Dragon Quest III [ME6]

[Illiam'iira]

Illiam'iira begins papping everyone, casting Heart to Heart on each person. If they're this close she's not hesitating. She'll follow Akh's lead.

-4 level 1 spell slots to cast Heart to Heart on every PC here.

[Ikkit the Bastard]

Ikkit took a moment to wrap a trailing scarf around his ears, then hunched down a bit in apparent barely-controlled fury.

But he had a look around as he stuck with the group, since everyone else seemed to be following the big glowing hand.

[Orokos, of course, does Not Oblige. 10 on Perception]

[Akh Uur Hoon]

"Let's follow the hand, stay close, and be watchful. I cannot hone in on the bones themselves. This is a bet that whoever has killed the dragonling must be powerful enough to hold a prominent position in this layer and probably keeps it as a trophy."

She practised what she preached, looking around with caution as they walked into the mouth of the cave.

[Illiam'iira]

"Let's follow the hand, stay close, and be watchful. I cannot hone in on the bones themselves. This is a bet that whoever has killed the dragonling must be powerful enough to hold a prominent position in this layer and probably keeps it as a trophy."

Illiam'iira nods before giving one quick glance behind them too. Would be nice to know there's nothing following the group.

[D6ME] Perception check - outside of cave: 1d20+5 24

With that she scurries forward to stay with Ikkit and Quev, sword at the ready. Ugh. Caves. Fucking caves.

[Cyprian Kircheis]

Cyprian was alert as he took point in front of Akh with one hand on his sword. Whatever awaited them in the dark he was ready for it. He kept his eyes peeled looking for movement or a potential ambush while attempting to keep them silent as the grave. He clung to the walls and shadows. Avoiding light like a pitfall. Encouraging the party to do the same.

Dragon Quest III: Perception check ahead | 1d20+6 ⇒ 25
Dragon Quest III: Keeping to the Shadows | 1d20+13 ⇒ 28

[Makeshift]

You enter the cave, it's damp darkness, and the constant whispers at your back. The whispers sound terrible. Like singular nonsense, but every once in a while, something you recognize. A distant, forlorn voice, almost familiar, that tells of terrible things. Murders, slaughters of entire worlds, darker than the darkest dreams. You do your best to close your ears to them.

You wander forward, following the gently glowing spectral hand as it floats through the cave. Illi and Cyprian notice it first, a faint shadow, the muffled clicking and swaying of bones. And then a wall shifts from your left to in front of you. The guiding hand stops for a moment, rather miffed at the interruption.

Faintly illuminated by the glow of the hand, an enormous shape looms over you. Thick grey skin like hide armor, a long trunk, jaws lined with sharp teeth. A maelephant, it's eyes crazed and shrunken by the darkness. It wears black robes, to which it has knotted bones and other remains, offal and ossified things.

"Who dares wander the halls of a priestess of Kali?!" It screams in a shrill voice, that leaves you half deafened.

"Who dares-!" It interrupts itself, looking at Akh, it's eyes focusing from some distant place they had been fixed on before.

[Cyprian Kircheis]

Cyprian stood cautiously in front of Akh. The second the shadows shifted his weapon would have come out. The undraw would have been in time with something, the clicking of bone on bone perhaps, or the shift of air. Anything to naturally disguise it. But with the freeze he'd have shifted his gaze ever so slightly towards Akh.

"Is this deference due to your status as a dustman?" She would hear in her ear as a whisper.

[Ikkit the Bastard]

Yes, let's all tell the fucking noisy fiend here that we just want some dragon bones and we'll be on our way. She seems like a totally reasonable sort.

Fucking priests. Almost as bad as Faction namers.

[Akh Uur Hoon]

Akh stood impassive, gesturing for Cyprian to stay calm.

"The Dead and her companions. Have you been displaced from your abyssal layer? I would presume The Black Earth Mother resides in the 643rd."

[Makeshift]

The maelephant seems to shrink somewhat, a less... Overtly hostile mode takes over.

"No... Not misplaced.... I have come to know... worship. You and your comrades may pass, Sister-o-Mine. If you would come this way again..."

It wraps it's trunk around one large skull, that's been wrapped into it's robes.

"Would you bring me bones with you? I like to grow my collection when I can."

A large, tusky smile.