(OOC: Regardless of whomever Athaeis is following...)

Athaeis, having slung the bow around her neck and shoulders, the forward tip being as close to the ground in front of her as possible, moves closely enough to whomever's in front of her as not to lose them, but not so close she is poking them with the tip of the bow. As the climb becomes arduous, she complains through a series of sighs and grunts.

(ooc: assuming the shadows are from up ahead?)

Lanis turns to those following, "Lets hurry before those things catch up." With that Lanis makes to move as quick as he can pistols drawn and moveing no faster than the ligh of the lantern while attempting to add distance from those 'things'. Pausing to try and figure out what he is seeing ahead and looking for another exit (OOC: He is looking for a secret passage maybe? Perception roll?)

Following the others into the passage up, I turn and look back to see Smarty and Onna preparing for whatever may come through the cavern. With a nod to them, I disappear into the passage. After a few feet, the passage begins to narrow, and then the cieling begins to become too low to walk upright. (Though the ceiling is more likely to be the same, the path just goes up towards it). With my staff in hand, I drop to a crouch, then hands and knees and follow the rest up the path. As I come to the end of my crawl, I see Lanis ahead in a crouch with pistols drawn. Moving up behind Athaeis and Claudia, I try to rise to a kneeling position and make a quick check of my weapons, preparing to meet any new threat...

Returning Caledor's nod before he disappears up the passage, I turn back to face whatever may come through the far end of the passage. Moving slightly away from Smarty to give his axe room to swing, I ready my bow and settle in to wait until something comes, or we are called up the passage...

(OOC: Paul, can we see anything coming towards us? Or, if not, do we hear anything from the group above?)

Hey everyone, Paul asked me to let you all know that his internet has been out for the last couple of days and may be out for a couple more. A construction crew was diggin a hole in his neighborhood and cut the lines.

(OOC: Relatively minor problem, comparatively, over the past couple days. The utilities folks tore up the phone line my DSL comes from. Obviously, all fixed, now.)
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(OOC: Yep, above and ahead of you, in the direction of your travel.)

(OOC: First, Agility -10 because you're climbing up on your knees and palms, which means you have no grip, and you need at least some to proceed with better ease. Perception -20 to attempt to place a form in the shadow and have a chance of identifying it. As for trying to locate a secret passage, there isn't one. The rock ramp -thank you Mark- that you're on, at present, is roughly 4' wide, just over 3' high, and about a 10% grade up. To the left, overlooking the corridor and cavern you were all just hunkered in, and some still are, there are holes in the stone for you to see out. However, to your right, there is nothing but hard stone. There obviously is some manner of corridor or cavern above and in front of you, as well.)
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(OOC: The ceiling of this way up really doesn't permit you to rise up on your knees.)
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(OOC: You do hear the restless movements of the group, above, but it also sounds as though something wicked this way comes...

Looking up, you see Caledor is roughly halfway up the passage and trying to check his weapons while Athaeis' bow just barely misses his head several times.)
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(OOC: Again, my friends, this Friday I fly up to North Dakota to have my next reunification weekend with my sons, and so I will be unavailable, as they tend to keep me hopping. This past weekend with my sons was a fine one, indeed, because they're good boys and I think we'll all do very well as a family. Gavin loves to laugh and be tickled to laugh more. Kieran loves to smile, and brightens up the entire room when he does. I think both of these boys are adventurous, and I already told you they're looking forward to role-playing -or, at least, they were, hehe-, and I am looking forward to having them not only as my sons, but as my friends.

If we can get in a few more posts before I go Friday morning, that would be ideal. )
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(OOC: ps - Thanks, Brandon, my friend. They turned everything back on just a little bit ago. I appreciate you taking the time to do this, though. I honestly had no idea they would be finished tonight.)

(OOC: Agl -10 to climb (1d100=21) - Made that! Now Perception - Perception -20 [+10 for Excelent Vision] so -10 total (1d100=85). - So, I climb well, but it is just too dark to be sure about the figures )

Tucking away the Pistol, I pull the shorter of my matched blades and keep moving. "No time for heroic deaths you two," Lanis says over the lip to Smarty and Onna. "We need you up here more than down there."

Hearing Lanis' comment, Smarty turns to Onna and says, "Damn it elf, let's get a move on, we be missin all the fun." Even though aggitated at possibly missing some fun Smarty won't move until Onna does and glances down the tunnel once more before setting of if they do.

Straining in the darkness to see, I hear the others as the claw thier way up the ramp behind me, but my attention is drawn to my front where the sounds of something, or several somethings, seem to ne heading in our direction....



Turning to Smarty at the sound of Lanis' voice, I whisper to my dwarven companion....

"It seems our talents are needed above my friend, I suppose these beasts here shall have to wait..."

Then turning after I am sure Smarty is with me, I scamper up the ramp as fast as possible on hands and knees after slinging my bow...

(OOC: My friends, I'm off to see the wizard... okay, my sons in North Dakota, but it's that time of year... nevermind

I need to wait for a few more responses before I reply.)

Paul sorry I've not responded for a couple of weeks. The last message I had was you was heading out of town and since then I've not had any notifications. I'm still here and will be posting shortly.

Gavin

Not hanging around Claudia followed Lanis's lead. Once Lanis has made it to the elevated position she grabbed his hand a pulled herself up to join him. Once she was safely up on the ledge she began to help Athaeis up.

Claudia then began to inspect her new surroundings trying to find any new routes that the group could take to flee the oncoming chaos hordes.

(OOC: Well, it's hard to believe that another year has almost past, but it seems there is no escaping it. Though it has been a busy one, with elections, work, and all the other real life issues that seem to continually crop up, I have enjoyed gaming with you all, and hope to continue to do so well into the next year and beyond. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, and a super holiday season! Hopefully we will not stuff ourselves on too much turkey and pie, and will be able to carry on at least a little more before Christmas and the New Year.

Paul, as always, thanks for keeping the game going and keeping it interesting, and I hope that have a great time with the family tomorrow!

Oh, almost forgot, I have a blog on MSN, though it has not been updated for some time now, I would like to invite you all to visit and let me know what you think, or leave a comment if you like. I will shoot the link out to you all as soon as the holiday is over and I get it updated. It is nothing special, just a place to vent about real life topics, seeing as how my wife gets tired of listening to me ramble! Anyway, again, hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and I look forward to hearing from all of you soon!)

This is where the old thread splits for the "A Den So Vile..." thread. This post will, in all likelihood, be at the very end of the thread, rather than the beginning.

March 19, 2010 - The thread was split from this point so the new group is able to continue. The old thread remains in the topic named SPLIT - A Den So Vile.... For those of you who are looking for the same thing to happen, here... well, don't bloody count on it, muwahahahahahaha!!!!!!
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"My dear," DeGrassi begins gently, "if there is one thing you should be aware of concerning Bretonnians, it is this, as long as they are moving around, they will remain vigilant, but only in packs or only if they are the one in charge." He looks at the tavern maid apologetically, though she seems to acknowledge that it is the truth, "The Bretonnian Guard is barely that; they are thugs without substance, lady. If you would be intent on looking over the place of sir vonSchudel's demise, you may do so at your own peril, though you are not likely to find anything, as there have been dozens, if not hundreds, of people already trailing through that area since the body was removed to the Chief Constable's care.

"I do not yet know the killer, though there is suspicion on the street it may have been the hired hand of another noble, an Imperial, someone sent to sabotage the wedding. As there are several nobles, and their guards and courtesans, present from the Empire, it could be any one of them. As well, there are murmurs many Bretonnians are involved, and want nothing more than war with the Empire, the forces of Chaos be damned."

"The bad Count is a very bad man. He has burned the fields of his neighbors prior to harvest. He has filled deep wells, stopped up natural springs, and broken levies to prevent any competition, and never has he been brought to task to answer for his misdeeds. He has beaten to death and outright slain those slaves in his household, who work his lands and tend his keep, and never been questioned for either. He has been seen in Quenelles walking down the center of empty market streets because he is so feared and reviled commoners and nobles, alike, will have nothing to do with him.

"Lady Helzberg, if I tell you he has not murdered anyone," DeGrassi is not speaking as if offended, just as a matter of facts, "it is not because I, or anyone, have any love for the man, nor so you can make a shady deal of trading that trinket you hold for others, it is because I believe it is the truth.

"Were I thirty years my own junior, I would go to do this myself. However, thirty years has placed a shape on this once-strapping lad of twenty-three summers that makes me more suitable to roll than to walk, and good food and loving have made me soft and kind where this task requires the ability to step into the depths and slay any creature in your way." With that, DeGrassi falls quiet.
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(OOC: Thank you for letting me know. I wish I'd come to this sooner, because it's what, Monday morning for you already, as I write this. Just to let everyone know, I'm told I'll be away for a time toward the end of this month, as well. No details, but it's for my job. Of course, there's still always the pending travels to North Dakota.

Anyway, for the rest of you, we'll play the best we can while Gavin's away, though I don't think it will be difficult to keep things on the down low until he returns.)
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(OOC: No worries. It happens from time-to-time)

(OOC: Done)

Though the reaction may be the same among other members in the room, Onna's is likely noticed the most, as heads turn in his direction.

(OOC: This is about the time DeGrassi explains about Bretonnian complacency.)

DeGrassi's head fairly snaps around and, as though confirming with little more than a look, explains,

"Si, mi companero, you are right. Word has spread from the guards in this town to the depths of the common citizenry that all Imperials are to be met with suspicion, as potential murderers of one of their own that war might be brought on the head of the Empire, which would benefit none but Chaos. Unfortunately, neither my Lord Tancred, nor his nephew and heir-apparent to the throne of Bretonnia, the Dauphin Aidan Jean-Pierre de Quenelles, nor the nobles, nor the military, nor any Bretonnian with any stature in this nation, realizes what they are affording the dark forces for the sake of a potential war with the Empire. They would just as soon begin the process of dismantling and claiming the central territories, while failing to see their opening of the borders of the Empire to the forces of Chaos would, indeed, also open their own borders to the same, as look upon any Imperial with disdain, as they surely do your entourage, now.

"Great care must be taken from this point, as your lives will be forfeit should you take one mis-step."
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(OOC: Done. I'll post the new sheets in a minute, but I'm certain I forgot to do something with the attributes on some of the characters sheets, so I need to make certain, then I'll post them all.)