While Gilrak is a third of the way through his lecture, Totmacher starts the descent, "see you at the bottom, Dwarf."

Perrato emerges from his concentration over the cryptic parchments to once again return to the stream of events which surround him. Handing the arcane scroll to Aidrin and quickly describing its contents to the mage, the Palonard tucks away the document of divinely-empowered inscribed spells in his own scroll case and moves to intercept his hulking ally, Totmacher, as he prepares to enter the obelisk. "Discretion is the better part of valor, amigo, though perhaps the least part of barbarism...ah...ó...¿Cómo se dice?...barbarianism? Allow us but a few moments to gather our thoughts before we plunge into these unfamiliar depths. Not all of us share your prodigious courage and gusto for battle."

Perrato, hoping that Garryn will quaff the potion given him before the group faces any dangers below, asks Gilrak, "Have you told us all that you have deciphered from the archaic inscriptions on this obelisk?" The priest holds his last orison in reserve as he glances about to gauge the intentions of the rest of the group.

"For my part, I am eager to descend; but I must agree with the priest, a little wisdom may save a lot of our own blood shed. We should at least don the items before us, and make use of the healing salves."

Way OOC: I'll take a Wag at the item identifications: I think those are braces of protection-- +3 or +4, a +2 dagger, and a ring of Greater Magic Fang (okay maybe that last one is just wishful thinking). Anybody else willing to risk a guess, or maybe try something on?

Pausing in the preparation of his gear, Gilrak turns to the Cleric.  With an even stare from his dark dwarvish eyes he adds - "Aye Servant of Vagrani.  That I have.."  Beaming a brief smile to Perrato, Gilrak then returns to his preparations..

__________________________

OOC:  Unless there are any objections, Gil is going to apply one more salve.
WRT to the gear - good call Brian.  Makes sense to pick up the goods before we descend..

Garryn shakes his head ruefully at the ever impulsive half-orc and with a tosses his head back to quaff the potion the amusingly talkative priest had offered him. "Dammit Tot! At least give me a chance to examine the area before you blindly crash through!" Garryn growls as he stalks over to the obelisk. Before he ascends it he turns to Perrato and asks, "After you speak with our friends about thier dead, would you invite them to wait for our return from below so that we may travel back to the plains together, both enjoying the added safety of numbers and allowing us to further heal their wounds?" That done he turns back to the obelisk and begins to climb it.

My money is on +2 bracers of armor, +2 dagger and a ring of masculinity/femininity...finally a chance to make Tot a little less girly.

"Ah, yes...indeed, Señor Garryn, I will attempt to communicate with them, but I cannot guarantee that their path will be the same as ours." Perrato turns to the revived Travelers' Best Friends and attempts through pantomime and clumsy monosyllables to infer their intentions, evaluate their health, and gauge their willingness to join the party and avenge their comrades' deaths.

[OOC: Should I make some sort of Survival or CHA check for this, Kevin?]

Totmacher stops, seemingly catching himself and drops his Axe to his side.

Kev, what does Tot see?

Asher rubs one of the orc salves onto his wounds; he seems preoccupied by the items as the others go about their business of checking out the obelisk, and speaking with dogs. Finally, his empirical mind out ways his disbelief in magic, and he slips the badger-ring on his right ring finger (his left being occupied by the ring of jumping) and walks through the following series of actions:

He balls his right hand into a fist and punches his left open palm (magic fang)
     Anything Kev?
Next he climbs the obelisk and jumps down, tracking the rate of his fall. (Climbing, feather fall)
     Anything Kev?
Depending on the results, Asher may contemplate jumping off of the cliff into the lake (swimming), but first he will meditate on the previous actions to see if he can discern any effect the ring may have had.

OOC: Do you want me to make hit, climb, or jump checks for the above actions? and if so, what mods should I use? <grin>

Garryn the Grey:

My money is on +2 bracers of armor, +2 dagger and a ring of masculinity/femininity...finally a chance to make Tot a little less girly.

LMAO. Yeah my guesses were probably strongly influenced by wishful thinking.

The tough part now is trying to have the celebate, asexual monk prove that it is a ring of masculinity/femininity. Maybe my next question to Kevin will be, "does Asher feel like drinking a wine cooler or a beer?"

10:42, Yesterday: Asher Willbourne rolled 2 using 1d4+1. orc salve.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:09, Wed 25 Jan 2006.

Asher performs a series of actions after donning the badger-headed ring.  None of his actions seem to yield definitive results.

Totmacher halts his hasty descent into the obelisk, and elects to examine just what it is that he is entering.

Well-made stone steps descend steeply into the earth, curving tightly around to form a right-angled spiral and continuing out of sight.  The smell of orc and ogre remains strong, but the barbarian notes that there is a slight movement of air past his face and outward--clearly, some venting of subterranean regions is occurring via the obelisk.

Patches of barely-phosphorescent fungi are scattered across the stone walls of the interior, although none occur on the steps themselves.  The steps bear the unmistakeable markings of having been used roughly--the half-orc reflects that neither orcs nor ogres are renowned for their careful natures--but the dwarven-crafted stone appears to have held up well.

OOC:  Rudimentary map up on the website, under 'Obelisk interior'.  Moves?

After applying a second Salve to his wounds, Gilrak moves closer to the stone steps - and takes a knee - intent upon finding what the earth has to reveal..

___________________________________________


18:09, Today: Gilrak Kilring rolled 28 using 1d20+8. Track - Obelisk Entrance.
18:06, Today: Gilrak Kilring rolled 5 using 1d4+1. salve 2.

OOC:  Gil is now at 24/27 HP

"I believe this ring may well suit one of our less armoured members." With that he tosses it on the pile and slips the copper bracers on. He moves his hands though a series of moves remeniscent of a Kata and then meditates a moment.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:22, Thu 26 Jan 2006.

Asher's movements appear unimpeded, but the monk receives the sense that invisible yet tangible forces are providing him with some degree of protection.

OOC:  In game terms (and in the interest of moving us along), the bracers are +3 Bracers of Armor, and the ring is a +1 ring of Natural Armor.  Asher cannot use the bracers and retain his wisdom bonuses to AC, but he could wear the ring of Natural Armor.  Of course, anyone else can wear either of these items.  The dagger has a slightly stronger aura than Totmacher's axe, allowing Perrato to conclude that it has a +2 enchantment.

Totmacher, turns towards the Dwarf as he enters the obelisk, "Orc blood was here last, Dwarf.   There is still more yet to spill."  Totmacher then continues down the steps.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:38, Mon 30 Jan 2006.

"Asher, why don't you keep the ring for now...and Aidrin, you wear the bracers. We'll finalize who gets what later. Tot slow down, and be quie," Garryn says speaking every more quietly as he approaches the door and follows Tot down.

"Let me listen for a moment," Garryn whispers as he nears his hulking companion.

Garryn the Grey rolled 22 using 1d20+6. Listen check.

Asher picks the ring back up from the pile and slips it on before handing the dagger to Perrato and the bracers to Aidrin. He then hands two Orc Salves to Perrato, two to Aidrin, two to Garryn, and uses the last on himself. The rest of the loot, he scoops into his sack and drops into his backpack.

"What do you hear, Garryn?"

OOC: Let's get moving, we can discuss redistribution later. I guessing on who needs the salves, I don't believe Cay or Tot are lacking in HP. Correct?

12:15, Today: Asher Willbourne rolled 3 using 1d4+1. Orc salve. 
This message was last edited by the player at 18:20, Mon 30 Jan 2006.

Aidrin gingerly sniffs the vessel Asher has handed him and screws his face in disgust. "Smells like something that recently made its way out of a bugbear. Which end I'm not sure. Thanks just the same," he says and nods at the monk.

After stowing the salve in one of his many pouches the wizard dons the bracers and flicks his fingers about, testing their mobility. "I believe these will do nicely." Aidrin also stores the parchment handed him by the priest in one of his scroll cases.

Gilrak examines the surface of the stone stairs as Totmacher begins his descent.  The dwarf is forced to agree with the half-orc's untrained assessment--all evidence points to the stairs having seen much recent traffic, all of it clearly consisting of the hob-nailed boots of medium sized creatures, and the boots and hand-prints of large creatures as they half-walked, half-crawled up and down the stone stairwell.

Garryn puts a restraining hand on Totmacher as the big barbarian starts down the stairs, attempting to glean any aural information from the depths.  The sound of air moving gently up the shaft of the obelisk, and the surrounding noises of his companions' breathing and the shifting of their feet, is the only thing the rogue hears...but wait, thinks the rogue.  Is that...a voice?  Yet it seems...far away.  Wafted upon the foul-smelling breeze is the faint, barely heard sound of guttural syllables that Garryn cannot understand.  The source seems distant, however.

Asher quickly distributes the items identified as possessing magical auras, keeping the ring for himself.  Then, the party enters the obelisk's aperture, beginning the descent down the stone steps.  Orcish graffiti, done in chalk or occasionally blood, is sporadically scrawled along the walls leading down--all of it scatological and representing a stunning degree of stupidity, as Gilrak notes ("I fuk ur mom, Greeshka."  "Me to!"  "Hoo mom?" represents one such apparently interactive exchange).

The stench of urine, feces, and general fetor of orc and ogre is strong.  Totmacher, while not regarding the odors as pleasant, nevertheless was raised among similar smells and is not particularly fazed.  The rest of the party, however, find themselves gagging occasionally as they gradually adapt to the foul air.

Upon descending approximately 25 feet underground, the stairs terminated in a branched corridor, each branching leading to a heavy stone door, partially open.  Air is moving along the corridor, flowing from both of the open doors.  A circular set of carved runes adorn the floor at the corridor intersection.

OOC:  New map up on the site under "Obelisk interior", also available on the link HERE.

Prior to the party's descent down the obelisk's stairs, Perrato attempts to communicate with the remaining blink dogs.  With ensues is a remarkable degree of interspecies communication.  Perrato and the pack leader are able to establish several things clearly.

The leader paces towards Perrato, then bows its head and forequarters down before the priest.  It follows this display by rearing up on its hind legs and laying its forepaws on each of the Palonish man's shoulders, drawing its head towards Perrato's and touching its nose to the priest's own.  It then drops back to the ground, approaches Garryn, and performs the same series of displays.  Each of the surviving blink dogs emulate their leader's actions, focusing their attentions on Perrato and Garryn.

After this seemingly ritualistic set of behaviors, Perrato is able to establish three facts, through his communications with the intelligent canines:
1.  The blink dogs will remain on the surface, guarding the obelisk
2.  The blink dogs will descend to aid the party if sounds or smells of battle are noted.
3.  The blink dogs will travel with the party as long as they remain outside of civilized lands.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:32, Tue 31 Jan 2006.

Looking up from examining the various tracks on the steps, Gilrak catches a glimpse of the interaction between Perrato, Garryn and the canines.  With a raised eybrow that betrays his obvious amusement, he adds under his breath -

"...How touching.   Fer feck sake..."

With that, he descends with the rest of the party.

Tot cautiously moves towards the west door - located in E10 and gesturing Garryn forward so he is within whisper range.  "Totmacher does not fear the element of surprise.  Can you tell which direction the voices are coming from?"

Tot will then listen at E10.

21:21, Today: Totmacher of the Wilds rolled 13 using 1d20+5. Listen (w/mods).

OOC:  Kev, is there any light radiating from either door?
This message was last edited by the player at 03:25, Wed 01 Feb 2006.

Perrato does what he can to express gratitude on behalf of the whole party to the surviving members of the pack before he turns to the obelisk and prepares himself to descend with the group.

He uses his last orison to restore a bare fraction of his health, then eyes the orcish salves with some trepidation. Though a man of the cloth, Perrato is also a Palonard, and the idea of healing agents which leave the patient scarred by design is ill news to his inherent vanity. "¡Qué medicina cruda! ¿Cuandó he sido un gran ejemplo de belleza de todos modos?" the priest mutters as he applies two containers of the foul unguent to whichever of his wounds are easily covered by his clothing.

Finally, Perrato seeks the assistance of his deity once more to improve the rate at which he travels over land, "Per potesta Vagrani minister suus cum celerita magna movebo!" His sect's Prayer for Expeditious Travel by Foot is no sooner complete than his colleagues notice his unusual spring of step and nimble traversal of ground. He files into line with the rest of the group and his newly lighter feet take to the stairs.

[OOC: Perrato should be at 28 HP now. The things I do for my health...
23:23, Today: Perrato Viatomagne rolled 5 using 1d4+1. Apply first unguent.
23:24, Today: Perrato Viatomagne rolled 4 using 1d4+1. Apply second unguent.
There are four unguents left by my calculation.
Perrato has cast Longstrider on himself. The only spell he has remaining is Heat Metal, a domain spell which cannot be switched out for healing.]
This message was lightly edited by the player at 05:56, Wed 01 Feb 2006.

Seeing that the party is about to enter the obelisk, Fiach swoops down and alights on Aidrin's shoulder.

Garryn gives his large companion a look that suggests he doesn't fully grasp what was said but he decides that now is not the time to discuss the vagarities of language and he steps ahead to the point where paths diverge. Garryn is completely still while he listens, trying to determine the direction and distance from where the sound originates.

Moved to E13
Garryn the Grey rolled 20 using 1d20+6. Listen check.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:06, Thu 02 Feb 2006.

Lacking Darkvision or trapfinding skills, Asher stays towards the middle of the pack as the party descends. At the bottom of the stairs, Asher pricks up his ears.



OOC:12:23, Today: Asher Willbourne rolled 24 using 1d20+6. Listen check, correct mods. Asher is at the foot of the stairs, C13
This message was last edited by the player at 18:24, Thu 02 Feb 2006.