Not willing to advance into the Greased area, Idril retreated to (B,6) (Pulling Rexus along with her) and waited for the little creatures to come around the corner.
Seeing the creatures either slain or herded towards the far side of the room, Asha moves to the closest hole opening and peeks curiously inside.
"An overwhelming amount of these mutated creatures, clearly this place is something of a sanctuary for them."
Indio continues to fence with the foe he had previously targeted.
You see a network of tunnels going several directions.. you even feel a draft of outside air - they must go up into the walls of the ground floor. All of the tunnels are about a foot in diameter.
As he steps from the greased area, Erodel sees a pile of molding clothing and footwear in the back of the alcove.
As the two vermin continue to nip at Bastargrae and Indio, another comes around the corner, and "Blork" splatters Indio with projectile vomit.
None yet appear from around the north corner where Idril and Rexus lie in wait.
"By Calista! This will not stand!"
Indio angrily strikes out at the closest foe, seeking to end it's miserable life so he can attack the vile fiend that would splatter his clothes with foul substance.
"Curses..."
Realizing that he is blocking a more martially capable person, he then steps back.
Idril readies an attack if a critter comes around the corner.
for a possible bludgeoning damage.
Bastargrae cringed in sympathy for Indrio when the dapper gentleman was splashed with steaming sick by one of the elusive vomit-possums that taunted him with rather malicious glee from its hiding place in the wall.
He doubled his efforts to attempt to catch one of the beasts. He forgot his fear and began to somewhat enjoy himself--it was like a quick-paced game of sorts.Like whack-a-kobold except instead of a hammer and holes in the ground it was with whatever you had on hand and the targets shuffled about the walls of a room tossing puke at you.
That reminded him...He really should invest in a gnome hook-hammer one of these days.He believed he'd fare much better with one.
"Why, the walls seem riddled with these creatures' tunnels!" Asha exclaims as she pulls back from the hole in the wall that she had been examining. "I wonder what they are..." As her companions didn't seem in any real danger from the vomit-possums and she was more likely to get underfoot than help should she join the fighting, she moves over to examine the dead one lying on the floor, keeping close enough that she can come to their aid if needed.
One peers around the north corner, and is cracked in the head by Idril. It then falls back.
Erodel's falchion fatally crushes another. The one directly adjacent squawks out a few unintelligible words and retreats... they all retreat toward the west wall out of sight behind the alcove.. within seconds none are visible to any of you.
"You raise a very valid point, lead on my good man."
Idril, satisfied she had beaned one creature, agreed with Erodel and followed after him. Her lights slowly circled around her overhead.
You round the corner and see none of the creatures. Asha, Erodel, and Indio hear them scrambling through the walls - the opposite direction as your advance... obviously trying to get behind you. With your allies pointing this out, you are able to attack the moment they appear.
"Ah! Watch out!" exclaims Asha to Rexus as their employer finds himself facing one of the strange creatures. "They don't seem to be happy about us invading their lair. I wish we wouldn't have to kill them, but they don't seem to listen to me. I hope they don't *blork* on you..." And with that last remark, she touches Rexus lightly on the arm, imparting him a small measure of magical defense.
Startled at the sudden appearance, Idril lashed out at one of the creatures that popped up amongst them.
for a possible slashing damage.
for a possible extra slashing damage.
Spurred by the threat of getting puked on,Bastargrae lunged with his pincher and actually snagged mangy hide and squeezed the handle to viciously pinch the flesh beneath.
Ha! Gotcha!!
Having had enough of useless flailing for today, Indio quickly relinquishes his position, allowing Erodel to have it.
Before they're able to launch their putrid assault, the remaining creatures have the life slashed, crushed, and hacked out of them.
The creatures carry no spoils... other than bedding/nest area, and the pile of molding cloth behind the stone slab in the alcove, there is nothing but filth (as you foul as you'd expect from these otherworldly possums) around the chamber.
The stairs leading down beyond another iron bar gate appears to be the only exit.. other than the ladder leading from where you entered.
Blech.
Looking down on the spatters of putrescent gore on her dress and shoe, Idril grimaced and wrung her hands.
Briefly humming an energetic tune, Idril twirled about and used Prestidigitation to clean the gore off of her in a sparkle of rapidly moving bubbles. She even perfumed herself.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she tugged her scarves into place again and nodded to the others.
"Ready to go on."
Asha walks up to the iron bar gate, trying to discern the way ahead.
The gate is locked, but slightly banged up.. no sign of traps.
Rexus lingers by the bedding... poking through it with his cane.
"Ha! I see a coin purse. As it should be... to the victor the spoils. Half the thrill.. is it not?"
"This jacket is irreversibly mussed, but these buttons are nice."
He looks up at those at the gate. "Don't mind me... I'll catch up."
Erodel is unable to pick the lock.
Rexus moves over to the pile in the alcove... and after a moment...
"Not bad.. not bad." He returns with a cloak over one arm, buttons cut free in his palm, gently tossing and catching a couple coin purses in the other hand - chiding in a sing-song voice.. ".. and you were going to leave this all behind."
Idril shook her head.
"No, sorry. There might be one back in the stables though. She said, looking around distractedly.
Cleaning the disgusting filth of his clothes using a fraction of his power, Indio is quite too focused on that task to truly note his surroundings.
"A pry bar sound like something that would indeed be found here under normal circumstances."
Asha shakes her head at Erodel's question, looking slightly regretful. She absentmindedly fingers the scars on her throat. Turning to Idril, she offers: "I'll help you look in the stables."
Idril nodded at Asha. "Alright, lets go back and look." She said, and went with her to look.
Soon after Bastargrae gives up on the lock, you find a length of iron in the workroom suitable for prying.
Rexus sits near the iron gate, by his lantern, sorting and stacking the coins he'd found.
"That cloak is the peach of the lot. Cleaned up alright. Minor magic to it to be sure... I'd bet my modesty on that."
Idril came back with a length of iron. It looked like it could serve as a prybar.
"There is a certain...simplicity to such an approach, but as it may very well be the one recourse we have, I hesitate to call it ignorance."
Indio smile rather wryly at finding himself defending the straightforward approach.
The top hinge pops within seconds...
After that Erodel has more than enough play from the loose fitting to get leverage on the lock.. which breaks free moments after.
The tunnel narrows to ten feet wide leading down the steps, and ends with a pair of reinforced wooden doors.
"Ah, Now look there, this shows promise indeed.
You do not erect a barrier like that unless you have something of value to hide behind it."
No sign of traps, and the doors open freely..
The tunnel curves slightly.. increasingly rubble-strewn... but the chamber visible to your left catches your attention immediately. A large pool of rancid, brown filthy liquid with caked portions on the surface fills most of this circular chamber.
Chunks of plaster have fallen from the ceiling and walls.. leaving ragged patches and mounds of rubble on the floor. What wall space remains is decorated in crude angry drawings and symbols of sinister form.
Greasy-looking chains run between four stout pillars rising from the muck and anchor to various points on the wall. There is most certainly a palpable stench.
Covering his nose with the magically perfumed handkerchief, Indio gasps in utter disgust.
"Well! I would hesitate to call this a "home", and yet I feel we have found what those creatures most likely consider as such.
Small wonder then that they fought so ferociously to stop us."
"And a perfect place for more of them to ambush us..."
Even Asha cringes at the stench and the sight of the room. [b]"Merciful spirits! What is this place?" She looks around the room, not moving more than a few steps from the group, examining the drawings.
Rexus face darkens.. he sets his lantern on the ground as he scans some of the symbols and drawings. He notes Asha's eyes looking at the same words, and speaks quietly to her.
"This... looks bad. The few words in Infernal alone...."
He draws his epee from his cane.
The surface bubbles in the center of the pool, and to the right of center.. near where the chain is sunk into the slop. Heads then shoulders rise.... eyes and mouth are just holes in their heads - which are just mounds... flabby forms of melted flesh.
"Merciful spirits..." Asha backs towards the group, away from the monstrosities rising from the muck. "May your shot strike true. To look at them, it would be a mercy." She places a light hand on Erodel's on the shoulder, benevolent magic coursing through her touch to him.