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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Colossus in the Playground
     
    Eldan's Avatar

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    Default The Lords of Steel

    It is a strange feeling that got hold of you after you fell through the portal... it was dark for a while, you couldn't say how long, and then there was the sensation of falling. Something was there, you could feel it all around you, a presence. There were whispers, so muted you couldn't make out words, but somehow, you shuddered nonetheless, and not from the cold surrounding you alone.

    Then you awoke.


    ***

    It is still dark, but something changed. There is a stone floor beneath your feet, and the air is warm and stuffy. Other people are here, dozens, you can hear them, breathing, moving against floors and walls, from time to time a heavy metallic jingle. No one is speaking a word, but you can hear a woman sobbing quietly some distance away.

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    The room is wider than you can see in the complete darkness, with massive stone walls. It seems that there are at least three dozen people here, all but a handful of them wearing the same brown, ankle-long shirt, half of them chained to the walls. You can't make out a door, only a metal trapdoor in the ceiling.
    Last edited by Eldan; 2009-05-02 at 08:04 AM.
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  2. - Top - End - #2
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Vargo

    Vargo coughed as he landed, stumbling to his hands and knees. As he lay crouched in the dark, he wondered Where am I? Is this real? Am I... dead? He felt his face, checking that he was still there in a brief moment of panic. He then assayed a brief flare of power from his hand.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Colossus in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Vargo's face is still as present as ever, and his powers are not failing him.
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    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Kobold

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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Xylia

    Xylia stays very still, paralyzed with uncertainty and terrified by the breathing about her. She wonders what kind of animal or monsters they may be; the sounds of the chains tell her she's safe, but otherwise do not offer much comfort.

    She grips her staff in her trembling fingers and scrapes the butt of her staff on the stone floor, searching for any irregularities that may tell her where she is, or at least what kind of room she's in. As she does so, she looks about her for the gate she came through, hoping that it be glowing somewhere in the darkness.
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  5. - Top - End - #5
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Morgan lifts himself up from the floor, his head pounding. He finds that he can't see a single thing in the darkness so he begins to prepare a spell.

    "Light"

    He utters the spell upon his blade, it glows with an orange hue and lights all around him. He peers at one of the chained people and points his blade towards one of them.

    "Where are we?" He demanded of the person.
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  6. - Top - End - #6
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Tanthalas

    Tanthalas grunts as he stumbles through the doorway in his lair, falling into darkness. He looks around and mutters to himself, "Huh, I wonder where this could be? Perhaps some underground slaving pen? 'Tis possible I suppose. The Dark Dwarves have been known to take slaves now and again." He cautiously explores the room.
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  7. - Top - End - #7
    Colossus in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    The chained creature is a young man, his skin covered in black spots and festering sores and Morgan notes that many others show the same signs on their faces.
    As he is spoken to, the man lifts his head slowly, his face showing an expression of resignation and tiredness. He coughs loudly, before replying, in coarse and whispered tone:
    "The plague pits, my Lord."
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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    "Well, if you are willing to be our guide in this place, I shall liberate you."
    Last edited by DrakebloodIV; 2009-05-02 at 04:33 PM.
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  9. - Top - End - #9
    Colossus in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    The man manages a puzzled expression on his face, overtaking the obvious pain for a moment.
    "Guide?... Why? There are only ever more catacombs, the dead and the dying."
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  10. - Top - End - #10
    Pixie in the Playground
     
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    Aaron

    Aaron awakens, face pressed to the hard stone floor. Seeing nothing but blackness, he fumbles around him to orient himself and reaches instinctively for his sword.

    What had happened? Where was he? The sound of a woman crying in the dark reminds him jarringly of his young charge.

    "Xylia?" he whispers loudly.

    At the sight of an orange glow in the distance he remains prone and silent as he listens to two men converse.

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Morgan lifted his longsword and heaved it against the chain with all his might. With any luck it shatters, but he heaves three more powerful blows just to be sure.

    "We shall see about that. I wish to find something other than this dungeon."

    After liberating the plagueman, Morgan begins searching the room for a door.
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  12. - Top - End - #12
    Colossus in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Even after four blows, the chain shows not even a nick or dent. The prisoner sighs and falls back against the stone pillar he is chained to.
    The room seems to extend in all directions, only separated by massive stone pillars holding up the vaulted ceiling and short pieces of wall separating smaller, but still open chambers from the main room.
    However, Morgan soon discovers a trapdoor in the ceiling, an extremely heavy-looking slate of granite, the hinges not visible from this side, only distinguishable from the rest of the ceiling by the faint, rectangular outline.
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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Morgan sees the trapdoor and begins demanding the shirts from all the plaguepeople.

    "Does anyone have a bow and arrow? I think I see something up there."
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  14. - Top - End - #14
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Kobold

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    Xylia

    Xylia looks about her when she hears Sir Aaron calling her. She also sees the bright light down the corridor, illuminating the people lining the walls. She looks about her excitedly, searching for her uncle.

    "Uncle Aaron?" she calls, loudly than she probably should. "Where are you? I thee a light."

    She eyes the figure in the light, an imposing dark shape with a glowing sword attempting to speak to the chained people. Xylia shrinks in her patch of darkness, hoping her uncle will find her.

    "Uncle Aaron, there'th people here."
    Last edited by Exit; 2009-05-02 at 05:16 PM.
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  15. - Top - End - #15
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Vargo

    OOC: After Tanthalas makes his comment
    "Dwarves? The dwarves were exterminated over 600 years ago. I doubt this place was built by them. Next you'll start talking about elves..."

    Observing the armoured figure's attempt to smash the chains, Vargo purses his lips and mutters a phrase under his breath as he points his hand at a chain link, and at the rock the chain is secured to, casting Baleful Utterance. He is unimpressed by the fellow so far, and wishes to test his own abilities for comparison's sake.

    ooc: Using the Baleful Utterance invocation as a spell-like ability. Acts as the shatter spell cast at my level (5th). If the chain doesn't shatter, he will attempt to shatter the rock the chain is secured to.

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    If the rock doesn't shatter, he will concentrate and use his Detect magic ability for a few rounds, studying the prison



    I hear people. Were you all sent here as well when the portal exploded?
    Also, why should I need a bow?


    ooc: I originally redacted the bow bit, but put it back in since you responded quickly
    Last edited by sum1won; 2009-05-02 at 05:28 PM.

  16. - Top - End - #16
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    (OOC- I'm assuming that Morgan can tell you are a caster from the baleful utterance)

    "If you have not a bow, do you have any method of launching something up to that light rectangle?"
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  17. - Top - End - #17
    Colossus in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    The man flinches at the word of dark speech uttered by the warlock, but his chain instantly shatters into a dozen broken links, falling to the ground. The man, however, just remains sitting, staring at you.
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    Dwarf in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Tanthalas

    He moves towards the light, glowing from a sword. Careful to keep his face hidden in the shadows, he overhears the conversation about the bow, "I have a crossbow, if you have need. I believe it will get a bolt up there."
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  19. - Top - End - #19
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    "Could you shatter that trapdoor up there the same way you shattered his chain?"

    EDIT- Morgan grabs the crossbow and loads a bolt into it. He takes some rags and ties them into a crude rope and then he fires the bolt at the trapdoor. If it misses he goes to the bolt and tries again until he gets it.
    Last edited by DrakebloodIV; 2009-05-02 at 06:02 PM.
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  20. - Top - End - #20
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Vargo

    I could try. But first, I have a question for this liberated resident.

    I'm new here. Can you tell me a bit more about these plague pits, as you call them? As a soon-to-be former prisoner here, I'm sure that there is plenty of information you could give me. If you like, I may be able to offer something in the way of aid. Perhaps by putting my abilities towards ending your present condition?


    ooc: As it stands, shatter can only break around 50 ibs of stuff. The trapdoor is probably larger, but Vargo will make the attempt anyways.
    Last edited by sum1won; 2009-05-02 at 06:12 PM.

  21. - Top - End - #21
    Pixie in the Playground
     
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    Aaron

    Hearing Xylia's voice, Aaron moves towards it in the room, carefully picking his way among the people by the dim orange light, keeping his distance from those gathering around it - discretion being the better part of valour, and Xylia's safety being his foremost priority.

    Assuming he finds her:

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    Sir Aaron kneels low and whispers "My child, there you are! Are you hurt?"

    As he hears the violent ping of a rent chain behind him he looks round to observe the people by the light. "Keep quiet, now, and stay behind me. Perhaps these men will enlighten us as to our predicament."

  22. - Top - End - #22
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Kobold

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    Xylia

    Xylia nods and quickly shuffles to a safe place behind the old knight. She takes a look around her, sniffing the pungent, diseased air.

    "It thmells like dead thingth in here," Xylia murmurs to no one in particular.

    She watches, impressed, as one of the men in the light breaks the chains of one of the prisoners with his magic.

    "Magic!" she comments excitedly, tapping Sir Aaron's armor. "Ooh, do you think he knowth where Daddy ith?"
    Last edited by Exit; 2009-05-02 at 06:26 PM.
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  23. - Top - End - #23
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Morgan begins removing his mail in preparation to climb the rope he has attached to the trapdoor. He talks as he prepares himself for the climb.

    "How is it that you live here if all there is is labyrinth? What do you eat? And do you remember anything before the plague?
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  24. - Top - End - #24
    Pixie in the Playground
     
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    Aaron

    Hushing Xylia's enthusiastic chattering, Sir Aaron takes a deep breath and begins to walk towards the magic-user as calmly and as confidently as he can achieve.

    Addressing the thin man attempting to fire a crossbow at the ceiling, he bows and speaks: "Greetings, strangers. My travelling companion and I have come by some accident to this foul place. I wonder if there is any way we might aid you in some attempt to escape, if that is your plan?"

    Suddenly, seeing the festering, pock-marked face of the liberated prisoner below him Aaron stifles a gasp and mutters "Dear God... these people... what is this place?"
    Last edited by unsummon; 2009-05-03 at 07:59 AM.

  25. - Top - End - #25
    Colossus in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Vargos Utterance directed against the trapdoor leads to a cloud of chalky dust raining down on them, while Morgan's crossbow bolt ricochets off and falls to the ground when reaching the limit of the cloth-line.

    Meanwhile, the diseased man coughs again, spitting a few droplets of blood before his feet.
    "The Steel Lords sold us as mercenaries to the Grey Wastes. It's where we caught this plague, and the Wasting. There's not many of us left now, most were sent to defend the breach in the outer wall when they came back sick. The others were infected later. They throw some kind of sludge through the trapdoor to keep us fed, every turn. At least I think it's every turn."
    Last edited by Eldan; 2009-05-03 at 06:14 AM.
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  26. - Top - End - #26
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Kobold

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    Xylia

    Xylia says nothing. She looks about her, barely listening to the pathetic sore-ridden man on the ground. Squinting in the light, she looks at the unchained people about her: a ferocious-looking man, a second man practicing a sort of magic that she's not entirely familiar with, and some sort of withered creature that has all the appearance of something that should be dead.

    Necromancy, she guesses, looking at Tanthalas. She sniffs in disdain, as she considers that particular branch of magic uncouth.

    Xylia ends up breathing in more of the foul odours of the diseased hall which sends a shiver of repulsion over her skin. She covers up her mouth and nose with the hem of her robe to block the smell.

    She looks up at the rectangle in the ceiling --a trap door. She immediately starts going through the spells she studied that morning, searching for one that may get her out of this foul place.
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    Dwarf in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Tanthalas

    Tanthalas stays in the shadows, observing and listening to the conversations going on. He remains silent, trying to learn as much about these people and where he is as he can. He remains on the lookout for trouble, though, never letting down his guard.
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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    Morgan reloads the crossbow in case the trapdoor should open and begins pacing back and forth as he tries to think of a plan.

    "Well, lets gather what we know about this area before we continue. This location has no significant natural light source of its own and my spell of light is limited to ten minutes. The size of the catacombs is unknown, but would have to be very large if it once held a large squad of mercenaries. The only know hazard here is the Plague, which will most likely infect us if we do not leave here with haste or kill and burn the infected. The amount of time it takes for the trapdoor to open occurs in regular cycles of an unknown length of time. So, several questions for you plagueman. What else is in the catacombs and is it possible to navagate to a exit? How long would it take to infect us with the plague and is that longer than said 'cycle'? How does the plague react to magical healing? Also," He says, directing his voice towards the Mage now "what sort of spells to you have that might be useful in this situation?"
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  29. - Top - End - #29
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Vargo
    Thankful to be talking to a rational man at last, Vargo nods his head. The elderly warrior might be wizened, but he at least seemed to be the most sane of the fellows in here.
    Our bespotted friend here says that these are the Plague Pits, in the Grey Waste. Or possibly the other way around. Have you ever heard of either? I was with TPS myself, in the Vespucci Federation, but I don't think they've heard of either here. Nor have you, from your looks.

    Either way, this doesn't seem like the place to be, and I too would like to leave. I'd be glad to work with you towards that end. My name's Vargo.


    Vargo turns at the question the skinny, frenetic man in armour asks and gives him a long, cool look.
    I'm sorry, do I know you?
    Last edited by sum1won; 2009-05-03 at 01:02 PM.

  30. - Top - End - #30
    Colossus in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Lords of Steel

    "I have not explained my self correctly. Excuse my mistake, my Lords, but we are not in the Grey Wastes. This are the Plague Pits of Steel, where we were held after returning from the Wastes. We are on Acheron."
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