The ancient enchantments shimmer a light red hue, and keep the bronze rivergates bars from succumbing to the river, and make them far stronger than they naturally would be as well, no doubt. Save the damaged spires, and nonexistant gates, the exterior seems to be in near perfect condition. Apires at all four corners of the hundred foot high walls are capped by spires that are half-again as tall, and the section spanning the river has another spire to the front of the keep, and to either side of that segment of stone. midway between the corners and the inner spires sit the gaping wounds that were once mighty wooden gates.

Old, poorly maintained roads wind away from the smooth, nearly unblemished walls. the bones of an ancient bridge to connect the western gates road to the one that connects to the main highway perhaps a days ride overland away. Taking your eyes from the massive, black, structure, you see that your companions all look as tired as you, and rather envious of the sleeping Catalina. Most of them too tired to even notice the majesty of the keep before them.

>>16345912
Hmm. I guess the others can rest if they want but I personally want to start exploring the place. Maybe we'll find something interesting in it.

Tell everyone to get some sleep. We'll take first watch.

Start examining the fortifications for places that need to be repaired/reinforced. We won't be besieged by Uurlanth anytime soon, but the keep needs to at least keep burglars out.

>>16345960
Seconding this idea

>>16345960
Not just burglars, but also cultist agents and assassins.

Can we meditate and attune ourselves to the bedrock of the citadel, and feel out any weaknesses in the stone itself, things that wouldn't be picked up with just a visual inspection?

>>16345960
>>16346003
Sounds like a good plan to me

would it be possible to take our first watch meditating on stone sense to try and "scan" the keep for anything moving? or are we too exhausted?

I'd hate for a repeat of that damned trip with Jayne... especially in Degnar.

>>16345960
>>16346015
>>16346003

These sound like a plan to me.

Right, use stone sense if we're not too tired.

chuckling, you find yourself drawn to the keep "Make a camp and rest, I will examine the exterior of the keep for a while yet." You hear a series of grunts and acknowledgements as you move towards the exterior of the keep. At the gate you can see, you realize that the gates were torn out before they rotted away. above the gate, looking as natural as the rest of the structure is, you see an ancient sigil. It is a draconian claw grasping a single tongue of flame, set into a protruding circle. Galrauchs sigil, you think to yourself, the first dragon to fall. Setting down in front of the gaping wound in the citadel that is the gate, you stretch out your stonesense. Around the gates, you sense stress in the wall, as well as at the tops of the towers, and at the roots of the keep, down below the dungeons. None of it will be too terribly difficult to repair for your earth elementalist trainees. Reaching out your senses to the strong, rapid flow of the Boreodoth, you feel no bronze along the riverbed. Sighing, you look through the crystal clear water of the river, several fish drifting along down the stream. as near as you can tell, there is a gap of several feet between the gates bottom and the riverbed.

You hear a rustling behind you, and quickly spin to see what made the noise. You chuckle when you spot a young, chubby katarus. The small grey and black-striped rodent is perhaps the size of a similarly aged rabbit. smiling you reassure the small creature "I wont hurt you, I'm just looking." though, you are sorely tempted to eat it, as they are renowned for the tender, delicious meat they have.
>cont'd

Of course, the fact that they secrete noxious, slightly volatile fumes through their skins as a defense mechanism means that they cannot die frightened, or the meal would be ruined. Another noise makes you jump, and you whip about to see the little creatures broodmates scurrying towards it, though they look a good deal more nervous than the one you first saw. sighing at your paranoia, you walk back towards the camp to sleep.

-----CQ-----

"Its massive" Catalina exclaims, awestruck as the others as your little camp wakes up. "And in such pristine shape. I, I thought that Deganr defeated the Dragons Legions."

Jayne chuckles "We did, but after their masters died, the Lacerta either fled north into the tundras, or moved on to serve another dragon."

Janos nods in agreement "And this keep was not besieged before Galrauch died, if the archive information on it is to be believed."

As the sounds of a cookfire fill the camp, Sansa asks "What portion of the keep will we go to first after breaking our fast? The towers, the section that straddles the river?" she pauses, both for the effect, and to stoke set the bacon over the fire "Or perhaps the dungeons."

Catalina shrinks back slightly, shivering in the brisk fall mornings air, though none of the others seem to notice any chill in the air "Perhaps... not the dungeons."

>>16346329
I say towers first. Get another good look at the terrain from that point of view and see if there's anything we can notice for helping to improve the defenses heading towards the keep.

>>16346329
Section by the river, the towers, then the dungeons.

There is likely to be waterways and such to take in fresh water and discharge waste from such a massive facility. We need to make sure that they are, or can be, secured.

>>16346329

"You seem upset by something Catalina. Do you feel like something's down there in the dungeons, or just not like talk of them?"

>>16346320
>>16346329
The bridge is closest so that first, then towers. Lastly dungeons.

>>16346391
Agreed, ask her if she senses something about the dungeons

>>16346329
River, towers, then dungeon. Let's go.

You pause to think, before replying "Something seems to be bothering you Catalina. Do you sense something in the dungeons, or is it something... else, about them?" as you sit down next to Sansa as she cooks.

Catalina glances about before replying "Its... its just cold. And aside from a good chance of there being many bones in the dungeons, I sense nothing."

Janos tosses the girl a cloak from his pack "You come from Sandsek, it seldom becomes anything approaching this cold there. We are all norhterners. You should have brought a thicker cloak, there is no shame in that." After the girl wraps the thick cloak around her Janos adds "And my father locked me in the dungeon for several nights when I was young as well. We do not plan to lock you in a cell."

SAnsa freezes and looks up from the fire "You were... locked in a dungeon cell?" she asks, horrified.

Janos nods "I had been overly cruel to a hired servant, and father decided that that would be my punishment. His reasoning being that I should learn how it feels to be in a dark, damp cell with no comforts and poor food well before I was old enough to punish another in such a manner."

Kaitlyn chuckles "And you had been a cruel, mischievous, scheming bastard for the better part of a week up to that point, if the whole story is to be told." The conversation continues for a time along this lighter, more cheerful track. Catalina is out of the slump she had been in danger of falling into well before the meal is ready. By the time you are all finished eating it had been decided that you will first look through the section of the keep that is directly atop the river, then the towers, and finally the dungeon.
>cont'd

-----CQ-----

As you enter the keep it quickly becomes apparent that you will need torches to light most of the structure. Luckily, you thought to bring a supply of moonseye paste, so all of you are able to see quite easily. the area around the entrance of the keep is mostly large halls, barracks, and what look to be weapon storage chambers. "Classrooms, and housing for the Loukys hunting unit, I think." Jayne thinks aloud as the twelfth large hall is peered into. several collapsed hallways, and a few more barracks and empty storage rooms later, you are at the beginning of the area near the river.

Most of the ground level had been thoroughly looted up to this point, but the signs of recent access are not apparent near the stairs leading up. Ahead of you is the telltale sound of water running, and to either side long winding halls, punctuated by closed doors and staircases, both upwards and downwards. "So, the water, or the sealed rooms?" Sansa asks, clearly quite enjoying this little trip.

>>16346661
Water first. I don't want to open any sealed rooms and then have any potential problems due to us not checking what the water was in the worst case scenario. The sealed rooms can wait for after.

>>16346661
water first

Sealed rooms. Let's do this shit.

>>16346661
Check out the water.

Wonder what the sealed rooms will hold.

The rabbits might be a good source of income. We can rear a farm of rabbit and have life elementalist put them to sleep before we slaughter them. Would be good training for newbies.

Since they're highly prized, we should be able to fetch a good price for their meat.

>>16346779
Nonsense. Capture them alive and then set them loose in the enemy camp by parachute. That should terrify them enough to kill stuff.

>>16346788
Bombing the enemy with poison rabbits?
I LIKE IT!

You shrug "The water. I would rather not run afoul of traps or wild animals and have nowhere to fall back too. I only have my chain shirt and sword, and the rest of you even less in the way of defense."

Jayne chuckles "It would be even worse if we ran afoul of hobgoblins or some other belligerent semi-intelligent race." as she idly swings her mace about.

Janos groans "I prefer Kyrias humor to yours, Jayne. That is to real a possibility."

Kaitlyn shakes her head "No, the tribes are all either deeper into the mountains, or wiped out. Your humor is worse than the court-jesters."

Sighing, you lead the group of quipping, bickering people towards the sound of water. Soon, you find yourself in a mostly flooded chamber. Squinting you can see where a channel once passed through the room, though the river long ago claimed the aqueduct as part of itself. Sansa sniggers "Jayne, you can keep your body warm, and the current is not strong here. Perhaps you could swim to check the other chambers like this one?"

>>16346805
>>16346788

You two are insane or learning from Generic.

I'd rather harvest their poison for blackbird's or for our archers.

>>16346829
Curses. We should have brought a water elementalist with us. Not sure if we should start investigating flooded areas without having more preparation for it. Maybe just stonesense to get an idea of how bad the flooding is and if it'll affected the sealed areas. If it won't, maybe we should look into the sealed areas instead and leave this for later.

>>16346829
The water is flowing rather than stagnant, right? If we can tell how the water is getting into the room, I bet we can seal it off with some delicate movement of stone and clear the way after the place has time to drain.

Admittedly, that will force the water to flow through other paths and might flood something else, but eh...

>>16346916
well it doesn't seem like a large amount of water is flowing into the rooms. So plugging the leak temporarily shouldn't do anything major.

>>16346829
Use stonesense to see how bad the flooding is, and where it's coming from. We'll need water elementalists and actual engineers to do repairs.

Then let's check out the locked doors.

>>16346854
I'm seconding this.

>>16346916

Sealing the place might increase the water pressure and bust up another wall or delicate area. Might have to wait till later.

>>16346844
They secrete fumes so you can't really harvest that. Hence why live ones need to be dropped into the enemy camp. Victory for everyone. The Uurlanth will think we're dropping in nice, fluffy animals for them to enjoy and then they'll die from toxic fumes.

>>16347175
We could also have blackbird release them into enemy camps during raids. He did that in the last campaign I think.

>>16347175

What I hear is DEADLY FARTS when our amusing brings them up.

>>16347198
I suppose. Get the animals used to the guy and his tribe so they don't freak out when he's handling them. Then he just throws them into the enemy camp. I find the idea of parachute dropping them in more amusing though.

>>16347225
I was just suggesting it as an alternative use. Parachuting poison rabbits into the enemy camp is still the most amusing option.

We could also parachute some of blackbirds other animals as well. I am sure he has something that would be prefect for such an idea.

You sigh, and reach out with your stonesense. You can feel the aqueduct system, or, at least where it was along the river, and the entirety of it is about as flooded as this. You shrug, and shake your head, five thousand years of neglect will do that to a water system. "No need. Once we begin moving the academy here this can be fixed. Our students of water and earth will be quite busy with repairs no doubt. Let us investigate the sealed rooms."

The others nod, and follow you. the first few rooms are empty, save some old pots and stains where baskets once sat. "This must be where they kept their food." Catalina observes, her whip slithering from her left arm to her right.

Sansa sighs, as she agrees "I had hoped for ancient treasure."

Janos chuckles "You truly believe that the young Empire did not take everything of value when they found an abandoned keep?"

Jayne raises an eyebrow as she looks at the former Uurlanthi lordling "You would be surprised. Times were quite desperate." the next room, much to Sansas delight, does have a few small chests, sealed by arcane means about a clasp in the shape of Galrauchs sigil. After applying a breaker crystal to them, they prove to have small stores of jewelry for dwarves and lacerta, inside them.

After Sansa finishes gloating, and Janos done trying to make himself look less a fool, the group moves on. For a time, you open, push over, or break down other doors you find much the same, empty food and water containers, or small holds for ancient obsidian and bronze weapons, or vaults filled with minute amounts of coins, trinkets and jewelry. Eventually, you begin to find chambers clearly not meant for living in that show signs of recent habitation. "Jayne, why did you have to say that there may be hobgoblins here?" Catalina asks
>cont'd

Jayne looks at the girl incredulously. Kaitlyn sighs "Because most of us forgot that as soon as one claims something is impossible, or not likely to occur, especially if it is bad, it will."

Sansa frowns "The last few hovels we found have been abandoned for at least a week. i wonder where they went."

After Jayne bashes the next door down, you all freeze. "Hobgoblin remains." Catalina announces worridly. the room has webs, huge, thick-stranded webs, all about it. The remains are all bone and skin, with thick puncture-marks at varying places about the body, and mostly, still spun up in web. the skin is not the healthy, deep shade of orange that hobgoblins have, but a sickly, drained, preserved blackish hue.

"I count at least one tribesworth of corpses here. And with the dust, they have been sitting for a few days." Sansa informs the group, drawing her blades slowly.

>>16347320
Spider mounts! Spider mounts, I say!

>>16347320
Spiders. Great. Stonesense to detect anything else around us? There's a chance the spiders won't be in their webs I suppose. Tempted to just say we should start torching all and every web we find although we have no fire elementalist... We need torches.

>>16347320
We should all stick together. Someone should be watching the rear and sides at all times.

We could try to capture the spiders and have them make venom and silk for us. We could form a stone cage around one of them if we are quick enough or can trap it in a hole.

>>16347320
I think we should retreat first, take off the moonseye paste, light torches, then come back.
That's if we don't call for an entire elemtalist combat team and several squads of soldiers.

Pax, what kinds of spiders live at this climate that could be this big? I don't remember anything this big being mentioned outside of swamps.

>>16347320
Lets leave the room while we still can. we most check the towers as well.

We go in. Better to deal with this now.

Time to leave this place. They will be good training for our Louykis combat teams when we come back, but we only have a few people here now. No need to be stupid.

Get outta here and go for the towers. Assess the viability of turning the highest one into our new living quarters.

>>16347422
You forget the most vital place to watch....above
Also, dealing with it now could be a good suggestion it's pros is that we get to get some experience in for combat, or we could let someone like blackbird have a go at it to possibly capture it, OR we could let the louky/elementalist group have a go at it as sort of a trial by fire kind of thing.

>>16347490
Actually that's true. Unless there's only a few, it might be worth while to come back more prepared to deal with giant spiders.

Alright, sooo, see how many there are first, and if there's few enough that we feel we could reasonably take them as-is, go ahead and wipe them out, else leave and tour the rest of the place?

We could conceivably trap the spiders in the room they are in by blocking the entrances and exits of said room. That would make it easier for someone to come back later and cage them.

I also second that we use stonesense to figure out how many we are dealing with.

<TRO> So Pax, how big were these puncture marks? As big as an Aurachnospec's bite? Bigger? Smaller?
<Pax> much larger

Nope.avi

I've changed my vote. We leave this area, take the loot we've already found, and tour the rest of the area.

You stretch out your stonesenses to the entire fortress, and are surprised when you feel four sets of feet, heavy, but normal humanoid feet, down in the dungeon, and at least ten smaller sets of feet, or resting bodies up in one of the towers. "I can sense four creatures that move about on two legs down in the dungeons, and another ten up in the nearest tower."

Sansa, still crouched at the corpses adds "There are no spiders this large. Not a single species... perhaps there once was such a strain, but they would never have survived the Immortals purges."

Catalina, looking up, whip resting on the ground, arm loose, asks "What did the sky look like last night?"

Janos pauses from his nervous pacing to reply "A spiderweb, actually..."

the necromancer sighs "Then we are still under the Queens Web. I believe that these are werespiders we are dealing with."

Jayne breathes a sigh of relief, and returns her mace to its sheathe "Then we have until dark to get out of the keep."

>>16347625
Reserve enough time to get back to the mounts before dark and investigate the towers.

Smaller feet? Children perhaps. We can't just leave kids alone to maybe be purge'd.

>>16347625
"I vote we take what we've found and come back later with a reclaimation force. Give the Loukys hunters a trial run."

>>16347625
>werespiders
"Are these intelligent? Can they be bargained with?"

>>16347625
>mfw

>>16347625
Hmm. Do we try to speak to these people then and see if we can help them get their abilities under control. Of course the risk is they might be in control and not want strangers here. We're going to have to speak to them eventually so I think it might be worthwhile to talk to the adults in the dungeon. I assume they're adults at least.

>>16347625
Perhaps we should leave until the moon has passed. Then the werespiders will have returned to their human forms, and unless they trained like our werebeast unit did, they won't be able to transform at will, and will be much easier to capture.

>>16347625
I'd like to see if we can communicate with the werespiders when they are human, at least, so we can count on their help. But if we can't or there isn't enough time, let's beat a retreat and come back with some troops including the wereminotaur teacher, so at least we can help get their instincts in check.

>>16347689
The problem is that this is probably the first time that they've transformed, and it's unknown if they've retained any of their higher mental faculties, or if they're currently running on pure instinct.

Hey guys. Guys. Hey. Hey. Hey guys!

How about we leave a note? Tell them we will be back in a few days and would like to talk with them. We know they are were-spiders and we're fine with that, not only fine with it but we would like to offer them jobs.

>>16347721
I really like this idea. seconded

I say we check the dungeon first. The two there could conceivably be prisoners of the then in the tower.

>>16347721
They might decide to run, rather than wait.
There are 4 of them in the dungeon, and it's quite likely that they don't have the mental control to make their transformation during the day.

I say we go down to the dungeon and try to negotiate directly.

>>16347757
Pax commented in the IRC literacy isn't very common so I imagine these people might not know how to read. How about we get on the valks, get the attention of the people in the towers and then get them to get the people from the dungeon in the worst case scenario. That way we can escape if they're hostile.

>>16347757
But that's like... walking into the maw of the beast for no reason. We could do that, sure, but we should at least have backup first.

Though I do agree we should get them on our side somehow. They would make amazing guards for the tunnels.

>>16347795
Backup will take, at minimum, 2 full days to arrive. 1 for a messenger to reach Dragonsreach, and 1 for the reinforcements to arrive.

>>16347786
I like this idea. The ones in the dungeon could be hobgoblin survivors or even if they were young werespiders, it could be misjudged as an attack on them. Lets play it safe today.

>>16347786
Alright, we can try that first.

>>16347786
>>16347852
>>16347923
I still think we should check the dungeon for prisoners first, but be quiet about it.

How much time do we have left? Do we have time to visit the towers and the dungeon and GTFO before nightfall? One of the two? Neither?

If we only have time for one location, I vote towers.

Guys. We have the arcana that can replay recordings right?

See what im getting at?

We really need a treasury listing of the arcana we have.

>>16348025
I think those got handed over to the empire.

I don't think we have those anymore. Besides, the other party would first have to recognize that they're recording arcana, and second, how to activate them.

You nod "Easy my friends, we will go to the towers after checking the upper levels of the area that straddles the river. That is on the way to the inhabited tower."

The others slowly relax, and return their weapons to their sheathes, sling them across their backs, or let them slither up their arms. "It could be worse." Sansa tries to quip, hoping to break the tense mood "we could have not learned of them until dark." the others nod, but no responses can be heard. The rooms over the river are mostly small apartments, and smaller dormitories. the only exceptions being guard-rooms, complete with murder-holes and grating overlooking the river.

Jayne shakes her head "I truly hope we never have to face the creatures that necessitated a river flowing as strongly as this, and gated off, to be guarded."

You chuckle "I'm certain Laelith could tell you exactly what manner of creature this defense was for." The mood slowly lightens for a while, but once you start peeking into the weapon stores, and barracks halls of the tower you felt the feet on the stone in, the mood drops again. Eventually, you reach the top of the tower, the large watch-room that was once home to the most powerful mages in the fort. It has been barricaded off, but in a painfully crude and childish manner. Inside it you can hear whimpering, and small footsteps scuttling about.
>cont'd

Jayne easily breaks down the barricades, but what you see inside freezes all of you for a second time. Its ten children, ten hobgoblin children, their skin a light, almost pink orange, shock-white hair still too short to be greased up into anything fearsome, as older hobgoblins are wont to do. two of them, the largest and clearly oldest shakily hold ancient obsidian daggers out at you, the small blades trembling from too-tense arms, and frightened grips. Three of them are laying down, remnants of silk still clinging to their ratty leather garb, puncture marks from where they were bit oozing blood, pus and venom... clearly none of them will be long in this world without help.

they chatter back and forth to each other in their strange tongue for a while. Until the largest of the small group, asks in halting, heavily accented, shaky common "This BlackAxe tribe place. Not GoldDragon tribe place. Our fathers take place, not yours. Is ours to take back. You bring us to repair wall, wood. Then leave." the young hobgoblins black eyes burning with fear, and what is clearly a strong desire to protect his... friends? siblings? creche-mates? you cannot be sure, but his foolish determination could be dangerous to him.

>>16348084
"And the 4 spiders down below seem to disagree with you."

We could simply give them a more defensible barricade if they're so unwilling to leave. If they were going to, they could have already escaped out the front gate by now.

If we're going to get reinforcements, we should do it fast before the werespiders eat up the kids and then move on in search of more food.

>>16348084
"We found your clanmates dead in the lower halls. Spiders took them, yes? Big ones? How long ago was this?"

>>16348084
"Peace friend. I am Justinian Trentz of the GoldDragon tribe and we mean you no harm. We saw the remains of your tribe and looking at your wounded, we know you've been attacked. Put down your weapons and allow us to help. After, we can speak about more important matters."

>>16348084
We should have Jayne save them if we can, but I don't really want them living here. We could find them an acceptable place somewhere on our lands maybe, but not in this castle.

But hobgoblins or not, they are children. We should heal them and help them for now. They've done us no harm.

Are hobgoblins always hostile to humans? We could use the extra workforce if some kind of deal could be made.

"I do not negotiate with children. Where are your parents?"

>>16348084
Lets make it clear for the children that we mean them no harm and that maybe we can save the ones dying. Ask about what happen to their tribe and went did it began.

>>16348169

something about hobgoblin "extra workforce" that may or may not be infected with were-spider curse/disease screams "BAD IDEA", even in MY book.

>>16348211
Pax said that almost all hobgoblins are Immune to were-diseases.

>for anyone not in the irc, hobgoblins are generally dumb, violent, hasty, and belligerent. The dumb and hastiness are genetic, as is some of the violent and belligerent, but alot of the latter two are learned. They will never be 'safe' but they can be 'tamed' if you wanna put it like that. they are generally immune to most illnesses.

>>16348262
>>16348257

I still say risking genetically dumb were-spiders is a bad idea.

>>16348262
We do not need that mess in our castle or on our lands. Heal them up but also kick them out.

As nicely as possible of course. Give them food and such.

>>16348324

They might be usefu.. I'd say wecould easily turn them into a useful vassal clan.

/execute palpatine routine

Consensus appears to heal them, ask them what happened, give them supplies, point them to a place they won't die, and send them on their way as nicely as possible.

>>16348262
Changing my vote to healing them and then evicting them. Maybe send them to the New Orcs camp.

>>16348499
Agree.

>>16348499
Sounds like a plan to me.

>>16348526
>Maybe send them to the New Orcs camp.
I dunno about that. Those guys were peaceful. I don't really want to send a bunch of violent ruffians to them.

>>16348499
I can get behind that

Sending a bunch of kids out will doom them. Cant we settle them on the outskirts like a small settlement near the castle? We can offer them protection and hobgoblin honour guards/stewards should be useful.

>>16348583
Eh, they're hobgoblins. I don't think they will be that bad off, survival instincts and all. Plus some of them are old enough to know what to do. We obviously don't send them out if it's a sure-death outcome. That would defeat the point.

You sigh "Peace, little one. i am Justinain Trentz, a great warlord of the GoldDragon tribe." you begin, doing your best to remember the classes on interacting with near-intelligent races you mostly slept through, and how to best deal with hobgoblins. "The... spiders, that attacked your tribe, claimed this place. And now I have come to claim this place." The child bristles, clearly expecting to have to fight for his life. "But, unlike the spiders" you take the childs failure to correct you as a sign that you are correct "I will not slay you and your tribe for this place. If you lower your weapon, and tell me what happened, I will have your followers healed, give you food, and see you safely from this place, so that you can find a new place."

The child wavers, before he replies "I... fatehr would..." he hastily takes one hand from his dagger, and tries to form his white hair into a more horn-like appearance before continuing "would..."

Jayne sighs "Your father is dead. You are chief. You must decide. You can fight, and die, lie, and be left to die, or drop your blade and live."

"Well done, love." you whisper into her ear.

Jayne chuckles "I once had to trade with a tribe of hobgoblins for my father. I can deal with them." she turns to the goblin, and, standing slightly taller, and acting more the part of a haughty noble than the woman you know and love, continues "Decide now. We are mighty, and the mighty have no time for the weak and indecisive."

The young hobgoblin drops his dagger, and visibly deflates "I am clever, and the clever..." his lip trembles, as the shield of his bravado and forced bravery drops. Clearly feeling the terror of his recent past now, he continues "the clever respect the mighty."
>cont'd

You nod to Jayne, who walks over to the wounded children and begins to tend to them, as she asks "What became of your tribe?"

the leader drops to the ground, sullen "In the night, many were taken." he breaks to chatter to the other children, calming them as quickly as they become agitated by Jaynes strange ministrations. "I was sleep. Woke to screaming, ran with crechemates. Father said was my job if attacked, said was important job. Took days to reach here from homes. Never saw all of beasts, only spiderwebs. Found rest of tribe dead yesterday when looking at tribehome. Also found Ch'tra, Hy'kem, and Fo'Pzi captured by beasts. Found no spiders."

You sigh "Do you know where the spiders came from?"

The leader shakes h is head, slowly regaining control of himself "No, did not. You give food now? The clever do not remain to tempt the mighty."

>>16348621
Give them food and send them on their way. The area north-east of here seems to be uninhabited so they should be relatively safe and out of the way.

>>16348621
Tell him he as done well. Ask after any valuables or chests lower down and what is in the place where we felt the were-spiders. Cells? Storerooms? And so on. Make sure they are all healed, give them food, and give them the best directions we can to an out of the way place they will find suitable. If we don't know the kind of places they like we should ask the leader-goblin what he would find appropriate and then direct him to a place like that.

Then we take stock. What time is it? Do we have time to safely go down and come back up before the sun sets? If not we should leave. I don't want to fight werecreatures at night in their own territory. Double for were-spiders.

>>16348621
Break out some of the rations we have.

"How many of the spiders did you see?"

Is the tribehome that they're talking about the lower dungeon areas of the keep? Or somewhere else? Because if he's saying it took them days to get from the dungeons to the towers, hobgoblins must have no sense of direction whatsoever.

>>16348621
"We will. And heal your friends as best we can. After, you must be gone by night. That is when they come. Make no camp fire; it will only attract them to you."

>>16348715
Second. And I have to say, I do feel a little bad just sending these kids out into the wilderness on their own with their old, crappy weapons. Don't see why we couldn't just give em a place nearby to work out of for now at least. If they want to leave later on let them but sending off 10 kids, with three of them wounded on their own sounds like a death sentence as well.

>werespiders

>>16348738

give them an icon of Eago or something. they'll be fine.

I find this a chance to shape a new tribe of hobgobs that will be friendly if not allies to the dengar empire, especially since we've been offered the children (padawans, if you want a comparison). Continued long term interaction with them will affect how they percieve and deal with the empire and if our relationsfavour their tribe, they will eventually become one of the powerful hobgob clans, wielding a great deal of influence over other, perhaps more aggressive clans. Perhaps aftera long period of time, hobgob unit may start appearing in dengar lines.

>>16348738
Honestly I agree. Some people are adamant about NO MIDDLE GROUND EVER RAWR but I think it would be fine to let them get back on their feet for a couple months in some little shelter on our lands before they leave.

But obviously not in the castle.

>>16348768
Not so sure about that. The eldest kid doesn't seem like the kind that could hunt for food and protect the rest of them all on his own.

>>16348769
No. We already have a project with the orcs and our hands full with stuff already on our plate. Legions, preatorians, gods, wives, assassins, ugh. So much stuff. They are violent, nasty, and fairly dumb. It's just not worth it when we can recruit smarter humans to our soldiery and establish an actual human town near the keep.

>>16348775
They are either harmless or dangerous. Not both. Keeping them around near the keep will just build jealousy and resentment.

>>16348873
That's like saying some random person off the street is either harmless or dangerous. We either give them a key to our house and our bank account number or execute them.

The world doesn't run on absolutes.

They are dangerous but safe enough that we can give them a couple weeks to recover outside the castle before finally telling them to go find another place.

>>16348873
Not so sure about that. It's evident they respect strength. As long as we show them who is in control and superior, they will probably be content enough.

You hand the oldest of the hobgoblins some of your extra rations. Flatbread and jerky may not be particularly good, but it will not go bad either, and the chances of these children being picky eaters is slim enough. "Did you see how many there were, were were the tribehomes?"

The hobgoblin accepts the food as Jayne moves on to the last bit hobgoblin "Not more than five. Tribehomes in dungeons, then by water when survivors found each other. Then here. Now will be somewhere new."

You sigh, and pull out a small knife as you begin describing a decent path to a relatively peacefull, well removed patch of nature further north. By the time you are done carving the Eago sigil, your directions are finished. "This is the sign of the travel god. Keep it with you, and you will have an easier journey. Light no fires while you can still see this place, and you will be safe."

The hobgoblin nods, and turns to chatter off orders to his tribe. Within minutes, the creatures are up, and moving at a decent pace out of the keep. As your small group watches the hobgoblins trek up the mountains in the midday sun Sansa sighs "Hobgoblins truly are stupid. It will take an hour at the most to reach the dungeon."

Janos nods, chuckling "though their physical strength, and ability to recover from wounds, as well as their inability to take ill makes up for that." he pauses to scratch at the back of his head "We could reach the depths of the dungeons and be back to the surface well before nightfall if we do not tarry."

>>16348934
Ehhh. Sounds risky but I think we could try it.

At the very LEAST we will be most of the way back up by nightfall and be moving at a quick pace. We won't get lost either thanks to stonesense.

In fact, I suggest we stonesense the quickest way down and back up to save as much time as possible. Then we go talk to these were-spiders.

>>16348934

Path is clear, lets go.

>>16349021
Second.

>>16349021
sounds like a plan to me

>>16348934
Go down to the dungeons, attempt to negotiate. Find the path to the werespiders using stonesense. And stay aware of the time; if the werespiders are cunning, they'll try to drag the negotiations out long enough for the moon to come out and the transformation to happen.

>>16349106
second

You nod slowly "Let us make haste then. I would rather deal with this sooner than later. Be on your guard, and I wan t all of us to keep track of time. Lest we overstay and are attacked." At that, you set off down the tower, and head for the nearest entrance to the dungeons.

Once you reach it, you begin to notice the bloody stains on the floor, clearly from large creatures being dragged down the stairs. You continue to make your way through the dungeons cautiously, but nervously. Your stonesense steadily leading you towards the werespiders. "Justinian, I may be paranoid, but the scrolling along the wall looks quite a bit like runic phrases." Sansa nervously observes.

Janos interjects "No, it is just decoration. The runes I have seen finished from Kyrias workbench are blockier, less organic." he may be behind you, but you know that he is shaking his head.

Catalina shakingly interjects "It may be the focus for some sort of arcane defense measure. I... I dont like this."

Eventually, you reach the cell next to the one you can feel the werecreatures loitering. "Jayne, the door... I will enter first." you instruct her. Jayne nods, and seconds later, the door is a pulp of stone dust and small rocks, though your noble fiance looks a little exhausted from spending an entire day using her abilities. Inside you see, enough boots filled with rocks suspended on webs to imitate four men loitering in the cell.

"I dont like this either... I would suggest we leave before the trap is sprung." Sansa quickly states, grabbing at your sleeve. As that leaves her mouth, the scroll-work on the walls flashes, and you are all thrown to the ground as whole section s of the dungeons rearrange themselves.
>cont'd

Minutes later, as the dust settles again, you reach out with your stonesense to find that you are now even further from the exit from the dungeon, and the only viable route is an incredibly circuitous one. "Yes, I think it is time we left. I do believe that these werespiders are quite set on keeping their lair. when we have more force, we can cleanse the area." And at that, you set off for the exit.

For the first few hours you all travel in silence, save your footfalls. It quickly becomes apparent that the arcane scrolling takes several days to recharge, and was designed to allow fro prisoners to be moved regularly without them learning the layout of the dungeons. Quite useful for keeping prisoners useful, healthy, and unable to escape. Incidentally, you muse, excellent for laying traps in the wrong hands.

Then, the singing starts. It is a deep, throaty voice, echoing from somewhere behind or above you in the network of dungeon tunnels.

Katarus, Katarus, li-ttle-friend
Katarus, katarus, so frigh-tened
You immediately recognize the rhyme. It is one that your mother used to sing to you as a very young child. Incidentally, it is that rhyme that led to you coming home reeking of their pungent odor one day as well.

Katarus, Katarus, li-ttle-friend
Where do you run to, why do you hide?
Katarus, Katarus, li-ttle-friend
I will not harm you, my time I'll bide.

"Am I the only one that does not like that we are being sung to right now?" Sansa asks, clearly quite nervous.

Katarus, Katarus, li-ttle-friend
Flesh is so tasty, meat is so sweet.

"That... is not the rhyme I remember." Jayne adds, picking up her pace, and increasing the rest of the groups with her elementalism.

Katarus, Katarus, li-ttle-friend
Find you in your sleep, death will be neat.
>cont'd

"Perhaps we should ride for home tonight..." Catalina suggests as you lead the group around a corner.

Katarus, Katarus, li-ttle-friend
Where do you run to, why do you hide?
Katarus, Katarus, li-ttle-friend
I aim to harm you, my time I'll bide.

At that, the group breaks up the staircase leading from the dungeons. Wasting no time, you sprint from the dungeon out into... the dark of the night. Janos forces a laugh "At least we know that the security systems in the dungeons still function."

Jayne glares at the man "Truly? I thought they weren't. Between the chambers shifting around us, and the fact that all of us lost all sense of time down there, I had thought we would need to replace them." Before Janos can reply, a creature, with the upper body of a dwarf, and the lower body of a spider bursts from a hidden area of the ground, just off tho the side of the gate, the interior of it coated in spiders silk, from what you can see. It turns to face you, and you realize that its head is completely wrong in everything save the shape. It has many, multifaceted eyes, a pair of slits for a nose... and a fanged maw where its mouth should be. Before you can react, a trio of what look to be orcs from the waist down crawl down the side of the keep. Their skin a greasy, abnormally dark shade of the natural hue for new-clan orcs. From their torsos sprout six arms, three to either side. each arm ends in a pointed tip, with wickedly sharp looking serrations on the inside edge of each. their heads appear to be much the same as their... dwarven, companion. All four look set on consuming the group you came to inspect the keep with, and you have seconds to react to their sudden charge.

rolled 70 = 70

FUCKING SPIKES GO GO

rolled 17 = 17

>>16349403
Rolling for elementalism. Spike em dead

Wanna use mine for combat?

rolled 95 = 95

>>16349403
COMBAT!
HERE WE GO!

>>16349453
Yes, might as well.

rolled 75 = 75

>>16349455
Dammit. Using up a botch already.

rolled 34 = 34

goddamn. Why, /tg/ dice? Why? Have I not sacrificed the tasty bacons to you on the nocturnal bacon throne?

>>16349485
WHY MUST YOU MOCK US SO, CUBES OF HORRIFIC FATE?!?!

>>16349455
fan-fucking-tastic

>>16349504
apparently they require more bacon, much more bacon

Can we botch with the 75 and the 34?

I am in favor of using the botch

Let's botch with the combat roll. A 70 we can deal with on ele. A 95 here for combat will fuck our shit up.

>>16349533
second

>>16348775

"Only four have revealed themselves! Keep your eyes out for the fifth!"

You fire off a brace of stone spikes at the were-spider that sprung from the hole. It leaps to the side, giving you time to draw your sword. As you do so, SAnsa lunges at the monster with her knives drawn, as Catalina and Jayne line up to keep the other three were-spiders from reaching Kaitlyn and Janos as they aim their bows. As the spider you chose rears up in pain from Sansa stabbing into its abdomen, you lunge at it. However, the beasts quickness surprises you, as it manages to twist in time to avoid your stab. As Sansa falls from the creatures back, the beast swipes an arm at you, which you manage to dodge easilly enough.

You glance over to see one were-spider short one arm, with two of the others pierced by arrows, cowering beneath Jaynes feet. A second has Catalinas whip wrapped around its neck, but does not seem terribly offput by the constricted airway. "do you still hope to rehabilitate these bastards?" Sansa asks as her elg is caught by a jet of webbing from the creature you are attempting to subdue with her.

rolled 58 = 58

>>16349643
"No. Cut them down, there's one more hiding!"

Elemental roll. Spikes at the one we're fighting.

rolled 52 = 52

"Not these ones. End them quickly"

COMBAT ROLL MOTHERFUCKERS

>>16349403
>multifaceted eyes

possible tactical maneuver:

Yell for everyone to close 1 of their eyes and fire signal ring into were-spider eyes. the sudden blinding light should overwhelm the werespider's senses for a few moments, while the act of our people closing 1 eye allows for that eye to retain it's night vision when reopened! [Mythbuster tested, Pirate approved! YARRR]

it DOES risk eye damage due to the mooneye paste, i guess...

>>16349643
"I think we'll have to defer that plan to the next batch of werespiders we come across. A pity."

You shake your head, as you plunge your blade into the spider before you. It convulses much more slowly than this blades last victim, but it dies quickly enough "No, we will have to capture the next were-spider we encounter for that,. A pity really." And at that, the body convulses one last time, a leg smashes into your gut, and you are sent flying. The fresh corpse, however, is all that Catalina needs. As Jayne finishes the were-spider before her, and Kaitlyn and Janos begin putting holes in the now kneeling, immobilized, gasping were-spider in front of the silver-haired necromancer, most of the dwarven bones are torn from the corpse that just sent you flying through the air. The flurry of bloody bones quickly becomes a storm of ivory spikes, which waste no time in piercing the fourth werespider through its chest, head, and gut, causing it to call to the ground, dead.

As you stand, the fifth creature calmly strides from the entrance to the keep. Its lower body thickly coated in fur, and clearly that of a spider, its upper body that of a man, though covered in chitin. Its head is also that of a man, save its mouth, which is a pair of large, venom-dripping fangs.

rolled 58 = 58

>>16349764
Elementalism. Blow it up.

rolled 5 = 5

>>16349764
SWORD TO FUCKING FACE BITCH

>>16349779
WOOHOO! A roll that Charlie Sheen can call, "Winning"

rolled 32 = 32

>>16349764
"You should have surrendered without incident."

Elemental attack. Spikes up into its abdomen.

>>16349779
ALL HAIL THE NOCTURNAL BACON THRONE. SACRIFICE YOUR BACON UPON IT FOR GREAT JUSTICE.

>>16349779

Justinian Trentz has fucking tiger blood.

>>16349806
And now I will imagine all the training, both ours and for everyone at our academy, in montages.
Thanks.

>the zocult
...Was that a joke about were-creatures, captcha?

As Catalina forms a disk of bone and severs the head of the last orc werespider, you push yourself to your feet. You leap through the air as the dwarven werespider begins to revert to its fully dwarven from. As the larger, fresh werespider rears up to sink its fangs into the still immobile, struggling Sansa, you launch yourself through the air. When the bests fangs are about to touch your aide and fiances arm, and moments later pierce her skin, your blade connects with the spiders head. As you land, and before the creature realizes that it is dead, the body slumps to the ground "Justinian, I..."

You chuckle "I know, Sansa. And I do to."

She freezes and replies "Not what I was going to say, but it works well enough." and after that, she finishes cutting herself free from the webbing so that she can stand up to wrap you in a tight embrace.

A little too tight, actually, as your ribs are more than a little sore from the hit you took in this fight. Sansa backs off when she sees you wince, and Catalina sheepishly asks "Are all of your outings this... eventful, Justinian?"

Jayne shakes her head as she wipes her maces head on the grass on her way over to you "Most of them. Though they can be quite enjoyable as well."

Catalina blushes as Janos chuckles and interjects "Since I have my own tent, I will simply imagine that I did not hear that and recommend that we not fly for home until the morning."

"But, where will I sleep then?" Catlina asks, as she had no tent of her own, Janos is barely large enough for two, and yours will apparently be rather... uncomfortable, for those not on the larger of the two cots that will barely fit inside the thing.

>>16349880

Joins our tent for a second time. Hehhhh.

>>16349880
Let's just make a stone hut large enough for everyone.
That was probably all of the werespiders, but I don't want to take chances. And there's no telling if another group of recent transformed werebeasts might decide that this keep would be a good lair and come along.

>>16349880
I think the gentlemanly thing to do here is to take the first watch, and let Catalina sleep undisturbed. When switching with Jayne/Sansa for the second watch, sleep in her cot.

Be a gentlemen and offer the ladies the tent. We'll sleep under the stars.

Interested parties may join us of course.

>>16349880

"I do believe Neshai asked you to keep an eye on me, now didn't she?" [raise eyebrow]

Might I suggest that we perhaps move our cots into a room with solid walls? Our stonesense doesn't seem to work on tricksy werespiders, and if there happens to be a 6th... I want some fucking STONE WALLS between it and the tender flesh of the women folk.

Also, find out what Sansa was going to say...

>>16349943
Clearly, this is a gentleman's option, and this is what we shall do.

>>16349943
This works for me.

You look over at the girl mischievously "Well, I suppose you can join me if you wish, little one."

Catalina freezes again, face going paler than it normally is before lighting up a brilliant red "I, well, erm I..."

Sansa laughs and laughs into your ear as Jayne takes care of your ribs "I was going to say that I love your flare for the dramatic, and that I find your habit of cutting things far too close worries. But now I cant tell if your funny, or looking to grow our happy little family." she then kisses you on the cheek and steps back with Jayne to raise an eyebrow at you.

You chuckle "Peace Catalina. It was a joke. I will take the first watch, and sleep under the stars after that. If anyone cares to join me they are fee to do so of course. You lovely ladies can have the tent to yourselves otherwise."

Catalina calms down "I, well... that was confusing and mean Commander."
>cont'd

Jayne laughs at the girl "No, what we did to Lena when we first realized that she and Wulf were a couple was mean. That was simply part of your initiation to our family."

Catalina balks as the others begin to set tents, and you pull your cloak from your bag "I... I am afraid of what the rest of my initiation is then."

Sansa laughs "Oh, dont worry, Kyria is gentle, and most of the titles Justinian assigns us are good-natured. Right, Lord Helmet?"

Sansa dodges the rock sent her way by the man in question. Kaitlyn responds "I never got that visit from Kyria you have been hanging over my head, and some of the names are rather annoying." Janos freezes, before Kaitlyn turns to him and emphatically orders him "No. If anything, you would make certain that she wouldn't reach me."

Janos chuckles "Actually, if she is gentle I wouldn't mind leaving you to her at all."

After the former lordling recovers from the tent-pole Kaitlyn had been holding nearly being broken over his head Catalina quips "It would seem that you will be out with Justinain for the night now, Janos."

Kaitlyn looks over at the girl "No, if I did that he would have no one to protect him. He just has to sleep on the ground next to my cot now instead of in the cot."

Catalina giggles "But who will protect me from the nymphomaniacs I'm to share a tent with?"

Sansa chuckles "No one, of course. We left those two in DragonsReach. And they were well mannered enough before Justinain left them free to act on their impulses."

Catalina freezes again "So they would really..."


Jayne sighs "No, they wouldn't. Its only Justinain or one of the other ladies he will be marrying. You have nothing to fear... unless we decide that you should join our family."
>cont'd

Sansa nods sagely, though it is clear she is trying to keep a straight face "And if we do, we promise that you will enjoy it. though, we still need to pry you out of your shell more before we can decide on that."

Jayne chuckles "Speak for yourself, Justinain is still the biggest draw of the relationship, the rest are simply nice extras. YOu truly dont know what your missing Catalina..." she trails off, mocking remembering some fond memory... and a rather explicit one at that.

Sansa shakes her head "But you have second watch, so I am the one that gets to wake up our favorite commander." Jayne looks at Sansa, betratyed "Though until you spoke, I had been considering letting Janos take the second watch." The bickering continues like this well through dinner, until finally, you are resting against a large stone, watching the moonless sky, and waiting for something bad to happen, though hoping nothing does.

>well, thats it for tonight
>someone archive please
>I'll be back tuesday at 9pm server time
>If you have any setting/CQ questions just email me at paxcomquest@yahoo.com

archived. don't forget to vote.