Summoning another set of darts, expending the last of her major spell power for the time being, she sends two darts streaking out towards Wasp #1, and sends the last one hurtling toward her initial target (Wasp #4).
Ayita attacks the remaining wasp.
Grinling is fascinated with the giant insects and will try to find their poison sacs and coat his scimitar's blade in it. After that he'll wander over to the eastern wall to check out the exit from that side being careful in case there are more wasps. As he does he stows his shield and draw his dagger with his off hand
CW 1
CW 2
"Gather round now ye, and let's give thanks for coming though this battle alive".
That bugger hurt! Say, why isn't Isaiah getting up off the ground? Wylla says, as she rubs the spot where the wasp stung her.
"Like, ohmygosh!? Is he dead?"
Wylla bends down to check his pulse and breathing.
He's still alive, I think. Just not moving. she says, cocking her head to the side.
Overhearing the conversation behind him Grinling turns from his inspection of the hole in the wall. He speaks softly back across the room, "I have no skill in medicine except what I picked up here and there. I've never encountered a creature that would stop someone like that..."
Grinling continues his inspection trying to be sure there will be no ambush on him and his comrades
Klodd after dispensing his healing, walks over to the unmoving friend.
Medicine
"Let's see if I can figure out what's wrong with him, and how fast he might be able to move again".
Say there, Klodd, was it? Wylla says quietly. Umm, I hate to be a bother, but that wasp got me pretty good, I could use a bit of your divinity if you have some to spare after helping with Isaiah.
"Sure. Come on over".
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"When we brag about our exploits later on, let us agree to leave that part out." Isaiah says while tending to his wounds.
"As you'll be composing the tale my good Bard I'll leave that up to you!" says Grinling glad that Isaiah is recovered
"Fair enough. Does the next passage seem safe to you?" He asks.
Look, I don't pretend to know you, or your compatriot. Looking for her so far has gotten me sort of attacked by orcs, stabbed by wasps, got Isaiah over there stabbed and somethinged by a wasp. Do we really think your friend Valarie is alive? What more searching can we do? The order was to pass on our message and leave, if you'll recall. I don't know her, so I'll leave it up to you that did. Wylla says, peering up from her map.
As it is, I've gotten loads of new designs I want to try out for a rugged "Barbaric Creatures" line of rings. For the boys. She says, with a giggle.
"I don't want to seem like a coward but Wylla is right. This place is too large and too dangerous to continue with our current methods." Isaiah says plainly.
Oh, come on, don't be melodramatic. This place is not nearly as large, or complicated as you believe, though I do concur that it has significant hazards for the uninitiated.
"That's a cute trick, why don't you show yourself?" Isaiah says aloud.
Oh, well, how clumsy of me. Why, I’ve spent so much time in this form, talking to the Duchess and all, that I forgotten that living things cannot see me unless I make it possible, the voice says
Slowly, right beside Wylla, an image, not actually a physical being, comes in to view. It is an image of a handsome Kobold male, with a strange sort of “buish” hue all over his appearance.
It’s only that this small one here, the image bows to Wylla, said something that got my attention, and then I heard you mention that you were daunted by the challenges of what used to be our little hovel. I assure you, it is not large, The current dangers associated with it can be traced to the modifications made by the Von Uvoullovich family, and more recently the presence of the wizards, who have being going by the names of Sergei and Jorge, though I highly doubt that those are their real names. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Winslow Lenin Hammerfell, of the Hammerfell hovel, which was once this wonderful little warren, before the Von Uvoullovich family arrived
The image of the handsome kobold bows to Isaiah, Koldd, and Wolfgang, and then turns to Wylla once again, saying Do you really create jewelry of your own designs? In precious metals? I would love to see a sample of your work.
Oh! Hi! Wylla says, smiling despite herself. I don't have any samples on me, but I have some design sketches in my book here! Though if you have a bit of time and a chunk of old iron or something of that nature, I can show you some of my styles. she plows on, flipping her Libra Schema open to the last page she had sketched on. There's a pendant drawn out, with a rough gem set in the middle of a finely crafted set of iron claws designed to look like the gem was bursting out of the metal.
This one is one of my favorites! she exclaims, excited to show her work off to someone that seems interested.
The ghost seems deeply interested in Wylla's work, and crowd in close to her to look over her shoulder.
Sadly, no. I'm afraid there isn't any metal supplies here. We had just begun expanding the kitchen toward what would have been some wonderful little shops when the Von Uvoullovich family arrived and decided they didn't want our hover occupied by us anymore. They killed, or drove away all of my friends and family. Say, that's a wonderful design.
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Wolfgang had kept quiet, as was his habit sometimes, but as the name "Hammerfell" is dropped, his ears perk up.
Overriding the ghost's conversation of knick-nacks, Wolfgang speaks out. "Winslow! Are you truly of the Hammerfell line? Long and noble was it, at one time, so is my understanding.
But soft! You would come to us with wisdom that we care not, but offer us none that we can use?
If you are truly a creature from the aether, then speak plain! -IS- the wayward Valarie still in a condition to be rescued?
AND! The more important question: Why else might we go on? Long had I thought that this place might watch guard of some forgotten treasures, or lore that might be passably interesting, but of yet we have discovered naught save that which might be found in a common mineshaft.
Well? If you have ALL of the knowledge of this place, then come forward. Speak of carrots, for we have seen enough sticks this day."
Winslow is startled by the man’s sudden gruff and demanding words. He looks sadly at Wylla, and shrugs, saying quietly to her Perhaps some other time, I knew I should have remained hidden
The ghost slides across the floor, and comes to stop near Wolfgang. He tips his head to the side, as a dog would look at a sound it doesn’t understand, and then he shrugs
Your accent is unmistakable, a Baravkovian, just like the Duchess. The ghost then glows brighter, and his face takes on a angry sneer I don’t like most Baravkovians, in fact I’ve only ever met one I do like, and she is dead.
His glow subsides, and he shrugs again, saying In the center of this small, what was once a humble kobold hovel, the old Von Uvoullovich brothers sealed away their sister, who was cursed as a vampire. They always hoped that one day they would find a way to free her from her curse, but before they could, a rather tenacious vampire hunter who had been looking for her for a very long time got word that she was here, and the brothers fled, leaving her, and her personal body guards behind, sealed behind two columns of devilish enchantments. For a century or more I spent my days in pleasant conversation with the Duchess, she is really a rather remarkable young woman actually, and she has come to be in a very different frame of mind after all these years.
Then these two clowns arrived, only recently, with a few orcs from the south, and took over the hovel, trading in captives with the bandits. These wizards, Sergei and Jorge, share a room just to the east of here. Your friend, Valarie, yes I have seen her, along with the man Clifton Caldwell, the one who claims to own this castle now, they are being held to the south of here in rooms that have been converted into cells for special prisoners of the wizards, people they know they cannot ransom, lest they be discovered. Follow the passageway to the east to find the wizards, then to the south, and then on the right, going south you will come to a heavy door. This door once lead to the hovel hall, but now there are two cells, on the south wall, and on the north wall the Columns of Ballacine, two enchanted columns that bar the doors to the crypt of the Duchess Von Uvoullovich. There is no reason for you to disturb her endless entombment. You can rescue your friend and take your leave of this place, if that is what you want. However, within her tomb there is treasure, a great deal of it. Oh, she’s harmless I’m sure, especially if I intercede on your behalf, but the room also holds her body guards. These were once men of Baravkovia, and now they are wights. Twisted and insane, they will kill any living thing that enters the tomb. If you have the strength to free the Duchess, after you have rescued your friend, I would be in your debt. I have grown very fond of the Duchess over these many years and I believe she deserves a chance to prove that she is not a monster anymore and is willing to try to live among the rest of the living of this world peacefully. She desperately desires to know what became of her family.
Where my body lies, there is a key. This key leads to a room that is guarded by a special mirror. This mirror was given to my ancestors long ago for safe keeping. The mirror is magical, but very dangerous. If you free the Duchess for me, I will lead you to the key, and give you the mirror, but let me warn you, the mirror is not dangerous unless it is uncovered, and only a very strong person can face the mirror and not be overcome by its power.
"That's a fantastic tale certainly friend, and I wish to return the favor for your invaluable information but I'm unsure if I can bring myself to release such a dangerous creature on your word alone." Isaiah says.
Wylla perks up at the thought of an ancient Baravkovian noble.
Dangerous creature or not, think of the discoveries we could make! Think of the tales you could tell! Blood red gems and glistening black iron. Noble and stark, elegant and fierce, I can see them now! her eyes hold a look of someone about to do something very genius or very stupid.
Digging in her pack, she pulls out a small twig of wood, picked up on their journey, nothing of any real importance.
It's a shame you have no metal for me to make an example of, so I'll show you the reverse. Watch! Wylla focuses on the twig and in a few minutes, it shimmers and turns into nicely pliable copper. In a flurry of activity, she bends, stretches, and weaves the copper wire into a bracelet with a socket for a gem of some sort. Hunting on the ground, she finds a small-ish stone and inserts it into the hole, tightening the wire around it. Finally, she closes her eyes and lets her mind wander from the material. Slowly the copper fades, leaving a bracelet of impossibly woven wood with a stone set into it.
I usually work this with heavier metals and stone to craft things that would take far too much effort to tool properly. By shifting the materials into easier media, I can do fabulous things! she says, lacking in any humility.
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Wolfgang listens patiently, and allows his fertile mind to digest this, seeing if he's read anything that can either collaborate or condemn the things the ghost is saying.
But undead, as a rule, are usually honest.
"Very well! Like my colleague here, I am open to such a tale, and will welcome you as our guide. Should you be so kind as to lead us by the hand to these places of which you speak--for we would surely be hopelessly lost without your important guidance!--then we shall make every effort to enact thy humble request!
And, should we have time, we may peruse this treasure of which you speak, but surely finding our wayward Valarie, and then releasing the good vampire must needs be our priority."
Wolfgang continues to stare at the ghost, to all others it appears to be a silent show of respect.
In the ghost's mind, Wolfgang's voice still echos. It sounds as if shouted across a chasm of impossible width. And deep in the chasm, though dark, all know that a being of terrible horror resides, sleeping, our only salvation hoping that we are beneath it notice. 'Be not so full of hubris as to betray us, ghost-thing. For whatever you know of Baravkovians, that is but a candle held to a thousand suns. For I know that which even you would fear to behold. So betray us not.
And if you do...I might not search for you.
But my master -will-."
The thrall-demon that surrounds Wolfgang forms what looks like a sneer in the kobold's direction, but it's quickly subsumed in its surging eddie of aether-stuff.
Well, yes. No one said you have to release the Duchess, that’s up to you, but rescuing your friend should be easy, follow me.
The ghost glides out of this room and back into the east west passageway. He drifts to the east, headed toward a turn to the south. Just before he reaches the corner he stops, turns back at the three of you, and places his finger to his lips as if to say, “quiet,” and then he points to a door just across the hallway to the east around the corner.
Refusing to go on with this mission, Klodd stomps away back to the west.
"Who wants to go first?" Isaiah says in an all too unstealthy fashion.
Wylla follows the friendly ghost, slipping the bangle over her hand and onto her wrist.
When he holds up his finger, asking them to be quiet, she makes a show out of pinching her lips together in a smile. Looking at her compatriots, she shrugs a bit, and reaches out to test the door handle.
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Wolfgang strides boldly into the room as if he is lord and master of the manse. He looks to his right and notices the statues.
"Take care, friends Wyalla and Isaiah. Those caryatids to the North are powerful guardians. If we pass between them we shall be shocked surely. We will need to neutralize them if we want to pass."
Then his head turns and only now does he deign to notice the two imprisoned wretches.
Using his mind-powers, he contacts the koblod-ghost. 'What now is this, sir Hammerfell? Is this our forlorn Valarie? And, if so, who is the man occupying the other cell?"
That done, Wolfgang strides forward, a great smile on his face. "Greetings! I am Gang-of-Wolves, a powerful thaumaturge. These are my associates; Isaiah Fortaine the Enticing, legendary songsmith and swordsman extraordinaire; and Opaleye the Compelling, a wizardess whose knowledge of the arcane is rivaled only by my own.
Now, we are looking for someone -specific-. Please remain calm and introduce yourselves and we shall...take care of you...from there."