DM themed play-by-post D&D game : STORY THREAD

[Ameena]

Ameena shifts aside somewhat as Helm gets to his feet, leaving her crouched against the wall alone. She wonders whether he's likely to want to sit back down again, and decides to leave her cloak where it is on the floor for now, just in case. She looks up nervously as Falkor speaks to her some more. She is about to ask him a question of her own, when Serfarrel starts talking to her about the rose and the oak he'd mentioned. He describes them as symbols of "good", and she wonders what his definition of "good" is - there seem to be so many.
She wants to answer the soldier, Passin, regarding his comments on Gholst, but Westian and Haynuus start asking him questions instead so she decides to leave it for now.
She instead turns back to Falkor. She puts her head to one side for a few moments, looking at him, then at his hands. She unhuddles herself and stands upright, walking over to him slowly, nervously. She glances around, then speaks, again nervously and somewhat sadly.
"So...why did you do that?" she asks. "I saw...I mean...I didn't know you could do that. Throw fire like that. You never mentioned it. I suppose there was no need to, but...doing that...to someone...when they weren't even looking..."
She pauses and lowers her head for a moment, trying not to flinch too much at the memory of a man being forcibly burnt whilst his back is turned.
"I don't understand." she says. "Hurting someone. Anyone. And from behind. Like that. What if you do it again?"

OOC - Oh btw Wuffy, did you forget about that Perception check, or did I fail it and therefore detect nothing? Or has the moment for the results of said roll not come up yet?

[beowuuf]

You failed it. And now the group will DIE!

[Lord_BoNes]

After calming the soldier, and waiting for the others around to stop asking him questions, Aurek continued his conversation "Now that you're talking calmly, might I ask your name? I'm not sure if I caught it before..." then he realised that the group obviously hadn't come to a concensus over his fate, "However, we may have a dispute on our hands... Would you come with us as a friend? Or would you stab us in the back? I personally am willing to give you a chance to help... to do 'the right thing'..."

[beowuuf]

Sir Farel noted Haynuus's comment from being close. "Yes, he does," said the knight. "I fear the reason I have never heard of him before." Sir Farel bowed at Westian's thanks, although his face clouded. "Do not thank me yet. I would stay as long as I can, but my charge must come first. If the path between him and your brother diverges, I must attend to his safety above all else."

Westian found the process of potion making came easily, taunting him with memories that other spells should come equally as easily to his summonation. The reason for the glass of the potion was an interesting one. A potion was not summoned from nothing, though it was summoned from thin air. The internal air of the flask in it's semi-enclosed state was quickly heated and then cooled, such that water vapour was extracted as stea,the condensed quickly onto the sides to run into the small amount of serum that would - nevertheless - provoke such drastic healing. Glass was the perfect material for this, allowing the process to happen without transferring either condition to the one whom was concentrating on invoking the runes.

Westian had a recollection of trying to cast the spell in a metal mug once, thinking himself clever. The hand injury resulting in the quick transfer of heat and cold through the metal seemed like it would be a permenant reminder of his foolishness. Luckily a flask was near to his other hand, and the spell invoked into the correct container managed to sooth and heal the wound before he had blacked out from the pain.


Non-canon reason for glass there, and also setting up some of the 'physics' of magic for when you guys want to start pushing the edges of creating healing I don't know why, I seem to like using Westian as a clever yet naive punching bag. Apologies OB!


Helm gladly took more healing, his hands shaking with the effort of being up as his shoulder and back both started troubling him with pain. He seemed even more glad of the cleric moving the soldier away from him, and for the soldier to be the focus of attention. The door was yet to be opened.

Helm's basically taking twenty, so a) it will take a while, and b) especially if he's labouring under any RP or mechanical conditions you guys don't know about, and c) of course the lock might be impossible to pick, or just very difficult



Farel looked to the soldier at Westian's questions, perhaps hoping the solder's words would again prove the two tasks not mutually exclusive.

The soldier glowered still at Haynuus, and looked warily at Westian. There was certaqinly a shifting sand of reassurance and wishy-washy goodness combined with threats. For now, that appeared to unsettle the soldier that things could go badly at any time. Either that or some of Aurek's friendlier words had gotten through, combined with the detailing by Falkor of exactly whom the soldier had aligned himself with.

"I say you do not know what you face, because it is obvious you do not. At least some of you know Gholst, and are right to fear him. Those that follow him with fervour are the Cult of Death, and their history traces back to the fall of empires. We flocked to Chaos, the true believers and we footsoldiers, but the fall of Chaos did not see our end. Even Gholst's rumoured death was proven false. The faithful gathered under his banner again, and we footsoldiers that were left were elevated to true soldiers under him. Although some of us have not yet taken on the full mantal of the Cult." The soldier pointed warily to the armour that Haynuus had taken off.

"Gholst lost some powerful lieutenants, including his orcish second in command, but others such as the mage and the warblade survived. Seeroc is Gholst's pet mage, and controls his own fierce pets. I know not what they are called, we call them 'grak-graks' because of the noise they make. I have never truly seen one, but I hear they are humanoid creatures formed from the bodies of his victims. I have only seen the evidence of the grak-grak's power. Enemy ripped to nothing but scraps on the battlefield. And in here the same, twisted creatures of Chaos I would fear left shredded husks. If we hear them we give them a wide berth to do their will."

The soldier pauses, resigned or defeated. "If the mage does not get his expected prisoners, he has the means to do so himself, and the mage is not famed for his patience. Though I can understand why they would not be his first choice. Even the truly faithful do not rely on the conduct of those terrors and their restraint. I would assume myself as dead as you all when they come for us." A pause. "And they will come for us."

The soldier shrugs and continues. "The warblade, Garax, is now Gholst's second in command - a fearsome fighter of some dead empire. He was said to have faced Gholst in single combat and lived. It is rumoured..." and now the soldier hesitated again, as if fearing to speak aloud the herasy, "it is rumoured that now Garax has the ear directly of Gholst, things are turning sour. Garax has succumbed to religeon after seeing the power of the High Lord Chaos. Garax has aligned himself with a warrior-priest. Some shattered man of twisted vices and faith, but all the more driven and dangerous for it. It is said the priest's religeon that infested Garax now takes the fancy of Gholst. That can be the only reason Gholst even tolerates the pet of the High Lord, that wet apprentice, and has kept him alive., It is said that both men are, perhaps, set on a collision with each other now over these things. That leaves a power vacuum as the two contend with each other and their religeon. Especially dangerous as we are few in number and spread inside this place. Meanwhile, the priest uses his influence on both Garax and Gholst to order us around. And meanwhile the mage uses his new freedom, and the fear of his creations, to also indluge himself."

The soldier points at Falkor. "I have no idea if your murderous friend is required by Gholst, or merely by the mage using Gholst as an excuse. And even if Gholst, is that a whim? Does the mage truely care if the halfling? I know not. I assume we are all to be killed by the mage one way or the other. You choose death walking towards the mage if you think the restraint of his pets or your own 'importance' is some protection."

The soldier lies back against the new area of wall he is on. "The only way deeper is past the current residence of Seeroc the mage. And only by going deeper can you find the priest. And obviously, the priest resides so close to the high command that you may as well slit your own throats now and be done with it."

The soldier lapses to silence, staring at his feet again intently until Aurek speaks to him. "My name is Passin Vash, and we will never be friends.. Any whom would claim that distinction or better are dead from exactly the thinking you exhibit. Only by my weakness did I fall. Only by your weakness did I live. And only by your continued weakness I still live. Just because the path of survival is difficult and littered with regrets, do not presume to force me back to your path of folly. I won't stab you in the back, but only in the hopes you will live long enough to see my death. Remember you could have given me clean death before. Perhaps the reason for my life is merely to teach you the true lessons of power and weakness, and steer you from your own destructive path.

Passin's words slowly faded. Partially because he was running out of words, but mostly because the atmosphere of the corridor had changed. Nothing external, and not even anything to do with Passin's doom-soaked words. It was just everyone was aware of Ameena's voice carrying, and the expectation in her words directed at Falkor. For a moment, it was as if the world held it's breath...


Whew, done. Alot of exposition, so I hope you all have notepads ready! And basically the Falkor/Ameena dynamic is more important, so I left refering back to that as the important cliffhanger.

Anyway, I realised while I know the structure of the story, soldiers and dungeon, you still don't. Fun as it is to explore the puzzle, I thought that your good rolls and better RP has earned to some edges and structure to your explorations and quests.

Anyway, not sure everyone's weekend timetable, nor how this late post affects you guys. Aplogies, hopefully you can still all post today, and if you can also manage a weekend post at some point, that might see us underway next week!

[oh_brother]

Westian nodded in response to Farel's comment. "I understand. We can each help each other in our respective tasks for as long as possible. If we need to separate, then that is what we must do."

As the soldier was speaking to Aurek, Westian cut in. "It seems that three of us - Falkor, Aurek and Sir Farel - are willing to let you accompany us. I am happy to agree, although do not expect to be allowed to carry arms. And despite your negative thoughts, this is not hopeless. We are now seven skilled people, and we have survived for some time even when we were separated. You can get out of this alive, even if you don't believe it. I know that some small glimer of hope must remain in your chest, however you deny it. Just focus on what you will do with your new life once you get out, and it may happen. I won't lie, it will be difficult, but that is why every effort counts. And why every effort you make to help us is a way of helping yourself."

He allowed the soldier to finish speaking, but at that moment his ears pricked up at the sound of a nascent conversation brewing between Ameena and Falkor. This was the first time since the "incident" that they had spoken to each other, and clearly Westian had a strong interest in keeping the group as harmonious as possible. Not wanting to draw attention to them and make them feel self-concious, he did not turn around and actively listen, rather he pretended to be focused on Passin.

[money]

"These guards are not stupid and ultimately they were just following orders, perhaps they realised that for us to co-operate it would have saved a battle and uneccasary deaths" he looked at Ameena. "but think... long and hard about 1 thing, and 1 thing alone. The "theif", a single small theif against many well armed, powerfull men, and yet he was tied... If he can explain why - or perhaps if you can, then you may understand why I acted as i did." Falkor closed his eyes, for a moment there was nothing, silence, and then on opening he eyes were focused solely towards the Theif... "Explain why you were bound, if... as you claim... you were merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. Explain why they called you theif, and Ameena - if they had tried to bound us, instead of us going along with them willingly, would you have let them? Haynuus, Westian... would you? I think otherwise..."

Falkor said no more, and again closed his eyes.

[Ameena]

Ameena just frowns at Falkor, unable to figure out his logic.
"Thieves only steal things." she says. "I've done it myself...sometimes. When I was stuck somewhere and needed food and there wasn't any except what they had stored away. So I'd take a little, which no-one would miss. Anyway, if someone's a thief it doesn't mean they've ever done...I'm not sure what the word is, but I think it's what you did. Mer...something. When you kill someone. But...maybe they only tied him up so he wouldn't try to run away, and then they'd have to chase him..."
She gives a slight shrug. Her posture is drooping, showing both confusion and a definite unhappiness.
"Maybe our species are too different." she goes on, quietly. "I don't understand how you work these things out for yourself. But...I think you're the kind of person I'd normally just avoid. But I can't here. If I go, I'll...be alone. For a murafu, that's...we can't live like that for long. Outside, it wouldn't matter so much - I would just need to wait till I came across some kind of...village, or some such thing. But I don't have that in here. I don't seem to have any choice. I just...don't know what to do."
She looks up at Falkor, wishing she could just run away from him and be done with it. But she'd rather stay with someone violent and utterly confusing than end up alone and probably lost and then eaten or something.
Wouldn't she?

[ian_scho]

It was obvious that the soldier loathed Haynuus but he extended Aurek's invitation "You are welcome to stay with us, if you wish, but you should really be unarmed. Of course our halfling here thinks that you will be better off if you leave us. I'm sure we could find a sword for you, Passin. What is it you would like to do?" He thought for a moment more. "Thank you for sharing the information you have..." Yet he couldn't bring himself about to say anything about Passin's loss of a friend or a brother earlier. Was it that he, like Passin, was a warrior and you accepted the loss of your comrades? No. Perhaps a coward, and perhaps he just didn't possess the vocabulary to express his pity... But not his regret.

Upon hearing Falkor's question directed to Haynuus he surprised himself by chuckling. He was glad if not relieved that the diminutive one had taken action, and that his beliefs were strong. Both of them he realisd had experienced 'encounters' with darkness in their dreams. This place had a lasting effect on you.

"Heh, heh, heh. Death cult members, Falkor. I've seen many from afar. They are not so careful about hiding their faces when travelling through the orcish lands. None of you here know how they act when they are unshackled from the laws of normal people. These soldiers chose their own paths willingly and I lose little sleep when they ultimately complete their own goals." He paused to contemplate Passin for a moment. "They say those that have fallen and yet regain their humanity are the strongest of them all. You have a choice once more."

[beowuuf]

Helm hears the comments against him, and almost drops his picks in confusion. "What? I was doing nothing! I was trying to survive! They came looking for you - you," said the thief accusingly, pointing one of his tools yet then dropping the rest, causing more nervous confusion. "I was biding my time, I...I didn't want to stay but I didn't want to go back to that room! Tehn those black-clad barbarians appeared!" Helm pointed at the soldier tentatively. "They asked where my friends were - I thought they meant the cleric and Fex, but I realise now they meant you! They were searching for you, and knew you were in that room! They knew! Why was I bound? Because they said I should be there! Why did they call me a thief? Because they forced me to tell them how I had managed to open the door from the wrong side!" Helm pointed to Falkor. "The question is why didn't you get bound? Any of you!" Helm points to Westian, though seems to become sheepish given the words and care the cleric has shown. "First you talked of how you admired Gholst, then you are a member of Deephold's order, now you hate Gholst again. I...I don't understand!"

"Maybe I didn't misunderstand!" he says in agitation, rounding back to Falkor and taking in Farel, Aurek and Haynuus. "Maybe things aren't what they seem! Why are you all talking about befriending this man who would have killed you before? Why are you all wearing their armour?"

Helm is clearly upset and scared by the accusation of Falkor, and stands defensively with his back up against the wall.

Poor put upon thief! There'll be separate main update, probably during the weekend, just wanted to throw in Helm's reaction and give you something more to play with

[Lord_BoNes]

Aurek was about to respond to Passin's words, when at seemed that Ameena and Falkor burst out into an arguement over Falkor's conduct. He jumped a little. But then he sat back, and watched the domestic dispute unfolding before him.

[ian_scho]

He thought of a few questions for Mr Helm. Ameena remember's him and even seemed to trust him... She remembers seeing him in an inn? From this he wondered if he was originally part of his party, and not what he claimed was a separate party. It wouldn't be surprising if someone woke up first and robbed them blind only to wander off before the rest awoke.

Then there was the fact that the Captain called him an untrustworthy thief... He didn't quite explain that one. As was common with the half-orc, he just kept his mouth shut. He didn't understand.

The thing was... They needed him. It will be interesting to see if he aids or hinders their progress.

[Ameena]

OOC - Ameena wouldn't have mentioned seeing Helm in an inn, because she didn't. Not sure if it was you or just Haynuus who was confused on that point so I thought I'd better mention it anyway, just in case .

BIC - Ameena looks around and up at Helm when he turns and starts to verbally defend himself. She moves over and picks up his tools when he drops them, passing them up to him as he continues to talk. Speaking to him herself has become slightly tricky once again, since he's now standing up, but she waits till he's finished speaking and then looks up at him.
"I don't understand these things either." she says, softly. "But I do trust you. You're not alone."

[oh_brother]

“Now there is no need to fight amongst ourselves.” Westian began in slow, reassuring tones. “Helm, I understand your confusion, but it is very simple – I did not want to draw the anger of several armed men onto us, so I spoke untruthfully about Gholst. Such falsehoods are a common experience for most people, I am sure you have not come this far in your life without acting in a similar fashion at some stage. I was sent here to look for Brother Deephold; Aurek here can help verify that if necessary. Falkor – Helm has done nothing to make us doubt him, if anything the fact that those cultists treated him so badly is a reason to trust him. To answer your question: no, if they had tried to bind me and bring me to the mage, as they were doing with Helm, I would not have let them. That would have been a death sentence. These men were going to lead us to our deaths at the hands of this mage – this mage who has killed and tortured with impunity. They serve Gholst, before that they served Chaos. The same Chaos who very nearly destroyed the world, and everything in it. They are in a Cult of Death. All these are reasons to fight them. The fact that they were so eager to bring us to our doom in my opinion meant that ultimately a fight was going to be inevitable. That it happened at our instigation might not be ideal, but also it might be the reason that we all live.”

[money]

Falkor was not in agreement with Westian, he didn't trust Helm and the sooner his real reasons for being here were known the better. That said, Falkor also appreciated that there was nothing to gain from fighting his views. He simply knoded, and returned his gaze towards Ameena - he was sure that she was good, he decided he would need to watch more before speaking again.

[beowuuf]

Helm calmed down a little as Ameena was by his side, and took the offered tools when he realised she had picked them up. He heard the words of Westian, and nodded slowly, breathing deeply. "I...I thought that was what you had been doing. After...I mean, when you mentioend the High Lord Larethian. Why does that soldier need to come with us? Can't you just let him go?"

With the conversation moved, Helm seemed to relax a touch. Although for some reason Ameena standing close seems to make him uncomfortable. The man gives a brief smile, and then goes back to trying to work on the door.


Ameena, whether you will be looking towards Helm or away from him, can you give me a perception roll, please?


Passin seemed to barely watch the dispute, even when Helm mentioned his fate. The soldier seemed more determined to ignore the words of Haynuus and turn his shoulder deliberately to the half-orc. Perhaps the soldier paid a little more attention at Westian's summary of the confrontation earlier. The man looked over to Aurek. "This is your welcoming group of friends?" he whispered with no real aggression.

Sir Farel shifted uncomfortably as the group had thrown around comments and accusation. "Brother Westian is right, arguments only serve those who serve evil at this time. We should not allow distrust to cloud our actions. We must have faith in the hearts of those around us!"

Farel nodded to the soldier Passin, to Haynuus and to Falkor, then moved towards Helm, careful not to step on Ameena's tail. The knight rested his hand gentle on the thief's shoulder, and the man started in fright.

"Steady man, I apologise. How is the lock coming."

Helm turned with a white face, and something in him seemed to burst. "I can't get the lock open! It's stuck! We're trapped in here!"


I want to wait to see the result of Ameena's perception roll before fully calling time on this, but that's sort of the update. Some behind the scenes stuff happened that means I won't be pushing us forwards after all I think the time for debate is done though - time for either cutting bait and running the other way, or some quick-witted problem solving on how to open the door!

[Ameena]

OOC - Perception roll = 13 (5+8...hey, didn't I get that last time?). I was gonna make an IC post in response to Helm's "I can't get the door open!" but I'll leave it just till I know any results (probably none since I imagine I failed again) of that roll...

[beowuuf]

No results I'm afraid, again too low! Carry on with your original post. I think to get things moving, assume that most people will help you - certainly Sir Farel - if you require any aid

[ian_scho]

"Can we... Use the key?" Haynuus had forgotten that the lock was on the other side of the door OOC - I think it was on only one side.

"We should rest a while anyway, upto the point where you feel fully recuperated Mister Westian. We may still need your potions in a short time." He cast his sight across the party. They were now looking a little more dishevelled and brow-beaten where the most recent conversation was not conducive to morale. He was very glad that they were no longer prisoners, however. None of the people seemed to know what it's like. He had seen how the humans were treated by orc captives and considered them lucky compared to those souls under a death cult's heel.

"Falkor, can you carry the torch when we move? I can go first..." he casts a glance to the knight and the paladin who both certainly seemed less breakable than the rest of them. "...but perhaps Helm or Ameena have an opinion?"

Finally it was Passin he looked at. "And what... Do YOU want to do?" He maintained his gaze yet not in an agressive manner. He just wanted to know, once and for all, what the wanna-be cultist wanted his destiny to be.

[beowuuf]

The locks are as in DM - on one side. I'm doign the conceit there would be a hidden release on the other side, that the party would never have needed to know about. The RA key holes are all on the side of the door away from the teleport room. So you can easily get out with a hidden switch to go towards the levle 6/level 8 stairs, but you need to pick the lock or use the key - if you gys actually still have it - to open the key back to the teleporter room.

Of course, Marhman and Thinpas were running away from the teleporter room and yet originally was supposed to meet up with the others later, so you have to assume you can still get to the mage on a longer detour.... maybe...

Me, I'd figure out a way to open the door


Passin finally regarded the half-orc. "If I am to be given a choice...I would go that way," he says, pointing towards the opposite door to where Helm was, beyond which the stairwells were. "But only if I am given back my armour and weapons. Otherwise, I may as well meet death with wherever you decide to take me or leave me."

[Ameena]

OOC - I wasn't really sure which door they were trying to open - I'd sort of assumed it was the one on the stairs side, rather than that leading back the way they came. Well, that knowledge will affect the post I'm about to make .

BIC - Ameena looks up to try and see the faces of those talking. She is a little startled by Helm's admission that he's unable to open the door, but looks around at Haynuus (or rather, roughly toward his knees) when he mentions them having a...what was the word again...kee.
"I could try opening it," she suggests, then continues in a slightly confused tone, "but if you have one of those...kee things...why not just use that?"
Then she looks somewhat nervously toward the door.
"But...is there any reason to go back that way? Back past...all that. Again."
She then has an idea, and turns to Passin, looking up at him and putting her head inquisitively to one side.
"No-one seems to have asked you yet...do you know of a way out of this place? I mean, out to the open air. You must have come into this place by some route, unless you yourself have been down here your whole life..."

[beowuuf]

The idea was to get back to the teleporter room and onwards to the mage, everyone had sort of rejected running away once Passin had said where the squire and deephold would be

Passin looks to the murafu with confusion. "The same route you came - through the front door. I doubt you all wish to walk back that way through four of the faithful, however, that now guard it.

[money]

Falkor was no more surprised at Helm failing to open the door as he would have been ready to roast the Rat... Theif, he thought to himself, a theif with obviously little skill! Falkor spoke "Go-on then, perhaps you can help your friend get that door open?" Falkor was sure others would note the sarcastic use of the word friend... well perhaps most others - he didn't hold out for Haynuus getting it so quickly!

[Ameena]

Ameena looks up at Passin, somewhat disheartened.
"Oh." she says. "I thought there might be another way. I don't remember how I got into this place, or how any of us got stuck. I just have vague...memories...of what happened before. But...they only seem to come when I'm asleep or such-like, so maybe they're not real, though they seem to be. Either way, I don't know how I got here."
Before she has time to start wondering about how else she can get out, Falkor's comment cuts through her concentration, apparently aimed at her. She looks round at him, confused and somewhat hurt by his tone.
"But...Haynuus said someone has a kee. If it fits, why not just use that?"

[oh_brother]

"If you wish to go that way Passin then I for one do not have a problem with it. You can take the armour and weapons from your comrades and take your leave." And we can close this door behind us to prevent you tracking us down.

Westian replied to Ameena and Haynuus. "We could use the key, but we are not sure if we would lose the key in the lock. I would have preferred to keep that as a last option, in case we needed it again in future. But if we have no other choice, so be it. Unless anyone else wants to try to open it first?"

As he spoke those words his eyes flicked to Ameena and Falkor, they certainly seemed to be the most likely to have the necessary skills. Although as he had realised before, this particular halfling was a wizard, not a thief. Still, the murafu...small, fast, apparently dexterous, a candidate perhaps? Not willing to ask Ameena straight out if she was a thief in case of causing offence he just left his comment as it was.

[ian_scho]

Haynuus immediately noticed the sarcasm in the halfling's voice... Yet couldn't work out why! Such is the lot of someone with an astute inclination as to what's going on yet no idea as to work out for what reason the comment was left hanging in the air. "Errmmm yes."

His brain then changed a cog. "Go on Ameena, have a stab at it. Give it a good sniff first though and maybe your whiskers can detect if it's doable." If you needed a few long, thin and dexterous fingers the Murafu was sure to be a candidate. Then Haynuus corrected himself - fingers?

[Ameena]

OOC - Actually, OB, Ameena did more or less state outright that she's stolen things, a few posts back in response to the verbal bombardment Falkor unleashed upon Helm, wherein he called said human a thief numerous times. She said that on occasion she's been stuck in places (ie towns/buildings belonging to races such as humans) where she didn't have an easy way out, so yoinked food from storerooms and such-like as a matter of survival, only taking what she needed and never anything that she thought anyone would miss - ie she'd more likely steal from some rich twat who had more than he could ever hope to eat himself .

BIC - Ameena doesn't understand what Westian means by "losing" the kee in the lock. Maybe these locks are unlike locks she's encountered before and are actually much wider than they look, and kees must actually be passed right inside them in order to have any effect.
Whatever the case, she just gives a somewhat confused shrug and steps to where she can see the lock, looking up at it.
"Well, I can try, if you want." she says. "I hope it's only kees that can be lost inside the locks here, and not fingers. Umm...but I need to reach it - Could someone...?"
Fortunately it seems as if Serfarrel has anticipated her request, and is waiting to lift her up so that she can actually reach the lock (OOC - Alright, that's about as much as I'm willing to do with regards to playing someone else's character - Wuffy, you can retro-fill in the details ). After a bit of manoeuvring she manages to position herself so that she's sort of half-held, half-perched with her hind legs on and around his arms, leaving her front half free to inspect and manipulate the lock.
"By the way..." she asks, somewhat nervously, "does this mean you all plan to go...back there? Back through...that room?"
While she waits for an answer, she works on applying herself to the lock, inspecting it closely, giving it a bit of a sniff, and then starting to poke around it with her fingers.

OOC - Perception check to see if anything nasty is detected in/around the lock (by scent/sound/touch) before she actually puts her fingers in...15 (7+8).
Then, if there's nothing that would make her not want to actually pick the lock, Thievery check for lock-picking = 19 (10+9). But only take the Thievery check if she detects nothing apparently harmful/strange about the lock - otherwise she'll stop what she's doing and mention it to someone. I imagine it's safe enough since Helm's already had a good poke around, but he was using tools rather than his bare fingers .

[beowuuf]

Passin slowly stood, looking incredulously at the offer of the cleric. He looked around at the rest of the group as if not believing it was serious. However, everyone else seemed temporarily focused on the antics of Helm and the movement of Ameena towards the door.

Westian spotted that Falkor nodded his agreement on the potential breakage of the key, and also shrugged at his apparent inability or unwillingness to aid the theif.

Sir Farel was caught by surprise, but did sheathe his battleblade to help provide some support and lift for the murafu. He seemed a little uncertain exactly how to hold Ameena, and also apparently was not as strong as one might expect a fighter to be - either that or the man was still supporting the tail end of an injury.

Still, Ameena was held more or less stable and was able to see and smell around the lock. The corner of this corridor was sadly filled more with the scent of the various people whom had been around - mostly smelly and nervous humans.

Still, nothing seemed amiss. Helm look closely around Sir Farel to see what Ameena was doing, and winced at her small fingers entering the lock. Even though the lock did not give, he seemed to sigh for some reason.

"You almost had it already - I guess you must be quite skillful."

I'm going to assume you will carry on with this encouragement enough to take 20 Ameena - seems reasonable, and more importantly moves the story on!

Helm was perhaps over-exagerating how close to open the lock was, however with Helm's aid sneaking in some of his thinner lock picking tools into the upper reaches of the key hole, the lock slowly was brought into an open state.

During the process, Farel fielded Ameena's question. "I am afraid we will need to travel beyond. However, perhaps the cleric or myself can carry you again past the devistation beyond until we are out of sight of it?"

With the final few clicks of the door Helm withdrew his tools quickly to allow Ameena to withdraw her hands swiftly is she wished. There was, again, a chill in the air as the colder yet oddly refreshing air mingled with the gently heated air in the space the party had occupied. Torches flickered, perhaps angry that they were not being allowed to turn the air so foul and warm anymore.

"Perhaps we should put out a few of the torches, lest they all burn out before we find more?" asked Farel.

Those with more sensative hearing could perhaps hear the gentle buzz of the teleporter in the distance - only noticeable due to the silence the shut corridor had previously existed in.


There was anexpectation in the air. Were the party ready to trek to face the mage?


Well, are you? Seems to me a quick decision is needed on whether to let PAssin go as offered by Westian. Also seems to me Ameena needs to agree to going back the other way, and needs to get her herb pouch ready again if so.

Westian and Aurek have generated one 'UM' VI potion and one LO VI potion, with no flasks free (since Farel has the third now) unless Aurek wants to jettison the contents of his two previously recovered flasks to bank some known healing or staina potions.

Also, probably a good idea to decide on a party order for advancing. Once you guys have got yourself IC and OOC together, there'll be an implied short trip to where Farel and Aurek had been captured and a decisision point there. Hopefully we can gte there the day after tomorrow.

Anyway, getting late, time for me to wrap up my evening and get my beauty sleep!

Woohoo! Party ready to go again!

[Lord_BoNes]

When Passin and Westian spoke about Passin's freedom, Aurek agreed fully with Westian. "If you wish to go, then I won't stop you. I would rather you stay with us and risk re-gaining your humanity, but IF you wish to go... then you're free, unless anyone else has something to say to the contrary."

OOC: I'd rather have two 'UM VI' flasks, so I'll tip my 'LO' one out and let Westian cast an 'UM' one into it (unless someone needs it... perception check 1d20 = 16+1 = 17)

When Ameena finally opens the door, Aurek gets ready to leave. "Are we all ready?"

[ian_scho]

What a relief! The half-orc hated losing his options and watching Ameena's efforts to aid Helm greatly improved his morale - more so now that this magical door rolled back up it's runners again.

Haynuus sprang to action. "Have a great journey..." patting Passin on the back, "... send us a card when you get there...", forcing the tainted armour he had into the soldiers arms, "...give our love to your kin...", pushing gently but firmly towards the open door, "...don't forget the shiney black sword on the way out..."

[Ameena]

Ameena accepts Helm's assistance, since it does seem to be helping her, in picking the lock. After a while of fiddling around with it (a strange lock, of unfamiliar design and not the simple kind she tends to encounter), she feels it give and the door opens.
Arriving back on the stone floor again, she gives a whisper of thanks to Serfarrel and looks up and around at the group. She understands they all have their own things to do, looking for this mage who sounds incredibly dangerous. And they're going back that way. And sending Passin off by himself. Unless...
Approaching the soldier, she looks curiously up at him.
"So...where will you go?" she asks. "Might you know of another way out in that direction?"
She gestures with a paw to indicate the door he apparently intends to pass, though she sees no lock on this side - perhaps there's a hidden switch of some kind, or maybe the door can simply be heaved open, though the latter seems unlikely, given the key required to open the other door.