After Authiel's reverie was complete, she tried her best to shield Iodaem' s eyes but it was nearly impossible to do so.  Nevertheless, she stayed beside him while she did some reading and studying.  The following morning found her none the worse for wear except that she fretted over Iodaem concernedly.

The elf chose to try and eat the food, but later she nibbled on a bit of her own rations to supplement what little she had partaken of.  Then she followed Gurgun in case he needed her assistance, as she assumed they all would, but let him handle the situation.

The hobgoblins hurrumphed. "I'll look with you, make sure you don't steal anything. Come on." the lead one said, whom Gurgun had come to realise was the sergeant. He disappeared into the storeroom, leading the way.

The other hobgoblin grunted and stepped aside to stand guard by the door, not forgetting to bump his shoulder against Gurgun on the way past.

Gurgun makes sure the guard does not forget which shoulder he used (OOC: I treat this as an AoO, non-lethal damage.).
Stepping inside the store room he first addresses the sergeant: Stand by the door and let me take a good look around first, and let the elf pass through as well. He's got keen eyes. Do you see anything not right in here?
Gurgun then lets his gaze sweep across the room, making sure to check the ground right inside the door first, then his immediate surrounding, then the ceiling. He keeps is ears open for any noise other than the sergeants grunts and snorts as he slowly takes a step inside.

Not really knowing where to start searching and what to looks for he calls out to Slove: Slove, you'd better take a look as well.

OOC: 07:45, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 25 using 1d20+5. Listen.
07:43, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 4 using 1d20. Search.
07:39, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 18 using 1d20+7. Spot.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:10, Tue 23 Sept 2008.

Gurgun found himself in a room filled with boxes, crates and barrels of food and supplies, no doubt brought in by the orcish and goblinoid troops. He looked in a few, mainly it was hardtack and dried meats, and barrels of stale water and the foul orcish booze. Other crates held spare bits of armour, weapons and equipment. Gurgun estimated that enough rations and supplies were stored here to last the company another month, though it was doubtful that the creatures themselves would last that long.

Gurgun noticed that the eastern glass wall had warped a bit, and made strange reflections.

As Gurgun looked around, but before Slove entered, the hobgoblin sergeant spoke quietly in Goblin "Tolg'byri the star-worm didn't die to the lich. We came to this tower, and Tolg'byri went down below. The half-orc woman Savera said she would challenge him for leadership. We laughed at her and let her go to her doom." He grunted, a snigger at an old joke that had lost its humour.

"We heard strange noises and thought her dead. But she came back, dragging one of the worm's tentacles as proof, and declared herself leader. She named Thraka as her lieutenant. Old Guerik complained, he had been lieutenant. Savera knocked him down and shamed him. Old Guerik went mad and ran off into the other towers."

The sergeant sighed and went on. "Now the taers take orders from Savera. We only see Thraka, and he acts as one dead, or heart-sore. Once I saw a giant spider, and a column of smoke that moves around by itself. Savera must be a powerful witch, powerful enough to slay a star-worm. We would leave, but there is no escape from this night-world. And we dare not challenge Savera or Thraka, though they order death-seeking raids into the towers."

"I don't expect you or your pink-skinned friends to get rid of Savera for us. I just thought you should know." The hobgoblin sergeant left the storeroom.


OOC: I'm going to need more Search checks. :)

Slove has said very little.  He never was much for words anyway but the elf know that Gurgun Nightwhisper is in a far better situation to get the information they need.
He give the hobgoblin and look as if say tell me what he said later.
When hobgoblin speak to him he answers back in level tone.  As one warrior to another or one lieutenant.  Of equal rank and power.
"Yes I can help you look.  It always good have two pair of eyes looking than one."

Unlike Gurgun slove take goes about search in more methodical way.  He start on his left and works slowly around the round.  He takes his time looking at everything and in no hurry.  One thing clear he alone seem to like this twilight world.

He then ask question.
"I wounder how my kind provided food for themselves here.  It would be useful to know."

10:01, Today: Slove rolled 8 using 1d20+7. Listen.
10:01, Today: Slove rolled 17 using 1d20+7. Spot.
10:02, Today: Slove rolled 20 using 1d20+5. search.
10:02, Today: Slove rolled 18 using 1d20+5. search.
10:02, Today: Slove rolled 6 using 1d20+5. search.
10:02, Today: Slove rolled 15 using 1d20+5. search.

Gurgun simply nods and waits for Slove to conclude his search, not wanting to interfere.

Slove looked around the room, finally peering behind a stack of crates set against the eastern wall. Then he found a hole in the glass wall, surrounded by a spider-web of cracks and splinters. The gap was just about big enough to crawl through - though he expected it to lead directly into Thraka's room.

Gurgun calls in the others, Gurgun tell what hobgoblin sergeant tell him and then we decide what to do.

Gurgun inspects the hole, trying to determine if that could have caused the odd look of the glass wall. Then he walks over to the door frame and motions to Authiel to bring the others with her into the room. Quietly he talks to the sergeant (in Goblin): You are wise and cunning. Can we count on you to back us if we succeed in overthrowing the reign of the she-half-brute? You must give Gurgun your word of honor. He pauses and awaits the reply of the hobgoblin.

Slove stands back after his search.  He gins at Gurgun.
"It takes a lot to out do good pair of elven eyes and ears."

Gurgun flashes him one of his very rare smiles in return. Indeed!

Before he left, the hobgoblin replied "If you live, human pet, and if you show yourself to be a real hobgoblin, then yeah, we'll back you. The orcs should back down if they see us on your side." Then he disappeared back into the camps, not wishing to arouse suspicion.

The others entered into the storeroom. Jorn quietly checked out the hole in the wall, then returned to whisper "Aye, this will lead into Thraka's room, alright. I heard snoring, so I think he's still asleep... That crack is old, caused by a spell-battle if I'm not mistaken."

We'll succeed, or die trying Gurgun replies as the hobgoblin seargeant leaves him, before joining the team inside the store room. Once inside, he quietly retells the information given him by the sergeant, finally nodding towards the hole:
Looks like this be our way forward. Gurgun rather fight witch than the dead. What to do now?

"Well, that Thraka's in there, I don't think we want to be waking him or exciting the orcs, but I know I'm not much of one for creeping about." Jorn mused.

"Nor I." Allessandra added.

The dwarf tugged his beard as he thought. "Now we could get some climbing equipment from the orcs, and maybe scale our way down to a lower level. Maybe there's a door or a window, or another crack like this one. Or we could even swim across to the base and climb upwards, but I don't like the looks of that sea..." He turned to Gurgun, who seemed to have inherited the role of leader of this phase of the expedition, and to the others. "How do you think we ought to proceed?"


OOC: That's two, three paths to investigate this tower. Stealth, through Thraka's room (and maybe dealing with Thraka on the way, but he might make a noise and alert the others), or head outside and find another way into the lower sections.

Gurgun can be very silent, but not strong enough to fight witch alone.

"I don't have problem with either way.  If we deal with Thraka's we going to be careful.  Stealth is no problem.  If want we could scout first and come back for others that not so skilled?"

Gurgun thinks we want to avoid Thraka. If orc chief under mind control, surprise is wasted if Thraka is disturbed. Maybe making us silent through magic? Or climb down to witch.

"I have a wand of invisibility, I'm afraid that's my only concession towards stealthiness." Jorn said with a bit of embarrassment at not being so useful.

"And I expended the last of my divine power at that level on healing you and Iodaem this morning." Allessandra added.

"Now, I reckon I could summon a critter to make a distraction, and we could slip in behind, but if we're caught, the orcs won't be impressed. They're on edge, and we don't want to make them jumpier." the dwarf mused. "No, I think sneaking might be best. I know Slove here can creep around pretty well, and I know that you hobgoblins are good at such things - no offense."

He turned to face Iodaem and Authiel. "You two haven't said anything for a while. What do you think we should do?"

Unfortunately Authiel had no idea what they should do.  Planning a military excursion such as this wasn't really her area of expertise.  "I wish I could be of more help," Authiel replied softly, "But I have no idea what we should do or how we should go about it.  I confess to being completely out of my element here."

"It maybe best idea if Gurgun and myself do some scouting and find out more about what going on her before we make any quick actions that could end up killing somebody or something we need.  The truth is I wish to see this kingdom restored to elves but I not going start killing until I know all peace on game board.  If we can play one peace of against another that fine by me."

The use of Gurgun name clearly state that even thought Gurgun is hobgoblin Slove views him as equal and valuable member of party.

"Alright, take a look, but be careful."

The crack in the wall was small, but Slove and Gurgun could duck and crawl through with little difficulty.


OOC: So, if Slove and Gurgun want to sneak into Thraka's room, give me Hide and Move Silently checks.

We'll be right back! Gurgun whispers before crouching and crawling through the hole.

07:57, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 17 using 1d20+10. Move silently.
07:56, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 17 using 1d20+6. Hide.

Slove follows the hobgoblin however not a well as he normal would.

OOC:
18:18, Today: Slove rolled 12 using 1d20+9. move silently.
18:17, Today: Slove rolled 12 using 1d20+9. Hide.

OOC: Crap!

Gurgun and Slove ducked and crawled through the fissure with as much care as they could muster. Gurgun made it through quietly and successfully, and found himself in a small, bare room, just like all the others. In the centre, atop a pile of grubby furs, lay Thraka. The half-orc was thankfully asleep, but tossing and turning, and muttering constantly under his breath in Orcish, as if in a nightmare. [Neither of you know Orc.]

Slove followed soon after Gurgun. But as he crawled, his knee bumped the glass wall. With a light tinkle, a shard of glass was knocked loose. The piece toppled out of the wall and hit the glass floor with a light crack!

Thraka stopped in his writhings, and snorted. For a few agonising heartbeats, they watched the sleeping half-orc. Would he wake?

Then, at last, he grunted and rolled over, still asleep, and now somewhat calmer for having his bad dreams interrupted. [Thraka: Listen 12 (after a -5 for light sleep. Just beaten due to Slove's higher modifier in Move Silently. :D Now sleeping properly, Thraka is back to a -10 Listen penalty.]

Now they had time to look around. The door back to the camp must have been broken in some ancient past, for it now lay propped up against the wall and holding in place a blanket. No orcs or hobgoblins came through it.

By his makeshift bed lay Thraka's possessions - a small leather chest, a belt of potions, a small plain wooden buckler, and a big orcish greatsword with jagged edges. Thraka slept in his armour.

Opposite the door was an alcove set into the wall, containing a tube of transparent glass an arm's span wide that descended into the floor. The walls of tube were covered with a netting of thick spider webs, that might serve as a ladder. [8 feet wide. Think of an elevator-shaft, only without the elevator, just a ladder.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:36, Thu 09 Oct 2008.

Gurgun contemplates the web-ladder, and the creature whose glands created the sticky strands. He takes a look at Slove as if to ask him how to proceed.