A Tunnels and Trolls PBP (Play By Posting) Adventure
Chapter 8: Separated!
[[OOC]] Our illustrious GM caught me online and off guard by telling me Jax had died! Sadly, he was mistaken....
[[ICN]]
Jax awakes with a slight headache and discovers that he is profusely chained from head to toe against a stone pillar. It is pitch-dark, and his HotVision(TM) is useless through the leather hood over his head. He feels the cold steel of his sheathed scimitar pressing uncomfortably against his left leg, but his hands are hopelessly bound beyond any chance of movement. Thank Lerotra'hh, he is alive.
"Kopfy? Mike? What happened?" He hears strangely muffled groans echoing from no place in particular.
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 am"My theory is that we were attacked by a heffalump from behind while I was busy rescuing us by pressing the history eraser button. Then our unconscious bodies were chained up here by klangroos until we give them the secret of reaching the north pole.
At least all the evidence points to that." "I'm here, Jax. All chained up and can't see a thing!" Kopfy emanates darkly.
"Me TOO!!" Michael submits...
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amOr I could say this instead.
(Submit? Heck no, I'm only pinned or disqualified.)
..., along with a phalanx of shrieks from somewhere close by. But Jax really cannot tell for sure. And that stench! "MIKE!! PUT A LID ON IT!!"
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amHey, keep the noise down Jax. Someone will hear.
Kofpy, you gotta spell for this occasion?"
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amJust don't ask Taran to spell.
A sigh echoes overhead. "No, Jax, I'm spent. But I'm gonna take it outta Mike's hide if we ever get outta here."
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amBig talk from a guy chained up wearing a leather bag over his head.
"From the smell of it, we may be here for a while," Jax replies. Whoever put them here must not check the chains very often, he surmises, imagining a rotting corpse as the malodorous source.
Mike's cacophony continues again, and Jax tries to discern the topography of their prison using the magician's echos.
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amThat was my plan exactly.
The room seems large. When Mike realizes he can't breathe in the near-suffocating hood and shout at the same time, he stops.
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amNah, keep shrieking. Eventually, you pass out and start breathing again anyway, so it's really pointless to stop if that's all you have to do.
But a lingering, diffuse echo does not abate. "Hey, guys, does that sound like voices?"
The room replies vaguely, "Grannsnns gegr..gege.. gege... Greerann."
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amThis would be an appropriate place to try responding in Porker.
Is that Taran's voice vibrating through the walls? Jax briefly ponders whether it shares the same rhythm and tempo as his ever-yappy brother's yaps. Grasping at straws, he yells an ancient Dracon tribal war-cry, nearly suffocating himself with an overusage of oxygen.
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amI hope it was yelled in Porker.
"You just told me not to yell!" Mike exclaims.
"Shaddup!" yells Kopfy, "You got us in this mess by pressing that button!"
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amWah, wah, wah, eat your milk and cookies, wah, wah, wah... Everyone's out of the pit, aren't they? Some people just can't see the forest but for the trees.
Jax strains to hear an answer to his cry, but the muffled sounds continue unabated.
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amSigh, it looks like I'll have to rescue us again. I'll whistle for Jean-Clod van Darn.
581 - khara_khang - 5/11/00 11:05 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[GM]] Rumbling out of the darkness like rolling thunder, the large Rhino comes sliding to a stop just few short of Taran.
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amIt worked again. (How much does Purina Rhino Chow cost per month?)
Its large horn could have easily made an orc-ka-bob out of him. Shipy slowly pulls Lilac's light stick from its hidden location. Instantly the room is filled with light.
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 amYou mean my luster has dimmed?
Blinking a few times from blindness both of them see Lilac seated on the Rhino's head smiling.
[[Lilac]] "Hi boys! Wasn't afraid just a wee bit were u?" she giggles, fluttering her wings for effect (which sounds like a humming bird).
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 am"Hooray! Tinkerbell and Jean-Clod van Darn have arrived!"
[[GM]] With the light everyone can see Shipy's arm is wounded and he is bleeding.
593 - eickeric - 5/13/00 5:11 am"Oh, and Shippo too."
Beyond the Rhino back down the passage where the trip wire was rests the very smashed corpses of two large ogre's (and a secret door stands open on one wall). It is a very gruesome sight, and the large Rhino now has red legs (from the grape.. er, ogre smashing).
[[Shipy]] "Mother fruitier! Gezz Taran, why'd have to go and shoot me! I'm bleeding and I might even die!" Holding his arm up blood starts dripping from it steadily. "Ah Fruit-Cake... you even went and ripped my shirt again!" He grimaces in pain as only a hobbit can.
587 - eickeric - 5/13/00 3:31 am
Tarandracon said: I think we should all remember that MMM is not actually a wizard, and can't cast spells. So no more spells! (We're going to have to edit that part out in the final version!)
What?!? Does this mean I'm no longer a warrior wizard? Sigh, the finest 15 minutes of my life...
588 - eickeric - 5/13/00 3:36 am
Jax said: Glad to have you back, eickeric, and sorry if we got MMM wrong, but I sure enjoyed reading your critiques.
Hi Jax, unfortunately, I'm still away, just happened to visit a friend with a computer. I'll prolly still be offline until early June, so jimship is probably writing this now. Never trust anyone who plays a hobbit. Glad you liked the critiques. (Critiques? I thought I was whining.) I'll make some more then...
so I hope people don't mind if I occasionally put words in their character's mouth.
Words are fine. Body parts are verboten.
594 - jaxdracon - 5/13/00 11:34 pm
Ha, eickeric, you are too much, dude!
T, I propose we (=> you) put eickeric's mewlings in an appendix to the GITM saga page. They are just TOO funny to be left out!
Jax
[I did just that, sort of! -Editor]
597 - misfitsprite - 5/16/00 1:39 pm
[OOC:]
Although I LOVE your whinning, there is just one problem that I have:
You left your Rhino and ran down the stairs and I went and got him so he's mine and I get to name him. None of this Jean-Clod van Darn stuff anymore. His name is Vortex <I thought of that name all by myself :)> and it was cleared by our wonderful GM <may he live forever>.
Another thing is tinkerbell!!! Geesh, cann't you ever get a girl's name right??? That's three and I want you to forget them all otherwise you'll get hit by some faerie dust and you won't like that!!!
598 - misfitsprite - 5/16/00 1:54 pm
[ICN:]
Giggling at the sight of a scared hobby and an orc,
I fondly pat my rhino's neck.
"This is Vortex, fellas. I hit him with a touch of faerie dust (that's my one time use for the week). He's my friend now. Sweet, ain't he?" I ask as I admire my new pet.
Noticing hobbys bloody arm, I take a short breath and whistle between my teeth (as only a sprite can do). "Wow, thats not a pretty sight hobby. What'd you go and hurt youreslf on this time? Geesh, we really can't take you anywhere now can we?" Mutters under breath "Hobbits."
I fly up in the air and hover in front of hobbys arm looking at the damage. Gently poking and prodding, I address him, "Just a flesh wound, it's not deep but grazed your skin enough to get it bleeding nicely."
I reach into my pouch and pull out a needle and thread. Threading the needle I mutter under my breath. A few words such as "trouble maker, can't behave, make my life harder, giving me gray hair" can be heard occasionaly.
Looking up at hobby, I say "You're not gonna like me in a moment ya know but that's ok, I will forgive you." I say with a smile playing on my lips and my eyes as big as saucers.
599 - khara_khang - 5/16/00 2:42 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[OOC- For those of you who have not been paying attention. The G-Mist group has found their way deep into the bowels of the sewer (hehehe), and after some investigating by Michael of the Midnight Magicks he pushed a button (yes, he did). Upon doing so it magically divided the party in half. Right now Kopfy, Michael of the Midnight Magicks, and Jax are trapped (somewhere), hooded and log-chained to stone pillars. Not as happy as they could be.
The other half of the group; Lilac, Taran, Shipy, and Vortex (the newly joined Rhino, created by Michael's wand) are in a room trying to decide what they should do next. A trip wire set off by Vortex opened a secret door (near two smashed ogre’s, Vortex’s doing), giving them a new and possible alternate route. When (Lilac, Taran, Shipy, and Vortex) decide what to do next, then our game will continue. End of news update.]
600 - hobbit_king - 5/16/00 2:56 pm
[Shipy] Looking up at Vortex. "Large and nasty, kinda' reminds me of an orc, no offense Taran," I say through gritted teeth as my life blood drips away (even if it is just a flesh wound, I'm playing it for all its worth).
[Lilac] I fly up in the air and hover in front of hobby's arm looking at the damage. Gently poking and prodding, I address him, "Just a flesh wound, it's not deep but grazed your skin enough to get it bleeding nicely."
"Don't do that sprite, stop it! I have a low tolerance for pain. I could faint you know, and it would be your fault!" I furrow my eyebrows as only a hobbit can.
[Lilac] I reach into my pouch and pull out a needle and thread. Threading the needle I mutter under my breath. A few words such as "trouble maker, can't behave, make my life harder, giving me gray hair" can be heard occasionaly.Looking up at hobby, I say "Your not gonna like me in a moment ya know but that's ok, I will forgive you." I say with a smile playing on my lips and my eyes as big as saucers.
"You're always sweet talking me Lilac. Great! You're gona' sew up my ripped shirt. Bout time."
601 - misfitsprite - 5/16/00 3:07 pm
[OOC:] I like how map beautiful map keeps getting updated. It really is a nice piece of work. Maybe I am in the wrong line of buisness. Should I becaome a map maker instead? Wait, nope, can't do that.. who would keep an eye on hobby then? Everyone know he can't stay out of trouble but then again I could have a never ending supply of sun-dried lizards. (Ponders what to do.. what to do...)
[ICN:] Sewing hobby's arm up, I use the extra thread to patch to hole closed in his silk shirt so we don't have to listen to him complain all the time. Returning the thread and needle back to my pouch hobby complains yet again:
"You know, there are two professions you should stay out of: the doctor buisness and tailors. For such a delicate being, you don't have a soft hand."
I glare at hobby and retort, "Next time do it yourself then you ungrateful runt!"
Taran tries to muffle his laughter and fails horridly.
"So," looking around, "Where did everyone else go? I saw a bright flash in the tunnel when we were heading over to ya guys but now the tunnel is empty," I state.
602 - hobbit_king - 5/16/00 3:48 pm
[Shipy] "Thanks Lilac, I think you sewed my shirt to my arm." grimacing in pain. "As party leader I think we should see where the secret door leads... yah think?"
I eye newly sewn shirt and smile, but then grimace again in pain.
603 - misfitsprite - 5/16/00 3:54 pm
"I am game! But you think it is ok to leave the rest of them back there? They might be having fun without us ya know." I say outloud to no one certain.
Then my gaze falls on Vortex. "Ok, Vortex, lets' go see where that door you uncovered leads to, shall we?" I gently land on his back on point in the direction of the secret door, "CHARGE!" I yell and then fall into gigles, "Hey, that was fun to say!" I exclaim.
604 - hobbit_king - 5/16/00 8:25 pm
[Shipy] "I guess we should send Taran down to check on them. Taran, you're not saying much? Why is that."
[Shipy, Lilac, or Taran doesn't know the other three have disappeared (i.e. captured).]
Vortex will make a great trap detector I think to myself, smiling as only a hobbit can.
605 - hobbit_king - 5/17/00 8:35 am
[Shipy] Since Taran doesn't seem to want to go, I head down the stairs to warn the others. Entering the small room at the bottom of the stairs I find no one. Thinking about my personal safety, I race back up the stairs to tell Lilac and Taran what I have discovered.
608 - tarandracon - 5/17/00 12:38 pm
[[Taran]] "What do you mean they just disappeared?" Taran inquisits to the hobbit upon his return from down the stairs. Taran, in disbelief, approaches the stairwell and looks down it. "Nothing on HotVision(TM)," he thinks to himself. "Ah Jax, what have you gotten yourself into this time!"
"Well, we best find out what happened. I think we should abandon exploration until we figure out where our fellows went."
[[Shipy]] "Maybe they pushed the button. I bet they pushed the button."
[[Lilac]] Not paying attention fully due to her playing with the rhino, the fairy chimes in, "Button? Yeah, I could sew it back on, did it fall off?"
[[Taran]] Sighing, Taran returns to the scene of the crime, so to speak, and examines the writing on the wall and its associated button.
[[OOC]] Does it look like the button has been depressed? Any clawing, magical residue that Lilac could detect? Any secret doors Shipy finds? Any clues at all?
609 - khara_khang - 5/17/00 1:25 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[OOC- See post 575 Taran, some of it is show below.]
[[Taran]] On his way up the stairs, Taran spies some writing on the wall. He tries to read the writing, but it looks odd.[[Shipy]] "Hey, that writing is upside down!" says the hairy short one, noticing the writing, too. With that, Taran scans the stairwell up, and seeing nothing, puts down his crossbow and picks up the hobbit by the leg with one arm. With the other arm, torch in hand, he illuminates the wall. Shipy protests, but soon realizes his unique vantage point. Hanging upside down, he reads aloud: "Push here to open, push here to close, and if you keep pushing it you're going to break something."
[[Taran]] "I don't guess," Taran offers as he puts the hobbit down right side up, "it says what it will be opening." Taran scratches his head (insert L1SR on Int made!) "But I guess it should open something up at the bottom of the stairs!"
[[Shipy]] "Could be," I say, trying to shake off the dizzyness.
[[Taran]] "Well, let's inform the troops. But first, let's check on that rhino. Haven't seen one in years!"
[Shipy] After a thorough searching he finds nothing, no secret door, no clues!
610 - tarandracon - 5/17/00 1:51 pm
[[Taran]] After a walk down memory lane, and with no new clues unturned by Shipy, Taran offers his plan: "Ok gang. If we assume something did indeed open up as the writing says, then maybe our partners fell to their doom. So I volunteer our brave, beautiful companion who can overcome the pull of gravity indefinitely to push the button and we'll see what opens up."
[[Shipy]] "Hey, thanks for the compliment, Taran," the hobbit gleefully responds. "But, even though I'm beautiful, I can't fly."
[[Lilac]] "I think he was talking about me," Lilac giggles. "And Taran, flattery will definitely get you... everywhere." She bats her eyes as only a fairy can do.
[[Taran]] "Yup. Shipy and I will watch your pet rhino up top, while you flutter down and press the button. Assuming something does open up, you just continue hovering and we'll see where it leads." He raises his eyebrows in question. "Whattaya think, Lilac?"
611 - hobbit_king - 5/17/00 3:31 pm
[[Shipy]] "Ya think we might be better off checking the secret door. Mayhaps it leads where they went? Just a hobbits opinion of course. If that button zaps Lilac what's to keep Vortex from making grape juice out of us?" I eyeball Taran for a answer.
613 - misfitsprite - 5/18/00 1:48 pm
Petting Vortex lovingly, I look at Taran. "You know, shorty there may have a good point. Guess that's why we made him party leader." I smile sweetly. "Besides, I don't want Vortex here to think I just up and left him now that we became friends, huh Vortexy?" As I stratch his left ear.
614 - tarandracon - 5/18/00 2:50 pm
[[Taran]] Abandoning his suggestion quickly so as to expedite the relocation of his brother and the rest of thier team, Taran brainstorms for a new idea. "How about I jury-rig one of my missiles such that it has a flat front, then fire it at the button? With its autoseek enchantment, it's an almost sure hit. Maybe we can produce the same effect as someone standing there pushing it up close and personal?"
He retrieves one of his enchanted bolts and tries to think of something he could tie to it to produce a flat enough surface to depress the button without stabbing into it.
"Whattaya think about that, mates?"
615 - khara_khang - 5/18/00 3:21 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[GM]] (Taran is thinking to himself)... Ah, why don't I tie some of Shipy's leftover bandages around the end of my crossbow bolt. Since the bolts never miss anyway it might just work. After a few minutes of preparation Taran takes aim and fires his crossbow with the fist-sized cloth wrapped around the end of it.
The crossbow bolt expertly hits the button and a bright flash of light fills the stairs and room below for just a second. You see no door open or any other clues. The bolt is gone.... (gasp!)
[[[[Mean while somewhere else.... not too distant.]]]]
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Shrieks, then pauses to catch his breath and shrieks some more for good measure.
[[Jax]] "I think I'm getting a headache!" Jax mutters under his hood.
[[Kopfy]] "Think of this as a vacation, with someone standing next to you screaming," says the ever wise cracking ork-sage-wizard. All of his magical power having now returned.
616 - misfitsprite - 5/18/00 3:37 pm
The crossbow bolt expertly hits the button and a bright flash of light fills the stairs and room below for just a second. You see no door open or any other clues. The bolt is gone.... (gasp!)
I stare in amazment as the bolt disappears in mid-air. Flying to the the top of the stairs, I examine the stairwell, the wall, and the button without going inside the hallway.
"Wowsers. That was pretty amzaing Taran. There has to be some kind of spell to transport anything or anyone which touches it to another location. Whoever did this is VERY powerful."
I tap my finger against my lip as I ponder the situation. "We don't know where this will take us and whether it is a trap or a secret entrance of some sort." Turning to face Taran and hobby, "I would take the trap door Vortex found. Maybe it is another way to get to wherever that button took Jax, Kopfy, and Mike. However, the trap door may be a trap and the buttom the right way to go."
Looking between both of them, I shrug my little shoulders. "Either of you have coin to flip?"
617 - tarandracon - 5/18/00 6:10 pm
[[Taran]] "If the flash of light transports us to hostile territory, at least it would transport us to our friends--assuming they are still on the other end of the transport, and assuming the transporter always goes to the same place.
"However, Lilac, as you suggest, it may be a trap, in which case we might get trapped, with or without our friends."
The orc sadly sides with caution, and suggests, "I suppose it would be prudent to at least check out the passage your rhino uncovered before we proceed to tunnels located not even Arahk knows where."
[[Shipy]] "Maybe we could ask the water weerd guy if it knows where they went? After all, he pointed us down this passage, so it must know the area alright."
[[Lilac]] "Unless it lied to us."
[[Taran]] "We can't be sure of anything. Which I suppose is the key to our decision--we can't be sure what will happen if we ourselves trigger the button-trap. So let's stick to traditional delving and check out passageways we can at least see. Jax and the rest are probably taking care of themselves just fine."
--
[[OOC]] Did the crossbow bolt klunk anybody in the face on the other end? I hope not.