Ebonfeather draws a blade and hands it to Zorin, while his other rest ready to strike
Though badly injured, hunger fills the dim brain of the darkmantle. It flaps it's wings with great beats, climbing back up toward the ceiling of the room. At least that's what Zorin sees. The others can only hear the wings pushing through the air...
As a free action Zorin will let everyone know that he is up towards the roof of the area, trying to give them as much detail as possible.
Ebonfeather slides in and strikes.
The darkmantle is badly injured, and sensing that most of it's prey are out of the darkened area it decides to leave the area. The darkness lingers behind.
Zorin would swear as he saw the creature begin to fly from the area. "Well their goes more research material. I had forgotten how nice it feels to cut into something while my mutagen is coursing through me though. It was a nice distraction. Everyone just sit tight until the darkness goes away. I'm sure it's not permanent." Once it was gone he would walk closer to the canyon and rub his chin. "So, we gonna draw straws for who has to jump it? I got some rope we can tie round your waist, then you can just tie it to something sturdy on the other side and we can climb over that way.
Elijah, will keep his crossbow out, still fearful of the damned flyig enemy to come back.
Well that was annoying. How do we get across, jump? What about using rope to make a bridge of sorts?
"Darkenss effects like that function much the same way as light. They emanate from a central point."
A small glowing orb appeared in Jared's hands.
"Cover that point and..." He closed his hands over the glowing orb so the light vanished.
"So in the future, if we run into a darkness effect, a good tactic is to throw a cloak down over the epicenter, or something like that. Holding a cloak or shield in front of your head will let you see right in front of you, which can be useful if you need to read a scroll or something like that."
Zorin taps the side of his head. "I'll try my best next time but it will be hard for me to figure out where the center is. Everything appears to be black and white to me so it's hard to distinguish where the object is compared to anything else that could be giving off the darkness. But I digress, we still need to get across the bridge. I got fifty feet of rope to help out with. We still need some one to risk jumping across it to fasten the rope on the other side."
The darkness lasts only five minutes, but the time seems to drag on forever. At last, the sooty darkness fades, allowing Elijah's light spell to take hold, illuminating the chamber once again.
The floor near the remnants of the bridge are splattered with a dark purple-red gore. Evidence of Zorin's powerful strike.
The remaining bridge posts are of sturdy stone, they would provide excellent anchor points for a rope. There are four of these, two on each side of the ravine.
This was obviously once a rope and wood suspension bridge, with cables to support wooden cross boards and rope hand rails attached to the tops of the 4' tall posts. There is not enough of this remaining to be of any use. The surviving ropes and boards are badly rotted and worm eaten anyway.
The chasm looks to be about 50' to the surface of the water.
Zorin will peer over the edge and take note of the small path right at the bottom. [b]"Seems we should add another exploration point to our map. The rumours are true, their is a lot down here. I can pitch my rope in to help make a walk way but I don't feel comfortable jumping it."[/b
"Light source into the hole might be nice. As well as to advance. I bet we find it again. Do not doubt."He said standing with his sword drawn ready to strike. He did not like getting dropped upon, mostly do to the professional pride attached to it.
Zorin will tie his rope around his waist and hand one end to Ebon. "I'll make the first jump then tie off the rope for us. Just keep a strong hold on me in case I don't make it.
Zorin will get a running start and then jump.
Zorin makes it far enough to have a chance to catch himself on the far side.
Elijah, seeing his exploring companion trip over his feet, tries his best to help catch the man before he falls hard to the ground below. He had never had any training in climbing and fails horribly in aiding his decent into the depths below.
Zorin's grasping, desperate fingers clutch at thin air, then he begins his plummet. Ebonfeather reacts quickly, getting a loop of rope around one of the stone posts. With Jared's timely help, he is able to halt the tiefling's fall. Zorin swings in an arc to the near wall, where he hits with a thud. Zorin finds himself hanging about 10' down.
Zorin will take his time and take a ten to begin to climb back up.
Elijah will brace his foot against the stone in an attempt to pull Zorin up at a faster pace.
"I think that screw of yours must be a little loose..." Jared said dryly as Zorin pulled himself back up to where the rest of them were.
He reaches up to give it a few quick turns himself. "Seems I'm going to need to work on my running start. Who wants to give something else a try?
"Is there another path?" Jared said.
"Or, could be go above and purchase a long, sturdy board to lay across the gap? We'll need to move back and forth across. Might as well plan for the future."
Ebonfeather watches as they discuss and looks about.
" said we needed light down there"
"Sadly I have no way to get light down their. I usually don't bother with a torch. I think Jared has the right idea though. We can get some wood to lay over it for next time. For now lets head back to the room with the large hole in it and decide where to go from their.
Elijah, will look at Zorin as he gets hauled back up/
Are you okay? I do not have enough connection to my god yet to pry you from the fingers of the afterlife, so you cannot die until I get to such power.
He looks around, I suppose we can check out the large hole we discovered earlier
At the room, with the large pit, Elijah, looks to the others, So, any thoughts or ideas?
"Yes I remember you telling me. Even when you reach that point I think I'm still going to do my best at avoiding death. I'm fine though. Thank you for your concern."
"Well we were going left back at the cavern. I say we go left here."
The Undercity corridors are not dead silent as one might expect. There are breezes, the sound of distant water, and unexplained thumps and clangs from time to time.
So it is that neither the would-be guildmasters or the trio of gamblers hears each other. Ebonfeather rounds the corner of the room with the light and well and spots a pair of dwarves and a tiefling. The three are engaged in a dice game, but the watchful tiefling looks up. "Here what's this?"
The well room has normal light from the lens in the ceiling. The Tiefling and his two dwarf associates have a lit lantern to illuminate their game.
The gamblers reach for crossbows, and crossbows and shields, in the case of the dwarves.
There's a new map. Its the top one, 'Left of Well'.
Ebonfeather his blade out looked at those gathered and looks back at the others.
"I believe diplomacy may be in order? Anyone care to take a chance and do so?" Ebonfeather says as he knew he could probably intimidate them.
(delaying)
"Diplomacy..." Says the tiefling. "Yeah, let's talk about it."
"Yeah lets talk. Maybe I can let them in on some research notes. It's been a long time since I go to examine another Tiefling."
Zorin held back the fact that he wanted nothing more then to examine the other creatures biology rather well, at least better then the other tiefling.
"Diplomacy seems maybe a bit much for this group"
"Stand down now"
Zorin's bluff attempt fails due to none of the gambling trio wanting to be 'examined'. Nor are they interested in research notes.
They are unimpressed with Ebonfeather's bluster as well.
"Don't mind them." Jared said, retrieving his crow-faced doctor's mask from his bag and slipping it over his face. "They just don't want you to get near us. You're probably already infected. We haven't seen how it effects teiflings yet, so my partner is eager to examine you. We honestly didn't expect to find people down here."
"Infection? What infection? Probly them that has it. Shoot any that tries to get close, let's get out of here." This from the dwarf in red armor. They seem to be buying Jared's tale of infection, but the result is an increase in hostility.
If no one else wishes to Zorin will move up thirty feet and full defense as a standard action. A fight seemed inevitable.
Ebonfeather looked at Zorin and Jared before he shrugged and held his sword out at the ready if need be.
How about we each go our separate ways then. You don't get infected while we head our way...win-win right?
Elijah tries to use the bluff from Jared to his advantage to avoid any senseless violence.
"If I was infected, why would I be bothering with this mask?
"I suppose if you really want to die we can work something out. Either by attacking us, or by a slow agony if you don't get the cure. Which we know how to make, so killing us is probably a bad idea. So what will it be? A quick death, or a slow one? Or maybe we can all just talk?"
Zorin advances, tense fingers grip crossbow triggers. Violence seems imminent. Then the other dwarf, he in the dark gray and black armor speaks: "Hold up, men. We need some muscle for that one job. These lot look like they would do anything for money. Or worse. Our kind of dealers." The other dwarf and the tiefling hold their fire.
The dwarf in the dark armor continues: "We have a job. It'll take some 'wet work'. Our crew's too small. But with you all helping, it just might be doable." The dwarf's lips curl in a grin of avarice under his coal black whiskers. He seems to be telling the truth about the job. Of course, his malicious eyes promise betrayal once the job is done...
By now Zorin had begun to hum softly to himself. It had been a very very long time since he had actually cut into a humanoid. For just a moment he was back underneath ground in front of a operating table. That was when the dwarf spoke though. The glint in Zorin's eyes went out along with his smile. Zorin will take a cigarette out from his pocket, his hand shacking every so slightly as he lights it and places it into his mouth. "I have been told I have a certain lack of average morals. I'm listening to the details." Zorin would offer the three of them a smoke as well while he waited for the Dwarf to explain himself further. He would have his fun another time.
Jared shrugged. "Go ahead."
"It's Andratta Kolb. She a fence that's been cheating us. Owns Kolb's Mercantile in Downmarket. There's a vault under her shop. We found the way in, but she's got a fortune's worth of zombie warriors guarding the outer perimeter. Too many for us three. With your added strength we probly could cut em down." The dwarf gives a glance to the tiefling. "Then Nieffy here can pick the vault locks, and get us in." The dwarf grins a frightful grin. "We know she got items of power in there. It's the haul of a lifetime."
Zorin will take a long drag on his cigarette before he begins to crank the screw in his head. "That is a very tempting offer. Never been part of a heist before either. Plus if it's all stolen it will help me sleep at night. Give me a hour at least to prepare. I need to recreate something so I will be ready. I can not speak for my friends though. He turns to look at everyone. "I say we go for it."
Zorin will try a sense motive just to be safe.
"Let us confer." Jared said to the men, then lead his companions well out of earshot of the others.
"It is clear they will betray us. They also gave us all the information we need to perform this heist ourselves. We no longer need them." Jared said clinically.
"yeah they are going to murder us the first chance they get. We could use some one who can pick the lock. The more people between us and the undead you can't sway the better as well. I say when victory looks assured we strike and take them out. Non-lethaly perffered. You could have the dead ones."
" Seems a good job, but we would need to eliminate them after it is done. They seem like the lot who are not willing to share the spoils after a job. But do we want to earn the ire of a local fence?" he suggested in a low tone.
"They don't need to know it was us. We can make it look like they fought with each other. We take one guy and leave the other two. They assume he left town and all we need to do is make sure he is never found.
"Smart." Jared nodded.