turning the key the rusted locks pop open, an intense stench of death flows as soon as the door opens, a voice echoes down the halls calling you for help. you all get sudden chills entering the hall.
Well, alright. I guess some people hate gold. Tell you what, at least do me a favor and don't charge down this hallway with tunnel vision, something isn't right here.
Ciaran shivers as he suddenly starts regretting his enthusiasm. He steps aside, crossbow drawn.
"Yeah, speaking about tunnel vision - Dael, would you mind sending Bazo to scout ahead? There could be some, uh, food waiting for him, especially if he doesn't mind carrion."
"B****, I don't take orders from y...oh f*** that a** hat has the look on his face. You know what, no, I wanted to go down since you f***ers are all scared little gnomes!"
Somehow the word gnomes has more vitriol in it than all of the swear words that proceeded it.
Bazo scouts ahead, looking for a victim.
Azmaria stays closer to the back,, hoping that the others are not to much of cover, but then again,, she has no idea what these people are capable of. that dog is a little suspicious, she has some idea what he is capable of, and quite possibly that dog will have to experience some of Iomedae's Gospels before this adventure is through.
The scent of death wafts from the second door. she heard of demons playing the innocent soul to lure weak willed victims into their trap. Azmaria would have none of that if she could help it.
She draws her weapon and pulls back on the hammer the gentle click as it cocks into place. she then rotates the barrel to align a scripture shot (normal bullet)
Bazo scouting ahead finds a man in a cell, his face pale and hands filthy. the man calls to the demonic hound clearly out of desperation, and whichever other pc's show up .
"Oh, gods, kind faces Aroden bless you, noble souls I ain't
seen the jailers in ages, I think they forgot about us! We ain't
eaten in days and the water's all but gone-my cousins're
both sick. I swear we'd give back the boar if we could, but
we ate it, starvin' as we was. We didn't even know it was the baron's lands, didn't know we was poachin' I beg you, we're
all gonna die in here! Kindness, noble souls, we've suffered
awful! Good Baron Sarvo wills it!"
Anyone know who this guys talking about? And if he accepts bounties? I'm not exactly from around here.
Ciaran is perplexed by the man's plea. "Neither am I but that name does ring a distant bell..."
"Please give me some Water! Food! Good Baron Sarvo wills it! the man repeats.
You notice the mans flesh isn't just pale it's almost transparent, also the backwall looks odd as well
Baron Sarvo was a Belhaim lord who rebelled against the crown
a long time ago, he ruled over Belhaim as lord an equally long time ago.
"Okay now I recall it - Baron Sarvo was a cruel lord who ruled this town ages ago, until he started a rebellion and was destroyed with his castle and family. Perhaps the poor soul became deluded in his imprisonment and thinks it was the old Baron who put him in this cell? Anyway, surely we can spend some food and water for the guy before finding out why he is kept here?"
Ciaran unties a flask from his hip and gives it to the emaciated man.
Isn't Aroden dead? Cruel lord indeed. before you hand things out to strangers who won't pay you back, you should really give them a second look. The backwall looks like the wall we just stepped through. If he wanted to leave, why doesn't he use that? And speaking of this guy... He stops to draw his weapon before finishing.
See-through flesh isn't a look that works on humans, is it? Azruk looks directly at the man in the cell as he says this, towering over the semi-transparent caged man.
Ciaran shrugs. "It's not like I'm giving him my last coin... Wait, what do you mean see-through flesh?"
It slowly dawns on him as he tries to put two and two together.
"Hey, watch out! If it's see-through, it's probably swing-through as well! Better leave it be!"
as you hand the flask to the man it falls, the flask hits the floors and the man disappears into thin air.
Azruk decides to keep his greatsword out, but by his side, as before. That was disturbing. Think he died in there? He opens the cage door if he can.
Like I said. Freely giving is an accident waiting to bite you in the ass. I like the thought though.
Azmaria keeps an eye out after the man vanishes, ghosts, don't know much about them. but they can be dangerous
She looks to Azruk, I'll remember your advice when you need my healing.
the look in her eye, indicates she will remember, but will ignore it. there is nothing to fear about her withholding any healing.
That's the difference. I'm watching your back, you're watching mine. It's an exchange of services. If you were out on the street, and you gave a beggar your last gold coin, do you know what would happen? You would be down a coin. He looks at Azmaria, seemingly angrily.
But.... she starts, but seeing him look a bit angry, Azmaria shuts up best not continue the conversation now, as long as she wishes to stay standing.
What? Go on. That's how debates go, I say my piece, you say yours. No-ones even started name calling yet, which is nice. That's how I can tell you're clergy. And not someone faking it. He turns back around to continue, not having noticed his unintentional glare-beam.
There is more to life than just coin. in the end, How we treat each other is what makes the biggest mark in the world. I may have lost my last coin, but I may have just given that beggar his first. And Thus may turn his life around.
She tries her best to convey her message but Azruk's intimidating presence makes her feel a bit timid.
Azmaria is young and has not seen much of the world. that is obvious by looking at her. She has much to learn, but at the same time has much to offer.
Of course there's more. The coin was just a metaphor. I just hope you didn't have plans for it. Sick family member who needs medicine? Broken weapon and you have to go off to war the next day? You could be right. I really want you to be, but do you know what? Life doesn't work like that as often as we'd like. Azruk sighs deeply. It sounds more like wind passing through a hole in the wall.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get preachy.
examining it further, it appears to be able to be pushed opened,
It opens to a long corridor with strange metallic contraptions, gears and chains at the end a lever. a small rolling cloud of energy floating near it.
Ciaran hesitates at the door and attempts to discern the nature of the energy cloud.
you do in fact detect magic, further study reveals traces of conjuration, and binding magics. you also detect traces of magic in the prison cell you crossed through
Azruk leans down to ask Ciaran in the utmost straight of voices
Want me to throw another javelin at it? They're the javeliniest.
She is in a we of this place, the metal works and the technology, or is it magic, sometimes that is hard to tell.
she does keep her eyes peeled for danger.
While keeping lookout Azmaria notices chains along the hallway occasionally spark.
walking down the rather long hallway you eventually come to be standing around a lever, a small cloud of sparks and energy float jsut in front of it, unmoving.
I'm not touching that. Azruk states
"F***. Well I can't solve all your problems. Don't have hands."
Bazo holds up a claw.
Daelendross casts Mage Hand to pull the lever from a distance.
Having heard tales of creatures that exist only as energy, Azmaria tries to recall any descriptions possibly this "stuff" is in fact one such creature.
Suddenly she remembered, That was the title of the chapter, but that was the day she slipped out of class to watch the crusaders practice in the arena.
she totally was "absent" that day and doesn't recall anything of value. Still she does know that such creature do exist.
The floating energy thing doesn't seem to respond as the lever is pulled staying perfectly still. you all quite loudly hear the sounds of something whirring to life, the chains along the hall begin moving as the lever is pulled.
"I absolutely don't like the sound of this... First an apparition, now haunted chains... This place carries a bad aura."
You all walk back through the hall, the sound of chains rattling as they move, the sound of machines having been turned on the creature from before left to guard the pulled lever. A feeling of unease as you walk back through the cell.
There are two ways you can go, to the left from where you came or to the right further on in this wing.
With the first signs of possible undead or spirit activity, Azmaria rotate the barrel of her pistol to load one of Iomedae's Gospels (silver bullet) into firing position.
She keeps it drawn and at the ready.
We should try that direction she says indicating the passage to the right.
You guys are just leaving the room in the middle section that leads to the slightly larger cell. this should work
Huh. I should learn how to do that. At the sight of Dael's spell.
Azruk decides to tromp on in the direction Azmaria noted.
Wandering down the halls a few cells line the walls, naught but skeletons lying in them. Another old door lies at the end. entering you find yourselves back in the main wing of the tower.
You follow the halls towards where you all originally entered, following the other pathway to a door stuck shut
With the first signs of possible undead or spirit activity, Azmaria rotate the barrel of her pistol to load one of Iomedae's Gospels (silver bullet) into firing position.
She keeps it drawn and at the ready.
We should try that direction she says indicating the passage to the right.
"Right. Gotcha."
Bazo promptly turns and walks down the left hallway, completely contrary to the paladin's recommendation.
"You've got to give him the little battles to win the big war."
Dael sighs and shakes his head, shrugging.
"I would teach you Azruk, but I'm not much of a teacher. I don't really know how I figured it out myself. They don't let half-breeds in the schools back home. Just in the blood, I guess, but...aren't there schools of wizardry up here?"
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I think so. Truth be told, I've never seen one myself. I've seen the wizards. Gave one named Gladys or something a wedgie when he decided to wave his diploma in my face. Half-breed, huh? Do people also try to boot you out of bars, too? Happens to me occasionally. Wait, Azruk looks around momentarily.
Didn't we start here?
He tries the stuck door. It doesn't budge from the usual gentle nudge.
Bazogobergoban runs up and shoulder-checks the hell out of the door, knocking it open.
"Less talky, more death and destruction, mortals."