[Respite] - Factions

1. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #761

   "Well", Toboran said, resignedly, "As long as the rest of you are intent on going", he pointed distastefully, "down there, I might as well come along. I don't want to be the odd one out of our merry troupe."
   He headed towards the hole and began descending.

2. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #762

   Jhoric peered hard into the dimly lit room, and decided a closer investigation was necessary.
   
   "Well, let's go everyone, form a line behind me and Balin. We will go as one, because I don't want to go alone." He waited for them to form up and then crept quietly forward.

3. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #763

   Rajani looked into the whole, the darkness in the earth. Her mouth was dry, and she could think of no serious reason to go into the ground, save for that Gideon was going. He was a good and brave man, but she had seen too many of them die, entirely too many. The thought of the enclosed space, buried under so much rock, her chest felt tight. She paused with Gideon a moment, "Friend, if it is your intent to follow them into the earth, I will wish you the best of luck and I will pray for your safety and health." She pulled at the hem of her cloak, her fingers tracing over the stitches she knew almost by memory. "I will not be joining those who go into the ground, for I fear that greatly. If we seek ore, let us find it in the proper fashion with labor and tools. My stomach tells me there is naught be misery and suffering to be found in that place. It could be that such feelings are my own fears, and I feel shame in not joining this exploration. But I also feel it is folly to go as well." She wiped her eyes.
   
   "I have little to give, but take this," she said, handing him her holy symbol. "It has no magic or charm upon it, and for that I am sorry. but, carry it and perhaps..." she said, her words getting thick. She wiped her eyes again. "I am going back..." she managed before wrapping the cloak tighter around her body. She gave Gideon what she hoped was a brave smile, but her eyes refused not to leak. She ducked her head and went to where Gray was tied. She took his reins and pulled herself up into the saddle. Giving the gelding his lead, she let the horse take her back to camp. Once she felt she was safely out of earshot, she wept.

4. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #764

   Jhoric stepped forward to look into what appeared to be guard quarters - two cots of ancient wood lay against left and right walls. A metal brazier holding ancient ashes stood nearby. A desiccated skeleton was thrown into a heap in the nearby corner to the right.  The other side of the room where the passage continued was notable for two obviously dwarven statues, armed, armored and heavily inscribed with runes.

5. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #765

   Balin checked behind him to make sure that everyone was in line and saw Rajani talking to Gideon through the entrance. Then she handed the warrior something and left.
   
   Pangs of memory came back to the dwarf and he shuddered. "So it begins," he muttered sadly before turning back to the room.

6. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #766

   Gideon took the symbol, tucking it behind his plate, and nodded in thanks. He placed his hand on Rajani's shoulder, looked her into the eyes, and spoke sincerely: "We will be right back."
   
   'Sadly, ore is most often nderground' he though, and proceeded deeper into the dungeon. 'And if we found dwarves, that would be splendid.'

7. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #767

   Toboran took no notice of his comrades conversations, instead he stepped forward to stand beside Jhoric.
   "Perhaps the other one we found was the other guard", he commented, "I just wonder if they were guarding agaisnt invasion from without, or escape from within."

8. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #768

   Jhoric kept his eyes on the statues as he spoke,
   "That skeleton is probably the other guard, it looks like something tossed him hard. Hard enough to kill him."
   
   He could feel the fear creeping into his voice, or was it excitement? Either way, he wasn't going to turn back now.
   
   "I will determine if the runes on the statues are magical in nature. I fear to pass them without knowing what they stand there for. If I detect no magic, then it is probably safe for Balin to attempt to decipher them. Everyone keep on your toes, like Toboran said, we don't know if the threat is still in here or if it never was."
   
   Jhoric's eyes rolled back briefly as he tapped into his magical senses. He slowly probed about the room before wrapping his mind around the statues and their runes

9. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #769

   Looking about the room first, Jhoric sensed nothing but perhaps 'reflected' magic, and when he directed his attention to the first of the statues, he could see the magic's source.
   
   The statue was not a single point of magic, but radiated dozens of substantial enchantments, apparently from each of the runes that adorned the statue.
   
   The second statue was similarly aglow.
   

10. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #770

    "Well, the runes aren't just for decoration. They seem to be enchantments, strong ones. I've seen stone statues that come to life if you pass them, anyone want to test them? They may be formidable with all those magic runes, but we still need to explore the rest of this tunnel."
    
    Jhoric thought about having a seat on one of the cots, but decided not to test them.

11. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #771

    "Hello statue. We're friendly and peaceful, just looking for ore. No need to crush us, see?"
    Content, Gideon passed it by, then returned.
    "You don't have any pointers, do you?"

12. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #772

    As Gideon stepped closer to the statue, a disembodied voice shouted
    
    "Standstill! Confirm!"

13. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #773

    Fafnir spoke "Uh-oh, anyone here know what that means. It really doesn't sound good. Maybe we should get a move on it before the statues get angry."  Then he unsheathed his scimitar and held it aloft.

14. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #774

    Jhoric stopped everything for a tense second of frightful silence after the voice spoke. Which was subsequently shattered by Fafnir's hissed suggestion.
    
    "Gideon, I don't think that was a good idea, you might as well introduce yourself now. We've got your back if they decide to become hostile."
    
    Jhoric flexed his fingers, building up dark energy in his right hand. In a moment he would be ready to hurl it into a statue.
    
    

15. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #775

    "I'm Gideon Crane, son of Halden Crane, sergeant of the guard of the Duke of Hedrar. Who might you be?"
    Gideon stood there, arms braced against his sides, his pose clearly speaking 'now what?'.

16. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #776

    "Identy where is unknown. While we bring a reinforcement catch!"
    
    Both statues moved to block the passageway, with grinding of stone on stone highlighting their massive weight.

17. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #777

    "Well, friends", Toboran said, unlimbering his spear, "What now? Do we leave quietly, accepting defeat, or try and force a way past?"

18. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #778

    "The reinforcement might be someone more talkative, with a brain."

19. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #779

    What? Did I drift off? An alarm.  Better go see whats up.  Where's my shield-brother? No matter, the guardians need my help...
    
    Shortly after the statues spoke, Gideon heard something approaching up the hallway.  What came into view in the dim greenish light was apparently once a dwarf - or something close - but now appeared more like a bundle of bones and leather.  It jaw hung partly detached and it twitched as if it were still attempting to speak in its deteriorated form.
    
    It stopped about 10' from Gideon, between the two statues. It held in one hand a small crossbow and held a metal buckler in the other. It then stood, its jaw again twitching.
    
    

20. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #780

    Clearly undead, not attacking, trying to talk. Balin had no hard evidence of his suspicions but he decided to give it a try. He stepped into view and tried talking to this thing in his own language, a language he had not used in this world out loud,
    
    (In dwarven)
    "Friend, we mean you no harm but before we continue you should look at your arms."
    
    Then Balin gestured at the thing's arm.

21. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #781

    The leathery being shook his head in response, nearly dislodging what remained of its jaw. A failed attempt to jabber preceded the thing raising its crossbow.

22. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #782

    Gideon tried to calm it by showing his empty palms in an universal gesture of good intent.

23. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #783

    The being continued to hold its crossbow, leveled now at Gideon. It seemed to be attempting to speak in slow, pulsed rattles..
    

24. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #784

    Fafnir hissed, a lower but still high-pitched screeching sound that showed his desire to destroy the unnatural creature. His blade quickly found its way free of its sheath and was raised high.

25. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #785

    Toboran threw out an arm towards his scaly companion.
    "Wait, friend", he said calmly, still keeping an eye on the- the abomination in front of him, "If it is not striking at us now, we might as well wait before attacking. As little as I like the necromantic arts and their products, I dislike having my blood shed even more."

26. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #786

    "It seems to be rattling in a code, doesn't it?"
    While Gideon had little love for the walking dead, the duchy next door used zombified criminals as cheap labor; the thought of them was unpleasant, but not horrifying to him.

27. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #787

    The skeletal figure seemed quite anxious - it occasionally looked over it's shoulder, as if waiting for someone. As the impasse continued, it seemed more and more perturbed.
    
    
    
    

28. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #788

    "Oh, I got it! It cannot speak, it's so simple."
    
    Then, he tried to communicate his good intent with pointing to his ears and pretending to be deaf, hoping the skeletal dwarf would reply in kind.

29. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #789

    Jhoric had absolutely no idea what to do in this situation. Most of the undead he had dealt with were either completely mindless or extremely homicidal. This one seem to want to talk, but was unable. So, Jhoric waited patiently with a ball of eldritch energy burning just under the skin of his hands, ready to fly at a moments notice. If this thing fires, so will I, he thought. The strain of holding the energy in was making him sweat and the tension caused by this undead dwarf-type creature was not helping.

30. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #790

    Fafnir hissed and backed away. If he couldn't attack the unnatural beast then he would not be near it. He wouldn't leave the room or put away his weapon, as negotiations couldn't be resolved without any communication. Eventually something was bound to happen so waiting seemed the only option. Fafnir wondered aloud "Do you think it knowssss it is dead?"

31. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #791

    The creature reached up to point to its mouth with one hand and in so doing, dislodged the jaw, and it fell to the floor.  It broke on impact, scattering teeth and small shards of bone.  It looked down in apparent shock, the crossbow momentarily forgotten.

32. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #792

    With gesture, awkwardly, Gideon pointed to the jaw, indicating 'I think you dropped something'.

33. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #793

    Toboran stepped slowly to one side, not sure of what would happen next, but he was determined to be ready.

34. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #794

    Looking down at its lost bodypart, the skeleton began shaking - its bones rattling and the crossbow swinging around alarmingly..
    
    

35. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #795

    "The creature is dead and mad, none of our concern. Let us move on or finish itssssssss sad existance." Fafnir then begans to walk towards it, with his sword grasped tightly in hand.

36. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #796

    Jhoric, seeing a fight was about to start, flung his hand upward and launched a blast of blackish-blue energy at the skeletal dwarf before Fafnir could engage it, "By the Nine Hells, it feels good to get that out of me! Let's destroy this abomination and press on." Jhoric seemed to have an unearthly glow about him, he felt charged and ready to act. He starting to gather his inner power for another attack.

37. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #797

    As Fafnir approached the deranged skeleton, it became aware of his presence and began to swing the crossbow in the lizard man's direction. It was that moment that Jhoric's blast of energy caught it and threw it back. The crossbow fired, and a blast of energy not unlike Jhoric's own discharge blackened the wall near Toboran's head.
    
    The skeleton had a few more bones shook loose by the impact, but rushed forward, swinging its crossbow like a club.
    
    A slash from Fafnir's scimitar staggered the skeleton again, and Balin finished the bony creature off with his quarterstaff.  His swing shattered its right leg and the skeleton scattered onto the floor...
    
    

38. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #798

    Toboran leaped forward and kicked the crossbow away from the downed creature before checking to make sure that the thing was finished.

39. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #799

    The skeleton was down - how nice. The statues though were still there, and undoubtedly hostile; certainly, they'd be tougher than a mere skeleton as well. Without hesitation, he swung his blade towards the construct's knee join to disable it quickly.
    "Your warranty expired, pigeon perch!"

40. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #800

    Gideon's blow threw up a shower of gravel though it failed to part the knee.  He wasn't surprised when the statue and its partner both began to move, slowly at first as if cramped from sitting for centuries...
    
    
    

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