Adrian Shadows of Amn 37
#1
Posted 01 July 2003 - 01:12 AM
The former function of this place was plain to see in the chains hanging from the walls, the occasional disused torture rack. It reminded Adrian of Irenicus. He gritted his teeth and led the party on.
Umber Hulks were in the next room; there carapaced bulk looking like nothing so much as giant insects.
"Don't look at their eyes," Viconia hissed. Adrian didn't need the warning, but he did not contradict her, as maybe the others needed the information. Their glittering violet gaze, he knew, could daze and confuse you, until they brought their hammering claws down on you. She, obviously, had learned this in the Underdark. He wanted to talk to her about that, but knew better than to pry.
The battle was long and weaisome, and while none of them were seriously hurt, they had used up most of their spells. But Adrian insisted on pressing on; a sort of angry urgency had overtaken him. He felt, inside, that they had already taken to long.
Abandoning all subtlety, he led the party into the last room of the dungeon, smashing through the door shoulder first. He didn't even feel the impact.
"You gradunk! No use in hiding from Tor'Gal!" The leader of the Trolls, flanked by two of his kind, strutted forth arrogantly to meet Adrian.
"I'M NOT HIDING!" Adrian Bhaalscreamed right in his montrous face. Tor'Gal went flying. Korgan and Anomen charged the other two Trolls, and the others supported them as Adrian thundered down on Tor'Gal in a storm of fury.
But Tor'Gal was strong for one of his kind, rolled on the dusty cobblestones and came up game, charhing right back at Adrian. They met just feet from the De'Arnisse family shrine, and clashed. Torgal's claws raked innefectually across Adrian's storm Armor, drawing sparks. Adrian hacked and slashed, but Tor'Gal's bony arms blocked his blade somehow. Tor'Gal tried to stick one long rotting nail into what little of Adrian's face he could see in his helm.
Adrian responded by smiling fiercely, dropping sword and shield, gripping Tor'Gals shoulders in his mailed ahnds, and leting the storm armor unleash a lightning bolt into the Troll at point blank range. Tor'Gal absorbed the energy, his eyes bulged, and his body exploded beyond all hope of regeneration.
Adrian's triumph was short lived; he looked down and saw the body of Lord De'Arnisse slumped against the family shrine.
----
"D-dead? No...." Nalia 's composure broke and she sobbed uncontrollably.
They were back outside now; Nalia and Dalson had no wish to be caught by Aunt Delcia, who had already left. She sank to her knees in front of Adrian, unsettling him slightly.
"I have failed you," Adrian said, angry with himself. "If you wish to give less than the full promised reward, I would not fault you."
"No...no. His corpse was not fresh, you say..." she faltered. "That means he was already dead before you even entered the place. You did not fail."
Adrian grimaced but said nothing.
Nalia looked up at him and slowly rose to her feet. "I thank you...and you shall be paid in full, but....but there is another problem, if you will not have me in your party."
"Which is?"
"Aunt Delcia will now try to force me to be betrothed to Isaea Roenall, son of Lord Roenall, father's old rival. I would have none of it as you know, but she will use the law to make it so."
Adrian grimaced. "So what are you suggesting? A marriage of convenience?"
"NO! No..I mean...it is kind of you to offer but..I have something else in mind, which will no doubt suit you as well. I saw you admiring the Keep...."
As Nalia went on, Adrian smiled. It was not a pleasant smile, and his eyes glittered with greed....
#2
Posted 01 July 2003 - 01:33 AM
Umber Hulks were in the next room; there carapaced bulk looking like nothing so much as giant insects.
"Don't look at their eyes," Viconia hissed. Adrian didn't need the warning, but he did not contradict her, as maybe the others needed the information. Their glittering violet gaze, he knew, could daze and confuse you, until they brought their hammering claws down on you. She, obviously, had learned this in the Underdark. He wanted to talk to her about that, but knew better than to pry.
Oh, those critters are *such* an annoyance.
"You gradunk! No use in hiding from Tor'Gal!" The leader of the Trolls, flanked by two of his kind, strutted forth arrogantly to meet Adrian.
"I'M NOT HIDING!" Adrian Bhaalscreamed right in his montrous face. Tor'Gal went flying. Korgan and Anomen charged the other two Trolls, and the others supported them as Adrian thundered down on Tor'Gal in a storm of fury.
*grin* Ah, now I liked seeing *that*!
Adrian responded by smiling fiercely, dropping sword and shield, gripping Tor'Gals shoulders in his mailed ahnds, and leting the storm armor unleash a lightning bolt into the Troll at point blank range. Tor'Gal absorbed the energy, his eyes bulged, and his body exploded beyond all hope of regeneration.
And that.
"NO! No..I mean...it is kind of you to offer but..I have something else in mind, which will no doubt suit you as well. I saw you admiring the Keep...."
As Nalia went on, Adrian smiled. It was not a pleasant smile, and his eyes glittered with greed....
Will be interesting to see how Adrian deals with running the Keep! Personally, I wish there'd been another option for those non-fighter types who don't want Nalia in their party. I don't want her along, but I'd love to be able to help her retake the Keep all the same.
#3 Guest_Lord E_*
Posted 01 July 2003 - 01:42 AM
"I have failed you," Adrian said, angry with himself. "If you wish to give less than the full promised reward, I would not fault you."
"No...no. His corpse was not fresh, you say..." she faltered. "That means he was already dead before you even entered the place. You did not fail."
Adrian grimaced but said nothing.
"NO! No..I mean...it is kind of you to offer but..I have something else in mind, which will no doubt suit you as well. I saw you admiring the Keep...."
As Nalia went on, Adrian smiled. It was not a pleasant smile, and his eyes glittered with greed....
Liked these two snippets very much. Economical and yet very telling.
#4
Posted 01 July 2003 - 02:03 AM
I remember those guys being pushovers back in the days of the gold box game Secret of the Silver Blades. Then comes Shadows of Amn and suddenly its more like "Look at the preeeety light.." WHAM!!
>Will be interesting to see how Adrian deals with running the Keep! Personally, I wish there'd been another option for those non-fighter types who don't want Nalia in their party. I don't want her along, but I'd love to be able to help her retake the Keep all the same.<
Be assured I have some interesting twists planned for the official quests. And the final battle against Roenall will be appropriately epic.
#6 Guest_Broken Phoenix_*
Posted 07 July 2003 - 09:36 PM
I have this little picture in my dungeon master guide that says 'kick-in-the-door-style...'Abandoning all subtlety, he led the party into the last room of the dungeon, smashing through the door shoulder first. He didn't even feel the impact.
*grin*"I'M NOT HIDING!" Adrian Bhaalscreamed right in his montrous face.
Well, he's absolutely right about that.
Woo, nice detail...Torgal's claws raked innefectually across Adrian's storm Armor, drawing sparks.
Okay, usually I leave the spelling at that-- but this puzzled me a little...gripping Tor'Gals shoulders in his mailed ahnds
Ouch.Tor'Gal absorbed the energy, his eyes bulged, and his body exploded beyond all hope of regeneration.
Ack! Well, no offense, but I cannot blame her.Adrian grimaced. "So what are you suggesting? A marriage of convenience?"
"NO! No..I mean...it is kind of you to offer but..
I mean, marrying Adrian... Isaea is worse because he's a twerp, but think of it. And it has a high mortality risk as well, with Viconia's pramatist drow outlook on life...
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