"Let 'em vote. They'll vote in ol' Akron here and then we'll be set."
"Maybe we should stay out of this." Lecian grabs the copper tube and readies to use it. "Hopefully, they settle this without bloodshed."
Akron shuffles his feet and looks down modestly. Outside a crowd starts to gather as men and women come out of the tents.
Akron looks at the party. "Makes sense that I should step into Clegg's shoes if possible. The next question is who's doing the talking right now?"
Tyrrol shrugs.
"I don't think it should be me; not unless you want a blood-bath..."
Lothan looks over at Mordecai, "How 'bout it, Mordecai? No one spins words the way you do, you know." He winks, grinning wryly.
Mordecai looks put out at having to talk to the filthy rabble, but puts on a somber face and cleans Clegg's wounds, talking care to get some of the unconscious man's blood on his hands and breastplate.
He steps from the tent, where the various thugs and ne'er do wells are no doubt gathering to discuss what little they can comprehend of their future.
"Gentlemen," he begins, trying not to make the word sound like mockery, "Clegg is stable, and I believe that the power of the goddess can prevent his transformation into a mindless beast."
"But for now, he is in no condition to lead this expedition. As he may recover shortly, it might be best to stick to whatever chain of command he has established, rather than run amok, and risk his wrath when he recovers, although that choice remains yours to make. I intend to do all in my power to keep him alive, as it would be in my own best interests to have one of the most powerful men in Riddleport look upon me favorably."
Mordecai pauses, before asking of the assembled men, "I would ask of you, it seems that Clegg was lured from this camp and beset upon by hostile forces. Did anyone among you see him depart earlier this evening, and was he with anyone, or behaving suspiciously, as if coerced or enchanted?"
Scowls and mutterings vie with grins and rapt attention among the men gathered outside the tent. Kuva tilts his head consideringly. His two watch companions look at each other.
One of them speaks up, "Clegg's been slipping out most every night in the second watch. Goes alone and told us to keep our mouths shut."
Tyrrol nods.
"That does strike me as deeply suspicious... Why would he risk going off *alone* in hostile territory like that, every night?"
He then turns to the others.
"Perhaps we should see where he has been going?"
"Perhaps we should see where he has been going?"
Mordecai concurs, "Agreed."
It would be good to know where all the skymetal has gone, after all... he thinks.
"Perhaps Akron should remain here to keep an eye on Clegg's condition and make sure that he does not suffer a setback? I can give you some basic healer's instruction on how to keep him from slipping away." Mordecai offers, suppressing the urge to grin.
Tyrrol shrugs.
"I guess that seems like a reasonable idea; having him die whilst we are out searching would be inconvenient, to say the least..."
Lothan looks to Tyrrol, then back to the others, "Yeah... inconvenient." He states plainly, attempting to hide his sarcasm as best as possible.
Akron nods. "I can probably hold this place down while you search. Leave me Kuva and Samaritha and I'm sure we can keep the boys in line."
***
Akron pays strict attention while Mordecai shows him how to tend for Clegg.
***
Akron nods. "I can probably hold this place down while you search. Leave me Kuva and Samaritha and I'm sure we can keep the boys in line."
***
Akron pays strict attention while Mordecai shows him how to tend for Clegg.
All the cool kids have done it already!
Are we still rolling for hit points? If so;
Ooh, an above average roll! Four more levels of sixes and I'll be up to average hit points.
My dice are really, really encouraging Mordecai's plan on becoming undead someday...
Also, done.
Tyrrol shrugs.
"We should probably return to the spot where we found Clegg, and then try to back-track from there... are the rest of you ready?"
"I'm ready. Let's move. The sooner the better."
Before going to bed, Lecian sits in a corner and pulls out one of his tomes. Tensely, he opens the book and begins reading it.
Reflex:
Before going to bed, Lecian sits in a corner and pulls out one of his tomes. Tensely, he opens the book and begins reading it.
Reflex: 1d20+5
Five spells beyond your comprehension. (4th and 5th level)
All first level conjuration spells. Alarm, protection from good. Burning Hands. Floating disk. Magic weapon. Comprehend languages
Acid Arrow, Fog Cloud, Glitterdust, Summon Monster II, Summon Swarm, Web
Resist energy, hideous laughter, command undead,ghoul touch,bull's strength. see invisibility
Sepia Snake Sigil, phantom steed stinking cloud, dispel magic, protection from energy, lightning bolt, major image, greater magic weapon, slow, arcane sight
Atop the cliff where you fought Clegg, the view out to sea is quite fine. Below the small cleft where he stepped up is a narrow ledge which slopes downward toward the beach as it traverses the face of the cliff. The cliff is slightly concave here and the top overhangs the upper portion of the cliff, so you can't see how far the ledge extends or where it terminates from here.
Tyrrol shrugs as he regards the narrow ledge.
"Well, Clegg clearly went along here, so there *has* to be something down there..."
He then begins to gingerly edge his way along the ledge.
Mordecai offers the blessing, such as it is, of the Pallid Princess to those who brave the edge.
"Some sort of rope, if anyone has one, might be a good idea..." he offers.
Tyrrol finds the ledge is wide enough to walk along safely if he stays pressed against the cliff face.
"This seems a nigh-impossible route by which a man struggling with purloined paymaster's chest full of precious skymetal would travel..." Mordecai observes quietly, keeping his voice low, in case there are unseen eavesdroppers behind them. "Perhaps he lowered the stolen materials to some hiding place below this ledge?"
Tyrrol begins to work his way along the ledge.
Mordecai will follow, refreshing his incantations periodically, and keeping an eye behind to watch for Lecian.
Lecian slips over the edge behind Mordecai.
The party inches along the the ledge.
Rounding a bend, Tyrrol hears an unwelcome sound, the rattle of an angry and disturbed snake. Looking down he sees a green rattler with a faint yellow speckling near his right foot. The coiled snake has raised its tail in warning and its head preparatory to strike.
With a shrug, Tyrrol leans against the wall...
...draws his flail...
...and crushes the snake.
"Well now, that was easy. Man I'm glad you're on my side, buddy. That snake didn't stand a chance."
Snake INit
Tyrrol's reflexes are exemplary, but the snake is quicker still. It lunges at him....
... damage
Its fangs skim harmlessly over his armor.
THEN, he smashes it.
:-)
Beyond the snake a small rock slide has blocked the ledge. The are clear indications of passage across the slide.
Mordecai calls upon Urgathoa's grace, once again.
"Would you be so kind as to give me a hand over, Lothan? I am quite unused to this sort of excursion..."
Tyrrol trudges forward...
...and effortlessly scrambles over the blockage.
Lecian also helps Mordecai over the slide.
Aid another:
The gravel under his feet gives and Mordecai starts to slide down the cliff face.
Mordecai flails about, attempting to regain his balance, muttering a blasphemous Osirioni profanity.
He closes his eyes for a moment in reflection, as his heart hammers in his chest. 'Beloved goddess, thank you for reminding me that I am ever but a single step away from your white kingdom.'
Tyrrol pulls out his pocket watch, flips open the lid, glances at it, glances at Mordecai, glances back at the watch, and then snaps it shut again with a resounding click.
"It is not yet your time to die."
Mordecai looks less amused than he normally does by Tyrrol's fatalism, but nods, "Agreed."
A diminishing stream of pebbles trickles from the edge of the ledge and drops 50 feet to the stony beach below.
Tyrrol leads on until the ledge simply runs out.
Tyrrol and Lothan both spot the thin cracks outlining a cunningly concealed door hidden in the face of the cliff. The sharp-eyed ranger also spots a crevice, mostly hidden by a fold in the rock, that may lead inside the cliff face.