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Atan
Registered User
Posts: 48
(5/6/03 9:11 pm)
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Rolling dice
Atan knew he could count on the ever enthusiastic Chaos-hating cleric Ruig as well as his Quendë, Meneloss, to opt for destroying the vermin. But the others silence does not deter him, "As solid a plan as I have ever heard. I certainly wish we could discerne the true numbers of our enemy for my instincts say that we are heading into the wolves den."
"OK, Draxim you scout ahead again as we descend. We will use the candles, shielded by our hands to minimize the light we throw off. Once we near the bottom we can pick one of the giant-sized stairs to use as our makeshift base. To defend that we will have to use our missile weapons and light some oil on the human-sized stairs to slow them down.........but we won't know anything else until we head down. Lead the way Draxim, we will be behind you shortly."
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Kenner
Draxim
Posts: 511
(5/6/03 9:15 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
"P'raps we could set some traps for the beasties as they climb the stairs to pursue us?" says Draxim as he cathes his breath after the long stairs and explanations. "Maybe some oil and a trip rope to send them tumbling back down the staircase?" He turns to Madragar. "you could do that trick with the rope again. With luck they would fall all over each other in their eagerness to send us to meet Yimris. Bless him." he adds belatedly. "At any rate, whatever they were up to wasn't wholesome. Maybe they're tryin' to raise another one of those festering corrosive heaps of putrid blackened filth like we met before.." gasp " eh Ruig?"
Draxim puts a hand up indicating he needs a breather before hitting the stairs again. After a minute to relax his breathing, and a hastily devoured biscuit with some only slightly runny cheese, he is off again.
Edited by: Kenner at: 5/6/03 9:20:49 pm
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 1518
(5/6/03 9:20 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
"Erm, let's hope not Draxim," Ruig looks like he just ate a rancid turnip. The dwarf clearly has bad memories of the darkleech.
"Atan, I counted at least twelve of the beasts bounding down the stairs as we withdrew behind the secret door. Minus three we felled," Ruig jerks a thumb to the west. "And that's nine, maybe more."
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doggius
Kezib Ahitub
Posts: 333
(5/6/03 10:07 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
Looking around the group, Kezib speaks up. "I have some skills in stealth, granted they are not as extensive as Draxims but would it be wise for someone to at least help Draxim climb and decend these stairs? They are enough of a hassle for the taller races, imagine the struggles Draxim goes through, that I know he does with pleasure" Kezib says.
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Meneloss
Meneloss Erednim
Posts: 633
(5/6/03 10:17 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
Meneloss brings the helpful monk over to the head of the stairs.
With one hand on the bald human's shoulder Meneloss gestures to the staircase with his other hand:
"Kezib, there is stair parallel to the giant staircase which is smaller for people like us. See?"
He continues
"Draxim can see in the dark and you an dI cannot, that is why it makes more sense for the brave scout to move ahead alone."
"But you and I, let's go get us that Broospear It will be good to have on these stairs. I should like to reach out and touch a broo or two."
With a smile he heads to the Western chamber where the dead broo lay and retrieves the spear.
Edited by: Meneloss at: 5/6/03 10:21:53 pm
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Tarondor
Madragar
Posts: 433
(5/6/03 11:34 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
"What will this accomplish but to bring a pack of broo howling down upon our heads?" asks Madragar. "I yearn to sweep the mountain clean of them no less than you. But a silent war will serve us far better, and some information prolong our lives, than relying on the broo to be no more than beasts."
"Though beasts they are, there are those among them with an evil cunning. These will use their greater numbers to slaughter us here upon the stairs if we are so foolish as to face them in open battle."
"Atan, it would be wiser to send scouts to learn what lies below than to rush headlong into conflict."
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Atan
Registered User
Posts: 49
(5/7/03 7:03 am)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
After listening to the party discussion, "Those are all good points. I think the original plan is still valid.....but to clarify. We use candles and go down the stairs, near the edge of light from below we will set up on one of the stairs. There we CAN defend if we are stumbling into worshipers of Chaos. So we will make defensive plans once we get there. If we can set up with no interference we will then send out scouts again to see if we can locate the enemy. The plan is not necessarily to fight them on the stairs. We will have to wait until we learn more. Lead on Draxim."
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Meneloss
Meneloss Erednim
Posts: 634
(5/7/03 8:00 am)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
Meneloss holds both the crude longspear and javelin in his left hand. The long shaft of the spear rests on his shoulder. He grasps the corner of his cloack and holds the candle in a fold of the travel worn garment with his right hand.
"So the wax won't burn you." He shows the others how he holds the candle.
The Elf mage waits for the last party member to descend the stair and he takes his position at rear-guard.
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Kenner
Draxim
Posts: 513
(5/7/03 11:35 am)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
[I added an edit earlier to say that Draxim does indeed head back down the stair. Just wanted to make sure you didn't miss it.]
[Got it. -GM]
Edited by: Jubilex at: 5/7/03 11:39:45 am
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 1521
(5/7/03 11:44 am)
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Re: Old Kurlew, Part IV
The group descends with the dwarves in the lead. All is quiet as they make their way down the long staircase, misty clouds rising up from their mouths and nostrils. The measly amount of light put off by the candles is only barely adequate to allow the humans to navigate the stairs. Careful to remain as silent as possible, the descent is long and tedious.
After nearly twenty minutes the travellers find themselves near the bottom of the stairs, about two steps up from where the elves estimate the broo would be able to see them in the distant lantern light below. The group fans out onto the thirty foot wide step.
In a moment of quiet the sounds of low, rythmic chanting comes rising up from the chamber below.
Edited by: Jubilex at: 5/7/03 11:45:42 am
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Tarondor
Madragar
Posts: 434
(5/7/03 12:47 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
[Scott, is the ceiling high enough that Kyethe could fly in unseen?]
[Yes. In fact, no one in the group knows just how high the ceiling is because it is higher than the 60' that the dwarves can see in absolute darkness. -GM]
Edited by: Jubilex at: 5/7/03 12:51:37 pm
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Tarondor
Madragar
Posts: 435
(5/7/03 3:23 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
Good. In case broo ears are sensitive enough to pick up the flapping of wings when the raven first takes off, Madragar climbs back up twenty steps or so, and then whispers instructions to Kyethe.
"Fly down below, but stay high, out of the light, and see what you can. Make no noise. That could get us killed. Then come back and tell me what you see."
He then launches the bird into the inky blackness.
[Aside to GM - Even though torchlight only illuminates things well enough for human eyes to see 30' away, I assume that those holding the torches or standing near them will be visible from a much greater distance, just like someone hiding in shadows should be able to see someone standing in the light.]
[That's reasonable to assume. We all know what it looks like to come up on a campfire in the dark. The folks in the light can be seen from a long way off. -GM]
Edited by: Jubilex at: 5/7/03 3:28:31 pm
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 1524
(5/7/03 3:29 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
The jet black bird flies out over the heads of those waiting on the lower step, and up into the inky shadows. The raven instantly disappears.
[Note to Madragar.]
A few minutes later and Kyethe returns, lighting on the tatooed wizard's shoulder. It croaks in Moagaran "loud. angry."
Edited by: Jubilex at: 5/7/03 3:35:38 pm
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Tarondor
Madragar
Posts: 436
(5/7/03 3:55 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
Madragar slips quietly back to the group, signalling them to gather close enough to hear his whispered report.
"Kythe reports that the entire area below is lit, and that the broo are waiting for us behind stone barriers. They are 'two tall trees' distance from the entrance."
"Beyond them is a downward-leading tunnel and more angry broo. It appears they are angry because of a sealed door."
"Numbers are not so easy to ascertain, but it seems there are many."
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Meneloss
Meneloss Erednim
Posts: 637
(5/7/03 4:25 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
Meneloss' face brightens at the last bit of news as he whispers:
"Then we are not too late. That these Broo are confounded by a sealed portal can only be good news. Yet if there are Broo which lay-in-wait then we must have made ourselves known, undoubtedly our descent caused more noise than we realized."
His face then turns grave in the candlelight
"Time is not on our side, we cannot simply wait it out. If they succeed in gaining access to whatever is beyond the door all of our fears may be realized. If we could draw them in then mayahaps their numbers will not count against us. Atan what are we to do?"
Meneloss removes a flask of oil from his pack. He cuts part of the hem of his cloak off and soaks the bit of cloth in the oil. He ties the wick around the ceramic flask. His makeshift firebomb sits at his feet.
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Tarondor
Madragar
Posts: 437
(5/7/03 5:17 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
Reminded of an earlier plan, Madragar does the same thing with two flasks of oil.
"Good just before the use of The Marvelous Pyrotechnic Blade ", he comments.
"Which gives me a plan, or part of one, at least. I can cast The Efficacious Charm of Climbing, enter the chamber below and quickly ascend above the firelight. There, I can run along the wall (for the ceiling is in gloom) to a position above and behind the broo. I will wait for you to begin whatever actions we decide upon. When the appropriate time arrives, I can bombard an area with these and descending, set many of the defenders on fire with The Marvelous Pyrotechnic Blade ."
Edited by: Tarondor at: 5/7/03 5:24:42 pm
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Atan
Registered User
Posts: 50
(5/7/03 8:10 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
"That is an excellent idea! Make their defensive positions moot by burning them out. I like that idea. The one big problem is I don't want to go down and fight them in the open. Two trees distance.......hundred feet or so? Maybe we should make ourselves known. Two or three of us as bait? Fire a missile weapon or two to get their attention and then return to the stairs. If a few give chase or many shouldn't matter. We will slay those initially and then move against those left at the barricade starting with a grand bombardment. Madragar, does your bird know if their was more Broo then us?"
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Jubilex
The Faceless Lord of Chaos
Posts: 1526
(5/7/03 8:21 pm)
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Re: There were giants in the Earth
Kyethe hops onto Madragar's head, then down to his shoulder again.
"More. Fewer at the stones. More down below."
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Kenner
Draxim
Posts: 514
(5/7/03 8:36 pm)
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Re: There were broo in the chamberpot
"Yea that's good. We should pick a stair and spread oil on it too, except for a path that we mark. Then we defend just above it so the broo lose their footing. Don't forget that for a while at least, we can use the stairs for cover the way that thrice cursed legionairre did. Oh, and did you ever figure out that fireball?" He thinks for a bit and then says, we should be higher, and light the length of the stairwell leading up to us. That way we get more time to soften them up with arrows and bolts. Did anyone see anything heavy we could drop on them from above?"
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Meneloss
Meneloss Erednim
Posts: 638
(5/7/03 9:56 pm)
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Oil for Blood
Meneloss supresses a chuckle at the earnest plotinschemin going on. At the mention of oiling a stair, Meneloss makes a reality check.
"Each flask is only a pint of oil. It would require much more oil than we posess to lubricate one of these massive Thirty Foot stairs."
He removes the second flask of oil from his pack and prepares it in a similar manner to the first.
"Let's take stock of our oil supplies. We need to preserve some oil for our lantern."
"Draxim that is an excellent idea about lighting up the staircase. The skirmishers who fire off the missile weapons can grab those lanterns below and leave them on the steps leading up here. "
"Who are the missiliers to be? I will go with Atan, though mayhaps I should borrow Draxim's crossbow. I can run faster than he. Madragar, can you fire that thing whilst clambering about the roof? If not then mayhaps I borrow yours."
[ooc: Meneloss has two flasks readied for firebombs. About how much oil does the party have left?]
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