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Steel Dragon's "Tales of Orea"
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<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5513229" data-attributes="member: 92511"><p>Led by the steam mephit, Meeessh, our intrepid band clinmbed the short distance up the mountain slope to a small natural passage. Alaria looked to the sky and was pleased with their progress, noting the sun not yet at its zenith in the late summer sky.</p><p> </p><p> The band took a cautious order as they entered the mountainside. Haelan, his pinecone-shaped mace head alight with a soft glow traveled beside their mephit guide. Erevan followed singly until the the passage widened a bit and then was joined by Coerraine, the paladin insisting he be near their “captive” and in front of his charge, Alaria. Duor progressed on the elf’s heels carefully examining the natural rock walls as they passed and keeping a wary eye to the front should their new guide decide to lead them into a trap. Alaria and Waverider Trihna followed. The wizardess had likewise enchanted the tip of her staff to shed a soft illumination. Braddok and the druid, Fen, brought up the rear.</p><p> </p><p>Meeessh was not a particularly speedy lead, but Haelan was pleased to have someone more his stature with the group. They moved as silently as their armor would allow deeper into the mountain.</p><p> </p><p>After a short while, the passage narrowed again and the group was forced into a single file to slip through a natural crack in the mountain’s interior. </p><p></p><p>The new passage they entered was again wide and the group continued to follow Meeessh to the right and a winding passage that slopped ever deeper into the mountain. The air became more and more heated and thick as they descended.</p><p> </p><p>As the group neared another junction of tunnels, the mephit stopped and raised a steaming arm as he seemed to float up against the tunnel’s wall. The rest of the group did likewise. The heat coming from the opening before them was noticeable and a orange glow seemed to pulse from the left of the opening. </p><p> </p><p>“What is it Meeessh?” questioned Haelan in a hushed whisper.</p><p> </p><p>“Hisss buhhhrning buhhhlacksss.” The mephit responded in his hissing way.</p><p> </p><p>Haelan turned to look at Coerraine and Erevan. The paladin shrugged. Erevan’s right eyebrow rose slightly on his perfect forehead. The elf tilted his head ever so slightly.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh gods.” Mumbled Duor under his beard to no one in particular. “The point-ear’s eyebrow is doing that thing, again, isn’t it?”</p><p> </p><p>“How do we…” began Haelan.</p><p> </p><p>“Meeessh do.” Said the mephit and walked towards the opening. After a momentary pause at the doorway, the small steam creature affected a casual swagger and entered the chamber.</p><p> </p><p>“He means to betray us.” Whispered Coerraine in all seriousness.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait.” Said Alaria as a menacing growl rose and echoed into the passage.</p><p> </p><p>Out of view, the mephit’s voice rose louder than it needed to be, obviously so the party could hear. “Pah! Ssssstupid buhrning buhhhlack! Noh growl ahhht Meeessh!” </p><p> </p><p>At this ferocious barks thundered the passage.</p><p> </p><p>Duor and Erevan closed to the opening and carefully peered around the edge. The mephit stood just out of reach of two preternaturally large hounds of pure black. Flames licked from the beasts’ ears, paws and nostrils as they strained against large black iron chains.</p><p> </p><p>“Bahhhd buhrning buhlacks!” Meessh shouted and threw a ball of steaming water that appeared to separate from his own hand. The ball struck the firy hound and hissed loudly as it evaporated in an instant. It seemed not to deter the beast in the slightest. The stub at the end of the mephit’s arm quickly seemed to flow and reform into a hand.”Bahd!”</p><p> </p><p>Duor ducked back into the hallway. “Feorn’s beard. The steamy bugger is taunting hellhounds!” the dwarf rogue informed his companions. "We're doomed."</p><p></p><p> “Noh bahhhrk aht Meeessh!” shouted the mephit and threw his arms up in a forceful motion. Steam and mist immediately hissed up around the mephit and obscured any view of the hellhounds or him. The beasts bellowed loudly.</p><p> </p><p>Just as Duor was ready to tell Coerraine he was right about the betrayal, Meeessh came jogging out of the steam cloud and motioned and hissed frantically to the elf and dwarf, pointing to the passage across the chamber.</p><p> </p><p>With all speed, the party made their way across the small chamber. As the rest of the party hurried with Meeessh down the passage, Fen drew himself up against the wall of the opening at the edge of the chamber. His druid’s cloak quickly shrouding him and altering its color to match the rockface. </p><p></p><p>Braddok turned for a moment to see the druid fade from sight, appearing just another crag against the wall.</p><p> </p><p>At the steam quickly cleared, the half-elf got to see the massive hounds who sniffed the air and peered around in confusion.</p><p> </p><p>“Wow.” Muttered the druid. Then swiftly moved to follow the party. </p><p></p><p>Braddok, who had stopped in disbelief and was returning to the half-elf’s position jolted when Fen appeared to emerge from the rock wall beside him.</p><p> </p><p>A surprised and annoyed look from the swordsman was returned with an innocent questioning look from the druid.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” said Fen. “I’ve never seen a hellhound before.”</p><p> </p><p>“Come on”, replied Braddok with a disapproving scowl. He grabbed the druid’s arm and shoved him ahead. “Don’t do that again.” </p><p> </p><p>“You need to appreciate the wonders of this world of ours, my good warrior.”, answered Fen.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll be appreciating the tip of my blade if you bring us trouble, my good druid.” Said Braddok. There was no hint of humor in his tone.</p><p> </p><p>A short distance from the hellhounds’ chamber, Meeessh halted the party again. This time he fluttered his small wings as he leapt about 20 feet ahead of them. “Carefffful heeeeeressss.” Said the mephit and pointed to the floor.</p><p> </p><p>Haelan had stopped as instructed but saw nothing amiss with the floor. Duor carefully moved forward.</p><p> </p><p>The dwarf’s underground senses were put to the test as he examined very carefully the floor in front of Haelan. “Douse yer blasted light, hairfoot.” Duor mumbled.</p><p> </p><p>Haelan obliged but saw no reason for the dwarf to be so gruff about it. He tucked his mace into the folds of his cloak. After a moment, Duor’s eyes had adjusted enough to notice where the walls of the passage met the floor seemed…different…somehow. </p><p> </p><p>Erevan crept up beside Duor and lent his own special eyes to the search. </p><p></p><p>Duor pointed out where he thought something amiss.</p><p> </p><p>“Hhhhhurriessss.” Hissed the impatient mephit. “Guardsssss cahhhmessss ssssoonssss.”</p><p> </p><p>Erevan tentatively poked at the floor near the wall with the tip of his bow. </p><p></p><p>At its touch, a ten foot stretch of floor before them from wall to wall disappeared momentarily, revealing a deep pit. When he withdrew his bow, the floor reappeared.</p><p> </p><p>“An illusion.” Said Erevan.</p><p> </p><p>“Well yeh might have said so, imp!” Duor chastised.</p><p> </p><p>“Meeessh sssehhhd beeee careful. Meeessh naht do ev’reeeethingsssss.” Responded the mephit. The steam wisping off of the elemental creature seemed to hiss an increase. “’nd Meeessh nohhh eemp, nassssty beeeeardfasssse!”</p><p> </p><p>Duor crossed, carefully clinging to the real rock of the walls. Erevan leapt across. Then Coerraine. Using a rope secured by the fighters at each end, the rest of the party carefully moved across the pit.</p><p> </p><p>A few more twists and turns into the mountain and the mephit brought the party to a large oblong chamber, obviously carved from the mountain. </p><p></p><p>Three passages, including the one they had entered through led from the place. At the end of the chamber, away from the passages, was a half-circled cistern, about twenty feet across, filled with water that glimmered with an unnatural light. Torches, lit with green flames lined the chamber.</p><p> </p><p>Across the water was a simple ledge that appeared to be of natural rock. Upon the ledge rested a large black orb. The pearl pulsated within with a sickly light swirling in putrid violet and green hues.</p><p> </p><p>Trihna stepped forward and withdrew her location orb. The small water-filled globe shown brightly, offsetting some of the disturbing illumination in the chamber. She quickly returned the item to the folds of her robe. </p><p> </p><p>“That’s it.” The water priestess said simply.</p><p> </p><p>“Finally.” Said Braddok.</p><p></p><p> Alaria surveyed the chamber briefly before focusing on the pooled water. She outstretched her hand and spoke the simple incantation. A sphere around her hand flicked with a violet light. To Alaria’s eyes, the torches were surrounded by a similar violet glow.</p><p></p><p>“No kidding.” thought the wizardess. The pearl was surrounded by a similar but much more intense corona, as was the whole of the cistern and the water within.</p><p></p><p> “Be alert,” said Alaria. “The water is magical.”</p><p></p><p> “What’s the plan, boss lady?” asked Duor.</p><p> </p><p>“Get the pearl and get out of here,” was the wizardess’ simple response.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 5513229, member: 92511"] Led by the steam mephit, Meeessh, our intrepid band clinmbed the short distance up the mountain slope to a small natural passage. Alaria looked to the sky and was pleased with their progress, noting the sun not yet at its zenith in the late summer sky. The band took a cautious order as they entered the mountainside. Haelan, his pinecone-shaped mace head alight with a soft glow traveled beside their mephit guide. Erevan followed singly until the the passage widened a bit and then was joined by Coerraine, the paladin insisting he be near their “captive” and in front of his charge, Alaria. Duor progressed on the elf’s heels carefully examining the natural rock walls as they passed and keeping a wary eye to the front should their new guide decide to lead them into a trap. Alaria and Waverider Trihna followed. The wizardess had likewise enchanted the tip of her staff to shed a soft illumination. Braddok and the druid, Fen, brought up the rear. Meeessh was not a particularly speedy lead, but Haelan was pleased to have someone more his stature with the group. They moved as silently as their armor would allow deeper into the mountain. After a short while, the passage narrowed again and the group was forced into a single file to slip through a natural crack in the mountain’s interior. The new passage they entered was again wide and the group continued to follow Meeessh to the right and a winding passage that slopped ever deeper into the mountain. The air became more and more heated and thick as they descended. As the group neared another junction of tunnels, the mephit stopped and raised a steaming arm as he seemed to float up against the tunnel’s wall. The rest of the group did likewise. The heat coming from the opening before them was noticeable and a orange glow seemed to pulse from the left of the opening. “What is it Meeessh?” questioned Haelan in a hushed whisper. “Hisss buhhhrning buhhhlacksss.” The mephit responded in his hissing way. Haelan turned to look at Coerraine and Erevan. The paladin shrugged. Erevan’s right eyebrow rose slightly on his perfect forehead. The elf tilted his head ever so slightly. “Oh gods.” Mumbled Duor under his beard to no one in particular. “The point-ear’s eyebrow is doing that thing, again, isn’t it?” “How do we…” began Haelan. “Meeessh do.” Said the mephit and walked towards the opening. After a momentary pause at the doorway, the small steam creature affected a casual swagger and entered the chamber. “He means to betray us.” Whispered Coerraine in all seriousness. “Wait.” Said Alaria as a menacing growl rose and echoed into the passage. Out of view, the mephit’s voice rose louder than it needed to be, obviously so the party could hear. “Pah! Ssssstupid buhrning buhhhlack! Noh growl ahhht Meeessh!” At this ferocious barks thundered the passage. Duor and Erevan closed to the opening and carefully peered around the edge. The mephit stood just out of reach of two preternaturally large hounds of pure black. Flames licked from the beasts’ ears, paws and nostrils as they strained against large black iron chains. “Bahhhd buhrning buhlacks!” Meessh shouted and threw a ball of steaming water that appeared to separate from his own hand. The ball struck the firy hound and hissed loudly as it evaporated in an instant. It seemed not to deter the beast in the slightest. The stub at the end of the mephit’s arm quickly seemed to flow and reform into a hand.”Bahd!” Duor ducked back into the hallway. “Feorn’s beard. The steamy bugger is taunting hellhounds!” the dwarf rogue informed his companions. "We're doomed." “Noh bahhhrk aht Meeessh!” shouted the mephit and threw his arms up in a forceful motion. Steam and mist immediately hissed up around the mephit and obscured any view of the hellhounds or him. The beasts bellowed loudly. Just as Duor was ready to tell Coerraine he was right about the betrayal, Meeessh came jogging out of the steam cloud and motioned and hissed frantically to the elf and dwarf, pointing to the passage across the chamber. With all speed, the party made their way across the small chamber. As the rest of the party hurried with Meeessh down the passage, Fen drew himself up against the wall of the opening at the edge of the chamber. His druid’s cloak quickly shrouding him and altering its color to match the rockface. Braddok turned for a moment to see the druid fade from sight, appearing just another crag against the wall. At the steam quickly cleared, the half-elf got to see the massive hounds who sniffed the air and peered around in confusion. “Wow.” Muttered the druid. Then swiftly moved to follow the party. Braddok, who had stopped in disbelief and was returning to the half-elf’s position jolted when Fen appeared to emerge from the rock wall beside him. A surprised and annoyed look from the swordsman was returned with an innocent questioning look from the druid. “What?” said Fen. “I’ve never seen a hellhound before.” “Come on”, replied Braddok with a disapproving scowl. He grabbed the druid’s arm and shoved him ahead. “Don’t do that again.” “You need to appreciate the wonders of this world of ours, my good warrior.”, answered Fen. “You’ll be appreciating the tip of my blade if you bring us trouble, my good druid.” Said Braddok. There was no hint of humor in his tone. A short distance from the hellhounds’ chamber, Meeessh halted the party again. This time he fluttered his small wings as he leapt about 20 feet ahead of them. “Carefffful heeeeeressss.” Said the mephit and pointed to the floor. Haelan had stopped as instructed but saw nothing amiss with the floor. Duor carefully moved forward. The dwarf’s underground senses were put to the test as he examined very carefully the floor in front of Haelan. “Douse yer blasted light, hairfoot.” Duor mumbled. Haelan obliged but saw no reason for the dwarf to be so gruff about it. He tucked his mace into the folds of his cloak. After a moment, Duor’s eyes had adjusted enough to notice where the walls of the passage met the floor seemed…different…somehow. Erevan crept up beside Duor and lent his own special eyes to the search. Duor pointed out where he thought something amiss. “Hhhhhurriessss.” Hissed the impatient mephit. “Guardsssss cahhhmessss ssssoonssss.” Erevan tentatively poked at the floor near the wall with the tip of his bow. At its touch, a ten foot stretch of floor before them from wall to wall disappeared momentarily, revealing a deep pit. When he withdrew his bow, the floor reappeared. “An illusion.” Said Erevan. “Well yeh might have said so, imp!” Duor chastised. “Meeessh sssehhhd beeee careful. Meeessh naht do ev’reeeethingsssss.” Responded the mephit. The steam wisping off of the elemental creature seemed to hiss an increase. “’nd Meeessh nohhh eemp, nassssty beeeeardfasssse!” Duor crossed, carefully clinging to the real rock of the walls. Erevan leapt across. Then Coerraine. Using a rope secured by the fighters at each end, the rest of the party carefully moved across the pit. A few more twists and turns into the mountain and the mephit brought the party to a large oblong chamber, obviously carved from the mountain. Three passages, including the one they had entered through led from the place. At the end of the chamber, away from the passages, was a half-circled cistern, about twenty feet across, filled with water that glimmered with an unnatural light. Torches, lit with green flames lined the chamber. Across the water was a simple ledge that appeared to be of natural rock. Upon the ledge rested a large black orb. The pearl pulsated within with a sickly light swirling in putrid violet and green hues. Trihna stepped forward and withdrew her location orb. The small water-filled globe shown brightly, offsetting some of the disturbing illumination in the chamber. She quickly returned the item to the folds of her robe. “That’s it.” The water priestess said simply. “Finally.” Said Braddok. Alaria surveyed the chamber briefly before focusing on the pooled water. She outstretched her hand and spoke the simple incantation. A sphere around her hand flicked with a violet light. To Alaria’s eyes, the torches were surrounded by a similar violet glow. “No kidding.” thought the wizardess. The pearl was surrounded by a similar but much more intense corona, as was the whole of the cistern and the water within. “Be alert,” said Alaria. “The water is magical.” “What’s the plan, boss lady?” asked Duor. “Get the pearl and get out of here,” was the wizardess’ simple response. [/QUOTE]
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