NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Abciximab" data-source="post: 4074878" data-attributes="member: 46017">Interludes.The sound of the falling water made it hard to be sure, but he thought he heard sounds from the puzzle room. Should he wake Xernon? Better to be sure. He edged forward and looked around the corner. He saw light at the top of the stairs and heard the sounds of combat from above. So Xernon was right, they were being followed! Moving backed to where Xernon rested, he woke him with a gentle shake and held his finger to his lips to indicate the need for silence. Xernon was confused for a moment, but when he saw his loyal servant pointing toward the stairs, he knew what was going on. “Quickly,” Xernon whispered urgently, “Wake only those that are truly loyal to our cause. It is time to move on and rid ourselves of some of this dead weight that holds us back. Being slaughtered in their sleep would serve them right for their foolishness. Jeopardizing the entire mission for a few baubles…”----------“I hear the water too, but I’m sure I hear snoring as well,” whispered Celtir.“We’re in no shape for another fight,” whispered Bootsy. “They’ll surely have guards, let’s fall back and find somewhere to rest.”“Perhaps on the islands in the water room,” suggested Wencis.“Nay, I feel we’ve dodged a bullet in that room and we should not go back,” answered Bootsy. “Dodged a what?” Wencis asked.“Bullet. You know, those lead balls they throw with slings.”“Ah, right.”“How about we rest at the bottom of the pit?” Suggested Frankie.The companions looked at each other and shrugged. They’d slept in worse places.----------Once they had settled in, Celtir turned to face Leera. Time to get some answers, he thought. “So, you have met Xernon. You were introduced to him by Teryl? Is that right? Who was this Teryl?”“Just an associate,” she answered, “He thought we could make some quick coin with this group.”“What more is there to this?” Celtir pressed. “Tell us your story.”"I was part of the band of tomb robbers.” She answered in almost a whisper. The companions leaned in as she continued. “A man named Xernon leads them, but a hobgoblin priest of Hextor also has some clout. Xernon is some sort of arcanist - he's also young, intense and without mercy. To be honest, he scares me and I've tried to keep from attracting too much notice until I could escape from his band of cutthroats. He's looking for something deeper in the catacombs and only his personal magnetism has kept the tomb robbers from escaping with the treasure they've found already. He thinks that someone is bound to be pursuing them by now, though and has talked about finding a different exit from the tomb rather than the hole we dug to come in."The hobgoblin cleric - Krootad they call him - elected to stay behind and take care of the pursuit. You must have already run across him. He wouldn't shirk when it comes to raising the dead and the possibility of killing decent folk.”“Who is left in the band?” asked Celtir."I think the remaining tomb robbers are nothing more then servants and hirelings, though most seem loyal to Xernon. Minus the ones who fell in the next room, he still has a few Varags, two more Hobgoblin warriors, a Halfling male I think is a sorcerer and a nasty Goblin female. We left several goblinoids and undead behind us, as well as some of Xernon's twisted pets. Many members of our band have died in the run through this place.”Her expression grew thoughtful as she continued, "Xernon is definitely working for someone, though. I remember Xernon and Krootad quarreling about how to carry out our superior’s wishes, leading me to think that Xernon is either already a member of an organization or about to join one. He certainly knows a lot about the tomb complex, though he appears unsure of what dangers he might face as he explores. It's as if his map - yes, he has one - has no notes or specific details about the area.” “You describe Xernon as neither elf nor human. Can you tell us any more of him?” asked Celtir.An involuntary shiver ran through her as she answered, “He was bald, with bright yellow eyes. He had reptilian scales on his forehead. I don't know what he was”.“Any indication of where he might be from or going to?” “I don't know where he came from, and other then escaping from this tomb once he found whatever he was looking for, I don't know where he was going after.”“So now what is the plan?” asked Bootsy.She looked confused for a moment before answering, “His? I don't know. Mine? I just want to get out of this place.”</blockquote>

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