Tenebrae - User contributions [en]

Rescue Party

2013-10-13T21:50:08Z

Ishmaelthegray:

<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Name | Race | Class | E Lev| CHP | HP | AC | For | Ref | Wil |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|Eligar |DAWN_ELF|Cav | 4 | 37 | 37 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
|Benthus |HALF-ELF|Pal | 3 | 26 | 26 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 9 |
|Ulharilti |SITH-MAK|Bbn/Sor | 3 | 30 | 30 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
|Schneider |GIANTBOR|Bbn/Sor | 5 | 40 | 40 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 |

The hastily scrawled note wasn't even posted to the Adventurer's Guild boards,
as is the custom and the law (enacted as a part of Keep Alexandria City Beautiful, an
anti-litter encorcement). The Gaoler's Guild, a good number of whom belong to the city
watch, are permitted this minor violation.

Airstation Alexandria is abustle with the business of shipping and transportation, but the
directions were very specific. Spire 24, mid-tier dock. Each tier of the spire has a
permanent gangplank and docking apparatus for docking and unloading airships. By
necessity, the largest airships are on the top tier and the small flitters are reserved for the
lowest.

Ascending the spire is a matter of walking the winding screw of a ramp that curves
around the outside of the spire. At the midlevel there's a doorway just over ten feet tall
and a room fifteen feet to the ceiling. Boxes are pressed against the wall no higher than
the door and a tall human in a watch uniform talks to a gaoler in the grim black and gray
of that particular guild.

You paged Eligar with 'The setting emit just happend. Here it is. The hastily scrawled
note wasn't even posted to the Adventurer's Guild boards, as is the custom and the law
(enacted as a part of Keep Alexandria City Beautiful, an anti-litter encorcement). The
Gaoler's Guild, a good number of whom belong to the city watch, are permitted this
minor violation.

Airstation Alexandria is abustle with the business of shipping and transportation, but the
directions were very specific. Spire 24, mid-tier dock. Each tier of the spire has a
permanent gangplank and docking apparatus for docking and unloading airships. By
necessity, the largest airships are on the top tier and the small flitters are reserved for the
lowest.

Ascending the spire is a matter of walking the winding screw of a ramp that curves
around the outside of the spire. At the midlevel there's a doorway just over ten feet tall
and a room fifteen feet to the ceiling. Boxes are pressed against the wall no higher than
the door and a tall human in a watch uniform talks to a gaoler in the grim black and gray
of that particular guild.'

Schneider is there in a flash. He moves quickly and easily up the stairs, his long stride
making quick work of the steps. Even barechested, the wind and weather hold no sway
over him, and he moves fearlessly to the destination mentioned in the note. He had been
lazing about, but this looks like it will be entertaining, and now he's deeply intrigued.

Stairs. Alot of them, given the height of the spire. Ulharilti discovers what could be
considered a foe noted for the future; the jungle may have some tall trees and cliffs, but it
is not known for stairs. When she reaches the platform, she notes those present and
approaches. A missing airship is certainly an interesting problem. How did they lose
something so large?

Eligar has left his horse Kindroth at one of the stables as a horse on the deck of a ship is
not a winning proposition no matter how well trained the horse is. He also left his lance
with the horse, trusting that Kindroth would guard it. He has his sword and shield with
him as he walks up the stairs towards the dock that holds the room that the Explorer's
Guild told him to go to.

Benthus reads the note he received and rereads it. There is something about the mission
involved that he is apprehensive about. There is very little information as to the level of
danger he is to face and he has no idea where the missing ship could be found. Most of all,
why are they asking for a skilled combatant on this mission rather than a regular person.
These thoughts trouble him, yet he could not refuse the mission for risk of neglecting
people who might need saving. So, despite his fears, he goes to the airfield to do this task.

"What? Ho there, adventurers," the watchman says. His uniform is pressed but showing
signs of a hard morning of labor before lunch. Bars upon his sleeve and epaulets mark
him as a lieutenant and commander of the watch. "Four of you, eh?" He seems to
consider it. "I'm Lieutenant Baxter. This is Binder Nina."

Next to him, the gaoler looks up and says nothing. Her pale features are drawn and there
are deep circles beneath watery blue eyes. She runs her bony hands together; yellow nails
a contrast with fishbelly white flesh. "Four will do, Baxter," she says in a surprisingly
melodious voice out of character of her darkling appearance. "The giant, in particular,
seems promising."

"Right, then," Baxter says. He appears to be taking orders from the Binder. (Knowledge:
Local, DC 10. This is not normal. Binders do not give orders to the Watch). "The airship
Alida was returning from her run to the northeastern reaches of the Desolation but she's
hours overdue. Given the nature of the run, it becomes imperative that we ascertain her
fate quickly. The city watch will provide you with one of our small patrol crafts to trace
along the Alida's route."

Ulharilti Wiivai doesn't know precisely where the Desolation is in relation to the city, but
an airship implies some distance. Neither does she know who should be giving orders to
whom. "Do we need to travel its entire route? Do you know when they were last safe?"
Some information would be helpful.

Schneider smiles winningly at Nina, preening a bit as she praises him. His hair flutters in
the winds this high up even without the constant pestering of spirits. "Promising, indeed!
We will solve your problem, and then, we may perhaps have a quiet dinner together." He
winks. As the problem is explained, he nods slowly, then guesses, "It carried a prisoner of
some kind?" Why else would a jailer be involved? Why else would a few hour behind be
a cause for worry? "We will recapture this prisoner!" he vows. He doesn't just jump to
conclusions, he takes a flying leap, fully committed.

Eligar nods politely to the Lieutenant Baxter and he moves to a spot to listen. He hmms,
"And what was the ship carrying that makes it's retrieval of the utmost?" He asks as he
can sense something is going on and he waits for the questions to be answered.

Benthus approaches the group to which he is to team up with and was about to greet them
when they started talking. It appears its all straight into business now. So he simply
stands close by to indicate that he is the fourth man (or half-elf) and listens.

"They only report in if there is trouble or they reach their destination. Unfortunately,
we've received no communications at all since their departure from Sk-" Baxter replies,
but a hiss from the Binder silences him and prevents him from finishing his sentence.
"You may be required to trace the full route," he says slowly, eyeing the gaoler as if to
say something. "But we do not believe so."

"One of the passengers upon that ship is known to me," she explains. "And I have cast a
divination upon him. I believe that he can be found only a few hours by flight."
Schneider's guess makes her smile and she inclines her head enough to acknowledge the
point. "The Alida carries many prisoners, giant. Your airship is but a scout, however."

Baxter nods and resumes the outline. "The Warspite has been assigned to take the four of
you northeast along the route the Alida followed. If you encounter the Alida, you are to
board the ship, ascertain the condition of the crew and prisoners, and report back to the
watchmen aboard the Warspite. She carries sufficient crew to man a skeleton watch and
pilot the Alida back to port if necessary. Further questions?"

Eligar frowns, "I can appreciate the need for secrecy, but we need all the information that
we can so that we can be ready to go up against anything that might have attacked that
ship. So why don't you tell us what was on that ship and why it's so important. We are
going to find out what happened to it anyway. I'd rather not go in blind."

Schneider laughs mirthfully and says, "I am ready. Let's find this ship full of prisoners!"
To Eligar, he suggests, "It is probably a jailbreak attempt by the allies of one of the
prisoners. Attacking in the city would be too hard. Taking the ship when it is away from a
safe haven would be their best chance."

That explains many things, and proves that the giant's insight is valid. "We will learn
what happened to the ship and the prisoners," she agrees, "but if it was an attack by allies,
they will have an instant army with the prisoners." That leads into a question for the
gaoler. "How many?"

Benthus shifts his gaze from one speaker to the next, listening carefully.

Baxter's 'I told you so' look earns a sigh from Binder Nina. She fastidiously examines the
pleats of her blouse and pretends not to hear.

Baxter nods. "The Alida is a converted ship of the line. She's too armored by half and
underpowered in her cannons, but that makes her an excellent prison ship. This time, the
Alida was bound for Skyhold." A little tension drains from his face, but not from the
ramrod posture of his body. Ulharilti's question makes the watchman wince.

"There are fifty two cells and a large cargo hold for contraband or dangerous items which
are also cached at Skyhold," Nina explains. "You are being hired only to find the ship,
determine the condition of the crew and prisoners, and report back to the Warspite. The
watch and guild will determine what actions need to be taken from there."

A soft boom, a massive thump upon a wooden barrel, heralds the arrival of the Warspite.
Moments later, clomping footsteps come from outside. "Commander," salutes the
watchman upon entering. "Warspite reports as ordered." The watchmen spend a moment
conversing quietly, leaving the adventurers to ask a final question of the gaoler or each
other. The hour is upon them.

Benthus simply says, "Rules of engagement?"

Eligar nods as he listens to the explanation, "And what was the compliment when it left
Skyhold? How many prisoners were being kept on the ship and was there any contraband
or dangerous items being held in it's hold?" He asks and he looks over at the watchman as
he enters, "This could prove the difference between victory and defeat."

Schneider looks a little disappointed at the order to simply find the Alida and report. But
he cheers himself by saying, "There will almost certainly be a fight as we get to the ship.
I am ready to go!" Eligar's question holds him, though, and he pauses to hear the answer
before heading for the Warspite.

"Too many for four to counter," Ulharilti understands the stipulation to scout and report,
"even if they were not full." Not that it would stop her from engaging if needed, but she is
not completely foolish. She seems to have no further questions and moves towards the
Warspite.

Binder Nina squints just a little, narrowing her blue eyes upon Benthus. The water blue
has turned to icy clarity. "There are no prizes of state aboard. If a prisoner is out of their
cell and you cannot reasonably detain it, you may commit yourself to violence as you see
fit. I can quite guarantee it will be self-defense. However, there should be no prisoners
aboard. The ship is returning from Skyhold, not heading toward it." She shoos them
toward the gangplank. Baxter and the other watchmen cease their discussion, salute one
another, and part.

The gangplank, like the spire, is not half so delicate as it would seem from the ground.
The reinforced stone and iron platform must needs support the weight of any cargo as
well as tether the large ships to the spire itself. A storm and lack of anchor could and still
would tear the spires to pieces.

The Warspite is moored to the end of the gangplank. She's a small, spritely craft with
cabins for eight and a brace of cannon on each side that thrum with magical energies so
potent that the slightly audible hum is audible to even the magically deaf. An airman
greets them at the deck and ushers the adventurers aboard.

Schneider laughs and nods at Ulharilti's surmise, and seems more surprised at the
response. "No prisoners? Well," he says with a shrug, "Then we shall simply find out
what we find out," and that said, he heads for the Warspite, giving the airman a casual
salute and standing in the middle of the deck, where he can get the best view of getting
underway.

Eligar nods a little bit, "Thank you for the information." He follows the others out
towards the Warsprite and he looks it over as he moves to find a spot on the deck. He
takes out a length of rope and he will tie it around himself and then tie it tightly to a solid
piece of the ship. He has heard how reliable these airships can be.

Benthus dips his head for the goaler, acknowledging her answer. He waits until the lady
has departed before turning his attention to the ship. He has been in one before and the
experience was... unsettling. Hopefully his second time on the air would not be as
embarassing as the first. He silently greets the airman stationed by the port and proceeds
to settle himself on one of the seats, stowing his gears to the side for quick access.

Ulharilti Wiivai has only travelled upon a sailing vessel to date, but how different can it
be? It just floats through air rather than water. She moves to where she's directed and
stows what needs to be secured, but otherwise keeps her eyes towards the deck rails. The
view is one difference, and a new one.

The watchman accompanying the adventurers aboard turns out to be the captain. He
boards first, the others follow and are settled upon the deck. It's warm in the sunlight,
even at this altitude, but the winds are brisk and the vessel isn't even underway.

"I'm Lieutenant Garth, first mate of the Warspite. You briefly met Captain Mireau. Do
not interfere with the airmen aboard the ship. If you have a question, take it to me. If and
when we find the Alida, you will board her alone and report back when you've completed
your mission." The burly, sunkissed blonde first mate looks at each of them in turn. "You
have your run of the main deck, galley, common room, and the head. We will string
hammocks in the hold if this lasts more than a few hours."

The Warspite throws off her lines and the wood and ironclad hull of the airship begin to
pull away from the tower. It is a significantly smaller airship than the cargo haulers and
long range vessels that ply the airways in slow and stately majesty. The ship comes about
and then the artifice of engine drives the ship onward. Within minutes, the Warspite is
climbing toward a ghastly top speed nearly three times that of the large ships while
airmen look over the sides and with telescopes, trying to make sign in the distance as well
as below them.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can wander about the ship or assist with the search over the
sides, as you see fit. If you would like to assist with the search, please roll perception. If
you're exploring the ship, feel free to just pose it."

GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (9)+11: 20
GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (14)+6: 20
GAME: Benthus rolls perception: (19)+4: 23
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (14)+6: 20

Eligar stays by the sides of the ship and he looks around as best he can see given that he's
wearing fullplate. He looks for the airship that they are suppose to find. He look towards
his companions. "I am Sir Eligar, Knight of Peace by the way."

Schneider seems pleased by the ship's turn of speed, and he'll keep watch for our target,
because just sitting and waiting is boring, and he'd probably get yelled at for flirting with
any of the women sailors given the mate's speech. Holding his hand over his eyes to
shade it from the sun, he'll peer into the distance intently to see what may be seen. At
Eligar's introduction, he smiles, and says, "I am Schneider! Spirit of Fire!"

Benthus stands up once the airship has departed from its moors, and begins to make his
way towards the head of the ship. Being his usual self, he begins to converse with the few
crewmen on board, trying to gain a story or two about their experiences in the air. As he
listens, he also scans the horizon for any peculiar shapes that could possibly be the Alida.
But he trusts that the information provided by the goaler is accurate and the means to
locate the ship would not be a problem.

Ulharilti Wiivai moves to the sides after the ship has cleared the dock and much of the
city. She looks more for the general sights than just for signs of the Adila, but it is dual
purpose. When others introduce themselves, she dips her head to them. "I am Ulharilti
Wiivai, warrior, hunter, and ...spirit-chosen scout of the Celaetril tribe." Her last title rolls
off with some lack of familiarity.

Benthus' racial perks allows him to hear the conversation of his three other comrades. He
politely disengages himself with the crewmen he was conversing with and heads towards
their position. "I am called Benthus. A sunblade." He tersely spoke.

Schneider isn't reprimanded for harassing the female sailors. One slams her fist into his
arm, knuckle extended, with the intent of leaving a painful bruise. The others were better
at excusing themselves. Better behaved adventurers, such as Sir Eligar and Ulharilti
Wilvai find their introductions returned by crewmen, though they quickly go back to
work.

Four hours into the flight, the Warspite streaks below the clouds with such rapidity that
the turbid wake tears apart the clouds floating above. A dagger of pure blue follows them,
slowly sealing up only miles behind them. The Redridge Mountains are below, a broken
spine of red rocks shot through with black and dusted with white at their peaks. Warspite
follows the line of them toward the bleak horizon of the Desolation in the distance.

The crew train brass telescopes and binoculars at the horizon, but it's below them that all
four of the adventurers see a black scar across three snowy peaks. When each of you
traces the scar to its terminus, an airship of significantly different design is wedged over a
crevasse. One peak of each top supports the fore and aft sections of the ship. It appears to
have bounced upon two other mountains before coming to rest in its perilous spot.

Eligar looks and he spots the ship where it crashed. "Hey it's over there." He points it out
and he looks over towards the others to see if they can see it too. He tries to get the
attention of the steerman and the captain of the ship.

Ulharilti Wiivai also notices the fallen airship on the ground, but is not certain it is the
one they seek. Still, it is important to point out. She waves one large arm and calls to
those with telescopes. "Look down! There is a ship below us!"

Benthus nods to Eligar's and Ulharilti's declaration. He peers to the crewmen to see if
they have heard as well, letting them do their job of identifying the ship.

Schneider is frogged in the arm, and despite the tingling sensation that's left going up and
down that arm, he laughs as if it were pretty damned funny. He seems to hold no ill will,
even as he rubs life back into his arm. "I like a woman with fire in her heart," he explains,
though he leaves her alone after that, and keeps his eyes out. "Ah, there it is," he calls out,
"It looks like she hit some some hard times. And also mountains."

The cries of 'Hey, it's over there' and 'Look down' result in the crew doing just that.
"Bring her about!" cries one airman, and the Warspite pulls a slow about face… but the
circling motion doesn't stop. Turning about results in another turn as the ship loses
altitude in the search for clarity. Down and down the Warspite goes, descending several
hundred feet as it circles some vast invisible whirlpool of descent. Non-airmen might be
alarmed by the descent toward the snowy peaks.

"Hold!" cries the first mate. Garth strides onto the deck, still wearing his uniform but he's
augmented it with a heavy cape lined with fur. At his word, the pilot halts their descent
and the engines hold them in a hover that still leaves the ship to be pushed about by the
katabatic winds of higher peaks.

First Mate Garth looks over the side and then comes to the adventurers. "This is as low as
we can go. The winds are bouncing us about as it is already. Are you ready to make your
descent?" The ship is still hundreds of feet below othem!

Eligar holds onto the railing as the ship starts to dip down towards the snowy peaks. He
starts to look around to try to see what might have caused the ship to crash.

Schneider looks down, grimaces. "Feather Fall won't work for this," he explains. "Falling
slow, we'd just get pushed all over. So it's a good thing I don't know that one." He
considers. "If we rappel from ropes, we'll at least be holding on, so you could move this
ship to dangle us over the one below. And then we'd have a way back up, yes?"

Rapid descents are another point unique to air ships. Water vessel only decend slowly,
usually accompanied by everyone suddenly leaving the ship. Ulharilti cluthes the rail
tightly as they spiral downward, and only releases when the First Mate approaches and
speacks to them. "We will take a smaller ship? The man spoke of another ship. Who will
pilot it?"

Eligar looks to the first mate. "It's a long way down. Are we going to go down by ropes?"
He asks as he doubts there is a smaller ship. He nods in agreement, "Indeed it is and I'd
rather not try to time it."

Benthus feels the sudden descent of the ship with which also gives his stomach the
opposite reaction of tossing back up what he had eaten earlier. He grits his teeth as the
familiar feeling of his previous flight has come to visit him again. He feels himself almost
floating off the floor of the ship and instinctively grabs a hold of something to keep him
in place. It takes a few seconds and a great deal of will power on his part before his body
began to adapt to the vertical acceleration. And he was relieved when the captain of the
ship gave the command to hold in place. He was still breathing hard when the ship finally
came to a relatively stable stance, finding it difficult to listen to what the other people are
saying.

"No. No smaller ship," Garth says with a smile that says he's going to love giving this
answer as much as Ulharilti is going to hate hearing it. "You'll be going over the side on
descent lines. We can close to within a hundred yards and we'll lower you down in a
basket."

The airship crew is already dragging out what appears to be a hot air balloon's basket. It
is wicker, reinforced with leather and steel cables. Surprisingly, the ten foot by ten foot
basket seems large enough to take them all at once. It will be tight, but it seems to be able
to do the job. Massive wooden spools with rope wound about their cores are wheeled out
to the deck. Pairs of airmen flip each spool onto its side and pin it to a metal fixture with
a four foot iron gear and rod, then capped and screwed down.

"Here. You'll need these to signal for the basket," Garth explains. He holds out four aerial
flares, one for each of them. "We can't leave it to dangle or it'll be smashed to flinders
upon the mountain side." This is how you earn your pay.

Benthus finally gets his auditory senses to function properly and hears of how the team is
to be deployed below. He blinks and could not help himself from uttering, "Are you
serious?"

Eligar starts to untie himself and he puts the rope away. He moves over towards the
basket and he takes one of the flares, "We will signal you when we can." He looks to
Benthus, "It could be worse." He starts to get into the basket.

Schneider has been enjoying things so far - the trip, the rapid descent, and the idea of
rapelling down. But at the mention of a basket, he seems incredulous. "A basket? What is
this, children's hour?" Though he will join the others in the basket, since they're not being
given a free rope to shimmy down. Probably for the best, given he's wearing a loincloth.
He takes a flare, sticks it into a large pouch on his belt, and climbs into the basket without
a bit of fear.

Ulharilti Wiivai does indeed look like she's very, very unhappy with the answer. Her sour
look touches first the mate, then the basket, then back to the mate. On the other hand, it is
probably less dangerous than umping over the side. "You'd better send the basket down
when we signal." She takes the flare and approaches the basket. She'll get in, but is in no
great rush. The less time she's dangling from a rope in a ...nest, the better.

Benthus peers down below and then at the face of the grinning first mate. His expression
darkens for a moment but he refrains from saying anything. Too many a times has he
been in a situation where logic has been replaced by something insane to get a job done.
He really thinks that Garth is making a very bad joke at their expense, but when he sees
that his other companions are taking the flares and positioning themselves in the basket,
he realizes that this is no joke. He widens his eyes incredulously and shuts them quickly.
Putting his game face on, he snatches one of the flares and heads towards the basket.

Getting in the basket is undoubtedly dangerous, though by far the least enviable job
belongs to the sailor who punched Schneider hours before. She carries one of the ropes
all the way to the fore of the ship and passes it under and then to another runner. She does
the same again with a second rope. . Those are attached to spools on the other side, and
all four lines are joined to the ship.

"There's going to be a slight bump at the beginning, so hold on tight," First Mate Garth
explains. "Two ropes from each side of the ship will keep you stable as you descend but
the basket tilts a little until you're directly under the ship."

They'll wait for everyone to get inside the basket, where there are hand straps, boot straps,
and numerous places to tie off to. "We do this all the time," says one of the sailors. "Don't
worry."

It takes four sailors to push the basket to the edge and just over. The basket's bottom sags
just a little, and then nothing else. The basket doesn't fall. They don't plummet over the
side. Sailors rush away from the edge and man enormous winches. Each turn is slow and
each turn is made perfectly in synchronization with the others due to a complicated
assemblage of gears. The basket starts to descend, tipped by only about five degrees as it
descends beneath the keel of the Warspite. And then it lowers them, yard upon yard
through the cold air toward a crashed airship balanced on the tips of two different peaks.

Eligar holds onto the edge of the basket as they are pushed out into the air. He turns his
attention toward the ground and he narrows his eyes looking to see if there is anything
moving down on the ground or on the ship.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "If anyone would like to make a perception check as you descend,
please roll it."

GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Benthus rolls perception: (16)+4: 20
GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (9)+11: 20

Schneider's love is a curse, it seems. Perhaps things would be different if she hadn't
spurned the sorcerer's affections. He holds onto one of the handholds, the other resting on
the edge of the basket as he leans over, heedless of the rocking as he tries to get a view of
our landing zone. "Definitely need to find a way to command air spirits," he muses as he
observes our slow approach to our destination.

Ulharilti Wiivai claims two handholds and three footholds, if available. Just to be secure.
She can swim fairly well, but she cannot fly. Her discomfort is only visible, at least, as
she keeps her mouth closed while they pitch, tip, and lower. She tries to focus her eyes on
the ground that she is anxious to return to... just not /too/ quickly.

You paged Eligar with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship in a most
worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature is below
freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There appears to be
no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights coming from the
portholes.'

You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship
in a most worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature
is below freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There
appears to be no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights
coming from the portholes.'

You paged Schneider with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship in a
most worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature is
below freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There
appears to be no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights
coming from the portholes.'

You paged Benthus with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship in a
most worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature is
below freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There
appears to be no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights
coming from the portholes.'

Warspite dangles the basket at one hundred and two yards as marked by the hatch marks
upon the great spools of rope. It doesn’t quite come to rest aboard the deck of the
wrecked ship, but it’s no more than a couple feet from the decking. They sway back and
forth ten feet at a swing, but disembarking will most definitely put them aboard the main
deck of the Alida.

In the slanted, late afternoon rays of the sun, the icy wind has painted a faint wet sheen on
the boards of the deck, indicating that it’s likely to be very slippery. From here, there
seems to be nobody aboard the wrecked ship but shadows of the mountains threatening to
bring premature night upon them all.

Schneider will climb over the side of the basket and plant his feet on the deck. When he's
got his footing, he'll try to hold the basket steady for the others to dismount. This is
turning out to be pretty interesting, he's decided. The wind blows back his hair
dramatically.

Eligar looks up, "Hey try to keep it steady up there." He shouts and then looks back
towards the ship. He shifts to try to get someone's elbow out of his ribs, "It doesn't look
very good down there. Not many could survive down there in this kind of weather."

Benthus takes a tight hold over one of the hand straps that is attached to the basket, as his
other hand grabs hold on the hilt of his two-handed sword. He carefully peers over the
edge of the basket and scans for any activity down below. A quick glance is made to
those of his team mate, wondering if any of them will lose their nerve in this delicate
procedure. As he spots that they are all focused on looking below, he stops worrying
about himself and concentrates on the task at hand. As he scrutinizes the integrity of the
ship, he realizes that there appears to be no damage to it. There is no lights coming out of
the port holes either. But most distressing of all is that there are no person on the ship's
deck. He relays all of his findings to the other members of his team, hoping that they
have better luck in finding someone on board the downed ship.

"Why did the ship crash? I don't see any damage... and no light." Ulharilti gratefully exits
the basket when it touches down. A slippery deck is better than a swinging basket. It's
also much less confining and the large sith now has room to move around.

Schneider laughs, "Of course there's no one on deck. They'd freeze in these winds, if they
didn't get blown overboard." Not that he's not on the lookout for someone ambushing us,
but he doesn't seem particularly concerned. It will happen or it won't. "Maybe they landed
to get out and stretch their legs?" he suggests ironically. "We're not going to find out in
the basket."
Benthus keeps looking down below as he makes a quick reply to Sith, "They should have
brought and engineer along as I have no idea what could be wrong with the ship."

The Alida--a pretty name for an ugly ship. The vessel lacks the graceful prow and smooth
lines of a fast packet like the Warspite. She’s boxy, clad in great sheets of iron that angle
slightly toward the keel, and gives the impression of a formerly flying barricade. Wedged
into the stone, it seems that the reason the ship hasn’t collapsed into the yawning mist
covered darkness below them is the over-engineered armor.

The icy foredeck occupies half the length of the ship, with the aftercastle occupying the
other half. The deck seems to be completely empty, devoid of fixture, weapon, or
furniture. Ice is their companion and the sight of the ascending basket leaves only the
gnawing urge to fire the flares and leave.

The deck is wider than the after castle and it goes all the way around, providing a thin
walkway for three of the four sides. It is upon these sides that they find two doors, one on
each side and opposite from the other.

Ulharilti Wiivai does not care for the cold, and the wind only makes it worse. The deck is
empty, anyhow, and provides no information. She moves as briskly as the slippery
surface allows and calls out the obvious door when it is found. Immediately after, she
tries to open it. Answers, windbreak, and possible heat could lie within.

Once the basket land Eligar waits for the others to get out before he does being slower in
full plate. He takes a look around as he starts towards the ship and he tries to ignore the
cold. He looks around, "Anyone see any claw marks and burns?" He looks around for any
holes that might be in the ship.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "You could check for signs with survival (tracking). Go ahead and
roll it."
GAME: Schneider rolls survival: (8)+4: 12
GAME: Eligar rolls survival: (18)+2: 20
GAME: Benthus rolls survival: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls survival: (2)+5: 7

You paged Schneider with 'You fail to find any tracks upon the deck, nor any sign that
anyone but you were upon it since the ice came.'

You paged Eligar with 'There are some faint scratches that are actually below the ice and
have been passed over. It appears that something heavy may have passed along here.
Following the scrapes leads you to a broken steel prong and scratches on a hand hold. If
you had to guess, it was a broken grappling hook. There's a thin ledge below, and then a
gaping maw. Nothing else.'

You paged Benthus with 'It's cold and icy, you don't see how anything could have left a
track that the ice wouldn't have covered.'
Schneider moves slowly to keep his feet. Lucklily, his fur loincloth is heavy enough that
the winds don't whip it up dangerously. When everyone's safely out of the basket, he'll let
go so it can be hauled up. He takes a look around deck, but can't make out anything, so
agrees with Ulharilti, "No sign of anyone. Seems reasonable if the wind blew away all
signs, though. Or maybe they left to find better shelter?" He'll make his way towards
Ulharilti's door.

You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'The ice seems to be too hard to leave good track. You
can't find anything.'

Benthus is too cold to actually be concerned about any clues as to the ships present
condition. All that he is interested in is to get inside the ship and out of the cold biting
wind. "I hope we can burn something inside the ship as I don't feel my fingers anymore.
Eligar pauses as he sees smething below the ice that has just recently formed over. He
follows the scrap and he reaches to pull out a broken steel prong, "Over here. It looks like
some sort of grappling hook. I bet that whatever happened this ship didn't go down by
some accident."
Benthus looks at the grappling hook and the first thing that comes out of his mouth is:
"Pirates?"

From afar, Ulharilti Wiivai nods. "Is the door able to open, if so, =what is inside?
You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'The handle swings but it doesn't just pull open. Give me
a strength check to see if you can break free whatever is holding it shut.'

Schneider pauses as the grappling hook is found, and he nods at Benthus's guess. "It
seems so!" he agrees. But he's not sure where that gets us. "But are they still here? Or did
they take things and go? Did they leave a prize crew?" These questions have no answer
right this instant, so with a gesure pointing to the side door, he calls out, "Spirits! Heed
my command, open this door, and let us see what it leads us to!"

GAME: Schneider casts Open-Close.
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls strength: (4)+3: 7

The spirits may not be listening. Ulharilti's tug and Schneider's call to the spirits do little
more than swing the handle, which moves easily, but the door doesn't open.

Eligar nods, "Could be." He looks towards the others waits for the others, "It might be
locked."

Ulharilti Wiivai's tug might have been more effective, had the ice not made her footing
trecherous. In this case, the door moves her more than the other way around, as she slides,
slips, and growls. Magic has no better result and she growls. "We could just break it
down."

Benthus draws his greatsword out of its sheath and holds it in his two hands, the thought
of a possible hostile confrontation making him overtly cautious. At least the sudden surge
of adrenaline can combat the painful cold he is feeling at the moment. If the door is
locked, lets try the windows."

Schneider hrmphs at the door not opening. "Locked, then," he assumes, nodding to Eligar,
and he'll go right up to it, wind blowing though his hair and loincloth. He'll put his
shoulder to it to see if that does any better.

Eligar hmms, "Anyone here know anything about locks?" He asks as he doubts there is a
window, this is a prison ship after all. "Anyone bring an axe?"

There are indeed a few windows. Multiple panes of thick glass curve across the front of
the aftercastle and show the bridge within. The view is distorted by frost, but the consoles
are unmistakable. The only other windows are the portholes on the hatch, and they're just
as covered in the thin layer of ice as the rest of the door.

Glass is much more fragile than wood or armor.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "The door is frosted over, much like a car door after freezing rain.
A good tug (strength check) or some fire should loosen it up."

<OOC> Benthus says, "Fire it up! *readies his hand for the heat*"

Glass is much more fragile than wood or armor. "The window, if we can't open the door."
Ulharilti move to the front of the bridge and unstraps her glaive from her back. She
doesn't strike just yet, in case the others do manage to unstick the door.

GAME: Schneider rolls strength: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Benthus rolls strength: (15)+3: 18
<OOC> Ishmael says, "18 is sufficient, the ice cracks around the door and drops free in a
sheet when the door opens up."

Schneider can't seem to get his footing on the icy deck, and his strentgh is useless without
some way to use it. Feet sliding across the deck, he finally gives up and steps away from
the door to let someone else have a try.

Eligar takes out his sword and he holds his shield ready. He waits as the others try to
open the door as he stands ready to be the first one in.

Benthus thinks it over and says to the Sith, "Let us exhaust our options on the door first.
The goaler may not be happy with us if he unnecessarily damage the ship." He thought
his words over and then adds, "... Any further." He draws close to the door and thought of
how people use to tap the lid of a stuck jar to open it. He thumps the butt of his
greatsword against the door a few times and then twists the latch. No effect. Frustrated
and cold, he finally submits to his baser instincts and kicks the door. Lo and behold, the
door groans open. "Oops."

GAME: Schneider casts False Life.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d10+4: (5)+4: 9

While the others worry about the door, Schneider decides to prepare for the fight ahead.
Well, the one he thinks is ahead. "Spirits of blood!" he commands, "Hear my call, fill me
with life and power!" His whole body seems to surge unnaturally for a moment, and then
all seems normal.

Ulharilti Wiivai does not care how the door was opened, only that it was. She stows her
glaive once more and moves to hoin the others at the door.

The door opens, carrying a rush of warm air with it. This isn't the gust of a hearth upon a
cool night, but at least some heat was retained within the airship. However, it is
completely dark inside. Not one light, perhaps magical and perhaps alchemical, offers
illumination within the ship. What little can be seen is a narrow corridor just wide enough
for single file travel. Where it intersects with a larger passage, all is lost to darkness.

Ulharilti Wiivai will continue to push forward into the opening. Her eyes require no light
for short distances, but her body requires warmth. Even the tight quarters are not enough
to dissuade her. "If any are left, we must find them."

Schneider isn't worried about the air temperature, but the darkness is worrisome. A lot of
getting lost and getting ambushed will happen, he suspects, so he draws his greatsword
and chants for the power of the elements once again, "Spirits of fire, let your light
illuminate our way!" And so saying, a flame seems to glow around his greatsword blade.
No heat, if anyone's close enough to sense such things, but it's as bright as torchlight.
He'll let the fighty types go first, then follow up, letting his light flow into the corridor.

GAME: Schneider casts Light.

Eligar nods a little bit as he heads in, "Here let me go first. Anyone have some light?" He
asks as he starts down the steps, as his vision will extend the light coming down the open
door, but not too much. He nods, "Thanks."

The heatless light cast upon the blade of the greatsword offers illuminations and strangely
shifting shadows as Ulharilti moves in front of Schneider and her silhouette is imposed
upon the far wall. The walls are made of metal, and the chill of outdoors seems to be
conducted through the walls and floor... but it's still warm enough that there's no longer a
need to shiver and a blush of warmth can return once more to the skin.

The corridor continues ahead to what looks like a central passage way. To the right,
there's another corridor with four doors along one wall. To the left, there are two doors--
the first is ornate and the second is not. A little exploration will reveal this pattern is
duplicated on the other side of the ship as well, but they'll have to go down the main
corridor to explore the aft section of the Alida.

Ulharilti Wiivai favors a systematic approach. "We should check each door." The
simplest answer is to open them in the order they find them. Eventually, there will be no
knob left unturned. Eligar took he lead, but she has no issue remaining near the front.
Eligar nods a little bit as starts to check the doors, 'Sounds good to me. Let's see if we can
figure out what happened." He will slowly make his way down the hallway checking
each door.

Schneider allows the others to lead while following closely behind. Since it's single file,
he doesn't expect he'll be getting into hack at people, but he remains alert all the same.
The warmth flushes his skin as well, though he hadn't lost as much color as most, his kin
hardy against the extremes of cold. He offers a shrug to the order in which doors are
opened. This is as good a plan as anything, and he will simply nod along and watch to see
what happens.

Benthus refrains from entering the passageway too quickly, fearful that if an attack be
made with all of them bunched up together near the door, the mission would be over
before it could really begin. As lead member continues further inside without signaling an
alarm, he concentrates on taking slow and careful steps inside the ship's innards. The
sudden halt of the cold wind provided by the cover was almost too pleasurable to hold.
He sighs slowly as he shakes off some of the frost that has clung to his cloak and other
exposed parts. He pumps his grip on his sword to increase circulation in that area, feeling
the pin-prick sensation signaling the return of nerve function. He grimaces a little at the
discomfort but pain was a good sign. Shifting his attention back to their mission, he keeps
a look out behind him and ponders the wisdom of closing the door or leaving it open.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right, you can search the bridge, the fancy door on the port
(where you entered) or starbard, the plain door on the port or starboard, the row of doors,
port or starbard, or the aft. Then we can talk about what you want to do to search them."
<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai says, "The ornate door to plain doors in order sounds good to
me."
<OOC> Schneider says, "I'm good whichever way we go."
<OOC> Eligar says, "Sounds good to me too"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Ornate to plain it is. Are you taking any precautions or just
sticking your heads in to look around? Nobody is a rogue so I expect the former."
<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai says, "The former."
<OOC> Eligar says, "Not many precautions to be taken without a rouge"

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Perception checks please, then I'll pose what are in the rooms"
GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (2)+6: 8
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (10)+6: 16
GAME: Benthus rolls perception: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (17)+11: 28

Searching the first room they come across, the ornate door opens easily upon its hinges to
reveal a relatively posh cabin. Surely this isn't how an ordinary airman travels. An actual
bed with actual sheets is bolted to the floor. A pillow sits askew against the forward
bulkhead, thrown there when the ship came to an abrupt stop no doubt. There is also a
small desk built into the wall. Its chair is tipped over and ink has dried upon the surface
courtesy of the spilled inkwell.

Those with a keen eye will spot a leather bound ledger wedged against the wall.

The second room holds little behind its plain door except for swabs, buckets, and other
toiletries. A cleaning and linen closet.
Eligar moves in and he starts to look around. He spots the ledger and he moves over to
open it up and to start reading it. "Hopefully this will shed some light on what happened."

Schneider holds his light up so everyone can see by it, but his first thought, on seeing the
posh cabin, is, "Alexandria treats its prisoners very well!" And he heads on over to try out
the bed. It's good to be king! Or something.

Ulharilti Wiivai's glance into the rooms are fairly simple and focused: enemies, prisoners,
and crewmen, in that order. Seeing none of the three in either room, her attention moves
elsewhere.

You paged Eligar with 'Unless you have profession: airman, the ledger is mostly a list of
coordinates, supplies loaded and unloaded, and basic navigational info. There are the
occasional entries in the captain's log, however. A few were promoted. Someone received
a disciplinary hearing. The most relevant seems to be that they were asked to return a
package to the Gaoler's Guild due to it being a worthless item, not contraband or a
prisoner. Other than that, everything looks normal. There's nothing at all on the crash, so
it must have happened suddenly.'

Benthus ponders. A bed? In a prison ship? That doesn't sound right.

Eligar flips through the ledger, "There isn't much here except that they were returning
some sort of package, it is supposed to be worthless, but obviously it wasn't." He will
take the ledger with them to return. He hmms, "This is probably the captain's quarters."

Schneider gets bored reclining on the captain's bed after a while and sits up. "So, they
were returning something, and someone came to steal it?" he asks. "Does it say what it
was they were carrying? Or even how large it might have been?"

That sounds like an important fact. Ulharilti stops short of opening another door and
looks to Eligar. "Is it written where the package was kept? The ship had some important
task, and the gaoler claimed that it carried no prisoners, so it must be something else."
This could be the secret.

Eligar shakes his head, "It's not, but it'd most likely be in the cargo hold. I would suggest
that we go there next." He starts to move after the others holding onto his sword and
shield.

Benthus asks, "Does anyone see any signs of struggle? I mean a ship this big would have
a reasonable amount of crew to operate. Considering that it is also a prison ship, the crew
should be experienced enough to repel boarders."

Schneider shrugs, nods about checking the cargo hold. "Sounds as likely as anything.
Though I expect we'll find it missing." He gets up off the posh bed and heads off towards
the way down. He shakes his head about signs of a struggle. "Maybe the crew sold out
and ditched the ship here?"

In the strange nautical tradition of the wet navy, the stairs that lead down to the middle
deck are called ladders. The ladders flank the central passageway that connects the bridge
with the aft sections of the unexplored upper deck. A quick peek into the rows of doors
reveals crew cabins. Each of these have a chest, a small writing desk, and a fold down
bunk that stays against the wall. The chests are bolted to the framework and made of iron,
so without a key there's no reason to spend time upon them. Bridge, aft, or down become
the options. The cargo hold is almost certainly down.

Ulharilti Wiivai keeps her weapon stowed for now. The narrow confines make it less than
useful, and it would probably be more in the way in hand than it is strapped to her back.
"Where is the hold?" She knows nothing of airships, and this is only the second she has
set foot on.

Benthus ponders again, "Didn't the goaler divined the location of someone? And that
someone would be in the ship? Where is that someone?"

Eligar hmms, "Or perhaps they were taken prisoner by whoever boarded the ship via the
grappling hook that we found." He nods, "Yes she did, but she didn't say where in the air
ship, just that she found him."

Schneider hrms at what Benthus points out, though he says, "She only said that the
person was along the path of flight, not that they were in a specific place, yes? And of
course that was when she did the divination, time has passed since then." He nods to
Eligar, and says, "We'll check the hold, just in case, though. And so we can tell the folks
up above we checked everything."

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Who is leading the way?"
<OOC> Benthus says, "Eligar?"
<OOC> Eligar says, "Sure"

Footsteps reverberate as the party of adventurers descend the ladder to the middle deck,
leaving open doors and darkness in their wake. The middle deck is as large as the upper,
and laid out in much the same way. The main corridor proceeds fore and aft. This
corridor is the same large, wide corridor as before; perfect for wheeling cargo about.

It seems that pathway leads to the prison, a pair of metal doors with a locking bar closed
from the outside. Their side. To the starbard is a loading door and portable gangplank,
probably how they loaded prisoner and cargo. That makes the aft the most likely place for
the cargo hold to be. The ladders do descend one more level, but what could possibly be
down there?

Schneider follows along, heavy footfalls clumping on the deck as he illuminates the way
with his flaming greatsword. Luckily, the flame is illusory and doesn't burn the place
down around our ears. He peers at the prisoner area, but it's locked from this side, so
should be safe enough to leave at our backs, though he suggests, "We should check that
out before we go back to the ship."

The locked door to the prison area is some reassurance. Ulharilti looks to the others,
"Down?" If the hold isn't here, and is usually down, going down seems the logical choice.

Eligar nods, "That sounds good." He moves towards the aft and he pauses to listen to see
if there is anything behind the door before he starts to go to open the door.

Benthus sticks to the back of the group to make sure their rear is covered.

[RPThree] Ulharilti Wiivai says, "Which door are you opening?"
[RPThree] Eligar says, "Aft"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "The prison is fore, the cargo hold is aft, and down leads to the
belowdecks."

A pair of sturdy wooden doors should demark the spot where the wide corridor turns in to
the much larger cargo hold. One of those two doors is ajar ever so slightly. The ship
groans then, protesting its rough treatment with an unearthly cry of settling metal and
scrape of metal against stone. It lasts all of a heartbeat, and after that, a heartbeat may be
a much smaller length of time.

Within the cargo hold are boxes and boxes pressed against the walls. Each is stenciled
with a logo and small printed codes. What catches the eye, however, is a green chest
chained to the deck in the middle of the room. The chains do not cross the top, but rather
latch through eyelets on the side that prevent the box from shifting about during transport.

A green chest. Chained to the middle of the floor. That is not conspicuous at all. Ulharilti
is no expert air sailor, but it seems significant. "That looks like it is not worthless." She
approaches the chest, studying it as she nears. She won't know if it is significant until she
opens it.

Benthus says, "I'd rather not open it If I were you."

Schneider follows into the cargo hold, and holds his flaming sword up to provide light.
"That," he points to the chained trunk, "looks like something of interest." He points out,
"We weren't supposed to open it, just find it and let the people above know, right?" But
now he's hugely curious.

Eligar hmms as he looks around the room, "Well that doesn't make sense that they would
just leave the chest here. I say we keep looking. We haven't found any bodies or any real
sighs of a struggle. Something strange is going on here."

"Unless they already took what was inside," Ulharilti offers. "Do we leave any here to
guard it, or take it with us?" She isn't disagreeing, just doesn't like the idea of just leaving
it.

Benthus nods his head, sharing the same sentiment as Eligar.Now he is beginning to
understand why he was recruited for the job.
Schneider agrees with Eligar, "I'm not saying to stop looking. I just want a peek inside.
It's got to be interesting, if there's this much secrecy around it, right?" He hrms, "You're
right," he saus to Ulharilti, "it could be empty inside." He sighs at Benthus and Eligar, but
nods, "Let's make sure the place is empty, report on it, and get paid. It's kind of boring,
now. Where's the bandits and such?"

Ulharilti Wiivai now paces and looks around the vicinity of the chest as she waits for an
answer or others to decide. Maybe she can find some clue as to whether others did come
here, or if there was a battle, or ... something, anything. It is very strange, indeed.

Eligar looks to Schneider, "Don't open it, just leave it alone until we can figure out what
happened. For all we know maybe there is some trap that killed everyone for opening the
chest." He starts to look around.

<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai tries to look for signs of tracks, blood, monster spoor...
something.
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Survival checks to look for tracks or signs of battle in this area, or
you can head back to one of the other areas you haven't been yet."
GAME: Eligar rolls survival: (10)+2: 12
GAME: Schneider rolls survival: (15)+4: 19
GAME: Benthus rolls survival: (7)+2: 9
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls survival: (9)+5: 14
<OOC> Schneider says, "Actually, let me drop Detect Magic as well."
GAME: Schneider casts Detect Magic.

Schneider hrms at what Eligar says, and takes a step back. "Right," he agrees. He'll check
around the area for tracks, or signs of habitation, or anyone alive. After seeing what may
be seen with his woodcraft, he gives a flourish and calls out, "Spirits of magic. Speak to
me, tell me what you see!" And then proceeds to interrogate the spirits, to see if there is
anything supernatural going on.

You paged Eligar with 'You find some blood against some of the cargo boxes on the wall.
Also, the light in the room seems to be growing more and more dim.'

You paged Schneider with 'You pick up a fair amount of magic within sixty feet. The
majority seem to be artifice connected to the ship; dead or dimly functioning magical
enchantments that allow the ship to fly. The longer you concentrate, the more you come
to realize two things: the contents of the green chest are not magical, as there is no
magical aura, and two, there seems to be an enchantment surrounding this entire room.
Additionally, as you are looking around, you notice that there are faint piles of black sand
at the corners of the green chest. It's pooled against the walls, like it was poured there
after the box was put in place.'

You paged Benthus with 'There are a LOT of other boxes here. Yep. Lots.'

You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'You notice the lights seem to be getting more and more
dim here. That is odd on its own... but even your darkvision isn't reaching as far as it
should. It's like the darkness is closing around.'

Eligar hmms as he starts to look around the room. He stops, "I've got some blood over
here." He sees the cargo boxes and he goes to open one up.
Ulharilti Wiivai finds nothing obvious, though the dim light does not help. She glances
into the edge of the light, pauses, then looks again. Her steps then freeze. "The shadows
are deeper than they should be... Schneider, did you see any magic?" She is immediately
suspicious of the cause, but she is also somewhat biased.

Benthus just grips his sword tighter, getting more tense.

Schneider's concentration lingers on the chest for several long moments, that draw out as
he tries to focus on that and ignore the surroundings. "Ship things," he says quietly to
Ulharilti. "Nothing on the box," he says, "nothing in the box that's magical, it seems... but
the whole room has an enchantment on it," he narrates as he goes, though after a minute,
he wonders, "What's that?" as he points out faint piles of black sand at the corners of the
green chest. "Some kind of cement, to hold the box in place?" And then he urges, "Don't
touch anything, I think, it's ... it's all magical, the whole room, but I have no idea what or
how."

<DM> Shadow Demon uses Deeper Darkness to dispell Light upon Schneider's sword.
You paged Schneider with 'You sense a brief flare of magic near you!'

The light spell cast upon the sword is snuffed out!

"I do not like this," Ulharilti understands that magic powers the ship, and their could be
more for securing the prison. But here in the cargo hold? She moves forward, trying to
tell if the deep shadows recede or... and then there is nothing but shadow when the light is
extinguished.

Benthus says, "Great! Now what?"

GAME: Schneider casts Light.

Eligar stops and he hunkers down into a very defensive stance. "Schneider did you light
spell just go out?"

Schneider laughs as the light goes out, but he has no fear. In fact, he doesn't understand a
lot of complicated concepts. But if someone can put the light out, he'll simply make more
light. Chanting sonorously, he calls, "Spirits of fire, fight back, and reclaim your honor!"
But nothing happens. "No," he says to Eligar. "We're under attack." He chants again, and
the doorhandle suddenly flickers with illusory torchlight.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "And with those words, you most certainly are. Initiatives, please!"
GAME: Schneider rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls initiative: Roll: 5 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 7
GAME: You roll initiative for Shadows: Roll: 18 + Bonus: +8 = Total: 26
GAME: Benthus rolls initiative: (16)+initiative: 16
GAME: Eligar rolls initiative: Roll: 6 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 7
GAME: Benthus's initiative total changed to '16'.
== Current Initiative Order - Turn 1 ===
----------------------------------------
26 Shadows
----------------------------------------
17 Schneider
----------------------------------------
16 Benthus
----------------------------------------
7 Ulharilti
----------------------------------------
7 Eligar
----------------------------------------
========================================

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right, will saves everyone!"
GAME: Schneider rolls will: (6)+4: 10
GAME: Eligar rolls will: (13)+3: 16
GAME: Benthus rolls will: (7)+9: 16
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls will: (4)+3: 7

GAME: Ishmael rolls 7d6: (24): 24

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right, reflex saves for half. You get a double dose of the
saves."
GAME: Schneider rolls reflex: (13)+4: 17
GAME: Benthus rolls reflex: (16)+7: 23
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls reflex: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Eligar rolls reflex: (6)+2: 8

GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for 12 points. 14 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Ulharilti Wiivai for 24 points. 6 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 5 points. 35 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Eligar for 24 points. 13 remaining.

Crouching at the far end of the room, in the deepest part of the gloom and darkness, is a
shadow demon. It grins malevolently, lit only by the orange of firelight that barely seems
to spread in its presence. With a twist of its clawed hand, it tosses the fireball into the
midst of the adventurers!

GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+10: (19)+10: 29
<OOC> Schneider guesses that's a threat, should roll to confirm?
You paged Schneider with 'What kind of weapon and does it have enchants?'
Schneider pages: +1 greatsword.
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Please."
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+10: (4)+10: 14

<OOC> Ishmael says, "A hit, but not a critical hit."
GAME: Schneider rolls 2d6+10: (5)+10: 15

Schneider gasps as the little critter appears, and then there's fire, fire all around us. With
Schneider in the middle of it, laughing! He doesn't seem bothered by it much at all, and
screaming an incoherent, raging defiance, he charges the little critter and swings wildly at
it, his blade coming within a hair of a wicked cut. As it is, the wound it leaves seems less
than it ought to, but Schneider is past caring now.

<OOC> Benthus will invoke the wrath of Daeus upon this demon's head for smitysmite
effect. bypass d/r. swift cast LoH. Charge!
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Ok. Roll Lay on Hands."
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (3): 3
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -3 points. 17 remaining.
<OOC> Benthus says, "oh power attack on the charge, too."
You paged Benthus with 'What kind of weapon do you have and does it have any
enchantments?'
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+12: (2)+12: 14

Benthus dodges a ball of fire that detonates in the groups midst, singeing him slightly. He
then identifies the threat and sneers in anger. He utters' heal' to himself recovering some
health. Calling on the wrath of his god on the demon, he charges... and misses miserably.

<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai will close to within 10 ft, draw her glaive along the way, swift
to activate Arcane Strike, Power Attack, and swing at it.
<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai inserts Rage in there, too.
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls melee+3: (3)+5+3: 11

Ulharilti Wiivai doesn't realize the ball of fire is there until it scorches her scales badly.
Aside from burnt flesh, the other visibile effect is she becomes extremely annoyed.
Roaring to let it know she is still alive, she moves towards it, pulling her weapon free on
the way. The blade flashes momentarily with a touch of arcane power as she brings it
down in a reckless overhead swing... that punishes the floor.

<OOC> Eligar says, "I'll charge the demon."
<OOC> Eligar says, "And I'll throw down a challenge down on it, am I flanking
anyone?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You're not flanking. The thing is sitting on boxes at the end of the
room. There's no way for you to land on its side and still attack due to the nature of
charge."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can flank if someone takes a 5 foot step next turn."

GAME: Eligar rolls 1d20+10: (18)+10: 28
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d8+7: (3)+7: 10

Eligar stands firm as he takes the full blast of the fireball. His magical armor is steaming
as he sets himself to ready himself for a charge. "Come and face me demon!" He runs
forward to get right in it's face. He slices at it, but the damage seems to heal right up.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "The demon claws at Schneider. Schneider, what's your touch
AC?"
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+11: (5)+11: 16
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+11: (18)+11: 29
<OOC> Schneider says, "13."

GAME: Ishmael rolls 2d6: (5): 5
GAME: Ishmael rolls 2d6: (7): 7
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 2 points. 33 remaining.
<OOC> Ishmael says, "That's 12 minus your 10 temporary, but i'm going to hurt you for
10 when you come out of rage."

The shadow demon snarls and hisses at the damage, slashing angrily at the giantborn and
opening new cuts and scratches in his hide.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can move around the side to flank. Imagine it as a T, where
the top of the T are boxes across the back and the downstroke is a box it is sitting upon"

GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+12: (1)+12: 13

Schneider is, in fact, not as great a warrior as he aspires to be. He avoids the worst of the
injury from the little demon's claws by magic, guile, and sheer bloody-mindedness, but
the magic he'd casto on himself, when slashed by the demon, had erupted in a torrent of
blood, and he slips on some of the boody deck and winds up planting his blade in a crate
nowhere close to the damned thing.

<OOC> Benthus flanks with somebody, Loh on me, and continue the power attack. +1
from Eligar for real?
<OOC> Ishmael says, "It's real. Roll LoH."
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (2): 2
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -2 points. 19 remaining.

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+13: (20)+13: 33
<OOC> Benthus says, "is it critable?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Yep. Roll again to see if you crit."
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+13: (9)+13: 22
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Critical hit."

GAME: Benthus rolls 4d6+20: (17)+20: 37

Benthus blade is coated by with light and he raises his sword for an overhead swing.
With all his anger for the evil monster mustered in one stroke, he delivers a punishing
blow that would have obliterated a lesser creature.

GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls melee+3-1: (17)+5+3+-1: 24
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls 1d10+11: (2)+11: 13

Ulharilti Wiivai is in pain, though she doesn't feel it so strongly at the moment. She
demands some retribution and lifts her large weapon again. This time, it strike when it
drops, but the demon's damnable hide causes the blade to skitter along more than bite in.
Her fury isn't necessarily righteous, but it is still fury.

<OOC> Eligar says, "Aiding Benthus"
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d20+7: (15)+7: 22
<OOC> Eligar says, "He gets +3 to his next attack roll"

Eligar has gone up before against monsters who are invulnerable to mundane weapons.
He instead tries to distract the beast so that Benthus can have an easier time of hitting it.

The chimpanzee sized demon shrieks its rage as a blistering telepathic wail of pure rage...
and then its intangible form darts down into the boxes, out of sight.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "No AoO. It has total cover even with the 5 foot step."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "The lights are not back on. Light has a duration, as does darkness
it seems."

Eligar frowns as he sees the demon suddenly runaway. He continues to look around,
"Schneider can you please bring the lights up."

<OOC> Benthus says, "On his turn, Benthus will try to detect evil in the room."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Schneider, it's your turn. Benthus is going to concentrate a bit on
his detect evil, but it's your initiative."

Benthus draws his blade close to his chest with the crossguard close to the level of his
eyes. "Grant me sight, my liege!" His eyes flare bright wihte, like incandescent lamps, as
he scans the room for the demon.

GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (14)+6: 20
You paged Schneider with 'You dig and dig, but you can't find anything. It's too dark. All
the light is coming from the door on the other end of the room.'

Schneider is incoherent in rage or he'd probably do something magical as the creature
vanishes. As it is, he's half-blind with rage and he's intent on killing it, the dimness of the
light from across the room not stopping him. He reaches up and hurls the first and highest
box down, and then reaches for the next one. Muscles flex across his shoulders and back,
and crash, that box is thrown down as well. "Come out, damn you!" he shouts.

GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (19)+11: 30
You paged Eligar with 'You find no trace of the shadow demon, and though all the light
comes from the far end of the room, you feel certain you'd have found the beast if it was
here. It seems to have fled.'
Eligar hmms as he starts to look around and he shakes his head, "It seems to have fled,
the Sunblade has driven it off. It might have killed the crew I did find some blood over
there."

GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (9)+6: 15
You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'You can't find a trace of the shadow demon, but it's so
dark... all the light comes from the illuminated door knobs on the far end of the room.'

A giant-born after her own heart! Ulharilti also starts tossing boxes that Schneider has not
yet reached. "Come out! Coward!" She does not abide cowardice, especially from
annoying things that harm her then run.

As the boxes are tossed about, some break and spill hay onto the floor. Others clank
within their confines as metal or glass bumps together. The provisions don't provide
much challenge to the enraged.

<OOC> Benthus says, "Wait... I am a paladin. I'll scour every nook and cranny with my
detect evidence. ability until I find it. The sould"

You paged Benthus with 'Your detect evil eventually gives you a much better fix. The
area is foul with a strong aura of evil, as is the case for evil outsiders... however, the locus
of it isn't within range. This is just the stink of it dwelling here in the hold.'

Benthus blinks and the flare in his eyes vanish. "It is no longer in this room. We must
hunt it before it can fully recover."
Schneider growls defiance in one last savage hurl of boxes, and then snaps out of his rage,
panting exhaustedly as he tries to get his bearings back. "What's going on?!" he demands.
"Did we drive it off? Did we injure it?" His injuries seem much worse when the fury isn't
filling him. Not that he's more bloody, but he's less blind to the pain. He growls and spits
blood, then renews his sorcerous defense. "Blood spirits, blood magic, serve me!" Much
of the blood around him and on him seems to seep into his body, which ripples for a
moment, and is still.

GAME: Schneider casts False Life.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d10+4: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 10 points. 23 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for -6 points. 29 remaining.
You paged Schneider with 'The 10 was from the claw attacks you basically shrugged off.
When you dropped, the damage caught up to you. You're still pretty healthy!'

Ulharilti Wiivai vents some of her ire with the tossing of provisions. Some of her energy
vents with the end of her ire, leaving her winded, but she still has some saved for the
creature. "We need to find it," she growls, "quickly. Before it can escape or ambush use
again." Now that she's a bit more level-headed, the glowing door handles are of interest...
even if just because they're connected to the doors and they need to leave the room.

Eligar nods, "We could, but we are trying to find the crew. We have no evidence of what
is left of them." He continues to look around, "I doubt they are in here."

Schneider nods to the others, "We will kill it," he agrees, and a moment later, a box is
aflame with magical light. No actual fire, but a flaming glow like torchlight, mixing with
the magical light from the door. "Lighting everything," he says fiercely. "More fire!"

GAME: Schneider casts Light.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Okay, guys. You have a mess of crates on the floor (one of which
is quite brightly lit), a mysterious green chest, a missing crew, and a missing demon.
There's still the prison to explore and below decks as well. What will you do next?"
<OOC> Schneider whatever we do, I'm putting Light every 5 feet or so. Not going to let
him put us in the dark again.

Ulharilti Wiivai's first test is whether the glowing handles glow for any reason other than
light, and whether the doors still work as normal. All of this is checked by opening the
door. "Where do we look next? It could hide in the prison or below?" Whichever way
they choose, she is eager to go find the creature.

<OOC> Eligar says, "I'm gonna pop a CLW pot"
GAME: Eligar used a .
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8

GAME: Ishmael damaged Eligar for -8 points. 21 remaining.

Eligar takes a drink of his cure light wound potion as he considers it, "If it went down
then we should go down after it before it heals up too much."

Benthus says, "Does anybody know how many times that creature can do its escape
trick?"

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Religion and Planes will work in this case"
<OOC> Schneider says, "My planes isn't done right. It's a class skill, because I'm an
elemental sorcerer, but my skill doesn't reflect that, so I'l roll at +3."
GAME: Schneider rolls knowledge/the planes+3: (11)+1+3: 15

You paged Schneider with 'It occurs that a great many outsiders are composed of their
natural elements. A fire elemental is actually fire. If this is a shadow demon, its
intangibility is a permanent part of it. Short of having a +1 ship, it probably can go in and
out whenever it wants. The exception is probably the hull, since it's magically warded. It
may be trapped in here.'

Schneider is panting, breathless, but finally summons up the energy to move from the
spot. He clutches his sword and kicks a crate, then moves to the next one in light, and
fwoom, more magical firelight. It's almost getting cheery in here. "It left down," he says.
"So let's look down? Maybe it's gone? Maybe it's attacking the ship that brought us here
even now? Doing to them what it must have done here?" He shrugs at Benthus's question,
shakes his head. "If it is a thing of shadow, then it can do that as much as it pleases. But
the hull remains magical, so it can't pass that. It might be trapped inside." He nods to
Eligar, "Right, yes, let us find it. And we will see who does fire better."

Ulharilti Wiivai nods. "Down," and then she exits the room. She has a direction, and has
now been aimed. Just wait until she gets her claws on that thing.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Who goes down the stairs to the lower deck first?"
<OOC> Eligar says, "I will"

Benthus does his ritual for detecting evil and hurries towards the passage that leads down.

The Alida groans again as the adventurers leave the charred and broken ruins of the cargo
hold. Once more the mighty ironclad airship holds its piece with only a second of metal
scraping against the dark stone of the mountain.

When they return to the main corridor, there's sufficient light to see that the doors to the
prison remain barred from the outside, just as they had been before. The ladders from the
upper deck continue to the lower with only the landing between them for egress to the
middle deck. Eligar leads the way into the bowels of the ship. There is no great feat of
perception needed to smell the scent of gunpowder and old, burned chemicals--the entire
lower deck is full of the noxious fumes. This time, there is no main corridor. There is
only a passage that runs from port to starbard, each side with a rounded combing and an
open hatch.

Schneider follows down, placing a glowing fire everywhere he touches. It begins to look
like the ship is on fire, though there is no heat with Schneider's magical light. Sniffing at
the gunpowder smell, he observes, "This could get very bad. I think perhaps we've found
what we needed to. But then again, I think if we told them this thing wasn't dead, they'd
just tell us to come back and kill it. So, let's save a step and do it now."

Eligar looks around as they get down into the bowels of the ship. He whews softly, "I'm
glad that we don't have torches...it might set off something." He nods a little bit as he
looks around.

<OOC> Benthus will continue to detect evil until we find this fiend.

"It should die," Ulharilti agrees, moving down to and along the corridor. She cannot
detect it through divine means, so relies on her mundane senses.

You paged Benthus with 'To port and to aft. That's where the strongest eminations of evil
are coming from.'

Benthus continues to scan the passageways with his divine vision as he challenges the
fiend, "Come out you monster!"

Eligar draws his sword again, "Where is it?" He looks around trying to pick it out even
though he knows his blade will be ineffective against it.
Benthus has detected the monster or some thing else evil and exhorts his companions to
follow him. "This way!" He leads them to the back of the ship.

Schneider says nothing as he walks along, but flickering magical light springs up in more
and more places. No single darkness will now plunge us all into blindness. When Benthus
urges them on after him, though, he'll keep up as he leads us.

Ulharilti Wiivai is reinvigorated by Benthus' news and follows imediately behind him.
"Where?" She looks ahead, hoping to spot the creature.

The stink of evil and magical auras grow stronger upon the port side of the ship and
toward the aft. Once in the corridor it turns out to be nothing more than a wide, straight
corridor that ends in deep, abiding shadows and the shattered ruin of a massive artifice
engine. It would have been one of these that helped to keep the ship aloft.

Twisted shards of metal snarl around each other, barely visible as the shadows around the
thing eat the flickering flames that Schneider can call up.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "And once more with initiative!"
GAME: You roll initiative for Shadow_Demon: Roll: 19 + Bonus: +8 = Total: 27
GAME: Benthus rolls initiative: Roll: 1 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 3
GAME: Schneider rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
GAME: Eligar rolls initiative: Roll: 9 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 10
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls initiative: Roll: 18 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 20

== Current Initiative Order - Turn 1 ===
----------------------------------------
27 Shadow_Demon
----------------------------------------
20 Ulharilti
----------------------------------------
17 Schneider
----------------------------------------
10 Eligar
----------------------------------------
3 Benthus
----------------------------------------
========================================

<OOC> Ishmael says, "The demon flies twenty feet forward and shrieks in rage at all of
you. I'll need a will save from each of you."
GAME: Schneider rolls will: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Benthus rolls will: (9)+9: 18
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls will+2: (11)+3+2: 16
GAME: Eligar rolls will: (19)+3: 22

From afar, Ulharilti Wiivai assumes it is a spell, Sp, or Su and added the +2 from
Supertition.
You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'Good call! It is definitely a spell.'

GAME: Ishmael rolls 5d6: (17): 17

<OOC> Ishmael says, "And now, everyone roll fortitude to save for half damage."
GAME: Benthus rolls fort: (5)+8: 13
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls fort+2: (9)+6+2: 17
GAME: Schneider rolls fortitude: (18)+5: 23
GAME: Eligar rolls fort: (9)+6: 15

GAME: Ishmael damaged Eligar for 3 points. 18 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Ulharilti Wiivai for 6 points. 0 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for 17 points. 2 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 17 points. 12 remaining.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "BEnthus and Schneider are deafened due to the shout. Eligar
realized the spell was some sort of trick (aka passed the will save) and took 1/5th of the
damage and is not deafened. Ulharilti is knocked unconscious since it's a soft PRP.
Healing will revive her."

<OOC> Ishmael says, "SHe's supposed to take enough HP to actually kill her. It's a soft
PRP with no death, thus she falls unconscious instead :)"

The shadow demon launches forward, flying ten feet from the floor and shrieking like a
banshee. The force of its howl is terrible, tearing at flesh as well as the eardrums.

<OOC> Benthus says, "is it flying? Can we reach it with melee?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can reach it with your weapons. It's in the square above you,
if you're thinking of it grid style. It's twenty feet away, so you can move and then attack."

The ire Ulharilti had saved for the demon will need to wait. Just when she hopes to
summon it, the terrible wail rips through her. Combined with her earlier wounds, it is too
much for her body, if not determination. She collapses into a heap of blue scales, glaive
clattering to the ground.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Where are you shooting burning hands from?"
<OOC> Benthus says, "But... I don't want to die... yet. :)"
<OOC> Schneider says, "From my hands?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "I suppose I'm asking if you're moving away from your
companions at all."
<OOC> Schneider says, "Or you mean which square? I suppose I'll get just within range
of it. Actually, I'm deaf, I'll have spell failure, won't I?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "20% chance."
<OOC> Schneider rolling, 01-20 is fail.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d100: (58): 58

GAME: Schneider rolls 4d4: (8): 8
GAME: Schneider casts Burning Hands.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Make a caster level check to see if you can penetrate the spell
resistance."
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14

Schneider grimaces as the thing moves so quickly, having decided that this is not a fire
spirit despite its earlier use of fireball, decides to give it a taste of his own nature,
shooting flames from his hands as he moves closer. To his surprise, the flames wash all
around the thing, but do not seem to harm it at all.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Eligar says he's pouring a potion of Cure Light Wounds down
Ulharilti's throat if he doesn't respond. Eligar, just pose it when you get back."
GAME: Eligar used a .
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Ishmael damaged Ulharilti Wiivai for -3 points. 3 remaining.

<OOC> Benthus says, "Loh, and engage. if I can flank I will."

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (5): 5
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -5 points. 7 remaining.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "No flanking with it flying above you like that."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "But all your smite bonuses are still in effect."
<OOC> Benthus nods. "PA with it. All or nothing now..."

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+10: (13)+10: 23
GAME: Benthus rolls 2d6+10: (5)+10: 15

Benthus is bleeding badly from all his orifices, the sonic blast rapturing the soft inner
linings of his eyes, nose, ears and mouth. He grits his teeth as he wills himself to heal
once again, and with a vengeful cry for Daeus, he attacks the fiend. His sword strikes true
and the monster falls to the ground, crumbling into ashes. With his last oucnce of will
depleted, he slumps on forward, kept standing only by the aid of his sword.

With the demon destroyed, the sources of artificial darkness begin to ebb and then
disappear completely. Alarmingly, it appears that the Alida is ready to burn down to her
keel, but the lights cast by Schneider cause no damage at all.

With the illumination returned, the lower level becomes far easier to scout. In the
starboard nacelle, the engine is likewise ruined and turned into a twisted hulk. This time,
they come across a small brass clockwork about the size of an apple. Black smudges
show on its casing, and its long, spidery legs are bent out of shape.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Go ahead and return to free RP, please roll knowledge arcana or
artifice if you want to know more about the clockwork."
GAME: Schneider rolls knowledge/arcana: (17)+4: 21

You paged Schneider with 'The clockwork is actually a clockwork spy, a little brass
device that records sound onto a gemstone. The security device on it appears to be
malfunctioning. Normally these things blow up when damaged. It looks like there's a way
to trigger playback of the last recording.'

Eligar blinks a littlebit as he finds the clockwork spider for lack of better word. "What's
this?" He goes to poke it gently with his sword. "And where are the crew..."

Schneider puts his sword away now that things seem to have been restored to order, or as
much order as there can be in the hulk of a crashed airship. He looks over and it looks
like Ulharilti is back up, if not doing so great. But he can't really help with that, so he
goes around to check things out and make sure there's no more danger lurking. With a
keen eye for detail, he reaches down to pick up the strange clockwork thing before Eligar
can stab it. "This," he says, pausing for effect, "is a Clockwork Spy. Damaged, but intact,
which is a bit of luck for us." He attempts to trigger the playback. "Maybe we can see
what happened."

Ulharilti Wiivai comes to just in time to see that... the demon is gone. Grunting and
groaning, she asks, "Did it flee again?" Charging in headlong may be brave, but it also
takes a toll on the body... as does getting blasted by magic.

Benthus is tired, but manages to utter between ragged breaths, " ..No.. it is done..."

"...t's tearing the ship apart," says a small, feminine voice. The speaker sounds old, but
not frail. "Captain ordered the ship be scuttled and then... and then..." There's sobbing
emmanating from the clockwork mechanism. It echoes off the engineering bulkhead on
the ghost ship Alida. "...I heard him die. We can't even change course. I'm setting the
scuttle charges around the engines. With luck, the ship will crash in the Desolation and be
consumed before we can doom anyone else--else--else--else--" The clockwork
mechanism continues to skip until turned off and rewound.

Schneider looks chagrinned at the short snippet of recording. "Well. I guess we get roped
back up and bring them this, and let them decide to do what they want with it?" He
shrugs and resets it, but doesn't replay it. "So, what, this thing must have gotten aboard,
and then ... killed everything, but couldn't get out? How'd it get on, then? Did they try and
trap it? Or did something send it?" He looks blank for a moment. "What I really want is
something to eat, though," he decides. "Let's get off this wreck before it falls, tell them
about the cargo, and bring them this?" he suggests.

Benthus lifts himself by pushing against his sword. He takes the time to use up all his
remaining healing abilities on himself, and he feels a lot better than he was earlier. He
ponders on what Schneider has said and says, "So where is the missing cargo?"

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (4): 4
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (5): 5
<OOC> Benthus says, "All LoH spent."
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -9 points. 16 remaining.

Now that the thing is gone, so is much of Ulharilti's motivation. Her complaining wounds
don't help, either. "We have the information they need," she says wearily, "let's return to
the ship."

Eligar watches the recording and he hmms, "Or someone sent it aboard, don't forget we
round grappling hooks that we found up top. I think the green chest was the missing
cargo. We can always check the prison

Schneider ehs to Benthus, "Who says anything's missing? And the locate spell was a day
or more ago, the guy might have been alive then. Or it might have found his body? As for
the missing thing, it was probably that box we found upstairs. Who knows? It's their
problem now." He oh's about the grappling hooks. "Anyway, they're not here now."

Benthus ponders for a moment and offers a different scenario, "What if there were more
of them? And that fiend was left behind to tie up loose ends? What if the crewmen were
captured and kept alive? I don't see any corpses around. Evil will victor if we slacken in
our resolves to be vigilant. We have to assume the worse unless proven otherwise.
Because to think less would mean that good people will die a long and agonizing death."

Benthus sighs and adds, "But you are right, our job here is done."

Schneider ehs to Benthus, and gestures to the recorder. "Well, the captain's dead, and
they were over the Desolation when bad things started happening." How close is that
anyhow? He doesn't know, really. "They made it all the way here, then, with the engines
out, though maybe the scuttling charges weren't set correctly and they only partially
damaged it? So it didn't hit ground til it got here?" He's speculating wildly.

The majority consent to return to the surface of the ship and signal for the return of the
basket from the Warspite. The ship remains quiet other than the occasional groan of
effort from the dying ship. Only one need go out on deck to fire the flare, and then hurry
back inside to wait for the arrival of the basket. This allows them just a little more time to
explore the ship.

A quick peek into the bridge reveals slain watchmen and airmen. Their bodies are cold
and stiff in dried puddles of brown blood. Still more are found aft in the mess. The party
had missed both groups of the corpses and hurried down into the depths to encounter
their foe.

It appears the ship really was absent it's load of prisoners, because none can be found.
The green chest can be brought with, if they are so inclined. The inside of that locked
chest was filled two fingers high with the grainy black sand and not a whit else. The
captain's log and the clockwork mechanism seem to tell the story, even if it's not plain.
They've discharged their duty at the least: find the ship, check on the status of crew,
prisoners, cargo, and report back to the Warspite.</nowiki>

[[Category:Logs]]

Rescue Party

2013-10-13T21:48:08Z

Ishmaelthegray:

<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Name | Race | Class | E Lev| CHP | HP | AC | For | Ref | Wil |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|Eligar |DAWN_ELF|Cav | 4 | 31 | 37 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
|Benthus |HALF-ELF|Pal | 3 | 26 | 26 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 9 |
|Ulharilti |SITH-MAK|Bbn/Sor | 3 | 30 | 30 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
|Schneider |GIANTBOR|Bbn/Sor | 5 | 40 | 40 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 |

The hastily scrawled note wasn't even posted to the Adventurer's Guild boards,
as is the custom and the law (enacted as a part of Keep Alexandria City Beautiful, an
anti-litter encorcement). The Gaoler's Guild, a good number of whom belong to the city
watch, are permitted this minor violation.

Airstation Alexandria is abustle with the business of shipping and transportation, but the
directions were very specific. Spire 24, mid-tier dock. Each tier of the spire has a
permanent gangplank and docking apparatus for docking and unloading airships. By
necessity, the largest airships are on the top tier and the small flitters are reserved for the
lowest.

Ascending the spire is a matter of walking the winding screw of a ramp that curves
around the outside of the spire. At the midlevel there's a doorway just over ten feet tall
and a room fifteen feet to the ceiling. Boxes are pressed against the wall no higher than
the door and a tall human in a watch uniform talks to a gaoler in the grim black and gray
of that particular guild.

You paged Eligar with 'The setting emit just happend. Here it is. The hastily scrawled
note wasn't even posted to the Adventurer's Guild boards, as is the custom and the law
(enacted as a part of Keep Alexandria City Beautiful, an anti-litter encorcement). The
Gaoler's Guild, a good number of whom belong to the city watch, are permitted this
minor violation.

Airstation Alexandria is abustle with the business of shipping and transportation, but the
directions were very specific. Spire 24, mid-tier dock. Each tier of the spire has a
permanent gangplank and docking apparatus for docking and unloading airships. By
necessity, the largest airships are on the top tier and the small flitters are reserved for the
lowest.

Ascending the spire is a matter of walking the winding screw of a ramp that curves
around the outside of the spire. At the midlevel there's a doorway just over ten feet tall
and a room fifteen feet to the ceiling. Boxes are pressed against the wall no higher than
the door and a tall human in a watch uniform talks to a gaoler in the grim black and gray
of that particular guild.'

Schneider is there in a flash. He moves quickly and easily up the stairs, his long stride
making quick work of the steps. Even barechested, the wind and weather hold no sway
over him, and he moves fearlessly to the destination mentioned in the note. He had been
lazing about, but this looks like it will be entertaining, and now he's deeply intrigued.

Stairs. Alot of them, given the height of the spire. Ulharilti discovers what could be
considered a foe noted for the future; the jungle may have some tall trees and cliffs, but it
is not known for stairs. When she reaches the platform, she notes those present and
approaches. A missing airship is certainly an interesting problem. How did they lose
something so large?

Eligar has left his horse Kindroth at one of the stables as a horse on the deck of a ship is
not a winning proposition no matter how well trained the horse is. He also left his lance
with the horse, trusting that Kindroth would guard it. He has his sword and shield with
him as he walks up the stairs towards the dock that holds the room that the Explorer's
Guild told him to go to.

Benthus reads the note he received and rereads it. There is something about the mission
involved that he is apprehensive about. There is very little information as to the level of
danger he is to face and he has no idea where the missing ship could be found. Most of all,
why are they asking for a skilled combatant on this mission rather than a regular person.
These thoughts trouble him, yet he could not refuse the mission for risk of neglecting
people who might need saving. So, despite his fears, he goes to the airfield to do this task.

"What? Ho there, adventurers," the watchman says. His uniform is pressed but showing
signs of a hard morning of labor before lunch. Bars upon his sleeve and epaulets mark
him as a lieutenant and commander of the watch. "Four of you, eh?" He seems to
consider it. "I'm Lieutenant Baxter. This is Binder Nina."

Next to him, the gaoler looks up and says nothing. Her pale features are drawn and there
are deep circles beneath watery blue eyes. She runs her bony hands together; yellow nails
a contrast with fishbelly white flesh. "Four will do, Baxter," she says in a surprisingly
melodious voice out of character of her darkling appearance. "The giant, in particular,
seems promising."

"Right, then," Baxter says. He appears to be taking orders from the Binder. (Knowledge:
Local, DC 10. This is not normal. Binders do not give orders to the Watch). "The airship
Alida was returning from her run to the northeastern reaches of the Desolation but she's
hours overdue. Given the nature of the run, it becomes imperative that we ascertain her
fate quickly. The city watch will provide you with one of our small patrol crafts to trace
along the Alida's route."

Ulharilti Wiivai doesn't know precisely where the Desolation is in relation to the city, but
an airship implies some distance. Neither does she know who should be giving orders to
whom. "Do we need to travel its entire route? Do you know when they were last safe?"
Some information would be helpful.

Schneider smiles winningly at Nina, preening a bit as she praises him. His hair flutters in
the winds this high up even without the constant pestering of spirits. "Promising, indeed!
We will solve your problem, and then, we may perhaps have a quiet dinner together." He
winks. As the problem is explained, he nods slowly, then guesses, "It carried a prisoner of
some kind?" Why else would a jailer be involved? Why else would a few hour behind be
a cause for worry? "We will recapture this prisoner!" he vows. He doesn't just jump to
conclusions, he takes a flying leap, fully committed.

Eligar nods politely to the Lieutenant Baxter and he moves to a spot to listen. He hmms,
"And what was the ship carrying that makes it's retrieval of the utmost?" He asks as he
can sense something is going on and he waits for the questions to be answered.

Benthus approaches the group to which he is to team up with and was about to greet them
when they started talking. It appears its all straight into business now. So he simply
stands close by to indicate that he is the fourth man (or half-elf) and listens.

"They only report in if there is trouble or they reach their destination. Unfortunately,
we've received no communications at all since their departure from Sk-" Baxter replies,
but a hiss from the Binder silences him and prevents him from finishing his sentence.
"You may be required to trace the full route," he says slowly, eyeing the gaoler as if to
say something. "But we do not believe so."

"One of the passengers upon that ship is known to me," she explains. "And I have cast a
divination upon him. I believe that he can be found only a few hours by flight."
Schneider's guess makes her smile and she inclines her head enough to acknowledge the
point. "The Alida carries many prisoners, giant. Your airship is but a scout, however."

Baxter nods and resumes the outline. "The Warspite has been assigned to take the four of
you northeast along the route the Alida followed. If you encounter the Alida, you are to
board the ship, ascertain the condition of the crew and prisoners, and report back to the
watchmen aboard the Warspite. She carries sufficient crew to man a skeleton watch and
pilot the Alida back to port if necessary. Further questions?"

Eligar frowns, "I can appreciate the need for secrecy, but we need all the information that
we can so that we can be ready to go up against anything that might have attacked that
ship. So why don't you tell us what was on that ship and why it's so important. We are
going to find out what happened to it anyway. I'd rather not go in blind."

Schneider laughs mirthfully and says, "I am ready. Let's find this ship full of prisoners!"
To Eligar, he suggests, "It is probably a jailbreak attempt by the allies of one of the
prisoners. Attacking in the city would be too hard. Taking the ship when it is away from a
safe haven would be their best chance."

That explains many things, and proves that the giant's insight is valid. "We will learn
what happened to the ship and the prisoners," she agrees, "but if it was an attack by allies,
they will have an instant army with the prisoners." That leads into a question for the
gaoler. "How many?"

Benthus shifts his gaze from one speaker to the next, listening carefully.

Baxter's 'I told you so' look earns a sigh from Binder Nina. She fastidiously examines the
pleats of her blouse and pretends not to hear.

Baxter nods. "The Alida is a converted ship of the line. She's too armored by half and
underpowered in her cannons, but that makes her an excellent prison ship. This time, the
Alida was bound for Skyhold." A little tension drains from his face, but not from the
ramrod posture of his body. Ulharilti's question makes the watchman wince.

"There are fifty two cells and a large cargo hold for contraband or dangerous items which
are also cached at Skyhold," Nina explains. "You are being hired only to find the ship,
determine the condition of the crew and prisoners, and report back to the Warspite. The
watch and guild will determine what actions need to be taken from there."

A soft boom, a massive thump upon a wooden barrel, heralds the arrival of the Warspite.
Moments later, clomping footsteps come from outside. "Commander," salutes the
watchman upon entering. "Warspite reports as ordered." The watchmen spend a moment
conversing quietly, leaving the adventurers to ask a final question of the gaoler or each
other. The hour is upon them.

Benthus simply says, "Rules of engagement?"

Eligar nods as he listens to the explanation, "And what was the compliment when it left
Skyhold? How many prisoners were being kept on the ship and was there any contraband
or dangerous items being held in it's hold?" He asks and he looks over at the watchman as
he enters, "This could prove the difference between victory and defeat."

Schneider looks a little disappointed at the order to simply find the Alida and report. But
he cheers himself by saying, "There will almost certainly be a fight as we get to the ship.
I am ready to go!" Eligar's question holds him, though, and he pauses to hear the answer
before heading for the Warspite.

"Too many for four to counter," Ulharilti understands the stipulation to scout and report,
"even if they were not full." Not that it would stop her from engaging if needed, but she is
not completely foolish. She seems to have no further questions and moves towards the
Warspite.

Binder Nina squints just a little, narrowing her blue eyes upon Benthus. The water blue
has turned to icy clarity. "There are no prizes of state aboard. If a prisoner is out of their
cell and you cannot reasonably detain it, you may commit yourself to violence as you see
fit. I can quite guarantee it will be self-defense. However, there should be no prisoners
aboard. The ship is returning from Skyhold, not heading toward it." She shoos them
toward the gangplank. Baxter and the other watchmen cease their discussion, salute one
another, and part.

The gangplank, like the spire, is not half so delicate as it would seem from the ground.
The reinforced stone and iron platform must needs support the weight of any cargo as
well as tether the large ships to the spire itself. A storm and lack of anchor could and still
would tear the spires to pieces.

The Warspite is moored to the end of the gangplank. She's a small, spritely craft with
cabins for eight and a brace of cannon on each side that thrum with magical energies so
potent that the slightly audible hum is audible to even the magically deaf. An airman
greets them at the deck and ushers the adventurers aboard.

Schneider laughs and nods at Ulharilti's surmise, and seems more surprised at the
response. "No prisoners? Well," he says with a shrug, "Then we shall simply find out
what we find out," and that said, he heads for the Warspite, giving the airman a casual
salute and standing in the middle of the deck, where he can get the best view of getting
underway.

Eligar nods a little bit, "Thank you for the information." He follows the others out
towards the Warsprite and he looks it over as he moves to find a spot on the deck. He
takes out a length of rope and he will tie it around himself and then tie it tightly to a solid
piece of the ship. He has heard how reliable these airships can be.

Benthus dips his head for the goaler, acknowledging her answer. He waits until the lady
has departed before turning his attention to the ship. He has been in one before and the
experience was... unsettling. Hopefully his second time on the air would not be as
embarassing as the first. He silently greets the airman stationed by the port and proceeds
to settle himself on one of the seats, stowing his gears to the side for quick access.

Ulharilti Wiivai has only travelled upon a sailing vessel to date, but how different can it
be? It just floats through air rather than water. She moves to where she's directed and
stows what needs to be secured, but otherwise keeps her eyes towards the deck rails. The
view is one difference, and a new one.

The watchman accompanying the adventurers aboard turns out to be the captain. He
boards first, the others follow and are settled upon the deck. It's warm in the sunlight,
even at this altitude, but the winds are brisk and the vessel isn't even underway.

"I'm Lieutenant Garth, first mate of the Warspite. You briefly met Captain Mireau. Do
not interfere with the airmen aboard the ship. If you have a question, take it to me. If and
when we find the Alida, you will board her alone and report back when you've completed
your mission." The burly, sunkissed blonde first mate looks at each of them in turn. "You
have your run of the main deck, galley, common room, and the head. We will string
hammocks in the hold if this lasts more than a few hours."

The Warspite throws off her lines and the wood and ironclad hull of the airship begin to
pull away from the tower. It is a significantly smaller airship than the cargo haulers and
long range vessels that ply the airways in slow and stately majesty. The ship comes about
and then the artifice of engine drives the ship onward. Within minutes, the Warspite is
climbing toward a ghastly top speed nearly three times that of the large ships while
airmen look over the sides and with telescopes, trying to make sign in the distance as well
as below them.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can wander about the ship or assist with the search over the
sides, as you see fit. If you would like to assist with the search, please roll perception. If
you're exploring the ship, feel free to just pose it."

GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (9)+11: 20
GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (14)+6: 20
GAME: Benthus rolls perception: (19)+4: 23
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (14)+6: 20

Eligar stays by the sides of the ship and he looks around as best he can see given that he's
wearing fullplate. He looks for the airship that they are suppose to find. He look towards
his companions. "I am Sir Eligar, Knight of Peace by the way."

Schneider seems pleased by the ship's turn of speed, and he'll keep watch for our target,
because just sitting and waiting is boring, and he'd probably get yelled at for flirting with
any of the women sailors given the mate's speech. Holding his hand over his eyes to
shade it from the sun, he'll peer into the distance intently to see what may be seen. At
Eligar's introduction, he smiles, and says, "I am Schneider! Spirit of Fire!"

Benthus stands up once the airship has departed from its moors, and begins to make his
way towards the head of the ship. Being his usual self, he begins to converse with the few
crewmen on board, trying to gain a story or two about their experiences in the air. As he
listens, he also scans the horizon for any peculiar shapes that could possibly be the Alida.
But he trusts that the information provided by the goaler is accurate and the means to
locate the ship would not be a problem.

Ulharilti Wiivai moves to the sides after the ship has cleared the dock and much of the
city. She looks more for the general sights than just for signs of the Adila, but it is dual
purpose. When others introduce themselves, she dips her head to them. "I am Ulharilti
Wiivai, warrior, hunter, and ...spirit-chosen scout of the Celaetril tribe." Her last title rolls
off with some lack of familiarity.

Benthus' racial perks allows him to hear the conversation of his three other comrades. He
politely disengages himself with the crewmen he was conversing with and heads towards
their position. "I am called Benthus. A sunblade." He tersely spoke.

Schneider isn't reprimanded for harassing the female sailors. One slams her fist into his
arm, knuckle extended, with the intent of leaving a painful bruise. The others were better
at excusing themselves. Better behaved adventurers, such as Sir Eligar and Ulharilti
Wilvai find their introductions returned by crewmen, though they quickly go back to
work.

Four hours into the flight, the Warspite streaks below the clouds with such rapidity that
the turbid wake tears apart the clouds floating above. A dagger of pure blue follows them,
slowly sealing up only miles behind them. The Redridge Mountains are below, a broken
spine of red rocks shot through with black and dusted with white at their peaks. Warspite
follows the line of them toward the bleak horizon of the Desolation in the distance.

The crew train brass telescopes and binoculars at the horizon, but it's below them that all
four of the adventurers see a black scar across three snowy peaks. When each of you
traces the scar to its terminus, an airship of significantly different design is wedged over a
crevasse. One peak of each top supports the fore and aft sections of the ship. It appears to
have bounced upon two other mountains before coming to rest in its perilous spot.

Eligar looks and he spots the ship where it crashed. "Hey it's over there." He points it out
and he looks over towards the others to see if they can see it too. He tries to get the
attention of the steerman and the captain of the ship.

Ulharilti Wiivai also notices the fallen airship on the ground, but is not certain it is the
one they seek. Still, it is important to point out. She waves one large arm and calls to
those with telescopes. "Look down! There is a ship below us!"

Benthus nods to Eligar's and Ulharilti's declaration. He peers to the crewmen to see if
they have heard as well, letting them do their job of identifying the ship.

Schneider is frogged in the arm, and despite the tingling sensation that's left going up and
down that arm, he laughs as if it were pretty damned funny. He seems to hold no ill will,
even as he rubs life back into his arm. "I like a woman with fire in her heart," he explains,
though he leaves her alone after that, and keeps his eyes out. "Ah, there it is," he calls out,
"It looks like she hit some some hard times. And also mountains."

The cries of 'Hey, it's over there' and 'Look down' result in the crew doing just that.
"Bring her about!" cries one airman, and the Warspite pulls a slow about face… but the
circling motion doesn't stop. Turning about results in another turn as the ship loses
altitude in the search for clarity. Down and down the Warspite goes, descending several
hundred feet as it circles some vast invisible whirlpool of descent. Non-airmen might be
alarmed by the descent toward the snowy peaks.

"Hold!" cries the first mate. Garth strides onto the deck, still wearing his uniform but he's
augmented it with a heavy cape lined with fur. At his word, the pilot halts their descent
and the engines hold them in a hover that still leaves the ship to be pushed about by the
katabatic winds of higher peaks.

First Mate Garth looks over the side and then comes to the adventurers. "This is as low as
we can go. The winds are bouncing us about as it is already. Are you ready to make your
descent?" The ship is still hundreds of feet below othem!

Eligar holds onto the railing as the ship starts to dip down towards the snowy peaks. He
starts to look around to try to see what might have caused the ship to crash.

Schneider looks down, grimaces. "Feather Fall won't work for this," he explains. "Falling
slow, we'd just get pushed all over. So it's a good thing I don't know that one." He
considers. "If we rappel from ropes, we'll at least be holding on, so you could move this
ship to dangle us over the one below. And then we'd have a way back up, yes?"

Rapid descents are another point unique to air ships. Water vessel only decend slowly,
usually accompanied by everyone suddenly leaving the ship. Ulharilti cluthes the rail
tightly as they spiral downward, and only releases when the First Mate approaches and
speacks to them. "We will take a smaller ship? The man spoke of another ship. Who will
pilot it?"

Eligar looks to the first mate. "It's a long way down. Are we going to go down by ropes?"
He asks as he doubts there is a smaller ship. He nods in agreement, "Indeed it is and I'd
rather not try to time it."

Benthus feels the sudden descent of the ship with which also gives his stomach the
opposite reaction of tossing back up what he had eaten earlier. He grits his teeth as the
familiar feeling of his previous flight has come to visit him again. He feels himself almost
floating off the floor of the ship and instinctively grabs a hold of something to keep him
in place. It takes a few seconds and a great deal of will power on his part before his body
began to adapt to the vertical acceleration. And he was relieved when the captain of the
ship gave the command to hold in place. He was still breathing hard when the ship finally
came to a relatively stable stance, finding it difficult to listen to what the other people are
saying.

"No. No smaller ship," Garth says with a smile that says he's going to love giving this
answer as much as Ulharilti is going to hate hearing it. "You'll be going over the side on
descent lines. We can close to within a hundred yards and we'll lower you down in a
basket."

The airship crew is already dragging out what appears to be a hot air balloon's basket. It
is wicker, reinforced with leather and steel cables. Surprisingly, the ten foot by ten foot
basket seems large enough to take them all at once. It will be tight, but it seems to be able
to do the job. Massive wooden spools with rope wound about their cores are wheeled out
to the deck. Pairs of airmen flip each spool onto its side and pin it to a metal fixture with
a four foot iron gear and rod, then capped and screwed down.

"Here. You'll need these to signal for the basket," Garth explains. He holds out four aerial
flares, one for each of them. "We can't leave it to dangle or it'll be smashed to flinders
upon the mountain side." This is how you earn your pay.

Benthus finally gets his auditory senses to function properly and hears of how the team is
to be deployed below. He blinks and could not help himself from uttering, "Are you
serious?"

Eligar starts to untie himself and he puts the rope away. He moves over towards the
basket and he takes one of the flares, "We will signal you when we can." He looks to
Benthus, "It could be worse." He starts to get into the basket.

Schneider has been enjoying things so far - the trip, the rapid descent, and the idea of
rapelling down. But at the mention of a basket, he seems incredulous. "A basket? What is
this, children's hour?" Though he will join the others in the basket, since they're not being
given a free rope to shimmy down. Probably for the best, given he's wearing a loincloth.
He takes a flare, sticks it into a large pouch on his belt, and climbs into the basket without
a bit of fear.

Ulharilti Wiivai does indeed look like she's very, very unhappy with the answer. Her sour
look touches first the mate, then the basket, then back to the mate. On the other hand, it is
probably less dangerous than umping over the side. "You'd better send the basket down
when we signal." She takes the flare and approaches the basket. She'll get in, but is in no
great rush. The less time she's dangling from a rope in a ...nest, the better.

Benthus peers down below and then at the face of the grinning first mate. His expression
darkens for a moment but he refrains from saying anything. Too many a times has he
been in a situation where logic has been replaced by something insane to get a job done.
He really thinks that Garth is making a very bad joke at their expense, but when he sees
that his other companions are taking the flares and positioning themselves in the basket,
he realizes that this is no joke. He widens his eyes incredulously and shuts them quickly.
Putting his game face on, he snatches one of the flares and heads towards the basket.

Getting in the basket is undoubtedly dangerous, though by far the least enviable job
belongs to the sailor who punched Schneider hours before. She carries one of the ropes
all the way to the fore of the ship and passes it under and then to another runner. She does
the same again with a second rope. . Those are attached to spools on the other side, and
all four lines are joined to the ship.

"There's going to be a slight bump at the beginning, so hold on tight," First Mate Garth
explains. "Two ropes from each side of the ship will keep you stable as you descend but
the basket tilts a little until you're directly under the ship."

They'll wait for everyone to get inside the basket, where there are hand straps, boot straps,
and numerous places to tie off to. "We do this all the time," says one of the sailors. "Don't
worry."

It takes four sailors to push the basket to the edge and just over. The basket's bottom sags
just a little, and then nothing else. The basket doesn't fall. They don't plummet over the
side. Sailors rush away from the edge and man enormous winches. Each turn is slow and
each turn is made perfectly in synchronization with the others due to a complicated
assemblage of gears. The basket starts to descend, tipped by only about five degrees as it
descends beneath the keel of the Warspite. And then it lowers them, yard upon yard
through the cold air toward a crashed airship balanced on the tips of two different peaks.

Eligar holds onto the edge of the basket as they are pushed out into the air. He turns his
attention toward the ground and he narrows his eyes looking to see if there is anything
moving down on the ground or on the ship.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "If anyone would like to make a perception check as you descend,
please roll it."

GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Benthus rolls perception: (16)+4: 20
GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (9)+11: 20

Schneider's love is a curse, it seems. Perhaps things would be different if she hadn't
spurned the sorcerer's affections. He holds onto one of the handholds, the other resting on
the edge of the basket as he leans over, heedless of the rocking as he tries to get a view of
our landing zone. "Definitely need to find a way to command air spirits," he muses as he
observes our slow approach to our destination.

Ulharilti Wiivai claims two handholds and three footholds, if available. Just to be secure.
She can swim fairly well, but she cannot fly. Her discomfort is only visible, at least, as
she keeps her mouth closed while they pitch, tip, and lower. She tries to focus her eyes on
the ground that she is anxious to return to... just not /too/ quickly.

You paged Eligar with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship in a most
worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature is below
freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There appears to be
no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights coming from the
portholes.'

You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship
in a most worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature
is below freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There
appears to be no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights
coming from the portholes.'

You paged Schneider with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship in a
most worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature is
below freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There
appears to be no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights
coming from the portholes.'

You paged Benthus with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship in a
most worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature is
below freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There
appears to be no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights
coming from the portholes.'

Warspite dangles the basket at one hundred and two yards as marked by the hatch marks
upon the great spools of rope. It doesn’t quite come to rest aboard the deck of the
wrecked ship, but it’s no more than a couple feet from the decking. They sway back and
forth ten feet at a swing, but disembarking will most definitely put them aboard the main
deck of the Alida.

In the slanted, late afternoon rays of the sun, the icy wind has painted a faint wet sheen on
the boards of the deck, indicating that it’s likely to be very slippery. From here, there
seems to be nobody aboard the wrecked ship but shadows of the mountains threatening to
bring premature night upon them all.

Schneider will climb over the side of the basket and plant his feet on the deck. When he's
got his footing, he'll try to hold the basket steady for the others to dismount. This is
turning out to be pretty interesting, he's decided. The wind blows back his hair
dramatically.

Eligar looks up, "Hey try to keep it steady up there." He shouts and then looks back
towards the ship. He shifts to try to get someone's elbow out of his ribs, "It doesn't look
very good down there. Not many could survive down there in this kind of weather."

Benthus takes a tight hold over one of the hand straps that is attached to the basket, as his
other hand grabs hold on the hilt of his two-handed sword. He carefully peers over the
edge of the basket and scans for any activity down below. A quick glance is made to
those of his team mate, wondering if any of them will lose their nerve in this delicate
procedure. As he spots that they are all focused on looking below, he stops worrying
about himself and concentrates on the task at hand. As he scrutinizes the integrity of the
ship, he realizes that there appears to be no damage to it. There is no lights coming out of
the port holes either. But most distressing of all is that there are no person on the ship's
deck. He relays all of his findings to the other members of his team, hoping that they
have better luck in finding someone on board the downed ship.

"Why did the ship crash? I don't see any damage... and no light." Ulharilti gratefully exits
the basket when it touches down. A slippery deck is better than a swinging basket. It's
also much less confining and the large sith now has room to move around.

Schneider laughs, "Of course there's no one on deck. They'd freeze in these winds, if they
didn't get blown overboard." Not that he's not on the lookout for someone ambushing us,
but he doesn't seem particularly concerned. It will happen or it won't. "Maybe they landed
to get out and stretch their legs?" he suggests ironically. "We're not going to find out in
the basket."
Benthus keeps looking down below as he makes a quick reply to Sith, "They should have
brought and engineer along as I have no idea what could be wrong with the ship."

The Alida--a pretty name for an ugly ship. The vessel lacks the graceful prow and smooth
lines of a fast packet like the Warspite. She’s boxy, clad in great sheets of iron that angle
slightly toward the keel, and gives the impression of a formerly flying barricade. Wedged
into the stone, it seems that the reason the ship hasn’t collapsed into the yawning mist
covered darkness below them is the over-engineered armor.

The icy foredeck occupies half the length of the ship, with the aftercastle occupying the
other half. The deck seems to be completely empty, devoid of fixture, weapon, or
furniture. Ice is their companion and the sight of the ascending basket leaves only the
gnawing urge to fire the flares and leave.

The deck is wider than the after castle and it goes all the way around, providing a thin
walkway for three of the four sides. It is upon these sides that they find two doors, one on
each side and opposite from the other.

Ulharilti Wiivai does not care for the cold, and the wind only makes it worse. The deck is
empty, anyhow, and provides no information. She moves as briskly as the slippery
surface allows and calls out the obvious door when it is found. Immediately after, she
tries to open it. Answers, windbreak, and possible heat could lie within.

Once the basket land Eligar waits for the others to get out before he does being slower in
full plate. He takes a look around as he starts towards the ship and he tries to ignore the
cold. He looks around, "Anyone see any claw marks and burns?" He looks around for any
holes that might be in the ship.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "You could check for signs with survival (tracking). Go ahead and
roll it."
GAME: Schneider rolls survival: (8)+4: 12
GAME: Eligar rolls survival: (18)+2: 20
GAME: Benthus rolls survival: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls survival: (2)+5: 7

You paged Schneider with 'You fail to find any tracks upon the deck, nor any sign that
anyone but you were upon it since the ice came.'

You paged Eligar with 'There are some faint scratches that are actually below the ice and
have been passed over. It appears that something heavy may have passed along here.
Following the scrapes leads you to a broken steel prong and scratches on a hand hold. If
you had to guess, it was a broken grappling hook. There's a thin ledge below, and then a
gaping maw. Nothing else.'

You paged Benthus with 'It's cold and icy, you don't see how anything could have left a
track that the ice wouldn't have covered.'
Schneider moves slowly to keep his feet. Lucklily, his fur loincloth is heavy enough that
the winds don't whip it up dangerously. When everyone's safely out of the basket, he'll let
go so it can be hauled up. He takes a look around deck, but can't make out anything, so
agrees with Ulharilti, "No sign of anyone. Seems reasonable if the wind blew away all
signs, though. Or maybe they left to find better shelter?" He'll make his way towards
Ulharilti's door.

You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'The ice seems to be too hard to leave good track. You
can't find anything.'

Benthus is too cold to actually be concerned about any clues as to the ships present
condition. All that he is interested in is to get inside the ship and out of the cold biting
wind. "I hope we can burn something inside the ship as I don't feel my fingers anymore.
Eligar pauses as he sees smething below the ice that has just recently formed over. He
follows the scrap and he reaches to pull out a broken steel prong, "Over here. It looks like
some sort of grappling hook. I bet that whatever happened this ship didn't go down by
some accident."
Benthus looks at the grappling hook and the first thing that comes out of his mouth is:
"Pirates?"

From afar, Ulharilti Wiivai nods. "Is the door able to open, if so, =what is inside?
You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'The handle swings but it doesn't just pull open. Give me
a strength check to see if you can break free whatever is holding it shut.'

Schneider pauses as the grappling hook is found, and he nods at Benthus's guess. "It
seems so!" he agrees. But he's not sure where that gets us. "But are they still here? Or did
they take things and go? Did they leave a prize crew?" These questions have no answer
right this instant, so with a gesure pointing to the side door, he calls out, "Spirits! Heed
my command, open this door, and let us see what it leads us to!"

GAME: Schneider casts Open-Close.
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls strength: (4)+3: 7

The spirits may not be listening. Ulharilti's tug and Schneider's call to the spirits do little
more than swing the handle, which moves easily, but the door doesn't open.

Eligar nods, "Could be." He looks towards the others waits for the others, "It might be
locked."

Ulharilti Wiivai's tug might have been more effective, had the ice not made her footing
trecherous. In this case, the door moves her more than the other way around, as she slides,
slips, and growls. Magic has no better result and she growls. "We could just break it
down."

Benthus draws his greatsword out of its sheath and holds it in his two hands, the thought
of a possible hostile confrontation making him overtly cautious. At least the sudden surge
of adrenaline can combat the painful cold he is feeling at the moment. If the door is
locked, lets try the windows."

Schneider hrmphs at the door not opening. "Locked, then," he assumes, nodding to Eligar,
and he'll go right up to it, wind blowing though his hair and loincloth. He'll put his
shoulder to it to see if that does any better.

Eligar hmms, "Anyone here know anything about locks?" He asks as he doubts there is a
window, this is a prison ship after all. "Anyone bring an axe?"

There are indeed a few windows. Multiple panes of thick glass curve across the front of
the aftercastle and show the bridge within. The view is distorted by frost, but the consoles
are unmistakable. The only other windows are the portholes on the hatch, and they're just
as covered in the thin layer of ice as the rest of the door.

Glass is much more fragile than wood or armor.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "The door is frosted over, much like a car door after freezing rain.
A good tug (strength check) or some fire should loosen it up."

<OOC> Benthus says, "Fire it up! *readies his hand for the heat*"

Glass is much more fragile than wood or armor. "The window, if we can't open the door."
Ulharilti move to the front of the bridge and unstraps her glaive from her back. She
doesn't strike just yet, in case the others do manage to unstick the door.

GAME: Schneider rolls strength: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Benthus rolls strength: (15)+3: 18
<OOC> Ishmael says, "18 is sufficient, the ice cracks around the door and drops free in a
sheet when the door opens up."

Schneider can't seem to get his footing on the icy deck, and his strentgh is useless without
some way to use it. Feet sliding across the deck, he finally gives up and steps away from
the door to let someone else have a try.

Eligar takes out his sword and he holds his shield ready. He waits as the others try to
open the door as he stands ready to be the first one in.

Benthus thinks it over and says to the Sith, "Let us exhaust our options on the door first.
The goaler may not be happy with us if he unnecessarily damage the ship." He thought
his words over and then adds, "... Any further." He draws close to the door and thought of
how people use to tap the lid of a stuck jar to open it. He thumps the butt of his
greatsword against the door a few times and then twists the latch. No effect. Frustrated
and cold, he finally submits to his baser instincts and kicks the door. Lo and behold, the
door groans open. "Oops."

GAME: Schneider casts False Life.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d10+4: (5)+4: 9

While the others worry about the door, Schneider decides to prepare for the fight ahead.
Well, the one he thinks is ahead. "Spirits of blood!" he commands, "Hear my call, fill me
with life and power!" His whole body seems to surge unnaturally for a moment, and then
all seems normal.

Ulharilti Wiivai does not care how the door was opened, only that it was. She stows her
glaive once more and moves to hoin the others at the door.

The door opens, carrying a rush of warm air with it. This isn't the gust of a hearth upon a
cool night, but at least some heat was retained within the airship. However, it is
completely dark inside. Not one light, perhaps magical and perhaps alchemical, offers
illumination within the ship. What little can be seen is a narrow corridor just wide enough
for single file travel. Where it intersects with a larger passage, all is lost to darkness.

Ulharilti Wiivai will continue to push forward into the opening. Her eyes require no light
for short distances, but her body requires warmth. Even the tight quarters are not enough
to dissuade her. "If any are left, we must find them."

Schneider isn't worried about the air temperature, but the darkness is worrisome. A lot of
getting lost and getting ambushed will happen, he suspects, so he draws his greatsword
and chants for the power of the elements once again, "Spirits of fire, let your light
illuminate our way!" And so saying, a flame seems to glow around his greatsword blade.
No heat, if anyone's close enough to sense such things, but it's as bright as torchlight.
He'll let the fighty types go first, then follow up, letting his light flow into the corridor.

GAME: Schneider casts Light.

Eligar nods a little bit as he heads in, "Here let me go first. Anyone have some light?" He
asks as he starts down the steps, as his vision will extend the light coming down the open
door, but not too much. He nods, "Thanks."

The heatless light cast upon the blade of the greatsword offers illuminations and strangely
shifting shadows as Ulharilti moves in front of Schneider and her silhouette is imposed
upon the far wall. The walls are made of metal, and the chill of outdoors seems to be
conducted through the walls and floor... but it's still warm enough that there's no longer a
need to shiver and a blush of warmth can return once more to the skin.

The corridor continues ahead to what looks like a central passage way. To the right,
there's another corridor with four doors along one wall. To the left, there are two doors--
the first is ornate and the second is not. A little exploration will reveal this pattern is
duplicated on the other side of the ship as well, but they'll have to go down the main
corridor to explore the aft section of the Alida.

Ulharilti Wiivai favors a systematic approach. "We should check each door." The
simplest answer is to open them in the order they find them. Eventually, there will be no
knob left unturned. Eligar took he lead, but she has no issue remaining near the front.
Eligar nods a little bit as starts to check the doors, 'Sounds good to me. Let's see if we can
figure out what happened." He will slowly make his way down the hallway checking
each door.

Schneider allows the others to lead while following closely behind. Since it's single file,
he doesn't expect he'll be getting into hack at people, but he remains alert all the same.
The warmth flushes his skin as well, though he hadn't lost as much color as most, his kin
hardy against the extremes of cold. He offers a shrug to the order in which doors are
opened. This is as good a plan as anything, and he will simply nod along and watch to see
what happens.

Benthus refrains from entering the passageway too quickly, fearful that if an attack be
made with all of them bunched up together near the door, the mission would be over
before it could really begin. As lead member continues further inside without signaling an
alarm, he concentrates on taking slow and careful steps inside the ship's innards. The
sudden halt of the cold wind provided by the cover was almost too pleasurable to hold.
He sighs slowly as he shakes off some of the frost that has clung to his cloak and other
exposed parts. He pumps his grip on his sword to increase circulation in that area, feeling
the pin-prick sensation signaling the return of nerve function. He grimaces a little at the
discomfort but pain was a good sign. Shifting his attention back to their mission, he keeps
a look out behind him and ponders the wisdom of closing the door or leaving it open.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right, you can search the bridge, the fancy door on the port
(where you entered) or starbard, the plain door on the port or starboard, the row of doors,
port or starbard, or the aft. Then we can talk about what you want to do to search them."
<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai says, "The ornate door to plain doors in order sounds good to
me."
<OOC> Schneider says, "I'm good whichever way we go."
<OOC> Eligar says, "Sounds good to me too"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Ornate to plain it is. Are you taking any precautions or just
sticking your heads in to look around? Nobody is a rogue so I expect the former."
<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai says, "The former."
<OOC> Eligar says, "Not many precautions to be taken without a rouge"

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Perception checks please, then I'll pose what are in the rooms"
GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (2)+6: 8
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (10)+6: 16
GAME: Benthus rolls perception: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (17)+11: 28

Searching the first room they come across, the ornate door opens easily upon its hinges to
reveal a relatively posh cabin. Surely this isn't how an ordinary airman travels. An actual
bed with actual sheets is bolted to the floor. A pillow sits askew against the forward
bulkhead, thrown there when the ship came to an abrupt stop no doubt. There is also a
small desk built into the wall. Its chair is tipped over and ink has dried upon the surface
courtesy of the spilled inkwell.

Those with a keen eye will spot a leather bound ledger wedged against the wall.

The second room holds little behind its plain door except for swabs, buckets, and other
toiletries. A cleaning and linen closet.
Eligar moves in and he starts to look around. He spots the ledger and he moves over to
open it up and to start reading it. "Hopefully this will shed some light on what happened."

Schneider holds his light up so everyone can see by it, but his first thought, on seeing the
posh cabin, is, "Alexandria treats its prisoners very well!" And he heads on over to try out
the bed. It's good to be king! Or something.

Ulharilti Wiivai's glance into the rooms are fairly simple and focused: enemies, prisoners,
and crewmen, in that order. Seeing none of the three in either room, her attention moves
elsewhere.

You paged Eligar with 'Unless you have profession: airman, the ledger is mostly a list of
coordinates, supplies loaded and unloaded, and basic navigational info. There are the
occasional entries in the captain's log, however. A few were promoted. Someone received
a disciplinary hearing. The most relevant seems to be that they were asked to return a
package to the Gaoler's Guild due to it being a worthless item, not contraband or a
prisoner. Other than that, everything looks normal. There's nothing at all on the crash, so
it must have happened suddenly.'

Benthus ponders. A bed? In a prison ship? That doesn't sound right.

Eligar flips through the ledger, "There isn't much here except that they were returning
some sort of package, it is supposed to be worthless, but obviously it wasn't." He will
take the ledger with them to return. He hmms, "This is probably the captain's quarters."

Schneider gets bored reclining on the captain's bed after a while and sits up. "So, they
were returning something, and someone came to steal it?" he asks. "Does it say what it
was they were carrying? Or even how large it might have been?"

That sounds like an important fact. Ulharilti stops short of opening another door and
looks to Eligar. "Is it written where the package was kept? The ship had some important
task, and the gaoler claimed that it carried no prisoners, so it must be something else."
This could be the secret.

Eligar shakes his head, "It's not, but it'd most likely be in the cargo hold. I would suggest
that we go there next." He starts to move after the others holding onto his sword and
shield.

Benthus asks, "Does anyone see any signs of struggle? I mean a ship this big would have
a reasonable amount of crew to operate. Considering that it is also a prison ship, the crew
should be experienced enough to repel boarders."

Schneider shrugs, nods about checking the cargo hold. "Sounds as likely as anything.
Though I expect we'll find it missing." He gets up off the posh bed and heads off towards
the way down. He shakes his head about signs of a struggle. "Maybe the crew sold out
and ditched the ship here?"

In the strange nautical tradition of the wet navy, the stairs that lead down to the middle
deck are called ladders. The ladders flank the central passageway that connects the bridge
with the aft sections of the unexplored upper deck. A quick peek into the rows of doors
reveals crew cabins. Each of these have a chest, a small writing desk, and a fold down
bunk that stays against the wall. The chests are bolted to the framework and made of iron,
so without a key there's no reason to spend time upon them. Bridge, aft, or down become
the options. The cargo hold is almost certainly down.

Ulharilti Wiivai keeps her weapon stowed for now. The narrow confines make it less than
useful, and it would probably be more in the way in hand than it is strapped to her back.
"Where is the hold?" She knows nothing of airships, and this is only the second she has
set foot on.

Benthus ponders again, "Didn't the goaler divined the location of someone? And that
someone would be in the ship? Where is that someone?"

Eligar hmms, "Or perhaps they were taken prisoner by whoever boarded the ship via the
grappling hook that we found." He nods, "Yes she did, but she didn't say where in the air
ship, just that she found him."

Schneider hrms at what Benthus points out, though he says, "She only said that the
person was along the path of flight, not that they were in a specific place, yes? And of
course that was when she did the divination, time has passed since then." He nods to
Eligar, and says, "We'll check the hold, just in case, though. And so we can tell the folks
up above we checked everything."

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Who is leading the way?"
<OOC> Benthus says, "Eligar?"
<OOC> Eligar says, "Sure"

Footsteps reverberate as the party of adventurers descend the ladder to the middle deck,
leaving open doors and darkness in their wake. The middle deck is as large as the upper,
and laid out in much the same way. The main corridor proceeds fore and aft. This
corridor is the same large, wide corridor as before; perfect for wheeling cargo about.

It seems that pathway leads to the prison, a pair of metal doors with a locking bar closed
from the outside. Their side. To the starbard is a loading door and portable gangplank,
probably how they loaded prisoner and cargo. That makes the aft the most likely place for
the cargo hold to be. The ladders do descend one more level, but what could possibly be
down there?

Schneider follows along, heavy footfalls clumping on the deck as he illuminates the way
with his flaming greatsword. Luckily, the flame is illusory and doesn't burn the place
down around our ears. He peers at the prisoner area, but it's locked from this side, so
should be safe enough to leave at our backs, though he suggests, "We should check that
out before we go back to the ship."

The locked door to the prison area is some reassurance. Ulharilti looks to the others,
"Down?" If the hold isn't here, and is usually down, going down seems the logical choice.

Eligar nods, "That sounds good." He moves towards the aft and he pauses to listen to see
if there is anything behind the door before he starts to go to open the door.

Benthus sticks to the back of the group to make sure their rear is covered.

[RPThree] Ulharilti Wiivai says, "Which door are you opening?"
[RPThree] Eligar says, "Aft"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "The prison is fore, the cargo hold is aft, and down leads to the
belowdecks."

A pair of sturdy wooden doors should demark the spot where the wide corridor turns in to
the much larger cargo hold. One of those two doors is ajar ever so slightly. The ship
groans then, protesting its rough treatment with an unearthly cry of settling metal and
scrape of metal against stone. It lasts all of a heartbeat, and after that, a heartbeat may be
a much smaller length of time.

Within the cargo hold are boxes and boxes pressed against the walls. Each is stenciled
with a logo and small printed codes. What catches the eye, however, is a green chest
chained to the deck in the middle of the room. The chains do not cross the top, but rather
latch through eyelets on the side that prevent the box from shifting about during transport.

A green chest. Chained to the middle of the floor. That is not conspicuous at all. Ulharilti
is no expert air sailor, but it seems significant. "That looks like it is not worthless." She
approaches the chest, studying it as she nears. She won't know if it is significant until she
opens it.

Benthus says, "I'd rather not open it If I were you."

Schneider follows into the cargo hold, and holds his flaming sword up to provide light.
"That," he points to the chained trunk, "looks like something of interest." He points out,
"We weren't supposed to open it, just find it and let the people above know, right?" But
now he's hugely curious.

Eligar hmms as he looks around the room, "Well that doesn't make sense that they would
just leave the chest here. I say we keep looking. We haven't found any bodies or any real
sighs of a struggle. Something strange is going on here."

"Unless they already took what was inside," Ulharilti offers. "Do we leave any here to
guard it, or take it with us?" She isn't disagreeing, just doesn't like the idea of just leaving
it.

Benthus nods his head, sharing the same sentiment as Eligar.Now he is beginning to
understand why he was recruited for the job.
Schneider agrees with Eligar, "I'm not saying to stop looking. I just want a peek inside.
It's got to be interesting, if there's this much secrecy around it, right?" He hrms, "You're
right," he saus to Ulharilti, "it could be empty inside." He sighs at Benthus and Eligar, but
nods, "Let's make sure the place is empty, report on it, and get paid. It's kind of boring,
now. Where's the bandits and such?"

Ulharilti Wiivai now paces and looks around the vicinity of the chest as she waits for an
answer or others to decide. Maybe she can find some clue as to whether others did come
here, or if there was a battle, or ... something, anything. It is very strange, indeed.

Eligar looks to Schneider, "Don't open it, just leave it alone until we can figure out what
happened. For all we know maybe there is some trap that killed everyone for opening the
chest." He starts to look around.

<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai tries to look for signs of tracks, blood, monster spoor...
something.
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Survival checks to look for tracks or signs of battle in this area, or
you can head back to one of the other areas you haven't been yet."
GAME: Eligar rolls survival: (10)+2: 12
GAME: Schneider rolls survival: (15)+4: 19
GAME: Benthus rolls survival: (7)+2: 9
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls survival: (9)+5: 14
<OOC> Schneider says, "Actually, let me drop Detect Magic as well."
GAME: Schneider casts Detect Magic.

Schneider hrms at what Eligar says, and takes a step back. "Right," he agrees. He'll check
around the area for tracks, or signs of habitation, or anyone alive. After seeing what may
be seen with his woodcraft, he gives a flourish and calls out, "Spirits of magic. Speak to
me, tell me what you see!" And then proceeds to interrogate the spirits, to see if there is
anything supernatural going on.

You paged Eligar with 'You find some blood against some of the cargo boxes on the wall.
Also, the light in the room seems to be growing more and more dim.'

You paged Schneider with 'You pick up a fair amount of magic within sixty feet. The
majority seem to be artifice connected to the ship; dead or dimly functioning magical
enchantments that allow the ship to fly. The longer you concentrate, the more you come
to realize two things: the contents of the green chest are not magical, as there is no
magical aura, and two, there seems to be an enchantment surrounding this entire room.
Additionally, as you are looking around, you notice that there are faint piles of black sand
at the corners of the green chest. It's pooled against the walls, like it was poured there
after the box was put in place.'

You paged Benthus with 'There are a LOT of other boxes here. Yep. Lots.'

You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'You notice the lights seem to be getting more and more
dim here. That is odd on its own... but even your darkvision isn't reaching as far as it
should. It's like the darkness is closing around.'

Eligar hmms as he starts to look around the room. He stops, "I've got some blood over
here." He sees the cargo boxes and he goes to open one up.
Ulharilti Wiivai finds nothing obvious, though the dim light does not help. She glances
into the edge of the light, pauses, then looks again. Her steps then freeze. "The shadows
are deeper than they should be... Schneider, did you see any magic?" She is immediately
suspicious of the cause, but she is also somewhat biased.

Benthus just grips his sword tighter, getting more tense.

Schneider's concentration lingers on the chest for several long moments, that draw out as
he tries to focus on that and ignore the surroundings. "Ship things," he says quietly to
Ulharilti. "Nothing on the box," he says, "nothing in the box that's magical, it seems... but
the whole room has an enchantment on it," he narrates as he goes, though after a minute,
he wonders, "What's that?" as he points out faint piles of black sand at the corners of the
green chest. "Some kind of cement, to hold the box in place?" And then he urges, "Don't
touch anything, I think, it's ... it's all magical, the whole room, but I have no idea what or
how."

<DM> Shadow Demon uses Deeper Darkness to dispell Light upon Schneider's sword.
You paged Schneider with 'You sense a brief flare of magic near you!'

The light spell cast upon the sword is snuffed out!

"I do not like this," Ulharilti understands that magic powers the ship, and their could be
more for securing the prison. But here in the cargo hold? She moves forward, trying to
tell if the deep shadows recede or... and then there is nothing but shadow when the light is
extinguished.

Benthus says, "Great! Now what?"

GAME: Schneider casts Light.

Eligar stops and he hunkers down into a very defensive stance. "Schneider did you light
spell just go out?"

Schneider laughs as the light goes out, but he has no fear. In fact, he doesn't understand a
lot of complicated concepts. But if someone can put the light out, he'll simply make more
light. Chanting sonorously, he calls, "Spirits of fire, fight back, and reclaim your honor!"
But nothing happens. "No," he says to Eligar. "We're under attack." He chants again, and
the doorhandle suddenly flickers with illusory torchlight.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "And with those words, you most certainly are. Initiatives, please!"
GAME: Schneider rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls initiative: Roll: 5 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 7
GAME: You roll initiative for Shadows: Roll: 18 + Bonus: +8 = Total: 26
GAME: Benthus rolls initiative: (16)+initiative: 16
GAME: Eligar rolls initiative: Roll: 6 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 7
GAME: Benthus's initiative total changed to '16'.
== Current Initiative Order - Turn 1 ===
----------------------------------------
26 Shadows
----------------------------------------
17 Schneider
----------------------------------------
16 Benthus
----------------------------------------
7 Ulharilti
----------------------------------------
7 Eligar
----------------------------------------
========================================

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right, will saves everyone!"
GAME: Schneider rolls will: (6)+4: 10
GAME: Eligar rolls will: (13)+3: 16
GAME: Benthus rolls will: (7)+9: 16
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls will: (4)+3: 7

GAME: Ishmael rolls 7d6: (24): 24

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right, reflex saves for half. You get a double dose of the
saves."
GAME: Schneider rolls reflex: (13)+4: 17
GAME: Benthus rolls reflex: (16)+7: 23
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls reflex: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Eligar rolls reflex: (6)+2: 8

GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for 12 points. 14 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Ulharilti Wiivai for 24 points. 6 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 5 points. 35 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Eligar for 24 points. 13 remaining.

Crouching at the far end of the room, in the deepest part of the gloom and darkness, is a
shadow demon. It grins malevolently, lit only by the orange of firelight that barely seems
to spread in its presence. With a twist of its clawed hand, it tosses the fireball into the
midst of the adventurers!

GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+10: (19)+10: 29
<OOC> Schneider guesses that's a threat, should roll to confirm?
You paged Schneider with 'What kind of weapon and does it have enchants?'
Schneider pages: +1 greatsword.
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Please."
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+10: (4)+10: 14

<OOC> Ishmael says, "A hit, but not a critical hit."
GAME: Schneider rolls 2d6+10: (5)+10: 15

Schneider gasps as the little critter appears, and then there's fire, fire all around us. With
Schneider in the middle of it, laughing! He doesn't seem bothered by it much at all, and
screaming an incoherent, raging defiance, he charges the little critter and swings wildly at
it, his blade coming within a hair of a wicked cut. As it is, the wound it leaves seems less
than it ought to, but Schneider is past caring now.

<OOC> Benthus will invoke the wrath of Daeus upon this demon's head for smitysmite
effect. bypass d/r. swift cast LoH. Charge!
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Ok. Roll Lay on Hands."
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (3): 3
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -3 points. 17 remaining.
<OOC> Benthus says, "oh power attack on the charge, too."
You paged Benthus with 'What kind of weapon do you have and does it have any
enchantments?'
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+12: (2)+12: 14

Benthus dodges a ball of fire that detonates in the groups midst, singeing him slightly. He
then identifies the threat and sneers in anger. He utters' heal' to himself recovering some
health. Calling on the wrath of his god on the demon, he charges... and misses miserably.

<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai will close to within 10 ft, draw her glaive along the way, swift
to activate Arcane Strike, Power Attack, and swing at it.
<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai inserts Rage in there, too.
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls melee+3: (3)+5+3: 11

Ulharilti Wiivai doesn't realize the ball of fire is there until it scorches her scales badly.
Aside from burnt flesh, the other visibile effect is she becomes extremely annoyed.
Roaring to let it know she is still alive, she moves towards it, pulling her weapon free on
the way. The blade flashes momentarily with a touch of arcane power as she brings it
down in a reckless overhead swing... that punishes the floor.

<OOC> Eligar says, "I'll charge the demon."
<OOC> Eligar says, "And I'll throw down a challenge down on it, am I flanking
anyone?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You're not flanking. The thing is sitting on boxes at the end of the
room. There's no way for you to land on its side and still attack due to the nature of
charge."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can flank if someone takes a 5 foot step next turn."

GAME: Eligar rolls 1d20+10: (18)+10: 28
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d8+7: (3)+7: 10

Eligar stands firm as he takes the full blast of the fireball. His magical armor is steaming
as he sets himself to ready himself for a charge. "Come and face me demon!" He runs
forward to get right in it's face. He slices at it, but the damage seems to heal right up.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "The demon claws at Schneider. Schneider, what's your touch
AC?"
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+11: (5)+11: 16
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+11: (18)+11: 29
<OOC> Schneider says, "13."

GAME: Ishmael rolls 2d6: (5): 5
GAME: Ishmael rolls 2d6: (7): 7
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 2 points. 33 remaining.
<OOC> Ishmael says, "That's 12 minus your 10 temporary, but i'm going to hurt you for
10 when you come out of rage."

The shadow demon snarls and hisses at the damage, slashing angrily at the giantborn and
opening new cuts and scratches in his hide.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can move around the side to flank. Imagine it as a T, where
the top of the T are boxes across the back and the downstroke is a box it is sitting upon"

GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+12: (1)+12: 13

Schneider is, in fact, not as great a warrior as he aspires to be. He avoids the worst of the
injury from the little demon's claws by magic, guile, and sheer bloody-mindedness, but
the magic he'd casto on himself, when slashed by the demon, had erupted in a torrent of
blood, and he slips on some of the boody deck and winds up planting his blade in a crate
nowhere close to the damned thing.

<OOC> Benthus flanks with somebody, Loh on me, and continue the power attack. +1
from Eligar for real?
<OOC> Ishmael says, "It's real. Roll LoH."
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (2): 2
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -2 points. 19 remaining.

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+13: (20)+13: 33
<OOC> Benthus says, "is it critable?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Yep. Roll again to see if you crit."
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+13: (9)+13: 22
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Critical hit."

GAME: Benthus rolls 4d6+20: (17)+20: 37

Benthus blade is coated by with light and he raises his sword for an overhead swing.
With all his anger for the evil monster mustered in one stroke, he delivers a punishing
blow that would have obliterated a lesser creature.

GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls melee+3-1: (17)+5+3+-1: 24
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls 1d10+11: (2)+11: 13

Ulharilti Wiivai is in pain, though she doesn't feel it so strongly at the moment. She
demands some retribution and lifts her large weapon again. This time, it strike when it
drops, but the demon's damnable hide causes the blade to skitter along more than bite in.
Her fury isn't necessarily righteous, but it is still fury.

<OOC> Eligar says, "Aiding Benthus"
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d20+7: (15)+7: 22
<OOC> Eligar says, "He gets +3 to his next attack roll"

Eligar has gone up before against monsters who are invulnerable to mundane weapons.
He instead tries to distract the beast so that Benthus can have an easier time of hitting it.

The chimpanzee sized demon shrieks its rage as a blistering telepathic wail of pure rage...
and then its intangible form darts down into the boxes, out of sight.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "No AoO. It has total cover even with the 5 foot step."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "The lights are not back on. Light has a duration, as does darkness
it seems."

Eligar frowns as he sees the demon suddenly runaway. He continues to look around,
"Schneider can you please bring the lights up."

<OOC> Benthus says, "On his turn, Benthus will try to detect evil in the room."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Schneider, it's your turn. Benthus is going to concentrate a bit on
his detect evil, but it's your initiative."

Benthus draws his blade close to his chest with the crossguard close to the level of his
eyes. "Grant me sight, my liege!" His eyes flare bright wihte, like incandescent lamps, as
he scans the room for the demon.

GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (14)+6: 20
You paged Schneider with 'You dig and dig, but you can't find anything. It's too dark. All
the light is coming from the door on the other end of the room.'

Schneider is incoherent in rage or he'd probably do something magical as the creature
vanishes. As it is, he's half-blind with rage and he's intent on killing it, the dimness of the
light from across the room not stopping him. He reaches up and hurls the first and highest
box down, and then reaches for the next one. Muscles flex across his shoulders and back,
and crash, that box is thrown down as well. "Come out, damn you!" he shouts.

GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (19)+11: 30
You paged Eligar with 'You find no trace of the shadow demon, and though all the light
comes from the far end of the room, you feel certain you'd have found the beast if it was
here. It seems to have fled.'
Eligar hmms as he starts to look around and he shakes his head, "It seems to have fled,
the Sunblade has driven it off. It might have killed the crew I did find some blood over
there."

GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (9)+6: 15
You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'You can't find a trace of the shadow demon, but it's so
dark... all the light comes from the illuminated door knobs on the far end of the room.'

A giant-born after her own heart! Ulharilti also starts tossing boxes that Schneider has not
yet reached. "Come out! Coward!" She does not abide cowardice, especially from
annoying things that harm her then run.

As the boxes are tossed about, some break and spill hay onto the floor. Others clank
within their confines as metal or glass bumps together. The provisions don't provide
much challenge to the enraged.

<OOC> Benthus says, "Wait... I am a paladin. I'll scour every nook and cranny with my
detect evidence. ability until I find it. The sould"

You paged Benthus with 'Your detect evil eventually gives you a much better fix. The
area is foul with a strong aura of evil, as is the case for evil outsiders... however, the locus
of it isn't within range. This is just the stink of it dwelling here in the hold.'

Benthus blinks and the flare in his eyes vanish. "It is no longer in this room. We must
hunt it before it can fully recover."
Schneider growls defiance in one last savage hurl of boxes, and then snaps out of his rage,
panting exhaustedly as he tries to get his bearings back. "What's going on?!" he demands.
"Did we drive it off? Did we injure it?" His injuries seem much worse when the fury isn't
filling him. Not that he's more bloody, but he's less blind to the pain. He growls and spits
blood, then renews his sorcerous defense. "Blood spirits, blood magic, serve me!" Much
of the blood around him and on him seems to seep into his body, which ripples for a
moment, and is still.

GAME: Schneider casts False Life.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d10+4: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 10 points. 23 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for -6 points. 29 remaining.
You paged Schneider with 'The 10 was from the claw attacks you basically shrugged off.
When you dropped, the damage caught up to you. You're still pretty healthy!'

Ulharilti Wiivai vents some of her ire with the tossing of provisions. Some of her energy
vents with the end of her ire, leaving her winded, but she still has some saved for the
creature. "We need to find it," she growls, "quickly. Before it can escape or ambush use
again." Now that she's a bit more level-headed, the glowing door handles are of interest...
even if just because they're connected to the doors and they need to leave the room.

Eligar nods, "We could, but we are trying to find the crew. We have no evidence of what
is left of them." He continues to look around, "I doubt they are in here."

Schneider nods to the others, "We will kill it," he agrees, and a moment later, a box is
aflame with magical light. No actual fire, but a flaming glow like torchlight, mixing with
the magical light from the door. "Lighting everything," he says fiercely. "More fire!"

GAME: Schneider casts Light.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Okay, guys. You have a mess of crates on the floor (one of which
is quite brightly lit), a mysterious green chest, a missing crew, and a missing demon.
There's still the prison to explore and below decks as well. What will you do next?"
<OOC> Schneider whatever we do, I'm putting Light every 5 feet or so. Not going to let
him put us in the dark again.

Ulharilti Wiivai's first test is whether the glowing handles glow for any reason other than
light, and whether the doors still work as normal. All of this is checked by opening the
door. "Where do we look next? It could hide in the prison or below?" Whichever way
they choose, she is eager to go find the creature.

<OOC> Eligar says, "I'm gonna pop a CLW pot"
GAME: Eligar used a .
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8

GAME: Ishmael damaged Eligar for -8 points. 21 remaining.

Eligar takes a drink of his cure light wound potion as he considers it, "If it went down
then we should go down after it before it heals up too much."

Benthus says, "Does anybody know how many times that creature can do its escape
trick?"

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Religion and Planes will work in this case"
<OOC> Schneider says, "My planes isn't done right. It's a class skill, because I'm an
elemental sorcerer, but my skill doesn't reflect that, so I'l roll at +3."
GAME: Schneider rolls knowledge/the planes+3: (11)+1+3: 15

You paged Schneider with 'It occurs that a great many outsiders are composed of their
natural elements. A fire elemental is actually fire. If this is a shadow demon, its
intangibility is a permanent part of it. Short of having a +1 ship, it probably can go in and
out whenever it wants. The exception is probably the hull, since it's magically warded. It
may be trapped in here.'

Schneider is panting, breathless, but finally summons up the energy to move from the
spot. He clutches his sword and kicks a crate, then moves to the next one in light, and
fwoom, more magical firelight. It's almost getting cheery in here. "It left down," he says.
"So let's look down? Maybe it's gone? Maybe it's attacking the ship that brought us here
even now? Doing to them what it must have done here?" He shrugs at Benthus's question,
shakes his head. "If it is a thing of shadow, then it can do that as much as it pleases. But
the hull remains magical, so it can't pass that. It might be trapped inside." He nods to
Eligar, "Right, yes, let us find it. And we will see who does fire better."

Ulharilti Wiivai nods. "Down," and then she exits the room. She has a direction, and has
now been aimed. Just wait until she gets her claws on that thing.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Who goes down the stairs to the lower deck first?"
<OOC> Eligar says, "I will"

Benthus does his ritual for detecting evil and hurries towards the passage that leads down.

The Alida groans again as the adventurers leave the charred and broken ruins of the cargo
hold. Once more the mighty ironclad airship holds its piece with only a second of metal
scraping against the dark stone of the mountain.

When they return to the main corridor, there's sufficient light to see that the doors to the
prison remain barred from the outside, just as they had been before. The ladders from the
upper deck continue to the lower with only the landing between them for egress to the
middle deck. Eligar leads the way into the bowels of the ship. There is no great feat of
perception needed to smell the scent of gunpowder and old, burned chemicals--the entire
lower deck is full of the noxious fumes. This time, there is no main corridor. There is
only a passage that runs from port to starbard, each side with a rounded combing and an
open hatch.

Schneider follows down, placing a glowing fire everywhere he touches. It begins to look
like the ship is on fire, though there is no heat with Schneider's magical light. Sniffing at
the gunpowder smell, he observes, "This could get very bad. I think perhaps we've found
what we needed to. But then again, I think if we told them this thing wasn't dead, they'd
just tell us to come back and kill it. So, let's save a step and do it now."

Eligar looks around as they get down into the bowels of the ship. He whews softly, "I'm
glad that we don't have torches...it might set off something." He nods a little bit as he
looks around.

<OOC> Benthus will continue to detect evil until we find this fiend.

"It should die," Ulharilti agrees, moving down to and along the corridor. She cannot
detect it through divine means, so relies on her mundane senses.

You paged Benthus with 'To port and to aft. That's where the strongest eminations of evil
are coming from.'

Benthus continues to scan the passageways with his divine vision as he challenges the
fiend, "Come out you monster!"

Eligar draws his sword again, "Where is it?" He looks around trying to pick it out even
though he knows his blade will be ineffective against it.
Benthus has detected the monster or some thing else evil and exhorts his companions to
follow him. "This way!" He leads them to the back of the ship.

Schneider says nothing as he walks along, but flickering magical light springs up in more
and more places. No single darkness will now plunge us all into blindness. When Benthus
urges them on after him, though, he'll keep up as he leads us.

Ulharilti Wiivai is reinvigorated by Benthus' news and follows imediately behind him.
"Where?" She looks ahead, hoping to spot the creature.

The stink of evil and magical auras grow stronger upon the port side of the ship and
toward the aft. Once in the corridor it turns out to be nothing more than a wide, straight
corridor that ends in deep, abiding shadows and the shattered ruin of a massive artifice
engine. It would have been one of these that helped to keep the ship aloft.

Twisted shards of metal snarl around each other, barely visible as the shadows around the
thing eat the flickering flames that Schneider can call up.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "And once more with initiative!"
GAME: You roll initiative for Shadow_Demon: Roll: 19 + Bonus: +8 = Total: 27
GAME: Benthus rolls initiative: Roll: 1 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 3
GAME: Schneider rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
GAME: Eligar rolls initiative: Roll: 9 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 10
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls initiative: Roll: 18 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 20

== Current Initiative Order - Turn 1 ===
----------------------------------------
27 Shadow_Demon
----------------------------------------
20 Ulharilti
----------------------------------------
17 Schneider
----------------------------------------
10 Eligar
----------------------------------------
3 Benthus
----------------------------------------
========================================

<OOC> Ishmael says, "The demon flies twenty feet forward and shrieks in rage at all of
you. I'll need a will save from each of you."
GAME: Schneider rolls will: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Benthus rolls will: (9)+9: 18
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls will+2: (11)+3+2: 16
GAME: Eligar rolls will: (19)+3: 22

From afar, Ulharilti Wiivai assumes it is a spell, Sp, or Su and added the +2 from
Supertition.
You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'Good call! It is definitely a spell.'

GAME: Ishmael rolls 5d6: (17): 17

<OOC> Ishmael says, "And now, everyone roll fortitude to save for half damage."
GAME: Benthus rolls fort: (5)+8: 13
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls fort+2: (9)+6+2: 17
GAME: Schneider rolls fortitude: (18)+5: 23
GAME: Eligar rolls fort: (9)+6: 15

GAME: Ishmael damaged Eligar for 3 points. 18 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Ulharilti Wiivai for 6 points. 0 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for 17 points. 2 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 17 points. 12 remaining.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "BEnthus and Schneider are deafened due to the shout. Eligar
realized the spell was some sort of trick (aka passed the will save) and took 1/5th of the
damage and is not deafened. Ulharilti is knocked unconscious since it's a soft PRP.
Healing will revive her."

<OOC> Ishmael says, "SHe's supposed to take enough HP to actually kill her. It's a soft
PRP with no death, thus she falls unconscious instead :)"

The shadow demon launches forward, flying ten feet from the floor and shrieking like a
banshee. The force of its howl is terrible, tearing at flesh as well as the eardrums.

<OOC> Benthus says, "is it flying? Can we reach it with melee?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can reach it with your weapons. It's in the square above you,
if you're thinking of it grid style. It's twenty feet away, so you can move and then attack."

The ire Ulharilti had saved for the demon will need to wait. Just when she hopes to
summon it, the terrible wail rips through her. Combined with her earlier wounds, it is too
much for her body, if not determination. She collapses into a heap of blue scales, glaive
clattering to the ground.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Where are you shooting burning hands from?"
<OOC> Benthus says, "But... I don't want to die... yet. :)"
<OOC> Schneider says, "From my hands?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "I suppose I'm asking if you're moving away from your
companions at all."
<OOC> Schneider says, "Or you mean which square? I suppose I'll get just within range
of it. Actually, I'm deaf, I'll have spell failure, won't I?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "20% chance."
<OOC> Schneider rolling, 01-20 is fail.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d100: (58): 58

GAME: Schneider rolls 4d4: (8): 8
GAME: Schneider casts Burning Hands.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Make a caster level check to see if you can penetrate the spell
resistance."
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14

Schneider grimaces as the thing moves so quickly, having decided that this is not a fire
spirit despite its earlier use of fireball, decides to give it a taste of his own nature,
shooting flames from his hands as he moves closer. To his surprise, the flames wash all
around the thing, but do not seem to harm it at all.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Eligar says he's pouring a potion of Cure Light Wounds down
Ulharilti's throat if he doesn't respond. Eligar, just pose it when you get back."
GAME: Eligar used a .
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Ishmael damaged Ulharilti Wiivai for -3 points. 3 remaining.

<OOC> Benthus says, "Loh, and engage. if I can flank I will."

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (5): 5
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -5 points. 7 remaining.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "No flanking with it flying above you like that."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "But all your smite bonuses are still in effect."
<OOC> Benthus nods. "PA with it. All or nothing now..."

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+10: (13)+10: 23
GAME: Benthus rolls 2d6+10: (5)+10: 15

Benthus is bleeding badly from all his orifices, the sonic blast rapturing the soft inner
linings of his eyes, nose, ears and mouth. He grits his teeth as he wills himself to heal
once again, and with a vengeful cry for Daeus, he attacks the fiend. His sword strikes true
and the monster falls to the ground, crumbling into ashes. With his last oucnce of will
depleted, he slumps on forward, kept standing only by the aid of his sword.

With the demon destroyed, the sources of artificial darkness begin to ebb and then
disappear completely. Alarmingly, it appears that the Alida is ready to burn down to her
keel, but the lights cast by Schneider cause no damage at all.

With the illumination returned, the lower level becomes far easier to scout. In the
starboard nacelle, the engine is likewise ruined and turned into a twisted hulk. This time,
they come across a small brass clockwork about the size of an apple. Black smudges
show on its casing, and its long, spidery legs are bent out of shape.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Go ahead and return to free RP, please roll knowledge arcana or
artifice if you want to know more about the clockwork."
GAME: Schneider rolls knowledge/arcana: (17)+4: 21

You paged Schneider with 'The clockwork is actually a clockwork spy, a little brass
device that records sound onto a gemstone. The security device on it appears to be
malfunctioning. Normally these things blow up when damaged. It looks like there's a way
to trigger playback of the last recording.'

Eligar blinks a littlebit as he finds the clockwork spider for lack of better word. "What's
this?" He goes to poke it gently with his sword. "And where are the crew..."

Schneider puts his sword away now that things seem to have been restored to order, or as
much order as there can be in the hulk of a crashed airship. He looks over and it looks
like Ulharilti is back up, if not doing so great. But he can't really help with that, so he
goes around to check things out and make sure there's no more danger lurking. With a
keen eye for detail, he reaches down to pick up the strange clockwork thing before Eligar
can stab it. "This," he says, pausing for effect, "is a Clockwork Spy. Damaged, but intact,
which is a bit of luck for us." He attempts to trigger the playback. "Maybe we can see
what happened."

Ulharilti Wiivai comes to just in time to see that... the demon is gone. Grunting and
groaning, she asks, "Did it flee again?" Charging in headlong may be brave, but it also
takes a toll on the body... as does getting blasted by magic.

Benthus is tired, but manages to utter between ragged breaths, " ..No.. it is done..."

"...t's tearing the ship apart," says a small, feminine voice. The speaker sounds old, but
not frail. "Captain ordered the ship be scuttled and then... and then..." There's sobbing
emmanating from the clockwork mechanism. It echoes off the engineering bulkhead on
the ghost ship Alida. "...I heard him die. We can't even change course. I'm setting the
scuttle charges around the engines. With luck, the ship will crash in the Desolation and be
consumed before we can doom anyone else--else--else--else--" The clockwork
mechanism continues to skip until turned off and rewound.

Schneider looks chagrinned at the short snippet of recording. "Well. I guess we get roped
back up and bring them this, and let them decide to do what they want with it?" He
shrugs and resets it, but doesn't replay it. "So, what, this thing must have gotten aboard,
and then ... killed everything, but couldn't get out? How'd it get on, then? Did they try and
trap it? Or did something send it?" He looks blank for a moment. "What I really want is
something to eat, though," he decides. "Let's get off this wreck before it falls, tell them
about the cargo, and bring them this?" he suggests.

Benthus lifts himself by pushing against his sword. He takes the time to use up all his
remaining healing abilities on himself, and he feels a lot better than he was earlier. He
ponders on what Schneider has said and says, "So where is the missing cargo?"

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (4): 4
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (5): 5
<OOC> Benthus says, "All LoH spent."
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -9 points. 16 remaining.

Now that the thing is gone, so is much of Ulharilti's motivation. Her complaining wounds
don't help, either. "We have the information they need," she says wearily, "let's return to
the ship."

Eligar watches the recording and he hmms, "Or someone sent it aboard, don't forget we
round grappling hooks that we found up top. I think the green chest was the missing
cargo. We can always check the prison

Schneider ehs to Benthus, "Who says anything's missing? And the locate spell was a day
or more ago, the guy might have been alive then. Or it might have found his body? As for
the missing thing, it was probably that box we found upstairs. Who knows? It's their
problem now." He oh's about the grappling hooks. "Anyway, they're not here now."

Benthus ponders for a moment and offers a different scenario, "What if there were more
of them? And that fiend was left behind to tie up loose ends? What if the crewmen were
captured and kept alive? I don't see any corpses around. Evil will victor if we slacken in
our resolves to be vigilant. We have to assume the worse unless proven otherwise.
Because to think less would mean that good people will die a long and agonizing death."

Benthus sighs and adds, "But you are right, our job here is done."

Schneider ehs to Benthus, and gestures to the recorder. "Well, the captain's dead, and
they were over the Desolation when bad things started happening." How close is that
anyhow? He doesn't know, really. "They made it all the way here, then, with the engines
out, though maybe the scuttling charges weren't set correctly and they only partially
damaged it? So it didn't hit ground til it got here?" He's speculating wildly.

The majority consent to return to the surface of the ship and signal for the return of the
basket from the Warspite. The ship remains quiet other than the occasional groan of
effort from the dying ship. Only one need go out on deck to fire the flare, and then hurry
back inside to wait for the arrival of the basket. This allows them just a little more time to
explore the ship.

A quick peek into the bridge reveals slain watchmen and airmen. Their bodies are cold
and stiff in dried puddles of brown blood. Still more are found aft in the mess. The party
had missed both groups of the corpses and hurried down into the depths to encounter
their foe.

It appears the ship really was absent it's load of prisoners, because none can be found.
The green chest can be brought with, if they are so inclined. The inside of that locked
chest was filled two fingers high with the grainy black sand and not a whit else. The
captain's log and the clockwork mechanism seem to tell the story, even if it's not plain.
They've discharged their duty at the least: find the ship, check on the status of crew,
prisoners, cargo, and report back to the Warspite.</nowiki>

[[Category:Logs]]

Rescue Party

2013-10-13T05:12:21Z

Ishmaelthegray:

<nowiki>The hastily scrawled note wasn't even posted to the Adventurer's Guild boards, as is the custom and the law (enacted as a part of Keep Alexandria City Beautiful, an anti-litter encorcement). The Gaoler's Guild, a good number of whom belong to the city watch, are permitted this minor violation.

Airstation Alexandria is abustle with the business of shipping and transportation, but the directions were very specific. Spire 24, mid-tier dock. Each tier of the spire has a permanent gangplank and docking apparatus for docking and unloading airships. By necessity, the largest airships are on the top tier and the small flitters are reserved for the lowest.

Ascending the spire is a matter of walking the winding screw of a ramp that curves around the outside of the spire. At the midlevel there's a doorway just over ten feet tall and a room fifteen feet to the ceiling. Boxes are pressed against the wall no higher than the door and a tall human in a watch uniform talks to a gaoler in the grim black and gray of that particular guild.

You paged Eligar with 'The setting emit just happend. Here it is. The hastily scrawled note wasn't even posted to the Adventurer's Guild boards, as is the custom and the law (enacted as a part of Keep Alexandria City Beautiful, an anti-litter encorcement). The Gaoler's Guild, a good number of whom belong to the city watch, are permitted this minor violation.

Airstation Alexandria is abustle with the business of shipping and transportation, but the directions were very specific. Spire 24, mid-tier dock. Each tier of the spire has a permanent gangplank and docking apparatus for docking and unloading airships. By necessity, the largest airships are on the top tier and the small flitters are reserved for the lowest.

Ascending the spire is a matter of walking the winding screw of a ramp that curves around the outside of the spire. At the midlevel there's a doorway just over ten feet tall and a room fifteen feet to the ceiling. Boxes are pressed against the wall no higher than the door and a tall human in a watch uniform talks to a gaoler in the grim black and gray of that particular guild.'

Schneider is there in a flash. He moves quickly and easily up the stairs, his long stride making quick work of the steps. Even barechested, the wind and weather hold no sway over him, and he moves fearlessly to the destination mentioned in the note. He had been lazing about, but this looks like it will be entertaining, and now he's deeply intrigued.

Stairs. Alot of them, given the height of the spire. Ulharilti discovers what could be considered a foe noted for the future; the jungle may have some tall trees and cliffs, but it is not known for stairs. When she reaches the platform, she notes those present and approaches. A missing airship is certainly an interesting problem. How did they lose something so large?

Eligar has left his horse Kindroth at one of the stables as a horse on the deck of a ship is not a winning proposition no matter how well trained the horse is. He also left his lance with the horse, trusting that Kindroth would guard it. He has his sword and shield with him as he walks up the stairs towards the dock that holds the room that the Explorer's Guild told him to go to.

Benthus reads the note he received and rereads it. There is something about the mission involved that he is apprehensive about. There is very little information as to the level of danger he is to face and he has no idea where the missing ship could be found. Most of all, why are they asking for a skilled combatant on this mission rather than a regular person. These thoughts trouble him, yet he could not refuse the mission for risk of neglecting people who might need saving. So, despite his fears, he goes to the airfield to do this task.

"What? Ho there, adventurers," the watchman says. His uniform is pressed but showing signs of a hard morning of labor before lunch. Bars upon his sleeve and epaulets mark him as a lieutenant and commander of the watch. "Four of you, eh?" He seems to consider it. "I'm Lieutenant Baxter. This is Binder Nina."

Next to him, the gaoler looks up and says nothing. Her pale features are drawn and there are deep circles beneath watery blue eyes. She runs her bony hands together; yellow nails a contrast with fishbelly white flesh. "Four will do, Baxter," she says in a surprisingly melodious voice out of character of her darkling appearance. "The giant, in particular, seems promising."

"Right, then," Baxter says. He appears to be taking orders from the Binder. (Knowledge: Local, DC 10. This is not normal. Binders do not give orders to the Watch). "The airship Alida was returning from her run to the northeastern reaches of the Desolation but she's hours overdue. Given the nature of the run, it becomes imperative that we ascertain her fate quickly. The city watch will provide you with one of our small patrol crafts to trace along the Alida's route."

Ulharilti Wiivai doesn't know precisely where the Desolation is in relation to the city, but an airship implies some distance. Neither does she know who should be giving orders to whom. "Do we need to travel its entire route? Do you know when they were last safe?" Some information would be helpful.

Schneider smiles winningly at Nina, preening a bit as she praises him. His hair flutters in the winds this high up even without the constant pestering of spirits. "Promising, indeed! We will solve your problem, and then, we may perhaps have a quiet dinner together." He winks. As the problem is explained, he nods slowly, then guesses, "It carried a prisoner of some kind?" Why else would a jailer be involved? Why else would a few hour behind be a cause for worry? "We will recapture this prisoner!" he vows. He doesn't just jump to conclusions, he takes a flying leap, fully committed.

Eligar nods politely to the Lieutenant Baxter and he moves to a spot to listen. He hmms, "And what was the ship carrying that makes it's retrieval of the utmost?" He asks as he can sense something is going on and he waits for the questions to be answered.

Benthus approaches the group to which he is to team up with and was about to greet them when they started talking. It appears its all straight into business now. So he simply stands close by to indicate that he is the fourth man (or half-elf) and listens.

"They only report in if there is trouble or they reach their destination. Unfortunately, we've received no communications at all since their departure from Sk-" Baxter replies, but a hiss from the Binder silences him and prevents him from finishing his sentence. "You may be required to trace the full route," he says slowly, eyeing the gaoler as if to say something. "But we do not believe so."

"One of the passengers upon that ship is known to me," she explains. "And I have cast a divination upon him. I believe that he can be found only a few hours by flight." Schneider's guess makes her smile and she inclines her head enough to acknowledge the point. "The Alida carries many prisoners, giant. Your airship is but a scout, however."

Baxter nods and resumes the outline. "The Warspite has been assigned to take the four of you northeast along the route the Alida followed. If you encounter the Alida, you are to board the ship, ascertain the condition of the crew and prisoners, and report back to the watchmen aboard the Warspite. She carries sufficient crew to man a skeleton watch and pilot the Alida back to port if necessary. Further questions?"

Eligar frowns, "I can appreciate the need for secrecy, but we need all the information that we can so that we can be ready to go up against anything that might have attacked that ship. So why don't you tell us what was on that ship and why it's so important. We are going to find out what happened to it anyway. I'd rather not go in blind."

Schneider laughs mirthfully and says, "I am ready. Let's find this ship full of prisoners!" To Eligar, he suggests, "It is probably a jailbreak attempt by the allies of one of the prisoners. Attacking in the city would be too hard. Taking the ship when it is away from a safe haven would be their best chance."

That explains many things, and proves that the giant's insight is valid. "We will learn what happened to the ship and the prisoners," she agrees, "but if it was an attack by allies, they will have an instant army with the prisoners." That leads into a question for the gaoler. "How many?"

Benthus shifts his gaze from one speaker to the next, listening carefully.

Baxter's 'I told you so' look earns a sigh from Binder Nina. She fastidiously examines the pleats of her blouse and pretends not to hear.

Baxter nods. "The Alida is a converted ship of the line. She's too armored by half and underpowered in her cannons, but that makes her an excellent prison ship. This time, the Alida was bound for Skyhold." A little tension drains from his face, but not from the ramrod posture of his body. Ulharilti's question makes the watchman wince.

"There are fifty two cells and a large cargo hold for contraband or dangerous items which are also cached at Skyhold," Nina explains. "You are being hired only to find the ship, determine the condition of the crew and prisoners, and report back to the Warspite. The watch and guild will determine what actions need to be taken from there."

A soft boom, a massive thump upon a wooden barrel, heralds the arrival of the Warspite. Moments later, clomping footsteps come from outside. "Commander," salutes the watchman upon entering. "Warspite reports as ordered." The watchmen spend a moment conversing quietly, leaving the adventurers to ask a final question of the gaoler or each other. The hour is upon them.

Benthus simply says, "Rules of engagement?"

Eligar nods as he listens to the explanation, "And what was the compliment when it left Skyhold? How many prisoners were being kept on the ship and was there any contraband or dangerous items being held in it's hold?" He asks and he looks over at the watchman as he enters, "This could prove the difference between victory and defeat."

Schneider looks a little disappointed at the order to simply find the Alida and report. But he cheers himself by saying, "There will almost certainly be a fight as we get to the ship. I am ready to go!" Eligar's question holds him, though, and he pauses to hear the answer before heading for the Warspite.

"Too many for four to counter," Ulharilti understands the stipulation to scout and report, "even if they were not full." Not that it would stop her from engaging if needed, but she is not completely foolish. She seems to have no further questions and moves towards the Warspite.

Binder Nina squints just a little, narrowing her blue eyes upon Benthus. The water blue has turned to icy clarity. "There are no prizes of state aboard. If a prisoner is out of their cell and you cannot reasonably detain it, you may commit yourself to violence as you see fit. I can quite guarantee it will be self-defense. However, there should be no prisoners aboard. The ship is returning from Skyhold, not heading toward it." She shoos them toward the gangplank. Baxter and the other watchmen cease their discussion, salute one another, and part.

The gangplank, like the spire, is not half so delicate as it would seem from the ground. The reinforced stone and iron platform must needs support the weight of any cargo as well as tether the large ships to the spire itself. A storm and lack of anchor could and still would tear the spires to pieces.

The Warspite is moored to the end of the gangplank. She's a small, spritely craft with cabins for eight and a brace of cannon on each side that thrum with magical energies so potent that the slightly audible hum is audible to even the magically deaf. An airman greets them at the deck and ushers the adventurers aboard.

Schneider laughs and nods at Ulharilti's surmise, and seems more surprised at the response. "No prisoners? Well," he says with a shrug, "Then we shall simply find out what we find out," and that said, he heads for the Warspite, giving the airman a casual salute and standing in the middle of the deck, where he can get the best view of getting underway.

Eligar nods a little bit, "Thank you for the information." He follows the others out towards the Warsprite and he looks it over as he moves to find a spot on the deck. He takes out a length of rope and he will tie it around himself and then tie it tightly to a solid piece of the ship. He has heard how reliable these airships can be.

Benthus dips his head for the goaler, acknowledging her answer. He waits until the lady has departed before turning his attention to the ship. He has been in one before and the experience was... unsettling. Hopefully his second time on the air would not be as embarassing as the first. He silently greets the airman stationed by the port and proceeds to settle himself on one of the seats, stowing his gears to the side for quick access.

Ulharilti Wiivai has only travelled upon a sailing vessel to date, but how different can it be? It just floats through air rather than water. She moves to where she's directed and stows what needs to be secured, but otherwise keeps her eyes towards the deck rails. The view is one difference, and a new one.

The watchman accompanying the adventurers aboard turns out to be the captain. He boards first, the others follow and are settled upon the deck. It's warm in the sunlight, even at this altitude, but the winds are brisk and the vessel isn't even underway.

"I'm Lieutenant Garth, first mate of the Warspite. You briefly met Captain Mireau. Do not interfere with the airmen aboard the ship. If you have a question, take it to me. If and when we find the Alida, you will board her alone and report back when you've completed your mission." The burly, sunkissed blonde first mate looks at each of them in turn. "You have your run of the main deck, galley, common room, and the head. We will string hammocks in the hold if this lasts more than a few hours."

The Warspite throws off her lines and the wood and ironclad hull of the airship begin to pull away from the tower. It is a significantly smaller airship than the cargo haulers and long range vessels that ply the airways in slow and stately majesty. The ship comes about and then the artifice of engine drives the ship onward. Within minutes, the Warspite is climbing toward a ghastly top speed nearly three times that of the large ships while airmen look over the sides and with telescopes, trying to make sign in the distance as well as below them.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can wander about the ship or assist with the search over the sides, as you see fit. If you would like to assist with the search, please roll perception. If you're exploring the ship, feel free to just pose it."

GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (9)+11: 20
GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (14)+6: 20
GAME: Benthus rolls perception: (19)+4: 23
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (14)+6: 20

Eligar stays by the sides of the ship and he looks around as best he can see given that he's wearing fullplate. He looks for the airship that they are suppose to find. He look towards his companions. "I am Sir Eligar, Knight of Peace by the way."

Schneider seems pleased by the ship's turn of speed, and he'll keep watch for our target, because just sitting and waiting is boring, and he'd probably get yelled at for flirting with any of the women sailors given the mate's speech. Holding his hand over his eyes to shade it from the sun, he'll peer into the distance intently to see what may be seen. At Eligar's introduction, he smiles, and says, "I am Schneider! Spirit of Fire!"

Benthus stands up once the airship has departed from its moors, and begins to make his way towards the head of the ship. Being his usual self, he begins to converse with the few crewmen on board, trying to gain a story or two about their experiences in the air. As he listens, he also scans the horizon for any peculiar shapes that could possibly be the Alida. But he trusts that the information provided by the goaler is accurate and the means to locate the ship would not be a problem.

Ulharilti Wiivai moves to the sides after the ship has cleared the dock and much of the city. She looks more for the general sights than just for signs of the Adila, but it is dual purpose. When others introduce themselves, she dips her head to them. "I am Ulharilti Wiivai, warrior, hunter, and ...spirit-chosen scout of the Celaetril tribe." Her last title rolls off with some lack of familiarity.

Benthus' racial perks allows him to hear the conversation of his three other comrades. He politely disengages himself with the crewmen he was conversing with and heads towards their position. "I am called Benthus. A sunblade." He tersely spoke.

Schneider isn't reprimanded for harassing the female sailors. One slams her fist into his arm, knuckle extended, with the intent of leaving a painful bruise. The others were better at excusing themselves. Better behaved adventurers, such as Sir Eligar and Ulharilti Wilvai find their introductions returned by crewmen, though they quickly go back to work.

Four hours into the flight, the Warspite streaks below the clouds with such rapidity that the turbid wake tears apart the clouds floating above. A dagger of pure blue follows them, slowly sealing up only miles behind them. The Redridge Mountains are below, a broken spine of red rocks shot through with black and dusted with white at their peaks. Warspite follows the line of them toward the bleak horizon of the Desolation in the distance.

The crew train brass telescopes and binoculars at the horizon, but it's below them that all four of the adventurers see a black scar across three snowy peaks. When each of you traces the scar to its terminus, an airship of significantly different design is wedged over a crevasse. One peak of each top supports the fore and aft sections of the ship. It appears to have bounced upon two other mountains before coming to rest in its perilous spot.

Eligar looks and he spots the ship where it crashed. "Hey it's over there." He points it out and he looks over towards the others to see if they can see it too. He tries to get the attention of the steerman and the captain of the ship.

Ulharilti Wiivai also notices the fallen airship on the ground, but is not certain it is the one they seek. Still, it is important to point out. She waves one large arm and calls to those with telescopes. "Look down! There is a ship below us!"

Benthus nods to Eligar's and Ulharilti's declaration. He peers to the crewmen to see if they have heard as well, letting them do their job of identifying the ship.

Schneider is frogged in the arm, and despite the tingling sensation that's left going up and down that arm, he laughs as if it were pretty damned funny. He seems to hold no ill will, even as he rubs life back into his arm. "I like a woman with fire in her heart," he explains, though he leaves her alone after that, and keeps his eyes out. "Ah, there it is," he calls out, "It looks like she hit some some hard times. And also mountains."

The cries of 'Hey, it's over there' and 'Look down' result in the crew doing just that. "Bring her about!" cries one airman, and the Warspite pulls a slow about face… but the circling motion doesn't stop. Turning about results in another turn as the ship loses altitude in the search for clarity. Down and down the Warspite goes, descending several hundred feet as it circles some vast invisible whirlpool of descent. Non-airmen might be alarmed by the descent toward the snowy peaks.

"Hold!" cries the first mate. Garth strides onto the deck, still wearing his uniform but he's augmented it with a heavy cape lined with fur. At his word, the pilot halts their descent and the engines hold them in a hover that still leaves the ship to be pushed about by the katabatic winds of higher peaks.

First Mate Garth looks over the side and then comes to the adventurers. "This is as low as we can go. The winds are bouncing us about as it is already. Are you ready to make your descent?" The ship is still hundreds of feet below othem!

Eligar holds onto the railing as the ship starts to dip down towards the snowy peaks. He starts to look around to try to see what might have caused the ship to crash.

Schneider looks down, grimaces. "Feather Fall won't work for this," he explains. "Falling slow, we'd just get pushed all over. So it's a good thing I don't know that one." He considers. "If we rappel from ropes, we'll at least be holding on, so you could move this ship to dangle us over the one below. And then we'd have a way back up, yes?"

Rapid descents are another point unique to air ships. Water vessel only decend slowly, usually accompanied by everyone suddenly leaving the ship. Ulharilti cluthes the rail tightly as they spiral downward, and only releases when the First Mate approaches and speacks to them. "We will take a smaller ship? The man spoke of another ship. Who will pilot it?"

Eligar looks to the first mate. "It's a long way down. Are we going to go down by ropes?" He asks as he doubts there is a smaller ship. He nods in agreement, "Indeed it is and I'd rather not try to time it."

Benthus feels the sudden descent of the ship with which also gives his stomach the opposite reaction of tossing back up what he had eaten earlier. He grits his teeth as the familiar feeling of his previous flight has come to visit him again. He feels himself almost floating off the floor of the ship and instinctively grabs a hold of something to keep him in place. It takes a few seconds and a great deal of will power on his part before his body began to adapt to the vertical acceleration. And he was relieved when the captain of the ship gave the command to hold in place. He was still breathing hard when the ship finally came to a relatively stable stance, finding it difficult to listen to what the other people are saying.

"No. No smaller ship," Garth says with a smile that says he's going to love giving this answer as much as Ulharilti is going to hate hearing it. "You'll be going over the side on descent lines. We can close to within a hundred yards and we'll lower you down in a basket."

The airship crew is already dragging out what appears to be a hot air balloon's basket. It is wicker, reinforced with leather and steel cables. Surprisingly, the ten foot by ten foot basket seems large enough to take them all at once. It will be tight, but it seems to be able to do the job. Massive wooden spools with rope wound about their cores are wheeled out to the deck. Pairs of airmen flip each spool onto its side and pin it to a metal fixture with a four foot iron gear and rod, then capped and screwed down.

"Here. You'll need these to signal for the basket," Garth explains. He holds out four aerial flares, one for each of them. "We can't leave it to dangle or it'll be smashed to flinders upon the mountain side." This is how you earn your pay.

Benthus finally gets his auditory senses to function properly and hears of how the team is to be deployed below. He blinks and could not help himself from uttering, "Are you serious?"

Eligar starts to untie himself and he puts the rope away. He moves over towards the basket and he takes one of the flares, "We will signal you when we can." He looks to Benthus, "It could be worse." He starts to get into the basket.

Schneider has been enjoying things so far - the trip, the rapid descent, and the idea of rapelling down. But at the mention of a basket, he seems incredulous. "A basket? What is this, children's hour?" Though he will join the others in the basket, since they're not being given a free rope to shimmy down. Probably for the best, given he's wearing a loincloth. He takes a flare, sticks it into a large pouch on his belt, and climbs into the basket without a bit of fear.

Ulharilti Wiivai does indeed look like she's very, very unhappy with the answer. Her sour look touches first the mate, then the basket, then back to the mate. On the other hand, it is probably less dangerous than umping over the side. "You'd better send the basket down when we signal." She takes the flare and approaches the basket. She'll get in, but is in no great rush. The less time she's dangling from a rope in a ...nest, the better.

Benthus peers down below and then at the face of the grinning first mate. His expression darkens for a moment but he refrains from saying anything. Too many a times has he been in a situation where logic has been replaced by something insane to get a job done. He really thinks that Garth is making a very bad joke at their expense, but when he sees that his other companions are taking the flares and positioning themselves in the basket, he realizes that this is no joke. He widens his eyes incredulously and shuts them quickly. Putting his game face on, he snatches one of the flares and heads towards the basket.

Getting in the basket is undoubtedly dangerous, though by far the least enviable job belongs to the sailor who punched Schneider hours before. She carries one of the ropes all the way to the fore of the ship and passes it under and then to another runner. She does the same again with a second rope. . Those are attached to spools on the other side, and all four lines are joined to the ship.

"There's going to be a slight bump at the beginning, so hold on tight," First Mate Garth explains. "Two ropes from each side of the ship will keep you stable as you descend but the basket tilts a little until you're directly under the ship."

They'll wait for everyone to get inside the basket, where there are hand straps, boot straps, and numerous places to tie off to. "We do this all the time," says one of the sailors. "Don't worry."

It takes four sailors to push the basket to the edge and just over. The basket's bottom sags just a little, and then nothing else. The basket doesn't fall. They don't plummet over the side. Sailors rush away from the edge and man enormous winches. Each turn is slow and each turn is made perfectly in synchronization with the others due to a complicated assemblage of gears. The basket starts to descend, tipped by only about five degrees as it descends beneath the keel of the Warspite. And then it lowers them, yard upon yard through the cold air toward a crashed airship balanced on the tips of two different peaks.

Eligar holds onto the edge of the basket as they are pushed out into the air. He turns his attention toward the ground and he narrows his eyes looking to see if there is anything moving down on the ground or on the ship.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "If anyone would like to make a perception check as you descend, please roll it."

GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Benthus rolls perception: (16)+4: 20
GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (9)+11: 20

Schneider's love is a curse, it seems. Perhaps things would be different if she hadn't spurned the sorcerer's affections. He holds onto one of the handholds, the other resting on the edge of the basket as he leans over, heedless of the rocking as he tries to get a view of our landing zone. "Definitely need to find a way to command air spirits," he muses as he observes our slow approach to our destination.

Ulharilti Wiivai claims two handholds and three footholds, if available. Just to be secure. She can swim fairly well, but she cannot fly. Her discomfort is only visible, at least, as she keeps her mouth closed while they pitch, tip, and lower. She tries to focus her eyes on the ground that she is anxious to return to... just not /too/ quickly.

You paged Eligar with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship in a most worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature is below freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There appears to be no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights coming from the portholes.'

You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship in a most worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature is below freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There appears to be no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights coming from the portholes.'

You paged Schneider with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship in a most worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature is below freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There appears to be no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights coming from the portholes.'

You paged Benthus with 'You descend, swaying back and forth beneath the ship in a most worrisome way. Don’t they realize how dangerous this is? The air temperature is below freezing due to the icy wind and somebody has an elbow in your ribs. There appears to be no damage and nobody on the decks of the Alida. Nor are there lights coming from the portholes.'

Warspite dangles the basket at one hundred and two yards as marked by the hatch marks upon the great spools of rope. It doesn’t quite come to rest aboard the deck of the wrecked ship, but it’s no more than a couple feet from the decking. They sway back and forth ten feet at a swing, but disembarking will most definitely put them aboard the main deck of the Alida.

In the slanted, late afternoon rays of the sun, the icy wind has painted a faint wet sheen on the boards of the deck, indicating that it’s likely to be very slippery. From here, there seems to be nobody aboard the wrecked ship but shadows of the mountains threatening to bring premature night upon them all.

Schneider will climb over the side of the basket and plant his feet on the deck. When he's got his footing, he'll try to hold the basket steady for the others to dismount. This is turning out to be pretty interesting, he's decided. The wind blows back his hair dramatically.

Eligar looks up, "Hey try to keep it steady up there." He shouts and then looks back towards the ship. He shifts to try to get someone's elbow out of his ribs, "It doesn't look very good down there. Not many could survive down there in this kind of weather."

Benthus takes a tight hold over one of the hand straps that is attached to the basket, as his other hand grabs hold on the hilt of his two-handed sword. He carefully peers over the edge of the basket and scans for any activity down below. A quick glance is made to those of his team mate, wondering if any of them will lose their nerve in this delicate procedure. As he spots that they are all focused on looking below, he stops worrying about himself and concentrates on the task at hand. As he scrutinizes the integrity of the ship, he realizes that there appears to be no damage to it. There is no lights coming out of the port holes either. But most distressing of all is that there are no person on the ship's deck. He relays all of his findings to the other members of his team, hoping that they have better luck in finding someone on board the downed ship.

"Why did the ship crash? I don't see any damage... and no light." Ulharilti gratefully exits the basket when it touches down. A slippery deck is better than a swinging basket. It's also much less confining and the large sith now has room to move around.

Schneider laughs, "Of course there's no one on deck. They'd freeze in these winds, if they didn't get blown overboard." Not that he's not on the lookout for someone ambushing us, but he doesn't seem particularly concerned. It will happen or it won't. "Maybe they landed to get out and stretch their legs?" he suggests ironically. "We're not going to find out in the basket."
Benthus keeps looking down below as he makes a quick reply to Sith, "They should have brought and engineer along as I have no idea what could be wrong with the ship."

The Alida--a pretty name for an ugly ship. The vessel lacks the graceful prow and smooth lines of a fast packet like the Warspite. She’s boxy, clad in great sheets of iron that angle slightly toward the keel, and gives the impression of a formerly flying barricade. Wedged into the stone, it seems that the reason the ship hasn’t collapsed into the yawning mist covered darkness below them is the over-engineered armor.

The icy foredeck occupies half the length of the ship, with the aftercastle occupying the other half. The deck seems to be completely empty, devoid of fixture, weapon, or furniture. Ice is their companion and the sight of the ascending basket leaves only the gnawing urge to fire the flares and leave.

The deck is wider than the after castle and it goes all the way around, providing a thin walkway for three of the four sides. It is upon these sides that they find two doors, one on each side and opposite from the other.

Ulharilti Wiivai does not care for the cold, and the wind only makes it worse. The deck is empty, anyhow, and provides no information. She moves as briskly as the slippery surface allows and calls out the obvious door when it is found. Immediately after, she tries to open it. Answers, windbreak, and possible heat could lie within.

Once the basket land Eligar waits for the others to get out before he does being slower in full plate. He takes a look around as he starts towards the ship and he tries to ignore the cold. He looks around, "Anyone see any claw marks and burns?" He looks around for any holes that might be in the ship.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "You could check for signs with survival (tracking). Go ahead and roll it."
GAME: Schneider rolls survival: (8)+4: 12
GAME: Eligar rolls survival: (18)+2: 20
GAME: Benthus rolls survival: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls survival: (2)+5: 7

You paged Schneider with 'You fail to find any tracks upon the deck, nor any sign that anyone but you were upon it since the ice came.'

You paged Eligar with 'There are some faint scratches that are actually below the ice and have been passed over. It appears that something heavy may have passed along here. Following the scrapes leads you to a broken steel prong and scratches on a hand hold. If you had to guess, it was a broken grappling hook. There's a thin ledge below, and then a gaping maw. Nothing else.'

You paged Benthus with 'It's cold and icy, you don't see how anything could have left a track that the ice wouldn't have covered.'
Schneider moves slowly to keep his feet. Lucklily, his fur loincloth is heavy enough that the winds don't whip it up dangerously. When everyone's safely out of the basket, he'll let go so it can be hauled up. He takes a look around deck, but can't make out anything, so agrees with Ulharilti, "No sign of anyone. Seems reasonable if the wind blew away all signs, though. Or maybe they left to find better shelter?" He'll make his way towards Ulharilti's door.

You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'The ice seems to be too hard to leave good track. You can't find anything.'

Benthus is too cold to actually be concerned about any clues as to the ships present condition. All that he is interested in is to get inside the ship and out of the cold biting wind. "I hope we can burn something inside the ship as I don't feel my fingers anymore.
Eligar pauses as he sees smething below the ice that has just recently formed over. He follows the scrap and he reaches to pull out a broken steel prong, "Over here. It looks like some sort of grappling hook. I bet that whatever happened this ship didn't go down by some accident."
Benthus looks at the grappling hook and the first thing that comes out of his mouth is: "Pirates?"

From afar, Ulharilti Wiivai nods. "Is the door able to open, if so, =what is inside?
You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'The handle swings but it doesn't just pull open. Give me a strength check to see if you can break free whatever is holding it shut.'

Schneider pauses as the grappling hook is found, and he nods at Benthus's guess. "It seems so!" he agrees. But he's not sure where that gets us. "But are they still here? Or did they take things and go? Did they leave a prize crew?" These questions have no answer right this instant, so with a gesure pointing to the side door, he calls out, "Spirits! Heed my command, open this door, and let us see what it leads us to!"

GAME: Schneider casts Open-Close.
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls strength: (4)+3: 7

The spirits may not be listening. Ulharilti's tug and Schneider's call to the spirits do little more than swing the handle, which moves easily, but the door doesn't open.

Eligar nods, "Could be." He looks towards the others waits for the others, "It might be locked."

Ulharilti Wiivai's tug might have been more effective, had the ice not made her footing trecherous. In this case, the door moves her more than the other way around, as she slides, slips, and growls. Magic has no better result and she growls. "We could just break it down."

Benthus draws his greatsword out of its sheath and holds it in his two hands, the thought of a possible hostile confrontation making him overtly cautious. At least the sudden surge of adrenaline can combat the painful cold he is feeling at the moment. If the door is locked, lets try the windows."

Schneider hrmphs at the door not opening. "Locked, then," he assumes, nodding to Eligar, and he'll go right up to it, wind blowing though his hair and loincloth. He'll put his shoulder to it to see if that does any better.

Eligar hmms, "Anyone here know anything about locks?" He asks as he doubts there is a window, this is a prison ship after all. "Anyone bring an axe?"

There are indeed a few windows. Multiple panes of thick glass curve across the front of the aftercastle and show the bridge within. The view is distorted by frost, but the consoles are unmistakable. The only other windows are the portholes on the hatch, and they're just as covered in the thin layer of ice as the rest of the door.

Glass is much more fragile than wood or armor.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "The door is frosted over, much like a car door after freezing rain. A good tug (strength check) or some fire should loosen it up."

<OOC> Benthus says, "Fire it up! *readies his hand for the heat*"

Glass is much more fragile than wood or armor. "The window, if we can't open the door." Ulharilti move to the front of the bridge and unstraps her glaive from her back. She doesn't strike just yet, in case the others do manage to unstick the door.

GAME: Schneider rolls strength: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Benthus rolls strength: (15)+3: 18
<OOC> Ishmael says, "18 is sufficient, the ice cracks around the door and drops free in a sheet when the door opens up."

Schneider can't seem to get his footing on the icy deck, and his strentgh is useless without some way to use it. Feet sliding across the deck, he finally gives up and steps away from the door to let someone else have a try.

Eligar takes out his sword and he holds his shield ready. He waits as the others try to open the door as he stands ready to be the first one in.

Benthus thinks it over and says to the Sith, "Let us exhaust our options on the door first. The goaler may not be happy with us if he unnecessarily damage the ship." He thought his words over and then adds, "... Any further." He draws close to the door and thought of how people use to tap the lid of a stuck jar to open it. He thumps the butt of his greatsword against the door a few times and then twists the latch. No effect. Frustrated and cold, he finally submits to his baser instincts and kicks the door. Lo and behold, the door groans open. "Oops."

GAME: Schneider casts False Life.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d10+4: (5)+4: 9

While the others worry about the door, Schneider decides to prepare for the fight ahead. Well, the one he thinks is ahead. "Spirits of blood!" he commands, "Hear my call, fill me with life and power!" His whole body seems to surge unnaturally for a moment, and then all seems normal.

Ulharilti Wiivai does not care how the door was opened, only that it was. She stows her glaive once more and moves to hoin the others at the door.

The door opens, carrying a rush of warm air with it. This isn't the gust of a hearth upon a cool night, but at least some heat was retained within the airship. However, it is completely dark inside. Not one light, perhaps magical and perhaps alchemical, offers illumination within the ship. What little can be seen is a narrow corridor just wide enough for single file travel. Where it intersects with a larger passage, all is lost to darkness.

Ulharilti Wiivai will continue to push forward into the opening. Her eyes require no light for short distances, but her body requires warmth. Even the tight quarters are not enough to dissuade her. "If any are left, we must find them."

Schneider isn't worried about the air temperature, but the darkness is worrisome. A lot of getting lost and getting ambushed will happen, he suspects, so he draws his greatsword and chants for the power of the elements once again, "Spirits of fire, let your light illuminate our way!" And so saying, a flame seems to glow around his greatsword blade. No heat, if anyone's close enough to sense such things, but it's as bright as torchlight. He'll let the fighty types go first, then follow up, letting his light flow into the corridor.

GAME: Schneider casts Light.

Eligar nods a little bit as he heads in, "Here let me go first. Anyone have some light?" He asks as he starts down the steps, as his vision will extend the light coming down the open door, but not too much. He nods, "Thanks."

The heatless light cast upon the blade of the greatsword offers illuminations and strangely shifting shadows as Ulharilti moves in front of Schneider and her silhouette is imposed upon the far wall. The walls are made of metal, and the chill of outdoors seems to be conducted through the walls and floor... but it's still warm enough that there's no longer a need to shiver and a blush of warmth can return once more to the skin.

The corridor continues ahead to what looks like a central passage way. To the right, there's another corridor with four doors along one wall. To the left, there are two doors--the first is ornate and the second is not. A little exploration will reveal this pattern is duplicated on the other side of the ship as well, but they'll have to go down the main corridor to explore the aft section of the Alida.

Ulharilti Wiivai favors a systematic approach. "We should check each door." The simplest answer is to open them in the order they find them. Eventually, there will be no knob left unturned. Eligar took he lead, but she has no issue remaining near the front.
Eligar nods a little bit as starts to check the doors, 'Sounds good to me. Let's see if we can figure out what happened." He will slowly make his way down the hallway checking each door.

Schneider allows the others to lead while following closely behind. Since it's single file, he doesn't expect he'll be getting into hack at people, but he remains alert all the same. The warmth flushes his skin as well, though he hadn't lost as much color as most, his kin hardy against the extremes of cold. He offers a shrug to the order in which doors are opened. This is as good a plan as anything, and he will simply nod along and watch to see what happens.

Benthus refrains from entering the passageway too quickly, fearful that if an attack be made with all of them bunched up together near the door, the mission would be over before it could really begin. As lead member continues further inside without signaling an alarm, he concentrates on taking slow and careful steps inside the ship's innards. The sudden halt of the cold wind provided by the cover was almost too pleasurable to hold. He sighs slowly as he shakes off some of the frost that has clung to his cloak and other exposed parts. He pumps his grip on his sword to increase circulation in that area, feeling the pin-prick sensation signaling the return of nerve function. He grimaces a little at the discomfort but pain was a good sign. Shifting his attention back to their mission, he keeps a look out behind him and ponders the wisdom of closing the door or leaving it open.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right, you can search the bridge, the fancy door on the port (where you entered) or starbard, the plain door on the port or starboard, the row of doors, port or starbard, or the aft. Then we can talk about what you want to do to search them."
<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai says, "The ornate door to plain doors in order sounds good to me."
<OOC> Schneider says, "I'm good whichever way we go."
<OOC> Eligar says, "Sounds good to me too"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Ornate to plain it is. Are you taking any precautions or just sticking your heads in to look around? Nobody is a rogue so I expect the former."
<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai says, "The former."
<OOC> Eligar says, "Not many precautions to be taken without a rouge"

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Perception checks please, then I'll pose what are in the rooms"
GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (2)+6: 8
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (10)+6: 16
GAME: Benthus rolls perception: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (17)+11: 28

Searching the first room they come across, the ornate door opens easily upon its hinges to reveal a relatively posh cabin. Surely this isn't how an ordinary airman travels. An actual bed with actual sheets is bolted to the floor. A pillow sits askew against the forward bulkhead, thrown there when the ship came to an abrupt stop no doubt. There is also a small desk built into the wall. Its chair is tipped over and ink has dried upon the surface courtesy of the spilled inkwell.

Those with a keen eye will spot a leather bound ledger wedged against the wall.

The second room holds little behind its plain door except for swabs, buckets, and other toiletries. A cleaning and linen closet.
Eligar moves in and he starts to look around. He spots the ledger and he moves over to open it up and to start reading it. "Hopefully this will shed some light on what happened."

Schneider holds his light up so everyone can see by it, but his first thought, on seeing the posh cabin, is, "Alexandria treats its prisoners very well!" And he heads on over to try out the bed. It's good to be king! Or something.

Ulharilti Wiivai's glance into the rooms are fairly simple and focused: enemies, prisoners, and crewmen, in that order. Seeing none of the three in either room, her attention moves elsewhere.

You paged Eligar with 'Unless you have profession: airman, the ledger is mostly a list of coordinates, supplies loaded and unloaded, and basic navigational info. There are the occasional entries in the captain's log, however. A few were promoted. Someone received a disciplinary hearing. The most relevant seems to be that they were asked to return a package to the Gaoler's Guild due to it being a worthless item, not contraband or a prisoner. Other than that, everything looks normal. There's nothing at all on the crash, so it must have happened suddenly.'

Benthus ponders. A bed? In a prison ship? That doesn't sound right.

Eligar flips through the ledger, "There isn't much here except that they were returning some sort of package, it is supposed to be worthless, but obviously it wasn't." He will take the ledger with them to return. He hmms, "This is probably the captain's quarters."

Schneider gets bored reclining on the captain's bed after a while and sits up. "So, they were returning something, and someone came to steal it?" he asks. "Does it say what it was they were carrying? Or even how large it might have been?"

That sounds like an important fact. Ulharilti stops short of opening another door and looks to Eligar. "Is it written where the package was kept? The ship had some important task, and the gaoler claimed that it carried no prisoners, so it must be something else." This could be the secret.

Eligar shakes his head, "It's not, but it'd most likely be in the cargo hold. I would suggest that we go there next." He starts to move after the others holding onto his sword and shield.

Benthus asks, "Does anyone see any signs of struggle? I mean a ship this big would have a reasonable amount of crew to operate. Considering that it is also a prison ship, the crew should be experienced enough to repel boarders."

Schneider shrugs, nods about checking the cargo hold. "Sounds as likely as anything. Though I expect we'll find it missing." He gets up off the posh bed and heads off towards the way down. He shakes his head about signs of a struggle. "Maybe the crew sold out and ditched the ship here?"

In the strange nautical tradition of the wet navy, the stairs that lead down to the middle deck are called ladders. The ladders flank the central passageway that connects the bridge with the aft sections of the unexplored upper deck. A quick peek into the rows of doors reveals crew cabins. Each of these have a chest, a small writing desk, and a fold down bunk that stays against the wall. The chests are bolted to the framework and made of iron, so without a key there's no reason to spend time upon them. Bridge, aft, or down become the options. The cargo hold is almost certainly down.

Ulharilti Wiivai keeps her weapon stowed for now. The narrow confines make it less than useful, and it would probably be more in the way in hand than it is strapped to her back. "Where is the hold?" She knows nothing of airships, and this is only the second she has set foot on.

Benthus ponders again, "Didn't the goaler divined the location of someone? And that someone would be in the ship? Where is that someone?"

Eligar hmms, "Or perhaps they were taken prisoner by whoever boarded the ship via the grappling hook that we found." He nods, "Yes she did, but she didn't say where in the air ship, just that she found him."

Schneider hrms at what Benthus points out, though he says, "She only said that the person was along the path of flight, not that they were in a specific place, yes? And of course that was when she did the divination, time has passed since then." He nods to Eligar, and says, "We'll check the hold, just in case, though. And so we can tell the folks up above we checked everything."

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Who is leading the way?"
<OOC> Benthus says, "Eligar?"
<OOC> Eligar says, "Sure"

Footsteps reverberate as the party of adventurers descend the ladder to the middle deck, leaving open doors and darkness in their wake. The middle deck is as large as the upper, and laid out in much the same way. The main corridor proceeds fore and aft. This corridor is the same large, wide corridor as before; perfect for wheeling cargo about.

It seems that pathway leads to the prison, a pair of metal doors with a locking bar closed from the outside. Their side. To the starbard is a loading door and portable gangplank, probably how they loaded prisoner and cargo. That makes the aft the most likely place for the cargo hold to be. The ladders do descend one more level, but what could possibly be down there?

Schneider follows along, heavy footfalls clumping on the deck as he illuminates the way with his flaming greatsword. Luckily, the flame is illusory and doesn't burn the place down around our ears. He peers at the prisoner area, but it's locked from this side, so should be safe enough to leave at our backs, though he suggests, "We should check that out before we go back to the ship."

The locked door to the prison area is some reassurance. Ulharilti looks to the others, "Down?" If the hold isn't here, and is usually down, going down seems the logical choice.

Eligar nods, "That sounds good." He moves towards the aft and he pauses to listen to see if there is anything behind the door before he starts to go to open the door.

Benthus sticks to the back of the group to make sure their rear is covered.

[RPThree] Ulharilti Wiivai says, "Which door are you opening?"
[RPThree] Eligar says, "Aft"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "The prison is fore, the cargo hold is aft, and down leads to the belowdecks."

A pair of sturdy wooden doors should demark the spot where the wide corridor turns in to the much larger cargo hold. One of those two doors is ajar ever so slightly. The ship groans then, protesting its rough treatment with an unearthly cry of settling metal and scrape of metal against stone. It lasts all of a heartbeat, and after that, a heartbeat may be a much smaller length of time.

Within the cargo hold are boxes and boxes pressed against the walls. Each is stenciled with a logo and small printed codes. What catches the eye, however, is a green chest chained to the deck in the middle of the room. The chains do not cross the top, but rather latch through eyelets on the side that prevent the box from shifting about during transport.

A green chest. Chained to the middle of the floor. That is not conspicuous at all. Ulharilti is no expert air sailor, but it seems significant. "That looks like it is not worthless." She approaches the chest, studying it as she nears. She won't know if it is significant until she opens it.

Benthus says, "I'd rather not open it If I were you."

Schneider follows into the cargo hold, and holds his flaming sword up to provide light. "That," he points to the chained trunk, "looks like something of interest." He points out, "We weren't supposed to open it, just find it and let the people above know, right?" But now he's hugely curious.

Eligar hmms as he looks around the room, "Well that doesn't make sense that they would just leave the chest here. I say we keep looking. We haven't found any bodies or any real sighs of a struggle. Something strange is going on here."

"Unless they already took what was inside," Ulharilti offers. "Do we leave any here to guard it, or take it with us?" She isn't disagreeing, just doesn't like the idea of just leaving it.

Benthus nods his head, sharing the same sentiment as Eligar.Now he is beginning to understand why he was recruited for the job.
Schneider agrees with Eligar, "I'm not saying to stop looking. I just want a peek inside. It's got to be interesting, if there's this much secrecy around it, right?" He hrms, "You're right," he saus to Ulharilti, "it could be empty inside." He sighs at Benthus and Eligar, but nods, "Let's make sure the place is empty, report on it, and get paid. It's kind of boring, now. Where's the bandits and such?"

Ulharilti Wiivai now paces and looks around the vicinity of the chest as she waits for an answer or others to decide. Maybe she can find some clue as to whether others did come here, or if there was a battle, or ... something, anything. It is very strange, indeed.

Eligar looks to Schneider, "Don't open it, just leave it alone until we can figure out what happened. For all we know maybe there is some trap that killed everyone for opening the chest." He starts to look around.

<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai tries to look for signs of tracks, blood, monster spoor... something.
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Survival checks to look for tracks or signs of battle in this area, or you can head back to one of the other areas you haven't been yet."
GAME: Eligar rolls survival: (10)+2: 12
GAME: Schneider rolls survival: (15)+4: 19
GAME: Benthus rolls survival: (7)+2: 9
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls survival: (9)+5: 14
<OOC> Schneider says, "Actually, let me drop Detect Magic as well."
GAME: Schneider casts Detect Magic.

Schneider hrms at what Eligar says, and takes a step back. "Right," he agrees. He'll check around the area for tracks, or signs of habitation, or anyone alive. After seeing what may be seen with his woodcraft, he gives a flourish and calls out, "Spirits of magic. Speak to me, tell me what you see!" And then proceeds to interrogate the spirits, to see if there is anything supernatural going on.

You paged Eligar with 'You find some blood against some of the cargo boxes on the wall. Also, the light in the room seems to be growing more and more dim.'

You paged Schneider with 'You pick up a fair amount of magic within sixty feet. The majority seem to be artifice connected to the ship; dead or dimly functioning magical enchantments that allow the ship to fly. The longer you concentrate, the more you come to realize two things: the contents of the green chest are not magical, as there is no magical aura, and two, there seems to be an enchantment surrounding this entire room. Additionally, as you are looking around, you notice that there are faint piles of black sand at the corners of the green chest. It's pooled against the walls, like it was poured there after the box was put in place.'

You paged Benthus with 'There are a LOT of other boxes here. Yep. Lots.'

You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'You notice the lights seem to be getting more and more dim here. That is odd on its own... but even your darkvision isn't reaching as far as it should. It's like the darkness is closing around.'

Eligar hmms as he starts to look around the room. He stops, "I've got some blood over here." He sees the cargo boxes and he goes to open one up.
Ulharilti Wiivai finds nothing obvious, though the dim light does not help. She glances into the edge of the light, pauses, then looks again. Her steps then freeze. "The shadows are deeper than they should be... Schneider, did you see any magic?" She is immediately suspicious of the cause, but she is also somewhat biased.

Benthus just grips his sword tighter, getting more tense.

Schneider's concentration lingers on the chest for several long moments, that draw out as he tries to focus on that and ignore the surroundings. "Ship things," he says quietly to Ulharilti. "Nothing on the box," he says, "nothing in the box that's magical, it seems... but the whole room has an enchantment on it," he narrates as he goes, though after a minute, he wonders, "What's that?" as he points out faint piles of black sand at the corners of the green chest. "Some kind of cement, to hold the box in place?" And then he urges, "Don't touch anything, I think, it's ... it's all magical, the whole room, but I have no idea what or how."

<DM> Shadow Demon uses Deeper Darkness to dispell Light upon Schneider's sword.
You paged Schneider with 'You sense a brief flare of magic near you!'

The light spell cast upon the sword is snuffed out!

"I do not like this," Ulharilti understands that magic powers the ship, and their could be more for securing the prison. But here in the cargo hold? She moves forward, trying to tell if the deep shadows recede or... and then there is nothing but shadow when the light is extinguished.

Benthus says, "Great! Now what?"

GAME: Schneider casts Light.

Eligar stops and he hunkers down into a very defensive stance. "Schneider did you light spell just go out?"

Schneider laughs as the light goes out, but he has no fear. In fact, he doesn't understand a lot of complicated concepts. But if someone can put the light out, he'll simply make more light. Chanting sonorously, he calls, "Spirits of fire, fight back, and reclaim your honor!" But nothing happens. "No," he says to Eligar. "We're under attack." He chants again, and the doorhandle suddenly flickers with illusory torchlight.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "And with those words, you most certainly are. Initiatives, please!"
GAME: Schneider rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls initiative: Roll: 5 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 7
GAME: You roll initiative for Shadows: Roll: 18 + Bonus: +8 = Total: 26
GAME: Benthus rolls initiative: (16)+initiative: 16
GAME: Eligar rolls initiative: Roll: 6 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 7
GAME: Benthus's initiative total changed to '16'.
== Current Initiative Order - Turn 1 ===
----------------------------------------
26 Shadows
----------------------------------------
17 Schneider
----------------------------------------
16 Benthus
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7 Ulharilti
----------------------------------------
7 Eligar
----------------------------------------
========================================

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right, will saves everyone!"
GAME: Schneider rolls will: (6)+4: 10
GAME: Eligar rolls will: (13)+3: 16
GAME: Benthus rolls will: (7)+9: 16
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls will: (4)+3: 7

GAME: Ishmael rolls 7d6: (24): 24

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right, reflex saves for half. You get a double dose of the saves."
GAME: Schneider rolls reflex: (13)+4: 17
GAME: Benthus rolls reflex: (16)+7: 23
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls reflex: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Eligar rolls reflex: (6)+2: 8

GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for 12 points. 14 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Ulharilti Wiivai for 24 points. 6 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 5 points. 35 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Eligar for 24 points. 13 remaining.

Crouching at the far end of the room, in the deepest part of the gloom and darkness, is a shadow demon. It grins malevolently, lit only by the orange of firelight that barely seems to spread in its presence. With a twist of its clawed hand, it tosses the fireball into the midst of the adventurers!

GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+10: (19)+10: 29
<OOC> Schneider guesses that's a threat, should roll to confirm?
You paged Schneider with 'What kind of weapon and does it have enchants?'
Schneider pages: +1 greatsword.
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Please."
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+10: (4)+10: 14

<OOC> Ishmael says, "A hit, but not a critical hit."
GAME: Schneider rolls 2d6+10: (5)+10: 15

Schneider gasps as the little critter appears, and then there's fire, fire all around us. With Schneider in the middle of it, laughing! He doesn't seem bothered by it much at all, and screaming an incoherent, raging defiance, he charges the little critter and swings wildly at it, his blade coming within a hair of a wicked cut. As it is, the wound it leaves seems less than it ought to, but Schneider is past caring now.

<OOC> Benthus will invoke the wrath of Daeus upon this demon's head for smitysmite effect. bypass d/r. swift cast LoH. Charge!
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Ok. Roll Lay on Hands."
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (3): 3
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -3 points. 17 remaining.
<OOC> Benthus says, "oh power attack on the charge, too."
You paged Benthus with 'What kind of weapon do you have and does it have any enchantments?'
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+12: (2)+12: 14

Benthus dodges a ball of fire that detonates in the groups midst, singeing him slightly. He then identifies the threat and sneers in anger. He utters' heal' to himself recovering some health. Calling on the wrath of his god on the demon, he charges... and misses miserably.

<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai will close to within 10 ft, draw her glaive along the way, swift to activate Arcane Strike, Power Attack, and swing at it.
<OOC> Ulharilti Wiivai inserts Rage in there, too.
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls melee+3: (3)+5+3: 11

Ulharilti Wiivai doesn't realize the ball of fire is there until it scorches her scales badly. Aside from burnt flesh, the other visibile effect is she becomes extremely annoyed. Roaring to let it know she is still alive, she moves towards it, pulling her weapon free on the way. The blade flashes momentarily with a touch of arcane power as she brings it down in a reckless overhead swing... that punishes the floor.

<OOC> Eligar says, "I'll charge the demon."
<OOC> Eligar says, "And I'll throw down a challenge down on it, am I flanking anyone?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You're not flanking. The thing is sitting on boxes at the end of the room. There's no way for you to land on its side and still attack due to the nature of charge."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can flank if someone takes a 5 foot step next turn."

GAME: Eligar rolls 1d20+10: (18)+10: 28
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d8+7: (3)+7: 10

Eligar stands firm as he takes the full blast of the fireball. His magical armor is steaming as he sets himself to ready himself for a charge. "Come and face me demon!" He runs forward to get right in it's face. He slices at it, but the damage seems to heal right up.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "The demon claws at Schneider. Schneider, what's your touch AC?"
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+11: (5)+11: 16
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+11: (18)+11: 29
<OOC> Schneider says, "13."

GAME: Ishmael rolls 2d6: (5): 5
GAME: Ishmael rolls 2d6: (7): 7
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 2 points. 33 remaining.
<OOC> Ishmael says, "That's 12 minus your 10 temporary, but i'm going to hurt you for 10 when you come out of rage."

The shadow demon snarls and hisses at the damage, slashing angrily at the giantborn and opening new cuts and scratches in his hide.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can move around the side to flank. Imagine it as a T, where the top of the T are boxes across the back and the downstroke is a box it is sitting upon"

GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+12: (1)+12: 13

Schneider is, in fact, not as great a warrior as he aspires to be. He avoids the worst of the injury from the little demon's claws by magic, guile, and sheer bloody-mindedness, but the magic he'd casto on himself, when slashed by the demon, had erupted in a torrent of blood, and he slips on some of the boody deck and winds up planting his blade in a crate nowhere close to the damned thing.

<OOC> Benthus flanks with somebody, Loh on me, and continue the power attack. +1 from Eligar for real?
<OOC> Ishmael says, "It's real. Roll LoH."
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (2): 2
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -2 points. 19 remaining.

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+13: (20)+13: 33
<OOC> Benthus says, "is it critable?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Yep. Roll again to see if you crit."
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+13: (9)+13: 22
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Critical hit."

GAME: Benthus rolls 4d6+20: (17)+20: 37

Benthus blade is coated by with light and he raises his sword for an overhead swing. With all his anger for the evil monster mustered in one stroke, he delivers a punishing blow that would have obliterated a lesser creature.

GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls melee+3-1: (17)+5+3+-1: 24
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls 1d10+11: (2)+11: 13

Ulharilti Wiivai is in pain, though she doesn't feel it so strongly at the moment. She demands some retribution and lifts her large weapon again. This time, it strike when it drops, but the demon's damnable hide causes the blade to skitter along more than bite in. Her fury isn't necessarily righteous, but it is still fury.

<OOC> Eligar says, "Aiding Benthus"
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d20+7: (15)+7: 22
<OOC> Eligar says, "He gets +3 to his next attack roll"

Eligar has gone up before against monsters who are invulnerable to mundane weapons. He instead tries to distract the beast so that Benthus can have an easier time of hitting it.

The chimpanzee sized demon shrieks its rage as a blistering telepathic wail of pure rage... and then its intangible form darts down into the boxes, out of sight.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "No AoO. It has total cover even with the 5 foot step."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "The lights are not back on. Light has a duration, as does darkness it seems."

Eligar frowns as he sees the demon suddenly runaway. He continues to look around, "Schneider can you please bring the lights up."

<OOC> Benthus says, "On his turn, Benthus will try to detect evil in the room."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Schneider, it's your turn. Benthus is going to concentrate a bit on his detect evil, but it's your initiative."

Benthus draws his blade close to his chest with the crossguard close to the level of his eyes. "Grant me sight, my liege!" His eyes flare bright wihte, like incandescent lamps, as he scans the room for the demon.

GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (14)+6: 20
You paged Schneider with 'You dig and dig, but you can't find anything. It's too dark. All the light is coming from the door on the other end of the room.'

Schneider is incoherent in rage or he'd probably do something magical as the creature vanishes. As it is, he's half-blind with rage and he's intent on killing it, the dimness of the light from across the room not stopping him. He reaches up and hurls the first and highest box down, and then reaches for the next one. Muscles flex across his shoulders and back, and crash, that box is thrown down as well. "Come out, damn you!" he shouts.

GAME: Eligar rolls perception: (19)+11: 30
You paged Eligar with 'You find no trace of the shadow demon, and though all the light comes from the far end of the room, you feel certain you'd have found the beast if it was here. It seems to have fled.'
Eligar hmms as he starts to look around and he shakes his head, "It seems to have fled, the Sunblade has driven it off. It might have killed the crew I did find some blood over there."

GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls perception: (9)+6: 15
You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'You can't find a trace of the shadow demon, but it's so dark... all the light comes from the illuminated door knobs on the far end of the room.'

A giant-born after her own heart! Ulharilti also starts tossing boxes that Schneider has not yet reached. "Come out! Coward!" She does not abide cowardice, especially from annoying things that harm her then run.

As the boxes are tossed about, some break and spill hay onto the floor. Others clank within their confines as metal or glass bumps together. The provisions don't provide much challenge to the enraged.

<OOC> Benthus says, "Wait... I am a paladin. I'll scour every nook and cranny with my detect evidence. ability until I find it. The sould"

You paged Benthus with 'Your detect evil eventually gives you a much better fix. The area is foul with a strong aura of evil, as is the case for evil outsiders... however, the locus of it isn't within range. This is just the stink of it dwelling here in the hold.'

Benthus blinks and the flare in his eyes vanish. "It is no longer in this room. We must hunt it before it can fully recover."
Schneider growls defiance in one last savage hurl of boxes, and then snaps out of his rage, panting exhaustedly as he tries to get his bearings back. "What's going on?!" he demands. "Did we drive it off? Did we injure it?" His injuries seem much worse when the fury isn't filling him. Not that he's more bloody, but he's less blind to the pain. He growls and spits blood, then renews his sorcerous defense. "Blood spirits, blood magic, serve me!" Much of the blood around him and on him seems to seep into his body, which ripples for a moment, and is still.

GAME: Schneider casts False Life.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d10+4: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 10 points. 23 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for -6 points. 29 remaining.
You paged Schneider with 'The 10 was from the claw attacks you basically shrugged off. When you dropped, the damage caught up to you. You're still pretty healthy!'

Ulharilti Wiivai vents some of her ire with the tossing of provisions. Some of her energy vents with the end of her ire, leaving her winded, but she still has some saved for the creature. "We need to find it," she growls, "quickly. Before it can escape or ambush use again." Now that she's a bit more level-headed, the glowing door handles are of interest... even if just because they're connected to the doors and they need to leave the room.

Eligar nods, "We could, but we are trying to find the crew. We have no evidence of what is left of them." He continues to look around, "I doubt they are in here."

Schneider nods to the others, "We will kill it," he agrees, and a moment later, a box is aflame with magical light. No actual fire, but a flaming glow like torchlight, mixing with the magical light from the door. "Lighting everything," he says fiercely. "More fire!"

GAME: Schneider casts Light.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Okay, guys. You have a mess of crates on the floor (one of which is quite brightly lit), a mysterious green chest, a missing crew, and a missing demon. There's still the prison to explore and below decks as well. What will you do next?"
<OOC> Schneider whatever we do, I'm putting Light every 5 feet or so. Not going to let him put us in the dark again.

Ulharilti Wiivai's first test is whether the glowing handles glow for any reason other than light, and whether the doors still work as normal. All of this is checked by opening the door. "Where do we look next? It could hide in the prison or below?" Whichever way they choose, she is eager to go find the creature.

<OOC> Eligar says, "I'm gonna pop a CLW pot"
GAME: Eligar used a .
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8

GAME: Ishmael damaged Eligar for -8 points. 21 remaining.

Eligar takes a drink of his cure light wound potion as he considers it, "If it went down then we should go down after it before it heals up too much."

Benthus says, "Does anybody know how many times that creature can do its escape trick?"

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Religion and Planes will work in this case"
<OOC> Schneider says, "My planes isn't done right. It's a class skill, because I'm an elemental sorcerer, but my skill doesn't reflect that, so I'l roll at +3."
GAME: Schneider rolls knowledge/the planes+3: (11)+1+3: 15

You paged Schneider with 'It occurs that a great many outsiders are composed of their natural elements. A fire elemental is actually fire. If this is a shadow demon, its intangibility is a permanent part of it. Short of having a +1 ship, it probably can go in and out whenever it wants. The exception is probably the hull, since it's magically warded. It may be trapped in here.'

Schneider is panting, breathless, but finally summons up the energy to move from the spot. He clutches his sword and kicks a crate, then moves to the next one in light, and fwoom, more magical firelight. It's almost getting cheery in here. "It left down," he says. "So let's look down? Maybe it's gone? Maybe it's attacking the ship that brought us here even now? Doing to them what it must have done here?" He shrugs at Benthus's question, shakes his head. "If it is a thing of shadow, then it can do that as much as it pleases. But the hull remains magical, so it can't pass that. It might be trapped inside." He nods to Eligar, "Right, yes, let us find it. And we will see who does fire better."

Ulharilti Wiivai nods. "Down," and then she exits the room. She has a direction, and has now been aimed. Just wait until she gets her claws on that thing.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Who goes down the stairs to the lower deck first?"
<OOC> Eligar says, "I will"

Benthus does his ritual for detecting evil and hurries towards the passage that leads down.

The Alida groans again as the adventurers leave the charred and broken ruins of the cargo hold. Once more the mighty ironclad airship holds its piece with only a second of metal scraping against the dark stone of the mountain.

When they return to the main corridor, there's sufficient light to see that the doors to the prison remain barred from the outside, just as they had been before. The ladders from the upper deck continue to the lower with only the landing between them for egress to the middle deck. Eligar leads the way into the bowels of the ship. There is no great feat of perception needed to smell the scent of gunpowder and old, burned chemicals--the entire lower deck is full of the noxious fumes. This time, there is no main corridor. There is only a passage that runs from port to starbard, each side with a rounded combing and an open hatch.

Schneider follows down, placing a glowing fire everywhere he touches. It begins to look like the ship is on fire, though there is no heat with Schneider's magical light. Sniffing at the gunpowder smell, he observes, "This could get very bad. I think perhaps we've found what we needed to. But then again, I think if we told them this thing wasn't dead, they'd just tell us to come back and kill it. So, let's save a step and do it now."

Eligar looks around as they get down into the bowels of the ship. He whews softly, "I'm glad that we don't have torches...it might set off something." He nods a little bit as he looks around.

<OOC> Benthus will continue to detect evil until we find this fiend.

"It should die," Ulharilti agrees, moving down to and along the corridor. She cannot detect it through divine means, so relies on her mundane senses.

You paged Benthus with 'To port and to aft. That's where the strongest eminations of evil are coming from.'

Benthus continues to scan the passageways with his divine vision as he challenges the fiend, "Come out you monster!"

Eligar draws his sword again, "Where is it?" He looks around trying to pick it out even though he knows his blade will be ineffective against it.
Benthus has detected the monster or some thing else evil and exhorts his companions to follow him. "This way!" He leads them to the back of the ship.

Schneider says nothing as he walks along, but flickering magical light springs up in more and more places. No single darkness will now plunge us all into blindness. When Benthus urges them on after him, though, he'll keep up as he leads us.

Ulharilti Wiivai is reinvigorated by Benthus' news and follows imediately behind him. "Where?" She looks ahead, hoping to spot the creature.

The stink of evil and magical auras grow stronger upon the port side of the ship and toward the aft. Once in the corridor it turns out to be nothing more than a wide, straight corridor that ends in deep, abiding shadows and the shattered ruin of a massive artifice engine. It would have been one of these that helped to keep the ship aloft.

Twisted shards of metal snarl around each other, barely visible as the shadows around the thing eat the flickering flames that Schneider can call up.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "And once more with initiative!"
GAME: You roll initiative for Shadow_Demon: Roll: 19 + Bonus: +8 = Total: 27
GAME: Benthus rolls initiative: Roll: 1 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 3
GAME: Schneider rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
GAME: Eligar rolls initiative: Roll: 9 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 10
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls initiative: Roll: 18 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 20

== Current Initiative Order - Turn 1 ===
----------------------------------------
27 Shadow_Demon
----------------------------------------
20 Ulharilti
----------------------------------------
17 Schneider
----------------------------------------
10 Eligar
----------------------------------------
3 Benthus
----------------------------------------
========================================

<OOC> Ishmael says, "The demon flies twenty feet forward and shrieks in rage at all of you. I'll need a will save from each of you."
GAME: Schneider rolls will: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Benthus rolls will: (9)+9: 18
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls will+2: (11)+3+2: 16
GAME: Eligar rolls will: (19)+3: 22

From afar, Ulharilti Wiivai assumes it is a spell, Sp, or Su and added the +2 from Supertition.
You paged Ulharilti Wiivai with 'Good call! It is definitely a spell.'

GAME: Ishmael rolls 5d6: (17): 17

<OOC> Ishmael says, "And now, everyone roll fortitude to save for half damage."
GAME: Benthus rolls fort: (5)+8: 13
GAME: Ulharilti Wiivai rolls fort+2: (9)+6+2: 17
GAME: Schneider rolls fortitude: (18)+5: 23
GAME: Eligar rolls fort: (9)+6: 15

GAME: Ishmael damaged Eligar for 3 points. 18 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Ulharilti Wiivai for 6 points. 0 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for 17 points. 2 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Schneider for 17 points. 12 remaining.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "BEnthus and Schneider are deafened due to the shout. Eligar realized the spell was some sort of trick (aka passed the will save) and took 1/5th of the damage and is not deafened. Ulharilti is knocked unconscious since it's a soft PRP. Healing will revive her."

<OOC> Ishmael says, "SHe's supposed to take enough HP to actually kill her. It's a soft PRP with no death, thus she falls unconscious instead :)"

The shadow demon launches forward, flying ten feet from the floor and shrieking like a banshee. The force of its howl is terrible, tearing at flesh as well as the eardrums.

<OOC> Benthus says, "is it flying? Can we reach it with melee?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can reach it with your weapons. It's in the square above you, if you're thinking of it grid style. It's twenty feet away, so you can move and then attack."

The ire Ulharilti had saved for the demon will need to wait. Just when she hopes to summon it, the terrible wail rips through her. Combined with her earlier wounds, it is too much for her body, if not determination. She collapses into a heap of blue scales, glaive clattering to the ground.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Where are you shooting burning hands from?"
<OOC> Benthus says, "But... I don't want to die... yet. :)"
<OOC> Schneider says, "From my hands?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "I suppose I'm asking if you're moving away from your companions at all."
<OOC> Schneider says, "Or you mean which square? I suppose I'll get just within range of it. Actually, I'm deaf, I'll have spell failure, won't I?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "20% chance."
<OOC> Schneider rolling, 01-20 is fail.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d100: (58): 58

GAME: Schneider rolls 4d4: (8): 8
GAME: Schneider casts Burning Hands.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Make a caster level check to see if you can penetrate the spell resistance."
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14

Schneider grimaces as the thing moves so quickly, having decided that this is not a fire spirit despite its earlier use of fireball, decides to give it a taste of his own nature, shooting flames from his hands as he moves closer. To his surprise, the flames wash all around the thing, but do not seem to harm it at all.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Eligar says he's pouring a potion of Cure Light Wounds down Ulharilti's throat if he doesn't respond. Eligar, just pose it when you get back."
GAME: Eligar used a .
GAME: Eligar rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Ishmael damaged Ulharilti Wiivai for -3 points. 3 remaining.

<OOC> Benthus says, "Loh, and engage. if I can flank I will."

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (5): 5
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -5 points. 7 remaining.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "No flanking with it flying above you like that."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "But all your smite bonuses are still in effect."
<OOC> Benthus nods. "PA with it. All or nothing now..."

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d20+10: (13)+10: 23
GAME: Benthus rolls 2d6+10: (5)+10: 15

Benthus is bleeding badly from all his orifices, the sonic blast rapturing the soft inner linings of his eyes, nose, ears and mouth. He grits his teeth as he wills himself to heal once again, and with a vengeful cry for Daeus, he attacks the fiend. His sword strikes true and the monster falls to the ground, crumbling into ashes. With his last oucnce of will depleted, he slumps on forward, kept standing only by the aid of his sword.

With the demon destroyed, the sources of artificial darkness begin to ebb and then disappear completely. Alarmingly, it appears that the Alida is ready to burn down to her keel, but the lights cast by Schneider cause no damage at all.

With the illumination returned, the lower level becomes far easier to scout. In the starboard nacelle, the engine is likewise ruined and turned into a twisted hulk. This time, they come across a small brass clockwork about the size of an apple. Black smudges show on its casing, and its long, spidery legs are bent out of shape.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Go ahead and return to free RP, please roll knowledge arcana or artifice if you want to know more about the clockwork."
GAME: Schneider rolls knowledge/arcana: (17)+4: 21

You paged Schneider with 'The clockwork is actually a clockwork spy, a little brass device that records sound onto a gemstone. The security device on it appears to be malfunctioning. Normally these things blow up when damaged. It looks like there's a way to trigger playback of the last recording.'

Eligar blinks a littlebit as he finds the clockwork spider for lack of better word. "What's this?" He goes to poke it gently with his sword. "And where are the crew..."

Schneider puts his sword away now that things seem to have been restored to order, or as much order as there can be in the hulk of a crashed airship. He looks over and it looks like Ulharilti is back up, if not doing so great. But he can't really help with that, so he goes around to check things out and make sure there's no more danger lurking. With a keen eye for detail, he reaches down to pick up the strange clockwork thing before Eligar can stab it. "This," he says, pausing for effect, "is a Clockwork Spy. Damaged, but intact, which is a bit of luck for us." He attempts to trigger the playback. "Maybe we can see what happened."

Ulharilti Wiivai comes to just in time to see that... the demon is gone. Grunting and groaning, she asks, "Did it flee again?" Charging in headlong may be brave, but it also takes a toll on the body... as does getting blasted by magic.

Benthus is tired, but manages to utter between ragged breaths, " ..No.. it is done..."

"...t's tearing the ship apart," says a small, feminine voice. The speaker sounds old, but not frail. "Captain ordered the ship be scuttled and then... and then..." There's sobbing emmanating from the clockwork mechanism. It echoes off the engineering bulkhead on the ghost ship Alida. "...I heard him die. We can't even change course. I'm setting the scuttle charges around the engines. With luck, the ship will crash in the Desolation and be consumed before we can doom anyone else--else--else--else--" The clockwork mechanism continues to skip until turned off and rewound.

Schneider looks chagrinned at the short snippet of recording. "Well. I guess we get roped back up and bring them this, and let them decide to do what they want with it?" He shrugs and resets it, but doesn't replay it. "So, what, this thing must have gotten aboard, and then ... killed everything, but couldn't get out? How'd it get on, then? Did they try and trap it? Or did something send it?" He looks blank for a moment. "What I really want is something to eat, though," he decides. "Let's get off this wreck before it falls, tell them about the cargo, and bring them this?" he suggests.

Benthus lifts himself by pushing against his sword. He takes the time to use up all his remaining healing abilities on himself, and he feels a lot better than he was earlier. He ponders on what Schneider has said and says, "So where is the missing cargo?"

GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (4): 4
GAME: Benthus rolls 1d6: (5): 5
<OOC> Benthus says, "All LoH spent."
GAME: Ishmael damaged Benthus for -9 points. 16 remaining.

Now that the thing is gone, so is much of Ulharilti's motivation. Her complaining wounds don't help, either. "We have the information they need," she says wearily, "let's return to the ship."

Eligar watches the recording and he hmms, "Or someone sent it aboard, don't forget we round grappling hooks that we found up top. I think the green chest was the missing cargo. We can always check the prison

Schneider ehs to Benthus, "Who says anything's missing? And the locate spell was a day or more ago, the guy might have been alive then. Or it might have found his body? As for the missing thing, it was probably that box we found upstairs. Who knows? It's their problem now." He oh's about the grappling hooks. "Anyway, they're not here now."

Benthus ponders for a moment and offers a different scenario, "What if there were more of them? And that fiend was left behind to tie up loose ends? What if the crewmen were captured and kept alive? I don't see any corpses around. Evil will victor if we slacken in our resolves to be vigilant. We have to assume the worse unless proven otherwise. Because to think less would mean that good people will die a long and agonizing death."

Benthus sighs and adds, "But you are right, our job here is done."

Schneider ehs to Benthus, and gestures to the recorder. "Well, the captain's dead, and they were over the Desolation when bad things started happening." How close is that anyhow? He doesn't know, really. "They made it all the way here, then, with the engines out, though maybe the scuttling charges weren't set correctly and they only partially damaged it? So it didn't hit ground til it got here?" He's speculating wildly.

The majority consent to return to the surface of the ship and signal for the return of the basket from the Warspite. The ship remains quiet other than the occasional groan of effort from the dying ship. Only one need go out on deck to fire the flare, and then hurry back inside to wait for the arrival of the basket. This allows them just a little more time to explore the ship.

A quick peek into the bridge reveals slain watchmen and airmen. Their bodies are cold and stiff in dried puddles of brown blood. Still more are found aft in the mess. The party had missed both groups of the corpses and hurried down into the depths to encounter their foe.

It appears the ship really was absent it's load of prisoners, because none can be found. The green chest can be brought with, if they are so inclined. The inside of that locked chest was filled two fingers high with the grainy black sand and not a whit else. The captain's log and the clockwork mechanism seem to tell the story, even if it's not plain. They've discharged their duty at the least: find the ship, check on the status of crew, prisoners, cargo, and report back to the Warspite.</nowiki>

[[Category:Logs]]

Rescue Party

2013-10-13T05:07:26Z

Ishmaelthegray: Created page with "<nowiki>The hastily scrawled note wasn't even posted to the Adventurer's Guild boards, as is the custom and the law (enacted as a part of Keep Alexandria City Beautiful, an an..."

Recent Logs

2013-10-13T05:06:32Z

Ishmaelthegray: /* Our Logs */

[[Category:Logs]]
Roleplay is central to Tenebrae, and consists of a mix of scenes, grid, and PrPs. Here you may read some of the logs our players have posted, or wanted to share. This page may also be used to post logs for PrPs, to share an item for staff review, or to tell players about a great scene. Remember too, if you're RPing in a public area, a log may end up on this site. Most recent logs are at the '''bottom.'''

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|Finding logs from the old website
|[http://emblemofea.pbworks.com/w/page/12036798/Game-Logs The Old Site]
|}

==Our Logs==
{{TableMain}}
{{T02}}
|Date
|Log
|People
|-
|
|[[A Duel!]]
|
|-
|
|[[How to Smite with a Poo Cart]]
|
|-
|
|[[Crusaders, Start Your Engines!]]
|
|-
|
|[[Adamantine Tinkering]]
|
|-
|
|[[Storytime in the Dragon's Den]]
|
|-
|
|[[Adamantine Hunt]]
|
|-
|Aug 6 2012
|[[PRP: Unbearable]]
|[[Constantin]], [[Nadara]], [[Leisel]], [[Quint]], [[Dante]], [[Jibbom]]
|-
|Aug 7 2012
|[[A Formal Complaint]]
|[[Donk]], [[Dante]]
|-
|Aug 7, 2012
|[[The Overturned Cart]]
| [[Kalkorth]], [[Constantin]], [[Donk]], [[Emir]], [[Trank]], [[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Eira]]
|-
|Aug 8, 2012
|[[Felicia's Very Sandy Birthday Party]]
|[[Emir]], [[Svarshan]], [[Mikilos]], [[Katja]], [[Sandy]]
|-
|Aug ?, 2012
|[[Fox Ears for Azog]]
|[[Azog]], [[Abrahil]], [[Myrana]], [[Kalkorth]], [[Conrad]], [[Garrin]]
|-
|Aug 9, 2012
|[[Raising Halani]]
|[[Halani]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Craft]], [[Jinks]]
|-
|Aug 22, 2012
|[[Wanted Posters]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Sandy]], [[Myrana]]
|-
|Aug 14, 2012
|[[Sildanyari do Not Birth Gnomes]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Rotgut]], [[Faun]], [[Boshter]], [[Cesran]], [[Ormarr]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|August 23, 2012
|[[A Tea Cart]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Jibbom]], [[Azog]], [[Sandy]], [[Mikilos]], [[Lumina]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|August 25, 2012
|[[Moonwatching]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Mikilos]], [[Colrick]], [[Locien]], [[Usha]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|August 31, 2012
|[[Prancing Poncy Swiftclaws]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Sandy]], [[Lumina]], [[Svarshan]], [[Locien]]
|-
|September 1, 2012
|[[Dastardly Dealings]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 3, 2012
|[[PRP: Catacombs Kidnapping]]
|[[Sonja]], [[Grunak]], [[Colrick]], [[Seadhna]], [[Jibbom]], [[Kathryn]]
|-
|September 4, 2012
|[[Social: BAD DOG!]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Nadara]], [[Lumina]], [[Ashlynn]]
|-
|September 5, 2012
|[[PRP: The Laughing Anna]]
|[[Moonshadow]], [[Munch]], [[Seadhna]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|September 6, 2012
|[[The Best Medicine]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Lumina]], [[Savannah]], [[Boshter]], [[Zalara]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 8, 2012
|[[Social: Hangover]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Teppus]], [[Chloe]], [[Lumina]], [[Donk]]
|-
|Sept 13, 2012
|[[Muse of Doom]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Azog]], [[Jessa]], [[Zalara]], [[Quint]], [[Svarshan]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|Sept 14, 2012
|[[Career Day]]
|[[Ormarr|Wonderpony]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Angrid]], [[Zalara]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|Sept 15, 2012
|[[PrP: Sanctuary Cleansing]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Melbert]]
|-
|September 15, 2012
|[[Not Yet a Knight]]
|[[Kerbasy]], [[Jareth]], [[Azog]], [[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 15, 2012
|[[Double Rainbow Man (Again)]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Agril]], [[Jessa]], [[Constantin]], [[Selia]], [[Younger]]
|-
|Sept 16, 2012
|[[Coyote Meets Phoenix]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|September 17, 2012
|[[Younger's Busted Leg]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Younger]], [[Jessa]], [[Munch]], [[Chloe]], [[Lumina]]
|-
|September 18, 2012
|[[Thrax]]
|[[Savannah]], [[Jibbom]], [[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|Sept 25, 2012
|[[Hip-pest Reaction]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Zalara]], [[Jessa]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Ellerela]]
|-
|October 13, 2012
|[[Shamblers in the Woods]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Leisel]]
|-
|October 15, 2012
|[[Clara the Lance]]
|[[Cinnamon]], [[Kerbasy]]
|-
|October 16, 2012
|[[Sandy is a Dandy]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Jinks]], [[Constantin]], [[Arissa]]
|-
|October 17, 2012
|[[Tent Fires]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 17, 2012
|[[The Statues]]
|[[Eleia]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Boshter]]
|-
|October 19, 2012
|[[Challenge Beyond Our Means]]
|[[Albain]], [[Craft]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 22, 2012
|[[Punchy Friends]]
|[[Aenyn]], [[Gragnar]], [[Liessa]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 23, 2012
|[[Alleyway]]
|[[Donk]], [[Faun]], [[Quint]], [[Selia]], [[Whendi]]
|-
|October 26, 2012
|[[Kittens Jessa Kittens|Kittens, Jessa, Kittens!]]
|[[Quint]], [[Jessa]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]], [[Cesran]],
|-
|October 27, 2012
|[[There Can be Only One Pretty Pretty Princess|There Can be Only One (Pretty Pretty Princess)]]
| [[Azog]], [[Cinnamon]], [[Sandy]], [[Constantin]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|Unknown
|[[Giant Pink Hips]]
|[[Gragnar]], [[Jessa]], [[Svarshan]], [[Sandy]], [[Jibbom]], [[Emir]]
|-
|November 11, 2012
|[[Coming to Alexandria]]
|[[Fiona]], [[Cesran]]
|-
|November 11, 2012
|[[Young impressionable Youth]]
|[[Younger]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 13, 2012
|[[Till Death Do us Part]]
|[[Mel]], [[Ashlynn]], [[Zalara]], [[Eliathitae]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 14, 2012
|[[Goblintown]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Jareth]], [[Younger]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 16, 2012
|[[A Land Down Under]]
|[[Hilal]], [[Gavisa]],[[Mel]], [[Vennan]],[[ Angrid]], [[Zalara]],[[ Fiona]],[[ Jessa]]
|-
|November 17, 2012
|[[Once Upon a Jail Cell]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Fiona]], [[Eliathitae]], [[Selia]]
|-
|November 18, 2012
|[[Bar Talk]]
|[[Angrid]], [[Azog]], [[Kaedin]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|Novenber 19,2012
|[[Of Honor and Laughter]]
|[[Kaedin]], [[Azog]]
|-
|November 19, 2012
|[[The Beginning of an Odd Partnership]]
|[[Kaedin]], [[Maxine]]
|-
|November 28, 2012
|[[Thoughts on Jobs and Life]]
|[[Hilal]], [[Oates]], [[Halani]], [[Quint]]
|-
|November 27, 2012
|[[Sandy Gets Hitched]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Saevrinimata]], [[Mikilos]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Arngrid]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|November 29, 2012
|[[A Type of Armor]]
|[[Kerbasy]], [[Aenyn]]
|-
|November 30,2012
|[[Goblin Caravan]]
|[[Craft]], [[Mikilos]], [[Oates]]
|-
|December 4, 2012
|[[Late Night at Wayfarer's Inn]]
|[[Maendir]], [[Zalara]], [[Oates]]
|-
|December 5, 2012
|[[Jinks Pearly Temple|Jinks' Pearly Temple]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Abrahil]], [[Jinks]]
|-
|December 5, 2012
|[[Beyond the Pearly Temple]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Jinks]], [[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Maendir]], [[Constantin]], [[Quint]]
|-
|December 10, 2012
|[[Rocks, Poop, Hips, and Stew!!]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Fiona]], [[Svarshan]], [[Liessa]], [[Azog]], [[Achala]], [[Leisel]]
|-
|December 11 2012
|[[Mercantile Obligation (Porocora DM)]]
|[[Katja]], [[Ashlynn]], [[Albain]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|December 20,2012
|[[Grin Apolypse]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Kuumvu]], [[Mikilos]], [[Remethaer]], [[Sandy]], [[Sonja]]
|-
|December 21, 2012
|[[Bar Chatter]]
|[[Gwendolyn]], [[Sandy]], [[Selia]]
|-
|December 23, 2012
|[[Poor Holiday Tidings]]
|[[Emir]], [[Zalara]], [[Donk]], [[Remethaer]]
|-
|December 30, 2012
|[[Art of Slice, the]]
|[[Chloe]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Liessa]], [[Munch]], [[Remethaer]], [[Vennan]]
|-
|??
|[[PRP: Clearing Jeribald's Mine]]
|??
|-
|December 31, 2012
|[[Adventurers Guild Bringing in the New Year|Adventurer's Guild: Bringing in the New Year]]
|[[Karelin]], [[Azog]], [[Svarshan]], [[Tavissha]], [[Mikilos]], [[Sonja]], [[Oates]], [[Cesran]], [[Myrana]], [[Wilma]]
|-
|January 4, 2013
|[[Arvek in Pink]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Boshter]], [[Jessa]], [[Roka]]
|-
|January 5,2013
|[[Ribbeting Times at the Hope]]
|[[Tavissha]], [[Abrahil]], [[Zalara]], [[Lash]]
|-
|January 7, 2013
|[[Hanging of the Butcher]]
|Lots
|-
|January 9, 2013
|[[Jink's Kids]]
|[[Jinks]], [[Agril]], [[Svarshan]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|January 10, 2013
|[[Cue Yakety Sax]]
|[[Emir]], [[Sandy]], [[Donk]], [[Abrahil]], [[Myrana]]
|-
|January 11, 2013
|[[In the Market]]
|[[Craft]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|January 11, 2013
|[[What's Down There?]]
|[[Brolin]], [[Lash]], [[Nadara]], [[Raja]], [[Zarr]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|January 12, 2013
|[[Wolf-wrestling]]
|[[Donk]], [[Kuumvu]], [[Tavissha]], [[Thyrson]], [[Jareth]], [[Garrin]]
|-
|January 13, 2013
|[[At the Ox]]
|[[Azog]], [[Lash]], [[Sandy]], [[Mikilos]], [[Faraday]]
|-
|January 13, 2013
|[[On the Roadway]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Selia]], [[Roka]], [[Arafel]], [[Elycia]],
|-
|January 19, 2013
|[[Nipples and rainbows]]
|[[Roka]], [[Karelin]], [[Rotgut]], [[Munch]]
|-
|January 20, 2013
|[[Mirrors]]
|[[Selia]], [[Oates]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|January 21, 2013
|[[The Lost]]
|[[Gragnar]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|January 23, 2013
|[[Of Guns, Maintenance, and Weather]]
|[[Craft]], [[Rementhaer]]
|-
|January 26, 2013
|[[Desolate Dig]]
|[[Oates]], [[Remethaer]], [[Lash]], [[Arafel]], [[Cinnamon]], [[Mel]]
|-
|January 27, 2013
|[[Along the Road]]
|[[Ormarr]], [[Cesran]], [[Lash]], [[Vidarr]], [[Donk]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|January 27, 2013
|[[PrP: Trouble Brewing]]
|[[Arafel]], [[Oates]], [[Rotgut]], [[Tavissha]], [[Brolin]]
|-
|January 28, 2013
|[[Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Deliciousness]]
|[[Donk]], [[Jibbom]], [[Cesran]], [[Elysia]], [[Lash]], [[some chubby, old orc]]
|-
|February 02, 2013
|[[Lost And Found]]
|[[Sharna]], [[Azog]], [[Aenyn]]
|-
|February 03, 2013
|[[Makar at the Ox]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Mikilos]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|February 09, 2013
|[[PrP: Up in Smoke]]
|[[Sharna]], [[Jinks]], [[Sonja]], [[Aenyn]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|February 10, 2013
|[[PrP: 3:10 to Selentia]]
|[[Birgit]], [[Chloe]], [[Elessa]], [[Remethaer]]
|-
|February 15, 2013
|[[Love Potions]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Agril]], [[Taurex]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|February 15, 2013
|[[PrP: Pie and Orc]]
|[[Mako]], [[Remethaer]], [[Aviere]]
|-
|-
|February 19, 2013
|[[PrP: Meat on Stick Part 1]]
|[[Taurex]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Abrahil]], [[Kilian]]
|-
|-
|February 25, 2013
|[[PrP: Meat on Stick Part 2]]
|[[Taurex]], [[Vennan]], [[Kravar]], [[Shrike]]
|-
|-
|March 03, 2013
|[[PrP: Lurker on the Heights]]
|[[Lash]], [[Vennan]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Oates]], [[Schneider]], [[Alistine]]
|-
|-
|March 08, 2013
|[[PrP: The Alexandrian Job]]
|[[Kravar]],[[Heyuri]], [[Korsten]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|
| [[Spirit-Bonded Ceremony]]
|
|-
|-
|April 01, 2013
|[[Kittens]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Jessa]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|-
|April 02, 2013
|[[Log: Goblintown Hi-Jinks]]
|[[Meep]], [[Sonja]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Kravar]], [[ Sandy]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|-
|April 10, 2013
|[[Log: Pets 4 Sale]]
|[[Grub]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Seanait]]
|-
|-
|April 11, 2013
|[[PrP: Goblin Massacre Mystery]]
|[[Vennan]], [[Kravar]], [[Nadara]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|-
|April 12, 2013
|[[BBQ fun]]
|[[Agril]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|-
|April 17, 2013
|[[Chance Meeting]]
|[[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Younger]]
|-
|-
|April 22, 2013
|[[Log: Lower Market Madness]]
|[[Mogrinaar]], [[Kravar]], [[Shilde]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|-
|April 23, 2013
|[[Log: Meetings and Mysteries at Wilderness Pointe]]
|[[Drake]], [[Kravar]], [[Ferawyn]]
|-
|-
|April 26, 2013
|[[PrP: Camp Encounter]]
|[[Remethaer]], [[Elessa]], [[Kravar]], [[Ferawyn]]
|-
|-
|May 1st, 2013
|[[Kill Tak]]
|[[Tak]], [[Selia]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|-
|May 2nd, 2013
|[[DEATH!]]
|[[Kravar]], [[Tak]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|May 3rd, 2013
|[[PRP: Fast Zombie Day]]
|-
|-
|May 5th, 2013
|[[Log: Sign Sixty-Two]]
|[[Rogun]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Sebropert]]
|-
|-
|May 11th, 2013
|[[PrP: Ratburglars!]]
|[[Tak]], [[Madde]], [[Porarna]]
|-
|-
|May 13th, 2013
|[[Magic Discussions at Fernwood Pub]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Tak]], [[Rogun]], [[Karelin]]
|-
|-
|May 14th, 2013
|[[PrP: Vadran Patrol]]
|[[Tak]], [[Sebropert]], [[Rogun]], [[Elessa]]
|-
|-
|May 15th, 2013
|[[Olympic Start]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Jessa]], [[Munch]]
|-
|-
|May 16th, 2013
|[[PrP: Spontaneous Event]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Brom]], [[Folkmar]]
|-
|-
|May 18th, 2013
|[[PrP: Docking Pay]]
|[[Folkmar]], [[Halani]]. [[Kravar]], [[Tak]], [[Vennan]]
|-
|-
|May 21st, 2013
|[[Trust Building Exercise!]]
|[[Folkmar]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|-
|May 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: A Golem in the Arena]]
|[[Munch]], [[Zalara]], [[Valadhiel]]
|-
|-
|May 24th, 2013
|[[Taiko Market]]
|[[Halani]], [[Selia]], [[Tak]]
|-
|-
|May 25th, 2013
|[[PrP: Food Fight]]
|[[Temarie]], [[Tak]], [[Brom]], [[Faiza]]
|-
|-
|May 28th, 2013
|[[Gelfure Chatter]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]], [[Tak]], [[Molokh]]
|-
|-
|May 29th, 2013
|[[Market Meet]]
|[[Sonja]], [[Mikilos]], [[Gunnhilde]], [[Tak]]
|-
|-
|May 29th, 2013
|[[Book Thief]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Vekson]], [[Elycia]], [[Zarya]], [[Cesran]], [[Karelin]]
|-
|-
|May 20th, 2013
|[[PrP: Arena Bout 05 30]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Jex]], [[Brom]], [[Nadara]], [[Tak]], [[Gunnhilde]]
|-
|-
|May 20th, 2013
|[[Philosophy of the Rat]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Vekson]], [[Zarya]]
|-
|-
|June 6th, 2013
|[[PrP: Cattle Wasps]]
|[[Jex]], [[Temarie]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Lanier]], [[Laoise]]
|-
|-
|June 7th, 2013
|[[Fundraising Pie]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Sonja]]
|-
|-
|June 8th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Azure Queen's Trap]]
|[[Jex]], [[Shrike]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Nadara]], [[Kojot]]
|-
|-
|June 17th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Prancing Owlbear]]
|[[Brom]], [[Eligar]], [[Lanier]], [[Nadara]], [[Tak]], [[Temarie]]
|-
|-
|June 20th, 2013
|[[PrP: Red Ridge Pass]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Tak]], [[Thora]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|June 21st, 2013
|[[Market Meeting]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Valadhiel]]
|-
|-
|June 22nd, 2013
|[[PrP: Saturday Night Main Event]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Munch]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Temarie]]
|-
|-
|June 24th, 2013
|[[Mary Met]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Mary]], [[Mikilos]], [[Sandy]]
|-
|-
|June 25th, 2013
|[[PrP: Save the Princess]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Elessa]], [[Tak]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|-
|June 27th, 2013
|[[PrP: Abyssal Barn]]
|[[Elessa]], [[Kilian]], [[Lanier]], [[Tak]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|June 30th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Dastardly Gauntlet of Doom!]]
|[[Azog]], [[Jenner]], [[Jessa]], [[Jibbom]], [[Oates]]
|-
|-
|July 1st, 2013
|[[PrP: Artificer's Arena Challenge]]
|[[Aleron]], [[Eligar]], [[Vekson]]
|-
|-
|July 1st, 2013
|[[Hart Scouts]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|July 4th, 2013
|[[On Good and Evil]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Jame]], [[Vekson]], [[Solace]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|July 6th, 2013
|[[Cats in the Market]]
|[[Azog]], [[Niama]], [[Mikilos]], [[Valadhiel]], [[Ol' Mags]]
|-
|-
|July 9th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Ghosttower]]
|[[Tatyannah]], [[Eligar]], [[Auk]], [[Solace]] (GM)
|-
|-
|July 12th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Trouble With Archaeology]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Schneider]], [[Raethon]], [[Thorarna]], [[Solace]]
|-
|-
|July 18th, 2013
|[[PrP: Pirates, Submersibles, Airships (Oh My)]]
|[[Ormarr]], [[Sonja]], [[Oates]], [[Munch]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|-
|July 26th, 2013
|[[PrP: Heart of Farceness]]
|[[Faiza]], [[Eligar]], [[Vennan]], [[Munch]], [[Angrid]]
|-
|-
|July 31st, 2013
|[[PrP: Role Reversal]]
|[[Faiza]], [[Radek]], [[Aegremar]], [[Temarie]], [[Kojot]]
|-
|-
|August 3rd, 2013
|[[Trubble in the Market]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Trubble]]
|-
|-
|August 14th, 2013
|[[On Prancing]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|August 15th, 2013
|[[Another Owlbear]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Mikilos]], [[Hilal]], [[Markus]], [[Nasirri]], [[Raethon]], [[Azog]], [[Boshter]], [[Rain]]
|-
|-
|August 22th, 2013
|[[PrP: Goblintown Sewers]]
|[[Thora]], [[Albain]], [[Elessa]], [[Randek]], [[Gwendolyn]]
|-
|-
|August 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Duty of Shadows]]
|[[Tatyannah]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Laoise]], [[Schneider]], [[Solace]]
|-
|-
|August 28th, 2013
|[[Munch's Workshop]]
|[[Solace]], [[Munch]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|-
|September 10th, 2013
|[[PrP: General Bloodeyes Appears]]
|[[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Oates]], [[Nadara]], [[Arik]]
|-
|-
|September 16th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Wild Hunt]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Jareth]], [[Oates]], [[Teppus]], [[Munch]]
|-
|-
|September 17th, 2013
|[[Wild Inn]]
|[[Arik]], [[Kira]], [[Mikilos]], [[Valadhiel]], [[Zaxx]], [[Kravar]], [[Kranya]]
|-
|-
|September 23rd, 2013
|[[Steel Festival]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Ulharilti Wiivai]]
|-
|-
|September 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Galena Lode - Part 1]]
|[[Jensine]], [[Jonan]], [[Mel]], [[Zippo]]
|-
|-
|September 26th, 2013
|[[Meat Market]]
|[[Jame]], [[Mikilos]], [[Garak]], [[Boshter]], [[Ol' Mags]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|-
|September 29th, 2013
|[[Lizard Lunch at the Ox]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Mel]], [[Zalara]], [[Ulharilti Wiivai]]
|-
|October 12th, 2013
|[[Rescue Party]]
|[[Benthus]], [[Eligar]], [[Schneider]], [[Ulharilti Wiivai]]
|-
|}

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Dire Consequence]]

PrP: The Galena Lode - Part 1

2013-09-25T22:25:05Z

Ishmaelthegray:

<nowiki>The burnished gold of lit lanterns illuminates the damage resistant metal walls of the Adventurer's Guild. Tonight, as with most others, adventurers are toasting their successes and mourning their losses. All of it happens with great energy and enthusiasm. A table of burly soldiers laugh raucously at the discomfort of their junior man, whose plight is understandable. A squid looks up at him from the saucer. An entire squid. Even though it doesn't move, he seems more than a little reluctant to bow to the jeering of his companions.

A duo of bards plink the strings of a pair of lutes, each dueling with the other and sending the occasional sour note into the others solo. For a coin, they'll lampoon the giver with an outrageous tale and they have no shortage of coin. There is meat and ale aplenty--adventurers often have more money than sense.

All of the commotion can be heard from the hiring hall, though in no great detail. A row of boards are bolted to the wall from a few feet above the floor to a few feet above the ceiling. Upon those boards are jobs, requests, and pleas for assistance. These are seldom duplicated, and yet, each of you has an identical missive in your hand:

I, Leacaeon Aldaren, rightful owner and operator of the Galena Lode mine, mill, and smelter, do hereby request the assistance of three or four willing adventurers in the trivial manner of a work stoppage at the mine. Inquire in person no latter than this date.

That date is tomorrow at noon.

Mel has done the Guild thing a few times, he's familiar with the process in broad terms, though he's certainly not familiar enough to spot subtlety or nuance. He has a paper, and he's come to inquire about work. He's here now, because if he gets here tomorrow at noon, it may be too late. He weaves his way in and around the revelry to try and find Leacaeon Aldaren. "Hello, has anyone seen .. er. Mister Aldaren?" he calls out.

Jensine steps forward when Mel speaks, raising her hand. "I am also here to speak to Mister Alderaan. Alderan?" She's not sure how to pronounce it.

Jonan arrives at twelve noon exactly. Having stabled his courser outside the guild the young armored Knight gives the interior of thoughtful look before giving both Mel and Jensine a thoughtful look. Without pronouncement he moves to stand amongst them.

The calling for Mister Aldaren catches not only the attention of each of you, as the questioning isn't terribly subtle when it's broadcast to the parties in attendance, but it also catches the attention of one of the young servants. She holds a silvery lid atop a platter. Alarmingly, this seems to be a challenge for her as something inside that covered dish thrashes against the metal. "You are looking for Lord Aldaren?" she asks, looking at Mel and Jensine in turn. They're not so very far apart from each other. "You will be able to find him at his mine in the Redridge Mountains. It's only a few hours walk." She flashes a weak smile, and the dishes clatter. She manages to hold them together once again, but not before a flash of a scaly green tail makes its way between top and bottom. It makes even more noise when she clamps the metal bowl atop the tail so abruptly.

Mel nods to Jensine and smiles warmly, relieved that he's at least not alone in this. "I'm not positive, either," he admits about the name. "Looks elvish or something, with all the vowels," he surmises. Mel is not a linguist by any stretch of the imagination. He nods as Jonan comes up, and he asks, "Are you Mister ..." and cuts off as the servant comes up. "Ah, I see," he answers. To Jensine and Jonan, he says, "I'm Mel, by the way, it's nice to meet you all. I guess we're meant to walk there?" He looks at the invitation. "No time like the present, I guess, I don't have anything I need to do. How about you two?"

Jensine listens to the servant, nodding solemnly. "Then we shall seek him out there." That's a 'we', anyway. Turning to face Mel and Jonan more squarely, she adds, "My name is Jensine." She is, by the way, chewing on a little sprig of mint.

The knight's blonde brow furrows slightly as the pair are re-directed towards the Redridge Mountains, "Then perhaps he should have summoned us there.." He remarks without anger in his voice but takes this time to look at both Mel and Jensine upon making himself known, "Jonan Constantine." The knight speaks as if he cannot suffer as a stranger for long in the presence of others and then gives a polite bow for both of them, "A pleasure."

"My mount is stabled." He announces matter-of-factly, "If either of you prefer to ride I will secure a horse for you each.." Then, "..or a horse and cart if one of you is unaccustomed to horseback." He lingers only long enough to get their answer and then goes back out the door to make the arrangements.

Mel errrs at riding, and admits, "I'm used to walking, to be honest. I could probably ride as long as you don't need me to go very fast? I don't know a lot about horses, I was with the infantry in the war." He thinks about this, aware that he's playing a different part now than the soldier he used to be. "I'll ride, though, if it's important?"

Jensine exchanges a glance with Mel before looking back to Jonan. "I can ride but am also accustomed to walking. Providing us with horses would surely be expensive. I cannot ask that of you."

<OOC> Jensine says, "I am casting Goodberry!"
GAME: Jensine casts Goodberry.
GAME: Jensine rolls 2d4: (6): 6
<OOC> Jensine says, "Six DELICIOUS BERRIES."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Noted. Thank you."

Jonan nods to what Mel has said, "It is unimportant." He admits and then regards Jensine with a thoughtful expression. "The expense, too, is unimportant.." The man replies warmly, "..I will meet you out front shortly and ride no faster than you can walk." With that he exits.

Mel shares a shrug with Jensine and to Jonan, he nods curtly. "On my way," he says, and he'll actually follow Jonan out. That way we don't get separated in the crowd. He travels light, it seems, so he's ready to go.

Leaving Alexandria requires that the party pass through the Mountain Gate at the foot of the Airstation. The majestic and silent behemoths of airships drift overhead. Each is tethered to a spire as though it were a child's balloon and the afternoon sunlight shines upon their hulls. The ground has none of the peace that the airships possess. Men and women hurry about. Some are clad in ship uniforms and are clearly on their shore leave or returning to their ship. Others wear the heavy coveralls of stevedores and cargo handlers. They're the ones that must wrestle with the sledges brought by great stonebeasts to the gate. The busy port is the last place to buy any goods before leaving through the gate along Redridge Road. Barring any last minute purchases, the trio set out along the Redridge Road.

Jensine is essentially ready to go; she doesn't make any stops on the way out of the city, anyway. Once on the road, she's a reasonably fast walker. Someone accustomed to walking, maybe. She tends to poke ahead, foraging as she goes.

Mel has no plans to purchase anything, nor any particular skill for foraging. He'll try and keep up with the horse, but it's a hard pace, and he'll wind up slowing the party down unless you want him to arrive exhausted.
You paged Whirlpool with 'No problem!'

Jonan Constantine rides atop a heavy silver courser in dark quilted padding which has been stitched with a platinum dragon rising before a brilliant orange sunburst. A fine light-shield has been affixed to the saddle within easy reach. One mailed glove keeps a light grip on the reigns while the other grips a long lance which points upward with its base upon his boots.

Though far from an experienced storyteller the young knight is charismatic for he laughs and speaks with the others as they make the journey. It quickly becomes clear that he is a Knight-Templar of Daeus but whatever rigid morality he may possess seems to be more of a personal conviction as he never chastises the others for any mischief they might present.

The weather is pleasant and the path from Alexandria grades down in a gentle slope along the hard packed road. Stone dominates the way, but in some places heavy loads, stonebeasts, and the elements have shattered the stone to gravel and the gravel to dirt. Still, it is one of the better roads in the land and carefully maintained despite the wear. In the distance, the curving blue tower of Fate's Spire marks a waypoint along their path. Even an easy pace will see them there on time.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right. If you're keeping an eye out, please make a perception check."
<DM> The DC is 13 to notice the other party ahead of them in the road.
GAME: Jonan rolls perception: (9)+1: 10
GAME: Jensine rolls perception: (8)+10: 18
GAME: Mel rolls perception: (19)+9: 28
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'While the occasional traveler has not been uncommon, ahead of you is a group of three that are standing in the middle of the road and having an argument.'
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'If you want to say something or do something, please do so. If not, let me know.'
To (Jensine, Ishmael), Mel pages: If we're close together, I'll say something quietly, otherwise, I'll hold a hand up or signal or something?
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'If this were miniatures, you'd be touching squares in some fashion or another. You can talk quietly and not be overheard. Go ahead and pose it.'

Mel is generally alert as he marches. Footsloggers have to be alert! He squints into the distance, and mumbles to the others, "A small group up ahead in the road." He squints again, shields his eyes. "Looks like they're having some sort of discussion. Maybe an arguement?"

Jensine slows, falling back to join the others, nodding as Mel speaks. She murmurs, "It seems so. Hopefully not a serious one."

Jonan's height upon the mount seems to do little more than place the sun directly in his eyes. For he squints, despite the emblem of the blazing sun upon his tavern, before the light and then nods to them as if trusting their assessment.

"It would cost much time to navigate a path around them." Pause, "Whatever their business we have no quarrel with them unless they are brigands and - then - we would be better equipped to encounter them than the small-folk who frequent these roads."

Just ahead, the small party will find another group standing in the middle of the path having an argument. Currently, a stout khazadi barbarian is engaged in an argument with a human woman in half plate. The polearm she carries isn't held in the at ease position. Instead she grips it until her knuckles turn white. The third fellow, a half-elf, seems amused by the argument.

"I tell ye," the dwarf insists, pointing a square finger at the brunette in half plate. "We'll not be the only ones. If we do this your way there won't be half again enough to cover our tab." This earns an eye roll from the fellow and he turns his eyes to the woman.

"So be it, Belrin. We've tried it your way before..."

"Aye, and my way worked, dinnit?" Belrin shouts back. "Wait... who're them?" He points a dwarven waraxe at the approaching adventurers. The two groups seem to be the only ones armed and armored today.

Mel nods agreement with Jonan's assessment, though he finds it a little strange to be doing so. "Way too far, if we wanted to get past them." A shrug about their business. "I suppose so, yeah," he agrees, though he's not sure he wants to just accost people. He will continue to walk forward, keeping up with Jonan on his horse as best he can. He'll call out to the group when we're spotted, "Helloooo, on the road. Explorers' Guild group from Alexandria here!"
Jensine sticks her hand up in greeting. Her bow's in hand, but she doesn't have an arrow out to be nocked to it. The half-elf lets Mel go first.

"Peace." Jonan guides his horse within a conversational distance of the party without readying his shield or lowering his lance, "Travelers, the same as you." The Knight-Templar remarks with a firm but friendly voice, "We journey to the Red Ridge on our own business.."

His pale eyes drift to the woman who white-knuckles the polearm, "Easy, mi'lady." The young man says with care, "There is no ill-will here." Testing the waters and presenting an opportunity for their own confrontation to be explained without leveling direct accusation.

"Oh... aye? Are you?" the dwarf inquires in a rough burr that plays at being innocent. This is absolutely impossible for him and it comes off as he'd meant it--mockingly. The arms and armor with the lack of a uniform might have been the clue. Also, it could have been the route from which they'd come. The surly dwarf cuts them absolutely no slack.

"What ho!" says the fellow in the back. He's just dandy and nothing seems to bother him a whit. It's probably the only reason he can stand to be next to the feuding man and woman. "You don't happen to be traveling to the mines, by any chance??" He gives a disarming smile that is helped not in the least by the way the dwarf continues to point his axe at the adventurers. The young woman with the polearm stops gripping it quite so tightly at the Jonan's words. Perhaps she had yet to realize she was holding it so fiercely.

<OOC> Mel says, "If I want to bluff about not being on the way to the mines, should I roll first and pose the results based on how well I roll, or pose vaguely then roll?"

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Go ahead and roll. I'll roll their sense motive check as an opposed roll."
GAME: Mel rolls bluff: (11)+7: 18
<DM> Fletch rolls Sense Motive at -1.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20-1: (19)+-1: 18

Mel shakes his head about being on the way to the mines, "Nono. Just on some business for the guild, further up the road." He smiles blithely. Playing dumb is another military tradition. Sarge isn't handing out prizes when he asks who knows how to skin a pig. "You know something about them, though?" he wonders, trying to seem innocently curious.
Jensine blinks three times, peering at the other party. And their weaponry. She ventures a sidelong glance at Mel, curious, but at least she doesn't correct him or anything.

Jonan looks to the churlish dwarf and nods courteously to the 'innocence' of the statement. Whether or not he even heard the dandy speak is unclear for when Mel moves forward to address the issue he never bothers to reply.

Instead he remains fixated upon the dwarf in a way the others might miss. Without ever moving his head, or losing his composure, his eyes move from the dwarf, to the Khazad's axes, and then to his own lance and back without ever moving a muscle.

He smiles with good nature, "Good journey to you all." Is all he says, "Shall we press on?" He asks his companions.

Belrin takes the fixed gaze as a challenge and he bristles beneath his hoary black beard. Teeth, brown and round as pebbles form a rictus snarl that starts to leak out of the diminutive fighter. The woman stomps her glaive sharply upon the road.

"Halt thy tongue, Belrin," the Valkyrie says in an imperious tone. The half-elf gives a pleased smile and opens his mouth to say something and she silences him as well. "And you too, Fletch."

This causes a groan from the character in the back now that he realizes she has joined in the fun. To her discredit, she ignores him. "I am Larissa of the Glaive. These are my companions Belrin and Fletch. And while I may not agree with his attitude, Belrin's suspicions ring true. Are you indeed headed for the mines? We've a task at the Galena Lode."

This is precisely your destination.

<OOC> Jonan says, "Can I roll to identify 'of the glaive'?"
<OOC> Mel says, "Oh, good point. Is this a Knowledge: Local thing?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "I think Knowledge: Local would probably fit best. Go ahead and roll it, DC 12."
[RPThree] Ishmael says, "Zippo will be joining us in a bit, rounding out the party. He misread the time."
GAME: Mel rolls knowledge/local: (19)+8: 27
You paged Mel with 'Larissa of the Glaive is an adventurer, much like yourselves. She's called that because of the Glaive she carries. She's reputed to be quite dangerous with it. Calling her a valkyrie is not at all out of character. She's haughty, but not violent by nature.'

Mel is not sure if these three are brigands or adventurers, but they /do/ seem suspicious. And familiar. Maybe there were more notices handed out ... but ... if we want to get paid, maybe we'd better get there first. With this in mind, he puts off the question posed to him with a helpless shrug, bows his head to Jonan as one might to a knight or officer, replying with a crisp, "Yessir," and pointing up the road to the group we've met. "Your pardon, Valkyrie," he says with a bow to Larissa and her companions, "our own duty demands us, so we'll leave you to your business. We did not mean to interrupt." And he'll scoot off, hopefully without being stopped.

Zippo has arrived.

Jensine keeps her yap shut, following Mel at a stroll and nodding politely to each person as she approaches and hopefully passes them.

Jonan pages: I am detect evil.
Jonan pages: At Larissa.
You paged Jonan with 'She does not register as evil (arrogance doesn't show up on Detect Evil), so she's clean!'

"Well met, Larissa of the Glaive." Jonan replies kindly when she introduces herself, "I am Jonan Constantine, Knight-Templar of the Holy Order of the Sword." He lifts his chin a bit, "Sworn Sword of the True Metal." The Paladin states using the Khazad name for the Dragon Father.

Jonan never looks to Mel though he silently weighs the fellow's use of the title 'Valkyrie' as he regards the woman following her introduction. He decides that were this to indicate that the party before them were virtuous his companion would not have bid them forward and after a long look at her he nods.

"Good journey." He repeats as if actually meaning these words and then guides his courser between the other party and his companions. Setting off with them.

As skeptical as the other party is, they aren't prepared to commit violence to stop the armed adventurers. The warrior astride a powerful horse and in shining silver armor likewise delays the possibility of a physical altercation. Belrin points his axe and Larissa is set to say something, but Fletch cuts them off as Mel, Jensine, and Jonan make their way by.

"You haven't seen that tiny artificer have you? The one that looks like a clockwork toy?" Fletch's tone is so dry that seas drop to low tide in his very presence. The question sets Larissa of the Glaive and Belrin to looking about. It's in this state we leave this other party as our own ascends to the top of a small hill. It's also atop this small hill that a horrible clanking noise reaches their ears...

"If you mean the ENGINEERING GENIUS who has been accompanying this sorry expedition..." That's the high pitched voice of Zippo ringing out. "... Then here he is, ready to save your hides and do some proper strikebreaking!" He marches forward with a yellow-toothed grin. "I'll be sticking with you lot the rest of the way. No objections, right? Right. Good. Let's get going!"

Jensine raises her hand and gives Zippo a little wave. "Oh, hello again," she greets him. Apparently she has met him before. "Plippo, yes?" She tries. She really does.

Mel breathes a bit easier once the other party is out of earshot. He gives it another couple dozen paces, before explaining quietly, "It seemed like they were on the same task as we are, and hadn't gotten there yet. I want to get paid for this, so I figured it was best if we kept going. I hope you're all OK with that?" At the top of the hill, we meet Zippo, and Mel looks puzzled. "Well, more backup for us, and let them wait for him until they give up," he says softly, though he glances worriedly at Zippo. "Uh, okay?" He looks relieved as Jensine seems to know him.

"Zippo! With a zed." Zippo replies to Jensine, sharply correcting her. "And it seems like your crew would make a /far/ better group to travel with for me to field test my latest and greatest invetnions! Now, let us waste no more time! Onwards! To SCIENCE!"

Jonan's polite masque breaks as they move beyond the other party and his smile is buried beneath the stern pursing of lips that makes him momentarily seem much older than he actually is and he looks at Mel who has already begun to explain..

The corner of his mouth quirks a bit as if pleasantly relieved by this revelation, "Until we know what we are up against it would be wise to not weigh ourselves down with an excess of personality." Pause, "Thank you." He replies thoughtfully and then looks to Jensine as if meaning her as well.

Enter Zippo, the Paladin turns in his saddle to the rapid approach of a diminutive clockwork though he is no faster to ready his lance than he was against the previous party, "Then engineer us forward." He says lifting the lance and pointing it down the road, "Zippo." As if not willing to argue the matter.

Jensine blinks at Jonan now, brown eyes holding a hint of puzzlement. "...My personality is not excessive." A pause. "Is it?" She looks to Mel for confirmation.

Onward and upward. The encounter with Zippo's former party takes place at the nadir of the Redridge Road that stretches between Alexandria and the Redridge Mountains above. After a mere half an hour of walking, they pass the turnoff to a ferry off to the west. That would lead them across the Tornmawr and into the grassy lands in that fertile valley. The curved shape of Fate's Spire is beyond them, which means every foot they move forward is an ascent. Even for the athletic, calves ache from the ever upward climb. The sun is inching toward the horizon, but it's merely late afternoon and they'll be there in less than a couple of hours.

Mel shakes his head at Jensine's question, having understood Jonan's intent, himself. "He means he didn't want to drag them in to the party," he says to her. "Dividing pay four ways," he's already assuming Zippo will be joining us, it seems, "rather than seven, is something I'm fine with." He trudges on, grunting as the road begins to climb. "Maybe horses would have been a good idea," he laments.

"Oh," Jensine says, eyes widening with understanding. "I understand now. Thank you." She's very earnest. Very, very earnest.

Jonan nods when Mel speaks, "You are welcome." He says to Jensine with a mild apology in his voice for having been misunderstood. However, with the matter settled he doesn't make a production out of it given the earnest tone in the woman's voice.

"A good idea.." The Knight-Templar says with a chuckle, "Until we must tread into a mine. Then I have risked a warhorse for the convenience of the journey." The words are well intentioned though something about his demeanor makes it clear that a horse is simply that and if it were to save them hassle along the way its life would be worth it.

He looks at the setting sun and unconciously increases their pace slightly.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "As you get closer to the mines, you realize you have a moment with which you can take a break and still make it before nightfall. You can also push on, or you could make camp and arrive tomorrow. The deadline for arrival isn't until the next day, so you have options and you should discuss them among yourselves."

"I say we press onwards! Zippo squeaks. "Those no-good slackers won't be expecting us to arrive earlier! Then we can really start cracking heads!" He is way too enthusiastic about this.

Jensine digs another sprig of mint out of a belt pouch and tucks it between her lips to suck on. "I have no difficulties traveling by night," she says. So apparently she's not against the idea of pressing forward.

Mel shrugs about mines and leaving the horse behind. He's not super familiar, but he wonders, "Don't they have mules pulling mine carts? Or artifice engines, I guess, but they can't be smaller than a mule, I'd think?" Based on no knowledge whatsoever. "If that's so, there'll be a way to get a horse inside. Though I don't envy you trying to maneuver it around." He rubs his leg with a knuckle as the going gets longer and longer, but nods at what Zippo says. "If we pause, those others might get there ahead of us," he points out. "So I'm good to press onwards. I've got an everburning torch in my pack," he adds.

"I'm not sure." The Knight-Templar admits but seems to think on that point, "I am more familiar with lost catacombs than active mines." Then, "You may be right."

When the others talk of pressing on he simply nods without objection.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Perception checks once again, everyone."
<DM> Perception check DC is 15 to notice the three escaped miners.
GAME: Mel rolls perception: (16)+9: 25
GAME: Zippo rolls perception: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Jonan rolls perception: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Jensine rolls perception: (19)+10: 29
You paged Jonan with 'You notice nothing unusual ;)'
Jonan pages: Blinded by the glory of Daeus, as usual.
You paged Zippo with 'It's getting dark outside, but you don't notice anything unusual. There's still about an hour of sunlight remaining.'
You paged (Jensine, Mel) with 'You both will notice that there is a small ring of stones with ashes near a fallen plinth of stone. There's no smoke that you can see, but you're sure the fire wasn't burning terribly long ago. Let me pose and you two can react to this.'

With less than an hour until the brilliant orange globe of the sun sinks beneath the far horizon, the clouds of the sky take on a myriad of rainbow colors ranging from pinks and yellows to shady blues in the distance. The path takes a jog here, surmounting a twenty foot fault in the path by jogging to the side in a switchback. One leg descends ten feet, the next the remaining ten feet which puts our heroes at the base of a twenty foot cliff. The final landing makes an easy camp, and a spring of water weeps from the rock and runs along the uneven surface to a natural stone basin about six inches deep.

In the distance is a mining camp with high stone walls and flickering lights already illuminating portions of the yard.

"There it is!" Zippo hisses enthusiastically. "Now, where are those shiftless layabouts? We'll teach them the price of sloth!"

Jensine slows, eyes narrowing as she steps down onto the final landing. "Possibly quite near," she murmurs in response to Zippo, pointing to indicate a small ring of stones with ashes near a fallen plinth of stone.

Mel looks at the campsite and sighs softly. "It looks so inviting. And someone's been here recently. Maybe our friends? Though they seemed to be heading the wrong way, if they were?" That's a puzzler. "But that looks like the mine over there. And I'd rather sleep in a camp than out in the wilds. No offense," he adds quickly to Jensine. "But I've done enough sleeping in the field to last a lifetime." As the light dims, he roots around in his pack for a torch, pulling a cloth off the cover, and behold, an Everburning Torch burns with cool light. Mel is a man of means! He also pulls out a cloak and wraps it around him. He sort of fades a little in the dusk.

The shod hooves of the great courser echo in muffled thuds that sound off the stonework which as been drug clear by the great Khazadi Stonebeasts. The knight remains high in his saddle and, other than the initial survey of the road ahead, has scarcely given their path a look as his attention moves across the yard to the flickering lights ahead.

"Hrm?" His concentration is broken as Jensine points to the small ring of stones and ashes, "Ah.." Jonan then nods and smiles when Mel speaks of preferring that they make camp ahead, "I second that."

The blonde haired templar does not seem the sort who prefers the open sky to a proper camp.

"Then let us advance to the one semblance of civilization in this blighted, technology-bereft land!" Zippo declares.
"We won't go back!" cries a hoarse male voice. The sound seems to come from everywhere due to the nature of the stone in this alcove. The path continues on, but this hewed camp is surrounded on two and a half sides so the sound reverberates.

A second voice and then a third join the first. Neither the second nor third man form words. Instead, they run around the corner of the switchback, alerted to the conversation and clopping of hooves on stone.

These poor men seem to be barely alive. Shaggy hair hangs in greasy tufts from each of their heads and they're stained shades of black and gray along the entire length of their nearly nude bodies. Tatters of clothing cling to their emaciated frames. It's the eyes, though, that capture the most attention; they're bloodshot and glassy. Each one of these men are completely mad, and each one of these men carry a serrated knife.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "This is a good time for init!"
GAME: Zippo rolls initiative: Roll: 6 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 10
GAME: Jensine rolls init: (12)+3: 15
GAME: Mel rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
GAME: Jonan rolls initiative: Roll: 15 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 17
GAME: You roll initiative for Albert: Roll: 8 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 7
GAME: You roll initiative for Basil: Roll: 17 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 16
GAME: You roll initiative for Chooge: Roll: 6 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 5

You paged Jensine with 'You're not showing up on the +tinit. Did you roll +init or +roll init?'
Jensine pages: +roll init. Ugh. I'll try again.
GAME: Jensine rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine did a +roll init instead of +init, so she's on the +tinit now."

===== Current Initiative Order =========
----------------------------------------
17 Jensine
----------------------------------------
17 Mel
----------------------------------------
17 Jonan
----------------------------------------
16 Basil
----------------------------------------
10 Zippo
----------------------------------------
7 Albert
----------------------------------------
5 Chooge
----------------------------------------
========================================

<DM> Jensine delays, but takes speech as a free action.

Jensine's quick hand reaches for an arrow from her quiver and sets it to the bow, which she raises as she draws. "Hold. We have no wish to do you harm," the half-elf calls to the men. Maybe she has no wish, anyway.

GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Mel, who were you charging? Then pose it. You don't connect."
<OOC> Mel says, "Whoever was closer."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert then. Really they're all grouped together, but A comes first."

Jensine pages: I would like to roll a thing to remember lead makes people craycray.
You paged Jensine with 'Heal, DC 15.'
GAME: Jensine rolls heal: (17)+8: 25
You paged Jensine with 'Mine madness. Especially common in lead, silver, and copper mines.'

Mel has learned more than a few things in his life, and one of them is to throw the first punch. If you can take someone down before they can cause trouble, that's trouble they won't be causing. "Crazy people with knives don't chat well," he grumbles. "Crazy people tied up and disarmed, I'm all right with." And so he rushes in to attack, trying for a pre-emptive strike to end things early. Unfortunately, it's dark and he needs to put down the torch to get out his shield, and he gets his plans tied up as his feet move faster than his brain, so that he's moved up to the enemy, and he totally fails to throw a convincing punch. "Oh, hi there?"

<OOC> Jonan says, "In a brilliant display I'm urging the horse forward a bit. Raising my shield and bellowing for peace. Diplomatically."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Diplomacy and not intimidation?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "Yes. I am not threatening them."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Since they are decidedly unfriendly, it is 20+0 (they have no charisma modifier) for the DC."
GAME: Jonan rolls diplomacy: (20)+10: 30
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Good lord man."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Diplomacy is generally not useful in combat but a 20? Pose it and I'll react. We may not be out of combat, but it's worth playing this part out."

The madmen charge forward.

"Peace, Peace..!"

The Knight's firm voice echoes across the yawning chasm slicing asunder their madness as his Higborn ancestor, the Arch-Angel Talmoni, might have in the age before ages.

"In the name of the Sun Lord cease your hostilities!" He hoists his high the mirrored light-shield bearing the emblem of the rising dragon in the fading light, "..be liberated in the /light of law/ and stand behind us as free men. We bring with us food and succor."

The show of bravery and diplomacy from the knight stuns the three madmen for a moment. The mirrored shield casts the dying rays of the sun at them, shining across the ground with the might of the Sun Lord himself. They stumble in their bare feet and look around, at Sir Knight and at the others. Clarity fails to make it to their eyes though. "You do not come from the mines?" the first, Albert inquires.

"You fool!" hisses Basil. "Of course they come from the mines! Come to take us all back and make us work and the spiders, the spiders!"

This sets the men to wailing again. The keening sound and gnashing of teeth eventually turns back to the frustrated and murderous cries. A maddened mind cannot find peace for long.

<DM> Basil attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR. Mel has -2 AC due to charge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (6)+3+-1: 8

<OOC> Jensine says, "Jensine will shoot once Basil's tried stabbery! Wherever that can be fitted in."
GAME: jensine's inititave total changed to '9'.

===== Current Initiative Order =========
----------------------------------------
17 Mel
----------------------------------------
17 Jonan
----------------------------------------
16 Basil
----------------------------------------
10 Zippo
----------------------------------------
9 Jensine
----------------------------------------
7 Albert
----------------------------------------
5 Chooge
----------------------------------------
========================================

<OOC> Zippo says, "How far away are they?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "They're 25' away currently. Mel is standing in front of one of them, giving Albert partial cover."

Basil growls like a feral dog and then barks with an insane vigor as he slashes the wickedly serrated knife at the charging Mel. The knife whistles uselessly.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Are you shooting Basil or Chooge?"
<OOC> Zippo says, "Basil."
GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (11)+6+2: 19
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (1)+5: 6
<OOC> Zippo says, "That's all cold damage. Also, he has to make a DC 16 fort save or be staggered for one round."
<OOC> Jensine says, "Pew pew Basil!"
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d20+5: (11)+5: 16
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine, you also hit."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d8+2: (3)+2: 5
<DC> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Basil
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (15)+3: 18

"Enough talk! It's time for a technological solution!" Zippo raises his fist towards Basil, and a light begins to glow on one of the doodads attached to his gauntlet. A beam of icy white energy fires forth, slamming into him.
Basil strikes, and just like that Jensine sends her arrow twipping into the madman's chest. "These men are afflicted with mine madness," she informs the others. "It occurs in those who work with lead, silver, and copper mines. They are likely to be violent. They cannot be cured as far as I know." Her lips press into a line with those last words.

<DM> Albert attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (7)+3+-1: 9
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Not enough. He'll also take a five food step toward Mel's side, trying to flank him."
<DM> Chooge charges Zippo with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR, +2 Charge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1+2: (17)+3+-1+2: 21
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (2)+-1: 1
GAME: Ishmael damaged Zippo for 1 points. 17 remaining.

Albert slashes at Mel with the dagger, missing horribly. There's animal cunning to his plan, though, as the slash takes him a few steps to Mel's right.

Chooge lets out a mighty shout and charges the tiny mechanical man with his knife. The dagger chips into the armor in a satisfying fashion... he grins evilly, unaware of how little it did.

<OOC> Mel says, "5' step to avoid flanking, draw sword, stab."
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+5: (18)+5: 23
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Critical hit!"
GAME: Mel rolls 2d6+4: (10)+4: 14
<OOC> Jonan says, "Can I charge into combat with Mel and brain Basil with a blunt section of my shield?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "So a riding shield bash?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "Yes. Riding-Charging shield bash."

Mel finds himself alone in the middle of a melee whether he wants it or not, and he growls at Jonan, "Get your iron backside into this fight, you ponce!" He skips aside from one slash and hauls out his shortsword at Jensine's comment. "I tried going easy on you fellows," he asserts, assuming a clumsy on guard position with the blade. He shuffles to the side so they'll have a harder time surrounding him, and catches a bit of good luck when his dodging and weaving somehow distract these crazed fellows, and like lightning, he steps into an opening and thrusts his blade at Albert, scoring a wound, though his stroke isn't able to drive home and fell the crazed miner.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Yes you can. I'm adding it up. DC 5 ride check for the combat maneuver. Shield is an offhand light weapon that doesn't add its armor bonus for the to hit (though some magical bonuses may apply). And you lose the AC bonus for this round. What kind of shield is it?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "It's a Light shield. So only 1 AC."
GAME: Jonan rolls ride: (15)+2: 17
<OOC> Jonan says, "Do I still take the offhand penalty if I'm using it as a single (primary) attack?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You do, from what I can tell. Though you do get your charge bonus."
GAME: Jonan rolls melee+2-2: (9)+5+2+-2: 14
<OOC> Ishmael says, "That's enough. Damage is 1d3 plus half of your strength bonus."
GAME: Jonan rolls 1d3+1: (1)+1: 2

"Let them pass." Jonan urges while still pointing his lance towards the sky, "Do not bar them any further."

The knight's polite demeanor has faded for his conviction and yet he is unwilling to stand still as those whom he has named as allies fight against madmen. The Paladin lowers his shield and grabs his reigns while spurring the courser forward.

Hooves shred the soft-packed stone and its first step as it moving in place before it leaps forward at a gallop. He thunders into the center of the madmen to disrupt their attacks upon Mel whilst dropping his grip upon the reigns midway to them and shifting to a low position.

Lance still held with its tip towards the heavens he extends his forearm bringing the blunt section of his shield hard at Basil, whom had disrupted his cry for peace, "Fly, you fools.." He orders them with authority, "..before your spiders return."

<DM> Basil attacks Jonan's horse with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR vs AC 13 (-2 AC for charging)
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (9)+3+-1: 11

Basil is battered about by Jonan's shield charge, and though he doesn't seem terribly hurt he is greatly offended. He howls and slashes blindly at the horse. Luckily the attacks are too wild or the horse canters a step to the side, because it is not injured by the flurry.

<DM> Cinematic mode engaged! Due to time crunch, damage values are doubled to half the time needed to finish the scene.

GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (6)+6+2: 14
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (1)+5: 6
<DM> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Chooge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (4)+3: 7
<OOC> Zippo says, "Chooge is staggered for one round."

"Close quarters combat! Calibrating anti-striker defensive array!" Zippo leaps back and fires off another ray of piercing white light into his attacker.

<OOC> Jensine says, "Pew pew arrows."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d20+5: (7)+5: 12
<OOC> Jensine says, "EAT IT BASIL. Unless that doesn't hit."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert will five foot step to engage Mel and attack him with a dagger. Chooge is staggered and cannot move, but he can attack Jensine who is basically standing next to him."
<DM> Albert attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (17)+3+-1: 19
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (1)+-1: 0

<DM> Chooge attacks Jensine with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (17)+3+-1: 19
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (4)+-1: 3

GAME: Ishmael damaged Mel for 2 points. 23 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Jensine for 6 points. 12 remaining.

This is all very loud. There is shouting and yelling, and Jensine finds that a little odd. But she sets another arrow to her bowstring and sends it singing into Basil's rag-clad, battered body. Unfortunately, Chooge has managed to creep up by her.

<OOC> Mel says, "Can I flank with Jonan?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can flank Basil, who is trying to carve horse filets. Albert isn't in flanking with Basil, but you can't get him between the two of you either."
<OOC> Mel says, "Roger, flanking then."
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+7: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Mel rolls 1d6+2+2d6: (5)+2+(6): 13
<OOC> Ishmael says, "He's deep into dying. Be as cinematic as you like with the pose."

<OOC> Jonan says, "I'll lance Albert."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "He's barely 10 feet away, but that is enough to charge (I'm reasonably certain change facing doesn't require anything in pathfinder. it's not THAt pedantic about movement)"
GAME: Jonan rolls melee+2: (13)+5+2: 20
GAME: Jonan rolls 2d8+6: (11)+6: 17
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert is basically dead. You too can be as cinematic as you like with your pose."

Mel watches slackjawed as Jonan slams the fellow with the shield. "That's not how you fight on a battlefield, is it?" he demands critically, catching a scratch as he shifts positions with a slick move. Only a couple steps, but a pivot as well, so he's caught Basil between himself and the mounted knight. This it the classic Rock and a Hard Place scenario, but Basil isn't getting a chance to appreciate it because Mel runs his sword through the fellow's chest from behind without any mercy whatsoever, yanking it out and leaving the fellow gurgling on the ground.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Zippo, Chooge is in your sights. As Jensine cannot threaten an AoO with a bow, you do not get a flanking bonus."

A warning. A nearly non-lethal attack.

The madmen persist in their assault and the Templar must do as he has sworn to do: Stem the loss of life. If three madmen must die so that goodness may save the rest than so be it.

Silver lance point drops downward for the first time since he left the city.

A trample of hooves. Did Albert hear even that?

"HUAGH!" A lance point and two feet of wooden haft burst through the center of the man's chest wrenching his body gruesomely from its feet as the thundering courser continues past and further down the decline towards the camp.

It's a clean kill. A twist of the weapon splinters the ribs and sternum allowing the knight to wrench the thing free with a firm shake. He pulls the reigns hard and the steed comes back around.

The lance drops. Chooge is next.

<OOC> Zippo will fire at Chooge again!
GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (15)+6+2: 23
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (4)+5: 9
<DM> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Chooge
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (17)+3: 20

"... This is the part where you fall down. For science!" Zippo shouts before firing another volley of deadly frost into his target.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine, Chooge is at 0 HP and disabled. He can take actions, he can move at half speed, and he's tried to attack you. What will you do? (This is the last round of combat, if you decide to kill him or let him go it'll take us out.)"

Chooge is barely hanging on. Jensine turns to find herself next to him, and, taking in his glazed eyes and battered state, she nonetheless frowns as she pulls forth another arrow and sets it to her bow. The arrow lances between Chooge's eyes, inevitable, unstoppable, and sails clean through. Jensine then pushes the dead man over with an odd gentleness. She did not enjoy that.

There is the barest curl of the Paladin's lips when Jensine kills the disabled man.

However, he says nothing of it and merely raises his lance point back towards the heavens. His first words are, "Is everyone alright?" In the heat of battle it is difficult to keep track of such things but he looks from person to person as if appraising their situation.

He looks upon Mel last and then glances towards the bloody tip of his spear and then back, "That was not for you." He remarks tersely but then gives a faint smile, "Well fought." Pause, "All of you."

"Another victory for SCIENCE!" Zippo declares excitedly. "Field test, successful!"

"He could not be cured," Jensine murmurs, swabbing the gore from her face with her sleeve. Morose. That taken care of, she bobs her head and fusses about until she finds the berries she picked along the way, a sextet of particularly juicy speciments she pops into her mouth one by one.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Are you eating them all?"
GAME: Ishmael damaged Jensine for -6 points. 18 remaining.
<OOC> Jensine says, "ALL THE BERRIES THAT ARE GOOD"

Mel finds himself looking up Jonan's lance for just a moment, and looks worried, then relaxes as it's pulled away. "Ah, I'm all right. You had me worried there, for a minute." He looks around at the others, "Are we all OK?" He looks at the dead guys, a little relieved at Jensine's assertion that they couldn't be helped. Not that he was trying very hard after the beginning, but ... "Did they have some kind of magic disease?" he wonders. "I think we have an idea now of what's wrong at the mine, though."

Dealing with the three corpses is a gruesome task, just as dealing with the three living madmen is. The fight, if it can be called that, took less than a minute and took more than three men's lives. Their souls, if Jensine is right about the Mine Madness being incurable, were lost long ago. Little pieces of the party died tonight as well. Whether practical or religious, the bodies have to be removed from the road and put in some sort of repose. Doing so reveals nothing but the serrate daggers they carried, which in reality were nothing more than knives stolen from a kitchen, and a cluster of small bones. Finger bones. With teeth marks upon them. Dull, humanoid teeth marks.
</nowiki>

PrP: The Galena Lode - Part 1

2013-09-25T22:23:18Z

Ishmaelthegray:

PrP: The Galena Lode - Part 1

2013-09-25T22:22:44Z

Ishmaelthegray:

PrP: The Galena Lode - Part 1

2013-09-25T22:19:09Z

Ishmaelthegray:

<nowiki>
The burnished gold of lit lanterns illuminates the damage resistant metal walls of the Adventurer's Guild. Tonight, as with most others, adventurers are toasting their successes and mourning their losses. All of it happens with great energy and enthusiasm. A table of burly soldiers laugh raucously at the discomfort of their junior man, whose plight is understandable. A squid looks up at him from the saucer. An entire squid. Even though it doesn't move, he seems more than a little reluctant to bow to the jeering of his companions.

A duo of bards plink the strings of a pair of lutes, each dueling with the other and sending the occasional sour note into the others solo. For a coin, they'll lampoon the giver with an outrageous tale and they have no shortage of coin. There is meat and ale aplenty--adventurers often have more money than sense.

All of the commotion can be heard from the hiring hall, though in no great detail. A row of boards are bolted to the wall from a few feet above the floor to a few feet above the ceiling. Upon those boards are jobs, requests, and pleas for assistance. These are seldom duplicated, and yet, each of you has an identical missive in your hand:

I, Leacaeon Aldaren, rightful owner and operator of the Galena Lode mine, mill, and smelter, do hereby request the assistance of three or four willing adventurers in the trivial manner of a work stoppage at the mine. Inquire in person no latter than this date.

That date is tomorrow at noon.

Mel has done the Guild thing a few times, he's familiar with the process in broad terms, though he's certainly not familiar enough to spot subtlety or nuance. He has a paper, and he's come to inquire about work. He's here now, because if he gets here tomorrow at noon, it may be too late. He weaves his way in and around the revelry to try and find Leacaeon Aldaren. "Hello, has anyone seen .. er. Mister Aldaren?" he calls out.

Jensine steps forward when Mel speaks, raising her hand. "I am also here to speak to Mister Alderaan. Alderan?" She's not sure how to pronounce it.

Jonan arrives at twelve noon exactly. Having stabled his courser outside the guild the young armored Knight gives the interior of thoughtful look before giving both Mel and Jensine a thoughtful look. Without pronouncement he moves to stand amongst them.

The calling for Mister Aldaren catches not only the attention of each of you, as the questioning isn't terribly subtle when it's broadcast to the parties in attendance, but it also catches the attention of one of the young servants. She holds a silvery lid atop a platter. Alarmingly, this seems to be a challenge for her as something inside that covered dish thrashes against the metal. "You are looking for Lord Aldaren?" she asks, looking at Mel and Jensine in turn. They're not so very far apart from each other. "You will be able to find him at his mine in the Redridge Mountains. It's only a few hours walk." She flashes a weak smile, and the dishes clatter. She manages to hold them together once again, but not before a flash of a scaly green tail makes its way between top and bottom. It makes even more noise when she clamps the metal bowl atop the tail so abruptly.

Mel nods to Jensine and smiles warmly, relieved that he's at least not alone in this. "I'm not positive, either," he admits about the name. "Looks elvish or something, with all the vowels," he surmises. Mel is not a linguist by any stretch of the imagination. He nods as Jonan comes up, and he asks, "Are you Mister ..." and cuts off as the servant comes up. "Ah, I see," he answers. To Jensine and Jonan, he says, "I'm Mel, by the way, it's nice to meet you all. I guess we're meant to walk there?" He looks at the invitation. "No time like the present, I guess, I don't have anything I need to do. How about you two?"

Jensine listens to the servant, nodding solemnly. "Then we shall seek him out there." That's a 'we', anyway. Turning to face Mel and Jonan more squarely, she adds, "My name is Jensine." She is, by the way, chewing on a little sprig of mint.

The knight's blonde brow furrows slightly as the pair are re-directed towards the Redridge Mountains, "Then perhaps he should have summoned us there.." He remarks without anger in his voice but takes this time to look at both Mel and Jensine upon making himself known, "Jonan Constantine." The knight speaks as if he cannot suffer as a stranger for long in the presence of others and then gives a polite bow for both of them, "A pleasure."

"My mount is stabled." He announces matter-of-factly, "If either of you prefer to ride I will secure a horse for you each.." Then, "..or a horse and cart if one of you is unaccustomed to horseback." He lingers only long enough to get their answer and then goes back out the door to make the arrangements.

Mel errrs at riding, and admits, "I'm used to walking, to be honest. I could probably ride as long as you don't need me to go very fast? I don't know a lot about horses, I was with the infantry in the war." He thinks about this, aware that he's playing a different part now than the soldier he used to be. "I'll ride, though, if it's important?"

Jensine exchanges a glance with Mel before looking back to Jonan. "I can ride but am also accustomed to walking. Providing us with horses would surely be expensive. I cannot ask that of you."

<OOC> Jensine says, "I am casting Goodberry!"
GAME: Jensine casts Goodberry.
GAME: Jensine rolls 2d4: (6): 6
<OOC> Jensine says, "Six DELICIOUS BERRIES."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Noted. Thank you."

Jonan nods to what Mel has said, "It is unimportant." He admits and then regards Jensine with a thoughtful expression. "The expense, too, is unimportant.." The man replies warmly, "..I will meet you out front shortly and ride no faster than you can walk." With that he exits.

Mel shares a shrug with Jensine and to Jonan, he nods curtly. "On my way," he says, and he'll actually follow Jonan out. That way we don't get separated in the crowd. He travels light, it seems, so he's ready to go.

Leaving Alexandria requires that the party pass through the Mountain Gate at the foot of the Airstation. The majestic and silent behemoths of airships drift overhead. Each is tethered to a spire as though it were a child's balloon and the afternoon sunlight shines upon their hulls. The ground has none of the peace that the airships possess. Men and women hurry about. Some are clad in ship uniforms and are clearly on their shore leave or returning to their ship. Others wear the heavy coveralls of stevedores and cargo handlers. They're the ones that must wrestle with the sledges brought by great stonebeasts to the gate. The busy port is the last place to buy any goods before leaving through the gate along Redridge Road. Barring any last minute purchases, the trio set out along the Redridge Road.

Jensine is essentially ready to go; she doesn't make any stops on the way out of the city, anyway. Once on the road, she's a reasonably fast walker. Someone accustomed to walking, maybe. She tends to poke ahead, foraging as she goes.

Mel has no plans to purchase anything, nor any particular skill for foraging. He'll try and keep up with the horse, but it's a hard pace, and he'll wind up slowing the party down unless you want him to arrive exhausted.
You paged Whirlpool with 'No problem!'

Jonan Constantine rides atop a heavy silver courser in dark quilted padding which has been stitched with a platinum dragon rising before a brilliant orange sunburst. A fine light-shield has been affixed to the saddle within easy reach. One mailed glove keeps a light grip on the reigns while the other grips a long lance which points upward with its base upon his boots.

Though far from an experienced storyteller the young knight is charismatic for he laughs and speaks with the others as they make the journey. It quickly becomes clear that he is a Knight-Templar of Daeus but whatever rigid morality he may possess seems to be more of a personal conviction as he never chastises the others for any mischief they might present.

The weather is pleasant and the path from Alexandria grades down in a gentle slope along the hard packed road. Stone dominates the way, but in some places heavy loads, stonebeasts, and the elements have shattered the stone to gravel and the gravel to dirt. Still, it is one of the better roads in the land and carefully maintained despite the wear. In the distance, the curving blue tower of Fate's Spire marks a waypoint along their path. Even an easy pace will see them there on time.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right. If you're keeping an eye out, please make a perception check."
<DM> The DC is 13 to notice the other party ahead of them in the road.
GAME: Jonan rolls perception: (9)+1: 10
GAME: Jensine rolls perception: (8)+10: 18
GAME: Mel rolls perception: (19)+9: 28
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'While the occasional traveler has not been uncommon, ahead of you is a group of three that are standing in the middle of the road and having an argument.'
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'If you want to say something or do something, please do so. If not, let me know.'
To (Jensine, Ishmael), Mel pages: If we're close together, I'll say something quietly, otherwise, I'll hold a hand up or signal or something?
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'If this were miniatures, you'd be touching squares in some fashion or another. You can talk quietly and not be overheard. Go ahead and pose it.'

Mel is generally alert as he marches. Footsloggers have to be alert! He squints into the distance, and mumbles to the others, "A small group up ahead in the road." He squints again, shields his eyes. "Looks like they're having some sort of discussion. Maybe an arguement?"

Jensine slows, falling back to join the others, nodding as Mel speaks. She murmurs, "It seems so. Hopefully not a serious one."

Jonan's height upon the mount seems to do little more than place the sun directly in his eyes. For he squints, despite the emblem of the blazing sun upon his tavern, before the light and then nods to them as if trusting their assessment.

"It would cost much time to navigate a path around them." Pause, "Whatever their business we have no quarrel with them unless they are brigands and - then - we would be better equipped to encounter them than the small-folk who frequent these roads."

Just ahead, the small party will find another group standing in the middle of the path having an argument. Currently, a stout khazadi barbarian is engaged in an argument with a human woman in half plate. The polearm she carries isn't held in the at ease position. Instead she grips it until her knuckles turn white. The third fellow, a half-elf, seems amused by the argument.

"I tell ye," the dwarf insists, pointing a square finger at the brunette in half plate. "We'll not be the only ones. If we do this your way there won't be half again enough to cover our tab." This earns an eye roll from the fellow and he turns his eyes to the woman.

"So be it, Belrin. We've tried it your way before..."

"Aye, and my way worked, dinnit?" Belrin shouts back. "Wait... who're them?" He points a dwarven waraxe at the approaching adventurers. The two groups seem to be the only ones armed and armored today.

Mel nods agreement with Jonan's assessment, though he finds it a little strange to be doing so. "Way too far, if we wanted to get past them." A shrug about their business. "I suppose so, yeah," he agrees, though he's not sure he wants to just accost people. He will continue to walk forward, keeping up with Jonan on his horse as best he can. He'll call out to the group when we're spotted, "Helloooo, on the road. Explorers' Guild group from Alexandria here!"
Jensine sticks her hand up in greeting. Her bow's in hand, but she doesn't have an arrow out to be nocked to it. The half-elf lets Mel go first.

"Peace." Jonan guides his horse within a conversational distance of the party without readying his shield or lowering his lance, "Travelers, the same as you." The Knight-Templar remarks with a firm but friendly voice, "We journey to the Red Ridge on our own business.."

His pale eyes drift to the woman who white-knuckles the polearm, "Easy, mi'lady." The young man says with care, "There is no ill-will here." Testing the waters and presenting an opportunity for their own confrontation to be explained without leveling direct accusation.

"Oh... aye? Are you?" the dwarf inquires in a rough burr that plays at being innocent. This is absolutely impossible for him and it comes off as he'd meant it--mockingly. The arms and armor with the lack of a uniform might have been the clue. Also, it could have been the route from which they'd come. The surly dwarf cuts them absolutely no slack.

"What ho!" says the fellow in the back. He's just dandy and nothing seems to bother him a whit. It's probably the only reason he can stand to be next to the feuding man and woman. "You don't happen to be traveling to the mines, by any chance??" He gives a disarming smile that is helped not in the least by the way the dwarf continues to point his axe at the adventurers. The young woman with the polearm stops gripping it quite so tightly at the Jonan's words. Perhaps she had yet to realize she was holding it so fiercely.

<OOC> Mel says, "If I want to bluff about not being on the way to the mines, should I roll first and pose the results based on how well I roll, or pose vaguely then roll?"

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Go ahead and roll. I'll roll their sense motive check as an opposed roll."
GAME: Mel rolls bluff: (11)+7: 18
<DM> Fletch rolls Sense Motive at -1.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20-1: (19)+-1: 18

Mel shakes his head about being on the way to the mines, "Nono. Just on some business for the guild, further up the road." He smiles blithely. Playing dumb is another military tradition. Sarge isn't handing out prizes when he asks who knows how to skin a pig. "You know something about them, though?" he wonders, trying to seem innocently curious.
Jensine blinks three times, peering at the other party. And their weaponry. She ventures a sidelong glance at Mel, curious, but at least she doesn't correct him or anything.

Jonan looks to the churlish dwarf and nods courteously to the 'innocence' of the statement. Whether or not he even heard the dandy speak is unclear for when Mel moves forward to address the issue he never bothers to reply.

Instead he remains fixated upon the dwarf in a way the others might miss. Without ever moving his head, or losing his composure, his eyes move from the dwarf, to the Khazad's axes, and then to his own lance and back without ever moving a muscle.

He smiles with good nature, "Good journey to you all." Is all he says, "Shall we press on?" He asks his companions.

Belrin takes the fixed gaze as a challenge and he bristles beneath his hoary black beard. Teeth, brown and round as pebbles form a rictus snarl that starts to leak out of the diminutive fighter. The woman stomps her glaive sharply upon the road.

"Halt thy tongue, Belrin," the Valkyrie says in an imperious tone. The half-elf gives a pleased smile and opens his mouth to say something and she silences him as well. "And you too, Fletch."

This causes a groan from the character in the back now that he realizes she has joined in the fun. To her discredit, she ignores him. "I am Larissa of the Glaive. These are my companions Belrin and Fletch. And while I may not agree with his attitude, Belrin's suspicions ring true. Are you indeed headed for the mines? We've a task at the Galena Lode."

This is precisely your destination.

<OOC> Jonan says, "Can I roll to identify 'of the glaive'?"
<OOC> Mel says, "Oh, good point. Is this a Knowledge: Local thing?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "I think Knowledge: Local would probably fit best. Go ahead and roll it, DC 12."
[RPThree] Ishmael says, "Zippo will be joining us in a bit, rounding out the party. He misread the time."
GAME: Mel rolls knowledge/local: (19)+8: 27
You paged Mel with 'Larissa of the Glaive is an adventurer, much like yourselves. She's called that because of the Glaive she carries. She's reputed to be quite dangerous with it. Calling her a valkyrie is not at all out of character. She's haughty, but not violent by nature.'

Mel is not sure if these three are brigands or adventurers, but they /do/ seem suspicious. And familiar. Maybe there were more notices handed out ... but ... if we want to get paid, maybe we'd better get there first. With this in mind, he puts off the question posed to him with a helpless shrug, bows his head to Jonan as one might to a knight or officer, replying with a crisp, "Yessir," and pointing up the road to the group we've met. "Your pardon, Valkyrie," he says with a bow to Larissa and her companions, "our own duty demands us, so we'll leave you to your business. We did not mean to interrupt." And he'll scoot off, hopefully without being stopped.

Zippo has arrived.

Jensine keeps her yap shut, following Mel at a stroll and nodding politely to each person as she approaches and hopefully passes them.

Jonan pages: I am detect evil.
Jonan pages: At Larissa.
You paged Jonan with 'She does not register as evil (arrogance doesn't show up on Detect Evil), so she's clean!'

"Well met, Larissa of the Glaive." Jonan replies kindly when she introduces herself, "I am Jonan Constantine, Knight-Templar of the Holy Order of the Sword." He lifts his chin a bit, "Sworn Sword of the True Metal." The Paladin states using the Khazad name for the Dragon Father.

Jonan never looks to Mel though he silently weighs the fellow's use of the title 'Valkyrie' as he regards the woman following her introduction. He decides that were this to indicate that the party before them were virtuous his companion would not have bid them forward and after a long look at her he nods.

"Good journey." He repeats as if actually meaning these words and then guides his courser between the other party and his companions. Setting off with them.

As skeptical as the other party is, they aren't prepared to commit violence to stop the armed adventurers. The warrior astride a powerful horse and in shining silver armor likewise delays the possibility of a physical altercation. Belrin points his axe and Larissa is set to say something, but Fletch cuts them off as Mel, Jensine, and Jonan make their way by.

"You haven't seen that tiny artificer have you? The one that looks like a clockwork toy?" Fletch's tone is so dry that seas drop to low tide in his very presence. The question sets Larissa of the Glaive and Belrin to looking about. It's in this state we leave this other party as our own ascends to the top of a small hill. It's also atop this small hill that a horrible clanking noise reaches their ears...

"If you mean the ENGINEERING GENIUS who has been accompanying this sorry expedition..." That's the high pitched voice of Zippo ringing out. "... Then here he is, ready to save your hides and do some proper strikebreaking!" He marches forward with a yellow-toothed grin. "I'll be sticking with you lot the rest of the way. No objections, right? Right. Good. Let's get going!"

Jensine raises her hand and gives Zippo a little wave. "Oh, hello again," she greets him. Apparently she has met him before. "Plippo, yes?" She tries. She really does.

Mel breathes a bit easier once the other party is out of earshot. He gives it another couple dozen paces, before explaining quietly, "It seemed like they were on the same task as we are, and hadn't gotten there yet. I want to get paid for this, so I figured it was best if we kept going. I hope you're all OK with that?" At the top of the hill, we meet Zippo, and Mel looks puzzled. "Well, more backup for us, and let them wait for him until they give up," he says softly, though he glances worriedly at Zippo. "Uh, okay?" He looks relieved as Jensine seems to know him.

"Zippo! With a zed." Zippo replies to Jensine, sharply correcting her. "And it seems like your crew would make a /far/ better group to travel with for me to field test my latest and greatest invetnions! Now, let us waste no more time! Onwards! To SCIENCE!"

Jonan's polite masque breaks as they move beyond the other party and his smile is buried beneath the stern pursing of lips that makes him momentarily seem much older than he actually is and he looks at Mel who has already begun to explain..

The corner of his mouth quirks a bit as if pleasantly relieved by this revelation, "Until we know what we are up against it would be wise to not weigh ourselves down with an excess of personality." Pause, "Thank you." He replies thoughtfully and then looks to Jensine as if meaning her as well.

Enter Zippo, the Paladin turns in his saddle to the rapid approach of a diminutive clockwork though he is no faster to ready his lance than he was against the previous party, "Then engineer us forward." He says lifting the lance and pointing it down the road, "Zippo." As if not willing to argue the matter.

Jensine blinks at Jonan now, brown eyes holding a hint of puzzlement. "...My personality is not excessive." A pause. "Is it?" She looks to Mel for confirmation.

Onward and upward. The encounter with Zippo's former party takes place at the nadir of the Redridge Road that stretches between Alexandria and the Redridge Mountains above. After a mere half an hour of walking, they pass the turnoff to a ferry off to the west. That would lead them across the Tornmawr and into the grassy lands in that fertile valley. The curved shape of Fate's Spire is beyond them, which means every foot they move forward is an ascent. Even for the athletic, calves ache from the ever upward climb. The sun is inching toward the horizon, but it's merely late afternoon and they'll be there in less than a couple of hours.

Mel shakes his head at Jensine's question, having understood Jonan's intent, himself. "He means he didn't want to drag them in to the party," he says to her. "Dividing pay four ways," he's already assuming Zippo will be joining us, it seems, "rather than seven, is something I'm fine with." He trudges on, grunting as the road begins to climb. "Maybe horses would have been a good idea," he laments.

"Oh," Jensine says, eyes widening with understanding. "I understand now. Thank you." She's very earnest. Very, very earnest.

Jonan nods when Mel speaks, "You are welcome." He says to Jensine with a mild apology in his voice for having been misunderstood. However, with the matter settled he doesn't make a production out of it given the earnest tone in the woman's voice.

"A good idea.." The Knight-Templar says with a chuckle, "Until we must tread into a mine. Then I have risked a warhorse for the convenience of the journey." The words are well intentioned though something about his demeanor makes it clear that a horse is simply that and if it were to save them hassle along the way its life would be worth it.

He looks at the setting sun and unconciously increases their pace slightly.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "As you get closer to the mines, you realize you have a moment with which you can take a break and still make it before nightfall. You can also push on, or you could make camp and arrive tomorrow. The deadline for arrival isn't until the next day, so you have options and you should discuss them among yourselves."

"I say we press onwards! Zippo squeaks. "Those no-good slackers won't be expecting us to arrive earlier! Then we can really start cracking heads!" He is way too enthusiastic about this.

Jensine digs another sprig of mint out of a belt pouch and tucks it between her lips to suck on. "I have no difficulties traveling by night," she says. So apparently she's not against the idea of pressing forward.

Mel shrugs about mines and leaving the horse behind. He's not super familiar, but he wonders, "Don't they have mules pulling mine carts? Or artifice engines, I guess, but they can't be smaller than a mule, I'd think?" Based on no knowledge whatsoever. "If that's so, there'll be a way to get a horse inside. Though I don't envy you trying to maneuver it around." He rubs his leg with a knuckle as the going gets longer and longer, but nods at what Zippo says. "If we pause, those others might get there ahead of us," he points out. "So I'm good to press onwards. I've got an everburning torch in my pack," he adds.

"I'm not sure." The Knight-Templar admits but seems to think on that point, "I am more familiar with lost catacombs than active mines." Then, "You may be right."

When the others talk of pressing on he simply nods without objection.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Perception checks once again, everyone."
<DM> Perception check DC is 15 to notice the three escaped miners.
GAME: Mel rolls perception: (16)+9: 25
GAME: Zippo rolls perception: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Jonan rolls perception: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Jensine rolls perception: (19)+10: 29
You paged Jonan with 'You notice nothing unusual ;)'
Jonan pages: Blinded by the glory of Daeus, as usual.
You paged Zippo with 'It's getting dark outside, but you don't notice anything unusual. There's still about an hour of sunlight remaining.'
You paged (Jensine, Mel) with 'You both will notice that there is a small ring of stones with ashes near a fallen plinth of stone. There's no smoke that you can see, but you're sure the fire wasn't burning terribly long ago. Let me pose and you two can react to this.'

With less than an hour until the brilliant orange globe of the sun sinks beneath the far horizon, the clouds of the sky take on a myriad of rainbow colors ranging from pinks and yellows to shady blues in the distance. The path takes a jog here, surmounting a twenty foot fault in the path by jogging to the side in a switchback. One leg descends ten feet, the next the remaining ten feet which puts our heroes at the base of a twenty foot cliff. The final landing makes an easy camp, and a spring of water weeps from the rock and runs along the uneven surface to a natural stone basin about six inches deep.

In the distance is a mining camp with high stone walls and flickering lights already illuminating portions of the yard.

"There it is!" Zippo hisses enthusiastically. "Now, where are those shiftless layabouts? We'll teach them the price of sloth!"

Jensine slows, eyes narrowing as she steps down onto the final landing. "Possibly quite near," she murmurs in response to Zippo, pointing to indicate a small ring of stones with ashes near a fallen plinth of stone.

Mel looks at the campsite and sighs softly. "It looks so inviting. And someone's been here recently. Maybe our friends? Though they seemed to be heading the wrong way, if they were?" That's a puzzler. "But that looks like the mine over there. And I'd rather sleep in a camp than out in the wilds. No offense," he adds quickly to Jensine. "But I've done enough sleeping in the field to last a lifetime." As the light dims, he roots around in his pack for a torch, pulling a cloth off the cover, and behold, an Everburning Torch burns with cool light. Mel is a man of means! He also pulls out a cloak and wraps it around him. He sort of fades a little in the dusk.

The shod hooves of the great courser echo in muffled thuds that sound off the stonework which as been drug clear by the great Khazadi Stonebeasts. The knight remains high in his saddle and, other than the initial survey of the road ahead, has scarcely given their path a look as his attention moves across the yard to the flickering lights ahead.

"Hrm?" His concentration is broken as Jensine points to the small ring of stones and ashes, "Ah.." Jonan then nods and smiles when Mel speaks of preferring that they make camp ahead, "I second that."

The blonde haired templar does not seem the sort who prefers the open sky to a proper camp.

"Then let us advance to the one semblance of civilization in this blighted, technology-bereft land!" Zippo declares.
"We won't go back!" cries a hoarse male voice. The sound seems to come from everywhere due to the nature of the stone in this alcove. The path continues on, but this hewed camp is surrounded on two and a half sides so the sound reverberates.

A second voice and then a third join the first. Neither the second nor third man form words. Instead, they run around the corner of the switchback, alerted to the conversation and clopping of hooves on stone.

These poor men seem to be barely alive. Shaggy hair hangs in greasy tufts from each of their heads and they're stained shades of black and gray along the entire length of their nearly nude bodies. Tatters of clothing cling to their emaciated frames. It's the eyes, though, that capture the most attention; they're bloodshot and glassy. Each one of these men are completely mad, and each one of these men carry a serrated knife.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "This is a good time for init!"
GAME: Zippo rolls initiative: Roll: 6 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 10
GAME: Jensine rolls init: (12)+3: 15
GAME: Mel rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
GAME: Jonan rolls initiative: Roll: 15 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 17
GAME: You roll initiative for Albert: Roll: 8 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 7
GAME: You roll initiative for Basil: Roll: 17 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 16
GAME: You roll initiative for Chooge: Roll: 6 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 5

You paged Jensine with 'You're not showing up on the +tinit. Did you roll +init or +roll init?'
Jensine pages: +roll init. Ugh. I'll try again.
GAME: Jensine rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine did a +roll init instead of +init, so she's on the +tinit now."

===== Current Initiative Order =========
----------------------------------------
17 Jensine
----------------------------------------
17 Mel
----------------------------------------
17 Jonan
----------------------------------------
16 Basil
----------------------------------------
10 Zippo
----------------------------------------
7 Albert
----------------------------------------
5 Chooge
----------------------------------------
========================================

<DM> Jensine delays, but takes speech as a free action.

Jensine's quick hand reaches for an arrow from her quiver and sets it to the bow, which she raises as she draws. "Hold. We have no wish to do you harm," the half-elf calls to the men. Maybe she has no wish, anyway.

GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Mel, who were you charging? Then pose it. You don't connect."
<OOC> Mel says, "Whoever was closer."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert then. Really they're all grouped together, but A comes first."

Jensine pages: I would like to roll a thing to remember lead makes people craycray.
You paged Jensine with 'Heal, DC 15.'
GAME: Jensine rolls heal: (17)+8: 25
You paged Jensine with 'Mine madness. Especially common in lead, silver, and copper mines.'

Mel has learned more than a few things in his life, and one of them is to throw the first punch. If you can take someone down before they can cause trouble, that's trouble they won't be causing. "Crazy people with knives don't chat well," he grumbles. "Crazy people tied up and disarmed, I'm all right with." And so he rushes in to attack, trying for a pre-emptive strike to end things early. Unfortunately, it's dark and he needs to put down the torch to get out his shield, and he gets his plans tied up as his feet move faster than his brain, so that he's moved up to the enemy, and he totally fails to throw a convincing punch. "Oh, hi there?"

<OOC> Jonan says, "In a brilliant display I'm urging the horse forward a bit. Raising my shield and bellowing for peace. Diplomatically."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Diplomacy and not intimidation?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "Yes. I am not threatening them."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Since they are decidedly unfriendly, it is 20+0 (they have no charisma modifier) for the DC."
GAME: Jonan rolls diplomacy: (20)+10: 30
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Good lord man."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Diplomacy is generally not useful in combat but a 20? Pose it and I'll react. We may not be out of combat, but it's worth playing this part out."

The madmen charge forward.

"Peace, Peace..!"

The Knight's firm voice echoes across the yawning chasm slicing asunder their madness as his Higborn ancestor, the Arch-Angel Talmoni, might have in the age before ages.

"In the name of the Sun Lord cease your hostilities!" He hoists his high the mirrored light-shield bearing the emblem of the rising dragon in the fading light, "..be liberated in the /light of law/ and stand behind us as free men. We bring with us food and succor."

The show of bravery and diplomacy from the knight stuns the three madmen for a moment. The mirrored shield casts the dying rays of the sun at them, shining across the ground with the might of the Sun Lord himself. They stumble in their bare feet and look around, at Sir Knight and at the others. Clarity fails to make it to their eyes though. "You do not come from the mines?" the first, Albert inquires.

"You fool!" hisses Basil. "Of course they come from the mines! Come to take us all back and make us work and the spiders, the spiders!"

This sets the men to wailing again. The keening sound and gnashing of teeth eventually turns back to the frustrated and murderous cries. A maddened mind cannot find peace for long.

<DM> Basil attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR. Mel has -2 AC due to charge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (6)+3+-1: 8

<OOC> Jensine says, "Jensine will shoot once Basil's tried stabbery! Wherever that can be fitted in."
GAME: jensine's inititave total changed to '9'.

===== Current Initiative Order =========
----------------------------------------
17 Mel
----------------------------------------
17 Jonan
----------------------------------------
16 Basil
----------------------------------------
10 Zippo
----------------------------------------
9 Jensine
----------------------------------------
7 Albert
----------------------------------------
5 Chooge
----------------------------------------
========================================

<OOC> Zippo says, "How far away are they?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "They're 25' away currently. Mel is standing in front of one of them, giving Albert partial cover."

Basil growls like a feral dog and then barks with an insane vigor as he slashes the wickedly serrated knife at the charging Mel. The knife whistles uselessly.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Are you shooting Basil or Chooge?"
<OOC> Zippo says, "Basil."
GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (11)+6+2: 19
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (1)+5: 6
<OOC> Zippo says, "That's all cold damage. Also, he has to make a DC 16 fort save or be staggered for one round."
<OOC> Jensine says, "Pew pew Basil!"
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d20+5: (11)+5: 16
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine, you also hit."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d8+2: (3)+2: 5
<DC> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Basil
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (15)+3: 18

"Enough talk! It's time for a technological solution!" Zippo raises his fist towards Basil, and a light begins to glow on one of the doodads attached to his gauntlet. A beam of icy white energy fires forth, slamming into him.
Basil strikes, and just like that Jensine sends her arrow twipping into the madman's chest. "These men are afflicted with mine madness," she informs the others. "It occurs in those who work with lead, silver, and copper mines. They are likely to be violent. They cannot be cured as far as I know." Her lips press into a line with those last words.

<DM> Albert attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (7)+3+-1: 9
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Not enough. He'll also take a five food step toward Mel's side, trying to flank him."
<DM> Chooge charges Zippo with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR, +2 Charge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1+2: (17)+3+-1+2: 21
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (2)+-1: 1
GAME: Ishmael damaged Zippo for 1 points. 17 remaining.

Albert slashes at Mel with the dagger, missing horribly. There's animal cunning to his plan, though, as the slash takes him a few steps to Mel's right.

Chooge lets out a mighty shout and charges the tiny mechanical man with his knife. The dagger chips into the armor in a satisfying fashion... he grins evilly, unaware of how little it did.

<OOC> Mel says, "5' step to avoid flanking, draw sword, stab."
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+5: (18)+5: 23
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Critical hit!"
GAME: Mel rolls 2d6+4: (10)+4: 14
<OOC> Jonan says, "Can I charge into combat with Mel and brain Basil with a blunt section of my shield?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "So a riding shield bash?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "Yes. Riding-Charging shield bash."

Mel finds himself alone in the middle of a melee whether he wants it or not, and he growls at Jonan, "Get your iron backside into this fight, you ponce!" He skips aside from one slash and hauls out his shortsword at Jensine's comment. "I tried going easy on you fellows," he asserts, assuming a clumsy on guard position with the blade. He shuffles to the side so they'll have a harder time surrounding him, and catches a bit of good luck when his dodging and weaving somehow distract these crazed fellows, and like lightning, he steps into an opening and thrusts his blade at Albert, scoring a wound, though his stroke isn't able to drive home and fell the crazed miner.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Yes you can. I'm adding it up. DC 5 ride check for the combat maneuver. Shield is an offhand light weapon that doesn't add its armor bonus for the to hit (though some magical bonuses may apply). And you lose the AC bonus for this round. What kind of shield is it?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "It's a Light shield. So only 1 AC."
GAME: Jonan rolls ride: (15)+2: 17
<OOC> Jonan says, "Do I still take the offhand penalty if I'm using it as a single (primary) attack?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You do, from what I can tell. Though you do get your charge bonus."
GAME: Jonan rolls melee+2-2: (9)+5+2+-2: 14
<OOC> Ishmael says, "That's enough. Damage is 1d3 plus half of your strength bonus."
GAME: Jonan rolls 1d3+1: (1)+1: 2

"Let them pass." Jonan urges while still pointing his lance towards the sky, "Do not bar them any further."

The knight's polite demeanor has faded for his conviction and yet he is unwilling to stand still as those whom he has named as allies fight against madmen. The Paladin lowers his shield and grabs his reigns while spurring the courser forward.

Hooves shred the soft-packed stone and its first step as it moving in place before it leaps forward at a gallop. He thunders into the center of the madmen to disrupt their attacks upon Mel whilst dropping his grip upon the reigns midway to them and shifting to a low position.

Lance still held with its tip towards the heavens he extends his forearm bringing the blunt section of his shield hard at Basil, whom had disrupted his cry for peace, "Fly, you fools.." He orders them with authority, "..before your spiders return."

<DM> Basil attacks Jonan's horse with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR vs AC 13 (-2 AC for charging)
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (9)+3+-1: 11

Basil is battered about by Jonan's shield charge, and though he doesn't seem terribly hurt he is greatly offended. He howls and slashes blindly at the horse. Luckily the attacks are too wild or the horse canters a step to the side, because it is not injured by the flurry.

<DM> Cinematic mode engaged! Due to time crunch, damage values are doubled to half the time needed to finish the scene.

GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (6)+6+2: 14
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (1)+5: 6
<DM> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Chooge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (4)+3: 7
<OOC> Zippo says, "Chooge is staggered for one round."

"Close quarters combat! Calibrating anti-striker defensive array!" Zippo leaps back and fires off another ray of piercing white light into his attacker.

<OOC> Jensine says, "Pew pew arrows."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d20+5: (7)+5: 12
<OOC> Jensine says, "EAT IT BASIL. Unless that doesn't hit."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert will five foot step to engage Mel and attack him with a dagger. Chooge is staggered and cannot move, but he can attack Jensine who is basically standing next to him."
<DM> Albert attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (17)+3+-1: 19
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (1)+-1: 0

<DM> Chooge attacks Jensine with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (17)+3+-1: 19
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (4)+-1: 3

GAME: Ishmael damaged Mel for 2 points. 23 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Jensine for 6 points. 12 remaining.

This is all very loud. There is shouting and yelling, and Jensine finds that a little odd. But she sets another arrow to her bowstring and sends it singing into Basil's rag-clad, battered body. Unfortunately, Chooge has managed to creep up by her.

<OOC> Mel says, "Can I flank with Jonan?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can flank Basil, who is trying to carve horse filets. Albert isn't in flanking with Basil, but you can't get him between the two of you either."
<OOC> Mel says, "Roger, flanking then."
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+7: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Mel rolls 1d6+2+2d6: (5)+2+(6): 13
<OOC> Ishmael says, "He's deep into dying. Be as cinematic as you like with the pose."

<OOC> Jonan says, "I'll lance Albert."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "He's barely 10 feet away, but that is enough to charge (I'm reasonably certain change facing doesn't require anything in pathfinder. it's not THAt pedantic about movement)"
GAME: Jonan rolls melee+2: (13)+5+2: 20
GAME: Jonan rolls 2d8+6: (11)+6: 17
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert is basically dead. You too can be as cinematic as you like with your pose."

Mel watches slackjawed as Jonan slams the fellow with the shield. "That's not how you fight on a battlefield, is it?" he demands critically, catching a scratch as he shifts positions with a slick move. Only a couple steps, but a pivot as well, so he's caught Basil between himself and the mounted knight. This it the classic Rock and a Hard Place scenario, but Basil isn't getting a chance to appreciate it because Mel runs his sword through the fellow's chest from behind without any mercy whatsoever, yanking it out and leaving the fellow gurgling on the ground.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Zippo, Chooge is in your sights. As Jensine cannot threaten an AoO with a bow, you do not get a flanking bonus."

A warning. A nearly non-lethal attack.

The madmen persist in their assault and the Templar must do as he has sworn to do: Stem the loss of life. If three madmen must die so that goodness may save the rest than so be it.

Silver lance point drops downward for the first time since he left the city.

A trample of hooves. Did Albert hear even that?

"HUAGH!" A lance point and two feet of wooden haft burst through the center of the man's chest wrenching his body gruesomely from its feet as the thundering courser continues past and further down the decline towards the camp.

It's a clean kill. A twist of the weapon splinters the ribs and sternum allowing the knight to wrench the thing free with a firm shake. He pulls the reigns hard and the steed comes back around.

The lance drops. Chooge is next.

<OOC> Zippo will fire at Chooge again!
GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (15)+6+2: 23
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (4)+5: 9
<DM> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Chooge
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (17)+3: 20

"... This is the part where you fall down. For science!" Zippo shouts before firing another volley of deadly frost into his target.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine, Chooge is at 0 HP and disabled. He can take actions, he can move at half speed, and he's tried to attack you. What will you do? (This is the last round of combat, if you decide to kill him or let him go it'll take us out.)"

Chooge is barely hanging on. Jensine turns to find herself next to him, and, taking in his glazed eyes and battered state, she nonetheless frowns as she pulls forth another arrow and sets it to her bow. The arrow lances between Chooge's eyes, inevitable, unstoppable, and sails clean through. Jensine then pushes the dead man over with an odd gentleness. She did not enjoy that.

There is the barest curl of the Paladin's lips when Jensine kills the disabled man.

However, he says nothing of it and merely raises his lance point back towards the heavens. His first words are, "Is everyone alright?" In the heat of battle it is difficult to keep track of such things but he looks from person to person as if appraising their situation.

He looks upon Mel last and then glances towards the bloody tip of his spear and then back, "That was not for you." He remarks tersely but then gives a faint smile, "Well fought." Pause, "All of you."

"Another victory for SCIENCE!" Zippo declares excitedly. "Field test, successful!"

"He could not be cured," Jensine murmurs, swabbing the gore from her face with her sleeve. Morose. That taken care of, she bobs her head and fusses about until she finds the berries she picked along the way, a sextet of particularly juicy speciments she pops into her mouth one by one.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Are you eating them all?"
GAME: Ishmael damaged Jensine for -6 points. 18 remaining.
<OOC> Jensine says, "ALL THE BERRIES THAT ARE GOOD"

Mel finds himself looking up Jonan's lance for just a moment, and looks worried, then relaxes as it's pulled away. "Ah, I'm all right. You had me worried there, for a minute." He looks around at the others, "Are we all OK?" He looks at the dead guys, a little relieved at Jensine's assertion that they couldn't be helped. Not that he was trying very hard after the beginning, but ... "Did they have some kind of magic disease?" he wonders. "I think we have an idea now of what's wrong at the mine, though."

Dealing with the three corpses is a gruesome task, just as dealing with the three living madmen is. The fight, if it can be called that, took less than a minute and took more than three men's lives. Their souls, if Jensine is right about the Mine Madness being incurable, were lost long ago. Little pieces of the party died tonight as well. Whether practical or religious, the bodies have to be removed from the road and put in some sort of repose. Doing so reveals nothing but the serrate daggers they carried, which in reality were nothing more than knives stolen from a kitchen, and a cluster of small bones. Finger bones. With teeth marks upon them. Dull, humanoid teeth marks.
</nowiki>

PrP: The Galena Lode - Part 1

2013-09-25T22:12:45Z

Ishmaelthegray:

The burnished gold of lit lanterns illuminates the damage resistant metal walls of the Adventurer's Guild. Tonight, as with most others, adventurers are toasting their successes and mourning their losses. All of it happens with great energy and enthusiasm. A table of burly soldiers laugh raucously at the discomfort of their junior man, whose plight is understandable. A squid looks up at him from the saucer. An entire squid. Even though it doesn't move, he seems more than a little reluctant to bow to the jeering of his companions.

A duo of bards plink the strings of a pair of lutes, each dueling with the other and sending the occasional sour note into the others solo. For a coin, they'll lampoon the giver with an outrageous tale and they have no shortage of coin. There is meat and ale aplenty--adventurers often have more money than sense.

All of the commotion can be heard from the hiring hall, though in no great detail. A row of boards are bolted to the wall from a few feet above the floor to a few feet above the ceiling. Upon those boards are jobs, requests, and pleas for assistance. These are seldom duplicated, and yet, each of you has an identical missive in your hand:

I, Leacaeon Aldaren, rightful owner and operator of the Galena Lode mine, mill, and smelter, do hereby request the assistance of three or four willing adventurers in the trivial manner of a work stoppage at the mine. Inquire in person no latter than this date.

That date is tomorrow at noon.

Mel has done the Guild thing a few times, he's familiar with the process in broad terms, though he's certainly not familiar enough to spot subtlety or nuance. He has a paper, and he's come to inquire about work. He's here now, because if he gets here tomorrow at noon, it may be too late. He weaves his way in and around the revelry to try and find Leacaeon Aldaren. "Hello, has anyone seen .. er. Mister Aldaren?" he calls out.

Jensine steps forward when Mel speaks, raising her hand. "I am also here to speak to Mister Alderaan. Alderan?" She's not sure how to pronounce it.

Jonan arrives at twelve noon exactly. Having stabled his courser outside the guild the young armored Knight gives the interior of thoughtful look before giving both Mel and Jensine a thoughtful look. Without pronouncement he moves to stand amongst them.

The calling for Mister Aldaren catches not only the attention of each of you, as the questioning isn't terribly subtle when it's broadcast to the parties in attendance, but it also catches the attention of one of the young servants. She holds a silvery lid atop a platter. Alarmingly, this seems to be a challenge for her as something inside that covered dish thrashes against the metal. "You are looking for Lord Aldaren?" she asks, looking at Mel and Jensine in turn. They're not so very far apart from each other. "You will be able to find him at his mine in the Redridge Mountains. It's only a few hours walk." She flashes a weak smile, and the dishes clatter. She manages to hold them together once again, but not before a flash of a scaly green tail makes its way between top and bottom. It makes even more noise when she clamps the metal bowl atop the tail so abruptly.

Mel nods to Jensine and smiles warmly, relieved that he's at least not alone in this. "I'm not positive, either," he admits about the name. "Looks elvish or something, with all the vowels," he surmises. Mel is not a linguist by any stretch of the imagination. He nods as Jonan comes up, and he asks, "Are you Mister ..." and cuts off as the servant comes up. "Ah, I see," he answers. To Jensine and Jonan, he says, "I'm Mel, by the way, it's nice to meet you all. I guess we're meant to walk there?" He looks at the invitation. "No time like the present, I guess, I don't have anything I need to do. How about you two?"

Jensine listens to the servant, nodding solemnly. "Then we shall seek him out there." That's a 'we', anyway. Turning to face Mel and Jonan more squarely, she adds, "My name is Jensine." She is, by the way, chewing on a little sprig of mint.

The knight's blonde brow furrows slightly as the pair are re-directed towards the Redridge Mountains, "Then perhaps he should have summoned us there.." He remarks without anger in his voice but takes this time to look at both Mel and Jensine upon making himself known, "Jonan Constantine." The knight speaks as if he cannot suffer as a stranger for long in the presence of others and then gives a polite bow for both of them, "A pleasure."

"My mount is stabled." He announces matter-of-factly, "If either of you prefer to ride I will secure a horse for you each.." Then, "..or a horse and cart if one of you is unaccustomed to horseback." He lingers only long enough to get their answer and then goes back out the door to make the arrangements.

Mel errrs at riding, and admits, "I'm used to walking, to be honest. I could probably ride as long as you don't need me to go very fast? I don't know a lot about horses, I was with the infantry in the war." He thinks about this, aware that he's playing a different part now than the soldier he used to be. "I'll ride, though, if it's important?"

Jensine exchanges a glance with Mel before looking back to Jonan. "I can ride but am also accustomed to walking. Providing us with horses would surely be expensive. I cannot ask that of you."

<OOC> Jensine says, "I am casting Goodberry!"
GAME: Jensine casts Goodberry.
GAME: Jensine rolls 2d4: (6): 6
<OOC> Jensine says, "Six DELICIOUS BERRIES."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Noted. Thank you."

Jonan nods to what Mel has said, "It is unimportant." He admits and then regards Jensine with a thoughtful expression. "The expense, too, is unimportant.." The man replies warmly, "..I will meet you out front shortly and ride no faster than you can walk." With that he exits.

Mel shares a shrug with Jensine and to Jonan, he nods curtly. "On my way," he says, and he'll actually follow Jonan out. That way we don't get separated in the crowd. He travels light, it seems, so he's ready to go.

Leaving Alexandria requires that the party pass through the Mountain Gate at the foot of the Airstation. The majestic and silent behemoths of airships drift overhead. Each is tethered to a spire as though it were a child's balloon and the afternoon sunlight shines upon their hulls. The ground has none of the peace that the airships possess. Men and women hurry about. Some are clad in ship uniforms and are clearly on their shore leave or returning to their ship. Others wear the heavy coveralls of stevedores and cargo handlers. They're the ones that must wrestle with the sledges brought by great stonebeasts to the gate. The busy port is the last place to buy any goods before leaving through the gate along Redridge Road. Barring any last minute purchases, the trio set out along the Redridge Road.

Jensine is essentially ready to go; she doesn't make any stops on the way out of the city, anyway. Once on the road, she's a reasonably fast walker. Someone accustomed to walking, maybe. She tends to poke ahead, foraging as she goes.

Mel has no plans to purchase anything, nor any particular skill for foraging. He'll try and keep up with the horse, but it's a hard pace, and he'll wind up slowing the party down unless you want him to arrive exhausted.
You paged Whirlpool with 'No problem!'

Jonan Constantine rides atop a heavy silver courser in dark quilted padding which has been stitched with a platinum dragon rising before a brilliant orange sunburst. A fine light-shield has been affixed to the saddle within easy reach. One mailed glove keeps a light grip on the reigns while the other grips a long lance which points upward with its base upon his boots.

Though far from an experienced storyteller the young knight is charismatic for he laughs and speaks with the others as they make the journey. It quickly becomes clear that he is a Knight-Templar of Daeus but whatever rigid morality he may possess seems to be more of a personal conviction as he never chastises the others for any mischief they might present.

The weather is pleasant and the path from Alexandria grades down in a gentle slope along the hard packed road. Stone dominates the way, but in some places heavy loads, stonebeasts, and the elements have shattered the stone to gravel and the gravel to dirt. Still, it is one of the better roads in the land and carefully maintained despite the wear. In the distance, the curving blue tower of Fate's Spire marks a waypoint along their path. Even an easy pace will see them there on time.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right. If you're keeping an eye out, please make a perception check."
<DM> The DC is 13 to notice the other party ahead of them in the road.
GAME: Jonan rolls perception: (9)+1: 10
GAME: Jensine rolls perception: (8)+10: 18
GAME: Mel rolls perception: (19)+9: 28
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'While the occasional traveler has not been uncommon, ahead of you is a group of three that are standing in the middle of the road and having an argument.'
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'If you want to say something or do something, please do so. If not, let me know.'
To (Jensine, Ishmael), Mel pages: If we're close together, I'll say something quietly, otherwise, I'll hold a hand up or signal or something?
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'If this were miniatures, you'd be touching squares in some fashion or another. You can talk quietly and not be overheard. Go ahead and pose it.'

Mel is generally alert as he marches. Footsloggers have to be alert! He squints into the distance, and mumbles to the others, "A small group up ahead in the road." He squints again, shields his eyes. "Looks like they're having some sort of discussion. Maybe an arguement?"

Jensine slows, falling back to join the others, nodding as Mel speaks. She murmurs, "It seems so. Hopefully not a serious one."

Jonan's height upon the mount seems to do little more than place the sun directly in his eyes. For he squints, despite the emblem of the blazing sun upon his tavern, before the light and then nods to them as if trusting their assessment.

"It would cost much time to navigate a path around them." Pause, "Whatever their business we have no quarrel with them unless they are brigands and - then - we would be better equipped to encounter them than the small-folk who frequent these roads."

Just ahead, the small party will find another group standing in the middle of the path having an argument. Currently, a stout khazadi barbarian is engaged in an argument with a human woman in half plate. The polearm she carries isn't held in the at ease position. Instead she grips it until her knuckles turn white. The third fellow, a half-elf, seems amused by the argument.

"I tell ye," the dwarf insists, pointing a square finger at the brunette in half plate. "We'll not be the only ones. If we do this your way there won't be half again enough to cover our tab." This earns an eye roll from the fellow and he turns his eyes to the woman.

"So be it, Belrin. We've tried it your way before..."

"Aye, and my way worked, dinnit?" Belrin shouts back. "Wait... who're them?" He points a dwarven waraxe at the approaching adventurers. The two groups seem to be the only ones armed and armored today.

Mel nods agreement with Jonan's assessment, though he finds it a little strange to be doing so. "Way too far, if we wanted to get past them." A shrug about their business. "I suppose so, yeah," he agrees, though he's not sure he wants to just accost people. He will continue to walk forward, keeping up with Jonan on his horse as best he can. He'll call out to the group when we're spotted, "Helloooo, on the road. Explorers' Guild group from Alexandria here!"
Jensine sticks her hand up in greeting. Her bow's in hand, but she doesn't have an arrow out to be nocked to it. The half-elf lets Mel go first.

"Peace." Jonan guides his horse within a conversational distance of the party without readying his shield or lowering his lance, "Travelers, the same as you." The Knight-Templar remarks with a firm but friendly voice, "We journey to the Red Ridge on our own business.."

His pale eyes drift to the woman who white-knuckles the polearm, "Easy, mi'lady." The young man says with care, "There is no ill-will here." Testing the waters and presenting an opportunity for their own confrontation to be explained without leveling direct accusation.

"Oh... aye? Are you?" the dwarf inquires in a rough burr that plays at being innocent. This is absolutely impossible for him and it comes off as he'd meant it--mockingly. The arms and armor with the lack of a uniform might have been the clue. Also, it could have been the route from which they'd come. The surly dwarf cuts them absolutely no slack.

"What ho!" says the fellow in the back. He's just dandy and nothing seems to bother him a whit. It's probably the only reason he can stand to be next to the feuding man and woman. "You don't happen to be traveling to the mines, by any chance??" He gives a disarming smile that is helped not in the least by the way the dwarf continues to point his axe at the adventurers. The young woman with the polearm stops gripping it quite so tightly at the Jonan's words. Perhaps she had yet to realize she was holding it so fiercely.

<OOC> Mel says, "If I want to bluff about not being on the way to the mines, should I roll first and pose the results based on how well I roll, or pose vaguely then roll?"

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Go ahead and roll. I'll roll their sense motive check as an opposed roll."
GAME: Mel rolls bluff: (11)+7: 18
<DM> Fletch rolls Sense Motive at -1.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20-1: (19)+-1: 18

Mel shakes his head about being on the way to the mines, "Nono. Just on some business for the guild, further up the road." He smiles blithely. Playing dumb is another military tradition. Sarge isn't handing out prizes when he asks who knows how to skin a pig. "You know something about them, though?" he wonders, trying to seem innocently curious.
Jensine blinks three times, peering at the other party. And their weaponry. She ventures a sidelong glance at Mel, curious, but at least she doesn't correct him or anything.

Jonan looks to the churlish dwarf and nods courteously to the 'innocence' of the statement. Whether or not he even heard the dandy speak is unclear for when Mel moves forward to address the issue he never bothers to reply.

Instead he remains fixated upon the dwarf in a way the others might miss. Without ever moving his head, or losing his composure, his eyes move from the dwarf, to the Khazad's axes, and then to his own lance and back without ever moving a muscle.

He smiles with good nature, "Good journey to you all." Is all he says, "Shall we press on?" He asks his companions.

Belrin takes the fixed gaze as a challenge and he bristles beneath his hoary black beard. Teeth, brown and round as pebbles form a rictus snarl that starts to leak out of the diminutive fighter. The woman stomps her glaive sharply upon the road.

"Halt thy tongue, Belrin," the Valkyrie says in an imperious tone. The half-elf gives a pleased smile and opens his mouth to say something and she silences him as well. "And you too, Fletch."

This causes a groan from the character in the back now that he realizes she has joined in the fun. To her discredit, she ignores him. "I am Larissa of the Glaive. These are my companions Belrin and Fletch. And while I may not agree with his attitude, Belrin's suspicions ring true. Are you indeed headed for the mines? We've a task at the Galena Lode."

This is precisely your destination.

<OOC> Jonan says, "Can I roll to identify 'of the glaive'?"
<OOC> Mel says, "Oh, good point. Is this a Knowledge: Local thing?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "I think Knowledge: Local would probably fit best. Go ahead and roll it, DC 12."
[RPThree] Ishmael says, "Zippo will be joining us in a bit, rounding out the party. He misread the time."
GAME: Mel rolls knowledge/local: (19)+8: 27
You paged Mel with 'Larissa of the Glaive is an adventurer, much like yourselves. She's called that because of the Glaive she carries. She's reputed to be quite dangerous with it. Calling her a valkyrie is not at all out of character. She's haughty, but not violent by nature.'

Mel is not sure if these three are brigands or adventurers, but they /do/ seem suspicious. And familiar. Maybe there were more notices handed out ... but ... if we want to get paid, maybe we'd better get there first. With this in mind, he puts off the question posed to him with a helpless shrug, bows his head to Jonan as one might to a knight or officer, replying with a crisp, "Yessir," and pointing up the road to the group we've met. "Your pardon, Valkyrie," he says with a bow to Larissa and her companions, "our own duty demands us, so we'll leave you to your business. We did not mean to interrupt." And he'll scoot off, hopefully without being stopped.

Zippo has arrived.

Jensine keeps her yap shut, following Mel at a stroll and nodding politely to each person as she approaches and hopefully passes them.

Jonan pages: I am detect evil.
Jonan pages: At Larissa.
You paged Jonan with 'She does not register as evil (arrogance doesn't show up on Detect Evil), so she's clean!'

"Well met, Larissa of the Glaive." Jonan replies kindly when she introduces herself, "I am Jonan Constantine, Knight-Templar of the Holy Order of the Sword." He lifts his chin a bit, "Sworn Sword of the True Metal." The Paladin states using the Khazad name for the Dragon Father.

Jonan never looks to Mel though he silently weighs the fellow's use of the title 'Valkyrie' as he regards the woman following her introduction. He decides that were this to indicate that the party before them were virtuous his companion would not have bid them forward and after a long look at her he nods.

"Good journey." He repeats as if actually meaning these words and then guides his courser between the other party and his companions. Setting off with them.

As skeptical as the other party is, they aren't prepared to commit violence to stop the armed adventurers. The warrior astride a powerful horse and in shining silver armor likewise delays the possibility of a physical altercation. Belrin points his axe and Larissa is set to say something, but Fletch cuts them off as Mel, Jensine, and Jonan make their way by.

"You haven't seen that tiny artificer have you? The one that looks like a clockwork toy?" Fletch's tone is so dry that seas drop to low tide in his very presence. The question sets Larissa of the Glaive and Belrin to looking about. It's in this state we leave this other party as our own ascends to the top of a small hill. It's also atop this small hill that a horrible clanking noise reaches their ears...

"If you mean the ENGINEERING GENIUS who has been accompanying this sorry expedition..." That's the high pitched voice of Zippo ringing out. "... Then here he is, ready to save your hides and do some proper strikebreaking!" He marches forward with a yellow-toothed grin. "I'll be sticking with you lot the rest of the way. No objections, right? Right. Good. Let's get going!"

Jensine raises her hand and gives Zippo a little wave. "Oh, hello again," she greets him. Apparently she has met him before. "Plippo, yes?" She tries. She really does.

Mel breathes a bit easier once the other party is out of earshot. He gives it another couple dozen paces, before explaining quietly, "It seemed like they were on the same task as we are, and hadn't gotten there yet. I want to get paid for this, so I figured it was best if we kept going. I hope you're all OK with that?" At the top of the hill, we meet Zippo, and Mel looks puzzled. "Well, more backup for us, and let them wait for him until they give up," he says softly, though he glances worriedly at Zippo. "Uh, okay?" He looks relieved as Jensine seems to know him.

"Zippo! With a zed." Zippo replies to Jensine, sharply correcting her. "And it seems like your crew would make a /far/ better group to travel with for me to field test my latest and greatest invetnions! Now, let us waste no more time! Onwards! To SCIENCE!"

Jonan's polite masque breaks as they move beyond the other party and his smile is buried beneath the stern pursing of lips that makes him momentarily seem much older than he actually is and he looks at Mel who has already begun to explain..

The corner of his mouth quirks a bit as if pleasantly relieved by this revelation, "Until we know what we are up against it would be wise to not weigh ourselves down with an excess of personality." Pause, "Thank you." He replies thoughtfully and then looks to Jensine as if meaning her as well.

Enter Zippo, the Paladin turns in his saddle to the rapid approach of a diminutive clockwork though he is no faster to ready his lance than he was against the previous party, "Then engineer us forward." He says lifting the lance and pointing it down the road, "Zippo." As if not willing to argue the matter.

Jensine blinks at Jonan now, brown eyes holding a hint of puzzlement. "...My personality is not excessive." A pause. "Is it?" She looks to Mel for confirmation.

Onward and upward. The encounter with Zippo's former party takes place at the nadir of the Redridge Road that stretches between Alexandria and the Redridge Mountains above. After a mere half an hour of walking, they pass the turnoff to a ferry off to the west. That would lead them across the Tornmawr and into the grassy lands in that fertile valley. The curved shape of Fate's Spire is beyond them, which means every foot they move forward is an ascent. Even for the athletic, calves ache from the ever upward climb. The sun is inching toward the horizon, but it's merely late afternoon and they'll be there in less than a couple of hours.

Mel shakes his head at Jensine's question, having understood Jonan's intent, himself. "He means he didn't want to drag them in to the party," he says to her. "Dividing pay four ways," he's already assuming Zippo will be joining us, it seems, "rather than seven, is something I'm fine with." He trudges on, grunting as the road begins to climb. "Maybe horses would have been a good idea," he laments.

"Oh," Jensine says, eyes widening with understanding. "I understand now. Thank you." She's very earnest. Very, very earnest.

Jonan nods when Mel speaks, "You are welcome." He says to Jensine with a mild apology in his voice for having been misunderstood. However, with the matter settled he doesn't make a production out of it given the earnest tone in the woman's voice.

"A good idea.." The Knight-Templar says with a chuckle, "Until we must tread into a mine. Then I have risked a warhorse for the convenience of the journey." The words are well intentioned though something about his demeanor makes it clear that a horse is simply that and if it were to save them hassle along the way its life would be worth it.

He looks at the setting sun and unconciously increases their pace slightly.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "As you get closer to the mines, you realize you have a moment with which you can take a break and still make it before nightfall. You can also push on, or you could make camp and arrive tomorrow. The deadline for arrival isn't until the next day, so you have options and you should discuss them among yourselves."

"I say we press onwards! Zippo squeaks. "Those no-good slackers won't be expecting us to arrive earlier! Then we can really start cracking heads!" He is way too enthusiastic about this.

Jensine digs another sprig of mint out of a belt pouch and tucks it between her lips to suck on. "I have no difficulties traveling by night," she says. So apparently she's not against the idea of pressing forward.

Mel shrugs about mines and leaving the horse behind. He's not super familiar, but he wonders, "Don't they have mules pulling mine carts? Or artifice engines, I guess, but they can't be smaller than a mule, I'd think?" Based on no knowledge whatsoever. "If that's so, there'll be a way to get a horse inside. Though I don't envy you trying to maneuver it around." He rubs his leg with a knuckle as the going gets longer and longer, but nods at what Zippo says. "If we pause, those others might get there ahead of us," he points out. "So I'm good to press onwards. I've got an everburning torch in my pack," he adds.

"I'm not sure." The Knight-Templar admits but seems to think on that point, "I am more familiar with lost catacombs than active mines." Then, "You may be right."

When the others talk of pressing on he simply nods without objection.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Perception checks once again, everyone."
<DM> Perception check DC is 15 to notice the three escaped miners.
GAME: Mel rolls perception: (16)+9: 25
GAME: Zippo rolls perception: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Jonan rolls perception: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Jensine rolls perception: (19)+10: 29
You paged Jonan with 'You notice nothing unusual ;)'
Jonan pages: Blinded by the glory of Daeus, as usual.
You paged Zippo with 'It's getting dark outside, but you don't notice anything unusual. There's still about an hour of sunlight remaining.'
You paged (Jensine, Mel) with 'You both will notice that there is a small ring of stones with ashes near a fallen plinth of stone. There's no smoke that you can see, but you're sure the fire wasn't burning terribly long ago. Let me pose and you two can react to this.'

With less than an hour until the brilliant orange globe of the sun sinks beneath the far horizon, the clouds of the sky take on a myriad of rainbow colors ranging from pinks and yellows to shady blues in the distance. The path takes a jog here, surmounting a twenty foot fault in the path by jogging to the side in a switchback. One leg descends ten feet, the next the remaining ten feet which puts our heroes at the base of a twenty foot cliff. The final landing makes an easy camp, and a spring of water weeps from the rock and runs along the uneven surface to a natural stone basin about six inches deep.

In the distance is a mining camp with high stone walls and flickering lights already illuminating portions of the yard.

"There it is!" Zippo hisses enthusiastically. "Now, where are those shiftless layabouts? We'll teach them the price of sloth!"

Jensine slows, eyes narrowing as she steps down onto the final landing. "Possibly quite near," she murmurs in response to Zippo, pointing to indicate a small ring of stones with ashes near a fallen plinth of stone.

Mel looks at the campsite and sighs softly. "It looks so inviting. And someone's been here recently. Maybe our friends? Though they seemed to be heading the wrong way, if they were?" That's a puzzler. "But that looks like the mine over there. And I'd rather sleep in a camp than out in the wilds. No offense," he adds quickly to Jensine. "But I've done enough sleeping in the field to last a lifetime." As the light dims, he roots around in his pack for a torch, pulling a cloth off the cover, and behold, an Everburning Torch burns with cool light. Mel is a man of means! He also pulls out a cloak and wraps it around him. He sort of fades a little in the dusk.

The shod hooves of the great courser echo in muffled thuds that sound off the stonework which as been drug clear by the great Khazadi Stonebeasts. The knight remains high in his saddle and, other than the initial survey of the road ahead, has scarcely given their path a look as his attention moves across the yard to the flickering lights ahead.

"Hrm?" His concentration is broken as Jensine points to the small ring of stones and ashes, "Ah.." Jonan then nods and smiles when Mel speaks of preferring that they make camp ahead, "I second that."

The blonde haired templar does not seem the sort who prefers the open sky to a proper camp.

"Then let us advance to the one semblance of civilization in this blighted, technology-bereft land!" Zippo declares.
"We won't go back!" cries a hoarse male voice. The sound seems to come from everywhere due to the nature of the stone in this alcove. The path continues on, but this hewed camp is surrounded on two and a half sides so the sound reverberates.

A second voice and then a third join the first. Neither the second nor third man form words. Instead, they run around the corner of the switchback, alerted to the conversation and clopping of hooves on stone.

These poor men seem to be barely alive. Shaggy hair hangs in greasy tufts from each of their heads and they're stained shades of black and gray along the entire length of their nearly nude bodies. Tatters of clothing cling to their emaciated frames. It's the eyes, though, that capture the most attention; they're bloodshot and glassy. Each one of these men are completely mad, and each one of these men carry a serrated knife.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "This is a good time for init!"
GAME: Zippo rolls initiative: Roll: 6 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 10
GAME: Jensine rolls init: (12)+3: 15
GAME: Mel rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
GAME: Jonan rolls initiative: Roll: 15 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 17
GAME: You roll initiative for Albert: Roll: 8 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 7
GAME: You roll initiative for Basil: Roll: 17 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 16
GAME: You roll initiative for Chooge: Roll: 6 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 5

You paged Jensine with 'You're not showing up on the +tinit. Did you roll +init or +roll init?'
Jensine pages: +roll init. Ugh. I'll try again.
GAME: Jensine rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine did a +roll init instead of +init, so she's on the +tinit now."

===== Current Initiative Order =========
----------------------------------------
17 Jensine
----------------------------------------
17 Mel
----------------------------------------
17 Jonan
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16 Basil
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10 Zippo
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7 Albert
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5 Chooge
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========================================

<DM> Jensine delays, but takes speech as a free action.

Jensine's quick hand reaches for an arrow from her quiver and sets it to the bow, which she raises as she draws. "Hold. We have no wish to do you harm," the half-elf calls to the men. Maybe she has no wish, anyway.

GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Mel, who were you charging? Then pose it. You don't connect."
<OOC> Mel says, "Whoever was closer."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert then. Really they're all grouped together, but A comes first."

Jensine pages: I would like to roll a thing to remember lead makes people craycray.
You paged Jensine with 'Heal, DC 15.'
GAME: Jensine rolls heal: (17)+8: 25
You paged Jensine with 'Mine madness. Especially common in lead, silver, and copper mines.'

Mel has learned more than a few things in his life, and one of them is to throw the first punch. If you can take someone down before they can cause trouble, that's trouble they won't be causing. "Crazy people with knives don't chat well," he grumbles. "Crazy people tied up and disarmed, I'm all right with." And so he rushes in to attack, trying for a pre-emptive strike to end things early. Unfortunately, it's dark and he needs to put down the torch to get out his shield, and he gets his plans tied up as his feet move faster than his brain, so that he's moved up to the enemy, and he totally fails to throw a convincing punch. "Oh, hi there?"

<OOC> Jonan says, "In a brilliant display I'm urging the horse forward a bit. Raising my shield and bellowing for peace. Diplomatically."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Diplomacy and not intimidation?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "Yes. I am not threatening them."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Since they are decidedly unfriendly, it is 20+0 (they have no charisma modifier) for the DC."
GAME: Jonan rolls diplomacy: (20)+10: 30
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Good lord man."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Diplomacy is generally not useful in combat but a 20? Pose it and I'll react. We may not be out of combat, but it's worth playing this part out."

The madmen charge forward.

"Peace, Peace..!"

The Knight's firm voice echoes across the yawning chasm slicing asunder their madness as his Higborn ancestor, the Arch-Angel Talmoni, might have in the age before ages.

"In the name of the Sun Lord cease your hostilities!" He hoists his high the mirrored light-shield bearing the emblem of the rising dragon in the fading light, "..be liberated in the /light of law/ and stand behind us as free men. We bring with us food and succor."

The show of bravery and diplomacy from the knight stuns the three madmen for a moment. The mirrored shield casts the dying rays of the sun at them, shining across the ground with the might of the Sun Lord himself. They stumble in their bare feet and look around, at Sir Knight and at the others. Clarity fails to make it to their eyes though. "You do not come from the mines?" the first, Albert inquires.

"You fool!" hisses Basil. "Of course they come from the mines! Come to take us all back and make us work and the spiders, the spiders!"

This sets the men to wailing again. The keening sound and gnashing of teeth eventually turns back to the frustrated and murderous cries. A maddened mind cannot find peace for long.

<DM> Basil attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR. Mel has -2 AC due to charge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (6)+3+-1: 8

<OOC> Jensine says, "Jensine will shoot once Basil's tried stabbery! Wherever that can be fitted in."
GAME: jensine's inititave total changed to '9'.

===== Current Initiative Order =========
----------------------------------------
17 Mel
----------------------------------------
17 Jonan
----------------------------------------
16 Basil
----------------------------------------
10 Zippo
----------------------------------------
9 Jensine
----------------------------------------
7 Albert
----------------------------------------
5 Chooge
----------------------------------------
========================================

<OOC> Zippo says, "How far away are they?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "They're 25' away currently. Mel is standing in front of one of them, giving Albert partial cover."

Basil growls like a feral dog and then barks with an insane vigor as he slashes the wickedly serrated knife at the charging Mel. The knife whistles uselessly.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Are you shooting Basil or Chooge?"
<OOC> Zippo says, "Basil."
GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (11)+6+2: 19
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (1)+5: 6
<OOC> Zippo says, "That's all cold damage. Also, he has to make a DC 16 fort save or be staggered for one round."
<OOC> Jensine says, "Pew pew Basil!"
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d20+5: (11)+5: 16
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine, you also hit."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d8+2: (3)+2: 5
<DC> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Basil
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (15)+3: 18

"Enough talk! It's time for a technological solution!" Zippo raises his fist towards Basil, and a light begins to glow on one of the doodads attached to his gauntlet. A beam of icy white energy fires forth, slamming into him.
Basil strikes, and just like that Jensine sends her arrow twipping into the madman's chest. "These men are afflicted with mine madness," she informs the others. "It occurs in those who work with lead, silver, and copper mines. They are likely to be violent. They cannot be cured as far as I know." Her lips press into a line with those last words.

<DM> Albert attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (7)+3+-1: 9
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Not enough. He'll also take a five food step toward Mel's side, trying to flank him."
<DM> Chooge charges Zippo with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR, +2 Charge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1+2: (17)+3+-1+2: 21
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (2)+-1: 1
GAME: Ishmael damaged Zippo for 1 points. 17 remaining.

Albert slashes at Mel with the dagger, missing horribly. There's animal cunning to his plan, though, as the slash takes him a few steps to Mel's right.

Chooge lets out a mighty shout and charges the tiny mechanical man with his knife. The dagger chips into the armor in a satisfying fashion... he grins evilly, unaware of how little it did.

<OOC> Mel says, "5' step to avoid flanking, draw sword, stab."
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+5: (18)+5: 23
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Critical hit!"
GAME: Mel rolls 2d6+4: (10)+4: 14
<OOC> Jonan says, "Can I charge into combat with Mel and brain Basil with a blunt section of my shield?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "So a riding shield bash?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "Yes. Riding-Charging shield bash."

Mel finds himself alone in the middle of a melee whether he wants it or not, and he growls at Jonan, "Get your iron backside into this fight, you ponce!" He skips aside from one slash and hauls out his shortsword at Jensine's comment. "I tried going easy on you fellows," he asserts, assuming a clumsy on guard position with the blade. He shuffles to the side so they'll have a harder time surrounding him, and catches a bit of good luck when his dodging and weaving somehow distract these crazed fellows, and like lightning, he steps into an opening and thrusts his blade at Albert, scoring a wound, though his stroke isn't able to drive home and fell the crazed miner.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Yes you can. I'm adding it up. DC 5 ride check for the combat maneuver. Shield is an offhand light weapon that doesn't add its armor bonus for the to hit (though some magical bonuses may apply). And you lose the AC bonus for this round. What kind of shield is it?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "It's a Light shield. So only 1 AC."
GAME: Jonan rolls ride: (15)+2: 17
<OOC> Jonan says, "Do I still take the offhand penalty if I'm using it as a single (primary) attack?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You do, from what I can tell. Though you do get your charge bonus."
GAME: Jonan rolls melee+2-2: (9)+5+2+-2: 14
<OOC> Ishmael says, "That's enough. Damage is 1d3 plus half of your strength bonus."
GAME: Jonan rolls 1d3+1: (1)+1: 2

"Let them pass." Jonan urges while still pointing his lance towards the sky, "Do not bar them any further."

The knight's polite demeanor has faded for his conviction and yet he is unwilling to stand still as those whom he has named as allies fight against madmen. The Paladin lowers his shield and grabs his reigns while spurring the courser forward.

Hooves shred the soft-packed stone and its first step as it moving in place before it leaps forward at a gallop. He thunders into the center of the madmen to disrupt their attacks upon Mel whilst dropping his grip upon the reigns midway to them and shifting to a low position.

Lance still held with its tip towards the heavens he extends his forearm bringing the blunt section of his shield hard at Basil, whom had disrupted his cry for peace, "Fly, you fools.." He orders them with authority, "..before your spiders return."

<DM> Basil attacks Jonan's horse with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR vs AC 13 (-2 AC for charging)
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (9)+3+-1: 11

Basil is battered about by Jonan's shield charge, and though he doesn't seem terribly hurt he is greatly offended. He howls and slashes blindly at the horse. Luckily the attacks are too wild or the horse canters a step to the side, because it is not injured by the flurry.

<DM> Cinematic mode engaged! Due to time crunch, damage values are doubled to half the time needed to finish the scene.

GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (6)+6+2: 14
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (1)+5: 6
<DM> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Chooge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (4)+3: 7
<OOC> Zippo says, "Chooge is staggered for one round."

"Close quarters combat! Calibrating anti-striker defensive array!" Zippo leaps back and fires off another ray of piercing white light into his attacker.

<OOC> Jensine says, "Pew pew arrows."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d20+5: (7)+5: 12
<OOC> Jensine says, "EAT IT BASIL. Unless that doesn't hit."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert will five foot step to engage Mel and attack him with a dagger. Chooge is staggered and cannot move, but he can attack Jensine who is basically standing next to him."
<DM> Albert attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (17)+3+-1: 19
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (1)+-1: 0

<DM> Chooge attacks Jensine with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (17)+3+-1: 19
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (4)+-1: 3

GAME: Ishmael damaged Mel for 2 points. 23 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Jensine for 6 points. 12 remaining.

This is all very loud. There is shouting and yelling, and Jensine finds that a little odd. But she sets another arrow to her bowstring and sends it singing into Basil's rag-clad, battered body. Unfortunately, Chooge has managed to creep up by her.

<OOC> Mel says, "Can I flank with Jonan?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can flank Basil, who is trying to carve horse filets. Albert isn't in flanking with Basil, but you can't get him between the two of you either."
<OOC> Mel says, "Roger, flanking then."
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+7: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Mel rolls 1d6+2+2d6: (5)+2+(6): 13
<OOC> Ishmael says, "He's deep into dying. Be as cinematic as you like with the pose."

<OOC> Jonan says, "I'll lance Albert."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "He's barely 10 feet away, but that is enough to charge (I'm reasonably certain change facing doesn't require anything in pathfinder. it's not THAt pedantic about movement)"
GAME: Jonan rolls melee+2: (13)+5+2: 20
GAME: Jonan rolls 2d8+6: (11)+6: 17
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert is basically dead. You too can be as cinematic as you like with your pose."

Mel watches slackjawed as Jonan slams the fellow with the shield. "That's not how you fight on a battlefield, is it?" he demands critically, catching a scratch as he shifts positions with a slick move. Only a couple steps, but a pivot as well, so he's caught Basil between himself and the mounted knight. This it the classic Rock and a Hard Place scenario, but Basil isn't getting a chance to appreciate it because Mel runs his sword through the fellow's chest from behind without any mercy whatsoever, yanking it out and leaving the fellow gurgling on the ground.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Zippo, Chooge is in your sights. As Jensine cannot threaten an AoO with a bow, you do not get a flanking bonus."

A warning. A nearly non-lethal attack.

The madmen persist in their assault and the Templar must do as he has sworn to do: Stem the loss of life. If three madmen must die so that goodness may save the rest than so be it.

Silver lance point drops downward for the first time since he left the city.

A trample of hooves. Did Albert hear even that?

"HUAGH!" A lance point and two feet of wooden haft burst through the center of the man's chest wrenching his body gruesomely from its feet as the thundering courser continues past and further down the decline towards the camp.

It's a clean kill. A twist of the weapon splinters the ribs and sternum allowing the knight to wrench the thing free with a firm shake. He pulls the reigns hard and the steed comes back around.

The lance drops. Chooge is next.

<OOC> Zippo will fire at Chooge again!
GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (15)+6+2: 23
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (4)+5: 9
<DM> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Chooge
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (17)+3: 20

"... This is the part where you fall down. For science!" Zippo shouts before firing another volley of deadly frost into his target.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine, Chooge is at 0 HP and disabled. He can take actions, he can move at half speed, and he's tried to attack you. What will you do? (This is the last round of combat, if you decide to kill him or let him go it'll take us out.)"

Chooge is barely hanging on. Jensine turns to find herself next to him, and, taking in his glazed eyes and battered state, she nonetheless frowns as she pulls forth another arrow and sets it to her bow. The arrow lances between Chooge's eyes, inevitable, unstoppable, and sails clean through. Jensine then pushes the dead man over with an odd gentleness. She did not enjoy that.

There is the barest curl of the Paladin's lips when Jensine kills the disabled man.

However, he says nothing of it and merely raises his lance point back towards the heavens. His first words are, "Is everyone alright?" In the heat of battle it is difficult to keep track of such things but he looks from person to person as if appraising their situation.

He looks upon Mel last and then glances towards the bloody tip of his spear and then back, "That was not for you." He remarks tersely but then gives a faint smile, "Well fought." Pause, "All of you."

"Another victory for SCIENCE!" Zippo declares excitedly. "Field test, successful!"

"He could not be cured," Jensine murmurs, swabbing the gore from her face with her sleeve. Morose. That taken care of, she bobs her head and fusses about until she finds the berries she picked along the way, a sextet of particularly juicy speciments she pops into her mouth one by one.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Are you eating them all?"
GAME: Ishmael damaged Jensine for -6 points. 18 remaining.
<OOC> Jensine says, "ALL THE BERRIES THAT ARE GOOD"

Mel finds himself looking up Jonan's lance for just a moment, and looks worried, then relaxes as it's pulled away. "Ah, I'm all right. You had me worried there, for a minute." He looks around at the others, "Are we all OK?" He looks at the dead guys, a little relieved at Jensine's assertion that they couldn't be helped. Not that he was trying very hard after the beginning, but ... "Did they have some kind of magic disease?" he wonders. "I think we have an idea now of what's wrong at the mine, though."

Dealing with the three corpses is a gruesome task, just as dealing with the three living madmen is. The fight, if it can be called that, took less than a minute and took more than three men's lives. Their souls, if Jensine is right about the Mine Madness being incurable, were lost long ago. Little pieces of the party died tonight as well. Whether practical or religious, the bodies have to be removed from the road and put in some sort of repose. Doing so reveals nothing but the serrate daggers they carried, which in reality were nothing more than knives stolen from a kitchen, and a cluster of small bones. Finger bones. With teeth marks upon them. Dull, humanoid teeth marks.

PrP: The Galena Lode - Part 1

2013-09-25T22:12:13Z

Ishmaelthegray: Created page with "<nowiki> The burnished gold of lit lanterns illuminates the damage resistant metal walls of the Adventurer's Guild. Tonight, as with most others, adventurers are toasting thei..."

<nowiki>
The burnished gold of lit lanterns illuminates the damage resistant metal walls of the Adventurer's Guild. Tonight, as with most others, adventurers are toasting their successes and mourning their losses. All of it happens with great energy and enthusiasm. A table of burly soldiers laugh raucously at the discomfort of their junior man, whose plight is understandable. A squid looks up at him from the saucer. An entire squid. Even though it doesn't move, he seems more than a little reluctant to bow to the jeering of his companions.

A duo of bards plink the strings of a pair of lutes, each dueling with the other and sending the occasional sour note into the others solo. For a coin, they'll lampoon the giver with an outrageous tale and they have no shortage of coin. There is meat and ale aplenty--adventurers often have more money than sense.

All of the commotion can be heard from the hiring hall, though in no great detail. A row of boards are bolted to the wall from a few feet above the floor to a few feet above the ceiling. Upon those boards are jobs, requests, and pleas for assistance. These are seldom duplicated, and yet, each of you has an identical missive in your hand:

I, Leacaeon Aldaren, rightful owner and operator of the Galena Lode mine, mill, and smelter, do hereby request the assistance of three or four willing adventurers in the trivial manner of a work stoppage at the mine. Inquire in person no latter than this date.

That date is tomorrow at noon.

Mel has done the Guild thing a few times, he's familiar with the process in broad terms, though he's certainly not familiar enough to spot subtlety or nuance. He has a paper, and he's come to inquire about work. He's here now, because if he gets here tomorrow at noon, it may be too late. He weaves his way in and around the revelry to try and find Leacaeon Aldaren. "Hello, has anyone seen .. er. Mister Aldaren?" he calls out.

Jensine steps forward when Mel speaks, raising her hand. "I am also here to speak to Mister Alderaan. Alderan?" She's not sure how to pronounce it.

Jonan arrives at twelve noon exactly. Having stabled his courser outside the guild the young armored Knight gives the interior of thoughtful look before giving both Mel and Jensine a thoughtful look. Without pronouncement he moves to stand amongst them.

The calling for Mister Aldaren catches not only the attention of each of you, as the questioning isn't terribly subtle when it's broadcast to the parties in attendance, but it also catches the attention of one of the young servants. She holds a silvery lid atop a platter. Alarmingly, this seems to be a challenge for her as something inside that covered dish thrashes against the metal. "You are looking for Lord Aldaren?" she asks, looking at Mel and Jensine in turn. They're not so very far apart from each other. "You will be able to find him at his mine in the Redridge Mountains. It's only a few hours walk." She flashes a weak smile, and the dishes clatter. She manages to hold them together once again, but not before a flash of a scaly green tail makes its way between top and bottom. It makes even more noise when she clamps the metal bowl atop the tail so abruptly.

Mel nods to Jensine and smiles warmly, relieved that he's at least not alone in this. "I'm not positive, either," he admits about the name. "Looks elvish or something, with all the vowels," he surmises. Mel is not a linguist by any stretch of the imagination. He nods as Jonan comes up, and he asks, "Are you Mister ..." and cuts off as the servant comes up. "Ah, I see," he answers. To Jensine and Jonan, he says, "I'm Mel, by the way, it's nice to meet you all. I guess we're meant to walk there?" He looks at the invitation. "No time like the present, I guess, I don't have anything I need to do. How about you two?"

Jensine listens to the servant, nodding solemnly. "Then we shall seek him out there." That's a 'we', anyway. Turning to face Mel and Jonan more squarely, she adds, "My name is Jensine." She is, by the way, chewing on a little sprig of mint.

The knight's blonde brow furrows slightly as the pair are re-directed towards the Redridge Mountains, "Then perhaps he should have summoned us there.." He remarks without anger in his voice but takes this time to look at both Mel and Jensine upon making himself known, "Jonan Constantine." The knight speaks as if he cannot suffer as a stranger for long in the presence of others and then gives a polite bow for both of them, "A pleasure."

"My mount is stabled." He announces matter-of-factly, "If either of you prefer to ride I will secure a horse for you each.." Then, "..or a horse and cart if one of you is unaccustomed to horseback." He lingers only long enough to get their answer and then goes back out the door to make the arrangements.

Mel errrs at riding, and admits, "I'm used to walking, to be honest. I could probably ride as long as you don't need me to go very fast? I don't know a lot about horses, I was with the infantry in the war." He thinks about this, aware that he's playing a different part now than the soldier he used to be. "I'll ride, though, if it's important?"

Jensine exchanges a glance with Mel before looking back to Jonan. "I can ride but am also accustomed to walking. Providing us with horses would surely be expensive. I cannot ask that of you."

<OOC> Jensine says, "I am casting Goodberry!"
GAME: Jensine casts Goodberry.
GAME: Jensine rolls 2d4: (6): 6
<OOC> Jensine says, "Six DELICIOUS BERRIES."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Noted. Thank you."

Jonan nods to what Mel has said, "It is unimportant." He admits and then regards Jensine with a thoughtful expression. "The expense, too, is unimportant.." The man replies warmly, "..I will meet you out front shortly and ride no faster than you can walk." With that he exits.

Mel shares a shrug with Jensine and to Jonan, he nods curtly. "On my way," he says, and he'll actually follow Jonan out. That way we don't get separated in the crowd. He travels light, it seems, so he's ready to go.

Leaving Alexandria requires that the party pass through the Mountain Gate at the foot of the Airstation. The majestic and silent behemoths of airships drift overhead. Each is tethered to a spire as though it were a child's balloon and the afternoon sunlight shines upon their hulls. The ground has none of the peace that the airships possess. Men and women hurry about. Some are clad in ship uniforms and are clearly on their shore leave or returning to their ship. Others wear the heavy coveralls of stevedores and cargo handlers. They're the ones that must wrestle with the sledges brought by great stonebeasts to the gate. The busy port is the last place to buy any goods before leaving through the gate along Redridge Road. Barring any last minute purchases, the trio set out along the Redridge Road.

Jensine is essentially ready to go; she doesn't make any stops on the way out of the city, anyway. Once on the road, she's a reasonably fast walker. Someone accustomed to walking, maybe. She tends to poke ahead, foraging as she goes.

Mel has no plans to purchase anything, nor any particular skill for foraging. He'll try and keep up with the horse, but it's a hard pace, and he'll wind up slowing the party down unless you want him to arrive exhausted.
You paged Whirlpool with 'No problem!'

Jonan Constantine rides atop a heavy silver courser in dark quilted padding which has been stitched with a platinum dragon rising before a brilliant orange sunburst. A fine light-shield has been affixed to the saddle within easy reach. One mailed glove keeps a light grip on the reigns while the other grips a long lance which points upward with its base upon his boots.

Though far from an experienced storyteller the young knight is charismatic for he laughs and speaks with the others as they make the journey. It quickly becomes clear that he is a Knight-Templar of Daeus but whatever rigid morality he may possess seems to be more of a personal conviction as he never chastises the others for any mischief they might present.

The weather is pleasant and the path from Alexandria grades down in a gentle slope along the hard packed road. Stone dominates the way, but in some places heavy loads, stonebeasts, and the elements have shattered the stone to gravel and the gravel to dirt. Still, it is one of the better roads in the land and carefully maintained despite the wear. In the distance, the curving blue tower of Fate's Spire marks a waypoint along their path. Even an easy pace will see them there on time.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "All right. If you're keeping an eye out, please make a perception check."
<DM> The DC is 13 to notice the other party ahead of them in the road.
GAME: Jonan rolls perception: (9)+1: 10
GAME: Jensine rolls perception: (8)+10: 18
GAME: Mel rolls perception: (19)+9: 28
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'While the occasional traveler has not been uncommon, ahead of you is a group of three that are standing in the middle of the road and having an argument.'
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'If you want to say something or do something, please do so. If not, let me know.'
To (Jensine, Ishmael), Mel pages: If we're close together, I'll say something quietly, otherwise, I'll hold a hand up or signal or something?
You paged (Mel, Jensine) with 'If this were miniatures, you'd be touching squares in some fashion or another. You can talk quietly and not be overheard. Go ahead and pose it.'

Mel is generally alert as he marches. Footsloggers have to be alert! He squints into the distance, and mumbles to the others, "A small group up ahead in the road." He squints again, shields his eyes. "Looks like they're having some sort of discussion. Maybe an arguement?"

Jensine slows, falling back to join the others, nodding as Mel speaks. She murmurs, "It seems so. Hopefully not a serious one."

Jonan's height upon the mount seems to do little more than place the sun directly in his eyes. For he squints, despite the emblem of the blazing sun upon his tavern, before the light and then nods to them as if trusting their assessment.

"It would cost much time to navigate a path around them." Pause, "Whatever their business we have no quarrel with them unless they are brigands and - then - we would be better equipped to encounter them than the small-folk who frequent these roads."

Just ahead, the small party will find another group standing in the middle of the path having an argument. Currently, a stout khazadi barbarian is engaged in an argument with a human woman in half plate. The polearm she carries isn't held in the at ease position. Instead she grips it until her knuckles turn white. The third fellow, a half-elf, seems amused by the argument.

"I tell ye," the dwarf insists, pointing a square finger at the brunette in half plate. "We'll not be the only ones. If we do this your way there won't be half again enough to cover our tab." This earns an eye roll from the fellow and he turns his eyes to the woman.

"So be it, Belrin. We've tried it your way before..."

"Aye, and my way worked, dinnit?" Belrin shouts back. "Wait... who're them?" He points a dwarven waraxe at the approaching adventurers. The two groups seem to be the only ones armed and armored today.

Mel nods agreement with Jonan's assessment, though he finds it a little strange to be doing so. "Way too far, if we wanted to get past them." A shrug about their business. "I suppose so, yeah," he agrees, though he's not sure he wants to just accost people. He will continue to walk forward, keeping up with Jonan on his horse as best he can. He'll call out to the group when we're spotted, "Helloooo, on the road. Explorers' Guild group from Alexandria here!"
Jensine sticks her hand up in greeting. Her bow's in hand, but she doesn't have an arrow out to be nocked to it. The half-elf lets Mel go first.

"Peace." Jonan guides his horse within a conversational distance of the party without readying his shield or lowering his lance, "Travelers, the same as you." The Knight-Templar remarks with a firm but friendly voice, "We journey to the Red Ridge on our own business.."

His pale eyes drift to the woman who white-knuckles the polearm, "Easy, mi'lady." The young man says with care, "There is no ill-will here." Testing the waters and presenting an opportunity for their own confrontation to be explained without leveling direct accusation.

"Oh... aye? Are you?" the dwarf inquires in a rough burr that plays at being innocent. This is absolutely impossible for him and it comes off as he'd meant it--mockingly. The arms and armor with the lack of a uniform might have been the clue. Also, it could have been the route from which they'd come. The surly dwarf cuts them absolutely no slack.

"What ho!" says the fellow in the back. He's just dandy and nothing seems to bother him a whit. It's probably the only reason he can stand to be next to the feuding man and woman. "You don't happen to be traveling to the mines, by any chance??" He gives a disarming smile that is helped not in the least by the way the dwarf continues to point his axe at the adventurers. The young woman with the polearm stops gripping it quite so tightly at the Jonan's words. Perhaps she had yet to realize she was holding it so fiercely.

<OOC> Mel says, "If I want to bluff about not being on the way to the mines, should I roll first and pose the results based on how well I roll, or pose vaguely then roll?"

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Go ahead and roll. I'll roll their sense motive check as an opposed roll."
GAME: Mel rolls bluff: (11)+7: 18
<DM> Fletch rolls Sense Motive at -1.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20-1: (19)+-1: 18

Mel shakes his head about being on the way to the mines, "Nono. Just on some business for the guild, further up the road." He smiles blithely. Playing dumb is another military tradition. Sarge isn't handing out prizes when he asks who knows how to skin a pig. "You know something about them, though?" he wonders, trying to seem innocently curious.
Jensine blinks three times, peering at the other party. And their weaponry. She ventures a sidelong glance at Mel, curious, but at least she doesn't correct him or anything.

Jonan looks to the churlish dwarf and nods courteously to the 'innocence' of the statement. Whether or not he even heard the dandy speak is unclear for when Mel moves forward to address the issue he never bothers to reply.

Instead he remains fixated upon the dwarf in a way the others might miss. Without ever moving his head, or losing his composure, his eyes move from the dwarf, to the Khazad's axes, and then to his own lance and back without ever moving a muscle.

He smiles with good nature, "Good journey to you all." Is all he says, "Shall we press on?" He asks his companions.

Belrin takes the fixed gaze as a challenge and he bristles beneath his hoary black beard. Teeth, brown and round as pebbles form a rictus snarl that starts to leak out of the diminutive fighter. The woman stomps her glaive sharply upon the road.

"Halt thy tongue, Belrin," the Valkyrie says in an imperious tone. The half-elf gives a pleased smile and opens his mouth to say something and she silences him as well. "And you too, Fletch."

This causes a groan from the character in the back now that he realizes she has joined in the fun. To her discredit, she ignores him. "I am Larissa of the Glaive. These are my companions Belrin and Fletch. And while I may not agree with his attitude, Belrin's suspicions ring true. Are you indeed headed for the mines? We've a task at the Galena Lode."

This is precisely your destination.

<OOC> Jonan says, "Can I roll to identify 'of the glaive'?"
<OOC> Mel says, "Oh, good point. Is this a Knowledge: Local thing?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "I think Knowledge: Local would probably fit best. Go ahead and roll it, DC 12."
[RPThree] Ishmael says, "Zippo will be joining us in a bit, rounding out the party. He misread the time."
GAME: Mel rolls knowledge/local: (19)+8: 27
You paged Mel with 'Larissa of the Glaive is an adventurer, much like yourselves. She's called that because of the Glaive she carries. She's reputed to be quite dangerous with it. Calling her a valkyrie is not at all out of character. She's haughty, but not violent by nature.'

Mel is not sure if these three are brigands or adventurers, but they /do/ seem suspicious. And familiar. Maybe there were more notices handed out ... but ... if we want to get paid, maybe we'd better get there first. With this in mind, he puts off the question posed to him with a helpless shrug, bows his head to Jonan as one might to a knight or officer, replying with a crisp, "Yessir," and pointing up the road to the group we've met. "Your pardon, Valkyrie," he says with a bow to Larissa and her companions, "our own duty demands us, so we'll leave you to your business. We did not mean to interrupt." And he'll scoot off, hopefully without being stopped.

Zippo has arrived.

Jensine keeps her yap shut, following Mel at a stroll and nodding politely to each person as she approaches and hopefully passes them.

Jonan pages: I am detect evil.
Jonan pages: At Larissa.
You paged Jonan with 'She does not register as evil (arrogance doesn't show up on Detect Evil), so she's clean!'

"Well met, Larissa of the Glaive." Jonan replies kindly when she introduces herself, "I am Jonan Constantine, Knight-Templar of the Holy Order of the Sword." He lifts his chin a bit, "Sworn Sword of the True Metal." The Paladin states using the Khazad name for the Dragon Father.

Jonan never looks to Mel though he silently weighs the fellow's use of the title 'Valkyrie' as he regards the woman following her introduction. He decides that were this to indicate that the party before them were virtuous his companion would not have bid them forward and after a long look at her he nods.

"Good journey." He repeats as if actually meaning these words and then guides his courser between the other party and his companions. Setting off with them.

As skeptical as the other party is, they aren't prepared to commit violence to stop the armed adventurers. The warrior astride a powerful horse and in shining silver armor likewise delays the possibility of a physical altercation. Belrin points his axe and Larissa is set to say something, but Fletch cuts them off as Mel, Jensine, and Jonan make their way by.

"You haven't seen that tiny artificer have you? The one that looks like a clockwork toy?" Fletch's tone is so dry that seas drop to low tide in his very presence. The question sets Larissa of the Glaive and Belrin to looking about. It's in this state we leave this other party as our own ascends to the top of a small hill. It's also atop this small hill that a horrible clanking noise reaches their ears...

"If you mean the ENGINEERING GENIUS who has been accompanying this sorry expedition..." That's the high pitched voice of Zippo ringing out. "... Then here he is, ready to save your hides and do some proper strikebreaking!" He marches forward with a yellow-toothed grin. "I'll be sticking with you lot the rest of the way. No objections, right? Right. Good. Let's get going!"

Jensine raises her hand and gives Zippo a little wave. "Oh, hello again," she greets him. Apparently she has met him before. "Plippo, yes?" She tries. She really does.

Mel breathes a bit easier once the other party is out of earshot. He gives it another couple dozen paces, before explaining quietly, "It seemed like they were on the same task as we are, and hadn't gotten there yet. I want to get paid for this, so I figured it was best if we kept going. I hope you're all OK with that?" At the top of the hill, we meet Zippo, and Mel looks puzzled. "Well, more backup for us, and let them wait for him until they give up," he says softly, though he glances worriedly at Zippo. "Uh, okay?" He looks relieved as Jensine seems to know him.

"Zippo! With a zed." Zippo replies to Jensine, sharply correcting her. "And it seems like your crew would make a /far/ better group to travel with for me to field test my latest and greatest invetnions! Now, let us waste no more time! Onwards! To SCIENCE!"

Jonan's polite masque breaks as they move beyond the other party and his smile is buried beneath the stern pursing of lips that makes him momentarily seem much older than he actually is and he looks at Mel who has already begun to explain..

The corner of his mouth quirks a bit as if pleasantly relieved by this revelation, "Until we know what we are up against it would be wise to not weigh ourselves down with an excess of personality." Pause, "Thank you." He replies thoughtfully and then looks to Jensine as if meaning her as well.

Enter Zippo, the Paladin turns in his saddle to the rapid approach of a diminutive clockwork though he is no faster to ready his lance than he was against the previous party, "Then engineer us forward." He says lifting the lance and pointing it down the road, "Zippo." As if not willing to argue the matter.

Jensine blinks at Jonan now, brown eyes holding a hint of puzzlement. "...My personality is not excessive." A pause. "Is it?" She looks to Mel for confirmation.

Onward and upward. The encounter with Zippo's former party takes place at the nadir of the Redridge Road that stretches between Alexandria and the Redridge Mountains above. After a mere half an hour of walking, they pass the turnoff to a ferry off to the west. That would lead them across the Tornmawr and into the grassy lands in that fertile valley. The curved shape of Fate's Spire is beyond them, which means every foot they move forward is an ascent. Even for the athletic, calves ache from the ever upward climb. The sun is inching toward the horizon, but it's merely late afternoon and they'll be there in less than a couple of hours.

Mel shakes his head at Jensine's question, having understood Jonan's intent, himself. "He means he didn't want to drag them in to the party," he says to her. "Dividing pay four ways," he's already assuming Zippo will be joining us, it seems, "rather than seven, is something I'm fine with." He trudges on, grunting as the road begins to climb. "Maybe horses would have been a good idea," he laments.

"Oh," Jensine says, eyes widening with understanding. "I understand now. Thank you." She's very earnest. Very, very earnest.

Jonan nods when Mel speaks, "You are welcome." He says to Jensine with a mild apology in his voice for having been misunderstood. However, with the matter settled he doesn't make a production out of it given the earnest tone in the woman's voice.

"A good idea.." The Knight-Templar says with a chuckle, "Until we must tread into a mine. Then I have risked a warhorse for the convenience of the journey." The words are well intentioned though something about his demeanor makes it clear that a horse is simply that and if it were to save them hassle along the way its life would be worth it.

He looks at the setting sun and unconciously increases their pace slightly.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "As you get closer to the mines, you realize you have a moment with which you can take a break and still make it before nightfall. You can also push on, or you could make camp and arrive tomorrow. The deadline for arrival isn't until the next day, so you have options and you should discuss them among yourselves."

"I say we press onwards! Zippo squeaks. "Those no-good slackers won't be expecting us to arrive earlier! Then we can really start cracking heads!" He is way too enthusiastic about this.

Jensine digs another sprig of mint out of a belt pouch and tucks it between her lips to suck on. "I have no difficulties traveling by night," she says. So apparently she's not against the idea of pressing forward.

Mel shrugs about mines and leaving the horse behind. He's not super familiar, but he wonders, "Don't they have mules pulling mine carts? Or artifice engines, I guess, but they can't be smaller than a mule, I'd think?" Based on no knowledge whatsoever. "If that's so, there'll be a way to get a horse inside. Though I don't envy you trying to maneuver it around." He rubs his leg with a knuckle as the going gets longer and longer, but nods at what Zippo says. "If we pause, those others might get there ahead of us," he points out. "So I'm good to press onwards. I've got an everburning torch in my pack," he adds.

"I'm not sure." The Knight-Templar admits but seems to think on that point, "I am more familiar with lost catacombs than active mines." Then, "You may be right."

When the others talk of pressing on he simply nods without objection.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Perception checks once again, everyone."
<DM> Perception check DC is 15 to notice the three escaped miners.
GAME: Mel rolls perception: (16)+9: 25
GAME: Zippo rolls perception: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Jonan rolls perception: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Jensine rolls perception: (19)+10: 29
You paged Jonan with 'You notice nothing unusual ;)'
Jonan pages: Blinded by the glory of Daeus, as usual.
You paged Zippo with 'It's getting dark outside, but you don't notice anything unusual. There's still about an hour of sunlight remaining.'
You paged (Jensine, Mel) with 'You both will notice that there is a small ring of stones with ashes near a fallen plinth of stone. There's no smoke that you can see, but you're sure the fire wasn't burning terribly long ago. Let me pose and you two can react to this.'

With less than an hour until the brilliant orange globe of the sun sinks beneath the far horizon, the clouds of the sky take on a myriad of rainbow colors ranging from pinks and yellows to shady blues in the distance. The path takes a jog here, surmounting a twenty foot fault in the path by jogging to the side in a switchback. One leg descends ten feet, the next the remaining ten feet which puts our heroes at the base of a twenty foot cliff. The final landing makes an easy camp, and a spring of water weeps from the rock and runs along the uneven surface to a natural stone basin about six inches deep.

In the distance is a mining camp with high stone walls and flickering lights already illuminating portions of the yard.

"There it is!" Zippo hisses enthusiastically. "Now, where are those shiftless layabouts? We'll teach them the price of sloth!"

Jensine slows, eyes narrowing as she steps down onto the final landing. "Possibly quite near," she murmurs in response to Zippo, pointing to indicate a small ring of stones with ashes near a fallen plinth of stone.

Mel looks at the campsite and sighs softly. "It looks so inviting. And someone's been here recently. Maybe our friends? Though they seemed to be heading the wrong way, if they were?" That's a puzzler. "But that looks like the mine over there. And I'd rather sleep in a camp than out in the wilds. No offense," he adds quickly to Jensine. "But I've done enough sleeping in the field to last a lifetime." As the light dims, he roots around in his pack for a torch, pulling a cloth off the cover, and behold, an Everburning Torch burns with cool light. Mel is a man of means! He also pulls out a cloak and wraps it around him. He sort of fades a little in the dusk.

The shod hooves of the great courser echo in muffled thuds that sound off the stonework which as been drug clear by the great Khazadi Stonebeasts. The knight remains high in his saddle and, other than the initial survey of the road ahead, has scarcely given their path a look as his attention moves across the yard to the flickering lights ahead.

"Hrm?" His concentration is broken as Jensine points to the small ring of stones and ashes, "Ah.." Jonan then nods and smiles when Mel speaks of preferring that they make camp ahead, "I second that."

The blonde haired templar does not seem the sort who prefers the open sky to a proper camp.

"Then let us advance to the one semblance of civilization in this blighted, technology-bereft land!" Zippo declares.
"We won't go back!" cries a hoarse male voice. The sound seems to come from everywhere due to the nature of the stone in this alcove. The path continues on, but this hewed camp is surrounded on two and a half sides so the sound reverberates.

A second voice and then a third join the first. Neither the second nor third man form words. Instead, they run around the corner of the switchback, alerted to the conversation and clopping of hooves on stone.

These poor men seem to be barely alive. Shaggy hair hangs in greasy tufts from each of their heads and they're stained shades of black and gray along the entire length of their nearly nude bodies. Tatters of clothing cling to their emaciated frames. It's the eyes, though, that capture the most attention; they're bloodshot and glassy. Each one of these men are completely mad, and each one of these men carry a serrated knife.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "This is a good time for init!"
GAME: Zippo rolls initiative: Roll: 6 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 10
GAME: Jensine rolls init: (12)+3: 15
GAME: Mel rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
GAME: Jonan rolls initiative: Roll: 15 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 17
GAME: You roll initiative for Albert: Roll: 8 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 7
GAME: You roll initiative for Basil: Roll: 17 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 16
GAME: You roll initiative for Chooge: Roll: 6 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 5

You paged Jensine with 'You're not showing up on the +tinit. Did you roll +init or +roll init?'
Jensine pages: +roll init. Ugh. I'll try again.
GAME: Jensine rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 17
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine did a +roll init instead of +init, so she's on the +tinit now."

===== Current Initiative Order =========
----------------------------------------
17 Jensine
----------------------------------------
17 Mel
----------------------------------------
17 Jonan
----------------------------------------
16 Basil
----------------------------------------
10 Zippo
----------------------------------------
7 Albert
----------------------------------------
5 Chooge
----------------------------------------
========================================

<DM> Jensine delays, but takes speech as a free action.

Jensine's quick hand reaches for an arrow from her quiver and sets it to the bow, which she raises as she draws. "Hold. We have no wish to do you harm," the half-elf calls to the men. Maybe she has no wish, anyway.

GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Mel, who were you charging? Then pose it. You don't connect."
<OOC> Mel says, "Whoever was closer."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert then. Really they're all grouped together, but A comes first."

Jensine pages: I would like to roll a thing to remember lead makes people craycray.
You paged Jensine with 'Heal, DC 15.'
GAME: Jensine rolls heal: (17)+8: 25
You paged Jensine with 'Mine madness. Especially common in lead, silver, and copper mines.'

Mel has learned more than a few things in his life, and one of them is to throw the first punch. If you can take someone down before they can cause trouble, that's trouble they won't be causing. "Crazy people with knives don't chat well," he grumbles. "Crazy people tied up and disarmed, I'm all right with." And so he rushes in to attack, trying for a pre-emptive strike to end things early. Unfortunately, it's dark and he needs to put down the torch to get out his shield, and he gets his plans tied up as his feet move faster than his brain, so that he's moved up to the enemy, and he totally fails to throw a convincing punch. "Oh, hi there?"

<OOC> Jonan says, "In a brilliant display I'm urging the horse forward a bit. Raising my shield and bellowing for peace. Diplomatically."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Diplomacy and not intimidation?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "Yes. I am not threatening them."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Since they are decidedly unfriendly, it is 20+0 (they have no charisma modifier) for the DC."
GAME: Jonan rolls diplomacy: (20)+10: 30
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Good lord man."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Diplomacy is generally not useful in combat but a 20? Pose it and I'll react. We may not be out of combat, but it's worth playing this part out."

The madmen charge forward.

"Peace, Peace..!"

The Knight's firm voice echoes across the yawning chasm slicing asunder their madness as his Higborn ancestor, the Arch-Angel Talmoni, might have in the age before ages.

"In the name of the Sun Lord cease your hostilities!" He hoists his high the mirrored light-shield bearing the emblem of the rising dragon in the fading light, "..be liberated in the /light of law/ and stand behind us as free men. We bring with us food and succor."

The show of bravery and diplomacy from the knight stuns the three madmen for a moment. The mirrored shield casts the dying rays of the sun at them, shining across the ground with the might of the Sun Lord himself. They stumble in their bare feet and look around, at Sir Knight and at the others. Clarity fails to make it to their eyes though. "You do not come from the mines?" the first, Albert inquires.

"You fool!" hisses Basil. "Of course they come from the mines! Come to take us all back and make us work and the spiders, the spiders!"

This sets the men to wailing again. The keening sound and gnashing of teeth eventually turns back to the frustrated and murderous cries. A maddened mind cannot find peace for long.

<DM> Basil attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR. Mel has -2 AC due to charge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (6)+3+-1: 8

<OOC> Jensine says, "Jensine will shoot once Basil's tried stabbery! Wherever that can be fitted in."
GAME: jensine's inititave total changed to '9'.

===== Current Initiative Order =========
----------------------------------------
17 Mel
----------------------------------------
17 Jonan
----------------------------------------
16 Basil
----------------------------------------
10 Zippo
----------------------------------------
9 Jensine
----------------------------------------
7 Albert
----------------------------------------
5 Chooge
----------------------------------------
========================================

<OOC> Zippo says, "How far away are they?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "They're 25' away currently. Mel is standing in front of one of them, giving Albert partial cover."

Basil growls like a feral dog and then barks with an insane vigor as he slashes the wickedly serrated knife at the charging Mel. The knife whistles uselessly.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Are you shooting Basil or Chooge?"
<OOC> Zippo says, "Basil."
GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (11)+6+2: 19
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (1)+5: 6
<OOC> Zippo says, "That's all cold damage. Also, he has to make a DC 16 fort save or be staggered for one round."
<OOC> Jensine says, "Pew pew Basil!"
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d20+5: (11)+5: 16
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine, you also hit."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d8+2: (3)+2: 5
<DC> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Basil
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (15)+3: 18

"Enough talk! It's time for a technological solution!" Zippo raises his fist towards Basil, and a light begins to glow on one of the doodads attached to his gauntlet. A beam of icy white energy fires forth, slamming into him.
Basil strikes, and just like that Jensine sends her arrow twipping into the madman's chest. "These men are afflicted with mine madness," she informs the others. "It occurs in those who work with lead, silver, and copper mines. They are likely to be violent. They cannot be cured as far as I know." Her lips press into a line with those last words.

<DM> Albert attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (7)+3+-1: 9
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Not enough. He'll also take a five food step toward Mel's side, trying to flank him."
<DM> Chooge charges Zippo with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR, +2 Charge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1+2: (17)+3+-1+2: 21
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (2)+-1: 1
GAME: Ishmael damaged Zippo for 1 points. 17 remaining.

Albert slashes at Mel with the dagger, missing horribly. There's animal cunning to his plan, though, as the slash takes him a few steps to Mel's right.

Chooge lets out a mighty shout and charges the tiny mechanical man with his knife. The dagger chips into the armor in a satisfying fashion... he grins evilly, unaware of how little it did.

<OOC> Mel says, "5' step to avoid flanking, draw sword, stab."
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+5: (18)+5: 23
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Critical hit!"
GAME: Mel rolls 2d6+4: (10)+4: 14
<OOC> Jonan says, "Can I charge into combat with Mel and brain Basil with a blunt section of my shield?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "So a riding shield bash?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "Yes. Riding-Charging shield bash."

Mel finds himself alone in the middle of a melee whether he wants it or not, and he growls at Jonan, "Get your iron backside into this fight, you ponce!" He skips aside from one slash and hauls out his shortsword at Jensine's comment. "I tried going easy on you fellows," he asserts, assuming a clumsy on guard position with the blade. He shuffles to the side so they'll have a harder time surrounding him, and catches a bit of good luck when his dodging and weaving somehow distract these crazed fellows, and like lightning, he steps into an opening and thrusts his blade at Albert, scoring a wound, though his stroke isn't able to drive home and fell the crazed miner.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Yes you can. I'm adding it up. DC 5 ride check for the combat maneuver. Shield is an offhand light weapon that doesn't add its armor bonus for the to hit (though some magical bonuses may apply). And you lose the AC bonus for this round. What kind of shield is it?"
<OOC> Jonan says, "It's a Light shield. So only 1 AC."
GAME: Jonan rolls ride: (15)+2: 17
<OOC> Jonan says, "Do I still take the offhand penalty if I'm using it as a single (primary) attack?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You do, from what I can tell. Though you do get your charge bonus."
GAME: Jonan rolls melee+2-2: (9)+5+2+-2: 14
<OOC> Ishmael says, "That's enough. Damage is 1d3 plus half of your strength bonus."
GAME: Jonan rolls 1d3+1: (1)+1: 2

"Let them pass." Jonan urges while still pointing his lance towards the sky, "Do not bar them any further."

The knight's polite demeanor has faded for his conviction and yet he is unwilling to stand still as those whom he has named as allies fight against madmen. The Paladin lowers his shield and grabs his reigns while spurring the courser forward.

Hooves shred the soft-packed stone and its first step as it moving in place before it leaps forward at a gallop. He thunders into the center of the madmen to disrupt their attacks upon Mel whilst dropping his grip upon the reigns midway to them and shifting to a low position.

Lance still held with its tip towards the heavens he extends his forearm bringing the blunt section of his shield hard at Basil, whom had disrupted his cry for peace, "Fly, you fools.." He orders them with authority, "..before your spiders return."

<DM> Basil attacks Jonan's horse with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR vs AC 13 (-2 AC for charging)
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (9)+3+-1: 11

Basil is battered about by Jonan's shield charge, and though he doesn't seem terribly hurt he is greatly offended. He howls and slashes blindly at the horse. Luckily the attacks are too wild or the horse canters a step to the side, because it is not injured by the flurry.

<DM> Cinematic mode engaged! Due to time crunch, damage values are doubled to half the time needed to finish the scene.

GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (6)+6+2: 14
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (1)+5: 6
<DM> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Chooge.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (4)+3: 7
<OOC> Zippo says, "Chooge is staggered for one round."

"Close quarters combat! Calibrating anti-striker defensive array!" Zippo leaps back and fires off another ray of piercing white light into his attacker.

<OOC> Jensine says, "Pew pew arrows."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d20+5: (7)+5: 12
<OOC> Jensine says, "EAT IT BASIL. Unless that doesn't hit."
GAME: Jensine rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert will five foot step to engage Mel and attack him with a dagger. Chooge is staggered and cannot move, but he can attack Jensine who is basically standing next to him."
<DM> Albert attacks Mel with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (17)+3+-1: 19
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (1)+-1: 0

<DM> Chooge attacks Jensine with a dagger. +3 BAB, -1 STR.
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3-1: (17)+3+-1: 19
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d4-1: (4)+-1: 3

GAME: Ishmael damaged Mel for 2 points. 23 remaining.
GAME: Ishmael damaged Jensine for 6 points. 12 remaining.

This is all very loud. There is shouting and yelling, and Jensine finds that a little odd. But she sets another arrow to her bowstring and sends it singing into Basil's rag-clad, battered body. Unfortunately, Chooge has managed to creep up by her.

<OOC> Mel says, "Can I flank with Jonan?"
<OOC> Ishmael says, "You can flank Basil, who is trying to carve horse filets. Albert isn't in flanking with Basil, but you can't get him between the two of you either."
<OOC> Mel says, "Roger, flanking then."
GAME: Mel rolls 1d20+7: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Mel rolls 1d6+2+2d6: (5)+2+(6): 13
<OOC> Ishmael says, "He's deep into dying. Be as cinematic as you like with the pose."

<OOC> Jonan says, "I'll lance Albert."
<OOC> Ishmael says, "He's barely 10 feet away, but that is enough to charge (I'm reasonably certain change facing doesn't require anything in pathfinder. it's not THAt pedantic about movement)"
GAME: Jonan rolls melee+2: (13)+5+2: 20
GAME: Jonan rolls 2d8+6: (11)+6: 17
<OOC> Ishmael says, "Albert is basically dead. You too can be as cinematic as you like with your pose."

Mel watches slackjawed as Jonan slams the fellow with the shield. "That's not how you fight on a battlefield, is it?" he demands critically, catching a scratch as he shifts positions with a slick move. Only a couple steps, but a pivot as well, so he's caught Basil between himself and the mounted knight. This it the classic Rock and a Hard Place scenario, but Basil isn't getting a chance to appreciate it because Mel runs his sword through the fellow's chest from behind without any mercy whatsoever, yanking it out and leaving the fellow gurgling on the ground.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Zippo, Chooge is in your sights. As Jensine cannot threaten an AoO with a bow, you do not get a flanking bonus."

A warning. A nearly non-lethal attack.

The madmen persist in their assault and the Templar must do as he has sworn to do: Stem the loss of life. If three madmen must die so that goodness may save the rest than so be it.

Silver lance point drops downward for the first time since he left the city.

A trample of hooves. Did Albert hear even that?

"HUAGH!" A lance point and two feet of wooden haft burst through the center of the man's chest wrenching his body gruesomely from its feet as the thundering courser continues past and further down the decline towards the camp.

It's a clean kill. A twist of the weapon splinters the ribs and sternum allowing the knight to wrench the thing free with a firm shake. He pulls the reigns hard and the steed comes back around.

The lance drops. Chooge is next.

<OOC> Zippo will fire at Chooge again!
GAME: Zippo rolls ranged + 2: (15)+6+2: 23
GAME: Zippo rolls 1d6+5: (4)+5: 9
<DM> Fortitude save (DC 16) for Chooge
GAME: Ishmael rolls 1d20+3: (17)+3: 20

"... This is the part where you fall down. For science!" Zippo shouts before firing another volley of deadly frost into his target.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Jensine, Chooge is at 0 HP and disabled. He can take actions, he can move at half speed, and he's tried to attack you. What will you do? (This is the last round of combat, if you decide to kill him or let him go it'll take us out.)"

Chooge is barely hanging on. Jensine turns to find herself next to him, and, taking in his glazed eyes and battered state, she nonetheless frowns as she pulls forth another arrow and sets it to her bow. The arrow lances between Chooge's eyes, inevitable, unstoppable, and sails clean through. Jensine then pushes the dead man over with an odd gentleness. She did not enjoy that.

There is the barest curl of the Paladin's lips when Jensine kills the disabled man.

However, he says nothing of it and merely raises his lance point back towards the heavens. His first words are, "Is everyone alright?" In the heat of battle it is difficult to keep track of such things but he looks from person to person as if appraising their situation.

He looks upon Mel last and then glances towards the bloody tip of his spear and then back, "That was not for you." He remarks tersely but then gives a faint smile, "Well fought." Pause, "All of you."

"Another victory for SCIENCE!" Zippo declares excitedly. "Field test, successful!"

"He could not be cured," Jensine murmurs, swabbing the gore from her face with her sleeve. Morose. That taken care of, she bobs her head and fusses about until she finds the berries she picked along the way, a sextet of particularly juicy speciments she pops into her mouth one by one.

<OOC> Ishmael says, "Are you eating them all?"
GAME: Ishmael damaged Jensine for -6 points. 18 remaining.
<OOC> Jensine says, "ALL THE BERRIES THAT ARE GOOD"

Mel finds himself looking up Jonan's lance for just a moment, and looks worried, then relaxes as it's pulled away. "Ah, I'm all right. You had me worried there, for a minute." He looks around at the others, "Are we all OK?" He looks at the dead guys, a little relieved at Jensine's assertion that they couldn't be helped. Not that he was trying very hard after the beginning, but ... "Did they have some kind of magic disease?" he wonders. "I think we have an idea now of what's wrong at the mine, though."

Dealing with the three corpses is a gruesome task, just as dealing with the three living madmen is. The fight, if it can be called that, took less than a minute and took more than three men's lives. Their souls, if Jensine is right about the Mine Madness being incurable, were lost long ago. Little pieces of the party died tonight as well. Whether practical or religious, the bodies have to be removed from the road and put in some sort of repose. Doing so reveals nothing but the serrate daggers they carried, which in reality were nothing more than knives stolen from a kitchen, and a cluster of small bones. Finger bones. With teeth marks upon them. Dull, humanoid teeth marks.
</nowiki>

Recent Logs

2013-09-25T21:58:29Z

Ishmaelthegray:

[[Category:Logs]]
Roleplay is central to Tenebrae, and consists of a mix of scenes, grid, and PrPs. Here you may read some of the logs our players have posted, or wanted to share. This page may also be used to post logs for PrPs, to share an item for staff review, or to tell players about a great scene. Remember too, if you're RPing in a public area, a log may end up on this site. Most recent logs are at the '''bottom.'''

==How to Post a Log==
{{TableMain}}
{{T01}}
| colspan="2" | Log Help
{{T02}}
|I Need Help With...
|Look Here
|-
|Posting a log
|[[How to Post a Log]]
|-
|Wiki formatting
|'''[[How to Format a Log Quickly|How to Automagically Clean a Log]]''', [[Help:Editing#Formatting|Wiki Help]]
|-
|Finding a PrP template
|[[PrP Template]]
|-
|Finding what goes in a PrP log
|[[Player_Run_Plots#Sending_in_a_Finished_PrP|Submitting PrPs]]
|-
|Finding logs from the old website
|[http://emblemofea.pbworks.com/w/page/12036798/Game-Logs The Old Site]
|}

==Our Logs==
{{TableMain}}
{{T02}}
|Date
|Log
|People
|-
|
|[[A Duel!]]
|
|-
|
|[[How to Smite with a Poo Cart]]
|
|-
|
|[[Crusaders, Start Your Engines!]]
|
|-
|
|[[Adamantine Tinkering]]
|
|-
|
|[[Storytime in the Dragon's Den]]
|
|-
|
|[[Adamantine Hunt]]
|
|-
|Aug 6 2012
|[[PRP: Unbearable]]
|[[Constantin]], [[Nadara]], [[Leisel]], [[Quint]], [[Dante]], [[Jibbom]]
|-
|Aug 7 2012
|[[A Formal Complaint]]
|[[Donk]], [[Dante]]
|-
|Aug 7, 2012
|[[The Overturned Cart]]
| [[Kalkorth]], [[Constantin]], [[Donk]], [[Emir]], [[Trank]], [[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Eira]]
|-
|Aug 8, 2012
|[[Felicia's Very Sandy Birthday Party]]
|[[Emir]], [[Svarshan]], [[Mikilos]], [[Katja]], [[Sandy]]
|-
|Aug ?, 2012
|[[Fox Ears for Azog]]
|[[Azog]], [[Abrahil]], [[Myrana]], [[Kalkorth]], [[Conrad]], [[Garrin]]
|-
|Aug 9, 2012
|[[Raising Halani]]
|[[Halani]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Craft]], [[Jinks]]
|-
|Aug 22, 2012
|[[Wanted Posters]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Sandy]], [[Myrana]]
|-
|Aug 14, 2012
|[[Sildanyari do Not Birth Gnomes]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Rotgut]], [[Faun]], [[Boshter]], [[Cesran]], [[Ormarr]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|August 23, 2012
|[[A Tea Cart]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Jibbom]], [[Azog]], [[Sandy]], [[Mikilos]], [[Lumina]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|August 25, 2012
|[[Moonwatching]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Mikilos]], [[Colrick]], [[Locien]], [[Usha]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|August 31, 2012
|[[Prancing Poncy Swiftclaws]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Sandy]], [[Lumina]], [[Svarshan]], [[Locien]]
|-
|September 1, 2012
|[[Dastardly Dealings]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 3, 2012
|[[PRP: Catacombs Kidnapping]]
|[[Sonja]], [[Grunak]], [[Colrick]], [[Seadhna]], [[Jibbom]], [[Kathryn]]
|-
|September 4, 2012
|[[Social: BAD DOG!]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Nadara]], [[Lumina]], [[Ashlynn]]
|-
|September 5, 2012
|[[PRP: The Laughing Anna]]
|[[Moonshadow]], [[Munch]], [[Seadhna]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|September 6, 2012
|[[The Best Medicine]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Lumina]], [[Savannah]], [[Boshter]], [[Zalara]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 8, 2012
|[[Social: Hangover]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Teppus]], [[Chloe]], [[Lumina]], [[Donk]]
|-
|Sept 13, 2012
|[[Muse of Doom]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Azog]], [[Jessa]], [[Zalara]], [[Quint]], [[Svarshan]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|Sept 14, 2012
|[[Career Day]]
|[[Ormarr|Wonderpony]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Angrid]], [[Zalara]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|Sept 15, 2012
|[[PrP: Sanctuary Cleansing]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Melbert]]
|-
|September 15, 2012
|[[Not Yet a Knight]]
|[[Kerbasy]], [[Jareth]], [[Azog]], [[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 15, 2012
|[[Double Rainbow Man (Again)]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Agril]], [[Jessa]], [[Constantin]], [[Selia]], [[Younger]]
|-
|Sept 16, 2012
|[[Coyote Meets Phoenix]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|September 17, 2012
|[[Younger's Busted Leg]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Younger]], [[Jessa]], [[Munch]], [[Chloe]], [[Lumina]]
|-
|September 18, 2012
|[[Thrax]]
|[[Savannah]], [[Jibbom]], [[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|Sept 25, 2012
|[[Hip-pest Reaction]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Zalara]], [[Jessa]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Ellerela]]
|-
|October 13, 2012
|[[Shamblers in the Woods]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Leisel]]
|-
|October 15, 2012
|[[Clara the Lance]]
|[[Cinnamon]], [[Kerbasy]]
|-
|October 16, 2012
|[[Sandy is a Dandy]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Jinks]], [[Constantin]], [[Arissa]]
|-
|October 17, 2012
|[[Tent Fires]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 17, 2012
|[[The Statues]]
|[[Eleia]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Boshter]]
|-
|October 19, 2012
|[[Challenge Beyond Our Means]]
|[[Albain]], [[Craft]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 22, 2012
|[[Punchy Friends]]
|[[Aenyn]], [[Gragnar]], [[Liessa]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 23, 2012
|[[Alleyway]]
|[[Donk]], [[Faun]], [[Quint]], [[Selia]], [[Whendi]]
|-
|October 26, 2012
|[[Kittens Jessa Kittens|Kittens, Jessa, Kittens!]]
|[[Quint]], [[Jessa]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]], [[Cesran]],
|-
|October 27, 2012
|[[There Can be Only One Pretty Pretty Princess|There Can be Only One (Pretty Pretty Princess)]]
| [[Azog]], [[Cinnamon]], [[Sandy]], [[Constantin]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|Unknown
|[[Giant Pink Hips]]
|[[Gragnar]], [[Jessa]], [[Svarshan]], [[Sandy]], [[Jibbom]], [[Emir]]
|-
|November 11, 2012
|[[Coming to Alexandria]]
|[[Fiona]], [[Cesran]]
|-
|November 11, 2012
|[[Young impressionable Youth]]
|[[Younger]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 13, 2012
|[[Till Death Do us Part]]
|[[Mel]], [[Ashlynn]], [[Zalara]], [[Eliathitae]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 14, 2012
|[[Goblintown]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Jareth]], [[Younger]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 16, 2012
|[[A Land Down Under]]
|[[Hilal]], [[Gavisa]],[[Mel]], [[Vennan]],[[ Angrid]], [[Zalara]],[[ Fiona]],[[ Jessa]]
|-
|November 17, 2012
|[[Once Upon a Jail Cell]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Fiona]], [[Eliathitae]], [[Selia]]
|-
|November 18, 2012
|[[Bar Talk]]
|[[Angrid]], [[Azog]], [[Kaedin]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|Novenber 19,2012
|[[Of Honor and Laughter]]
|[[Kaedin]], [[Azog]]
|-
|November 19, 2012
|[[The Beginning of an Odd Partnership]]
|[[Kaedin]], [[Maxine]]
|-
|November 28, 2012
|[[Thoughts on Jobs and Life]]
|[[Hilal]], [[Oates]], [[Halani]], [[Quint]]
|-
|November 27, 2012
|[[Sandy Gets Hitched]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Saevrinimata]], [[Mikilos]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Arngrid]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|November 29, 2012
|[[A Type of Armor]]
|[[Kerbasy]], [[Aenyn]]
|-
|November 30,2012
|[[Goblin Caravan]]
|[[Craft]], [[Mikilos]], [[Oates]]
|-
|December 4, 2012
|[[Late Night at Wayfarer's Inn]]
|[[Maendir]], [[Zalara]], [[Oates]]
|-
|December 5, 2012
|[[Jinks Pearly Temple|Jinks' Pearly Temple]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Abrahil]], [[Jinks]]
|-
|December 5, 2012
|[[Beyond the Pearly Temple]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Jinks]], [[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Maendir]], [[Constantin]], [[Quint]]
|-
|December 10, 2012
|[[Rocks, Poop, Hips, and Stew!!]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Fiona]], [[Svarshan]], [[Liessa]], [[Azog]], [[Achala]], [[Leisel]]
|-
|December 11 2012
|[[Mercantile Obligation (Porocora DM)]]
|[[Katja]], [[Ashlynn]], [[Albain]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|December 20,2012
|[[Grin Apolypse]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Kuumvu]], [[Mikilos]], [[Remethaer]], [[Sandy]], [[Sonja]]
|-
|December 21, 2012
|[[Bar Chatter]]
|[[Gwendolyn]], [[Sandy]], [[Selia]]
|-
|December 23, 2012
|[[Poor Holiday Tidings]]
|[[Emir]], [[Zalara]], [[Donk]], [[Remethaer]]
|-
|December 30, 2012
|[[Art of Slice, the]]
|[[Chloe]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Liessa]], [[Munch]], [[Remethaer]], [[Vennan]]
|-
|??
|[[PRP: Clearing Jeribald's Mine]]
|??
|-
|December 31, 2012
|[[Adventurers Guild Bringing in the New Year|Adventurer's Guild: Bringing in the New Year]]
|[[Karelin]], [[Azog]], [[Svarshan]], [[Tavissha]], [[Mikilos]], [[Sonja]], [[Oates]], [[Cesran]], [[Myrana]], [[Wilma]]
|-
|January 4, 2013
|[[Arvek in Pink]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Boshter]], [[Jessa]], [[Roka]]
|-
|January 5,2013
|[[Ribbeting Times at the Hope]]
|[[Tavissha]], [[Abrahil]], [[Zalara]], [[Lash]]
|-
|January 7, 2013
|[[Hanging of the Butcher]]
|Lots
|-
|January 9, 2013
|[[Jink's Kids]]
|[[Jinks]], [[Agril]], [[Svarshan]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|January 10, 2013
|[[Cue Yakety Sax]]
|[[Emir]], [[Sandy]], [[Donk]], [[Abrahil]], [[Myrana]]
|-
|January 11, 2013
|[[In the Market]]
|[[Craft]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|January 11, 2013
|[[What's Down There?]]
|[[Brolin]], [[Lash]], [[Nadara]], [[Raja]], [[Zarr]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|January 12, 2013
|[[Wolf-wrestling]]
|[[Donk]], [[Kuumvu]], [[Tavissha]], [[Thyrson]], [[Jareth]], [[Garrin]]
|-
|January 13, 2013
|[[At the Ox]]
|[[Azog]], [[Lash]], [[Sandy]], [[Mikilos]], [[Faraday]]
|-
|January 13, 2013
|[[On the Roadway]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Selia]], [[Roka]], [[Arafel]], [[Elycia]],
|-
|January 19, 2013
|[[Nipples and rainbows]]
|[[Roka]], [[Karelin]], [[Rotgut]], [[Munch]]
|-
|January 20, 2013
|[[Mirrors]]
|[[Selia]], [[Oates]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|January 21, 2013
|[[The Lost]]
|[[Gragnar]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|January 23, 2013
|[[Of Guns, Maintenance, and Weather]]
|[[Craft]], [[Rementhaer]]
|-
|January 26, 2013
|[[Desolate Dig]]
|[[Oates]], [[Remethaer]], [[Lash]], [[Arafel]], [[Cinnamon]], [[Mel]]
|-
|January 27, 2013
|[[Along the Road]]
|[[Ormarr]], [[Cesran]], [[Lash]], [[Vidarr]], [[Donk]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|January 27, 2013
|[[PrP: Trouble Brewing]]
|[[Arafel]], [[Oates]], [[Rotgut]], [[Tavissha]], [[Brolin]]
|-
|January 28, 2013
|[[Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Deliciousness]]
|[[Donk]], [[Jibbom]], [[Cesran]], [[Elysia]], [[Lash]], [[some chubby, old orc]]
|-
|February 02, 2013
|[[Lost And Found]]
|[[Sharna]], [[Azog]], [[Aenyn]]
|-
|February 03, 2013
|[[Makar at the Ox]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Mikilos]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|February 09, 2013
|[[PrP: Up in Smoke]]
|[[Sharna]], [[Jinks]], [[Sonja]], [[Aenyn]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|February 10, 2013
|[[PrP: 3:10 to Selentia]]
|[[Birgit]], [[Chloe]], [[Elessa]], [[Remethaer]]
|-
|February 15, 2013
|[[Love Potions]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Agril]], [[Taurex]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|February 15, 2013
|[[PrP: Pie and Orc]]
|[[Mako]], [[Remethaer]], [[Aviere]]
|-
|-
|February 19, 2013
|[[PrP: Meat on Stick Part 1]]
|[[Taurex]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Abrahil]], [[Kilian]]
|-
|-
|February 25, 2013
|[[PrP: Meat on Stick Part 2]]
|[[Taurex]], [[Vennan]], [[Kravar]], [[Shrike]]
|-
|-
|March 03, 2013
|[[PrP: Lurker on the Heights]]
|[[Lash]], [[Vennan]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Oates]], [[Schneider]], [[Alistine]]
|-
|-
|March 08, 2013
|[[PrP: The Alexandrian Job]]
|[[Kravar]],[[Heyuri]], [[Korsten]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|
| [[Spirit-Bonded Ceremony]]
|
|-
|-
|April 01, 2013
|[[Kittens]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Jessa]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|-
|April 02, 2013
|[[Log: Goblintown Hi-Jinks]]
|[[Meep]], [[Sonja]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Kravar]], [[ Sandy]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|-
|April 10, 2013
|[[Log: Pets 4 Sale]]
|[[Grub]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Seanait]]
|-
|-
|April 11, 2013
|[[PrP: Goblin Massacre Mystery]]
|[[Vennan]], [[Kravar]], [[Nadara]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|-
|April 12, 2013
|[[BBQ fun]]
|[[Agril]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|-
|April 17, 2013
|[[Chance Meeting]]
|[[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Younger]]
|-
|-
|April 22, 2013
|[[Log: Lower Market Madness]]
|[[Mogrinaar]], [[Kravar]], [[Shilde]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|-
|April 23, 2013
|[[Log: Meetings and Mysteries at Wilderness Pointe]]
|[[Drake]], [[Kravar]], [[Ferawyn]]
|-
|-
|April 26, 2013
|[[PrP: Camp Encounter]]
|[[Remethaer]], [[Elessa]], [[Kravar]], [[Ferawyn]]
|-
|-
|May 1st, 2013
|[[Kill Tak]]
|[[Tak]], [[Selia]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|-
|May 2nd, 2013
|[[DEATH!]]
|[[Kravar]], [[Tak]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|May 3rd, 2013
|[[PRP: Fast Zombie Day]]
|-
|-
|May 5th, 2013
|[[Log: Sign Sixty-Two]]
|[[Rogun]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Sebropert]]
|-
|-
|May 11th, 2013
|[[PrP: Ratburglars!]]
|[[Tak]], [[Madde]], [[Porarna]]
|-
|-
|May 13th, 2013
|[[Magic Discussions at Fernwood Pub]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Tak]], [[Rogun]], [[Karelin]]
|-
|-
|May 14th, 2013
|[[PrP: Vadran Patrol]]
|[[Tak]], [[Sebropert]], [[Rogun]], [[Elessa]]
|-
|-
|May 15th, 2013
|[[Olympic Start]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Jessa]], [[Munch]]
|-
|-
|May 16th, 2013
|[[PrP: Spontaneous Event]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Brom]], [[Folkmar]]
|-
|-
|May 18th, 2013
|[[PrP: Docking Pay]]
|[[Folkmar]], [[Halani]]. [[Kravar]], [[Tak]], [[Vennan]]
|-
|-
|May 21st, 2013
|[[Trust Building Exercise!]]
|[[Folkmar]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|-
|May 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: A Golem in the Arena]]
|[[Munch]], [[Zalara]], [[Valadhiel]]
|-
|-
|May 24th, 2013
|[[Taiko Market]]
|[[Halani]], [[Selia]], [[Tak]]
|-
|-
|May 25th, 2013
|[[PrP: Food Fight]]
|[[Temarie]], [[Tak]], [[Brom]], [[Faiza]]
|-
|-
|May 28th, 2013
|[[Gelfure Chatter]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]], [[Tak]], [[Molokh]]
|-
|-
|May 29th, 2013
|[[Market Meet]]
|[[Sonja]], [[Mikilos]], [[Gunnhilde]], [[Tak]]
|-
|-
|May 29th, 2013
|[[Book Thief]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Vekson]], [[Elycia]], [[Zarya]], [[Cesran]], [[Karelin]]
|-
|-
|May 20th, 2013
|[[PrP: Arena Bout 05 30]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Jex]], [[Brom]], [[Nadara]], [[Tak]], [[Gunnhilde]]
|-
|-
|May 20th, 2013
|[[Philosophy of the Rat]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Vekson]], [[Zarya]]
|-
|-
|June 6th, 2013
|[[PrP: Cattle Wasps]]
|[[Jex]], [[Temarie]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Lanier]], [[Laoise]]
|-
|-
|June 7th, 2013
|[[Fundraising Pie]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Sonja]]
|-
|-
|June 8th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Azure Queen's Trap]]
|[[Jex]], [[Shrike]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Nadara]], [[Kojot]]
|-
|-
|June 17th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Prancing Owlbear]]
|[[Brom]], [[Eligar]], [[Lanier]], [[Nadara]], [[Tak]], [[Temarie]]
|-
|-
|June 20th, 2013
|[[PrP: Red Ridge Pass]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Tak]], [[Thora]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|June 21st, 2013
|[[Market Meeting]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Valadhiel]]
|-
|-
|June 22nd, 2013
|[[PrP: Saturday Night Main Event]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Munch]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Temarie]]
|-
|-
|June 24th, 2013
|[[Mary Met]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Mary]], [[Mikilos]], [[Sandy]]
|-
|-
|June 25th, 2013
|[[PrP: Save the Princess]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Elessa]], [[Tak]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|-
|June 27th, 2013
|[[PrP: Abyssal Barn]]
|[[Elessa]], [[Kilian]], [[Lanier]], [[Tak]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|June 30th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Dastardly Gauntlet of Doom!]]
|[[Azog]], [[Jenner]], [[Jessa]], [[Jibbom]], [[Oates]]
|-
|-
|July 1st, 2013
|[[PrP: Artificer's Arena Challenge]]
|[[Aleron]], [[Eligar]], [[Vekson]]
|-
|-
|July 1st, 2013
|[[Hart Scouts]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|July 4th, 2013
|[[On Good and Evil]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Jame]], [[Vekson]], [[Solace]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|July 6th, 2013
|[[Cats in the Market]]
|[[Azog]], [[Niama]], [[Mikilos]], [[Valadhiel]], [[Ol' Mags]]
|-
|-
|July 9th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Ghosttower]]
|[[Tatyannah]], [[Eligar]], [[Auk]], [[Solace]] (GM)
|-
|-
|July 12th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Trouble With Archaeology]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Schneider]], [[Raethon]], [[Thorarna]], [[Solace]]
|-
|-
|July 18th, 2013
|[[PrP: Pirates, Submersibles, Airships (Oh My)]]
|[[Ormarr]], [[Sonja]], [[Oates]], [[Munch]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|-
|July 26th, 2013
|[[PrP: Heart of Farceness]]
|[[Faiza]], [[Eligar]], [[Vennan]], [[Munch]], [[Angrid]]
|-
|-
|July 31st, 2013
|[[PrP: Role Reversal]]
|[[Faiza]], [[Radek]], [[Aegremar]], [[Temarie]], [[Kojot]]
|-
|-
|August 3rd, 2013
|[[Trubble in the Market]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Trubble]]
|-
|-
|August 14th, 2013
|[[On Prancing]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|August 15th, 2013
|[[Another Owlbear]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Mikilos]], [[Hilal]], [[Markus]], [[Nasirri]], [[Raethon]], [[Azog]], [[Boshter]], [[Rain]]
|-
|-
|August 22th, 2013
|[[PrP: Goblintown Sewers]]
|[[Thora]], [[Albain]], [[Elessa]], [[Randek]], [[Gwendolyn]]
|-
|-
|August 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Duty of Shadows]]
|[[Tatyannah]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Laoise]], [[Schneider]], [[Solace]]
|-
|-
|August 28th, 2013
|[[Munch's Workshop]]
|[[Solace]], [[Munch]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|-
|September 10th, 2013
|[[PrP: General Bloodeyes Appears]]
|[[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Oates]], [[Nadara]], [[Arik]]
|-
|-
|September 16th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Wild Hunt]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Jareth]], [[Oates]], [[Teppus]], [[Munch]]
|-
|-
|September 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Galena Lode - Part 1]]
|[[Jensine]], [[Jonan]], [[Mel]], [[Zippo]]
|-
|}

[[Category:Logs]]

Recent Logs

2013-09-25T21:58:00Z

Ishmaelthegray:

[[Category:Logs]]
Roleplay is central to Tenebrae, and consists of a mix of scenes, grid, and PrPs. Here you may read some of the logs our players have posted, or wanted to share. This page may also be used to post logs for PrPs, to share an item for staff review, or to tell players about a great scene. Remember too, if you're RPing in a public area, a log may end up on this site. Most recent logs are at the '''bottom.'''

==How to Post a Log==
{{TableMain}}
{{T01}}
| colspan="2" | Log Help
{{T02}}
|I Need Help With...
|Look Here
|-
|Posting a log
|[[How to Post a Log]]
|-
|Wiki formatting
|'''[[How to Format a Log Quickly|How to Automagically Clean a Log]]''', [[Help:Editing#Formatting|Wiki Help]]
|-
|Finding a PrP template
|[[PrP Template]]
|-
|Finding what goes in a PrP log
|[[Player_Run_Plots#Sending_in_a_Finished_PrP|Submitting PrPs]]
|-
|Finding logs from the old website
|[http://emblemofea.pbworks.com/w/page/12036798/Game-Logs The Old Site]
|}

==Our Logs==
{{TableMain}}
{{T02}}
|Date
|Log
|People
|-
|
|[[A Duel!]]
|
|-
|
|[[How to Smite with a Poo Cart]]
|
|-
|
|[[Crusaders, Start Your Engines!]]
|
|-
|
|[[Adamantine Tinkering]]
|
|-
|
|[[Storytime in the Dragon's Den]]
|
|-
|
|[[Adamantine Hunt]]
|
|-
|Aug 6 2012
|[[PRP: Unbearable]]
|[[Constantin]], [[Nadara]], [[Leisel]], [[Quint]], [[Dante]], [[Jibbom]]
|-
|Aug 7 2012
|[[A Formal Complaint]]
|[[Donk]], [[Dante]]
|-
|Aug 7, 2012
|[[The Overturned Cart]]
| [[Kalkorth]], [[Constantin]], [[Donk]], [[Emir]], [[Trank]], [[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Eira]]
|-
|Aug 8, 2012
|[[Felicia's Very Sandy Birthday Party]]
|[[Emir]], [[Svarshan]], [[Mikilos]], [[Katja]], [[Sandy]]
|-
|Aug ?, 2012
|[[Fox Ears for Azog]]
|[[Azog]], [[Abrahil]], [[Myrana]], [[Kalkorth]], [[Conrad]], [[Garrin]]
|-
|Aug 9, 2012
|[[Raising Halani]]
|[[Halani]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Craft]], [[Jinks]]
|-
|Aug 22, 2012
|[[Wanted Posters]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Sandy]], [[Myrana]]
|-
|Aug 14, 2012
|[[Sildanyari do Not Birth Gnomes]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Rotgut]], [[Faun]], [[Boshter]], [[Cesran]], [[Ormarr]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|August 23, 2012
|[[A Tea Cart]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Jibbom]], [[Azog]], [[Sandy]], [[Mikilos]], [[Lumina]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|August 25, 2012
|[[Moonwatching]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Mikilos]], [[Colrick]], [[Locien]], [[Usha]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|August 31, 2012
|[[Prancing Poncy Swiftclaws]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Sandy]], [[Lumina]], [[Svarshan]], [[Locien]]
|-
|September 1, 2012
|[[Dastardly Dealings]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 3, 2012
|[[PRP: Catacombs Kidnapping]]
|[[Sonja]], [[Grunak]], [[Colrick]], [[Seadhna]], [[Jibbom]], [[Kathryn]]
|-
|September 4, 2012
|[[Social: BAD DOG!]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Nadara]], [[Lumina]], [[Ashlynn]]
|-
|September 5, 2012
|[[PRP: The Laughing Anna]]
|[[Moonshadow]], [[Munch]], [[Seadhna]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|September 6, 2012
|[[The Best Medicine]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Lumina]], [[Savannah]], [[Boshter]], [[Zalara]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 8, 2012
|[[Social: Hangover]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Teppus]], [[Chloe]], [[Lumina]], [[Donk]]
|-
|Sept 13, 2012
|[[Muse of Doom]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Azog]], [[Jessa]], [[Zalara]], [[Quint]], [[Svarshan]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|Sept 14, 2012
|[[Career Day]]
|[[Ormarr|Wonderpony]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Angrid]], [[Zalara]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|Sept 15, 2012
|[[PrP: Sanctuary Cleansing]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Melbert]]
|-
|September 15, 2012
|[[Not Yet a Knight]]
|[[Kerbasy]], [[Jareth]], [[Azog]], [[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 15, 2012
|[[Double Rainbow Man (Again)]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Agril]], [[Jessa]], [[Constantin]], [[Selia]], [[Younger]]
|-
|Sept 16, 2012
|[[Coyote Meets Phoenix]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|September 17, 2012
|[[Younger's Busted Leg]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Younger]], [[Jessa]], [[Munch]], [[Chloe]], [[Lumina]]
|-
|September 18, 2012
|[[Thrax]]
|[[Savannah]], [[Jibbom]], [[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|Sept 25, 2012
|[[Hip-pest Reaction]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Zalara]], [[Jessa]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Ellerela]]
|-
|October 13, 2012
|[[Shamblers in the Woods]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Leisel]]
|-
|October 15, 2012
|[[Clara the Lance]]
|[[Cinnamon]], [[Kerbasy]]
|-
|October 16, 2012
|[[Sandy is a Dandy]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Jinks]], [[Constantin]], [[Arissa]]
|-
|October 17, 2012
|[[Tent Fires]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 17, 2012
|[[The Statues]]
|[[Eleia]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Boshter]]
|-
|October 19, 2012
|[[Challenge Beyond Our Means]]
|[[Albain]], [[Craft]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 22, 2012
|[[Punchy Friends]]
|[[Aenyn]], [[Gragnar]], [[Liessa]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 23, 2012
|[[Alleyway]]
|[[Donk]], [[Faun]], [[Quint]], [[Selia]], [[Whendi]]
|-
|October 26, 2012
|[[Kittens Jessa Kittens|Kittens, Jessa, Kittens!]]
|[[Quint]], [[Jessa]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]], [[Cesran]],
|-
|October 27, 2012
|[[There Can be Only One Pretty Pretty Princess|There Can be Only One (Pretty Pretty Princess)]]
| [[Azog]], [[Cinnamon]], [[Sandy]], [[Constantin]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|Unknown
|[[Giant Pink Hips]]
|[[Gragnar]], [[Jessa]], [[Svarshan]], [[Sandy]], [[Jibbom]], [[Emir]]
|-
|November 11, 2012
|[[Coming to Alexandria]]
|[[Fiona]], [[Cesran]]
|-
|November 11, 2012
|[[Young impressionable Youth]]
|[[Younger]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 13, 2012
|[[Till Death Do us Part]]
|[[Mel]], [[Ashlynn]], [[Zalara]], [[Eliathitae]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 14, 2012
|[[Goblintown]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Jareth]], [[Younger]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 16, 2012
|[[A Land Down Under]]
|[[Hilal]], [[Gavisa]],[[Mel]], [[Vennan]],[[ Angrid]], [[Zalara]],[[ Fiona]],[[ Jessa]]
|-
|November 17, 2012
|[[Once Upon a Jail Cell]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Fiona]], [[Eliathitae]], [[Selia]]
|-
|November 18, 2012
|[[Bar Talk]]
|[[Angrid]], [[Azog]], [[Kaedin]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|Novenber 19,2012
|[[Of Honor and Laughter]]
|[[Kaedin]], [[Azog]]
|-
|November 19, 2012
|[[The Beginning of an Odd Partnership]]
|[[Kaedin]], [[Maxine]]
|-
|November 28, 2012
|[[Thoughts on Jobs and Life]]
|[[Hilal]], [[Oates]], [[Halani]], [[Quint]]
|-
|November 27, 2012
|[[Sandy Gets Hitched]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Saevrinimata]], [[Mikilos]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Arngrid]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|November 29, 2012
|[[A Type of Armor]]
|[[Kerbasy]], [[Aenyn]]
|-
|November 30,2012
|[[Goblin Caravan]]
|[[Craft]], [[Mikilos]], [[Oates]]
|-
|December 4, 2012
|[[Late Night at Wayfarer's Inn]]
|[[Maendir]], [[Zalara]], [[Oates]]
|-
|December 5, 2012
|[[Jinks Pearly Temple|Jinks' Pearly Temple]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Abrahil]], [[Jinks]]
|-
|December 5, 2012
|[[Beyond the Pearly Temple]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Jinks]], [[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Maendir]], [[Constantin]], [[Quint]]
|-
|December 10, 2012
|[[Rocks, Poop, Hips, and Stew!!]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Fiona]], [[Svarshan]], [[Liessa]], [[Azog]], [[Achala]], [[Leisel]]
|-
|December 11 2012
|[[Mercantile Obligation (Porocora DM)]]
|[[Katja]], [[Ashlynn]], [[Albain]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|December 20,2012
|[[Grin Apolypse]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Kuumvu]], [[Mikilos]], [[Remethaer]], [[Sandy]], [[Sonja]]
|-
|December 21, 2012
|[[Bar Chatter]]
|[[Gwendolyn]], [[Sandy]], [[Selia]]
|-
|December 23, 2012
|[[Poor Holiday Tidings]]
|[[Emir]], [[Zalara]], [[Donk]], [[Remethaer]]
|-
|December 30, 2012
|[[Art of Slice, the]]
|[[Chloe]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Liessa]], [[Munch]], [[Remethaer]], [[Vennan]]
|-
|??
|[[PRP: Clearing Jeribald's Mine]]
|??
|-
|December 31, 2012
|[[Adventurers Guild Bringing in the New Year|Adventurer's Guild: Bringing in the New Year]]
|[[Karelin]], [[Azog]], [[Svarshan]], [[Tavissha]], [[Mikilos]], [[Sonja]], [[Oates]], [[Cesran]], [[Myrana]], [[Wilma]]
|-
|January 4, 2013
|[[Arvek in Pink]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Boshter]], [[Jessa]], [[Roka]]
|-
|January 5,2013
|[[Ribbeting Times at the Hope]]
|[[Tavissha]], [[Abrahil]], [[Zalara]], [[Lash]]
|-
|January 7, 2013
|[[Hanging of the Butcher]]
|Lots
|-
|January 9, 2013
|[[Jink's Kids]]
|[[Jinks]], [[Agril]], [[Svarshan]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|January 10, 2013
|[[Cue Yakety Sax]]
|[[Emir]], [[Sandy]], [[Donk]], [[Abrahil]], [[Myrana]]
|-
|January 11, 2013
|[[In the Market]]
|[[Craft]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|January 11, 2013
|[[What's Down There?]]
|[[Brolin]], [[Lash]], [[Nadara]], [[Raja]], [[Zarr]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|January 12, 2013
|[[Wolf-wrestling]]
|[[Donk]], [[Kuumvu]], [[Tavissha]], [[Thyrson]], [[Jareth]], [[Garrin]]
|-
|January 13, 2013
|[[At the Ox]]
|[[Azog]], [[Lash]], [[Sandy]], [[Mikilos]], [[Faraday]]
|-
|January 13, 2013
|[[On the Roadway]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Selia]], [[Roka]], [[Arafel]], [[Elycia]],
|-
|January 19, 2013
|[[Nipples and rainbows]]
|[[Roka]], [[Karelin]], [[Rotgut]], [[Munch]]
|-
|January 20, 2013
|[[Mirrors]]
|[[Selia]], [[Oates]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|January 21, 2013
|[[The Lost]]
|[[Gragnar]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|January 23, 2013
|[[Of Guns, Maintenance, and Weather]]
|[[Craft]], [[Rementhaer]]
|-
|January 26, 2013
|[[Desolate Dig]]
|[[Oates]], [[Remethaer]], [[Lash]], [[Arafel]], [[Cinnamon]], [[Mel]]
|-
|January 27, 2013
|[[Along the Road]]
|[[Ormarr]], [[Cesran]], [[Lash]], [[Vidarr]], [[Donk]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|January 27, 2013
|[[PrP: Trouble Brewing]]
|[[Arafel]], [[Oates]], [[Rotgut]], [[Tavissha]], [[Brolin]]
|-
|January 28, 2013
|[[Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Deliciousness]]
|[[Donk]], [[Jibbom]], [[Cesran]], [[Elysia]], [[Lash]], [[some chubby, old orc]]
|-
|February 02, 2013
|[[Lost And Found]]
|[[Sharna]], [[Azog]], [[Aenyn]]
|-
|February 03, 2013
|[[Makar at the Ox]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Mikilos]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|February 09, 2013
|[[PrP: Up in Smoke]]
|[[Sharna]], [[Jinks]], [[Sonja]], [[Aenyn]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|February 10, 2013
|[[PrP: 3:10 to Selentia]]
|[[Birgit]], [[Chloe]], [[Elessa]], [[Remethaer]]
|-
|February 15, 2013
|[[Love Potions]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Agril]], [[Taurex]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|February 15, 2013
|[[PrP: Pie and Orc]]
|[[Mako]], [[Remethaer]], [[Aviere]]
|-
|-
|February 19, 2013
|[[PrP: Meat on Stick Part 1]]
|[[Taurex]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Abrahil]], [[Kilian]]
|-
|-
|February 25, 2013
|[[PrP: Meat on Stick Part 2]]
|[[Taurex]], [[Vennan]], [[Kravar]], [[Shrike]]
|-
|-
|March 03, 2013
|[[PrP: Lurker on the Heights]]
|[[Lash]], [[Vennan]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Oates]], [[Schneider]], [[Alistine]]
|-
|-
|March 08, 2013
|[[PrP: The Alexandrian Job]]
|[[Kravar]],[[Heyuri]], [[Korsten]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|
| [[Spirit-Bonded Ceremony]]
|
|-
|-
|April 01, 2013
|[[Kittens]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Jessa]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|-
|April 02, 2013
|[[Log: Goblintown Hi-Jinks]]
|[[Meep]], [[Sonja]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Kravar]], [[ Sandy]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|-
|April 10, 2013
|[[Log: Pets 4 Sale]]
|[[Grub]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Seanait]]
|-
|-
|April 11, 2013
|[[PrP: Goblin Massacre Mystery]]
|[[Vennan]], [[Kravar]], [[Nadara]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|-
|April 12, 2013
|[[BBQ fun]]
|[[Agril]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|-
|April 17, 2013
|[[Chance Meeting]]
|[[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Younger]]
|-
|-
|April 22, 2013
|[[Log: Lower Market Madness]]
|[[Mogrinaar]], [[Kravar]], [[Shilde]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|-
|April 23, 2013
|[[Log: Meetings and Mysteries at Wilderness Pointe]]
|[[Drake]], [[Kravar]], [[Ferawyn]]
|-
|-
|April 26, 2013
|[[PrP: Camp Encounter]]
|[[Remethaer]], [[Elessa]], [[Kravar]], [[Ferawyn]]
|-
|-
|May 1st, 2013
|[[Kill Tak]]
|[[Tak]], [[Selia]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|-
|May 2nd, 2013
|[[DEATH!]]
|[[Kravar]], [[Tak]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|May 3rd, 2013
|[[PRP: Fast Zombie Day]]
|-
|-
|May 5th, 2013
|[[Log: Sign Sixty-Two]]
|[[Rogun]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Sebropert]]
|-
|-
|May 11th, 2013
|[[PrP: Ratburglars!]]
|[[Tak]], [[Madde]], [[Porarna]]
|-
|-
|May 13th, 2013
|[[Magic Discussions at Fernwood Pub]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Tak]], [[Rogun]], [[Karelin]]
|-
|-
|May 14th, 2013
|[[PrP: Vadran Patrol]]
|[[Tak]], [[Sebropert]], [[Rogun]], [[Elessa]]
|-
|-
|May 15th, 2013
|[[Olympic Start]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Jessa]], [[Munch]]
|-
|-
|May 16th, 2013
|[[PrP: Spontaneous Event]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Brom]], [[Folkmar]]
|-
|-
|May 18th, 2013
|[[PrP: Docking Pay]]
|[[Folkmar]], [[Halani]]. [[Kravar]], [[Tak]], [[Vennan]]
|-
|-
|May 21st, 2013
|[[Trust Building Exercise!]]
|[[Folkmar]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|-
|May 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: A Golem in the Arena]]
|[[Munch]], [[Zalara]], [[Valadhiel]]
|-
|-
|May 24th, 2013
|[[Taiko Market]]
|[[Halani]], [[Selia]], [[Tak]]
|-
|-
|May 25th, 2013
|[[PrP: Food Fight]]
|[[Temarie]], [[Tak]], [[Brom]], [[Faiza]]
|-
|-
|May 28th, 2013
|[[Gelfure Chatter]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]], [[Tak]], [[Molokh]]
|-
|-
|May 29th, 2013
|[[Market Meet]]
|[[Sonja]], [[Mikilos]], [[Gunnhilde]], [[Tak]]
|-
|-
|May 29th, 2013
|[[Book Thief]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Vekson]], [[Elycia]], [[Zarya]], [[Cesran]], [[Karelin]]
|-
|-
|May 20th, 2013
|[[PrP: Arena Bout 05 30]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Jex]], [[Brom]], [[Nadara]], [[Tak]], [[Gunnhilde]]
|-
|-
|May 20th, 2013
|[[Philosophy of the Rat]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Vekson]], [[Zarya]]
|-
|-
|June 6th, 2013
|[[PrP: Cattle Wasps]]
|[[Jex]], [[Temarie]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Lanier]], [[Laoise]]
|-
|-
|June 7th, 2013
|[[Fundraising Pie]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Sonja]]
|-
|-
|June 8th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Azure Queen's Trap]]
|[[Jex]], [[Shrike]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Nadara]], [[Kojot]]
|-
|-
|June 17th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Prancing Owlbear]]
|[[Brom]], [[Eligar]], [[Lanier]], [[Nadara]], [[Tak]], [[Temarie]]
|-
|-
|June 20th, 2013
|[[PrP: Red Ridge Pass]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Tak]], [[Thora]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|June 21st, 2013
|[[Market Meeting]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Valadhiel]]
|-
|-
|June 22nd, 2013
|[[PrP: Saturday Night Main Event]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Munch]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Temarie]]
|-
|-
|June 24th, 2013
|[[Mary Met]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Mary]], [[Mikilos]], [[Sandy]]
|-
|-
|June 25th, 2013
|[[PrP: Save the Princess]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Elessa]], [[Tak]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|-
|June 27th, 2013
|[[PrP: Abyssal Barn]]
|[[Elessa]], [[Kilian]], [[Lanier]], [[Tak]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|June 30th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Dastardly Gauntlet of Doom!]]
|[[Azog]], [[Jenner]], [[Jessa]], [[Jibbom]], [[Oates]]
|-
|-
|July 1st, 2013
|[[PrP: Artificer's Arena Challenge]]
|[[Aleron]], [[Eligar]], [[Vekson]]
|-
|-
|July 1st, 2013
|[[Hart Scouts]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|July 4th, 2013
|[[On Good and Evil]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Jame]], [[Vekson]], [[Solace]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|July 6th, 2013
|[[Cats in the Market]]
|[[Azog]], [[Niama]], [[Mikilos]], [[Valadhiel]], [[Ol' Mags]]
|-
|-
|July 9th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Ghosttower]]
|[[Tatyannah]], [[Eligar]], [[Auk]], [[Solace]] (GM)
|-
|-
|July 12th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Trouble With Archaeology]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Schneider]], [[Raethon]], [[Thorarna]], [[Solace]]
|-
|-
|July 18th, 2013
|[[PrP: Pirates, Submersibles, Airships (Oh My)]]
|[[Ormarr]], [[Sonja]], [[Oates]], [[Munch]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|-
|July 26th, 2013
|[[PrP: Heart of Farceness]]
|[[Faiza]], [[Eligar]], [[Vennan]], [[Munch]], [[Angrid]]
|-
|-
|July 31st, 2013
|[[PrP: Role Reversal]]
|[[Faiza]], [[Radek]], [[Aegremar]], [[Temarie]], [[Kojot]]
|-
|-
|August 3rd, 2013
|[[Trubble in the Market]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Trubble]]
|-
|-
|August 14th, 2013
|[[On Prancing]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|August 15th, 2013
|[[Another Owlbear]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Mikilos]], [[Hilal]], [[Markus]], [[Nasirri]], [[Raethon]], [[Azog]], [[Boshter]], [[Rain]]
|-
|-
|August 22th, 2013
|[[PrP: Goblintown Sewers]]
|[[Thora]], [[Albain]], [[Elessa]], [[Randek]], [[Gwendolyn]]
|-
|-
|August 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Duty of Shadows]]
|[[Tatyannah]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Laoise]], [[Schneider]], [[Solace]]
|-
|-
|August 28th, 2013
|[[Munch's Workshop]]
|[[Solace]], [[Munch]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|-
|September 10th, 2013
|[[PrP: General Bloodeyes Appears]]
|[[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Oates]], [[Nadara]], [[Arik]]
|-
|-
|September 16th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Wild Hunt]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Jareth]], [[Oates]], [[Teppus]], [[Munch]]
|-
|-
|September 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Galena Lode - Part 1t]]
|[[Jensine]], [[Jonan]], [[Mel]], [[Zippo]]
|-
|}

[[Category:Logs]]

Recent Logs

2013-09-25T21:57:33Z

Ishmaelthegray:

[[Category:Logs]]
Roleplay is central to Tenebrae, and consists of a mix of scenes, grid, and PrPs. Here you may read some of the logs our players have posted, or wanted to share. This page may also be used to post logs for PrPs, to share an item for staff review, or to tell players about a great scene. Remember too, if you're RPing in a public area, a log may end up on this site. Most recent logs are at the '''bottom.'''

==How to Post a Log==
{{TableMain}}
{{T01}}
| colspan="2" | Log Help
{{T02}}
|I Need Help With...
|Look Here
|-
|Posting a log
|[[How to Post a Log]]
|-
|Wiki formatting
|'''[[How to Format a Log Quickly|How to Automagically Clean a Log]]''', [[Help:Editing#Formatting|Wiki Help]]
|-
|Finding a PrP template
|[[PrP Template]]
|-
|Finding what goes in a PrP log
|[[Player_Run_Plots#Sending_in_a_Finished_PrP|Submitting PrPs]]
|-
|Finding logs from the old website
|[http://emblemofea.pbworks.com/w/page/12036798/Game-Logs The Old Site]
|}

==Our Logs==
{{TableMain}}
{{T02}}
|Date
|Log
|People
|-
|
|[[A Duel!]]
|
|-
|
|[[How to Smite with a Poo Cart]]
|
|-
|
|[[Crusaders, Start Your Engines!]]
|
|-
|
|[[Adamantine Tinkering]]
|
|-
|
|[[Storytime in the Dragon's Den]]
|
|-
|
|[[Adamantine Hunt]]
|
|-
|Aug 6 2012
|[[PRP: Unbearable]]
|[[Constantin]], [[Nadara]], [[Leisel]], [[Quint]], [[Dante]], [[Jibbom]]
|-
|Aug 7 2012
|[[A Formal Complaint]]
|[[Donk]], [[Dante]]
|-
|Aug 7, 2012
|[[The Overturned Cart]]
| [[Kalkorth]], [[Constantin]], [[Donk]], [[Emir]], [[Trank]], [[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Eira]]
|-
|Aug 8, 2012
|[[Felicia's Very Sandy Birthday Party]]
|[[Emir]], [[Svarshan]], [[Mikilos]], [[Katja]], [[Sandy]]
|-
|Aug ?, 2012
|[[Fox Ears for Azog]]
|[[Azog]], [[Abrahil]], [[Myrana]], [[Kalkorth]], [[Conrad]], [[Garrin]]
|-
|Aug 9, 2012
|[[Raising Halani]]
|[[Halani]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Craft]], [[Jinks]]
|-
|Aug 22, 2012
|[[Wanted Posters]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Sandy]], [[Myrana]]
|-
|Aug 14, 2012
|[[Sildanyari do Not Birth Gnomes]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Rotgut]], [[Faun]], [[Boshter]], [[Cesran]], [[Ormarr]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|August 23, 2012
|[[A Tea Cart]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Jibbom]], [[Azog]], [[Sandy]], [[Mikilos]], [[Lumina]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|August 25, 2012
|[[Moonwatching]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Mikilos]], [[Colrick]], [[Locien]], [[Usha]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|August 31, 2012
|[[Prancing Poncy Swiftclaws]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Sandy]], [[Lumina]], [[Svarshan]], [[Locien]]
|-
|September 1, 2012
|[[Dastardly Dealings]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 3, 2012
|[[PRP: Catacombs Kidnapping]]
|[[Sonja]], [[Grunak]], [[Colrick]], [[Seadhna]], [[Jibbom]], [[Kathryn]]
|-
|September 4, 2012
|[[Social: BAD DOG!]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Nadara]], [[Lumina]], [[Ashlynn]]
|-
|September 5, 2012
|[[PRP: The Laughing Anna]]
|[[Moonshadow]], [[Munch]], [[Seadhna]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|September 6, 2012
|[[The Best Medicine]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Lumina]], [[Savannah]], [[Boshter]], [[Zalara]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 8, 2012
|[[Social: Hangover]]
|[[Kama'o]], [[Teppus]], [[Chloe]], [[Lumina]], [[Donk]]
|-
|Sept 13, 2012
|[[Muse of Doom]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Azog]], [[Jessa]], [[Zalara]], [[Quint]], [[Svarshan]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|Sept 14, 2012
|[[Career Day]]
|[[Ormarr|Wonderpony]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Angrid]], [[Zalara]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|Sept 15, 2012
|[[PrP: Sanctuary Cleansing]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Melbert]]
|-
|September 15, 2012
|[[Not Yet a Knight]]
|[[Kerbasy]], [[Jareth]], [[Azog]], [[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|September 15, 2012
|[[Double Rainbow Man (Again)]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Agril]], [[Jessa]], [[Constantin]], [[Selia]], [[Younger]]
|-
|Sept 16, 2012
|[[Coyote Meets Phoenix]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|September 17, 2012
|[[Younger's Busted Leg]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Younger]], [[Jessa]], [[Munch]], [[Chloe]], [[Lumina]]
|-
|September 18, 2012
|[[Thrax]]
|[[Savannah]], [[Jibbom]], [[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|Sept 25, 2012
|[[Hip-pest Reaction]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Zalara]], [[Jessa]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Ellerela]]
|-
|October 13, 2012
|[[Shamblers in the Woods]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Leisel]]
|-
|October 15, 2012
|[[Clara the Lance]]
|[[Cinnamon]], [[Kerbasy]]
|-
|October 16, 2012
|[[Sandy is a Dandy]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Jinks]], [[Constantin]], [[Arissa]]
|-
|October 17, 2012
|[[Tent Fires]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 17, 2012
|[[The Statues]]
|[[Eleia]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Boshter]]
|-
|October 19, 2012
|[[Challenge Beyond Our Means]]
|[[Albain]], [[Craft]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 22, 2012
|[[Punchy Friends]]
|[[Aenyn]], [[Gragnar]], [[Liessa]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|October 23, 2012
|[[Alleyway]]
|[[Donk]], [[Faun]], [[Quint]], [[Selia]], [[Whendi]]
|-
|October 26, 2012
|[[Kittens Jessa Kittens|Kittens, Jessa, Kittens!]]
|[[Quint]], [[Jessa]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]], [[Cesran]],
|-
|October 27, 2012
|[[There Can be Only One Pretty Pretty Princess|There Can be Only One (Pretty Pretty Princess)]]
| [[Azog]], [[Cinnamon]], [[Sandy]], [[Constantin]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|Unknown
|[[Giant Pink Hips]]
|[[Gragnar]], [[Jessa]], [[Svarshan]], [[Sandy]], [[Jibbom]], [[Emir]]
|-
|November 11, 2012
|[[Coming to Alexandria]]
|[[Fiona]], [[Cesran]]
|-
|November 11, 2012
|[[Young impressionable Youth]]
|[[Younger]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 13, 2012
|[[Till Death Do us Part]]
|[[Mel]], [[Ashlynn]], [[Zalara]], [[Eliathitae]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 14, 2012
|[[Goblintown]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Jareth]], [[Younger]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|November 16, 2012
|[[A Land Down Under]]
|[[Hilal]], [[Gavisa]],[[Mel]], [[Vennan]],[[ Angrid]], [[Zalara]],[[ Fiona]],[[ Jessa]]
|-
|November 17, 2012
|[[Once Upon a Jail Cell]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Fiona]], [[Eliathitae]], [[Selia]]
|-
|November 18, 2012
|[[Bar Talk]]
|[[Angrid]], [[Azog]], [[Kaedin]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|Novenber 19,2012
|[[Of Honor and Laughter]]
|[[Kaedin]], [[Azog]]
|-
|November 19, 2012
|[[The Beginning of an Odd Partnership]]
|[[Kaedin]], [[Maxine]]
|-
|November 28, 2012
|[[Thoughts on Jobs and Life]]
|[[Hilal]], [[Oates]], [[Halani]], [[Quint]]
|-
|November 27, 2012
|[[Sandy Gets Hitched]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Saevrinimata]], [[Mikilos]], [[Kerbasy]], [[Arngrid]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|November 29, 2012
|[[A Type of Armor]]
|[[Kerbasy]], [[Aenyn]]
|-
|November 30,2012
|[[Goblin Caravan]]
|[[Craft]], [[Mikilos]], [[Oates]]
|-
|December 4, 2012
|[[Late Night at Wayfarer's Inn]]
|[[Maendir]], [[Zalara]], [[Oates]]
|-
|December 5, 2012
|[[Jinks Pearly Temple|Jinks' Pearly Temple]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Abrahil]], [[Jinks]]
|-
|December 5, 2012
|[[Beyond the Pearly Temple]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Jinks]], [[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Maendir]], [[Constantin]], [[Quint]]
|-
|December 10, 2012
|[[Rocks, Poop, Hips, and Stew!!]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Oates]], [[Fiona]], [[Svarshan]], [[Liessa]], [[Azog]], [[Achala]], [[Leisel]]
|-
|December 11 2012
|[[Mercantile Obligation (Porocora DM)]]
|[[Katja]], [[Ashlynn]], [[Albain]], [[Fiona]]
|-
|December 20,2012
|[[Grin Apolypse]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Kuumvu]], [[Mikilos]], [[Remethaer]], [[Sandy]], [[Sonja]]
|-
|December 21, 2012
|[[Bar Chatter]]
|[[Gwendolyn]], [[Sandy]], [[Selia]]
|-
|December 23, 2012
|[[Poor Holiday Tidings]]
|[[Emir]], [[Zalara]], [[Donk]], [[Remethaer]]
|-
|December 30, 2012
|[[Art of Slice, the]]
|[[Chloe]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Liessa]], [[Munch]], [[Remethaer]], [[Vennan]]
|-
|??
|[[PRP: Clearing Jeribald's Mine]]
|??
|-
|December 31, 2012
|[[Adventurers Guild Bringing in the New Year|Adventurer's Guild: Bringing in the New Year]]
|[[Karelin]], [[Azog]], [[Svarshan]], [[Tavissha]], [[Mikilos]], [[Sonja]], [[Oates]], [[Cesran]], [[Myrana]], [[Wilma]]
|-
|January 4, 2013
|[[Arvek in Pink]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Boshter]], [[Jessa]], [[Roka]]
|-
|January 5,2013
|[[Ribbeting Times at the Hope]]
|[[Tavissha]], [[Abrahil]], [[Zalara]], [[Lash]]
|-
|January 7, 2013
|[[Hanging of the Butcher]]
|Lots
|-
|January 9, 2013
|[[Jink's Kids]]
|[[Jinks]], [[Agril]], [[Svarshan]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|January 10, 2013
|[[Cue Yakety Sax]]
|[[Emir]], [[Sandy]], [[Donk]], [[Abrahil]], [[Myrana]]
|-
|January 11, 2013
|[[In the Market]]
|[[Craft]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|January 11, 2013
|[[What's Down There?]]
|[[Brolin]], [[Lash]], [[Nadara]], [[Raja]], [[Zarr]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|January 12, 2013
|[[Wolf-wrestling]]
|[[Donk]], [[Kuumvu]], [[Tavissha]], [[Thyrson]], [[Jareth]], [[Garrin]]
|-
|January 13, 2013
|[[At the Ox]]
|[[Azog]], [[Lash]], [[Sandy]], [[Mikilos]], [[Faraday]]
|-
|January 13, 2013
|[[On the Roadway]]
|[[Sandy]], [[Selia]], [[Roka]], [[Arafel]], [[Elycia]],
|-
|January 19, 2013
|[[Nipples and rainbows]]
|[[Roka]], [[Karelin]], [[Rotgut]], [[Munch]]
|-
|January 20, 2013
|[[Mirrors]]
|[[Selia]], [[Oates]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|January 21, 2013
|[[The Lost]]
|[[Gragnar]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|January 23, 2013
|[[Of Guns, Maintenance, and Weather]]
|[[Craft]], [[Rementhaer]]
|-
|January 26, 2013
|[[Desolate Dig]]
|[[Oates]], [[Remethaer]], [[Lash]], [[Arafel]], [[Cinnamon]], [[Mel]]
|-
|January 27, 2013
|[[Along the Road]]
|[[Ormarr]], [[Cesran]], [[Lash]], [[Vidarr]], [[Donk]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|January 27, 2013
|[[PrP: Trouble Brewing]]
|[[Arafel]], [[Oates]], [[Rotgut]], [[Tavissha]], [[Brolin]]
|-
|January 28, 2013
|[[Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Deliciousness]]
|[[Donk]], [[Jibbom]], [[Cesran]], [[Elysia]], [[Lash]], [[some chubby, old orc]]
|-
|February 02, 2013
|[[Lost And Found]]
|[[Sharna]], [[Azog]], [[Aenyn]]
|-
|February 03, 2013
|[[Makar at the Ox]]
|[[Myrana]], [[Svarshan]], [[Mikilos]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|February 09, 2013
|[[PrP: Up in Smoke]]
|[[Sharna]], [[Jinks]], [[Sonja]], [[Aenyn]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|February 10, 2013
|[[PrP: 3:10 to Selentia]]
|[[Birgit]], [[Chloe]], [[Elessa]], [[Remethaer]]
|-
|February 15, 2013
|[[Love Potions]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Agril]], [[Taurex]], [[Zalara]]
|-
|February 15, 2013
|[[PrP: Pie and Orc]]
|[[Mako]], [[Remethaer]], [[Aviere]]
|-
|-
|February 19, 2013
|[[PrP: Meat on Stick Part 1]]
|[[Taurex]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Abrahil]], [[Kilian]]
|-
|-
|February 25, 2013
|[[PrP: Meat on Stick Part 2]]
|[[Taurex]], [[Vennan]], [[Kravar]], [[Shrike]]
|-
|-
|March 03, 2013
|[[PrP: Lurker on the Heights]]
|[[Lash]], [[Vennan]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Oates]], [[Schneider]], [[Alistine]]
|-
|-
|March 08, 2013
|[[PrP: The Alexandrian Job]]
|[[Kravar]],[[Heyuri]], [[Korsten]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|
| [[Spirit-Bonded Ceremony]]
|
|-
|-
|April 01, 2013
|[[Kittens]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Jessa]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|-
|April 02, 2013
|[[Log: Goblintown Hi-Jinks]]
|[[Meep]], [[Sonja]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Kravar]], [[ Sandy]], [[Constantin]]
|-
|-
|April 10, 2013
|[[Log: Pets 4 Sale]]
|[[Grub]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Seanait]]
|-
|-
|April 11, 2013
|[[PrP: Goblin Massacre Mystery]]
|[[Vennan]], [[Kravar]], [[Nadara]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|-
|April 12, 2013
|[[BBQ fun]]
|[[Agril]], [[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|-
|April 17, 2013
|[[Chance Meeting]]
|[[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Younger]]
|-
|-
|April 22, 2013
|[[Log: Lower Market Madness]]
|[[Mogrinaar]], [[Kravar]], [[Shilde]], [[Chloe]]
|-
|-
|April 23, 2013
|[[Log: Meetings and Mysteries at Wilderness Pointe]]
|[[Drake]], [[Kravar]], [[Ferawyn]]
|-
|-
|April 26, 2013
|[[PrP: Camp Encounter]]
|[[Remethaer]], [[Elessa]], [[Kravar]], [[Ferawyn]]
|-
|-
|May 1st, 2013
|[[Kill Tak]]
|[[Tak]], [[Selia]], [[Elycia]]
|-
|-
|May 2nd, 2013
|[[DEATH!]]
|[[Kravar]], [[Tak]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|May 3rd, 2013
|[[PRP: Fast Zombie Day]]
|-
|-
|May 5th, 2013
|[[Log: Sign Sixty-Two]]
|[[Rogun]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Sebropert]]
|-
|-
|May 11th, 2013
|[[PrP: Ratburglars!]]
|[[Tak]], [[Madde]], [[Porarna]]
|-
|-
|May 13th, 2013
|[[Magic Discussions at Fernwood Pub]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Tak]], [[Rogun]], [[Karelin]]
|-
|-
|May 14th, 2013
|[[PrP: Vadran Patrol]]
|[[Tak]], [[Sebropert]], [[Rogun]], [[Elessa]]
|-
|-
|May 15th, 2013
|[[Olympic Start]]
|[[Abrahil]], [[Jessa]], [[Munch]]
|-
|-
|May 16th, 2013
|[[PrP: Spontaneous Event]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Ferawyn]], [[Brom]], [[Folkmar]]
|-
|-
|May 18th, 2013
|[[PrP: Docking Pay]]
|[[Folkmar]], [[Halani]]. [[Kravar]], [[Tak]], [[Vennan]]
|-
|-
|May 21st, 2013
|[[Trust Building Exercise!]]
|[[Folkmar]], [[Moonshadow]]
|-
|-
|May 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: A Golem in the Arena]]
|[[Munch]], [[Zalara]], [[Valadhiel]]
|-
|-
|May 24th, 2013
|[[Taiko Market]]
|[[Halani]], [[Selia]], [[Tak]]
|-
|-
|May 25th, 2013
|[[PrP: Food Fight]]
|[[Temarie]], [[Tak]], [[Brom]], [[Faiza]]
|-
|-
|May 28th, 2013
|[[Gelfure Chatter]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Mikilos]], [[Tak]], [[Molokh]]
|-
|-
|May 29th, 2013
|[[Market Meet]]
|[[Sonja]], [[Mikilos]], [[Gunnhilde]], [[Tak]]
|-
|-
|May 29th, 2013
|[[Book Thief]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Vekson]], [[Elycia]], [[Zarya]], [[Cesran]], [[Karelin]]
|-
|-
|May 20th, 2013
|[[PrP: Arena Bout 05 30]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Jex]], [[Brom]], [[Nadara]], [[Tak]], [[Gunnhilde]]
|-
|-
|May 20th, 2013
|[[Philosophy of the Rat]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Vekson]], [[Zarya]]
|-
|-
|June 6th, 2013
|[[PrP: Cattle Wasps]]
|[[Jex]], [[Temarie]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Lanier]], [[Laoise]]
|-
|-
|June 7th, 2013
|[[Fundraising Pie]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Sonja]]
|-
|-
|June 8th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Azure Queen's Trap]]
|[[Jex]], [[Shrike]], [[Moonshadow]], [[Nadara]], [[Kojot]]
|-
|-
|June 17th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Prancing Owlbear]]
|[[Brom]], [[Eligar]], [[Lanier]], [[Nadara]], [[Tak]], [[Temarie]]
|-
|-
|June 20th, 2013
|[[PrP: Red Ridge Pass]]
|[[Eligar]], [[Tak]], [[Thora]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|June 21st, 2013
|[[Market Meeting]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Valadhiel]]
|-
|-
|June 22nd, 2013
|[[PrP: Saturday Night Main Event]]
|[[Cesran]], [[Munch]], [[Tatyannah]], [[Temarie]]
|-
|-
|June 24th, 2013
|[[Mary Met]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Mary]], [[Mikilos]], [[Sandy]]
|-
|-
|June 25th, 2013
|[[PrP: Save the Princess]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Elessa]], [[Tak]], [[Zarr]]
|-
|-
|June 27th, 2013
|[[PrP: Abyssal Barn]]
|[[Elessa]], [[Kilian]], [[Lanier]], [[Tak]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|June 30th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Dastardly Gauntlet of Doom!]]
|[[Azog]], [[Jenner]], [[Jessa]], [[Jibbom]], [[Oates]]
|-
|-
|July 1st, 2013
|[[PrP: Artificer's Arena Challenge]]
|[[Aleron]], [[Eligar]], [[Vekson]]
|-
|-
|July 1st, 2013
|[[Hart Scouts]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|July 4th, 2013
|[[On Good and Evil]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Jame]], [[Vekson]], [[Solace]], [[Mikilos]]
|-
|-
|July 6th, 2013
|[[Cats in the Market]]
|[[Azog]], [[Niama]], [[Mikilos]], [[Valadhiel]], [[Ol' Mags]]
|-
|-
|July 9th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Ghosttower]]
|[[Tatyannah]], [[Eligar]], [[Auk]], [[Solace]] (GM)
|-
|-
|July 12th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Trouble With Archaeology]]
|[[Bildor]], [[Schneider]], [[Raethon]], [[Thorarna]], [[Solace]]
|-
|-
|July 18th, 2013
|[[PrP: Pirates, Submersibles, Airships (Oh My)]]
|[[Ormarr]], [[Sonja]], [[Oates]], [[Munch]], [[Jessa]]
|-
|-
|July 26th, 2013
|[[PrP: Heart of Farceness]]
|[[Faiza]], [[Eligar]], [[Vennan]], [[Munch]], [[Angrid]]
|-
|-
|July 31st, 2013
|[[PrP: Role Reversal]]
|[[Faiza]], [[Radek]], [[Aegremar]], [[Temarie]], [[Kojot]]
|-
|-
|August 3rd, 2013
|[[Trubble in the Market]]
|[[Mikilos]], [[Trubble]]
|-
|-
|August 14th, 2013
|[[On Prancing]]
|[[Jessa]], [[Mikilos]], [[Tatyannah]]
|-
|-
|August 15th, 2013
|[[Another Owlbear]]
|[[Svarshan]], [[Myrana]], [[Mikilos]], [[Hilal]], [[Markus]], [[Nasirri]], [[Raethon]], [[Azog]], [[Boshter]], [[Rain]]
|-
|-
|August 22th, 2013
|[[PrP: Goblintown Sewers]]
|[[Thora]], [[Albain]], [[Elessa]], [[Randek]], [[Gwendolyn]]
|-
|-
|August 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Duty of Shadows]]
|[[Tatyannah]], [[Gwendolyn]], [[Laoise]], [[Schneider]], [[Solace]]
|-
|-
|August 28th, 2013
|[[Munch's Workshop]]
|[[Solace]], [[Munch]], [[Sandy]], [[Svarshan]]
|-
|-
|September 10th, 2013
|[[PrP: General Bloodeyes Appears]]
|[[Ferawyn]], [[Mikilos]], [[Oates]], [[Nadara]], [[Arik]]
|-
|-
|September 16th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Wild Hunt]]
|[[Jibbom]], [[Jareth]], [[Oates]], [[Teppus]], [[Munch]]
|-
|-
|September 24th, 2013
|[[PrP: The Galena Lode - Part 1t]]
[[Jensine]], [[Jonan]], [[Mel]], [[Zippo]]
|-
|}

[[Category:Logs]]

Character Pages

2013-09-16T00:20:35Z

Ishmaelthegray:

{{TableMain}}
{{T01}}
| colspan="2" | Character Pages Help
{{T02}}
|I'd Like Help On...
|Go Here
|-
|Logging in so I can edit the wiki
| [[Help:Editing|Wiki Help]]
|-
| Making a character page
| [[How to Make a Character Page]]
|-
| Finding a template I could use
| [[Character Page Template]]
|-
| Letting people know about my page
| @set me=URL:<font color="#ccc">Your URL Goes Here</font>
|-
|I can't edit my page anymore!
|You may've forgotten to add the 'player' tag to your character page. Contact staff!
|-
| Finding someone in the community to draw my character
| There are a number of community members who do commissions. You might page: '''[http://jnrajh.blogspot.com/ Myrana]''', '''[http://skiriki.deviantart.com/ Lolth]''', '''[http://mikewinn.deviantart.com/ Maelstrom]''', or '''[http://www.cvilbrandt.com/ Emir]''' ingame. Lash also does sketches, and has done some of the great art on our deity pages! You can see examples of their work on different character pages, below. Active members may page Lahar or leave an @mail to be added to this list.
|}

{{CompactTOC}}

[[Category:Player]]

==A==
* [[Abrahil]]
* [[Aenyn]]
* [[Aegremar]]
* [[Agril]]
* [[Albain de Corveaux]]
* [[Alteri]]
* [[Amara]]
* [[Amira|Amir'a al'Jarim]]
* [[Arafel Gemlord]]
* [[Ashlynn]]
* [[Azog]]

==B==
* [[Bashkim|Bashkim Sylaj]]
* [[Boshter]]
* [[Brolin]]

==C==
* [[Cinnamon]]
* [[Cesran]]
* [[Colrick Voss]]
* [[Constantin]]
* [[Craft]]

==D==
* [[Darshan]]
* [[Donk]]
* [[Drok'thar]]

==E==
* [[Edgard|Sir Edgard de Lecadre]]
* [[Edmee|Edmee Sulwen]]
* [[Eliathitae]]
* [[Emir|Emir Zalaahd]]

==F==
* [[Faiza]]
* [[Fiona]]
* [[Folkmar]]

==G==
* [[Garak]]
* [[Garrin]]
* [[Garthos]]

==H==
* [[Harric]]

==I==
* [[Ionus]]
* [[Ishmael]]

==J==
* [[Jareth]]
* [[Jensine]]
* [[Jessa]]
* [[Jibbom]]
* [[Jinks]]

==K==
* [[Kade Harlow]]
* [[Kaedin]]
* [[Kaiella]]
* [[Kail]]
* [[Kaliara|Kaliara Sein]]
* [[Karelin Andarin]]
* [[Kerbasi]]
* [[Koszhey Urvald Malinovyi]]
* [[Kravar]]
* [[Kyra Smith]]
* [[Kuumvu]]
* [[Kilian]]

==L==
* [[Lash]]
* [[Leisel]]
* [[Lithuin]]

==M==
* [[Mab]]
* [[Maerkkus]]
* [[Marley]]
* [[Matthias Haelker]]
* [[Mikilos]]
* [[Millicent]]
* [[Munch]]
* [[Myrana Jn'Rajh]]

==N==
* [[Nadara]]

==O==
* [[Oates|Jack Oates]]
* [[Ormarr]]

==P==
* [[Phanuel]]

==Q==
*[[Quint]]

==R==
* [[Remethaer]]
* [[Roka]]
* [[Roland]]
* [[Rogun]]

==S==
* [[Lady Sandiel]]
* [[Hailee Serene Tigriil]]
* [[Lady Sienna Meribeth McBane]]
* [[Solace]]
* [[Sophia Lightbringer]]
* [[Selia]]
* [[Sharna]]
* [[Shyntae]]
* [[Spike]]
* [[Sebropert]]

==T==
* [[Tak]]
* [[Thaim]]
* [[Thistle]]
* [[Thyrson]]

==U==
* [[Uisge]]
* [[Ulharilti Wiivai]]

==V==
* [[Vekson]]
* [[Vennan|Vennan Hartose]]
* [[Vidarr|Vidarr Halvdran]]

==W==

==X==
* [[Xander]]

==Y==
* [[Younger, Bruce The|Bruce the Younger]]
* [[Yerathiel]]

==Z==
* [[Zaxx]]