The group quickly searches the remaining area and discover a kitchen area and panty, their is an assortment of food items, pots and pans. The fire is lit for the stove. Gerard discovers a a magical dagger (+1) in one of the drawers in the kitchen. Inside the flour jar is sack of coin.
Let us head back into Walcourt. We can then decide whether or not we should head down the east hall way we have yet to explore or down the staircase that is north of the room where the wizard laired.
Here is the map of the upstairs again if you decide to go back upstairs.
Andrea points to the stairwell north of the wizard's lair (D16) and the hallway lying to the east of the well appointed lounge. (D8)
Gerard leads the way.
We have had enough distraction, let's head back into Walcourt and kill the viper in it's den.
Daniel looks out a Window to note the Suns position in the sky.
Bob got those gobboes good, but what was he gunna do now? Bob managed to get into the ruins of the city and got plenty of torches
to keep the beasts away but how was he going to find his love?
Bob managed to talk to some thieves that lived in the north part. They sent him to crack the skulls of the leftovers of a gang called The Bastards that got killed off and said a yellow haired woman that looked like his love and had killed their leader said she had done some weird 'play' where she got covered in leeches and acid and fought big undead for the mayor.
Humies are strange.
They did say she was rumored to have gone into some...what was it? A hunter's lodge and find some treasure. Bob will go there and maybe she will be there!
The group makes it back into the council's meeting room upstairs and they discuss their options on how to proceed? Gerard suggests clearing out the upper floor completely, leaving no threat behind, while Daniel and Andrea get antsy to get smoke the viper out of hits den and head downstairs.
The sun's position weighs on Daniel as it slides closer to the horizon, he estimates another hour to hour and half of daylight remaining. Not that the lack of sun means much since this guild has been quite dark inside.
If we decide to clear this floor we should leave after we do so. Since we need to leave enough time to get back to the Tilneros estate and avoid the shadow beasts. Gerard, since you wish to clear the floor, I am willing to follow your lead on that matter.
I suggest leaving Walcourt instead of resting here since this is the seat of Ilnerik's power and I do not want to wake up with his fangs in my throat.
Gerard agrees.
Daniel sighs but assents to the delay.
If you wish, but my biggest fear is that Illnerik will use the time we rest at Tilneros to go to ground elsewhere. Then we need to find him again. Or worse, he could launch an all out assault somewhere close to home. If my enemies assaulted my fortress, weathering an attack and striking in their sleep is a VERY good tactic.
He then gathers them all in very close amd barely whispers, We don't need to sleep, however because I have a wand of Keep Watch. We only need to pray at our appointed time. Maybe take as much ground as we can and pull back to a place we can watch his forces leave. Maybe even catch him enroute to assault us?
Andrea messages back. That is good advice. A compromise between keeping up the pressure here as Gerard wishes and retreating when the sun dips lower.
Look here and listen up. Bravado aside, you... we are ill equipped to deal with this place. And, you'll get us all killed. Now, typically I wouldn't mind if I knew I could pull our collective fat from the fire. But, I don't believe that I can.
So what I'm saying is, scour this gods forsaken place and see if there is something we can put to good use. There will be invisibility and darkness. We almost got taken out by a hired wizard... The second I might add.
The paladin looks as if slapped. Then turns to a look of anger, As I recall, rogue, I have done the majority of the bleeding in here. The darkness was dispelled by the archon who came to my divine plea, I stood toe to toe with the Oni and fought it to the death while you stood in the rear, even AFTER I had tripped it. Barring putting our foes on their backs and taking all the hits, I fail to see how I could possibly be more accommodating. If getting hit frightens you so much, perhaps you should consider a new career or learn to dodge. Azreal has bought flower bombs for invisible foes. We still have much healing and darkness can be dispelled at will by the hound. I will not keep you here if you will not stay. And if the group decides to leave my duty is to see you to safety, perhaps we can ask Illnerik and his allies to meet us at a time and place of your choosing?
The hall to east extend 15 feet before Gerard see another one of those spy holes, this one peers into another hallway and there is door in that hall that he can observe. He spend a a good minute trying to find a secret door or concealed entry but finds none.
To the North the hall extends another 25 feet before turning sharply ot the east.
Andrea smiles lightly. Ilnerik would never show himself unless we were all broken and bleeding on the ground, just like he never tried to claim the Morrowfall from Delvehaven. He is a rat hiding behind all his minions.
Gerard, at first I was thinking we should clear this floor as much as we can and then retreat so we can adjust our magics to counter the darkness and invisibility that has been used against us. You are correct that I was negligent in not preparing magics against it since I was to focused on trying to summon and breaking the wizard's bones. The package we got from the Tilneros will allow us to at least temporarily counter such tactics until we need to rest so yes, we can keep searching Walcourt before the sun sets completely and THEN retreat since sleeping here would be suicide.
So can we all play nice until we leave then then we can settle our differences in the manner chosen ?
Andrea was a balm on the paladin's pride. He steps aside and waits for the rogue to resume his scouting
North than east then.
There are two doors in the twisting hallway that he groups sees. Gerard also finds another spy hole on the south wall in the northern hall. He also locates secret door hall (G/H,22) to the left of his token opposite the door that is marked on the map.
North
Daniel and Andrea move through the North door and into a room containing stairs that lead down.
Let us not go down until we have this floor secured. Would you please check the secret door to your west, Gerard?
Gerard twists and turn through the hidden hallway, he observes the spy holes he previously noted while on the other side of the wall.There is a door remaining to explore.
Great minds and all... See above.
The door seems well oiled and cared for but it is not trapped, Gerard open s the door revealing a large saferoom that is well appointed containing several bunk beds, desks, chests, chairs and a long weapon rack.
There are three of each masterwork quality rapiers, long swords, short swords, spears, javelins, quarterstaff, comp short bos (14 str), comp long bows (14 str), repeating crossbows and arrows/bolts.
On inspection and using detect magic and spellcraft you find that there are the following magical weapons in a hidden cache: +2 dagger with the throwing special ability; +1 Grounding Light warhammer, +3 longsword, there are 8 Cure serious potions, 1 dispel magic scroll (arcane), 1 dispel magic scroll (divine), 1 lesser restoration potion, 1 restoration scroll.
It takes you a good 45 minutes to search the room, find and identify the items...you have about 20 minutes of daylight remaining.
CLANK CLANK CLANK!
Edit:Quite the find correct Gerard? I must tell everyone that all of my protective spells have expired, the magical aura against evil and aura of doom. This and the fact that the sun is about to set makes staying her much riskier. So what does everyone want to do?
The room looks very safe with only one door to worry about. However remember that there are undead like shadows that can pass through walls. If we rest we need double shifts.
None of it helps me, except the potions... Let's move.
Given the position of the sun. We have no time. If you wish to leave we must do it now. We would see combat the entire night, when Illnerik sends out his shadow beasts. Since apparently they do not come in the Light we could have Azreal cast continual flame spells on every wall scounce and on pieces of furniture in this room first and in the surrounding rooms as well. If Illnerik and his minions are using prepared spells they will likely run out before they can darken this room. It will slow any advance upon our position. Keep in mind it will do nothing to stop wizards and other things that are not shadowbeasts.
The Hound nods his assent.
I can cast the spell an unlimimted number of time. 20 minutes and I could have the entire floor lit up like daylight. Hold out all your weapons first.
Not even the throwing dagger, Gerard?
Lighting up the room seems Prudent, please do so Azreal.
Let us secure this floor. Gerard, please check the door to the east of this room
Any dagger sheathed in my belt comes back.... Gerard moves, complying with Andrea's direction.
None of it helps me, except the potions... Let's move.
This guardroom has been rigged with a large spring-loaded spear trap designed to punch through the thin eastern wall onto any hapless individuals in the corridor beyond, but though set, no one is stationed here to use the manually activated trap. Instead, several dark-clothed humans lie sprawled upon the floor in pools of rapidly congealing blood that appear to have been crudely mopped up.
It looks like we are not the only ones racking up a body count. I wonder who did this?
Time enough to thank them later...
Two doors to the north, looks like they might lead into the same room. Shall we enter from two different doors?
AHHH! AHHH!! I'm sorry dollies! I didn't mean to knock over the horsie!
AGHH! Nooo! Please! I didn't mean to step on the tea set the nice lady gave you!
Don't bite there!! WAHHH!! MOMMY!!
Orsin discretely imbibes a potion of cure moderate wounds to address his bumps and bruises.