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The chiseled rock becomes mortared stone as you enter this wider hallway, ahead the corridor turns south and ends at a double door. In front of you however are two large growling dogs with glowing green eyes. They snarl and make ready to attack you.
Lowering my crossbow at the slathering beasts, I let loose a bolt, praying it hits it's mark before they reach us.
[dice]1d8[/ooc]
Grasping my axe in both hands, I rush forward to cleave the dread hound apart, as Chompsky attacks the other.
Ignatio begins his music, while Euphemi shoots one of the dogs, dealing a glancing blow.
The hounds charge forwards and bite at Chompsky and Wat, Wats armor saves him, but Chompsky takes a bite [/ooc]3 damage[/ooc].
Wat seeks revenge but the nimble hound evades him. Chompsky is more succesful and the hound bites deep into his opponents side, flattening the creature with his ferocity.
I curse my bad aim, reload a bolt into my crossbow and Hex the north dog with misfortune.
THE RETURN!
MAP (You guys are on the second sheet, underground)
The second rapid, fiend-touched hound falls to the ground with a whimper and a wet gurgle as Wat's axe cuts brutally into its lungs wit ha powerful blow.
You find yourselves now in a worked section of the catacombs, the walls smoothened and the floor covered in large falt slabs of worked stone. Around the corner stands a pair of double doors, lying closed and shrouded in shadows at the edge of Euphemi's magical light.
"I suggest we keep on going. We have no idea if they heard that battle, so we'll have to act now to keep the element of surprise."
I walk forward towards the end of the corridor, torch held high.
The doors around the corner are engraved with skeletons, both of whcih have long curving horns and bear scythes. The door does not appear to be locked or barred, and can be opened by simply pushing it.
I detect magic on the door before proceeding.
If it's non-magical, I open the door.
If it's magical, I don't open the door and tell the others before they can open it.
You open the heavy door into a large crypt, lined with burial chambers in alcoves, all the stone here is worked. Standing at the far end of the room, looming over a hlaf-orc bound in ropes are four figures, three wear hoods and wield maces, clearly tieflings, but the fourth is taller, his strange, dessicated, flaking green skin is bound in clothes and wrappings, his eyes sunken and dead.
They turn to face you and the cloth-covered figure smiles a rictus smile.
'Just in time to join the party. Glad you killed those little yowling shits, now if you'll just lay down your weapons and come with a nice pretty smile,' he gestures to the bound half-orc.
'He learned the hard way that resistance is futile.'
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Stepping in to the room, I look around slowly, focusing on everything but the man speaking to us. I cast a casual gaze over the bound Half-Orc before swaggering forward, one hand on the hilt of my rapier, the other tucked in to my belt. My eyes gaze over the man wrapped up like a mummy and I pull a square of silk from my pocket before clutching it to my nose, my face twisting in to a grimace.
"You dare to address me as such? Where is your Leader? Where is Palaveen? I am here on offical busniess from my Master. We have a meeting with your Master!"
Grimacing, I look from the man to the Half-Orc. "My Masters Guardian is not to be harmed. Please release him and give him back his weapons, now, or my Master will not be pleased. He is a very powerful man. Very powerful!"
"Wat see that Masters Guardian is free and armed please. I believe myself and this man have some things to discuss. Come Euphemi! let us discuss our Masters wishes!"
Ignatio moves towards the bandaged man slowly, eyes locked with his. "Where is your Brother? We were told bout you!"
Unsure exactly what the bard is intending to do, I play along, my thick accent making me appear to fit easily into the role of bumbling, uncouth manservant.
"As ye say, m'lord."
Confused, I lay there waiting to see what happens.
If it looks like a fight is breaking out, I'll try and burst the ropes, otherwise, just laying in wait...
'We-' the clothed figures voice returns to normal, no longer the raspy gargle of the dead he speaks like a living creature once more, looking around at his tiefling helpers.
'Well. You heard the man, untie this fool and grab his gear from the boneroom,' the man turns back to Ignatio then.
'All a misunderstanding. I'll take you to Palaveen myself. With an escort.'
I make a mental note to buy the bard a drink!
As soon as my bonds are loosed I hop up and snarl at the nearest tiefling 'You heard him, my possessions. Now.'
I move away from the remaining tieflings and their bandaged leader so that no one is behind me. I take a moment to look over the newcomers who have secured my freedom. I shoot a grin at the talkative one.
The half-orc's gear is returned by one of the tieflings, and they form an escort aroun the party, two teiflings behind, one with the leader up front, and open the skeleton emblazoned doors back into the hallway.
'This way, we will bring you to Palaveen. He must be expecting you. Tell me, how were you in the catacombs already but without one of us Bastard's as a guide?'
Keeping step with Ignatio, I keep quiet while the bard does his thing. When the half-orc is untied and rearmed, I give him a curt nod before leaning close to Ignatio and whispering in his ear:
"A friend of yours, Ignatio?"
In answer to the question, I answer: "Our master was given directions by your master in a secret correspondence, which he passed on to us." With a small smile, I continue - "How else could we have found your hideout?"
I slip over towards Ignatio and Euphemi, and keeping my voice low, speak with them for a moment.
"Many thanks for returning my gear. Your master must be powerful indeed for his mention to have so cowed that... thing."
Krazga spends a moment trying to think on if he has ever heard of anything that matches the description of the greenish figure in the wrappings.
Chompsky at my heels, I follow the tieflings, pondering the likelihood of solving this situation with words and reasoned debate.
'Of course. I will bring you to Palaveen immediately, I'm sure he is eager to get your meeting underway. He must be finished his rituals now, Mammon calls as I'm sure you know.'
The tieflings begin to lead you out into the hall as you chat, Euphemi's magical light guiding the way.
The clothe-wrapped figure appears to be a form of mummy, but this similarity is only appearance deep, a ruse to disguise that he too is also a teifling like his minions.
"Not yet, Ignatio... wait 'til we meet th' boss, don't want t' complicate things 'fore we have a chance t' take out him as is at th' top... then, we'll make all th' noise we can! If we start t' fightin' now, we could be lost in these tunnels, surrounded by th' enemy... as Lady Liberty writes, 'choosing th' time fer action is as important as strength of arms.'"
"If we can cut off the head, the body will die. When we get to Palaveen, we must try to kill him as quickly as we can."
I do my best to keep my voice low. "Aye, Euphemi, you have th' right of it. And when Palaveen is down, these poor bastards will have no one to protect or guide 'em, an' it wouldn't do t' have forty tiefling bandits ruderless on th' streets of Westcrown. Seems as Arael and Janiven may have uses fer these boys."
"Just give me the word and I guarantee heads will be cut off..."
The clothe-wrapped figure, who you overhear one of he gaurds call Ostenso leads you back to the graffiti covered wall, before making a loud whistle. From the darkness slip two more hooded thugs, and thena large tiefling with a crown of chaotic horns, a wide mouth and and one overlarge clawed arm strides forward.
'Dravago, we bring these humans for their meeting with Palaveen,' Ostengo announces, with smarmy pride.
'I didn't hear about any meeting, are you from the Council? Your fancy man is dressed fine enough.
I rest my hand on the hilt of my great sword and tense. If our 'fancy man' can't talk us past Dravago, the first thing I'm is going to do is drive my great sword through Dravago's spiny skull...
I cast my eyes around, waiting for our resident fancy man to answer Dravago's question. In case of a fight, I look for the biggest group of tieflings on whom I can cast Burning Hands.
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"Finally! A man of some stature around here. Master Dravago an extreme pleasure!" I bow fluidly, stepping forward with an almost manic smile on my face. "My Master has sent me here to bargain with the leaders of the most terrifying Gang in the city!"
I offer the man my hand for a shake, before continuing to speak, pitching my voice for Dravagos ears alone. "I expected to be taken straight to Palaveen but find myslef brought straight to the true power behind the throne. This is an honor!"
"My Master sends his good wishes and his hopes that, one day, soon, the reign of the Bastards spreads far and wide!"
'Reign of the bastards eh? Your not from the council at all are you, you oppurtunisitic shit!? Whatever it is you came here for, it ends now!'
"Lord in Iron, guide my blade!"
I draw my great sword and cast lead blades, five foot stepping back to O8 if necessary to avoid provoking.
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I glare long and hard at the Tiefling before grinning darkly."Well I tried. Guess it was only a matter of time before you idiots caught on. This is a Raid. We have you surrounded, all of you. We know your numbers and every inch of these tunnels. It is the gallows for you all if you touch one of us. I am Constable Ignation Aulamaxa. My Master has need for your gang, but not if you harm any of us. Your move fools!"
As I wait for the man to answer, power begins to build around me, ruins flowing down my arms and across my face and palms.