Castle Amber: A D&D Adventure

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 4:28 pm

The skeletons all went to work. The gathering skeleton seemed rough with it's task but did manage not to break any of the glass flasks. Meanwhile, Lynda peaked into the open door to discover a small hallway with 3 doors in it.

BMR · Post by **BMR** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:13 pm

Satisfied with the work of the skeleton, Kalar takes his backpack back from Ardan II. He orders Dave to follow him, while the other two stand guard in case anything comes in from the other door.

Kalar follows Lynda, ready for anything, particularly another trap.

He takes a look at the three doors, considering which would be the best. If they took the one in the center, they could potentially be leaving themselves open to attacks from whatever's behind the other two doors. That's definitely not something that would be conducive to living any longer.

On the other hand, if they did go into either the door on the left or the right (from the point of view of facing the central door), then they might head off into a side-passage or a wing that would be less defensible than a central hallway, which the door in the middle just might lead to.

Kalar takes a closer look at the positioning of the doors... Hmm... the layout of the area would pretty much prevent anyone in the main room from seeing what was going on if they went into any of the side doors, whereas if they entered the central door, they should still be in view and the others would be ready to react once they saw something.

Well, that decides it for Kalar then.

"Lynda, do be a dear and be ready with your bow and arrow, if you would be so kind. I'd rather that we not be killed by anything through that door."

With that, Kalar orders Dave to open and walk through the central door.

*How many new flasks and stuff should I write down in Kalar's inventory? And what should I write, "assorted alchemical flasks and potions" or are there specific ones that have recognizable contents?

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:29 pm

Kalar looks through the flasks ansd things his skeleton brought him. It's all empty glassware. He looks around and notices that all the glassware is empty. He thought he had saw liquids in some of these containers but he's not sure now.

The skeleton opens the door. A large square grid has been painted on the floor in the middle of this room. The grid is five 10' x 10'squares long and wide, a total of 25 squares. A huge capital letter has been painted in the middle of each square. There is a door on the other side of the room, but to reach it you must step on several of the painted squares.

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:30 pm

Tammytharn is quite annoyed that Kalar has completely ignored him.

"Look, KALAR, I know you are evil, I don't even have to look at your aura to see that, and I know I am not going to convince you to put those poor DESECRATED corpses to proper rest, but at least STOP using them to trigger traps. I can do that easily and safely enough without zombies."

Tammytharn looks around for a loose rock or brick to levitate with her Hand Of the Mage (if she can't find one she will use an unlit candle from her pack) She levitates it near her face.

"I can use this for poking around in dark corners from a safe distance, and you can stop throwing those POOR sad cursed corpses at everything that looks like a trap or an ambush"

BMR · Post by **BMR** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:51 pm

Kalar listens to Tammytharn's rant and groans inwardly. Another one of those people.

He orders Dave forward along the middle path, hoping that it will trigger whatever traps are there so that they can see them. While Dave is doing that, he turns to Tammy and talks to her:

"Listen... Tammytharn was it? I appreciate how you feel, but think about it. These skeletons? The zombies I had before? Right now, they're objects. They're no more the people they were than you are that flesh you wear. You don't become less of you should you lose your arm, that's just a suit you wear." Kalar falls back on his knowledge of religion here, particularly the lectures and lessons he's had about the soul.

He gestures to Dave as it walks forwards. "Do you really think Dave over there has any of the soul of whoever it was in life? If you do, then you're being silly. When people die, they return to the earth, and that earth becomes crops, trees, and all sorts of things. Are you desecrating them by using what was once their mortal husks as food you've harvested from vegetables? Or as a chair taken from a tree? I don't think so. It's the same thing here, I'm using what was left behind as a tool."

His eyes narrow as he glares at Tammy. (Not that he's actually angry, he does it more for effect. He's heard people like Tammy before, and he's not one to let his emotions get the better of him. Unless spiders. Because spiders.) "You see, your problem is that you're too attached to things. You see something that looks like a person, and get all squeamish. You want to walk the high road? Fine, be my guest. But I would much rather it didn't get in the way of keeping everyone alive."

He gestures to the brick/rock that Tammy is levitating.

"That cannot fight back against things. That will not guard you while you sleep. That will not carry our stricken comrade. That, in the end, is useless. So, do please be a dear and let me keep working for the greater good of getting us out of here alive, using all of the tools at my disposal."

It's a calculated risk, potentially angering Tammy, but Kalar views it to be in his best interests to do so. Dissent in the ranks won't do much good, especially if it causes division, and that's definitely something that will diminish Kalar's long-term survival plans. Hopefully, he can quash Tammy's outburst while not being too overbearing. He doesn't want to lose a healer, after all.

Heh, this looks like it'll be even more interesting than the Kalar-Silas stuff

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:06 pm

Tammytharn is indignant

"I KNOW perfectly well that nromal zombies DON'T have SOULS anymore! And don't presume to tell ME what I BELIEVE about ANYTHING.

Those Zombies may be OBJECTS now, but those OBJECTS used to be the BODIES of PEOPLE, and wherever those souls have gone, the way you are treating those bodies is DEEPLY disrespectful to the souls of the PEOPLE they USED to be.

I know that we are in a dire situation, and I am not asking you to put them to est right this minute, but for GOODNESS SAKE, stop being so needlessly reckless with them! Look how you jabbed that javelin right into poor "Dave" there (Tammytharn briefly shudders at speaking the nickname) without even ASKING if anyone had a bit of twine or glue or wax that you could have used to affix the light GENTLY without MANGLING the poor thing any further..."

Tammy points at Lynda

"...Look at that silly girl over there, she is practically COVERED with scarves that she picked up from Rao-knows-where. Why didn't you ask her for one of those and tie a simple knot like any 10-year-old Druid-Scouts-Cadet would have known how to do?"

Tammytharn's concentration has been broken by now, and the levitated (stone/candle) is now lolling near the floor by her feet

BMR · Post by **BMR** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:23 pm

Kalar smirks at this. He chuckles and then says,

"My dear, I find it strange that you are so concerned about 'respecting' those who are long dead. I'm doing all I can with all the tools I have to keep us all alive. But you, with all your talk of disrespecting the souls of those objects don't seem to be doing all that much to help the souls and bodies of those who are here at the moment."

He points at Dave, "Twine? Scarves to tie the javelin on? Those would serve much better as bandages for the living than as needless items of comfort for the dead. Are you really, honestly telling me that I should have -sympathy- for Dave over there, while you with all your high and mighty talk haven't done a thing for Thistlewhistle over here?

"I've gotten one of my 'desecrated' objects to carry him because I refuse to leave anyone behind. I've gotten another of those 'desecrated' things guarding him, making sure that nothing hurts him while he can't defend himself. But instead of seeing if there's anything you can do for him, instead of using what we both as healers know are precious seconds and minutes seeing to his health, you, for all your fancy talk of respect, have done absolutely nothing to aid our comrade."

He glances over to where Dave is walking forward.

"Or perhaps you would like me to explain to Thistlewhistle when, if he awakes, how you thought it a better use of your time to lecture me on how to treat a pile of bones than it was to aid him in his time of need?"

Feenicks · Post by **Feenicks** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:34 pm

Rachelle ignores the argument between Tammytharn and Kalar (personally, she'll be happy as long as the undead get destroyed in the end) and looks into the north door of the corridor, in the hope that it gives a bit more insight into what "GOHEN" or "HAZAH" mean.

Switching to a different color (#115533 to be precise).

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:42 pm

Tammytharn's face reddens, whether with rage or embarrassment or both it is hard to say

"Why ARE you dragging round the poor gnome with that AWFUL undead anyway? I didn't even see him there (he is so TINY!), and if I HAD I would have objected at once! Put him down gently over there so I can tend to him!"

Tammytharn gestures towards what looks like a safe and uninteresting spot on one of the wooden tables in the room, and shakes her head scoldingly.

"I can't imagine what possessed you to drag him all about rather than STOPPING and tending to him right away, Rao-knows we don't know where we are going in this MAD place, so why must we rush about willy-nilly?"

If Kalar agrees to have Thistlewhistle put down on the table or somewhere, she will examine him, and see if she can discover anything about his state

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 7:40 pm

The skeleton crosses the tiles with nothing of note occurring.
The door to the north leads to a long corridor that turns right up ahead and out of view. This long corridor is very chilly, as if the temperature is being magically manipulated to remain cool. The north and south walls are lined with many rows of small doors. There are six rows of six 3' x 3' doors on each wall. Other than these features, the corridor is empty.

Master K · Post by **Master K** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 7:42 pm

As much as Lynda was glad to have another woman of elven descent in the group, she was also a very strongly opinionated woman. Such strong opinions aren't suitable when you need to use whatever you can to survive. And to call Lynda silly?! She didn't take to well to that...although she probably looks like some sort of gaudy pinup doll at this point. Any more jabs at her appearance, however, might end with jabs to someones lower jaw.

Lynda's pretty indifferent to the whole argument. Even though she does not like the undead, as they are ominous and unnatural, she appreciates what Kalar contributes to the group, and so far, this woman has just marched on in and is already causing problems. However, it's not in her best interest to irritate this woman beyond what she already is. Lynda sighs inwardly.

"Here, I'll take Thistlewhistle over to a table." Lynda says, hiding her irritation with a kindly tone. She goes over, takes Thistlewhistle, and gently lays him out on an uninteresting wooden table. "Hopefully you'll be able to improve his condition."

"And as for my scarves, I picked them up in a storeroom. No sense in letting perfectly fine fabric waste away, when we need all the supplies we muster." Lynda says.

Lynda then goes and peeks in to the door to the right of the new rooms entrance.

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 7:49 pm

Lynda opens the south door to find a room full of mechanical widgets. Several metal arms and legs hang from the ceiling. 4 Caldrons containing mysterious liquids sit in the middle fo the room. On some shelves sit small boxes and flasks filled with liquids. Along the wall stand 4 Warforged. They turn to look as the door opens but don't seem to notice Lynda as she's peaking. They go back to looking at the wall in front of them.

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 8:07 pm

"Yes, very lovely scarves, dear" says Tammytharn absently, and focuses on examining Thistlewhistle to see if she can learn anything about his condition (and as a nice way of avoiding further conversation with Kalar)

Master K · Post by **Master K** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 8:17 pm

Lynda carefully shuts the door, and heads back out to the main room. She hears Tammy's 'compliment'. She thinks that it was sarcasm, but will treat it as a compliment anyways.

"Everyone, be wary of the south room." Lynda announces. "It has a group of warforged in it."

BMR · Post by **BMR** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 12:11 am

Kalar watches this with amusement.

"Tammy, my dear, he is 3'5" and he was in the same room as us when I was knocked out by that black cloud. I have a very hard time believing that you managed to overlook him the way you claim you did. The truth is, my dear, you were far too focused on your indignation and anger at my actions, so much so that you let it cloud your judgment. Hardly fitting for a healer, someone who should be aware of her surroundings."

Kalar orders his two skeletons to stand guard around Thistlewhistle and Tammy, ready to attack should any hostile appear to threaten the two.

"I'll have these two stand guard around you while you focus on Thistlewhistle as you should have done in the first place. Now, do excuse me, my dear, while we see we work towards getting all of us out of here alive."

With that, he turns away from Tammytharn, the discussion over as far as he sees it.

He faces Lynda and speaks with her, "Warforged in the room to the south? That's probably not a good thing. Good work scouting that out. Hmm... Those lettered tiles over there, what do you make of them? Do you see anything unusual? I'm fairly certain there are no traps now that Dave was walked across, but then again, it might only be affected by the living."

Kalar considers this for a moment. If the area is, as he believes, not trapped, then they should be able to cross safely. However, there might be something on the other side that could pose a threat. Still... an opportunity does present itself, albeit a potentially risky one. A potentially -very- risky one at that.

"Lynda, dear, do hold onto these for me, if you would be so kind. And do please keep an eye out for anything dangerous."

He hands over his tower shield and backpack to Lynda, and then takes a few breaths to collect himself. Making sure the Tammytharn can see his "selfless" act, Kalar sprints forward and runs along the walls near the lettered tiles, completely bypassing stepping them as he crosses to the other side.

Once on the other side, he draws his war pick, ready for anything that might attack. He also orders Dave to keep a watch and to attack anything hostile that approaches.