Part 6: Freedom!

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Verner
Lvl 2 Warrior / 1995 AP
ST 14 IQ 12 LK 15 CON 12/11 DX 12 CHR 14 WIZ 14 PA +4
Weapons: Enchanted broadsword (5D+4), 2 Spears (3D+1) Dirk (2D+1)
Armor: Mail (22 hits), Knights shield (10 hits)

Verner creeps forward and listens for himself.

Whispering to the others "Does that sound like singing to you or chanting?"
"Somehow given our circumstances I think chanting might be very bad indeed"

Verner waves Vorrt forward and whispers "Give a listen and see if you can identify what the singers are singing, if it is a hymn or some song of your people perhaps they are refuges?"

OOC: Well do we want to go in guns blazing or hope these singers might be residents of the saner sort?

Genzo
Lvl 2 Warrior (Werewolf) / 1824 AP
ST 8/24 IQ 12 LK 12 CON 16-15/48 DX 15/3 CHR 4/4 WIZ 5
PA +2/+15
Weapons: 2 Spears (3D+1), War bola (2D) 2 Dirks ( 2D+1 ) Short Saber (3D+1)
Armor: Scale ( 16 hits ) Target Shield ( 8 hits )

Genzo goes back along the line and gets everyone in the same formation they used to breach the door in the ogre room. If this room is filled with blood mad cultists then a hail of bolts spears and a well aimed war bolo might give them something to think to think about other than sacrificing his companions to there demon-god thingy!

[kwll]

Ozmenton waits with anxiety Vorrt's conclusions.

[danhem]

Vorrt steps forward to listen at the door followed by Garmos who comes without being called. Neither can tell what is being sung on the other side of the door.

"I don't recognize it as any hymns or ritual songs of Usamigaras," Garmos says. "But the voices certainly sound human."

[apn]

OOC Back

Name: Elethiran Shir'Taan (Female elf) Type: Warrior-Wizard Kin: Elf Level: 2 AP: 2062
ST 13 IQ 18 LK 18 CON 8 DX 18 CHR 32 WIZ 12/12 Personal Adds: +13 Missile Adds: +16
Weapons: Poniard (x5) (2D) (50wu total) Short Sword (3D) (30wu) light crossbow (4D) (120wu) + 14 Quarrels (14wu) Makeshift Staff (15/36)
Armour: Scale (8 hits+1) (200wu) Buckler (3 hits+1) (75wu) (13 hits total)
4 pots of healing salve

Name: Clud Magaladannannon Type: Warrior Kin: Were-Bear Level: 1 AP: 1299(Were-Form)
ST 11(39) IQ 14 LK 15 CON 10(31/35) DX 3(3) CHR 13 WIZ 11 Personal Adds: -3 Were-form: +24 Missile Adds: missile? eh? with 3 dex?
Weapons: Club (3D) (50wu) Bank (dagger) (2D+3) (20wu) Armour: Werebear scale armour: 8 hits, 10 ST needed, 1500 wu (bear form)


Elethiran looks about for somewhere to hide. "I was thinking" she says quietly "About hiding the rest of you lot and simply knocking on the door by myself, to speak to them. Maybe we don't have to wantonly slaughter every inhabitant of this place, but if we turn up en masse and looking like we've doused ourselves in the entrails of our various foes..." she takes a raised eyebrow glance at Cludbear, who looks guiltily away from the corner of a wall which is receiving attention from his backside with a 'what, me?' expression. He's pretty much covered in drying Ogre blood. "...they'll stop what they are doing and attempt to drown us in their own innards, like everyone else in this gods cursed place. Maybe if we hang back, out of torchlight range and prepare to rush in, with one spokesman out front? Or spokeswoman." she shrugs.

"What do you think? Try the 'hello, we come in peace?' thing, instead of rushing in to hack them to pieces, only to find they were peaceful monks who wandered in here and turned as bonkers as everyone else and decided to stay?" she asks the others.

ACTIONS

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Verner
Lvl 2 Warrior / 1995 AP
ST 14 IQ 12 LK 15 CON 12/11 DX 12 CHR 14 WIZ 14 PA +4
Weapons: Enchanted broadsword (5D+4), 2 Spears (3D+1) Dirk (2D+1)
Armor: Mail (22 hits), Knights shield (10 hits)

Verner raises his eyebrow and gnaws his bottom lip in thought.

"Okay, how about this you and I will go"

"I'll remove my helmet and stand beside you with my shield and do my best to seem unthreatening"

"If these unseen chanters are friendly all the better, if however they are blood-mad demon worshipping cultists I'll grab you we'll fall to the floor and I'll cover us with my shield while the others let fly with everything in our arsenal of magic and weapons"

"Then Clud will lead the charge into the cultists with the others streaming in behind him and we'll rise and join the fray"

"You'll take charge of the mages and direct magic as needed"

........"Or you know they'll be sane and we'll lead them up to the next floor and then return to search for more...Cough"

Genzo
Lvl 2 Warrior (Werewolf) / 1824 AP
ST 8/24 IQ 12 LK 12 CON 16-15/48 DX 15/3 CHR 4/4 WIZ 5
PA +2/+15
Weapons: 2 Spears (3D+1), War bola (2D) 2 Dirks ( 2D+1 ) Short Saber (3D+1)
Armor: Scale ( 16 hits ) Target Shield ( 8 hits )

Genzo prepares a lantern for Verner.

"If that is the plan we in the second group will hood our lanterns and wait for your signal"

"If you raise the lantern over your head twice we'll come forward peacefully if you drop it we will fire and then charge in to the rescue"

[kwll]

Ozmenton looks incredulously at Elethiran and Verner as if they have suddenly gone mad. Realizing that they are not actually making a joke, he says: "Fair enough, it is your life after all, not mine. If we happen not to meet again then good luck in the afterlife; it's been a pleasure." Then he turns his back to give his instructions to Gurf and position himself in the far end of the corridor, as has been agreed.

[apn]

Name: Elethiran Shir'Taan (Female elf) Type: Warrior-Wizard Kin: Elf Level: 2 AP: 2062
ST 13 IQ 18 LK 18 CON 8 DX 18 CHR 32 WIZ 12/12 Personal Adds: +13 Missile Adds: +16
Weapons: Poniard (x5) (2D) (50wu total) Short Sword (3D) (30wu) light crossbow (4D) (120wu) + 14 Quarrels (14wu) Makeshift Staff (15/36)
Armour: Scale (8 hits+1) (200wu) Buckler (3 hits+1) (75wu) (13 hits total)
4 pots of healing salve

Name: Clud Magaladannannon Type: Warrior Kin: Were-Bear Level: 1 AP: 1299(Were-Form)
ST 11(39) IQ 14 LK 15 CON 10(31/35) DX 3(3) CHR 13 WIZ 11 Personal Adds: -3 Were-form: +24 Missile Adds: missile? eh? with 3 dex?
Weapons: Club (3D) (50wu) Bank (dagger) (2D+3) (20wu) Armour: Werebear scale armour: 8 hits, 10 ST needed, 1500 wu (bear form)


The Elf nods, turns to the others "As has been said, let it be so." She waves Cluds growling protest away. "Stick to the plan bear. Be ready to rush in if we go down. Ozzie? Make ready with the spells. Let's try this. If it goes wrong, we won't bother trying it again." she smiles, nervously. She turns to Verner, gives a little grin, and offers her arm for the big man to loop his through before she skips down the corridor to the door. When all is set, she turns, winks at the others, nods to Verner, and waves for him to knock on the door, straightening up to her full height and being ready... for anything.

[danhem]

Elethiran boldly knocks on the door and steps back a few paces to stand with Verner.

After a few moments the door opens inward.

Standing in the doorway is a human wearing a fox mask.

"Greetings," he says in Common, "Welcome to our den. Have you traveled far? We are just now preparing for a feast. Will you join us?"

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Verner
Lvl 2 Warrior / 1995 AP
ST 14 IQ 12 LK 15 CON 12/11 DX 12 CHR 14 WIZ 14 PA +4
Weapons: Enchanted broadsword (5D+4), 2 Spears (3D+1) Dirk (2D+1)
Armor: Mail (22 hits), Knights shield (10 hits)

Every hackle on Verner's neck rises.

Scary masks, "Den", "Feast"!

With a smile on his face he leans over and whispers into Elethiran's ear.

"So cannibal cultists or cultist cannibals?"

Then to the masked stranger.

"I'm sorry to bother you but have you seen any of the worshipers of the three gods of this temple, we're trying to escort them to the upper levels and we'd appreciate any directions you could provide"

While saying this Verner swings the lantern back and forth in several wide arcs hoping the others get the clue that something is up.

Genzo
Lvl 2 Warrior (Werewolf) / 1824 AP
ST 8/24 IQ 12 LK 12 CON 16-15/48 DX 15/3 CHR 4/4 WIZ 5
PA +2/+15
Weapons: 2 Spears (3D+1), War bola (2D) 2 Dirks ( 2D+1 ) Short Saber (3D+1)
Armor: Scale ( 16 hits ) Target Shield ( 8 hits )

Genzo watches the swinging lantern with consternation.

"Oh great, what the hell does that mean!"

"Well it can't mean attack or come forward peaceable, so maybe advance with caution?"

"Alright troops forward quick march, but don"t do anything violent unless they are under attack"

[kwll]

Ozmenton follows the move forward, very cautiously.

[apn]

Name: Elethiran Shir'Taan (Female elf) Type: Warrior-Wizard Kin: Elf Level: 2 AP: 2062
ST 13 IQ 18 LK 18 CON 8 DX 18 CHR 32 WIZ 12/12 Personal Adds: +13 Missile Adds: +16
Weapons: Poniard (x5) (2D) (50wu total) Short Sword (3D) (30wu) light crossbow (4D) (120wu) + 14 Quarrels (14wu) Makeshift Staff (15/36)
Armour: Scale (8 hits+1) (200wu) Buckler (3 hits+1) (75wu) (13 hits total)
4 pots of healing salve

Name: Clud Magaladannannon Type: Warrior Kin: Were-Bear Level: 1 AP: 1299(Were-Form)
ST 11(39) IQ 14 LK 15 CON 10(31/35) DX 3(3) CHR 13 WIZ 11 Personal Adds: -3 Were-form: +24 Missile Adds: missile? eh? with 3 dex?
Weapons: Club (3D) (50wu) Bank (dagger) (2D+3) (20wu) Armour: Werebear scale armour: 8 hits, 10 ST needed, 1500 wu (bear form)


Man, this was good. *scratch scratch* It just hit the right spot, just where that fur ripple shifted thanks to that old wound. Things were looking up. Despite, or maybe because of his lack of manual dexterity, Clud had felt like a fifth wheel on a cart. Useless, in other words. Now he'd found his niche, and was eager to once more jump into the fray. *scratch scratch* When the saw the others walk forwards towards the light, he stopped his butt scratching on the wall and gave a bear huff, then walked towards the front of the group, beside Genzo. He couldn't see what was happening with Elethiran and Verner, but knew where the Elf went, trouble followed.

=========

Elethiran smiles sweetly. "That's a nice looking mask!" she exclaims. "Please, good sir, pray tell whom do you worship and how many followers are there of such a fine deity? We have wandered like lost chickens and are in need of guidance. A fox god may be just what we hapless chickens need." she smiles.

ACTIONS

Elethiran will make a Charisma SR to bat her eyelids and distract this fellow, standing up straight to show a bit more cleavage etc. On other words making her Cha work for her against what she hopes is your typical hot blooded male cultist.

Clud follows the others to walk towards the light.

[danhem]

"The three gods?" the man in the fox mask says to Verner. "My friend, there is only one god of this temple and we worship him. He provides us with food, protection, and happiness. What more could a mortal ask for? What lies above that could replace three such wonderful gifts?"

The fox man then turns to Elethiran, who does her best to charm him (L7SR on CHR32, rolled 23 (wow), success, 161 AP).

"My dear," he says. "You are truly a vision to these humble eyes. We are the simple followers of the mighty Zargon, he who freed us from the shackles of our ancestors. Come, join us as feel his love. You will be welcome in our home as will your friends."

The fox man makes a sweeping gesture into the chamber. You see movement inside. There seem to be several individuals within.

[apn]

Name: Elethiran Shir'Taan (Female elf) Type: Warrior-Wizard Kin: Elf Level: 2 AP: 2223
ST 13 IQ 18 LK 18 CON 8 DX 18 CHR 32 WIZ 12/12 Personal Adds: +13 Missile Adds: +16
Weapons: Poniard (x5) (2D) (50wu total) Short Sword (3D) (30wu) light crossbow (4D) (120wu) + 14 Quarrels (14wu) Makeshift Staff (15/36)
Armour: Scale (8 hits+1) (200wu) Buckler (3 hits+1) (75wu) (13 hits total)
4 pots of healing salve

Name: Clud Magaladannannon Type: Warrior Kin: Were-Bear Level: 2 AP: 1299(Were-Form)
ST 11(39) IQ 14 LK 15 CON 10(31/35) DX 3(3) CHR 13 WIZ 11 Personal Adds: -3 Were-form: +24 Missile Adds: missile? eh? with 3 dex?
Weapons: Club (3D) (50wu) Bank (dagger) (2D+3) (20wu) Armour: Werebear scale armour: 8 hits, 10 ST needed, 1500 wu (bear form)


Elethiran glances at Verner, hoping he knows she thinks this is still a volatile situation, then turns to the others and waves them on, but gives a 'lowered hand' gesture to indicate weapons down, no problems at the moment.

Cludbear sees the Elf waving her hands about. "Huh?" he huffs, cocks a legs and lets rip with an unholy fart that echoes down the corridor. Satisfied, he trots towards the doorway leaving red tunic followers gasping in his wake.

ACTIONS

Clud isn't daft. He will keep a watch out. Anything like duplicity and he'll launch into full bear mode. Elethiran takes everything in inside the room (Int check to see/perception? any traps etc)

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Verner
Lvl 2 Warrior / 1995 AP
ST 14 IQ 12 LK 15 CON 12/11 DX 12 CHR 14 WIZ 14 PA +4
Weapons: Enchanted broadsword (5D+4), 2 Spears (3D+1) Dirk (2D+1)
Armor: Mail (22 hits), Knights shield (10 hits)

Verner smiles and steps into the room first ready to smash the vulpine masked cultist in the face with his shield and draw his blade.

If nothing immediately attempts to eat/murder him he waves the rest of the party forward but makes sure no one wanders away from the door as they take the room its inhabitants and contents in.

Genzo
Lvl 2 Warrior (Werewolf) / 1824 AP
ST 8/24 IQ 12 LK 12 CON 16-15/48 DX 15/3 CHR 4/4 WIZ 5
PA +2/+15
Weapons: 2 Spears (3D+1), War bola (2D) 2 Dirks ( 2D+1 ) Short Saber (3D+1)
Armor: Scale ( 16 hits ) Target Shield ( 8 hits )

Genzo pokes his head around Verner and takes a strong sniff trying to bring his keen lycanthrope senses to bear aon the strangers and their "Den".

[kwll]

Seeing that there does not seem to be an immediate danger, Ozmenton moves forward towards his companions and tries to present as pleasant a face as he can to the cultist they are talking to. He witnesses the conversation unfold while peering into the room behind as much as he can.