Mists Over the Musarde, Chapter Three

[steveflam]

Norzak looks at Jon. "Ye like yer gift, laddie? It looks well made, if I dun say so meself" he winks at Denys. Then looks at his tools. He eyes them with a practiced eye. "They look real good quality, bub, thanks."

Glancing over at BUckman he adds "Good news?"

[ewancummins]

Norzak looks at Jon. "Ye like yer gift, laddie? It looks well made, if I dun say so meself" he winks at Denys. Then looks at his tools. He eyes them with a practiced eye. "They look real good quality, bub, thanks."

Glancing over at Buckman he adds "Good news?"

Jon thanks Denys and then answers Norzak-

''Yes, it is very nice. I'll go try it on now. ''

The youth rises and exits the room, the armor bundled in his arms.


Buckman replies to Norzak's question-

''Ah yes, very good news, very good news indeed.''

[steveflam]

Once Jon leaves the room, Norzak asks a question. "Anyone notice how fast an hungry the lad is? I knows ye dint fine nuthin' with yer pals" he turns to Dorgio "But I still think 'es got sumthin' wrong with 'im. I finded a dwarf cleric might be able to check him after we's done in tha portal."

He pauses then adds "So we gonna go firs' thing in tha morning? If not I's goin' ta go to tha pub n 'ave a few pints with me dwarvish pals with the lad."

[ewancummins]

Buckman get to his feet.

''Agreed- we are wasting time. ''
Denys nods and says-

''I'm sorry but I won't be able to go with you this time, friends. ''

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio takes up the spear with a wicked grin. He steps back and takes a short jab at the air. "A fine weapon indeed, ur'Sancerre! You have my gratitude." He adjusts the sling on his back and slides it into place next to his father's shortspear.

Then Dorgio turns to Norzak. "Yes, we could be using all the help we can on this illness. But the key, I am starting to think, is with van Deicks. Jon has been ill since we stormed his brothel. If any man knows what caused Jon's illness, it will be him. And do any of us doubt van Deicks was the man in the rat mask? He'll likely be waiting for us, but we need him alive. For Jon's sake." <i>If for nothing else</i>, Dorgio thinks, choosing not to urge the dwarf on to any more cruelty than what may be…necessary.

[ewancummins]

Final preparations are made, and then the party departs for the Bastion, to explore it for the second time.

AT THE GRIM BASTION

The initial sweep of the upper levels goes smoothly. The party finds nothing of note, just rodents, mold, various old but mundane artifacts, and lots of empty rooms.

In the catacombs and sewers beneath the fortress, there's no sign of recent activity- nothing to indicate that anyone has tampared with the scene since last you were all here. The dead bodies you left behind have been gnawed on by rats, and they are beginning to stink [the cool air must have slowed decay a bit, but still, they've been laying down here for a couple of days]. The pool-portal is now just a solid disk of smooth black glassy stuff.
The initial sweep of the upper levels goes smoothly. The party finds nothing of note, just rodents, mold, various old but mundane artifacts, and lots of empty rooms.

In the catacombs and sewers beneath the fortress, there's no sign of recent activity- nothing to indicate that anyone has tampered with the scene since last you were all here. The dead bodies you left behind have been gnawed on by rats, and they are beginning to stink [the cool air must have slowed decay a bit, but still, they've been laying down here for a couple of days]. The pool-portal is now just a solid disk of smooth black glassy stuff.

[steveflam]

Norzak looks to Dorgio "Yeah 'es on me top list 'o' peoples ta dismember an put in me stew!," Norzak licks his lips and grins at Buckman. "Ay, I 'ope we git us some varmints. I bin a lil lacks in me duties in killin' deservin' peoples lately. Me blades are lonly fer idjit foes! I htinks ye know whats I mean, man."

[ewancummins]

Buckman adjusts his lantern screen, so that the device casts a narrower cone of light. He swings the lantern from right to left, and inspects various nooks and crannies around the portal room.

''Maybe we should get rid of the dead bodies- they are starting to stink pretty bad, and it could attract...vermin.''

[steveflam]

"Bah 'oo cares. On'y stinkin' rats down 'ere. They'll eat tha dead bodies bub. Asides, they's deservin' it." The dwarf sniffs under both his arms and shrugs. "I smell awful too, but ye ain' gonna toss me inna garbage or burn me is ye, mack? E'en if there's ratmen down 'ere, they'll eat the dead bodies. Dun' worry. Less' concentrate on our mission at hand, not whut isn't important, okay?"

Norzak spits on the ground and gets the key ready. "Awrighty, if noone else gots nothin' ta say, we's goin to tha other side." He removes the key from a pouch in his armor and inserts it in the portal. "Git ready, lads, off we go into tha wild blue yonder."

[ewancummins]

Norzak inserts the key into the lock mechanism and turns it. It moves easily , without so much as a squeak.

The smooth obsidian surface of the portal quivers for a moment and takes on the appearance of liquid.

[steveflam]

Norzak looks to the others and grins. Then he looks at Jon. "Awright lad, tis time ta do or die, Jon. I'm first." And with that, the dwarf hops up on the egde. He unsheathes his short sword and looking back at the others, he nods and saluting them, he jumps into the black pool, sinking until his head disappears below the surface.

[ewancummins]

Jon takes a long , shuddering breath, then leaps into the pool after Norzak.

Buckman checks his gear, mutters a barely audible curse, and crawls in after the other two. He sinks out of sight in the flash of an eye, swallowed up by the black stuff.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio considers Buckman's words, but his deliberations are interrupted when Norzak makes the leap into the pool. "We'll see to them when we return," he says, then grabs the haft of his new spear. The cold iron head glints in Buckman's lantern before Buckman himself disappears. Dorgio follows suit, and jumps into the black.

<i>Cold iron!</i> the thought leaps into his head just as he leaps into the pool. He and the other priests had pressed silver against Jon's flesh, but had they tested cold iron? Before he can think on it further, he sinks into the darkness.

[ewancummins]

[OOC new scene, for those who have jumped in the pool and ONLY for them- others jumping through will arrive on the scene as they are able to post]


The black space is literally suffocating,as well as being totally opaque. One has the sensation of falling through a thick medium, or perhaps flying through it. Just as the need to breath becomes overwhelming, and your lungs burn with fouled air, you all emerge helter skelter from the portal, falling to the earth from a short height in mid- air. None of you is badly injured.

You are sitting or standing in a smallish grassy meadow surrounded by thick, overgrown woods. It is mid morning, judging by the position of the sun. The air smells pleasant and clean, much cleaner than the city air you've all become accustomed to breathing during the last couple of months. There are no smells of garbage here, or sewers, or unwashed and sweating masses of humanity- not even the odor of horse manure. Instead, the air is redolent with the smells of late summer- wildflowers, dry leaves, and just a hint of autumnal decay. The surrounding woods are peaceful looking, and you hear no sounds but those of nature; wind in the trees, birdsong,etc. Somewhere in the near distance there may be a stream, for a noise like running water may be discerned if one listens intently.

Looking up and about, there's no sign of any black pool, portal, door, etc.

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain following the others steps through the portal and stepping to the ground beside the other party members as if he was just stepping down a stairs into a new room . Looking around he observes :" Well this is something I was not excepting in going through such a shadowy and murky entrance ." After making his statement he takes a good look around for the tracks or sign of their rat-masked enemy . Also keeping a look out for any other creatures .