The Great Gates (In-Character)

[Paladin]

Day 1 - Early Afternoon - Beauty and the witch...

Once Silla departs, Giselle busies herself tidying around the witches cavern. She separates various powders and herbs, grinding and steaming, distilling and mixing. She's obviously an alchemist of no small skill. "As far as I know, there is only one way in and one way out," she replies slowly, as if arranging her words carefully before speaking. Her tone is also somewhat louder than normal. "The door is magical, as I'm sure you saw, and will only manifest itself when the command word is spoken." She smiles over her shoulder at you. "But that word is known only to Gaius and our wizard."

"The enchantment is renewed daily to ensure that we are protected from the beasts that populate the barren lands which surround us." She looks down at her hands, examining their lines and calluses. Though she is a beautiful young woman, it is obvious that Giselle works hard. "It's not easy here," she says more quietly now. "Many nights we sleep hungry. There are strange, eerie sounds in the night that echo from the mountainsides and disturb our rest...even in the deepest caverns." She sweeps long lashes over her liquid eyes and sends you an apologetic look accompanied by a faint smile. "Forgive me. I talk too much. You have seen death and violence this day, so you are no stranger to conditions out here."

Giselle shakes her head, her long mass of curls tumbling around slim shoulders. "Let us speak of happier things. Take your rest, if you wish, and then I will show you more of our home. Perhaps you may meet others of my people." Her countenance brightens at the prospect.

[Modric]

Robern

Thanks the young woman and will rest for now.

[beniliusbob]

Briarthorn Brightwater

"Are you a mixer of potions? Do you happen to have something that might help us against those nightwalkers? Of course, any payment would have to be on credit..."

[Karaunios]

Divitiakus

"Don't worry, Giselle. If what we lived through today is just a glimpse of what you have to go through daily, life is very tough here without a doubt.

I hope our arrival will change things for the better, if only slightly." He places a hand on her shoulder and squeezes it gently for a second before going back to his bed and lying down for a rest.

[Paladin]

Anything from our other two members before I advance a turn? Or from sirravid? Your dwarf is still asleep in the back, mate.

[Paladin]

Pardon the delay in posting. Trying to give everyone a chance to chime in, since there were several character-specific rewards to be uncovered in this place. We'll push on anyhow. Since Briar is the only one still awake, the rest of you shouldn't feel obliged to add anything unless you care to.

While the others rest, Giselle and Briarthorn gather near the table where Giselle prepares her ingredients. "I am," she says in a low tone. "Silla has taught me much, and some I've learned on my own." She accompanies the latter phrase with a cryptic smile.

Flicking a glance toward the rear of the cave to assure herself that Silla has truly gone, Giselle turns to her new friend with a conspiratorial air. "They hate fire. Their bodies are dried out husks animated by the Sorcerer's power. The longer they serve him, the more blood they lose. The more they shrivel and dry out. Naked flames becomes their greatest enemy. So...oddly enough, the most powerful and oldest of his servants are also the most vulnerable."

She winks and reaches into an alcove in the wall, coming back with a small pouch filled with red dust. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she opens the top and reaches inside to grasp a minute grain of the powdery substance. "Look!"

Giselle speaks an arcane word in no language Briarthorn has ever heard before, then casts the single granule of sand to the floor some six feet away. A small but brilliant burst of flame flares to life. The heat from the miniscule blaze sears through your clothing and singes your skin. Giselle giggles like a child and presses the pouch into Briarthorn's hands. "Imagine...if a single grain may wound your enemy thusly, what might a full pinch of this dust accomplish?"

She leans close to whisper the profane command word into Briar's ear, then pulls back to grin broadly. "It's the old tongue. I daren't use it too much or speak too loudly lest Silla overhear or feel the surge of power. But take this. Use it against those abominations. The dust is rare and precious--it is sand swallowed by the fire drakes which live deep beneath the mountains. They use it to grind their food, but their magical nature imparts power to it--and to whoever slays such a wyrm and knows the proper incantations to unleash the magics bound in various body parts."

She gestures to the alcoves in the wall, all filled with strange and wondrous substances. "Their scales are impenetrable, their teeth bite through armor, and their horns summon the fiercest of gales. Silla took these by the force of her spells from a fire drake who clawed his way into the Warrens some years ago. She used every part of his body in the creation of new magics."

Her eyes narrow suddenly. "As payment, I require your first-born child." She holds the grim expression for several long seconds, then bursts into hushed laughter. "Nay. Just find a new land and take me with you once the way is clear. I don't wish to grow old and sallow in this tomb." Her expression grows serious. "And...don't tell Silla." She rises quickly and pads from the cavern on silent feet, waving over her shoulder. "Enjoy your rest!"

[beniliusbob]

Briarthorn Brightwater

"I am most indebted, I assure you! This dust will come in handy, and I won't hesitate to use it. I don't want to end up like some of our more unfortunate companions..."


The Violet Chaplain

"Tell me, does mundane fire harm these deathless wights also?"

[Paladin]

As she pads out, Giselle nods vigorously. "Oh yes. Just not as...explosively." She grins and is gone.

[Karaunios]

Divitiakus snores.

[sirravd]

Garhuk, the hideous dwarven fighter, slowly stretches himself. "Mmm," he mutters. "Where am I, again? I saw that witch and her warband, and expected a fight, but...sorcery of some kind, it must have been! I could barely lift my battleaxe before I was overtaken by sleep..." He is beginning to regret having wandered past Greyhearth.

[beniliusbob]

The Chaplain and Briarthorn prepare to bed down for the night and recover from the day's many battles. Briarthorn jealously guards the explosive powder, secreting it from a thong beneath her shirt and hoping she's not struck there by any flaming arrows.

I figure we take some R&R and then scout towards that temple on the morrow. Thoughts?

[Modric]

Robern

Scouting out the temple sounds good to me.

[Paladin]

The ill-favored dwarf awakens to a room full of sleeping strangers. They all look battle-worn and tired and seem to be sleeping deeply.

There is food left near the fire and drink. It smells great after his long fast. His route to the world outside looks clear, if he'd rather explore than eat.

[sirravd]

He is a gluttonous sort, but he is not foolish enough to eat witch's food. Rather, he will peek outside, then return and wait for the others to wake.

[Paladin]

You all get a nice, long nap and feel replenished and recovered from the exertions of your chaotic morning. (All hp at max, spells recovered, etc.) You begin to awaken as the sun dips below the western horizon of the stone rim outside the cavern.

Neither Giselle nor Silla has returned, but the formerly snoring dwarf has awakened and is watching you all closely.

[Karaunios]

Divitiakus

Wakes up and thanks the spirtis of being able to have had a full night sleep, something he wouldn't have thought that he could've gotten in this accursed place beyond the Black Spire. He sits down on his bed and looks at the dwarf. "Greetings. My name's Divitiakus. Shaman of a tribe far to the east. And who might you be, master dwarf?"

[Modric]

Robern

After waking, Robern packs his gear and preps for a scouting mission.

Morning. I see we have collected a dwarf? Splendid. I don't see the fine women who attended to us last night. No need to wait for them. Shall we head out to the temple? I assume one of you has the directions...

[sirravd]

"Garhuk," says the hideous dwarf. "Where in Lord Kargrak's name is this place?"

[Karaunios]

Divitiakus

The shaman raises an eyebrow. "Do you mean this cave or the whole land we're in?"

[Modric]

Robern


Brother dwarf, nothing seems like anything beyond the black spire. I think our only hope is to find someplace or somewhere to set up a stronghold to keep the nastiness at bay and possibly earn some fortune while we're at it.