"Hrm," Talorc grunts, "Well, why don't we get close and form a little better plan. That is... assuming we take some applicable spells: fly, levitates, maybe some charms, and we keep those potions in mind we might be able to rush the gates. Assuming they don't get the alarm out perhaps we could hustle over to this place and muscle the Hammer out. It's not much of a plan I know. And it's important to keep in mind that we can always figure the place is too hot and get out. And we have several options for exits as long as we have enough movement capabilities."
"So why don't we get there during their "evening" hours and check out the front gate?" Talorc smiles reassuringly at his friends and pulls out the gross little thing he uses for a spellbook. "I heard rumor that those wyverns are big enough to carry someone, too. So what exactly is the air-speed of a laden European wyvern?"
"I'm not that familiar with magic, but I can think of a few options." Mero starts, "One is we all go in invisible with all the problems inherent there unto tracking each other, getting out in less than 24 hours, others I'm sure. Another is, if there is some way that I can be made to detect invisible, the vision enhancements Silent Discovery gives me allow me to see as if in normal full noon daylight. I should be able to see any dwarves well outside the range of their heat sense and we can either pick off or avoid sentries. Once at the city itself we can ignore the road completely and just scale the cliff side. I can climb just about anything, the rest of you could follow using this collapsible rope/ring. Once at the House of Senor Mummified Cabasa, we have to find the hammer quickly, but I don't think the most effective thing we can do is to steal the hammer and take it with us. The vision that Altira shared indicates that Sentares believes that the Hammer of the World will turnany dwarf/(other race?) touching it into a Cleric of Moradin instantly. Possible a viable option would be to get some well respected druegar to handle the unshielded hammer. Preferable someone with enough clout to get us out of the city unmolested if we raise too much noise getting in, possibly even the widow herself. In any case I would prefer less magic going in so that there is more available if we have to fight our way out."
"Regarding the use of invisibility. Why bother?! I mean, since these people go invisible at will, I think we can count on their being invisibility purges cast on any important areas. This sounds to me like an ill-advised stunt. Could someone tell me WHY we are doing this at all? I mean, it seems like a lot of risk to obtain an item none of us can use." Keridwynne says and then shrugs.
"As for the ability to see the invisible, Mero," Savi says, "I can do that for you, it will only last 25 minutes at best, but I will do it just before we descend into the city."
Tieron's eyes brighten as if he were coming out of a fog, "I would rather have such a powerful artifact in the hands of King Dalor than the Druegar. And also, the Druegar have been weakened by the explosion of the island. There may be no better time for it. "
Tieron raises his hand to his chin and continues, "Still, I agree with Keridwynne. Why take it? Personally, something that changes a person so completely scares the hell out of me. And yet, look what I am searching for." Tieron walks around shaking his head.
Talorc irritably responds, "Hey, I have my doubts, too, but give me a reason NOT to go for it though. I don't have the answers. I am getting the strong impression that this thing is important, though. As for touching it... of course I'm not. I'm not a fool. I have only one thing in common with the Moradin, and that's the desire to kick Ashler's head in."
Nightshade ponders "It seems to me that if Sentares doesn't want the druegar to touch the hammer for fear they'll become someone else's cleric, maybe we should find a likely leader and give him the hammer, bringing about a new religion. After all, any chaos will disrupt his plans...perhaps the more havoc we create, and the more enemies for Sentares, the better off we'll be. Of course, I really don't know anything about this god...what's his name again?"
"Reasons not to, I have only one, we could all die in a murky underground darkness, for what reason we aren't sure." Keridwynne laughs then. "Oh well, I guess that could be said of all our adventures! I think what we should do is go down and get the hammer, then stand in the village square of druegar and play the children's game, "hot turnip" tossing it from one to the other until we have converted have the dark dwarves to Moradin! THAT would make some interesting changes in their society!" Keridwynne snickers with mischief.
Nightshade returns the wicked grin. "I think that sounds like a plan! Does anyone have a Spell of Hot Turnip?"
Morning, January 5 523.
Mero rises early in the morning. He seems intent. Most the party seems very intent almost worried. Mero quietly slips Silent Discovery from its sheath and stares at it as if it were a parasite attached to him. He stares at it for long moments and then resheathes it. He reaches into his pocket and for the first time slips his newly acquired silver ring over his finger. A slight chill passes through him. Mero has never been to sure about magic. It can do great things and great evil. What will it do this time?
Mero raises his eyes to look at his party, brushing back his black hair with a sweep of his hand. Nightshade, in one of her moments of non-invisibility, is packing her things. She turns to look at Mero feeling his eyes upon her. Mero stares at her upswept ears and the fine points that they come to. Nightshade smiles briefly and then waves a little wave as she disappears into the cloak of the Crimson Wolf.
Talorc passes the gaze of Mero next. His usual position of studying from the dried and bloody book that he calls a spellbook. The ever present Altira laying across his lap. Talorc suggested this plan to recover the Hammer of the World. Talorc, the warrior, always ready for battle and maybe always looking for it. He seeks the thrill of the fight, someday the fight may claim him, but it will be a hell of battle when it does. Mero looks on.
Tieron and Shateera huddled in the corner of the room, whispering things that only lovers do. Mero could listen in but decides that that would be unwise and maybe more that he really wants to hear. It seems so strange to walk with a drow who loves a half-elf. In his land of the pharaohs, the white-fleshed elves and the black-skinned drow fought to the death. But in this time and place, strange bedfellows do they make.
Keridwynne sits in silent meditation. Her eyes looking but not really seeing. She walks with the gods and goddesses, but so have I, Mero thinks wryly. She has saved me more than once from the prison of Nottingham, to the blindness and then showing visions that have lead the way on more than one occasion. She is a healer but she brings the truth to the light as well and sometimes with it pain. Raina, my poor undead Raina. By the gods, Pryderi, I will take a terrible vengeance for that.
Savi, she who I can not fathom and still I am linked to her by some force that I do not know. Those black eyes staring at things that I can not imagine, but sometimes she is just as lost as I am. The things that those eyes have seen and no longer remember. A blessing or a curse, I wonder. She stands suddenly a fluid motion from seated to standing. The armor oozing over her body following every contour. How strangely erotic but also somewhat disgusting. A living creature feeding off of you and protecting you. Savi grabs her things and her pets scamper inside her pack.
Mero looks down again at the sword in its sheath. Silent Discovery, Savi's people named it. I fear what discovery I will make next. Mero stands and walks to Talorc, who is getting up from his studies.
Talorc eyes narrow at the sight of Mero coming his way, "Something wrong, Mero? Worried?"
"No, not at all." Mero lies but something bothers him this day.
"Not to worry, by this time tomorrow we will have the Hammer in hand and the stars will be above once again. Lets go." Talorc says as he slaps Mero on the back.
The journey out of Xalmen is short. Savi looks back at the city that once was her home but now in ruin and departs, probably never to return. She learned much here, but the questions still keep coming. She thinks again of her old master, the illithid and his final words to her.
"Will I succeed against Sentares?" she had asked.
His answer was not the one she expected, "No, you will fail because you do not trust your companions."
They walk onward. They pass what is left of the island in the lake. The temple that stood there now crumbled from an explosion. Mero looks back at the island and the sounds of battle fill his ears again. He jerks himself from the memory. It was painful but mostly from the sight of Raina.
The path now followed is new to them save, for having seen it from the vision of Keridwynne. It leads through tunnels and then through canyons that yawn on both sides. The sound of water rushing is never very far away but you can never quite see it. It must have taken millennia for these formations to be carved from the rock. At times in the rock, other ores can be seen. A fleck of gold here and there, a bit of silver and a blackish iron looking substance only once peeking out from the stone. The road twists and turns along paths but it always continues on an upward slope. Another path, long and broad running at a steep angle downward joins the main road to Amorck. Looking at it briefly, you realize that it must be the road to the surface. Eight hours from the beginning of the journey, they catch the first glimpse of Amorck, the town. A guard post on the road, just in front of a great bridge that spans a gorge. The red light of fires spill upward out of the gorge to illuminate the ceiling of stone high overhead. Smoke rises from out of the canyon, the smoke of so many fires of cooking and warmth. A sharp metal tang rides the air as well. The smell of forges and smelting from afar as the large smelting plant is across the gorge. But still a clang of metal is heard from below. A few personal forges still in operation in the city below. It is night for the city that never really has a day, just hours of less activity.
The party creeps to the canyon edge out of sight of the guard station and stares into the canyon. The buildings carved from the walls themselves drop away to the depths of the gorge. The bottom of the gorge and the city can not be seen from here. The sound of water rushing far below is faint but unmistakable. Not much activity can be seen but a few wyverns pinwheel in the skies above. The relentless dance of guarding a city from the air. They weave and bob in patterns that seem endless.
Savi reaches out and touches Mero on the hand. An electric jolt passes through his body. He looks at Savi and she nods and points to his eyes. Mero nods to Savi and then looks for Nightshade, who is standing invisibly just to the left of Keridwynne.
Talorc smiles slightly and then chants slowly to himself. When he finishes, he motions for everybody to go. Mero pulls a small strand of silver from his ring and unravels it. The rope expands in the air. He secures it with a slip knot on one end and drops the other end over the side. He motions for anyone to go and then slips his legs over the edge of the gorge. His feet and fingers finding holds with ease as he creeps down onto the city of Amorck. Tieron slips over the edge following in the holds of Mero. Talorc stands up and floats upward a bit from the ground. He extends his hand to Keridwynne for the ride down and is surprised to find that Savi takes it.
Savi mutters, "One must start to trust somewhere."
Talorc lifts Savi from the ground and steps off the edge of the cliff. Mero watches from cliff side as Talorc, his blue cloak wafting upward engulfing him and Savi as they sink downward rapidly. The cloaks snaps a bit in the breeze that they create. They look somewhat like vampire and prey descending into the lair especially when Talorc grins at him on the way by. Those damn teeth flashing in the firelight. Mero looks back to see Shateera descending on the rope. A drow descending on a silver white rope. Pictures of spiders descending on their webs weave into Mero's mind. Talorc rises by Mero and Tieron after having deposited Savi on the third level down. Mero steps down on the flat surface of the second level. He waits for Shateera to descend and then tugs at the rope. It releases and falls to the ground with a thud. Mero looks around for anyone approaching from the sound. No one seems to be coming. A crimson wolf print appears next to Mero's foot. Nightshade having already passed this way. Mero reattaches the rope to a decorative gargoyle on the side of someones house and then slips over the edge. Talorc and Keridwynne sail by. All reach the third level without hindrance of even the slightest sighting of a druegar. No one seems to be out on the streets, even timed to the late hour of their arrival, someone should be creeping about. It occurs to Mero that this might be due to the invisible capability of the Druegar. Looking back along the path, they spy the house at the foot of the third bridge. It unfortunately passes by a forge that seems to be in use. Clanging in the night of hammer on forge, someone works late this evening. There is no way around and the door to the forge is wide open. Talorc could fly them all around but that would lose time and he would be very easily seen by the wyverns wheeling overhead. The only choice is to creep by. Tieron takes the point. Slowly moving into the shadows of the building as he approaches the working forge. He passes quickly in front of the open door and then disappears into the shadows of the other side. He motions for the rest to follow. Shateera follows without trouble. Talorc lifts Savi up and flies past the door, hoping that if noticed, the occupant would think that it was a shadow of a wyvern flying by. Nightshade passes by unnoticed by anyone except Mero. Keridwynne not used to slinking in places does the best she can and joins her party on the other side. A few tense moments pass as the clanging stops. Weapons are partway withdrawn from sheathes and then replaced as the hammer strikes forge once again. Mero, the last to slip by, steps in front of the door of the forge and then stops. His eyes focus on the weapon that the Druegar forges. A battle axe like one he has seen before. A duplicate of the one that Talorc wears strapped to his back. The axe of Amorck. But this alone would not have been enough to stop Mero in his tracks. Standing next to the Druegar forger, inspecting his work is Cardinal Pryderi. The Cardinal smiles at the replica of the axe placed into his hands. Mero stands in the light of the door in stunned shock.
(What happens next is truly up to you.)
Snapping out of his shock, Mero quickly crosses the opening to join the party. Pulling Keridwynne urgently out of earshot of the forge. He asks, "How long does an animated body stay viable after the necromancer is dead?"
A series of emotions play very quickly across Keridwynne's face, ending in one of calm concern. She places her hands on Mero's sword arm before answering, "They can remain indefinitely, they just don't have anyone telling them what to do anymore."
"What makes you ask that at this time?" she adds, a trifle more fiercely.
"Pryderi is in that forge," Mero explains, "I may never get a better chance at him."
"I plan to hide and wait for a shot at his back."
"You guys go on and get the hammer, I'll try to catch up if I can. Either inside the house of Amorck, or at the road leading back to the surface. If I can't find you either place I'll try to make it to the dwarves by spring provided you intend to fulfill the prophesy on the wall of the orb room."
"I for one, don't think you should go it alone. I think we would be foolish to divide our forces. Let's "take care" of Pryderi, if we live through that, then we'll see about the hammer." whispers Keridwynne looking around at her friends seeking their agreement.
Savi listening in on the conversation of Mero and Keridwynne, slowly slides her broadsword from her back sheath. She smiles slightly,settles down next to the building and waits for Pryderi to exit.
Talorc scowls and gives the surroundings a good look. He mutters a spell and scans the threshold from the side. If nothing's wrong he'll pull everyone away. "Ok. Quick plan. In three minutes we rush the place. Tieron, its very important that you time a missile at that guy. As far as I can tell Nightshade can sneak in if she wants to..."
Talorc takes out his potion of wyvern control and quaffs it.
Nightshade readies her shortsword for that oh-so-deadly backstab. "Agreed....Pryderi is one begging to die."
Keridwynne silently pictures the dead Pryderi with a forest of shortswords bristling from his back. Aloud she whispers "I'm sure he didn't come to the city of dark dwarves without having detect invisible up, so don't rely on that, my sneaky compatriots. Keridwynne casts sanctuary on herself.
"Oh then, if you all want to help we'll do it." Turning again to Keridwynne, Mero informs her, "If for any reason I don't make it that far in this grand adventure, the best person to get you in position to take out Sentares is his wife. If you need help getting access to him, ask her. If you mention me, she'll probably help you."
His peace said Mero uses his ring to form a lariat and waits for Talorc's countdown.
"Just so everyone knows what to expect from him, Pryderi was holding a battle axe like the one strapped to your back Talorc, when I passed by the door," Mero informs the party.
Nightshade will, specifically, be circling the building looking for a back entrance from which to get a good backstabbing angle. "We should do this inside, so as not to prematurely raise alarm," the wind whispers to Mero as red wolf prints edge past him. "And someone should silence the smith."
Tieron nods his head at Talorc's plan. He glances over at Shateera to see if she is ready. He sees her hand move to her knife. Shateera smiles at him and Tieron smile grows larger. In that instant, Tieron knows he is going to marry Shateera. Still smiling, he glances back at Talorc and readies himself.
Nightshade slowly pads around the back of the building. The red glow of the forge making strange shadows play along the walls. Circling the back, she finds the other entrance into the forge. A cargo entrance of sorts. A large doorless opening. From this vantage point she can see the back of Pryderi talking to the smith. Figuring that she has a minute before, Talorc's countdown ceases, she slowly moves into the room, listening to the conversation as she goes.
"Are you sure that it will fool the trap, that Amorck built? I would hate to lose anymore of my servants." Pryderi says.
The smith answers, "I will not guarantee that it will fool the trap, only the original battleaxe of Amorck will deactivate the trap for sure, but this stands as good a chance as any. But why do you need a replacement for the axe of Amorck? Why not recover the axe from those that stole it?"
"I can not risk engaging those that hold the axe as of yet." Pryderi responds.
Tieron starts to cast the missile that will be the first strike on Pryderi.
Nightshade moves to behind Pryderi, so close that she can feel the heat of his body radiating out and smell the scent of his perfumes.
Mero starts swinging the rope to gain velocity for the throw.
Keridwynne is deep in concentration for the spell that is about to come.
From out of a side room, just behind Nightshade and Pryderi steps Namid, the undead Siamsa bodyguard to Pryderi. His action is quick and sure. His black soulless eyes burning holes into the back of Nightshade, he reaches out his hand as Nightshade starts the plunge for Pryderi's back. Her dagger impales itself through the forearm of Namid. Pryderi staggers back from the impact of several balls of force exploding on his chest from the fury unleashed by Tieron. Mero sails the lariat through the door of the smithy and it settles over the head of Pryderi. Mero jerks hard on the noose and though it didn't settle over Pryderi's arms it did settle around his neck. Mero pulls back hard, hoping to choke the life out of Pryderi.
Keridwynne finishes the spell of holding and it washes like a wave over the startled smith. He stops in his tracks, held. Namid turns his head to look at Nightshade, no emotion on the face of the undead creature. He pulls the dagger from his forearm and rams it into the stomach of the now-visible Nightshade.
Talorc screams some guttural cry of the picts and charges through the door toward Pryderi, Altira's green light adding to the reddish glow of the forge.
Pryderi pulls back hard on the rope that connects Mero and him. Mero starts to slide toward the door as Pryderi hauls back on the rope. Savi reaches out and grabs the end of the rope and tightens the noose on Pryderi.
Nightshade recovers and withdraws her own dagger from her stomach with sucking sound. She staggers a bit and moves forward toward the back of Pryderi. Namid pulls two daggers and throws one at Nightshade. The dagger imbeds itself into her right shoulder. The other dagger sails into the charging Talorc, burying itself up to the hilt in his thigh. Pryderi now short on breath brings the new forged axe up and swings it down on the rope. The rope parts and Mero, Savi and Pryderi tumble backward. Pryderi lands hard on his back and then bounces from the impact of more missiles, delivered by Tieron.
Mero is quick to recover his feet, he pulls Silent Discovery from his sheath and runs toward Pryderi.
Pryderi pulls at the severed rope around his neck and whips it off as he scrambles to his feet.
Talorc nearly on Pryderi finds himself face to face with Namid instead. Talorc grins slightly, showing those wide teeth of his. Namid pulls himself to his 6 foot height and crosses his arms, bracing his feet in a wide stance for maximum balance. Talorc not wanting to see what comes next from Namid swings Altira. The blade slices through some of the fabric of the clothing of Namid but never cuts flesh. Namid uncrosses his arms and in both hands shortswords are now coming to bear on Talorc. Namid swings one sword and then the other. Both swords draw lines across Talorc's chest.
Mero ducks underneath the blades of Namid and Talorc. In his hatred for Pryderi, he rushes oblivious to all else.
Savi steps through the door of the smith but finds no room to negotiate around the fighting forms of Namid and Talorc. Tieron and Shateera rush around to the backside, to the entrance that Nightshade found. Keridwynne stands for now, unable to enter into combat.
Pryderi coughs "By the god! Mero!"
Mero swings his blade at the Pryderi's head. Its tip sliding into the cheek and out at the corner of his mouth. Blood sprays from the lips of Pryderi. Pryderi drops the axe that he used to cut the rope and swings open handed at Mero. His hand slaps across Mero's leather armor. As the hand goes by, Mero notes with interest that the ring on Pryderi's hand was glowing strongly. A strange yellow light pulses out from where the ring and hand touched him. His body convulses and blood pours from every orifice on his body. Mero nearly sinks to the ground from the loss of blood. His hatred keeps him standing.
Keridwynne rushes the door after seeing the effect of a harm spell unleashed on Mero.
Nightshade slams a dagger deep into the back of Pryderi, "Third time is the charm," she calls out as she rolls away from the turning form of Pryderi.
Tieron and Shateera rush through the back door.
Talorc swings and hits Namid, Altira biting deep into his side. Namid looks down and then swings both his swords again at Talorc. They connect.
Pryderi screams out in pain from the dagger in his back, "Namid! Protect!"
Namid, seeing Talorcs attack coming, grabs the sword arm of Talorc and lifts. Talorc slowly rises off the ground. Seeing and opportunity, Talorc reaches to his knife sheath and withdraws the silver ceremonial dagger and plunges it into Namid. Namid actually grunts from the impact, but still keeps lifting. He flings Talorc like a rag doll at the fires of the furnace. Talorc sails over the worktable of the smith and into the fire. The smell of burned hair and flesh is almost overpowering as Talorc burns for an instant in the fires of the forge. He rolls out and onto the ground. Altira, knowing her master is near death lashes out in the only way possible. The green glow of her lances out in a single beam of destruction. It strikes the closest target, the held smith. Blood oozes down the beam of Altira and flows into the body of Talorc. Wounds seal and blood stops flowing, Talorcs condition is still weak, but he stands, Altira in hand. The smith collapses to the floor.
Namid having thrown Talorc, didn't hesitate. He sprang across the room and stood in front of Pryderi like a wall. Mero still striking for Pryderi lashes out with Silent Discovery. The blade strikes Namid in the chest. Namid's sword lashes out and drives deep into Mero's chest. Mero's eyes widen and then start to close as he slides from the blade. He lands with a thud at the feet of Namid.
Pryderi reaches out and grasps Mero's foot and draws him closer, sliding him across the floor. Keridwynne sprints to the fallen Mero. Namid backhands her. She staggers back.
Pryderi draws Mero close. Mero, his eyes still open in the last moments of life, looks up into the eyes of Pryderi.
"How I have dreamed of killing you, Mero! How I have waited for just such a moment, to watch your life seep away. But Gods are nothing if not cruel masters. You must live, you son of a bitch and I have to save you. "
Pryderi pulls a potion from his pocket and upends it into Mero's throat.
Keridwynne stands. Reaching down into her shirt, she pulls forth the very symbol of her religion.
"You unholy piece of vermin! Back! Stand back ! Be gone! Back to where you came! Die as you should have the first time!" Keridwynne screams.
Namid lifts his head slightly and then steps back, away from Pryderi. Keridwynne presses her advantage and steps forward. Tieron, Shateera, Nightshade, Talorc, and Savi step up behind Keridwynne, all closing in on the prone form of Mero and Pryderi crouching over him.
Namid's lips part, in a slur of the words, he says "No mercccy." In his hand is no longer one of the short swords but a foot long length of wood. It spouts lightning into the room. The blue wave of electricity washes over the room. Talorc is lifted from the ground and slammed into the back wall to lay still. Nightshade ducks and rolls but is tagged by a small blast of the energy. She finishes her roll and tries to come back to her feet, but falls and passes out. Tieron is caught with his guard down. The blast caught him in the face and hurled him across the room. A crunch of bone is heard when he lands. He assumes a sitting position but then leans over and slumps. Shateera ducked in time but the wave was just too big. No where to run, she turned and the wave washed over her back, burning hair as it went. She stayed still for a second and then ran to Tieron's side. Savi, stood still and let the wave wash over her. She has suffered far worse pain than this but at the moment she could not remember when. Savi then fell to one knee. Keridwynne, her eyes blazing with a fury that no one in her party can remember stood against the onslaught and stepped forward, electricity still crackling in her hair.
"Just what in the hell will it take to stop you?" Pryderi says looking at her.
"Nothing, will ever stop me from destroying you." Her tone even, her voice carrying no emotion.
"Maybe this will. Namid! Again!"
Namid brings the wooden rod up, his lips parting and speaking the words "no mercy" again. Keridwynne steps right in front of the wand. The tip sticking into her stomach as the wand spews lightning. The wave that would have washed over the room flares upward and back. Keridwynne is thrown from the impact across the room. The energy unable to go forward because of Keridwynne goes the only way that it can. It flares backward, covering Namid in a dance of electric bees. He jerks and twitches as the electricity burns to him to the bone. He collapses to the floor only to try and rise again. He fails and collapses.
Pryderi stands and looks at the rest of the happenings. Talorc lies sprawled lifeless against one wall. Nightshade collapsed against another. Tieron unconscious. Shateera in no shape to continue the battle. Mero lying at Pryderi's feet. Savi struggling to regain hers. Pryderi pulls his warhammer from his back and brings it down on the back of her head, not once but twice in rapid succession. She starts to collapse, her bracers glowing with power. Pryderi slams her in the head again and she falls, the power dying in the bracers before she can send him to the abyss. Pryderi turns around and is slammed in the teeth by the butt of a quarterstaff. Keridwynne slams him again and again.
"Good god, women. Don't you ever give up. Look around you. Your people are dying. You can save them." Pryderi says trying to find that one nerve that he can jolt Keridwynne back to saving her friends and not killing him, "if you hurry."
"I never give up, Pryderi and I will never relent until Ashler is gone from this world."
Keridwynne slams his head with the end of the staff again. Pryderi takes a good long look at this woman as she snaps his head back a fourth and a fifth time. Her eyes ablaze, her rage clearly showing on her face.
"I took you to be the weakest of the members of your party, a goddess loving priestess whose main concern was safety of her party. I was very much," Pryderi's head slams back from the end of the quarterstaff, "mistaken." he says as he passes out.
Keridwynne looks around at the carnage that is her party. Talorc is by far the worst of the party. Keridwynne grabs at the potions in her pack and tips one into Talorc's throat. He swallows but does not awaken. She runs to Nightshade, seeing that Shateera is already pouring one of Tieron's own potions down him. She administers another potion to Nightshade and waits to see her start to rouse.
Then from all around, Druegar burst into the room. Swords in hand they circle the standing members of the party.
"Drop your weapons!" a largish druegar says, the bars on his shoulder indicating some sort of rank.
(I find that an interesting ending don't you? Everybody is alive. Most of you just barely. These totals of hit points are after Keridwynne administers potions to Talorc and Nightshade. Shateera administers to Tieron and Mero. Savi is in no danger of dying at 0, Talorc also at 0. The both of you will regain your sense and are capable of small actions like talking until better healed. Tieron is at 4, Shateera is at 3. Nightshade at 7, Mero is at 1 and Keridwynne is at 5. Namid is dead finally. Pryderi is already being worked on by a druegar cleric, he will survive.)
"Well crapola, that really didn't go at all as planned." Nightshade mutters in elven. She turns her face towards the floor. From the direction of Pryderi comes a half-whispered moan. "Uerf! Hack! Hack! Get back, you oafs! Do you wish to foil everything? *wheeze* Leave them here and all of you get out, by the god! or I'll have you skinned and sent to amuse Sentares!" Nightshade lolls a bit and feigns grogginess, while trying to establish if her ventriloquistic ploy has had any effect.
The druegar look at Pryderi, their eyes widening and eyebrows lifting at the strange orders that they just heard. The Captain of the night watch signals for them to start exiting. A few of the Druegar turn and start to take up positions on the outside of the smithy.
Pryderi sits up as he sees the clerics that were working on him start to withdraw, "What the hell do you think you are doing? Get back in here and capture them or all hell is going to break loose again."
Keridwynne mutters anglo-saxon epithets as she pulls out her wyvern control potion. She tries to catch Shateera's eye and say "cheers" as she quaffs it, hoping the drow woman will follow suit. She then attempts to call out to any wyverns in the area to come and carry off party members, and if this works, will attempt to return to the city of the old ones for now. "If we surrender, they will kill most of us, certainly Shateera immediately, and our artifacts will be directly in the hands of the enemies. Better to die trying than to surrender to this lot." Keridwynne starts to chant softly to herself.
Shateera nods to Keridwynne and pulls out the third wyvern control potion. Draining it, she looks to the doors.
The guards start to file back in, very confused about things in general.
Mero gathers the bits of his rope ring surreptitiously. The distraction from Nightshade provides Mero with an opportunity to creep near Pryderi, who is still sitting on the ground. Mero slips the now invisible Silent Discovery under Pryderi's chin and tilts his head back.
"Stop!" Mero shouts, "Move and I will kill him!"
The captain looks at Mero and in common says "With what? your finger?"
The captain and the druegar start to laugh.
Silent Discovery turns solid.
The laughing stops and Mero smiles at them.
"Please Shateera, get out if you can. Use the gem or whatever you have. I love you.", Tieron whispers to Shateera. Tieron slips his hand into his pouch for another healing potion or two.
"I love you, too. But shut up and drink this." Shateera says and tips back a bottle into the stunned mouth of Tieron.
"Kill them all!" the captain shouts, "go through Pryderi if you have to or step over his corpse."
The guards pull out battle axes and start to move forward.
"Mero," Pryderi starts in a low tone, "I saved you just moments ago. Are you going to kill me now? Think of Raina, Mero, I know where she is and you don't. I can lead you to her and to Sentares. I can get you into Lambor Castle without Sentares even knowing about it. The battle would be over even before it began."
Mero pauses for a second.
Pryderi rambles on, "I will give you Raina and even restore her to life. Then we will part company and should we meet again. Well... What is your decision, Mero?"
High-pitched screams of wailing undead hit Talorc's mind. "You are ours. You are ours. Remember the deal. Orkney rock? Come to us. We await you. You cannot escape. Walk the earth. Haunt your haunts, but you are powerless. You forever lay naked under our lidless eyes. You are ours." The screams lose their resolution. They are now seem screeches, inquiring...
Talorc's mind gains focus. He experiences a sudden pain. Chewing on the shards of glass he pulls on a new resolve. Talorc's mind calls out "In a house on the third level, my friends, is a cleric. I don't know much about him, but he enjoys climbing up to aeries and seeing how far he can toss eggs..."
His eyes unsuccessfully trying to focus, Talorc gets the feeling something is wrong. He detects dwarven voices in the room. Struggling, he pulls a wand from his pack and desperately zaps it.
"Altira, you'll have to help me here. Is this a good place for oblivion? Best possibility is begging for mercy in the court of a beastlord, but most likely you and I will be annihilated and the barn will be blasted killing most of us, but we'll get Pryderi, too. So, I care for you enough to not do it without your OK. But just let me, and I'll break it..."
"Into the night you wander, its morning that you dread. Another day of knowing of the path you fear to tread. Into the sea of waking dreams you follow without pride, nothing stands between us here and I won't be denied." Altira sings, just above a whisper.
Talorc's voice croaks out as he falls near unconsciousness again, "Good job. Congratulations are in order, but first, you must fight...the bear.
Keridwynne, somewhat restored by the spell, she cast on herself, finishes casting another. With a touch on Talorc's shoulder, Talorc's eyes open wide and he struggles to his feet, better but not recovered.
The guards move in on the party, weapons in hand. Between them a mist starts to arise. The guards pause for just an instant to take in this new threat. That instant is all it needed. From out of the mist a huge white paw emerges and shreds the armor of the first druegar in its way. The mist withdraws as if being sucked out of the room and in its place stands a white bear, a white polar bear. All 2000 pounds of hair, muscle, fangs and claws. It launches itself into the druegar. The second goes down with out making a sound, his head torn from his shoulders. The bear seems to roar in appreciation of its own skills.
From the large opening in the doors, an enormous brown speckled wyvern sails through them, followed by a yellow and then a greenish tinged wyvern. The first wyvern finds little room to maneuver around things and sails over the bear to land at the feet of Keridwynne. The second and third land by Shateera. The small door behind the party where Mero had a tug of war with Pryderi squawks. Keridwynne glances back to see at least three more wyverns land.
Mero whispers to Pryderi, "why did you save me?"
"Because I had no choice. You think I'm evil, Mero. You have not seen Sentares. He is evil on a rampage. The things that he plots will destroy the world. I seek a little world domination by Ashler. He seeks to kill all life. Only you can stop him, only you, Savi and the rest can take him from this earth. I had to keep you alive, because if Sentares is allowed to live, we will all perish in the fire to come."
Pryderi drives his elbow back hard into the stomach of Mero. Mero lets out a little "oof" sound and then pulls back on Silent Discovery. Pryderi had just enough time to slip a hand between Silent Discovery and his throat. The sword bites deep into the hand of Pryderi, severing the last two fingers on Pryderi's left hand. They fall with a plop to the floor. Pryderi lets out a muffled yelp and rolls forward clutching his hand to his chest, blood oozing down the front of his armor. Mero lurches forward. A druegar spins around in front of him, having been swiped at by the bear. His back now facing Mero. Mero in rage at having lost Pryderi slams Silent Discovery into the back of the druegar. His body shudders and shakes uncontrollably, his mouth wide open but no sound issuing from it. The sword sheds a reddish light that fades in just a few moments. Mero withdraws the sword from the druegar. It pulses quietly in his hand.
Pryderi rolled out of the way of the bear and staggered out the door.
"Another day, Mero!" he shouts and is gone. A group of Druegar surrounding him as he runs.
Mero turns around to see the party exiting out the door. Wyverns, a plenty out here. Mero stoops to grab the fingers of Pryderi and rushes out. Keridwynne motions him to a wyvern. The wyvern dips its head to allow Mero to climb onto its back. Seeing these creatures again, Mero involuntarily rubs at his eyes, remembering past pain.
The bear roars again as everyone climbs aboard a wyvern. The wyverns pick up speed and launch themselves off of the cliff into a dizzying spin down into the ravine. They catch an updraft and start climbing upward out of the crevice. Savi, looking very comfortable in her ride twists in her seat. Her bracers glowing in the dark of the underworld. A fireball launches itself from her fingers to impact into the smiths building. It explodes with a teeth rattling kaboom. The party turns to see the building go up in flames.
"Where are we going?" Tieron asks astride a blue wyvern.
"Back to Xalmen is my plan unless someone has a better plan?" Keridwynne says.
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