[ We find Our Heroes waking up from their night (Or is it day? Stupid Underworld.) of rest and preparing to head back into the dungeon. Or they may already be prepared, and heading into the dungeon. Your call. ^^ ] [ Session Start! ] * Istvan finishes helping Will get his armor back on, securing the last clasp. "There. All locked in." * Ariake yawns and looks about blearily. "Aargh?" * Patrick rolls his arms and his shoulders. He grins. "Hey guys, whazzup?" * Seylin stretches. Seems she's already up. "Morning!" ^_^ * HKenji finishes oiling his katana and homes it. He's now compltely ready to reenter the dungeon. "You. Finally." * Will takes a couple of steps with the armor to test it out. "Thanks Istvan." Just helpin' Will get his armor on... takes a while, unfortunately. Me? I've been up for at least a couple hours now. You just haven't noticed. ~_^ * Alcinoe comes clanking up. She has her new sword - the ebony and gold one - at her side and seems ready to go. In her hand sits her old sword, sheathed. "Howdy. Will, ya got a minute?" * Will turns and walks towards Alcinoe. "Morning Alci. What's up?" * Alcinoe grins and holds her old sword out to him. "Was wonderin' if ya could use this. Seems ta be a little better than the one ya got now." * Will takes the sword from Alci. "Oh wow! Thanks Alci. This is definately better than my old one." * Istvan stares goofily at the ebony sword for a moment, then gathers himself and goes to finish up gathering up his stuff. * HKenji walks to the entrance of the lair and pulls his bow from his sleeve, stringing it quickly. * Seylin looks over at Kenji. "Is something wrong?" * Patrick walks over to Seylin and whispers to her. Well, not so much as whispers, but talks so softly you can't hear. * Seylin whispers/speaks sofly back. * Alcinoe nods and pats Will on the shoulder. Clang. "No problem." ...no. * Will grins. "Maybe we can find sometime to practice with our new swords later." * Ariake rubs at her eyes and gets her pack together. * Alcinoe snickers. "Sure." * Patrick smiles softly to Seylin and walks over. "Com'on guys, we got work ta do!" He's already got his armor on and that backpack too. * Istvan holsters his falchion, adjusts the quiver and shortbow attached to his haversack, hefts his war pick onto his shoulder, and stretches. "m'ready." Ah'm ready already. * Ariake stands up. "All set!" Good. * Seylin slings her haversack over her shoulder. "Ready to go!" Same as before. Seylin, scout. Alcinoe and Istvan in the front line, Patrick and Ariake in the middle, myself and Will on rear guard. You got it! * Ariake nods. 'course. ^^ * Seylin gets into position. * Patrick is already in position. * Will nods. * Istvan nods, and gets into position. "Head back to where we were before, and work from there?" I think so. * Alcinoe clanks on over. "Sounds like a plan." Yes. Okay... you remember where all the traps were, right Sey? I think they were marked too. ^^ We will not be going through the sword chamber unless no other means presents itself, however. All the ones we've found so far. Sounds like a plan... I'd rather not see what other traps're in there. Let's go? Lead the way, Seylin. * HKenji looks vaguely... discontented. * Seylin leads the way! She starts checking for traps. * Patrick follows. ^^ * Ariake follows! * Istvan follows along, keeping an eye out for that acid-bath step. * HKenji brings up the rear, bow held loosely in one hand at his side, in no way ready. [ Our Heroes proceed to the point where they'd left off; the fork in the road. One path leads into the trapped room where the sword had been; it has a path leading out, as well, but who knows what other traps are in there? The other path continues on for a ways with more unimaginative hallway. ] So, we're going away from the sword room, right? * Alcinoe looks around. Her sword's drawn at this point; she doesn't seem to have much trouble carrying it. Down the hall, yeah. Okay! * Seylin heads that way, still checking for traps. * Istvan keeps on following! "Don't like leaving something unsearched at our backs... but Kenji's right. Can't risk the traps." * Ariake nods. [ Listen checks. ] * Will walks along side of Kenji. It's kinda quiet here in the back, not much talking going on. ... Anyone else hear that? ...yes. What on earth? Hear what? Mmm? Music. I don't hear anything. * Ariake hmms. "There's nothing strange about it, other than...who's playing it?" * Will shakes his head. "Besides Alci and me clanking along? No." It's pretty crappy, really, but it's not commin' from us. Meaning... Around the corner, at least. Seylin, check it out. Patrick, advance behind her as backup. Quietly, please. Right. * Seylin pulls the hood of her cloak up and heads for the corner, intending to peek around it once she reaches it. * Alcinoe nods. * Istvan stays where he is. Stealth is not really his forte. * Patrick jumps forward and knocks his bow. He follows Seylin a bit from behind, carefully looking ahead and strafing around the corner should the requirement arise. [ Seylin peeks around the corner! She sees one hundered feet of hallway leading south, and then another turn, this one to the east. ] * Seylin pulls her head back and whispers to Patrick. * Patrick nods. * Seylin heads around the corner. * Seylin carefully walks down *that* hallway, intending on peeking around the next corner. * Patrick strafes around the hallway and walks slowly behind Seylin, looking back and forth for, ya know, stuff that's creepy. * Istvan looks back at Kenji, points around the corner, and shrugs his shoulders questioningly. Everybody else, advance slowly. * Ariake does so. "If needed, by the way, I can do stealth." * Will follows the people in front of him, trying hard not to clank so much. * Alcinoe nods. And advances, because that's what slow advancement is. * Istvan does so, advancing maybe 30 feet or so behind Seylin and Patrick. [ Around the next corner (turning from south to east), Seylin finds what looks like an unusually pale drow elf playing a stinged instrument with a curved bow. Every now and then, he pauses, scowls, says it doesn't sound right, and then starts again. ] [ He does not seem to notice the presence of Seylin and Patrick. ] * Seylin pulls back around the corner and whispers to Patrick. * Patrick peeks around the corner again, then whispers back to Seylin. * Istvan stops as Sey'n Pat start whispering, keeping his distance from them. * Alcinoe does, too. * Seylin heads back from the corner and returns to the group. She speaks softly. There's a very pale drow around the corner, trying to play some sort of intstrument. He doesn't *seem* dangerous, but... you never know. * Patrick spies behind him and nods. He keeps an eye on the drow-type person while staying hidden. * Ariake nods. * Alcinoe nods. She looks curiously to Kenji. * HKenji gives Alcinoe a quick nod. I'm gonna double-check for traps while you guys are dealing with him, okay? * Istvan nods. Sounds good. * Seylin goes to do just that! [ Seylin disappears! Effectively. ] ... why would a drow be pale? * Ariake hmms. "Very odd." Because he's a vampire, of course. * Alcinoe shrugs. "We gonna go say hi?" It doesn't matter how dark you are before becoming a vampire, you're going to be a pale shade of what you were before the... change. ... that'd do it. Second question: why is he sitting in the middle of a dungeon playing music? Because he's a fool, like most undead. Everybody advance. Keep your guard up. Okay, third question: Do we charge in and hack him to death, or try'n pump him for info first? ... hack him to undeath? Redeath? Argh. We kill him. But carefully. * Will nods. * Patrick looks back at the party as they approach him. "Where's Seylin?" Checking for traps. * Patrick nods slowly. "Okay. We got the drow over here. He's not noticed me yet, so be careful." Gotcha. * Istvan stays a coupla feet behind Patrick, waiting for his move. * Patrick brings his bow out and keeps it low, walking forward and, probably, into view of the vampire assuming there's nothing to hide behind. [ The vampire still doesn't notice. ] * Alcinoe has to wonder about that, since she clanked behind Patrick, too. ;P Alcinoe and Istvan to the fore. * Patrick blinks and shrugs, motioning the two tankier types to the front. [ The vampire notices Alci, tho. Oh yes it does. ] * Alcinoe whispers a quick prayer, then waves. "Howdy." * Istvan walks out, since they're noticed anyway, and takes position beside Alci, standing quietly and waiting to see how the situation develops. [ The vampire blinks and continues speaking in Undercommon. ] * Will waves hi too. * Istvan blinks. * Will whispers to Kenji. "What are they saying?" They're being polite to the undead, Will. * Ariake grins. [ ] * Alcinoe lets them do their undercommon talky thing. Way to be blunt, Kenji. * Istvan glances back at Kenji, then turns to the vampire and shrugs. Bluntness often saves time. Why are we talking to the undead and not killing it? * Istvan looks back. "Seeing if he wants to say something useful before he dies? ... undies? Redies? Dammit..." Stays dead, how 'bout. Too wordy. [ The undead bard shrugs. ] It ain't *that* wordy. * Alcinoe tilts her head. "What's it sayin' now?" [ ] ... seems like it's a depressed vampire spawn. Can't play its instrument anyore. Huh. Well. Tell it nothing personal, and better luck in the next life? [ ] * Will looks at the Vampire. "Wierd undead. Never seen or heard of one so...uninterested in brains." [ ] * HKenji blinsk. <... that'd be appreciated.> I'm not sure I can actually accept help from an undead abomination. It might be against my religion. * Alcinoe frowns a little. "Wait, it's offerin' ta help? * Istvan looks back at Kenji. "Think of it as interrogating him before we purge him." Yeah. Seems he kinda wants to die... und- WHATEVER... and wants to help us take someone with him. ... Why's it wanna die? 'cuz it's a spawn. Basically, any big name undead can come over and drag'em on a leash wherever they want. And he's a bard who can't play music. Huh. As long as he understands that any traps will result in great suffering before his...whatever, well... * Alcinoe huhs again and doesn't look about to slaughter the guy. She's thinking instead. [ ] What's he saying now? <... so we disable that, we disable the army.> * Istvan translates for the others. [ ] * Patrick nods. [ ] * Istvan definately translates that. [ ] [ ] * Alcinoe keeps listening, though she doesn't know what's going on. She's still frowning. [ ] * Will walks next to Alcinoe. "Do you have any Holy Water on you?" * Alcinoe nods absently. "Yeah." * Istvan translates, then turns back to the spawn. * Will nods. "Great." Well, we got some problems. If we take out the fountain, we suddenly have starving vampire spawn on our hands, instead of just vampire spawn. We're gonna need to think this over. [ ] Sounds like an oni. Oh well. It will die. *translates* All right. [ ] * Will shudders. "Disgusting creature." [ ] * Ariake cracks her knuckles. "It'll look better pasted all over the walls." [ ] * Patrick snickers. "Much better." * Istvan translates that, with emphasis on the 'lightning trap' part. * Patrick glances around a bit ancy-like. [ ] Ask 'im how he feels about his kin. [ ] * Istvan translates. "That's... not a good thing." * Ariake raises an eyebrow. "...nasty." That's disgusting. * Istvan looks back at Alci. "He's already said he hates the boss thing. I assume he's not too fond of the other spawn." * Will makes a face. "Ugh" * Alcinoe nods. "Ask 'im anyway." Would you be fond of people who keep sayin' 'brains' all the time? * Patrick grins. * Istvan shrugs, and turns back to the spawn. [ ] *translates* * Alcinoe nods again, then says in a very even tone, "Ask 'im if he wants ta be turned to the light." [ <...you kidding? The light would kill me.> ] [ ] [ ] *translates* * HKenji shrugs and takes his head. * Alcinoe starts to draw her sword, seems about to say something, then stares at Kenji. Done. * HKenji flicks the undead ichor off his blade and calmly homes it. * Ariake shrugs. "That works." ... Uh-huh. * Will is staring at Kenji too, mouth agape. [ The vampire spawn's head rolls off his shoulders. His body slumps over, and his head mouthes '' before it stops moving. ] Now, I wanna find Seylin. She's been gone a while... ... nicest undead drow we're ever likely to meet. * HKenji looks calmly at Will. "Is there a problem?" * Alcinoe slams her sword back into its sheath, then walks up to the drow and kneels, saying a prayer over his body. * Will closes his mouth. "Well, I was expecting a bit more...decent death for him I guess." It was quick. More, perhaps, than he deserved. But I am merciful. Sometimes. * Will walks over next to Alci and completes the prayer with her. * Alcinoe then stands, and in a sudden act, turns to thwap Kenji on the back of his head. * HKenji catches Alci's hand just before it connects with his head. * HKenji GLARES at Alcinoe. "Do you have a problem?" Haven't ya been payin' attention? He could've been redeemed! There is no redemption save death. * Alcinoe tries to pull her hand away. "There's *always* redemption." * HKenji lets go. He will have another chance in his next life. Hopefully he will use it more wisely. He didn't have a choice 'till now! Ah was gonna give him one! It ain't like he chose ta be born drow, chose ta be turned inta a vampire. * Patrick looks east anxiously. "You know what... I really wish Sey would get back soon." He smirks at himself. "She's usally back by now." ... while you two are debating religion... a debate that I ain't touching with a ten-foot polearm, mind you... please watch out for the lightning trap behind the vampire spawn's body>? And it is within your power to remove the taint of the undead? No, but Ah'm sure there was a way, and Ah was gonna *find* it. Ain't no shame in askin' for help. * Alcinoe glances behind the body. "An' fine." Thank you. If I'm gonna be smote by lightning, I'd damn well like to do something deserving of a smiting first. [ Session... End. ]