Company of the Random Encounter ('complete' 14 Nov 2004)
- Thread starter Capellan
- Start date
Capellan
Explorer
"Bounty Hunters" by Jim Gillispie's Module Workshop - Part 7
Moving on through the complex reveals more stone chambers, all seemingly unused for several weeks, at least. The only excitement comes from discovering a small chest that has been clumsily tucked 'out of sight' in one of the rooms.
Both Briar and Mantreus examine the chest for signs of traps, and both declare it clear. Mantreus promptly pricks himself on a poisoned needle whilst opening it. Fortunately for the sorcerer, he proves better at resisting traps than detecting them, and suffers no ill effects except for a sore hand.
"Treasure." Elspeth sighs happily, digging through a leather pouch that bulges with coins. "At least we're getting something out this deal."
"Coins, jewellery and a scroll tube." Anastria reports, waving the last item in the air.
"Is it trapped?" Mantreus asks.
"Would you notice if it was?"
The sorcerer glowers, but - still nursing his injured hand - has little ammunition with which to respond.
"Give it to me." The Padre takes the tube and walks across the room, then cracks open the seal. When this fails to disintegrate him, he opens it fully and pulls out the contents. "It's a scroll of silence." He reports, tucking it away in his pack. "I'm the only one who can use that."
"Sirdros could." Anastria points out.
"Sirdros isn’t here."
After gathering up the remaining items from the chest, the group presses on. Eventually, they reach a large, plain chamber. In the furthest corner, they can dimly make out a spiral staircase, leading down.
"Don't tell me there's more of this place." Elspeth grumbles, beginning to step into the room.
"Wait." Briar catches the ranger by the arm, and points, "Look there."
The group looks, and - as their eyes adjust to the gloom at the edge of their torchlight - begin to make out a lumpy brown shape.
The Padre squints,
"It's a body." He observes.
It is indeed. The corpse of a human male lies face down, about two-thirds of the way across the room. The man wears mud-spattered brown robes, and bears an open pack upon his back.
Elspeth scurries forward and immediately begins checking through the man's belongings for any sign of valuables, Mantreus only a step or two behind her. Stormstrider approaches more slowly,
"Is he dead?" the taciturn ranger asks.
"Huh?" Elspeth glances up, shrugs, and checks for a pulse. "No. He's stone cold -" she glances around the room, "- appropriately."
"Dead at least a week I'd say." The Padre crouches beside the corpse, "Hard to say any more accurately due to the conditions here, but the body's pretty well preserved for the age. No sign of infestation by rot grubs -" he ignores Elspeth's squeak of alarm, "- now as for what killed him ... here we go." The cleric lifts the body's shoulder, and points at a dark stain on the man's chest. "Daggers or claws, I'd say."
"No sign of what did it." Mantreus glances around, "Everything seems quiet."
Immediately, a strange and haunting song fills the air.
The sorcerer rolls his eyes.
"Figures." He mutters, then frowns at Briar and Anastria. "What are you two doing?"
Neither woman answers the question. Instead, they each walk slowly toward the stairs in the far corner of the room. The Padre tries to catch Briar by the arm, but his hand slips off her shirt. However, the attempt turns her body slightly - enough that he gets a glimpse at her eyes, which are glassy and unfocussed.
"They've been charmed somehow!" he exclaims.
"It must be the music." Mantreus realises, "I can feel it calling me to go after them." Seeing the burly cleric shape up to tackle him, the sorcerer quickly raises his hands, "Don't worry, I'm not listening. But those two definitely are. We'd better stop them."
Taking his own advice, the sorcerer runs after Anastria and wraps his arms around her waist, trying to hold her back. The attempt is ineffectual, as the elf slips easily free of his grasp.
Stormstrider and Elspeth suffer similar embarrassments in their own attempts - the former does not even manage to lay a hand on his target - and both of the charmed adventurers continue on their path toward the stairs.
The Padre, meanwhile, has been focussing his efforts on attempting to discern the source of the song.
"It's coming from there!" he shouts, and points past Briar and Anastria, toward the stairs. "Whatever it is, they're headed straight for it!"
Moving on through the complex reveals more stone chambers, all seemingly unused for several weeks, at least. The only excitement comes from discovering a small chest that has been clumsily tucked 'out of sight' in one of the rooms.
Both Briar and Mantreus examine the chest for signs of traps, and both declare it clear. Mantreus promptly pricks himself on a poisoned needle whilst opening it. Fortunately for the sorcerer, he proves better at resisting traps than detecting them, and suffers no ill effects except for a sore hand.
"Treasure." Elspeth sighs happily, digging through a leather pouch that bulges with coins. "At least we're getting something out this deal."
"Coins, jewellery and a scroll tube." Anastria reports, waving the last item in the air.
"Is it trapped?" Mantreus asks.
"Would you notice if it was?"
The sorcerer glowers, but - still nursing his injured hand - has little ammunition with which to respond.
"Give it to me." The Padre takes the tube and walks across the room, then cracks open the seal. When this fails to disintegrate him, he opens it fully and pulls out the contents. "It's a scroll of silence." He reports, tucking it away in his pack. "I'm the only one who can use that."
"Sirdros could." Anastria points out.
"Sirdros isn’t here."
After gathering up the remaining items from the chest, the group presses on. Eventually, they reach a large, plain chamber. In the furthest corner, they can dimly make out a spiral staircase, leading down.
"Don't tell me there's more of this place." Elspeth grumbles, beginning to step into the room.
"Wait." Briar catches the ranger by the arm, and points, "Look there."
The group looks, and - as their eyes adjust to the gloom at the edge of their torchlight - begin to make out a lumpy brown shape.
The Padre squints,
"It's a body." He observes.
It is indeed. The corpse of a human male lies face down, about two-thirds of the way across the room. The man wears mud-spattered brown robes, and bears an open pack upon his back.
Elspeth scurries forward and immediately begins checking through the man's belongings for any sign of valuables, Mantreus only a step or two behind her. Stormstrider approaches more slowly,
"Is he dead?" the taciturn ranger asks.
"Huh?" Elspeth glances up, shrugs, and checks for a pulse. "No. He's stone cold -" she glances around the room, "- appropriately."
"Dead at least a week I'd say." The Padre crouches beside the corpse, "Hard to say any more accurately due to the conditions here, but the body's pretty well preserved for the age. No sign of infestation by rot grubs -" he ignores Elspeth's squeak of alarm, "- now as for what killed him ... here we go." The cleric lifts the body's shoulder, and points at a dark stain on the man's chest. "Daggers or claws, I'd say."
"No sign of what did it." Mantreus glances around, "Everything seems quiet."
Immediately, a strange and haunting song fills the air.
The sorcerer rolls his eyes.
"Figures." He mutters, then frowns at Briar and Anastria. "What are you two doing?"
Neither woman answers the question. Instead, they each walk slowly toward the stairs in the far corner of the room. The Padre tries to catch Briar by the arm, but his hand slips off her shirt. However, the attempt turns her body slightly - enough that he gets a glimpse at her eyes, which are glassy and unfocussed.
"They've been charmed somehow!" he exclaims.
"It must be the music." Mantreus realises, "I can feel it calling me to go after them." Seeing the burly cleric shape up to tackle him, the sorcerer quickly raises his hands, "Don't worry, I'm not listening. But those two definitely are. We'd better stop them."
Taking his own advice, the sorcerer runs after Anastria and wraps his arms around her waist, trying to hold her back. The attempt is ineffectual, as the elf slips easily free of his grasp.
Stormstrider and Elspeth suffer similar embarrassments in their own attempts - the former does not even manage to lay a hand on his target - and both of the charmed adventurers continue on their path toward the stairs.
The Padre, meanwhile, has been focussing his efforts on attempting to discern the source of the song.
"It's coming from there!" he shouts, and points past Briar and Anastria, toward the stairs. "Whatever it is, they're headed straight for it!"
Capellan
Explorer
"Bounty Hunters" by Jim Gillispie's Module Workshop - Part 8
Again, Elspeth tries to grapple Briar. This time, she actually manages to maintain her hold, preventing the young rogue from walking toward the sound.
Stormstrider, on the other hand, exhibits neither luck nor skill in his attempt to restrain Anastria. Charging forward in an attempt to knock her off her feet, the ranger somehow misjudges the elven woman's speed, and rushes straight past her, running headlong into a wall.
Not content with being humiliated twice, Stormstrider makes a third, equally inept, attempt to stop Anastria's advance, but she shrugs him off without effort, and walks down the stairs, out of sight.
Seeing that Elspeth is at least preventing Briar from continuing, though she seems unable to fully pin the rogue, Mantreus and the Padre both race after Anastria, judging that they cannot rely on Stormstrider to protect her.
The pair round the turn in the stairs just in time to see a filthy, half-woman half-bird creature rake its twisted claws across the elf woman's chest. Despite the creature's hideous appearance, it sings as it attack, and it is immediately obvious that this singing is the enchanting sound the group have been hearing. Blood splashes across the steps as Anastria sags from the blow, though she makes no other sign of realising her danger.
"It's a Harpy!" the Padre shouts, "We have to stop her singing, before she kills Anastria!"
"Do we really?" Mantreus mock-complains, answering the cleric's stern look with an unashamed grin, "Okay, okay, I'll help."
As the Padre moves in to engage the creature, the sorcerer gauges the space on the stairs. Taking a deep breath, he throws himself forward, somersaulting past the hideous bird-woman when he judges that she won't be able to reach him.
He has misjudged the Harpy's speed: she lashes out with her claw as he tumbles past, scoring him lightly across the side. Landing with an oath of pain and surprise, Mantreus whirls. For a moment, a trick of the torchlight makes his eyes seem to glow orange, and then he lunges forward with a yell, lancing his sword deep into the creature's side.
The Harpy is no kobold, though, to be felled with a single blow. Despite giving a hideous screech of pain, which finally ends her song, she seems to have lost none of her strength as she turns on the impudent sorcerer, raking him deeply with both claws.
Mantreus is knocked backwards, landing in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs, which end abruptly at a wall of fallen masonry. It seems, if nothing else, that the group has come to the end of the complex.
Fortunately for the Padre, Stormstrider chooses this moment to appear at his side, thrusting his way past the still glassy-eyed Anastria to bury his scimitar hilt-deep in the Harpy's chest. The creature coughs blood, sagging slightly, and the cleric seizes the moment to drive his mace down onto the crown of its head, felling it instantly.
As the echoes of the Harpy's song begin to fade, Briar snaps out of her trance. Unfortunately, her immediate reaction is to try and wrestle free of Elspeth, who assumes the worst and attempts to pin the smaller woman to the floor.
"You know," the rogue at last says, after several seconds of pointless struggle, "As much as the boys are probably enjoying this, perhaps you could let me up?"
As the two woman stand and dust themselves off, the 'boys' are in fact oblivious to them both. The Padre rushes down the stairs, employing their precious wand of cure light wounds to ensure that Mantreus does not slip into death.
Even after the healing touch of the wand, the sorcerer is still out cold, and the cleric expends another charge - muttering as he does so about the expense - to bring him back to consciousness.
"This has not been a good day." Mantreus wheezes as he sits up, "Why does everything in this place want to kill me? Why can't they try to kill the ugly people?"
"I can't imagine." The Padre responds, sourly.
"Hey!" Stormstrider who has finished binding Anastria's wounds, and has now been searching the Harpy's nest, calls down to them, "There's a loose stone here."
"Wait!"
"Stop!"
It is too late: the elf has already pulled the stone aside. Both the Padre and Mantreus instinctively flinch, but - fortunately - there is no massive explosion or cloud of poison gas.
"Have you ever heard of traps?" the sorcerer grouses, clambering up the stairs. Stormstrider shrugs,
"You never seem to find them."
Smothering a smirk, the Padre peers past the wild elf, into the dark niche within the wall. He whistles softly, long and low, then reaches in and pulls out the contents.
The diamond rests heavily in his palm, perfectly formed and at least three inches across.
"I think we've found what we've been looking for."
Again, Elspeth tries to grapple Briar. This time, she actually manages to maintain her hold, preventing the young rogue from walking toward the sound.
Stormstrider, on the other hand, exhibits neither luck nor skill in his attempt to restrain Anastria. Charging forward in an attempt to knock her off her feet, the ranger somehow misjudges the elven woman's speed, and rushes straight past her, running headlong into a wall.
Not content with being humiliated twice, Stormstrider makes a third, equally inept, attempt to stop Anastria's advance, but she shrugs him off without effort, and walks down the stairs, out of sight.
Seeing that Elspeth is at least preventing Briar from continuing, though she seems unable to fully pin the rogue, Mantreus and the Padre both race after Anastria, judging that they cannot rely on Stormstrider to protect her.
The pair round the turn in the stairs just in time to see a filthy, half-woman half-bird creature rake its twisted claws across the elf woman's chest. Despite the creature's hideous appearance, it sings as it attack, and it is immediately obvious that this singing is the enchanting sound the group have been hearing. Blood splashes across the steps as Anastria sags from the blow, though she makes no other sign of realising her danger.
"It's a Harpy!" the Padre shouts, "We have to stop her singing, before she kills Anastria!"
"Do we really?" Mantreus mock-complains, answering the cleric's stern look with an unashamed grin, "Okay, okay, I'll help."
As the Padre moves in to engage the creature, the sorcerer gauges the space on the stairs. Taking a deep breath, he throws himself forward, somersaulting past the hideous bird-woman when he judges that she won't be able to reach him.
He has misjudged the Harpy's speed: she lashes out with her claw as he tumbles past, scoring him lightly across the side. Landing with an oath of pain and surprise, Mantreus whirls. For a moment, a trick of the torchlight makes his eyes seem to glow orange, and then he lunges forward with a yell, lancing his sword deep into the creature's side.
The Harpy is no kobold, though, to be felled with a single blow. Despite giving a hideous screech of pain, which finally ends her song, she seems to have lost none of her strength as she turns on the impudent sorcerer, raking him deeply with both claws.
Mantreus is knocked backwards, landing in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs, which end abruptly at a wall of fallen masonry. It seems, if nothing else, that the group has come to the end of the complex.
Fortunately for the Padre, Stormstrider chooses this moment to appear at his side, thrusting his way past the still glassy-eyed Anastria to bury his scimitar hilt-deep in the Harpy's chest. The creature coughs blood, sagging slightly, and the cleric seizes the moment to drive his mace down onto the crown of its head, felling it instantly.
As the echoes of the Harpy's song begin to fade, Briar snaps out of her trance. Unfortunately, her immediate reaction is to try and wrestle free of Elspeth, who assumes the worst and attempts to pin the smaller woman to the floor.
"You know," the rogue at last says, after several seconds of pointless struggle, "As much as the boys are probably enjoying this, perhaps you could let me up?"
As the two woman stand and dust themselves off, the 'boys' are in fact oblivious to them both. The Padre rushes down the stairs, employing their precious wand of cure light wounds to ensure that Mantreus does not slip into death.
Even after the healing touch of the wand, the sorcerer is still out cold, and the cleric expends another charge - muttering as he does so about the expense - to bring him back to consciousness.
"This has not been a good day." Mantreus wheezes as he sits up, "Why does everything in this place want to kill me? Why can't they try to kill the ugly people?"
"I can't imagine." The Padre responds, sourly.
"Hey!" Stormstrider who has finished binding Anastria's wounds, and has now been searching the Harpy's nest, calls down to them, "There's a loose stone here."
"Wait!"
"Stop!"
It is too late: the elf has already pulled the stone aside. Both the Padre and Mantreus instinctively flinch, but - fortunately - there is no massive explosion or cloud of poison gas.
"Have you ever heard of traps?" the sorcerer grouses, clambering up the stairs. Stormstrider shrugs,
"You never seem to find them."
Smothering a smirk, the Padre peers past the wild elf, into the dark niche within the wall. He whistles softly, long and low, then reaches in and pulls out the contents.
The diamond rests heavily in his palm, perfectly formed and at least three inches across.
"I think we've found what we've been looking for."
GreyShadow
Explorer
Damn, but that is one big rock. 
Capellan
Explorer
"Bounty Hunters" by Jim Gillispie's Module Workshop - Part 9
Though they have the diamond, the group still has no guarantee that the bounty hunters will not insist on taking Marble McCray's life - or their own, for that matter - so when they return to the surface, they plan how to defend the ruined tower, if an attack should be launched.
The Padre takes the lead in planning, musing as he paces back and forth across the tower.
"We need someone on watch. Someone with good eyes, who isn't likely to be seen -"
Mantreus shrugs,
"Twinkle."
"- who is also reliable."
"Not Twinkle."
"Elspeth, you're probably our best choice." The Padre glances at the elf, "Just try not to shoot anyone until we know they're hostile."
"Is it a good idea for one of us to be outside, alone?" Mantreus questions, "These guys aren't amateurs. When I become the richest man in the Duchy, I'll pay people like them running errands for me -" he pauses, "- or maybe I'll just magic 'em into doing my bidding - but for now they're going to be very dangerous to tangle with. We'd be best to stick together."
The Padre considers,
"We do know they have to come to us. We should probably all stay in the tower. One of the lighter people can climb up and keep watch out of the slit windows. That way, we can all be ready when they come through the door."
"Sounds good to me." Elspeth is in an aggressive mood, having not had a chance to kill anything in their fight with the Harpy, "They come in, we fill 'em full of arrows, then chop up whatever's left."
"It's not going to be that easy." Briar warns, "I'm with Mantreus on this. At least the parts about these people being dangerous. His delusions of grandeur are another matter."
"Hey!" the sorcerer protests, "Just because you've got bosoms now, doesn't mean you can make fun of me. If anything, it should mean you swoon at my studly good looks."
"How did those happen?" the Padre frowns at Briar's chest.
"It's called puberty."
"You're getting off track." Anastria interjects, with a pronounced roll of her eyes, "Humans. Always flitting about from subject to subject. Can never keep their minds on one thing -"
"That's not what the barmaids tell me."
"Shut up, Mantreus." The Padre waves a hand wearily, "We do need to keep on track here, if we don't want to end up dead. And personally, I'm not that eager to meet Saint Cuthbert."
There's a momentary pause as everyone tries to work out if the priest just attempted a joke.
"I like the 'hiding in the tower and ambushing them when they come in' plan." Briar shrugs. There is a chorus of agreement, broken only by Stormstrider,
"What if they don't come?"
The Padre snorts,
"We have their diamond. They'll come."
They don't come.
At length, the Padre stirs.
"What time is it?"
Mantreus squints at a gap in the roof of the tower,
"About an hour before dark."
"They should be here by now."
"They should have been here hours ago. Apparently they didn't get the invitation."
The priest ignores he attempted witticism and walks over to the door of the tower. Staring out into the woods, he shakes his head,
"I think they're here." He says at last, "We just can't see them."
"How do we find out?"
"Unfortunately, there's only one way." The Padre turns back to the door, clears his throat, then bellows, "We have the diamond!"
After a few moment, a calm voice calls back out of the woods,
"We know."
The priest glances back at the others,
"They're here."
"So I noticed." Elspeth snorts, "So why haven't they attacked?"
"Waiting for darkness, probably." Mantreus offers, "That, or they figure we'll run out of food and have to leave, sooner or later."
Briar nods her agreement,
"Tell them we want to trade. Maybe they'll agree, if we suggest it. From everything we've been told, their main goal is to get the gem."
"It's worth a try." The Padre admits, "How about a trade?"
The terms prove surprisingly easy to agree. If the diamond is left out in the open, well away from the tower, the bounty hunters will take it and depart. Or at least, they say they will.
The Padre is the only one with the courage - if that's the correct term - to be willing to venture outside the tower. Gripping the diamond in one hand, he gives the others a stern look,
"If I die, at least try to get my body back to the church, will you?"
As last words go, they're not a terribly inspiring choice.
Fortunately, the hunters are true to their word: the Padre inches out, leaves the diamond on a rock about forty feet from the tower, and then hurries back inside, without any attempt being made to harm him. By the time he has turned to look back the way he came, the diamond is gone.
"Right. That's that dealt with." Elspeth marches off toward the entrance to the dungeons below, "Now that no-one's waiting to kill us, let's go search that place properly. There's bound to be some stuff we missed."
Some adventuring groups might have balked at the suggestion. Night is falling, and they've been on their feet - and on edge - all day. The treasure (if there is any) will still be there in the morning. But this is the Company of the Random Encounter. They follow willingly. After all, there must be some way to make a profit from this deal ...
Though they have the diamond, the group still has no guarantee that the bounty hunters will not insist on taking Marble McCray's life - or their own, for that matter - so when they return to the surface, they plan how to defend the ruined tower, if an attack should be launched.
The Padre takes the lead in planning, musing as he paces back and forth across the tower.
"We need someone on watch. Someone with good eyes, who isn't likely to be seen -"
Mantreus shrugs,
"Twinkle."
"- who is also reliable."
"Not Twinkle."
"Elspeth, you're probably our best choice." The Padre glances at the elf, "Just try not to shoot anyone until we know they're hostile."
"Is it a good idea for one of us to be outside, alone?" Mantreus questions, "These guys aren't amateurs. When I become the richest man in the Duchy, I'll pay people like them running errands for me -" he pauses, "- or maybe I'll just magic 'em into doing my bidding - but for now they're going to be very dangerous to tangle with. We'd be best to stick together."
The Padre considers,
"We do know they have to come to us. We should probably all stay in the tower. One of the lighter people can climb up and keep watch out of the slit windows. That way, we can all be ready when they come through the door."
"Sounds good to me." Elspeth is in an aggressive mood, having not had a chance to kill anything in their fight with the Harpy, "They come in, we fill 'em full of arrows, then chop up whatever's left."
"It's not going to be that easy." Briar warns, "I'm with Mantreus on this. At least the parts about these people being dangerous. His delusions of grandeur are another matter."
"Hey!" the sorcerer protests, "Just because you've got bosoms now, doesn't mean you can make fun of me. If anything, it should mean you swoon at my studly good looks."
"How did those happen?" the Padre frowns at Briar's chest.
"It's called puberty."
"You're getting off track." Anastria interjects, with a pronounced roll of her eyes, "Humans. Always flitting about from subject to subject. Can never keep their minds on one thing -"
"That's not what the barmaids tell me."
"Shut up, Mantreus." The Padre waves a hand wearily, "We do need to keep on track here, if we don't want to end up dead. And personally, I'm not that eager to meet Saint Cuthbert."
There's a momentary pause as everyone tries to work out if the priest just attempted a joke.
"I like the 'hiding in the tower and ambushing them when they come in' plan." Briar shrugs. There is a chorus of agreement, broken only by Stormstrider,
"What if they don't come?"
The Padre snorts,
"We have their diamond. They'll come."
They don't come.
At length, the Padre stirs.
"What time is it?"
Mantreus squints at a gap in the roof of the tower,
"About an hour before dark."
"They should be here by now."
"They should have been here hours ago. Apparently they didn't get the invitation."
The priest ignores he attempted witticism and walks over to the door of the tower. Staring out into the woods, he shakes his head,
"I think they're here." He says at last, "We just can't see them."
"How do we find out?"
"Unfortunately, there's only one way." The Padre turns back to the door, clears his throat, then bellows, "We have the diamond!"
After a few moment, a calm voice calls back out of the woods,
"We know."
The priest glances back at the others,
"They're here."
"So I noticed." Elspeth snorts, "So why haven't they attacked?"
"Waiting for darkness, probably." Mantreus offers, "That, or they figure we'll run out of food and have to leave, sooner or later."
Briar nods her agreement,
"Tell them we want to trade. Maybe they'll agree, if we suggest it. From everything we've been told, their main goal is to get the gem."
"It's worth a try." The Padre admits, "How about a trade?"
The terms prove surprisingly easy to agree. If the diamond is left out in the open, well away from the tower, the bounty hunters will take it and depart. Or at least, they say they will.
The Padre is the only one with the courage - if that's the correct term - to be willing to venture outside the tower. Gripping the diamond in one hand, he gives the others a stern look,
"If I die, at least try to get my body back to the church, will you?"
As last words go, they're not a terribly inspiring choice.
Fortunately, the hunters are true to their word: the Padre inches out, leaves the diamond on a rock about forty feet from the tower, and then hurries back inside, without any attempt being made to harm him. By the time he has turned to look back the way he came, the diamond is gone.
"Right. That's that dealt with." Elspeth marches off toward the entrance to the dungeons below, "Now that no-one's waiting to kill us, let's go search that place properly. There's bound to be some stuff we missed."
Some adventuring groups might have balked at the suggestion. Night is falling, and they've been on their feet - and on edge - all day. The treasure (if there is any) will still be there in the morning. But this is the Company of the Random Encounter. They follow willingly. After all, there must be some way to make a profit from this deal ...
spyscribe
First Post
Capellan said:I wish I was caught up - I'm still six sessions behind on the updates
Not to hijack your most excellent tale, but you write three story hours and this one is only six sessions behind?
Sheesh. I wish I was that close to being current.
Good update. Nice to see sometimes the bad guys dither before opening doors too.
Capellan
Explorer
"Forgotten Honour" by Eric Price (Dragon Scale Counters) - Part 1
With the bounty hunters no longer a threat, the adventurers return to Amberdale, where they immediately make for the inn's taproom. Saving the day is thirsty work. As soon as they arrive, however, Brent Birchwhistle hails them,
"Captain Jarrek asked for you to go see him as soon as you returned." He explains, whilst wiping a flagon clean.
"Are you his lackey too, now?" Twinkle asks, apparently not feeling any particular affection for the militia Captain. Brent seems to find the question amusing,
"If I am, it's not been mentioned." He remarks, "The Captain simply thought this would be one of the first places you visited, and asked that I give you his message. It seemed a small enough matter to do as he asked."
"That's how it always starts." The gnome mutters, "And then the next thing you know, you're in a dark hole somewhere with something ugly trying to eat you."
Despite Twinkle's grumbles - and not a few from the others - the adventurers head over to the militia barracks to learn what Jarrek wants.
"I've got new information about the iron door in the sewers." He explains, "Yer said yer were interested in it."
"We are." The Padre agrees, "Though perhaps not right now. I have some matters I need to take care of - reports to my superiors, that sort of thing."
"Is that so?" Jarrek shrugs, "What about the rest of yer?"
"I'm going to be busy for a few days, as well." Mantreus speaks up, "I have some business matters to attend to. Perhaps after -"
"We're available." Elspeth breaks in. "Some of us, at least. What is it you learned?"
"Well, what yer told me about the door sounded familiar to me. Couldn't place where I'd heard of it, at first, but I checked through the old records here at the barracks. Found some reports about it, from back from the days when Gardan was in charge of the militia." Jarrek taps a thick roll of parchment in front of him, "Turns out that when they was buildin' the sewers, they accidentally opened this ancient tomb o' some kind. The workers started to have a poke around - probably lookin' for anything they could steal - but they was attacked by 'walkin' dead'." The Captain pauses, "Doesn't say what kind, but in any case the workers ran, and called in ol' Gardan. He took one look at the place and sealed it up with that door y'found, then had the priests bless it everyway they knew how, to keep all the evil inside."
"Do any of the priests remember anything about it?" Macwood asks, "We tried to get through the door, before, but it was sealed up tight. Maybe one of them can tell us how to get it open."
Jarrek shakes his head,
"The priests from those times are all dead: this is back over forty years. The only one who's still alive - least as far as I know - is Gardan. He might be able to tell you what you need to know. O' course, you'll need to find the daft old bugger. He took off out of town about ten years back, and has been livin' up in the hills since then. He'd be near seventy, by now, but he was a tough 'un. Should still be kickin' around there, somewhere."
"So," Twinkle rolls her eyes, "All we need to do is find this guy - though you don't know where he is, or even if he's alive - and ask him about something that happened forty years ago. Assuming he can remember, and what he tells us is useful, then all we need to do then is open the door, kill all the hideous undead, and save the day ... as usual."
"That about covers it." Jarrek apparently has immunity to sarcasm. "Yer'll get paid fer it, o' course. I know yer won't do it, otherwise. Yer can keep anythin' yer find in the tomb, and I'll pay yer another hundred gold - total - on top o' that."
"How generous of you." Ming Li says, expressionlessly, "May I ask why you wish us to do this? It seems that the tomb is sealed, and the danger contained. If we open it, we may put the town at risk, when that is not necessary."
The other adventurers, scenting gold, glare at the monk for daring to suggest the task be declined, but Jarrek is already shaking his head.
"I wish I could jus' do what Gardan did." He sighs, "Jus' seal it up and ferget it. Save the town a few coin, it would. But with all the death cultists as seem to be runnin' round these parts lately, I can't afford it. If one of them found the tomb and got it open, we could be in real trouble, and never know about it. This way, at least we'll know the damn thing's open."
"Very well." Ming Li nods her acceptance of this logic, "I will undertake this mission."
Stormstrider nods silently, Elspeth grunts her acceptance of the terms, and both Twinkle and Macwood seem happy enough with the offer.
"That's five, then." Jarrek nods, "That all of you?"
"We could always check if anyone else is available." Macwood shrugs, "But with me and Kewpie Doll on the team, we won't need them."
"We'll check with the others." Elspeth says, firmly.
"Do you doubt my ability?" the halfling raises his eyebrows.
"I'm confident I know exactly how able you are. That's why we're asking the others." The ranger heads out of the room, leaving a sputtering Macwood in her wake.
With the bounty hunters no longer a threat, the adventurers return to Amberdale, where they immediately make for the inn's taproom. Saving the day is thirsty work. As soon as they arrive, however, Brent Birchwhistle hails them,
"Captain Jarrek asked for you to go see him as soon as you returned." He explains, whilst wiping a flagon clean.
"Are you his lackey too, now?" Twinkle asks, apparently not feeling any particular affection for the militia Captain. Brent seems to find the question amusing,
"If I am, it's not been mentioned." He remarks, "The Captain simply thought this would be one of the first places you visited, and asked that I give you his message. It seemed a small enough matter to do as he asked."
"That's how it always starts." The gnome mutters, "And then the next thing you know, you're in a dark hole somewhere with something ugly trying to eat you."
Despite Twinkle's grumbles - and not a few from the others - the adventurers head over to the militia barracks to learn what Jarrek wants.
"I've got new information about the iron door in the sewers." He explains, "Yer said yer were interested in it."
"We are." The Padre agrees, "Though perhaps not right now. I have some matters I need to take care of - reports to my superiors, that sort of thing."
"Is that so?" Jarrek shrugs, "What about the rest of yer?"
"I'm going to be busy for a few days, as well." Mantreus speaks up, "I have some business matters to attend to. Perhaps after -"
"We're available." Elspeth breaks in. "Some of us, at least. What is it you learned?"
"Well, what yer told me about the door sounded familiar to me. Couldn't place where I'd heard of it, at first, but I checked through the old records here at the barracks. Found some reports about it, from back from the days when Gardan was in charge of the militia." Jarrek taps a thick roll of parchment in front of him, "Turns out that when they was buildin' the sewers, they accidentally opened this ancient tomb o' some kind. The workers started to have a poke around - probably lookin' for anything they could steal - but they was attacked by 'walkin' dead'." The Captain pauses, "Doesn't say what kind, but in any case the workers ran, and called in ol' Gardan. He took one look at the place and sealed it up with that door y'found, then had the priests bless it everyway they knew how, to keep all the evil inside."
"Do any of the priests remember anything about it?" Macwood asks, "We tried to get through the door, before, but it was sealed up tight. Maybe one of them can tell us how to get it open."
Jarrek shakes his head,
"The priests from those times are all dead: this is back over forty years. The only one who's still alive - least as far as I know - is Gardan. He might be able to tell you what you need to know. O' course, you'll need to find the daft old bugger. He took off out of town about ten years back, and has been livin' up in the hills since then. He'd be near seventy, by now, but he was a tough 'un. Should still be kickin' around there, somewhere."
"So," Twinkle rolls her eyes, "All we need to do is find this guy - though you don't know where he is, or even if he's alive - and ask him about something that happened forty years ago. Assuming he can remember, and what he tells us is useful, then all we need to do then is open the door, kill all the hideous undead, and save the day ... as usual."
"That about covers it." Jarrek apparently has immunity to sarcasm. "Yer'll get paid fer it, o' course. I know yer won't do it, otherwise. Yer can keep anythin' yer find in the tomb, and I'll pay yer another hundred gold - total - on top o' that."
"How generous of you." Ming Li says, expressionlessly, "May I ask why you wish us to do this? It seems that the tomb is sealed, and the danger contained. If we open it, we may put the town at risk, when that is not necessary."
The other adventurers, scenting gold, glare at the monk for daring to suggest the task be declined, but Jarrek is already shaking his head.
"I wish I could jus' do what Gardan did." He sighs, "Jus' seal it up and ferget it. Save the town a few coin, it would. But with all the death cultists as seem to be runnin' round these parts lately, I can't afford it. If one of them found the tomb and got it open, we could be in real trouble, and never know about it. This way, at least we'll know the damn thing's open."
"Very well." Ming Li nods her acceptance of this logic, "I will undertake this mission."
Stormstrider nods silently, Elspeth grunts her acceptance of the terms, and both Twinkle and Macwood seem happy enough with the offer.
"That's five, then." Jarrek nods, "That all of you?"
"We could always check if anyone else is available." Macwood shrugs, "But with me and Kewpie Doll on the team, we won't need them."
"We'll check with the others." Elspeth says, firmly.
"Do you doubt my ability?" the halfling raises his eyebrows.
"I'm confident I know exactly how able you are. That's why we're asking the others." The ranger heads out of the room, leaving a sputtering Macwood in her wake.
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