"Evil., replies Yildiri, simply. "If the Goddess has warned me, it is for a good reason. We should leave it well alone."
Disturbed by the feelings of evil that come from the passages ahead and to the right of her Yildiri moves left, toward the east*.
When Gwernch questions her decision, and asks what it was she might have sensed in that direction, the dwarf peers ahead curiously. He strains his eyes as hard as he can, and is puzzled by the deep darkness that reveals nothing to his sight.
As Yildiri mentions the evil she has sensed, a lump forms in Gwernach’s throat, and he tears himself away from the mystery.
Moving cautiously, but with purpose, the party moves down the passageway that goes left, away from the mysterious intersection. They see a curtain on the right, ahead of them, much like one they have seen before, but long before they reach the curtain their senses detect something foul ahead.
A strong odor of decay, and death, can be smelled fifteen feet before the curtain on the right, and it gets stronger as you move eastward.
You can see that the passageway continues on, passing the curtain on the right and continues to the east 60 feet at least before it becomes too dark to tell if it continues on.
Yildiri peers into the shadows.
"I can see nothing now, but I can create light for us, unless that'd give us away", she says. "Or does someone else have better night-vision?"
If ya light donna give us away, tha clash o'steel will. Am fine fa now lass ba donna let tha stop ya. Likely ya'll be need'n ta see wa's lurk'n same as me. Giving the inquisitor the go ahead to cast her spell, Gwernach readies his axe. In the ranger's experience, the smell of death in the air is not a good omen, especially in a world where flesh eating undead creatures are very real. Putting his best sneak step to use the dwarf creeps down the hall and uses the tip of his axe to gently peel back the edge of the curtain.
Yildiri gives Sasithorn an odd look, opting to stay back while he and Gwernach scout, and making a ball of pale silver-blue light orbit her mace with a single word:
"ışık"
Gwernach and Sasithorn quietly approach the curtain, while Yildiri creates a soft glow of light to emanate from her mace. Marvin remains a few steps behind, constantly peering over his shoulder behind the group.
Lifting the curtain, Gwernach leans his head so that he can peek to see what might be beyond.
The passageway beyond the curtain is short, only five feet, and then branches to the left and right. On the right a winged, grey colored and emaciated figure is hunched on the ground over the corpse of some unrecognizable creature
The strange creature seems unaware of the party's presence, and bends its head down to tear a piece of flesh from the rotting corpse on the floor with its teeth.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Gently returning the curtain to its original resting position Gwernach turns to Sasithorn. Although it is clear to the caster that Gwernach is attempting to pass some message along, the weird face and spastic twitching of the dwarf's hands and neck make it nearly impossible to determine just what it is the ranger is trying to communicate. Gwernach's accent probably doesn't help his efforts either.
Seeing the blank look of Sasithorn's expression, Gwernach sighs inwardly and gives up resorting to the universally accepted single finger to the lips gesture.
"Your stirrup straps are fraying?", asks Yildiri, looking puzzled, since that's what the gesture means in her tribe.
"No," Marvin interrupts, explaining to Yildiri. "His tongue licks the ball of his finger, the moisture making it easier to sense the wind due to a change in temperature from the difference in evaporation. There must be some foul air inside."
Yildiri shakes her head. "Maybe. I don't know", she says, frustrated. "What is it, Gwernach?"
Gwernach shrugs his shoulders and tries to recall having read or encountered anything of similar appearance. Unfortunately nothing comes to mind, What is it about this thing? Is it the smell? Whatever it is, the dwarf is drawing a blank and doesn't seem to know if it is a good idea to attack it or wait on the others to decide for him. Stepping quietly off to the side the ranger whispers, Ah donna know wha tha is, but Ah do have a bad feel'n 'bout it. If Ah had ta guess, Ah'd say ghoul. Those smell bad an this one 'ere donna smell all tha nice.
"Gulyabani!" Yildiri's eyes flash. "I say we attack it. Such things are a curse."
|
"Funny things, curses; one can never be too sure what might provoke them. Sometimes they are a form of Justice...or just a sort of aggressive defense. These being Tanri Shar's halls, who can say which way such a wind might blow? I say give it a moment. Leave it with none but itself to blame should it pick a fight with us."
The group of heroes moves a few steps away from the curtain, waiting for something to happen
Time passes
Nothing Happens
After a while, Yildiri grows impatient. "Let's move, if we won't fight", she says, pushing aside the curtain to look down the corridor, then moving out towards where the creature was, once it's departed.
Yildiri finally becomes impatient and barges through the curtain, only to come to an intersection almost immediately.
On her right, on the floor, is what appears to be the partially eaten remains of some sort of half humanoid, have serpent like creature.
To her right at the intersection there is a passageway, ten feet wide, going thirty feet into shadowy darkness that cannot be seen into, and to her left it is the same. Other than the mysterious shadows at each end of the passageways left and right, and the rotting, partially eaten corpse on the floor, there is nothing, no sign whatsoever of the monster that was here previously.
Gwernach winces as Yildiri yanks back the curtain. To his relief the creature that was once there is gone and all appears to be well. But now the mystery of where it had gone and what it was feeding upon lays before them. Shifting his war axe to his off hand, the Gwernach steps into the intersection and kneels to examine the serpent like humanoid. As he checks the thing for anything useful about its demise or what it might have been doing, Gwernch racks his brain to recall anything he might know of this species. At last the dwarf ponders out loud, 'Alf snake, ya? Seen anyth'ng like thas before?
Gwernach rolls the figure’s torso over to get a better look at exactly what it is.
The upper part of this demi-human is sleight of frame, and a bit small, being very much about the same size as a Halfling, or hobbit as they are known in some parts of the world, while the lower part of the body, from about the hips down is a long, maybe ten feet or longer, reptilian tail. If this person were male or female it is not easy to distinguish. The being wears a “kilt-like” garment, tied at the waist with several narrow leather belts. The face is handsome, but not altogether masculine nor distinctly feminine.
There appears to be no gear, no weapons of any kind, with the body.
He thinks at first of a type of creature he has heard stories about, known as the Yaun-Ti in southern parts of the Anthandran continent, but this individual is too small, really, to perhaps be one of those. He checks the eyes of the face, which are almond-shaped, and have blue, normal shaped pupils, and this also hints that this is not exactly a Yaun-Ti, but perhaps a type of relative species.
The body has several wounds, one deep puncture in the lower left rib cage looks like it was made by a spear. The back, particularly around the shoulders is bruised and torn (maybe from the monster that was “eating” on the corpse).
There is not a great deal of blood around, suggesting this individual may have been close to death when it reached this place, having lost a lot of blood on the way. There is a trail of blood going to the right.
Finally, Gwernach takes a closer look at the reptilian tail, and comes to at least one simple conclusion
Finishing his examination of the body Gwernach stands, Ya know, Ah'm not entir'lay shur thas 'ere's a snake. Gwernach does the classic quotation gesture meaning like a snake but not a real snake, just with snake like qualities, Look's moor like a lizard. Again with the finger quotations. Leass judge'n by tha joint. The dwarf points to a section of the tail which have been fused, Much like a knee joint, yeah?
Trail leed's ta tha right, shall we? The ranger sticks out a thumb to indicate the blood trail and no sooner does he complete the gesture than he is quietly heading in the general direction.
Yildiri glares at the dead creature in disgust.
"Let's go", she says, finally, following the dwarf up the corridor.
Marvin nods, having kept watch throughout the whole investigation. "This unit advises care to be taken as the trail is being tracked. Whatever that killed this creature may take more interest in the living.
Yildiri turns to the right, and heads into the darkness with Gwernach and Marvin following.
After just a few steps the unnatural darkness surrounds them all. So deep is this darkness that it is no mistake that it is unnatural, magical in nature. Yildiri’s light vanishes completely and the three of them cannot even see their hands in front of their faces.
After another few steps something odd occurs. First Yildiri feels it, then the others behind her catch up and feel the same thing.
It is as if some physical barrier has taken hold of you, and you cannot lift a leg to move further forward
None of the heroes panics immediately, because before any fear can set in, a simple step backward confirms that you are not , in fact, immobilized, only prevented from going any further in the direction you were going.
It takes a moment or two, because of the deeper darkness all around you, but you cannot seem to find your way at first.
You try to move back, occasionally running into a solid stone wall that you can feel with your hands, and maybe once or twice going back in the direction that is forbidden, but eventually you all emerge back to a place in the passageway where Yildiri’s light is working once again and the corpse of the lizard like humanoid is on the floor in front of you.
"What was that?!", asks Yildiri, looking disturbed. "It wasn't natural, surely - can we do anything against it, or must we turn back?"
Tis a message lass, and by message Gwernach is referring to the beyond which he implies by glancing up at the ceiling, whatever's thare ain't for us, less no yet. The dwarf has no interest in banging his head against an invisible barrier, not when there are other places to look. Less no waste anymore than we need ta explor'n thas place. Mr. Parker'll be waiting on us an we donna need ta have all mysteries solved for'em.
When they are confident that things have worked out alright, and they are back where they started from the group takes a moment to try and decide what will be next.
That is when Gwernach takes notice of the floor to the left of the corpse, across the opening of the tee intersection. There the hall also vanishes into darkness, but on the floor, there are marks, as if some creature with clawed toes went that way recently.
Yildiri looks at the claw marks and her expression hardens.
"We can hunt the gulyabeni. Good.", she says, then glances at the others to see if they concur.
Nodding in agreement, Gwernach hefts his axe and squints. Following the markings Yildiri indicated looks harder than he'd originally figured. With a quick jerk of his head, the ranger signals for her to take the lead.
After Gwernach nods at Yildiri, he turns and heads the wrong way, which forces Yildiri to clear her throat, and point the right way out to him
"That barrier makes it such that seeking an alternate route may be wise," Marvin concurs, following the party as they head towards the correct path.
Yildiri nocks an arrow to her bow and marches forth.
The four heroes move into the shadows, and as the last time, the light of Yildiri’s spell vanishes.
But this time there is no obstructing force, and it seems as though the group plunges deeper and deeper into the dark, a dark not of this world
You begin to worry that there is no way to know if you are still going in the same direction and if, in fact, you have walked into a place from which there is no return when suddenly without any warning the light from Yildiri’s spell returns.
You feel as if you have walked about sixty feet.
The passageway in front of you does not look familiar. It is ten feet wide, extends away from you about fifteen feet and there it looks as if there is an passageway going to the left, while this passageway continues past that side opening.
Here, along these passageways there are torches set in sconces along the walls every twenty feet, and you can see many torches ahead, as well as light coming from the passageway to the left, ahead of you.
Suddenly, about eighty feet ahead of you, the grey figure appears. It walks into the passageway from another opening which must be there on the left, far down the hallway. The figure turns toward you, and for the first time all four of you get a look at it. It is a creature like nothing you have ever seen, nor does it appear familiar from any of the writings, tales, or legends you are familiar with. It has an elongated head, and long mouth with large fangs.
The creature sees you, turns to look the other way, then back at you
Gwernach lowers his voice and mutters, Ah fa cry'n out loud!
"What..." Yildiri bites her lip and readies herself in case the creature's hostile
With the others just as stunned as he, Gwernach takes a chance. There is no telling who or what this being is, yet it walks upright, wears clothes and is likely an intelligent sort. Taking a deep breath, Gwernach raises a finger to his lips as the universal gesture for quiet then raises the same hand opening it palm forward in a nonthreatening greeting. The dwarf adds a smile for good measure and whispers to the others, Less keep thangs nice n'friend-lay, yeah?
Marvin does not respond but their ready stance and scanning gaze answers for them.
A tense, quiet moment passes. The creature, looks behind it quickly, then to the left (away from the party) and then turns suddenly and moves out of sight
Yildiri does not fire, but instead, relaxes her bowstring, breathing out as she does so.
"Why was it looking to the left?", she asks. "Should we go that way, or should we follow it?"
Tha didn't seem like tha, "Quick, follow may" kinda gesture. Gwernach grips his war axe firmly keeping it handy adding, Ah ain't one ta follow mysterious be'ins, we can finda place ta hide or try go'in back tha way we came. What 'ave ya?
Marvin lowers his musket when no attack comes, but keeps it ready just in case. "This unit suggests further investigation. Following the being's path may reveal their intentions."
Yildiri agrees with Marvin. "I say we follow it - at a safe distance"
The dwarf's eyes widen and his lips suddenly become very dry, Follow ya say? Gwernach rubs a hand over his face and his tongue moistens his lips, Al'right then. Off we go. Ba see'n as we're already loss, he turns to the android, MARVIN we'll be re'lie'n on ya ta keep an accurate route'n outta here.
Having said his piece, Gwernach does his best to quietly step down the passage in the direction the creature went.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Yildiri tiptoes after Gwernach.
Marvin nods. "An internal map of our progress has been created with approximately 87.195 percent accuracy with an imprecision order of 43.0152 percent due to this unit's inadequate sensory capabilities and lack of connection to any triangulateration stations. The magical nature of the passageways may further affect the fidelity of these results."
The android continues to impassively report as the others stealthily move away from them and into the passageway after the being before finally following at the rear position.
The group starts down the passageway, quietly, and with care. They pass a passageway on the left, ten feet wide going off into darkness, and then a short distance later come to the intersection where the winged creature dashed off.
Here there is something they could not see before.
The opening on the left goes fifteen feet and opens wide into a large chamber. The chamber is bathed in faint reddish light. The chamber seems to open to the left and right, but because of the fifteen foot corridor between you and the chamber not a lot of details can be seen. However, you can see a set of stone steps, low only rising two feet above the floor on the left near the center of the chamber indicating some sort of raised platform may be on the left.
As Yildiri pauses to listen, Gwernach tip toes further into the room to get a better look at whatever is making the noise.