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The lip is high enough that even with torchlight they probably wouldn't notice, noise would be a larger concern.
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Oct 30, 2013 01:24
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 13:38 |
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Nate Nate looks at the ledge where for sure kobolds are hanging out, back to the others (specifically the heavily armed brawlers), then just slumps his shoulders. "I'll check things out quick." Nate grabs a jar of oil, a rag from his backpack, and starts to sneak towards the ledge. Worse comes to worse, he can introduce the kobolds to a molotov. Sneaking to the ledge, using Get good at being sneaky and thiefy too +2
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Oct 30, 2013 01:55
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Looking up from the floor of the cavern, you can now see that there is in fact a rope ladder attached to the ledge, but it's currently rolled up. However, the walls are naturally quite craggy, and it's not too difficult to climb up unnoticed. Peering cautiously over the lip, you can see it slopes downward slightly toward the light, which is indeed a crackling fire. To your surprise, there doesn't appear to be anyone sitting around it. The ledge recesses into the cavern wall somewhat, leaving a low hollow deeper into the rock. Once you've given your eyes a moment to adjust, you can see that two kobolds are seated near the hollow, watching the fire intently, and yet there is a distance to their eyes. They are almost unarmed, merely holding sticks which you think might once have been spears, given the wood at the top being broken. Their bodies block line of sight any deeper into the small cave. It can barely be heard over even the relatively quiet fire, but they seem to be quietly mumbling to one another in their native tongue, though you can't understand what they're saying. They don't seem to have noticed you.
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Oct 30, 2013 17:43
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Ziria Ziria is watching Nate approach the fire source, frowning, and tense, and ready in case anything happens.
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Nov 1, 2013 01:15
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Nate Well, well, well, Nate thought as he saw the two kobolds at the fire. Ambush material - but for them or us? Oh well, gotta get up here anyway. Signalling the others via hand signs, Nate carefully reached across to get the rope ladder, examine it to see if it's not broken or frayed, then to silently lower it down for the others.
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Nov 1, 2013 12:55
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The sentries do not seem to notice the ladder being lowered. In fact, they don't seem to be noticing much of anything. As you watch, you notice that they seem particularly tired and haggard; their spears hanging limply in their hands.
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Nov 1, 2013 22:33
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Rythin After carefully climbing up the ladder, Rythin took in the scene. He whispers, "There's no way this isn't a trap, is there." I don't have a sneaking background, so whatever.
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Nov 1, 2013 22:39
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Nate Either they're really tired, or drunk. Nate guesses. Either way, all the better to sneak up. Nate takes up a good hiding spot and continues to watch the kobolds. Either they're walking into an ambush, or an easy kill. Either way, there will be a few dead kobolds.
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Nov 2, 2013 00:07
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Despite all the rustling and moving of party members, the kobolds are still sleepily yapping to each other and looking at not much of anything. These ones have clearly been awake for some time, and it's effecting their cognition.
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Nov 2, 2013 00:21
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Erevan Erevan climbs the ladder in silence, quickly readying his sword and shield once he's at the top. He doesn't move to attack (yet), but he doesn't want to be caught unprepared.
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Nov 2, 2013 02:23
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There is a series of delayed, half-hearted yips from the kobolds who bring their "spears" to bear. "...yooman..." one growls throatily, but they make no other move to attack.
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Nov 2, 2013 04:29
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Rythin Ah, what the hell, I'll give it a shot. Rythin walks out into the firelight. "Hey, I'm your replacement. Go get some sleep, you look like you need it. How long have you been here, anyway? Nevermind, I don't actually care. Just get outta here." Trying to convince them I'm their replacement using Conman background (+5).
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Nov 2, 2013 05:09
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The kobold who spoke earlier narrows his eyes. He growls again, this time in a variety of draconic you can actually understand, rather than all that damned yipping. He takes a step toward Rythin, sniffing at him, but keeping an eye on the others. "...<Not of our clan, but of our blood. But not clan...>" He trails off, and yips a bit at his cohort, who only shrugs in return. "...<You've come to aid? Beseiged, by a darkness. Darkness takes human form.>" He snarls again and brings his spear to bear, but doesn't attack. "<You trust these humans? Humans in this place bring only pain, and blood."
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Nov 2, 2013 05:26
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Sidnae Sidnae brings up the rear, whispering to Genevieve: "Don't suppose you could climb this then?" Genevieve shakes her head and plops down on her butt, saying "I don't see how you could expect me to. No thumbs." She waves her paws a bit. "I'm probably too heavy anyway. Just go on, I'll be fine. I'll make sure nothing's following us." "Aw, dammit, alright." Sidnae climbs the ladder, occasionally looking down at Genny, who continues to sit patiently. When she reaches the top, she peeks past Erevan at the three dragonkin. "Can any of you tell what they're sayin'?"
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Nov 2, 2013 06:54
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Dynamis A few semi-transparent spheres of force float above Dynamis' hand as he watches the meeting between his fellow and the kobolds. But for the moment it seems things are alright. So he slips from cover and follows the others up the ladder. Though they came to clean out the area of kobolds it may pay to hold off for the moment.
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Nov 2, 2013 07:26
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Rythin Rythin narrows his eyes and answers in the same draconic language. <Of course I trust these humans. They're like pets. After you house-break them, they more or less follow you around doing what you want.> Rythin glances back at Sidnae. "Sidnae, they said they were being attacked by the darkness that weasel told us about. They want our help." Rythin turns back to the kobolds. <We were looking for the darkness in the first place, not you. Where are your clan leaders? I need to speak with them.>
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Nov 2, 2013 14:47
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The two kobolds look at each other sadly, then the silent one shrugs. He looks at Rythin and rolls his shoulder, gesturing for him to come inside. The tunnels is extremely narrow, and Rythin has to get on his knees to make it all the way through. The ceiling finally gives way a bit, leaving a small hollow in the rock. Several kobolds are huddled around a smaller fire, thin smoke disappearing into cracks in the ceiling. There are maybe twelve in total, most of them small or gravely wounded. Several are nursing clearly severely broken bones, or are pressing dirty bandages to extremely unhealthy-looking wounds. They look up worriedly as you approach, but apparently lack the strength to do much about it. "...<Dark one comes. Takes kin, kills clanlords. Nothing we can do. Human is unkillable, does not hurt, does not sick, does not falter. He is shadow that comes to claim us, can not be stopped. So we wait. We wait and we wait for Death to come.>"
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Nov 3, 2013 00:07
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Rythin Rythin looks at the injured kobolds. He shakes his head. "...<I won't hurt you. I can't guarantee you'll be safe or have access to food soon, but you won't have anything to worry about from me or my friends. We'll do our best to get rid of the dark one. Could one of you show us the way?>"
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Nov 3, 2013 01:25
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The kobold shakes his head sadly. "<Where Darkness lives, we may not tread. It is Forbidden, and the Darkness has... defiled that place.>" He points at an empty spot in the wall that corresponds with a spot back in the cavern below. "<Small cave, very narrow. You will know it by the...>" He glances at his compatriot. "<...the stench.>"
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Nov 3, 2013 02:21
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Rythin "<Alright. Don't get into trouble while we're down there, okay? I'll be back when we kill whatever that thing is.>" Rythin heads out to the rest of the party. "Yeah, so there's about twelve kobolds holed up in there. They're weak, injured, and I told them we wouldn't hurt them. Let's go, that darkness the weasel talked about is that way." He points toward the dark area the kobold pointed to. "They said it would be small and narrow, so how about we have Ziria or Erevan go first?"
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Nov 3, 2013 04:26
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Ziria "Cramped caves! The opposite of my favorite thing ever." Ziria rolls her shoulders, glancing to the darkness. "... yeah, we'll leave those kobolds alone for now... maybe once we deal with whatever is there they can just go back to where they came from. Let's go." And so she takes point, to head towards the source of this darkness... "... so, I didn't know you could speak kobold."
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Nov 3, 2013 05:25
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Rythin Rythin laughs. "Came with the scales. Nah, I learned a bastardized form that mixed kobold and draconinc just enough that it's understandable. Needed it for a show."
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Nov 3, 2013 05:41
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The bedraggled kobolds gather at the ledge, looking down as you descend the ladder back into the blackness of the cavern. Your feet land roughly on the stone floor, struggling to find footing until the torchlight returns and your eyes adjust to the stark edge between light and the utter dark of being several hundred feet underground. You strike off to the other side of the cavern, a seemingly limitless trudge with a dreadful lump in your stomach. Sure enough, it doesn't take long to find the right direction, because as your new kobold friends pointed out: you just have to follow the smell.  "<Do you think they will do it? Slay the Darkness? They seem strong, able. Something about them... Do you think it is possible?>" "...<No.>" Eventually you manage to find the crevice they told you about, and they weren't exaggerating the size of it. Not only do you have to turn sideways to fit, but for most of it you find yourself crouching as well, if not outright crawling on your stomach. Soon you begin to see where the smell is coming from. The floor is dyed with a black-red filth that has seeped into the very rock itself. Even by the flickering non-light of the torch behind you, you can tell it's blood. Old blood, but blood nonetheless. Further still the dried ichor gives way to fresher stuff, the stone sticky with more blood. Worse still, as the ceiling lowers and you're forced to crawl again, it's begun to pool up in places, sloshing against your arms as you drag yourself through. Finally, thankfully, the tunnel opens up a bit more, and suddenly you're nostalgic for the rat warren full of blood. Corpses have been piled up against the walls, and a cloud of flies is present to greet you as your press forward. The stench truly is horrific, and these bodies have been subject to extreme rot. The kobolds only moved in a few weeks ago according to the folks up top, but these look like they've been here for months, maybe years. Dessicated flesh hangs off the bone, and maggots squish at your feet with every step. Once the torch is passed through, you can see that this... what would you call that? Tomb? Abbatoir? Hard to say. Anyway, it's not very long, terminating in a dead end. The back wall, however, is not natural. It looks like someone has filled in the space with rocks and a crude mortar. It probably wouldn't be hard to tear down, but considering what you've seen in here, you're not sure you want to.
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Nov 3, 2013 09:33
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Giles Giles tightens his grip around the shaft of his spear, knuckles whitening as he takes in the horrific surroundings. "What th...by the grace of all the Gods, what is this?"
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Nov 3, 2013 11:36
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Ziria Ziria's usual cheer has taken a dive. it is certainly what happens when you have to travel a long distance in you stomach, when the floor is covered in... well... that. "... 5 gold pieces that "this" is also what makes the water go foul." She half covers her mouth with the back of her hand, wishing REALLY desperately there was something clean on her person. "When we get back to civilization I will take a bath for a whole week." She takes a couple of steps closer to the sealed wall, and glances back at the group. "... when do you think this was put up?"
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Nov 3, 2013 15:36
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Nate "This? This is a Very Bad Thing." Nate replies to Giles as his face pales a bit. No matter how many lives you lived, some things you never get used to. Nate cautiously creeps over to the new wall. "Way I figure, the Darkness shows up, does...this, then bricks up the wall. Either it has something it doesn't want to be found - or the Darkness lives there and doesn't need to mess with walls. Either way, odds are we're going to break it down."
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Nov 3, 2013 16:16
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Rythin Rythin is trying very hard to suppress a gag reflex. When you can breathe fire, vomit can become rather flammable. "Ziria, I'm not taking that bet. Urgh..." Rythin picks his way over to join his friends. "I've decided. We're going to destroy the Darkness, even if only so I can justify having to come down here. Either way, I'm up for some petty vandalism if anyone else is."
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Nov 3, 2013 17:29
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Erevan Erevan stands and does his best to wipe the filth from his chainmail. When he realizes that he's just making the problem worse, he gives up and readies his sword and shield again. "Don't see many other options," he replies to the conversation about the wall, "Smart money says the kobolds put up this wall to keep something on the other side, so let's be ready if anything tries to rush out and kill us."
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Nov 3, 2013 18:08
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Comrade Koba posted:"What th...by the grace of all the Gods, what is this?" Shakti Shakti breathes in deep. "This is a mirror. It is bringing the inside out. The inside" - she taps at her armoured torso - "Very much the same. So fear not: there is nothing that this mirror can show you that is anything less than you, and you." She pulls her faceplate back down, an impassive burnt elf face, very much like the one it replaces. "Let's have that wall down, now. There are more things a mirror shows than blood and bone."
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Nov 4, 2013 00:19
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Ziria "Yeeeees ma'am" Ziria gives the others a moment to get ready-- who knows WHAT will happen when the wall comes down-- before she moves to the wall, cracking her knuckles. There is no silly knocking this time around. Ziria simply rears back and begins to PUNCH at the wall with grime-covered fists, dust falling with every blow.
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Nov 4, 2013 05:54
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It doesn't take long for the wall to fall, the construction wasn't exactly of the highest quality. Soon a sizable hole has opened, and the rocks give way to reveal another massive chamber beyond. You can hear running water. There are more bodies in here, stocked high against the walls. You realize that you can see this even without the torches. As you look toward the center of the cavern, you see that there's a high mound of stone with thick spiral ramps carved into it leading all the way up to the flat top. Runes have been described over every inch of it. You recognize a variety of languages, from common to what looks like it might be Supernal, carved from the base all the way to the top. And they're all glowing. They glow a deep, blood red that nonetheless coats the cavern in a sickening light. Edging closer you can see that the mound is actually suspended by a relatively thin natural bridge. Underneath is a rushing stream of water, its passage a roar in the otherwise quiet. Several bodies are half-slumped over the side, leaking blood and bits of rotted flesh into the water. You're starting to get a sense of why the people of Duvik's Pass may be getting sick. The ramp leading up the stone is smooth, man-made but with almost impossible precision. You're sure you've made no sound as you make your way upwards, and just as you crest the top, you see a figure, man-sized, squatting over a huge, intricate, glowing sigil. Despite your silence, he rises and turns, his face cloaked in shadow.  "You should not have come here. This place will soon be covered in Darkness. A Darkness that none can escape. You will not stop it. You can not stop it."
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Nov 4, 2013 07:07
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Dynamis "Perhaps. But how could we not try to stop it?"
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Nov 4, 2013 07:31
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He shrugs, the shadows seeming to spin and twirl around him. "I did not say you would not try. I said you would not succeed."
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Nov 4, 2013 08:14
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Sidnae "What are you? What reason do you have to befoul Her Grace's sacred wilds?"
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Nov 4, 2013 08:33
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"What am I?" He apparently pulls his lips back, revealing a row of sharp, pearly white teeth. "I am My Lady's hand in this imperfect world. I am an agent of chaos, of destruction... of torment. I will bring this land to its knees and rebuild it in the image of the Goddess. Only when you all are struck down, flensed to your very core, only then can you develop the scars and hard hearts necessary for..." He trails off and looks over the edge into the flowing water below. "...for what is yet to come."
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Nov 4, 2013 08:51
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Rythin "I don't know... I kinda like how the world is right now. We don't need some idiot who thinks they're the avatar of Caincakah or something messing the place up." Rythin shakes his head and mutters, "I hate religion."
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Nov 4, 2013 13:46
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"Your wants are not a matter of concern. All that matters is what is coming, and what you must be shaped into before it does."
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Nov 4, 2013 20:12
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Ziria "Hey, look at that" Ziria cracks her knuckles. "Yet another rear end in a top hat who thinks its always his way that is best. I do have a couple of words for those kind of people, you know." Ziria STOMPS on the ground, hard enough that the sound reverbs across the cavern, as she raises her fists into a battle stance. "Target practice."
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Nov 4, 2013 23:12
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Nate Oh great, Nate thinks. A henchman of the big bad we're all going to face in the future. "Y'know, I was going to make a pithy remark at your expense, but it's late, I just crawled through gore, and you're pretty much poisoning drinking water. You know what?" Nate extends a hand signal that, while it may not have it's intended effect in this world, sure does demonstrate how he's feeling. "gently caress you, buddy. And your Darkness Mistress Lady? Guess what? gently caress her too. The only way you're getting out of this alive is running faster than us," Nate readies his sword and harmonica. "And to be honest, some of my friends really really want to kill someone that fits your description." "Don't say I didn't warn you."
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Nov 5, 2013 00:19
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 13:38 |
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Rythin Rythin drops all pretenses of being friendly. "You're going to experience a large amount of pain in your future." A small shockwave ripples out from Rythin, and he is suddenly surrounded by mystical crackling energy, swirling and spinning. "And when I say future, I mean right now." Using the Gather Power Sorcerer ability to generate the effects. When used in battle I get extra effects - +2 to a breath attack, double damage, and a random benefit to me. If it's a problem I can pretend what I just did was only the effects and ignore the bonuses from this one (I just thought it would be cool). GeneralYeti fucked around with this message at 03:11 on Nov 5, 2013 |
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Nov 5, 2013 00:35
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