Completed Play-by-Post: In Search of the Sorcerer

[Stella Brando]

I'm sure the dog would be angered and follow. He is an unthinking brute.

 

[L'ennui]

Taking a few steps forward to get a better look at the stranger, Urash's surprise is quite obvious.

After a few moments, Urash approaches the newcomer cautiously. There is suspicion and disdain in his eyes. He speaks in Acadian:

"The gods are fickle masters indeed... To see a fellow Acadian here warms my heart and reminds me of proper civilisation. And yet! You have the manners of a brigand and a thief... I wager you are fit to hang for some crime or another, back home..."

Urash strokes his beard pensively for an instant, as though he is considering the best course of action.

"... But we are not in Acadia, and these tainted lands know neither law nor reason. Count your blessings, Rashid Nizari Ismaili Andhaira Ad Din Sinan. I am Urash of Kor, and my full name is not for you to know.

I do not trust you, thief, but it seems the gods have favored us with an opportunity to prove our worth in accordance with the old ways. Let us be dutiful and kill some barbarians. Perhaps you were sent here to redeem yourself in this way.

The Thief and the Sorceror! Ha!"

Urash finally extends a hand in formal salutation and grins wickedly.

 

[Stella Brando]

Rashid takes Urash's hand and presses his nose against the wizard's.

He addresses him in Akkadian. أنا عادة ما تظهر محطما أكثر من هذا، صديق. اتلست امرأة معينة في كوريا الجنوبية يعتقد ذلك. لم نتفق على زوجها. وكان جزء من السبب في أن أغادر.

He winks. ربما كنت من الحكمة عدم الثقة لي. ولكن ليست جميع الاكديين لصوص؟ هذا ليس ما يقوله البرابرة؟

Spoiler

I usually appear more dashing than this, friend. Atleast a certain woman in Kor thought so. Her husband didn't agree. He was part of the reason I left.

He winks. Perhaps you are wise not to trust me. But aren't all Akkadians thieves? Is that not what the barbarians say?

Rashid reverts back to the common tongue. Should I call out to Uvon? Is that what you warriors wish?

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Cormac sighs- "Snake monsters and now water monsters. I wonder what other awful beasts crawl through these tunnels."

 

[nikolokolus]

Brule steps forward to assay the newcomer and seems to recognize Rashid. "Ah Uvan's slave. What is this about a water beast? Did you see my niece Oona and brother Fidach beyond the seal."

Spoiler

(Rashid did not)

 

[Grimgravy]

"Water beast sounds like the guardian spirit we discussed earlier. Breaking the entrance seal likely angered it. Let us set a trap to deal with these slavers and then we can proceed with our search or look for Oona and Fidach."

 

[Stella Brando]

I didn't see a woman, nor a man you would be likely to call friend. Just Uvon, er Uvan, excuse my accent, and his cronies.

I saw one of them dead from the monster. It seemed like a Cameronian Water Tentacle, the kind that lives in deep abysses.

How many men were there? Ah, let me see, perhaps the gods will jog my memory...

Will you stand on the other side of the pit trap and hope he doesn't see it? I can't recall if he carried a torch or not...

Even if Uvon spots the obvious trap, he is unlikely to see the broken tile. Perhaps when he sees the pit, I can bluff him into thinking he has the upper hand. That takes care of the eastern edge. We may have to put something special on the western one. There was some oil in a lamp I saw before, that should take care of it.

If everything is to your satisfaction, find a place to hide, and I shall lure the Pictish pig in.

 

[Stella Brando]

Rashid decides to test something. He gets well clear of the pit, takes a run up, and leaps as far as he can. He then looks back at the ground he has cleared.

Spoiler

How many Subway sandwiches can I jump?

 

[nikolokolus]

A few minutes after the meeting with Rashid and the ensuing palaver, the sound of rock being chipped with steel echoes through the tomb from the direction of the main entrance, almost as if somebody were swinging a pick-axe or maul against the door. This goes on for a few minutes and a great cloud of rock dust fills the first ten feet or so of the passage.

Spoiler

Tell me how your characters are arrayed. I assume from Stalin_Brando's description above that he is crossing back over to the south passage putting himself between the main entrance and the pit.

 

[Stella Brando]

Stay out of sight, men. Prepare to ambush anyone who should bypass the trap.

Rashid picks up the lantern oil.

Spoiler

Can I jump the pit? Or do I need to use the ledge?

 

[Grimgravy]

"As I said earlier, we can set up a tripwire just inside the pit room if people will hold the rope. Perhaps Ker and Marcan? Then a warrior could guard them and each side of the ledge. I'd suggest Brule and Borric. Urash and I could stay on the far side and harry them with missiles."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"The Ranger's plan is one we can work with, I'll stand ready to strike."

 

[L'ennui]

Urash hands his torch to Rashid and takes several steps backward until he feels the ambient darkness will make him hard to spot. Crouching low, he pulls his cloak over his head and hopes to remain hidden until violence breaks out. He weighs his throwing darts anxiously.

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Cormac looks for a good place to stay out of the brunt of any fighting.

 

[Stella Brando]

Are we ready?

 

[nikolokolus]

For the clarity's sake we'll say that you move into position during the two minutes or so it takes for whomever it is that is trying to smash through the seal.

If possible, be as explicit as you can about where your character is taking up his position. Use the labels on the image below. It's worth noting that you might be in a very precarious position if you stand on the ledge and try to do anything other than shuffle side to side.

 

[Grimgravy]

The Plan

Cormac: North passage, out of the fighting but watching the rear.
Rhenmyr and Urash: North passage, missile support.
Ker: Southwest ledge corner, setting tripwire then retreat or support.
Borric: southwest ledge near south passage in front of Ker. Holding the ledge while missiles do the work or pushing into south passage as needed.
Marcan: Southeast ledge corner, setting tripwire then support.
Brule: Southeast ledge near south passage in front of Ker. Holding the ledge while missiles do the work or pushing into south passage as needed.
Rashid: Doing his thing.

 

[Stella Brando]

Rashid extinguishes his torch. He turns towards the front gate and disapears into the darkness.

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Spoiler

Looks good to me.

 

[Siveon]

Spoiler

I'm down.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Spoiler

I'll take Grimgravy's plan.

 

[L'ennui]

Spoiler

Rock&Roll

 

[nikolokolus]

Everyone moves into their respective positions with Brule and Borric hidden just around the corners from the passage. Rashid presses his body flat against the wall near the seal (the only real place to hid in the smooth-walled tunnel) and you wait for whomever is breaking the door apart. The destruction of the seal stops and wan sunlight streams through the entrance and illuminates the heavy cloud of dust about ten feet into the passage.

A booming, gravelly, Pictish voice (that Rashid recognizes all too well) fills the crypt, "Brule, surrender my dog Rashid, yourself and your conniving foreigners." There is a long pause before the voice continues, "It's a pity about poor old Fidach, but Oona will make a nice prize. In fact I'll bet you Talorc gives her to me for gutting that traitor."

 

[Stella Brando]

Rashid keeps perfectly still and silent.

He waits to see if anyone will come through the door before acting.

 

[Grimgravy]

"There go any doubts I had about fighting those people." Rhenmyr whispers to Urash.