Hearing Quinion and Markum's words Rhianni looks up from her search for a moment to say, "I have one last curative magik I can use, if someone is in need of it? "
"My dear, I would be dead for sure but for your magics. Though you never touched a blade, you fought well. I certainly could make good use of your spell, though others might have a greater need. Markum, are you injured?"
"If there is need, I have a curative potion as well, though it may be best to save it for an emergency."
"I also have a curative potion if needed, though it may be best to hold it for emergencies."
"You take it. I also have curing potions."
"My protector Praxim, I did what I could do, but maybe it is together we are stronger, for I would fall to these creatures more easily than you can tell, were it not for your bravery and strength." She continues her search, looking for what these creatures might have been keeping in this room.
Once she has completed her search, she returns to Praxim, "So should a give my healing to you or Markum, its best not to let the majiks go to waste."
Rhianni finds nothing.
"There's no real good spot to hole up, so I'd say either the room with the meeting table, where we can block the doors, or the cave that opens to the sea, so we have an escape option. Of the two, I think the meeting room is the better."
"But Quinion, can we not spend the night in that room upstairs, it seemed quite safe?" says a slightly confused Rhianni. "I'll not stay in that stinking cave with the sea, what manner of creatures can rie out of it. My great uncle Griment, once told me that there are creatures in the sea that can creep out of the water without a sound. In the dark their eyes shine like bright pinpricks redest fire. They come on two feet and take you with them into the deeps, never to be seen again. He said the lucky ones were dead, the other became slaves to the evil creatures. He told me that when I was little and we traveled by a beach with many caves."
"I shall put my vote in favour of heading back upstairs. I would prefer for Bruthazmus to have to come up to us."
Quinion shrugs,"I have no serious objection to going upstairs"
Upstairs it is.
Upstairs you head, back into the throne room. Another night passes in enemy territory, and still no one tries barging in on your camp.
Markum uses some potions to help heal himself and Vuvo
Potion of Cure Light Wounds
Potion of Cure Light Wounds
Potion of Cure Light Wounds
Rhianni wakes the next morning a bit wary about moving around. "Morning guys, I'm missing my comforts, do we have long to stay here much longer? I could do with a good wash and proper bed." she whines.
Markum provides her with some clean wash water.
Rhianni smiles wekly at Markum, thanking him for creating he water for a wash, yet somehow the gratitude just doesn't seem to be as heart-felt as usual. Ye she carries on, "So any plans for today guys?"
"Kill some goblins. Kill a bugbear. See what else comes along that needs to be killed and kill it too." When everyone is ready, Markuma and Vuvo will lead the team back to the store room cautiously.
Grumbling Rhianni follows the others "Here we go again, more death and destruction, I'm sure a goblin or two might be friendly, why do we kill them all?"
"In the main, I have to agree with Markum. Goblins are like stinging wasps. They can't be trained, and they need to be dealt with for everyone's safety."
"That said, we need to find something bright enough to answer some questions, and keep it alive long enough to do so."
"You want a prisoner, you take it, and its your responsibility. Right, Vuvo?"
"Grrr. Woof."
"What do you know?"
"Well we could do with finding Father Tobyn's remains if they are still here and why was the bugbear Barzynmus, or whatever he is called, under the protection of the late Ripnugget. So to capture the bugbear, might be useful as might finding something that could direct us to the Father's remains. For it was information the Sheriff wanted as well."
Rhianni pulls her crystal ball from her pocket and places it on the purple scarf on the table. "Futartis perferunnum capturdii?". She then lays two cards on the table from her harrow deck, "The cards speak of a rending or flesh before a puzzle is either presented or solved. We must be wary and ready to gain what information we can, for who knows the import of the knowledge we gain?"
When everyone is ready, Markuma and Vuvo will lead the team back to the store room cautiously.
Yes. Where Rhianni and Praxim were fighting.
You reach the storage area of the cavern. Bodies of goblins and goblin dogs lie around in a gory mess.
My memory is that there was a set of stairs in the north wall. Can we confirm they go up to an area we've already explored?
One of the rooms in the middle opens to a staircase leading down.
I also forgot about the horse. Is he still there? How is he doing?
Wild Empathy
If he's still there, I'll use Goodberry to help nourish and heal him.
Goodberry
That should be enough for each of us, including Vuvo, to get one and for the horse to have 2.
Yes, the stairs to the north lead to the stairs in the middle of the first floor.
The horse is still in the courtyard. It looks like it's been feeding on the patches of grass in the yard, and is in much better condition than when you first found it. It's initially hesitant to let you near, but the offering of berries calms the horse and makes it friendly.
Praxim will eat his berry with gratitude. He smiles reassuringly at Rhianni and says, "Soon enough, the goblin threat will be eliminated and we will get to the bottom of this whole affair."
Rhianni looks around, a bit nervously, "So Markum, can you or Vuvo find anything here or from the fight, that will lead us to Bruthazmus? Or do you want to o down below into that dark abode again? "
"We didn't get a good scent of him during the combat but we'll try. Let's try the doors in that area first, though. We don't want to leave any foes behind us if we don't have to."
The southwest and southeast doors hang open.
To the southwest, dozens of ratty cushions, lumpy pillows, and rumpled dogskin furs lie heaped in the south half of this chamber, which smells of a nauseating mixture vinegar and rotten flowers.
In the other rooms, the walls are lined with small wooden cages. Inside each cage is a dirty mound of straw.
The door in between these rooms opens to a hallway, which bends west and leads to a series of five doors at the end.
Rhianni intriqued by the little cages, watches the small mounds of straw, looking for signs of life and maybe some cute little creatures.
You don't see any little creatures.
Markum and Vuvo continue down the hallway that leads south then west.
Markum Perception
Vuvo Perception Scent, aid another
"Hm...well, might as well see what is here."
Quinion heads down the hallway, opening the first door to the north.
Rhianni, seeing the others go as she watched the cages, hurries along after them.
The first door opens into a ten-by-ten foot room. This one-person bedroom shows many signs of having been lived in. The bed itself is rumpled and unmade, and a half-eaten meal of bread and smoked salmon sits on the nightstand. A few articles of dirty clothing sit at the foot of the bed.
Praxim looks at the food in surprise. "That's no goblin meal, and probably no bugbear meal, either. What's going on here?"
He starts searching for signs of the occupant's identity, or at least, its species.
Perception:
Markum doesn't care the race or identity of the room's absent occupant. He'll give Praxim a few minutes to toss the room before getting bored and moving to the next room.
The bed is made for a medium-sized humanoid.
The next room is well-organized. A low-dresser to the southwest has a stack of papers sitting atop it, weighted down by a large chunk of obsidian. To the northwest sits a well-made bed.
Markum points out the papers to Rhianni. Like with Praxim, he gives her a bit of time to investigate them before going to the next door.
Rhianni uses her skill to see any magic auras in the room, before she goes over to the table and looks at the papers, then has a good rummage around the room, looking for interesting thing, before returning to pick up the papers.
The papers contains notes written in Common, rough drafts of plans to blackmail the writer's father and to use the Sandpoint Glassworks as a staging ground for an investigation of the Catacombs of Wrath underneath.
...
Behind the west door is a large chamber that seems to serve a dual purpose. To the north is a fine bed with silk sheets, while to the south, a desk and a chair under hanging lantern make a comfortable-looking study.
...
Moving counter-clockwise, the next door opens to a clean room, brightly lit by an everburning torch lying on the nightstand. Though, the room's spartan decor makes it unclear if it's actually lived in.
...
The last room has a faint, musty odor. The bed is covered with matted grey and black fur, and bloodstains mar the stone floor, while a morbid stack of birds' feet lies heaped on the floor by the side of the bed.
Who wants the Everburning Torch?
Markum and Vuvo lead the troop back up the hallway and through the west door.
The southern wall of this room is a bank of cells with iron doors, six in all. The rest of the rooms is obviously a torture chamber; a rack sits against the far 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.