Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 4215970" data-attributes="member: 16069">Dungeon Crawl Classic #3 The Mysterious Tower Level 3-5Turn 102: “Jean”The far right button pressed the Gang, and in particular Newt, take the stairs three or four at a time- Newt making good use of his magical Ring of Jumping, they burst into the next level.And more traps, tricks and charades.“Damn- how much more of this is there?” Newt scuffs a boot on the floor and looks put out.There are no other stairs in sight. Instead, there are seven doors. Three are spaced evenly along the eastern edge of the tower wall. Two more are in stand alone door frames in the middle of the room.There are also two 10-by-10 force cages. In each of the force cages is another stand alone door frame with another door. The rest of the room is filled with magical apparatus of all kind, as well as several books open at seemingly random pages.“Pelor’s dangly-parts, wake me when you’re done.” Newt heads back down the stairs to the first circular chamber, and the couch therein, five minutes later he’s snoring.“Anya?” Cas asks.And gets a nasty look from Ala.“Ala?” He tries.The female members of the Goodman Gang, the brains department, set to work.Jim, Bec and Cas shuttle between rooms, each of them takes a turn at looking oddly at the Quasit downstairs, erasing previous jiggle-filled memories.Over an hour later the Gang reconvene.“So?” Newt goes back to scuffing a boot.“They’re all locked.” Ala states.“And the two force fields are impenetrable.” Anya states.The women try to hide their smiles, fail.“Go on?” Cas offers.“Well at first we couldn’t see it…” Anya starts. “But then we applied Newt’s theory.” Ala finishes.Newt looks suddenly very interested in proceedings.“Go on?” Cas asks again.“Well it’s not about the doors you can see…” Ala starts.“It’s about the door you cannot see.” Anya finishes.“To be precise- that one.” Ala points to a space on the outer wall of the tower.“What door?” Cas looks the wall over.“Exactly.” Anya smirks.“You’ve been up there haven’t you?” Newt declares.To smiles.“You’re not going to like it.” Anya states.“Especially you.” Ala stares at Newt.“Feck.” And the Gnome is over and through the secret door.The others follow after, Ala and Anya in less of a rush.The top of the tower, the vault, the treasure, and Jean.The room is literally piled high with coins – there must be thousands of gold pieces strewn about randomly. Various other glittering treasures can be seen peeking out of the piles of gold, including a three large spellbooks- Balthazhar’s spellbooks- Anya can’t tear her eyes away- although her overriding emotion seems to be regret.However, sitting atop the pile in the centre of the room is a well-built man of a dark complexion, nearly twice as tall as a normal man. He holds up a warning hand and booms out in a jolly voice, “I am Jean. Please do not enter, my friends! I would not wish to harm you.”“Jean?” Newt wonders.“The Djinni.” Ala completes the circle.“Djinni, aren’t they…” Bec begins.“Indeed I have been tasked with guarding the treasure of ancient, and formerly addled, Balthazhar- I am equipped with all manner of spell-like powers far surpassing your skills, look- now you see me.” Jean demonstrates.BLINKJean Djinni disappears from sight.“Now you don’t.” Jean’s voice comes from the void.BLINKThe Djinni appears next to Newt, who is mid-reach, about to grasp a handful of the gold coins.“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”Newt stops.“Or else.” Newt spits back.“Or else I will destroy you.” Jean brings clarity.“Look there’s six of us…” Newt begins.“Five.” Ala states, “I’m not fighting Jean, he’s one of the good guys.”“Four.” Cas nods.“Four to one then.” Newt barks, “still enough to take you.”“Three- sorry Newt.” Jim bows his head, not wanting to meet the Gnomes eye.“Two.” Bec squeaks and joins Jim in examining the floor in detail.“One.” Anya states, and looks a little crestfallen, she drags her gaze away from Balthazhar’s spellbooks.“You?” Newt spits.“I can’t Newt, it would be… wrong.” Anya looks broken.“Wrong. What do you; any of you know about what’s right or wrong?” Newt screams.“Now that’s…” Cas starts up.“Shut up. JUST SHUT UP WILL YOU. I’m thinking…” Newt goes quiet, very quiet.Too quiet.“Newt?” Jim asks.The Gnome shakes his head.“We, that is, I’m…” Anya has a go.Newt shakes his head some more.Seems to reach a decision.Looks up.And grins.“Okay. Sorry- we’re alive, yeah- that’s what counts, we’ve got the information we need- look for the source of the Blight. Let’s get off then, yeah- yeah.Newt heads off.“Newt?” Cas calls after him.There’s no reply.“Very sensible, a wise decision. Take what you wish from the remainder of the Tower, I wish you well on your travels may you always feel the warmth of the sun on your backs.”BLINKJean is gone from sight.The Gang file out.A mixture of emotions, a fair smattering of confusion- what just happened. To Newt?Newt’s waiting for them outside of the tower, the rest of the Gang emerge into the light, the force field has gone from around the tower, the building looks older, much older, the white stone is pitted and scared, the elements are at work, making up for lost time.“I’m okay.” Newt blinks in the sunlight, “really- it doesn’t matter, next time. I suppose- sorry, I’m… I’m just sorry- promise.” The Gnome grins.Jim notices the Nymph, in the shadows of the over grown orchard.“Watch out there’s…” Jim rushes over.“I know, I’m calling him ‘slinky’.” A huge liana wraps itself around the Nymph, more of a warm cuddle than a deathly embrace, “nice ‘slinky’” The Nymph stokes and smoothes the Assassin Vine.Clearly male, Jim thinks, and pulls up short, attempts a unconcerned saunter the remaining distance.Which makes the Nymph blush.Always a good sign, Jim thinks.“Jim.” Jim proffers his hand.“I think we’ve met.” The Nymph blushes again.“Sharona.” The Nymph giggles leans in and kisses the Ranger on both cheeks- he can see the stars, and they’re not out yet.“Blimey.” Jim remembers to breathe.“These are for your companions.” Sharona hands over five cloaks, woodland greens and browns, “they will save your life, perhaps many times, wear them with pride- they are a gift of my people.”“Thanks, I…” It’s Jim’s turn to blush.“And… for you.” Sharona passes over a pair of leather goggles, odd looking things.“They’re, that is… Mmm, lovely- what are they for?”“Try them on.” Sharona floats over, or so it seems, till she’s behind Jim, her arms circle the Ranger, brush against him, she brings the goggles up, manoeuvres them on.Jim staggers.“Wow.”But Sharona’s there to catch him, “Gotcha”, the Nymph whispers in Jim’s ear.“I can see for miles, these are great. I mean…” Jim’s back to concentrating on the embrace, the feel of the Nymph’s body pressed against his.“I’m…” He blunders.“Now you can see me coming.” Sharona whispers some more.Jim gawps.The pressure of Nymph’s body against his lessons, he turns, turns, turns…Sharona is gone.Laughter.Jim spins around to see the Nymph disappear into the overgrown orchard, and then she’s gone from sight.Just the sound of laughter.In his head.“Jim. JIM. JIM. JIM.”Eventually the Ranger looks round, it’s Cas calling- “what’d she want?”Ala and Anya don’t look happy, Jim looks again at the orchard- “Nothing, reward.” He grins at Newt and heads over.Hands over the cloaks, which all fit perfectly.“Jeerm”, and is smothered by Scat, who hobbles around like a newborn in the light- not the Otyugh’s ideal environment- a creature of the dark by rule.“Jeerm, kan I cum wit yew? Jeerm I yore Bard. Yore Poppit?”DMs Interlude: Have you seen ‘Brief Encounter’, look away now.“I can’t, we’re so… different.”“Jeerm…”“It would never work.”“Burp Jeerm.”“I can’t Scat, that is- not in the villages, or towns, or cities- they wouldn’t understand, they wouldn’t be able to see beyond the caked dung, three flailing tentacles, maw full of razor sharp teeth and the aroma of the sewer.”“Jeerm.” Scat shakes- sobs.“They’d say things behind your back, hurtful things, spiteful things, cruel things… they’d call you names, ridicule you- possibly lynch you.”“Jeermmmmm.” Tentacles flail, hulking sobs accompanied by thunderous trumps.“I have to go, you have to go on- we’ll see each other again, if not in this lifetime then in the next, we’ll always have the Mysterious Tower.”“Jerm. Jerm. Jerm… Oh Jeeeeerm.” The tentacles capture the Ranger, crush him against the fetid lump that is Scat’s torso.“Jeerm. Jerm. Jerm. Jerm. JeeeeermmM.” Scat squeezes some more.Then breaks the clinch and shuffles off, receiving comforting slaps and pats en route from the other members of the Gang, back to the Tower.“Scat. Cas salutes.“Skat.” Bec mumbles and salutes also, tears spring forth.“Good man.” Newt confirms and gingerly waves.“We’ll miss you Scat.” Anya waves heartily.“Thank you, brave, brave Scat.” Ala half-salutes, half-waves.“We’ll see each other again.” Jim calls after the retreating ambulatory blob, “I promise Scat, I…” The Otyugh’s gone.The village of Growl, the Red Lion Inn for food and rest, they collect their mounts from Bungo’s Stables and they’re gone- back to Grimbo. Next Turn: 112 Cabbage Street.</blockquote>

Verification