Delurk - 1/2 Orc story

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Edwin finished sneaking peeks at the Nether scroll on his own and has finished his first round of deciphering it. Should be funny to hear Viccy and Korgan rag on him...

Which returns us to the main story. The Planar Sphere is once again sitting and rotting in the Slums after its interplanar trip to wherever. Duharrel and Korgan took out all of the power room golems with backup by Aerie of all people. Wihtout anyone noticing, she had been picking up pebbles as they walked along and been fiddling with them. Faced with an attack by the golems, she began to throw the pebbles at the golems and the pebbles burst into flames like meteors falling from the heavens...boom...boom...boom. The individual golems mindlessly continued attacking Duharrel and were carved up or cratered from above one after the other. It was one more in the continuing series of slaughters Duharrel and crew have unleashed on the world of Faerun.

Returning to the Navigation room, Duharrel had Yosh head over to the fallen body of LAvok in order to loot the corpse. But Lavok wasn't dead yet... just dying. The near-dead apparition croaked he wished to see the sun just one more time... Duharrel indicated to Yosh to rifle the "Dead man's" pockets... Aerie was appalled and began trying to drag Lavok to the front door of the sphere. Yosh, sort of torn between being a shit and being a real human being, hesitated and then began to help Aerie. Duharrel and the rest indicated that they'd be in the Copper Coronet sharing some brews on Hendak's gold piece if/when Aerie and Yosh finished - nothing personal, they just all didn't care about Lavok - he had tried to kill all of them after all.

It was the darkl of the night when Duharrel exited the Sphere and as he did, he noticed a figure skulking around like he was waiting for someone. Viccy reminded Duharrel of overhearing a rumor of a ring being smuggled in exchange for a pretty sizable ransom. What the hey, thought Duharrel and began walking over to the figure, followed in the shadows by the others. After a short conversation, Duharrel intimidated the figure into revealing that he, in fact, was part of the smuggling operation. Unfortunately for himself, the contact didn't have the merchandise on him. Also unfortunately, he mouthed off to Duharrel. Result - a dead contact and information on where the merchandise really was. So, off they went.

The fence was hiding out in a fairly nice room in the slums. Why is it that no one likes me, Duharrel thought to himself. They insult me as a matter of course. And the fight was on - but over almost before it started. Edwin counted the sword, axe and club swings - it took about 16 total to waste the fence and his three bodyguards. 16 swings / 4 = 4 dead conspirators in smuggling. As Yosh wasn't with them, Duharrel and Korgan each got to beat open a couple of chest in order to loot them. Fuuuuuuun!

Then it was into the Coronet for those brewskis and to wait for Aerie and Yosh. After Aerie became tipsy, after less than one half of a tankard of Bitter Back Ale, they trudged over to the Temple District to claim their reward from the Dawnsinger.

---and on to Bodhi...

Yup, the crew finally decided to end all the drama and returned to tell Bodhi that they had competed the third of her trials. She revealed as much in what she did not say as in what she did tell of her relationship with Irenicus. Seems that she has some kind of near-incestuous infatuation with that arrogant prig and wishes him to be her boy toy. Exactly how she was to accomplish that, she didn't quite specify, but she did reveal that Imoen and Irenicus were together in some island prison off the Sword Coast.

Duharrel, through a dim haze of near- recollection, remembered that Imoen had helped him escape the intial dungeon and thought they ought to proceed there to return the favor. So, when Bodhi indicated that she had arranged a sea charter to the island, Aerie squealed, "oooh, a ship trip.. can we go now?"

And they were off to Spellhold... It was an uneventful trip... no storms, no pirates, no funny sea creatures... Aerie was sorely disappointed.

Almost immediately after docking, the funnnniest thign happened. The party welcomed a new member who looked and acted vaugely familiar....

Script dialoge...
(Guess who) - Can you not peel this skin off for me... Please Aerie. I am on my knees

Yosh - Tell me (guess who). Would you like me to let out the seams of your robe? ... You do, after all, have more...bulk...in the upper chest area (now).

8-) 8-) 8-).. She's so cute!!!! and we get to keep her this way all the way to Chap 6!!!! Ya gotta love it!


And jsut before the chronicler hit the hay fo rthe night, the crew pulled into the tavern, rented a room and Duharrel was given a special Drow massage by Viccy. Whoopee - literally!
--------more to come later--------

[This message has been edited by Kailynne Johanne (edited September 11, 2001).]

 

Let's see. The progeny of a 1/2 Orc and a Drow would be what - a 1/4 Drorc? a 1/4 Orow? a 1/4 Dorcan?

Seems like this has turned into a smash and bash party with very little use for magic, right? Right up Duharrel's alley it seems. But, it will be interesting to see how the confrontation with Jon goes....

Role on man, play it to the max.

[This message has been edited by drm (edited September 11, 2001).]

 

Events in the real world preclude the immediate continuation of the Trials and Travails of Duharrel the Raktkiller.

Hopefully, I will be able to continue this story later this week.

Sorry....but the real world has intruded into Eden.

 

Well, that sux... or is this a teaser.... Man, as my Daddy says - "don't let the ba***rds get you down." Come back, play the game get your anger aboout what happened out and tell us about it.... We're with you dude.

[This message has been edited by drm (edited September 13, 2001).]

 

Duharrel and crew return!!!!!! Into the Aslyum...

Upon their arrival in Brynnlaw, Duharrel sought out the nearest tavern as he had developed a definite thirst on the long voyage. Heading up and up some stairs, he was almomst immediately pickpocketed by a small child, though the child's reflexes were not as quick as Duharrel's. Poor kid, held three feet off the ground, face to face with the ugliest almost human "thing" he had ever seen - well, let's jsut say that the kid's pants' bottom was heavy in front and back and began to smell like a barn (without the hay). Shaken roughly, the kid's purloined coins fell out of his shallow pockets and Duharrel tossed the boy against the nearest wall. He quickly picked up the coins that the boy had stolen and one gp more - to teach the boy a lesson. Korgan thought that the boy looked "succulent enough to eat" but Aerie threw herself in front of the child and protected him. Korgan and Duharrel just walked away laughing at her ridiculous behavior - everyone knows that boy meat is stringy.

After asking directions from a few of the locals, they all finally found a tavern and had just begun to order brews all around when an assasin burst in a took out a fellow Duharrel was talking with. The assassin mistakenly mouthed off at Duharrel who was a bit piqued about the interrupted conversation - mistakenly because Korgan watched Duharrel split the assassin's head with one club stroke before he had uttered an explanation. Duharel turned back to his brew while Yosh grovelled about and picked through both corpses' pockets. He found an indication that the assasin had been hired for the job by a Cowled Wizard in the Asylum... Seemed like a place that Imoen might be being held.

So, back out to find information about this asylum... up and down the wharves the crew went, asking questions, getting the sense that no one knew or wanted to talk about it... generally getting nowhere. Complaining she was tired, Aerie was told to head for the tavern to rent some racks for them all while the rest of the party headed over to the House of Ill Repute that had been mentioned by a few sailors as one of the best on the Sword Coast - needless to say, Viccy was a bit pissed that Duharrel was interested. He told her - come along and watch... maybe we can try something you see there later.

Finding a willing strumpet, somehow all of the guys wound up in her room at the same time... whoa, thought Duharrel. This might get reeeeeeeeaaaallllly interesting! Korgan piped up quickly and asked the courtesan about the mistress of the house as well as other house-related rumors that they had heard on the wharves. The strumpet told what little she knew and fled after being tossed a small pittance, a wink and a pinch by Yosh.

Out the door, down the hall - through the guards (literally) - the crew stormed. Hearing some cries of pain, Duharrel led the way into what turned out to be a cellblock - what was that doing in a house of pleasure, he thought. But, they had stumlbed onto the housemistress and her heyboy torturing a helpless girl. No big deal to Duharrel per se, Duharrel did, however, want to ask the girl some questions before the she died. When the housemistress refused this small favor, Yosh fired a flaming arrow that severed the rope holding the girl off the floor. Duharrel became slightly confused but Korgan reacted quickly - punching out the heyboy with one hand while drawing his axe with the other. Edwina began waving her hands wildly and Viccy prayed while cursing the "boys" mildly under her breath. Almost before the girl's feet hit the ground, the heyboy was dead while the housemistress was on her knees pleading for mercy. "Plead this," bellowed Korgan as his axe cleanly sliced through her neck veins. It was nearly 15 minutes before the girl regained her composure enough to answer Duharrel's questions about the asylum.. and then she didn't have much information.

Back to the wharves the crew went, looking for more information. They came across a girl begging for coins to escape the island with her brother - Yosh's soft heart or libidinous instinct meant he had to convince Duharrel to take up her cause. Simple enough, the pimp was dispatched without a second thought and the girl was sent to pack.

Finally stumbling upon a guard in front of the door to the local head extortionist and toughguy, Korgan tried to bribe the guard into letting them in. The guard held out for more money than Duharrel was willing to pay and ultimately met God for that error. (And God was pissed at the guard.) So, after nearly two days of walking the wharves looking for another way into the bug guy's house, Duharrel and company decided to take the overland route to the asylum. What else could they do?

Inside, as suspected, Yosh's recent unpredictability continued and he betrayed the entire group. The party was reduced to five... well, actually, five individuals in separate glass cells. After the wildest dream Duharrel had ever had, the group was reuinted with Imoen - Yosh was no where to be found - much to Duharrel's dismay. Somehow, Duharrel felt less smart than he had th eday before, though he was no bright light to start with you remember.

And there we are, at the start of Bodhi's maze....

--------more to come later--------

 

I can't belive I have to work Saturday. But reading this story is just as fun as playing the game. THANK YOU so much for makeing this day fly by.

 

Escape from the Asylum

Duharrel dislikes being toyed with and was some ticked off at Bodhi's little game. But when she disappeared right before their eyes, well, what could he do?

So, up some stairs they went... First into this room, where Edwina was in her element solving this puzzle and feeling really smug about it, then into another puzzle room where she got her comeuppeance twice when she answered too quickly. Twas a lucky thing that she had healing potions stashed in her robes as she coudln't escape from one fountain without solving a riddle or getting zapped again!

Down, around and through some hallways until Imoen, now back with Duharrel and slightly jealous of his new relationship with Viccy, raised her hand to stop them. After peering intently into the darkness of one hallway, she scrounged through all of their packs and found a few potions that Yosh hadn't taken with him when he defected. She swigged three down and went forward slowly...this area "felt" bad...trapped...a BIG trap that would SQUISH anyone who faltered in it. Tiptoeing, examining each crevice, she was barely into the area when she sprang quickly back - she had tripped it! SLAM! The walls came rushing together - close enough that no gnat would have survived. Even Duharrel was startled enough to jump backwards into Korgan. Again and again, Imoen crept forward ad tried to find a way around teh trap or to disarm it. Again and again she failed...dying in each attempt and requiring Viccy to touch her with that special stick that raised the dead. Finally, even stubborn Korgan had to admit that this was wasting precious resources and they headed back the way they had come. Back down into the start of Bodhi's maze.

Up another set of stairs, they followed a hallway only to find that they were now on the other side of the trap that had so stymied Imoen.... And there was little else in this corridor! What a waste of time and resources that had been! So once again, back down into the maze's start. Up a third set of stairs...around and through the maze they went, encountering and defeating rolls, golems and all others that stood in their way. They even ran into and slew the architect of this instrument of their torture - a poor soul that Bodhi had cursed forever.

Eventually, the group found itself once again in the start of the maze. Up the last set of stairs.... destroying yet more creatures that shambled forward in confusing masses. In the rough and tumble of the fight, Edwina was thrown onto an altar where a hand that she had cut off of the architect fell out of her backpack and onto the cloth. Amidst the dim of battle one could hear the low, bass voice of a statue saying that now a previously hidden way was open.

Again through trolls and other nefarious creatures the group battled. Finally, Bodhi tired of toying with Duharrel - perhaps Irenicus knew of her actions and sent her to end the madness. In any case, she showed herself to the group and Duharrel's rage became unmanageable. Aerie shrieked at the sight of Duharrel's transformation from near-human to near-demon and fled back down the hallway followed by everyone else - even Korgan. Edwina maintained just enough presence of mind in flight to thrust a door closed while Korgan stood in front of a bleeding Imoen and Viccy prayed to the dead. Her Gods rewarded her prayers with large armored dead figures that she directed to attack Duharrel, though she felt for him. They distracted Duharrel just enough for the group to flee behind yet another door where they hid and breathed easier. Duharrel's rage eventually subsided and he saw his normal, almost-inhuman reflection in a pool of sweat on the floor in front of him.... He had no idea what had come over him... He was alone again and didn't like it; as much as he disliked the unpredictability of the group, at least they were company. So, he called out to them and went in search of them.

Behind the door they hid, only Imoen peeking out after downing a potion to hide her. She snuck forward, creeping through shadows and wary of tricks, ready to flee in terror once again if needed. As she approached Duharrel, she saw that he was no longer impossible to look at. Yet she hid and watched him for a full 24 hours before creeping back to inform the group. Korgan, ever the untrusting soul, duplicated Imoen's scouting and took a look for himself, even returning to Edwina and having her conjure up some minor critters that he directed to confront Duharrel, While Duharrel did efficiently slay the worthless beasts, he remained his ugly self, so Korgan revealed himself and confronted Duharrel. After much discussion, Korgan swore to keep an eye out for any change in Duharrel and promised him an axe in the back if he found it necessary.

Regrouping, they eventually found yet another set of stairs, an exit.. but not from the Asylum itself..only to a more special section of the dungeon. Edwina once again proved her worth as solemn old men repeatedly confronted the group with test after test, both physical and through riddles. She easily saved the group more trouble until eventually they found themselves back in the Asylum.

Edwina, having proven her worth, then bribed the keeper of the cell keys and "freed the slaves" while inciting them to insurrection against Irenicus. Into the lab everyone stormed.... what Duharrel had itched for for so long...

Edwina's recent successes had earned her the ability to quickly string castings one after the other in quick succession... This ultimately proved its value in the ensuing confrontation with Irenicus. While Edwina was taking down Irenicus' defenses, one of the former inmates seemed to tear the fabric of temporal space and cast multiple spells without seeming to move. (These spells made GOD breathe much easier as this is usually a tough encounter for him.) The worst part of the encounter (again not unusual for GOD) was the subsequent arrival of the remaining Shadow Thieves who managed to eliminate both Viccy and Aerie before their own collective demise at the end of sword, axe and arrow tips. Again the magic stick proved useful, restoring energy and life to the fallen.. just in time to once again face Yoshimo the traitorous. No amount of pleading on Aerie's part could stay Duharrel's hand and Yoshimo quickly joined the other dead thieves on the lab floor.

The rest of this episode was of little difficulty... wipe out a golem, arrange for the ship off the island... And now, the group stands in Brynnlaw again, about to head to the wharves to greet Saemon Havereon again... (or so they think...)

--------more to come later--------

[This message has been edited by Kailynne Johanne (edited September 16, 2001).]

 

Fish bait.. I love fish bait...

 

Underwater city

Duharrel sits across from Korgan, roasting fishmen on sticks, licking Viccy's fishgut dripping fingers and reliving the slaughter they had just wrought. It had happened this way....

Taking Saemon's offer of ship passage out of Brynnlaw, the group boarded and set sail. Two days out, the ship was boarded by the fishmen....the boat was capsized and our friends found themselves standing before a fishwife who actually spoke common. She told of a plot to overthrow the leader of the fishmen and asked for assistance. Korgan lifted an eyebrow while Edwina conferrred with Duharrel and Viccy. For inexplicable reasons, Duharrel accepted the request for assistance. Korgan thought they might rue that decision later....

Taken before the city's King, Duharrel was offered another option - find and kill the pretendeder to the throne. Not being one to really meddle in politics, Edwina accepted THAT offer for the group - "to allow us free access throughout the city while we figure a way outta here," he whispered to Duharrel. The King and his court did offer the group information and the opportunity to sell someof their excess booty at rather good prices... so they did and unburdened themselves of a lot of dead weight as well as some leftover jewels. Unfortunately, there was little of real interest to buy ... ah well, gold coins weigh less than suits of armor and swords!

So off to explore the city they went... ultimately confronting a massive pile of skeletal remains that moved! With great swings of his axe, Korgan protected Duharrel's back - the two swinging for all they were worth while the rest stood and bet on who would land the telling blow. Eventually, Viccy had to pay 666gp to Aerie when Korgan crushed the last bone into dust. Continuing on, they stumbled across a paur of tricksters with a riddle in five parts. Right up Edwin's alley, he answered three of the riddles quicker than the rest could register the questions. The fourth riddle was solved when Aerie remembered a story Quayle had told her at the same time that Imoen recalled a story about Drizzt. The tricksters giggled with glee at the fun and rewarded the group with a glittering item...

In the distance, Korgan stood sniffing the air... I smell potential blood, glory and reward, he murmured to himself and he carefully advanced - right into a floating blob with multiple tentacles. Now this jokester told of being indentured to protect a chest for centuries... Realizing that anything that had been protected that long just HAD to be worth some trouble, Korgan started to walk away before turning and swinging mightily. Green fluid sprayed all over his armor and axe as he sliced one tentacle after another off the beast. His war cries alerted the rest of the group who came rushing to his assistance. They needn't have wasted the effort. Somehow the beast had muddied Korgan's mind and he was bllinded with rage...taking massive cuts with both his axes. Again and again they made contact - with the beast itself. It had engineered its own demise just as Minsc had so often hurt the group earlier in this tale. Seeing that they could do nothing to help, Viccy dragged Duharrel backwards and the others followed though Aerie did so with a heavy heart.

After some time, Korgan came wandering back towards the group who were trying to figure out what to do. His eyes were no longer glazed nor were they bloodshot. He actually seemed his normal aggravating self... Imoen scurried back towards the chest that Korgan had liberated and the group was well rewarded indeed!

Again they went exploring throughout the city only to be accosted by fishmen with crossebow. After pulling no less than six bolts from his brestplate, Duharrel said enough is enough and charged, Korgan in tow. The rest just couldn't keep up with the two warriors as they rushed up and down the causeways of the city. All that stood in their paths were slaughtered without mercy - all. None were left standing and fish blood stained the ground in great pools that didn't seem to solidify or dry up. Finally, they stood atop some stairs, at a door neither could open. After a bit, Imoen came walking up shaking her head - my, my , my, she said. Gorion wouldn't like this....but I guess it's too late now...

In the time it took to catch their breaths, Korgan and Duharrel were rejoined by Viccy, Edwina and Aerie. It seems that little Aerie had picked up a thing or two from Imoen and had snuck a bauble from one of the court nobles that might just work on this door... or was it that fishwoman, she couldn't quite remember...

Through the door and into what turned out to be the rebels' lair they went. Those cowardly fishbeasts didn't fight like men - they stood where neither Duharrel nor Korgan could take fair swings at them! So, bows, slings and darts flew like rain until fishmen were no longer standing but lay not even quivering on the ground. Even Aerie had begun to feel the hormonal heat generated by this battle...she began to see Korgan in a different, almost lover-like light.

Further into the rebel stronghold the crew went, finally confronting the pretender to the throne. Remember what I suggested, Edqina whispered to Duharrel. So Duharrel accepted the offer of great rewards to assist the pretender to overthrow the King and back totthe court they went. The pretender had given the group a fake token to hand to the King - it turned out to be a poor quality knockoff and the King spotted it immediately.

Mayhem broke out in the Grand Chamber of the Royal Court as barons, squires and courtiers of the royal fish court all assaulted our heroes. While Viccy released her spider and Aerie waved her hands to slow the enemy's advance, Edwina uttered a high pitched squeal and suddenly the fishmen all ran in circles... Almost killing themselves laughing at the fismen's antics, Duharrel and Korgan again began to bathe their weapons in fish blood. Each swipe was unopposed and the two competed to see how cleanly they could carve fins and scales from the confused cold-blooded beasts. Soon all of the royal court lay still on the Chamber's floor except for the King... He lay quivering without fins, his stomach severely wounded and Korgan standing over him. You hungry, your Highness?, Korgan asked the wide-eyed gasping cod before stuffing the fake tken into his mouth. The King died with his eyes bulging as Korgan held the King's gills closed.

At jsut that time, the pretender to the throne arrived - just like the coward he actually was. He strutted and gloated with glee, even reaching into the dead King's pocket and tossing Korgan the key to the royal treasury as a reward. Grabbing it out of the air with one hand, Korgan advanced on the coward swinging his axe in the other. One stroke took out the pretender's right eye and that was followed by the loss of the other eye on the axe's backstroke. Enjoy yoour reign in blindness my cowardly lord, muttered Korgan as he turned to loot the treasury.

Needless to say, the pretender's supporters were not pleased with Korgan's abrupt action - he'd even surprised Duharrel who could normally sense muscles tensing before Korgan's axe began to swing. A minor skirmish again broke out but lasted only seconds before Aerie coould no longer stand counting the pile of fish bodies strewn around the Chamber.

Which brings us us to date.... At the fishfry, Duharrel sat examing a rope that seemed to get longer the more he stretched it out... He seemed to remember a well somewhere in the rebel's territory... If they couldn't get out by going up, maybe their only choice was to head down.

--------more to come later--------

[This message has been edited by Kailynne Johanne (edited September 18, 2001).]

 

You just had to kill the spectator beholder, didn't you???

Out of the frying pan and into the fire...it's time for the Underdark

 

You mean he wasn't supposed to? muwahahahahahaha

 

*sniff* You killed him!

It'll be interesting to see how they fare in the Underdark...

Great story!

 

hey guys, long time no see!

what a kool story! keep it up!

*bump*

 

The Underdark

Down the rope and into the Underdark climbed the group. Aerie's poor upper body strength almost cost them all their lives when she lost her grip and fell into Duharrel. Luckily she bounced off him and onto a small ledge, landing with a thump and breaking her coccyx bone (in her behind for those of you without physiology knowledge). Viccy was forced to swing over to the ledge and invoke God's beneficence on Aerie as well as teach her a new prayer. After saying this new prayer, Aerie was not only whole again, she was invigorated as never before, stronger somehow.

On they continued, down, down, down the rope. Finally, when even Duharrel's tough hands were thinking of screaming "enough," he felt rock under his boots. But, it was dark...darker than anywhere he had ever been. Scrambling around in their backpacks, torches were found and lit - though the light they brought the group did not extend very far from any torch.

Hours were spent exploring the cavernous darkness, stumbling into a patrol composed of a different species of fishmen, a war party of dark elves, and some really odd pulsating mirrors. Having lost their bearings no less than a dozen times, the group was relieved to finally stumble into a bridge guarded by svirfneblin dwarves. While Korgan exchanged a few pleasantries with the guards, Viccy whispered a quick explanation of the treatment she had received at the hands of other svirfneblins.

Finally, they were allowed into the settlement where they sought to quench raving thirsts brought on by the saltiness of the fishmen they had eaten sometime ago - that taste just wouldn't go away. Maybe some ale would kill it...hopefully.

The local barkeep spotted the group their tab after Duharrel and Korgan agreed to have Edwina read the contents of some scroll over a hole east of the inn. Heck, free alcohol for reading - gimme some of that, they thought. So, slightly tupsy, the group wobbled over to the hole which turned out to be a bit larger than the barkeep had led Duharrel to believe. Edwina began her reading and the ground began to shake.

Suddenly, from the depths came a dark shape reeking of rotted flesh. Duharrel and Korgan barely had time to drop their backpacks and draw their weapons as it climbed from the hole. Aerie nearly fainted before regaining her composure and systematically waved her hands. Viccy cast a deathly silence on the entire area which interrupted Imoen's efforts. Only Edwina managed to escape Viccy's error - standing at what had been the gate to the area, now only broken wood barely attached to rusty hinges.

Edwina's waving hands seemed to slow time for Duharrel and Korgan as they moved towards the beast. Its roar, however, penetrated Viccy's silence and caused Duharrel to lose his senses and run. So, Korgan stood alone against the demon, a lone dwarf against an indescribable monstrosity. Viccy valiantly tried to assist Korgan while only managing to get herself whacked at the end of one of his mighty strokes. Aerie was quickly overwhlemed by the stench and stood spellbound, barely aware of the demon's hand as it ripped her flesh from her body. Imoen was distracted in her own casting as a piece of Aerie struck her in the face and she quickly joined Duharrel in senseless flight. Edwina managed to secrete herself just outside the demon's eyesight in order to cast - spell after spell she unleashed the fury of the ether onto the demon. Slowly, Korgan began to gain an advantage. The demon's defenses began to fail and Korgan's mighty axe's took larger cuts through its scaly body. The putrid stench of demon blood began to mix with dwarven sweat as the fight raged on in unearthly silence. Stroke after stroke, the two enraged opponents battled, contact only identifiable as one or the other staggeered backwards from specific blows. In desperation after watching Aerie fall, Edwina pulled out a scroll she had been saving for further study and duplication. In solemn tones, Edwina read the scroll...it began to burn and curl as she did so. Her body glowed from the energy and dust began to swirl around the caverns, centering on Edwina's voice. Faster and faster the winds began to whip, causing Korgan to more firmly plant his feet for his next might swing. At last, a thunderbolt rent the air, electricity crackled throughout the caverns and the demon seemed to draw every loose rock and dust particle to its body simultaneously. The force of this action caused a mighty implosion and left no piece of demon larger than 2 square inches.

Korgan sagged backward spent, sitting alone in the darkness and silence following the fight. Edwina leaned against the gate and tried to figure out why she had stayed with this group that kept trying to get her kiled through their idocy and inefficiency. Duharrell and Imoen eventually regained their senses, found each other in the darkness of the great cavern and walked in silence together back towards the battle site. By the time they reached it, Korgan was watching Edwina read the original scroll again - this time it caused the great empty hole to cave in upon itself and cover the source of the stench. Viccy and Aerie were tossed over shoulders, their belongings distributed for the march back to the svirfneblin inn and back the group trudged, more tired than any remembered feeling before.

At the inn, Duharrel and Korgan lay the two bodies before the feet of the barkeep and demanded compensation and an explanation of why the truth had been withheld. It took Korgan's mighty axe being laid against the trhoat of the barkeep to get satisfactory answers.....that and a significant amount of groveling, tribute and an item tingling with magic...to calm the survivors down. Oh, of course, part of the compensation was a promise of free housebrews for life.

It took nearly a day for our hero's to recover, Korgan alternating between alcoholic binges and sleeping like a dead man. Finally, Edwina remembered the magnificent stick that Duharrel still carried and the corpses were uncovered and raised once again. Duharrel had a tough time explaining this delay to Viconia who had been told of it by Imoen. Viccy was a bit incensed that he had seeminglyforgotten her so quickly... Some boyfriend!

-------more to come later--------

 

I don't think Duharrel will be getting any for a while.

 

Ust Natha and the possible end of Duharrel

You all know of the Soulafein (sp?)-led mission to rescue Phaere... No point in boring you with mundane details. However, what happened next may spell the end for our intrepid hero and his cohorts in misadventures.

After carving up the Illithids transferring Phaere, the group was drawn, of course, to search out the brewmeister for Ust Natha. Viccy claimed that there was a Drow-world renowned ale that could knock a Hobgoblin on his butt... So, to the tavern they went.

After quaffing a few quick ones, nowhere near as "deadly" as Viccy suggested Duharrel thought rather unclearly, Duharrel watched a Drow fighting some monsters in a cage and thought, "I can do that, faster, slicker, and with more pinache (well, he didn't use THAT word as he didn't know it, but you get the idea - he wanted to be cute and toy with the fiend before dispatching it). So, he lurched from table to table and found the match maker and told him to set up a match.

One after the other, Duharrel's ugly pug helped him vanquish the monsters brought up from the slave pens. He was no better looking after five matches, the new scars barely making any impression on his already ugly countenance.

Hearing the din of swords making metal music with each other, he lurched to the other side of the tavern. A match of honor was in progress and Duharrel saw a Drow dispatch four challengers in mere minutes. Whoa, he thought... I might need to be a might more sober to take this dude on.... but, that would be a neato thing to do. So, he spoke with the challenge master and arranged the match after a quick nap to regain his dulled senses. Now, Korgan didn't think this was a particularly bright thing to do and Viccy also tried to talk him out of it, but Duharrel was determined.

After his nap, they returned to the challenge master and the fight was on. Duharrel's face almost became absolutely grotesque to the infinite max as he fought, exertions distorting even the color of his skin due to the heavy demands placed on his heart as it pumped gallon after gallon of blood through his system. The challenger was good, but when Duharrel used an old trick of appearing to fall and rolling towards the challenger, Duharrel found the necessary opening and gut sliced the Drow. With intestines beginning to fall out of his gut, the challenger surrendered and Duharrel was declared the winner.

He next defeated a minor Drow mageling who barely got off one decent spell in the face of Duharrrel's onslaught.

The next fight was the last - or is it the beginning of the end for the group?

A more competent mage refused to face Duharrel, insisting on opposing a mage. Edwina actually surprised everyone when she stepped up and accepted the challenge. Into the challenge pit they went... and sparks began to fly.

Edwina's misleading actions temporarily confused the opposing mage, but not for long. Mirrored images and protective globes made actually seeing either mage clearly fairly difficult for the observers outside the cage. Missiles flew back and forth and then monsters began to appear throughout the cage - fighting for one side or the other, attempting to disrupt spell casting and provide an advantage. Edwina shifted tactics and began to alternate summonings with taking down the defensive protections put up by the Drow. Unfortunately, the Drow's summoned allies were more effective than Edwina's and Ed had to hide invisibly for a bit, waiting for the right opportunity to emerge from the ether. Finally, she did.

After casting a spell designed to suck all moisture from the Drow's body, Edwina followed that up with a bolt of lightnng from a wand. As that bolt reached the Drow's body, he completed casting a spell which so confused Edwina that she was still somewhat out of sorts when addressed by the challenge master in congratulations. Startled, Edwina swung at the challenge master with her staff...

Chronicler notes....
You guessed it, even before ever meeting the Matron Mother or doing any other Ust Natha quests, the entire city is now a sea of opponents for the group. It would be too easy to reload and refight the battle... That would also be unfair and dishonest with respect to the integrity and spirit of the game as it has been played so far...


Duharrel may have been done in, not by his wanker, his abnormal intellect, or his own lack of social skills. He may have been done in by "the smartest guy in the group."

So, I will take a few hour break and then see if the group can still escape Ust Natha amidst what I consider overwhelming odds due to the wasted quest opportunities.

-------more to come later--------

[This message has been edited by Kailynne Johanne (edited September 19, 2001).]

 

No.. no.. you can't quit.. reload reload... this is too good to stop.... Duharrel can't die.

 

Ust Natha - Duharrel LIVES!!!

Duharrel looked around tavern absolutely stunned. Every single Drow had come to the assistance of the challenge master and had attacked the group in his defense. Lucky for Duharrel and company, it wasn't a coordinated attack. One by one, old geezer after old geezer, patron after patron, the Drow were cut down by Duharrel and Korgan. The group's priests and mages were trying to husband their casting for bigger troubles sure to come once they exited the tavern.

In for a copper piece, in for 1000 gold pieces Edwina said as she led the group upstairs to loot what they could while they could. Upstairs offered exactly zero challenge to the hardened enspelled party members who looked like Drow.

Finally, nowhere else to go, the party headed out the tavern's front door (as if there were any other). Immediately, they were attacked by Drow guard, average citizens and spiders. One after another, Duharrel and Korgan fought to clear a way through the opposition. They made their way into Phaere's quarters and found that they could actually bar the door and catch a quick nap to recharge. This alleviated numerous worries as having killed the tavern keeper had eliminated that safe haven for regrouping.

From pillor to post, the group walked, overcoming all opposition one by one, still conserving spells and prayers for the fight they just knew had to come - they continually heard that the "invaders" alarm had sounded. Finally they came to the hall of the Matron Mother. "The stuff is gonna hit the fan now," muttered Korgan to all who coould hear. (Yup, agreed God...)

In they went, cautiosly advancing and then Duharrel's general stubbornness overcame him and he rushed forward. The jig was up and halberd began to appear from all points in the hall. Imoen kept pulling on her bow that was faster than anyone had seen fire before. Viccy and Aerie kept the opposition's handmaidens and priestesses' heads down and Edwina disrupted anyone who began waving her hands or calling out to Lolth. Duharrel's dual-wielded clubs and Korgan's axes began swinging in figure-eight patterns as they became sous-chefs specializing in the carving of Drow bodies - so much so that Viconia had a tear trickle down her cheek at the realization of how defenseless the Drow were against Duharrel's onslaught.

Around the hall, the group went slaughtering. In the northeast corner, the treasury door soon stood before them. Viccy held the group up as she prayed to her new God and was rewarded with armored warriors. Into the treasury they went only to be confronted by mound after mound of man-like clay and stone. Aaaargh, Duharrel moaned - I HATE these guys. Smack. Stab. Slap. Whack. The sound of clubs and axes on stones and clay resounded off the walls of the treasury. The armored warriors swords were not still either, particularly efefctive against the men made of stone it seemed. Edwina waved her hands and suddently the very air behind the stone men seemed to part and then confeal into a man-like shape. It pounded on the clay men mercilessly, and in return diverted attention away from Duharrel and Korgan. Their weapons never faltered and each swing cut away stone or clay from the psuedo-men. One by one the man-like figures fell to the ground and couldn't rise. The din became bearable again, then subsided completely and all the group could hear was their own heavy breathing.

Imoen began a careful search and found what they had been looking for - Adalon's eggs. She scooped them up and ran for the door.

Edwina got in front of Imoen and halted the entire group while she waved her hands frantically. The group seemed to pass through the very air more smoothly and they departed the treasury.

Again they fought their way downthe passageways of the city - one encounter at a time, rarely taxed enough to require spellcasting. Well, that was until they came to the merchant area just inside the main gate. There the group was set upon by torturers, Phaere herself and Soulafein the cowed slave of Phaere. Even the merchant pulled flails on our heroes as they tried to fight their way to the gate. Edwina decided that, when outnumbered, discretion is the better part of valor and cast a web (hey, she even remembered that Korgan had found a ring which made even blood slip from his armor without a trace. Viccy reached into a pocket and fondled a spider figurine, then released the spider that figurine became. So, the feared confrontation came down to one mage/priestess, Phaere, against Korgan, a spider and Imoen's short bow fired from a distance. Everyone else either got tied up in the web or was being picked off one by one.

Duharrel just bulled ahead, first becoming stuck, then unstuck as he mindlessly tried to reach Soulafein. Phaere dishonorably focused her spell casting on him when he was caught in the web. This really ticked off Viccy and Korgan. Korgan ran through the web towards Phaere. Maybe it was that our group were enspelled to look like average Drow and were lost i the crowd.Maybe it was that Korgan really was that short and she simply overlooked him - literally. Whatever the case, she never saw what hit her from behind. Down she went and the battel was basically over after the web expired. Oh, there was noise in the battle, but it was mostly screams of pain and terror as Duharrel and Korgan made sure that there were no survivors. The torturers were paid special attention by Viccy and Aerie. Viccy held them while Aerie plinked away at each of them with her sling - it turned into the death of a thousand flung stones (or so it seemed). Later, Aerie would cry over her actions, but she had seen the torturers in action and felt that her own actions were justified; she knew that she needed to visit a temple for absolution at the first opportunity.

So, they exited the gate and returned to the svirfneblin inn where many, many ales were ordered and downed invery short order. At first the innkeeper did not want to offer them beds - they still resembled Drow remember. But, when Aerie spoke up and told the innkeeper to lilsten carefully to her voice. Straining, he thought it was familiar but just couldn't get past the group's appearance. Finally, with nothing left to do, Edwina stood behind the innkeepr as Aerie distracted him. Edwina waved her hands and suddenly, the innkeeper found rooms for the group as well as offered to buy unneeded gear from them while they re-equipped.

Duharrel was so tired that he didn't even respond to Viccy's playful teasing as his head hit the pillow and he drifted off to sleep.

Chronicler's note - Well, now I need to decide whether or not the group can/should visit the lairs of the beholders, kuo-ta and/or mind flayer's as they were given no clues about these areas.... Thoughts?

2nd note - I was almost positive that it was over for Duharrel and group after all of the Drow turned red. I hadn't ever before needed/found a place to rest/sleep safely in the city except for the inn... And when that was taken away, well... visions of little pieces of Duharrel danced through my mind.

3rd note - Edwin(a) has now missed out on the Robe of the Evil Archmagi due to the city going enemy. While he *was* wearing the Robe of Vecna, I had planned on giving that to Aerie or Imoen and having Ed wear the Evil Robe... Ah well...

-------more to come later--------

[This message has been edited by Kailynne Johanne (edited September 20, 2001).]

 

I wouldn't worry about the other areas of the Underdark, they can *stumble* upon those. The whole deal with the person in the pit getting confused and then hitting the announcer has happened to me once before too

 

It would be a sin if I don't say this:

KAILYNNE, YOU HAVE TALENT!!! TONS OF IT!

Keep 'em coming! And thanks for the wonderful read!