Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 3670603" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 220RETURN TO SOUTHWATCHA flicker of energy, a faint shimmer, and six companions from Camar materialized at the bottom of a barren, rocky dell.  It was cold, but the air was preternaturally still, despite the movements of the dense gray clouds high above.The place seemed denuded of life.  Despite the recent rains, the brush that choked the dell was brown and crisp, dead vegetation that crinkled under their feet.  Thorns plucked at their garments as they spread out to look around, but they were all wearing durable garments designed for rough travel, and they were not inconvenienced.  “Are we on target?” Talen asked. Letellia—or rather, Honoratius—turned to face him.  “The spell I used has no chance of error,” the archmage said.  “We are at the exact spot that you specified.”Talen nodded.  It took some getting used to, perceiving the ancient mage’s presence in the body of the young woman.  He’d encountered the strange combination before, when Honoratius had teleported their group to Aldenford, but now he, she, they were a part of their company proper, companions that would dare Rappan Athuk with them.  “There is death on the air,” Nelan said, frowning as he adjusted his armor.  The old priest looked somewhat uncomfortable in his breastplate of shining mithral, but he clutched his mace with determination.  He carried numerous magical adjuncts from the vaults of the church of Soleus, including several healing wands, a dozen potent scrolls, and a like number of magical potions.  “We’re only a short distance from Southwatch,” Shay said.  “A lot of unburied bodies were left there.”“Or undead,” Allera said, with a slight shudder.“I still think we should have brought some more men,” Dar said.  Talen was scanning the hills that surrounded the dell.  “This is a reconnaissance in force,” he said.  “We are going to help Nelan take out the temples, find out how to access this demiplane that Orcus is hiding in, and report back.” “Just like that, eh?” “If you have a better idea, I’d be glad to hear it.”“Please, gentlemen... the plan has been decided, let’s focus on accomplishing the mission,” Allera said.  “That’s something I can agree with,” Talen said.  “Archmage, are you ready?”Honoratius raised an eyebrow, an incongruous expression on the young woman’s face. “I am here, commander.  As I noted earlier, I can maintain the transposition for several hours.” “All right.  Shay, can you find the goblin cave from here?”“On it.”  The scout, equipped with her magical boots, easily made her way up the treacherous sides of the dell, and vanished into a gap between two of the far hills.  She was only gone for a few moments before she reappeared, waving for them to follow. The companions moved out in single file, silent and alert.  They were very well equipped, each of them carrying several powerful healing potions.  Shay’s bag of holding was loaded with mundane supplies and spare weapons, and they had a quantity of magical arrows for their bows.  Allera had a full half-dozen healing wands, three cure light wounds, two cure moderate wounds and a last with the lesser restoration spell.  Her own powers had been augmented as well, enhanced with a more powerful periapt of wisdom. They still had mixed feelings on that score.  The periapt and two of the wands had been in one of the satchels that Varo had provided.  The cleric obviously had his own resources, even without an organized church to draw upon.  But then again, a great quantity of magical items had vanished into his handy haversack during their last assault upon Rappan Athuk, and even in crisis Camar was a place where one could acquire many things if one knew the right sources.  Varo was not the only one to have made good use of their loot; Shay had traded a quantity of goblin-sized magical weapons to a merchant from Drasalia in exchange for an improved set of empowered gloves that further enhanced her considerable agility. “The cave’s just a few hills over to the southeast,” Shay reported, as they joined her at the lip of the dell.  “I didn’t see anything moving, anything at all.  The hills seem dead.”“The baleful influence of the Demon is spreading,” Nelan said.  “Even the plants are dying out.”“All the more reason to keep moving,” Talen said.  Dead grass crunched under his heavy boots. The unnatural calm prickled at their senses, and sharpened their awareness.  They were wary of an ambush, especially so close to the abattoir of Southwatch.  But no hostile things emerged from the hills to threaten them, and it took them less than fifteen minutes before they stood before the rocky overhang that concealed the goblins’ hidden exit.  “Let us hope that they are still disposed to parlay with intruders,” Honoratius said, as they drew out their everburning torches and headed inside.  The archmage drew out a quantity of powder and sprinkled it on her skin, toughening it with the potency of a stoneskin spell.  There was a faint sparkling in her hair, as their lights glittered on tiny gemstones woven within a weave of platinum threads.  This was the Web of Transposition, a magical focus that enabled Honoratius to possess the body of his niece over the great distances that separated them.  The young woman looked tiny flanked by Dar and Talen in their heavy armor, but she bore a considerable presence about her that was not entirely based on the personality of her archmage uncle.The secret door at the rear of the cave was as they had left it.  After disarming the trap there by the simple expedient of tripping it (and narrowly avoiding the scything, poisoned blade), they accessed the familiar staircase beyond and started down.  “By the gods, each time we come back to this place, it smells worse than before,” Shay said, as she led them down the twining stairs carved in the stone. “There isn’t anything that smells worse than the dung monster,” Dar replied.  “Quiet,” Talen said, and for a time thereafter the only sound was the noise of their boots on the stone.  The staircase continued for an interminable time, dropping them ever lower.  Finally it opened onto a larger cavern, through which the stair descended like an iron spike.  Careful to remain close to the central spire of the winding stair, away from the sheer drop on the edge, they continued down.  Their lights were just bright enough to make out the galleries around the perimeter of the cavern, perfect places for ambushers to assault unwelcome guests coming down the stairs.  They saw no enemies, but the further they descended, the more each of them could feel the oppressive weight of invisible eyes fixed upon them from the darkness. The goblins were waiting for them at the bottom of the staircase. Allera stepped forward.  They had agreed that Allera would be their spokesperson, or despite Shay’s mastery of the goblin language, she lacked the healer’s diplomatic talents.  Honoratius had empowered her with the ability to speak and comprehend any spoken language via a spell, to minimize any chance of misunderstanding. “We come in peace,” she told the deputation waiting for them.  There were only a half-dozen goblins in evidence, but none of them would make the mistake of assuming that they represented the entirety of the garrison here.  “As we stood together against the evil followers of Orcus that threatened to destroy you before, so to we ask your kind permission to travel through your city once more.”The others remained a short distance back, ready to move in an instant if things turned ugly.  Dar loosened his sword in its scabbard.  “Don’t make any threatening moves,” Talen said quietly. Dar did not look away from Allera.  “I am not a raw recruit, commander,” he whispered back. “I mislike trusting such as these,” Nelan observed.  “While we are taught not to prejudge by the doctrines of the faith, goblins are steeped in selfishness and treachery.”“See, that’s what I say, but he won’t listen to me,” Dar replied, with a jerk of his head at Talen.  The knight did not respond. “The end of the world makes for strange bedfellows,” Shay observed. Allera returned a moment later.  “What did they say?” Talen asked. “It would seem that our way must lead elsewhere.  The goblins have collapsed the tunnel leading to the slave pits.  There is no longer any access to the temples of Orcus from Grezneck.”“And you believed him?” Dar asked.  “I think they just don’t want us coming through their city again.”“The goblin was telling the truth,” Honoratius said.  “At least insofar as he believed it to be true.”“Some sorcery?” Dar asked. “Indeed.  During the interview, I scanned its thoughts.  They are suspicious of us, and understandably fearful, but it confirmed that the tunnel you sought has been collapsed.”“Can you teleport us through the obstruction?” Talen asked. The young woman shook her head.  “I had only one instance of the spell memorized, but even beyond that, magical transportation without very specific directions in mind can be hazardous.  Or in the case of the augmented version of the spell, futile.”“Varo said something about interference, last time,” Allera said.  “Perhaps.  I have sensed some anomalous currents of power since we entered this complex.”Talen grimaced and snapped his sword an inch in its scabbard.  “We must try another approach, then.”Dar looked at him, and divined the significance of his intent in his face.  “Ugh, I had to say it.”“What?” Shay asked. “Let’s just say that you’ll get a chance to do your comparison of stinks,” the fighter said.  As the goblins watched them silently from the shadows at the base of the stair, the knight led them back up the way they had come.</blockquote>

Verification