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Post by Lord Inar on Mar 7, 2012 11:38:10 GMT -5
Tembo will use all of his experience to raise his IQ by 1. "My friends, I have learned much from all of you so far on this quest. I think knowing all of you better has made me more able to think things through more clearly, and for that I thank you. Shadout, I would still like to learn about the magic of healing sometime, and I think I will be ready soon, but not now."
Reynaldo is not spending his XP yet (he wants to increase DX).
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Post by Lord Inar on Mar 7, 2012 11:45:22 GMT -5
"One last thing before you go, good Loy, does Gaum ever entertain any to speak with him, say to ask him to regale great tales of times past, perchance?"
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Post by mister frau blucher on Mar 7, 2012 12:34:57 GMT -5
"One last thing before you go, good Loy, does Gaum ever entertain any to speak with him, say to ask him to regale great tales of times past, perchance?" "Occassionally, when the circumstances warrant." He looks you up and down. "Perhaps, if you return this way, he would consent to hear you out. "But not today."
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Post by mister frau blucher on Mar 7, 2012 12:51:51 GMT -5
[Before you guys rested, I had Shadout spend the last of his Fatigue down to 1 to heal Mundy some more. Since after the rest, all FT is restored, this is an easy way to get some healing.]
After a good rest, the party wakes. Mundy seems to be feeling much better, though hardly whole. It is, according to a sand-clock Loy Bellure left in your room, about 4 AM.
You gather your belongings and prepare a quick meal. Loy Bellure is nowhere to be seen; evidently he does sleep. The only ones present are some pale, armored humans and a goblin bellhop, intently picking his nose. You leave Gaum's courtyard and head down the southern tunnel.
This is a long, natural gallery that has seen some architectural support, evidently of dwargg rather than snaca design, judging by the gothic archways. Phosphorescent moss is sparse here, so you must use torches or lanterns. In addition to the musty smell of these caverns, you detect a strong orc smell.
You come upon a strongpoint, essentially a series of low walls across the gallery that archers may fire over. Several orcs are stationed here, watching your approach with cautious interest. They hail you and it is quickly established that these are Axefeast orcs; they smile at your mention of Urgg. They wave you on your way, wishing you good trading.
Shortly past the strongpoint you hear a lot of noise ahead of you. Then you see a number of lanterns bobbing your way. You realize this is a trading party from below, composed mostly of dwarggs. They make no effort to get out of your way, approaching with arrogance. They glare at you as close, chainmail glinting brightly and hefting axes. There are over a dozen of them, and a half-dozen slaves are bearing large baskets on their shoulders.
The passage here is wide enough for two moving columns to pass each other, but the dwarggs are intentionally taking as much of the hallway as possible.
You may either walk full into them, perhaps provoking a confrontation, or stand to one side and let them pass. Indicate if you are speaking to them as well.
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Post by mister frau blucher on Mar 12, 2012 8:57:08 GMT -5
[Since noone spoke up, I am assuming you reluctantly stepped to one side and let the larger party pass.]
The dwarggs laugh at you and say things in their language you cannot understand. After a minute they are past and you resume your journey. Half an hour later you come to the way to the second level.
This long passage, consisting of both sloping hallways and great stairwells, connects the orcs’ level to those below, primarily the dwarggs’ stronghold. This passage sees a bit of travel, as it is on the trade route from the caprian fortress to the underworld far below.
The walls are covered in ancient engraving and embossing from the time-lost snaca, and the plaster facades and runic warnings of the dwarggs. Small galleries shoot off at sporadic intervals, but the main route is clearly marked. Green-glowing fungus is common here, so there is no need for illumination. The air is stale, but there are occasional stirrings of breeze from below.
After several hours you come to the bottom of the great stairwell. It is now about 9 AM.
You finally come to a long, level, worked hallway that has been painted white, with lanterns placed close together. Ahead you see a stout barricade, and behind it many crossbows are focused on your approach. There are old bloodstains on the walls: is it orcish? “This is the realm of us dwarggs.” The voice is thin and nasal and mocking. “If ya got tribute, ya can pass. Or ya can duel and pass.” A part of the barrier is swung aside, and you are permitted into the gate. There are a score of crossbows nearby, though not all pointed at you. “Surfacers,” you hear a few of the brutal-faced dwarf-cousins mention in Trade tongue.
One in black mail and a tattered purple cape addresses you. “Tribute, or a duel? Fifty silvers would do for proper respect, heh. If a duel, choose your champion and face me. To the death, eh, loves? Heh.”
He hefts his axe anxiously; there is little doubt which he prefers.
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Post by Lord Inar on Mar 12, 2012 10:37:19 GMT -5
Reynaldo and Tembo have been in the lead up to this point. "Hmm, an intriguing prospect my friend. Terms of such a duel? Armed or unarmed? Large area or small area? What do you think Tembo?" Reynaldo looks at Tembo. "It sounds reasonable to me."
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Post by mister frau blucher on Mar 12, 2012 11:05:30 GMT -5
Reynaldo and Tembo have been in the lead up to this point. "Hmm, an intriguing prospect my friend. Terms of such a duel? Armed or unarmed? Large area or small area? What do you think Tembo?" Reynaldo looks at Tembo. "It sounds reasonable to me." Thw dwargg gives a broken-toothed smile. "You may choose to be armed or unarmed. I will use this." He gives his battleaxe a deft twirl. He is wearing chainmail. "A small area, of course; it will be one-on-one, to the death." He looks at the rest of the party. "Archers, mage, kitty cats, I don't care. Choose your champion, I will kill him, and you can continue on your way." There is some rough laughter from the rest of the dwarggs. One of them calls out, "And if you kill Kludd the Mighty, you can keep his axe and other loot, too." They clearly want to see a fight.
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Post by blacknigel on Mar 13, 2012 8:56:45 GMT -5
There is some rough laughter from the rest of the dwarggs. One of them calls out, "And if you kill Kludd the Mighty, you can keep his axe and other loot, too." They clearly want to see a fight. "Why? Is his axe or mail magickal?," Rrowullh snarls in derision. (Sorry guys, i was on the road this weekend, and didn't get a chance to post. Too busy drinking with Bret, or driving on I-95.
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Post by Lord Inar on Mar 13, 2012 9:31:27 GMT -5
Too busy drinking with Bret, or driving on I-95. Glad that was an OR!
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Post by mister frau blucher on Mar 13, 2012 9:35:31 GMT -5
There is some rough laughter from the rest of the dwarggs. One of them calls out, "And if you kill Kludd the Mighty, you can keep his axe and other loot, too." They clearly want to see a fight. "Why? Is his axe or mail magickal?," Rrowullh snarls in derision. "No! You can have then because they smell worse than he does!" A round of ugly laughter follows, the one says, "To the victor goes the spoils. It has always been thus. It will be the same way when Kludd kills your champion; whatever he is wearing becomes Kludd's."
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Post by mister frau blucher on Mar 13, 2012 9:36:08 GMT -5
Too busy drinking with Bret, or driving on I-95. Glad that was an OR! Ha! Me, too!
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Post by blacknigel on Mar 13, 2012 16:36:07 GMT -5
Khanmahtt steps forward to Reynaldo's side and makes eye contact with his friend Enyeto. Addressing them both, "Unless Inyaytoh wants this trophy for himself, or you think it better otherwise, I will face this challenge."
[Assuming that this is Khan's fight, he drops his pack and his travelling cloak, then addresses the Dwargg...] "You, Hrrakkah! The "small area" you wish to die upon, is it here? Or did you have somewhere else in mind? Do we begin now?"
(Two questions. Assuming this is the ground for the Duel, or if it is not then when we get there, is there enough room for Khan to make a Charge provided he wins initiative? If so, as he speaks he moves into a position to do so, or receive a charge if he does not win initiative. Can someone who wins initiative defer and let the opponent go first? I ask because Kludd carries a Battleaxe which means he's at least ST 15, and I'm hoping he's got a lower Adjusted DX than Khanmahtt's 11. On average, if he hits with that battleaxe twice Khan's a goner. Which makes it a priority not to get hit, and secondarily whittle away at the Dwargg's ST as he can. The way I understand it, Khan wins initiative and attacks, then the dwargg imediately counterattcks - so there's no opportunity for Khan to Dodge if the Dwarrg hits. If Khan loses (or defers), then he can wait to see if the Dwargg hits and then decide whether to Dodge or Counterattack. Or am I just insane? {Okay 3 questions.})
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Post by mister frau blucher on Mar 13, 2012 16:44:36 GMT -5
Khanmahtt steps forward to Reynaldo's side and makes eye contact with his friend Enyeto. Addressing them both, "Unless Inyaytoh wants this trophy for himself, or you think it better otherwise, I will face this challenge." [Assuming that this is Khan's fight, he drops his pack and his travelling cloak, then addresses the Dwargg...] "You, Hrrakkah! The "small area" you wish to die upon, is it here? Or did you have somewhere else in mind? Do we begin now?" The dwarggs hoot and holler at Khan's acceptance. Kludd's face twists as he tries to decide whether Hrrakkah" is an insult before shrugging. "We fight here, furball! Heh. Watch my might, my loves!" The dwarggs form a twenty foot circle over the worn stone. The party stands along part of it, behind Khanmahtt. The dwargg poses a bit for his fellows before he stands opposite the tigran. Then he hefts his axe...and the battle is joined!
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Post by mister frau blucher on Mar 13, 2012 16:49:03 GMT -5
(Two questions. Assuming this is the ground for the Duel, or if it is not then when we get there, is there enough room for Khan to make a Charge provided he wins initiative? If so, as he speaks he moves into a position to do so, or receive a charge if he does not win initiative. Can someone who wins initiative defer and let the opponent go first? I ask because Kludd carries a Battleaxe which means he's at least ST 15, and I'm hoping he's got a lower Adjusted DX than Khanmahtt's 11. On average, if he hits with that battleaxe twice Khan's a goner. Which makes it a priority not to get hit, and secondarily whittle away at the Dwargg's ST as he can. The way I understand it, Khan wins initiative and attacks, then the dwargg imediately counterattcks - so there's no opportunity for Khan to Dodge if the Dwarrg hits. If Khan loses (or defers), then he can wait to see if the Dwargg hits and then decide whether to Dodge or Counterattack. Or am I just insane? {Okay 3 questions.}) 1. Yes, Khan can charge if he wins initiative. 2. Normally you do not defer, but if you want ot here, you may. Your summations are pretty accurate. 3. Reply hazy; ask later. Kludd's initiative is a 1 invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3414113/
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Post by blacknigel on Mar 13, 2012 16:51:19 GMT -5
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