Session 2:
Rust Monsters

[JadedDM]: We last left off on Dymin 21st, Darkday at 14 bells.  The party is deep within the Voxis mines, searching for two more missing miners after the local vermin began attacking everyone.  They party has just vanquished a swarm or giant rats.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Wait here.  I'm going to see if I can salvage any of my arrows."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks over her twin swords absently. "Maybe next time I won't keep throwing them everywhere," she says softly as she waits impatiently.

[JadedDM]: Daufer's brown eyes gaze over the battlefield of dead giant rats before he kneels to rest.

[Astal]: Astal remain silent.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris returns a few moments later.  "Is everyone all right?  We still have two more miners to find."

[Jasmin]: "I'm great." Jasmin then points over to Daufer. "But he looks like he needs rest."

[Astal]: "It seems most of my craft was spent in the battle."

[JadedDM]: Daufer stands stoically, wiping a bit of sweat from his brow.  "I am...fine."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin shifts from foot to foot. "Well, can't just stop now," she says, looking over everyone. "So I'm going to continue on."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris slides his bow into his quiver and draws his sword again.  "All right.  Jasmin and I can take point."  He points to Astal.  "You and Daufer cover the rear.  Daufer can use his bow to cover us."

[Astal]: "I shall do what I can," he says while sifting through the pages of his spellbook. "I should invest more time in my studies."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin grins at Gaheris. "Aww, you're going to fight with me instead of hiding in the back. How sweet," she teases.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris nods.  "All right," he says, ignoring Jasmin.  “We have three ways:  The northeast, where the rats came from...the southwest, and the southeast.  All three paths look dark."

[Jasmin]: "Southwest," she picks at random. "We should probably find the miners first before finding out what sent the rats running."

[Astal]: "Well…we still do not know what stirred the rats... Do we really want find out?"

[Jasmin]: "Of course we want to find out!"

[JadedDM]: Daufer pauses before speaking.  "Our job is to find the miners, and nothing else."

[Astal]: Knowing she would say that, his head dangles. "You almost fell in battle, remember?”

[Jasmin]: "Almost, but didn't," Jasmin looks over all of them. "You know if we don't find out, then the miners will come down here again and probably be attacked again. We might as well just get rid of the problem while we are here.  Besides what kind of monster slayers would we be if we didn't...slay the monster?" she asks, crossing her arms.

[Astal]: (Welcome, Joe!)

[Daufer]: ((Hello all.))

[Jasmin]: (hiya)

[Astal]: "I only care about my share of the gold," he says bluntly.

[Jasmin]: "Well, you aren't going to get a lot of gold if you do the job half way. Where is your sense of adventure...or do none of you have one?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Look, Jasmin, the truth is, we're not at a hundred percent here."

[Daufer]: "There's bravery, and then there's recklessness," Daufer says in agreement.

[Astal]: He stares at her blankly. "You cannot begin to fathom what is down here."

[Jasmin]: "You can't be serious!" she huffs a bit. "I didn't come down here for the gold, and if any of you haven't noticed my father is down here somewhere."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Look, either way, arguing isn't getting us anywhere.  We need to decide which way to go."

[Daufer]: "I say we go to the northeast. The other miners may be down there, and if the rats ran into them, they may be injured or worse."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris looks to Jasmin and Astal.  "And the rest of you?"

[Astal]: "You do not want to know what I am thinking."  He would rather let them decide anyway.

[Jasmin]: "I all ready said southwest."

[Astal]: "Alright then. Since you are so eager to go that way, may I suggest we split into two groups?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Is that wise?"

[Jasmin]: "Well, as fearless as the three of you are, I doubt it," she mutters.

[Astal]: "I am not sure if going southwest is wise, let alone being here. These mines may cave-in at any time. So who is to say what is wise?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris blanches a bit at Astal's words.  He seems to think things over a bit before speaking.  "I agree with Daufer.  We should head northeast."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin huffs again then just turns away from the group to head towards the northeast tunnel, yet doesn't seem all that happy about it.

[Astal]: "Let’s get on with it." He follows behind Jasmin.

[Daufer]: Daufer follows suit.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris shakes his head and hurries over to meet Jasmin's stride.

[JadedDM]: The four march northeast, Gaheris and Jasmin at point.  The tunnel is quite dark, though, as this corridor is not illuminated like the others.  Gaheris halts.  "Jasmin, did you find a torch in those shacks?"

[Jasmin]: "I didn't see any torches, no. Of course, I didn't get the chance to check the last one before the rats attacked."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Great.  I don't relish the idea of walking into something blindly..."

[Daufer]: Daufer takes a torch out of his pack. "Here. It helps to be prepared," he says shortly.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris smiles wryly as he takes the torch.  "Well, at least one of us is."  He lights the torch, which illuminates the area around them.  "Here, Astal.  You carry it."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin taps her foot impatiently as she waits for the others.

[Astal]: Astal takes the torch in his free hand.

[JadedDM]: The party resumes their walk down the corridor.  They reach a sharp turn to the south and find themselves with a dead end about 20 feet ahead.  A lone figure lies on the ground by the back wall, unmoving.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin approaches the figure upon the ground.

[JadedDM]: The figure looks to be a hobgoblin male, trussed up.  His body is covered in bites and small pieces of his flesh have been torn away.  It's quite apparent he's dead.

[Astal]: Astal illuminates the area moving closer so that they may examine the figure.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Shadowbite...looks like the rats got him first."

[Astal]: He chuckles "Poor soul." He kneels down, attempting to pilfer anything of particular use to him.

[Jasmin]: "So much for bringing them all alive. Looks to be a dead-end too, but didn't the rats come from this way?"

[Daufer]: "Perhaps they came from a hole," Daufer says dismissively, more intent on keeping an eye out.

[JadedDM whispering to Astal]:  Upon the body, Astal finds little else than a small belt pouch still intact.  Inside are 15 silver pieces and a strange, metal token.  Engraved in the token is some kind of whip insignia.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "I wonder what spooked them..."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks around the dead end, trying to find what could have spooked them, but soon becomes bored with it. "Looks like we need to head back. There is still one more miner."

[Astal]: "Well…it seems he had a bit of coin on him before the vermin claimed his hide." Astal takes the strange metal token in his hand passing up the silver.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris eagerly takes the pouch and goes through it.  "Huh...just fifteen silver..."

[Daufer]: Daufer looks distastefully at his partners. "Disturbing the dead is not wise."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris shrugs.  "He doesn't need it anymore."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin rolls her eyes at Gaheris before she starts back down the tunnel again.

[Daufer]: "He may beg to differ," Daufer says.

[Astal]: Claiming the token for his own, he steps away from the corpse to examine its engraving. "Strange."

[Jasmin]: "Strange what?" Jasmin asks, pausing in her steps.

[Astal]: Astal doesn’t reply but continues back up the path sliding the token in his pocket.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris ties the belt pouch to his own belt and joins the others as they return to the large cavern.

[Daufer]: Daufer follows, keeping his bow-string taut.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin wrinkles her nose as she moves back into the large cavern, though she doesn't much pause as she moves towards the southeast.

[JadedDM]: Not hearing any objections from the others, Gaheris shrugs and goes with her.

[JadedDM]: The four head into the southeast tunnel, which takes them south for about 20 feet before turning to the east for ten.  At this point, it opens into a T-intersection, one way going south and another north.  The south way ends at a dead end after 20 feet, but the north side turns to the east again eventually.

[Jasmin]: Seeing as the south turns into a dead end, Jasmin makes her way to the north tunnel.

[JadedDM]: The four turn to the east at the end of the north tunnel and walk quietly for about forty feet before they suddenly hear the sounds of chittering and squeaking echoing all around them again.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin pauses in her steps upon hearing the sounds. "More rats?" she asks softly, glancing around.

[Astal]: Astal draws a knife. "You may just get your wish, Jasmin."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris looks around frantically, trying to pinpoint the noise.  "It sounds like it's coming from everywhere..."

[Daufer]: Daufer stays calm, straining his eyes for any sign of the creatures.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin tightens her grip on her swords as she takes a couple more steps forward. "Maybe you are right, Astal," she mutters.

[JadedDM]: From up ahead, a small swarm of bats emerge from the darkness.  Their fur is sleek and dark and their wings appear transparent.  They begin flying all around the tunnel in a frenzy, squeaking.  A quick count reveals a dozen of the beasts.

[Jasmin]: "Ohhh, bats!" Jasmin says excitedly.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris tries to keep them at bay with his sword.  "Shadow bats!  Don't let them bite you!  They'll drain your vigor!"

[JadedDM]: (Actions for round 1?)

[Daufer]: Daufer shoots an arrow at one.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin moves in to attack the bats.

[Astal]: "Oh bats!? Are you mad?" Astal stands his ground attacking the nearest bat.

[JadedDM]: (Initiative.)

[Jasmin]: [1d10] -> [1] = (1)

[Astal]: [1d10] -> [3] = (3)

[Daufer]: [1d10] -> [7] = (7)

[Jasmin]: Jasmin laughs at Astal as she moves in for the attack.

[JadedDM]: Jasmin's turn.

[Jasmin]: [1d20] -> [7] = (7)

[Jasmin]: [1d20] -> [15] = (15)

[Jasmin]: [1d6] -> [2] = (2)

[Jasmin]: Jasmin twirls into the attack, strikes at one bat, but her sword misses in her haste, though as she brings her other sword around she manages to stab one of the bats rather gracefully before it falls down to the ground.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris' turn.

[JadedDM]: [1d20] -> [12] = (12)

[JadedDM]: [1d6] -> [1] = (1)

[JadedDM]: Gaheris stabs forward with his short sword, piercing one of the smaller ones in mid-air.  He flicks his wrist to knock the creature off the blade.

[JadedDM]: Astal's turn.

[Astal]: [1d20] -> [17] = (17)

[Astal]: [1d3] -> [1] = (1)

[Astal]: Astal swipes his knife at one of the bats, grazing its breast. His knife carves into its hide, but the wound wasn’t fatal.

[JadedDM]: Shadow Bats' turn.

[JadedDM]: A small group swarms Jasmin, but she manages to keep most at bay.  One of them attacks her back flank and bites her shoulder.  She feels a cold sensation as it seems to drain the strength from her.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin whimpers softly as the cold sensation overcomes her, but she seems to try to ignore it at this point.

[JadedDM]: Another group does likewise with Gaheris, and at least three of the buggers bite him.  Strangely, they avoid Astal and Daufer, as they are nearest to the torch.

[JadedDM]: Daufer's turn.

[Daufer]: [1d20] -> [14] = (14)

[Daufer]: [1d6] -> [5] = (5)

[Daufer]: Daufer tracks one of the bats along his sight and looses an arrow. The bat falls to the cave floor, an arrow through its small body.

[JadedDM]: Daufer's turn.

[Daufer]: [1d20] -> [7] = (7)

[Daufer]: Daufer fires another arrow, but this one misses as the creature dodges easily.

[JadedDM]: (Actions for Round 2?)

[Jasmin]: Jasmin attacks the rodents again.

[Daufer]: Daufer fires more arrows.

[Astal]: Frustrated with his knife, he attempts to swat the bats with the torch.

[JadedDM]: (Initiative.)

[Jasmin]: [1d10] -> [3] = (3)

[Daufer]: [1d10] -> [6] = (6)

[Astal]: [1d10] -> [8] = (8)

[JadedDM]: Jasmin's turn.

[Jasmin]: [1d20] -> [10] = (10)

[Jasmin]: [1d20] -> [9] = (9)

[Jasmin]: Jasmin takes a stab at the bat that bit into her, but the little sucker dodges easily. She then twists slightly to bring her other sword around, yet she misses once again. "Damn," she mutters.

[JadedDM]: Shadow Bats' turn.

[JadedDM]: The bats around Jasmin continue to attack, and this time another one bites her.  The same goes with Gaheris, but two of them bite him.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris' turn.

[JadedDM]: [1d20] -> [15] = (15)

[JadedDM]: [1d6] -> [3] = (3)

[JadedDM]: Gaheris shakes the bats off of him, and then swings his short sword upward, nearly severing one of the bats' wings off.  It falls to the ground.

[JadedDM]: Astal's turn.

[Astal]: [1d20] -> [13] = (13)

[JadedDM]: Astal charges forward with his torch and swings it at the swarm around Jasmin.  The bats fly away from her, as if afraid of the light.

[JadedDM]: Daufer's turn.

[Daufer]: [1d20] -> [17] = (17)

[Daufer]: [1d6] -> [5] = (5)

[Jasmin]: Jasmin glances at Astal for a moment in surprise before she continues on with her onslaught.

[Daufer]: Another bat falls to the ground, an arrow pierced through its chest.

[JadedDM]: Daufer's turn.

[Daufer]: [1d20] -> [11] = (11)

[Daufer]: With fewer bats to hit, they prove far more able to dodge Daufer's arrows and he misses again.

[JadedDM]: Jasmin's turn.

[Jasmin]: [1d20] -> [18] = (18)

[Jasmin]: [1d6] -> [5] = (5)

[Jasmin]: Jasmin twists her body just as a bat comes flying down at her. She thrusts her sword up at the rodent, piercing it through its tiny chest before she flicks it off her sword carelessly.

[JadedDM]: There are now six bats left, and they are beginning to swarm around Gaheris now.  Actions for round 3?

[Jasmin]: Jasmin moves to help Gaheris with his bat problem.

[Daufer]: Daufer shoots at more bats.

[Astal]: Astal flails the torch at the remaining bats attempting to herd them away from his comrade.

[JadedDM]: (Initiative.)

[Jasmin]: [1d10] -> [2] = (2)

[Astal]: [1d10] -> [7] = (7)

[Daufer]: [1d10] -> [3] = (3)

[JadedDM]: Jasmin's turn.

[Jasmin]: [1d20] -> [11] = (11)

[Jasmin]: [1d20] -> [14] = (14)

[Jasmin]: [1d6] -> [2] = (2)

[Jasmin]: [1d6] -> [2] = (2)

[Jasmin]: Jasmin once again twirls into her new battle, her left sword finding a place as she swings it in a bat's wing. As she twirls again the first bat slides off the sword as the other sword comes around and pierces through the tiny head of the other bat.

[JadedDM]: Shadow Bats' turn.

[JadedDM]: The remaining four bats swarm around Gaheris.  One manages to swoop in and bite him right on the jugular of his neck.  He swears as he tears the creature off of him.

[JadedDM]: Daufer's turn.

[Daufer]: [1d20] -> [4] = (4)

[Daufer]: Daufer fires another arrow at a bat above Gaheris' head, but it sails harmlessly away.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris' turn.

[JadedDM]: [1d20] -> [6] = (6)

[JadedDM]: Gaheris slices his sword through the air, but hits nothing.

[JadedDM]: Astal's turn.

[Astal]: [1d20] -> [18] = (18)

[JadedDM]: Astal scares off the four bats, and they attempt to get away from the light of the torch.

[JadedDM]: Daufer's turn.

[Daufer]: [1d20] -> [17] = (17)

[Daufer]: [1d6] -> [6] = (6)

[Daufer]: Trying again, Daufer manages to hit a bat above Gaheris, killing it.

[JadedDM]: The last three bats, perhaps frightened from the torch, fly back into the shadows.  They seem to just vanish into thin air as they do.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin takes a small look around before she places her swords in their sheathes. "I don't remember them being so heavy," she mutters before she walks over to Gaheris, trying to hide concern. "Um...you okay?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris slumps down to his knees, weakened.  "Yeah...I feel...drained.  But I'll be okay."

[Astal]: "I suspect that hobgoblin may have fallen prey to those infernal beasts."  Sheathing his knife, he returns to the spot he dropped his spell book at. "Still in one piece." He sighs in relief.

[Daufer]: Daufer exhales heavily. "I don't know how many more of those we can take."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris manages to rise to his feet.  "Not much more."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin places her hand upon Gaheris' shoulder. "We got to find Romain."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Right.  Well...let's hope that was the worst of it."

[Jasmin]: "They seem to be scared of the fire, so we have that on our side," she says cheerfully as she starts back down the tunnel.

[Astal]: Astal turns to the party and says. "I must check on something. You go ahead and I will catch up." Handing the torch to Daufer, he heads back in the opposite direction where that dead end was

[JadedDM]: Gaheris raises a brow at his behavior but shrugs.

[JadedDM whispering to Astal]:  Alone, Astal heads back to the dead end he encountered earlier.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Well, should we wait for him or keep going?"

[Astal]: Astal examines the place for anything out of the ordinary. He casts one of his cantrips for a source of light. He scans the area closely.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin pauses then sighs. "What is he doing?"

[JadedDM whispering to Astal]:  Astal examines the dead-end carefully, but he does not see anything out of the ordinary.  The rock wall is curved and looks like it had been recently made, as far as his untrained eye can tell.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris shrugs.  "Mage stuff?"

[Daufer]: Daufer taps his foot. "I suppose it's best to wait. He's likely to get himself killed by himself."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin leans against a wall. "He better not take long."

[Astal]: "Hmm, this is quite odd. I should head back to the party." And so he does.

[JadedDM]: When Astal returns Gaheris looks at him expectantly.  "Well?"

[Astal]: "Let’s continue on, I will explain later." Not wanting to look like a fool, he just stares at them blankly.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris eyes the mage for a few seconds before shrugging again.  "All right.  Let's move on then."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin pushes herself off the wall then moves on down the tunnel again with a shake of her head.

[JadedDM]: Continuing onward, the party reaches another intersection.  A path that heads north and another that turns south.

[Daufer]: ((this is starting to get confusing...))

[JadedDM]: (It is pretty complex.)

[Jasmin]: Jasmin leads them down the south tunnel. "I hope someone is keeping track of the turns," she says softly.

[Astal]: He sighs with disbelief.  "This mine is riddled with paths."

[JadedDM]: The south path extends only about twenty feet before it comes to an abrupt end.  A couple of pick-axes lie on the ground, abandoned.

[Astal]: With the metal coin on his mind since he found it, he cannot help but wonder what the mark means. He turns to Daufer and says, "May I speak with you for a moment?"

[Daufer]: "Back the other way," Daufer says with a hint of anxiety. "What is it?" he says irritably at Astal.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks down at the pick-axes with a sigh, before she turns back to the group to head the other way.

[Astal]: Frowning at Daufer he asks, "Do you recognize this coin?" Revealing it to him, he waits patiently for his reply.

[JadedDM]: They return to the intersection and now head north.  It extends that way for twenty feet, then turns east for another twenty, before turning again to the north.  As if the entire mine was mocking them, this too, ends in a dead end.  There is nothing there but an upturned mine cart.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin groans a bit at seeing this. "All of these dead-ends. It is getting frustrating. We need to head back to the large cavern."

[Daufer]: Daufer's brow makes a crease. "I don't know, and I don't care. Get your head back on the mission, Kaodic. You're likely to get one of use killed, worrying about a little coin."

[Astal]: "Perhaps you’re right, but what would a hobgoblin be doing here with this? Isn’t it a little odd? When I left earlier, I went to investigate the dead-end, and I found a wall that looked fairly new. I’m no stonemason but it was quite obvious.  Nevermind, let’s go."

[JadedDM]: The four return to the large cavern, after stepping over some dead shadow bats to get there.

[Daufer]: ((there's a southwest tunnel here, right?))

[Jasmin]: Jasmin makes her way to the southwest tunnel.

[JadedDM]: With no other option, the four walk to the southwest tunnel. They follow it about forty feet before it splits into a fork.  However, the right side appears to be slightly caved in, blocking the way.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks to the cave-in, shrugging a bit as it is expected in a mine. "Looks like we only have one way to go," she says, moving off to the left.

[JadedDM]: At this point, the tunnel widens to twice the normal width, giving them much more elbow room.  They follow it a short distance before it turns to the west.  A very small and muddy pond is found here, looking to be only a few feet deep.  Lying right at its shore is none other than Romain, tied up and apparently shaven completely hairless.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin takes a moment to look around before she moves over to her father, kneeling down by his side. "Romain?" she asks softly, giving him a little shake.

[JadedDM]: The older man stirs before opening his eyes.  "Jasmin...?" he asks, his voice dry.

[Astal]: Astal does more of his investigations around the area.

[Jasmin]: "Yeah, it's me." She smiles to her father as she starts to untie him. "What happened?"

[JadedDM whispering to Astal]:  Searching around, the only thing of interest Astal spots is a lump of iron ore lying in the corner.

[JadedDM]: Romain's face screws up as he tries to remember.  "Dwarves!  It must have been those damned Duergar from the bar!" he exclaims.

[Jasmin]: "Those dwarves? Why would they shave off your hair though?"

[Astal]: Taking the ore into his hand, he listens to Romain.

[JadedDM]: Romain sits up after she unties him and rubs at his wrist.  "They said something about shaving my beard...not being worthy.  Remember?"  He rubs at his bald chin.  "Bastards want the mine for themselves...they made it clear."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks to the others in question. "Do you think they are still down here?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "If they are, we better not stick around then."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin pushes herself up and holds her hand out to her father. "Come on. Let’s get you out of here."

[Astal]: "We can assume they are."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "We got what we came for, so let's get out of here."

[Daufer]: Daufer nods in agreement. "Let's go."

[Astal]: Following the rest of the party, he fingers the ore in his hand wondering if it will fetch any coin in town.

[JadedDM]: The five quickly make their way back through the mines, to the entrance and step out to find that the sun is beginning to go down all ready.  The miners have dispersed and all that remains is Togg, waiting patiently.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin steps out of the mines pulling her father along with her. She looks up to Togg and offers him a sweet smile. "Well, looks like we are back."

[Daufer]: Daufer takes a moment to catch his breath, leaning heavily on his maul.

[JadedDM]: Togg:  "Romain...you, too?" the half-ogre asked upon seeing the hairless man.  "So was Stanley .  But where is Venar?"

[Jasmin]: "He's dead."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "The rats got him.  Or the bats.  Who knows?  But he was tied up like the others."  He extends his hand.  "I believe that's 40 gold you owe us."

[JadedDM]: Togg grunts.  "Thirty gold.  I may have ogre blood, but I am not stupid, Gaheris."  He drops a small sack of coins into the thief's hand.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris shrugs.  "Worth a shot."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin laughs faintly then turns to her father. "You probably should go home."

[JadedDM]: Togg:  "I'm afraid she's right.  I have no choice but to shut down the mines until we know they're safe."

[JadedDM]: Romain:  "But...what about our pay?"

[JadedDM]: Togg shrugs.  "Them's the breaks."

[Astal]: "Thirty gold..."  He frowns.  "Do you know of what we endured down there?" He faces the half-ogre fearlessly.

[JadedDM]: Romain balls up his fists.  "I'll see those dwarves pay for this!"  He storms off.

[JadedDM]: Togg eyes Astal.  "Dragons?  Beholders?" he asks, clearly joking.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin watches her father storm off before she glances to Astal. "A bunch of rats and bats, Astal," she says smirking a bit.

[Astal]: His expression turns to anger. "You mock me?"

[JadedDM]: Togg's expression darkens.  "Look, the deal was for thirty gold, and that's what I gave."

[Daufer]: "I'm sure you'll make your cut selling that coin you got off of Venar," Daufer says with a bit of annoyance.

[Astal]: Turning to face Jasmin, he says, "If it where not for my craft, we would have been overrun by those rats. You would be nothing but a dropping by the end of the week."

[Jasmin]: "Well, you should have cast that spell sooner instead of telling the rats that they didn't want to attack you."

[Astal]: He mumbles, not wanting to face the wrath of an ogre, or even a half one at that. "I see…"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Maybe we should get back to the tavern and split up this gold, huh?"

[Jasmin]: Jasmin nods a bit to Gaheris as she skips off to the tavern.

[JadedDM]: The four return to the tavern, finding it full of now unemployed miners drowning their sorrows.  They manage to spot a free table near the back and have a seat while Gaheris begins counting out the gold.

[Astal]: Astal sits in his chair silently, while twiddling the coin he claimed from that corpse earlier.

[Daufer]: Daufer winces in pain as he takes a seat. "Damn rodents."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin gently sits down upon one of the chairs. She takes her boots off with a sigh of relief then she crosses her right leg over her left.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris counts out seven coins for each of them.  "We should meet here tomorrow to discuss which of those jobs we'll be taking next," he says as he pockets his own share.

[Astal]: "Seven gold is better than none, I suppose." At least he made it out alive and uninjured, unlike the others.

[Daufer]: Daufer nods. "That sounds reasonable."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin takes her coins and places them within her pack with her other money. "You know I'll be here, Gaheris."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris stands up.  "Great.  Meet back here tomorrow at ten then."

[Astal]: "As will I." Astal pockets the metal coin and his prize money.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin picks up her boots then stands up only to stretch out her arms. She then turns for the door to make her way back home.

[JadedDM]: (Is there anything anyone wants to do before tomorrow?  Shopping, interaction, what have you?)

[Jasmin]: (hmm, nope)

[JadedDM]: The following day is Dymin 22nd, Lightday.  At around ten bells, the four meet back at the tavern.  The place is fairly empty and quiet at this hour.  Gaheris is sitting at the bar, chewing on some fried mushrooms when the others arrive.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin sits on the bar like she normally does with one leg crossed over the other. She leans back on her hands watching Gaheris eat before she finally yawns.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "They'll be here soon," he says to her between bites, recognizing she's getting impatient again.

[Jasmin]: "You said that last time," she mutters softly. "Then we ended up sitting here for an hour just chatting about the weather."

[Astal]: Astal can be seen chatting with a local girl at the bar. He looks over at his companions and back at the girl who seems interested in their conversation. "I’m sorry, but I must attend to something first." He walks over to Gaheris and Jasmin.

[Daufer]: Daufer enters the tavern. Seeing Gaheris and Jasmin, he makes his way over to them.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Sleep well, gentlemen?"

[Astal]: "I suppose. So what news do you have on our next job?" He says bluntly as ever.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin glances over to Astal before her eyes stray over to the girl he was talking to. "Flirting with a girl that isn't me?" she pouts playfully. "I'm losing my touch, Gaheris." She giggles before giving her full attention to the group.

[Daufer]: Daufer nods. "Any new jobs? Or are we taking the ones from yesterday?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris rolls his eyes at Jasmin.  "At the moment, we know of two other jobs.  The one Daufer found at the smelter, and the one Jasmin found at the farmlands."

[Astal]: "Oh give it a rest! You know as well as I do that she can never compare your beauty," sarcastically, but playfully he says to Jasmin.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin smiles brightly, giving Astal a nudge with her foot. "I'm surprised some miners haven’t asked us to find those dwarves, but they will probably go to the Tainted Hands for that."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris shrugs.  "We're slayers, not bounty hunters."

[Astal]: "Jasmin..." He shakes his head at her.

[Daufer]: "There's nothing stopping us from doing both."

[Astal]: "You too? Why don’t we take the easy jobs first. Then worry about saving the world."

[Jasmin]: "Which one do we do first then? The rust monsters or the fire imp? I vote for the fire imp first."

[Astal]: "Seeing as how you have the luck of the gods as they say, I’m with you Jasmin."

[Jasmin]: "Aww stop, you'll make me blush," she teases a bit.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "What do you think, Daufer?"

[Astal]: "Well, Daufer?"

[Daufer]: "I think the rust monsters would be better to do first. If the potions aren't immediately useful, we could always sell them."

[Astal]: "Wait a minute…potions? What’s this all about? I don’t even know what I’m jumping into."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks to Gaheris, raising an eyebrow.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "That's right.  Astal wasn't here for that.  Why don't you two explain the jobs you found to him before he decides?"

[Jasmin]: "If we do the rust monster mission, our payment is going to be a few potions. If we do the fire imp, it might be a few gold and some of their crop. The people in the slums just don't have a lot to offer."

[Daufer]: Expounding upon the rust monsters: "Two rust monsters got into the Temple of Renos , and are eating up all the ore. So the priests there want us to go there and kill them off."

[Jasmin]: "The fire imp is apparently burning some of the farmers crops as a prank and the farmers need someone to get rid of him," Jasmin explains more so on the mission that she found, smiling faintly. "He sounds kind of entertaining really."

[Astal]: Perhaps if the party left the rust monsters alone for awhile, the demand for ore would go up, he thought to himself while remembering the ore he found in the cave. But he would rather have results now than later and potions seem more tempting. "I’m not sure now.  But…I would like to get my hands on one of those potions. That’s if you don’t mind, Jasmin."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Well, looks like we have a majority then."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin can't hold back her disappointed look. She hops off the bar without much of a problem to grab her weapons.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Rust monsters are tricky.  They aren't inherently dangerous, but they'll destroy anything metal we carry.  So we'll need to come up with a plan.  My short sword is useless, and so are Jasmin's."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin picks up her quarterstaff and twirls it around in her hands. She could be showing off just a bit. "I have my quarterstaff."

[Astal]: “Another alternative is to burn them down!" He is wondering how that plan would follow through.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris raises a brow at the mage.  "You have some kind of fire magic or something?"

[Daufer]: "Then, my weapon is useless as well," Daufer says, indicating his maul.

[Astal]: "I suppose we could lure or provoke them out of the smelter, and then douse them with something flammable. Maybe oil?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "We still have our bows, at least," he says to Daufer.

[Astal]: "Maybe I’m sounding a little far-fetched."  Scratching the back of his head, he rethinks what he just said.

[Jasmin]: "What spells do you have, Astal?"

[Astal]: "I am versed in the Enchantment arts. I can cast spells such as Sleep, Hypnotism, and Charm Person. Nothing that I see that would make an impact in our situation.  Sleep may work in theory but ..."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris considers.  "If we could knock them out, it would make for an easy fight.  Assuming they're together, that is."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin shudders a bit at the mention of enchantment.  "Knock them out how?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "With his magic."

[Astal]: Astal notices Jasmin shudder. "Is it something I said?"

[Jasmin]: "No...no, nothing," she says to Astal with her normal bright smile.

[Astal]: "Gaheris…it doesn’t work like that all the time."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris shrugs.  "Well, you're the expert.  Magic isn't really my area of expertise."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin yawns. "It worked with the rats, why wouldn't it work this time?"

[Astal]: "I suggest a back up plan if you’re going to rely on my craft."  He places a hand on Jasmin's shoulder whispering in her ear, "Don’t worry, I only charm the ugly ones," he says smiling at her.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Maybe set up some kind of trap?"

[Astal]: "Well, Sleep may have worked on those rats, but that is because they where weak and small. A creature of a larger size may have a better chance of resisting my spell."

[Daufer]: "Well, we know what to bait them with," Daufer says.

[Astal]: "Now your thinking, Gaheris. What do you have in mind?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Well, I only fought a rust monster once.  But I remember they're pretty stupid.  They're easily lured by the smell of any metal, especially steel or iron."

[Jasmin]: "Charming isn't my only worry," she says softly to Astal. As the planning continues, she rests her forehead upon Astal's shoulder, since he is the one there. "Lure them where?"

[Daufer]: "Once they're baited, then what?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Well, if we can trap them into a tight space, then Daufer and I can just shoot at them from a safe distance."

[Jasmin]: "Then what am I to do? Stand there and watch?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "If you have your own idea, then feel free to share, kitten."

[Astal]: "I still say we burn them. Why waste materials and our energy on fighting?"

[Jasmin]: "So much for excitement." she says more to herself before sighing.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris shakes his head.  "We're not getting anywhere at this point.  Maybe we should head down there and check things out first."  He stands.  "Be sure to leave anything metal behind, though."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin removes her swords from her back with a frown, yet once done she moves to the door with her quarterstaff in hand.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Hey, Daufer...while my strength is back...I'm still pretty bitten up here.  Can I get a hand?" he asks.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin also removes her pack, as she remembers that her knives are in there along with a few other things, so she moves to place them with her swords. "Everyone ready?"

[Daufer]: Daufer can't help but give a little smirk. "Thinking of paying heed to the Dark Lady, after all those years of trying to get me to skive off from my duties?" Nevertheless, Daufer says a quiet prayer.

[Daufer]: [1d8] -> [2] = (2)

[Astal]: Astal removes his knives, the only thing metal on him that would make difference.

[JadedDM]: A couple of the bites on Gaheris heal up.  "Hey, it got you were you are today, didn't it?" he jokes.

[Daufer]: "There's no arguing with that," Daufer says sardonically.

[Jasmin]: "Gaheris pulled you away from your duties? That is hard to imagine."

[JadedDM]: The four head out of the tavern and south to the smelter, which is oddly quiet today.  In fact, there is not even any smoke emitting from its top.  The smelter itself is a large, stone dome-shaped building with metal pipes jutting out of the roof.  A short staircase brings you up to the two metal doors bearing the crest of Renos upon them.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin pulls open one of the doors before she steps inside the building.

[Astal]: Astal follows behind Jasmin closely, eager to see his first rust monsters.

[Daufer]: Daufer moves to the front, being the one who got the job in the first place.

[JadedDM]: Stepping inside the rather stuffy and hot building, they find that the first floor is apparently a shrine to Renos, Guardian of Flame.  It's a round room and the walls are painted red.  There are several pews and an altar in the center.  Behind the altar is a blazing fireplace.  Several burning braziers circle the room.  There's a descending staircase off to the left.  The place appears empty and quiet save for two men speaking by the fireplace.  They are wearing red robes.  When the party enters, the two men turn to face the newcomers.

[Daufer]: "Hail, priests," Daufer says. "I've returned with the Slayers I spoke of yesterday."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin sticks her tongue out at the back of Daufer's head as he cuts in front of her. She quickly peaks from around him and waves to the priests.

[JadedDM]: The older of the two men glances to Daufer and frowns slightly.  "I did not think you would return," he says.  "I am Vandoorm, the caretaker of this shrine."  He looks to be in his early thirties or so with blue eyes and black hair, as well as a black goatee on his chin.

[Astal]: Astal doesn’t seem to care much for priests so he just stands there patiently.

[JadedDM]: The second man, the younger one, eyes the four with curiosity.  "Ahh, so this is your group?  Surely Renos has brought you here to help us," he says.  "I am Meschior, an acolyte," he introduces himself.  He looks about the age of the party, maybe a little younger with blue eyes and auburn hair.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "I'm Gaheris.  You all ready know Daufer," he says, gesturing to the hobgoblin.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin steps around the priest of D'lokka, smiling sweetly to the two men. "A pleasure to meet you both Vandoorm and Meschior," she says, bowing her head to the both of them. "I am Jasmin."

[JadedDM]: Vandoorm:  "Hmm," he responds.  "So you four believe you can take care of our vermin problem?"

[Astal]: "Just tell us where they are. We have come to assess the situation." He stands there impatiently all of a sudden.

[Jasmin]: "That is our intention," she says, glancing over to Astal.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "But first, about our payment...?  After all, we want to be sure it's worth it."

[JadedDM]: Vandoorm frowns again.  "We have three surplus potions we would be willing to part with."

[Jasmin]: "What type of potions are they?"

[Astal]: "There are four of us. How will we split the potion if you only reward us with three?"

[JadedDM]: Meschior answers.  "A potion of Fire Breathing, a potion of Fire Resistance, and an Oil of Fiery Burning," he responds, as if reading a list from a book.

[Jasmin]: "Oh, now those sound interesting." Jasmin smiles brightly before looking over to Gaheris.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris strokes at his chin.  "I see, I see...what do you guys think?"

[Daufer]: Daufer nods. "I see nothing wrong with the payment."

[Astal]: "Sounds tempting. Why not..."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin simply shrugs in answer. "Okay with me."

[JadedDM]: Vandoorm:  "The smelter is downstairs.  We have shut it down for the time being.  We don't know exactly where they are nesting, so you'll have to search yourselves."

[Astal]: "Priest, do you have any potions for sell at the moment? I would like to purchase one if you do."

[JadedDM]: Meschior:  "Oh, what type would you like to purchase?" he asks earnestly.

[Astal]: "What kind of potions do you carry besides the ones you have mentioned?" he asks.

[JadedDM]: Meschior:  "Just those three, actually."

[JadedDM]: While Astal shops, Gaheris heads over to the staircase and wipes some sweat from his brow.  He pulls out his bow and tests the string.

[Astal]: "I'll have one of those Oils of Fiery Burning if you don’t mind." Astal rummages through his pouch of gold. "Just one second, guys." He smiles at them. "This may come in handy."

[JadedDM]: Meschior:  "Since you're doing us a favor, it's only 50 gold.  But be careful with it," he warns.  "You don't want to blow up the smelter by accident."

[Astal]: "You must be joking… Seriously I would like to buy a potion, not a house."

[Daufer]: Daufer strings and checks his own bow as well.

[JadedDM]: Vandoorm sighs and gestures for Meschior to put the potion away.  "Forget it.  They cannot afford them."

[Daufer]: "Kaodic, stop making fools out of us, and get over here." Daufer says.

[Astal]: "Oh I see… So you’re not joking." He glances at Daufer. "Forgive me, let’s continue."

[Astal]: ((50gp.. ouch! I wonder what the original price is))

[JadedDM]: The four descend into the basement, which is actually even stuffier than the first floor.  You can only begin to imagine what it must feel like down here when the smelter is actually operational.  You find yourselves in a small room lit with a burning brazier.  There is a path to the south with a track on it, possibly for mine carts to transport ore.  To the west is a wide passage that leads into a much bigger area.

[Daufer]: "Where do you think is a good place to set up the trap?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Not sure.  By the smelter itself, maybe?"

[Astal]: "We still do not know where they are or are coming from. So how can we decide yet?"

[Daufer]: "That's why we bait them with metal. That was the plan."

[Astal]: "We should find a corner to trap them in, that’s what I think. Then Daufer and Gaheris can shoot them with their bows. What do you think?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Let's look around a bit more first.  We might find a good spot."

[Daufer]: "Okay," Daufer says in agreement.

[Astal]: Astal agrees, as well.  He follows Gaheris where ever he goes.

[JadedDM]: The four, with Jasmin in the lead, head west into the main area.  It's quite large, over fifty feet wide and long, as far as you can tell.  The entire place is illuminated by strategically placed burning braziers.  There are a number of carts and buckets strewn about.  In the center of the room is the smelter itself.  It's a large furnace with metal tubes jutting out of the top and into the ceiling.  The bellows is big enough to be handled by two men.  There is a chain going up to the top carrying a row of iron buckets, each holding several lumps of ore.  However, it is currently dead with no fire burning within it.

[Daufer]: "This seems like a feast to the rust monsters. Where are they?" Daufer asks, puzzled.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris takes a few steps toward the machine and then stops, examining the ground.  "Metal dust...," he says, scooping up a bit with his fingers.  Indeed, it covers most of the floor.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris stands up.  "Might have heard us coming and are hiding.  Maybe we should fan out and search?" he offers.

[Daufer]: "Two and two?"

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "All right.  Who teams with whom then?"

[Astal]: "Sounds safe enough," he says, agreeing with Daufer.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin leans upon her staff absently waiting for the other two to offer up their suggestions, as it has apparently been decided that Gaheris and Daufer are going to everything from a distance.

[Astal]: "It really doesn’t matter to me as long as we find the beasts." Astal shrugs glancing at Jasmin. "Your pick."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin rolls her eyes. "Ohhh," she looks between the three. "Gaheris can go with Daufer, and I'll go with Astal."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "Well enough.  Why don't you two check out that room to the south," he says, pointing to the wooden door there.  "I think that's probably where they store the ore.  Daufer and I will check out this area."

[Daufer]: "Let's go then," Daufer says, knocking an arrow.

[Jasmin]: Jasmin walks to the wooden door that was pointed out to her. She motions to Astal to follow.

[Astal]: Astal smiles at Jasmin. "Ladies first." He gestures with his hand in the direction they intend to go.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris looks around the place and wipes another bead of sweat from his forehead.  "Hot, ain't it?" he says to Daufer.

[Jasmin]: "I'm going to need to clean up after this."

[Daufer]: Daufer nods, though he doesn't make a motion to wipe his own sweat. "I'll survive."

[JadedDM]: Meanwhile, the other two head south and through the door into a smaller room that is still large in its own right.  To the east is a mine cart on a track that feeds into a corridor, perhaps leading to the first room they entered.  There are several closed chests in the room, as well as a number of carts and barrels holding unprocessed ore.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "You feel weird in this place?  I mean, being in a shrine of another god?" he asks as the two circle the smelter, looking for clues.

[Astal]: "You see that Jasmin?" He points at the cart to the east.

[Daufer]: Daufer shrugs. "Other gods exist in this world. I just feel some satisfaction doing the job that the priests of Renos could not do themselves."

[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks around the room, raising an eyebrow curiously before her eyes fall on the cart. "Yeah. It just means they haven't been in here."

[JadedDM]: Gaheris chuckles.  "Good point."  He stops suddenly, as if hearing or sensing something.

[Astal]: "Don’t jump to any conclusions. They may have been here but escape through there."

[Daufer]: Daufer pauses as well. "What is it?"

[Jasmin]: "Then why didn't they eat the metal?" she asks as she moves closer to examine the mine cart on the track.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris:  "I thought I heard something...over there," he says in a softer voice, pointing over to the west wall behind some a small mountain of crates.

[JadedDM]: The mine cart is empty at the moment, but also rather dirty.

[Astal]: "I think those tracks may lead to the first room we entered. And as far as the metal goes, I’m not entirely sure yet. This could be a place to trap them..."

[Jasmin]: "Maybe, but then again I was never one to actually follow along with a plan."

[Daufer]: " Split up and circle round?" Daufer whispers.

[JadedDM]: Gaheris nods and heads right, stealthily.

[Daufer]: Daufer also tries to move as quietly as he can, though in the opposite direction.

[Astal]: "Yes, you do seem to be a bit wild." He smirks at Jasmin as he says this. "I don’t think the rust monsters are here anyway."

[JadedDM]: Annnnnd, we'll end here, on a nice cliffhanger.  (We don't have time for a battle anyway.)

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