Bayani throws up a hand to shield his eyes as he draws his rapier.
"It looks like it maybe was tamed by someone at some point, given that brand and hood -- Down! Stay! Good boy!"
"Ahhhhhh", Tusara screams, as the light beams blast her eyes, blinding her instantly.
Merelinda steps up between her comrades and takes a swing at the terrible frog-creature, clearing her vision with a shake of her head as she advances.
ARGHHH! Blast ye, ye bleeding bright bastard!
Balgrim splashes into the water and stumbles into a wall.
Can't see a thing.
"Good boy, good bAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Bayani says as his attempt to coax the creature fail miserably. He rubs his eyes furiously, then hears a loud SPLUT as Seamus's lucern hammer came down upon its head, and Seamus's lucern hammer made sure that it was dead.
|
The frogs tounge and eyeballs bulge out as it's head is flattened on the floor of the cave under Seamus' blow. Then Merelinda ensures total death-age with another crunchy swing for good measure. The frog is dead. But poor Tusara and Bayani and Balgrim have "taken it in the eyes" so to speak...
END COMBAT
Treasure: Even a cursory search of the pool reveals a
man’s body, mostly eaten. Little remains to identify the
body as that of one of the thugs from the second expedition,
for the blindheim has eaten most of it and has ruined its
armor and clothing in the process. A belt pouch on the
body’s hip is still intact and contains 42 gp, a silver unholy
symbol of Zyphus worth 25 gp, and two water-tight potions
of cure light wounds.
"Yes, this is very painful but it will pass," Bayani says, involuntary tears trickling down his cheeks from his wounded eyes.
|
|
Seamus knows the blindness will probably last about an hour. Going west where you've shown yourself on the map you see
A collection of stalactites and stalagmites choke this lowceilinged
cavern, making it difficult to squeeze between them.
Matching stalactites close in from the five-foot-high ceiling,
giving the impression of a maw of needlelike teeth bearing
down on one another. A dead half-orc sprawls on the ground
near the cave’s eastern entrance.
She pats Bayani on the shoulder, guiding him to a spot to sit down to wait out the blindness. They had their silly bracelets, if they needed to escape, so she wasn't in a hurry. If no one does similarly, she will also grab Tusara and set her down somewhere before guarding the southern passage as Seamus checks things out.
Balgrim's blind eyes follow Merelinda accusatorily before he stops out of the water by himself and sits down where there hopefully isn't a giant froggy corpse. He grumbles loudly while idly whacking the ground with his stick.
What kinda blasted frog shoots light out of 'is bleedin eyes?
"What, do you think I know every corpse in this gods be damned cave!?" Nevertheless, she does go to inspect the corpse to perhaps verify identity. More importantly, she tries to determine cause of death.
"Let's just wait. Our companions' sight will return soon, then we can continue with our full strength, instead of drawing something in here with them in this predicament."
Aye lad, just sit tight we'll get going again soon enough.
Balgrim lays back on the ground and covers his face with his hat.
Bayani continues rubbing his wounded eyes, waiting for the effects to wear off. Over time, he gradually becomes able to see again, then looks over the loot. "This silver amulet looks like a holy or unholy symbol, but I don't know of what deity. It's a pick with a skull on it. Some minor evil deity associated with death, I imagine."
Merelinda shrugs at Bayani's analysis. They were here for the councilor. Researching evil death gods could wait until they made it back. She gives the man a short smile, though, not wanting to seem too standoffish.
As the others regain their sight, she says, "Do you need a bit more time, or should we proceed?" The question is asked matter-of-factly, not in a condescending way.
|
|
Suddenly Seamus (with untrained knowledge local) recognizes the half orc as Parda Garr, a popular brawler in town, and that she was one of those
who traveled with several thugs into the caverns. Almost everyone called her a friend, and many felt that her falling in with the thugs was going to be her end — turns out, they were right.
"This woman was slain by a knife or something similar, not a creature." Wasn't it always the case? People always railing on about 'wild' animals, when it was people that were the worst things out there. She sighs, getting ready to proceed further into the caves.
Tusara frowns slightly "So that would mean there are several others already in this cave, and obviously not friendly"
Balgrim pushes himself off the ground with his stick and settles his hat back on his head.
It is a mite disconcerting knowin' that what's causin' trouble down here might be people rather than beasts. But these are thugs and that one has a skull for a holy symbol, wouldn't be out of character for some of em to have knifed each other over somethin'.