A Tunnels and Trolls® play-by-post adventure run by khara_khang
[Back to one group! --ed.]
"Holy @##*%!!." He looks around at the suddenly quiet scene and a big poo-eating anarchic grin cracks his face open. Even in spite of Shipy pulling his midget wrestling routine, he has to laugh. He looks down at the Hobbit hanging off of his right arm mumbling some nonsense about his "Precious!! Me Precious!!" and grabbing for..."THE DAGGER OF TIME" (dramatic, yet quirky Elfman orchestral swell).
"Oh put a sock in it pip-squeak! Look, we got it made. Everybody's on ice, we go hack up the bad guys, walk up there and get that super helmet, the world is saved and we'll be on the lips of every town crier from here to Gull. What's up with you, Smeagol? Skipped your medication again? Hey Bela, or whatever your name is... you wanna take care of this idiot for me?" With that he starts dragging Shippy, THE DAGGER OF TIME (creepy hammond organ arpeggio) and the fate of the world with him towards the bodies of the frozen demons.
"Hey, wait, Jack. There's plenty of time for that---can't you see? By the way, nice soundtrack, Jack---I thought only elves could do that.... You know, just a second ago, I was thinking we needed to compare notes when things got quiet. Well, it's pretty quiet, right now. Do you even know what you're going to do, or why? Shipy may be right. Either way, aren't you curious about why I'm here, and if you can really trust me? If you give me a minute, I'll tell you my story...."
"Anyway, Jack, don't you think we should all be reading from the same page before we perform the next scene?"
Now I'm done. Really.
Normally acting in his own recalcitrant manner, Jack pauses for just a moment at Bela's words, but not before moving closer to the group. (ONLY) Taran (still in lizardman form) suddenly becomes unstuck in time due to his proximity to Jack. Taran's first action is to remove his necklace and change back into his Orcish form Jack knows. Seeing everyone else still frozen in time, Taran moves closer to Jack, Bela, and Shipy.
Releasing my useless master Hobbit death grip on Jack, I drop to the floor. Surprised at Bela, I say, "You said I was right? No one has ever said that to me!"
I turn to glance at Taran. "Oh, hi, T!"
I turn my attention back to Jack. "You should really give me the dagger, Jack! You do know I'm party leader don't you? Tell him T!"
For the moment, the four of you stand together trying to decide exactly what you are going to do next. What do you do next?
Exasperated, Jack throws up his hands in disgust. "Well, look pal," he says to Bela, "I appreciate the compliments and all but what the @#%*! is the big deal? Know what I'm doing? Of course I do! I'm goin' up there, upstairs, I'm gonna get that whatever the hell it is and kill all the bad guys. Exit stage left, applause, bows and rave reviews. What's so damn complicated about that? And trust you? Sure, why not? Better to have enemies like you than friends like that!" he shakes a finger at Shipy. "Yeah, you, short-round, and keep your hands offa the merchandise! Leader?! My pelvis!"
"Whoa!" Taran shakes his head like a Gungan from a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away, splattering spittle on the walls and his friends. "It's good to be an Orc again!" Taran pockets the necklace as he says, "Hey, Shippy!" Taran holds out his hand in a high-five, then lowers it to the hobbit's reach. "One minute I'm a lizard on guard duty outside Ralathor's tent and the next minute I'm here!" [snip]* Getting back to the moment, Taran steps closer to the skeleton. "Watch where you point your insults, Jack," he says, bearing his tusks. "That 'short-round' over there is a friend of mine, and we need to work together if we're going to figure this out." He manages a tusk-filled smile to try to assuage Jack's ego-trip.
*[Taran's original words were, "Then Taran notices, and recognizes, the Dagger of Time in the skeleton's grip. 'HEY---that... that's the Dagger of Time! (time, time, time)' Taran glances stage left wondering where the echo came from," but he in actuality does not know of the existence of any so-called Dagger of Time at this point.--ed.]
[[Taran tries to make a level 10 SR on INT to figure out the whole time mess and fails miserably before he even rolls a single die.]]
Taran glances at the frozen Domina and the other frozen kindreds in the hallway, and shakes his head again. "Man, we need Jax's brains. Where is my ever-stinkin' brother anyway? I can smell him, but can't see him!"
"He's over there but you can't see him, sillee Orc," the Hobbit says, thinking of his good friend Lilac the sprite. "He's got his cloak on!" Shipy offers, glad to be useful again and staring confusedly at Taran's high-five offer. "We were just squaring off with a few demons when you appeared frozen!" Shipy points a bit down the hall where a demon stands in mid-swipe.
Suddenly, Shipy makes a saving roll on INT and realizes that those close to Jack---close to the dagger---are the only unfrozen ones among the group. "The dagger's the key, Jack! We gotta use it to unfreeze them," he pleads, pointing at Desuma, then changes his mind and points at Domina instead. "Unfreeze Desuma last, if you don't mind," he says cheerfully. "I'm sure she won't mind!"
"We need to stick together, Jack. Don't go rushing off on some kind of, uh, mono log." Taran struggles to appeal to Jack theatrically despite his ignorance of matters thespian. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you get lots of applause, even if I have to clap for you myself!"
Keeping up with Jack as he moves along, he renews his appeal, "There you go, Jack. If you're going to do a solo act, then there's your audience---your friends. They've given you the script, you know what to do to get their applause... and if you get Jax killed, the critics will hate you!"
Seeing people come to life as Jack moves closer them, Bela is even more concerned as he comes closer to the soon-to-be animated demon. Rock-a-Bye would not likely would work on an animated skeleton, so Bela discounts that. If words won't stop Jack, then Bela sees nothing else to but to just tackle the guy. He may be a wizard, but he's no stripling.
Suddenly the hobbit has a better plan, one which drunkards, hobbits, mendicants and even lowly BigJackBrass's might even use. "Aha.. wait Jack!" I say walking backwards, but still staying close to Jack. "Think of me as a a very short producer overseeing some small time stage play like say 'Bored Of The Rings.' Suppliantly you would of course begin in a certain area right?" Walking backwards ever yet closer to our frozen friends, I point to the door leading to the stairs going up to the next level. "That would be your stage entrance!"
I smile widely as only a good mendicant can.
This hobbit does not know what "mendicant" or "suppliantly" means, but I blame BigJackBrass for their use. Sorry readers! Now stop staring at me and go to the next post!
The hobbit grumbles "Pelvis Elvis smellvis my arse!"
Without warning, the "Dagger of Time" suddenly kicks off like some magical/mechanical refrigerator from some other dimension. In doing so everyone in the room/temple is instantly freed from the timed temporal event.
Finishing his stroke, Jax removes both arms (at the elbows) from the only still-free demon warrior (which then falls to the floor moaning in pain and shock), and in doing so, Jax doffs his hood and becomes visible again.
Martek's magical rope jumps back into his hands, having crushed many of the demon warrior's bones it was wrapped around, but not enough to kill it... at least not at the moment.
"You'd better sheath that dagger, Jack, before you cause some time event to occur you can't control," says the human swamp rat, not realizing such an event had just taken place until he notices Taran and Domina (removing her necklace and changing back to her normal form). Martek opens the door and heads up the stairs, taking two steps at a time.
"How does Martek know that is the 'Dagger of Time' if he has never seen it before?" asks Desuma offhandedly.
Unless stating otherwise, everyone follows Martek up the stairs to the third level and down a long corridor to a set of strange looking double doors.
His exacting swipe executed with perfect precision, Jax senses something different. "Whoa, dude! I just felt like I was in the middle between two worlds!" Wiping Demon Warrior gore carefully off his EverSharp™ blade, he notices a strangely familiar odor as he whirls around to locate....
"T!"
"No time, bro! Follow that Swamp Rat!" Taran exclaims, bounding up the stairs after Martek.
Jax stalls only a half-minute to catch his bearings. The entire party rushes by. As Jack perambulates past (as only a magically animated skeleton can), he quips, "There's your brother!" Domina is last to pass, and she thwaps him on the head. "Get the lead out, porkins!"
Jax calls back, "Good to see y---" but she's already gone. Jax looks at the carnage at his feet, and says most un-Orcishly, "Sorry dudes, but if we work things right, you won't remember a thing!" He can't help it. He feels elation. It is as if the Balrog sitting on his shoulders had suddenly taken flight. And with that, the pride of Clan Dracon hauls his Orcish butt up the stairs with reckless abandon, having finally emerged from underneath his personal stormcloud.
"Right behind ya, T!"
Bela just looks confused. "Why do I even bother?" he mutters.
Bela has his mind on the dagger, wondering if it might help him catch that accursed Book. Seeing Domina remove her disguise, he raises an eyebrow. "Another one?" he quips, "Are any of Ralathor's army actually of the lizardman race?"
Bela raises the other eyebrow.
Taking up the stairs behind Shipy, Bela considers how different this Hobbit is from his friend Peter, then considers the friendship between this odd mix of races. The denizens of this world may look the same as those on Lennoxa, but their culture is completely different.
The sight of the door turns his mind back to the task. He doesn't like the look of this.
Looking around uneasily, Desuma wonders if that freakin' gremlin Grimsteel is going to make an appearance here.
Both Desuma and Domina accompany Martek. Upon reaching the corridor's end, Domina places a leather clad hand gently but firmly upon Martek's shoulder, and places herself between him and the doors.
"One moment,if you please," Domina says silkily, "supposedly our original mission from Grutoss was to find out what was going on. We have the Bloody Red Baron sending myself, Taran and Cambrea to kill Ralathor. Before that, we see Madame Whosis and Martek save our captured companions, and hear them reviled by said Baron. Taran and I are transported from Ralathor's camp to here - and you don't look too suprised to see us, rope boy. Jack de Tampon also pops up from the camp, brandishing [some dagger which warps time]*. To me, it seems Ralathor himself wants us here, with that dagger perhaps, to get that helm for his own purposes. Cambrea's got to be in on this somehow---I never trusted that smarmy little elf. I'm not saying let's go back and kill the shaman---that wasn't exactly our original mission---but why are we following this weasel like so many puppy dogs? It's time for some answers---and they had better be quick and convincing."
*[Domina's original words were, "the dagger of It's-About-Time, which I REFUSE to believe was left lying about as carelessly as a paperweight," but she in actuality does not know of the existence of any so-called Dagger of Time at this point. --ed.]
While Domina isn't known for her Draconic tact and diplomacy, she does cut through the minotaur guano rather nicely. "Why is it I feel like I'm being led around by the nose?"
Welcome back D&D! <high-fives 'em>
Jax huffs up the stairs, and nearly bowls over Shipy as he skids to a stop before the massive doors. Domina appears to be taking Martek to task. "It's about time somebody did that!" Jax thinks, wary of the Swamp Rat ever since he professed to have rescued him from drowning.
Jax elbows his way to stand between Martek and Taran. "For what it's worth, I only agreed to do Toubow's bidding since she said it was our best chance to rescue Taran, and you, Domina. Seems like a moot mission now."
For Taran and Domina's sake, Jax summarizes, "Toubow was some kind of witch on an island in the swamp where Martek led us after you guys disappeared. She said we should grab some special helmet in this Temple so that Martek can use it to take us back in time to kill Ralathor as a stripling."
Jax continues, "But remember, Cobalt's mission parameters were just to figure out who and what was behind the Lizardmen encroachment, and to decipher his cryptic warning to Khazan. Those orders don't appear to give us the license to kill him outright. Especially without all the facts.
"Seems to me if we communicated our disparate experiences, we might gain a better understanding of the big picture, though I admit now is probably not the best time nor place!"
OK true-believers, now would be a good time to consult the archives. Some of us (Jack) have critical knowledge that no one else possesses!
"No, half-wit, the DAGGER OF TIME (electric bag pipe flourish) is my frigging thing. I found it, it's mine". With that he starts up the stairs grumbling about amatures and how well a whiskey sour would go down at a time like this.
I won't be back on until Sunday morning or there abouts. Gotta go to the mountain temple and watch my girlfriend and her family channel in the spirits of their dead relatives...AGAIN!!!! Cripes what a pain, eh? See ya soon!
"Hey watch where you're going! Are you blind?" Bela shouts as Jax bowls over the 7' Elf that was climbing the stairs just behind Shipy, in his attempt to bowl over the Hobbit.
Gathering what little is left of his dignity after the collision, Bela adds to Jax's summary, "I agree with your concerns, Jax, but we don't have time for this, now.
"Okay. First, you should know that my instructions were to also try to stop Ralathor. I don't like assasinations, and I like those who encourage them even less [nodding towards Martek], but war is hell. His people killed a lot of my friends out there, and I was almost with them.
"Second, I don't think we'll be able to make it out of here without Martek---we may have no choice but to help him. And, no, I don't trust him.
"Third, I doubt this cult is doing any good with this helmet, so I don't mind relieving them of it. Let's just do this thing and decide our paths later. We don't time for this!
"Jack, whatever you do, please don't let Martek get a hold of that dagger."
Bela doesn't know that Ralathor wants Martek to have the dagger.
D&D: After a whole day of tragic news, your return was a breath of fresh air. Good timing, too---we needed you.
...Fourth, - there is no fourth thing. Just surprise, fear, and ruthless efficiency. Cardinal Biggers, get the COMFY CHAIR!!!
OK, as calenril_i has mentioned, it's a bear keeping in character these days what with all the different groups. I feel it is high time to step back, look at the posts, and take inventory of what each character really knows, before our adventure becomes hopelessly inconsistent! Feel free to use the information in here only if your character is privy to it. Those of you whose characters have exclusive knowledge might consider making it known to the rest of the characters as well.
Please pardon me if I seem nitpicky; you can thwap me later, like the GM has already done, after OKing this post. <ow!>
Everything started hitting the fan when our characters started coming back together.
Before post #601, Jack and Bela were the only player-characters (including Shipy) who knew of the existence of a so-called "Dagger of Time." Jack was introduced to it by Ralathor, and part of Bela's mission was to find it. This means Taran's, Desuma's and Domina's mention/recognition of the dagger are premature. In #601, Jack first mentions that he carries the Dagger of Time, though by this time, everybody presumably knows that the dagger was responsible for the time event, save for Jax who was too dazed after his attack on the Demon Guard to hear Martek's warning to Jack. (Shipy was the first to make the dagger-time event connection just after Jack drew the dagger; Bela probably realized this too.)
Martek-Ralathor: Only Jack knows that Martek loaned the Dagger of Time to Ralathor, indeed that the two are longtime friends (Ralathor told him this).
Cambrea-Ralathor: Only Jack can possibly know that Ralathor and Cambrea are in league (in post #462, Jack sees Ralathor pull out a packet---presumably the same packet from which he sees Cambrea draw the magic dust to send him back to Khazan.)
Toubow-Cobalt: Only Desuma, Shipy and Jax know that Cobalt's coat was in Toubow's office.
Cambrea/Volroth->Grutoss/Toubow/Martek: Everybody knows (thanks to Domina) of Cambrea's/Volroth's dislike/disapproval/hatred of Grutoss/Toubow/Martek.
Cambrea/Volroth->Ralathor: Only Domina and Taran know of Cambrea's/Volroth's plan to have them kill Ralathor.
Toubow/Martek->Ralathor: Everybody knows (thanks to Jax) of Toubow's plan to have Martek, Jax, Desuma and Shipy kill Ralathor as a stripling.
OK, that's it. Please feel free to add to this if I've missed anything or got it totally wrong.
Thanks! -Jax
In Post #561, Jack actually mentions that his dagger is the "quote-unquote 'Dagger of Time'" in response to Jax's query about his brother, right before they confront the 3 Demon Guards. Everyone but Taran and Domina were within earshot, so Desuma's mention of the dagger is OK, but not Taran's and Domina's. Sorry, and kudos to the GM for ferreting this out! <self-thwap>
-Jax
I guess Taran was just ahead of his [Dagger of] time. <ducks to avoid thwap>
As always, the Archivist points out my discrepancies and I will attempt to correct them as we continue. To read the archives to go to URL: http://www.geocities.com/pbparchives/lizardmen/index.html. Some of Domina's above text has been cut. Sorry Domina... but as the referee said, "You crossed the line!" I also think you misspelled Jack's last name too! <grin>.
"All we have to do is enter those doors and we are home free, but if you wish to pause for moment, I guess that's what we will do. Just don't handle the merchandise unless you want pay for it... capiche?" he says, looking at Domina's leather clad hand on his shoulder.
"As I see it, you still haven't completed your goal set by Grutoss, which was to find out what was going on! You don't have a clue as to what is going on. For one thing the temporal event needs to be fixed. The Earth Dragon Helm and Dagger of Time are both needed for each other to function properly. That's why we are here in the first place. Are we going to finish this or not?"
"The Death Goddess isn't going to be too happy with us being inside her Temple of DragonKopf!" says the Hobbit, peering out from behind Jax's leg.
What do you do next?
My apologies to one and all---I will try to be more careful about what I know and what Domina knows. Uh, Jax, Taran, can I borrow the brain for a while? <sploosh, slorp, click>
Linda
In the moments of pause, Taran relates the story of his rescue, what he and Domina were told in the meeting at the city under siege, of their mission to kill Ralathor, and the events that led to their lizardman disguises. He leaves the figuring out of how this fits into the whole picture to the rest. He makes special note of the elf Cambrea, whose rider friends rescued them and gave him the new crossbow.
"Look at this, bro!" he says to Jax, presenting the over-and-under crossbow with pride.
Standing around watching the debate, I look up at Domina, "What's wrong Domina, pants... too... tight?"
I Scurry back behind Jax before I can be punished for my comment. "Whata' we going to do?"
Sure, Linda! Here---<click, feel, feel, click>---Hey! Lamia still has the brain! Frak, T, I thought we got it back!
"Ah fewmets, Shipy, why didn't you say that in the first place? If Lerotra'hh connects us with tearing up this place and burning down a block of Khazan (see the Goblins in the Mist adventure), we're history! Gone pecan!"
Jax furrows his brow with indecision. His Orcish genes were itching for action, but his Haroouugh-laced synapses were churning with probabilities. The Orcish parts won. "Dudes, we better bust a move here. No time for getting the story straight. Martek, what are you waiting for! Open these doors!"
Laughing at Shipy's teasing, Bela says to him, "You know, you're all right. We all need to be reminded not to take ourselves too seriously." Then, in response to Taran's story and Domina's revealing rant, says quickly, "Our story time can't last much longer before we're interrupted, so I'll make this quick. I walked into Ralathor's tent following Jack and was assaulted by a nasty (but very fetching) lizardwoman-turned-elf-maiden (she reminds me of someone I courted, once). She paralyzed me with her sword---it has a stunning power---then told me some hoop-la about not using magic in the tent. Do I look that dumb? Jack and I are here because she sent us here with some space-warping powder.
"Oh, and I'm not from your world. Just thought you might want to know that."
"Martek, I'll help you, but as far as assassinations go, don't count on my help. Let's open the door."
I don't recall Bela's mission to get the dagger being explicitly stated by the GM, but that it was implied when Bela entered the tent. I'll assume from now on that Bela knew from the start about the dagger. Perhaps our ever-so-wise GM could email to me the briefing Grutoss would have given Bela about the dagger?
In response to Bela's revelation about Cambrea, Taran hulches in shock. "Frak, D!" he emits harshly in Domina's direction and with a mouthful of spittle dripping from his polished tusks. "I knew something was fishy about her. Now I'm even more confused. Why would she be in kahootz with the city under siege, and the siegers themselves? If she is, that is!"
"Shutup ya runt, ya confuse me!" Jax bonks his brother on the head, not quite knocking him out but reminding them both that the task at hand is more imminent than figuring out the loyalties of a certain elf maiden.
"Fine, let's go!" The Dracon brothers look to the gruesomely-faced door to continue the original quest.
After thwapping Taran on the head for prolonging their time standing around yapping in front of the door, Jax takes one sidewards glance at his brother's new toy and says, sighing under his breath, "Great, now I have to worry about you knocking both eyes out."
Jack gives himself a preparatory shake with just a little too much Elvis and his left arm clatters to the floor. Gotta work on that.
"Jax, that's the ticket. Awright heroes, let's get this done and make me famous! Goddess-schmodess. I know people dammit!"
He picks up and resticks the fallen appendage, brandishes... THE DAGGER OF TIME (James Brown and all his funky people in full crescendo) and gives the door a try....
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