Tybus runs in and levels his sword at the throat of one of the trogs, sending the clear message to give up.
Lamsfel sees the archers tense and fire, then Tybus rushes in, so he follows suit.
Not sure why the magus stayed his hand, the elf moves to the second troglodyte and likewise holds the keen-edged weapon against the creature's throat.
Two arrows flash into the room - and now both trogs sport almost identical wounds.
Eyes watering from the stink, Tybus slashes at the one he stands over.
Tybus hacks into the trog trying to stand up as it bellows in murderous rage.
Callomeleth reaches for another arrow as the first one leaves his bow, and fires it at the same trog, hoping for this arrow to join its mate in the creature's chest.
Lamsfel runs the troglodyte through, leaving only one alive and badly injured; Callomeleth can't finish it off, though, as he is concerned about hitting Tybus and aims too high.
Gan's spearthrust is shocking in its brutality and finality. The tip of the spear is buried in the mattress on the other side of the troglodyte's skull, and little remains of the obstacle that had previously separated them.
With the threat over, Tybus retreats from the room and breathes the relatively clear air in the side chamber. Once he's recovered, he gulps a couple deep breaths and looks back into the trog's sleeping chamber, to see if there is anything of value or another way out of this room.
Lamsfel aids Gan in pulling his spear from the bedding and pokes around the room a bit looking for anything of interest.
Under one of the mattresses - fortunately not the one Gan impaled - you find a silk gown, set with pearls and covered in sewn-in jewels. It is without doubt extremely fine and worth a fair amount of money, as such things go.
Lamsfel also notes the presence of a secret door linking the sleeping chamber with the main hall, although it doesn't seem to be of much use to anyone.
"When we return to the wagons, we might be able to parlay this into some trade goods."
He carefully folds the silk gown into his backpack, somewhat surprised at how much space it takes up. "It gives one pause to think that a woman wears such a heavy garment willingly."
Tybus gives him a grin. Not for me to say, mate. After all, I've been wondering if I shouldn't be training to wear some heavier armor meself.
He breathes better when they clear out of the troglodytes' barracks. Then he takes measured glances at the two ways up and down. I know we've been talking about clearing this floor first. I think we've got several rooms opposite the big hall. Feel like going back there or taking the stairs? he asks the group.
Raising each hand as though weighing the options, the elf offers, "If something awaits us upstairs, it is probably aware of us now, but we might interrupt its preparations. If something awaits us across the hall, there is a better chance that it merely thinks the trogs are having an argument with one another."
Gan nods at Lamsfel's words, voicing his assent. As these foul creatures proved, unaware foes pose much less danger. We should ascend, and disrupt the plans of whomever awaits us.
Right, then. Weapons ready. So far, nothing in this place has been friendly.
He starts up the stairs, but pauses for a moment and adds, for long.
The room at the top of the stairs is basically circular. The furniture — couches, drawing tables, and empty bookshelves — lie in disarray, with the exception of one writing desk and chair in the center of the room, its surface heaped with pages of parchment and paper. There is a closed door in the southeast corner, a second one on the room's west side, and another set of curving stairs leads up to what must be the castle's tower (since it's the only part of the structure taller than two stories).
Lamsfel moves over to the writing desk to see if the papers and parchment are something he can understand, careful not to put his back to the status and listening for the sound of opening doors.
"Not just women, Lamsfel," Callomeleth says with a smirk. "I once knew a half-elf over in Magnimar that preferred women's clothes to men's. I once asked him how he was able to move so adroitly with his heels. His response? 'Practice, dearling, practice.'" He chuckles to himself and returns to the business of watching and listening for movement.
Tybus will help with the search of the papers. He'll also cast detect magic and look for magic auras.
Gan stands guard at the western door while the others search.
Lamsfel casts a disbelieving look at the Cleric and shakes his head.
Tybus sees no magic auras, but he and Lamsfel recognize what looks like Tien ideograms on the papers. The calligraphy is utterly terrible, though, and Tybus can only make out a word or two here and there.
None of the three guards see or hear anything nearby of concern... or really at all.
Tybus shakes his head in frustration after failing to decipher the writings. No luck. Maybe we should take these with us anyway. He begins stacking and aligning the papers and then shoves them in a sack.
Lamsfel will listen at the closest door.
Lamsfel hears only silence from beyond the door.
Quiet? Then let's take a real quick look in the tower first, shall we? Tybus cranes his neck to look up the winding staircase while keeping the katana out.
Lamsfel likewise keeps blade in hand and moves to follow the sailor up the stairs.
Tybus leads the way carefully up the curving stairs. He very quickly finds himself in a small, semicircular room. The walls of the room are lined with bookshelves, although the majority of the books lie in disorganized piles on the floor. A large, filthy nest of grass, branches, and strips of cloth is tucked in the northeastern corner of the room, while a wooden door sits in the wall to the northwest. The flight of stairs leading back down to the south is the only other exit.
Gan stands guard at the door and waits for the others to search.
Not seeing any occupants, but noting the nest, he theorizes, Zaiobe's room, perhaps?
He casts detect magic and starts perusing the book pile and nest.
Lamsfel aids in the search.
"That's as good as guess as any, Tybus," Callomeleth says as he investigates the books as well for anything of interest.
The only thing that seems to be of interest are a series of notes written in Common. They aren't exactly a diary, but they are enough for you to piece together some pieces of the author's life - and that author does indeed appear to be Zaiobe. It would seem that, a little over two years ago, she found a demonic statue that stole her voice and her memories, leaving her instead with unusual magic. She felt herself drawn southward by her demonic patron, where she eventually found Brinewall and Kikonu, although she apparently planned to continue southward, based on the continued compulsion she felt.
Most particularly, Zaiobe wrote to herself of her fury at her sometime-lover, who apparently had the ability to steal the voices of others and use them himself. During one fight the two had, Kikonu discovered that he could steal and use the voice Zaiobe herself had not had for years. It was this cruelty that apparently drove her to murder him with your assistance.
Tybus gets a bit morose as he reads Zaiobe's story in her own hand. He sighs, and tucks the pages away in his pack. We could have helped her. But she made her choice.
Satisfied that nothing of value remains in this place, he heads back down stairs and waits for everyone to get ready before opening the door at which Lamsfel had listened.
Gan shakes his head at Tybus' observation.
There was no helping her--she was wicked, a creature born of evil with evil intent. Voice or no, she would have been no friend to us.
He props his spear on the ground and opens the door.
Tybus winces and presses his palm to his forehead. Ye're right, Gan. I don't know why I felt that she had a chance to do right. Maybe it was Ameiko's prophesy. Shaking himself free of the thought, he gets ready. This door up top. Get ready.
"I wish it weren't that way, Gan, but you're right," Callomeleth sighs. "We were tools to exact her revenge, nothing more. In her arrogance, she thought she could kill whichever of us was weakened by the other, eliminating both threats. Clearly, she hadn't heard of the Heroes of Sandpoint." He offers a smile to the group, then prepares to provide ranged support to Tybus as he opens the door.
The door presents no greater threat than that of the catching of breath at what is truly a splendid view. It is a door out to a balcony around the tower's northwest side, overlooking the mouth of the Steam River, where it opens out into Bunyip Bay, with the glittering Arcadian Ocean beyond.
Tybus pauses after stepping outside, savoring the ocean air after the awful stink they'd encountered inside. He takes in the view for a few moments, allowing it to lift his spirits, then claps Lamsfel and Callomeleth on their shoulders and moves back inside. Come on. Ameiko's depending on us.
Lamsfel pauses a moment more, seeing if the vantage point gives him knowledge of the castle - or its inhabitants - that he did not yet have.