Callomeleth is able to do little more than Tybus when it comes to reading the auras of the items found. His attention, however, is drawn to the despoiled shrine. "We should clean this place before we leave," he says. "Lady Luck deserves better than this. But it will take time - and there is still a great deal of castle left unexplored. This labor has waited for years to be completed - it can wait a few hours more."
Lamsfel nods, brows knitted as he looks around. Perhaps we can get the others into town with the wagons once cleanup is done and Ameiko is well again. The whole crew could make lighter work of it. He says nothing, however.
Tybus views the shrine with a look of sadness. Turning to Lamsfel, he forces a smile. I'd lend a hand meself with this task. But I'm afraid Callomeleth is right. Unless we decide to take a break this evening and set about finishing exploring this castle tomorrow, I don't see a way around it, save coming back later.
He doles out the objects he identified to Callomeleth. I can't tap the magics in these, and though they were likely scribed by priests of Desna, I don't see any reason why she'd be upset by you making use of 'em.
"Aye, let us continue on our foul errand an come back to show the goddess the respect she deserves when aren't liable to get killed doing so."
He does not totally sound like he buys the argument, but he picks up the gore-covered longsword and wipes it off as best he can with whatever he can find, not looking at the others until he is ready to leave. "It will fetch a good price down the line. Once we get Ameiko cured."
Tybus sighs and nods his head in agreement. Take everything that's valuable, except that symbol. The rubbish heap is too good for it. With that, he makes sure it's destroyed.
Gan speaks, but in the monotonous voice of the Traveler. Gan will not say, but he wishes to wear that trinket. I believe he is...embarrassed. He has strayed from the path of righteousness once before, and thinks it will benefit him in some way. I told him he needn't worry, but his doubt lingers at the edges of my consciousness. The dual-creature points stiffly at the Phylactery.
"If Gan can benefit from the phylactery, then he is welcome to it," Callomeleth says to the Gan-thing. "I am certain that Desna herself would wish Gan to sleep soundly."
Tybus stretches his neck and shoulders a moment, getting ready to open the next set of doors. He waits for everyone to make whatever preparations, the tries the door.
The double doors are not locked, and when you finally pull one open after preparing yourselves, you discover the room beyond is unoccupied. It is circular, about forty feet across the diameter; a ten-foot wide balcony winds around the perimeter over an ancient ballroom below. A rickety-looking railing runs along the balcony’s edge. Another set of double doors are on the far side of the room, and a set of stairs on the south wall seems to lead down to the ballroom.
Lamsfel holds a finger to his lips and bids the group to listen for a moment before proceeding.
Tybus frowns, glances around, then shrugs his shoulders. You want to check out that hallway next?
Tristan shrugs and makes a vague gesture towards the double doors.
Oh, right. Let's go. Tybus shrugs and moves around the balcony to the opposite side. Waiting for everyone to get set, he tests the door cautiously. If it doesn't open easily, he uses his boot.
The door is stuck, but it takes little effort for Tybus to overcome its unwillingness to shift. It turns out to be another exterior door, leading out onto a short bridge connecting the keep to the pathway atop the curtain wall. Below and to the left is a courtyard; it may have once been a delightful garden, but now it’s a tangle of weeds surrounding a pool of water choked with thick, slimy green algae. Below and to the right is the cleared area where the two ogrekin you fought earlier had their makeshift wrestling ring. At the other end of the bridge the wall widens to allow space for a room with a partially-collapsed roof to built into it. Entry into the room is barred by another pair of double doors. The pathway along the top of the wall circles around the room on both sides.
Tybus again leads the group to the next set of doors and opens them once everyone is set and ready.
Lamsfel takes a moment to study the view when he steps into the bridge behind Tybus.
Lamsfel spies nothing of interest in the erstwhile wrestling ring, but the pond at the center of the overgrown and weed-infested garden is a different story. Something long, spindly and almost motionless is crouched amid the water plants, apparently standing atop the water. After studying it for a moment, he recognizes it as a water-bug of a type normally no larger than a finger-length, but grown to the size of a bull.
Tybus finds the double doors locked.
Lamsfel points out the waterbug. "If we want to investigate the garden, we will have to watch out for that thing. I doubt it got to that size by nibbling on the water plants."
We have arrows yet. Should we shoot at it from here? Tybus suggests.
Tristan shrugs and approaches the door to examine the lock.
"It can probably fly. If we have to engage in melee with it up here, someone's liable to fall off. Let's wait until we are on solid ground again."
Tristan finds the lock far too sturdy for his casual attempts to misuse it.
Slow down, mate. Take your time, Tybus reassures. Keeping an eye on the pond for signs of movement, he readies his bow just in case.
Tristan gives the beetle a worried look and proceeds to take 20 on the lock.
The water-bug shows no interest in you atop the wall, and after a couple minutes' nervous waiting Tristan has picked the lock on the double doors. Beyond them is a room that was perhaps once a solarium, but it has suffered more than most from the passing years' decay. There may have once been a beautiful roof of glass, but little remains today save for a few precariously leaning wooden timbers hanging above a swath of crumbled stone and ruined furniture. The roof covering the southern half of the room has been crudely repaired with thick sheets of canvas and furs that have been stretched and fastened over the frames, creating a dark, almost cavelike, nesting area. A thick coating of bat guano covers the floor beneath the canvas, adding a sharp, acrid scent to the stink of decay and old death. There are no other exits from the room.
"Lair for the ogre witch's pet bat, perhaps?"
Still not certain what they were looking for, Lamsfel resolves to look everywhere he can for a clue. Even if he has to hold his breath.
But it is hard to see in the gloom as the oxygen-deprived elf begins to see flashes of light behind his eyes and realizes he is about to pass out. He rushes back out of the room.
Lamsfel does not in fact find anything of interest in the dark and richly malodorant room.
"Let us retreat to one of the other doors we have passed."
Let's go back to that hallway we passed by. Hopefully we can leave the bug alone and it'll let us be. Tybus starts to head back.
Callomeleth nods in agreement, nocking another arrow as the group moves out.
Agreed.
As you cross back over the bridge, the bug in the pool below still knows no sign of noticing you.
Back inside, you find the hallway you bypassed before. It is a bedroom wing, with several small sleeping and guest rooms on either side of the hallway. Looking through them it is clear that the corbies were using these rooms as nests - but your searches come up with no valuables or other items of interest.
Right, then. Downstairs once more. How about that curving stairway from that room that had the mysterious battle? Let's head down that way.
Assuming agreement from his fellows, Tybus leads the way once more, katana drawn.
"Lead the way, Tybus. We'll be right behind you." Callomeleth locks step with the magus as he descends the stairs.
Lamsfel follows the magus, swords in hand.
The room at the bottom of the winding staircase is circular, just as the one above it was. Old tapestries depicting a seaside castle hang askew on the walls and a thick layer of dust cakes the floor. The air is musty and weirdly cold. Old bloodstains splatter the walls, along with numerous brutal gashes and slashes to the stone itself. Two doors hang askew on hinges in a passageway to the south, while to the north, a third door lies in fragments on the floor, opening onto a flight of stairs leading down into darkness.
More signs o' ancient battles. Cannae help but wonder if these old stains were from the time when Brinewall fell, Tybus observes, before looking for the next place to explore.
Maybe we should finish this floor before heading down? Though I still be thinking the 'third vault' be underneath the castle. Leastways, when we're ready, we can go down that way rather than the smelly way.
He starts to move south.
"Whatever lies below, I am loathe to possibly leave enemies at our backs. Let us continue up here."
"Though it seems the only enemy left above ground is that giant bug," Callomeleth offers, following Tybus.
"I hope you are correct. But this castle has attracted a variety of monsters over the years. I suspect it holds some surprises yet."