[Taocow PBEM] Chapter XVI - Into The Southlands

[Aaron Clausen]

> > [GM]
> > With a final push, Talas pushes the slab aside to reveal another chamber
> > beneath.  Another metal ladder, this one in considerably better shape than
> > the one that lead this far, leads to the floor below.
> >
> > The chamber is square, with smooth, almost glassy walls.  Against the north
> > wall is a table with a long grayish cloth covering what may be a number of
> > items.
> >
> > Against the east wall are several cylindrical-shaped objects, again covered
> > with cloth, but with some sort of pipes or conduits that glow bluish with
> > magical energy going into the wall.
> >
> > The south wall is empty, but the west wall has some large-disc shaped object,
> > again covered in cloth.  There's a faint distortion in the air around it.
> > [/GM]

> [Koba]
> Koba climbs gingerly down the ladder. He looks around and is instantly
> attracted to the table against the east wall. He looks the table up and down
> before pulling the cloth off of the table trying to see what exactly those
> pipes are for.
> [/Koba]

[GM]
Pulling the cloth off reveals six large glass canisters filled with a
clear bubbling
liquid.  Inside the canisters are what appear to be wooden staffs,
made from what
could best be described as a darkish-brown and veined wood.  An arc of the
bluish energy leaps from a receptacle with what might be a gemstone.  The
pipes connect to this receptacle.
[/GM]

> [Talas]
> Talas follows Koba down the ladder and draws his own sword. Just in case
> there happens to be another nasty surprise down here.
> [/Talas]

> [Ted]
> Ted retrieves the gauntlets and scabbard, although he does not put either
> on. Once he has secured them in his pack, he slides down the ladder with
> the sword still drawn.
> [/Ted]

> [Sia]
> Sialillion is immediately intrigued by the chamber below and climbs
> down as well.  She walks around the room and takes a peek under the
> gray cloths, meanwhile pondering to herself and using her magical lore
> to try to make heads or tails of the room's purpose.
> [/Sia]

[GM]
Sia lifts the cloth covering the table along the north wall.  Underneath can
be glimpsed several weapons; ornately-carved knives, vibroblades, swords, a
long bow and several steel arrows.  Notably there are no energy pistols or
energy rifles.  Sia recognizes these to be in the style of the Wolfen who live
in the kingdom, or at least as it was when they first came here many
decades ago.

Along the west wall is a disc-shaped object covered in this cloth.  Underneath
is what looks a lot like a table top with a slightly impressed humanoid shape,
as if someone is supposed to lay on it.  Beneath it is a single supporting leg
that is attached to the floor and has several attached tubes that glow with the
same bluish energy flowing into it as the containers on the other wall.  Some
of the tubes only glow faintly, however, and one appears to be cracked and
is completely dark.
[/GM]

> [Carlos]
> Unsure if protection is needed topside, Carlos will wait at the top of the
> ladder to cover the entrance and make sure nothing catastrophic happens
> while everyone is down in the chamber.
> [/Carlos]

[GM]
Carlos finds that a harder task than it may seem.  The ladder is
partially collapsed
from the strange quake that shook the island.  An entire ten foot
section is gone
about fifteen feet from the top, and his attempt to climb fails, and
he falls to the
floor.  Before he falls, however, he can hear some of the ruckus going on on the
boat below.
[/GM]

[Meanwhile, on the boat...]

> > [GM]
> > The remaining crew slowly move past Alex and her remaining companions.
> > They give Alex quick, furtive looks, but clearly have no interest in joining
> > their dead comrades.
> >
> > Alex probes the mind of the man who was last talking.  There's fear and
> > concern, images of what must be his family, and possibly of angry
> > superiors.  Alex knows that this mutinee would most certainly lead to
> > execution, if it were discovered by anyone in the kingdom.
> >
> > And as that thought crosses Alex's mind, there's a sudden sense of
> > impending danger.  One of the man, a vibroknife whipping out of its
> > sheath jumps at Lady Louissa.
> >
> > Even as this happens, Alex's radio squawks.  "Alex, " Osiris's voice barely
> > recognizable over the static, "come in, this is Osiris.  Is everything under
> > control... over."
> > [/GM]

> [Alex]
> Alex was about to answer but she sees the movement of a man attacking
> with a vibro-knife.
>
> She opens fire with a three shot burst on him. [Strike: 9]
> [/Alex]

[GM]
The man, seeing Alex pull out the rifle, attempts to move out of the way
[Dodge: 1], but literally falls right into the shot [Damage: 16MD].  The shot
doesn't pierce his armor, but he drops to the ground and doesn't or won't
move.

"Thank you, m'lady." Lady Louissa says and she's kicks the vibroknife out
of her attacker's hand.  "I owe you one."

The rest of the crew make their way off the boat.  The attacker, keeping his
face down, says "I won't cause no trouble.  Just lemme go, eh?"

Alister looks at the emptied boat.  "Well that takes care of that problem.
Now, does anyone know how to pilot a boat?"
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com