"What is this relic exactly?"
Search Posts
"Now that you mention it, I do feel a little chilly. Too much time spent in that foul dungeon already I suppose." When Grelthe and Zadira disclose their secrets, Melkar feels something stirring inside him, something his god has attempted to stamp out without success. "You need fear nothing from me, or from each other. We have all faced certain death already and none of us would still be here without all the others. We are a tribe now."
Sorry my level up has taken so long. I think I've got everything now. Level 5 Fighter (Mutation warrior) +9 HP
New language: Undercommon New feat: Dodge +10 mins mutagen Weapon Training: Heavy Blades
Melkar swipes at the red one, hoping to finish it off.
Melkar sets to eradicating the bugs now that he is free.
Melkar attempts to shake the leech off himself.
Melkar is skeptical about the plan to bring Gelver along. "Look, there's something pretty disturbing about him. Even if you don't think he's evil, Grelthe. From some previous experience in this area, I'm confident a man who has eaten a room full of goblins and his friends will never be right again. If you wish to care for him, I won't stop you. But I will happily sacrifice him to any creatures who come along if need be." When they find the stairs, he nods. "A return to town before venturing deeper seems wise to me. I'm a little worried someone will get too hungry otherwise," he adds with a glance at Gelver.
Melkar watches his companions cater to the foolish weakling, his patience diminishing rapidly. "Well?"
Melkar sheepishly lowers his scythe. "Very well. Heal him up and see if you can get a story out of him. Find out why he's the only one left alive if he's such a coward."
Melkar cracks his knuckles and stretches, preparing to make a big show out of bashing in the door. He is surprised and dismayed when Grelthe beats him to the punch. She really knows how to handle that flail, he silently admires. Seeing the cowering human, Melkar speaks up: "Stand up, man! Tell us what has happened here and we will let you leave in peace. Anything else and your bones shall join the others here."
"Huzzah!" cheers Melkar when Zadira hits the jackpot. He is surprised that she chooses to share her winnings with him. "That's very generous of you. I will find some way to return, er, use this coin for your aid, er, benefit, er, you know what I mean." He fumbles his attempt at gratitude.
Melkar can't resist gambling with the gods, throwing in 5 gold pieces one after the other.
Melkar continues to sweep the rats away with his scythe, grinning at the others. "They're kind of cute."
Melkar sweeps his scythe across the floor, catching the next rat in line.
Melkar rushes in and starts sweeping away rats with his scythe.
"Snakes and rats. If I survive this place somehow, perhaps I have a future in pest control."
Melkar is quietly pleased when Kayla declines the offer of further personal conversation. He figures the less of that, the better for him. When Grelthe nonchalantly collects the tattoo, he can't help smiling in approval. She is a foolish paladin who still believes her god won't steer her wrong, but maybe she can still be savaged. If only she didn't have that orc blood in her.
Melkar pounds on the light blue monster, enjoying the benefits of Grelthe's leadership.
I've been under the weather all weekend too.
"Snakes creep me out!" chuckles Melkar as he obliterates another one. "Better them than me." He inspects the glue.
"I've actually seen this stuff before. After an hour or so, it loses its grip permanently. So the boots are immune since they've been here longer." When the undead appear, Melkar complains, "Why can't they all just be snakes?"
Assuming he doesn't remember anything that would change his mind, he uses his trusty earthbreaker on the nearest undead.
Melkar is relieved when Grelthe accepts his explanation. He is happy to take the rear for now, if it will help the women trust him. When they spot the cobra, he immediately goes into smashing mode! He rushes the stone snake, whipping out his earthbreaker on the way.
"You have nothing to fear from me. I respect you all as fighters and as strong, capable women. More importantly, I have literally nothing left to gain by betraying you. We may emerge from this place from time to time, but I shall never actually leave here alive. That rather puts things in perspective, don't you think?" Listening to Zadira, Melkar is moved by her passion. "I had honestly never had a single thought about the stonework in here." He strolls around the walls for a few moments, having a good long look at the craftsmanship. "I don't see it. Sorry, but I don't have much of an eye for art in general. Unless it's directing blood spatters into a geometrical pattern," he chuckles bitterly. After Grelthe shares a little more, Melkar smiles wanly. "I hope that cleansing this place of evil doesn't include me. I admit I fear that our destined paths may someday intersect violently. But I trust that will not happen unless all the other evil has first been eradicated. I will gladly work with you to carve our way through them all as we descend towards Hell. If you can trust me, that is." He offers her his hand in fellowship.
Melkar heaves a sigh of relief as Grelthe finishes off the jelly. Or he would, if he were capable of heaving. Instead he lies there motionless as she berates the similarly helpless Zadira. Eventually, the feeling returns to his muscles as the cube's toxic touch begins to wear off. "AHH! Pins and needles!" He hops around awkwardly for a few moments. When his nervous system has finallly returned to normal he addresses Grelthe: "It is not by choice that I follow the Prince of Plagues, I assure you. He spared me from an epidemic which decimated my people and in so doing he called me to his service personally. It was horrible! And attending him is no picnic, either." He looks wistfully off into the distance. "I have seen and done some terrible things. How I envy the others whose suffering ended with the disease!" He focuses again on Grelthe's eyes. "My lord has commanded me to find the opening to Hell which is rumored to exist here in Rappan Athuk. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do if I find it. I don't think he expects me to last that long. "You see, this command is punishment. I have grown too soft, too caring for those I associate with. The Horseman is furious and he will trample my soul with eternal torture for daring to show empathy. I would prefer to survive as long as possible in this realm to avoid that." He looks around at the others. "Why are you all here, in this accursed well of death?"
Melkar's joints freeze in place and he is paralyzed before he can even scream!
Melkar loses his s*** when Zadira becomes engulfed. "This acid will take forever. I will slice this jello into a million little cubes." He steps to the side to enter a flanking position and slashes furiously with his scythe.
"Hang in there, Zadira," implores Melkar in a low voice as he lobs his flask at the horrible cube.
Yeah it's cool enough that I might actually build one now if I can figure out a suitable back story. Definitely a fun twist on the paladin fluff.
Heh I loved that you guys started roleplaying in character a bit more during that lull so I could throw that out there. I've never noticed that Redeemer archetype before but yeah that would be perfect! :D It doesn't look like it stacks though and your current archetype is pretty nice also.
Melkar watches the others trying to digest the information about his deity and is greatly relieved when Zadira distracts them all by burning the cube.
He figures his scythe is unlikely to do much good against a creature who routinely swallows weapons. He moves around behind Zadira and draws out a flask of acid.
"My tribe lived near the coast of Sargava. Not near enough that I could learn to sail, unfortunately. Not that it matters now- they are all gone to serve Apollyon in his realm as I serve him in ours." He tries to keep his tone casual as he mentions his god by name to the others for the first time. One never knows how civilized people may react to such news.
"Ah yes, the 'hand' door. That's good news- it means we are close to the entrance again in case we need to leave in a hurry."
Melkar withdraws a handful of arrows from the supply, cramming them into his quiver. He accepts his share of the gold with a distracted nod. "That is an excellent question. Why WOULD anyone choose to live down here? There must be some powerful draw." As they follow the twisty path, he keeps expecting danger around every turn. "Maybe it was the other way back there? Oh well, nothing to it but press onward." When the doors appear, he has a look at them for signs of traps.
"You certainly have a way with words, my dear," gushes Melkar as the others flee before her. He calls to Zadira, "I'll start on this end. There's got to be some useful stuff in here- let's collect it all!"
Melkar stares at the others assembled blankly as Grelthe works her magic.
Melkar turns his attention to the red skeleton. "Here you go, dummy!" he taunts while swiping with his vicious scythe.
Melkar starts tapping his toes to Grelthe's song. When the skeletons appear and the others appear to be focused on their destruction, Melkar is happy to join in.
Melkar howls as an arrow buries itself deep into his hide. He sees the party has one of the archers surrounded so he goes after the other.
Melkar follows Grelthe's orc into the room, wielding his scimitar menacingly. He barks back at the orcs in their harsh tongue. orc:
"If you wish to keep your puny lives, drop your weapons now!"
Melkar is frustrated that he cannot yet start carving up orcs. He waits, poised, until Grelthe backs out of the way.
Melkar counts every coin of his 44 gold. "Good work on those traps, angels!"
"Sure this trap is heavy but maybe we can find a time it will be useful. Let's mark it on the map just in case." When Grelthe recounts their options, he shrugs. "As long as we are heading downwards I am fulfilling my orders. The well sounds as good as anything to me."
Melkar throws up his hands in exasperation as Zadira rushes into opening the chests. He lightens up very slightly when it appears she won't become quite as sick this time.
Melkar smiles when the poor aasimar urges them to burn the slime anyway. "Yes, we all want to see the bonfire roast that disgusting filth. But we must get you back on your feet first." He helps Grelthe fashion the bed into a makeshift travois to drag Zadira back to safety.
Melkar carries the bulk of the dried nests, happy to have a smart companion with such a good solution for the slime. He tosses them into the room as directed then stands back to watch.
Melkar is able to dodge the worst of the flame burst. "Good shot Zadira!" He maneuvers to the nearest living stirge and slices with his scythe.
Melkar swipes at the first ruddy stirge through the door.
As it falls to the ground, he steps to the side to allow the others to blast into the room.
Melkar doesn't like the look of so many stirges. He sighs and withdraws his mutagen. "It's been a pleasure," he toasts and then chugs it.
He clutches his scythe and nods his readiness.
"I brought a potion which should remove the poison, if you all wish to keep exploring. It might be wise to just retreat and treat Zadira before she wanders into a trap and gets us all killed."
Melkar watches the women sample from the two wells with great interest. Zidara's expression tells him all he needs to know- he takes a big sip from Grelthe's well instead. "This room must have belonged to some entity of great magical power, no? I think whatever is down that well must be either very useful or very deadly. Probably both."
|