Cade dismounts and walks over to pick up his rapier. He inspects it to make sure the weapon is not broken. Satisfied that all is in working order, the halfling returns the weapon to its home on his belt.
Their was magic behind that howl. Could have made the bravest of warriors piss themselves. It was unfortunate but I think we need to get moving again...as soon as all are ready. The combat could have drawn attention that we do not need right now.
The handsome swashbuckler climbs back up and into the saddle on Bellum's back.
Karu becomes one with Karjys' furry exterior as she hugs her companion with an intensity that matches the despair she felt when he and the others ran away. It isn't until she feels that once-steady core of herself falling back into the right place that she steps back to listen and plan what to do next with the others.
"I'm honestly exhausted. If there's any more resistance to be found at the level of these doggers ... or, Desna fend, worse ... I am not quite sure how much help I'd be, Cade." And she isn't lying. At the end of the fight, her arms felt like soggy noodles.
Karu gives the room a cursory glance before focusing on what's really important: clearing this blasted level of any and all threats!
Karu becomes one with Karjys' furry exterior as she hugs her companion with an intensity that matches the despair she felt when he and the others ran away. It isn't until she feels that once-steady core of herself falling back into the right place that she steps back to listen and plan what to do next with the others.
"I'm honestly exhausted. If there's any more resistance to be found at the level of these doggers ... or, Desna fend, worse ... I am not quite sure how much help I'd be, Cade." And she isn't lying. At the end of the fight, her arms felt like soggy noodles.
Cade looks down at the dwarf with his typical smile. Bright and wide as Bellum remains steady.
It was a difficult battle I do not doubt, for both of you. Take the time you need to recenter yourselves. I have faith that you can push forward but if you do not wish to...I will not hold that against you. Come now let us see what we can find in this place before we decide what to do next.
Determined to get more out of that terrifying battle then a set of bite marks on her butt Talia searches the room carefully.
"On one hand resting would be nice, but on the other we still have the advantage of surprise. So I agree to move on. Don't want to come back and find the place stripped bare of loot."
Talia conducts a very thorough search of the chapel. Unfortunately, all she finds are burnt ashes and bones on the altar - likely the remains of Father Tobyn. The glowing kukri are part of the statue, and have been subjected to continual flame effects to produce the light.
"Lets clear this place first." Talia suggests, heading for the other door.
Talia opens the door to find a short flight of stairs down with another door at the bottom. Opening it reveals what is clearly a dungeon. The southern wall of this room is a bank of cells with iron doors, six in all. The rest of the room is obviously a torture chamber; a rack sits against the west wall, an iron maiden stands to the north, and a fire pit smolders below a spiky cage dangling from a chain in the ceiling to the east.
There is a door to the east out of the room, and another door to the north.
Karu carefully approaches the room and tries to avoid stepping into any traps or walking into a crossbow bolt. "Let's be quiet", she says in what is almost a whisper. "Mind if I take a look before ye lot come barging in?"
She mutters a soft prayer to Desna. Oddly enough, the dwarf then has to stifle a sneeze. "Heh, sorry!", she says as a blush creeps onto her face.
While she doesn't really want to, Riori looks at the torture equipment--any obvious signs of it being used recently? E.g., blood on the instruments, etc. She's worried someone may be in need of rescue.
Not the most pleasant of rooms.
He points to the closest door...
What do you think...that way?
"Lets keep on the trail then?" Talia mutters absently, more interested in checking the eastern door.
You smell your companions - Karjys needs a bath - but no other living creatures.
Riori's examination of the torture equipment reveals nothing fresh - it hasn't been properly cleaned, and there is old dried blood on some of it, but she doesn't think there's anyone in need of rescue. The cells are empty.
Talia finds no traps on the door, and opens it to reveal a short hallway which ends in an other door.
"At least it seems they've taken no other prisoners."
She follows Talia and Cade, letting Karu and Karjys take up the rear at their request. "What about the door to the left?" She asks, pointing to the north door. "That loops back to toward the temple, maybe those hounds were guarding something in there."
The dwarf wrinkles her nose at her ursine companion. She'd love to say something witty to Karjys, but nothing comes to mind. It's Riori's question that pulls her back to the (somewhat more important) here and now. "Pop it open. I don't smell anyone other than us right now. Yes. Smell. Don't ask, t'is Desnian magic."
Left it is then...
Talia advances down the hall and checks the door, including listening for anyone on the other side.
Talia thoroughly checks over the door, finding no traps. It is unlocked, and she hears nothing on the other side. She opens the door, Revealing a short hallway with another door on the east wall at the end of it. Checking that door and finding the same, she opens that one.
When Talia opens the second door, you catch a whiff of stale air and old filth. it smells worse than the cells do.
A dusty nest of rags, dog hides, and straw sits in the northeast corner of this room. To the south, a long workbench cluttered with pliers, hooks, tongs, saws, and knives runs along the wall.
You see no one in the room.
The dwarf involuntarily gags when Talia opens the second door. "Gods have mercy, this smell is unbearable! Only a true degenerate can live under these conditions." She wants to search the place for clues and valuables, but her nose says no.
Riori helps search.
Cade remians behind as the others search the room. He keeps Bellum moving back and forth hoping that no one interrupts them.
Talia looks around, but the smell is so revolting that her search is very brief.
"Where to now?" she asks, "Keep going where we are, or clear the door to the top and east?"
Cade points to the east.
Let us clear this whole area first. That way is all that is left in this area. Judging from our map it just might meet up with the entrance to the temple.
Finding nothing of interest in the smelly room, the group heads down the short hallway. Talia's examination reveals no locks or traps, and opening the door reveals a large chamber. A single lantern hangs from a hook on the wall next to where the stairs enter this room from the
north. Several rickety doors open into this room, and a few discarded dog pelt rugs lie forgotten in the northeast corner.
There are three doors to the south, one to the north, and one to the east.
Talia will check the southern doors first. It looks as if they aren't anything more than storerooms.
She will pause on each door in case there is something there. She is working from left to right.
You hear noises behind the first door. After a moment, you realize it's the sound of goblins engaging in...intimate relations with someone bigger than them.
Talia looks as if she's trying not to be sick as she slowly pulls back from the first door. "Good news I think we can surprise whoever is in there."
Swallowing some bile ."Bad news whoever is in there is doing things to each other." Followed by a massive shudder. "Goblin sex! Why?"
When everybody is ready she will stand to one side and open the door.
Karu averts her gaze and stares at the ceiling. She can't process Talia's words without wanting to barf. "We can't murder unarmed people, can we?! Even if they are goblins!" She knows the goblins wouldn't have such qualms, but that's the thing. She is not a goblin and doesn't want to be like them.
Riori grimaces, then turns to Karu. "Did you miss what happened at the Swallowtail Festival? Those same goblins were among those who were trying to slaughter everyone--elders and children too. Especially the weak and defenseless. They are hardly innocent or innocuous. And I don't even want to think about what might be going on in there in terms of consent."
She pulls out a vial of acid and nods to Talia. "Go for it."
Cade smiles widely and chuckles.
First time for me. I am the one usually having some angry person barging in. This shall be fun.
Taking a deep breath Talia opens the door wide, "Go!" She hisses, trying not to alert the fornicators.
Talia throws open the door to reveal four giggling goblin females and one bugbear. All of them are naked, although you notice an assortment of weapons and armor in the room itself.
The bugbear is the ruthless Bruthazmus, enemy of Shalelu and terror along the Lost Coast Road.
Despite her best efforts Talia catches a glimpse of the room and recognizes the Bugbear. "Kill the Bugbear first!" She warns the others. "He's dangerous!"
"Forward, Karjys! Show them you ain't scared of no one!" With those encouraging words, the dwarf leads her companion into battle. The unlikely duo seek out the bugbear - a hated dwarven foe - and seek to overwhelm him.
Riori throws the flask at the bugbear.
Shifting to the side slightly, the Halfling waits for the door to open. As the door opens up, Cade scans the room very quickly and decides on range action at this time. Reaching down to pull forth his new dagger, the nimble warrior throws the dagger at the bugbear.
The Halfling starts to laugh
With all that fur, I would think you would not be cold. You are cold right...
The dagger reappears in his hand and he smiles.
I do not see a stream around here...so you were not swimming.
Laughter erupts again from the handsome Halfling.