The Necromancer's Pact VI: Lake of Tears [closed]

[bhdrake]

Lumpy

Lumpy tips back his glass, draining the water he'd poured in one pass while the Lord throws out questions. He attempts to keep the impatience the creeps up on him from crossing his face as he waits for the man to finish. Afterwards, he is silent for a moment, as he ponders each query and it's response in turn,

"Ain't seen no sign'a no messengers in Telflamm, though I can't exactly say we were looking fer one. Our business lies further north, but ya'd be best suited not holding out fer more help from Telflamm; things will be getting. . . hectic there."

He considered the next one for a moment, the gnomes words cause for thought, but in the end, he had no desire to break his word with an outright lie,

"The icelizard gave a good run, killed one and nearly got a few more. He lost a few heads in return before he cut and run, but I assume he's still skulking about somewhere."

The next question draws a moment's confusion,

"Ferry? Oh right, the pyres. Not so good. Had ta pole across myself." He glosses quckly over this continuing, "War ain't so good neither. Word is, Myth Drannor's fallen, if ya beleive it"

He stops there, either forgetting or ignoring the question about the lizardman as he pours himself some more water.

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

"Lumpy's right. I haven't heard anything about a bounty on a cyrohydra, but I confess, we hadn't been looking. We had some problems of our own to deal with. I do believe your messenger has died though." Fizahn frowns regretfully for a moment. I'm also sorry to inform you that we can't go after it at this time or partake in your bounty. Let's just spend the night and leave. Please no one say anything stupid. He looks at Nolan pointedly for a second.

[Spaz]

Yix


Yix hops up on the table wakling its length a few times to try and figure out exactly what he wants to eat. He finally gives in and proceeds to try and sample some of everything.

[Zeal]

Hajih

Helping himself to the wine, Hajih listens intently to the conversation between Lumpy and Lord Ulrich.

[sacreddeamon]

Thokk

"Ach, yer lordship, I have a few questions of me own, how has such an alliance come to be that you command such a well trained army o Orcs? It be quite impressive. Im guessin the hydra is the cause, but even so they seem to show years of training, and frankly not somethinkg I would expect from simple Orcs. Also, explain more of the bounty, we were travelin for other purposes but we now have a bit of a debt to pay on this overgrown lizard"

[Frojoe21]

Aeroz

Throughout the entrance to the fort and the bar, Aeroz had been thinking upon the meaning of Callos' words. From the way the Necromancer had described it, the sword might very well be intelligent. But what could he need to come to terms with?

Seeing that food had arrived on the table, Aeroz takes a glass of wine, but does not drink it. Staring into nowhere, he sighs slightly and takes a sip.

[runehawk]

Meanwhile, what had happened earlier..
Lizardkin Druid

The lizardman had walked beside the blond swordswoman as they had entered the keep. He had not been keen to enter a looming structure like it.

Still he had not planned on leaving in the night.

He looks pained at the woman's response.

He sees empathy on the warrior's face and sighs.

Pointing to his face,"This is not ssorrow,.. not anger" He frowns as he is acutely reminded that Trinark is no longer around to translate for him..

"My emotionss are different to control.". He swings his good arm around."Coldbloodss feel differently". He ***** his head slightly looking at the woman and hoping that she understood.

The emotions that had surged thru the reptilian had become muted. This was normal for any cold-blooded species that simply never experienced the full emotions, the warm-blooded races enjoyed. The lizardman was an anomaly in that in experiencing elevated emotional moments, he had proven that cold-bloods could possibly be 'infected' by it.

He points to his chest with a single claw. "The pain iss here"

He explains slowly, frowning with effort to pick the words in common,
"Blood for blood...Life for Life...way of the people.MY way. The Debt must be paid"

He understands that the drow's companionship meant something to her but he is reluctant to hunt the creature with this injured companion who almost died.

"The hunt iss dangerouss. You are not well. Your courage iss great but... I... have no healing to give.... you and time iss sshort", he hisses.

"I not sstop you but not want you in danger. Not about re-venge", he solemnly states. "Tomorrow. Sunrise. The hunt begins" He places his hand on her cheast causing her to widen her eyes in alarm

"If we do not meet again, I say to you,'Good hunting'"

The druid turns abrupty and walks back to sit on the cart where Trinark's body lay. Signallling that that was all he would say for the moment and figuring he had left it open for the morning, Tiriel lets him go.

The blush from her cheeks fading, Tiriel removes her hand from the hilt of her sword where it had swung to reflexively under the swells of her cloak.

Her last thoughts as she walked off to find the others were Lizards lay eggs..so i'm guessing lizardwomen do not have breasts..

[dauphinous]

Delphinia

Delphinia listens carefully to everything that is said loud enough to hear. When Thokk speaks of going after the hydra, she starts to nod slightly. "A creature like that isn't natural, and it sure shouldn't be allowed to terrorize these folks. I'd like to hunt it down, even if you kids have somewhere else you need to be."

[kariokie]

Nyssa

Nyssa, from the far side of the table, speaks up once she hears of a plan to hunt the hydra. "I think we should help--" she stops, then starts again, "we can't just let a creature like that roam--" once again, she stops, and then starts, "with our combined forces and some strategy I think we should be able to--."

"I'm sorry, I'm just so used to Nolan interrupting me, I don't think I know how to complete a sentence."

[HempRope]

Achkby, Halfling Sorcerer

Oh... I'm starving. I don't care if the food was prepared by orcs, it smells fantastic. Achkby thinks, surveying the table laid out before them. And they probably cook meat pretty well, besides, he adds to himself, reaching for some sort of roast. Hmm, potatoes. There are potatoes there, too. But who needs potatoes?! It's all about the meat...
He sets into the roast with gusto.

Washing it down with some wine (excellent, for being so far north), he pauses to consider the fact that almost none of the others are eating.
And I imagine Yix even has a stronger stomache than I...
But he pulls his mind from its little food-centered haven, and listens as the count begins to speak, and his less well-spoken companions reply.

[hr]
Oh, by Brandobaris, what are we getting into? They want to go back and fight that beast? I do not know if we would all survive. It was a fearsome serpentine beast.
In it, I saw the might of a dragon with many heads. It was very like a dragon in its appearance, and yet Yix urged us to fight. Should he not respect his kind? I charged then, hearing him cry for help, but I do not know, now, if I could fight it. It looked more a dragon than even Yix, who is so tiny... Though perhaps, with all of those heads, it might have become confused? I have been told that the great serpents are very wise. This business of heads... it confuses me.

Mightn't it confuse the hydra, too? I want to stand with my friends, where we go from here, but against this creature... I feel it may deserve my respect.

[Ludo]

Nolan

Looking at his sister, Nolan replies, "I've learned that the only difference interrupting you makes is that it increases the amount of grief you give me." He takes a sip of water from his goblet to hide his grin.

"Besides," he continues, "there are those of us who are wounded and who could use a day's rest before we continue. I know I don't have much say in what happens with this group, but the beast is wounded and needs to be slain. Though I am anxious to keep moving forward, it would be wrong to leave with things unfinished here."

[sacreddeamon]

Thokk

[color=blue]'Ach aye, not only is it not supposed to belong, its harmin others and there be a reward. Makes it simple for me. Got a grinding stone and a forge I can use to prepare?"[/color}

[Zeal]

Hajih

"Thokk, while I'm not saying the beast shouldn't be hunted, its just that we have...business to attend to further north." He pauses to take another large gulp of wine "On the other hand, we owe that damn critter a little something for our troubles, So how about some folk volunteer to stay here, kill the ice-lizard and catch up to those of us who choose to continue on."

Hajih smiles a wide grin and continues "I, for one, would love to show that damn ice-thing a few things, most of them quite unpleasant."

[HempRope]

Achkby, Halfling Sorcerer

Oh, no. Really, let's not go.

"But, we really do have urgent things to do North of here. Perhaps, after we finish that, some of you could come back and, er... 'deal' with it..."

It's not like we ever finish the job when we actually reach a place.

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel
catches up to the group as the last person enters the room. She quitely takes a seat near the back, and listens. She frowns and exchanges a signicant glance with Katerine and Si'rene when ferries are mentioned, but says nothing. Tiriel finds herself disinterested in the "world update". Her conversation with the lizardman provokes a flurry of thoughts that tumble around in her head.

what right do I have to help him? should I help him, was he trying to tell me that he wanted to do it alone? no that's not it, it was more like he had to go back, some belief or tradition, and he didn't want others to feel obligated to help...

When talk turns to the Hydra, her focus is drawn back to the table. She waits for a break in the conversation before speaking, "Let's hear the details and ask some questions about the beast before we charge into an argument about tactics."
She turns her gaze to the Lord and Lady Ulrich, "How long has the beast been here any how? From the looks of it, you're village is fairly well settled into your courtyard."

[Spaz]

Yix


After Yix has gorged himself with enough food, he goes and lies down near Achkby. He lies down with a audible sigh and just lays there for a few moments as tiny moans escape his mouth and loud grumbling escapes his stomache. After a few moments Achkby hears the question "Will you fight the beast with us?" reverberate in his mind.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

Callos remained quiet during the trip into the castle and through the orcs and the Lord and the Lady. He had too much to think about with his current line of thought before he could handle new problems. But this news of staying and hunting a hydra grabbed his attention almost immiedetly. A stoney look came over his face such as that only had been seen when Djital had been slain settled over his features. When he spoke it was softly but quickly grew louder.

"Have we forgotten what our real mission is? To inform the Northern Armies so that Sethracan be destroyed. Nothing else. Or have you forgotten where Sethra is? He's inside of Sheyra, the girl who helped most of us through the Underdark and who gave us a place to sleep and recuperate, even if it only was a day, after we escaped. We owe her more then we do this town. WE need to go after the greater menace. Do you really think this hydra is worse then the army of darkness that will descend if WE fail?"

By the time the necromancer was done he was glaring at each of the people who had travelled with him through the Underdark, an unspoken accusation in that glare. After another moment or two of this however he stood and began to stride out of the hall back towards the carts. He could prepare to strike out from there if need be and he would be more comfortable in the blanket. Before he exited the room though he turned back and spoke in an icy cold voice.

"And did any of you think this lizard is merely a diversion sent to slow us?"

[sacreddeamon]

Thokk

*Turning to Callos*

"Ach lad, take a look. This beastie has evidnetly been here for a long while, and if it indeed be a plan to slow us down, it must have been in places for ages and frankly I doubt that. Lets kill the bugger, lop off some head, collect some coin, and head on our way. Besides, der ye wanna see this thing kill more people?"

[HempRope]

Achkby, Halfling Sorcerer

Pushing away Yix's thought, Achkby responds to Thokk.

"Do 'ye' want to see an army of undead ravage the entire northlands? These people are safe from the hydra here. As well-trained as these orcs look to be, they can't hold back Sethra and the forces he can muster. These people are safer if we keep heading north."

[Dr._Bob]

Although the hour is late, no one seems very tired. A fire is soon roaring in the hearth, and servants bring small boosters so that the gnomes and halflings can sit comfortably at the table. It would appear that they are used to entertaining travelers of many races.

The conversation around the table becomes increasingly animated as the servants place pewter plates of sliced roast beef and boiled potatoes (cold), day-old bread, and cheese. Your water and wine glasses are refilled generously and, though the midnight meal is perhaps plain, it fills your stomachs.

[hr]
Nyssa attempts to engage Lady Ulrich in coversation. The lady nods politely, but makes no attempt to reciprocate. "Travelers are always welcome on the Golden Way." She smiles thinly, then looks away and continues sipping from her glass.

[hr]
Lord Ulrich is disappointed to hear that the hydra still lives, but he listens with interest as you argue amongst yourselves about how best to handle the hydra problem. Especially when he hears that many of you are eager to return to the bridge to hunt the beast down and finish it once and for all.

Others, however, principally Achkby and Callos, urge restraint. There are larger issues at stake here, they argue. Slaying the hydra will delay your journey and will risk the lives of those in the hunting party.

When asked, Lord Ulrich reports that the cryohydra appeared almost two months ago. He mentions that other magical creatures had appeared in the area recently, including a number of trolls.

With the town relatively isolated due to the winter snows, he had thought it prudent to bring his villagers into the castle for safety.

He seems almost amused at Thokk's query about the orc garrison. "In the heart of Thesk, humans and orcs have lived in peace for many generations. Generally the orcs keep to themselves in the foothills of the Thesk Mountains to the east, but they make excellent mercenaries and have been valued allies since my grandfather's time."

He frowns. "They are proud and strong, but they have proven to be no match for the hydra. We have lost many orcs to the monster, and I have forbidden them from continuing their sorties lest we have too few orcs left to defend the keep."

[hr]
Lord Ulrich looks stricken when he hears about the deserted ferry and the pyres. This news seems to upset him more than the news of the fall of Myth Drannor.

He leans forward, almost rising to his feet. "You found no one alive at the ferry? There was a young woman living there, several ferrymen as well. Surely they are not all dead?"

Hearing that there appeared to be no survivors, Lord Ulrich sinks back into his chair, covering his eyes with one hand.

Lady Ulrich places her wineglass down on the table suddenly. She stands and announces that she is feeling tired and that she will be retiring. "Please make yourselves at home. What is ours is yours."

She sweeps out of the hall with another thin-lipped smile.

[bhdrake]

Lumpy

Lumpy bridges his gnarled fingers as he leans elbows forward on the table, letting his roast beef and bread lie for the moment while he formulates his thoughts into coherant sentences.

"There are two issues here, and they ain't as clear-cut as they seem. The first is our need ta get north quick-like, and the second is obviously six-headed. WHile it might seem clear that the quickest way ta accomplish the first is ta ignore the second, that prolly ain't the case, interestingly enough. While I personally ain't got an overbearing desire ta risk my neck fer the folks here, there are other circumstances ta be factored in." The scarred half-orc throws a meaningful glance at Si'rene, Tiriel, and Ginevra, "There are some among us, and I ain't wholy exempt in this either, what ain't terribly keen on this particular hydra's existance, on account'a past slights. And while I might be convinced ta let it slip, I don't think that'll be the case with everybody involved."

He leans back deliberately, letting a moment's pause draw out his meaning,

"The quickest way north ain't necessarily the straightest line, and splitting ourselve up over this issue ain't gonna make the hard road any easier if past encounters are any gauge ta judge by. Throwing an unfit bunch against the hydra'll likely kill them, and half our lot running inta the next hydra or whatever down the road'll have the same troubles if we ain't careful about it."

[Phasm]

Lissa

Cold, fatigue and emotional stress have evidently taken their toll on the normally ebullient Lissa. She eats and drinks heartily, but doesn't seem inclined to contribute to the conversation. Maybe because so many people are trying to make themselves heard.

After the meal, Lissa looks around for her lizardkin comrade... and he's not there. Frowning, she gathers up some meat in a napkin and heads for the stables. He's probably brooding over Trinark. That man- lizardkin- had better not be planning anything stupid, or I'll keep him unconscious until he's healed!

Sure enough, the druid is in the cart with Trinark's body. Lissa hops up with the ease of long practice, offering him the food she saved. "Here, I brought you some dinner. You need to eat." She sits down next to him, attempting to read his expressions and body language. It's been a long time since they parted, though. "You know, a bunch of the others want to go hydra hunting. I figured you might be interested in that... given what happened, and the fact that it's an abomination of nature and all." Lissa gives him a sidelong look. "We're not at full strength, though, and that includes you. And something tells me that if we are going to fight and kill that ice-lizard, we'll need to be at top form." She produces a dagger from somewhere and begins idly tossing it in the air, the narrow blade flashing in the lantern-light.

[swordmaster2000]

Silithos

now inside Silithos sees the food and grins a wide shark-toothed grin ah! food at last. greedily grabbing a large portion of bread, he slaps some roast on it and begins eating it, once finished he grabs a large glass of wine and leans against the wall crossing his legs.

Sipping lightly he slowly drifts deep into thought, while thinking he runs his finger over the rim of his glass making an anoyying whistleing sound.

after a bit of conversasion he slowly begins returning from his dazed thoughts.Then hearing the word "reward" he snaps back imediatly uncrossing his legs and letting his weight come off of the wall. Reward?!

Grinning his trademark grin he continues to say I belive that you could use the favor of Umberlee if we are to fight this beast, and it would be... profitable if we stayed for a short while to slay this beast

[Ludo]

Nolan

Nolan continues to drink the water in his goblet, listening to the words of the group around him. Deep down he believes in the urgency that Callos and Achby spoke of. But, looking at Nyssa, he knows that she'd be much happier doing some good here and now to help these people. He is sworn to free his homelands from the curse of the undead that plagued it as soon as possible. But he is also dedicated to preserving the well-being and happiness of his sister. Tonight the two goals seem so totally opposed to each other. What was he supposed to do?

He looks over to the little dragon that had been picking its way back and forth across the table and smiles. Was its life as free from complications as it seemed to Nolan? Also, could it be convinced to eat Nyssa's owl?

With a quiet clearing of his throat, Nolan sits up and turns his attention back to the discussion at hand.

[dauphinous]

Delphinia

Delphinia's mind is made up. She listens and says nothing else while helping herself to the food and drink. I'm going after that hydra with whatever other folks decide to go. That thing'll be dead before I take another path. Too bad it has to be a cryohydra. Ah well, I've certainly had worse luck.

[kariokie]

Nyssa

Nyssa watches Lady Ulrich go with a look of concern. Maybe something is going on here?

Of course, her brother would point out that of Nyssa's many "hunches," only a few had paid off. That travelling salesman she questioned? Not a Rakshasa in disguise. The local tax collector she cornered a few towns back? Not under the thrall of an Ogre Mage. She was still suspicious of the innkeeper they'd met a month ago, however. At the very least, he had deep-seated issues about his parents.

When it came down to it, Nyssa couldn't keep her nose out of anyone's business for long, and she knew it. Which was why she was absolutely, positively, going to stay out of this discussion. She knew she and her brother would fight the creature, and that's all that should matter. Yes, she was going to stay silent, and let the group work through the discussion without her inp--

"Callos, please. Sit down, we need your intellect. Your friends aren't any less dedicated just because they're discussing a topic."

She'd work on staying out of things tomorrow. Or possibly the day after, depending.

[sacreddeamon]

Thokk

*Turning to the Lord*

"Yer lordship, as you can see we are slightly split on this issue, and shall resolve it later. Neverless, if we are to go out, what is the current reward on this beastie, and could we expect to use some castle supplies if we do venture out to kill it?"

[Spaz]

Yix


Yix begins to find the topic of the hydra boring, and eventually makes his way back to where the cart was left. Despite his playful nature on the outside, on the inside the dragon had already decided what must be done about the hydra. He'd follow his friends wherever they went, and he felt he knew what they would do.

[runehawk]

Lizardkin Druid

Having healed himself lightly with a spell he had memorised the lizardkin had been filling his water skin and that of the others on the cart with an orison when the female gnome had appeared.

Blinking at the food he picked at it gingerly initially, motioning her to share in the food as well.

"Thank you"

He had been eating and quietly listening to her until she had mentioned that the hydra had been an abomination. Amused inside but not showing it, he wrapped his tail around the gnome who was sitting beside him. Like an arm around the shoulde, but only loosely curling around her hip.

He had been touched. His heart had been a little lighter when she had mentioned that many would be hunting the beast down.

"It will be good to kill creature before moonrisse tomorrow", he says speaking slowly.
A palm returns to rest on Trinark's still form.
"It will honor him and the full moon iss what Cloudhair..Tri-naark would wish"

"None need come but i am honoured to hunt with you...as before."
His expression changes to one of deep satisfaction. "Your kill was good. sSethra iss no more. One iss not pleased that one wasn't with you"

He sits quietly once his meal is concluded. Either staring into space or at Trinark's covered form. He doesn't ignore Lissa but seems content to be silent in her company.

OOC: cast CLW on self and memorise new spells

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn ate the food he was given quickly. When everyone began arguing, he decided to stay out of it. We need to go and talk to the iron lord to warn him about Sethra, but the hydra is a threat. We can get money for the hydra, but is it more pressing than Sethra? I don't really want to go warn the northern armies because it's Achkby's fault we ran into the berserkers in the first place. He's the one who gets paid if we complete our job. The monster also killed Trinark. Embroiled in self confusion, Fizahn decides to follow Lissa as she brings food to the lizardman. Hopefully there he will be able to think about the problem and maybe discuss it with the druid.

Fizahn listens to the druid talk to Lissa. He smiles when he realizes Ssathiya is set in his mind. However, he frowns a second later when he realizes the druid has not yet learned what happened to Sherya. "Oh damn. He has no clue Lissa! He doesn't know what happened to Sherya. He doesn't know why we were heading north. There's no doubt in his mind what we have to do because he doesn't know the full severity of the situation. I hate to throw doubt on his course of action." The urgency in Fizahn's voice is apparent to the lizardman. Fizahn looks at the lizardman with sorrow in his eyes and explains all about the Rashemi berserkers and the specters.

OOC: I assume you've been reading it and already know RH, so I don't have to type it all out.