[ We find Our Heroes only a few minutes outside of Dumathoin's Deep. They've been journeying for close to a day, now, and so their feet are prolly a little sore. ] [ But it's time to be stoic and heroic and not complain about your sore feet! Unless you want to. That's cool, too. ] [ They're here to collect the onyx headpiece to the Titan's Pick, because it's Very Important. So, here we go! ] [ Session Start! ] * Tia is still trotting along at a good pace. Her spirits haven't seemed to flag yet. Are we there yet? * Max 's feet aren't sore at all; he's been riding his Book all the way. How much longer, Kenji? Not long. You should see the city soon. * Alcinoe clanks along. If she's getting sore, she isn't giving any indication. Oh, good! I can't wait! I'm hungry. Can we have lunch? I miss pizza. [ Max's ass is sore from riding on his Book all day. So there. ] Ah'd like ta get there first, Tia. * Tia nods. "Okay! Do you think they'll have pancakes and ice cream there? I could use some pancakes and ice cream!" * WillS clanks along in his full suit of armor. It's heavy. Feet hurts. ;_; Most of the grain probably goes into beer, Tia. Beer? I've never had beer. Papa says I'm too young. Is it good? * Max shifts to his knees as he realizes he can't feel his ass anymore. x_x * Patrick nods, looking up from the map he's been studying recently. For some reason, he has yet to run into things. Maybe he's *gasp* paying more attention to where he's going than the map. Actually that'd be pretty understandable and normal. It's an abominable waste of grain. Even that liquid fire you people call whiskey is better than beer. I've never had whiskey either. Papa says I'm not allowed. I've never liked beer or whisky, myself. Though a good brandy is nice on cold evenings. * Max pushes his glasses up his nose. Your father is right to forbid the stuff. Never, ever try to do your homework after drinking any of that stuff, though. *turns a bit red with embarassment* Why? What's bad about it? I once went an entire assignment mistaking the number eight for a picture of me. Needless to say, my professor was unamused. * Tia scratches her head quizzically. "So...what does whiskey have to do with your mistaking the number eight for a picture of you?" * Patrick snerks. "It's not that bad Kenji. Just gotta drink it with the right stuff." Don't worry about it, Tia. Dwarven ale is the only way to go. * Max pushes his glasses up his nose, and coughs. "Alcohol makes you confused, and do stupid things, is all." It does? Umm...why would you drink it, then? The real question is, why not? Tastes good. Feels good sometimes Sometimes, adults need to let their brains take a few hours off. * Tia still seems a little puzzled, but she shrugs and grins. "Guess that's why Papa says I can't have it. I'm already confused all the time!" * Tia wags her tail. "Are we there yet?" Not quite. [ You come over a bend in the tunnel, and ahead you can see a great set of gates. ] Hey, look! Doors! * Tia bounces excitedly. [ The gates are set into the tunnel itself, rather than any artificial wall. They appear to be of steel. ] Do we go in there? Is that where the city is? I can't wait to have lunch! I think so. And if you want some lunch... here. *pulls a pouch out of his cloak, and offers it to Tia. It's got one meal's worth of trail rations in it, and a little pouch of water* Wow, thanks, Max! Can I have it? Enjoy. ^_^ * Istvan blinks. "Thought it was a bit further than that." *goes up to the gates, looking for a knocker of some sort* Thanks! * Tia crushes Max in a bear hug. * Alcinoe looks over at the hugging dracotaur. And the halfling. "Make sure he can breathe." Yes, we need him in one piece. * Patrick grins. * Tia blushes sheepishly and lets go quickly. "Sorry, Max..." * WillS takes a quick look at Max. "Nah. He's fine." * Max crunches. "Tia! Um, you're welcome." He inhales and makes sure his bones are intact once let go, and smiles weakly at Tia. * Tia grins at him and proceeds to wolf down the trail rations rather noisily. [ Four stout dwarves in full plate, with halberds and tower shields, are standing outside the gate. "Halt," says one of them in an especially gravely voice, "and speak, traveler. Who be ye, and what brings ye to Dumathoin's Deep?" ] * Tia hastily wipes her mouth and jumps up with her hand raised. "Hi! My name's Tia! What's yours?" [ The stoic dwarf doesn't seem to know what to make of that. ] * Tia waves madly, her face split in a big grin. Istvan, these are your people. Shh, Tia. Let Istvan talk to them. Don't want them to have to figure out who to pay attention to; it's rude. * Tia nods, suddenly solemn. "Oh, sorry. I didn't know. I'll be quiet!" * Istvan steps up, and speaks in dwarven. *"We come here at the request of Dunbar Brasstwister, to inspect the piece of the Pick of the Titans held in the vault so we can find the pick itself and get it back from the damned drow."* [ The dwarf comes *this* close to asking "How do you know about that?" Instead, he opens his mouth, closes it, and says He knocks a brief cadence on the steel gates, and they slide apart, letting you in. ] Wow, how'd he do that? Magic, Tia. Neat! *"I'm Istvan. And it's good to be back."* *motions for the others to follow him in* * Alcinoe nods to Istvan and does just that. [ The dwarves stand aside, letting you pass. Beyond the doors is another set of doors, which is also opening, and behind them a third. Behind THOSE is a large ciry made entirely of beautifully carved stone framed in metal, stretching almost from the floor of the cavern it fills to the cieling. Aside from the buildings themselves, however, and a few streetlamps and signs, the city seems bare, from what you can see. ] * Patrick follows, and stuff. * Max floats on after Istvan. He stares around at the architecture of the city as he enters, clearly enraptured. * HKenji rides in slowly, keeping to the rear again. * Alcinoe walks through, looking around. * Tia follows behind Istvan closely, almost hopping in her excitement. What a cool place! Don't you think so, Mr. Axe? * WillS follows in behind Alcinoe, looking around in curiosity. * Istvan grins slightly. "I think your Axe is going to like being here for a while, Tia." * Tia grins back. I hope so! * Patrick whistles as he glances around. * Tia beams at her greataxe. [ Citizens fill the streets; mostly dwarves, although here and there a gnome can be seen. 'Tis a bustling city, and everyone seems to have somewhere to go, right now. ] * Tia waves at passersby, occasionally shouting, "Hi!" My, my. Times like this I wish I were an artist. I.. I don't even know where to start my notes! [ A dwarf in armor comes along and spots you easily - you are rather distintive, here. He says, in accented Common, "Ye be the party with the Magyarson boy?" ] Oh, hi, Mr. Dwarf! My name's Tia! That's us. Lead the way. Uh, who's the Magyarson boy? * Max whispers to Tia, "I think he means Istvan." [ The dwarf looks at Tia. "Aye. That itis, lass. An' it's Istvan Magyarson, o'course. How can ye not knoo tha?" ] Oh! I didn't know Istvan had a last name. * Istvan frowns a bit. Magyarson is a cool name, Istvan. I like it! * Tia wags her tail. * Max chuckles, and eyes Tia's tail. He then drifts out of arm- and tail-reach of the dracotaur. * Patrick rolls his eyes. Dwarves are really cute, Mr. Axe. Did you used to be cute? [ The dwarf, who has red hair, coal-black eyes, and a nose that's been broken and never healed right, nods. "Aye. If ye'll follow me, I'll lead ye to tha vault." ] [ The dwarf twitches as being called 'cute'. ] * Patrick laughs. * Istvan turns back to Max as he follows the dwarf. "Quick question." Hm? [ The dwarf turns and walks along the road, muttering darkly as he goes along. ] * Tia grins at her axe. "Well, I think 'rugged and dwarfly' is cute, then!" * Tia continues following the dwarf. Let's assume for a sec that the drow have realized that the pick they have is incomplete, and that they're smart enough to figure out that it would be brought here for safe-keeping. Hey, Mr. Dwarf, are you friends with Isty? Postulate accepted. Continue. [ The citizens of the city spare most of you hardly a glance. Tia gets some assorted looks, tho, ranging from frightened to curious. People stay the hells out of her way. ] The drow are unlikely to come here. [ "Nay, lass, but I noo his parents, long agoo." ] * Tia has continued to wave and smile at passing folks. It is more likely that they will begin creation of a replacement, while also waiting for us to bring the original right to them. Frontal assault on a dwarven city is pretty much suicide. Is there any way they could use magic to teleport a small force in? Were they dwarves too, Mr. Dwarf? Isty's awfully big for a dwarf, though. That depends on this city's magical defenses, and whether their teleporter has a good mental image of the chamber in which it's held. Doesn't matter if it's dimensionally locked. Which it would have to be to be even remotely secure. Hence my statement about the city's magical defenses. It -is- a dwarven city; I would be surprised if such an anchoring spell were not incorporated in the very architecture of the vault. They couldn't just 'port into the vault, I know that. I'm assuming the same questions apply to whether they could use magic to watch the vault to see when or if it was opened? [ "Nay, lass, they were human, but they were dwarf-friends, sure enough." ] If they do not have a Screen spell over the vault, then they need to install one. I myself lack it from my Book, but I could jump back to the school to get someone to loan me a scroll and add it, and then put one in for them. s'worth asking about. Just have this nagging worry about opening up the vault to get a look at the onyx. They know they don't have it by now. It would, honestly, be safer with us. Except that we're going to where the Pick is. But if we gave it to a group that moved around and had all the anti- divining magic and mundane protections we could muster... * Tia wags her tail and grins at the dwarf. "Mr. Axe"--she gestures toward her weapon--"is a dwarf, and he likes your city." * Istvan rubs his neck. "I dunno. I can't think of a much safer place for it than in this city's vault." [ The dwarf gives Tia a funny look, but says only "O'course," and lets it go there. ] * Max nods, and then pushes his glasses back up his nose. "That may well be true. I'd have to know the full extent of its defenses to be certain, but I would trust dwarves to know how to build a secure vault. Most notably, I'd trust them not to let anyone, even myself - who might really be a polymorphed drow spy, for all they know - know the details of their defenses." * Tia either doesn't notice the funny look or is unfazed by it. "It's very pretty." [ After walking for about half an hour, you reach a large citadel in the middle of the city. Its walls seem to be made entirely of iron, and it is quite large. It is surrounded by a fence which seems to be more for decoration than anything, and your guide approaches the dwarves standing guard at it, one of them looking bored, the other quite cheerful. ] * Tia waves at the two guards. "Hi! I'm Tia!" [ Your guide speaks to the guards in dwarven. The guards nod and open the gate for you all. ] * Max rubs the bridge of his nose just above his glasses ruefully, and chuckles at Tia's exuberance. * Istvan follows the lead of the guide dwarf. * Tia trots along closely behind the dwarf guide. "Hey, Mr. Dwarf, do dwarves eat pizza? Or pancakes?" [ "Do we eat what or what?" ] Pizza and pancakes! * Tia grins. [ "Never heard of 'em. We eat mostly rothe', mushrooms, and whatever'll grow in the light of some of the mushrooms." ] Yum, mushrooms! I love mushrooms too! What's rothe'? [ "'S a beast, lass. Four legs, hooves, horns. Shaggy. Moss grows in its hair." ] * Max frowns a bit, thinking about something. s'been a while since I've had good rothe'. Are they cute? [ "...nay, lass." ] No? Aw. You eat that? * Max chuckles. "You might think they were, Tia." You should look them up in your monster books when we have time. * Tia wags her tail. "You think so? Are they more or less cute than goblins?" They're like bigger cows, with long hair. Smell bad. Taste good. * Tia nods thoughtfully. That, Tia, is strictly a matter of opinion. *eyes dancing with amusement* * HKenji tries valiantly not to shudder. Hey, ya eat what ya got. * Tia turns back to their guide. "Well, you might like pizza. Some pizza has mushrooms on it!" * Tia looks to Istvan. "Would rothe be good on pizza, Isty?" * Istvan tilts his head. "As good as beef. And I like beef on pizza." [ Soon you reach the citidel, and are admitted through the great double doors. The guidedwarf tasks, over his shoulder, "Ye've come a ways to get here; would ye like a meal before ye see the heart?" ] Espically if ya roast it first and put some spice with it. * Tia 's stomach gives a loud rumble. "Mmm, pizza." I'm fine, but I think the others would probably like some, thank you. * Tia suddenly jumps. "Did you say 'meal'? I love meals!" * Istvan looks at the others. "Do we need food first?" * Tia wags her tail, hard. * Alcinoe shrugs. "Ain't necessary, but it's a nice offer." Thank you, but no. We're in a bit of a hurry. [ The back of the dwarf's head bobs up and down; he must be nodding. "Aye. This way, then." ] * WillS looks slightly disappointed at the loss of a meal. * Tia droops a bit in disappointment, but she smiles anyway. "Oh, nevermind. I guess we're in a hurry. Thanks, though, Mr. Dwarf." * Tia trots along behind the guide. * Max drifts over next to Will. "Would you like some rations? It's no meal, but it's filling." * WillS shakes his head. "Nah. I have rations. Just wanted to have some real food." Ah. Sorry. I can't help with that until we camp. [ He leads you through a few straightforward hallways, and then down a flight of stairs narrow enough that Tia has to squeeze to get down them. What follows is a dizzying array of mazelike twists and turns, several times passing different sets of great double-doors that appear to be made of adamantine. The walls are of very smooth hewn stone, and the hallways are well lit. ] [ Eventually, you reach a set of double-doors unlike the others. ] [ The guidedwarf holds out a medalion he'd kept under his armor and speaks in dwarven; The doors open, apparently of their own volition. ] * Max 's eyes glow blue as he peers inside, specifically at the doors and walls. * Max rubs tears from his eyes, but resolutely squints about, muttering to himself under his breath. * Istvan looks around, then back at the others. "When dwarves build a vault, they take it very, very seriously." [ Inside the room are no less than twenty fully armed dwarven guards. In the center, on a rough stone pedestal, is a hemispherical lump of onyx, about four inches in diameter, and carved with runes in gold. ] * Max finally slams his eyes shut, and rubs them hard for a full minute before opening them, non-glowing. "Good, good. Excellent." * Istvan motions for the others to follow inside the vault, then waits for the doors to close. [ "Here it is, then," says the captain. "Tale tells that this was once the heart of the king of the earth elementals." ] I wasn't aware elementals HAD hearts. * Alcinoe looks at Max. [ Once you're all inside, the doors close behind you with a resounding thud. ] * Tia waves to all the guards before getting distracted by the onyx in the center. "Wow, shiny..." * Max drifts over to it, and floats all around it. He doesn't touch it, though. He -does- make a few notes in his Book as he does, however. What does it do, Mr. Dwarf? [ "Dunno, lass, other'n make the Pick compelte." ] * Max half-mutters, "I -really- need to get a better version of the arcane sight spell. One that will let me study artifacts without getting blind spots for hours afterwards." Well, Max? Can you use it to track the rest? * Istvan eyes the chunk of onyx, and shakes his head, muttering. "To die for that..." Hm. The most rudimentary test is all I can do now - attempting to use it with my crystal ball. But I don't know that that would work in here. *raises his voice, directing it at the dwarves* Do any of you know if the scrying protections on this room work for scrying out of it, as well as scrying in, or not? What'd you say, Isty? * Istvan translates that for the dwarves, just in case. ...actually... *peers at some of the runes, then lets his eyes glow blue for just a moment - and twists away quickly afterwards* Yes. The resonance pattern is as distinctive as I've ever seen. Oh, no need to translate, Istvan. They can understand me as well as you can. Thanks, though. What's "resonance" mean? It means magic, Tia. Ever see a bard twang a string on his lute, and have others twang on their own nearby? That's resonance. Oh, okay. * Max holds his little hands out to grasp it, but stops just short of touching it. He looks to their guide. "May I?" * Tia looks around. "I don't see any bards around, though..." [ One of the dwarves, who is carrying a staff in addition to his axe and halverd, says "The block is two-way. If has tae be." ] More secure that way, and more permanent. Yes. I'd probably do the same myself, come to think of it. But I had to ask. Sorry. ...anyway, may I? [ The captain says, "May ye take it? Aye, ye'll have tae." ] [ "Ye can do th' scryin' from the first floor of the citadel." ] * Max beams, and very carefully, almost reverently, grasps it, lifting it out of position and into his lap. "Thank you. It's a beautiful piece of work. I will take very good care of it. And it will be invaluable in finding the rest of the Pick." What're you doing with the shiny, Max? * Max drifts over to the others, already pulling out his crystal ball. "I'm going to keep this on me at all times, if that's okay. I'd appreciate at least one other person watching me with it, so nothing and nobody can take it from me." He swallows. "While I don't like doing it, I'm going to have to dimensionally anchor myself from now on, too. This means I cannot retreat. So...well, let's go scry." ^^ [ And so they went to divine the location of the Pick! Session End! ]