The walls of this five-foot-wide hallway continue to shimmer and ripple with faint whorls of pale blue energy.
Heading left up the stairs to the small landing reveals another set of stairs that heads up. Unlike the 2 sides you've explored before this side has no exit. Continuing to the Northeast corner you now find another hallway with upward stairs heading south to another landing.
Yan continues up with his eyes open.
Going south the passage reaches the far landing before turning west and continuing up. Along the south wall is a door and the passage continues spiraling up as before.
Scarred One walks behind the others "This is nonsense, we are walking in circles! Let us head down!" He says and walks towards the door out of the staircase.
Just to test the theory, Oorgatch moves up to the door on the south wall and opens it.
Despite having gained several floors in elevation the door to the south to Jaul's old platform opens just fine, there doesn't seem to be any trouble leaving.
There is a lingering feeling that there's something more here though.
Let's try again with our eyes closed.
Scarred One knocks at the wall in the corridor.
Then he tries again, and again...
"Yan, that sounds like a perfect idea."
Taking a lap again with your eyes shut, feeling your way around, you find a gap in the wall of the northernmost corridor. that leads to a series of interior chambers.
Entering the first room you briefly see an image of Belcorra meeting with the finely dressed drow Volluk. Although the image has no sound Belcorra is clearly speaking animatedly about something, and Volluk is listening attentively.
The image quickly fades and you see the rotting modern versions of what remains of the room.
In the second chamber you see two plush divans, Belcorra is relaxing and reading Whispering Reeds. As before the image quickly fades, leaving you with only rotten furniture.
The third room features a well-set table. In the image, Belcorra sits alone at the table, drinking a glass of wine and enjoying an elegantly plated roast arm that looks disturbingly human.
The fourth room features a large bed along the west wall. The stone archway to the north shimmers as a portal opens and Belcorra steps through with a cruel smile on her lips and blood on her hands.
Finally the interior octagonal chamber holds several bodies that seem to be held in some sort of ectoplasmic webbing.
The upper torso of a drider contains a vial with a lesser mistform elixir.
A drow has a strand of prayer beads on 1 wrist and the body of an urdefhan carries a +1 striking composite longbow in a case.
Oorgatch recognizes them all as victims of fleshwarping.
Also, there are blueprints for the first 3 underground levels of Gauntlight!
Oorgatch is clearly disturbed by the fleshwarped individuals. However, he seems equally excited by the maps, which he figures can be used to backtrack and check out any secret rooms they have missed!
Scarred One looks at the place, "I never understood that, how someone can do such horrible things. Slaughtering towns do not compare to those monstrosities." he says probably believing in that.
He begins to check on the items that they found and identify their potential.
Scarred One picks up the praying beads and grabs them in his hand, he can feel like the beads are warm in touch and slowly transform into a string of acorns with glowing symbols of different animals.
He feels it being warm and pleasant in touch, when he smells it he feels the smell of the forest and the sounds of the wind. He closes his eyes for a moment and feels calming ways of nature.
He opens them and decides to keep them for some time at least.
He limps towards young one "You found some maps, huh? Those are form the higher levels, did we miss anything?"
With a map the secret door from Volluk's study is easy enough to find.
Additionally Oorgatch notices that one of the legs on Volluk's desk is loose and after unscrewing it you find a small iron key.
Going through the pair of secret doors to the Gauntlight chambere you find the walls of the circular chamber to be smooth and gray. A flickering, nauseating ribbon of pale blue light churns in the center of the room. Where the light touches the ceiling, the stone bubbles as if it were infected flesh. Below, the light bathes a screaming, thrashing dwarf bound onto a metal table, his body covered in blisters.
What is it? We need to save him!
Yan will try to recall knowledge or ask his friends. Failing any success, he will run in with the key and hope for the best because he won't leave someone to be tortured.
It's that same ribbon of negative energy that was powering upper bits of Gauntlight, it seems to be making use of the Dwarf's lifeforce in some way. Magic is clearly present.
As Yan gets zotted the wounded Dwarf musters the energy to roll himself out of the ribbon which quickly dissipates. He'll clearly need some time to recovery but in the mean time a floating skull materializes across the room, cackles and heads your direction.
The wisp flies at Yan and cackles
before shocking the champion.
Initiative:
Willy
Scarred One
Yan (56/73) Frightened 1
Oorgatch
Sendoski
Party is up!
Scarred One moves to flank the skull and smites it with his shield
But his strikes misses.
Critical Success Your marshal's aura increases to a 20-foot emanation and grants you and allies a +1 status bonus to attack rolls and saves against mental effects.
Success As critical success, but your aura's size doesn't increase.
Failure You fail to enter the stance.
Critical Failure You fail to enter the stance and can't take this action again for 1 minute.
Yan is too shaken by the sudden appearance of the wisp to inspire his allies. Curse Nimbaloth!
He steps back so oorgatch can take the flank.
Choose:
- The ally is unharmed by the triggering damage.
- The ally gains resistance to all damage against the triggering damage equal to 6. After the damaging effect is applied, the enemy becomes enfeebled 2 until the end of its next turn.
- Yan will instead make it stupefied 2 for the same duration because the wisp uses magical attacks
Yan manages to connect, but not with a lot of extra room.
Oorgatch giggles as he draws his 'branch' and tries to tumble through the wisp's space. "I knew this rune would be useful!"
Gaining his panache, he then tries to go for the instant-finish!
|
"Ha ha! Take that!"
|
Oorgatch hits with a strong blow and Sendoski's 3 missiles all strike true!
Yan protects him a bit and disorientates the Wisp.
It follows up with a second zot on Oorgatch.
It then goes dark.
Initiative:
Willy -40 (Stupified 2, Invisible)
Scarred One
Yan (56/73)
Oorgatch (16/64)
Sendoski
Party is up!
Scarred One looks around, with wild eyes "You can't hide from the scarred one, you abomination!"
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Scarred One heals Oorgatch.
"Thank you, Elder."
He yells out, "Too bad that didn't heal me very much... I am still very much injured!" he staggers, as if still ready to collapse, shaking as if very afraid.
He then Readies to Strike if the Wisp should become visible in range.
| |
Yan Seeks.
Yan readies an action to Strike any hostile creature that appears within reach of his scarf:
Scarred One and the Wisp are lit up!
The wisp turns to Sendoski and growls
But Sendoski isn't scared.
Before flying over and lighting up the witch.
Sendoski is however quite shocked.
Initiative:
Willy -40 (Stupified 2, Concealed)
Scarred One (Fabolous)
Yan (56/73)
Oorgatch (16/64)
Sendoski (24/43)
Party up!
Oorgatch dances past the wisp.
Once he is past, with panache once more, he attempts to finish it once more.
|
"Enough of this already. Sendoski, you ok?"
Scarred One looks at Oorgatch "You seem pale, did my healing work?"
He runs towards the wips and strikes it with shield spike
”Yup. Good. Was pretending. ”
Oorgatch finish it off.
The Dwarf moans "Is it over..."
Scarred One looks at the dwarf and hangs his primal beads on his belt
"I don't know who you are, and how you get here, but I can look over your wounds as you tell us your story."
Yan lays on hands the dwarf as well. I'm Yan. This is Sendoski and this is… he introduces the party.
The Dwarf gets up to a seated position, "Name's Lasda Venkervale, got caught out in the swamp by some horrible wormy creature while taking my morning constutional. First it held me in a cage with a scarry blue lady who I'll not talk of further. After what must 'ave been months the worms took me here and said somethin' about drawin' power from me."
"Yeah, the wormy guy won't be harming you again. Let's get you up into town and get you some care."
"If we would lead you outside, would you be able to get to Otari with your own strength?" the old Orc looks at the dwarf.
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He struggles to his feet and tetters for a moment but then regains his footing and nods. "It's been awhile, but I think these legs still work."
Oorgatch immediately rushes to Lasda's side, to help him up. "What you need is to stretch out a bit, and a good meal. Maybe a couple tankards of ale as well. Take it easy, we'll help you out of here."
When the dwarf seems a little steadier, he asks, "I take it you are from Otari? Do you have family here?"
we’ll escort you all the way back home, Lasda,
Lasda seems glad to have the help "Aye, Brelda my mom owns The Rowdy Rockfish. She must be worried sick! Or maybe she thinks I'm dead. Oh my poor mum."
Lasda is not in great shape but tries to pick up the pace, before realizing he has no idea how to get out from here.
Yan will heal him, along with Scarred one's ministrations. He'll help lead the way out. Don't mind the mites…
Returning Lasda to the Rowdy Rockfish you find yourselves in the nicest and calmest tavern in all of Otari. There Brelda's eyes go wide when she see's her son. After thoroughly hugging him, she sends him off to take a bath and get presentable.
"Y'all are staying for a proper meal, you rescued my boy and I'd never forgive myself if y'all didn't let me do by right by you."
While the Dwarven matron has no imposing physical presence, you're pretty sure it would be a grave insult to not sit for a meal.
Gladly! Let me regale you with tales of our adventures…
Yan finds a glimmer of potential in SKRAWNG and his mite kingdon, but no one else really gets it.
"It will be our pleasure, Ma'am."
Oorgatch bashfully takes a seat, and dutifully eats his meal. Turns out it is one of the best he's had in a long while, which makes him wonder, 'Why did we never come here?'