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Topic: Forgotten Realms: The Unsung Heroes
Subject: Talus
Everyone else was breaking away after their morning meal and heading off to get packed for the journey ahead, but Talus wasn't entirely sure of what to do. He was fully packed, since he hadn't taken more than a few trinkets out of his bag the night before, but he wasn't sure if he was leaving. Artanis and Xaris had said that he would more than likely be welcomed by the others, but the news of the death of their friends had taken precedent. The matter of Talus joining the group hadn't even been specifically brought up, and now it looked as if it wasn't going to be.
For a moment he considered staying there, staring into a half empty bowl of stew until someone, maybe Anna, asked him to move. He could feel everyone leaving, heading off to find some way to remove the burden of loss and make room for a traveling pack-- make room for future adventure. Maybe he could do that in reverse. Take the worm leather pack at his feet and throw it in a closet somewhere to gather cobwebs. Become a regular at the Green Gryphon and trade stories that all began with "Years ago, I once..."
Just for a moment.
He looked up, drawing a deep breath to pull himself from daydream and into the moment, and found his attention begin drawn to a glint of metal being passed from the Innkeeper to the man who had given orders to the group. Aelistae said his name earlier, what was it? ... Bart.
Talus, in trying to break fully out of the threatening lethargy, stood so quickly that he almost overturned his chair. After a moment spent stabilizing the chair and a sheepish grin to patrons two tables over, he hurried after Bartholomew.
Falling into step beside the man, Talus began, "Sir, my apologies for not returning your earlier greeting. I wasn't sure how much to participate in the mornings discussion as I am not yet part of this group... your group? I am Talus, formerly of Mulhorand. I assisted Artanis last night with the fire and, after witnessing the courage displayed on that terrible night, I inquired about the possibility of journeying with such admirable people. From what I have gathered since yesterday, you are the person I should beseech for such an honor. I humbly request to join your troupe."
Posted on 2008-06-16 at 02:26:42.
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Topic: Add On Story. Fill in 3 words!
Subject: Frank Sinatra
to the moon.
Posted on 2008-06-15 at 08:35:52.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: The Unsung Heroes
Subject: Talus
After hearing Artanis' recounting of the previous night, Talus looked up from his bowl of stew. Until now he had been quietly listening as everyone told their stories, unsure of what he could add that would be at all helpful, since these were an established group of friends and he was an outsider. Now, however, there was one tidbit that he could throw in.
"After Artanis made her desperate leap from the rooftop, there was an explosion on the upper floors of the house. At the time, I had thought maybe there had been something highly combustible stored in the attic, but you say there was a man there wielding power over elementals? That explosion could have been any number of spells unleashed by the power mad mage. If he was wreathed in flames, he might have enacted some sort of protection from fire... that building was the worst possible place for any of you to have encountered the man. In his insanity and power crazed state he wouldn't think twice about dropping a fireball on himself just to get at you and your friends." He looked to Artanis, "You're more lucky than you know."
Talus paused, realizing that he'd stayed from the simple fact-only report he'd planned. The thought of yet another person crazed by the power of magic had almost sent him up onto a metaphorical soapbox. To keep from getting pulled down another tangent, Talus hurried through the rest of what he had to say, "The explosion knocked out sections of the outer walls. Also destroyed some critical supports, too, because just after that the roof collapsed in on itself. That started a chain reaction that lead to the entire building coming down. If it's any consolation, the lunatic probably buried himself with your friends. Protection from flames doesn't stop the rubble."
He smiled weakly, then realized, too late, that in giving the details of how the monster had met his demise, he also described how their friends perished. After an awkward moment of trying to find something else to say to undo his mistake, Talus just dropped his gaze back to the bowl of soup before him.
Posted on 2008-06-14 at 20:37:54.
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Topic: The Legacy of the Shade Lord
Subject: Ixion - SE of Sodgrove: Kobold camp
Ixion stared at Torigad, blinking several times to hold back his incredulity at how utterly oblivious the dwarf could be. Not only had he walked almost straight through the middle of the camp and given away the thin man's location, but he couldn't even tell that more than just human eyes were upon him.
"Yes," he replied at length, "I think he's suggesting that you lead the charge into the kobolds' lair. There's a perfectly good entrance candidate right there." Ixion motioned at the mound that Manuhol had indicated, the one that had the kobold waiting just inside.
If he can't develop a mind for cunning, then we'll need to determine whether or not he's good enough at pure brute force to be worth keeping around. Ixion smiled and held out a hand in an "after you" gesture, encouraging Torigad to descend upon the nearby mound.
((Bluff if need be))
During the entire exchange Ixion kept one eye on the Kobold refuse pile, and once Torigad starts to move off, he redoubles his focus on the tunnel opening. If the kobold emerges from its hiding place before Torigad reaches the mound, the thin man plans to place a bolt square between the scaly creatures eyes.
Posted on 2008-06-14 at 12:34:41.
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Topic: Add On Story. Fill in 3 words!
Subject: ...
orbiting our planet.
Posted on 2008-06-13 at 08:27:07.
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Topic: ^ < V game
Subject: Subject.... Verb....
^ has a twitching trigger finger
< knows that in Soviet Russia, the darkness attacks you
V is buried under the sheer number of references in this thread
Posted on 2008-06-13 at 08:22:07.
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Topic: ^ < V game
Subject: ....
^ disagrees with me about whether Da Vinci Code is a good movie
< suggests that Duncan try using a frying pan as part of the Maneuver
V doesn't have a flag
Posted on 2008-06-12 at 19:48:37.
Edited on 2008-06-12 at 19:49:40 by Deucalion
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Topic: The Legacy of the Shade Lord
Subject: Ixion: SE of Sodgrove - Kobolds & Ruins
Ixion pulled the cowl of his cloak down over his face to protect his eyes from the sunlight reflecting off the rain-covered grass and continued to scan the trees for Manuhol. He knew that the monk should be coming up to the edge of the clearing somewhere near the corral, but where was he?
((Spot checks to find Manuhol))
This could prove to be a very lopsided fight if he's run off. Let's hope these kobolds don't communicate very well.
Ixion began making his way toward the waste dump closest to the edge of the ruins wishing, for the first time that he could remember, that he had a flask or two of alchemist's fire.
((Hide&Move Silent))
Posted on 2008-06-12 at 19:42:25.
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Topic: Demonic Vending Machine
Subject: It spits out...
an Italian.
I feed it a shoe full of Bailey's.
Posted on 2008-06-11 at 18:37:29.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: The Unsung Heroes
Subject: Talus: Awkward
“I suppose you’re wondering how a Drow can be here without a fight.”
"So she is drow. Any you know her? What di... How does that even happen?
“Come, my friend. I’ll introduce you to them. You’ll see there is nothing to fear.”
Talus slipped off his barstool, scooped up his pack, and followed Artanis to the dark elf's table. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to waking up from this dream any second now or that the elf was going to remove her disguise as the small group had a big laugh at his expense.
"He has requested to join our group... told him we would ask you two first... And before you say no... I am certain you will agree to his joining us then.”
When the dream didn't end as he approached the table, when Artanis began making introductions instead of revealing the ruse, it finally registered to Talus that he was face to face with a real drow! He knew he was staring again and that it was quite rude, but he couldn't help himself. He hardly caught any of what Artanis was saying, so caught up was he in the strange combination of Aelistae's features and complexion and the stark contrast between her skin and hair.
It wasn't that he was especially attracted to her. It was that she was new. Everything since leaving his homeland had been variations of a theme, and this dark skinned elf sitting before him just shattered that routine. Both by simply being of the drow race, and by not being the stereotype: drow destroyer.
He finally pulled his eyes away and looked to Artanis, "I don't know that I did that much last night. Really, I just helped you get the rest of the way out after you did all the work of saving the baby."
Aelistae bowed her head slightly in the direction of the human Artanis had introduced as Talus. “It’s good to meet you.... And I don’t suppose either of you want a barely eaten bowl of stew?”
Talus pulled out one of the indicated chairs and settled into it. His eyes slowly went back to Aelistae, "I am sorry for being so impolite. You're very interesting to me. And I don't mean to make you sound like an object, it will just take some time for me to... well, to get used to you. In the mean time I'll try not to stare too much." He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and glanced around trying to find something other than the woman to watch.
"I think I'll take the stew." He reached across the table and pulled the bowl over to himself. Now he had something to prevent his staring, and he made sure to eat slowly to maximize the length of the distraction.
Never have you seen someone so focused on a simple bowl of stew.
Posted on 2008-06-11 at 18:08:09.
Edited on 2008-06-11 at 18:15:38 by Deucalion
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Topic: Add On Story. Fill in 3 words!
Subject: ...
they do both.
Posted on 2008-06-11 at 16:59:37.
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Topic: Yo! I'm here
Subject: Welcome to the Inn. Enter freely and of your own free will!
Welcome, Innmate Serge, to the group. There's plenty of dragons and fun to be had here, everyone's good folk.
Even Grugg. Just don't feed him after midnight or let him get wet... no that's something else.
Posted on 2008-06-11 at 08:06:35.
Edited on 2008-06-11 at 08:53:22 by Deucalion
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: The Unsung Heroes
Subject: Talus: That can't be right.
"Oh, yeah, I'll get my things and... What?"
Talus stared bleary-eyed at the young girl in his room, trying to force his brain to wake up and process what she was asking him to do, if she was asking anything of him at all.
"Who are you? What time is it?" The fog of sleep was starting to wear away and he realized that she wasn't in his room, he was in her room. "Almost noon? Really? I'll get out of your way then. Give me... two minutes." And he began looking about the room trying to get a bearing on where he was.
Talus stumbled out of the room he'd been given for the night, backpack flung over one shoulder and carrying his cape and boots in his arms. Lazily making his way up to the bar he ordered a breakfast of "whatever's available" and collapsed onto a barstool.
"Barkeep, have you seen Artanis and Zori--" Talus paused for a half second then corrected himself, "Xaris. Artanis and Xaris, the two I came in with last night, have you seen them this morning? Which reminds me, how much do I owe you for a room? I know you said the room last night would be gratis, but I've got a few coins now and need to build up some karma while I can."
Talus pushed the same three gold coins onto the counter that the innkeeper had refused the night before, then turned and began fussing with the laces on his boots before the man could try to decline payment again.
"Give it to-- what was her name? Anna? --if you insist on not taking payment. She's going to grow up into a good hostess one day. Heh, very professional while she threw me out." He added from almost under the bar, he was bent over so far trying to get his foot into an uncooperative boot.
After nearly falling off his barstool twice, and eating most of the breakfast set before him, Talus was finally awake, or so he thought. He spun around in his chair to watch the morning routines of the Green Gryphon patrons and to keep an eye out of Artanis and her traveling compatriots. His eye was drawn to a table occupied by a pair of women, one of whom, his eyes kept trying to tell him, was a dark elf.
That can't be right. They're just siting there, chatting. Shouldn't they be fighting? Everyone should be trying to kill her.
I'm still asleep. This is a dream.
Talus rubbed his eyes, then looked back to the women.
Nope, still ebony.
He focused for a moment, calling upon his innate ability to detect magical auras, and scanned his equipment, looking for anything new that might be causing these delusions. Nope, nothing new.
So he turned his gaze back to the out-of-place woman. And tried to figure out if any of the aura's coming from her might be causing his faulty vision. Armor or maybe an undershirt... a belt... maybe something in a pocket, otherwise nothing screams 'illusion.'
Talus let his detection spell fade and spent the next several minutes watching the two woman talk, feeling that he'd missed something, and trying to figure out why no one was mobbing the apparent drow.
Posted on 2008-06-11 at 02:56:04.
Edited on 2008-06-11 at 03:00:41 by Deucalion
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Topic: Add On Story. Fill in 3 words!
Subject: ugh
and you must
Posted on 2008-06-10 at 02:18:41.
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Topic: The Legacy of the Shade Lord
Subject: Ixion: SE of Sodgrove - Outside Kobold Camp
These folks are gonna take forever to make up their minds. And I ain't forcing the matter... no way am I getting myself voted leader of this rag-tag bunch.
After watching T'puuli turn around and head back up the trail to silence the whistling, Ixion figured he had some time to kill. Half sitting, half leaning against the rocks, he unlaced his left boot and pulled the thing off, and began fishing for the pebble that had been such an annoyance since the kobold ambush. Out falls the pebble... out goes Manuhol.
Ixion watches the monk leave, unable, at first, to believe what he's seeing. Then, when it begins to sink in he pulls his boot back on and frantically laces the thing back up.
Knee highs are useful unless you're in a hurry. Go Manuhol, Ready, Fire, Aim... we're splitting up without deciding the plan. I thought monk types were supposed to have some rigid logic they followed or some nonsense like that? Gonna hafta have words with that one if we survive this.
Finally.
Finishing up with his boot, Ixion looks to Snowlilly and Tellanth, "Looks like the plan is Ready, Fire... Aim. I don't know what you're good at, but get in place to do it. Snowlilly, if you stay here to provide cover, let T'puuli know we started without him. Heh, if he comes back."
With that, Ixion turned and started out in an arc around the kobold camp that would take him to the ruins, mumbling under his breath, "Well this is gonna end in tears."
((Hide & Move Silent --Also, Check for traps every 15' starting 15' away from the rocks we were hiding behind))
((--Assuming I don't encounter anything of note--))
As he approaches the old ruins, Ixion retrieves his crossbow from its hidden sheath and pulls a bolt from his belt pouch to load the weapon. He carefully scans the ruins for kobold sentries, then closes the last few yards to the first of the crumbling marble walls.
((If I do come across something, ignore that last bit about making it all the way to the ruins))
Posted on 2008-06-09 at 18:36:42.
Edited on 2008-06-09 at 18:37:15 by Deucalion
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Topic: Corrupt a wish
Subject: You asked for it.
They do. But since 'having a baby' is rather a random chance kind of thing... you now have to fill out a 150-page form, in triplicate, and wait 2-7 weeks for approval before engaging in any sort of activity that "...may or may not lead to the creation of a new human life..."
Well done.
I wish there was some way to actually win the Last One to Post Here... game.
Posted on 2008-06-09 at 17:53:37.
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Topic: Welcome My Brother
Subject: ...
Welcome to the party, Little Brother. Come on in, sit down, enjoy yourself.
...And don't feed the Grugg.
Posted on 2008-06-09 at 17:45:17.
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Topic: Demonic Vending Machine
Subject: It spits out...
50 tons of blue flavored snow cones.
I feed it a Mike-n-Ike.
Posted on 2008-06-09 at 17:30:12.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: hmm...
Didn't see that coming. Apparently Talus has a bit of a Gollum / Sméagol thing going on. Interesting.
Posted on 2008-06-08 at 04:40:17.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: The Unsung Heroes
Subject: Talus
Once inside the room, Talus closed the door and fell against the wooden barrier, glad that it would keep out the smell of pipe weed. "What did I get myself into?" he muttered to himself as he pushed away from the door. " '...might I travel with you?' What in Nine Hells are you thinking man?"
He approached the first of the three beds and slung his backpack from his shoulders, dropping it onto the middle of the mattress and emptying its contents as he continued his berating.
You're putting yourself in a position where you'll have to use your fell powers just to survive. And you don't know that your mind won't shatter under the allure...
"You're right; I don't know. I have no idea at all, but I'm tired of constantly having refuse human companionship. Friends. Is that too much to ask for? I am a social creature and life in solitude is no life at all." He looked down at the items he had pulled from his pack and chuckled at how even his equipment seemed to be against him. Talus had purchased his enchanted water skin and ration pouch specifically so that he could rely on their magics to let him go weeks, or months, without having to stop at a city.
Is spending time around people worth the risk of losing control and hurting the friends that you so desire to have? You saw another example today of what power does to people. Just leave. Get up early and duck out before your new friends awake. You know your family line doesn't have the restraint to...
"So I'll learn. I'll practice and I'll learn restraint. And my new friends will help me." Talus found a piece of reasoning that let him shut away his pessimistic thoughts and he clung to it, forcing all his self-doubt out of the room to suffocate in the lingering pipe weed smoke of the main hall. He packed away his water skin and rations, slid his pack to the floor, and fell asleep with a grin on his face and a singular thought running through his mind.
I'm making friends.
Posted on 2008-06-08 at 04:14:10.
Edited on 2008-06-08 at 04:16:05 by Deucalion
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Topic: The Legacy of the Shade Lord
Subject: Ixion - Southeast of Sodgrove: Outside Kobold Lair
Ixion squinted at the sky, wishing he could simply will the rain to stop. With a barely audible, though very irritated grunt, he dropped his eyes down onto the camp. He scanned the cattle, not looking at the bovine, but between them, trying to pick out any rustlers that might be concealed in the herd. His face became very cold and calculating as he shifted his gaze, surveying the terrain surrounding the piles of refuse and the beginnings of the ruins beyond them, then sweeping out into the trees, checking the path that he would likely have to take to reach the kobold's camp for anything suspicious.
((Spot or Search on the cattle, the piles, the ruins, and nearby trees for kobolds.))
After a minute or two of peering out around the rocks Ixion shifted back behind cover. Leaning back against the stone from his crouched position, he addressed the group, "Believe it or not this rain is a good thing for us. It'll muffle most of the sound you all will make getting down there and, now that the sun had punched through the clouds, it'll make everything too bright for them to be comfortable out of their holes."
He pointedly looked to the dwarf for his next statement, "That doesn't mean you can just charge on down there, though. There's likely one or two who had the misfortune to pull guard duty. You let them know we're here and you'll have a tough time getting those cattle back to Farmer Johnson with javelins raining down on your head."
Ixion paused momentarily to allow the visual of the consequences of failure to sink in before continuing. "So we've got a few options. I'm going to swing around and come at those entry mounds from the edge of the ruins. The rest of you can either go as a group straight in from here and we'll get a kind of pincer movement going, or you could fan out come in at intervals along that edge of the camp, maybe get them thinking there are a lot more of us than there actually are. I'd recommend avoiding the cattle herd. If they get spooked and you're nearby..." he nodded in the direction of the path they had just been following, "Well, you all saw what those things can do when they get to moving. So, what do you all want to do?"
He let the question hang in the air. While waiting for the group to reach a consensus, Ixion used the rain water and the rock behind him to clean some of the mud off of his hands and boots.
Posted on 2008-06-06 at 05:18:05.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: Where am I?
Kaelyn, the room that Talus is sleeping in, is it somewhere off the main hall, or is it upstairs with the rest of the guest rooms?
If it is downstairs, about what time of morning will the first few Green Gryphon employees start muddling about, prepping for the day's business?
Posted on 2008-06-06 at 04:37:32.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: Waiting for the 'morrow
It's gonna be fun to watch each group trump the other's "this is what happened to us" stories.
Fun from an outsider's view anyway, 2 dead and 1 possessed isn't exactly great news in-game.
Posted on 2008-06-05 at 20:50:17.
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Topic: Blatantly Obvious Lies
Subject: All about the free stuff
He had a rewards card with ACME and racked up so many points the half the stuff you got to see him use he'd actually got for free. It was a vicious spiral. He needed all the money he was saving through that rewards program to pay for all the medical bills he kept accruing.
Why is it that you always find all but one season of your favorite show when you want to buy them all on DVD?
Posted on 2008-06-05 at 20:06:51.
Edited on 2008-06-05 at 20:07:33 by Deucalion
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Topic: Corrupt a wish
Subject: presto change-o
You are now telepathic.
Unfortunately the only thoughts you can hear are those belonging to our very own Grugg. The constant desire for food drives you insane and, one day, as you pass by a Chocolate Banana stand......
I wish I had $1,000,000.
Posted on 2008-06-05 at 08:48:33.
Edited on 2008-06-05 at 08:49:20 by Deucalion
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