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Travels through the Wild West: Books V-VIII (Epilogue)
- Thread starter Lazybones
- Start date
Lazybones
Adventurer
Thanks for the bumps, guys... I appreciate the support.
NWN update: my second module, "Vorlag's Ruin," is ready for playest. So far it's four areas, with a large exterior area, some caves, a building interior, and a medium-sized dungeon. I will be running it at approximately 7 p.m. Pacific time tonight (Wednesday 6/26/02), so drop on by for some adventure! (game name: [EN] Lazybones's Vorlag's Ruin)
wolff: the irony is, I only played the single player game for two days (I'm at the beginning of chapter 2)... I'm too addicted to the toolset and building and running games! I suppose I'll go back and finish it eventually. At least I have an 8th level character that I can use to test my modules
.
* * * * *
Book V, Part 8
The companions spent the next several days making their way deeper through the network of caverns and tunnels of the Underdark, pressing onward toward a destination that was still vague in their minds. Lok did his best to impart what he had learned in his visions, but even he only perceived dimly the details of what they might find. Somehow, however, he was able to guide them through the many choices they faced as the tunnels branched and intersected, and he seemed to grow more confident the closer they drew to their destination.
Exactly how far away that remained, however, remained unclear.
The first day after leaving the urdunnir town, they were on edge, the sounds of their footfalls overly loud in the empty tunnels and every shadow holding an imagined foe. As the days crept on without any dangerous encounters, however, they became more comfortable, if not less wary. There was life to be found here, from subterranean lizards the size of a man’s arm to colonies of lichens that radiated a strange phosphorescent glow that winked out when anyone approached them too closely. On numerous occasions they thought that they heard movement nearby, the architecture of the tunnels making it difficult to pinpoint the source, but when they cautiously investigated, nothing was there to be found.
Cal and Dana found themselves relying on Benzan and Lok more and more as they continued. Lok’s familiarity with stone and his darkvision gave him an advantage in this underground locale, and Benzan’s ability to hide and move silently made him their default scout. Dana studied the flora and fauna that they encountered carefully, trying to add to her considerable knowledge of the natural world, while Cal took in everything of their surroundings carefully. The bard sang no songs nor plied his lyre here, as both created weird echoes that traveled far down the great passageways.
It was well into the fourth day since they’d left the urdunnir town—it was impossible to know exactly how much time passed down here, so the distinction between “night” and “day” had become blurred—when the tunnel they were following emerged into a large cavern. It was not an unusual development—they’d encountered several such chambers already that day alone—but this one contained a small lake that filled most of its expanse. The smooth surface of the water reflected the light of their torch, looking like a great black mirror lying among the rocky surface of the cavern floor. To their left, a rocky shoreline led around the edge of the lake, offering a rugged but passable route around the obstacle.
Dana had cast her create water spell that morning, so they had no need to stop to refill their waterskins. Lok led them toward the trail that led around the lake, but they hadn’t gotten very far when Benzan, who was in the lead once again, halted and raised his hand.
“What is it?” Dana whispered, clutching her spear.
“I thought I heard something.”
For a full minute they all stood there, as still as statues as they listened. The sound of wind blowing through the tunnels was barely audible, but that was it.
“I guess it was nothing,” Benzan said.
“We’re all on edge,” Cal said. “I think this place is giving all of us a major case of the willies.”
“Yeah, you’re probably…”
The tiefling didn’t get a chance to finish his thought, for at that moment a deep, throaty hiss echoed through the cavern and drew their attention up to the uneven ceiling above the surface of the lake. There, dropping down swiftly out of a crevice in the rock, came a monstrous form. Its central body was a great, bulbous orb, easily eight feet in diameter. Nearly a dozen tentacles protruded from all around its body, twisting sinuously as the creature descended, and as the light fell upon it they could see that each tentacle culminated in a jagged claw and a small set of jaws, with sharp teeth that snapped eagerly at the air. In the center of the creature’s body a single eye could be seen, fixed upon them as it approached.
NWN update: my second module, "Vorlag's Ruin," is ready for playest. So far it's four areas, with a large exterior area, some caves, a building interior, and a medium-sized dungeon. I will be running it at approximately 7 p.m. Pacific time tonight (Wednesday 6/26/02), so drop on by for some adventure! (game name: [EN] Lazybones's Vorlag's Ruin)
wolff: the irony is, I only played the single player game for two days (I'm at the beginning of chapter 2)... I'm too addicted to the toolset and building and running games! I suppose I'll go back and finish it eventually. At least I have an 8th level character that I can use to test my modules
. * * * * *
Book V, Part 8
The companions spent the next several days making their way deeper through the network of caverns and tunnels of the Underdark, pressing onward toward a destination that was still vague in their minds. Lok did his best to impart what he had learned in his visions, but even he only perceived dimly the details of what they might find. Somehow, however, he was able to guide them through the many choices they faced as the tunnels branched and intersected, and he seemed to grow more confident the closer they drew to their destination.
Exactly how far away that remained, however, remained unclear.
The first day after leaving the urdunnir town, they were on edge, the sounds of their footfalls overly loud in the empty tunnels and every shadow holding an imagined foe. As the days crept on without any dangerous encounters, however, they became more comfortable, if not less wary. There was life to be found here, from subterranean lizards the size of a man’s arm to colonies of lichens that radiated a strange phosphorescent glow that winked out when anyone approached them too closely. On numerous occasions they thought that they heard movement nearby, the architecture of the tunnels making it difficult to pinpoint the source, but when they cautiously investigated, nothing was there to be found.
Cal and Dana found themselves relying on Benzan and Lok more and more as they continued. Lok’s familiarity with stone and his darkvision gave him an advantage in this underground locale, and Benzan’s ability to hide and move silently made him their default scout. Dana studied the flora and fauna that they encountered carefully, trying to add to her considerable knowledge of the natural world, while Cal took in everything of their surroundings carefully. The bard sang no songs nor plied his lyre here, as both created weird echoes that traveled far down the great passageways.
It was well into the fourth day since they’d left the urdunnir town—it was impossible to know exactly how much time passed down here, so the distinction between “night” and “day” had become blurred—when the tunnel they were following emerged into a large cavern. It was not an unusual development—they’d encountered several such chambers already that day alone—but this one contained a small lake that filled most of its expanse. The smooth surface of the water reflected the light of their torch, looking like a great black mirror lying among the rocky surface of the cavern floor. To their left, a rocky shoreline led around the edge of the lake, offering a rugged but passable route around the obstacle.
Dana had cast her create water spell that morning, so they had no need to stop to refill their waterskins. Lok led them toward the trail that led around the lake, but they hadn’t gotten very far when Benzan, who was in the lead once again, halted and raised his hand.
“What is it?” Dana whispered, clutching her spear.
“I thought I heard something.”
For a full minute they all stood there, as still as statues as they listened. The sound of wind blowing through the tunnels was barely audible, but that was it.
“I guess it was nothing,” Benzan said.
“We’re all on edge,” Cal said. “I think this place is giving all of us a major case of the willies.”
“Yeah, you’re probably…”
The tiefling didn’t get a chance to finish his thought, for at that moment a deep, throaty hiss echoed through the cavern and drew their attention up to the uneven ceiling above the surface of the lake. There, dropping down swiftly out of a crevice in the rock, came a monstrous form. Its central body was a great, bulbous orb, easily eight feet in diameter. Nearly a dozen tentacles protruded from all around its body, twisting sinuously as the creature descended, and as the light fell upon it they could see that each tentacle culminated in a jagged claw and a small set of jaws, with sharp teeth that snapped eagerly at the air. In the center of the creature’s body a single eye could be seen, fixed upon them as it approached.
Lazybones
Adventurer
I actually had this update yesterday, but could not post because of the server glitch . Anyway, here is the battle that I set up on Wednesday.
Look for a NWN update shortly, which I will post here and on the Software page.
* * * * *
Book V, Part 9
With a sinuous hiss, the terrible abomination descended down out of the darkness toward the startled companions.
At that first sound Benzan unslung his bow and strung it, moving with the smooth grace that comes from frequent practice under stress. He fired his first arrow as the thing drifted rapidly down over the surface of the lake toward them. The missile slammed hard into its leathery body, and they could see a slight flash of light at the impact that faded so fast they wondered if it they had seen it at all.
“Well, now you’ve got its attention,” Cal said. “Everyone—spread out, force it to divine its attention!” He put his own words into action as he took a step to the side, away from the others. He continued with a quick spell, once again conjuring the magical haste that speeded his actions, and with that added boost concluded with a short melody upon his lyre that summoned the reassuring presence of mage armor.
Dana backed away in the opposite direction, and invoked the power of Selûne to infuse herself with divine power.
Lok, meanwhile, stood his ground. Since it was clear that he would not have time to get his bow from the bag of holding and string it before the creature reached them, he hefted his axe, raised his shield, and waited.
The creature had descended to within approximately twenty feet away when suddenly, its tentacles shot out toward them, extending well beyond their apparent lengths to tear into the surprised companions.
Cal staggered as two of the tentacles stabbed into him. He struggled feebly as the jaws latched securely onto him, even his haste no proof against their grasp. With horror he felt an ebbing weakness pass through him as the creature drained blood from his body.
The others felt the force of the creature’s initial attack as well. Benzan and Lok were much better protected, but even they did not escape unscathed. One tentacle caught Benzan’s arm in a solid bite, although he was able to tear free before it could drain him. Lok fought off a pair of tentacles with his shield, but a third tore into his hip, the sharp claw at its tip gouging him through his armor.
Dana also found herself the target of three tentacles, and even though she darted back with alacrity one managed to latch onto her shoulder. She cried out as it started draining blood from her, while the other two tentacles still sought to gain purchase.
To add to their grim prospects at the sudden and violent attack, they saw that as it drained their blood, the wound from Benzan’s arrow drew closed, ejecting the projectile as the punctured skin rejoined seamlessly.
Caught in the grip of a pair of tentacles, Cal tried uselessly to tear free. He tried to cast another spell, but his concentration faltered and the magic fizzled harmlessly. He was still hasted, however, and he managed to draw his sword, chopping at one of the tentacles. The thing’s skin was like thick leather, however, and even the dwarf-enhanced steel could not penetrate it.
Benzan darted back from the probing tentacles, and in a blur drew an arrow, fired, drew again, fired, and drew yet again. His storm of arrows shot directly into the body of the creature, each powered by the considerable strength of the tiefling’s bow deep into that evil orb. The hits were telling, but there was no way of telling how much punishment the thing could take, or how rapidly it could heal the injuries it suffered.
“Keep hitting it!” Benzan cried, as he fired his third arrow. That one missed, glancing off of a stray tentacle that drifted into his line of fire.
Dana, meanwhile, fell once again into the magic of her patron to cast another spell. The tentacle still grasping onto her shoulder threatened to break her concentration, but her focus held and a moment later she felt the surge of divine power fill her. Clutching her spear, she launched into the air, heading straight for the huge bulb of the creature’s body. Several more tentacles sought her out, and she felt the burning pain of hits that tore through her defenses and drew blood, but she shrugged off the wounds with a discipline born of years of training and her strong sense of self-control. She let out a cry that was part pain, part anger as she thrust the gleaming head of her shockspear into the creature’s body.
Unable to reach the creature directly, Lok took his attacks to the groping tentacles. Ignoring those threatening him, he charged to Cal’s aid, bringing his axe down in a powerful stroke that nearly severed the grasping tendril. As the frost axe cut into its body a sharp jolt of electrical energy discharged from the wound and ripped into Lok. The genasi shrugged off the painful shock, holding his ground while several tentacles pounded his armored body. Lok’s attack, however, had been enough to help Cal finally manage to pull free. With his spell of haste speeding his movements, Cal took advantage of the distraction to dart backwards out of the reach of the tentacles, finally turning and casting another spell, concealing his position with displacement.
An arrow buzzed past a few feet from Dana’s head as Benzan continued his barrage, sending arrows carefully past her to slam into the body of the creature. His hands moved almost in a blur as he transferred arrows from his quiver to his bowstring to the creature’s body, the missiles sinking into its loathsome form in a series of solid thunks.
The companions were unleashing terrible damage upon the hovering abomination, but it continued its attacks in a single-minded fashion. Several tentacles had latched onto Dana, and as the creature drained her blood they could see its wounds begin to heal. The mystic wanderer, however, refused to falter or retreat, even though flying near the creature opened herself to multiple attacks from the biting tentacles. She clutched her spear tighter and came in closer, driving the gleaming spearhead deep into the creature’s body. Now the orb did finally draw back, shifting its body so that the fat red sphere of its single eye, easily the size of her head, turned to fix upon her.
An arrow from Benzan’s bow sank to the feathers in the creature’s body a mere handspan below the eye, and the orb shuddered in pain at the impact. Dana didn’t hesitate, stabbing forward, driving the spear with the full force of her augmented strength. She ignored the pain as a pair of tentacles lashed her, and thrust the tip of the spear deep into that mocking red globe, deep through the creature’s eye into whatever warped entity passed for its brain.
The orb let out a terrible sound, a screech that emitted from each of its ten sets of jaws at the same time. A blast of electrical energy erupted from the creature’s body as the power that fueled its foul existence was sundered by its death, tearing into the companions. Dana, too close to avoid that discharge, was scored heavily by the blast and fell roughly back, catching herself just in time with her power of flight to avoid being dashed roughly to the floor.
The orb, riven by great gashes in its leathery form, fell into the water at the shallow edges of the lake, its tentacles now limp strands that trailed out around its body.
The companions gathered on that rocky shore, regarding the fallen form of their most recent adversary. All had taken wounds from the creature’s attacks, and Cal and Dana in particular showed the effects of its blood-draining bites. Ignoring her own weakness, Dana moved immediately to Cal’s side, summoning the power of a restorative spell.
“I can only bolster you partly now,” she told him. “Tomorrow, I will pray for more spells that will restore us completely.”
“What… what was that thing?” Benzan asked, kicking one of the lifeless tentacles.
“I have never seen its like,” Cal said. “It looks like some sort of beholder-kin, though I have never come across stories of such a thing in my studies.”
“Yeah, well, just as long as there aren’t any more of them around.”
“That was an incredibly brave assault,” Lok said to Dana, who was completing her spell to help Cal.
“I just did what needed to be done,” Dana said once the healing magic was complete. She looked up at Lok with a wink. “I learned that from a certain friend of mine.”
“Bravely fought. Well done indeed.”
They spun as one at the voice, which had come from just a short distance behind them. Hands went to weapons and spell components as they scanned the darkness, which seemed as empty now as it had a moment ago.
“Who’s there? Show yourself,” Cal said.
“But of course,” the voice said, and with the final word the air began to shimmer about twenty feet away, and through the distortion stepped a tall figure.
He was about Benzan’s height, clad in a black cloak that seemed to cling to his body like a shadow. But the thing that drew their attention immediately was his face, with its finely sculpted elven features, ebon skin, and shoulder-length ivory hair.
“Dark elf!” Benzan hissed, and the way that he said it, it was both an identifier and a warning.
. Anyway, here is the battle that I set up on Wednesday.Look for a NWN update shortly, which I will post here and on the Software page.
* * * * *
Book V, Part 9
With a sinuous hiss, the terrible abomination descended down out of the darkness toward the startled companions.
At that first sound Benzan unslung his bow and strung it, moving with the smooth grace that comes from frequent practice under stress. He fired his first arrow as the thing drifted rapidly down over the surface of the lake toward them. The missile slammed hard into its leathery body, and they could see a slight flash of light at the impact that faded so fast they wondered if it they had seen it at all.
“Well, now you’ve got its attention,” Cal said. “Everyone—spread out, force it to divine its attention!” He put his own words into action as he took a step to the side, away from the others. He continued with a quick spell, once again conjuring the magical haste that speeded his actions, and with that added boost concluded with a short melody upon his lyre that summoned the reassuring presence of mage armor.
Dana backed away in the opposite direction, and invoked the power of Selûne to infuse herself with divine power.
Lok, meanwhile, stood his ground. Since it was clear that he would not have time to get his bow from the bag of holding and string it before the creature reached them, he hefted his axe, raised his shield, and waited.
The creature had descended to within approximately twenty feet away when suddenly, its tentacles shot out toward them, extending well beyond their apparent lengths to tear into the surprised companions.
Cal staggered as two of the tentacles stabbed into him. He struggled feebly as the jaws latched securely onto him, even his haste no proof against their grasp. With horror he felt an ebbing weakness pass through him as the creature drained blood from his body.
The others felt the force of the creature’s initial attack as well. Benzan and Lok were much better protected, but even they did not escape unscathed. One tentacle caught Benzan’s arm in a solid bite, although he was able to tear free before it could drain him. Lok fought off a pair of tentacles with his shield, but a third tore into his hip, the sharp claw at its tip gouging him through his armor.
Dana also found herself the target of three tentacles, and even though she darted back with alacrity one managed to latch onto her shoulder. She cried out as it started draining blood from her, while the other two tentacles still sought to gain purchase.
To add to their grim prospects at the sudden and violent attack, they saw that as it drained their blood, the wound from Benzan’s arrow drew closed, ejecting the projectile as the punctured skin rejoined seamlessly.
Caught in the grip of a pair of tentacles, Cal tried uselessly to tear free. He tried to cast another spell, but his concentration faltered and the magic fizzled harmlessly. He was still hasted, however, and he managed to draw his sword, chopping at one of the tentacles. The thing’s skin was like thick leather, however, and even the dwarf-enhanced steel could not penetrate it.
Benzan darted back from the probing tentacles, and in a blur drew an arrow, fired, drew again, fired, and drew yet again. His storm of arrows shot directly into the body of the creature, each powered by the considerable strength of the tiefling’s bow deep into that evil orb. The hits were telling, but there was no way of telling how much punishment the thing could take, or how rapidly it could heal the injuries it suffered.
“Keep hitting it!” Benzan cried, as he fired his third arrow. That one missed, glancing off of a stray tentacle that drifted into his line of fire.
Dana, meanwhile, fell once again into the magic of her patron to cast another spell. The tentacle still grasping onto her shoulder threatened to break her concentration, but her focus held and a moment later she felt the surge of divine power fill her. Clutching her spear, she launched into the air, heading straight for the huge bulb of the creature’s body. Several more tentacles sought her out, and she felt the burning pain of hits that tore through her defenses and drew blood, but she shrugged off the wounds with a discipline born of years of training and her strong sense of self-control. She let out a cry that was part pain, part anger as she thrust the gleaming head of her shockspear into the creature’s body.
Unable to reach the creature directly, Lok took his attacks to the groping tentacles. Ignoring those threatening him, he charged to Cal’s aid, bringing his axe down in a powerful stroke that nearly severed the grasping tendril. As the frost axe cut into its body a sharp jolt of electrical energy discharged from the wound and ripped into Lok. The genasi shrugged off the painful shock, holding his ground while several tentacles pounded his armored body. Lok’s attack, however, had been enough to help Cal finally manage to pull free. With his spell of haste speeding his movements, Cal took advantage of the distraction to dart backwards out of the reach of the tentacles, finally turning and casting another spell, concealing his position with displacement.
An arrow buzzed past a few feet from Dana’s head as Benzan continued his barrage, sending arrows carefully past her to slam into the body of the creature. His hands moved almost in a blur as he transferred arrows from his quiver to his bowstring to the creature’s body, the missiles sinking into its loathsome form in a series of solid thunks.
The companions were unleashing terrible damage upon the hovering abomination, but it continued its attacks in a single-minded fashion. Several tentacles had latched onto Dana, and as the creature drained her blood they could see its wounds begin to heal. The mystic wanderer, however, refused to falter or retreat, even though flying near the creature opened herself to multiple attacks from the biting tentacles. She clutched her spear tighter and came in closer, driving the gleaming spearhead deep into the creature’s body. Now the orb did finally draw back, shifting its body so that the fat red sphere of its single eye, easily the size of her head, turned to fix upon her.
An arrow from Benzan’s bow sank to the feathers in the creature’s body a mere handspan below the eye, and the orb shuddered in pain at the impact. Dana didn’t hesitate, stabbing forward, driving the spear with the full force of her augmented strength. She ignored the pain as a pair of tentacles lashed her, and thrust the tip of the spear deep into that mocking red globe, deep through the creature’s eye into whatever warped entity passed for its brain.
The orb let out a terrible sound, a screech that emitted from each of its ten sets of jaws at the same time. A blast of electrical energy erupted from the creature’s body as the power that fueled its foul existence was sundered by its death, tearing into the companions. Dana, too close to avoid that discharge, was scored heavily by the blast and fell roughly back, catching herself just in time with her power of flight to avoid being dashed roughly to the floor.
The orb, riven by great gashes in its leathery form, fell into the water at the shallow edges of the lake, its tentacles now limp strands that trailed out around its body.
The companions gathered on that rocky shore, regarding the fallen form of their most recent adversary. All had taken wounds from the creature’s attacks, and Cal and Dana in particular showed the effects of its blood-draining bites. Ignoring her own weakness, Dana moved immediately to Cal’s side, summoning the power of a restorative spell.
“I can only bolster you partly now,” she told him. “Tomorrow, I will pray for more spells that will restore us completely.”
“What… what was that thing?” Benzan asked, kicking one of the lifeless tentacles.
“I have never seen its like,” Cal said. “It looks like some sort of beholder-kin, though I have never come across stories of such a thing in my studies.”
“Yeah, well, just as long as there aren’t any more of them around.”
“That was an incredibly brave assault,” Lok said to Dana, who was completing her spell to help Cal.
“I just did what needed to be done,” Dana said once the healing magic was complete. She looked up at Lok with a wink. “I learned that from a certain friend of mine.”
“Bravely fought. Well done indeed.”
They spun as one at the voice, which had come from just a short distance behind them. Hands went to weapons and spell components as they scanned the darkness, which seemed as empty now as it had a moment ago.
“Who’s there? Show yourself,” Cal said.
“But of course,” the voice said, and with the final word the air began to shimmer about twenty feet away, and through the distortion stepped a tall figure.
He was about Benzan’s height, clad in a black cloak that seemed to cling to his body like a shadow. But the thing that drew their attention immediately was his face, with its finely sculpted elven features, ebon skin, and shoulder-length ivory hair.
“Dark elf!” Benzan hissed, and the way that he said it, it was both an identifier and a warning.
Lazybones
Adventurer
Greetings!
Once again I am announcing a Neverwinter Nights DM-hosted game, "Vorlag's Ruin." I will be running it on Sunday, June 30, at 7:30 a.m. (while my fiancee sleeps in) Pacific time. This should allow my European friends who have just gotten the game to participate, if they like (UK time 3:30 p.m., Cont. Europe 4:30 p.m.). The game should take between one hour and ninety minutes to play.
I have decided to start hosting my games in the "Role-Play" section of the matching service. This should help cut down on the l33t hack-players who hang out in the default "Action" area. I am not password-locking the game so anyone can drop in if they wish. Click on the "Role-Play" option in the category box in the upper left part of the matching service screen to find my game.
Game title: [EN] Lazybones Vorlag's Ruin
Game type: server characters (so unless you've played with me before, you'll need to create a new 1st level character, or choose one of the defaults, upon entering).
Max players: 6
Game style: cooperative role-playing (single party). New players are welcome (heck, we're all new at this)
I've run this mod once before and it was perfectly stable, but I've added new areas--consider this a "beta."
RSVPs aren't necessary but feel free to reply if you are interested. Please respond to this or the Software thread if you have any questions or comments. Thanks and I look forward to seeing ENWorlders online!
LB
Once again I am announcing a Neverwinter Nights DM-hosted game, "Vorlag's Ruin." I will be running it on Sunday, June 30, at 7:30 a.m. (while my fiancee sleeps in
) Pacific time. This should allow my European friends who have just gotten the game to participate, if they like (UK time 3:30 p.m., Cont. Europe 4:30 p.m.). The game should take between one hour and ninety minutes to play. I have decided to start hosting my games in the "Role-Play" section of the matching service. This should help cut down on the l33t hack-players who hang out in the default "Action" area. I am not password-locking the game so anyone can drop in if they wish. Click on the "Role-Play" option in the category box in the upper left part of the matching service screen to find my game.
Game title: [EN] Lazybones Vorlag's Ruin
Game type: server characters (so unless you've played with me before, you'll need to create a new 1st level character, or choose one of the defaults, upon entering).
Max players: 6
Game style: cooperative role-playing (single party). New players are welcome (heck, we're all new at this
)I've run this mod once before and it was perfectly stable, but I've added new areas--consider this a "beta."
RSVPs aren't necessary but feel free to reply if you are interested. Please respond to this or the Software thread if you have any questions or comments. Thanks and I look forward to seeing ENWorlders online!
LB
Lazybones
Adventurer
Sunday's NWN game was a lot of fun; we had a full complement of players and took out both the orcs under the ruin and the custom undead (I created baneguards and banedead using the toolset) in the deeper crypts. My next adventure, "The Dreadmoors," is ready for playtest; I'll be running it tonight online at 7 p.m. Pacific time. It's for a slightly higher level group (2-4th level), so I'll be allowing local server characters this time. Drop on by the Software forum for more information.
Anyway, here's the story update! I admit that my writing has slowed to a crawl since NWN came out, but perhaps I'll be able to get some chapters done today during slow stretches at work.
* * * * *
Book V, Part 10
The dark elf just stood there as he regarded them, not overtly threatening but somehow managing to seem dangerous even in inaction. His cloak kept his outline vague, hiding the details of his form, but none of the companions doubted that there were weapons, spell components, or other dangerous things concealed within.
“What do you want, drow?” Cal finally asked, after the silent confrontation had drawn on for too many moments.
“Jannek, if you please,” the dark elf said. “I find racial descriptors to be inadequate substitutes for names, don’t you? Such things easily get in the way of polite conversation.”
If Cal was nonplussed by the dark elf’s attitude, he didn’t let it show. Instead, he gestured subtly for his companions to be on the lookout, then stepped closer to the elf to identify himself as spokesman. “And it is rude for companions to remain hiding in the shadows during a dialogue,” he returned. “Unless you are alone?” His expression indicated that he considered such a possibility to be extremely unlikely.
“Perhaps, perhaps not,” the dark elf said with a shrug. “But it’s clear that you are, alone and far away from places one would normally expect to find a group such as yours.”
“Have you been spying on us?” Dana said, at the same time that Benzan replied, “Who are you to say where we’re ‘expected?’”
Jannek smiled and bowed slightly, although he didn’t respond to either comment.
“Well, Jannek?” Cal prodded. “I repeat my original question—what do you want with us?”
“Your wariness is commendable, especially in a place like this. But you needn’t concern yourself with the likes of me. I merely seek to assuage my curiosity—I have been watching you for a stretch, and would know what brings you to this place.”
“And what concern of it is yours, what our business is?” Benzan asked him.
“None, of course,” the elf replied. “My people live far, far from here,” he said, with a vague wave of his hand in a random direction, “which is good for you. For if you had wandered into the realms of the drow, you can believe that your presence here would have become our business, quite quickly.” His voice didn’t change overtly while he spoke, but that last statement had an edge to it, and the drow’s eyes fixed on Benzan like a knife, bespeaking the dark promise in those words. Then he shrugged again, and the aura of menace lightened.
“You are free to associate with anyone you wish, of course. But as I have watched your progress, it occurs to me that you may not be fully cognizant of what lies ahead on your chosen course. Perhaps we could trade information—some hints of what you might find down here, in exchange for a revelation or two about you and your purpose?”
“The drow are not particularly renown for their honesty,” Cal said bluntly.
“I would be wounded by your comment, were it not so true,” Jannek replied. “Perhaps then, we can offer our words plainly, and let the other divine which they wish to take to heart, and which they choose to discard?”
“As you have been polite thus far, please allow me a moment to speak with my companions in private,” Cal said.
“As you wish. I am no particular hurry, at the moment.”
The dark elf retreated to the edge of the chamber as the companions huddled nearby, keeping him in sight. His dark cloak seemed to blend with the shadows, making him hard to see when he wasn’t moving, and he clearly had some magical means of remaining undetected as well.
“Well, what do you think?” Cal asked.
“I don’t trust him,” Benzan said. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a dozen friends waiting in the shadows.”
“Agreed,” Cal said, “but if he wanted to attack, he could have done that from surprise. Whatever magic he’s got, none of us detected it until he greeted us.”
“Yeah, but he also could have warned us before we walked into the lair of that flying-ball-with-bitey-tentacles thing,” Benzan replied.
“But if he does have information about this place, it might help us avoid future encounters like this one,” Dana pointed out.
“Lok?” Cal asked.
The genasi shrugged. “He is here, we may as well speak with him.”
They returned to where Jannek waited. The drow was leaning against a rock, but he rose smoothly as they approached and met them in the middle of the corridor.
“Ah, so what have you decided?”
“We have elected to take you up on your offer,” Cal said, “although we cannot promise that we will be able, or willing, to answer all of your questions.”
“Fair enough. Question for question, then? I will even let you go first.”
“What lies along our current path?”
“Ah, a question of great scope, and one which I believe you already know the answer. But I will reply, as a sign of good faith to open our dialogue. Along these tunnels, several long days of difficult traveling distant, lies a stronghold of the deep dwarves, the duergar.”
“And are these deep dwarves allies of the drow?”
“That is another question, and you already tread upon the rules of our exchange. My first question is simple: what are your names?”
The companions exchanged a quick look, but the question was so simple, so basic, that Cal answered him, introducing each of them in turn. The drow nodded as each was presented, his expression pensive as he filed away every detail about them in his mind.
“Ah, now that we have all been introduced, I will answer your question. No, these deep dwarves are not allies with the drow, at least not those of my community. While my kind have had dealings with the duergar—it is hard not to, in the Underdark—the ones you are approaching are isolationist, xenophobic almost to an extreme. They are not partial to visits by strangers.”
“Now for my next question: what is your business with the duergar?”
“That is a question I am not comfortable answering,” Cal replied immediately. “Suffice it to say, we have no interest in the drow, of your community or any others, unless they are connected with the duergar.”
“Fair enough—as I said, your business is your own. But perhaps I may make a few guesses. You come from the abandoned urdunnir city, and you’re clearly determined, to make it through the undead that wander those cursed halls. You bear a considerable arsenal, including potent magical weapons and powerful spells. You are accompanied by a fighting man who looks almost like one of the duergar, to casual glance, but who on second look is not fully a dwarf at all. You are not from around here—in fact, this entire place is strange to you—but you move as though you know your destination. All correct, thus far? Then I would say that your quarrel with the duergar is personal, and is somehow linked to the fate of said urdunnir.”
“Your powers of observation are keen,” Cal said.
“A natural result of spending time here, as you will see, should your visit keep you here for any extended length of time.”
“Do you know anything more about the duergar stronghold?”
“Out of turn, technically, but I will answer. I know little of what you would wish to know, but I have heard that the duergar are engaged in some large-scale mining project. They have been working diligently for some time, and those who live around them walk the tunnels carefully, for whatever they are doing, they are eager for slaves to see it done.”
“What is your interest in this?” Benzan asked.
“Ah, Benzan, you too walk outside the rules of our little game.”
“Fine then, what’s your question?”
“I have no more questions,” the dark elf said. “You have told me quite enough, I think.”
“But we haven’t told you anything,” Dana said.
“Come, Dana, surely you know that messages are not always found in the spoken word. In any case, I have enjoyed speaking with you, but pressing errands compel me to be on my way once again.”
“Thank you then, for what little you’ve been able to share with us,” Cal said. “I trust that your errands do not lead you in the same direction as us?” There was an undercurrent to that last statement, an edge that hung in the air between them.
“Ah, no. Indeed, I find myself quite content to travel in the opposite direction, for now.”
“Good.”
“Indeed. My curiosity has not been fully whetted, but perhaps our paths may cross again someday. Until then, I wish you good luck in your… endeavor.”
He smiled his sly smile once more, and then, in an eyeblink, suddenly vanished.
“Gone?” Dana finally asked, after a few moments.
“I don’t know,” Cal said. “But I wouldn’t go so far as to assume that he is.”
“Do you think he was telling the truth? About the duergar, I mean.”
“We’ll find out soon enough. Lok, if you would?”
The genasi took the lead as they continued on, leaving the underground lake and the corpse of the dead creature behind them, each turning the details of the strange encounter with the drow over and over in their thoughts.
And so another “day” passed in the Underdark.
Anyway, here's the story update! I admit that my writing has slowed to a crawl since NWN came out, but perhaps I'll be able to get some chapters done today during slow stretches at work.
* * * * *
Book V, Part 10
The dark elf just stood there as he regarded them, not overtly threatening but somehow managing to seem dangerous even in inaction. His cloak kept his outline vague, hiding the details of his form, but none of the companions doubted that there were weapons, spell components, or other dangerous things concealed within.
“What do you want, drow?” Cal finally asked, after the silent confrontation had drawn on for too many moments.
“Jannek, if you please,” the dark elf said. “I find racial descriptors to be inadequate substitutes for names, don’t you? Such things easily get in the way of polite conversation.”
If Cal was nonplussed by the dark elf’s attitude, he didn’t let it show. Instead, he gestured subtly for his companions to be on the lookout, then stepped closer to the elf to identify himself as spokesman. “And it is rude for companions to remain hiding in the shadows during a dialogue,” he returned. “Unless you are alone?” His expression indicated that he considered such a possibility to be extremely unlikely.
“Perhaps, perhaps not,” the dark elf said with a shrug. “But it’s clear that you are, alone and far away from places one would normally expect to find a group such as yours.”
“Have you been spying on us?” Dana said, at the same time that Benzan replied, “Who are you to say where we’re ‘expected?’”
Jannek smiled and bowed slightly, although he didn’t respond to either comment.
“Well, Jannek?” Cal prodded. “I repeat my original question—what do you want with us?”
“Your wariness is commendable, especially in a place like this. But you needn’t concern yourself with the likes of me. I merely seek to assuage my curiosity—I have been watching you for a stretch, and would know what brings you to this place.”
“And what concern of it is yours, what our business is?” Benzan asked him.
“None, of course,” the elf replied. “My people live far, far from here,” he said, with a vague wave of his hand in a random direction, “which is good for you. For if you had wandered into the realms of the drow, you can believe that your presence here would have become our business, quite quickly.” His voice didn’t change overtly while he spoke, but that last statement had an edge to it, and the drow’s eyes fixed on Benzan like a knife, bespeaking the dark promise in those words. Then he shrugged again, and the aura of menace lightened.
“You are free to associate with anyone you wish, of course. But as I have watched your progress, it occurs to me that you may not be fully cognizant of what lies ahead on your chosen course. Perhaps we could trade information—some hints of what you might find down here, in exchange for a revelation or two about you and your purpose?”
“The drow are not particularly renown for their honesty,” Cal said bluntly.
“I would be wounded by your comment, were it not so true,” Jannek replied. “Perhaps then, we can offer our words plainly, and let the other divine which they wish to take to heart, and which they choose to discard?”
“As you have been polite thus far, please allow me a moment to speak with my companions in private,” Cal said.
“As you wish. I am no particular hurry, at the moment.”
The dark elf retreated to the edge of the chamber as the companions huddled nearby, keeping him in sight. His dark cloak seemed to blend with the shadows, making him hard to see when he wasn’t moving, and he clearly had some magical means of remaining undetected as well.
“Well, what do you think?” Cal asked.
“I don’t trust him,” Benzan said. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a dozen friends waiting in the shadows.”
“Agreed,” Cal said, “but if he wanted to attack, he could have done that from surprise. Whatever magic he’s got, none of us detected it until he greeted us.”
“Yeah, but he also could have warned us before we walked into the lair of that flying-ball-with-bitey-tentacles thing,” Benzan replied.
“But if he does have information about this place, it might help us avoid future encounters like this one,” Dana pointed out.
“Lok?” Cal asked.
The genasi shrugged. “He is here, we may as well speak with him.”
They returned to where Jannek waited. The drow was leaning against a rock, but he rose smoothly as they approached and met them in the middle of the corridor.
“Ah, so what have you decided?”
“We have elected to take you up on your offer,” Cal said, “although we cannot promise that we will be able, or willing, to answer all of your questions.”
“Fair enough. Question for question, then? I will even let you go first.”
“What lies along our current path?”
“Ah, a question of great scope, and one which I believe you already know the answer. But I will reply, as a sign of good faith to open our dialogue. Along these tunnels, several long days of difficult traveling distant, lies a stronghold of the deep dwarves, the duergar.”
“And are these deep dwarves allies of the drow?”
“That is another question, and you already tread upon the rules of our exchange. My first question is simple: what are your names?”
The companions exchanged a quick look, but the question was so simple, so basic, that Cal answered him, introducing each of them in turn. The drow nodded as each was presented, his expression pensive as he filed away every detail about them in his mind.
“Ah, now that we have all been introduced, I will answer your question. No, these deep dwarves are not allies with the drow, at least not those of my community. While my kind have had dealings with the duergar—it is hard not to, in the Underdark—the ones you are approaching are isolationist, xenophobic almost to an extreme. They are not partial to visits by strangers.”
“Now for my next question: what is your business with the duergar?”
“That is a question I am not comfortable answering,” Cal replied immediately. “Suffice it to say, we have no interest in the drow, of your community or any others, unless they are connected with the duergar.”
“Fair enough—as I said, your business is your own. But perhaps I may make a few guesses. You come from the abandoned urdunnir city, and you’re clearly determined, to make it through the undead that wander those cursed halls. You bear a considerable arsenal, including potent magical weapons and powerful spells. You are accompanied by a fighting man who looks almost like one of the duergar, to casual glance, but who on second look is not fully a dwarf at all. You are not from around here—in fact, this entire place is strange to you—but you move as though you know your destination. All correct, thus far? Then I would say that your quarrel with the duergar is personal, and is somehow linked to the fate of said urdunnir.”
“Your powers of observation are keen,” Cal said.
“A natural result of spending time here, as you will see, should your visit keep you here for any extended length of time.”
“Do you know anything more about the duergar stronghold?”
“Out of turn, technically, but I will answer. I know little of what you would wish to know, but I have heard that the duergar are engaged in some large-scale mining project. They have been working diligently for some time, and those who live around them walk the tunnels carefully, for whatever they are doing, they are eager for slaves to see it done.”
“What is your interest in this?” Benzan asked.
“Ah, Benzan, you too walk outside the rules of our little game.”
“Fine then, what’s your question?”
“I have no more questions,” the dark elf said. “You have told me quite enough, I think.”
“But we haven’t told you anything,” Dana said.
“Come, Dana, surely you know that messages are not always found in the spoken word. In any case, I have enjoyed speaking with you, but pressing errands compel me to be on my way once again.”
“Thank you then, for what little you’ve been able to share with us,” Cal said. “I trust that your errands do not lead you in the same direction as us?” There was an undercurrent to that last statement, an edge that hung in the air between them.
“Ah, no. Indeed, I find myself quite content to travel in the opposite direction, for now.”
“Good.”
“Indeed. My curiosity has not been fully whetted, but perhaps our paths may cross again someday. Until then, I wish you good luck in your… endeavor.”
He smiled his sly smile once more, and then, in an eyeblink, suddenly vanished.
“Gone?” Dana finally asked, after a few moments.
“I don’t know,” Cal said. “But I wouldn’t go so far as to assume that he is.”
“Do you think he was telling the truth? About the duergar, I mean.”
“We’ll find out soon enough. Lok, if you would?”
The genasi took the lead as they continued on, leaving the underground lake and the corpse of the dead creature behind them, each turning the details of the strange encounter with the drow over and over in their thoughts.
And so another “day” passed in the Underdark.
CoopersPale
First Post
Ah yeah.
keep givin' us the good stuff.
I'm an addict.
Bludgeon
keep givin' us the good stuff.
I'm an addict.
Bludgeon
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