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In The Pass


Kyle Aarons

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"Wakey wakey," Quelten announces as he prods one of the goblings.  It wasn't exactly his preferred role, but he'd seen enough of the really nasty nobles to know exactly how to imitate them.  The fact that his family worked rather hard to remove such individuals didn't mean they succeeded as often as they'd like.  "I predict fire, lightning, thunder, and a whole lot of pain if you don't tell my friend over there what he wants to know," he grins.  "Please, don't tell him.  He's promised to let me have you if you don't.  I've always wanted to find out what a gobling was made out of.  Compare and contract against the goblins I've examined."

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Enal'fal walks calmly and with a look of "I care for you" to Quelten and the captured Gnolls.

 

"I would tell him what you know if I were you, he is sadistic he is, wouldn't want to suffer with what he has in mind for you. Just tell him what he asks and you may even keep your life." He tells the Spellcaster looking at him straight in the eyes.

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Zemzelett stifles a yawn as he readies himself to head out with the group.  It has been a long, strange day.  The half-elf cannot remember when he has experienced such a panoply of emotions, ranging from amused surprise, to anger, to fright, to suicidal despair, and finally to playfulness.  His conscience starts to nag on him, especially after he recalls how sarcastically he treated the young nobleman after learning of his brother's role in the Old Port attack.  Before they turn in for the night, the half-elf resolves to make things right with young Quelten, although the prospect of apologizing to someone who saved his life somehow fills him with some degree of awkwardness - a feeling that the easygoing bard is alien with.
 
"Shall we be off?  I am getting worried about Barett, Vorador, and the others.  Maybe a forced march will loosen their tongues," the half elf suggests to the would-be interrogators.  Better a forced march than get tortured or worse, he thinks to himself.  Zemzelett was rather conflicted with their fates: he would not be a party to their execution, but he cannot deny that as long as they live, they pose a real threat, not only to him, but to all future travelers they might ambush and murder.
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GM Note:

 

I am a bit confused. Are you healing one of the Goblings to talk to him or are you interrogating the Gnoll?"

 

Also I need to know what, if anything is happening to all the goods you found. There is close to a ton of stuff there.

 

Finally, is anyone putting on any of the magical items?

 

End Notes:

 

Melirel moves up to the group, giving Reld a wide birth as he does so. "So, we are just going to leave whoever is in the cave? I... I... um, I don't think I can do that..."

 

Luth takes a deep breath and nods, "We were held for over a hundred days. We know what it like to be held by monsters. How can we let that happen to others?"

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This entire post will be out of character.

GM Note:

 

I am a bit confused. Are you healing one of the Goblings to talk to him or are you interrogating the Gnoll?"

 

Also I need to know what, if anything is happening to all the goods you found. There is close to a ton of stuff there.

 

Finally, is anyone putting on any of the magical items?

 

End Notes:

 

Melirel moves up to the group, giving Reld a wide birth as he does so. "So, we are just going to leave whoever is in the cave? I... I... um, I don't think I can do that..."

 

Luth takes a deep breath and nods, "We were held for over a hundred days. We know what it like to be held by monsters. How can we let that happen to others?"

 

#1: Quelten is just waking them up.  We assumed they were knocked out by the breath weapon, so mechanically they fell into 0 HP but are stable.  It was our understanding that unconscious creatures who are stable automatically wake up with 1 HP after 1d4 hours.  We were planning to force march the gnoll and goblings, meet up with Barett and the others in the village, sleep, and come back in the morning (since Quelten, Melirel, Luth, Abram, Reld, and D'Naranth are just about useless in the dark).

 

#2: We loaded up all the goods into the wagon.  Whether or not we can budge the wagon with the remaining mounts, I have no idea  :P  By my reckoning we should have at least 3 horses left - Abram, Reld, and one draft horse.

 

#3: I and their current locations.  To my knowledge, only Quelten and Eghas are actively "equipping" them.  Since Eghas can see in the dark however, the +1 dagger might be better off with Quelten, Reld, Abram, or D'Narenth, since they can't see in darkness.

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Zemzelett crouches down to bring himself to Melirel and Luth's eye level.  He could tell they earnestly want to mount a rescue mission now.  No, more like they need to mount a rescue mission now.

 

"We're sort of running low on resources, and half of us cannot see in the dark.  Although..." his voice trails off.

 

The half-elf rummages through the wagon and takes out all the spell scrolls, magic oils, and potions.  "We might have more than we thought," he finishes his sentence.

 

Zemzelett tries to figure out what spell each scroll (four in total) might cast, takes a small sip out of all the potions (six in total, including the one he took) and dabs a dash of each oil (three in total) on his skin.  

 

Turning over to the boys, he assumes a more officious tone.

 

"Okay, Melirel.  If you two are serious about this, I have a job for you.  Find a bag of marbles, or if you like, a bunch of rocks, and take them to Quelten.  Ask him to enchant each marble, and distribute four marbles each to those who can't see in the dark, namely you, Luth, Abram, D'Naranth, and Reld.  If ever we get into a battle where it's too dark to see, take one out of your pocket and throw it at the enemy.  Everyone who can't see in the dark should also bring a torch.  I saw Eghas, Elan'fal, and Innil pack some torches when we set out to rescue you.  I know Elan'fal has a firebolt cantrip so lighting it will not be a problem."

 

"Luth, I want you to take the ten-foot poles in the wagon and also the one strapped to my pack, and give it to Innil and Abram.  From what Innil's told us, there were traps in the cave he entered, and we need to be very careful."

 

If he can ascertain what additional resources they can bring to bear -- and if Quelten agrees to cast his Light cantrip twenty times, lighting would no longer be a problem and a rescue at this late hour might prove feasible. Then perhaps the others can be persuaded to try.

A completely gruesome thought rose unbidden to Zemzelett's mind. Perhaps they can limit the risk to themselves by forcing the captives to march ahead and trigger any traps. The half-elf dismisses it entirely after a moment's thought. Such a callous act would be no better than outright murder.

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Abram walks over to where the The Cleric and Elf are trying to interrogate the creatures. "I might be of assistance." He leans do and looks the gnoll in the eyes. (in Gnoll) "If you do not answer their questions a fate much worse than death awaits you. I will take you to Gondor and sell you to the slavers on the black market. Gnolls fetch a very good price, I know you have heard what they do to gnolls. The miners will buy you and you will be forced to work in the mines, starved and beaten daily and then at night they will rent you out to the mine men who seem to have an unusual sexual appetite for raping male gnolls repeatedly. You will be raped hundreds of times each night and then forced back to work the next day you will be treated worse than a common dog and will die with a miners dick in your ass."

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"We need to rest, we are no good to anyone if we die, let us finish this," He tells the boys nodding his head towards the captives, "go rest and then come back in the morning with better visibility and rescue whoever is alive. They've lived so far, one day less will not make a difference, besides these might give us info that will aid us in helping anyone held captive without getting killed in the process."

 

"Now...as you can understand your time is running out and my friends want to rest, answer our questions or I cannot help you. I promise you that if you tell us what we want to know we'll let you live." He tells the Gnoll spellcaster in his language in his best silver-tongue tone of voice. "I am just about the only one that doesn't want to kill you right now, you should really trust me."

 

Deception: Deceve spellcaster into believing that if he answers our questions he'll live. 

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"Unless someone decides to torture him, I think that brute just gave us as much information as we're going to get from him," Quelten smiles.  "And quite a bit more than he meant to give us.  I think we really need to talk to the dwarves next, and quickly.  Now we know this is a mine, and that the prisoners aren't in any immediate danger.  And apparently there are bunches and bunches of gnolls down there."

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Elan'fal looks to the Gnoll, "I tried, you would not help me help you, I can help no more." He tells Gnoll then turns his attention to Quelten and Innil, "Unless Eghas is of a different mind, release him...from this life, may he find a better one in the afterlife. I agree we need to go to the dwarfs and fast." He told them and turned to go pick up his things.

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"No."  Eghas said after a moment of thought.  "Do not kill him yet.  make sure that he can not escape, or cast spells, but lets see if the dwarves want to try and get any more information from him."  He turns to Abrahm and repeats what he said in Gnoll, adding.  "Thoughts?"

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The half elf notices that Innil has gone into full alert.  Thinking that the fighter has spotted something, Zemzelett's hand springs to his crossbow.  Motioning to the children to take up their weapons and stay close to Innil, the half-elf stealthily tiptoes towards the cave entrance the fighter was looking at.

 

Action: Ready Crossbow attack vs. any gnolls that come out of cave

Move: Slowly walk to cave entrance, with stealth.

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Abram looks at Egahs "We need to leave immediately, I say kill the Gnoll they are enemies to this land. D'Narenth when we reach the Dwarven village can they send word to your clan of this camp and your people handle this. I have a feeling we will be very outnumbered.  Everyone needs to gather their equipment as quickly as possible and as quietly as possible and we need to get moving NOW."

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D'Narenth nods at Abram. "That one," he points at the Gnoll, "is entirely too confident. I fear he knows more than he tells. What he tells is more than enough for me to get out of this area as fast and silently as we can."

 

D'Narenth looks around, spots Innil's readiness and Zem's foolhardy approach to the caves mouth. He hisses a warning. "Get that kid back here before he brings doom upon us!"

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GM Note:

Half of you seem to want to kill the Gnoll the other have not so much so someone needs to let me know as you prepare to move out. I also need to know, what, if anything is being done with the goblings.

End Note:

Zem as you move in the direction of the cave Reld steps in front of you, "Kid, I'll smack back a moon or two in time if you take one more step toward that cave. Help load the wagon to put some muscle on those scrany bones" he then points out Louth and Melirel and jerks his head in the direction of the wagon. The look on his face is intimidating enough to get the to boys moving with wide eyes.

As you all get the wagon hooked up, you find there is a bit of a wobble out of the left wheel, but you can nurse it along. You also note as you move out, there was probably more wagons here at some point. The problem is the ground up here is hard and the single path leading up to here is so crisscrossed with movement, Eghas has no clue how many wagons have come and gone from here, but it is quite a few.

As you make you way down the hill and toward the dwarven village, you find a burned wagon with four dead dwarven bodies on or around it and two dead donkeys. it looks like it was looted.

it is well after midnight before you all get to the outskirts of the dwarven Village where the road ends and where a stone wall just over 10' high and a wooden gate stands. The gate is shut but leaning agaist the wall is Vorador. He nods at the dwarven Guards who let you all in.

He speaks up, "We got lucky. They were not going to let us in, but there is an old shire to Vindayin here and no cleric. Barret got us and you all in in excahnge for him staying and tending to it. Since he talked about not waning to continue with us., this worked out great. We can even stay in the shire for free for two nights. No pulling weapons though."

(Reactions will be different if you have or don't have the gnoll and goblings with you so I need more before I can post more).

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"I'm glad to see you're all right, my friend." Zemzelett tells Vorador just as he handed over to the half elf his rightful share of the coin and gemstones. "Where are the rest? Have you found an inn?"

 

Inventory: Vorador gets a Star Rose Quartz, a Malachite, and a Tiger Eye gem.  In addition, he gets 34 asps, 46 vipers, and 67 adders.

For the first time since Old Port was overrun, the half elf finally felt like he was in his element. With his knowledge of the language and given his background, he feels confident that he can get along with dwarves easily.

 

Note: Edited out previous interaction because I mistakenly thought the gnoll and goblings were spared.

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