Anauroch - The Great Desert

[Brainpiercing]

[ooc for McPoyo]

Could you post a public sheet for Isul? Just stuff that is visible, and stuff that is visible via detect magic, at least. Also, an alignment if it's not hidden or faked.

Also, Doyle is a moth-man, not a dragon man . The dragon-man was killed a few pages back .

Devanar grumbled, and concentrated on his spectacles for a few seconds, which should reveal to him whether there was evil nearby.

He's casting Detect Evil from the item.

[raith0]

[OOC]

thanks for the mothman fix i was going to take care of that.

Taking off his Mithral Fullplate Doyle places it in the bag and wrapping his wings in close around him drops into the hole as he begins casting.   Finishing his spell about three quarters of the decent down he vanishes and reappears at the bottom of the pit.  and awaits his new commrads at the top of the hole.

[OOC]

spellcraft should be auto on the spell Dimensional Hop (dc 17) was what was cast.

[Brainpiercing]

With no evil present, Devanar conceded, and put his armour in the bag. He eyed the hole uneasily, looking for the step provided by the elemental. Satisfied that it was there, he gingerly stepped into the hole...

[McPoyo]

In the tunnel

Firmly grasping the aging fat priest's lower legs, the elemental swiftly carried Devanar down the tunnel ignoring the admonishments to go slower. Not understanding Common helped with that. When the bottom of the tunnel was reached, Steinn briefly pondered carrying Devanar across the ceiling and down one of the walls. He decided he didn't much care for the fleshy man, and reasoned that if he couldn't survive such a small fall then his racial inferiority was just that much more obvious. If the man wasn't quite as heavy, circumstances might have been different. If his master had specifically asked for the extra effort, Steinn would have complied, but Isul hadn't seen fit to specify how the priest should reach the ground, just that he be carried down the tunnel and deposited on the floor. But neither of those things were true, so the elemental slowly lowered Devanar down from the tunnel opening to hold him by his fleshy man-wrists, being careful to have Devanar fully in his grasp the entire time.

To Devanar, it felt more like he was being felt up by boulders, which was a decidedly unpleasant experience. He was at first worried the elemental meant to drop him the full 25 feet to the ground, and nearly spoke out against that until the elemental started lowering itself from the ceiling, rapidly reducing the distance separating him from the solid ground. It wasn't until just before the elemental let go of his wrists that Devanar realised the elemental wasn't quite tall enough to get him all the way there, and almost managed to begin a protest and grab for the elemental's "hands" before he fell, flailing his arms, the remaining 10 feet to the floor to land awkwardly on his back. It hurt less than some of his wounds from the previous day's torture, but it added yet another large bruise, and possibly a minor fracture to something, that he hadn't had when he left with this motley band to scout out the demon infestation in the desert [3 fall damage on 1d6]. Devanar didn't know if elementals had facial expressions, but he would have sworn he saw mirth dancing in the rocky creature's eyes as it pulled itself back into the ceiling again as he glared up at the creature.

[OOC for Brainpiercing]

I don't know if Devanar has a way to reduce that fall damage, and if so I'll edit the post.

On the surface

Isul winced slightly when he saw Devanar hit the floor, despite the short fall. As Isul extended the grapples on the ends of his rod, securing one to a tree and the other to the sack of armor, an unbidden mental image that the excess weight the priest carried on his frame probably softened the fall slightly made Isul chuckle. Giving one last glance around the oasis and the desert beyond [Spot 19], Isul pushed the sack over the edge of the hole, and lowered himself down the hole as rope fed out from the top of the rod, stopping above Devanar so as not todrop the heavy sack on the priest before unhooking the sack and dropping it on the ground. As he pressed a button on his rod to unhook the grapple from the tree and reel in the rope, Isul glanced around the cavern they were standing in, looking for signs of which direction the priest's party had ventured. [Spot 22, Survival 26]

[OOC]

Darkness, whether magical or mundane, as well as illusions and concealment effects are irrelevant out to 120 feet thanks to the True Seeing.

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

As the small party exited the temple-crypt, The Marc turns around and again extends a dynamic key-like structure from one it's forearm housings, inserting it into a metal plate on the wall.  With loud creaks and clangs the blast doors close one by one and seal the tomb away again.

[Sohala]

The dwarf mumbled a short prayer as the doors closed.

With his respects paid, he returned to the issue at hand. He made his way over to where the canines were still working diligently on the map. [In Celestial] "Holdamir, I have need of your speed again." One of them stood up and turned towards the dwarf. [In Celestial] "I may have found enough of value for our plans, but I will need raw goods if I am to do anything." The dwarf pulled two bulging sacks out of his bag. [In Celestial] "If you are willing, take these to Glankbir, in Baztgirn. He is trustworthy enough to give us a fair price for it in a hurry. I will need you to buy..." The pair carried on for a short time.

Looks like introductions will have to wait until the others arrive, presently lacking the information on the large assault forming up.

[Brainpiercing]

Devanar landed painfully - his bulk didn't make the landing any softer, rather, the strain on whatever hit the ground first was rather increased.

Grumbling, he got to his feet and and looked around - at the darkness. Far away down the tunnel, a spot of light could be seen, from places where continual flame lanterns still burned - and would most likely continue till eternity. Digging in the dirty robe he wore under his armour, he got out a small bundle, and unwrapped his own glowstone, shining like a torch from within his chubby hand.

There were tracks well visible in the dust on the floor, leading away towards the dot of light in the distance.

[raith0]

Glancing down the tunnel Doyle looks over at Devanar.  "Here we can get your armor back on quickly if you need. But i am Unsure if we will have time to don both quickly enough.

Glancing back down the tunnel.  "Unless you know the lights friends of yours that is.


Doyle then begins to gather Devanars armor out of the bag.

[McPoyo]

"Go ahead and get suited, both of you. I'll go check it out, just be quick about it." Isul gave one final check to make sure his possessions were properly secured, then scampered down the tunnel.

[Ooc]

I'm going to head down the tunnel at my regular rate of 40 feet. Hide 32 - whatever the penalty for moving greater than halfspeed is, Hide 21, same deal. I'll stop when I see any creatures within the line of my True Seeing.

[Brainpiercing]

Isul didn't spot anyone for a while.

[From the initial introduction to the tunnels, just so you have the layout again.]
The tunnel still ran straight for several hundred yards. Throughout the tunnel, ancient rubble was strewn about. Strange mechanical parts, broken, humanlike war machines apparently, interspersed with bones of vaguely humanoid creatures - bipedal, but winged and with long, snout-like heads, mouths filled with many sharp teeth. Occasionally odd piles of crumbled material indicated a destroyed golem or undead. Sometimes large blocks of rock had been erected as barricades and choke points, and the bodies were piled there, especially. However, while the bodies lay randomly, there were no weapons nor items of readily apparent value present - apparently the scene had been cursorily cleared, without picking up the bodies.

Eventually, they arrived at what looked like a wall of large bricks. A whole had been punched through it, large enough for a large humanoid to squeeze through, and the footsteps passed it. Behind the wall were the remains of series of gates: A chasm that was crossed by a slab of rock, underneath which the remains of what might have been the original bridge were still visible.  A portcullis, molten and bent, and finally a large steel gate, crumpled and smashed within its hinges. Agnak's footprints wavered here and there, but overall they moved forward, through the gate.

Behind the gate there lay an area that looked like the outlying defensive ring of a castle:  The cave formed a large ring, 40ft wide and 50ft high, with a diameter of at least several hundred feet. The outermost wall was dotted with small caves on different heights, and wooden stairways (now merely charred remains) must have led upwards towards them. The inner wall (facing the gate) was smooth and vertical, but dotted with crenels and larger firing ports in the shape of dragons' mouths. The floor was covered with criss-crossing channels that ended in spouts in the inner wall - possibly the defenders had let burning oil gush through them. Also, what appeared to have been rocks and javellins that were dropped from the ceiling were strewn about. More bones and broken machines were lying around here, too, as well as the crumbled piles of broken golems or undead.

[If you go further]

Further down the circular tunnel there was an inner gate, broken open, too. (Or, if he went the other way, a giant hole in the wall.) Voices and very loud clanking footsteps could be heard from the other side. [Crap now that sounds more scary than it's supposed to.]

Devanar donned his armour as quickly as he could, and hefted his morning star.
'Let's go', he said when he was done.

In the central cavern
Cat was glad to leave the stench of the crypt. He ran back to Daelric.
[PRIVATE for DAELRIC]

The dwarf bagged some stuff. That's really not my area of expertise, so I don't know what it was. he said privately in Daelric's head. Are we joining their plan of attacking those drow?

[McPoyo]

Isul slowed himself as he heard the footsteps, creeping forward more cautiously to try to learn their source while he waited for the other two to catch up. [Hide 36, Move Silently 20]

[Ooc] Ack, that Move Silently was a low roll >.<

[raith0]

After helping Devanar don his armor doyle puts his on as quickly as he can with help.  Then heads off down the tunnel great sword out before him wings tense and ready to move him aloft if needed.  eyes peeled looking for thier friend or trouble.

[OOC]

if we are moving faster than the 2 minutes it would require to don the armor with help hastily it can stay in the bag or i can just put the breast plate on and not bother with the arm and leg greaves that are part of the full plate.  going that most full plate armor is sectioned to allow for easier donning.  also assuming Devanar would return the help to put it on hastily if i helped him. not bothering with a spot since i have a negative mod to it

[Brainpiercing]

[ooc]

Anybody making listen or spot checks against Isul gets the following mods:
+8 for distance (and prior to being alerted another +5 for distraction).

As Isul approached Maglu'glath sidled behind some rubble, and suddenly the others (except Cat) were no longer aware of his presence. He then slowly moved towards the entry to the chamber where Isul was hiding...

Hide with HIPS: 35, Darkstalker
Move Silently: 37

Within the central cavern Isul could see a Huge warmachine of roughly humanoid shape. Standing with it were a dwarf in strange armour talking to a pair of celestial Hound Archons, a Drow sticking strangely close to the celestials, a human with a house-cat next to him, and a halfling with a riding dog.

[McPoyo]

[Ooc]

I forgot to mention for everyone else, I also have darkstalker and a ring of the darkhidden

[Brainpiercing]

[ooc]

Well, now that the boards are working, and we're almost all together, I'm hoping we can bring this story forward.

[Omen of Peace]

Mael was scratching behind Don's ears, listening distractedly to the conversation.

[OOC]

Still around...

[raith0]

Moving with Devanar down the tunnel Doyle keeps his eyes ahead looking for the companion they had and those he knew to be about this area from the priest.

[Brainpiercing]

Moving a good deal slower, and a lot less silently than Isul, the pair approached the end of the straight tunnel.

In the central cavern, Cat took note that Maglu'glath was sneaking off towards the entrance, and decided to follow - if just for kicks and giggles. Unlike Mag, he didn't try to hide, much. As he approached the opening...

[ooc]

I really want to give the people in the central cavern the chance to do some more stuff. If noone wants to do anything, we can go on.

[raith0]

[OOC]

Wondering if we can see them yet? since we are approaching the tunnels end

[Omen of Peace]

Mag suddenly warns Daelric and Mael telepathically of a few intruders approaching. Likely no threat to the reinforced group.

"Whoever you are, show yourselves!" the diminutive halfling ordered in a commanding voice.

[OOC]
Kinda random but someone had to push this forward.