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Post by trp2fan on Apr 16, 2007 11:26:35 GMT -5
Calhagn will use his experience from his pirate days to judge the condition of these captives. Do they appear to be hale and hearty men as would be recruited by a king to search for his children?
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Post by AxeMental on Apr 16, 2007 12:14:20 GMT -5
Calhagn notices several are branded as convicted deserters, and others tattooed with the markings of soldiers of the Northern Kingdom.
You know both of these markings well from the "old days".
Sogathan puts on the crown again and begins to scan the minds of those within the cage. To make a long story short, after a period of questioning and scanning you learn the following: All 8 are infact outlaws, land pirates, and general scum, remnants of a group of veteran soulders who returned from some"holly war" that ended badly (Smythus apparently knows about this holly war and his church was largely behind it...Moth is hoping SMythus might help them because of this connection). Moth was their sargent during the war before he and his men deserted (years later he broke several of his friends out of prison) and commands them now (in petty robbery, raiding and raping. Despite their ragid looks, you get the impression they are all capable fighters (of at least 2nd or 3rd, Moth likely even higher possibly 5-8th). 6 months ago they heard about a "Dark Lord" on the mountain top looking for cut throats and (given their poor takings as of late) answered the call. Since then they have been payed 5 GPs a head for young healthy men. However, since the Western frontier was invaded by humanoid they were forced to bring lower quality slaves. This apparently angered someone and the entire band was taken prisoner and brought to the gargoyle who ate several and then handed them off to the ettin and his bunch. There they were placed in the holding cell, a couple were taken but then the Gorilla had the bright idea of gambling them off to eat.
Of course, Moth and his men try to give the impression they are a sincere party of well meaning adventurers. It is found that
Moth alone has raped over 50, murdered dozens, tortured and stolen from countless individuals (mostly during the "holly war"). And he's got a bounty of 300 GPs dead or alive on his head.
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Post by trp2fan on Apr 16, 2007 13:00:00 GMT -5
"Don't worry, Smythus. We're already protection enough for you." Calhagn reassures the priest.
"As for these men, maybe they can earn their freedom, if any information they provide is truly helpful. Otherwise, ... "
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Post by AxeMental on Apr 17, 2007 4:53:21 GMT -5
After intensive questioning and mind reading by the group, Sog informs Calhagan that he doesn't think these scum know anything useful. All they did was drop their prisoners off with the bugbears (near area 1) in exchange for gold. Then when they didn't bring proper slaves they were taken for that purpose instead. Moth did once cetch a glimpse of the "dark lord" (some shadowy figure in a black cloak) but thats all.
Sog whispers to Smythus the various crimes committed by the group to avoid any debate on the issue, he then asks fighters and scouts (Subdolus and Tiberious) there thoughts, "The Yellow Wizard did loose his last charmed slave, perhaps he could use another, might that be helpful to our scouts to detect traps...or perhaps the fighters to help protect the magic user. If so Moth is by far the one with greater ability, followed by Mathus. Of course, we might want to choose the weakest, if the charm broke it could be a problem. Sogathan makes it clear, in his opinion they all should die now otherwise.
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Post by trp2fan on Apr 17, 2007 10:15:14 GMT -5
Cal agrees with Sog. Allow the wizard to take a new trap detector, preferrably Moth, and alleviate some of the world's misery by eliminating the rest.
Calhagn feels confident he could take care of Moth, should the scoundrel become a problem. Uh, the scoundrel being Moth, of course. ;D
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Post by AxeMental on Apr 17, 2007 10:57:48 GMT -5
(OOC: Since no one objected I'll assume the group agrees). The yellow wizard is interrupted from one of his deep meditations (he hasn't been talking much of late  ) and agrees to charm the scum making a face when he looks at him: "slim pickings I see" he casts his first but Moth saves (with a 17) "I have one more blasted...hmmm..." Moth fails with a 6. Moth is charmed (confirmed by Sog) and the fighters lift the cage long enough for the greasy character to crawl out. When he stands you can see he does have tauny muscle, and when handed a sword seems to know how to use it well enough. A huge grin on his face revealing a horrid incomplete set of teeth, "Aye Owe know you, mate, cont rememba whea doe. You some kinda wizad owe yah? Yah musta saved me life back'n dtha warh...were best mates uym sho. Deeze are my men. Hand picked every unadem. Dale be comin' to and oye can get dem to serve bote of us. Say why you wit these fellas, I don't like'm abit. " Moth starts eyeing the group "my lot awe much betta then this pack a dowgs". Cadellin takes him aside wispering to him to refer to him as "master" and to obey every command given to him by the group save Smythus. And to otherwise not talk unless spoken to. Moth digs through a garbage heap and finds the remnants of chain armor and a shield (badly crushed) he finds an old rusted sword and a couple of spears. All of the other weapons and armor are beyond repair. The group rests for 12 hours in the round room without any problems (either no one noticed the broken door or didn't come to check out what happened). A massive amount of healing is done by the 3 clerics, and eventually everyone is healed and all spells are memorized. The thieves search the room and find interesting old papers and clothing in many of the drawers. From the looks of it, this was at one time very nice furniture and those who used it wealthy. However, anything of value rotted away 100s of years ago. Moth sticks close to Cadellin spear in hand; occasionaly shooting glances at the other fighters flexing or grinning pointing at the Magician and looking proud while hopping a bit (as if he chose me to be his personal guard). Cadellin is sure to keep a safe distance from the scum though as he smells and is likely infested with gods know what. The group is rested, fed and ready to leave. What direction would you like to go. THere was a hallway past the gargoyle area, and then the hallway the gorilla ran down with several doors. Cadellin asks some of the group to hold back on executing the caged scoundrals until Moth is out of the room before killing his fellows, he doesn't want to give the cut throat a chance to save again. Here's the map again. img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/AxeMental/DungeonMap17net.jpg |
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Post by trp2fan on Apr 17, 2007 14:46:51 GMT -5
Perhaps we should go back to the corridor where we encountered the gargoyles, and then investigate westward toward, and around, the bend bend to the south.
OOC: Due to the orientation of the map, I'm inferring that the north is at the top.
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Post by subdolus on Apr 17, 2007 15:09:13 GMT -5
"We didn't seem to attract any attention when chasing the gorilla through this area. We may want to check these doors first before heading down the other corridor."
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Post by AxeMental on Apr 17, 2007 15:49:51 GMT -5
The group moves back into the gargoyle hall and finds about half the bodies gone and the other half heavily chewed upon. Drag marks on the ground and a trail of blood lead to the bend. Subdolus sees odd large footprints in the frozen blood, and notices a drop in temperature again. The scouts move down another 40 feet and then turn south and west another 30 feet opening into another large room filled with alters, statues, black candles, and a large tile pentagram on the floor with a mosaic of a demon (perhaps Osmodius himself) in its center. On the center of the south wall is a huge statue of a somewhat insect looking demon a gross head with giant eyes. In its outstretched arms it holds a stone box blueish light coming from its open top. The bodies of the gargoyles are piled in a back corner ripped apart, and now frozen solid.
What wouild you like to do?
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Post by AxeMental on Apr 18, 2007 7:37:29 GMT -5
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Post by Ska on Apr 18, 2007 9:38:20 GMT -5
The grey filler is helpful to me.
Tiberious states that perhaps the new freind of the wizard could go and checkout the the statute holding the blue box.
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Post by AxeMental on Apr 18, 2007 10:30:22 GMT -5
With great trepidation Moth moves forward after being ordered to the box by Cadellin. He mumbles something and after entering looks back terrifide, "dez somptin offal in deay masta, oye can feel it in me bones. wha naht send one dem otha dowgs"? Cadellin mentions how he would only trust Moth on such an important mission; and orders him forward again.
The group gets back, only Tiberious (invisible) watches from max distance. Sog likewise dons his crown and hooks into the frightened mind of the mercinary.
He clears the room stepping over bones and broken candles, unholly relics and the like. Once he reaches the box and stepping up on a bench he pulls over looks in. His face looks excited, and Sog detects the presence of a glowing septer pulsating blue with a bottom lined with gems and other pieces of jewelery. Suddenly Tiberious sees something forming out of a smoke that blossoms out of the center of the pentagram. Forming is something that appears very similar to the giant statue, 10 feet tall. The room drops to -40 at least as Tiberious watches the creature step toward Moth. Moth spins around just intime to see the beast (which Sog believes to be a devil from some frozen plane of hell) Suddenly a thick wall of ice forms blocking the entrance preventing Moths escape. Horrible screams are heard, and then silence. Sog says Moth pleaded with the devil after a half hearted attempt at battling it, but in the end was eaten (as all mental contact is lost after severe pain) though he can't be sure.
In any event Tiberious heres clinking on the other side as if the devil is walking around.
What shall the group do now?
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Post by subdolus on Apr 18, 2007 12:40:39 GMT -5
OOC: How high is the ceiling in the tunnel, where we are standing and in the devils chamber? I might have a gift for him. ;D
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Post by AxeMental on Apr 18, 2007 12:58:30 GMT -5
15 feet. The devils chamber about 25 to 30. But theres now a wall of ice between you and it (though that could be removed by either it or your group I suppose).
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Post by Ska on Apr 18, 2007 13:25:03 GMT -5
Could Sog tell if Moth hurt the creature at all?
Tiberious ask if only magic weapons will harm the creature (he ask both clerics)
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) and agrees to charm the scum making a face when he looks at him: "slim pickings I see" he casts his first but Moth saves (with a 17) "I have one more blasted...hmmm..." Moth fails with a 6. 
