"Ilya - can we ask some more questions?"
Sadly, no. The power to pierce the divide between the realms of the living and the dead is no small magic. It will likely take the device the rest of the day to replenish itself.
But, we should be sparing in how we use it. There are... Ilya glanced away sheepishly, friendly spirits about. But, there are some quite menacing ones around, as well. I could feel their malice, like a splinter in my mind, as I communed. But, if your desire is great, in the morning you may join me in a seance. I will guide you the best I can.
None the worse for wear aside from some slightly blackened skin spot Vharg gives a grunt of appreciation as Ilya's holy energy flows into him curing his frost blisters and returning the warmth to his limbs.
Mortimer, you say spot should not fill whole room? About size of large bonfire? Fine... Vharg will check. You all stay back.
Breaking apart one of the decrepit wooden benches with his hobnailed boot Vharg picks up a long splinted piece and uses his flint and steel to put a spark to wooden slat, creating a makeshift torch. Gripping the burning torch now in one hand and his Guisarme in the other, Vharg cautiously edges around the center of the disturbance while holding the torch out in front of him, making his way to the double doors on the eastern side of the room.
Vharg think that if the cold is centered on one place then torch will go out if it gets too close. That way Vharg know to back up.
"Vharg, I think it is very easy to underestimate you, my friend." Randu nods at the orc blood's mix of cleverness and common sense.
Mortimer nods. "Good thinking Vharg." he says. He follows Vharg's example and creates a crude torch from the wrecked bench. He enters the room behind Vharg and searches out the boundaries of the cold spot, indicating a space behind him that is safe.
With a little time and experimenting, you're able to figure out the area of the cold spot and are easily able to avoid it now. Moving to the double doors, Randu goes over them and then gives Vharg a nod. The big half-orc shoulders the doors open and moves cautiously inside with Mortimer.
The northeast wall of this room has partially fallen, revealing the dark, murky waters of the pond outside. Moldering training dummies and other similar equipment hint that this room may have once been a training area for the guards. In the northeast part of the room, the floor around a dark, jagged hole is surrounded by black scorch marks. A thin stream of water from the pond trickles it's way down the hole in a steady flow.
Confound and blast all the tall folk of the world! Ilya grumbled as he clambered over yet another pew, working his way around the cold haunt. Chairs half as tall as a full grown... doorknobs right at your head-yes, we hit those often, thank you! If everyone were a normal size, we'd all move through this world much more easily.
Perrah keeps to the wall and enters moving north after Vharg and Mortimer, her crossbow loaded and ready to fire.
"I can take a torch if you wish it?" she murmurs to the warriors.
Now that is an interesting question Ilya. What is normal sized? Do we measure it by the most populated size of creature? I'm sure we could come up with an algorithm that roughly estimates... Alexei contines rattling off numbers and theorems.
Randu gets curious, and makes his way , avoiding any cold spots they know of, to the scorch marked area and the big hole. He doesn't go the the edge, but he does bend down near to the stones around it see if there are any remains of fuel now used.
And he is wary of his footing and hand placement for traps, be they man made, or just stones ready to crumble.
Mortimer proceeds into the room, keeping pace with Randu, passing off the torch to Perrah and drawing his crossbow now that they are in a larger room. He keeps it at the ready. "See anything Randu?" he whispers. he peers out into the waters and around the room.
Yes, here Perra, you take torch, Vharg not need.
Randu makes his way over to the charred hole, careful to keep his footing. The ground around the hole is actually quite stable, any loose sections having collapsed years ago. He can hear water dropping below from the small stream that flows in from the pond.
As he turns to motion the others closer to the hole, the rubble around the hole suddenly shudders and 3 skulls you all failed to notice shoot up into the air. Wreathed in flames, one of them slams itself into Randu's chest, the smell of burning cloth and flesh strong in the air. The other two fly quickly at Vharg and Ilya, getting too close for comfort.
"See anything Randu?" he whispers. he peers out into the waters and around the room.
"For a moment, I thought I saw a...AARRGH!" The rogue screams in pain as the fiery skull makes its sudden and violent arrival.
He draws his shortsword and slashes at it
As the ground shutters and the the flaming skulls rise out of the charred hole Vhargs eyes widen in shock. Vharg roars, his muscles swelling and skin rippling as adrenaline floods his veins. Screaming out a battlecry Vharg raises his Guisarme with both hands while simultaneously diving back away from the skull towards Randu. Using the added reach of his weapon Vharg brings it down towards the abomination while howling bloody warcries.
Mortimer steps back and with practiced haste loads a bolt into his crossbow and takes a shot at the Skull flying at Ilya. "Head down, Ilya! Get out of the way!" he calls out, pausing a second to see if Ilya will move clear before the string of the crossbow twangs.
Perrah drops the torch and attempts to hit one of the flaming skulls with disruptive magic.
The three skulls slam about, trying to ignite the living trespassors.
The lopper, it seems, was quite free with that axe of his, even here in the prison.
Roaring as he is enveloped in flames, Vharg gives a sigh as his blisters and charred skin returns to a deep green-grey hue. Dodging back towards Randu, Vharg bellows towards Ilya. You think Lopper made heads?! Vharg wonder how? We have his Axe... It not make sense, but if Lopper did kill them... Vharg not sure but think it might be important. You ask board about axe next.
Randu and Perrah attempt to attack the flaming skulls but they're unable to connect, their blows going wide. The rest of the group is able to handle things Mortimer, Vharg and Alexei each dropping one of the three skulls. Although not before they're able to land solid blows of their own.
The combat is over before it really began and once again a silence descends over the prison. The only difference now is the smell of burned flesh that lingers in the air.
With the threat removed, searching around the room you don't find anything of note. It seems that it was simply the training room and anything of value was destroyed in the fire or decayed from the elements.
"Well," Randu says straight faced after a moment of silence in the post battle, "I found something." And he pokes one of the downed skull fragments.
Alexei kneels down and looks at the shards and says Fascinating creatures. I wonder what sort of act caused the reanimation. Do you think it simple beheading by the axe or was there some dark ceremony involved? I wonder if they had to remove the heads post-mortem or if they had to be alive for the decapitation. As I said, fascinating creatures.
Sniffing the musty air of the ruined prison Vharg walks over to the large hole and peers into its depths, as he passes Ilya he gives the diminutative halfling a nod that almost conveys respect. Vharg should not have asked you to talk to spirits about axe Ilya. Spirits are dangerous. Vharg will not do so again.
After a long glance into the gaping hole in the floor, Vharg picks up his pack that had somehow fallen to the floor during the combat. Vharg say we move north. Clear this floor first, leave no foes at back.
Perrah examines the fragments of skull for signs of incantation. Then shrugs and moves onto the hole.
"Guard your eyes, Vharg." Then she sends the dancing lights down into the distance to illuminate the area below for everyone. "As for the axe there is nothing inherently dark magic. Its the Lopper that was wrong. There are spirits here so you may get a chance to lay him finally to rest. After all he may have been the one that ended the Professor's life? unlikely in view of his lack of decapitation though."
"I agree, I am sure we should clear this floor before going underground. But a quick look below for Randu who has sharp eyes could be useful too."
"I am happy to scout north, or go down the hole if need be, but I think I share Vharg's caution about foes at our back."
Looking down into the hole, you're able to make out the surface of what appears to be a small pool formed from the trickling water. The hole itself is about 20 feet deep. You can see the remains of a wooden contraption lying in the water directly below you, what appears to have been some kind of pulley or dumbwaiter system that was originally in place here but must have collapsed during the fire. You're unable to see any further into the chamber without climbing down.
Moving to the north, Randu gives the all clear on the door but it wouldn't have mattered anyways as part of the wall is collapsed as well. A huge stone furnace dominates the room, easily large enough for a child to climb inside. On the south wall next to the furnace is another door.
The ancient fire that claimed the prison has burned away the entire east wall of the room, providing a panoramic, if eerie, view of the lake beyond. That same lake has gradually expanded into the room, flooding its eastern half.
Mortimer, his crossbow readied, eyes the room cautiously. "We have yet to find much safety here. Be careful Vharg." he whispers.
Easing his way into the room Vharg slowly takes point. Keeping his Guisarme out in front of him with one hand while gripping his black talisman with the other he warily examines the space, looking, but touching nothing. Muttering muted catechisms under his breath and feeling certain that at any moment he is about to be attacked by a flaming skull or a howling spirit, Vharg feels the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Perhaps it was from being half burned to death not a few moments before, Vharg suddenly did not feel the kinship to fire that he usually had. Fire was supposed to drive away not spirits, not kindle them.
Alexei follows into the room looking around with interest, occasionally pulling out his notebook and jotting down notes and sketches of interesting items and locations.
"We have yet to find much safety here. Be careful Vharg."
That's not entirely true. The warden's office seemed relatively safe. I wonder, do you think his authority may have transcended death...? If so, what significance could having the name "Lyvar Hawkran" inscribed around the foundations have had...?
Randu checks the door near the furnace, first looking at it for traps, and then, listening ..doubting he'll hear anything, but he's been caught off guard once. He'd like to avoid it again.
Vharg moves his way cautiously into the room with the others close behind him. Everyone's eyes scan the area, wary for another attack or haunted location. So far the area seems quiet.
As Vharg moves in front of the furnace, Alexei and Randu suddenly catch movement out of the corner of their vision. Looking at the furnace in horror, they watch as the front of the furnace morphs before them into a leering skull made of stone and iron. Two empty sockets seem to recess themselves out of the stone wall while the metal grates pull apart and form jagged iron teeth.
The two men call out to the others as the horror manifests itself.