Rhona grinned at Ingra."You're on Ingra! Loser buys the other the next round of drinks" She laughs and then looks at the others. She was enjoying hunting down goblins.
"Obviously we need to free the prisoners. Still, once they are freed, eradicate the goblins. If we don't they'll come back in bigger numbers"Before she looks at the door and then back to Z
"That is true I could use a drink, still feeling the effects of the goblin work over I had before" She says holding out her hand for a healing potion.
Zalindra hands a cure potion to Rhona.
Aelion, you don't look well. Do you want one?
She offers the last one to Cecilia.
"Good idea with the ropes. If something wants to crawl up here, let it do it the hard way."
Aelion, you don't look well. Do you want one?
Aelion nodded, and accepted a potion from Zalindra. "Thank you, Miss Freston. I think with one of these I'll be ready to scout ahead - and clean up the goblins with Ingra and Rhona, if needed. Though, maybe I'll keep my distance this time," he added dryly. He paused, then put his hand on her shoulder, a gesture of respect among the Tiri Kitor. "It speaks well of you that you wish to help others after your grandfather has already been retrieved. I'm glad you're with us."
Aelion steps through the doorway and scouts ahead. A short corridor leads south before turning to the east. The flicker of candlelight illuminates the cold stone of the passageway, casting scurrying shadows onto the damp dungeon walls.
Much invigorated by Zalindra's gift, Aelion crept silently down the short corridor, alert for traps or foes, and took a quick peek around the corner.
Peeking around the corner, Aelion is unnerved to see the hulking forms of four great beasts. Large cat-like creatures with six legs each and a pair of long tentacles sprouting from each of their shoulders. Blue-black in colour, the cats each possess glowing amber eyes.
After a moment's study, the elf breaths a sigh of relief.
The beasts, still as the grave, appear to be carved from stone. Their amber eyes, trained on the corridor Aelion stood in, simply a collection of enchanted gems.
Beyond the stone beasts, a candlelit altar with a large marble raven atop it. Tied to the front is a young human woman, her eyes wild with terror.
Scurrying around the base of the statues and nipping at the heels of the traumatized girl, the chamber is inhabited by a small family of giant rats.
Rhona pops the cork and downs the liquid within.
She then leads with shield up and axe back creeping along in a front sweep.
Zalindra double moves forward, arriving in a position where she can see the plight of the woman but not being able to do anything about it yet.
Rhona's keen eyes confirm that the cat-like beasts are indeed statues. The four giant rats in the room however, are very much alive, although none of the vermin are aware of the three party members surveying the scene.
Aelion's grip tightened on his bow. The poor woman was right to be afraid... but could also be bait of another kind.
He quietly withdrew back to the others to share what he had found. "Statues of great cats with tentacles, glowing eyes, and six legs. A handful of giant rats... menacing a shackled prisoner at an altar with a marble raven. We should act quickly, before the rats test their hunger on her. Perhaps we could draw them away by making noise, and deal with them in the corridor before the bend."
Cecilia spends a minute coiling up the two ropes. She arrives back at the crypt just in time to hear Aelion's scouting report.
"I think luring the rats out is a good idea." The bard says, speaking softly. Deciding such lowly vermin were unworthy of her blade, Cecilia exchanges her rapier for her shortbow. Javos also readies his longsword.
Nocking an arrow, the bard finally asks the obvious question. "How should we lure them out? Maybe a noise? Or perhaps some food?"
"Ye sure you want to lure them this way. Seems no harm no foul for the rats. If you want ta do that then, by all means, let's get them over here and snuff them out." She says as she looks at the others.
"How about the food or maybe fire?"
Morgrym was careful to look away while the others plundered a tomb. 'Uplanders' he thought disdainfully, then caught himself 'Doubtless there's a good reason. They're good folk, here to do good. Must be something hidden in there.' Still - he keeps to himself till they're well and done, rather than volunteer the tools he carries to such a purpose.
When Aelion returns he does his best to look up the words as fast as he can - but to limited effect. 'Was that Rats or Cats? They talk so fast...'
"Τι είπε?"
"Noise might do it, if they're territorial, but food certainly would. We could try noise first, and if they don't take the bait, we make the bait sweeter."
Aelion glanced at Morgrym's frustrated expression, but he had no idea how to convey that the only thing facing them was rats... he certainly wasn't going to start squeaking.
He waited for the dwarves to translate for Morgrym, then added, "The altar is to the goddess of death - the Raven Queen. What in the nine hells were the Rivenroars up to down here?"
Rhona Translates it for Morgrym. She shrugs and points to rats and the statues.
"We could lob a torch in there? I mean I don't see anything flammable"
"Ο προγραμματισμός είναι καλός, αλλά δεν αφήνω κάποιον να φάει ενώ μιλάμε!." Morgrym grunts, hefting his shield.
"Planning is good, but I'm not leaving someone to get eaten while we talk."
Ingra looks at her group, slowly losing her patience.
"What's with all the talking? They're just rats. Some situations the obvious move is the best one."
She draws her greatsword, and steps into the hallway.
"Oi! Vermin! Come and say hello!"
With a shrug, Aelion followed after the dwarf and the rogue, despite his unease about the statues.
"Stay calm," he called to the prisoner. "We're here to help you."
Zalindra impulsively steps up and puts an arrow through the skull of the purple-tailed rat.
As Ingra rushes forward screaming, the rest of the rats in the room quickly stop what they are doing and start swarming towards the new threat.
~~~
Diseased Rat (Blue): HP 4/4; AC/T/FF 10/10/10; Fort/Ref/Will +2/+4/+1; CMD 6 vs Feint DC 11
Diseased Rat (Green): HP 4/4; AC/T/FF 10/10/10; Fort/Ref/Will +2/+4/+1; CMD 6 vs Feint DC 11
As the rats rush forward, Aelion works quickly to pierce the hearts of the first two vermin he sees. Only two more rats remain, slower and more dishevelled than their kin. They move toward Ingra and bite at the dwarf’s ankles. Their teeth slip through the gaps in her armour, but don't penetrate much further .
Zalindra shoots at Blue.
Cecilia can only laugh as Ingra charges around the corner, leading the assault on the rats. "I certainly admire your spirit, Miss Copperhair. I just hope you save some for the goblins."
Moving forward, the bard takes careful aim with her bow. It is difficult to get a good angle in such a crowded space, but after a few seconds she finally finds a target.
Despite the disorganised melee happening right in front of her, Cecilia is still able to line up a shot. Muttering a few words of magic, the bard fires an arrow into the vermin's flank.
"Wait!" She called to her fellow dwarf and sighed as she brought up her axe and strode in ready to hit something, while not getting hit by arrows!!
She goes after the other Rat(Blue) and swings down with her might.
Morgrym - memories of queuing for the last fight still fresh in his mind - hefts his shield, hunkers down behind it and bellows a war cry in dwarven. Bellowing he pushes forward through the fray towards the woman at the altar.
Dayana comes up behind Zalindra and fixes an ornery look on one of those nasty rats. Horrible pests...
Zalindra takes down the blue eyed rat. Then Morgrym barrels past the last remaining rat just moments before it is skewered by the arrows of Cecilia and Jathal.
The forgemaster approaches the young woman, but she recoils in terror away from her would-be rescuer. Her eyes are wide and her hands tremble as she struggles against her restraints to raise them in defense.
"No! No..." she trails off, her voice hoarse.
Zalindra asks from where she is, not wanting to scare the girl, Are you okay? We don't want to scare you, but is it okay to approach close enough to free you?
Ingra swings at the rat in front of her.
Rhona lets Ingra and the others take care of the rat.
"Morgrym περιμένετε ότι μπορεί να μην καταλάβει νάνος, και καλά δεν είστε το πιο ευπαρουσίαστο των ανθρώπων, Έτσι κρατήστε ψηλά"Rhona says as she puts her axe away and then begins to look for traps.
"Hold tight Miss we shall be with you shortly. We are here to rescue you"
Ingra obliterates the last rat, allowing Rhona and Zalindra to enter the chamber.
Rhona looks over the room for any signs of traps, but finds nothing.
Approaching the prisoner, Zalindra offers up some kind words, but all the girl can muster in reply is "No, no... No more..."
"There there lass. Yer safe for now. Let's try and gather yer senses."
Ingra pats the girls hair gently.
Just to cover all her bases, Ingra looks over her to see if any first aid is needed. Then again to see if she can get any idea of she happened to her.
Once she has done all she can fit the woman, she'll take a closer look around the room, particularly the alter and statues.
(22)
Zalindra initially respects the girl's wishes and doesn't actually approach her, but when Ingra goes up to touch her, Zalindra steps in and removes the restraints, touching her as little as possible, and then backing away quickly, so as not to disturb her more than necessary.
Morgrym grumpily acknowledges the point, and turns to check the room - especially the statues.
The girl seems to respond well to Ingra's touch, although the dwarf's bedside manner isn't much of an improvement over Morgrym's.
Ingra can tell fairly quickly that the girl has been ravaged by the rats while chained here in the dark. Her legs are in bad shape and she is showing clear signs of filth fever. Even with Ingra's help there is little that can be done for the girl here. Her trauma has left her near catatonic. Even once her restraints are removed, she has trouble moving.
Looking around the rest of the room, there is little else of note. The alter stands in dedication to the Raven Queen, goddess of death, and is a common sight in a burial chamber like this. The eyes of the statues appear to have been enchanted to shed light on the area, but the spell's effectiveness has diminished over the centuries, leaving just an eerie amber glow.
Having dispatched the rats, Cecilia gives the former prisoner a quick glance. Even from a distance she can see that the girl is in a bad way.
"Someone will need to carry her." The bard says, looking around at the party. "If our paladin will be remaining at the rear, perhaps he could be of some assistance there?"
Zalindra doesn't see any other exits in this room, and so she just looks around to make sure they haven't missed anything.
"Morgrym θα μπορούσατε να ρίξετε μια ματιά σε αυτές τις πληγές, δεν φαίνονται καλά" She says to her cleric companion before the others move her.
"Let Morgrym take a look" Rhona says as she looks at the girl.
"My friend Morgrym here doesn't speak Common, but he is a healer and is gonna look at your wounds for you, is that okay."She says with a smile.
If she gets the okay she gestures for Morgyrm that it is okay and tells him to give her a look and see what he can do.
Aelion keeps watch for any threats, arrow ready, while the others take care of the prisoner.
Ingra places her greatsword down and retrieves a waterskin from her pack. Cradling the woman best she can, Ingra attempts to get her to drink. Dehydration wasn't going to help her fight the fever.
Her heart went out to the woman. She was a bit surprised by how affected she was. She gently retrieved some rations from her packs after the girl finished drinking, encouraging her to take a few bites, though it proves difficult with the hard food.
She looks over at Morgrym as he approaches.
"Я могу помочь, если вам нужна помощь. У меня также есть исцеляющая магия и я знаю первую помощь. просто скажите мне, что делать."
"I can help if you need any assistance. I also have healing magic and know first aid. Just tell me what to do."
Seeing her two fellow dwarves coming in to aid, she goes to the locks while they are over there and quickly opens the locks on the restraints.
"That should help. I got the chains free. Lose hinges and pins" she says as she puts her tools away.