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Adventures in the Eastern Provinces
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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 5184561" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p>The problem lies in killing them.</p><p></p><p>Each time one of the dark creepers is slain, it explodes into a cloud of inky blackness. Earlier, there was room to fight the creepers from a distance, but now the explosions of darkness leave our heroes blind and helpless, flailing about with their hands as if clutching the air might somehow help defeat their enemies.</p><p></p><p>Of course, it doesn't.</p><p></p><p>For all intents and purposes, Cavemouth and Shifty stand alone*, fighting back to back as another dark creeper emerges from a shadowy passage in the back of the chamber. This figure pauses to study the situation before drawing a pair of wicked knives and beginning a <em>dark dance</em> through the party, slicing them with vicious efficiency. </p><p></p><p>But Cavemouth's huge axe quickly carves the head from one of the creepers, and Shifty duels the other to a standstill. Even so, the newcomer is clearly more dangerous than the other two, able to twist and dodge away from our heroes' attacks with deadly skill. In seconds, both Cavemouth and Shifty have several small wounds open and bleeding, and the dark creeper sneers at them soundlessly. </p><p></p><p>Then, with a gesture, it summons a quartet of crawling gauntlets.</p><p></p><p>“Uh-oh,” says Shifty.</p><p></p><p>The gauntlets race towards our heroes on stiff fingers, leaping up to punch at them. Shifty impales one on his sword as it closes; Cavemouth manages to hew a second one in half, but the final gauntlets latch onto the goliath's knee and starts twisting and crushing. Cavemouth tries to move, but it yanks his leg down, leaving him unable to catch his balance. </p><p></p><p>The dark creeper necromancer, meanwhile, dances to cut off any possible retreat, then lunges forward with a <em>dark step,</em> thrusting his knives into Cavemouth's thigh and side! The goliath bellows in agony, weakening as the creeper withdraws the knives and then brings them both slashing across his belly.</p><p></p><p>The goliath collapses, his innards billowing forth like a cloud of steam.</p><p></p><p><em>Oh sh*t,</em> thinks the gnome governor. </p><p></p><p>The claws scuttle towards him and the two dark creepers start edging around to flank him. He keeps a close eye on the dancing one that just dropped Cavemouth.</p><p></p><p><em>They're between me and Cavemouth,</em> thinks Shifty. <em>I can't get to him without them catching me pretty well between them.</em> He backs away towards the passage that the dark creeper necromancer emerged from. <em>Hopefully he would have brought any friends he had with him,</em> he thinks. <em>Maybe there's an escape route or something...</em> </p><p></p><p>As the necromancer takes another step forward, Shifty wheels about and bursts into a run, darting down the passage that leads- he presumes- into the necromancer's lair.</p><p></p><p>His guess is incorrect. The very short hallway opens after only about 10' into a block of cells. </p><p></p><p>There is no other way out. Shifty's heart sinks.</p><p></p><p>He turns as his foes come into view, and he lunges forward, running one of the gauntlets through. It spasms, impaled on his sword, and even as the gnome withdraws his blade, the other gauntlet hurls itself through the air at him.</p><p></p><p>Shifty throws himself down, rolls, comes up on his feet. The crawling gauntlet scuttles around and begins heading towards him again. </p><p></p><p>The dark creeper, followed by the dark creeper necromancer, comes into view. </p><p></p><p>“Hey!” cries a voice from the cells. “Who are you?” </p><p></p><p>“Free us!” cries another. “Please, help us!”</p><p></p><p>Shifty's eyes widen in surprise. There is no mistaking those voices for anything else. </p><p></p><p>There are <em>gnomes</em> imprisoned here!</p><p></p><p>Shifty is desperate. He is alone, outnumbered, with the dark creeper necromancer proving extremely dangerous. He realizes that, unless something changes immediately, he is as good as dead.</p><p></p><p>Instead of attacking, he swiftly draws out his thieves' tools and sets to work on the first gnome's cell. Behind him, the two dark creepers gnash their teeth silently and move forward.</p><p></p><p><em>Click!</em> The cell door unlocks. <em>That's one,</em> he thinks with satisfaction. There is only one other occupied cell, but before he can reach it, the gauntlet leaps for him again and the first dark creeper rushes him. The governor is forced to defend himself with all his might, fending off a series of blows from his attackers with a series of parries that leaves his wrist aching and results in another knife wound from the dark creeper necromancer's damned <em>dark dance.</em></p><p></p><p><em>Wham!!</em> The cell door crashes into the creeper and the gnome within leaps out, wrestling with him over his dagger. Shifty thrusts at the necromancer, scoring a wound- not quite first blood on him, but he's still not significantly hurt- and then leaping to the other inhabited cell. A glance back reveals that the gnome has overpowered the dark creeper, but the crawling gauntlet springs onto his face, gouging for his eyes! The necromancer closes in too, his daggers a blur.</p><p></p><p><em>Don't think about that,</em> Shifty thinks. <em>Focus on the lock.</em> He works his tools, trying to trick the tumblers within the lock.</p><p></p><p><em>Click.</em></p><p></p><p>“Excellent, my friend!” cries the gnome within. “And I have no need for weapons!” </p><p></p><p>The necromancer dances between all three of them, wounding them all; but both Shifty and the first gnome fart invisibility at the cut and reappear a moment later, striking for the vitals. The last gnome- the one that claims no need of weapons- begins to mutter and chant, making strange arcane passes in the air, and creates an area of <em>illusory terrain</em> that moves and shakes, slowing the necromancer.</p><p></p><p>Shifty allows himself a moment of satisfaction as he impales the last gauntlet. Suddenly the dark creeper necromancer is the one that is alone, and it doesn't seem to like it. Shifty and the knife fighting gnome press it, and in another moment, the necromancer breaks and flees. </p><p></p><p>Both Shifty and the gnome with the dagger are badly wounded, and the arcanist is bleeding from a bad slice across the arm and shoulder. Rather than attempting to pursue, Shifty groans and says, “Follow me this way, to the surface. I have friends there. We'll be safe.”</p><p></p><p>They file out of the cell block warily. Cavemouth lies unmoving and bone-white in a huge pool of blood. Shifty checks for a pulse; there is nothing. He purses his lips. <em>Strange,</em> he thinks. <em>I'm sad to see him go, even after what he did to that elf. Yet on the other hand, I'm relieved that it will save us the trouble of deciding what to do with him.</em> The gnome shuts his dead companion's eyes and then leads his freed folk to the party's camp. </p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>The gnomes are named Lymock (the arcanist) and Mendore (the self-described “skulk”). They are profoundly grateful for their freedom. As they are gnomes, there is a lot of communication that passes between them and Shifty 'below the surface', so to speak, leaving the rest of our heroes somewhat baffled and out of context. </p><p></p><p>That's okay by the gnomes, of course. </p><p></p><p>Everybody knows that gnomes pull the unseen strings behind the scenes in areas such as finance and trade. Everybody knows that there are vast gnomish conspiracies that spread unseen over incredible distances. Everyone else is sure that Shifty, Mendore and Lymock are conspiring. Yet nothing is said on the surface; no obvious signs of the gnomish conspiracy are evident. </p><p></p><p>Which, of course, is all the more evidence that it is there.</p><p></p><p>“After we rest,” says Shifty, “we'll escort you to safety.”</p><p></p><p>“We know there are some dangerous beasts, such as a manticore, in the city ruins,” adds Karl. “We'd hate to rescue you only to have you get killed before you get out of Thrushton!”</p><p></p><p>“Thank you,” replies Lymock. He beams at them. “If not for your help, I don't know what would have happened!”</p><p></p><p>“We would've gotten away,” opines Mendore.</p><p></p><p>He and Shifty share a grin.</p><p></p><p>“Where do you need to go?” asks the governor gnome.</p><p></p><p>“Well, if you can get us to the place where the Goldwash and the Troll River branch, we should be fine.” Lymock winks at Shifty. “We don't even actually need to leave the ruins.”</p><p></p><p>“Do you live there or something?” asks Karl.</p><p></p><p>“We'll be fine there,” repeats the gnome arcanist opaquely, and Shifty nods brusquely. </p><p></p><p>“Of course,” he says, cutting off Karl. “We'll be happy to escort you.”</p><p></p><p>Damn gnomish conspiracies.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>They set up camp in an overgrown park. Their fire is small enough to avoid drawing attention from anyone far away.</p><p></p><p>Despite that, as they sit around the fire eating stew and nursing mugs of small beer, a voice comes out of the night. “Your pardon, kind sirs. May I join you?”</p><p></p><p>A figure follows the voice, resolving into a shadowy figure clad in shadowy clothes. A spiked chain is hung at her belt. She looks human at a glance, although in the poor lighting, it is hard to tell for certain.</p><p></p><p>“Who are you?” demands Shifty. “What are you doing here?”</p><p></p><p>“My name is Lithieln Silvercord,” the stranger replies. “I am after a group of bandits here in the ruins- there is a bounty on their leader, you see.”</p><p></p><p>“Really,” replies Shifty. “How much of a bounty?” </p><p></p><p>“Twenty-five gold pieces,” the shadowy woman replies gravely. </p><p></p><p>“Well, you're welcome to share our fire tonight,” Karl says. “We're actually looking for treasure here too. Maybe we can help each other out.”</p><p></p><p>“We did just lose a... meat shield,” Shifty adds.</p><p></p><p>Lithieln laughs and moves up next to the fire, giving a cat-like stretch as she takes in the warmth. “I am not that,” she says. “I prefer to fight in a more... subtle fashion.” As she speaks, the shadows seem to flow around her like a cloak. “Nonetheless, I believe that I can be of assistance to you- and these ruins are more dangerous than I had anticipated. So far I have remained unseen, and I have tracked my targets down; but to do the rest of my work, I cannot simply hide.”</p><p></p><p>“Fair enough,” Shifty declares. “We'll try you out and see how you do.”</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>The escort to the river's branching takes several hours of tromping through the ruin, during which the party is attacked by a flight of giant wasps whose bodies are the size of a large dog's. Karl knows all too well how these things operate: sting and paralyze you, then implant eggs inside your body. When they hatch, the grubs eat you from within. An ugly fate that none of our heroes (nor either of their gnomish allies) wishes to face. Fortunately, the wizard's fire magic proves able to burn their wings away, and the gnomish trio slices and bedazzles the giant insects to death without any serious tragedies striking.</p><p></p><p>Their newfound companion shows some interesting abilities. She seems to be able to form shadows into a noose and yank enemies around with it. She also can hurls darts of shadow. It's a very interesting set of tricks, and Karl recognizes it as the signature of an assassin- trained by the secretive Grey Brothers, the assassins are masters of powers drawn from the Shadowfell, the dark mirror of the world and a home of the dead.</p><p></p><p><em>I suppose it's better to have her where we can watch her rather than wandering around on her own,</em> the wizard thinks. <em>Still, such powers aren't entirely... wholesome.</em> </p><p></p><p>Soon enough the party and their gnomish friends part ways. To all appearances, the gnomes are simply hanging out in a rubble-choked area overgrown with creepers and large bushes. Shifty leads the party away, whistling as he does so. </p><p></p><p>“Where were those guys going?” asks Karl.</p><p></p><p>“Home,” replies Shifty. “A gnomish community usually passes unseen by other folk.”</p><p></p><p>“But where...”</p><p></p><p>“Don't worry about it,” Shifty says. “It passes unseen on purpose.”</p><p></p><p>“But the ruins are very dangerous,” Karl objects.</p><p></p><p>“We got them to safety,” Shifty declares. “Don't worry about the rest.”</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>The party goes towards the area that the manticore seems to like to fly around in, then finds a fairly intact building big enough for Bradford, Shifty's mule and Kane's horse. Then they creep a little closer- close enough to confirm that the beast in question is, in fact, a manticore. </p><p></p><p>“I don't think we want to fight this thing at this stage in our careers,” Karl opines. “It will tear us to pieces. And what if it has a mate or something?”</p><p></p><p>“Good point,” agrees Shifty.</p><p></p><p>“Why don't we take out the bandit I'm here for?” suggests Lithieln.** The others agree: 25 gp isn't much of a reward (and who is offering said reward, anyway?), but the bandits might have some loot, too. Very quickly the party agrees on the typical adventurers' contract (equal shares all around), and then Lithieln leads them towards her targets. </p><p></p><p>“There are about half a dozen bandits,” she tells the party. “I could sneak in and assassinate their leader, but the odds are very good that I would then be discovered, and if I couldn't escape, I don't think I could fight my way through that many foes at once.”</p><p></p><p>“Thus you need our help,” states Kane. </p><p></p><p>“Exactly.”</p><p></p><p>The bandits have taken over a two-storey building not far from a section of street clogged with ruined wagons- probably robbed and abandoned there. Two javelineers are on the roof; the rest, presumably, are within the building.</p><p></p><p>Our heroes storm it, Kane leading the way. They have a few moments of surprise before the javelins start to rain down from above, which they put to good use; Kane smashes through the front door completely. </p><p></p><p>The fight is quick and brutal. The bandits don't have a chance, between the savagery of Kane, the slyness and subtlety of Shifty and Lithieln and the spells of Karl and Shar. In only a few short moments, our heroes have overwhelmed their foes. They take one captive and Lithieln removes the head of their captain and puts it in a bag. (<strong>25 gold pieces,</strong> man!)</p><p></p><p>“I couldn't help but notice that they were using javelins,” Shifty observes.</p><p></p><p>“Yeah,” says Kane. “I recognize one of them.”</p><p></p><p>“What are you talking about?” the assassin asks.</p><p></p><p>“These men,” Kane explains, “work for the Double Javelins, a band of free companions that both Shar and I used to work with. They have recently seized one of the towns under the governors' protection.”</p><p></p><p>“But what would they be doing here?” wonders Kane. </p><p></p><p>“That's why we took one alive,” Kane replies. “And we don't need Cavemouth to rape him to get information out of him. I'll take care of it.”</p><p></p><p>“Not only that,” Shifty adds, “he probably actually <em>has</em> some information this time.”</p><p></p><p><em><strong>Next Time:</strong></em> What are the Double Javelins after? Longtime Cydra readers, enjoy the return of the clockwork horrors!</p><p></p><p></p><p>*This session we started with only the two of the pcs present and playing. Normally we have a quorum of three players, but we were itchin' to get started and everyone else was behind schedule (or unavailable), so...</p><p></p><p>**...who almost immediately gained the nickname “Lithium” because it wasn't inconveniently difficult to pronounce. Much like Cavemouth's real name was difficult to pronounce.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 5184561, member: 1210"] The problem lies in killing them. Each time one of the dark creepers is slain, it explodes into a cloud of inky blackness. Earlier, there was room to fight the creepers from a distance, but now the explosions of darkness leave our heroes blind and helpless, flailing about with their hands as if clutching the air might somehow help defeat their enemies. Of course, it doesn't. For all intents and purposes, Cavemouth and Shifty stand alone*, fighting back to back as another dark creeper emerges from a shadowy passage in the back of the chamber. This figure pauses to study the situation before drawing a pair of wicked knives and beginning a [i]dark dance[/i] through the party, slicing them with vicious efficiency. But Cavemouth's huge axe quickly carves the head from one of the creepers, and Shifty duels the other to a standstill. Even so, the newcomer is clearly more dangerous than the other two, able to twist and dodge away from our heroes' attacks with deadly skill. In seconds, both Cavemouth and Shifty have several small wounds open and bleeding, and the dark creeper sneers at them soundlessly. Then, with a gesture, it summons a quartet of crawling gauntlets. “Uh-oh,” says Shifty. The gauntlets race towards our heroes on stiff fingers, leaping up to punch at them. Shifty impales one on his sword as it closes; Cavemouth manages to hew a second one in half, but the final gauntlets latch onto the goliath's knee and starts twisting and crushing. Cavemouth tries to move, but it yanks his leg down, leaving him unable to catch his balance. The dark creeper necromancer, meanwhile, dances to cut off any possible retreat, then lunges forward with a [i]dark step,[/i] thrusting his knives into Cavemouth's thigh and side! The goliath bellows in agony, weakening as the creeper withdraws the knives and then brings them both slashing across his belly. The goliath collapses, his innards billowing forth like a cloud of steam. [i]Oh sh*t,[/i] thinks the gnome governor. The claws scuttle towards him and the two dark creepers start edging around to flank him. He keeps a close eye on the dancing one that just dropped Cavemouth. [i]They're between me and Cavemouth,[/i] thinks Shifty. [i]I can't get to him without them catching me pretty well between them.[/i] He backs away towards the passage that the dark creeper necromancer emerged from. [i]Hopefully he would have brought any friends he had with him,[/i] he thinks. [I]Maybe there's an escape route or something...[/i] As the necromancer takes another step forward, Shifty wheels about and bursts into a run, darting down the passage that leads- he presumes- into the necromancer's lair. His guess is incorrect. The very short hallway opens after only about 10' into a block of cells. There is no other way out. Shifty's heart sinks. He turns as his foes come into view, and he lunges forward, running one of the gauntlets through. It spasms, impaled on his sword, and even as the gnome withdraws his blade, the other gauntlet hurls itself through the air at him. Shifty throws himself down, rolls, comes up on his feet. The crawling gauntlet scuttles around and begins heading towards him again. The dark creeper, followed by the dark creeper necromancer, comes into view. “Hey!” cries a voice from the cells. “Who are you?” “Free us!” cries another. “Please, help us!” Shifty's eyes widen in surprise. There is no mistaking those voices for anything else. There are [i]gnomes[/i] imprisoned here! Shifty is desperate. He is alone, outnumbered, with the dark creeper necromancer proving extremely dangerous. He realizes that, unless something changes immediately, he is as good as dead. Instead of attacking, he swiftly draws out his thieves' tools and sets to work on the first gnome's cell. Behind him, the two dark creepers gnash their teeth silently and move forward. [i]Click![/i] The cell door unlocks. [i]That's one,[/i] he thinks with satisfaction. There is only one other occupied cell, but before he can reach it, the gauntlet leaps for him again and the first dark creeper rushes him. The governor is forced to defend himself with all his might, fending off a series of blows from his attackers with a series of parries that leaves his wrist aching and results in another knife wound from the dark creeper necromancer's damned [i]dark dance.[/i] [i]Wham!![/i] The cell door crashes into the creeper and the gnome within leaps out, wrestling with him over his dagger. Shifty thrusts at the necromancer, scoring a wound- not quite first blood on him, but he's still not significantly hurt- and then leaping to the other inhabited cell. A glance back reveals that the gnome has overpowered the dark creeper, but the crawling gauntlet springs onto his face, gouging for his eyes! The necromancer closes in too, his daggers a blur. [i]Don't think about that,[/i] Shifty thinks. [i]Focus on the lock.[/i] He works his tools, trying to trick the tumblers within the lock. [i]Click.[/i] “Excellent, my friend!” cries the gnome within. “And I have no need for weapons!” The necromancer dances between all three of them, wounding them all; but both Shifty and the first gnome fart invisibility at the cut and reappear a moment later, striking for the vitals. The last gnome- the one that claims no need of weapons- begins to mutter and chant, making strange arcane passes in the air, and creates an area of [i]illusory terrain[/i] that moves and shakes, slowing the necromancer. Shifty allows himself a moment of satisfaction as he impales the last gauntlet. Suddenly the dark creeper necromancer is the one that is alone, and it doesn't seem to like it. Shifty and the knife fighting gnome press it, and in another moment, the necromancer breaks and flees. Both Shifty and the gnome with the dagger are badly wounded, and the arcanist is bleeding from a bad slice across the arm and shoulder. Rather than attempting to pursue, Shifty groans and says, “Follow me this way, to the surface. I have friends there. We'll be safe.” They file out of the cell block warily. Cavemouth lies unmoving and bone-white in a huge pool of blood. Shifty checks for a pulse; there is nothing. He purses his lips. [i]Strange,[/i] he thinks. [i]I'm sad to see him go, even after what he did to that elf. Yet on the other hand, I'm relieved that it will save us the trouble of deciding what to do with him.[/i] The gnome shuts his dead companion's eyes and then leads his freed folk to the party's camp. *** The gnomes are named Lymock (the arcanist) and Mendore (the self-described “skulk”). They are profoundly grateful for their freedom. As they are gnomes, there is a lot of communication that passes between them and Shifty 'below the surface', so to speak, leaving the rest of our heroes somewhat baffled and out of context. That's okay by the gnomes, of course. Everybody knows that gnomes pull the unseen strings behind the scenes in areas such as finance and trade. Everybody knows that there are vast gnomish conspiracies that spread unseen over incredible distances. Everyone else is sure that Shifty, Mendore and Lymock are conspiring. Yet nothing is said on the surface; no obvious signs of the gnomish conspiracy are evident. Which, of course, is all the more evidence that it is there. “After we rest,” says Shifty, “we'll escort you to safety.” “We know there are some dangerous beasts, such as a manticore, in the city ruins,” adds Karl. “We'd hate to rescue you only to have you get killed before you get out of Thrushton!” “Thank you,” replies Lymock. He beams at them. “If not for your help, I don't know what would have happened!” “We would've gotten away,” opines Mendore. He and Shifty share a grin. “Where do you need to go?” asks the governor gnome. “Well, if you can get us to the place where the Goldwash and the Troll River branch, we should be fine.” Lymock winks at Shifty. “We don't even actually need to leave the ruins.” “Do you live there or something?” asks Karl. “We'll be fine there,” repeats the gnome arcanist opaquely, and Shifty nods brusquely. “Of course,” he says, cutting off Karl. “We'll be happy to escort you.” Damn gnomish conspiracies. *** They set up camp in an overgrown park. Their fire is small enough to avoid drawing attention from anyone far away. Despite that, as they sit around the fire eating stew and nursing mugs of small beer, a voice comes out of the night. “Your pardon, kind sirs. May I join you?” A figure follows the voice, resolving into a shadowy figure clad in shadowy clothes. A spiked chain is hung at her belt. She looks human at a glance, although in the poor lighting, it is hard to tell for certain. “Who are you?” demands Shifty. “What are you doing here?” “My name is Lithieln Silvercord,” the stranger replies. “I am after a group of bandits here in the ruins- there is a bounty on their leader, you see.” “Really,” replies Shifty. “How much of a bounty?” “Twenty-five gold pieces,” the shadowy woman replies gravely. “Well, you're welcome to share our fire tonight,” Karl says. “We're actually looking for treasure here too. Maybe we can help each other out.” “We did just lose a... meat shield,” Shifty adds. Lithieln laughs and moves up next to the fire, giving a cat-like stretch as she takes in the warmth. “I am not that,” she says. “I prefer to fight in a more... subtle fashion.” As she speaks, the shadows seem to flow around her like a cloak. “Nonetheless, I believe that I can be of assistance to you- and these ruins are more dangerous than I had anticipated. So far I have remained unseen, and I have tracked my targets down; but to do the rest of my work, I cannot simply hide.” “Fair enough,” Shifty declares. “We'll try you out and see how you do.” *** The escort to the river's branching takes several hours of tromping through the ruin, during which the party is attacked by a flight of giant wasps whose bodies are the size of a large dog's. Karl knows all too well how these things operate: sting and paralyze you, then implant eggs inside your body. When they hatch, the grubs eat you from within. An ugly fate that none of our heroes (nor either of their gnomish allies) wishes to face. Fortunately, the wizard's fire magic proves able to burn their wings away, and the gnomish trio slices and bedazzles the giant insects to death without any serious tragedies striking. Their newfound companion shows some interesting abilities. She seems to be able to form shadows into a noose and yank enemies around with it. She also can hurls darts of shadow. It's a very interesting set of tricks, and Karl recognizes it as the signature of an assassin- trained by the secretive Grey Brothers, the assassins are masters of powers drawn from the Shadowfell, the dark mirror of the world and a home of the dead. [i]I suppose it's better to have her where we can watch her rather than wandering around on her own,[/i] the wizard thinks. [i]Still, such powers aren't entirely... wholesome.[/i] Soon enough the party and their gnomish friends part ways. To all appearances, the gnomes are simply hanging out in a rubble-choked area overgrown with creepers and large bushes. Shifty leads the party away, whistling as he does so. “Where were those guys going?” asks Karl. “Home,” replies Shifty. “A gnomish community usually passes unseen by other folk.” “But where...” “Don't worry about it,” Shifty says. “It passes unseen on purpose.” “But the ruins are very dangerous,” Karl objects. “We got them to safety,” Shifty declares. “Don't worry about the rest.” *** The party goes towards the area that the manticore seems to like to fly around in, then finds a fairly intact building big enough for Bradford, Shifty's mule and Kane's horse. Then they creep a little closer- close enough to confirm that the beast in question is, in fact, a manticore. “I don't think we want to fight this thing at this stage in our careers,” Karl opines. “It will tear us to pieces. And what if it has a mate or something?” “Good point,” agrees Shifty. “Why don't we take out the bandit I'm here for?” suggests Lithieln.** The others agree: 25 gp isn't much of a reward (and who is offering said reward, anyway?), but the bandits might have some loot, too. Very quickly the party agrees on the typical adventurers' contract (equal shares all around), and then Lithieln leads them towards her targets. “There are about half a dozen bandits,” she tells the party. “I could sneak in and assassinate their leader, but the odds are very good that I would then be discovered, and if I couldn't escape, I don't think I could fight my way through that many foes at once.” “Thus you need our help,” states Kane. “Exactly.” The bandits have taken over a two-storey building not far from a section of street clogged with ruined wagons- probably robbed and abandoned there. Two javelineers are on the roof; the rest, presumably, are within the building. Our heroes storm it, Kane leading the way. They have a few moments of surprise before the javelins start to rain down from above, which they put to good use; Kane smashes through the front door completely. The fight is quick and brutal. The bandits don't have a chance, between the savagery of Kane, the slyness and subtlety of Shifty and Lithieln and the spells of Karl and Shar. In only a few short moments, our heroes have overwhelmed their foes. They take one captive and Lithieln removes the head of their captain and puts it in a bag. ([b]25 gold pieces,[/b] man!) “I couldn't help but notice that they were using javelins,” Shifty observes. “Yeah,” says Kane. “I recognize one of them.” “What are you talking about?” the assassin asks. “These men,” Kane explains, “work for the Double Javelins, a band of free companions that both Shar and I used to work with. They have recently seized one of the towns under the governors' protection.” “But what would they be doing here?” wonders Kane. “That's why we took one alive,” Kane replies. “And we don't need Cavemouth to rape him to get information out of him. I'll take care of it.” “Not only that,” Shifty adds, “he probably actually [i]has[/i] some information this time.” [i][b]Next Time:[/b][/i][b][/b] What are the Double Javelins after? Longtime Cydra readers, enjoy the return of the clockwork horrors! *This session we started with only the two of the pcs present and playing. Normally we have a quorum of three players, but we were itchin' to get started and everyone else was behind schedule (or unavailable), so... **...who almost immediately gained the nickname “Lithium” because it wasn't inconveniently difficult to pronounce. Much like Cavemouth's real name was difficult to pronounce. [/QUOTE]
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