First Five Written Out

The vision is instantaneous.

The Champion looks across this grassland. In the dying sunlight, hundreds of yards in front of him is a vast army, nondescript, almost unrecognizable. Just the thought, the idea, the fear that it is an army, looking to over run him.

To combat his anxiety, he looks behind him. An even larger army stands, war drums pounding. The guards, the troops all banging shields and the ground to a consistent repetitive beat. They all seem to be waiting on him, to say the word, to make a move.

A sound of a roar, some odd distant flapping sounds. Chance’s eyes go to the sky and there before him is a legion of Dragons, a brigade of 20 filling the sky, coming to fight with him. His confidence grows, his resolve near complete.

He turns…

A faint odor of puke is noticed as his vision clears up. His love, his fiance, Khamyra is looking down on him. She is smiling, as she pushes a little of his hair out of his face.

“Did you have your vision again?” she says, knowing that the Odius and Velencia got the better of him, and he was going to be angry. Anything to avoid another confrontation, she just couldn’t take it right now.

Chance nods his head, wipes his eyes a bit. Leans up in bed, “Where am I?” He asks, then looking around realizing he is in a room up in the Dolphin, the one with the puke in it.

The Onyx Elf, leans over and gives her love a kiss on the cheek, then stands up from the chair. She walks over to the dresser and heavily leans her hands on it, just staring at the wall in front of her.

“What is it hun?” Chance asks, noticing her defeated demeanor.

She shakes her head a bit, “this is not working,” Khamyra says, turning around and leaning her butt against the dresser.

“Velencia is incapable of being led, the Odius practically licks her butthole and anyone that stands in the way is in grave, grave danger,” the Onyx elf says with a heavy sigh.

Chance nods his head, the vision still kicking around his brain.

When suddenly, it starts to make sense. Like someone handed him a card, and all the answers were on it. “That’s it, she made it happen, that bitch, holy shit.”

Khamyra glances over to her fiance, who now looks like a snake crawled in the bed and bit him in the ass. “Hun, you ok?”

“Khamyra, I have to tell you something, and you have to promise to just listen, try and understand and, well, not get mad,” The Champion says, “it is something you can never tell anyone, ever.”

She sighs a bit, shoulders slump, “yes, of course, what is it?” She says while walking back to the chair and sitting down next to the quarter elf.

“I have something I need to tell you. It is something that I was sworn to secrecy. But it’s getting too complicated, too deep and I need someone to talk to about it. So I am opening up to you, the person I trust most on Legon,” Chance says, almost rambling on.

He looks at the Warlock and a wave of anxiety washes over her, and she takes a deep breath. She nods her head.

The Champion starts to explain his trip with Cassie, Everlee, Killian and Rohlia. Where they were at the door to the Hall of Whispers. How he met Animax, Edwin and Finster. He was witness to the deal that changed the course of the prophecy, the course of his life and the course of all of Legon.

The Onyx Elf can’t believe what she is hearing. Multiple times she wanted to tell Chance to stop for a moment, but she didn’t.

“So, here we are. The Eve of Ascension is going to be nothing more than Finster and myself most likely. The real battle will be later, when the Iron Wench tries to reclaim her god-hood,” he finishes up, giving his Fiance puppy dog eyes, not sure how she would react.

She stands up and walks to the window in deep thought.

Chance wheels his legs off the bed, dangles them off the side, they hit the floor. He leans forward a bit with his hands pressing against the makeshift, dirty bed.

It was mid afternoon, barely any light shining through due to the massive cloud structure outside. Chance’s stomach growls a bit, and he is quite hungry.

“OK,” Khamyra said after a few minutes had passed. “I want to yell at you for keeping this a secret from me, but, hell, Animax and Finster swore you to secrecy? I can’t argue with that…”

She turns to the Champion, crosses her arms, leans back against the window, raises her eyebrows, “It is going to take me a bit to wrap my mind around this, but I am still a bit foggy on who made what happen, and the holy shit part you blurted out.”

“So we know that it has changed, it is no longer Finster Vs Animax, but Finster and Animax Vs the Iron Wench,” Chance starts out, trying to keep his wits about him, his mind is racing a mile a minute, “but because Velencia decided to spite Faelyn, she went down to talk with the Dragons.”

Khamyra has a slight look of confusion on her face, nods a bit and continues listening, not sure where this is going.

“By doing that, I made my way down, told them that Imryllion still lives in some form, and that did not sit well with the dragons,” Chance says, kind of staring out across the room.

Then it hits Khamyra, “they don’t want her to ascend anymore than… we do,” she says kind of quietly, a look of realization washes over her.

The Champion nods his head. “My vision was different, it was evening, it was in fields around Del Rosa, and when I turned to look at our army, there were dragons across the sky.”

The Onyx elf’s eyes are huge, a smile is washing across her face, “she made it happen, you mean Velencia. Her childish, spiteful stunt, laid a seed in the Dragon community that will grow into an alliance of sorts…”

Chance chuckles, “that nasty bitch. We just can’t be without her. She is tied into this destiny just as much as me, apparently.”

Khamyra is walking to her fiance slowly, eyes still wide, her mind blown. “Well, this has officially been the craziest day I have ever lived through. Transportation sigils, blood magic, Air Dragons, visions and now this revelation and how it seems to be all coming together…”

The quarter elf stands, meets the Onyx Elf half way. They kiss, deeply, and enjoy the moment. Then together, not wanting to smell puke anymore, they leave and head down to the main bar room.

 
Velencia and Bastian had left their little meeting a few minutes ago. The Master Witch is talking with McKenna and his guards.

“Oh Chance, you ok? You just kind of went catatonic for a second,” Bastian says, seeing you walk down the stairs.

The Champion nods and smiles, “yup, feeling pretty good right now, though I am starving.”

Shemrata sees Chance walk down, readies herself, walks to Velencia and waits.

The Priestess in her usual fashion, is looking at the couple descend, mug in hand and she is forcing down the swill called ale. She looks disinterested.

Khamyra walking with a hop to her step, walks to Velencia, smiles, gives her a kiss on the cheek and walks for the bar hoping she can at least get something to drink.

The Champion hits the bottom of the stairs, looks over to Velencia and gives her a sincere smile and nod. Then joins his fiance at the bar to look for drinks or food.

Much to Lyrics displeasure, she is shooing people away trying to protect what stock they have behind the counter.

“Umm, you two. Did you guys smoke some special weeds, or maybe just fuck?” Velencia says, completely confused.

Khamyra whips around and has a huge smile on her face, “ I wish, no, Vel, Hun, “ she says smirking, “never change ok?”

For a good minute the Priestess just stares at the two, says a few things to Shemrata and then continues to look at them, figuring they are up to something. The two love birds’ mood does not make any sense.

Bastian has sent the guards out and Mckenna to find a place to call their home for the next few days. He walks over to Velencia.

“Thanks for the talk, for now, we just stay out of each other’s way, “ the Master Witch says, “If there is anything “crazy” happening, you come get me, or anyone of us and let us know.”

The Priestess, still perplexed at the other two, glances at Bastian a bit annoyed, “Yes, yes, I know what we said, I have a pretty good memory,” she retorts.

Bastian nods, sighs, rolls his eyes and says goodbye to Chance and Khamyra before exiting the Tavern.

Lyric then tells Chance of a merchant a few blocks down that is still open and has food that Wilder buys from.

The Champion checks his belt and his pouch for coin, kisses Khamyra and heads out the door. He takes a turn and walks a bit, then realizes he is not exactly sure what direction to go. The streets are all but empty except he can now see a pack of 3 Camerondale guards making their rounds.

“I’d rather not get hassled by them,” Chance thinks to himself, turning down the closest alleyway.

He barely reached another back alley when someone from an indented doorway hisses, “Hey Bud, Champ guy, over here.”

Chance stopped, recognized the voice. He slowly walks into the shadows as the 3 guards pass by the alley entrance behind him.

“Wilder, what do you want?” The Champion says, with a voice that knows he is rolling his eyes.

He peeks his head out for a moment. “Hey I need something from my Tavern, I was caught a little off guard by Camerondale storming the gates,” the wiley ol’ thief says.

Chance goes to walk away but Wilder makes him pause again.

“Come on, I kidnap you, you punch me in the face, which really hurt by the way, let bygones be bygones,” the thief says with a pleading look on his face.

The Champion shakes his head, “I don’t think they are all that equal, so…”

“Fine, fine, I have something for you in exchange,” he says, egging the young man on to go back and grab what he needs.

After a few exchanges between the two in the shadowed alleyway, Wilder finally breaks.

“Here, take a look at this, it is something that was given to me by my boys when a few Animax Zealots disappeared last week,” the wiley ol’ vet says, pulling out a crumpled paper, rolled like a scroll.

Chances eyes open, “Oh, crumpled paper, oh!” he says playfully and has a sarcastic look on his face, “can I please have that? It is what I have been waiting for all my life…”

As Chance was finishing the sentence, Wilder, with a grumpy look on his face, unrolls it to unveil symbols, with words that he does not understand. But as he continued to unroll it, some of those words and symbols, seemed to have been translated, scribbles of common throughout.

The Champion’s eyes bulge a little and Wilder snorts, chuckles and then rolls it back up, “thought so. Go to Lyric, tell her that “purple mushrooms smell” and she will know what to do.”

Contemplating, then decided that paper could really be something we need, turns to head back, but stops, “wait, Lyric? You mean that dumbass behind the bar. She is really going to know what that means?”

Wilder nods his head, then pauses, “well, you have a point, I think she will. Tell her it’s Wilder’s secret pass, if she doesn’t remember. She will get you a bag and hand it to you.”

The quarter elf shrugs his shoulders, walks back to the tavern.

Upon entering the “dolphin”, Khamyra looks up from talking with Velencia and gives her fiance an odd look, “that was quick.”

“Bet you hear that all the time Chump,” Velencia says, barely getting that out before she starts to laugh.

The room giggles, even Khamyra chuckled a little.

Chance did not mind, that was a good burn, he thought to himself. But he is now frantically thinking, why did I come back in so soon? How am I going to make this plausible?

“I don’t think I should be spending my money on the food, hell we paid a lot for the rooms already,” he says walking over to Lyric.

Lyric gives the Champion a blank stare.

Chance leans in and whispers, “purple mushrooms smell.”

Almost with no reaction, she just continues to stare at Chance.

The Champion clears his throat, “Purple. Mushrooms. Smell.”

Still no reaction. If the quarter elf could hear a wind whistle through her head and a cricket chirp, he would not be surprised.

Luckily Khamyra and Velencia are back in conversation, still marveling at the Dragons.

“Goddammit woman,” he says as quietly as he can with a hiss, “Wilder. Purple. Mushrooms. Smell.”

Finally something snaps, “oh! Oh!” she yells, getting everyone’s attention again.

Chance all but slaps his forehead, slowly closing his eyes.

The woman turns and looks around, over exaggerating her movements, like she is trying to be stealthy and heads into the back room.

“Toby takes direction better than this girl,” Chance says with a smile, hoping he can diffuse the situation.

Luckily, it did, the two go back to discussing things, Shemrata is digging through the crap on a table hoping to find anything to eat.

Lyric comes back out and puts the bag on the counter, it is pretty big. Chance grabs it, and heads to the door in a fluid motion, “be back in a few!”

The quarter elf, heads out, turns down the first alleyway, even though it wasn’t the one Wilder was in. He stops and opens the bag. Some odds and ends, a dagger, clothes, a potion or two, and a coin purse. Chance opens the coin purse, grabs a handful of coins, stuffs them in his purse. Then closes everything back up.

He then makes his way back to where Wilder was.

“Everything went ok?” The Champ can hear from the indent.

Chance smirks, “I think, boy that girl, she is something else. Took me saying your little code three times, then made a scene.”

The old thief chuckles, looks out and puts his hand out for the bag.

“Really?” Chance says giving him a look, “the scroll first, and let me see it… I don’t want you handing me a blank parchment.”

Hearing marching in the distance has spooked the man, so he grabs the paper, opens it and shows the Champion the writings.

Chance nods his head. Puts the bag down on the ground in front of Wilder and takes the paper.

“You never saw me Champ!” he says, grabbing the bag and disappearing into a doorway again.

The Champion chuckles, “wish that was true.”

Khamyra and Velencia were in a deep conversation, recreating a battle with Dragons and what they would do. Shemrata has moved closer, listening and enjoying it. Arlo, is leaning back in a chair, head to one side snoring and drooling on himself.

After a half hour, chance walks in with a bag of food. Everyone’s eyes light up and he hands it to Lyric. Velencia does not trust the swashbuckler woman, and the two of them go in back to start cooking.

Chance beckons for Khamyra to go back upstairs. Seeing Shemrata eyeing them up, Chance gives his Fiance a, “fuck me” look and races up the stairs.

Khamyra chuckles and follows him.

Once the Onyx Elf was in the room, he shuts the door. The woman was already starting to disrobe, “I am not a fan of having sex in a room with puke, but hey, got to do what you got to do…”

Chance, completely distracted now, rips off his pants, and the two start making love, against the door, over the dresser and ending on the edge of the bed. Both of them were sweating, smiling and very satisfied.

Khamyra is looking for her shirt afterwards, that went sailing across the room.

Chance snorts a little, “That “look” was just a ruse, but dammit, that was good.”

As the Onyx elf is putting clothes on, she looks over to Chance, “a ruse?”

He nods, pulling up his pants that never got farther than his ankles. “Met Wilder out in an alleyway, he wanted something from the bar.”

As Khamyra is wiggling her butt into her pants she gives him a look, shaking her head, “oh, that is what you and Lyric were doing then, and… why would you do anything for that scoundrel?”

Chance clasps his belt, whips out a paper and hands it to the Warlock.

After finishing her belt she takes it, opens it and her eyes get bigger and bigger and bigger. “Oh my god chance, these are the symbols!” then as though someone pinched her on the ass, “some are translated!”

The Champion nods his head, “yeah, think it was a fair trade, plus I lifted like 10 platinum from his coin purse before I gave it to him,” he finishes with a chuckle.

Khamyra is looking it over, and realizes the best person to take care of this would be Bastian, “Your witch friend would probably be able to translate the rest of this, but if we say anything to Velencia, she probably would stop us. I still need to find Faelyn, so I can drop this off to him.”

Chance nods and gives his fiance a kiss. She heads out the door.

By the time Chance gets to the bottom floor, the smell of spiced potatoes and beef cooking wafts throughout the room.

During that time Velencia has found her way to Chance, and corners him. Shemrata keeps a close eye on things.

“What are you and brown eyes cooking up, I don’t like it,” the Priestess starts, suspicion in her eyes.

Chance smirks a bit, shrugs his shoulders, “It’s just that your shitty personality, horrid disposition and immature stunts could have been the death of us. But maybe, just maybe, it will bring our biggest windfall.”

Her face went from annoyed, to anger to disgust and ended with complete confusion.

“Fuck off,” she says, turns and walks towards Arlo who has awoken from his nap, probably from smelling the food.

“Atta girl!” Chance says have playful, half sincere.

An hour goes by, and the food is brought out. By then Khamyra shows up, gives her fiance the, “did what I had to do” look and sits down with the group.

The meal was surprisingly good as everyone finishes up and burps.

“The second order of business, now that the first one has been taken care of,” Velencia says, “let’s go find our horses and Crowbear.”

Turn Based Begins Here

Chance: nodding my head and looking at Velencia.
Chan: Did Bastian make sure that the Camerondale patrols wouldn’t bother us?

DMaster: She shrugs her shoulders giving you a look.
VEL: No. I don’t know. Why would I? Go tell him yourself.

Chance: Chan: just grand, I am the one who has to deal with them. Why didn’t you think about this while you had your little chat with him?

DMaster: She orders Arlo to clean up and he stumbles around grabbing plates and such, Lyric begins to help too.
VEL: You saw him before he left you dick, why didn’t you ask? Must I always be the one thinking of things?
Khamyra glances over with a slightly defeated look, sighs heavily.

Chance: Chan: well someone decided to put the gem in my hand, need I remind you?
Looking at her with my eyes turning to slits, a little bit.

DMaster: KHA: Must we, really? Fuck. I can’t tell you how glad I will be to get away from.
She points at Velencia.
KHA: Your antagonizing bullshit.
then points at you.
KHA: Your need to retaliate all the goddamn time.
then points at Shemrata.
KHA: And you, your unwavering butt sucking of your Priestess.
The Warlock gets up,grabs a few plates and heads back behind the bar to help with clean up. Shemrata looking a little stunned, shrugs her shoulders, looks at you as she passes by for the front door. Velencia chuckles a bit.

Chance: Shake head, blankly stare at Velencia.
Chan: Whatever, I will deal with it. I will talk to Bastian if need be.

DMaster: VEL: Yeah, thought so
She says, putting her feet on the chair, picking her teeth.
DM: Condensing a lot.
Chance and Shemrata head for the gate and get stopped by the new guards from Camerondale. With the help of McKenna they make it through the gates and Chance gets word to Bastian that he doesn’t want his group to be hassled by the guards. Shemrata is then greeted by her mount Tamsus, and they find out the horses were forcibly taken, but not before the Crowbear was shot with a bolt and she took out a few of the robbers. Tamsus, the Crowbear, led them to where the Horses are now, a horse farm outside a small town north of Breakwater. For far too long, an interaction with a horse trainer / owner went on. Little did they know Faelyn was going to buy Toby. The Renrazzi shows up and after a little convincing the man lets the horses go back with them. Unfortunately it was without saddle and harnesses. Faelyn fawns over the beautiful Crowbear for a bit. Chance, for whatever reason, hands the stable owner 6 platinum pieces. They lead the horses back into Breakwater, to the stables and they go back to the “dolphin.”

Chance: Seeing where everyone is when we get back inside the Tavern.

DMaster: Khamyra and Velencia are still chatting away, Arlo is scribbling things on a paper and lyric is looking at the drawings with crossed eyes. Khamyra turns around.
KHA: Faelyn!
The Huntress stops and looks at her, smiles.
FAE: Can we talk, Warlock?
Khamyra nods, gets up and the two head up the stairs. Velencia rolls her eyes.

Chance: I see how they reacted to seeing each other, then I look to Velencia.
Chan: well our second objective is complete but we ran into a little snag with it.

DMaster: VEL: Of course you did, you would run into a snag with a wet dream.
Velencia sighs walks over to Shemrata who exchange glances.

Chance: I go on to explain to Velencia what happened.

DMaster: She shrugs her shoulders.
VEL: Hmmm. Probably some fly by night robbers looking to make quick coin.

Chance: Chan: well we are without saddle and bit for the horse, but they are back safe and sound.

DMaster: Her shoulders slump a little.
VEL: No saddles? Chump? Great.
she walks over and grabs some more ale.
VEL: This swill is so bad, it is almost good after a few mugs.
The Priestess is shaking her head.

Chance: I walk over and grab some ale and plop down in a chair. Take a long drink, still in deep thought.
Chan: I did make sure the guards won’t be bothering us coming and going.
Gagging as I say that.
Chan: How can anyone drink this swill? What I wouldn’t give for the one eye or the duke’s den maybe even old grim-eyes.

DMaster: She glances at you.
VEL: Yeah, you can’t go steal off with a King and drink his private reserve.
Scoffs at you.

Chance: Chan: Yeah, wish we were still back there. Man that was the best brew ever.
Chuckling a bit.

DMaster: You guess it is after 5:00 PM. Faelyn and Khamyra head down the stairs, a few giggles and a warriors shake in the end. The Huntress leaves, Khamyra then heads over and sits in your lap, stealing a sip from your mug. She too, gags a little.

Chance: with one hand I start rubbing her back and give her a look. Hoping that Velencia didn’t notice how long Khamyra and Faelyn were talking upstairs.

DMaster: VEL: So what did ol’ bug eyes want?
Khamyra glances over to the Priestess.
KHA: Bug eyes?
Shakes her head.
KHA: We just talked about “her” attitude, about “your” attitude and the fact that in 2-3 days a large army of Augustian elves will be showing up most likely.
Velencia’s head snaps to her, frowning.
VEL: What?

Chance: Chan: well I am sure they will have to deal with Camerondale being here too, so…

DMaster: VEL: That will go over as well as piss in a lemonade sale. Another army outside the gates, I imagine Animax and his dolts will be heading in too.
KHA: Well according to Faelyn, they have been here already.
Velencia sighs, giving her a look.
VEL: I am not surprised.

Chance: Chan: well we should just continue on our own course.

DMaster: VEL: Oh yes Champion, our own course. of course.
She ponders a moment.
VEL: I bet Animax sent Everbitch and big red… bet you they are dead right now.
A smile washes over her face.

Chance: Chan: yeah, it was those two… pretty sure.

DMaster: Velencia looks at you.
VEL: How would you know Chump?

Chance: Shrug shoulders,
Chan: When I was talking with Drozcon, he mentioned a group of rag tag elves attacked and a small group with a blonde religious woman and a towering red head were there too.

DMaster: Velencia about to explode into a frustrated rant, see’s the Warlock staring at her. She bites her tongue, shaking her head.

Chance: Chan: to the third course of business, am I right?
I keep myself under control as she mentions Everlee and Simone.

DMaster: Velencia smirks, swallowing her last comments, only to give you a look of amazement.
VEL: We might have an issue with the third order of business, genius.

Chance: Chan: No. because you didn’t include me in your little talk with Bastian now did you?

DMaster: Khamyra lets out a sigh, leans into you, talking quiet.
KHA: Remember, she went over it in that storage area, in that chamber with the dead hag? You were standing right there a few hours ago? That is when… oh hell, nevermind.
The Warlock talks louder.
KHA: Third order of business is not possible right now.
Velencia nods her head.
VEL: Can’t interrogate someone who shit their pants at the first sign of Camerondale huh?

Chance: Realizing that was it. Nod my head, thinking I could of talked with him, possibly, but I am not saying anything. I’ll save that to egg her on if need be.
Chan: Then what are we going to do? Have a party? Play some knuckle bones, maybe take a long walk on the beach?

DMaster: Velencia smirks, plops a rope on the counter and looks directly at you.
VEL: We are going to do something. Check that, “you” are going to do something.
KHA: Vel, what are you thinking…
Khamyra gave her a tilt of her head, a worried look.

Chance: Chan: why do I get a bad feeling about this?
looking at the rope and then back at the rest of the group

DMaster: VEL: Before it gets dark, lets see what this cloud is really made of, shall we?
She snorts a little, shemrata chuckles and Khamyra sighs.

Chance: Looking at Khamyra with a bit of worry in my eyes

DMaster: Velencia tells Lyric to keep an eye on Arlo and they head out. You avoid the guards and find the docks. The giant cloud, spinning formation, is looming overhead. It has to be several hundred feet in height, mostly a white-grey color and a somewhat smooth outside. Staring at it, you can see the entire cloud spinning, albeit slowly. The party gets 10-15 feet away and everyone is just looking at it; at a speed that most water would drop to the ground, it is being pushed horizontally. The Priestess takes out the rope.

Chance: Chan: So let me guess, you want me to go Champion. Then walk into that cloud wall after tying the rope to myself?

DMaster: Velencia hands the rope to Khamyra, and mockingly slow claps, looking at you.
KHA: I don’t know about this…

Chance: Chan: I knew this was sounding like a bad idea.
Looking down at the rope, shaking my head.

DMaster: VEL: Kha, babe we have to find out what is in there, if anything. He is the strongest of all of us, even more so when in champ form.
KHA: I guess.
She walks over with the end of the rope and ties it securely to your waist. She double and triple checks it.

Chance: look her in the eyes, pull her close and touch her cheek.
Chan: I hate to admit it, but she is right. I am the only one that can do this.
Lean down and kiss her

DMaster: She kisses back, Velencia and Shemrata roll their eyes.
KHA: If it gets too much, tug the rope.
The Dark elf hands the rope to Shemrata and the Odius ties the other half around her.

Chance: Chan: you know I will, I won’t take any unnecessary risks.
My hand goes for the necklace and I take it off and start to change.
Chan: you feel me tug Shemrata, pull me back out, no games this time.

DMaster: SHEM: Not for this.
The Odius nods, seriously. She is checking the rope now and finding a post to stand by for leverage if need be. You head in and its a weird sensation. Like a hundred people were slowly dripping water on you. It kind of pushes you to the right, but its subtle and it’s hard to gauge sometimes. If you lean too far one way it seems you might fall over, or not enough you will skitter off the dock you are walking on.

Chance: as I walk into the cloud wall, I also pull out Silent Fate, trying to push forward. Turn the blade down, if I get taken, I can drive it into the dock or something.

DMaster: The dock is a bit slick, but you are moving along.
DM: Rolls a 22 for dexterity and 22 for strength.
You move along at a good pace, but you can’t see more than a few feet in front of you. Then you can feel the dock, a few of the boards are broken, it seems to be tilting in a bit. A few more feet the dock seems rickety.

Chance: carefully keep moving forward.

DMaster: You can now feel yourself sliding a bit, the dock is definitely broke,
DM: Todd rolls a Natty (27 total) for dexterity.
You slide, and take hold of a beam, you are able to move farther in. You are using your sword for leverage and more balance. You are just about at 100 feet now you can tell. As you glance back and then forward, you notice straight ahead is getting lighter, not as dark as behind you.

Chance: well as curious as I am to see what is beyond, I will try and make my way back to the group.

DMaster: DM: He nailed 3 rolls in a row, gave him a break since he did so well.
You walk out, they were all a bit surprised to see you. You are saturated, hair now matted to your head, water dripping off you.
VEL: Well? Besides the fact you look like a drowned rat, what was there?

Chance: I explain what I could see when I got to the end of the rope and why I didn’t want to risk it for the moment.
Chan: thank you for reminding me of how I look right now.
smirking a bit, wiping off my armor.

DMaster: KHA: Hmmm. Broken docks, can’t believe you didn’t fall in.
VEL: Yeah, just our luck…
She says while wrapping the rope back up.

Chance: Shake my head and let the water fly. They don’t take too much notice considering how moist and wet it is already.
Chan: Well, I did slide a bit but caught myself. No such luck Priestess, you’re stuck with me. Lets head back, I’d like to get out of these clothes.

DMaster: You guys head back. When you get in, Khamyra gets you a towel and you are drying off.
VEL: Well tomorrow we are heading out of the city, around to the plateau and to the other side. We are going to look for caves, that is where they think we can find some more, I don’t know…

Chance: Chan: They? Not, You?
Smirk a little.
Chan: Some more of what, sigils?

DMaster: She ignores the first comment.
VEL: Clues, sentinels, smelly ass-faced men…

Chance: Chan: well then let’s eat, get a good night’s rest. I need all the strength to handle their smell, ugh.
Holding my nose.

DMaster: She snorts a little and nods her head. Everyone grabs some leftovers, nibbles on some food, and heads to bed. Khamyra has cleaned up the puke in your room.

Chance: After eating and heading to our room. I will completely strip out of all of my clothes and armor and let them dry. Pat the bed looking at Khamyra.

DMaster: She is naked, working on her shirt, her cute butt facing you.
KHA: Found some needle and thread finally.

Chance: Chan: good, I don’t want your titties being out there for everyone to see anymore.
giving her a big grin.

DMaster: She is working on it, shaking her head.
KHA: yeah, I am sure my lasting memory that King Brightbane has is the dark skinned one with big ol’ titties.
Giggles a little, she finishes, climbs into the less than clean bed and you two have some sex before drifting off

Chance: I want to take the sheet and put it in between us, so I can hold her. Then drift off to sleep.

---

Tuskalay (Tuesday) 6:30AM

---

Chance: looking around as I sit up, stretching.

DMaster: Some light coming through the window but you do not know what time it is, you are guessing it’s still early morning. You check your armor and clothes, they are still damp but it will do for now.

Chance: Start getting dressed and gear back on and then head downstairs.

DMaster: You go down the creaking staircase, and hit the landing. Velencia and Khamyra are at a table talking. The Onyx elf is still toweling off her hair.

Chance: Make my way over to Khamyra and wrap my arms around her

DMaster: KHA: Morning love.
Velencia rolls her eyes.

Chance: Chan: morning my sunshine, I didn’t even hear you get out of bed.

DMaster: KHA: Sorry, I wanted a bath.

Chance: Chan: hey, I got my bath yesterday walking through that wall.
chuckling a bit.

DMaster: She giggles and Velencia nods her head.
VEL: We head out in 30, we will have to walk it, too treacherous for our horses… and someone didn’t get saddles and harnesses for them.
The Priestess eyes you for a second, shakes her head.

Chance: Nod my head and then frown. Looking around to try and find some food to scrounge up before we head out.

DMaster: You got some of Velencia’s rations, which are very good. You gear up and head out. Before leaving the Dolphin, Velencia gets in her disguise, she mumbles something about not wanting to kill an innocent today. Khamyra and Velencia are arguing as you are reaching the gates. It has to do with the Huntress.
VEL: No, she is too much of a burden right now…
KHA: We need her, she was damn good in the battles and…
Velencia interrupts the Onyx Elf and shakes her head. You make it through the gates, now with a pretty heavy Camerondale presence. Then up the path, the cliff face to your left. As the incline of your path you take goes up, the cliff walls are dipping down until the plateau meets the ground. It took you a good 15 minutes to walk, far past the original path and now in a flat land, weed filled area. Tamsus has joined the group about half way through, Shemrata walking beside her.

Chance: still a bit in awe of the closeness of these two.

DMaster: As the party turns, and starts to head up.
VEL: Goddammit Khamyra, I said… UGG.
The Priestess gives the Warlock an angry annoyed look, turns and puts her hands on her hip. About 100 feet in front of everyone is Faelyn, hair blowing in the wind, and a slight smirk on her face.
FAE: I see you haven’t exactly told her yet.
The Huntress looks at Khamyra, raising her eyebrows.
KHA: I was hoping she would be a little more open minded.

Chance: Shaking my head knowing Velencia is not liking any of this.

DMaster: She turns and makes her way to the blonde Augustian Elf.
VEL: Listen stick figure, I am leading this group, got it? If you want in, you will follow my directions, understand?
Faelyn’s jaw clenches, but she nods.
FAE: At this point I am not arguing, once my Kingdom’s army gets here, this place will be swarming with Augustian troops and it will be chaos. Our choices will be minimal and our activities watched over with scrutiny.

Chance: Chan: This is Camerondale lands, I think they might have something to say about it.
sigh a bit.

DMaster: FAE: With this cloud still swirling, they will not care much. Times are getting desperate.
You are walking and it’s quite the incline. Mostly rock with some grass growing up from areas, even a bush or two in the distance. The sky is a medium grey, the cloud formation is all but overhead and it is still breathtaking. After about 5 minutes of hard walking it levels out a bit and another 5 or so it is completely flat. The wind is much more apparent now. You continue to walk and find a structure. It looks almost official, like it was part of Breakwaters, probably abandoned now.
VEL: That Bastie guy said there were a few outposts used before all this happened, there should be some ladders and such leading down.

Chance: shaking my head hearing Velencia call him Bastie.

DMaster: As you are looking around, you look real hard at the outpost. The structure can’t be more than 25 feet square, made of wood, a large window on the wall facing you. The roof is flat but slanted, probably for the rain to run off it. But more importantly, you see movement in the building.
DM: I rolled a 22 for his passive perception.

Chance: Chan: uhhh, we have movement in the outpost.

DMaster: Everyone stops and is looking.
VEL: Chump is right for once,
The Priestess with a smirk, slaps your back.
VEL: Well, you’re our stealthy guy, go find out what’s shaking?

Chance: Nod my head and creep towards the outpost. I pull out Silent Fate.

DMaster: DM: Todd rolls a 21 for stealth.
You get close and you peer in. Bastian is leaning on a table looking over some crumpled up papers, they look to be maps. A few guards beside him pointed out things. McKenna is nose deep in an old book.

Chance: I will creep my way back to the group and let them know what I saw.
Chan: Sorry Priestess, they got here first.

DMaster: She looks angry.
VEL: Son of a bitch
She sheathes her daggers and walks with purpose to the outpost. Khamyra goes to stop her and misses.
KHA: Great, here we go…
Faelyn crosses her arms, pulls hair out of her face and just shakes her head.

Chance: Look back and start to walk back to the building, just in case.
Chan: damn, it I hope she doesn’t lose her shit.

DMaster: You can hear her, at first.
VEL: What the hell are you doing here?
and it goes muffled from there. Khamyra grabs your arm as you are walking forward.
KHA: We need to make sure it does not escalate
She starts to move a little faster.

Chance: Chan: I agree we don’t need the shit going south on us.

DMaster: Velencia makes her way out with a smile on her face. Khamyra skitters to a halt.

Chance: I stop dead in my tracks looking at her facial expression.

DMaster: She looks at you three,
VEL: Wat? You four worried about something?
She laughs, and looks back. Bastian is peering out the window waving.
VEL: Oh, we planned this yesterday.
She chuckles seeing the look on all your faces. Your fiance is burning a hole right through them.
BAS: Khamyra, got a second?
She nods and heads in.

Chance: Chan: would have been nice if you told the rest of us.

DMaster: VEL: …and miss that look on your dopey face, never.
As you get close to the outpost you see a lot of guards pointing to different locations. Farther away they were kind of hidden in the light fog. They have papers / maps and it looks like they are setting up some kind of sweep.

Chance: I remember doing sweeps when I was with the black ward. Brings a smile to my face.

DMaster: VEL: Yeah we are going that way, I think.
She is pointing more west, looking at a paper, turning it in different directions trying to get her bearings. It’s a bit west, the farthest reach of the sweeps being done by guards. Khamyra comes bounding out with big eyes, big smile.
KHA: Chance, he deciphered it!

Chance: Walk over to take a look with her.

DMaster: VEL: Deciphered what?
She puts her map in her belt and walks to you and Khamyra.
KHA: Well, we kind of found a parchment that had some of the sigil symbols on it and we needed them translated.
Before the Priestess could get to them, she shakes her head.
VEL: You would need something, a decoding of the language or symbols, heck even a few words…
She looks down at the paper, her eyes get big.
VEL: What the fuck? Why did I not know about this before? How did it get translated?
Eyes a bit angry. Khamyra gives her puppy dog eyes, then hands her the paper. Velencia is just staring at Khamyra, she rips the paper out of her hands and looks. Khamyra sighs.

Chance: Chan: okay, so what does it say?
Try to peer over Khamyra’s shoulder.

DMaster: Khamyra pulls out her paper, with the sigils she drew. They look at it together. Both are pointing and kind of whispering.
KHA: Air? The symbol in the real bad smelling place in the Dwarven Kingdom, is, Air?
Velencia nods, surprised.
VEL: Air dragons? I mean, that makes sense I guess. But how did they know the Dragons were there and what if they relocated? Ugg, whatever.
She shakes her head, confused.
KHA: This one is roughly translated to Open?
Velencia shrugs. Then points at the last one, the one in the storage area that sent them to the stairs, portcullis and the snake.
VEL: Home? I guess we crashed his little bedroom and such when we met up with him.
She chuckles. Velencia then puts the paper into her bag, and guides you over to the western area of the plateau. She explains how it’s going to work, and that we need to take our time, it is treacherous. Straight out you can see roughly 200-300 feet, and its a steady decline down. It is broken rocks, stones, hills and a light overlay of fog. It is nice out, around 70 degrees but it is very humid and moist. You four start a sweep, about 20-30 feet apart from each other. You are climbing down, kind of slipping a little.
DM: Investigation was a 4 for Todd, and perception was a 25.

Chance: Keep steady, be careful as I walk and climb.
Chan: Guys, the moisture is making things slippery, be careful.

DMaster: You are climbing around, it is slowly declining. Tamsus seems to be doing the best, gliding across some of the rough terrain with ease. It appears that something was found a good 500 yards from you, due east. Some guards yelling and alerting everyone. As that is happening you see what looks like an area that is different from the rest, a sharp drop off. By then Velencia is snapping her fingers, pointing down where that location is.

Chance: look in Velencias direction, nod my head. I will head that way as well.

DMaster: Your eyes meet and she nods her head too. Khamyra is heading that way as is everyone else, trying to be quiet. Even Tamsus, who is very agile and oddly quiet. You are all at the zenith of this drop off, peering down about 10 feet, to a somewhat smooth surface below, and a cave entrance underneath you. Shemrata says something to Tamsus and he crawls around and jumps down. Barely a sound was heard. He was very quiet, but then his head juts back and the larger creature backs up a bit. By now a familiar smell is starting to become present.

Chance: Watching his reaction see if I can smell anything.

DMaster: You can start to smell the sulfur and ass. Velencia glances over to you.

Chance: Meet her gaze and nod.
Chan: Sulfur and ass, we are in the right place.

DMaster: The Crowbear looks up and from what you can tell, it’s eyes grow big looking behind you. He backs up a little more, squawks a bit, looking like he wants to jump back to where you are.

Chance: I pull out silent fate and my head snaps back.

DMaster: Bastian stands there waving his hand by his nose.
BAS: Chance, man, what the hell did you eat yesterday?
Shemrata had her whip out, Khamyra had her assassins blade, Faelyn her bow. He puts his hands up. Velencia chuckles at his comment.

Chance: Chan: No, for once wasn’t me. Bastian, that smell is coming from a cave entrance below.

DMaster: BAS: Whoa, easy guys, just here to help.
Velencia sighs.
VEL: Why are you not over helping your overly noisy guards?
He shakes his head.
BAS: They only found a few caves, most of them empty and not with puke inducing smells. I saw you guys congregate here and knew something was up.
He peers over and his eyes bulge.
BAS: A Crowbear… magnificent!

Chance: Smirking and giving him a look.

DMaster: BAS: No offense Priestess, I don’t trust you all that much.
Everyone makes their way down and it looks like kind of a steep decline into the cave area.
VEL: no offense taken, I don’t trust you either. But, this is my lead, understand? I do not want to have to spar with another person in my group again, distracting everyone to what has to be done, ok?
Bastian nods.
BAS: Fine by me, I have been leading for a decade at least, will be nice to just follow.
He has a smile on his face as he is looking through his side bag, some tinks of glass can be heard.

Chance: I will make sure everyone makes it down and no guards are following us. Then will make my way down.

DMaster: Shemrata kind of scolds Tamsus who wanted to go first. Shemrata heads in, twin blade drawn, her legs are powerful and can grip the ground better as it dips down. After a minute. She yells up.
SHEM: It levels off pretty quick, it’s not that bad.
The party enters, and as you get in about 10 feet, it does decline a bit. A few skitter, but you all make it down to the area that levels off. The smell is bad, between the sulfur and ass, and now the smell of death and decay.

Chance: My hand goes over my mouth and nose.

DMaster: The cave is about 20-25 feet wide and about 10 feet in height. Much like the other’s some of the walls and floors seem smooth, others look ragged and natural. You go about 40 feet, then it branches off. Think of it like this. Straight ahead is 12 o’clock, to the right is 2:00 and to the left is 10:00. It is not a 90 degree crossways. Shemrata leads, you are second, then Velencia, Khamyra, Faelyn, Bastian and then Tamsus is bringing up the rear.

Chance: as we see both passages I will kneel down and look and see if either one looks more traveled then the other.

DMaster: DM: Todd rolls a 22 on perception.
This cave corridor did not look like many had traveled through here, until you reached this split. Now it looks heavily traveled. To the right there only seems to be light traffic and what appears to be other marks. Possibly marks from a wagon wheel? To the left is heavier traffic, but they seem to be barefoot? No other markings. Straight ahead is a mix of everything and the most traveled.

Chance: I will point this out to the rest of the group,
Chan: to the right, some odd markings, maybe a small wagon and some traffic. To the left, looks like it’s heavily used, but maybe by people in bare feet? Straight ahead, a mix of everything and a ton of traffic.

DMaster: Velencia decides to head to the right, the least amount of traffic, and she was curious about the odd markings. Shemrata heads in. It’s a cave-like corridor and the smell of death and decay is getting worse.

Chance: following the rest of the group, covering my nose and mouth, hoping I don’t lose my groceries.

DMaster: It opens into this chamber, your dark vision is going good, so is Shemrata’s and Khamyra’s and Faelyns. You almost run into Shemrata as she backs up a bit.
SHEM: Hold up, what the fuck… that is really gross.
There is a mountain of what appears to be bodies piled on top of each other. Some full corpses, others half and body parts, here and there. There is a pathway around it as far as you can tell. The mound is about 20-25 feet wide and a good 15 feet tall.

Chance: do the bodies appear to be humanoid? I gag and get closer.

DMaster: Yes, You get glimpses of humans, maybe an orc, possibly some elves. Khamyra gasps and steps back, hand over her mouth. Everyone’s eyes are bulging, not believing what they see.

Chance: Chan: come on before some of us loose breakfast.

DMaster: Bastian and Velencia come in last, the Priestess rubs her dagger and it lights up, some light shines into the room.
VEL: Oh, well that explains the smell.
Bastian eggs Velencia on and they are at the edge of the bodies, you hear them say a few things then head back.
VEL: All the bodies have been exsanguinated. No shocker there. Doesn’t look like there is a drop of blood over in that pile.
She points the way back and you all head back out.
BAS: That would explain the weird marks, a barrow of sorts or a wagon to carry the bodies.

Chance: shaking my head as we all walk back out. Trying to keep my breakfast down.

DMaster: The group gears up and heads straight. As quietly as they can. You get about 60-70 feet and it dips a bit, then it rises a little, then you can see light up ahead.

Chance: since her senses are better than even mine, I’ll let the Odius lead.

DMaster: Shemrata slows down and she looks back to everyone. Now it only smells like ass, the death is pretty much gone now. The party can now see the light. Velencia pokes you in the back.
VEL: Go check it out.

Chance: giving her a look and then creep forward quietly.

DMaster: DM: Todd rolls a 17.
you head up, and there is an incline, you slide a bit on it but seem to not alert anyone. Getting more level, you see another chamber, In the middle seems to be a roughly made column, about 20 feet wide. A man standing back turned in a red robe, hood drawn. He is working on something that is on a table. To the left are multiple tables and it looks to have sentinels on them, it spans as far as you can see back, at least 30-40 feet. To the right are a few cages and you can see two of those golems like you saw in Thoraxe. A smaller woman walks from around the column, hands something to the man with the hood drawn. He nods, and the little hag, walks to a sentinel on a table and starts to work with it.

Chance: once I see this I will quietly head back to the group and tell them what I saw.

DMaster: They all nod, in deep thought.
BAS: Ground zero for golem creating.

Chance: Chan: well if we take them on, we alert whatever else is here. I think we should go check out the left passage since we have a massive headache here.

DMaster: After a small debate, they agree.
VEL: Ok chump, you seem to be thinking clear today, your idea, you go.

Chance: Get by everyone, including Tamsus. You get to the split and head in that direction.

DMaster: You go down the right corridor, and it turns more into a tunnel. You have to really crouch. But after a good 40 feet, you can hear noises now. you’ve gone about a total of 100-120 feet. Some light can be seen now.

Chance: See if I can make out the noises.

DMaster: it’s still a bit in the distance, sounds like things hitting rocks. You can hear some chains rattling, like a few muffled banging sounds.

Chance: slowly creep closer towards the light.

DMaster: You get to a straight away, it’s a bit higher in the middle now. A torch or two on the wall of the corridor about 30 feet in front.

Chance: I will still keep creeping along slowly.

DMaster: DM: Todd rolls a 27 for stealth, no one is hearing him. You get right under the torch and well hidden. You see these smaller humanoids, they seem to be digging and breaking rock. They are putting them in some kind of wheel barrows.

Chance: see if I can make out what they are? and wait to see where they go.

DMaster: The chamber is pretty big, you estimate at least 100 feet wide. You are not even sure how far back it goes.
DM: Todd rolls a 12 for history.
You also have no idea what they are. Looks like well built children, if you would guess. They are dirty and all chained up. They are taking the barrows back, past other rocks and piles of stuff, farther, where you can’t really see.

Chance: Do I see any other passages from where I am hiding?

DMaster: you can’t but, you are guessing there has to be ones farther into the room, you would have seen barrow marks in the corridor.

Chance: deciding I have been gone long enough, I will quietly make my way back to the group.

DMaster: You make your way back, Bastian is talking with Velencia farther down the corridor away from everyone. Faelyn is looking as frustrated as ever, crossed arms. Khamyra is looking over her book and Shemrata is petting Tamsus.

Chance: quietly make my way over to Khamyra.

DMaster: they all see you and congregate.

Chance: explain to them what I seen and why I turned back around.

DMaster: Khamyra sighs.
KHA: Now they have child slaves, they get better and better don’t they, warm and fuzzy.

Chance: Chan: I didn’t want to take a chance of being seen that room they were breaking the rocks was huge, I am not sure but there may have been a passage or two further in, so we have dead bodies to the right, a huge headache straight ahead and muscle bound children to the left.

DMaster: VEL: We need to get into that room ahead, but the corridor is too narrow to fit more than 2 at a time, so we have to be coordinated.

Chance: Chan: I agree, put our fighters out in front. Our spell caster to the back.

DMaster: they nod.
KHA: What are the chances we can actually talk to them? Should we just strike at them, get advantage.

Chance: Chan: what are the chances anything like that would work in our favor?
smirking.

DMaster: The group gets quiet.
BAS: If we can get any information out of them before the slaughter the better. But I agree with Chance, the fighters in front, any blood magic has to come past them to get to Khamyra and Velencia.

Chance: Chan: Shemrata and myself, then the rest of you.

DMaster: VEL: Ok, good. Chance, Shemrata, Myself, then Tamsus, then Bastian and Faelyn. Khamyra you bring up the rear, get ready to unleash hell.

Chance: Heck yeah I like the plan. I will go first leading the way.

DMaster: you head out down the hallway. Then go up a little and you come out of the entrance way with Shemrata by your side. It is just the man with the hood right now. You and Shemrata came in and walked forward, situated about 15 feet apart. Tamsus jumps in the middle. Tail wagging, ticking. Faelyn and Bastian come in, just to the side of you and Shemrata. Velencia walks past Tamsus, giving him a little pet. then Khamyra is at the entrance.

Chance: I immediately take off the necklace as we come out of the entrance way.

DMaster: The hooded man, has a fancy mask on. He turns slowly to see the group. You can now see that there are about 10 tables going back on the left wall, all have sentinels laying on them. A hag is tending to one of them and she looks up when she hears the commotion.

Chance: I give the room a look over waiting for Velencia to say something. Get ready to think of bark if I see anything besides the hag or this figure move.

DMaster: The man is looking past Velencia looking at the Crowbear, who is down low, she is ticking and her claws digging into the dirt. If he could smile, you think it was.
VEL: Please tell me you can speak our language, otherwise I’ll feel a little bad running you through without hearing you yell for your little goddess.
MAN: Oh?
The man then directs his attention to the priestess in front of him.

Chance: I am keeping a close eye on the hag making sure she doesn’t make any sudden moves.

DMaster: The hag disappears farther into the room.
VEL: Yeah. This is quite the operation you have here, all across our side of Legon.
MAN: It has taken us some time to get it underway, but it seems to be working well now.
He has this low smooth voice.
VEL: So who is it that I speak with?

Chance: my eyes dart back to the figure and I look him over.

DMaster: MAN: If you must, Azark, I am the Chevelar of Immyrillion.
VEL: Oh really? A Champion, huh? Guess all the gods have similar ways of doing things.
She turns, looks at you and thumbs towards him, smirk on her face,
VEL: Why don’t you have a fancy mask and slick robes.. I mean your armor is just down right ugly.

Chance: Chan: damn it, not the time or place Velencia.
I take a step forward

DMaster: MAN: You must be the man who leads them all, Drozcon spoke of you.
He is looking at you. Velencia looks disgusted.
VEL: Leads them all? not me…
You meet the Priestess’s eyes, and for a moment both your eyes flicker. She blinks a few times, then surprisingly nods to you.
VEL: But on that day, I will follow you.

Chance: Give the priestess a look, nod back.
Chan: my name is Chance Axion and I am the Champion of Finster.

DMaster: He nods.
VEL: Well, I for one don’t want to stand around introducing everyone. I will ask this one question… what the fuck are you guys doing, I mean really. What is this going to accomplish?
MAN: That is… actually two questions.
Her eyes turn to slits, power fluctuates in them and he seems a little impressed.
MAN: You look much more formidable than the other entourages, and it seems you have come the farthest. But much like them you will parish and we will use your essence to power our army to take our rightful place in this world.

Chance: hearing that I let more of the power flow through me as well.
Chan: your rightful place? I think not… so you can what?

DMaster: You stop saying anything when Velencia turns back and gives you the look of death.
MAN: Our prophecy dictates it and our lady demands it.
You see a glow start under his robe, his eyes that were normal now turn to an orange throbbing glow
MAN: I can do that too…
VEL: He got you there Chump

Chance: Chan: And that is all he is going to get.
Turn back to him and give him a nod of respect

DMaster: You hear noise behind him and he glances back, then back at you. An Acolyte and another person with a straight iron mask walk out. One hag poke their heads out, rubbing their hands together.

Chance: Looking back at the rest of my group.

DMaster: Faelyn has quietly notched her arrow, Shemrata’s eyes are wide, a smile on her face she is practically drooling. Khamyra is muttering to herself while Bastian has a vial in his hands with his staff drawn and ready. Velencia has her arms crossed, she looks at her nails once or twice. Tamsus is just low has a ticking sound.
MAN: So do you really want to do this? I mean, it’s not like you can leave alive, but I can make it real quick.

Chance: Chan: do you really wanna keep playing with everyone’s life on legon? For the sake…

DMaster: You are interrupted by Velencia’s glare again.
MAN: Justice has no expiration date, my fellow Champion
VEL: And neither does my ass.
ROLL FOR INITIATIVE!