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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 1989
(8/25/03 10:23 am)
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Atan's Story Part III: Into Potters Row
Like a shining (but short) army the Ghurugil form up in the main hall, checking the keen edges of their weapons and bracing themselves for the task at hand. Ahead of their departure, Kildeer and Atan disappear into the night.
The dwarven ranger hoists the elf on his back and stalks through the shadows, north along the high town wall. The night draws increasingly dark as the gibbous moon slinks down toward the western mountains. Kildeer's sharp nightvision allows them speedy passage through the maze of hovels and refuse that clutters the forgotten areas of the pitiless frontier town.
It isn't long before the two come upon a site that reminds Atan of things he'd rather forget.
"Yelm's teeth!" Kildeer exclaims, surveying the shallow crater and pulverized cobblestones created by the mysterious pale woman of Atan's feverish flight from captivity. "I thought you were hallucinating. What could have done such a thing, and to solid stone as well?"
Edited by: Jubilex at: 9/22/03 11:07 am
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Atan
Atan Finith Ring
Posts: 217
(8/25/03 5:42 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
Not all together comfortable with his perch upon a dwarven back, Atan peers over Kildeer's shoulder, "If not for the crones breath I would believe I was still halucinating!" Shivering at the thought of the faceless women, Atan's head jerks skyward, "We should go! I do not see the fish above and I have no wish too spy them again." Never one to pass up a jab, "Quickly my faithful steed!"
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 1994
(8/26/03 8:33 am)
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Re: Potters Row
Kildeer hoists Atan higher onto his back with an intestine bruising jolt, then continues on his trek mumbling in dwarvish.
Soon they reach a spot along the high stone wall that looks vaguely familiar to Atan and Kildeer lets the elf slide to the ground.
"Well Atan, you will have the rare pleasure of tracking yourself. A limping elf trailing blood should be easy to follow and we'll find this foul hole from which you crawled... no offense intended."
Edited by: Jubilex at: 8/26/03 8:33 am
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Atan
Atan Finith Ring
Posts: 218
(8/26/03 9:41 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
Atan shoots his dwarven counterpart a scowl that metamorphises to a grin, "You got it smart guy. So lets see that hole I crawled from was around here somewhere."
[Atan uses his tracking feat (+4) to try and locate his trail. Of course most of this should like familiar as he did try to concentrate on remembering his path when he escaped.]
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 2001
(8/27/03 8:47 am)
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Re: Potters Row
Atan, his splinted leg sticking out at an odd angle, crouches down and checks for his own tracks. Kildeer moves a short distance away and does the same. Despite the moonlit gloom, Atan's blood and smeared, uneven tracks in the mud are not hard to find.
The pair pick their way through the crumbling shanties and mud-brick hovels in the most neglected part of Ravensgate, and though both are aware of careless eyes staring at them from the shadows no one dares challenge them. North along the wall, then east down a dark yet familiar alley, Atan finds the stout wooden door from which he emerged. Everything beyond the door is a shadowy memory for the young elf as every staircase and passage was pitch black when the strange dwarf woman hauled him up from the depths.
Kildeer cautiously tries the door but it is locked.
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Atan
Atan Finith Ring
Posts: 219
(8/27/03 4:25 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
Atan leans over and whispers to the dwarven tracker. "This is it. What now? I honestly can't remember what the plan was. Were we to go back to the lodge or go meet the Ghurugil at the bar with the rest of the party?"
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 2005
(8/28/03 7:56 am)
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Re: Potters Row
Kildeer stops, a puzzled look on his face.
"Oh, I... hadn't thought that far ahead."
The dwarf glances down at Atan's broken leg, then back at the door, taking a moment to scratch his beard. Atan perceives that Kildeer is weighing the risks of going down into the subterranean complex alone, and as brave as the dwarf ranger seems to be, the prospect is giving him pause.
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Atan
Atan Finith Ring
Posts: 220
(8/28/03 9:01 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
Atan gives the door a concerted glance, not wanting to be a fool or appear foolhardy, "I recall we said we would meet them at the west wall once they had located our companions. So should we go and wait or should we just go and find the Ghurugil and my friends and then come back?"
Strecthing his bad leg slowly, "On second thoughts standing around causes my leg to tighten up. Let's go find our friends and then come back."
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 2014
(9/2/03 10:27 am)
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Re: Potters Row
Kildeer simply nods.
The two make for the western wall, waiting for the rest of the Ghurugil in a muddy courtyard that is fortunately free of the foul smelling folk that call the pitiful backalleys of Ravensgate home. It isn't long before the sound of hobnail boots and rattling mail reach their ears and eight armored Ghurugil stride into view. With them, being dragged roughly, is Sal'el.
Kildeer and Atan both share a moment of confusion as the young man who has been so helpful to them is cast mercilessly to the cobblestones by the barrel-chested Vhraalam.
[Atan isn't sure exactly which dwarf is which, each wearing their distinctive full-faced helms. Vhraalam's commanding voice gives him away, but Atan thinks the others are Llovas, Algeir, Tolm, Harek, Ottar, Grameissal, Madfilin and Vagn... all the Ghurugil except Savud and Boahur.]
"Speak, wretch!" Vhraalam orders the slowly recovering Sal'el.
"I don't understand," chirps the young human.
Vhraalam rears back his steel-toed boot to give him a kick, but Vagn (always calm and reserved) intervenes. Kneeling down to lay a hand on Sal'el, he looks up to Atan and Kildeer.
"We found him back at the lodge, and seemed to have no cares. But the enchantment laid upon him became known to us the moment he crossed the threshhold. Tell them, Sal'el, where are the others."
Sal'el shudders, his eyes cast down into the mud.
"We went to Potters Row, like they wanted to, and we met with a man that knew of the dwarf woman. They said I should follow him, and I did," Sal'el pleads, the voice of a man that clearly doesn't think he's done anything wrong.
"What else," Vagn asks, his voice perfectly calm.
"I followed him and met Gudr at the boarding house, and he said to make sure they went to the Coffin Nail. He said nothing would happen to them..." the young human's voice cracks all around his faltering sentences.
Kildeer spits noisily. "Gudr? That murderous snake?"
Sal'el lunges at the dwarf ranger, but Kildeer swiftly grabs him by the neck and hurls him back down into the mud.
"Do not speak about Gudr that way!" Sal'el screams. "He is a good man, and my friend!" Sal'el begins to sob.
Vagn stands and shakes his head at the turncoat's pitiful form.
"A weak mind is easily turned. He was no match for Gudr's enchantment."
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Atan
Atan Finith Ring
Posts: 221
(9/2/03 12:04 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
Atan's face twists into one of contempt, "A trap! You sent them into a trap Sal'el! Humakt take you!" Pausing for a momment he hobbles forward a few steps to stand over the wretch, "How many men were with Gudr and when were they to meet at the Coffin's Nail?"
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 2015
(9/2/03 12:08 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
Sal'el, his shameful face still facing the earth, mumbles "I don't know how many. They were going into the Coffin Nail when I left them."
A chorus of dwarvish murmuring emerges from the knot of Ghurugil, each turning to the other and speaking in deep, resonant tones.
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Atan
Atan Finith Ring
Posts: 222
(9/2/03 12:43 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
Annoyed even further, "And how long ago was that?! Quickly!"
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 2016
(9/2/03 12:56 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
"Ten minutes maybe," Sal'el demures.
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Atan
Atan Finith Ring
Posts: 223
(9/2/03 1:17 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
"How far to the Nail?", chatters Atan to the armored dwarven warband. "If we are quick we can maybe pull the group out with out a fight. Then backtrack to the hidden entrance and make our move for Kezib while the scoundrels try to figure out what happened. Either way, we should move on the hidden entrance. A one-two punch while we have some element of suprise and mommentum." Atan directs the last two sentences at Vhraalam, or who he thinks is Vhraalam underneath that large face concealing war helm.
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 2018
(9/2/03 1:55 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
Vagn rises, tipping back his helmet until is weather worn face is revealed. With fingers black with ink (Vagn is apparently the most bookish of the Ghurugil) he scratches his flowing amber beard.
"I don't like the idea of splitting up. Kezib is in need, surely, as are Draxim, Madragar and the others. They could all be in mortal danger..."
Kildeer interrupts. "The tunnels are not far from here, but they concern me more than the filth that infests Potters Row." The dwarf ranger glances at Atan. "My apologies," and continues in dwarvish.
Soon the entire band is grumbling and nearly shouting in their native tongue, and Atan is left wondering.
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Atan
Atan Finith Ring
Posts: 224
(9/2/03 6:26 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
Atan holds both his arms in the air and gives a sharp, shrill whistle. "You all arn't listening!", he belts out before shifting into a quieter tone, "We go now, en masse, to the coffin nail. Kildeer goes in to see if he can remove the group without a fight. We wait at the front door. First sign of trouble we move in and settle things out. If we see Gudr we move in. Once done there we move strait to the hidden entrance and find Kezib before the dregs have a chance to catch their breath. That is the one-two punch."
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 2022
(9/3/03 10:44 am)
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Re: Potters Row
The Ghurugil stare at Atan for a few seconds through the steel masks of their helmets. Vhraalam grumbles "haka lharahum Atan vaseil kala."
Kildeer replies "gatalra greva" and the whole band of dwarves bursts into laughter. Atan stands there for a few seconds, surrounded by armored dwarves, not sure how to respond and hoping they're not laughing directly at him.
Catching his breath, Kildeer continues. "Alright Atan, to the tavern. You'd best stay at the rear with me, lest you fall and are trampled by these careless sots."
Vhraalam takes the lead and the wedge of Ghurugil head due east towards the heart of Potters Row.
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Atan
Atan Finith Ring
Posts: 225
(9/3/03 4:02 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
"Don't mock me dwarvish.", Atan replies as the laughter trails off. His voice stern and admonishing, but his smile indicating he doesn't mind a good joke at his expense. "You can do it in moagaran, but not dwarvish."
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 2047
(9/8/03 2:06 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
The tiny army of dwarves and their limping elf set off into Potters Row, moving quickly down dark alleys and empty side streets at a light jog. The Ghurugil make a hell of a racket as they run, sheets of gleaming mail singing their metallic chants, and hobnail boots stomping the cobblestones. Thankfully Atan's long legs let him keep up with the much slower dwarves despite the unyielding splint on his leg.
More than once some stranger steps into the street and quickly retreats before the Ghurugil. Cries of surprise, curses, and wide staring eyes follow the armored phalanx as it dives into the heart of Potters Row.
At the head of the formation Vhraalam hollars out "Kahlara shon gharu, Ghurugil! Kahlara shon!"
This is answered by an angry, bloodthirsty roar from the rest of the dwarves. Even the normally cool Kildeer snarls and spits as they make their way north and east through the increasingly crowded streets. The savage warcry of the Ghurugil sends townsfolk scattering for cover.
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Atan
Atan Finith Ring
Posts: 230
(9/9/03 9:49 am)
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Re: Potters Row
Hoping that the dwarves know where they are going (and not just tear assing around Nam looking for the ), Atan does his best to stay with the stampede of armor. Holding his cloak tightly about him to conceal his identity, he maneuvers to the center and trailing edge of the Ghurugil.
Without much hope of a stealthy approach Atan figures the racket alone may confuse any sentries posted to give warning to the poor thieves guild in which this storm of dwarves was descending upon.
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 2056
(9/9/03 1:57 pm)
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Re: Potters Row
In just a few minutes the Ghurugil emerge from the shadowy alleys of Potters Row and come into sight of the Coffin Nail. It is a miserable, decrepit looking structure that seems to sag heavily against the surrounding buildings like an old drunk. Its uneven timbers are stained with years of neglect, and are a fitting frame for one of the most dangerous, and often avoided, taverns in Ravensgate. The moon continues to slide down towards the horizon, casting long, pale shadows across the muddy street.
Ceasing their savage yelling, the dwarves move into formation in front of the tavern, four facing the front door of the place to the east, and the rest watching the north, south and west. What few townsfolk linger in the streets quickly move away, or at least disappear into the safety of nearby alleys.
Vhraalam mumbles something in dwarvish which is quickly answered by Vagn and several of the others.
Kildeer nods to no one in particular, then turns to Atan.
"Can you smell it? There is something foul on the wind."
Atan does not, in fact, smell anything.
Edited by: Jubilex at: 9/9/03 2:15 pm
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