"Well the keys are the only thing I can think of.", replies Iraonar after a second of pondering."They are ether in the room we haven't explored or hidden in that fire." he stares at the fire trying to spot any hidden keys.
Skeptical that the keys are in the fire, Lysander sees what he can do with the lock on the iron box.
The chest reveals off of the bards gear.
Glancing at the contents of the chest, Daubeny adds, "It is a bit strange they didn't move his gear further away from where he was being held."
Lysander pipes up
Doubtless our characteristically-subterranean antagonists did not expect the location of their captive's accoutrements to influence the outcome of their operations due to his lack of agency.
He looks at his comrades.
Should we proceed through the next door on this level of our dilapidated structure?
Huffing as he hefting his bardiche onto his armored shoulders, Daubeny shakes his helm. "Still, it's a rather foolish mistake. Surely someone capable of magic would be more intelligent than that."
Sighing, the knight nods. "I am ready if the rest of you are."
"As you read a book of philosophy instead of a book of ax techniques to further your understanding of martial combat, So to not every practitioner of the arcane arts need understand the formulas of actions that get them their results."Iraonar points out to Daubeny. Then after a second he adds, "Also, He might just ask some greater being that likes him to do his magic for him like princess Amelia does."
Amelia seems embarrassed at Iraonar's mention of her title and says "Please, just call me Amelia. I'm not big on titles."
Lysander nods fervently in agreement with Iraonar.
Indeed my studies have led me to believe that magic is far from a science in the majority of cases. It rarely behaves according to structured rules and the majority of its practitioners are unaware of the rules by which it is constrained!
Giving a slight bow, Daubeny looks at Iraonar with a cocked head and the faint aura of respect. "And here I thought my well worn book would have been interpreted as exactly that, a martial manual." Pausing, the knight taps his bardiche on his armored cestus. "However, without the knowledge of the axe, the philosophy does not make a might warrior."
Opening his book as if to make a point, the large warrior adds, "But most leaders are skilled in the art of tactics, or they rarely become such."
Chuckling at Lysander's words, the Thoreand knight holds his hand up in assent. "Fair enough, fair enough. My thanks for enlightening an foolish warrior."
Bernard quickly dons he armor and gathers up his gear.
"I am not sure how much help I will be to you but I do agree that sticking with you is my best option."
Lysander pipes up helpfully
Maintain a posterior position and do your best to aid us. In particular, ensure that no enemy takes our less martially-inclined members from behind while they are occupied with belligerents in front of them.
He then moves toward the remaining door on the fourth floor (heading back through the stinky troglodyte room) and, once everyone is ready, throws it open.
"Prince Lysander, did anyone ever tell you that you use a lot of extraneous words?"
With a visible, physical struggle to keep his lips closed, Lysander nods.
Iraonar pipes up in a friendly manor,"I think it's fun to try and decipher him." Then turns to his new companion and says,"I couldn't help but notice that you packed the same things I would have had I known I was coming here. You wouldn't happen to be a fellow musician would you Mr.Forsend?"
The door opens to a very wet and humid room. Water has seeped in through the walls and ceiling. Mold and fungus grow on all of the surfaces.
Lysander seems facinated by the amount of samples that he could collect and study. The only thing stopping him is the giant frog looking back at him.
Holding himself ready, the knight stares at the frog as he rumbles, "Alexandra, I believe this is where you step in."
Lysander freezes upon seeing the frog and attempts to recall everything he knows about such exotic fauna. He motions to his companions to hold still.
Completely distracted by the fascinating fungi and molds, Lysander fails to focus on large amphibians and starts wondering about the possible applications of such microbial diversity growing on the walls. He stands still with a slightly dazed look on his face.
Alexandra peers out from behind Daubeny, before looking back at him incredulously.
"What about me says giant frog handler? Amelia seems to get along with reptiles, maybe she'll have the same luck with frogs. You've all been doing fine so far, I'll save my magic for something slightly more dire, if that's all right. Like more than one enemy."
Is what she wanted to say, but they had an outsider with them, one she hadn't been around long enough to gauge.
"I must decline, Sir Daubeny. I have limited power and it is all I can do simply to armor myself from attacks. It doesn't appear hostile, perhaps if we simply give it some food it will allow us to pass? Otherwise, I am afraid I must rely on your skills in combat yet again.
I will use my magic when we face greater numbers, but for now let's see if we can make due without it."
She played it as neutral as possible.
Amelia moved forward slowly producing some dried meat that she offered to the creature, heedless of the fun guy fungi in the area.
Iraonar walks slowly behind her watching with great anticipation for another resounding success.
Keeping a close eye on the creature, Lysander starts moving slowly and cautiously toward the door on the other side of this room. He moves patiently, ensuring he doesn't get closer to the frog than Amelia. He thinks to himself
If there is no valuable objective through this door, we should leave the large amphibian to the course of its typical natural history.
He tries to see if the door he is approaching has any traps. If he sees none and is able to reach it, he will listen at the door for any noise.
Holding up his armored hand in supplication, the knight began to attempt to straighten out the mess his words had created. "My apologies, my first thought was that it was intelligent, for some Pharasma cursed reason."
Underneath his breath, Daubeny murmurs to himself, "This is why the courts and I never found friendship. My words have none of the reliability of my arms."
As Amelia approaches the 6 foot long, 200 pound frog it lashes out with its tongue and attempts to grab her.
Lysander exclaims to warn his allies.
The Brobdingnagian amphibian has turned belligerent!!
He hurls his spear at it.
Moving to the front where he could do the most good, Daubeny utilized his long arms and longer weapon to try and cut the frog down.
"Stupid Frog! That's gross!" shouts Amelia, who then steps up and kicks it in the face.
Balenar pulls out a flute and begins to play and inspiring song.
Amelia feels that her foot do a little more damage and crushes the frogs skull. It drops dead at her feet.
The door opens to a landing that used to be a small closet until the wall fell away.
Opening the door, Daubeny glances about the landing, seeing if the group can continue.
Iraonar takes in the view. As he does so he asks Balenar,"So to what nation does your town belong?"
Lysander also looks past Daubeny, wondering whether or not he and his comrades would benefit from continuing in this trajectory. He consults Daubeny.
Does this route seem profitable to our current undertakings? Or perhaps we should pursue a vertical approach by returning to the stairs?
Lysander moves up the stairs quietly, looking for anything untoward. Assuming there's a door at the top of the stairs, he puts his hear to it to see if he hears anything.
Amelia moves to take her place in the lead of the party once Lysander comes back and tells us what he heard.
As Lysander moves up the stairs he sees that it does not end in a door but goes up and comes out in the center of the floor above.
Lysander tries to move very quietly and just barely close enough to the top of the stairs to see what is on the fifth floor. If he can do so without drawing attention, he'll return to his companions to give a whispered report.
Moving behind Amelia, Daubeny stares at the landing of the stairs.
Iraonar walks to the base of the stairs and to their left absently playing a tune on his panpipes as he does so.
"Well? What is it? Is it safe?"
Alexandra whispers, suppressing her enthusiasm. If this was the top of the tower, then their first task was almost over and she could hopefully leave and take a bath.
Maybe the Dragon would let her send a letter home that would give instructions on how to get to the tower and how she wants it cleaned and decorated.
Lysander creeps up the stairs, peering just over the top of the next stair in an attempt to catch a glimpse of whatever is at the top of the steps. He thinks to himself
I cannot deduce the likely occupants of this chamber but I do suspect the pattern of increasing belligerence and martial capacity demonstrated thus far in the succeeding levels of this structure will hold true. Also, I wonder what strange microphysiological properties these fungal samples I procured in the chamber of the giant amphibian will exhibit when I get a chance to return to a property laboratory with them...
At the slight, distant sound of Iraonar's panpipes
I wonder why our draconic patron considered my musically-inclined comrade a worthy target of forcible recruitment for this task. He seems to brim with incompetence and lack of situational awareness... But he has shown flashes of insight suggesting there is more to him than meets the ear and eye...
The great room of the tower takes up the whole floor. The only furnishing is a large stone throne.
Lysander sees the back of a very large troglodyte talking to another one sitting on the throne.
A giant albino crocodile sits next the throne.
It sees Lysander and growls a warning to its master and starts moving towards the top of the stairs.
Lysander draws another shard gel and hurls it at the belligerent reptile with sharp alchemical slivers piercing its skin and scattering on the floor around it.
We must act now! he informs his companions in a harsh whisper.
Amelia will call upon her god to fill Daubeny and Lysander with the divine power of her god.
Amelia will then move into melee with an enemy, setting up a flank if possible.
Iraonar changes tune and infuses the sound with his magic.
Moving up stairwell so he stands to Lysander's side, Daubeny uses the range of his weapon to prod the beast, hoping to draw it's ire to his armored hide.
Alexandra just wants to leave. She's sick of it all. Moving at she had a view from the stairs into the room, she casts Color Spray into the room, hoping to take out some of their enemies before they cause more damage.
As the groups emerges from the stairwell, Daubney skewers the croc with his polearm and does a large amount of damage.
Alexandra cast her spell causing a blinding light to flash across the room.
The creatures all drop.
The alchemist prince moves north to have a clear shot at the beast in front of him and seizes the opportunity created by arcane power that he only grudgingly respects, hurling a bomb at the crocodile.