Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, Ignacious fires off another Disrupt Undead cantrip. This time his luck is not with him, and the spell fizzles uselessly against the castle wall.
Smarting at the loss of his second silver dagger Rhade shifts his now weaponless hand behind his back and kneeling slightly slices into the zombie with his longsword. The stroke takes the monster's head clean off and it tumbles lazily to the floor. The body keels over and starts twitching spazmodically.
Having peered back into the room just in time to see Rhade deliver the final blow, Zo nods in approval. As the party pauses to breathe and regroup at the end of the combat, she reports what she noticed about the next room. "No sign of kobolds on this side of the keep; their tracks all go in the other direction. Could be they were avoiding the zombies -- or something else. So we have a decision to make: follow the kobolds or see what they were afraid of."
Iggie once more casts Disrupt Undead: 1d20+1=8, 1d6=2
Iggie once more casts Disrupt Undead: 1d20+1=8, 1d6=2
Rhade looks over his shoulder as Ignacious's spell flashes past.
"Its down there," he points with his sword for a moment before heading over to retrieve the ornate silver dagger which once he's cleaned it he'll put it away."Its embarrassing that I was better wielding only the longsword than with any other weapon I've used today!" he admits to Gregori.
"So where now?" he asks.
Cordelia stands over the corpse and sends a bolt of Heavenly Fire coursing into it, not letting up until the creature is burned to ash. She walks over to the other one and repeats the process, only then stopping to acknowledge the rest of the party.
She gives them the smile of a job well done and heads into the next room to so what Zo has found.
"Anything under that bed," she asks Ignacious, waving him over towards it.
"So what could have made the Kobolds avoid this room," she asks the room, possibly to the party and possibly to herself. "The Zombies most probably," she concludes.
"Zo, Rhade. Can you search it just to be sure?" As she says this, she proceeds to utter a short Arcane phrase, scanning the room for the telltale golden glow that would signify that her spell had discovered something magical.
Cordelia stands over the corpse and sends a bolt of Heavenly Fire coursing into it, not letting up until the creature is burned to ash. She walks over to the other one and repeats the process, only then stopping to acknowledge the rest of the party.
She gives them the smile of a job well done and heads into the next room to so what Zo has found.
"Anything under that bed," she asks Ignacious, waving him over towards it.
"So what could have made the Kobolds avoid this room," she asks the room, possibly to the party and possibly to herself. "The Zombies most probably," she concludes.
"Zo, Rhade. Can you search it just to be sure?" As she says this, she proceeds to utter a short Arcane phrase, scanning the room for the telltale golden glow that would signify that her spell had discovered something magical.
Rhade glances around pausing to kneel and then sniff the air.
"Owch!" Rhade comments standing upright shifting the weight off of his injured leg.
"Owch!" Rhade comments standing upright shifting the weight off of his injured leg.
Cordelia looks over at Rhade and her gaze softens. "Here let me look at that," she says and walks over to place her hand on his leg.
The Heavenly Fire of Sarenrae courses through her palm and into his wound, causing it to close over and allowing him to stand a little less stiffly.Heavenly Fire to Heal Rhade. (1d6+1=7)
"Owch!" Rhade comments standing upright shifting the weight off of his injured leg.Cordelia looks over at Rhade and her gaze softens. "Here let me look at that," she says and walks over to place her hand on his leg.
The Heavenly Fire of Sarenrae courses through her palm and into his wound, causing it to close over and allowing him to stand a little less stiffly.
Heavenly Fire to Heal Rhade. (1d6+1=7)
Rhade sighs as the wound largely heals.
"Thank you Lady Crichton," he thanks her.
Rhade sighs as the wound largely heals.
"Thank you Lady Crichton," he thanks her.
She smiles at him warmly. "It is my pleasure. Now please try not to get yourself hurt again, at least until tomorrow when Sarenrae's blessing can be once more bestowed upon you."
She returns to her work of scanning the room for magical emanations.
Gregori chuckles slightly at the exchange, his eyes scanning the area for any indication of enemies.
] As she says this, she proceeds to utter a short Arcane phrase, scanning the room for the telltale golden glow that would signify that her spell had discovered something magical.
Nothing in the room seems to radiate magic.
Rhade can only smell the sparkling overtones of the putrid scent (part swamp/part decaying body/part stuffy box) coming off the dead bodies he is currently sharing a room with. That, and a bit of damp, musty ruined castle, of course.
Rhade can only smell the sparkling overtones of the putrid scent (part swamp/part decaying body/part stuffy box) coming off the dead bodies he is currently sharing a room with. That, and a bit of damp, musty ruined castle, of course.
Rhade sneezes.
Wiping his nose and shaking his head he looks back at Lady Crichton."Other than the stench of those two, I can't see anything of interest here, maybe those kobolds knew about these and released one as some kind of trap?" Rhade responds after wiping his hand on his leggings.
"Zo you see any reason to stick around here?" Rhade asks her.
Dm Note:
Zo you see any reason to stick around here?" Rhade asks her.
Zo shakes her head. "Not if we're looking for Bargle," she replies. "Not unless you think he's hiding under that bed you just sent Iggie under."
"Let's keep moving."
The party moves north from the stench-filled storage room and immediately encounters the narrow closet that Zo has already been through. It is approximately 10 feet in length and 5 feet in width and is strewn with small heaps of trash. On the wall there are empty hooks for hanging things and above your heads various strings are strung to also hang things from. The closet opens up on the other side into a decrepit bedroom with a large, mouldering four-poster bed in it. That room has two other exits: one to the west which opens into a hallway, and one to the north-east, which leads into another hallway.
The party moves north from the stench-filled storage room and immediately encounters the narrow closet that Zo has already been through. It is approximately 10 feet in length and 5 feet in width and is strewn with small heaps of trash. On the wall there are empty hooks for hanging things and above your heads various strings are strung to also hang things from. The closet opens up on the other side into a decrepit bedroom with a large, mouldering four-poster bed in it. That room has two other exits: one to the west which opens into a hallway, and one to the north-east, which leads into another hallway.
Rhade takes a look round being careful not to touch the bed as he draws forth a shortsword.
Rhade takes a look round being careful not to touch the bed as he draws forth a shortsword.
Rhade takes a look round being careful not to touch the bed as he draws forth a shortsword.
Rhade avoids the bed as he takes a closer look at the closet.
"Hey, I've heard those stories about those things that hide under your bed until nighttime okay!" he shrugs.
"Anyway something is making me sneeze!" he adds as he stifles another sneeze.
** spoiler omitted **
"Here Zo take a gander at that!" Rhade says as he tosses the bracelet to Zo.
Rhade avoids the bed as he takes a closer look at the closet.
"Hey, I've heard those stories about those things that hide under your bed until nighttime okay!" he shrugs.
"Anyway something is making me sneeze!" he adds as he stifles another sneeze.
Zo rolls her eyes slightly as she bends to look under the bed. "Didn't know you had a fear of beds, Rhade. Jealous husband hiding under one once?"
"Here Zo take a gander at that!" Rhade says as he tosses the bracelet to Zo.
Barely was the quip out of her mouth when she turned to catch the lovely bauble. For once, she seems at a loss for sarcastic words, turning the bracelet over in her fingers. Avoiding Rhade's gaze, she finally holds it out for her companions' perusal. "Father, Cordelia, Iggie ... any magical aura to it?"
Zo rolls her eyes slightly as she bends to look under the bed. "Didn't know you had a fear of beds, Rhade. Jealous husband hiding under one once?"
There does not seem to be anything untoward under the bed.
"Father, Cordelia, Iggie ... any magical aura to it?"
Cordelia comes over at Zo's call and examines the bracelet for the telltale golden glow that tells her of any sign of magic. She attempts to determine it's value as she does so.
Appraise Check. (1d20+6=16)
Cordelia comes over at Zo's call and examines the bracelet for the telltale golden glow that tells her of any sign of magic. She attempts to determine it's value as she does so.
Appraise Check. (1d20+6=16)
The lovely bracelet seems to be worth about 750. It looks to be made of solid gold with real rubies inlaid. It does not detect as being magical, but something strange catches Cordelia's attention out of the corner of her eye. Turning towards the center of the bedroom she realizes that the bed itself is radiating magic; transmutation magic to be exact!
Iggie will wander over, looking disoriented. "I'll take a look at the bracelet, if you like! A person always ought to have a second opinion on matters of valuation, Abadar tells us."
Detect Magic and Appraise: 1d20+9=11
Iggie will wander over, looking disoriented. "I'll take a look at the bracelet, if you like! A person always ought to have a second opinion on matters of valuation, Abadar tells us."
"A bit slow on the response there Ignacious are you feeling okay?" Rhade almost grins at the mage.
Looking across at Lady Crichton he frowns."Something wrong Lady Crichton?" he asks.
Looking across at Lady Crichton he frowns.
"Something wrong Lady Crichton?" he asks.
Cordelia's brow furrows as she stares at the bed, surrounded in a golden glow.
"Not wrong exactly, but that bed is detecting as being quite magical. I wonder what need someone would have for a bed fueled by Transmutation Magic?She walks over to examine it a little more closely.
Cast Identify on the Bed. (1d20+16=22)
Looking across at Lady Crichton he frowns.
"Something wrong Lady Crichton?" he asks.
Cordelia's brow furrows as she stares at the bed, surrounded in a golden glow.
"Not wrong exactly, but that bed is detecting as being quite magical. I wonder what need someone would have for a bed fueled by Transmutation Magic?
She walks over to examine it a little more closely.
"Transmutation?" Rhade asks the others.
"Its not that thrice damned fairy story again is it?!" Rhade shakes his head."The one with the pea and the notion that only a princess trying to sleep on it could actually tell there was one... " Rhade stops as he catches the look from the others.
"My dad was a bard," Rhade explains with a wry look.
The non-dwarves seem to have gotten the price for the bracelet about right. It's beautifully made of gold and rubies and looks like it would fetch about 750 gp.
The sorceress studies the bed in some detail but can't seem to figure out the properties of the bed. Perhaps if someone were to lie in it, they might find out for themselves?
Cordelia's brow furrows as she stares at the bed, surrounded in a golden glow.
"Not wrong exactly, but that bed is detecting as being quite magical. I wonder what need someone would have for a bed fueled by Transmutation Magic?
She walks over to examine it a little more closely.
Zo frowns, the bracelet hanging forgotten from her fingers. "Transmutation? That means that the bed isn't really a bed, right? What would want to look like a bed ... other than something that would like a nice, tired, trusting, defenseless person to lie down on it?" She backs away slowly, her hand creeping toward her scimitar.
Zo frowns, the bracelet hanging forgotten from her fingers. "Transmutation? That means that the bed isn't really a bed, right? What would want to look like a bed ... other than something that would like a nice, tired, trusting, defenseless person to lie down on it?" She backs away slowly, her hand creeping toward her scimitar.
"Hmm correct me here but how about we all move back and once Lady Crichton is far enough away she heavenly fire this sucker and we run before we're caught in whatever this thing actually does?" Rhade asks.
"I figure if this thing is evil," Rhade looks at Gregori at this point for confirmation.
"Then its probably the handiwork of Bargle and as a trap we really ought to insure nobody else falls for it, of course moving rapidly on we should be able to draw out anyone waiting nearby if this thing being blown up actually draws any attention, right Father Meghdad?" Rhade adds now glancing towards the cleric.
"I'm afraid my Heavenly Fire would do no good against the bed... unless of course it were an evil bed." She grins at Rhade. "Of course I do have a plain old everyday spell that would do the trick quite nicely I would think."
She turns to the others. "What do you all think: Leave it, Burn it or Lay on it?"
"I hate to see such a possibly valuable item wasted if there is no need. Therefore..." Iggie steels himself, walks over to the bed, and lays down upon it, holding his breath.
"I hate to see such a possibly valuable item wasted if there is no need. Therefore..." Iggie steels himself, walks over to the bed, and lays down upon it, holding his breath.
Rhade blinks... then blinks again as he glances at the others.
"O-okay," Rhade mutters to noone in particular as he turns to keep watch in case something sneaks up on them in the meantime.
"Enough of this idiocy we move on!"
Ignacious does not feel anything overtly strange while lying in the moldy bed. It seems to have been left here quite some time ago and is in very bad condition. Numerous small vermin crawl around on the faded red sheets. When the dwarf sits up, he does feel extremely refreshed, however.
Zo relaxes visibly when the halfling arises unharmed from the transmuted bed. Finding the bracelet still in her hand, she looks confused for a minute, makes a move as if to slide the bauble on, then glances at the paladin and stows the jewelry in her pack instead. Nodding to Rhade to join her, she glides toward the exit to the northeast and peers carefully around the corner.
Perception (looking for creatures or major features) (1d20+6=21)
The corridor to the east Zo peers down is a very short one. Once one gets out of the room there is an immediate portal opens on a set of stairs going down. Just five feet or so beyond that doorway is another open doorway on the left (or north) side which opens into another room. The corridor ends shortly thereafter at the eastern outer wall of the castle.
There is the slight sound of muted conversation and whimpering coming from the northern room. It's definitely not in Common, and sounds a lot like the kobold's pidgin Draconic, but it's so quiet that's its hard to make sure.
The corridor to the east Zo peers down is a very short one. Once one gets out of the room there is an immediate portal opens on a set of stairs going down. Just five feet or so beyond that doorway is another open doorway on the left (or north) side which opens into another room. The corridor ends shortly thereafter at the eastern outer wall of the castle.
There is the slight sound of muted conversation and whimpering coming from the northern room. It's definitely not in Common, and sounds a lot like the kobold's pidgin Draconic, but it's so quiet that's its hard to make sure.
Zo turns back to her companions and holds a finger to her lips for silence, then motions with both hands for them to wait there. She edges cautiously toward the open doorway, straining her ears to make out what the kobold might be saying.
Judging from their conversation, although it's hard to make out every word they are saying, they seem to be trapped in that room and trying to make their way back to the others. There is talk of dangerous undead and crazy men with swords and magic.
Zo creeps back down the hallway to her friends so quietly they are almost startled at her reappearance. "We've got stairs going down and a room to the north with kobolds in it -- the ones that got away from us in the courtyard, I think. They seem to think they're trapped in there. They've avoided this room because of the zombies and don't know we've destroyed them." Zo pauses. "Bargle is below us," she states matter-of-factly. "I'd bet Iggie's last gold piece on it. He doesn't seem the type to room with kobolds. And I don't think the two in that room are brave enough to try to come down behind us or warn Bargle. I don't think there's much left to this level -- the mirror-image of this side, probably, and maybe a room in the middle -- and it's all been overrun by kobolds. So," she concludes, "do we take out those two in the room and clear out everything aboveground or head below?"
"I'll gladly kill everything between us and Bargle, but if he's downstairs I see no reason to waste time with kobolds."
Gregori looks to the others to see their opinions, but his preference is obvious and he almost vibrates with the need for ation.
"I'll gladly kill everything between us and Bargle, but if he's downstairs I see no reason to waste time with kobolds."
Gregori looks to the others to see their opinions, but his preference is obvious and he almost vibrates with the need for action.
"Aye, we need to do this quickly and quietly unless any of you have a better idea?" Rhade nods.
"My vote is for clearing out this level before we head down. I don't like the idea of anything potentially sneaking up behind us from up here and I think we need t a t least establish a clear zone in case we need to rest somewhere. Up here seems a better idea than down there somewhere."
"My vote is for clearing out this level before we head down. I don't like the idea of anything potentially sneaking up behind us from up here and I think we need t a t least establish a clear zone in case we need to rest somewhere. Up here seems a better idea than down there somewhere."
"Father?" Rhade asks as he sheaths his shortsword and draws his silver dagger holding it as if ready to throw it as he moves towards Zo and the waiting and occupied room.
"My vote is for clearing out this level before we head down. I don't like the idea of anything potentially sneaking up behind us from up here and I think we need t a t least establish a clear zone in case we need to rest somewhere. Up here seems a better idea than down there somewhere."
"In Iggie's magic bed?" She frowns. "If we really want the kobolds dead, I wouldn't come at them from here. Right now, they think the zombies are still blocking their exit this way; if we come through this door, they'll just flee the way they came -- and they know their way around this place better than we do. If we could be certain of being reasonably quiet," with a doubtful glance at Gregori's armor, "we should go around the other way, through the unexplored half of the keep. Then, ideally, some of us should double back this way to cut off their escape. If we really want them dead," she concludes with a shrug.
"A place of safety seems reasonable and wise, to my mind," Iggie says" and the bed does seem to be more restful than it would otherwise seem... And while I cannot make those of us less than gifted with stealth any more stealthy, I can make one of us significantly faster for a brief time once, or cast a magic mist that obscures vision so as to better surprise the fiends. Of course, they can most definitely use it against us, as well!"
