Module: Quest for the Unknown

Rogahn the Fearless and Zelligar the Unknown are legendary names. Even you, a young fledgling raised far from the great cities of Garweeze Wurld, know of their reputation – even though their tale begins years ago. The elders and the sages speak both names with respect, even awe, in a distant admiration for the two legendary figures.

You have heard parts of the story before, but never enough to know all of it, or even what is true and what is only legend or speculation. But it is a great and fascinating beginning in your own quest to learn more.

Rogahn the Fearless earned his name as a great warrior, and his reputation spread far and wide across the land. Zelligar the Unknown, equally renowned, earned his respected status and power as a foremost practitioner of the mystical arts of magic and sorcery.

No one knows what occurrences or coincidence brought these two men together, but tales tell of their meeting and forming a strong bond of friendship, a union that would last for the ages. As this occurred, legend has it, the two men virtually disappeared from the view of civilization. Stories occasionally surfaced about a rumored hideaway being built deep in the wilderness, far from the nearest settlement, away from traveled routes, and high upon a craggy hill – but no one seemed to know any more than that, or where this supposed hideaway was really located, or indeed if it was. No one knows for sure, but some say their motive was to pursue the common goals of personal greed and some kind of vague (or chaotic) evil. In any case, they jointly led a hermit life with but a few occasional forays into the outside world to add to their own reputations.

Many years passed, until one day a great gnome-titan invasion came from the lands to the northwest, threatening to engulf the Meletian Kingdom with the excessive carousing and oppression of the unchecked gnome-titan horde. Just when things seemed the darkest, Rogahn the Fearless and Zelligar the Unknown made their unexpected yet most welcome reappearance. Joining their powerful forces, they and their band of loyal henchmen met the gnome-titan army in a great battle at a narrow pass in the hills, and decisively turned back the invasion. Rogahn slew a horde of the little guys single-handedly and Zelligar’s powerful magic put the army to flight. It was a great victory, and a grateful populace of Frandor rewarded the pair and their consorts with considerable treasure. After that, the two heroes returned to their hideaway, and rumor has it that the spoils of victory were spent to further its construction, although some of it may yet be hidden somewhere.

The most exciting portions of the legend are the most recent. Last year, Rogahn and Zelligar apparently decided upon a joint foray into the lands of the hated Gnome Protectorates. Taking most of their henchmen and associates along with them in a great armed band, the two personages, it seems, disappeared into the forbidding little-folk lands to the northwest on a great adventure which come say may have been asked by the very gawds themselves.

Word just reaching civilization tells of some great battle in the gnome-titan lands where the legendary Rogahn and Zelligar may have met their demise. This rumored clash must have occurred some months ago, and there are few details – and no substantiation of the story. The only thing certain is that, if all this is true, Rogahn and Zelligar have left their secret base virtually unguarded…if only one had the knowledge and wherewithal to find their hideaway, he would have great things to explore!

Now, just recently, came the most promising bit of information – a crude map purporting to show the way to the hideaway of the two men, a place apparently called “Q.” One of your acquaintances has this map, and if its accurate, it could perhaps lead you to the mythic place that was their home and sanctuary. Who knows what riches of wealth and magic might be there for the taking? Yes, the risk is great, especially since the pair may yet still be alive and might even return any day, but the challenge cannot be ignored. Besides, others may get there first if you tarry long. Gathering a few of your fellows, you share the secret and embark on a Quest for the Unknown…

Characters:

Celesa - a beautiful Sylvan Elf Thief apprentice in leather armor over fine leather

garments and armed with a longsword, a dagger and a light crossbow. Has a riding horse

Glorn Hamhide - a homely Human zealous altar boy of Skraad, wearing scale mail over

common garments and armed with a warhammer. Glorn has a facial scar and wears an iron miniature warhammer pendant about his neck.

Jakob Verlinder - a butt ugly one-armed Human veteran wearing studded leather armor

over common garments with a good cloth cloak. Armed with a longsword, dagger, magic dagger +1 and spear.

Pequeno Muerte - a plain looking Hairfoot Halfling veteran who always seems thirsty.

wearing padded armor over fine silk....ah, he already did a great job describing himself.

Rajan Torre - a good-looking Half-Elf wild novice wearing common robes under a good

cloth cloak, carrying a leather book bag and a wineskin. Also wears a wooden holy symbol and a backpack. Armed with a dagger and a magic dagger +1. Leads a pack goat.

Urnid Stormwell - a plain looking Human veteran wearing breeches, a wool shirt and a

tabard, carrying a medium shield and armed with a dagger and a longsword.

Guyzo Gusbomb – a good-looking pixie fairy Zealot of Lygte with scoliosis and a trick

knee. His clothing bears the symbol of a sun with asymmetrical rays and he can almost always be seen carrying a lit candle. Played by Baskhaus.

Date: Sa’mar, Haar’kiev 1, 12082 (Fariadoran Reckoning), evening

The first day of spring

Location: The town of Farzy, where the Vadarz River crosses Melet Way, at the southern end of the Broken Mace Pass, at the foothills of the Sustain Mountains, in the League of the Fangaerian City States

You are in a large tavern by the name of Apok’s Hunted Drunken Deer. The bartender, a dwarf named Apok, claims to be an heir to the founder of Farzy. As Dwarves make up only about 2% of the population of the Fangaerian City States, this is highly unlikely, but not impossible as the Dwarven Clans of Praxter are counted among the allies of Fangaerie. Ahem, where was I? Oh yes, Apok’s HDD is a large tavern, boasting 26 tables and 22 customers, currently, of which you are number-ed. Yes, I like the –ed to be pronounced.

Talk amongst yourselves.

You enter the inn after a days ride on the trail. Its quiet. Too quiet. The common room is divided down the middle by a 5' wide walkway. A fireplace at one end and the bar and the door you came thru at the other. To the right are 2 rows of tables and chairs. They are about 3/4 full of late night patrons finishing their drink and food. They sit quietly and look up from their plates to catch your eye as you walk in. Then as quickly as they look up they look back down to their plates. As if frightened....
To the left the same two rows of tables line the wall. Only these are empty.... Except for one. A lone figure sits at the furthest table from you. Clad in black with a cloak clasped with a silver skull. A short widebrimmed hat with a bright blue feather (think zorro) sits atop his head. A head that barely reaches above the table...
A silver dagger sticks from the table, and from your point of view covers his left eye. The other eye closes to a slit as he sees you...
You've just met...
Pequeño Muerte
Pequeno is a Halfling. He is clad all in black. Wearing padded armor and the finest snakeskin boots you’ve seen. His matching snakeskin hat is quite fetching as well. On his belt hangs a broadsword in a scabbard. Covering that is a fine black cloak. Held in place by a gleaming silver skull pin.

The halfling adjusts his hat and cape before making his entrance. Pushing he door open he strides through smoothly. Looking left and right he spots the bar and makes a beeline for the nearest open stool.
"A mug of your finest ale my good dwarf!"
As he mounts the stool gracefully. He produces a few coins from his belt.... He sets them on the bar and covers them with his snakeskin hat.

The dwarf looks at the Halfling for a moment. “Sorry, Kromian’s run out. Wanna pint o’ Dead Vikin’? “At’ll be a silver.”

An unusual looking figure appears at the door. Six and a half feet tall and rail thin, this human man looks out on the bar. He's wearing a ripped wool shirt, a filthy tattered tabard, and worn dark green trousers. A battered wooden shield is slung across his back and a naked, beat-up longsword is stuck awkwardly through his belt. His skin is pale, his medium length black hair is a mess, and he's wearing several days worth of ratty beard.
Seeing the halfling at the bar, Urnid walks in that direction, his worn boots thumping on the wooden floor. He sits himself down and gestures over to the dwarf. "Apok, a drink please. I just...well, it's been a tough night." He looks to the halfling next to him. "How can you lose five dice rolls in a row? I just lost my shirt...literally. Beautiful shirt of steel chain...gone." Accepting his cheap mug of ale, he looks to his money purse. "Um...can I get this on credit?" Turning back to Muerte, he extends his gloved hand. "Urnid Stormwell, at your service.

The dwarf, as if by deft practice, snatches the mug from Urnid’s hand as soon as the word credit escapes his lips. “Yeah, yer a credit to yer race,” and downs the pint himself, wiping the foam from his beard with the back of his meaty hand.
OOC: I'm thinking that maybe Celesa or Glorn already know Urnid. He may have been recently hired as an extra sword for the adventure at hand.

*Into Apok's walks a human wearing studded leather. Besides his lanky 6'3" frame, two things stand out on him: 1) His left arm, past the elbow, is missing; and 2) He seems to be trying to hide his face with his helm and the cowl of his Lincoln green cloak. He leans over to Apok, whispers something and indicates a table in the corner. He then sits at the table, in a chair that allows his face to be concealed by the shadows.*
(OOC: He whispered "a glass of Orluian Brandy, please." to Apok.)

Apok smiles. “Of course, sir, comin’ right up.” He fetches back a pint. “Five gold, if ya please, and may I say it’s a pleasure to have yer custom?”

"I'll get this one." The ebony clad halfling says. Lifting his hat to produce a few coins. "Looks like this one's seen better days!" he adds, referring to the rather rough looking soul standing next to him.
"And the Dead Viking will be a fine replacement good dwarf"

The dwarf slides two mugs of Dead Viking Ale over the counter, and retrieves his two silver from Pequeno.

Urnid bows his head slightly toward the halfling, his pale face slightly flushed with embarrassment. "My thanks, master halfling. I'm...well, I'm having a string of bad luck, that's all. I still have a little coin, though." He produces several silver pieces as he looks sideways at the dwarf. "I just prefer to save it for something better than this swill." Urnid's dark eyes flash and his hand clenches around the handle of his naked blade. Just as suddenly, his expression relaxes and a mischievous grin appears on his face. "Just kidding, Apok." He turns back to the halfling. "I will get the next round, though, as a courtesy to you."

Apok gives out a snorting laugh, but has no smile on his face. “Ya should really think of entertaining here, Stormwell. It’d be a riot. We could stand ya up against a wall and shoot…..ideas at ya, and ye could make jokes about ‘em. We could call it “leanin’- up-against-a-wall comedy. Or ya could just be quiet and drink.”

In walks a man not much to look on. That is except for the white scar on his face. He bursts through the door and exclaims "Skraad's beard that was a first-class dump and no mistake! It takes a lot of fiber to move out dwarven stew." He bellies up to the bar "And it works up a powerful thirst as well! A tankard of ale if you please, my good man."
He nods to those around the bar. He wears comon clothes covered with scaled mail armor he bears a war hammer and has a pendant that matches it around his neck. This is Glorn Hamhide, Zealot of Skraad.

Apok slides a pint in front of Glorn. “Five copper, Master Toiler. Phew, ya know ya could’a left the pong of evidence in th’outhouse. We would stilla’ believed ‘twas a mighty crap. No need ta beat us over the head wi’ it!”

The halfling sizes up the newcomer. Drums his fingers in a sarcastically annoying manner towards the dwarven barkeep who seems to be taking FOREVER to bring his ale.
"We need only one more for a decent game." he proclaims. Surely someone has some cards.

Into the bar, strides a robed half-elf, fairly young looking for that race, but very good looking as well. He stands a few inches above 5 and a half feet tall, a few pounds shy of 150. He has short hair that spikes upwards and is purple in color. His eyes are a deep green of the forests, with a slight mischievous twinkle in them. He is wearing fairly common robes, dark blue in color, with black boots and a belt to match. There is a wooden holy symbol of the gawdess Kishijoten displayed proudly. A dagger sits in a sheath on either side of his hip. He has a wineskin and a backpack over his shoulders and what looks like a leather book bag as well.
He gives a slight shiver at the sight of the alcohol visible. He then gets a hold of himself and walks to an empty table and slides into a seat. He gently sets down his backpack on the chair next to him and sets the book bag in his lap. He then motions to a waitress (if there is one). If not, he sits there and looks around a bit, wondering where he should stay here and eat or sleep.
(OOC: This is Rajan Torre, prounounced Rah-zsan, Wild Mage Not-So-Extraordinaire!)

A serving wench sidles over to Rajan’s table. “’ello, ‘andsome. Ooooo a reader! Wot’ll ya have, luv?”

*The human slides five gold to the dwarf. At first, there seems to be a nervous quality about the hooded stranger, as if he was anticipating trouble of some sort. He then takes a closer look at the barkeep as the latter speaks, and a smile begins to creep across his thin lips.*
"Thank you, good sirrah. You remind me of a platoon sergeant I served under during the Gnoll Incursions. Name of Therold Ironbelly. Any relations?"

The dwarf’s smile turns forced. “No sir, no sir. No relation. We’re not all related, ya knoo. Meanwhile I hope ya enjoy yer drink in the company o’ your family,” as he gestures at all the patrons in the bar.

Urnid eyes the mysterious human as he comes to the bar. He gazes with amazement at the casual tossing of gold to Apok. "That must be some drink, friend. Whatever line of work you're in, how do I get into it? He looks back at his new halfling friend. "For me, the quality of the spirit makes no difference. You see, I've got no sense of taste. Um...kinda an...accident as a boy. Funny, though, 'cause whiskey tastes the same as water. Gotten me in trouble a few times. He leans back to address both men. "So, what brings such classy and wealthy gentlemen like yourselves to town?"

With the word "wealthy" Pequeno's eyes narrow and he turns to size up the newcomer....

The tavern door swings open again; the silhouette of a woman is all you can make out at first as the sun shines brightly behind her. As she steps in she slides the hood of her ebony cloak down to her shoulders, revealing her long slender ears. A cascade of satiny tresses the color of burnished copper falls in waves down her back ending just above her slender waist. Her eyes glisten like emeralds as they survey all in the bar. She moves with the grace of a cat, each motion expertly calculated and completely silent.
Her boots, soft black leather which go up to her thigh, make not a sound as she approaches the bar. She wears some of the finest garments seen, a shirt the color of Elderberry Wine, plunges low and is lost into a black leather bodice which accentuates her already shapely curves. Her belt rests lightly on her hips, and a sword in a highly polished scabbard of black wood hangs on her left hip.
As she reaches the bar, she pulls off soft black gloves, revealing slender hands and fingers which move with startling precision. With a single graceful motion she retrieves 7 gold coins from her pouch and slides the clasp shut. She holds the coins lightly in her hand and in a voice like a whispering breeze in early spring, sweet and warm, yet with a hint of winters chill she speaks to Apok. "A pint of Orluian Brandy, and a good meal if you please. Also could someone please tend to my horse, he will need stabling and some grain, it has been a long ride." For someone who's talking of a long ride, she seems impeccably manicured, not a single hair is out of place and her clothes look as though they are right out of the store. "And please keep the change; I will grab his saddlebag momentarily."
She sits lightly on the bar stool and begins to survey the patrons once again. As she swings her gaze toward the bar, she looks with a bit of disdain at the bedraggled fellow. "Do I know you? You look familiar? No probably not I guess, I would swear though."
"Well anyway down to business then. My name is Celesa of Darkhaud, and I have a business proposition for anyone interested. Should you be interested, please join me over at my table." Celesa raises a hand and points to an empty table in the corner. "I will return momentarily to speak with anyone seated over there."
She exits the bar and returns with a saddlebag, which she places lightly in the corner behind the table. "I will have my brandy and meal over there, please."
Celesa takes a seat at the table her back to the corner of the tavern and she silently waits and surveys the patrons, as if waiting for the first move to be made.

Apok’s eyes light up at the sight before him. He is grinning so inanely it looks like his face may crack. “Of course, young miss,” he says with a deep bow. He turns back to a keg and twists the spigot. Nothing comes out. He thumps it a few times. Nothing. He picks up the keg, notes its weight and sighs. Looking over at Jakob he growls “Ye had ta have Orluian Brandy, di’ntcha?” In a louder voice, “Miss, I’m terrrubly sorreh, but the Orluin Brandy’s run out. Ken I offer ye sumthin’s else, on ta house?”

"It 'tis no bother, do you happen to have any Blackberry Wine?" Celesa smiles warmly at Apok. "Thank you ever so much, you have such a wonderful establishment."

To the waitress, Rajan speaks quietly but with a beatific smile at her, as if she was the only other person in the tavern. "I would like a glass of..." He stops for a moment, closing his eyes before speaking again, "ah..water...actually...anything that's not alcohol will be fine. An' food, if you have some, would be MOST welcome, although it seems I may be sitting over there soon." He points to the table the woman who just walked in pointed at. He then gives the waitress a wink, "Who knows what else I'd like later on, but I'll start there I think."
He carefully picks up his backpack and book bag and heads over to the table the woman had indicated. As he passes through the other tables he continually mutters "Excuse Me". "Pardon Me" and "Oh, I'm SO sorry!", not just for his movements but also for the small gouts of gas left in his trail occasionally.

When the woman returns and sits down, Rajan is there waiting for her. He gives her a small smile of greeting and a small bow of his head. "Good day to you, milady. I am Rajan Torre."

Urnid watches the elven women in silence, his retort to Apok's insult dying in his throat. As she acknowledges him, he tries to speak but only a muffled hiccup comes out. His eyes never leave her as she walks out of the bar and remain on the empty doorway after she has gone. After a moment, his wits (dull when sober, outright round when drunk) return. He turns to the dwarf sharply. "On the house? What? Is she a credit to her race?" He stands up, shakily, and starts over to the elf woman's table. "This must be because elves and dwarves get along so well. Discriminicrimization...." Urnid pauses, wondering if he said that correctly. After a moment, he nods to himself and continues. "Yeah...that's what this is. He stumbles into a chair at the table. After settling into his seat, he yells across the bar. "And Apok...I'll take another whenever you get a chance. Many thanks."

Apok hands Urnid another pint in exchange for 1 silver piece, never taking his eyes from Celesa.

Celesa smiles warmly at the two men joining her at the table. "Ah, welcome, I do hope a few more will join us, as the business I speak of will be much easier with a few more worthy hands. Also rather profitable I hope." She reaches into the pouch at her hip and pulls a tattered parchment from within. "This my friends is a map that will lead us to fame and fortune, and undoubtedly a wee bit of danger and excitement."
Celesa looks again at Urnid, "You do look familiar, have you ever played dice at a small hole in the wall a days travel from here? I could swear...." Her voice trails off a bit. "No, the fellow I remember looked in much better shape, his luck was golden for quite a few rounds. I actually left the game before I had to face his luck, I do hope he won. I can spot cheaters a mile away and those rollers were definitely on the take. I do so dislike cheaters."
Celesa looks back at Rajan, "Oh sorry about that, cheaters get my ire up. That’s ok though they'll get theirs real soon." Something about the way she says that sounds sends a slight chill down your spine, as if she knows it to be a fact.
Once again with a warm smile to the two men "So have I got your interest in learning more about this little business venture?"

Rajan lets out a small silent fart as the woman gets angry and then looks at him and declares the fates of the "cheaters". He will look down for a moment, hesitating whether or not to cover his holy symbol or not. He decides against it and folds his hands over the bookbag in his lap.
""Well, I am most interested to hear what you have to say. I am bit cash shy at the moment and something potentially profitable would a godsend." He tries to give another smile but it falters a bit.

Apok returns with a pint of blackberry wine and a gourmet meal. “Yer money’s no good here, miss. And a lad is taking care of yer mount.” Apok suddenly blushes, which as a ruddy-skinned dwarf, makes him look as if he’s going to ignite.

Celesa smiles at Apok as he approaches the table "Thank you so very much. Your kindness is unmatched." Celesa gently takes the plate and the cup. "It smells absolutely divine."

Urnid nods as he ignores his fresh drink. "That could have been me, I suppose. I probably would have remembered you, though, unless I was dead drunk and...well, that would probably explain it." He absently pushes his drink a few inches away as he speaks. "You really think those guys were cheats? I mean, I don't doubt you but I used to gamble with them all the time. They would always seek me out before going off for a night of dicing and....entertainment. Now that you mention it, I did lose more than usual during those times..." Urnid slams his fist down on the table suddenly and violently, spilling his drink. The ale runs off the polished table and spreads across Urnid's lap. He doesn't seem to notice. "Bastards! You just wait until I get my hands on 'em. Urnid, realizing he is acting like a crazy person, quickly calms down. He starts wiping up the spilled ale on the table with the bottom half of his tabard. "Anyway, my name is Urnid Stormwell. I'm a swordsman. Pretty good one, too. My blade is yours.

The ebony clad halfling finally blinks. I hope no one noticed I was staring..... he thinks to himself. He quickly hops off the stool. Grabs his hat from the bar. He straightens the bright azure feather on it and positions it on his head VERY carefully.
As gracefully as he can after a pint of Dead Viking he makes his way to the table.
"I would be honored to join you milady. I knew at once you would have business here. For no one as beautiful as yourself belongs in an establishment such as this. I am Pequeno Muerte and if your proposition is as sweet as you are I can assure you you have my steel as well as my loyalty."
he bows with that and pulls up a chair.

Rajan nods to the human who just sat down. "A pleasure to make both of your aquaintances I'm sure. Urnid, I am Rajan Torre."
Then, Rajan eyes the strange halfling with slight bewilderment and suspicion, but shrugs it off a bit, though he keeps a firm grip on his bookbag (which incidentally jams up against his belt and pouch). As he mulling over the halfling's strange name, another small not-as-silent gout of gas is released from his backside.
His eyes widen a bit and he reddens. "Ah..excuse me a moment..." He hurries outside, taking his bookbag and backpack with him.
He returns a moment later, trying to act like nothing happened but is obviously nervous and distressed still. He starts to walk directly to the table, but sighs and stops at the bar and gets an ale from Apok. "Ah..so sorry about that. Won't happen again, I assure you."

As the gassy half elf returns to the table Pequeno looks at him strangely.
"I have 10 gold that says I know which half of him isn't elven! Any takers?!?! HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA"
"But seriously, there is a lady present."
He turns to gaze at her again.
"A beautiful lady."

Rajan turns to look at the halfling, a slightly amused look on his face warring with a slight sneer. "Why don't you look me in the eyes when you say that. We'll get you a stepstool for it. As if you have room to talk about anything in HALF measures, little one. "
He then turns back to Celesa and waits to see what she says next.

Thank you all, such kind words and undivided attention. The business at hand I suppose and then some better familiarization. If anymore interested folks show up later we can always fill them in" Celesa unrolls the tattered parchment in her hand, and lays it carefully on the table. A thin line is drawn on the paper, it goes for a ways an ends in a stylized "Q".
"This my dears, is a map to the hideaway of the legendary Rogahn and Zelligar. This is where we can earn our fame and fortune. If legends are true, we may even be able to claim the place itself as our own. Once we clear out any dangers of course." Celesa sits silently for a moment and looks to each person who is listening so as to see their expressions, then continues. "I know my way around locks and traps well enough, but I'm fairly certain that those will be only part of the troubles encountered. These two have supposedly died a year or so ago, that means things have had a year to take up residence. I say we go evict them. With every person taking an equal cut of what is found. We all have the potential to leave there rather wealthy indeed."
Celesa sits back with a smile on her face. "So any takers?"

"Ahhhh a little bit of treasure hunting eh? And some death dealing no doubt." his eyes narrow to slits. Licking his lips for a second Pequeno snaps back to.

Rajan Torre drains his pint quickly and motions to Apok for another. This drink is also quaffed fairly quickly, but the young half-elf’s thirst seems to have been slaked.

The halfling drums his fingers on the hilt of his sword. He looks like he's reminiscing about something. A strange grin on his face.
As quickly as his mind wandered off, its back.

Wiping his mouth of the ale, Rajan nods and smiles. "Sounds good. You can count me in. Both myself and my spellbook of random destruction!"

"Random Destruction? There is nothing random about the beings I dispatch from this world with my steel."

Rajan looks at the halfing and shrugs. "So what? Who was comparing anything to you? I was speaking with the lovely lady here."

Well there mage, you have foulness coming from both ends eh?" he elbows the mage jokingly, "Eh? Eh?"
"You must settle down. You are wound a little too tight."

Rajan looks down Pequeno and raises a disdaining eyebrow. "Please. Don't act as though you know me or we are friends. Don't touch me or act familiar with me. Thank you. I am wound just the right amount so far." As if to punctuate his speech, he shifts in his chair a little bit to lift one buttcheek up slightly and "aim" towards the halfling (so basically on he and Pequeno really see it).

Apok brings over a very simple plate of food to Rajan and accepts a silver piece in return.

Celesa looks slightly amused at the exchange and chuckles slightly. "Gentlemen, Gentlemen, it is my sincere hope that in time we would all become friends. This excursion will require teamwork to be sure. While I have little doubt such familiarity will take time, I do hope eventually we can all prove ourselves to each other."
Celesa nose wrinkles slightly, and sneezes faintly. "Damn silver." She mutters faintly. "I'm terribly sorry to trouble you all, but if possible, please do not pull out silver near me. I start sneezing horribly. I can't even touch the stuff." Celesa pulls a small handkerchief from her pouch and gently wipes her nose.

Rajan gives Celesa a small bow of his head and a warm smile. "Not a problem, milady. I will make sure to keep the very limited amount of silver I have away from your delicate nose. We all have our little quirks and flaws, after all." He glances at the halfing and smiles as if to say "Some of us more than others." but doesn't actually say anything.

He leans his head in a bit and speaks a in quieter voice. "I HAVE heard a few..rumorous tidbits as well, milady. It is said that Rogahn owned a fantastic gem as big as a man’s fist that was worth over 100,000 gold pieces that he kept hidden in his personal quarters. I'm sure there are secret doors, rooms and passageways in parts of the complex, HOWEVER, I did also hear that the complex has a rear exit that is secret and well hidden."

I also have heard some rumors beyond the well known legend. Though I dare say these should all be taken with a grain of salt, as we know not the origins of these rumors. I have picked up only two bits in my travels, that there is a part of the complex yet unfinished, and that their treasures are hidden at the bottom of a pool of water. That last bit makes me wish I had paid more attention when I was supposed to be learning the arts of swimming, rather then lounging about in only a loin cloth."

Watch where you are pointing that thing there 1/2 breed. Didn't your mixed parents teach you any manners?" Pequeno quips back. Starting to sound a little angry.
After the lady speaks, "I too have heard of this place. I disregarded the rumours for folklore. But this map looks genuine alright." he looks closer at the map. Covering one eye and leaning in closely....

"Whoo, I'm thirsty." Pequeno adds, waving down the nearest serving wench.
"Bring me another ale milady." he asks.

Rajan leans to the halfling in a very low voice says, "Ware your wagging tongue, halfpint, or the smell creeping up on you will be the least of your worries. A horrible gas smell begins to be apparent.
Turning back to the lady, "So...when do we leave?"

The halfling's eyes narrow to slits as he stiffens up. Standing as close as he can to the 1/2 elf he speaks a little louder this time.
"Listen here you abomination to TWO RACES. Maybe you'd like to step outside and I'll show you what its like? I've been tolerant due to the lady but that time is over."

Rajan sniffs dismissively at the halfing, barely deigning to glance at the short fighter before turning his attention back to the lady. "Step outside if you would like. You are not worth my time. Stop interrupting milady's talking."

Apok himself brings the drink to the Halfling. “Listen ‘ere, you two. I’m tryin’ ter run a respectable tavern here. Don’ make me toss ya inna the street. I’m sure the lady don’t want ta see tha likes o’ you havin’ at each other.” He thunks the pint down and takes a silver from Pequeno.

"Let it all be known that if he hadn't come over here....." the halfling trails off as he downs his second ale.
Slamming the mug down on the table nearly catching someones finger. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Now.. BURP. Where were we?" and before anyone can answer...
"OH YEAH! RICHES AND FAME! Continue milady."

Pequeno is officially sloshed

Urnid leans back, enjoying the show. Beautiful women. Violence about to break out at any moment. This should be a great group to be apart of. As Apok breaks up the fight, Urnid frowns and turns back to the table.
"Hey, Pequeno. It's not very nice to make fun of one's parentage. You can't choose who your parents are. I wish you could..."
Urnid fiddles with his sword, the naked blade digging into his left leg. "Back to the adventure at hand. When do we leave? Also, if anyone can lend me a few gold before we leave, it would be appreciated. I would love to get a little armor before we leave...scale, chain, even some hardened leather would be nice. Even a scabbard would make me a little more comfortable."
Urnid looks down at his shabby clothes sheepishly. "Hey...trust me. I'm good for it."

"Chain?" hiccup... "Scale? A real warrior needs nothing more than the protection of good padded armor!" Pequeno proclaims thumping his chest.

Rajan chuckles at the halfling, both when he backs down and when he proclaims his padded armor being good. "Hells, even *I* have almost that much protection only, so how bad could it be?" He is staring at the lady so only she sees the twinkle in his eye as he says that.

Celesa takes another scrap of cloth from her pouch and lays it carefully across her lap. She takes a small sip of her wine and begins to eat the delectable meal in front of her. Her table manners are as impeccable as her appearance, it is quiet obvious that she has dined frequently in high society.
She occasionally chuckles slightly at the squabble between Rajan and Pequeno.
After she has had a small bit of the food, Celesa stops for moment. "Thank you Apok, the meal is divine. The seared chicken with elderberry compote, perfection." She continues taking small bites and takes time to talk every now and then.
"So gentlemen, do you have any other specialties that might aid us on this little adventure? I dare say only four of us will be a bit risky, there is after all safety in numbers. Perhaps it would be best if we waited until first light to head off anyway. Pequeno, looks like he might have had a bit much to drink. And I do believe you, Urnid, needed to look into some minor equipment, as indeed you are in no shape to fight, with naught but the shirt on your back. I'm sure we can find something a bit better."

"Wait a second!" Pequeno interrupts.
"Ummm...." he ponders....
"BURP!"
"Uhhhhhhggghhhhh I dont remember eating that." he smacks his lips...

Urnid nods gratefully. "Yes, I am still a force to be reckoned with, with or without armor, but I would be able to protect you...all of you, with some metal between me and the pointy claws and gnashing teeth. So...that being said, maybe you should come and help me pick out what I need. If you just give me the money, I'm sure to lose it or blow it on dice. I think, yeah, I think it's... safer if you and I go and take care of that business.

Urnid leans back in his chair, satisfied with his devious plan to get Celesa all to himself. He turns to Apok smugly and yells across the common room. "Master dwarf, I need a jug of water. My throat is parched and I dare not have anymore of your fine ale. I...um...need to stay focused so I can best fight and stuff tomorrow."

Within moments a jug of water and some glasses are set on the table.

Pequeno nearly knocks the other glasses over as his arm darts forward to grab one. He instantly begins filling it with water from the pitcher.

"Well, I'm sure we can find some leather and a scabbard at the least. I wish we were closer to my home than this, I have plenty there." Celesa casts a glance around the table at those seated around her. "On second thought most of you would probably never leave."
Celesa finishes up the food and takes the last sip of her wine, and stands.
"Let me just arrange a room for this evening and bring these saddlebags up to it. Then we can get some provisions for the journey. Does anyone else need anything; it would make sense for us to get it all at once, rather then having to make multiple stops." Celesa bring the plate and empty cup to the bar, and hands them carefully to Apok. "Many thanks again, it was wonderful. I do need to arrange for a room for this evening. How much is a standard room? And you can not say my money is no good here, I must pay you something in return."

Apok looks thoughtful for a moment. “Bless my beard I’m glad you talk a lot. If it weren’t for that voice, I think I’da run off with ya. But I’m much better know,” he adds with a brief scowl. “A room’ll run 3 silver fer a night.”

Celesa pulls one gold from her pouch and hands it to Apok.
"That will cover it and if possible, a bath. Please keep the remainder in my thanks for the food and drink."
Celesa returns to the table and picks up the saddlebags and disappears up the stairs to the sleeping quarters. A few moments later she returns. "Are we set to head off for supplies, I just need to check in on Magus, before we go."

Celesa buys Urnid a sword scabbard and a suit of leather armor. Urnid buys himself another waterskin. Pequeno buys 2 more waterskins.

*As the party begins to rise, the stranger in the corner stands with a start. The combination of heady drink and the fair maiden's comeliness had stunned the mysterious person's wits into a fog. He quickly moves to the party, careful to avoid placing his hand near his blade.*
"Pardon me, but were you discussing..."
*His voice then trails to a whisper.*
"...an adventure? I might be of some use to you."

Urnid dons his new leather armor and sheathes his sword in the new wooden scabbard. He appears slightly more respectable but still miles away from okay. He returns to wherever his companions are waiting, displaying his new gear proudly. Urnid turns towards Celesa "I'm ready to go whenever you say." He sees the new member of the group. "I left quickly to buy my equipment. I see someone new as joined our party in that time. Name's Urnid Stormwell."

Celesa looks over at the new comer, "And you are?"
"Sorry, that sounded a bit harsh. Aye, we were indeed discussing an adventure. And if I may, the more the merrier, and the safer. We were just gathering supplies and getting ready to head out at first light tomorrow. As far as I am concerned you are more then welcome to join us, as I had discussed with these gentlemen, equal shares for all involved, as we all engage in equal danger."
Celesa feels her nose start to twitch and a faint sneeze escapes yet again. "I just have to ask that silver be kept away from me, I do not react well to it."

"Anyone up for a game of chance? I'm feeling lucky!" Pequeno asks anyone within earshot. Draining another mug of water like a man just thru the desert.

Urnid's eyes light up upon hearing of a game. Forgetting about the stranger he had extended his hand towards, he moves very close to Pequeno. "I'm in. What game? What stakes? I'm...um...very low on money right now but I have a few silver. And I have some very nice, brand new leather armor. That must be worth a few gold, right?"
He looks at Celesa briefly then turns back to Pequeno. "Okay, no armor. It was a gift, after all. I do have a few silver, so we can play with that. Want to cut down on the amount of that I carry anyways. I prefer dice but any game will do."

Pequeno's eyes turn to the enthusiastic man.
"Sure, your silver is good here my good man." Pequeno motions to a side table. A bit wobbly. Water running off his chin....

Rajan sneers slightly, but quickly turns it into a smile. "Sure...I'm up for a little spot of fun."

There’s craps, horse, slots, dice racing, in between, twenty-one, high-low, keeps, arm wrestling and darts for typical games.

Pequeno motions to a nearby empty table. Calling back to the woman.
"We leave in the morning then?"
As he says so he walk into a nearby chair and knocks it over.
"I did that. That was my fault."
Side-stepping the fallen chair he sits at another chair at the same table.
"So, whats the game?"

Urnid picks up the fallen chair and sits in it. "I usually prefer dicing, though I'm a good with darts and I'm a much better arm-wrestler than I look." He raises his arm and clenches his muscles, revealing a very thin yet sinewy bicep.
"The thing is...um...I lost my dice when I was last dicing. This shouldn't be a problem..." Urnid looks around the room, finally finding Apok. "Hey! You have any cards or dice behind the bar? You know...to borrow?"

The dwarf gestures to an area of the bar that seems to be set up for gaming, having all the necessary equipment to play whatever you like.

"Apparently this table is unsuitable for gaming. And the way the chairs keep falling over I agree!"

Glorn approaches Celesa. "'Scuse me, I've been listening to your talk together, and I'm wondering if you could use another in your little venture? I know I ain't no oil painting, but I'm handy with my hammer and I can fix things whether they be your weapons or your wounds. What do you say?"

"Pardon my haste. My name is Jakob Verlinger. As far as gear goes, I just have to retrieve my spear from outside. Provided it hasn't sprouted wings by now."
*Jakob attempts a lopsided smile, which soon fades away.*
"Plus pick up some healing supplies."

Urnid stands back up, looking over at the section where the gambling is going on and wondering how he missed it before. He extends his arm to steady Pequeno and lead him off to the tables. "Let's dice! I've missed twelve rolls in a row and I'm ready to change my luck."
Urnid turns to face Rajan with a strange smile, then to the halfling at his side. "Now no trouble between you two. Losing money can make even good friends fight. You two are already at each other's throats...so this might get ugly. Of course...since I'm going to be taking both your money, maybe it can be a bonding experience for you."
As Urnid starts walking, he looks over to see more of the newcomers. "More people, eh? Well more the merrier, I guess." Urnid considers going back to rescue Celesa from all these annoying hangers-on, but the call of the dice is too strong.

Pequeno grabs the attention of a server on his way to the table. "Your biggest jug of water milady. And I mean BIG!"
He turns back to Rajan.
"I'll be pissing myself like an elf running from a gnoll if I keep this up eh!"
Then he bursts out laughing at his own joke.

Celesa looks at the newcomer. "Indeed the more the merrier and someone who can keep a weapon in good shape is always welcome in my book. So if you can be ready at first light tomorrow it looks like that’s when we'll be getting this little trip underway."
Celesa casts an exasperated glance over at the gamblers. "Well that is if they don't drink themselves into unconsciousness and still have any gear left come first light."
Celesa looks back at the newcomer and smiles "Welcome to the group then."

Here’s how this works. To play craps, someone makes a wager. When everyone playing is in (covering the wager), 2 d6’s are rolled via the dice server. If your first roll is a 7 or 11, the shooter wins. Otherwise the shooter continues submitting rolls until he matches the first number rolled (a win), or rolls a 7 (a loss). Lost pots are split among the other players.

Urnid goes into his money pouch and pulls out a small handful of silver. Frowing, he dumps the contents of his pouch on the table, revealing less than ten silvers. Thought I still had a gold.. Oh yeah, the waterskin I bought. Grabbing a few silvers and putting them back away, he leaves five on table. He grabs the dice and shakes them violently. "Five silver. C'mon lucky 7!" He throws the dice, bouncing them off the back wall of the table.

Rajan shakes his head at the stupidity of the drunken halfling but doesn't say anything since he's been worse off himself. He looks down, thinks for a moment and shrugs. He slowly lays out 5 silver on the table in front of him. "I'll take that bet."

"Sure and I thank you, and I will be meeting in the mornin'. By the way Glorn Hamhide's my name. Sleep fast, then, lady."

Glorn watches the gambling with interest, though more in the players than in the game. He orders another ale from barkeep.

Glorn pays 5 copper for another ale. After drinking it, Glorn is buzzed.

Urnid rolls the dice; a 6 and a 3. His next roll is a 1 and a 6. Rajan wins the pot.

"This looks easy enough" Pequeno comments after seeing the first roll.
Producing 3 silver from his pouch he confidently lays it on the table.
"Gimme the bones!"

Rajan smiles and kisses the holy symbol before laying down his newly-won silvers on the table. "Roll away, little one. Roll away."

Urnid sits out this round, disappointed with his continued bad luck. He draws the last three silver out of his bag, holding the small stack between his thumb and forefinger. As the halfling prepares to roll, he gets distracted by Celesa as he tries to figure out what she's talking to the others about.

Before he knows what he is doing, Urnid covers the bet as well, plunking down his last three silver.

"Whooo hooo Urnid! Letting it ride eh?!?!"

Pequeno’s first roll is a 5 and a 6. Pequeno wins on his first roll!

Urnid looks at disgust with the hand that betrayed him. "Dammit! I knew it! I shouldn't have bet against someone else's roll until I got my luck back. You can't fix your bad luck unless you're doing the rolling!"
Urnid goes on, whining to himself, yet he seems to be searching his money pouch for the last few coppers he has left.

Rajan shrugs and taps his holy symbol, not angry like, just the casual way to acknowledge her fickle hand of luck. He smiles slightly and pats Urnid's arm. "Kishijoten is sometimes a harsh mistress, good sir. But you have to keep trusting in her, and your luck will change sooner or later."
He nods to the halfling and leans back.

Celesa excuses herself from Glorn and Jakob, and heads over to the gambling table. As she draws close she starts sneezing repeatedly. "Urnid, maybe you should...achoo... retire for the night, maybe you'll have better...achoo... luck with a new...achoo... day. Besides if you loose this ...achoo... armor you'll be a lot more likely to find out just ....achoo... your luck can really be when we need...achoo... you in the first...achoo... fight."
Celesa backs away from the table still sneezing and pulls the cloth out of her belt pouch yet again and carefully dabs at her nose, which has now turned the cutest color pink to match her cheeks. "Oh that’s it, I'm going to retire for the night, I will see you all at first light. Hopefully with all of you possessions. Good Night, sleep well."

Urnid gives Celesa a horrified look like she just asked him to drown a puppy. "Stop playing? But I haven't had a chance to win yet!" He looks at his remaining few coins. "Plus, I don't have enough money to get a room. If you have enough room, I can sleep on the floor in your room, though. I can lay on my cloak and I don't snore. What more can you ask for from a roommate. If not, I better keep rolling until I can get myself a bed."
Urnid looks despairingly at Celesa.

"Fine, you can bunk with me, if it means you'll have your gear in the morning."
"But I'm heading up to bed now, so if that’s the case, you would have to stop now."

"Come on Urnid, the games just getting interesting!"

Urnid stands immediately, almost tripping over himself to follow Celesa. He looks back at his companions, grinning.
"You gentlemen lucked out. Next time, you won't be so lucky." He starts walking away before he turns back to them again. "You both seem like good fellows. So, please...please don't kill each other."
He waves over to the non-gambling table. "Have a good night. See you in the morning."

"I wonder what their story is?" Pequeno says as Urnid walks off.
"So? We going again?"

Rajan purses his lips and taps a finger against his chin for a few moments, watching after Celesa and the puppy-dog-love-stricken-fighter. Finally he sighs and spreads his hands wide with a slight smile. "Alas, no. I fear I must to bed with me. The fair lady hast spoken and strongly advised us. I know you need beauty sleep and a great amount of it. I am not much different."
He stands and nods to the halfling and moves to set up a room for the night.

Apok informs Rajan there are no more common rooms left so he’ll have to take a poor room for 5 copper.

Pequeno looks around for anyone else who may be interested.

Glorn rises, "Well my looks are way past any kind of beauty sleep I fear. But I am in need of it. See what's left of you all on the morrow. I might lay a claim on the first outhouse on the left. I fear that dwarven stew has not finished having its way with me yet."
Glorn heads off to negotiate some sort of sleeping quarters for the night.

Apok informs Glorn there are no more common rooms left so he’ll have to take a poor room for 5 copper.

Pequeno, looking a bit dejected, heads back over to the table. Grabs the pitcher of water, sees that it’s empty. Looks to the left, then the right, then grabs a random mug on the table and downs the remaining water in it.
He then turns to find the innkeeper to get himself a room.

Apok informs Pequeno there are no more common rooms left so he’ll have to take a poor room for 5 copper.

*Jakob quietly slips out to gather what he needs. Soon, he is heading towards the where the healers are, hoping to find some gear to use. He also makes a note to make a stop by the market stalls, to find something to cook for the trip ahead.*

Rajan looks disappointed at the innkeeper and pays his 5 copper. When he goes to bunk down though, he is secretly pleased at having to pay so little of his limited remaining funds to sleep for the night.
In the morning he will awaken, eat breakfast and then be pack up (having not cast anything the day before, he doesn't need to rememorize).

Pequeno, a little more than buzzed is just happy to have a place to crash.
He refills his waterskins and beds down for the night....

Glorn shrugs. "Well, sleeping in a fancy bed makes you wake up with head too

big for your hat. I'm happy to be your guest, Apok."

The night passes uneventfully, for most if not all. If it does not pass uneventfully for Celesa and/or Urnid, please PM me.

Date: Tu’mar, Haar’kiev 2, 12082 (Fariadoran Reckoning), morning

Location: Apok’s Hunted Drunken Deer

You all wake a bit hungry. I’m going to assume everyone orders breakfast. Today’s menu at Apok’s is as follows:

Meatballs, Sharp cheese, Curds, Currants, Sea oats 1sp (he only has enough for 5

meals)

Smoked sausage, Curds, Duck eggs, Pear, Corn pone 5 gp

At least one of you will need to spring for the gourmet breakfast.

I almost forgot. By the time Jakob got back from shopping last night, the only available rooms were the top-notch opulent guest suites. They cost 50gp, but you get them for a whole week. Or you can sleep in the barn, in exchange for mucking out the stalls.

Pequeno rises a bit groggily. Quickly realizing he has passed out in one of the poor rooms he grabs his things and quickly takes inventory to make sure none of the dirty tenants has ripped him off.
Satisfied that all of his possessions are still there, he picks up his hat, straightens the feather, neatly folds his cloak and packs it away in his backpack, and makes his way to the common room. Following the smells....
Once there he looks around for any of the group he vaguely remembers from last night. As his eyes scan the room they are instantly diverted by the try of food a serving wench carries past him. His stomach growls loudly as his mouth begins to water....
He quickly moves to the bar. "Say, how much for a whole tray of whatcha got cookin'? My friends will be down soon. I will be treating after my big win last night!" trying out his lie on the innkeeper.

Apok studies the little fellow a moment. “A tray? From what I hears about halflings , not much of the tray’ll make it ta yer friends!” This strikes Apok as hilarious and he begins guffawing. When he catches his breath, he says, a tear still in his eye, “I don’t have enough of this for all of yer friends, ye’ve slept past the morning rush. Ya can have what’s left for 5 silver.”

Celesa awakes to the new day and with nothing but a quick toss of her hair it all lands back in perfect position, as she don's her gear not a single wrinkle can be seen.
"Wake up. It's time we get some breakfast and head on out."
Celesa comes down the stairs with what would seem to be her normal bounce. Seeing Pequeno, she flashes a big smile, "Good Morning, trust you slept well." She walks over to the table and takes a seat, "Oh my that does smell good doesn't it"

Rajan will order the 1sp breakfast (unless Pequeno does indeed order for all). Before eating he lifts the holy symbol up to kiss it and then digs in to his food. Looking at Pequeno, he nods slightly. When Celesa walks in he smiles at her, though the smile falters a bit as he lets out a fart before she gets close enough to hear or smell it. "Uh...good morn to you, fair lady. I trust you slept well?"

"I did indeed, and you as well I would hope."

Celesa, Pequeno, Rajan, Glorn and Urnid, being the first up, get first dibs on the lower priced meal. Jakob, stumbling in with straw sticking out of his clothes at various angles, is ironically stuck with the expensive breakfast. Alas, Urnid finds himself short by 5 copper.

I'll take it!" Pequeno proclaims. Rummaging in his pouch for the silver....
"Take it over there please." He says pointing to an empty table.
He sits waiting for his companions to join him.

As the rest of the group makes it to the common room Pequeno is already seated with far more food than he can eat in front of him.
He motions happily for you to come join him.

Urnid follows closely behind Celesa, wearing his clothes and boots but carrying his armor, tabard, and sword belt. With his tall, gaunt body and ill-fitting, shabby clothing, he looks like a scarecrow, except worse dressed. Urnid's dark hair hangs greasily in his eyes. With a grin to his companions, he dumps his gear by one of the chairs and pulls that chair out. Urnid sits down, stretching his long arms with a yawn.
"Good morning, all." He pulls out his money pouch and dumps the entire contents, all five coppers, onto the table. "Apok, your worst meal, please."

Apok gives Urnid a confused look. “I ain’t got anythin’ worse’n what the halfling just bought, and even that cost more than you’ve got!”

Urnid looks embarrassed by this public display of poverty. He looks pleadingly at the dwarf and opens his mouth to speak. He decides to remain silent, however, looking back at the meager pile of copper before him. With a sigh, he slides the coins off the table into his open hand. He looks to Pequeno meekly, then to Rajan. "Any of you interested in a five copper game of dice?"

"Pequeno, many thanks. Breakfast looks wonderful, nothing like a good breakfast to see us on our way. Next time I've got breakfast though, only fair."
With that Celesa pulls out the very familiar cloth and places it across her lap and begins to eat. Taking time here and there for small talk.

"Whats with your boy Urnid over there..." Pequeno motions to the ragged human. (human correct?)
"Is he too good for a complimentary meal?"
Before she can answer. Pequeno hollers over to Urnid.
"Put your coin away big spender, this one's on me!"
Then he turns his attention back to Celesa. "Shouldn't have turned in so early your highness. I took control of that dice game like you wouldn't believe. Made a handsome profit I did. It was a sight!"

Rajan will raise an eyebrow at the halfing's display of "wealth" and his "version" of the way the night went. Two total rolls didn't really constitute a game, and winning one "hand" didn't constitute taking control of the game and really raking it in. He kept his silence though other than a derisive snort after the halfing's comments.

"Wonderful, I personally do not care for games of chance. I've lost my shirt one too many times, and I don't mean figuratively. I try to stay with things I can control, and everyone knows you can't control luck."
Looks over at Urnid "Come join the rest of us, breakfast is on Pequeno this morning."

You shoulda stayed too Rajan. These 3 local farmers had a little much to drink and pretty much gave me their coin! I was on a roll!!

Urnid slowly realizes that Pequeno's food is for all of them. "Wow. Sorry, I didn't realize you were treating, pal. I've heard some reputations about halfling eating habits so..." Urnid trails off, realizing that this line of conversation might be rude.
"Everyone sleep okay? For me, it was the best night I've had in a while." Oblivious to the potential innuendo, he continues speaking. "Blanket, pillows...I haven't had it this good since the army.. He turns his attention to breakfast. Seemingly unaware of flavor combinations, Urnid mixes the different foods into a near homogenous paste then proceeds to shovel the mix into his mouth like a starved animal.
With a mouth full of food, he turns his attention back to the group. "We 'eaving 'oon?"

Pequeno picks up a nearby apple.
"Hey Urnid, I bet you 3 copper that you cant get this entire apple in your mouth without slicing it!"

Rajan nods and smiles at the halfling with a little hint of something in the smile. "Ah, yes. Thank you for your aid in breakfast, little one." He nods to both Celesa and Urnid. "Yes, I sleep fairly for the few hours required. And I also would like to know when we are leaving. I am anxious to be out and about."

Glorn Hamhide enters from the outside door. "Well good morrow to you all! I believe I have dealt with the last of the dwarven stew. It's been a 'moving' morning if you take my meaning! heh heh."
Glorn sits at the table and scratches the white scar that runs across his face.

"Is that a mark from battle or is it from the stew?" Pequeno asks Glorn

*Jakob looks, bleary-eyed, at the table. Doing some quick math, he realizes he needs to order for himself. He digs out five gold from his pouch and places it on the bar with his order. he then goes to sit with the others, not realizing until too late that he has yet to cover his cursed visage. His nose appears too small, and his lips too fat. it is as though he is incapable of growing eyebrows and his eyes seem as though they catch the light the wrong way, no matter which way he turns them.*
(OOC: Comeliness of 0)

Urnid examines the apple that Pequeno is holding. This guy thinks I'm an idiot. I wouldn't try to...you know, it's not really that big an apple...
Urnid looks at Jakob as his face is revealed and he looks away too quickly, trying to be polite and not stare. His actions only draw attention to his discomfort. He closes his eyes and swallows the food that was in my mouth. Urnid pushes his plate away and leans back "Well, I'm done."

"I knew you couldn't do it." Pequeno quips at Urnid. Egging him on with a smug smile.

Rajan will lean towards the halfling. "Little one. We are going to be, if Kishijoten wills it, traveling together for quite some time. I suggest you learn to control your base instincts in being a foul little miscreant and lean more towards teamwork." As if to punctuate his words, a foul stench wafts over the halfling (and unfortunately Urnid). Rajan seems not to notice.
He pauses and then smiles. "But...perhaps some ale will help us in starting a friendship? I know it's early, but it's never too early to start correctly."
He motions to Apok, "Apok, good sir, might we partake of some of the same ale you brought me last night? It was most excellent!"

Celesa's nose crinkles slightly at the wafting odor.
"Now, Now, lets all try to get along. Will someone help me grab the sadlebags from my room? As soon as I saddle Magus, I will be ready to go. Did anyone else have any further provisions they wished to purchase?"
Celesa finishes the last of her food and brings the plate up to Apok at the bar. "Thank you, we will be out of your hair shortly, then you can go back to running a respectable place, without the likes of us." She chuckles softly and heads back up in the direction of her room.

Apok brings Rajan a pint of ale in exchange for 5 copper. Rajan downs it with surprising speed. Rajan orders a second and downs that with the same speed. This seems to satisfy the half-elf who is now buzzed.

"Get along?" Pequeno looks at Celesa
"Miscreant?" he looks at Rajan.
"Arent we a bit touchy! Lost our senses of humor eh? Our zest for life? You two need to lighten up. We're heading off into certain danger. At least half of us will perish I am sure. No worries, I'll take your shares of the loot!"
Pequeno pats his coin purse.

"So how far away is this place your highness?"
Pequeno asks,...

Urnid seems completely unfazed by Rajan's "contribution" to the conversation. After wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt, he stands and starts donning his armor in the middle of the common room.
"We should probably get underway as soon as possible," he says as he finishes tightening his straps. He throws the tabard over his head and pulls it down over his armor. Urnid finishes by strapping his swordbelt around waist, positioning his sheathed sword so he can reach it
For a moment, standing there tall, armed and armored, you catch a glimpse of the warrior that Urnid may be. He banishes this in an instant by snatching up a green apple off the table and attempting to stuff the whole thing into his mouth. Urnid struggles with this foe for a moment before spitting it out on the floor. He quickly picks it up and turns to Pequeno.
"You didn't say how long I had to do this. I'll keep working on it."

Pequeno opens his mouth to speak. Then hangs his head dumbfounded.....
"Well, I guess I didn't did I? Lets just hope were all around when you figure it out. I have a bad feeling about this mission. But I feel that we'll become wildly rich if we dont get killed."

*After Jakob raises the hood to his cloak, a miserable look crosses his face. He soon sets to eating, though the attempt looks forced at times. He finally finishes, and looks at the group sheepishly.*
"I am ready whenever the rest of you are."

Celesa comes back to the table carrying the saddlebags from her room, and slides them to the ground with a thud. "I'd estimate that it will take us two or three days to reach our destination. So we may want to make sure we have everything needed for camps along the way. Part of the trek looks to go into the mountains, so we'll be looking at some slower travel once that happens, but until there it looks like a fairly easy walk."
"I'm going to go get Magus ready and I'll meet you all out front in just a few minutes." Celesa hefts the saddlebags back up on her shoulder and begins to walk toward the door, but stops for a moment and turns around and gives Pequeno a puzzled look. "Pequeno why do you keep calling me highness?"

Pequeno in a smarmy voice. "Why with your regal beauty and your own court jester." he nods towards Urnid grinning, "Surely you come from royalty." he laughs a bit as he finishes.
"Nevertheless!" the halflings declares loudly.
"Pequeno Muerte is at your service. I accept coin from all walks of life. My steel and wits belong to you on this expedition your highness! And when all is done we will see Urnid get that entire apple in his mouth!"

"I must prepare for our journey then. My fellow travellers may the gawds be with us!"
Pequeno declares, straightening the feather in his black wide brimmed hat and placing his hand on the hilt of his exquisite broadsword. He starts for the door of the inn. After a few steps he stops.
He walks over to two elder humans obviously in from a hard morning in the fields.
"Gents, it was a pleasure and an honor to take your money last evening!" Pequeno says to them.
Before they can answer, the halfling slaps them on the backs and resumes his march for the door....

Urnid looks up from his dressing as he hears this. Own court jester? Wow, I didn't know that. Where is he? Should make the trip more entertaining, that's for sure.
Smiling, he swings his arms to test the armor's fit. "I think I'll step outside, as well." He looks to Celesa. "Meet us outside when you're ready to go?"
He turns and follows Pequeno out the door, waving farewell to Apok.

*Jakob finishes his meal, checks his backpack to insure everything is where it belongs, including his new medical gear, dons his helm and stands. Leaving two gold for the tip, he proceeds to the front door.*

Celesa shoulder the saddlebags yet again and follows the others out into the morning sun. She greets the young boy who is holding the reins of a beautiful ebony stallion with a warm smile. "Thank you for taking such wonderful care of Magus young man." Celesa gently places the saddlebags up on another set which are already slung over the saddle, and gives the horse an affectionate rub on his long neck. She pulls a gold from her pouch and hands it to the young boy and smiles again. "This is just for you, and next time I'm here I want only you looking after him, he's very particular about who he likes."

Pequeno is stretching over next to a tree. He looks up at Celsea's horse.
"We're riding eh?" he asks....
"Suppose I'll need a horse..."

I don't think many of the others are going to be able to swing a horse. I probably wouldn't have had Magus here if Daddy hadn't given me him as a going away present. I sure didn't expect it. This is one of Daddy's favorite horses" Celesa strokes Magus's forehead gently. "I was figuring I'd just lead him and he could walk unburdened, other then a few saddle bags of gear and his food. But if everyone wants to ride and we can muster enough horses, it would definitely cut our travel time down."

"I dont mind walking, gives me more time to talk to Rajan." Pequeno smiles. Drawing his sword for some excercises.

Urnid follows Pequeno, his eyes watching the halfing and his blade with an odd intensity. It is in marked contrast with Urnid's dazed expression when dealing with most other things.
"You're good. You know...for your size and all."

"Size means nothing in a fight. My steel will best anyone's size." Pequeno says performing a rather impressive move.

Urnid smiles. "Well...size isn't nothing. I mean, if you don't count reach, leverage, and damage potential, I agree it's not that important. But your sword skill is pretty impressive, no doubt. I'm sure you'll be fine against most things we come across"
Urnid taps the flat of his drawn longsword on his shoulder, then sticks it into the ground. He unslings his shield from his back and straps it to his left forearm. Pulling his blade back out of the ground, Urnid replaces the blade comfortably over his shoulder again.

Seeing Urnid stick the weapon in the dirt Pequeno stops. Looks at Urnid. Shakes his head for a second and goes back to practice.
You do notice the halfing’s weapon is in immaculate condition.

OOC: I'm good to go.
Rajan will raise an eyebrow at the halfling when he remarks that they should talk more. He couldn't honestly say the same but he shrugged and kept walking.

"Highness." Pequeno addresses his employer.
"Does my share of the loot include provisions for the trip?"

OOC: Ready when you are.
Urnid waits for everyone to get ready to venture, forth. His expression suddenly

changes, his eyes narrowing on Pequeno with a flash of anger.
"Wait a second! I'm the court jester? Now that's just not friendly!"

"You get the same share as everyone else; if you need provisions I'd go get them now. I highly doubt we'll be coming across any wandering salesmen out on the road."
"And please stop calling me highness, I'm not royalty and to make people think that draws unneeded attention to our little group here."

"I wouldnt sweat it my good man." Pequeno smiles at Urnid.
"She sees something in you. And isn't that whats really important?"
He turns his attention to Celsea.
"I was refering to edible provisions, milady."

Rajan sighes and shakes his head. "No, little one. That is what she is saying. If you don't have food, go get some now before we leave. SHARES are shares of treasure, not that we split food with each other necessarily. Although my limited experience has shown most adventurers are willing to share food during hard times, but don't want to have to "carry" someone who just doesn't bother to buy provisions."

"Thank you, Rajan. I believe you stated it better then I. Magus does have some space in his bags if anyone is unable to carry their provisions. While I have some provisions, I only just have enough for a few days there, so hopefully this expedition will be fruitful from the start."

"No, I understand perfectly. My sword is for hire, yet I wont even be fed..... The loot better be worth it your high.... I mean milady."
With that Pequeno heads back into the inn to see if they have any travelling rations.

"Your daft little one, this isn't me hiring you. I have a map to a place of legendary riches. If you want to join us for your share of those riches, you are more then welcome to join of your own accord. I'm not hiring, I'm offering, a once in a lifetime chance to delve into the home of two near gawds amongst men, and claim what was once theirs before they meet their end. To forge a name for ourselves that might one day pass theirs. I'm not hiring you, but you are welcome to join us."
With a sly smile "If I hire you it will be for something much different, but your a little small for my taste."

Urnid recounts his last five copper again. He looks up sheepishly at the rest of the group. "Could someone spot me a few silver? I figure we'll be getting some treasure pretty soon but I'm currently short on money."

"So he's getting paid too eh?" Pequeno mumbles just loud enough to hear as he heads into the inn.

Pequeno finds out they have 5 week’s of dry rations available. Each week’s worth weighs 65 pounds and costs 10 gold pieces. How many do you want?

Just as the party is preparing to head out, a horseman in armor rides toward you at a quick pace. When the rider arrives, you can see she has long black hair and a captain’s badge on her shoulder.

“I heard a new party of adventurers had formed in Farzey. My name is Captain Shandra Torvil, from the town of Laert, not far from here. Strange plants and animals have been terrorizing the area around our town. I have ridden out seeking assistance in this matter. Are you available?”

Pequeno walks back out to ask Celesa how long the journey is supposed to be.
Seeing the rider approach he holds his tongue for now.

(OOC: Ready to roll)
*Jakob looks to Celesa, to see which way she chooses to handle the situation.*

"Well, I guess, where we are going will be there. It's been there this long. Besides it might be good to test our metal in a smaller setting closer to aid, before we go off exploring the unknown."
Celesa looks at the group around her and up at the Captain "How far is your town from here?"

The Captain looks confused for a moment. “Unknown? Yes, well, it’s just a day from here.”

Rajan smiles as the stranger comes up in a disarming way. Then he turns serious as the stranger speaks and he nods. "I would be honored to help you out, good sir." He is glad Celesa is willing to delay their trip for the greater good and he smiles at her.

The captain smiles at Rajan, which takes the edge off her face somewhat. She taps her armor, “There’s girl parts in here, pretty one. But there’ll be time enough for you to discover that, later.” Her face turns grim again. You get the impression of a friendly not-unattractive girl who is showing signs of stress.

Rajan will bow low to the ground. "Ah, then I mis-spoke. My humblest apologies then, for accidentally calling into question the gender of a most beautiful and well-armored knight, milady. I will be happy to spend more time apologizing and getting to know the girlparts after we've accomplished this task for you."
And he gives her another brilliant smile.

Pequeno busts out laughing at Rajan.

Urnid watches this all unfold, slightly relieved that someone else is the butt of Pequeno's jokes. I thought it was a man , too. Glad I didn't say anything. She seems like she likes Rajan. It's too bad he farts all the time. Oh well.
Urnid steps forward, offering his hand to shake with the horsewoman. Forgetting he's carrying his sword, it looks a bit threatening. Urnid looks a bit flustered, but eventually gets his sword sheathed. "Umm...hi, I'm Urnid. What's yours? And what's this town called? And what type of animals? No spiders, right?"

The captain takes her hand off her weapon when she realizes Urnid is not threatening her. Of course, this takes a few seconds. “I am Captain Torvil. The town is Laert. And no, we haven’t seen any spiders….yet. Horrific mutations have been attacking us, though. Animals once docile and plants once just...plants. My small guard and I have been protecting the town for over a week now. The incidents have been increasing steadily, and I fear what will happen when we fail. That is why I wish to hire you – to locate the source of the strange mutations and destroy it. We can pay you 200 gold pieces after the job is done. And I can give you two magical daggers up front. I figure you can use them.

Pequeno eyes her suspiciously. Saying nothing.

*Jakob listens stoically to the conversation. Knowing himself to have misspoken more than a man's share in his life, he rests his weight upon his spear and awaits the order to move out.*

After Jakob and Rajan are each given a dagger, the party heads out, led by the Captain. Glorn Hamhide seems to not have joined your group, and you reckon he must have been called in a different direction by his faith. The morning sun shines brightly down on the green, rolling farmlands by which you pass. During the trip the captain relates tales of battles with strange plants and animals, but all you see are farms and herd animals. This looks like it might be the easiest money your group will ever earn. After a day’s travel south, without incident or oddity, you arrive at Laert. Riding into town, you see signs of fatigue on the townsfolk’s faces, and everyone is armed and nervous. As you cross the central square, off to the side you see several farmers fighting with axes against what looks like an aggressive apple tree. After a few moments, they hack it down, but not before the tree lashes out and cuts one of the men badly. Shandra sighs and says, “This can’t keep going on. You must find and stop this curse. Our town won’t last much longer.”

Shandra invites you to rest, water your horses, eat, etc. at the local tavern called the Farmer’s Rest. She tells you she has business to which she must attend, but will be back shortly.

"When life deals you apples, you make applesauce!" Pequeno jokes as he watches the farmers finish off the tree.

Urnid's eyes light up as Pequeno speaks.
"Apple sauce! You're a genius"
After a quick scan of the ground, he grabs a flat, hand-sized rock. Kneeling down a little of the path, he starts smashing his apple with his new rock, continuing until the apple is a dusty, dirty pile of pulp. Smiling, he starts shoveling the smashed apple into his mouth. Not satisfied until every last bit has been stored in his mouth, he turns to Pequeno.
"Wum hoe appuh em my mouf. Nah wum swice"

Pequeno looks at Urnid. Dumbfounded. He watches as the odd man shoves the dirty pile of apple squish into his mouth. He notices him smiling just a little as he gets the last of it in there.
"Well well well, thats not exactly what I had in mind, but I'll give ya this, You are creative!" Pequeno says. A tone of disappointment in his voice.
"What was the bet?" He asks. reaching into his coin purse...

Urnid smiles, a bit of dirty apple juice oozing out of the corners of his mouth.
"Five coppers!"

Thats what I thought." Pequeno smiles, shaking his head.
"Ah, it was worth it." he says handing Urnid the coins.

Urnid wipes his mouth with his sleeve and looks to Celesa.
"You see? I won the bet. Anyway, you know anything about curses? This is a little odd for my experience."

"Who me?" Pequeno answers questioningly.
"Not a thing. Something tells me we may need more than steel to dispatch the evil at work here."

Celesa sits laughing on Magus watching the applesauce scene, and finally composes herself enough to speak, her cheeks flushed red from laughing. "That was genius, frighteningly genius. I'm afraid I know nothing of magiks or curses. Rajan this looks to be more your area of expertise then mine. Any idea what could cause this?"
Celesa dismounts and looks at the others. "Maybe we should talk to some of the villagers, maybe they can give us some clues. After all they were here when this all started. Lets go to the tavern and wait for Shandra there, plus there are always villagers in the tavern."

"The tavern! A righteous idea milady. The first round is on me!"

Date: Tu’mar, Haar’kiev 2, 12082 (F. R.), early afternoon

Location: The Farmer’s Rest in Laert

Urnid nods and smiles.
"A drink sounds pretty good to me. Get to know the people, find out some info. I find some friendly rolling of the bones seems to put people at ease."
Urnid removes his shield from his left arm and slings it back over his shoulder. Kicking his the mud off his boots at the door of the tavern, he enters.

Celesa brings Magus around to the stable and then enters the bar herself. She slowly makes her way to the table where the others have begun seating themselves.

Rajan taps his chin thoughtfully for a moment. "well, now. There are, of course, spells that can animate objects and have them move to your bidding. But this seems...different than that. It may indeed be a curse of some sort. We shall have to see. I will go ask around..."
He pauses and then smiles somewhat. "Then I will, of course, meet you in the tavern for a drink. I'm getting mighty thirsty."

The only obvious place for people to congregate in this small town is, in fact, The Farmer’s Rest Tavern. The only other individuals visible seem to be fending off the odd attack, nervously and rapidly tending to their work, or caring for wounded individuals. Given that there are people in here with whom to speak, Rajan finds the opportunity irresistible.

Pequeno rushes in to the tavern. Orders himself an ale. And sits.

*With the talk of curses, Jakob seems very uneasy. His hands keep moving to his face, only to stop shy of his unquieting visage. He sits beside Pequeno and orders some grog.*

Celesa orders some wine and begins listening to nearby conversations, trying to get an idea of the situation.

The bartender brings a pint of ale each to Pequeno, Rajan and Urnid for 5 coppers each. Celesa is brought a pint of good wine for 10 silver pieces. Jakob is told, amidst some shuddering and averting of eyes, that the grog has run out.

Rajan downs his ale in a gulp, but refrains from ordering another.

Pequeno sips his ale slowly at first. But after about a minute its gone.

One of the locals stares at the party for a moment before leaning forward and asking in a grim voice “You here ta help with the strange doins?”

Celesa leans close to the man and quietly in a slightly seductive voice says "Well, that would be the idea. Do you know anything at all that might help us to end all this trouble? Anything at all that may help us?"

"BARKEEP! ANOTHER ALE FOR ME AND MY FRIEND!" Pequeno slaps Rajan on the back.
"First ale, then we'll deal with the evil that is afoot in you humble hamlet!" Pequeno states triumphantly.

When a server appears Pequeno hurls his empty waterskins on the table. "And fill these too please." he asks. "With water!" he corrects himself.

Urnid seems to be nursing his ale, wondering if there may be trouble on this very day and wanting to be ready for it. He is acting jovially, speaking to whatever towns-person will listen. Despite his social behavior, he seems to be staying close to Celesa and frowns disapprovingly when she starts speaking in her persuasive manner.

Rajan gave Pequeno a withering look (but I thought he said he was out of grog?) at the order put in for him. "Little one, you really should learn not to throw money around like that. It's liable to get you in trouble. Soon." He smiles sweetly at the halfling as he speaks, though.

"Then, I'll take ale, please."
*As the server turns away, a downcast look crosses Jakob's face. Awareness of the reaction's cause seems to force the young man to draw further into himself.*

The server returns with an ale for Pequeno and Jakob, apparently having picked up from Rajan that he did not really want another.

The older gentleman speaking with Celesa says “About nine months ago a magic-user came to town. Kept to himself. Nice enough feller. Well-liked if a bit odd. About 3 months ago the magic-user’s servant came to town, had a little too much ale and started talking about all the wonders he had seen workin’ fer the magic-user. Claimed his master had a diamond the size of a man’s head. Not good to be sayin’ stuff like that. There’s people’ll use information lake that. Anywho, that’s the last we see of either the magic-user or his servant. Then about a week ago the wired goin’s on begin. Animals mutatin’ and object’s comin’ ta life. “Course we all figger it has sumthin’ ta do with Relb, the magic-user.”

At that moment Shandra returns. “Relaxed? Good. Please, we need you to move as quickly as possible.” She sketches out a map showing a ride to the magic-user’s workshop. “This is where we believe the trouble started. Please hurry!”

Urnid stands up immediately, leaving a half-filled drink unfinished. "Well, that's what they asked us to do, so let's get to it. What do you say, Celesa. Let's get going?"
Urnid almost skips out the door, anxious to get to get going..

*Though he knows his kidneys will regret it during the ride to the wizard's place, Jakob downs his ale and leaves money for it.*
"Let us get this thing one."

Celesa rises and follows the others out of the tavern, and walking next to Jakob smiles at him. "If nothing else you’re going to make one memorable hero. We'll get so famous no one will care what you look like, you'll be renowned everywhere."

Rajan sighs softly and shakes his head slightly. Such brazen impulse! Recklessness and headstrongism kill heroes more often than monsters do. He slid off of the barstool and began walking after the trio.
Over his shoulder as he started to leave the tavern he called out, "Thank you for the ale, good people! We're off to save you from the curse or some of us will die trying!" Under his breath he muttered, "But hopefully not me."

Celesa looks back at the morbid outburst from Rajan. "Come on Rajan, don't fall behind, and hey no talk about dying. Lets try to stay a bit positive about this. Your no where near as cute when you're being all melodramatic, so come lets see that sexy smile again. Please."

"Here's an extra few copper for the mug, I paid for this ale, I intend to drink it!" Pequeno declares leaving 3 more copper on the table. He picks up the mug and heads for the door.

Reaching into his pouch, Pequeno realizes he has no more coppers left, only silver and gold. The innkeeper eyes him expectantly.

"Are these mugs worth a ____ ?" (insert appropriate name for silver peice)
Pequeno asks the barkeep, a grin on his face.

The innkeeper says, “Why yes, that is exactly what they are worth.”

"And you fill it for free whenever I come thru your fine village correct?" Pequeno says jokingly. Flipping a silver into the air towards the barkeep.
Regardless of his answer he turns to leave. Following the others. Sipping his ale with a smile.

Urnid heads over to the town water source (well, stream, etc.) to fill his waterskins.
"I've heard the key to battle is staying hydrated," he says to no one in particular.
He walks back over to Pequeno. "Nice cup. Anyway, I've been thinking about Jakob. Seems like a nice enough guy, right? It's a shame about how deformed his face is. That brings me to my point, though. Maybe he should be one those guys who wears a cool mask. He's got the silent, mysterious thing down, you know? All he needs is a cool mask and he can turn his face to his advantage."

I know I would be a bit thrown of if I were fighting him. That mug of his IS a distraction. Perhaps we can use it to our advantage."
Pequeno takes another sip of his ale. Smiling at his newly purchased used bar mug....
"I like the way you think."

Celesa tosses her arm over Jakob's shoulder and walks down the street with him like they have been friends for years.
"Anh, don't listen to them Jakob, you've got character. Yeah that’s it character. You just need to back it with confidence, if you act like you don't care what they think of you, then people will catch on. After a few fights what’s to say they will not end up looking worse. Come up with a few good battle tales, or stories of magic experiments that went bad. Then your looks can be your badge of honor."
Celesa pauses thoughtfully for a moment "Although if it really bothers you that much, maybe Urnid has something with that mask idea. Around my home, mages wear them all the time so that people can't tell who they are. You never know if you’re talking to one of the officials or just one of the aristocrats. It can make things dangerous but you just gotta stay on your toes."

Rajan will just smile and shake his head at Celesa as he continues walking. But then as he slowly begins looking around at the town again his thoughts turn towards the problem at hand. He wonders what could be causing this kind of strangeness...

Urnid watches Celesa's affectionate friendliness towards Jakob with a slightly icy gaze. His left index finger taps subconsciously against the pommel of his sheathed longsword.
He leans over to Rajan, speaking quietly. "Celesa sure is friendly with everyone. I thought that...well, whatever."
Urnid trails off as he is known to do, almost forgetting he was talking out loud. With a sigh, he goes back to checking the already inspected straps on his armor.

Celesa moves ahead of Jakob with a pat on the back and skips in between Rajan and Urnid. Throwing an arm over each of their shoulders, she smiles at the two of them.
"You boys telling secrets? Come on smile, we'll save this little town from this pesky curse, then we'll be off to find treasure and glory in the unknown Q. This is an adventure guys, we can't be all mopey and sad. True heroes are brave, daring, friendly, and laugh in the face of danger and certain doom. Besides if we do die on this little trip, why not go out laughing, makes a much better story."

Date: Tu’mar, Haar’kiev 2, AC 12,082 (spring)

Time: late afternoon

Location: half-way between Laert and Relb’s workshop

You have been traveling for about two hours and, by the map given you by Shandra, reckon you are half way to Relb’s workshop. The ride/ walk has been mostly peaceful though the pleasant scenery is strangely twisted in places with warped trees, flowers eating birds, etc. The further you go, the worse it seems to get.

Suddenly out of the late afternoon sun swoop 6 hawks with razor sharp talons. They range in color from bright red to muddy brown to white. Luckily a fierce screech from one of the creatures alerts the party to their presence, just before they attack. I need everyone’s intentions for the round, as we are in our first combat. The hawks are 60 feet away and swooping in.

Celesa will draw her sword and get into a position to attack if one of the birds gets close enough.

(When applicable)
"Heeeeaaaaaaaa!!!!!! Death from the skies!!!!" Pequeno hollers as he draws his broadsword.
With blade in one hand, and super cool mug from the inn in the other the halfing assumes a battle stance.

(btw, Pequeno is small so would have to drop his mug to wield his broadsword (which requires 2 hands for him)

Urnid moves close to Celesa to protect her, drawing his sword and raising his shield.
"Here, birdie! I have something to for you!"
Urnid prepares to attack any birds stupid enough to get close.

Rajan looks up and lifts his holy symbol up to kiss real quick, "Gawdess, please grant me good luck!” Then he begins moving about his hands and arms, all the while chanting in an obscure tongue.
OOC: Casting Minor Sphere of Perturbation ala Dierdre's Reckless Dweomer!

Realizing that he can't use both effectivley Pequeno thinks for second. Then puts the mug down. He sits it down carefully.
"Anyone knocks over my ale and there will be hell to pay!"

Combat Sequence

Round 1

Segment 0

Urnid moves to Celesa, Jakob draws his sword, Pequeno sets his mug down

Segment 1

Rajan begins casting Deirdra’s Reckless Dwoemer

Segment 2

Celesa draws her sword, Rajan continues casting

Segment 3

Rajan continues casting

Segment 4

Urnid draws his sword, Rajan continues casting

Segment 5

Rajan casts a Minor Sphere of Perturburance using Dierdra’s Reckless Dweomer. The area just in front of the party between them and the hawks begins to shimmer as if from heat waves. Pequeno draws his sword.

The hawks charge forward (they are now 24 feet away).

Segment 6

The hawks continue charging forward, but their movement slows slightly. Three break towards Celesa and three dive down at Rajan. Jakob slashes at one of the hawks attacking Rajan (attack roll=18) for 20 points of damage (8+7 penetration+2 penetration+3), causing the hawk to crash into the ground. Celesa attacks one of the birds diving down at her, but misses (attack roll =4). Urnid attacks and hits a hawk attacking Celesa (attack roll = 18) for 10 points of damage. The bird plummets into the ground, unconscious. Unfortunately the creatures are too high up for Pequeno to hit them. One hawk’s claws misses Celesa but another’s find their mark for 9 points of damage.) Rajan’s first attacker hits, shredding the magic-user’s robes but dealing no damage to him. The second creature’s claws also hit for 1 point of damage to Rajan.

Pequeno keeps in the ready stance, attacking if he can.

Unless attacked or sees anyone in peril, Jakob will finish his bird off.
Urnid curses as Celesa takes a hit from the bird. He turns away from the bird he felled, looking to intercept the next hawk coming at her from the sky.
"Celesa, are you okay? Stay sharp. They're coming from all directions."
Urnid eyes keep falling on the wounded elf woman, despite his attempt to stay focused on the enemies at hand.
As the next bird flies into range, Urnid will attempt to cut its wings off.

If one of the birds that attacked him is still in melee range, Rajan will reluctantly take a swipe at one. If not, he will attempt to toss one of his daggers at one if they are in range, though he looks reluctant to do that as well.
"Damn, foul avians! Away with you! Begone!"

"I'm fine, a few more like that though and we may have a problem. Let's show these things who they are messing with."
Celesa prepares to attack another bird as soon as it is in range.

Round 2

Celesa swings at hawk number 1 (rolls a 2) and misses. Jakob finishes off one of the hawks on the ground. The hawks are hovering and attacking with sharply taloned claws. The first claws at Celesa and misses so badly that it’s wing is pulled and it flaps even slower. The second slashes Celesa’s armor with its talons but does no damage to the elf. The two hawks attacking Rajan both connect with their claws, the first doing 2 points and the second 6 points (penetration) of damage. With lightning speed the birds again slash at Celesa and Rajan. This time both birds hit Celesa, the first for 4 (penetration) and the second for 1 point. Celesa’s leather armor is destroyed and her fine leather garments are slashed. Urnid slashes at another hawk attacking Celesa (roll 17) and hits for 7 points of damage, the creature shudders and falls to the ground unconscious. The remaining hawk attacking Celesa bites at her with its beak but misses. The two hawks hovering over Rajan also fail to bite him with their beaks. Rajan draws his new magic dagger on a flash and slashes at a hawk, but misses.

"Cut it out you stupid birds. That's it tomorrow I'm having eggs for breakfast, and I hope they were going to be your children."
Celesa shouts as she slashes at one of the birds clawing at her.

Pequeno sheaths his sword and readies his bow. Attempting to attack if he is able.
"And me without my net..." he mumbles....

Urnid frustration grows as he continues to be unable to protect Celesa from harm. Gritting his teeth, he savagely swings his longsword at the remaining bird.

Rajan will move closer to one of the "fighters" and will wait for the hawks to dive at him and attempt to get out of the way of their talons. Failing that, he will attempt to swipe at one.
"Um...OW! Getting cut up here! Can you big fighter types get on with the slaying already?"

You are all, essentially, next to each other. I figured you’d be traveling close for the purposes of conversing and watching out for oddities. I don’t have my combatants’ guide handy, so you’re limited to a full parry (this does nothing for a first-level mage), a withdrawal (these things seem much faster than you) or attacking, so opting for the attacking.

"Simmer down there Rajan, no sense getting worked up over the local wildlife. These feathered nuisances will be the last of your worries before the day is over!"

"Looks like we'll be having chicken tonight," says Jakob. He quickly moves to assist Rajan.

Round 3

Urnid’s frustration grows as he continues to be unable to protect Celesa from harm. Gritting his teeth, he savagely swings his longsword at the remaining bird. (15 rolled). The blow hits the last hawk attacking Celesa for 10 points of damage. The blow seems to shock the creature as it falls from the sky, incapacitated but still alive.

"Looks like we'll be having chicken tonight," says Jakob. He quickly moves to assist Rajan. (12 rolled). The solid hit deals 17 (rolled 6 and 4 for penetration) points of damage, and one of the hawks nibbling on Rajan plummets to the ground.

The last hawk threatening the wild mage claws at him. A critical hit (Severity Level 8). The hawk’s claw slices into Rajan’s right inner forearm. Rajan takes 5 points of damage (this was doubled) and drops the magic dagger he was holding.

The hawk claws at Rajan again, again hitting, but doing no damage as the attack seems slowed by the waves of air.

"Cut it out you stupid birds. That's it tomorrow I'm having eggs for breakfast, and I hope they were going to be your children."
Celesa shouts as she slashes at the bird clawing at Rajan. Her attack misses. (rolled 6)

Rajan draws his normal dagger and he will attempt to swipe at one.
"Um...OW! Getting cut up here! Can you big fighter types get on with the slaying already?" The wild mage’s attack misses (rolled 5)

Pequeno sheaths his sword.

The last hawk flying attempts to bite Rajan, but somehow gets caught up in one of the stronger waves of perturbation and ends up hurting itself! The bird falls to the ground unconscious.

The birds are easy enough to finish off. The largest of the birds has a small silver bracelet with a gem around its neck. The bracelet has dried blood on it.

XP and Honor to be calculated shortly.

"Wow, you guys got schooled. Sorry I couldnt unleash the fury that is Pequeno Muerte!"

The halfling proclaims. Holding his bow over his head with both hands.

"Thanks Urnid, my hero. I just couldn't hit those stupid buzzards. Didn't help that they kept trying to gouge my eyes out." Celesa gives Urnid a big hug, and as she steps back catches sight of state of her armor and clothing.
"Dang it, I just bought those clothes, and my armor. " Celesa sounds a bit mournful as she looks down at the tatters of armor and clothing she once wore.
Yet some how all of the tears and rips fall in just the right places, and despite many cuts and gashes across her pale skin, the tatters just seem to draw more attention to the all ready eye catching figure.
"I hope this job pays well, I'm gonna have to buy new stuff before we head off to Q. Is everyone else ok, Rajan, they seem to have done a bit of a number on you too."

Urnid ignores the three birds bleeding at his feet and goes to see to Celesa. When she hugs him, he blushes brightly and stumbles a few steps back, awkwardly.
"Um...you know, no problem. Just trying to help out a...comrade-in-arms, that's all..."
Urnid eyes drift to Celesa wardrobe alterations. Realizing he's staring, he averts his eyes quickly.
"You should have someone look at your wounds. They look deep."
He nods to her in a too formal salute, then turns away to make sure the hawks are dead.
Looking to Pequeno, his expression changes from anguished embarrassment to amusement in a heartbeat.
"Hey Pequeno! When the possessed gophers attack, you'll get your chance to shine. Worry not."

Rajan slumps to the ground, groaning slightly and ignoring the others. He tries to staunch the blood from his various wounds, though it is obvious he is not skilled in the healing arts. As he does this he quietly mutters, "Ugghh. Damn birds. First fight and I have already been cut to ribbons, as they say. My robes are nearly gone, and I was not able to hit a one. And my spell seemed fairly useless as well. What a wonderful adventurer I make!" He sighed to himself and groaned softly again.

"Hey Rajan, you alright? I guess birds don’t have noses. Your attack was useless against them!"
Pequeno looks to the others as if expecting a laugh.

Celesa chuckles at the antics of Pequeno and Urnid, and seems relieved that the battle did not have a worse ending.
"Come on Raj, cheer up you were more effective then I was. You slowed them down and that one knocked itself out cause of your little finger wiggling trick. Trust me I've seen some powerful mages in my homeland, you'll get there, it just takes some practice. I think though that you and I had best stay to the center of the group from now on. Especially until we can get some new clothes and armor. One more attack and I'd be standing here in nothing but what the gawds gave me!"
Celesa offers Rajan a hand to get up, and winces a little as she does so.
"Come on, no good sitting here waiting for more things to try and turn us into bird food. We're better off if we keep moving, figures that healer-man wandered off, could've used him right about now."

"One of you guys might want to grab that little trinket. I would but it looks like silver from here. So I think I'll keep my distance. Might be worth a few coin back in town though."

Urnid looks at the bracelet greedily, then looks to Celesa.
"Um...I better not. I'm going to be watching Celesa's back, so I shouldn't get that silver too close to her. Maybe someone else should carry it."
Urnid starts wiping the bird's blood off his sword with the bottom of his tabard. He holds up the blade and finds it to be relatively straight. Satisfied, he sheathes the sword. Urnid then removes his tattered cloak and offers it to Celesa.
"If you feel...indecent, please take this."
Urnid seems a bit too shy to look at Celesa while he does this.

"Haven't you never seen a woman before? Blushin' like a school boy, aren't you just the cutest thing ever. You hang onto that I'm sure I got something in this pack here. Besides one more attack like that and I really will need something to put on, or I might be taken away soon as I get into town."
Celesa begins looking through the saddlebags on Magus and within a moment or two pulls out a black suit of very lightweight almost silky material, then shaking her head she puts them back in the saddlebags. "Those will never do for this situation, besides they'd just end up shredded the next fight too."
Celesa looks down at her clothing’s current state. "Well I wouldn't go to any fancy balls or parties like this, but everything that should be covered looks to be. At least those buzzards knew where to stop." Celesa laughs at her little jest. "I wonder if there are any rivers or streams near here, we should wash these wounds out. Hum, that’s something we should have bought, bandages I always forget those things. Oh well we'll get some next time we are in town I suppose." Celesa takes a few of the strips of cloth that have been shredded from her clothing and begins carefully tying the cloth around some of the cuts on her arms and legs.

"It is true what they say milady." Pequeno adjusts his hat and the bright blue feather in it.
"Clothes make the man."
he pauses.
"But less clothes, make the woman!"

Urnid looks up and smiles.
"Oh, I've seen women. When I was in the army, I spent whatever I didn't lose gambling to see as much of women as I could. I'm...well, I'm no prude if that's what you're saying."
Despite Urnid's words, his gaze has drifted back down to the ground.
"It's just that you seem too good for any bawdiness or anything so...base..."
Urnid realizes he's sort of babbling and not sure what he's trying to say. Clearing his throat, his demeanor changes swiftly, as it tends to do.
"So, we're not going to solve any curses just standing around. Let's get these wounds cleaned out and be on our way, right?"
Urnid heads over to check on Rajan.

*Jakob kneels on the field of battle, sword point down in the dirt and head bowed.*
"Oh, gawds, we send the spirits of these birds to thee in offering for our victory here. We beseech thee for further success in our endeavors, and honor to present ourselves as thy hands in this world. Amen."
*He then stands and begins to clean his sword. Afterwards, he sees to the wounded.*

Pequeno helps where he can. His jovial mood a little dampened when he gets a better look at Rajan's wounds.

Rajan pushes through it all, with only a minimum of groaning and wincing. As soon as the wounds are as best bound as they can be, he stands up and leans on his staff. "Well....I suppose we should push on, correct? So let us do so. No use worrying about the next thing or things we will encounter."

"Oh, almost forgot this!" Pequeno exclaims. Picking up his mug. He downs it in one gulp and loops his belt through the handle.

Shortly after your run-in with the hawks, you arrive at what, according to the map, is the entrance to Relb’s workshop. The small stone doorway set in the side of the hill would normally be hard to see. However, several twisted, gray bushes have grown up around the doorway, out of place in the otherwise green valley. The door itself is made from worn wood and stone. It is partly open, revealing a dark hallway leading deeper into the hillside.

As you made your way here you would swear that you saw a tiny figure darting in and out of the trees, but every time you turned to look, it was gone.

"Well, here we are. Someone want to remind me why were here again? Instead of chasing fame and glory at the other place?"

"There's bad things going on around these parts that may be coming from here. That, and mages tend to have most excellent swag."

And you’re standing in front of the doorway leading into the dark hallway.

"So we are heading into a hallway to a wizards workshop to find the source of the evil affecting the local wildlife?" Pequeno asks...

Rajan looks over at the little halfling and gives a half-smile, though he is still in pain. "Theoretically, little one, theoretically." He then continues to the entire group with a slightly dry tone. "You will all have to pardon me if I do not jump at the chance to be the first one in the hole here."

a hole you say? they are not such scary places when properly lit! (casts a light spell down the hole.) There! all safe to explore. oh Sorry so, was just flying past. just your traveling zealot of Lygte, good to meet ya! (looks over the party) good good no grels, they can be a difficult lot. (upon closer inspection the party notices a pixie-faerie with sheathed pixie sword and a named tag that denotes, hello my name is Guyzo)

Urnid almost jumps out of his skin when he hears the Guyzo's voice but calms immediatly when he sees the friendly pixie.
"Oh...hello. Name's Urnid. You from around here? Or know anything about what's going on around here?"

Urnid extends two fingers to shake.
"Well met Guyzo, I was just thinking, wouldn't it be splendid if a pixie fairy showed up right this instant and provided us with arcane illumination." Pequeno states.

"This is Rajan, if we were indoors you wouldn't care for him." he adds.

hello hello, i have not any bearings. my patron gawd Lygte has me on my way if i tary for more than 3 nights. so this shrouded forest is just where i hitched a ride with a passerby penwu bird. as i see you are all well armed i can only guess that you seek danger, perhaps i can help. (shakes Urnid's two-fingers).

"Danger? Nope. Riches? YES!!!!! I seek riches!"

Rajan turns on Pequeno. "And this is Pequeno the Little One...unfortunately for him, it matters not whether he is indoors or out, he is equally unliked where ever he goes."
He does give a slight bow to the PixieFairy. "Well met."

"Nevermind him, he's got a case of the runs. Too bad its from his mouth!"
Pequeno busts out laughing. He nearly falls over he's so amused with himself.
(OOC: His mood all along is playful and sarcastic. Not at all serious in regards to his jabs at Rajan)

"Hello there bitty one, nice to meet you. I'm Celesa, please pardon the appearance, a few buzzards mistook a few of us for birdfood a bit ago. We're still in a bit of a rough shape."
Celesa looks down the newly illuminated hallway. "Now if you guys don't mind, this halls just itching to be explored."
Celesa's eyes gleam like a kids on Christmas morning, as she looks into the unexplored building.

"Well perhaps we should form a strategy eh?" Pequeno suggests.
"Few can match my ability with the steel. And as Rajan is always ready to announce, I am a little shorter than you all. So anyone with a bow can fire over me. With all this in mind, I offer to lead our expedition"

"I'd rather not be behind Rajan anyway." Pequeno finishes, drawing his sword.
It is a gorgeous weapon. Exquisitely crafted and absolutely spotless.

Urnid draws his blade as well. It seems somewhat less exquisitely crafted and absolutely spotty.
"I'm not the best for plan making or strategy forming. Celesa, just tell me where I should stand and I'll be happy to. I'd prefer to stay close to our wounded. Celesa and Rajan need some protection. Besides, I have no sense of smell so..."
Urnid looks at Rajan with slight embarrassment, leaving his sentence unfinished.

"Perfect, Stand right next to Rajan then, spare someone less fortunate."

*Jakob retrieves the spear dropped when the birds attacked. He begins to use it as a walking stick.*
"I shall fill whatever position in line you wish of me."

The plants are disgustingly pulpy and smelly (to all but Urnid) but easy enough to clear from the doorway.

Room 1

Pale and cracked stones line the walls and floor of this 20-foot long hallway. Small green and brown weeds have begun slowly breaking up the stonework further. An old door shaped like a huge, leering demon’s face stands at the southern end of the hall. Parts of the doorway have been smashed recently, leaving rubble scattered in the hall.

"Charming." Pequeno mutters.
He is about to step into the hallway when he turns to the others.
"Anyone here wise in the ways of spotting boobytraps?"

Celesa excuses herself for a moment and heads over to Magus.
In a few minutes she comes back in a fitted outfit of silken black, and loose cloak of the same material billows around her in the wind, and the hood once pulled up covers all but her eyes. She seems to almost disappear into the shadows as she walks back to the group, and she has added soft black pads to the bottoms of her boots, which deaden all sound from her boots as she steps onto the stone hallway.
"Alright that’s better. Let me take front, it's very hard to spot traps from the back, even harder to get rid of them." Celesa says this last bit with a coy smirk, and gives the group a wink as she turns to the unexplored hall. "Rajan can you grab Magus's reins, I can't have him up front, he really doesn't know the meaning of stealth. Once we get in a bit he can stay in a room, but if we leave him out here he'll just attract attention."

(Celesa is putting a few things in the saddlebags when she changes into her thieving stuff, The good cloth cloak, her leather garments, one case of bolts, and her flute.
She's also going to take the lantern and hang it from the saddle so it is easy to reach should the light spell end.)

Pequeno leans over to Rajan and whispers....
"Did she just say her job is NOT to attract attention to herself?"
He smiles. Rolling his eyes.

"Wow, ask and ye shall receive. In light of our leaders sudden transformation, may I suggest I go second, allowing her space to search for inconveniences. Who is bringing up the rear? Magnus & Urnid?

"I shall watch that devilish portal for any sudden surprises."
Jakob moves to a spot about 6' to the left of the door, and readies his spear for throwing, if needed.

Rajan casts a slightly baleful look at the horse but then shrugs. "If it will ease your mind, then I suppose I can." Then he leans very quietly and whispers in the horse's ear as he takes the reins...

Urnid moves up to be as close to Celesa as possible as she begins to do move forward.
"Um...I know you know what you're doing but aren't you a bit too hurt for taking the lead? Maybe you should stay back out of harm's way a little?" Urnid says with concern.

don't mind me miss, us p.f.'s don't take up but a pinch. i'll just bring up the rear (guyzo lights a small wick atop his candled pixie staff). may Lygte reveal all that would drown us in darkness. (proceeds to fly above the rear rank) oh and don't be bashful if you need healing i can do that too, but then i would have to insist on the party providing Lygte's illumination.

Pequeno waits for Celsea to explain to Urnid that stealth is best accomplished ALONE.
He readies his sword and brings up the rear.

Urnid, why don't you stand back about 10 paces. Sure I'm a little cut up, but my job is to not attract attention to myself, so long as I do that right I'm fine. And you'll never be more then a few paces away so I'm sure I'll be just fine."
Celesa tosses Urnid one of her signature coy smiles as she pulls the hood up covering her face.
"In fact if possible if everyone could follow back at least as far as Urnid, that will make my job significantly easier. I do prefer the element of surprise."
Celesa then begins slowly and quietly moving down the hall, ducking into shadows as they flicker and dance on the wall, her eyes never stopping as they sweep every inch of the floor, walls and ceiling for traps and other hazards.

Celesa carefully makes her way through the hall to the smashed Demon-door. No traps are found.

"Do you think we should knock?" Pequeno asks.

Celesa looks back at Pequeno in disbelief, she then turns back to the door, and begins looking it over to make sure it is not trapped before pressing on.

The door is not trapped, but in trying to open it you realize it won’t open more than halfway. It feels as if something partially blocks it from the other side. This means that only 1 person would be able to squeeze through at a time, and the light from Guyzo’s spell will not properly illuminate what lies beyond.

"See anything in there?"
Pequeno whispers from the back.

(flies over to Lady Celesa and casts cure light wounds)
just prayed for the one today, but i can bless anyone's weapon with a Lygte blessing today instead.

Celesa is cured for 4 points of healing (4 rolled, 1 rolled for penetration).

"Many thanks." Celesa thanks the little one warmly.
"Now that I'm in a little better shape, letme go in first. It will be very hard for anything to see me in there, and I will be able to get an idea of our surroundings, before we all jump in."
Celesa doesn't wait for any debate as she carefully slides in through the partially opened door and disappears into the darkness beyond.

"Yeah, whattya bet she's grabbing all the loot right now?"
After about a 10 count if she's not back Pequeno moves to the door and peeks in.

As Celesa passes through the door, she realizes the reason it didn’t open is because there’s a body on the other side of it. It looks like a servant and he is dead.

You stand in a wide passageway leading left and right, curving out of sight to the south. The stonework here is far better than in the entry hall, and much older. The walls and floor are seamless, with cleverly done carvings that look like frantic humans and demi-humans trapped on the other side, pushing through to where you are. The highly detailed sculptures are widely scattered, none extending more than 4 or 5 inches from the surface. Faint, whispered screams of many voices seem to emanate from the sculptures’ frozen features. A human rounds the corner. He seems unaware of you….until Pequeno moves to the door. The he laughs cheerfully, appearing to be a large drooling man covered in filth and charges, swinging his club.

Please post your intentions for the round.

((OOC Does he seem to notcie me, or is his attention on Pequeno?))

His attention was initially caught by hearing Pequeno but he is bearing straight down on Celesa. He’s about 20 feet away and only visible to Celesa at the moment.

Celesa's going to attempt to move back out into the main entryway again we're everyone else is.

Rajan will fart when he gets startled by the ensuing combat. But he will wait to see if he can see the human and then he will cast a Reckless Dweomer of Minor Sphere of Perbutation again. In a quiet voice, "What is going on? I can not see!"

When its his turn to act....
"What the?" Pequeno suddenly says upon hearing the laughter. He takes his sword in both hands and steps through the doorway. His eyes darting all around trying to see what made the sound. He looks to his sixth sense for help.

As soon as Urnid figures out that an enemy is attacking, he flies through the door and throws himself at the threat, slashing with his sword and screaming manically.

(flies to a sniper position and casts light on the drooling madman's eyes)
to Lygte with you!!

Jakob moves to place himself betwixt Celesa and the lunatic. The look in his eyes is reminiscient of a she-bear guarding a cub.
"To the depths with this piece of scheisse."

Combat Sequence

Round 1

Celesa's going to attempt to move back out into the main entryway again we're everyone else is.

Celesa moves to the middle of the now cramped hallway.

"What the?" Pequeno suddenly says upon hearing the laughter. He takes his sword in both hands and steps through the doorway. His eyes darting all around trying to see what made the sound. He looks to his sixth sense for help.

Pequeno steps just into the room. He can see and sense nothing.

Jakob moves to place himself betwixt Celesa and the lunatic. The look in his eyes is reminiscent of a she-bear guarding a cub.
"To the depths with this piece of scheisse."

Since Celesa has left the next room, Jakob is now between any danger and her.

From out of the darkness a large drooling man covered in filth charges Pequeno, swinging his club. Pequeno ducks at the last minute and avoids the blow.

As soon as Urnid figures out that an enemy is attacking, he flies through the door and throws himself at the threat, slashing with his sword and screaming manically.

Rajan will fart when he gets startled by the ensuing combat. But he will wait to see if he can see the human and then he will cast a Reckless Dweomer of Minor Sphere of Perbutation again. In a quiet voice, "What is going on? I can not see!"

Now aware of the attack, Urnid springs into action.

Urnid’s blade slashes into the man (8 rolled) for 9 points of damage.

(flies to a sniper position and casts light on the drooling madman's eyes)
to Lygte with you!!

Guyzo flies to the entryway but will have to wait until next round to cast a spell.

Rajan never gets a view of the attacker because he’s still in the corridor behind Jakob and Celesa and the battle is occurring in the darkened room.

Please post your actions for the next round.

Round 2

Rajan will again wait and see if he can get a clear view of the attacker, but will mainly watch their backs since he doesn't want to push his way to the front of the combat (stupid for a mage). He tries to aim his farts away from the rest of the party as the unscheduled/unexpected combat causes slight squeezing stress on his intestines.
In a voice that doesn't carry out into the hallway much he says, "Get him! Get him!"

"I knew we should have knocked!" Pequeno yells swinging his sword at the madman.

Urnid presses his attack, slashing wide horizontal swings high, then thrusting low when his opponent is off-balance.

Jakob stands, spear at the ready, before Celesa. If it looks like anyone is about to drop in the fight, he will step in to relieve them before they fall.

Celesa draws her sword and prepares to attack should the man make his way into the entry area.
"Now I know why thieves work best alone." She glares slightly at the back of Pequeno's head.

Jakob glares back at her for a moment.
"And that's why they die alone. No one to back them up."

Round 2

Urnid presses his attack, slashing wide horizontal swings high,

Urnid hits (12 rolled) for 14 points of damage.

The filthy man swings his club at Pequeno, but misses completely.

(flies to a sniper position and casts light on the drooling madman's eyes)
to Lygte with you!!

Guyzo begins casting a spell.

Rajan will again wait and see if he can get a clear view of the attacker, but will mainly watch their backs since he doesn't want to push his way to the front of the combat (stupid for a mage). He tries to aim his farts away from the rest of the party as the unscheduled/unexpected combat causes slight squeezing stress on his intestines.
In a voice that doesn't carry out into the hallway much he says, "Get him! Get him!"

"I knew we should have knocked!" Pequeno yells swinging his sword at the madman.

Pequeno hits (14 rolled) for 9 points of damage.

The madman falls to the ground, momentarily incapacitated.

Jakob stands, spear at the ready, before Celesa. If it looks like anyone is about to drop in the fight, he will step in to relieve them before they fall.

Guyzo finishes casting his spell. A bright glowing area appears, centered directly on the filthy man’s eyes.

Celesa draws her sword and prepares to attack should the man make his way into the entry area.
"Now I know why thieves work best alone." She glares slightly at the back of Pequeno's head.

Jakob glares back at her for a moment.
"And that's why they die alone. No one to back them up."

Urnid may slay the enemy with his second attack if he so chooses.

"I'm no Thief, your highness." Pequeno replies. Wiping his blade on the mans ratty clothes.

"No, but I am, and you have to give me a little more time to get into position, before you go making your presence known. If you want stealth, that's going to require a little support. Namely, waiting for me to give the all clear before you go charging in. I have no desire to get myself killed because you’re worried about shiny baubbles."
Celesa pulls a vial from her pack and begins smearing weaponblack over the length of her sword.
"Now, I'm ready to get back in there if the rest of you are."

Just a reminder that the attacker is not permanenetly incapacitated. If nobody does anything with him, combat will resume when he comes round.

"And that is why I followed you in there." Pequeno starts.
"Its no secret that you are a treasure hunter. And you need steel to make sure you live to get these bauble's you mentioned. I don’t know you milady, and I don’t know if you can be trusted to our share of the loot." Pequeno looks around to the others.
"And until I know you can be trusted, don’t expect to left alone too long."
Pequeno places his foot on the neck of the attacker.
"Now what do we do with our fine friend here? Suppose he can shed some light on what’s been happening around here"

"Well that’s all well and good, but then don't be expecting me to risk my neck going first. I need to operate in stealth, and no one else here seems capable of doing that, which means all you'll be doing is blowing my cover each and every time. Thankfully this time ended well enough, but I'll not take that chance twice."
Celesa draws a dagger and holds it by its point aimed at the downed man. "Now are we questioning, or killing, either way I care not. I just don't like leaving those who've tried to kill me alive to try again."

Urnid, a little out of control, is barely able to stop from finishing the man off with his second attack. He kicks the man's weapon from his hand and readies a killing blow if necessary. Urnid's eyes burn with a strange intensity that seems uncharacteristic for his usual foolish demeanor but, a moment later, his odd grin returns. He turns to Pequeno.
"Celesa wouldn't hold out on us. She's our friend, remember? On the other hand, if she goes all alone, how can we help her if she gets in trouble. We should make a signal. Celesa, do you know any bird calls? Like 'Caw, caw!' Can you do that? You know...if there's trouble?"

"I don't expect that, if you recall, it was I who offered to lead the way into this....." He looks around questioning where he even is. "....establishment? No, hovel! yeah, its a hovel."
If you want to lead the way feel free. I've no reason protect you from danger. But don't think that my small stature is an indicator of intelligence. I'm a halfing. I've had experience with thieves...."
"As for our friend here. I think we should tie him up, see what he knows."

"Yes, let us question him. However, let us take his words with salt. Madmen can have clarity of thought at times, then slip into delusion."

Your attacker is beginning to come to what little of his senses he might have, his hand instinctively scrabbling for his club.

"Oh noooo you don't" Pequeno says, applying more pressure to themadman's neck with his boot.
He draws his sword and knocks the club away with it.
"Somebody wanna get some rope please?".

"Sorry, I don't have any." Celesa sheathes her dagger and leans back against the wall, still holding her sword.
Celesa looks up at the pixie flitting about.
"Thanks again little one for the healing, next one needs to go to Rajan, he's in a rough bit of shape. And everyone seems to like picking on the wiggly fingers."

Please post your actions for this round. I already have Pequeno’s and Celesa’s.

(i fly down and drag the the madman's club out of range)

Urnid raises his sword threateningly, ready to kill at a moment's notice. He starts barking questions.
"Who are you? Where are from? Why did you try to kill us? Why shouldn't we kill you?"

*Jakob steps forward, aiming his spear for the madman's throat.*
"Answer the questions."

Pequeno adjusts his foot on the man's neck.
"Hey, whatch where you are pointing that spear eh? You might hit me."

Rajan sighs and goes back to guarding the rear, since he can't see what's going on and it seems like the fight is over.

Round 6

"Sorry, I don't have any." Celesa sheathes her dagger and leans back against the wall, still holding her sword.
Celesa looks up at the pixie flitting about.
"Thanks again little one for the healing, next one needs to go to Rajan, he's in a rough bit of shape. And everyone seems to like picking on the wiggly fingers."

Guyzo: (i fly down and drag the the madman's club out of range)

*Jakob steps forward, aiming his spear for the madman's throat.*
"Answer the questions."

The prone lunatic squirms around, reaches up and grabs Pequeno’s arm and twists it. Pequeno takes 2 points of damage.

Urnid raises his sword threateningly, ready to kill at a moment's notice. He starts barking questions.
"Who are you? Where are from? Why did you try to kill us? Why shouldn't we kill you?"

Rajan sighs and goes back to guarding the rear, since he can't see what's going on and it seems like the fight is over.

"Oh noooo you don't" Pequeno says, applying more pressure to themadman's neck with his boot.
He draws his sword and knocks the club away with it.
"Somebody wanna get some rope please?".

The club has already been dragged away.

Pequeno adjusts his foot on the man's neck.
"Hey, watch where you are pointing that spear eh? You might hit me."

Please post your actions for the next round.

Urnid curses, not quite sure how the prone man was able to recover and move so fast. He attacks viciously, slashing at the unarmed but still obviously dangerous madman.

"Hey leave little bit alone! Swing a club at me and then try twisting little bits' arm off. I don't think so! Now answer the questions." Celesa advances and kicks the man in the stomach.

Rajan continues to guard the rear and sneak glances back at the rest of the party and commotion when he can.

While applying more pressure in the mans neck with his boot, Pequeno sticks the man with the end of his sword. Not fatally. But painfully.....
"You think you are in charge here?"

lady Cel, rajan shall have to wait, tomorrow i shall pray for more healing.

Round 7 results

While applying more pressure in the mans neck with his boot, Pequeno sticks the man with the end of his sword. Not fatally. But painfully.....
"You think you are in charge here?"

Pequeno makes a non-lethal attack with his broadsword (18 rolled) for 21 points of damage (lots of penetration) (5 actual, 5 temporary, 11 ignored)

The filthy man goes limp on the ground.

"Hey leave little bit alone! Swing a club at me and then try twisting little bits' arm off. I don't think so! Now answer the questions." Celesa advances and kicks the man in the stomach.

Celesa moves in and jabs her boot into the unconscious man for 2 points of temporary damage.

Urnid curses, not quite sure how the prone man was able to recover and move so fast. He attacks viciously, slashing at the unarmed but still obviously dangerous madman.

Urnid slays the madman.

Looking at the corpse of your foe you see that, besides the club, he wore only a torn pair of trousers and shoddy boots.

Urnid pulls his sword from the corpse and wipes it on the dead man's pants. He looks up at the others.
"I guess whatever's messing with the plants and animals affects people too."
He looks around for the dead man's axe to check its value.

The man’s only weapon was a club.

*Jakob casts a weary gaze at the others."
We need to keep an eye on one another, lest this should befall us as well. Do any of you possess magics to cause slumber or otherwise subdue?

i can blind with the best of them!

That might come in handy.
*Turns to Celesa*
Might I suggest we be careful of everything we find? As in, don't touch it or let our eyes or ears linger on it too long?

Urnid looks confused when he sees the club.
"What is that? A club? I could have sworn he had an axe. Oh, well..."

Urnid checks the club for its value.

The club seems worthless.

"Nice kill Urnid." Pequeno rolls his eyes. He then also cleans his sword on the mans filthy pants.
He then looks about the room. Not touching anything. Peeking around the corner where the man came from...

Pequeno walks slowly and quietly towards the corner the man came around, looking for any light sources.
Just far enough to see what may be around there...

"Hey don't look at me, I can barely carry the few things I have with me, let alone anything else. Luckily for me I can appraise most things without needing a hands on approach, makes for more efficient looting."
Celesa composes herself and makes sure that her hood and mask are in place. Her newly blackened sword in her hand, she awaits the others.

*Jakob raises his spear, so as not to cause too much disturbance with it, and begins to walk towards the corner. His movements, though not as stealthy as Celesa or Pequeno, are not intentionally noisy either.*

Beyond the immediate entrance and to either side of the corridor, the areas appear lit, although the source of the light is a mystery. You make your way around to the left and see that there are 2 doors on the left-hand wall and that the corridor continues on past them, widens and turns to the right.

Urnid catches up with the others at the corner and waits for Celesa to give the okay to proceed.
"Should we tackle the doors first or make sure the rest of the corridor is clear?"

"Whats it gonna be Missy?" Pequeno asks.

"Well, keep an eye down that hall and I'll see what the doors have to say."
Celesa moves over to the first door and places her ear to it and motions for quiet, after a few moments, she carefully examines the door for traps and checks to see if it is locked.

Pequeno readies his bow to cover Celsea.

*Jakob moves to check the turn in the corridor before watching Celesa's very pretty back.*

Celesa hears nothing and determines that the door is neither trapped nor locked.

(flitters towards) hmm, i think i'll investigate the mysterious light...

The light appears to be emanating from various stones, as if a light spell had been cast on them.

"Does it open outward or inward?" Pequeno whispers towards Celsea...

The door opens into the room.

(pockets all but one of the lightstones) blessed be Lygte!

I apologize, that was poorly worded on my part. The lighted stones are part of he walls and cannot be removed.

Rajan frowns at the Pixie. In a quiet voice he says, "Hey! How about sharing there, Tiny One? Not all of us can see in the dark of night."

He will then watch the hallway and the PixieFairy while Celesa does her thing.

Urnid stays a step behind Celesa at the door, ready to charge in or receive a charge from within. He has his longsword drawn and he bounces on the balls of his feet, loosening up his body for any combat. He looks over at Pequeno with a grin.
"This really is the life, isn't it?"

"Beats shoeing horses!" Pequeno answers back. Knocking an arrow and drawing the string back 1/2 way...

*Once confident that no attacks are iminent from the further passage, Jakob moves back and prepares his spear for any trouble.*

Celesa pushes the door open.

Encounter 4: Insane Thief

The walls in this room are stained with layers of dried blood and gore. Several sets of chains hang from the ceiling, all with the gruesome remains of humanoids in them. A thick smoke coming from a brazier in the corner stings your eyes and as it clears, a young man in tattered armor, one foot made of stone, moves towards you saying, “Excellent! I need new fodder and you’ll do well enough!” He brandishes a blade.

Please post your actions for round 1.

Urnid gets through the door as fast as possible clearing the way for more his companions to enter after him. He attempts to circle around the odd swordsman and attack when he has an opening.

*As soon as he gets in the room, Jakob gets to an advantageous position and throws his spear at the swordsman. He then begins reaching for his sword.*

(from all the gore in the room i do a called shot of vomit on his face while flying close to the ceiling)

Pequeno rushes up to the dorway, if he has a shot he'll fire his bow/arrow from the doorway. If not he'll toss it to the floor in the hallway and draw his sword. Attacking when he gets a chance.

Celesa will wait until the mans attention is focused on the others at which point she will attempt to move in behind the man and attack from a rear position.

Rajan will keep watching the hallway (since there's no way he could get into the room) so they are less likely to get attacked from the rear...at least suprise attacked from the rear.

Round 1

Rajan will keep watching the hallway (since there's no way he could get into the room) so they are less likely to get attacked from the rear...at least surprise attacked from the rear.

Celesa will wait until the man’s attention is focused on the others at which point she will attempt to move in behind the man and attack from a rear position.

(from all the gore in the room i do a called shot of vomit on his face while flying close to the ceiling)

The young man deftly hurls his dagger at Guyzo, hitting the pixie fairy for 2 pts. of damage.

Pequeno rushes up to the dorway, if he has a shot he'll fire his bow/arrow from the doorway. If not he'll toss it to the floor in the hallway and draw his sword. Attacking when he gets a chance.

Urnid gets through the door as fast as possible clearing the way for more his companions to enter after him. He attempts to circle around the odd swordsman and attack when he has an opening.

Pequeno realizes he has no shot as the faster moving Urnid is blocking his line, so he drops his bow.

Urnid approaches the young man and attacks (17 rolled) and does 10 points of damage to him.

Celesa will wait until the man’s attention is focused on the others at which point she will attempt to move in behind the man and attack from a rear position.

The young man draws another dagger from his belt.

*As soon as he gets in the room, Jakob gets to an advantageous position and throws his spear at the swordsman. He then begins reaching for his sword.*

Celesa finds herself in position and attacks (3 rolled), but misses.

Jakob realizes he has no shot, so goes for his sword.

Pequeno draws his sword and advances

Please post your actions for round 2.

(wound sobers me up so i start swinging on a chain, hoping it makes me a harder target)

Urnid continues to attack, doing his best to get his enemy's attention with vicious slashes of his longsword.

"Everyone in this place is most unfriendly!" Pequeno says. Attacking when he gets the opportunity.

Rajan bravely and fiercely....continues to guard the rear! LOL! He makes sure his back is to a wall NEAR the door, just in case. But mostly he keeps an eye out, humming in tunelessly, and chuckling about the groups luck. And farts occasionally.

*As Urnid begins his vigorous assault, Jakob moves to flank the villain, attacking once in place.*

Celesa attacks again from her position to the rear of the man.

Round 2

"Everyone in this place is most unfriendly!" Pequeno says. Attacking when he gets the opportunity.

Urnid continues to attack, doing his best to get his enemy's attention with vicious slashes of his longsword. (9 rolled) for 11 points of damage.

Pequeno’s attack (12 rolled) for 10 points of damage, instantly killing the man.

"Thank goodness you are up front, saving us all from the dangers of this place!" Pequeno laughs jovially. Turning to see if his ribbing gets under the skin of Celsea.
"Anyway...." he continues, wiping the blood from his sword, bringing back its impeccable shine.
"I'm sure you were going to do something useful." He stand back against the wall letting Celesa do her thing.

Urnid wipes the blood from his sword on the dead man's clothes again. He leans down to check him for anything valuable.
"I hope we can keep fighting these people one at a time. If they get organized, we could have a problem."
Urnid walks over to check on Celesa.
"You alright?"

Urnid finds 4 daggers (6 counting the one that was thrown and the one wielded by the young man), a filled potion vial and a small bronze amulet tucked into the youth’s shirt that pictures a coin purse with a dagger balanced on it. Guyzo, Pequeno and Rajan recognize the symbol as that of the guild of thieves in Erundy.

"Thieves!" Pequeno looks at Celsea out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey don't look at me, I don't need a stupid guild to make me a thief. Can't trust any of those guild people, they'll stab you in the back just to take the credit for themselves."

Rajan waves a dismissive hand, "Bah! Thieves! These men seem more like animals than thieves. We'll have to wait and see if this place is really crawling with them. Mayhap they are using it as a base of operations in the area..."

not very sneaky to be thieves. hmm.

Urnid starts pocketing the goods.
"If anyone else wants to carry some of this, let me know. I figure we can divide the haul when we're back somewhere safer and more comfortable."

"Agreed, this is no place to be worrying about treasure shares." Celesa looks at her sword to make sure the weaponblack still fully covers the blade, and then begins looking around the room for any little bits of interest. If she finds none she looks back out in the hall and keeps watch until the group is ready to press on.

Pequeno sheathes his sword momentarily, picks up his bow and arrow, puts them away and redraws his steel.
"Lets see who else is upset that we're here!"

Assuming you proceed on to the next door, Celesa searches it and listens. She hears nothing. Upon opening the door you are greeted by the warm smell of fresh bread. A cooking pit and stove are in the center of an array of pots, barrels and boxes. A young woman in traveling gear looks at you with glittering black eyes, growling “Dinner isn’t ready yet! Get out!”

What do you do?

"Sorry, sorry!" Celesa says as she ducks out of the room.

"Hey! I smelled food from there! You got something against eating lady?" Pequeno surveys her figure.
"Not that it doesnt suit you of course." he continues.
"What did you see?"

miss, i like my beetles and leaves slightly poached, thank you

*Jakob eyes the lady cautiously.*
"What do you have cooking there?"

She turns toward Jakob and angrily waves a spoon at him. “What part of get out don’t you understand?” She raises her other hand in an arcane fashion.

Please post your actions for the first round of initiative.

OOC: Dear god! LOL!
Rajan was starting to move forward to see what was going on but then Celesa shut the door and indicated they would be moving on. So he shrugged and stepped back. Then Pequeno and Jakob seem to want to take another look. Rajan keeps an eye out to see if there's any alcohol, but it's hard to see being like 3 or so people back....

Urnid never really got in the door, as he was hanging back as Celesa exited. He still has his sword drawn but has yet to see what's really going on. He sees Pequeno and Jakob open the door and speak but is still unclear on what's going on.
"Is that bread I smell? Who's in there, Celesa?"

Pequeno didn’t open anything. He was talking to Celsea who closed the door before he could see what was in there. I don’t think anybody passed Celesa into the room.

"Angry cook, said leave, yes bread, dinner's not ready yet." Celesa sems to be trying to answer everyone's questions, but looks a little flustered at the same time. "Why do I always make the chef angry?" Celesa quietly whispers to herself. Celesa says all of this while ducking back into the hall out of the way of those trying to anger the chef further, and trying to put distance between the angry cook and herself.

(I use soothing word on the chef)

Round 1

"Hey! I smelled food from there! You got something against eating lady?" Pequeno surveys her figure.
"Not that it doesnt suit you of course." he continues.
"What did you see?"

Urnid never really got in the door, as he was hanging back as Celesa exited. He still has his sword drawn but has yet to see what's really going on. He sees Pequeno and Jakob open the door and speak but is still unclear on what's going on.
"Is that bread I smell? Who's in there, Celesa?"

Jakob stares at the cook, slack-jawed.

"Angry cook, said leave, yes bread, dinner's not ready yet." Celesa sems to be trying to answer everyone's questions, but looks a little flustered at the same time. "Why do I always make the chef angry?" Celesa quietly whispers to herself. Celesa says all of this while ducking back into the hall out of the way of those trying to anger the chef further, and trying to put distance between the angry cook and herself.

(I use soothing word on the chef)

The chef lowers her hand and rubs her brow. “I-I’m so very sorry. I don’t know what came over me. But it will still be a while before dinner is ready, as you can see.” Her eyes do not quite look right as she points over to a dinner that is clearly burned and looks to have been ready days before.

Urnid struggles to see past his companions, using his great height to look over them.
"Oh, another crazy person. At least she's not trying to kill us. Maybe we should just leave her alone. Maybe when we crack this curse, she can get back to normal."

*Jakob sagely nods his head and begins to politely step back to the door.*
"Then we will let you get back to your work. Sorry for the intrusion."

by Lygte's design i can soothe two others before i must meditate again. Too bad i didn't

think of it before with the two people struck with madness. Perhaps they could not be saved as this one halfway has. (flies away from cook)

So where to next? The corridor continues on and opens up into a large open area.

There is a door in the central wall, exactly opposite the way you came in and pointing toward it, or the corridor continues wrapping around the central area and returns the way you came. Two doors can be seen on the left hand side of that wall.

"Perhaps we should check out those doors...?"

Urnid nods lightly.
"I agree for what that's worth. We check the doors. Celesa, if you would do what you do. I will do my best to see you are not disturbed."

Celesa quietly moves down the hall, ducking into the shadows as she moves and heads to the nearest door. She gives it a through once over, looking for traps and listening intently at it, before she motions for the others to come closer. She gently pushes against it just enough to see if it is locked, but refrains from opening it until the others are in position.

Celesa determines the door is safe and unlocked. Once everyone is in position, she opens it. The door opens onto a small 3-foot-high balcony constructed entirely from bones of large animals. It looks out over a large, 30-foot-diameter pit lined with the skulls of all sorts of monsters, humans and animals. The skulls’ jaw bones open and close, causing a strange clicking sound to echo throughout the chamber. Sixty feet below the balcony you can see colored smoke and sparks coming from a raised circular platform. You can barely make out several bodies lying on the platform next to an empty metal stand. This is observed with a glance. Further details would require more time spent observing.

"Now I could be wrong here, but this could have something to do with the craziness going on in this berg."

(i try and turn the bodies thinking they might be fresh zombies.)
By the glory of the Lygte, begone foulness whence you came.

"I really don't think we should be hanging out here, we can always come back. What if little bit is right, if this is the cause of the madness I'd rather not hang around and wait too loose my mind."
Celesa looks back at the door which they entered through. "Come on for once it's not to late too turn back."

Pequeno is in total agreement with Celesa. And backs out the way they came.

"I concur. Let's finish checking out the place. We might find something that affects that down there to our benefit."

There is no noticeable result of Guyzo’s turn attempt (4 rolled), but as he is looking over the edge, the smoke suddenly makes him dizzy and he begins to fall over the edge. Luckily he can fly and returns to the balcony easily enough.

Guyzo now suffers from Temper Tantrums:

If Pequeno is still in the area he backs up even quicker, drawing his sword.

Other than Guyzo’s short dizzy spell, nothing untoward happens. Outside the door that opens on the balcony is a large foyer-like area, but at the rear of the tower instead of the front. The corridor continues on up. Taking the first door on the left, Celesa finds no traps and hears no noises. The door opens to a 10-foot-deep by 15-foot-wide room. The room smells of old leather and paper. A small table sits in the center of the room. The room s walls are lined with four bookshelves filled with books of every size and description. There are human skull bookends on several of the shelves and a burned out lantern rests on the table. Blue sparks shoot from some of the books, making a strange buzzing noise.

Celesa will enter the room and begin searching for anything of interest. She will avoid the sparking books for now.

Rajan will hiss in glee, a wide smile on his face and rush into the library, looking at the books for anything of interest to him. "Any good books...any good books....hmmm..."

Pequeno will stand in the doorway. Sword at the ready. Looking for trouble.
"I never figured you for a reader Rajan." he says....

Celesa finds nothing of interest. After 15 minutes Rajan has perused approximately one-third of the books, and has identified one valuable tome so far; “Tomas’ Elliptical Zombie” worth approximately 100 gold pieces. The book is still on the shelf. Does somebody take the book? Does Rajan keep looking?

Pequeno taps his foot.....
"We're here to you know.... smite evil! Not peruse their library!"

"Yeah, I was hoping for some shinies, not a bunch of dusty tomes. If I wanted that I'd go home."
Celesa leaves the room and begins making her way quietly to the next door, where she begins her usual routine of searching, listening and otherwise being very cautious.

Rajan laughes and shakes his head, definitely taking the book. "Oh ye of little faith! This," and he taps the book before putting it in his backpack, "is worth at LEAST 80 gold, maybe 100. For a silly old book from a library." He keeps looking. "If you wish to press on, by all means go forth. I would appreciate if someone handy with a sword stays with me, but do as you feel you must..."

*Jakob watches the door.*
"That's nice. Anything that might suggest what happened here and or how to reverse it?"

Urnid follows Celesa. He seems to have appeased his boredom by looking at her appreciatingly. Urnid is as tactful as usual in his admiration of the lady.

Rajan frowns at the question. "Hmm...No. Nothing yet on what ails this place, but I will keep looking. Forewarned is forearmed." He will keep looking through the books.

When Rajan takes the book he is shocked for 14 points of damage and falls to the ground. What does everyone do?

(i attempt a healing check on Rajan)

Guyzo’s heal check fails (57 rolled).

*Containing a curse, Jakob also approaches Rajan, checking his breathing as well as the wounds. He then looks within his pack for available materials for mending the injuries.*
(First Aid check)

Jakob fails to find any open wounds that might benefit from first aid.

Urnid is awoken from his daydreaming as Rajan collapses. As his companions go to check on their fallen comrade, Urnid looks to see if there is any other dangers entering the room.
"I knew reading was a bad idea."

Pequeno keeps guard at the doorway. Letting the others tend to Rajan.

"Why do the supposedly smart ones always do the silly things. I'm no wizard and I figured out to stay away from the crackly books."Celesa says shaking her head.
Celesa moves in to watch the others tend to Rajan, but knowing little of healing or even fixing for that matter she does her best to stay out of the way, and let those more skilled do their work.

Pequeno opens his waterskin and takes a long drink....

Rajan is dying before your eyes (he loses another hit point).

(mad at his failure he kicks the book across the floor)

Guyzo finds the heavy tome moves less than he anticipated and stubs his toe.

Celesa moves over and does her best field medic impersonation as she tries to find the cause of the problem. She looks rather flustered as she can't seem to accomplish anything with her poking and prodding.

Pequeno finishes his waterskin off in one long drink, wipes his mouth, looks both ways down the hallway they entered from and kneels down over Rajan.
"You know? He smells better like this!" he laughs.
Not being one wise in the healing arts either he looks to Celesa,....
"Any ideas?"

A muffled sound like far away thunder and the scent of rotten eggs proves to Pequeno that Rajan is still alive, at least for the moment.

"Real nice, Rajan, real nice...."

Nah. I don't want someone else to have to waste a coupon for my character. I can try the honor purge I guess...but otherwise I'd be better off just bringing a new character in....

In what seems like a shared dream you see time reverse itself in slow motion as Rajan rises from the ground as if pulled by strings. The book flies from the ground to his hand and then from his hand back to the bookshelf. Time begins flowing forward once more and Rajan is restored to his previous damage of 14 points. Although alive Rajan is now dishonorable and is suffering from bad karma.

(wiggles my toe, grinning, then shrugging)

Celesa jumps up from the floor where she had been poking the dying Rajan.
"Yay, not dying, very good."
The Celesa looks at the book that gave Rajan the shock, and at his hand. Celesa grabs Rajan's hand and gives it a slap.
"When the thief stays away from the sparky books, it's probably a good idea to stay away from the sparky books! Doesn't matter how much it's worth if you die trying to get it. Come on smart guy don't do something silly like that again."
Despite the picking on and scolding, it's pretty obvious Celesa is very relieved that no one is dying.
"Alright now where were we? Oh yeah next door, someone escort him (Celesa points at Rajan) away from all the pretty books. Shall we?"

Rajan will groan, "Ugh!", and rub his hand a bit. He will shake his head and sigh. "Alright. But we are coming back here for these books before we leave completely. Just need a way to dispel it or something...."

"You'll be dispelled if you aren't more careful there stinky."
Pequeno cracks as Rjan passes him.
He brings up the rear and follows the group.

Rajan sneers at Pequeno. "You and what army, halfpint? If you bring about 4 of your friends you'd maybe equal a whole person." He shakes his head and takes up the rear guard again.

"I doubt it would take an army of halflings. You got whipped by a book!"

Before you leave, everybody except Rajan and Urnid notice a secret passage behind one of the bookshelves. It looks like it was not closed all the way the last time it was used. You also notice that the blue electrical sparks affecting some of the books appear to be generated by the bookshelves themselves.

"Ohh secret passage!!" Celesa nearly yells in glee as she runs over to the area where she can just make out the entrance, she looks like a kid whose favorite treat is just out of reach as she paces back and forth in front of the spot, not touching the bookcase and yet looking like she wants to shove it aside to get to the secrets beyond.

"Well well, looky here. Hey Rajan, why dont you pull that shelf out of the way for us?"

Urnid spins when he hears Celesa's increased voice volume, his sword at the ready. When he sees it's just about the secret door, he breathes a sigh of relief. He heads over to stand behind her in case something nasty comes through the door. Urnid passes Rajan.
"Don't worry about that book thing. I would have just tried to grab it too if I was much of a reader. Like, if it was a sparky sword or shield or something..."

"You know, Little Turd? If you keep talking I'll show you just how much the bookshelves hurt and shove your small face into one. Would you like that? No? Then shut the hell up and watch her back!" He points at Celesa to indicate the her before turning away and moving out into the hallway away from the group.

*Jakob looks to the ceiling, a look of discouragement crossing his hideous visage.*
"Gawds, just send in the gnolls and be done with it."
*He then eyeballs the secret passage, checking if the entrance would allow the party access without risking contact with the shelves, as well as making sure that there aren't any beasties waiting on the other side.*

Pequeno turns to watch Celesa...
He mumbles.
"Jeez, whats his problem? You go towards the light one time and lose your sense of humor?"
"Need any help here?"

"Maybe there's a way to disable the sparky stuff, maybe it like a trap or something." Celesa doesn't seem to be speaking to anyone in particular, more to herself really, as she begins poking about and searching for a way to deactivate the sparky stuff.
She begins nibbling on her lip as she ponders the problem.

There is a specific way to disarm this trap and another to activate the secret door, which is not open enough to pass, or even see, through. Rather a dice roll being made, you have to figure out how to accomplish these tasks.

"Cant we just throw a rope around the shelf and pull it over?"

It appears to be anchored to the wall.

"You could try but I'm betting these sparkies could just jump to the rope." Celesa says not even looking up from the area she is studying.
Celesa begins searching every area of the room for any clues as too how to get the bookcase to stop arcing.
"Um, Rajan, would you mind going over the book titles and just rattling them off to me, while I search in here. One of them might be the mechanism, but umm there all kinda gibberish to me."

"Do you think the sparks will travel down the rope?"
"If its a long enough rope, we'd have time to let go if they do.."

Rajan re-enters the room after a few moments, looking more composed and begins reading off the book titles, one after the other, his voice fairly cold and flat. He doesn't look at any of the others, except when he first walks in he glances at Celesa and Urnid.

*Jakob begins to move the non-sparkling books.*
"Never know, might be the proper trigger here."
(OOC: He's pulling them out, pushing them in, picking them up off the shelf, etc)

As soon as Jakob touches a non-sparkling book, the electricity gathers up and zaps him for 16 points of damage. Jakob is allowed a save vs. Breath Weapon but fails (15 rolled.) Once he clears his head, you realize the central bookshelf is no longer sparkling.

Rajan's head snaps around and he yells out a warning, "No, don't touch them!" But it's just a moment too late as Jakob reaches the bookshelf and is zapped. Rajan sighes and shakes his head, but then begins examining the no-longer-sparkling-bookshelf and taking any promising books (also looking for any that might be "pulled off the shelf" alot that might be the "trigger" for the secret passage).

*Jakob lays there shaking for a moment, his face a study in stunned surprise.*
"G-guys, I think i disarmed the trap. Why do I have a sudden urge to wizz?"
(OOC: Here's the quandary-Do I use a coupon for 1d6 healing now, or save it?)

Rajan has already perused this bookshelf for interesting books (having found “Tomas’ Elliptical Zombie”). None of the other titles on this unit seem interesting. The other still-sparking shelves have not been searched. The only other things on the bookshelves are the human skull bookends. Do you remove those?

Rajan will examine them, without touching at first. He will finally sigh and hope for the best. "Okay, there do not appear to be any other interesting books that might do anything, so I am going to try removing the skull bookends and.....hopefully not die." He will slowly reach over and pull at first once, then the other, to see if they are attached to something to open the bookshelf. Failing that he will remove both from the shelf.

read the book, maybe there's a clue to the human skull bookends!

Urnid looks on with embarrassment at the book situation.
"I, for one, will be humiliated if I have to carry any corpses back to the village because of some dangerous literature. If we're going to die, let's make our final resting homes be the bellies of big monsters like self-respecting adventurers, please."

One of the skulls feels attached to the shelf. As Rajan tips it, the secret door slides open, revealing a dark space behind it.

"HUZZAH!" Pequeno declares.
"See? I told you he wouldn’t be worthless." he says to nobody in particular.

Celesa's eyes open wide in delight. "Oh, very well done, sure you don't have a bit of thief in you?" She says slyly to Rajan.
Looking down at Jakob "Well that is one way to disarm a trap, but generally, you should try to find the way that doesn't result in large quantities of pain."
With that she moves over into the entrance to the secret passage and looks down into the darkness. Very quietly and obviously to herself you hear Celesa say "What now have you been trying to hide from us?"

The space behind the bookcase is, unfortunately, too dark to see into.

(i cast light spell in the darkness)

Guyzo’s light reveals that the walls of this secret room are covered with thick green and blue curtains. In the middle of the room is an inviting chair next to a desk, with a lamp to one side. A large tome with odd-looking paper lies open on the desk. Several gold and silver runes are carved into the desk’s surface, surrounding the book – they sparkle in the light.

"For gawds sake Rajan, dont read anything!"

Urnids sighs.
"All this security for...more books. Fantastic."
Urnid does his best to stay vigilant but his boredom is evident.

*Jakob has finally managed to stagger to his feet. As the others make their way into the secret chamber, he follows, moving stiffly. He sees the tome and the desk.*
"Hmmm...It could be the wizard's main spellbook. Or, then, it could also be the true cause of the problems here."

"Anyone have a torch? And some oil?"
Pequeno looks at the book, his eyes narrowing to slits. A wicked grin coming slowly across his face.

Rajan, already tired of the halfing, has a very hard edge to his voice when he speaks. "If you try to burn that book or that room while the book is in it, you will be very sorry, Little One. The book must be examined to see if it is even a threat or part of the problem. It may just be trapped as the bookshelves were."

Pequeno looks a bit surprised...
"My thoughts exactly, whatever is causing all of this is certainly EVIL. And Evil needs to be extinguished. And I can think of no better way than to engulf it in flames!"

Ignoring the ongoing banter, Celesa moves into the room, and begins looking things over, without touching anything.

"Careful there..." Pequeno says to Celesa.
"I think we should burn it on our way out of this room, provide a good diversion."

As soon as Celesa approaches anywhere near the book it hums and sparks ominously.

Pequeno rummages through his backpack for a moment. He produces his flint & steel and offers it to Celesa...

"I'm not going to burn anything down, I'm not touching anything either. But there are better ways to deal with problems then fire."
Celesa's eyes light up. "I have an idea, somebody go grab me one of the bodies from earlier, we can use them to suck up the electricity. What do they care, their already dead."

"Yeah, fire was out of line, but carting around a corpse is ok..."
Pequeno chuckles.

hurry back, the light won't last forever
(i look around for a lantern in the study)

There is a lamp on the table, next to the tome.

Seeing this as a good diversion, Urnid goes to grab a corpse. Sword drawn, he heads back into the hall towards the last combat. He moves with confidence but with the appropriate care as well.
"One dead guy coming right up."

Lygte would not leave such a boon if not to be used.
(I light the lamp)

As the lamp is lit Pequeno backs away towards the nearest wall. Careful not to touch anything but shielding himself from the lamp with his arms.

Unfortunately Guyzo has nothing with which he can light the lamp. Searching through his pack he finds only small candles.

why have i slighted my Lygte - so ill-prepared as I!!
(i trash the room with my 2 strength)

"Easy there little flying one! Do you need to borrow my flint & steel?"

yes yes, thank you
hopefully i didn't do too much damage

Pequeno looks around the room....
"I think we're ok."

The lamplight adds to the illumination in the room but reveals nothing different. The book still hums and sparks whenever anyone gets near it.

"Urnid, would you mind just tossing him onto the book please. I don't think he'll mind getting a bit crispy."
Celesa flashes one of her signature smiles, as she looks at the desk in anticipation. "I hope this will work."

Urnid smiles back at Celesa, which has a grim quality since he's hefting a bloody corpse.
"My pleasure."
Urnid looks odd, his tall, gaunt frame lifting the body with relative ease. With a soft grunt, he tosses the dead man at the book.
((OOC: Urnid is going to throw the body at the book from as far as possible from it.))

Pequeno resumes his arms over face position.....

The body smashes into the table, knocking the book to the floor. There is no other noticeable reaction.

Pequeno offers his tinderbox again.

"Darn it, I was really hoping that he'd absorb the charge. Hey that cook woman is still alive maybe she'd.... Nevermind that wouldn't be right at all." Celesa begins nibbling on her lip again trying to solve the quandary.

it was already protected behind a trapped bookcase and a secret wall, how many other traps do you think there are? heck, i'm thinking of just reading it to get it over with!
(I flutter towards the book)

As soon as Guyzo approaches anywhere near the book it hums and sparks ominously.

Rajan perks up as he watches from just outside the door to the secret room. "Ah! I wouldn't DO that if I were you, sir! It is most...painful." He sighs and wishes he had a way to disrupt the magic on the book.

(as a final precaution i study the top of the desk, is there a word scratched in anywhere?)

There is not.

(i open the book and read it)

Pequeno steps out of the room into the hallway.
"For the record, I think thats a bad idea..." you hear him call from the hallway.

"Bad idea lightning bug." Celesa cringes and waits for the sound of a bug flying into a bug zapper to happen.

Guyzo touches the book, makes a save vs. Death Magic (6 rolled) and falls to the ground, dead.

Pequeno, smelling something burning leans around and peers into the room....
"Huh, didnt expect that to happen?!?!"

Celesa goes over to the pixie "Little bug, little light bug. Ohh not good." Celesa cups Guyzo in her hands, "I don't think we can fix this."

Urnid looks grimly at Guyzo.
"What a waste. Guyzo should have known better but it's still a damn shame."
Urnid looks over to see if the book is still sparky.

(alas a moth to a flame i was)

The book still glow and spark when Celesa moves near it to retrieve Guyzo.

Baskhus, short of someone having a way to prevent the death, do you wish to create a new character?

GM

Pequeno clears his throat loudly. Again offering his tinderbox.

Urnid looks at the tinderbox and nods.
"I have to agree. Books, bookcases, and anything else book-related have been nothing but trouble recently. Let's burn it and see what Mr. Magic Trap can do about it. It's just not safe to leave it around where anyone could read it and get zapped."

"This place is trouble. Our mission here is to destroy the cause of the evil that has befouled this town. And things like this support that evil.
It must be destroyed!"

Rajan sighed. "Superstitious yokels. It is most likely NOT the cause of evil, just the trapped book of the wizard who was living here. Given the current occupants he may actually be dead. We should investigate the entire place first, since that other room looked far more "evil" to me, what with the altar and dead bodies or whatever."

Urnid looks at Rajan, then the book again.
"Okay, fine. We go on and see what we can find. But, if we don't figure out how to disarm the book, we should destroy it. If not for the next person wandering through here, than as revenge for one of our own."

Before you move on, Celesa suddenly picks up Guyzo’s limp form and dashes outside. When she returns she explains he seemed to like the light so she put him in a sunny spot.

You move along to the last unsearched door. Celesa presses her ear against it. After a moment she reports back that she hears scratching noises, but no other sounds.

"Scratching eh?"
Pequeno pulls his sword quietly.
"Ready?"

"Yep, scratching, like little claws on stone or something."
Celesa says as she glances around to make sure everyone is ready and she pushes open the door.

This chamber contains a simple cot and chest at one end, and a well-used writing desk at the other. Broken quills, ink stones and a piece of parchment are scattered across the floor. Someone in a plain black robe is hunched over the desk, facing away from you, scribbling furiously on a scroll, apparently unaware of your presence.

Pequeno steps off to the side, out of view and as quietly as he can sheathes his sword.
He motions for the others to stand out of the way as well.
Then if time allows he readies his bow....

Rajan will grimace and sigh. In a very quiet voice (not a whisper since those carry further) to Celesa and Urnid he will say, "Shouldn't we attempt to incapacitate him first in case only he knows how to stop the attacks or something? Just throwing it out there for ya."
He then moved back quickly so his next fart didn't disturb the writer...

There has been no reaction from the robed individual.

Pequeno motions for Celesa to close the door quietly.

Celesa quietly slides the door shut and positions herself in front of it.

Urnid keeps his sword at the ready, but he waits for any signal, from the robed man or his own team.

Pequeno whispers "Do we want to rush him and try to take him captive?"
Do you want me to cover you with my bow and you can approach?
Shall I charge?

*Jakob starts to raise his spear for throwing.*
"We should try to speak with him first. And, should he decide upon hostilities, we should gladly accommodate him."

"Good idea. We want to be accommodating of course." Pequeno quips. Patting the hilt of his sword.
He winks and readies his bow.

Celesa pulls the mask and hood loose from her suit, and putting on her best friendly/innocent face. Motioning for the others to stay behind the man, she quietly walks over around the desk in front of the man.
"Excuse me Sir, I seem to have gotten myself terribly lost, can you help me?"

Pequeno watches Celesa's face, at the first sign of trouble he lets his arrow fly.

The man continues writing, completely ignoring Celesa.

Celesa moves even closer trying to see what the man is writing. "Excuse me, Sir" She says in her best damsel in distress voice.

*Jakob stands ready to loose his spear, a look of unsettledness crossing his accursed countenance.*

The man ignores Celesa and continues writing. Celesa can see that the writings appear to be some sort of journal and reference finding the necromancer’s lair. There is quite a bit more but the man’s robed arm is in the way.

Pequeno, seeing that nothing is really happening, looks to Celesa and shrugs as if to say... "and?"

Celesa taps the man on the shoulder, obviously slightly annoyed at being ignored, as it's really something she's never had anyone, especially a man do to her before. "So this is a necromancer's lair, hunh? Guess that explains all the weird stuff. Mind if I read that?" Celesa says moving her hand to within grabbing distance of the journal, she waits until the man looks up before grabbing for the book.

Pequeno draws his bow string...

At Celesa’s touch the man suddenly stands and yells, “My writing!” as he begins gesturing with his hands.

We are in initiative. What are your intended actions?

I am hoping that with Pequeno more than ready to let the arrow fly that could happen pre-initiative.

Unfortunately, no. Only if you are specialized in the bow do you get a shot before initiative. If you surprise someone you also get a chance to fire in surprise rounds. As it is he was fully aware of your presence so a knocked arrow earns you shots in segments 1 and 6.

Celesa's grabbing for the book. This books not going to get the better of her.

okey dokey. Thats my action then.

"Celesa! Drop!"
(The moment he has a shot, Jakob hurls the spear at the robed foe.)

Round 1

Celesa's grabbing for the book. This books not going to get the better of her.

I am hoping that with Pequeno more than ready to let the arrow fly that could happen pre-initiative.

Pequeno’s arrow flies true (19 rolled) and hits the stranger for 7 points of damage.

"Celesa! Drop!"
(The moment he has a shot, Jakob hurls the spear at the robed foe.)

Jakob has a shot but misses (2 rolled).

The stranger reaches into his robes and pulls out a handful of fine sand.

He waves his hands in the air and mutters strange words. Pequeno and Urnid both fall to the ground, snoring. (Celesa rolled 10 vs 90% resistance, Jakob rolled a 20 and made the save, Pequeno rolled a 6 and failed the save, Rajan rolled 9 vs 30% resistance, Urnid rolled a 17 and failed the save.)

I had Rajan holding.

Celesa, Jakob and Rajan please post your actions for round 2.

Rajan will turn away from watching the rear of the group (as previously stated) when hearing the commotion behind him, especially the spellcasting. His eyes widen and he curses softly. "Kishijoten be with us!"

He then casts Remote Gouged Eye on the enemy caster.

"Enough of this!"
*Jakob begins to approach the spellcaster, drawing his sword as he strides.*
(Once the bad guy is within striking distance, Jakob's making a called shot for the head)

Round 2

Rajan will turn away from watching the rear of the group (as previously stated) when hearing the commotion behind him, especially the spellcasting. His eyes widen and he curses softly. "Kishijoten be with us!"
He then casts Remote Gouged Eye on the enemy caster.

Rajan makes a poking gesture at the stranger (who is now revealed to be a half-elf), but it doesn’t seem to have any effect.

"Enough of this!"
*Jakob begins to approach the spellcaster, drawing his sword as he strides.*
(Once the bad guy is within striking distance, Jakob's making a called shot for the head)

Jakob quick-draws his sword and begins advancing into the room.

The half-elf reaches into his robes.

Jakob closes the distance and swings his sword at the half-elf’s head, (20 rolled).

Jakob’s sword hacks deeply into the top of the half-elf’s head, instantly killing him. (Jakob did 28 points of damage with a BSL 8 critical hit.)

The half-elf slumps to the ground, his hand releasing a small leaf as he falls.

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"

"I reckon that his mind is at ease now."
*Jakob begins to clean his sword on the dead mage's robes.*

Rajan will carefully move forward. ""Does anyone mind if I take a look at that book? We should also CAREFULLY check the robes of that....man. He may have something useful there...."

Celesa hands Rajan the book, and begins rifling through the dead man's robes, while absentmindly humming to herself.

Celesa finds nothing of note in the half-elf’s robes, but he is wearing a ring on each hand, one turquoise and one silver. There is also a drawer in the desk he was seated at. Opening it discovers a nicely made dagger.

Rajan finds the book to be a sort of journal. It describes the half-elf’s apprenticeship under Relb the necromancer, arcane details on the mutating nature of some large diamond, and how that very nature was the focus of Relb’s work.

Rajan's eyebrows will rise up and his eyes will widen a bit. "It appears that this...man's master...Relb...is the necromancer in charge. He was working with a...diamond...with mutating properties. The focus of his work. That's probably what we are looking for." He will give the sleeping halfling the stinkeye. "LUCKILY, no one burned this book or the last one we found."

Pequeno remains asleep.
He silently dreams of whipping Rajan's a$$ in a variety of competitions. Winning the favors of many a lady!

*Jakob looks at Rajan.*
"Does it say anything involving how to destroy or otherwise negate the diamond's powers?"

Pequeno may wake if he chooses. The book mentions nothing about destroying the diamond, but there is an interesting side note scribbled in. It’s a reminder to oil the hinges on the secret door.

Congratulations to Celesa for MVP!

I have the following totals thus far (I still need to calculate some other things but these should be accurate):

Celesa earned 709 XP and may add 2 points of honor.

Guyzo earned 458 XP.

Jakob earned 413 XP and may add 3 points of honor.

Pequeno earned 145 XP and may add 3 points of honor.

Rajan earned 281 XP.

Urnid earned 159 XP and may add 1 point of honor.

The “Good” coupon for session 1 is awarded to Pequeno. Pequeno receives the “Never Say Die” coupon. It can be used for 1d12 points of healing. Only 1 coupon can be used per session.

The “Bad” coupon is awarded to Urnid. Whatever that effect is will have to wait.

((Thanks Guys))
Celesa holds up the turquoise ring and the dagger. "Well, he's got these, and this." She holds up the hand wearing the silver ring by one of the sleeves on the man’s robe, her, nose crinkling slightly. "If someone wants to grab that one, I can carry these."

Pequeno stirs and awakens....
"By the gawds! What did I miss? Where's Rajan? Is he ok?"

Urnid wakes up after a moment, his body stiff from his awkward body position during his short nap.
"I'm alright, I'm alright. Don't worry about old Urnid," he reassures his worried companions as he stands up.
Urnid walks over sees the ring in question. He looks at the ring longingly, but shakes his head.
"Somebody else should take this. Celesa's allergy and all. With me as her protector, I'd be doing a pretty lousy job if I had her sneezing and breaking out in hives."
With that, Urnid draws closer to the elf woman.
"So...what's the deal?"

Pequeno walks over after Urnid.
"I'll take a look at that." he examines it closely, holding the dead robed man's arm up by the sleeve....
(Any markings on it?)

It appears to be a plain silver ring.

Celesa shrugs, "Same thing we thought. Evil necromancer, but he's got a big diamond that’s most likely the source of all the trouble. Shame though a diamond that big."

Urnid eyes go wide thinking about the size of the diamond. He suddenly smiles.
"Maybe we can find a way to de-evil the diamond and then keep it. That might work. We're finding all kinds of books and stuff about magic and enchantments and the like."
Urnid looks over to Rajan.
"Anything in the book about fixing the diamond?"
After his question, he takes a huge swig from his waterskin, nearly emptying it into his mouth.

"Looks harmless enough..." Pequeno says.
With that he slips the ring off of the mans finger and puts it in his pocket.

Rajan doesn't even look up from his book or acknowledge he's been spoken with other than a fart every time Pequeno's voice is heard. He keeps looking for anything useful in the book, muttering to himself as he does so.

"Diamond...diamond...magic...anything else in here?"

There is not.

*Jakob moves to reclaim his spear. He then turns to the others.*
"Let's move quickly. This accursed place shrieks of its taint."

The only place you haven’t been is down to the bottom of the central balcony, where Guyzo got dizzy. There were no visible stairs. There is also that mention in the diary of a secret door, however.

Urnid gives the edge of his sword a quick inspection, then turns back to the group.
"I guess we're heading back to that spooky room with the drop. Anyone have some rope? Also, if this place makes everyone whack-a-doo, how do we keep from going crazy?"
He looks at Pequeno briefly.
"Or crazier, if already a little mad."

OOC: My bad...I thought it was the same secret door we had already been through.
Rajan, still frowning in thought and muttering to himself, waves at them. "Wait...wait...secret door....there's a secret door! It mentions oiling the hinges."

No, the mistake was mine. I had forgotten about that secret door. Bad clue, sorry. But something about the description of the mechanism makes you think it’s a different door.

"I vote we try to locate that secret door. Any hints of its whereabouts?"

"Well we start looking, lets start in here and then we'll check the hall and work our way into the other rooms. It's gotta be here somewhere. Two people should check each area, just in case one misses something and I can double check all the areas."
Celesa jumps up from the body she was rummaging through and moves over to one corner and begins searching the area from floor to ceiling.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Door's not going to find itself."

Urnid follows Celesa instinctively. Keeping his sword drawn, he seems to simply be running his off-hand over the section of nearby wall. His attention seems to be fixated on the elf woman he is walking near, however.

Pequeno sticks his head out in the hallway. Making sure the coast is clear.
If so he helps search the room.

You carefully scan every square inch of wall, floor and ceiling space, and suddenly, Celesa notices something out of place. In the far rear wall of the building – a previously unnoticed secret door. After searching it and listening, it opens into a dark hallway. Strange green and purple lights flicker randomly along a stairwell that spirals downward into darkness. A rope dangles from the ceiling in the corner, opposite the stairs. The eerie lights make the paintings of undead creatures and summoned fiends on the walls even more disturbing. Clearly, this stairway leads to a powerful magic-user’s lair.

((Clearly a rogue of my level would know that))

Celesa looksinto the stairway and begins moving in after pulling her hood and mask back into position. She looks back over her shoulder.. "You guys coming, theres stuff to explore."

*Jakob hefts his spear, so it will be ready for throwing.*
"I'll take point."

Ignoring the rope, you proceed down the spiral staircase. ‘Round and ‘round it goes until you reach a foyer with a door. Checking it and listening at it prove it to be safe and quiet. The smell of rotten eggs assaults your nostrils as soon as you open the door. Thick green and purple smoke tendrils drift slowly about the room. The room is obviously a spell-preparation area. It is filled with workbenches, tables, flasks of murky liquids and unrecognizable ingredients in jars. A large number of flasks have fallen and shattered on the ground all around a table. Apparently the mixed potions on the floor are the source of the clouds and smell. A door in the far wall is partially open and the many magical runes along its frame are destroyed, scorching the stones around them.

Pequeno brings up the rear....
"Could it be someone has beat us here?"

Rajan will carefully, without touching, examine the jars and vials for anything of value to him, as a caster, before moving back from the door a bit when the others are ready to go forward.
"Maybe. Or maybe this is getting closer to the cause of the disturbances." Another bad smell joined the rotten eggs and such, but he hoped it would be too difficult to pick out here.
He chuckled slightly. "You know...this kind of reminds me of my first girlfriend...round and round we went, and when I finally went downstairs it was like rotten eggs." He shook his head as he looked at the room.

There are still quite a few intact potions in here, but they are not identified in any way.

Celesa hangs her head at Rajan's bad joke, and then begins examining all the goodies in the room, looking for anything that seems out of place in the destruction.
"That was bad Rajan, real bad, and I don't just mean the joke."

"Surprised you even noticed the smell Rajan...."

Pequeno hangs back, a little leary about the trappings of this room. He lets the others poke and prod things. He keeps watch on the door and the steps they descended....

Rajan smiled as he gathers up the potions still intact VERY carefully. "Oh I don't smell ANYTHING. I just assumed there was a smell due to the broken vials, rotten eggs and the fact that I just farted. I was also referring to the stuff all lying around." His grin became even wider.

Urnid moves into the room calmly, sword and shield at the ready.
"Good to know about the smell. I don't smell a thing, personally."
Moving with as much stealth as he can muster, Urnid moves toward the slightly open door, though not close enough to see into the next room. If an enemy comes through the next room, he wants to be the first person that enemy runs into.

*Carefully choosing his steps, as to avoid any debris or puddles, Jakob slowly approaches the door on the other side of the laboratory. He still has spear raised for throwing.*

As you move about someone brushes against one of the tables. You may argue at the inn whether it was Rajan gathering potions or the others as they passed by. In any event, the table suddenly begins moving and lunging at you.

We are in combat. Please post your actions.

Round 1

Urnid spins when he hears the scraping of the table leg. Not quite believing what he's seeing for a moment, Urnid takes the necessary steps to get to the table and hacks at it with his drawn longsword.

Celesa turns from the pile of stuff she was examining. "Come on, how are we supposed to fight a table?" She draws her dagger and moves to stab at the table.
"This feels ridiculous."

Rajan gives a startled "GAH!" and jumps a bit back. Looking very wierded out by being attacked by a table, and alarmed at suddenly being on the "front lines", he lets out a tremendously loud fart when he whirls around to face the table-thing.
He throws the object in his hand at the table as he steps back to draw his dagger, thinking how ridiculous it will be to use the dagger on the table.
Only then does he realize he just threw one of the vials that he'd been collecting at the table. "Oh crap!"

*Jakob jumps back and, reflexively, throws the spear at the table. He also throws in a string of obscenities that involve ensorcelled objects. The stream of profanity is strong enough to cause even a dwarf to blush.*

Round 1

*Jakob jumps back and, reflexively, throws the spear at the table. He also throws in a string of obscenities that involve ensorcelled objects. The stream of profanity is strong enough to cause even a dwarf to blush.*

Jakob’s spear lands true (19 rolled) and does 7 points of damage to the table.

Rajan gives a startled "GAH!" and jumps a bit back. Looking very wierded out by being attacked by a table, and alarmed at suddenly being on the "front lines", he lets out a tremendously loud fart when he whirls around to face the table-thing.
He throws the object in his hand at the table.

The vial breaks against the table (17 rolled), but there is no further effect.

(auto-posted for Pequeno) Pequeno raises his bow and fires but misses (5 rolled).

Celesa turns from the pile of stuff she was examining. "Come on, how are we supposed to fight a table?" She draws her dagger and moves to stab at the table.
"This feels ridiculous."

Celesa carves into the table for 9 points of damage (18 rolled to hit, extra damage due to penetration)

The table slams into Celesa, doing 4 points of damage.

Urnid spins when he hears the scraping of the table leg. Not quite believing what he's seeing for a moment, Urnid takes the necessary steps to get to the table and hacks at it with his drawn longsword.

Urnid’s blade (12 rolled) crashes into and through the table, cutting it in half (14 points of damage dealt.)

The combat is over.

"A Table! A friggin table attacks us now, I really need to stab this guy a lot. I don't like being attacked by FURNITURE! Where is that twisted little maniac?"
Celesa looks scowls at the flinders of table littering the floor.

Urnid looks at Celesa with concern.
"You seem to be a favorite target for the random things we seem to run into."
He looks down at where the table bludgeoned her.
"You okay? I mean, you look fine but with the hawks and the crazy people..."
Urnid looks at her with concern, but when she make eye contact, he looks away and starts checking his sword edge again.
"What say we put all the stuff in this room in a bag and check it out later. In the meantime, let's press on before more inanimate objects threaten our lives.

Pequeno looks a little upset that his arrow missed....
"Nice, real nice." he comments as he helps pick up whatever we are taking and placing it in the bag...
"Everyone ok?"
He pulls his waterskin out and drains it..... Wiping the water from his lips he looks even more upset that it is now empty....

You find a total of 31 potions in this room. Who wants to carry them? Better yet, who wants to try one?

Pequeno looks quizzically into the bag of potions....
But defers to any of the others....
"Hey Urnid, I bet you 5 gold you cant drink 5 of these in less time than it takes for Celesa to take her shirt off!"
Pequeno grins from ear to ear.... And winks at Rajan.
Urnid glowers at Pequeno.
"I won't have you being crass and crude regarding Celesa. I demand an apologiy to her for even suggesting it."
Urnid pauses.
"On the other hand, five gold. Um...if you take out that part about Celesa, I'd be interested. Who gets to pick which five potions?"

Rajan slaps his forehead! "Urnid...good lord! You would sell yourself THAT cheap! Come on! The risk you're taking, with the mixing of potions like that and what could potentially be IN there??" He paused before smiling at Pequeno. "Go for 2 gold per potion at least!"
OOC: Rajan will be carrying what he can without overloading himself...actually on "Bessie"....but will defer to those who are stronger once's he's carefully packed them up.
Celesa lightly pats Urnid on the shoulder.
"That's very sweet Urnid, but lets hear the little one out on this."

Celesa looks at Pequeno, with an appraising eye.
"So wait all he has to do is drink any 5 of those potions, Before I can get my shirt off and he gets the gold? Thats it?"

"Thats the deal. I think either way we'll see a show!"

Rajan gives them all a look saying it's crazy, puts 5 potions back on the table from where he was wrapping them. Then he pulls his pack goat away from Urnid as far as he can.

(OOC: Am I missing something or is there a goat with us?)

OOC: Rajan has a packgoat named "Bessie".

*An angered look crosses Jakob's face.*
"By the hoary hosts of the Abyss! We are on a frickin' mission! Can the ritual suicide not wait until we are ensconced in a safe tavern, at least?"

*Jakob then retrieves his spear from the wrecked, now immobile table. As soon as it's in throwing position, he proceeds towards the partially open door.*

Urnid looks back at Jakob with some confusion.
"What? Suicide? No, I'm just trying to make a few coins, Jakob. But...we can wait on that I suppose."
Urnid gives Pequeno a quick look.
"I still believe Celesa needs an apology for the shirt comment. She's not some bar wench to speak to that way, okay."
Urnid looks around and throws up his hands.
"Let's go fight a wizard, okay?"

Pequeno gives Celesa a sarcastic bow. "A thousand apologies milady." He then jingles the coins in his hand loud enough for Urnid to hear and pockets them....
"I knew it..." he mumbles....
Urnid glares at Pequeno and almost winces when he hears the coin pouch being shaken. With a frown, he turns back to Rajan.
"Hey, Rajan. Those potions. I mean, you're learned in these things. Those potions are probably worth more than 5 gold, right? I mean, it's wasting money to just drink 'em like that. I could make more using them as a bet in a dice game, maybe?"
Urnid looks back at Pequeno.
"If I'm going to take your money, I'll do it at the dicing table instead of like the idiot you think I am. Unless you want to arm-wrestle for the 5 gold. We can do that right here, right now."

Pequeno looks in his coin purse, then back at the potions....
"Make it 10. Come on you don’t want to back down on a bet in front of the lady do you? I tell you what.... Different conditions. I'll wager 10 gold that you wont drink three. And I get to choose which ones...."

Urnid stares down the halfling for a moment, obviously seething. Suddenly, he thrusts his hand in Pequeno's direction to shake.
"You're on! Pick well, Pequeno. I'm thirsty."

"Now we're talking!"
Pequeno looks at the selection of potions.....
(waits for DM description)

Rather than describe each potion (for their appearance and smell will mean

absolutely nothing) we’ll just say Pequeno chooses 3of the least disgusting (or most, if you prefer) bottles.

Urnid downs the first potion. Urnid loses 6 hit pints.

Urnid downs the second and his vision darkens for just a moment. It is only as he is downing the third that he realizes he can no longer see. Of course this was his last thought before he drops down dead. (save vs spells failed, 8 rolled.)

Pequeno stands wide eyed as Urnid downs the potions.
As he hits the floor and the last bottle shatters to the floor. His eyes open further.
He looks in confusion/amazement/doubt at Urnids body on the floor. Then he looks to the others. His hand moving slowly towards the hilt of his sword.....

OOC: Damn my 6 Wisdom! I should have hung out with a nicer crowd.

*As Urnid's corpse hits the floor, Jakob turns to see what the noise is about.

Seeing Urnid and the broken vial, he speaks to the rest of the party.*
"Who needs a foe? Huh? If death is so inviting, just say so and I'll be more than willing to assist you there. Now, we have a mission to accomplish. That means we need to live long enough to Get. It. Done. Understood?"
*He nudges Urnid's lifeless form with his boot.*
"Take whatever necessary equipment from him, and distribute it amongst yourselves. We are going to finish this job and get out of here. Alive."

On Urnid’s body you find the following: a longsword in scabbard, a dagger, leather armor, a medium shield, soft boots, breeches, a tabard, a cloak, a belt, gloves, a wool shirt, an empty wineskin, a full wineskin, a small belt pouch containing a potion, a bronze amulet of the Thieves’’ Guild of Erundy and 5 copper coins, and a backpack containing 6 more daggers. Who takes what?

Pequeno takes 10 gold from his pouch.
"Leave these with him. He earned them."

*Jakob removes the potion, the amulet and the 6 spare daggers. They all go into Jakob's backpack.*

Jakob is now moderately encumbered. His movement rate drops to 4 and he suffers a -1 to all attack rolls.

Pending anything anyone else might grab, or anything you might want to do with Urnid’s body (feel free to post and we’ll retcon it), you proceed to the next door.

As the door opens flashing lights and the chattering of hundreds of jawbones wash over you. Various skulls are embedded all along the walls of this small chamber, extending up 50 feet. The magic has animated them and they struggle to get free of their prison. In the center of the room is a small platform with a large, charred bookstand on one side and an unmoving human form in burnt robes on the other. An empty and badly bent iron stand is anchored to the center of the platform, apparently where some sort of melon-sized device once sat.

A pale, tired woman in a black robe is sunk up to her waist in the stone platform, and she looks up and smiles at you saying, “Thank the powers you’ve come! You must destroy the diamond with fire before the world is destroyed! But first help me!”

Celesa heads over to the woman and begins trying to pull her out. “Oof, owwww!! No, no, that won’t do. The stone will have to be chipped away, but that would take days. My name is Nicole Brentis. I was working with Relb. About a week ago, some thieves lowered a rope over the edge of the balcony and lassoed a very large diamond that sat on that iron stand. Relb’s research was in transmutation and the giant diamond was being used as a focus for a series of complex experimental spells. When the thieves managed to take the diamond, the magical energies were warped. The immediate backlash killed Relb and mired me here. The warped magical energy in that diamond will continue to grow wildly and eventually tear the fabric of creation asunder!

I have been living on some rations I had in my travel kit (I was getting ready to leave for the forest for ingredients.)

You must find the diamond and destroy it by putting it in an ordinary campfire for three hours. I ask only that you leave me some rations and send someone to get me out of here. Take this.” She reaches into a pocket and hands Celesa a small diamond needle. “That will point to the large diamond at all times, due to powerful spells placed upon it. Will you do this?”

Celesa’s voice quivers as she asks, “We have to destroy the diamond!?”

“Yes!” answers Nicole. “And quickly!”

Celesa offers to run out to her horse tethered outside and bring back some rations from her saddlebags.

"Yes, destroy the diamond. That sounds like a good idea. Like destroying the book that eventually killed our flying friend. See? I told ya. Destroy evil. D-E-S-T-R-O-Y E-E-E-E-V-I_L."
Pequeno asks the lady.
"Where may we find this so evil, yet imminently valuable, diamond?"

The woman says, “You need only follow the diamond needle. The diamond is still in this vicinity, I am sure.”

Celesa returns with 4 trail rations from her saddle bag and fills Urnid’s empty wineskin from a fountain just outside.

In the interest of moving things along, I’m posting the next part. If you want to have said or done something, just go ahead and post.

Celesa requests you help her drape Urnid and his gear on her horse. He’ll be heavily encumbered, but still able to keep pace with a lightly encumbered human on foot.

You quickly make your way back out of the workshop. As you step outside, the needle spins in your hand and points northwest. Following its directions for a couple of hours brings you to a series of small gorges at the edge of the grasslands. A flock of sheep off to the left bleats loudly and eats grass. About 30 feet in front of you is part of a human in leather armor – the person was recently ripped to pieces! Suddenly a panicked and bleeding man in tattered clothes, hugging a large diamond to his chest, sprints around the corner. He sees you, tosses the diamond to you and screams, “Save me! Save me!”

A moment later two sheep trot around the corner. They slow down, watching your group with leering stares. Suddenly tentacles and extra mouths sprout from all around the two sheep and they charge!

We are in initiative. Please post your actions.

OOC: HOLY CRAP! lol! Sorry, gang. I had a convention that I was working this last weekend which took up more time than I thought it would prepping and breaking down. I am back now.
Rajan will sigh at Pequeno, both after Urnid dies and when he makes the "evil" comments, and mutter something incomprehensible.
Rajan will eye the woman trapped with a critical eye, how she is trapped not the woman herself, though he will check to see if she DOES look like a wizard's apprentice (the right callouses on her hand, ink stains, etc.).
Outside, when sheep attack (next on Geraldo), Rajan will yipe and cast Minor Sphere of Perbutation by way of Dierdra's Reckless Dweomer.

Celesa yelps as the sheep turn strange and begin charging. and quickly draws her sword and prepares to fight off any beastie that comes in range.
"I swear, I'll never eat lamb again. I promise."

*Jakob tosses his spear at the nearest of these new monstrosities.*
"Take that, you piece of mutton!"

Round 1

Celesa yelps as the sheep turn strange and begin charging. and quickly draws her sword and prepares to fight off any beastie that comes in range.
"I swear, I'll never eat lamb again. I promise."

As Celesa is drawing her sword, one of the Sheep Changers charges her. In the act of charging however, the monster appears to strain its back (critical fumble) and injures itself.

The other Mutton Murderer charges Jakob, but misses.

*Jakob tosses his spear at the nearest of these new monstrosities.*
"Take that, you piece of mutton!"

Realizing he was being charged and that he would have no target, Jakob sets his spear for the charge and just misses skewering the creature before it attacked. (12 rolled)(DM’s prerogative on change of action)

The GM plays the “A Stitch in Time” coupon and the monster heals 9 points of damage.

Pequeno begins drawing his sword as Rajan begins casting a spell.

Celesa yelps as the sheep turn strange and begin charging. and quickly draws her sword and prepares to fight off any beastie that comes in range.
"I swear, I'll never eat lamb again. I promise."

Celesa attacks the monster that charged her (15 rolled), and does 5 points of damage.

Outside, when sheep attack (next on Geraldo), Rajan will yipe and cast Minor Sphere of Perbutation by way of Dierdra's Reckless Dweomer.

Unfortunately, due to a combination of Wild Surge and being dishonorable, Rajan casts the spell at 0^th-level and it has no duration at all.

Pequeno draws his sword and attacks the beast attacking Celesa, but misses completely (3 rolled).

Please post your actions for the next round.

Celesa hacks into the foul mutton monster again, while she stare at the creature in horror.
"I hate sheep."

OOC: Damnit! LOL!
Rajan will narrow his eyes and curse at the anti-magic shape-changing sheep that foiled his spells! He will cast his last Minor Sphere of Perturbation via Dierdra's Reckless Dweomer. "I guess that guy with the diamond almost literally had the wool pulled over his eyes, eh?" And he lets out a blast of gas to punctuate his joke, unintentionally.

Celesa groans at the bad joke and bad fumes being expelled by Rajan.

*As the Sheep Changer is turning for the next pass, Jakob turns and throws the spear. He then reaches for his sword.*
"Come and taste some steel, you Gnoll's girlfriend."

The creatures do not continue on so ranged combat is not possible. You could attack with spear or sword.

Round 2

Pequeno slashes at one of the monsters, but misses (2 rolled).

Pequeno again attacks, and again hits (12 rolled) for 11 points of damage.

Rajan will narrow his eyes and curse at the anti-magic shape-changing sheep that foiled his spells! He will cast his last Minor Sphere of Perturbation via Dierdra's Reckless Dweomer. "I guess that guy with the diamond almost literally had the wool pulled over his eyes, eh?" And he lets out a blast of gas to punctuate his joke, unintentionally.

Rajan begins casting his spell.

Jakob quick-draws his sword and attacks, but misses (13 rolled).

Celesa hacks into the foul mutton monster again, while she stare at the creature in horror.
"I hate sheep."

At the very same time, Celesa attacks, but misses (4 rolled).

The wounded monster disengages and carefully begins backing away feet. Celesa and Pequeno may follow it or hold their position. What do you do?

*Jakob approaches the nearest of the two abominations and lets it taste steel.*

OOC: So...is Rajan still casting this round?

Rajan is, in fact, still casting his spell.

Pequeno and Celesa follow the creature.

The second creature lashes at Jakob with a tentacle and misses by a long shot.

Jakob casts his spell. A 20-ft. radius area is suddenly engulfed in waves (much like heat waves.) Unfortunately, due to the fact that Celesa and Pequeno pursued the retreating monster and are currently 9’ away from Jakob and his attacker, they are also caught in the area. Celesa, Pequeno and both monsters begin to move slower.

Jakob’s attacker bites at him, and misses again.

Celesa and Pequeno continue to pursue the retreating monster, making it 17’ away before one of the sprouted mouths on Jakob’s sheep bites at him, and would have hit had it not been for Rajan’s spell.

Celesa and Pequeno end up 19’ away from Jakob in their pursuit.

We’re in a new round. I’m going to assume you continue attacking, unless you post otherwise (after the fact is allowed if timely).

Round 3

Celesa swings and misses (5 rolled).

Pequeno also misses (6 rolled.)

The first monster continues its slow retreat, followed by Celsa and Pequeno. They suddenly pick up a little bit of speed as they reach the edge of Rajan’s spell.

They are 27’ away when Jakob is again attacked, and hit for 4 points of damage (2 of which are absorbed by his armor).

They are 30’ away when Jakob retaliates, but misses (8 rolled). Jakob finds himself fatigued (-1 temporary point to STR and DEX)

They are 36’ away when Jakob is attacked a second time, but not hit.

They are 42’ away when Rajan draws his magical dagger and 45’ away when another mouth bites at and misses Jakob.

When Rajan attacks they are 48’ away. Rajan misses (10 rolled).

Round 4

Pequeno attacks. A miss (7 rolled).

Rajan strikes at the creature he and Jakob are fighting and hits! (19 rolled) for 6 points of damage (penetration). Rajan finds himself fatigued (-1 temporary point to STR and DEX)

Celesa attacks but misses (2 rolled).

Jakob also misses (3 rolled). Jakob finds himself further fatigued (-2 temporary point to STR and DEX) and is now heavily encumbered.

Celesa and Peqeno’s target begins to move away and they keep pace, Pequeno slashing at it again, and again missing (9 rolled.)

The second monster turns its attention from Jakob to Rajan and bites the magic-user for 3 points of damage. It lashes out again for 4 points of damage. A third attack does 3 more points of damage. Rajan is down to 1 hit point.

Celesa and Pequeno are 78 feet away, pursuing their target.

I feel at this stage I should get Jakob and Rajan's input as to their actions.

Rajan will back away from the creature to catch his breath. This evil fighting sure is hard work! "Hey guys....I'm....gonna cast....another spell....here....in a second. Watch out...for the ten...tacles...I mean...have you....ever seen...a lamb....chop? It's horrible."
He farts several times during his speech, but seems not to notice.

Round 5

Pequeno attacks, and misses (5 rolled) and finds himself fatigued (-1 temporary point to STR and DEX) and is now lightly encumbered, dropping his speed to 3.

Celesa’s attack just misses (15 rolled).

Rajan begins to disengage from the creature fighting with Jakob.

The other creature continues its dance with Celesa and Pequeno.

Jakob’s monster bites him for 4 points of damage, reduced to 2 by Jakob’s armor. That armor is now damaged and its AC is reduced by 1.

The monster lashes at Jakob with a tentacle and barely misses.

Jakob attacks but rolls a fumble (1). Jakob’s swing goes wild and he ends up doing 1 point of damage to his own armor, and further fatiguing him (-3 temporary point to STR and DEX)

Another tentacle misses Jakob.

Please post your actions for Round 6

OOC: I assume that these things have eyes, like normal sheep? If they don't I'll change my post.
Rajan finally caught his breath and noticed Jakob looked to be in trouble. So he cast a Remote Gouged Eye spell on the sheepchanger currently engaged with Jakob. "There's mutton in your eye, villain!"

While the creatures do have eyes, Rajan already cast that spell earlier in the day. He has only Conceal Gas, Indian Burn and Neutralize Alcohol left to be cast.

OOC: really? I looked through posts and must've missed it. ah well. Then he will cast Indian Burn instead, maybe on one of the tentacles.

Round 6

Pequeno attacks, and misses (10 rolled) and finds himself further fatigued (-2 to STR and DEX.) Pequeno is also now moderately encumbered.

Celesa attacks (16 rolled) and hits the beast for 3 points of damage.

The beast stops retreating and looks as if it will attack.

Rajan finally caught his breath and noticed Jakob looked to be in trouble. So he cast Indian Burn, maybe on one of the tentacles.

Rajan drops his dagger as he stands about 1 foot away from the monster and makes a wringing motion with his hands. There seems to be no effect.

Pequeno attacks again and is ditrsctade by his opponent (1 rolled). Pequeno suffers a -4 to hit and no dex bonus to his AC for 1 round.

The monster bites Jakob for 5 points of damage. Jakob’s studded elather armor is destroyed, as are his clothes. He takes 3 points of damage (this brings him to 4 hit points.)

The monster lashes at Jakob with a tentacle doing 5 points of damage and Jakob goes down, unconscious and beleeding

Please post your actions for the next round.

Celesa will attack the one that attacked Pequeno.

Rajan will draw his "special" dagger (ie: the magic one) since he dropped one of his normal ones and he ain't about to bend down only 1 foot away from this thing. He will then attempt to attack the sheep thing, even though he knows it's not a great idea, but doesn't want to leave Jakob to the thing's "tender mercies". He lets out a tremendous fart and a wince as he swings.
"I feel sheepish to ask...but can I get some help here? Jakob is down and I'm not fully healed from before! Blue wizard needs aid badly!"

Round 7

Jakob continues to bleed.

Pequeno attacks and misses (16 rolled.)

Celesa will attack the one that attacked Pequeno.

Celesa misses (14 rolled.) Celesa becomes fatigued (-1 to STR and DEX) and finds herself now lightly encumbered.

The creature nearest Rajan advances and bites at him, hitting for 4 points of damage. Rajan goes down but hangs onto consciousness…for now.

The other beast bites at Celesa and misses. A second attack by tentacle also misses. The third attack shreds Celesa’s darksuit and does 4 points of damage to her.

Please post your actions for the next round.

*Jakob lays there and bleeds for a while.*

"This is not good." Celesa glances over at the two who have fallen and then back at the sheep-thingy menacing her.
In her next attack Celesa would like to burn some honor to add to the attack roll, (but not so much as to go down below great honor)
((ooc-anyone else think it's time to look at coupons))

OOC: Yeah yeah yeah. I'm on it. Playing "Never Say Die" - Good for 1D12 points of Healing. Please roll high.
Rajan grunts and rolls his eyes up in his head for a moment, concentrating, pulling himself together and praying to Kishijoten for luck.

Rajan receives 5 points of healing bringing him up to 2 HP. He is prone. What would Rajan like to do this round?

Uh...that depends...is the sheepchangerthingy hovering over, moving forward to investigate/eat me or Jakob or turning away?

Ahhh, you attempt to read the mind of the sheep-thing! You have no idea of its intentions. Last round it took you down and stands in the same spot until its action this round.

(I'm using "Rest and Relaxation", GOOD FOR 1D6)

Jakob receives 5 points of healing. He is now at 3 hit points. What is he doing this round?

Pequeno breaths heavily. His mouth dry with thirst...... He grips his sword tightly. Readying himself for the next offensive.

Rajan will lay there, looking the same as he did when he fell last round, hoping it will move away from him. If it moves to attack him or eat him, he will slice at it with his nifty magic dagger.

Pequeno moves in to protect Rajan, attacking with his sword if it gets close enough.
(The sheep, not Rajan!)

Pequeno is over 80’ away from Rajan and in combat. He could break into a dead run (his speed is currently 3 due to fatigue) get attacks and still take 6 rounds to get there. Or he can take two attacks against his current combatant.

I'll stay in the melee I am in. I didnt have a grasp of the layout.

*Jakob unsteadily begins to rise to his feet. He quickly sheds his backpack and lifts his sword in a defensive position.*

Round 8

Pequeno attacks: he rolls a 19, hits the monster and deals 8 points of damage to it, dropping it to the ground, bleeding! Unfortunately the exertion leaves him further fatigued (13 rolled for fatigue save) and he is at -3 to his STR and DEX and still modertately encumbered.

Rajan will lay there, looking the same as he did when he fell last round, hoping it will move away from him. If it moves to attack him or eat him, he will slice at it with his nifty magic dagger.

*Jakob unsteadily begins to rise to his feet. He quickly sheds his backpack.

Jakob is now unencumbered

The last monster begins running toward Pequeno

Jakob lifts his sword in a defensive position.*

The last monster continues running toward Pequeno, and reaches him. Celesa is there.

"This is not good." Celesa glances over at the two who have fallen and then back at the sheep-thingy menacing her.
In her next attack Celesa would like to burn some honor to add to the attack roll, (but not so much as to go down below great honor)
Celesa rolls a 6 and a 3 for burning 10 points of honor, but still misses.

Please post your actions for the next round. Celesa and Pequeno are in combt with a monster. Jakob and Rajan are approximately 80’ away.

"Well at least Jakob seems to be alive over there, and maybe he can help Rajan if he's bleeding or something."
Celesa says with a hint of hope as she tries to slice into the sheepy monstrosity.

Rajan picks himself up, grunting. "Well THAT sucked!"
He then began moving towards the creature trying to get into range for throwing his dagger possibly, or closing in melee (even though I know that'll take a bit).

Pequeno will give it his all and press the attack. With a roar the diminutive clad in black Pequeno yells "HOO-DEE-HOO!" as he swings!!!!!!!

Round 9

Pequeno will give it his all and press the attack. With a roar the diminutive clad in black Pequeno yells "HOO-DEE-HOO!" as he swings!!!!!!!

Pequeno misses (4 rolled) and is further fatigued (-4 to STR and DEX) and is now heavily encumbered.

Rajan picks himself up, grunting. "Well THAT sucked!"
Jakob begins walking towards the combat.

"Well at least Jakob seems to be alive over there, and maybe he can help Rajan if he's bleeding or something."
Celesa says with a hint of hope as she tries to slice into the sheepy monstrosity.

Celesa connects (19 rolled) and deals 3 points of damage to the beast (4-1 for fatigue)

Rajan then began moving towards the creature trying to get into range for throwing his dagger possibly, or closing in melee (even though I know that'll take a bit).

The monster bites at Pequeno and misses.

The sheep? Lashes at Pequeno with a tentacle, hitting for 4 points of damage and doing 2 points of damage to the halfling’s padded armor, removing 1 point of AC from it.

Jakob arrives at the combat just as the monster lashes at Pequeno again, and misses.

Rajan makes it to about 8 feet away from the combat.

I’m going to continue with the next round (tell me if you would have done something differently.

Pequeno keeps attacking. Giving it all he's got! He'll reroll his next missed attack roll using a "mulligan" ticket.

"I'm going to shear your tentacles from your mangy pelt!"
*Jakob swings his longsword at the wooly monstrosity.*

Round 10

Pequeno keeps attacking. Giving it all he's got! He'll reroll his next missed attack roll using a "mulligan" ticket.

Pequeno attacks and misses (8 rolled, re-rolled as a 6), but feels no further fatigued (1 rolled).

"I'm going to shear your tentacles from your mangy pelt!"
*Jakob swings his longsword at the wooly monstrosity.*

Jakob attacks and just misses (14 rolled) and is further fatigued (18 rolled).

Pequeno attacks a second time but just misses (14 rolled).

The monster attacks Celesa for 8 points of damage and she goes down bleeding and unconscious.

Rajan moves in and attacks, and misses (11 rolled). Rajan is further fatigued and moderately encumbered.

Round 11

Celesa continues to bleed.

Pequeno attacks and misses (5 rolled) and becomes further fatigued (17 rolled) and is now severely encumbered.

Rajan attacks and misses (2 rolled) and becomes further fatigued (14 rolled) and severely encumbered.

The monster attacks Rajan for 5 points of damage. Rajan once more is unconscious and bleeding.

Jakob attacks and hits (15 rolled) for 4 points of damage but becomes more fatigued (11 rolled).

Round 11

Celesa and Rajan continue to bleed.

Pequeno attacks and hits (19 rolled) for 17 damage

The monster bites Pequeno back, doing 5 points of damage and destroying his padded armor and shredding his silk clothing and his cloak.

Jakob attacks and hits (19 rolled) for 5 more points of damage.

The monster lashes at Pequeno and hits for 7 more points of damage.

Pequenio’s second attack is a ciritcal hit! He brings his broadsword down on the side of the creature’s shoulder for 10 points of damage, killing it.

As Celesa and Rajan bleed to death, Jakob and Pequeno do everything they can to stop the bleeding. This is accomplished by making a WIS save vs ½ WIS. Celesa’s bleeding is stopped at -8, Rajan’s at -9.

Are there more creatures?

There are not.

Pequeno continues to help whomever he can.
"Do we have any of those potions? Can you identify any of them Jakob?"

((ooc: Now I really wish I had a healing coupon. Nothing like unidentified potions))

As Pequeno waits for a response from Jakob he suddenly notices the condition of his armor.
"Wha?!?! Ohhh no. This is simply unacceptable!" he says, picking at the torn silk coming through the ripped padding.

"Unfortunately, I never studied such things as dweomercraft. Most of my training's from soldiering, some healing and such that my mother (may her soul reside with the blessed deities) taught, and such."
*Jakob moves to see if his healing skills might work.*
"I may not have time to even save them. Give them one, and only one, potion apiece."

(As he's worse off, Jakob will try to use his First Aid skill on Rajan)

DM gift: This won’t happen often – carefully read the first aid skill suite description. You have successfully stopped the bleeding by staunching the wounds. Before sewing them closed would do any good, you’d first have to cauterize them. That requires fire. Then you sew the wounds shut. The needle itself does damage to the patient. As hurt as your companions are, the cure may be more deadly than the disease, so to speak.

Pequeno carefully pours a potion down Celesa’s throat. After several seconds she begins to give off a purple glow as bright as a bonfire. There seems to be no further effect.

Moving then to Rajan, Pequeno administers the elixir. Slowly, ugly green patches begin to form on Rajan’s skin. Rajan’s Comeliness and Charisma are both reduced by 3, right before he loses 7 hit points and dies.

OOC: Lol! No worries! I figured this character was doomed from the start, not sure why. =D

*Jakob watches in hopeless sadness as Rajan casts off his mortal coil. Tears start forming in his eyes. He reaches down and closes Rajan's eyes before turning to Pequeno.*
"We are in a bad situation. We cannot stay here, as more of those things...or worse...might attack at any moment. Yet, we cannot move her, for doing so may kill her. I am open to options right now."

Pequeno looks at Jakob.
"Bringing her along may not be the best thing for her. At the rate I am goin gshe'll be dead in an hour."
Pequeno looks at the empty potion bottle and the dead Rajan....
"Its NOT my fault... Its NOT my fault..." he mutters.....

*Jakob claps a hand onto the halfling's shoulder.*
"No, we should have done a lot of things different. Such as have brought a cleric with us. But, we must go on, in honor of their memory and sacrifice."

Where did the diamond land?
Pequeno looks over to Celesa. Seeing if she is still among the living.

The diamond lay on the ground where it was dropped when combat began. Celesa is unconscious, but alive.

And I have always been confused by this.
Who is all standing here? A horse? A goat? I have no concept of what our party consists of.

You have Celesa the Sylvan Elf laying on the ground. Her riding horse is some short distance away. Jakob (a Human) is with you. Rajan the Half-Elf lays dead. His pack goat is nibbling at his cloak.

And Urnid is on the horse?

Oops. Yes, he is.

Pequeno looks at Jakob. Then at the diamond.
"You wanna pick it up?"

"I'd rather smash it into shards."
*Jakob looks at where Rajan's pack goat is nibbling on its deceased master's cloak. An inspiration hits Jakob. He quickly moves to the fallen half-elf and begins to remove the cloak.*

Jakob has the cloak, the goat seeming content to nibble on whatever garments present themselves.

"Whatcha gonna do with that?"

"This diamond is the source of the troubles hereabouts. Now, if we're unable to destroy it here and now, we'll need to take it to someone who can do so. and, seeing that it has all sort of bad mojo on it, I'd rather not make flesh on stone contact, if you take my meaning."

"I get your meaning exactly! Lets put it in a bag and get out of here to someplace safer!"
Pequeno sees if he can revive Celesa enough to get her on the horse with the dead Urnid.
"Wait a sec? Should we leave Urnid and Rajan here? It’s a lot to lug around.... Let’s bury them."

*Good idea."
*Jakob looks around.*
"We need a shovel of some sort."

Celesa does not rouse, but with Urnid off the horse, you (mostly Jakob) are able to get her up on it.

Forgotten during the combat was the disheveled man who threw you the diamond. He sits nearby, rocking, mumbling continually “must be destroyed, quickly, quickly, do it now, before its too late….”

"What's your story sir?" Pequeno asks.
"Looks like you've seen better days. Where did you find this thing?" Pequeno asks, pointing to the diamond with his foot.
While he's talking Pequeno finds a small sack and turns it inside out. He puts it over his arm to see if he'll be able to pick up the diamond with it.

Pequeno grabs the very large diamond. The man recoils. “Nightmares during the day. No sleep. No sleep! Chased by stranger horrors every step. I stole it. Name’s Horace Summel. Heard that lippy servant of Relb’s describing the diamond one day after having too much ale in town while getting supplies. I figger’d it was an opportunity dropped into me lap. I needed help so I sent word to the guild of thieves in Erundy. Two weeks ago, the thugs arrived. And we stole it. That’s when things went bad. Horribly bad. I’ll stand trial in Laert for what I done, as long as that thing is destroyed! It’s too bloody dangerous to exist!”

"What do you mean Bad? Did mutated sheep start falling from the sky?"

“No, everything just started changing. Animals, plants, things I can’t even begin to describe!”

*Jakob looks at Horace.*
"Sir, I'll make you a deal. You help us bury our dead, and we'll destroy the diamond. I'll even put in a good word for you when we get back."

For the first time the shattered man’s eyes register hope. He nods, stands up shakily and goes to where the other human body lay, the one in pieces. From under a pile of leaves he pulls a bloody shovel and starts digging furiously. “I think I’ve done some horrible things.”

With his help you areb able to bury your companions.

Does anybody take anything from Rajan’s body? He had a wooden holy symbol, torn robes, soft boots, gloves, a belt, a +1 magic dagger, 3 normal daggers, a full wineskin, a backpack filled with 12 broken eggs, 2 fruit preserves, a torch, flint & steel, 2 quill pens, 2 papyrus, a vial of ink, 6 candles, 5 pieces of colored chalk, and 26 unidentified potions; a belt pouch containing 5 silver coins, and a leather bag containing his spellbook in a leather case.

Pequeno helps bury the dead and then looks thru Rajan's things.
I'll take these if you don't mind Jakob.
Pequeno shows Jakob the the magical dagger, the spellbook, and 5 of the potions.

*Jakob takes the ink, the papyrus, the quills, the preserves and the balance of the potions. Assuming that the horse has saddle bags, he places those items and the items he gathered from Urnid in them. Otherwise, he places them in Rajan's backpack and hooks that to the horse's saddle.*

"Well Jakob, it’s just you and I at the moment. Where and how do you suppose we destroy this diamond?"
He waits....
"Or shall we leave it to Celesa? Afterall it was her idea."

There is enough room in one of the saddle bags for what Jakob removes from Rajan’s body. The words of Relb’s assistant mage come back to your mind…“destroy it by putting it in an ordinary campfire for three hours.”

"Shall we find a place to camp in what would appear to be relative safety?"

"That would be a great idea. We need a rest after recent events. I propose three four hour watches. I can take first and third."

"Agreed."

"Where shall we camp?"
(how far are we from civilization?)

"If we are far out I suggest we find a defensible cave or something similar. With this diamond in our posession we shouldnt be out in the open too long"

You believe you are only about 3 hours away from Laert, and 1 hour away from Relb’s workshop (ion the opposite direction).

"I Think we should mount up and head for Laert. No sense camping when we are so close. We should ride hard and get Celesa to help."

You make the trip back to Laert but have the distinct feeling that the very forest is changing and getting ready to follow you. Horace Summel is weeping openly by the time you hit town. Captain Torvil is there and helps get Celesa somewhere where she can rest and be tended. The Captain is curious about what has befallen you, and who your new companion is, as he throws himself at her feet, hands clasped before him and makes full confession of his crimes.

Not one to refuse a voluntary surrender, the Captain claps him in irons. Spotting some farmers running from an ununsually speedy haystack she asks, “Ummm, I take it we’re not out of this yet?”

"Not Yet. Assemble anyone who can fight. Build a fire. We found the source of the evil and need to burn it in the fire. We may have a fight on our hands while we dispose of the source."

"Have whatever clergy you have that can access healing spells ready as well. It will take three hours for the evil magics to be undone, and we'll need as muh divine favor as we can muster."

All preparations are made, anti-climactically, so it would seem. Other than the odd vignette that plays out on your periphery, and has been consistent with what you have seen so far, the diamond cracks in the fire after three hours. There are no attacks, and no change in the level of strangeness to which you have almost become accustomed.

When the stone cracks, all mutated things instantly revert to their true natures. You hear cries of triumph from nearby farmers engaged in a last-ditch defense against a rebellious patch of rutabagas. Captain Torvil gets your reward and bids you stay on as honored guests while your wounds heal. Celesa will make a full recovery and can begin posting again (sorry, sweetie!)

Here ends the adventure of Relb’s Workshop. I have some calculating to do and you have a new friend to meet before heading off on your Quest for the Unknown.

HUZZAH!!!!!!
Pequeno High Fives Jakob!

After a few days in bed, Celesa joins the others in the tavern, wanting to be filled in on everything else that happened. While still on the mend she seems back to her jovial self again and starts asking about as to where she might be able to buy some new clothes, as she is still wearing the clothing that is ripped and torn in all the right places.

Jakob returns the high five.
When Celesa rejoins the group, Jakob informs her of the party's full losses, as well as the culmination of the adventure, in a proper military fashion.

Congratulations to Pequeno for MVP!

I have the following totals for session 2, the end of Relb’s Workshop

Celesa earned 159 XP and loses 7 points of honor.

11 xp for defeating a stout oak table

148 xp for defeating the two doppelewes

5 temporal honor for entering into combat with the stout oak table sans

armor

5 temporal honor for entering combat with the doppelewes sans armor

1 temporal honor for fighting the stout oak table

1 temporal honor for fighting the doppelewes

2 temporal honor for being victorious over the stout oak table

2 temporal honor for being victorious over the doppelewes

-1 temporal honor for party honor adjustment

-10 actual honor burned to add to a roll

Jakob earned 145 XP and earns 1 point of honor.

10 xp for defeating a stout oak table

135 xp for defeating the two doppelewes

1 temporal honor for fighting the stout oak table

1 temporal honor for fighting the doppelewes

2 temporal honor for being victorious over the stout oak table

2 temporal honor for being victorious over the doppelewes

1 temporal honor for party honor adjustment

Pequeno earned 815 XP and earns 1 point of honor.

10 xp for defeating a stout oak table

135 xp for defeating the two doppelewes

500 xp for Most Valuable Player

170 xp for most damage dealt (17 points of damage by broadsword

delivered to a doppelewe)

1 temporal honor for delivering a critical hit to a doppelewe

1 temporal honor for fighting the doppelewes

2 points temporal honor for landing the killing blow on each doppelewe

2 temporal honor for being victorious over the doppelewes

-1 temporal honor for party honor adjustment

Rajan earned 489 XP and would have earned 1 point of honor if his honor wasn;t

capped.

11 xp for defeating a stout oak table

148 xp for defeating the two doppelewes

330 xp for most awesome character death (really ugly potion death)

1 temporal honor for fighting the stout oak table

1 temporal honor for fighting the doppelewes

2 temporal honor for being victorious over the stout oak table

2 temporal honor for being victorious over the doppelewes

1 temporal honor for party honor adjustment

Urnid earned 11 XP

11 xp for defeating a stout oak table

1 temporal honor for landing the killing blow on the stout oak table

1 temporal honor for party honor adjustment

The “Good” coupon for session 2 is awarded to Urnid, as he was the only character who didn’t use a cupon or lose honor (there was a 3-way tie between Pequeno, Rajan and Jakob. Only 1 coupon can be used per session.

The “Bad” coupon is awarded to Celesa. Whatever that effect is will have to wait.

Coupons go to the player, so they can be used for replacement characters as well. I’ll let you know what the good coupon is when I get home. I’ll let you know what the bad coupon is when it’s most advantageous for me to play it.

((Thanks Guys))