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From humbug Thu Sep 9 08:19:46 1999
From: humbug
Subject: d&d (long)
Newsgroups: redbrick.rpg.board
Organization:
Summary:
Keywords:
User-Agent: tin/pre-1.4-980202 (UNIX) (SunOS/5.7 (i86pc))
Status: RO
Content-Length: 23262
Lines: 362
Hurrah. Up to date.
Midafternoon at the entrance to the Scotch Breach. The party press on
southwards, eager to cover as much ground as possible before camping. The
Breach isn't living up to its reputation, and by the evening of the next
day the Gallantry side of the Breach is reached. Everyone but Greebo has
to pay an administrative charge (bribe) to the guards, but soon enough the
party are through, and after a few hours southwards entering the village
of Glenmoraloch. The only remaining money is Slate's gems, and he talks
with an innkeeper about exchanging one. The innkeeper offers to put the
party on a barge heading south to Gallantry that very morning, and Slate
accepts.
About a day and a half later the boat stops in Tater Hill and
Mongro, Crowe, Dersh and Gar depart. Crowe doesn't like cities, and Dersh
doesn't like cities containing people whose magic items he used. Los,
Slate and Greebo head on to Gallantry, and the others set about killing
time in Tater Hill.
Mongro is stuck sitting on the pier, provided he is accompanied by Gar,
and being watched by one of the town guards. Dersh finds a blacksmith and
sells off his old shortsword. As the day wears on the town guards are
getting agitated, and will not be convinced that Mongro is friendly. Dersh
and Crowe explain that they're waiting in Tater Hill for friends, and
after a time the guards offer to find a warehouse for the group to sleep
in for the night, for a price.
The offer is accepted, and the group settle down in the warehouse and play
dice to kill the time. By about midday of the next, the guards are banging
on the door, saying it is time for Mongro to be escorted out of town. This
turns out not to matter though, because at around the same time Los,
Greebo and Slate arrive back in town, and everyone finds themselves
talking just south of the town. Greebo has conducted business in Gallantry
and has added a new spell to his staff. Mongro knows something of
spellcasting too, and Greebo hands him a scroll to be copied into his
spellbook at a later date.
Los has talked with his church and they have confirmed that he has until
the new moon to kill some undead or he will disappear for good. Not a good
death. The church is doing what it can to help him out.
The block of ice has been left with Dragos, and Slate must return in about
a week when the spell preserving the body parts ends. Los was hoping to
receive training in Gallantry, but there isn't enough time, and it is too
expensive.
There still remains a week to kill in the expensive Gallantry or the
Mongro unfriendly Tater Hill, but at least the party now have currency:
Slate's beltpouch jingles as he walks. Dersh suggests offering some farmer
a few gold pieces to sleep in his barn for a week, and himself Crowe and
Gar wander off northwards around Tater Hill. It is not too hard to find a
farmhouse, and the door is answered by a small old man whose first
response to Dersh's offer is to start hitting him with his stick. Gold
changes his response. A deal is worked out and the group spend the next
five days doing nothing and eating stew in a field. Greebo shows off his
'rope trick' spell (after he gets Los to cut up his rope). Greebo does his
stuff and a 30ft length of rope rises into the air. Greebo jumps onto it
and climbs it, disappearing at the top. Dersh does the same, and both
reappear a few moments later climbing down the rope. Greebo explains the
spell, and people go to bed.
After the week waiting in the field is up, only Crowe, Dersh and
Gar stay in Tater Hill, with a few gold pieces from Slate to spend the
time in an inn. Two days later Slate is back in Tater Hill and he explains
things to the others on the way to Gallantry. Slate is wearing different
armour, and obviously the deal with Dragos has been conducted. Los has a
meeting with a man who will be able to teleport the party to the location
of some undead (as provided by Los' church), but he must be paid. A good
bit of money has been put together, some of the gems Slate had and his old
armour are sold, and Chanti's helmet is still in possession of the party.
Greebo is concerned by conversation that magic, or teleport magic is
growing wrong, or messing up a bit, but Los' needs are pressing.
Kane (the man to do the teleporting) is asking 500gp, but takes Chanti's
helmet as payment. He begins casting his spell, and as he finishes Greebo
chirps "oh dear", and the party find themselves standing in completely the
wrong place. Expecting to land in a wooded area the party find themselves
standing in something more like a jungle. Greebo starts to climb one of
the tall trees when a bang sounds out above the jungle noises. Running in
the direction from whence it came, then cautiously pressing forward, the
party are met by a slumped figure on the ground. Upon sighting the party
the person becomes hysterical, and it takes about an hour for him to calm
down enough to talk to Dersh and Crowe, with the other a good distance
away. The person is frantically clutching a wand of some sort, and talks
of missing his captain, and being attacked, and not knowing what is going
on. The only enemy to be found in the blasted remains of some trees is a
charred small bird, which Mongro eats. Bit by bit Jion's story is put
together. He was on a ship of some kind, the ship was attacked, and he
found himself here. His people were searching the island for a valuable
metal, and three unmanned chariots of some kind are at present searching
the island. Jion has a strange magical map, which is about the only use he
presents. People soon get sick of his whining about the cold and the dark
and being hungry and afraid of Los, but he quietens down a little at the
prospect of being left along in the jungle.
Night falls surprisingly quickly, but with the use of the map the party
decide to head towards one of the named locations, which is at least out
of the jungle. Los is very pissed off at the entire situation, but can do
nothing but press on. Jion seems to have magical items aplenty, light
sources like a 'continual light' spell, and he is very protective of his
wand, even threatening to use it when it is suggested that the party might
be better off without him.
The party are still heading south when a rumbling noise fills the air.
Consulting the map it appears as though one of the chariots is heading
towards the location of the party, and people wait for it to arrive.
From out of the jungle ahead crashes a very large creature. Two torsos are
supported on either end of a massive four-legged body. Each torso has a
huge set of arms and a head, and Jion points out that this is definitely
not the chariot.
All of the fighters rush in to attack it. Jion stands and reaches
for his wand. Dersh runs towards the back of the creature with Greebo, who
grabs the 5ft length of rope hanging from Dersh's backpack, ready to cast
'rope trick' should the need arise to flee or hide. The monster attacks
first, and shoots a sparkling tongue from its mouth at Slate. It misses,
but then attacks the surrounding fighters with all four of its arms.
Thankfully the arms miss too, but then the second head attacks, biting
Mongro. The fighters then attack, and Gar scores some damage.
Los swings his two handed sword through the air and cleaves the creatures
body in two. Everyone just stands there as Los sheathes his sword and
reminds the party "I don't have time for this shit."
Dersh is puzzled by the sparkling tongue, but after shocking
himself for a point of damage he moves to the other head to knock out some
teeth to keep. Slate then begins checking out the tongue. Both Dersh and
Slate are caught by surprise when the two heads split open and out fly two
small creatures. The creatures fly onto the faces of Dersh and Slate who
both take a point of damage before the creatures detach and fly off. Dersh
calls for Greebo to look at the wound, and is disgusted as Greebo pulls an
egg like thing out of his throat. Greebo then moves to help Slate, being
handed a dagger to try and help remove the egg, but he messes up and cuts
Slate, and the egg remains inside him.
By this stage the air is filled with a loud humming noise, and Jion
confirms that the chariot is approaching.
The chariot cannot be seen above the treetops, but it can definitely be
heard. Eventually the party arrive at a clearing and get a view of a large
floating thing about 100ft above them. Jion still doesn't seem to be able
to do anything; even now that he has found the chariot. He says that all
he can get is useless (to the party) information about the metal his
people were looking for. It is reckoned that the chariot might be easier
to reach from level ground, and the party head towards the coast, also a
location of the metal on Jion's map. The chariot still remains about 100ft
above the party when they find the rocky beach two days later, and Jion is
still unable to contact the chariot which is following him overhead. A lot
of ideas are thrown around for reaching the chariot, variously involving
Crowe hitting it with arrows, and Greebo using spells to reach it. Mongro
and Greebo can't possibly meditate under the great humming noise of the
chariot, and head off down the beach with Los. Crowe sets off to see if he
might find any hunting closer to the trees, and everyone waits for
morning.
In the morning Mongro tries to cast 'purify food' on some now
rotten perishable food someone had brought, but messes up, and the food
remains rancid. Greebo has learned spells with a view to reaching the
chariot, and everyone walks back to the treeline where Greebo and Dersh
are to climb a tree in order to reach the chariot. Dersh removes his
leather armour, and slings Slate's silk rope around his body. The two
reach the top of the tree safely, and Greebo casts 'jump'. He bounds 30ft
into the air from the top of the tree. He is still short of the hovering
chariot, and spirals around on his outstretched skin-wings to land beside
Dersh again. It is necessary to cut the silk rope, and getting the spell
right the second time Greebo casts 'rope trick'. The 30ft of silk rope
coils upwards into the air. Greebo climbs up most of the way, and with
'jump' still in effect bounds off the rope and lands on the chariot. A
door in the side seems to open and close to admit the parrot, and Dersh
waits. Not too long afterwards Greebo appears at the open door and motions
for Dersh to catch something. Greebo's throw is spot on, but Dersh still
manages to fumble with the item before gaining control. Greebo glides down
to Dersh, then to the ground. Dersh throws down the silk rope and sets
about climbing down with the 'remote control' as Greebo called it.
The party move back towards the rocky beach so as that Jion can
'land' the 'air raft' (as he now calls it) with the 'remote control'. Soon
enough everyone is inside the strange 'air raft', about the size of a
large room, as Jion figures out how to work it. The 'air raft' has a
different map, and on it three extra locations are represented, a pair
beside the coast and a single dot near the centre of the island. It is
decided to travel to the pair of dots, but Los still doesn't see how any
of this is getting the party closer to finding (and cutting into little
pieces) any undead. It takes the 'air raft' only a few minutes to travel
the length of the continent northwards, and it lands on another rocky
area.
People explore the surrounds and another, much larger, 'air raft' is
spotted on a smooth patch of flat ground a ways off from where the party
'landed'. Jion doesn't recognise it and the party return to their 'air
raft' to land beside the second one. As the party approach, a door in the
side of the second 'air raft' opens and what seems like a 'magic missile'
impacts into the party's 'air raft'. Jion turns the 'air raft' around,
slightly damaged, and heads for the second dot on the map in the vicinity.
It is another 'air raft' like the one the party have, but it is wrecked,
and contains nothing of use. It is decided to head for the third dot on
the map, and in taking about an hour to get there in the now damaged 'air
raft' the party talk.
Jion mentions that he is from Illaria, a little to close to the name Illar
for some of the party's liking, but clearly he is not from the prime
material plane (as Greebo would put it).
In due course Jion 'lands' the air raft at the location of the second dot
on the map. There is another 'air raft' present, which Jion names as an
'imperial air tank'. The 'air tank' is better equipped to deal with an
enemy, but people must still rest, and come up with a plan of action
before anything is done. People transfer to the 'air tank', but Los, Gar
and Dersh remain in the 'air raft' rather than having eight people in the
same room for the night.
Even before anyone has gotten to sleep the denizens of the 'air raft' hear
a crashing noise and spot one of the four-legged two-bodied creatures
charging towards their place of refuge. Los, Gar and Dersh bolt for the
'tank' and the creature begins pounding on the 'air raft'. After Dersh
explains what is happening, Jion moves to the 'controls' of the 'tank'. A
noise is heard from above, as part of the 'tank' seems to be moving. Then
a flash, and an explosion, leaving only a burning 'air raft' and parts of
the creatures corpse strewn about the place.
Feeling safe enough in the 'tank' the party wait 'till morning.
The 'tank' is faster, stronger and equipped with some kind of weapon the
party don't understand, and all round better than the 'air raft'. It is
decided to return close to where the large silver 'air raft' lies and
pursue options there. A good deal of discussion occurs. Dersh heads off
towards the 'air raft' to get a better look at it. Getting close enough,
and hiding in some rocks, Dersh observes. Two humans, large of frame and
probably not the same race as Jion are patrolling around the 'air raft'.
Both of them carry strange wands, similar to Jion's, but larger. Dersh
waits awhile, then returns to the tank. Discussion continues, and the
general sentiment (for some unknown reason) seems to be to try
communication rather than just attacking blindly. Jion has been able to
determine that there are seven people in the 'air raft', using some of his
strange magical stuff.
Crowe volunteers to walk up to the air raft and attempt conversation.
Dersh tags along, hiding in the rocks to observe. Night has fallen by this
point, and the enemy 'air raft' and its surrounding area are now brightly
illuminated by some means. The contrast between the area outside the
illumination is sharp, and Crowe walks into the lit up area with his hands
raised. What looks like a small catapult emplacement has been set up
outside the 'air raft', and the person manning it turns towards Crowe.
Crowe calls out, but no attention is paid. By this point more lights have
appeared, falling from the sky, and illuminating a greater area. Something
flashes past Crowe's head, and he calls out again. This time the something
does not miss. Crowe is struck squarely in the chest and thrown backwards
a few feet before landing inanimate on the ground. Dersh decides to head
back to the 'tank'.
The 'tank', however, has seen the lights and is heading towards
the 'air raft'. It passes over Dersh without noticing him, and by the time
Dersh has returned to the silver 'air raft' a bit has changed. Jion is
blasting the door of the enemy 'air raft' with his wand, apparently to no
effect. The 'tank' is landed beside the 'air raft'. The strange catapult
is no more, and a very large circle of blackened and scorched earth is
centred on its prior location. Dersh gets Greebo to take a look at Crowe's
corpse, just in case, but he is in pieces, and dead as a dead person.
After the surrounds of the large 'air raft' are searched two corpses are
turned up, presumably killed in the blast that destroyed the strange
catapult. Their possessions are useless, including their wands, which seem
more similar to crossbows than Jion's is. Jion continues to try to blast
the door open with his wand, and even uses it on a more powerful
'setting', but to no avail. A darkened window at the front of the 'air
raft' shows that the large humans are still inside, but no attempt at
communication seems to work.
A good number of hours are spent around the large silver 'air raft',
trying to communicate, or to find a way in. The large weapon atop the
'tank' is spent, and Jion's smaller weapon proves useless. Swords barely
scratch the metal of the 'air raft'. Jion's 'tank' is capable of
communications of some sort, but none of which are responded to by the
inhabitants of the 'air raft'.
One idea is to drive the 'tank' into the front of the 'air raft', but it
is met with enough opposition not to go ahead. Eventually it is decided to
leave, and to use the immense speed of the 'tank' to check the coast of
the large island for any signs of inhabitation. Stones are placed such
that if the door/ramp of the 'air raft' is opened, they will be disturbed.
After several hours of searching the coast the party return to
land the 'imperial air tank' beside the large 'air raft'. Jion has been
able to determine the layout of the inside of the 'air raft' using the
tools in the 'tank'. It is comprised of two levels, with many chambers and
stairs.
From inside the 'tank' the party realise that the stones are disturbed and
that the 'air raft' has been opened in their absence. Another plan is
decided upon whereby the party leave in the 'tank' again, and Mongro moves
out towards the 'air raft' to replace the stones on the ground.
As Mongro walks towards the 'air raft' the door begins to open,
falling down to become a ramp. Mongro charges forth, swiping with his axe
at whoever is behind the door, even before it is open. The others follow
suit, excepting Dersh and Greebo, who hang back. The ramp hits the ground
and the party rush towards it. One human stands just inside the doorway,
carrying a (soon to be termed) boomstick. Another smaller creature is
hovering in the doorway also, made of metal, and making buzzing noises.
Mongro has the people behind the door completely by surprise with his
attack, but he manages to fumble. His axe slips from his hand and clatters
onto the ramp. The human in the doorway attacks with his boomstick, but
misses all concerned. The hovering metal creature sends forth two wires,
which strike Mongro in the head. Lightning seems to surge into Mongro's
head, and he falls to the ground shuddering.
Of the party Jion attacks first. The blast of his wand misses
completely, and injures several of the party members. The bare-chested
human has a chance to attack with his boomstick again, and Gar is knocked
to the ground, nearly dead from the blow. The metal creature hits Slate
with the wires, but Slate is made of sterner stuff, and less concerned by
electrocution. Slate fells the metal creature with two blows, and the
unarmoured human with one. He rushes in to a large open area inside the
'air raft', but no others are immediately visible. Jion has picked up the
boomstick, but hands it to Dersh when he asks. Greebo protests the
situation. An injured Gar and Jion return to the 'tank' with Greebo. Slate
has already begun searching the inside of the 'air raft' for anyone else
who might want some. Dersh kneels down with the boomstick pointing at the
doors on one side of the bay as Slate tries to open a door on the other.
Los is unsure of the merits of either staying or going, and settles on
helping Dersh figure out the boomstick, which can be most likened to a
crossbow (a trigger and projectiles). Slate continues to explore, getting
the knack of opening the doors, and proceeds via a ladder and hatch to the
upper level. Los decides to get Greebo, who is in as good health as he
ever is, although still certain of death if hit by a boomstick. Greebo
still protests, but accepts that his help is necessary, and helps to cover
the unopened doors, ready to cast 'magic missile'.
Slate is still exploring, but Dersh shouts for him to come back to the
bay. Los is proficient with a crossbow, but his gauntleted hands are too
big for the boomstick. Eventually Los and Dersh figure it out to some
extent, and there is a satisfying *clunk* *click*.
Slate returns to the bay, still not having found any signs of the other
humans known to be in the 'air raft'. There is a stairway beside the door
through which the party entered, and Los and Slate ascend. Dersh and
Greebo wait in the bay, but at the sound of a boomstick going off
upstairs, rush to follow. Los and Slate stand at the neck of a corridor
leading into a large room. Just as Greebo and Dersh reach the other end of
the corridor the human fires again, but misses, and takes another chunk
out of the walls. Slate is looking in real bad shape, and was hit by one
of the shots. Neither Slate nor Los can afford to take a hit. Greebo still
has 'magic missile' spells left, guaranteed to hit if can get a clear view
of the human at the other end of the corridor past Los and Slate. Los and
Slate hit the dirt. Or at least they try to. They blunder into each other
and only really lean against the walls. Greebo's mental resolve is tested.
He pulls it off and two 'magic missiles' fly into a very surprised human,
who remains standing. The next round Los and Slate are fully on the
ground, and Greebo's view unobstructed. A second pair of 'magic missiles'
impact into the human, killing him.
Los and Slate are getting to their feet as a pair of boomsticks skid along
the floor into their view. Stepping into the room they see two humans
cowering in the corner. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief.
As everyone is gathering in the room to discuss what to do next, a
very groggy Mongro gets to his feet. It seems as though he's not dead
after all, but he is drooling more than usual.
About a week passes. Jion is able to communicate with the captives, who
call themselves the Juro. In fairness they seem like decent folk. The
captives explain their situation, which according to them would be a lot
better if Greebo hadn't 'magic missiled' the engineer. Their craft crash
landed here after an experiment went a little ca-ca. The metal creature
the party fought was a probe, and more are expected, bringing food and
fuel. But all the Juro know is how to get back to where they live, and not
at the speed at which they arrived here either. Normally they go pretty
damn fast, but were attempting to go 'crazy rabbit-dance fast'. It all
smells of teleportation to Greebo.
After another week there is enough fuel and supplies to head back to where
the Juro live at normal speed. Greebo asks to see where the experiment was
taking place, wondering if it can be done again. Producing one of the blue
'key' potions in possession of the party (which turns out to be the
mineral that Jion's people were after) Greebo checks out the engine room.
There seems to be a place to pour something, and the craft sets off.
At the appropriate time Greebo pours the potion and..
The party find themselves standing in the Radlebb Woods. Two
questions come to mind. What about the boomsticks? Gar still has one. Has
the new moon passed yet? Nope, Los is still here, but he's going nuts.
humbug.
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