While he waits for a drink, Beort searches Verrack's remains. The bearkin gathers the half giant's trident, a pouch containing 50 gold coins and 30 silver from various nations. A half dozen pieces of fine jade carved into various shapes of sea creatures. The half giants fine armor is completely useless and not salvageable having suffered too much damage during the fight. He also discovers two unused bottles containing different liquids. One is made of thick clear glass, the other is a sea green.
While he waits for a drink, Beort searches Verrack's remains. The bearkin gathers the half giant's trident, a pouch containing 50 gold coins and 30 silver from various nations. A half dozen pieces of fine jade carved into various shapes of sea creatures. The half giants fine armor is completely useless and not salvageable having suffered too much damage during the fight. He also discovers two unused bottles containing different liquids. One is made of thick clear glass, the other is a sea green.
Beordt brings the liquids to those he think would best understand them, "The giant had these on him. Along with some coin and his weapon. His armor is shot."
"Sorry, lockpicking was never really my specialty I'm afraid... I could shoot an arrow through the door if you wanted!"
Rilkus stomped forward, for it was really the only way that he could walk. Several hundred pounds of solid steel went up to the door, and he intoned "I shall push the door in. Please, stand back." The gearforged put both hands on the door, set his feet, and began to push....
Finding no traps, Dacknar kneels down and pulls out his tools to pick the lock on the door. As he works the tools carefully in the old lock, his mind registers the conversations between his companions and the rumbling iron stomp of Rilkus coming up the stairs. But he pushes it all out of his mind to focus on the lock. It takes a few moments but finally he hears the gratifying *click* of a job cleanly done.
Stepping back with a sense of satisfaction he is forced to duck out of the way as the stern gearforged paladin's hammer comes crashing into the door. Caught slack jawed, Dacknar can do little but look on as the hammer crashes against the door, once more. Twice. In rapid succession. The elf tries to reach over to give the handle a quick push but the sudden winding, whirring sound of gears and springs on the move causes him to pull back with all speed.
The hammer strikes a fourth time and the door breaks open. The hinges are torn free from the wall and the thick heavy wood goes crashing into the small room and the shelf in back. Glass bottles and vials tumble from the shelves and burst in a flurry of staccato pops. A jumble of weaponry in various states go clattering to the ground or bend and snap as the weight of the door is too much for the thinner fancier blades.
As the dust settles from the mighty destruction of the door, Toki is able to step forward and find a solid shield marked with an old fading mermaid upon a seahorse emblem. There is also a pair of scroll cases that are still intact and what looks to be an old tattered journal.
Toki hefts the shield, This'll do.
Toki looks to the others, Let's go save our friends.
Rilkus stared at the destruction he had caused. Fortunately, the embarrassment that would have been written all over his face was replaced by the blank stare of solid steel. The nod that he gave to Toki was likewise almost imperceptible. With the whirl of cogs, he turned and stomped away.
Dacknar jumps up yelling at Rikus "What it the gods names did you do! Look at that mess! Do you think some of those potions could have been useful? I had it opened ye oversized tin can! What would have happened it the door was trapped? You could have killed us all ye flounder." And Dacknar storms of to go and cool down.
N'Dateh shrugs at the waste of a good door and steps through the arguing Dacknar and Rilkus and around Toki and his new shield.
With care, she picks up the scroll cases and puts them aside, handing them to Toki if he pays attention, then examines the journal: "A story..." she starts and recites the content once Rilkus and Dacknar finish their scholarly exchange.
Rilkus intoned ”...I am not made of tin...” it what was meant to be muttering.
*EDIT* Dacknar storms of to go and cool down.
Dacknar storms off to go and cool down.
Lil stands by executing her translation duties, and watches the inner party drama unfold.
"Let's not let ourselves get carried away with anger. While it might have benefited us to use what is within perhaps it would have made things more difficult. In any case we had nothing before the room was breeched, so even if we end up with nothing we are no worse off... so why the anger".
Toki is just standing there an axe over his shoulder and holding his shield, waiting... ^_^
Beort looks through the broken door. "Is there any honey. I miss honey."
Dacnar still fuming at Rikus comes back not saying a word and start to look around for anything usable.
He take a look at the scrolls to see what they could be. Then he thumbs through the journal for any information.
Once that is done he stares at all the broken weaponry and glassware. "I bet someone could have had a use for them or even saved someone's life. If someone would have waited and just didn't hammer the door down. " Dacnak says bitterly.
He then takes a deep breath, knowing that the Warforge is only doing what it does. Being a maching that only knows destruction, what was anyone to expect how the warforge would act.
Dacnar turns and looks at Rikus "How about you if you help me remove this door and place it outside instead of just standing there. And this time try and be careful. There could be something of value that survived and that is not broken under this door."
As Dacknar starts to slowly lift the door out of the room to get it out of the way. Or just lift it, if he does not get any help to take a look to see under it if anything might have survived.
Edit:"There might have been some Beordt before the door was smashed in."
"Aw, don't be so harsh on the clanker. We've all got skills, and his is hammer. If I could use a big hammer, I'd smash down annoying doors too."
Dur wanders off, looking for more arrows. He still has quite a few, but it's best to be safe than sorry.
Looking at his friend, Toki shakes his head, Not likely, if there was honey, I am sure someone would have eaten it by now.
The northman shoots Rilkus a smile, If those weapons broke, they weren't worth their salt, were they? Wouldn't you rather they broke now than when you are relying on them in battle? Many a broken weapon was the fall of man...
Shuffling his feet, Toki continues, We got folk relying on us. You want to stay here sifting through this, that is fine, but let us know so we can go.
”I thank you both for the kind words. But the fault is mine. I am still not completely used to this body.” He said, his voice as unchanging as the plain steel that was his face. ”This form is stronger than when I was flesh and blood and I do not feel as I used to. I was endeavor to be more careful in the future.” Somewhat awkwardly he began moving the wreckage away.
"Ye be right Toki, there are more pressing matters ahead. No sense on complaining over spilled potions. We better get going."
Dacknar agrees to Toki, as he begins to be calm again.
Toki nods, Let us bring our friends home, shall we?
While Dacknar and the others search beneath the door and the rest of the upper level of the small former slaver fort, D'Nateh skims the tattered journal. The book itself shows stains from a variety of substances including what can only be blood. The worn leather cover was stamped with the well known galleon symbol of Barsella, City at the Edge of the World. Flipping through the pages, the druid finds the journal to be something of a travel log for one A.R. Mersh, an intrepid Barsellan explorer and trader.
Most of the book looks to be a series of dry, uninteresting snippets in which the rather pompous and longwinded Mersh go into painful details about everything from meals to arrogant criticisms of anyone not hailing from one of the magocracies of the west. After reading these initial entries, N'Dateh knows much too well Mersh's love of Capleonian wines, Trombean pastries, and a spicy poached sand lizard with salted giant spider eggs developed during a trip to Kel Azjer.
It isn't until she flips to the end of the book that she finds something of interest and possibly much interesting. But by the time she gets to that part everyone is eager to be off to track down the other escapees. So N'Dateh pockets the book for later and finds herself with everyone else winding her way down the backside of the black rock formation from the fort back into the jungle below.
It doesn't take too long to pick up the trail. Grumph and his warriors didn't do much to hide their pursuit. After a couple of hours of working your way through the heavy jungle foliage, the trail enters a small clearing that smells of honeysuckle and cinnamon. Creeping closer, those in the lead immediately spot several large plants all in bloom. Great pitcher shaped red and pink blossoms. Delicate yellow, orange, and purple orchids. Small red trumpet flowers. All combine into a cornucopia of color and scents.
As pretty as those flowers are, if I have learned anything in these last two days, pretty things and tricky things. Anyone know what threats these blooming flowers might hold?
Dacknar studies the plants trying to remember if he has heard or come across in his travels.
"If the flowers are that big. How big are the bees?"
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No, don't say... Toki looks at Beordt, Keep your mind on the task at hand, Beordt, we have to find our friends first, then we can think about looking for the bees...
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Beordt tilts his head to the side his nose moves slightly almost stunned. He is thinking. "Bees . . . big flowers. Ohhhhh you don't think." He turns away from the flowers and closes his eys, "Find friends first."
"Your girlfriend in every port would love them... Otherwise..."
Lil follows the others into the wilderness in search of their new friends. She keeps swatting at the swarming insects as the trip begins, then they quit bothering her for some reason. She smiles at the good natured bickering between the fast friends.
Nature
"No insects... Be vigilant or be food..." warns N'Dateh to her companions.
"No insects? Would this indicate an unnatural sort of predator, that would drive away the natural?" Rilkus asked.
The party stands at the edge of the flower filled jungle glade waiting for signs of danger. Yet none appear in the quiet confines of the hot, damp tropical air. Only the sounds of monkeys and the myriad wild birds echo in the distance while all here in this secluded glade remains quite except for an occasional breeze rustling the many leaves.
Seeing no threats, Toki heads down the trail, trying to keep his shield between himself at any possible threats...
A slow rumble leaves the bear like muzzle, "This is unnatural."
Keep sharp, big guy...
"Could be a fey circle. Let's keep moving quickly before they eat our eyes or something horrid like that."
Toki cautiously sets out across the flower filled glade followed by his companions. About halfway across the colorful stretch of path everyone is struck by the heart pattering scent of honey and roses. The smell is intoxicating and you can't help but be drawn toward its source, a massive twenty foot high growth of chest thick vines with barrel sized pitcher flowers located a couple dozen feet away from the path. The more that scent seeps into your system the more each of you are drawn to seek out its source within that large fascinating growth.
Toki begins walking toward the pitcher plant, but shakes his head and breaks into a run, leaping to cut at its stem!
As per usual, Rilkus remain blissfully unaware of his surroundings. Even moreso of the danger assaulting their minds.
"I smell honey!" Beordt tilts his head to the side. "I smell bait."
Taking in the wonderful smells Dacknar keeps walking toward the large plant.
Seeing Dacknar walking off in a haze, the gearforged grabbed the elf. ”I know not what afflicts you, but you should not wander off like this.”
"Can't ye smell it, it be like fresh flowers that ah just want to get a nice deep smell of."
Dacknar tries to keep going but Rikus grip holds tight.
N'Dateh walks past arguing Dacknar and Rilkus, transfixed, yet chastising the Gearforged: "Smell is a wonderful thing. It's not right to prevent others from enjoying it just because you no longer can..."