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The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
One by one, each of you makes your way down the shaft, either by rope, or by spider climb.
Soon each of you finds yourself chest-deep in water. The water is chilly, but not ice-cold. The shorter members of the party either cling to the larger members or sit on their shoulders. The cool damp air is a relief after the scorching heat up above.
The dancing lights cast rippling patterns upon the low arched ceiling of this ancient cistern. A gentle current nudges you toward the east as the blind albino fish nibble gently and curiously at your legs.
The cistern is low-ceilinged, but quite wide and even with darkvision or the assistance of the dancing lights the sides of the cistern are hidden in shadow.
...
Tiriel remains at the surface, holding the rope, her feet planted firmly at the shaft's edge. Occasionally her wings twitch open, providing counterbalance. She looks around, her eyes watering from the smoke, to see if anyone is left.
She turns around and spots Callos kneeling beside Elthan, rummaging through his pockets.
"What are you doing?" demands Tiriel when she sees the necromancer pouring a vial of clear liquid down Elthan's throat. The half-elf coughs and his eyes flutter open.
OOC: Continued from The Necromancer's Pact VII: The Lake of Tears II.
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The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Callos
A warm smile came to his face, through the coughing and smoke-induced tears, as he saw Elthan come around and his eyes flutter open. Good, he was still alive then.
"C'mon and get up then boy. I'm not going to carry you all the way to safety." He grunted, pulling the half elf up to his feet and leading him to the edge of the cistern. Barely even sparing a glance over at Tiriel as he searched around for the rope that'd lead down into the darkness below. "Ensuring our survival Tiriel and if you'd like to do the same then help me get him down the rope to the bottom of the well. I think we've used up all the time in this place."
Pointedly ignoring any glares that might be coming at him from the angel woman, Callos waited for the probably very sore and very much in pain sorcerer to start clambering down the rope before gesturing for Tiriel to do so as well. Taking one last moment to look around the hall before bulling out his mirror and holding it tightly between clenched teeth and grasping the rope himself and beginning to descend himself.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Lizardkin Druid
The chill of the water seeps out a lot of the lizardman's strength and he finds himself shivering in the water.
"Hurry", he yells and he looks up to see Callos and Elthan descend.
He frowns seeing that Elthan is awake.
"They healed Tonguess", he hisses those to those around him.
Stamping his feet to drive out the cold, he decides he needs to keep moving to keep warm.
"sStay together."
He rumbles before drawing a deep breath and submerging.
If there are fish here, there might be beasts that eat the fish..
He circles the group underwater, scaring some fish away and swims in the direction he feels the water flowing.
OOC:
Swim: 5 +7-3=9,13 +7-3=17,9+7-3=13
He's trying to find an exit from the chamber.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Tiriel
Tiriel scowls at Callos and glares at Elthan. She'd like to shout at both of them, but she decides to save her breath and wait until she's out of the smoke saturated air. As soon as Elthan is within a few feet of the bottom, Tiriel drops the rope. She turns and grabs her pack and then jumps down the hole, her wings spreading open (as far as they can), slowing her fall.
Once down at the bottom, Tiriel answers Callos.
"Fine, but his hands stay tied until we get some answers. Katrine, you're better at this then I, you tie him up."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Aeroz
Upon entering the water, Aeroz could feel the chill creep onto his chainmail while the armor simultaneously weighed him down. Trying to adjust his body so that he would remain more buoyant and looking up to see if Callos or Tiriel had dropped yet.
"Hurry up! Scaley has gone under for some reason and it is really, really uncomfortable. And cold. And staying here is not at the top of my list of things to do."
The padding under Aeroz's chainmail begins to cause an irritation on his shoulders.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Elthan
Callos has to rummage a second potion to rouse Elthan. As if waking from only a nap, Elthan looks curiously around upon awakening at a pace much slower than one realizing he is in a burning building. Not sure in the slightest degree where he was now, he moves silently as directed towards the opening and down the rope.
Almost at the bottom, a the sudden drop from a few feet into the cold water fully sets his mind out of its torpor. The building around him that had been burning was the town commons, or something like that. He was on the upper floors, and was knocked across his jaw...
Instinctively, as he stands himself up in the cold water, he begins to examine his chin to see if it was still in the right place. Before much of anything could be confirmed, however, a large splash from Callos hitting the water tosses him off his feet.
After recovering to his own feet a second time, he helps Callos up then turns to retrieve the dropped rope. Though still sunk mostly within the water, he hands what he can grab to Katrine. His newly misaligned jaw makes it hard to tell any expression, but his voice signals resignation.
"Whatever you decide upon."
OOC: Well, You did say you dropped the rope once Elthan reached the bottom, and Callos went after Elthan...
CLW potion (1d8+1=5)
CLW potion (1d8+1=2)
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Khazrael
Without his light jacket or scarf, Khazrael's wiry frame is much easier to deliniate. He is now clad in only a sleveless linen shirt, dyed a faded black, and some plain black wool pants in addition to his wide belt and heavy boots. His silver bangles hang heavy around slender wrists.
While the rest of the group attempts to orient themselves, he occupies himself with washing copious amounts of blood from his hands and face, stopping occasionally to cast sidelong glances into the surrounding cavern.
Punch-drunk from heavy bloodloss, he weakly laughs as he sees Elthan stand up out of the water.
Should have taken your chances topside. The orc's gonna tear you a new one.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Lumpy
"RRAGH!"
Elthan doesn't get the luxury of an orderly binding. Fueled by frustration over, Lumpy finds a ready outlet in the recently revived sorcerer. With an entirely too feral roar, the half-orc is upon the mage within seconds of his landing. Snatching him by the shoulders in a manner that suggests he'd slam him into a wall if there was one available, Lumpy merely digs his mailed fingers in and holds him there,
"Someone give me a good reason why we need him conscious right now." He fixes his sight on Callos to forestall any commentry from the necromancer, "Not you. You're about five seconds from joining him."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Ssathiya, Lizardman Druid
Ssathiya surfaces, hot air steaming out his nostrils. The others might hear his splashing as he deliberately smack his tail on the water.
He hears a yell and he pauses to tread water and look back. His nictating mebranes slide away. The others seemed clustered around the hole and he hears Lumpy threaten the wizards.
Noting that nothing demanded his return he continues swimming away with his head above water.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Katrin
"We shouldn't hurt him until we know why he killed Evendur, the information could be useful. I'll tie his hands behind his back, and someone should take away the pouch of things he uses to cast spells. Then he's pretty much helpless, and we can make him explain."
Katrin uses the end of the rope to tie Evendur's hands together tightly behind his back. Then she unties her rope from Fizahn's and offers the other end to Lumpy--to hold the rope, he would have to let go of Elthan. She gives Fizahn's rope back to him.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Yix
Yix takes this time to scout ahead, trying to find out where the current will take everyone.
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The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Callos
"Hold on a minute! We don't have the time to talk about this and discover his reasons! Nor do we have the time for him to stumble around in the dark with his hands behind his back and even more so if we need to swim ourselves. I didn't wake him up so he could be interrogated or so he can drown, I did it so we could get his help which we need! Look, I'll personally watch him myself until we're in the clear and if he starts doing anything funny, which I'll know if he does, then I'll kill him myself without mercy or hesitation." Callos practically growled out from between even as the others moved to bind, or even worse, knock Elthan out once more. Didn't these people know whats going on here? They were seeing the threat of death and were arguing against getting more help! He had at least thought Lumpy would have been above this but apparently not now. And he definitly wasn't going to take threats from the half-orc when he had done nothing wrong either!
"Hell, I'll even stand right next to Lumpy while I'm watching him just to make sure Elthan doesn't try anything. Does that sound fair enough? If not then by all means tell me some other way we can make a valuable ally useless for when the mob of skeletons come crashing down the well shaft. Or maybe for when the flaming demon horses and their riders do which, I might add, IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY WHILE WE SIT HERE TRYING TO PLAY JUDGE!" The last part he yelled, to draw their attention to the perilous situation they were in. "For the time being though, leave him untied and lets get the hell out of here. When we have some time I'll pry open his mind and find out why he did it or under whos compulsion but that will have to be later, right now whither you want to admit it or not we need him awake and able. Me? I want to live." Finally looking as if he had run out of anger, he pushed past the others to were the floating head of the druid was though he made sure to keep a reasonable distance. That was the druid...right? "Please druid, tell me theres a way out of here. We need a way out."
Even though he was hoping for a good answer he wasn't going to lose any preparation time he might have either. Mystical words came from his lips easy and smoothly as he brought about the spell. Glowing blue energy encompassed his right hand even as his brain wracked through various other methods and solutions.
((OOC: Casting Chill Touch and holding the charge.))
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Lissa
Ack, too deep, too deep! are Lissa's first coherent thoughts upon hitting the water. She does the only prudent thing- climb aboard a taller person. In this case, the closest tallfolk is Adalmar. She grins sheepishly down at him from her new perch on his shoulders. "Sorry, Adalmar, but I can't swim and it's a bit deep for the likes of me. I'll climb aboard somebody else if you'd rather." Even wringing wet, though, Lissa and all her gear weigh about as much as a well-loaded backpack.
When Elthan makes his appearance, Lissa just smiles coldly and produces a hidden dagger in a twinkling of steel. "Well well, if it isn't the traitor. Still alive... good. I've got some interesting plans." The smile turns into a full-fledged demented gnome grin. The kind usually seen on mad alchemists or insane wizards right before the "MUAHAHAHA!" and unveiling of latest deranged experiment.
Some apples just don't fall very far from the tree.
"Okay, I've got the rope and the crossbow bolt... can't do the flaming oil trick 'cause of the water, pity that... has anyone got fishing tackle? For later."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Tiriel
"Callos, I didn't think you needed reminding, but obviously you do. Elthan killed a valuable ally in cold blood. He's staying tied up for now. The water's not deep and there are too many of use who don't trust him. If the water gets deeper we'll do something else - So shut up and get going.
She noticing his prepared spell, "And don't think you're exempt from being tied up. I'm not going to waste anymore time arguing with you."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Achkby, Halfling Sorcerer
Achkby is shocked. First at being submerged, then by the cold, and finally by Elthan's arrival.
He's alive? What happened? Why shouldn't he be conscious? Wait, what? He killed Evendur?
Achkby stands in dumb shock for a moment, and then blurts out, "He killed Evendur?!"
In his disattention, the floating orbs have slowly glided back to hover over him as he perches on Aeroz's back.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Khazrael
Khazrael sighs, uncomfortable with getting too involved in the discussion of Elthan's fate, and wades out into the fringes of the light, peering into the dark to try and find some sort of path. His eye catches the little dragon zipping around and his haggard voice calls to it.
"Have you found anything? It'd be great if we could get moving before those two idiots come down the hole looking for us."
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The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Callos
His head whipped about sharply with an incredlous expression on his face at the insinuation that he'd be tied up as well. "You've got to be joking! This spell is for our pursuers you dense woman! You think I'd risk my life fighting the lot of you for someone who may or may not be guilty?" Shaking his head in disbelief at the very idea as he turns back to the druid.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Adalmar
He is not sure how he came to serve as a mount for Lissa - before he could voice his objections, her falsely candid smile made him give in.
"What I'd like to know is : did he voluntarily commit murder or was he possessed ?"
"Because if he is responsible, there is no way I will let him walk unfettered by our side !" By the end of the sentence, he is shouting, and his neck is turning red.
But he is clearly not accustomed to having such outbursts : he then blushes a deep red and turns his head away.
In a steadier voice : "Watching him won't do much good if he is mage, no ?"
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Slowly, the party wades towards the east, arguing about what to do with Elthan. Lissa looks like she is about to rip the half-elf's ears off with her bare hands. Some of her rage seems to rub off on Adalmar as well.
Khazrael pushes forward ahead of the party, washing the blood from his neck and chest. He has abandoned his cold weather gear, which the rest of you find waterlogged, heavy and cumbersome. He calls ahead to Yix, who flashes the party an eidetic image of a tunnel at the far end of the cistern. A chain is stretched across the opening at water level, and four small boats bob there, pushed against the chain by the gentle current.
(For those of you without darkvision, the ghostly gray-green image is a novelty.)
Behind you, in the darkness, there is a muffled, distorted whoomp, and a flurry of sparks tumbles down the vertical shaft before being snuffed out at the water's surface ...
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Khazrael
He sloshes ahead through the water, attempting to reach the chain and inspect the watercraft.
"Boats? What the hell? Are they in working shape?"
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
The chain is thick and its links are mineral encrusted. The boats are a motley group of small flat-bottomed rowboats. Three have oars lying within them.
Achkby sends the dancing lights carooming around the chamber. The lights reveal that this cistern is at least 100 ft x 300 ft, running east west. At no point is the ceiling greater than 6 feet above the water level however. A few thick pillars are scattered about at apparently random intervals. Like the ceiling and walls, the pillars appear to have been carved from stone. Also at irregular intervals are dark openings, presumably carrying water to this room from various directions.
Adalmar suspects that this chamber was once a natural cave that was enlarged to serve as a reservoir. Apparently its existence had been forgotten long ago by the villagers living in Kront.
The boats do not appear to be tethered in any way. Perhaps they floated here from elsewhere?
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Lizardkin Druid
As the party crowds into the tunnel and examines the boats, he brings up the rear and waits until they all manage to get into the boats.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Achkby, Halfling Sorcerer
Achkby tries to suppress his shivering on Aeroz's back, but his frigidity is quite evident.
"Boats? Thank the Gods! Are they in working order?"
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The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Callos
The necromancer stood there for a long moment and stared at the boats. An uneasy feeling of dread was just starting to come over him as he did too. And he had absolutely no idea why either. There was a safe escape, right there! Not a single thing keeping them from their safe getaway and now he couldn't bring himself to even approach.
"I don't like this...I see boats but no people or tethers. Where did these boats float here from and where are their owners?" He said flatly, taking a precautionary step back away from the edge of the cistern.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Yix
Yix calmly glides down and lands in one of the boats, thankful for the brief rest from flying around.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Lissa
Lissa shrugs from her perch atop the obliging Adalmar's shoulders, giving Elthan another evil glare before turning her attention back to the rest of the party. "Maybe the boats escaped from their owners upstream, floated down here, and caught on the chain. Used to see little boats washed up like that all the time in Selgaunt... handy when you need a boat and don't feel like paying for one. Or when you don't have time to haggle." Like, say, when the city watch is hot on your heels. She glances nervously back the way they came, fingering her dagger. "Whatever, we should get out of here. I don't like that noise we just heard."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Khazrael
Without speaking, he climbs into a boat and slumps forward, falling into an exhausted stupor.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Tiriel
Tiriel follows those who take the lead, making sure that she's behind Elthan during their walk through the passageway. Her thick clothing soon becomes waterlogged and heavy, nothing she can't handle but it's an unpleasant experience that she'd have rather avoided. She keeps her wings closed tight but they too soon become chilled and soaked and it's more than once that she considers whether they made the right choice going below instead of choosing to fight.
Upon reaching the boats Tiriel feels both uneasy and relieved. Here at last is a place where they might be able to find some rest, but Callos' words echo her unease at their apparent "luck."
"In another time and place I'd take the time to wonder where these boats came from, but we don't have the luxury of time. We all need rest, those most wounded or unable to walk should use the boats to get some rest while we figure out where to go next..."
[ooc: is there room enough for everyone in the boats, or only a few at a time?]
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Almost everyone clambers into a boat, shivering. Only the lizardman, Callos and Elthan remain in the water.
Each boat holds four human-sized party members, with room for an extra gnome or halfling here and there. The boats groan against the thick chain as they settle deeper into the water.
Lumpy, Thokk, Aeroz, and Fizahn sit in one boat. Lissa, Adalmar, Khazrael, and Achkby sit in another, with Yix perched on its prow. Trinark, Tiriel and Katrin find themselves in a third boat, the drow cleric looking almost pleased to be back underground again.
OOC: Hope I didn't forget anyone ...
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Elthan
Elthan relaxes a slight bit once everyone had made up their mind to leave him be for the moment. Why shouldn't they? He had no weapons, his magic did little in the way of actually injuring others, and he himself was not in the best of shapes at the moment. However, he did still avoid the harsh, and often almost malevolent gazes some of the party gave him.
I swear upon all of the gods, if I did not know that gnome, I would be convinced that she was under some form of possession.
Upon observing that there are only three usable boats, he steps towards the one in which Tiriel, Trinark and Katrin sit. "This one should be able to seat one more, shouldn't it? Callos, please take. Just let me set my coat down in it first."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Adalmar
"That noise was most likely the roof falling down. It means we can't go back now..."
He has goosebumps all over, and being underground doesn't make him feel any better. Gripping an oar, he begins to propel the boat forward as soon as the halfling sends his Dancing Lights to light the way.
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The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Callos
A pained expression came to his face when Elthan told him to take the one seat left and he groaned. "Yeah, I'm REALLY going to let you have a chance to die of the cold or to escape without getting my answers first. Get in the damn boat or I'll put you out and shove you in. I'll take the fourth one."
And with that said, Callos approached the fourth boat and clambered up into it. Shivering some from the cold, he looked about then took out his length of rope. How else could he get this boat to move...well there were a couple of options. One was tying the rope to another boat and have that one pull his own. The other was to tie it to the druid and let him pull the boat, if he was willing. The last was to have the druid in his boat and using his tail of the side as a means of propulsion.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Tiriel
Against her better judgment Tiriel helps Elthan into the boat. Everyone is cold and tried, not to mention angry and confused and she can't bring herself to deny the man a dry perch.
"Do we want to chance resting or keep moving?"
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Trinark
Trinark sits sereanly in the boat. It was as though a great weight had been lifted from his sholders. The familiar mustyness of damp cave greeted him like an old friend. And he could see, oh he could see! No more squinting under that impossibly bright sun, no more hiding beneath blankets to escape it's blinding glare. He might not be home but it was close enough.
Trinark makes room for the wizard clambering inside. He watches him with sad eyes. What could cause someone to kill an inocent person like the paladin? Dark magic? In a way he hoped that was the case, he hoped that it was under a compulsion, but if it was then what if the compulsion surfaced again? One could only hope that it could be removed.
On the other hand what if it had been off his own volition? Trinark could not imagine Elthan doing such a horrable deed. He had seemed such a nice quiet person. The answers would come in time, in time the answers would come. In the mean time Trinark would offer him the small comfort that no one else seemed to want to other than Callos, the benefit of the doubt.
"Come, sit by me."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Thokk
The dwarf enjoys his newfound powers of climbing, and seems happy to be under the tunnels again. Eventually, however, his mood reverts to his normal self, and the damp does not help him
"Ach, I suggest we let the caster types rest themselves. They aint a whole lot o use without being able to do that, and some of us dont need the rest to be effective. Restin on the boats seems to be our best bet, and we are also rather protected. Lets just keep floatin along and gather our wits"
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Katrin
Katrin looks nervously at the darkness behind her. The sparks from the collapsed building remind her of the nightmares, who had started the fire in the first place, and a surprise attack by the nightmares was the last thing she wanted, although she had no idea how they could get through the shaft.
"I'd let the boats float with the current and rest in shifts."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Aeroz
"Putting some distance between us and this place is a good idea. Presumably, the vampires have no clue this escape route is here, however, they could be searching the ruins to make sure that everyone is dead. They could come across the doorway at any point, so if they do, I would prefer not to be here to greet them."
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The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Callos
"We can't stay here. Won't be long till the blood suckers find the hole, even if the building collasped on it, and I don't even know if this will keep them from following us. Though if it did, then this'd be the best spot to make a stand against the remaining skeletons. Wouldn't stop the demon horses though. This situation is just like that big black oozey thing we found in the Underdark, we keep moving and pray we lose it."
Callos managed to stammer out from his lonely craft as the cold began to set into his bones. Shivering and holding his wet clothes tightly around himself even as he cursed the lack of fire spells. Even if he had to set something on fire, that'd still be a good expenditure of arcane energy to keep him warm. Cause right now, yeah he wasn't looking his best. Pale and shivering with eyes sunk back into his head, dark rings underneath of his eyes and teeth chattering...he wasn't going to win Most Intimidating or Impressive Mage of the year award.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Khazrael
"We're going to look pretty stupid sitting still in these boats when they figure out we're missing and come down here."
He leans over the edge and grabs the chain, rattling at it in an effort to try to unhook it somehow. When a gentle shake doesn't move it, he stares forlornly at the lizardman, not wanting to personally re-enter the water.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Lissa
Lissa points to the back of her neck, where the Evil Rune presumably lies dormant. "Until we can find a safe place to rest and one of the mages gets this thing off my neck, odds are good that the bloodsuckers will know exactly where we are. So lets get some flowing water between us and them, eh? Knowing where we are won't do them much good if they can't follow us." She peers uneasily into the inky depths of the subterranean river. "And a teeny little boat is not my idea of a safe place to rest. Who knows what might be swimming around down there?" Wringing out her wet braid over the side of the boat, Lissa looks over at Lumpy. "What do you think, Lumpy? You've got the tactical experience here."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Lumpy
Lumpy sits silent for a moment, still brooding over Elthan's consciousness, WHen he does speak, his tone is strained, but simple and to the point,
"Fact is, we can't afford niether not resting or not moving. If the mark still works, they'll sort out where we are eventually either way. Moving buys us time ta set up favorable circumstances, and resting makes sure there is such thing as a favorable circumstances."
He waves a hand at Callos,
"And if vampires aren't too keen on running water, then there may not be a better place fer it than here. Don't matter if it's flimsy, uncomfortable, or otherwise dangerous- some'a us gotta get the sleep ya can get when ya can get it."
He shrugs tiredly,
"Bottom line, I say we let the current take us and anyone what needs sleep fer magic or whatever else get it. Everyone else can steer and keep an eye on things fine."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Lizardman Druid
Heaving himself onto the last boat, he alarms Callos who maneuvers as best as he can so that they don't capsize.
Sitting in the boat, the Lizardman is shivering very badly and dripping water onto the boat. He manages to dig out a blanket and wrap himself with it.
"WE Gooo.Theeere", he says with his teeth chattering.
We are too tired to paddle. Other ways will be too tiring.
He slumps down in the boat with nothing further to say. If Elthan turns to look at him, he finds that the reptilian avoids looking him in the face.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Tiriel
Tiriel watches the water running against the sides of the boats.
"Is it just me, or is the current running East? I think our best bet would be to just let the boats float with it - it's going the way we were headed anyhow."
Taking care not to move suddenly she reaches over and lifts up the chain until it's high enough to allow one of the boats to pass under, if the occupants duck. She figures that the others can pull their boats under the chain while she holds it before she pushes her boat through.
[ooc: Tiriel is also willing and ready to cast Light when Ackby's lights go out.]
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
One by one, the boats, including the empty one, drift under the chain being held aloft by Tiriel. She releases the chain, and your boats slowly drift with the current into a natural stone tunnel.
The tunnel wends its way eastward, with the passage wide enough for two boats to pass abreast. The current appears to flow more briskly in the center of the passage, however, and soon all four boats arrange themselves automatically into a line.
Finding yourselves at rest for the first time in what seems like an eternity, several of you simply drop off to sleep where you sit in your boats. When Achkby'd lights die out, Tiriel generates more light, which serves simply to assure everyone that you are indeed moving.
After an indeterminate period of time, the passage begins to narrow. As it does so, the current picks up speed. A low rumbling is felt more than heard in the distance.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Khazrael
Khazrael dozes in and out of consciousness, his hand occasionally rising to rub at the painful bite wound in his neck.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Adalmar
With the ebb of adrenaline comes the need to sleep. He fights drowsiness as best he can - there has to be someone awake, and he is on the leading craft. His eyes linger on the ring on his left hand, and he remembers the friend he took it from... Thanks for your gift, Matthias. You're not forgotten.
The distant rumbling is appeasing at first, but as it gets closer it brings him to his senses. "Guys, I'm afraid there may be a waterfall coming soon... Tiriel, can you fly ahead to scout ?" He is focused enough to forget his ambivalence with regard to his angel.
He tries to slow the boat down, first by back-paddling then, seeing his efforts are not enough to match the speed of the currents, he tries to let the boat get stuck across the tunnel. He even slows down the next boat, so that his doesn't get dislodged.
"If at all possible we should wait here until we know what's coming."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Lissa
Despite her initial misgivings, fatigue and the rocking motion of the boat conspire to lull Lissa to sleep. Just before she drifts off, she yawns and sleepily waves a hand. The gnome's soaked armor and clothing are instantly dry. Mmm, I love magic...
Lissa drifts back to consciousness after some time, happily nestled against something warm. And- moving? She opens her eyes to find that she apparently cuddled up to her seatmate, Achkby, in her sleep. Blushing under her dusky complexion, Lissa sits up abruptly. "Um. Sorry about that, I didn't mean to..."
OOC: Previous 'day's prestidigitation used to dry off. Once Lissa is done talking to Achkby, she'll pray for spells.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Tiriel looks dubiously at the low hanging rock overhead. It looks like she wouldn't have much clearance. Yix, on the other hand, has no problems zipping ahead into the darkness. He isn't gone long before he returns with a beautiful but alarming image ...
The tunnel you are floating down opens up into a vast cavern. An enormous waterfall cascades down a steep rocky face. The vertical drop is at least 200 feet.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Trinark
Trinark makes the rounds in his boat, starting with the two ladies. Elthan is not left out, however. His wounds are bound with the same care and respect as is offered the others. After that he settles down to rest as the current carries them lazily down the underground river.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Thokk
"Balls..."
The dwarf streaches himself out, still in his plate, then looks around
"Oi! Any of yer got another spider thingie? That could get several of us out of the way o the water. Im not exactly looking foward to a 200 foot drop"
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Elthan
Elthan huddles to himself in the boat, unable to rest with so much on his mind. Though Trinark offers to bandage Elthans cheek, the wound has already healed over externally for the most part, and any such mundane healing would serve no end.
Briefly during the ride, he looks up and checks everyone in the group with a gaze. When they stopped running, the inquiry would begin. Who would listen to him, understand, or sympathize? He ends on the Druid, and watches as the lizard-kin consciously looks away. Filled with a rather empty feeling, he huddles again and falls asleep.
He rouses himself as Yix makes his return trip and informs everyone of the impending danger. Unsure of what advice to give, he curls further into his now damp robes and grasps the edges of his cloak.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Achkby, Halfling Sorcerer
After he's climbed aboard, Achkby strips off the bulkiest of his clothes, checking his pack for any damage or anything that might have floated away. Some of his food supplies are ruined, and he regretfully tosses his soaked fennel and cumin overboard. The sugar is mostly washed away, but he self-consciously licks up what little has stuck to the cloth before jettisoning it, as well.
As he regains some energy, Achkby recalls the altercation back in the cavern.
Wait... what was that about Elthan?
As Lissa has fallen asleep -- pleasantly close to him, Achkby notices -- the halfling turns to Khazrael. He had been, after all, carrying Evendur's head.
"So, what was that about Elthan killing Evendur? Did a summoning go awry?"
Huh... what could Elthan summon able to cut off a paladin's head?
[hr]
As Lissa shifted against him, Achkby smiled. After a little while, he began gently stroking her hair, moving from the (now crooked) part in the top down to the end of her ponytail. When he found his fingers tracing over the spot of her finding rune, though, he quick stopped, and glanced around nervously, wondering if anyone had seen him.
When Lissa suddenly sits up, Achkby recoils sharply, but at her words, gives her his most serene smile.
"Not a problem," he replies, "It was nice. Er, to be warm, I mean..."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Fizahn:
Fizahn remains silent as they walk through the tunnels and get into the boats. He keeps as much distance between himself and Elthan as possible. He speaks a little to Thokk while he's walking. "Didn't appreciate my sarcastic comments, huh?Well, I don't appreciate his trying to deliver us all to the vampires. Would it be too harsh to say we should get rid of him now? Also, there's that rune on Lissa's neck. We should see if the mages can do something about that." Fizahn groans as Yix reports the waterfall. Waterfall. What do we do? "Is there any way to get out before we hit the waterfall? Everyone should slow the boats down as much as possible."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Katrin
Oh no, a waterfall... we're going to have to get out before we hit it. "...what Fizahn said. Does anyone have a grappling hook or something that we could use to grab onto the wall of the tunnel?"
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Tiriel
How are we going to get down from that height? I could carry everyone one by one, but that would take forever...and it's not really safe.
"Oh. I have one, jut a second."
Tiriel scrounges around in her bag and eventually manages to locate both her grappling hook and a long length of thin rope. She looks at Katrine, "Do you want to throw it or should I? It should be able to catch on the ground, riverbed, whatever."
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Trinark
Trinark waks to the sounds of increasing aggitation and worry. He streaches from his cramped position and hears his boatmates talking about grarabbing onto walls and catching onto the ground. He addresses Katrin.
"What is wrong? Has someone fallen out?"
It is at this moment he remembers the sword he had left at the top of the stairs in the building. A slight pang of loss gripps him. Afterall it had been a gift from Elistrae.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Katrin
Katrin accepts the grappling hook and the rope, and begins tying the rope to the hook. She explains briefly to Trinark that according to Yix, there is a large waterfall ahead. "If we could tie the boats together somehow and attach them to the wall of the tunnel, then we could stop them before we went over the waterfall. But we'd still have to get out of here, probably by climbing down... We could do it with ropes again, but we'd need some way to get to the falls in the first place, and then stop safely and get everyone out... any ideas?"
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The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Callos
Why did everything seem to be conspiring against them? Now it was nature! What had he...err...all of them ever done to deserve nature's wrath?! With a snarl the necromancer slammed his open spellbook shut in front of him and stuck it into the belt of his trousers. No way that he was going to let it's precious pages get wet and become ruined.
"Oh come on! Isn't there some way to just..stop the water?!"
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
The walls of the tunnel are smooth and slick, offering little purchase. Gradually you notice that the walls of the passage are getting closer together, seeming to be about 10 feet apart at the moment. The current seems to be picking up speed as it narrows
The rumble intensifies into a roar. Yix seems agitated. We don't have much time!
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Elthan
Elthan curls in a bit more as the water speeds up. There wasn't anything he could do to save them, and what was worse is that he was reasonably certain he'd come out okay. All but perhaps two of his friends were about to be thrown off a cliff via running water, and he'll get to watch it happen from a safe distance.
It was just too much to bare, to first kill one then watch the rest die from inaction. Elthan stands up in the boat, and grasping the ends of his cape, transforms suddenly into a bat. The bat frantically flaps its way towards the first boat, and upon landing Elthan reappears behind Lumpy to the discomfort of the other three. "Lumpy" he says hurriedly while preparing for a spell, "I want you to jump into the water after I discharge the spell."
If Lumpy says anything, Elthan doesn't listen to it. As soon as he is casting, he gives Lumpy a push, commanding, "Now."
OOC: Casting Enlarge Person. Lumpy will now be a large creature and take up ten feet of space. As the passage narrows, he should block off all of the boats by standing.