The hobgoblin steps up behind the orc and throws a menacing look at the Mite King. "Or perhaps, I'll simply cook you and bring your pickled head as a gift for the Master. I know how you love honey-glazed barbequed mite knuckles, Harbug, but I'm calling dibs on his left hand."
Like only a savage goblinoid could, Krass licks his lips and then clacks his tongue, soft wet smacks sounding through the room like promises of good food to come.
"Bad assassins, kill mites!" shouted the king. He rose, a bent and rusted dagger in his hands and thrust it at Harbug.
Harbug's laughter and smile disappear immediately, and his sword flashes down at the small blue creature. The blade misses, but Harbug clearly has no intention to stop swinging.
Angelica just steps back as the 'king' decides that he'd rather tussle. She lets Krass and Harbug have this one. To Shabbezz she just explains, "There's just something not right with the little guy. Who knows what he was thinking, and we're not likely to find out now." and merely shrugs off the incident.
He was so tired of this creature. First, the thing forced them to butcher a whole lot of Mites and then, he betrayed them once more for reasons Krass couldn't understand. Whereas the Mite King screamed, Krass' sword hissed.
Krass' sword passed easily through the mite king's meager defense, skewering the creature. King Zuuga mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "clickylegs" before dying.
Shabbezz shook her head sadly next to Angelica.
"It seems like a senseless waste, is all. This should have been so avoidable..."
Thinking back to the mansion, the Druid said, "Unless, of course, he has something that made his mind unstable." Kneeling down over the fallen Mite King, Tialara searched his possessions.
"Weak, and foolish." Harbug spits near the corpse of the king, then casts Detect Magic to find the other bracer and look around the room for auras.
"Tia is right." and with that being said, he stepped backwards and away from the lifeless body of the Mite King.
An alcove near the king holds a silver statuette of a rearing horse. The matching bracer to the one you found on the cave fisher is perched atop the now-dead mite king's head. Other than that, there are no valuables on or near the king. King Zuuga was wretched in more ways than one.
"Shabezz, you want the crowns? Harbug holds the bracers out to the wizard. "They don't do all that much for me. Is that silver horse worth anything? And where the heck did that diamond go?" His questions are directed at nobody in particular.
Shabbezz sighs and takes the bracers from the orc.
"Well, I suppose it would be foolish if we didn't use them now, regardless of the circumstances... If anyone else wants them, though, feel free to sing out."
"Angelica can probably do a better job appraising that statue than I. As for the diamond," she says, looking around the chamber inquisitively, "if it's not on the king or his subjects, I would guess that it would either be hidden away or that he instead made it up entirely just to curry our services."
Angelica gives the silver stauette a casual once over while the others gather themselves. When word comes that he doesn't even have a diamond, she also looks around for where he may have hidden it. She is determined in her inspection, if there is no diamond to be found, she's really gonna be upset.
Angelica finds nothing else of value in the throne room. Either the king was lying, delusional, or it is in another location. Looking at the silver horse, she expects that it might be worth around 175 to 200 gold.
Angelica lightly kicks the prone body of the 'king' in frustration, "I don't think there's a diamond at all. We should've asked for proof before we even went. At least the statue is worth a healthy bit of coin, about a couple hundred gold I figure."
"Hmmm, I would have thought the shard we're looking for was here." Tialara pondered. After a moment of thought, she turned to Angelica and asked, "Is that statue solid?"
Harbug turns toward Angelica and focuses his magic detection on the statute. "Nah, nothing there. Such a powerful artifact would certainly show through that weak statute's exterior." The word "powerful" comes out through a wicked smile.
Shabbezz shrugs her shoulders.
"Well, if it's not in another room, then I guess we can just consider the diamond a bluff. In that case, I vote that we stick to the original plan and head back to town so that we may restock and rest."
Angelica listens to the opinions on how they want to move further, before adding her experience and knowledge to the issue. "Okay, here's how I see it, what with my experience with getting in and out of places unseen with the goods in hand." She winks at the group.
"Let me walk you through what we know. The Tower Girls only found this place because of Natalya. No one else has for who knows how many years. That was just the space before the big burning doors, which even the Tower Girls couldn't figure out. As long as when we leave, we close this place up like we found it, those very same hidden doors and combinations will return to being just as hard to find. Basically, slip out in a way that it doesn't even look like anyone was here."
"Well, I wouldn't think those weaklings could do even as much as they did in here... and it's not them we should worry about--it's someone who was smart and stealthy enough to follow us, and not get noticed. That said, you're probably right about that door. Maybe in town we can even find some way for you to open it without getting burned again."
"So we'll lock up on the way out, and travel as a group. That seems like the safest option so far."
Harbug starts walking toward where the locked hot doors were. "You coming? We should try to be quick about this!" he calls back as he goes.
"Right-o! On my way!"
Shabbezz adjusts her backpack upon her shoulders and hobbles after Harbug.
Krass falls in. The wicked hobgoblin is looking forward to taking a warm bath, getting a good scrubbing from a maid and then sinking his teeth into some juicy meat. Oh, they better have Belkzen fermented goat milk .. !
You easily moved back through The Crow, picking up the cachets of weapons and loot that you had left behind as you explored. The four full sacks were about all that the large rowboat would carry back across the bay. The trip back across the bay was uneventful, Krass and Harbug pulling smoothly at the oars.
Making your way back through the city to the Pathfinder's Lodge is also uneventful, though the sacks grow heavy and jarring, and Harbug is fairly sure that one of the swords had cut through its worn sheath and was busily slicing its way through the sack.
you were met at the door of Hiedmarch Manor and escorted to the library, as before. It wasn't long before Shiela Hiedmarch entered, a look of excitement on her face.
"So, was it there? Did you find the next fragment?"
Angelica takes a deep breath, and sighs, "We are fine thank you, and yes we would like something warm to fill our tummies, thank you for the offer. You are too kind. Oh, and I hate to rush you right into work talk, but we haven't quite found the next shard. There's a whole lot else goin on in that place, and who knows how much bigger it even is." Angelica then proceeds to tell of how they dealt with the Tower Girls, the different sights they found within, the burning doors, the mites and giant bugs, and lastly about the weird thing locked in the cage.
Shabbezz hangs back and allows Angelica to do most of the talking to Shiela. Her suggestion of food sounded agreeable though, although the grippli would have tacked on that they also would like to get some sleep before going back.
A frown grew on Shiela Heidmarch's face as Angelica spoke. She waited until the burglar had finished, and then replied in crisp, precise tones. "Last I knew, it was you who worked for me, Ms. Nenaviste, and not the other way around, given your initiate status and I being a Venture Captain. You were sent on a gathering mission and so, of course, that is foremost on my mind - especially given that you all appear to be healthy and not missing any limbs. There is, as always, food and rest available in the Lodge barracks, and you may avail yourselves of the porters and guild fences for any items of value you found along the way."
"However, my first and foremost concern, allowing for your safe return, is the shard. From your words, you haven't found it yet, which is a concern, but given that, as you say, it is a large structure, a more thorough search may prove fruitful. Now, put away your childish pettiness and tell me, please, what you encountered. No one has been inside The Crow in living or archived memory, and I am anxious to hear what you found. Once you have delivered a sound report, you may be off to rest, recuperate, and go over any items you may have found with the Lodge quartermaster. I shall have food and drink delivered so that you may refresh yourselves as you talk."
Shiela listened to Angelica's report, and the others filled in gaps or their parts in the story. She smiled at the recounting of the murals and statues adorning the Crow, and of the dethroning of Ayala Javeski as the reigning monarch of the upper levels. When Angelica spoke of the creature in the cage, however, her eyes narrowed. "That sounds like a sinspawn. Magical creations of the lost Thassilonian age. They are rare, but can be fearsome opponents."
When Angelica finished, Shiela said "Well, you certainly have had quite the adventure, and I agree with you that the shard is likely further down in the Crow, below the level where you fought the cave fisher. Very well, I suggest you unload your treasures, and rest up tonight. Then, tomorrow, you should return. Rumors of an entrance to the Crow would pass like wildfire on the dry plains through this city. Should any of the Tower Girls have escaped, or were in the city when you destroyed their ranks, word may spread. We cannot allow any others to find the shard, not when we are so close!"
With that, she dismissed you, allowing you to refresh and rest yourselves, appraise the treasures and equipment you found with the Lodge Quartermaster, and otherwise dispense of your time for the night.
Angelica takes the reprimand with a scowl and a pout, Fine, geez, I realize we're here for a job and all, but I would at least like to think we warrant at least some concern and courtesy as well. Otherwise, how are the Pathfinders any different than the street gangs I used to run with, only caring if I got the job done or not?" She's clearly miffed and petulant over the whole thing, the prevalence of creepy-crawlies having truly bothered her.
"Alright, I'm going to go out and do the shopping; you've all given me your lists. Krass-you want to come along?" Harbug says as he reads through the parchment list of things to buy. "I'll be back soon, so get some rest."
The buying and selling of the acquisitions went smoothly, though the sheer numbers of armor and swords that you brought back with you nearly gave the fences apoplexy. Of far more interest were the Thassilonian artifacts that you brought back.
While Harbug and Lefrik were selling wares, Angelica was receiving the not-so-tender ministrations of Shabbezz and Tialara. She recovered most of her strength and agility, though the aftereffects still gave her the trembles occasionally.
All in all, it was a successful day. After checking in on you for a few minutes and not so subtly encouraging you to get a move on, Venture Captain Heidmarch gave you space to sell and heal up.
The next morning, by common consent, you returned to the Crow, easily making your way across the smooth waters of the bay. Mist rising from the waters cast eerie shadows as you rowed across the waters, though at least nothing was trying to poison you. This time, instead of tying up where you did the first visit, you moved back to the northern entrance, the ancient bath area. This gave you instant access to the staircase down to the mite home.
The smell here was not as bad as it would have been on the surface, but the air was still clotted with the smell of blood. Quickly you made your way through the throne room carnage and made it downstairs, moving without event to the area where you found Clickylegs, and the barracks beyond. It is the only known way out of this level, aside from where you came in.
On their way down through the corridors, Angelica urges the others to stop at the healing fountain and fills her waterskin.
Shabbezz does as the rogue directs, taking a hefty pull of the drinking water she originally brought before emptying the skin and refilling it with the healing liquid.
The hobgoblin munches on a blood sausage as the others refill their waterskins. Dark red juices run down his chin. A wave of garlic rushes out when he opens his mouth,"You think it keeps its magic when you carry it off like that? Maybe the blessing is in the well, not the water.""
Tialara had been quiet the whole trip back. While she was fully rested, her mind had been uneasy. Something about this place just didn't sit right with her. Perhaps it was just the events of their first trip here. Either way, the druid had been playing with her leather braid non-stop since they left the mansion.
Angelica just shrugs, "What's the harm? If it doesn't work, then I just have a waterskin full of fresh water, but if it does work, then that's all the sweeter. Doesn't hurt to try."
She sits on the edge of the fountain, one knee drawn up to her chest with the other leg on the floor, while any of the others that decide to fill their skins do so. "So, where we headed? We didn't get much of a chance to look at that one room for all the crawlies that came rushing out at us. I'm in no hurry to deal with them, that's for sure. Then we have that hall going south over on the west side of the big bug, clicky-legs', room. Any preferences?"
Harbug looks all around carefully as they descend back into the depths of the place.
As he is looking around, Harbug watches as Angelica fills her waterskin from the pool. "Good idea" he says before dumping the plain water from his waterskin onto the floor and filling it at the spring.