The Misadventures of the Missed Adventurers

[Jack Simth]

ooc:[Narf - clever.]

Just then, the damping dust starts impacting the shield. Every time a paticle impacts, there is a brief flare up, and a small grain of sand falls to the ground. Meanwhile, the glow from the shield decreases with each impact.

Jack "Damping dust! I've read about it, but we never got past theory on it; nobody could think of a worthwhile purpose, and the counter was simple enough - wind or excess energy. The spell that makes the wind is subject to the dust, but once the air is in motion it doesn't require a spell to maintain that motion, and the dust gets carried away. Excess power overloads the dust and negates its power. Arthur, are you up to a breeze?"

[ July 22, 2003, 07:33: Message edited by: Jack Simth ]

[Krsqk]

Arthur "Hmmm. A breeze. Let's see what I can do..."

Suddenly, the air in front of the group is clogged with dirt and rocks which form a swirling funnel. The vortex sweeps down the tunnel, demolishing what's left of the shield. As the damping dust collides with the funnel, rocks and earth go flying in all directions, including several back at the party. The damping dust is carried along until the funnel impacts the tunnel wall down near the curve, with the resulting tremor dropping more dirt and stones along the tunnel. A brief rain shower helps clear the air of dust, both magical and ordinary.

Arthur "That should clear things up for a bit, although they probably have more of that dust. I hope you didn't want a drink anytime soon, Narp; I used the water in your canteen as a starter for that shower."

From around the corner, a brief greenish glow is seen as the cries of pain from the wounded soldier subside.

[ooc: Arthur does tend to take the direct path, even if it isn't the most practical one. Let's see; that probably leaves some effective damping dust along the floor, which could crop up later as (telekinetically propelled?) mud; someone has a healing spell/amulet/etc.; and we still have at least three healthy opponents. This is just getting good! ]

[ July 22, 2003, 07:46: Message edited by: Krsqk ]

[narf poit chez BOOM]

ooc:[didn't think of wind. but there is a problem: your pushing air against air, which would mean that you would have to keep putting power in it. breezes don't Last long if the fan is off. or in other words, i think there's a problem with your Posts. so my powder is still good. ok, it's my turn. but my brain is fried, so seeya tomorrow. ok,]

Narp "ok, Jack, you create one of those golems and send it after the ones in front of us. there probably going to send ones around behind us. that should at least tell us which of the other tunnels isn't a trap or if there's a hidden tunnel. D, you find us some place to teleport to. Arther, you find out where the telepath and his soldiers are. once Arther finds a likely location for the telepath, that's where we go. John, keep a watch for enemy spells. i'll keep watch."

Narp nocks an arrow and half-draws his bow.

ooc:[yeah, not much. but i couldn't think of anything else to do.]

[ July 23, 2003, 07:17: Message edited by: narf poit chez BOOM ]

[Jack Simth]

Jack constructs another golem and sends it forwards.

After stepping into the mud, a green glow can be seen where the golem steps. With each step, the golem slows. After a few steps, it crumbles to dust.

Jack "Hmm, it seems the dust in the mud is still active. Let's see, the dust is stuck on the floor, so...."

Jack forms another golem, and sends it off down the tunnel. However, this one flies a short distance above the floor, and makes it through just fine.

Jack "It's fun playing with that golem spell; almost anything can be incorporated into it, with a little work."

[ July 23, 2003, 07:21: Message edited by: Jack Simth ]

[Krsqk]

[ooc: rrrrrgh_I_did_it_again ]

[ July 23, 2003, 07:59: Message edited by: Krsqk ]

[Krsqk]

Arthur quickly checks for any signs of life.

Arthur "It seems our three friends have a few comrades around. I'd guess that there are parallel tunnels on either side of us, with a connecting tunnel running perpendicular through them." He pauses, then adds something to the spell. "In fact, it resembles a barracks, although only ten or twelve people are here right now. Jack, please verify this, but the three are running to our left, and five more are running alongside us in their general direction. There are two more farther to the left and stationary. I'm getting the delay from there, so I'd guess it's the psi and possibly a bodyguard. I can't tell exactly what, but it doesn't seem human."

[ July 23, 2003, 08:01: Message edited by: Krsqk ]

[Jack Simth]

Jack checks the life detection spell he is maintaining.

Jack "I've got the same readings. Of course, I should; it's the same spell at its core."

Sounds of battle can be heard down the hallway as the golem engages the soldiers at the end of the hall.

John "We could use some invisibility here, D"

D "Sure."

D makes the party invisible, then pulls out a small crystal ball and starts scrying.

[ July 23, 2003, 08:14: Message edited by: Jack Simth ]

[narf poit chez BOOM]

ooc:[thanks to Jack for post-extending stuff]

a few minutes, and much tension, later...

D "i have there location."

Jack "i'm teleporting now. please fasten your hands together and put your bodies in an upright position. in the case of an emergency, scream as you go down the swirling vortex. please keep your appendages inside the dimensional effect at all times. thank you and have a safe ZAP."

ZAP!

as the party teleports in, they can see a round room with no one in it. and then a loud roar come from behind them.

ooc:[i was laughing while i was doing this. i'm at the weird part of tired.]

[ August 03, 2003, 02:06: Message edited by: narf poit chez BOOM ]

[Jack Simth]

At the sound, Jack calmly turns around, and sees what looks like a giant black bug. Its four legs clatter on the ground as it moves its two jagged arms to bring a half-eaten deer carcass up to its clattering mandibles, which make short work of the deer remains. The creature's antenna wave around momentarily, then it roars again. A woman's voice can be heard:

Woman "Oh do be quiet; nobody's here. If someone was, I'd know about it."

At that, the creature stops roaring, as though the voice held power over the creature. The woman steps into view from behind the creature; she is a shapely lass, wearing a fancy blue dress and a silver tiara.

ooc:[Good thing we are invisible to both sight and Psionics, isn't it? I'm thinking a giant black preying mantis, that roars.]

ooc:[Yes, that is a wierd point of tired.]

[ July 23, 2003, 10:01: Message edited by: Jack Simth ]

[Krsqk]

[ooc: assuming the psi/pet/hallway/entrance are behind us, I am going clockwise around the room.]

Arthur decides he would rather examine the room than the roar. It appears to be a combination armory and storage room. Next to the party are two sets of heavy, oaken, free-standing shelves. One is filled with comestibles and potables, the other with large cloth sacks. A well and a pump are next to the shelves. Further around are rows of racks for swords, spears, helmets, shields, and crossbows; most are empty, although a few weapons remain. A barred door beyond the racks leads to a cell. Completing the circle is a wooden doorway; the door is ajar and appears to lead to someone's private quarters.

Arthur finally turns to look at the beast, backing up to get a little more room as he does so. His foot catches in something as he turns, and he looses his balance, crashing into the nearest shelf. It rocks wildly, sending a massive keg crashing to the floor and soaking the party. Arthur attempts to stand up amidst a rain of vegetables but slips on the floor, now slick with foaming ale. He falls against the second shelf, which creaks loudly as it tips, then stops on the verge of falling. Before anybody can breath a sigh of relief, a shelf breaks, sending the entire unit crashing toward the party. The bags in the middle are carried with the shelf, which falls out from under the two on the top. Arthur rolls out of the way, while the others quickly step back. As the shelf hits the floor, it flips forward over the sacks on the floor. The two sacks from the top shelf are just catching up, and are catapulted directly at the party. Narp manages to catch one with a large knife and the other with his shield, causing them to burst and spewing flour over the entire party.

Damping flour.

Arthur finally manages to stand up, his foot still stuck in the bucket into which he was teleported.

[ooc: YAY! Time for some real fun! ]

[ July 23, 2003, 22:42: Message edited by: Krsqk ]