Aurora shakes her head in disappointment and turns away from Bedlam. She takes her holy symbol in her hand and declares, "Those who require healing, gather around and accept the gifts of Nethys."
Talathel basks in the healing energies.
"Greatly appreciated. Now, let us escort this man and his shield to the surface without delay."
"Very well."
I'd like to gag him to prevent another outburst on the way out. Pity that we don't have an exotic language in common amongst us that I could suggest it. Perhaps if we survive beyond tomorrow, I'll suggest such a thing.
"Greatly appreciated. Now, let us escort this man and his shield to the surface without delay."
The man from the depths looks oddly at Talathel. When he can, he quietly asks Brand, "What's with that elf guy and my shield? I think... jeeze, I'm sorta feelin' scared that... he wants to steal it or something. Man, I killed lots of bandits on my way in here, back when things was goin' good and my other friends weren't dead meat... thieves. Can't stand 'em. Dead meat."
The man starts to whimper a bit, and twitch.
"I meant to assure you that both you and your shield would be returned to the surface together. I am no thief."
Talathel adds, slightly huffily.
At the madman's concerns regarding the elf and his shield, Brand puts a comforting arm around him. "Now, bow, I know de elf speaks a bit strange, but trust me dat ye will get teh keep yer shield. Dat said, if'n yer old friends are dead meat, den dey ain't got use fer dare belongins', and seein' as 'ow we're yer new friends, den p'rhaps we should make use o' any tools dey've left behind..."
Assuming his new friend does not object, Brand will step over to the "woman" he had described as clever and funny, and good at picking locks, and takes a look through her possessions...
When Brand starts his examination, Tragershen will start one of his own. He will cast detect magic and scan the room, its contents and its occupants.
The man shrugs. "I'd ask 'em to be sure, but they probably won't say no. Only... he whispers, I don't think you should take their clothes. They are all torn up anyway... and bloody... and stinky..." He pulls an Everburning Torch from his small sack of belongings and shoves it into his shield sconce. "Let's go soon please."
Brand finds the rogue's corpse, and is delighted to see a "Traveler's Any-Tool."
The wizard has a a spellbook, and, as Tragershen sweeps the dead man, he glimpses a pearl of power, level one, lying on the ground ten feet away (clutched by the wizard's severed hand).
The cleric's body has a set of masterwork chainmail, a holy symbol of Torag, a masterwork warhammer, and a scroll.
Among the goblins, Tragershen's magic pings the leader, who has a small set of +1 studded leather armor and a bunch of empty potion flasks.
There's no provisions or food anywhere, and most of the non-magical leather armor (and many of the bodies) show signs of having been gnawed on.
Tragershen will greedily scoop up the wizard's spellbook. When the detect magic is done, he will say "That tool bears an enchantment, as does the this goblin's armor. And here..." He steps over to a delicate, severed hand and pries the fingers open. He holds up the pearl he finds within. "This beauty bears an enchantment as well." He makes no secret of putting it in his pouch for safekeeping.
When the others are satisfied that everything of value has been gleaned from the room, Tragershen will agree with Talathel. "We should get this human to the surface, indeed. We should retrace our steps. It may not be the most direct way out, but we know we've cleared it of threats."
But that triggers another thought for the elf. He addresses the poor soul. "Good shield bearer, do you recall how you and these others came to be in this chamber? What route you took to get here, and what obstacles you faced?"
"Elma is going to be very surprised to see us yet again so soon, I imagine. But, I suppose one does what they must when they must." Aurora frowns as she considers the bodies. "At this rate, we may just need to build a mass pyre on the surface to bring the bodies to."
The Nethysian will fetch the scroll from the slain cleric of Torag, bringing it up to examine.
Aurora finds a spell of Summon Monster 4. In faint ink across the top, there's a note from a chaplain of Torag, saying in Dwarven, "Use only in dire emergency."
The frightened man thinks a minute, then answers Tragershen, "Umm I let my friends pick the path. I fought some bandits and some goblins, some bugs, some skeletons. See, weren't down here too long before it all went to the hells. But now I've been down here a while."
The frightened man thinks a minute, then answers Tragershen, "Umm I let my friends pick the path. I fought some bandits and some goblins, some bugs, some skeletons. See, weren't down here too long before it all went to the hells. But now I've been down here a while."
On closer inspection of the room and the bodies within it, Tragershen finds a small stream seeping through a hole in the roof and slipping away again into a sizable crack in the floor. The water is fresh and clean, and there's a faint scent of the forest wafting from the hole in the roof, though it's clearly a long way up (no light, and the rock around the creeklet is quite solid). Clean water in, waste water out...
Upon, closer examination of the bodies, Tragershen says nothing but stiffens noticeably. He does not let the man out of his sight, and under no circumstances will he let the man be behind him.
I definitely need to teach the rest of them an obscure language so we can pass discreet messages amongst ourselves.
Bedlam gathers his gear (stowing and munching on the roasted dire rat) and prepares to follow the group back to the surface.
Oh what-be-her-name will be want'n her cut. Meself would just 'ppreciate a look at da spellbook some time.
The party winds its way back out of the depths.
They avoid attracting the attention of further dungeon denizens on the way.
Lolly, who should have been given a check for this, gets a check for this:
He notices a secret door that even the keen-eyed Bedlam and Brand had missed on the way into the dungeon.
Brand checks the door for traps, with Bedlam doing his own investigation afterwards:
...they are confident enough that the door is safe to open, and do so.
Inside is a long-disused cot, some small and empty open shelves, and a treasure chest.
Talathel is quietly impressed by the observation skills of his companions.
Brand smiles at the Traveler's Anytool he finds on the corpse. "Oi, dis will most certainly be useful in a variety of situations..."
Looking across at Tragershen as he points out that one of the goblin's armor is magicals, "Lords an' ladies, I don't be supposin' any o' you will be fittin' in teh de garb o' dat dare gobbo. So, if'n ye don't mind, me tinks I'll be takin' dat armor... dough it might be needin' a right bit o' cleanin' b'fore I wear it..."
---
Brand will move forward and inspect the chest for traps.
Brand sees a serious looking pressure plate in front of the chest.
Bedlam winks at Brand and his new found any tool.
Me uncle did once have one of dose. He used ta stick it in a locked chest fer emergencies.
Bedlam will take out his tools to assist Brand.
Aurora carefully moves up to cast Guidance on the intrepid trap-disabler.
Brand cannily wedges small objects under the pressure plate until it will bear his weight. Then, cautiously, he skitters across it and pops open the chest.
It's good to be an adventurer! He finds 900 GP in various small sacks, and a +1 dagger. He carefully hands the entire contents of the chest across the pressure plate to his friends before scuttling across again.
While he doesn't know exactly what would have happened had he failed, he gets a strange, hair-prickling sense that it would not have been good.
"Well done Brand. And congratulations on acquiring armour."
Seeing Brand wedge up the pressure plate, Tragershen offers him a piece of chalk. "Would you outline where we cannot step? This room with its concealed door way may be a good rally point for us. If we need to flee an encounter or get separated, this could make a good meeting place."
When Brand sizes up the studded leather armor, Tragershen moves over to him. He slowing waves his hand over the armor, chanting as he does so. In the wake of his hand, dirt and stains fall away from the armor, leaving it nice and clean. He may also notice that it smells lightly of cinnamon and apples, at least for an hour or so.
Tragershen gives the armor a good look-over while cleaning it off. It's rather odd, clearly goblin-made, but with far more care and skill than anything goblin he's seen before. The studs are some kind of wurmscale, and the craft shows a mix of drow and dark folk influence. The enchantment is solid work as well, if nothing flashy.
Having successfully disabled the pressure plate, he happily takes the chalk from Tragershen and outlines the area on the floor. Working his way through the contents of the chest, he picks up the ornate dagger and looks to Tragershen once again. "Oi, what were dose words ye said, dat showed it teh be magical? Klatu Verata Nikto?"
Brand almost comically butchers the simple incantation the wizard had used to divine the magical properties earlier, and yet to everyone's surprise, the halflings eyes glow blue, and after a few moments he smiles. "Oi, who wants a magical dagger?!"
Talathel looks at Brand with interest.
"A keen student, Brand. You are one of unseen talents. I would take that dagger if one more specialised in its use is not present."
Bedlam smiles at Brand's spellcasting, nodding in approval.
At least now we be gitt'n sumthung tangible fer her.
Speaking of Elma... the party hears a frightened woman's voice calling in the distance.
"Brand... Brand are you down here somewhere? Where are you guys? Tragershen? Aurora? It's so dark..."
She is sooo lucky to avoid calling down dungeon denizens upon her position... but as you reach the room of doors, Lolly suddenly feels an embrace around his well-lit breastplate. Elma's invisibility spell is at the end of its duration, and she comes gradually into view, hugging the barbarian for all he's worth.
The scared tower shield man starts to scream, but calms down when he sees Elma, who isn't exactly terrifying.
She explains:
"Jack's band of bandits... they attacked the camp... I was able to escape but my men are dead, I think."
You can read about it Here in the old campaign I've repurposed for behind-the-screen rolling. Scroll down past the Temple of Chance and you'll see it. I know it's a busy weekend for 3/7 of us, so take your time responding!
Aurora regards Elma suspiciously; the merchant-woman, running around in the depths of the Demon's Maw, calling out for help, so shortly after they'd seen her last with a sob story of death and despair?
"What happened? Start from the top."
The woman calms down as Aurora asks reasonable questions.
"We were camped out with Jack Ratt, waiting for you all, as planned. Then a bunch of men came out of the dungeon and Jack signaled them. They attacked us. My guards fought hard, seemed to knock a few down... they weren't moving... but when my guards were killed I drank a potion of invisibility and got out of there. I came here... to find you guys."
Bedlam jumps up! The dwarf grabs his pack and hefts his heavy pick.
We be needing ta protect our camp!
"This time, no mercy. We finish them.'
Brand had been keeping an eye on their madman, but now pushed his way through the crowd to the terrified woman. "Der now, m'lday. We've got ye, notin' teh feer. But we're gonna put deh feer of deh infinite gods in teh dose fools. Let's 'ave at 'em!"
Talathel listens to Elma's description dispassionately, trying to ascertain whether her story fits together.
He turns to the others.
"The bandits are clearly willing and able to threaten our base camp, which alone could prove fatal to us and our endeavours. We must eliminate them. I suggest that a group of our more stealthy members moves in close, while our less stealthy members hold back, ready to move in once hostilities become obvious."
If Elma's story doesn't fit together, it's the gods' fault as it's clear that she believes her own tale, at least.
"That's seems a reasonable approach, Talathel."
The dwarf nods in agreement.
Me not so sneaky. But I will stay back 40' from your position fer back up?
The Alchemist then takes aminute to mix a Cure light wounds extract.
Brand looks about his companions and considers their movements over the last couple days. "Me tinks I should be sneakin' up by meself, teh take a look aroun'. Den, I can cum back, an' let ye all know 'ow best teh deal wit Jack an' 'is boys. P'rhaps den we be deh ones doin' de ambushin'."
With that, Brand quietly sneaks up the tunnel to go scout the campsite.
No matter how the bandits and even their sharp-eyed leader Jack might try, they would never be able to see the stealthy Brand... not if they were all standing side by side and staring into the underbrush with the single intention of spotting an intruder. And they aren't.
As such Brand, after circling around the camp and shimmying up an easily-climbed tree or scaling a convenient rock, may soak in the situation at his leisure.
The camp is full of bandits. Two of Jack Ratt's henchmen have stripped the soldiers of their equipment, including that of the corporal who died by wolfbite, and are stalking around the mouth of the palisade with longspears on their backs and longswords at their sides. They carry their deadly composite longbows in their hands.
Jack is sitting by the fire with one of the other bandits. The rest of the palisade looks like a MASH unit. Jack has Sarge and the Private close at hand, swathed in bandages that he's rooted out of the mercenaries' camping gear. Three of his own bandits are likewise arranged around in blood-soaked bandages. Jack seems to be working on getting the least-wounded out of unconsciousness:
...but Brand can see that the resourceful bandit leader is no doctor, and is making little progress.
It is, however, very interesting that he's treated the mercenaries at all. Especially considering the sheet-covered bandit corpse in the back of the camp.
To reach the palisade, you will need to exit the demon's mouth, scramble up the steep rocky hill on either side, and get in along the narrow ledge immediately over the demon's mouth that was, very recently, a secure feature of your own home-away-from-home.
Picture something a bit like This Cave but about twice as big, and with a small, freshly-built wooden fort on top. It's a tiny palisade, only big enough for a campfire and about ten people lying in their bedrolls. The walls are about six feet high, with each log roughly hacked into a point. You already know that, having helped to build it yourself.
Behind the fort, the hill rises slightly. There are still a few slender trees nearby.
Brand reports all of the above to the party, who can now commence planning.
"Brand, that was excellent reconnaissance work. I find it fascinating that Jack is not only avoiding murdering the remaining mercenaries, but is actively trying to treat them. Perhaps he's short on personnel, looking for information, or trying to keep them as bargaining chips for us or another party. So there are only three other upright bandits besides Jack? Excellent. We should attempt to draw Jack and his companion away from our allies, lest he decide to slay them out of spite. And to protect them from any missed ranged attacks of our own."