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"Kag, although it deserves a good smack in the head, my conscience won't be at peace with assassinating a bound foe. I say we stuff him in a pod and leave him to the fate of his ship while we figure a way off this heap. Speaking of which, are there any rooms we haven't been in yet? Reishi thinks for a moment and adds, "The bahgra deserve some answers too. Maybe we should shove him through the door into their room so they can interrogate him?"
Zeroks was pretty sure that this guy wouldn't survive the Bahgra. He then debated whether or not that was his problem. It took him a moment, but he figured it wasn't worth opening the door on the off chance the Bahgra were smart enough to plan something.
He then shrugged, and punched the prisoner to knock him out.
"Sorry," he says to Reishi. "Not worth the risk. The Bahgra had their chance to be civil, and they chose to be jackasses. If it makes you feel any better they would have probably just killed him, so think of it like we're saving his life."
"Anyone got any rope? I used mine on the last guy."
"I have rope" Voleryn rummages through her pack.
"Thank you."
Zeroks takes a moment to tie the man up. He then checks his pockets.
He then checks the rest of the bodies for valuables as well.
"Come on, help me look. Someone's gotta have a key or something."
Zeroks picks up the rods.
"These gotta do something, right?"
"I sincerely doubt he was carrying them for decorative purpose."
"Yeah, exactly. Let's see if we can figure out where these go."
Zeroks tries to think about where the rods could possibly be used.
"Lead the way, master Elf."
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Touching the rod to the glowing green circle of the last room causes the door to open without issue. This stone chamber contains several more dark green, leathery cylinders, all with open hatches along the walls. Eight humanoid bodies lie side by side on the floor. Each of the corpses has a single puncture wound at the base of their skulls, evidence of the "sterilization" procedures of this facility.
Coming out of the room leaves only the square column in the middle of the main room unexplored. It takes a little time to find a panel on the east side that slides open, revealing another glowing circle. Touching one of the keys to it opens a large sliding panel. Beyond it is a dark 10-ft.-by-10-ft.-square shaft that goes vertically up and down. Green fibrous material lines its walls, and a thick, vine-like cable hangs down the center from some unknown location in the darkness above.
Looking inside, even those with darkvision cannot see anything above your location. However, below you sits a box-like contraption connected to the center cable.
Kag hangs his hammer from loops on his back then starts testing vines to climb.
"It may sound like a merciful death, but there is something disconcerting about being murdered while sleeping." Voleryn peers into the shaft. "Down and see if we can access this box, or up find another wayh out. If we're on some sort of vessel, upwards may lead to the deck?"
"It may sound like a merciful death, but there is something disconcerting about being murdered while sleeping."
"Yeah, I'll take 'kicking and screaming' over a 'peaceful' death any day. If I'm going down, I at least want a fighting chance."
Voleryn peers into the shaft. "Down and see if we can access this box, or up find another way out. If we're on some sort of vessel, upwards may lead to the deck?"
Zeroks takes a look at the cable and says, "Down is easier than up. I'm going to go for it. Watch my back."
But before he goes, he looks thoughtful and says, "Oh, one more thing. We've been going through quite a bit of rope trying to be merciful. And don't get me wrong, I'm not above a little kindness. But we don't know how long we're going to be down here, or what here even is. And we're at a point where we need to conserve our resources in order to survive. And the ones that put us here, clearly have no qualms about 'sterilizing' us. So I say we take off the kid gloves."
"Not saying we got to be psychopaths about this. But if someone tries to put us down, we return the favor hard and fast--know what I mean?"
"Alright, now stand back. I'm about to do something either really cool, or kind of funny."
He then leaps for the center cable.
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"One of us needs to go down there and check it out. Think we are underground? I do NOT like confinement. This place fees like its bearing down on me. I'm a forest and wide open spaces kind of guy." Reishi takes a deep breath centering himself, sighs lightly and says, "Alright Zeroks, I got your back. Let's do this!"
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Rather than climb the sides of he shaft, Zeroks makes a running leap at the center cable. However, as soon as he has hold of it, he is surprised not only by the slight film of lubricant on it, but it also twitches and pulses in his grip. He slides down the cable at a higher speed than one would expect and crashes into the box at the bottom of the shaft. He lands on his back with a loud thump, his wings pinned underneath himself and the breath knocked out of his chest even from the relatively short fall.
The box that Zeroks lands on top of is rectangular and constructed of the same organic but rigid, leathery material used in the construction of the stasis cylinders from the cellblocks. The thick cable running through the center of the shaft was once attached to it but is now severed and no longer operable. A large irregular hole has been punched through the top of the box.
When Zeroks "lands" he is breathless and in not a small amount of pain. It takes a few moments to get his wits back, but then he calls back.
"The cable is alive!" he says loudly before coughing violently. "And greased. Don't use it."
Once he is a little more settled he peeks into the hole.
; w/darkvision
Voleryn sighs "We do still have enough rope to fasten to you - we could have just lowered you down." reluctant to leave him alone down there she starts to descend at a more reasonable rate
"That looks like fun." says Kag as he rips and begins wrapping a spare shirt around his hands. "You should probably move Zeroks, in case I come down the same way you did."
Kag will wait for him to oblige before leaping out to grab a cable.
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The walls of the vertical shaft are covered in fibrous tendrils that make climbing down an uncomplicated procedure for those who choose to use that method. For anyone who wants to use the center cable to slide down can do so.
Looking through the hole, the box is empty. There is a door that is already open that leads out of it.
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Reishi carefully scales his way down into the box and through the door to the new floor. Once he gets there, he draws his sword and says, "Let's see what excitement awaits for us here. By the way, we must rely on potions of healing for now. I've tapped my ability for today. Make sure they are easily accessible."
Kag leaps out and easily slides safely down the rope, with a WHHHHHEEEEEEEEE! until he lands at the bottom.
"The secret is in wrapping your hands." he says as he moves out of the way for the others while drawing his hammer.
Voleryn slips down after Reishi and Kag, frowning as she does so. "I'm not sure we want to run into whatever chewed through this."
"I'm not sure we want to run into whatever chewed through this."
Zeroks nods in agreement.
"There's a door down here."
With a soft flap of his wings, the Zvarr gently touches down. He draws his bow, and moves slowly out of the box.
"The coast is clear, I think. Come on down."
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Andretta follows you down, maintaining her light spell.
From the door, you can see an irregular-shaped hallway that is about 35' long. Towards the west end stands a slender workbench with a cabinet set in the north wall. A large door-panel, ten feet wide covers the southern wall at the east end. There are red, spiky runes painted on the door’s exterior.
After the rest come down, Zeroks moves over to the workbench with the cabinet. He checks it for any funny business.
Kag will join Zeroks at the workbench and take a look to see what is being made here.
Voleryn examines the runes to see if she can detimine their nature.
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Reishi stands next to Voleryn and says,"Red spikes universal for 'danger'? Perhaps this whole place should be painted red. Haha! How are you holding up Vol? Didn't get a chance to say it, but I agree there is something awful about murdering captives forced into a coma. This 'empire' sounds arrogant and lacking appreciation for life. I will always fight against tyranny like that."
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The workbench is covered with alchemical and medical equipment including several needles and instruments that are quite long.
A bound book also sits on the workbench, filled with unknown symbols.
The runes on the door are also unknown, though if you compare them to the book, they are the same language.
The metal cabinet has a traditional lock, and Zeroks, thankful to see something normal, opens it with ease. It contains a ring, two red vials, two flasks, and two green vials.
"I am not so sensitive as to have my resolve challenged by tyranny. I was trained to fight, that the foe has changed matters little."
"If you think we're secure here, I can use magic to examine the writing and the book..."
Zeroks shows the group the items he's found.
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"I like your resilient spirit and attitude Vol! Sounds like you've been through some challenges before. If you want to read the book I volunteer to meet any threat that may arise while you are translating. I doubt any part of this place is ultimately safe or secure."He looks Zeroks and points to the items, "Any idea what those are / do?"
Voleryn will take a last look around the area and cast comprehend languages.
She will first read the text on the door and then take a look at the book.
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The ring's purpose eludes you for now, but otherwise, you have found two elixirs of health, two alchemist’s fire, and two vials of antitoxin.
Voleryn reads the text to her companions. "Could be an ally, if she's not angry enough to attacks us immediately? Of course that relies on us being able to communicate..."
"Don't cut yourself with those tools. They have...ichor on them."
"Any idea what those are / do?"
"Not sure about the ring, but the rest of these are pretty handy. We have some alchemist's fire, antitoxin, and some elixirs of health. The elixirs in particular are worth a lot, although I wouldn't sell them. They can cure any disease, poison, or paralysis. Hopefully we won't need them, but better to have just in case something goes wrong."
He offers an antitoxin and an elixir to Voleryn and puts the ring in his satchel.
"Ring could be magic, but I wouldn't put it on until we know what it does--if anything. Learned that lesson the hard way. Wish I could say it was a funny story, but it really wasn't."
"Heh, almost forgot this."
Zeroks takes a moment to admire the book
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"Nice find Zeroks! We can use all the help we can get. I agree that it's a bad plan to put the ring on before we know what it does. Maybe Vol or Andretta can figure it out?
Reishi watches Vol cast her spell and begin to read the book with a sincere look of wonder on his face. "Seeing magic never gets old. Gives me a sense of awe and an appreciation for the mysteries and powers available to us. Any clue as to who or what the "she" is?"
"SHHH!" and he turns his head so his hear is as close to facing the ceiling as possible.
"Gather up, beasties are coming to play." says Kag as he draws his hammer once more.
"Good. Let's keep moving. I don't care to meet whatever was making that noise."
"Got that right."
Zeroks moves to inspect the door with the weird writing.
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Rather than needing to pick the lock, there is a green circle that you can use a key on to open the door. Inside the room, there is a large cage illuminated by a slowly blinking light overhead. The cage has been broken open by a section of the wall that one can surmise was hit by a meteor impact. Also, there is a lot of blood outside the cage.
"Don't like the look of this."
He then put his hand on his sword before looking around for anything that might help them.
"I beleive your enemies are our enemies. We do not seek to do you harm." Voleryn calls out, but not too loudly.