[Taocow PBEM] Chapter VII - Into the Land of Mists RE-REPOST

[Aaron Clausen]

[OOC]
Alright, I think I sorted this all out.  I've had to excise a small bit
where Bongo and Lady Frost have a conversation (apologies to both), and
Talas's final words are to Lady Frost, and not to Bongo.  In the future I'll
try to make it much more clear when PCs separate where they are.  We should
consider Lady Frost's player's suggestion.
[/OOC]

[GM]
Then, even more surprising, a bolt of red lightning leaps from the tower,
and tendrels reach out, touch the ground and hit the sleepers, who suddenly
awaken with a yawn, feeling quite refreshed and each feeling as if a gentle
woman's voice had coaxed them out of their unconsciousness.  Inside the
tower, Osiris, as the only one in the tower awake, sees the red lightning
leap up from Arden, blowing the door off its hinges.

Inside Osiris and those just waking up see a small room with another set of
stairs leading downwards at the other side, although a quick glance shows
that there is no other stairwell
*beneath* the room.
[/GM]

> [Lady Frost]
> Frost gets to her feet with a rather bewildered expression.
>
> Glancing at Arden and Lena, she moves past them into the room beyond the
> now shattered door.
>
> "Don't know about you two, but I want to know who's got the power to put
> me in la-la land in this form."
> [/Lady Frost]

> [Talas]
> "Aye  M'Lady. But I am more interested in who woke us up."
>
> Talas then follows Lady Frost through the door into the room. Talas scans
> the room for markings or since of its use.
> [/Talas]

[GM]
Lena laughs.  "When you find out, you let me know.  I had a perfectly good
job on a ship until you guys came along."
[/GM]

[GM]
Lady Frost and Talas walk through the door, and Talas looks around
carefully.  The room contains no furniture, and there is a thick layer of
dust on the floor.  There is a single window near the mysterious stair well,
but a black curtain covers it.  There is a cold draft coming from the other
stairwell.
[/GM]

> [Talas]
> Talas moves toward the window and looks behind the black curtain and
> through the window.
> [/Talas]

[GM]
Talas pulls away the black curtain to reveal a vast grey ocean, whipped by
powerful winds.  Great waves can be heard crashing against rocks far below,
and from where Talas stands, it seems that the tower is sitting atop a high
cliff.
[/GM]

[Osiris]
Osiris gives Arden a queer look, but then looks to Talas and Rod. "Keep an
eye on that room, I'm going to tell the others." He runs down the stairs and
says "We've got something for you to see.

[meanwhile, back outside...]

Then Osiris sees the approaching torches and says "Oh!"
[/Osiris]

[GM]
The approaching column of torches stops, and the somewhat indistinct murmurs
can be heard through the fog.  Then there comes the sound of an approaching
horse.  The mists part to reveal a small horse, little bigger than a pony,
and a man-like figure of equally short stature, dressed in dented armor with
a rather medieval-looking helmet, a short sword and energy rifle slung to
his back.  He is holding a white flag in one hand.

The man lifts the visor of helmet, and the blue and red glow of some
interior electronics illuminates his face, a horribly twisted affair with
half the nose missing and replaced by a thick scar.  The eyes are both
cybernetic and his chin looks to have been severely burned.  But it is
fairly obvious for all of that this man is no man at all, but a Dwarf!"

"I am the Herald of the Lord of the K'murd-faka." he says in a thickly
accented voice.  "I demand your immediate surrender."
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> Alex looks at him through her helmet and replies "Nuts!"
> [/Alex]

> [Bongo]
> Bongo raises an eyebrow at Alex's comment.  "No... Dwarves."
> [/Bongo]

[GM]
The dwarf frowns.  "Speak with respect, or your death will be long and
horrible.  If you surrender, then perhaps my master will be merciful."
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> The ex-ranger does not like the responses she is getting from this dwarf
> and shoulders her rifle and specifically points if at the dwarf, ""The Cee
> Ess taught is never to surrender to monsters, I wonder about some of their
> teaching, but this is not one of them."
> [/Alex]

[Osiris]
"Now now, Alex." Osiris cautions.  "He comes under a flag of truce, and it
would be a great dishonor if we were to harm him."
[/Osiris]

[GM]
Phaeton grunts angrily.  "He comes threatening us, and then we talk of
honor."  He touches a tattoo and a sword appears in his hand.

The dwarf spits.  "That is your answer then.  So shall be your fate."  With
that he rears his horse and starts riding back towards the column.
[/GM]

[Osiris]
"So what is our plan now?" Osiris asks.
[/Osiris]

> [Alex]
> Alex turns toward the others, "Run or Fight, I suggest Run."
>
> Alex looks at everybody else wil a look that asks what others should do.
> [/Alex]

> [Bongo]
> "Great idea," Bongo mutters.  "Where do we run _to_?  Back inside  the
> tower and hope that stairway leads to a hangar with some hovercraft in
> it?"
> 
> He starts backing away back towards the door.  "I doubt we'd get very  far
> running... not that slugging it out is much better of an option.  I'm
> willing to entertain cunning plans though."
> [/Bongo]

[Meanwhile, back inside the tower...]

[GM]
Talas pulls away the black curtain to reveal a vast grey ocean, whipped by
powerful winds.  Great waves can be heard crashing against rocks far below,
and from where Talas stands, it seems that the tower is sitting atop a high
cliff.
[/GM]

> [Talas]
> Talas comes away from the window. Looks at Lady Frost and "Well Ms.
> Connors, shall we?" And with that he heads for the stairs.
> [/Talas]

-- 
Aaron Clausen	mightymartianca at gmail.com

Palladium Rifts PBEM:
http://test.alberni.net/taocow/rifts_pbem/