<font color=indianred>Brendon Grey 59/70

Brendon was trying to listen in on the conversation with the gnomes, but they were speaking in their own dialect, and so he decided to patiently wait for them to finish, so translation would then be offered. While he was waiting, Brendon began looking around the room. It appeared to be a very old cavern, if the size of the stalagmites were considered truthful clues. Over in one corner, he noticed a cloth or old shirt that had been thrown over there. Taking out his sword, he wrapped the blade with the rag, dug through his items until he found a few remaining ounces of lamp oil, and poured this on the rag. Walking over to where a smoldering dead creature was...Brendon ignited the rag with the embers found on the dead thing's body. That gave a considerably better light now to the cavern.
Walking around, Brendon was noticing many tracks where everyone had been running around and fighting. He walked closer to the body of the dragon, where not so many people besides himself and two Grimlocks had ventured, as far as he could remember. On his way over, he saw Dantes examining the dragon's head.

</font>

OOC>>>Cyril, I had originally posted alot more than this, explaining more of what I was seeing, but then remembered that you are the one that has to tell me what I am seeing. It would be more fair, right?

"Adalon, I remember that name. Well met, I am Dantes. I don't know if we are in position to be your protector, but we will certainly try to help you. I think your cause is very near to our own. But first allow me to help out your companion." Dantes removed a potion from his belt and bent down and pumped it down the gnome's throat. Almost instantly the wounds close up upon themself and color returns to the gnome's face. His labored breathing comes easier, deeper, and more regular. The gnome is still unconscious, but looks a lot better. Dantes points his gaze fixedly at the gome "I can not say the fall of the drow city is bad news, but what creatures would be capable of doing such a thing. Do you know of the creatures that did battle with the dark elves and this poor dragon."

OOC: I used one of my extra healing potions on the gnome.

<font color=silver>ooc: <font color=indianred>Larry</font> - PMed you the details of what Brendon should be able to find with his tracking skills. I also included a description of what is to be seen where the dragon's treasure was located.</font>

<font color=indianred>Brendon Grey 59/70</font>

Using ranger abilities and being guided by Cyril's PM to me...

<font color=indianred>Brendon surveyed the area. The ground near the dragon was too stirred up to make anything out. He then remembered that before they had enlisted into battle, the grimlocks had been running around the dragon, ripping the meat of of her. Looking up at the dragon, using the make-shift torch he held, Brendon could see several weapon blows to the beast's scales, and were powerful blows at that. It appeared that the poor thing had been beaten to death by huge boulders or clubs. The amount of blows covering her body were not to be determined for all the hide that had already been scavenged. Turning from the carnage, Brendon began to look around a little more, and found a small area of strange goo. Dantes had just been there, gathering the egg shells. Therefore, the goo was dragon embryos...obviously. Near one of the patches of goo was a bloody indention. Brendon looked at this a bit closer. It was a boot-shaped crevice. Larger than any man's. Turning now to the apparently empty room that had once held a dragon's horde, Brendon entered in and looked about. Under the upturned dust and rock from the destruction to the walls, Brendon could find various little gems and coins that had been left behind because they were well hidden in the pollution of the room. Some of the cois looked very old and he could not identlify their origin. His gaze fell upon a particular diamond that was exceptionally beautiful, and well crafted. For a brief moment, Brendon could only stare at that gem, until it appeared that it had been hours since he'd taken a breath! Quickly scooping it up, he placed it inside one of his pockets. Then he continued surveying the area, upturning more valuables. Thinking, he grabbed for his backpack and pulled out his blanket, the filled it with everything he could find. The items that he left behind in the dirt were some very exquisite ivory pieces, broken to uselessness and also some gems that had been crushed to powder by heavy weight applied to them. Again, another boot-print was discovered.
After he loaded his blanket up with the good gems and coins, Brendon turned his attention to the walls, where there were ripped out sections. The walls looked odd...like the pieces that were removed never were meant to be there in the first place. Further survey showed twin lines leading away from here. A cart? After he determined there was nothing else to learn...Brendon brought the blanket across the cave towards his friends. When he arrived to where they were...listening and talking to the gnomes...Brendon interrupted whoever was speaking at that time with the following insights...

"Guys, and lady...I have found enough treasure for each of us to partake of, having his pick of 7 pieces each! I have gathered it all here in this blanket! While you all pick and choose over the spoils...there is more I must tell you.

1. I found giant foot-prints in two different areas. I think there was a group of giants here...and they are the ones that beat the dragon to death.
2. The rock that they excavated was artificially a part of those walls. They were not born there.
3. The majority of the treasure and that rock have been hauled away by a cart, heavily loaded, by what the depth of the tread in the ground tells me." </font>

<font color=white>The Underneath of the Forums – Ust Nomatta</font>

<font color=cadetblue>Soundless are the streets and vacant the buildings here and the pomps and symbols of a proud people lie scattered and broken among the bodies of the city’s defenders. Long had they dwelt here and long were they the scourge of those other races that called this lightless realm their home. Those long years of triumph and life are now ended for a greater nightmare has arisen, one that will brook no rivals. Already the scavengers have come, those strange creatures that slither among the shadows and feast on the weak and dying and the bodies of the fallen. Long were the years of triumph and swift was the fall, swift and sudden, and soon little shall remain save soundless streets and vacant buildings to tell the tale of victories swallowed by death.</font>

<font color=lightgreen>Syrathic HP:43/74

Syrathic smiled as Ruby offered her help. "Yes, I would appreciate your help. I've been far too careless with myself, and I've been wounded because of it." He looked back at the others. "At least you came to help me with the gnomes. I don't know how well we would've managed without you, especially after I saw Brendon take that fall."

After Ruby finished with him, the Elf took a look around the cavern. The large carcass of the dragon dominated the room, and death of the majestic creature still haunted the air. Pulling out a small vial he had in the folds of his cloak, he bent down and collect what remained of the dragon's tears. It wretched his heart to see them, but he felt that he should take them.

He eventually ended up in the treasure alcove after Brendon had left. He was a thief, after all. If there was anything left in there of value, no matter how small (which would be beneficial to him anyway, since he feared his pockets wouldn't hold much), it was gone after he got through with it.

Syrathic then looked at the blanket that held the jewels. His expert eye knew which ones held the most value, but he did not take one at this time. Instead, he went over near Dantes to get a good look at the gnomes that he had helped save.</font>

<font color="99ff00"> Morguerat 85/105

"Is anyone going to take the skin from this showhound?" ,aking reference to the guaridan of the cavern the Syrathic took down before their assault.

After hearing Brendon's offer about the treasure Morguerat looked even more disgusted, "To steal the treasure of this magnificent Wyrm is an affront to all tenets of decency I have strove to uphold all my years, divide my share among you if that is what you wish, I'll have no part of it."

Morguerat then looks at the beast inspecting it and it's scales to see if enough remains intact to make armor from. thinking to himself, the majestic beast would desire to continue serving the battle for good even in death. (ooc: I'm also looking for the claws which I'll remove, as well as, as many teeth as I can remove {putting them into the deeppockets in my cloak}).

Lost within his own thoughts Morguerat absently kicks the barely conscious Grimlock as he walks past inspecting the dragon and removing parts from it.</font>

[ 01-24-2003, 10:50 AM: Message edited by: Morgeruat ]

OOC>>>Everyone...you should take your share of the treasure. There is enough to take 7 pieces of whatever you say you pick up, but Cyril will decide how much value we carry. This was his idea and his gift to us, afterall...for the battle we just endured. We may even find a place to use our currency soon. ;) Don't ignore it, or you'll regret it!

<font color=indianred>Brendon Grey 59/70

Brendon finished talking while everyone was still staring and pondering over the jewels. Seeing nobody reach for any...he started. He picked out 7 pieces of what lay on the blanket. They are as follows:

2 sapphires
2 diamonds
2 gold nuggets
1 ruby</font>

OOC>>>Cyril, you tell me how much value I have when the time is right.

<font color=white>Terrakis</font>

<font color=gray>They plead. They attempt to bargain. They invoke the wrath of their spider goddess. And it does them no good for no one will wrest their lives from the Hunger that soon shall feast upon them. Even the arrogance of the matrons has been broken and with the breaking has come the time to cast them decisively aside as the irrelevant and useless creatures they have always been. “Yes,” he says, “O yes! Call upon your Lloth, your sickening spider. She is powerless to help you.” With a swift motion of his foot he rudely kicks aside the shattered remnants of the great statue of the spider queen. He gestures to the pile of artifacts lying before his prisoners, the elite and mightiest of the drow who did not fall in battle. “These are the things with which you sought to buy your freedom? These trinkets?” He laughs and his laughter is joined by the voices of the assembled giants.

“Worthless!” he shouts and mirth gives way to malice. “Cringing cowards! You have styled yourselves the masters of this dark place for too long. You who only came here in flight driven from the sun by your surface dwelling cousins. You arrived as beaten cowards and so shall you die!” Opening his pack, he draws out a carefully wrapped stone, a diamond of enormous size within which is a writhing mist. Looking at his prisoners once more, he reads the questions in their eyes, the questions they have asked since the attack began, the questions he has left unacknowledged until now. “You, of course, would like to know why you have been destroyed. And how it was the magics of your gates were so easily breached.......” He leaves the questions hanging in the air a moment.

“The reason for your destruction you shall die not knowing. And as for the breeching of your gates,” his voice is cold as he smiles, “the answer shall be your death.”

Gazing into the stone, his eyes reach through the mist to perceive the great stone doors. “Open!” He speaks the command into the gem and the mighty arms of waiting giants swing the doors open. At the opening of the doors a ravenous grasp extends through the dark tunnels until it reaches this place near the gates of a dead city. The piled artifacts are seized and their energy consumed and in their wake follow the prisoners, life following after power into a consuming emptiness. Soon little remains save dust and the lifeless husks of drow nobility. Gazing once more into the stone, he speaks, “Close!” And in response to his words, the giants stationed near the doors swiftly swing them closed sealing the terrible power of the Hunger behind them once more.

“To think that we should command so mighty a weapon!” A fierce light gleams in his eyes. “Its reach grows with each feeding and so does our control.” With a sweeping movement of his arm he indicates the broken city. “See, my brothers,” he addresses the gathered giants, “the hour of the Giants of Shadow has indeed arrived.” His voice swells as he continues, “We are his sons! And none shall contest our claim!!!”

And as the thunder of his voice rolls into the darkness all other sounds fall silent before its defiant challenge.</font>

OOC>>>If there are any of you too weak or fearful to continue...I will understand. My thoughts are...we are not coming outta this one alive. I invite all those that cannot handle the fear to leave now. Only death awaits us ahead...

Larry
Occupation for the moment...Doomsayer.