"Not the people! Are you crazy! I meant US! Though I did get most of it for cheap 'cause of the Torch being out, folks are desperate out there."
"That big one in the corner is yours." She points to a vaguely coffin-shaped wooden crate.
*
*
"Hope it fits, especially in the rear."
"Nice package, huh? Now you're a 'Box man'."
"There you go Doc, for all that crap you carry."
Lilly's face flushes in embarrassment, a simple "Oh..." spilled out. Her dark brows furrow as she slowly walks to the crate, squatting and lifting the lid. Her eyes widen in amazement, then turn to regard Celest.
"Really? For me? That is very generous of you." The tall woman stands and looks rather uncomfortable, looking as though she is trying to decide whether to hug the woman, act nonchalant, cry, or something else. Instead, she just looks a bit sick. She settles for a quick smile and nod, then takes her new-found suit of armor to a room so she can change.
"She's totally jumping up and down on her bed in armor right now."
Flynn rolls into the room his hair a mess and his shirt half on. His shit eating grin is only slightly diminished by the splitting headache only cheap wine can deliver.
"Good morning ladies, Lily."
"Hummmm? What? My package? Let me tell you about my "tools"---oh you mean, my actual, umm oh. For me?"
Flynn opens the small pouch.
"Sweet! These things are nice man! That's a case hardened Lock Violatir 2000 and this. This little baby is the the Breakmaster Pro. Oh and look at that triangle file, Tumbler Tickler Pick Set complete with standard and Chellaxian sizes."
"Wow these are really great, thanks."
Opens the box.
"Ha! No heads in here this time. Wow, this set is sick! Really pops my features, have to match this one up with my squirrel fur cod piece, look out red light district."
"Looks functional too."
Hmmm.
Opens the box."Ha! No heads in here this time. Wow, this set is sick! Really pops my features, have to match this one up with my squirrel fur cod piece, look out red light district."
"Looks functional too."
"Lil's came with a chastity belt."
Flynn casts a wary eye towards Celest before checking the crotchular region of his new armor garment.
"ummmmm, I'm not sure . . . not sure why you would ahhhhh, ummmm, tell me that, but whatever floats her boat I guess."
He inspects a little further checking the leg holes.
"Mine doesn't though . . . Right?!"
Flips it over and starts checking the seams.
"Or hopefully any other surprises that aren't obvious to me right now?"
Lilly's wonderful mood does not diminish the withering glare she casts Celest's way as she returns. She does not grace the comment with a response, of course.
After a suitable silence, her dark brow arches, "Are we ready?"
Flynn's eyes snap back and forth between the two ladies. One hand strays protectively towards his . . . jewel pouch.
"Ready for what exactly?"
" ...Don't forget the spear the skulks gave us."
"Ahhhhh back to spelunking again . . . damn it . . . back to pressing our way down deep, dark and wet tunnels again, penetrating the unknown chambers of the mysterious, spear before me . . . hope we don't get crabs at the entrance again . . . or were they beetles?"
The rogue slumps down in the chair and reaches for water.
"Sucks . . .
Lilly brings a hand up, massaging her temple at Flynn's thinly veiled sexual references, closing her eyes. She then chuckles without mirth, grabbing her gear. "Come on, box man. Celest. Doctor Rhaym. Let's go figured out what happened out there."
Doctor Rhaym smiled briefly before his usual stern look resumed on his face again.
"Yes. Well. To business.
"You should know that Elise sends her regrets, but she won't be continuing with our expedition. She has withdrawn.
"Also, Thomas has not returned from his task this morning. I checked his room and all his clothing and equipment is gone. I know he had reservations at accepting the task his church assigned to him, and I think he isn't coming back.
"This leaves us a little short handed. So I have engaged in finding one or two replacements. This won't stop us from going down now though, four of us should be plenty for the current task."
He turned and pulled out a rack of potions.
"I spent my time productively yesterday and this morning while you slept in.
"Here is a Potion of Cure Light Wounds." He said as he handed you each a small glass bottle of a golden yellow liquid.
"Now. Let's be off."
He snapped his valise shut, snatched up his walking stick and marched out the front door.
"Dude?!"
"Like, can I at least finish my orange juice? Making it sound like I was just sleeping in--- I was getting centered and gathering my chee energy, man."
The doc gives him a vail and heads out with his walking stick.
". . . Wait, wait, don't get all pissy and run out. <<<Ouch!>>>"
Moving too fast causes Flynn to grab his temple.
"Crap. Fine! At least let me put my clothes on and um . . . Towel off a bit."
Flynn hurries to change into his new armor and grab his gear out of the next room.
His head pops back into the breakfast area.
" . . . Wait . . . They broke their contract? Can they do that? And we don't have enough people to go back down by ourselves! It's dangerous down there."
Lilly rolls her eyes at Flynn's whining. "Quit being a pussy, Mr. Boxman. Just think...fewer members means more spoils." A delicate dark brow arches, thinking this will be just the thing to motivate the whimsical 'gentleman'.
"Woman up, will ya!" Celest keeps to herself what she thinks of Lilly's idea about larger shares for fewer teammates returning from the dungeon. Hmmmm... hehehehe.... :}
"<<<Sigh>>> Okay hit me in my weak spot, Chivalry demands that I can't let you ladies wander around down there unescorted."
"Bigger shares at least . . . I like the idea of living longer."
Making your way down to the pond, you see the changes in the town of Torch are being felt even down at the hill bottoms. You see carts filled with peoples possessions heading out of town, you see more idlers sitting around doorsteps (doing a lot of drinking), and the air is clearer with much of the industry shut down.
At the Weeping Pond's verge, Doctor Rhaym stopped and waited for the others. The familiar stink of sulpur assaulted his nose, causing him to curl his lip in annoyance.
Once everyone was there, he picked up a test tube filled with an effervescent blue liquid. Beckoning his teammates forward, he carefully measured out a teaspoons worth and told them to swallow it down.
"This is a potion of Water Breathing. The amount I've given you should last about an hour; plenty of time to work through the entrance way, even if you get lost initially."
Making your way into the pond and through the underwater passage, you emerge once more into the pitch black passageways of the caverns under Black Hill.
The dead bodies you left strewn about are gone now; those of you with tracking can tell that scavengers (strong ones, with sharp teeth), stripped the dead of flesh and dragged the bones off for later.
Making your way using Rhaym's assembled map, you find the Skulk leader again. He (she?) looks like he hasn't moved once since the last time you spoke.
Rhaym nodded at the Skulk leader.
"We have returned, as promised, to fulfill our agreement." He declaimed unctuously.
The skulk just stared at you, waiting.
Unnerved, Rhaym cleared his throat.
"Yes. Well then, to work."
He moved off north, to the last chamber they had cleared.
The skulks had evidently marked the passageways you had cleared before you retreated. You passed through the chamber with the scythe trap, the blades dismounted now and the innards exposed and mostly scavenged.
You finally come to the place you had stopped.
The empty passage stretched before you, one north and one west.
Lilly shrugs, drawing her sword and shield. "When in a labyrinth like this, you're supposed to hug a wall and keep to it. Let's go north and see what happens."
If no one objects, she leads the group north, keeping her eyes open for danger.
"Box men first."
Draws her cold iron knife too.
[b]"Heh, yeah there are traps here alright. Now it's just a matter of how many I find, before they find us."[/dice]
Several different passageways converge on a narrow ledge overlooking a rubble-filled cavern.
The far wall is made of a smooth, dark gray metal. A single circular door, tightly closed, sits on the metal wall just above the upper level of the rubble.
The depression is about six feet deep, but the debris makes that uneven.
"Awww, anything could be under there."
Lilly sighs, giving the rubble a wary glance.
She nods to Celest. "That is true...but there lies the way forward, so here we go." With that, she starts to slide down the sides of the cavern, starting to slowly move forward through the uneven mounds as they proceed forward. She allows Flynn the opportunity to pass her and keep a lookout, the warpriestess acknowledging that the rogue's eyes for such thing are far better than her own.
When you cross the depression, you see that you have arrived at the far northern extent of this complex.
To the east, you see smooth wall of dark gray metal bisects the cavern here, its expanse pitted and scorched but quite solid looking. A strange, circular plug pierces the wall five feet off the ground. It looks like it might be a strange, maybe dwarven door.
With a shriek of nasty laughter, a jinkin pops up behind Celest and stabs her in the back with a nasty crusted blade. She takes .
"Did I get 'im?"
"Hey guys I hear---oh shit! Celest---look out!
Flynn cocks his spear and tries to give it to the little guy.
"Crap! Hot chick down, hot chick down, doc you gotta save her!"
"Dammit, why didn't we see that little bastard!?"
Lilly moves to her left and towards the creature, trying to circle around so she and Flynn are attacking from opposite sides of the creature.
Doctor Rhaym hustled over to Celest and droppeed to his knees next to her. He drew a potion and dosed her with it, healing her of points of damage.
Round 1______
Celest Slysword_____
Faceplant. -1hp
Notorious Flynn Ryder_____
"Hey guys I hear---oh s$@#! Celest---look out!
Flynn cocks his spear and tries to give it to the little guy.
"Crap! Hot chick down, hot chick down, doc you gotta save her!"
Lilly Peregrine_____
"Dammit, why didn't we see that little bastard!?"
Lilly moves to her left and towards the creature, trying to circle around so she and Flynn are attacking from opposite sides of the creature.
Doctor Rhaym_____
Doctor Rhaym hustled over to Celest and droppeed to his knees next to her. He drew a potion and dosed her with it, healing her of 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 points of damage.
Enemies__________
Squealing with vicious glee, the Jinkin tumbled past Lily and moved towards the south.
"Lily, I don't think we should chase him. I'll check this junk pile to make sure there aren't anymore, then let's see if we can pass this door. Sound good guys?
"I don't even see where he could have hidden in the first place, but there aren't anymore in here."
"That will be enough of that, vermin." He declared.
The doctor pulled out a catalyst, popped it into a bomb shell, tapped it sharply to start it fizzing, and threw it at the Jinkin.
Direct hit! dealing fire to the target and 5 fire to all surrounding squares.
Lilly pursues, attempting to swing at the little bastard now that he had been scorched by the Doc's bomb.