Mother's page

"Well my scouts didn't stay 'n watch t'see if the Red was lick'n the ground afterwards. They say he was eat'n the siv'r...would yous be stuupid enough to stay 'round and watch the entire feast?" Her caustic tone oozes from her mouth.

"Yer gonna h'lfta pull the siv'r from the Red's belly. Don't think he left a carcass. We can show you where they battled if you like."

Feel free to converse with Mother.

She waves a bony finger that is covered with blood. "I will curse th't Red, but I fear for my Meath'd." A single tear rolls down her grimy cheek. "If the Siv'r was no match, I doubt me Meath'd could do much."

The heroes scurry around leniding healing touches and aid wherever possible and wherever Mother directed. Mother chanted various spells and poured various potions and oilments on severly burned flesh. After a 30 minutes of triaging the injured she finally has time to speak to hereos.

I'm going to assume you've used more healing spells/wands/potions to help out the group.

"It's good to see you. Bad bad business here." She pauses and pulls out a flask from her shabby robe. She opens it and takes a long drink. "Aragnak came at night straffing and killing. He killed Meath'ds brudd'r "Chunky" who was on guard. Pile of ash outside along with many other souls. Meath'd went outside to see what the ruckus was and was snatched up by the Red." She throws up her hands, "No see since."

Feel free to continue the conversation.

Karnog's healing magic smooths wounds but you realize that it will take much more than that. I'm assuming your are concentrating on stabilizing and healing up some of the damage, not all. Basically get folks away from deaths door.

Mother points to another area in the cave, "There help those then over there." She points to another area of injured creatures.

TO: Poke Poke, Dr. Tes, and Calain

Beware and have care or you will lose all your hair." the old crone bride incoherently rambles some curse at those remaining in Orctown.

Eventually there is final count of the deceased, "13 goblins, 7 orcs, 3 humans, 4 goblin dogs." Mother reports. "It's a sad day...but we will overcome."

Mother gets up and grab's Meath'ds hand, "Time to sleep." With that she will lead MeatH'd to their furs for the evening. Unless you have anything else you'd like to add.

There's an area you all can hunker down in for the evening. There are quite a few Orcs and goblins around the place and outside. To your eye, you see they have something of a watch, or job, duty.

What are you going to do?

"Hunting party go out three days ago...not come back. Not sure if hum'ns hunt 'em down."

Mother stands up and her fingers start to put the bones in an order that seems to make sense to her - only. She fishes out Nym's lone white hair and sees that it has shriveled a bit. A yellow toothy smirk comes across her face. Mumbling under her breath she says a few powerful words. Then in common, she makes the announcement: Which confuses Nym since he speaks undercommon.

"Nym Omriwin lives...t'morrow... but next day more cloudy....he lives but is covered in darkness soon. I see twilight and an eternally full moon with a second small'r moon hidden in the darkness." Her bushy brow lifts as she sits back down. She pats the back of his hand as if pitying him and his doomed future.

The bones are finally released and the bounce and hop all over the table. You swear one even tumbled onto a plate of gnawed on meat in front of the Mother. It's deathly quiet as the last bones stops rattling. The tempature seems to drop a few degrees as the hush remains. The bones have been cast...

The bones continue to rattle.

Mother continues to shake the bones in her hands...

The goblins continue to watch.

Her bony fingers begin to pick through the assorted bones. She picks one up and gnaws part of the dried meat from it then toss it back into the pile. Suddenly the ol'crone plucks one of Nym's white hairs and pulls it tight. She mumbles a few strange words under her breath. and she places the hair in the palm of her hand. With one fluid motion she scoops up the assorted bones and then she vigorously shakes them. For what seems like an eternity.

The old crone waves off Nym's last comment.

She sniffs the air.

She pulls out a ratty old sack and dumps the contents on the table. All the goblins go deathly quiet as the assorted bones fall out.

Anyone who wants to jump in and tell some stories or rely events feel free to do so.

Mother sits next to Nym.

"He guud for short duration...like aligator...fast in the dash." She smirks.

Mother, female orc, scurries up close to Nym and speaks,

Who is mother?

"Me sweety...Meath'ds g'friend." a voice seems to have heard you as she steps out of the guardhouse by the front gate.

I forgot about meath'ds girlfriend. :-)

"Mine ...mine ...my stuff." You understand that this is where she resides. It's her home. She rushes past everyone and snatches the doll up. He hands start to stroke the head as she crouches in the far corner of the cell.

What are you are going to do and which way are you heading.

The old lady slinks forward wide eyed, frantically looking from the door of the cell to Dragox. She points back to her chest. Her other palm is up and out in a nonthreatening manner. She is mouthing something but because of the silence spell you all inside the radius not.

"No...no...no my home, this is my home." She crouches down and begins to hit her palm to to forehead. "Leave...leave, she will get you all." She cackles a bit then says, "Have good day!" Just as she picks a small crawling bug off the floor and she pops it in her mouth.

"NO, I...I...I can't go with you!"

Can you tell us what truths are behind that door Ulzaada?

"DEATHHHHHHHHHHHHH! She snaps back. "Death lays behind those doors, cells of torture, a crypt and stone faces." She starts to slap her face and nod her head furiously. Then she ramps incoherently surely a sign of insanity after such a long time in isolation.

Ulzaada responds, "No secret to door...No...No...No secret." She begins to shake her head harder and harder. "Open door, then walk through." Her eyes squeeze shut. She begins to whimper. "You're the chosen, your choice walk through, no problem from me." Her voice rambles on a bit.

Once Sargon turns visible Ulzaada comes into view. "My confinement has been to a limited area." She spreads her arms wide to the pond room and the hallway you first came down. She then shows you her palm, "Torture both the mind and body with lonely confinement. Yes...Yes." She blinks rapidly. "There is a special passage to the cells through that wall. It's not trapped, I removed that horror eons ago."

"My Mistress was Tzolo and she supervised the construction of this tomb herself. You should know General how odd that is, to spend so much time with such as task, but Tzolo foresaw her glorious return to power."

Rey's hand swats at the air harmlessly as she tries to find her invisible companion. "Tis my curse and doom to be buried in a tomb, Lord Commander. I'm called 'Ulzaada". Watch over the pond that was what I ordered when I was condemned by my Mistress. It's hard to remember - now - what minor transgression I once committed but this is my curse."

As long as Sargon is invisible she shows not sign of turning visible herself.

"Songbird has strong words." There is a dramatic pause, "I've not threatened you, I have not come to you, you've come to me with iron, steel and spells. Killing everywhere you go." her voice cracks a bit, "Of course you can overpower these old bones but what you seek will be farther way, knowledge you will not have." She smirks at Sargon, her rotten teeth showing, "Kill me if you must then replace me in my tomb."

"Ahhh, but to survive in this tomb one must be 'a nasty type' or else you cease living." The voice responds. "So that's not a comforting statement proud man. It's not like I have much of choice being confined here."

Sargon correct on both accounts.

In an aged voice that gurgles a bit from phlegm she responds to Sargon, "Why...no, How? are you here?" There seems to be a bit of confusion to her question. "Yes...why don't BOTH of us turn visible if you mean me no harm." She pauses a moment then asks, "Who are you?"

That this point only Sargon can see her but her voice carries for all to hear.

don't mind the name under the avatar picture that was from another game. The old lady looks something like the picture though.

When you are peering at the maps Mother glances at them, she grabs a hold of M'thead's thick fingers and squeezes hard as she speaks a prayer in orcish. In her broken common she comments. "Me knows this place the goblun's 'fraid of...guud to be 'fraid, great and bad evil there even fer me kin." She pauses and takes a deep breath. "The priests of Orcus erected a dark temple on the surface (near Wilderness Area 3), and installed a guardians and deathtraps beneath it to protect the rear when big retreat occur many many moons ago. Big sacrafice of many orcs, goblins, humans and other races to seal entrance below surface."

In interesting and challenging option.

To everyone's surprise and amusement Meath'd has found himself a girlfriend. Who seems just a tad overprotective of her prosperous mate.

"Good day to you all, I trust that you will be leaving very soon." It's more of statement than question. Several swarms cover her body as she walks away form the group towards her tree.

She turns and motions to Dogtogue who then bounces forward removing his crimson cap, "Been a real pleasure killin' wit ya, and much 'ppreciate that Madjaw affair."

"Oh, I was providing a warning and information about a trusted lieutenat, not an action plan. The guildhouse is large and will tax your resources. I suspect if you must rest, that the Shadow Lord's lieutenant will be sent out to find you." She shrugs, "Nidal could, for what it is worth, be in the guildhouse...that I do not know."

"The bond between Ecarrdian and Chammady is deep and together they form a formidable adversary, that even your group would have difficulty defeating." She looks over at Orsin then to Andrea, "The information that I have is a means to drive a wedge between Ecarrdian and Chammady Drovenge and possibly even turn them against
each other." She pauses, "The great strength of the siblings is their devotion to each other — between Chammady’s guile and Ecarrdian’s prowess in combat, the two are nearly a perfect team."

"Yet if the you can sow seeds of anger between them, you’ll have a much easier time defeating the Council when the final battle for Westcrown begins. Unbeknownst to Sidonai Drovenge, when he willingly
swallowed the gold coin of Mammon gifted by the Flies, he voluntarily entered an infernal pact with the archdevil. The seal for that pact is Ecarrdian himself — the fruit of the pact’s execution. As a result, Ecarrdian’s very existence is a link to his infernal paternal father, embodying his very traits of lust and greed. The infernal pact created a connection between Ecarrdian and his closest familial tie."

She watches everyones reactions, "Well, Mammon had hoped
this tie would be with Sidonai himself, but the father’s vanishing prevented this bond from forming. Instead, Ecarrdian’s close relationship with his sister Chammady became that bond. As a result, Ecarrdian’s very existence is connected with that of his sister. With each personal success and increase in power by Ecarrdian, Chammady’s soul has become entwined further and further with Mammon’s,
such that if Ecarrdian truly comes to rule Westcrown, then Chammady’s soul will be eternally forfeit to exist as a lemure in the Infernal Court of Erebus, a plaything for Mammon’s every whim!"

"Chammady has great loyalty to her brother but this secret may change things if it were to be revealed, not even her filial ties to her tiefling halfbrother could overcome her desire to not succumb to such a fate—a fact that could very likely create an irreparable rift
between the siblings. 'And then,'” the Mother says, "'things
should get very interesting.' She goes on to state that, " Sidonai was given a copy of this infernal contract, though he never
bothered to really read it and the Mother doubts he ever understood its true ramifications, blinded as he was by his own ambition. Since Walcourt has been used as a repository of incriminating documents over the past several decades, chances are very good that a copy of this contract still exists somewhere within the manor, forgotten or simply
unsuspected by the building’s current caretakers."

"I suppose I don't really want to help," she cackles. "So, I'll simply provide you with a few items to prolong your miserable existence." With that she has a small chest brought forth that contains a dozen potions of cure serious wounds, a wand of restoration (14 charges), a wand of secret door detection (10 charges), and a scroll of resurrection.

"Mind you that Walcourt is a large place with several floors, filled with traps and numerous bad guys. It will be hard to finish in a day's time, if you need to retreat to rest fear for your safety, he will not rest idly by, he may even send out his Shadow Lord, known as Nihiloi, to hunt you down."

"Ilnerik has the ability to bring forth terrible night creatures from the plane of shadows, he has a nightstalker that is loyal to him." She pauses, [b]"The trinket Ilnerik carries equals the one you have in your possession. It's actually stronger than yours as it permits, it's vampire weilder to call forth the shadow beasts."

She grins, "Ilnerik is a mastermind, who does not have the ability to shapechange but rather he has a greater number of spawn under his control."

She does not answer the question regarding ever seeing Ilnerik.

Frank sniffs, his ability to emote limitted. He'd rather eat some maggots, but he wouldn't tell the mother that.

"I am satisfied as I am. However, I cannot help but query as to the nature of the brew that granted me speech. Was that an intentional doing on your part?"

"Unexpected surprises tend to occur with my m'shroom tea." she waves his question away, "it'll pass soon 'nuff."

"As You can imagine the Council of Thieves maintains numerous secret guildhalls throughout Westcrown, but it is the one known as Walcourt that may house their greatest asset — control of the night." She looks Andrea in the eyes, "Yes, the shadowlord is their asset, and asset used to enrich themselves as they freely traveled, robbed and trafficed goods and people without fear from the dottari or Hellknights." She cackles joyfully, "They use fear of the evening to keep folks inside while they conducted business as they deemed fit....near genius"

"Now Walcourt is located at the eastern edge of Rego Laina, not far from the Trivardum itself in a former guild lodge once dedicated to followers of Founder Crucisal. This complex was abandoned shortly after Aroden’s death and the degradation of Rego Crua and never repatriated by
the church of Iomedae in the increasingly hostile clime of Cheliax during its political upheavals." She stares at the paladin, "Your own goddess failed there...she was Aroden's chosen, wasn't she." More of staetment than a question as she makes a point to needle the holy warrior.

She continues, "Falling into ruin over the years, Walcourt was used briefly as an orphanage and then later as a flophouse — both secretly serving as fronts for the activities of the Council of Thieves and overseen by none other than Sidonai Drovenge, the father of the siblings
currently in charge of the Council."

My agents have gathered reliable information that leads me to believe that Walcourt has been given over to serve as the lair of one of the Council’s most dangerous leaders — and one of the greatest allies of the Drovenge siblings — a mysterious figure most of the Council knows only as the 'Lord of Shadows.'" She waits for this information to really sink in with the party as she sips her tea. "According to my research, this Lord of Shadows controls the movements and actions of the shadow beasts that plague Westcrown’s nights, and the fact that he’s been allied all this time with the Drovenges explains a lot as to how they and their treacherous allies
could move about the city unseen and uncontested at night."

"Your Ilnerik should be there and maybe you'll get lucky enough to get one of the siblings."

"Would you like a few snails to feast upon?" She teases the hedgehodge, "I'm sure I can find you a couple." She is seemingly please with the new alliance.

"Yes, a chance to help Westcrown...deary."

She turns back to Orsin, "So tell me about your infernal concern...it is your concern?" She grins in anticipation.

I know your offline today Orsin, we can RP this out when you get back online as flextime.

She simply nods at Gerard's statement.

'Eumphemia...Frank, what say ye."

'Well that depends on the infernal bargain the individual seeks to skirt around, why do you beat around the bush?" She smiles, "Before you go push that issue forward, do you agree to the COT deal like Andrea and Daniel?'

'I seek a simple, very short term, and matter specific bargain young man. I'll provide you information and a few items, in return you kill our mutual enemy." She looks the paladin. "no double-cross or hidden meaning...we all get what we desire in the end." She smiles sweetly at the half-orc.

She then looks around, "So Daniel and Andrea have agreed to the terms. Euphemia hasn't quite indicated, nor Frank."

She reaches over and touches the back of Orsin's hand and it feels like tiny tentacles are tinkling him, "Cutey has not agreed to the task at hand but has another matter to discuss."

Finally her eyes fall on Gerard, "Observant Gerard has yet to agree or say much of anything."

Mother's ears perk up when the charming bard speaks, "Hmmmm, depends on the bargain and well," long pregnant pause, "the price a person is willing to pay for that knowledge." A toad jumps out of her hair and lands on the ground, then begins to hop away.