Eberron Adventures

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

Sesil waves with his good arm. "Nice to meet you, Creely," he says, "And thanks to the Soveriegns your survived. I'd hate to think we lost one of ours for nothing on the way in." He scowls.

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

Butch raised his eyebrow in a half incredulous half smug smirk as he looked down at Johann. He waves off the question with one hand. "Hey, I'm just some country bumpkin from a small farming village. What you an' yer Houses be doing with dem new fangled flying contraptions ain't none my business."

[Fester]

Johann

Were he not already smiling, Johann would have done so. A valiant attempt, he thought to himself, but I've been playing these games since before you were born. His eyebrows lower as his smile widens, quickly shifting from joyous greeting to smug satisfaction, with the slightest hint of malevolence.

"When first you spoke, farmer, you did so with candor and respect. While not eloquent, you were succinct; not a word was wasted when you expressed your point; you need information about the crash, and asked me directly to relay that information to you, which I plan to in due time. You even stopped yourself once you recognized that you had violated a mild social taboo; that is, you didn't introduce yourself and your compantions before engaging in conversation. Such an act lends one to believe that YOU, farmer, are smarter than your appearence would lead one to believe. I have no doubt that you would be able to maneuver yourself gracefully within Zil social circles, should the opportunity present to present itself."

Johann begins to pace in slow circles around Butch, continuing his diatribe.

"Within this greeting, however, was a barb at my expense, either unintentional or deliberately hidden to mock me; you said that you knew, or at least suspected, what my motives were regarding my boarding of the (now downed) airship. Now, my social intuitions are not what they once were, and I was unable to determine what it was, precisely, that you thought I was doing on the airship; perhaps you thought I was a changeling, and that this is all an elaborate ruse to catch you all off-guard while my companions strike your party from behind. Or, perhaps you thought that I was the one behind the animal attacks, or that I even caused the airship to crash. Or, perhaps you just thought that I was a simple gnome traveller, making his way towards Droaam out of boredom or wanderlust. Again, my social intuitions failed me, and I was forced to ask what, exactly, your thoughts were regarding my involvement in the crash."

"Now, at this point, your mannerisms change. You are no longer the quick-witted man you had lead me to believe. Instead, you are a down-home country bumpkin who", Johann's voice shifts to mimic Butch's tone and accent, "don't know nuthin 'bout none of dem dere new fangled flying contraptions. Such a tone would lead one to believe that you are far to simple and plebeian to harbor suspicions about my motivations and background. Not only that, but you identified me as being involved with the Dragonmarked houses ,which, I assure you, I am not. Were you to make such an intuitive leap would mean that you were remarkably backward in the ways of Khorvaire; anything foreign and sophisticated is the work of the Houses, and is beyond the purview of such a plain, unassuming peasant such as yourself. In short, you were trying to make me think that your claim that what I was doing aboard the airship 'didn't take a genius to figure out' was simply off the cuff and something best left ignored, since you are obviously just a redneck not worth harboring suspicions about. And such a ploy might have worked, had you not given yourself away ten seconds earlier by interrupting your informational questionings for the sake of social courtesy."

Johann's pacings cease, and the smile evaporates from his face into a cold stare as he looks up at Butch.

"And, of course, all of this was a distraction, as you didn't answer my question. Now, I'll ask again; what precisely do you think I was doing on that airship?"

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

"Very well, it's your throat." Butch started with a shrug. "If you won't heed my warnings about conflicting Houses, then I will explain. I'm no expert in the Houses, but what I know I learned while I was squiring for a knight. And what he taught me was how they ally and conflict with each other. The Host knows how long ago but Sivis unlocked the elemental secrets and developed the Rail for Orien and the two Houses were best of friends. Then Sivis went and sold out the elemental secrets to Lyrandar making the airships and creating an ongoing mercantile war between those Houses. Now, I'm not blaming Lyrandar for wanting a share of the pie, but Sivis just turned their back on their own values of keeping secrets. I mean you can see how that betrayal can have long lasting effects."

Butch paused for a moment and then paced around Johann almost mockingly and then spun his scythe about gesturing at Johann with the point. "Now way back at Orcbone I brought up this conflict between Orien and Lyrandar to Mr. Secil. Now, he's a good man and he's willing to let bygones be bygones, taking this as an opportunity to mend fences between potential business partners. But a gnome on an airship... on the border... with the Brellish military keeping this hush hush... It's obvious that Sivis is testing a new power system in a secret war machine created for long range spying missions, and you were sent along to report on its efficiency. Now, I'm not going to say you're stepping on Tharashk toes, particularly with the location the ship went down and the whole spying thing, but I wouldn't blame Mr. Caskin if he were upset with you. Ironically, if you had just asked the locals you would have KNOWN you can't take airships into Graywalls because of the unpredictable winds and the Sisters using the whole area as a magic sink to power up the Crag. I mean what were they thinking... Fire rings... with THESE unpredictable storms... I mean do some research... And now the locals have to go in and clean up the mess... sweep it all under the rug... just so we can keep the peace... It's been what... Four, five years since the signing and you're stirring the pot again."

At this point, Butch rolled his eyes and stormed off near the entrance of the cave to cool off, swinging his scythe about as if fighting imaginary monsters.

[Fester]

Johann

As Butch storms off, the smile returns to Johann's face. The farmer wasn't oblivious of the political games of the houses, and he certainly wasn't stupid, but the farmer wasn't as cunning as he thought he was. Still, it wasn't a good idea to alienate his charges; he resolves to make it up to the farmer at some later date.

"So, I see that some of you are injured. My healing abilities are somewhat limited, but I will gladly do what I can to make your journies easier. Who is in the worst condition?"

(OOC: who currently has the least HP?)

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

The old soldier looks at both the gnome and the farmer with little emotion on his face, then quietly speaks.

"Butch, it's entirely possible this gnome has little contact with House Sivis at all," he says, loudly enough to be heard but softly. "It's fairly possible that he's simply a Zilargan patriot," he emphasizes the last word, "On business with our fair Breland. That would be enough reason for our country to want to hush up the crash before the Droamites found it, would it not?"

He turns to the gnome, saying no more on the subject.

"Please see to the others, friend Zilargan, and if they are all right, I could use a small bit of help in that area myself," he adds. "Our cleric, a good man and true, was lost to a beast from Below on the way here, and I fear we could all use some rest and recovery before we make our way out."

[Fester]

Johann

Johann frowned. Ah, NOW it all makes sense.

"Oh dear,", he says as he hangs his head, "my condolences on your loss. I hope his soul find peace in Dolurrh."

Johann closes his eyes and mutters to himself for a few moments.

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If you hear this, he is speaking in some sort of esoteric language (draconic). If you speak it;

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May you find your place within the Prophecy, dear departed one.

As his eyes open, the smile returns to the gnome's face.

"Well, I have been staying in this cavern since the crash, and have encountered no trouble thus far. Truth be told, I would rather tell the tale of how I ended up in this dank pit around a fire; camping here would probably be a good idea. But, in the mean time, let's tend to those wounds, shall we?"

Without looking away, Johann tosses the sunrod vaguely in the direction of the goateed man (OOC: Caskin), saying, somewhat as an afterthought, "Hold this for a moment, dragonmarked, will you?" His other hand, which was buried within one of the robe's many pockets ,emerges, bearing with it an odd scroll, the ends of which are reinforced with wooden embroideries. With a flick of his wrist, the scroll unfurls, revealing a series of characters written with a strange ink that reflects the dim light with a golden sheen. He places his empty right hand upon Cecil, and begins to mutter to himself in a smattering of various languages as he eyes scan the content of the odd scroll. His right hand begins to shine with an faint glow.

"This should just take a moment, soldier."

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Casting Cure Light Wounds on Cecil
(1d8+1)[7]

Without putting the scroll away, Johann makes his way toward the masked man, and places his hand upon him as well.

"Your turn, masked one."

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Casting Cure Light Wounds on Azmirith
(1d8+1)[7]

Johann rolls the scroll back up and returns it to the pocket of his robe.

"I've got one more big one for today, and I'm going to save it for the farmer over there, once he stops throwing his hissy fit." Johann's smile widens warmly. "I've got a few more small heals, but its minor stuff, really; just good enough to get rid of scratches and bruises. However, they can be pretty effective if used consecutively on a single targer. If you need water, I can take care of that for you too. Now, seeing as how I'm almost out of food, how about we make a campfire and have dinner so I can regale you with my wonderous tale of not being killed in an airship crash and sitting in a cave?"

[Bigmac]

Azmirith mentions that he hears something coming, even about the sound of the waterfall. The group quicly moves down the tunnel and though the narrow passageway into the small opening. They make a small blockade of the tunnel with their packs and any of the debris they might have collected on their person. They huddle up in the dim light cast by a shielded sunrod. The sunrod is positioned so as to not cast much light, if any past the blockade back into the cavern with the waterfall. The group can hear and feel heavy footsteps made by one or several large creatures. They roam about in the room above before having a quick discussion.

Listen DC16

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If you understand Giant

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"I dunno where day go. Maybee down da hole. You stay. See if dey come outta der."

The noises eventually settle down and time passes. During the night, Caskin discovers that there is an opening in the ceiling the leads to another passageway out of the opening.

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

Listen - (1d20-1)[6]

[Fester]

Johann

(1d20)[15]

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

The old campaigner looks up from his brooding and perks his ears up.

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(1d20+1)[15](16)

He can't tell what the voices are saying, but he knows something is coming.

"Something's on its way," he whispers. "Something with a deep voice." He unshoulders his falchion and places himself between the entryway and the wounded. "Get ready."

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Readying an action to cast true strike the moment he sees a shadow from whatever is coming.

EDIT: After nothing comes for a while, he'll sit down where he can see the hole and rest with the others in shifts.

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

In the morning, Butch stretches out with a great yawn and a bit of a groan. Blinking a bit, he notices that he fell asleep in his armor. "Wow, I must have been really worn out. I slept right through the night like a baby."

Rummaging through the wonderpacks, he pulls out the rations and portions out a days worth, filling everyone's food pouch before storing the rest back in the wonderback. Quenching his thirst and draining his waterskin, he lays it out on his bedroll. Slowly and carefully he lays out all the available equipment and studies it intently, taking inventory and formulating plans.

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Equipment list coming...

Butch's backpack
pouch with 10 lbs of trail rations
flint/steel
50' coil of rope
5 3 sunrods
2 tents
a small bundle of firewood (5 'nights' worth about 33 lbs)
2 buckets, one of them has roughly six pounds of trail rations inside
1 bucket
1 pack saddle
Butch's prized military saddle
Butch's bow
3 quivers of arrows
Butch's chainmail armour
Butch's scythe
Butch's flail
Butch's sickle
a shovel
a honing stone
15 lbs of trail rations (this is replacement rations, everyone should have whatever they started with and this is what is left in reserve.
5 bedrolls (1 per person)
5 winter blankets (1 per person)
10 waterskins (2 per person)
2 climbing kits/harnesses

[Bigmac]

Azmirith sets off to see what the noise was all about now that the sunlight is starting to cast enough rays so that he can see without using a torch. He quickly dissappears from view as he sneaks along the edges of the tunnel towards the waterfall. Minutes later he is standing next to Cecil, although no one really noticed his return. "There's a large humanoid of some sort out there watching the exit. Well, not all the time, but he looks over at the tunnel every minute or so. He's got a massive morning star and is wearing well crafted armor with spikes on it. I watched him for a while, and he didn't really move from his seat on a boulder near the waterfall."

Hearing the report, Caskin rises groggily off the floor of the cave where he slept all night. He lets out a big yawn as he stretches his arms. "I'd much prefer a bed the next time we do this. I wonder if we could fit one of those in those packs of ours. Well, I did manage to explore the tunnel up there" he motins to the opening near the top of the cave (about 6 feet off the floor) "and all I can tell you is that it does go on for a bit and there are no nasty giants waiting for us that way."

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

"I'm going to go ahead and say we'll go the way without large humanoids with maces. Any arguements?" he says drily, looking around at the group. He rubs his sore back, and then wistfully looks at the spot where his bedroll should hang on his pack.

[Fester]

Johann

Johann shook his head.

"Ogres don't guard empty caves; if he's guarding something, it may be of value. Although, on the other hand, his 'treasure' may be something like ogre young, or a religious relic, which would only lead us to more trouble. Still..."

The gnome continues think out loud, weighing the group's options.

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Johann's left hand is clutching his scroll within his robe, and he has readied Magic Missle for anything that charges into the room

[Citizen Joe]

Butch AC: 17, hp: 21/25

Butch smirks at Johann. "You know, prisons have guards too."

Turning to Secil he continues, "I reckon that would be for the best. As they say, it is our game to lose now. We don't necessarily have to be fast now. By my estimate, we've got about 5 days of food left, plus whatever the rest of you have. Without the horses, we're looking at a three day hike back to the trade road." Glancing at Wrench, "Better make that four days."

Then he picked up his bucket. "Water will be more of a problem, unless we have someone to magik us up some. In the meantime, there's a nice waterfall that we can fill our skins with."

Inspecting his pile of equipment again, Butch sucked on his teeth. "We're short on light too. I've only got 3 sunrods left. Don't see much point in my bow in these twisty passages." Sighing deeply, Butch packs away the tents and half the firewood. Then he placed his quivers into the haversack without the firewood. "Alright, I'll take one of the wonderpacks. Wrench, you've got the other. Everyone else, secure your bedrolls in your own packs. Make sure you fill your skins too. Azzy, you get one of the climbing harnesses and I'll take the other. Mr. Caskin can get by without. We will assist the rest of you while climbing. This passage looks like a natural drain for the canyon. Fortunately, we aren't dealing with the spring thaw when a torrent would be running through here."

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

"Light," he muses, "Is not as much of a problem as it could be. Let me know what and where neats to be illuminated, and it will be as bright as day before I can snap my fingers." He pauses. "Well, as soon as I can, anyway."

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

"OK, light is taken care of. How about water? Before we leave this source, can anyone make water along the way? What about food? And while we're magicking away all our problems, can anyone magick us back to Orcbone or even the trade road?"

[Fester]

Johann

"Water", says Johann with a glint in his eye, "will not be a problem."

Johann's left hand produces his strange scroll from one of the many pockets in his robe and begins to study it intently. His right hand then extends, and, glowing faintly, he makes a small flourishing motion. Water slowly seeps into the bucket, as if it were leaking from the outside in. Within moments, the bucket is filled is filled.

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Casting Create Water to fill the bucket, mostly to show off

Johann places the scroll back within his robe, and crosses his arms, as if he had just performed some great miracle.

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

"I cannot 'magick' us out of here, no," he says, "though I think, with proper water and the possibility of food, that we'll be fine."

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

Butch nods and then ponders for a moment. "OK, here's the plan. Everyone close... For starters, we need a small fire maybe a torch to check if there is a breeze and which way it is flowing. Hopefully it flows out past the waterfall, but even if it goes through that back passage we'll be ok. If there is no breeze, then a fire will choke us to death and it means there is no exit up there and we'll have to fight our way out past the ogre. Assuming there is some air flow, we'll build a campfire with the spare wood. Then use some of the blankets so that they cast shadows inside this chamber. That should be enough to convince the ogres that we are still in here which may let us slip out the back unnoticed. Mr. Caskin, you and Wrench will make our blanket decoys. Wrench, we may need to fabricate some rope from the blankets but don't go crazy with them, the rest of us like to have a warm blanket at night. Mr. Sesil, you and Azmirith are on fire duty. Make sure we have air flow and set up the campfire so the shadows will be visible from outside. Mr. Johann, keep an eye on the passage so we don't get surprised. I'll finish packing up. With any luck we'll be in the clear by lunch time."

[Bigmac]

A torch is found and light by a tindertwig. Caskin carries it up to the opening and holds it there, watching to see which way the flames move. The fire seems to stand still, untill there is the faintest of shifts as the fire bends away from the waterfall. Seeing that the passage offers a hope of escape, the party begins to follow Butch's plan.

Wrench finds some rope and works with Caskin to secure it to the enterance of the opening up above so that the crew can scale the distance with little danger. Azmirith decides that it would be best for him to keep an eye on the enterance, not fully trusting Johann just yet. The gnome is sent to help Sesil create and manipulate the fire. When everything is ready, the group climbs up the wall with the aid of the rope and enters into the new passageway.

The cavern walls are damp from the moisture of the waterfall spray, even this far into the cave. Moss and other fungus grows in patches here and there. Between Butch's sunrod and the magic of Wrench, Sesil, and Johann the party is able to create enough light to traverse the cave safely enough. There are several places where it appears the cave comes to a dead end, only to have a path found by Caskin or Azmirith that manages to keep the party moving away from the wrecked airship and hopefully back towards civilization.

A brief stop for rations after a few hours is the only respite the group gets as Sesil pushes them ever forward. Caskin makes some offhanded comment about how it felt like the group was moving two feet down for every 3 feet forward and that perhaps the giants would be preferable, but otherwise keeps his wit to himself. As the hours wear on, the realization that there was no nearby exit is hard to ignore. As far as Butch's stomach is concerned, it is time to stop once again, this time for the evening meal. A suitably wide space within the cave is found around a half hour later, and this time Caskin is the one to speak up and request that some sort of camp be made before his feet fall off.

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

Wrench decides against creating any new scrolls overnight, since he needs to rest to regain his infusions. He follows Butch's orders without question for once, although internally, he wonders if all of this is really necessary. Even though he never had much formal military training, the military efficiency seems to be inborn. Regardless, he takes to each task with determination and does what he can to help.

When they stop again, he poses an odd question. "Does your kind fear being buried alive?"

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

"Very much so, yes. Why do you ask?" He looks quizzically at Wrench.

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

"It just seems to be an odd fear for you. If I remember correctly, you would suffocate eventually and die. But for me, I would have no such release. I would simply be trapped for all eternity, immobile, and with no way to escape.

They've done experiments where they buried warforged alive, to see how long it takes for them to go mad from the experience. I would consider losing my mind a fate worse than death."

[Bigmac]

Tired from their travels, the group sets about making a small campsight to rest. The air down in the cave is stale, and there is little noise. It is easy to imagine that even a warforged could go mad if given enough time to itself down here. Having saved most of his infustions gained the night before, Wrench occupies his mind by working on a new scroll as he keeps an ear out for trouble. While there a few times when the warforged thinks he hears something, when he pauses to listen, he hears only the silence. At the appointed time, Wrench goes about waking the other group members up.

Butch gets another torch lit, and tries to determine if it dances at all in the bowels of the earth. He thinks that it does, but isn't confident in his ability to know the secrets of the underground. Now that the group is up, the quesiton remains, should they press forward, or try to go back and hope that whatever was watching the cave is gone?

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

"It seems we're stuck between a known hostile and the unknown," he says. "Now, the curious side of me, and the side that wants to lose no more of us, says we go forward. But I put it to vote, and open the floor to debate, since we're not in such a rush this time."

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

"No disrespect, Commander, but I am in favor of turning back the way we came. We know our path is true there, and now that we have rested, we can easily best the creature.

However, I follow your lead. If you say carry forward, then that is my vote as well."

[Fester]

Johann

The gnome, as usual, is wearing his trademark smile while odd words leave his lips, as though he himself was unaware of what he was saying.

"I obstain from voting."

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

"Sir, as it stands, we have won. While it would be nice to get home and enjoy a warm bed, we cannot risk the mission by taking our objective back into enemy hands. We'll be just as dead but we will have failed Breland. By my estimate, we can manage about two more days before we reach the point of no return. At that point it will be an all or nothing struggle against the ogres since we will need their provisions to get out of the mountains. So, from a food point of view we have another day and a half before the decision really needs to be made. If we do turn back, I suggest hiding the box so that a fully armed team can recover it later."