In the Halls of the Mad Mage (D&D; Undermountain)

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:28 pm

"Not many elves living on the Moonshaes... most left after King Kendrick became High King and beat th' DarkWalker*." Ancient history to her people, but most likely not common knowledge elsewhere. Indeed, Kendrick had died before the Gods Walked Faerun, leaving his eldest daughter to rule, and her heirs were still High Kings to this day. "But most we see o' the elves are those comin' ta trade." Moon elves, mostly, with the rare SeaElf.

((* See "Moonshae Trilogy", if you can find it. Printed 1987-1989, "Darkwalker on Moonshae" "Black Wizards" and "DarkWell" ))

Jason_Firewalker · Post by **Jason_Firewalker** » Mon May 19, 2008 8:12 pm

A surly dwarf across the room saw the goings on at their table and sauntered over. "Therius Blackskull's the name. Never could stand Sun Elves, they think their shit don't stink and that they are all high and mighty. That one seems to be no exception to the rule. So, Undermoutain?"

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Mon May 19, 2008 8:41 pm

Jason_Firewalker wrote:A surly dwarf across the room saw the goings on at their table and sauntered over. "Therius Blackskull's the name. So, Undermountain?"

Nodding, Kergan smirked. "Undermountain. We're waiting for a few others before we go, but this should be a very interesting time. Elias here would translate 'a very interesting time' to mean 'certain doom,' but everyone has their own interpretation."

He paused for a moment. "Are you planning on coming along? Having your help would perhaps be a boon, depending on your talents."

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon May 19, 2008 8:50 pm

'Not certain doom, just near-certain doom. The probability of doom asymptotes closer and closer to certain the more time we spend in Undermountain, but which I mean it gets closer and closer to one hundred percent certainty without ever actually reaching it"

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Mon May 19, 2008 8:52 pm

"The gnome's a pessimist," Rauri said with a laugh, looking the dwarf over. "A fine weapon there, sir."

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:08 pm

"Oh come now, have you ever seen a pessimistic gnome? I actually think we have a chance at getting out alive, that makes me an optimist"

General Havoc · Post by **General Havoc** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:50 pm

"I have the sense that we may need more than one strong arm in this endeavor..."

*---------------------------------------------*

The Yawning Portal was not the sort of place Eralis would have entered by choice, but then if it were, he was fairly certain that Tyr would not have sent him here. It was not bitterness that led him to think that. One proved nothing by remaining only in places where you were comfortable, a fact that many of the brethren back in Cormyr had never understood.

Now... how to go about this?

He had never before tried to recruit anyone before, certainly not to something like this. It sounded like a situation that required a great deal of tact, ideally speaking, something he usually had no time for. He could have turned to his new associate and asked him to look for the appropriate people.

He did not.

Instead he walked straight into the room, stopping a dozen paces away from the pit, and without a word to anyone, drew his sword from its scabbard with a loud metal ring, a sound instantly recognizable to any adventurer, he assumed, and one that would certainly draw attention. He touched the tip of the sword to the floor, his holy symbol prominently displayed around his neck, marking him as a cleric of Tyr.

"My name," he said in an unvarnished Cormyran accent, deep and lined with evangelical testimony, "is Eralis Vidrian. And I am going under the mountain. I am going under the mountain, because this city is under terrible threat. Because something vile and wicked has taken residence below, and the very earth cries out for relief from its decrepitudes..."

He continued, turning his steel gaze this way and that, gauging reactions from the various people within.

"I am going under the mountain to find the source of this villany, and tear it up at the roots. I am going under the mountain to safeguard this city, and all who dwell within. I am going under the mountain to shatter this cabal, and and cleanse this corruption, and purge it with the fires of righteousness. Whatever dwells below this place, whatever caused this great upheaval, I shall eradicate its signs, unmake its doings, and cast it back into the darkness from whence it was spawned. I AM going under the mountain, to see these things done...."

He paused artfully, and waited half a moment before continuing.

"And I would know: Are there any... in this place... who will go under the mountain with me, and see them done as well?"

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:57 pm

Elias was held captive by the mini-sermon. This man had a certain charisma, pinache' and was just plain likeable. Probably because he was just as crazy as The Gnome.

"That is exactly the kind of priest we need." he said to the others before standing up on the table.

"I Elias Ebenstein, Evoker from the Heartlands will hear your call, and the call of Tyr! Let us cleanse the evil which has taken residence in undermountain, even if it leads to our certain doom!" he said in his typical somewhat high gnomey voice

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:16 pm

Kergan grinned ferally. "It would appear we've found our Cleric," he said to the others at the table.

Taking his feet, he nodded once in respect to the Cleric, looking him in the eyes. "Eralis, Cleric of Tyr, I am Kergan, Duskblade of Semberholme. I had a vision last night of something terrible happening Undermountain. I intend to see it through, alone if I must - but the more like-minded people that accompany me, the better to solve the mystery, and walk back out with many good stories to tell around taverns and campfires alike. I cannot speak for the others," he said, motioning to Elias, Rauri, and Therius, "but I would be honored by your company, good Cleric of Tyr."

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:23 pm

"I have already spoken for myself you tall bastard!" said the diminutive little curmudgeon "I swear, I get up on the table and I am still too short to be noticed, Azuth Preserve me!"

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:30 pm

Comrade Tortoise wrote:"I have already spoken for myself you tall bastard!" said the diminutive little curmudgeon "I swear, I get up on the table and I am still too short to be noticed, Azuth Preserve me!"

At this, Kergan looked back with a smirk at Elias. "Well, I wouldn't presume to speak for you. We sound nothing alike, after all."

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:34 pm

"This is true, my voice is somewhere between 'castrated choir boy' and 'big man who got kicked in the balls' " He said this mischievously raising his big bushy eyebrows.

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:41 pm

Comrade Tortoise wrote:"This is true, my voice is somewhere between 'castrated choir boy' and 'big man who got kicked in the balls' " He said this mischievously raising his big bushy eyebrows.

Kergan chuckled. "You said it Elias, not me. I'd have been more tactful, and said 'prize eunuch.'"

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:48 pm

"You might think so, but Eunichs become Eunichs as adults, which means they go through a male puberty" he did an imitation of a deep voice " 'so they still sound like this' The Castrata on the other hand..."

It was then he realized that he was still standing on the table....

"Wow I said all that out loud in a bombastic voice didnt I?"

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:50 pm

It was only through valiant effort that Kergan nodded understandingly, and with a straight face. "Yes, yes you did, Elias. And in front of a Cleric, no less."

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:52 pm

"Wow... and I have only had the one ale... So, Eralis, you have a sense of humor yes?" He blushed, and looked around sheepishly

Jason_Firewalker · Post by **Jason_Firewalker** » Mon May 19, 2008 11:48 pm

"I'll join ya, ya swaggart. Just let me finish my ale and I will be more then willing to heft my hammer for your faith, if the coin is right." Chugging down some ale he patted his hammer head and as he lay down the tankard he smiled at the Cleric of Tyr.

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Tue May 20, 2008 2:38 am

Etvar was silent during Eralis' speech and he resisted the urge to scoff and roll his eyes. The man had a flair for the dramatic, that was certain. That fire and brimstone attitude would surely win him more then a few converts in his duties to Tyr. Of course it was highly doubtful that Etvar would be one of them. And some of the patrons of this establishment looked like the only god they worshipped came in a form stamped with a seal and gold in color.

But, dispite his misgivings about Eralis or his methodology, he won some notice from the sort of people they needed. Etvar shrugged to himself and stepped up beside the cleric.
"I'm Etvar Rothsan. Well met, one and all. Looks like we have quite the group here."

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Tue May 20, 2008 5:45 am

Rauri happened to agree with Etvar's assessment of the Tyrian. While Tyr was acknowledged in the Moonshaes, Tempus was the Northmen's wargod, and over the generations more than a few of the Ffolk had called upon him.

"I'm outvoted, it seems," Rauri said, rising to her full 5'6 height and stretching catlike before she started to armor up. Metal scales were linked and sewn in rows to a heavy leather backing, making the so-called 'scalemail' both flexible and strong. "I am Rauri NicIomhair, of Gwenyth," she said, as she buckled the armor about her (someone had been quite cunning with the scales around her bodice so they would lie flat despite her curves). "Shall we be goin', now?"

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:03 am

Several bar patrons cheered and toasted the group that rose to Eralis' call. Durnan smiled from his place behind the bar. "Ah, so we've got another group wanting to go down, eh?" The big man grinned as he started to walk around the bar and towards the entry well. "Third one this morning. So, who's going?"

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:09 am

Handing a tip to the barmaid with a wink, Kergan put his greatsword in its proper place, hanging on his back, and put his cloak back on. "I'm going. I need to see my vision to its end. If that means going to the very depths of the mountain, then so be it."

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:22 am

Rauri pulled the buckler off her backpack before settling it comfortably between her shoulders, then strapped the buckler with its twisted, multilegged knotted beast firmly to her left arm. Her right hand checked to make sure her battle axe was within easy reach and easily drawn.

"Hope yer givin' us good odds, barkeep," Rauri called to Durnan, giving him a wide grin as she laid coins down for her drink. "Save us a pint or three for when we're returnin'." Boasts were probably the norm here in the Yawning Portal, but Rauri was confident in her abilities. She truly wouldn't know the full of her companions abilities until their first fight. "I'm jis' hopin' the Good Cleric's though to be havin' proper tools fer th' job," she said, throwing Eralis a wicked grin.

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:30 am

"Oh, I am going, hopefully we can rescue the groups that went before us." said the little gnome with a wicked grin

"If not, then I suppose due to the odds, a lot of you are going home only slightly richer than you were when you got here... "

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Tue May 20, 2008 1:14 pm

"I'm in," Etvar stated, stepping over with the others.

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Tue May 20, 2008 1:18 pm

Rauri looked Etvar up and down. "Good with a blade, are ye?" she asked quietly, noting the light armor and general scruffiness.

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In the Halls of the Mad Mage (D&D; Undermountain)

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