[Jean] Chapter 15: Capital of Drugan, Kherngolarr, Last City of Dwarves

[pringerbeam]

     "38...  So if you live twice as long as normal humans that would make you around 19?  An impressive age to start taking consorts at but I think human age standards are probably not that great of a measure for a longer lived species.  I'm sorry if I am offending your cultural sensibilities with such a judgement.  I'm not used to interacting with royalty.  There were very few monarchies back in my world.  As for me, I'm...  Uh...  I think I'm 33?  Not much younger than you.  I've had a hard time keeping track of the last decade of my life.  It's a long story.  And Ren...  You know I don't have any idea how old you are Ren but I'm guessing age is meaningless to you."  Jean thought aloud as they continued their descent.  "What kinds of threats do you face underground?  You make it sound like you're constantly under attack.  If you've been standing vigil against such things for so long how come you've never come to the surface to seek out allies?  There seem to be a few decent ones just at the foot of this mountain alone."

     Jean looked a bit harder at the axe Lili weilded so easily. "I guess you've been fighting for a long time.  even with your longer lifespan you must have seen many times the battles that I have fought in my short tenure as a hero and at such a comparatively young age.  Maybe you could teach me something about how your people fight?  You must be quite the fighter if you regularly take the field without fear for your royal lineage as the only heir to your throne.  I would love to learn from someone as experienced as you.  Perhaps we could start with how to use a gauntlet like that."  He said, indicating the large gauntlet covering her right hand.  "I've been taught something of fighting without weapons and having something to protect my hands could help in a fierce melee.  May I?"  He asked, kneeling down to take her armored gauntlet in his hands.  "Is it common among your warriors to have something like this?  What is it made of?"  He inspected the gauntlet to try and figure out if its size was due entirely to the thickness of the plates or if it was due to some special construction.  "A similar gauntlet like this would seem unwieldy and cumbersome to a normal human if scaled to size.  Does it impede the use of your hand?"

[Throndir]

"Aye! that's whit a've bin saying!" Lili sighed. "It wis afore mah time, mah faither 'n' grandfather's time whin we lost our eastern cities. Bit thay keep telling me that they'd prefer to fight with th' monsters doon 'ere, rather than th' demons on th' surface. A'm waantin' us to break our isolation 'n' talk wi' th' surface dwellers, bit tis mah faither's 'n' grandfather's dwarven pride that keeps thaim from doin' so ah think."

"Here underground we fight a' sorts o' ancient creatures 'n' dangers. Likelie fae th' time o' th' ancient civilization. Giant tunneling wurms, ferocious slimes, magma creatures, 'n' giant beetles to name a few. You know... If ye'r able to stick aroond, Jean Valois, ah will teach ye a thing or two about fightin'. We dwarves excel plenty wi' teamwork, 'n' tunnel fightin'."

"As fur mah guantlet, tis an artifact we fun buried wi' th' rest o' th' treasures..." There was a twinkle in her eye. "I cannae wait to shaw it a' to ye. Anyways, th' big gluv helps usin` th' axe better." She then shifted her axe to the other hand. "I'm aye able to swing this aroond withoutit, bit it mak's it easier to swing mah axe aroond whin a'm sportin' th' gauntlet. Ah cannot do extremely dextrous things wi' it, bit whin ye'r fightin', a' ye pure need is to be able to hit hard."

[pringerbeam]

     "An artifact...  So I guess that means you don't have a set that I could use?  Damn, would have been helpful.  But I will gladly go under your tutelage in fighting.  I'm sure there are plenty of things I can learn from you and who knows, maybe there is something we can teach you in return?  I would do anything in my power that you ask of me in exchange for a better chance at killing demons.  And I mean anything."  Said Jean as he stood back up.  "Wait, slimes?"  He said, remembering Ren's occupied tentacle.  "Ren, give me our friend."  He said, taking the slimeling in his hands and holding it in front of the princess.  "You mean like this?  I have so many questions to ask about them when we have the chance.  My companion here is mostly a mystery to me and it doesn't really communicate that well."

[Throndir]

"Weel, we've hud some success trying tae replicate it. Wance we're thare, ah cuid huv a go finding ye yin o' th' models. Thay aren't as guid as th' original." Lili said explaining her gauntlet. Once Ren uncupped one of her tentacles, the girl glanced at the slime that was revealed. "Well... Aye, kinda, a bit... not as cute or wee. Is it... friendly?"The dwarven princess asked as she stared at it. She seemed hesitant around it, but was fascinated just the same.

"Hi... short!" The slimeling plopped noises. Of course the princess couldn't understand. However, you managed to catch Ren stifle a smile at the joke.

"It mak's plopping noises. A cute one aren't ye?" Lili said using her left ungauntletted hand to poke it. The slimeling didn't seem to mind, and instead to only wrap itself on the finger that was presented to it. Lili quickly pulled back, and unfortunately the slimeling wasn't fast enough or strong enough to continue its reach, and it reached out its tentacle-like appendages towards the girl.

"Pink... short... snack!" The slimeling continued to plop noises. "Clothing yummy!"

Color change for Slime Girl/Slimeling to better differentiate from yours.

[pringerbeam]

     Jean tried to pay no heed to the slimeling's comment as he replied to the princess.  "It's friendly enough.  I don't think it's a predator but it's also pretty small so I don't think it could catch anything for us to find out.  Come to think of it, I'm not sure what they normally eat.  There's only one thing I've seen them eat and since it's not naturally occurring I don't think it's their normal diet.  What about the wild ones you've encountered?  The original was bigger but this one was split off a while ago.  What happens if they are recombined?  Where do they come from?  How big do they grow?  How long do they live?"  Asked Jean in a rapid fire line of questioning.  "They seem to be intelligent enough.  Have you considered domesticating them?  What are their strengths?  Weaknesses?  Oh hold on...  Analysis."  Said Jean, remembering his newest ability and using it on the slimeling.

[Throndir]

[info]Slimeling
The spawn of the unnamed slime girl.

Slimeling CR 1

XP 400
N Diminutive ooze
Init +0; Senses blindsight 60 ft.; Perception -5

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 size)
hp 6 (1d8+2)
Fort +2, Ref +0, Will -5
Defensive Abilities ooze traits; Immune acid

OFFENSE

Speed 10 ft.
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Melee slam +1 (1d4-1 plus 1d8 acid plus grab)
Ranged
Special Attacks acid; swallow whole (1d8 acid damage, AC 10, 1 hp)

STATISTICS

Str 4, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 1, Cha 1
Base Atk +0; CMB -4; CMD 3 (can't be tripped)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Acid (Ex)
A slimeling may excrete pinpointed digestive acid that can dissolve almost any substance. Creatures made of harder materials are immune to the slimeling's acid. A slimeling can choose to dissolve a particular material it chooses and not harm any other substance. The choice of which substance the slimeling will choose to consume is decided for each of it's attacks. A DC 20 Reflex save prevents damage to equipment and armor. If a slimeling remains in contact with an object for 1 full round, it may choose to inflict 20 points of acid damage (no save) on the object.

Grab (Ex)
If a creature with this special attack hits with the indicated attack (usually a claw or bite attack), it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Unless otherwise noted, grab can only be used against targets of a size equal to or smaller than the creature with this ability. If the creature can use grab on creatures of other sizes, it is noted in the creature's Special Attacks line. The creature has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use the part of its body it used in the grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a –20 penalty on its CMB check to make and maintain the grapple, but does not gain the grappled condition itself. A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless the creature also has the constrict special attack. If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, it deals constriction damage as well (the amount is given in the creature's descriptive text).

Creatures with the grab special attack receive a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple.

Swallow Whole (Ex)
A slimeling may swallow a creature equal to it's size or smaller. If a slimeling behins it's turn with an opponent grappled, it can attempt a new combat manuever check (as though attempting to pin the opponent). If the slimeling succeeds, it swallows its prey, and the opponent takes slam damage. Being swallowed causes a creature to take damage each round as listed. A swallowed creature gets the grappled condition, while the creature the slimeling does not. A swallowed creature can try to cut its way free with any light slashing or piercing weapon (the amount of cutting damage required to get free is equal to 1/10 the creature's total hit points), or it can just try to escape the grapple. The Armor Class of the interior of a creature that swallows whole is normally 10 + 1/2 its natural armor bonus, with no modifiers for size or Dexterity. If a swallowed creature cuts its way out, the swallowing creature cannot use swallow whole again until the damage is healed. If the swallowed creature escapes the grapple, success puts it back in the attacker's mouth, where it may be bitten or swallowed again.

Morphic Body (Su)
As a standard action, a slimeling can assume the appearance of any other creature it's size or smaller that it has once swallowed (other than creatures with the elemental, incorporeal, or swarm subtype—the body assumed must be solid). This ability affects only the slimeling's outward image, however, with a noticeable difference of it's skin and body being the same color as it was originally. Its creature type doesn't change in this new form; it gains none of the mimicked creature's special abilities, and it retains all of its normal statistics and abilities as depicted above. This is a polymorph effect.

Morphic Weapons (Su)
A slimeling can manipulate its body to mimic a wide array of potent weaponry wielded by its various forms. While the weapons may look different, they are considered natural weapons and they all do the same amount of damage. Morphic weapons deal bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Once per round, a slimeling can extend one of its limbs to strike at a distance depending on it's size with one of its morphic weapons. The slimeling can strike at a distance of it's space multiplied by 3. For example, a Fine slimeling can strike 1.5 ft. away. A Diminutive slimeling can strike 3 ft. away. A Tiny slimeling can strike 7.5 ft. away. A Small slimeling can strike 15 ft. away. A Medium slimeling can strike 15 ft. away. A Large slimeling can strike 30 ft. away. A slimeling can also attack with a morphic weapon by hurling a portion of its body as a thrown weapon with a range increment of 60 feet (the slimeling swiftly regrows thrown portions of its body after using this attack, while the hurled portion melts away into slime after dealing damage to a target).[/info]

"Domesticating thaim? Thay eat people! Ah cannae say that we'd ever tried making pets oot o' thaim, ah dinnae think a'd ever heard o' that idea either. Unfortunately ah cannae answer much o' the ither questions ye git. We fin' thaim oot thare, bit most o' th' time they'd rather attack us on sight, though thare hud bin a few that ignored us altogither. As fur whaur they've come from... A've seen different kinds masell. Blue ones, stinky ones, red ones, green ones, ones made oot o' magma... Th' biggest yin a'd ever seen wis mibbie 15 ft. tall."

She shook her head.

"But as fur intelligence. That'd surprise me... Yer slime 'ere though seems tae fairly well-behaved. A'd be mair willing tae say that ye'v git th' streenge slime 'ere. As fur thair weaknesses, it depends oan ilk type tae."

You felt the momentum of the elevator shift, it seemed as if it was slowing.

[pringerbeam]

     "Made of magma eh?  I don't suppose you can do that?"  Asked Jean, turning the slime around to talk to it.  "I'm gonna guess not based off these stats here.  Well at least you're no longer a mystery wrapped in an enigma anymore just another average everyday mystery."  He move to give the slime back to Ren but stopped.  "You know, we need to figure out a better way to transport you than by tentacle in case Ren needs all her appendages..."  He looked Ren up and down for someplace that might work.  "Hmmm...  Hey you can take any shape you've consumed so what if you turned into something like an article of clothing that Ren could wear?  Or maybe slip in between Ren's clothing and spread out across her skin?  Let's give it a try."  He reached out and plopped the slimeling into Ren's cleavage.

     "So how big is your kingdom?"  He said, returning to his conversation with the princess.  "You said it used to be bigger before you were brought to this world but what is it like now?  A hundred years seems like plenty of time to expand and rebuild what was lost."

[Throndir]

"Hot rock... nope!" The slimeling replied as you placed it on Ren's cleavage. After that, it started to stretch itself around Ren's breasts, then her shoulders, and finally around her neck and back. By the time the slimeling was done, it looked more like short poncho cape. Ren glanced at herself, then she turned side to side showcasing how it looked towards you.

"How is it master?"

"Ye kin talk tae it too... Aye, tis yer slime that's th' streenge one. Baith o` yer companions are streenge. Ye got one with them appendages, and anither that's a slime. Th' third companion o' yers something streenge too?"

The elevator stopped, and the door opened. It revealed a rough tunnel ahead, though you saw a similar panel to the one you had seen before near the entrance as well. Lili began to step out.

"A hundred years is not too much if ye compare it wi' howfur our kingdom wis afore. We wur underground then tae, o'er th' eastern mountain ranges, though, not as deep as we are now. This used tae be outposts. We hae one city 'ere in th' depths, aboot... 15,000 o' us that's left doon 'ere."

[pringerbeam]

     "Hmmm..."  Hummed Jean as he crossed an arm and rested his chin on his thumb.  "I was somehow expecting something sexier but this is a good start.  Maybe just a cape down the back?  Don't want to hide Ren's assets.  Puppies like that are best kept only just well hidden enough to excite the imagination with the enticement of what lies just behind the clothes."  Said Jean as they walked down the corridor.  "My other companion is a bit more normal.  She's a human from a tribe that worships the goddess of wind."

     "Fifteen thousand...  Certainly more than the wind temple's population.  I'm not sure how densely populated the world is though so it's hard to tell.  In my world your population would barely be a single town, let alone a kingdom, but then things are much different there and we don't build our cities under mountains.  The dragons seem to number only several hundred at most at their settlement on the neighboring mountain.  How large is your standing army?" Asked Jean as they approached the next door.  "Another elevator?"

[Throndir]

The slimeling pulled back a bit, becoming less of a short poncho.

"O' a sort. This one takes us mair horizontally than vertically. This trip be a bit langer than th' foremaist. Aboot 15 minutes. Bit th' speed o' th' train is aroond 270 feet per seicont." Lili said as she pressed one of the buttons on the panel. With that a section of the wall opened revealing what looked to be a metallic passenger car of a train. However, the rails seemed to be arrayed at each of the corners of the train. Instead of having the rails at the bottom of the vehicle. A strip of wheels were placed on each corner of the passenger car, matching train tracks in the tunnel itself. You realized that this particular design of a train was one that could only work underground. One of the doors opened up as well.

[pringerbeam]

     "Hmmm, better but we're can work on it later.   Maybe for now just hang out on her head or shoulder."  Said Jean as he walked into the train car.  "Exactly how far is your kingdom?  This seems like a lot of infrastructure."  He remarked as he took a seat on one of the benches.  He made sure to get a good grip on one of the handrails this time before the train took off.  "It is all quite impressive though.  Your kingdom must be quite wealthy.  Especially in comparison to what I've seen so far of the people that dwell above ground."

[Throndir]

Ren and Lili followed in after you. Inside the passenger car seemed to be a row of seats. There were nothing like seatbelts on them, but there were handrails you could have held on to. "Not tae far... Aboot 50 miles away from 'ere. We'd be thare in roughly 15 minutes though." Once everyone was in, Lili pulled down a lever, which ended up closing the door. After that, she pressed on a couple of other buttons, and at that point the train lurched forward. Since you were seated already, you felt the sudden burst of acceleration. It was jarring, and the acceleration was similar to how it was on the elevator before. Sudden without warning. It continued to accelerate, reaching its top speed in another few more seconds.

"Our people hae gaen far." She said proudly. "Bit the advances hae bin mainly done in juist th' lest hundred years. We discovered... Weel, ah suppose they be ruins. Our clerics be thinking they are the ruins of th' ancient civilization. We wid have ne'er found thaim if we ne'er moved here though."

Call out when the conversation's done, and we can move scenes.

[pringerbeam]

     "Fifty miles...  Well that's certainly farther than I would have guessed.  And the entrance was just an outpost on the edge of your territory then? I guess I spoke too soon.  Your kingdom seems to cover quite the territory.  I don't suppose you have a rule against interspecies marriage?  I wouldn't mind sitting on a throne with you for a land this big.  Or would I need to kill off your harem of consorts first?  I assure you my stamina is the stuff of legends and I could easily take on all your men...  In combat of course."  Remarked Jean with a comically dramatic tone and a cheesy wink.  Perking up at the mention of ruins he leaned towards the princess from his seat on the bench.   "Ruins?  What kind of ruins?  How old are they?  You said they were underground?  I guess that makes it unlikely they are a wind temple...  What did you find?  And what is this ancient civilization you're talking about?"

[info] Good to move scene on as needed.   I figure our characters can walk and keep talking.[/info]

[Throndir]

"Our territory used tae cover this land as weel, instead o' an outpost at the lip o' th' territory... Ye cuid think o' this as one o' th' outposts between toons 'n' cities. We lost most o' our territory 'n' cities a'maist a hundred years ago though."

When you mentioned sharing the throne with her, Lili blushed slightly, though she grinned a moment later.

"Aren't ye a bold one? Awready trying tae stake yer claim. Ye likelie tell that tae a' th' girls!" She continued to speak, though mumbled a bit. "But ah don't really have a consort... Ah juist didnae wantae seem lik' a child or anything." Lili admittedly sheepishly. She took a deep breath. "I haven't bin lookin' fur a mate if ah wur tae be honest wi' ye. Tis bin th' last thing that's on mah mind. Plus hauf mah fowk waant yer head. 'n' even if ye'r serious, likelie wouldn't accept ye, bein' a human 'n' all."

"As fur th' ruins, they're really auld. Some o' mah fowk think they're at least a thousand o' years auld. As fur th' ancient civilization, not much is known aboot thaim. As fur why they're sae deep underground, that's not known either. Bit th' ruins... Thay aren't dwarven in design, sae 'twas some ither fowk. Bit th' ancient civilizatoin's artifacts? that's on a different level... Lik' this big gluv o' mines. Tis not juist that, usin` whit we learned tinkering wi' thaim, we wur able to mak' uise o' hings lik' electricity, 'n' our knowledge o' magic-engineering haes jumpt forth farther than whit we knew afore."


Location: Dwarven City
Date: Day 7 (Jean), Day 9 (Rosalie) - Time: 10:50 PM

Soon enough the train slowed to a stop, and the doors opened. It revealed a large cavern structure. Large enough that the sight was almost breathtaking. Buildings were carved into the walls themselves, each one with a warm light. It took you a moment to realize it was an underground city. But what caught your attention the most, was the large structure at the center of the cavern. It looked to be a gigantic city-tower. There were lights, and with rail-lines coming from it into other passages. It didn't look dwarven at all. At least, not with what the stories back on Earth explained them to be.

[pringerbeam]

     "Oh, sorry about that.  I didn't mean to imply your immaturity.  Historically in my world young princess were often hooked up at a younger age than what we'd currently consider maturity.  I just figured as the only heir to your throne you would have an obligation to continue the royal line, but I'm sure you have plenty of other duties to attend to that keep you busy.  I can appreciate how hard it is to find the right person and how life gets in the way of love."  Remarked Jean.  "I guess I'll need to see these ruins for myself.  They certainly sound mysterious."



     "Wow..."  Said Jean in awe of the space.  "Even in my world this kind of construction would be nearly impossible."  He walked over to the edge of the train platform.  "Is this the only cavern?"