Zog shrugs. "He saw through my bluff. And your point is interesting, Agon. Perhaps if we betray him we fall into the trap of this place. Gromley or I can politely refuse him and be done with it. I suspect he will probably try to take it from us by force if we refuse, though."

   "If we focus on our mission, our path is clear : make our way into Arantor's lair below the shantytown, locate the portal as well as the sword-key to open it, and leave this land. Anything else is just an obstacle we should ignore - or crush" he declared.

In reply to Nemeroff (msg # 187):

If what he said was true, that would be the spirit of this place trying to make you betray. Offering an award for such betrayals. Gromley mentally sent to Nemeroff. As for refusing him-we must be wary. Betraying his confidence would add to the power of this deceptive plane. He must know we feel the urge to betray him. As I doubt he is a fool, he is counting on us to betray him...

Zog cocks his head. "Then I propose that we politely decline. I can manage that, if we like. Do you all agree?"

"Aye" said Harald as he glared at Kas.  "Altho' Ah'd prefer tae take his head aff his shoulders."

He stood ready, axe poised and ready - just in case.

"Zog, please decline the offer. Then, we won't owe something to him." Nemeroff says.

Zog, post away and make a Diplomacy check with an auto-assist from Gromley.

Zog turns back to face the legendary betrayer.

"Distinguished one, we do understand that your sword must be valuable to you. However, we cannot promise that we will return your sword should we run across it. Moreover, you will forgive us, but alliances in this realm seem unwise. We appreciate your insight, but will decline any further insight that you could provide and must part ways now."

He bows and looks to the others to leave with him...

Ouch.
22:11, Today: Zog the Faceless rolled 25 using 1d20+24 with rolls of 1. Diplomacy.

Kas' face is inscrutible at this. He does not return any gesture of respect but simply nods. "So be it," he says cooly, and then melts into mist and floats away.

What's your next move?

   Agon frowned as the vampire vanished. "This is not the last we hear from him, I fear. But at least we know our next destination : the caves beneath the shantytown. Finding an entrance should not be too hard, whether by asking around or through more arcane means" he mused. "Are we ready ? If anyone needs time to rest or care for injuries please say so. This might be our last opportunity for rest, this side of the portal" the wizard warned.

In reply to Agon (msg # 198):

"If it's ok, I had some research I wanted to do first. How much time do we have before this portal trip?" Gromley asked. He did need to check something before leaving this place. Granted, he would not want to be here any more that needed-but he had no choice now...

I hae no big need tae rest" said Harald "but Ah hae nae objection tae spendin' a wee bit o' time here.  Whatever the rest o' ye think."

Zog nods. "While our new companion is doing his research, I would like to change my appearance and move among the people to see if I can learn more of our destination or anything else that may be of use to us."

He shifts before the eyes of his companions to the form of a wretched old human. He cackles shrilly.

In reply to Gromley Underhill (msg # 199):

   "We can afford to take time for anything that might help us on our mission - that does not include dancing girls, though" Agon smiled at the gnome, before adressing the whole group.

   "Let's just agree on a place to meet up - the seeress' house maybe ? - and go our separate ways for a short while, then" the wizard agreed. He could use the time to refresh a few spells in his mind.

Let's play it up this way: Everyone write a mid- to long post about what they do in town. Feel free to PM me for ideas or to make things up if you like.

At the end of the post, roll 2-4 skill rolls for skills you're applying during this time off. You can assume you get an Extended Rest during this time as well.

Harald was pleased enough for a break.  The fight had not been too strenuous and he was only very lightly wounded but R&R was always welcome.

As the others wandered off to do whatever it was they were planning, Harald had only 3 things in mind; a drink, to get the gash in his side sewn up and then…a drink.  It would also be quite nice to have a bath and put his feet up for a while but there was no real necessity for that.

He headed back to find one of the seer's neighbors staring at him. A crone like the seer, she blinked and scrambled to her feet, looking at Harald in amazement.

“Er?  Excuse me,” he said mildly.  “Could ye be tellin’ me where Ah might get a drink o’ something better than water?  Ah’m sure ye must hae some sort o’ inn here…yes?” he said, almost pleadingly.

The woman first looked stunned. Then, suddenly, she burst into laughter – although cackling might have been a better description – and tears ran down her cheeks.  “Oh my dear chap, there is no inn here.  Everybody here makes their own poison.  Just ask around; I am sure someone will oblige you.”

Harald nodded. “Suits me” he said.  “So do you have any here?  Save these wee legs an unnecessary walk?”

The woman laughed again, a slightly more laugh-like laugh and pulled a wineskin down from a shelf.  “Try this; I owe you this much at least,” she said, tossing it to the dwarf.

Harald took the wineskin and wandered outside.  He plopped down on a wood-chopping block and pulled out the stopper with his teeth.  For a long time he stared at the skin, sniffing the contents carefully - this was after all the Realm of Betrayal.  He thought back to how the seer had been...then swiftly took a long swig.  As the burning liquid poured down his throat he began to wonder if he had made the right decision.  He coughed and spluttered, went slightly redder in the face than normal and then spluttered out most of what he had drunk.

“Wheesh!  Ah see what she means by poison.  That lassie wisnae jokin’.”

He took another swig, slower this time, and with due consideration.  “Aye!  Ah suppose Ah could get used tae this in time although it tastes mair like horse liniment than ony ither booze Ah hae tried.  An’ that reminds me…”

He stripped off his armour and bared his chest.  Peering down at his shoulder he could see the wound he had taken in the fight.  “That’s too far roond and awkward for me tae stitch” he muttered.  “Let’s see if this has ony ither uses” he said as he poured some of the alcohol down onto the wound.

His teeth grinded together with the pain but he was sure the treatment had killed off any infection.

…

When the others returned from their own distractions Harald was still sitting there, an empty wineskin in his hands, singing an ancient dwarf ditty.  [You could tell it was a dwarven ditty by the many references to rock and stone and by the many unpleasant terms for orcs and other greenskins.]

“Ye’re back then” he called “are we ready tae head aff then?  Coz if we are Ah will need tae get dressed once mair.”


00:13, Today: Harald Gaptooth rolled 36 using 1d20+16 with rolls of 20. Insight check. (Would the seer betray him?)
00:13, Today: Harald Gaptooth rolled 27 using 1d20+10 with rolls of 17. Diplomacy (Would the seer save him the trek)
00:14, Today: Harald Gaptooth rolled 26 using 1d20+14 with rolls of 12. heal check.(Using the alcohol to fix his light wound)
00:14, Today: Harald Gaptooth rolled 27 using 1d20+18 with rolls of 9. Endurance (Finishing off a full wineskin of hooch)
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:07, Wed 23 Oct 2013.

In reply to EpicOne (msg # 203):

Gromley spends time examining and checking a mystic artifact he is carrying around. He seems very interested in that, as well as attempting to gather other details of information. He knew the portal they where looking for now, so that might be in the thoughts of people-and once they where given enough drink-they would looser with their tongues. Of course, it was handy he could out drink most dwarves. Then again-there may be some lonely ladies who need some attention. Good thing he did not have to sleep, so he could hang on to his possessions...

(OOC-
11:14, Today: Gromley Underhill rolled 33 using 1d20+26 with rolls of 7. Diplomacy.
11:12, Today: Gromley Underhill rolled 41 using 1d20+29 with rolls of 12. Endurance.
11:11, Today: Gromley Underhill rolled 39 using 1d20+24 with rolls of 15. arcana.)

   The small globe of light Agon had created bathed the tent in an eerie glow. Sitting cross-legged on an old carpet, the wizard balanced a small book on one knee as he wrote about the eventful day. He worked silently, the small house silent save for his and the seeress' regular breathing - though all kind of sounds drifted in from the shantytown outside.

   He wrote for long minutes, pausing occasionally to think back on the day's events. Once done he pocketed the book carefully and stood up, stretching with a yawn.

   He approached the old woman's bed, the magic light following him. She had not woken up since the attack, and her rest seemed fitful - from pain, or maybe nightmares. Or visions. The Sage knew well the burden of prescience, and as a devotee of the goddess of Fate, he felt... maybe not responsible for what would become of the old woman, but concerned at the very least.

   With a sigh he sat back down and pulled a larger, heavier tome from his backpack, the cover inscribed with runes of power.

   "It was enough for today, but I can't afford to be anything less than well prepared from now on."

   He would study his spellbook for a couple hours, and try to get as much rest as possible before dawn. Hopefully, his companions would be back from their night on the town by then.


Arcana check : 36 (Preparing spells, studying the demi-plane energies, etc)
History check : 30 (Research about Kas and Arantor)
P.S. : I'll update my prepared spells tomorrow, on my character sheet

Nemeroff takes some times to think about the last fight and the talk they had with Kas himself. All this seem very odd to the Genasi. Why does Kas would need their help first?

He also walk in the town and talk with people to gather more information about the seer.

He then takes a rest with his allies.

Arcana and Religion: What do I know about Kas, and why he needs us?
Diplomacy and History: Gather info about seer.

12:26, Today: Nemeroff rolled 36,19,23,30 using 1d20+27,1d20+11,1d20+18,1d20+18 with rolls of 9,8,5,12. Arcana, Diplomacy, History, Religion.

Zog walked away from the others and proceeded to change shape again, into the shape of a middle-aged, sickly looking elf. He wandered about the streets, stopping to talk with people here and there, careful not to ask any personal questions.

He would occasionally pepper in a question about the dark lord, Arantor, his lair, or abut Kas. He would listen to what little bits he heard, then slip into a back alley and change shape again. He did this several times, taking a break at one point to rest in an apparently abandoned shelter.

Towards the end of this little journey through this grim slum, he approached the group's camp and changed form again into the bearded face he was using as he entered the settlement.

He chuckled as he saw Harald, half-dressed and greeted him...

Variety of skills checks. Also using Changeling power liberally to give any enhancement to the below.


13:49, Today: Zog the Faceless rolled 13,32 using 1d20+12,1d20+12 with rolls of 1,20. Stealth rolls.
13:48, Today: Zog the Faceless rolled 39,36 using 1d20+21,1d20+21 with rolls of 18,15. Bluff rolls.
13:48, Today: Zog the Faceless rolled 31,40 using 1d20+21,1d20+21 with rolls of 10,19. Streetwise rolls.

The results of your skills and subsequent discussion are here:
link to a message in this game

None of that conversation will affect the upcoming combat directly.

The group gathers, discusses, and then heads toward their destnation: the cave entrance to the realm of Arantor. As they are about to enter, a number of people start wailing and shrieking for the party to stop, but the party knows their purpose and proceeds inwards.

One of the magical types generates a light source and the group proceeds inward in what appears to be a normal, 10' wide stone cave tunnel that proceeds about 100' in before widening into a larger cave. To your left, almost around a corner, is a waterfall cascading into a dark pool that runs through the center of the room. The foam from the waterfall is moving rapidly southward—there’s a fast current running through the water. Smaller rivulets of water run down the sides of the cavern, splashing across the cavern floor to join the water in the center. Both the waterfall and the smaller streams of water pulse at irregular intervals; occasionally the roar of water falling on stone almost disappears for a second. Tiny droplets of water cover the smooth rock at your feet, making it quite slippery. The water flows toward the southern wall, which is carved flat and covered with a black-on-white mosaic. Perhaps it’s supposed to be veins or tree branches—many stones are missing, so it’s hard to tell. Some water flows into passages in the southeast and southwest corners of the room. The southwest corner has some exposed rock as far as you can see, but the southeast passage is covered in water. It could be only a foot of water, or it could be quite deep indeed. The water is so murky that it’s impossible to judge depth by sight.

A massive snake with a human woman’s head stirs from its coils on a rock outcropping to the southeast. Peering around a corner to the southwest is a humanoid head and an arm holding an iron spear.

Please ignore the giant T. That has no game meaning at the moment.

Roll initiative! Note the terrain details on the map.

Also, remember, don't roll skill checks if you have no chance of failure. That includes Athletics for jumping and the Acrobatics mentioned in the terraind etails.

Also feel free to roll monster knowledge checks on your turn--Arcana checks apply here.

Map: https://docs.google.com/drawin...Q50-wFOAK6P78Lk/edit

In reply to EpicOne (msg # 209):

The rocks looked slippery, the water fierce in its movements, and the ground-very dirty indeed. More than ever, Gromley was happy to ride on his floating disk. Clean, safe, and free from the vermin which crawled along the ground.

Even as they walked, Gromley was examining a trinket he had, checking it against his books.

It was then the armed snake women appeared, dangerous and inhuman. Seconds after that-Gromley was no where to be seen...

(OOC-Initiative, then Arcana check, then before the first action reactive stealth to hide.

14:09, Today: Gromley Underhill rolled 29 using 1d20+20 with rolls of 9. reactive stealth.
14:08, Today: Gromley Underhill rolled 43 using 1d20+24 with rolls of 19. arcana.
14:08, Today: Gromley Underhill rolled 31 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 19. Initiative.)
This message was last edited by the player at 19:37, Thu 24 Oct 2013.

Zog blinks at the snake-woman and the other humanoid, then looks around confused for a second. "Where did that gnome go?" he mutters.

17:01, Today: Zog the Faceless rolled 22 using 1d20+14 with rolls of 8. Initiative water snake room.

"Wha...?  Oooh shiiit!"

Harald noticed the snake beast and was just stepping forward to check it out when he jerked round at Zog's comment and his feet went from under him.  With a clatter of armour and a series of dwarven curses too awful to repeat here, he fell flat on his arse on the slippery floor of the cave.

"That's it, folks" he boomed, trying to sound cheerful, "just use me as a bridge and keep yer feet dry."


23:37, Today: Harald Gaptooth rolled 30 using 1d20+18 with rolls of 10 (inc +2 from Nemeroff) Initiative check.
23:39, Today: Harald Gaptooth rolled 13 using 1d20+10 with rolls of 3. Arcana check.
23:38, Today: Harald Gaptooth rolled 10 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 2. Acrobatics check.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:28, Fri 25 Oct 2013.

   Agon was following his companions down the dark underground path, lost in thought, when they signaled a potential threat ahead. He was slow to react though, barely getting a glimpse of a monster ahead before the fight began.

Initiative : 21 (with +2 from Nemeroff)
Monster Knowledge (Arcana) : 39