A Tunnels and Trolls® play-by-post adventure run by khara_khang
The Lizardmen in Red Water Bay adventure started and ended in 1314 A.K., but the events in between happened as far back as 1101 A.K. and before.
Did that adventure start in 1101, with a hop back to 1069, and back again to 1101? Or, maybe we started in 1314, but when we were all transported to the swamp, we went through time as well, to 1101, then went further back in time (32 years) to 1069, then forward to 1314? Oh wise GM and master of timelines, please help a poor Orc out. (I failed my L2SR vs. INT!)
Just then, Taran's tattoo starts to glow and a portal opens just outside the entrance, cutting their conversation short.
Approximately 3 hours have passed since Taran invoked the power of his Favor Coin, according to the GM, who compared notes with me offline earlier today. As a result, the DEX drain from the last portal Taran's worm opened in the temple has been restored.
Cambrea's ignorance of their past together confuses the Orc, especially since she knows his name, and he grunts with his typical Orcish confusion. Then he grunts from the sting of her slap. She certainly isn't being playful anymore (or is she?)! Then when the portal opens, he emits a drawn-out grunt from slight dizziness due to his Talo worm's opening of the portal.
Taran again loses 3 DEX from his worm opening the portal. He's down to 8 DEX.
"Wicked! Is that some kind of weird Orc afterglow?" Cambrea says sarcastically, noticing Taran's glowing tattoo. Taran looks at Cambrea, exasperated. The glow of his Talo Worm's activation lights up the inside of the dwelling and washes Cambrea's pale skin in a purple hue as she sits there smirking at him.
"No, ugh! That's something else---" Taran tries to rescue his brain from the confusion of timeline manipulation, understanding women, understanding Elvish women, and perhaps worst of all, understanding a time-manipulated Elf woman and quickly gives up.
SR vs INT: 1+3=4. That's a failure no matter what the level!
He will need some help on this one. Maybe Olvarin can help him with the Elf women part, and Jax and his fruit brains can figure out the time part, if he is still alive....
Suddenly Taran looks up at the portal in a moment of clarity. He was thinking of Jax right before he tried to recount his last adventure in the swamp. Could his worm-symbiont have read his thoughts to know where he desired most to be: back with the others and his brother? The last portal the worm opened was back in the temple. He was thinking about wanting to get his equipment back, and then the Talo Worm open a portal to it. Is the same thing happening now? "This could be really convenient, or inconvenient," he thinks with a grimace.
"Uh, to explain briefly, I have some kind of sim-bye-ant back here," he says aloud to Cambrea, thumbing his back and the glowing tattoo, "that can open and even create portals. I was just thinking about my brother and friends, and I think it read my thoughts and opened a portal to get me back to them." He scratches his head, wondering if any of what he is saying is making sense to her. Frankly, he is starting to get lost himself.
Through the portal, he can see nothing: it is pitch black. He can hear a whooshing sound, like the flapping of wings cutting harshly against the air.
Thanks to the GM for this tidbit of perception as to what's beyond the portal. Recall, he could see through the first portal he created, so I asked offline what he would be able to see through this one.
Taran clenches his teeth with resolution and swallows, determined in his next course of action. "Cambrea," he says to the Elf---his Elf, as his Orcish traditions compel him to think of her, "I gotta feeling my brother is on the other side of that portal, and I mean to go rescue him. If my Talo Worm can open up portals at my bidding, I'm just figuring it out, or else I probably woulda ported out of here right away to try to get back to help him. It may be too late, but I still gotta find out!"
He tosses to her his leather tunic and pants. "You oughta wear these," he says, "and come with me through the portal. Argh, but I hope that you do." It is the best sentiment that the interspecies diplomat in him can muster.
From the stillness and darkness on the other side of the portal, he thinks it is a good bet that things have calmed down, for better or for worse. He hopes that there aren't Balrogs, Gargoyles, Mummies and Skeletons wandering around still, but he takes Cambrea for the kind of Warrior that isn't afraid of such monstrosities. She certainly isn't afraid of him---although he is a far cry from a towering flaming demon!
He quickly straps on his lamellar armor, knife, boots, enchanted quiver and scabbard, and draws out his Uncle Dracon's broadsword, with its big "D" hilt decoration. It feels too clumsy for him to wield properly, but he dares not curse the worm that has drained him of his agility if it is indeed provided a way back to saving Jax, or... (gulp) burying him.
Taran steps in front of the portal and turns to face the now-standing Cambrea, who holds his leathers and is presumably trying to decide what she will do with them (now that she is an Elf again), with herself, and with him. Was this---what does Shipy call it---a "one night stand"? Cambrea puzzles Taran, but he has no time to sort her out, nor to sort out his own feelings. He hopes she will come with him, and expects that she might. "Well, ugh, with or without you, I gotta go. I guess if, well, argh!" And with that, Taran turns around, scratches his midsection due to the armor straps that itch his hide, bares his tusks and steps through the portal.
...maybe we started in 1314, but when we were all transported to the swamp, we went through time as well, to 1101, then went further back in time (32 years) to 1069, then forward to 1314?
Yes, this is what Khara stated in his last comment. We did retroactively change the Lizardmen starting date, 1314 A.K. to agree with the Dracons' participation in the siege of Khazan, detailed in their first adventure and listed in the Trollworld Timeline.
Cambrea's ignorance of their past together confuses the Orc, especially since she knows his name....
If Cambrea were indeed close to the real Death Goddess (cf. Dangerous Creations) before her transgression, then she might know of Taran from his legendary exploits as an Agent of Lerotra'hh (cf. Agents of Lerotra'hh), or from his continuing contributions to furthering the cause of the Khazani underground resistance.
Martek pauses at the rows of tall book shelves when Jax uncouthly shouts to him within the normally silent hallowed halls of the great library. Turning to look at him, he gives a brief nod as he strolls back over to stop just short of standing beside Grutoss. Hearing what Jax has to say, Martek isn't sure if he should agree to what Jax has asked of him.
"I assume you want to him back, eh?"
Jax nods. His mind races furiously as he tries to figure out how he can possibly help Taran.
"As for Ebony, she is either outside or dead." Martek shakes his head. "I can't, she's not my problem. It's not enough, not for me, not anymore." He winks at Jax, not breaking a smile.
"It is our choices, Bela," he says turning to the Elf, "that make us who we are. At least that's what Madame Tuvow, er Madame Toubow always tells me." The two women are of course the same, but not everyone knows that. He internally chides himself for such a slip.
Martek half expects Bela to cast a spell on him, since at their last meeting, he left Bela tied up and gagged in an alley like a cheap harlot as he absconded with the Earth Dragon Helm and the Dagger of Time [cf. the end of Lizardmen in Red Water Bay --ed.]. It's a memory worthy of song, no doubt. Martek acts as though it never happened and Bela seems to be acting the same.
Grutoss puts up his hand to stop Jax from responding. His expression is stern, his features as sharp as his tongue. "It's a simple matter of my time, Jax. If I helped every down-and-out, drag-booted, sword-drawn adventurer who ever weaseled into my employ, then I could not fulfill my own obligations. If Taran used Lerotra'hh's coin, then he is safe wherever he might be. Just because he is not within your field of vision does not a rescue mission make."
His thinking is quite sound, he believes. Obviously, using a favor coin is not always the best thing to do, but Taran will just have to live with the choice he made.
The Master Wizard cringes a little at Jack's mention of Shrugg and Rutsalot as if someone dragged their fingernails across a chalkboard. He remembers why the books lie on that table in the first place. "Pleeeease, take them Jack." The Wizard sighs somewhat, gritting his teeth as he spits out the words.
"Sorry, I can't help you Jax. Despite your unhappiness with the situation, my decision is quite clear." He looks down at the floor. The light around the Master Wizard shimmers for a moment and then he vanishes.
Martek shrugs his shoulders, looks around and waits a few moments to make sure Grutoss is really gone. "Taran is my friend and I am not ready for him to pass his life to anyone---he's died enough for any Orc. But like the man said, we have other business." He smirks.
"Remember the Wizard's Second Rule: The greatest harm can result from the best intentions." Martek presses a coin into Jax's meaty palm. "Toss that to the ground and it will open a portal there and back again, to wherever he is. Use it wisely. That's all I got. I haven't felt this happy helping someone since Double Soup Frogday at the orphanarium!" Martek folds his arms together, grins, and watches the familiar gaze of his friends.
Seeing his lost sword discarded on the finely tiled floor, Quickly swoops down and snatches it valiantly from the floor without missing a beat. Waving his newfound prize for everyone to see, he yelps, "Yippy ki yay!"
"After this party, we can each grab a shovel and go to the Khazan cemetery. I'm one skull short of a Mouseketeer reunion."
As brave as Shipy and Jack may have sounded, they wait at the door as Amroth and Martek say their last goodbyes to Jax. Actually, Amroth doesn't speak. At least now, he appears to be an Elf of few words, and neither parting hugs nor friendly non-sexual butt-slapping seems his style. As much as they want to help, neither can or will. They leave the library and the group. Bela, Jay, Jax, Quickly, and the invisible Lilac all join Shipy and Jack at the door.
"It's totally black, wet, and that big guppy is still out there. We waited on you!" He leans against the wall beside the door. "Everyone ready to go now?"
"Your relationship with Daddio is quite complicated, huh?"
Shipy barks out a laugh. "That's a good word for it, complicated."
Lilac hovers above invisible, her small delicate wings fluttering with a whisper. She can't help but notice the unwinking scrutiny of the Fairy Warrior's unfathomable eyes. Quickly is currently the only member of the group that can see her. It is a natural ability granted to all Fairies. Lilac's attention shifts to her Hobbit friend (she smiles at the thought of whapping his ear), and then to the sickly moonless night outside and the pouring rain. It will not be pleasant, she thinks.
The group exits the library into the cold pouring rain. Outside the nondescript door is a narrow featureless and darkened alley, with high smooth stone walls. The hunting cry of the Gargoyle echoes into the night somewhere in the distance. Following the alley to its end, the group finds a four-way intersection. To their surprise, Shipy Sr. comes trotting up to them alone, from their right.
"If I were warmer, I would have a more appropriate venomous reply. Be warned... I owe you one. Come on, we have the bait ready; the Gargoyle should be there any moment. Oh, and we need to take it alive. Just thought I would tell you in advance." The drenched elder Hobbit puffs as water runs down his face.
"Thanks Dad. I guess this beats washing up on the beach with a rotting whale carcass." He grins as only a Hobbit can.
What do you do?
[Group shift:
As Taran straps on his armor, Cambrea dons the leather tunic and pants he has given her.
"I have some kind of sim-bye-ant back here.... You oughta wear these, and come with me through the portal. Argh, but I hope that you do."
"I've had worse things in me than a sim-bye-ant." She halfheartedly smiles at the irony of her statement. "Ah, dammit Taran, knock it off. You're gonna make me start liking you." The Elf studies his features for a second before continuing. "You always know just what to say."
"Not always. Just sometimes I know who to say it to."
"You know, things never work out like you plan."
"That's what makes it fun."
Taran draws a long slow breath as he prepares to enter the portal. The pitch blackness swallows all and the whooshing fills their ears, but it does little to steady their nerves as they ponder what might be waiting for them on the other side. Cambrea quickly moves and pulls her sword free from its hidden position along the wall. She will need it, she guesses.
"I really need you to move your ass now if you're going with me." Taran gives a bristling growl and disappears through the portal.
"I'm kinda in the mood to be destructive," she says, strapping on her sword in its sheath, and following Taran into the portal.
Taran and Cambrea reappear in the huge room in which Taran last saw his brother and his friends. From four entrances they see light emanating through dark black arches: one far ahead of them, two far to either side, and one behind them much closer.
They saw many, many Gargoyles within the room, circling overhead as if hunting prey, but everyone within the room the last time Taran was here is gone, dead or eaten. For a moment, the two stand together in silence and look around. Taran bends down and retrieves his crossbow and a backpack with equipment strapped to it. As he does that, the portal behind them closes suddenly.
"Ruughhh!" Translated from Orcish, this means, "Ah, sheep-shit."
What do you do?
Quickly's irritated, (bruised, battered) and dispirited specimen of a Fairy ego is somewhat buoyed by his find. Catching Lilac's eye, he stage-whispers to her, "Hsst! The Argoylegay ancay eesay ooyay ootay, ohsay utswhay the ointpay?"
He shrugs, and cuts off the pig-Common. "Besides, these big folk can't see you and it's bother enough trying to get their attention even when they can. I feel like a third wing around here; neither my arrows nor my blade can do a thing with that bit of flying bad statuary up there. Any ideas, while we're out here getting wet?"
I have a really great idea but before I can reveal it to you, there is one tiny problem. You see, I never mastered the great language of pig Latin so um, could you kinda translate that for me, pretty please? Thanx.
Translation: "The Gargoyle can see you, too, so what's the point?" It's a comment regarding Lilac's invisibility.
"If I were warmer, I would have a more appropriate venomous reply."
"Thank heaven for small favours."
"Come on, we have the bait ready; the Gargoyle should be there any moment. Oh, and we need to take it alive. Just thought I would tell you in advance."
Jay, thinking perhaps he missed something, asks, "Alive? What for? Unless you've got some justifiable explanation, I feel no obligation to put either ourselves or this community at further risk on your say-so. And in a city of this size, just why do you think the Gargoyle will go for your bait?"
"It is our choices, Bela, that make us who we are.
Martek's words of wisdom instantly bring back the painful memory of their previous adventure together, and the moment in the end when he nearly killed the human:
"It is not the destination that matters, but how you make the journey," Bela responded to Martek. He then curled back his extended forefinger and flicked Martek on the forehead with it, leaving a bright red mark.
[Later] After the treasure-division was done, Bela pulled Martek aside and spoke quietly, "When you dispose of that dagger, this helm needs to go, too. Let me come with you and I will help you make sure the dragon helm is put out of action."
"I knew you'd understand, Bela!" Martek and Bela exited the bar and disappeared into the crowed streets of Khazan.
When Martek soon afterwards turned on him in the alley, Bela could have cast UCBM then, but he did not trust that the demon rope that protects the human would understand.
"That is wisdom, Martek. I hope you have finally taken it to heart." Martek's words raise in Bela the hope that he has been making more honorable choices than when they first met. But it seems too much to hope that he would also have learned to trust others.
Since Shipy didn't answer his questions, he assumes the Hobbit isn't keeping any great secret he needs to know to stop their foe.
Outside, Bela is disturbed at the mention of bait.
"Bait? Show me," he says. To the others, he says, "If we see the Gargoyle, I will cast a slowing spell. Hopefully, that will keep it from being able to fly. Somebody will have to cover me."
Bela will try to protect anybody he sees who is being used as bait.
"Pleeeease, take them Jack."
"Yeah, well, since I'm sure you got new editions coming, it might be for the best. Honestly, these ones kinda suck. No pictures. I can't relate to books with no pictures. Or no maps. Books with maps are much better."
"Come on, we have the bait ready; the Gargoyle should be there any moment. Oh, and we need to take it alive. Just thought I would tell you in advance."
"Really gents, why should we bother with this? Isn't that what cops and the volunteer fire department are for? And I pay my taxes sometimes! Sheesh, and it seems like forever since someone mentioned that beer...."
Jax thanks the Master Wizard for his time, and Martek for the coin. He merely nods at Amroth, who is uncharacteristically reticent. After they have left, and as he trots toward the rest of the group at the library door, he ponders Martek's words:
"It is our choices, Bela, that make us who we are. At least that's what Madame Tuvow, er Madame Toubow always tells me."
Tuvow. Toubow. "Of course!" Jax thinks. He looks at Shipy to see if he has caught Martek's slip. So Martek's fortune teller boss [Madame Toubow of Lizardmen in Red Water Bay --ed.] and Shipy's gypsy healer [Madame Tuvow of Goblins in the Mist --ed.] are one and the same. He noted their similar eye-twinkle, not unlike Mr. Toad's [cf. Lizardmen in Red Water Bay --ed.], but never connected the two women until now.
Khazan just got a fraction smaller.
"Remember the Wizard's Second Rule: The greatest harm can result from the best intentions."
Damn that Martek, giving out unwanted advice always just vague enough to skirt meaning, and at the same time commonsensical enough to be redundant. Either way, it should be useless, but he winces, recalling the last time he flaunted the Advice of the Swamp Rat. "Fewmets," he says, looking at the strange coin in his meaty grip. He pockets it for now. Grutoss said Taran would be safe, and he knows of no reason to distrust the Master Wizard. But then Grutoss doesn't really know Taran....
Even though the cold biting rain outside reduces visibility by half, Jax's HotVision™ clearly betrays Shipy Sr.'s rotund outline as the group comes to an alley crossroads. He listens to the elder Hobbit, to Jay's protest, to Bela's concern, and to Jack's... well, just Jack. All the while he is scanning the sky for the source of the blood-curdling hunting cry. The sooner they mop up, the sooner he will find Taran.
"If we see the Gargoyle, I will cast a slowing spell. Hopefully, that will keep it from being able to fly. Somebody will have to cover me."
"I'll cover you, Bela," Jax says, drawing his EverSharp™ blade and turning to Shipy Sr.
"But until you answer Jay's questions, Hobbit, I will not trade the safety of this group for your fancy," he utters gravely toward Shipy Sr. "And even then, I may disagree with your reason."
Olvarin is feeling very fatigued from his recent spellcasting. When the party draws to a stop, engaging in heated discourse, the Elf sags against an alley wall.
Obviously, there is a lot more going on then he comprehends. Old comrades reunited, past adventures, and words with hidden meanings. Olvarin tries to understand, but it is just too difficult for him. Besides, it is all he can do to catch his breath.
Olvarin gathers his strength in the sordid and soaked alley until the party decides to move forward. "I don't have to be a hero," he thinks. "I just need to see these things to the end."
Having already cursed the portal's closing, Taran immediately crouches to reduce the chances of him being noticed, and turns his attention to the flapping and whooshing Gargoyles high overhead, who seem for now not to be paying him and Cambrea any attention. He recalls that it was only after Jax picked up the sword that everything went to the crapper. Maybe if they keep a low profile and don't go stealing any swords with Balrogs in them, they'd be fine. Of course, the aggressive-without-provocation Mummy and its minions were a different matter, but Taran doesn't see any sign of them.
Obviously, Taran did not realize that this portal created by him would only last approximately 20 seconds, as the last one did. He's a slow learner, so no suprise there! Also, on opening the portal, he took -3 to DEX as well as -3 to INT according to the GM, so he's now at DEX 8 and INT 6.
Taran notes that his over-and-under crossbow is still double-loaded. "Good," he thinks, knowing that in his clumsy state he might not be able to nock a pair of bolts. Then again, he probably wouldn't be able to fire it effectively either. Quickly, he slips it into its over-the-shoulder harness on the back of his lamellar armor.
The Orcish interloper looks briefly at the backpack he finds next to his discarded crossbow. He does not recognize it. Yet this is where he was when he was transported away, as evidenced his crossbow lying right where he put it down, so maybe one of his friends dropped it in the chaos. He slings the backpack over his left shoulder and turns to Cambrea.
"I didn't know the portal would clothe tho thoon," he says with a tusky grimace, purposefully masking the "s"s with "th"s to remain that much more quiet. As his father Oother once pondered, "An Orc without stench is no Orc, but an Orc without sound is a worthy opponent."
Taran tries to keep as silent as he can as he explains to Cambrea, "Thith ith where I lath thaw the otherth before the Death Goddeth dropped me into your thwamp!" In her swamp dwelling, he explained to her the events as he last saw them in this room. Now Taran wonders what transpired in his absence.
Cambrea shakes her head and sighs, and replies in kind. "Ah, Orcth...."
"Let'th have a look around while we're thill unnotithed," Taran suggests, glancing up at the flying Gargoyle hoard. "Watch out---the black thquareth are pitth." Maybe the dust would have footprints, he thinks. He looks about him and tries to find any clues as to where Jax and the others went. He considers that it might be a better idea to leave the chessboard room entirely, since they obviously aren't there, and get out of the sight and range of the Gargoyles. Maybe the Balrog is already loose and chased them out or killed them? More likely, they found a way to stop the Balrog from coming out. After all, he doesn't see any burns or scorches from the Balrog's intense fire and heat. "Ah, Jakth, where'd you go?"
Who let Howard Dodgers of the 23½ Century in here? WAUGH! [This is a reference to tarandracon's Gamma World® character of the same name and similarly impeded speech in the Gamma World Hell Hole adventure. --ed.]
"The Gargoyle can see you, too, so what's the point?"
"I know it can, but it's still fun to use!!" A shimmery silver light appears from out of nowhere, and now there are two little people in the sky.
"Ok, now down to business! We need to find both the Gargoyle and Ebony, so I suggest we get to work on it. Shall we fly?" Without waiting for an answer, 'cause I know he'll follow, I begin to fly across the city as my eyes search the skyline of the city.
"Thith ith where I lath thaw the otherth before the Death Goddeth dropped me into your thwamp!"
And this is what Tunnels and Trolls® is like when Cindy Brady plays.
Quickly, unaccustomed to dealing with someone as flighty as he is, splutters a moment. "A-but-but-but. I mean the whole city? Fellas? But? How do we take a Gargoyle alive? But? I think I got me a bone bruise back there. Don'tcha hate those? Anyone got a Poor Baby for the road?"
He is still down 3 CON down.
Looking back and forth between the receding Fairy and the rest of the party, he exclaims, "Look, she's a block away already!"
Shaking my head I mumble, "Men. They are worse than babies!"
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