Carla looks over and up at Matt. She gives him a cute smile before pointing at something on the menu. She has a sweet-tooth, it seems. She looks over at the others as they converse. She nods to what Adam says and then just curiously watches what people say about what Angel said.

Maverick continues to be quiet for now.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:01, Thu 27 Jan 2011.

  Matt fields Carla's breakfast needs while listening to the short banter going on.  "Worrying about your own home over someone else's might sound callus to others, but then you stop to think about how anyone saying so is basically saying 'who cares about your lives'.  Not to mention we're here in the first place because we were worried about things like acid rain where we live.  I somehow doubt that has been dealt with yet but hey who cares if people die from burns and dissolved poisoned crops when someone else has political issues."

  Would you a side of bitter with your whaambulance toast Matt?

"Snowblind friends can see no more," Mittens sings,
"Acid rain keeps fallin' on the poor
Show me the way to the skies
Take me away, where souls will never die

Eyes can see no lies, hearts feel no pain

Hope it's not too late
Heaven's on my mind
I can hardly wait
Heaven is there for all to find!"

Adam's brows furrow, and he nods.

"Point taken," he says, "Our priority is for our own."

"Fear not!" Mittens chimes in, "For I have already put word out on the street that we're looking to get back to your world and that we'll be doing heroics while here!  When we do in fact earn a rep for being heroes, we'll be approached by a scholar interested in Kruthik eggs or some such.  Being a scholar, he's likely to know a clue for how we can quest to get home."

When all are ready, Adam follows Mittens' lead to where she said the group should be going.

Angel wonders what gets a person interested in giant insect eggs in the first place, but then, she realizes she doesn't question the value of dragon eggs and shrugs off the thought. She follows Mittens and says to her, "I haven't really told you before, but you got a nice voice, kitten. S'pose it comes with the profession, though, eh?" actually, she isn't sure. Maybe you can be a bad singer and still twist magic as long as your heart is in it? Angel decides whatever the case, she is glad the stereotype of bad singing cats is not the case here.

Maverick points out, "I don't have a home myself. You guys are the closest thing to that. So for me, it's just a matter of making sure I don't see your hearts break. And I second what Angel said, Mittens. Maybe you can teach us all some nice traveling songs." Not that Mav intends to sing much. But he is oddly one of his player's better singing characters. Not that such will come out any time soon.

Carla makes her way over to Adam, likely with Lucky, and pets his leg. She might have pet his shoulder, but she's waaaay too short. So leg will have to do. Carla looks up at Adam, meaning to meet eyes. Her expression is that of sympathy. When she hears Maverick say his piece, she glances from Adam to Maverick and back. She smiles, nudges her head at Maverick while she is looking at Adam.

  Matt shrugs, and gets up to follow along with the rest.  His position will default to 'in front' as soon as it's needed as per usual in the same mysterious way all party tanks end up deployed first on the grid.  "I'd hope that it ends up a simple gathering job, but I have the feeling their interest is in 'horribly dangerous and face eating size' bugs instead of harmless if hard to find ones."

  Not that tiny bugs can be any less unpleasant.  Especially the kind listed in a monster manual.

"Aw shucks," Mittens answers the compliments with a blush, girly wiggle, and foot-slide, "You're such a flatterers!  Thanks!  Teach a song?  First thing that comes to mind is 'The Ants Go Marching...'  Oh.  And 'horribly dangerous and face eating size' is correct, Matt."

Lucky face-licks and tiger-glomps Mav.  :)

"You have a home now, Maverick," Adam says with a chuckle, "When this is over you can stay with Lucky and me."

After a trip through the Lower City, along a series of tunnels
and shafts bypassing Sham's Depths, and a short
way into the Cogs, the PCs arrive at Tain Foundry. The
trip is an opportunity for you to throw an encounter at
the party-especially if the PCs aren't yet 2nd level (see
the sidebar for suggestions). The temperature rises as the
PCs descend toward Sham's industrial lower reaches.

Directions to the foundry are easy to follow, and they're
readily available in Blackbones.
When the pes arrive at the foundry, read:
Enveloped in the oran8e 810w of molten metal, and the sharp
smell ofburnin8 ore, a main 8ate pierces the soot-covered walls of
Tain Foundry. Several beefy and surly- lookin8 8uards- humans,
dwarves, and a bU8bear- laze around the 8ate. Beyond, workers
toil in the heat and foul air. Most of them are warfor8ed.
The guards are gruff, but they have no reason to trouble
mercenaries seeking an audience with Molric. After a brief
interaction, the guards send the pes to the Slag Pit, the
company watering hole. The place is a dark and roughly
built room with tables and a bar where workers of various
races drink their wages back into ir'Tain pockets. After a
short wait, the pes meet their potential patrons.
When Molric arrives, read:
A burly and sour-lookin8 dwarf, dressed in practical clothes, with
a clean shaved head and chin, enters. Followin8 him is a willowy
hob8oblin with lon8 braided hair and beard, 8arbed in simple
white robes. The dwarflooks around and frowns in puzzlement;
the hob8oblin's even8aze qUickly picks you out of the crowd. He
taps his companion and points his staff in your direction.
The two walk up to the pes' table. Molric gruffly identifies
himself, and Olaakki pleasantly greets the pes.
Roleplaying: Molric, a tough ex-soldier of the Brelish
army, is a bad-tempered bigot who doesn't see war forged
as worthy of respect. (He doesn't have much use for goblins
either.) He's rude, but not enough to deter the pes
from taking the job. His cushy post keeps any thought of
personal action against kruthiks far from his mind.
Olaakki is a capable warrior by mundane standardslower-
city goblins have to be. He's rough around the edges,
much like any other humble priest who works among the
downtrodden. Olaakki's beliefs focus on the Sovereign
Host deities popular among goblins-Arawai, Dol Dorn,
Kol Korran, Olladra, and Onatar-as well as the Traveler.
His only magical talents are a few level 1 and level 2
rituals.
Situation: Kruthiks have begun hunting the nearby
regions of Black bones and Khyber's Gate. Unlike with
prior infestations, survivors of the attacks say that some of
the monsters can fly. Molric has lost a number of workers,
and his supervisors want the problem corrected immediately.
Also, several members of Olaakki 's flock have gone
missing. The two want the hive destroyed, including any
eggs that can be found.
Developments: After hearing word oflosses among
the foundry workers, Olaakki approached Molric and
offered to combine efforts. Molric doesn't like goblins,
but he accepted because Olaakki offered to help pay for
mercenaries. The hobgoblin also had knowledge of the
general area where the kruthiks are originating. The priest
gives the pes a map through the Depths to the location,
indicating that the unused area is filled with crumbling ~
goblin ruins. Neither he nor Molric knows of the tomb that :J
the pes are about to discover. :::c
Pay: The job pays 100 gp, unless for some reason the l:)
pes are expected, by another patron or superior, to help :J
CO without pay. Molric can be influenced to give up to 50 gp
more, but he refuses to provide any advance payment.
Research: The pes might know or learn something
about kruthiks (see Monster Manual, page 171). A De 10
Nature check reminds a PC that kruthik blood smells like
strong vinegar, and that flying kruthiks have not been
reported preViously. A De 15 Arcana check suggests that
the flying kruthik is probably an adaptation caused by the
Syrania manifest zone on which Sharn is situated.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:29, Mon 31 Jan 2011.

Mittens rubs her chin.  "There'll be more than just giant bugs down there," she predicts, "I see zombies, animated skeletons, and ghosts.  The place is a death trap.  It's no wonder that group of goblins who went down there didn't survive save one."

Olaakki's eyes go wide, and he's taken aback!

"You... you can see all that?"

The hobgoblin priest then gives a nervous glance to Molric.

Molric frowns deeply and folds his arms.

"The job is to eradicate the kruthik!" the dwarf snaps, "If you think you can trick me into paying more with stories you make up about the undead, you're sorely mistaken!  No one else has said anything about these so-called threats!"

"That's enough!" Adam shouts at the dwarf!

Molric is so shocked, he just stares slack-jawed.  He's very much not used to be talked back to.  Mittens blushes, cringes, and kinda hides behind Adam.

"I've had about enough of you, you racist, selfish, coward!  You'll not be accusing my friend of being a liar!  She has abilities beyond your short sight!  Know this.  We're not taking this job as your mercenaries but to rescue the people in danger.  Keep your dirty money!  We will accept payment from Olaakki alone!"

Molric can hardly believe his ears!

"Moron!" he barks back, "Only a fool turns down money!  Fine!  Get out of here, and don't come back unless you've succeeded!  Better yet, take this filthy goblin with you and don't come back at all!  If you don't want my money then you'll have to settle for his alone!  Guards... see these goblin lover idiots out!"

Molric storms off!  A few of the guards approach.  One of the humans gives a warning.

"Molric's a wealthy guy," he says, "Best not to put yourself on the bad side of the rich.  They can make life difficult for you."

Lucky agrees with a nod.

"I stand by what I said," Adam answers, calming down some, "Besides, as heroes, we're bound to get on the nerves of villains anyway."

Several workers drop what they're doing and applaud.

"That goes double for you guys," the guard warns the workers, "Seeing as you work for him.  Careful to get back to work before he gets back or he might change that arrangement."

"Warforged don't eat," Mittens points out, "Or sleep.  What do they need jobs for?"

"Uh..." the guard says, "Well you need to get going or I'll get in trouble too."

Olaakki, Adam, Lucky, and Mittens exit as requested.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:13, Mon 31 Jan 2011.

Angel was going to say something, but Adam shook the room with his voice. She is startled at first, but should have expected him to burst out like that. The clapping brings another rare genuine smile from her. She assures the guard, "Don't worry yourself, sir. We'll not harm your job. And by the time we're back and saved people from this threat? Even he will have to stay his temper." Unless he's stupid and WANTS his peers to start hating him because he harms heroes. Wealth is nice, but if other wealthy people hate you, it won't do you much good.

....or as Paladin said in the Have Gun Will Travel series, "Reputation is worth more than any amount of gold."

Maverick smiles and giggles from the tiger-glomp. See? He really is a kid. Even if he fools people into thinking is an adult stuck in a kid's body sometimes. He looks at Adam. "...thanks." as happy as he is, his cynical mind STILL can't help but think "so now I know what it takes to be adopted by a prince: The prince has to be a goodguy, has to have a tiger he loves a lot who also happens to like you, and you have to fight at their side defeating orcs and creepy beings that belong in the abyss." but Maverick is pretty sure he's over-thinking that. Maybe.

Upon hearing Molric accuse Mittens of lying, Maverick just narrows his eyes at the dwarf. Hearing Adam makes him lose his frown and he looks over at Adam, blinking a few times before watching Molric storm off. He looks around as people clap for Adam's heroic speech. Maverick smirks with a sideways glance aimed at Adam. Then follows the bunch out.

Once outside, goes to grab Mittens' hand. "Hey. Don't mind Molric. I know you weren't trying for more money, just trying to help. We believe you. And as such, we're going to prepare for what you warned us about." he keeps his eyes fixed on hers.

Carla is glad she didn't have to shoot laserbeams at Molric. Still, after Molric storms off, she decides to open her glowing blue eyes and stretch her wings a little in the presence of the workers. The wings speak for themselves. She figures if the workers know there is literally an ANGEL with this group, then there is nothing to fear. She then re-tucks them for when the group exits.

She then listens and when Maverick mentions preparing for what Mittens warned of, Carla smiles as she gently pets along Lucky's nose some.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:29, Mon 31 Jan 2011.

  Matt isn't exactly a huge fan of senseless abuse of your employees either, but he really can't see how not getting paid for something they were still going to be doing would help the people Adam refused payment in the name of.

  "So, Mittens.  About this ghosts thing.  You know the expression along the lines of 'when all you have is a hammer'?  I'm in that situation when it comes to ghosts and I would like a heads up where on the scale of practicality that is."

  Team ascension only had to deal with one ghostly insubstantial target and it was a huge problem.  This edition of Mittens has mentioned Ghost in the plural sense.  As for the Angel Showoffery with Carla, Matt is clueless on this detail but his player hopes the workers are just as ignorant as Matt is ICly that in 4th ed, Angels are just as likely to be agents of Devils.

Mittens settles down some now that Adam's no longer on the rampage.  "Thanks for the support, everyone," she says, "Smashing ghosts is... possible.  But hard.  Invisible, insubstantial, and phasing through walls and such means it'll take more than twice the strength and cunning to eliminate than it would have in life.  But your fighting spirit channeled through your weapon will in fact harm it.  It's not impossible to beat a ghost in combat."

Lucky licks Carla's hand with a smile.  Adam rubs his chin.

"I remember learning a technique for fighting blind," Adam says, "It's reactionary.  You prepare an attack for when the enemy strikes.  You then swing at where the attack came from.  Not perfect, but beats wildly flailing at empty air."

Olaakki doesn't know what to make of Carla or the rest of them and remains silent on the topic.

"Thank you for taking this task," he says, "Please come to me directly after you leave...  I'm afraid Molric may realize Angel's words are true and try to take credit for your deed.  Or worse."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:41, Thu 03 Feb 2011.

Angel eyes Olaaki. "Hmm... Olaaki has a point." she says as she turns her eyes to Adam. "Let's tell the local authorities what we are setting out to do. With honest, trusted officials as witnesses, we should be guaranteed credit. We'll need that to keep Smiley from taking credit. That is the LAST thing I want. Enough that if we don't take care of that, it will distract me during combat and lower my will to fight."

She looks at Olaaki. "I hadn't even thought of that... thanks. You saved me a lot of headache." such as killing Molric and earning a bad name for herself and her allies.

Maverick says, "....ensuring the people don't believe a lie is good. But wasting time isn't. Maybe we can be preparing at the same time. Anything we should buy and take with?" he asks, looking up at Mittens.

Carla mounts Lucky and quietly watches the conversations. She can't help but wonder what will come of this latest quest.

  Matt would be tempted to Forge/Invest in a Insubstantial busting weapon if he knew what kind was good for such.  Sadly, there was no such Weapon and later down the line Adamantine variety is questionable in how 'ignore twice your plus in resist' applies to 'takes half damage' resistance listings.

  That filler ramble out of the way, enjoy your single line spoken half sentence "I think, unless there was some obvious need we can supply ourselves with in short order and small price, that we have all we can in the 'need' department."

Mittens looks a little confused and starts making strange gestures in the air like she's flipping through a book.

"But...  We weren't supposed to meet with Captain Caveman till the day after we meet with Professor Pinchon," she says with a far away look in her eyes, "If we go out of order...  I'm confused."

Olaaki glances and sweatdrops.

"You're welcome," he answers Angel, "Tell ya what...  If you like, I'd be happy to deal with informing the authorities about Molric's possible future deception.  I'd rather you not be delayed with that headache.  As outsiders, you'd be a long time waiting before being granted an audience with anyone with any real authority.  Besides.  It'll make me feel like I contributed some."

Adam nods.  He's all too familiar with red tape slowing down progress.

"And the kruthik won't wait before another attack on unsuspecting citizens," he says, "Thank you for offering to deal with the red tape."

Mittens looks a little less out of it now that plot seems to be returning to the path she expected.

"As for preparations," Olaaki says, "You could possibly look for someone willing to sell holy water or holy weapons?  But that too would take time.  And I don't know that they'd be any more effective than the bunch of you look like you are."

Adam nods.

"We've successfully fought the undead.  And worse."

"Worse?!  Jeez.  Yeah.  You're probably as prepared as you're going to be."

Lucky welcomes Maverick to join Carla with a head nudge.

Angel isn't so sure, but Olaaki makes a good point. They ARE outsiders and would be given the run-around. She nods to Olaaki. "Thanks, buddy." She says to him before following Adam.

Maverick gets on Lucky, not objecting at all. May plot move on. Angel doesn't have anything further to say until the group are actually in the area where they will be hunting kruthiks.

  Matt eyes Mittens as she spaces out.  "...Would it really have derailed existence that bad if we had checked in with them first Mittens?  Or are they only allowed to talk about different problems we'd find ourselves facing?"  That said, he turns to Olaaki and says "I do appreciate your dealing with that for us though.  IF you knew where we could pick up the ritual for it, I could actually make some Holy Water.  But the problem there is I doubt we have the resources to spare."

  That's right, the Blacksmith can Make Holy Water while the Angel/Deva Baby can't.  Of course, Elsewhere even Blake can Make Holy water just as easily.  Either way it doesn't even work on Devils (How handy those don't turn up at such low level usually).

  "As for worse, as bad as those twisted mockeries of life were, they were still flesh and blood.  Though I suspect even Ghosts won't have quite the same methods available to them."  Odds are good for less Devouring Floors or Hilariously Broken Unique Attacks.  Well, as Broken.

  OOC Style:  Mittens 'you're talking to mish contacts out of order -.o' Space out reminded me of something in STO.  From the Same contact, I was able to pick up two missions ahead of time.  Both missions involved tracking down a Ship that had gone missing, each in a different location.  Both missions you save the ship that went missing.

  Both missions involved saving the same ship.  Could be worse.  A whole party could be collecting the same Severed head from one body as a quest item.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:23, Mon 07 Feb 2011.

"'You're here for two reasons,'" Mittens answers Matt, trying to impersonate a somber man, "'The first is because you ventured into the Depths.  I hear you did so to help the locals with a kruthik infestation, which means you're brave.  The fact that you're sitting in front of me means you're capable.'"

She shrugs her shoulders.

"I don't pretend to know how these things work.  I just know that what I see tends to wind up happening.  It'd be just as confusing for me if someone were to stab me and it didn't hurt."

Adam offers no retort and simply follows along.

Time skip!

The kruthik hive is in and around the tomb of an ancient
Dhakaani warlord. The PCs discover the excavated tunnel
to the tomb after a short time searching the area noted on
Olaakki's map.

Ashurta's tomb has a few features common throughout the
complex, except where otherwise noted in an encounter
description.
Carved Walls: The makers of this place carved the
walls with geometric patters and stylized scenes common
to Dhakaani tombs (History DC 10). As you like, embellish
descriptions by mentioning carvings.
Dread: A nameless fear hangs over the tomb, and its
shadows reach in unnatural ways. It has a minor connection
to the Shadowfell (Arcana DC 15).
Heat: Many of the rooms in this place are either hot,
or show signs of otherwise pervading heat. Geothermal
energy from the lake of fire under Sham powers some of
the tomb's functions, making what should be a cool underground
area much warmer (Dungeoneering DC 10).
Iron Doors: Rusty iron doors placed throughout the
tomb are unlocked unless otherwise noted.
Kruthik Tunnels: Except where they widen as shown
on the map, the hive tunnels throughout the tomb are
narrow. A Medium creature must squeeze, and a Small
creature must move through them at half speed. Kruthiks
ignore these restrictions.
Magic Lights: White motes of magic light illuminate
some of the tomb's rooms and passages. These lights
are remnants of more elaborate magical effects that
enchanted the tomb ages ago. They are not corporeal and
cannot be attacked or otherwise affected.
Stairs: Stairs in the passages are difficult terrain.

The entry to Ashurta's Tomb is currently deserted. The
kruthiks within the area don't emerge until after the characters
have entered the area (see Tactics), so they don't
appear on the tactical map.
As the PCs travel the initial passage, read:
The rough-hewn walls and ceiling of the wide tunnel give way
to a paved floor ahead. Dim white light washes the passage in
a pale glow; the light is brighter in the worked chamber farther
on. The faint smell of sharp vinegar exudes from kruthik corpses
that lay about the floor. Dark smears and spent black arrows tell
of a nasty battle that occurred here recently. Those who fought
the kruthiks are nowhere to be seen.
Nature Check
DC 10: The ammunition strewn about on the floor here is
clearlygoblin-made.
Perception Check
DC 9: From somewhere in the distance, a grinding sound of
stone on stone can be heard.
DC 10: Humanoid corpses were dragged from the passage
into the tunnel to the south of this area.
DC 15: About a dozen kruthiks fought about half that
number of Small and Medium humanoids here.
As the PCs enter the chamber, read:
White motes oflight hover in the corner alcoves of this worked
chamber, which appears to be the entry to an old tomb. In its
center is a pile of blackened skulls, held in place by a low, runescribed
iron barrier. A tattered red banner hangs from a shining
steel shaft that rises from the west side of the barrier. On the
western wall, the doors of the tomb's original entrance have given
way to encroaching earth-part of a dark iron door lies near a
pile of rock, and another part is half-buried in that pile. Pillars
hold up the high, vaulted ceiling. Alcoves line the eastern wall
and the northern part of the western wall, each holdina a scatterina
of old bones. A stair ascends in the center of the far wall to
closed iron double doors. All the walls bear carvings of geometric
patterns, and scenes of goblins at war, work, and play.
Four kruthik tunnels pierce the walls.