[Session Start] [It has been several months since last you heard from the Maw, and you haven't crossed paths with any of your fellow operatives. Something intense must be going on.] * Kansakhad enters and sits down at an empty table * Girdnick walks into the bar with a grin and waves at Bitter. "Hey, ugly! Long time since Girdnick here. Girdnick need beers." * Drunik wanders in to the bar and looks around. Seeing Kansakhad at a table, joins him for a moment of greetings before attending to the bar. * Girdnick sits down with Kans and "Hey, lookit you. Want Girdnick buy you beer too?" * Drunik pays Bitter 2 SP for ale and will take them back to the table when they're ready "I have no objections. Good to see you too" * Girdnick waves to Bitter and tosses a gold piece on the table. "Girdnick need orcish ale for whole table" * Drunik begins quaffing his ale * Girdnick scratches himself with a satisfied smile. "So guys, looks like we gonna have some heads to bust in." "I'm not in this for 'busting heads'... though if someone is attacking me I'll certainly defend myself." "You just look for treasures then? * Drunik shrugs. "It's a job." "I provide them healing and what help I can provide; they pay me money to support my faith." * Girdnick chuckles "Yeah, Girdnick need money for Girdnick's faith too." * Girdnick cracks his knuckles. "Girdnick ready to pray right now, actually" With business quite slow, Bitter approaches your table. "So, I haven't seen any of you in a while. What's the news?" * Girdnick looks Bitter up and down with an amused scowl. "Yer gonna make me lose my booze if ya stand any closer, ya ugly breeder." "I'm actually not sure. I've been attending to matters at the temple for the last couple months" * GnomishDrunk drowsily mumbles some tuneless song. "Pleasant as always, Girdnick." "So who are you meeting with today? * Girdnick shrugs. "They not tell Girdnick." "Any of our friends been around since last time?" * Drunik smiles. "At the moment, your drinks." "Well, I saw that ragged-looking guy a few weeks back. And the shady guy comes and goes from time to time." "You meant he ragged guy who likes his meat all cooked up?" Girdnick tries not to gag as he says this "The guy in the tattered coat. Usually chats with you guys. I think he hocks some sort of scrolls when he can." "Oh, those guys. I meant like the pretty lady or the rude guy. The folks who meet us here." "Truggle has been in a few times. Boisterous as ever. Elira has been conspicuously absent." "A pity, because she always pretties up the place." "Yeah, this place could use some prettying." Girdnick says with a laugh * Girdnick claps Bitter on his shoulder "No less for your presence." He laughs heartily in good humour. "Here, I'll drink to that!" * Drunik glances around the bar. Who else is here besides the drunk gnome? * Girdnick chugs down a mug of ale and then slumps the empty tankard on the table. "Where's that little wench lady?" * Bitter fills a mug and clinks with Girdnick, downing the whole thing in one. * Bitter calls behind the bar. "Merith, friends are asking for you!" [The bar is almost empty. Just the four of you and the gnome right now.] * Merith emerges from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel hung from her waist. "Who... oh." * Girdnick waves Merith over to the table. He hands her a fistful of silver pieces as he slaps her backside gently. "I could use something...tasty..." * Merith breaks into an overzealous smile and grabs a slab of meat from the back. "Rare, right?" * Girdnick winks at Merith. "Yeah, Girdnick likes it raw and dirty." "Anothher!" "Hey, Bitter, why dontcha make that little guy's next shot a real nice one, like Gorgon's Breath * Merith picks up the meat, drops it on the floor, steps on it, and returns it to its place in front of Girdnick. "Like that?" * Kansakhad raises an eyebrow "You guyssss buyinn'?" * Girdnick pulls out a gold piece, smiles at Merith, then nestles the gold in her cleavage before sinking his teeth into the bloody meat. * Girdnick hands Bitter 2SP for the gnome's drink * Merith walks past the gnome, picking up the mug and stepping behind the bar. * Merith pours the mug full of a think green sludge, and sets it in front of the gnome. She then sweeps all the silver off Girdnick's table and gathers it into the towel at her waist. She disappears into the kitchen. "So that Truggle, has he been just here to drink, or has he been meeting with folks here?" Well, he likes a full table, and I turn a deaf ear to folks here when possible, so I couldn't say. right "What about the two of you? (looks at K and G) Any excitement that I've missed out on?" * Kansakhad shakes his head. "Not really." "Had to...(with a hint of innuendo) slaughter.. some goblin ambassadors" "Really?!" "Glad I missed out on that one, it sounds too delicate a task for me" "Then we had to (innuendo continues) steal... their things..." * Elira steps through the door, glancing nervously over her shoulder, and moves quickly to a table in a dark corner. She puts a silencing finger to her lips and motions to you. * Girdnick moves to her side, hand on his Boneblade. "You in trouble?" he asks quietly * Kansakhad moves over to her table and sits down * Drunik waddles over to her table, bringing his remaining drink and finished drinks with him "Don't have much time. Have you met with Truggle since I last saw you?" "No and a blessing it is" "I have once, but they've done tasks more recently than I" "Bitter, maybe we should shut the door for a little bit, maybe see to the gnome?" "I didn't get an orb on the way here. We'll just have to hope he's harmless." * GnomishDrunk stares blindly at his half-empty mug of green nastiness. "I stashed a box in the undercaves of the second tower. I need you to go get it and put it in a Kundarak vault." "Who's after you?" "I'm not sure. I haven't actually seen them. It's just a feeling I've got." "You worried about Truggle?" "He's looking to move up, and he's running out of ways to impress, if you know what I mean." So you're trying to avoid a schism in the ranks, or that he wants to "make" a position open? "He'll probably have to be pretty blunt, or else make a very effective point." "Not the time for humour, Girdnick." * Elira reaches into the folds of her uncharacteristically unkempt dress and pulls out a small stick. "I've already encoded this. Just get the box, pay the fee for me, and I'll do what I can for you soon." * Kansakhad takes the stick "How long we need the vault for?" "And do we need a password or vault name for this? "Don't be daft. I said I already encoded it. Don't overwrite it, or there will be much to be repaid." * Kansakhad nods. "Can you be any more specific as to the location of the box, or are we on our own from here?" "On the southwest side of the tower, near the base, there's an ancient entrypoint. It was sealed up, but not securely. I opened it. It's in the third chamber, under a tablet bearing an invisible House Sivis rune. nods. "Anything else we need to know?" "I don't know, but I don't have time to explain. I'll send word when I can." * Girdnick reaches into his pack, pulls something out. He hands Elira a cinnamon stick and leans close to her as he does so. * Elira takes the cinnamon, stands, and sprints out the door. * Kansakhad looks at Girdnick, and whispers "That was a diversion, in case someone was watching or captures her?" * Bitter approaches the table when she hurries out. "That wasn't very like her. Everything okay?" "No, but, when is everything ever okay?" "True. Anything I can do to help?" "Do you have a back door?" "I do, but it just opens onto a closed courtyard." "So no easy way to get out to a street from there?" "Nope. There's a caged column, but you'd have to fly or climb to the top to get out." "That won't help me at all" "We gotta move quick, guys. Let's just head right out and take care of business. (to bitter) Girdnick come back later. Anyone make pronlems, you tell Girdnick." "What about an exit to the sewers?" "We can handle ourselves, thanks." * Bitter looks at Kansakhad disgustedly. "You want to go down the tubes?" "Elira thought people were after her. Disgusting as it might be, I'd prefer to elude whoever might be following her, if at all possible." * Girdnick grins at Bitter as he moves to the door and waves the others over. "Well, you maybe find some oil of less ugliness, you should use it. Girdnick see you again." "Girdnick no go it crapper. Someone follow Girdnick, they find Girdnick. Not many people want to find Girdnick, if you get me." * Kansakhad shrugs. "Well, either way, we should be going now." "Agreed." * Girdnick storms out the door, shouldering his way past any hangers-by "And some healing may be in order." * Drunik follows the half-orc out of the bar, trying to seem inconspicuous. "Let me know how it goes. I love having that woman around. It'd be sad if she came to harm." "I'll tell her you said so." * Girdnick begins journeying toward the tower, stopping by a market, if one exists on the way * Drunik whispers to Kansakhad, "Do you think we'll need detection to find the rune?" * Kansakhad whispers back, "Yes. Probably some sort of detect magic spell. You can do that sort of thing, yes?" * Drunik whispers, "A simple Detect Magic sure. Something to "see" invisible stuff is another matter." "Wouldn't something invisible still show up as being magical?" "Sure. Yeah, it's probably nothing, how many invisible marks can be around there?" "One. I hope." * Girdnick comes back out of an artisan's shop, arms laden with goods, and continues to rush towards the tower [The small group walks across many bridges and past a multitude of Sharn's citizens. They arrive at the bottom-most level of the second tower, and peer over the edge. It's a terribly long drop from here.] * Girdnick looks around for a railing or a solid ledge [Ledges are numerous, as the walkway is in extreme disrepair near the homeless lowlives who inhabit these lowest depths of the towers.] * Girdnick attaches his new grappling hook to a long coil of rope and secures it to a solid overhang. * Scavenger drags his lame foot toward you. "A few coins for a poor beggar?" * Girdnick hands over an iron bar. "Trade it for some soup." * Kansakhad tosses him a few silver * Girdnick goes back to his work * Drunik tosses him a few silver as well. "Oh, so generous, lords." He falls to his hands and knees, skittering this way and that, gathering the coins that are rolling about. * Girdnick finishes securing his rope. "Girdnick stay here and make sure rope stay put, you guys go down first." "Won't nob'dy come by here. I'll keep your rope safe, lords." "Yeah, but if it break, only Girdnick strong enough to hold friends up so they not fall." "So Girdnick go down last." * Drunik walks over to the Scavenger and mentions "If you want someone to take a look at those, stop by the Temple of the Sovereign Host sometime." * Scavenger sits and drags his legs over to where the rope is secured. "I'll beat off ne'erdowells with this bar you gave me. You can trust Gargun." * Girdnick gives Gargun a cinnamon stick. "Girdnick like cimniminns." To his allies "Go on, Girdnick follow." * Drunik hobbles back over and goes down the rope first. Or tries to * Scavenger smiles a toothless grin. "Smells nice. Must be healthy." He pulls back his threadbare sleeve and rubs the stick on an open sore. "Thank you, healer." * Girdnick scratches his head. "Girdnick not think of that... Gargun pretty clever." "Mind carrying this down for me?" (holds out a shield) "I'm going to have a rough enough time as it is" [The rocky side of the tower on the way down has no ledges, but is relatively rough, and might provide a handhold here and there.] * Girdnick shrugs and grabs the shield, bundling it with his bags * Drunik has a rough go at descending the rope, but Drunik slowly descends in lurches * Girdnick watches Drunik and Kansakhad work their way down, then once he is convinced that they have safely made it and he no longer has to watch the rope... * Girdnick tosses his bundle of property over the edge, excepting a few especially fragile items he has taken out * Girdnick swings out onto the rope, bouncing along down the rough wall, keeping one hand on the rope in case of a slip. [There is a conspicuous hole in the side of the tower, about thirty feet from the ground, and some twenty feet from their rope. With some clumsy manoeuvering, the team manages to swing into the hole and drag part of the rope in with them.] [As Drunik and Kansakhad wait for Girdnick to catch up, there is a noisy crashing sound from the ground outside of the hole. Girdnick's equipment, protected by Drunik's shield, impacts the ground below at terminal velocity. Girdnick swings into the hole moments later.] * Kansakhad cringes [Standing in the mouth of the cave, you can see only one exit further into the cave system, and there is light flickering from that chamber around a sharp corner.] * Drunik looks over to see if his *wooden* shield is intact * Girdnick climbs down momentarily to retrieve his crap, then rejoins the group. [Drunik's shield did indeed survive the impact, though it bears a few impressions of Girdnick's more pointy equipment.] * Girdnick pulls a fishhook out of the shield as he hands it back to Drunik. * Drunik looks around at the current environment * Girdnick steps ahead of his partners and leads the way into the chamber [This first room appears to be devoid of anything save ages of dust, and some disturbances leading into the next chamber.] [Broken stonework is scattered around the entry hole.] * Girdnick ensures that his Boneblade is set in place as he keeps walking further into the next chamber [Girdnick hears a slight disturbance at either side of the passageway, then is covered in flame as two vials of acidic flame shatter against his chest.] * Drunik preps his mace and shield [There is a small clattering as two springs and a wire fall to the floor under Girdnick's feet.] [As Girdnick downs a potion, he enters into a cramped room with two sconces, one on either side of a door into the next chamber, burning brightly.] * Girdnick picks up the springs and wire as he enters the room * Drunik looking carefully around, will follow Girdnick into the next room [As Girdnick examines the door, he and his closely-following companions, notice the flames in the sconces getting taller. They hiss and spit sparks emphatically.] * Kansakhad steps back * Girdnick steps back * Drunik steps back * Girdnick reaches into his bag and pulls out a sack. he begins scooping out of the sack with his ale mug and uses it to begin dumping flour onto the fires [A tall pillar of flame seems to have to bend to fit in the room. It steps out of the sconce, and flicks a few sparks at the other sconce. This flame grows to a smaller height, then it, too, steps into the room.] "Huh" * Girdnick swings Boneblade, finding the mass in the flame, and slashes it, throwing sparks onto the ground * FlameSr attempts to return Girdnick's favour, but finds that he misjudged the quickness of the half-orc. * FlameJr glides past Girdnick, and targets the apparent weakest attacker. He lands a solid blow, knocking Kansakhad to the ground and sending a shower of flame and sparks all over his body. * Drunik rushes over to Kansakhad, praying to Dol Arrah as he does so. Tapping Kansakhad on the shoulder, he sends healing energy into the psion. * Girdnick snarls, spraying spittle on FlameSr as he swings again, spraying ashes onto the ground * FlameSr again attempts to smite the mighty foe who is ripping his essence apart, but his reach has been diminished by the repeated attacks. * FlameJr moves in to aid the larger elemental, and impacts Girdnick's back with a heavy gust of flame and hot wind. * Drunik uses a scroll to try to bring Kansakhad back to consciousness, but the healing energies are not enough * Girdnick swings wildly, finding no openings through which to hit the flame creature * FlameSr notices the efforts of Drunik, and steps past Girdnick to try to stop the healer. It is unfortunately distracted by Girdnick, who swipes at it again as it passes. * FlameJr attempts to bring down the fierce foe it finds in Girdnick, but misjudges its swing as Girdnick reaches out to hit the larger flame man. * Drunik re-draws his heavy mace and swings at the larger flame that has just attacked him. Drunik tries to take a step to keep himself between the elemental and his fallen comrade. * Girdnick plunges his blade into the flame, then swings the blade sidelong, casting flaming embers across the floor. The creature dissolves to the floor as its energy is scattered. * FlameJr swings wildly, obviously panicking at the loss of its larger companion. It's directionless attack fails to bring any effect, and it backs into a corner, cowering. "Girdnick, can you attend to that one while I try Kansakhad again?" * Girdnick cracks his knuckles menacingly. "Oh yeah. Girdnick handle." He steps toward the elemental meaningfully. * Kansakhad coughs as he sits up * Drunik drops his mace as he casts another healing on Kansakhad * Kansakhad appears to concentrate on something [There is a tremendous horn blast heard from the next room, and the ground beneath your feet trembles.] * Girdnick mutters to himself as his face contorts into a blood red contortion of fury. When he steps back from the living flame, it is melting into a puddle of orange liquid. * Kansakhad looks around. "What was that?" * Drunik says as he retrieves his weapon, "We better find out quickly." * Girdnick looks over, still foaming at the mouth. "Let's fucking find out!" He turns to kick in the door [Girdnick's foot splinters the door, revealing a room with crumbled stones all over the floor. The walls are blackened with soot, and there are lines of acid etching lines all over the floor. Standing in the center of the room is a small halfling holding a metal box and a trumpet.] * OneEaredHalfling turns to you and smiles a sinister grin. His voice is deep and gravelly. "Too late." * OneEaredHalfling drops the trumpet and pulls a small sack from his belt, dumping the contents over his head. He disappears. * Girdnick rushes into the room, an instant too late, and begins to pound on the walls furiously "Girdnick, the flour!" * Girdnick glares at Drunik, his temples throbbing with the pressure of his anger. "Fucking whatsit! "Use your flour, he might still be here" * Drunik blocks the doorway and uses his calm emotions ability * Girdnick stops shaking and rubs his eyes. After a second, he lights up. "Oh, flour...hmm..." He reaches into his bag for a fistful and casts it into the air * Drunik casts an orison after waiting for a few seconds and searches for magic auras from his doorway position [The flour settles evenly over everything you expect it to, and nothing that hope it to but it shouldn't.] "Girdnick hate little man. He steal box!" * Drunik lets the others check around, and after a little time, he has one of the others take his place at the door while he scans for auras * Girdnick stomps out of the room, grumbling about nasty things that will befall the halfling soon. "Ok, there's nothing here. We should head back. If we're lucky, we'll run into the halfling on our way out." "I guess so" [They find nothing on the way out, and have a downcast look to them as they climb back up the rope. The scavenger is still sitting guard, and there is an unconscious man with several welts on his head laying nearby.] "Welcome back, lords! I beat him, good! He tried to steal your rope." [You place a note in the vault, paying the requisite fee, telling Elira of your failure to retrieve the box and how the one-eared halfling beat you to it.] [Session End]