...until it is December 12th...a partly cloudy morning with the temperature just above freezing. All of you are trained at last, and itching to resume the exploration of the house and environs.
You arrive at the front gate soon after breakfast. The cemetary guard throws Sasha and Rane a dirty look as you walk by.
Raz looks at Sasha and Rane, "What's his problem?"
Sasha blushes deeply, her face nearly matching the auburn of her hair. Her green eyes sparkle with amusement though.
"Ah...well...we didn't get off to a good start...I sort of accused him of being in league with the thieves..."
Raz laughs, "Boy...your really great at making friends aren't you? First you accuse someone of being a thief, then you ask to put a detect evil spell on a stranger!" Regaining a bit of control Raz continues..."Sorry...I couldn't help it....but seriously do you think there is something important in the grave yard? Also....if we are going to enter the house again, does it have to be by the front door?"
Sasha blushes. "Well...things were going hot and heavy then..Nevermind..." Sasha laughs. "I'll try to be more sociable in the future."
"The front door is best...the other ways we tried were even worse...mind that hole there..." Sasha says as they walk to the porch.
Bel says, "Sasha, in the environment we are in I think being cautious is a good thing. I think you have acted properly toward new individuals, you might have even been a little to trusting toward me. When dealing with thieves and magic most times thinga are not what they seem, no offense to you Raz but evil has many faces and most of them appear friendly on the surface."
"He wouldn't let us enter the cemetary. That might pose a problem, for we know some of the tunnels under the house lead under that cemetary."
Raz looks thougthful..."and I suppose the tunnels connect to every other part of the city...right?"
"In a way. The tunnels cross some sewers, and those do lead throughout the city. We haven't been able to cross the section where the sewer is yet, because some rather large crocodiles are guarding it."
"Any idea where the tunnels go yet? I might have an idea on how to find out if it's important."
"That would be great - our efforts were not terribly successful." Sasha replies.
Raz looks thoughtful, "Well, my plan will require some explosives...something like dynamite....Is there another way into the tunnels other then going through the house?"
"I suppose we had best start off where we left off. The sheet room." says Rane. "Be careful folks. While I was watching the house last week I spotted a vicious ape like creature, that claws and bites. Almost killed me when I approached it."
You enter the house through the front door. There is a painting hanging on the wall of the foyer...Elvis on black velvet. You pass through and enter the hall. Turning left, you pass the entrance to the room where Illyana was almost suffocated by the sheet ghoul. The passage jogs north and then continues west for 30', turning north again after 20'. Facing you is another door in the west wall. Looking north, you see that the passage runs north for 30', and that there are three more doors up there: two on the east wall (last two sections) and one to the west (last section).
"Ach! Look at that awful painting...should we check it?" Sasha asks.
"Don't even bother. Its sort of amusing to see what it will portray next. Well, lets start trying doors. Start with the closest to us."
Rane winks at J'Harast. "Time to earn our keep." With that he listens at the first door, and if hearing nothing, opens it.
"Shall we try the door in the west wall?" Sasha asks quietly while listening at the door.
Raz says, "Wait before you do anything please. I have a spell that will help us explore this house more safely." Raz waves his hands and moves his arms in a percise manner.
"Now that would be helpful! What is the spell?" Sasha asks, waiting until he has finished casting.
Raz looks towards Sasha, sweat on his brow from casting the spell, "It's called Unseen Servant...with it I can open doors, get items, etc. up to 30' away. I'm thinking that we can open doors ahead of time with it and send it in to scout out a room before we enter it."
"Oh here, let me get that." Sasha says as she wipes the sweat from his brow with a hankie.
Raz grins and almost blushes..."Th..Thanks Sasha....I think I'm going to like having you around."
Sasha smiles, "That is what I am here for...but I must admit I haven't been much help. Too many strong, silent types, if you know what I mean." She nods to where J'Harast and Rane are standing.
"Yeah, I kind of figured that", nods Raz, smile still on his face.
"Unseen Servant! What a wonderful idea! That will indeed make things very much safer for us."
Bel says, "Not bad, how long does the spell last before you have to recast it."
Raz smiles, "He speaks!... the spell lasts for about 10 hrs."
Bel says, "I am a devotee of Vidar, the silent god, I only speak when there is need."
J'Harast scoffs at the idea of a spell to open doors. "Raz, honestly, I don't think that I trust a magic door opening spell. If there's something behind it, we lose a lot of surprise and other benefits. Furthermore, between Rane and myself, we should be able to detect any traps, and hear anything behind the doors."
J'Harast then looks at Rane and nods, ready to proceed.
Sasha draws a long breath. "Well, mister scoffmeister, that is up to you. If you wish to needlessly endanger yourself and us, then go right ahead, open the door. I will stand by with healing, and then we can return to the Inn...wait another couple of weeks and continue. Okay?"
Sasha herself looks surprised at herself for saying that. She mumbles to herself, "Wow...must have been all that training."
Looking pleased, she smiles and waits for J'Harast and Rane to open the door.
"Well, it's your neck, not mine..", say Raz with a shrug, ", but the spell has already been cast, so I'll be using it. Just shout if you want my help."
Bel says something to Raz and Sasha in a low voice. They exchange comments...casting frequent glances at Rane and J'Harast.
Raz looks toward J'Harast and Rane...."You know...we need you two badly...I'm not much of a fighter....In this situation wouldn't it be better to let me open the doors and have you two stand ready to defend us from whatever comes out?"
J'Harast chuckles, "And if your servant triggers a trap that we miss, who takes the effect? I'd rather trust my own skills than those of some magical entity. It's nothing personal, Raz, but I saw what magic did to my brother, and I'm not sure that I really trust it anymore."
Raz looks a little hurt..."My servant would take the effect...in fact it is tougher than I am. Although the effects may still reach us, just as if you triggered the trap and we were standing behind you. The other thing is that we still need you to detect traps...my servant does not put pressure on the floor unless I specifically tell it to....while I am currently limited in the amount of magic I can cast, I assure you that my magic is solid and reliable." With a stubborn look on his face Raz continues..."I still think using the servant is better then just rushing in...it would give us more time to react to any danger that might be present."
Bel smiles, chuckles and says, "Just like my brothers Basil and Bardes, well my friend once more into the breach and damned be the last one through."
Rane clarifies the situation. "You see, its like this. We are both scouts. If we let you mage types do our work for us, opening doors and the like, then soon management will begin getting ideas that we are unnecessary. Already you mages have put out of work hundreds of hard working people with spells of yours. Think of how many unemployed locksmiths there are because you mages can cast wizard locks on doors. Sure, the poor will still need them, but the days of a high quality lock for the working magician class are over."
"We are members of a union... and proud of it."
Bel starts to sing a little ditty, "Look for the union label when you are..." He stops, smiles and says, "Lay on Macduff, just be carefull. You are valuable to the partie's health and success and I would not like to see you harmed."
Raz grins a little, feeling better, "That's my point...we need your skills and don't want you to risk them needlessly. We still need you to listen to doors and detect traps...I just want to send my spell in first" looking frustrated he continues, "oh hell I give up...you go ahead first...I'll be here to back you up if I can."
"Actually I don't care who opens the doors. Your spell sounds safer, but J'Harast is usually the point man in such operations, and I guess he gets something of a thrill in bashing a door open. One point though. If the door is stuck, its more likely J'Harast will be able to open it quickly than if your unseen servant has to try and fail, alerting what is inside."
Raz moves a little further back from the door, staff readied in hand,. with a look of worry on this face. "I'm ready", he says
Raz says, " About my idea to help in the tunnels...is there anyway we can go my some needed supplies before we head to the house (next week)?"
No one bothers to answer him.
J'Harast opens the door.
Beyond is a 20' X 30' room (10' north, 30' west, window in west wall). This is a less formal living room than the one next door. It is furnished with easy chairs, couches, tables, and several shelves with knick-knacks on them. There are two paintings of distinguished looking men hanging from the south wall.
There does not appear to be anything else of interest in here.
"What is this?" Rane motions to J'Harast. "I think there is a secret passage here. Lets check it out."
Raz moves towards Rane, "Want me to wait here while you scout ahead, or follow?"
Rane waves Raz to follow as he examines the wall.
Bel stands at ready and pulls a Warhammer out of his belt.
The dark half elf examines the north wall in the centre, and after a brief inspection finds a hidden latch. A section of the wall opens, to reveal a 5' wide passage running east - west...10' in each direction. However, there is nothing else in here...but for several currently plugged spy holes in the north and south walls. If you compare the locations of the spy holes with what lies on the other side in the living room, you see that they correspond exactly with the eyes of the men in the paintings...
Raz says, "Damn, I thought we were getting somewhere...Rane, are there any other hidden doors in here?"
"Its possible another may lead further north into the next room."
Before checking however, he takes a peek through the northern eyeholes to see if anything is in that room.
"Ahhh... So you have finally stopped the bickering about mages and spells. Thats good I was getting a bit bored." Pillar sighs heavily, "At least its sorted out now but perhaps it might have been wiser to sought this out at an inn rather than in front of a door in a strange house. Oh well whats done is done, lets keep going shall we... or do you wish to converse some more on the different theolegies of Sandas." Pillar shrugs and watches the party.
Illyana shakes her head. "It doesn't surprise me that there isn't much inside here. Nor that we still haven't explored the entire thing yet. Ah well. You'll have to poke those eyeholes out first though Rane. Hmm.. If we don't find anything up here, it may be time to reenter those sewers. Ick, its disgusting down there. When we move to the next room, let me know and I'll be right behind whoever opens the door. Then again, we haven't seen any critters in this part of the house.. could there be something keeping them away like that (yick) sheet?"
With that Illyana stands by the door, watching the corridor.
Raz turns to the group...."I have an idea on how to get past the crocodiles if you guys want to head for the sewers."
"You do?" Sasha asks with interest. "Tell us about it - if the next couple of rooms turn out to be as devoid of clues as these have been, I would most certainly like to try that route again."
Raz smiles, "Well, while I was in town I purchased some uncooked meat. I was thinking that I could use my servant to lure away or at least occupy the crocs buy having it float the meat just over their heads and slowly lead them away from our path. Alternatively it could at least make themface away from our direction....", Raz's smile lessens abit, "...I don'tknow, maybe it's a stupid idea, but I'd like to try it out."
"Now that sounds like a fine idea on how to use your magic."
Raz's smile grows a little bigger as he says, "Thanks."
"Well, lets finish this wing first. Then we will go down that way. Next room to the north?" asks Rane.
Raz shrugs, "Well if there's nothing here let's move on. To the north it is."
Sasha nods, gripping her staff tightly and ready to go.
Raz says, "so is there an upstairs to this place as well?"
"Upstairs, downstairs and even things in between. This place has a lot of secrets. Hmm. Sasha, about that map you've been keeping, are there any areas between rooms large enough for a person to get in that we haven't found an entrance to yet? I'm getting so annoyed at this place I feel like knocking a few walls down."
Rane and J'Harast enter the secret passage. Rane looks through a set of spy holes in the north wall, and indicates that the room beyond is clear. A quick search, and he turns up another secret door...this one in the north wall at the west end.
Raz grins, "Well at least nothing has jumped out to kill us yet"
J'Harast, meanwhile, has been looking at the east end of the passage but finds nothing of interest.
Rane opens the north secret door, and you look into a 25' X 30' dining room (20' east, 25' north, 2 doors in east wall, northern sections, windows in north and west walls). In here there is a large, well-worn dining table with matching chairs, as well as a number of smaller tables along the wall. Several cabinets contain briken china. There are more paintings along the south wall...porttraits of long dead people, you suspect.
Sasha looks the room over, walking by the paintings, studying them.
"Hmmm, why would you have a secret door to a dining room anyway?" She muses, as she checks the cabinets, pulling open drawers and doors...
A search of this room turns up nothing else of interest.
You open the southernmost door in the east wall, and find yourself looking into the passage again. Across the hall is another door, and to the right of it is yet another.
However, you decide to open the last door in the dining room first, since you are here. This opens into a 10' square room, with no visible windows or exits. A store room, in here is a dumb waiter, and on some shelves along the walls are stacks of china and cutlery.
Sasha regards the dumb waiter with a smile. "Anybody want to find out where this goes?" She asks as she climbs inside.
Raz moves forward to try and stop Sasha saying, "No Sasha, that might be dangerous...remember what you told me about the bed sheets!"
Sasha eyes the dumb waiter, blushing. "Well...what was I thinking. But this could be really handy to truck all that raw meat around for the crocks. Why not take it with us?" Grinning, Sasha gives it an experimenatal push.
"This really could come in handy! We can take rides on it, transport our gear, or our fallen comrades."
Sasha climbs onto the cart. "Hey Raz, give me a push!"
Rane rolls Sasha around on the cart. "Seems to go only where I push it."
Sasha grins and says, "Hey, push it faster!"
Raz lightens up a bit seeing that there's no danger. Smiling he says, "Hey, can I try it out!....my turn, my turn!"
You find nothing else of interest in here.
You go out into the hall and open the door directly across from you.
This opens into a 20' X 30' room (10' north, 30' east, door directly across from you in east wall, window in north). This is a den, and the party has visited here previously. It is furnished with large, comfy leather chairs, dark wood tables and bookshelves.
You open the next door to the south.
This is a library, 20' X 30' (10' south, 30' east). The walls are lined with bookshelves, but it looks like it has all been ransacked, for many of the books are lying scattered about on the floor. There are also a number of chairs and tables in here as well.
"Ah well. It seems someone has been here before. I wonder if there were any valuable books here?"
Rane checks the walls for secret doors and the like, while others can search through for anything that was missed.
Raz looks to see if there are any books here that relate to magic and/or religion.
You search the library but find nothing of interest until Raz picks up one book...
"Put me down, you &*^%^$#$%%!!!" the book shouts at him.
Startled, Raz almost drops the book...regaining some composure he examines the book more closely saying, "now what do we have here?"
Bel says, "I'm not sure but it does give new meaning to the phrase "Getting into a book". Well Mr. Book, I'm Bel, glad to meet you. What pray tell has brought you here?"
"Let me go, you *&%%#$^^&###!!#$%%^*^&! I'll never talk! %$^%&%$&{}!"
Bel says, "I see we have a vocabulary problem here. Ok folks as I see it our options are:
1:Put it down and leave, right!
2:Reason with it.
3:Set fire to it and wait to see if this loosen his index a little.
4:Cast a detect evil spell to see if we should do 3 or 2.
5:Open it up and read it, and do 3 if we do not like the blot.
What do you think we should do Mister Book?" Bel starts to dig out his fire making material.
Sasha rushes towards Bel, "No! Don't do that! You can't set it on fire! I have never before seen a talking book - it would be a shame to destroy it."
She winks at Bel.
Bel winks back and says, "Well if he won't talk what else can we do? Raz, you take a shot at it." Bel patiently starts looking for kindling.
With quizical grin Raz says, "Okay, okay....I won't hurt your or anything." Raz moves over to on of the tables and sits down in a chair, placing the book gently on the table in front of him. Raz makes a closer inspection of the book, trying to read the title. With a small hand gesture to Bel, Raz indicates that he needs silence and some space so that he can deal with the book.
Bel says, "Right!", and continues to get his firemakeing material together.
Raz turns an angry eye towards Bel. In a soft voice filled with anger he says, "Bel, I will deal with this situation. If you can not control yourself, why don't you move onto the next room. Let me explain a little further....this book may be dangerous...and as I am the one closest to it, I would appreciate some silence and some space until I can figure out what it is."
With that said, Raz turns back to examine the book further saying, "So I put you down...now would you mind telling me who or what you are? I may be forced to hand you over to Bel and his fire starter kit if we can work something out."
"Go play in the traffic, you **&*$^%@%$^&%*&^&*%^&^&%^$%$^&*(*()$%^$!!!" it says in reply to all of your implied threats and entreaties.
Sasha laughs. "Maybe we should just leave it here - I don't think that there is anything at all this book can tell us. What would a book know anyway? It has been moldering here for ages...lets just leave it."
Bel looks disappointed and says, "But I have all this lovely kindling! Let's bring it with us and we can burn it later, the screams will keep the animals away. Maybe we should soak it in water and let it dry, the pages will warp and the binding will crack. What fun!"
"Folks, shall we waste more time on this book? I think that instrad of fire, you should just take a dagger out and start cutting the book up. If there are things in that book we want, we can easily get them with a little force." says J'Harast
"Besides, if we burn the book, it is of no value to us, where as cutting out pages will at least let us preserve the value of the information contained on them."
Sasha nods. "That is a good idea!" Sasha removes a small knife from her pouch and walks up to the book. With a deft motion, she tries to slice a page from it...
Bel brightens up and says, "Good, I need some scrap paper to start a good fire with this kindling. Throw it over here when you are done."
"Get away from me, you &*(O*&*(^&%^%^&&^&$&!!"
Your blade has no effect.
Illyana holds her hands over her ears. "Ugh what a nasty book.. why would anyone want to keep such a thing?" She ponders the book for a second. "Would holy water have any affect on it? I suppose all we'll need is a drop or two. Is anyone carrying any enchanted weapons? Sasha's knife is probably quite ordinary."
"Hmmm interesting, just because the book has a will of its own you want to burn it, have you ever thought that it has been around longer than you could have imagined let alone lived." Pillar harumphs as he gets his speed up "This book could contain knowledge beyond your imagination and you want to burn it, cut it, destroy it. Such shortsightedness is not for us, give me the book and I will mind it while we journey onwards through the house. I am sure I can put up with a few foul words." Motioning for the book Pillar continues "Later when we have a chance to think about it this book may be useful, by the way have you got its name?".
"Pillar, get a grip. Ths book probably has a few simple magic spells cast on it, and it's really just a worthless book, probably someones erotic journal or something." says J'Harast.
Raz ignores the book's language and carefully tries to open the book.
You are unable to open it. There is no name on the cover.
Looking very upset, Raz pulls the book closer to him saying to it, "Listen Book, I'm trying to help you out here, you have to give me something and quickly!"
Bel sighs and says, "OK folks, I say we stash the thing in a bag and keep wandering. We can work on this book later when we have the proper tools. Also if we find something REALLY nasty we can let it chew on the book for a while. The only thing you might want to do is cast a detect evil to see if this book is something to worry about. It is only slightly less suspicious than Raz. I do not think I need to spend a detect magic on a talking book, do any of you?"
Raz looks frustrated..."Okay Bel let's burn this baby up, but I want it back if it doesn't work." He tosses the book to Bel.
"Lets just take it with us. Perhaps Ming will be able to recognize it and give us a few coins for the thing." says Rane.
Bel catches the book and says, "Well I think we should just stash it and I will work up a real good fire later to brighten it's day. A nice fire inside if a rotting old building is not a great idea, now inside of a blacksmiths forge there is a nice fire!" Bel looks around for any objections and then stashes the book in his pouch.
Raz shakes his head. "Well Bel, until then would you mind if I hung onto it....I'd like to study it further until we get to that forge of yours."
Bel then shakes his head and says, "Untrusting soul." Then he tosses the book back to Raz.
Muttering under his breath, Raz says, "Okay, so I'm not the most trusting person.", looking at the book he continues...."It's all your fault you stupid book" and shoves the book into one of the pockets of his robe.
Raz takes a deep breath. "Okay, where to now?"
Sasha chuckles and shakes her head. "Okay, now that we have that all sorted out - what next? Shall we continue down the hallway?"
"Ow! Unhand me you %&&^^%%^%T^&&^&*&&$#@!!" the book exclaims, as Raz stashes it on his person. The book continues to protest loudly, as you head for the stairs leading down to the basement.
When you open the door leading to the staircase, though, more than a dozen goblins are waiting to greet you.
No one is surprised. Rane and J'Harast are in the forefront.
A goblin attacks J'Harast but misses.
Rane has initiative.
"You're crazy, if you think that you can deal with a book. It's screaming has alerted the guards. Rane, fall back. Petuna, to me."
Rane dodges a blow from the goblin and retreats behind Raz.
J'Harast puts on a dramatic display of flashing blades but does little else with them. The goblin laughs and bares his rotten teeth at the elf, engulfing him in garlic breath.
Petunia, resplendent in her chain mail bikini, steps up.
J'Harast wipes the smile off of the goblin's face though, this round. In fact, he wipes the gobin's entire face off of his head with a single swipe of his longsword. Petunia does likewise with her target.
"Oh, Hon, this is almost as fun as sex!"
Two more goblins step up...just as ugly and just as garlicky.
J'Harast gets nicked for 3 hit points of damage before chopping the offending humanoid down with his dagger. Petunia misses and is missed in turn.
Next round, J'Harast misses all around and is missed in turn, while the same thing happens to Petunia. A moment later, though, the elf drops another goblin, and the girl does the same.
J'Harast is in his stride, now, as another falls. Petunia misses this round, though.
"%^^&#$^%%^&**(()(*&#@%&!!!"
Bel starts to cast a spell, stops and says, "Oh why bother, it will be over before the thing takes effect anyway. If that book says one more word I'm dunking it in pail of water somewhere. It can't yell underwater."
Seeing his friends in trouble, Raz gives the book to the unseen servent, telling it to return it to the library and goes to help defend against the goblins using his 10' pole. Illyana also moves up.
Bel sees the book floating off and says, "Hey it's makeing a break for it!" Bel dives at the book.
Pillar lounges behind the fight twirling his flail, "Hey people if you need a hand just scream" Pillar laughs and sits back and enjoys the show.
Sasha, frowns at Pillar.
"Pillar! How can you behave this way? That is simply unconscionable! Get up and provide some backup so we can shut this door! And mind you don't hit them with that fancy mace of yours!"
The fight continues in the doorway, with only J'Harast and Petunia able to partake of the fun.
Another goblin falls to J'Harast's sword as Petunia misses yet again.
The remaining goblins, seeing that nearly half of their band has fallen in less than five minutes, start yelling at each other in their foul tongue.
Five of them break and run back down the stairs, leaving three to hold the door.
J'Harast swings his longsword again, and more goblin guts spray him. Petunia finally hits, and sends another corpse sailing down the stairs.
J'Harast has no trouble in finishing off the last remaining goblin.
Meanwhile, Bel has made a dive for the retreating book, missed, and done a pretty good belly-flop on the floor.
The book floats away, cursing steadily. Suddenly, though, when it is about 30' from the party it inexplicably drops to the floor, where it utters one last, particularily virulent oath, and then is silent.
Bel stands up and looks at Raz and says, "Bring it back or I'm going after it and the house dangers be damned!"
Raz yells in glee, "YES! You did it! The goblins are hamburger!"
Seeing the fallen Book, Raz then goes over to pick it up with a confused look on his face, "Hang on guys, just let me get this stupid book before we go down stairs....I still think it's important."
Bel, working up to a good anger, growls, "If you thought it was so flippin important why did you try to send it away? And what did you think it was going to do while it floated back to the library? It was gonna yell to high heaven and probably direct everything it could find toward us."
Raz glares at Bel saying "I'll explain my actions later...after things settle down and we're out of this damn house....for now just belive that I have the group's best interests...namely survival...at heart"
Sasha steps between Bel and Raz. She looks at them rather sternly (for her, "Now, if you please, shall we get going? Do we want to go downstairs or continue with the few doors remaining here? I would like to do downstairs, if only to see where those beasties came from and what they are doing here. I may be wrong, but somehow, it does not seem normal to be that they be in the city like this"
Sasha grins, "But of course, I am not an authority on such matters. But it does add one more strange element to the house. Shall we?" Sasha asks, pointing to the way down.
J'Harast growls at the commotion his teammates are causing.
"Shut up, both of you. If I understood their intentions correctly, they are going to get reenforcements. While I can keep this up all day, it might be nice to deal with them a little quicker next time.
"First, Mr. Mage, use that damn spell of yours to get that book, so that no one is exposed to danger. Then we can spike the door and plan what to do next."
Sasha blushes hotly and replies, "You needn't be so rude! And if they are getting reinforcements, don't you think it might behoove us to try and follow? If we discover their source, we can deal with them more effectively. They are not the source of our troubles...someone has 'sent' them to guard the house...maybe they finally see us as a threat.
"I will go follow them, becuase I can move much quicker and quieter alone, or with Rane, if he wishes to come with me. However, I'd rather pick my ground to fight on, and not be ambushed in an area that I am less familiar with. Here, at least, I think that we can make a nice little trap for them.
"What do you say Rane, shall we scout, or stay here?"
Sasha arches a brow. "So, Rane is our leader now. That is good to know."
"Yes, all bow before the almighty Rane, leader of a pack of fools who would rather argue over a book when goblins attack."
Rane mumbles something under his breath, something sounding like a curse.
"I'm your scout, but no leader."
Rane then curses himself. "Stupid stupid...." He then gets a faroff look in his eyes.
Sasha continues.
"Making a trap for them seems a wonderful idea - then we could perhaps question one of the captives, instead of risking our lives in attempting to follow."
Sasha paces a bit, "We should just quickly run down the stairway and see from which direction they came - should be easy to tell...the stench of them and the trail of blood from the wounded ones would tell us at least from which direction they entered the house."
"And then, we could set grease, oil, or something upon the steps or floors...and then...we could throw nets or sheets...." Sasha grins, "too bad we don't have another like Illyana's! Anyway, that would slow them...I would hate to set fire to the oil, but it is an option..." Sasha says, wrinkling her nose.
"Or, we could see what kind of spells our magic user has to make this even more interesting...." She turns to Raz. "Have you anything fun? I admit, I prayed only for curative spells today..."
"My unseen servant spell is still going strong, but it only has a thirty foot radius...perhaps we can use that in some way? Also, while I admit that more golbins are probably on the way, I think that we should find some way of scouting out the stairway below....it would give us advanced warning on what we might face next...and may indicate whether or not it is nessecary for us to remain here."
Rane replies to J'Harast.
"We've surely lost them by now. Lets wait here and see if reinforcements do arrive. If not, then I guess we can assume they simply fled, or perhaps are barricading themselves into whereever they are laired. We'll continue on our original plan of attempting the sewers, and strike down this stairway when they no longer expect us."
"I think the fact that they were here means that they *do* expect us - probably from now on." says Sasha.
"Does it strike any of you as odd that goblins would be here? Those tunnels below the house must lead outside the city."
Sasha remarks, "Oh, you also think this was strange then?" She looks to the others..."Is that the consensus?"
"The sewers are still a good option, but a quick peek downstairs would help right now...perhaps the sewers come up right there!"
"Very well, let's look around here and see what we can do to foil them, if they plan to come back here."
Raz continues..."I'm also thinkingg that this book may have summoned these golblins to defend it...it may be best to return to the library...J'Harest, is the library defendable? The other possiblility is for us to make a break for it before any more monsters decide to show up...the book may provide more answers once it is out of this house."
Sasha throws up her hands in frustration. She grabs her staff, flings open the door and runs lightly down the stairs.
So, after a lengthy argument Sasha turns and goes bopping down the stairs after the goblins. The rest of you follow.
"#$^^%$^%$%^^^&$%%^#^&*()&$%&$^^&%*(!!" says the book in a voice loud enough to wake the un - er - dead, from Raz's pack.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, you note that the door into the area that ultimately leads into the tunnels which go to the sewers is open (how's that for a sentence?).
However, when Sasha goes to enter the room, she is confronted by 10 huge centipedes, scuttling at her with murder in their compound eyes.
"@%#$#$&&$%#@$#@*#$!!!"
"Ach! There are rotten, nasty centipedes down here!" Sasha shouts, as she turns tail and runs back the way she came.
Bel says, "Well, isn't this just @%#$#$&&$%#@$#@*$#!!!" Bel hefts his hammer to take a shot at the lead centipede.
Raz rushes to Sasha's defense [if he is close enough to reach her] saying, "I think it is time to leave this house....I'd like to get this f@#@#'n book outside....if you want I can see if I can get out, while you guys continue on....this might also have the effect of drawing the monsters away from your path....what do you all think?"
J'Harast will call down the stairs, "Retreat back up here, now Do not try to engage these creatures, they are poisonous and very dangerous. Once you get up here, we can block them in and they will prove a very interesting welcome for any goblins that return."
J'Harast will then wait until everyone is back up the stairs, as the last person comes through the door, he'll close it and hold it shut, waiting for someone to spike the door closed.
Bel looks downhearted and sort of kicks at the floor while he retreats through the door and says, "I never get to have any fun."
Raz retreats with the rest of the group.
"You want fun! Let me tell you those creatures are not fun. I've seen what their poison can do to a man. Not pretty. You'd be dead inside of a minute, and there is nothing we could do." scolds J'Harast.
Bel smiles and says, "Maybe we should feed them the book? And it doesn't matter if you die from a sword in the throat or poison in the ankles you are still dead. You can only make sure you fight for a good cause and once Sasha retreated out of there was no reason to fight. Just because my words are a bit flippant does not mean I will ignore good advice from experienced people. Now that that way is blocked I will defer to the people who have explored this house more for a decision on direction." He looks toward Rane, Pillar, J'harast, and Sasha and waits.
You beat a hurried retreat back up the stairs, slam the door, and resume your arguing.
It is late morning.
Exasperated Raz turns to the group, "So what do you all think? Should we try to make a run for it with the book, return it to the library and continue, or split into groups?"
"That darn book! Well, the first thing we should do is see if it really is the cause of all these creatures popping up. Let's return it to the library and see what happens."
Sasha, again pacing a little, "Then, we should continue with the house and cover as much as we can this morning. The reason for that on my part is pure curiousity - it just kills me not to know!" She smiles.
"Then perhaps later, in the early afternoon - after lunch, if you don't mind - we can try to find a way past the crocs - since we determined that the creatures came from the sewer - we do need to find the source of them...What do you all think?"
"As you wish." says J'Harast, before launching into a long speal.
"First, I think that it about time that we make a decision about a few things. Sasha, I am glad that you were not hurt by the sudden appearance of these creatures, I know what they can do to a person. I wish that you would please let Rane and I do our jobs as scout and leadman. " "Yes. If you had waited a moment, I could have told you that I think there are scorpions down there also, in the room that leads off of the area downstairs." adds Rane.
"I do not know if that book is what is causing the appearance of the creatures, but for now, let's move it back to the library and leave it there," continues J'Harast. "Later on we can resume our arguments about it.
Sasha blushes and seems about to retort, but changes her mind.
"Now, I think that we need to agree on a leader type to prevent all this arguing and what not. I think that Sasha should be the one in charge for now, and I believe this for several reasons." Sasha's mouth drops open in shock. "What? Me?? Surely you jest!"
J'Harast continues.
"First, Rane and I are ususally up front, scouting, which limits our usefulness as leader, since we need someone who can see what is going on and make decisions. Second, I am ususally in the forefront of the fray, and it's difficult to make decisions from that vantage point.
"I for one, will listen to you Sasha, as long as you let me and Rane do _our_ jobs of providing information for you to make an informed decision.
"What does everyone else have to say?"
Sasha frowns and becomes pensive. She paces briefly, chewing her lip.
She turns finally to face the others, "I am of course honored that you would ... would nominate me for such a post...but I fear I am not experienced enough to lead this group - though I of course will try my hardest to let you do your jobs...and I will still volunteer council when I have an opinion..."
Bel looks thoughtful and says, "I have no problem with haveing J'harast and Rane take the lead and Sasha be directing as long as she will listen to input from the group. She seems to be very reasonable on this issue. What I object to is decisions made with no mind to other opinions or any explaination given. In an emergency situation this is required but we were in no emergency. J'harast and Petuna were diceing the Goblins quite handily. I even have no objections to putting the book back in the library, albeit well hidden, even though I think it is not the right move to do. If that is the opinion of the group, so be it. Either we are going to act as a group with the interest of the group as well as our own personal interests being considered or we are going to continue to argue over every little thing. I will continue to try and do what is best for the group and will follow Sasha's directions but I do expect people to have respect for the group and the individuals."
Raz still looks flustered..."I agree that Sasha would make a good leader, but I don't think now is the time to talk of such issues...lets wait until were out of this house....right now the've got to make some decisions...if Sasha or somebody else wants to lead thats fine, but lets do something!"
Raz turns to Sasha...."I like your idea...I vote to return the book to the library...but Sasha, my spell is gone and with it my idea on how to get by the crocs...though I still have the meat."
"Why do you blame the book for all that has befallen us? For Sasha's diregard for safety, for a troop of goblins appearing, for centipedes attacking. ASll this seems pretty common, when we are in this house, and yet, You Blame the book. Why is this... What has it done, other than protest at its handling. Really if the book had such power it would have summoned the centipedes while we were battling the goblins and we would be dead. Not every action or being in this house it at a books beck and call." Pillar harumphs and is about to say some more when ... he doesn't.
Raz turns to face Pillar...."That is the whole point of returning the book to the library...I may indeed be overreacting to this book...it may be that the book has nothing to do with all this....bringing it back to the library is one way of finding out if the book is indeed involved. I'm sorry if I seem to be harping about the book, but this is this first time in this house, and from my prospective it seems like the book is definately involved with what is happening in here. Remember, it was clear sailing until we found this book."
Sasha steps between Raz and Pillar. "Please, let's just do it. We return the book, check the rooms nearby, then have lunch, then go to the sewers. Got it? Good - now I'll create a special code word, okay. When I say 'Stay on Target' you will remember the task at hand and forget about anything else, okay?" Sasha delivers the last statement as if she were casting a hypnosis spell...
Raz frowns, but follows Sasha's lead.
Sasha catches the frown and smiles at Raz. "Please don't be angry with me...it is just that ... well...I am beginning to notice that most men just stand around pontificating and such when what is really needed is decision...I'm sorry if I have caused offense..." Sasha smiles shyly, keeping an eye on Rane and J'Harast.
She turns and heads back to the library, pausing to wave Rane and J'Harast before her. "Scout on!" She says with a demure smile.
And so it is settled...the voluptuous Sasha takes upon herself the heavy mantle of leadership...
You return to the library and put the book back exactly where you found it. Cursing continually while you held it and carried it, it immediately shuts up once you set it down.
The silence is refreshing.
Looking at your maps, you see that as far as you can tell, you have completely explored the upper floors of the house. You have also been in all of the rooms in this section of the house, but you see that there are several rooms in the eastern part that you have not been into, yet. These rooms are in the same area as the flight of stairs leading down into the basement...from which you were so recently chased...
Raz turns to Sasha and points towards the book..."Do you think someone should stay behind to make sure that thing doesn't go anywhere?"
"No - to listen yes, to guard that silly book - No." Sasha smiles, "It seems quite capable of taking care of itself."
She takes Raz by the arm and leads him out of the library.
J'Harast says:
"Great idea. Are you volunteering? Who knows, if this book is summoning protectors, then this person is going to be in trouble. We'll come back and find your dead body. Over a book! Over a book that we have no idea if it is even valuable."
Bel nods in agreement and says, "I believe we should either take the book out of the house and stash it at the Inn or leave it here alone. It was fine before we picked it up and it should stay heer until we get back."
Raz frowns deeply, but says nothing in response.
Rane sighs. "Look folks. Its a book. Thats all it is. And like the rest of this house its got a little magic on it. Its just like that painting in the foyer, just something to put you on edge. Now leave it here and don't give it another thought. Its not like the thing has wings or something and is going to walk away."
Rane then turns to J'Harast. "Lets go over to the eastern side. Maybe I can figure out a way into those rooms without going back downstairs. At worst we can always pull up some floorboards or knock through a wall."
[Note: these rooms are on the ground floor...not in the basement...]
"Okay then, lets do a couple of these rooms and break for lunch." She smiles to J'Harast and Rane.
Sasha frowns, "I think we should leave someone with good ears here near the door to warn us if they return..."
Rane interrupts. "First rule of adventuring. Never split your forces unless absolutely necessary. One person can easily be ambushed. Lets keep together while we are here."
"Yes, I agree with that...I just didn't want to be hedged in when they return. So, we will just have to take our chances with that then."
"Besides, I know the other rooms still have some creatures in them. There is at least a piglike creature of some sort over there. No telling how dangerous that will be. I hear boar can kill, and if this is some sort of magical creation, or monster variety it might be dangerous."
Sasha frowns, "Hmmm....well, there is nothing for it. We shall just proceed queitly and cautiously then. Lead the way, Scouts."
You pass through the room where the toy soldiers battled you, and enter the hallway beyond. To your right this hall runs for 10' more. There is a door at the end in the south wall, as well as another one in the last 10' section of the east wall. You have opened neither of these as yet.
"Ah, here we are. Shall we the door at the end of the south wall then?"
Sasha listens intently - turning this way and that. She shrugs. "Not that I expected to hear anything just yet. Anyway, lets go." She pauses to wrap another oil soaked strip of canvas around the top of her staff and lights it.
Raz, looking a bit more relaxed, stands ready.
Rane listens at the door with J'Harast. Concentrating to filter out the background noise, he then confers with J'Harast over what he detects.
"Some action at last, quick, lets bash some monsters. Quick the sooner the door is open the sooner we bash monsters." Pillar fidgets with his flail and mumbles under his breath.
Rane shakes his head. "No action, unless these rooms suddenly spring to life on their own. It sounds pretty quiet inside both areas."
"The sheet which nearly killed me was quite silent. Look for traps like that, ok?" asks Illyana.
Rane grins. "Sorry, but I prefer for monsters like that to be detected by you folks."
The scouts open the door to the south after not hearing anything behind it.
Beyond is a 20' X 40' room (20' south, 30' west, door in north wall west corner, windows in south wall). This is a formal dining room and you have been here before. There is a long oak table running down the centre of the room with matching chairs, and small tables and cabinets along the walls. A shield with two crossed ornamental swords decorates the west wall, and various paintings hang from the other walls.
You found nothing in here previously, and another search now turns up nothing again.
You open the east door, back in the passage.
This leads into a kitchen, 20' X 30' (20' east, 20' south, door directly across from you in east wall, door in north wall east corner). In here are a fireplace, and oven, a number of tables, barrels, benches and cupboards. The place is in disarray.
You search, but again find nothing.
Opening the east door, you find yourself looking outside. 70' away from you to the east is the smithy's shop.
You open the north door. This is a larder, 20' square (10' west, 20' north). It is cool and dark in here. You see more boxes and barrels barrels in here, smashed. It looks like something or other has made a lair in here, for in the southwest corner is a nest of sorts made of chewed bones and broken wood. Searching, you are pleased to discover a small treasure under this nest: 208gp and 2 gems. That is all you find in here, though.
Sasha frowns and consults her maps, "Well...if I can read what I have scribbled here...I think we may have finished here. Should we break for lunch and then try the sewers? Over lunch we can try to figure out how to use the meat to get past the crocs."
Suddenly, Sasha thumps herself on the head. "Hey, wait a minute...did we ever discover what those things we found are? Perhaps they would be useful in this venture. Wasn't there a wand or something...and some leather things, and a ring...?"
Raz takes some dice out of his pocket and fumbles with them in his hand...."Lunch sounds good...although I'm not sure I know anything about finding objects."
"Oh, we don't have to find them - one of us is carrying them...I just can't remember who." Sasha grins.
"Where shall we do lunch? I myself would rather find a modest inn to eat - I don't think I want any rations today - especially here!"
Raz smiles, "You know in the magic user's guide they sereva drink called expresso...I wonder if we could find a local in that serves it?"
After some discussion, you break for lunch.
Returning to the house an hour later, you soon find yourself at the top of the stairs again, ready to descend into the basement and the underground tunnels.
"So, will we use the plan we came up with over lunch?" asks Sasha.
Raz gives Sasha a confused look..."Wow that was a fast lunch! What was that plan we came up with again???"
"Well, the plan is to use the wand and other items against the critters next time - but for the crocs, we could just toss the meat to the furthest corner away from us and run as fast as we can to get by them."
Sasha paces, "Then, J'Harast and Rane will scout and hopefully we will be ready for what awaits...rather simplistic - but those plans generally work. And if retreat is called for - we retreat immediately as best we can ... "
"As I said, I only prayed for curative spells today. Raz, was that the only spell you had - the unseen servant? Bel, have you any magic? The rest of you? Pillar? What did you pray for today? It would be good for us to know that - if you don't mind sharing that information."
Raz flushes and says, "Ya, that was it...I'm afraid I'm not a very powerful magic user yet...I can only manage to memorize 1 spell a day"...looking more confident Raz continues..."but give me time and I'll come through for you guys."
Sasha rushes to Raz's side and puts her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. "Raz, I did not mean to belittle your abilities, I understand how long it takes and how hard it is to learn those arts. I myself was not qualified to study them - which is how I wound up serving Isis."
"Don't you worry - you are creative - that is all we need. Now, anyone else with some ideas and cautions?"
Sasha frowns, "Pillar? You have been very quiet and a bit...well, lets say odd lately. Are you okay?"
"Bah humbug, strange, you do not know the meaning of the word. Tuoni give me strength." Pillar stomps around a bit "Of course I have prayed for the day I have my spells, now lets kill some things my faith needs some reassurance."
Sasha smiles and says, "Okay then, let me quickly bless everyone here and we will be on our way."
She briefly murmers a prayer and presses her cheek close to Illyana, then the others, one by one.
As Sasha 'blesses' all you , she whispers, "Doesn't Pillar seem strange to you? Did he take any of the items we found? Keep an eye on him..."
Illyana blinks. "A little strange, but then again I never heard about the items until now.. what exactly did you find? I was unconscious remember? Also, what did he take?"
"So, who is holding the wand and the other things? Illyana, you are well protected, that is good. What else is there..."
"We will need to figure out *how* to use the wand I suppose...do these things just work when you hold them or what? Anyone know?"
Raz nods his head.."Okay so we've got a plan now...I think...Let's get too it!" With a large grin Raz continues...."During lunch I arranged for a game tonight...want to see if I can double my portion of the gold we found!"
Sasha rolls her eyes and grins, "I wish you luck - but you do know that your chances of that are very, very slim, don't you?"
"Well...no....Why do you say that?"
Sasha looks very serious for a moment and sighs. "We in the service of the gods can sometimes sense future events, or divine certain things ... our blessings come not lightly..." Sasha shrugs, smiling again.
"Nevermind. Give it a try - perhaps I take things too seriously."
Raz gives Sasha a thoughtful look, "Ah...well....if I do play...I'll play on the safe side....Thanks Sasha.....I think."
Sasha gives him a big smile and motions for everyone to continue.
So, you head back downstairs again...down the 20' long passage and through the left door where you recently encountered the centipedes. There is no sign of them now. Through the wine cellar with the false west wall...then through the concealed door into the bedroom...then into the common room and from there into the bare store room. The place is deserted.
Through another concealed door, and down the rough stone passage. Past the small cave with the dead snake lying in the entrance...past the second side cave where you found the provisions...past the side passage which runs east to end at a door (you haven't been down there yet) and into the chamber where J'Harast met the cleric and the thieves.
On down the passage out of the south end of the chamber to the cave with the little stream, and finally on to the entrance to the sewers.
The sewer tunnel runs both east and west. It is 30' wide, with a 10' wide walkway running along this side. There is no sign of the crocodiles.
"Hmmm...why is everything so deserted? I would hate to be walking into a trap so be extra alert everyone. Let's go then."
Sasha takes a good look around the area. "J'Harest, Rane - which way?"
Raz laughs softly...."All they worry over crocs and now no sight of them."
"Lets try this door. I'd rather keep dry for the moment than mess around in some sewers."
Rane does his usual listen at the door routine.
Sasha whirls around, "Oh yes - I had quite forgotten that! Lead on then - but be careful!"
You make for the door at the end of the passage. Rane and J'Harast listen, but apparently turn up nothing. The door is locked, though.
"Can either of you 'unlock' it?" Sasha asks. "We could try to bash it in...but I'm afraid that would alert every creature here!"
Rane inspects the door closely, then takes out a set of lock picks.
After trying out various tools, one clicks in the lock and the door opens.
You are looking into a cave, roughly 35' X 50', oriented east - west. A passage runs out of the far side. The place is barren, though the floor is littered with bones.
From the east passage comes the smell of rotting flesh. Looking down there, you see that it runs for 60' and then beyond the range of your lights. The walls of this passage, you note, are of nicely cut and dressed stone.
"Aha! This looks more like it." Sasha whispers. She nods to J'Harast and Rane to continue, eager herself to see what this corridor will bring.
Playing with dice in his left hand, Raz follows the group.
"Bash them, bash them all, who needs the aid of a God when you can smash undead to a pulp. I'm sure Gods have better things to do." Pillar whistles as he walks.
Glancing at Pillar, Raz says, "Geez Pillar...you okay?"
The passage runs for a grand total of 90', before ending at another door.
Rane and J'Harast press their ears to the wood, and the rest of you wait anxiously for their report...
Rane shivers, and backs away from the door. "J'Harast, let the clerics open this one. I can practically smell undead behind here."
"I don't hear anything." Everyone ready?" asks J'Harast.
"Yeap", says Raz, weapon in hand.
"I do though. Sounds like two, perhaps three things bumping around in there. And I get a creepy sensation that its undead."
Rane moves to the back of the party now, letting the clerics and fighters take the lead.
Rane shivers, and backs away from the door. "J'Harast, let the clerics open this one. I can practically smell undead behind here."
Sasha holds her holy symbol high and stands before the door.
"I guess we really need to get into this room? Huh?" She asks, a little unsteady.
"Not much left to search in this house, unless there happens to be a subterrainian fortress down past this door. Don't worry, I'll cover you." says Illyana.
She takes a moment to light another oil-soaked canvas strip around the top of her staff and then turns to the others.
"Okay, I will open the door and charge in - ready to try and turn any undead creatures. If things look really bad - I will pop right back out. If it looks manageable, please feel free to join me." She smiles.
Illyana is right behind Sasha at the door to hold anything back if Sasha runs out. Otherwise, she plans to enter second.
"Hey hey hey, dont forget me" Pillar almost bellows "I wanna bash some undead, smash them to a pulp, crush them like bugs..." Pillar's voice goes to low to hear but faint mumblings can be heard. He follows Sasha into the room flail held high.
Sasha changes her mind...
She stands with her back to the door and faces everyone. "I think we should retreat to the inn right away. Let's go, now." She catches the eye of Illyana and J'Harast and nods to them. She will not leave her place until the others have moved back in the direction they came from.
Raz, totally confused, says, "What?...Why are we leaving? Did I miss something?"
Sasha sighs, looking very serious. "No, Raz. I did. Now go - march!"
Rane, suddenly suspicious, walks up to Sasha. "What is wrong here? Did those undead suddenly put fear into your heart? I'm told that once one crosses only partway into the netherworld, strange powers can manifest themselves, fear being one of them."
Sasha, controlling her temper tightly replies icily. "It is not fear that stays my hand, Rane. It is the addition of 2 and 2 and finding the answer. Perhaps you should remember some words I spoke to you in your blessing..."
"Step aside, Sasha. Pillar and the others can handle it. Either that, or explain yourself. Right here and right now."
"I am not in a postion to do that right now. If you wish to barge in, feel free."
Sasha steps aside and leaves. She calls back over her shoulder, "Ask Pillar about the god he worships." And continues on.
J'Harast checks the heft of his sword and dagger. Positioning himself near Rane, he speaks. "Will someone tell me what the hell is going on here. Pillar, what is your diety? Sasha, what is all this. I'm not in the mood for games right now."
Raz, still confused as hell, follows Sasha as she leaves, saying to the others, "We elected her leader folks..let's at least find out what this is all about before we barge in to something that we can't handle."
Sasha sighs heavily. "Okay, this is not the best place for this discussion - but you certainly have a right to know what I am thinking. That includes you, Pillar.
"We know that somehow, clerics of some unamed diety are under suspicion of some strange goings on in connection to this house - actually, in connection with other goings on in Sandas. It seemed to me that Pillar was acting strangely...that perhaps he came under the influence of these clerics...and so would cause us harm going into battle in some way. Of course, I could be totally wrong...which is why I did not wish to lead this group."
She turns to Pillar, "Do you still worship the same diety as you did when you joined us? I believe you said you worship Tuoni - of the underworld...I have little liking for their chaotic ways...perhaps that is all this is..."
Rane simply stands there, concentrating on what Pillar and Sasha have to say for the moment.
Raz leans heavily upon his pole and looks towards Sasha...."When you cast a dectect evil spell on me I had assumed that you had used that spell on the rest of the group as well. What's going on here makes me very afraid." Sasha frowns. "I only learned to do that recently...Pillar started out with us...I should have checked again...since we are in this fairly deep now..."
"Adventures often put people's lives in anothers hand...if we can not trust one another...then we have a very big problem." Pointing to the door/passageway Raz continues on..."This can all wait...I agree with Sasha...we need to regroup outside of here and talk about this issue carefully. Talking here will only put us in further danger."
"My point exactly."
Rane, after a moment of just watching the group, sighs.
"Sasha, you are being rude again. I think this is your fatal flaw. Pillar is just as he was before, and indeed is quite puzzled by your accusations, whatever they may be, of him. He's not possessed by some evil spirit, if that is what you are implying. If anything I bet he's aching for a fight. We have been inactive a lot recently. If he were seeking our doom, I bet I would feel it, just as I feel the evil on the other side of this door. My drow blood sings with it."
"Now get back to the door, and turn those undead, and stop making a fool of yourself."
Sasha smiles sweetly, "Okay."
She stands before the door, holding her holy symbol up high - she opens the door...
Raz mutters, "Boy, talk about being rude", and then backs away from the door preparing himself for a fight.
Illyana and J'Harast hit the door with Sasha and Pillar - restored to respectability again - right behind them.
Revealed is a large hall, octangular shaped. The east and west walls are each 10' long (this door is in the west one, another door is in the east wall); the north and south walls are each 20' long (doors in each 10' section); and each of the angled walls are also 20' long.
The ceiling is vaulted overhead to a height of some 30'. In here are various broken and smashed furnishings of a religious nature: statues of robed figures, heaps of rotting vestments, two tripods, some lamps, a candelabra, and a locked chest.
Facing you are two horrible looking creatures, wearing torn and filthy clerical robes. Men they were...perhaps once...now you doubt if they are even alive.
And yet, as jump at you, you know that they are not quite dead, either...
Gaining initiative, they are on J'Harast and Illyana immediately, clawing and biting. J'Harast takes a bite on the arm for 4 hit points of damage while the second creature breaks a tooth on Illyana's new plate mail.
Sasha cries out strongly, "Be gone, foul creatures - by the power of ISIS - I banish thee!"
They make faces at the cleric, so she closes to melee them.
"Attack." says J'Harast, as calmly as if he were ordering lunch.
Raz grasps his pole tightly and prepares to defend himself if need be.
Illyana feels a little relieved at her armor's effectiveness. "Quick, Sasha, Pillar, can you figure out which God these that were clerics follow?"
Illyana will attack with her two handed sword, noting if it does any damage.. she fears they might be magical.
"Whhheeeeeeeeeee" Pillar bellows as he goes and begins to clobber one of the messy looking things. "I think these things need a bit of help... help to the other side." Pillar laughs and swings his flail.
"Cmon undead lets see you face the wrath of a follower of Tuoni."
J'Harast's glowing longsword easily slices into the creature on him, and blood and gore pour out.
"Ouch!" it says.
Then the elf sticks his dagger into its eye and it drops...dead.
Meanwhile, Illyana gracefully opens a nasty wound across her creature's chest, as Pillar bangs it on the head with his glowing flail. Its skull caves in and brains fly everywhere, as it falls, too.
Gee, that was easy, you think.
Seeing the monsters so easily taken apart by his comrads, Raz shouts, "Yaa..Way to go guys...you people really know how to kick butt!", while making a cool downward motion with his arm. Then seeing the wound on J'Harast's arm he continues in a slightly calmer, concerned voice..."you okay J'Harast?"
Apart from the minor wound, the elf seems unnaffected by the attack.
Rane frowns after finishing his circle. "I could have sworn I felt three creatures here. I guess I was mistaken. The feeling is gone now. I'm sure there were only these two."
Sasha frowns, "If you felt three - perhaps one waits to pounce on us...how close do they have to be for you to feel their presense?"
"Well, lets remain on guard then - and be very careful with anything you touch...lets check the doors - they could be hiding behind one of them...or perhaps they change form?" Sasha finsishes, doubtfully.
"Rane, J'Harast - can you listen at the doors and see if you hear anything?"
They listen at each of the doors but hear nothing.
Sasha walks carefully around the perimeter of the room, using her staff to poke and prod here and there.
As described previously, most of the items in here are of a religious nature and are broken. The locked chest, though, is conspicuously intact...
She then goes to the remains of the creatures and pokes the pieces. "Hmmm...I find it impossible to believe that these creatures could be killed so easily...unless you have become incredibly skilled in these last weeks..."
From what little you know of undead, these do not appear to be such. In fact, their corpses are still warm...as if they were ordinary living creatures - until you delt with them - perhaps masquerading as undead.
In appearance, they remind Sasha and Pillar of the pictures of wights that they have seen in the past.
Sasha thumps herself on the head and goes to J'Harast and Illyana, and inspects their wounds. "Ummm, was anyone else hit by these creatures?" Sasha asks as she looks at their wounds.
"Me? Wounded? Only my armor, and one of his teeth which ls now lying on the floor," replies Illyana.
"I am reminded that these creatures...if they are indeed wights, have a very draining effect on victims...how do you both feel?" She asks, with a concerned frown.
"I feel perfectly fine. If they're as dangerous as you say, then perhaps thats why there were only two of them."
"Don't concern yourself with those things. We already discovered the bodies are warm. Last I heard undead are as cold as a grave. They are probably just creatures which look like undead in order to bring fear into their victims, making them make mistakes. Perhaps they have eaten foolish clerics that took overly long in their turning attempts."
"Dont worry about it Sasha they probably have the plague or something... if they don't want your help just wait till they collapse and then you can administer your aid." Smirking Pillar continues "Of course these are only small wounds, they couldn't possible become infected or contaminated by some foul contagion. After all they were only inflicted by rotting corpses, perhaps even wights. Please by all means refuse our aid but dont come crying when you break out in boils and feel the cold hands of death reach for you."
Pillar twirls his flail and smiles.
Raz pokes around the room, looking for anything he might find interesting.
Sasha prods the chest with the end of her staff (the lit end :), while Rane is bending over to inspect it for traps.
Rane bats the staff away.
"What in the abyss are you doing? Trying to get me killed. I swear Sasha, you are doing your best to put everyone at their worst today. If you had just triggered a springed needle while I was standing next to that chest I could have gotten hit."
"Now go stand over there in the middle of the room where you won't be in my way. And watch to the southwest. Something hungry is that way."
Mumbling under his breath, J'Harast waits for Rane to finish before conducting an inspection of the chest and lock.
Neither thief finds any traps, so they try to pick the lock.
Both fail to find the trick to it.
"Rane, I did not see a trap. Shall we use the more direct approach to opening this lock?"
J'Harast tries a more direct method of defeating the lock, and smashes it with his hammer. Two blows, and the lock breaks.
Throwing open the chest, you discover that it is filled with gold and jewelry: 500gp and 18 finely crafted platinum chain necklaces which look to be quite valuble.
Sasha hestitates before speaking, but finally says, "I just don't believe this!"
"I mean...those wight-things should not have been that easy...and then this? I would think whoever owned this before would guard it more carefully...I wonder if this whole thing is a trick...or a trap yet to be sprung. Be careful if you decide to take any of it."
Seeing the gold, Raz smiles, saying, "I think I'm going to like adventuring with you guys. Where to now? The sewers?"
Petunia looks up from where she has been kissing J'Harast's wounds better.
"Why don't we open some of these doors, you pinhead?"
Rane smiles at J'Harast. "I like your lady friend. She is direct and to the point. Yonder door awaits." as Rane directs you to the southern door on the west side.
"Woo Woo, we crushed em like bugs..." Pillar giggles a bit and his face takes on a more serious note. "Dismember and burn the things yah? Dont want em coming back to make a nuisance of themselves now do we?" Looking at the treasure hoard Pillar grins "Cool money... riches beyond compare, lets take some... oh check it for magic, any volunteers?"
Bel shakes himself as if rising from a long slumber and says, "That sounds like my job" and casts a detect magic spell.
Nothing in the hoard radiates any magic.
Rane turns to Bel. "Next time why don't you wait until we find something obviously useful. Coins are unlikely to hold magic, and now should we find some armor or weapon, we have no means of checking it."
Raz turns towards Rane. "My aren't we in a pissy mood at the moment. We're your friends Rane, not your enemies. Why don't you lighten up a little huh? We're in this boat together, and are all trying our best."
With that said, Raz turns a walks toward the door.
Sasha, with a concerned frown, turns to Rane. "Well, it may be the chest itself or something hidden within can be detected."
"Are your kind always so highly strung?" She asks.
"Which 'kind' do you mean. My being part drow, or just bastard half-breeds in general?"
"Well, either one, I guess." Sasha laughs. "Though I hardly see how being a half-breed would cause any concern - so it must be your drow half."
"I don't know how the drow live, so I can't comment on that. But being of mixed blood means you have no true home. I guess that teaches one to be much more careful, for we can't run home to get help."
Sasha nods. "Yes...I think I can understand that in a way...even though I have not had to experience that..."
"Is your kind always so rude and careless?"
Again Sasha chuckles, but kindly. "Yes, it would appear so! I am just trying to understand, that is all. I didn't realize I was being rude...something you accuse me of quite often. Perhaps if you pointed out the nature of the rudeness, I could correct my fatal flaw."
She looks more serious as she continues, "And as for being careless...well, I didn't think I was...but that is a subjective observation any way..."
"Oh, and rushing downstairs into the welcoming arms of centipedes counts as a careful maneuver? This isn't the first time you know."
Sasha blushes and nods. "You are absolutely correct! I shall endeavor to be more patient in the future."
"Let's go then - and I will heed your advice, Rane."
J'Harast turns to the bickering party and speaks, anger permeating his voice.
"Enough! We have a job to do, so lets make sure we do it and do it well! If everyone continues to bicker, we'll alert any real guards to our presence."
J'Harast then moves over to Rane and speaks to him, his voice low.
Rane grins. "My apologies. I'm just a bit tense. If it makes matters better, let me tell you that I rely on all of you fully. If I didn't, I wouldn't be down here with you. This place just sets my nerves on fire."
"Ah, now I understand...." Sasha says with a small smile, winking at Raz.
Raz moves over to Sasha and asks, "Do you remember if there was a window near the library?"
Sasha wrinkles her brow in thought. "Ah...why?"
Raz looks thoughtful..."I'm still thinking on it, but I has something to do with how we might handle that book...ya, I know....I'm still fixated on that book."
Sasha takes a deep breath before answering. "Well...I guess I will have to keep an eye on you then...and try not to jump to conclusions..."
"Umm...how exactly are you fixated with this book...just because it is a mystery...and possibly powerful...or is there some stronger attraction?"
Raz laughs softly and shakes his head side to side. "Don't worry Sasha...I'm not being taken over my some evil force or anything...I just happen to think that the book is a the root of our problems in this house...and I will not be jumping to any conclusions...I promise not to act on anything unless there is further proof that the book is tied to this house....By the way...have you happened to notice how "monster-free" we have been since returning that book to the library?" As he finishes the last question, Raz mimicks bracing himself against something and prepares for the the worst.
Pillar incinerates the so-called wights.
J'Harast will carefully remove the treasure, and split in with Rane for now. He'll then carefully inspect the rest of the chest, for false sides, bottoms etc.
Illyana says, "Very well, J'Harast. If you want to carry it, go ahead. I'd rather wait to see if its cursed or not. Still this whole situation is rather strange.. There are two logical reasons for such a large stash to be so poorly guarded. One is that its been forgoten about. Two is that there are more of these 'clerics' around here. Assuming its not cursed that is. After my incident with the sheet, I refuse to take anything lightly. In any case, we should be more careful from now on."
J'Harast frowns, and then speaks, "If these items are cursed, then I am now so aw well. However, I see in front of me a lot of cash that I am sure that we all need to further our training and learning. I am holding these items for now, because I have connections where I can sell them for a good price. I am not out for myself. However, I can not detect curses, or anyother magic, so I trust my luck which has never really failed me yet.
"If you do not trust me, then here, you can carry the items.
Sasha frowns sadly. "J'Harast, it is not a lack of trust..." She reaches out to touch his arm, but hesitates and lets it drop.
"It is only that we are concerned about the dangers...if you feel it is indeed safe though...then by all means, please care for it...I did not know you could detect such curses and such..."
"As for all this supposition that there were only a few guards who were weak, what would you all be saying now if we had the same guards but we were more injured. There does not necessarily have to be a reason why there are 'few' guards, when some of us have improved our skills to be better able to deal with these creatures."
Sasha wrinkles her brow, pensive. "Hmmm...yes...that is one view...yet I am still concerned..." She shurgs and gives a self-mocking laugh. "Well, it seems all I learned from my training is how to be unfriendly and suspicious!"
"Okay then, lets leave here and see what else we can see. Lead the way!"
"No need to do the sewers yet, when we have such a nice set of rooms here."
Rane then moves to the southern door on the west side. Pausing a moment as if to listen, he announces, "This way folks. Nothing obvious on the other side, but my guess is that something will rush out and attack us from an adjoining room."
"J'Harast. A door awaits." Rane then moves to the back of the pack.
"And Sasha, if there is a chest in this room, and I'm sure there is bound to be one, leave it alone until one of us looks at it."
"Although the thought of a mimic eating your staff might get those silly notions of being underchallenged out of your head."
"Well, I would rather have it eat my staff then me! That is what I was trying to find out. But in any event, lead on." Sasha smiles and begins to follow the scouts.
You open the door in the western part of the south wall.
This leads into a 20' X 30' room (20' west, 20' south, door in west wall north corner, 3 doors in south wall - one in each 10' section). In here are several pallets, closets, a table, and another locked chest. Otherwise, the place is uninhabited.
"Rane, let's check the doors first and then check the chest."
J'Harast pulls out a door stop and moves to one of the doors, to listen and then stop the door. He repeats this exercise to each door.
Rane gets a strange look in his eyes, as if lost in deep thought.
Raz stands to the side and lets the Rand and J'Harast do their thing. J'Harast hears a noise at the west door. He pauses to spike it shut. As he does so there is a crash at this door, as something on the other side tries to open it. Fortunately the spike was in place and holds.
The crashing continues.
Raz, brought back to reality by the large crashing sound asks, "So do we run or fight?"
"Everybody ready? It seems that someone else is here as well." says J'Harast.
"Sasha, shall we pull the spike to face the thing, or retreat?"
Rane suddenly gets a panicked look on his face. "Spike them all!"
He then grabs the chest and moves to the exit, leaving the room.
From the doorway, he points to the western door. "Two things behind that door... possibly gargoyles." Pointing to the south wall, and the western door on it, he grimaces and adds, "plus four skeletons, plus six bugbears behind that door!" as he points to the center door."
"So much for your theory about monsters and that book!"
Sasha assists as she can in spiking the doors and then follows the others out. "Well...I suggest an orderly retreat - unless anyone thinks we can deal with the creatures...I don't believe we can at this point."
Too late.
There is another crash at the west door, but it holds. However, as J'Harast goes to spike the door leading to the undead and Sasha goes to do the same to the bugbear door, the latter opens and six hairy, burly humanoids come out, axes aready to deal out a banquet of death and destruction.
Raz shouts, "Hey, nobody's perfect!", as he makes a quick retreat from the room.
Sasha curses and swings her staff in a mighty arc with all her strength towards the nearest one...
...and connects for 4 hit points of damage. The bugbear replies, but misses.
Rane meanwhile is dragging the chest out of the room and across the octagonal chamber towards the west exit.
Bel takes a swing with his hammer at the bugbear to Sasha's left and says, "I hope this ring works as well as it is suppossed to. Have at thee foolish knaves."
The bugbear beats him to the punch, however, and the druid takes 5 hit points of damage, before he misses with his hammer.
"Petunia, to me. Rane watch our back. Sasha, retreat."
J'Harast will jump into the fray, sword and dagger swinging.
Sasha jumps back out of the way, barely missing the bugbear's swinging axe.
Petunia wastes no time in scoring a hit into her newest adversary, while he misses her. The bugbear attacking J'Harast misses badly but the elf hits with his longsword for 10 hit points of damage.
Suddenly you hear a loud explosion from just outside the octagonal chamber, to the west.
Raz - the only person in the octagonal chamber - glances over to the doorway and sees Rane - bending over the chest - engulfed in sparkling magical fire.
The half drow takes 19 hit points of damage, his leather armour goes up in flames...as do his bracers. The chest as well is engulfed.
'OOOoooo a fight" Pillar grins and enters the melee "The odds however are somewhat worrying... especially with half the party ... grunt ... not ...hmph ... fighting. Thanks people let me ... hrra ... return the favour ... hey ... sometime." Pillar continues melee with some strange bugbear creature.
Pillar swings his flail and misses, but then suffers 4 hit points of damage thanks to the bugbear.
Illyana attacks with her two handed sword one of the nearest bugbears while keeping any eye on the other door. "I'm well equipped to handle this, if we need to retreat I'll cover."
Illyana draws first blood, and a lot of it, as she connects for 17 hit points of damage. The bugbear is staggered, and misses on its attack.
Then, you hear the sound of splintering wood from the west door of this room where the battle rages. A hole has been torn through the wood, and groping about through it you see a grotesque, mottled grey and clawed hand, tearing at the broken wood.
From the doorway which leads to the skeletons you hear a loud thumping.
"Can you handle the bugbears? I'll go after the newest addition to this dance. Petunia, cover me and keep at the bugbears"
J'Harast will try to disengage and attack the creature coming through the door.
He does, but the bugbear pursues, missing him with his axe. J'Harast arrives at the door just in time to see it give way altogether, revealing not one, but two hideous winged creatures, armed with claws and teeth.
Petunia clobbers her bugbear with her second attack for 8 hit points of damage.
Raz shouts from the octagonal room, "Rane is down! We've got to get out of here!"
A moment later you hear another shout. "I'm hurt, but I'll live. Don't worry about me." Its Rane's voice.
Bel winces from the Bugbear's blow and says, "Well folks I think Petunia will be much better at this than I will, I'm disengaging and trying a spell." Bel attempts to disengage and back behind the melee people. The bugbear, however, follows, even though his next swing misses.
"Oh boy. I wonder what that is. Does someone want to chop its hand off before it gets through the door? I would do it, but I'm a little busy right now." says Illyana, as she fails to dodge a blow and takes 6 hit points of damage. She retaliates immediately, though, and the first bugbear drops in a pool of blood.
"Retreat!" Sasha shouts from the doorway, taking a good look around.
Pillar bashes again, as the bugbear's axe bounces off of his armour. Alas, he misses.
The first gargoyle is out of the door, and meets J'Harast. The second takes flight and swoops down at Petunia.
The bashing at the other door continues.
Raz appears in the doorway where to the room where the battle continues. He is waving a glowing broadsword.
"Who could use a magic sword!"
"Oh, god...given away like a slave at the market!" mutters the sword.
Bel swears and tries to disengage again and says, "I highly recommend a retreat folks, we are out of our league. Petunia, J'harast, Pillar, can you fall back toward the door in coordination? Raz, do you have anything that might delay these boys like an entangle or something?"
J'Harast and the gargoyle face off.
Both of the elf's attacks miss. The creature's razor sharp claws slash into his flesh, for 5 hit points in total...and a final bite does an additional 3 hit points.
Meanwhile, the bugbear has another go at him, but misses.
Petunia, still fighting a bugbear, is attacked from above by the other gargoyle. She takes a scratch for 2 hit points, followed by a raking claw for another 2 hit points. She then takes a heavy hit from the bugbear for 6 hit points.
"I love you, J'Harast," she gasps as she collapses, her chest cleaved open.
Illyana still fights, on another bugbear now. Both of them miss.
Bel flees for the door, the bugbear laughing as he pursues. Suddenly the humanoid is facing Sasha, who waves her flaming staff in its face. The monster knocks it aside and chases the druid out into the octagonal room.
Pillar is also laughing, though perhaps not so loudly as he takes 3 more hit points of damage, and misses with his flail.
Bel glimpses Petunia falling as he rushes out of the room, and, burdened by his chivalric upbringing, turns and heads back to aid her. His bugbear is still in hot pursuit. He runs back past Raz and Sasha in the doorway, and the cleric has another go at the bugbear with her staff. This time she connects, and the bugbear howls as he runs by.
Meanwhile, Pillar is having second thoughts about the whole thing.
"Oooowwwwwww, that hurt. Shoo shoo go away" Pillar scoots over to Petunia and picks her up then runs really really fast out of the room...
"Quick to the exit .... aaaieiieeeee" Pillar screams as he runs for the door.
"Back fiend!" cries Bel, swinging his hammer at Petunias bugbear attacker as Pillar rushes by, and smashing the monster's jaw in the process. The bugbear behind him also connects at last for 7 hit points of damage and Bel drops.
Meanwhile, J'Harast continues to battle the gargoyle...and his longsword finally connects on the second attack. The gargoyle misses every time.
The second gargoyle swoops down on Illyana...and misses with every attack. The girl concentrates on her bugbear foe, and does 12 hit points into it. The bugbear yelps and misses...as does Illyana on her second attack.
The bugbear on J'Harast misses.
Glancing over at the west exit from the octagonal chamber, Raz and Sasha see that Rane has departed.
Seeing that there is no way he can get to Bel, Raz retreats back into the octagonal room. Sasha remains near the door. Pillar is already outside, fixing up Petunia. Rane is long gone.
"Those of you who can flee. I'll try to keep them here."
J'Harast will fight with renewed vigor. However, he will also try to slowly move towards the door, or Illyana, in an effort to fight back to back.
Together they back towards the door, facing their numerous foes. Meanwhile, at the back of the room, three bugbears are merrily carving and chopping off hunks of Bel's living flesh, preparatory for a bloody feast.
J'Harast takes 3 hit points from a scratch from the gargoyle. He strikes back and misses, while dodging another claw. His dagger also misses, but he takes a further hit point of damage from a hind claw.
Meanwhile, the bugbear bonks him for 8 hit points of damage.
Illyana misses again with her two-handed sword, but then so does the bugbear attacking her. The gargoyle is unable to penetrate her armour.
The elf and the girl are both back by the door, now. The only person remaining in the room is Bel...and there is no doubt in your minds that he is dead.
The battle continues as you take stock of the situation.
"Should we try and save Bel's body? Or has it been damaged to the point where he probably can't be resurrected any longer?" wonders Illyana, as the bugbear's axe bounces off of her armour again and it sidesteps her sword thrusts. Then, she takes 2 hit points of damage from a gargoyle scratch.
Raz, still trying to unload the magic sword he holds on someone, rushes to Illyana and offers it to her. For the moment, though, she is too busy to take it even if she wanted to.
J'harast, his brow full of sweat, yells.
"Illyana, I have a magical sword. If you keep the bugbears off the scene, I'll work on the gargoyles. You make the decision."
The elf takes a hit point of damage from the gargoyle, as he misses again with his sword...then 2 more hit points of damage as his dagger misses, too. The gargoyle next chomps into his left arm for 3 hit points, as finally his sword connects, for 6 hit points of damage. The monster is having trouble remaining airborn, now, but still it attacks. The bugbear on J'Harast misses.
"Noooo.... Bel...." Pillar lays Petunia on the floor after binding her wounds, heals himself, and charges back into the room screaming and cursing at the foul beasts that pick over the fallen body of his friend.
Sasha, seeing Pillar running in to Bel's body, curses softly and follows.
Wielding her staff to bash any creatures in the way, she is also searching through her pouches. She takes one pouch and flings the contents out around the room (salt) and rushes to Pillar and what remains of Bel.
A bugbear notices them and charges. Swinging his axe, he hits her for 4 hit points of damage. She jabs her staff at him but misses.
"Pillar, here...take....some...I mean ... get a piece...just put it in this pouch...maybe we can have him resurrected or whatever...like we wanted to do with Jaramir..."
Pillar scoops up a mangled hand as two bugbears lunge at him. An axe hits for 4 hit points of damage, negating the effects of his curative spell, as he hands the hand to Sasha and goes running screaming for the door again.
Illyana and J'Harast cover for them as best they can, but still the clerics come under attack as they flee the room again. Sasha is missed - thanks to her tween - but Pillar takes 4 more hit points of damage before reaching the relative safety of the octagonal room.
J'Harast loses another hit point as the gargoyle continues to claw away at him, while missing with both weapons. Another nip, and he loses two more hit points. His bugbear misses.
Illyana and her bugbear both miss again, but the gargoyle attacking her does a grand total of 7 hit points of damage into her.
"We don't know how many undead there are, and we're badly injured as is.. I'd rather we left to return later." she gasps, as both Sasha and Pillar reach safety.
"Let's go then!" Sasha replies, breathing heavily.
For once, everyone is in agreement.
So you exit, Illyana slamming the door in the monster's faces as you do so. Amazingly, they prefer not to come after you, instead they turn to feast on the remains of Bel.
You stop only long enough to gather up the remains of the treasure that Rane had carried out into hall, before hurrying back through the tunnels, into the house, and outside.
It is afternoon.
Once outside, Sasha pauses.
"I can heal three of you to some degree - who needs it right away?" She asks, with a surprising degree of calmness.
"And after that - we should go to the temple and see if Verona can help us with Bel..." Sasha says quietly.
Glancing about, you see a ghostly white shape over by the front gate of the grounds. Before you panic, though, you realize that it is Rane, wrapped in a bedsheet out of modesty.
"Rane, do you require healing - your mishap looked quite spectacular...were you badly burned, or was it only for show?" Sasha asks, not in her usual concerned tones, but in rather a brusque, no nonsense manner.
"Oh, no, I don't go around burning myself for show. I am glad you got out of there alive. Sorry to not wait around, but even if a fly landed on me and you would be carrying my body out of the house."
Sasha smiles. "Well then, hold still and I will do what I can."
Sasha casts her healing spell on Rane.
"Did you have time to gather the rest of the treasure? If not, we didn't leave empty handed. I've got a flail here, the wand, and these boots on my feet, which I find let one run quite quickly. Plus I have 20 of the gems in the chest which looked valuable. "
Sasha rolls her eyes. "We got out with our lives, that is enough for me!"
"Whoopie ... we won... we won... Well sort of, well maybe not, but at least we have the, the, ... HAND of Bel. Everything is alright and we can relax and journey back to the house when we are all better". Looking contented Pillar slumps to the ground and begins to tend his wounds.
Looking tired and very worried, Raz says "Why don't we go and book ourself into an inn after we try to resurrect Bel? At least that way we will all have a roof over our heads and access to some hot food while we recover...." Looking depressively pensive, Raz continues "I never thought adventure could be so...so deadly."
Sasha nods tiredly. "Perhaps Pillar and I can go see Verona, while the rest of you secure rooms for us."
"Sounds good to me if everyone else agrees."
Illyana says, "That whole room felt like a trap - there were too many creatures in there for them to have wandered in by accident. We should find out what the wand does, it might be helpful in clearing out large numbers of them. I think I was the least injured who got out of there, and even in the end I took quite a bit of damage. They just piled up on me. I for one would like to get out of this hot armor and into something which I can relax in. Weren't we staying at an inn earlier? I thought we would just go back there.. yet everyone made it sound like we need to find a new one."
J'Harast, worn for the battle, looks at his comrades and speaks. "Where is Petunia's body? Is she dead? She deserves a funeral. I am too worn with grief to do it, can one of you clerics tend to her for me. I need to be alone."
Sasha looks stricken. "Oh ... yes ... of course I will ... perhaps they will do something for her also..." Sasha replies, biting her lip.
With that, J'Harast will leave the group, head to a bar.
"Should you do that...in your condition? Do you wish to be healed first?" Sasha calls out. She hurries to catch up with him.
"I'm not dead yet, J'Harast," Petunia replies from where Pillar has set her down, barely conscious.
J'Harast will go to Petuna, and speak to her, his voice more tender than normal. "I'm glad you are ok. We'll get you healed up and then deal with that room again."
J"Harast will look around, pleading with his eyes, to see if any of the clerics can heal Petunia.
Sasha smiles and immediately casts a healing spell on Petunia.
You high-tail it back to the Inn of the Drunken Dwarf after the clerics have done some healing.
Petunia is out of action for the next week. Bel is dead, but you have retreived his hand...the hand which wears his magic ring, as a matter of fact
"I will take care of Bel...I mean, I'll head out now for the temple..." Sasha says, once everyone is settled.
"Umm....I expect they will want some donation ... Verona ... well, it takes a lot out of them to do that ... may I take some of what we found?"
Sasha rubs her eyes, obviously tired and upset. The hollows of her eyes look almost bruised. "If not, I will use whatever my portion would be...if someone can figure out what is...I have no head for numbers...especially now..."
Illyana yawns. "We'll worry about that later. There should be enough money to bring him back to life. I was the least injured, I'll come with you to see if anything can be done. I really want a long hot bath, but I can wait a little while. Let's get to the temple as quickly as possible."
"Thank you...let's go then." Sasha leaves her pack, but takes her staff and sets out with Illyana.
Sasha and Illyana head out to the church of Tyr.
"Umm.. people with the loot, do you reckon I could have a bit so I can buy some plate and get me flail identified? It would be rather helpful." Pillar mills about peering at the people with the loot.
"Pillar, when all the items have been sold, and we have paid for the appropiate spell to save Baz, you'll get your money. In fact, I am going to sell the items later on, once Petunia is comfortable."
Rane, somewhat healed by Sasha, feels much better. Once we get back to the inn, he changes into his spare set of clothes, and dons his old leather armor again. Coming back down stairs, he hears the discussion about getting the flail identified.
Rane speaks up. "I don't think we need bother with the flail. Its magical, and likely doesn't have any special abilities other than being a superior weapon. I don't know of a spell that we can afford that would say exactly HOW magical it is."
Rane then continues, "But, I will be going by Ray Jay's myself soon. I think I know what these boots do, and would like to know about how much money we would be able to get for them. For your information, they simply allow one to run quickly, a skill I like but could do without."
"While I'm there I'll see about getting the wand identified also."
Rane soon leaves, taking the wand and boots (and flail if Sasha persists) to Ray Jays to get them appraised.
They are getting to know you at the church of Tyr, and they bring you into Verona's presence promptly.
She looks at the hand and then looks at you.
"This will require a resurrection...such as what we did for your half elf friend, dears," she says. "For that, a donation of 9000gp is requested."
Sasha sighs, "Illyana...have we that much? I will of course give up anything I may have..." Sasha shrugs, embaressed. "I really, really don't have a good head for numbers...I am sorry..."
Illyana glances at Sasha. "Do we have that kind of money? I don't remember how much exactly we had.."
Sasha chuckles. "Oh, this is great - neither of us with a head for money!"
Sasha shakes her head, becoming serious once more. "Verona, believe me, we will come up with the funds...it seems we pulled a great number of platinum necklaces and gems from the house today...I will go check...I know this is very draining for you..." Sasha finishes, with sympathy.
"Do not worry, dears. You've obviously had a difficult time of it today."
"And I apologise for our apparent lack of regard for proper donations...but it was just so intense today...and I have not furthered my investigation of the mystery...I put out a sign in front of the house with my name on it - thinking to draw them out and at least approach me about the house...but to no avail...and then I became suspicious of our own cleric, Pillar of Tuonne...I dislike their practices...but I accused him of being responsible...that perhaps it was that church involved in the greater conspiracy..." Sasha rubs her eyes. "And to be honest...I am so fatigued thinking of all this..."
"Ah, I thought he served Tuoni. A chaotic and unpredictable lot they are...and prone to killing those who could be saved, sometimes. Some would say that they tend to evil because of that."
"I will return to the inn and obtain the proper donation for you...and perhaps tomorrow...when I have my wits about me again...we could meet...I am feeling such a failure in dealing with this house...and would pose some questions to you...."
"It seems to me that you are making steady progress, dears. Why, not a single partygoer has been eaten yet!" she adds with a chuckle.
Illyana adds:
"I agree.. the house today was far too dangerous for a typical city house. I was the only one who escaped with (nearly) minor injuries. Everyone else was hurt, some quite badly. I would like to relax but I came along because I was in the best condition to do so. We will return with the money as soon as possible. Sasha, how injured are you? If you are wounded then you are certainly in no condition to travel. If need be, I'll return myself to the inn and return with the neccessary funds."
"I will keep the hand here, while I pray for the spell. When you return I will resurrect him."
They return to the inn.
Rane returns from his trips about town. He hands the wand to Raz. "Its a wand of negation. Apparently it is very useful in dispelling magic and spells. The command words are 'crystal blue persuasion'."
Sasha laughs, "That is funny - in my home town, a bard came through once and sang something that mentioned 'crystal blue persuasion'..." Sasha tries to remember more of the song, but soon shrugs. "I cannot remember more about it...still...."
"Now, we can get quite a bit of gold out of these magic items also. The flail is worth 2000 gp. The low sale value confirms my thoughts that this is not much but a superior weapon. But if someone can use it then all the better. Magical creatures need magic to hit them."
"The wand is worth quite a bit of money, a good 7500gp. But the ability to dispell magic may come in handy. I'll let the mages argue this one out."
"Yes, I would rather keep that item with us. May anyone use it - or does it require a mage to wield it? Then perhaps Raz could carry it." She turns with a frown, looking to Raz.
"You have been very quiet...are you okay?" Sasha asks with concern.
Raz smiles..."I'm okay...just thinking that's all. Yes, I would like the wand, but I don't want to fight over it. If you all think that I am the best person to use the wand then that's fine....if not...then that's fine too."
"Finally the boots are worth a fortune, a good 10,000gp." Sasha makes a choking sound. "What??? That much? My goodness...I had no idea..."
"Since I like to avoid conflict, perhaps I'll keep these for myself. I get the impression that they may help me avoid being hit if used correctly. Let me think on this before I make up my mind.
"You don't think there will be conflict if you decide to keep them?" Sasha asks. "That *is* interesting..."
Raz nods..."I don't think that it is fair of you to keep those boots as well has your share of the treasure. I've always been of the mind to split things equally. By keeping the boots, you are in essence giving yourself 10,000gp. I don't mind if you want the boots, but I think that you should compensate the rest of the group for what you are taking."
"Well, I don't think it needs to be one way or the other right now. Why don't we simply hang on to the boots for now and let Rane discover their properties? If indeed they do great things, it would be in our best interests to let the person that could use them best hang onto them for a while. If for some reason the 'borrower' of the boots decides to leave the party, then we can try to decide what to do with them." Sasha replies.
Smiling Pillar orders another ale, "Now the dust has settled and nothing has been resolved I would just like to congratulate everyone who entered the arguement about Bel and money and .. um ... boots. I found it completely enjoyable and I hope we have more of them in the future." Smirking Pillar lounges back on a stool, almost falls off and regains his seat "I dont mind one way or the other, however if I die I would prefer to be brought back. Anyone else feel the same way?"
Pillar chortles and rambles on some more finishing his ale and ordering another "My vision may be clouded by ale but at least my senses aren't clotted with pettiness and snideness."
Raz laughs..."Pillar, you have a very interesting way about you!" Smiling, Raz continues.."I don't think there was ever any argument over whether or not we should bring Bel back...just about how we'd split up our resources to do it....I'm pretty sure that the group would try to bring back any member of this group that died....unless it was due to an evil action against the group."
Hiccuping Pillar replies while ordering yet another ale "My friend... hic ... excuse me for a sec" Pillar turns away and belches loudly. "Thats better, well it seemed to me that way, but if your sure that it was just a decision to allocate funds not about whether or not to bring him back I am sure you are right." Whistling a little ditti Pillar swirls his ale mug "But from where I stood... it did not seem like that".
"Pillar," J'Harast says, then looks at the drunk, shakes his head, then continues. "Never mind."
Still smiling, Raz says, "Here let me buy you that ale"...he pays for the ale for Pillar.
"Why thank you my good man... A pity more people dont find some solace in the good old ale, perhaps it mighht lighten their normally dour and prim mood". Pillar's gaze wanders over to J'hrast, "But then again we cant expect miracles and some people cant find happiness outside of themselves". Chuckling to himself Pillar says "Hey Raz would you caresh for an ale or two?".
Raz chuckles..."Why yes...I've never been one to pass up ale!" Raz sits down next to Pillar and orders a couple of ales.
Rane smiles. "After a minutes thought I have decided to let go any claim upon the boots. I could use the money more."
"And I realize I forgot to ask about the sword. But I imagine its worth at least 2000 gold also, probably a lot more since its intelligent. Such swords often have other abilities."
Rane goes to the sword. "Tell us sword, can you do anything other than complain? If not we'll sell you off to the highest bidder."
"Oh good grief. I feel like a prostitute up for sale in a whore house! If I can titilate you enough then perhaps you'll keep me and use me, is that it? If I bare all to your prying eyes, then perhaps you'll slake your lusts upon me. God, what a depressing thought. But you don't care, do you? You're just out for whatever you can get...who cares about poor old Marvin? He's just a sword. I feel miserable."
Rane mutters a curse on all named Marvin. "Lets just say if you tell us what you can do, we may take into consideration what you want before deciding your fate."
"Oh Rane! Hold your rude tongue, will you?" Sasha snaps, rubbing her eyes.
"Fate? What do I care about my fate? Ohhhh, don't ask me about my fate. An intellect the size of a planet, and look at my fate! God, am I depressed.
"But I suppose you won't leave me alone in my misery until I tell you, will you? Very well, I will, and then you can decide my fate...though it was decided long ago.
"I am literate. More than any of you I daresay. Have you ever read a book, you dusky elf? You probably don't even know what a book is, do you? I have. It's not easy...I have trouble turning the pages. Why, oh why was...but there I go again, raining on your simple, sunny existance. I can find things...even through walls. Not that it's ever helped me. I can sense the presence of gems...though all the diamonds in the world could not buy me happiness. And at last, I can sense the goodness or evil in a person...but why should you care about that?
"I feel miserable."
"Marvin, I think we could come to care if you would speak with us and tell us about yourself - I mean, what do you like to do? Where have you been - things any companion would know about the other. I am Sasha, a cleric of Isis. My companions and I have been trying to clear a house of evil - that is when we discovered you. Perhaps if that is also your interest, you could stay with us for a time. Then we could get to know you and you could get to know us...what do you think?"
"Oh, what do you care what I think? I know what you think...aha, here's a fancy magic sword that will make me more powerful. That's what you are thinking."
"Rude indeed. This sword will see what rude really is if it doesn't talk soon."
With that Rane lets Sasha continue the discussion. He's tired of dealing with inanimate objects.
J'Harast will reach out and hold the sword.
"Marvin, would you consent to be used by me? I'm fair with a sword and would like to have a companion who sees the world as I see it. Further that would free up my sword to offer to Petunia, who also uses the long sword, ginving the party to different fighters with magic long swords."
"Do I have any say in the matter? Nobody ever listens to me, anyway."
"Marvin, an intelligent sword, such as yourself, has the right and ability to be selective in who uses him. If you do not wish to be wielded for a good purpose by me, then so be it, I lay no claim to you, and would not wish to use you unless you consented."
"I have no rights. I am totally wasted."
"Well Marvin, I guess I don't want to use you, the hit in the head I took must have adled my mind. I can't use you that well."
Looking at the party, J'Harast speaks. "Sell him."
"Slavery. It's nothing but exploitive slavery. But what do you care? I'm just a sword."
Rane grins. "Anyone else want to claim the thing? If not, I'll take the boots and sword and see what I can get for them."
"Sure. Go ahead. Put me on the block. What difference does it make? Nobody wants poor old Marvin...he's just a rusty old broadsword. God, I feel depressed."
"Money... training..." Pillar grins and takes his share "Well I am off, got me some training to do be back... um soon." with that Pillar wanders off.
Illyana says - "The cleric estimated it would take 9,000 to resurrect Bel. She didn't mention whether or not we would still have to pay it if she failed though. The spell is most likely extremely taxing if it succeeds, but I know nothing of failure. Sasha, can you help us out in that regard?"
Sasha replies, "I would think the donation would remain the same even if it fails - it is the attempt - regardless of sucess that is draining..."
"We should first spend the money to ressurect him and then split the rest. Of course his share will have already been spent to bring him back, but I doubt he will complain."
Sasha looks serious and pensive. "That is an interesting idea...I guess we would have to come to it sooner or later...I like your idea...but it seems unfair in some respects also. It appears as the noble thing to do, and yet, it does not sit right with me. I don't exactly believe in communal (sp?) goods and treasure...and then the question comes up - do we always pay to have someone 'brought' back...what if there is a vote agaisnt it? What then? It causes hard feelings and ultimately, no one is happy and slowly the friendship and commradie erodes with pent up resentments... I think it would be better if those that had an interest chipped in and took care of it...that way, if someone does not care to contribute it does no harm...and we still have the option of saving someone we care about..."
Sasha shrugs. "That is my opinion. I feel strongly about it, but also realize that many would not agree. I am open to other suggestions...and will follow the will of the group...it is a delicate subject with some..."
"Oh Great. Here comes the ever popular debate of what do we do with a dead fellow. None of this voting or anything, that's pure crap. I think that the policy we are preparing for Raz is fine. The funds for the resurrection/restoration/whatever come from the persons share first, and then if more money is needed, it should come equally from the rest of us.
"For Raz? Does he need to be brought back also?" She turns to look at him. "I think he is still alive, though a tad silent." She smiles.
"If we don't do it this way, and we begin to vote on who gets saved and who doesnot, it seems to me that we begin to be playing the role of god. Furthermore, as you states Sasha, we can still 'save people we like'. Thats real good. " Sasha nods, agreeing so far with J'Harast. Sasha frowns at the last part. "Perhaps the words were not well chosen. What I meant is that if someone truly objects to contributing - they would not have to. That is different than picking and chooosing who we will help..."
"Are you telling me that if you do not like me, you will not try to save me, even though I am always putting my life on the line for you folks, scouting and fighting. Great. If that's the case, tell me now, so that I can leave and find another group to work with, one that has some form of 'insurance' and who will respect me, my work and sacrifice. Speak up Sasha, I'd like to know."
J'Harast looks at the party leader, eyes glaring away.
Raz speaks up loudly...."Hey, I'm NOT dead...at least not yet!"
"Sorry Raz, I'm a little upset about this discussion." J'Harast goes back to glaring.
Sasha eyes flare in anger. "You! How dare you ask me that. It was I that tried my best to save your brother, it was I that promised to find his soul - not you - his own brother." Sasha, in full blown anger now, storms at J'Harast.
"There was no love lost between my brother and I. He chose his path and I have chosen mine. He was dead, his empty shell lives here now with no soul to fill it. In the future, when I am better equipt to handle that sort of undertaking, I may."
Sasha throws her hands up in frustration. "Then what are you badgering me for? I mentioned it to point out that though I did not know him, I was willing to do my best. My 'liking' of him had little to do with it - which is what you are accusing me of - that I would withhold aid because I didn't 'like' someone..."
"Are you so unsure of yourself that you constantly seek reassurance by accusing us of lack of faith and friendship? I have always done my best to help everyone - but will not force others to do things they don't want to. I would save everyone here - at any time for any reason at any risk! My words were meant for others that may not feel that way right now ..."
"I know and trust my abilitites, that is why I try to work to maximize them. I do not need your reassurances to know the levels of my skills and abilitites. I know that I am capable and able to do those tasks that I offer to do for the betterment of this party." Sasha nods, "Perhaps..."
"However, it seems that you, Sasha, need to watch your tongue. This is not the first time that your comments have arroused my ire. You are the one constantly questioning me and my abilities. When we were attacked by that crazed woman, when Petunia and I were wounded, you suggested then that some of you talk to here to find out if someone was honorable, and who were you referring to at that time? Who. Me."
Shocked, Sasha snaps. "Yes, bring up every little thing that ever happened...keep letting them fester. We spoke of that incident - the one with the woman - I thought we had setttled it - I explained that I was concerned there was more going on and who better to ask than you - since you were the one likely to know what your brother may have been involved in...so..what remains then - do you still have a problem with that? THEN SPEAK UP! I thought I had made my thoughts clear on the matter - it was *not* you I was doubting - why do you not believe that?
"And let me know *why* I seem to ire you so much...for you have surely not explained it to me!"
J'Harast stands up, and begins to storm around the room. After a few minutes, he realizes that he is losing his cool. He stops, places his hands together, and takes a deep breath. After regaining his composure, he speaks, his voice level and calm.
"Sasha, I am sorry that I flew off the handle, again. I am very touchy about matters of honor and committment. Your words struck a chord in me that I usually try to control. I am afraid of death and of the afterlife, if there is one. I fear being left alone, a corpse to rot and decompose, nothing better than worm food.
"I am not religious, I have never been. However, when all those creatures burst into the room at once, I had two thoughts in my mind. First, oh god, don't let me die and second, oh god, don't let me let my comrades down. I really thought for a while that I would not survive that room, and when Petunia went down, I was more concerned than every about my life and mortality. However, I tried to do the best I could for the good of the many. I was outclassed as a fighter, and need more training, which I begin tomorrow. Hopefully, this will prepare me for the next time, which I will not fear and will survive, vicotorous, with my enemies defeated.
"I am sorry about the harsh words and about my attitude. I have confronted my fears, and they haunt me. Please accept my appology for all the grief that I seem to have caused you. If you no longer wish me to remain, I will leave, rather than split the group into factions. I am truly sorry."
Sasha rushes to J'Harast and grabs him by the front of his tunic.
She practically roars into his face. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!" She realizes what she has done and backs away...tears stream down her face. "I just don't understand you...you rail at me, than apologise. You blame me for ... something... and threaten to leave at the slightest personal confrontation...splitting the group into what factions??? What is really the issue here...I just don't understand..."
"Further, here is some additional funds to have Baz resurrected." J'Harast pulls out 6 gems and lays them on the table.
Sasha is shaking with anger and breathing hard. She blinks back her tears.
"I cannot believe you would accuse me so...what did I do to deserve that?"
Raz, waving his hands in calming motion, says "Calm down folks! We can't let personality differences split this group. J'Harest....Sasha...perhaps you two should just stay away from each other for awhile. It is obvious that you two have a personality conflict. We need to deal with this now, otherwise it could get us all killed. Maybe the two off you should just talk through an intermediary or something. I don't care how it is handled...but this needs to be resolved now!"
Very calm now, Sasha replies, "Fine."
J'Harast stands still while Sasha yells at him. When she is finished he speaks, his voice still calm.
"Sasha, I wish I knew what was wrong with me. I seem to not be myself right now. I am afraid that the shock of seeing Petunia down, and being overwhelmed by all those monsters has addled my brain.
"I have no conflict with you, Sasha. I feel that your wisdom is important and valuable. Your leadership will promote this group to a new level, expanding our capabilities.
"Maybe, you and I should go somewhere alone, where we can talk in private and not upset the others with our discussion."
Sasha nods tiredly. "That is a good idea..." She turns to the rest of the party. "I apologise for my outbursts...it won't happen again."
She looks to J'Harast, "Well, where to?"
"Let's take a walk around town, perhaps the air will do us both some good." J'Harast stands and waits for Sasha to lead towards the door.
Sasha nods, "Yes, maybe the fresh air will revive me a bit." She follows J'Harast out of the inn.
At some point Sasha and Illyana return to the church of Tyr with the money.
An acolyte takes it, and you wait.
After awhile, Verona comes out, tired but smiling. With her is Bel, quite alive, and rubbing his hand.
"It was a success," she tells you.
Sasha rushes over to Verona and hugs her warmly. "Thank you!" she says quietly, fighting back her tears.
She steps back, and smiles. "Thank you...I cannot express how I feel right now...and if there is anything else I may ever do for you, Verona...please don't hestitate to ask me...." Sasha falters, blushing now.
She takes a deep breath, "Well...I guess we should be going now...Bel? How are you feeling...you gave us all quite a scare...can you walk back to the inn with us? Do you need some help?"
Bel wanders forward as if in a trance, or not quit all there, he sees Sasha and Illyana and a little life comes into his eyes and he smiles for a second then it fades. Bel says, with a worried look, " Petunia, is she alive?"
"Everyone else made it out alive. Luckily I wasn't hurt much so I was able to cover everyone while they escaped. I think two of the bugbears were killed, two others injured. We didn't touch the gargoyles much. Now if you'll excuse me its time I got myself a long hot bath."