Dwarves! Mages! Bandits!! [IC]

[Flame_Excess]

The doors open. This place spells the word "magestic". The chancellor stands up, waits for you and whatever company you might have to step forward, and then retakes his seat, a high throne of the kind of a king or judge's seat.

Ah! I was eagerly waiting for your appearance here, all together! How long ago was that request sent to you, I wonder! His skin frowns for a second, and you can deduct what he is thinking: "Ah, dwarves..." ...oh, but it doesn't matter now that you are all here! , he cheerfully adds. His enthusiasm, if not fake, looks somewhat old, deprived by age.

You almost get a sense of competition about this place, coming from a realm where beauty of stone carving is king, and where nobody dares to criticize an architecture. Well, here, you feel the same. At home, in some way, but an odd one. Nobody here spoke to you, as if they thought you couldn't speak common. You got the sense that your stay here would be comfortable from its outlooks, but not exactly the same in its content, and with the more serious talk coming.

"So you were sent here for a dire task, I see. I regret indeed to hear the lost of your companions in the depths. They were known to me in some distant way and I am sorry to know what problems this bring. For example, I am certain that our Apostle of the Oratory would feel quite stressful in his new environment, he who has never been away from home and... "

High chancellor Pendal pauses and looks back at his guests, doubtful all of these details would interest them.

"Well, I guess it's now time for you to actually have some rest, after this long trek of yours. Let me confide you that I was all pleased to meet your kind today and that tomorrow will be an important day for all of us to talk. I am sure you will enjoy the talk better than your walk." His voice slowly turned impatient, probably after having a long day himself.

"So! Let's be done with it," he concluded, lifting his hands in the air and facing them up to the sky in sign of "ajourning the meeting".

To you, this kind of attitude is only relevant because he is a human, and not because he is being rude. You know humans just enough to tell this kind of treatment is common with many of them. The only odd thing about it in such circumstances is that old men such as Chancellor Pendal usually had nothing better than indefinitly talking. The human's spirits, even at older ages, is what you would still call "prematured wisdom", often attributed to teenage dwarves. So, this change of mood had given you a bit of stress, but the thought of resting after your long trip wasn't a bad idea at all, either.

After these words, you five, with Lord Urgom Wisecastle missing, are left on your own. The chancellor snaps his fingers speaks the name of "Adhella", and the servant comes standing by you, ready to guide you to your chambers. Through the back door, he withdraws from the room where two guards are standing.

If this is only for today, what sort of day will you have tomorrow?

[Werewhale]

Skjallod

Skjallod stares after the human, nonplussed. "Well that was enlightening," he grunts, a hand going to his right side where he usually kept his morningstar. He liked to run a thumb over it when deep in thought but he had left it with his horse for this meeting. "Gods know I wouldn't mind a rest, but he could have given us something to mull over in our sleep at least. I thought humans were supposed to be the impatient ones?"

[Slurpee Addict]

With an affirmative grunt to Skjallod's comments, Urel addresses the servant. "Well, lets get a move on. Please, do show us to our chambers." Cracking his back and neck Urel is looking forward to a long nights rest.

[Leon]

They are, well most of them would seem so

[Flame_Excess]

Dunedam Grodebor, son of Grodegor, Administrative Counselor for The White Circle of Magicians lifted his head looking at the surroundings, and pondering. This place is quite... fascinating. It's almost like a replica of our throne room. Humans... and Dwarves...?

On the other side, Dream Dwarf Urgor Tallmountain made a faint sound, gurgling. He seemed tired, or thoughtful, or none; maybe it was just a habit or reumathism due to his old age.

As Adhella came to stand by you, you indicated you were all ready to leave now, and so she initiated the walk outside the place, down the stairs, and at the bottom of the tower-like ambassadorial palace, where a room only lit by a simple candle, the size of a human house with ten beds, awaited for you.

Then, you didn't hear a sound after Adhella closed the door behind yourselves, not pointing towards the bucket to explain its use, or any way out to elsewhere that could be interest.

The stone-looking dwarf, Urgor, immediately went to sit on his bed, and then seemed to enter a meditating stance.

Dunedam Grodebor, contrarily, looked at you all and immediately interjected, with his personal guard carefully paying attention to him: Don't you find it odd to deeply expect the company of six important people, but then having a guardsman go by what you would think is the sixth lord? I find that strange, somehow, that humans would pay so little attention to what seems to be a dire detail to my eyes. May I hear your personal wisdom on this, my dear noble kindred?

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel takes a wary look around the room, his hand tightening on the haft of his axe.Would it be paranoia, to think that they have something nefarious planned for us this night? I think we should sleep in shifts. Urel moves to take a post by the door.

[Werewhale]

Skjallod

"Sounds to me like they're either deeply embarrassed about something, or afraid," suggests Skjallod, scratching his chin. "They don't want to deal with us, but why invite us, then? Something may have changed in the time between our invitation and our arrival."

[Flame_Excess]

The Administrative Lord of the Magicians takes a deep breath, studying in detail the reflection of Urel, and then lets a confirming "mmh" sound that express he has taken a decision: I think we shouldn't rush so badly into dire conclusions. Afterall, our important friend over there, says he pointing Lord Tallmountain, is a fascinating mastermind. I think he would know if any of this was going bad. At first, I even thought about asking, but at this time now, I have no envy to do so. . Dunedam Grodebor sighs. I believe the best will be for us to regain good sleep, while my guardsman, who will require none of his wits tomorrow , he chuckles, , will do fine as tonight's watch.

The guard effectively prepares himself for the task. He first uses his helmet as a bucket seat, but it isn't very effective...

After this, Lord Grodebor turns to his bed and threads in the dark until Skjallod speaks. Oh, but knowing the humans quite a bit myself, contrarily to most dwarves, I suspect like you all, for receiving many wizards as masters of the arcane arts... I suspect that only the human foolishness and impulsivity are in cause. Also, I am quite certain by the looks of many servants that they have never seen dwarves before too... Lord Grodebor yawned. It wasn't small or delicate at all. Oh, but I'll be going to bed now. If you have any questions, just ask. Otherwise, I'm sure everything will go fine and that tomorrow will be a bright day. What do I say? A glorious day for us, dwarves! Hail to king Kulgar!

On these pratriotic words, the soldier stands up and shouts: "Hail to King Kulgar!", to which Lord Grodebor vehemently shushes...

I'll be waiting for Leon to take action, whatever little it may be. Then, if nobody else has posted, I will fast-forward to the next scene.

[Flame_Excess]

You all reach your bed. It is almost as hard as a rock. What a surprising greating dedicated to folks of the mountains! Nevertheless, you know you can and will sleep on these.

And so the night slips away...

Was is what you drank? You didn't drink. Was it a sleeping spell, magic? You would have known. No, it was probably because of the fresh air, aside from that stinking odor in the corner; the air in the human realm is quite a pleasure to breathe. The free lands are lovely here, and even inside does it make you feel at ease, regardless of your troubles.

Somebody knocks on the door.

As you wake up, you get a greeting from the soldier who's been watching over the place all night... talk about a faithful dwarf, a real brother!

Urgor the recluse, on the end of the of the room, is meditating this time on the floor. He looks like he's sleeping and he grunts, something you mistake for snoring.

Another knocking gets heard, followed by a soft "Hello and good morning to you, Dwarf Lords" said by Adhella.

"Hello? Hello!"

[Werewhale]

Skjallod is fastening a leather pauldron when Adhella knocks; he never went without his armor. "Yes?" he barks in answer, "What is it, girl? Are we getting some answers?"

[Flame_Excess]

Good morning... is the only answer you get back.

It should be because it's time for everybody to get up...

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel is sitting by the door, running a whetstone of the edge of his axe. He grunts a gruff "Good Morning." to the servant through the door.

To the rest of his companions he mutters "Well, lets get this over with. We may finally get the answers we've been searching for... and hopefully the will have some palatable food in this place." On that note a loud rumbling sound can be heard emanating from Urel's stomach.

[Flame_Excess]

If you don't find food, you will fall exhausted soon enough for sure... alas, there is none! You all gear up and get ready for departure, at which point you expect to be taken to the kitchen, or outside with the chicken if it is necessary... All looking for a side track to get astray from the way back to the council room you all remembered, you are undisposed to enter when Adhella stops in front of the massive doors and beg you to enter. Even Dunedam give you a funny look that expresses his disgust, more than probably cleverly enough to make you crack and share a laugh together to highen your spirits before the long talk. Only Lord Urgor seem to be fine with the treatment, although he is last to come forth.

You all enter in this room 150 feet deep by 50 feet wide and just as high for the second time, a majestic kind of palace that looks much like your realm's throne room, with tall colonnades and delightful carvings. This imply mythic proportions, with many seats and guards to keep the place safe. It isn't underground but it is made of real stone, built by the best. Dwarves, most likely, and it didn't make sense once more that your stay was so far so bad and yet presented such great affinity with your kind. This only made you come with more questions on top of your mind.

And so you seat. All five of you, with Dunedam's companion by his side. All of your weapons are taken away, if you have any. Regardless if it makes you feel itchy, you do not protest.

20 feets away from the 10 guests' right sided seats, the Chancellor arrives and seats in his higher siege. You all notice at some point that Lord Urgor has some food under his beard, which explains the scruffy noises that he makes. Dream dwarves... what a funny race!

Adhella is gone. The room is silent. 30 well equipped human soldiers stand on guard, with 10 around only Chancellor Pendal. If you weren't so brave, this kind of situation would make you feel insecure. But you are ambassadorial representatives of each of your factions, under the good standing of King Kulgar, one of the proudest Kings ever made. Nobody would have been more outraged than him if anything was attemted at some of his kin, and his reputation. Hence the reception here on that very day, afterall.

Lord Dunedam Grodebor starts. He is probably the only one amongst you who would dare starting so strong, but you have the reassuring impression that he know what he is doing:

"King Kulgar, son of the Throne of the Dwarven Realm, has summoned us to come and speak forth under his name and banner. We have crossed mountains, lands, and cities to answer his call and represent his legacy but yet, all that we believe as due customs in our home hasn't been duly followed. This conduct is considered as a demeaning diplomatic intercation to dwarven diplomacies, and even at your honorable standing should recognize this wrong. How can you explain yourself, high chancellor?"

Chancellor Pendal lifts an eyebrow. He is surprised by the straightforward approach just as much as you are. You are almost sure he thinks he has underestimated you all for a second.

My dear honorable friends, you shouldn't worry about your customs so much!, he says with a fake smile You are here, now, and it is our duty to make you feel properly at home, our own good way..." He stares at you and waits for your approval.

[Flame_Excess]

***

In the meantime, in the forest of Woodendale of the Human Realm, a young dwarven woman makes her way to a path she has never taken before. Her name is Dalla, and she is eager to know her fate after sneaking a piece of parchment off a powerful Lord. Stolen or found, that is a detail to her, hence her presence here. She notices some kind of scuff on a tree which she recognizes well. It's that of a tribe she and her kind despise most in her homerealm: one of goblins and orcs.

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel stands and levels an intense stare at Chancellor Pendal.
"We are the leaders of the our arcane orders and representatives of all Dwarven kind. You have failed to treat us as such. Would you treat your fellow human ambassadors in this manner, or the Elves, or even the Halflings and Gnomes. I should think not."

[Flame_Excess]

There is a rather long pause after this, Pendal exchanging your baleful staring back and forth between all of you. Urgor has stopped eating. You can tell by the silence of your other kindred that everyone is tense.

"Mh, have you not? ...how come! My best servants, the best suite that we have, the best food and our best musicians... how can this be explained..." Before you can do anything, Chancellor Pendal changes his face to that of a powerful monarch and summons Adhella by snapping his fingers and shouting her name. He leans sideways, crosses his legs, and puts his arm to rest on the opposite side of him.

Because this brings up great suspicion in your mind, roll me a Sense Motive check

The servant enters the room and rushes towards you.

[Slurpee Addict]

Trying to hide his confusion, Urel glances back and forth between the servant and the Chancellor.

Sense Motive [roll0]

[Werewhale]

Skjallod

The warmage bares his teeth and his hand goes for his morningstar again, only for him to regret leaving it.

Sense Motive:
[roll0]

[milleris]

Dalla, saddesore and aching spies the mark on a passing tree and sighs, thinking Even in this land, is there anywhere they won't defile? No doubt the humans let them push this far... Dala steers her pony away from the mark, hoping not to run into any patrols, let alone their encampment. A tribe of feral half wits is just what I need. Still, she reflexively checks her crossbow and rapier hanging in the saddle before moving on.

[Flame_Excess]

Adhella comes and bows. She is aware of the situation, or so it seems.

High Chancellor takes his time before he speaks. So? , he asks her. Have you got anything to say?

Adhella's surprise shows. She obviously is of not ambassadorial standing like you and so anything she says could go against her. Pendal reiterates: I will give our guests here the chance to express themselves right here in front of us. It is they, who afterall have experienced our reception. They will tell you the impenetrable confusion of this situation.

To this, Pendal changes his looks to a moderated friend, and he looked in your direction.

Although I may understand that you got nothing of what I spoke, this has to be due to a terrible, horrid misunderstanding from our servant. This is heard with utmost sympathy by my person. But please tell in this room what you have received so that our servant may understand her fault.

Chancellor Pendal lowered his head in sign of graceful abdication in front of you.

[Flame_Excess]

***

As Dalla moves on, she notices a patrol, and quickly thereafter, their encampment.

[milleris]

"Woah girl, slow it down" Dalla whispers in her mount's ear, ["This is bad news, Dusty, can you check something for me. I need you to check that orc camp ahead of us before we can proceed, I want to know what could chase us. Just don't let them see you." As Dalla is a speaking, barely more than a whisper, a previously unseen form melts through her clothing around her shoulders as dust and dirt, reforming perched on her shoulder. It shifts it's colours to a brown/green, indicating it understands before sliding off and disappearing into the earth without a sound. Dalla hunches down into the root bole of a tree to better survery her surroundings.

How far away is this camp and the orcs? Dalla is going to hide whilst she looks and listens.
Hide
Listen I'll take 10 if I can though for 16
Spot [roll2] Also take 10 for 16

Dusty, my familiar, is going to running earth glide under ground, surfacing say...60ft from the edge of the camp (however long that takes) and will also do perception checks. I want it to surface so only it's eyes are above the ground.
Listen [roll3]
Spot 1d20+3

[Flame_Excess]

This camp is not so big, but it's rather obvious. You would think that such evil creatures would hide, but apparently not on these lands. For sure, you are still at a distance from the capital city, but a straight way like this one would normally be used by merchants and important vassals.

From your position, you can see a group of three with two kids. Their camp is made of primitive huts. Your spy slowly approaches and tells you there are only females. You can wait to see more or move around its north edge where the woods are thinner thus are easier to go past without being heard.

you can take 20 on all

[Slurpee Addict]

"We have received only the minimalist of reception from you Chancellor. We were rushed of to some resting chamber. We haven't even been given' sustenance that we may adequately recover from our long journey. I say that this has been a poor showing all around."
Urel pauses for a moment to think.
"Now that I think about it. I have even, most probably, committed mine own breach of diplomatic decorum."

[Flame_Excess]

Dunedam whispered to himself "and so has our dream dwarf", just as if he would be taking notes with noone around.

You can see Adhella quickly raising an eyebrow and eyeing Pendal for a second. In response, Pendal catches your attention: Well, all of this is nonsense, my good dwarven lord friends! I have made certain among my people that everything goes in good hands. Now this is absolutely incredible. So i shall have something special organized here for you, and immediately.
Adhella gets away even before Pendal snaps and then all of this funny story feels like it is past afterall.
Like you expect, more servants come about rushing with tables and plenty of baskets full of fruits and bread, and more varied foods. Once there is about enough for twenty people, the rush slowly stops to transform in a festive atmosphere with entertainment and music.
Servants come to you to offer you food and drinks, whatever you choose to have. Only the dream dwarf doesn't start eating.
The high chancellor starts again: So, I'm sure this is what you expected afterall! While you enjoy, I shall continue with our diplomatic relations and start telling you about the information that you came for.

So he explains how all could have happened. There are apparently numerous bandits on their lands and they crawl almost everywhere. So much that they are suspected to slowly reach other realms and spread their power. They are thieves, bandits, malefactors... "Shriveners!" as you recall Pendal calling them.

Initiative rolls and a brief description on your food and drink consumption please.

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel eats a moderate portion of bread, however he finds that e has a sweet tooth when it comes to fruit, and has, perhaps, more than he should. As for drink, in a very UN-dwarf-like attempt, Urel passes on all alcohol and sticks with just water.

Initiative
[roll0]

[milleris]

Hardly worth our attention, though I'd still rather avoid them and their clan mates. A dribbling orc charging me down is definitely not what I need. Dalla sent out the primitive command to fall back to her earthly companion. It's eyes receded below the ground and it glided back to her. Once dusty had climbed back upon her shoulders she saddled up and headed away from the camp before looping back towards her goal. Come on girl, we don't want one of those primordial oafs on our backs, but neither do the nearby Humans. We should let them know.

[Flame_Excess]

So from her way, that was a meters away from that goblin camp, Dalla goes up all the way around in the same direction of the camp, but in a strategic way that allows her to avoid the danger. At some point, she is almost sure she hears some of those beasts for afar and so she stops, but then there is no sign of anyone after that. She understands it was farther away. Then, she takes her way back onto the main path and keeps going until she comes to a three way. One clearly is the way you want and there is no mention about the other. This sounds good enough to Dalla to continue on her way, but quickly again, she hears some more disturbance in the woods, some sort of rumbling followed by goblin speaking, this time being closer... Two goblins appear out of nowhere from a nearby (15 ft) bush and Dalla has just enough time to react before they reach the road and go past her towards the three way.

[Werewhale]

Skjallod

Skjallod eyes the food suspiciously, but succumbs to hunger and wolfs down a respectable amount of pretty much everything, washing it down with whatever travesty the humans dare to call ale in these parts. He mumbles his appreciation around a bite of cheesebread.

Initiative: [roll0]

[Flame_Excess]

*Cutscene*
The Great Sunder


As you became satisfied and full with food, your pain waned and your senses started getting much more at ease. For you who hadn't had a meal in a day, that felt quite refreshing. Only, there was no real surprise when your stomachs got irritated, but you don't remember what came first: the sound noise of a battle or that, which really was enough.

The sun was up and bright but your fate was darker. You invitation to this ambassadorial gathering had already went sour, and now it was turning into a mess. The sun got hiden by a cloud, and it's at that moment that Lord Urgor started caughing awkwardly. A servant came to speak with your host the High Chancellor Pendal and returned, and then... Urgor, Blind Sear of the Grand Concordance of the Earth Dreamers, stood up caughing more, and choked, and fell dead. Everyone stood there staring in shock.

Some rumbling and alarming disturbance got heard. In response, Urel and Skjallod darted behind their seat to find cover. The front doors banged open and then started a chaotic scene just as wild as a cavalry charge. Arrows fired in all directions and you saw them getting close enough to you to know all of this was real. Masses of goblins started overwhelming the mighty room. Count? 20? 100? ...too many. Some bigger, or with different behaviors, or with finer traits than others stood among them. The guards did their duty to defend the place. "Watch out!" "Make a circle!" "Defend the High Councelor!" "All over here, quick!" "The Chanchelor! Protect our Chancelor!" As the scene rapidly evolved, you were wondering about your way out. On the other end, the Chancelor was well covered and heading toward the back door, but as he made a preemptive move, out of his guards' shielding, to run towards the exit, he took an arrow. His frail body hit, he stumbled in the hands of one guard and cursed: "By the hands of Leihlur!"


http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/ur/ur204_command.jpg


CHAPTER 1: THE DIVIDE

You have been caught. Yet, you are alive. How come, it's a bit hard to guess. Your body still ache from your brutal transportation. You are held in what appears to you to be an underground cell. It stinks in here, but that's a detail. It's better than having plenty of infected wounds.

You two (Urel and Skjallod) are in the same cell. You know those goblins who captured you. They are the same as those living in your mountains. While on the other hand, there has been no sign of those so-called "Shriveners" around here so far. Your cell are only bars thus you can see the corridor that lies around you that cuts after roughly 15 feet on each side. There is a bucket-seat for your watch which isn't present. You have no possessions except from your underwear.

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel, growing restless, begins checking the cell for a viable way out.

Search
take 20

[Werewhale]

Skjallod

Skjallod leaves the searching to Urel and sits instead, silently fuming, and waits for a guard to appear, hopefully presenting him with some sort of opportunity.

[Flame_Excess]

If there is anything to find, you missed it. Then, at the same time, it's a bit as if all of your hopes have been dashed. Yet, you two know something will come up, and that your fate would not end here.

You wait, but nothing comes. It has been maybe a day you have waited and that nothing happens. Only some bugs have come to disturb your pitiful rest.

Yet at some point, there is some light. A goblin shadow appears to your left and you all think it's a dream at first, but it's not. Two goblins show up with a torch. They pass in front of your cell and go.

There is some sandy dirt on the ground that you may wish to throw at them.

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel stands up takes a five foot step to the rear of the cell and casts magic missile.

Goblin 1
[roll0]

Goblin 2
[roll1]

[Flame_Excess]

Skjallod, to support his friend into the upfront assault, launches a few of his very effective missiles at the two goblins.


[roll0]

[roll1]


The two die on the spot, fresh and bloody. They haven't been reachable for long, but now you two can share the adrenaline because they're laying right in front of you, immobile.

You just need a way to get their keys, right? Speaking of which... Urel can't see any on them. But maybe it's on them, regardless.

"I think I might have a way to move their bodies closer to here to inspect them, but I'm so deep in pain I don't know if I'll be able to cast more spells. Can you take care of this?"


33xp for these two goblins

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel rushes to his pained comrade.
Heal Check
takes 20, with -1 for lack of wisdom

[Flame_Excess]

While Skjallod just told you he is suffering, his condition looks fine, and he is now telling you that he feels alright. You suspect he is refering to an absolutely normal condition avec being hit on the head and left in a cell for days now. Even some food, which to your last memories wasn't even enough, did not give you two a complete chance to recover.

Skjallod resists your attempt to check his vital signs at first but then lets you do it as he wouldn't know any better than you and that you might give him good insight on what to do. Unfortunately, the best treatment is probably to get out of your hole as soon as possible and finding some good rest.

[Slurpee Addict]

Say, Skjallod. Do you think that you might try to bring those corpses a little closer, so I can check for keys and or weapons?

[Flame_Excess]

Skjallod, deep into his thoughts, looks at you like he missed what you were saying. Then, in the middle of your thoughts, he pressed himself against the bars and moved his hand instinctively as to touch his spell component pouch, which he doesn't have. For an unknown reason, he smiles.

"Me thinks we're run'in o'luck!"

Regardless, he starts gesticulating and before you can realize, he is spellcasting. The swift magic builds up within his hands and at the last second, Skjallod uses the cell's bars as his required component.

The bar slowly melts and Skjallod makes a supreme mental effort to detach his building disk until it kind of fizzles. The magical energies suffer some kind of interruption but Skjallod is inerently pushes his arcanic abilities to the maximum and is capable of pulling off his spell correctly.

Yes! can you read in Skjallod's face while he tries to regain a bit of his composure. But while the spell worked, the powers are vanishing. You too know well that the missing spell component makes the spell stand on different, unstable energies.

Skjallod, recovering faster than you would expect, makes another ultimate effort to use the disk to go beneath one goblin, bring it closer, and then to bring the second one. Skjallod made it!

As a result, he releases his concentration and leans back, making a long sigh of relief. He stares at you, obvisouly just as curious as you probably are to see if there is a key on those wretched bodies.

There are clothings, parts of armor, and a purse on each. As you instinctively start searching for all that could look and feel like a key, you come to touch a metal piece under the chest of one. That's it! It's the key you've been eagerly expecting.

You insert it in its door frame and it turns and you hear the happy sound of a "klock".

You are now free.

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel steps out into the dungeon. He looks about for a better place to set Skjallod. Alright first things first... pants. We are mages, we can wield he forces of creation and destruction. We don't need weapons, and we work better without armor, but we need pants. He says to no one in particular.

Search
take 20

[Flame_Excess]

Skjallod doesn't seem to realize what you are talking about and instead just helps you trying to find new equipment from the goblins.

Pants there are, for sure, tied by a thick black goblin leather belt. These will look stretch on you but for your comfort, they will alright. Each belt has an open-ended sword sheet.

You first find in the purse a gold, a metal stamp, a simple used metal ring, and two dices. The armor that they have are divided parts of armor. There are thick layers of leather that you can wear on your torso, a metal pads for the left tibia and shoulder, and an ugly leather helmet.

Altogether, you can treat that armor rag just like the padded armor: +1 AC, Spell failure: 5%, Check Pen: 0

On his side, Skjallod has found pretty much the same. Plus a torch that's still burning on the ground, even though you don't need it with your darkvision.


-3.76 gp (2 gold, 17 silver, 6 copper)
-Armor rags x2
-Dices
-Stamp
-Ring
-Torch
-Pants x2
-Belt with sword sheet x2
-Old scummy bread piece
-Silver tooth


Skjallod comes to you with a smile. He shares with you his favorite treasure on his goblin: a silver tooth he ripped off the creature's mouth with brutal force, and then shows you the rest of the loot that was on it.

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel puts on the pants and armor. Then he procedes to try and force feed the bread to Skjallod.

[Flame_Excess]

Skjallod does just like you, putting some of the thick leathered layers on his chest that is two sizes two small for him.

Then, you are avid to let Skjallod eat the whole piece, but he insists that you have some as well in return. He adds that he means it well regardless that it's bad food. As a matter of fact, you both need that extra energy to continue. He inaudibly munches his share and offers you the other half. He doesn't mention anything about its taste. Then, he offers to keep the rest for you, weither you have it or not and waits for you to guide him before he adds:

"I think we should go quickly now. Right or left, it doesn't matter. You choose and I follow."

Will save to resist not accepting his offer to eat your share if that's really what you want

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel reluctantly takes the offered bread and chokes it down, strongly risisting the urge to reguritate. well I doesn't really matter which way we go, me thinks, but I have a rule... when in doubt go left.

[Flame_Excess]

Skjallod hesitates for a moment, then turns back to you to say what's on his mind:

"Oh, Urel, should we bring the torch with us or leave it here? I think it would be a disadvantage to remain unseen but that the use of fire could serve us well in many ways."

[Slurpee Addict]

[COLOR="DarkSlateGrey"Do what you think is best.[/COLOR] Urel. Heads down the hallway to the left. Hoping that they don't run into too many patrols.

[Flame_Excess]

CHAPTER 1: THE DIVIDE
Part 1: The Escape

100 xp points awarded for making your way out of your cell.

Skjallod moves with you towards what you both hope is the exit. He has decided that he would bring the torch, probably because fire is one of his favorites.

Albeit your weakness, you both feel the excitement of traveling through these mirky tunnels. First, because you are now free. Second, simply because this place makes you feel at least a bit closer to home than if you would have been stuck in that same room at the Chancelor's keep where you stayed one night.

You two keep walking, very attentive for other noises, until you arrive at a separation. You have the choice to continue or split to your right.

Skjallod chuckles irremediably behind you. He seems to find it funny that your implacable logic to go left never mentioned about when it's not an option.

The cave:
http://www.photoeverywhere.co.uk/west/usa/hawaii/thurston-lava-tube-DSC_3726.jpg
*There is no actual light in this cave.

[Slurpee Addict]

Well, I vote we keep left, it hasn't let us down yet.
Urel continues on his way. I hope we find our gear soon. It makes me sad inside to think about either humans or goblins in my stuff, wielding my weapons against me.

what is to the left of right?

[Flame_Excess]

There is nothing in your sight of vision and anything of interest on the walls. Skjallod tells you that he's pretty sure those tunnels a only 10ft under the ground. These hideouts are common among goblins and they're usually relatively small, with many options as exits, and no danger for traps: that is at least from inside.

You and Skjallod both continue your way until you come to a progressive curve to the right, at which point you start to hear some suspicious turbulence. There seem to be a patrol not far from where you are and your nervosity climbs up your throat as you realize you'll be easily noticed if you don't blow out Skjallod's torch. Regardless, it's hard to say if they're moving or not and how far away those noises were.

[Slurpee Addict]

Shhh... do you smell that? I think its time to douse the torch. We might be close to our destination.

[Flame_Excess]

Unnecessarily, Skjallod hurries and extinguish the fire before the troops can appear. However, neither of you can see any goblin presence after a while.

The sound persist, though. It seems to be some talking, and Skjallod, who knows a bit more about languages than you do, pays careful attention to the imperceptible talk.

He looks at you with a look that says there is nothing he understands.

[Slurpee Addict]

Well, let's keep on as quietly as we can. Maybe we can find a group of goblins to beat some answers out of.

[Flame_Excess]

The darkness sort of reassures your steps while you advance silently closer to your enemies.

You arrive by a conventional wooden barrel. You are no farther than 10 feet away from it and wonder why a barrel has been placed here.

At this point, though you notice some shadows cast by a light farther down the tunnel. The reflection seems to show the forms of many things, including quite a few living.

Skjallod stops and releases a silent grunt as soon as he notices the light and shadows.

[Slurpee Addict]

Urel turns to Skjallod and whisperes, Shall we commence our sneaking upon them, or shall we try to asault them from here?

[Flame_Excess]

At first, Skjallod seems to pay attention to you, but he gets distracted by something he has on his mind. He closes up the barrel and looks at his feet. He brings his hands on his hips and keeps staring what you guess he spoted: a trap. He moves his body towards the bottom of the barrel and easily removes the tripping wire that would have taken you off guard by alerting the patrol.

Then, Skjallod moves forward, eyeing you while he tries to be as silent as possible. His action means that he opted for option number 1. It makes sense to you afterall since the goblins probably don't expect you at all.

You continue your way until the room is at reach of your darkvision. There are six of them. You wish you had some backup but you quickly notice their weakness. They're not armed. At least, it means they don't carry any weapon on them. The weapon stack is 20 feet away from them, to the left.

The room becomes wider by 50 feet (total 60) and forms a basic sphere. The tunnel continues straight on the other end. There are crates and a few barrels around. The goblins are standing around the fire in the middle, 4 are playing a game of dices and sticks, sitting. They seem to be enjoying themselves and the 2 others are also distracted talking and watching the others play. The weapon stack is 70 feet from your current position.