Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="DM with a vengence" data-source="post: 171625" data-attributes="member: 1679">A Friendly MeetingA Friendly Meeting“Leaders of Tanar.”  Ladinya addressed the four people sitting at the table before her.  “You have, as they say a serious problem.  Nikki, the body please.”  The cleric entered, carrying something wrapped in a large white sheet.  She placed it on the table and began to unwrap the shrouds.  Ladinya continued on.  “Mistriss Al’Veran”  She indicated the mayor’s wife.  “Charged myself and my associates to find and rescue several missing children.  We found traces of there disappearance at-”“Why wasn’t the guard informed of this?” Commander Zimmer demanded.“Because your group of drunken yahoos would have merely terrorized these poor old ladies and then concluded that there was no way to solve the case.”  Lelanna snapped back.“Well I don’t see any children here.”  Zimmer said, gesticulating around the room.  “I don’t see why this group of adventurers,”  He made the word sound like a curse. “Are more trustworthy than the watch.  In the past two days the halfling alone has been charged with over 32 counts of-”“Ahem.”  Ladinya cleared her throat.  “As I was saying, we found traces of the disappearance at the old unused mill.  When we investigated the basement, we were attack by drow.  We killed these, and followed them through a conceal series of tunnels, where we fought two more groups of dark elves.  Then we arrived in a room that I will not trouble you with a description of. The children had been sacrificially killed, for what purpose we do not know.  In that room we were attacked by what is presumably the mastermind of the operation.  He gave a dangerous spell effect to the only surviving child, in the ensuing explosion, all evidence was destroyed and several of us were severely wounded.  We pursued the mastermind through a second maze, and at the exit, in one of the outlaying fields we found this.”She gestured at the recently unwrapped body.“He’s dead.”  Mayor Al’Veran said.“Yes, but notice the cause of death.”  She indicated the hole in the side of his empty head. “He was so stupid he stopped breathing.”  The mayor said.  Everybody else in the room glared at him.“Commander Zimmer, according to the information we were able to pick up, you were once part of the 3rd Spelunkers.  What type of subterranean monster bores a hole in someone’s head and then sucks their brain out?”  Ladinya asked.Commander Zimmer went ashen faced, wheezing for breath.  “Holy crap!  Mindflayers!”“What’s a mindflayer?” Lelanna asked.“Nasty monster.  It stuns you, then sucks your brain out.  They have a bunch of freaky mental stuff. You know, charms, flying, this freaky thing where they shift to another plane and then come back with a fake body that can’t die.  Back in the 3rd, we heard rumors about a secret demi-plane where they kept a bunch of their important people, who only communicated with the real world through astral projection.  If something really bad is going on Down There.”  He pointed at the ground, “Then you can be sure they have their tentacles in it some where.”“Situation assessment, Commander.”  Lelanna asked.“If they attack now, we are screwed.” Zimmer stated frankly.  “Just one of those can rip our militia to shreds in minutes, and Heironeous forbid if they are working with Warlord Zahn.  I recommend we call in reinforcements, maybe the Spelunkers and the 2nd Hussars.”“Warlord Zahn?” Milo asked.“Some half-breed who set himself up about 10 miles out side of town.  He’s collected a good sized retinue of angry drunkards around him.  We’ve always been worried that he might do something rash.”  Lelanna said.“Sounds like a guy I might want to pay a visit to, one way or the other.”  Milo mimed drinking, and then drew a finger horizontally across his throat.“You and me both, brother.” Rudiger said, drawing angry stares from everybody a second time.“Well then, we’ll be going, have a nice day.”  Milo said, edging out of the room.“But be back tomorrow, we’ll have some letters for you.”  Lelanna said, smiling sweetly.“Why?” Ladinya asked.“Because who else to go and tell the Spelunkers than the people who found the problem.”“Damn, we always get pulled for every damn job anybody wants.  Remember those damn zombie-rats in the temple basement.” Kit said as they left</blockquote>

Verification