Adventure: The Power of Knowledge (DM: Fragsie, Judge: TwoHeadsBarking)

[Fragsie]

"Indeed, I would like for us to return to the esteemed Oni," Kargh says with a hint of sarcasm in his tone, "Chances are that he will move my friends on to somewhere better equipped to help them, but he will need to see their condition for themselves. Do not be shocked if I do not speak so... eloquently... in front of the boss, after all we minotaurs have a reputation to uphold!"
The broken horned gladiator gently picks up one, then another of his unconscious brothers carrying them over his shoulders as though they were children. The third is left to the group to carry, but they discover that with it's muscles all but gone the beast hardly weighs much and could easily be carried between two.

It is dusk, and as the group move slowly through the Overgrowth; the streets seem strangely deserted, occasionally you see pairs of eyes watching through glassless windows, but they soon disappear into the gloom once they are seen. from the shrine until you exit the district there is a strong feeling of being watched intently.

But by and by the party arrives at the docks and at the spectacular sight of the TURTLEDOME! bathed in the orange and red light of the setting sun.
Occasionally a burst of bright yellow or green light illuminates the few stray clouds above the massive turtle shortly followed by loud cheers; a match is obviously in progress within.
As you approach the entrance Ned, Ted and Fred lope out of the turtles mouth, he triple nods toward Kargh then motions you into the arena. Once you have passed through the massive beaked doorway he gestures for you to set the sriticken warriors down behind the ticket office.

"Well, well, that was a quick job, although the beasts seem to be in quite a state..."
"Was it necessary for you to beat the poor lummoxes into such submission?!"

Ted's derision of the minotaurs is not lost on you, but Kargh unexpectedly doesn't react to the skull lord's insults at all.

"We not beaten by adventurers, we tricked by powerful men. My brother's ill, must see boss-man now!" The huge bovine warrior affords the group a sly wink after speaking.

"Very well, but he is slightly busy at the moment, so you will have to keep it brief." Fred's sweeping gaze takes in all of you before he turns and leads you through winding tunnels and up flight after flight of stairs.

//I'll wait for a while before continuing in case you want to interact with Ned, Ted and Fred or Kargh while on your way to see Mr. Pinch.//

 

[Tomalak]

Andrec looks like bookish administrator, but when he hefts the third Minotaur, you can see he does it not only with ease, but with care.
[sblock=OOC] Ever see your typical television twentysomething supporting characteer without a shirt? Yeah, it's like that. But conveniently, Andrec's chainmail and robes over it hide his figure well.[/sblock]

 

[Fragsie]

//Did anyone take any of the loot from here other than the cash?//

 

[Tomalak]

[sblock=loot]Mikara tried to search for valuables, I believe[/sblock]

 

[JRYoung]

[sblock=loot]Skalisss was uninterested in all but the coin, the weapons and armor have little sale value and just slow us down.[/sblock]

"Kargh speaksss the truth" Skalisss adds, supporting his new friend.

 

[Kalidrev]

[sblock=loot] If no one else wants it, I'll take the spiked chain for later ^_^ [/sblock]

Mikara eyes the spiked chain with interest, wondering if she could find someone willing to teach her all about this deliciously wicked weapon.

 

[mohalloran]

[sblock=Huh?]How did I miss the spiked chain?[/sblock]

 

[Kalidrev]

[sblock=re:Huh] The Spiked Chain is what Thomas was wielding against us. [/sblock]

 

[Fragsie]

As the group; headed by the skull lord, reach the fourth short flight of stairs, you begin hear the distorted sounds of a large crowd echoing their way down through the shell corridors. As you reach the last flight, a blast of cool air hits you in the face and the sound of two comentators can be heard over the cheering.

"Uh, oh! This can't be good, Hobbes!"

"You're right about that, Pete. Since that healing disk transformed into a necro-disk, it gained the power to amp up a Legionairre's abilities to the next rank! Looks like we've got an officer on the field, because those three have merged to form a BONE-TINANT!"

A huge surge of cheering washes over you as the group finally turns out onto a large balcony on an upper tier of a gigantic colleseum carved from the shell of the turtle. Far below you; over the many heads of the crowd, you can see the floor of the arena where a group of adventurers are fighting for their lives against a horde of skeletons who seem to be appearing at a faster rate than they are being destroyed. Before the crowd; hanging in mid-air, illusionary screens display action shots and close-ups of the action below.

Kargh stops dead still in the doorway, momentarily blocking the way of those of you behind him. Those clsest hear him whistfully whisper under his breath. "Such fighting grace... She is so... Beautiful."
If you follow the warrior's gaze, you see he is transfixed on one of the screens, showing the image of a hulking female minotaur roaring as she whirls through a mob of skeletons, carving them to pieces with her axe as she goes. Kargh snaps out of his reverie at the voice of Mr. Pinch.

"So, you have returned quickly, I'm glad!" The oni chuckles.
He is sat upon a massive throne carved straight from the turtles shell that looks over the entire arena. He is watching the battle intently and only spares the group the briefest of looks.
"Good evening Kargh, I trust you have returned willingly? Are all of your herd home too?"

"Yes boss, but they not well, they weak and sleep, need more help if they be fit to fight," The minotaur replies, "New friends tell better than me." he declares stepping back to allow the party to disceminate what they have learnt.

 

[JRYoung]

Skalisss steps forward.

"M'Lord, the minotaursss were betrayed at the ssshrine by a being who drained them of their ssstrength. Posssing as a priessst of Maraz this fiend isss sssomehow able to transssfer this ssstolen power to his henchmen. We defeated one, with his gang of lackeysss, and only one of the minotaursss has recovered ssso far. Perhapsss this is not a coincidence?"