1.3 - The Wyr River: Deeper Darkness

Umm... I could always use a few shins myself.. Seems I'm going to need to buy some goggles.

(Okay everyone gets 20 shins apiece, and I'll give two of the daggers to Khoren and keep the other two.)

Yui hands out some shins, and then walks over to the synth frame. "Maybe something sneaky is going on here. She squats next to the frame and examines it.

Tara catches the 20 shins tossed to her and pockets them..

Must be nice that these dice like SOMEONE!! :/

Vult pockets the money, nodding a thanks.

Tara can't quite put a finger on a nagging feeling at the back of her mind and then she looks around and goes "Umm.. Has anyone seen Utazo?"

As Yui hands over the shins and leaves Darazen with the cypher he simply shrugs and pockets the device and the shins.

He closes his eyes and concentrates, maintaining his link with the stranger. ***What's on the other side of the portal?***

Darazen emerges from his trance, and refocuses with his surroundings. Ignoring Yui he says to the group,

"We have some decisions to make. If you think our journey through these tunnels has been tough it is going to be tougher on the other side of the portal. The Queen is on the other side with four commanders similar to this guy and several other assistants. Furthermore there are potentially 100 recruits should an alarm be raised.

"The reason we were raided was for our cyphers. That's what started this whole thing. The Queen wants a special cypher called the Assassins Heart. She has her troops searching for it. They don't know where it is."

Darazen pauses to allow the group to consider what he's saying. "It seems to me that if we go through the portal we may be facing perils beyond our abilities; whereas the Assassin's Heart is probably not over there...

"Then we have Birtwood. I suggest we escort him back to the surface so he can heal. I suggest we release the commander. He is harmless now. Also, where exactly is Utazo. Utazo, are you here?"

Wondering what his comrades might suggest he links to Birtwood. ***Have you heard of the Assassin's Heart?***

"We could try to destroy the portal." Khoren Apraxin holds up the Gravity Bomb we found earlier. "It might work, might not. We're wounded, and ill-equipped to take on an army."

Khoren circles around the commander and then looks past him at the synth portal longingly. He wraps his cloak around him, hiding his bomb and his hands. Hedge magic ripples his cloak in a local breeze.

"Please ask Birtwood's if there is another way to the surface."

Vult nods in agreemeent. "We're not equipped to deal with a small army. If we want to sabotage the portal, though, that is something I can help with."

Darazen nods. "That sounds like a plan. If I am right that the Assassins Heart is on this side of the portal, that would buy us time to find it before the Queen. But I do have two major words of caution: 1. I don't know where the heart is. It could be in the same realm as the Queen. Do we care? 2. We've lost Utazo. What if she passed through the portal?"

(ooc: As Darazen is addressing the group, he rolls a speed check to see if he notices the shin hit Tara. If he does, he then tries to scan the area that the shin originated from).

Darazen responds to the commander, "Hmmm, so closing the portal is not a good idea? Still, we are in no shape to enter the portal. I, for one, need to rest. Birtwood needs to get to the surface. If we leave the caverns, do we think we can come back?"

(ooc: Darazen does have trained memory, and can recall maps, and clearly remember where we travelled and such nuances, even if I am a stupid player. I'll do an int check to answer my own question).

Khoren nods at the commander's words and Darazen's response. He reluctantly tucks the Gravity Bomb away back in his belt, and approaches the commander, gesturing with a dagger that he should stand. "Through the portal and try to find a place to hide and rest, or stay trapped in these caves. There are two more tunnels we haven't explored."

"Neat! Birtwood is starting to be able to understand us on his own -- or is it her own, Birtwood? Anyway, Birtwood says that the only way he or she knows of back to the surface is the way they took down." Vult's voice sounds excited.

He looks around. "Hmmm. Where did Utazo go...?"

Vult listens to the commander thoughtfully. "What did you want with Birtwood?"

(OOC: Taking an action to get a recovery roll for Int)

"I think we should finish exploring these caves, and maybe take a breather. We also need to figure out what to do with him." Vult's voice changes from nonchalant to disatisfied as he shifts topics, motioning towards the commander.