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

[nikolokolus]

Who is in the tunnel with Rhenmyr?

 

[L'ennui]

When Rhenmyr enters the chute, Urash turns to the other Acadian present.

"You, Rashid! Something tells me you're no stranger to creeping about in cramped, dark passages. Why don't you go help our friend here? The sooner we're done with this place, the better."

 

[nikolokolus]

Stalin_Brando? Does Rashid help?

 

[nikolokolus]

Meanwhile ...

Those who have not (explicity) entered the tomb (Just Ker along with Brule, Fidach and Oona by my count) are standing outside the entrance, idling the minutes away, suddenly hear a voice (in Pictish) hail across the pool "What are you doing at what is obviously a place of death?" (Fidach leans over his shoulder and translates for Ker if he doesn't speak Pictish)

Fidach, calls back warily in Pictish. "Hail cousin. Come out in the sunlight where I can see you better. I don't recognize your voice."

Brule eases his broadsword out of its sheath a few inches and and steps in front of Oona, who crouches and darts inside the tomb entrance.

A female voice echoes off the tomb walls in Pictish, "You might want to make it quick, there might be more trouble brewing out here."

 

[Wayward Son]

The mystery man steps out of the shadow and says, "Hail, fellow Picts. I am a Druid who was investigating some... Abnormalities. Now, once again. What are you doing in a place of death?"

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

Almost forgot! Welcome to Wayward Son

 

[Siveon]

Marcán pinches the top part of his nose, closest to his eyebrows and makes an exasperated sigh. "This is twice. Twice. Can't we rob a grave in peace?" He grumbles to himself.

Spoiler

Can only two people go into the tunnel?

 

[Wayward Son]

"May you be having troubles? I'm not much for morality, so I have a proposal. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. If I help with this, you help me get to Crannógmere and deliver a message to the High Drune, deal?" He looks at the rest of the group he sees in front of him.
"Do you know who is buried here? I am curious."

 

[L'ennui]

Spoiler

Another meat shield! Er... valiant adventurer, I mean. Welcome Wayward Son!

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Spoiler

Welcome!

 

[nikolokolus]

Marcán pinches the top part of his nose, closest to his eyebrows and makes an exasperated sigh. "This is twice. Twice. Can't we rob a grave in peace?" He grumbles to himself.

Spoiler

Can only two people go into the tunnel?

Spoiler

Well, it's only wide enough for one person at a time, but it's probably thirty feet to the chimney, so theoretically you could have people end to end filling the entirety of the tunnel.

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

I hope someone's coming with me into snakeland this time. Our good thief perhaps.

Question

Doffs armor? I thought its light and compact enough to fit. Doffs shield and pack, perhaps?

"I'll climb up. Try to pass up the torch when I get to the top."

With Rashid apparently none too eager to step forward and squeeze into the tunnel, Rhenmyr patiently waits for somebody else to come in and take his torch so he can climb up.

 

[Siveon]

"Oh bother. Just let me through. If you hear me screaming and babbling incoherently it means we need help. Hopefully you all can deal with whatever is outside." Marcán enters the the tunnel and takes the torch from Rhenmyr. "Hello again, Rhen. The others send in their regards."

Spoiler

EDIT: Siveon does not condone the actions of an impatient storyteller fighter. I am liking the pace so far.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Borric follows the aforesaid impatient singing fighter.

 

[Grimgravy]

Spoiler

Welcome to our merry band, Wayward Son

Rhenmyr starts climbing hoping he's not climbing into fangy doom. "Welcome back! I'll call the the torch when I get to the top."

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Cormac looks at the ominous passage. "I'll be right out here!"

 

[Wayward Son]

Spoiler

Thanks for the welcome guys. I hope this doesn't end like last time I tried being a Druid.

He turns to the ones still nearby and asks their names.

 

[nikolokolus]

Mab's encounter with the party
Fidach, Brule and Ker stand still at the mouth of the tomb and wait pensively for him to approach, when he gets to the edge of the pool and the narrow footbridge that spans the stream feeding into it, Fidach takes several steps down from the plinth and holds up his hand, and speaks in Pictish, "Ho there, don't come any closer. What clan are from and what would could you want with Eogan anyway? Hadn't you heard that King Talorc banished him several months back?

Rhenmyr's exploration of the chimney
With a deep breath, you steel your courage and squeez into the narrow chute above. the rough stone walls provide ample hand and footholds and with no great difficulty you push on into the fetid, damp darkness. After about ten feet of climbing you feel the tunnel widen and you are able to heave yourself up on to a flat surface. You sit stock still for several moments straining to hear anything that might lurk, but all is quiet. Content that you are in no imminent danger and in need of a light you call down to Marcán and ask him to hand you a torch. you lean down and Marcán climbs up a couple of feet and you take the lit brand.

When you rise from your belly and look around, you find that you are inside a smallish domed room about 15 feet wide with a low 6 feet high ceiling. In the back of the chamber is a grim sight; seated on a wooden throne gilt with gold, silver and semi-precious stones is a partially mummified corpse clad in bronze scale armor with a high peaked bronze helm. One hand rests on the arm of the throne and the other clutches a broken spear haft like a scepter. At the end of the haft is a wicked looking bronze spearhead with two pronounced prongs below jutting out at a 45 degree angle.

 

[Wayward Son]

"My clan... doesn't matter anymore. I am not allowed back after... An incident. I am Mab Ystyfnig. Now, why did this fool King banish Eogan? What reason could he possibly have to do so?" He looks uncomfortable at speaking of his past. Like it puts a larger burden on his shoulder. His discomfort looks to have increased tenfold at asking of the High Drune's crime.

 

[nikolokolus]

Brule frowns deeply and speaks curtly to Mab, "Banished then? Well it doesn't appear your luck's gotten any better; we find ourselves in a similar predicament." He spits. "I'm Brule ap Bruna and this is my brother Fidach ap Bruna." He pauses for a moment and then points to Ker, "This Kelt is called Ker and there are half-a-dozen more of his companions within - Acadians, Kelts, Stygian and even a Kurgan. As for Eogan, he spoke out against Talorc's lottery as folly. Where he is now? I have no idea. Last I saw he was on foot heading west up the shores of Loch Oerni four months ago."

Fidach points to a bound and unconscious man at their feet, "This one here is Uvan, Talorc's lickspittle. If you can rouse him it would be appreciated."

 

[Grimgravy]

"Come on up. There's no immediate danger, but I want backup before I touch anything. We may have found the spear...and what's left of its wielder."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Only one of us best climb up. I don't want to have us all scrambling for an exit if things go bad. I will go."

 

[Grimgravy]

"Borric? If you're coming up, Marcan should go and get Cormac. If the corpse I'm looking at is the departed wolf slayer, I'd prefer we grant him all do courtesy."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Are you sure? I don't see these Picts taking kindly to a priest of Arawn and his ilk."

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Spoiler

So we can keep things moving along as I'm in a weird time zone. If Cormac is asked, he will go into the snake chamber. It might take him a few seconds to be convinced that the snake monsters are gone, but he will go.