Captured! (Online Adventure)

[Khorvalis]

"There is no lock. I cannot pick them."

"Perhaps this will work"

Khorvalis touches his collar and a crimson spark leaps from his fingertip" (Magic Shatter)

[GM-Brad]

Ah, a Magic Shatter will remove the collar. It breaks apart into several pieces.

You discover that your flesh, just underneath where the collar lay, has become unusually blistered and fetid. At bit of healing, though, and it smooths out again.

[Khorvalis]

"Phinkis, it worked!" Khorvalis' scarred face fills with joy. He then brushes his hand over the wound where the collar touched his skin... healing light mends his wounds.

The old druid proceeds to Shatter the remaining collars and chains from the rest of the prisoners.

He then draws his attention to the screaming Valkin'vi. Never before has he heard her voice so loud and full of emotion: "Kami, is this blood yours? Are you injured?"

Khorvalis will spend the next few minutes healing Laurel and those who are injured.

"We must be at our full strength if we are to fight our way out of this lair of the Depraved and rescue Alea and the rest of the captured. But we must first recover our belongings..."

[Gondowon T. Falbor]

Suddenly the muffled sounds of a frightened yelp and a wooden "thump" can be heard nearby. As those who can hear the sounds turn to their source they spot a coffin standing upright against one of the frozen walls. It seems out of place, however, since it bears much less ice than other objects within the room. Another oddity is the fact that stuffed under the latched coffin door is a series of chains leading within the wooden confines.

The thumping sound is heard again, along with a yell, incomprehensible through the thick wood.

[Isho]

The monster watched carefully as his chains are broken. His wrists and neck bare marks from decades of being chained up against his will. stone skin there worn smooth and shiny. After his chains are broken he raises up to his full hwight, stretching. The gargoyle smells like purtrified flesh and dirt. He doesn't say anything only lets loose a low growl. His teeth are like those to shark, double rows of dagger sharp teeth to tear flesh.

[Mahto Snowbringer]

Mahto nods to Zandron, then walks over to the coffin and rips off the lid to find...

[Khorvalis]

As Mahto does so, Khorvalis conjures a ball of flame in his hand, ready to hurl it at whatever monstrosity might pounce from the coffin...

[Zydana]

The Valkin'Vi woman continues her series of "no"s while pulling and tugging on her binds paying no one else any mind until *CHINK* the sound of Mahto breaking her chains with his pickaxe. The woman goes silent as she stares at the broken chain for a moment. Her eyes follow the pickaxe up to Mahto's face briefly and then back to the cavern floor. She sits, holding her knees to her chest in silence.

When Korvalis nears, she seems hesitant, but allows him to remove the collar that adorns her neck. In response to his questions, she simply looks at the blood stained area and then to her hands which she raises near her face. She flinches from any attempt at healing Korvalis may offer. She begins to whisper in hushed tones into her hands which react with a growing soft white aura of light. The light slightly intensifies. She opens her eyes and slides her robe to the side revealing a fairly large wound on the side of her abdomen. She places her hand on her wound which begins to close.

[Gondowon T. Falbor]

As Mahto opens the lid, a shackled and gagged Gondowon falls out with a muffled yelp. Khorvalis just barely manages to hold back his flames as he recognizes his comrade. Gondowon lands flat on his face and lets out a groan, struggling to flip onto his back so he can see. Unlike most of the others here, the sage appears to have not only his feet bound, but his wrists and each of his individual fingers as well. In fact, it would appear he's covered head to toe in some kind of chain or another.

Snowbringer takes a moment to remove the cloth from Gondowon's mouth, who spits and lets out another pained groan before mumbling, "Where ahm aye?" Quite uncharacteristically of him, the sage reeks of alcohol and appears to have a hangover, much like Zandron and Kaylan. "Whazz gohn on?" he slurs, looking around the icy room with bleary eyes. "Ahm I in hhhell?"

[Khorvalis]

Khorvalis extinguishes his flaming orb and quickly hobbles to the Redwind's Master Craftsman.

"Not you too!" The druid notices the smell of alcohol on Gondowon's breath. Khorvalis covers his mouth and nose as he shatters Gondowon's chains.

"Pull yourself together, Gondowon." Khorvalis gently slaps his comrade's cheek in a frail attempt to sober him up. "By some cruel twist of fate, we've all been captured by the Depraved! We need our wits about us if we are to make it out of here alive. We have only a few hours before our captors return. But alas, at the very least, you are alive. You gave my old heart quite a scare. You are indeed a sight for sore eyes, my child."

Khorvalis glances at Kaylan, "If Gondowon here was not so inebriated, I do believe he might be able to identify that magical shield. Perhaps it may give us a clue as to what the Depraved are searching for down here."

"Laurel," the Ga'vin addresses the elf, "You said you have been in these caves before... Do you know where the Depraved might be keeping our equipment? Or where your wife and the other prisoners might be held captive? We need as much information as you can offer if we are to devise a feasible plan to get out of here alive."

Khorvalis scans the cavern once more. His eyes glance over Cicero, Kami, Zandron and the rest of his crew-mates, then the others before finally focusing on Kaylan again. The old man remembers the chasm.

The druid channels another orb fire, though much weaker... but still bright enough to illuminate the expanse before him. He tosses it into the chasm. Then another halfway across. As the orbs of light glide through the air before fizzling out in a harmless puff of smoke, Khorvalis strains his eyes and tries to spot anything of note before him.

[Gondowon T. Falbor]

Gondowon struggles to sit upright, rubbing his sore wrists and ankles. "C'mon now, I'm fiiiine," the sage says, forcing himself to stand, staggering as he does so. "Nooowwwhat's this 'bout a shield?" he says, scanning the room, "Or the... Depraaaayyyved? I remember some fugg ugly fellows and-" He starts to come to as he recognizes more of his crewmates, including his captain.

"Caaaptain Zand-ur-on," he says, mispronouncing the elf's name as he gives a shaky salute. "Gonnnnjawahn Tedruh Falbor r'porting for duby. I wuz onna mishun. Was s'post to be covert. Sneak in as a cropse. Corspe. Corpse. Whadevur. I was gedding redy in The Alehouse, when some buggers dragged me outside. S'pose I had a bit too much to drink while I wuz gedding 'in charagter'. They were reely styupid thoughc cuz they din't bind my hands, an' I toldem as much an' showedem how I could shadder my chaayns wiff a touch, so they started to ged ruff 'n' I toldem again thad they weren't doin' it right and I headbutt one, but then somethin' hit me an' I couldn' see it and I guess I was too talkative cuz they gagged me an' stuffed me in my own coffin."

He finally puts his hand down as he stops rambling and nods, as if agreeing with his own tale. "Whazzup witchoo?" he finally says, giggling to himself before watching Khorvalis drop his magical flames into the pit.

"Huh. IIIII s'pose we really ARE in a piggle. Pickle. Whadevur," he mutters as his expression grows grim, the full weight of the situation finally setting in. "See anything, Khorvalis?"

[Zandron]

Zandron shakes his head, slurring a reply to Khorvalis: "No, no, Кhorvalїs. Eveґyone looк!" He wags an unsteady finger in the direction of the nearby chasm.

"Sєє?" Improved Spot He grins, Їs a house.

The captain's head snaps up at Gondowon's fumbled salute. He snaps his bootless feet together, and slaps an open hand upon his naked breast. "Lєfтenant Gonдowoл, нaїl." Formalities resolved, he zigs first, then zags toward his trusted advisor. Leaning close and whispering far less conspicuously than he means to do, Zandron asks, "Have чoц вєєn dгiлкiлg, мy fгieлd?"

[GM-Brad]

Laurel replies to Khorvalis: "I have not been in this particular cave network before. When I was a prisoner last time, it was in a much different place. Much warmer. I have no idea how far they dragged me when I was unconscious, or how far underground we are. I have no clue where my wife is or where any other prisoners are at besides those in this room.There are most likely other prison groups nearby, though, if I had my guess, digging just like we are. The Depraved are natural diggers themselves, and they tend to build extensive cave networks."

When Khorvalis's magical light goes out over the chasm you can see the fleeting silhouette of a structure below.

Some inmates are grateful, others are nervous when you release them from their bonds. "What of the repercussions to our loved ones held elsewhere if we are discovered?" one asks.

[Khorvalis]

Khorvalis replies to Zandron, "Yes, captain... there is a building of some sort below."

The druid examines the cliff, "I am not sure if we would be able to scale the cave walls to get down there though."

"Laurel, thank you for the information but we are still left with a quandary... what path will we take to freedom?" Khorvalis points to the chasm and then to the iron door across the cave.

Khorvalis tries to reassure the scared prisoners, "Do not look upon us with such heavy hearts. You are among the Heroes of Haven. We will do all that we can to save you and your kindred. You must muster courage and be resolute. This is no way to live, as slaves to the Depraved. But we will not force your hand. If you wish to remain here like chained animals til the end of days, so be it. Such a fate is worse than death."

A genuine warmth emanates from the old man's eyes as he speaks. "Or do you wish to once again feel the warmth of the sun upon your faces? And be reunited with those loved ones taken from you? Now is the opportunity. Fight for your freedom... take back your lives!"

[SirJoriel]

Cicero grabs up his pick, after meditating shortly to mimic healing to assist the others.

"Let's go before this hangover kills me."

Assessing both the door and chasm Cicero checks for the safest route. (Recall, spot, sense magic)