While Tad attends to any lingering wounds, only Fimbir and Dynath are left able to see well enough to look around through the lab, the darkness from the derro continuing to linger!
The fallen derro had a number of weapons, including a shortsword, the repeating light crossbow he tossed to the ground, and a strange hooked club attached to a twenty foot length of cord. He also had a small cartridge, designed for the crossbow, that still contains five bolts, all of which are covered in a substance that is quite likely poison.
The lab table takes a bit to put out the flames, leftover from Fimbir's fire blasts, though you do manage to salvage a few notes, all written in an unknown language, though containing many diagrams that hint at its less then savory contents. Whatever they were doing to the goat, is impossible to tell, the fire damage having melted most of the wires, and destroyed the metal box.
The shelves are filled with all manner texts and notes, and miscellaneous paraphernalia, some clearly torture implements of some sort, some who's function is a complete mystery. There is also a small leather bag with a handle, that turns out to be a healer's kit, containing numerous mundane medicinal items.
They will also notice a few texts discarded into a heap by the northern fungal patch, being treated as little more then future fertilizer.
Where the others are gathered, in the dim light of the fungal growths along the walls, you eventually are able to make out the screams and yells from up the stairs, though it is hard to make out exactly what or who is making them as they seem to still be some ways away.
Somewhere near the end of Fimbir and Dynath's search, the darkness in the hallway suddenly fades, followed quickly by the effect in the lab area itself. The dim blueish light of the fungi once more lighting the area.
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Mutahir sighs as his wounds heal, taking the wand back with a nod.
Thank you, I appreciate it.
He does make a funny face and take a swig of water skin, spitting it out.
Damn wand always makes things taste like Sulfur.
He swallows another draft and tucks it away.
We should get moving. I don't like the sound of those screams.
Daedîn quickly and quietly makes his way up the steps, intent on scouting out what is happening... but Dynath seems to be in a different mindset, and immediately starts up the stairs after him, followed closely by Shadowfur. The dwarf ascent is not nearly as quiet as the elf's.
The wide stone stairs go up quite some ways, winding back and forth as they ascend. Although there is thankfully no fungus growing on them. As you round the first corner, you come across a pair of mites, sprawled out on one of the steps. At first, you think them both dead... but after a moment, you realize one of them is still breathing, his breath coming out in quiet gurgles, as he lay in a pool of vomit. The other is most definitely dead, though it is not immediately obvious why.
The elf's quiet observation is interrupted as Dynath comes lumbering up the steps, just in time to see the same sight.
Further up, the screams are growing louder, and you can both hear other noises as well, though can not make them out yet.
Daedîn is able to talk Dynath into letting him scout ahead as they both stand over the the two mites. As the elf continues upwards, he is suddenly joined by Benny, the halfling moving stealthily, but having a few issues in the poor lighting.
Soon, you realize the screams and yells sound more like people reveling, then being tortured... a suspicion that is born out when you finally reach the top of the stairs, and quietly peer around the corner.
You find yourself looking into a huge chamber, well over a hundred feet across and perhaps fifty feet wide, the entire room dimly lit by sputtering candelabras placed randomly and sparingly around the room... all of which are emitting an unnatural blood red light that flickers constantly. Dozens of whirling, twitching humanoids fill the entire area, dressed in outlandish costumes, many wearing masks.
You see over a dozen derro, all wearing elaborate masks, madly waltzing about the room, sometimes with each other, though more often then not, simply by themselves, as if lost in some sort of euphoric haze. Some of them wave banners of tattered cloth over their heads, occasionally getting tangled up in them and crashing to the ground, to writhe about on the floor. Others whirl feeble, guttering torches in chaotic patterns. None of them seem to be paying much attention to any of the others, often bumping into a nearby reveler, before caroming off in some other random direction.
A number of mites weave about the room as well, maybe a little less then a dozen. Some of them are engaged in what appears to be a chaotic mimicry of various peasant country dances, as they weave around the derros... both groups seemingly oblivious to the other. Other mites move about the room, awkwardly gathering plates and goblets from tables set up along the edges... but they all seem to be having troubles doing even that simple task... dropping as many plates as they manage to pick up. Even as you watch, one of them falls to the ground, amidst a cascading crash of broken pottery, not to get up at all... his form just laying there on the ground, convulsing. No one seems to care.
There appear to be a number of forms sprawled on the floor, many mites, a few derro, but also a handful of humans, the later concentrated towards the middle of the room. All of the revelers seem to be dancing in and around them with wild abandon, and you can not tell if they are alive, unconscious, or dead from where you are.
From the far side of the hall, the sounds of chaotic music fill the entire hall, though only Daedîn's elvish eyes can see that far.
Right beside where you peer around the corner, you see an unconscious derro, his face pressed uncomfortably against the wall, dark red foam around his lips, and a bottle of some black liquid laying forgotten on the floor beside him.
None of the revelers seem to notice either of you at all... your not sure they even could if they were trying at this point, given their condition.
And, above it all you see a much taller feminine figure perched on a white throne at the far eastern end, as if observing the festivities. You can't make out much about them, other then the pale robes they wear, and that they appear to be much taller then any of the revelers.
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Daedîn silently nods to Benny, motioning for them to withdraw back to Dynath's position...
He whispers to the dwarf, "Strange...but there's no torture. Some kind of odd dancing and revelry...the screams are from the revelers, not from folk being tortured. A tall female in pale robes slpeats to be orchestrating this, but I can 't tell what sort of creature she be...but she's likely a spellcaster. There are also derro, mites, and a few humans...other than the female caster, I don't know how many of the others can put up much of a fight as most look to be in bad shape...but since Derro are involved, wr can expect more darkness spells...
"We should send for the others...I think we can get up there unheard as the music and screaming is loud...maybe we can mix in with the revelers and get closer before we're noticed..."
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Mutahir is looking rather... twitchy. At the description of the injured people, he sweeps past the others and walks ahead.
I will draw their attention. It is what I am good at. You rescue who you can, and let the derro expend their darkness on me and then hit them.
He flicks his blade and walks up past the others. Clearly aiming to walk straight into the hall! He pauses only a moment to let the others get clear of the doorway before marching in....
As he does so he does a few things. First, he looks about with his evil detecting aura sense to see if anyone registers. Second, he sees if he recognizes anything that may lead to some understanding of whatever it is these things are worshiping and reveling for. Third, he begins walking straight towards the pale woman, ignoring the rest of the debauched revelry around him.
Quite the party Madam. I don't suppose you have a fine, upstanding reason to be cavorting with these creatures? Hm?
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"Mutahir, wait... that's not a bad idea, but let us try to get in position first...give us a minute, and then barge in as you described...I'll try to sneak along the edges to find a prime sniping spot...Benny, Tad, and Fimbir can blend in with the revelers...Dynath it might be best for you go in with Mutahir as you'll be able to show him the way to the woman caster. By the time you two crash the party, we should be in position to hit them from different angles..."
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Fimbir's head swivels back and forth quickly as the party discusses how best to approach the upper revel. As a scheme seems ot be forming, the gnome's eyes widen and a grin breaks out across his face.
Yeah! I can totally go and be miteish! Fimbir fiddles with his coat sleeves and his outfit begins to morph into a close match to those of the mite archers in the other room. The gnome conitnuesto talk while he undoes his stilts to lower himself further.
We sneak in then and move around? I bet they'll never know what hit them!
The two mites on the stairway where you are talking (one dead, one comatose), and the derro up at the top by the entry (also comatose), are all wearing examples of what the revelers are currently decked out in. The mites some sort of variation on human formal clothing, the derro a wierd costume that looks almost like its supposed to be some sort of plant, with a flower-like mask.
You manage to get Mutahir to not charge immediately into the room, and instead give you a moment to try to position yourselves!
Tad grabs the clothes from one of the mites on the stairs, and though the bottom part does not fit his grippli form, the long black coat with tails fits pretty well, as does the strange bow-like neck adornment. There also appears to be a short stiff cylindrical hat with a narrow brim, and he puts that on his head, to finish off the effect. Pretty dapper, all in all... though he can't help but feel there should be a cane or something.
Fimbir uses his magical sleeves to mimic a different outfit, and grabs the mask off the derro passed out at the top of the stairs. What he thought was a flower, actually looks a little different once he puts it over his head, instead resembling some sort of bi-valve mollusc with protruding spikes along the outer edge.
Benny doesn't bother with a costume, assuming he can remain unnoticed without.
You all have had a chance to witness the chaotic milieu of the Ballroom now. Fifty feet wide, it is well over a hundred feet across, with large alcoves spaced evenly along the walls on both sides. Tables have been set up in front of the alcoves near the side walls, all covered in various foods and drinks.
Through the Ballroom, dozens of mites and derro caper about in a chaotic dance, many of them wearing elaborate costumes and masks. There is no pattern or style to their dances, just wild chaotic abandon. Music fills the entire place, though it has little tempo beyond 'fast' and even less form, all coming from a group of musicians on a raised platform on the eastern end, near the south wall. Only the occasional scream from the revelers seems to interrupt the music as one or more of the derros and mites occasionally throw back their heads and let loose... though it it is hard to tell if they are screams of pain, terror, exaltation, or madness.
Although there are a number of both mites and derros laying on the floor, some past out like the one near the entrance, others apparently dead, like the mite on the stairs, you can also see a number of human bodies in the middle of the dance floor, all of them sprawled out unmoving.
The entire room is lit by sputtering candelabras set up on the side tables, all of them emitting an unnatural blood red light, though not enough of it to get above dim. In fact, only Daedîn can see to the far end, to tell you about the bandstand, or the raised platform upon which rests a white alabaster throne upon which sits the feminine figure in pale robes he mentioned earlier.
Once the three smaller party members are ready, Daedîn slips into the room, following the northern wall like a ghost. Only the initial thirty feet is a little tense, until he makes the buffet tables and the cover they provide. No one seems to react to his presence as he slowly makes his way towards the east side of the ballroom, getting as far as the end of the larger buffet table, mostly taken up by some sort of giant six foot long centipede, roasted and split open, exposing its flesh for feasting.
Tad, Fimbir, and Benny follow him in, taking a more direct route, trying to blend with the chaotic crowd.
Tad, in his fancy suit coat and hat, seems to blend right in... any that do notice his frog-like features, assuming its just another elaborate costume. He is able to weave his way through the crowd, making himself look like just another member of them, almost reaching the sprawled out humans in the center of the room.
Fimbir's costume works pretty well too. Once he puts on the mask, as ridiculous as it looks, it does a fantastic job of covering up his head, so you'd be hard pressed to guess there's a gnome there... at least until he starts making his way through the crowd. Though he has the look, the little gnome clearly has no idea on how to act the part, and stands out to anyone that takes a moment to observe.
Benny is even worse, with no costume at all, despite his attempts to conceal himself, there is really nothing to hide behind, other then other revelers. Though the people on the far side of the ballroom do not seem to notice his entrance because of this, the mites and derros closer to the entrance start to focus on the halfling pretty soon after he goes in... though you can tell their drug-addled brains are taking a little longer then normal to process what they're looking at. Still, it starts to cause a ripple through the crowd.
Of course, the dwarf that then lumbering into the Ballroom is hard not to notice, especially with the wolf stalking in behind him. And none of them are more obvious then Mutahir, who follows Dynath and Shadowfur in, not even trying to avoid notice!
And just like that, the chaotic revelry becomes even more chaotic!
A mite near Benny, suddenly starts pointing at him, and screaming... you're not sure he's even seeing a halfling, but whatever he is seeing, he doesn't like, and his screams carry over even the loud music.
Two of the derros surrounding Fimbir, start to look at him oddly, as if attempting to make sense of something their brains can't quite get a hold on... but once Dynath and Mutahir walk in, both of them find other things to worry about and start yelling as well, pointing towards the dwarf and human instead.
The mood seems to be catching as more and more of the dancers begin to look to the western side of the room with bleary drug-addled eyes. And then suddenly the far end of the ballroom drops into total darkness!
Until that very darkness starts to move towards you![/ooc]
Off in the darkness, the band continues its discordant music... if anything increasing their tempo!
- Round 1 -------
red derro, Lady Morilaeth, yellow derro
Dynath, Fimbir, Mutahir, Benny
blue derro, green derro
Daedîn, Tad
partygoers
Bold can go!