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Hard Core Adventurers- KOTS 20.06 The Cathedral of Shadows
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<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 6061567" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 18px">KOTS Part 8a: Sleep, perchance to dream.</span></p><p></p><p>An hour or so later the five adventurers, including a now upright and mobile- and compos mentis, Hal; are ensconced in the former goblin chief's bedchamber.</p><p></p><p>The bodies of the fallen goblins have been hidden away in another chamber nearby, after being thoroughly searched of course. The secret doors have been investigated by Sigur, who has a degree of expertise in the area, they are at present closed- as are all the doors leading to the chief's chamber.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers want, make that need, to rest- particularly Jimmy and Tonka who are both on their last legs.</p><p></p><p>They have however made a number of discoveries in the last sixty or so minutes, the first a greatsword of marvellous manufacture, hidden beneath the chief's bed, Hal in idle moments admires his new blade.</p><p></p><p>[sblock=Hal 5000]</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 15px">Hal 5000, Male Warforged Great Weapon Fighter Level 1</span></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 15px">Played by Lee</span></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40504969@N08/8080407279/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8474/8080407279_f47f6a7520.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center">Hal is loving his +1 Greatsword.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p>Also located beneath the bed is a chest, formerly locked and trapped with a poison needle- neither a match for a curious Jimmy. Within is another vast pile of gold coins- it seems the adventurers are rich, well... should they escape this place with their lives.</p><p></p><p>More importantly they locate a swathe of letters and notices, written in a mixture of the goblin tongue and crude common. The author of the dozen or so pieces of parchment appears to be someone called Commander Gark. It seems Balgron was assigned to guard the entrance to the catacombs, as explained previously by the goblin prisoners. Gark makes lots of threats should Balgron fail, clearly Gark is in charge here.</p><p></p><p>Nobody is pleased to hear that Balgron has a boss, the goblin bastard was hard enough to kill.</p><p></p><p>Two of the notes also make mention of the ‘messengers', whoever or whatever they may be. Balgron, it transpires, was also charged with looking after them...</p><p></p><p>“The messengers?” Tonka wonders out loud, having read all of the missives to his compatriots.</p><p>“What do you think people?” The dragonborn asks, while lying on his bedroll.</p><p></p><p>Jimmy, on watch at the door, looks back.</p><p></p><p>“Pigeons?”</p><p>“Where?” Gokan looks up hungry.</p><p>“Noooo!” Tonka whines, “not pigeons.”</p><p></p><p>Jimmy thinks some more, as does Hal- Gokan blinks twice.</p><p></p><p>Sigur on the bed, under the covers, and still clutching half a bottle of dwarven whisky, snores loudly.</p><p></p><p>“What then?” Jimmy asks.</p><p>“Perhaps the kobolds?” Tonka tries.</p><p></p><p>Gokan blinks- just once this time.</p><p></p><p>“It doesn't sound right- besides that was Irontooth's job...” Tonka answers his own question.</p><p></p><p>The chamber goes silent again.</p><p></p><p>Except for Sigur's rasping snores.</p><p></p><p>“Mess-en-gers...” Tonka sounds every syllable.</p><p></p><p>“It is clear that whoever or whatever these messengers are their role was to move between the various groups within the area- delivering the aforementioned messages. To date we have investigated the burial site, the kobolds’ lair and here- therefore the messengers’ job would be to move between these sites unopposed- perhaps even secretly. Yes, that's probably it.”</p><p></p><p>Hal stops to think.</p><p></p><p>Jimmy and Tonka hang on the metal man's words.</p><p></p><p>Gokan blinks.</p><p></p><p>“It is therefore logical to conclude that the messengers are a group of creatures we have yet to meet, who specialise in moving between the various groups using stealth, or else using some other form of disguise, or chicanery.”</p><p></p><p>“Chicanery?” Jimmy whispers at Tonka.</p><p>“It's a herb used to flavour pastries.” Tonka elucidates.</p><p>“Thanks.” Jimmy nods.</p><p></p><p>“Logically.” Hal finishes.</p><p>“Good work Hal.” Tonka remarks, and then begins snoring.</p><p></p><p>Several hours later, and Jimmy is back on watch, sitting by the doors- the rota having been decided by Sigur, of course.</p><p></p><p>Silence.</p><p></p><p>Hal stands in a corner of the chamber- head down, lights off, recharging his batteries. Gokan hasn't changed position- every now and then the half-orc blinks; his brother sleeps with both eyes open, Jimmy wonders about this, and about why he wasn't aware of this odd fact- until now.</p><p></p><p>Sigur, swaddled in blankets still- in Balgron's bed, sleeps on- the dwarf has stopped snoring.</p><p></p><p>Jimmy completes a circuit of the chamber- looks down at Tonka, the nearest of his companions- the dragonborn opens his eyes, stretches, and then whispers.</p><p></p><p>“Is it me yet?”</p><p></p><p>Jimmy looks at the candle, there's still a little way for it to burn down, the halfling shakes his head.</p><p></p><p>The silence returns.</p><p></p><p>But only for a little while.</p><p></p><p>“Jimmy.” Tonka whispers.</p><p>The halfling turns to stare.</p><p>“What's with the brother thing?” Tonka nods at Gokan, and then Hal.</p><p>“How can they be your brothers? And Douvern, your dad. He's human? I don't...”</p><p>“He's not really my dad, I mean, our dad, not...” Jimmy tries to find the words.</p><p></p><p>“Go on...” Tonka whispers.</p><p>“Douvern, I mean dad- it never felt right, calling him Douvern.”</p><p>Tonka nods.</p><p>“Dad took me in, twenty-eight years ago, found me on the streets of Fallcrest- or rather the City Watch did. One of the Watch guys, Sgt. Murgeddin, a dwarf, he found me- took me to Dad, they're friends.”</p><p>Tonka nods some more.</p><p>“My parents were barge folk, or at least... well, best guess- they didn't want me. But dad, and mum- Gerda, they wanted me. So they brought me up. I was only a baby.”</p><p></p><p>Silence.</p><p></p><p>“I've never known any other parents, they're just... Mum and dad, always have been.”</p><p></p><p>Tonka nods some more, then looks over at Gokan again, “and Gokan?”</p><p></p><p>“Same deal, mum and dad took him in twenty years past, he was older than I was, and more, y'know... Orcish back then. Erathis knows how he ended up in Fallcrest but he'd seen some hard times. Dad saw him working on the docks- asked around, don't know why, he's just like that. Anyway Gokan was sleeping rough, dad invited him home for a meal- he came back, and again, and again, they made him up a room eventually.”</p><p></p><p>Jimmy shrugs, looks over at his half-orc brother.</p><p></p><p>“He doesn't say much, just every now and then- mostly he talks to mum. I don't know the whole story, as I say, bad things... He's always looked out for me though- I didn't mind, I always wanted a big brother...”</p><p></p><p>Jimmy shrugs again.</p><p></p><p>And then pointedly looks at Hal.</p><p></p><p>“Hal's the strange one. Dad found him- he'd got in to excavating ruins and the like, he's always been interested in the past. Anyway one day, about ten years ago, he comes back from some dig site on the outskirts of the Witchlight Fens- creepy place, and he's got Hal with him.”</p><p></p><p>Tonka looks confused.</p><p></p><p>“He'd dug him up, says he uncovered his head first, and Hal just started talking- a lot of nonsense dad says but... a bit strange, anyway he dug him out. At first, when he came home with dad, Hal didn't say anything, not after that first time... He was just always there- in the house, wherever dad went Hal went.”</p><p></p><p>Tonka nods.</p><p></p><p>“Dad says he's ancient, from before the old empire even, maybe 500 years old- imagine that...”</p><p></p><p>Tonka and Jimmy stare at Hal, the warforged doesn't move.</p><p></p><p>“Dad reckons he doesn't say anything ‘less he's thought about it- said he's had plenty of time to think about things.”</p><p></p><p>Jimmy stares vacantly.</p><p></p><p>“I like him... but he's a bit, odd. Mum doesn’t get on with him, she never did anything to make him unwelcome but... It's always been difficult with Hal and mum. But he's my brother, I guess... My bigger, much older, brother.”</p><p></p><p>Jimmy grins.</p><p></p><p>“That's it really- none of us are related, and yet... Mum and dad brought us together- a family.”</p><p></p><p>Jimmy grins again, content.</p><p></p><p>Silence for a while, then Tonka stirs again.</p><p></p><p>“And the dwarf, I mean Sigur?”</p><p>“He's a bloody lunatic. One of dad’s friends- but even he thought he was a bit tapped. Avandra knows how he ended up coming with us, I don't think mum told him that dad was missing- no idea how he found out, how he ended up here. Him and dad adventured together but that was...” Jimmy exhales loudly, “... forty or more years ago. An age. And he was old then dad said.” Jimmy nods towards Sigur.</p><p></p><p>Tonka nods- satisfied.</p><p></p><p>The silence goes on for a while.</p><p></p><p>Eventually Jimmy asks.</p><p></p><p>“What's this all about?” The halfling asks.</p><p>“What d'you mean?” Tonka looks a little confused.</p><p>“This place, the goblins, the messengers, the stuff that the old geezer- the sage, told us about- Sir Keegan slaying his family, all that?” Jimmy looks nonplussed.</p><p></p><p>Tonka thinks about his answer.</p><p></p><p>“You know the difference between right and wrong, Jimmy? Don't you? Between good and bad?”</p><p>Jimmy nods.</p><p>“Well, all I know is there's something bad here, probably buried deep- beneath a pile of goblins, and worse probably. We're here to find the bad thing and make it go away- kill it, maybe, or else...” Tonka shrugs.</p><p></p><p>Jimmy continues to stare, perhaps a little unsure.</p><p></p><p>“I know why I'm here, it’s my job Jimmy. It’s what I was born to do, trained to do- in the service of my great and glorious lord, the platinum dragon, Bahamut, who will rise again.”</p><p></p><p>“It’s easy for me Jimmy.” Tonka adds with a smile.</p><p></p><p>Jimmy nods, once.</p><p></p><p>“Why you're here Jimmy. That's not for me to say, or even guess at- only you can answer that. But there's one thing I'm certain of...”</p><p></p><p>Jimmy leans in a little, eager to share the secret.</p><p></p><p>“We're the good guys. You're a good guy. As is Gokan, and Hal- and even Sigur. I'm certain of that, that's not a bad place to start.”</p><p></p><p>Jimmy nods.</p><p>Tonka nods back, and grins.</p><p>Jimmy grins back.</p><p></p><p>The pair continue to smile at each other, and then... and then.</p><p></p><p>“What was that?”</p><p>Jimmy sits up quickly, puts his eye to the door, slightly ajar- he spies in to the darkened corridor leading away from the chamber.</p><p></p><p>Rats, scurrying, skittering, sniffing, scratching...</p><p></p><p>Rats!</p><p></p><p>Jimmy is on his feet.</p><p></p><p>He screams a warning.</p><p></p><p>“RATS!”</p><p></p><p>“Hundreds of them...” Jimmy whispers as the chamber behind him bursts in to life.</p><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40504969@N08/8045379223/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8170/8045379223_612ce60117_o.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Goonalan, post: 6061567, member: 16069"] [CENTER][SIZE="5"]KOTS Part 8a: Sleep, perchance to dream.[/SIZE][/CENTER] An hour or so later the five adventurers, including a now upright and mobile- and compos mentis, Hal; are ensconced in the former goblin chief's bedchamber. The bodies of the fallen goblins have been hidden away in another chamber nearby, after being thoroughly searched of course. The secret doors have been investigated by Sigur, who has a degree of expertise in the area, they are at present closed- as are all the doors leading to the chief's chamber. The adventurers want, make that need, to rest- particularly Jimmy and Tonka who are both on their last legs. They have however made a number of discoveries in the last sixty or so minutes, the first a greatsword of marvellous manufacture, hidden beneath the chief's bed, Hal in idle moments admires his new blade. [sblock=Hal 5000] [CENTER][SIZE="4"]Hal 5000, Male Warforged Great Weapon Fighter Level 1[/SIZE] [SIZE="4"]Played by Lee[/SIZE] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/40504969@N08/8080407279/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8474/8080407279_f47f6a7520.jpg[/img][/url] Hal is loving his +1 Greatsword.[/CENTER] [/sblock] Also located beneath the bed is a chest, formerly locked and trapped with a poison needle- neither a match for a curious Jimmy. Within is another vast pile of gold coins- it seems the adventurers are rich, well... should they escape this place with their lives. More importantly they locate a swathe of letters and notices, written in a mixture of the goblin tongue and crude common. The author of the dozen or so pieces of parchment appears to be someone called Commander Gark. It seems Balgron was assigned to guard the entrance to the catacombs, as explained previously by the goblin prisoners. Gark makes lots of threats should Balgron fail, clearly Gark is in charge here. Nobody is pleased to hear that Balgron has a boss, the goblin bastard was hard enough to kill. Two of the notes also make mention of the ‘messengers', whoever or whatever they may be. Balgron, it transpires, was also charged with looking after them... “The messengers?” Tonka wonders out loud, having read all of the missives to his compatriots. “What do you think people?” The dragonborn asks, while lying on his bedroll. Jimmy, on watch at the door, looks back. “Pigeons?” “Where?” Gokan looks up hungry. “Noooo!” Tonka whines, “not pigeons.” Jimmy thinks some more, as does Hal- Gokan blinks twice. Sigur on the bed, under the covers, and still clutching half a bottle of dwarven whisky, snores loudly. “What then?” Jimmy asks. “Perhaps the kobolds?” Tonka tries. Gokan blinks- just once this time. “It doesn't sound right- besides that was Irontooth's job...” Tonka answers his own question. The chamber goes silent again. Except for Sigur's rasping snores. “Mess-en-gers...” Tonka sounds every syllable. “It is clear that whoever or whatever these messengers are their role was to move between the various groups within the area- delivering the aforementioned messages. To date we have investigated the burial site, the kobolds’ lair and here- therefore the messengers’ job would be to move between these sites unopposed- perhaps even secretly. Yes, that's probably it.” Hal stops to think. Jimmy and Tonka hang on the metal man's words. Gokan blinks. “It is therefore logical to conclude that the messengers are a group of creatures we have yet to meet, who specialise in moving between the various groups using stealth, or else using some other form of disguise, or chicanery.” “Chicanery?” Jimmy whispers at Tonka. “It's a herb used to flavour pastries.” Tonka elucidates. “Thanks.” Jimmy nods. “Logically.” Hal finishes. “Good work Hal.” Tonka remarks, and then begins snoring. Several hours later, and Jimmy is back on watch, sitting by the doors- the rota having been decided by Sigur, of course. Silence. Hal stands in a corner of the chamber- head down, lights off, recharging his batteries. Gokan hasn't changed position- every now and then the half-orc blinks; his brother sleeps with both eyes open, Jimmy wonders about this, and about why he wasn't aware of this odd fact- until now. Sigur, swaddled in blankets still- in Balgron's bed, sleeps on- the dwarf has stopped snoring. Jimmy completes a circuit of the chamber- looks down at Tonka, the nearest of his companions- the dragonborn opens his eyes, stretches, and then whispers. “Is it me yet?” Jimmy looks at the candle, there's still a little way for it to burn down, the halfling shakes his head. The silence returns. But only for a little while. “Jimmy.” Tonka whispers. The halfling turns to stare. “What's with the brother thing?” Tonka nods at Gokan, and then Hal. “How can they be your brothers? And Douvern, your dad. He's human? I don't...” “He's not really my dad, I mean, our dad, not...” Jimmy tries to find the words. “Go on...” Tonka whispers. “Douvern, I mean dad- it never felt right, calling him Douvern.” Tonka nods. “Dad took me in, twenty-eight years ago, found me on the streets of Fallcrest- or rather the City Watch did. One of the Watch guys, Sgt. Murgeddin, a dwarf, he found me- took me to Dad, they're friends.” Tonka nods some more. “My parents were barge folk, or at least... well, best guess- they didn't want me. But dad, and mum- Gerda, they wanted me. So they brought me up. I was only a baby.” Silence. “I've never known any other parents, they're just... Mum and dad, always have been.” Tonka nods some more, then looks over at Gokan again, “and Gokan?” “Same deal, mum and dad took him in twenty years past, he was older than I was, and more, y'know... Orcish back then. Erathis knows how he ended up in Fallcrest but he'd seen some hard times. Dad saw him working on the docks- asked around, don't know why, he's just like that. Anyway Gokan was sleeping rough, dad invited him home for a meal- he came back, and again, and again, they made him up a room eventually.” Jimmy shrugs, looks over at his half-orc brother. “He doesn't say much, just every now and then- mostly he talks to mum. I don't know the whole story, as I say, bad things... He's always looked out for me though- I didn't mind, I always wanted a big brother...” Jimmy shrugs again. And then pointedly looks at Hal. “Hal's the strange one. Dad found him- he'd got in to excavating ruins and the like, he's always been interested in the past. Anyway one day, about ten years ago, he comes back from some dig site on the outskirts of the Witchlight Fens- creepy place, and he's got Hal with him.” Tonka looks confused. “He'd dug him up, says he uncovered his head first, and Hal just started talking- a lot of nonsense dad says but... a bit strange, anyway he dug him out. At first, when he came home with dad, Hal didn't say anything, not after that first time... He was just always there- in the house, wherever dad went Hal went.” Tonka nods. “Dad says he's ancient, from before the old empire even, maybe 500 years old- imagine that...” Tonka and Jimmy stare at Hal, the warforged doesn't move. “Dad reckons he doesn't say anything ‘less he's thought about it- said he's had plenty of time to think about things.” Jimmy stares vacantly. “I like him... but he's a bit, odd. Mum doesn’t get on with him, she never did anything to make him unwelcome but... It's always been difficult with Hal and mum. But he's my brother, I guess... My bigger, much older, brother.” Jimmy grins. “That's it really- none of us are related, and yet... Mum and dad brought us together- a family.” Jimmy grins again, content. Silence for a while, then Tonka stirs again. “And the dwarf, I mean Sigur?” “He's a bloody lunatic. One of dad’s friends- but even he thought he was a bit tapped. Avandra knows how he ended up coming with us, I don't think mum told him that dad was missing- no idea how he found out, how he ended up here. Him and dad adventured together but that was...” Jimmy exhales loudly, “... forty or more years ago. An age. And he was old then dad said.” Jimmy nods towards Sigur. Tonka nods- satisfied. The silence goes on for a while. Eventually Jimmy asks. “What's this all about?” The halfling asks. “What d'you mean?” Tonka looks a little confused. “This place, the goblins, the messengers, the stuff that the old geezer- the sage, told us about- Sir Keegan slaying his family, all that?” Jimmy looks nonplussed. Tonka thinks about his answer. “You know the difference between right and wrong, Jimmy? Don't you? Between good and bad?” Jimmy nods. “Well, all I know is there's something bad here, probably buried deep- beneath a pile of goblins, and worse probably. We're here to find the bad thing and make it go away- kill it, maybe, or else...” Tonka shrugs. Jimmy continues to stare, perhaps a little unsure. “I know why I'm here, it’s my job Jimmy. It’s what I was born to do, trained to do- in the service of my great and glorious lord, the platinum dragon, Bahamut, who will rise again.” “It’s easy for me Jimmy.” Tonka adds with a smile. Jimmy nods, once. “Why you're here Jimmy. That's not for me to say, or even guess at- only you can answer that. But there's one thing I'm certain of...” Jimmy leans in a little, eager to share the secret. “We're the good guys. You're a good guy. As is Gokan, and Hal- and even Sigur. I'm certain of that, that's not a bad place to start.” Jimmy nods. Tonka nods back, and grins. Jimmy grins back. The pair continue to smile at each other, and then... and then. “What was that?” Jimmy sits up quickly, puts his eye to the door, slightly ajar- he spies in to the darkened corridor leading away from the chamber. Rats, scurrying, skittering, sniffing, scratching... Rats! Jimmy is on his feet. He screams a warning. “RATS!” “Hundreds of them...” Jimmy whispers as the chamber behind him bursts in to life. [CENTER][url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/40504969@N08/8045379223/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8170/8045379223_612ce60117_o.png[/img][/url][/CENTER] [/QUOTE]
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Hard Core Adventurers- KOTS 20.06 The Cathedral of Shadows
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