PBEM, Episode 41 - Hall, Barrel & Sulfur

FORTY ONE

(I/C)
Brendon gave the room a slow pan, taking in the skeletal remains, the glowing walls, the cave, the bubbling grey pool, and the foul smell. He then turned to the rest of the group, “I think we need to find a way up. I’m sure the crown is somewhere but not in this room.”

“Now hold on a second, wait a minute Mister Thief, that pool looks interesting.”

“Korvid, can you do me a favor,” Brendon asked, “call me Brendon and not thief anymore. It’s insulting.”

The dwarf gave him a slow gaze, beard bristling under his lip. “Kovid.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s Kovid. You keep putting an R in it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He spun his hammer. “Tell you what, you drop the R and I’ll stop saying Thief, deal?”

“Uh yeah, sure.” He got to the stairs and turned back around. “So, we going?”

Lannis shook his head. "We should make our way back up, but while we're here we should look around the corner and see what there is to see before we do. I'd also like to get a closer look at this pool."

"We shood get idea how big dis room is,” Wyn agreed, “and en get eye down dat corner dere. Den we continue upstairs. If dee dwarf en silver tongue over dere wish to mess with dee pool, I can throw a tomato in. Dee rocks obviously not affected by whatever is in dere. Neider ees medal. Need sometin wit skin to test it. Tomato work. Den we continue nord on dee first floor, oui?"

“I’d like to throw a tomato in,” Abraxas offered hand out. “You’ve got a box of them, Senor Wendy. May I?”

As Wyn was taking the box out Lannis gave him a hard glance. “Um…no.”

“Why?”

“Seriously? Throw a tomato in? Why don’t you just set the room on fire?”

“Is that an option?” Abraxas asked. “I would like to throw fire into the pool then, if that option is on la tabla.”

“No,” Lannis growled, teeth grit. “No tomatoes, no fire, no nothing, ok? Master muttonchops and I will go and check it out…”

“Wrap something around your face,” Brendon interrupted from the base of the stairs. “Safety first.”

“Sure, Pirate Roberts, while mucking around the fallen elven castle overrun by greenskins and anklebiters with wandering medusas tripping down crazy long flights of stairs I should worry about safety. What an idiot.” He paused, gathering his thoughts, and then turned to Kovid. “Make sure you wrap something around your face when we’re checking out the pool, ok?”

“Was already going to, Lannis.”

“Zo,” Wyn shook his head and held up a hand. “Kovid and Lannis are going to check out the pool, I will go an’ check ‘round ze corner and see where the cave goes, Brendon you will stay on ze stairs, no?”

“Absolutely!” the scout agreed.

“Ok, zen Abraxas you will stay near him an…Lyra?” He turned to the Cleric who was also at the steps. “What about you?”

Lyra frowned. “If you morons want to throw anything into the puddle that is the sign for me to get out of here. If that…puddle grows eyes and hands and turns into some giant mercury ooze I will feel really bad that you all were left behind to die for messing with something obviously stupid.” She stomped her foot on the steps. “I’ll be here. In fact,” she pushed Brendon aside and climbed half way up the steps just at the limit of the light range, “I’ll be HERE instead.”

The elf looked at Abraxas. “Watch over the Monseuir and the Mademoiselle sil vous plait.”

"Señor Dundee,” Abraxas replied, hand over his heart, “Will do. Hand me the tomato, por favor. I will stay here and throw tomato. I will watch the pool and our amigos as well.”

“Holy shit,” Lannis shook his head. “No fucking tomatoes.”

“Senor Shotput, you are a nasty man with your cursing.”

Lannis and Kovid looked over the pool carefully, the dwarf leaving the lantern a few feet behind him on the floor to afford light to the entire chamber. Meanwhile Wyn stepped closed to the pool along the north side, giving the skeletal remains a wide berth. The armor was rusty and pitted, elven in make, and was most likely here for the 3 decades easily. Why a lone figure was coming this way led the elf to think there might be a way out past here. As he crept along the passage turned to the north and the walls remained crude and cavern like. But as he walked along the passage narrowed more and more until it just ended at a blank wall. Not sure if this was the case, using the dim phosphorous light and his infravision, Wyn searched the walls for secret doors or passages that might lead out of here. (No roll needed).

What he did find (Wis > 9) was the remains of a flat wooden chest under a pile flat stones. The chest was open, the stones disturbed, and from the look of things, was opened and the contents taken 30 years ago. Rubbing his chin, he turned back to the figure hunched over near the pool lying on its face, arms wrapped around something under its body.

Meanwhile Kovid (<Stonework, Yellow 3) crept up to the pool and sand with Lannis, giving it a serious look over. “Ok, let’s start with the obvious. It’s a natural pool of water. And given the high water table in the area, the many natural caverns and steps down we’ve seen in the area, and the fact that the Ispan built his castle here, there are a number of natural occurring geological aspects that would account for it.”

Kovid (<Int check +2 stone bonus, Yellow 8) and Lannis (<Int check -2 penalty, Pink 15) gave the pool some simple tests. The sand was coarse and the color red was from staining from splashing from the pool. The water was not drinkable, but it seemed to be fed from a natural occurring sulfur vein far below. Over the years it had built up to the level it has now, hence the foul smell.

“So the Ispan had his own sulfur source here under the castle?”

“It would seem,” Kovid answered.

“As a magister, let me tell you, sulfur is deucedly expensive and to have a source, naturally occurring where you live had to be a big help.”

The dwarf nodded. “It’s fairly tapped out I would imagine, but we shouldn’t tarry too long in this chamber.” He rubbed his eyes. “Being here as long as we have been, I can already feel ourselves getting a bit dizzy from the effects.”

Lannis nodded. “I agree. I’ve had enough time working with in to know you can stay for a bit and then need to go.” The two of them stood up and wiped their hands and knees clean as Wyn came back around the corner towards them, looking at the fallen body.

(WMC, Red/Black 1 – Thanks Kelly!!) Meanwhile, Lyra in the gloom near the top of the steps cocked her head as she heard (<Hear Noise +2 bonus, White 3) someone coming closer. Lots of someones, walking along and coming closer. And they were chattering and chanting. She hissed at Brendon who was a few steps lower, the scout (<Hear Noise +10%, Red 13) already hearing the same things and grabbing the cleric’s hand pulling her lower.

The telltale smell of cinnamon was filling the air, along with their strange yipping barks and chittering language. “Kobolds,” he whispered.

“Fuck, fuck,” She muttered lowly. “Here I was wondering where the hell they were, and by Aine, they’re HERE.” She tilted her head. “How many?”

Brendon shook his head. “Not a clue. At least a half dozen, I would guess more.” The chanting was louder and through it all they could hear a name repeated, “Grilljax”. The two of them slunk down the steps to Abraxas to let the Fighter know what they heard and he too at the base of the steps could make out the chanting and walking of the kobolds as they walked the halls above, going SOMEWHERE nearby, but not coming to the steps here. “Sounds like they are going somewhere just above us.”

“The room with the stone barrel?”

“That would be my guess,” Brendon said. He turned to see the dwarf and Magic User cleaning themselves off and the Elf coming around the back corner of the cave. “Kobolds, lots of them, just over head. Let’s let everyone know now what’s what.” The thief rubbed his eyes, feeling a bit dizzy as the three of them let the other three know what they had learned just over their heads.

Time now is 3:32

(OOC)

In the room, sulfur pool, mild, but prolonged time down here could start being debilitating. Chest in the far corner had been opened and stuff missing, dead elven guy near pool on front arms hiding something. Some number of kobolds above going somewhere, maybe to the stone barrel room to get something, and they are chanting Grilljax.

What’s the plan?

PBEM Interlude 6 - Lannis

This was the last interlude that the player playing Lannis gave me. As a good friend of mine, he has a sarcastic wit that he has channeled with the low Charisma, High Intelligence Magic User in the group. Many of his lines and statements are gleaned from his discord chatter and they are sometime gold to me.

Follows:

LANNIS

Wyn D’Endee had his feet up by the fire, thumbing through a thin wellworn book, the night cries of the katydids and cicadas acting as song to the adventurers’ camp. He glanced up as Lannis took out a much thicker tome from his pack and proceeded to flip through it. The swamp elf chuckled, causing Lannis to glance over at him. “Something funny?” he asked.

The elf shook his head, motioning to Lannis’ book with his chin. “Some light readin’ you dun picked out for tonight, non?”

Abraxas reached over, looking at the book upside down and poked it with a greasy finger, the leg bone of the partridge Lyra had knocked out earlier and cooked wrapped in the rest of his hand. “What kind of book is that?” he asked, “There’s no pictures at all!”

Lannis harrumphed. “It happens to be my spellbook. My grimoire. My repository of magic and formula of the arcane.” He wiped some imaginary dirt from the corner of the page. “And keep your mitts out of it.”

“Relax, Senor,” Abraxas replied, stifling a belch and then resumed eating his dinner. “I have no need to read your spelling book. I have my own back at mi casa.”

“Spellbook. Spellbook. Dimwit.”

Wyn chuckled again. “From the thickness of it, I would ‘magine you are Kom-Pen-Say-Ting for something, amirite?” He waved his own book in the air. “Both of my spells that I need to know are right here.”

The Magic User tilted his head back and laughed. “That?! That’s it!? What are they, how to sharpen your ears and how to pick a good wine with fish? Please! My grimoire is thick because it will hold the full sum of the eldritch world breaking powers I am destined to have. To date it is already bursting forth with a number of enchantments that to a lesser mind would drive them insane.”

Kovid sucked the meat off of part of the bird carcass he was eating from and raised a bushy eyebrow. “Really?” he asked, voice heavy with sarcasm.

“Absolutely,” Lannis replied. “A wizard’s spellbook is established by the Mages’ Academy based upon the potential skills and innate intelligence of the neophyte magic users who go through the process. Given my natural skill, my unmatched genius, and the respect of my peers and fellow arcanists, the book that was assigned to me upon my graduation was of course the thickest, best, and most desired tome in the entire graduating class."

”So you graduated from the Mage’s Academy,” Brendon asked. The scout had his body turned partially away from the fire, eyes watching the surrounding darkness for any threats. “I knew a few hedge wizards who tried to get into the Academy but the process is difficult and very choosy.”

“Oui,” Wyn replied, “Ev’ry ten years the masters do look for a new ‘pprentice to join.” He rolled up his own book and pointed at Lannis’. “I ‘ad ta wait almos’ 6 years ‘afore I got my chance.” He tilted his head back, thinking. “Bit over 13 years ago now, but I had a good ‘pprenticeship wit’ Master Doogan afore he let me free ta go back to th’ outside world.”

“Wow,” Lannis said with a sneer. “Doogan. That’s real nice.”

“Well, when there be 5 wizards lookin’ for ‘pprentices every decade, you take what you kin take. I was ‘appy jus’ to be a part of it, non?”

“So after 13 years, 11 on your own, why aren’t you running adventuring groups to take down dragons or clear out barrowights?”

“Nah,” Wyn replied, “Elves live a much longer time’n you humans do. We look at the passage o’ decades as a milestone to note. I’m content wit’ wot I dun learned so far and it’s only recently that I been takin’ a more in’nerest in getting’ more learnin’.” He shrugged. “Of the Five Masters, who did you get to ‘pprentice wit’ then?”

Lannis smirked and replied, “Master Rooder.”

Wyn whistled. “Oh my, I din’t know ye were lucky ‘nuff ta git ‘im.” He nodded his head, “I’m sorry ifn’t I was Diss-Par-Ring-Ger-In ta ya.”

The Magic User nodded in thanks. “It’s alright. I remember plainly that day, bit over 3 years ago. The four Masters who came spent some time arguing before it was Master Rooder, the highest ranked mage at the academy, took me as his apprentice.”

“Four?” Lyra asked from the other side of the fire. “I thought there were 5?”

“Yeah, a Fifth Master was supposed to come that day but died on his way over.”

“Oh my,” she said. “How sad.”

Lannis tilted his head, shoulders shrugged. “It happens. Seems he slipped on one of the many dirty alembics in his lab and was killed in the fall. The Academy didn’t really investigate or publicize it since he was seen to be undesirable and no one actually cared.”

“Well,” Abraxas said, “be that as it may, Senor, I am glad for one to have the best ‘pprentice from the best wizard with the grandest cajone book of spelling in our familia.”

“Here, here.”

Blushing, Lannis nodded his head in due. “Thanks. I do what I can. It was everything I expected it to be; high marks in all my studies, graduating early, staying on to help teach the next class of apprentices. But my love is in spreading myself out there and finding what secrets have been lost in time. Using my skills and intellect to help those that need it.” He looked at the party and smiled. “You are lucky to have me. But I am happy to be here.”

The party settled down and one by one fell asleep, Brendon taking first watch.

With the conversation fresh on his mind, Lannis’ thoughts went back three years to that fateful day and he revisited his first days with the Academy in his dreams.

The time had finally come. Once every ten years, The Mage’s Academy would open its doors and send their wizards in search of new apprentices. He KNEW that he had the spark of magic within him, and when it was his turn to be tested and a wave of Master Rooder’s rod proved him correct.

Lannis talked to the other four apprentices about his skills and capabilities as well as the relative importance and power of the Four Master’s present. “Four?” asked the boy next to him, a dopish looking one with an overbite and bad skin. “I thought there were Five?”

Lannis chuckled. “As if it matters, dumbass. But that is Master Rooder, the brightest and most respected of the Masters. The other wizards: Master Pipen, Master Hennish, and Master Doogan, are learned mages of respectively decreasing power. The Fifth Master isn’t here, thank the gods. He’s a walking abortion. Master Brooklyr. Be thankful he’s not coming.”

At this point the Four Masters had finished discussing amongst themselves and stepped forward to announce which of the boys would go to learn under them. Master Rooder came first and with his halo of lights and commanding presence, intoned, “My choice will be…" Lannis, knowing it would be him, stepped forward. Master Rooter’s eyes flashed over the young Magic User and then the elder wizard finished, "That boy!" Pointing to the ugly boy with the dishwater hair on the end of the line.

Stepping back Lannis mumbled, "All for the best. Who wants to be a Water Mage anyway?"

As the morning wound on though, these acts repeated themselves as Masters Pipen, Hennish, and Doogan all picked potential apprentices who were CLEARLY inferior to him. They took their new charges and turn back to the Academy, leaving Lannis standing there, watching them go. Lannis was aghast, trying to explain to the crowd still gathered why he would clearly NEVER want to train under the four foremost wizards in the city anyway and would prefer to go into general studies for a more well rounded magical training.

After a few minutes of this he heard a sound, and looked over to see who was approaching. The man closing on him appeared to be some kind of mage: robes were tattered, faded, and seemed to be worn wrong like he had just woken up and thrown them on. His staff was bent and warped by water damage, and the crystal ball on top was smudged and cracked.

"Sorry, sorry I'm late,” he said haltingly, voice heavy with the weight of phlegm and the telltale rasp of a Smoke user. “My alarm spell failed to wake me. Looks like all the other apprentices are gone...You, boy,” he snapped his fingers at Lannis, a spray of anemic sparks flying out a few feet and fell to the ground. “Wanna be a wizard?"

"No, I don't 'want' to be a wizard, I 'will' be…"

"Fine, whatever,” the older master said without care, “let’s go, follow me.” He turned back to Lannis and added, “I'm Master Brooklyr."

"Wait,” Lannis gasped. “THE Master Brooklyr...is there...anyone else coming?"

"Not if you want to be a wizard boy.” The crystal on his staff flared briefly orange. “Yep, you’ve got a spark. So that means you’re mine to train.” The crystal flashed once and then went dark and Lannis gasped to see an orange mark appear on the back of his hand. Master Brooklyr continued, “That’ll stay there until I’m done with you, so don’t rub it, you’ll go blind. Now either you suck or you pissed off those other dick weed mages who came by, so I'm your last chance.” He chuckled as he walked, “Hay cart guy might be coming by if you want to see if he'll take you.”

"D-dick weeds? Master Rooder is the finest…"

Master Brooklyr interrupted Lannis again. "Yeah, sure, whatever, he's a dick weed and you can go be a dick weed with the hay cart guy if you want, or come with me. I happen to like people who piss those guys off."

Lannis frowned, thinking, ‘maybe if this guy died or disappeared they would have to give him a new master.’ He followed the disheveled wizard to the untraveled portion of the Academy’s grounds. Entering Lannis looked around dismayed. It was dusty and disorganized, alembics laying on their sides, books splayed out across every surface.

"Here we are young man,” Master Brooklyr said with a satisfied burp, sitting on the worn couch and picking up a earthenware bottle, tilting it back and drinking deep. “We start day after tomorrow; tomorrow’s a wizard holiday."

"What?” Lannis asked. “No. It is not"

Brooklyr looked at him annoyed, "Who’s the wizard here? Yes it is.” He pointed to the filthiest part of the room. “Your bed is somewhere over there, go find it apprentice."

This relationship continued for two years. Master Brooklyr was not only lazy, but somehow very adept at creating annoying busy work for Lannis whenever Lannis started to annoy him. When Lannis would try to correct him during lessons, forgotten Wizard Holidays would crop up that the other High Mages didn’t seem to practice.

Lannis spent days organizing books and cleaning beakers he swore he never saw his master using. However, Master Brooklyr did instill in him not only a good understanding of the workings of magic, but a deep disdain for anyone that did not practice it, or did not practice it the way that was clearly right. The Master and Apprentice were somehow a match made in heaven, and like all such pairings on the morning of the end of the second year of his apprenticeship, Master Brooklyr kicked him out with an affectionate, "Get the fuck out dick weed. Don't come back."

Rooting around the bookshelf, Master Brooklyr grabbed the first empty tome he could find and wiped the coffee stains and food crumbs off its cover. “Here, Official Spell Book. I declare you graduated. Get the fuck off my property.”

Frustrated at the rude Master and seeing the orange mark on his hand fade and then disappear, Lannis took a chance to implore him, "Master Brooklyr, can't you use my real name? Just this once?"

"Fine,  loser. What is it?" Brooklyr inquired.

"Lan-", he started, but was cut off by the slamming of the door.

Armed with the knowledge of magic and that everyone else was a dickweed, he set out to make his own way in the worlds, confident in the fact that like his former Master, he would be the smartest man in the world no matter where he went.

PBEM, Episode 40 - Hall, Barrel & Sulfur

FORTY

(I/C)
Kovid was taking a few steps to the stone barrel when Brendon put his hand on the dwarf’s shoulder and shook his head. “No, Let’s keep scouting the West corridor beyond here.”

Lyra agreed. “I don’t even think we should come back to this room. This whole area is giving me a weird feeling. I doubt there’s anything good in that barrel. Certainly not the crown.” She gave the ground a distrustful look. “Is it just me or were any other rooms this well clean?”

The group all shook their heads and proceeded to file out. Kovid was giving the barrel a hard look (>Stonework, Yellow 4) and outside of it being granite and had a cover on it, without time and proximity, couldn’t tell anything else. Before he did leave though, he gave the room one last once over (=Int check, Yellow 12) and noted something interesting. “You know,” he said,” I assumed there might be some explosive powder work in here. Stand on chair, clean floor, no torch in here.” He pointed to the stool. “But the bottom of the stool, the legs of the stool are actually stone dowels, not wood! And may Thor blight my bunions if I’m wrong, but I would hazard a guess that the legs of the stool are the same stone as the barrel itself.”

Abraxas looked around nervously. “Tha’s wonderful Senor Shortround, but I am uneasy enough. Amigos, make it rapido, then vamonos. ¡Andale!"

The group filed out, closed the door, and then following Brendon and Kovid, made their way NORTH to the end of the hall and looked down both ways of the “T”. To the EAST, the passage seemed to meet up with the other one heading north, so that was a relief. To the WEST though where they wanted to go, the passage went a short distance and then proceeded DOWN a set of steps, and quite a long set – 30’ easily.

“Holy shit,” Lannis swore. “So many steps around here. And they all go down? How do we get to the upper floor of the castle?”

Wyn was meanwhile looking in all directions, carefully being wary for any situation or issue that might affect us. “We should check it out, but let’s be smart and safe, non?”

So the party went down the steps with care, Brendon leading the way and listening (<Hear Noise +20% entire party aware, Red 44) until at the base of the steps they could see the worked stone gave way to natural stone instead. The cave had a bubbling grey pool of liquid, surrounded by coarse red sand. The smell in the room was foul and it looked like the cave went beyond the pool. There were pockets of natural phosphorous fungi growing in patches giving the cave an outline in purplish light.

At the edge of the pool was a body, and from the look of it, had been here for decades and reduced to bones, leaving only patches of leather and the remains of chainmail armor adorning it. The group was confident there were no other noises at this time as they manned the steps from the top of the landing to Brendon at the base of the steps.

Time now is 3:22

(OOC)

What’s the plan?

PBEM, Episode 39 - Hall, Barrel & Sulfur

THIRTY NINE

(I/C)
“I say we check de west door Lac en me found," Wyn offered, pointing back down the hall. Brendon nodded, eyes looking around.

The dwarf pulled absently on his beard, referring to his scrawled map. "I think the west door is the next logical room to explore, or the hall going further west north of it. The southern west hall sounds like it leads to a flooded area, very wet at least."

Abraxas clapped his hands together once in satisfaction before taking out his sword again. "Okay Amigos, West, Vamonos. I'll watch our backsides.” Looking at the spent torch Wyn and Brendon returned with, he left it against the wall and swung his sword overhead with a flourish. “Why are we just waiting around here, huh?"

The group headed off, retracing the steps Brendon and Wyn had taken. As they were going Lyra once again felt a mounting illness. She was clutching her holy symbol tightly, a prayer to Aine dancing off her lips (=Death Ray Save +1 bonus 2nd sensation, White 10) and then the pressure faded, once again leaving a chilling tingling in her heart that something foul happened again.

“Guys,” she whispered as they turned corner near the door. “I felt it again.”

“Have a tampon?” Lannis asked.

“Fuck a snake, Wizard.”

“Sure,” Lannis agreed. “Wouldn’t be my first time.”

“That reminds me, Senor,” Abraxas whispered, “I think that medusa sans pants or skirt would be mucho frightening, and I no sure I would even look to see if she had vipers on her puta.”

Lyra shook her head. “If they had snake pubic hair, then they’d have snake arm hair and leg hair. Obviously they don’t - so no. I don’t think that’s possible.”

“Not everyone has arm or leg hairs,” Abraxas said.

“Ugh,” Kovid choked, “Please, that sounds disgusting. No hair?”

“You’re afraid of serpents on the head of some chick?” Brendon chuckled, “Wait till you encounter a serpent of the sea.”

Wyn leaned closer while they approached the door. “I also do not tink dee gorgon or medusa have de serpents ‘round dere neder regions... how would de serpents breathe down dere?”

Once at the door, Abraxas waited for Brendon to check it one last time (no roll) before stepping closer. Wyn took Kovid’s lantern as the dwarf gabbed it in two hands, ready to swing. Everyone was tense…and then the Fighter grabbed the handle and shoved the door open and to the left (Str >10, no roll needed) the portal sticking briefly before opening.

The room was not very large, perhaps 20’ square. There was an acrid scent on the air but (>Half Int check, highest score, Pink 10) not recognizable. The room had a pretty large stone barrel looking CASK on the far end of the room with a cover on it not sealed, a single wooden STOOL in the center of the room, and an iron sconce on the EAST wall, with no torch in it. The floor appeared to be swept clean or debris. Kovid and Brendon (no roll needed) were pretty sure the room was free of secret doors and traps.

Time now is 3:12

(OOC)
Small room. What’s the plan?

PBEM, Episode 38 - Hall, Barrel & Sulfur

THIRTY EIGHT

(I/C)
After Wyn and Brendon returned, telling the group of their discoveries, Lyra offered, “You know we could always go back around and search the more western part of this place at the beginning? By the sitting room and jammed door?

"Checking to the west makes sense to me,” Lannis agreed. “I'd like to know if and where this connects to the floor above. If we do find such a path and want to check out the other side of the castle.”

The dwarf nodded, fingering his worn map. “I agree let’s explore the western halls here.”

“Either way,” the cleric shrugged, “whatever you guys choose we should put some distance between us and them.”

Sheathing his nocked arrow, Wyn straightened his armor. "Ouest it ees. We go up dees stairs, den south to sitting room, en ouest ov dere."

Brendon looked north up stairs briefly and added, “I’m still interested in the dining hall. Could be the crown we’re looking for is on the one sitting on the far end of the table.”

Lannis shook his head. “No, remember? We’re never going to go back in there. So since we’re never going to go in, it doesn’t matter.”

“Besides,” Lyra added, “Gorgons tend to sleep and make their lairs in caves – so she won’t be in there.”

“Seriously,” Lannis frowned, giving Lyra a withering stare, “What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m in a group with you?” Lyra replied, getting a brief laugh from the party.

“That’s the same problem I have in regards to you.” Lannis gave Lyra a deep look. “So, if medusa has snakes on her head instead of hair, and you seem to know all about gorgons, does that mean she has short wiry snakes as pubic hair?”

Lyra opened her mouth to reply before squinting her eyes and giving him a solid stare. “I…I am not…”

Lannis turned away, muttering to Abraxas, “That’ll keep her mentally occupied for at least an hour.” He elbowed the fighter comraderally, before he noticed that Abraxas also had his brow furrowed, mouth pursed as he muttered, “Madre de dios, I dunno…Maybe?”

“Great,” Kovid shook his beard, “you broke two of them.”

The group drew up together, Brendon and Kovid taking point as the rest of the group followed behind, closing the door to the LOWER BARRACKS as tight as they could without jamming it in place, and headed off to the door on the WEST. Brendon opened the door after giving it a good listen, and the group followed behind, heading up the stairs with exaggerated care. Once at the top, the scout and dwarf listened to the next door, were sure they heard nothing, and then opened that door also.

The passage here ran NORTH and SOUTH, NORTH heading towards the KITCHEN and the DINING ROOM and then eventually to the “T” intersection. We waited, but any sounds of the kobolds were long gone. From here, they turned south and walked in formation. The next room was the STOREROOM, the door closed, and as they walked on slowly, the next chamber was the library where we had the fight with the kobolds.

According to the lantern, we could see the door was ajar and after making sure there was no noise (no roll needed) approached cautiously. A look inside showed the room was pretty much as we had left it…except the kobold bodies were missing. Only bloody spots and splotches showed where they had lain. The smell of cinnamon was redolent in the air. “The dead,” Kovid whispered, “they took them.”

“Filthy bugs,” Lannis cursed.

“Monsieur, zhey are vermin, not bugs.”

“Whatever.”

The party continued on to the corner, Brendon sneaking forward and peering around the edge, satisfied that no one was there. The party inched along, heading west for some time until they finally came to the last turn that lead to the SITTING ROOM. Breathing a sigh of relief, they looked around, seeing nothing had changed since they had been there last – the ballista room and the other stuck door were still closed.

“Hokay,” Wyn whispered. “Monsieur Brendon and I will go and check out ze west passages where zee smell of water is coming from.”

“Ten minutes,” Brendon added. “Not a minute longer. Wait here. Weather eye and cocked ear.”

Nodding to one another, the man and elf drew their bows, nocked arrows, and taking the torch from Abraxas they worked it for a few minutes until it finally lit. Then they checked both passages and started walking to the west. Moving quietly like ghosts, Brendon (<Move silently, Red 20) and Wyn (>Move silently, Orange 9) travelled along eyes peeled. The passage proceeded as they had noted earlier, a bit over 20 paces until there was a side corridor heading north. Brendon inched closer and peered around the two them straining to hear (>Hear Noise, Red 48…>Hear Noise, Orange 14) anything before looking closer.

The passage to the west continued along and then went down, the stairs going at least as far as the torch light (30’). To the north, the passage was also some 20 plus long, a door on the west wall, and ended at a “T” intersection. Brendon snuck closer to the door and checked it out, while Wyn went to the stairs and crouched low to look.

Brendon (<Int +2 thief bonus, Green 7) listened to the door, giving it a solid once over, also glancing down the passage to the “T”. The door was closed, not locked, hinges on the other side and door opened away and to the right. There was an acrid odor to the air but he heard nothing and felt no vibrations through the door. As for the end of the hall, he looked at the “T” and had the thought that the eastern turn most likely met up with the other cut they had seen down the longer north hall.

Wyn (<Int +2 elf nature bonus, Black 6) was more convinced there was the scent of water down these steps. With Brendon taking the torch with him, his infravision flared up, showing the stairs were blue/green and the air at the base of the steps (30’?) was a bit cooler and moved strangely, giving him the believe the air below had water vapor in it. The walls of the steps had only the thinnest of dampness, adding credence to his thoughts.

Brendon returned, his torch burning low and flaring, and the two of them returned back down the corridor and returned to the group again, sharing with them their discoveries and questioning where to go now.

Time now is 3:02
(OOC)
Ok, which way to go? No noises to be heard yet. What’s the plan? That torch is now spent and is removed from Abraxas’ inventory. Also, Lyra and Abraxas, what do YOU think? Do medusa’s have snakes in place of their pubes?

PBEM, Episode 37 - Wolf Run, Barracks

Not every turn was a big one, so there are times I run a "half" turn so the group can get more of a heads up on choices and things to do and look at - and I've gone the other way where a turn might run double. This was a short one - just cleaning up the map for the mapper - who by the way is doing a bang up job!

Follows:

THIRTY SEVEN

(I/C)
 “Two doors,” Wyn observed. “I would suggest de close door first. Look inside to see what he seen. If notin’ attack us, den we check de south contents. Den we figur our what to check more thoroughly. Oui?”

Abraxas nodded, “I agree Señor Wun."

The rest of the party also felt it was prudent so Brendon and Wyn crept closer to the WEST door. After giving it another check just to make sure nothing was amiss (no roll), Brendon turned the knob and opened the door. Revealing a short corridor with a set of stairs going UP to another closed door. “Hey,” Brendon whispered. “Kovid and I came DOWN these stairs a few hours ago when we were trying to figure out where the Hobgoblins came from.”

“Robert, Senor Leche,” Abraxas offered helpfully.

Kovid nodded , looking at his map. “My measurements might have been off a bit before…”

“No merde,” Wyn muttered.

“But yeah, this makes sense,” the dwarf finished, not hearing the elf’s opinion.

Creeping up the steps Brendon listened (no roll needed) and in the distance could hear faint yipping voices fading away. “Kobolds,” he whispered. “Not near here, but near enough.” He paused. “Sounds like a bunch again.”

“Let us check out ze other door an’ then make a decision, non?”

The scout agreed, coming down the steps and the two of them went to the SOUTH door. Checking it again one last time (no roll needed), feeling the faint breeze by his ankles, Brendon turned the knob and pulled the door towards him with delicate care. Revealing a set of stairs going DOWN easily 20’. The air smelled different and Kovid stepped closer. “Remember when I said I thought there was an area of less worked stone?” He pointed down the steps, “Down there, it’s more cavern than basement.” He sniffed. “Cool breeze too. Some air current. Fresh.”

The party taking stock in both directions offered looked at one another and discussed what their next options should be.

Time now is 2:37

(OOC)
Ok – sort of a half turn! But it does tie the map together for Kovid – press on to the cavern below, or go up the stairs to the long hall where the Hobgoblins had been killed – and there are kobolds somewhere up there – just not too close by and going further away. No sign of the wolf yet.

PBEM, Episode 36 - Wolf Run, Barracks

THIRTY SIX

(I/C)
Handing the silver dagger to Abraxas, Wyn says, “Dis ees best een your hands right now. Pleez do not troe eet. Only for stabbing, oui? Maybe slashing... maybe.” (Add SILVER DAGGER (10))

Thanking him, the fighter was tapped on the shoulder by Brendon handing him the prybar. Motioning to the door stuck in its frame, the scout said, “Care to do the honors?”

Abraxas took the crowbar, sighing. “Si Señor Lavantes, I will open the door. Everyone be ready. Uno...” Wyn drew his bow arrow nocked, “Dos...” he set the prybar into position, Lyra had a sling stone loaded.

“Tres.” Abraxas PUSHED on the prybar, cords of his muscles standing out (>Open Door +1 bonus, Blue 6) and although the door shuddered and groaned, it failed to open. The Fighter shook his hands and gave the door a withering glare.

“P’rhap we should go up zee stairs an’ try ta move th’ cabinet, instead?”

“No,” Abraxas barked. He tapped Kovid, “Senor Dwarf, a hand please?”

Kovid reholstered his hammer and the two of them both set the backs, hands on the prybar and handle. “Ok, Manling.”

“One/Uno…Dos/Two…Three/Tres!”

Abraxas (<Open Door +1 bonus, Blue 4) and Kovid (=Open Door +1 bonus, Yellow 4) strained against the portal until in fits and starts, it pulled away from the frame and opened (Noise check, Red/Black 3) with some squealing and the sound of rubbing wood.

“Holy shit!” Lannis swore. “Quieter?!? Please!!”

The echoes of the squeal had already faded and after a twenty count of tense waiting nothing seemed to be alerted. Stepping into the hall, Brendon and Wyn moved past the two warriors and took in the hallway here. Being that it was so short, they relied on Kovid’s lantern light instead of wasting a torch. The passage went north from here a dozen paces to a set of steps going up into the gloom. Turning to the south, there was a door a half dozen paces from this door on the west wall, and beyond that another portal at the end of the hall. There was a faint breeze coming from under the bottom of the door to the south.

Brendon (<Hear Noise + 15, Red 16) and Wyn (<Hear Noise +3, Yellow 4) checked out the two doors, the west door was closed and the two of them could faintly and muffled hear some voices faint and far away. They were indistinct and although the two men listened, could hear no sound of the wolf anymore. As for the south door, they checked that out, the door opening towards them, and Brendon was pretty sure it wasn’t trapped or locked.

Time now is 2:32

(OOC)

Explore XP:
Base 15 each. Treasure XP 20 divided from silver dagger
Lannis, Abraxas add 19
Kovid, Wyn, Lyra add 23
Brendon add 28

Up to Kovid to update the map – but as suspected this all ties into what we had seen before.

Where to go? Up the stairs SHOULD lead to the UPPER BARRACKS.

PBEM, Episode 35 - Wolf Run, Barracks

THIRTY FIVE

(I/C)
"Someone should jam a chair under that door,” Lannis said, pointing behind him. “In case they find us.” He looked at the wreckage about the chamber. “I suppose taking a few minutes to look around could be wise, but we should be ready to move. I find it very strange that no one has bothered to move these bodies in all this time."

Kovid made his way over to the broken stone cabinet. “This room looks like a tornado hit it. First petrified elves, now mummified elves, were they killed instantly?” He snapped his finger and pointed at the door on the west wall. “Master Thief, please inspect this door for us.” He looked at a crude map he had been drawing, shoving the parchment back in his belt. “I believe that passage will connect around to the other side of the barracks, might be out next move.”

"Is Señor Lamkates a Thief, Señor Kovacs? I thought he was a scout with manos muy bueno, but not a Thief.” Abraxas seemed uncomfortable with the dead elves. “I-I-In any case, perhaps we should set these beings to their eternal rest, if Señor Wynd has no objections? Señor Lame-ness y Señorita Leeroy, do you have a ritual or blessing for these lost souls? S-S-Something quick perhaps, and we can then move along?"

"Monseiur Salazar,” Wyn began. “I would recommend not touching de elves at all. Dey 'ave been 'ere for a long time. Dere ees a reason for dat... en I don want to know why.”

Brendon already at the west door shook his head. “We don’t have the luxury of searching, we are probably being hunted. Let’s get ready to go.”

“I don’t agree,” Wyn replied. “We ‘ave time. As for th’ elves, we avoid... but keep eye on dem." After some thought, he says, "But dat blessin mite be a gud idea. Mademoiselle Ader en Monseiur Offop, wat ye say bout dis? Ye knowledges of oondead en tings lik dis extend beyond me own."

Kovid grunted. “Are there signs of combat or wounds, Wyn? Brendon? Lannis, why don’t you touch one for us and see what happens?”

 “No touching!” Lannis hissed.

The dwarf chuckled. “I was only kidding. Lannis won’t touch the mummy... see he’s already showing me his friendship gesture.”

“Senor, that finger is no amigo finger. Trust me.”

The Cleric, still bothered by her feeling earlier, took out a holy water and walked around the bodies with a critical eye. “I would like to also recommend we don’t touch or go anywhere near the elves. Keep as far away as possible.”

Kovid gave the cabinet a good look over, easy enough to do since it was on its back and its doors flung open. (<Wis +4 bonus, Yellow 6) He looked at the cabinet and the nearby walls, as well as the other furnishings in the room. “See these gouges here and here?” he pointed to deep grooves in the stone walls. “Came from this cabinet slamming into the wall at great force. In fact, most of the destruction in here is from everything in this room flailing about.”

Wyn crouched low, looking at the dead elf (<Wis -4 penalty, Orange 5). “If tha’ be true, then the same thin’ I would think dun kilt the elves he’e, yah. See broken ribs a’here? Busted neck, a’there? Was in he’e when wotever dun happened and sent all the furnishin’s all over.”

Brendon crouched low near the door and listened hard (<Hear Noise +40 bonus, Red 57) distant voices talking angrily echoing down the long corridors from far far away. They might have been goblin…maybe kobold. But they were angry and talking fast, and there were many of them. And interspersed were plaintive wolf cries now and again. As for the door (>Find traps, Red 93) there weren’t any, the door opened in to us, and it wasn’t locked. “Alright, no one is nearby here, pretty far away. Let’s go. You guys coming?”

Kovid walked over to the door, giving it a feel as well, seeing how it was fitting awkwardly into the frame. Wyn meanwhile had his hand up, looking around the room and shaking his head. “Moving ‘round and making noise in the hallways may no be the best idea right now, h’ya? If the wolves be hunting, they rely on instincts, dat incense would have mess dem up sometin good, too. My guess is that they will be distracted by ALL that blood we left up there. If we wait about 10-15 minutes, keep quiet an’ the light down low, the blood thirst will have calmed down a bit and we will be able to resume out scouting... just my two coppers, yah?”

Lannis frowned. "I'm inclined to agree with Master Lake on this one. From where we were, there's really only two ways we could have gone, and if they pick the right hallway it wouldn’t be that hard to figure out where we went. The incense may have slowed down the wolves, or not, we don't know, and we have no reason to think things will be any safer in ten or fifteen minutes.”

“P’rhaps,” Wyn shrugged. “’Cept that the bare stone is likely going to carry noise... not muffle it. And it appears that the stairs from the hallway south of the 1st floor barracks maybe just outside this door.”

“Uh…no?” Lannis tapped his foot in aggravation. “If noise is the issue, all this stone should muffle it. Let him,” pointing at Brendon, “do what he must, use that time to do your searching, then we should really endeavor to put more space between us and them as we can. They know this castle better than us, I'd rather not be surprised because we failed to respect that.”

Kovid wiped his hands clean and stood up from the door (<Stonework, Yellow 1). “Frame shifted. Door’s gonna have to be forced open. Hard.” He looked at Brendon and Lannis. “The kobolds ran away, I don’t believe they know where we are. The wolves or what we think are wolves only reached the top of those stairs after we rounded the corner and I think we slowed them further with the incense. Let’s not panic,” he raised his hands placatingly. “We’ve shown we can take the kobolds head on, and that should hold true for the wolves. We just have to make sure we don’t get flanked by both at the same time. We should have bought ourselves a little time. Let’s just be smart and quiet for now. I also don’t want to have trapped ourselves in with only one exit, so I’d like to know where this door goes sooner than later.”

Brendon turned to look at the elf and dwarf. “When I said let’s wait upstairs, you wanted us to move. Now we find a room that is interesting to you we’re no longer in danger?” He turned back to the door. “This maybe the first time you both agreed with each other.”

Meanwhile Lyra had been watching the bodies with care, ready for any movement. (<Wis, White 14) “I agree with Wyn, they seemed to have died from multiple blunt force trauma. But even if that was the case, after 30 years they should have rotted away. But it looks like they’re only dead some 6 months or so. And leads me to my thoughts earlier; I suspect similar to the “pressure” idea we had – the ward actually acted as an entropic ward.” She looked up and only Lannis seemed to be nodding (Highest Int) in understanding. “The Rainbow Ward most likely maintained whatever atmospheric pressure that was in the castle at that time and did not allow the passage of decay to occur on the bodies within. Hence, their mummified appearance.”

She pointed up and to the south. “Now, the ward is down, what? Half a year? Or collapsing at least. And whatever protection is offered is fading, and the bodies within are decaying as normal and as expected. Be all that as it may, I would be a lot happier if we should leave this room. And soon. I have a very bad feeling about this place.”

Meanwhile, Wyn noticed something at the bottom of one of the beds (<Secret door check, Orange 1) and went over to it. With the bed on its side, one of the bottom slats was at a twisted angle and showed something glinting underneath. He pulled on the wood until it shifted and revealed a 10” blade, wire wrapped tarnished but still wickedly sharp silver dagger. “Sacre blu!” he swore, holding the weapon up.

Brendon who was nearby took a quick look over the silver poniard (<Int +2 thief, Red 9) “Nice find. If we were in town could probably get 20 gold coins for that.”

“More importantly, it’s SILVER.” Lannis seemed excited. “We run into demonic, unworldly, or mystical creature, that pig sticker you’re holding is going to be more important than any two of Abraxas’ sword swings.”

Time now is 2:22

(OOC)
Who is going to take the Silver Dagger(10)? Nothing else of value to find in the room. Noises in the far distance, only heard due to echoes. Door needs to be forced open (Str check), tools to open it would help. Once open, where to? What’s the plan? Go now? Wait?

PBEM Interlude 5 - Brendon

This was the background story that I had asked of the player of the party thief to submit. He was very big on not being called a thief and had a background that showed him to be a former army scout instead. Worked for us!

Follows:

Four days out of Specularum, and 2 days north and east from the border of The Barony of Ferk, the group had stopped at a small lake to fill their waterskins and take a few minutes rest. Brendon had been sitting on the edge of the lake, plucking reeds and absently stripping them and plaiting them together, making an ever lengthening rope out of it.

“You are good at zat, Monsieur Du Lac,” Wyn said, pointing to the coin at Brendon’s feet. “You have will-der-ness skills, non?”

Brendon sighed. “Some. Learned, not born with it sadly.”

Abraxas took a drink from his skin and then bent to fill it again. “What did you in the real world, Senor Bergman?”

“Lately? Been doing some scout work, had a spell with the Silvermeadow Rangers for a bit, a fair hand as a fletcher.” He looked over the water. “I will say this, I do miss the water though.”

“You a sailor?” Abraxas smiled, “I know many of them. I know you before this?”

Brendon laughed. “Not for many a year, Abraxas. And if you did know me when my father’s boat came to dock, you were on the wrong side of the law.”

Lannis’ raised a brow. “Rich boy? You a Captain’s son?” Brendon nodded. The magic user chuckled and waved a hand at the rough countryside they were trekking through. “What the hell you doing out here if you’re a man of means?”

“I’ll always be my father’s son, but I hold no traction with the name he made for himself or his actions.” He drew his bow and an oil soaked rag and began wiping the weapon down methodically. “I followed enough of his antics on the high seas and was in danger of following too close to his footsteps.”

“Your dad got a name?” Lyra asked.

“He did,” Brendon answered, pausing long enough before delating slightly and answering, “Ahksid Serpenthelm.”

Abraxas whistled. “Your dad is the Captain of the Sea Serpent?”

Brendon nodded. “Yep, Is. Was. Who knows?”

“Dude,” Lannis said with some disgust, “you’re dad’s a fucking pirate?! We’re adventuring with a Neptune be damned privateer?!”

The taller man caught the magic user’s eye and held it. “I’m not my dad, ok? I’m no pirate and I take great fucking offense to being alluded to being one. Got it?!” His hand had dropped to his short sword and Lannis realized he might have come on a bit too aggressive.

“Whoa, whoa. Relax. I’m just saying, the Sea Serpent, man. That’s pretty big.”

“Senor Lake,” Abraxas asked, “If’n that be the case, who do you not call yourself Senor Serpenthelm?”

“I left that behind me when I broke with my dad. Hard words and the Duke’s own Impressors hunting you down at every port to take you in for fighting, piracy, and it’s just a matter of time before some doxie or longshoreman found out who I was related to and got myself imprisoned.” He sighed deeply. “It would have totally broken my mother’s heart.”

“But, your mom, she’s a pirate’s wife,” Lannis exclaimed. “She has to know.”

“Nope,” Brendon replied. “Mom and dad broke up long ago, left her without a pot to piss in, and I did my best to straddle both their worlds until I couldn’t anymore. So I left following my dad’s work, and needed a skill that would take me away from the sea for a time.”

“I ‘eard zat ze Captain o’ the Sea Serpent ‘ad changed?” Wyn asked. “Twins I ‘ear?”

Brendon nodded, finishing with his bow and putting the rag away. “My brother and sister, Rolyn and Rava.” He shrugged. “They bought his line of shit and followed him out to sea. I haven’t heard from either one of them in years. Neither has, mom.” He checked his arrows in his quiver, “She doesn’t even know what I’m doing now, let her believed I was imprisoned after I had dropped out of seeing her some 8 years ago. I still make sure she gets coin and food.”

“So, if you’re not a rich Captain’s son, and you’re not a notorious pirate,” Lannis looked over Brendon’s clothing, seeing the basic and homespun quality of it, “and it’s obvious you didn’t marry anyone rich…what have you done?”

“I joined the army.”

The group just looked at one another and then Brendon again. “Manling,” Kovid started, “if you are looking to NOT be caught or found out by the Duke’s Impressors, why in Thor’s Kinky Pubes would you join the army?”

“Pubes?” Lannis asked, looking briefly at the dwarf’s crotch before shuddering. Kovid just stared at Lannis, brows beetled.

“I recruited. Joining the army gave me the opportunity to start over, new name, training, to hone my skills, give me the ‘out’ I needed to have a fresh start.”

“Monsieur, why no ze navy? You ‘ave th’ skillz already, oui?”

“True,” Brendon replied. “But the goal was to come up with a life outside of the one that had generated from my father. I wanted a full break. So I ended up as a grunt and plod for the infantry, learning how to hold a spear and training to be a front line fighter.”

Abraxas smiled. “That is good! You fight good with sword?”

“I have my moments. Started out as typical: hauling supplies, digging holes, building things one day and taking them apart the next.” He wiped the travel dust of the bottom of his cloak and looked out over the small lake again. “I wasn’t the strongest or the toughest.” He kicked a stone into the water. “What I was though was fast on my feet. Very fast. I could scale obstacles better than most of the brutes. You hear of the 1 in 6 rule? I was that guy. I was the 1 in 6 who wasn’t just a plod. Years of smuggling and climbing rigging and alley fights and running and dodging, shit, there was a small group of us that were like that. Run around the camp at night, grab an extra ration of grub and grog, and get back to the tent without anyone being the wiser.” He smiled in thought, “Got full of ourselves and called ourselves ‘Shadow Company’. Didn’t scare anyone with that moniker of course, but if we tried hard enough we could have.”

“Sounds like you were reverting back to what your father had molded you to be, Manling,” observed Kovid.

“Yeah,” Brendon agreed. “Didn’t realize it at the time, hindsight and foolishness of youth. We also weren’t fooling anyone. My commanding officer was a grizzled veteran named Vulton T’darkone. He was tough but fair. Had an innate sense about things. Could sus out patterns in the weather and the movements of animals. Man was a genius.”

“Guys,” Abraxas pointed to the west at the sun. “Time to go. Walk and talk, Senor?” The group had filled their skins and started walking off from the lakeshore.

After a few minutes of walking, Brendon resumed his story. “Vulton had a very deep and raspy voice, and he could hit real fucking hard. Remember earlier I told you we were good, well…we weren’t, that’s for sure. Turns out the CO had been watching us for weeks perform our nightly shenanigans. I’ll never forget, it was a cold rainy morning. CO kicked down our tent support and using his baton prodded us into the cold and mud. ‘Time you Shadow fuckers spend some time reporting to Prithi Oaknok for training.’ Damned near pissed myself.”

“Why?” Wyn asked.

“It was little secret that Prithi had some elven in her ancestry but was also one of the Duke’s spies. You never wanted to deal with her as it was assumed she knew more about you than you did and could kill you 5 different ways with just a fucking salad fork.” He rubbed the back of his hand, looking at the faint scar there. “Prithi was a fair skinned lady. She measured her steps and talked almost in a whisper. She took the time to teach us to truly become scouts. The teachings sounded simple enough but were extremely hard to master. ‘Be there without being there’ – ‘Be out as if you were never in’ – ‘Be children, not seen nor heard’ I swear that woman taught me more in those 9 months than I ever learned at my father’s side for 9 years.”

“So, you became a spy?”

Brendon shook his head. “No. Never had the aptitude for it. Our job was to scout for the army and report back. Don’t be a hero, think before you act. The other infantry though thought we were putting on airs and initially were rude to us. That faded though as we showed them respect and the began to respect us for what we did. The entire company gelled and we would always step in and protect each other, even if we were the cause of the fight.

He continued, “There would be barfights over young lasses or the whoopsie pocket lift. Didn’t matter, the ‘NOISE’ would step in and protect us.” He chuckled, “We called them ‘NOISE’ because they were loud with the weapons, armor and heavy breathing. They called us ‘Shadows’ because we scared them with our silence, our sneaking, and our abilities.”

“Army stories,” Lannis muttered, “how endearing.” Lyra reached over and gave him a prod with her club. “What?” Lannis asked crossly. “Just saying what we’re all thinking.”

“You see any bad action,” Abraxas asked.

The scout was quiet for a moment before answering with a slow measured response as if recalling the episode. “We were tasked once with gaining information on the movements of a clan of hobgoblins in the area. Unlike the erratic movements of their smaller cousins,” Kovid spat at that interrupting Brendon briefly before the taller human could continue. “The Hobgoblins are very methodical. The ‘Hobs’ had attacked a settlement, one of those smaller villages to the north; killed most of the people – most of them. When the army arrived, we couldn’t find any woman or children. They were pressing on to the next town and I’m not sure why this time was more time sensitive then all the other times the ‘Hobs’ had done this, but we HAD to locate the missing people. And we had to do it quietly and without alert the entire hobgoblin clan which outnumbered us 3 to 1.

He sighed. “We left the ‘NOISE’ behind and we did what we do best. We went to be…Quiet no matter what or the entire company is killed…So we did…,” he stopped talking, looking down at the grass as he strode along. Brendon closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, “Found them…I could only get two of the children out…Third one…just wouldn’t stop…wouldn’t stop…”

He opened his eyes and they were cold and hard, flinty. Lannis was surprised and jerked back a bit while walking. “If I didn’t…none…NONE of us would have returned.” He squared his shoulders, “So yeah, I’ve done some things and have seen some bad action.”

The party was silent as they walked on, mulling over Brendon’s story. “You no longer in the army?” Wyn asked at long last?

“Not for two years I would think, maybe 3.” He tilted his head back and looked at the sky. “Was there for four and a half years. I could have left when my enlistment was up after 2. Hell they weren’t even looking for me anymore as my father’s son after a year so I was free in that regard. I just stayed, you know? It fit me at that time.” He wrung his hands together in agitation. “I don’t know. I miss the NOISE but I don’t think I have it in me to teach the reality of scouting any longer. I don’t know…”

His voice trailed off as the party walked along. “My dad used to say that life was like the sea. It’s the same thing every day until it isn’t. And you have to mind the current at all times and never turn your back on it because it might sweep you in a direction you never planned on going.” He looked around, “So that’s what this is. The Academy needed a scout and here I am, doing what I do best.”

He looked them all over. “You are my company, and as my company, my group, my party, you can trust that I will do whatever is needed and necessary without hesitation to protect all of you and ensure that we all return home safe and sound. No matter what.”

Kovid nodded. “No matter what.”

“Oui, no matter what.”

“By Aine’s blessing.”
“Senor Lake, not for any whatting matter no what. I swear too,” Abraxas beamed.

“Oh for fuck…”Lannis shook his head. “Ditto.”

“Ditto?” Lyra asked.

“Yep. That should be good enough.”

Brendon nodded his head and kept walking, eyes fixed on the horizon as he strode along. “Good enough,” he muttered just loud enough for his ears only. “Good enough is never just good enough, Master Mage. Going to need you to bring your ‘A’ game as well.”

The group walked onward, the shores of the lake at their left shoulder, there, the Lake watching over them.

PBEM, Episode 34 - Wolf Run, Barracks

The group did the right thing and fled - and the dropping of the incense was inspired - throwing off the wolf's tracking. As it was still "early" in the day - there had been some discussion via discord on stopping or going on, deciding to continue for now. And as the group had said, "a room with dead mummified elves in it? Can we SKIP this one?!"

Follows:

THIRTY FOUR

(I/C)
“What’s the plan?” Kovid asked after catching his breath from moving the cabinet. “We resting?”

“Deepa we go inta de castle, oui?” Wyn offered.

The dwarf sighed. “Deeper into the rabbit hole?”

“Oui! Notin’ wort’ doin’ be easy,” The elf smiled. “Ain’t no group I’d rada be doin’ it wit.”

Lannis scoffed. “Look, I’m all for the kumbaya when the time is right, but this seems like an awful idea.” He scratched his chin, looking around the room absently. “But given our choices, less awful.”

Lyra drew out a fresh rock from her pouch, palming it tightly. “Yea, it’s a horrible idea.” She looked at the closed door and shuddered. “But it’s better than going back out there and getting sandwiched between kobolds and wolves I guess.”

“True that.” Lannis snapped his fingers, pointing at the dwarf, “Kovid! Fun fact: they're just as frequently called 'Dwarf Holes’, given Dwarves propensity for digging.” Kovid gave the magic user a piercing look, no smile under his beard. Lannis cleared his throat, unsure why his joke was unappreciated. “Let’s get moving, don't want to keep whatever terrible thing is down there waiting, that would be rude."

Kovid motioned ahead. “You first.”

Lannis scoffed and stuck his hand in his hat, making an unseen gesture, before putting it back in his head. The group gathered behind Brendon who whispered once more, “I think this is a bad idea,” before opening the door with care.

The passage turned to the south and showed a flight of stairs heading down into the gloom. The lantern held aloft, Brendon travelled with care, watching for anything that might be concerning, the group following behind. They kept going to the bottom where the stairs turned at the end to the west and ended at another door. “Shh,” the scout offered, laying his ear to the wooden portal (>Hear Noise, Red 28) for a few moments before standing up. “Door is unlocked, opens away from us to the right, no noise beyond here.”

Kovid had a tight grip on his hammer and the party was ready the same. Abraxas made his way down the steps to the front, humming as he did, “…manana, manana…there’s always, manana…” and grabbed the handle. “Uno…Dos…” And then with a solid turn and shove, pushed the door open.

The room was a BARRACKS, similar to the one that we had just left. However it was in shambles and from the look of things, had been so for decades. The TABLE had been busted in the center, broken clay bowls and plates cascaded about the chamber. The chairs had been upended and tossed about, the beds blown over. The stone cabinet had a number of cracks running through it, the doors burst off and the contents a mess. A few crates had smashed against the walls and spilled their contents about the floor.

There were five very dead, dried and mummified elves in here. They look like they had died long ago, their skin hanging sunken on their frame like pale drapery. It appeared that they were wearing the yellow tabards denoting them as part of the Guards of Dawnlands, the fabric had faded over the decades. There was a single door on the other side of the room currently closed, but it wasn’t perfectly in its frame.

Kovid had been giving the stairs and the room a once over (>Stonework, Yellow 5) as he and Brendon made sure the place was without traps. “Say what you will,” he muttered aloud. “No hobgoblin dug those stairs. This is all part of the original castle and has the look of 4 centuries to it.”

“Can we come in?” Abraxas asked looking around, sword out.

“Yeah,” Brendon replied, watching his feet.

Lyra had been quiet the last few minutes. Even before they had left the other room, the Cleric had been feeling a sense of mounting unease. Her conduit to Aine was being stretched as something was building up slowly as the minutes ticked by. It was towards the end that she was clutching her holy symbol tightly, that Aine seemed to sing through her veins (=Death Ray Save, White 11) and then it faded. Leaving a cold gravelike sensation in her heart that something…something foul…just happened and that it made Aine and Lyra both concerned and even a little fearful.

Time now is 2:12

(OOC)
Party has entered the LOWER Barracks, and it looks like whatever happened here happened decades ago, most likely when the Ispan’s Arcanist erected the Rainbow Ward. Room has been looked at, no traps.

PBEM, Episode 33 - Wolf Run, Barracks

THIRTY THREE

(I/C)
“Thor's Glowing Gonads,” Kovid snarled, “they have my hammer!”

“Fuck your hammer, Dwarf,” Lannis replied. “For now we should focus on getting to safety. *quietly*” The Magic User drew out an Incense cone and held it in his hand, reciting arcanic words over it.

“Wolves!” Lyra added as Wyn joined her at the door to the steps down and closed it, his sensitive elven ears able to hear the sound of a running heavy four legged beast coming this way, along with the raspy sound of a dragging chain.

Helping Lyra down the hall, Wyn looked into the room with the hanging hobgoblin. “Should we cut down ze hobgoblin?”

“Robert,” Abraxas added, looking nervously in the direction the kobolds had run to, their voices still echoing strangely down the long hall.

“If itz body was used as part of a ree-chuu-hal, could his hanging body be contributing towards some nefar’ous spell or ree-chool?”

 “If we had more time, I’d agree about the hobgoblin,” Lyra said quickly, “We can always come back for it and cut it down, later! For now, let’s go! East? Barracks?”

Brendon nodded, taking the lantern and holding it aloft. “Noise people! Let’s go!” And started to run, only able (Red 2) to tear one of the arrows fired free, the others either broken or not enough time. “Go, go go!”

The group started running except Lannis and Abraxas who had a loose grip on the Magic User’s sleeve as he was racing through his incantation. "The uh... hung...hanged...hung-ed... the swinging Hobgoblin - he would make a proper meal for los lobos, no? Maybe later. For now, vamonos to the barracks. Let's go amigos!"

At that point Lannis’ spell finished and a spray of burning flames shot out from his hand and ignited the incense cone that was smoking and burning. He turned and tossed it down the hall near the door where he and the fighter could now hear the distant panting and howling of the wolf getting closer. “Sounds like a grande lobos!” Abraxas grabbed Lannis by collar and shoved him ahead. "Señor Lame-ass, it's time to go. ¡Ándale amigo! Now!"

The group ran east, Brendon and Wyn leading the way, the rest of the party stretched behind them (>Noise check: 6 runners, 5 armor points, -11 penalty, Blue 12) all attempts at being quiet gone as they ran. As they hit the corner, the sounds of kobolds STILL echoing far behind them, they could hear something howling SLAM into the door they had closed behind at the top of the stairs (<Force Door +1, Red/Black 3), some scrabbling noises and shattering wood (Structural damage, Black Green 6 – FORCED!) and then the howl MUCH louder.

Brendon had the Barracks door open as we ran towards it, Abraxas forcing Lannis ahead of him, and then helping to spur Lyra on, the Cleric running slower than the rest of the party. (>Wis Scent check, -6 penalty incense, Blue/red 5 – Failed!) At the doors, we all shuffled in and then slammed it closed as the wolves howling had been replaced with some whining and crying noises for now. Wyn grabbed a chair from the table and jammed it under the door while Kovid (<Str Check -4 penalty, Yellow 4) went to the stone cabinet and SHOVED it hard across the floor to further blockade the door.

The Scout had gone across the room to the other door and laid his ear against it, listening (>Hear Noise, Red 76), giving the group the thumbs up a moment later. “All clear.”

The party was breathing hard and looking at one another, adrenaline running through them, eyes wide and wondering what was going to happen next.

Time now is 2:02

(OOC)
Combat XP!
15 XP per kobold, 6 killed, 6 run off (half xp) – 135 base xp
Kovid 23 xp
Lyra and Brendon 28 xp
Abraxas, Wyn, and Lannis 33 xp

Ok – in the room, wolf? Hit door and broke it in but was thrown off the scent immediately by the incense. Kobolds ran away and were still yelling but now group can’t hear. In room, door is braced by a chair and a stone cabinet, one other way out through door on SE that leads to steps going down.

PBEM, Episode 32 - N Hall, Hanged Hob

THIRTY TWO

(I/C)
Kovid snarled and swung his war hammer at full extension (<+2 to hit, Yellow 7), the heavy head passing over the kobold who dropped prone and then bounced up. His next few blows were just as deadly, but the kobold was bouncing around too much to connect. Standing at his shoulder, Abraxas did the same, aiming at the middle kobold who had been wounded earlier. His sword was a dancing wall of death as he growled “Kill Them All!” the sounds of kobolds screaming in the distance as they ran away acting as the backdrop to his slashes (>+5 to hit, Blue 19) which tore through the kobold’s defenses (1d8+2 Damage, Blue 1: 3 Damage and killed!) and forced the scaly humanoid to slump over dead.

“Clear the hall!” Lannis begged. “Come on!”

Brendon took aim (>+4 to hit, Red 16) and let fly another arrow, tracing a bloody line (1d6 Damage: Red 1) across one of the 2 remaining kobold’s chest. Lyra finished her swing and arced forward (>+3 to hit, White 9) and a stone cracked against the wounded kobold’s throat (1d3 Damage, White 6: 3 damage and killed!). With the sound of kobolds screaming their heads off as they ran down the corridor and no other choice, Wyn who had been holding his shot let his arrow fly (>+5 to hit, Orange 9) and the last kobold clogging the hall was shot in the chest and pitched backwards (1d6 damage, Orange 6 and killed!) dead before he even hit the ground.

“Go! Go! Go!” Lannis, Kovid, Brendon and Wyn charged to the end of the hall while Abraxas bent down and snatched up the kobold’s Stone Dagger and Stone Tipped Javelin (Add Stone Dagger (10) and Stone Tipped Javelin (15) to sheet and encumbrance) from the fallen ankle biters. “Puta!” he cursed, kicking one of them violently.

Turning the corner, Lannis was already working on the wording of his Web spell when they were able to look. In the gloom there were no more kobolds although the ground was littered for the next spear throw to the west with burning embers as if someone had dropped a torch and multiple someones had kicked it while running, leaving a trail of red glowing embers down the hall. It screwed up with the infravision but Kovid THOUGHT they could just make out the back of two of the kobolds running away, but the entire group could hear them yelling “Hilva!” as they charged away.

“Fuck,” Lannis cursed. “Out of range?”

“Zhey are on the run, do we pursuit, oui or non?” Wyn asked.

Lyra who was still back by the open door and stairs (<Hear Noise +5 Bonus, White 7) cocked her head and from down the stairs, and in the dark, sounding very far away, was the rattling of chains flopping loosely on the ground and the mournful howl of a wolf. She paused, held her breath, and the howl repeated…closer.

“Aine bless us,” she swore. “Screaming kobold fight echoed everywhere. Wolves.” She raised her voice, “Guys! Decision time faster, we’ve got company coming!” as she pointed back through the door and down the stairs.

Time now is 1:56

(OOC)

Give chase after the kobolds? Somewhere else? Redraw the battle lines with some wolfen canine (s?) coming UP towards us from down the stairs? Anything else? Damn kobolds were loud and the door was open – fight echoed.

Time is ticking! What to do?!

PBEM, Episode 31 - N Hall, Hanged Hob

THIRTY ONE

(I/C)
Just before whatever it was ran around the corner, the group decided to hold fast in the hall and if need be, retreat down the stairs if that was the only option. Kovid lifted his hammer high over head to throw and Abraxas pulled out his spear, both of them manning the front line. Brendon and Wyn, both with bows out were right behind, arrows nocked, while Lyra had a stone loaded in her sling and Lannis pulled out one of his heavy knife/darts to throw.

And it was just in time as the first 4’ tall, slavering kobolds circled the corner with the crude knives and stone tipped javelins at the ready. Kovid leaned back and hurled his hammer two handed calling out “Thor!” as he did so. The heavy weapon (<+0 to hit, Yellow 4) passed just over the kobold’s head and rang off the back wall with an echoing clang. He drew his remaining hammer and prepared himself to block the hall. Brendon right behind the dwarf muttered, “Good throw,” and let his shaft fly (>+4 to hit, Red 11), where it slammed into the same kobold (1d6 Damage: Red 2 and killed!!) piercing its heart and dropping it. “Got him,” he said.

Abraxas arced back and hurled his spear (>+4 to hit, Blue 17) tearing through the lungs of another kobold (1d6 Damage: Blue 5 and killed!!) where it crumbled to the ground, rolling to a stop. More of them boiled around the corner and the hall was filling quickly. Wyn drew a bead on another kobold getting close (>+5 to hit, Orange 19) and shot it in the throat (1d6 Damage: Orange 3 and killed!!) where it dropped to its knees and gurgled for air before dying.

Feeling emboldened by the party’s efforts, Lyra took aim and let her sling fly (<+3 to hit, White 1, Fumble. Random White 1: Hit friend) but misjudged and the stone slammed into Wyn’s shoulder with a meaty THWOCK, causing the elf to look around at her during the battle and exclaim, “Are you cray-zee?!?!” Lannis giggled and hurled his dart poorly where (<+2 to hit, Pink 7) it bounced into the melee and was lost.

And still the kobolds circled the corner and filled the hall, pressing forward as they bit and snarled and stabbed and tried to push into the party. There were still NINE kobolds standing and given their size, three of them were able to fight abreast. The first one shoved its crude knife into Kovid’s gut, the dwarf hammering down as he tried to keep the kobold from getting through his plate (<+0 to hit, Red/Black 15 – missed by one) barely able to do so. While he was struggling, a second anklebiter (>+0 to hit, Red/Grey 18) got lucky with its stone tipped javelin and drove it into a weak spot in the dwarf’s armor covering his hip (1d4 Damage: Blue 1 – Take 1 Damage), causing Kovid to wince in pain and fight on. The last kobold in front faced Abraxas, the huge fighter now sporting a sword and shield, and dropped to its knees and tried to stab the fighter in his foot. “You leetle bastage!” he cursed, dancing around as the kobold stabbed down half a dozen times (<+0 to hit, Red/Green 10) but couldn’t get through his boots.

From the back ranks of the packed hall, two of the kobolds had resorted to slings, both of them aiming at Abraxas. The first rock (>+0 to hit, Steel 20, Criritcal Max damage: take 3 damage) slammed Abraxas in the face, laying his cheek open and making two of his teeth come loose. The second rock (<+0 to hit, Steel 16 – missed by one) also cracked him in the skull and although raised a lump on his forehead, didn’t seem to affect the fighter negatively.

As the battle raged on (Initiative: Party Steel 3, Kobolds Red/Black 4 – thanks Kelly!!) the lead kobolds continued their assault while the back ranks seemed to be jostling about, looking down at the dead ones. The first kobold stabbed out at Kovid again (<+0 to hit, Black 1 Fumble, Red 5 – kobold takes 1 pt damage) but stepped to close and got buffeted by the dwarf’s hammer and bruised for its efforts. The second one stabbed its stone spear at Abraxas (<+0 to hit, Blue/Purple 6) but was unable to hit the fighter. Leaving the last kobold who had been trying to stab Abraxas in the feet, jumped up and hacked the fighter in the knee(>+0 to hit, Teal 19). The Fighter instead slammed his shield down at the last moment (Deflect damage – half damage if successful str – Black 13!) and saved himself from some extra hurt (1d4 Damage: Red/Black 1 – Half rounded down – take 0!!).

As for the rest of the kobolds, (>Morale Check, 2d6 – 7, Fail) they picked up the dart, spear, and hammer from the floor and ran BACK down the hall and to the WEST again, shouting “Hilva! Hilva!” as they ran away. The last three kobolds were filling the hallway and made no intention to leave as they fought on.

Time now is 1:55
(OOC)
Bottom of round two, three kobolds left, 1 with 1 pt of damage. 6 kobolds ran away, took the three items thrown, they are yelling VERY loud as they run. It is the party’s turn. What would you like to do?