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Story Hour
The Goodman Gang in The Mysterious Tower
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<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 4105262" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p style="text-align: center">Dungeon Crawl Classic #3</p> <p style="text-align: center">The Mysterious Tower</p> <p style="text-align: center">Level 3-5</p><p></p><p>Turn 90: The Arrugah.</p><p></p><p>The Goodman Gang quietly creep into the chamber ahead, Jim leads the way into a 30-by-30 room filled with rubble, shards of wood, and loose dirt. Something has dug a passage straight through the stone walls in the north-western corner, with one tunnel leading to the north and another to the west.</p><p></p><p>“Shhh.” The Ranger scouts ahead, the others watch on- as silent as possible.</p><p></p><p>Although Scat’s making a fair amount of noise in the chamber behind them, wolfing down his meal of squished Bombadier Beetle.</p><p></p><p>Jim’s back in a minute or two.</p><p></p><p>“The passage north is silent, well almost, it stinks of animal- bear possibly, do you think Arrugah’s are bears? No matter. The passage west is much noisier, there are several… things, down there, they sound- big and angry, no not angry, ferocious, big definitely- I’m betting they’re bears.” Jim whispers.</p><p>The Goodman Gang nod back in unison.</p><p>Cas goes to speak, but Jim cuts the Paladin off, unintentionally, he hasn’t finished.</p><p>“I suggest Newt takes a look north, I’ll go with him, I’m fairly stealthy- for support, we’ll see what we can see. You lot keep an eye out for us, and watch the passage east- make sure nothing comes. If it does make some noise, I don’t want to get cut off.”</p><p>The Goodman Gang nod, and smile, the Paladin just settles on nodding.</p><p>“Come on then.” Newt winks and leads Jim off.</p><p>“Back in a bit.” The Ranger whispers, the rest of the gang creep over to the intersection of tunnels, monitoring both passages.</p><p></p><p>Newt, with Jim trailing a good ten feet behind him, heads north and into a roughly dug earthen cave, with no wall or ceiling reinforcements whatsoever, showers of dirt rain down- it doesn’t look that safe.</p><p></p><p>“Newt.” Jim whispers, he can see the danger.</p><p></p><p>The Gnome flaps his hand- signalling silence, creeps further in to the chamber.</p><p></p><p>In the middle of the floor rests a huge feathered creature of some kind, the size and shape of a bear, an Owlbear in fact. A rhythmic, wheezing pattern of breathing, it’s quite definitely asleep.</p><p></p><p>Newt turns and spies Jim, puts his hand up, the Ranger halts, squats.</p><p></p><p>Sniiiiiiick.</p><p></p><p>Newt draws his Adamantine Dagger, the dull blade barely registers in the shadowy light.</p><p></p><p>“No, New…” Jim whispers hurriedly.</p><p></p><p>But is too late.</p><p></p><p>SLIIIIIIICE</p><p></p><p>And the Owlbear is awake; its massive saucer eyes blink open, Newt tumbles backwards out of the fray. Throat cut, great gouts of blood streaming down, the creature staggers to get up, mouth and jaws flapping furiously, but no sound emerges.</p><p></p><p>It doesn’t even make it to all fours; its death is remarkably quick for something so large.</p><p></p><p>Thirty seconds later it’s just a huge lump on the dirty ground, Newt and Jim crouch beside it- breathing hard; fear and not exertion.</p><p></p><p>“That was dangerous.” Jim cautions, still talking in whispers.</p><p>“I know.” Newt’s teeth reflect in the light.</p><p></p><p>Jim thinks about it, then lays a reassuring hand on the Gnome’s shoulder.</p><p></p><p>“Come on, let’s go tell the others big guy.”</p><p></p><p>Grinning the pair head quietly back, gather the others up and creep back into the first chamber, where Scat has finished his lunch.</p><p></p><p>Newt notices that his pile of puke has also been cleaned up.</p><p></p><p>The mighty Otyugh is on guard duty, actually Scat is flopped on the floor in the corner of the room, snoring.</p><p></p><p>PARRP-PAPAPPAARP.</p><p></p><p>And farting, contentedly.</p><p></p><p>Jim tells the story, the slaying of the Owlbear- Newt looks on, a thin smile and a heart full of pride.</p><p></p><p>“How big?” Bec asks.</p><p>“Twice the size of you.” Jim states.</p><p>Bec looks again at the Gnome, reaches down and ruffles his hair.</p><p>“Pack it in, or your next.” Newt growls, and grins.</p><p></p><p>“Right then, I thing there are at least two others, Owlbears, down the other passage, what we need is a plan.”</p><p>Cas goes to open his mouth, Jim waits, the others turn to watch- see how this is going to turn out, Cas smiles then motions for Jim to continue.</p><p>“Thanks. Right then we creep in, as close as we can get- sunrods in, open fire, then Cas leads the charge, what d’you say?”</p><p>“I’ve got an idea. I’m going to give them a little something to think about- don’t charge in until I say it’s safe.” Anya grins and fingers her necklace.</p><p>“Ok.” Jim looks confident, “Cas wait for Anya’s signal.”</p><p>The Paladin nods.</p><p>“Hang on.” Ala mutters a short prayer, the Gang are engulfed in a glittering blue light, the Blessings of Correllon.</p><p> </p><p>Less than thirty seconds later the Gang have reached the end of the eastern passage, which actually turns to head south, at the entrance to a roughly circular cavern filled with signs of regular use. A nearly vertical air shaft allows for twilight-level illumination. But the sight that really catches the Gang’s attention are not the huge claw marks on every surface, but the source of the claw marks, standing about thirty feet away from them. Two enormous bear-like creatures covered in shaggy coats of feathers. Their beaked, bird-like heads hiss a warning; they turn swiftly, despite their size and surroundings to glare at Anya and Newt.</p><p></p><p>Jim throws a pair of sunrods in, which confuses both the creatures momentarily, they shy away, ward their eyes.</p><p></p><p>“Feck.” Newt manages a ragged breath, “they’re enormous.”</p><p></p><p>THUNG</p><p></p><p>His crossbow bolt smashes into side of the first Owlbear’s skull, lodges there.</p><p></p><p>ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-GAHHHH.</p><p></p><p>The Owlbear staggers left, nearly collapses, shakes its head, pawing at the bolt lodged there.</p><p></p><p>Newt’s hands jiggle with his crossbow, it’s reloaded in seconds, the other Owlbear still hasn’t moved, taking in the scene.</p><p></p><p>FWUNG</p><p></p><p>His second bolt thumps into the already hurt creatures back, causing another spasm of pain; the creature is clearly no measure for the Gnome.</p><p></p><p>“Go on then.” Newt waves at the open mouthed Anya.</p><p></p><p>Who shuts her mouth and then launches a pea sized object into the chamber, it’s one of the beads from her necklace.</p><p></p><p>“BACK.” Anya screams and shuffles back out of the chamber.</p><p>“What?” Cas asks and looks to see where Anya’s going, he turns back just in time.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px">FWUMP.</span></p><p></p><p>Anya’s Fireball rocks the chamber; a spiralling wash of flame shoots out in every direction.</p><p></p><p>And in seconds is gone, leaving too floundering Owlbears, both on fire, both caught in the epicentre of the blast.</p><p></p><p>ARRRRU-gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh</p><p></p><p>“So that’s what she does.” Ala states and smiles thinly at Anya.</p><p></p><p>“CHARGE- FOR PELOR.”</p><p></p><p>Cas races in, followed by Ala and Jim. The three slice madly at the first flaming Owlbear, Ala’s longsword cuts deep into the creatures right arm, Jim almost severs the creatures left leg, and Cas stabs the length of his blade in the flailing, now falling, monsters chest- the Owlbear sinks to its knees. The three back off.</p><p></p><p>Bec runs around the first combat and straight for the second creature, Newt’s crossbow bolt still protruding from the side of its skull.</p><p></p><p>SLICE.</p><p></p><p>And that’s all it takes, the huge thing tumbles and crunches into the dirt.</p><p></p><p>AAAARRRRRRU-GAH-GAH-GAH.</p><p></p><p>The Gang as one turn, there’s a dirt passage on the opposite side of the chamber to where they entered, clearly there’s another Owlbear down there, and it doesn’t sound too happy.</p><p></p><p>Jim turns back as the first Owlbear slumps forward, flames lick and curl, the fire rages and burns continues to consume the thing.</p><p></p><p>“Keep moving.” Jim orders and points the way over to the exit, the rest of the Gang rush over and gather, only for Jim and Newt to lead them on, south and then east into another rough cavern.</p><p></p><p>Two small bundles of fur cower in the corner of next chamber. Their massive parent towers in front of them, stretched to her full height of eight feet. Her feathers bristle as she hisses ferociously, warning the Gang away.</p><p></p><p>Newt fumbles with his crossbow, expertly, fits a bolt and is and about to fire.</p><p></p><p>Slap.</p><p></p><p>When Jim knocks the device out of his hands.</p><p></p><p>“WAIT. Shhhhh. Sorry Newt.” Jim finally whispers, “It’s defending its young, it’s a female, look.” Jim points; sure enough the two bundles are juvenile Owlbears, they squirm and hide behind their mother.</p><p></p><p>“Hang on.”</p><p></p><p>Jim slings his battleaxe, “cover me”, and takes a couple of steps forward, then just stands there.</p><p></p><p>“Nobody move.” He whispers back.</p><p></p><p>Nobody moves for a while.</p><p></p><p>“For how long?” Newt whispers back.</p><p>“As long as it takes- now shush Newt.”</p><p></p><p>Newt leans back on the cavern wall, settles there, yawns and shuts his eyes.</p><p></p><p>“Wake me when he’s done.” The Rogue whispers.</p><p></p><p>Anya nods and continues to watch, and be impressed by, Jim.</p><p></p><p>For the first minute the huge female continues to hiss her warnings, the Gang do not move. A while later she begins to settle, its at that point that Jim starts to hum, a familiar tune- the tune of the song that Scat was singing, but not the words- its kind of soothing.</p><p></p><p>Five minutes later the Owlbear family are either sleeping or simply watching and waiting, the mother now sat on her haunches, still protecting her cubs.</p><p></p><p>“Ok.” Jim whispers, he slowly points, there’s another exit on the opposite side of the cavern, heading east again.</p><p></p><p>“Go and take a look, quietly. I’ll stay here.” Jim whispers again.</p><p></p><p>Slowly, after Newt is woken, the others creep behind Jim, one at a time, and head off down the far passage, there’s a light ahead.</p><p></p><p>Jim watches the Owlbear, as the Owlbear watches his compatriots, she remains calm, still seated in front of her young, she yawns and clacks her beak a bit.</p><p></p><p>Cas leads the Gang on, the tunnel turns sharply to the right where it encounters an underground section of the Tower. The shimmering blue force field seems out of place underground, where it borders wet dirt and mud, but it makes it clear that the Tower extends deep underground. Instead of seeing its white marble walls behind the force field, they instead see mud and dirt with the occasional patch of dirty marble visible beneath.</p><p></p><p>The tunnel turns away from the Tower and into a small dead-end cavern filled with bones and rubbish.</p><p></p><p>Newt sidles over to the Tower.</p><p></p><p>“Careful.” Cas warns.</p><p>“I always am.” Newt mutters, gingerly the Gnome places his hand against the force field- solid.</p><p>“No way in here.” Newt declares.</p><p>“We’ll check the chamber then head back to Jim.” Cas states.</p><p></p><p>And so they do, to no avail, there are no secrets to be found, and five minutes later, after a safe crossing of Moma Owlbear’s chamber, they’re back in the first chamber, Scat’s home.</p><p></p><p>The Otyugh is just waking.</p><p></p><p>Next Turn: Scat Bad.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Goonalan, post: 4105262, member: 16069"] [CENTER]Dungeon Crawl Classic #3 The Mysterious Tower Level 3-5[/CENTER] Turn 90: The Arrugah. The Goodman Gang quietly creep into the chamber ahead, Jim leads the way into a 30-by-30 room filled with rubble, shards of wood, and loose dirt. Something has dug a passage straight through the stone walls in the north-western corner, with one tunnel leading to the north and another to the west. “Shhh.” The Ranger scouts ahead, the others watch on- as silent as possible. Although Scat’s making a fair amount of noise in the chamber behind them, wolfing down his meal of squished Bombadier Beetle. Jim’s back in a minute or two. “The passage north is silent, well almost, it stinks of animal- bear possibly, do you think Arrugah’s are bears? No matter. The passage west is much noisier, there are several… things, down there, they sound- big and angry, no not angry, ferocious, big definitely- I’m betting they’re bears.” Jim whispers. The Goodman Gang nod back in unison. Cas goes to speak, but Jim cuts the Paladin off, unintentionally, he hasn’t finished. “I suggest Newt takes a look north, I’ll go with him, I’m fairly stealthy- for support, we’ll see what we can see. You lot keep an eye out for us, and watch the passage east- make sure nothing comes. If it does make some noise, I don’t want to get cut off.” The Goodman Gang nod, and smile, the Paladin just settles on nodding. “Come on then.” Newt winks and leads Jim off. “Back in a bit.” The Ranger whispers, the rest of the gang creep over to the intersection of tunnels, monitoring both passages. Newt, with Jim trailing a good ten feet behind him, heads north and into a roughly dug earthen cave, with no wall or ceiling reinforcements whatsoever, showers of dirt rain down- it doesn’t look that safe. “Newt.” Jim whispers, he can see the danger. The Gnome flaps his hand- signalling silence, creeps further in to the chamber. In the middle of the floor rests a huge feathered creature of some kind, the size and shape of a bear, an Owlbear in fact. A rhythmic, wheezing pattern of breathing, it’s quite definitely asleep. Newt turns and spies Jim, puts his hand up, the Ranger halts, squats. Sniiiiiiick. Newt draws his Adamantine Dagger, the dull blade barely registers in the shadowy light. “No, New…” Jim whispers hurriedly. But is too late. SLIIIIIIICE And the Owlbear is awake; its massive saucer eyes blink open, Newt tumbles backwards out of the fray. Throat cut, great gouts of blood streaming down, the creature staggers to get up, mouth and jaws flapping furiously, but no sound emerges. It doesn’t even make it to all fours; its death is remarkably quick for something so large. Thirty seconds later it’s just a huge lump on the dirty ground, Newt and Jim crouch beside it- breathing hard; fear and not exertion. “That was dangerous.” Jim cautions, still talking in whispers. “I know.” Newt’s teeth reflect in the light. Jim thinks about it, then lays a reassuring hand on the Gnome’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s go tell the others big guy.” Grinning the pair head quietly back, gather the others up and creep back into the first chamber, where Scat has finished his lunch. Newt notices that his pile of puke has also been cleaned up. The mighty Otyugh is on guard duty, actually Scat is flopped on the floor in the corner of the room, snoring. PARRP-PAPAPPAARP. And farting, contentedly. Jim tells the story, the slaying of the Owlbear- Newt looks on, a thin smile and a heart full of pride. “How big?” Bec asks. “Twice the size of you.” Jim states. Bec looks again at the Gnome, reaches down and ruffles his hair. “Pack it in, or your next.” Newt growls, and grins. “Right then, I thing there are at least two others, Owlbears, down the other passage, what we need is a plan.” Cas goes to open his mouth, Jim waits, the others turn to watch- see how this is going to turn out, Cas smiles then motions for Jim to continue. “Thanks. Right then we creep in, as close as we can get- sunrods in, open fire, then Cas leads the charge, what d’you say?” “I’ve got an idea. I’m going to give them a little something to think about- don’t charge in until I say it’s safe.” Anya grins and fingers her necklace. “Ok.” Jim looks confident, “Cas wait for Anya’s signal.” The Paladin nods. “Hang on.” Ala mutters a short prayer, the Gang are engulfed in a glittering blue light, the Blessings of Correllon. Less than thirty seconds later the Gang have reached the end of the eastern passage, which actually turns to head south, at the entrance to a roughly circular cavern filled with signs of regular use. A nearly vertical air shaft allows for twilight-level illumination. But the sight that really catches the Gang’s attention are not the huge claw marks on every surface, but the source of the claw marks, standing about thirty feet away from them. Two enormous bear-like creatures covered in shaggy coats of feathers. Their beaked, bird-like heads hiss a warning; they turn swiftly, despite their size and surroundings to glare at Anya and Newt. Jim throws a pair of sunrods in, which confuses both the creatures momentarily, they shy away, ward their eyes. “Feck.” Newt manages a ragged breath, “they’re enormous.” THUNG His crossbow bolt smashes into side of the first Owlbear’s skull, lodges there. ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-GAHHHH. The Owlbear staggers left, nearly collapses, shakes its head, pawing at the bolt lodged there. Newt’s hands jiggle with his crossbow, it’s reloaded in seconds, the other Owlbear still hasn’t moved, taking in the scene. FWUNG His second bolt thumps into the already hurt creatures back, causing another spasm of pain; the creature is clearly no measure for the Gnome. “Go on then.” Newt waves at the open mouthed Anya. Who shuts her mouth and then launches a pea sized object into the chamber, it’s one of the beads from her necklace. “BACK.” Anya screams and shuffles back out of the chamber. “What?” Cas asks and looks to see where Anya’s going, he turns back just in time. [SIZE=5]FWUMP.[/SIZE] Anya’s Fireball rocks the chamber; a spiralling wash of flame shoots out in every direction. And in seconds is gone, leaving too floundering Owlbears, both on fire, both caught in the epicentre of the blast. ARRRRU-gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh “So that’s what she does.” Ala states and smiles thinly at Anya. “CHARGE- FOR PELOR.” Cas races in, followed by Ala and Jim. The three slice madly at the first flaming Owlbear, Ala’s longsword cuts deep into the creatures right arm, Jim almost severs the creatures left leg, and Cas stabs the length of his blade in the flailing, now falling, monsters chest- the Owlbear sinks to its knees. The three back off. Bec runs around the first combat and straight for the second creature, Newt’s crossbow bolt still protruding from the side of its skull. SLICE. And that’s all it takes, the huge thing tumbles and crunches into the dirt. AAAARRRRRRU-GAH-GAH-GAH. The Gang as one turn, there’s a dirt passage on the opposite side of the chamber to where they entered, clearly there’s another Owlbear down there, and it doesn’t sound too happy. Jim turns back as the first Owlbear slumps forward, flames lick and curl, the fire rages and burns continues to consume the thing. “Keep moving.” Jim orders and points the way over to the exit, the rest of the Gang rush over and gather, only for Jim and Newt to lead them on, south and then east into another rough cavern. Two small bundles of fur cower in the corner of next chamber. Their massive parent towers in front of them, stretched to her full height of eight feet. Her feathers bristle as she hisses ferociously, warning the Gang away. Newt fumbles with his crossbow, expertly, fits a bolt and is and about to fire. Slap. When Jim knocks the device out of his hands. “WAIT. Shhhhh. Sorry Newt.” Jim finally whispers, “It’s defending its young, it’s a female, look.” Jim points; sure enough the two bundles are juvenile Owlbears, they squirm and hide behind their mother. “Hang on.” Jim slings his battleaxe, “cover me”, and takes a couple of steps forward, then just stands there. “Nobody move.” He whispers back. Nobody moves for a while. “For how long?” Newt whispers back. “As long as it takes- now shush Newt.” Newt leans back on the cavern wall, settles there, yawns and shuts his eyes. “Wake me when he’s done.” The Rogue whispers. Anya nods and continues to watch, and be impressed by, Jim. For the first minute the huge female continues to hiss her warnings, the Gang do not move. A while later she begins to settle, its at that point that Jim starts to hum, a familiar tune- the tune of the song that Scat was singing, but not the words- its kind of soothing. Five minutes later the Owlbear family are either sleeping or simply watching and waiting, the mother now sat on her haunches, still protecting her cubs. “Ok.” Jim whispers, he slowly points, there’s another exit on the opposite side of the cavern, heading east again. “Go and take a look, quietly. I’ll stay here.” Jim whispers again. Slowly, after Newt is woken, the others creep behind Jim, one at a time, and head off down the far passage, there’s a light ahead. Jim watches the Owlbear, as the Owlbear watches his compatriots, she remains calm, still seated in front of her young, she yawns and clacks her beak a bit. Cas leads the Gang on, the tunnel turns sharply to the right where it encounters an underground section of the Tower. The shimmering blue force field seems out of place underground, where it borders wet dirt and mud, but it makes it clear that the Tower extends deep underground. Instead of seeing its white marble walls behind the force field, they instead see mud and dirt with the occasional patch of dirty marble visible beneath. The tunnel turns away from the Tower and into a small dead-end cavern filled with bones and rubbish. Newt sidles over to the Tower. “Careful.” Cas warns. “I always am.” Newt mutters, gingerly the Gnome places his hand against the force field- solid. “No way in here.” Newt declares. “We’ll check the chamber then head back to Jim.” Cas states. And so they do, to no avail, there are no secrets to be found, and five minutes later, after a safe crossing of Moma Owlbear’s chamber, they’re back in the first chamber, Scat’s home. The Otyugh is just waking. Next Turn: Scat Bad. [/QUOTE]
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