Zorin ties the rope around his chest, under his arms, then approaches the edge of the pit to have a look.
He discovers the slippery fluid on the floor around the pit the hard way, nearly sliding, and falling into the abyss. Crouching on the edge, Zorin can see that the pit drops down about 50 feet, ending in an open space. It is lit by Elijah's spelled rock, but little can be seen but a smooth stone floor.
Hey, you okay Zorin. I cannot resurrect the dead yet, I don't know how to properly call upon my God for that. Don't be dying on me unless I get bring you back. he looks with a worried look as Zorin almost takes a plunge into the depths below.
I say we go back, rest up a bit and get paid by the bartender. We can always come back later, perhaps with some rope and better equipment for such spelunking endeavors?
"Elijah has a point." Jared said looking skeptically at the hole in the ground.
Zorin wave his hand a little dismissively. "True true. I've been wondering if it's possible to bring back the dead with out the help of the gods myself though. That's gonna end up messy if I suspect it involves rebooting some one biology. But I digress you are right, it's a bit to dangerous for right now to drop down with out anything. We can finish exploring this level before we start going deeper. To be honest though, I think I'm ready to head back. I got two subject that need a little TLC. I want to see what that little blue things eyes have to do with his tricks."
"It is a good idea to comeback with better supplies. I suggest we do just that. In fact if you wish we could get paid and agree to met back up at a certain date? if that is alright with you all" he says with no inflection his hand gingerly on his sword hilt never knowing exactly what might strike and when.
Turning back from the well room, you take some time to search the room where the dire rats were. You find 50 gp, 150 sp, and 50 cp under, around, and in the refuse.
Back at the Troll & Fiddle, Master Bulthar eyes the blue skinned little wretch with distaste.
"Hmm, he doesn't look like a rat. You sure you got the right culprit?" The innkeeper counts out the 5 gold each, as promised though. Apparently he's willing to take your word for it.
"Rooms are upstairs. Whenever you want them..." It is still quite early in the day.
"An Innkeep's work is never done. If you'll excuse me, I must be to it."
Bulthar gives you a moment be fore he bustles off. He is not rude, just busy, so he will answer questions and respond to comments as needed.
Before we leave the area Zorin will swallow his extract of detect secret doors and go over the area's we explored already to make sure we did not miss anything. After that he will grab the Mite and the rat and head back up with everybody.
"From what we could see the little blue bastard was controlling the rates for some reason. We are still going through everything but this should have taken care of the problem. Thank you for the room as well. I'll leave this little guy tied up in their while I go grab some supplies. Lets gather everything together so we can get a good price for it all."
Zorin will empty his pockets out on a table of any of the treasure he had grabbed. After he will take a ten for a thirteen to help appraise the treasure. As they pick through the gems he will lazily crank the screw in his head, not seeming to mind the clicks that emanate from his skull.
"I need to grab a few supplies for my profession. If anyone would like to join me before I come back here I would enjoy the company.
Ebonfeather looked about the place, feeling a bit weird in the tavern he looked at Zorin.
"I am never opposed to a jaunt through the throng"
Elijah will be happy to take a break from adventuring. He heads back to the innkeeper who promised him a week of free stay after completing the job, and rests for the remainder of the night.
He than heads back down, and talks to the innkeeper about any possibility of sampling whatever alcoholic stock he currently has.
Howdy sir, I know that you won't be getting replacement stock for a day or two, but is there anything you have on hand I may be able to sample? I would like to keep my tastebuds in good working order as it were? Also, is there anything I could do to help you improve your business. The more people that come in, the more potential profit you could gain from those wanting to imbibe your alcoholic beverages.
Elijah, thinks for a moment, rubbing his chin in hopes Cayden's inspiration will strike him.
What about a happy hour, if you don't have one already? We can take a look at what products sell, and pair them with a food dish of some sort? Also, what beverages don't sell very well, could go for a slightly higher discounted rate? You may be taking a small loss, but if they don't sell then you would take even a bigger loss as you make no profit whatsoever.
When did you say your new stock was coming in again?
Bulthar winks at Elijah. "Oh, I got some booze already. Not a full stock mind you, but enough to run on." The innkeeper reaches behind the bar and produces a flask. From the coffee pot heated at the fireplace he pours a mug of black coffee. To this he adds a shot from the flask. "This is Coldfire. It's a whiskey from the Linnorm lands." Bulthar hands the mug over. "I'll have something else for you to try at the evening meal." The innkeeper's face makes it plain that if Elijah wants to get snockered during the day, he will have to buy his own alcohol.
"I don't need to host a 'happy hour' here. My customers come for the good rooms. I wouldn't want to fill this place up with the roistering crowd. That's what taverns are for. People like this place for it's good locks and a relative quite."
Bulthar gives Elijah a polite smile. "I appreciate you interest though..."
Zorin will lightly pat Ebon on the back and stand up from the table before stretching out slightly. Jared if you want to come I think I may be heading down through your neck of the woods. I need to pick up some embalming fluid. IN fact, I might be needing a lot more of it in the future if you know any suppliers of it. With that Zorin will head out into the throng of people to go and buy some things. He will be keeping a eye out for any souls that would be good to try and recruit for his upcoming idea for a guild.
Zorin found an Alchemist named Senrof Than. A middle aged Chelish man with a tiny shop in Knife Scar ally, not far from the Troll & Fiddle. The fellow grumbles about wanting something called 'bone sand' an alchemical reagent found somewhere in the Mindspin mountains. Occasionally, wandering Shoanti bring the stuff in.
Jared learns that the main churches in the Tarheel Promenade belong to Abadar, Pharasma, and Asmodeus. The clerics of Pharasma do have need of skilled morticians.
Elijah finds a small brewery run by a Varisian called Jess Longmyre. The place is called longmyre, and produces only one brew, Longmyre stout. It is served at the Troll & Fiddle, among other places.
Ebonfeather can't convince anyone that he is a trustworthy messenger, so he resorts to thuggery. By threats and intimidation he is able to learn of some items that aren't well guarded. The local hooligans and layabouts take note. The bird is not someone to be trifled with.
Sunday, Abadius 7th, 4716 A.R.
You have all gathered in the chamber below the Troll & Fiddle. It's about 9:30 in the morning.
You notice that the innkeeper has had his rat chewed door fixed.
While you were above, working in the city, it seems that some sort of scavenger has found the rat corpses left behind. All that remains is some blood and tufts of brown fur.
The same three passages await exploration. The ones to the south and west, completely unexplored. The one to the east only partially explored.
Zoran will take note of the man's request in a small journal before he places it back inside of his coat. "I'll keep a eye out for it. I'm going to have to work on finding suppliers soon to. he thinks to himself.
He gives a smile to everyone as they head back downstairs. "Pleasure to see you all again. Have a productive week? He would wait before voicing hours opion. Before though he would pull out a small container where he would pull out a cigarette and lite it. He offered one to everyone before placing it back. "I think we should go down the hallway on the left. I want to examine this floor before we head any lower. What do you think?"
"I recovered things that did not belong to others,all in all it was a normal day"Ebonfeather says looking at them.
Elijah, looks at the various passages presented, he thinks back to teh hole in the ground.
Well, if we all feel comfortable, we could go back to the hole. I would suggest we do our best to clear this level of whatever is residing here. I would hate to come back up to an "unwelcoming party" as it were.
"Assuming we can clear this level of undesirables and make a few modifications, this would make an excelent place for a base of operations. A secret entrance, a reputation thatt keeps others at bay, and a so far lucrative source of wealth and resources. Quite useful for up and coming entreprenuers in a city rife with those who would want to quell our rise."
"The only other thing we will need are storefronts to act as the public faces of our businesses."
Zorin will give a shrug and nod. "Sounds like we have a plan then. I can lead the way if no one minds. I seem to have the best chance at avoiding being ripped to shreds by whatever it is we find. This tough skin is good for something after all."
" True an office to work form as to be hired should suffice. Hmmm Good thinking Jared. As for the plan I do like it. Better to clean out the level before we descend more. To add to our plan might I suggest setting some traps." he suggested in a simple tone.
Moving along the passage you begin to hear the sounds of rushing water. After 60' the wide hall opens into a 30' x 30' chamber. On the far side of the room, the passage continues into the darkness.
The room is bisected by a 10' wide chasm. The gap was once bridged, but only the remnants of the bridge remain.
At the bottom of the chasm is a swift moving stream. It seems like it is fairly deep, though the dark surface of the water reflect back your light, making it impossible to see below the surface.
Elijah notes a darker patch of something clinging to the ceiling. Ebonfeather realizes it's a creature of some sort. Zorin and Jared are blissfully unaware.
Elijah, looks around the room, and sees nothing out of the ordinary. He peers up, and at first he sees shadows, but upon a closer look he sees some strange creature hanging there. He pulls raises his crossbow, and fires a shot at the thing than warns the others.
Watch Out! There is something above us!, as he steps backwards towards closer to the exit.
As he draws his weapon."Its a creature of some sort, if you have anything ranged I suggest you target it like Elijah has!"
Jared stepped back to clear space, having yet to really see the creature. He readied a simple spell to cloud the mind.
Zorin will look up and take a step back when it is pointed out at him. "Don't got anything that could hit him at that distance.
Zorin will try to identify it.
This is for arcana and nature.
Elijah thinks he sees the creature, and looses a bolt from his crossbow. The missile ricochets off the ceiling stone and across the room. Clearly a miss.
Zorin realizes that it is something called a darkmantle, a magical beast that likes to drop on it's prey from above.
The darkmantle makes a weird keening ululation and a sooty darkness descends around it. Zorin and Ebonfeather find themselves within the darkness. Jared is just outside, while Elijah is a little farther back.
Zorin's darkvision allows him to see, but Ebonfeather is effectively blind.
Ebonfeather held his place and called out.
"Either push it towards me, or give me some light"
Zorin will walk a bit closer and ready a action to attack if the creature moves into range. Other then that he will not give any hint to the creature that he is still capable of seeing right now.
Elijah will reload his crossbow, than await the creature's arrival from the darkness.
Seeing Zorin alone, the darkmantle lets itself fall, swooping in to attack. The canny tiefling steps aside at the last moment, and the darkmantle's attack fails.
Still in flight, the creature banks in the air...
Frustrated at the ensuing events, he curses under his breath, Son of a...
Think...think. Maybe light will work
Elijah, then casts light on his crossbow bolt, and moves ever so slowly closer to the darkness hoping to reveal whatever is inside it.
Zoran readied action will go off as it swoops past to attack him. He will try to take a swing at it while it passes by his range.
Seeing as to how his attack missed the monster Zorin will get bit frustrated. When it is his chance he will reach into his pocket and pull out a small flash. In one swift motion he downs the contents of it. Suddenly is body seems to grow taunt as sudden muscle growth strains the many stitching that seem to hold him together. Their was now a even stranger glint in his eye as he readied for the dark mantle.
Just outside the darkness, Jared's eyes narrowed shrewdly.
Darkness magic. Emanates from a central point. An object. Obeys the properties of light, but in reverse. Based on the curve of the radius, the center of the effect should be... there.
Jared walked into the darkness whipping off his cloak and holding a hand in front of him, nearly bumping into Zorrin. A hand on his ally's back, he spoke calmly.
"Zorin, step left."
"Someone can see? Good tell me were to strike and when" Ebonfeather said his hand moving seeking to strike at what ever was here.
"Give me a moment..." Jared's voice came from out the darkness.
Jared might take this time to remember that the darkmantle was clinging to the ceiling when it made the darkness...
Zorin can act as normal. He can also perform an AoO because the creature swoops away, across the canyon.
This will be for his opportunity attack. He does not think he can safely jump the canon with out a running start and will take a step back from the cliff. "Does anyone have a dagger? It seems that I am the only one who can see it but I don't have any throwing items to target it with."
"Daggers I have" Ebonfeather says as he tries to hone in on the darkmantle.
Zorin's mace catches the darkmantle in mid flight, a solid, telling blow. It emits a screech of pain.
Elijah prepares his glowing bolt and loads it into his crossbow.
Zorin will move back towards Ebon to grab any of the daggers offered. He would grab the weapon then get ready to head back to the front line when he had the chance to.
"This thing is not currently a threat to us. Is there any reason not to retreat for a few minutes and wait for the darkness to disperse?"