapidly with Marius. The warmage struggled to back away, but he wasn’t fast enough. The walking dead back-handed him into the opposite wall. Basil watched all this in abject terror, a feeling of overwhelming despair seizing him, rooting him in place, paralyzed with fear.
Sepoto backed steadily away from his opponent, striking at it as it kept pace with him. Yet the thing was faster than it appeared, dodging more of the goliath’s blows than suffering them. Sepoto knew he had to reach his companions before it was too late.
Marius was desperate. Mummies were on all sides, and Basil was all but catatonic, while Samson still reeled from the blow the undead had given him. Focusing his magic, knowing that Basil would suffer the effects as well as his enemies, the warmage unleashed a burst of fire, which engulfed everything within ten feet of him. Two of the mummies howled, their shrouds turning into torches. Yet the Seeker was forced to watch as, helpless, Basil’s skin began to burn and blister.
Anwar could hear the sounds of battle from his hiding place, and he knew that his companions were not faring well. If they did not survive, his own chances were minimal. Against his better judgment, the bard slowly edged back down the hall. When he could just glimpse two of the mummies, he began to cast. When he’d finished, a patch of oily grease appeared beneath the feet of the undead, and comically, they both slipped, falling prone to the ground.
Samson staggered upright, but even as he regained his senses, the mummy struck again, this time catching him around the neck with both hands. Gasping, the dragon shaman dropped his weapon as his hands reflexively grabbed those of his attacker, struggling to break free of the death grip.
Thrisp couldn’t believe things had gone so wrong so quickly. His team was in danger of total annihilation. Thinking quickly, he wove his magic, summoning forth another legion of ghostly sentinels. Swirling around in the air above the mummies, they waited. They didn’t have to wait long. As the two prone undead rose to their feet, the sentinels swarmed towards them, beating at them with incorporeal fists. The mummies began swinging wildly about them, one of them unfortunately connecting with Marius again. The warmage staggered, leaning against the wall for support.
Samson gasped as the air left his lungs. His vision blurred and bright spots exploded behind his eyes. As he went limp, the mummy cast him aside, but as it did so, Marius rose up before it, firing a scorching blast of flames into its chest at point-blank range, immolating it instantaneously. Whirling, he loosed a second blast into the mummy behind him, incinerating it as well. One mummy remained in the grease. It surged towards Marius, but slipped again. As it tried to rise, Sepoto struck, along with the sentinels. In a puff of stale air, it exploded. The last mummy rushed towards the goliath while his back was turned, but he sensed its approach, and spun on his heel, cutting it cleanly in two with his chain.
As the last of the mummies fell, the Legionnaires breathed a collective sigh of relief. Samson was still alive, but just barely. Sepoto lifted him and carried him back out onto the bridge. When he set the dragon shaman down, however, he noticed something strange.
“What in the Hells? he breathed. The flesh around Samson’s neck where the mummy had touched him, had begun to fester into an open sore. Sepoto could see the muscle and tissue beneath it already. Quickly, he looked to his own skin, and to his dawning horror, he saw the same lesions spreading. In turn, Marius found similar sores ulcerating beneath his clothes. The mummies had infected them with something. They were slowly rotting away…
Urol took the lead the following morning, explaining to the group that he planned to take them inland through the jungle in hopes of making the foothills of the mountains by nightfall. When questioned about what they might expect to encounter along the way, the gnome shrugged nonchalantly, but couldn’t quite conceal the uncertainty from his voice:
“Well…I suppose we could run across another flock of terror birds, but fortunately there are several large game trails we can follow, so we should make good time. Plus, I’m an excellent outdoorsman! I can look for signs that the birds might be nearby, and we should be able to avoid them easily.”
Despite the druid’s less than sincere enthusiasm, the company did indeed travel swiftly throughout the day. The jungle consisted mostly of tall trees, flush with brightly colored birds and thick hanging vines. The canopy kept the region shaded, with only occasional shafts of light penetrating. Due to Urol’s skill, or just blind luck, they came upon none of the predatory raptors. Sometime shortly past the sun’s zenith, the jungle began to thin, and they found themselves on the lip of a vast depression that stretched away to the horizon.
“A star fell here, many decades ago,” Urol explained. “It stretches for miles! Isn’t it amazing?”
“Fascinating,” Anwar replied, rolling his eyes. “What sort of local fauna calls this pit home?”
Urol looked a bit crestfallen that the bard did not share in his appreciation of the crater, but he brightened again at the mention of wildlife. “Oh yes!” he clapped. “If we’re fortunate, we might catch glimpse of a large heard of diplodocuses that roam here!”
“Diplwho?” Sepoto asked.
“Di-plo-doc-us-es,” Urol said slowly, as if speaking to a dim-witted child. “They’re dinosaurs, but not like the T-rex. They’re herbivores.” Sepoto stared at him blankly. The druid sighed. “They only eat plants.”
“Then we could have used them on the sargasso,” the goliath rumbled.
“They’re perfectly harmless,” Urol continued. “Let’s get moving. I hope they’re active at this time of day!”
As they made their way through the crater, Thrisp took up a point position some fifty paces in front of the group. Darting between shadows, and as quiet as a breeze, his companions were barely able to keep sight of him. So it was that the wily gnome was the first to hear the distant rumbling. Something large was headed their way from a copse of trees about thirty yards ahead. He stood up, holding one hand in the air as a signal for the others to stop. Soon, they all heard it. Thrisp quickly ducked into the cover of some nearby scrub, while Sepoto and Samson moved several feet in front of the main group. Anwar laid a hand on Tavey’s shoulder, while singing the words to a spell. Slowly, the boy faded from view.
“Head that way,” the bard instructed the invisible lad, nodding towards another group of trees to their left. “Amella, I think you and Urol should go as well. Things could get dangerous.”
“I’m flattered,” the Captain smiled, “but I can take care of meself.”
“I’m certain of that,” Anwar smiled back, “but I would feel better just the same. Urol and the boy need someone to watch over them should something get past us.” Amella nodded, smirking. She knew the bard was trying to impress her, and he was doing a fairly good job of it. Beckoning the gnome and the cabin boy after her, she started for the cover of the trees.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Anwar asked Basil as the wizard moved to follow the trio.
“Umm…well…” the mage stammered, “I just thought I would be of more use if I could observe from a distance and use my spells accordingly.”
“Of course,” Anwar sneered. “Just make sure you stay where I can see you. I would hate for you to have an accident.”
Basil gulped, nodded and hurried after Amella.
Gradually, the sounds grew louder, and the Legionnaires could hear a loud trumpeting, like that of an elephant, mixed in with several high-pitches shrieks. Suddenly, the trees ahead ripped apart, and a large creature came charging out into the open. It appeared somewhat elephantine in its size and basic shape, though its neck was elongated, and topped by a small, reptilian head. It also sported a powerful tail, which it whipped from side-to-side in agitation as it ran. Soon, the reason for its flight became apparent. A flock of terror birds, no less than six, came running and screeching from the trees behind it.
“It’s just a baby!” Urol cried, panic-stricken. “You have to help it!”
Sepoto looked at him, incredulous. “Help it? Who’s gonna help us?”
The terror birds began to swarm around the juvenile diplodocus, tearing at its thick hide with their beaks and claws. The dinosaur swung its tail, swatting one of the birds away, but it only gained a momentary respite.
“Captain!” Urol pleaded, tugging on Amella’s arm. “Do something!”
Amella shrugged her arm violently away from the gnome’s filthy touch. She could care less what happened to the stupid beast, but she was truly concerned for Anwar’s safety. The bard was still out there, putting himself in danger for her. She hefted her crossbow, cranking a bolt into place. Aiming carefully, she fired, sinking her shot directly into the flank of one of the birds.
The Seeker in Marius was mildly curious about the dinosaur, but not enough to put his own life at risk. “Survival of the fittest,” he muttered as he began his magic. Immediately, a huge explosion of fire rocked the ground, completely engulfing all of the terror birds as well as the diplodocus. To the amazement of the warmage, none of the creatures were dead when the flames cleared. All were more than a bit singed, but he had hoped for more.
“No!” he heard Urol shoot in rage, but he ignored the druid, intent on preparing his next spell.
Samson charged ahead of Sepoto, his acidic breath scorching one of the raptors. The bird dodged away, only to be swatted by a massive sweep of the diplodocus’ tail, which bowled over three other birds as well. At that moment, a second fireball exploded, this one much smaller than Marius’, but no less effective. The four downed birds were left as smoking carcasses. Basil grinned broadly and gave Anwar a thumbs-up from the sidelines. Meanwhile, Sepoto charged in, practically wringing the neck of a nearby terror bird with his chain. The animal reeled, unsteady on its feet, and Anwar saw his chance to impress Amella further. Quickly knocking an arrow, he fired at the creature. The arrow barely nicked the bird, but it was enough to take it down. Amella beamed at the bard. Sepoto’s expression was several orders of magnitude less friendly.
The terror birds reacted quickly to the new threats, and new prey. One cawed loudly and charged across the open ground towards Marius, but as it moved the diplodocus batted it a glancing blow with its tail, snapping its neck nonetheless. Only two of the raptors remained, and the diplodocus took the opportunity to lumber away towards the safety of the trees and its distant herd. One of the birds ran at Thrisp, but the beguiler halted it in its tracks with a well-timed spell. Marius quickly followed this with a scorching orb of fire, roasting it were it stood. The last raptor leaped at Sepoto, gouging the goliath’s shoulder with its beak. As it drew back for a second attack, another of Amella’s bolts sprouted from its neck, and then Samson was there, bludgeoning it into unconsciousness with his morningstar.
As the combatants caught their breath, their attention was drawn by a tirade of gnomish curses leveled at Marius by Urol, who now stood eye-to-eye with the warmage. Marius’ eyes smoldered, and the tips of his fingers began to smoke as his own anger mounted. Anwar, sensing the flash-point to come, quickly stepped in.
“Urol,” he said, his voice soothing and calm, “I understand your anger, but we did save the dinosaur, so what harm was done?”
“What harm?” the druid shouted, stamping his foot. “Only third degree burns over a quarter of its body, that’s what harm!”
“Consider this, though,” Anwar continued, “perhaps the beast has learned a valuable lesson: not to stray from the herd. Not only did it encounter predators, but also fire. I think it will be quite some time before it wanders from its mother’s side again.”
Urol did not seem entirely placated, but nonetheless he was at a loss for words to counter Anwar’s argument. Instead, he stalked away, sullen and silent.
___________________________________________________________
Near sunset, the jungle again began to thin. Soon, it opened up to reveal an area littered with ancient stone ruins. They appeared to be Maztican in origin, but the jungle was slowly overwhelming the crumbling walls and they were infested with spiders. Most were of the mundane variety, but some were as large as small dogs, though these scuttled into dark holes as the company approached. Spider webs caressed the ruins, hanging between old walls, and carpeting the ground. In a clearing in the center of the buildings, there was a throne made of webs and bone. An old woman sat there, watching the group approach. As they drew near, she beckoned them forward.
“I am called Lithira, queen of these ruins, the old woman said, though she spoke in an ancient dialect of Maztican that only Thrisp understood. Anwar had not advanced as far in his studies. “Who are you that has wandered into my web? You are not from this place. I have not seen your like in an age. What brings you to my domain?”
Thrisp walked forward, and bowed. “We are merely traveling through. We came to the island by ship from a distant land called Chult.”
“Tell me of this land,” Lithira said. “I would hear a tale of your adventures.”
Thrisp proceeded to tell of their time spent in the ruins of Tamoachan, and the perils and wonders they encountered there. Anwar, getting the gist of the conversation, provided musical accompaniment to the story, much to Lithira’s delight.
“I thank you for your tale,” she said when Thrisp had finished. “The world beyond sounds truly wondrous and I would very much like to visit it one day. As for your journey, there is little I can do to aid you. You should know that the way south is dangerous. There are unnatural things that lurk in dark places, now more so than in the past. I know that four eyes have gazed upon you and their servant seeks you out. You would do well to avoid him. If you plan to head south, take the dark mountain pass that travels under the peaks. It was made by the ancient ones, but beware…hungry birds nest near its opening, not far from here, and they are fierce near their young. May you wander the web to find your way home.”
“Can you tell us more about this dark pass?” Thrisp asked.
“It leads to the bay on the far side,” she said, “but I have not been that way in ages. Still, it is an easier path than traveling around or under the mountains.”
“What of these ‘four eyes’ that you mentioned, and the unnatural things under the mountains?” asked Thrisp.
“My premonitions are often unclear to me,” she replied.
“Then we thank you for what you have given us,” Thrisp bowed again. “If I may ask one more question, though? Are you aranea?” The gnome had read about the shapeshifters in the journal of Lavinia’s mother.
Lithira smiled sadly. “I am, though I am outcast from my home these many years. Perhaps one day I may return.” Before Thrisp could inquire further, though, her form shifted and melted, until an old, hairy spider crouched where she had sat. Slowly, it crawled into the darkness, its children following.
____________________________________________________________
The group made camp just beyond the ruins, and the next morning, as the others were breaking camp, Anwar asked Amella to take a walk with him. When they had gone a few hundred feet from the others, he turned, holding her hands in his.
“I’ve been thinking a lot lately about your husband’s death. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for your loss, and I know that nothing I say can ever encompass your pain, but if you would indulge me, I would like you to hear a song I’ve written.”
Amella looked uncertain, but nodded silently. Anwar began his ballad, a haunting tale of a brave sea captain, his undoing at the hands of those he trusted, and the love he left behind. Amella listened raptly, her eyes welling as the bard’s melodious voice wove his story. But that was not all Anwar’s voice did. Unknown to the Sea Wyvern’s captain, the minstrel also incorporated a powerful Suggestion into his song, implying that the next person Amella looked upon after she heard the tune would remind her deeply of her dead husband. As his final words trailed away, Amella blinked for a moment, then quickly wiped her eyes. When she looked up again, she gasped audibly.
“I never noticed before,” she said breathily.
“Noticed what?” Anwar asked innocently.
“How much you remind me of Heldram…”
_____________________________________________________________
Once the group was packed, they continued on towards Dark Mountain Pass. Once again, Thrisp took point, and so it was that he arrived on a small bluff overlooking a clearing leading up to a large cave opening in the cliffs ahead. The first thing the gnome noted, however, were the four large nests spaced fairly evenly between the foot of the bluff and the cave entrance. Each was occupied by a terror bird. Lithira had not lied. Quietly, Thrisp crept back to the group to advise them on what he’d seen.
It was decided that Amella, Tavey and Urol would stay behind while the Legionnaires dealt with the birds. The companions arrayed themselves on the bluff, still unseen by the raptors. Marius got the show underway, dropping a bomb-like fireball atop the nearest three birds. At that moment, however, a fifth bird emerged from a copse of trees, this one much larger than the others. Shrieking, she charged up the bluff, directly towards Samson. The little dragon shaman turned towards her, breathing out his acidic breath, only this time, instead of dissipating on contact, it clung to the bird like a second skin, scouring and burning her feathers down to the skin beneath. Still she came on, snapping her massive beak around the goblin’s waist, lifting him into the air, and shaking him like a rag doll.
The remaining birds charged as well, ignoring their pain in defense of their nests. As the nearest one came towards Sepoto, the goliath sliced its head off at the neck with a flick of his chain. He was not quick enough to fend off the other three, however, each of which rent his flesh with wicked bites.
“I’ve got your back!” Anwar shouted, knocking an arrow and firing at the most obviously injured bird, dropping it with a well-placed shot.
“Thanks for nothing!” Sepoto snapped back.
Seeing that the goliath had his situation well in hand, Marius and Basil focused on the nest mother. The war mage lobbed a second fireball, this time positioning it in such a way that it detonated behind the bird, scorching her, but leaving Samson unharmed. Basil, meanwhile loosed a sizzling line of flames at her, searing her hide even more. The great bird turned, Samson still clutched tightly in her beak. She took two steps towards the trees, intent on fleeing with her prey, but in that moment, her feet stuck themselves to the ground, rooting her to the spot.
“Thanks!” Samson called to Thrisp, grimacing against the pain. “Now do you think you could do something about getting me loose?”
Marius and Thrisp obliged again, pummeling the terror bird with a combination of Magic Missiles and Scorching Rays. The nest mother toppled to the ground, Samson rolling free and springing to his feet. Without even pausing to assess his wounds, he rushed to Sepoto’s defense, and in seconds, the pair dispatched the last of the raptors.
When Amella, Tavey and Urol joined the group, they could not help but be impressed with the efficiency of the Legion. Urol’s admiration was short-lived however, as he spied an egg still intact within one of the nests. Rushing to it, he scooped it up, examining its surface for cracks. Satisfied that it was intact, he wrapped it carefully and tucked it into his pack.
“Isn’t it wonderful, Missus Grazzle?” he said to the crow which constantly rode his shoulder. “When it hatches, we’ll train it! I think I’ll name it George.”
_____________________________________________________________
Dark Mountain Pass proved to be just that, a black hole running deep beneath the mountains. Thrisp leading, the company left sunlight behind and began what would be a three hour trek through darkness. Amella was not happy during the journey, complaining bitterly about rat warrens fit for naught but gnomes. Tavey glanced about constantly, struggling to hide his nervousness with a constant stream of inane comments and weak jokes. Urol talked as well, though his nattering was mostly about the fascinating workmanship of the tunnel. He took numerous rubbings along the way, and paused every now and then to make a quick sketch or two. Once during the hike, Tavey ceased his talking, closing quickly to Sepoto and pulling on the goliath’s trousers.
“I though I saw something back there,” the boy said, looking fearfully back the way they’d come. Sepoto looked back as well, peering into the gloom.
“It’s nothing,” he said finally, his sharp eyes seeing nothing unusual. Tavey seemed to accept this, and returned to his spot near Amella, but within an hour, he was at the crusader’s side again. This time, the whole group had heard the distant sound of skittering rocks, as if something had kicked loose stones in the dark. Thrisp ducked into the shadows, retracing their steps. He found a small pile of pebbles in the corridor, but nothing else. He returned to the group, shrugged and continued on.
After three hours, the tunnel finally opened up into a large chamber shrouded in shadows. A small, stagnant fountain lay directly opposite the entrance, while a stone throne sat on a dais at the far end of the room. A humanoid ribcage was pinned to the throne, held there by an ancient spear, while all around it lay the remainder of the poor soul’s bones. Thrisp gave the room a quick once-over, pronounced it safe, and the others entered. Basil went directly to the throne, his magically enhanced vision revealing the dweomer on the spear. He withdrew it gingerly, and marveled at its workmanship. Meanwhile, Marius strolled near Urol.
“What do you think of the markings on the walls?” he asked nonchalantly.
Urol immediately scowled, but after a moment, the academician in him took over.
“Well,” he said, attempting to sound indifferent, “they’re obviously Maztican, but the style…” and so on. He warmed to the topic quickly, and before long the war mage regretted the olive branch he’d offered. Lastly, Samson peered over the edge of the fountain into the water below. Just for a moment, he thought he caught a flash of color. Crawling over the side, he lowered himself into the water, only to find it over his head by about a foot, and he sank right to the bottom. There, lying in the murk, he saw what had caught his attention. It was a rod made of red stone. The dragon shaman quickly grabbed it and pulled himself back out of the fountain. He wasn’t sure what his discovery was, but he tucked it into his gear, nonetheless.
Thrisp left the room via a large, broad stair climbing up several feet, the others right behind him. The stairs ended at a broad platform overlooking a wide chasm. Two primitive stone statues flanked the balcony, their impassive countenances caked with mildew. The chasm itself dropped away into a black gulf of swirling water. Two bridges spanned the chasm, exiting the room through separate double doors on the far side. Peering closely at the statues, Thrisp could see that beneath the grime there were deep hack marks, perhaps made by an axe. Immediately suspicious, he warned his colleagues to stay clear of the sculptures, and continued onto the balcony, and began crossing the left-hand bridge.
Basil and Anwar had just stepped on the balcony, brining up the rear, when both caught a sudden glimpse of movement high above them in the shadows of the cavern’s ceiling. Two of the shadows abruptly detached themselves, scuttling down the walls and resolving themselves into a pair of gargantuan centipedes. Acting quickly, Basil shouted a warning to the others, and then launched a volley of Magic Missiles at the nearest behemoth. Behind him, Marius added his own pair of fire rays. The giant vermin screeched, but fell to the floor and rolled into a ball when a second barrage of scorching rays from Basil burned holes in its carapace. By that time, the second centipede had made it down to the balcony, but also by then, the Legionnaires were ready for it. It died in a blinding pain of acid, fire and steel.
The massive stone doors were stuck fast, and it took all of Sepoto’s strength plus Samson’s to finally pry them open. Beyond, the air was stale and dank. A corridor stretched away into darkness before angling to the left. Deep niches were set into the walls of the hallway, each holding fragments of human skeletons caked in mold and fungus. Rusted metal collars and iron necklaces rested in each nice as well, and a few still retained fragments of crumbling burial shrouds. On spaces where no niches have been carved, intricate murals of a skeletal humanoid or hound, each wreathed in a long, coiling snake, decorated the walls.
Thrisp moved ahead. The hallway continued on, branching occasionally, before taking a sharp turn to the right some fifty feet further. All along it, more of the niches were carved, stacked six high per side. As the others filed into the hall, Anwar noticed something different about the contents of one niche. The body within seemed unusually well preserved, its shrouds intact. Cautiously, he leaned forward, probing at the corpse with one finger. To say he was stunned when it turned to look at him, grinning evilly, would be a horrible understatement. Despite himself, the bard shrieked, backing several steps up the hallway. To the horror of the others, the corpse began to drag itself from its resting place, rising to its feet and shambling forward. It may have been a trick of the acoustics of the burial chambers, but it seemed as if, in the distance, other shuffling footsteps echoed back.
Urol, Tavey and Amella had just entered the hall when the mummy emerged, and each of them gaped at it in wild-eyed terror. Almost as one, they turned, fleeing back across the bridge. The creature moved as if to follow, but Samson leaped into its path. He swung his cudgel, slamming it into its belly, but it was like striking stone. Dust puffed into the air, and aging sinew creaked as it turned to gaze down at the goblin. Suddenly, it grabbed its eyes as a blinding spray of colors flew from Thrisp’s hands towards it.
Sepoto had been moving further up the corridor when Anwar cried out. As he turned back towards his companion, however, he saw a second mummy approaching from a side passage. Instantly, the crusader was on guard, his chain flashing out and ripping into the long-dead flesh. As he pulled the weapon back to his hand, he continued to flick it out in rapid strikes, creating a veritable thicket of blades about him that the undead thing could not pass through. Yet on it came, heedless of the damage inflicted upon it. Swinging one arm clumsily, it cuffed the goliath on the side of the head, yet to Sepoto it felt as if he’d been hit with a sledgehammer.
Anwar had ducked into a second passage, safely away from the melee…or so he thought. From behind him came a scuffling sound, and when he swung in that direction, the blood drained from his face as two more of the walking dead lurched towards him. One reached out, dropping its fist onto his shoulder. The bard felt something snap, and then the second one moved behind, flanking him. Desperate, he called a spell to his lips, vanishing from sight. As the mummies looked around in confusion, Anwar slipped away into the dark.
Thrisp, using the magic of the cloak he wore, scuttled up the wall of the hallway, clinging to the ceiling like a spider. From that vantage point, he uttered a spell, seeking to slow the movements of the three mummies that he could see. Alas, only one seemed affected, its shuffling gait faltering. At the same time, Basil fired a barrage of arcane missiles at the first horror, while Samson, seeing that his weapon was next to ineffectual, breathed acid on the corpse. The wrappings of the creature hissed and sputtered, yet it lunged at the dragon shaman, batting him to one side with an almost casual swipe of its arm. Then, from behind, one of the mummies that had harried Anwar, swung into the main hall, closing rapidly with Marius. The warmage struggled to back away, but he wasn’t fast enough. The walking dead back-handed him into the opposite wall. Basil watched all this in abject terror, a feeling of overwhelming despair seizing him, rooting him in place, paralyzed with fear.
Sepoto backed steadily away from his opponent, striking at it as it kept pace with him. Yet the thing was faster than it appeared, dodging more of the goliath’s blows than suffering them. Sepoto knew he had to reach his companions before it was too late.
Marius was desperate. Mummies were on all sides, and Basil was all but catatonic, while Samson still reeled from the blow the undead had given him. Focusing his magic, knowing that Basil would suffer the effects as well as his enemies, the warmage unleashed a burst of fire, which engulfed everything within ten feet of him. Two of the mummies howled, their shrouds turning into torches. Yet the Seeker was forced to watch as, helpless, Basil’s skin began to burn and blister.
Anwar could hear the sounds of battle from his hiding place, and he knew that his companions were not faring well. If they did not survive, his own chances were minimal. Against his better judgment, the bard slowly edged back down the hall. When he could just glimpse two of the mummies, he began to cast. When he’d finished, a patch of oily grease appeared beneath the feet of the undead, and comically, they both slipped, falling prone to the ground.
Samson staggered upright, but even as he regained his senses, the mummy struck again, this time catching him around the neck with both hands. Gasping, the dragon shaman dropped his weapon as his hands reflexively grabbed those of his attacker, struggling to break free of the death grip.
Thrisp couldn’t believe things had gone so wrong so quickly. His team was in danger of total annihilation. Thinking quickly, he wove his magic, summoning forth another legion of ghostly sentinels. Swirling around in the air above the mummies, they waited. They didn’t have to wait long. As the two prone undead rose to their feet, the sentinels swarmed towards them, beating at them with incorporeal fists. The mummies began swinging wildly about them, one of them unfortunately connecting with Marius again. The warmage staggered, leaning against the wall for support.
Samson gasped as the air left his lungs. His vision blurred and bright spots exploded behind his eyes. As he went limp, the mummy cast him aside, but as it did so, Marius rose up before it, firing a scorching blast of flames into its chest at point-blank range, immolating it instantaneously. Whirling, he loosed a second blast into the mummy behind him, incinerating it as well. One mummy remained in the grease. It surged towards Marius, but slipped again. As it tried to rise, Sepoto struck, along with the sentinels. In a puff of stale air, it exploded. The last mummy rushed towards the goliath while his back was turned, but he sensed its approach, and spun on his heel, cutting it cleanly in two with his chain.
As the last of the mummies fell, the Legionnaires breathed a collective sigh of relief. Samson was still alive, but just barely. Sepoto lifted him and carried him back out onto the bridge. When he set the dragon shaman down, however, he noticed something strange.
“What in the Hells? he breathed. The flesh around Samson’s neck where the mummy had touched him, had begun to fester into an open sore. Sepoto could see the muscle and tissue beneath it already. Quickly, he looked to his own skin, and to his dawning horror, he saw the same lesions spreading. In turn, Marius found similar sores ulcerating beneath his clothes. The mummies had infected them with something. They were slowly rotting away…
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theredrobedwizard
Explorer
Joachim said:
Thanks for the compliment; I hope to add more color commentary as the story progresses.
-TRRW
Neverwinter Knight
First Post
Great updates, JollyDoc! I haven't been able to follow your exploits in a few weeks, but have now caught up & love it more than ever.
Fine job dealing with Avner. As for evil, the only thing that at may strike as truely evil at first is Lirith's murder. But if you take a close look at it, it was just a requirement for Thrisp's new career move. When the economy is bad, you can't be picky...![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
Don't joke around about kittens and candy-taking. Everyone knows that kittens are the preferred avatars of Demogorgon, while with so many overweight children nowdays taking candy from them would be a good thing. So since the League is not doing these things, they are actually evil.
Fine job dealing with Avner. As for evil, the only thing that at may strike as truely evil at first is Lirith's murder. But if you take a close look at it, it was just a requirement for Thrisp's new career move. When the economy is bad, you can't be picky...
Don't joke around about kittens and candy-taking. Everyone knows that kittens are the preferred avatars of Demogorgon, while with so many overweight children nowdays taking candy from them would be a good thing. So since the League is not doing these things, they are actually evil.
JollyDoc
Explorer
Dantardis said:
We've never really been sticklers about the training rule in our game. We assume that if you are adventuring and doing enough to gain xp, you are training on the job, within reason. Thrisp taking Shadow Adept, for instance. It was assumed he'd been on that path since the beginning, so when the time came for him to level, it was not an issue. The same with Sepoto and the Eye of Savras (Ruby Knight Vindicator) prestige class. Marius is strictly warmage, while Anwar is now strictly bard after having taken one level in Marshal while still in Tashluta. Samson is all dragon shaman. In his backstory, this is part of his cultur and heritage, so he is constantly learning deeper mysteries of this legacy. Basil began the master specialist prestige class in Tashluta as well. It's assumed he brought books with him to study the class more deeply. When Thrisp and Anwar wanted to learn Maztican, they spent time with villagers. As long as things are reasonable, I don't mind. If some classs, skill or feat were totally unavailable, considering their surroundings, that would be different.
Hammerhead
Explorer
You know, as I think about it, Basil is really going to kick ass. Lesser Tiefling + Master Specialist + Initiate of the Sevenfold Veils? Ouch! He may end up making Faust look like a stage magician.
I'm also wondering how the Dragon Shaman class is shaping up? My group's consensus was that the class sucked, lacking offensive power. The only optimization potential I could find was taking the Clinging Breath feat, increasing the recharge time by like a thousand rounds, hitting the enemies, then leaving. The other way I could think it might be good is to just focus on Strength, get a level of Barbarian, and hit things while getting a small benefit from your aura. Thoughts?
I'm also wondering how the Dragon Shaman class is shaping up? My group's consensus was that the class sucked, lacking offensive power. The only optimization potential I could find was taking the Clinging Breath feat, increasing the recharge time by like a thousand rounds, hitting the enemies, then leaving. The other way I could think it might be good is to just focus on Strength, get a level of Barbarian, and hit things while getting a small benefit from your aura. Thoughts?
