Kassmak

Cakkarak's page

159 posts. Alias of Tentacledone.


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Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

The iskar glances at Pieter as the shadowbard begins his tune. Cakkarak keeps a sharp lookout, expecting the noise to draw the attention of whatever may lurk within the room with a tomb in the center of it.

Making his way around the room, the monk calmly looks for an exit that might not be obvious. Looking over at the tomb for a few moment, the monk glances back the way that they entered the room.

"Either the exit is disguise in some manner, or it is tied to the tomb," the monk thinks for a moment. "I would guess it would be the tomb."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"I have no clue how far it might be," Cakkarak responds to Pieter after they pass the locked door. If it doesn't close behind the party, the monk will close the door. He didn't want any surprises waiting for them. Finished, he returns to his spot so that may continue. "I confess to knowing nothing about this place actually."

The continue onwards for a bit longer, the iskar had fallen silent, considering what the human had said.

"You raise a good point actually," Cakkarak whispers back to the shadowbard. "We might not actually be those corpses reborn. That would imply some type of resurrection magics, or the like, I believe. If we were them reborn, it would stand to reason that we would have regained our previous memories." The monk pauses to organize his thoughts. "The problem is we would end up repeating the same mistakes, nothing would change, and we would be deadlocked. Instead, the difference that we have all experienced in our lifetimes would allow for different outcomes."

Cakkarak considers the little he actually knows about the shissar. The ones that had made his people slaves were more regarded as "Boogymen," rather then a possible threat.

"It is possible that chaos of not actually being those bodies directly could throw the magics of the Shissar off. If my peoples tales of them being able to glimpse through the mist that covers the future, is true, then that might be a possible explanation," Cakkarak whispers. "It is an interesting thing to try to piece together this puzzle that we have found ourselves in."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Looking back at Pieter, the iskar nods as they head out.

"I agree that this is a somewhat unusual place. However, it is well protected," Cakkarak says quietly as the two walk point. The monk looks at the burial slabs. "The undead guards and townsfolk were capable of destroying a vampire unaided. Since they do not consider us a hostile presence, I believe it is an ideal base from which when can operate. If anything, it is a place to stay."

They continue in silence for a time longer.

"I am finding myself curious to see what our previous incarnations might have had in the works," The monk says quietly. "Of course, that was perhaps a thousand years ago." Cakkarak shakes his head, knowing how crazy it sounded. "But, I have had the faint impression, almost a memory, of a few scattered events. Something about rescuing a iskar from the a Shissar camp."

The monk falls silent again.

"It is something I shall have to meditate upon further," the monk says more to himself then the shadowbard. "Have you experienced any odd memories since we arrived with the sealed up village?" Cakkarak asks as they continued on to Shadow Haven.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak walks over to where the vampire had been destroyed. He examines the sight, looking to add to the handful of vampire dust that he had collected from their first encounter with the blood sucking undead. If he does indeed find some dust, he will add it to the bit he has collected before.

"That would be the best purpose for the coins and gems. Hoarding it after finding it would be rather pointless," the monk says as he smoothly walks back over to the others. "Foodstuffs and the like, and we should begin to resupply the manor a bit." Cakkarak looks back and where the vampire had been destroyed. "After all, it seems safe enough, not to mention well protected."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Catching the sound of battle, Cakkarak pauses in his searching of the ancient manor. The iskar had being mulling over a strange series of memories. Involving Shissar, iskar captives and a monastery, when the sounds of battle caressed his earslits.

It didn't take the monk long to get outside to see the battle unfold. His eyeridge raises as he watches the vampire be slowly torn apart by the other undead.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak had found a spot out of the way to sit. The iskar both watches and meditates, in no particular hurry. On the past, he had noticed that it tends to take casters time, usually days, to learn new spells. And he doubted Loki would move before he had mastered his new magics.

That will give the monk more then enough time to fully explore the manor.

A while later Cakkarak is in the middle of investigating. (Listen Check:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20)


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

While those capable in the magic arts look at the scrolls. There is a momentary pulse of excitement as a Tome is spotted at the bottom of the chest. Of course, Sazs being on the mind for some of the group, they think that they have found one of his tomes.

Although a touch disappointing, it was not one of the mysterious and very deadly Tomes of Sazs. It was more of an ancient book that was actually filled with spells, free (as far as they knew) from the influence of Sazs. The tome that they found was still a great boon in it's own right.

Looking at the platinum and the gems, Cakkarak finds something to do.

The iskar monk methodically counts and stacks the coins and the moves on the gems. He takes a bit of care with the sparkling gemstones, buffing a few dull spots with the edge of his scarf until they gleamed. It was true that the monk had no particular lust for coin, he was impressed by the wealth that they had found.

It was sure to come in useful, sooner then later.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

After it became evident that the lock was very stubborn, Cakkarak had gone back up to observe the undead "citizen" go about their day. The continued pantomiming what they had presumably done in life.

'If they had been alive in the first place, and not something the Loki that once was put together,' this iskar monk thinks to himself. Seeing that nothing was amiss, Cakkarak leaves the manor doorway, closing it behind him. The monk quietly returns to the others.

Not long after he stalks into the main room of the basement, Pieter opens the chest and stands triumphant over the lock.

"Excellent work," Cakkarak says with a nod as he walks over the faded circle to join the others near the chest. He is curious to see what had been left for them.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak paitently waits while Pieter work on the lock. It certainly wasn't his area of expertise. He could think over several different ways to kick or punch the lock that might destroy it out right.

Not to mention destroy anything fragile that might be inside. And if former Loki was as cunning as currently Loki, the monk suspected that it would be trapped. The monk reflexively looks around the room while the human works on the lock. While the necromancer's pet, Loki, and Pieter had proven that the circle was no longer magical. The monk had not yet joined the three. He moves about the room, as if expecting something to attack once their guard had been lowered.

Which of course, was ludicrous. They had left this long forgotten place to themselves. Cakkarak shakes his head once more at the incredible notion. On that more and more was cementing itself as the truth. No matter how the iskar examines what has happened since finding their own mummified remains, it was not a trick.

It just seemed so... almost beyond belief. They had lived over a thousand years ago and had fought the Shissar. And had arranged to come back to life if the Shissar began to stir. The very thought of the Shissar made the iskar's blood boil. It takes a few moments for the monk to calm himself, breathing out the anger so it could not cloud his thoughts.

"We do have the key Pieter. We have you," the manner in which the monk speaks suggests that he is joking. But it's hard to tell with the iskar. "Beside, there could be something fragile in there, which might not survive if Kur'Plugh takes over as current locksmith." The monk looks over at the ogre shaman, then back over to the shadowbard. "After all, it's been a rather long time since we've been around these parts."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Sniffing at the air in the library, Cakkarak looks around the remains of the private library. The relentless march of time had not treated the books well. The monk didn't touch, not wanting the fragile looking books to turn to dust.

Moving back out into the larger main room, complete with what he guessed was a formerly magic circle. The chest sat there, it looks in surprisingly good condition.

"So, do you happen to remember how many traps you might have left on the chest?" Cakkarak turns his head slightly to look at the necromancer. "What I would think is your personal library has seen better decades. The desk looks to be in good condition. Books, not so much."

Cakkarak walks to the edge of the circle, and then walks the length of it, looking down at the faded markings. Returning to where he had started from, the iskar looks back at the others.

"Is it likely what magics that the circle might have had, have worn off?" The monk looks back at the casters.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Good to know," Cakkarak says as he stands back up from where he had been crouching, looking at the floor past the door. He didn't see any tracks in the dust. "It looks clear." The monk says quietly.

Looking over at Pieter and nodding, the iskar walks in. The monk calmly begins to walk into the formerly locked basement. Briefly, Cakkarak wonders what the-Loki-that-came-before could have left them. Or what they could have left themselves, for that matter.

With a slight shake of his scaled head, Cakkarak continues forward.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"I wonder if the skeletons serve any purpose, other then replaying what I would guess is their daily existence," Cakkarak muses out loud. They happened to be standing near the manor, and the monk's eyes looked at the locked door once more. They had only come across one other locked door in this place. The tomb.

Cakkarak had to admit to himself that he was curious to know what lay within. The monk briefly wondered if the previous incarnation of Loki had thought hiding things in tombs was amusing. A snort of amusement escapes the iskar.

"Is it possible to place or keep a being's memories in such shell?" Cakkarak asks, turning his head to look at Loki as he points at the skeletons. "Say like a blacksmith or tanner or the like."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Well, one can only wonder who left a small towns worth of skeletons in a sealed," Cakkarak says, a grin ghosting across his scaly muzzle. The monk walks out of the entrance way, taking a few steps into the city. Whatever Loki had said to the giant skeleton made it stand down. Something the iskar was rather glad about actually. Cakkarak could only imagine the magics that would be wrapped around the skeleton.

If they had previously set this..., Necropolis up, Loki powers must have indeed been great. The monk briefly wonders what powers he might have held before his death.

Shaking his head to clear the meaningless thoughts away, Cakkarak focuses on the here and now. Dreaming about a life over a thousand years ago would be useless. Even if his soul remembered everything that he once might have be capable of doing, that doesn't mean his body and spirit would be capable of duplicating the same abilities. For all he knew, his old fighting style could be next to useless compared to what he has learned within his current lifetime.

Feeling the clerics divine magics wrap around his scaly body, Cakkarak blinks. The iskar looks around, thinking Nalun had seen a foe that they had not. It takes the iskar a moment to realize why the Teir'Dal had reacted the way he had.

They were in a small city full of skeletons that were going about their "daily lives" as if they weren't fleshless bodies walking around.

"Alright, I will be the first to admit it. I am impressed," Cakkarak says looking around once more. The iskar monks begins to look around the City of Bones.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

The monk's cold green gaze narrows. His stance changes ever so slightly , reptilian eyes never leaving the massive skeleton. The monk could see another of the door that required their hands to open. 'Rather ingenious, actually,' Cakkarak thinks to himself.

Snapping his full attention back to the skeleton, he waits a dozen heartbeats before slowly walking towards the sealed door. Cakkarak's eyes never leave the old skeleton. If it attacked, the monk wanted to get out of it's way as quickly as he could.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Used to the near silent communication that had evolved within Tenebris Anima, Cakkarak nods. The iskar eyes the skeletal footprints. He noted that the necromancer had them following that path. Not that the iskar was surprised by that in the least.

Cakkarak sticks to the right of the tunnels as he begins to move out.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Good point, I am unsure as to the "sunlight" created by Kur'Plagh would effect it the same way as it would the others. And I think it would be unlikely that this place is completely sealed," Cakkarak speaks quietly. The iskar didn't want to further advertise their presence here. The light was signal enough.

"As far as resting, here is as good as place as any," the monk says with nod in the necromancer's direction. Cocking his head slightly to the left, he looks over at the second dark elf.

"Perhaps Nal'un would tell us more about why he is here. Since we are not going anywhere for a while," the iskar looks at the Teir'Dal as he leans up against the wall.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak looks at Kur'Plugh for several long moments, much longer then his normal bored gaze tended to be. The Iskar's green eyes were almost on fire. With curiosity. The shaman continued to surprise, and the spirits he dealt with were nothing to dismiss. All in all, the ogre was quite the threat. Cakkarak's scaled lips twitched, almost grinning. 'Glad he is on our side,' the monk thinks.

Freeing a small sack from the depths of his backpack, Cakkarak gathers a few handfuls of ash and quickly catches up with the others. He didn't want to stay around with those..., bugs. If they were capable of taking apart a vampire, the iskar was certain his scales wouldn't offer any real resistance. Glancing over his shoulder, Cakkarak had a feeling he was going to get the chance to test his skills against the bugs. Whether he wanted to or not.

Simply nodding when when the dark elf, Nal'un, asks to travel with them, Cakkarak keeps his earslits open. He didn't suspect that the Teir'Dal would try anything, at least not right away. And after the vampire had bitten into his neck and supped, Cakkarak felt it extremely unlikely that Nal'un led the vampires to the group. Especially, since that had just portaled in.

Reaching the door, the iskar looks at the different hand print impressions in the stone door.

"Well, that means what we found in the sarcophagi was not part of an elaborate trick," Cakkarak says quietly as he looks at the four impressions. He was interested to see what lay behind the door. It seems this was one of the spots that they had left for themselves more then a 1000 years ago.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Close at hand to the dark elf that was currently enjoying the attentions of the pale being that had latched onto his neck, the iskar snaps into motion.

The iskar monk slams his fist into the side of things head. Cakkarak had the sneaking suspicion this was going to be a fierce battle. The spells being flung were a good indication of that, and one of them had turned into mist. The monk didn't want to loose sight of that one for any long period of time.

ooc:
Take 5' step forward and attack. Strike #1:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 351d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7. Strike #2:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 291d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10.
Hp: 70/70
AC: 25


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

GRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......

....sleepy time....


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak had taken a step closer to the dark elf, about to feed him his teeth. If this softskin thought he was going to be treated like a tongueless slave, he was about to be mistaken. The iksar was simple going to shove the Teir'Dal's teeth down his throat

At the sound of the new voice, the Iksar's eyes snap into the blackness for the owner of the voice. Not seeing any source of heat, the monk raised an eyeridge. Either it was a being that could hide it's heat signature. From what it was talking about them being food, he was guessing some kind of undead.

"I will deal with you later." the iskar says coldly to the still nameless newcomer. The iskar's tone carries the visions of a great deal of physical pain in the near future. If he even suspected that the dark elf was going to attack them, or had intentionally lead whatever to them, it would be over. He would take a degree of pleasure in seeing how many bones he could break before the elf died. Once they had dispatched whatever was thinking about eating them.

"Loki! What do you see?" Cakkarak inquires of the necromancer, speaking his own tongue. While he was capable of fighting without any light, he didn't think Pieter and Kur'Plugh were similarly trained.

Initiative:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Dark elves taste slightly bitter, but have a slight hint of sweetness. Best eaten raw and screaming."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak's cold green eyes narrow as he looks at the newcomer.

"What is this nexus and what is Cristano's creature?" the iskar almost demands, still speaking quietly. They didn't know what else might be in here with them. His words came out in clipped common, almost as if he was biting the words out. It was also clear the monk had at least a basic understanding of the Teir'dal tongue when he repeats Christano's creature in the dark elves language. "And who are you?"

While the iskar appears to be clam, tattered longcoat drapping his frame over the black, silken robes that he wore, Cakkarak was watching and waiting. His green reptilian eyes watched the newcomer closely, looking for the slightest hint of spellcasting. If the dark elf begun to cast, Cakkarak would be close enough to make that degree of concentration very difficult.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Looking down at the fallen monster, Cakkarak shakes his head.

"I have felt that since we dropped into this particular rabbit hole. Still," the iskar pauses and looks around. "unless we plan on filling our sarcophagi with our current bodies, it looks like we have but one direction in which to go."

Walking up to the portal, Cakkarak looks it's strange energies, colors twisting in upon themselves. The monk raises his hands almost touching the portal. He could feel the magic, pulsing like invisible waves against his blackish-green scales.

After making sure they had everything, and that nothing of Lilith's survived. Including a part of her body that might still be solid enough to resurrect the cleric made it through the acid bath. Not that he was really holding his breath on that front. The abomination's acid seemed particularly potent.

"See you on the other side," the iskar comments as he walks into the portal.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Almost bouncing off the abomination, Cakkarak calmly regains his balance as he lands. Fear clawed at his mind. This vile thing had survived a fall from a near untold height. His eyes widen as the dark-elf-spider shifts it's broken form and he spies the pile of liquidy flesh and gear that used to be Lilith. The iskar refuses to let the shudder creep up his spine.

Instead, he redoubles his efforts to put this monster down for good. Shifting over a few feet to flank with the others, Cakkarak narrows his focus to the moster in front of him. The iskar lashes out in a blur of motion. After delivering several palm strikes, the monk leaps straight into the air. Spinning his frame about, Cakkarak's foot slices through the air, seeking the side of the thing's head. Given what it had done to the cleric, Cakkarak didn't want his foot that close to it's mouth.

ooc:
5' step to get in a flanking position (+2 att) and then full attack action and Roundhouse kick (-2 all att). Attack #1:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 181d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10. Attack #2:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 81d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10. RdH kick:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 251d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9.
And if it matters, or if you already knew, Cakkarak does have Mystic Strike, his blows strike as +1 weapons for matters of bypassing DR.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak's cold reptilian gaze narrows as the spider thing comes into view. His toes barely had time to make any noise as the iskar runs with a smooth liquid grace. Leaping into the air at the last moment, Cakkarak slams his foot into the back of the monster.

ooc:
Move and attack. Kick:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 131d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Hp: 50/50
AC: 24


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak nods as Loki confirms what he had suspected. That theses ancient bones were indeed their own. He looks back at the sarcophagi, and the dusty contents back in. The dark elf goes back to hunting through his ancient journal. A short time later he changes robes. The monk guesses that Loki was well and truly convinced that what they found was true. A ghost of a grin dances across his scaled face at the necromancers comment when puts on his robes. Cakkarak looks over at Kur'Plugh and nods.

"Let's seal these back up. It feels odd to leave my own corpse exposed like this. Especially after robbing myself." The iskar's light tone is suggestive of him joking. But it is hard to tell with Cakkarak.

Finished with entombing his bones, Cakkarak adjusts his new scarf, which was more or less a longer strip of silk from his new/ancient Monk's Robe.

"So, I believe all that is left is for us to enter the portal to Luclin," Cakkarak says, looking at the swirling energies of the magical portal. "I must say that it feels a little odd. This continuing a war that we can't really remember." The monk shakes his head. "Well, seeing as how we can't really go backwards, it seems we go through the portal. For we have a war to win, and immortal Shissar to teach the meaning of fear." Cakkarak eyes are practically burning at the thought of the Shissar still living.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak takes a few minutes to organize, well, his own bones. It doesn't take the meticulous monk that long. After he finishes, he folds up his tattered clothes and puts the small bundle of clothing in the sarcophagus, away from his bones. The monk finishes, looking at his bones was almost beyond him. The injures to the ancient bones that he recognized, were too similar to be a coincidence. It was his body.

"Alright Loki, you've had your eyes locked on what I am assuming is your own book, what have you learned?" Cakkarak asks the necromancer. "My mind is afire with curiosity. These ancient bones are ours correct? We left these things for ourselves, yes? For what purpose?" the monk asks. "Tell me that the mage who fireballed himself wasn't lying."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Hmmm, well, I doubt any of us are interesting enough for the gods to take note of," Cakkarak ponders as he looks at the old bones. "Not that I know a lot about magic, but I have never actually heard of any kind of magic that would move one around in time."

Cakkarak falls silent for a few minutes. The iskar frowns slightly as he furiously rolls the problem over in his mind. It didn't seem like some sort of elaborate trick or trap. And even if it was, who would bother doing such a thing. If they had enough money to this, they would have just killed them a few dozen times.

"Perhaps..., perhaps we arranged this long ago ourselves," the monk says slowly. "Aided by some kind of magic to resurrect us. Maybe something went wrong with it, and we lacked our full, or any, memories."

The iskar shrugs his shoulders.

"I have not a clue. Plenty of ideas and theories, but nothing that feels right. Or close to sane, for that matter," Cakkarak says with a slight shake of his head.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Well, I am fairly certain that this is my corpse. The left horn on the skull and mine are a match. Their is a healed break in the left leg where mine was broken," the monk points at the horn and femur. "Also same with the two bones in my tail that have been broken over the course of my training."

Aiding the ogre, not that he really needed the help, Cakkarak looks at the different bodies. Then he looks at each of the others as if comparing the two.

"Perhaps we travel back in time? Or were once alive long ago?" a frown finds it's way to the monks scaled face. As he thinks, he replaces his own scarf with the one his corpse was wearing. After a moment or two of consideration, the monk strips his worn and battered clothing off. The iskar dresses in the ancient monk's outfit. The black fabric had a slight shimmer to it, suggesting that it was silk. The cloth itself was lined with a dark green. Dressed, he tugs his battered longcoat back on and picks up his pack.

"Well, it appears my dead self keep in excellent shape, for the robes fit as if they were just measured for me." Cakkarak says, as close to joking as the iskar had seemed capable off. As to the clothing and the journal you found on your body, preserved through magic perhaps? Possibly fine craftsmenship? Although, that seems somewhat unlikely due to the bodies. Maybe it's a trick the older you knew? I am interested in the fact that the dead four of us seemed to travel together as well. That is..., fascinating to me. I had thought we where thrown together by the winds of Fate. It seems that assumption was mistaken."

"What do the rest of you think?"


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak's coughs, trying to avoid inhaling anymore of the tomb dust. making sure that the heavy lid is going to fall over, Cakkarak, concentrates on expelling the dust from his lungs. He had taken several steps away and breathes out slowly, forcing the air out of his lungs.

Save:
Cakkarak's Fort Save (DC: 16):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

At the sight of the bones, the monk freezes, even his heart seems to stop, frozen in his chest. Cautiously, as if expecting the bones to leap up and attack, Cakkarak moves forward. His cold, green eyes were wide as he drank in the sight of the bones. Leaning closer to the corpse, Cakkarak inspects the horns.

While it is insanity to think that this somehow may be the monk, part of him was considering the possibility. If the bones where his, then the left horn would be slightly shorter and have a slight inwards curve. It was the horn that a his teacher had broken off with a rather casual backhand. When his horn regrew, it had grown slightly different the his right horn, giving his horns the pincer like appearance. His eyes then move to the long scarf and simple robes that the body wore.

Cakkarak carefully begins to remove the simple monks clothing and the scarf. Placing the bones back carefully, Cakkarak looks at the inside of the sarcophagus as he tries to figure out if the corpse was his or not.

"Alright. We should open the rest of these up. If, and I stress word ,if, these are our bodies, I would think that we knew about us coming here," Cakkarak says slowly. "Otherwise, the gods have taken to really messing with our heads. Anyway, if these are our corpses, I would think that we might have left ourselves a clue. Or something." The monk narrows his eyes slightly as he looks at the other sarcophagi. "And I really want to know if these are our bodies. I would normally say that would be completely crazy and impossible. Lately, I am not so sure. Perhaps I have lost my mind after all."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

The iskar stares at the coffin for an iskar. The monk blinks twice, and then looks at the other sarcophagi.

"The author was that madman who fireballed himself and wore a bunch of heart bags. Nothing could possibly go wrong with this trip," the monk comments with the faintest twitching of his scaly lips. "I have never understood this naming desire, although Dark Soul seems fitting enough."

Looking at Loki, the iskar nods.

"A bit yes. That's why I'm going to enlist Pieter and Kur'Plugh's strength so I can open the sarcophagus fit for an iskar," Cakkarak says calmly. Not that he felt that calm, he was both anxious and curious to see what lay beneath the stone.

"It seems far too much of a coincidence that the four sarcophagi just so happen to match the races within our group," the monk says. Looking at the human and the ogre, Cakkarak nods and moves to the head of the sarcophagus. "Since we probably won't have the chance to see what is in them later, now is as good as time as any." He looks over at Kur'Plugh and Pieter. "If I may borrow your strength for a few minutes?"

ooc:
Strength Check (DC: 28):1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Did you say we were needed on the moon, Luclin?" Cakkarak quietly asks the dark a while later. "And we were named, "Tenebris Anima"? By whom? The person whom wrote that book and left in that place back there? That's..., disturbing. On several different levels." The monk says with a shake of his head.

During a short pause for a quick meal and drink, the iskar looks over one of the sarcophagi as he takes a sip of his water. He looks closer at it, trying to determine what race might have been buried down here.

"Anyone know who or what might be in these?" Cakkarak asks quietly, rapping a scaled knuckle against the the lid.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Seeing the necromancer's eyes widen just a bit as the dark elf realizes something, Cakkarak turns back and creeps a bit closer to the passageway. The iskar monk looks into it, eyes seeking out dangers that might be lurking. 'Well, at least Loki seems to have figured out something from that book of what looked like gibberish,' the monk thinks as he keeps watch. He glances back to see Pieter looking at one of the books and Loki having picked up the second one. Cakkarak nods to no one in particular.

Turning around, the iskar carefully makes his way to the passageway. He waits for the others to gather themselves up before continuing onwards.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Looking at the bubbling stone, Cakkarak stays far away from the puddles. If it's acid blood could do that to stone, the iskar had no desire to test his scales on it. He rather liked his scales in a nonmelted form. Shaking his head, he looks up and cautiously moves into the dusty tunnel.

Their quiet footfalls stir the dust once more, Cakkarak snorts it out of his nostril slits before it caused him to have to sneeze. The monk glances at the open, dust covered book. From what he could see the words looked all jumbled together. Bringing his gaze up he looks over at Loki.

"I think we can avoid the mile long drop. Personally, I am fine with the passageway back there," the iskar looks at the passage, letting the other focus on the two books. "Rather interesting about the clerics timing to aid us completing the ritual. I wonder if her objective was what she had said it was." Cakkarak chews it over in his mind for little while. "Still, if what she said about that gnome in Freeport was true, it seems we have a loose end to tie up at some point." A small frown tugs at the monks normally calm expression. "I dislike loose ends. Our affairs should be keep neat and tidy. The fewer who know what we are looking for, or even our existence, the better."

Cakkarak looks over at Pieter and nods to the human.

"Once again, we are in complete agreement. I loathe this place as well," the monk says with a nod.

"So, depending on what we can discover in these two books, are we thinking of heading back to Freeport? Or should we discuss once we get out of this pit?" the monk quietly asks the others.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

The iskar monk whirls, facing the chasm. Cakkarak blinks his green reptilian eyes several times as the "thud" reaches his earslits. The monk shakes his head slowly. Now that the freakish monster had moved far away from them, the fear that had danced along his mind faded. He looks over at the other three.

"What was that thing," the iskar monk asks. "Has anyone ever heard of such a monster?" Cakkarak asks with a shake of his head. The bone white horns that grew from his crown cast an odd shadow, with their slightly pincer like appearance. The monk runs a clawed hand across the top of his head, smoothing his blackish-green scales. The iskar tugs the battered long coat, resettling it to his shoulders.

The monk was a bit of an odd sight in his weather beaten and stained clothing,a few holes revealing the pale-green scales of his chest and stomach. A pair of loose fitting trousers and a sailors tunic, along with the blacklong coat, battered and stained. The long scarf that the monk, was rather nice looking. It had to 8 or so feet long, wrapped loosely around his neck a couple of times. It only had a few holes, and the dark green material still held it's color and shine.

Shaking his head once more the iskar looks into the tunnel that the spider-dark-elf thing was in for a good while, noting the books. Turning, Cakkarak walks over to the chasm and looks down for a few moments. He raises his head and looks over at Loki.

"I know your vision is much better in the dark. Did you see anything down in the chasm?" the monk ask still speaking quietly. After all, they had no idea what else could be down here.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Could use a little back up in here Loki!" Cakkarak yells over his shoulder. No sense in being quiet now. Whatever it is knew that they were there. His own body gave off enough heat to allow him to see clearly. Pieter's body adds a touch of extra light, akin to adding another torch.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Stopping a few paces down the hallway when he thought he heard words, Cakkarak looks back at Pieter.

"Did you hear that, mixed in with the moans? Sounded like something said something," the iskar monks whispers to the Shadowbard. The iskar looks back towards where it sounds like something is hitting stone. Something without flesh.

"Where's a necromancer when you need one," Cakkarak whispers to himself.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak's eyes widen at the sound. The moaning sent the scales along his spine shivering. The iskar finds himself holding his breathe until the sound fades.

"What. Was. That." Cakkarak says very quietly. Gnolls he had expected, undead, sure, there was a mage that had been alive until very recently so a great many things were possible. It suddenly dawned in the monk that perhaps there was a reason that the door had remained shut. It seemed more then reasonable that they would have been able to force open the door.

Shaking off the sense of fear that had crept into his mind, Cakkarak inhales and exhales calmly, breathing out the fear. The mental exercise helped to calm his mind. Thinking more clearly, he looks back down the hallway.

"Well, seeing as how the door is now opened, and we have a pretty good idea that something else besides gnolls is around down here, shall we check out the new area?" Cakkarak whispers to Pieter. "If we plan on hiring out some expendable assets when we get to Freeport, we will require coin. While the ritual was.., very empowering, it did little to help our coffers."

While admittedly, Cakkarak was afraid, he certainly wasn't in scale messing fear. Caution and remaining quite were high on his list of immediate priorities. Whatever lay within knew that someone was knocked on it's door.

"It's times like these I think we should have taken that goblin with us that was enamored with Loki," he says to Pieter as the monk gets ready to stalk down the passageway. "Well, which one of us goes first?" Cakkarak asks the shadowbard.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

At the sound of Pieter being caught on something, the iskar monk looks over to make sure that the shadowbard was still alive. This place had already chewed through one of their party. And that had been a loos keenly felt during the last battle with the gnolls. If anything, the iskar shadowknight had been an quite an effective combatant.

"Did you cut yourself on something?" Cakkarak asks Pieter. "Hmm, potions or poisons? Or a mixture of both. Doesn't anyone believe in labels anymore?" the monk looks over when he hears Kur'Plugh chanting. Rotating his right shoulder to loosen it back up. The impact with the solid door had done nothing to it. Other then to shake a little bit of dust from it.

"I could have done that. I just didn't feel like showing off," Cakkarak jokes(?), as the ogre shaman brushes off some debris off of his massive shoulders. The iskar's scaled face was completely deadpan. The iskar turns and looks down the newly opened hallway as the dust works it's way back to the floor, disturbed for the first time in the spirit knew how long.

"I am most certainly not an expert, but that stone work looks old" Cakkarak mutters as his reptilian gaze moves around the hall and doors at the end. There was a very good chance that they were the first living beings to peer behind the old oak door. The monk wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. 'Probably not given the human that was operating out of this cave system,' Cakkarak thinks to himself.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Well, if you didn't hear anything, then why don't Kur'Plugh try are hands at forcing the door," Cakkarak says with a slight shrug of his scaled shoulders. The monk thinks for a few seconds as he looks over the door. An eyeridge raises as he appraises the sturdy wood.

"And before we depart, we should lower a lantern on a rope down that hole. To see if there is anything down there or if it is just a refuse dump," Cakkarak says before he gets ready to force the door. "There had to be a reason that mage had all those females and their children as slaves," the monk muses out loud. "Killing all the males and threatening to kill the children would leave him work force of the mothers. For what reason?"

ooc:
Strength check:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Agreed. On a completely different note; Lilith mentioned a civil war taken place in Freeport," Cakkarak says quietly while Pieter starts working on the sideboard. "We might be able to find some agreeable work if it is still taking place. I think both sides would be looking for mercenaries. Probably some coin in it as well." The monk watches the shadowbard tinker with the lock. "And dealing with the gnome will be an added bonus. If he has managed to get enough coin together to have his own group of killers, he should have some of that wealth still around."

"My interest in wealth is two-fold," Cakkarak continues after few moments of silence. "One, we can hire a few hirelings to deal with finding traps, opening locks, and an added body in a fight." The iskar scratches under his chin. "Secondly, since it is likely a great degree of travel is going to be required, we might think about a form of disguise. Merchants or the like. Or be the investment group behind a merchant, who does the actual deal making while use him more or less as cover for searching out the tombs."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Nodding his thanks to Lilith, Cakkarak shakes the lingering effects of the poison off.

Almost falling to the air born poison had one added benefit, the iskar had discovered. He was certainly more on guard then was a sort while ago. Cakkarak had aloud himself to drop his guard a little and had almost paid the price for it. He wasn't sure if Kur'Plugh could cure poison, and the monk wan't in a hurry to get poisoned again to find out.

The iskar monk continues to help search as best as he can. They stop at the still locked sideboard. Cakkarak cocks his head to the side as he looks it over.

"Yup, certainly looks locked. If the former slaves didn't see this, then they must be completely blind," Cakkarak looks at Pieter, a grin almost lighting the monks face. "I defer to your expertise in the opening of such things. I would say smash it open, but there could be something breakable in there," the iskar shrugs his scaled shoulders slightly.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

At the female cleric's words, Cakkarak looks at the massive Iskar a bit more closely. It was somewhat shiny, and more importantly, vaguely translucent. He just then realizes that they had walked right into a trap. At least the cold had been just in his mind, as opposed to actually freezing his black-green scales. He had just about enough of that when they found the mage using hearts to empower himself.

'Perhaps the next time we are in Freeport, we should think about hiring out some expendable assests,' the iskar monk thinks briefly. With a mental snap the iskar brings his focus back to the present. Cakkarak exhales sharply, nostrils clamping shut as if he had dove under the surface of the water. Moving in a graceful, fluid manner, the monk holds his breath and backs out of the hallway.

ooc:
Fort save (DC 16):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak nods in Loki's direction when the necromancer tells them that he was currently unable to control or animate a mummified body. However, later would be another story all together. Making sure Pieter was ready to go, the iksar gets ready to walk down the hallway.

Walking down the hallway, the monk is suddenly blasted as the door explodes. His training had kicked in before Cakkarak's brain had become fully aware something was wrong. Brushing a bit of debris off of his shoulder, the monk scaled maw opens, about to say something vaguely snarky.

A deep roar echoes down the hallway. The iskar stares at the reptilian creature, his eyes refusing to blink. It's roar had threatened to shake his very soul free from it's fleshy moorings. Before Cakkarak could breathe a word, the powerful looking reptile pointed at them.

Bone chilling cold suddenly washed over the blackish-green scales of the iskar monk. Cakkarak had already been shifting his body when the overly muscled reptile had pointed it's claws their way. The training the monk had survived growing up in, had left him pretty much always expecting to be attacked.

ooc:
Reflex save(DC 18):1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16.

"Now might be a good time to find out," Cakkarak shakes ice from his green reptilian eyes as he glances at Loki.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Looking down the finished hallway, and spotting the three doors, Cakkarak stops. He looks back at the lever still in the upright position. The monk had little knowledge or training in the things of a mechanical nature. Sure, he knew were to strike a living being to cause pain, crippling nerve injuries, or possibly death. The inner workings of a lock, not so much.

"Does it seem plausible that the lever back there controls the traps," the iskar asks the others quietly. Like the others, talking had been kept to a minimum. If there were any more gnolls, or other living guards, they didn't need to alert them to the groups presence.

Looking at the mummified bodies, almost standing at attention, Cakkarak's cold, green eyes narrow. The monk stares hard at the preserved bodies, mind whirling.

"Loki, do you have the power to animate these mummified bodies? Or control them if they are waiting to strike?" Cakkarak asks the dark elf.

Turning his gaze to Pieter, he nods at the human and them looks back down the hallway.

"Well Pieter, should we check the first of the three doors?" Cakkarak asks as he looks back down the smoothed hall.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak simple helps scout around. Everyone is still close lipped from events of the ritual.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

"Perhaps..," Cakkarak pauses as if searching for the right words. "Perhaps the spirit that has been bound to each of us acts as armor of a sort. To prevent soul-devouring. Loki's sheer willpower probably helped to keep his soul in place." The iskar nods in the dark elf's direction.

"A theory. It might have something to do with this cycle that Lilith speaks of, weakening the tomes abilities to soul drain," Cakkarak taps his chin in thought. The monk shrugs slightly, and then looks over at Kur'Plugh.

"I know you told us back on the island, but would you mind going over what you know about the tomes once more?" the iskar ask the ogre shaman. It had been a fair bit of time since the frozen isle.

As they rested for a little while to regain mental strength, Cakkarak began to piece together a training schedule to teaching Loki his language. Starting simply, he would make sure the dark elf had the basics down for moving onto full words and sentences.


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak nods, agreeing that the gnome that was hiring these assassins needed to die. As he stands, listening to the conversation unfold, he hears Kur'Plugh raise a fair point. The monk watches the dark elf

After Lilith tells them what she knows about the gnome and the tomes, the iskar had a few minutes to sort out everything in his head. Her actual master seemed to have rather uphill battle if he was trying to restore balance in Freeport.

"Kur'Plugh brought up a decent enough point. Now that the gnolls are dead and we have a rough map, we might as well check out the cave," Cakkarak says. "I doubt the former slaves are going to be staying in there for any length of time. They had a lot of new mouths to feed."

"If they were in a hurry to leave, we might find a coin, or a few of that mages spells," the monk rubs the underside of black-green scaled snout. "It might help to fund our trip back to Freeport. Or give us some clue as to what was going down there."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak considers Lilith's answer and revelation of her master.

"That gnome has elevated himself to annoying thorn in our side. I think it is about time that we crush him once and for all," the iskar says after a few moments after Lilith finishes speaking. "Being followed all over Norrath by assassins would be.., problematic. I imagine one of them would get lucky at some point."

"Finding more of the tomes, that is my more immediate goal Loki, in answer to your question. I feel that they are a source of great power in their own right." The iskar turns to face the necromancer. "Wealth hold little actual interest to me personally. However, I do recognize the usefulness of coin. Greed is quite the motivating force." Cakkarak says, a ghost of a grin lighting his scaled snout.

"If I had the power, and the spirits know this is a complete fantasy, I would break the hold of a certain dark god upon my people. All it is doing is splintering my people, and holding them back from growing. The dark god causes us to fester/" The monk pauses for a few moments. "I only say this now that Zaruksis is slain. My people's shadowknights almost always follow the one that ruins us."

"So, in short that is why I search for the tomes. Plus, it forces me push my body and spirit to be better. To even have any sort of chance of anyone listening, I would have to be able to beat the Elder monk of our temple. And the spirits only know how many others." Cakkarak says, nodding more to himself. "But, trying to undo something that corrupted the iskar for almost all of our history?" Cakkarak shakes his head as if he had just heard what had come out of his muzzle. "Although, how to remove a poison that has fester and seeped into the iskar, is rather beyond me. For the time being."

Cakkarak looks over at Loki, considering his request to learn Iskar. He was about to tell the dark elf "no", just the thought of teaching the language of his people seemed wrong somehow. Of course, that was more of the near brainwashing that took place in his youth responding more then anything. He could see the benefit in knowing an extra language.

"I agree, only if you teach me the language of your people," the iskar tells the necromancer.

"And Kur'Plugh what about you? Big plans?" Cakkarak asks the ogre, whom was back to admiring his new ring.

The iskar monk looks over at his allies.

"Alright, Lilith has aided us in battle and the ritual. In addition, she is a source of information concerning an annoying gnome that is soon going to be broken into several smaller pieces. I see no problems if she continues to travel with us." Cakkarak pause for a moment, and looks over at the ogre shaman. "And I'm sure Kur'Plugh is tired of healing everyone all the time."


Cakkarak (Iksar Monk)

Cakkarak looks at the band of white wrapped around one of his fingers. The iskar blinks slowly a few times as he absorbs what just transpired. Let alone the length of time that had pasted during the ritual. At the sound of Pieter's voice, the monk looks up from his clawed hand.

"It's sort of what I do. Break things. Comes with the training," Cakkarak manner is such that is really 50/50 on wither or not he is joking or being serious.

Kur'Plugh speaks up after a little while. The ogre shaman informs them all that a spirit had been bound to them. Cakkarak was suitably impressed by the ritual. Even more so that they didn't have to go out and gather up the hearts themselves. That would have been very time consuming.

"So, Lilith, the ritual is over. You said you would tell us whom you worked for. Let's hear it," Cakkarak looks over at the human woman.

A while later, Loki approaches him while he is meditating. The dark elf asks Cakkarak to teach him the language of the iskar. The monk raises an eyeridge, green reptilian gaze upon the necromancer.

"Why?" the monk asks, curious to know why Loki is interested in his peoples language. He figured it would be easier for a mammal to tie their tongue into a knot then learn Iskar.

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