NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sniktch" data-source="post: 516909" data-attributes="member: 7704">New Blood, pt 1Donalbain: Thanks for the praise!  I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.Well, a few of them will be using new characters.  I don't believe Welby and Artimas have any plans of leaving just yet.  Still, we will probably not be seeing Jack, Malobar, Grick, or Quinn again any time soon, so its almost a new lineup.This place is a meat grinder, Donalbain, I hope your group fares better than mine and Ziona's have so far.  Anyway, meet the first new recruit in New Blood, part 1 below:*****Artimas placed the ring upon his finger as he reentered the Dorien Crypts, then swooped downward until he had reached the chute leading to the first Szith Morcane guard post.  He slowly hovered down the sharply sloping tunnel and carefully floated over the sentries’ heads, moving very slowly to avoid even the slightest rustle that could betray his presence.  The drow continued to carry on a casual conversation, neither they nor their undead showing any sign of noticing the silent mage pass overhead. He breathed a sigh of relief as he moved out over the chasm, once again marveling at the breathtaking view of the enormous web and its flickering, multi-colored highlights.  Currently, a large amount of traffic traversed the thick threads connecting the different levels of the dark elf settlement; it appeared that the drow were still on full alert, convincing Artimas even further of the futility of attempting to free their captured companions.He started flying deliberately in the direction Welby had indicated he would find the crevice, carefully scanning the walls for any sign of the opening in the cliff face.  Finally he spotted the dark crack and entered it, finding exactly the scene the halfling described: a small chamber that sloped abruptly downward about halfway in, creating a kind of miniature cliff within the room.  At the base of the cliff sat a bedroll and backpack, neatly packed and rolled.“I have come to talk,” he breathed into the dark room.  “Show yourself.”“Who are you?” The raspy hiss sounded directly behind him and the wizard nearly jumped out of his skin before realizing that he should be as invisible to the strange occupant of the chamber as she currently was to him.  “You ask us to show ourself when you are just a voice from the air.  Well, we hear the voices and they say you are a THIEF!“Yes, we asks it what it is, mistress, the nasty voices that intrudes upon our solitude.  We will see what it says,” the voice continued muttering quietly, as if in answer to itself.Artimas moved away from the frightening whispers and considered his course of action carefully.  She might turn out to be a valuable ally but right now he was convinced that she was as crazy as a loon.  “I am an enemy of the Pale Lady,” he replied at length.  “I am an ally of the Spider Kisser Tierak Morcane and I am seeking help in defeating the forces of Kiaransalee currently in control of Szith Morcane.”His speech had a startling effect.  The frightening being Welby had described to him seemed to materialize from thin air and hung suspended off the ground, her crazy insect eyes staring all around.  The creature wailed and thrashed about for a moment as if in pain, then turned toward the sound of his voice and ranted, “Yes, the Pale Lady!  She has silenced the mistress’s voices – we hear the voices and we listen, the voices all gone now but still we listen.  It is their fault, wicked servants of the Pale One, all their fault!  We will maim them, gnash them, destroy!She seemed to calm somewhat, cocking her head at an odd angle as if listening before speaking again.  “Come out, ally of the Spider Kisser, come out to parlay if you are not a liar and a thief.  Larala will be nice if friend you be, yes, nice to friend.  She will share with you what the voices tell us, yes, and then the Spider Kissers will have revenge for their mistress.”Artimas hesitated, swallowing hard.  He really did not wish to expose himself to this psychotic woman, but it seemed the only way to win her aid.  Finally the mage landed a short distance before her and pulled the enchanted ring from his finger, palming it and remaining tense and ready to spring into action.  She gasped as the figure suddenly manifested before her and then peered at him curiously.  “Mistress, it is not drow, it is human,” she muttered, then moved very close to the wizard and studied him closely.  “Who are you and who sent you?”“I am Artimas Sendant, and I follow the surface god Arawn.  He sent me here because Kiaransalee trespasses on his demesne by ordering these repeated attacks on the surface lands and he wishes to see them cease.  My companions were all killed or captured in our first assault on the city and now I need aid to accomplish my goals.”“How did you find us here?”“One came before me and informed me of your presence.  He believed that you may be a valuable ally in our war against the White Lady’s forces and sent me to ask for your aid.”“We must discuss it,” she hissed and then melted back into the shadows.  Artimas heard her voice echoing from the walls as she furiously whispered in a strange tongue.  Although he could not understand the language she spoke, he would guess that she was debating or arguing with herself.  At length she appeared before him again and informed him of her decision.  “We will aid, and we will tell you the message we received.  We must strike at the heart of the enemy; we must raid the temple of Kiaransalee.  We will spread glorious death and the temple will fall!”“Yes, quite, I’m sure.  I thank you for your aid, Larala.  Now I must ask you to await me here while I gather more reinforcements for our purpose.  I will return to you and let you know when the time has arrived to strike.”“Hurry, human, hurry back to us.  Larala is thirsty for the blood of our enemies.  We will wait for you.”Artimas bowed and bid the twisted half-drow farewell, then replaced Welby’s ring upon his finger and flew out of the crevice.  He smiled as he passed over the heads of the drow guards on his way back to the surface; he could see the pieces of a new puzzle falling into place.  When he returned, it would be the dark elves who learned the meaning of fear and death, and he would not rest until all of the followers of Kiaransalee were dust.Next:  New Blood, part 2, or 'More Conversations with the Drow'</blockquote>

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