[Ptolus/AD&D] IC Thread #2 - Underground (part 1)

[Imperator]

Tudd stows his sling and frees his morningstar as he moves in front of Runch facing north, watching that way intently.

OK, my statement of intent will be:

1) If there is (as the map shows) a creature cowering on the north side of the room I'm in (where the carcass of the big monster is), then I'll stay my ground, watching the creature and shout "There's yet anoter one of these here! Do not fear, as the great monster has been felled!" Sword and dagger out, keeping my distance.

2) If the critter is not there (because it was the one Nimten tried to question, or because it fled), then I'll get back with my comrades (second line), while keeping watch on the eastern side of the room, in case more of these fuckers come from there.

Also, Gareth is pretty pissed at not getting any acknowledgement of his victory over the ogre.

[Benoist]

[OOC: Did I kill it just by myself? ROCK!]

Yes you did. Awesome job indeed.

Before declaring my intent I need some clarification: is the creature that Nimten was trying to communicate with the same that is cowering in the room I am at? I've re-read the posts but I'm a bit confused.

(Sorry on the delay, I live in GMT+1, guys).

Yes. The creature Nimten was trying to communicate with is the same you see to the north of the polearms room on the map, and that Gareth is talking about.

Can we have an updated map, Ben? I'm a bit confused.

I'm a bit confused too. Wait. Updated map pending. Still working my way through the thread.

[Benoist]

OK. I'm assuming here that the two people with light sources are Rissthil with a Torch, and Ulas Xegg who picked up the lantern that was left by Gareth at the side of the dais when he attacked the big oaf. There is a third major light source in the huge corpse that is still smoldering to the east. And of course, there are the three lanterns.

Runch pushed the remains of the creatures by the dais side, with Tudd by his side. Smeads is on the ground by now. Othos joins back with the group to wait for reinforcements, while Gareth is still by the east (polearms) room, wondering what to do with the creature still cowering in the darkness (nothing's been done to it so far that I can tell, besides Nimten's failed efforts at communicating with it).

Ulas Xegg takes a look at the ceiling, trying to find some traces of the original access mechanism. He finds none, though the way the sandstone blocks are arranged in the room's architecture clearly indicates there already was an opening of some kind there in the past. He then takes a look at the "mirror."

It is made of a very reflective liquid metal comparable to mercury, but defying gravity by sticking to a 20-foot bronze frame built in the wall. The liquid's surface is basically vertical. Ripples form and move on its surface periodically. By looking at it more closely, Ulas realizes it reacts to air displacements, like when Runch pushes a body off the dais with his boot, he sees a ripple forming on the liquid's surface. Very strange device indeed.

There are two wall paintings on each side of the reflective surface. They are enormous, using up all the space along the walls up to the corridors to the west (on your right as you look at the mirror, Ulas), and east (on your left). The one on your right (west) depicts some type of torture scene, while the other seems to represent a more joyous event, like some sort of feast, or celebration scene.

[Imperator]

Then I stand by my statement of intent number 1, in my previous post.

[Cole]

What do the figures look like in the paintings?

[Imperator]

My reworked statement of intent, after Ben¡s last map:

I'll stay my ground, watching the creature and shout "There's yet anoter one of these here! Do not fear, as the great monster has been felled! I should be called Gareth the Giant Slayer" Sword and dagger out, keeping my distance in case the critter makes a move.

OOC:

[Benoist]

What do the figures look like in the paintings?

(notice there is a small chest directly to Ulas' right [west] - forgot to mention it earlier)

Comparing the two paintings, you notice there is one character that is absolutely the same: he seems to be some kind of lord wearing multicolored robes. A strong, angular face with short, black hair. The eyes are interesting: they seem to be painted in a very bright, unnatural fashion, as if the white and gold pigments used to color them were slightly phosphorescent.

Further comparing the paintings, you can notice that this main character's attention is in both cases focused on a woman. The women are different in each painting, however: on the painting to your right (west), this is a nude, white-skinned woman with silver hair that is boiled to death by orc alchemists surrounding the main character sitting on a chair, watching the torture; on the other painting, to your left (east), it is some sort of marriage or vows scene, with the main character standing next to a dark-haird, bronze skinned woman with proud green eyes, a sharp nose and a dress made of gold threads, the couple being praised by some court or retinue, with flower petals flying in the air. Most of this court seems to feature humans, though you can notice a few other, humanoids, characters like gnoll guards, and a few orcs and goblins in the crowd.

[Benoist]

"There's yet anoter one of these here! Do not fear, as the great monster has been felled! I should be called Gareth the Giant Slayer" Sword and dagger out, keeping my distance in case the critter makes a move.

OOC:

*grins*

[Cole]

My reworked statement of intent, after Ben¡s last map:

I'll stay my ground, watching the creature and shout "There's yet anoter one of these here! Do not fear, as the great monster has been felled! I should be called Gareth the Giant Slayer" Sword and dagger out, keeping my distance in case the critter makes a move.

OOC:

"Good work. Gareth the Giant Slayer it is. How's 'Gareth' for short?"

[Cole]

How odd. Ulas will examine the chest near him, meanwhile.

[Imperator]

"Good work. Gareth the Giant Slayer it is. How's 'Gareth' for short?"

"Too short! Also, shall I remind you that I have the highest tally when it comes to giant slaying?

What shall we do with these here sad critter? Seems afraid and cowering, but I think I see a door behind it?"

[Drohem]

Rissthil calls out to Gareth from his position, "well done, Gareth!  Destroy the abomination and get back here with the rest of us!"

[Cole]

"Too short! Also, shall I remind you that I have the highest tally when it comes to giant slaying?

What shall we do with these here sad critter? Seems afraid and cowering, but I think I see a door behind it?"

"Fine with me - Giants always aim for the giant slayer first, anyway."

Ulas glances back toward that room.

"Nimten wants to study him, and I won't pretend I'm not curious about what's wrong with the creature, but I worry that if it bites someone, we'll find out what's wrong with him first hand."

[Imperator]

Rissthil calls out to Gareth from his position, "well done, Gareth!  Destroy the abomination and get back here with the rest of us!"

Gareth looks sadly to the creature, and advances to do the grim work as swift and painlessly as he cans. Of course, he's on guard to any noise or the door opening.

[Cole]

Ben, how is the liquid flesh reacting to the flames from the giant/oil?