Start of #Sharn buffer: Wed Oct 21 21:37:13 2009 [17:01:13] [Wir, Dravago 11th, 998 Y.K.] [17:01:13] [Two days of break-neck trekking through the jungles of Xen'drik have passed, with Pardrengo setting the exhausting pace. He is headless of any complaints for a rest, and instead encourages plaintitive party members to "man up and grow a pair".] [17:01:13] [Marianysa's newest creations keep most of the party from suffering from the sweltering heat. Phanos seems to be supplying his own protection, and Pardrengo and Temper both seem to be enduring it without much trouble.] [17:01:13] [The sun is high on as the party continues its trek, unsure of exactly how long they'll be on it.] [17:01:13] [Session Start] [17:01:18] * ChanServ sets mode: +o NovaSeaker [17:01:52] * Aurora can't man up and grow a pair. She's on her way to rescue someone who can, though. :| [17:02:55] * Phanos travels in plant wolf form most of the time, seeming to thrive in the jungle heat. [17:03:29] * Mauz seems to be handling himself well enough. He's smiling as well. [17:03:30] * Johen is likely to have a pair, but is an educated gentleman and doesn't reveal them in mixed company. [17:03:48] * Temper has no need of a pair. [17:04:14] * Alt-Eisen (Rook@cpe-76-175-9-161.socal.res.rr.com) has joined #Sharn [17:05:06] * Marianysa seems tired, but has yet to complain and keeps pushing on. [17:06:10] [Up ahead, the party can see the jungle clearing a bit.] [17:06:52] Eyes forward, folks. [17:06:57] [Phanos and Aurora can make out dead leaves in the canopy ahead of them.] [17:07:18] What's with those leaves, Pardrengo? [17:08:13] *Pardrengo "We're comin up on some bettle nests. They kill the plants aroun' theer nest from feedin on roots." [17:08:51] Anything else nasty that might be here? [17:09:00] * Johen nods sagely. "Do the plants feed on them?" [17:09:32] *Pardrengo smiles, showing his sharp animalistic teeth. "Not these beetles." [17:11:01] * Marianysa raises an eyebrow. "How big are we talking?" [17:11:29] [The group is upon the clearing, marked by the ground falling away into a dead sandy silt instead of a rich soil. Ten-foot-high mounds rise throughout the clearing, ringed by dead and dying jungle trees. On the opposite side of the clearing, amogst the wall of foliage, you see another sliver of space between vines and trunks, most likely the easiest way to continue.] [17:12:00] "Oh... bout t'size of her plant-man-dog `ere." [17:12:04] yer* [17:12:14] Nice. Real damn nice. [17:12:27] Wow. [17:12:37] Are they particularly stealthy? [17:12:42] *Pardrengo doesn't even slow down, however, and blazes a trail right into the giant bettle nest. [17:13:51] * Johen laughs. "What a wonderful continent!" [17:14:05] * Marianysa groans. "That's just great. Giant bugs." [17:14:09] * Aurora follows along as quickly and carefully as she is able while staying near the back. [17:17:18] * Mauz stays close, idly scanning about and looking useful. [17:26:50] [As the group reaches the middle of the clearing, the sand beneath them begins to rumble. The tops of the mounds suddenly explode in a shower of sand as huge beetles with clacking mandibles the size of a grown man's arms appear.] [17:26:54] [Init] [17:27:27] ... well, shit. [17:31:49] * NovaSeaker changes topic to 'Init: Johen, Phanos, Aurora, Mari, Beetles, Par, Temper, Mauz' [17:31:57] [Johen's Turn] [17:32:13] * Marianysa scowls, drawing her sword. "Well, guess it'd been too quiet until now." [17:34:47] [Phano's Turn] [17:37:54] [Phanos is struck by the awful stench emanating from the bettle closest to him, most likely some sort of defensive pheremone given off by the giant bug.] [17:39:17] * Johen ducks back, flipping his book open and shouting a few strange syllables. A new mount rises from the ground, the top of it ringed with terrible teeth [17:41:20] [Aurora's Turn] [17:42:49] * Aurora focuses and prays... she unleashes a searing beam of light at a nearby beetle, but it's too fsat [17:43:26] [Mari's Turn] [17:44:26] * Phanos reacts as a primal, superior predator stepping into the lair of a creature it has no quarrel with, but dares stand in his way. He calmly swipes a paw, easily dissecting the beetle as it emerges. [17:49:12] * Marianysa dashes up the mound directly in front of her, slicing up from beneath the giant beetle. Rather than slicing through it, a deafening boom rings out and the beetle splatters. [17:49:59] [The beetles skitter down their mounds and begin to chomp their mandibles at the party, enveloping most with their awful stench.] [17:50:14] [Par's Turn] [17:50:42] * Mauz curses like a sailor as the beetles decide to have their incredibly smelly way with him. "Fucking hells!" [17:50:55] * NovaSeaker changes topic to 'Init: Johen, Phanos, Aurora, Mari, Beetles, Par, Mauz, Temper' [17:51:34] *Pardrengo swipes with his shortsword and misses. He barks out a hearty curse and grins, taking a step back and drawing his longbow. [17:51:49] [Mauz's Turn] [17:54:14] * Mauz tries to find some sort of a safe place to move, but finds nothing but more beetle chewing. His retaliatory attack misses, to boot. [17:54:36] [Johen's Turn] [17:55:09] [Temper moves to interpose himself between two of the beetles and Mauz, crushing one beneath his ogre-sized, spiked fist.] [17:57:14] [Phano's Turn] [18:01:59] * Johen chants another syllable and with a horrible noise, one of the beetles transfigures itself into a wasp, which flies away in search of prey [18:03:58] * Phanos flickers away in a sudden wind, reappearing in his still humanoid form. He holds out a skull calmly, a vapor gathering about it eye sockets, then a beam of light shooting from its birdlike brak. [18:04:58] [Suddenly the mounds that Mari and Phanos stepped on explode with violent force, revealing a tunnel down to the beetle's nest and several more ready to join the fight.] [18:05:20] [Phanos is flung off his mound and lands roughly] [18:06:16] * Marianysa lands lightly at the edge of the tunnel. "More? Bring it on." [18:07:21] Well, I guess it could be worse! [18:09:18] [The newly arrived beetles swarm on Mari and Phanos, bitting away.] [18:09:24] [Aurora's Turn] [18:09:51] * NovaSeaker changes topic to 'Init: Johen, Phanos, Aurora, Beetles 7-12, Mari, Beetle 5, Par, Mauz, Temper' [18:10:00] * NovaSeaker changes topic to 'Init: Johen, Phanos, Aurora, Beetles 7-12, Mari, Beetle 3, Par, Mauz, Temper' [18:12:26] * NovaSeaker changes topic to 'Init: Johen, Phanos, Beetles 7-12, Aurora, Mari, Beetle 3, Par, Mauz, Temper' [18:12:33] [Mari's Turn] [18:12:46] * Aurora whispers to the Silver Flame and creates a burst of holy light nearby, killing one of the large beetles and empowering her allies. [18:16:24] * Marianysa sweeps her sword in a wide arc around her. While it seems to hit nothing, a blade of invisible force slices one of the beetles neatly in two. [18:17:29] [Mauz's Turn] [18:18:05] [Pardrengo is filled with the holy light of the silver flame, which might've put him off, cause he fires an abysmal shot at a beetle.] [18:18:35] * Marianysa scowls, apparently dissatisfied at only getting a single beetle with that shot. [18:19:47] [One of the first beetles bites at Temper but finds his composite plating too hard to chew, so it skuttles toward Aurora] [18:20:25] Hey! Get away from me! [18:20:31] * Mauz takes a moment to separate himself more from the group and cuts loose with another strike... that misses the closest beetle. He nonetheless marks it for damnation, but seems... upset. [18:21:24] *Temper "I've got it, Aurora." [Temper leaps at it with both oversized fists interlocked with each other and lands, slamming his fists through the beetle's carapace, splattering bug guts everwhere.] [18:21:37] [Johen [18:21:42] [Johen's Turn] [18:23:31] * Johen continues chanting, and the mawmound continues ineffectually slurping away. [18:24:04] [Yet more beetles empty out of the nest] [18:26:17] [Phanos' Turn] [18:26:36] [The beetles skuttle faster than the party can react and get a few good bites in.] [18:26:48] * NovaSeaker changes topic to 'Init: Johen, Beetles 13-18, Phanos, Beetles 7-12, Aurora, Mari, Beetle 3, Par, Mauz, Temper' [18:26:57] * Mauz spits out yet another expletive. He's not having a good day. [18:30:22] * Phanos bursts into cherry blossom petals, the beetles skittering over and under his form. [18:33:34] [Aurora's Turn] [18:34:18] [A few beetles shift up out of one tunnel and attack the most appetizing target- Johen.] [18:34:45] [A few others try to surface but are blocked by Mari's guard, and attempt to bore their way through her.] [18:36:04] * Aurora speaks more clearly with the Silver Flame's authority. light intensifies, lending aid to allies and searing enemies [18:37:24] [Mari's Turn] [18:37:42] * Aurora can't find the range for that, so she just fires off another beam of holy light. Which misses [18:37:51] * Aurora backs off a bit from the bugs, though [18:39:54] * NovaSeaker changes topic to 'Init: Johen, Beetles 13-18, Phanos, Beetles 7-12, Aurora, Mari, Par, Mauz, Temper' [18:42:00] [Mauz's Turn] [18:42:29] *Pardrengo tries to get out of the thick of the fight but can't, taking a bite on his thigh as he tries to line up a shot, fouling his aim.] [18:47:14] * Mauz calml steps back... then points out and SNARLS at the mass of bugs in what is most definitely Deep Speech. There is a sudden, deafending flash and a crackle of thunder. The air proceeds to reek of ozone and things best left uncontemplated. [18:47:23] [Johen's Turn] [18:47:44] * Temper moves forth, punching through the hard shell of another beetle.] [18:54:21] * Johen flips frantically through his spellbook, and the beetles metamorphose into slightly different beetles, which are still just as intent on eating us [18:55:07] * One begins vibrating after the transformation, though, and shortly explodes into a shower of smaller beetles. [18:55:33] * Johen scratches his chin. "Good enough, I suppose." [18:56:50] * THe smaller beetles that exploded out of that one begin consuming two of the others, hollowing out their carpacaes. [18:56:57] * Marianysa swipes at the beetles. "Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" [18:57:04] [Phanos's Turn] [18:57:11] This is the most disgusting fight. [18:58:07] Don't be alarmed! Magic beetles devouring other beetles alive is a perfectly natural phenominon [18:59:07] * One of the hollowed out carapaces explodes into a raindbow of sea shells. [18:59:29] What about that?! [18:59:53] * Phanos reforms behind the swarm attacking Mauz, swiping bladed claws at it, stumbling on the masses a bit. [19:00:37] Thanks for trying, but the shit dragging me down seems to be contagious! [19:01:05] [One of the few remaining beetles screes agonizingly as a swarm of smaller beetles bursts from its compound eye.] [19:01:09] "Weyaintlookingudnedahmon." [19:01:22] [Another beetle clamps down on Johen's leg.] [19:02:10] [Aurora's Turn] [19:02:11] * Marianysa vanishes, appearing beside Johen and spearing the beetle on his leg with her sword. "We're going to have words about this later." [19:02:57] [Mari's Turn] [19:03:06] * Aurora points at the remaining beetle, firiing off another lance of holy energy, but ends up just scorching the earth [19:04:17] [Mauz's Turn] [19:05:51] * Marianysa dashes after the remaining beetle and takes a swing at it, but misses, hitting only dirt. The impact is still deafening and kicks up a huge dust cloud, but doesn't accomplish anything else. [19:06:49] [Mari fights back a gag at rushing toward another cloud of disgusting pheremones, after just getting a breath of fresh air.] [19:08:03] * Mauz sneers at the bug, then winds his hand back for one hell of a darkness-fueled backhand. His hand... glances off of the thing's shell, and he spins doofily from the followthrough, almost falling on his ass. [19:08:08] ... FFFFFFFFFFFFFUCK! [19:09:09] [Johen's Turn] [19:10:10] [Temper speeds across the sand faster than you'd think someone of his size and girth should. But his huge fist still swings just a bit too slowly to catch the beetle.] [19:11:06] * Johen chans and directs his maw across the battlefield, and it collapses into the ground and boils up next to a beetle. However, its desperate fanging at the beetle is to no avail [19:13:37] * Marianysa vanishes once more and appears behind the beetle, skewering it and pinning it to the ground with her sword. She lets out a heavy sigh. "That the last of 'em?" [19:14:09] *Pardrengo laughs. "Last of em? Naw. These nests house thousands." [19:14:25] Can't we leave early? [19:14:27] *Pardrengo turns and crosses the clearing at his usual pace. [19:14:33] * Aurora follows Pardrengo [19:14:55] So... uh... how'd we do? Compared to other guys you guide through this place. [19:15:15] * Marianysa pulls her sword out and stomps after Par. [19:15:19] * Mauz proceeds to just spit and limp along. He's got his pride at least. Flesh and bone heal. Eventually, anyway. [19:15:36] I am going to get embarrasingly drunk tonight. [19:15:36] *Pardrengo smirks. "Fair n'uff." [19:16:05] *Temper goes over to Mauz and lifts him up. [19:16:20] *Temper carries Mauz on his back out of the clearing. [19:16:50] ... okay, I'll just get drunk, then. I'm already embarrased now. [19:16:52] * Marianysa shoots Johen a dirty look as she goes but says nothing for the moment. [19:17:36] Everyone okay? [19:17:52] *Temper "Mauz appears injured." [19:19:25] * Johen follows after Pardrengo, ignoring Mari's dirty look [19:19:48] I'm glorious! Just fucking dandy! Can we please be elsewhere?! [19:21:28] *Pardrengo retrieves his machete before leaving the clearing, which he uses to hack vines away from the path he's blazing for the party. [19:22:00] *Temper "One can never truly be elsewhere. Because when you go elsewhere, then you're there, not elsewhere." [19:22:18] * Phanos shifts back into plantwolf form, sniffing the air, the looking to the rest of the party. [19:22:25] * Mauz makes a sound like he's choking, just for a second. "... shutting up now." [19:24:09] Need me to try to take care of your injuries, Mauz? [19:25:08] [The group hacks its way through more jungle vines and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of pursuit. The stench of the beetle's ichor wears off quickly, soon replaced by the less pungent but still odiferous sickly-sweet scent of the jungle.] [19:25:17] Would be nice. I think my arms are going numb. [19:27:36] * Phanos lookd to Pardrengo. "You know any shortcuts, we can make bridges, make sheltah too." [19:28:16] "Make lift." He moves a hand up. "Like in Sharn." [19:28:31] * Aurora applies healing to the group as necessary, focusing on Mauz. [19:29:08] "Shelter?! You gonna let a little scrape like that slow you down? Pfft!" [19:29:29] "We an' I tellin you you can be takin' harder path, mon." [19:29:39] * Phanos grins, puffing calmly on his pipe. [19:30:07] *Pardrengo laughs. "Son, ALL the paths are harder paths in Xen'drik." [19:30:50] * Mauz seems to be in better shape physically, but he's still looking irritable. At least he's opting to walk on his own again. [19:31:12] *Temper lets him down. [19:31:59] [A few more hours of trecking and the party has managed to catch their breath and lick their wounds on the go.] [19:32:04] [[Short Rest]] [19:32:29] [Suddenly, Pardrengo comes to an abrupt halt.] [19:32:36] * Aurora stops [19:32:48] * Mauz stops as well. "... now what?" [19:33:12] * Phanos sniffs the air. [19:33:23] * Johen stops, and fingers his tome, expecting danger [19:33:35] *Pardrengo shushes the party. [19:36:06] * Marianysa comes to a stop. [19:36:15] * Phanos nods quietly to Pardrengo, taking a long, slow drag of smoke. [19:36:18] *Pardrengo puts away his machete and takes out his longbow. He knocks and arrow and looks back at the party, shushing them silently once more and pointing forward. [19:36:46] * Aurora stays quiet [19:38:26] * Johen shifts his weight and snaps a twig, and then kicks the twig out of his way as if to cover his tracks [19:38:33] *Pardrengo leads the group forward quietly, halting the louder ones like Temper before they step on brittle vines and twigs. [19:39:02] * Phanos seems to catch on naturally, blending in with the jungle. [19:39:42] * Aurora stumbles forward, happening to remain silent more out of uncanny luck than anything else. [19:40:01] * Mauz just keeps walking. He's NOT in a good mood. [19:40:18] [Ahead, there's another clearing, through the canopy of leaves and vines lightens enough so you can see a lurid red sky. It must be sundown. But it doesn't seem like enough time has passed for that.] [19:41:30] [Pardrengo leads everyone to the edge of the clearing, behind a large flowering bush thats hides their prescence with its cacophony of colors.] [19:42:42] * Aurora still remains quiet [19:43:03] [In the clearing is a group of four people. One of them is a large, ugly woman, with scars across her face, and she seems to be arguing with a man in a traveler's cloak and wide brimmed hat. Setting up a tent is an unremarkable fellow. Overseeing it all is a changeling in natural form, sitting on some portable chair, apparently reading a map.] [19:43:30] * Marianysa scowls darkly. [19:43:31] * Aurora frowns. She looks to the others. [19:43:56] [The woman's loud, angry voice carries better than the others.] [19:44:19] "...LOST FOR WEEKS.... GOOD MONEY.... ARE YOU?!" [19:44:41] * Mauz notices what's going on and his eyebrows rise mightily. [19:46:27] * Johen looks at the group, and then ducks down to stay out of sight [19:47:08] * Marianysa smirks slightly. She whispers "Should've hired a better guide." [19:47:12] [The man in the widebrimmed hat puts his hands up placatingly and says something back, which is harder to hear since he remains calm.] [19:47:17] * Phanos smirks to the guide. [19:48:13] "FUCK THE TRAVELER!", the woman screams loud enough for everyone to hear. [19:49:15] * Marianysa raises an eyebrow. "What was the Traveler's Curse again?" [19:49:38] * Aurora shrugs. [19:49:56] * Johen whispers, sotto voce. "It's what keeps us from finding our way in this continent." [19:50:39] *Pardrengo grins. "Well, at least you korks. Teaches them for hiring one." [19:51:00] So...they're fucked? [19:51:58] [At the woman's outburst, the changeling looks up. There seems to be some interchange there, and the woman backs down and stalks off toward the tent, shoving the unremarkable man to the ground when he accidentally backs into her whilst setting the tent up.] [19:56:27] * Aurora frowns. [19:56:28] [The guy just picks himself up, dusts off his ratty fur cloak and continues setting up the tent.] [19:56:30] Think they spotted us? [19:56:45] * Phanos shakes his head. [19:56:47] * Mauz shakes his head slowly. [19:56:50] *Pardrengo shakes his head. "I.. don't think so." [19:57:06] We have any reason to stick around? [19:57:10] "Well, dem headed to some ruins, ya? We get dere first." [19:57:22] Doesn't seem like it. Unless they know we're here and they're trying to throw us off. [19:57:34] "And we mess up dem path behind us." [19:58:06] I don't think I want to go that far. [19:59:36] Forget the ruins, we caught up with Xev. [20:00:29] I say we wait until their guard's down, then we can jump them and find out what they know about Aun. [20:01:01] "We ready fo dat?" [20:01:42] We do outnumber them. [20:01:54] Risky... but fuck it. [20:02:05] *Pardrengo blinks. "Wait, what?" [20:02:33] We're looking for a friend. We think this guy's after her, and we wanna get to her before them. [20:02:46] Well, when we asked you to find us ruins, it seems we were actually asking you to find us people *to* ruin. [20:02:52] It's funny how the tongue slips. [20:03:00] They were headed in the direction of those ruins, but I don't know if they were actually going to the ruins themselves. [20:03:30] *Pardrengo grins. "Ah, a race to the treasure, yeah?" [20:03:54] If you replace treasure with lady, yes. [20:04:02] Aurora, stop talking. [20:04:12] * Phanos smirks. [20:04:12] I'm not sure what the plan is, but I'm sure you're giving too much of it away. [20:04:17] Oh, fine. [20:04:26] "Well, dem don't know me, ya?" [20:04:37] *Pardrengo nods. "Aright. I can get on board with that." [20:06:32] What's your plan, Phanos? [20:06:36] "We any readdyah den we gonnabe now?" [20:07:42] "We wot don't know none-a dems go in, preten' be merchants, hell mon, I BE a merchant, peddle em some wares, restayouz set up." [20:07:49] * Mauz just grumbles, fingers flexing. [20:08:11] * Johen nods. "Sounds good. [20:08:32] * Marianysa nods. [20:08:42] "Chubs, Fuzzy, Wheezy, you tree wit me, ya?" [20:09:11] * Johen nods. "Terrific." [20:09:36] "Nammon, jus Chubs an' Wheezy. Fuzzy, you help hide, poke wif bow." [20:11:39] *Pardrengo. "Fuzzy?" [20:11:52] * Phanos nods sagely. [20:13:06] We got plenty of rope, yeah? [20:13:18] "Ya." [20:14:08] *Pardrengo shrugs. "Alright, whatever. And I'll let "fuzzy" slide, cause you provide me with some great herb." [20:15:09] * Aurora raises an eyebrow [20:16:12] * Phanos reforms in genteel fashion, gold and white features striking and regal with his tuxedo and rucksack. "Shall we, sir?" [20:18:26] ... this never, never gets old. [20:18:45] Well, good luck [20:19:31] * Marianysa nods. "We'll be waiting." [20:19:40] * Johen nods. "Absolutely, my good man." [20:21:13] * Aurora looks around for any signs of travel they might have left behind. Footprints or wahtever that might tip Xev and company off [20:21:59] [Pardrengo stops Aurora from wandering off, so she doesn't inadvertantly stir a screaming willow bush or suchlike] [20:25:38] * Aurora waits... [20:26:37] * Phanos steps down towards the clearing calmly. [20:27:43] * Mauz is still in place, waiting... [20:28:12] * Phanos motions Mauz and Johen to walk with him. [20:28:17] [Xev spots Phanos and co. coming from a good distance away, as they were walking openly. "Shezna. Company." he states calmly, and moments later the battlescarred woman exits the tent, unlatching her battleaxes from their belts.] [20:28:36] * Phanos holds up his hands, carrying no weapons. [20:28:37] * Mauz calmly rubs his own head. Not for good luck, of course. [20:28:44] "Hail friends, we come for trade!" [20:29:12] [Xev stands up, movements refined and genteel. A long rapier hangs at his side that he doesn't reach for.] [20:29:40] * Johen follows Phanos, holding a quill, doing his best to look like a scribe with a ledger [20:29:51] * Phanos removes his tophat in an equally genteel fashion, bowing. [20:31:13] Fucking right. Now I get to turn into a dog and bite people. [20:32:12] "...Trade? Far from the Marketplace, aren't you?" [20:32:19] *Xev looks at each of you. [20:32:38] It's a specialized business, but we do well in our own way. [20:32:56] ((I'm guessing that was a mischan for Phanos right there)) [20:33:15] * Mauz smirks rakishly. [20:33:26] I'm just here to mind these good folks. [20:34:23] "Well, I figure if you run into someone out here, it's either trade or robbery." [20:35:44] "Of course. Any entreprenual enterprise needs some sort of protection." [20:36:47] "So... what is it you were looking to sell me, way out here in the jungle?" [20:37:16] [The man by the tent seems to be fidgetting nervously and hiding behind it, scared.] [20:37:18] "Reagents, alchlemical supplies. I ran an herb shop in Sharn. I also have drugs." [20:37:31] "Oh-ho! From Sharn! What a coincidence." [20:38:21] * Phanos shrugs. [20:38:47] "How else would I be so chicly dressed?:" [20:39:15] * Mauz idly picks at his teeth with a nail, seemingly unconcerned. Of course, his eyes are quite alert. [20:39:24] "So, a merchant from Sharn decides to strike out into new business ventures, like the Host-forsaken wilderness of Xen'drik. Capital idea. I suppose next you'll tell me you've never heard of Cavarat Leibel Shakaroz" [20:39:43] "Shezna." [20:39:51] [Shezna nods, and moves to attack.] [20:39:56] [Session End.] [20:40:27] [500 xp each] End of #Sharn buffer Wed Oct 21 21:37:13 2009