[Game Thread] Twin Shields

[kaylara]

The giant badger grinned as it continued tunneling thru the rocks. Seems like there are many long stories needing to be told. Perhaps once we finish here? as if she was implying a longer relationship. Then she began to slow her digging.

Almost there, these last few feet should do it. as she finishes her tunneling and

Dice perception:

d20+15

(14)+15

Total = 29

looks to see what is beyond as she takes her natural dragon form.

[darthcharon]

OOC It's amusing how many long stories you have to share, given how little time has passed in game (less than a month by my counting

I'ts not long before you finish your digging, and make it to the stairs. The stairs too are partially covered by debris, but once more the dragon-badger has little trouble making a path through it, popping up on the other side only to find even more stairs, though sans debris. The dwarf is already waiting for you, and is halfway done with setting another charge at the base debris. He seems only slightly surprised to see you. "So that's how you got past the guards without using one of the secret entrances. Your "hunting companion" is actually a druid, isn't sh-a DR-DRAGON?"

He nearly falls over backwards at Aira's transformation, then his eyes go back and forth between the two of you. Then he laughs. "My brothers are never going to believe this tale when I return. The story of a Khorvat and a dragon coming to my rescue. I swear, if some demon-folk shows up and offers to help me reclaim the fort, I'm going home."

Turning back to the stairs behind him, he walks forward. "In any case, welcome to Zuhkar Vigget, one of our oldest and largest forts. You are now one of the very few Khorvats who have ever entered a dwarven hold, and the first to ever step into this one. My great-great granddad lost his life here to the dragon's servants-er, presumably not yours, dragonness-in a valiant attempt to retake the hold many years ago, but the damn kobolds had sunk their roots in too deep. There were traps everywhere, and though they cut a great swath through the coward's lines, there were just too many of them." He seems a bit somber as he adds, "With his death, the hold was finally officially declared lost. They never even recovered his body."

He shakes his head as he reaches the bottom of the stairs, some 200 feet down. "If we're lucky, the ogres down here won't even know they lost the fort upstairs- these walls are thick and resilient-they probably didn't even feel the quake. If we hurry, we might be able to get what we came for and get out before they realize we're here."

Walking into the grand hall, your first thought is that is is truly massive the wall extend far father than your darkvision can pierce. Other than that, however, it is difficult to make out much as the dwarf walks forward to the edge of the stairs, which splits off into two smaller sets of stairs in a T formation. "Good. The runes are still in place." He grumbles, before resting his hand upon the stone.

Suddenly, the room lights up, and you can see just how grand it is. The ceiling is easily a hundred feet up, the opposite wall a solid two hundred feet distant, and the hall extends to the left and right as far as you can see. Huge 25ft wide pillars are placed throughout, separated by gaps of roughly 50ft, and a massive brazier is held aloft by each, hanging halfway up the towering constructs. Though they are too high to make out, something in the braziers glow brightly, illuminating the hallway completely. Massive archways line the far wall, presumably leading to different parts of the keep. "Welcome, outsiders, to the lost city of Zuhkar Vigget. At the peak of it's existence, this hall would have been filled with dwarf travelers from other kingdoms, merchants hawking their wares, and stout guards watching it all for the slightest sign of trouble. Keep your wits about you, there are probably more than ogres roaming these halls." With that, he marches down the western stairs, not bothering to check to see if you are following.

[dbaque]

OOC You've been keeping our pious princeling quite busy the past month. For later reference, how accommodating do the stairs and passageways look for hooves?

Louis tries valiantly to suppress his laughter at Hevrek's shock. "'Tis a day full of surprises." His expression turns a little grimmer. "Not all of them pleasant. You should know that their master chatted with me during our distraction. It's a wicked naga I've heard of before, one skilled in mind-bending magics, named Nasheranti. It spoke through one of the ogres, and the others seemed more or less mesmerized, as well. 'Tis a safe bet that Nasheranti knows of the collapse and suspects our presence, and by extension his puppets will. He has at least one sorceress enslaved to him, but more so, he stole something ... priceless ... that I mean to get back. Where in this fort would an egotistic serpent be dwelling?"

Louis stares in awe at the sheer enormity of the place and what must have been the boundless craftsmanship put into it. "'Tis a marvel to behold, master Stoukhan. Sad, though, for it to lie empty so. My sympathies for your kinsmen's losses." Keeping a close pace behind the dwarf's lead, shield remains at the ready, but his sword remains stowed in its scabbard.

[kaylara]

Aira pretty much had no choice but to change in front of the dwarf. She had run out of her changing ability and her badger form wasn't much good for combat compared to her dragon form. [b]Oh yea, sorry, the last you saw me I was a giant cat.[b] She grinned, showing her large fangs in a friendly manner. Dragons and Tigers and Badgers. I would have turned into a bear to make it rhyme. Tigers and Badgers and Bears... then begin a choir of, "a ogre hunting we will go"... she looks over to her side. Feeling a bit out of place by tying to be funny, she shook her head, [b]No that didn't sound right...Well anyways, my sympathies as well for your kinsmen's losses and I'm sure this secret stays between us?[b] she gave a questionable look. Oh and by the way, the names Aira Ru. She smiled again then listened to the dwarfs story.

Once the dwarf finished his tale, Aira looked his way for a moment. So, you just want the item and not to reclaim your home? Pity, it's a pretty nice place still. she looks about the huge room. I could even fly in here. as she finished looking about.

Which dragon do you speak of? Aira thought about what she

Dice Knowledge: History:

d20+7

(4)+7

Total = 11

had learned about Zuhkar Vigget's history during her studies and how or who this dragon might relate.

Then shortly after the dwarf turned on the lights and commented about the "other" things that might be in here.

Well, I am sure, turning on the lights would have gotten their attention. she grinned and kept FYI - Aira has 120' of darkvision and see's 4x farther in low light. (not including blind sense)

Dice perception:

d20+15

(3)+15

Total = 18

aware of her surroundings as they followed the dwarf down the western stairs.

[darthcharon]

The dwarf grimaced. "A naga? Damn, that explains a lot. Aye, I've heard of their ilk. Still better than fighting a dragon though." He smiles at Aira. "Looks like all the dragons are on our side today. And at least I know why you're here then. I've got nothing against this Nasheranti guy myself, but you help me get what I came here for, and I'll help send the dark naga back to whatever abyss it crawled from."

To Aira, he sighs. "Aye. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to get the fort back. But a dwarf, a knight and even a dragon alone aren't going to succeed today. My people have already written this place off as lost. As for the dragon, I'm not surprised you haven't heard. Our kind isn't exactly... forthcoming with our situation. This fortress was lost centuries ago, to a dragon and his minions. Firex we called him, but we never learned the beast's true name. A dragon of fire, with glistening red scales. It was an elder dragon then, I can't imagine it's age now, assuming it's even still alive. As for 'other things', if the ogres made it this far, they probably already chased off any kobolds up here. I wouldn't worry about them till we get deeper. That said, 'tis better safe than sorry. Best to keep your wits about you."

[kaylara]

Aira wasn't sure if she felt thankful or insulted. She figured he meant well. I doubt I could deal with an ancient right now. Let's be on our way then. as she walk along with the group. She

Dice perception:

d20+15

(15)+15

Total = 30

stayed alert as they ventured further.

[darthcharon]

The dwarf nods, gesturing down the stairs. "I wasn't able to get the layout for the lower levels, but if it was designed according to typical design, then-"

"Lord Galliberos!" a voice familiar to the noble calls out,"It's been too long! Where are your lapdogs today? The bloodied hat or something?" A young woman enters into the great hall, mounted upon a great blue beast. At first, you fear it may be a dragon after all, but rather than it's wings on it's back as Aira's are, they are instead attached at the shoulder, replacing it's front legs. It even uses them as such, using the folded wings as a set of legs as it shambles forward awkwardly. Two more of the armored ogres flank either side of her, their massive weapons already drawn.

They walk briskly until they are halfway across the room, then with a single raised hand, they come to a stop. She opens her mouth to speak, but stops when she seems to notice Aira. She suddenly seems unsure of herself, but the expression passes, and she continues. "Nasheranti has ordered me to bring you to him. He is... less than pleased that you destroyed his perfectly good fortress, but in his mercy he is willing to write it off as a simple misunderstanding. Surrender your weapons peacefully, or we will bring your corpse back instead." Her words sound rehearsed, carefully chosen, and you doubt they are her own

"Damn," Stoukhan grumbles, "Guess I spoke too soon about not fighting any dragons today." He quickly draws an ax from his pack as he assesses the enemy. "Figure I can hold off the ogres for a bit. Gotten plenty of practice these last weeks. You two take out the dragon and her rider, and come down to help me when you're done."

[dbaque]

Whispering to the dragonness: "What is that reptile?" Detect Evil (sp, 60' cone)

Dice Sense Motive:

d20+12

(1)+12

Total = 13

Intent on the sorceress and her mount, Louis takes a step forward.

Dice Diplomacy:

d20+12

(2)+12

Total = 14

Addressing her gently, he attempts to talk her down: "Quibblings of ownership aside, Nasheranti seems awfully intent on avoiding a fight with us. Tell me, sorceress. Why raise you arms against us? 'Tis plain that you are little fond of your servitude to the naga, and that your heart is far from this confrontation. You know better than we that Nasheranti little deserves you fighting for him, much less dying for him. I seek the orb and to dethrone the serpent tyrant from this place. You need not be a casualty of our fight with the naga." His gaze settles into a

Dice Intimidate (+2 vs evil):

d20+10

(6)+10

Total = 16

glare: "Stand against us here, and you will become one. Your master knows this and doesn't care."

OOC This is cementing the odd trend that every woman Louis meets wants to fight him. Kay, if you think you can talk her down better (not too hard as terrible as my rolling was), go ahead.

[darthcharon]

The sorceress sneers. "It would be a simple thing for Nasheranti to destroy you, if that is what he wished. But it is not. Nasheranti does not wish for confrontation, yet you seem intent on bringing it. He will defend himself against you if necessary, but would prefer it not come to that." She pauses briefly at your second statement, but as you finish, her sneer turns into a glare. "Do not speak of what you do not know! I have my reasons, and I will fight for him if that is what is required. I will even... die for him, if that is how he feels I must serve." The hesitation as she speaks of death suggests that perhaps she has not quite accepted that fact yet. "But there is a way that involves no one's death. Stand down, speak to Nasheranti, and we don't need to fight. No one needs to die, not here, not-" Her face softens considerably as she finishes. "Please."

The dwarf looks back and forth between the two of you, unsure of how to proceed.

[kaylara]

Aira sighed, My pet rock has better diplomacy skills than that. she shook her head as she tried to recall what the All knowledge skills are +7, not sure what it would fall under, so here are 2 rolls just to be safe.

Dice knowledge:

d20+7	(9)+7			Total = 16
d20+7	(3)+7			Total = 10

creature was she was riding upon. a wyvern... she mumbled quietly to Lord Louis.

Dice sense motive:

d20+15

(13)+15

Total = 28

Listening and gazing at the lady and her mount, she grinned, showing a bit of her fang. Lord Louis is right you know. Even if you have some unknown reasons, there could always be some kind of alternative. So why not join us? Aira tried to do her best to

Dice diplomacy:

d20+15

(12)+15

Total = 27

influence her. In any case, Aira was ready to breathe on them if they decided too push an attack.

[dbaque]

Lending some assistance of his

Dice Diplomacy:

d20+12

(3)+12

Total = 15

silver tongue to Aira's, Louis responds: "Nasheranti has seemed terribly eager to avoid a fight; not 20 minutes ago, he rather blithely offered you to me to sweeten the deal. But he has given little to put my faith in the possibility of an acceptable accord. You know what I seek here." Pausing a space, he softens his look at her earnestness: "But you are right that I know not your reasons for your servitude. You have a vested interest in not coming to blows. Then tell me why. Why serve you the manipulative naga? I've little reason thus far from your master to stay a fight. Prithee, give me one ... ha, I never did catch your name," he admits as he

Dice Sense Motive:

d20+12

(8)+12

Total = 20

searches her for her answer.

[darthcharon]

The woman's face turns into one of distraught fury. "You think I haven't tried? That I serve that monster willingly? I've tried, but everytime I so much as think about it he..." she pauses, spending a moment to gather her thoughts. "No. I don't want to fight you, to kill you, but it's better you than-no, there is no other alternative. Either you come peacefully, or we come to blows."

She thinks for a moment. "I-if I tell why, will you come quietly? It's what Nasheranti wants." Her voice by this point is that of a broken woman, all but begging for a way out of what she clearly believes is a losing battle. When asked for her name, she says nothing at first, but eventually speaks, "Michelle. Michelle... Herzog"

[kaylara]

Aira looked over at Lord Louis. I don't think you can reason much with a mind controlled slave and her wyvern. Only one reasonable solution. as she gives him that look of defeating the others and knocking the princess out, then defeating the naga to free her.

[dbaque]

Of all the possible names, that was among the last he expected. His expression goes through an emotional train of surprise, shock, hope, and skepticism. "I have never heard of you ... Michelle ... very odd given your family name. Your reticence to kill me is also rather at odds with your unapologetic attacks on my subjects back in Nichen. I am having trouble believing you."

"I can only speak for myself. If by 'come quietly' Nasheranti wishes me stripped of weapons before seeing him, then that is a nonstarter. Precious few would I trust to make myself a veritable prisoner; the serpent is far from one of them. If he wishes to parley face-to-face without recourse to arms, that is different, but something my word should guarantee to his satisfaction ... unless he merely wants a prisoner." Gazing intently at the sorceress as the light of his halo frames his pensive face, he mentally erects a Corruption Resistance (good, sp, 6 hours)ward, unsure where this may take him. Leaning in to the dragonness, he asks in a So we can aid each other's SM checks.

Dice Sense Motive to discern enchantments:

d20+12sh25

(20)+12

✔

Total = 32

whisper: "Your remark earlier. Can you tell if her mind is enchanted? I need to be sure of this."

After a short chat, he returns his attention on Michelle: "I will parley with the serpent (if that is his meaning) if your answers are convincing and you've aught to back your claim. How come you to bear, Michelle Herzog, the name of Alstenot's latest dynasty? Why serve you Nasheranti? ... And whose life are you protecting so earnestly?"

 

Hp: 49/49
AC: 25/11/24
CMD: 20
F/R/W: +11/7/10
Spd: 20'

Effects:
Aura of Courage
Resistance 5 vs acid/cold/electricity
Lay on Hands: 3d6, cures sickened/diseased, 6/6 uses, swift on self
Halo: light over head, +2 circumstance Intimidate vs evil, +2 circumstance saves vs blinded/dazzled
Corruption Resistance 5 vs e.g. unholy, smite good, unholy blightevil damage, sp, 6 hours

[darthcharon]

"I didn't expect that you would," she replies, "But you asked for my name. And for my attacks, just because I don't enjoy serving that... thing, doesn't mean I didn't enjoy killing your slavers. Nasheranti wanted me to raid for valuables, and that's what I did. I figured as long as I was being forced to do wrong, I could make up for it by doing right."

"You can keep your weapons, so long as you keep them sheathed," Michelle continues, "He's secure enough in his power that even armed guests do not worry him. I imagine it would be hard to take your dragon's weapons away in any case."

Seeing that Louis had seemed to agree to come quietly, Michelle sighs inwardly, as if reconsidering her promise. "Nasheranti... he has my child. The child sired by the man I came to this land seeking. The man who, in marriage, bestowed upon me the family name Herzog." Her voice is wavering, as if the mere thought is enough to nearly knock her out.