Seeing that the bowman is now engaged in the fight, Goramar decides to focus his attention on the woman in front of him now that the mysterious threat has shown himself. The half-orc takes a short step forward and growls as he thrusts his weapon at her again.
Unfortunately, the spray of blood from Goramar's recent wound causes his vision to blur, leading to another miss from the slayer's weapon.
Round 1
Kekkle reacts slowly to the sudden burst of violence. Even this place wasn't safe! Boy, that really got his blood boiling. They've had nothing but sorrow the whole time they'd been down here and it was really starting to get to him. He quickly follows behind Ulrich and Goramar. His ire grows as he watches their crazed attackers start to lash out, inflicting further pain on his companions. +
"You curs!" he shouts "I'll show you what for!"
With that he starts to wheeze heavily, almost coughing. With a tremendous cough a gout of flame erupts from his mouth and rolls towards the attacker with a spear.
Round 2
He follows his attack with a tossed card.
Round 1
Rilian was already on edge from the last battle, not trusting the Labyrinth to provide her any respite she felt uneasy at the apparent quiet of the room. Goramar's shout did little but confirm her fears.
She holds out her hands again, this time speaking with more conviction, "Venient Canis!" Another infernal hound begins to claw its way out of an inscribed circle, snarling and spitting an inky black liquid. With an evil spark to it's eye it gives a harsh bark and leaps to the fore of the action.
Rilian watches the dog move off as she turns towards Kekkle before he moves to fight. "Sir Kekkle, I can take Sir Pahleg - I'm not good at fighting." She puts the knights arm around her shoulder and lifts him from Kekkle, half carrying-half dragging him towards a safer location.
Elyna (15+)
Ulrich 15-
Enemy 10
Kekkle 9
Goramar 8
Rilian 4 (delayed from 19)
Moritat (3)
Round 1
Kekkle runs to the middle of the room, dodging past his friends Goramar and Ulrich, and wheezes a cone of fire at the spear bearer. The man is caught in the flames, but does not budge, keeping his sight fixated on Ulrich.
Rilian conjures an infernal hound and takes the unconscious cleric from Kekkle's shoulders. She then retreats a little down the hallway.
The freshly summoned hellhound barks furiously and leaps towards the enemy swordswoman.
The raging dog's leap is swiftly blocked by the enemy's shield.
Round 2
Ulrich moves past the man's spear, bravely attacking forward. Accompanied by a confident war cry, his slashing longsword fells the spear bearer.
The enemy swordswoman, fully oblivious to his comrade's downfall, takes a swing at Rilian's dog.
The swing cleanly cuts the dog in half. With a sorrowful yip the dog is banished to whence it came. At the same time, another arrow is shot from behind the chest.
Having turned his attention away from the sniper, the arrow hits Goramar in his back, though luckily for Goramar it's just a scratch.
Seeing his friend injured, Kekkle tosses a card at sniper. The card hits the chest, and the man behind it ducks a little but nocks another arrow.
The summoned dog came and left, and there is now room for Goramar to make another stab at the enemy in front of him. The swordswoman apparently learned something from last time, as she dodges the attack this time.
Seeing the archer entrenched behind the chest, Ulrich hits upon an idea. He pulls the spear from the dead man's hands and steps forward to lock the archer into his corner using the spear's reach.
"You won't win this battle, archer! Lay down your bow and surrender!"
Goramar takes another stab at the enemy with his rapier, hoping to take a trick from Ulrich's book and fell the enemy quickly.
This time the slayer's blade finds a way through the foe's defenses.
Round 2
Now that the spear wielder in the corner is down Elyna moves to get a better view and unleashes another bolt of fire at the sniper
Round 3
As Ulrich moves between her and her target Elyna shifts sideways, now standing back-to-back with Goramar and summons more flame to her heand.
Ushio hides, thinking to himself that he needs a weapon.
Ulrich 15
Enemy 10
Kekkle (9)
Goramar 8
Elyna 7 (delayed from 15)
Rilian 4 (delayed from 19)
Moritat 3
Round 2
Elyna unleashes a bolt of flame at the sniper. He takes heavy damage, but continues to fight, though his breath has become heavy.
Round 3
Ushio hides behind the corner and the shelf.
Ulrich grabs the spear from the recently incapacitated man's grasp and seizes the moment to threaten the archer."..." There is no response from the surrounded archer, and his face remains vacant.
The swordswoman dueling with Goramar ripostes after the blocked stab.
Goramar is at -2 hp.
Her sword hits Goramar right in his chest, splattering his orcish blood on the surfaces of the wooden shelves.
Despite Ulrich's offer of cease-fire, the sniper stretches his bow, ready to shoot. Ulrich decides it's them or us, and attacks.
His spear impales the bowman's shoulder. The wound looks painful, but the cornered bowman fires at Ulrich anyway.
The arrow hits him in the shoulder, as if guided by karma.
Goramar, despite his heavy wounds, continues to fight ferociously. In his orcish rage he stabs his enemy. Both of them collapse soon after.
Elyna fires a blast of fire at the still-hostile sniper, but the effort is wasted when the attack misses.
Round 4
One last thrust from Ulrich's spear finishes the bowman off.
Combat over.
Dust settles as the last of the three human enemies falls unconscious. The victory is bitter, for even the winning side suffered notable injuries.
While some are mending the heroic half-orc, others loot the room.
The enemies were carrying equipment you could find use for: you loot a longsword, two bucklers, a longspear (currently held by Ulrich), a shortbow, 7 arrows, a dagger, leather armor, two sets of armor and one vial of magical liquid.
Longsword
A sword with a straight double-edged blade and a grip intended for one-handed use.Standard longsword. Worth 2 souls.
A very popular weapon in the Labyrinth due to its affordable price and simple-yet-deadly effectiveness. Red Flare Kiehinen favors this model modified with flame-blades, not unlike the flamberge.
Buckler
A light, small metal shield.Standard buckler. Worth 1 soul.
Very effortless to wear, but don't mistake it for easy-to-use.
Longspear
A polearm with a pointed head.Standard longspear. Worth 1 soul.
Being able to kill one's enemies before they can kill oneself is the key to victory. Weapons with reach achieve just that, but leave their wielder wide open if the enemy gets too close.
Shortbow
The most basic instrument of archery. Fires arrows.Standard shortbow. Worth 3 souls.
Even the ancestors during the Era of Bones understood the importance of ranged combat. The oldest bows date back millennia.
Arrows
Ammunation for bows.Standard common arrows. 10 of them are worth 1 soul.
Don't forget.
Dagger
A dagger that has a blade 1 foot long.Standard dagger. Worth 1 soul.
The backstabber's perfect tool. Most dangers in the Labyrinth come head-on, but the most vicious ones may be caused by betrayal.
Leather Armor
Armor, made up of pieces of hard boiled leather carefully sewn together.Standard leather armor. Worth 1 soul.
Typical hide used is that of cattle's. Seeing as there are very few animals in the Labyrinth... what manner of creature's hide is this made from?
Hollow Mercenary Armor
A dusty suit of scale mail armor.Standard scale mail armor. Worth 5 souls.
Hunger for souls drives all hollows. Hollow mercenaries offer their services for other hollows, forming small bands of hunters.
Lesser Estus Flask
A green glass bottle filled with strange liquid.Potion of cure light wounds (CL 1). Worth 5 souls.
Drinking estus fills the roamer in the Labyrinth with a gentle sense of warmth, energy and hope.
The chest in the backside of the room remains unopened.
Ulrich pushes the arrow through his shoulder, wincing.
"Ugh. Bastard. Can anyone see to Goramar's wounds? Perhaps we can push some of these book cases to block the entrance while we rest."
Using the corpse cloth he's gathered, Ulrich hogties the archer- he then delivers the coup de grace to the other fallen foes, unless he is stopped.
Kekkle retrieves the strange emerald flask and, after examining it for a good time, takes it to Pahleg. He assists the unconscious cleric with drinking the amber liquid.
But the concoction barely has any effect, certainly not enough to coax the cleric back to consciousness. "Thrice damned potion!" snaps Kekkle "May whoever brewed it be cursed with the same misfortune as I!"
Despite the pain Goramar feels, the half-orc manages to bring down his foe before collapsing in a heap to the ground.
"Just our luck." Elyna comments as the potion barely mends the cleric's wound. "Well at least we have a more or less defensible position to rest.", she wanders over to the nearest book shelf and starts searching the rows for any interesting or possibly useful books.
"Maybe move some of these book shelves in front of the entrance there." she adds as her finger runs across the book spines.
Ulrich checks Goramar's pulse.
"He's alive, I think his bleeding stopped on its own- thank the Gods."
He clumsily attempts to staunch the archer's bleeding...
Heal:
"Ooh, I might have made that... worse..."
"Let's rest here and take stock. I'll block the entrance."
Ulrich pulls some of the bookshelves in front of the room's entrance. That finished, he changes out of the leather armor and into the spearman's scale, picking up a buckler along with it.
Rilian sits in a corner after draging Pahleg back into the room. She breaths a sigh of relief - feeling marginally safer than she has for what felt like forever.
She pulls out the blackened tome, Labrynthika, and begins to open it's pages trying to find out all she can about Hellfire and the Explorer's Guild that the unknown man had mentioned to them.
Goramar is stable but unconscious. Kekkle helps Pahleg drink the potion, but the cleric doesn't wake up yet.
Elyna inspects the wooden shelves. All of them are dusty and mostly empty, excluding some separate sheets of paper lying here and there. You find 3 sheets of paper, one of which is too burned and stained to be readable. The second piece of paper has some numbers listed, with the word "soul" written on top left. The third piece of paper proves to be the most useful, as it contains what appears to be the map of the area, although crudely drawn.
MAP
Ulrich ties the defeated archer in a way it's impossible for him to escape, and then attempts to provide first aid for him. The task proves difficult, having little success.
The other two enemies, swordswoman and spear bearer, are executed. You watch as their bodies fade to ashes and dust. For the briefest of moment, you see a satisfied smile on their faces that used to be vacant. Or maybe you are imagining it.
Obtained 11 souls.
Obtained 7 souls.
Ulrich then pulls some bookshelves in front of the room's entrance, barricading it. It is time for the much-needed rest.
Noting that Pahleg remains unconscious after an hour, Ulrich sighs.
"Perhaps we should rest longer, then. Wounded as we are, a few more hours to recuperate would be wise."
Kekkle spends the rest of their first hour preparing his spells from his spellbook:
0-Mage Hand, Prestidigitation
1st-Color Spray
Goramar, despite his wounds no longer bleeding, remains in the same state as the cleric.
"Perhaps so" says Kekkle as he finishes his reading. He turns again to Pahleg, still unconscious with no sign of improving. Surely there was something more they could do?
What...what if these surges of power they've been receiving from fallen foes held some morbid significance? So far they had been somewhat reinvigorating, but always left one feeling empty again immediately after. It would follow, then, that there more essence one imbibed at once the stronger the surge.
The scarecrow holds out his hands clumsily towards the cleric. He has no idea what he's doing other than gut instinct and blind hope as he tries to will power into the unconscious man.
When his aasimar companion isn't showing signs of awakening, Kekkle prays next to him. For minutes he focuses on goodwill and begs for powers to invigorate the cleric.
Minutes pass, but then, all of a sudden, everyone feels something move inside of them. Like a stream of water, something essential flows from the party's collective anima, gathering into Pahleg's unconscious body. Pahleg awakens immediately, feeling a surge of power flowing through him.
Pahleg attains 2nd level!
Lost 20 souls.
Pahleg gasps and opens his eyes at the surge of energy. He sits up and looks around, giving a smile when he sees everybody alive. "It seems I owe you a debt. Thank you for saving my life. Now, who is in need of healing?" He stands and notices the power within him, giving an amazed expression. "Wow, this power is incredible..."
"Good to have you back Pahleg, let's work on you being the last to go down in the future, because it sees you're the only one who can get us back up." Elyna offers she then presents the crude map to the party: "So we have a map of the nearer surroundings. It's... rough, and not exactly generous on description. But it might give us some ideas where we are."
Ushio picks up the dagger from the weapon pile. This will suit me nicely!
Ushio walks over to Pahleg. "It's good to see your well. I will count you as a good friend from well, well on as the journey continues."
After feeling an unusual sense of warmth, something Goramar isn't entirely accustomed to in life, the half-orc stands slowly. Goramar takes a moment to inspect his wounds before looking at the loot the party has gathered. "I'm taking the leather" Goramar says as he reaches for the leather armor previously used by Ulrich.
"Incredible- so, these souls... we eat them now?", Ulrich says with some astonishment and a little trepidation.
"Regardless, glad to have you back among the semi-living, Pahleg. We've got another suit of heavier armor- perhaps you should have that and the longspear to keep you out of harm's way in the future."
Ulrich studies Elyna's map.
"I.... can't make heads or tails of this. Where are we?"
Pahleg channels divine energy in the room, healing the wounded. The hogtied, helpless prisoner seems to have gotten energy as well, and begins to struggle. He growls, moans and drools, but does not produce any intelligent speech. He remains bound, but is clearly unhappy about it.
Obtained 5 souls.
Strangely, you feel a familiar flow of nutrition run through. Usually this is the feeling you've experienced when slaying enemies, but this time no blood was spilled.
Elyna and Ulrich examine the map.
Elyna points at the rogh box shape in the top right corner of the map: "I think that's where we are." her finger traces down the corridor and then to the left. "This is where we climbed up. You see this? I think it's an arrow pointing down, indicating the ladder leading to the lower floor. Meaning this..." she traces her finger over to the other arrow shape, "will lead up further."
She takes her finger off the map and looks at it for a moment in silence: "No idea what the X's stand for though. Although I remember seeing some white fog blocking the tunnel over here, almost like a solid wall," pointing at the X at the bottom right of the map, "So it may have something to do with that."
Rilian pours over the tome for an hour trying to make heads or tails of it. The words seemingly shift and turn before her eyes, but Rilian isn't certain if it's due to the stress and her growing weariness or because of the nature of the text.
Explorers' Guild
Many of us have abandoned hope of getting out of the Labyrinth, but not the explorers. Explorers’ Guild does its best to map and explore the Labyrinth so that they might find a way out. A noble cause, for certain, but has been fruitless for gods-know-how-long. The guild is very accepting of new members, likely due to the fact that it’s been losing members at a rapid rate.
Hellfire
Of all the organizations in the Labyrinth, Hellfire is the most infamous. Should you ever meet a member of Hellfire, try running before you try communicating. Their tools are steel, fire, and underhanded strategies. To join this covenant, one must prove their worth in these three expertises and enjoy the acceptance of a high-ranking member.
The duties of Hellfire include hunting and slaying hollows. Ironic, because many of its members have gone hollow but still evade the flames of hell, so to speak. Hellfire also keeps track of something called “Book of the Guilty”, where law-breakers and cheating scum are detailed. These sinners are called “the indicted”, and it is those that Hellfire truly hunts.
You have a feeling the old grimoire might have more information on these two subjects, but because time and effort are a limited supply you stop here.
Elyna points at the rogh box shape in the top right corner of the map: "I think that's where we are." her finger traces down the corridor and then to the left. "This is where we climbed up. You see this? I think it's an arrow pointing down, indicating the ladder leading to the lower floor. Meaning this..." she traces her finger over to the other arrow shape, "will lead up further."
She takes her finger off the map and looks at it for a moment in silence: "No idea what the X's stand for though. Although I remember seeing some white fog blocking the tunnel over here, almost like a solid wall," pointing at the X at the bottom right of the map, "So it may have something to do with that."
Ulrich listens intently.
"AH, I understand now. Well, our only remaining lead is the Explorer's Guild- so perhaps we had best make our way up and try to meet a friendlier face?"
"Curious! We didn't kill this one and yet I felt some soul transference. Perhaps mercy can sustain us as well as violence..."
The knight braces the prisoner.
"You! Snap out of it! I know you can hear me, churl! You had best start answering our questions or you can sit here and rot!"
Intimidate:
The hogtied person is silenced by Ulrich's command. He stops struggling and growling but does not say anything, despite Ulrich's threats.
Goramar's ring of tholing shatters, falling to pieces.
Goramar, as he has done throughout the labyrinth, approaches the chest with a gleam shining in his eye.
Goramar will open the chest regardless, he is just trying to be prepared.
Goramar notices no traps in the chest, and eagerly opens it. Inside the chest Goramar finds a small vial of liquid and a glowing, light-weight sphere that resembles the dark gray soul the old man had dropped earlier.
Antitoxin
A small vial, holding light green liquid.A vial of antitoxin. Worth 5 souls.
Like many other alchemical creations, this product was most likely brewed by Felisse of Do'anolg. Not that there are many other known alchemists in the maze.
Soul of a Fallen Roamer
Soul of a roamer who has long ago left the existence.Use to acquire souls.
Souls are that which everyone and everything in the Labyrinth desire.
Goramar grabs the soul, grasping it firmly. The soul shatters, giving nutrition to him and those around him.
Obtained 5 souls.
Ulrich claps his hands and looks over the pile of gear still remaining.
"Very well! Now, I should think Miss Moritat should have this leather armor, since she has gone without defenses for a bit. The buckler: Goramar, you're often in the fray and a buckler and rapier are the classic duelist's weapons- would you prefer to have a shield? Otherwise, I suppose Pahleg or Moritat could find a use for it. Ushio, sir, I should think the shortbow and arrows would complement your position in the marching order and your hand-eye coordination quite well. Ranged combat is quite lost on me...", he says, tapping his face under his missing eye.
"The remaining longsword- perhaps Pahleg or Moritat could wield it as a backup weapon? Was there anything of interest in that chest, Goramar?"
"I will take it" the half-orc states as he reaches for the buckler. Goramar isn't accustomed to having a shield typically relying on his agility to avoid blows, but he is beginning to understand that any protection in this place best be used. With a evilish grin, Goramar looks at Ulrich "More souls were in the chest. Didn't you taste them?" Goramar retrieves the small vial of liquid and offers it to Ulrich, "This was in there as well. Not as good as a soul, but it might be of some use in this place."
After handing over the Antitoxin, the slayer makes his way to the makeshift wall that the group has created out of bookshelves. "Get your gear. We need to move. I don't think staying in one place will be a great idea at this point. Look how it worked out for them" Goramar says pointing where the bodies of the fallen used to lie. "They waited and only found the end of our blade. If we stay here we will only find the same".
"What? Souls? Oh, yes! There were some more, how interesting.", Ulrich says, rambling and distracted once again as he pockets the antitoxin. He'll lend his assistance in removing the bookshelves from the doorway.
Looking at all the loot, Elyna muutters "I don't suppose this place is equipped to accomodate the vertically challenged..."
As the larger party members free the entrance she holds out her map: "So, where to next? We could examine that ominous white fog wall, go explore the remaining rooms that are here according to this map, or go straight for the next level." after a moment of examining the crude scrawling she adds "Or perhaps see what happens if we go one of these three open ways..."
Goramar and Ulrich remove the makeshift barricade.
"Let's check that x to the... north? It may be another of those fog walls, but it's worth looking. B14F and the Explorer's Guild is our goal, but it won't hurt to take advantage of our newfound vigor to explore a bit more."
"That sounds as good as any plan" Goramar grumbles. The half-orc falls in behind Ulrich keeping his eyes open for anything.
"Onwards, to the north!"
"Right then. Back to the tunnel where we were first attacked and then second one to the right..."
The group gathers, checking if everyone are ready to move, and begin traveling, following the crude map. They move past the fog wall, into the tunnel where the flame-flinging half-orc used to reside, back to the chamber that served as the final resting place for the four corpses, and then to the tunnel with barrels.
While traveling in the tunnel, you notice a chamber to the right. This does not surprise you, seeing how the map described a something in that direction so you ignore it for now and move on. You notice the wall on your left is covered in rubble, as if a part of the wall had crumbled down.
You continue walking for some 30 feet and stop when the path splits in two, with one way continuing forward and the other taking a turn to the right. According to your map, the path to the right will lead to "X" in the north, so that's where you go. Before turning to the right and moving on, you notice that the path to the west is blocked by more collapsed stones and rubble. This discovery implies that the map you are holding is at least partially outdated.
You turn to the right and move north. After walking for 60 feet or so, you see another path turn left. Ignoring it, you move a bit forward. You have now arrived at the "X".
In front of you is a chamber. You take a peek around the corner to see inside. The chamber is larger than any you have seen before, even larger than the room with bookshelves. The chamber is illuminated by multiple torch sconces on the walls. The light they cast reveals that the floor of the chamber is covered in bloodstains.
On the back-left side of the chamber is a door, and on the back-right side is someone in heavy armor leaning against the wall. He doesn't seem to notice you peeking around the corner. Next to him is a greatsword, leaning against the wall like him.
Pahleg tries to look at the heavily armored fellow to see if he seems sane.