Quote from: LordVreeg;366291PLayers page, with all the group info
Session 30 last night, the group was fooled by gas jets of fire and a huge horned statue rising through the flames into thinking they were being attacked.  The Cult of St. Arbor of the Old Venolvians created it and the spectacle in the large chapel area to cow and impress the faithful...
Instead of doing more exploration on this level on the other side of the huge chapel, the group went downstairs...

!

Ok, breaking rule one of dungeon crawls.

They found themselves in a large cavern, with a few dim light sources in view.  They were searching the cavern when Hsui (the sage from the Steel Libram) heard smoe gnollic voices from the east,  the direction where the group can see some stairs up 5' and some torchiers...the group plans to reverse the gnollic ambuscade.

Yeah, see, Session 31 showed why the group needs all members and why going down a level in a somewhat old-school adventure before the top level is done is just a bad idea.

the cavernous area where the gnolls were guarding (and my ogrillite races lije dim light, so there are pitch torches in a few places)  gave them some cover to shoot Arbelests before they rushed the group, and while the some of the party achieved surprise by hanging in a northern area and attacking after the melee was under way, the noise from the melee bounced all over the cavern and reached another 8 gnolls who are guarding an ancient temple to the Entropic Overlords a litt deeper in.
It was not a super hard battle, with Rampan rolling a Flaming Sphere from atop a rubble pile into the ranks of the 4 gnolls, and with Simon and Max both well armored (both have a max protection of 50, an average protection around 13, and a minimum protection of 6.5), but it went on, and a gnoll got a good shot in on Hsui (22 hits, he rolled lousy protection (6), and he was -9) and he ended up with a spear sticking out of his chest before anything could be done.  Kellik took a few hits, and Simon, kellik, and Max were covered in gnoll gore.
 
So the explorers found themselves finishing off the 4 gnolls while taking a casualty, with 8 more gnolls rushing at them, around 40' away.  The group ran back up the stairs, (Simon and Max making reflex-10% rolls to grab arbelests on the way by), and Rampan rolled the Flaming sphere to the bottom of the stairwell to buy them some more time.  

The explorers hooked a quick right at the top of the stairs, then popped open the small (2.5') hidden door that led through the thin corridor into the huge old chapel with the fiery statue....and while they were worming their way down, they heard the gnolls rush past the hidden door, confirming their trackers suspicion that the beastmen knew nothing of the hidden door.

Session 32

Really fun session last night, the kind that time just flew by, and it seemed like the whole thing took 15 minutes (we did lose isobot so the session was just over an hour, shorter than normal)

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The explorers regrouped, hid for a little while in the large temple with the chasm and the firejets, and the rows of corpses on the other side of the divide. Hamish, Rampan and Simon tried to use their small understanding of the Anarch language to read the Ancient Venolvian writing in the ancient text the explorers had found in the plastered over chapel are, aboutr St. Arbor the Maligned. They had trouble, until Brother Cameleye from the Church of Obscurity, Fate and Revenge came over to help.
[/I]

There are over 300 pages in the book, and they only spent a little over an hour, but there was uch of ancient import, as well as a spell inscribed on the back page, 'Rotting Charge'.

By now, the party had decided that they did not want to leave Mr. Gibs (their faithful donkey) on the other side of th chasm, and had brainstormed a way to get them all over the shortest part of the chasm in the room, the 5' section.

Max had figured the gnoll patrol that had been searching for them might be gone, and with Max and Simon leading, all and sundry (with Rampan being especially annoying for some reason) went out the tiny (2.5' wide) secret passage north. There is no light in this passage and in the one they come out into, so Simon waits in suspense as Max' Omwo~ vision tries to see down corridor...and there are no gnolls in sight or sound.

So the party moves east and South, back to a converted guardroom they had been into before. There, they find the large Farnumwood table they had discovered before, 6'x'3'x3'. The group realized it is too tall, so Kellik breaks off the legs, after Max proves unable to. "CRACK! SNAP!!"

The group quickly zips back to the secret panel, and back into the large temple area. The 2 lanterns still provide most of the light, except a little that leaks up from below. The group can also hear gnollic voices wafting upward, as well... The east side of the chasm is the shortest, unfortunately which also leads to the largest concentration of the dead bodies.

Max and Simon gently lower the table down, so as to not make too much noise. Max crosses, with Simon and Kellik next in line...Suddenly, 2 tentacles whip up and over the edges of the makeshift bridge, whipping and Tearing an Max's legs!! Max jumped to the other side and avoided it, but a 9' long wormish creature with bulbous eyes and 8 long, rough tentacles crawled right up next to him, hissing and spitting. Max stood his ground as the creature came up the chasm wall, on the afr side of the chasm. Kellik and Simon charged over the bridge, to aid mighty Max. Before any more harm could be done, Kellik speared the writhing creature with his Pilum, shoving it into the upper part of the creatures head, a perfect crit strike that buried the head of the weapon some 2' deep into the creatures head...It thrashed twice mightily, and was still.

Session 34 this week.

Session 33 was pure combat, as the explorers ran into 4 cultists in ancient Venolvian Lamellar, which is has some larger segmented pieces and sewn overlapping plates in the joint areas. Lamellar protects like crazy in GS.




So with Rampan using fire spells (that armor protects 1/4), the arrors and lesser weapons were having trouble penetrating. Simon's Demilune, Kellik's Heavy Pilum, and Max' Shamsheer did pretty well, as did Gordin's use of the magical Nacdilis Flail.

This Wednesday, on last, very wounded cultist has taken a stand in the doorway, where the group saw him dart over and pull something, follwed by a ratchetting metallic sound coming from deeper with the chamber behind him...

Session 35 was more combat, as the last Cultist, an Omwo~ in heavy, Mantis and fly decorated Lamellar ducked back into the doorway to hold the door, seemingly.  The Explorers, slightly battered engaged him with 2 warriors (Simon and Max, primarily).  
The Cultsis managed to hold the door while pulling a large switch that had been out of site, releaseing a huge, 7' tall horned bear.  
The monstrosity had been well trained, avoiding the cultist and plowing into the explorers.  It bowled over Max with a roar.

Rampan pops his last fire blast at it, as Wurnick continues to try to rain arrows on it.  Kellik attacks with his Pilum, Simon stabs it immediately with his Demilune, as Max rises.  Hamish Haldane and Gordin have used all of their air and death magic, but they come on as well.
The Bear sends Hamish and Kellik sprawling, batterring them.  Max plants his Shamsheer in the Bear's Mid-section, then the balls of fire from rampan explode on the creature.  
Behind the Horned bear, the omwo~ cultist throws a silver-edged Pilum and Max, but it rebounds off of his Scale Armor.
Kellik and Simon skewer the huge monstrosity, and the group makes short work of the remaining cultist.

The group loots the reliquary of the Cultists, where they find...
Loot from the 4 Armored Cultists room

•4 suits of ancient venolvian masterwork lamellar (made from omnian steel) badly damaged. Taken from the Cultist guards.
•Mace made from ivory
•Huge emerald
•Long Platinum Box
•Horned Bear head
•Small iron box with southern crosses
•Leather Bag
 

Loot from Platinum Box

•Strange runes on ancient paper
•2 vials of reddish liquid
•A pair of glass beads that replicate human eyes

Then the group returned from whence they came.

Session 36 dealt entirely with the group of explorers healing what they could and leaving the underground Venolvian areas.  (Contrary to their belief, there was a cultist ambush laid to the south...which they totally avoided by leaving.  
They left the way they came, going through a tiny secret corridor in the room with the fire jets, and back to the entry room.  Though it was getting late, they travelled for an hour outside (falling in the marshy areas a few times) before resting, with double guards.  They evaded detection, though they saw a White dragon circling the area the next morning, which fueled a lot of conversation (you DO NOT fight dragons in Celtricia---you run).
No major encounters for the next day and a half brings us to Vindak, Tokush 30th .  Rainy and wet, but still a balmy 50 degrees, warm for the spring.  The group rolls through a few near-encounters and comes back to the Hobyt farm of their friend from the Sceding Tree Traders (from the farming cooperative), Shuruum Celemon.  Their maimed former compatrion, Toden, greets them, and Shuruum's Daughters prepare a meal.

Session 37 involved the trip into back Steel Isle town.  There was much conversation as to who they should see first and what their priorities were.  
They got to town, Max wowed and wooed the gate guards and got a message sent off to Chorbit, Trader Secundus of the Sceding Tree.

After that they went to Kostok Grisli to make a deal about lamellar. He turned down our initial deal, get one armor for fixing the other two (they already have a undamaged one). Following that he laughed in our faces as we tried to bargain with him. Eventually Hamish was able to propose a new deal (After Max stopped him from paying the extra fee for fixing the armor) where Kostok will fix all three sets of armor in return for Hamish and Rampan making themselves available to cast spells onto any enchanted item he wishes to make. He also kindly waived Hamishes previous debt to him.

When they had first showed up a human in some fancy scale armor was already there, after some discussion we learned he was Eddon of Eddon's Folly (a well known exploring group), and after trading stories and showing off our trophy (the Horned Bear head) he invited us to some tavern later that night to meet with a sage in his group to see if he could be of further use.

Ended at 1:10PM, Scaliak, Tokush 31, 895.

Haven't posted on this in a while.
The Online Steel Isle group had session 45 last night.
the in-between sessions were all in-town RP stuff.  yes, session 38-42, at least, were just about spending time in town, dealing with guilds, trying to find information and track down data. They spent a lot of dough getting the ancient, masterwork Venolvian Lammellar's in usable shape.  They also spent a few nights in the The Bazaar area of Steel Isle town, searching for an the leader of Eddon's Folly, a well known group of travellers.
The eventually found these worthies in The Iambic Treblehorn, and spent a full session in that Bardic Tavern.  This particular watering hole also had a full stage, and Tremanow, the Omwo~ sage of Eddon's Folly, took his time trying to make rhyme or reason of the strange book they had found in the Venolvian ruins of Vexchian.

Also, one PC decided that Kellik, his oenophile warrior, would take his share of loot and speak to the Sceding Tree Traders about setting up a bed and breakfast.  he created Carmen, a young, female bowyer with affiliations to the Eye of Steel Isle, one of the underworld guilds.

session 44 was about leaving town and going to the Farm of Shuruum, by now tradition, then getting on their way.  They went over two of the ancient bridges that they are getting familiar with (this is their third trip), and at night they saw 13 cultists of the Dark Way coming towards where they were.  The managed to set up an ambush around the second bridge, this was around 3am.

There was a priest of the dark way (rank 4)in a golden mask, with 1 human and a Hobyt in lammellar (rank 2), who had 20 HP each.   The other 10 were in scale mail and various races.

good fight, the priest escaped, and the explorers lost Simon Smith, a mixed human Bone KNight of Orcus, one of their original members and a tough fighter, as well as a bit of the moral voice.  

Steel Isle group's page on the Celtricia Wiki

Session 45

At 3rd hour past midnight, Cameleye and Stormhammer see lights in the south, seemingly further down the road. The bank the group’s fire, and wake the others.
Carmen and Stormhammer stand and watch south. Rampan sweeps off the bits of wood and ash from the fire, while everyone else gets behind trees on the north side. The fog rolls through, making the procession of armored, robed cultists seem like ghosts. They are almost silent.

Cameleye, " There are about a dozen cultist coming up the path,...they don't seem to have seen us"

Hamish_Haldane, “Hmmm, “ as he peers down the road.
Wurnick slowly slips behind a tree, readying his sword

Hamish_Haldane,”Then let us ambush them. The more cultists we kill, the less we have to deal with in the ruins.”
Simon, "Storm, you and CAmel hide on the side they are coming from. Wait until they pass."

Stormhammer nods in agreement
Simon, " The rest of us shall hit them as they come over the bridge on the north side"
Hamish_Haldane,” As you say friend Simon.”
Camaleye runs to the south side as well, and ducks right
Hamish_Haldane gets into place for the ambush
Stormhammer hides away
Ramapon breaks down the stove, and the rest of the group goes north and hides among the rushes and trees
soon, all can hear the singing, a droning dirgish thing.

" Canavan, triumpala, Canavan, Meestaorr...", goes the voices, and then just over a dozen armored humans and hobyts's come into view led by a black cloaked, golden masked man...with 6 lanterns showing the way...they are proud, and fear little.
10 wear mediocre scale maille, but 2 of them wear strange, mantis-motifed lamellar armor, glinting in the lantern light…Loudly they sing, "Canavan, Perior, Triumpala!!"

they seem oblivious to the former occupancy, in the front is the black-cloaked leader, in his golden mask... and they are on the foot of the bridge, now. The bridge has a 50’ span.

 Stormhammer ducks behind a bush and keeps his sling ready, and Hamish prepares to call on the power of the House of the First Station. Wurnick fits arrow to bow, and Simon readies his Pilum for these perverters of the Shepherd’s words. The leader gains the center of the bridge, the torchlight bounces weirdly around him.
Carmen_Ondradet readies her bow and sights up the leader

Rampan succeeds casting, and slyly, so the white glow is behind the tree. He gets low, and blocks the glow as best he can and no one sees it.
The cultists sing as they troop over the bridge, oblivious to the preparations. "Tossa, Moradin!!", they sing…

Stormhammer peaks out from behind the bush, and does not see anyone close, so he uses his sling, aiming at one of the back ones in scalemaille.
a bullet wings out and whacks a hobyt cultist with a loud crack on the back, but bounces off the armor.

the cultists slow, and start to look around...
Stormhammer stays down.

Carmen_Ondradet peaks out drawing an arrow back to her shoulder and lets fly with a *thwp* into the leader. Her Bow is almost as tall as she is.
Carmen’s arrow ricochet’s loudly off the shoulder of the leader...snapping him around a bit.  

Carmen_Ondradet ducks back into cover, as the leader yells in a low voice…"Aroint, travail, we are attacked!"

Hamish Haldane steps out, as the leader and the front cronies start to charge, and brilliant whitish blue water, lit from within, slaps out with violence from his hands… *splooosh*
The leader skids back some 6 feet, with a knocked down and grunting loudly, his robes soaked and mixed with blood. He scatters the cultists.

Wurnick's bow sings…and an arrow bounces off a scale mail cultist.

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin folds his hands together and bows his head…Max believes he is strong, stronger than before…
a light of belief is in Max's eye...as Carmen's knocks another arrow and lines up the leader while he's still recovering from his wet thrashing.

the cultists have all drawn weapons, mainly swords and spears, and are moving down the bridge, 2 in front actually are in lamellar, one a Hobyt and one a human.

“boing”, goes the arrow as it hits the leader, his armor shrugging off the big bow’s power.
“Curse you Ishma”, hisses Carmen…she shakes her fist in frustration as she goes for another arrow

Stormhammer peaks out again, giving another shot with the sling. the bullet sails into the night, never to be seen...

Simon has rushed out, meeting a lammellar clad warrior in a clash of metal and violence. Simon does his best to block the whole 20’ wide span.
Simon 's demilune tears through the cultists shoulder, spraying blood behind the cultist, who grunts in pain.

[/I]

*WOOMPH* Suddenly, a ball of flame roars into existence in the middle of the bridge…"Toast, you fallow, feckless, orcusfuckers!!!!", scream Rampan as his hands
Carmen_Ondradet shields her eyes from the roaring blaze, as 4 cultists start burning, and screaming… 4 scalemail cultists immolate, scream for a moment, then crisp into black charcoal…

Carmen_Ondradet ducks behind a tree screaming something about not burning up your own allies as the head threatens to blister her face
"eat hot Orcus seed, Fuckers!", screams Rampan as the roar of fire and the smell of burnt flesh encompasses the bridge area.
Stormhammer ducks even further down, from the heat as well as sight
Ramapn, the red hobyt is standing i the open behind all, shaking his staff and fist

Carmen draews a bead at the leader as he slowly gains his feat though water and fire, and sees brave Simon holding the bridge alone. The Hobyt and Human in ancient, glinting Lamellar both are facing him.

She nails the Hobyt lamellar Cultist, a hobyt who is turning to fight Hamish as the arrow hits him.
Carmen_Ondradet gives him a mocking and highly suggestive salute before slipping back behind the tree, as she puts an arrow through the right thigh of the hobyt, causing him to stumble, blood spurting out as the arrow remains in the thigh.

The leader reaches out his hands, and makes a fist, as grey shapes appear around the 4 burnt cultsist corpses, already black, as they curdle in on themselves…the grey shakes form facews in agony, then are absorbed into the Golden masked leader's torso.
the leader stands up straighter.

Wurnick hits and bounces another arrow off a cultist. “Leaves of Ceminiar”, he yells.
a lamellar armored human tribesman goes after Simon, as Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin clumsily hefts his arbalest, unfamiliar with the weight. Max aims for the leader. *boing*. Max’s bolt hits, but bounces off the human’s armor.

Simon slowly dodges the Pilum. Somehow...

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin frowns, he drops his arbalest and draws his grand shamsheer.

the lanterns are on the ground, but the huge fireball still roars and lights the bridge in an orange glare

The other lamellar fighter, the hobyt, reaches Hamish. he drops his pilum, almost falling on it. He needs to bend down to reach it. Hamish beans him, but the cultist giggles at Hamish’s weak attack. (as he tries to find his pilum).

3 of the Scale mail cultist in the rear peel off to go to the back of the bridge, perhaps also to avoid the roaring ball of flame.

Simon rears back his demilune ripping through the human's curriass, drawing more blood and knocking the man to his knees. The cultist still holds his Pilum.

Carmen_Ondradet launches an arrow at the giggling hobyt on the ground, but it overshoots. She curses, and begins plotting to gain ultimate power and overthrow Ishma.

a yellow light envelops them Hamish and Simon, and they hear singing. Hamish falls to the ground, sensless. Simon moves slightly to his right, and wards him menacingly. Hamish’s eyelids flutter and his eyes roll back…

Stormhammer sees 3 scale mail warriors coming towards him…about 20' away. Stormhammer searches for an exit strategy, and tucks tail…

[/I]

Stormhammer gets into the river, going under and letting the current take him a bit away...

a human in scale mail runs to stab Hamish, but Simon wards him. Max runs up, and Simon and max hold the whole bridge and deny all who would pass.
Another human in Scale mail attacks Simon, who dodges again and laughs dourly.

Stormhammers hears muffled gurgle behind him.  He turns and tries to see through the fog...

another scale mailled cultist goes at max, with a scimitar. Max dodges slightly, and he lops his own arm off and dies screaming.

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin laughs boomingly “They send fools against me!”
The huge flaming ball rolls into the other scale guy, burning him a little
The leader, 2 lammellar guys, 2 scale guys, and 2 other scale guys on the far side are left side.

Carmen_Ondradet draws up her bow and centers it on the nearest scale wearer before letting her shot fly, just missed the scale human in the front .

On the other side, the hobyt Cameleye has leapt onto the back of another one and garrotted him…his head falls clean off.

the Gold-masked, leader points at Carmen, his ripped and bloodied black robes pushed by the light wind.. and the leader throws a few finger bones...and huge spears of bone erupt, flying and screaming at carmen...who dodges all of them...
He puts his hands on his hips, cocking his head.

Carmen_Ondradet shouts at the leader that he hits like a 12 year old hobyt girl.

The lamellared Human swings at Simon from the ground, as he holds the path…,his spear lodges in Simon’s throat, and cuts off Simon' head...the head rolls onto the ground, sightless eyes stare at Hamish's sleeping body.

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin roars, “ You have forfeited your lives! I will avenge you, Simon!”

Wrunick’s bow sings as Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin roars furiously.

 Stormhammer watches from the distance as he sees an ally go down

Wurnick’s arrow rips through a hobyt’s forearm.

Carmen_Ondradet coldly watches simon’s lifeless body drop to the ground even as she draws back an arrow, aiming straight at the heart of the man who slew him.

The Human in lammellar, already bleeding heavily, expires when the arrow lodges in his stomach, it's tip out the other side.
Carmen_Ondradet says, “ give my regards to simon, you filth.”

A black, biluous smoke starts rising from the bridge, obscuring vision, even the fireball is dimmed within…
“Mage! You cannot escape your doom! It lies heavy upon you!”, screams Max as he steps over Simon’s body.

Stormhammer closes back in on the fight, cooly draws his sword, slashing at a cultist. The cultist was looking back at camelye, ignoring him.
the sabre rattles off the scale maille.

" Fry and sit in boiling oil, spawn of Ocus, eaters of the demon flith!", screams Rampan, spittle flying.
And another scale maille hobyt dies in flame as the ball of flame rolls over him.

Wurnick fires his bow…and impales a tree

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin yells, “ You will perish! Throw down your arms and embrace your end!” as the hobyt in lammellar attacks him…the spear bounces off max

The smoke gets thicker behind the Hobyt fighting Max. “You are a blot on this world! Now die!”, yells Max.

the Shamsheer flares white as it hits the Hobyt’s right shoulder, it flares and burns him. He falls to the ground.

The scale mailed human in the front tries to pierce Hamish’s motionless body. He stabs the earth. Max is distracting the few remaining fighters.

the black fog on the bridge starts to lessen, as Carmen_Ondradet draws her bow tight and shoots at the man trying to hit Hamish and nails him.

the arrow rips through his right shoulder and trapezius, slaying him as it guts his carotid artery. Carmen and Max notice the gold-masked leader is nowhere to be seen. The last 2 cultist look around, and throw down their arms.

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin raises his blade high over his head.. but lowers it slowly.

Carmen_Ondradet approaches them, bow drawn.
they are on their knees, weapons tossed away, begging.

 Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin snorts. “Tell me, cultists. Why should we spare you?”
Carmen_Ondradet stands about 10 feet away, arrow pointed at ones head
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, “ We will take you back. For the city's justice. On your feet.”

He prods one with his shamsheer

Hamish_Haldane slowly wakes up, still groggy

Carmen_Ondradet squints at the hobyt cultist. “ wait... I know you” She kicks him.

they stand, hands on head, amazed at this sudden turn of fate. Moments ago they were singing and marching.

Hamish_Haldane shakes his head. “ I gather that we won since I survived.”
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin sighs heavily. “Alas... Simon did not.”

Carmen_Ondradet lowers her bow

Hamish_Haldane surveys the battlefield and a horrified look crosses his face as he sees Simons headless body

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, “ He must be returned to his brothers of the boneyard.”
Rampan looks up at the sky., " Eyeless honor, headless hope..."

Carmen_Ondradet is looking at one of the cultists. “ I've seen that one before, they do booking keeping for the pueta traders”
She points at one of the nervous captives

Stormhammer stays respectfully silent

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin points as well. “ Cameleye. Bind the prisoners.” The Hobyt in black leather produces leather strips, and does so.
Carmen_Ondradet pokes the Hobyt cultist. “ what are you doing tangled with this group??”
Hamish_Haldane nods. “ Hmmm, the cult has infiltrated the Steel Isle town. We knew that, but not any specifics.” [/FONT][/SIZE]

Session Start: Thu Aug 26 20:31:52 2010

3 am, fog and night, with the light of the lanterns the cultists had playing over the dead bodies, as well as the dying Ball of Fire from Rampan's spell. Both small moons look down through the fog.

Stormhammer take a lantern. It is made of Brass and circular.
Simon's face plays in the flickering lights.

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin stares down at Simon's corpse. One could almost swear they hear his lips moving

"Erg", says Hamish_Haldane. " This did not go as well as one could have hoped."
Stormhammer looks to Hamish. " with due respect to our friend Simon, these were death cultists, yes?"

the fog rolls over the pile of red, gutted corpses, body parts and blood everywhere. Simon's head stares at no one.
Stormhammer looks down suspiciously at the bodies

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, " We must return him to his brothers of the boneyard. It is what he would want. "
"Cultists of the Dark Way, indeed, and foul", says Rampan
" Should we return the body to the Knights? , says Hamish_Haldane. "And Before or after we go to Vexchian?"
Wurnick says, " It is what he'd want."

" And these men? "Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin waves his Shamsheer at the prisoners.

Hamish_Haldane nods to Max. " I think we should strike while the iron is hot. If we wait they will know we're comming. The leader escaped!"
wurnick, " AS long as it is done, his faith, if any, should protect him"

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, "We will give them over to the pilums."
"I think, says Hamish slowly, "One for the Gurelliums, and one to Chorbit should suffice."
* Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin looks at Hamish uncomprehendingly
Wurnick nods, "Aye! I agree"

Stormhammer kicks at a body, then quickly shuffles back away... just in case. It has no arm and the head is mashed in. The two survivors are quaking in fear, tied by Cameleye. Their incredibly intricate Lamellar, complete with Mantis helms and insect motif, is on the ground.
Hamish_Haldane looks at Max. "We will give one of the survivors to Chorbit. And one will go to the Gurelliums. Yes"

"Neither of them are the arbiters of the city's justice, " Says proud Max as he shakes his head. "That would not be right. I can not countenance such an action, Hamish. "
Wurnick checks the knots made by Cameleye.

Hamish_Haldane holds up a hand. " What have these arbiters of justice done about the death cultists to begin with? Nothing! At least Chorbit will do something, if only to protect his investment."

Stormhammer draws his sword toward one of the two cultists, as Wurnick continues his inspection. "Tell me, do your friends plan on staying dead? or should we expect more fight from them?"

Cameleye appears behind Max, " Hamish, you wish to make our way south now, before this priest can make an alarum?"
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin looks out over the fog from the bridge. Something flaps noisily in the night above them, and more normal night sounds are returning. "It does not mean that we too can ignore what is right. The men must be judged fairly."

Hamish_Haldane looks over at Cameleye, as the little hobyt nearly disappears in the gloom. "Yes Brother Cameleye. We should go now." Hamish looks back over at Martial Max. "Judged? What they know is more important than judgement."
Cameleye moves to the piles of armor and arms, where Carmen is already poking around. "Shall we take the lamellar at least, from these 2?"

Hamish_Haldane nods " Yes, yes. Feel free to round up all the loot, Cameleye."
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin crosses his hands. "South? We can not go south. We must return to the city. I will not have Simon rot. " Stormhammer nods in agreement with Max.
* Hamish_Haldane pauses as if in thought. He looks out over the strange, black moors, lit by lantern, obscured by shifting fogs. "The witches...", he says, "The crones can hold them. And they will stop Simon from rotting."

Wurnick says, " ...Aye.... Loyal Simon..."
Hamish_Haldane nods. " This way we can continue to the ruins before the leader alerts the cultists.."

Carmen_Ondradet does a double take. "Crones? you mean...?"
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin's face seems troubled. "I.. I suppose. Though I do not know that I trust them with the safety of our prisoners.."
Hamish_Haldane looks over to Carmenn and Stormhammer. "Two ancient Omwo~ witches, powerful in Animist lore. They have taught me some little of their ways."
Cameleye nods to Hamish, " alright. I can be persuaded."

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin slowly nods. " We will have to extract a binding promise from them. "
Stormhammer looks over from where he and Carmen sift through the bodies on this bridge, an island in an ocean of sinuous fog. "Hamish, Max, you have experience with these cultists, yes?" Stormhammer continues to eye the bodies
Hamish_Haldane nods slightly. "More than I would like, friend Stormhammer. We've killed scores of them." Wurnick nods at Hamish.

Stormhammer looks back at the bodies. "...and you're certain we're safe from their dead?"
Hamish_Haldane nods. "I believe so, all the undead we found in the ruins are ancient. Much older than the current incarnation of the Death Cult."

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, "They do not self-animate, if that is what you fear, Stormhammer. "

Hamish_Haldane says, " That being said, Rampan can probably burn their corpses to be same." Rampan the Red's eyes light up.
Carmen_Ondradet is still thoughtful. "I thought the witches were just legends... interesting stories and nothing more..."

Hamish_Haldane starts helping stripping dead cultists and piling their bodies.
Stormhammer nods to Hamish and Rampan "I feel that might be the best solution"
Rampan pulls out a satchel. " I can find a way, a way fire, and oil, ancient rites and fleeting souls..."

Stormhammer nods at the strange Hobyt. "if nothing else, it would allow me easier rest."

Carmen_Ondradet chews her thumb. "so they are real then? These prophecying crones...?"
Hamish_Haldane laughs a little, the sound muffed weirdly in the mists if the Moorish morning. "Ah Carmen, you'll see your share of legends. We saw a great winged lizard on our last journey.
"
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, "Indeed. We have had the... great pleasure... of meeting them twice."

Hamish_Haldane nods and smiles. "Quite real, they've taught me some of their lore"

Wurnick seems to be impressed, as Stormhammer resheathes his sword. Rampan is humming as he gets something out of his satchel. It has been about a quarter hour since the cultists were first sighted.

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, " Shall we rest before seeking the witches on the morrow, then?"
Hamish_Haldane nods and cleans his weapon. "Alright, once we burn the bodies and load up the loot and poor Simon's body we can continue."
Rampan. Is humming to himself. " there is some looting here..." Stormhammer perks up slightly at the word "loot", his fear dissolving now that the bodies will be burned


"Can you continue a bit Max?", asks Hamish. "I think it would be wiser to rest far from this place."
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin shrugs. Even that motion looks athletic on Max's muscular frame. "If that is your wish.. yes, I could manage."
Cameleye nods to Hamish, " Aye, away from the dead."
Stormhammer, "agreed."

Rampan rhymes brokenly to himself, " A blaze, Red God's maze, Burn and twisting flame I gauge..."

Hamish_Haldane says, " Let us get to work then."
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin watches the others stack the bodies.
Carmen notices that Stormhammer seems to be missing beltpouches and obvious stuff in his searching.

The group finds 484 silver children
129 goodwives
51 horn

Stormhammer swears as he sees Carmen redoing his work. "oh, by the coins of Oblimet..."
Carmen_Ondradet unstrings her bow, carefully placing the string in a pouch
They also find that there are 9 leather cords with silver skull pendants...a silver main gauche with electrum tracery and15 old golden hexagonal coins.

and it is Half past third hour as the fog continues to roll over the bridge.
Stormhammer notices the pendants. "Hamish, the scores you say you've slain... did they each have these?"

Wurnick is nodding as he absently loots them
Rampan is already dousing the bodies in oil

Hamish_Haldane nods as well. " Aye, the pendants are a common theme."
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says., " To a man. Yes, it is their sigil."
Stormhammer picks one up and examines it

Hamish_Haldane says, " We have a bunch", as he shows Stormhammer his cache of 5. I also looted this golden ring from one of their priests." He points to his golden fanged ring.
Stormhammer nods thoughtfully. "Should we need it, could these help allow stealth amongst their ranks?"
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin smiles a grim smile. " I fear not, Stormhammer. I would say that by now. they know us on sight."
"aye, it was a thought...", says StormHammer

Hamish_Haldane frowns. "I would rather slay them than pretend to be them. People who use necromantic magic should be killed."

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin looks over at the Red-robed mage standing over the pile of corpses. "Rampan, are you going to dispose of the cultists, or must we stand here all night?" Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin leans on his shamsheer

"Given the choice, Max, yes, but one never knows what lies ahead", says Stormhammer.
Rampan sends an ember onto the body pile, and a huge *FOOOSHHH* goes into the night, as the flames go 10' in the air, cutting through the gloom and fog.
Stormhammer covers his nose and watches the flames.

Wurnick unstrings his bow. " Which way shall we travel, Hamish?"

" South, " Says resolute Hamish. And that magic itself should not even be used.. Hopefully the witches will find us. If not I will have a trick to find them in the morning."
Then the group goes over the bridge, through the night and fog. Stormhammer has a shiny Brass Lantern. It lights a large area, though the fog swallows the light hungrily
.
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin is still thinking about the necromancers. " What of those who shrive the spirits of the departed? Surely you do not oppose such."

Carmen_Ondradet walks alongside wurnik still feeling most comfortable around him. Wurnick seems lost in thought.
Hamish_Haldane shakes his head with vehemence. " It is magic that should not be used. "
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin mulls this over. He and Hamish have been through a lot. together." ...I see."
Hamish_Haldane waves his arms as the explorers. move south "FIrst people use it only to shrive the spirit. Then they only have a reanimated animal.... Then they start using corpses of things that talked! The magic is corrupting. It is best left untouched!!"
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, " If such are your thoughts.. I will not try to dissuade you from them. Though I cannot agree."

Red Rampan deadpans. , " One cannot corrupt the Sacred Fire, the uncorruptable, or the permananently
the night closes in, and the fog deepens by fourth hour, a little red limning can be seen on the horizon

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin sudden;y turns, narrowing his eyes. He thrusts the lantern into the darkness.
" Who goes there?", Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin calls out
Wurnick grabs his bow, stringing it at the sound of Alarm from Max.
"...He is gone." Says Max as he scans the Moor to the East of the trail.

Rampan wakes slightly...he had been nearly asleep on his feet.
" We are watched. By who.. I cannot say.", says Max as he continues to peer out at the Fog banks that surround the explorers. "Be on your guard."

Wurnick Woundhealer scans with his friend..., " Max, my friend...what stalks us?"

Stormhammer looks around nervously, as Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin shakes his head slowly
Carmen_Ondradet yawns. The Red Hobyt is still sleepy. " Huh? What?", he says.
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, "Keep your wits about you, friend Rampan.. We may have need of you yet."

Wurnick has an arrow nocked, " Max, what are you worried about. You spook me."
Hamish_Haldane stops with the rest of the group. " Perhaps we should just sleep for a little while?"

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin passes a hand over his eyes. "There was a figure, in the distance."
Hamish_Haldane puts ahand on Max's shoulder. " Probably one of the witches minions. "
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, " He vanished as I called out."

Cameleye comes out from behind a tree, 20' away..." I saw nothing. Where was he?"
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin points. "Near 100 hundred paces away."
Stormhammer continues to turn and shoot nervous glances over his shoulder
Note : musicVreeg_GM> (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3w2OCylUTU&feature=related sountrack..play this)
[21:26] ooc: ok, now that music is making ME shoot nervous glances over my shoulder..

"Well, Nothing now.", says Cameley with certainly, despite the deep fog.

"I think perhaps you should sleep friend Max.", says Hamish_Haldane. " This is most likely another one of your mist ghosts."
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin draws his hand down his face "Yes perhaps.. perhaps I should. Simon's death has shaken me."

Wurnick, kicks an old stone on the path, " Do we rest here..?"
Hamish_Haldane nods to the Orcash Healer/bowyer. "Aye. Let us sleep here, unless anyone can think of a close place that would be better?"

Stormhammer nods sleepily, " rest. rest is good." He realizes the explorers have been run ragged.
Wurnick looks through the deep, red tinged fog. " What watches, Hamish?"

Hamish_Haldane looks around, his gaze trying to pierce " I will take first watch. "Rampan is already snoring. "Let me sleep in a little as well please. The fight was quite draining."

* Stormhammer lays down, fidgeting with the pendant, contemplating the night

Wurnick smiles to Hamish as he layes himself on a blanket.. " Aye, Wake me for second watch."
Carmen_Ondradet sits up against an old twisted tree, poking at a rock with an iron shod staff
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, " ...Rest. I must rest." Heeyes the prisoners..."Do not go running off. Who knows what lurks in the fog?" They are already asleep.

Carmen_Ondradet nods off after a few minutes, mouth wide and eliciting a sound akin to a sawmill.
Hamish_Haldane yawns as he settles into his watch

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin curls up, unsettled. Still, he manages to sleep. A few minutes later, he twitches in his sleep, troubled by dark dreams.

Stormhammer tosses and turns also. The night closes in around Hamish, the fog tendrils lit with a tiny bit of red, the sign that Red Gerin is an hour away from rising. Naught happens except the fog around Hamish, though the normal night noise are clear...Gerin continues making his way to the horizon.

Hamish_Haldane wakes Wurnick for the second watch, and falls quickly into a deep slumber, He tosses and turns on his small patch of ground.
Wurnick wakes Stormhammer at 7am. Red Gerin is high and Tribin is also above the horizon.
Stormhammer awakes, rubbing his sore ankle. He pulls back his hand, noticing some dried blood. Wurnick looks over to him.

Cameleye is also awake " Storm, did you hurt yourself?"
Stormhammer looks up..."oddly, no."

Cameleye, " Good."
Stormhammer continues, "... and yet, my ankle has been cut...tell me, how did you sleep? your dreams, if you had any?"

Cameleye looks trouble, as he stares out at the suns," I had ...disturbing...strange dreams." The three sit together quietly, trying to soak in some heat from the rising suns, as the mist rises from the moors. Wurnick tends a small blaze.

At 8 am, Wurnick wakes Hamish. He notes Hamish is covered in sweat
"This was not... a peaceful night", says Hamish as he slowly rises to a seated position.

Stormhammer Moves closer to Hamish. "Please, share... I imagine this might be more than just a restless night."

Wurnick has made kaffee. He hands Hamish a travel mug, made of Steel. Hamish seems to appreciate the hot liquid.

Carmen_Ondradet yawns and stretches, waking up refreshed. She stands up and...*crack*
"...ugh shouldn't have slept with my back to a tree."

" Aye", says Rampan from under his Red-Brown Blanket.

"Hamish, sour dreams for you, as well?", asks Stormhammer.

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin shakes his head and looks out. " The mist does not give up all her secrets, Hamish. Do not be so quick to mock."

Hamish_Haldane huddles over his cup of kaffee. "Sour would be putting it lightly. I hope I never have another dream like that." His face is whitened and drawn.
Carmen_Ondradet is looking to see what Wurnick has cooked.

Wurnick notes the youngster looking over his shoulder " I have bacon and Bagels. Both coming up!"

Stormhammer is still sitting next to Hamish. " ones you won't forget soon? please, share them"
" I'd... I'd rather not speak of it., " says Hamish_Haldane. " Best to forget it. As quickly as possible."

Carmen_Ondradet looks at Hamish oddly. Cameleye looks thoughtful. Rampan grabs 3 bagels and eats noisily.

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin throws two bagels to the prisoners absently
Stormhammer says, " Hamish... you weren't alone. Cameleye talked of bad dreams as well, and as for me..."

Hamish_Haldane gives the other two a hooded look, as Stormhammer reveals the gash on his ankle
Stormhammer says, " I dreamt of being dragged" Cameleye notes the deep gash with amazement.
Hamish_Haldane shakes his head. " My dreams we not quite so benign."
Cameleye looks at Stormhammer, " I too. Many dreams, but always, under tables, chairs, beds...hands on me"

Carmen_Ondradet stuffs a bagel in her mouth and moves over to look at the gash

Stormhammer stares at nothing, seeing things in his head..." dreams... I fear they were something more." He looks at Cameleye. "all of them different, but ending the same?"
Carmen_Ondradet looks at stormhammer oddly, then stands up to stretch again.

Hamish_Haldane looks up at Stormhammer. " If you must know, I dreamt of Simon. He was protecting me, as he must have in the battle, and then his face exploded." Wurnick's eyes go wide.

Rampan nods unconcernedly, " They have power over all of us. I gave into mine decades ago..."

Carmen_Ondradet walks over to the prisoners and kicks one in the side. "eat up or I'll eat it for you"

Hamish_Haldane lifts a hand to his head. "My dream ended with the leader standing over Simon's dead body."

Carmen_Ondradet starts wolfing down her bagel Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin stands up
The prisoner falls over, as Carmen nudges him again.
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin shakes a hand. "Do not treat them harshly, Carmen. "
" I didn't do it", says Carmen as she backs up. Carmen_Ondradet cautiously approaches and pushes the other prisoner on the shoulder

Stormhammer looks at Hamish questioningly. " the leader? you mean, his mask? or did you see a face?"

" His mask.," says Hamish. He eats his bacon slowly

Carmen_Ondradet says, " hey wake up" as she reaches over at the other prisoner.
Hamish_Haldane looks down at his Kaffee. " That cursed golden mask..."
Stormhammer nods. " it was a face that I saw"

A little cry erupts from the other side of the camp. "They're... dead...", says Carmen_Ondradet. " both of them."

Stormhammer looks over at the cultists
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, " What? Impossible."
" aye", says Stormhammer. as Carmen_Ondradet pokes at the unmoving cultist
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin says, " There is not a mark on them."
'WHAT!!! "says Wurnick?

Stormhammer says, " seems they dreamed of more than being dragged..."

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin rushes over, examining them
Hamish_Haldane puts his head in his hands.

Carmen_Ondradet is still holding her hands out in front of her. " I swear by vernidale's underpants that I had nothing to do with this."
" Of course they're dead. ", says Hamish.

All can see an eye socket open now, on the one laying down, empty, a bloody hole, and no breath...

Stormhammer takes a step back. " it's their leader. it must be. and he caused the dreams, as well."

Carmen_Ondradet backs up... then rethinking things approaches and grabs their bagels before backing up again

She stuffs a hunk of bagel in her mouth and chews thoughtfully
Hamish_Haldane says, " I am not well enough to try out my new trick for finding the witches."
Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin seems pained. " ..But we must find them, Hamish."
Hamish_Haldane glares at Max

Wurnick, says, " Aye. Simon deserves no less."
Hamish_Haldane's glare moves ro Wurnick. " I am well aware."
* Carmen_Ondradet finally goes over and plops down next to wurnik

Cameleye asks, " Do we carry this body on the donkey all the way>?"
Carmen_Ondradet grabs some bacon

Stormhammer cautiously walks up to examine the bodies closer

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin seems irritated. " Are you volunteering, Cameleye?"
Hamish_Haldane makes a small groan. " I am going to get some more sleep. Wake me an hour after noon. We can continue to search then."

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin stirs the fire as Hamish_Haldane returns to try and get some rest.
Cameleye, looks at Max " If needs be. The donkey has 2 suits of armor on him, money, and a body. Not much more he can carry."

Maximillian_VHV_Carchedin seems to consider the Hobyt priest of Darkling. "If you can manage, then. If not, we will carry him between us. I will not leave Simon."

Guildschool is a pretty lethal sort of Skill based game.  Armor is critical, since it can offer a ton of protection in a low-hp game.

This group is running low on meat shields.  Max is decent, and Hamish is grabbing one of those old venolvian lamellars, but this group needs another front rank fighter, especially with Simon's head being cut off.

Ran session 50 tonight.
Will upload the details this weekend, but the exploreres made it back into the venolvian ruins of Vexchian.

session 51The explorers left the room with the strange, horned, floating skull, and moved back into the chapel room, wherfe Carmen tripped on a string. They negotiated the tricky path around the guardroom, back to the long east-est corridor (which Max finally noticed was sloping, east to west...)
they went back through the tiny secret door, back into the large temple room with the fissure, and across the wooden bridge the party made before.

On the way up the staircase beyond, Cameleye and Carmen both spotted a newly laid trap on a stair, and avoided it. However, there was another one just beyond that flung pilums from huge crossbows bolted on to the ceiling of the staircase. Wurnick neatly sidestepped, as Carmen tried to kick Rampan out of the way.
Clever, strange Rampan was impaled by a Pilum, that drove into his stomach gutting him. Unfortunately, Carmen kicked him down the stairs at that point, in an (Note : he took an additional 6 hits with a 1 divider...Ouch) effort to save him, and he tumbled down 15' of stairs with a Pilum jammed in his stomach, leaving a smeared red trail as he fell. He expired in front of the group, looking at Hamish and Vermortis strangely....
Carmen shrugged.

The group continued up the stairs, and went through the south door.

Session 52 last night.

Fun game, one of those, 'How we can somehow get a very retro/OSR vibe in a skillbased somewhat math-heavy game" type games.

Group finished looting Rampan the Insane Firemage's body, with some respect for the dead finally included.
Went back up the stairs from the ancient temple area where the cultist's keep their bodies, back into the Vexchian area where the Death Cultists are active.  They saw lantern light from under the door, so they were careful, but it turned out to be a lantern hung from an old torch sconce on the wall, down the corridor.  The corridor stretched west, with a south turn within sight, and white double doors beyond that (where the group had a tough fight a few Hawaak before).
However, Stormhammer noted that the wall across from the door seemed a little off kilter, poorly set, unlike much of the care put into everywhere else.  And after some work with a dagger and Vermortis, knight of the Armor of Trade,  using his muscles, they wedges it open a bit.  Stormhammer and Carmen Ondranet spotted a little kyhole hidden in front, and they peered down it, where Carment saw a thick, braided metalwire going from the key mechanism to the door, but she could not remove it.
So after marching a bet, and hemming and hawing, the Hamish Haldane (how does a guy from the Gurellium Trading Guild become the main caster in any group?) helped Vermortis to push at the door...

*SNAP!!!*  *Twannnggggg*the sound of a wire and a strange metal spring noise, followed by the whole corridor falling, levered by a hinge to the west...dumping the characters down an ancient chute with hooked spikes on the walls (and old Venolvian trap in case placed during the early days of Vexchian), covered in rubble and huge webs, dumping them maybe 60' vertically through a twisting stone chute (Stormhammer and Cameleye note a few interesting Fidikmarple chambers sighted during the slide), into an end...

that pops open as they hit it, dumping the characters and their faithful donkey (Mr Gibs, who is almost dead now) out of a hidden panel 10' up in a cavernous area.  They can see, far above, a few stone walkways and some lantern light from way up there, but it is dark here.  They are on the banks of an underground river, loudly rushing by, to the n-e the river moves, and goes into a shrinking cavern area, to the s-w, the cavern opens.  The stream is some 25' wide here, loud, moving fast, thpugh much of the noise comes from the n-e are where the stream constricts and speeds up.

Across the stream, on the other bank, Cameleye and Stormhammer's darksight spots approximately 10 scalik (lizardmen) warriors, staring at the pile of explorers...

(The session was another v. strong roleplay session.   I ended giving out 150-300 exp per character for Roleplaying, which is high for the 1.5-2 hr online session, but everyone stayed very in character, and Vermortis, Hamish, and Stormhammer were VERY good.)

Quote from: LordVreeg;414318Session 52 last night.

Fun game, one of those, 'How we can somehow get a very retro/OSR vibe in a skillbased somewhat math-heavy game" type games.

Group finished looting Rampan the Insane Firemage's body, with some respect for the dead finally included.
Went back up the stairs from the ancient temple area where the cultist's keep their bodies, back into the Vexchian area where the Death Cultists are active.  They saw lantern light from under the door, so they were careful, but it turned out to be a lantern hung from an old torch sconce on the wall, down the corridor.  The corridor stretched west, with a south turn within sight, and white double doors beyond that (where the group had a tough fight a few Hawaak before).
However, Stormhammer noted that the wall across from the door seemed a little off kilter, poorly set, unlike much of the care put into everywhere else.  And after some work with a dagger and Vermortis, knight of the Armor of Trade,  using his muscles, they wedges it open a bit.  Stormhammer and Carmen Ondranet spotted a little kyhole hidden in front, and they peered down it, where Carment saw a thick, braided metalwire going from the key mechanism to the door, but she could not remove it.
So after marching a bet, and hemming and hawing, the Hamish Haldane (how does a guy from the Gurellium Trading Guild become the main caster in any group?) helped Vermortis to push at the door...

*SNAP!!!*  *Twannnggggg*the sound of a wire and a strange metal spring noise, followed by the whole corridor falling, levered by a hinge to the west...dumping the characters down an ancient chute with hooked spikes on the walls (and old Venolvian trap in case placed during the early days of Vexchian), covered in rubble and huge webs, dumping them maybe 60' vertically through a twisting stone chute (Stormhammer and Cameleye note a few interesting Fidikmarple chambers sighted during the slide), into an end...

that pops open as they hit it, dumping the characters and their faithful donkey (Mr Gibs, who is almost dead now) out of a hidden panel 10' up in a cavernous area.  They can see, far above, a few stone walkways and some lantern light from way up there, but it is dark here.  They are on the banks of an underground river, loudly rushing by, to the n-e the river moves, and goes into a shrinking cavern area, to the s-w, the cavern opens.  The stream is some 25' wide here, loud, moving fast, thpugh much of the noise comes from the n-e are where the stream constricts and speeds up.

Across the stream, on the other bank, Cameleye and Stormhammer's darksight spots approximately 10 scalik (lizardmen) warriors, staring at the pile of explorers...

(The session was another v. strong roleplay session.   I ended giving out 150-300 exp per character for Roleplaying, which is high for the 1.5-2 hr online session, but everyone stayed very in character, and Vermortis, Hamish, and Stormhammer were VERY good.)

http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?70258.last

Skofflox, you can see the quick map here,

or
Here

Session 53 included the damn Old-School parley.
 The group  got ready to defend itself, and weapons were all drawn, when Stormhammer, a mercahnt with decent social skills, decided to try to parley in Westic, which the UNdershaman in charge of the Scaliks spoke, and then he rolled very well...
Combat avoided, information gained  I gave 1/3 exp for the combat for working around it, and the exploration went on from there.  More alter on the exploration, but it was nice to see the brains show up.

thanks for the map link. I have subscribed to this thread...great stuff Vreeg!

Quote from: skofflox;418376thanks for the map link. I have subscribed to this thread...great stuff Vreeg!

Whoops, did not see you pop in here.

Yes, session 55 tonight.  After carefully following the stream in the caverns, and looking up in vain at the lantern light in the spaces above, The group ran into a Giant, 9' pug-faced necromancer, that lived under an ancient stone and brick bridge.  AS with the Scalik warriors, Stormhammer of the Gurellium Traders managed to bridge the gap, making peace with the huge, outcast necromancer, Grastic.

Grastic also informed the PCs that he could see two spirits tied tio them by some nefarious necormancer, and he Shrived the the spirits, freeing them.
He then let them know about the ancient stiarway to the south, and the Hall of Winged Prophecy to the North.