NOTE: This copy has things I don't want others to see deleted (sometimes with elipses insterted), and a few duplicate posts and typos cleaned up as well.
Back to Marianna's character sheet
Last month you were contacted by the Society with an incredible offer. Amanda Blairhart a noted explorer and archeologist had asked for you by name to be her personal secretary. You have seen her speak on several occations in different nations and she has the enviable talent for presenting the same information in different manners accounting for the senibilities of her audience. You have only had the oppertunity to speak with her once before this endeavor and were surprised by the invitaion. You have since found her to be quite personable and outgoing. Following notes worked on for years by her father, she believes that a small group of tiny islands, to be the remains of a sunken city. With Sir Roderick Blairhart's notes the group of you were able to penetrate the treacherous coral reefs which surround the small islands and begin work though it seemed for a brief moment on the journey your small group might not make it, as the ship of a reputed Pirate Captain slipped across the edge of the horizon. Fortunately the Gnerrish Captain Pik must not have noticed your group or had more important fish to fry for as quickly as his ship slipped into view it slipped out and there has been no sightings since, that was 2 days before you reached the coral reef surrounding the islands. The group consisted of 3 ships a good size merchant vessel containing most the groups supplies, a diving vessel, equiped with all the most modern diving equipment available, and a small and nimble craft brought to chart the deadly reefs. Three other noted scientist are also along with the diggers and sailors. Dr. Anthony Solas a noted naturalist, Dr. Clifford Drol a specialist in underwater exploration and a noted womanizer, and Proffesor Hebrew Soulmanson a renouned linguist and published author of several more "glamorous" tales of archeology. After two weeks study of the islands a significant number of discoverys have been made. The islands all rest on a plateu only a little over 100' below sea level which extends for several miles. Beyond that the sea floor drops off significantly. The soil on the one island you have accessed is more like silt from the ocean floor than soil. The small group of islands is also home to a large group of aquatic creatures Dr. Solus has identified as a breed of aggresive Sea-Lions, which it took nearly a week to drive off the one small island you have begun work on. The island is ripe for Dr. Solus's work, beyond the new breed of Sea-Lion the island chain is home to numberous new fish, rare sea birds, insects never seen on the main land, and sharks big gnarly sharks who kill anyone who slips off the treacheous island. Between all this the party has lost 3 members already and 1/2 a dozen more have been injured. The diving crews have had the most trouble. But yesterday made it all worth it diggers discoved that below the silt is ceramic, like none they had ever seen. Since that discovery the group has been working non-stop through the night.
You are in Amanda's cabin copying her attrocious handwriting into readable
reports, when one of the lead diggers bursts into the room. "What is the...."
We've found a seem, we've found a seem!"
Created By: Kariggi
Marianna, along with just about everyone else, I imagine, runs out to have a look. Assuming this is an "all hands" situation, she helps trace/uncover the seam, and looks for anything else of interest.
(OOC: Having images of Raiders of the Lost Ark, when they're uncovering
the "lid" to the "Well of the Souls" :-))
- Marianna (15:19:00/08-15-2002)
You and Amanda rush to the long boat and quickly make your way through the shark infested waters, to the small island. There a dozen diggers stand back while one of them uses a large corse broom to remove dirt from the ceramic. And there is a definite seam. "I'd swear it must cross the whole Island, m'lady" says the lead digger. "I was werried about damagin it a first, but aint nothin we got scratch that'n" indicating the ceramic floor of the island. Amanda begins examining the exposed ceramic and the seam.
If you do the same make a perception test.
- Kariggi (17:20:38/08-15-2002)
I'm assuming I can use the extra unkept die for Keen Senses here.
Marianna's Dice Roll
Perception check, Wits 3 + Keen Senses so 4k3
Rolling 4d10.
Results: 8 2 1 6 for a total of 17.
- Marianna (17:26:48/08-15-2002)
At 4k3 that's 16.
- Marianna (17:28:10/08-15-2002)
As Amanda kneels and begins tracing the seam you notice at
the edge of the island just below the waters surface a small
(about 8" diameter) not quite round protution. It could be natural
but doesn't seem it. The ceramic itself by the way is a mother
of pearl sort of color whitish but strangely reflecting the sun in
a multicolor hue upon its surface.
- Kariggi (18:06:36/08-15-2002)
"Signorina Blairhart," Marianna calls Amanda's attention to the bump, looking
around quickly for any toothy threats and reaching out to it. She lightly
brushes off the silt, tracing the shape with her finger without touching it.
"Perhaps it's some sort of switch. Shall we?" she asks with a mischievous
twinkle in her eyes, her hand poised over the node.
- Marianna (19:30:47/08-15-2002)
The silt brushes away at your touch revealing that the protrusion
is also entirely made of the strange ceramic. Roughly ovoid it has what
look like short rigid tentacles extending from all sides coveing it.
Each ends in a sucker like tip. Amanda rises to your call, "What
is it my dear, what have you found?". As she speaks the last of
the soot is gently brushed by your hand into the water. You have
to stop yourself from jumping five feet when a small green/yellow
fish brushes your hand.
- Kariggi (19:36:51/08-15-2002)
"Well someone better dear the suspense is killing me!" Said with
a smile on her lips "you found it so its yours if you want it"
"Ameilio get a hold on the boats and step the men back"
"No problem we're back"
"Well.....
- Kariggi (19:45:00/08-15-2002)
Taking the hand of one of the men to steady herself in case the "ground" moves,
Marianna carefully sets her hand on the knob and gently pushes, turns it, and
turns it the other way. (OOC: she only tries the turning if the pushing doesn't
work, and the second turn if the first has no effect.)
- Marianna (19:49:11/08-15-2002)
It the protrusions push gently in and the knob turns easily. You
grab hard on the strong arm as the island does begin to rock
and shake. The seam your group had been studying has begun
to split along its length. The top of the island is pulling back as
a whole along the seam at a level just below sea level. Water
begins to spill in and land is receeding up from you. The men
rush for the boats pulling at you. The sea-lions go wild, the birds
take to the air, fish scatter, and finns appear in the distance.
- Kariggi (19:54:33/08-15-2002)
Not being phenomenally stupid ;-), I make for the most easily reached
boat and get in, accepting help if I need it, and offering help if I can. Then I
imagine we all watch and see what happens, looking to our safety as needed until
things settle down.
- Marianna (20:03:22/08-15-2002)
Easily accomplished with a TN 15 finesse roll a failure will relult
in you being very wet but little else. Facts I should bring you up
on before the description of events.
Your group has charted over 27 small islands and shouls in the
chain. Many outcroppings of reef extending between them all
and occationally rising out of the water. Of the Islands there are
6 of moderate size three in one group to the south and three
in the group you are studying. Of these three the center one is
the largest, the one to the far west is a little smaller than the one
you are working on and appears quite inhospitable. The one
the group chose is nearly a mile in diameter and contains fresh
water in the form of a small pond at its center. Note the crew has
been eating well off the new fish and shell fish. The large central
island was left alone untill a worth could be determined on the find
and a larger crew could be brought in.
As the island spits its surface rising upward until it reaches its
zeenith and stops exposing the impressive vault within. It
initially begins to fill with water along its vast floor, the entire
island is a single chamber. The floor and walls, ceiling all that
strange whitish mother of pearl. Patterns begin to reveal themselves
in the ceiling and walls glowing a bright blue. Within the large
chamber are a number of insect or crustations of large size, large
ceramic shells resting slightly above flooding waters on spindly legs.
They appear dead or dormant. Bizzare structures are built into
and out of the floors and walls made all of the same substance
but now glowing and pulsing with the blue light which streaks
them in its curious designs. Amanda calls for a return to the
ship an a chance to regroup. "This is amazing, Marianna
my father was right, he was right, and we may have made one
of the most significant discoveries of our time". When things
have calmed a bit and the heads of the project are meeting
over dinner an upresidented act occurs Proffesor Soulmanson
turns and asks your opinion. "Well Miss Marianna as the
explorer who made this great discovery what is your opinion
and advice on this subject. "
- Kariggi (00:26:24/08-16-2002)
I'm going to roll 4k2, in case my Footwork Knack can count. If you determine it should be straight Finesse, then I'll just take the first two dice instead of the best two.
Marianna's Dice Roll
Finesse roll
Rolling 4d10.
Results: 4 5 5 3 for a total of 17.
- Marianna (01:12:50/08-16-2002)
9 or 10, either way looks like I got a little wet :-). IC post to follow after
I've had time to give it a little thought...
- Marianna (01:17:14/08-16-2002)
"Oh! Well..." Marianna thinks for a moment, gathering her thoughts at the unexpected question. She's more accustomed to being the student than to speaking, especially in front of a group this illustrious. "I would say this site has much more in common with the Thalusian caverns than with the buildings on Syrne. Things are more rounded and organic, and though we can't be certain until we've had a chance for closer study, there doesn't seem to be the powers-of-two pattern so evident in the Syrne sites. The insectoids also put me in mind of the Thalusian isles. On the other hand, I don't recall any reports of from either of those islands of anything like the blue lights in this structure, though the Thalusian Syrneth did seem to have a knowledge of the properties of light, or at least of ways of manipulating it."
"Were the decision mine, I would say the similarities to the Thalusian sites warrants extreme caution, but given the uniqueness of this find, we must certainly continue our explorations here. Perhaps, given our location, we may find something that will show more clearly the relation between the Syrneth of the Syrne and Thalusians islands. If we're very fortunate," she smiles, "such a discovery may also make clear the relationship of the Setine to the other Syrneth."
OOC: I'm assuming Marianna is no higher than Forbidden Sea level, so I don't
want to push the IC/OOC knowledge barrier too far. ;-)
- Marianna (18:36:36/08-16-2002)
"I can see why you've chosen this young lady to accompany us
on this journey Amanda, other that is, than her obvious attributes.
But young lady I do not believe you know the first thing about
that which you speak, cautious, ha, how can you be cautious
when studying a leviathan or some rottin wreck perched on the
edge of a precipice. This things a damn death trap is what it is
and we'd all be fools to step one foot in it. So you comin'"
"What Dr. Drol is trying to say in his charming way is that, while
all precautions will be taken Marianna those of us who first venture
into that strange room will likely die. That being the case it is my
intention to send Dr. Drol and a number of his divers to probe the
imediate interior of the chamber, for while it is only two feet under
water at this time should there be a serious change in water's
level I'd like to be prepared, I will of course be accompanying you
Dr. Drol but I'd be pleased if you hand picked the rest of your
men for this one,...and um you are welcome as well Marianna
it is your find after all, but if you did go and well we both went
who could read my notes." (a smile crossing her face as much
in genuine concern as mirth).
- Kariggi (23:46:28/08-19-2002)
"Dr. Drol," Marianna maintains as professional a demeanor as possible, "I've been around far too many digs to think we can be perfectly safe. I only meant we should take all due precautions. You know Society protocols as well as any of us, I'm sure. But if I wasn't willing to walk into the occasional 'death trap,'" she grins, "I'd be in Vodacce trying to flirt my way through life."
The young Explorer turns her smile on Amanda. "Signorina, I'm sure if the worst
happened, someone besides me would manage to read your handwriting. When do we
start?"
- Marianna (17:09:19/08-20-2002)
Dr. Emanuel Solas a remnant of the Montaigne in Avalon. Thirty-seven and fit but a bit consumed with his work ...
Dr. Darrin Drol is ... from the highlands though educated in Vendal, his reputation and skill more than get him by...
Professor Hebrew Soulmanson is a bit
of a oddity his writting has built an air
of adventure and mystery to the explorers
society, but his questionable background
and obvious heritage have kept him
secluded in Castillian society, despite
his literatures popularity. ...
- Kariggi (22:51:52/08-20-2002)
"We begin making preparations now, Darrin assemble your men
and ready your gear, I'll assume it will all work this time" Dr. Drol
looks uncomfortable for the first time tonight. "I assume you are
perfectly happy holding down the ship Emanuel, and Profesor Soulmanson...?"
"Not this time, no I think I'll wait untill we know a little more" an odd
smile that seems to define him crosses his lips, and you see that
his mind is already working on something else. "And we ladies
will need a little privacy to prepare ourselve so gentlemen" Amanda
begins ushering them to the door of the cabin. She goes back
over with you the entry you will all attempt the contigency plans
and the equipment Dr. Drol is supplying. "Is there anything I'm
not thinking of dear?"
- Kariggi (23:29:34/08-20-2002)
I'm going to assume that she knows what she's doing, and that nothing seems to have been left out. I'll make a Wits roll in case you want to let me know of something I should bring up:
Marianna's Dice Roll
Straight wits
Rolling 3d10.
Results: 1 8 3 for a total of 12.
Marianna's Dice Roll
Wits + Research (seems the most likely Knack)
Rolling 6d10.
Results: 2 3 7 8 5 10 for a total of 35.
- Marianna (16:43:05/08-21-2002)
Straight Wits = 12, re-rolling 10 for Research
Marianna's Dice Roll
exploded die
Rolling 1d10.
Results: 6 for a total of 6.
- Marianna (16:44:21/08-21-2002)
31 if Research comes into play, which is your call :-).
- Marianna (16:45:24/08-21-2002)
The group of you gather on the small diving boat, some of Drol's
other divers are armed with spear guns and nets, all of you are
fitted with two large bladders and a weighted belt. Drol is happy
to help you with yours and remind you how to release the belt
and open the bladders for air. Most of the first day is spent mapping
the structure from the boats around, since the stucture appears
to be well lit within its large interior you enter after dinner. All
the others eat well. Then you take the long boat right into the structure
whose floor is now about two feet below the water, both the diving
boat and the main ship stand in view of the open half of the island,
but the surveying ship has been sent a little distance away on
the other side "just in case". As the long boat floats into the island
the blue patterns pulsing on the walls alter and become more
rhythmic, the paterns interlace about the walls and half ceiling.
They pulse beaneath on the strange ceramic mother of pearl
colored floor. Amanda directs the group towards the closest
group of structures rising from the water. Twisting like a spring
smooth from the floor beneath the water pulsing blue in a thin
spiderweb of veins that glow from within it. Around it small circles of the
blue light about 2' in diameter throb brighlty from under the blue
blue waters. No fish or sharks or sea lions have come anywhere
near this place. And the diving gear feels stupid with only two
feet of water about as does the boat kinda.
- Kariggi (14:24:26/08-27-2002)
Sorry how old is Marianna ?
- Kariggi (14:25:04/08-27-2002)
When the boat reaches a postition near the sepent like coil , the
bright blue spots of light on the floor are so bright as to illuminate
through the very boards of the long boat making them and you
look blue. The patterns you think as you look at your blue arm do
look more and more like veins as they pulse up and through the
palish stone surrounding all of you. Amanda steps from the boat
and her feet settle on the brilliant blue and white floor, she traces
the coil to the bottom never quite touching it. "It blends smooth
I say we start looking for more seams. I'd like to have Dr. Solas
examine the large creatures, or structures over there before we
go tampering with them. If they're alive I want him to tell me
what the hell is killing me, and if they're dead I want to know what
killed them. We'll start here and follow the patterns out along the
floor, try to scrawl a record of the pattern you follow so we can
compare them later." With that she pulls out her leather note book
a pen and holding them over her head with one hand begins
to walk the brightest pattern that flows upon the floor. Dr. Drol
laughs says he'll maintain the extra bladders and watch for
sharks, and then sends the other divers out to follow Amanda
and you "whenever yur ready miss"
- Kariggi (15:54:04/08-27-2002)
Marianna accepts Dr. Droll's instructions with cool professionalism, then lowers
herself over the side of the boat into the almost-hip-deep water. "These
patterns look almost like veins, almost biological," she comments to no one in
particular as she gets out her own notebook and starts following another along
nother of the patterns on the floor in a different direction from Amanda.
Anything that looks like it might be a seam gets gently probed with the toe of
her boot, and she stays alert for any changes...sounds, vibrations in the floor,
water level, anything that might signal impending danger (or interesting new
developments <g>).
- Marianna (20:07:18/08-27-2002)
As you step into the water the floor pulses blue beneath your feet
at there gentle touch it beats harder and then with your heart it
beats the room seems to beat you follow the blue patterns as
they trail through the water which quickly seems not so deep
"The waters receading watch your feet" cries out Amanda. The
path solid blue light under your feet has risen it rises where ever
you move Amanda and the others are in the same condition as
the surface of the floor now seems to roll all about you high where
you step and low eveywhere else and then the spaces between
you begin to rise and fill the room is still beating to your heart the
light seems brightest at your feet. Amanda you noticed is now
illuminated from here feet at through here now apparent skull in
bright bright blue. It must be the same for you as you note the
light is so bright you see through your hand. You look to the half
domed ceiling reaching, beating, in the blue patterns to the sky.
- Kariggi (20:35:25/08-27-2002)
Seeking a hand-hold to steady herself on the moving floor, Marianna decides her comrades are a better choice than the walls and heads towards the others. They are all staring at each other, themselves, and the changing structure around them as they congregate.
"It doesn't 'feel' harmful, but whatever it is we've already been exposed so we
may as well continue." She looks at the circle of Explorers holding onto each
other, and at the bright blue circles that were in a ring around the
serpentine pillar but which have begun following them. "Do you suppose anything
interesting might happen if we were to stand on those?" she asks Amanda.
- Marianna (13:32:53/08-28-2002)
As you hold hands and form a circle of
circles of light. As the blue patterns pound withing the ceiling,
walls, and floor. ... The floor feels as if it is going to give
way beneath you, and you cling to the others for support only to
find them falling with you. Falling and spinning in a circle revolving
around the large whiteish coil about which you have gathered
the lights the blue lights from upon the floor which now spins
beneath all of you. You try to clear your focus, the blue beating veins of light
persue you into the falling world about.
- Kariggi (13:43:52/08-28-2002)
Blinking to clear her vision, Marianna tries to regain her wits... Unless
they're going all the way into the Abyss there's going to be an end to the fall,
and she does her best to prepare herself.
- Marianna (22:24:05/08-28-2002)
When you stop it seems gentle, the air is stail and only a light
spray of water has followed you down. The blue veins pulse
lighly down here but still in rhythem to your heart. Amanda calls
out as she pulls a lantern off one of the other divers and lights it
"Is everyone alright. Marianna you seem to have opened us
another door, would you care to lead the way?" The way before
you is a large low ovoid arch perhaps 8' in diameter with perhaps
the bottom 2' concealed beneath the surface. The arch opens
out into a large carvern like room whose farthest reaches are
beyond your vision as whose ceiling pulses nearly 60' above
your head. In winding rows throughout the large chamber, are
ovoids like eggs from which extend twisting tenticular extremities
which cover the entire structure and support it off the ground each
extremity is perhaps 3' in legnth an the ovoids are perhaps 6" in
length with a diameter round the middle of about 4' 6".
Amanda sets her pen down. To your immediate right a large
wall stretches down towards a large protrusion and then
continues on. To you left a wall just feet away spreads out off
in front of you flanking the archway which admits you to this
vast hall. And in front extending as far as the eye can see are
ovoids held aloft by the extremities.
- Kariggi (02:36:14/08-29-2002)
Surveying the situation, Marianna starts down the right-hand wall towards the protrusion. As we approach the nearest ovoid, she takes a closer look.
[OOC: If these things look like the eggs from "Alien," I'm SO outta here! ;-)]
- Marianna (16:39:25/08-30-2002)
Bigger than those, harder, less sticky, like hard mother of pearl
pin cushions full of twisted tenticular pins. It rests on these
keeping them suspended about 3' above the floor. They are
cold to the touch, not icy but below room temperature. The tenticles
depress into the surface of the ovoid with the gentlest of touches.
- Kariggi (17:21:10/09-01-2002)
OOC: Does anything else happen when they're pressed?
If there's nothing else to see about the ovoids, we continue down the right-hand
wall.
- Marianna (19:09:32/09-01-2002)
Do you continue to press one or more?
- Kariggi (00:49:15/09-02-2002)
You have so far only brushed one gently and noticed it receed.
- Kariggi (03:09:35/09-02-2002)
As the tentacle recedes, Marianna gently touches it again. It pulls the rest of the way into the egg. After getting the OK sign from Amanda (who backs up), she touches another, and another, until all the tentacles that aren't supporting the ovoid have retracted. The shell becomes translucent, almost transparent, and vague outline of something within is vaguely discernable.
The young Vodacce motions a couple of the men forward. "Try to keep it from
falling too hard," she asks them, and carefully starts touching the legs
underneath.
- Marianna (19:45:40/09-03-2002)
The men come forward two with lanterns set theirs down near
the ovoids and then gingerly touch the ovoid. "Its kinda soft In'nit"
The light from the lantern shining up from the ground illuminates
the form inside making it clear that it dominates most of the inside
of the ovoid.
- Kariggi (11:55:14/09-04-2002)
Marianna stops retracting tentacles, and tries to get a better look at the shape
inside the ovoid.
- Marianna (12:55:23/09-04-2002)
The large dark shape that dominates the inside of the whitish ovoid
shifts slighly as the lantern comes close causing all of the party
to jump with its subtle shift. It is hard to distinguish details, but
the forms seems to be floating in some dark liquid, its shape is
vaugely that of a squid like beattle sort of round and hard looking
at one end ending in a mass of tenticular extremities at the other
side.
- Kariggi (13:00:40/09-04-2002)
After the start, Marianna takes another look, holding the lantern in front of and behind the ovoid, trying to see as much as she can.
OOC: Let's see if she can figure this thing out...
Marianna's Dice Roll
Wits+Occult check, 5k3
Rolling 5d10.
Results: 6 8 5 5 3 for a total of 27.
- Marianna (02:04:04/09-05-2002)
So what does a 19 give me? :-) I forgot to take my Keen Senses into account, so
I can re-roll if you want me to.
- Marianna (02:06:26/09-05-2002)
It is certainly no creature you have ever seen or read about.
Amanda says she has never seen anything like it before either,
and that she wished Dr. Solas had joined them, "a discovery such
as this would cause him no end of pleasure, um dear does it seem
to squiggle a bit more as you subject it to larger doses of that
lantern at continually closer proximity." The what we will call
front portion is rounded (like the tip of a missle) and the back
is tenticular, and it does seem to become a bit restless under
your examining light. The ovoid still sits on its lower extremities,
but the exterior on the top seem soft like the shell of a soft shelled
crab.
- Kariggi (12:43:58/09-05-2002)
Having figured out as much as she's likely to, Marianna moves the lantern away from the ovoid. She looks at it thoughtfully as she listens to Amanda. "Perhaps, then, we should {*}. It might not be a bad idea to cover it until he can have a look, to avoid the light affecting it any further."
{*} While I'm not sure OOC, I think she would know IC which
of two possibilities seems more feasible: Have someone
go back and get Dr. Solas, or take the thing to him. Insert the
most likely suggestion, or if neither seems more feasible
than the other, she offers both.
- Marianna (16:44:51/09-05-2002)
"They both seem lovely suggestions dear, but at the moment
I suspect our primary concern should be determining whether
or not we ourselves can be extracted from our current predicament."
- Kariggi (17:10:19/09-05-2002)
"True," Marianna goes back through the archway and looks up the "shaft" they fell down. "Our discoveries won't do us or anyone else much good if we can't share them, will they?" she grins.
OOC: Looking for daylight (or moon/starlight, though I didn't think it was that
late), anything that might make the walls scaleable, other exits besides the one
arch, etc. Also, listening for anyone who may be shouting down to us. Do I
recall correctly that the "coil" was in the center of where we were falling?
- Marianna (20:22:00/09-05-2002)
Yes there is a coil descending down through the vaguely circular chamber
you descended into.it is still faintly pulsing in the bluish paterns
but there are no circles of light on the floor and joining hands
like before nets nothing.
- Kariggi (00:11:48/09-06-2002)
OOC: I take it, then, that there were none of the other things
(i.e. light, people above calling, anything climbable, other
doorways/arches besides the one to the ovoid-room)?
- Marianna (00:56:07/09-06-2002)
Not apparent with the visible light, the bluish light that lit the
chamber above so brightly, is dim down here, and your lanterns
only illuminate so far. The mother of pearl colored coil or tendral
might be climbable but the distance to the top is indeterminable
from this vantage point.
- Kariggi (12:57:35/09-06-2002)
Marianna finishes surveying the situation and sighs. "Well, then. My suggestion
would be to concentrate on finding a way back to the surface, and leave worrying
about taking anything bigger than will fit in our pockets until then. Amanda, do
you have any suggestions other then just pressing forward?"
- Marianna (14:40:04/09-06-2002)
"No I think you are correct, and I don't think even these stout lads
(waving to the divers) would relish the thought of climbing that.
(indicating the coil that rises beyond your lights capacity to reveal.)
"Though as you indicated earlier that protrusion in the distance
might yeild more, I'm leary of just marching out across this rooms
floor in the midst of these, uh, hm...eggs?"
- Kariggi (15:29:19/09-06-2002)
"We don't seem to have much choice. If we stick close to the wall and avoid
touching any more of them, we shouldn't have too much difficulty. Théus
willing," the Vodacce Explorer adds.
- Marianna (22:58:10/09-08-2002)
You group walks on towards the protrusion in the wall, distances
are difficult to gage here but you are sure you have gone over a
mile when Amanda speaks up "If my calculations are correct
this (indicating the large bulge in the wall, with a now apparent
vauguely circular opening near its center) is dirctly below the
larger central island. So Marianna shall we?" The long walk
through the large room has been a eerie afair and you can see
that even the more experienced of the divers seem on edge.
The blue light has been faint, and you have been relying on your
own lanterns to pick you way acroos the vast expance, shading
the light as much as possible to keep it off the spiney ovoids.
As you enter the protrusion you see that the room that lies
beyond is like none you have entered before, the most frightening
feature a huge (120' long by 40" high) exoskelleton with reseblances
to botha squid and a beetle (oooh like a larger version of what
was in the ovoids.) the side immediately facing you are a
series of tenticle like extremities surrounding the entrance to
this chamber, a large hole in the center of the carpace about
the size of the opening you just stepped through is directly in
front of you. The tetacle like extremities are about 60" long
accounting for half of the creatures size. The room surrounding
the creature has numerous "caves" of varying size from a few
inches in diameter to tens of feet, set all about it at apparently
random locations and at all heights. There are no flashing
lights running along the walls of this room. It is dark and an
odd sound like whale songs seems to be filling the room but
so low you can't really hear it well enough to define it.
- Kariggi (20:40:20/09-09-2002)
Clarification: Is that 120'(feet) long by 40"(inches) high, and the extremities
are about 60" (inches) long? Normally I don't worry overmuch abount spelling and
punctuation, but in this case the difference between ' and " is significant
:-).
- Marianna (20:56:12/09-09-2002)
ah yes feet in all instances mentioned sorry for the sloppyness.
- Kariggi (23:26:45/09-09-2002)
Well I'm stumped. Let's see if this helps...
Marianna's Dice Roll
Wits + Occult, 5k3
Rolling 5d10.
Results: 1 5 3 9 10 for a total of 28.
- Marianna (00:04:46/09-10-2002)
24, plus rerolling the 10...
Marianna's Dice Roll
explode
Rolling 1d10.
Results: 4 for a total of 4.
- Marianna (00:05:30/09-10-2002)
28. Does any of this give her any ideas? :-)
- Marianna (00:06:33/09-10-2002)
The enviorment is so totally foreign it makes it difficult to fathom
what the purpose of any of this could be. Amanda broods a bit
about not having Solas down here where he could be usefull,
"but he's a bit of a pansy" Exploring the new room looking for
anything familliar you shine your lantern into one of the small
cavities in the wall a smallish one about the size of you arm in
width. Inside are spines or tendrals similar to the one you touched
outside, that opened the island in half.
- Kariggi (13:55:39/09-11-2002)
The explorer looks into a few more holes, to see if others have the same
spines.
- Marianna (14:16:56/09-11-2002)
They all do though of varying size also those near the opening
of the holes which seem to taeper as then go deeper into
the walls as longer and wider then those set farther into the hole.
- Kariggi (14:21:44/09-11-2002)
As she continues exploring the chamber, Marianna carefully approaches the
carapace with the intention of looking inside, but ready to retreat if it starts
moving...
- Marianna (14:28:32/09-11-2002)
The only discernable item inside the carcass is a smaller ovoid
without spines, sort of blackish and shrunk up looking its about
a foot or so inside the creature. While the hole in it is large inside
it is smaller and more confined, you could probably enter by would
have to touch the insides of the thing to do so. The smaller black
ovoid is within reach though.
- Kariggi (14:42:14/09-11-2002)
OOC: Well, I don't see any other ways out, and you've been pointing me at this thing for a while, so what the heck :-).
After describing the inside of the large object to the others, Marianna
carefully reaches in and tries to pick up the smaller black ovoid, alert with
all senses to anything that might happen.
- Marianna (16:56:15/09-11-2002)
You step to the large opening in the carcass of the once giant
creature, light illuminating the sagging innards of whatever it
was. You reach in tentatively and slide the slick soft black ovoid
from within. A cold chill races down your arm, yes the thing
is cold to the touch but it seemed more ominous, maybe it was
just someone steppin on your grave. As it slides out into plain
sight the others gathered about with their lanterns, it cracks, or
tares is more appropriate, and a dark greenish liquid begins
to leak sluggishly from the large black sack. There is something
inside.
- Kariggi (17:05:50/09-11-2002)
Marianna backs up as needed to keep any of the oozing liquid off her
boots...
- Marianna (17:13:02/09-11-2002)
Kariggi: Sticky, thick, sickly looking green goo, dark almost blackish,
just thinner than do you remember slime
Kariggi: it came from the smaller black ovoid found in the Carcass of the
great beast, not in the caves
Marianna Albizzi: Any smell that might mean
anything?
Kariggi: yeah one that makes you all want to wretch
Marianna Albizzi: So at this point our choices
are back into the egg room, pick a small tunnel at random and hope it goes
somewhere, or wait and see what hatches...
Kariggi: very perplexing but you don't want to live here,
Kariggi: or play with tenticular spines inside holes in walls
(tunnels)
Marianna Albizzi: Well, as long as the black
egg looks like it's doing anything, I'm not turning my back on it :-).
Marianna Albizzi: That was OOC
Kariggi: I understand the goo continues to run out of the tare slowly
deflating the black shell around whatever is inside
Marianna Albizzi: Another beetle-shaped
thing?
Kariggi: do you peal away the black covering or help urge it from through
the tare
Marianna Albizzi: Taking an appropriate tool, I
gently pull at a torn spot, opening it further.
Marianna Albizzi: "I hope," Marianna quips
quietly as she works, "That whatever's in there doesn't decide I'm it's mother.
Unless, that is, that's the only way it won't try to eat us."
Marianna Albizzi: Gallows humor :-)
Kariggi: More goo runs out like black green syrup to the floor and
finally the blob inside drops out
Marianna Albizzi: I lean over to get a better
look...
Kariggi: short tenticle like extremities extend from its "bottom" while
its top half is covered in a black half egg shell shaped rubbery top
Marianna Albizzi: Small version of the big
thing?
Kariggi: yeah
Marianna Albizzi: Is it moving?
Kariggi: along the "top" shell portion are a series of slits...no
Kariggi: covered with an almost indescernable membrane
Marianna Albizzi: How big is it? Smaller than
it's egg, of course, but by how much?
Kariggi: about 4 feet long and a good foot and a half around
Kariggi: it sort of plops to the ground in a wet splap
Kariggi: 4 feet with tentacles
Marianna Albizzi: Still not touching with her
bare hands, Marianna gendly probes at the membrane (tool or gloved hand,
whichever seems more appropriate)
Kariggi: an almost insect like eye like black web lies just below several
of the openings. Others reveal very shot suctioncupless tenticles more like
toungues and two reveal hollow holes that appear abrasive on the inside
- Marianna (17:58:11/09-11-2002)
Finishing off that chat...
Marianna Albizzi: And still no sign of
life...
Kariggi: Its dead jim
Marianna Albizzi: I get the impression, though,
that it's dead like a corpse, not like a rock
Kariggi: like a dead featus in a jar in science class, but not so clean
nor the liquids so clear
Marianna Albizzi: And she's trying to keep that
mindset, scientific examination...
Kariggi: as opposed to eww gross
Marianna Albizzi: Yep :-)
Marianna Albizzi: Unless this thing does
anything interesting, or yeilds further info, I guess we're back to looking for
an exit. after taking notes and making sketches, of course :-)
Marianna Albizzi: Was there anything else of
interest in the larger carapace?
Kariggi: Not to you or your immediate group although I'm sure Dr. Solas
would love to disect it
Marianna Albizzi: I feel like I'm on the
Nostromo, just waiting for something to jump out of the shadows ;-)
Kariggi: So its back to egg room, in search of another exit, or small
opening
Marianna Albizzi: Unless something indicates
that one of the many small openings is any better than any other, I'd say back
to the larger room.
Kariggi: ok
Marianna Albizzi: Another visual scan of the
large room, for anything we may have missed, now that it's a new vantage
point.
Kariggi: It continues as far as you can see in every direction except the
wall you moved along to get here, which continues
Marianna Albizzi: Marianna looks at Amanda and
sighs. "I see no point in going back, shall we press on?"
Kariggi: No but Amanda points out that this dead things tentcles (which
are of varying size) would slide nicely into the openings.
Kariggi: That was no nothing new
Marianna Albizzi: Marianna nods. "Do you think
they might be...keys, or controls, of some kind?"
Kariggi: Considering how we got in here in the first place that's not an
unreasonable posibility
Marianna Albizzi: She turns and looks over the
wall full of holes.
- Marianna (16:25:46/09-12-2002)
Considering the size of the room outside, how far they'd likely have to travel before finding anything different from what they've already seen, and how far from the estimated locations of the islands above they'd probably be if they did, spending some time playing push-the-button with this...thing...doesn't seem like that bad of an idea.
Marianna looks at the wall for few moments and signals as many men as necessary to help lift the dead thing up and bring it to the wall. ... She chooses a likely looking hole by intuition and pattern matching. If there seems to be any pattern to the thing's tentacles (such as outer ones being thinner than inner ones or whatever), she looks for any matching pattern of hole-sizes on the wall.
Feeling like she's using some sort of grotesque key, the Explorer then selects a
tentacle and slowly slides it into the hole. If nothing happens, she slides
another tentacle into another hole, and continues until all the thing's
tentacles have been used or something else happens.
- Marianna (16:43:31/09-12-2002)
As you slide the dead brittle tentacle into one of the openings
you here a clicking a whiring sound and then watch as a very
very faint pattern of yellow light pulses along the wall up from
the hole the tentacle resides in. It slides in a little farther and
then you feel the section you are holding crack in your hand and
break, part of it now sharp like glass and the insides turning to
powder. It haveing had some effect you try another, but it is
not untill you break one off inside and stick your own hand
in to clear the path for another old tenticle that things go crazy.
As your hand brushes against the internal switches as you feel
that gentle electrical tickle, the room changes colors, the patterns
from the hole you are in streek up brighly in blue not yellow and
pulse like your heart beat though the chamber, it sounds like
the world its cracking around you. You turn at the astonished
sounds made by the Divers. A group of large hungry looking
sharks is swimming right towards you, the sea surrounds you
the walls are transparent all around you except where they
seem to be covered by silt, or covered on the top by a large island
but through all that you can see that the walls and ceilings are
now completely clear and a faint light from the sun above attempt
to light not only this chamber but that larger one which holds the
eggs.
- Kariggi (17:17:48/09-20-2002)
[OOC: Do sharks ever look any other way than hungry? ;-)]
Like the others, Marianna gasps at first sight of the sharks before she realizes there's a barrier between her and them. What that barrier is able to stand up to remains to be seen, but they seem safe for the moment.
How long that moment will last, though, is called into question as the sunlight
begins to shine on the uncounted number of eggs in the other room. Eggs that
react to light. "Oh, Théus," the Vodacce mutters, then thinks aloud. "We need to
get out of here before those things hatch. No, whatever those creatures are, it
would not likely be good to set that many of them loose on Théah. Breaking
through the wall would more likely drown us than give us a way out, and I prefer
not to have those sharks for swimming companions anyway." She closes her eyes in
thought for a moment.
- Marianna (18:36:39/09-20-2002)
[From chat]:
Kindly GM: Too bad the place is so covered with
silt and dirt or you might get some decent sun light in here. Amanda says, "If
this place was above ground it would be brilliantly lit in here. look there that
must be the island we dropped down here from, and there is the other island."
From here it looks almost broken compared to the one you entered through. "its
like the whole complex stretches out just like this creatures tenticle in all
directions, but we seem near the "head"?"
Marianna: "Then if there's a way out, it's at
least as likely to be here as down a...tentacle."
Kindly GM: "I quite agree. It reacted quite
differently when your live hand actually touched its ...hm..internal tenticles?
as opposed to pressing them with the dead creatures rotting corpes"
Marianna: "Yes, it certainly did."
Kindly GM: "though I'm loathe to go about
sticking my hand in strange holes (she actually giggle for a moment like a litle
girs but stops befor the men notice)
Marianna: Marianna looks at the egg room.
"Should we do something to stop those creatures from hatching? They might be
harmless, but then again..."
Kindly GM: hmmm there are so many dear I'm not
certain there is much we can do. boys go check the outer chamber and tell us if
anything stirs out there would you, thats a dear.
Marianna: "We could try breaking a wall and
riding the rising water to the top, but that might not be so easy and we could
find ourselves trapped anyway." Marianna's expression shows she doens't think
it's a _good_ idea, but it is an idea.
Kindly GM: make me a wits roll for lack of a
better stat to have a hunch
Wits 3 for a hunch...: Rolling 3d10. Results: 1 2 8 for a total of 11.
Kindly GM: "does that sun seem oddly positioned
to you dear. We haven't been here all night have we? I knew it had been a while
but not that long, though I do find myself hungry again
Marianna: "We may have gotten turned around,
I'm not sure which way is north." (do we have a compass and does it appear to be
working normally?)
Marianna: (What time did we fall down?)
Kindly GM: middle of the day
Kindly GM: compass yes working, like a top
Marianna: (The broken one isn't the one we were
on, right?)
Kindly GM: correct the broken one is the small
island on the other side of the big one you have not explored
Kindly GM: "it is too bad we can not see more
clearly or we might know what is transpireing above, perhaps others have come
down, and are lost in here?
Marianna: Marianna shakes her head. "There is a
way up, I know it. We just have to _find_ it."
Kindly GM: "well wherever we go perhaps we
should tell some of the divers and send them back to where we came in from so if
others enter they will know where we went"
Marianna: The Vodacce smiles. "You may have
been following me, but you are still in charge of this expedition, m'lady."
Kindly GM: "Dear I think it more likely no one
is quite in charge here anymore
Marianna: (How many men, BTW?)
Kindly GM: 4, off hand
Kindly GM: She send two back to the entrance
and then suggests you begin making your way to the broken isle, unless you want
to stick you hand in more holes....it could be interesting..or deadly
Marianna: "We could all go back, in hopes
someone is trying to effect a rescue.... Or we could stay here and poke at some
more of these holes," she adds with a wry grin.
Marianna: "Staying here isn't likely to do us
much good."
Marianna: (Make our way how? Or do you mean to
directly under it?)
Kindly GM: walk through the great chamber till
we reach the base of it perhaps this one will lead up as the other lead down
Marianna: "Yes, let us proceed, with all due
haste." She isn't keen in being in that room if those things get enough light
to...whatever...
Kindly GM: Then you proceed to the broken Isle
long trek that it is stopping once to finish off your rations, observing the
eggs under faint light they seem not now to be stirring perhaps the light is too
faint
Kindly GM: you may make a perc check
Marianna: She may be willing to give her life
in the pursuit of knowledge,but dieing here like this would serve no
purpose.
Wits: Rolling 3d10. Results: 10 10 10 for a total of 30.
Marianna: WOW!
Explode cubed: Rolling 3d10. Results: 7 3 4 for a total of 14.
Marianna: 44...
Kindly GM: High above you a great crystal hangs
from the transparent ceiling catching the faint rays of the sun and
concentrating them on the eggs (though the light is still quite faint the
amazing thing is that the crystal appears suspended by nothing and has as many
facets as the chamber has eggs
- Marianna (19:55:11/09-20-2002)
A flash of light overhead catches her eye, and Marianna looks up at one of the biggest crystals she's ever seen. It seems that each of the many facets of the crystal is refracting sunlight onto an egg, concentrating the still-faint light. It occurs to the Explorer that, at a different angle, even more light might be focused on the eggs.
Pointing the stone out to Amanda, Marianna shares her observations. "Interfering
with that crystal might be enough to stop these eggs from hatching. Covering it
seems more likely than moving it, since it's not being held up by any obvious
means." She looks up, judging the distance [OOC: IIRC you said the ceilings were
about 60' in here] "If a grapple hook will hold, it should be easy enough to
climb that far. We could get a tarp, or perhaps some paint or tar, from one of
the ships to cover it."
- Marianna (12:28:53/09-23-2002)
You continue on for hours occasionally distracted by the multi-facetted
crystal above. All but the last of any rations having been eaten, your
bladders have leaked to all but uselessly deflated weighted sacks,
and your feet are tired when you hear a noise like dripping water in
the far distance. Proceeding with caution as you notice that the
opening of the tower to the broken isle is well within sight, and
that that is where the noise is coming from. And then something
else. The area right around the tower is free of eggs. And a little
farther into the chamber lay broken shattered hard shell like remains
of the Ovoids. The light is no brighter here and in fact no patterns
pulse along the walls very near to the broken tower/isle.
- Kariggi (16:57:05/09-24-2002)
After taking in the situation with the ovoids, Marianna concentrates on looking for a way to the surface. Something that can be climbed, something that a grapple gun (OOC: not an unreasonable thing for someone to have had on them, I hope *g*) could be used to attach a rope to, lighted circles like those she stood on the get down here, anything that looks like a potential method of exit.
Marianna's Dice Roll
Perception check, in case it helps, 4k3
Rolling 4d10.
Results: 10 8 3 6 for a total of 27.
- Marianna (17:58:34/09-24-2002)
Marianna's Dice Roll
Exploding the 10
Rolling 1d10.
Results: 4 for a total of 4.
- Marianna (17:59:46/09-24-2002)
The scene is horrific the closer you approach the ovoids all broken
sitting in half dried puddles of its black green ooze. Those things
that were outside some few are about half dry and half covered
in the remains of the gel, pieces still clinging to pieces of shell.
Evidence of gun fire to break open shells and hack marks from
sabres, and then somethng else too, another sound in the darkness
of the broken tower beyond, the sound of the dripping is no longer
alone.
- Kariggi (19:10:59/09-26-2002)
I'm going to assume that whatever the other sound is, it's
something that will make us proceed with extra caution.
- Marianna (00:16:05/09-27-2002)
Marianna winces visibly... "That would seem to be our only way out, but," she shakes her head, "I have the feeling that something very dangerous awaits us. Something more dangerous than what we've faced so far down here," she adds to any raised eyebrows.
Her hand resting on her knife, Marianna looks to Amanda, then (unless she
indicates otherwise) motions them all forward, hoping that these divers are also
trained Shield Men.
- Marianna (14:34:45/09-27-2002)
'BANG' The diver nearest you drops to the floor, blood pooling
about the new hole in his shirt. "Damned it, eyes tols ya ta hold
fire till theys was closa"
- Kariggi (16:34:53/09-27-2002)
Marianna (and presumably Amanda; I leave it to the GM if
the third guy goes for defence or offence) reflexively dive for
cover. "What did they say?" the Vodacce whispers, and nods
as Amanda translates. (OOC: 4 languages and I'm still
needing translations <g>). "We could try fighting our way
past them, but I doubt we're any match for them. Perhaps it
would be best to surrender, then try to escape once we're on
the surface?" She looks at their former companion, who was
dead before he hit the floor. "I hope the rest of our expedition
is safe," she muses quietly.
- Marianna (19:21:56/09-27-2002)
"Right, uh sorry about that why don't ya comes out"
- Kariggi (13:06:53/09-28-2002)
The Explorers look at each other, and at Amanda's signal slowly stand, carefully holding their hands away from any weapons. Considering the language situation and the fact that the senior Explorer probably has more diplomatic skills than she, Marianna defers to Amanda for initial contact with whoever these people are.
A bunch of OOC questions: Which of Marianna's languages does Amanda share? If we
can get everyone speaking, say, Montaigne or Castillian, it'll make both our
lives easier. :-) Making our last diver Castillian or Montaigne might provide a
good excuse. ... Also, I forgot to ask earlier, how fresh does the damage to the
ovoids look, as in was this done fairly recently, or some time ago?
- Marianna (17:27:18/09-28-2002)
You scan the wreckage more carefully now, and see that the destruction must have
occurred over a length of time beginning perhaps months ago but stretching
forward even to within days of now. ... Amanda responds in Montaigne "We are not
hostile please do not shoot us."
"Steps out wheres you can be seen..all of yus"
Amanda steps up and out as does the diver, she signals you to remain hidden.
"Here we are (taking the divers hand) you've shot our companion, I think he's
dead."
"Yas whatever gets yourselves here. What ya doin here? Come on we better go sees
the Admiral."
- Kariggi (12:10:04/09-30-2002)
Marianna nods, and stays hidden, watching what their new adversaries do with
Amanda and the diver.
- Marianna (12:26:28/09-30-2002)
Water drips from above and down the rope, making it hard to climb
the distance seems to stretch forever up before you see the break
in the ceiling/floor above the rope ladder disapears through a rough
opening broken out of the floor above with water slipping in all
about the edges the sounds of many men can be heard.
Climbing + Resolve at 15 Perception at 15
- Kariggi (15:53:23/09-30-2002)
(NOTE that this chat happened before the GM's last post *g*)
Kindly GM: Amanda and the diver move forward about ten feet from the door
to the broken tower
Kindly GM: they are stopped
Kindly GM: four men two with muskets one with a pistol and one with a
sword
Kindly GM: The one with the sword seems to take the lead
Kindly GM: "well what pretty treasure have we uncovered here eh boys
Kindly GM: he cups her chin in his grimmy hand Pier, Jacco, he motions to
the tow with muskets, look around make sure there aint mor a um
Marianna: How hard is it going to be to stay
hidden in here?
Kindly GM: Now come along little lady and we'll see what the boss'l give
me for finding a pretty like you
Kindly GM: honestly not hard the room is huge and full of stuff
Kindly GM: you could hide an army in here and it would be hard to find if
you weren't strarin at it
Marianna does her best to avoid being seen.
Kindly GM: Piere and Jacco begin to range about, make a wits check at 15
to stay hid
Kindly GM: and tell me if you want to follow them Amanda....into the
broken tower
Marianna Wits 3k3 Rolling 3d10. Results: 2 10 7 for a total of 19.
Marianna: Yes I want to follow, I'm not staying
down here by myself ;-)
1K1 wits Rolling 1d10. Results: 5 for a total of 5.
Kindly GM: oh its contested against them
Kindly GM: You hear Amanda suck her breathe in as she enters and the
diver AAAhhh "What what what the hell is that
Kindly GM: Shut up you or it'll be what eats ya yeah,hahahhahahahhah they
alll laugh
exploding the 10 Rolling 1d10. Results: 1 for a total of 1.
Kindly GM: ok
Kindly GM: Now up that rope wit you and no truble
Kindly GM: as you peak into the room make a fear check FR 2
Kindly GM: I believe that's resolve at a 10 or you lose 2 dice on your rolls
Resolve of 2 Rolling 2d10. Results: 6 5 for a total of 11.
Marianna: *phew*
Kindly GM: fwew
Kindly GM: ah yeah that's what i meant
Kindly GM: You remember what was in the eggs
Marianna: Yes?
Kindly GM: you remember what was large and dead
Marianna: Uh-huh.....
Marianna: Big tenticled thing...
Kindly GM: Imagine it standing erect about 8' in height supported by its
tenticles which writhe on either side of the two of them which stand to either
side of the broken tower, their hard black exoskelletorns gleam pure black in
the torch and lantern light, large flat webbed structures must be sensory organs
on the top as they sway them in Amanda's direction, the whole top opening
briefly the top of the shell cracking to reveal sharp spiked toungue like teethe
or tenticles
Marianna: "Madre de Theus" Marianna whispers as
she crosses herself.
Kindly GM: One of thems writhing lower appendages slides toward the diver
but is stopped just short by the end of the leaders sword
Kindly GM: a rope ladder dangles down from an unseeable above
Marianna: She almost starts to go try to save
Amanda, then remembers he's taking them to the "admiral" and so probably isn't
going to have them eaten here and now.
Kindly GM: "oh ho its hungry Montaigne perhaps it hopes you will taste
like frogs....hahahahahahah
Kindly GM: Piere come back here with the dead one we'll make sure...
Kindly GM: you hear Piere comeing back and slide out of sight him and
Jacco are carrying the dead diver
Kindly GM: before they can even make it fully into the room you see a
tentacle snake out and pluck the body from them, you catch just a peak from
behind them as the divers body is lifted into the air the hard shell cracks open
on the top again and the body of the diver goes in.....a stripped skelleton is
pulled back out seconds later then tossed into a corner you did not notice
before with a number of other skelletons in it
Kindly GM: the other of the two is now looking quite hostile
Kindly GM: "it seems that one of you may not be enough hmmm well one of
you should be enough hahahhahahah he lifts his blade and the second creature
snatches the living diver offf the floor
Marianna watches in horror.
Marianna: It's all she can do to keep from
crying out, but the only way she'll be able to help herself and Amanda is to not
be discovered.
Kindly GM: the already fed one lashes out with one of its tentcles but
only gets a leg as they tear the screaming diver in two
Kindly GM: then there is one more broken skelleton in the corner and the
pirate is prodding a nearly heaving Amanda up the rope ladder
Kindly GM: Amanda and two of the Pirates go up the rope ladder
Kindly GM: Piere and Jacco start patrolling again
Kindly GM: two pirates remain uneasilly with the two creatures, the
leader tosses down his sword here you know what to do if they get out of
line...that make ya feel better///Yeah lots thanks.
Marianna: So, it would appear my choices are
sit here until I'm disovered or starve, go back to the other tower where we
couldn't find a way out, or try to get past these two goons somehow...
Marianna: 2 goons and 2 monsters.
Marianna: And going for the other tower (and
the other divers) would take several hours IIRC.
Kindly GM: about a day or so yes
Marianna: Not a good option.
Marianna: Neither is sitting here and starving.
So...
Kindly GM: you have two cruising around, two in the tower and Amanda and
two climbing out of sight up the rope ladder
Marianna: Marianna considers her situation, and
her options.
Kindly GM: oh and two creatures that want to strip the flesh off your
body
Marianna: I thought there were 4 pirates?
Kindly GM: that came out and two more in the tower with the creatures
Kindly GM: so 8 strands 6 pirates 2 things
Kindly GM: Piere and Jacco are romeing with muskets
Kindly GM: the leader one and amanda went up the rope
Marianna: Trying to fight her way out seems
virtually suicidal. Trying to talk her way past these pirates seems almost as
bad. On the other hand, if she can turn her obstacles against each other...
Marianna: Moveing as carefully as possible,
Marianna collects some likely looking projectiles and moves closer to the tower,
being careful not to get near enough to attract the attention of the
maneaters.
Kindly GM: You gather up good throwing material
Marianna: OOC: You mentioned torches, do the
Things seem to react one way or another to fire?
Kindly GM: they seem to stay nearer to the light
Marianna: Using fire to attack probably isn't
wise then ;-)
Kindly GM: the two rangers have moved kinda far and are having a stupid
conversation in another language but obviously about amanda
Kindly GM: they two inside are staying far from the creatures near the
doorway and keeping the white sword handsy
Marianna: My idea is to try throwing something
either past them or somewhere near the Things, in hopes of creating confusion
and maybe getting the Things to eat the pirates.
Kindly GM: "what the fuck was that"
Kindly GM: easy easy
Kindly GM: make a throw roll TN 15 one raise to hit a creature
Marianna stays hidden while they react to the
noise.
Throw, 3k2 Rolling 3d10. Results: 3 5 6 for a total of 14.
Kindly GM: "hey you guys find anything out there
Kindly GM: guys?
Kindly GM: "Man these things are restless
Kindly GM: "take it easy man they just ate they'll be fine for another
day or two as long as we keep the lights burning
Kindly GM: "Yeah Yeah I know
Kindly GM: hey how much wood and oil we got left
Kindly GM: I don't know check
Marianna: What and where are the light
sources?
Kindly GM: four lanterns pontooned into the walls two very near the
creatures
Kindly GM: several torches stuck almost in a row between them and the two
things
Kindly GM: no real bonfire but there is a cooking pit a little way into
the door but its cold
Kindly GM: about 8 in total
Kindly GM: "You best get that one its sputtering
Kindly GM: "I'm going damn but its piere's turn to fill their lamps
Kindly GM: "Hey there aint no one out here and this place is creepy
Marianna: I pitch another object at the Thing
nearest the sputtering torch, not wanting to give myself away yet but hoping to
annoy it.
3k2 Rolling 3d10. Results: 6 4 1 for a total of 11.
Kindly GM: your throw hits one of the torches "hey what the fuck stop
fucking around
Kindly GM: Piere what the fuck are you guys doing out there
Kindly GM: "hey we're comin back
Marianna ducks and hides.
Kindly GM: "yeah stop throwin shit
Kindly GM: "we aint throwing shit
Kindly GM: Hey you think more of those got woke by these guys
Kindly GM: Hey we're comin
Kindly GM: just keep that damn sword handy
Kindly GM: all four are now in the room
Marianna tries to get a look at the sword, but not
at the cost of being seen.
Kindly GM: "maybe you should see if they woke more
Kindly GM: shut up you fuck
Kindly GM: white like bone
Kindly GM: make a wits check
Wits 3 Rolling 3d10. Results: 1 7 3 for a total of 11.
Kindly GM: or Ivory with some etching in it you can't make out
Marianna: Dunno if either Occult or Research
could apply...
Kindly GM: "comon fill those lanterns there almost out you know how crazy
thesse things get in the dark
Kindly GM: Occult a little TN 25
Marianna moves to another location, still hidden
but not wanting to let them realize where things are coming from.
Occult check, 5k3 Rolling 5d10. Results: 6 1 4 4 9 for a total of 24.
Kindly GM: you almost slip in the puddle of was once a creature
Kindly GM: Ivory definitely whale bone or something you've never seen a
piece cut like a blade, old though prob of a design unused for at least 100
years
Marianna waits for another good moment and throws
again.
3k2 throw Rolling 3d10. Results: 1 7 4 for a total of 12.
Kindly GM: One tentatively moves towards the lantern and is hit in the
head, "hey ow damn it
Kindly GM: he drops the lantern which hits the ground and spills burning
oil everywhere
Kindly GM: ow owowowowowow
Kindly GM: the guy with the sword backs up
Kindly GM: the creatures move towards the flames
Kindly GM: the pirate's clothes ignite
Kindly GM: the things encircle him
Marianna: Sword-guy or another one?
Kindly GM: "Damn, damn toss more oil on him maybe they'll leave us be
Kindly GM: the other who was lighting the lantern
Kindly GM: filling it actually
Kindly GM: the sword guy has bakced to the doorway while the other two
squirt oil on their burning comrade
Kindly GM: the creatures appear to grow a little in the light of the
burning man but as he dims they snatch at him trying to pull him into their
maws
Marianna: What are the chances I can plant a
knife in the back of the one backing towards the door?
Kindly GM: he won't notice you till you try
Marianna: Range?
Kindly GM: your choice you can walk right up behind him
Kindly GM: he's preoccupied
Kindly GM: hey oil only don't waste any of that good liquor
Marianna: With a prayer to Theus and the
Prophets, Marianna seizes the opportunity...
Attack Knife, 5k2 Rolling 5d10. Results: 6 4 8 6 9 for a total of 33.
Kindly GM: you plant the knife deep in the back of the unsuspecting
gentleman
Kindly GM: brute
Kindly GM: down
Kindly GM: sword clatters to the ground the man is eaten the two others
turn towards you
Kindly GM: "what!"
Marianna: I try to keep ahold of the knife and
get back to cover. If I can get the sword, that would be a big bonus!
Kindly GM: they turn in time to see you with the knife
Marianna: I grab for the sword.
Kindly GM: you got the sword
Kindly GM: "No we need that"
Kindly GM: they turn to you pleadingly
Kindly GM: the second lantern goes out
Kindly GM: the two nearest you flicker as do the torches
Kindly GM: the creatures now nearly 9' tall writhe towards the men
Kindly GM: they run for the ladder
Marianna: "And why should I help someone who
feeds my friends to those...things?" In Vodacce ;-)
Kindly GM: "huh"
Kindly GM: they are both grabbed by an ankle as two of the 8 torches
die
Kindly GM: Please its all that will restrain them
Kindly GM: without light they get hungry
Kindly GM: another torch dies
Marianna: Switching to Montaigne, "Then you
should light those lamps, and hurry."
Kindly GM: the two lanterns nearest you are burning low
Kindly GM: they are lifted into the air reaching for torches, grasping
for the ladder
Kindly GM: they creatures are getting wilder as the darkness grows
Kindly GM: as the torches fail they throw the men about breaking them on
the walls
Marianna: Do I have a shot at making a break
for the ladder?
Kindly GM: yes
Kindly GM: finesse at TN10
Kindly GM: sprinting if you have it
Sprinting, 4k2. Rolling 4d10. Results: 5 4 5 7 for a total of 21.
Kindly GM: "CRACK" one of their skulls breaks open on the wall
Marianna: Marianna ducks her head and runs for
the ladder, trying to ignore the carnage around her.
Kindly GM: you grasp the ladder and begin to pull yourself up
Kindly GM: a tentacle lashes towards you
Kindly GM: Climb at 15 to avoid tentacles from below
Marianna: I have no sword skills, so poking at
it would be Unskilled.
Kindly GM: or take more drastic action like that
Climb, 3k2 Rolling 3d10. Results: 7 2 4 for a total of 13.
Marianna: Marianna puts her all into it (i.e.
I'm gonna use a DD).
Kindly GM: a tentcle lashes around your ankle threatening to pull you
into the great crack that is its sharp cluttered maw
Drama Die Rolling 1d10. Results: 6 for a total of 6.
Marianna: Desperately clinging to the ladder
and climbing for dear life.
Kindly GM: the sword gently touches the creature as you climb and its
tentcle pulls quickly away
Marianna: Noticing this, she brandishes the
blade at the threatening tentacles as she continues to climb.
Kindly GM: you scurry with the help of a drama die out of its reach, only
stopping to wipe the blood from your hand when the creatures are dots in the
fading light below
Kindly GM: sorry but I gotta go we can pick up at the top of the
ladder
Marianna: Any sounds from the remaining men, or
does the lack or sound say there aren't any?
Kindly GM: you can make a perc check when you get higher
Kindly GM: dead below
Kindly GM: creatures getting edgy
- Marianna (16:51:29/09-30-2002)
The Explorer pauses to catch her breath, and to offer a prayer to Theus for the souls of her lost comrades. She feels she should also offer one for the dead pirates, since not even they deserved the horrific death they received at the...hands...of those monsters. For the pirate who died at her hands, for whether her blow killed him or not it left him easy prey to the beasts below, she asks forgiveness, though she's sure Theus understands that it was him or her.
Shoving the ivory sword into her belt, Marianna continues her climb, and stops to listen as she nears the top...
Marianna's Dice Roll
Resolve+Climbing, 3k2
Rolling 3d10.
Results: 7 3 10 for a total of 20.
Marianna's Dice Roll
Perception, Wits 3
Rolling 3d10.
Results: 6 4 4 for a total of 14.
- Marianna (16:59:30/09-30-2002)
Reaching the top of the rope ladder, Marianna can hear the sounds of many men, but not much else. She hangs below the opening at the top of the ladder, listening and praying.
Marianna's Dice Roll
Another Perception check, remembering the Keen Senses this time, 4k3
Rolling 4d10.
Results: 4 8 1 8 for a total of 21.
- Marianna (18:07:15/09-30-2002)
Waiting and listening as quietly as you can, hanging to the wet
rope and praying. The sounds of many men and ships, it sounds
like a dock above. "So this is the fair lady Amanda I've heard so
much about, it would be a shame to waste you on the crew"
"ah har har har har(many men laugh)" "Where's the girl Marianna
(you hear a familiar voice) and the other divers?" "She's dead along
with at least two of the divers. I don't know what happened to the
other two we seperated." "We'll see." "Now, now, Professor Soulmanson
there's no reason to get testy, I know you had your eyes set on
the young Vodacce girl, but I'm sure once we rule the world you
can have your pick of many others" The crisp clear voice of a man
obviously in command finishes. "Now I want a dozen men to head
down and find those missing divers. I'll stand for nothing short of
their bodied and that of the young woman as well. So I say bring
um or expect to be um! Now if we could please continue this
conversation in a more private place. Bring the woman!"
- Kariggi (18:36:13/09-30-2002)
Marianna: I forget if you mentioned Marianna
having a chance to peek out of that hole.
Kindly GM: Peeking is your perogative, but you won't know what's there
untill you do
Marianna: I'll just roll in here and post the
results, 'cause she's got to do _something_...
Kindly GM: before they come down the hole looking for your body and the
other two divers
Marianna carefully peeks over the rim of the
hole...
Kindly GM: hahahahahahaa
Perception, 4k3 Rolling 4d10. Results: 7 5 8 4 for a total of 24.
Marianna: What's a 20 get me?
Kindly GM: There is a bustling port thriving within this artificial
isle
Kindly GM: three ships other than the ones you brought are here
Marianna: How far is this from our original
site?
Kindly GM: only a few miles 12-15
Kindly GM: Your ships are also docked here and there is room for a couple
more
Marianna: The most important thing I'm looking
for immediately is a path to new cover, since this cover won't be worth the
Abyss in a few minutes.
Kindly GM: you are peaking through a crack in the floor that has wood
railing and sandbags all about it sort of like a well, built up because the
water level in here appears high enough to float ships in
Kindly GM: you can slip into the water under a dock.
Marianna: We're inside, like in a cave? I take
it we didn't see this island when we sailed in.
Kindly GM: Wooden docks seem to make up most of the solid structure
here
Kindly GM: yes it was the other small isle on the far side of the large
central one you were studiing the small isle on the far side
Marianna moves quickly and quietly as she
can, out of the hole, and under the docks.
Kindly GM: Wood shanties are built from parts of other ships along and
upon the docks
Marianna: Looks fairly established, then.
Kindly GM: yes
Kindly GM: and note none of the pulsing light like the other one
Marianna: Ah, this is an open space like the
building we opened?
Kindly GM: One of the ships a large scarlett number is where you see
Amanda decending
Kindly GM: yes the inside of an island
Kindly GM: just a little wetter
Kindly GM: with the cover still drawn on this one
Marianna: I imagine if that's the Roger I'd
recognize it...
Kindly GM: it doesn't have a flag up and your not in a postiion to read
the name on the front
Marianna: Are the sails red or just the
hull?
Kindly GM: Just the hull the sails are white and old with many
patches
Marianna watches and listens...
Marianna: ... Meanwhile, escape is a priority,
as is rescuing Amanda if possible. Escaping without her is a viable secondary
option, since then she can return with help.
Kindly GM: To one end of the docks are a number of old cannon some appear
to be aligned for use while others working and otherwise are stewn about more
carelesslyu
Marianna considers using the cannon to
create confusion, but isn't sure that might cause her more trouble than
aid.
Kindly GM: A sturdy looking building near it probably holds powder and
shot as there is a big sign on it that reads DANGER EXPLOSIVE and has a picture
of a man blowing up
Kindly GM: Most of the men a lolling about and drinking.
Marianna: Do I see any of the other men from
the expedition about? I'm expecially looking for any I think I can trust, and
will err on the side of caution if I'm not sure. Ones who are tied up or
otherwise being restrained are possible good choices.
Kindly GM: The two smaller vessels you arrived with look empty
Kindly GM: the large one has a contingent of armed men strolling about
the deck but you don't immediately see any men you know
Marianna again considers her
options.
Kindly GM: The far end of the docks away from the cannons seems to smell
better than the rest of this place and you think you notice a thin line of smoke
rising
Marianna: Trying to take a ship and escape by
herself is unwise; they're too far from anywhere, and she has no skills to
manage a ship.
Kindly GM: and you see no immediate way out.
Marianna: She can't count on assistance from
any of the men here. In fact, she needs to avoid being noticed by any of these
men. She looks around for any unattended clothing she can "borrow" to disguise
her femininity, to try to blend in with the riff-raff that populates this
"port".
Kindly GM: nothing being unused, but some of the men are in a state where
they might not notice till they woke from their drunken slumber
Kindly GM: you are floating around wet in the water skirting the docks
yes?
Marianna: Yep.
Marianna: BTW, are any of these sailors
female?
Kindly GM: some of the ships may be accessable through portal's
Kindly GM: some but few about a 20 to 1 ratio
Kindly GM: you've seen about 200 or so pirates so far
Marianna: A few means I won't stand out like a
sore thumb.
Kindly GM: correct
Kindly GM: though even in your present condition your a lot cleaner
looking than any of this lot
Kindly GM: hey do you have swimming
Marianna: No, but she's staying in shallows or
where there's handholds.
Kindly GM: clinging to the dock ok
Marianna: She's in over her head in one sense
already ;-)
Kindly GM: you see a group of about a dozen men go into the well you
exited only a few minutes ago
Pirate: When is the Midnight sky due back with the Plum?
Pirate: Should be a couple more days, then we'll all be rich, if ya
believe the Admiral
Pirate: Aye well I'm not man enough to doubt him so I better believe
huh
Pirate: ha ha ha ha
Pirate: So what we gonna do with that ship full of mendlers
Pirate: probably start feeding um ta tha Admirals pets
Pirate: the one in the waters been getting wrestless lately
Marianna looks for a likely female pirate,
about her size.
Marianna: Yipe!
Kindly GM: Looking carefully around now you notice that the far side of
the great Scarlette ship is very well lit
Marianna: I want to do the classic
"knock-someone-out-and take-their-cloths" schtick. ;-)
Marianna: *phew*
Kindly GM: you wait for a likely target and when she wanders too near you
and too far from the others to notice you pull her under Dirty fighting will be
fine at a 15
"Psst..." ;-) 5k2 Rolling 5d10. Results: 6 1 4 9 4 for a total of 24.
Kindly GM: no prob easy huh
Kindly GM: hey stop what are you...blub, blub, blub.....
Marianna: Trying not to get her cloths any
wetter than I can help...
Kindly GM: now your dressed dirty and wet and you have a wet pistol and
cutlass
Kindly GM: they stay a little (..) dryer than yours
Marianna: BTW, I'm hiding that bone sword under
the dock somethere, unless I have a way to keep it on me and not be noticed
(which I doubt).
Marianna: Powder takes forever to dry, but then
again there's a source nearby...
Marianna: BTW, my "benefactor" was bound and
gagged so she doens't give me away when she comes to.
Kindly GM: and tied under a dock
Kindly GM: make a perc check at 25
Marianna: With her head above water, I don't
want to drown her or leave her for beasty-bait.
Perception, 4k3 Rolling 4d10. Results: 3 1 3 8 for a total of 15.
Kindly GM: hmmm water has much life
Marianna: If there's another likely place
besides under the dock I could drag her to I do.
Marianna just wants the woman out of the way
for a while, not dead.
Kindly GM: perhaps behind a shanty
Marianna: Also, if I still look too clean for
this lot, I'm sure there's no shortage of dirt I can smear on my face and
clothing to fit in better.
Marianna: Then I look for a nearby small group
of drunken sailors, hopefuly ones near to passing out (i.e. not much of a
threat).
Marianna: What languages am I hearing most
among the unwashed masses?
Kindly GM: There is not a lot of "real" dirt about but you are able to
smudge yourself with a little tar to help the illusion and you tie back your
hair
Kindly GM: the languages are a mishmash of sailor speak strongly Avalon
but with elements from all other thean languages though a bit short on
Usurran
Marianna: Tie it up into a bandana, mainly
because that's practicle but also to hide it as much as possible.
Marianna: Between Castillian and Montaigne,
will one fit better than the other?
Kindly GM: You will fit in best by mixing them, slurring a lot, and using
poor grammer
Marianna: Which reminds me, those nearby
drunks...
Kindly GM: the most likely group would be on the other side of the ships
where the smoke drifts up from there appear to be a lot of passed out pirates
over there
Kindly GM: smaller groups hover about at the fringes but the drunkest by
far are over there
Marianna takes a deep breath, then comes out
from her hiding place. Adopting manerisms appropriate to those around her, she
makes her way to the other side of the docks.
Marianna: She walks with just enough purpose to
make it less likely for someone to assume she needs something to do.
Marianna: (OOC. The "clipboard" manuver, more
or less)
Kindly GM: Some of the men look ...so do some of the women, but none pay
toooo much attention, one makes a smart comment (you may reply if you wish) but
no one bothers you as you move along the wood planks that dominate almost
one-quarter of the inside of this island over to the large unconscience and
drunken sailors laying about absorbing some of the bright artificial light
maintained by the Scarlette ship which you see is now called the Sailors
Delight
Marianna: When she gets there, she takes a
bottle from a pirate who's already dreaming of...she doens't want to think what
they dream of. She lifts the bottle for a mighty swig, but in reality she holds
her tongue over the mouth so she only gets enough of the presumably fowl brew to
have it on her breath. As she does so, she looks around again from her new
vantage point.
Kindly GM: oh and the taste on her toungue and lips ..."what are these
guys drinking, it tastes like paint stripper
Kindly GM: and what is that hard refuse around the mouth damn but this
will need more than one wiping to dislodge from the bottles end
Kindly GM: It all seems very slovenly and disorganized
Marianna: I don't think Theah is up to germ
theory, otherwise she'd be trying to convince herself that the alchohol will
kill anything truely nasty ;-)
Kindly GM: food and booze look plentiful but the pirates seem edgy and
uneasy
Kindly GM: where the smoke rises a large pit of coals hot but not very
bright has spits of large squid like creatures burning over it men/women are
just grabbing what they want
Marianna: Tryiing to find a sailor who's not
too drunk to talk, but too drunk to do much of anything else (except in his
imagination)...
Kindly GM: a stack of crates broken open and spread about has some other
food stuffs most look old and well gone through
Kindly GM: bottles of wine lay about spilling from crates next to several
barrels of ale with there tops removed...there are no cups
Kindly GM: sailors are happy to talk with ya prettey come closer and sit
down ole black tom aint gonna hurt ya
Marianna: Marianna plops drunkenly down next to
him, muttering.
Kindly GM: wit dis bum leg though and a gut full of juice I aint gonna
chase ya far though
Marianna: She smiles lopsidedly at him. "No'
like thars much else te do 'roun here," she mutters semi-good-naturedly in
Castillian heavily pidgened with Montaigne.
Marianna: She then scowls thoughtfully.
Kindly GM: Na jus drink and wait
Kindly GM: wait wait wait
Marianna: "Whadder we waitn aroun here for this
time?" She's slurring her words, feigning drunkenness.
Kindly GM: thas all they wanna du
Kindly GM: Big un this time
Kindly GM: thas wa the admiral says
Kindly GM: Karn'll be back wit it an we'll rule the seas
Marianna: She raises her eyebrow, "Eh? how
big?
Kindly GM: ya heard um we'll rule the seas an more
Marianna: Marianna barks a laugh. "Yeah, like I
ain' heard THA one afore."
Kindly GM: but I'll be damned if'n I'm supposed to be comfortable wit
dose tings about
Marianna: "I'll b'leev it when I sees it."
Kindly GM: well ya seen da Admirals pet
Marianna: She makes a face at the water
(assuming it's where the things are).
Marianna: "That fine lady they pulled outa the
pit? Yeah." she says with a hint of contempt.
Pirate: it ya heard um right an I talked to some a da boys who been down
we got a whole army of um just watin ta do as told
Pirate: na not the chippy
Pirate: I'm hopin she get searved up though I';m due
Pirate: last chippy didn't make it through the night never even got a
ride
Pirate: maybe ya wanna give ole black tom a ride eh
Pirate: his hand reaches out
Marianna: "That's 'cause too many o' you lot
don't know how to make a woman last." she says with a grin.
Kindly GM: Arh hah hahaha I'll last for ya honey comon
Kindly GM: You will do no such thing
Kindly GM: a metal blade of fine Montaigne steel interposes itself
Kindly GM: come he's to drunk and I need another hand over here
Marianna: Marianna drunkenly follows the blade
up to a hand, and then to the wielder.
Kindly GM: what ship are you with
Kindly GM: says the Darkly handsome Montaigne, dressed in sharp contrast
to all the others about
Kindly GM: thin and a bit of a dandy but with a edge that looks as sharp
as his rapier
Marianna: She blinks and shakes her head, like
she's tryinng to collect her thoughts after having the train suddenly change
tracks.
Kindly GM: his nose is a little longer than you generally like and a bit
pointed
Kindly GM: he seems a bit aloof and pompous
Kindly GM: "what ship did you say. Not that it matter the Admiral needs a
woman to watch that Explorer
Marianna: She gives him a bit of a smile. Might
as well go with it. "Whichever one you want me to be," she replies, the pidgin
shifting to more Montaigne.
Kindly GM: you can keep your hands off her can't you
Kindly GM: Pirate woman nearly as bad as pirate men
Marianna: "Don' worry, women arent' my
type."
Kindly GM: The Admiral and the Proffesor are nearly done interegating her
now so we'll need someone who can at least scream if the boys get out of
line
Kindly GM: you can scream then yes (he pinches your bottom very hard)
Marianna: Marianna gives a satisfying yelp,
then gives the Montaigne a wry grin.
Kindly GM: He looks smugly pleased with himself "what did you say your
name was?
Marianna: "If the Admiral wants me to work,
you;ll have to wait."
Marianna: She mentally runs through the names
of several childhood friends.
Marianna: "Bianca."
Kindly GM: He smiles broadly back, half laughs and then inhales
Kindly GM: Bianca then I'll find someone to relieve you before midnight,
and I must say whatever fragrance you've chosen to steal suites you far better
than the rest of this waste. But be cautious too much bathing and they'll think
your one of those bloody explorers instead of one of us
Marianna: She smiles appriciately. (OOC: aside
from sea water and booze, what's he smelling?)
Kindly GM: whatever you normally use to keep fresher than your average
I've been at sea for 4 months sailor
Kindly GM: and have no knowledge of personal hygene
Marianna: (lol) Right, like those lot have the
time to bathe while they're diggin around who knows where.
Kindly GM: He leads you to the deck of the Sailors Delight and you hear
voices coming up from down below
Marianna: Hopefully keeping her head down won't
be considered unusal...
Kindly GM: One voice is the admirals
Marianna: ...because she doens't want the Prof
to get a good look at her face.
Kindly GM: the other is Soulmanson's
Kindly GM: I told you she would say no more, I don't really know what you
expected her father was just as stubborn
Kindly GM: She will be uneasassary
Kindly GM: I hope you know what we are doing here Admiral these creatures
seem dangerous
Kindly GM: As long as we have the sword we should be able to keep them in
line
Kindly GM: I feel the training goes well
Kindly GM: But Admiral how can you expect to train so many at once
Kindly GM: Quiet you will say no more on deck (the two men come out from below
- Marianna (15:00:36/10-01-2002)
As they walk to and board the Sailor's Delight, Marianna keeps her ears open to
try to find out this Montaigne's name (asking would probably be a Bad Idea).
- Marianna (15:52:35/10-01-2002)
"Monsiuer Collerache I see you have found a suitable body to
safe-guard the Lady Amanda. Good. Ho you me! Pull me over
five more of those explorers. Its feeding time!" During the last
line the Admirals slighly pudgy face twists bursting a number of
the large red boils which dominate the entire face of this otherwise
tall slender man with well kept black hair tied back and trailing out
behind his prominant hat. You see now that a similar condition
exists on all of the Admiral's exposed flesh, even the back of the
hand that clutches the railing of the large scarlette vessel as he
stand half leaning over staring down into the bubling water below
the bright light of over a dozen lantern all directed down. The
proffesor stands on the far side of him as far from the rail as he
dare, you stand on the far side of Collerache shading yourself
from Soulmanson as best you can. You see several of the armed
pirates aboard the explorers main vessel go below only to emerge
moments later with a trail of men bound around their wrist and
with obvious bruises all about even at this distance. "I have an
Idea (says the Admiral) why don't we bring up our newest lady.
Perhaps this show will change her mind."
Collerache
steps back and looks at several crewmen. "You heard
Admiral Blech go below and drag that know-it-all bitch up here."
Crewmen move below very quickly to comply. There seems to
be more bile in Collerache's words than one might have for
one of such quick aquaintance. Shortly she is brought on deck.
The Admiral places a strange white whistle to his lips and blows.
It makes no sound but the waters below churn.
- Kariggi (12:00:30/10-02-2002)
Pirate: "Now watch my Lady, watch what happens when you defy me!....Throw
them in.
Marianna: I'm trying to get a feel for whether
she'd startle visibly if she saw me.
Pirate: You know she is the type who would actively try not to but it
might be hard
Kindly GM: At his command the armed pirates aboard the explorer ship toss
the first man into the water or at the water.
Kindly GM: because a long tentacle lashes out to spear it in the air
before it hits the water
Kindly GM: a great black shell rises from the water this creature is
almost half as large as the big one you saw below dead.
Kindly GM: and the shell cracks open the smaller dagger like toungues
spear out at the approaching man who writhes on the end of the sharp tendral
Marianna is starting to think ahead to
blowing up the explosives cache, once she's at a safe range if
possible...
Kindly GM: Amanda trys to turn wincing (would be big bang) but two
pirates hold her"
Marianna: Yes, that's the idea EG
Kindly GM: The body is pulled down and the black maw cracks it in half in
its hurry to pull it all in
Marianna: "Gimme 10 second beetles any day,"
she thinks to herself. "They're merciful by comparison."
Kindly GM: Soulmanson mutters I must agree we have matters to attend to
...my money for one
Kindly GM: as he says this he eases forward and for a brief moment you
think he catches your eye. faster than you can pull your vision back from the
strands Collaroche has pulled his pistol and blown Soulmansons brains out into
the water he then motions to have the body thrown over "I never like working
with traitors (he looks to you)you never know who they'll sell out next, don't
you agree.
Marianna: "Bianca" looks started by the sudden
shot, then nods. "Oui, never trust a traitor."
Kindly GM: At your words Amanda doesn't turn but allows only the smallest
of smiles to crease her parched lips
Marianna can't quite find it in her heart to
ask Theus' mercy on Soulmanson, like she silently does for the other Explorer.
Maybe someday, but not right now.
Pirate: Oh very well! throw them all in we will attend to business
now,(the Admiral now sounds like a petulant child about to throw a tantrum)
perhaps that will keep you from scareing them further look he's gone nearly
ashen you know how sensitive they are to loud noises.
Marianna makes another mental note.
Kindly GM: ah by the way the creature don't look so scared to you
Kindly GM: as it rips many men to shreds at once pulling the stripped
bones from its hard shelllike maw
Marianna: Is there just the one, as far as I
see?
Kindly GM: yes one creature you see
Kindly GM: You hear Amanda give a prayer for each man speaking each of
their names
Marianna adds a silent "amen" for
each.
Pirate: "Admiral there's a problem here. I think you better come have a
look." Says a man coming up out of the well
Marianna: Figured that was coming, she
thinks.
Pirate: "Damn it" says Collaroche "take the woman below (directed at you)
and keep her safe....we'll talk at midnight.
Marianna: "Oui," "Bianca" says, and roughly
pushes Amanda below.
Pirate: She about bursts into laughter as the two of you enter the room
she's being kept prisoner in she is trying to restrain herself but she is almost
in tears
Pirate: "So your to keep me safe" she jibes
Marianna: "Shhh!" Marianna says silently,
finger to her smiling lips.
Pirate: Please please don't take advantage of me
Pirate: I'm sorry its all just so absurd,
Marianna sticks her tounge out at her
"boss".
Pirate: then she seems to waver for a moment all those men...dead
Pirate: and who knows how many more
Marianna: "They'll be even madder soon. I think
I killed that man with the sword, and even if I didn't the creatures must have
finished him.
Pirate: the sword?
Pirate: the one below?
Marianna: "I hid the sword under the dock."
(Didn't she see him brandishing it?)
Pirate: but
Pirate: sort of "oh the one below ok now I know which one you mean"
Marianna: "That white sword seems to have some
effect on them, even a light touch."
Pirate: Yes but it didn't save them from you did it
Pirate: I was hoping you could get away some how but this
Marianna: "I stabbed the one and made a break
for the ladder."
Kindly GM: I don't know if your better off or worse
Kindly GM: what if your found out
Marianna: "The lights control them, too, and
the torches were going out as I left."
Marianna: "At least from here we have a chance,
though how much of one is hard to say."
Kindly GM: Yes they said something like that , they feed off the light I
think as much as the peaple
Kindly GM: I haven't notice a way out yet
Marianna: nods. "What are they trying to learn
from you? Not the location of these isles or what's below, obviously."
Marianna: "There are ships, that's a
start."
Kindly GM: They saw us open the other isle they think we know how to
opperate at least some of the technology here.
Marianna: "Ah."
Kindly GM: They haven't been able to work any of it on or in this isle,
I'm not sure how they even got in here
Marianna: "Probably a 'lucky' accident. It's
not like I knew what I was doing when we opened the other one."
Marianna: "And Soulmanson?" She spits the
name.
Marianna: BTW, keepign voices down and
listening for people outside, of course.
Kindly GM: They have poor Dr. (?) Solaris (brain fade) working with that
creature trying to explain what it is. As for Soulmanson I think he owed these
men a great deal of money, he always had a problem with gambling, I just wished
I'd payed more attention when he said this expedition would help get him out of
debt, an explorer never knows if it will cost or reward when she goes out
Kindly GM: I figured he just meant he'd get another great book out of it
one way or another
Marianna: nods. "And to think, he had his eye
on me...I expected that more from (fill in the name of the lech)."
Kindly GM: I haven't seen Dr. Drol yet though I hope they didn't kill him
he might have been to stubborn to surrender
Marianna: "This Collaroche, the way he refers
to you, and about Explorers...do you know what his problem is?"
Kindly GM: She turns from you a look of abject shame crossing her
face
Marianna: "M'lady?"
Kindly GM: "ah Collaroche yes...well yes I might, rather I do know...
Kindly GM: ah.....He fell in love with me and I left him on a island to
die.
Marianna: "You what?" more surprised than
shocked.
Kindly GM: I condemned him to horrible aganizing death at the hands of
blood canibal cultist we discovered on a southern island
Marianna: "Surely not just for falling in love
with you?" she says with a hint of a grin.
Kindly GM: She looks like a different person than you've seen all trip
even at the worst of it she turns deathly serious "No, because I fell in love
with him too.
Marianna: Marianna just looks puzzled.
Kindly GM: She appears as if she is ready to storm off but has no where
to go and so is ready to stand her ground
Marianna: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up
something painful, but the more we both know, the better our chances of finding
a way out of here."
Kindly GM: Look can we just drop it, its a long story and I don't want to
go into it now, but I wronged him and he has a right to be ....to ah...ah if he
kills me it'll be less than I deserve now can you tell me how you're going to
get us all out of here....after all it is your find.
Kindly GM: The old Amanda returning
Marianna: Marianna can't help but smile at
that.
- Marianna (17:23:38/10-02-2002)
"Whatever we do, we should do it soon. The longer we wait, the more men die. The only way I can see out of here is on one of our ships," Marianna muses. "I can't think of any excuse for me to take you over there...perhaps you could 'knock me out,' swap cloths with me, and get over there yourself. After they 'find' me and give me a good yelling at, I could go set off the explosives and hopefully make it to the ship myself so we can escape in the confusion."
The young Vodacce frowns and shakes her head. "There are so many ways that could
go wrong. And there's Collaroche..." She looks earnestly at Amanda. "M'lady, I
know you don't want to talk about it, and I can understand why, but I
have reason to think he might become an ally. Even Vodacce women who do
not wear the veil sometimes have a way with reading people, after all,"
she adds with a bit of a grin.
- Marianna (23:00:36/10-05-2002)
Your plans and thoughts are disturbed about an hour or so before
midnight by a harsh rap on the door. Beyond the door is a haggard
looking woman in her late 20's disturbingly unatractive, and horribly
scarred. "I'm here to relieve ya. Ya can get on now I'll watch the
pretty bitch." Amanda flashes you a concerned look, you hear
shuffling down the hall. "Well?"
- Kariggi (13:45:23/10-14-2002)
Posting from chat:
Marianna looks at the scarred woman, thinks
better of trying to knock her out, and grunts acknowledgement.
Marianna: "Allright, she ain't been no trouble
anyway, might as well go ha' a drink."
Kindly GM: She half lurches half staggers into the room wiht a very
unwomanly gait "yeah get, she don look like nothin I cant hanle" she smiles
Marianna: She looks at Amanda with a facial
"shrug," done so the other woman won't see it, of course :-)
Kindly GM: or failing
Marianna: "Don' do nuthin I wouldn't do," she
half laughs.
Kindly GM: the really ugly woman smiles at you as you leave
Marianna: "Yech," Marianna thinks to
herself.
Pirate: I'll keep the admirals pet in one piece
Marianna: Nothing better having been planned,
Marianna decides to see if she can get to the other Explorers.
Pirate: "Now you better get back to your ship the admiral don't take
kindly to us just hangin about his ship, as ya seen"
Pirate: Her low rough voice peels the ships paint as you leave rocks on
sandpaper
Kindly GM: as you close the door and head down the hall I need a perc
check
3k3 Rolling 3d10. Results: 1 2 4 for a total of 7.
Kindly GM: You head up to the deck and begin planning your movement over
to the largest of the explorer vessels
Kindly GM: You walk off the gangplank onto the makeshift dock on the
opposite side from where the creature fed only hours ago
Marianna: "Bianca" looks for a good spot where
she can sit hopefully unnoticed with a bottle and watch their ships.
Kindly GM: As you clammer down the gangplank you hear a cry from on
board
Marianna: On board which ship?
Kindly GM: the Admirals
Marianna: I'm afraid to ask if I know the
voice.
Kindly GM: yep, its her
Marianna: *sigh* Pain, fear, can I tell?
Kindly GM: surprise bad then nothing
Marianna heads towards their (i.e. the
Explorers) ship...
Kindly GM: away from the cry on the admirals ship
Kindly GM: towards the explorers ship
Marianna: Yeah, one of her ideas is to tattle
to Collaroche on the other pirate :-).
Marianna: Didn't think going back was much of
an option, that it would give her away.
Kindly GM: as you head to the explorer vessel ...
Kindly GM: he is on the diving boat.
Marianna: What if any in the way of guards I
need to get past, that I can see?
Kindly GM: none on the diving boat on the main explorer vessel there are
4 walking gaurds with muskets that can be seen
Marianna: And the diving boat isn't the one I
know there are prisoners on, right?
Kindly GM: there are no prisoners as far as you know on the diving
boat
Marianna: Taking a deep breath and saying a
silent prayer, "Bianca" heads towards the diving boat.
Marianna: The idea: to talk to Collaroche and
to see if there are any of our men on this ship, too.
Kindly GM: It looks quiet above deck
Marianna: Not at the same time, of course.
Kindly GM: There is no one aboard that you can see...
Marianna: Anyone nearby?
Kindly GM: On the makeshift wooden shore there are pirates in various
states of sleep and drunk
Kindly GM: only quiet on the ship
Marianna: Bianca asks the closest one, "Ya seen
the Misure?"
Kindly GM: One awake enough shakes his head "no"
Marianna: Deciding she can claim one of them
saw him anyway, she boards the ship...
Kindly GM: You find him in the captains quarters. When he sees you he
starts a rant "I thought I left you to guard Amanda untill I returned
- Marianna (21:03:30/10-14-2002)
"Bianca" looks confused (though it doesn't take long for Marianna to figure out
what happened). "But din ya sent a relief ta ... aw, fuck, I knew there
was somethin' I di'n like about the looks o' that scarred up bitch." An
obviously angry "Bianca" starts to head back to the other ship, muttering "When
I git my hands on her..."
- Marianna (21:17:10/10-14-2002)
It's probably too late to make it count, but I forgot I roll 4k3 insted of 3k3 for the Percep check. I'll roll one more in case it'll help.
Marianna's Dice Roll
4k3, rolled 1, 2, 4 and...
Rolling 1d10.
Results: 6 for a total of 6.
- Marianna (21:23:40/10-14-2002)
OOC: So even if it counts, that makes it 12 instead of 7.
- Marianna (21:24:43/10-14-2002)
"Damn you vor ze fool ov a woman, I'd of zought an_ay_juan ov Amanda's
crew would be smart enough not to fall for some simple ruse. Bah!"
He scoops a large number of papers and charts he has been goin
over quickly into a nearby drawer. Blows out the one candle he
had read by and rushes towards the door following you.
- Kariggi (15:57:50/10-16-2002)
Marianna stops for a moment, not quite sure she heard him right. He knew
she was with the Explorers? Now, however, was not the time to deal with that,
and she continues towards the Sailors Delight, and Amanda.
- Marianna (16:20:21/10-16-2002)
Kindly GM: As you ruch above deck you hear comotion down the docks
Kindly GM: as you round the corner you see activity on the deck of the
Sailors Delight.
Marianna: Can I make out what sort, by sight or
sound?
Kindly GM: the first thing you can make out is peaple yelling
Kindly GM: then you hear that one of the voices is the Admiral
Marianna: Of course, we're moving quickly this
whole time.
Kindly GM: by the time you have a good visual you can make out the ugly
woman, and three other sailors (in various stages of dress),
Kindly GM: Amanda, the Admiral and about a dozen more sober looking
crewmen
Kindly GM: "Slow down. Shut up, and get behind me." says Collaroche as
you near the ship
Marianna: Marianna does as he suggests, still
trying to process the new information and worrying about Amanda.
Kindly GM: "So you four sought to have a little fun at your Admiral's
expense?"
Kindly GM: Bosun tie them to the mast and flail the skin off of them. If
any pass out throw them to my pet!"
Kindly GM: Collaroche "Admiral! Admiral! What has happened? What have
these men done?"
Kindly GM: You see Amanda now her clothes hanging in shreds from her body
almost all composure lost as she clings like a child to the Admiral
Kindly GM: small cuts and bruises about her body small rivulets of blood
trailing down from the side of her mouth and her left breast.
Kindly GM: "Collaroche! where is your guard, why wasn't she protected?
There she is" the Admirals finger stretches long in your direction
Kindly GM: Amanda's sobbing is audible as you take the gang plank behind
Collaroche onto the ships deck
Marianna: From what I've seen of these pirates,
is the more appropriate reaction to "stand up like a man" or to grovel?
Kindly GM: Collaroche stands in front of you.
Kindly GM: Most seem grovely
Kindly GM: "She was relieved by that one there" he points to the ugly
woman.
Kindly GM: and informed me of it immediately which is why we have
returned"
Marianna: "Bianca" tries to look suitably
chagrined.
Kindly GM: Admiral "Imcompetance can not be tolerated so close to our
goals. (turning) Well I said string them up and the useless guard as well!"
turning back towards you
Marianna: Bianca looks to Collaroche in horror.
"Monsure..." (can't spell French :-)
Kindly GM: Collaroche "but Admiral" (Admiral "Enough Collaroche, your
knowledge may have been usefull but you overstep yourself
Kindly GM: "take the girl"
Kindly GM: Collaroche grabs you roughly by one shoulder and tosses you
towards the oncomming sailors
Marianna: If possible, I try to use the
momentum to fall into them, knocking them off their stride.
Kindly GM: "fine beat her, I don't care, but that one (indicating Amanda)
will she still be of any use to us now
Kindly GM: Admiral "you'd best hope so Collaroche, you'd best hope"
Kindly GM: Your momentum carries you into the men knocking you all to a
heap on the ground one takes advantage of the moment for a free grope
Marianna: I elbow him, hard.
Kindly GM: Admiral "after all it was your machinations which brought her
to me, now come I can not sleep like this we will watch the beating and if they
pass out the feeding"
Kindly GM: "We will discuss how to handle Karn and Pick when they
return
Marianna: Even if she tried fighting these men,
there are so many more of them...
Marianna: But she's not going to go without a
struggle, either.
Kindly GM: "is it wise to feed them again so soon Admiral (a more
diplomatic tone in his voice)
Kindly GM: you and the four others struggle hard but are eventually bound
to the masts
Kindly GM: "my pet grows more hungry by the day Collaroche. I can not
deny it know I have trained it and it shall love me and we shall rule the world
(a mad glare passes over the Admirals eyes)
Kindly GM: "but Admiral our own men?"
Kindly GM: "Soon we will not need men Collaroche. We will have an army of
the most dangerous beings to have ever roamed the land or sea
Marianna thinks to herself, "He's
mad."
Kindly GM: oh yeah
Marianna: and angry too ;-)
Kindly GM: oh and even the men who are tying you look a little edgy at
the last statement
Kindly GM: then they rip the back of your shirt down
Kindly GM: and start to beat you
Kindly GM: make a resolve check at a 15 to not pass out and be fed to the
creature
Resolve of 2 Rolling 2d10. Results: 7 2 for a total of 9.
Marianna: Do I have any DD left?
Kindly GM: 1
DD Rolling 1d10. Results: 2 for a total of 2.
Kindly GM: ow
Kindly GM: they beat you for what seems an eternity
Kindly GM: at first there is pain in your back, then fire, then some liquid cooling it, you realize your blood
Kindly GM: the whip continues to crack down but you cease to notice
Marianna: She tries to keep from crying out for as long as possible, but...
Kindly GM: you hear the rhythmic sounds of the lash rising up and crashing against your exposed flesh
Kindly GM: it becomes the only sound you hear
Marianna: The Vodacce tries to hold onto conciousness, knowing the results if she fails.
Kindly GM: untill it carries you away like a lullaby pulling you deeper into its own world, a world beyond pain
Kindly GM: You wake as your body hits the cold water "SPLASH"
Kindly GM: The salt of the water brings a new flavor of pain to your brain jolting you conscious
Kindly GM: you can vaguely make out the bulk of the creature near you in the water
Marianna: She flails uselessly...swimming is a skill she never got the knack of.
Kindly GM: its tendrals snakeing through the dark green wet towards you
Kindly GM: pain of breathing water into your lungs
Kindly GM: above two tendrals hold men aloft the ugly woman was a man
Kindly GM: another the third kicks in the water a few feet from you he looks like he's screaming
Marianna: Don't suppose there's anything to make a grab at?
Kindly GM: you are not far from the ship
Kindly GM: a finesse or brawn at 15 unskilled will get you there
2, either way, non-exploding Rolling 2d10. Results: 8 10 for a total of 18.
Kindly GM: red begins to cloud the green you kick and curse that you can not swim
Kindly GM: but desperation makes women strong in time of need
Kindly GM: strong enough to do what needs doing
Marianna: Trying not to swallow too much of the
water, she makes one last desperate grab for the side of the scarlett ship.
Kindly GM: as you do so one of the tendrals snakes around the man nearest
you pulling him under and into you
Marianna: (BTW, she has Attack Dirty Fighting
3, hopefully she left a few good bruises on deck ;-)
Kindly GM: the creature moves closer as well (she did)
Marianna: ...She tries to haul herself out of
the water.
Kindly GM: forcing your struggling body under the large ship. you almost
pass out when you find yourself bobbing up under the dock on the other side of
the ship
Marianna: Marianna quickly looks for something,
anything, to hold onto before she goes under again.
Kindly GM: your lungs bursting you reach for air when you surface
Kindly GM: but your body only wants to purge the water it has taken
in
Kindly GM: you grasp at a wooden beam stretching down to the ground and
up to the dock
Kindly GM: hacking, choking, coughing, puking into and out the salty
water that just nearly became your grave
Kindly GM: perc check tn20
Perception check, 4k3 (keen senses) Rolling 4d10. Results: 6 7 6 9 for a total of 28.
Kindly GM: there we go
Marianna: Well, the dice do seem to do what's
dramatically appropriate ;-)
Kindly GM: as you try to compose yourself beneath the dock on the other
side of the ship from the feeding
Kindly GM: you lift your head up and see that on the far side of the
domed roof is a section a large section which looks dramatically different
Kindly GM: it can not be reached save by water
Marianna: Well I'm not going to try to swim
over ;-)
Kindly GM: and from where you are looks darker perhaps draped in
something yes a dark clothe lots of it
Kindly GM: the variation is slight but larger than the biggest ship
here.
Kindly GM: slight meaning hard to see as in well matched to the dark
dome
Marianna: "The way out?" the still-sputtering
Explorer thinks to herself.
Marianna: How hard would it be from where she
is to get to the dive ship and get aboard, most likely by climbing up the side
away from the dock?
Kindly GM: it'd take a little while if you intend to stay under the docks
and skirt your way back to it
Kindly GM: but not too difficult
Kindly GM: Sailors Delight......Explorer main ship..........scout
vessel......diving ship
Marianna: She listens, trying to find out
what's going on above, and mashalling her strength for whatever she decides to
do next.
Pirate: "ya see, ya see, ya don wanna cross the admral, damn I can't
believe they tried that, I mean yeah she's a hot piece of ass and all but
Pirate: heyd ya see the other what we beat
Pirate: heh ya hey I ain seen her before
Pirate: ya me neither but I'll be seein her tonight in my sleep
hahahahhahar
Pirate: that frog Collaroche got some ball ay
Marianna: Marianna starts to make her way
towards the next ship, painfully. Focus on moving carefully, quietly, one "step"
at a time...
Pirate: the salt in your wounds only makes the trip that much more
excrutiating but with no real difficulty you make your way around to the far
ships disturbed slightly but the red tinge still in the water just the other
side of sailors delight
Pirate: the side of the diving boat is along side you, the ship is cold
and empty
Marianna: She makes her way to the side away
from the docks, moving from handhold to handhold, and looks for a way to climb
aboard without being seen.
Pirate: no way for sure you'll have to take your chances? got
climbing?
Marianna: No way she could bluff her way past
anyone in her current condition ;-)
Marianna: 1 rank
Pirate: nah most watched the show
Pirate: so ya got it give it a go prob up the anchors the least
noticeable
Climb + anything but Wits is 3k2 Rolling 3d10. Results: 1 10 10 for a total of 21.
Theus must be watching over her :-) Rolling 2d10. Results: 9 7 for a total of 16.
Marianna: 36
Pirate: ya dont even jingle the chains your on board
Marianna: Was Collaroche in the captain's
cabin?
Pirate: yes
Marianna: She drags herself to the cabin and
collapses on the floor, too tired, hurt, (and soaking wet) to climb onto the
bed.
Pirate: I must away we'll pick up here later
- Marianna (17:56:16/10-1