Voyla looks around for her equipment, while answering Zinli's question.
"Hard to say, as my clan's caravan could be anywhere right now. I am Varisian, you know. Skizzert, the chief, had told me that if I didn't become, friendly, with him, he would sacrifice me to that abomination, Lamashtu."
She shudders again.
"And that wouldn't be the worst part. The worst part would be the way I would die. Lamashtu is not called "The Mother of Monsters" without a reason."
Joza can't help but shudder as well as Voyla shares her story with them. "It's a good thing we came along, then! There might be more lurking around above or below, but I think we've cleaned out all the goblins that were on this level. I put an end to Skizzert myself."
Suddenly realizing that she's not introduced herself, she adds, "I'm Joza Fersig of the Fersig tribe. Davlamin already introduced himself, but this is Zinli, Rahiv, and Ekran," she says, indicating each in turn. "Is there anything else that we can do for you Voyla? We're here to explore this place but we're not on any schedule so if you need an escort somewhere..."
Voyla finds her equipment and she dons it.
"You saved me, and I am in your debt. Wherever you are going, whatever you are doing, I am with you."
She smiles sweetly at you all.
"What are we doing here?"
Dav nodded in agreement with Joza before saying, "Indeed. It is a good thing we found you before the goblins went through with their plans for you."
"Well we are investigating the strange things happening in these ruins. There are numerous reports of undead, along with the disappearances of an entire group of Hellknights and a couple of mages exploring the Emerald Spire. In addition, portals connecting our world to other planes have mysterious opened up without warning. It is my guess these happenings are somehow connected to one another. So far, we have only explored this floor but there are many more floors and levels to explore. How many? I don't know. But we are glad to have you come join us."
"If that's what you want, then I won't try to stop you," Joza agrees. "But it might be even more dangerous in the end than just goblins. Keep that in mind."
"You'll need gear though..." she continues, her eyes flitting around the room. "Did you see what they did with yours?"
"I think I will be fine as long as I keep with you all. I only hope I can keep up. About my gear, is over here, let me get it."
She gets all her equipment on, and smiles again.
"Let's go then! Payback time!"
Pekoe looks at the newcomer
There's one door left to check. Should we go there or do we try to get downstairs?
"Let's try the door first."
Nodding in agreement, Dav followed close behind.
"So are we ready to tackle whatever lies behind this door then,"he asked the others.
Voyla nods.
"I agree, let's check the last door before we worry about going down...or trying to find a way to go up," Joza nods.
"Yay, let's check the last door! Hopefully we won't find more gobbos..."
Pekoe opens the last door, and you see ascending stairs.
Stairs wind upward to the right, circling around a glowing wall of semi-translucent green stone. It seems the Azlanti tower was built around a core of some other material—a spire within a spire.
You wanted to go up? Now you can!
giggles the small tiefling
"I guess you have cleared this floor. Now... up or down?"
"I think down would be a better idea..." Joza says slowly. "Who knows what's down there? Whatever it is, we don't want it coming along behind us if we go upstairs first or deciding to lay an ambush for us on this level if we have to come back down."
"It would seem so," the sorcerer said.
"I think we should go up since we are already here."
"Davlamin has a point. Let's go up then!"
Ekran scratches his chin pondering everyone's points before making his thoughts known...
Fighting from the high ground is usually easier, so if something comes up from below to follow us up the rest of the tower, we would have the advantage. I vote to go up as well since we know it's finite, we don't know how deep the stairs go however...can anyone make some crude trap so if someone or something comes up we can hear them advance?
Voyla shakes her head.
"I know that there are spells that can do that, but I'm afraid I don't know any of them. Nor do I have any scrolls with those spells written on them," Dav replied.
He then added, "However, we could barricade the door just as well I guess."
Look, go upstairs. I'm sure you won't be long. I'll watch out on ground level, and shout for help if needed. But they will have first to find me, of course. I can be real sneaky when I want.
says Pekoe
Although soundly outvoted, Joza doesn't seem especially perturbed. "Up it is then," she agrees. "And that sounds like a fine idea Pekoe. But be careful, okay? If something looks too dangerous to handle, stay hidden or come and find us - do not try to fight it yourself."
"That does leave us without an advance scout..." she considers, looking thoughtful. "I could likely manage to be stealthy, but I would be at a loss on disarming traps if there are any that lie ahead."
"Not to worry, I can do all of that. I managed to get very far alone, I am sure I will be perfectly safe with you behind me."
Voyla takes the lead, being as stealthy as possible.
Cautiously, Voyla starts climbing the stairs, step by step.
These stairs circle around the Spire, circling around the Spire two and a half times, climbing through ruined and impassible levels to a large chamber at the top of the tower.
The curving stairs end in a sturdy wooden door with a shuttered arrow slit in its middle.
There is a wizzzing sound.
Then blood.
and pain, as Voyla realises she has an arrow deep in her left shoulder.
AMBUSH!!!, bellows Ekran. He raises his shield and rushes in front of Voyla to block any further attacks to their newest companion.
Well, that was fast!
At Ekran's cry of an ambush Joza readies her bow and swiftly moves up the stairs a few paces behind him, ready to provide him and Voyla with backup.
"Arg! Help!"
Voyla gets behind Ekran, covering herself.
"Oh dragon nose hairs!"
While knowing his spells were almost exhausted Dav quickly cast a mage armor spell on Ekran just in case.
"Something to give you some added protection Ekran," Davlamin told the warrior as a ghostly suit of golden full plate armor appeared around Ekran.
Zinli stood on tiptoe, and even jumped a bit, trying to see what was happening... But of course, it was in vain.
"What's happening?! Voyla, who or what hurt you?! I wanna shoot it!"
Voyla tries to reach the arrow to remove it from her.
"I don't know. I didn't see him. An archer. Auch!"
From the arrowslit in the door, another arrow flies through the air, aimed at Ekran
Despite Ekran's cautiousness, the arrow hit its target.
"From the door!"
She takes out her backpack and uses it to cover the arrow slit.
"Quickly, what do we do?"
Joza quickly moves forward and places her paws on the backpack, though given how easily their foe's arrow punched through Ekran's armor she's not really sure that it will make much difference. Doing her best to duck down so her face isn't directly in front of the backpack or the arrow slit behind it, she calls out, "The door! It's probably locked; can you get it open?"
Voyla nods and tries to open the door.
The door locks resist Voyla's attempts, or maybe her wound and the stress hinder her skills
The door itself seems sturdy too
Dav yelled, asking his friends, "Should we parlay with whoever is behind that door?"
He got behind the group's warriors just in case.
"Can't hurt any worse than it already has!" Joza replies, looking rather silly as she continues to cover the murder-hole with Voyla's backpack.
Rahiv stepped up behind the others and chants softly attempting to ease the pain the others have endured thus far.
Rahiv sends a refreshing wave of energy, boosting your health and leaving you with a salty taste in your mouth, as if you just drank some sea water.
Davlamin, who was about to use a spell on Ekran in the stress of the fight, realise that his spell won't help the man,as he's already wearing better. So the sorcerer keeps his magic for another time...
Voyla tries to open the door again.
*click*
does the lock....
Voyla, if able, push the door open.
As Joza hears the door *click*, she tenses and readies to draw her weapons again once the door is open...
Dav readied what spells he had left in the hopes of fighting off their attacker if diplomacy failed.
Voyla pushes the door a little, and peek a glance at the room: a small, round room.
Of course, if she wants to see more, she'll have to get inside.