Ruuz rushes over to Mishelle and looks over her wounds.
"Looks like she has been clubbed over the head pretty hard. How is Ghorkin?"
Beren enters the room and immediately realizes something is amiss. He notices the injuries of Ghorkin and his assistant and watches Ruuz run to the aid of the female. His lust for women is going to get him in trouble sooner or later, he thinks to himself.
“Brick, how about some healing?” the Shifter yells back out into the corridor to get the attention of the Warforged. Then he scans the room looking for enemies or tracks left behind by enemies.
His lust for women is going to get him in trouble sooner or later, he thinks to himself.
Valessa is somewhat despondent after examining the globe – she’d had a spark of hope that Beren’s conclusion might be correct, and that they might be on their way to finding what they were looking for and getting out of this place. We can’t have been here for more than twelve hours or so, she thinks, but it seems like days – weeks. And it did – a combination of the strange time effects and the long, oversized corridors no doubt.
Well, at least she had figured out that the trap at the intersection only operated in one direction – for what that was worth.
And now they were going back to the professor who would no doubt be very smug and condescending as usual, as if they were crawling back to him rather than simply having a concern for his well-fare – or at least the well-fare of the poor girl he’d dragged along into this mess.
She stops in shock at the entry to the chamber as Ruuz and Beren race over to the fallen and obviously injured figures. “Are they…” she stops, and begins rummaging in her pack for one of her cure potions.
Upon seeing the professor his student lying on the floor with one foot in the grave, Brick virtually pales with shock. He lumbers over to the unconscious pair, kneels, and lays a hand on each of their chests. Suddenly, his head jolts back, and beams of golden light pour from his eyes.
Actually, it almost seems as if the light is pouring into his eyes.
The diffuse glow spirals from his head, to his shoulders, and down his arms into Ghorkin and Mishelle.
The glow fades, and Brick's eyes dull. The warforged slumps to the floor between the two scholars with a heavy crash, like a metal crate filled with china plates.
I examine them and then carefully remove the broken bottle before Brick casts his healing spell.
I watch Ghorkin's strange reaction to the healing, trying to think what might be causing it.
Valessa stares in shock as Brick collapses after healing the two scholars, and as Merreck delicately extracts a broken glass bottle from the Professor’s bloody chest.
“That b&!+%…” she breathes. Then, more loudly: “Merreck, can you heal him now?”
Beren growls deep inside his chest, "Right under my nose yet. Rat, I hate killing humans." Then he gives a brief glance over at Ruuz and thinks, 'If she is human'. Then the Shifter puts his bow away, retrieves his blades, and starts swinging at the empty air, hoping to find hidden flesh. "Wait till tomorrow, I'll find you then," he grumbles softly to himself.
Ruuz stands up after Brick heals Mishelle and looks around the room.
"I might have an idea on how to find Jyra. Can anyone remember any unique items she was carrying?"
"I might have an idea on how to find Jyra. Can anyone remember any unique items she was carrying?"
"How about that name tag labeled 'Backstabbing B&#!+'", Beren snarls. Then he just shakes his head, "No, sorry, didn't pay that much attention to her." Finally, nudging his head toward Ghorkin's healed assistant, "What can she tell us about her?"
Beren then starts scanning the area for tracks. The Shifter takes his time, crouching down and completing a slow tedious search of the area. Beren checks every inch inside the room and continues out into the hallway.
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"I might have an idea on how to find Jyra. Can anyone remember any unique items she was carrying?""How about that name tag labeled 'Backstabbing b%#@~'", Beren snarls. Then he just shakes his head, "No, sorry, didn't pay that much attention to her." Finally, nudging his head toward Ghorkin's healed assistant, "What can she tell us about her?"
Beren then starts scanning the area for tracks. The Shifter takes his time, crouching down and completing a slow tedious search of the area. Beren checks every inch inside the room and continues out into the hallway.
As you begin your search of the room, you see a pile with some of the clothing Jyra was wearing that is behind one of the beds.
Beren holds up the pile of clothing and shows his companions. At first, he has a confused look on his face while inspecting the fabric, but then his toothy grin slowly appears and the Shifter looks at Ruuz, "Hey, we might have a naked woman running around. You should be able to find her easily."
This would be the opportune moment for Brick to make some guileless and humorous statement, but unfortunately, he's in his ten-minute post-healing catatonic state.
"Merreck, what's wrong with Ghorkin?" Valessa asks urgently, kneeling down beside the halfling, a potion of healing in her hands in case it is needed. "You pulled that bottle out of him? ... and what's wrong with Brick?" She looks around, hoping someone will provide answers - and then notices Beren striding back into the room.
"And where did you get those clothes?" she asks sharply.
I nod, handing the bottle shard to Valessa "It looks like it came form a potion of some kind." I say as I channel a portion of the Traveler's power in a prayer of healing.
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Beren holds up the pile of clothing and shows his companions. At first, he has a confused look on his face while inspecting the fabric, but then his toothy grin slowly appears and the Shifter looks at Ruuz, "Hey, we might have a naked woman running around. You should be able to find her easily."
Beren needs to make a reflex save when he distubs the clothing.
DC 18
Damage 12, half if successful.
As you move the clothing yoy catch a wif of the familiar odor of alchemist's fire...
" As I am sure that you are more than excited about a naked woman running amuck. However Ruuz with Beren finding her clothes can you do what ever it is that you do and use her clothes to find her by chance. And as anybody bothered to think about what we are going to do with these useless pieces of flesh?" Sari says as she points to the injured folk.
Beren’s nose twitches at a smell in the clothing. His smile quickly disappears, and he throws the clothes away from him, “Everyone down!” Beren screams as he rolls out of the way. A blast erupts though, and the reaching inferno temporarily engulfs the Shifter. He lets out a stifled growl as he is set ablaze. Once out of the blast range, he starts rolling on the ground to put out the consuming flames.
Moments later, a smoldering Beren stands. His cloths are blackened and scorched, and his face is severely burned. Through a burnt fleshy mouth Beren growls, “Who is this?” Then he turns, walks up to Ghorkin and speaks very slowly and seriously while holding the hilts of his sheathed swords, “Who is this Jyra? How did you meet her? Why did she want to be here on this expedition. I want to know everything about her.” Beren then stares down the Professor until he answers.
I look at Beren oddly before saying "You do know that he's still unconcious right? Unless shouting at unconsious idiot profesorrs makes you feel better, you're not going to accomplish much." I then go back to my healing, summoning a little more of the Traveler's powers with a frown of irritation at this waste of healing.
As Ghorkin comes around I look up at Beren and say "Now you can shout at him." and step aside.
Beren is at a loss that his anger is taken out on an unconscious, potentially dying man. He stares down at the Professor lying there, still in need of healing. Then he starts to pace while growling and mumbling under his breath, “Stupid place! Stupid place! I am going to kill that b~+$%. Got hit with a trap again … grumble, grumble, grumble … .”
Eventually he slows, slightly out of breath from smoke inhalation compounded by his current frustration level and exertion of energy. He then stops, pulls out a potion, and drinks it down.
Beren’s burn injuries slowly sink into freshly formed skinned and his movement seems less hampered.
"Now you can shout at him."
Hearing Merreck’s words, the Shifter turns back to see the professor stirring. Beren walks over and crouches down next to him and says calmly and matter-of-factly, “Professor Ghorkin, Jyra did this right? How about helping me repay those actions? Tell me everything you know about her.” Then Beren forces a smile directed toward Ghorkin, while he crouches at his side.
Brick sits bolt upright, and as if nothing had happened, turns to Ruuz, and states plainly,
"Hello, my name is Brick. Where am I again?"
Brick sits bolt upright, and as if nothing had happened, turns to Ruuz, and states plainly,
"Hello, my name is Brick. Where am I again?"
Ruuz looks at Brick, "The artificer that made you must have been drunk because there is something just not right in your head."
Ruuz starts looking around the room for more traps and clues.
Events seem to be moving a little too fast for Valessa to keep up – exploding clothes now…
As Beren crouches down beside her to speak to Ghorkin – who seems to be coming around – she passes him the healing potion she had been holding. “Take this,” she whispers, smiling weakly, “you seem to need them more than I do. Don’t worry, we’ll get that cow.”
She also takes the offered broken bottle from Merreck. “Invisibility,” she mutters. “Well that was a bit too easy, wasn’t it?”
Beren takes the offered potion from Valessa and adds with a shy smile, “Thanks, I will repay you by saving your life once I set off another trap.” The Shifter smiles briefly as his eyes look sideways barely making contact with his female friend and adventuring companion. His eyes quickly shift back to Ghorkin though and awaits his answer.
“Professor Ghorkin, Jyra did this right? How about helping me repay those actions? Tell me everything you know about her.” Then Beren forces a smile directed toward Ghorkin, while he crouches at his side.
"What? Yes, Jyra, of course it was Jyra. She's gone completely mad. She stepped out from behind a molecule of air, and thumped poor mishelle on the back of the head with, well, with that," he says, pointing to the broken bottle.
"She was tranfered in to my program a few months ago. Very promising, very well accounted for by her professors at the University in Wroat. It was so unfortunate, I had to cut admittence for another student, and given the choices available," his eyes flick towards Mishelle for an instant, "a promising goblin student was rejected, Aureon what was his name?"
"I, we..."
He takes a moment to compose himself, his eyes slightly glazing over.
"We have to find her, find out what made her do this. Something is wrong. She isn't like this. Always kind, and gentle..."
He'll babble for as long as you let him about Jyra's virtues, and how important it is to save her.
“Yeah, she’s a real sweetheart,” snaps Valessa, cutting him short. Given the choices! And I was almost beginning to feel sorry for the old goat. Did I take the place of a more deserving student too? She throws a quick, guilty look towards Rokko. Under other circumstances I’d applaud the b+&#~ for stabbing him with a broken bottle… “Who seduced whom this time Professor?”
Valessa turns towards Mishelle. “Did you know Jyra very well?” she asks. “Did you ever notice any … change in her? Or did she ever say anything to you about her interest in coming here?”
Ruuz walks over to Ghorkin, "Hey, did you ever give anything unique to Jyra that she would have with her right now?"
Beren, growing impatient from the need for revenge, shifts his head back and forth from Ghorkin to his assistant repeatedly, waiting for more answers.
Sari listens to all the chatter going on around her. " I can see this is not going to get us far. The old man seems to hire girls for their looks not bothering about where they come from. Never mind, the fact that it never crossed his mind to think of what a pretty girl would want from a old man. He really is that stupid. As for Jyra, she had a plan long before she came here, I am sure of that. What we need to do is figure how to get out of her and find the little bi**h and beat the truth out of her. Ruuz, how are you doing getting any thing from her? Beren, I am glad that you are feeling better. What do you say about you and I setting off a few more traps while trying to get out of here and figure all of this out? After all it seems to be our style lately."
"The only thing I ever gave her was that cloak," he moans, indicating the discarded clothing that was used as a trap...
"Wait, I'm not sure if it will help, but Jyra always wore a gold ring set with a black dragonshard. I thought it a bit odd for a girl of her standing to have such an expensive ring."
You can pry a good deal of description out of her, which she justifies with "I admit, I fancied it, and would have nipped off with it in a heart beat if she had been the unconcious one."
"Wait, I'm not sure if it will help, but Jyra always wore a gold ring set with a black dragonshard. I thought it a bit odd for a girl of her standing to have such an expensive ring."
You can pry a good deal of description out of her, which she justifies with "I admit, I fancied it, and would have nipped off with it in a heart beat if she had been the unconcious one."
"Excellent. Atleast someone in your group can contribute something usefull." Ruuz exclaims. He quickly starts rummaging through his coat and pack muttering to himself.
"Damn of all the things..... does anyone have a forked stick?"
"I don't like Jyra. Who is she?"
Beren looks up at Sari and shows a toothy grin, “I like the way you think, but I think it best to stick together. This place is making me sprout wisdom out my nose. I can almost smell it, and it is the scent of patience. Let’s see what Ruuz can discover, then we’ll find her so you can ‘beat the truth out of her’.
Then hearing Ruuz rummaging through his pack the Shifter asks, “Forked stick?”
Beren looks up at Sari and shows a toothy grin, “I like the way you think, but I think it best to stick together. This place is making me sprout wisdom out my nose. I can almost smell it, and it is the scent of patience. Let’s see what Ruuz can discover, then we’ll find her so you can ‘beat the truth out of her’.
Then hearing Ruuz rummaging through his pack the Shifter asks, “Forked stick?”
Sari looks at Beren as he speaks to her. She can see that he seems to be a troubled by all of this as she is. "Patience have been hard for me to find lately and I am sorry that I tend to be so blunt, I just don't like sitting still, expecially in dark places underground, but enough about that." Looking towards Ruuz, Sari sees that he is still searching for something. "Sorry there Ruuz but I seem to be fresh out of Forked Sticks. Is there something else that can work for you?"
I step back, looking around the room and mutter "Why do the let this man lead expeditions?" just loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room.
I nod in agreement with Sari and say "I'm not usually the beating the truth out of people kind of guy but I think I'll make an exception this time. Jyra's made this a lot harder than it needed to be. I think we're all a little jumpy. Maybe we should get some more rest?
"A ring with a Khyber dragon-shard? That's an uncommon piece of jewelry. Perhaps..." I mutter to myself, letting the sentance trail off as I try to remember if there's any group that is known to use a ring matching that description.
"A forked stick?" I ask, rummaging my pack and pulling something out "Will a kind of U-shaped piece of metal work?"
“If a forked stick is going to help you find Jyra – and Merreck’s doohickie doesn’t do the trick, we could head back to the central chamber,” says Valessa to Ruuz, frowning slightly. “There were some vines and such there, you could probably find a small forked twig amongst the branches.”
I look thoughtful an murmur "Hmm. The Dragon-marked often wear rings with dragon-shards, although they're usually Eberron shards. Khyber is usually used to emphasize control and command." to no one in particular.
“If a forked stick is going to help you find Jyra – and Merreck’s doohickie doesn’t do the trick, we could head back to the central chamber,” says Valessa to Ruuz, frowning slightly. “There were some vines and such there, you could probably find a small forked twig amongst the branches.”
Ruuz looks at Valessa, "Good idea, see there are some smart ones in this group too." he finishes with a smile.
Turning to the two freshly healed scholars, "What are we going to do with them?" Ruuz looks at Ghorkin, "You should probably stick with your bodyguards before Michelle girl tries to kill you Lhorkin." Ruuz finishes with an evil looking grin.
Beren turns to Ghorkin, "Professor, you and your assistant should probably leave and go back to Stormreach. We've encountered some heavy stuff down here, and I don't plan on coming to your rescue again. You should leave while you're still alive. I don't think you're up to the task." Then the Shifter pauses to look at each of his companions and gives a toothy grin, "We've got a world to save."
"So Ruuz, what's your plan?"
Ruuz grabs a suitable stick and walks back out of the rain and takes a seat on the floor.
"Hey Valessa do you still have one of those copper rings?" Ruuz asks.
Placing the ring and the forked stick on the ground he starts gathering the necessary magical energy to imbue the ring with the spell.
The energy flows out of him through the stick and into the ring.
Ruuz puts the stick in his bag, grabs the ring and stands.
"I think it worked, when I trigger this I should be able to think of Jyra's ring and it should give me the direction she is in."
Ruuz picks up the rest of his gear, "I think we should get to as close to the center of this place as possible before I activate it. The range is limited and that should increase our chance of finding her."
"Well lets get a move on then, there is no sense prolonging the enviable any longer." Sari says as she starts to move towards the center chamber.
Valessa stands in the shelter of the doorway, arms folded, keeping out of the rain. “We’re probably just about at the centre here Ruuz,” she says. “From what we’ve seen of this place, this appears to be the hub.”
Whilst the changeling prepares his spell, she moves over towards Beren. “I’m not sure that it’s such a good idea to send Dhorkin and Shelly-Belly back to Stormreach alone. What with this jungle being infested with ogres and harpies, they’re – ironically – probably better off here with us.”
... probably better off here with us.”
Beren stares down the hallway lost in thought, but then quietly replies, “Yeah, probably right. Just wanted to get rid of them though. Having them with, for us to save, is going to get one of us dead.” This time, Beren does not smile.
Brick looks around dazedly.
"What's going on?"
Yeah. It'll take a while for his head to get screwed on right. he did a little more healing than usual.