The giant head snaps its mouth shut just in time, and the bomb explodes against its face, causing some damage nonetheless. With a howl, it lunges itself at Czein.
The smaller head cackles with glee and leaps at Raven, its hair suddenly growing out as it tries to entangle her. However, as it is a very small head, Raven manages to swing out at it, but misses.
Still cackling, it springs on her face, and the hair wraps itself around Raven's head! Now clinging to her face, the severed head starts trying to gnaw through her skull.
Raven (3 dmg, grappled)
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Grabby head (grappling Raven)
Big head (3 dmg)
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Hector
Czein (6 dmg)
Crystal
Juid
Ragnar
Crystal has never seen such a creature before, and hopefully never will have to again. She aims her bow and fires at the head grabbing Raven with its hair.
What's that in the room? A head? Juid wonders. Concerned about the sudden viciousness of the attack, he hobbles forward to the end of the hall and casts bless on all his allies.
Let the Dawnflower's light guide your arms and know no fear in the face of such desecration! he encourages.
Unable to reach Raven for the moment, Hector tries to make work on the large skull in front of him.
Crystal's bolt fails to skewer the bitey head, but thankfully does not skewer Raven either as it slams into the wall. Juid chants a prayer to the Dawnflower and a great spirit infuses the party, driving away the fear the undead present and guiding their attacks.
Hector watches the giant head closely and neatly stabs out with his rapier. It skewers an engorged eyeball, which comes right out on the end of Hector's rapier with a sickening plop. Hector stares at the giant eye on the end of his rapier, which stares back before it bounces off the end of the rapier and begins rolling around the floor to little effect.
Raven (3 dmg, grappled)
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Grabby head (grappling Raven)
Big head (11 dmg)
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Hector
Czein (6 dmg)
Crystal
Juid
Ragnar
Twisting and making muffled sounds of outrage, Raven blindly fumbles her club out of its loop on her belt and slams it into the abomination clinging to her head!
Czein roars in pain, and pushes back, holding the thing at length while he listened to his ally cast a spell. Slightly disappointed that the spell did not close up his wound, he turned and swung hard at the big head.
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Ragnar swings the mace at the thing that is currently grappling the alchemist. Being not the strongest person, this looks a bit clumsy.
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Czein roars and slams his axe into the head, which shrieks, spraying foul-smelling blood from the wound. It begins to sag and Ragnar grabs his trusty mace and as hard as he can, wonks the head between the eyes. Its remaining eye crosses, and it plummets silently into the pit.
Meanwhile, Raven spins in circles, bashing at her face with her club. The club strikes the grabbing head, and it falls lifelessly from her.
End of Combat
After a moment's silence, it occurs that nobody has heard the skeleton, or the giant head actually striking the bottom of the shaft.
Czein doesn't seem to notice the lack of a thud, but after a moment he begins to laugh heartily. "Gwahaha! I haven't fought like that in ages! Not a bad lunge there twinkle toes!" He kicks at the huge eyeball on the floor, rolling it toward Hector. "And Beardy! I've seen little girls with stronger arms, but by Gorom you dove right in!" He readies his axe again, assuming that the Goblins won't take to long to find them. "Perhaps we should have a drink together when we leave this place."
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"That was ... interesting. I really should learn how to defend myself better, under such circumstances that is. Oh and how do you clean up this mess?" Ragnar says, raising the blood-tripping light mace Hector has given him.
He then steps forward to the well and throws in a rock he has just made glowing. He leans over and watches as the light source descends.
The light source descends for what seems like ages. It plummets until it is nothing but a pinprick. Finally, it seems to have stopped moving. The shaft is likely thousands of feet deep.
A better examination of the shaft in the ground gives some clue as to its purpose. The remains of a complicated, oversized winching mechanism sit above it, and against the wall a couple of rusted-out, gigantic gears indicate some very powerful machinery was at work here.
The room itself has an exit to the north, which is absolutely covered in scratch marks from the skeletons. You can also return through the secret passage to the northwest.
Czein winces as he finds a rib that is certainly bruised if not cracked. "Don't suppose any of you can help out with this?" He indicates the huge bite mark on his body.
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"No worries, master merchant. Just a few quick flicks and a bit of cloth should do. Why don't you hold onto that mace for a bit. Never know when you might need it again. And yes, Mister Czein, I've grown more accustomed to fencing than other forums of combat. Perhaps we can have a friendly match sometime, along with those drinks once we are out."
Crystal grimaces, then turns to Juid.
"Sir, if you intend to channel Sarenrae's power again, please warn me next time." She says, adjusting her hat. "I suppose I owe you an explanation as to why."
The giant eyeball continues to roll around on the ground, aggressively bumping into people as it seeks its revenge from beyond the grave.
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Raven eyes the eyeball -- then smacks it with her club, sending it down into the well.
"Disgusting," she says, dismissively. "If there is any healing going free, I am definitely interested."
"Yes, Crystal, let's talk about that once we see the light of sun once again. I notice IT gave you no trouble. Might I ask you to watch out for Pîsim for a moment while I recall Sarenae's healing gift for these others?
Juid gives his unusual ally time to move outside the range of his powers and channels positive energy once again, this time for healing.
He then examines the wounds on Raven and Czein. They both notice that plentiful heat emanates from his hands.
"There will be some swelling but it should be fine in the morning, provided we aren't overcome by goblins before this day is out."
Crystal nods and moves over to the donkey.
She stops short of it, not entirely sure her presence won't frighten the animal.
"Good to know and thank you," Raven says, blinking once at Juid. She then walks over to Crystal. "Perhaps you might regale me while we move on," she says. "I must confess to some curiosity."
Crystal looks down, fingering her bow. "About what?"
Oh, like you don't already know. The way you recoiled from the old man would have clued anyone in.
Raven blinks once, her expression unperturbed, then leans forward and whispers to Crystal while staring right into her eyes.
"Why, the aspect of your fysiology that apparently causes you to take damage from the application of positive energy, rather than reaping a restorative effect from the same," she says.
Another blink.
"If it helps, my own fysiology is also non-human, appearances notwithstanding. I am not judgmental."
Crystal approaches the donkey who seems to relax a little in her presence. The animal is clearly stressed from being underground and the sounds of combat haven't helped.
"My thanks," Ragnar says, slightly bowing in Hector's general direction. "I hope I won't have to use it too often. I like dealing with peaple rather than the undead."
He cleans the mace with a simple piece of cloth and keeps it in hand. Ragnar walks over to the northern door, inspecting it for any signs of an opening mechanism.
Crystal looks down at her feet. "Sharp one, aren't you?"
"If it helps, my own physiology is also non-human, appearances notwithstanding. I am not judgmental."
She looks up at Raven, remembering how her blood was... pinkish and watery, for lack of better terms. "I noticed. You could have fooled me."
She tentatively pats the donkey on its head. "I'm curious... how familiar are you with vampire lore?"
The donkey is not familiar with vampire lore.
Ragnar checks the north door, which looks easy enough to open. However, with a light shove, nothing happens. It appears the door is stuck fast.
"Can you check if the goblins are still in the corridor? Maybe they have just given up searching for us? Either way, we could go out here the way we came, or someone with more muscles than I have might force open this door. It seems stuck or is blocked from the other side."
Ragnar then steps away from the door, getting into a position from where he can see both of the rooms exits.
"Hmm... maybe it is like those other ones. Let look for floor plates or anything else that we can press in to make it open."
Hector then takes the time to go over the room carefully.
"I'm curious... how familiar are you with vampire lore?"
Raven blinks. "During my time at the University of Lepidstadt, I spent quite a bit of time at the local cathedral to Pharasma," she answers. "I have a decent grasp of the concept, I believe. But you, I think, are not a vampire. You cast a shadow, for one thing, and the sight of blood does not appear to unduly excite you. Also, a true vampire would need to be highly exceptional to be able to wear the holy symbol of the Lady of Graves."
She blinks, then smiles pleasantly at Crystal. "I tend to notice little things," she says, in an offhanded manner. "A minor failing of mine."
Hector's quick look over the door doesn't yield any pressure plates. Also, unlike the secret doors which are made of stone and concealed in the walls, this door is just a very old, but stout wooden door which is stuck fast.
The sounds of the partying takes up once more from the north. It appears that the goblins and bugbears gave up their brief search.
Sharp one. And not inclined to judge?
"You would be correct. I am no vampire." Crystal says, her expression as serious as ever.
She sighs. "Only half of one. My mother was... attacked by a vampire while she was pregnant with me." She looks up at Raven again, noting how pleasantly she was smiling at her. "Since I was born in a cathedral of Pharasma, my blood is not as tainted as that of my kin. I can walk with ease in daylight, but holy power still burns me."
She looks down at the donkey. "Despite my best efforts."
"hmmm... I suppose those doors wont open up to the goblin room... I could probably get it open, but should we return and check that other secret door I saw?" Czein is pretty obviously addressing Hector and Ragnar most directly, still indifferent to most of the others.
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"Good idea. Let's check the other secret passage first. But be careful, they might have left a sentinel in the corridor. Try listening on the door or something before opening it."
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Ragnar listens at the secret door, then steps back to be second or third in line as soon as someone opens it.
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My mother was... attacked by a vampire while she was pregnant with me. Since I was born in a cathedral of Pharasma, my blood is not as tainted as that of my kin. I can walk with ease in daylight, but holy power still burns me."
She looks down at the donkey. "Despite my best efforts."
Raven nods, smiling, then leans over to whisper.
My hypothesis would be that your vulnerability to positive energy should not be seen as a sign of unholiness on your part, but as a matter of energy imbalance. You possess a natural amount of positive energy in you, but it is relatively small. An infusion of positive energy which, in more basic humanoids, promotes health and regeneration causes an overload in your system, causing damage. In contrast, the infusion of negative energy allows for tissue regeneration because your body is already strongly infused with it."
Raven blinks, still smiling pleasantly. "There has been relatively little investigation into dhampir, I'm afraid. I must admit that I am tempted... Would you be terribly offended if I asked whether I might study you in greater detail? I am currently without an alchemist's laboratory, but should I manage to acquire one, I would be deeply gratified if I might examine some samples of your blood and flesh. Small amounts, of course, and for purely academic purposes."
Her expression softens. "But at least you're upfront about what you want. I'll consider it."
She turns to leave, gently taking the donkey by the reins and leading it closer to the well room. "Come on. We should get ready--it sounds like everyone's ready to move on."
Czein listens at the two doors. It's clear the stuck door is fairly close to the noise of the party. The secret exit is silent.
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I'll tug on that lever, very carefully swinging the door open.
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While the others check on the doors, Juid moseys back to Pîsim to calm him down. He finds the two young women (?) deep in quiet conversation and clears his throat to make it clear that he's approaching.
Czein opens the secret door, and peer to the left and right. The door to the party room is now ajar and light pours out of it into the hallway. The sounds of the revelry are loud and Czein can see some of the goblins dancing and singing. As Ragnar speaks up far too loudly, one of the goblins perks up.
"Drel o maar tuulkaatek?" he squeaks. He peer at the hall and fails to see Czein, but starts babbling excitedly.
"Daagaan't a taalaar druur! Daagaan't a taalaar druur!"
The goblin starts running for the secret door.