[sblock=OOC]I apologise this isn’t typed fully in Pis’ accent. I can come back and translate it Monday, but I’m going to have a busy weekend and have been working on that weekend for the last week or so.[/sblock]
Pis looks about the room and his waiting audience. “I believe some of you are confused. I am no minstrel. I do, however love to tell a good tale. It pains me that several of those glorious few who were last venturing with me are not here to bask in the glory and the praise this tale will bring them.”
He climbs onto a chair and from there onto his table. He looks to brews. “I promise, no backflips.” When he’s sure he’s got the room’s attention, he begins a long-winded tale.
“Susan here,” he gestures to the Warforged, “is a terror to behold on the battlefield. He has mastered many of the skills one would expect of the greatest generals. When it comes to tactics, I would trust no other to lead me into the fray.
“Ryda, but a slip of a halfork, strikes as a viper with her bow. I saw her put out the eye of a Dragonborn cultist from twenty paces. When she calls her quarry they might as well perish from fear, death is so sure.
“Jarren Star Gazer and his ophidian companion kept the rest of us coordinated and deadly. They also took down their share of cultists. Truly, they were a marvel to behold.
“Sweet Talkrai… She and her great blade were a curtain of death when she was not saving my bacon from one precarious situation or another. Her fresh outlook is likely what pulled us through the tomb we were called to explore.
“We were hired by a man to explore a mysterious doorway and whatever lay beyond. A riddle was inscribed on the doorway and he had not yet successfully translated the text. We brought with us a Priam d’Lyrandar, an aspiring young scholar. He translated the text and we were on our way. Our employer and our scholar remained at camp while we dove into the riddle.
“This soul rest in the night
Without his love beside
and as so it should stay
for his love is now away
“As we began arming ourselves and readying for battle, young Talkrai looked askance at us. Susan, ever the font of wisdom, replied with a smile, ‘Luck favors the prepared.’ Truer words were never spoken.
“It will need Arrah's light
To open her heart
To reveal the archway
To her sweet love, dolce
“Susan reflected the light of the sun onto a shining jewel on the doorway that led into depths unknown. Slowly the door opened on its own, eerily creaking in the waning light of evening.
“To cross the earthen ward
That stands around her heart
Keep distance from the guard
And climb over those wall
“Again, the solution was found by Susan. We faced a rock-fall, possibly a cave in. This seemed too convenient to Susan while we stood by the earthen ward. He quickly found and removed the keystone of the mess and it collapsed. The quick reflexes of the party saved us from all but minor injuries.
“Don’t let yourself be carry
By the sadness of this story
The four winds can be scary
But will bring her back safely
“The Chamber of the Winds was a large room, devoid of features. Each of its massive, slick granite stone tiles bore a sigil. Scattered about the room were a few pits and a few sturdy columns. Susan stepped into the room and was instantly pushed by a ferociously strong wind. Quickly through observing and experimenting, Susan and I sorted out the room and we were quickly across it. A lever on the far side turned it off.
“To cross the flowing river
That creates that separation
Into the wine, put some water
Should be his solution
“The Chamber of Water. This is where we earned our gold. A bowl full of acid held a key to a door. This door sat on the far side of a fast running river which was crossed by a narrow bridge. Before we could begin to truly think about this one, we were ambushed by a squad of cultists. Led by a Hobgoblin sorcerer, they attacked us fast and hard. Ryda with her bow and Susan with his hammer brought the fiends low. Talkrai and Jarren kept us standing during the fight and tore into the enemy at the same time.
“We set out immediately to check on our friends aboveground when the second wave hit us. They had our employer held hostage and demanded that we proceed with the challenge. No group to allow evil men to do evil deeds, we set out to stop them. The hostage died. As I attempted to cut off the escape of these new fiends, who had their leader with them, I was brought down as well.
“I was not there to witness the deaths of these last few. Knowing what I do about my companions, I have to imagine that it would have brought tears to my eyes.
“Much happened that I did not see. A power greater than ourselves intervened and, though it may have handled things poorly, it sealed away that blighted place for all time.
“The end of the riddle? Well, that too is locked away, lest some adventurer get it into his thick skull to see what’s down there.
“Me? Our employer was so grateful for our service that he brought me back from the dead. Well, he paid for it to be done, at least.”
[sblock=OOC Again] Man, that’s a lot of text… Feel free to interrupt. I can edit the post as necessary.[/sblock]
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