In reply to Shorty (msg # 971):

Trysk casts Protection from Normal Missiles on himself.

In reply to Trysk (msg # 972):

OOC: looks like prep is done, onward to glory and the grave ... ;)

The group makes their way behind the statue of Tiamat, you can tell that the statue as moved by the groves in the floor and probably moves enough for the massive double doors to open fully.  The doors are easily 80' high and some 50' wide.  In this case the doors are only open about 10' wide to allow your entrance.  The glowing red light intensifies as you get closer and you feel hot dry air pouring thru the opening - temperature probably in the high 90's .. dry heat.

The red light is almost blinding as you get to the entrance and you need to shield your eyes but once thru the entrance the red light is somewhat dull and it takes time for your eyes to adjust to the new lighting.  What you can tell is that the room looks massive, it is difficult to tell the extent given the eyes to adjust as well as the entire room, the floor, walls ceiling is a red mosaic pattern, much like dragon scales, along with the red lighting makes everything seem to blend together.

The first things that you notice are 4 individuals scattered about, a huge pile of metal coins and objects about 50' in front of you, gold statues (10' tall) of Tiamat off to your immediate right and left perhaps at the corners of the room - each at least 100' away from you and 2 sets of 3 ivoryish backless chairs (one set on either side of the coin pile).

The individuals look like the following.  Nearest to you about 20' from the coin pile, 30' from you, appears to be a cleric who is holding a long staff, wearing breastplate with 5 dragon heads on it, and a mace hangs from his belt.  He looks to be a human, perhaps middle-aged with red hair, perhaps 5'10" and looks to be just slightly overweight.  The staff is about 7' long, black wood with a ruby atop.

The next two look almost identical in feature and stand just before the chairs.  They are human fighters each with long sword and shield, wearing plate mail. Each man looks to have a round face, black hair and stands about 6' tall.  They stand with swords in salute looking straight ahead.  Warwick has seen one of them before - he called himself Zak the Sentinel.

Next, standing off to one side at least 100' to the left and further into the room is an elf.  He is dressed in black from head to toe, looks to have red hair.  His arms are folded in front but you can make out bracers, a short sword in a scabbard and a short bow at his back. He just stares at you all.  You believe this to be Keryth based on Dualis' description.

As you eyes adjust and you look around and up you notice a pair of yellow eyes about 50' off the ground staring down at you and then you can make out a face and a huge reptilian head.  Then you begin to make out the long neck and finally the massive body atop the coins and also what looked like  6 chairs are actually the creatures claws.  The red dragon, like a giant chameleon, almost blends in perfectly with the surrounding room, making her extent difficult to visualize and comprehend.

The priest bangs his staff twice onto the floor and hard, the sound echos.  He then says "Come forth and make yourselves known, all those who come before her ladyship the Mistress of Black Doom."  he again bangs the staff on the floor twice which echos as before.

Actions?

--DM2

Warwick replies.  "Ye asked to see us?"

In reply to Warwick (msg # 974):

Ez’ard sends to Warwick, *Very diplomatic…*

Ez’ard pulls out his glasses and puts them on. He acts as though he needs them to get a better look as he looks around the room, at the people, the pile of coins and treasure, and finally taking in ALL of the dragon. When finished he will try for an unimpressed sniff and carefully put them away again.

Morteft spreads out a little bit more. *Be sure to find our gnoll friend, Ez'ard. I am sure he is in here.*

Morteft gives a nod. "I am Morteft. A simple wizard in search of adventure. Nice to meet you."

In reply to Morteft (msg # 976):

Trysk continues to spread out, the opposite direction of Morteft. He had one hand in Sizzle and another on his Rod to scan for magic, evil and invisible.

*Sizzle, what do you sense in this room? Anything beyond what we can see?*

*I never claimed to be a diplomat and they're all evil.  Why play word games with creatures like this?  Just look around.  There also might be mindflayers around.*

In reply to Warwick (msg # 978):

Tzar takes a step forward, his sword hilt is back on his forearm, and he bows with a flourish "I am Tzar, Knight of the Great Kingdom in Flanaess, Knight of the Regent to his majesty King Stell."  It seems like Tzar has done this sort of thing before, he then steps back.

Fritz whispers to Warwick "You are supposed to give your name and title."

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 979):

*They know who we are.  They made that pretty clear when we fought Fritz.*

OOC: Morteft has detect invisibility going so he should be able to see invisible, ethereal, astral and so on....

Morteft scans the room.

In reply to Morteft (msg # 981):

The ethereal and astral are blocked, nothing invisible.

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 982):

Ez’ard tips his hat and introduces himself to Big Red, “Greetings, I am Ez’ard, a simple waif with minor abilities.”

Ez’ard sends to the group, *There is another human like figure to the right side of the dragon.  He is dressed in all black, in very fine clothes, he has slick backed dark hair and a thin goatee. And boy is she big!*
This message was last edited by the player at 00:24, Yesterday.

Warwick sighs to himself.  He doesn't bow, but gives a head nod.  "Warwick Forgemaker.  Lord, General, Cleric of Reorx."

Shorty watches and listens and waits for his best guess at an appropriate time to speak.  When there appears to be a lull in the conversation, When he judges it a good time, Shorty steps forward and bows impressively deep for an ogre..

“Hullo, Lady.  Me bees Shorty, Grenn Knight a Arcturus.  Dis day me bees one dat brings messages.

Me hab two messages fer da Lady Red.  Me say dem as bestus me members dem.  Bes pardon if me words no so gooder.

Firstus, Da Lady Penney and da Dragon Council asks mes ta tell youse, Shorty stares down at his feet for a moment as he tries to get the words just right. “Da Council request da honor of youse Presents to talks bout story dat come to dem tention.

Shorty seems to relax a little as that message is delivered.  “Me nudder message bees from da Lady a da Forest.  Her ask me ta warns youse bout danger.  Once der bees da Bad Cloud.  Him bees sad Cloud cause him no so strong as him wants ta bees.  Him looks fer peoples ta makes him more strong.  Him Promise da Orcs new home, the ancient Black Dragon muches power, da Trolls a new land call Delith, bad men dat dem ken rule Arcturus, da giants da dem ken kills da dwarf.  Many times him makes promise.  In all da times eber, him never once keeps him promise.  Like thief him take what not his, like assassin him stab him friend in back, like coward him let udders fall to sabe him own self.  Dat Bad Cloud be name Set.  Lady a da Forse Ask me ta warns youse and da Lady a Many Heads dat Set plan da same fer youse.  Mielikki no wants youse Kingdom.  Her no wants youre power.  Her only wants da Balance be safe.  Me own son bees red dragon.  Me no wants hate red dragon.  Lady a Forest says ta helps youse ifn’t youse wants ta send da Set creatures away.”

Shorty takes a practiced step backwards.  “Me waits fer youse response.”

In reply to Shorty (msg # 985):

Dolaths eyes turn to Trysk and he stares at him hard.

--DM2

Arye will move to the left, keeping an eye on the cleric with the staff.

"I am Arye, of the Nocturnal Grove." he says quietly.

Trysk waits until Arye finishes introducing himself before simply saying in Solomian, "My name is Trysk, of the Underdark."

In reply to Shorty (msg # 985):

OOC: Long post

The whole assembly waits for the group to finish their introductions, as you go in turn there seems to be no reaction from the dragon's face, her two guards or the cleric (Dolath).  The one exception is when Shorty mentions his 'son', there are distinct puffs of smoke coming from her nostrils and her eyes narrow a bit.

Keryth's facial expressions change as you announce yourselves, mostly sneers, maybe a cough or two or other indiscernible mouth noises.

Then Fritz introduces himself, he starts with a bow "Fritz Verderben, fallen knight of her majesty Queen Tiamat, fallen knight of Set, former curator of Black Doom, son of Zeg'zozzidar." Fritz finishes.

When Fritz is done, Dolath will again rap his staff onto the ground twice causing the echo. He then says "It is well, now all pay heed to her Ladyship, favored of her majesty Queen Tiamat and mistress of Black Doom. Lady Coccineus Colossicus Seditiosus."  Dolath turns sideways and bows and then moves off to the far left side of the room.  All is silent till he makes his way to the wall.  Big Red does not take her eyes off of you while Dolath moves to the wall and then she speaks when he takes his spot.

OOC: Think of her voice as Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (if you have seen it, old Disney movie) but deeper.

She looks at you one by one  "Welcome agents of the self-righteous and misguided. Welcome to Morteft, self-proclaimed simple wizard who is anything but simple. Protector of Calator and junior member of the High Mages Guild.  And Tzar, knight of several realms, you seem out of place here young one, as are you Ayre of the Nocturnal, archdruid and master of the bow, you should both long for home.  Ez'ard a simple waif, yes, and sidekick to the reject of his own kind, perhaps jester may fit.  Ah Lord Warwick of the Forgemaker clan and priest of Reorx, great general of Stoneguard, you honor me, brining me a gift, your grandfather is infamous in Dragon-Lore.  Trysk, of the Underdark, although not anymore and now a double agent, my my." as she turns to Shorty her eyes blaze and her nostrils flare and her tone becomes menacing "Shorty, Green Knight a Arcturus, dragon slayer. You have a message for me .. here is mine to you, you who killed my sister and kidnapped my nephew, stole him to another world, perverted his young mind with deluded ramblings.  After our business is done here I will retrieve my nephew, bring him back home and begin to retrain him properly."  her tone softens "And if it please me, burn Stormhold to the ground."  She turns finally to Fritz and gives a dragon sigh "Fritz Verderben, there was so much hope in you and now you have fallen a great fall; broken but perhaps not permanently so."

She lifts her head higher, now some 60' in the air and says "You have all trespassed on Black Doom and did harm to those within.  There is only one outcome for these egregious acts. Join me, become my personal servants or die.  Choose."

--DM2

*I guess this is where we fight?* thinks Warwick.  *Do we do it now or retreat?*

Trysk raises his hand that is not on Sizzle and says with a serious face, "Point of order, your majesty. Are you offering us 3 choices or just 2? Also, could you clarify by what means we will die?"

In reply to Trysk (msg # 991):

Big Red regards Trysk "Trysk of the Underdark, let me clarify the implied conjunction .. Join me AND become my servants or die.  Die, as in you will cease to live."

--DM2

Morteft says, "Join you in what? Also, if there is death involved, are there terms? Do we just all start fighting? Fritz seemed to indicate there is a process here. Also, I think you forget the other options. You could surrender to us. You could become our ally as Shorty suggested and help us drive out the minions of Set. I imagine we could come up with a few more options besides if you are open to them. However, if you are presenting the only options you are willing to consider, then you leave us little choice. Finally, I just want to say that it is very rude to make us introduce ourselves AND not introduce yourselves. Of course, we know who you are, but we don't know who these lackeys are. It is good to know who you are about to kill, I think. I like to have a drink every so often and think of the poor tortured soul burning in whatever hell they opted for when I am feeling more...human."

He pauses and then says, "Oh, and what do you mean by double agent?" he glances at Trysk.

Shorty waits till his friends make their remarks and then looks to the cleric.  He bows his head before asking, "DO her speak fer youse Queen or speak fer self?  No so sure her serve Queen.  Maybeso betray Queen fer own revenge."

Arye telepathically thinks to the others, *can we shoot them?*

In reply to Morteft (msg # 993):

Morteft gives his monologue and when he finishes Big Red starts to lightly dragon chuckle.
"You humans, always try to complicate things and to think about the absurd.  The terms were simple, but to spell it out for you, you would either state that you will serve me and lay down your weapons and items  OR  state that you choose to fight and battle commences."  she soft chuckles again "Of course the outcome is certain in which you will die, hence choose to be my servants or die." she dragon sighs "Now since you are naive in proper protocol I shall explain.  These are servants, therefore, no introduction is required.  Any others are just guests, not part of the court and therefore, again, no introduction is required.  Finally, I shall indulge your naivety one last time.  Set is coming whether you want it or not, why resist the inevitable. My queen knows this to be.  As far as join you ..." she stands, you mostly know this due to the noise and air movement.  Her wings unfurl and her claws raking into the floor creating a cascade of coins. Her form still blends into the surroundings and her eyes pull back further, her voice now has menace in it "I am a dragon, a race as old as time itself, we do not follow lesser beings, you bow to our will!  Now choose your fate."

The cleric pays Shorty no mind.

OOC: I think I need to make a new thread, call it Delith: Black Doom, Dragon's Court

I will also post this same reply there for continuity.

--DM2