The hidden

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
09 PAYBACK
SEGMENT 172
“A VIEW TO A KILL”
02/11/18

BARRAKAS 13, 1000 ABOVE YRLAG ABOUT 1 BELL AT NIGHT


“Quintos! Quintos you damned manservant! Come see this!” declares Lord Vollax in excitement. The Emerald Claw commander stands on the rail of his elemental air ship moored at the lighthouse.

A man with a snarled and waving green flame tattoo on his right cheek hurries to him. “Master? Oh!”

The two of them watch as sections of Yrlag burst in explosive activity. Before them are fires, battles of magic and steel and death. So much death. So much glorious death.

They watch the chaos and destruction in ecstasy.

“Hah! Look- Gussa’s camp is under attack. Her men are either fleeing or dropping in flaming ruins. Glorious! It is truly glorious Master!”

“Yes. Yes it is.”

“What are those creatures My Lord?” Asks the man servant. “Are they natives of The Hidden?”

“Which to you speak of Quintos?”

“The ones climbing the rooftop.”

“Ah- wonderful creatures. They are natives of The Hidden. The scholars are referring to them as Sin Spawn. There are several clans or types of them. Wrath is the most commonly encountered here. They create and feed on the emotions of hatred and vengefulness.”

“What other clans or types are there?”

“We have encountered Greed and my favorite- Lust.”

“And those….?”

“Orcs. Grey Dusk Orcs.” He says with great boredom. “Base creatures led by a half-orc in New Water.”

They continue to watch in silence. A mixture of awe and respect.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
09 PAYBACK
SEGMENT 173
“SHINY”
02/11/18

BARRAKAS 13, 1000 ABOVE YRLAG AFTER 3RD BELL IN THE MORNING—

It is quiet in this secret hidden hole in the ground located between Old Town and the Valadis Compound up the shore. Two goblins are always on guard here watching this secret cell. Today is no different as guards Coose and Sniffle watch the secret room. It is so secret, even the upper levels of The Web do not know of it. Even the highest of the high- Lord Spyder.

“I is bored Coose.” Mumbles one goblin.

“I is bored Sniffle.” Mumbles the other goblin.

Then in unison- “We is bored goblins.” They giggle and laugh until they wheeze and tear.

“It be better than New scary Water.” Offers Coose.

“It be better than The scarier Black Glass.” Offers Sniffle.

They continue this word mockery game to pass the night. Perhaps this is why they don’t hear the scuffle above. It is not until the secret trap door is opened that the two goblins relieze something is wrong. They yell “Ulp” in unison. Down drops three Dolgrims. The five charge into each other. Sniffles is dropped as one Dolgrim strikes it with an axe then followed up by a hook. While this dolgrim tries to free its hook from Sniffles ribcage, Coose takes him down. The other two Dolgrims flank then take down Coose.

A female wrapped in dark blue and black strips of cloth enters the hallway next. She has to crouch almost to her knees to travel to the dolgrims and the door to the treasure. She goes to pick the lock but decides to not. Instead she braces her back on the wall and kicks in the door. The door doesn’t break. Instead, it and the frame it is attached to falls in freeing loose soft and wet earth.

She crawls in and looks through the 5x5 room and finds the Wand of Drizz’t. It was stolen from her master two weeks ago. Then she spots something odd. Oil. Clear oil.

Following the thicker trail she finds the broken shell of…. A metal egg? Egg! She quickly turns back to oil trail and follows the thinner trail….. a puddle. She looks up and finds something there that had been digging. The thing screeches and leaps at her.

The dolgrims never knew what hit them either.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
09 PAYBACK
SEGMENT 174
“THE WARFORGED NAMED JOCASTA”
02/11/18

LHARVION 12, 1000 ON A SHIP FROM TROLANPORT, ZILARGO

The cargo and supply ship arrives in Sharn late in the morning. Few people are on board. This is a supply cargo ship. A few humans, half-elves and one dwarf do walk about setting the lines and preparing to unload. After unloading they will reload and return to Zilargo. A late passenger comes out of the under deck. A strange looking warforged.

It is much thinner and graceful than most of the typical warforged. It also has a armbow attached. The forearm leading to it is strangely shaped and enlarged. One eye is larger and it has a few cables attached where warforged typical have no exposed cables or ropes.

“Sharn. It has been a long time.” It says with… emotion and fond memories?

The warforged goes to an magical lift and after paying a few coppers, is brought up the very tall cliffside to the base of the city itself. With great ease, the warforged avoids city guards whom track whom enters the city. It is as if she has known this all of her life.

Once within the city walls, she / it makes its way to Travis Landing. It is a place where the poor often gather. Foreigners especially.

LHARVION 14, 1000

Having decided where her targets are, the warforged makes her way there. She is blunt. The last person standing with each conflict is asked a simple question- “Where is Vollax?”

LHARVION 20, 1000

The strange warforged is on a new ship. She / it is headed for Yrlag. “I come to kill you Vollax. You and your creepy manservant Quintos.”

“What was that?” asks a sleepy Brelander.

“Sorry- I spoke when I should have been silent. Many pardons.”

The woman looks her / it up and down. “You got a name deary?”

“Jocasta.”

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
09 PAYBACK
SEGMENT 175
“SAVE THEM—SAVE THEM ALL”
03/08--09/18

BARRAKAS 13, 1000 AFTER 2nd BELL IN THE MORNING—

Gern and Dankoraexik (Dan) both look over the lying dead bodies of the Emerald Claw agents. Arbarian gave it a swift kick instead. They had met only five minutes ago taking down a series of Dolgrims. If they yet lived, they would see a strong bodied human barbarian with beaded hair and a heavy hard striking sword. As gruesome of a sight as that, Gern is more intimidating. His body is that of an elf but the facial crystal mask or helmet he wears….. it is blue in color and distorts his face into one of fearsomeness. His hatred for the aberrational kind seems to know no bounds.

“Dankoraexik. Most call me Dan. Dan the Barbarian.” [can’t locate the Storyhour segment but this was a player’s first PC which he used for one adventure to try the game years ago within the Hidden]

“I heard the screams for help and came as quickly as I could. Heard about these Claw guys were no good but taking scantly clad women in the night? You?”
Sinspawn and Dolgrims.
“Gern.” This is all that is said and is all that needs to be said by the strange masked elf.

More aberrational forces come. Gern especially steps up to stop the varies unnatural creatures. Dan hurries by the two halflings. “We have them.” Declares a changeling covering them. Dan looks twice while going by. The one is a skeleton?!?”

The two hurry by and spot someone fighting off four Sinspawn. Strangely enough….. he is laughing with great glee and joy. “”there are more ahead. Plenty for all!” declares the orc wielding a large double bladed axe.

The two look about. Indeed, there are fires on the wharves and many plundering orcs and aberrational humanoids. “Lead the way:. Suggests Dan.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
09 PAYBACK
SEGMENT 175
“SAVE THEM—SAVE THEM ALL”
03/09/18

BARRAKAS 13, 1000 AFTER 2nd BELL IN THE MORNING—

“Battle conditions!” screams out the Eternal Warrior from a light sleep. A longsword materializes from a pocket in his hand. The woman awakens instantly and a battle staff glides to her hand quickly. The door suddenly is kicked in and a large SinSpawn enters the doorway. “Want the tome you took!”

“As the Fist and Steel of-“

“Enough!” calls in three more alien champions that rush in through the doorway.

A blast of energy blows two of the aberrationals away and into the water. One more finds itself caught up in a freezing controlled and concentrated storm of snow, ice and sleet. The fourth member is grabbed from behind and thrown through the wooden wall. It strikes and rolls to the edge. It tries to get up but can not. Gilad marches out strapping on the last of his two celestes.

Elsewhere- Emerald Claw leaders and units find themselves also under assault. The many creatures from the swamp are here taking back books, artifacts and items of power. They are taking back items of power and knowledge.

Various Dark Lanterns, Royal Eyes, Ministry of the Lions and even Aurum members team-up…. Some knowingly, some not. Only the Trust truly know whom has their back. From near Grotto’s and the museum, the group moves like an elite battle team (which they are….but for different countries and groups)

The would-be heroes fight off the creatures with lesser flare and most deal with the dozens of fires.

Still the battle goes poorly.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
09 PAYBACK
SEGMENT 177
”COULD SOMEONE GO GET MY AXE? PLEASE?”
03/09/18

BARRAKAS 13, 1000 AFTER 4TH BELL IN THE MORNING—

A small Beholder (Gauth) leads a group of about eight sinspawn (greed) through a dockway leading into the swamps. Gern is quick to address the floating aberration. One beam strikes him arm making it breakout in painful boils and blood under the unharmed sleeve. Dan attacks through the main force of Sin Spawn. The wild orc known as Payback recklessly leaps through the air head first onto a barge they were loading with crates of treasure and aberrational goods along with the wives, children and one nobleman. The gauth is distracted by this act and thus an easier target for the blue faced elf (?) to attack. At one point the orc drives his axe through the body of a dying grey dawn orc. His weapon is stuck and the remaining orc attacks. He is easily lifted up and slammed onto the axe driving the large blade through two orcs now. He very much likes this idea. He is very very happy about it. He rips his double axe free of the barge (now filling with water)and turns to help Dan whom has just hopped on to help the people on board.

Gern stares down the gauth. Mental energy erupts from his body and the gauth is blasted into pieces and falls into the water. The local catfish stay away from it. Payback gives a loud howl of approval and waves his axe over his head. Suddenly the tail end of a large Aquatic Naga reaches up and pulls the surprised orc into and under the water.

“Friend Orc!” calls out Dan as he tries to reach him. “Forget him.” Snarls out in a raspy voice the masked elf. “The show boater…. Will handle himself.”

Dan, not sure what to make of the elf looks to the swirls and bubbles then to frightened people. The people are more important.

The battle goes like this without the orc named Payback for an hour. The creatures seem to be headed for the New Water with their plunder. No issues- any boat or barge they take can easily be caught up with and overtaken,

As the sun tries to burn through the morning clouds the two warriors- Gern and Dan, find a few aberrational humanoids remaining on the dock. Ahead of them are about six loot carrying Sinspawn of greed and wrath trying to enter….. a clear water and bead free area about thirty feet from the edge of the shore and twenty feet from a dock. Seeing what is happening, a Dolgrim leaves a staired entrance and reaches for the blue colored crystal rod being used to open the door and hold back the water and beads.

They have no means to stop the door. Suddenly there is a scream like a happy banshee. A thrown double axe strikes and kills one of the two SinSpawn that were fighting Dan. The orc runs past the surprised barbarian even as the second creature drops to the ground. Gern, ready to mentally strike down the dolgrim at the interest is forced to stop as the the orc, never slowing down, never hesitating, leaps off the dead at a full run.

The dolgrim, with two evil grins pulls the crystal rod closing the door. The door was never the orc’s goal.

The water and beads crash back in on the still bouncing and rolling large orc. The water settles, several inches of beads fill over the floor of the glass like floor. The dolgrim and others have escaped…… or have they?

“Any one got a blue crystal rod key?” The orc gurgles as the water depth is near his mouth as he sits on all fours.

“I am known as Dan. What is a blue crystal key?”

“Key to open these—fagh!- doors. With it closed, the beads and dark water-fagh! The water and beads would have….. covered it for sure.”

“If covered…. Then why the need of the ket?”

“Heh. It’s where my –fagh--- freakin’ finger is.”

Gern looks at the barbarian. Method to one’s madness.

“Oh yeah- Could you –fagh---- get me axe. Some critter is holding it for me.” BIG BIG Smile.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
09 PURSUIT
SEGMENT 178
”DOWN THE RABBIT’S HOLE”
03/11/18

BARRAKAS 13, 1000

“A stick?”

“It’ll….work as a marker.” Grumbles the elf wearing the strange translucent mask. The strange visitor calmly steps off the dock into the water and steps to the large orc. He feels for the Orc’s hand under the water and beads and carefully sticks the branch into the hole. He looks to the orc with a blank look hinting of satisfaction. “Smart guy.” Is all the orc comments.

Now sitting in the water the orc looks around then looks up to the new guy. “Smart Guy- got any ideas on how to get in? The creatures here, these aberrations, they use colored glass to open doors. Got one?”

“No.”

“ HO! Great Orc- I have what I think is your axe.” Calls out a barbarian. “I found it as you said- held by one of these invaders. Held within his chest.” Calls out the barbarian holding up a large double headed axe.

“Aye. Dat be e wee axe. Say good man- do you have a glass stick?” calls out the orc.

“No.”

“What good are adventurers if they don’t have keys for the doors?” the Orc asks the strange elf. If the elf knows or has an answer he saves it for himself.

“ARGH!” the orc kicks his legs and slaps his hand down within the water in frustration.

“Quiet your….. self.”

The orc gives a dirty look before getting up from a sitting position in the water.

A man dressed entirely in black seems to have run from somewhere. He doesn’t stop on the deck. He hops down into the water and moves to the orc. “I may be of service sir orc if I may join you.”

“Gladly. You look familiar.” Says the orc to the new comer.

“I am Azzime. I sell maps to adventurers.”

The elf appraises him then looks over his shoulder to the oncoming barbarian. “If that is a key to enter the area below I would join you if I may.”

“Now we’re talking.” Grins the orc as the new comer, with bits of glass sticking to his left leg. Azzime sets the rod carefully to where Gern had the branch placed. “They have a head start. I want to run them down.”

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
09 PURSUIT
SEGMENT 180
”ONE DOWN…. MANY TO GO”
03/11/18

BARRAKAS 13, 1000

The water pulls back from a blue energy wall blending with the water. Then the beads suck back also leaving four strangers together. Payback, a ranger orc with a great zeal for life. Gern, a strange and few worded elf wearing a crystal face piece that meres any details. Dan the Barbarian whom has venturerd here for over a year. Azzime, map maker and seller. Also has many contacts with Breland government agents. Perhaps the last human to have seen Truth and RAF.

Gern, Payback and Dan drop down slide down a short ramp. Azzime pops the rod free and drops down also even as the blue energy wall begins to resume and just as quickly water and beads sweep in.

They find a two colored doorways inside. One is blue, like the way in, and another is yellow. Though there is no lights there are small ½ inch crystals that glow gentley. Though not enough to read by, it messes with anyone with darkvision. Payback comments on the subject often and very colorfully. They spot something moving behind the blue wall. Azzime looks in. He understands how the rods work very well. Clearly, he has used them before.

On the other side is a six year old little girl still holding her cloth clown elven doll. Gern is not amused and goes pass her. Payback scares her so he merely avoids her. Dan kneels down next to her. “What is your name wee lass?”

“Austina.”

“Well….. Austina, nice name, you shouldn’t be here. It is dangerous here. My friend here should return you.”

Azzime with a surprised look and a point of ‘me?’ grips the magical key. “Together, but I hold the key at all times.”

At that moment they hear and turn to see Gern and Payback face a huge horned Chuul charging at them. Riding it is a goblin with a bow. Gern castes energy at it even as the orc charges and attacks the beast. Dan hurries up to help. His face turns red then he burbs out a gout of flame that stemmies the goblin as the large beast is taken down.

“Do you have it?” asks the barbarian with a slightly raspy voice.

“Found girl. Go. Return.” Says Gern.

“Got a goblin to kill.” Declares the orc with a fearful grin (at least to the disabled goblin)

Dan and Azzime leave while Gern and Payback begin to argue about the goblin. Kill him or use him as bait and as an informant.

Dan surfaces with the little girl as Azzime waits impatiently. It is almost as if there is something with the aberrations more important than the girl.

As Dan returns to the open gap to the underground hallway there is a call. He stops and sees a young female warrior with a bow.

“If I may- can I join you?” she calls out.

Approving her looks, the barbarian happily calls out yes. Hearing this, Azzime strongly considers closing the door but decides he does need help and waits.

They discover a lone Gray Dusk Orc at the yellow door. Azzime enjoys tormenting him. This clan member that has joined the aberrational force, appears to have no yellow crystal rod key. Too bad. Payback would gladly have killed him.

Gern holds up and carries the goblin by the front of his shirt demanding for information. The goblin remains quiet until Payback suggests he could get some information.

 

[megamania]

The raid of Yrlag........

 

[megamania]

Damned Chuul and its goblin ranger friemd s#!#head.......