Chapter 10: Secret of the Sleestaks

[redwarrior]

Connak thanks our new companions for their aid and looks to the members of the original group. Is there a direction we want to go, or is any as good as another?

[Rex]

Draupadi

Fiefo, the ratman with the cybernetic eye, just sighs. "Sure, I guess? Join us. We nearly die of exposure or get murdered about every ten minutes or so - just sayin'. But suit yourself." He readies to move out.

"Thats interesting, so do we."

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan lowers his axe slowly but continues to glare at the new comers.

[Inferno]

Beneath the Barren Wasteland, Forbidden Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Ten. Afternoon? April 5th, 912 CY








In the immense subterranean cavity of the weird pylon triad, the adventurers warily accept the newcomers' gift of sacred healing. The Mole-Man priest of Wells and Verne miraculously heals the cyborg cowboy (+15hp!) and then they all press on together.

The combined group continues eastward through the vast cavern system for hours, illuminated by Mungo's ingenious lantern helm.



Seemingly formed by groundwater long since gone, the natural channel wends in one direction through endless fields of stalactites and stalagmites.

Suddenly, at the edge of the thirty foot beam of light, the caverns end at a smooth dark tunnel cut into the living rock! Within it lurk several strange creatures that bear the same inhuman visage as the eerie heads carved atop the mysterious obelisks!



Large devolved humanoids with both reptilian and insectoid features: green scaly skin, bulbous unblinking eyes, pincer-like hands, and a single horn atop their heads; they carry alien crossbows and long spears but react with neither surprise nor aggression.

One shields its great black eyes from the lantern light and hisses in a guttural voice, "Come forth, humanssss. Pay the toll and you may passsss through the City of the Sleestakssss,"

None of the underworld explorers recognize that name.


Actions?


Behind the DM Screen:

Mungo heals Yul more: [1d8]=3
Mungo heals Yul yet again: [1d8]=4

PC Status:

Connak: Cat-Man Fighter/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Glowing Saber
Draupadi: Human Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 2, HP: 34/34, Spells: 4/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl
Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 26/26
Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/39
Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 14/14, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Mungo: Mole-Man Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 34/34, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, Lantern
Sheriff Yul: Robot Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 31/38

PC Magic:

None currently

Player Resources:

End of the World (game description)
Strange New World (maps and realms)
Memory Tapes (the story so far)
Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[Urson]

Maskelyn

The Gnome steps back out of the light, intending to remain unseen for now.

[Rex]

Draupadi

Draupadi will stop and study the lizard/insect things and the area around, looking for potential ambush etc. before replying.

[Bluetongue]

Sheriff Yul

Studies the guards ominously. He steps forward to the Sleestak speaker and questions him regarding the toll and the city.

"What coinage do you take for safe passage through these tunnels. Your human-tongue is good, where did you learn this. From traders and merchants who travel here?

Tell me about your city."

[redwarrior]

Connak will walk up with Yul, cautious but not concerned. The idea of lizard-men doesn't seem odd to him, but a combination of reptile and insect seems... unnatural.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan watches cautiously. He considers killing them for food. He continues to watch their every move.

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo will move up slightly to support the ones who step forward, but hang back far enough to (hopefully) skitter away and avoid a trap. Just standard precaution. He is a rat man.

[Inferno]

Beneath the Barren Wasteland, Forbidden Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Ten. Evening? April 5th, 912 CY








"Come forth, humanssss. Pay the toll and you may passsss through the City of the Sleestakssss," hisses one of the great, inhuman things.

As the others stand vigilant, Sheriff Yul and his partner Connak cautiously approach the reptilian insect men.

The walls of their smooth-cut tunnel are wet and slimy. The catman notices they are decorated with faded paintings so old they are almost invisible with age. By the dim light of his glowing saber, his keen eyes make out a great alien city by a reed-filled lake. Slender, orange Sleestaks in monks' robes stand serene, marking a sharp contrast to these hulking, green, unclothed primitives.

Yul's silver eyes remain on the four Sleestaks, who appear neither threatened nor threatening. The cyborg cowboy asks them, "What coinage do you take for safe passage through these tunnels?"

"Ten gold piecessss each," hisses a wide lipless mouth.

"Your human-tongue is good, where did you learn this. From traders and merchants who travel here?"

"All Sleestakssss can sssspeak it."

"Tell me about your city."

"It issss our home. But any who pay may passsss in peaccccce."

Draupadi the priestess of war and wisdom had been scanning the area against ambush. Suddenly she sees a light behind them! She quietly warns her new companions as a figure emerges from the caverns! It's Finver the dwarf warrior who was a part of her and Mungo's expedition to the Forbidden Vale! He must have gotten here the same way they did!


Actions?!






PC Status:

Connak: Cat-Man Fighter/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Glowing Saber
Draupadi: Human Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 2, HP: 34/34, Spells: 4/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl
Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 26/26
Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/39
Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 14/14, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Mungo: Mole-Man Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 34/34, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, Lantern
Sheriff Yul: Robot Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 31/38

PC Magic:

None currently

Player Resources:

End of the World (game description)
Strange New World (maps and realms)
Memory Tapes (the story so far)
Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[Rex]

Draupadi

"Finver, I am glad to see you, I had thought we lost you back there."

[SilverBen]

Finver, a stout dwarf, peers out carrying his torch overhead in the same hand that a shield is strapped over his forearm. He lowers the torch so the party can easily see his face. Stepping into full view from the cavern opening, Finver appears young but mature for a dwarf.

Finver wears a robust beard on his face, and blinks with slight shame when he realizes he is somewhat unkempt in his appearance. No respectable dwarf would ever allow his beard to less than perfect upon introduction out of fear his reputation might be tarnished. He licks his hand and sweeps the wilder fringes of his beard back into place with his palm. Finver looks up to study each member of the assembled party for a few seconds. He takes a deep breath and sings a rhyme in a rich baritone voice, "Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, and these are gold" He offers an enthusiatic, almost crushingly painful handshake to each party member until he has greeted them all in turn.

Having completed his greetings, he asks Mungo and Draupadi, "How did we get separated? I thought I was lost without you, but at least now we're lost together! Bah, no matter." He retrieves 10 gold coins from his pouch adjusted character sheet -10gp and offers them to the toll collector.

[Rex]

Draupadi

"Mungo and I wandered onto a platform and suddenly we were here. We were not far away from you when it happened but we couldn't find a way back."

[Urson]

Maskelyn
Maskelyn scowls, knowing that he and his friends have nothing of value. He digs through his pockets and pouches, hoping for luck. Piece of string... apple seed... lint... dead leaf...ick! live bug...

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan considers yet another new comer. He decides against killing him. His eyes linger on the strange city in the distance as another likely trap of the filthy wizard.

[ChubbyPixie]

"Er... I don't have ten gold pieces. Could I pass with mild disapproval for eight?" says Fiefo, his cybernetic eye scanning the slizards for signs they might be open to negotiating.

[redwarrior]

Connak has a fairly full coin purse if we are to pay, I can help some with other's fares.

Edit: -20 GP, Me and someone else.

[Rex]

Draupadi

"I have enough coin for myself and one other person."

[Urson]

Maskelyn
I hate to be a mooch- but I'll need to borrow some coins from someone. Remind me when we get to a place where I can pay you back.
Maskelyn looks genuinely embarrassed to be put into this position.