The lengthy tunnel eventually gives way to a rubble-choked chamber with a few exits. A careful examination reveals that much of the rubble here has come from elsewhere...likely some from the tunnel you have just emerged from.
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Andorax |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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This area seems to also be Dwarven craft...but of a different style. You might presume that this would be either a different "section" of the old city, or the holdings of a different clan.
The lengthy tunnel eventually gives way to a rubble-choked chamber with a few exits. A careful examination reveals that much of the rubble here has come from elsewhere...likely some from the tunnel you have just emerged from. |
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darken |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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"Do you want to proceed further down?" Valarion asks, "This could lead directly to the underdark, and since we need to use some sort of light source, it would be very likely we'll be easily detected by the varies evil beings down there."
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zachol |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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Zanas smiles a bit looking at the rubble-strewn cavern. She then says, in a friendly voice, "Might want to check for other doors. Qayan, can you help a bit?"
Zanas goes back a little ways into the tunnel, testing the collapsed exits, checking for secret doors, and eventually going back to the room with the rubble. She then searches for any other secret rooms, hopefully with Qayan's help. |
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olivar |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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Gron'rindul shakes his head. "This is still part of the ancient city, as far as I can tell. Looks like they dug their way into the section they used as their lair through this way. The portal has got to be close, perhaps down one of these tunnels."
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Andorax |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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No hidden passages are directly visible, though there may well be one or more concealed by the piles of rubble. It would take a great deal of time to clear it all, and it would prove difficult to find an alternative place to put it in the process.
Each of the two passages leads to another tunnel, again with rubble through it in various places not fully cleaned out. The northern one shows signs of Grimlocks passing back and forth, as does the entire room, but only the eastern passage appears to have the tracks of the odd, two-toed boots of the Illithid amidst the dust. |
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SuperJoshP |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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Quiet throught the exploration, Khasar seems lost in thought and content to follow his companions lead. His mind is obviously somewhere else, although, from the way his eyes dart back and forth, it is obvious he is not so intrespective as to let his guard down in such a dangerous place as this.
His mind replays the last battle over and over. Going back to that first instant where the mind flayer blasted all rational thought from his head. He felt the ground reel and saw the room convulse, but he somehow kept not only his feet, but the presence of mind to attack his foe. He felt strangely like his body was not his, a sense of power that was wholely seperate from him seemed to be protecting his mind. The feeling seemed familiar to him, and that is what bothers him most. It is a feeling he can not put his fingure on, but knows he knows. |
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olivar |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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Looking down the eatern passage, Gron'rindul asserts, "The portal must be this way, where only the illithid seemed to go. The Grimlocks are of this world, and would have been summoned from within the Underdark, which must lay that way," he continues, gesturing north. "It should not be far now. Shall we?"
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darken |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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"Very well, we should proceed." Valarion follows Gron'rindul towards the eastern passage. "Thanks to that illithid... I have not expended much of my spells yet. I can certainly only repay the debt by returning to them what they rightfully deserve..."
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Andorax |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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The passage to the east continues for a distance. Passages to one side or another, busted-up doorframes, appear from time to time...but each is choked with rubble after but a short distance.
Finally, you come to what was once, apparently, a large chamber. Rubble now fills much of it, but close at hand are two large pillars that suggest a substantial ceiling and a grand hall. The only narrow passage further into the room lies between three large, precariously-balanced stones. |
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SuperJoshP |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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Coming out of his revery Khasar addresses Gron'rindul. "I am no expert in these matters, but it appears we have found your portal."
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olivar |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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Gron'rindul shakes his head. "Nay, friend, I was told such portals are within an archway, marked with a depiction of a mace and boot. But I was just thinking about the scroll Khondar gave me..." He reaches in his belt pouch, produces a scroll, and reads it aloud:
"In darkness, they stand alone; a pair of heads, no longer with hands. Our ancient secrets, our ancient downfall; each they seek, at the cost of all else. "Beware the maw with lying teeth; But watch for allies amidst the wealth. Beware the floating shades of death; And go no further, when they are felled. "The one told me that they had already found what they had sought, so that is what the first verse is about. But it is the second verse that concerns me. 'Maw with lying teeth'? I have not seen anything that could be describe thus. I suppose 'allies amidst the wealth' could refer to that talking chest, but I don't see what else it can do for us beyond giving the information it has already. I suppose we should be on the look out for 'floating shades of death'. "But the stones ahead do concern me. They might fall on one of us as we pass under, or even fall after we've passed and seal our exit. I am uncertain what to do about it, short of toppling them on purpose before going on." |
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SuperJoshP |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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Khasar's ears perk up as Gron'rindul recites the poem. "'And go no farther once they are felled.'" Khasar quotes back. "Does it not occur to you that that is just what we are doing now? I know how much this quest means to you, but I think we ought to find this portal and then return to the temple."
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olivar |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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Gron'rindul nods. "That is exactly what I have proposed. But we should certainly locate the portal before heading back, so that we may tell the Council of its location."
"I do think the 'they' in the last line refers to the 'floating shades of death', which I don't think we have seen yet, so we haven't felled them, so it should be reasonably safe to go on." |
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SuperJoshP |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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"I do not presume to tell you your buisness Gron'rindul, but the way the illithid faded to nothingness is enough to qualify them as 'floating shades of death' in my opinion." khasar states, somewhat dubious about Gron'rindul's interpitation. "Even though there was only one." he finishes, feeling somewhat queer about contridicting himself.
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olivar |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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Gron'rindul adds, "...and we did not fell the one we met. I believe that the 'shades of death' are still before us, so we have not yet reached the point where the omen warns us not to pass."
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darken |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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"Well then, we have but two choices here," Valarion shrugs, "One, we contiune on, and hope we'll be able to see the light of day again via other passages if this trap would block our current exit. Two, we turn back now. Like I said before we enter this place in the first time, illithids are too crafty to be outwitted, and thus sometimes the best course of action would be the simpliest kind. I say, we just proceed."
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zachol |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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"I've been wrong about these things a few times, but I would say that the lying maw part might be talking about the illithids, and that we have yet to find allies with the wealth. Wealth could also be talking about some other thing than just gold. Knowledge, happiness, things like that. And that part about the heads without hands, could that mean a society without power, but still here? Refugees?"
Zanas thinks for a second, then shrugs. "Never mind. Never right anyway." She walks towards the caved in tunnels, and tests each one while the others discuss the matter at hand. |
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olivar |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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Gron'rindul nods. "Well, it's obvious they went this way. We have no choice but to follow."
Gron'rindul makes his way under the stones, careful not to upset them, and looking for any trap related to them. |
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Andorax |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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The stones wobble a bit but otherwise don't do anything particularly unusual. It seems they are, as they appear, simply a somewhat unstable arch of stone, and so long as they're not jostled too heavily, they shouldn't come down.
The sight beyond them, however, is considerably more disturbing. The room is filled, end to end, with more rubble and stone, and the torn and shattered bodies of Grimlocks. At least a dozen of them lie here, torn to shreads. They appear to all be women and children. |
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SuperJoshP |
Re: Chapter 2O: Victory, or something like it. | ||
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At the sight of the carnage Khasar opens his mouth, but no words come out. Finally he is able to mutter a quick prayer, "Tempus, grant me the strenght, guile and endurance to bring carnage such as this upon the ones that slaughtered these innocents."
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