4 - 046: The Fourth Piece

[K Man]

Romar -

Telena lifts you atop her mount with a strength that only a Half-Giant could possess and spurs the beast forward. It is a short ride to the Dune Palace atop the mount and Telena remains talkative through most of it. She inquires about your background, the state of affairs beyond the desert borders...nothing specific, just what one would expect from a society that has been cut off for a long period of time.

The heat of the desert sun is intense. You're certain that if you forced to make it here on your own, the trip would have been lethal. Even just the hour or so it takes to return to the Dune Palace leaves you drenched in sweat and dying for water from a canteen. When the Dune Palace finally spreads out before you, it is both a relief and an impressive sight to see.

The Dune Palace really isn't a palace at all. Sure, there is one large central building that looks more like a ziggurat than anything else, but the majority of the city is simply contained behind a large stone wall and is composed of single level adobe buildings. The guards atop the wall wave Telena and her escort in, regarding her as just another citizen returning from the wastes--there is no trumpet, no announcement of her return...unlike the Kings of the lands outside.

Inside the walls, the city is simple. Colorful banners provide shade over the numerous bazaars and markets where wares are exchanged. The many citizens take refuge in the shade of the adobe buildings, cooling themselves off with large fans of woven cloth.

The citizens themselves are of completely mixed races. Nearly every humanoid race you can think of is represented here and they all seem to fit together well. The humans do not solely mix with other humans as it is with the others races here...all coexist and all co-mingle freely.

Telena leads you to the ziggurat in the center of town and motions for you go inside. The shade under the stone roof of the building is a welcomed relief as are the slowly moving cloth fans in the ceiling. The Half-Giant council member leaves you, if only for a moment and returns with a stack of clothes that look fit for desert survival. They are light in color and weight, looking most comfortable over the heavy gear you carry with you now.



"Here. Wear this to keep from over-heating." She hands the stack of clothes to you. "I have some council duties to attend to, only for a moment, and I will return to continue our conversation after that."

"You may head through those pillars there. Beyond you will find what we call the 'Life-Giving Lake' and much shade. Take rest beneath them, drink deeply of the waters and I will return in a moment."

Telena pauses briefly, if only to address any immediate questions you may have.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Garor -

The clerics of Ravenshead heal you quickly and, of course, the King is there to receive a brief update of the events happening a few miles from his doorstep. Everyone wishes you well and you disappear into the ground, arriving a few hundred feet away from the fortress of 'The Master'.

As to be expected, the hole made by your companions is crawling with the undead Ogres. The colossus has not moved, apparently useless in this particular fight.

You wonder what to do...

------------------------------------------------------------------------

All but Romar and Garor -

Opening the door to head deeper into the fortress of 'The Master', your heart sinks. Whatever you had expected, whatever devious things the recesses of your imagination could develop...it was not this.

The door opens to a hallway full of doors, identical to this one.

At first glance, there must be a dozen or more door in each direction and no indication of anything different behind either one. You curse under your breath, knowing that each second you delay could spell doom for the citizens of Ravenshead...or even for yourselves.

{I just need a door #... ;D}

Map;

  _______
 |
 |     __
1|    |2
 |    |
 |    |
3|    |4
 |    |
 |    |
5|    |6
 |    |
 |    |
7|    |8
 |    |
 |    |
9|    |10
 |    |
 |    |
1|1   |12  13         14         15         16         17
 |    |____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____|
 |
 |____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____|
 |    M YD  |    18         19         20         21         22
 |          |
 | GT    KA |
 |          |
 |          |
 |          |
 |          |
 |_*________|

[/pre]

...LEGEND...
* = Blast hole
| or -- = Door
M = Mordrock
A = Adelia
K = Krysta
Y = Yuri
D = Galdren
G = Girud
T = Alton

__________________________________________________________________________________________

[VemuKhaham]

Romar knew that the best lie was the one that remained closest to the truth. Therefore, he didn't hesitate to answer any question Telena might've posed during their ride. He especially concentrated his tale on the siege of Ravenshead though, and how all the world was falling apart and soon too the Dune Palace would be next.

When entering the city itself, Romar looks around curiously. What a strange culture these people had, all adapted to living under the unforgiving desert sun. Romar had never been in such a harsh climate before, having lived all his life in the temperate regions around Carealal.

Indeed, the shade offered him much relieve when he entered the ziggurat. He followed Telena's instructions to the letter and took the clothes she offered thankfully. Then he went to the water and drunk.

Before Telena would leave the room, Romar would say one more time, more explicitly than before "Thank you." and bowed. He then added: "Forgive me my rashness, but if possible I would beg you to arrange for me the possibility to plead my case to the Council today still."

He then sat down by the lake and thought. He was still on track with his plan but he needed to go to this council quickly - he was in no mood for sitting about. He only had to pursuade the Council to move this crystal towards Ravenshead, and that was all... if that would work, the remainder would be easy...

One thing he had noted from Telana's many questions was that her people were not very aware of the state of affairs in the world around them. Whether it would be to his advantage or disadvantage during his plead to the council he did not yet know.

And so he waited for Telana to return.

[BluSpecs]

Garor will vein ride as close as he can to the door then dive in Aoo's be damned....

[Jevva]

I propose we roll a d20 and take that door number

[Japic]

I propose we roll a d20 and take that door number

Best idea I've heard all day. But I think that WE should roll it, not KMan; that way we have only ourselves to blame.

Girud will lead wherever the team votes.

[GeneralMHB]

(OOC: The d20 roll sounds good to me, whatever number is rolled is fine by me)