Keil freezes. Bones aching, he wonders if the pain he's been feeling in his joints has led him to miss something. No. The mouth moved. It spoke. The shadowy man's eye's narrow and he notes the circular flagstone placed in front of the head. Repeating the statue's question in his mind Keil hobbles forward intending to sit in front of the statue. The pain!
Hearing Brok and the other's approach, Keil gingerly turns to look over his shoulder at the goblin, "A word puzzle."
Turning at the edge of the flagstone, but not crossing it yet, Keil turns to face the group. "We're to wish. To reawaken. Or experience. Could be literal. Or, different meaning. Thoughts?" Keil's voice strains more than usual as the fetchling's pain threshold continues to be tested. As he awaits the group's opinion, he sits on the floor, careful not to cross the circular flagstone. Hoping for some relief he goes over the words, Reawakening or experience. I'm not asleep. No need to wish to awaken. But doesn't reawaken mean something else? Experience. Experience what? That could be anything... Swiveling on the spot, Keil studies the statue for a clue.
"Experience." Grey says firmly.
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"Nothing but bad choices in this place. Where's the statue that offers up grog or rat kabobs?"
Raaz strides up behind the group and glares at each one of them in turn. "By the Burning Hells what are you doing? This is no doubt a trap left by the foul Goat-worshipers." He glares at the statue, which does not react to his presence. "If you wish to throw yourself into his jaws, then at least warn me so I may report our glorious success to Komm!"
Grunting uncomfortably Keil stands, "Unfortunately, can't leave this. And, don't know, how much help I will be like this." The fetchling painfully raises a curled hand, "And I doubt, you're capable, of healing this." Wincing in pain Keil adds with a feeble yet wicked smile, "Besides, trap's in that room," and points a frail finger at the steaming stone head.
Stepping onto the half circular flagstone, Keil faces the statue and in his raspy voice answers the statue, "I wish for experience."
As Keil speaks the words, the statue starts to glow with a pale white light, which soon grows to a painfully bright level. The fetchling hears in his mind before the statue emits a bright flash which dazzles all of you briefly. As you shake the sparkles out of your eyes, you all feel as if you have unlocked various secrets in your mind.
Keil's head clears and for a moment the pain in his joints disappears, replaced by clarity and understanding. "Ahhh! Hel's pestilence fills me with her blight!" Armed with a new sense of comprehension the shadowy man's face lights up, his eyes wide. Then an instant later the pain rushes back, filling him with anguish. "Aaaa!" Keil collapses to the floor. Turning to Brok the fetchling winces, "Take the lead friend. My limbs will only slow you."
"What Keil do? Arlok feel stronger."
Brok looks to the suffering fetchling and winces.
"Need find way to fix Keil." he says.
"Until fixed, Arlok and Varg have to bring him along."
"We need to leave before the statue breaths on us again."
With that, he turns and exits the the rooms headed back into the passage.
He heads east, scouring the passage for danger as he goes.
(+3 for traps)
if there's nothing dangerous before the corner, he'll stop, crouch down low, and peer around the corner.
"We, chose correctly Arlok."
With no way of determining for himself how much time the group has until the steam head finishes recharging, Keil holds up a hand for Brok to wait - but too late.
Turning to Grezzor, the shadowy man's raspy voice inquires, "Grezzor, how much time. Before that head is ready? If there is, enough time. A quick exit, would be wise."
Grey smiled beneath his mask. Now his plans could truly begin to take shape.
Grezzor simply smiles widely, staring at his hands, and then his companions - "Perfect"
Puzzled by Grezzor's reply Keil squints hard at the goblin wizard, "Perfect? How much time is that?"
Unamused the fetchling hobbles over to Arlok to retrieve his pack, "Thanks." Cinching the straps tightly beneath his cloak, or as tightly as his swollen knuckles will allow him, Keil heads for the doorway.
"We are short. On time. No sense risking. Anyone else. I enter first. After the trap goes off. Exit these chambers."
Letting the pain in his joints fill him with anger Keil uses this burden to drive himself forward. A determined scowl set upon his face, the shadowy man steps into the adjoining chamber and makes for the steam head statue.
Although he does not say it, Keil still considers the handling of traps to be his duty. As the party's trapsmith, he intends to ensure the group's safety. In this case, if the statue has reset itself, it his he duty to take the brunt of the steam head's wrath.
"I am not sure how long it will take to recharge" - Grezzor reiterates - "A couple of minutes is as exact as I can be. So we best hurry"
After hearing Keil tell him to "take the lead", Brok left the room to scout ahead.
Keil thought later that maybe he should have gone first through the room , but it was too late at that point.
You all hurry through the steam trap room, anxoius to avoid pressing your luck and spoiling your extremely good fortune. Moving onto the east passage Brok does not detect any traps and sees the passage turns south and heads down past the range of his vision. Doors are spaced on the west wall, four in total. The corridor also appears to branch off on the opposite side of the last door as well.
Keil thought later that maybe he should have gone first through the room , but it was too late at that point.
Nodding to Grezzor's affirmation, Keil waits in front of the steam head until everyone has made their exit, then joins the group in the hallways. Moving slower, he takes a rolled up corner of the old blanket he carries in his pack and bites down on it in an attempt to stifle the pain. Keil lets Brok lead the way, but checks the goblin's work as he goes.
Brok pads silently down the corridor and checks the first door in the west wall for traps.
if it appears safe he places on of his large ears up against it and listens.
Brok heads to the first door and seeing it is unlocked, opening to an empty room. Seeing little of interest in here the goblin ranger, followed closely by the fetchling, moves to the next door.
The next door down the corridor also proves to be unlocked and un-trapped, the keen ears of the goblin picking up the faint sound of what appears to be dripping water. Keil also notes the corridor bends back to the west not far after the opening to the east.
"Arlok still amazed at size of place"
He continues to follow along.
Brok will quietly try to open the door and peek inside.
No sooner does Brok crack open the door than the air is filled by a several loud piercing shrieks! As you clasp your ears against the noise Brok does see water dripping from the ceiling of this room which is filled with mushrooms and fungi of many kinds and colors.
Brok closes the door quickly and turns back to the group.
"Danger!" he says to the others.
"Shrieker monsters call out and draw enemies to us."
"We either hide in first room or get ready to fight" he finishes as he gestures to the first empty room in the corridor.
Arlok's hands tighten around the haft of his glaive.
"let'em come"
Nodding in agreement, Keil leans against the wall and turns to the rest, "Finally. Time for action. He, he..." The nervous laugh which follows the shadowy man's raspy voice shouldn't fill the group with any confidence that this fetchling will be a boon to any upcoming battle. Keil rubs his knuckles wearily as he looks down the hall to whatever might be approaching.
Grey sent his followers back toward safety and gripped his skull-headed staff.
As the rest of you prepare to do battle with whatever might investigate the noise, Raaz strides forth to the shriekers and with several swipes from his evil looking cestus puts an end to the noise. "So, are we willing to make our last stand here?" He asks scornfully.
"This will not be our last stand. It will be one stand among many." Grey said quietly.
Seeing how the group appears unconcerned about the noise attracting possible enemies, Brok ducks back into the shrieker room to see if it contains anything of value.
(+3 for traps)
While you wait for something to interrupt your waiting, Raaz mutters a few words in the infernal tongue and points down the corridor. You all hear the sound of flapping wings at it passes over your heads. On seeing your questioning looks, he just smiles. "Akkus. He can be a little shy."
Brok looks around the various fungi growth in the room and finds two skeletons. One of these wears a tattered robe and carries a scroll case along with a normal quarterstaff and a lantern which is empty of oil. The second skeleton wears a suit of plate mail armor, a little rusted but still in good shape, holding a longsword in its bony hand, and has a belt pouch with 127 gp and an opal worth 250 gp. There are also 3 gp, 248 sp, and 621 cp scattered about under mushrooms and lichen. Many of these coins are badly crusted with clinging fungus growths and strange-colored patinas.
Brok sets to gathering the treasure and dragging it to the door while the others are preparing for a fight.
As Brok finishes up gathering the treasure for later perusal, Raaz looks up from watching the goblin as the faint flapping of wings is heard once again.
"They are coming. He states in a flat voice, tinged with an undercurrent of excitement.
Initiative
.
Zombie
FH Zombie
No sooner has Raaz spoken then Keil watching down the corridor sees a group of what looks like zombies shuffling towards you. He counts three of them at first but as they draw closer he notes two additional blackened, bat-winged fiend's head flying above the zombies, their wings nothing but tattered ribbons.
"Brok." Keil thumbs down the hall to indicate the approaching threat, "Company approaches." Hobbing back to rejoin the others, the dull knock of the quarterstaff against the stone floor announces Keil's every step. Stopping behind the warriors, Keil tasks the staff to find the floor and retrieves his short sword, intending to cut down anything that should make it through Varg or Arlok.
"Curious" - Grezzor points out - "These are zombies, yet stronger - not shuffling around. They will move as fast as any human"
Teh goblin steps forward behind Varg and Arlok, and unleashes a fiery spell on the first line of attackers.