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The gnomish boy said: "I think you dropped this, miss." He was holding up the rat amulet.

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(meanwhile, back at the cave)
Just then, Marcus came running in and said: "Micheal says they're using some kind of Divine magic to disguise thjemselves, and that they're really High-Flayers.... Oh look, more squiddy people."

Captains Sealem said: "Better late then never, Corporal. Well, I suppose introductions are in order. Ahem. I already introduced myself, I'm Captain Sealem. This Lizzardman is Corporal Marcus, whom I've recruited into the Emperor's service, and these are our stalwart companions: This is Prince Drek of Suldeneselar, Andrew The Monk, Mister Quinn the mentalist, and Eruantian of Targos. The Mage Micheal, Maxwell and Farnham Birk, Miss Taryn, and the Paladin Maria are in another room. We have others in the city spying for us."

The High-Flayer lead said: "Good to meet you. We're warriors of the Seven Tribes of Clan Wolf. I'm Thuli of the Flaming Hair Tribe; This is my brother Huen; that's my cousin Morn. Over there is is Caul, Warrior of The Black Hills, Thurin Huk of the Sawtooth Tribe, and Tor'Uk "The Hammer" Gau... he's a Shaman from the Bleeding Water Tribe. Of course, I've shortened their names for you. Without tenticals, our dialect is kind of hard for your kind to speak."

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Prosper said; "Well, now that that's over with." and continued in his work.
He inserted one pin, shook his head, inserted a different pin, smiled, jiggled, inserted another pin with the first, jiggled, and click the lock sprung open.
The boy smiled and put away his tools, then looked at the young Gnome. "Lead on."

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The boy said: "Right!" And jumped into the sewer-hole. He scampered down a ladder and said: "Follow me!"

The sewer was very wet and stinky. And also, stinky. There was a big stink about it. Did I mention it smells bad in there? However, it did have the positive attribute of leading to a secret way to get to the mines without being searched by guards. Soon, the four reached a underground chamber where resistance fighters were hiding. About twenty high-flayers (men, women and children) were in there, armed with various makeshift weapons: Pick axes, shovels, brooms, kitchen knives, hammers, and rocks.

They had gotten Jay's message and were willing to help in any way they could.

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"Aye, and Horin the Dwarven Cleric. Everyone always forgets the Dwarf." Horin added to Captain Sealem's list of people.

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Acedia took her amulet back and mumbled a thanks to the gnome, shoving it back into her pocket rather than electing to wear it again because the sudden appearance of the owl had drained it of most of its power by now. So she followed Tem and Prosper and the gnome into the sewer in human form. Let's just hope they find a river somewhere nearby after going on this lovely little excursion to wash off the stench.

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get LOST

Prosper held up the poison and said, "We need to slip this into the main food suppply of the Illithid. I would've liked to wait untill after I've contacted my leaders and let them in on the plan, but since we're here I suppose it wouldn't hurt to move now."
He paused, was moving without orders right??
The boy looked up, "Is it possible for anyone to send a message for us?" He looked at Acedia, "Could you fly one to Maxwell, Farnaham and Sealem?"

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"I'm not going to attempt to fly underground," Acedia replied, rather belligerently. "If they were on the surface, sure, but in all likelihood everyone else is probably still in that system of tunnels Tem led us to. Aren't you telepathic, Tem?" she asked. Perhaps he could think a message to the party leaders.

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get LOST

Tem said: "Sorry, but us High Flayers can't send telepathic messages through solid rock. Even I'm not that good..."

One of the resistance fighters said: "I could try and relay your message to your friends, but I can't be certain if or when it will get through. There's a number of ways we can get messages to other resistance cells in the city, you see, and one cells of those would likely be close to where your friends are. This is important enough that a cell might decide to risk sending a messenger down there."

The Gnomish boy snorted with amusement and said: "Oh, don't bother relaying it cell-to-cell. That'll take forever. Give it to me and I'll relay it directly to HQ. They'll get it where it needs to be."

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Prosper replied, "Of course. Uhhh, do you want it written down, or just word of mouth?" He was a little ashamed to admit that he could not read or write.

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The boy shrugged: "Yeah, sure, write it down."
Sadly, the gnomish boy was ALSO reluctant to admit that that he could neither read nor write. He just assumed that Prosper could.

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"Uhhhhh, well." Prosper coughed. "Picking the lock up there really tired my hand out. I don't suppose I could tell you and you right it out?" The boy wondered how long the charade could be kept up.

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Acedia had been wondering the same thing, having assumed that Prosper was illiterate and suspecting the same of the gnome. She, however, could read, albeit slowly and with some difficulty, and her handwriting was only slightly better than legible, but that's still better than what Prosper or the gnome could do. "Here, I'll write it," she broke in, for the sake of ending this stand-off and also likely saving the boys from having to admit to being unable to read or write. She produced a scrap of paper and a stick of charcoal wrapped in paper beginning one inch from the pointed end from one of her pockets. "Turn around," she said, addressing Prosper, intending to use the top of his back as a writing surface. "Let me use your back for a minute."

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get LOST

Meanwhile, the High-Flayer tribal warriors and their newfound humanoid allies were discussing strategy and sharing information.

According to the High-flayer leader, their mission was a reconnaissance mission: They'd been sent in incognito to get in, look around, get the lay of the place, get out, and report back to their war chief. That is why they had been disguised as Drow. However, once Drek explained about the Spider-Queen goddess and the Drow's plans to bring her into their world, the Flayer's got very serious.
They turned to their Shaman, who stood up, grimly.
The Shaman said: "I speak for my comrades when I say many strange things go on in the heavens of late, Elven one. We have all seen them. At night, we watch the heaven for signs, and what we have seen lately troubles me. Truly, I say, the gods are not at rest. Un-la-ehy and Unkeh-hey, the twins Justice and Duty, have been tricked into doing pointless battle by, The Trickster Kehr, and the elder gods have been so distracted by this that an interloper from beyond has been allowed to enter the heavens. It wishes to stay, but it does not belong here, so to make sure it can stay it upsets the balance of things. It wars with the gods themselves, even gathering allies to it's casue. Untill now, I was not sure what all this meant. Signs from the gods are often... ambiguous and hard to make sense of. But.... If what you say is true, this Spider-Queen could be the interloper who upsets things in the heavens. If so, it must not be allowed to enter this realm, or truly I say: Chaos will follow. I swear it by all my ancestors."

Another High-Flayer stood: "Whatever motivates thes Drow to be here, these Drowish scum, then they must be pathetic indeed if they worship a spider: Who in their right mind would worship a Spider? They are but bugs to be squished between one's toes, a morsel old women add to Quetlith Stew to make it less chewwy!!" He emphasized his last word by spiting out the side of his mouth in an apparent gesture of contempt for infidels... either that or he really likes his Quetlith Stew chewwy.*

There was a genneral grumbling and nodding of heads amongst the High-Flayer contingent: Aparantly, they all agreed that if the Drow really did worship some sort of spider-god, they were all either insane or infidel dogs.

Drek said: "We share a common purpose, here, it seems. We seek to destroy the Spider-Queen and free the conqured High-Flayers. You seek to liberate your enslaved brethren. What say we join forces here."

The Shaman nodded his head: "The Pointy-Eared one speaks wisdom. We would do well to band together with is allies. They have powerfull medicine. Their ju-ju is strong."

The High-Flayers all nodded solemly... but none of them moved or said anything.

So the Shaman rolled his eyes and said: "And they have ale. You all like ale, right?"

Suddenly, the High-Flayers were all enthusiastic and happy: Eager to get some ale... er... I mean... kick Drowish butt.

"Sure. Let's team up!" came the response.
"Man, I could sure go for a cold one right about now" said someone in the back.
"You wouldn't happen to have Dwarven Ale, would you?" Said nobody in particular.
"I'll take a Coldson Light!" said the guy in front.

There was an strangely looming silence as everyone slowly turned and look askance at Horin and Eruantian.

*<GM's Note: None of you have ever heard of "Quetlith Stew" before, but whatever it is, you can bet it's disgusting. Just don't ask, ok? Oh, by the way, you have plenty of ale left but... none of it is Coldson Light. DUN DUN DUUUUUUNNNN! >

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"Does this mean I should release them now" Eruantian reluctantly asked the Elvish Captain.

The Captain nodded and said: "Aye, Mister Eruantian. I think we can trust them."

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Prosper replied, "Sure." and turned around. He was glad Acedia had stepped in so he didn't have to reveal his secret to anyone outside of the group.
"Just tell them where we are and what we're doing. Can you think of anything else?"

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Acedia smoothed out the creases in the scrap of paper and held it up against the top of Prosper's back, just below the base of his neck. "That sounds good. I dunno what else needs to be said...but, um, where are we, exactly?" she asked, holding the charcoal stick poised to begin writing and looking expectantly at the gnomish boy.

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get LOST

"*sigh* Fine" Eruantian said as he obediently allowed the ice to melt within a matter of seconds. This left the ground flooded with icy cold water where the drow flayers were standing, which immediately poured out in all applicable directions.

<Insert splishing noises here>

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<OOC> *Inserts*
http://www.sounddogs.com/previews/2226/ ... OGS_Wa.mp3
</OOC>

<OOC: LOL! Classic. Just for that, you win 200 Bonus Experience Points*>
<<*Bonus Experience Points are only redeemable at the Operation Storyteller Really Expensive Cocktail Lounge & Overpriced Merchandise Shop, opening soon in a mall near you!>>

(Meanwhile, back in the room just off the main sewer line)

The Gnomish messenger boy took the message and ran off to deliver it.

As the Gnome boy left, one of the High Flayer resistance fighters laid out a map drawn on vellum and laid it in a table. He said: "Alright then, people. This is a map of the sewers as well as the drainage pipes that feed the underground aqueducts and their catch basins." He took a quill pen and pointed to a sopt on the map, saying: "We are here." Then he drew a circle around another part of the map, saying: "...and we need to get you here." As you can see, there's a lot of different ways you could get there from here, but even more ways you could get lost. That's why I think we should send a guide along. The question is, when do we send you? Do we wait for a reply from your friends, or do we wait for the guards to change shifts? Your call."

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Andrew's barefeet were soaked by the cold water, although acting tough, he was showing slight shivers to the cold.

And Michael was...er...doing astral things...and stuff...

<OOC: Despite introducing him with sandals, I usually see Andrew with barefeet, so I'm retconning it the same way I'm gonna erase that Monk history (I didn't like it)>

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Click this link unless you hate Homestar Runner & Strong Bad. You like Homestar & Strong Bad, don't you?

<Aaaaand we'll just assume that Acedia wrote the message.>
Prosper furrowed his brow. Wait for the group, or move alone? He realized that he should've told Acedia to tell them that they needed a distraction so they could move. Waiting would use precious time, and even if it didn't take that long, Prosper couldn't stand waiting. He also couldn't stand disapproval, which might come if he went forward early.
The psudo-Drow looked at his companions. "Our call." he said.

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<OOC> 200 XP in the form of currency? Now I can buy that enchanted item I've had my eye on.
</OOC>

(In the resistance cell hiding place)

Tem said: "Way I see it, there's risk involved no matter what we do... but, our orders were to try and make contact with the resistance and that's exactly what we've done. I say we should wait here for new orders. We've been lucky up to this point, but let's not press our luck too hard, aye?"

(Meanwhile, down below)

Captain Sealem said: "I suggest we head up somewhere less damp." The high-flayers all nodded in agreement.
The captain turned to Marcus and said: "Alright then, back to camp. Take point, Corporal."

Everyone followed Marcus back to the room where Taryn, Micheal (and assorted NPCs) were waiting.
<GM's Note: There's exactly 8 High-Fayer Barbarian warriors, 9 if you count the Shaman/Barbarian. Oh, and they want beer.>
<Also GM's Note: In case some of you have forgotten, Captain Sealem's group is in an empty underground room that has a staircase that leads up to what eventually leads to a storage space in the basement of a hotel.>

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<GM's Interogative: Eh.. hello? Anyone there? Where did all my players go?>

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<OOC: Maybe some NPC responses could help my party, or at least me>

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Click this link unless you hate Homestar Runner & Strong Bad. You like Homestar & Strong Bad, don't you?

<OOC> Huh? Oh. Sorry about that. We were all at the Operation Storyteller Really Expensive Cocktail Lounge & Overpriced Merchandise Shop. Most of the group were there for the cocktails, but a few of us showed up just for the merchandise. Check out this Master Replicas™ Full Scale Game Master Poking Stick I bought.

</OOC>

<GM's Tongue-Planted-Firmly-In-Cheek (TPFIC) response: A classy choice, if I do say so myself. Please poke responsibly.>

(Anyhoo... meanwhile, back at the underground lair)
Introductions were made all around, and the Barbarians were eager to continue their mission.
Just then Micheal, keeping watch on the Astral plane, saw a Gnomish boy enter the hotel and start sneaking around. The boy managed to make his way to the basement unseen my anyone but Micheal, and then he went to the door that led to the space where Maxwell were hiding.
<GM's note: This is the messenger boy that Prosper, Tem and Acedia have previously dealt with. He is carrying Acedia's note.>

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