[Nexus] Reinholdt's Repository

[Shadowcaller]

Gnoll Swamp

The gnoll opens it's mouth to say something but suddenly stops itself and blinks, it's eyes now vacant and dull.

"...yes, of course." It replies and starts heading back the way it came.

As I assume the group follow it you will eventually be encountered by more gnolls. There are about twenty of them from your count, all armed to the teeth with jagged long knives, spears and bows. Neither of them appear very friendly at all, baring their teeth as the group shows itself.

As the shaman starts speaking to them in gnollish (if anyone knows it, mention it) they don't look much happier. "Only leader call tribe meeting and leader is not home." One of the other gnolls claim, looking at you.

In the distance you might see the little village in the swamp, a surprising number of huts resting upon the little dry land there is in this swamp.

[Reinholdt]

Gnoll Swamp

This will suffice.
"Then it is fortunate that I am your new leader then. I hearby claim this land and its occupants in the glorious name of AMEN. If you bow down, I promise you will be treated fairly in the new order and be given a chance to rise in our ranks. If you resist, you shall be eradicated one at a time until you submit. Comply or die."

Ilpholin does not speak gnollish. She does look around for signs of demonic corruption.

[Zefir]

Swampy Gnoll

"I'm Zefir." He answers Greg and then looks obviously bored at the scene in front.

Seems like it would have been enougth to send in Nephrim alone would have made it. Befor they enter Zefir graps in his bag dragging out shoes and glove he dress on to replace his normal glove and shoes.

[Earl of Purple]

Gnoll Swamp

Nephrim does nothing further, though her pistol is ready for firing if she doesn't like the gnoll's answer.

She thinks it might have been better to gather the whole tribe, kill the previous leader(s) and then impose their will, since at the moment there's the existing leader(s) and unknown others that could set up a resistance movement.

[The Bushranger]

[Gnoll Swamp]

Becky glowers at the gnolls.
Glowers at the villiage.

...why on earth Imperious Leader desires to add this set of hovels to her domain, she has no idea. But, of course, she won't question things!

[Shadowcaller]

Gnoll Swamp

The drow can see that none of these particular gnolls are showing any signs of demonic corruption. There is however, if any of the members in the group can see through illusions or sense demons in any way, a demon disguised as a gnoll in the group.

The hyena-men don't react immanently to what she's saying however, instead the gnoll which just spoke seem to have to translate for them before they react with angry howls.

"We not serve you, we not serve dark ones, we only serve tribe!" The gnoll screams at her as the others draw their weapons. The shaman stays passive in the angry mob of gnolls who look far more likely to kill Ilpholin at the moment rather then to serve her. None of them seem to attack however, seemingly hold back by something.

[Reinholdt]

Gnoll Swamp

Ilpholin's found picking out demons a lot easier lately. For now though, she makes no indication about it either way.

"Well then, wouldn't it serve your tribe far more to work for the strongest and not start a massacre? Even if you were able to strike us down, we'd do quite a bit of damage. It's in the tribe's best interest to work for us." Ilpholin doesn't draw her weapon yet.

[Earl of Purple]

Gnoll Swamp

Nephrim says nothing, but her gun is held ready, though she isn't pointing it at the gnolls, instead at the ground, but she could raise it quickly. She doesn't say anything, either, though she'll likely start if they attack.

[Shadowcaller]

Gnoll Swamp

The gnolls look at each other, still obviously angered by the offer they start to consult with each other in their dog-like language. After an rather violent-looking exchange the only gnoll who appears to speak common turn to you again.

"Tribe will follow pigperson if you prove to be stronger then leader." It claims and then turns to point to the north. "Leader went into old ruins to get powerful artifact. Have not yet returned. If you return with leaders head or artifact. We'll follow you."

The other gnolls seem to agree nodding as it have finishes speaking.

[Reinholdt]

Gnoll Swamp

"Hmph. Very well." Ilpholin says, motioning for her group to follow as she starts walking north in the direction the gnolls indicated.

[FireFox]

Swampy Gnoll

"I'm Zefir." He answers Greg and then looks obviously bored at the scene in front.

Seems like it would have been enougth to send in Nephrim alone would have made it. Befor they enter Zefir graps in his bag dragging out shoes and glove he dress on to replace his normal glove and shoes.

Damn, those things are freaking ugly... Greg looks at the gnolls, wrinkling his nose in disgust, then looks back at Zefir. What are you doing, anyway?

[Zefir]

Swampy Gnoll

Zefir can't notice if there is a demon or not in here, but he has a sense for magic. That said he looks straith at the disgused gnoll, not thinking that he is a demon more that he is a mage. On his face appears a slight smile. He just turns away to answer Greg.

"Preparing."

[The Bushranger]

[Swampy Gnoll]

"In addition," Becky says, her tone almost dangerously flat, "If we succeed, you will call us something other than 'pig-person'."

[Shadowcaller]

Gnoll Swamp==> Ancient Crypt

The demon does indeed appear magical to Zefir but it doesn't really act any different from the other gnolls. It mostly stays away from the group, trying to make itself invisible.

But assuming you follow the gnolls vague direction the group come across the decaying remains of a large statue. Even as the moist air seems to have eaten away most of it's features and a part of it have started to sink into the swamp, it's pretty clear this once depicted someone of great power.

If anyone even bothers with taking a closer look they might be able to tell this great person was in fact as a gnoll.

Near the statue is the recently cleared entrance to what appears to be the ancient entrance to a crypt. It appears if someone have been before you as the vegetation which once covered it now is covering the stairs leading down below.

The massive stone door which once protected it was probably torn down far earlier though, say a few hundreds of years as there hardly anything left of it.

Assuming the group start to descend the short stairs they'll eventually reach another torn down gate, this one inscribed with demonic ruins which Ilpholin will be able to tell was a shielding spell.

The air in here smells less of death and more of rot, obsidian colored walls richly decorated with crude murals now mostly faded away by time.
If the group bother to take a closer look however they will notice the murals all depict one thing, dead gnolls.

They might pay more attention to the living gnoll who is about to run straight into Ilpholin as she enters.

[Reinholdt]

Ancient Crypt

Ilpholin will kindly step aside to let the gnoll pass!
And stick out her foot to trip it as it does so.

"Where do you think you're going?"

[The Bushranger]

Ancient Crypt

Becky, distracted through study of the dead-gnoll murals, doesn't have time to shadow-shunt aside the charging gnoll!

At least, howver, before it's tripped (presumably).

...at which point she'll presumably resume her appreciation of art...

[Earl of Purple]

Ancient Crypt

Nephrim's bringing up the rear. It's not that she fears undead, it's that she's aware that most are immune to her mind control abilities, and without that advantage she merely has pistols, a magic mirror and implanted hard-light blades to defend herself with. She relies on her voice too much; it'll do her good to be without it.

[FireFox]

Gnoll Swamp

Right. Okay then. Greg turns away from Zefir and follows Ilpholin into the

Ancient Crypt

where he fidgets uneasily about Nephrim standing behind him. When the gnoll comes charging up, he prepares to attack it in case the demonic drow misses.

[Zefir]

Gnoll Swamp==> Ancient Crypt

Zefir will just give the gnoll this 'I'm watching you' move. (pointing at his weyes and then at the gnoll.)

Since zefir is the last one in row he will stop on the stairs, just to avoid getting slamed by the gnoll. He watches the scene from above there for now

[Shadowcaller]

Gnoll swamp

The gnoll gives Zefir an odd look and watches him curiously as he walks off.
Then it goes to report all this to it's superiors...

Ancient Crypt

The gnoll falls straight down on the floor and whines loudly as it lands. "Gah! Peace! Please spare!" It says in broken common, trying to hide it's face against the floor.

[Reinholdt]

Ancient Crypt

"Yeah, yeah." Ilpholin says, going to give the gnoll a swift kick in the ribs.

"What're you doing here and what are you running from?" She asks, going to step on it to make sure it doesn't try to stand and sprint.

[Shadowcaller]

Ancient Crypt

The gnoll whimpers in pain and crawls into a ball in the floor. "Looking for item. Leader didn't say what... some sort of staff. Then everyone gone sudden." It tells you, getting a bit hard to understand.

Becky might notice the dead gnolls on the murals don't really seem to have a pattern, their placement is random and they all seem to have been depicted torn apart by some sort of beast.

[Reinholdt]

Ancient Crypt

"Is the leader gone too? Did you guys find the staff?"

[Shadowcaller]

Ancient Crypt

"Don't know, don't know... when many disappeared I ran. Leader continued deeper in, said staff was close, called coward but I didn't look back." The gnolls replies in broken common.

[Reinholdt]

Ancient Crypt

"Well you aren't much help, are you? How far in were you when it happened?"

That's about all she has left to ask him before letting him go. They have to keep moving.

[Shadowcaller]

Ancient Crypt

"Big place... started to disappear one by one soon as we went inside." It explains.

If they decide to just ignore the gnoll once they asked all this they can go into a long narrow corridor. There are more murals on the walls, all depicting dead people. Most of them gnolls but there are a elf or even a human here and there, all pictured killed in pretty much the same fashion.

At the end of the corridor they seem to find the 'killer' however. It's a huge lion-like creature with a black mane and two enormous pupil-less emerald-like eyes which seems to stare right at you from the wall. It looks ready to devour you, drawn chewing on a poor gnoll, the blood dripping down it's mouth looking all too real.

There are two stairs leading down below, one to the right and one to the left. Looks you might have to choose... or split the party.

[The Bushranger]

Becky finds the murals rather....creepy.

But follows along!

When she spots the split, though, she frowns.
Completely missing the mural of the Killing Beast.

[Zefir]

Ancient Crypt

Zefir watches the scene from above and as he ended he looks at the others.

"I don't think he is of any use for us. Or should we take him along?"

[Reinholdt]

Ancient Crypt

Ilpholin shrugs and moves down the long narrow corridor, keeping an eye on the walls and just about everything else. If Zefir doesn't want to lose sight of the group, he'd better come down with the rest of them. He can stay back and guard the entrance.

The gnoll's fate is ignored.

And a branch. Joy.
"Me and Becky to the right. Everyone else go left."

[FireFox]

Ancient Crypt

Greg nods at his leader, but before he goes down the left stairs he looks around for a torch. Hopefully there is some sort of lighting in the crypt to illuminate the path and the ominous murals.