After a bit of trial-and-error and pushing and prodding, Raamanti finally figures out how to open the door. It opens into a rough tunnel system. The tunnel is about four feet wide, and perhaps four to five feet tall. In the distance it branches.
"WELL, MY MASTER, IT TOOK A WHILE BUT I EVENTUALLY FIGURED OUT THE WAY THROUGH. APOLOGIES FOR THE DELAY. I THINK IT'S THIS WAY."
Raamanti will follow the tracks whichever way they go. If there are no tracks here, then he will head south.
Daud will follow after Raamanti, keeping an eye out for traps, undead, morbid angsty teens, etc.
I agree, Raamanti, replies Zart with a concerned look on his face, also using their mind link, But do remember that this individual likely does deserve to die, and his abominations did just try to kill us. It is deeds that matter more than words, so do try to ignore them. Still...
"Please remember, my new friends," says Zart aloud, "That we are to bring this individual in to face justice, not mete it out ourselves. If he should try to kill us and we are unable to detain him without ending his life, then it will be regrettable but necessary. I do not think, however, that we should aim to kill him before he can stand trial. The city needs to see justice, not vigilantism."
Gaius sneers at Zart's earnest plea.
Of course, in order to ensure justice is served we must turn him over to the fair and noble officers of the law , the same paragons of virtue that convicted a lone artist of regicide. I'm sure Rolth is just an unfortunate victim of circumstance, a down-on-his luck vagabond who has been trapped here by this horde of undead, all the while being unfairly accused of necromancy. The true culprit is, no doubt, a twelve-year-old apprentice to some baker or cobbler, a nefarious monster indeed.
Daud nods along to Gaius' assessment in earnest.
"So only the innocent should stand trial?" asks Zart incredulously. Shaking his head, he returns to the task at hand, unconsciously edging closer and closer to the shadows. Why isn't Tolenn backing me up here? It's like her mind is at an amusement park or something.
Raamanti and Wednesday squeeze into the tunnels as the others wax philosophical about topics of morality and justice. The eidolon, seeing no sign of the earlier tracks, ignores the multiple branches and continues south. He and Wednesday are rewarded with the faint outline of a door south of their current location.
"There isn't going to be a trial you twit!" Daud growls, the snarl on his face from earlier in the day returning. "In a halfway decent society the innocent wouldn't have anything to worry about. As it is they're the only ones who have to worry about the government."
Pyron just keeps moving forward without continuing the conversation as he had said his peace.
Twit? Really? I'd there is one thing the government of Korvosa loves, it is trials. Let it go Zart, he's still quite upset about Trinia... who despite his predictions is still alive. For now. Zart can see the futility of continuing the conversation, so he hangs back behind the light and does his best to remain unseen.
Raamanti cautiously approaches the door, hammer in one hand, listens for obvious sounds of activity beyond and (if none are heard) checks to see if it will open.
Raamanti hears the faint pitter-patter that can only be footsteps, followed by a flapping noise and a sound like a suction cup being released.
Responding to a silent message from Raamanti, Zart quietly whispers to the others, "Raamanti says there are strange sounds on the other side of that door. There are footsteps, flapping and a very odd sharp sucking noise. We should head in as soon as possible and try to get the drop on them. I think Gaius is the strongest next to Raamanti. If he'll fit, he should be ready to help shove the door open should it be locked or otherwise difficult to open."
When everyone is in position, Raamanti flings the door open with his shoulder and charges inside. If the door is stuck, he gives it a very solid blow with his hip and shoulder .
Come then, creature. Let's see what lies beyond.
Gaius sends a hefty boot at the door as Raamanti shoulders it.
As Gaius moves towards the front of the group to assist Raamanti, the eidolon finds that he can easily open the door from this side. He opens it, quickly taking in his surroundings.
Three wooden tables stand in the middle of this room, their surfaces stained red with old bloodshed. To the east stands a ten-foot-wide hutch with wicker doors opening into a strawlined cage.
The table nearest the group has a corpse upon it. As the door opens, you find that there is a small creature, about 3 feet tall, looking rather like an emaciated gnome or halfling with stark white hair, putting a bird-like creature with a long proboscis on the corpse. The creature takes root, the proboscis making another of the sucking sounds as its wings flutter in anticipation. 3 other creatures are already attached to the corpse, and 2 more flutter around in the hutch.
The little man sees you when the light creeps into his chamber.
Initiative: Tolenn, Pyron, Wednesday, Stranger, Bird-Things, Raamanti, Gaius, Zart
Tolenn will delay, waiting for those ahead of her to clear some space.
Daud will shuffle past Gaius to strike the man with his hammer. His brain does at least attempt to process the notion that this man may simply be a humble embalmer while he does so. Attempts.
When Pyron heard Daud move in to attack, Pyron casts the spell bless on all of his allies.
Tolenn moves into the room, the creature being too distant for her to strike.
The small creature looks startled, taking a solid hit from Wednesday. That whole area of the room plunges into complete darkness.
They attempt to strike Wednesday.
Wednesday feels two tiny pricks and then a suction effect.
"If you want my blood get it out the old fashioned way you mysophobic bastards!"
Raamanti strides in to hammer range with the man who threw the hatch.
"RECENT PHILOSOPHICAL DISAGREEMENTS WITH MY MASTER ASIDE," begins Raamanti, "THAT MAN YOU SICCED YOUR PETS ON IS A CLOSE FRIEND. PREPARE FOR RETRIBUTION."
Knowing that he'll need to deal at least some non-lethal damage in order for the group to knock this guy out instead of killing him, Raamanti pulls his blow somewhat and attempts to strike a non-vital area.
Leaving Raamanti to do his thing, Zart will cast shield on Daud
Zart draws his wand and calls out in the protective tongue of abjuration.
"ασπίδα!"
Pyron casts a spell, giving the party a slight boost to their fighting prowess.
Wednesday takes this as a sign to start busting grills, so he steps up next to the little man, connecting on a rather vicious hit.
Tolenn steps into the room, getting ready to act.
The little man seems to concentrate for a moment, at which point Wednesday shrugs his shoulders at his good fortune and attempts more grill-busting. He fails woefully on this attempt, however.
Darkness fills the room, and you can hear the clasp unlatch for the hatch, releases the creatures within. They fly to Wednesday's face, attaching themselves.
Raamanti moves forward, not in the least perturbed by the darkness. He sends that message to the creature with resounding force, the little dude collapsing from the strong blow of the eidolon's hammer.
Zart then moves up, throwing a ball of acid at one of Daud's new friends. It scores a direct hit, and the creature stirs irritably, but stays attached.
Summary:
Little man - Down
Bird-thing 1 - 3 damage
Shifting the weight of the hammer to his off hand he will let go with his main hand in order to draw his cleaver to swat away the nuisances attached to him.
[ooc]I think that's what we have it set it at?[/dice]
Pyron will attack any creature he can with his weapon even if it includes moving to a creature to attack it.
Gaius closes his eyes and uses his other keen senses to try to locate the winged enemies.
He steps forward cautiously, trying to get to a good position to strike. The half-elf slashes at the blood-sucking monster and roars in fury in its direction.
Tolenn had paused to allow the others who could see better an opportunity to act , but when the utter darkness descended she found she could not act at all.
Frustrated, she stands at the ready, eyes seeking in the darkness, ears trying to make sense of the noises in front of her.
Perception
But all she heard was a bunch of flapping, some grunts , a thud or two and a splash and hissing. Not nearly enough for her to act.
Seeing Tolenn tilt her head from side to side, Zart yells: "It's to your immediate front and right, Tolenn! About shoulder height!"
Between the skilled strikes of the others, the two things are removed from Wednesday and made dead. The other four prove to offer little resistance, bloated with blood from the corpse they were draining.
Good grief. Another group of creatures. Perhaps we can expect more of this. Let's keep on moving. My spell will last for only a little bit longer.
Oh wait. You can't see. You know, others of my race could cast a spell that would bring light to a darkness spell like this, but I don't come from the average Aasimar. My ability is a little different. It would have been useful for right now. How about we wait until this spell goes away.
"Is it really that hard for you guys to see in the dark? Haven't your eyes adjusted yet?" he asks inquisitively rather than mockingly as he attempts to cleans some bug gore from himself.
"The darkness is magical and complete," says Zart, "I must say, it is odd that you have no difficulty in it. In any case, we can wait for the spell to expire, or we can head on and guide our friends. I haven't the ability to dispel this darkness for now. I personally say we move on and find this necromancer as soon as we can."
Zart waits to hear the consensus of the party as he and Raamanti search the room for anything of value or any clues as to what goes on around here.
Daud merely scratches his head at the shadowcaller's statement before giving a shrug. "Weird. Well I am from Ustalav, you're kinda born into the dark there, neh."
Looking about the room shrouded in "magical dark" he wasn't even sure was there he will go over and inspect the body of their opponent.
Growing tired of waiting, Raamanti scouts ahead going... west.
"IT'S TIME WE MOVED ON. WHO KNOWS WHAT FOUL DEEDS THESE PEOPLE ARE UP TO."