Anything that may once have been of value in this room has been smashed or destroyed by the golem in its rage. The crates are in splinters, the firewood crushed, the foodstuffs scattered all along the floor, and not one thing remains untouched.
Aloysia steps back over the lumps of person-thing on the floor, "This thing was an angry critter! Moving along..."
She heads up to the north side of the room and carefully enters into the hallway to investigate that direction.
Jolon bows his head says "Vand loc graxt" again, this time in a quieter voice. It's clear that the phrase has a double meaning, as a threat of death, and a wish for peace to the dead. Then he follows Majenko's prompt and begins looking among the pieces, trying to recall any distinctive marks Gaeken could be identified by.
Jolon doesn't find any more pieces, but does recall that the markings on this arm match the ones described on Gaekhen. Majenko floats up to the half-orcs shoulder, "If he's been dismembered there may be more of his bits around."
Aloysia slips through the door and into the next room. The nauseating mixture of decay and strange chemicals fills the air of this large room. Glinting saws, pliers, long stitching needles, and other surgical equipment are organized on shelves and benches along the walls. A sturdy wooden table in the center of the room supports a large humanoid shape—a thing stitched together from a patchwork of dozens of different bodies. The thing would stand nearly seven feet tall if it rose.
Jolon gives a heavy sigh.
"Well, we've found part of Gaeken. Our necromancer used him to help make this abomination. I think you're right, Majenko. Necromancers aren't wasteful. We'll probably find the rest of him among Rolth's other desecrations. We have to at least find his head, hopefully intact, so his skull may be returned to the quah."
Just as Jolon finishes his statement Aloysia slips back in with the rest, "He's probably in there," indicating the room to the east she just came from. "Looks clear-ish for now."
Just as Jolon finishes his statement Aloysia slips back in with the rest, "He's probably in there," indicating the room to the east she just came from. "Looks clear-ish for now."
"Good. Maybe we'll get the drop on him like we did his creation."
Jolon stands and gives his sword a few test swings.
"I am ready."
Perhaps, although I doubt he will be so easy to defeat.
Gamon looks in disgust at the gore left on his axe blade, but makes no attempt to remove it before gesturing towards the room to the east, Shall we?
Aloysia nods with determination, mood brightening all the more seeing the payday getting closer as they move through this place. She crouches down, and starts her procedure for entering new spaces...
Aloysia slips forward, moving from shadow to shadow in the large corridor. Eventually she hits a foul-smelling cavern that is bordered on three sides by ten-foot-deep pits. From these pits wafts the rancid smell of excrement and decay. Each pit contains a few heaps of moldy straw, a wooden trough containing filthy water, a few rotting body parts, and a couple of still-living prisoners.
Standing before one of the pits is an enormous...creature. It is covered with tumors and slabs of fat, each of its fists larger than Gamon's head. It is covered in leather studded with chunks of metal, and wearing four large gauntlets around its waist. It is chuckling maniacally and holding a piece of rotting meat above the pit, "You want food today? Too bad!" he screams before downing it in one gulp.
Aloysia heads back to tell the others the layout and to prepare for what the fight.
Jolon's eyes widen when he learns there are still living prisoners.
"We have to help them get out of here! It's too late for Gaeken, but any we can keep from standing before the Goddess and their ancestors will help!"
Then he doubles over and the blue fire suffuses him, before he stands up again, his eyes glowing and the form of a strong, powerful woman seems overlaid over his.
"I will help you in this. It is good to finally speak to you through my son's power. You may call me Eyotah. Eyotah Iron-Spine if you're feeling extra respectful. I know you were upset by my ancestor's fiery exuberance in your last great fight, but do not worry about me. I know a thing or two about fighting monsters like this."
Behind her face, Jolon's eyes gape.
"Mother?!"
"Yes, Jolon. Now that that bastard, Gaedren, lies dead and your connection to the spirit world has grown stronger, I can help you more than just appearing in visions. But it's not the time for tearful reunions. We've got a battle to fight."
"Right. Anything in particular we should plan for before facing this brute?"
Gamon's eyes widen at the sight of Jolon and his second face, but he shakes his head in response to the question asked of them. I don't think so, unless you or Cecil have something they'd like to cast.
Aloysia tries to stick to the shadows and hides away from the things sight while she studies his weak spots.
Jolon/Eyotah nods at Gamon's words, and closes their eyes. Jolon begins a chant that causes Shoanti sigils of protection to form on his skin in blue fire, leaving behind a glowing pattern.
Gamon takes advantage of the creature's unawareness, sprinting into the room with his axe in hand and taking a strong position against its eventual approach.
Jolon/Eyotah follows after Gamon, but keeps behind Aloysia, wanting to give her room to maneuver when they attacked the brute.
The tumor-riddled man-thing hears Gamon moving into position and screams at him, "You go in pit now! Me feed you later! Maybe!" He rushes forward looking to push Gamon into the pit.
Aloysia silently swears as Gamon falls, sighs to herself and whispers, "Well, here we go, hope Jolon can keep me up..."
Gamon hits the creature once as it rushes him, but his wild swings throw him off-balance just enough for the creature to knock him painfully into the pit below.
Cecil moves into a better position and launches a glob of acid at Cabbagehead .
It splashes harmlessly against the ground.
Majenko flies around the corner behind Aloysia, swooping to the jailer's other side.
Cabbagehead swings a meaty fist at Majenko as he swoops around.
Majenko only barely avoids the fist and retaliates with a breath of silvery mist in Cabbagehead's face.
Cabbagehead begins weaving on his feat a childish grin plastered over his face as he begins mumbling, "Pertty sparkles..."
Gamon shoulders his axe, then climbs slowly back out of the pit.
While Cabbagehead is indisposed by Majenko's breath Gamon climbs out of the pit, standing up on Cabbagehead's other side.
Eyotah speaks a Shoanti word and several bones lying nearby rise into the air and being circling Jolon/Eyotah as they advance on the hulking monster.
Then Jolon/Eyotah takes a swing at the creature with his sword.
With Eyotah helping Jolon is able to cut deep into Cabbagehead's flesh, though where it would normally be a fatal blow it instead rips open a pussy tumor, spilling nasty gunk and blood everywhere.
The confused look on Cabbagehead's face turns to rage as he directs his attention to Jolon.
Aloysia slides a step to the side trying to make it challenging for Cabbagehead to defend against the group and looks for weak points...
Cecil and Majenko do what they can to contribute, getting some licks in on Cabbagehead.
Gamon takes out his axe again, sidestepping to flank with Aloysia as he tries to slash into the monster's side,
Jolon/Eyotah grunts in pain as they take a fist to the face, stumbling back before righting themselves. Fortunately, Jolon lives up to his mother's name, standing strong with a seemingly iron spine, and retaliating with another swing of the sword.
Blood spurts out of Cabbagehead's wounds, but no longer confused he turns fully to face Aloysia. "Rolth give me big reward for your head, pretty elf!"
Aloysia barely avoids the massive fist, which crunches into the ground leaving a spiderweb of cracks.
Aloysia smiles wickedly, "Only if I don't take yours first!"
Cecil tries again while Majenko throws himself at Cabbagehead.
Majenko's tiny body hits as Cabbagehead steps backwards, the sting on his tail driving into the half-ogre's uncovered eye. The large being falls onto his back, the house drake clinging to his face. The impact can be felt in your bones as the body settles. Majenko trills to the ceiling, clearly proud of taking down an enemy many times his size.
From the pits come the pitiful sounds of emaciated victims. "Please, help us from these pits."
Jolon/Eyotah wastes no time, taking out the handy haversack and grabbing for his rope, though the spirits do not give him an easy time of it. Once he has it, he lowers it down to the poor souls trapped in the pit.
"We have food and water we can share with you as well."
Drael holds back a smile at the sight of Majenko's celebration, running to the edge of the pit he just climbed out of and looking down at those trapped below. You're safe now, we'll help you. Jolon, together we should be able to pull them up if they're too weak to climb.
"That'll be easy," mother and son reply in unison.
The people trapped in the pits look wretched, only fed enough to provide halfway decent body parts for the necromancer, and little more. The most fit of the bunch is a woman who introduces herself as Tiora, though she has a haunted look in her face.
"Thank you sirs and madame. We appreciate the help you've given us. Some of us are still a bit too weak to walk, so we'll be resting here until you let us know it is safe to venture out. I swear I'll find some way to repay you for this kindness."
Gamon's face betrays no recognition of any of the victims as he hauls them out of the pit, but nods in greeting as Tiora introduces herself to the group.
Of course, I'm sure that you've all been through a lot. We will return when we know that it's safe, and escort you out of here.
Jolon/Eyotah nods at the people.
"I have rations in my pack. I can divide them between you. I do not want any of you to survive being prisoners of a necromancer only to die from refeeding syndrome upon being freed."
The captives all huddle together, Tiora and two others picking up large rocks just in case something comes walking in.
Aloysia raises a skeptical eyebrow at Tiora, and greets her in simple, stoic tone, "Tiora" doing a terribly job hiding her jealousy at the woman's professional success. Her mood lightens slightly when she remembers that when she says she'll repay that means she will...also that she has been stuck in this pit and decides to let bygones be bygones and helps her out. "We'll certainly take that repayment," then puts her hand on her gold pouch, "Just make sure it's not a repayment of our own gold," she says with a sly, but friendly tone to Tiora.
"The way back out of here is mostly clear, just avoid any doors we haven't left hanging open and you all should be able to find your way out."