Insight's "The Isle of Dread" - Chapter One

[JustKim]

Nafije took a deep breath and began to speak, and as she did her familiar Goldie echoed her words for the benefit of Adam, Keharn, Geirgrim, and Skaros. "Adam, we've run afoul of some thieves in the sewers. They're after something that Barbarossa hid, some sort of shard. A skirmish may be inevitable, and so I will need Goldie by my side. May the light of al-Kalim guide you above and we below."

With that, Nafije let the tenuous thread that connected her spirit to Goldie sever, and recalled the parrot to her side. In a bloom of blue and gold feathers her familiar reappeared on her shoulder, and cocked its head playfully at Questor.

Nafije nodded that she was ready to proceed.

 

[Leif]

Questor, Halfling Chaos Sorcerer 6

"Well, Questor," Astra said with a completely straight face, "I don't know this city's sewers well. Why don't we go back to where I saw those two dwarves chopping at the wall with picks and ask them where that corner might be?"

Hey! What a great idea! I always look for help from unexpected quarters when I'm lost."

In a bloom of blue and gold feathers her familiar reappeared on her shoulder, and cocked its head playfully at Questor.

"Nafije, why is Goldie flirting with me? What kind of halfling do you think I am?" Questor forestalls the Knock ritual until he gets an indication from the others that it is desired that the door be opened.

 

[Rhun]

"Very well...let us speak to these thieves." Vrashek puts his tools away, and again draws out his dagger.

 

[Shayuri]

Astra leads the group back through the sewer tunnel, to the turnoff where she'd heard the singing. There she pauses.

"It's up this way, to a door. Between their singing and pickaxing, I think we can probably get that far without them hearing us, if we're reasonably quiet," the elf says.

"I didn't test the door, so I don't know if it's locked. If you're ready then..."

She starts down that corridor, towards the door and the singing dwarves.

 

[Rhun]

Vrashek follows quietly along behind Astra.

 

[Leif]

Questor, Halfling Chaos Sorcerer 6

Questor follows even more quietly than Vrashek. He THINKS* TO HIMSELF, "Cripes, I was only joking about asking strangers for help! Jiminy Gnomeburgers, I hope we don't come to a bad end behaving thusly!"

* Note for the Reading-Impaired -- Questor does NOT say any of this out loud where folks can hear him.

 

[JustKim]

Nafije was last. She was not particularly quiet, as she was still tickled about Goldie and Questor. The bird did not know to be amused.

"I'm ready, Astra," she whispered from the back, once she had aligned herself to see through the door when it opened. One hand clasped her desert moon symbol of al-Kalim, and the other fidgeted in the modest cloth of her robe.

 

[Walking Dad]

Adam of Brightcastle

"You heard Nafije's words. The others encountered thieves below. She seemed confident that they prevail on their own. So I suggest we stay outside and make sure nothing bad awaits them then they come up again." Adam says to his companions in a hushed tone.

 

[Insight]

Inside the Secret Passage: Cassi, Nafije, Astra, Questor, and Vrashek
Our heroes bravely turn around to confront possible drunken dwarves...

Vrashek and Astra are first towards the closed, heavy door. From beyond this door, they hear the familiar sounds of metal clinking against stone and, between those sounds, dwarven work-songs and obvious shuffling of footsteps. Those further behind, Cassi, Questor, and Nafije, can hear the faint sound of dwarves attempting to sing, but little else.

Astra is first to the door, with Vrashek closely behind. The elf tries the heavy, brass door handle and finds that it turns - slightly. The door is not locked, but appears to be stuck. Astra will probably need assistance to get the door open.

OOC: Strength check for Astra and/or Vrashek. One person should be the main roller and the other roll Aid Another to assist (+2 on a successful Aid Another). This attempt is LIKELY to get the attention of whomever is on the other side of the door.

 

[Insight]

At the Temple District (Adam, Geirgrim, and Skaros)
The scene at the Temple District goes on for some time. As the heroes wait, they notice some of the scruffy-looking types approach. In particular, a short, emaciated man in shabby clothing, which might have been nice at one time, walks up to Adam. The knight sees that this grubby little man has pale, white skin that is pockmarked as if he once had (or still has) a plague of some kind.

"Afternoon, guvna," the short man says. "I'm called Shabby Ken. S'pose that's not yer worry. Don' s'pose ya gots any spare coppas?" He looks the knight up and down. "Arr, we gots us an adventurer, methinks. Polish yer greaves for a silver?" Shabby Ken sports a smile that evinces missing teeth and blackened gums. Adam can tell that Shabby Ken hasn't seen proper hygiene in quite some time.