Session
7:
Taming
of the Grue
[JadedDM]: Saffir 7th, 666; Rockday.
It is 10 bells. Jasmin,
Daufer, and Gaheris meet at the tavern that morning after spending most of the
night selling their loot and purchasing new equipment.
Meschior does not join them. The
three sit at a table in the back, enjoying breakfast while a number of miners
get drunk at the bar.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin sits within her chair with her right leg crossed
over her left. Her right leg bounces slightly as she finishes off her breakfast.
"So I don't suppose we have another job lined up do we?"
[Daufer]: "It certainly is good to be back, after all
that," Daufer says, taking another bite of breakfast.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris nods and pops another fried mushroom into his
mouth. "It's hard to believe
that tale. So you're basically king
of the orcs now?" he teases between bites.
[Daufer]: "According to their tradition, I suppose I am,"
Daufer says, looking at the hammer at his side.
[Jasmin]: "Don't let it go to your head or anything, Daufer,"
she says playfully. "At first you just wanted to wait all of it out before
trying to escape."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris leans back in his chair.
"I would have thought for sure you both would get yourselves killed
without me."
[Daufer]: "Well, we almost were killed, but we managed to
survive, somehow."
[Jasmin]: "I'm hurt, Gaheris." Jasmin pouts. "You
don't have any confidence in us?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris crosses his arms.
"Not particularly in you, kitten.
You're more of the 'kick the door down and charge' type."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin crosses her arms. "I couldn't exactly do that
behind bars, so I helped come up with another way which worked just as
well."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris chuckles. "What?
Wiggle your hips to distract an orc?"
[Daufer]: Daufer slides his plate away, finished with his meal.
"So, Gaheris, is there another job lined up?"
[Jasmin]: "It works with you," she smirks faintly.
"And while I did do that, I also suggested the whole idea of tricking them
too, so there," she says before sticking her tongue out at him.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "Not
at the moment, no. But we made
enough gold on that last one to last us awhile."
[Jasmin]: "You aren't seriously thinking of just sitting here
until something just...shows up are you?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "Why,
do you have a job lined up then?"
[Daufer]: "Well, we've come a little ways since killing rats
in the basement. Maybe we should start aiming a little higher."
[Jasmin]: "The Tainted Hands will get any jobs if we just sit
here, Gaheris. I'm sure you don't want that."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "The
slums have slim pickings."
[Jasmin]: "So we aim higher like Daufer said."
[Daufer]: "So, I guess the first step to that would be to
start looking for jobs from clients outside the slums."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "You
two, I swear. We hit the mother-lode
and have more gold than most of the other poor bums in the slums put together.
And rather than taking the time to enjoy that, you all ready want to go
back to work?"
[Jasmin]: "I'm done enjoying it though. I need something else
to do."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris shakes his head.
"Fine. What do you
propose?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks to Daufer for the answer to that question.
[Daufer]: "Well, let's split up like last time. We can cover
more ground that way, and if we mention our previous jobs, that could be of some
help."
[Jasmin]: "But the slums don't have a lot to offer."
[Daufer]: "So, we'll start moving outside the slums,"
Daufer says with a shrug.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "What
about the Tainted Hands, though?"
[Daufer]: "What about them? They can't be everywhere, not
everyone can afford them, and they certainly don't go out looking for jobs. If
we grab the jobs first by going out and looking for it, then what's wrong with
that?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris shrugs skeptically.
"I guess you can give it a try."
[Jasmin]: "What are you going to do Gaheris?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris finishes the last mushroom on his plate and
drinks down his wine. "I was
thinking of looking for a new house. Maybe
something up in the Merchant District."
[Jasmin]: "We're getting a new house?" Jasmin raises an
eyebrow curiously.
[Daufer]: Daufer raises a brow, looking a little surprised.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "Ever
since I was a kid, I wanted out of the slums.
And now I can finally afford it."
[Jasmin]: "Well, now don't I get any say in this?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "What?
You want to stay down here?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin shakes her head. "No. I just want some say in
the house that is picked out."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "What
difference does it make? A house is
a house."
[Jasmin]: "I have to live there too, but I guess you are
right," she shrugs a bit absently.
[Daufer]: Daufer stands up. "Well, looks like you have to talk
about a few things. I'll go out for now and check a few things out."
[JadedDM]: Suddenly, the ground begins to rumble.
Drinks are spilled, a few barstools overturn, and Gaheris ducks under the
table. The tremor lasts only for
five seconds and then ceases.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin grabs hold of the table as the tremors start and
suddenly stop. "What was that?"
[Daufer]: "What was that?" Daufer says as he steadies
himself, his forehead creased in concern.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris, his arms protecting his head, steps out from
under the table and looks around. "An
earthquake? Maybe part of the mine
collapsed?"
[Daufer]: "Let's go check it out," Daufer says, picking
up his weapon, and laying down a few coins for the meal.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin stands from her chair and collects her weapons
before she walks for the exit curiously.
[JadedDM]: As soon as the three open the door, they hear a scream
outside. Stepping out, they spot a
commotion across the way by the shrine of Renos.
Meschior and Vandoorm are there, as well as a strange creature they have
never seen before. It appears
as a human with flames in place of the lower torso and legs, but it can assume
the shape of a bonfire, a column of flame up to 8' high, or a bronze human
statue. It moves rapidly in any
form. Its features express leering
evil and cruelty. Its eyes glow dark
red and its ever-changing body color takes on fiery hues such as scarlet and
orange, crimson and purple-blue, or yellow and orange.
[Daufer]: "What is that?" Daufer shouts.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin actually pauses in her steps upon seeing the
creature. Her eyes widen a bit though not from fear, but from more surprise.
[JadedDM]: People are panicking and running away as the creature
'slithers' over to the nearest house and sets it aflame.
Vandoorm and Meschior are shouting at each other.
Vandoorm is standing on the stairs to the shrine, armed to the teeth.
Meschior is at the base of the stairs, his hand on his sword hilt.
[Daufer]: Daufer runs off towards Meschior. "Meschior, what's
going on?" he shouts when he gets near.
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "Vandoorm,
you must stop this madness!" He
turns to Daufer as he arrives. "It's
Vandoorm...he summoned a grue!"
[Jasmin]: After drawing her two swords she runs after Daufer.
[JadedDM]: Vandoorm: "You
were always too weak, Meschior! You
always thought fire was something to study and understand, the way a wizard
pours over dusty tomes. But fire is
power! Fire is destruction!
And with the harginn, I shall cleanse the slums of all heretics!"
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "This...cannot
be happening..."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "That
thing will burn down our house! I
mean...our old house."
[Daufer]: "Heretics? I don't really understand what's going
on, Meschior, but where are the other priests?
[Jasmin]: "I'm not going to let you burn down my home...or me
for that matter."
[JadedDM]: Vandoorm laughs. "Ah,
the slayer group that took Meschior off our hands.
I really have to thank you for that.
Preparing the ritual to summon the grue was quite difficult when him
constantly nosing about. Still, it's
a pity you had to come back at all." He
readies his axe. "How ironic is
this? It was flame that burned down
the old shrine to D'lokka. And now
it shall be flame that destroys her last priest!
Harginn! These four will be
the first to be cleansed from the world!"
He points his axe toward them and the fire grue turns to face them, a
sinister look in its eyes.
[Daufer]: "What did you say?" Daufer says, gritting his
teeth.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin narrows her eyes at Vandoorm before she turns her
attention to the grue.
[JadedDM]: Meschior draws his sword and takes a step back.
"Be careful...it's an elemental from Zenan.
It's powerful and invulnerable to any of my prayers!"
[JadedDM]: The grue raises its hands into the air, and a gout of
flame blasts from its fingertips as it roars.
[Daufer]: "Labree, I'm going to do something that may feel a
little uncomfortable," Daufer says in a low tone. "Just be prepared
for it."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris backs away and draws an arrow from his quiver.
"Damn, I hate this elemental stuff!"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin gives Daufer a confused look, but she nods in
understanding.
[JadedDM]:
(Actions for Round 1?)
[Daufer]: Daufer steps back.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin attacks the grue with her swords.
[Daufer]: [1d10] -> [5] = (5)
[Jasmin]: [1d10] -> [10] = (10)
[JadedDM]:
Meschior's turn.
[JadedDM]: With an enraged cry, Meschior charges at the creature
and swipes at it with his sword. The
blade seems to contact something and the creature recoils slightly.
[JadedDM]:
Daufer's turn.
[Daufer]: Daufer makes a plea to unseen powers and something black
and transparent coalesces in front of him. Taking a somewhat fuzzy shape, it
races towards Jasmin, entering in and through her flesh.
[JadedDM]: As the dark substance enters Jasmin, she feels a
powerful battle-lust overcome her. Her
muscles bulge in her arms and legs, and her eyes take on an unearthly red glow.
[JadedDM]:
Harginn's turn.
[JadedDM]: The flame horror turns its attention to the cub acolyte
and blasts a jet of flame directly at him. Meschior's
holy symbol suddenly flares with red light, protecting him from some of the
flame. However, he still drops to
his knees, badly burned.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: He fires a shot at the creature, but it goes too high.
[JadedDM]:
Jasmin's turn.
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [13,2] = (15)
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [13,2] = (15)
[Jasmin]: [1d6+2] -> [2,2] = (4)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin lets out a small gasp as she feels the lust move
through her. Her eyes widen as they begin to glow, and suddenly she cries out in
rage as she rushes the creature with her swords swinging. Her rights sword cuts
through the creature with some ease, but in her lust her left sword misses its
mark.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris draws another arrow and fires, but this one
strikes some kind of shield of heat surrounding the being, deflecting it.
[JadedDM]:
(Actions for Round 2?)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin attacks.
[Daufer]: Daufer drinks the rest of his potion of fire resistance.
[Jasmin]: [1d10] -> [5] = (5)
[Daufer]: [1d10] -> [7] = (7)
[JadedDM]:
Harginn's turn.
[JadedDM]: It turns its attention to Jasmin and unleashes a gout
of flame toward her. However, the
nimble dancer tumbles aside, avoiding it.
[JadedDM]:
Jasmin's turn.
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [14,2] = (16)
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [11,2] = (13)
[Jasmin]: [1d6+2] -> [4,2] = (6)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin pulls herself up on her feet quickly just as she
tumbled out of the way of the flame. She dives in to attack the creature again,
as she twists her body so her back is facing the creature and she shoves her
right sword under her arm to stab into the creature. She then brings her left
sword over her right to stab the creature, but it doesn't seem to do much but
bounce off of the elemental.
[JadedDM]:
Meschior's turn.
[JadedDM]: Despite his massive injuries, Meschior gets back on his
feet and swings his sword again, although the blade is deflected and he is
nearly knocked back down.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris fires another arrow, but this one is also
blocked. "Damn it!"
[JadedDM]:
Daufer's turn.
[Daufer]: Daufer searches his pack for his potion and he downs it
one gulp.
[JadedDM]:
Jasmin's turn.
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [18,2] = (20)
[Jasmin]: [1d6+2] -> [2,2] = (4)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin brings her right sword in and pierces through the
flesh of the creature causing the elemental to slump a bit.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: The thief pulls back another arrow, taking careful aim.
He fires, and the bolt strikes the creature directly in the face.
It shrieks in pain before evaporating in a cloud of smoke and brimstone.
[JadedDM]: Vandoorm swears. "No!
How could you defeat the harginn?! So
be it. I'll destroy you
myself!" He stretches his arm
toward them and two jets of flame erupt from his hand and land on the ground
before him, transforming into red and yellow snakes of flame.
[JadedDM]:
(Actions for Round 1?)
[Daufer]: Daufer heals Meschior.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin attacks the snakes
[Jasmin]: [1d10] -> [4] = (4)
[Daufer]: [1d10] -> [5] = (5)
[JadedDM]:
Jasmin's turn.
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [13,2] = (15)
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [12,2] = (14)
[Jasmin]: [1d6+2] -> [3,2] = (5)
[Jasmin]: [1d6+2] -> [6,2] = (8)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin bends at the knees to bring her swords down upon
one of the snakes to pin it to the ground before it poofs into a cloud of smoke.
[JadedDM]:
Vandoorm's turn.
[JadedDM]: Praying to his deity, Vandoorm focuses the light of the
sun into an intense, concentrated beam and centers it on Daufer.
[JadedDM]:
Fire Snake's turn.
[JadedDM]: The remaining snake strikes at Jasmin's ankle, but she
sidesteps it entirely.
[Daufer]: Daufer grits his teeth in pain through the smell of burnt
leather and skin.
[JadedDM]:
Daufer's turn.
[Daufer]: Daufer makes his way to Meschior and tries to say a
prayer to his goddess, but fails to do so through the pain of the Vandoorm's
prayer.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris takes aim at the second fire snake, but misses.
The arrow bounces off the ground and clatters to the side.
[JadedDM]:
Meschior's turn.
[JadedDM]: Ignoring the pain, Meschior strikes at the second fire
snake, injuring it but not slaying it.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: This time, Gaheris' aim is true.
He pins the snake to the ground, and then it vanishes in a puff of smoke.
[JadedDM]:
(Actions for Round 2?)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin attacks Vandoorm.
[Daufer]: Daufer attacks Vandoorm.
[Jasmin]: [1d10] -> [3] = (3)
[Daufer]: [1d10] -> [6] = (6)
[JadedDM]:
Jasmin's turn.
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [14,2] = (16)
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [18,2] = (20)
[Jasmin]: [1d6+2] -> [2,2] = (4)
[Jasmin]: [1d6+2] -> [3,2] = (5)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin moves in on Vandoorm glaring at him with her odd
glowing eyes before she strikes out at him. First her right sword comes in to
thrust into his stomach, and then she brings her left sword down more in a slash
across his chest. The quick movements of her swords cause the man to cry out in
pain.
[JadedDM]:
Vandoorm's turn.
[JadedDM]: Vandoorm's prayer is lost as he backs away from Jasmin,
his chain mail now stained in his own blood.
[JadedDM]:
Meschior's turn.
[JadedDM]: Seeing no other opponents but Vandoorm, Meschior pauses
and then lowers his sword. He tries
to catch his breath.
[JadedDM]:
Daufer's turn.
[Daufer]: [1d20] -> [4] = (4)
[Daufer]: Daufer runs towards Vandoorm and swings his maul, but it
misses as Vandoorm backs away.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris fires an arrow at Meschior, but it's blocked by
his shield.
[JadedDM]:
Jasmin's turn.
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [15,2] = (17)
[Jasmin]: [1d6+2] -> [2,2] = (4)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin moves in on the priest once more, and brings her
sword to stab into the man's side without mercy.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris fires off another shot, again foiled by
Vandoorm's shield.
[JadedDM]:
(Actions for Round 3?)
[Daufer]: Daufer attacks Vandoorm.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin attacks
[Jasmin]: [1d10] -> [7] = (7)
[Daufer]: [1d10] -> [4] = (4)
[JadedDM]:
Jasmin's turn.
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [16,2] = (18)
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [11,2] = (13)
[Jasmin]: [1d6+2] -> [4,2] = (6)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin turns her back again on Vandoorm and brings her
right sword under her arm and thrusts it into the man's stomach once again. She
then turns to bring her left sword to the stab the man in the side, but it
bounces off his chain mail harmlessly.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: Third time is not a charm in this instance.
Once more is Gaheris' arrow deflected by Vandoorm's metal shield.
[JadedDM]:
Vandoorm's turn.
[JadedDM]: Vandoorm screams at the top of his lungs, determined to
take them all down with him. His axe
slices into Jasmin's shoulder deeply, splattering blood on both of them.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin cries out in pain as the axe cuts into her
shoulder, but she does not back away from the priest.
[JadedDM]:
Daufer's turn.
[Daufer]: [1d20] -> [4] = (4)
[Daufer]: Daufer swings the maul again, but the priest evades
easily.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris fires another arrow, and this one is deflected
by the priest's chain mail.
[JadedDM]:
Daufer's turn.
[Daufer]: [1d20] -> [2] = (2)
[Daufer]: Daufer misses again and he lets out a cry of frustration.
[JadedDM]:
(Actions for Round 4?)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin attacks.
[Daufer]: Same as last round.
[Daufer]: [1d10] -> [8] = (8)
[Jasmin]: [1d10] -> [4] = (4)
[JadedDM]:
Jasmin's turn.
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [9,2] = (11)
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [6,2] = (8)
[Jasmin]: With another cry of rage Jasmin rushes in with both
swords swinging, but the pain in her shoulder and in her haste her swords just
clank harmlessly against the man's chain mail.
[JadedDM]:
Vandoorm's turn.
[JadedDM]: Vandoorm swings his axe right at Jasmin's neck, but she
ducks at the last moment, only losing a few strands of hair instead of her head.
[JadedDM]:
Daufer's turn.
[Daufer]: [1d20] -> [2] = (2)
[Daufer]: Daufer heaves on his maul and swings, but some dust must
have gotten into his eye and he misses the priest completely.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris fires another arrow, this one striking the
metal doors of the shrine instead of its intended target.
[JadedDM]:
Jasmin's turn.
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [1,2] = (3)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin moves in to attack, yet she stumbles slightly, and
drops her sword.
[JadedDM]:
Gaheris' turn.
[Jasmin]: (okay, seriously you are rubbing off on me.)
[Daufer]: ((What? A lucky streak can't last forever.))
[JadedDM]: He lets loose another arrow, and this one is deflected
by Vandoorm's axe. He is beginning
to run out of ammo.
[JadedDM]: Vandoorm: "Enough
of this! If I go down, I'll take you
all with me!" he cries, a mad glean in his eye.
[Daufer]: "Your ranting is getting a little old," Daufer
says.
[JadedDM]: (Actions for Round 5?)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin picks up her dropped sword and then attacks.
[Jasmin]: [1d10] -> [2] = (2)
[Daufer]: Daufer attacks.
[Daufer]: [1d10] -> [3] = (3)
[JadedDM]: Vandoorm reaches for something in his pocket.
Meschior's eyes widen as he realizes what his former teacher is searching
for. "No!
You must stop him!"
[JadedDM]:
Jasmin's turn.
[Jasmin]: [1d20+2] -> [18,2] = (20)
[Jasmin]: [1d6+2] -> [5,2] = (7)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin kneels down to pick up her sword quickly. Once she
is back up in her feet she slams the tip of her sword into the man's heart. The
priest slumps forward on her sword before he crumbles to the ground in a bloody
mess.
[Daufer]: ((Crap, didn't land a single hit.))
[JadedDM]: Meschior drops his weapon and hurries up the stairs and
kneels down by Vandoorm.
[Daufer]: Daufer says a small prayer to his goddess and heals
himself.
[Daufer]: [1d8] -> [5] = (5)
[JadedDM]: The black mist within Jasmin seems to burn out of her,
until it's completely gone. Her
muscles return to normal and the glow leaves her eyes.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin backs away from the two priests only to drop to
her knees as the mist leaves her body. She gasps for breath, and then grabs at
her shoulder as her brow wrinkles in pain.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris lowers his bow and looks around, to make sure
there are no other threats.
[JadedDM]: Meschior closes Vandoorm's eyes with his hand.
"You were the closest thing to family I had...why did you do
this?" he whispers.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin watches Meschior. "Family doesn't
always...care, Meschior," she says softly. "Are you okay?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior is covered with burns.
Some of his hair is gone, as well as his eyebrows, and the chain links in
his armor have fused together in some places.
"No, I am not," he says. And
from the tone of his voice, you can tell he is not referring to his wounds.
[Daufer]: "It certainly is a pity,” Daufer says.
He Daufer walks over to Meschior and says another prayer.
[Daufer]: [1d8] -> [4] = (4)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin slowly pushes herself up so that she is standing.
"Uh..." she pauses. For probably the first time ever she doesn't look
very sure on what to do. "Is there anything that we can...do?" she
finally asks, sounding a little unsure.
[JadedDM]: Meschior's eyebrows grow back, and some of his wounds
heal. He stands and wipes his eyes.
"I understand now. Vandoorm
is right. Fire is power.
It is massive destruction just waiting to happen.
That is why...we must tame it. We
must put it under our control. Or
else it will destroy us all."
[Daufer]: "How did something like this happen? Why didn't the
other priests stop this, or at least try to?"
[Jasmin]: "Because they helped him summoned the creature,
Daufer."
[JadedDM]: Meschior shook his head.
"I do not know. I know
Vandoorm always disliked the other religions in this city, but I never thought
him capable of this."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks around the area slowly. "He took that
dislike to a whole other level it seems," she shakes her head almost sadly.
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "I
fear what may happen to the shrine now, and Renos' followers."
[Daufer]: "What was he trying to do at the end? Did he really
think he could get away with this?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "A
lot of suspicious stuff has been happening lately."
[Daufer]: "There was that greed demon earlier, wasn't
there?"
[Jasmin]: "What do we do now?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "I
will see the body gets its final rites," he says.
[Daufer]: "Can we see Vandoorm's room? I want to see just what
exactly he was up to."
[JadedDM]: Meschior nods numbly and opens the doors to the shrine.
He grabs the body under its arms and starts to drag it inside.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin places her swords back within their sheaths, and
she follows after Meschior and the dead priest.
[Daufer]: Daufer bends over and picks up the other side of the
body, helping Meschior with the weight.
[JadedDM]: Once the body is inside, Meschior sets it on one of the
back pews. He heads down the hall,
past the altar, and through another door.
[Daufer]: Daufer follows Meschior through the shrine.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin rubs her shoulder as she moves after Meschior.
[JadedDM]: Inside the room, they find all of the furniture has
been shoved aside, against the walls. The
furniture includes a bed, dresser, a desk and chair.
The fireplace is still burning on the north side.
In the room's center is a large circle of charcoal with a pentagram drawn
within it. Lying by the circle is a
scorched scroll.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin absently sits down upon the bed. "I guess we
know how he summoned the creature now."
[Daufer]: Daufer starts searching the room, starting with the desk.
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "I
know Vandoorm was a strong priest, but I did not think summoning a being of such
power was within him. Usually only
most powerful people could do such a thing."
[Daufer]: "He met his end though," Daufer says
distractedly.
[JadedDM]: Daufer finds an old and well-read book on the desk, a
canon of Renos. He finds several
sheets of paper, most of them blank. There
are a few that have writing on them, though.
One set seems to detail the summoning ritual of a fire imp.
The other set seems to be some kind of personal journal.
[Daufer]: Daufer picks up the journal and opens it.
[JadedDM]: Meschior picks up the scorched scroll and unfurls it.
"How odd. It's
blank."
[Jasmin]: "Why is that odd?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "Why
use a blank scroll?"
[Daufer]: "Meschior," Daufer says, after reading the
journal for a bit.
[JadedDM]: The acolyte looks to Daufer.
"Yes?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin shrugs to Meschior before looking to Daufer.
"What did it say?"
[Daufer]: "How long do you think the priests have been
planning something like this?" Daufer asks. "It says they only got the
scroll to summon the harginn only a few days ago, when we were enslaved at the
mines."
[JadedDM]: Meschior shakes his head.
"I do not know. I feel
such a fool for not noticing something sooner."
[Daufer]: "And it seems we've found the culprit responsible
for summoning the fire imp a few weeks back," Daufer says, motioning at the
desk.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin covers her mouth as she yawns before standing.
"It doesn't say why he was doing all of this though?"
[Daufer]: "No," Daufer says. "It only says that some
mysterious stranger provided them with the scroll. I wonder who that could
be..."
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "Mysterious
stranger?"
[Daufer]: "It doesn't go into too much detail like a name or
his appearance. There's not much to go by."
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "There
was a strange visitor to the shrine awhile ago.
Right after you dispatched the rust monsters, actually."
[Daufer]: "Really? Who was it?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "A
tall man, dressed all in black and purple. His
face was covered by a hood. He spoke
to Vandoorm in private and then left. I
didn't think much of it at the time."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin raises an eyebrow curiously. "I haven't seen
anyone like that around here."
[Daufer]: "Hmm. I guess that's it then," Daufer says.
"There's not much we can do now."
He hands Meschior the canon and the sheets detailing the summoning.
"I suppose as a priest of Renos, you'll want to keep these safe."
[JadedDM]: Meschior looks down at the book and then slightly
caresses it with his hand. "Yes...thank
you," he says.
[Jasmin]: With a small sigh, Jasmin moves out of the room.
[Daufer]: "Maybe we'll find something in the other priests'
rooms, since they were in on it." He
moves out as well.
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "Julia
shared this room with Vandoorm. My
room and Dia's room are this way." He
leads them out of the room and down the hall a bit, to two doors at the far end.
"This one is Dia's," he says and opens it, entering.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin walks into the room quietly.
[Daufer]: Daufer follows Meschior in.
[JadedDM]: Dia's room is smaller.
The furniture is not moved around. There
is a simple bed, a dresser, and a painting over the fireplace of a woman and two
children.
[Jasmin]: "I don't see what we are going to get out of this
room."
[Daufer]: "Perhaps you're right," Daufer says. He moves
to the fireplace and inspects the painting. "Who are these people supposed
to be?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "The
woman is Dia. When she was younger,
I mean. The children are hers.
Or they were. They grew up
and then died in the war a few years ago."
[Daufer]: "Is that so," Daufer says, in a bored tone. He
picks up the painting from the wall to get a better look.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin watches the two of them with a bored expression
while she leans against one of the walls.
[JadedDM]: Daufer was never one with an eye for art, but he can
tell that the quality of the painting is fairly good.
She must have spent a pretty gold piece on it.
Looking closer now, he can see that the woman does resemble Dia, but her
hair is longer and brown and her face is less worn and wrinkled.
[Daufer]: Daufer sets the painting against the bed and says,
"I suppose that's it then."
[JadedDM]: The three can hear voices back in the main room.
[Daufer]: Daufer steps out of Dia's room and into the main room.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin steps out of the room she is in now, and walks
rather quickly towards the main room.
[JadedDM]: Stepping into the main room, they see Gaheris by the
open doors, speaking to a pair of guards.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin walks up behind Gaheris. "What's going
on?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "We'll
take care of things on this end, then," he says.
The guards nod and head off. Gaheris
turns back to them. "They
finally got off their asses and came down here to the slums.
I told them what happened, and apparently several witnesses confirmed it.
This is bound to get us some good attention.
You guys find anything?"
[Daufer]: "Not really," Daufer says. "The summoning
circle's over that way. Apparently, they wanted to 'cleanse' this town."
[Jasmin]: "There was also something about a stranger that
spoke to Vandoorm."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "A
stranger, huh?"
[Daufer]: "Sound familiar to you? Tall, dressed in black and
purple, hooded…"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris shakes his head.
"Naw, that could be anyone."
[Jasmin]: "I think that is about all we are going to get from
this place."
[Daufer]: "Well, I guess this mess isn't out problem any
more."
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "No...it's
mine. I thank you for your help, but
I will take care of it from here. I
need to cremate Vandoorm's body and send a letter to the nearest temple to ask
for counsel."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin moves over to Meschior and gently places a hand
upon his shoulder. "If you need anything, just ask." She offers him a
comforting smile before she kisses his cheek.
[Daufer]: "Come back down to the Miner," Daufer adds.
"We might need you for a job, you know."
[JadedDM]: Meschior nods. "I
will stop by there tomorrow then."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin turns and walks out of the shrine to head back to
the tavern.
[Daufer]: Daufer walks back to the tavern as well.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "Yeah,
you two should get some rest. Try
and heal up those wounds," he says to Daufer and Jasmin.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin pauses. "Still going house hunting?" she
asks over her shoulder.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "Yeah,
probably."
[Daufer]: "It's not even an hour past breakfast, too..."
Daufer says.
[Jasmin]: "Probably? What else are you going to do?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "No
kidding. And I'm all ready
beat."
[Daufer]: "Well, I suppose we can let the job-hunting go until
tomorrow..." Daufer muses. "Let word of our actions here spread."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "Yeah.
I mean, we did kind of save the entire slums.
That makes us heroes, or something."
[Jasmin]: "Aren't we supposed to be carried around on people's
shoulders or something?" Jasmin asks curiously.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "And
get rewarded, too," he adds bitterly, crossing his arms.
[Daufer]: "Well, people around here have a funny way of
showing gratitude," Daufer says.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "By
the way, that trick you pulled with Jasmin...that really worked.
It was kind of creepy, though," he says, referring to the battle
spirit.
[Jasmin]: "Yeah. What was that?" Jasmin turns to look to
Daufer. "I've…never felt like that before."
[Daufer]: "It is a jat'lyn:
a spirit of battle and slaughter. They are common enough, and they hold a unique
place in the Dark Lady's hierarchy. Although, I will say, that unless the
warrior was completely willing, the jat'lyn
would have no effect whatsoever."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris shudders. "Wow.
I wouldn't want some dark spirit crawling around inside my body."
[Jasmin]: "It was kind of a rush, actually."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "Well,
let's meet back at the tavern tomorrow morning then.
And hope that the news of our exploits has spread."
[Daufer]: "Agreed," Daufer says.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin gives a small nod to Gaheris in agreement.
[Daufer]: "In the meantime, there was something I wanted to
find out," Daufer says. He holds up the maul he got from the fight with
River Bear. "Meschior mentioned a library in the Noble quarter, so I'll be
there for today if you need me for something else."
[Jasmin]: "Can I go with you then? I can't read, but I was
hoping you could help me research a few things."
[Daufer]: Daufer raises his eyebrows but says, "Sure, come
along then."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "A
whole building filled with books, huh? I'll
pass. You two try and stay out of
trouble. I need to go buy more
arrows."
[Jasmin]: "I don't think you can find a lot of trouble in a
library."
[Daufer]: Daufer waves good-bye to Gaheris and then starts walking
towards the Noble quarter. "So, what exactly are you looking to find
out?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin skips along side Daufer. "Anything about
dragons."
[Daufer]: Daufer stops for a moment, but catches himself and keeps
walking. "Dragons? Why's that?"
[Jasmin]: "Because one day I'm going to slay one."
[Daufer]: "Is that a fact?" Daufer says, giving a low
whistle.
[Jasmin]: "Gaheris did the same thing. I'm going to prove you
both wrong one day." Jasmin nods firmly. "Just watch. Though, I need
to know more about them if I'm going to do it."
[Daufer]: "You just want to slay one to prove something?"
Daufer says.
[Jasmin]: "No. It is just the hardest challenge I can think of
that would probably make me famous."
[Daufer]: "Well, you certainly are courageous to wish to
attempt such a task," Daufer says quietly.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin gives him an odd look. "Gaheris thinks I'm
insane for wanting to do it."
[Daufer]: "I think Gaheris has different goals," Daufer
says.
[Jasmin]: "Deep down he wants that adventure as much as I
do." Jasmin grins to the hobgoblin.
[JadedDM]: After walking north a fair bit, the two reach the
library. It's a small, two-story
building just south of the mageware shop. It
looks a bit worn down, but it's clear that someone is trying to maintain it
based on the fresh coat of paint and the patched roof.
[Daufer]: "Here we are," Daufer says. He opens the door
to the library and steps inside.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin follows after Daufer after looking over the place
semi-curiously.
[JadedDM]: The building has the musty smell of old books.
The walls are lined with bookshelves and there are several old tables and
chairs for reading. In the center of
the place is a spiral staircase leading up to the second floor.
Before the staircase is a small and tidy desk manned by a young woman
with her nose in a thick and dusty tome.
[Daufer]: Daufer clears his throat.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin sneezes lightly as she takes in the smell of old
books and dust.
[JadedDM]: The woman glances up as they approach, apparently not
having heard them enter. She is a
pretty young lass, around their age. Standing
at 5'4", she has shoulder-length black hair, green eyes, and a petite
figure. She wears a red blouse and
skirt with sandals. "Oh, yes?
Can I help you?" she asks sweetly.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin clasps her hands behind her back while she waits.
[Daufer]: "We wanted peruse the books here for some
information," Daufer says.
[JadedDM]: The woman tents her hands and leans forward.
"Well, of course. Anything
specific I can help you find?"
[Daufer]: "Books on dragons," Daufer begins, "and on
any records of the orcs up in the Karik Mines, in connection to some war long
ago. I think Baska called it the
Insurrection."
[JadedDM]: Librarian: "Sure.
Books on dragons are right over
there," she says, indicating a shelf on the wall just left to her.
"Books on war are upstairs. The
Insurrection, you said? I'll go see
if I can find some for you. It'll be
quicker," she says, and then heads upstairs.
[Daufer]: While waiting for the librarian to come back down, Daufer
goes to the indicated shelf and begins pulling any relevant books about dragons.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin moves to sit down at one of the tables while
Daufer grabs the books.
[Daufer]: Daufer finds a few books on dragons, and he briefly lists
their contents for Jasmin's benefit. One tells about well-known dragons of
history, one is about the dragon-riders of Eonia, another tells more about the
social structure of dragons, and another is regarding the relationship between
mortals and dragons. "Which one sounds interesting to you?"
[Jasmin]: "The dragon-riders seem kind of interesting, but if
I'm going to slay one then that isn't going to be of any help, so let’s start
with their relationship with mortals."
[Daufer]: Daufer opens it and reads aloud.
[JadedDM]: The book primarily speaks on shadow dragons, as they
are the only ones common to this area. It
explains that they are not native to our world, but rather, are summoned here
from the Shadow Realm, usually by drow. The
drow have essentially enslaved them, much as any other race in Legar, and use
them to enforce their own power. Some
sages speculate, though, that the shadow dragons willingly work with the Drow
for their own nefarious means.
[JadedDM]: Around this point, the librarian returns with a book
tucked under her arm.
[Daufer]: "If you slay a... shadow dragon, I doubt the drow
will be happy."
[Jasmin]: "I'm not too terribly worried about the drow,"
Jasmin says with a shrug.
[Daufer]: "Actually... what was your name?" Daufer asks
the librarian.
[JadedDM]: She smiles. "I'm
Loreleii. Nice to meet you."
[Daufer]: "Loreleii," Daufer says, while picking up his
hammer. "I was primarily interested in the meaning of this symbol engraved
here." He shows the librarian the symbol.
[JadedDM]: She looks to the hammer and seems to concentrate a bit.
"Do you mind if I see that a moment?"
[Daufer]: Daufer raises his hands, having no objections.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin rests her head on the table as she watches the two
of them.
[JadedDM]: She picks up the hammer, which is no easy task as
it’s quite heavy. She studies it a
moment and mumbles something in a strange language.
"I thought so," she says, handing it back to him.
"It's enchanted. Some
kind of divine blessing."
[Daufer]: Daufer raises his eyebrows in surprise. "So there
actually is something to what those orcs... What kind of blessing?"
[JadedDM]: Loreleii shakes her head.
"I can't say off-hand. That
would require further study. As for
the symbol, I think I've seen it before. In
one of the ancient history books, I think."
She pauses to try and remember.
[Daufer]: "Would you be able to pinpoint it? I'm familiar with
the Malice Dynasty, but even this symbol is a puzzle to me," Daufer says.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin simply shakes her head as she tries to follow the
conversation.
[JadedDM]: Loreleii: "Oh,
that's it!" she says, snapping her fingers.
"It was the insignia of Dukosh, the fourth child of Dan'gen.
He stopped using it after awhile, and so the symbol isn't found on many
artifacts anymore."
[Daufer]: Daufer looks back at the hammer with renewed respect.
"Dukosh's symbol? Interesting. How
did orcs end up with an artifact like this?" Daufer muses.
[JadedDM]: Loreleii: "You
said the Karik Orcs had it? That
might be why. They were part of the
Insurrection. I suppose after it
failed, they could have made off with whatever treasure they could find,
including the hammer. It probably
originally belonged to an important hobgoblin general."
[Daufer]: "And information on that is in that book?"
Daufer waves at the tome.
[JadedDM]: Loreleii hands him the book she was carrying.
"This one is about the Hobgoblin Insurrection, yes.
It's the only record we have of it."
[Daufer]: "I see," Daufer says. "Thank you."
He takes the book and sets it aside. "Were there any other books
you'd like me to read?" He says to Jasmin, while motioning towards the
books.
[Jasmin]: "I guess it wouldn't hurt to learn of their social
structure either."
[Daufer]: Daufer picks up the book and reads it aloud.
[JadedDM]: The book explains that shadow dragons hate both bright
light and total darkness, preferring variegated lighting with patches of diffuse
light and deep, inky shadows. Usually
they dwell underground, with the drow, when they are on this world.
They aren't much for family, and abandon their young at an early age,
sometimes even fighting them over territory and resources.
They'll eat almost anything, but they prefer rotting carrion.
[Daufer]: Daufer picks up the book on well-known historical dragons
and reads that as well.
[JadedDM]: The book discusses Inferno the Red and Auron the Gold
in some detail, but it doesn't tell much other than they were the mounts of the
Red and Gold Dragon Knights of Eonia, and that Inferno still dwells in Mt. Ember
but it's believed Auron died off some time ago.
The book explains that many dragons simply vanished some time ago for
reasons unknown, which is why the Drow rely on shadow dragons (as they can be
summoned from elsewhere). One
particular shadow dragon of contemporary times is known by mortals as Oblivion,
and he is the personal pet and mount of the Overlord.
They say it's an ancient wyrm with a body over 70 feet long and a tail
that reaches almost 60 feet long.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin's eyes widen slightly with a smile before she
nods. "I think that is enough for right now. Thanks Daufer."
[Daufer]: "This last one might be useful," Daufer says,
indicating the one on dragon-riders.
[Jasmin]: "Maybe, but I'll hold off on it. Besides, you
probably want to research your hammer there," Jasmin says as she pushes
herself up. "I want to clean up a bit anyway, so I'll see you
tomorrow."
[Daufer]: Daufer nods and begins gathering the books to put back in
their rightful place.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin turns and walks out of the library.
[JadedDM]: Loreleii: "Anything
else I can help you with?"
[Daufer]: "Loreleii, you mentioned that it would take further
study to learn more about this hammer," Daufer says. "Exactly, how
much time?"
[JadedDM]: Loreleii: "Well...I
know only a little magic, but I do have a spell that could tell me more about
the hammer's properties. I would
need to keep it over night, though."
[Daufer]: "Hmm. What can I offer in exchange for your
services?"
[JadedDM]: Loreleii: "Oh...well...my
grandfather, who ran this library, died recently and I don't have the money to
keep it going much longer. If you
had some gold you could spare, that would help in keeping this place from being
shut down."
[Daufer]: Daufer nods and says, "Your price?"
[JadedDM]: The woman looks him over, noting his banded mail armor
and seems to think a moment. "Fifty
gold pieces would go a long way."
[Daufer]: Daufer nods. "That sounds reasonable. I do not have
the requisite gold at the moment, so I'll bring it tomorrow."
[JadedDM]: She nods. "All
right. I'll see you then.
And you can take that book with you, if you return it tomorrow."
[Daufer]: Daufer thanks the librarian and walks out.
[JadedDM]: The following morning, the party awakens to a terrible
thunderstorm. Rain falls heavily,
black clouds blot out the sun, and thunder rumbles loudly.
The three make their way to the tavern first to find shelter from the
rain.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris takes a drink and sighs.
"Damn weather. Why
couldn't it have rained like this yesterday?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin removes her circlet and flips her hair a few times
as if to dry it out. Finally, once finished she runs her fingers through her
hair with a huff, and puts her circlet back on.
[Daufer]: Daufer shakes out the water from his cloak and sit down.
"I doubt the priests would have summoned that thing in this weather
anyway."
[JadedDM]: The door opens then and Meschior steps in, soaked to
the bone. He spots the party and
heads toward their table, leaving a trail of watery footprints.
[Daufer]: Daufer hails Meschior. "How're things at the
shrine?"
[Jasmin]: "I don't see why everyone is complaining. It is just
rain," Jasmin finally comments before she turns her attention to Meschior.
[JadedDM]: Meschior takes a seat, looking like he didn't have much
sleep. "Vandoorm has been taken
care of. The other two have not made
an appearance since. I imagine they
are in hiding now. I sent a letter
to the local temple. They will most
likely send someone to take over the shrine."
[Daufer]: "Does that mean you're in charge for the
moment?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior chuckles bitterly.
"I am by no means qualified, but I suppose I am, at least for the
time being."
[Jasmin]: "I'm sure you'll do fine until the temple sends
someone."
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "I
wish to thank you all again for your assistance.
The
[Daufer]: "What about the guards? I'd imagine an incident like
this wouldn't go over very well with the Viscount."
[Jasmin]: "Reward us?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior nods. "Yes,
I was visited by one of his men. I
explained the situation to him, but as little damage was done before we stopped
Vandoorm, he seemed willing to overlook it this time."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris sits up. "Yeah,
yeah, Viscount and guards. What's
this about a reward?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior stands up and attempts to straighten his wet
robes. "Jasmin, I wanted you to
have this." He pulls out a
metal crest from his pocket. "It
is a Fire Rune, blessed by Renos. With
it, I can enchant one of your swords with Renos' First Blessing."
[Jasmin]: "His First Blessing. You said you had his First
Blessing, which was what you used on Daufer's hammer to make it light up like it
did, right?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior nods. "Vandoorm
had this hidden away in the shrine. It's
the only one we have, but I think you deserve it."
[Jasmin]: "You do?" Jasmin smiles brightly. "Well,
all right. What would you need to do to enchant one of my swords?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "If
you come by the shrine later today, we can do the ritual there."
[Daufer]: "You're able to do so at so young an age?"
Daufer says, with some surprise.
[Jasmin]: "I'll be there."
[JadedDM]: Meschior nods. "The
ritual itself is quite simple. Crafting
the runes in the first place, though...only a master priest could do that."
[Daufer]: "I see..." Daufer says.
[JadedDM]: Meschior then turns to Gaheris.
"I wanted you to have these," he says, handing over a long
object wrapped in cloth.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris takes the object and unwraps it, revealing a
bundle of arrows with red heads. There
are half a dozen of them.
[JadedDM]: Meschior: "Flame
arrows. They are blessed by Renos.
I'm afraid there were not very many in the treasury, but they should
prove useful."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "Well,
it's not gold, but thanks," he says.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin nudges Gaheris under the table with her foot
before she looks to Daufer to see his reward.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris grunts. "I
mean...I'm grateful," he says, shooting a glare at the woman.
[Daufer]: Daufer chuckles at Gaheris' mixed reaction.
[JadedDM]: Meschior then turns to Daufer and after a moment of
pause, he pulls out a simple golden ring from his pocket.
It is engraved with geometric shapes.
"This was Vandoorm's..," he pauses again.
"After my parents died, he was like a father to me.
A man I greatly respected and idolized.
I...I feel like this should go to you."
He hands the ring over. "It
is bound with an enchantment of protection."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks at his glare oddly before she blows a kiss
Gaheris' way playfully.
[Daufer]: Daufer takes the ring awkwardly. "Thanks... uh, are
you sure? I mean, it sounds like this man was important to you, for all his
misdeeds."
[JadedDM]: He shakes his head.
"I could not wear it. The
pain is still too near for me."
[Daufer]: "How about I just hold it for you? If you ever want
it back, just say the word."
[JadedDM]: Suddenly, the doors slam open, letting in a burst of
cold wind and rain. However, nobody
is there. Annoyed, one of the
waitresses hurries over and closes the doors.
[JadedDM]: Meschior nods. "Very
well."
[Jasmin]: As touching as the ring thing is with Daufer, her
attention is drawn towards the doors curiously.
[JadedDM]: Jasmin feels a slight breeze near her, like someone
just walked past her. But the
nearest person is a waitress who is tending to another table.
[Daufer]: Daufer looks at the ring for a moment longer and slips it
on.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin shivers lightly from the breeze, and even turns
her head to make sure no one walk past her. "...Weird," she mutters.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "What's
that, kitten?" he asks, pointing to a small scroll of paper sitting next to
her plate. It was not there a moment
ago, she could have sworn.
[Jasmin]: "Where did that come from?" Jasmin picks up the
scroll before she unfurls it. She
sighs softly before she hands the scroll to Daufer. "What's it say?"
[Daufer]: Daufer takes the scroll from Jasmin and unfurls it,
reading it. He frowns and then says
in a low voice, a whisper. "'Please, I need your help. If you are
interested in a job, meet me in the basement.'" He looks up at the rest of
the party. "'Tell no one of
this note.'"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris raises a brow.
"What do you make of that?"
[Jasmin]: "I say we go to the basement and find out," she
says softly.
[Daufer]: "Why the secrecy?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin pushes herself up out of her chair then shrugs to
Daufer.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris and Meschior stand up, as well.
"Perhaps we shall find out," says the latter.
[Daufer]: "Hope this doesn't take long," Daufer mutters.
"I have an errand to run." He gets up and follows Jasmin.
[JadedDM]:
(Okay, we'll end it here.)
