000909 -- Red Prison -- part II
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AUTHOR: dsweet
COMPOSED: 9/26/00
UPDATED: 9/26/00
STORY:
  The will-be-heroes drifts down stream and encounter a Red Malarite group in the
    middle of a party.
  When the will-be-heroes are spotted Malarites rush into the water encouraging
    group to join them.
  They are celebrating the news of the killed Tanars and now that the brave
    warriors are in their midst the party doubles in intensity.
  They group is treated to roast pig like creature and a milky substance that
    produces intoxication.
  
  During the festivities the group asks a lot of questions about the dam like
    structure.
  Eventually the group decides perhaps its not such a good idea storming the front
    gate.
  
  After the partying is over and the intoxication is slept off, the will-be-heroes
    travel back up the river towards their comrades raft construction camp.
  While travelling back upstream a line of guards can be seen coming at them
    sweeping the area systematically.
  Everyone hides but the guards know their job pretty well.
  So everyone but the motorcyclist is spotted and drained of a pint of blood.
  No one is given orange juice and cookies.
  The Marine fights back honorably but is knocked out by a stun gun's blast
    while swimming to safety.
  It needs to be mentioned he almost made it.
  
  That same day the group runs into a Ape dressed in a long tailed tuxedo jacket
    being attacked by a group of Vorrs.
  The Ape is doing pretty well defending himself with his bulk and cane.
  The group can hear the Ape cursing quite eloquently under his breath as he
    protects himself.
  The group decides to help the Ape out.
  With everyone working together the Vorrs are run off.
  
  After the fight the Ape and the group become great friends.
  The Ape was a trouble making Druid in the Beastlands before he was sentenced
    here.
  The Beastlands is a land of intelligent animals.
  The Ape knows quite a bit about the valley.
  He draws an accurate picture of the valley pointing out the Tanar mine, the
    Green and Red Malarite camps, and a Wizard's fortress.
  He explains nearly every prisoner in the valley is captured regularly for blood
    that is somehow processed by OTTO for its magical properties.
  The Wizard is not messed with and the Tanar's are not drawn from but they
    organize the miners for the blood draws.
  
  The group convinces the Ape to guide them to the Wizard's fortress.
  The Ape is apprehensive because the Wizard is not a good man.
  He trades with Tanars Malarites slaves for animal skins.
  Since the Ape can not swim due to his low body fat, they all decide to travel
    back up to the raft camp before crossing the river and continuing to the
    fortress.
  
  When they reach the fortress they are greeted by a dottering old mage peering
    over the battlements.
  The Ape is asked to speak to the bloodthorns around the fortress while the
    conversation with the mage continues.
  The mage says he will let the group come with him in his balloon to the red 
    sphere above.
  But he needs more skins.
  If the group will return with just two Su-monster skins he will let them come
    along.
  Everyone agrees and off they go.
  
  The druid knows where a Su-monster lair is so they go there.
  While they walk the druid tells the party the results of his "speak with plants"
    spell.
  The only way the bloodthorns will open is if a live creature of substantial size
    is sacrificed to the thorns.
  
  The Su-monster cave is spotted a days march from the fortress.
  These psionic lemur looking things do a little mental damage to the group before
    one is killed and one is knocked out.
  The group flee the cave leaving the last Su-monster alone.
  
  Back at the fortress the old wizards thanks the members of the group for getting
    him the furs.
  He will immediately start working them into the final balloon just as soon as
    the group throws them up.
  He can do that while the group does one more favor for him.
  He still needs a crystal.
  
  The Jay feels betrayed and begins firing at the mage.
  The mage shimers left to right as he fires and when the blast hit near him it
    twinkles to nothingness.
  Further shots twinkle also.
  The wizard ducks behind the battelments.
  The unconcious Su-monster is thrown to the bloodthorns and the group storms the
    fortress.
  While behind the battlements and while the group is storming the wizard summons
    six Tanars and runs into the fortress' observatory.
  
  The group bravely defeat the Tanars which is no small feat.
  Many of the party is near unconciousness when it is all over.