D&D II Act One Scene II - The world beneath

Fourier

Retula and Therai wake in an odd room. It apppears to be a tiles bathhouse of some kind, though long fallen into disuse.

They and the dwarves are tied to the old coal oven that had heated the water in days long past.

Both Therai and Retula have their hands tied and a gag around their mouth.

The only way out is a wooden door, in front of which is an ant larger than a man.



Two buckets of some green liquid stand on what used to be a massage stone table.

Evade

Therai tries to wriggle his hands out of the ropes.

Fourier

The pit room:
Rhiggy, Varkrash and Mags are immediately brought to a room on the ground floor of the fortress. It was once a forum or meeting chamber of some kind as the ring of seats suggest. In the center however is an enormous pit, 70 foot wide, with no clear bottom, merely fading into darkness.

The slaver leader turns to the trio.

"Our leader will be quite excited to meet all of you"

Fourier

Evade wrote: »

Therai tries to wriggle his hands out of the ropes.

OOC: Dex check

Evade

Fourier wrote: »

OOC: Dex check

OOC: 13. Hive penalty already taken into account

Fourier

The ropes remain in place.

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

The pit room:
Rhiggy, Varkrash and Mags are immediately brought to a room on the ground floor of the fortress. It was once a forum or meeting chamber of some kind as the ring of seats suggest. In the center however is an enormous pit, 70 foot wide, with no clear bottom, merely fading into darkness.

The slaver leader turns to the trio.

"Our leader will be quite excited to meet all of you"

Vrakrash flexes his muscles.

'And I - him. Always like to meet folks in the trade.'

He looks around the room.

'Nice place you have here.'

Evade

*Muffled cursing*

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

Vrakrash flexes his muscles.

'And I - him. Always like to meet folks in the trade.'

He looks around the room.

'Nice place you have here.'

"Ain't ours, very old place."

He walks to the edge of the pit and shouts down.

"We got an interesting specimen here Adar, the boss will like it."

A rumble is heard from the pit and the trio hear sets of feet pound the walls of the pit as something climbs upward.

"Don't worry, an emissary from the boss."

Banjo

Ooc: are my hands tied together as part of the binding to the coal oven or separately?
Also can I sense my bird?

Fourier

Evade wrote: »

*Muffled cursing*

The ant moves its head in Therai's direction. It strains its jaws attempting to speak the common human tongue.

"Zzzzt, you are to remain where you are, the men will come to clear the poison from your skin."

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

Ooc: are my hands tied together as part of the binding to the coal oven or separately?
Also can I sense my bird?

Swinging her hands a bit Retula notices the rope around her hand is seperate to that around the oven.

Hetyaro flies above the fortress. From the outside it bears the architecture of the same ancient human culture that built the pyramids in the desert.

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"Ain't ours, very old place."

He walks to the edge of the pit and shouts down.

"We got an interesting specimen here Adar, the boss will like it."

A rumble is heard from the pit and the trio hear sets of feet pound the walls of the pit as something climbs upward.

"Don't worry, an emissary from the boss."

Vrakrash laughs.

'Worried? We have people your boss wants, and we want to strike an alliance. Also... look at me.'

He smirks.

'Why would I be worried?'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

Vrakrash laughs.

'Worried? We have people your boss wants, and we want to strike an alliance. Also... look at me.'

He smirks.

'Why would I be worried?'

From the pit a massive soldier ant emerges. At least four times the size of a man in total size, twice in height.

It speaks Common well enough.

"One who hears the voice of all things, a rare gift, we have sought to capture one for a long time....."

It stops in his tracks.

"...it cannot be"

He advances toward the group shaking the room.

"Her blood lives? My mother will be delighted. For this Balol, we will reward you. Lore we have not revealed to any of the Underdark's fungii shall be yours, our special jelly of rejuvenation."

It leans forward to look Varkrash in the eye.

"Greetings....blood of the dragon Cóllhug, protector of the ancient races and scourge of the young, we have been eager to find one of you."

OOC: Stopping there for the night.

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

From the pit a massive soldier ant emerges. At least four times the size of a man in total size, twice in height.

It speaks Common well enough.

"One who hears the voice of all things, a rare gift, we have sought to capture one for a long time....."

It stops in his tracks.

"...it cannot be"

He advances toward the group shaking the room.

"Her blood lives? My mother will be delighted. For this Balol, we will reward you. Lore we have not revealed to any of the Underdark's fungii shall be yours, our special jelly of rejuvenation."

It leans forward to look Varkrash in the eye.

"Greetings....blood of the dragon Cóllhug, protector of the ancient races and scourge of the young, we have been eager to find one of you."

Vrakrash stares into the monstrous eye of the soldier ant with no intimidation.

'Greetings, but know this. I am not one of these cretins to sell on the market like spoiled meat from a farmer. It is as you have said, blood of Cólhug, and, that you know this - what happened to her lands and kin. Her slayer....'

Vrakrash clenches his fist in rage.

'I left my mark on him. But... he also left one on me. The mark of the life of a slaver. I took up the cause with my partners - one of which - ' (points to Rhiggy)

'Is adept at the trade. We have very valuable commodities to trade with your master, and you would do well to communicate this before we meet.'

He paces.

'A Bard, A Tiefling below... several dwarves... and one of the shadow elves. That should fetch a fair price, assuming we can come to an arrangement on the terms.'

OldGoat

Mags seemingly ignoring the posturing and bartering going on behind him leans over the edge of the pit and lets a single long strand of spittle escape his lips.

"I'm hungry. Where food?".
He sniffs the air, then stomps off in the direction of the kitchens and hopefully in the direction of wherever the slaves are being held, using his apparent freedom to move around to it's fullest advantage to map out the fortress.

Banjo

Fourier wrote: »

Swinging her hands a bit Retula notices the rope around her hand is seperate to that around the oven.

Hetyaro flies above the fortress. From the outside it bears the architecture of the same ancient human culture that built the pyramids in the desert.

Retula looks around the room for windows or other openings (and are they glazed or barred?). (If there's no roof, do be a dear and let me know).

She attempts to stand. If successful, she'll observe the ant's reaction, and if non-hostile, will attempt to take a look at the green goop in the buckets.

Using her powers of perception, she'll take a good look at the ant, specifically looking how big the mandibles are relative to the head, and head to body. She has a couple of options for escape but there's no point in escaping if she's going to get snapped in half by an ant for her trouble.

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

'Greetings, but know this. I am not one of these cretins to sell on the market like spoiled meat from a farmer. It is as you have said, blood of Cólhug, and, that you know this - what happened to her lands and kin. Her slayer....'

Vrakrash clenches his fist in rage.

'I left my mark on him. But... he also left one on me.

The mark of the life of a slaver. I took up the cause with my partners - one of which - ' (points to Rhiggy)

'Is adept at the trade. We have very valuable commodities to trade with your master, and you would do well to communicate this before we meet.'

He paces.

'A Bard, A Tiefling below... several dwarves... and one of the shadow elves. That should fetch a fair price, assuming we can come to an arrangement on the terms.'

"What relation are you of Cóllhug? A son? A grandson?

Considering your form, are you a creation of her magics, a halfbreed with some other race?"

OOC: Dragonborn have only appeared in the last 200 years in human lands, as they didn't exist in the last game.

"The bard my kind values above all else, my mother has wanted one for a long time. Though a Wizard to the North will pay a heavy price for a Tiefling with magical power. He requires one for experiments in planar magic. Well, their brain and blood at least.

I am sure...."

OldGoat wrote:

Mags seemingly ignoring the posturing and bartering going on behind him leans over the edge of the pit and lets a single long strand of spittle escape his lips.

The massive ant simply watches Mags walk to the pit and leave. Whether it finds this amusing or confusing is hard to tell from its insectoid features.

Fourier

OldGoat wrote: »

"I'm hungry. Where food?".
He sniffs the air, then stomps off in the direction of the kitchens and hopefully in the direction of wherever the slaves are being held, using his apparent freedom to move around to it's fullest advantage to map out the fortress.

He finds the kitchens soon enough. The cook is a full-blooded ork working on some brown cement like goop.

The kitchen itself is stark and bare, once a training room for fighters, it only houses a heated slab now for cooking.

"Oy, ManDad, waz u doin?" the cook asks wiping his nose.

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

Retula looks around the room for windows or other openings (and are they glazed or barred?). (If there's no roof, do be a dear and let me know).

She attempts to stand. If successful, she'll observe the ant's reaction, and if non-hostile, will attempt to take a look at the green goop in the buckets.

Using her powers of perception, she'll take a good look at the ant, specifically looking how big the mandibles are relative to the head, and head to body. She has a couple of options for escape but there's no point in escaping if she's going to get snapped in half by an ant for her trouble.

Looking around Retula can see that the windows are open to the air, no glass or even shutters. The room is roofed.

As she stands the simply lets out a weird drone, but does nothing else. The mandibles are slightly larger than the head itself. The head is much smaller than the body, ten times smaller or more.

Banjo

Fourier wrote: »

Looking around Retula can see that the windows are open to the air, no glass or even shutters. The room is roofed.

As she stands the simply lets out a weird drone, but does nothing else. The mandibles are slightly larger than the head itself. The head is much smaller than the body, ten times smaller or more.

Retula commands her bird to home in on her and find the window she's seen, see what kind of a drop is outside it. She also walks/hops over to the green goop, has a sniff and a gawp.

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"What relation are you of Cóllhug? A son? A grandson?

Considering your form, are you a creation of her magics, a halfbreed with some other race?"

Vrakrash glowers.

'Halfbreed. Though I do not know of my father.'

Fourier wrote: »

"The bard my kind values above all else, my mother has wanted one for a long time. Though a Wizard to the North will pay a heavy price for a Tiefling with magical power. He requires one for experiments in planar magic. Well, their brain and blood at least.

I am sure...."

He changes the subject.

'Let's get this discussion underway then. We own the bard, and while he entertains us no doubt, we also want to make some coin.'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

'Let's get this discussion underway then. We own the bard, and while he entertains us no doubt, we also want to make some coin.'

"2,000GP?

Agree and I shall take him to mother for 'inspection' immediately and return with your coin."

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

Retula commands her bird to home in on her and find the window she's seen, see what kind of a drop is outside it. She also walks/hops over to the green goop, has a sniff and a gawp.

Hetyaro flies around the building to the Northern wing and sees Retula in through the window. The drop outside is minimal, no threat of injury.

As Retula hops over to the bucket, the ant simply watches her, but doesn't move.

The green juice in the bucket froths with bubbles from which burst tiny purple sparks every so often.

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"2,000GP?

Agree and I shall take him to mother for 'inspection' immediately and return with your coin."

Vrakrash pauses. The coin is tempting. He could simply leave the others to their fate, walk out and be a rich man.

'I would like to meet with 'mother' myself. Slaver to slaver, discuss a potential alliance... I provide the quality slaves, you pay me with enough coin to build ten castles. I'm looking long term here, anty baby.'

Banjo

Fourier wrote: »

Hetyaro flies around the building to the Northern wing and sees Retula in through the window. The drop outside is minimal, no threat of injury.

As Retula hops over to the bucket, the ant simply watches her, but doesn't move.

The green juice in the bucket froths with bubbles from which burst tiny purple sparks every so often.

If the layout of the room allows it, Retula waits till the raven's close enough, then attracts the ants attention away from the window by hopping toward an appropriate corner, spilling a bucket etc. so the raven can fly in and get behind the dwarves and tiefling, start pecking at bonds discreetly.

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

If the layout of the room allows it, Retula waits till the raven's close enough, then attracts the ants attention away from the window by hopping toward an appropriate corner, spilling a bucket etc. so the raven can fly in and get behind the dwarves and tiefling, start pecking at bonds discreetly.

Retula hops across the room and knocks the bucket over, the ant merely makes an irritated sounding drone. One of the dwarves shouts, recently woken.

"Oy bug-eyes, why is 'er ropes looser than ours and the Teifling? She's just bloody hopping free!!!"

The ant ignores the dwarf watching, Retula bounce around the room. Some of the bucket juice spills over in Therai's direction healing the hives on one of his hands.

Hetyaro hops quickly in the window with the distraction and begins to nibble on Therai's ropes first.

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

'I would like to meet with 'mother' myself. Slaver to slaver, discuss a potential alliance... I provide the quality slaves, you pay me with enough coin to build ten castles. I'm looking long term here, anty baby.'

"Mother is difficult to be in the presence of, especially for you younger races....are you sure? Know she was a friend of Cóllhug"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"Mother is difficult to be in the presence of, especially for you younger races....are you sure? Know she was a friend of Cóllhug"

'Any friend of my blood should be friend of mine own. A partnership works best when two people see each other, eye to eye. They find it harder to break vows, or pacts when they have looked into the other's eyes.'

Vrakrash says this unblinking, staring directly into the ant's eyes.

Fourier

"Alright then, climb onto my abdomen and I shall take you down to the Underdark little dragon"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"Alright then, climb onto my abdomen and I shall take you down to the Underdark little dragon"

Vrakrash climbs onto the ant as requested.

He looks down at Columbo.

'The underdark... ever been friend?'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

Vrakrash climbs onto the ant as requested.

He looks down at Columbo.

'The underdark... ever been friend?'

Columbo flies upward, definitely magically and curls around Varkrash's neck.

"No, though I have heard much. I am nervous I must admit."

The ant pounds toward the pit and begins its descent downward.

Fourier

OOC: Stopping there

Banjo

Retula attempts to get some of that magic juice on her in hives while she's waiting for the raven to do his own thing. She also strains a little to see how easy it might be to slip her bonds and whether or not she can angle her hand-eye effectively

Evade

*Muffled shouts of joy*

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

Retula attempts to get some of that magic juice on her in hives while she's waiting for the raven to do his own thing. She also strains a little to see how easy it might be to slip her bonds and whether or not she can angle her hand-eye effectively

She manages to splash some of the juice on her hands, relieving the itching of the hives. She can't quite slip her bonds or angle her eye hand.

Hetyaro manages to peck Therai loose in the meantime.

Evade

Therai undoes his gag and then tries to free the Dwarves.

Fourier

Fourier wrote: »

Columbo flies upward, definitely magically and curls around Varkrash's neck.

"No, though I have heard much. I am nervous I must admit."

The ant pounds toward the pit and begins its descent downward.

The ant reaches an opening in the roof of a massive chasm.



"Mother lies beyond the turn up ahead, I must check on the drones in a new tunnel, proceed as you wish. Keep quite though. There are many beasts down here besides us. Though we have a truce with them, they will not hesitate to feast on you."

The ant lowers its abdomen and Varkrash and Columbo slide off. It then crawls onto the wall and enters another tunnel.

Fourier

Evade wrote: »

Therai undoes his gag and then tries to free the Dwarves.

The ant emits a screeching sound as Therai frees the first dwarf, rushing him.

OOC: Initiative.

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

The ant reaches an opening in the roof of a massive chasm.


"Mother lies beyond the turn up ahead, I must check on the drones in a new tunnel, proceed as you wish. Keep quite though. There are many beasts down here besides us. Though we have a truce with them, they will not hesitate to feast on you."

The ant lowers its abdomen and Varkrash and Columbo slide off. It then crawls onto the wall and enters another tunnel.

Vrakrash looks around at his new surroundings.

'Well, let's go and see this... mother. What you reckon Columbo?'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

Vrakrash looks around at his new surroundings.

'Well, let's go and see this... mother. What you reckon Columbo?'

Columbo looks nervous.

"Nice place...sure lead the way"

Fourier

As the Ant rushes the group, the freed dwarf swings his axe at him, clocking it in the jaw. It barely has time to steady itself when Therai electrocutes it. Enraged it snaps at him, but he easily pulls back.

Retula suddenly appears behind a second dwarf and sets him free, before her eyes go pure white and a stream of energy erupts from her hands, moving in a zigzag into the ant's head which then explodes.

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

Columbo looks nervous.

"Nice place...sure lead the way"

Vrakrash heads in the direction the ant pointed out to him. He has a quick scout for traps.

'Columbo, you watch out for danger too, there's a good lad.'

Evade

Therai breathes a sigh of relief. "That was easy." He looks over toward Retula, "Too easy?" He then starts untying the Dwarves.

After a minute or two he asks Retula "Did that goo help?"

Banjo

Evade wrote: »

Therai breathes a sigh of relief. "That was easy." He looks over toward Retula, "Too easy?" He then starts untying the Dwarves.

After a minute or two he asks Retula "Did that goo help?"

"Like, we should be surprised we outsmarted an insect? As if! This goop made my hands less itchy, so i guess it's good for something. Wouldn't drink it though. It might be like their magic dookie bucket n stuff?"

She helps free more dwarves then tries applying goop to her remaining hives and - if modesty allows - a persistent itch she brought with her from the Shadowfell

"Good job featherface!"

Evade

Banjo wrote: »

"Like, we should be surprised we outsmarted an insect? As if!This goop made my hands less itchy, so i guess it's good for something. Wouldn't drink it though. It might be like their magic dookie bucket n stuff?"

"Outsmart? No. But I thought the guard for all these slaves would be... tougher."

Once the last Dwarf is freed Therai goes over to the bucket, strips down to his braies, and slathers himself in the goo.

Banjo

"see that's why I'm worried. There's only like this one guy and this goop, for all of us, so like they totally thought they wouldnt need real guards... So I'm thinking maybe the goop cleans away more than just hives?"

Evade

"I didn't think of that."

Fourier

Therai feels the hives being soothed away. The goop then hardens against his skin.

OOC: Penalty removed. AC temporarily +1

Evade

"Is being crusty better or worse than being itchy?" Therai asks rhetorically.

Banjo

Retula tried the door, if open or there's a suitable opening, Hetyaro to take a look-see