Fenra readies her morningstar again but doesn't step into the fray.
Varisia | Land of the Linnorm Kings | Kalsgard | Ravenscraeg | The Dungeon
The sound of metal on stone reverberates throughout the corridor. It is painful on the elf's ears, feels grating on his weapon, but not damaging. Not yet. Draeven feels his weapon scrape across the statue's hard surface equally - if he tries any harder that great sword of his just might break .
The statues are pressed, but not defeated. Pieces of stone litter the floor, one's shoulder looks almost wrecked. As the two guardians step back to employ their weapons, Rennyn and Draeven can see the corridor split east and west. To the east is another closed wooden door, heavy and imposing. To the west is a room that is oppressively hot compared to the rest of the cellars. A coal furnace roars in the far wall, giving the room a dull red glow. A heap of coal is stacked against the east wall, a mound of red clay to the west next to a pile of old metallic gears. Two tables stand before the furnace, upon one is an almost completely assembled stone statue, the other holds a pestle and a bowl of powder similar in color to the clay. Two book shelves stand to the south.
The statues step back in unison, their naginata slice crisscross fashion across the paladin's form causing the elf to stagger back as one of them slams into his lamellar. .
| |
|
|
Rennyn calls upon his divine connection to soothe some of his aches as he keeps at the two retreating statues and slicing at both again...
Draeven moves forward and attacks again...
Jeryn continues to watch as the battle moves away from him.
Varisia | Land of the Linnorm Kings | Kalsgard | Ravenscraeg | The Dungeon
Again, brute force prevails. Their weapons still vibrating from impacting with stone, the dull sound of bricks falling to the floor accompanies the demise of the two statues. A small cloud of clay dust settles over the ruined artwork and the corridor quietens; only the sound of flowing water and the hiss of burning coal fills the void.
Glancing at his blade, Draeven sees five notches etched into the cutting surface of his blade.
|
Fenra, seeing Draeven's damaged edge, passes her hand over the notches and when she is done it looks as if he has just finished honing the edge.
Not sure if the sound of combat has alerted any others to their presence, Rennyn suggests to carefully withdraw to the chasm and cross using the plank. Once on the other side, they should remove the plank to their side and then rest for a moment to regain their composure.
After catching their breath, and having not heard anyone come to investigate, Rennyn helps Draeven re-install the plank over the chasm and leads the group back to the room at the far end of the hallway.
Fenra examines the now broken statues as they go, examining their workmanship and casting detect magic on them to see if the magic that powers them is completely gone.
She also recasts light on her pocket stone.
Varisia | Land of the Linnorm Kings | Kalsgard | Ravenscraeg | The Dungeon
Feeling refreshed, the group returns to the forge. The banked oven radiates heat as before. Everything here feels mundane, but just a little on the peculiar side. A mannequin? Most of the party notices nothing of interest here aside from a decent supply of quality clay powder and coal. Despite its value, probably close to 1,000gp, the difficulty of hauling the material away just isn't a consideration now. Shelves to the south hold pieces of stone armor which look ready to be fitted as replacements for the statues just destroyed as well as an ordinary wooden box about the size of a melon. Only a troll wouldn't think of looking in the wooden box. Inside, tucked within stripes of packing straw, are two silver white pearls of about the size of a peanut. The vibrant color of these put them in the price range of 500gp each.
Turning to leave the heat of the room, Rennyn's keen elven eyes notice a gleam in the piles of debris. Sifting through he notices two dull black pearls of similar size to those found in the box. Perhaps each worth 300gp due to their luster.
A check of the door to the west holds no indication of sound from beyond. The sturdy craftsmanship and well made handle tells of this door's newer construction than those encountered upstairs. A cautionary pull confirms the door is locked.
Based on the materials on hand, the forge has been set to fire pieces for the construction of another, or perhaps more, of the stone statue constructs just defeated. This stage of the process is perhaps still part of the preparation phase, affixing the fired pieces to the mannequin being the next logical step. The bulk of the enchantment process remains which includes the placement and charging of one of those black pearls found in order to power the thing. The future of the other pearls is clear.
| | |
Hmmmm
Draeven tries his found keys in the door.
Fenra looks around for anything that may indicate command words to control the statues in case they happen upon any more.
Varisia | Land of the Linnorm Kings | Kalsgard | Ravenscraeg | The Dungeon
None of the keys work.
Fenra's search turns up no journals or writings to provided any insight into the manner of the statues set behaviors. Muttering as much, the fair oracle's words sparks a line of thought in Jeryn's mind, There must be some way for these statues to recognize their own. If not a word of command then a gesture or symbol of some sort. The symbol would be readily known by any of the guards we've killed and we should have come across a rendering of it by now. If only one had been captured alive, we could have questioned him. Alas, our blades may have been too efficient in their work this night. Jeryn ponders the question of symbols and remembers a local custom, I've noted, many in Kalsgard bare brands or arm-rings signifying their affiliation, such as Asvig's men who wore the Lion's Head. That article proved useful in our infiltration of the farmhouse. Could there be some such system at work here?
| |
Finding the keys do not work on this door, Draeven switches to his crowbar. So much for being quiet. He gives everyone a chance to prepare themselves before he inserts the tool into the jam and pulls...
Jeryn of course also remembers that every time a captured enemy has been questioned, their head exploded before they could reveal any information. Why would these individuals be any different?
Rennyn moves up behind Draeven, katana in hand, ready to move into the room once the door is popped open.
Fenra hefts her morningstar and stays behind Rennyn.
Varisia | Land of the Linnorm Kings | Kalsgard | Ravenscraeg | The Dungeon
The ceiling of this grand chamber rises twenty feet overhead, its heavy beams serving as both rafters and supports for the great hall above. Teak paneling covers the walls, and the floor is of polished wood. Along the walls, wooden columns rise to the ceiling above, bearing banners emblazoned with pictograms from far-off Tian Xia. Several practice dummies with obvious wear stand near the center of the hall and to the sides. Small oil lamps hang from the rafters that give off a dim glow. A small shrine set with two bowls before it rests at the center (west) at the far end and four reed mats are arranged before it. In the center of the hall are four futons, their occupants no where to be seen. A doors to the right are closed.
Right away, Rennyn can tell something isn't what it appears to be. The futons appear to have been recently used, lamps remain lit overhead despite it being the middle of the night, and yet no one is in this hall.
| | | | | | | |
|
| | |
| | |
We walk into the apparently empty room...
Varisia | Land of the Linnorm Kings | Kalsgard | Ravenscraeg | The Dungeon
Just about every step is met with a creaking floor board, as though the floor has been rigged to do just that. Heavy shadows, cast by the hanging lamps, criss-cross the ceiling to contrast the large wooden beams and the barely visible stone floor of the banquet hall above. The 3ft x 8in wooden beams are spaced 10 feet apart, closer where they connect to the columns to the sides of the hall.
When the group reaches almost half-way, an empty glass vial about the size of a potion falls from the ceiling. The vessel shatters upon the wooden floor and is quickly followed by a curse, then by two more objects. A bright flash ignites to either side of the group filling the area where the objects fell in bright light . The party shields their eyes however Draeven's arm doesn't quite block everything; spots of light fill the big guy's field of vision.
Above, concealed in the heavy beams are four figures clad in the now familiar garb of the fortress' resident ninjas.
|
|
|
Ninja #O Init: 9
Rennyn can see spears slung behind each foe, in the hands of two are small objects but he cannot identify the nature of them - rocks? By reputation, ninja are said to have more weapons hidden away, yet judging from what's been encountered thus far, swords and blowguns may be on the menu although not currently in view.
Rennyn motions and calls for everyone to back up the way they came in celestial and common.
Draeven does his best to comply with Rennyn's suggestion in his blinded condition...
Fenra retreats through the door from whence they came and shoos the others from the doorway.
Varisia | Land of the Linnorm Kings | Kalsgard | Ravenscraeg | The Dungeon
The ninja's give chase. Although no longer in view from the warrior's positions, Jeryn can see the combatants move, hand over hand, to the walls. Then they in turn defy physics. Using the wall to guide themselves two of the four ninja's drop to the floor and advance on both himself with unnatural speed. Jeryn recognizes the enchantment, these ninja's have been hastened! The two make for the wizard. A spear appears. A Stone sized object is thrown. But what looked like stones from above can now be seen as a small bag. One is hurtled towards Jeryn exploding in a pile of sticky goo! The spear, thankfully! sails past his head. It is then that Jeryn realizes, these are no ninja. These are monastic trained artists!
| |
|
|
Jeryn makes for the doorway.
Covered in sticky goo, Jeryn makes for the doorway.
Varisia | Land of the Linnorm Kings | Kalsgard | Ravenscraeg | The Dungeon
Jumping just in time, Jeryn manages to avoid getting any of the sticky goo upon himself, save for a few splashes which cling harmlessly to his robes. As the wizard retreats, the second pair of monks descend. Using the same tactics as the others, this time they target Draeven. The small bag is tossed through the air, splattering in front of the big man's form, followed closely by a spear.
|
|
Seeing Jeryn slowed by the goo, and Draeven take a similar hit, Rennyn reverses course and moves to intercept one of the monks before slashing at him...
He calls out to Fenra in celestial, We aren't going to make it to the hallway!
As the goo stops Draeven in his tracks he attempts to cut himself free...
... and succeeds but stays where he is.
Fenra puts her morning star away and then draws her crossbow while re-entering the room.
Varisia | Land of the Linnorm Kings | Kalsgard | Ravenscraeg | The Dungeon
While the weight of goo slows the wizard, Draeven hacks away at the mess surrounding him as Rennyn comes to the big man's aid. However, the paladin's blade is too slow. With a tip of the monk's outstretched hand, the weapon is deflected mere inches, yet enough for the cutting edge to miss.
Two monks (1&2) move on Jeryn's and Fenra's position. One (1) thrusts a spear catching the wizard in the shoulder. The other monk (2) makes a complex gesture with his hands, either to distract Jeryn or call upon some form of his martial art before striking the wizard in the gut.
|
|
Jeryn is stunned by the blow. He drops his staff and stands motionless.
Varisia | Land of the Linnorm Kings | Kalsgard | Ravenscraeg | The Dungeon
Two monks move to flank Rennyn . Faced with superior warriors, the monks facing the paladin employ several forms in their attack before hitting him with kicks and blows to the body. HADOUKEN! Rennyn feels his sternum vibrate with the last hit threatening to take his breath away.
|
| | |
Renny retaliates...
Draeven attacks the same monk as Rennyn...