[IC Thread] The Tale Begins: Castle Ward

[zanshin]

Shortstuff will slip into the room and check for anything unusual about the doors/walls and floor of the room.

Berek, bored by now, moves forward to join the forward group.

[zendog]

Bernard doesn't find anything, but Shortstuff notices patches of plaster that are lighter than the rest of the wall. Four patches, one on each wall.

[zanshin]

Shortstuff will draw his dagger and carefully probe the patch of plaster on the wall to the left of the doorway.

Berek will step into the room and assess the construction using his keen Dwarven engineering knowledge.

[zendog]

Berek examines the building. It the usual, dull and functional work, he'd expect froma human military building. Nothing noteworthy.

Working carefully, Shortstuff carves away at the patch of plaster and underneath it finds a golden dish about the size of a dinner plate. It has been carefully inscribed with an abstract pattern and is quite beautiful.

[eagle]

Brick and Millsap slip into the room and notice that
Shortstuff is examining a patch on the wall.

At the appropriate time, Millsap examines a
patch with his Hoko. Old Brick readies his
staff and casts "Oh There It is".

[zendog]

Millsap pokes another patch with his spear, and another plate drops out, slightly dented and chipped and perhaps not as valuable as the intact plate that Shortsuff carefully dug out.

Old Brick feels the wizardly power drain from him as he casts his spell, a vague purple mist hangs around the the two remaining patches of plaster, but nothing else is revealed.

[jongjungbu]

A remnant from the dead perhaps, thinks Greqo, as he reaches out a hand to grab a few of what appears to be gold coins in the brackish water.

Meanwhile, Adiemar is sitting, rather bored, at the edge of the courtyard now. He glances in Greqo's direction and happens to notice the elf reaching into the water. His curiosity overwhelming any possible annoyance he may give the elf, Greqo stands up abruptly and sprints towards the water.

"Found something good there, Greqo?!" calls out Adiemar.

[zendog]

Greqo reaches in to the pool . . .

[ProfGremlin]

Jan 26, 2010 14:51:05 GMT -5 jongjungbu said:

"Found something good there, Greqo?!" calls out Adiemar.

Dirk glances over his shoulder when he hears Adiemar's call. Thus far his survey of the courtyard environs and the shadows that border it have been thankfully uneventful. That won't last long if the soliders tales hold any glimmer of truth thinks Dirk. Noting Greqo's hand outstretched over the brackish pool Dirk begins walking in that direction. I've got a bad feeling about this...

[zendog]

. . . and grabs the coin. The shooting searing pain in his hand is the first indication that whatever he grabbed isn’t in fact a coin.

He pulls his hand from the pool to see a large leech attached. The leech has a gold bioluminescent spot on its body. The pain is excruciating and the leech quickly quadruples in size as it greedily feeds on Greqo’s blood.

[ProfGremlin]

Jan 26, 2010 4:06:14 GMT -5 zendog said:

There’s a door in the west wall that must lead back out to the courtyard.

Flitwing flutters over the heads of Con and Bernard as they push the rotten door open and step into the smaller room. Dust, splinters and shadows greet his vision. Looking for a place to rest his wings a moment the fairy spies the door across the room and flits over to it. Glancing around to make sure there are no trip wires, Flitwing lands on the handle and turns to watch the others.

The little wizard notes with interest the plates that Shortstuff and then Millsap pull from behind the aged plaster. When Brick casts his spell Flitwing feels a familiar little tingle as the purple mist outlines the remaining two cardinal points in the room. Cardinal points? Uh, oh... Flitwing launches himself into the air straight towards Brick hoping the larger wizard can understand him.

Flitwing comes to a hover right in front of Brick's face. "Stop!" he says holding his hands out in the universal gesture both palms out. "Look! It's a classic spell setup! North, South, East and West." Flitwing points at each of the discolored wall patches as he implores Brick to understand him. "Be careful opening the other two hiding places. They could be spell-trapped." Flitwing streaks through a tight spiral and shoots out of the room. A moment later he can be seen peeking around the door jam from the larger room.

[jongjungbu]

Greqo tries to pull back, wrenching in pain with low grunts.

Adiemar spots the growing leech as his sprint closes in on the elf. He raises his bludgeon as he approaches in an attempt to swat the creature back into the water.

[ProfGremlin]

Seeing Greqo suddenly pull back and hunch over in pain Dirk sprints towards the elf. He sees a - something - hanging from the elf's hand as Adiemar raises his bludgeon, his gaze fixed on the elf.

[zendog]

Aidemar comes running in swinging his club in his enthusiasm to help his comrade.

Greqo realises what's about to happen and snatches his hand out of the way, but too late. There is a spldoge then a sickening crack, as Aidemar's blow squishes the leech but smashes Greqos hand.

Aidemar may just have saved Greqo's life, but the cost was high.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Con will take off outside to see what all the noise is about.

"I hear shouting in the courtyard, we'd best see if the others have found a bit of trouble"

Bernard grunts and follows Con back into the open.