Grigor Vachkov |
Grigor sinks deep into his memories while the others 'jibber-jabber' amongst themselves... where a macabre parade of shredded flesh and splinted bone, of torn and twisted entrails and blood both fresh and old lined up to be remembered anew.
Gagging slightly he again fumbles for his flask of spirits. The movement a reflex rather than a conscious choice and its warm burning comfort anchors him again in the 'now' of things.
Refocusing on the others, he slides the flask away, mentally noting that nearly a third of it was now gone.
I'm headed down... now, the watchman said, perhaps as much for his own resolve as it is an announcement.
Jabbing the lit end of his sword into the dark and using his other hand for balance, he descends into passage way.
Windle Thetra |
"Wait...what?" Valiard goggles at Windle. "I don't understand, why do you care? I thought the mayor just wanted this mess cleaned up. I thought the owner of the building was dead...I certainly hope that they are dead or hale and fled...and not simply dragged down into the dark by whatever this slime thing is. Did you ask the Raven's who owned the building? If not, we could simply walk to the other side of the square and ask, some of the neighbors should know."
The mention of legality seems to trouble him...this may bear watching. "You're right about our charter from the mayor, of course. The legal issues are well beyond its scope...as far, it seems, as the potential perpetrators may now lie beyond the reach of the law." He gestures absently at the pile of bodies. "What I'm curious about, though, is what the residents here actually did, particularly after seeing that pile of books our young archivist here found so interesting." As he talks, he follows Grigor down the stairs. "The creature came up out of the ground, and returned the same way when it was done; all the signs here say so. But did it come by chance and kill them all, or did they attempt to summon it through sacrifice before it killed them? That question is interesting in its own right; I only mentioned legality because Iozef did."
Deimus |
"Two," she says to herself, pointing two fingers to the tent, "and two." She points her two fingers toward the living room of the crushed house. "How many Crows flew in?" she calls back to Feldk. "Including the Commander?"
A young crow, startled by the Changeling, first hesitates: "Hem... Aaagh... Four usually follow the Commander! Yes, four!"
Deimus |
The staircase, looks like it has been stretched, but seems still sound of structure. It turns after a few steps down in a 180 degree angle. Rubles lie everywhere, and from the look of it, this area was unearthed not long ago. Broken pieces of two shovels and a pick are scattered on the floor with crushed buckets.
After the turn, it keeps heading down, somewhat more steeply though. You seem to pass through a layer of dirt, then the walls become definitely of a much older architecture, with arches now.
Grigor reaches the last step and a long corridor unfolds in front of him. The scent is still quite pungent, mixed with old earth and ancient molds. The ceiling of the hallway is made of red brick and arched ending in a point about 9 foot from the floor...
Who's following? Order of march? Perception and Stealth, if you wish.
Iozef Kolnikov |
Iozef rolls his eyes at the Inquisitor. This is what I get for my bit of sarcasm. Note to self: Avoid the word 'legal' with Mr. Thetra. He panics.
As they begin their trek down the stairs, "Hold a moment! Madam Mireza is outside! She has been assigned to this as well. Plus, what sense are you making traversing underground with just the two of you?! Did you not notice what happened to those others? And they were a squad of Crows!" Foolishness! "I'll be but a moment." Iozef then makes his way to go and get Mireza. "Madam Mireza, Mr. Vachkov foolishly feels he can eliminate this threat all by himself. Along with the ever so pleasant Mr. Thetra. I believe it would be best you make haste. You know, foolishness waits for no one," he says, slightly irritated, while waiting for her to go on ahead so he can follow.
Grigor Vachkov |
Its just his character perception... I get where he is coming from as a character. As Iozef, he's an egotistical git... and not the only one :) Grigor also suffers from that vice its just more targeted to his profession and area of experience... In time it will become a personality trait we are familiar with and pay no mind to and he'll (likely) soften as he comes to understand us as characters too. Grigor will become more 'cuddly' in time as well... or batcrap insane or both
Valiard Tessar |
Windle, you are correct, Valiard is *really* not keen on this. He has spent most of his sneaking moving on the rooftops and attics of rich people's homes, not skulking in the sewers and dark places.
After a moment, the rest of the group vanishes through the fetid archway and begins their descent. The remaining Crow nods once and leaves the house to stand guard outside. Valiard remains in the ruined living room a midst the pieces of corpses, nervously shuffling his feet and clutching his bags as he watches the light from the group slowly begin to fade as they move away.
Alone. With the dead.
He groans in fear and frustration. Go outside and be labeled a weakling, or go forward and be eaten with the madmen?
I am already a fool for being here. I guess I might as well die a fool.
Valiard opens his pack, wraps his braces of daggers around him, slips his tools where they will be easily accessible and pulls the voluminous brown and grey hooded cloak over himself, concealing everything.
He looks one more time over his shoulder toward the door and the rainy square beyond before heading through the fetid gateway to join the other lunatics.
Valiard is last in order. Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25 Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 Trap spotter when within 10' of trap...though right now the rest of the party is playing "human mine detector".
Mireza |
"Five little blackbirds flew in," Mireza muses, "and the Commander the only one missing. The other two are just inside," she informs the Crows in the street. "Dead ... differently, but just as dead. If you are brave enough when we are below, you can come retrieve them. Bring a basket," she advises as she turns to answer the priest's call. "Haste? Yes, I suppose it might not yet have finished its spinning. If we hurry, we could catch it at play." Ducking back into the dark ruin, she shudders a little as the smell thickens once again.
Perception 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 - 2 = 10
Stealth 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 - 2 = 4
Iozef Kolnikov |
Iozef arches an eyebrow at the strange woman, refusing to allow himself any attempt to begin to understand her.
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Stealth: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
As far as order, my guess would be, Grigor, Windle, Iozef, Mireza, then Valiard.
Deimus |
After a few twists and turns, the stairwell opens up on a chamber 15 feet wide. The light of the sword barely reaches the wall at the end of the chamber. The stairs become wet from the rainwater dripping from your clothes.
This chamber’s brick-lined walls are supported by fifteenfoot-high stone arches. Between each arch, circular alcoves have been cut into the wall, each containing a stone sarcophagus. One sarcophagus on the southern wall has toppled over, spilling its long-dead occupant partially out on the brick floor. A dry swath of black sludge nearly ten feet wide runs down the center of the room, connecting the west and northeast stairs. The far end of the hall seems to have collapsed long ago.
At the end of the chamber, you see another staircase leading further down on your left, and a door on your right. The foul, acrid smell lingers still and claws at your stomach.
Grigor Vachkov |
The dripping echoed through the emptiness, a false heartbeat mocking the the decay and the dead.
Grigor snarled into the gloom.
An old crypt..., voice raw and grating against the atmosphere, Doesn't seem strange though. Half of the damn 'Hill' is built on the layers of older parts of the city.
He moved swiftly past the stone sarcophagus and to the door on silent feet, he cocked his head listening for any sounds from the door.
Stealth 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22 Note an additional +2 vs attempts to hear me due to MW boots
Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Deimus |
Grigor, all is silent behind the door, but it is barricaded and will take effort to open.
Iozef Kolnikov |
Iozef nods. "Very good. Yes. Let's." Iozef straightens his vest and then moves to inspect the fallen sarcophagus.
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21 To notice anything unusual around the sarcophagus
Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33 Attempt to determine who this might be.
Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 Attempt to determine who this might be.
Per above: Wasn't sure on which one to use, which is why I rolled them both.
Knowledge (Engineering): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 Attempt to determine how this one particular one fell.
Grigor Vachkov |
Grigor searches the room as well.
Perception +11 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
Aid anothers on Iozef's knowledge rolls
Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18 Attempt to determine who this might be.
Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 Attempt to determine who this might be.
Mireza |
The foul, acrid smell lingers still and claws at your stomach.
Just mine, really. No one else seems to notice it much. ;P
Mireza sways a little on the steps as the men in front come to a stop, still feeling faint from the stench that pervades the air. She looks down at the stairs, as if thinking about sitting down for a moment, but the sludge dissuades her. Instead, she settles for leaning gingerly against the wall. Without actually leaving the steps, she passes her hands before her eyes, speaking a short word and then looks intently into the chamber.
Mireza |
"Shhh!" she tells him without turning around, holding up her hand to tell him to wait a moment. After several seconds have passed, she lets her hand fall to her side and turns to look up at him, her mismatched eyes obvious at such close range. "The smell," she explains with a smile. "It's in my clothes, in my hair, in my bones. There's no getting away from it. Like a tune in your head that won't go away, makes you hum it all day long, makes your feet dance to its measure till you fall down, exhausted."
Valiard Tessar |
"Mint, crushed rosemary and evergreen. Here." A small satchel appears from beneath the voluminous cloak. Valiard nods his chin towards the room and the men moving around in it. "Have we stopped for a purpose? I was too far behind to hear much of anything."
Mireza |
Mireza takes the sachet quizzically, then presses it to her nose. It doesn't remove the queasiness in her head, but for a moment, the world smells like something other than death, rot, and decay. She smiles up at him, her eyes dancing. "The Crow wants to listen at keyholes," she nods, "and the priest wants to bury the bones. What do you want?" she wonders, keeping his pouch of herbs close to her face.
Deimus |
The room contains six sarcophagus, standing vertical, three on each side of the room. The sarcophagus are crudely carved, showing a rough approximation of their occupant. At the bottom, a bit of paint remains, showing daily scenes of work and worship.
The smell is not as strong here as in the staircase, and the pouch Mireza received seem to help. (Mireza, please roll another save.)
Mireza |
Fortitude 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 - 2 = 19
Valiard Tessar |
"That is simple. To stay alive but do my best to help where I can. I don't want this thing to eat my friends and neighbors...or customers," he adds with a wry grin, "So if I help you out, I can help them out."
Deimus |
Who's doing the main roll for STR?
Mireza |
"That is simple. To stay alive but do my best to help where I can. I don't want this thing to eat my friends and neighbors...or customers," he adds with a wry grin, "So if I help you out, I can help them out."
Mireza ignores the men's struggles with the door. "Life. And prosperity," she decodes. "Most of those who come to me want the same things: more years of life, no matter how many are behind them, and then more money to keep them in comfort those extra years. When everyone wants the same thing, not everyone can have it, you know. If you want something less in demand, you might have a better chance of getting it. Want something simple that no one appreciates," she advises him.
Was her re-rolled Fort save successful in removing the sickened condition, DM?
Iozef Kolnikov |
Iozef, not sure on how to proceed with such measures, shrugs and attempts to help with opening the door.
Strength check to Aid another:(This ought to be good) 1d20 ⇒ 9
Feeling as if his given the door a decent shove, "There. That should help," he states quite confidently as he dusts off his hands.
Deimus |
The door stubbornly holds still, though with some time and effort, it could be broken down. About fifteen minutes of work should do it.
Time, effort... and noise too...
What next?
Grigor Vachkov |
This is gonna take a lot of time and noise to get through... but I don't see any other way out of this room... I think we need to get this door down.
Maybe I can get a squad down to help?
Any chance in hell of getting a few crows down with crowbars?
Valiard Tessar |
"Well. I can see why people come to you for advice. That was a very nice way to tell someone: good luck...you and all the other sots are looking for the same thing." A flash of a smile shows that he is not upset at her vivisection of his ambition. "So, oh wise woman, what is it that you want that falls into this: simple and unappreciated category? I was going to guess yourself, but I imagine that while our neighborhood under-appreciates you, you are far from being "simple"."
Deimus |
Grigor got the clear sense that the Crows upstairs were ordered to contain, leaving you with the investigation and eradication...
Deimus |
Some of the tools can help clean the rubbles and make it possible to clear the door.
Who's not doing the cleaning? It will have an impact on the time it takes.
Mireza |
Perhaps I'm not reading correctly, but doesn't the trail we're following lead to the other staircase, past the stuck door? That's another way out of the room, isn't it?
A dry swath of black sludge nearly ten feet wide runs down the center of the room, connecting the west and northeast stairs. The far end of the hall seems to have collapsed long ago.
At the end of the chamber, you see another staircase leading further down on your left, and a door on your right.
Grigor Vachkov |
Good point- I missed that... I am good with you bring us back to reality with an 'oh boys' moment... that said? I don't like leaving doors behind me - old habit that has served me well... too easy to be cut off from escape without someone manning those doors
Mireza |
"Well. I can see why people come to you for advice. That was a very nice way to tell someone: good luck...you and all the other sots are looking for the same thing." A flash of a smile shows that he is not upset at her vivisection of his ambition. "So, oh wise woman, what is it that you want that falls into this: simple and unappreciated category? I was going to guess yourself, but I imagine that while our neighborhood under-appreciates you, you are far from being "simple"."
She gazes fiercely into the opposite wall for a moment. "Freedom," she whispers. "Very few appreciate it who have not been caged." As her mismatched eyes wander back to Valiard's, a smile returns to her face. "Life, and prosperity," she repeats. "You left out the third good people come to me to obtain: love. There are those who will exchange their money and even their health for it and consider themselves to have made a good bargain -- for a time."