The bugbear shakes his head. "Weren't you listening? You can't get out. The south gate and portcullis get sealed when someone comes in that way. It's a trap. The only way out now is the secret entrance, and there's whole floors full of monsters and minions between here and there."
"Then join us, we're looking for tha secret entrance. You've seen us fight, we'll be fine in those lower levels."
The bugbear bursts out laughing so hard he cries. Once he's able to breathe again, he says, "I'd just as soon let you kill me right now, rather than go marching down there and prolong the suffering."
You're not bad in a fight, we could use you. Join forces with us.
"May you all be risen, slowly and painfully, into the service of the vampire."
"Hmph, fine, Well I'm Thyra, that's Halsere, Pietro, Mirrel and Spidre. If we run inta ya again. . I hope it goes a bit better. Here is some trail rations if ya want 'em"
Thyra will give him two-days of trail rations.
Spidre begins laughing at the absurdity of the whole situation. The blade in his hand wavers a bit under the bugbear's throat.
"Who is it who lets you in and out, who moves you around and tells you where you need to be? Who is in charge of this level and where will we find them?"
"Nobody lets us in or out," the bugbear replies. "Guarding this area is a permanent gig." He nods toward a side door. "Sleep right in there. Basically, we were put here and told to guard the area. We were promised wealth after the vampire comes to power."
"Well, they're not going to be very happy with you once they find out how easily we defeated you are they? Unless you want to join the vampire's service more permanently, I suggest you stay here and keep your head down."
Leaving the bugbear to sit in the corner and scowl to his heart's content, you continue your exploration. Sure enough, the next room contains a few cots, and not far from there you find a room filled with stored foods and supplies, as well as a pile of collapsed and discarded crates and other containers.
A bit later, you enter a large room that seems the most crypt-like in this crypt so far: the walls are lined with burial niches. When you enter, skeletons climb out of all the alcoves. However, rather than immediately attacking you, they look around as though confused. They spot you, and one of them steps forward and speaks:
"We have risen to serve the master, but we do not sense his presence."
All the skeletons look to you, as though expecting an explanation.
"Psst. Mirrel. Time for the fast-talking."
I have the Staff of the Master and his name I command you to let me pass, he says brandishing the staff at the skeletons.
Thyra will walk forward a couple of feet in front of the group addressing the Noble Skeleton.
"We've business with the master, where is he? There are lowa' levels, how do we get there?"
The skeleton replies, "We do not know this place. When you find the master, please tell him we are ready for his orders."
With that, all the skeletons crawl back into their burial niches and lie still.
Continuing with your exploration , you continue to wander (and sometimes backtrack) through hallways and the occasional empty room. Presently, you enter a room that looks like it used to be an office. Heaps of rotten rubble that probably used to be bookshelves and cabinets dot the walls. In the center of the room is a dilapidated but still mostly intact desk and chair. Beyond the desk, on the other side of the room, another door leads out.
Moving around to the other side of the desk, you look through its drawers and find nothing of interest. However, on the bottom of the center drawer is a red button.
There is a large trap door in the ceiling above the desk.
Spidre watches the room for signs of movement.
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"Not much ta find here, bunch of rubbish!"
;
Mirrel enters and gives the room a cursory search before noticing a trapdoor in the ceiling above the desk. If he can reach it by climbing up onto the desk, he'll examine it more closely, checking for any traps and to see if he can lift it a fraction.
The old desk creaks, barely supporting the bard's weight as he climbs up to try and get a closer view of the trap door. Though he can't quite reach it, he sees no clear handle or other means of engaging it.
Try touching it with the staff, says Halsere passing it up.
Halsere also checks the desk.
Investigation
Orrrr, I can just try this red button here if that doesn't work.
"It seems like a bad idea. . ."
Thyra will stay in the room but raise her shield above her like a protective umbrella in case that trap door drops a bucket of acid or a crazy tentacle monster.
Spidre watches carefully, shaking his head slowly and backing away from the area under the trap door.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Checking that everyone else is prepared, Mirrel braces himself, ready to leap clear. He then touches the staff to the trapdoor and attempts to push it open.
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Mirrel pushes upward on the trap door with the staff, and it gives slightly, but doesn't open. Ready to go to the button plan, Mirrel lowers the staff, but as he does, the trap door swings downward and open!
Six very big, very pissed-looking snakes come tumbling down from the opening, sprawling all over the desk (and the bard)!
These are "racer snakes", so called because of their uncanny speed. They move and strike quickly, and their bites carry a debilitating venom that hinders their prey's ability to fight back.
With shocking speed, the angry-looking snakes begin to attack!
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Four of the snakes focus their wrath on the bard across whom they're draped! Two of them bite him hard, and he collapses!
The two that were about to bite Mirrel instead turn their attention to Halsere and Spidre, while the final two snakes attack Halsere and Pietro! Halsere takes two nasty bites , Pietro is badly bitten , and Spidre is bitten as well !
Halsere casts sleep as a second level spell
Two of the snakes fall asleep!
Pietro tries to take out the snake on him.
Spidre whirls into motion, swords flying at the offending snakes.
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He hisses at them threateningly.
Pietro and Spidre flail around a bit, but accomplish nothing whatsoever!
Thyra shouts a word of encouragement to the wounded Halsere!
Thyra then attacks the nearest snake:
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Her blade hits, wounding her target!
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Halsere is bitten hard!
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"Hah, this'll be a great story fer tha Order!"
Thyra will attempt to chop that same snake again.
"Torm'll see us through this!"
Spidre glances at his swords to make sure they're still in his hands as he continues trying to cut the lightning-fast snakes.
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Halsere casts sleep again as a 2nd level spell
Thyra kills a snake, and Spidre wounds another! Halsere casts another spell, sending the wounded snake and one other into a deep slumber!
Pietro tries to finish off the last conscious snake.
Pietro gives the snake a good wallop, and the snake retaliates!
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Pietro is bitten hard and gets poisoned!
Thyra will try and move over to kill the last snake
"Snakes, eh? Tha best they could throw at us was snakes? Hah!"
Thyra kills the snake!