** Part I: Fire and Ash **

[spike]

Whisper chants and unleashes a gob of acid on the executioner hood, Sarancen skewers it with his sword nailing it to the ground. The hood is flapping wildly now and bleeding black ooze. The black guardsman finishes it with a dagger and then relaxes.

Azonia said to Whisper 'you look crestfallen, wizard. Whatever it is I'm certain it can be remedied at some later time'

Whisper: (vs. INT) You realize now that the amulet, a dead lifeless trinket now is in such a state because it was actually never crafted in this timeline, for the arch priest who designed it either does not exist or hasn't gotten the idea to create it yet.

trap: Karlene inserts a jamming pin in the spring loader, disarming the trap.

disarmed, inside are several documents, a pouch of black powder, and a pouch full of precious stones (4 black pearls, a ruby, and a diamond)

Briefly skimming the stack of documents, Karlene reads some choice bits:

#1 Operations throughout the region continue to progress. Those imbecile watcher’s are preoccupied and disrupted, and the tridents have done exceedingly well at killing messengers on the road, abducting some important hostages, and assigned assassinations. We have recruited local brigands to sweep those districts beyond our concern to remove undesired focus off ourselves, so that our work here goes on unhindered. If they should perish it matters not, they will quickly be replenished.

The useless whelps we amassed in our search for the ones who must be found have been given new purpose in our copper and salt mines, they will be sold as proper slaves to our drow allies in the Dark Elf Lands. In exchange for these spent slaves they provide us with fresh Kobold shock troops to augment our military forces. These Kobolds are exceptionally formidable, unlike the usual lot. They are organized, disciplined, and particularly nastier than the usual stock. They also use a paralytic poison that gives them an added edge. Some of their shaman’s are able to summon an ice devil to do their bidding, most impressive.

With Lomag’s forces to supplement our own we should prove to be far more formidable than we were but a year ago. The summit approaches, and we should see what secret weapon our new master will provide us for our reward for all of our exertions.



#2 A spies report on Lomag’s forces:

50 Hobgoblins
35 broken ones
20 thouls
100 humans
50 shades (the shadowguard, his personal bodyguard retinue)
50 black guard
2 drow elves



#3 a series of thumbnails that appear to be a catalog of the prettiest girls in the slave pen

#4: a letter:

Scarn,

Search and find that one you allowed to escape beneath Valhygian cemetary, he and his sister are both dhampir and need to be found immediately, they shall serve as the new template for our master’s army, in accordance to his will.

By his decree,

-Karnak

#5

Scouting party report

Our party has scoured the ruins of Draxcon, we cleared the first two levels of Kobold infestation. They appeared to be guarding it and we faced stubborn resistance. These kobolds fight furiously and their teamwork is such that they are far more formidable than ordinary ones we faced in the past. I believe some secret, invisible intelligence commanded and guided their efforts.

On level 3, many traps our priest discovered. Some were beyond our present capabilities to safely disarm, yet we circumnavigated them. There are many strange, puzzling ante-chambers whose purpose we could not rightly deduce. A music room with floating instruments, some rooms guarded with animated weaponry that chased us out yet were guarding nothing, and libraries filled with blank books. We found some apparitions of children that stalked or taunted us, yet mostly meant us no harm and some provided us snatches of intriguing information.

These traps are Dwarven engineered, yet the artiface is of the Lorian priesthood. As we pressed on, certain no mortals have been through this way for centuries we came to a crypt and were greeted by lesser vampires. They cannot be turned, however they are terrified of religious icons, and some can be reasoned with to a degree. Note that they can be hurt by ordinary weaponry and only fully slain by fire, much like a troll however to destroy one requires a burning pyre. We spared one, for she was a priestess of Wrath in life and has her vile lust for blood under her control. She mentioned that this place was now the domain of the newly ascended King of Vampires, Lord Telemvor the prince of Panthers.

The king saw us in audience in his throne room and was ever bit as charming and benevolent as any mortal king might be. He had no interest in feeding on us or maligning us in any way, and we learned that he was a paladin in life, the paladin of panthers he was known as. He was preserved in such a state of pseudo immortality ‘for the common weal’ as he stated, a greater good not readily known. We spent a week in his dominion and he treated us well, helped us to recover from battle wounds and sent us away with precious elixirs of extra healing, which are worth their weight in platinum in the southern splintered wastes. He even provided us the secret of their making on oaths of never revealing the location of his dwelling place.

We noted there were four more levels beneath the kings, below was a temple of Lor, and below that one a gem which must be protected against all cost. And it itself lied in the heart of a temple dedicated to Wrath aeons ago. The last two remaining levels remain a mystery which shall plague me to my last days.

[SARRMATT]

After some time lost in thought Whisper realizes that someone is speaking to him. He hears the kind words of Azonia and smiles weakly like one does when they are standing beside the grave of a family member. His frail frame is visibly crestfallen as both hands rest on the edges his satchel keeping the bag closed. He softly spoke the following aloud, not being a particularly religous person he knew not if prayers could be heard by the gods or if the gods could glean such things from the minds of men.
"A lovely, trusting, wonderful person and soul was once betrayed by those she thought wisest in the teachings of the god of secrets. She suffered for millenia untold because of their twisted need for power, to perhaps use the god's very secrets to become ones themselves. I pray that she suffered no more or less then we all do when given just a single life."

[Ooc:] This PC is ready to move onward

[spike]

Azonia said 'cheer up, wizard. You Jez'zurian lot are quite melodramatic. Such madness is the lust inducing liquors of the God's to put men into a stupor. And that stupor is men thinking they have divine blood!' she laughed.

Sarancen countered 'you speak wrongly, Elsmyrian. I've no such thirst for any of that, the power and magic of fools who aspire to be God's! Even a demi God is too lofty an ambition. No, madam, all I seek is a comfortable home, hearth, a not so ugly wife with all her teeth intact and can actually cook, and a few sons. Hell if I had a maidservant then that would be grand. Maybe one who was just a tad more attractive than dirt, for a bit of dalliance now and again' the guardsman calls over to Karlene 'found something' he was using a trident to lift up a concealed tile in the ceiling.

The wadrobe's interior begins filling suddenly with pulsating white light!

Both Idrys and Karlene's dire wolves begin whimpering and making sounds.

What do you do?

[SARRMATT]

Whisper notices the unnatural light beginning to come from the furniture. "Someone should do something about that." He says as he moves rapidly and awkwardly to the farthest spot away from what he assumes is danger.

[Ooc:] If DEX checks are needed to avoid hitting or coming into contact with allies please make them for me. The standard battle procedure for this PC for the time being will be to stay the hell out of conflict and use cantrips while retreating from what might be dangerous. Sorry guys, this scrawny and completely unremarkable guy is good at 1 thing only and combat is not that one thing.

[Chris1234]

"It's a gateway to somewhere," says Karlane.

======
OOC1: @Matt - So just what is the one thing that your scrawny and apparently unremarkable guy is good at? (Apart from looking scrawny and unremarkable!)
OOC2: @Spike - We should pause for Tristen to surface, please.

[spike]

Azonia scowled at Whsiper, 'don't be such a spineless weakling!' she hid under the bed, and Sarancen tucked behind the wardrobe in his hands a 2 handed bastard sword.

Both of you can hear the sounds of idle banter coming from the interior of the wardrobe (the light is growing more intense and steady now)

man's voice #1: a shrill, nasally sounding voice: 'hurry up, bring the feisty one, boss likes it when they give him some sport. These other silly bitches are all broken and worthless now. They might make good grub for Lomag's hobgoblins when they fatten up properly. More meat on them bones ladies, eat up! There's a'plenty of gruel for you to feast on'

woman's voice in protest: give us some meat and bread, you stinking slobs!

man's voice #2: sounds strong and baritone, 'the countess? damn, the boss is going to break her in real good with his huge cock, bet that will feel real nice you little hot headed slut! Come along, time to be cured of that disease called virginity. You're gonna have lots of sweet fun, precious...might teach you a little respect...heh wish I could watch that, I'd pay a days wages for that show...this girl looks talented, like she could go at it all day without a sweat...prob moaning like a bitch in heat Stay strong girl, when the boss is through with you I'll be your new master...and if you aint the sorriest piece of arse in the dungeon you'll be the soarest muahahah!'

[TristenC]

[Ooc: wasn't expecting this game to move into high-gear so soon. Was kind of hoping for that slower pace we'd talked about with all of the othee games I have going...]

Idrys pats the wolf pups to calm and quiet them, then directs them to hode beyond the bed and lie down in wait. He readies his swords and hides on the opposite side of the wardrobe, ready to assassinate any threats incoming.

[Chris1234]

Karlane takes a motionless position in front of the wardrobe, maybe 15' away, space permitting {OOC: unsure as cant see a map}
She relies on the cloak and boots of elvenkind to make her effectively undetectable to the three about to exit the 'wardrobe' and with the idea of then waiting until Sarancen & Idrys have struck causing the two guards, if still alive, to turn around and face their attackers. Karlane will then advance silently and deliver violence to a guard from the rear {OOC: +4 to hit etc, double damage etc}

[spike]

Out of the wardrobe's light emerged two guards already foretold in their descriptions one was short and rotund, the other tall and lanky standing at nearly 7 ft. They both held a young, pretty girl close to them, and she was bound with a length of chord.

The fat guard sneered at the girl, saying 'be quiet, girl! Boss, where are you?' he called out.

Karlene moved into attack position, swung her mace but failed to strike the tall one. However she caught him by surprise.

Idrys (7) also failed to get the drop on his guardsman, yet gained the advantage of surprise. He spun and stabbed the fat one straight through with the invisible longsword, the guards blood splatter stained the ground and you yank your sword free with a forceful shove-kick (-33 hp dmg)

Karlene follows up with a true strike (20) burying her mace in the tall man's back (--10 hp dmg)

The girl dove forward in a dive-roll on the ground, plucking a dagger from the fallen fat ones belt and running forward while sawing away at her bindings frantically. She appeared to be running for the lift.

The tall lean guardsman wore a wry smirk, as if amused by all of this. However, Karlene could smell great fear permeate from him.

Azonia came rolling out from underneath the bed and Sarancen charges the tall man with his sword pointed toward him, yet both failed to hit the tall thin guardsman.

Idrys came at the tall guard with his whirring swords, striking him for a scratch (-1 hp dmg) then spinning in a circle the dhampir sunk his offhand sword hilt deep into the tall guard (-24 hp dmg, assassination) the tall lean man collapsed atop of his fat friend and bled all over his fallen comrades corpse.

Azonia twirled a bola and let it fly at the running girl, entwining her legs and tripping her to the ground. Fortunately she landed upon a bear rug that was on the floor and slid across the room. She seems to pass out from the fall, though most likely from ill treatment than the fall itself.

[TristenC]

Idrys slings the blood off his blades and onto the dead men with a Chiburi. Filthy pigs. Then, looking up to his sister, You may want to check her for injuries. She would probably be able to give us some information. Idrys examines the wardrobe to see what it would require to pass through it (but not doing so).


======
Spike:
Are these two the only other guards we have heard about being here? If not, Idrys will say...
I still think we should deal with the other guards around here before one of them comes back to find the commrades dead and flees with loot or prisoners.

[SARRMATT]

Whisper moves from whatever cover he had been sitting motionless behind once the sounds of conflict have stopped. Seeing the somewhat restrained girl down on the ground he cranes his neck from where he was and tries to determine if he knows her. Please make a memory check for me if that applies. Otherwise Whisper goes back to staying quiet and out of the way. Please make DEX checks if that would be required

[spike]

IDRYS: according to the charmed trident, yes, this was the last batch of guards.

The girl recoils from touch, hysterically at first, then calms down when Karlene approached her, visibly at ease and warming to the priestesses aura.'Who are you?' she asks Karlene.

Whisper does not recognize the girl.

Azonia sneered again at Whisper and lifted him up effortlessly, 'you'd best get involved quickly, mage, and grow a pair of stones while you're at it if you wish to prosper and flourish. None of this cowardly crap!' she slaps him to accentuate the point, 'consider this a friendly warning, next time when you have a black orc staring at you with a cruel grin and nobody to save your laurels, you'll have a new appreciation for my wisdom''

Sarancen chuckled, shaking his head yet amused, 'I'd listen to her if I were you' he added.

Lucien said 'Alas, I must tarry in these darkened shadow frothed halls of where I am connected, for it is the lot of my present state to be chained thusly. However, take this scroll of summoning, perhaps this lowly wizard can manage my summoning without bungling it too much. I pray you cause House Telemvor to rise up once again and restore its faded glory once more. I would not fret about the coward, he was the mage foretold who would accompany the assassin, the protector, and the others foretold by the Lorian prophecies. I bid you both farewell and safe journey ahead, stay alive and thrive my lord, my lady' the specter said to Idrys 'the stone that your sister discovered will activate this portal, it is a lesser stargem, which can activate these portals from one point to another, usually set points and each could have from one to five if memory serves'

[SARRMATT]

"No stones sir! Eerrr, ma'am." Whisper corrects his verbal blunder after being assaulted. Taking no offense to the rough physical and verbal treatment, Whisper's smart enough to know he's of no use. However, he's not wise enough to keep his mouth shut. "Logically I do not see how I may be of service, you are skilled at combat and I am not. You have weapons and training on how to use them at your disposal. I have but a few basic cantrips that are soon to be exhausted and a shattered mind of jumbled thoughts and memories. You wear armor and I have stained clothing that by their smell and appearance have been worn for several days continuously without a proper washing. So, in closing there is absolutely nothing to be gained from sticking my neck out needlessly only to have it parted by a blade." Whisper nods his head certain of his analysis and begins to busy himself with estimating the value of the property in which he found himself.

[Ooc]: Character would be oblivious to whatever conversation was going on that might have concerned him, being cornered and pummeled about the head by two persons as he seemed to be. Since he did not know the girl he dismissed caring and lost interest in her immediately. He will focus his thoughts on property retail price versus likely sale price, income potential, maintenance costs-lifts are pricey and require specialists to maintain ....

[spike]

Azonia said 'go and see into the workings of the portal, and use your brains there, be powerful or pitiful, but you can't be both' she added, then went over to see to the liberated slave-girl.

[Chris1234]

{OOC1: @Spike - Before you yank Lucien off somewhere (and I don't see why and we're not leaving til the morning), I need to know if the papers on top of the desk, thus:

Whisper: you found several encrypted messages wrote in thieves cant, they appear to be reports of some sort but you can't make heads or tales on any of them. A stack of seven in all.

have been seen by Karlane. If so, can she understand them. If not, she will need to see them and check. It may be that only Lucien, using absrobed knowledge, can ddecode them otherwise. I will edit this up when I get your answer.}

{OOC2: @Matt, @Tristen - please hold off til I've edited this one up, including deleting this OOC2. I don't want the story galloping off while I (Chris) am asleep; there's far too much left to do with this current scene before leaving the (now-dead) leader's office.}