[IC1] Pool of Radiance

[Branding Opportunity]

Thunder

Thunder smiles broadly at the halfling, "The Lord of Battle has smiles upon me once again, although just barely this time." The enormous man (he reaches over seven-and-a-half feet) sits the small barrel on the table, its sloshing releasing an acrid smell. After picking the largest chair he can find he joins you at the table.

"I was ambushed by a troop of cowardly hobgoblins while retrieving my javelins after our battle at Kuto's Well. I call them cowardly because they did not even have the courage to kill me!" At this he shakes his head, his long, black, matted hair waving to and fro. "They wouldn't have captured me if it hadn't been for the man in my mind. More cowardly magic!"

 

[Mista Collins]

Arriving back at the tavern, Selvaggio walks in with a smile on his face knowing that the party might be closer to finding Jade's brother. As he scans the room for the rest of the group, his eyes fall over the massive man sitting with Kylest, Elmus, and Eldwyn. Shocked, Selvaggio turns to Kordunn. "Is that...? Isn't he suppose to be....? THUNDER!!"

Hustling over to the table, he extends his hand to Thunder. As the giants massive hand overpowers his, Selvaggio smiles. "I didn't think this day could get better. You are alive! We could have used your expertise a few times since we parted."

He takes a seat at the table and Intrepido crawls up and lays down at his master's feet. Sensing Selvaggio's excitement, a slight constant thud can be heard as the wolf's tail beats lightly on the floor.

 

[hafrogman]

Kylest stands stunned at the doorway for a moment. He pounds Thunder on the back (or as high as he can reach anyways), just glad that the man is alive. A broad grin splits his beard.

"Ye gods, it's good to see you again. I was begining to think this city would chew up anything, but I see you were too much for it. You should come along with us again when we next go out. We've had to resort to a wee slip o' a lass to beat on our monsters for us."

 

[Voadam]

Shocked, Selvaggio turns to Kordunn. "Is that...? Isn't he suppose to be....? THUNDER!!"

"I believe it is." A pleased smile broadens the white-haired dwarf's face as he goes over to join the rest in welcoming back the big man and to hear his tale.

 

[Branding Opportunity]

Thunder

Thunder shakes Selvaggio's hand, nearly lifting him off the ground in his enthusiasm, "Could have used yours as well, Shaman. Got into bit of a bind there. I was taken by the [Foul Damaran swear word!] cursed hobgoblins to some underground lair. I guess they sold me as a slave or sacrifice or something. A few hours later another group appeared, led by a particularly offensive ogre, and they trussed me up like a boar and carried me off, deeper into the city."

Here his voice grows quieter (which means that only half the tavern can hear him clearly) and he leans forward. "I was taken through some kind of open market with a dozen different humanoid races standing around haggling, drinking, fighting and fornicating." Thunder shrugs his shoulders and waves his hand as if to say that seeing these kinds of things were common-place.

"There was a castle there as well with a large gate. Heavily guarded it was, by creatures as large as giants. They stuffed me into a cage with this skinny half-elf. Looked like he has been there a while. Didn't talk much, but then again neither did I, since they had me bound and gagged."

The giant man shrugs his massive shoulders again and continues, "Must have been there a few days. Seems like I lost track of time. Anyways, they then blind-folded me and led me through some kind of garden into a building ... the castle most likely. Heard a deep, strange voice talking to me there and I felt a hand grip my mind. Inside my mind, I mean. I told it that it most likely was the offspring of a otyugh and a female aurochs. Didn't have much to say to me after that, heh, heh, heh." Here he chuckles, showing you his yellowed, crooked teeth.

"Then I heard the same voice say, 'Give him to the gnolls. Tell them to have some fun before they are done with him.' They dragged me out of there and off to the west. I knew it was west, because they took off my blindfold and loosened my ropes to give me room to walk.

"I was able to loosen my ropes and eventually make my escape. You should have heard those orcs and hobgoblins howling as I dashed away from them. They had certainly never seen a Damaran plainsman run before!" Thunder winks at you and smiles.

"Well, from there I made my way back to the slums of New Phlan and then to here. And that's my story!"

He turns to the assembled group, "So what have you lot been up to? Any good battles? Does anything I said make any sense to you? You don't happen to know who the man with the deep voice might be. My hands are longing to find his windpipe. I don't like it when someone touches my mind!"

 

[Voadam]

Kordunn snaps to full attention at one of the details in Thunder's story the smile on his face as he listens to the tale replaced with intent seriousness "A half-elf? Did he have dark hair? We've been looking for one who went missing a while ago, a brawny druid.
We are meeting with his sister tomorrow to do a scrying. Could you describe him to her to confirm if it is the same?"

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Aylor Creegan

Busting through the door, she holds up their small reward and bellows across the crowd, “Bruttis!” She calls out to the barkeep, “Go down below and bust out the good stuff, for drinks are on us!” She shouts with a cheer as she tosses him the bustling bag of gold coins which slams him squarely in the chest.

She quickly makes her way to her friends table and joins them just as the ale begins to flow. She returns all of their questionable looks with an innocent look of her own and says, “What?! Oh come on! After yesterdays attack, they need to let up a bit.”

The only bit of support she can find in the see of somewhat sour faces is from the large warrior sitting next to her. With a puzzled look she asks quizzically, “Who are you?”

 

[Branding Opportunity]

Thunder

The enormous warrior turns to Aylor Creegan to introduce himself, giving a polite nod of the head. "I am a Thunder, born and raised in the mountains of once proud Damara, now under the heel of the Witch-King and his goblins and orcs. I long for battle against my most hated foe, but serve the will of the Lord of Battle, for I am his vessel. I encountered your companions fighting in the ruined city not too long ago, but was soon separated from them."

Thunder stands over seven feet in height and has long, shaggy black hair which falls below his shoulders. His skin is the palest you have ever seen, seeming almost translucent and his eyes are a light blue. He dresses like a man used to the cold, with fur and leather providing the majority of his clothing. He carries a large battleaxe strapped to his back. A large iron helmet decorated with the horns of a mountain sheep and a pair of wickedly spiked gauntlets lie on the table next to him.

He then turns to Kordunn, "The half-elf? He had long and unkempt dark hair, and was quite tall (for an elf) and thin. His leather clothing was damaged and stained, but that was the norm in those cages. All in all he looked pretty miserable, but who could blame him?"

 

[Scotley]

Eldwyn

"I believe you have seen Jade's brother, but if it be good news or bad it is difficult to say."

 

[Branding Opportunity]

Thunder

"I believe you have seen Amber's brother, but if it be good news or bad it is difficult to say."

The Damaran scratches his head, "Amber? Who or what is Amber?"