A Tunnels and Trolls® play-by-post adventure run by khara_khang
(An interlude entitled "Fowl Play")
"Same here, 'Suma. It looks like the question of trusting Toubow and Martek boils down to the question of trusting Cobalt. And I haven't trusted any of the lot. Perhaps Shipy could sneak off and check up on Cobalt at Grutoss' place while we go along with Martek for the time being. I dunno how we'd connect back up, though."
"Yeah, good thinking, Desuma; it's always good to know the strengths of your comrades-in-arms. And what do you know of this installation, Martek? Who's guarding it? Would it be easier to break in from the roof and work our way down?"
Looking up at Desuma, I try hard to my keep eyes on her face and not her chest, but it is difficult. "I could wander off and check in with Grutoss if you want."
"It was a bedroom I found Cobalt's coat in, well... er, uh, it was still warm when I took the stuff from his pocket."
"I've seen Temple Dragonkopf before, but never been inside. They do have some nasty looking demon warriors tho."
"What's everyone whispering about?" asks Martek walking back to the three of you.
"My rope, well... its magical, it can fight with me. It does need fed occasionally... end of story. What's with the mask, Desuma?"
"If you look close you'll see two catapults and twenty-five guards on the roof. Entering via the roof would not be a very wise choice. Around on the shadowed side there is a small barred window on the third floor. We could send Shipy up first, then we could follow afterwards. From what I was told there are fifty-six guards and five priests in the building."
"Ralathor, with all due respect, I don't have much time or use for magic as such. It's sketchy business best left to the professionals as far as I'm concerned. I feel for you though. Give me a chance to stick around a while and we'll see what happens. I want to see your lives out here, you see? You folks get a bad rap all over town and seeing as I usually have no problem working up an audience I can give 'em all your side of the story after I figure out exactly what your story is. I'll make you famous Shaman...the kids are gonna love you once I doctor your spin."
The diplomatic duo of the enchanting demoness and the tusked warrior takes a minute to confer. "I've spent some time as a lizard man, you know," Taran says, turning his neck as if in remembrance. Domina nods her head politely, having heard too many times all about Taran's days as a lizard, then a lizard man, then as a dead lizard man, then as an alive lizard man, then as an orc again. "I say we make the trip, sneak around Ralathor's camp, and try to accomplish the mission. Assuming my ever-stinkin' brother and the rest of our group are being diverted from our main mission by the ambivalent Madam Towbow, this whole thing may be up to us. With your magic, we could make a good escape if we succeed---or feel the need to get out of there." Taran gazes into the concentrating visage of his adventuring partner, but his mind drifts to that of his brother. He wonders where he is and hopes he doesn't make too many rash decisions.
"No! I believe that's the worst thing we could do right now. We've obviously been watched since the beginning of this thing---just look at the attack against Taran outside of Mr. Toad's---and if we split up we'll only weaken ourselves more. I think the best thing to do is to play along for now, but to leave a message for Grutoss inside the temple."
"What 'stuff' did you find in his [Cobalt's --ed.] pocket?"
"I woke up with a reeeally big zit this morning. Actually, the mask is to cover my face, which is, well... magical. Sometimes it's my most potent weapon, but it does need to be fed occasionally."
"Let's just take a few minutes first to scout around the building and see if there is any other way we might enter. Then we should enter the temple through the main entrance, pretending to be worshipers. We'll probably end up using your barred window, but it doesn't hurt to explore our options."
Sorry for the delay in posting, but my ISP was down when I tried to log on yesterday morning, and then I was out of town on a business trip all day. I'll try to post more tonight after I get home from work, but in the meantime, could we have a little more discussion time in the dax before Martek joins us? I'd at least like to get Jax and Shipy's reactions on my questions/comments here, and have a note for Grutoss prepared.
"Okay, I can understand your apprehension Jack. You are free to do as you please, even leave of your own free will if that's what you want."
Standing, Ralathor points towards a pile of lizardman hides dried, tanned, and tied in a bundle against the side of the tent. "That is what were are fighting for Jack... our kindred. Those were taken from some people from Tally."
Taking his dagger off, Ralathor lays it on the table behind him. Going to the entrance of the tent, Ralathor says several words in Lizardman tongue to the guards. The only word you recognize is the word "Jack." Ralathor then exits the tent leaving you seated alone on a wooden bench.
What do you do next? Sit there? Jump up and go with Ralathor? Take the dagger? Search the tent?
"Okay, Taran, sounds like a plan." I then lower my voice to a husky whisper. "But I say we don't kill him right away---let's take the time to snoop first. Find out if the Lizardmen have or had any plans for our group besides brunch. The Madame's plans are unknown; the Baron may not be able to reunite us with our comrades---it may be up to us to find them." I smile bewitchingly at him, as though I was whispering something very personal. I lean forward next to his ear, and hiss, "If the Baron could see our friends in that crystal ball, he'll spy on us, too. Probably is right now. Just trying to fool any watchers. I don't quite trust him---even if his plans do seem to coincide with ours."
I say out loud, "I'm ready to go when you are. Remember, the Baron said something about Jack de Crampon being taken to Ralathor's tent. I suppose we should try to rescue him while we're there." I give a sigh of annoyance. A woman's work is never done.
"Yer right, 'Suma; we stay together. But I'm not sure if leaving a message for Grutoss is such a good idea. How do we know he goes here? If he's keeping an eye on us, he would already know everything we would write him anyway. Keep in mind, that other parties could also be watching; what we write could get us in trouble, even if it's not found," Jax whispers hurriedly. He thinks about saying something about polluting the time stream, but as it comes from the Haroouugh part of his brain, he takes it with a good-sized grain of Orcish salt.
"So what did you find in Cobalt's pocket, Shipy?" he adds.
Nodding to Desuma, Jax speaks up, "Yeah, also doesn't hurt to see who we're up against. I've got rope and grappling hook to help us up to the (crimson barr'd) window if we need it."
The Hobbit groans, thinking, "Not again! I think I shall never hear the end of Jax and his grapple!"
Big Money! No Whammies!!
Jack, starting to confuse even himself with the line he's feeding the shaman, scratches his skull indecisively. He thinks, "Take the dagger? Well, it might do more harm than good in unskilled hands plus it will p*ss Ralathor off royally. They're having a little chat about yours truly which could be about anything from my boyish good looks to how many longbows could a Lizardman bonesmith make out of my ribs while drunk on a Sunday. Still... There's something about that man! Ooooooh! I can't take my eyes offa him!" (He shudders with girlish giddiness and follows Ralathor out of the tent).
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