By the light of Nicolai’s spell (which still has another ten minutes or so of duration until it expires), it can be seen that the musky earthen tunnel continues relatively straight to the south, to at least the extent of the radius of light.
Nicholai looks at Laithe,
"Actually, I was referring to these tarnished torcs. But it looks like they were just some guards personal treasure stash. Ah well," He responds with a small smile as he wraps them in a handkerchief and hands them to , casually tossing the rotten box aside. The dandy brushes his fingertips lightly to remove teh rotten wood bits, and examines the clay jars."I'm afraid I never mastered any weapons that required finesse or long study to use properly." He adds, pocketing one jar and handing the other to Kajetan. "I suggest we carry the extras, as we are more likely to not be involved in battle, and can use them to assist others if need be." He says to the mage.
Straightening up from where he was working, the dandy looks back wistfully, but nods in agreement with Laithe.
"Yes, let us continue. This, pervading evil disturbs me. I would very much like to discover it's source." Nicholai says with a furrowed brow.
Laithe hands the javelin over to Keildrithe. "It is yours, brother. Let it bring down destruction on our enemies as a bolt from the Storm Lord".
Seeing the consensus is to move on, he cautiously starts down the Southern tunnel, watching and listening for any dangers ahead.
Nicholai steps back up onto his floating disk, hands one of the coins to Kajetan, and picks up his crossbow. Then floats down the tunnel after the others, somehow looking dapper despite the smudges of dirt and general messiness of the recent conflicts,...
Keildrithe sighs with dismay as his companions prepare to delve deeper in the tainted complex, but he falls into line behind Pharris and Laithe with javelin in hand, Alton's enchanted blade now tucked into his belt. The bard begins to hum a melody to himself in his native tongue...
All is quiet and still as Laithe leads the way down the passage to the south. The air is still and musty.
About forty feet down the earth-roofed corridor, there is a slight kink in the passage, a shift to the east and then continuing south.
Past the kink, the light coin that Laithe holds illuminates a circular stone walled chamber that opens up at the end of the passage, twenty feet ahead. Standing in the middle of the chamber is a tall, humanoid figure. For a moment, Laithe thinks it might be a living (or undead) sentry, but he soon realises that it is in fact a statue, constructed of some highly polished brown stone or ceramic. It appears to depict a tall, barbarian warrior, facing away from the group’s direction of approach.
For a moment, Laithe thinks he sees something move in the chamber. Not the statue, but some shadowy form flicking briefly across his field of vision. He blinks and it is gone … or not. Perhaps something yet lurks in the shadows of the chamber ahead …
Kajetan finds him self at the rear of the group again, the light from the front casting frightening shadows around him, he constantly peers around, searching the darkness behind him for any more horrors. So it is no supprise when he walks into the Dandies back when the group stops as the chamber and statue come into view.
He stops, rubbing his nose "Sorry Nicolai, what is it, I can't see?"
NIcholai turns halfway around, tension leaving his shoulders as he throws the young mage a grin.
"Quite alright. We've just come to another chamber, with a statue, I think. Laithe?" The dandy responds softly, the last question aimed at the druid.
NIcholai turns halfway around, tension leaving his shoulders as he throws the young mage a grin.
"Quite alright. We've just come to another chamber, with a statue, I think. Laithe?" The dandy responds softly, the last question aimed at the druid.
Laithe raises one hand, signalling to hold as he nears the chamber. At Nicolai's question he replies quietly "I think I saw something moving in there, but I've lost it among the shadows. Can we get any more light in there?"
Keildrithe hands Alton's dagger to Kajetan, then firmly grips his newly acquired javelin with both hands. "What do you see, brother?" he asks, unable to see much beyond Laithe and Pharris.
Then, softly at first, as if trying to bolster his own courage, the Karand begins to recite the words of an old Karandic ode... The words reach his companions, steadying their nerves and lifting their morale as well as they face the unknown presence in the dark chamber ahead...
You doubt your strength or courage
Don't come to join with me
For death surely awaits you
With sharp and pointy teeth
An animal so vicious
No others fought and won
So on the fields of battle
We are the chosen ones
Human bones blanket the dirt
Of the heathen's lair
That we must pass this den of death
The only path from here
But I walk in the light
The time to die has come
No-one shall take my life
I'm of the chosen ones
Black shadows fill the sky
As the creature's eyes grow near
Raise the shield of the holy pilgrims
High into the air
Kord's powers fill my arms
Onward now to fight I'm sent
Oh the beast is coming
To put us to the test
Kajetan hums along to the tune, unable to see squat from the rear of the group, but suddenly less fearful of the shadows behind him.
As Keildrithe’s ode bolster’s the courage of the party, Laithe trots up the corridor and flicks one of the light coins into the room, dispelling the shadows therein … or at least that should dispel all the shadows … but three tenacious blots of darkness remain, lurking at the edges of the room against all reason, roughly man-sized, amorphous blobs of shadow that drift slowly towards where Laithe stands some ten feet back from the opening to the chamber …
Knowledge (Religion) : +7
As Keildrithe’s ode bolster’s the courage of the party, Laithe trots up the corridor and flicks one of the light coins into the room, dispelling the shadows therein … or at least that should dispel all the shadows … but three tenacious blots of darkness remain, lurking at the edges of the room against all reason, roughly man-sized, amorphous blobs of shadow that drift slowly towards where Laithe stands some ten feet back from the opening to the chamber …
Laithe falters for a moment when he realises the patches of darkness were moving towards the group. If not for Keildrithe's words of courage and strength, he would have been inclinded to back-track down the corridor. Instead he asks "Any idea's on what these might be?" to the others behind him. Quietly, he mutters a prayer, instilling it with magical energy "Ehlonna lend me strength against these abominations of nature". Gripping his spear and shield tightly, he prepares for the approach of the creatures.
Nicholai peeks between Pharris' and Laithe's tensed forms. He speaks in a voice that is coldly calm, even accounting for Keildrithe's calming influence.
"KAjetan, I'm no expert, but if those are our shadows, shouldn't they be moving away from us? Or better yet, standing still??"
Pharris grips her sword tight and makes sure that she is at the front of the group.
"I have a bad feelin....."
"As if the crawling horrors weren't bad enough," mutters Keildrithe as he finishes reciting his ode. Despite the inspiring words he just intoned, the bard seems unsure as to whether he should stand his ground or run... His mind races uncontrollably, preventing him from remembering any useful bits of knowledge he might have that would be helpful for defeating this new threat.
"Maybe you should run, now! Kajetan, Nicolai you first, go!" Pharris voice trembles at the shadows' movements.
"As much as I am loathe to agree, 'ladies first' and all that you know,..." Nicholai says, nervously edging backwards,...
"My mother used to say, 'Brains before Valor'! Come on Kaj, I'll race you back!" The dandy says, tugging on the young wizard's sleeve before turning and dashing back the way they came.
"As much as I am loathe to agree, 'ladies first' and all that you know,..." Nicholai says, nervously edging backwards,...
"My mother used to say, 'Brains before Valor'! Come on Kaj, I'll race you back!" The dandy says, tugging on the young wizard's sleeve before turning and dashing back the way they came.
Kajetan who still can't see what is at the front of the group that has got them scared, resists being pulled away for a moment before his registers that every one is retreating. He turns and follows the dandy down the passageway.
I'm assuming Moth will want us all to roll initiative, so I'll wait until the order is determined before I decide on an action...
I'm assuming Moth will want us all to roll initiative, so I'll wait until the order is determined before I decide on an action... [/ooc]
Nicolai and Kajetan:
Such horrors are near impossible to lay to rest without magic, holy water, the conviction of a priest, or at least enchanted weapons. Their touch chills the blood, and drains the strength from even the bravest warrior.
Laithe stands steadfast in the corridor near the entrance to the chamber, bolstered in his courage by Keildrithe’s words. He utters a prayer to Ehlonna and readies himself for battle.
Pharris starts backing away, as does Nicolai, before he turns and runs, dragging Kajetan in his wake.
The shadows drift along the wall … then away from the wall, resolving themselves into vaguely man-shaped, translucent black two-dimensional forms. They drift slowly through the air towards the entrance to the chamber, then stop there (or perhaps simply pause) seeming to silently appraise Laithe with their featureless faces.
;)
NIcholai slows and turns to look over his shoulder. He sees the shadowy forms take shape and stumbles to a stop. The dandy exchanges a panicked look with Kajetan. "No,..." He whispers hoarsely,... "Living Shadows of men,..."
"NO! Laithe! Don't let them touch you! Their very touch is deadly!" Nicholai shouts, sounding just a little panicked, despite Keildrithe's emboldening influence.
"We are enemies of the Artonite Inquisition," says Keildrithe hesitantly in a quavering voice, hoping that the shadows can understand him and that they will be sympathetic to their cause...
"We are enemies of the Artonite Inquisition," says Keildrithe hesitantly in a quavering voice, hoping that the shadows can understand him and that they will be sympathetic to their cause...
The shadows hang just within the archway, making no discernable response, not even giving indication of whether or not they understand the bard's words.
Run away, run away!
The elf maiden's eyes plead with the men to be less than brave.
elves are creatures of light and life, this is our most deadly enemy, a dark undeath.
The elf maiden's eyes plead with the men to be less than brave.
elves are creatures of light and life, this is our most deadly enemy, a dark undeath.
Laithe hears Nicolai's warning shout about the creature's deadly touch and his resolve begins to falter. Glancing over his shoulder sees the fear in Pharris' eyes, along with her unspoken message to back down. Seeing the inclination is to retreat, he backs up uncertainly down the corridor until he is standing beside Keildrithe. He continues to watch the Shadows to see if they will continue their advance. "Perhaps they are bound to the chamber?" he mutters to Keidlrithe.
As the party retreats back down the corridor, the shadows seem to wait just within the entrance to the chamber, not following or taking any other action.
As the party retreats back down the corridor, the shadows seem to wait just within the entrance to the chamber, not following or taking any other action.
Seeing some proof of his theoy, Laithe calls out "Hold!" to those retreating down the corridor. "I think they are somehow bound to the room," he adds once Kajetan and Nicolai have halted. "We will need to face them if we are to continue that way. Otherwise we can return to the room with the plug in the floor, or return up the rope to Alton?"
Nicholai nods, obviously relieved that they are not, (yet,) following them past the doorway. There is an almost zealous gleam in his eye.
"Agreed. I cannot allow these,... creatures, to continue to exist. Even if they are somehow bound to the far chamber, the pervading evil in this place may allow them to escape someday. I could not live with myself if I allowed that to happen." Nicholai states, almost biting his words in his conviction.
"Still, we are not at our full strength. This would be considerably easier if I were not so tired. The magic I have left is powerful, but not nearly enough to guarantee these creatures demise." He admits with obvious reluctance.
"What we need is magic, either spell or weapons, or better yet the conviction of a priest made manifest! Any combination of those should make short enough work of them. We simply cannot allow ourselves to be drawn into close combat with them, their very touch drains your strength. At least according to the accounts I read when I was studying."
The shadows continue to hang in the air just within the chamber, backlit by the illuminated coin that Laithe tossed into the chamber.
Keildrithe has heard tales of benign ghosts and spirits, but none of the stories he has heard describe such spirits as being like shadows in appearance. All the tales he has heard of shadow creatures describe them as at worst outright evil and at best hostile towards or jealous of the living.
"No good can come of contact with the shades of the damned," mumbles Keildrithe, echoing the sentiments of his companions. He backs away slowly, taking Pharris gently by the wrist... "Best to retreat and live to fight them another day, if need be," he says quietly while darting a glance over his shoulder at Nicolai.
Pharris is cold and tightly drawn to the touch. She steps back into the party, her eyes never leaving the dark craven shadows.
"I don't want to go in there. Not now, not ever."
Kajetan shudders slightly at the look of the creatures, "I wonder how long they have been bound here, waiting?" he shudders again, "tomorrow I may be able to help, a little against them, but today I am spent," He looks at the others hoping they are as weary as him, the battle against the soldiers seeming like a life time ago, even though barely hours have passed.
Nicholai tensely continues to stare daggers at the shadowy shapes, but loosens just a little at Pharris' words. He gives the elf woman a small smile, nowhere near his usual dazzling grin.
"I understand. They are the antithesis of all I was raised to believe in. And, quite frankly, they scare the stuffing out of me! But we cannot just leave them here. Even if they never escape, WE found this place, someday others will too. And anyone who is killed by such a damn@d soul, returns as one. They are worse than a plague. The only way to stop them is to destroy them." He intones as if pronouncing his death sentence.
Nicholai looks to the others and raises an eyebrow.
"Fortunately, all we need is time and rest, and Kajetan and I should be able to dispatch them fairly easily. As long as they cannot cross the doorway." He adds with a pensive look.
"UNfortunately, I am not certain that we have time to rest. We sent our persistent friend running, for now. But I have no doubt that they will soon return. Even if they expect us to have left here, they will return to try and find our trail, and discover the opening. I have NO desire to be trapped down here, with those things!,... Or worse,..."
"I would prefer to put as much distance between ourselves and this place as possible," says Keildrithe, "and that before the Inquisitor returns. We've been down here long enough, and for one will not rest down here... nor will I rest in the cellar beneath the tower... it would just be too easy for us to get trapped down there. If Arton is as mighty as his fanatics claim he is, then they will be able to destroy the shades that dwell down here. Let them deal with the undead, I don't think it's something we should risk our lives doing at the moment... We already have more than enough at stake..."
The bard impatiently waits for someone with a light source to lead the way back to the large hole via which they gained egress to this godsforsaken tomb...