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The party opens the secret door to the north.
This room contains rotting bales of what might be cloth, and dusty crates. The room smells like it has been closed off for a long time. Some of the crates block the secret door, as if whoever stocked this room did not know about it.
The party makes a search of the room. No one detects any magic, secret doors, traps, or anything else interesting. The cloth is so old that it shreds with almost any handling, and the crates contained perishable goods that have disintegrated long ago. The wood of the crates is dry and brittle, and would make decent kindling but is good for little else.
The party is mostly finished searching the room when Ferrous hears a sound from the other side of the door leading into the hallway. It sounds like something is sniffing at the bottom of the door.
Ferrous awoke and had a half-meal breakfast just like the others. When the goblin started up with his lies Ferrous smiled as he replaced the gag tightly.
After proceeding into the next room Ferrous heard a sound at the door leading into the hallway.
There be some beastie beyond the door. Shall we engage it's a chance for more food?
Ferrous waits for the group's confirmation of his plan.
"An animal may aid us when an insect will not, prepare to open the door to see. Maybe the goblin wizards familiar has happened upon his scent....it is pungent."
An animal may aid our bellies more than anything else Shaman. Unless it knows how to lead us to water it would do better as a meal than a mouth.
Rolls his eyes, Shaman, you are almost as bad as the goblin with your yammerings! and steps up by Ferrous. Aye good dwarf, I say we open the door
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Ferrous throws open the door.
Crouched on all fours is a man, with white bushy hair and pale skin. He wears grey robes with fur fringes and has a mask on his face that looks like the face of a wolf.
When the man sees Ferrous and Fistep standing in the doorway, he jumps back, and snarls like a wolf.
"Grrrrrrr!"
His fingers curl as if he had claws on his hands (though Ferorus and Fistep can see that he has no such thing), and he makes threatening gestures with them as if he might claw at the adventurers. He is still crouched down on all fours, more or less.
"Now the fates have provided you another to talk with. Who appears older and wiser, more attuned to the spirit of coyote."
Ana scratches her head. "Do we eat it or talk to it?"
Not being able to see into the hallway, Zynazyr is confused by the noises from the hallway and the reactions of his companions. "What's out there?" he asks quizzically.
Wolfie down boy! We mean you no harm. Ferrous said as he hefted his axe and shrugged his shield bearing arm. You want to talk to it Shaman? TALK!
"It was not I who wanted to talk. Let us see if it obeys commands, perhaps coyote is communing with us. Coyote is a trickster after all."
"Water? where is the water?"
Montague slips back into the room, hiding behind the door, so if the thing comes into the room he can attempt to stab it in the back... if needed.
Ferrous stares at the crouched man a bit longer before deciding that he is not an immediate threat.
Bring forward the goblin. I have questions for him. You can ungag him when it's his turn to answer.
Ferrous keeps his attention on the wolf-man until some one brings the goblin forward enough for the goblin to see the man.
What do you know of this Smelldox? Have you seen others like this?
Looks at the shaman and shakes his head. He turns to the wolf masked man, putting his sword away. Do you speak common? We mean you no harm, and are simply looking for a source of water.
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The masked man snarls and leaps forwards. He tries to bite Fistep...
But his jaws close on nothing but air.
Round 1 Initiative:
Block 1: Ana, Ferrous, Fistep, Montague
Round 2: Wolf-Man.
In case anyone wants to try to knock this guy out instead of killing him, here's how that works:
* An attack to subdue is made at a -2 to hit compared to normal attacks.
* Blunt weapons do full damage, while sharpened weapons must use the "flat of the blade" and therefore do only half damage.
* If a subdual attack hits, half of this damage is "subdual damage" (round up), and the remaining half (round down) is normal damage. It is generally not possible to knock a creature unconscious without doing them some injury. A subdual attack can still kill an enemy if it does too much damage.
* If a character wants to do less damage than normal, he may "pull his punches" and reduce his Strength bonus (STR) on his attack. This affects his to-hit and damage as if his Strength is whatever lower value he chooses.
* If a creature's normal damage plus its subdual damage exceeds its maximum hit points, it is rendered unconscious. A creature typically recovers one point of subdual damage per hour per hit die it possesses. However, if the subdual damage exceeds the creature's total maximum hit points, that creature is put into a coma.
* Magical healing removes as many subdual damage points as it does regular hit points. This is in addition to the regular healing provided.
Fistep bats away the lunging bite attack with his shield, drawing his sword. He attempts to smash the man over the head with the "flat of his blade".
Ferrous strikes out with his axe at the leaping wolf-man but does put the full force behind the blow.
"What is going on out there?" Zynazyr says as he moves closer to try to see into the hallway.
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Fistep knocks the man out cold with his sword.
The party searches the man. The man's wolf mask is inlaid with silver and Ferrous estimates it is worth about 20 gp. He also carries a dagger, though he did not draw it in the fight. He has no other obvious possessions, other than his clothes, and none of it seems magical. The party secures him and takes him prisoner. He will likely be out cold for some time.
The hallway continues off to the east and then turns north after 30'.
We should secure the two secret doors. he says pausing before continuing, If we are going to take the food up, we should do it now He smiles at the wild knocked out human, That way he should be awake by then, and if we find after questioning him he's not a thread we can leave him with the others before going back and trying the jammed door in the central room
"It seems unlikely the man would act as a wolf and just happen to carry a valuable mask of a wolf. Though the mask has no magic, or no remaining magic.....cursed?"
Ana suppresses a giggle at the lopsided "battle." "Well, what should we do with him... it?"
Grins at Ana with a bit of laugh, Well, I only have a few talents... I guess knocking out crazy old men in wolf masks is one of them
"Or he enjoys knocking people out."
Sling the man over his shoulder and heads down the hallway.
Bruno the Fat looks up from where he lies on the floor. He sits up limply as you approach.
"Ahhh... *cough* the conquering heroes return! We were getting a bit worried. So... did you find any water? The food you sent helped, but we're in a bad way here."
"We moved the camp in here to get out of the sun."
"We have brought more food, their is hope for water but is further down, we found the old man taken over by the spirit of coyote."
Bruno glad to see you are holding on. As is Thylla and the others I see. We discovered a room inside that has two secret entrances. My suggestion is that we relocate all of you to the room below. It should be safe aside from maybe a wandering bug or two. We will continue clearing out below as we search for some water but something might sneak past us. This shouldn't be frowned on too greatly as anything you kill you can probably also eat.
Ferrous paused to catch his breath and glanced around realizing that several of the others had stopped their conversation and were listening in.
What say you will you go below and try this secret room as base for the future days until a source of water is found?
Nods to the dwarf, Yes as Ferrous said... this safehold is down in the 2nd level, and is hidden by several secret doors. Being on the second level means we will have easier access to you to bring water, food, etc. he adds.
Not to mention the means to defend yourselves and get some meat on your own. The dwarf grumbles under his breath.
Points to the goblin, There is always some fresh goblin meat. he says with a grin.
Bruno rises slowly to his feet.
"Gods, I have the worst hangover I've had in years. It's so unfair that I didn't get drunk first! Hah."
Bruno glad to see you are holding on. As is Thylla and the others I see. We discovered a room inside that has two secret entrances. My suggestion is that we relocate all of you to the room below.
He looks over at the group and nods. "That sounds reasonable. Some of these folks will need help getting down there. We do need water soon."
Points to the goblin, There is always some fresh goblin meat. he says with a grin.
Bruno goggles for a moment and looks at the goblin. Smelldox suddenly looks very scared and starts squirming in his bonds. Bruno looks back to Fistep, and sees that he is smiling.
"Hah! You had me going there for a minute. I suppose you want us to keep an eye on these prisoners?"
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After giving the others some of the food and water, spirits rise considerably, and the NPCs begin cooking the food provided.
Once the NPCs are set up, the party hauls the wolf-man back into the room with the crates to question him.
Upon taking the mask off, you see the man's skin is extremely pale, almost completely white. His eyes have pink irises. His hair is white but long and apparently healthy. He looks perhaps 25 years old.
After a few slaps he wakes. He sputters and looks around, eyes coming into focus. He speaks in common, but with a thick accent you don't recognize.
"Goblins! Oh my! Good goblins, if you would be so good as to return me to the city I would be in your debt. I hope I have done nothing to offend you..."
He leaves the question hanging.
Goblins? Tell me sire did you just call me a goblin? And then ask a dwarf if he found it offensive.
Ferrous hand rests upon his axe. He didn't lift it out of its belt loop but he is ready to in an instance.
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"Speak truth pale face, can we find water in your city?"
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Goblins? Tell me sire did you just call me a goblin?
"Dwarf! Hah! You can't fool me! Dwarves are a myth, everyone knows that! But wait... you are not goblins?" the man seems amazed. "How did your skin get that color? Were you burned?" He looks around at each of you. "And what happened to your masks? Savage people like goblins do not wear masks as they have no shame, so forgive me for thinking that, but... among decent people, masks are not taken off unless the people are... well... intimate..." He feels his own face, only just realizing he is not wearing his mask.
He gulps nervously. "My mask! You took my mask! Surely you don't plan to...." His skin flushes redly. He struggles a moment. He looks up again darkly. "Well, there may be six of you, but if you plan to have your way with me you should know that when in danger I turn into a feral and savage wolf. It's a terrible curse, and if I bite you it may pass on to you. Consider yourself warned."
"Speak truth pale face, can we find water in your city?"
He looks at Talikshim blamkly for a moment. "You want... water?"
After a pause he breathes a huge sigh of relief. "You want water! Ahh, I thought you wanted... well, never mind what I thought."
"Yes, of course there is water! The city sits astride a huge lake. The Silent Sea. But how is it that you do not know that? If you are not goblins then you must have come from there! Have you lost your memory? Yes, I have heard of that happening..."
Dwarves a myth! Bah! You know not what you see then for before you is a decent dwarf with no mask or shame. Perhaps I am mistaken and only need to swim again in the Silent Sea to regain my senses.
The dwarf turns and walks away with a loud Harumph!
Zynazyr sits and listens to the man, trying to figure out what he is talking about. "Are you from further down in this building? We haven't been lower than this level."
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Dwarves a myth! Bah! You know not what you see then for before you is a decent dwarf with no mask or shame. Perhaps I am mistaken and only need to swim again in the Silent Sea to regain my senses.
The dwarf turns and walks away with a loud Harumph!
The man's eyebrows go up. "Um... yes... maybe a swim will help."
After Ferrous stomps off, the man turns to Zynazyr, and whispers: "He's not all there, is he?"
"Are you from further down in this building? We haven't been lower than this level."
He smiles. "Hah! You really have lost your memory, haven't you? You don't remember the city below? Nobody lives up here, except for some silly Gormites. Or maybe you are ghosts? Trapped up here, wandering these halls for eternity? Yes, that would explain your funny clothes and strange accents. It would explain a lot, yes."
"We come from the land above, your lore speaks of nothing above, though in truth it is a great wasteland, without water in plenty it is indeed a great nothing into which a man may wander and never return. "
Can you lead us to water? he asks the feral albino. He collects the mask and hands it back to the man, as it seems to be important to him as more than a mere decoration.
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"We come from the land above, your lore speaks of nothing above, though in truth it is a great wasteland, without water in plenty it is indeed a great nothing into which a man may wander and never return. "
He looks at Talikshim for a long moment. "You are from the dead lands outside? So you are ghosts then. I was right. Hah! Perhaps you are my ancestors? Why else would you haunt me?"
He looks at his bonds. "That means... that I am not really tied up, I only think I am. If I refuse to believe it, I shall be free."
He closes his eyes and begins concentrating intently. Then he begins straining at his bonds for a moment. Eventually he stops with a gasp, exhausted.
"I suppose my will is not strong enough," he says sadly.
Can you lead us to water? he asks the feral albino. He collects the mask and hands it back to the man, as it seems to be important to him as more than a mere decoration.
The man puts his mask back on.
"Ahh, thank you. That was getting awkward."
He sits up with more confidence.
"I suppose I could take you to the city... though I doubt people would appreciate me causing the city to become haunted. But in the old main temple downstairs there are fountains of fresh water. That is on the way, and much closer."
"You know you don't actually need water, right? You only think you do. Ghosts don't need to eat or drink."
Very well, the fountains it is then... he says as he shrugs, his armor jingling. Maybe we are ghosts, and maybe our will is not strong enough either so we feel that we require water He bends over and cuts the mans bonds.
The man stands up and smiles, rubbing his wrists.
"Heh... why not? Be a tour guide for ghosts? Stranger things have happened. Perhaps you died of thirst, and that is why you seek water - if you find it then your souls can rest. That kind of thing happens, you know. Or maybe you were indeed burned when the world died, and must ease the burning pain with water."
"I am Orocrinos, by the way. Chief Scarf-Selector for the Governing Council. It's quite the illustrious position. I notice none of you are wearing scarves, by the way. We will have to fix that."
He points to the south.
"The stairs are that way. If you will follow me..."
He begins to walk towards the south.