Eberron Adventures

[Fester]

Johann

Johann calmly speaks for the first time since the battle. The knowing glint in his eyes has faded, but he is armed with his trademark smirk.

"We are at an art gallery, standing in front of a particularly beautiful painting. It matters not where the gallery is, or what the painting is of; the important point is that we are looking at it. The warforged sees the colors and brushstrokes, the attention to detail, but he misses the soul of the piece. To him, it is just a collection of colors thrown on a canvas, albeit thrown together ornately and delicately. The greater significance is lost on him, because although he can see the colors, the feel is lost on him."

"Similiarly, the farmer looks at the same painting and immediatly recognizes the impact of the painting, instantly grasping what the artist was trying to express. However, the farmer is colorblind, so rather than an array of colors, he sees a black, white, and various shades of gray. Now, the farmer knows that gray comes in various shades, he acknowledges that those shades exist, but he has trouble distinguishing between them. Simply put, although he understands the idea of the painting, he cannot appreciate it for its aesthetic value."

"The others? The masked one cannot see beyond his own mask; too caught up in death to pay attention to anything but himself. The Dragonmarked is looking at another painting entirely, murmuring to himself if he should purchase it. And myself?"

Johan chuckles.

"I own the gallery. Now, as it stands, there is only one rightful owner of the painting in question; only one person who should buy that particular piece, because only he has the capacity to truly appreciate the painting. And it is he to whom we should trust in judgement."

Johan's eyes fall to Cecil, and the smile widens.

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

"Ya hear that, Wrench? Johann is calling you a thief. You gonna take that from a pipsqueek like him? You should come back over here and kick his ass."

[Bigmac]

As Wrench examines the crystals, he can tell that there is a latent magical capability within the crystals but that the school of magic is not clearly defined. The latent capability, while present, is not enough to consider the crystals a source of magic at the moment.

Caskin chimes in on Butch's commet about House Tharashk. "While I doubt those particular crystals are claimed by my house, since it seems something stronger has a firmer claim on this cave, I would say that whatever is in that box is House Tharashk property along with all the equipment in the camp. Including the mining picks. Your're wasting our time warforged. It would take days to extract those crystals, and I doubt you have the skill or training required to remove them safely. Let us take what we need, complements of my house, nd let us focus on getting back to where we can see the sun again. If you wish to remain here and waste your time, that is up to you I suppose.."

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

"Alright, Wrench. By my count that's five votes to one against fiery death by greed. Now get back over here and stop messing with that Armageddon Stone!" All the while, Butch kept his bow trained on Wrench.

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

When Butch takes aim at him, Wrench moves behind the cluster of rocks and uses it for cover, while assuming a completely defensive stance. {OOC: AC is now 25 or 29, depending on flat-footed status}

"Butch, you are a fool. Put that weapon down. I won't be picking any fights with our new friend, and I certainly won't be listening to you while you are aiming a weapon at me! I've already told you that these rocks are not causing anyone's death."

When Caskin speaks, Wrench is quiet for a moment before he finally says "I don't dispute your house's claim on its property. I could probably get a shard, given enough time, but you are right. I don't have the proper equipment without taking it from the camp, and I don't have the training to be efficient about it.

If you would kindly do something about that lunatic pointing a weapon at me, I'd be much more willing to help get us out of here."

[Asmodeus]

{Adding a Diplomacy Check to try and convince Caskin to help me.}

Diplomacy - (1d20+3)[7]

{*Sigh* the dice hate me today.}

[Bigmac]

Azmirith whispers into Butch's ear from just behind him. Butch was completely unaware that the ninja was even there.

For Butch

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"Lower your weapon. We are all friends here, there is no need for violence." You can't see him since he's behind you, but you can feel that he is very close and could get the drop on you if he wanted to.

[Citizen Joe]

(Edit: Bah screwed up with a typo in the dice roller. Use the next post.)

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Action: Shoot one of the smaller invisible shadowy things by the columns
[rollv=Attack]1d20+5[/rolv]
damage - (1d8+4)[6]
Concealment miss chance - (1d100)[93]
Move Action: Reload on the move 20' into camp

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

"I expressed my concern. I made a suggestion. I asked politely. I told you flat out. You FORCED this Wrench! Now STEP AWAY FROM THAT ROCK! You're endangering everyone." Butch starts to pace off to the side heading back towards the bridge to maintain a bead on Wrench. "You can't hide forever, Wrench... eventually you'll have to... What the? Aw crap! INCOMING!!"

Butch launches his arrow towards the stalagmites across the lava river then reloads as he moves back into the camp. "GET TO COVER!" he shouts, bringing his bow back up to fire.

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Action: Shoot one of the smaller invisible shadowy things by the columns
Attack - (1d20+5)[8](13)
damage - (1d8+4)[12]
Concealment miss chance - (1d100)[13]
Move Action: Reload on the move 20' into camp

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

Wrench looks over to where Butch is shooting...

If something is there...

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"Olladra's Bloody Nose! I'm surrounded?"

Wrench withdraws a scroll and readies himself to use it if needed.

if nothing is there...

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"Mr. Sesil, he's gone crazy! He's shooting at nothing now, and won't listen to reason that these rocks are not causing any magical effects. Permission to restrain him, Sir?"

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

"DAMMIT! I lost sight of it. Can anyone see one? Watch the river. I doubt they can hide their passing. Keep the bridge locked down too. The CASE! DAMMIT! Who's got the case!? Get it to safety!"

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spotcheck - (1d20)[14]
[/roll]

[Asmodeus]

Spot - (1d20-2)[-1]

spotting.....

{Edit: SEE??? What did I say? The dice do not like me. I TOLD YOU!}

[Bigmac]

Wrench looks about, and not seeing anything says, "Mr. Sesil, he's gone crazy! He's shooting at nothing now, and won't listen to reason that these rocks are not causing any magical effects. Permission to restrain him, Sir?"

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

Sesil, dashing over, sees nothing. "Butch," he says, calmly but with a sense of urgency, "Explain, and quickly, what you see. I need to know if something could be playing with your mind." He turns his head to Wrench. "Wrench, can you last in that lava for a while longer? I think you might be safer there for the time being."

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Sorry, all - somehow I missed this page entirely this morning.

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

"Shadows sir. Lots of them. But they all scattered when I called out. I think they might be able to turn invisible like Azzy because I can't see them now. Wrench should be safe where he is, unless they can walk through the lava like him. We need to find someplace to restrict their progress. We're dead if we stay out in the open."

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

"I've got no problem staying here, Sir, but I'm more worried about that lunatic, than whatever shadows he sees. I still think you should let me disable him. We can take him back to the surface and get him some help."

In his mind, Wrench tries to estimate whether or not he could successfully bullrush Butch and distract him before any of his teammates were put in danger by the hallucinations.

{OOC: BigMac, about how long has it been since I cast this infusion?}

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

"That's a negative, Wrench," Sesil says, shaking his head. "And Butch, no more pointing weapons at teammates," he adds. He grabs Butch's arm and places it over his own. "Now, show me where to put the lights."

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

"Dammit, Sir! How should I know where they went? They're invisible! And Wrench is the one endangering us all! Something is keeping that lava baking us all and he said those rocks absorb heat or something. Now he's trying destroy the rock and roast us all! I told him FOUR TIMES to stay away from that thing. I even restrained him once. But he is so set on getting us all killed that he broke free and went right to that damn rock. I'm trying to protect you, sir, and the rest of us. I'm also trying to stay on mission sir. Now, since nobody snapped to on my warning, I'm pretty sure we're completely surrounded now. So, please consider this a request..."

Butch then forces Sesil into one of the tent where the lock box was found.

"Mr. Johann, I suggest you join us!" He calls out, dragging the lockbox in and then guarding the entrance into the tent.

Inside the tent...

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Butch stands inside the tent entrance, scythe at hand ready to strike down anything moving the flaps. "Sir, they found this box in here, maybe there is some information inside. I hope to the Host that rock isn't what is keeping us alive but we need to figure out what is. And please tell me you have the ship's case with you. That's our only guarantee that we'll get paid."

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

Wrench mutters to himself If this damn thing weren't so valuable, I'd smash it myself just to prove him wrong.

When Butch heads into the tent, Wrench will go back to trying to figure out how to get some of the shards out. He feels a little sorry for using tools that aren't his own, but then again, the dead miners don't need them, and he'll return them as soon as he gets a shard. With that settled in his mind, he starts trying to harvest a dragon shard.

He feels no need to hurry, and isn't really concerned about whatever craziness Butch claims to have seen. Butch has clearly gone mad, and is having hallucinations.

Wrench focuses his labor on trying to get the rock itself which contains the shards out in one piece. He can then focus on getting the shards out later, or even putting the rock inside his haversack and taking it to a professional to harvest the shards.

[Bigmac]

Wrench, Caskin, and anyone outside the tent

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Wrench begins to pound on the rock with the mining picks he found at the camp. The weight of the pick is vastly different from the weapons he has used, instead of a broad blunt impact area, all of the force is channeled into a single point. It is a bit awkward to use and the first time he strikes the rock the resulting vibrations in the haft nearly cause he warforged to drop the pick. Resolute, Wrench slowly begins to get the hang of the tool and is starting to eat away at the rock slowly.

Everyone else whose in the tent (assuming Sesil didn't try to stay outside. If he did then we can retcon)

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When Butch asks about the case form the ship Azmirith simply says, "I have the package secured in my backpack. If required, I can attempt to disable the lock on it, or on the box there.".

[Citizen Joe]

Meanwhile, inside the tent...

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"Try to open the miner's box. We need information. I think we found some acid some place. I don't know who has it though." Butch says to Azmirith. Then he addresses the rest of the people inside. "Listen, I don't know how long Wrench can keep them from that rock but we won't have much warning if this place goes. First thing, drop to the ground, get a good breath of air and close your eyes... in that order. The hot air roasted those miners from the inside and I bet their eyes are clouded over from the heat as well. Hold your breath until the stone is able to reactivate the protective field. I doubt it will be too long or their bodies would have burnt up from the prolonged heat. If we can get under some wet blankets that may be the extra edge we'll need to survive this."

Butch continues to guard the tent flaps while Azmirith works on the lock.

[Bigmac]

Inside the tent

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Azmirith begins to work on the lock with some lockpicks that the carried somewhere within the folds of his clothing. He deftly begins to manipulate the tumbler with one pick while keeping the tension on the tunstile with the other. Finally, after several minutes, the lock clickes open and is removed from the box. When it is opened, inside are three dragonshrds like the ones out in the chamber as well as another, small box. This box is emblemized with the crest of house Cannith, but there is no apparent way to open the box.

Outside the tent

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Wrench continues to take his time gathering the piece of rock he is working on. Upstream a bublle in the the lava bursts sending lava in every direction around it.

[Citizen Joe]

Inside the tent...

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Butch seems tense and anxious. "It's too quiet out there." He mutters and then pushes aside the tent flap enough to peak through. "DAMMIT! What is Wrench doing!? He's gonna get us all killed if he keeps beating on that rock. I don't see any shadows out there. Maybe they went back to..." Butch's jaw hung low. He uttered a string of guttural words which must be some sort of Orcish curse as he dropped the flap to the tent. "Get all the supplies you can find FAST! Search those bodies out there for identification papers and maybe get a lock of hair from each corpse. We need to move fast. Whatever those shadows are, they must have seen Wrench beating on that rock and escaped through a tunnel over behind those columns. Keep that box out of the wonder packs though, I don't want to mix magiks."

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

Sesil quietly picks up the Cannith-box. "I'll hold on to this," he says. "Butch, if you could please tell Wrench that we've found a few shards and he can go ahead and leave the lavarocks be? That would likely get him out here faster."

The soldier isn't quite sure of what's going on, but he can guess - if Butch's shadows ARE real, they may have gone for reinforcements.

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

Butch nods and ducks out of the tent. "Wrench! Mr. Sesil says we don't need those shards and orders you to leave those lava rocks alone! Now get back over here and help gather supplies. We don't have much time."

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

Wrench continues his work saying "Go back inside the tent and lay down, Butch. You're seeing things again."

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

Sesil pokes his head out of the tent. "What I was trying to say, Wrench, is that we've found a few shards already."

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

"Sir, I don't think I'd be comfortable stealing shards that belong to someone else." Wrench looks at Caskin to see what his reaction to all this is.

[Bigmac]

Caskin says that while the shards in the cavern don't belong to house Tharashk, the ones in the box most certainly do. The inclusion of a box of some sort from house Cannith is a bit puzzling though. Regardless, his house would surly be willing to pay a finders fee for the shards and the safe return of the corpse of the marked member of the house.

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

Sesil nods at Caskin. "If these in the box belong to the House, as you say, rather than these individuals, we'll certainly get them to their owners," he said. He makes no mention of the Cannith-box.

"Be careful, Wrench, and watch your back," he adds, hoping Butch IS imagining things.