Castle Amber: A D&D Adventure

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 9:08 am

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Back in the Foyer, Yauntor had awoken. Thistlewhistle was overjoyed. She didn't want to leave him and dragging him around wasn't going to be much fun. She was so overjoyed that she didn't see it coming. Yauntor placed his hand over her ear and she was instantly controlled.

Yauntor and Thistlewhistle then walked out into the mirrored hallway. They arrived just in time to see the lion-headed man close the door to the Ogre Lady's room behind him. They headed straight for the large ornated double-locked door. It remained unlocked.

Yauntor and Thistlewhistle marched straight through the forest, ignoring the path. They came to a stream and followed it until they came to a bridge. They heard the goatman speak with the gruff voice. As Yauntor saw the party appear, he prepared for attack.
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As the party approached the bridge, Thistlewhistle jumped out from the bank of the stream, weapons drawn. Yauntor, began to bellow forth a spell.
Just then, a large crocodile raged forth and snapped it's jaws around Yauntor's arm. Less than a second after that, two more crocodiles attacked Yauntor, biting his head and leg. Yauntor was torn apart in an instant. The crocodiles quickly sank back into the water.

Thistlewhistle didn't know what happen. The party didn't either. One second, they're facing a bridge with possible dangers under it. A second later they witness their friend Yauntor being torn apart. No one had any time to react. And at the very same time, their friend Thistlewhistle, whom they all thought lost, was returned to them. This was a hurricane of emotions to be sure.

Thistlewhistle, Galse, and Silas stood in front of the bridge. They watched as Kalar and Lynda tried to cross.

BMR · Post by **BMR** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 9:56 am

Kalar calls out to the voice under the bridge in (what he hopes sounds like) a fearful and meek-sounding voice,

"Oh, Mr. Troll, we are not the older brothers that the previous person spoke of. Look, the person beside me is in a dress, she is as female as they come, so as you can see, we are not the older brothers. And look, the small one behind me is tiny and frail, we would not be a good meal."

Kalar then gestures back towards the path where the party left the unicorn and the strange lady.

"But tell you what, there are two creatures back there who are asleep, and very tasty-looking. I think they might be the brothers the other fellow was talking about. If you leave now, you'll be able to catch them by surprise and get a great meal out of them."

Kalar hopes that if the troll (or whatever it is) goes back there, then in the ensuing fight, at least one of the parties will be injured and the other killed. If the unicorn is slain by the troll, then Kalar hopes that they'll be able to go back and question the lady some more. She definitely knows more than she's letting on.

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:50 pm

Silas, not waiting for Kalar to finish, asks the Troll under the bridge its name.

He then gets a suspicious look on his face, and asks Thistlewhistle his name too

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:08 pm

The a large troll climbs onto the bridge in front of Kalar, with the greatest of ease. The troll seems to be interested in the idea of these others that are coming. Seemingly ignoring that for now, the Troll addresses Silas.

"My name is Grook, and this is my bridge. You want pass, you must pay toll. Your toll and the toll of your goat friends. Pay toll. Pay toll. Feed troll. Pay your toll."

Grook looks behind the party, seemingly for these two people Kalar hinted at.

"When people coming? I hunger now."

Grook readies his club, but seems to wait for an answer.

BMR · Post by **BMR** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 1:36 am

"Oh, our toll. Our older siblings did not trust us young ones with the money, so they kept it with them. It's in a box back there, and they told me that because we made you wait, they would pay three times the normal toll. If you go now, they might still be asleep, and you can eat them. They are much bigger and tastier than we are."

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 1:44 am

"GO? I not go. You pay toll. Which one of you shall I gobble up?"
The Troll looks at Galse with hunger in his eyes.

Gizmog · Post by **Gizmog** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 6:22 am

Galse has seen that look before, at campsites all over this great nation of ours. Galse also has no interest in being a hot dog or a s'more. Seeing as how the real diplomats of the party have failed, he positions himself a little closer to the edge of the bridge and puts on his most intellectual tough guy squint.

"Grook, big buddy. This little bookworm told me somethin' once, I didn't understand what he was talkin about. He says to me, "If you give a man a fish, he's fed for a whole day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll never be hungry again." He'll pause, and pull out the fishiest looking food he's got, hopefully some salted haddock rations or something that actually is fish. "I can give you this fish and you won't be hungry for an entire day. That's a long time, and you should think it over..." he looks conspiratorially at the water for effect..

"But if you don't want this fish, at least let me teach you somethin' that'd sure come in handy on a nice bridge like this. Lemme teach you about noodling. A man who can noodle won't ever go hungry, so long as there's some water around. Looks like you got plenty of that. And nothing but spare time too. Hell, with fists as big as yours, you could noodle up a whole mess of fish in no time, maybe even have enough to share. Charge people a toll to cross the bridge and then charge 'em again for the fish dinner you give 'em, plus gratuity!"

"Then again, this fish is startin to look pretty good." Galse says, shifting into a lie. "I can't remember the last time I ate, and I sure would like to go a whooooole day without havin to hassle with any snacks or breakfasts and suppers. Maybe I was dumb to offer to give this fish away.." he'll try to keep an eye on the ogre while also looking at the fish hungrily.

BMR · Post by **BMR** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 6:27 am

Kalar likes where Galse is going with this (particularly because his own ploy seems to have failed miserably) so he surrenders the floor to the cook.

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 6:38 am

"Give Grook Fish!" Grook snatches the fish out of Galse's hand. Grook clumps back under the bridge and begins eating the fish in a very loud way.

marionline · Post by **marionline** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 8:04 am

The little gnome just stands on his spot and stares at the reddish spot in water where Yauntor was eaten by aligators, not reacting to Silas question.

He's wearing leather armor above his oldfashioned green-greyish colored clothes, dark grey trousers with blueish spots on his knees, travels boots, and little brown hat that failes to cover his large, lightly soptted ears. In one of his shaking hands he hold something like a pen.
Moving his ears slowy he mutters to himself: "I was so happy when he woke up... and now? Oh such a horrible thing...such a horrible death, horrible fate.." He shakes his head and makes a sorry face.

Suddenly the gnome lookes around slowly, an confused expression growing on his face.
He lookes up to Silas, bows a bit.
"Greetings," he says. "Did you say something, 'cause if you did I didn't hear it... was lost in thoughts, you understand, don't you? Such a horrible death..." while talking propably more to himself than Slias, he starts to search his backpack andtakes out an ink bottle. Next he takes some paper out of the paper case in his hands and starts writing hastely in nicely places letters.

Looking at Silas more couriously. "Ah! Ehm ... By the way, my name is Thistlewistle. May I ask your name?" He bows politely but his attention shifts towards the people and the troll.

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 12:54 pm

"Silas",

Silas replies, seeming a little disappointed at the possibility that Thistlewhistle might be himself, and not somebody else.

He then moves to cross the bridge before the Troll finishes eating

BMR · Post by **BMR** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 1:16 pm

Kalar makes no move to stop him.

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 4:45 pm

Silas crossed the bridge without the troll noticing.
Kalar, satisfied that Silas has proven the bridge safe, quickly follows. The rest of the party does the same. In no time, the party crosses the bridge and marches on.

It wasn't long before they were out of sight of the bridge. The party comes upon what seems to be the center of the indoor forest. In the center stands a circular pool of water. Several copper pieces can be seen in the pool, underneath a light layer of floating leaves. The pool is fed by the stream. In the middle of the pool is a fountain. The fountain is shaped like three interlinked gargoyles. The gargoyles spray water from their mouths. Embedded at the base of the trio of statues, you see the lid of a metal chest. The lid is padlocked.

Master K · Post by **Master K** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 5:26 am

"Hm." Lynda says. "There are coins at the bottom of this thing. I wonder..."

She takes out a gold piece, and tosses it into the fountain.
"I wish I had a way to open that metal chest." She thought to herself, referring to the chest at the base of the gargoyles.

BMR · Post by **BMR** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 5:40 am

Kalar is cautious, as he's concerned about the gargoyle statues. He's heard stories about them coming alive, and having skin as hard as stone, definitely not something he'd want to encounter.

Then again, if these were indeed the type that came alive, he doubted if they would have water coming from their mouths in a continuous stream barring some rather strange physiological oddities in their gastric tracts.

He hands Lynda one of his javelins, "Here. Maybe you'll be able to use this to fish the chest out. Or you could use your rope and grapple to try to grab it."