After Mourning IC

[Writtensanity]

"Ah,." Cordelia begins, her voice matching that of one of the dwarves, "You caught us." She shrugs, as you begin to notice a sway in her movements and her speech, by the gods, is she acting drunk? What kind of foolhardy plan would involve convincing the warriors of the Dreadhold that you were drunk.

"That's what we get for -er," she pauses, "skirting our duties to go get some ale on Cape Far." She stumbles back a bit, grasping Haldren's dwarvish shoulder to steady herself, "Y'see, this boy here was thinking we should go see some sights instead of being on this dreary island all day. I was in, who am I to keep this man from going to see a giant pair of knockers in a tavern? Hell, I don't even think that third girl was a dwarf," Cordelia slaps Haldren on the back, not paying attention to his reaction, "anywho we didn't wear our uniforms off the island, didn't wanna get caught out there you see. Next thing you know I can't find my casual clothes this morning." She laughs, "And neither can these guys, we're all wardering around wondering how the hell we got our hands on these giant clothes. My best guess is we came upon a group of mercs and offered them a trade, but none of us remember that."

She stumbles again, "So we grab a few more buckets of Ale before we try to come on back. 'Course, we know that we ain't exactly going to get a welcome party if we come back after a night on the town, so he," She points her thumb to Win in his now Dwarvish form, "has the idea that we should all come back in shipping crates and sneak by all of ya."

She laughs, "and it almost worked too! We got out of them boxes, you can go check on the docks if ya wanna confirm," she acts proud of this, like their attempted break in was a barrel of laughs, "so we come through this here gate, hoping to sneak past everyone and get into bed so we can get ready for the hangover of our lives." She sighs, "but disarming traps ain't the speciality of a drunk dwarf, forgot 'bout the secondary switch and ended up getting stabbed in the hand."

"Sorry for the price of the extract boys, and the false alarm, but I really think it's about time that me and my mates here go to bed before our shifts later today. After all, the extract didn't leave me feeling the best."

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Ahrend

The potion, becoming a Dwarf. It would never be a hobby of Ahrend, but at least, he figured, he was allowed to keep his mind the way he likes it. With appropriate relieve he notices that Cordelia is doing the talking. She is good at it as well. Ahrend decides to keep his eyes focused on the walls and the floor, figuring that's what a Dwarf that is ashamed of being caught looks like. On the inside, though, his mind was racing, trying to estimate with which power he can end the fight that may be coming as swiftly as possible.

[3SecondCultist]

Ahrend, Cordelia, Win:
By the time Cordelia is done talking, most of the dwarves have lowered their weapons. They have heard enough for now. A few of them still cast wary glances at your 'drunk' friends, but even more bear open smiles at the thought of a rowdy pub crawl gone wrong. One of the more prominent figures - clearly a captain of some sort - pushes through the ranks to greet your crew personally. His demeanor is gruff, but largely accommodating.

"Aye, you sprung our trap well and good. But what a show! I bet none of ours saw ye in the harbor. I imagine that boatman helped yer scheme. Hmm. Taking advantage of drunk Kundaraks like that! He should be flogged. At the very least, I'll have him struck from the register. He won't be seeing another piece of gold from us for the rest of his natural life. Tha's the dwarven way!" He laughs, a loud guffaw that complements the hewn stone. His armor is greater than the others' in every way, larger around the arms and shoulders and yet somehow just as light. A diamond is embedded into his chest. His axe is still in its scabbard, but he wears a shield on his left forearm like he was born to it. He turns towards the northern hall, gesturing with his free arm.

"Come on then! Ye must be right tired." Most of the guards have gone by now, but the elite and three of his men move as if to escort your group up the tunnel into Dreadhold proper. As he turns to walk, you see the strange ambient light yet again. It is more intense than it was before, a few isolated pinpoints illuminating the tunnel completely. As you watch, the points begin to merge synaptically, forming a kind of humanoid shape before disappearing. The echoes are more distinct this time. Between the static, a voice cries out. You make out but one word.

Liars.

[Whiskeyjack]

Win quaffs the potion, relishing the feeling as the spell within takes hold, shrinking him and altering his features, his proportions. Ad with every transmutation effect, Win focuses on the physical sensations - a power that he can invoke at will, normally, adjusted by the external spell effect now. It's interesting, and Win almost loses himself in it like one might in a fine glass of whiskey, but the opened door is a little more pressing. Win takes on the part of a drunk dwarf, playing with his center of balance, hiccuping and muttering under his breath, and not making eye contact with the Kundaraks.

Things seem to be going ok, and the brain-dwarf is even holding his metaphorical breath, though out of tension or trying not to ramble on about Cordelia's lie right now, who knows.

They move through the door even as the patrol starts to disassemble. Then the noise happens. Win's hands tense and a fresh sheen of sweat breaks out on how now-dwarven brow. But he holds it together, seeing if Cordelia can defuse whatever that new situation is.

[Writtensanity]

"Let's play a quick little game and assume that I was the only one who saw that." Cordelia whispered mentally, waiting a moment before the guards confirm her suspicions with her lack of action, "That you Sol?"

"Why the hell would I pull something like that?

"I don't know, same reason you were digging around in my memories."

"By accident?"

"Sure, let's go with that."

"You're talking to me again?"

"I need someone to talk AT, whether you respond is completely your choice. Right now I need to figure out how to deal with this."

"Deal with what?"

"They were bluffed, not fooled. The other guards were fooled, they are sticking with us because they don't know us."

"So then what are you going to-"

"Oi! You lads don't think we are so tipsy that we can't find our beds, do ye?" Cordelia stumbled forward to the guard as she said this, "I think that I can find my way to my bed if I am able to sneak past the docks!" She laughed, acting like the comment was much funnier than it was. Meanwhile her mind was racing at a way to get rid of the men. She then righted herself and preformed the most powerful act you can do to convince someone you are drunk, act sober.

"Oi, lads" she burped out, "lemme level with you for a moment. Yer doing me and my pals a real big favor right now." She tips to the side, "I'm okay, I'm okay." Then she reaches into her pocket, making the action look as if it took monumental effort, "I know you're all some of the better men around here and you are doing me and my pals a - wait a tick, I already said that." She giggles to herself, "but I don't want you'se to be seen with a bunch of drunks like me in case someone has a problem with our sobriety." So finally finds the coins in her pocket, "So, I had some luck at the tables last night, and I was able to get myself quite a bit of coin, and I was thinking I would share the love because you're being so nice to me and my friends." She takes the three platinum coins and shoves them into the lead dwarf's hand, making sure to close it around them, "So why don't you guys go and buy yerself some drinks while we get ourselves into bed."

She pats the leader on the back, "Just make sure not to end up like us here if you decide to take that gold off the island!"

She waits with baited breath, if they leave, the party is in the clear for quite a bit longer. If they don't it's going to be difficult to explain why she just tried to bribe the guards.

[Dunkoro]

*Maleera*
So, you're simply going to breathe at them and hope they drop dead before you do? That's not a very effective strategy.

Drock responded, by breathing yet again at the nearest Manticore.

Damage - (5d6)[19]

*Maleera*
You're even ignoring me right now? Fine...

[GameOfChampions]

Alistair warily keeps an eye out for more incoming missiles, and praying that his force shield would help if he got hit by a giant flying boulder, as he hustles forward with the dwarf in front of him in his sights. As he stops to cast his spell he sees the two dwarves and the manticore together and casts his spell in the middle of the group. As the spell is cast he watches closely to see the reaction among the group and to see which of the group is weakest so he can strike them next.

Spoiler

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Alistair moves foward 5 ft, then diagonal 5 ft, then foward 10 ft. after that he casts ghost sound with nightmare phantasm, spirit chills, and fell frighten right beside the air elemental at the volume of one man trying to say something to them in a slightly raised voice. The spell stacks 2 fear effects on everyone who hears it. Even if they make the save they are still frightened.

[Let'sGetKraken]

Barrek bellows in pain as the boulder smashes into his side. He twists his head back towards Ro'hl Vek, who can swear that for the briefest second it seemed like the crocodile scowls. Turning back to face his assailant, he opens his jaws wide, his gaping mouth taller than the Kundarak dwarf who stands - visibly shaken - in front of him. Then he strikes, a blur of scales and teeth.

Meanwhile, Sochet is yet again visibly frustrated at the prey who seem to keep disappearing before he can get to them. Filled with bloodlust, the crocodile charges forward at the nearest dwarf, attempting to pin him in his jaws.

Finally, if the air can look cross, the wind elemental certainly manages it. Battered from the assault and resentful of the creature's vicious spikes, it turns its full might against the manticore in front of it.

Spoiler: OOC

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Barrek will make a full attack against the dwarf before him, attempting to initiate a grapple with his jaws. Sochet will charge (yet again) towards the nearest dwarf, attempting to bite and again grapple with the creature if it hits. Finally, the air elemental will make a full attack against the manticore - it is seriously pissed off.

[3SecondCultist]

Ahrend, Cordelia, Win:
Thankfully, the lead guard seems to accept Cordelia's money gracefully, leading the others back down the western hallway and leaving all of you with a clear passage to the north, and into the stronghold proper.

"Well that was cutting it a bit close." Despite his low tone, Haldren's dwarven expression is oddly cheery. He claps Cordelia on the shoulder once - although more gently than he is normally accustomed to - and nods towards both Win and Ahrend. Throughout your impromptu performance, he seemed to enjoy himself immensely, a fact which only now strikes you as more than a little bit odd. At least the strange light is gone now. Indeed, there doesn't seem to be any trace of it ever having existed at all. It may have all been a dream, but for the subtle expressions of worry you see on your companions' faces.

"We shouldn't dither. I know the way to the Golden Wards from here."

Alastair, Barrek, Drock, Melina:
The battle has long since come to a close by the time Barrek roars, taking a swipe with his great claws at one of the dwarves. Thankfully, the druid manages to grab the armored defender, pressing all of his newfound weight on his opponent. His companion has no such luck, however, and misses its target completely.

But in that very moment, Drock releases one last torrent of flame and Alastair finishes another spell, breaking any semblance of morale within the last of the Kundarak boarders. Both dwarves near the bow turn to flee, opening themselves up for reprisal from both the massive crocodile and the elemental. It is too late for them: the last manticore retreats from the combat, its bat-like wings pushing up eddies of wind as it soars away from the Falconet. The two dwarves have nowhere left to turn. Their bravery has cost them the fight, just as each of you stands slightly taller for your own victory here.

The suddenness of the silence that follows the last blow being felled is almost overpowering. The Lhazar wind whistles all around you. It is only then that you look back and see the Dreadhold, growing smaller and smaller in the distance. You are out of range of their catapults now, far beyond the reach of any mortal archer. Even Ro'hl Vek has put away his crossbow for the time being, although he looks far less than pleased to be doing so. He scowls at Astari, who turns wordlessly to float across the deck towards the captain's cabin. This abrupt departure from combat is clearly not a part of the plan.

Spoiler: OOC

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Both Sochet and the elemental may make a single AoO against their respective dwarves for moving out of one of their threatened squares. The former only gets one due to a lack of the Combat Reflexes feat, and the latter only gets one due to the dwarf taking a withdraw action (he doesn't provoke AoOs from leaving the square he starts the movement from). This is also how the manticore is able to move away on the ground and fly away in the same turn without provoking a single AoO.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Ahrend

Ahrend nods back at the colonel. Quite opposed to the leader, Ahrend was not enjoying himself. Could I be more out of my element? The sage chuckles internally at this word play. Let's hope we get out of this mess soon...

[Let'sGetKraken]

At the bow of the vessel, the elemental aims one last punch. Understanding that its services are no longer needed, it begins to spin, rising into the air above the deck. As it whirls faster and faster, it slowly disintegrates, its mind returning to the Elemental Plane of Air, its body nothing more than mindless wind.

Why does the archer get to have all the fun? grumbles Barrek. His side aching from his recent encounter with a boulder and his head pounding from the focus of directing the elemental, the druid spits out the wriggling dwarf, who collapses to the deck in a puddle of crocodile saliva. Barrek concentrates once more, and his body writhes and shrinks, the scales merging to form smooth skin as he reverts to his natural form. Casting a baleful glare at the dwarf, he reaches down into a pouch at his side and pulls out a small white pearl, which he places on his tongue. The pearl immediately dissolves, granting him fluency in the Kundarak's tongue.

"You're outnumbered and outmatched. I've barely cast a quarter of my spells for the day, and the crocodile was the least powerful of my forms - not to mention the psion, archer, illusionist, paladin and... metal-dragon-creature. If you want to make it through the day, I suggest surrendering. Immediately. Or you'll be spending the rest of the trip as a ferret."

Not very eloquent, as intimidation goes. The low, cold thought echoes uninvited through Barrek's skull.

Quiet, mindthief. Leave me be.

You know, I've been called that before, whispers the beguiler in Barrek's mind. But I don't think it's ever been quite so accurate.

The druid casts a glance at the starboard side of the ship, where Sochet snaps halfheartedly at the fleeing dwarf, resigned to another day of substandard food. Even so, the blow is powerful enough to tear gaping wounds in the Kundarak's side.

That was the only attack he managed to land. He's getting old. It was true - the crocodile had been with Barrek for nearly four years, and had been just past the peak of his prime when the two had met. In fact, it was less than than -

No. Out of my memories!

Vraskis sighs, retreating into the darker crevasses of the druid's mind. He would do what he did best - watch and wait.

[GameOfChampions]

As Alistair trains his crossbow on the remaining dwarves and flexes his fingers in preperation for another spell in case the dwarves try something sneaky. Just then his new 'friend' upstairs said "Hey Alistair?", Mah'reth says casually, "What do you want you parasite, I'm trying to watch these guys!" Alistair says voice tight with stress and excitement from the battle. "Well i thought the plan was to pick the other group up but we are straying kinda far now..." Mah'reths voice trails off as Alistair whips around to look at the fortress fading into the distance. The slight gnome turns to yell at the unseen captain "HEY TAKE US BACK AROUND! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

[Whiskeyjack]

Win breathes a sigh of relief as the dwarf patrol moves away. "Can't believe that worked," he mutters. "We should hurry, but what reason would a bunch of drunk dwarves in civilian clothes have to go to the Gold Wards? I mean, I know little enough about this place to think up a good ruse to justify it, but in any case we should try to get in and out while these potions are still working." Win looks around, then waits for the Colonel to lead the way.

[Writtensanity]

Cordelia sighs, "This is why I usually carry those potions for bluffing, that was way too close for comfort. I mean really, I lost money on that." She looks disappointed with her performance, even if it was as good as anyone could have hoped for, "I think Win's right in the sense that we need to move, I really would prefer to see one of those requisition forms. Plus, I have a feeling that next time we see a patrol, it's not going to be so jovial."

[Dunkoro]

*Drock*
That was... a lot harder than I expected it to be to be honest...
But we did our best, held them here as long as possible and beaten most of them.
Is anyone left for some questioning? Additional intel never hurt anybody.