Continuing at the Cusp of Sunrise...
Jonl's eavesdropping catches Ankhin Taskerhill's complaints on how the Cusp's standards for members has latelty not been to his liking, as these thugs wandering about can attest to. Whom might he be talking about?? He continues the thread of his conversation with mentions of other "thugs" in the city he does not approve of, mentioning the half-orc mercenaries that have been filling the town guards ranks as of late.
Jonl also hears the Lathenmires discussing their plans on providing more higher-quality arms and armor to their customers through a new contact in Sasserine. After this short discussion, the Lathenmires and their "groupies" move into the west wing of the Cusp. Throughout the rest of the night, occasional clapping can be heard coming from the west wing behind the closed door.
Snake discovers nothing of interest in the books he has a short time to browse, but takes note that the library has vast resources in regards to local history and genealogy.
Morgan talks it up with Lord Vhalantru, who sits at the gambling table with him. Vhalantru praises the Crimson Tears on their recent acts of preventing the floods and taking care of the monster in the streets just a few days previous. Morgan also gets a chance to talk with Adrick Garthun at the gambling tables, attempting to pique Adrick's interest in some "mining equipment" he discovered in Jazdirune.
Finally, Celeste makes her appearance and gathers the party together, taking them to the east wing and one of the meeting rooms. In the meeting room, they meet Davked Splintershield, the father of Zenith Splintershield, who appears to be in bad shape; wheezing, coughing, and his wrinkled skin clinging to his old bones. Davked explains that through expensive divinations he has found that his son, Zenith, is still alive in the Underdark, specifically he is currently in a location called Bhal-Hamatugn. It is the dying dwarf's wish to see his son again before he passes on. Davked is truly worried that without making amends for the way him and his son broke apart when Zenith led his campaign into the Underdark, he will be cursed in the afterlife. The location of Bhal-Hamatugn is unknown to Davked, but he believes that Crazy Jared, a hermit in the northern mountains, knows of a fissure that leads to Bhal-Hamatugn from the surface. The three Crimson Tears members in attendance agree to discuss the proposition with the rest of the group.
The next day, the members put the acceptance of Davked's proposition to a vote, all but Modisto vote yes. Modisto's dreams, and the specific mention of Bhal-Hamatugn in them, make the idea of visiting this place less than comforting.
The group lingers in town for another week before deciding they have prepared enough for the journey ahead and leave Cauldron. They travel for almost two full days before reaching the area where Crazy Jared can supposedly be found.
As they begin to explore the area, an explosion of flame is seen off in the distance. Upon investigation, the group finds Crazy Jared...with a large red dragon poised over the old man, demanding to know the way into Bhal-Hamatugn. The dragon has obviously been in a recent fight, fresh cuts and acid burns cover its body.
A volley of missile fire is launched at the dragon, but no harm is done as the distance and the dragon's tough hide work against the volley. The dragon launches into the air, its large wings propelling it quicker then its size would suggest. Flying over the party it unleashes a blast of fire down to the ground, catching Snake within. A smoking Snake is quickly healed by Salla, soothing the burns.
The dragon flies out and circles around, taking its time as the majority of the missile fire that the party can unleash is not very effective. Flying over the party a second time, it breathes fire down on Snake and one of the dwarven miners that Morgan has hired for help. The dwarf is charred beyond recognition, while Snake is left in serious pain.
During this time, Jared has joined the battle, shouting out an epic poem for his darling knights of Anduria to spur them on in the face of danger.
The dragon descends on Snake, finishing the job and dropping Snake to the dirt with vicious slap from its tail. The dragon moves over to Modisto, and begins to tear into his magical shield, attempting to get at Modisto. Morgan charges from the side, dealing two heavy blows to the dragon. It seems to have had enough at this point, and takes back the air fleeing from the battlefield.
The heroes of Anduria prevail!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Rumble In The Streets
Traveling through the city for a meeting with Maavu, a second earthquake begins to rock Cauldron. However, the ground shakes for only a few seconds before a monstrous hulking creature that looks something like a cross between a humanoid and a beetle bursts out from under the cobblestone street knocking down a nearby warehouse. Crowds of people run away, except those nearest the monster strangely mill about in confusion, some even fighting amongst each other.
An older man running a fruit cart near the monster seems to keep his wits, and begins to stubbornly and slowly push his cart away.
As other members of the party pick themselves up off the ground, Snake shoots the monster with a bolt in the back, attracting its attention. The monster charges into the group...most of whom are unfortunately caught in the gaze of the monster's compound eyes and begin to act strangely, randomly acting out in confusion.
A squad of the town guard comes running up a side alley from the street below and are caught in the gaze of the monster. They begin fighting amongst each other and a few start wandering away. One of them manages to kill another, impaling him on his halberd.
While the battle rages on in the streets, a young woman living in a nearby house is drawn to the noises and takes a look out of her balcony window...with a crying baby in her arms. The woman stares into the eyes of the monster and in a confused state of mind drops her baby to the balcony railing and wanders back into the house. The crying baby sits dangerously close to the edge of the balcony, ready to fall at a moment's notice.
Meanwhile the monster's razor sharp claws and crushing mandibles have dropped Snake to unconsciousness. The monster turns its mandibles to the delicious crying baby snack dangling from the balcony. Morgan charges into the back of the creature and with a follow-up attack he cuts through the tough chitinous body, ending the monster's existence.
Chul runs over to the balcony, placing himself under it to catch the baby as it falls. Chul presents the still crying baby to the panicked mother, who weeps upon the strong shoulders of our great hero.
As everyone regains their senses, blades are cleaned, and downed comrades checked on, the MTA arrives on the scene. Fizzburn Hotfoot questions Morgan (or is it Morgan questioning him?), and while the two don't exactly hit it off, Salla works his way over and manages to have a civil conversation. Salla remarks on how the Crimson Tears seem to be involved in many of the same situations the MTA wishes to be involved in, and proposes that a method for the Crimson Tears to communicate directly with the MTA is in order. Fizzburn takes the idea into consideration, explaining that the MTA has put appropriate measures in place around the city to be alerted to magical or supernatural activities such as this occurrence.
Maavu has apparently canceled the meeting, as the warehouses damaged in the incident were his.
Jonl spends some time investigating the guild quarter's of the two guilds in town. He only recons what he believes to be entrances, and leaves it at that.
The group receives an invitation to the Cusp of Sunrise from Celeste, an out-of-town noble lady they met at the Demonskar Ball as an acquaintance of Lord Vhalantru.
Four of the group decide to take the invite and arrive at the Cusp that same night. Modisto is denied entry into the Cusp due to a dress code. Once inside, there are a few recognizable nobles that the group spots: Lord Ankhin Taskerhill, the Lathenmires, Adrick Garthun, and Lord Vhalantru. The three who made it in split up, each wandering to a different area of the Cusp. Morgan to the gambling tables, Snake to a comfy chair to peruse a book, and Jonl wanders about eavesdropping.
An older man running a fruit cart near the monster seems to keep his wits, and begins to stubbornly and slowly push his cart away.
As other members of the party pick themselves up off the ground, Snake shoots the monster with a bolt in the back, attracting its attention. The monster charges into the group...most of whom are unfortunately caught in the gaze of the monster's compound eyes and begin to act strangely, randomly acting out in confusion.
A squad of the town guard comes running up a side alley from the street below and are caught in the gaze of the monster. They begin fighting amongst each other and a few start wandering away. One of them manages to kill another, impaling him on his halberd.
While the battle rages on in the streets, a young woman living in a nearby house is drawn to the noises and takes a look out of her balcony window...with a crying baby in her arms. The woman stares into the eyes of the monster and in a confused state of mind drops her baby to the balcony railing and wanders back into the house. The crying baby sits dangerously close to the edge of the balcony, ready to fall at a moment's notice.
Meanwhile the monster's razor sharp claws and crushing mandibles have dropped Snake to unconsciousness. The monster turns its mandibles to the delicious crying baby snack dangling from the balcony. Morgan charges into the back of the creature and with a follow-up attack he cuts through the tough chitinous body, ending the monster's existence.
Chul runs over to the balcony, placing himself under it to catch the baby as it falls. Chul presents the still crying baby to the panicked mother, who weeps upon the strong shoulders of our great hero.
As everyone regains their senses, blades are cleaned, and downed comrades checked on, the MTA arrives on the scene. Fizzburn Hotfoot questions Morgan (or is it Morgan questioning him?), and while the two don't exactly hit it off, Salla works his way over and manages to have a civil conversation. Salla remarks on how the Crimson Tears seem to be involved in many of the same situations the MTA wishes to be involved in, and proposes that a method for the Crimson Tears to communicate directly with the MTA is in order. Fizzburn takes the idea into consideration, explaining that the MTA has put appropriate measures in place around the city to be alerted to magical or supernatural activities such as this occurrence.
Maavu has apparently canceled the meeting, as the warehouses damaged in the incident were his.
Jonl spends some time investigating the guild quarter's of the two guilds in town. He only recons what he believes to be entrances, and leaves it at that.
The group receives an invitation to the Cusp of Sunrise from Celeste, an out-of-town noble lady they met at the Demonskar Ball as an acquaintance of Lord Vhalantru.
Four of the group decide to take the invite and arrive at the Cusp that same night. Modisto is denied entry into the Cusp due to a dress code. Once inside, there are a few recognizable nobles that the group spots: Lord Ankhin Taskerhill, the Lathenmires, Adrick Garthun, and Lord Vhalantru. The three who made it in split up, each wandering to a different area of the Cusp. Morgan to the gambling tables, Snake to a comfy chair to peruse a book, and Jonl wanders about eavesdropping.
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