<font color=skyblue>As the wall explodes out, her widen at first at what is on the other side. As the voices begin to gibber in earnest, her mind automatically goes to the one place she should be safe. Her mind becomes still, the only thought being the view of trees swaying in a gentle breeze....

She pulls off one glove, and places her fingers against the stone in the bracer around her neck, and watches this creature intently, hoping this works.....</font>

<font color=silver>ooc: A DM who is made to generate a list of items just for browsing is a DM who is likely to release a monster that will even make the Shadow Giants, as a group, very afraid. [img]graemlins/blueblink.gif[/img] </font></font>[/QUOTE]OOC: LMAO, I take it "standard adventuring gear" I'll send you a list of what I would like to pick up when the time comes.

<font color=silver>ooc: Most standard gear is readily available here -- as long as folks are reasonable about the kind of things that would be found in an underground enclave of gnomes, I have no problem with them purchasing what they'd like and posting to that effect.

I'm also open to more unusual and even some magic items being available -- if there is interest in anything like that, however, I need to have specifics to work with as preparing lists of suitable magic without a good idea of what folks want is very labor intensive.</font>

<font color=turquoise>For Dantes</font>

<font color=thistle>Eyes have been fixed upon the group from the moment of their arrival, cautious and curious eyes that seek to gauge the character and mettle of this strange band of travelers. The eyes notice nothing of the usual swagger and bluster that comes with armed bands of surfacers. There is steel about them though, the steel of faces that have seen horrors and have managed somehow to live. Eyes turn from the group to communicate with other eyes and a cautious and curious whisper runs through the settlement – “Here among us ..... it just might be ...... yes, it must be ...... they have fought against that One whose modding extended even into the dark places.” As is the mysterious way of whispers, before Dantes has reached the place of the Clanmaster, those inside are aware of who it is that comes.

As is their custom, the guards first return his greeting with the silent steel of their appraising eyes. He is younger than they have expected, at least in the physical cast of his features. But he has those same curiously ageless eyes as so many on the board above have possessed. There is a difference in this man’s eyes, however, for these are eyes that have seen genuine hardship and terrible struggle. The guard captain steps forward and returns the visitor’s gesture of greeting with his own and, in the best upper common he can muster, speaks the words that are addressed to surfacers that are worthy of respect, “You are welcome here and although you stand in place far from the sun of your home you will find that the warmth of friendship is not lacking here.”

<font color=lime>For Morguerat</font>

Any lingering doubts as to the identity of their visitors fade once eyes meet the solemn figure of the tall man who leads the tightly bound prisoner behind him. Even though neither hostility nor anger are evident in his features and his bearing, eyes do not look long at his face for it is marked with the lines of a deep sorrow and a great loss. The whisper that has preceded Dantes to the hall of the Clanmaster picks up an echo as the one who was at one time a knight passes. “The Fallen ..... the Fallen walks with them .....”

At his approach, the guards shift their eyes from Dantes to greet him. Stepping forward the guard Captain draws his weapon in salute of this most unusual of visitors. “You are the Fallen, the Betrayer, the one whose fall preceded the fall of the One called Larry. Even in this place we have heard of your loss.” There is nothing else to say and so the Captain falls silent.

For <font color=turquoise>Dantes</font> and <font color=lime> Morguerat</font>

At a signal from the Captain, the stone doors are swung open and a well-equipped soldier escorts the visitors into the hall where the Clanmaster and his elders have just finished listening to the tale Cedrick has brought them.</font>

<font color=silver>ooc: You can assume that the niceties of greetings and introductions have been made in your posts and that the 2 of you are being given the opportunity to speak first. Despite the concern in their faces, there is also a great curiosity about the two of you that is easily visible in their eyes.</font>

Dantes 76/76
Though more used to addressing others under the heat of battle Dantes was equally well endowed with flowery diplomatic skills, having served as a court wizard at times for more than one king. Dantes, his cloak flowing around him in an almost hypnotic pattern, bowed low to the assembled group.
Addressing the group in their own tongue Dantes began, "Thank you for your gratious hospitality thus far. We seek to purchase a few supplies from your good people. We also seek to gain whatever information you are able to furnish about the menace that is plaguing the Underdark. We feel that it is in some way related to our own quest. We seek to find the means to destroy or contain an unyeilding hunger that lies in the hills above us, devouring anything that comes in its path. This hunger is insatiable and did not stop in devouring people, spells, and magic items on the surface. Its reach is ever growing, and it is reaching into the underdark. My friend Dankorona already the touch of this hunger, and he lost a good number of his fellow gnomes in teh process. Any information you might have on this could help us greatly in our task. We seek only to rid the land of this terrible hunger before it is too late." Dantes let his words weigh on the assembled gnomes as he locked eyes with the one that he presumed was their leader. Dantes gaze did not challenge the gnome directly, but there was definitely a question in it wating to be answered.

[ 02-15-2003, 12:37 PM: Message edited by: AzRaeL StoRmBlaDe ]

Dankorona felt at home immediately upon entering this town. The sites, the smells, and the atmopshere reminded him of home. Dankorona reflected on memories of his own home. It had been such a nice cozy place. This wasn't the first time the gnome questioned the path that he chose. He wasn't a warrior, or a great mage, or a good archer, or even an accomplished theif. The grimlock he had "killed", impalled itself on its own axe.
'Well, being lucky was better than being skilled', he rationalized. Though he questioned the path he had choosen, he never doubted it. He didn't know what use he would be to the party, but he was determined to do what he could. he wentover his belonging tofind that his little knife for cooking was gone, as was his money pouch. He wondered what happened to them, especially the money, but they were gone and there was nothing he could do about it. He gathered his jewels and walked over to the smith prepared to barter for a better hammer, and a new cooking knife,a s well as some other items he figured he would need.

OOC>>> :( I...er..will be letting you know specifically what I want today, then...just...don't hurt me...

<font color=lightgreen>Syrathic HP:45/74

Syrathic nodded to himself in acknowledge of Ruby's request. "Well, I'll see what I can do. I can't guarantee that I can get everything for you, but I'll try my best. I do have an extra knife on me if that'll do instead of a dagger," he thought back to her.

Kellor looked at the Elf. "You mentioned throwing knives? The Smith here has some available for trade. Although it'll take more than just that one gem to get them."

Syrathic nodded. "Let me see one first, then I'll decide if it's worth my gems." The Smith handed him one of the knives and Syrathic examined it carefully. It was well balanced and light; it felt like high quality. Looking around quickly, he saw a piece of wood sitting alone, out of the way of everyone. With a quick spin and throw, he let loose the knife, and it flew straight for the wood. Thunk! Syrathic nodded to himself as he spied the knife right in the middle, just as he aimed it. "I suppose these will do," he said to the surprised Gnomes, acting as if they were nothing special. But he was excited at the prospect of obtaining knives of this quality."How many you do you have available?"

Kellor turned and spoke to the Smith. "He says he has twenty-five of the quality of the one you just threw, including that one. He says three gems will get you all of them."

The Elf nearly dropped the gem in his hand. "Three gems! For just twenty-five knives? Unless they're magical, there's no way I'll pay that much! I'll give you this gem, no more." He held out the diamond at the gnome, whose eyes bulged slightly at the sight.

Kellor consulted with the Smith. "He says he'll settle for two gems."

Syrathic shook his head and held out the two gems. "No. One. They're not magical."

The smith looked at the gem greedily, then at the knives, thought about it for a few moments, then turned to Kellor. "He says he'll settle for just that one," Kellor translated before smiling. "He says you're a shrewd negotiator."

Syrathic smiled and nodded, then retrieved the knife he had thrown. "Thank you. Now let's go look for healing potions."</font>

ooc: I hope this looks good. I'm figuring potions will be more expensive.

edit: Typos that I caught this time.

[ 02-17-2003, 01:05 AM: Message edited by: Lord Starshadow ]

<font color=lightblue>For TAOWolf</font>

<font color=thistle>The gibbering of the mouths is as aggressive as it is incoherent, an insistent and demanding cacophony that fills the air around the woman’s ears. The woman, however, does not respond and with great effort resists the cries for attention in the lunacy that alternately screams and whispers around her. The voices grow even more demanding, varying both tone and intensity in the hope of commanding at least a little of her concentration but there is an aloofness about her mind that is both resolute and frustrating. Anger builds within the creature, an anger of a very cunning character. Let the woman resist and preserve her mind, but there other ways of attracting attention. The creature shifts, its strangely amorphous form spreading out over the stone of the cavern floor, embracing the stone with a touch that softens it. Even as it does this, a number of the mouths close a moment to gather bile which they suddenly spit into the air in front of the woman. As the bile strikes the air it bursts into a brilliant flare of light, a light bright enough to blind the unprepared.</font>

<font color=silver>ooc: You’ve managed to resist the confusion of its voice. You now need to make a successful save or blinded for 3 rounds – should you manage to protect your eyes, go ahead and attack.</font>

OOC Sorry I've been away so long, but we got more than 2 feet of snow and we've been busy playing in it.

IC:<font color="99ff00">
Morguerat 87/105

The former knight smiles briefly, although it is a pained smile, it is one he has trained himself to wear through pain, both physical and emotional, and the reminder of his pain both in addressing him as the Fallen, and the looks of mixed awe and pity inflict more pain upon him than the axe-wound the Grimlocks gave him. But he smiled, painful as it was, the loss was his to bear, and he would accept pity from no man, or woman.

“Noble gnomes,” he says looking at the guard captain, and Clanmaster, as well as the others, “I would that the news we bear was good, but I fear that the recovery of three of your men is the only good news we bear. Such news as we have and the ill portents it will bring should be heard by you first, your people should hear them as needed, or not at all. After that I have need of a rather significant favor, but now is not the time to speak of such things.”

The large man kneels down as he speaks, bowing low in a show of respect and subservience, a mannerism largely held over from his days as a paladin, serving the Order of Keldorn, like much of these boards a now largely extinct organization, but the training was ingrained in him and as such would likely remain part of him for many years.</font>

[ 02-17-2003, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: Morgeruat ]