[Active Thread] The Hall of Harsh Reflections

[smeltdm]

Prost also notices the ranting man, but sees no purpose to paying any heed to him. “We should keep moving, we’re almost there”

[ElectroZman]

“Well I dunno Prost.” Tex says. “But I just wonder who riled this fellow up. Mebbe he knows something, but I aint the one to ask em.”

[CGM3]

“He used the phrase, the worm that walks,” Cyrius observes thoughtfully. “I rather doubt that's a coincidence. That fellow knows something, and we should follow it up.”

[ElectroZman]

OUT OF CHARACTER

You know, I just automatically made the connection without thinking about it much. If Tex doesn't, then thats fine.

 

[JPetherick]

Worrel quietly speaks with his companions. “"Let us wait until he finishes, then speak with him quietly. He knows something and it would be beneficial to learn how he came by this knowledge. If you do not want to stay, I will wait and speak with him."”

Worrel settles in, waiting until the man tires or is moved along by the guards.

[kabkal]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Due to real life I am going to need to take about a 2 week break. I will let you know when I am back online. Sorry for being absent a lot lately, but a lot going on. If needed, you can sock puppet, ignore or find a replacement player due to length of time I will be missing.

 

[ElectroZman]

OUT OF CHARACTER

OUT OF CHARACTER Due to real life I am going to need to take about a 2 week break. I will let you know when I am back online. Sorry for being absent a lot lately, but a lot going on. If needed, you can sock puppet, ignore or find a replacement player due to length of time I will be missing.   Hope everything is OK. If I can help somehow, PM me. Im in NJ.

 

[patransom]

Due to real life I am going to need to take about a 2 week break. I will let you know when I am back online. Sorry for being absent a lot lately, but a lot going on. If needed, you can sock puppet, ignore or find a replacement player due to length of time I will be missing.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Come back when you can. I will NPC Lola until you do. Probably won't even be needed for this RP encounter.

 

As the party listens with some interest, the crowd of other passerby continues to ignore the man as he raves. After completing his speech, the man pauses for breath, offering Worrel the opportunity he was waiting for.

[JPetherick]

Worrel approaches the street preacher before asking, “"Excuse me, sir. How did you learn of the Worm that Walks?"”

If the man needs encouragement, Worrel will tell the man that he and his companions have fought against shoggoths infected by the worms.

[CGM3]

Cyrius stands ready in case the man's reaction to Worrel's question is... vehement.

[smeltdm]

Prost stands by, though with some doubt.

[patransom]

Worrel approaches the street preacher before asking, “"Excuse me, sir. How did you learn of the Worm that Walks?"”

If the man needs encouragement, Worrel will tell the man that he and his companions have fought against shoggoths infected by the worms.

Still standing on his rain barrel, the man seems pleased that Worrel is paying attention to him. However, when asked the question, he looks confused and replies “The what that walks? Worm? Worms don't walk! They crawl!” He seems quite satisfied with that answer until Worrel goes into more detail about the shoggoths. Then he becomes confused again, saying “Why do you tell me such terrifying tales? They sound like madness, sir. I have never heard of any such thing!”

[smeltdm]

huh! just as I though he is touchedProst comments under his breath.

[ElectroZman]

But, touched by what or who? Tex replies.

[smeltdm]

Prost thinks for a minute, then comments. “This just a distraction, we should move on.”

[patransom]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Any reaction from Worrel and Cyrius or do you all want to move on? No rush, I have to make a map for the next thing that happens anyway...

 

[JPetherick]

Worrel thinks a moment before replying.

“"How did you come to know of this,"” Worrel asks the man. He does not want to pursue this much more, but knowing more about the man's motives.

In fact, before he leaves, Worrel will take a moment to determine if the man has any evil motives.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Detect Evil

 

[CGM3]

“Yet you spoke of the worm that walks while speaking to the people,” Cyrius says in a reasonable tone. “How did you come to use that phrase?”

[patransom]

While Prost and Tex wonder about the man's condition, Worrel and Cyrius question him directly.

“How did you come to know of this?” Worrel asks the man.

“Know of what?” the man counters, stepping down from the rain barrel, but continuing to look confused.

“Yet you spoke of the worm that walks while speaking to the people,” Cyrius explains in a reasonable tone. “How did you come to use that phrase?”

“I did?” the man answers. “If that is so, it must be true! For I am the Prophet of the Golden Eye and my visions always come true! In fact, I feel another vision coming upon me now...” He climbs back atop the rain barrel and begins to rant again.

“Listen to me, you children of Tula, and hear the doom that builds before your blind eyes. You in your house of gold and you in your hovel of mud and even you in your mail of metal, none of you are safe from the doom, from the Age of Worms. Oh yes, it is coming. Have you not heard the dead dragons roar? Have you not smelled the rot festering under your very nose? Have you not dreamt of the worm that walks, bringing decay to all he touches? Fools, you are all fools! Your doom is upon you! The end is in sight and none of you shall be spared. Decay is the future and the future is here!”

OUT OF CHARACTER

Worrel detects no evil and no one has heard of the Golden Eye

 

[smeltdm]

Prost snorts, commenting under his breathHe is crazed we should move on.

[ElectroZman]

Tex shrugs.

[CGM3]

“He may indeed be other than sane,” Cyrius observes quietly, “but he has some link to the worms, even if he knows it not.”

[patransom]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Anything additional from Worrel or Ardrea?

 

[Jinxs-3d]

Andrea concurs with the others. It’s strange coincidence or he’s touched by fate, but only lightly enough to have a warning.

[kabkal]

OUT OF CHARACTER

If Lola has not been replaced or killed, I am ready to be back on line. Again, sorry for being out the past few weeks.

 

[smeltdm]

OUT OF CHARACTER

welcome back…no one has died

 

[kabkal]

Lola shakes her head like she is getting the cobwebs out. Looks a bit dazed and confused, draws her sword and looks about for trouble, hoping to not be in the middle of combat.

[JPetherick]

Worrel nods in agreement with Cyrius.

"Perhaps touched by its evil, but only knowing a part of the whole," says the paladin. "Of course, we might have only seen part of what the worms will bring."

[kabkal]

Seeing we are not in immediate danger, Lola will put her sword away, and listen to what is going on.

[patransom]

After their strange encounter with the "Rain Barrel Man," the party continues following the directions they were given to Eligos' manor. As they approach the last tunnel beneath the Mages' Monolith before their destination, they come upon a traffic jam. The street ahead is packed with a throng of people, straining their necks and cheering as a group of jugglers, followed by three large metal cages, makes its way up the street.

The parade continues to roll incredibly slowly towards the tunnel, displaying the talents of numerous street performers and various caged beasts. The large and extravagant cage on the horse-drawn wagon in the middle actually consists of two cages. The inner cage is made of iron bars, with panes of glass mounted outside the bars on all four sides. Within is a three headed monstrosity with the heads of a goat, a lion, and a brilliant blue dragon. As the parade trundles along, the beast roars over and over as its dragon head blasts the iron cage with bolts of electricity that play along the metal bars.

It is immediately apparent that once this horde of people and performers reach the tunnel, they will create a horrendous bottleneck. It would behoove the party to make their way past this crowd and into the tunnel first. Failing to do so will result in a long delay while they wait for the parade to pass through the tunnel. The only other option would be to find an alternate route, likely going all the way around the city or over the monolith. Either alternate route would also take a long time...

OUT OF CHARACTER

The blue "B's" are the crowd of bystanders. The purple "P's" are performers. The big purple "H's" are horses pulling the wagons. The red "C's" (which are hard to see on the map because they're inside the cages) are various creatures. You can pass through/share squares with the people in the crowd, but they count as difficult terrain (2 squares). You'll want to get to the other side of this map (to the left) as quickly as possible to avoid being delayed in reaching your important destination (#19 on the city map)!