Res and Nathaniel do not spot any plainly visible exits in the back of the room.
Eliva looked nervous as Angalia examined the levers. "What if the floor drops out from under us or something?" She begins to scuff aside the marbles on the floor to make sure the floor beneath looked stable.
Yes, the floor is stable.
Angalia pokes expectantly at a lever.
When Angalia pulls one of the levers, you hear a small *click* and the sound of rolling ball bearings. The lever has opened a shutter in one corner of the room, and a subtle grade in the floor around it is causing the bearings to roll into a tiny compartment. Angalia suspects that if the other levers work the same way, it may clear the entire the room.
"It won't hurt to try ... Right?" Nathaniel shrugs, then helps pull the remaining levers.
As expected, more small shutters open and the sound of rolling marbles fills the room. In a short span, the floor is clear. Without the bearings everywhere, you can plainly see a trapdoor fitted into the floor in the northeast corner of the room.
Angalia giggles as the ball bearings slide away and kneels to look at the trapdoor.
"This might be trapped too."
Somewhere at the back of her mind, she knows she is starting to lose her grip, but the unwelcome laughter and light-headedness keep sweeping in.
Angalia detects no traps.
"Open up, trap door. Show us your secrets," she mutters.
The inanimate trapdoor does not respond in any way to Angalia's suggestions.
With a quick glance at the others to ensure that they are ready, Nathaniel attempts to lift the trapdoor.
The trapdoor is heavy, but Nathaniel is able to open it without difficulty. Below the trapdoor, a steep slide spirals out of sight into the darkness below.
Unable to stop herself, Angalia leaps climbs onto the slide and lets go.
"Angalia, wait!" Nathaniel hisses through clenched teeth, trying to grab his friend before she vanishes into the darkness.
As Angalia hastily starts onto the slide, Nathaniel lunges out and grabs her by the collar. He holds her at the top of the slide.
“Angalia – please, pull yourself back up. It would be safer if Res, Urdrin or I went first … or if you insist, at least take a light,” he gestures with his head towards his axe, lying on the floor beside the trapdoor, its head still glowing brightly due to Erfan’s light spell.
Shakily, Angalia allows herself to be pulled to safety.
"Light, light would be good. What's happening to me?"
"It's alright Ange," says Nathaniel, pulling her back up and giving her a quick, tight hug before pulling them both back to their feet. "We'll find a way to make you better, I promise."
He looks around at the others. "It looks dark down there, whoever goes first will need light, except maybe Urdrin. I suggest it be he or I, Urdrin's probably the toughest of us and I'm one of the more acrobatic. In case there's s long drop or a nasty surprise at the end." Nathaniel inwardly shudders at the thought of the acid pit in the other chamber.
"Hang on to me, Nath. I can't be trusted. I can feel myself not working properly."
"Aye," Urdrin says. "Angalia should nae be goin' down there first in her condition. I can lead the way, if ye like."
"Yes Urdin, your dark vision could be very helpful. Angalia, Eliva, an Erfan can go after Nathaniel, and I will protect the rear. But before you go Urdin. Feel Gorum's rage flow through you. It will help you should you encounter any trouble down there." Res holds up his holy symbol, says a prayer to Gorum and then touches the glowing symbol to Urdin.
Nathaniel waits a few beats after Urdrin slides down the chute, then follows, his currently light emitting axe grasped in one hand.
Urdrin slides down the chute, followed closely by Nathaniel.
In the southeastern corner of the room, a man sits at a wooden desk, illuminated by dim candlelight. His clothes are worn and disheveled, but were once fine. His face shows signs of incredible stress: dark rings surround his eyes, and, though you suspect he is no more than middle-aged, deep creases line his face. His mouth, however, is strained into a hideous smile.
"Welcome, welcome! You look like such good-spirited guests!" he says manically.
Eliva follows, holding her bow close to avoid damage on the way down.
Angalia follows.
“Do not test my patience sir,” the ranger growls, standing to his full height. “Who are you? What do you know of this laughing plague?”
Erfan and then finally Res enter the slide and head into the dark oblivion. Erfan cackles madly all of the way down.
Eliva stood quickly and scanned the room for other hidden threats. At Nathaniel's demand she readied an arrow and pointed it toward the strangely manic man. "We have reached you here, you know we are capable warriors. Tell us what you know!"
The man adopts a deranged, giddy expression at Nathaniel's question. "I am Sergei, the manager of this bastion of mirth and good humor in an otherwise unforgiving world."
He is truly shaken by Eliva's threats and backs away from his desk, his hand going to the rapier at his belt. "You must be the forces of darkness, come to destroy this place of joy. And you call it a plague?! Laughter is not a plague! What sad lives you must lead. You will not destroy everything that we have accomplished!"
He grows more and more desperate-sounding. "The master jester will not be pleased with your interference." He looks into the shadows behind you. "Spindle! These intruders mean us harm!"
Behind you, a horrible being emerges from the shadows around the crates and supplies. Bearing only the slightest resemblance to a man, this creature is gaunt and tall. He is dressed in the bright and festive garb of a clown and wields a jester's sceptre, coated in frost. More than anything else, however, you feel like you will never be able to forget his face: his greasepaint smile extends almost halfway around his head, and despite the brightly colored makeup, his eyes are dreadfully cold.
"I liked my life the way it was before you interfered with it." Angalia's rage temporarily burns away her urge to laugh.
Angalia points out the dark corner to her friends.
"He's got a lovely sense of humour, hasn't he?," she chuckles.
"He'll be laughing on the other side of his face soon enough," answers Nathaniel darkly.
"I've always hated people who can't stop laughing at their own jokes." Tiff sighs as she prepares to meet the new challenge.
Eliva's attention turns to the new threat the mad man named Spindle.
With a wave of his sceptre, Spindle tries to infect Erfan with a greater mirth.
Befuddled as he already is, Erfan begins laughing terribly, rolling on the ground as he does so. Spindle likewise laughs - the same shrill laugh you have heard throughout the funhouse, made even more strident by the presence of the being in front of you. Sergei giggles idiotically.
Eliva
Angalia
Tiffana
Nathaniel
Res
Urdrin
Sergei
Erfan (hideous laughter)
Spindle
"What sort of creature is that jester?" Nathaniel gasps, glancing back at the grim, motley clad humanoid.
Nathaniel brings his spiked shield up before him and charges towards Sergei, trying to ram the giggling mad man into the wall.
Urdrin jogs towards Spindle, hefting his massive shield and axe.