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Company of the Random Encounter ('complete' 14 Nov 2004)
- Thread starter Capellan
- Start date
Capellan
Explorer
"Good Friends & Fine Spirits" by Mystic Eye Games - Part 1
After Stormstrider and the others depart in their pursuit of the High Priest, the Padre suddenly snaps his fingers and begins walking briskly toward the southern edge of town.
"Where are you off to?" Mantreus calls after him, in a perplexed tone.
"I'm off to see the wizard!"
"You're what?"
"I'm going to see the wizard!" the Padre stops and walks back, lowering his voice as he does so, "The cook's wife. She might be able to identify those magical earrings we found. I've been waiting to see her, and I just remembered that he said she should be back in town, by now."
"Oh. Good idea." Mantreus nods, "Don't need me for that, do you?"
"Doubt it. Why?"
"Because I plan to go get really, really drunk." The rogue grins tiredly, "And then sleep for a week."
"In that case, I'll go see Captain Jarrek once I'm done with the wizard." The Padre stops just short of sounding accusatory, "Since it sounds like you won't be in any state to tell him what we found."
"Good man." Mantreus claps the cleric on the shoulder and strolls off, whistling tunelessly.
The Padre stares after the other man for a moment, then shakes his head and turns on his heel, walking once more toward the southern edge of the village.
As usual, it is Gendrew who answers the door, and - again as usual - it seems his wife is not present. The cook, wiping his flour-stained hands, does promise that she will be in that evening, and suggests that the Padre checks back then.
The cleric of St Cuthbert follows this suggestion, and finally meets the elusive wizard, who introduces herself as Andolyn.
"These earrings are magical." The Padre explains his errand, "But I do not know their function. Are you able to use your magic to learn what it might be?"
"Certainly." The woman gives the jewellery a cursory look.
"How much?" as always, the Padre gets to the heart of the matter.
"Two hundred gold." Andolyn's lips quirk at the Padre's shocked reaction, "But if this is all you need identified ..."
"It is."
"Then you would be better served by having an apprentice examine it. I am returning to Tarkamul tomorrow. If you are willing to leave the item with me for a few days, I could have it identified for just over half that price."
The Padre pauses, reluctant to let the earrings out of his possession for such a length of time, but he sees nothing in Andolyn's demeanour to suggest that she intends to cheat him. Finally, he nods.
"I shall return in four days." He says, handing over the item, "Or send one of my companions if I cannot come myself. You'll know them -"
"I am aware of your group." Andolyn interrupts. "My husband speaks well of you. I will know any you send in your place."
The Padre stares at her for a moment, then snaps his mouth shut and nods.
"Very well. In four days, then."
Having bid farewell to the wizard, the Padre heads back toward the inn, then remembers his promise to see Captain Jarrek. Muttering under his breath about 'unreliable vagabonds', he turns toward the barracks, instead.
Jarrek listens to the Padre's report in near-silence, only occasionally grunting a question. At the end, his voice sounding unusually tired and old, he thanks the Company for their efforts.
"Burnin' the place was the best yer could do." he acknowledges, "And yer'll have the full reward for doin' it. But this bodes ill fer us. That cultist had plans here in Amberdale, too, or he would not have set those thugs to robbin' the graves here."
The comforting weight of over two hundred gold pieces would normally do much to assuage the Padre's mind, but he shares Jarrek's disquiet as he leaves the barracks. Something more is at work here than a lone cultist, but he does not yet know what.
A night's rest restores some of his usual grim cheer, however, and the sore heads of Briar and Macwood - who have finally emerged from their own extended celebration of the Harvest Festival - provides him with some amusement the next morn.
It is late that afternoon when Sirdros returns to Amberdale, though he comes alone, despite departing with Stormstrider, Twinkle and Elspeth.
"How are they?" the Padre asks, bluntly.
"They are all fine." The other priest assures him, then sighs, "But we have a bigger problem."
After Stormstrider and the others depart in their pursuit of the High Priest, the Padre suddenly snaps his fingers and begins walking briskly toward the southern edge of town.
"Where are you off to?" Mantreus calls after him, in a perplexed tone.
"I'm off to see the wizard!"
"You're what?"
"I'm going to see the wizard!" the Padre stops and walks back, lowering his voice as he does so, "The cook's wife. She might be able to identify those magical earrings we found. I've been waiting to see her, and I just remembered that he said she should be back in town, by now."
"Oh. Good idea." Mantreus nods, "Don't need me for that, do you?"
"Doubt it. Why?"
"Because I plan to go get really, really drunk." The rogue grins tiredly, "And then sleep for a week."
"In that case, I'll go see Captain Jarrek once I'm done with the wizard." The Padre stops just short of sounding accusatory, "Since it sounds like you won't be in any state to tell him what we found."
"Good man." Mantreus claps the cleric on the shoulder and strolls off, whistling tunelessly.
The Padre stares after the other man for a moment, then shakes his head and turns on his heel, walking once more toward the southern edge of the village.
As usual, it is Gendrew who answers the door, and - again as usual - it seems his wife is not present. The cook, wiping his flour-stained hands, does promise that she will be in that evening, and suggests that the Padre checks back then.
The cleric of St Cuthbert follows this suggestion, and finally meets the elusive wizard, who introduces herself as Andolyn.
"These earrings are magical." The Padre explains his errand, "But I do not know their function. Are you able to use your magic to learn what it might be?"
"Certainly." The woman gives the jewellery a cursory look.
"How much?" as always, the Padre gets to the heart of the matter.
"Two hundred gold." Andolyn's lips quirk at the Padre's shocked reaction, "But if this is all you need identified ..."
"It is."
"Then you would be better served by having an apprentice examine it. I am returning to Tarkamul tomorrow. If you are willing to leave the item with me for a few days, I could have it identified for just over half that price."
The Padre pauses, reluctant to let the earrings out of his possession for such a length of time, but he sees nothing in Andolyn's demeanour to suggest that she intends to cheat him. Finally, he nods.
"I shall return in four days." He says, handing over the item, "Or send one of my companions if I cannot come myself. You'll know them -"
"I am aware of your group." Andolyn interrupts. "My husband speaks well of you. I will know any you send in your place."
The Padre stares at her for a moment, then snaps his mouth shut and nods.
"Very well. In four days, then."
Having bid farewell to the wizard, the Padre heads back toward the inn, then remembers his promise to see Captain Jarrek. Muttering under his breath about 'unreliable vagabonds', he turns toward the barracks, instead.
Jarrek listens to the Padre's report in near-silence, only occasionally grunting a question. At the end, his voice sounding unusually tired and old, he thanks the Company for their efforts.
"Burnin' the place was the best yer could do." he acknowledges, "And yer'll have the full reward for doin' it. But this bodes ill fer us. That cultist had plans here in Amberdale, too, or he would not have set those thugs to robbin' the graves here."
The comforting weight of over two hundred gold pieces would normally do much to assuage the Padre's mind, but he shares Jarrek's disquiet as he leaves the barracks. Something more is at work here than a lone cultist, but he does not yet know what.
A night's rest restores some of his usual grim cheer, however, and the sore heads of Briar and Macwood - who have finally emerged from their own extended celebration of the Harvest Festival - provides him with some amusement the next morn.
It is late that afternoon when Sirdros returns to Amberdale, though he comes alone, despite departing with Stormstrider, Twinkle and Elspeth.
"How are they?" the Padre asks, bluntly.
"They are all fine." The other priest assures him, then sighs, "But we have a bigger problem."
Capellan
Explorer
"Good Friends & Fine Spirits" by Mystic Eye Games - Part 2
Although the Padre wishes to hear Sirdros’ news immediately, the elven Priest insists on gathering the others, first.
"There’s no point in going over this more than once." He says, after repeatedly rebuffing the Padre’s demands for additional information, "Tell any of the others you see that we should meet at the inn for dinner this evening. I’ll explain everything then. Oh, and tell them to be ready to travel, as well. We’ll be leaving in the morning."
The Padre is a bit taken aback by Sirdros’ brusque words and demeanour – probably because he is not used to being on this side of autocracy – but eventually agrees to pass on the elf’s message to any Company members that he sees.
The two priests quickly scour the village, looking for the others. The Padre finds Briar and Macwood already at the inn: the young rogue is nursing a small cider while the halfling is tucking into what he cheerfully informs the Padre is his eighth meal of the day.
Emerging from the inn, the Padre nearly collides with Ming Li and Sirdros.
"Any sign of the others?" he asks them.
"Ulfgar remains at the dwarven ruins." Ming Li says quietly, "I am not sure if he will return."
"Rose is still at the ranger’s tower." Sirdros adds, "We should go by there when we leave. She may be able to accompany us."
"Mantreus?"
"Nowhere to be seen."
"I wonder what he’s up to." The Padre frowns.
"Probably best not to." Ming Li delivers the words with such bland inflection that neither of the two men is sure whether they are a jest.
"Sirdros!" the shout comes from their left. A woman’s voice. Angry.
The elven priest glances in that direction, frowns, then turns back to the others.
"Please excuse me." He says, his tone polite, but a note of resignation in his voice. "I suggest you go inside and order: I may be a while."
The Padre and Ming Li both follow Sirdros’ glance. The monk’s head never turns: she merely flicks her eyes in the same direction. The Padre, on the other hand, stares openly.
The woman who called out is an elf. She has a lithe, slender build, but is very plain-featured, with a flat, rather lumpen face that is further marred by a disdainful expression.
"Charming." The Padre observes. "Friend of yours?"
"My sister." Sirdros voice has taken on a rather gloomy tone. "As I said: I may be a while. I suggest you go inside."
The Padre pauses for another long stare at the newcomer, then shrugs, and follows the silent Ming Li through the door of the inn.
Inside, they find Briar and Macwood plastered against the window, avidly watching Sirdros’ conversation with his sibling. The two elves are speaking quietly enough that their words cannot be overheard, but the body language and expressions of the two make it obvious that the conversation is far from comfortable.
"Ah, young love." Macwood muses, "Perhaps I should send them little birdies to smooth out their tiff." He wriggles his fingers, and a pair of glowing blue lights start flying around the room, startling the other patrons.
"She’s his sister, not his lover." The Padre drags the halfling away from the window.
"You don’t know elves very well, do you?" Macwood waggles his eyebrows.
The Padre sighs. Briar smirks, then covers his grin by pretending to cough.
"Perhaps we should order." Ming Li has seated herself at one of the few tables in the room that does not look out onto the two elves. Macwood pouts at this, but follows when it is clear that all the others are heading over to join her.
The group orders drinks as they wait for Sirdros. Their order is just arriving when the elf enters, his sister stalking in beside him.
"My friends," Sirdros gives a small shrug, "This is my sister Anastria. My parents have sent her to make sure I do not … put myself in too much danger. Anastria, these are my companions: Ming Li, Briar Rose, Padre Wolf - "
"Padre?" the elven woman’s lip curls, "Is he another member of that ridiculous cult you follow?"
Although the Padre wishes to hear Sirdros’ news immediately, the elven Priest insists on gathering the others, first.
"There’s no point in going over this more than once." He says, after repeatedly rebuffing the Padre’s demands for additional information, "Tell any of the others you see that we should meet at the inn for dinner this evening. I’ll explain everything then. Oh, and tell them to be ready to travel, as well. We’ll be leaving in the morning."
The Padre is a bit taken aback by Sirdros’ brusque words and demeanour – probably because he is not used to being on this side of autocracy – but eventually agrees to pass on the elf’s message to any Company members that he sees.
The two priests quickly scour the village, looking for the others. The Padre finds Briar and Macwood already at the inn: the young rogue is nursing a small cider while the halfling is tucking into what he cheerfully informs the Padre is his eighth meal of the day.
Emerging from the inn, the Padre nearly collides with Ming Li and Sirdros.
"Any sign of the others?" he asks them.
"Ulfgar remains at the dwarven ruins." Ming Li says quietly, "I am not sure if he will return."
"Rose is still at the ranger’s tower." Sirdros adds, "We should go by there when we leave. She may be able to accompany us."
"Mantreus?"
"Nowhere to be seen."
"I wonder what he’s up to." The Padre frowns.
"Probably best not to." Ming Li delivers the words with such bland inflection that neither of the two men is sure whether they are a jest.
"Sirdros!" the shout comes from their left. A woman’s voice. Angry.
The elven priest glances in that direction, frowns, then turns back to the others.
"Please excuse me." He says, his tone polite, but a note of resignation in his voice. "I suggest you go inside and order: I may be a while."
The Padre and Ming Li both follow Sirdros’ glance. The monk’s head never turns: she merely flicks her eyes in the same direction. The Padre, on the other hand, stares openly.
The woman who called out is an elf. She has a lithe, slender build, but is very plain-featured, with a flat, rather lumpen face that is further marred by a disdainful expression.
"Charming." The Padre observes. "Friend of yours?"
"My sister." Sirdros voice has taken on a rather gloomy tone. "As I said: I may be a while. I suggest you go inside."
The Padre pauses for another long stare at the newcomer, then shrugs, and follows the silent Ming Li through the door of the inn.
Inside, they find Briar and Macwood plastered against the window, avidly watching Sirdros’ conversation with his sibling. The two elves are speaking quietly enough that their words cannot be overheard, but the body language and expressions of the two make it obvious that the conversation is far from comfortable.
"Ah, young love." Macwood muses, "Perhaps I should send them little birdies to smooth out their tiff." He wriggles his fingers, and a pair of glowing blue lights start flying around the room, startling the other patrons.
"She’s his sister, not his lover." The Padre drags the halfling away from the window.
"You don’t know elves very well, do you?" Macwood waggles his eyebrows.
The Padre sighs. Briar smirks, then covers his grin by pretending to cough.
"Perhaps we should order." Ming Li has seated herself at one of the few tables in the room that does not look out onto the two elves. Macwood pouts at this, but follows when it is clear that all the others are heading over to join her.
The group orders drinks as they wait for Sirdros. Their order is just arriving when the elf enters, his sister stalking in beside him.
"My friends," Sirdros gives a small shrug, "This is my sister Anastria. My parents have sent her to make sure I do not … put myself in too much danger. Anastria, these are my companions: Ming Li, Briar Rose, Padre Wolf - "
"Padre?" the elven woman’s lip curls, "Is he another member of that ridiculous cult you follow?"
Capellan
Explorer
"Good Friends & Fine Spirits" by Mystic Eye Games - Part 3
There is a long moment of silence as the Padre visibly considers what to say. Finally, amusement over Sirdros’ obvious discomfort seems to win out over offence at the elven woman’s words.
"No." he says at last, "I don’t belong to ‘that cult’. I take it you are not a follower of the same faith as your brother."
Anastria sniffs,
"I follow the elven faith."
"I hope that’s working for you." The Padre turns back to Sirdros, "You said we have a problem?"
Restraining a smile, Sirdros nods and takes a seat at the table. Uninvited, Anastria takes the seat beside him.
"As I said to you earlier," he begins, "Stormstrider and I managed to catch up with the High Priest, and he has cured both Twinkle and Elspeth –"
"What did that cost?" Macwood interjects, then takes a swig of ale.
Sirdros shakes his head,
"There was no charge. The injuries were suffered on Church business, after all. However, the High Priests did raise the matter of the earlier healing he provided to the group. You still owe the church two services, and he has requested that you provide the first of them, now."
The Padre glances around the table and sees shrugs of acceptance from the others,
"Tell us about it."
"When I told the High Priest of what we discovered in Hooberan's Stockade, he was very interested." Sirdros begins, "Particularly in the manner of the Death Cultist's attack. It seems that this is not the only mysterious epidemic to recently appear. Word has come from the town of Duvik's Pass that most of the people there are suffering from a previously unknown disease. The High Priest believes the two incidents may be linked."
"More Death Cultists?" Briar asks.
"Probably." Sirdros nods.
"What are they up to?" the Padre wonders, "There must be more to it than just killing people, even for them."
"Duvik's Pass is a pretty important town." Macwood offers, wiping foam from his upper lip, "It's a fair size, for one thing - much bigger than Amberdale, let alone Hooberan's. And it's right on the southern pass through the mountains. If the town gets quarantined, a lot of trade caravans will have to be diverted. There'll be all kinds of disruptions." He catches the stares he is getting from the others and shrugs, "I'm a traveller and explorer, remember. I pay attention to these things."
"Well, it certainly explains why the cultists would want to cause trouble, there." Briar admits, "Maybe the attack at Hooberan's Stockade was a test run for this?"
"If it is, we will find out." Ming Li raised her hand to silence the others, gesturing subtly at an approaching waitress.
The serving girl, pretty and dimpled, takes the group's order with cheerful efficiency, then heads back into the kitchen to arrange their meals.
No sooner has she left, however, than another young woman approaches the group's table. This is no serving maid, however, for she is far too richly - if gaudily - dressed, and wears a well-crafted rapier at her side.
"Good evening," she nods her head at the gathered members of the party, "Folks tell me of a brave group of adventurers who make their homes here, and by your look, you must be them."
"We are the Company of the Random Encounter." The Padre responds, a trifle portentously, "Is that who you seek?"
"That is the name I heard, yes." The woman smiles, "I am Marble McCray. I thought I had best introduce myself to you, as it may be that we can do business together, in the future. I am a ... dealer ... in goods of a certain nature. Rare items. Valuable treasures. Magic. That sort of thing. If you should ever find yourself in need of such things - or in possession of one when you have a need for coin - then please seek me out. I am sure we could make a mutually profitable trade."
"What sort of magic?" Sirdros asks. Marble spreads her hands,
"What do you need? I'll see what I can do."
"There's nothing we need right at the moment." The Padre neglects to mention that there is also little they could afford. "Is there any item in particular you might need us to recover?" Evidently the priest smells an employment opportunity.
"No." Marble disappoints him. "But anything interesting you find, remember me."
"We will do so." Ming Li assures her blandly.
"Good evening, then." Marble nods and turns away.
As she does so, screams ring out from the kitchen.
There is a long moment of silence as the Padre visibly considers what to say. Finally, amusement over Sirdros’ obvious discomfort seems to win out over offence at the elven woman’s words.
"No." he says at last, "I don’t belong to ‘that cult’. I take it you are not a follower of the same faith as your brother."
Anastria sniffs,
"I follow the elven faith."
"I hope that’s working for you." The Padre turns back to Sirdros, "You said we have a problem?"
Restraining a smile, Sirdros nods and takes a seat at the table. Uninvited, Anastria takes the seat beside him.
"As I said to you earlier," he begins, "Stormstrider and I managed to catch up with the High Priest, and he has cured both Twinkle and Elspeth –"
"What did that cost?" Macwood interjects, then takes a swig of ale.
Sirdros shakes his head,
"There was no charge. The injuries were suffered on Church business, after all. However, the High Priests did raise the matter of the earlier healing he provided to the group. You still owe the church two services, and he has requested that you provide the first of them, now."
The Padre glances around the table and sees shrugs of acceptance from the others,
"Tell us about it."
"When I told the High Priest of what we discovered in Hooberan's Stockade, he was very interested." Sirdros begins, "Particularly in the manner of the Death Cultist's attack. It seems that this is not the only mysterious epidemic to recently appear. Word has come from the town of Duvik's Pass that most of the people there are suffering from a previously unknown disease. The High Priest believes the two incidents may be linked."
"More Death Cultists?" Briar asks.
"Probably." Sirdros nods.
"What are they up to?" the Padre wonders, "There must be more to it than just killing people, even for them."
"Duvik's Pass is a pretty important town." Macwood offers, wiping foam from his upper lip, "It's a fair size, for one thing - much bigger than Amberdale, let alone Hooberan's. And it's right on the southern pass through the mountains. If the town gets quarantined, a lot of trade caravans will have to be diverted. There'll be all kinds of disruptions." He catches the stares he is getting from the others and shrugs, "I'm a traveller and explorer, remember. I pay attention to these things."
"Well, it certainly explains why the cultists would want to cause trouble, there." Briar admits, "Maybe the attack at Hooberan's Stockade was a test run for this?"
"If it is, we will find out." Ming Li raised her hand to silence the others, gesturing subtly at an approaching waitress.
The serving girl, pretty and dimpled, takes the group's order with cheerful efficiency, then heads back into the kitchen to arrange their meals.
No sooner has she left, however, than another young woman approaches the group's table. This is no serving maid, however, for she is far too richly - if gaudily - dressed, and wears a well-crafted rapier at her side.
"Good evening," she nods her head at the gathered members of the party, "Folks tell me of a brave group of adventurers who make their homes here, and by your look, you must be them."
"We are the Company of the Random Encounter." The Padre responds, a trifle portentously, "Is that who you seek?"
"That is the name I heard, yes." The woman smiles, "I am Marble McCray. I thought I had best introduce myself to you, as it may be that we can do business together, in the future. I am a ... dealer ... in goods of a certain nature. Rare items. Valuable treasures. Magic. That sort of thing. If you should ever find yourself in need of such things - or in possession of one when you have a need for coin - then please seek me out. I am sure we could make a mutually profitable trade."
"What sort of magic?" Sirdros asks. Marble spreads her hands,
"What do you need? I'll see what I can do."
"There's nothing we need right at the moment." The Padre neglects to mention that there is also little they could afford. "Is there any item in particular you might need us to recover?" Evidently the priest smells an employment opportunity.
"No." Marble disappoints him. "But anything interesting you find, remember me."
"We will do so." Ming Li assures her blandly.
"Good evening, then." Marble nods and turns away.
As she does so, screams ring out from the kitchen.
dpdx
Explorer
YESS! They're going to run the only adventure I've ever DMed! I'll wait until it's over to kibbitz, but this rocks!
Is the Company still collectively 1st level? If so, this should be great! And it'll segue right into another adventure (or TWO!) that's fun, as well!
I'll be waiting patiently for the Story Hour goodness to ensue.
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Capellan
Explorer
"Good Friends & Fine Spirits" by Mystic Eye Games - Part 4
The cook and a scullery maid burst out into the common room, a wave of cockroaches on their heels. These are no ordinary vermin, however: none are less than two feet in length, and many are as much as twice that size. Their pincers make an audible scratching noise as they scuttle across the floor, torchlight shining off their mandibles and shells.
Anastria, despite having her back to the kitchen, is the first to react. Leaping to her feet, she draws a slender rapier from her belt and moves forward, placing herself between the roaches and the two screaming women they are chasing.
The black tide swarms past her, one roach stopping to nip at the elven woman's leg. As blood trickles out of her calf, Anastria stabs back, but the point of her sword skitters off the creature's tough shell.
As Briar and Macwood draw their swords and stand ready for the verminous horde, the Padre begins the incantation to summon one of St Cuthbert's hunting hounds. Only Ming Li leaps forward, snatching up her staff as she moves. The monk takes three quick steps and slams the head of the staff down, crushing one of the bugs with a single blow. The creature's shell is shattered, and noxious brown and green fluids spill out of it onto the floor.
Ming Li wrinkles her nose in disgust, no doubt pleased to have used her staff on the creature, rather than her bare hands.
As a glowing bloodhound appears amidst the roaches, and Sirdros moves to his sister's side, the adventurers begin to rally. There are too many of the vermin for them to stem the tide completely, of course, but only a few of the roaches have progressed far enough to menace the other patrons. On the far side of the tavern, a burly half-orc stands side by side with a gnome, the two of them fending off the vermin with improvised weapons. The scullery maid is cowering behind them, but the cook has recovered enough to start battering one of the roaches with a stool.
Over by the bar, Brent Birchwhistle has clambered onto the counter, and is leaping back and forth, kicking away any roach that tries to clamber up to him. The only person not in sight is Marble McCray: an open window makes clear her route of panicked departure.
Briar leaps onto the table as Macwood runs under it, the two combining to attack a single roach. The human rogue's blow goes wide, but it distracts the creature long enough for Macwood to slice it in two with his longsword, Kewpie Doll.
Ming Li crushes another, while Sirdros and Anastria deal with two more. The siblings are proving to be an effective combination in combat, whatever their other differences may be. Indeed, currently the only member of the group who has yet to really contribute to the fight is the Padre. He curses in disgust as the Hound of St Cuthbert misses twice, barely even distracting one of the roaches. He curses even louder when it promptly fades from view, its time in the material plane at an end.
The hound's disappearance seems to galvanise the adventurers, however, as they quickly slaughter three more of the bugs. This clears the area around them, and Ming Li immediately rushes forward, into the kitchen from which the creatures originally emerged.
"Ancestors!" the monk curses and skids to a halt. An enormous cockroach, fully six feet in length, has just pulled itself up out of a gaping hole in the floor, while a second, equally enormous roach is already scuttling across the floor toward her.
Ming Li recovers herself quickly, however, and strikes out with her staff. She has become skilled at finding the weak spots in the roaches' armour, and this blow is as successful as her others. Despite the creature's great size, a single blow is all she requires to destroy it.
Still smarting from the poor performance of his summoned Hound, the Padre pushes past the others to reach the fore of the battle.
"May St Cuthbert guide my blow!" an aura of divine power crackles around the Padre's mace as he slams it into the other 'super-sized' roach. The blow drives the creature into the floorboards, its legs splayed helplessly as its shell caves in under the crushing impact.
There are many of the smaller roaches still in the room, and they swarm to the attack, biting both the Padre and Sirdros, who arrives just in time to become a target. The other adventurers quickly arrive, however, and the tide of battle swiftly turns in their favour. Every successful blow by one of the Company destroys a roach, while the mandibles of the vermin - though intimidating - pluck all but ineffectually against their flesh.
Suddenly one of the roaches scuttles across the counter of the kitchen, knocking several pots of stew over the nearby adventurers. Scalding water sprays over Briar and Macwood. The halfling's small stature saves him from a painful soaking, but Briar is not so lucky, and yells in pain and surprise.
"That thing did that deliberately!" he swears, wild-eyed, then cuts the creature in half in revenge.
"What a waste of fine food." Macwood shakes his head sadly.
The scalding stew - whether planned or not - is the roaches' last hurrah. Weapons flashing, the adventurers make short work of the few vermin remaining. Within a minute, they are the only living things left in the kitchen: dead roaches lie everywhere.
"Not bad." Sirdros looks around, "They're all dead, and we just have a few scratches. Nothing that won't clear up overnight, probably."
The priest's words of self-congratulation are interrupted by a scream from the doorway.
The group turn, to see the inn's cook standing at the entrance to the room, her face white as she stares at the ragged hole in the floor.
"Dalia!" she sobs, "My little girl! They've taken her into that hole!"
The cook and a scullery maid burst out into the common room, a wave of cockroaches on their heels. These are no ordinary vermin, however: none are less than two feet in length, and many are as much as twice that size. Their pincers make an audible scratching noise as they scuttle across the floor, torchlight shining off their mandibles and shells.
Anastria, despite having her back to the kitchen, is the first to react. Leaping to her feet, she draws a slender rapier from her belt and moves forward, placing herself between the roaches and the two screaming women they are chasing.
The black tide swarms past her, one roach stopping to nip at the elven woman's leg. As blood trickles out of her calf, Anastria stabs back, but the point of her sword skitters off the creature's tough shell.
As Briar and Macwood draw their swords and stand ready for the verminous horde, the Padre begins the incantation to summon one of St Cuthbert's hunting hounds. Only Ming Li leaps forward, snatching up her staff as she moves. The monk takes three quick steps and slams the head of the staff down, crushing one of the bugs with a single blow. The creature's shell is shattered, and noxious brown and green fluids spill out of it onto the floor.
Ming Li wrinkles her nose in disgust, no doubt pleased to have used her staff on the creature, rather than her bare hands.
As a glowing bloodhound appears amidst the roaches, and Sirdros moves to his sister's side, the adventurers begin to rally. There are too many of the vermin for them to stem the tide completely, of course, but only a few of the roaches have progressed far enough to menace the other patrons. On the far side of the tavern, a burly half-orc stands side by side with a gnome, the two of them fending off the vermin with improvised weapons. The scullery maid is cowering behind them, but the cook has recovered enough to start battering one of the roaches with a stool.
Over by the bar, Brent Birchwhistle has clambered onto the counter, and is leaping back and forth, kicking away any roach that tries to clamber up to him. The only person not in sight is Marble McCray: an open window makes clear her route of panicked departure.
Briar leaps onto the table as Macwood runs under it, the two combining to attack a single roach. The human rogue's blow goes wide, but it distracts the creature long enough for Macwood to slice it in two with his longsword, Kewpie Doll.
Ming Li crushes another, while Sirdros and Anastria deal with two more. The siblings are proving to be an effective combination in combat, whatever their other differences may be. Indeed, currently the only member of the group who has yet to really contribute to the fight is the Padre. He curses in disgust as the Hound of St Cuthbert misses twice, barely even distracting one of the roaches. He curses even louder when it promptly fades from view, its time in the material plane at an end.
The hound's disappearance seems to galvanise the adventurers, however, as they quickly slaughter three more of the bugs. This clears the area around them, and Ming Li immediately rushes forward, into the kitchen from which the creatures originally emerged.
"Ancestors!" the monk curses and skids to a halt. An enormous cockroach, fully six feet in length, has just pulled itself up out of a gaping hole in the floor, while a second, equally enormous roach is already scuttling across the floor toward her.
Ming Li recovers herself quickly, however, and strikes out with her staff. She has become skilled at finding the weak spots in the roaches' armour, and this blow is as successful as her others. Despite the creature's great size, a single blow is all she requires to destroy it.
Still smarting from the poor performance of his summoned Hound, the Padre pushes past the others to reach the fore of the battle.
"May St Cuthbert guide my blow!" an aura of divine power crackles around the Padre's mace as he slams it into the other 'super-sized' roach. The blow drives the creature into the floorboards, its legs splayed helplessly as its shell caves in under the crushing impact.
There are many of the smaller roaches still in the room, and they swarm to the attack, biting both the Padre and Sirdros, who arrives just in time to become a target. The other adventurers quickly arrive, however, and the tide of battle swiftly turns in their favour. Every successful blow by one of the Company destroys a roach, while the mandibles of the vermin - though intimidating - pluck all but ineffectually against their flesh.
Suddenly one of the roaches scuttles across the counter of the kitchen, knocking several pots of stew over the nearby adventurers. Scalding water sprays over Briar and Macwood. The halfling's small stature saves him from a painful soaking, but Briar is not so lucky, and yells in pain and surprise.
"That thing did that deliberately!" he swears, wild-eyed, then cuts the creature in half in revenge.
"What a waste of fine food." Macwood shakes his head sadly.
The scalding stew - whether planned or not - is the roaches' last hurrah. Weapons flashing, the adventurers make short work of the few vermin remaining. Within a minute, they are the only living things left in the kitchen: dead roaches lie everywhere.
"Not bad." Sirdros looks around, "They're all dead, and we just have a few scratches. Nothing that won't clear up overnight, probably."
The priest's words of self-congratulation are interrupted by a scream from the doorway.
The group turn, to see the inn's cook standing at the entrance to the room, her face white as she stares at the ragged hole in the floor.
"Dalia!" she sobs, "My little girl! They've taken her into that hole!"
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Capellan
Explorer
"Good Friends & Fine Spirits" by Mystic Eye Games - Part 5
The cook rushes up to the adventurers, tears in her eyes,
"Please! They have my Dalia! You have to help!"
The group look at each other. None of them want to refuse the woman, but there is also the matter of their responsibility to the church to consider. They retreat into a huddle to discuss the woman's request.
"We should help." Anastria says firmly, "Your 'church' can wait. These people need aid, now."
"Can we afford the delay?" the Padre wonders, "Or the risk? Some of us could be injured, and not be able to go on the church's mission."
"Anyone who was injured could ride in the cart," Sirdros concedes, "The High Priest told me it would take four days to reach Duvik's Pass from here. We'll have them back on their feet by then."
The Padre nods his acknowledgement of the point.
"What do the rest of you think?"
Macwood snorts,
"Of course we're going in, you big fool." The halfling points at the hole in outrage, "They ruined the kitchen."
"No doubt it will now be hours until we would be able to get dinner." Ming Li nods solemnly. Macwood shoots her a suspicious look, but the monk's expression is impassive.
Their course of action agreed, the group leaves Ming Li to stand guard over the hole, the rest of them scattering to don their armour and organise the rest of their equipment. Then, bringing the monk's tiny sack of belongings with them, they return to the inn.
Standing just back from the edge of the hole, they peer into the darkness below.
"Sewers, by the smell of them." Briar wrinkles his nose. " I thought I'd seen the last of these." Catching sight of the curious glances sent his way, he stammers an explanation, "My father was ... um, in the, uh, Sanitation Guild."
"I'm sure guild membership was involved." The Padre agrees sombrely. Briar avoids meeting his eyes.
"Time's wasting." Macwood grumbles, lighting a lantern and then tying it to the end of some rope. Inching to the edge of the hole, he lowers the light into the opening, revealing the sewer tunnel below.
The group moves into action. First, they put Sirdros in a makeshift rope sling and lower him into the tunnel, then they make a simple ladder with a knotted rope and the rest of them - more agile and far more lightly equipped than the elf - climb down after him. The sewer proves to be a square tunnel, roughly eight feet across. There are stone ledges on either side of tunnel, each measuring no more than twelve inches in width. Between them runs a wide - but shallow, as Ming Li discerns with her staff - channel of sewage. The tunnels runs straight in both directions from where they stand, with nothing to distinguish the darkness on their left from that on their right.
"Can anyone see any tracks?" the Padre peers vainly at the ledge beneath their feet.
Sirdros shakes his head.
"I see nothing. The cockroaches may not even have used the ledges. Without a proper tracker, we will have to guess which way they went."
"Amberdale is not a large settlement." Ming Li reminds them, "These tunnels should not be all that extensive. Thus, it may be possible that we can simply explore them all, until we find the missing girl."
The Padre nods his agreement,
"We just have to pick a direction to start with."
"When in doubt, go left." Macwood shrugs off the others' raised eyebrows, "It's an old explorers' trick. Always pick one direction and stick with it. That way, if you have to double back, you always know which way you went."
Anastria frowns,
"Why left? Couldn't you always go right, just as easily."
"No." Macwood answers shortly - and nonsensically. "It has to be left. Besides, left takes us downstream."
The others shrug, and with the decision made, the group sets off. Having all six of them on one ledge soon proves impossible to coordinate, particularly given the poor sense of balance some of them are exhibiting, and - with a grimace - the Padre is the first one to step into the ankle-high slurry that flows sluggishly down the middle of the tunnel.
"It's not too bad." He reports, his expression giving lie to his words, "A bit slippery, so put your feet down carefully, but as long as you're wearing boots you should be fine."
Soon all of the adventurers except for Ming Li are walking in the channel, sliding their feet along the floor so as to minimise the chance of falling into the foul-smelling muck. The monk - dressed in open sandals - sticks to the ledge, padding along it as easily as if it were a dozen feet wide, instead of a dozen inches.
"There's a room ahead." Sirdros reports as they press forward along the tunnel, "Looks like the sewage all empties into it."
"Probably deeper in there, then." Macwood - already knee deep even in the 'shallow' channel - looks less than enthusiastic about progressing any further.
"We have to check it." Briar gives the halfling a resigned smile, "The cockroaches could have come this way. Besides, it was your idea."
"Thank you for reminding me."
As Macwood grumbles, the group reaches the entrance to the chamber. Sirdros and the Padre take the lead, edging carefully into the sewage.
"There's a ledge here." The human cleric reports, carefully stepping down into the deeper area. The brown ooze climbs up to the height of his knees. Macwood looks even less enthusiastic than he did before - something that hadn't seemed possible until that point.
"Stay there," the Padre calls back to the others, "there's no need for you to come any further in. Sirdros and I can check it out, without any problems."
This, of course, is the exact moment that the thing bursts out of the slime.
The cook rushes up to the adventurers, tears in her eyes,
"Please! They have my Dalia! You have to help!"
The group look at each other. None of them want to refuse the woman, but there is also the matter of their responsibility to the church to consider. They retreat into a huddle to discuss the woman's request.
"We should help." Anastria says firmly, "Your 'church' can wait. These people need aid, now."
"Can we afford the delay?" the Padre wonders, "Or the risk? Some of us could be injured, and not be able to go on the church's mission."
"Anyone who was injured could ride in the cart," Sirdros concedes, "The High Priest told me it would take four days to reach Duvik's Pass from here. We'll have them back on their feet by then."
The Padre nods his acknowledgement of the point.
"What do the rest of you think?"
Macwood snorts,
"Of course we're going in, you big fool." The halfling points at the hole in outrage, "They ruined the kitchen."
"No doubt it will now be hours until we would be able to get dinner." Ming Li nods solemnly. Macwood shoots her a suspicious look, but the monk's expression is impassive.
Their course of action agreed, the group leaves Ming Li to stand guard over the hole, the rest of them scattering to don their armour and organise the rest of their equipment. Then, bringing the monk's tiny sack of belongings with them, they return to the inn.
Standing just back from the edge of the hole, they peer into the darkness below.
"Sewers, by the smell of them." Briar wrinkles his nose. " I thought I'd seen the last of these." Catching sight of the curious glances sent his way, he stammers an explanation, "My father was ... um, in the, uh, Sanitation Guild."
"I'm sure guild membership was involved." The Padre agrees sombrely. Briar avoids meeting his eyes.
"Time's wasting." Macwood grumbles, lighting a lantern and then tying it to the end of some rope. Inching to the edge of the hole, he lowers the light into the opening, revealing the sewer tunnel below.
The group moves into action. First, they put Sirdros in a makeshift rope sling and lower him into the tunnel, then they make a simple ladder with a knotted rope and the rest of them - more agile and far more lightly equipped than the elf - climb down after him. The sewer proves to be a square tunnel, roughly eight feet across. There are stone ledges on either side of tunnel, each measuring no more than twelve inches in width. Between them runs a wide - but shallow, as Ming Li discerns with her staff - channel of sewage. The tunnels runs straight in both directions from where they stand, with nothing to distinguish the darkness on their left from that on their right.
"Can anyone see any tracks?" the Padre peers vainly at the ledge beneath their feet.
Sirdros shakes his head.
"I see nothing. The cockroaches may not even have used the ledges. Without a proper tracker, we will have to guess which way they went."
"Amberdale is not a large settlement." Ming Li reminds them, "These tunnels should not be all that extensive. Thus, it may be possible that we can simply explore them all, until we find the missing girl."
The Padre nods his agreement,
"We just have to pick a direction to start with."
"When in doubt, go left." Macwood shrugs off the others' raised eyebrows, "It's an old explorers' trick. Always pick one direction and stick with it. That way, if you have to double back, you always know which way you went."
Anastria frowns,
"Why left? Couldn't you always go right, just as easily."
"No." Macwood answers shortly - and nonsensically. "It has to be left. Besides, left takes us downstream."
The others shrug, and with the decision made, the group sets off. Having all six of them on one ledge soon proves impossible to coordinate, particularly given the poor sense of balance some of them are exhibiting, and - with a grimace - the Padre is the first one to step into the ankle-high slurry that flows sluggishly down the middle of the tunnel.
"It's not too bad." He reports, his expression giving lie to his words, "A bit slippery, so put your feet down carefully, but as long as you're wearing boots you should be fine."
Soon all of the adventurers except for Ming Li are walking in the channel, sliding their feet along the floor so as to minimise the chance of falling into the foul-smelling muck. The monk - dressed in open sandals - sticks to the ledge, padding along it as easily as if it were a dozen feet wide, instead of a dozen inches.
"There's a room ahead." Sirdros reports as they press forward along the tunnel, "Looks like the sewage all empties into it."
"Probably deeper in there, then." Macwood - already knee deep even in the 'shallow' channel - looks less than enthusiastic about progressing any further.
"We have to check it." Briar gives the halfling a resigned smile, "The cockroaches could have come this way. Besides, it was your idea."
"Thank you for reminding me."
As Macwood grumbles, the group reaches the entrance to the chamber. Sirdros and the Padre take the lead, edging carefully into the sewage.
"There's a ledge here." The human cleric reports, carefully stepping down into the deeper area. The brown ooze climbs up to the height of his knees. Macwood looks even less enthusiastic than he did before - something that hadn't seemed possible until that point.
"Stay there," the Padre calls back to the others, "there's no need for you to come any further in. Sirdros and I can check it out, without any problems."
This, of course, is the exact moment that the thing bursts out of the slime.
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