Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

1. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

   #201

   Meleana sees movement in the brush and follows. She notices what may be a pit in the ground. The opening seems to have been hastily covered up from below, with loose fronds and vines. Somnak's nose takes him towards the same spot, and not long after, Melior, Lumori, and Thorgir approach as well. Brin joins them.
   
   The snow-haired priestess of hate and the raven-haired elven druid, size each other up...Meleana's boa hisses.
   
   Thorgir notices a thick footprint in a patch of mud beside the vertical cave.
   
   With the foliage kicked aside, the opening is revealed to be an earthen hole, approximately three feet in diameter. Wide enough to leap down into. Below, they could see the pit ending at about a dozen feet, and a tunnel could be barely made out by the keen eyes of the two elves and the half-orc, heading away from it.
   
   There could be no doubt that the one-eyed Seneschal had come this way. And he could not be more than a minute ahead!

2. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

   #202

   Somnak peered at the others wordlessly. Some of the companions here he knew, others were new - it mattered not. The fire of the hunt and the bloodlust of his last kill was still battling to control him, and with a short grunt and a clicking of his fangs, the Half-Orc leapt down into the hole.

3. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

   #203

   He landed nimbly on his muscled legs and crouched, peering into the tunnel ahead. The scent of cyclops was strong down here.
   
   The earth below his feet was wet and loamy. Above, an explosion of worm-like roots choked the tunnel's ceiling. Blood-lust coursing through his veins, the half-orc continued into the passage, almost sure now that the Seneschal was somewhere ahead...and close by.
   
   Indeed he was. Somnak paused as he heard familiar guttural chanting, just the last words of some vile spell. Then ahead he could see a shimmering wall of multi-colored light pulsing in the tunnel about twenty feet ahead. The Seneschal (no longer invisible!) stepped into the light just then, vanishing once more from view!
   
   The pulsing "doorway" of lights remained, though it almost immediately began to waver and darken, once the Seneschal stepped through its virtual curtain.

4. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

   #204

   Thorgir only hesitated a moment before dropping in behind the half-orc.
   
   
   
   

5. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

   #205

   "Into the light," Somnak grunted to Thorgir. With no second thoughts, Somnak charged, Qullan blade pointed forth to first breach the light, followed closely by the half-orc.

6. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

   #206

   Melior sighed at seeing the hole, but instead of bemoaning his fate too long, he held one end of his rope and threw the other into the pit, before casting Rope Trick on it.
   
   "Ladies first," he said, bowing Meleana (and, to a lesser degree, the human) on.

7. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

   #207

   Melior was smart. Anticipating an unpleasant meeting between Meleana and this strange priestess, he hurried both along into the tunnel without much exposition.
   
   The silent shadow, Lumori, slid into the tunnel as well.
   
   No doubt a dimensional door, Melior smiled, as he eyed the fading cluster of light ahead in the corridor. He knew his magic and spell-craft.
   
   Only moments ago Somnak and Thorgir had barreled through the shimmering curtain and were now obviously on the other side. Wherever that was...
   
   ----------------
   
   They had emerged from the magical doorway, into another earthen tunnel, but this one angling upwards and eventually reaching outside.
   
   A great pyramid of opaque milk-white stone (white jade) reached up into the sky, glowing warmly in the moonlight. The structure was topped by a capstone of lustrous purplish amethyst, some two hundred feet above.
   
   Even in his blood-lust, Somnak had to pause to stare at the pyramid.
   
   No natural structure this, Thorgir noted, wretched sorcery was involved.
   
   Immediately outside the cave they had just emerged from, they could see the Seneschal almost at the base of the pyramid now, running on his bandy legs, his white robes swirling. He was about eighty feet away from the half-orc and barbarian. The Cyclops was waving down what looked like spearmen guards, who were patrolling the pyramid’s base, beneath the moonlight. He was shouting at them, then without pausing, ran straight ahead into a wall of the pyramid itself, once more vanishing from view!
   
   Eight spearmen, still eighty feet away, peered into the darkness toward Somnak and Thorgir, not yet seeing them. They lit torches then, and with them and spears in each hand, the guards advanced on the half-orc and barbarian’s position, while two remained beside the pyramid they were guarding.
   

8. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

   #208

   Barely sparing a glance for the elf maiden, a nod to the wizard, the dark priestess slid down the rope with barely a glance, darting as quickly as she could through the strange gateway. It stank of wizardry, and she passed through just in time to see the cyclops vanish into the pyramid, and the spearsmen start to advance. With a quiet curse, she drew up behind the drummer and the barbarian, loosing her heavy flail and gripping it tightly. She'd best husband what remained of the well of divine hatred within herself.

9. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

   #209

   Caught once again in the maelstrom of events, Meleana didn't find time to challenge the drow, when everyone else was hustling around her. She had never met one before, not even seen one. But the stories spoke true. The only conundrum was why she bothered to disguise her ears when the rest of her was clearly drow. Meleana wouldn't let the priestess out of her sight until she had figured it all out. She descended the rope and quickly followed through the portal, emerging into the scene above.
   
   As soon as she surfaced, all thoughts of the drow were mostly forgotten. She had never been this close to the pyramid before. Even now, her sister must still be inside. Seeing the guards advancing, she yelled out.
   
   < "Oh Boys?! It's me, Meleana!" >

10. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #210

    Melior paused at the opening to cancel his spell and collect his rope, and was coiling it as he followed his companions threw it. He quickly took in the scene with his sharp elven senses, before preparing himself mentally for either combat, negotiation, or diplomacy.

11. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #211

    Her sultry voice was immediately recognized by most of the advancing spearmen. One called out:
    
    "Is that you Meleana? What are you doing here in the middle of the night? The Seneschal has warned of intruders!!"
    
    

12. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #212

    < "Yes... He would be referring to us(some of us more than others), but ask yourselves this, who has lived on this island the longest? Us, or those big ugly one-eyes? Ji'zele was taken inside two weeks ago, you all know that once you go in, you don't come back. We have all had someone enter, or knows someone who had one of theirs enter. Why should we allow the ones we love to be lost from us forever? All for empty promises? For all we know, the watching Eye could have eaten them all! Dzili, Gabak, Jolof, Grang, Myhak. You know me, I have been there for you throughout your whole lives, please, please! Do not make me watch you die needlessly in the service of this foul tyrant. It is time we learned to live for ourselves again, step aside and let us in. Please..." >
    
    In the moonlight her eyes glittered, beseeching them all. A vision of their very own timeless goddess. Without even thinking, she had chosen her side.

13. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #213

    Somnak said nothing but he paused - it seemed the sultry she-elf was attempting to reason with the spearmen. The Half-Orc ran a tongue along a fang impatiently - every second wasted here meant the Seneschal got further away. Somnak was eager for the hunt.
    
    He glanced  to the others who arrived also; seemed that everyone was in on the hunt! Somnak shared a wordless nod to Thorgir - he's come to appreciate the large man's fury and combat prowess in the last few days. To the black-skinned woman he narrowed his eyes: she and her motives were unknown, "I do not know you, woman;  do you hunt this Seneschal with us?"

14. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #214

    Asked the question, the priestess's lips curled into a faint smile. It was not a pleasant expression, and it promised nothing pleasant whatsoever. Rather, it promised misery and pain to someone, much as the hood of a serpent promised the mouse pain and death. "I am commanded to end the false god of this isle, no more, and no less." The smile deepened then, a promise of enjoyment in that misery and pain. "Slaying the one-eyed beast that serves him, and devouring his heart... That will be a purely personal pleasure."

15. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #215

    The spearmen did not hear Brin's acid-laced words. But they did hear Meleana loud and clear.
    
    Her impassioned plea had worked. The men parted as if by magic, to let the druid and her companions through.
    
    "We trust you, Meleana. We are with you!" Jolof intoned.
    
    "It is..true." mumbled Myhak grimly, "No one has ever re-emerged. Not your sister, not my brother. I will come with you, if you'll have me!"
    
    "You go to slay the Watching Egg?!" asked Grang incredulously.
    
    "The Seneschal was wounded. What has happened?" asked Gabak.
    
    "The Seneschal is inside the pyramid. he uses the same word all the time. I have heard him. We can show you the place" He said excitedly, leading everyone to the glowing pyramid's base...
    
    ...
    
    "...Here" Dzili pointed to a part of the milky-white wall that looked like any other, "He enters here, whenever he whispers, "Yinsoso."

16. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #216

    Thorgir was unsure what exactly was happening, but followed along.

17. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #217

    [img width=400 height=319]http://starbaseatlanta.com/ebaypics/sgcpc197.jpg
    

18. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #218

    < "Thank you, everyone! Those who wish may come with us, and you have my deepest gratitude, but I do not need to tell you how dangerous it will be, even for strong warriors such as you all. I do not know if the watching egg may fall, if it is even possible, I only know that I need to try and get my sister and everyone held hostage back, and try to stop this endless cycle of misery." >
    
    She turned to Melior.
    
    < "They're with us now, tell your friends." >
    She smiled, satisfied with herself. She hadn't planned for any of this, not really, but she would be lying if she didn't admit it had been festering at her, from the moment her sister had been chosen. She had argued and pleaded with her sister, but all in vain. And she couldn't let it show that it affected her, how could she, so many had been chosen before her sister was. To refuse would be to think yourself above those other families who all had to make the same sacrifice in the past.
    
    But now, a way had presented itself, a group of strangers foolhardy enough to take on the seneschal in battle, and to send him fleeing at that! Perhaps it wasn't hopeless, just maybe, she would get to see her sister again.
    
    She walked up to the pyramid, held out her hand and said; "Yinsoso."

19. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #219

    "These guards are now with us, as is Meleana." Melior said. "Now, let us go kill a cyclops."
    
    He followed Meleana to the wall, and waited for a way to show itself.

20. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #220

    The men hemmed and hawed, in awe of the pyramid they guarded, and deathly afraid of the Watching Egg.
    
    Except for Myhak and his younger brother, Yurhak.
    
    "I shall go with you! My spear is yours! I fear no evil, and wish to find my older brother." Myhak nodded grimly.
    
    "Death to the Watching Egg!" Yurhak whispered quietly, afraid to utter it any louder, and raised his spear. "I'm with my brother."
    
    (ooc: Yurhak and Myhak: 1st level fighters, 9 HPs each, 5/6 AC. hide armor + 16 dex and 15 dex. Spear 1-8 dam, 1 att/rd.)
    
    
    ---------
    
    "Yinsoso" she intoned, the word sounding alien enough to her lips.
    
    A rectangular section of milk-white stone glowed suddenly, an eerie pale green color. They stepped through it and into the pyramid...
    
    -----------
    
    Inside the pyramid was utter silence. A wide (10') and high (20') passageway of milk-white stone continued in both directions (left and right), each pyramid angle (turn) unseen from their current position. A gentle sussurus began quite suddenly. The subtle sound seemed harmless but persistent, a quiet droning along the hallway, like leaves rustling in a gentle breeze.
    
    In lieu of darkness, which they expected, the corridor was alight from the eerie, warm glow coming off the very walls. A few drops of what looked like blood, could be seen on the floor, leading left.
    
    
    The inside of the pyramid appeared to be a sterile and alien place, not of this world. The white walls were devoid of decorations or adornments of any kind, except for...
    
    What looked like a streak of black graffiti--"Mouse was here"-- scrawled along one of the walls and a few feet down the right side of the corridor, was a palm-sized, oval purple crystal studded into the wall at eye level, and protruding slightly.

21. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #221

    Somnak followed the others in, and narrowed his eyes at the hallway. The graffiti meant nothing to the half Orc so he dismissed it with a grunt. The gem in the wall was of interest, but the half Orc felt an air of danger in this place and decided that before acting, he would stop and become more aware of his surroundings. Somnak studied the blood on the ground; he was not sure if the Seneschal was bleeding, so couldn't be certain it was his. He also listened intently, motioning the others to be quiet while he did.
    
    perception/listen check pweese!

22. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #222

    As Brin stepped into the pyramid, she scowled. It was a queer sort of place, and she decided that she rather loathed it. Frowning more specifically at the crystal on the wall, she peered into her pack for a moment, then sighed melodramatically. "I should have listened to Brother Malevolus when he advised me to bring a ten foot pole for prodding things like that crystal." She expected it to be a trap. This whole place stank of trap. She would have preferred to have killed the priest and lured his master out to die at the end of her flail. 

23. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #223

    Alien wasn't even the word, if a wooden hut is one end on the spectrum of technology then this wasn't even on the scale. Meleana hesitated to set even a foot down on the glowing rock for fear of it burning her. Perhaps the watching egg really was a god, to live in such a place. She wondered now if she was wrong to question the egg, her courage sank and her stomach became a cold knot. Her actions could doom her whole village if this wouldn't work. But it was too late to change her mind now. She hugged Melior's arm and pointed to the scribblings on the wall. < "What are those symbols? Do they point out the way?" >

24. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #224

    Though he had remained silent up until now while the hunt had commenced, Lumori spoke up at last in response to Brin's comment. "You mean like this one?" He brandished the pieces of his broken-down pole and began screwing it back together.

25. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #225

    said Melior.
    
    He examined the crystal for a moment, and considered testing it for magic. But no: he might need his magics for the cyclops, and so he stood by with Meleana and watched as Lumori prepared his stick for the woman.

26. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #226

    Thorgir figured the entire place stank of sorcery, but gave the stone a closer look.
    
    
    Attempt to detect magic.  40%

27. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #227

    And he did in fact smell sorcery, the stone stank of it.
    
    "Tis tainted by magic. I smell it!"
    
    And with that, Thorgir smashed the pommel of his sword against it.
    
    

28. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #228

    *Bleem--skkzzt* came a sound, as the crystal was smashed by Thorgir, breaking apart like glass rather than an amethyst.
    
    Brin was about to poke at the crystal with Lumori's segmented pole, but then just stared incredulously at the barbarian's antics.
    
    A seven-foot high rectangle along the white wall began to glow a pale green, and immediately next to it, another shimmering green outline of an identical doorway appeared.
    Then the walls seemed to “evaporate” in those spaces, revealing twin chambers.
    
    Once opened, the “closet-like” interiors of each could only be described as disappointments…stark-white, vertical, rectangular shafts, barely large enough for the six of them to stand inside comfortably.
    
    They could see without entering, that each aperture had a small crystal knob sticking out of a wall. The knobs seemed to be metallic. Harder to smash, but doable.
    
    
    The sound of the smashing crystal did seem to have one other effect. The susurrus coming from everywhere and nowhere, grew louder still, and closer. Like a concert of alien flutes, or a hundred hollow bamboo poles, sucking in air, and expelling it. It was impossible even to ascertain if the droning was *the* sound or the echo of one.

29. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #229

    Somnak peered at the two new small rooms and grunted - probably some kind of magical traveling device, he supposed. But that droning was beginning to make him unsettled, and his prey was a different direction! "I do not know what that foul sound is, but i do not want to stay to find out! " The half-Orc ignored made his way to the left passageway - where those blood droplets led.

30. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #230

    Somnak raced ahead impatiently, down the left passage, following the Seneschal's spilled life essence, as the others inspected the twin chambers and the metallic knobs...
    
    He must have gotten forty feet down the tunnel, when up ahead, he could make out a dead-end. No, not a dead end! Instead the tunnel appeared to turn at a ninety degree angle approximately sixty feed in front of him.
    
    Aha! One of the four corners of the pyramid.
    
    The tunnel, all white and aglow, looked eerie to the half-orc. Unnatural!
    
    But he didn't have much time to contemplate his next move, because from around the blind turn in the hall, a creature of nightmare emerged, rounding the corner.
    
    Somnak could make out a hulking shape shambling along the passage heading directly for him now, but in no apparent hurry. The droning mystery was now solved as well, for the haunting sound seemed to emanate from this very creature!
    
    The monstrosity resembled a vaguely humanoid ape-like creature. It was constructed out of what appeared to be a giant pile of hundreds of rotting bamboo poles, fungus, and decomposing plant-life. The droning came from the many bamboo-like tubes, extending from its body, in all directions.
    
    Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Vssshhhhh, Sphiiiiisshhhh, Vsssssshh, Sshoooooooooooooooo.
    
    The sound, so gentle and soft, was somehow horrifying to the half-orc' ears.
    
    The thing drew closer slowly, lumbering along on four limbs, ape-like. If it saw the half-orc it didn't register any reaction. But directly toward Somnak it came...
    
    Somnak hesitated.
    
    

31. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #231

    Somnak screeched to a halt at the sight of this horrific being! What kind of horror was this!? He hesitated for just a moment before running back to the first corridor, "Something coming...! Big!! I hope you all figured out what these knobs do!" He had no desire to try and fight this odd new creature if it could be avoided! Hoping against hope that the knobs were indeed some form of transportation, he stepped in the left small chamber and fiddled with the metallic object, pressing and pulling on it!

32. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #232

    Melior quietly translated for Meleana all that his companions were saying as they followed their base personality types: reckless fools who were stupider than a dead monkey with half its brain eaten by army ants and replaced with the feces of a sloth.
    
    But now the fool half-orc was simply asking for trouble. Wandering off by himself after the cyclops, by the great elven gods of magic! Like children.
    
    But lambasting them for this behavior was not a possibility; if the half-orc was right, and his imagination wasn't being effected by whatever kind of mushrooms orcs like.
    
    "Into the space, everyone!" Said Melior. "Melee fighter near entrance, ranged fighters in back. Throgir and Lumori in front, Brin and Somnak middle, Meleana and myself in back."
    
    He hurried into the back, guiding Meleana with one hand "We shall ambush it," he finished, "or wait as it passes. Your call."
    
    Melior quickly gave the barebones of the plan to Meleana.

33. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #233

    A few smooth steps, and the dark woman took her place in the order, though Brin had little like for this room. What strange sorceries could be controlled by the knob, she knew not. It was... concerning. And, as she looked in the direction of the plant thing, she shook her head, murmuring. "I don't think ambush is possible anymore."

34. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #234

    Meleana nodded at Melior's plan. Despite the urgency, she enjoyed seeing him taking charge like this, obviously he was the leader of the group, though he seemed to be having problems controlling these brutes, especially that pig-man who was always running around. He didn't smell very good either, especially up close.
    
    And she certainly didn't enjoy being this close to the sneaky drow. She suspiciously studied her ears. What was she playing at? From what Meleana had heard, drow never travelled alone. And they only went to the surface world to raid for slaves. It just didn't make any sense.
    
    She wondered what big thing was coming, she couldn't see much where she stood. Just to be safe, she cast barkskin on herself. She quietly studied her arm, as the texture of her skin changed. Her beautiful soft bronzed skin slowly turning a darker ebony. She smiled and strutted a little, in case anyone else was watching.

35. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #235

    Disliking packed spaces, and more than slightly annoyed with the wizard who seemed to think he had some sort of authority over the group, Lumori slid into the right compartment.
    
    Away from the others, he glanced around the room to spy any obvious traps, then held very still as he heard the large creature approaching down the hall. Lack of movement wasn't cover of darkness, but it was a start.
    
    Rolls necessary, oh GM my GM?

36. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #236

    Whether Thorgir was reacting to the elf's orders or not was unclear - he simply stepped back slowly somewhat in awe of the thing coming into view.  He would stand here and fight, regardless of what happened behind him.
    
    Sword out he readied for the thing's approach.
    

37. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #237

    Sword out he readied for the thing's approach.

    
    
    He stood alone on the "front line" cramped inside the compartment, for Lumori the thief was no where to be seen. Behind Thorgir, Somnak feverishly fiddled with the metallic knob. Melior barked orders and cracked his spell-casting fingers. Meleana seemed lost in her own thoughts, standing there next to Melior behind Thorgir and Brin.
    
    

    "I don't think ambush is possible anymore."

    
    
    Indeed, as the lumbering, wheezing bamboo-tube monster came into view, it turned to examine the cramped companions, conveniently packed inside the small chamber. The beast seemed to eye them (though it had no eyes!) and bellowed suddenly, letting out a horrific whooshing gust of air as it did from its many tubes and pipes. Thorgir's wild hair blew back, as the wind-gust hit his face, and Meleana's and Brin's locks danced in the gust as well, as the beast raised its forearms, capped with sharpened bamboo-like claws, and lunged at Thorgir, who was first in line...
    
    (ooc: Initiative. Beasty rolls a 4)
    
    ---------------
    
    Perhaps it was because Thorgir had smashed the purple crystal, moments earlier. Perhaps it was due to Somnak's fiddling of the other knob in the other aperture. Perhaps not. Regardless, as Lumori examined the other chamber with his practiced thief-eye, searching out traps, the chamber he was in, suddenly jolted and the entire chamber began to ascend with Lumori still inside! Outside he could hear the beast's alien sounds now. His companions were facing the thing head-on.
    
    
    (ooc: a successful dex check by Lumori-- Dex or lower on a d20-- and he can easily dive out from the chamber before it begins to "ascend". OR, Lumori can choose to ride the elevator up, off to explore on his own! Whoop!)

38. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #238

    (ooc: val rolled party initiative and lost for all! :P)
    
    The creature struck with its giant fore-arms at the barbarian, as it breathed in and out. The first was blocked by Thorgir's shield, the second struck home, an almost painless puncture with a razor-sharp bamboo claw, but a spot of blood appeared along the barbarian's arm. (ooc: rolled 6 and 16 for attack, 2 for damage)
    
    It was almost impossible for Thorgir to maneuver out of the creature's way. The beast blocked the entrance of the tightly-packed chamber, and there was no room for him to move back, with his companions packed tightly behind him. All he could do was take the brunt of the thing's direct assault...
    
    (ooc: your turns!)
    

39. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #239

    His initial shock at the creature evaporated with its largely ineffectual attack, so he lashed out with the Quallan sword.
    
    Hit AC 4, Damage = 3 + 6 . 9 Points if hit.
    
    
    

40. Re: Tales of Misadventure [Isle of Woe]

    #240

    She was jolted from her musings, as the lumbering mound entered into view, she suddenly knew with dread certainty what the pig-man had witnessed.
    
    < "Susurrus!" > She shouted, as the creature shot forth to attack the barbarian warrior.
    
    Drawing from her experience as a druid, she cast a spell well suited against such a plant fiend.
    
    Casting Warp wood. You do the damage and the stuff, I have no idea.

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