|
The small, snouted, dashing figure scrapes at the stony side of one of the remaining gargoyles, drawing its attention away from Drael. The things snorts in derision.
"No, Min!" Layaali exclaims. Chiding herself for being so blind, she focuses on her Min and her wounded allies. "Vildeis, heal my prayers, take our wounds upon yourself so we may continue the battle!" As Layaali prays, a burst of radiant, golden light radiates from her, bathing her allies in healing energy.
Layaali spares a glance to the odd little kobold, then back to Min and his many wounds. "How many approach?"
|
|
Layaali's healing glow assuages her allies' wounds. The gargoyle nearest the aasimar recognises the healing powers at work and calls out in disconcerting glee as it closes on her.
"This one heals! Nifty tricky toy!"
Layaali suffers a nasty scrape. The other gargoyle growls at the newly-arrived kobold.
"There you are, worm! We've been hunting 'dragons' for a few days now in our cliffs. Such a scrawny specimen, you - less than a mouthful." The word 'dragons' drips with sarcasm.
It then unleashes a barrage of attacks on Yantuk.
All four attacks miss, leaving the gargoyle gagging with rage.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Drael beheads the gargoyle with a backhand swing as he turns to the one that has been bullying Layaali. As he does, he nods his massive head in greeting to the tiny kobold, I'm not normally this large, I'll fit just fine.
|
|
Though the head of the gargoyle sails through the air, the remaining body explodes in a shower of gore at the mammoth axe swing.
As Yantuk dodges out of the way of the gargoyle's rapid flurry of blows, he mocks the gargoyle, before turning to Layaali,"Hah! Make fun of Yantuk will you? Yantuk is resourceful and strong! But more are coming. Oh so many! Too many for you all, even with Yantuk's help! If we finish this one NOW and get out of here, can help you hide. Otherwise..." Yantuk shakes his head sadly.
"Hiyah! Take that!" Yantuk strikes at the white bordered Gargoyle, attempting to keep those arms too busy to be used for defense.
Razif moves in and tries to clean up the last of the gargoyles.
"Your help is much appreciated! Let's introduce ourselves once we're out of this mess!"
Rab-rab attacks the last gargoyle and then run after the others but.. waits for Min.
Min staggers back (five-foot step) and gives Layaali quick nod of thanks. "Let's finish this, then!" he shouts, rolling his hands over each other faster and faster. "Kskooo kskooo!" He mutters over and over. Getting louder and LOUDER! Then he thrusts his hands forward and a beam of ice shoots out of his hands!
"Take THIS!"
|
|
Rab-rab's air blast just barely misses the lone imperilled gargoyle, but the sorcerer pelts the clay-coloured monster with an icy snowball!
Layaali takes a fire foot step back and grunts in frustration. She reaches out a hand and squeezes, causing the gargoyle's skeleton to seize and shake. "Be GONE!"
"Run! Now! All of us, 60ft, due leftwards, or you and poor Yantuk will be buried under stony wings, and grasping claws!"
|
|
Between Rab-rab and Layaali's attacks, the last gargoyle goes down in a heap of bones as Yantuk cries out.
And just then...a large pack of gargoyles surfaces into view from the depths of the cavern, less than 60 feet away!
Drael sprints to the left, his huge frame no doubt attracting plenty of attention from the emerging gargoyles.
"Oh dear," is all that Yantuk says before making a beeline for his hidey hole. Maybe the big one could plug the entrance.
"You weren't kidding huh?!"
Razif will also use his entire turn to run like crazy!
The gnomes turn and flee, chasing after the others as fast as they can go. Layaali's a little slower, for she always ensures she's at least a few steps behind the gnomes to shield them from danger.
"Which way, which way?!" Min shrieks in a panic.
"Come on, King Jack-jack! Hurry!" Rab-rab says.
"Run!" Layaali urges them.
|
|
Yantuk leads the team away from the canyon's edge into the rocky growths atop the cliffs. The lithe kobold side-steps around the backside of one of the stony blebs, one moment well-within sight of the party, but upon rounding it, Yantuk has disappeared!
"pssst!" A draconic snout pokes down from a hidden opening on the underside of the overhanging formation. "You'll need to squeeze...and fast!"
Drael pushes the others into the cave in front of him, urging them to quickly and quietly pack together in the tight space as he shrinks down to a normal size. Once he's no longer massive, he unslings his shield and puts it on the ground next to the cave entrance, hoping to pick it up and block the entrance with it after squeezing into the entrance.
Layaali eyes the tiny hole in disbelief. As soon as the gnomes scurry through she lays on the ground and shimmies through, trying to slip her frail body through the tiny hole. As the stone digs into her body, she prays, "Vildeis, grant me your blessing..."
Razif frowns upon seeing the entrance, but isn't phased, he's done something like this a few times before wandering the highlands. He tosses his loose pieces of gear like his bow and quiver in first to make himself as small as possible, takes a deep breath, and shimmies through.
And unceremoniously gets stuck early on, much like Layaali.
Rab-rab quickly pushes King Jack-jack through the hole and tries to squeeze through the hole.
Quickly squeezing through the hole.
Twitch, twitch, sniff, sniff, thump, thump.
King Jack-jack quickly squeezes through the hole.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Min pulls out and drinks his potion of gaseous form, tranforming into a cloud of mist. The Min-mist slowly drifts into the tunnel, around Layaali and Razif who are clogging the whole thing up, and in beside his sister and the kobold.
"Yantuk helps, but you are rather large..."
|
|
Drael quickly drops down in size and, belying his size even in normal form, shimmies his way in through the rocky crack. The ranger isn't nearly as lucky, getting his trusty bow hung up on the stony face on his first go, losing his balance and landing heavily on his rump. Rab-rab and Jack-jack find no troubles in scurrying inside the safe-house while Min sublimates into a cloud of vapour and floats inside!
Layaali prays to Vildeis and wedges herself into the opening, but finds herself stuck. Panic rises as the ominous growls and beating wings of numerous gargoyles echoes around them. Just then, Yantuk pops up, reaching out with his clawed forearms for the oracle!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
From inside the cave Drael reaches out an arm and attempts to haul Razif through the entrance.
Seeing little other option, Razif tries again!
Hurry up!!! Rab-rab shouts.
Layaali tries to squirm and shimmy her way through....
|
|
Drael bangs his face on the low overhead as he lunges for Razif to try to help him. It proves to be a lucky thing for the ranger, as when the suli reels away from the opening of the niche in pain, it provides Razif an opportunity to grab onto Drael's cloak, and the dune walker pulls himself to safety.
Heavy footsteps landing on the rock around the warehouse echo about as the oracle tries one last time to squeeze into the makeshift-asylum. Yantuk heaves as Rab-rab urges her on in a hushed whisper (with the qualities of a shout) and POP!
Layaali falls to a heap inside the cramped fox-hole. And just in time, she extinguishes her halo as those with darkvision see movement pass in front of the hiding spot. Low rumbling sounds like rocks shifting against each other can be heard.
"ពួកគេនៅទីនេះកន្លែងយកថ្ម។ រាងកាយរបស់បងប្អូនយើងនៅតែក្តៅ។"
The grumbles continue for a few more minutes than seems comfortable for all save for Yantuk. The kobold reassures you all that the gargoyles are thorough and patient, but not the most perceptive. Sure enough, after the better part of a half of an hour, the last of the sounds of the gargoyles fade away.
"Close one, very close! You all are lucky that Yantuk was here to help you. Yantuk Kutney, kobold at your service!" The little lizard-man bows deeply at this, although the more perceptive of you may notice that there is a tint of displeasure in his posture when it comes to bending to others. "Now, who are you and how will you help Yantuk get out of this picklement?"
Drael signs in relief as the gargoyles give up on their search. Thank you for your help, we were done for back there. He returns Yantuk's bow as soon as he's out of the small cave, Why are you out here all alone? Seems like a dangerous place to be.
Hi! I'm Rab-rab. Nice to meet you. And this is King Jack-Jack!!
She says holding up King Jack-Jack.
Min says My name is Min. Rab-Rab is my sister.Min thinks for a second Hhmmmm normally kobolds live in groups where is yours? It is dangerous alone. Do you want to join us in our journey? Its also really dangerous.
Yantuk paces back and forth nervously, muttering to himself. "They don't look like slavers. Gnomes tend not be be. And the pretty lady with the head glow looks nice."
Yantuk takes off his cavalier hat with a flourish, revealing an old brand. A slavemark. "Yantuk was a slave, but Desna told Yantuk that there were better things to be. Like a life of adventure! Other Kobolds did not listen to Yantuk, did not trust Yantuk's strange scales, so Yantuk left by himself. If you try and take Yantuk back, Yantuk will scream so loudly that all the Gargoyles in the area will know where we are! Otherwise, Yantuk will follow strange size changing man, and funny gnomes to someplace safer." The kobold puts his hat back on, and proudly puffs out his chest, taking a deep breath as he does so in preparation to shriek.
Razif listens to Yantuk's story intently. "Sounds like you've had a rough time of it. We'll be happy to have you around! I'm Razif."
He stretches out a hand for Yantuk to shake.
Drael nods in affirmation after Razif's introduction, We aren't slavers, don't worry. We helped to establish a village nearby, you'd be safe there if you'd like, or you can join us on a journey to Pale Mountain. We'll certainly need the help, if you're so inclined.
"Desna says to wander is a great joy of life. I only saw the book for a little bit, but it left a big impression on Yantuk." At this Yantuk stretches up tall, raising his hands as high as he can to show how big the impression was. "Villages are nice, but Yantuk went looking for adventure, and found you! So maybe this Pale Mountain is Yantuk's adventure also."
|
|
The darkness of the early mountain night is only surpassed in intensity by the chill in the air. Some of you feel mighty uncomfortable. Luckily enough, Yantuk knows of a more spacious cavern further west of the Chalk Cliffs where you'd be able to spread out with shelter from the elements. A hushed and tense thirty minute walk with the non-darkvision crew holding hands with those that can see brings you to the stale and empty cavern, the lair of some former predator now long-gone.
Yantuk seems fairly pleased with himself that he's made himself so useful. The kobold shares more of his tale with you all along the way. Once sheltered inside the cavern, it takes no more than five minutes of resting to bring almost all of the party to sleep's door. The day has been long.
Razif'll take second watch, then.
|
|
For all of you, before you know it, your eyes slam shut in fitful slumber. Regardless of your position in watch, you each have the same narrated dream.
After Sarenrae laid Rovagug in his prison and Asmodeus locked it shut, many of the spawn of Rovagug yet remained in the world, and the Rough Beast’s many followers and cultists and servants carried on his work. They built hidden fortresses to practice their vile rites, gathering what strength they could to seek the Black Key and unlock their lord’s prison. And they hoarded great treasures—for a broken chalice is still golden—and practiced magic that could shatter adamant and cast castles down into dust.
Every hand was turned against Rovagug’s minions, and his surviving servants grew clever. One such was Ulumanesh, the hidden priest of Rovagug. Once, a dwarven priest of Gorum heard him preach of the glories of destruction and the wealth found in slaughter. The Hidden Priest saw the dwarf’s heart was greedy. “Sirrah Dwarf,” said the priest. “You follow me to the great treasure.”
“I seek your temple, to tear it down.”
“Ah, Rovagug speaks to your wrath. My temple and my treasure are the same, a place worth mountains of gold to gladden your dwarven heart. Come and see it for yourself.”
The dwarf could not resist, and the longer he thought on it, the greater the treasure gleamed in his mind’s eye. At last, Ulumanesh said, “Come with me below the mountain, where the treasure lies.” And the dwarf did not hesitate, but followed past stalactites, and tunnels filled with searing heat, to a chamber whose walls gleamed with golden acid.
“Now dwarf, you know my treasure, for you stand in the maw and gaping belly of Rovagug’s servant, the great worm Narthrax. My treasure has teeth, and it will devour you.”
“But surely you will be devoured as well, priest!” shouted the dwarven priest. “You will die with me!”
“I die happily," cackled Ulumanesh, "taking a false god’s slave with me, and let destruction be your reward and mine.”
You awake to the light of dawn (or even earlier if you're a gnome), the smell of sulphur prominent in your memory.....or is it?
"This place is cursed," Layaali mutters as she awakens. "With foul memories that seep into my dreams. Vildeis, gird my heart from this evil."
Layaali sits to begin her morning prayers.
"What a strange dream Yantuk had. There was a big worm, all gold on the inside, like Yantuk is on outside. And a bigger worm on the inside of the world, like a worm in an apple... hungry. Desna fought it? So Yantuk will fight it too!" The kobold sits pondering for a few minutes about his dream, before shaking his head, and busies himself with sharpening his rapier.
|
|
The day passes swiftly, even if the initial passage through the mountainous terrain does not. Despite two separate scares with large winged shadows spotted far away in the skies, the group avoids any predators. By mid-afternoon, Razif has picked up the remnants of a highlands trail heading west, aimed directly at the daunting shadow looming ever-clearer and larger on the horizon: Pale Mountain. The skies remain clear, and the temperature, though brisk to the point of chilled, continues to favour your forward progress.
As the end of your third full day in the mountains comes into view with the setting sun racing ahead of you, you all begin to smell sulphur floating on the wind. Razif estimates another few hours on the trail through the night will bring you to the foothills of Pale Mountain - if you want to travel in the mountains through the night. Unseen grumbles and growls - whether they be biological or geological - echo around, punctuating the precariousness of the place.