One dark night..... the newest RPG

[Cynder]

Who could know a bit of Barroom boasting would lead you here? Here - waiting at a small curve in the huge stone wall surrounding the Hill of Champions.

...Two nights ago, as the drinks had flowed, so too had the boasts. Until a slight figure spoke up ---

"You lie! You all lie! You know nothing of the Training Grounds. Nothing! To belittle the Champions when they take days to emerge -- to say you could navigate the grounds in hours.... You lie! You all lie! Even were you to go in at night, when most of the beasts have been caged and most of the traps disabled -- Why I bet none of you could go in at dusk and return by dawn."

Your head still somewhat clear you saw the flaw immediately, "No one goes in at night! So 'tis a safe bet you make and one easy to win!"

"I go in at night all the time, and back out, but..."

What matter whose voice interrupted her? T'was the drink that talked! "So you go in and out? And you accuse us of idle boasting! You show us your way in, we'll bet you a week of drinks and win it!"

"I am P'yorn, daughter of the Groundskeeper. I know a way in, a back door. Do you still wish to bet?"

As the dumbfounded silence grew, she turned away, "Bah! You are all idle boasters. But I do not boast. In two nights time I will be at the NW corner, where the wall curves in before out."

... A grinding sound from the wall near you interupts your reminescence. A crack appears and a section of the wall moves slowly inward.

P'yorn sticks her head out. "So, you didn't chicken out after all."

This wasn't exactly what you had imagined your first visit to the Champions' Training Ground would be like - entering through the back door in the middle of the night. But the chance to see the famous grounds... usually reserved for those who had passed rigorous tests, was irrisistable!

All dreamed of passing the tests to enter the Grounds. Maybe one day you would too and whatever knowledge you could gain this night might help then.

"Hurry up!" P'yorn motions you in. "All of you. Quickly!"

You enter a dark chamber. Although you are above ground, there is a damp, musty smell to the air and a feeling of great pressure. Something titters in the distance.

P'yorn closes the door after the last person and there is a few moments of darkness until a lit candle appears in her hand.

"So," P'yorn looks around the room, "who all has come? One would think two days would have been enough to sober you."

[magicmuffin]

Character Name: Garrumph
Half-Orc/Half-Human Female
Monk
Weapons: yew quarterstaff, sling and stones
Armor: wears monk's robes, relies on martial arts to deflect blows. Human attributes allow for grace, orcish attributes allow for strength
Special Powers: Chi energy, ugly as sin

[superbattler]

superbattler
human male
weapon: staff
armor: leather body, hat, boots

knows tai-kwan-do

[Cynder]

"A monk & a mage." P'yorn looks around the room. "I thought I heard someone else...." She shrugs, "Perhaps I was wrong."

She studies the two of you,"Well, that.." she points to Superbattler's staff, "should come in handy. As will that." She points to Garrumph's sling and stones.

"I thought there would be more of you. No matter, it is not how many of you that matters!" She laughs, starts to turn away and then turns back.

"But perhaps your companions have been delayed? Do you wish to enter, or should we wait a bit longer and see if more of your friends show up?" She waits expectantly for your answer.

[superbattler]

i think we should wait a little longer, just in case. but that is just me.

[blacksky90]

***
"Hmmm, you were right to wait. I think I hear another. Stand over there." P'yorn points to a wall and blows out the candle.

You hear a grinding, scraping noise and a crack of pale light appears only to be blocked out once, twice... as two more enter the room.

...Cynder

****

Blacksky90
Human Druid
Weapons: Dagger
Armor: Woven Reed Armor
Special Powers: Plant Magic(growth,movement,proporties: healing,poisons, etc

[frizzer]

Frizelius

armour (toughened leather)
weapon ( double daggers)

Special powers:- Perspective time dialation ( Frizelius see's in a tpye of slow motion and can react quicker, but not move quicker)

[Cynder]

"It's getting crowded in here," P'yorn complains as she lights the candle once again.

You glance about the room. It is irregular, more like a cave than a room. In places the ceiling is quite low. The wall juts out and recedes, creating strange shadows. There is plenty of room for the five of you, but five more would be too many.

P'yorn pushes past you to the back wall and holds her candle over a dark hole in the corner. It looks a bit like the entrance to an animal den. It iis too small to crouch, but not too small to crawl. In fact, you don't think you will have to remove any gear. The dirt floor appears to slope downward as it enters the hole.

"You all can go on in. I'll wait up here for a little while in case any more of you show up before I go to the observation boothe. I hope you have candles? It'll be blacker 'n tar until I can get some moonglow pulled in and that could be awhile... especially if I have to guide any more of you in!"

The candle flickers as if stirred by air flowing from the hole. Its light does not penetrate the blackness.

[kluane]

***
As the four adventurers peer at the dark hole, P'yorn stares into the darkness by the exit. She hadn't said anything when the slight figure had darted in after the others & hidden against the wall. Was he with them? or an intruder?

***
Character name: Coal the seer (or - for his friends - just Coal)
Human male
Armour: Cloak with some leather patches and some feathers, Bird mask
Weapons: Rusty dagger

Special abilities: Is a seer - means he can interpret bird flights and bowels.

[magicmuffin]

Garrumph does feel a little crowded because of her height but she thinks she can squeeze through the entrance.
She gets down on her hands and knees and squeezes through the hole, her pack scraping the top of it.
"Well if I can make it, anyone can," she grunts to her new companions.

[kluane]

Coal nearly seemed to float in the room with the black cloak he's wearing; You could easily not have noticed his entry as only the candle flickered a little more...

Standing on a corner of the dark room he just waits what stronger people would do. Not moving or saying anything, he just stayed in the dark and glances at the other people slowly filling the room. Would it be a good party to join? Could they help him gaining reputation as a really powerful seer?

[superbattler]

superbattler slowly goes down and starts to crawl through the hole, noticing it is a little smaller than it looked.

[frizzer]

Frizelios sqeezed down the narrow hole, excited and scared, could he be seeing some action so soon he wondered

[blacksky90]

Blacksky follows suit as he mutters about how use less his companions will be. As he hoists his pack he says in a taunting voice,
"Probably havn't even come with enough supplies to hold for the night. you should all turn back for you are seeking honor and glory, but you will find none out there. The training grounds are harsh and even the bravest of hearts have fallen."
When he has passes through the hole he feels a sudden pang of dread but pushes it aside as he feels that the others must not see his fear if they are to work together for the possible weeks they may be stuck there.

[Cynder]

As the fourth enters the hole, P'yorn turns to the remaining cloaked figure.

"I knew it felt crowded in here! Well? Going in - or out? Makes no difference to me, but here, you cannot stay."

***

As you crawl into the hole, you notice immediately that it slopes downward. It is pitch dark, all light from the candle behind you is obliterated. Others are climbing in behind you, there is no time to stop to light a candle, so you crawl on.

There is a slight breeze against your face and the air, though damp & musty smells of newly turned earth -- odd as you are traveling through rock.

The floor beneath your hands and knees is growing smoother and steeper. It is getting harder and harder to keep from slipping down. You throw out a hand to the side of the tunnel -- trying for a hand hold - anything to keep from falling....

but the wall is now smooth as worked copper and there is nothing to hang on to. You begin to slide..... down.... always the slope grows steeper and steeper....

[kluane]

Coal went on as the last one and now begins to speak out against the frontrunners:

"Hey guys, watch your step! I don't like it when someone falls on my head!"

Grumbling he tries to find any hold and slashes the feet of the person in front of him every time he slides a little down.

[superbattler]

superbattler scrwams at the top of his lungs "WERE ALL GOING TO DIE"

[frizzer]

Frizelius' could see the movement slowed, but there was nothing he could do, bodies were bundling in to each other and nothing could break thier fall, he hated felling helpless

[blacksky90]

***
The tunnel continues to tilt until you are falling freely through the air. Just as you fall through the chute opening, there is a faint glow from below and a blast of air strikes you, slowing your descent.

The glow winks out and there is a brief sensation of vast openness before you plummet to the ground.

....Cynder

***


*thunk* "OWWWW That is going to be sore in the morning. well now that were here, wherever it is....where do we go?"

[magicmuffin]

Garrumph felt increasing panic as her great weight increased the forward speed of her slide downwards.
"Oof"she landed with a thud and braced herself for the others to slam into her.
Well, at least she wasn't the last one in, there would have really been some complaining then.
Now that the terrible slide had stopped, she tried to get her bearings...hmm, definitely underground. The feeling of being underground was comforting to her. She enjoyed the friendly darkness and cool stone walls.