In reply to Omni-Tent (msg # 25):

" okay, I guess. "

     Relba pushed the blonde away, telling her to stop badgering Admiria.  Reluctantly, the blonde got changed and put herself to bed, like the others.

     Once the candles were out, Relba snuggled under the covers against Admiria, rubbing her soft fur.

     "Sorry we can't have more privacy.  Maybe it's best if we just rest for now.  Surely there'll be time to get to know each other later?" Relba whispered.

     Somebody else in the room make kissy noises, and someone else giggled.

In reply to Omni-Tent (msg # 27):

" Enough, maybe I can switch beds every night. Right now let's rest. "

--- The Next Morning ---

     Admiria awoke when Relba climbed out of bed.  The sun was up and the lithe human stretched before tying back her hair and washing her face in a basin of water at the back of the room.

     The short redhead was sprawled out on her bed, snoring, while the blonde was tucked under her own covers with her head buried deep in a pillow.  The large one was missing.

In reply to Omni-Tent (msg # 29):

Admiria gets out of bed and wraps her arms around Relba.
" You left to quickly. "

     "Hurk!" Relba gasped as the catgirl grappled her.  Then she looked down and smiled, patting her head.  "Well, good morning to you too.  Don't worry, Kitten.  Now that you're a part of the group, we'll have plenty of time together."

     The movement and talking caught the blonde's attention, and she peeked out of her pillow.  "Relba!  You're awake!  Thank goodness!  Is it time to eat?" she asked, blushing when she saw the naked, grappling catwoman.

     Relba sighed and nodded as she dried her face and hands.  "C'mon, Kitten.  Let's get dressed and find some breakfast before we head out on our mission."

In reply to Omni-Tent (msg # 31):

Admiria not even flustered as her fur covers everything. She only wear clothes to keep her armor from chaffing. She sighs and puts her clothes and armor on.

" I keep forgetting you unfurred have issues with how Nature and the Gods left you uncovered with fur. "
This message was last edited by the player at 18:40, Wed 31 May 2017.

     Admiria's unashamed attitude as she walked around the room naked only made the blonde more nervous.  She herself turned away from everyone and quickly got dressed.

     Relba woke up the short one and everyone was soon getting dressed.  Just as they were all almost done, the door opened and the tall one came in with a platter full of food.  She was wearing a short cloth robe.

     "Eat, eat, eat!  It might be the last real meal we get for a few days, so enjoy it while you can," she said.

     "Goodness, where did you get strawberries?" the blonde squeaked as she dug in.

In reply to Omni-Tent (msg # 33):

Adria, after dressing, returns to the table and eats.

     Once everyone was filled and dressed, the party headed out on their journey.  Traveling south out of town on foot, the large one lead the way.  No one challenged her right of way, and she gave them a clear path through the city crowd until they were moving through farmland.  Even some horse riders and carriages moved to give her way, but she politely stepped to the side of the road when there wasn't room for both.

     Franna continued to pepper Admiria with questions about her homeland and how she had come to Stonefair.  Relba was somewhat curious herself and listened intently.

In reply to Omni-Tent (msg # 35):

Admiria takes a deep breath.

" My Homeland, The Jungle of Jynd, is very warm and humid. Most of the sentient dwellers are one of the followinga sub race of Dwarves called the Jynd, The Children of the Cat Mother, The Kenku,  The Grippli, and various goblinoid races. I am obviously a Child of the Cat Mother. The Children have various tribes. The Simba, The Khan, The Qualmi, The Tabaxi, The Tibbits, and The Panthri. I am a Panthri. I am from one of the few non Jynd Cities in the Jynd. Felinholm as named by the Jynd originally. "

Admiria travels with her companions.

     As they traveled, Relba explained that they had been hired by a merchant, Lady Hucrele, to investigate the disappearance of her children.  They young adults fancied themselves adventurers and set off a month ago with two hired mercenaries, a Paladin and a Ranger.  They were last seen heading south toward a famed ruin called the 'Sunless Citadel,' which was also said to be the home of a dragon cult.

     The group comes to a crossroad, but the Southern path is clearly unused and overgrown.  Relba says their informants have told them this is the Old Road to the citadel, and they proceed down it.

     At about noon, the woods along the Old Road open up on the west, revealing a narrow ravine.  Shortly, they come upon a collection of broken and unbroken stone pillars.  They seem to indicate an old entry, but the ravine cracks open between them, leading wider and wider to the west.  A sturdy, knotted rope is tied to one of the pillars nearest the ravine.

     Looking over the edge, they can see a landing about 50 feet down, and a series of stairs proceeding even lower into the gloom.

     "Um ... Why don't you scout ahead, Relba?" Franna the blonde suggested.

     The big one fingered the rope.  "This will not hold me.  I will have to find another way down," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.  She began looking alone the edge of the ravine.

     The short one also seemed hesitant to go first and hung near the big one.

     Relba sighed and moved to the rope.  She smiled at Admiria.  "You with me, Kitten?" she asked with a wink, then proceeded down the rope.

In reply to Omni-Tent (msg # 37):

Admiria purrs softly in Relba's ear.

" Sure, but you are probably closer in age to a Kitten then I. "

     Relba smirked and proceeded down the knotted rope.  It still looked to be in fairly good condition, and couldn't be more than a month old.  The human climbed the 50 foot cliff easily, reaching a flat landing that seemed to be strewn with debris.

     "C'mon down!" Relba shouted up as she moved near a pile of rocks.

     Then Relba suddenly shouted in alarm, and Admiria could see two large rats charging at her.  Relba spun in surprise as one of them nipped at her leg, drawing her shortsword and falling on her butt.

     "RELBA!"  Franna shouted over the edge, seemingly frozen with fear.  The big one was already partway over the cliff, looking for handholds and descending slowly.

     Relba swung wildly at the creatures as they advanced, clipping one in the nose as it let out a screech.

     Admiria could see another rat hiding in the shadows behind Relba.

In reply to Relba (msg # 39):

Admiria sings out. Inspiring Relba with her Bardic Inspiration ability.

" Nothung is impossible of Relba. Nothing is impossible for her. "

Admiria then whispers. Casting Dissonant Whispers on the enemy fighting Relba as she runs up behind Relba.
wisdom save dc 13, on failed save 3d6 psychic damage and use reaction to move directly away Admiria. Successful half as much damage.

" son of a dog, son of a dog I will eat your heart"

     As Admiria sang down to Relba, the rogue pulled herself to her feet and gritted her teeth with determination in the face of multiple attackers.

     Spotting the third rat, Admira whispers a psychic spell, and it's hair stands up on end before it's eyes glow purple and it falls over dead.

[Private to Admiria Moonwhisper: You are still on top of the cliff at the top of the rope.  You can climb down 15 feet of rope per turn, or with a successful DC 12 Athletics check, you can move 25 feet per turn.]

     Bolstered by Admiria's song, Relba jabbed at the first rat, stabbing it right in the throat.  Blood gushed and it let out a gurgling squeak as it died.

     The second (and only remaining) rat snapped at Relba but came nowhere close to hitting her.

     To Admiria's left, the short girl let out a grunt as she heaved a javeling down at the remaining rat.  However, the distance was too great and she missed, sending the javelin clattering down a set of stairs.

     To Admiria's right, the big one continued to climb down a corner, and the blonde knelt at the edge of the cliff biting her nails.

[Private to Admiria Moonwhisper: Back to your turn in the initiative.  You can describe your last turn's move, and make your move for this turn.]




Initiative:

Admiria
Relba
Rats (1, 2, 3)
Corra
Zokkura
Franna

In reply to Omni-Tent (msg # 41):

Admiria tries to climb down freely but grabs the rope in the last second. She then continues down the rope.

     Admiria is about halfway down the rope, still 25 feet above the ground.

     Relba is up.  There is a giant rat next to you.

Her bosom heaving slightly at the initial exertion from combat and the sudden surge of well being, Relba eyed the rat through slitted eyes, intent on doing some serious damage.  She had caught the first one with a slash to the throat, and hoped she would be able to do likewise to this one.  Springing into action with a sudden lunge, Relba hoped to cut the rat down with one deft and swift stroke of her shortsword.


[Private to Omni-Tent: 11:42, Today: Relba Nightswain rolled 11 using 1d20+5.  Attack.  11:42, Today: Relba Nightswain rolled 7 using 1d6+3.  Damage.]

     Relba's strike hits true, gutting the rat with a gurgling squeak.

     The threat removed, Admiria was able to continue down the rope easily.  Franna and Corra followed down the rope as well.  Zokkara finished her decent down the wall and soon they were together on the landing.

     There wasn't much on the small landing except strewn bones and an old ring of campfire stones that looked like it hadn't been used in over a year.  It would seem the rats had come from small cracks and holes in the cliff walls.

     Corra's javelin was sitting on another landing down a short flight of cut stairs.  The stairs continued downward, winding back and forth a few times into the gloomy chasm below.  In the darkness there were faint hints of broken columns and ruined towers leaning in various angles between the cliff walls.

[Private to Admiria Moonwhisper: Do you have darkvision?]

In reply to Omni-Tent (msg # 45):

[Private to GM: Yes, I do. Also I put link to race in Private Message.]

" Can anyone else see. "

Having cleared her blade of the creature's blood, Relba waited for the others to make their way to her and in doing so, took in her surroundings proper.  She was curious about both the chasm and the darkness which proceeded it to the columns below, but she was studying the holes where the rats had come through.  If they were to return this way, there would be more to face, and more than just the three, most likely.

"Aye, Kitten.  A perilous journey lies ahead of us, it seems.  If not more of these rats, then the possibility of collapsing columns.  We will need to remain vigilant through this particular part of our journey," she replied absently as she looked forward and ahead.

The bubbly blonde swordswoman seemed a bit more subdued than normal, but she still tried to keep a cheerful smile in the face of adversity.
"Well, this is exciting....from a certain point of view."
Her words were probably more enthusiastic in her head, and mostly hid the quiver in her voice that she tried to hid further with a well timed cough.

"Should I light a torch?"

Relba sheathed her blade and turned to Franna, a smile on her lips as she did so.  "Not as yet, Franna.  Though light is what we seek, I wonder if others in the gloom will be attracted to it.  If so, I would not like to give them fair warning from such distance," she replied, then turned to their Half-Ogre.

"Zokarra?  How good are those eyes of yours in gloom or darkness?  I would like us to get as close as we can to the columns using the shadows as our cover, only lighting a torch if we really need to," she said, then had a thought.  "Perhaps our kitten here has eyes that penetrate darkness and could put them to good use?  What say you, Admiria?" asked Relba.  She had already sidled up to Admiria, gently resting an elbow on the shoulder of the Catfolk female, her hand stroking the side of her face.

In reply to Relba Nightswain (msg # 49):

Admiria licks Relba's Face.

" My Baby Girl, should know this Momma Cat can see in the dark. "
This message was last edited by the player at 18:47, Thu 20 July 2017.