As the elf calls out to me, I respond in the orc tongue, hoping that the men above do not understand it.
"I HEARD THE BONECASTERS PLAN. BEGIN THE TORTURE OF THE WALLS. SOMEONE NEEDS TO REMAIN OUTSIDE TO WATCH THE ENEMY."
I slip my hammer onto my belt and pulling my crossbow from my back, I make sure it is ready to fire, then I move away from the wall just enough to see up two ledges, crossbow at the ready in case any try to climb down.
You can't keep an eye on the stairs without giving most of your cover. That with your mage armour should keep you safe from attack.
Everyone else is now inside.
"Forgive my intrusion Master Dwarf but it appeared..." Hru's cut off by Clareg's sizable grin at which point in an effort to not seem sheepish he diverts his eyes from the dwarf noticing that he's on the goat path ledge again, slides his back up against the cliff and begins to move back toward the entrance painstakingly and with a somewhat tight expression on his face.
Hru ses his greatsword to prise the bones off the wall in great sheets, sliding it down behind and through the caked mud
He calls to the Dwarves and Rellios to start heaving the bones out of the cave mouth and if he's able to shear off a sizable amount quickly, he'll help throw them out too.
Hru is speaking in orcish during this
A shimmer of divine energy gleams on Hru's sword and an then ripples out making everyone feel just a little better
You hear some constrained shouting, the bonemen attempting to remain calm. The words are not in a language you recognize.
"Kardet-wa! Mot-nibbi Hak-na!!"
"Owah!!"
"Saratt-na!! Saratt-na!! ... Stop-na!! ... Stop!!"
Klyndak:
You see a 'boneman' appear on the highest ledge. He begins to scramble down the stone handhold ladders as quickly as possible. He seems to be in a great panic. Unlike the other bonemen, he is not completely naked. He wears a half-cloak made of small bones woven together. Still, that does not protect you from the sight of a naked bony ass and other bits exposed as he scrambles down yelling "Saratt-na!! Saratt-na!! ... Stop-na!! ... Stop!!"
"'Old up a moment lads," I shout into the cave, "Somethin's up. Some muckety muck looks to 'ave shown up."
I draw a bead on the figure descending but I do not fire yet.
I lower my aim a fraction and allow the man to proceed.
"We be 'avin' a visitor me lads," I call back into the cave.
After channeling the positive energy, Hru hears Klyndak's words and ceases his bone shearing activities. "Hmmnn..Mucky-muck, hope those don't cast spells...heh!" he's heard to mutter, gazing around at the mess of bones they've created.
The muckymuck reaches your level and says to Klyndak: "You must stop-na. Stop them."
His head is shaved but the stubble reveals before he went grey he probably had dark hair. His features are quite typically Chelaxian. In fact, if it weren't for the fact he was naked other than a cloak of bones, painted to look like a skeleton, and had shaved of bit of hair off of his body he would make a convincing Korvosan. ... Actually, scratch that -- you've met some pretty odd Korvosans.
The muckymuck calls up to some bonemen on the cliff and then hurries past Klyndak as two more bonemen begin to climb down. They have left their spears up top and seem to be unarmed. There are not many places on their person to hide a weapon and you do not want to search the few places there are. Two other bonemen remain on the ledge trying to look impassive but somewhat fidgetty.
The mucky-muck enters the boneroom and says "Do you understand human?" he says to the dwarves, elf, and half-orc. Seeing that you do he continues "Stop-na! You are living and do not belong amongst the dead! This is the realm of the dead," he says explaining as if you were a child "but you are alive. You must not think you are dead. You must go back. I will lead you. Follow me."
He gestures toward the exit of the cave "You poor souls! You must be so confused. Follow me. I too was confused when I first died."
... turning healing (1d6=1). I don't have the rules at work and I didn't write it on my sheet...it may be +something but everyone gets a point back and any undead get a point taken away [/ooc]
A shimmer of divine energy gleams on Hru's sword and an then ripples out making everyone feel just a little better
Rellios turns to the rest of the folks, skeptical of the man's requests...but also slightly bemused at their now-less than fearsome appearance, it seems.
In orcish: "Well, Master Klyndak...this being a dwarven tomb...I'll leave you to decide whether we are going to debate this. I think so long as we have the "big-wig" with us - we can get out of here without much more bloodshed."
In orcish "seems that dwarf and elf alike share something with Hru...HA,HA!"
The man pauses as you speak in orcish to each other. . "Please. Poor souls. I will guide you back to the land of the living and then you may leave. Your offenses will be forgiven."
Beckoning you with his hand by wagging his fingers, palm down, much as you might say 'goodbye' he indicates you should follow him out of the cave onto the ledge.
As you hesitate he says: "I wonder though ... how did you end up here? What dwelling of the fleshbound do you hail from and for what purpose have you come to Death?"
Klyndak:
You notice that the other bonemen approaching look human, sharing some of the features of the older boneman mucky-muck, but also have a more primitive aspect to their appearance. While you are certain they are human, there is something wrong about their looks.
"Manlin'," I respond to the man, "One of us is after bein' confused. We 'ail from Kerrigan's Keep to the west and we are bein' bound for the Foe'ammer Spires across that bridge yonder."
I wave my hammer up towards the bridge.
"All the guidance we need is safe passage up these here steps."
Eyeing the other men coming down towards us, I try to discern whether they seem to be breathing.
"Manlin'," I respond to the man, "One of us is after bein' confused. We 'ail from Kerrigan's Keep to the west and we are bein' bound for the Foe'ammer Spires across that bridge yonder."
I wave my hammer up towards the bridge.
"All the guidance we need is safe passage up these here steps."
Eyeing the other men coming down towards us, I try to discern whether they seem to be breathing.
"Kerrigan's Keep?" the man says with a look of bemused surprise but then becomes more serious "Kerrigan? ... Kerrigan? ... KERKIS Kerrigan? KERRIGAN'S ALIVE!?"
The man leaves the bone path and ploughs through the mushroom patch trampling on the fruits of his labour without any concern for them and looks at a human skeleton plastered into the wall. The skeleton he confronts is posturing arrogantly and commanding a number of other skeletons of various species into the maws of a creature you'd hope is entirely from the bonemen's demented imaginations.
"TELL ME THIS!" he yells at the skeleton "IF KERRIGAN'S ALIVE THEN WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?"
He waits. The skeleton does not answer. He waits some more. When he turns back to you he seems to have dropped any pretense of being in a state of grace beyond the petty emotions of the living: "Tell me where to find Kerrigan and you can go jump off the Foehammer Spires for all I care!"
The other bonemen seem visibly rattled by his reaction as he stomps past them commanding "Come now! We go to war!"
Rellios grasps his blades tightly, still uncertain as to the behavior of these strange humans.
In orc: "The man's either as hair-brained as a Thassalonian scholar; or he been sniffing those mushrooms for too long."
"Would ye be after wantin' a blessin' from our prayer-man afore ye be goin' off ta war?" I ask in a friendly fashion.
In orc: "The man's either as hair-brained as a Thassalonian scholar; or he been sniffing those mushrooms for too long."
"Yes, hoo! will you have my blessing before going of to war? chortles Hru in a deep voice. (this would probably be the time to point out that I'm still holding an extremely large sword)
"Would ye be after wantin' a blessin' from our prayer-man afore ye be goin' off ta war?" I ask in a friendly fashion.
"Yes, hoo! will you have my blessing before going of to war? chortles Hru in a deep voice. (this would probably be the time to point out that I'm still holding an extremely large sword)
"There will be no need. We will welcome Kerrigan to the realm of death that he deserted so long ago. He deserves a place of honour here after all the living he has helped pass on. ... Now! Come. You will show me on the map how to find Kerrigan."
He leaves the boneroom unless you try to stop him.
Rellios grasps his blades tightly, still uncertain as to the behavior of these strange humans.
In orc: "The man's either as hair-brained as a Thassalonian scholar; or he been sniffing those mushrooms for too long."
I motion to the others to follow and picking up my pack from within the cave, I grab my mirror back from the elf and then follow along, thinking about the best way to avoid sending this man towards the keep.
In Orc,
"LET US WALK BESIDES THEM FOR A MOMENT UNTIL THE PROPER TIME FOR BATTLE CAN BE ASCERTAINED. THE BONECASTER MAY BE NEEDED FOR SUCCESS BUT THE WHOLE SITUATION IS DISTURBING."
The man leads you up the ladder along a ledge, indicating one place that you should avoid, up another ladder. On the fourth ledge, there are several chambers not as large or as protected as the bone chamber. In each of these, you see smaller scale versions of the type of art you saw in the bonechamber. A couple of 'bonemen' or 'bonewomen' inhabit each one. You revise your estimate of bonemen upwards to approximately 10.
Mucky-muck leads you to the largest of these chambers. A Korvosan military helmet that is serving as a large bowl contains several dozen of the mushrooms you saw earlier. He sits down on a blanket on the floor near the bowl and gestures for you to join him. Popping a couple of mushrooms into his mouth he indicates that you should feel free to partake and then pulls out an old leather scroll case from which he takes out a map and unrolls it on the blanket.
The map at one time would been a very accurate representation of eastern Varisia with Korvosa, Kaer Maga, and the Mindspins clearly marked on it. It has been enhanced however with some alternative interpretations of geography. The area on the map that would currently correspond to your location is at the center of three concentric circles. It is labelled Realm of Death. The second circle includes much of the river and the Mindspins and is labelled Realm of Passage. The river itself is renamed River of Passage. The rest of Varisia -- the third circle -- has had all place names and cities scribbled off and has been renamed Empire of the Mighty Triumphant Sklar-Quah Tribe.
"Now, show me where Kerrigan's Keep would be," says the man grinning deviously and almost choking on a mushroom.
On this man's map, Kerrigan's Keep would be down the 'River of Passage,' past the 'Yard of Torturous Memories,' and then nestled snuggly between 'The Forest of the Fornicating Sisters' and 'The Place Where Terg Died'.
You notice that across the waterfall is a place marked The Stairs and then a very faded note 'F.H.?' at the end of the stairs.
I motion to the others to follow and picking up my pack from within the cave, I grab my mirror back from the elf and then follow along, thinking about the best way to avoid sending this man towards the keep.
In Orc,
"LET US WALK BESIDES THEM FOR A MOMENT UNTIL THE PROPER TIME FOR BATTLE CAN BE ASCERTAINED. THE BONECASTER MAY BE NEEDED FOR SUCCESS BUT THE WHOLE SITUATION IS DISTURBING."
(In orcish)"Yes, as you will come to find, more often than not my blessing usually means I send someone to Gorum, and glad you said something as that's where he was headed Heh!" then Hru pauses trying to figure out how to climb and hold his sword at the same time. Reluctanly he sheaths the weapon. "What about this stuff?" he asks in common pointing out the equipment and packs on the ledge. "maybe some of the dead will carry it up for us..ho! hoo!"
I sit down but don't loosen my grip on my warhammer. I motion for the Kannonfodder brothers to remain standing. I look with some interest at the map before replying.
"May we be so bold as ta be askin' why we should be tellin' ya this? What is yer grudge? Mind ye, a dwarf has a healthy respect fer a good 'n proper grudge,... but a dwarf don't be after betrayin' his comrades fer no reason either, even if it jes' be a man as was givin' us a place ter stay fer a night."
Hru posits happily in orc "Send the fool to Urglin, I have a few cousins there that would like to have him over for dinner, ha! We may get some information from him, but I wouldn't reccomend this fare" he says gesturing at the mushrooms. "Klyndak, say the word and I unleash Gorum's blessing on him."
"I hold no grudge with Kerrigan. I love Kerrigan. He has given so many to the realm and we must welcome him back. So, he must die. ... Tell me about this keep. Do you think the children of my spirit can seize the fort? There are ten who are ready."
"Are you saying this Kerrgigan of which you speak is some sort of slayer of your kinsmen here? Or every beast and being inside these caverns - somehow he slew them all?
"If that is so, this Kerrigan must be quite powerful? How did you come to know such things, if I may ask?"
Rellios avoids eating the mushrooms, as it were - and hopes maybe a clearer set of answers emerges from Lord muckamuck.
Muckamuck pauses for a long time "You can't pry secrets from the dead, Elven friend, but if you and then ... you ... ahhhh".
Again a long pause as he tries to focus. "If you know Kerrigan, then you should know this. He brings men to death."
As he's talking, your equipment is brought up and carried past the entrance to his cave.
"Kerrigan ... Kerrigan brought us to Death. Forty soldiers up the river all good men, true, but UNTRIED! Forty soldiers up the river and then off he goes while his men died. Kerrigan's a drunkard and a FOOL ... bought himself a dangerous command for the love of glory and all things gory and then abandons his soldier off on a treasure hunt with his junior officers ... a thrifty halfling and a dwarf who filled his drunken head with tales of the Foehammer and lost treasures."
"I died then, you see, we all did when the enemy came out of the river ... out of the woods ... from the ground beneath our feet ... That's when I died, you see. All of us did. Come, I'll introduce you to the rest of the men..."
Four bodies are carried past the door to the cave now. The sight of men and women painted as skeletons carrying men and women painted as skeletons walks the line between the comical and the macabre.
"Besides, you haven't eaten yet," he says watching the procession "Come. I'll introduce you to the rest of the men ... and then guide you past the enemy."
He seems to have forgotten the map entirely as he rolls it up and puts it back in the scroll case absent-mindedly.
"Let's be followin' then, shall we," I say, with a roll of my eyes and a shake of my head. Still gripping my Warhammer, I can't help but wonder about the gear that we are not carrying and what they are planning on doing with it.
IN DWARVISH: "Pssst. Klyndak. I don't think 'e be all together there."
Muckamuck glances back at the room as if he's forgotten something but leads you along the ledge to the final stone ladder.
Just before the stone ladder is cave about 20' deep by 10' wide and 10' high. The bodies of three of the four men you killed today are stretched out on the floor.
Shelves have been gouged out of the walls of this cave and each shelf is lined with skulls of humanoids. Muckamuck points to a section of wall comprised entirely of human skulls, some wearing Korvosan army helmets: "Kerrigan's men. Forty men, true but untried, through Kerrigan's neglect in one night died."
He looks each of you in the eye and, at that moment, looks entirely sane. Then, he takes you up the ladder.
I say in Dwarven as we climb the ladder,
Hru sruggles on behind, happy to at each ledge when he can set down the burden.
Rellios doesn't speak Dwarven, so he utters in orcish:
"Well...that seemed to have got him going...I'm beginning to see some explanation for the man's madness. Master Klyndak, you'll have to repeat for those of us who don't speak dwarvish."
Otherwise he follow along and take note of the macbre display.
Rellios doesn't speak Dwarven, so he utters in orcish:
"Well...that seemed to have got him going...I'm beginning to see some explanation for the man's madness. Master Klyndak, you'll have to repeat for those of us who don't speak dwarvish."
Otherwise he follow along and take note of the macbre display.
Rellios:
You notice signs of knife and other toolmarks on many of the bones.
You also notice that this cave is colder than the other caves and has some storage containers half-buried in the floor.
Climbing the ladder you see 12 huts with mud thatched walls. Some of the bonemen have climbed up ahead of you but there are others as well. While the bonemen seem slightly 'off' these others are very, very off. With sloping foreheads, flattened skulls, and a shorter stature, these others seem less human. There are a few who have a bit of an Orcish look to them; others are slightly ogreish in appearance but for the most part they seem human.
You would estimate the number of them to be close to forty with at least twenty being adults. There are no elderly amongst them.
One of the huts is a hub of activity with the young men and young women coming in and out carrying firewood and various foods. Outside of this hut hangs upside down the body of the fourth boneman that you killed.
To your right is the foot of the bridge. Your equipment is stowed there and one of the bonemen is shooing away some of the 'others' who are curious and seem to wish to inspect it. From here, you can see two towers standing on the opposite side of the bridge.
From the time you arrive there seems to be a great deal of commotion. People are pointing at you while one of the most aggressive looking of the male 'others' is arguing with one of the bonemen.
Still speaking in Orcish - and hopefully quietly enough for only our band:
"Be careful with what they feed us...I noticed notches and knife marks on the bones we passed coming in. That fellow they have hung up like a side of beef may be dinner. I can't speak for you fellows, but have yet to acquire a taste for human - or subhuman it appears - flesh."
"Also, they appear to be storing something in that last cavern we passed...some kind of containers were buried in the cold mud."
He's trying to remain relaxed, but keeps a least one hand tight on his rapier.
In orcish "Growing up among the orcs, I won't say what I may or may not have eaten, but my palate runs on my mothers side; Varisian, or so I'm told, though I can cook just about anything and make it palatable, I have no desire to sample the larder here. It seems we are outnumbered though and on unfamiliar ground, I suggest we find a way to take our leave or at least a defensible spot, by Gorum!"
he gestures half heartedly toward the bridge and the pile of equipment.
In dwarvish:
Dareg growls: "Damn, they know I can't speak Orc! I don't know what these guys want to do but it seems we are outnumbered and on unfamiliar ground, I suggest we find a way to take our leave or at least a defensible spot, by Torag!"
In dwarvish:
** spoiler omitted **