Quest #14 "Hidden Fortress of the Poison Spider Monsters"

[SpinwardMarch]

Brother Gilbert

We mean you no harm, if you harm us not. I am Brother Gilbert, follower of Pelor, the shining one.

He has come to accept that death may be just around the next corner. Better to face it with knowledge than fear.

[OGRE MAGE]

Inside The Stone Room
Sunday, 7th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Warm, Humid, Stagnant

"She Left!" Saracen shouts out at the little creatures question, causing Maag to hold his tongue.

"Hmmmmm.......I didn't hear any female voices among you. That sounds like a lie to me. I don't like people who lie, Mr. Saracen!" He looks over the half-orcs and shakes his head at them. "I wont be choosing either of you two, that's for sure!"

Gramble speaks up next, asking the thing what it actually is. "I'm a DRAGON!!!!! Cant you tell?"

Jaxsen tries to diffuse the situation by being truthful."If you like to scare things by covering them with bags, then I wont be choosing you, either. But I do appreciate your honesty and hope we can be friends."

Brother Gilbert speaks nicely to the thing, hoping he doesn't regret it. "Hello Brother Gilbert! You have spoken nicely to me. I like you! I would never harm you! I have heard your friends name mentioned many times."

Once Avaala tries to reason with the creature, its upset demeanor softens a bit. "Yes, I suppose I would have used caution in this situation too. You are a magic creature, yes? I like magic!" The odd looking flying monster looks around the room for the first time, soaking in its surroundings and realizing where it is.

"My name is Treasure!"

"Do you........does anybody.....know how long I was in.....there?"

Actions?

Marching Order:
Jaxsen 10/10
Gramble 10/10
Maag 9/9
Jeevus 3/3
Brother Gilbert 8/8 1/3 first Detect Evil: 12
Avaala 12/12 CL DM RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Saracen 21/25 1/4 first 0/1 second

[SirOwen]

Avaala the Grey

"I am pleased to meet you, Treasure. We do not know when you were put in there," says Avaala. "But the current date is the 7th of Goodmonth." and adds the common year. "And yes," he says, nodding. "I am a magical creature.... if a mage fits that definition to you."

[SirOwen]

Jaxsen Reiter

Jaxsen considers Treasure's words. "I am not sure what I am not being chosen for," he says. "But if you appreciate honesty, we shall get along well. I do not lie. I am but a grub, and my word is my only possession of value. Bralm defend you."

[SpinwardMarch]

Brother Gilbert

Greetings, Treasure, I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I hope you are well. Pelor bids his followers to seek the light, and do good.

I do not know how long you may have been here. Perhaps quite a long time. How were you placed within this container? He points to the plinth.
Are you in need of food or water? We have only trail rations with us.

[Storm11]

Saracen shrugs and waves.

Hello. Is this the last chamber within the complex do you know? If so I think it might be time to head back to Beachtown.

[wolfpack]

Well I always heard dragons were humongous. well you do not seem to be a threat to us.

grambles relaxes and puts his axe over his shoulder.

[SirOwen]

Avaala the Grey

"Please do not believe all of us to be so lacking in Dragonlore," Avaala tells Treasure. "I have no doubt you are quite as dangerous as anything ten times your size."

[OGRE MAGE]

Inside The Stone Room
Sunday, 7th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Warm, Humid, Stagnant

The strange little creature flits around the room harmlessly, fluttering from one party member to the next, checking each of you over carefully as he speaks in his high pitched voice.

"Oohhhh! Good! I just LOVE mages! Wait. What year? Oh.......oh dear."

The creature seems to think about that statement from Avaala for a while before moving on to Jaxsen next.

"I am not sure if I know what a Bralm is, but I have always liked grubs!"

"I have heard of your Pelor, Brother Gilbert! My master used to speak that word often. He is the one who placed me in here. A loooong time ago. And thank you again! I am starving, now that you mention it. I would love something to eat. I don't even care what it is."

He squeaks at Saracen next. "Complex? Beachtown? What is that?"

Treasure flies over and lands upon Gramble's ax handle. A long slender tail with a nasty looking spiked tip wraps around the huge fighters neck for a moment and then releases. "Don't let my size fool you big guy. I could kill you with one blow......if I wanted to."

"Besides, the big dragons are all stupid! Do I look stupid to you?" His tail unwraps from Gramble's neck as the creature gives the stoic fighter a wink.

He looks at Maag curiously again before Avaala speaks a second time. Once he mentions his dragon lore, the tiny dragon flits over towards him again.

"You know what I am, don't you Avaala. I feel that you understand me better than the others. Do you feel anything?"

"And you are correct again mage, I am dangerous. VERY dangerous. But if you are nice to me, I will be nice back."

Actions?

Marching Order:
Jaxsen 10/10
Gramble 10/10
Maag 9/9
Jeevus 3/3
Brother Gilbert 8/8 1/3 first Detect Evil: 10
Avaala 12/12 CL DM RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Saracen 21/25 1/4 first 0/1 second

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag returns the creature's look, equally curious. Despite his shallow education, he reckons he has heard of this kind of creature before. A drunken tale told by a master thief, of a strange beast that foiled a break-in on a wizard's home.

He decides to let the smarter members of the group decide what to do. He had never pretended to be an intellectual.

[Storm11]

A complex, as in these ruins. We are here looking for treasure. Ironic that we found you! Are you going to take the wizard as your new master? It could be a great boon for you both. Says Saracen, smiling.

[wolfpack]

Gramble gives the creature a stern look.

I bet dragon tastes like chicken

[SirOwen]

Avaala the Grey

"I believe I know a bit about you, Treasure," answers the Mage. "And yes, I feel we would become very close, if you would be so kind as to agree. Believe me when I tell you that I will never doubt you and that I will do everything within my power to keep you free and free from any harm.... should we become partners."

[SirOwen]

Jaxsen Reiter

Jax smiles at the small being."Bralm is my Goddess. The Hive Queen and the Lady of Industry." Looking at the oversized stinger on the end of Treasure's tail, he adds, "I think she would appreciate you. You remind me of the hornet. Small, but possessed of a powerful sting."

[SpinwardMarch]

Brother Gilbert

He rummages around in his pack, and brings out something wrapped in cloth.

These are not a feast, but are at least a beginning.

After unwrapping the trail biscuits, he holds several out for Treasure.

biscuits=not cookies, but small, hard rounds of bread.

[OGRE MAGE]

Inside The Stone Room
Sunday, 7th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Warm, Humid, Stagnant

Treasure nearly bites the cleric as he aggressively takes his offered rations. He stuffs them into his face like some kind of tiny monster that hasn't eaten in a long, long time. The noises he makes while chewing and swallowing are amusing, at first. Showering crumbs of food upon the group as he chews, the tiny dragon continues to speak.

"Yes Jaxsen, you have noticed my powerful stinger. Your large friend here doesn't seem to be worried about it at all. If you want to try taking a bite to judge for yourself big man, go ahead and try it." The fighter cant tell if the creature is being serious or not.

Turning to Saracen next, the ugly dragon scoffs. "Ruins? I don't know what that means either. This room looks fine to me! There is no ruin. And if you were really searching for treasure, I believe you have just found me. I think I better get to know you people before I just latch onto someone new, don't you think? What if my current master yet lives?"

Looking to Avaala last, he continues.

"Can I hang around with you and your friends for a while before I decide what I am to do? I don't know what has happened since I was put into this stasis, but by the looks of things, I might be in store for a few drastic changes to get used to."

Treasure continues coughing crumbs upon you as he struggles to swallow the dry breads. "Anybody got any water to wash this down with? I am dreadfully thirsty!

"Now.......who wants to tell me more about this Beachtown? What is that?"

Actions?

Marching Order:
Jaxsen 10/10
Gramble 10/10
Maag 9/9
Jeevus 3/3
Brother Gilbert 8/8 1/3 first Detect Evil: 9
Avaala 12/12 CL DM RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Saracen 21/25 1/4 first 0/1 second

[SirOwen]

Avaala the Grey

Seeing that, at least in its current form, it should give him no trouble, Avaala pulls the plug from his water bottle and hands it to Treasure. "Here. Drink this." he says simply. "Of course you may travel with us. Mutual protection is always a good deal. But I think you will find that, once we leave this room, the rest of this .... building has fallen into a terrible state of disrepair. I suspect that you have been in this room for a very long time. And as for Beachtown, it is a new settlement along the shore. We are working for the founders and hoping to build it up."

[SpinwardMarch]

Brother Gilbert

Yes, I am afraid you will find the world outside to be quite changed since you entered the container. Was this room originally in a large structure, which was made of trees and infested with giant spiders? That is the condition in which we found it.

Looking thoughtfully at the plinth, I think me, that your master devised the maze around this room, and all the traps. He was quite clever.


Would you like something more to eat? Gilbert digs around in his pack again and finds some dried fruit.

[Storm11]

Saracen sighs and shakes his head. What a complete waste of a trip we have had. Needless deaths battling poisonous enemies, and what do we get for our efforts, lost comapainons, an inhospitable ruin, and a new mouth to feed, and we are all the poorer for it financially to boot. I think it’s definitely time we cut our losses and headed back to Beachtown. Don’t you all?

[wolfpack]

Tired of the dragons ramblings Gramble listens to Saracen and then addresses the group.

we know there are more spiders. Do we complete clearing this place out or head back to town?