Sputtering as the mist continues to eat away at him, Terry follows Firinn upstairs, laying flat on the floor and groaning for a while. He's obviously in no hurry to go back downstairs.
"I wouldn't say these are useless, but clearly they're meant as a taunt," says Jocasta. After hesitating for a short period she finally scoops up the holy symbols and the note.
After going back up, Lorena glances over at Terry, on the ground. "Oh, right. Anyone need healing or anything before we go?" Best to keep everyone on their feet...
Khaz walked over to Jocasta and looked at the holy symbols in her hands.
”Murder.” He said gloomily. ”Each one of these likely represents someone pure who was murdered by these...traitors.”
"Perhaps. They could be acquired under false pretenses by cultists infiltrating the crusaders, too," she says. "Nevertheless. These cultists are owed a great debt of retribution." She holds one up to regard it. "Repatriating symbols of Iomedae's faith may seem like a small thing, but symbols matter. Hope matters."
Jocasta's hands tremble and she drops the holy symbol. "Yeah, some kind of translucent slime on it? Poisoned, like I thought."
The rest of the room is just a set up to make poisons and alchemy supplies for the enemy.
Where to next?
"Well... we might as well remove some of these alchemical supplies. No sense leaving something behind in case the cultists do come back at some point," suggests Jocasta.
"What's next on our list, Khaz?"
THese locations should be looked into, one is by Old Kenabres, the other in the Nobel district and one is close by
”We were told to look into three locations. Lets head to the next closest. Dealing with right nasty bastards. Ye alright, lass?”
Seeing as Terry doesn't quite seem able to respond to her offer of healing, Lorena decides to take the initiative, poking him in the shoulder with a finger full of positive energy. "Here, let's get you back up and ready to go."
"Thank you, Lorena. That's some better, at least. That was meant to be a death trap. Nobody was supposed to survive it. But it wasn't a trap in the traditional sense of the word . . .." He looks around at the group (since it seems we're ready to move along). "So, which way?"
"If the rest of them are as welcoming as this 'abandoned' shop has been we'll never leave." Firinn says. It's hard to tell if he's joking or not...
Jocasta removes enough supplies that someone with the Alchemy skill could brew up some potions to help with sickness and disease.
THese locations should be looked into, one is by Old Kenabres, the other in the Nobel district and one is close by”We were told to look into three locations. Lets head to the next closest. Dealing with right nasty bastards. Ye alright, lass?”
"Yeah... my hands are itchy but I think I'll be fine," says Jocasta as she finishes carefully packing alembics and ingredients.
"I think the Noble District is next closest?"
”Aye then. I hope we don’t run into any nobles while checking it out. They can be harder to deal with than cultists at times.”
The Group makes their way south in the city, along the eastern Wall as it will hopefully be the easiest path as there is a large enough gap between the wall and any buildings. Along the way there are many cracks seen in the wall, the Eastern Gate still stands.
Firinn leads the party back through what remains of the noble district, many homes are destroyed some still stand whole, As you get to the place you expect to be you cannot locate the home you are looking for. After searching for a bit the group finally realizes that The manor is nothing but a pile of ruins. The rubble is to heavy and thick to dig through.
"Seems like the intel about this site was off. DO we check any of the surrounding areas, poke about the rubble, or move on to the third site?"
Lorena wordlessly scans the ruins for magic auras while silently wondering how that giant oaf Horgus is doing.
"I guess we can see if there are any hidden doors, something covered by a thin pile of rubble to dissuade random looters, but if there's no sign of anything else we should move on," says Jocasta. "We don't have the tools to excavate this entire area and if there's no sign of useful resources to harvest or enemies to eliminate there's no sense taking the time to try, anyway."
"Move on." Firinnn suggests. "There's nothing to find here. And if there are cultists they're underneath tonnes of rubble. I say we leave them there! Let's move on to the tower of Astrid or whatever it was called."
”Aye. Moving on then. Let’s hit the next area with enough time for to get back before dark.”
You are close enough to Blackwing Ruins to pick up Aravashnial and the other librarians and bring them back to Defender's heart.
The Sun has passed High noon about an hour ago.
While they are establishing this pile of rubble is the spot they were supposed to evaluate, Terry pokes about a bit, seeing if there's anything unusual he can spot.
"We're not far from the Blackwing." Firinn notes. "Shall we collect the elf and his scholars, get them back to the Defender's Heart? Their library wasn't exactly defensible and we need every man."
Jocasta says, "Who with the what now?" to Firinn.
Firinn knows that you will pass Horgus' house or close to as you get to Blackwing Ruins
Well Firinn's going! :D Everyone else can follow if they know what's good for them!
"We escaped the underground with a blinded elf." Firinn fills in Jocasta. "He stayed behind at his old library with some acolytes. I think we need to collect them and get them back to the Defender's Heart. He's pretty powerful from what I recall so I think it would be a useful move."
"Doesn't seem like there's anything magical here." Lorena stops scanning, and gets ready to go again. "Sure, let's go to the library. Hopefully they've been able to hold out." She pauses a bit, then adds with a bit of disdain, "Horgus is probably fine too, huh?"
The group passes close by to Horgus' house, Lorena doesn't even look at the house. Making your way down to Blackwing ruins, Firinn and Terry scout a head, seeing the doors remain closed and in good repair it appears.
Firinn approaches the door warily and calls out. "Avarashnial? It's Firinn. I'm here with Khaz and Lorena, we've come to escort you all to safety." He pauses for a moment, trying to thing of something that would prove his identity.
"They should be more friendly than the mole people!"
He approaches the door and knocks using the end of his bow.
Firinn hears some rustling on the other side of the door, then one of the great double doors opens slightly.
"Firinn why have you come back? Did we retake the city already?" Aravashnial's voice drifts though the opening
"Not completely. But we've found shelter at the Defender's Heart, all the forces of the city have congregated there." Firinn replies. "We were on a scouting mission nearby and thought we should get you all to safety there as well. Your magic and knowledge may be vital to the recapturing effort!"
"Indeed, I am still limited to what I studied days ago, we have weathered an attack here but held out." Aravashnial says.
Some grunting is heard and the door opens enough to allow everyone passage inside. Once inside the soft glow of candles and a few well placed light spells make it almost seem cosy. The bodies have been removed and the broken pews have been disassembled and cleaned up. The books are back on their shelves as well.
Jocasta steps in cautiously, keeping an eye toward the team's back.
"Keeping a place like this intact in the face of the demon hordes is itself a notable achievement," she says warily.
"The books, though...the cultists wanted to burn them just as much as the scholars. Would it be possible to move them too, or at least the most important ones? Or, if this library is too important and defensible enough, would it be better to have a detachment from the other place come here, if there are enough to spare?" Lorena ponders out loud to nobody in particular.
Doesn't look that bad in here, really. Done some good work. "We could scavenge or build a cart to take more, I think."
Jocasta looks uneasy and says, "I worry about splitting the forces of Defender's Heart - people would have to cross all the way back and forth through the city ruins - but these are a lot of books to move. If we can find a cart like Terry says, that might work - assuming the librarians are willing, of course."
"Rio could carry a fair number in bags if needed." Firinn points out. "Can you select the most valueable books please?" He addresses the nearest librarian. "We'll take those with us, lock the doors and hopefully retake the city before any casual vandals get this far."
He sets to, rigging a sling or bag for Rionnag to carry.
One of the Librarians nods at Firinn grabbing 2 more she goes to the stack of books. After an hour of gathering those books that they deem the most important and everyone turning cloaks and a backpack from the failed knight that you killed here into carrying satchels for Rio the party is ready to head back out.
"How is the ground from here to Defender's heart?" Aravashnial asks. "I remain blind despite things we have tried."
"Well, while you are gathering things together and getting ready to travel, I think I'll go out and see if I can find enough of a cart to jury-rig something to help. Anybody remember which direction was the closest little market square?" He winks as he asks the last question, as he sets his pack down before heading out into the open . . ..
"To the south of there there was or is a small little area." Aravashnial says, [b]"We are not sure the area that those who tried to brake in are from so be careful.