"Oh! Oooooooh!" Miranda exclaimed in delight as the secret room revealed itself. And the secret room even has the passage to *another* secret room in it! She was beyond thrilled - you seldom had this much luck!
With a small, then a large, sneeze Miranda heads towards one of the chairs and hops ontop of it. From there she moves to the table in a more careful manner, having just been reminded of her somewhat weakened state, and sat down next to the book. Gently she leaned towards it and blew away all the dust which prompted another sneeze into the hem of her dress.
"Let's see what this is then!" She peers over the book, reading the title out loud and attempts to place it in an historical context if there is one (context and/or title!).
Then she whispers a quick spell of Detect Magic. She had heard that there was sometimes dangerous traps hidden in the written word and she had no particular desire to meet one in person. Then, oh ever so carefully, she opened the book up and started to read at a random page.
"Mmm. You guys wanna check the stairs for tripwire and that stuff?" Miranda suggests in a curious half-joke-half-concerned but all-distracted voice as she looks over the book.
"Now this is more like it," says Varuzhan, excited to uncover a secret. He calls out to the entire party. "There's an office here and some stairs going down below level. And from the way the dust has shifted, it sure looks like someone used these stairs recently!"
Varuzhan looks around to search for any dangers or curiosities, and also looks for signs of tracks.
As the four of them step into the converted office, Boros looks around curiously for a moment, then begins to help Varuzhan search the room. It seems, however, that his aid isn't particularly needed this time around, as the excitement of finding the stairs seems to have invigorated Varuzhan to considerable degree. Further, the near total absence of light () hampers his own efforts, and Boros is finally forced to admit his limitations under the current conditions. "First chance I get, I'm gonna buy one o' those fancy, floatin' light stones," he mutters with a disgruntled tone as he leans against a wall.
"Light?" Miranda blinked and looked around. "I guess it *is* sorta dark!" Then she went back to trying to decipher the books secrets.
Nissim shrugs slightly as he looks at the gnome.
"It may have been that you knew how to get rid of this "taint" but for some reason could not do it yourself. It seemed wise to ask rather than assume."
Nissim decides to try a slightly different track before giving up on the gnome.
"Has the taint always been here, going back before you came?"
"You believe the taint is dangerous, that it can kill, yes? What can it do to cause harm? How is it dangerous?"
"The building communicates with you, it told you it is alright for us to be here. Has it ever told you anything about the taint and how it came to be here? Or, has the taint ever communicated with you, sent you a message?"
@Gnome:
"Hm...not the body, no. Something where the livery told me not to go!", the Gnome answers Juliette, then he listens to Nissims questions, stares at his skull pile for a while, and looks back at Nissim:"Aye, wise to ask! Very wise guy! The taint was here when I came, certainly. Nasty smell. Livery hates the taint. Both bound, both locked. I try and help unbind Livery, for days, weeks. You lot come here unbind Taint, in minutes. How it can harm? How it is dangerous? Ask your friends, you should! I'd think they'd know better than me by now."
@Secret Room:
Miranda steps up to the table, trying to read the title of the book, which reads, in very beautiful calligraphy:
रजत कौवों की कार्यपंजी , पोशाक अध्याय
Judging from the outside, it seems to at least age back to the proper time. Alas, Miranda hesitates to take a closer look, when her Detect Magic shows her that the book indeed does radiate magic.
Moments later, Varuzhan warns her and Boros about the approach of...something.
Varuzhan positions himself by the stairs, ready to repel any unwelcome creature that comes their way.
"Something's bubbling or gurgling down these steps, and it's getting closer."
NIssim's eyes widen and he almost smacks himself on the head.
"Binding! What didn't I consider that!"
This may not be a spirit or some undead thing at all. It could be diabolic or demonic!
Nissim nods at the gnome and starts moving quickly toward the bleeding room.
"Lily, Juliette, hurry! if we have literally unbound something we need to figure out what it is to better fight it!"
Hearing Varuzhan's warning, Boros readies his rapier as well. He then looks at the others in the room with a rather anxious expression. "If one o' ya can get some light in here, I'd be real happy if ya go ahead and do so. I don't fight all that well when I can barely see what I'm doin'."
Miranda stares at the title for a while, but sighs as she realizes that no mater how hard she squints she can't read dwarven. "Hmm. There's some spell on this and it's written in ... Hmm. Something with runes?"
She is just about to ask the others to take a look at it when Varuzhan calls out his warning and Boros asks for light again. Jumping down from the table she retrieves her daggers and looks around. "I don't have anything light-y on me, sorry!" she notes apologetically and then looks for a good spot to lurk, so whatever-it-is doesn't see her too quickly. A free stab are the best stabs!
Seeing as Nissim seemed less interested in killing the Gnome now, Juliette follows him, taking out her bow and an arrow and casting Light on the arrow as they approached the others.
"I don't know how to fight anything that may be bound, but if it bleeds, you can kill it." Juliette suggests, though she wasn't honestly entirely sure that was true.
The creature coming up the steep stone steps reaches the top part of the stairs.
It's form is that of a female half-elf, drawn together from a reddish slime, and it all but ignores you.
As it tumbles up, more flowing then walking, it speaks, in a shrill bubbling voice:"Revenge, at long last! Stand aside..."
Meanwhile, Nissim, Juliette, Rexus and Lily start towards the other members of their group from near the gnome, who returns to mumbling with the skull pile.
The voice makes Boros jump in place, his rapier unconsciously twitching toward it. Though he can make out little enough in the dark--and he has the sudden feeling that might be a good thing--Boros can hear, over the creature's own wet movements, the sound of liquid flowing in its wake. Strangely enough, the sound indicates that the liquid is flowing toward the creature, as though in pursuit. Voice tinged with nervousness, Boros speaks up, addressing the creature. "I'm the last to stand in the way o' a well-earned bit o' vengeance, but could ya perhaps take a moment and tell us who ya have it out for, and why," he asks cautiously of the dimly-seen form.
;
Oh! It's red-ish, maybe the same as the wall? Miranda's heart beat with excitement; the nature of this mystery seemed to change by the moment! She also found herself wishing it was actually a little bit brighter in the room so that she could actually get a good read on the colour ... Nevertheless she found no reason to abandon her vantage just yet, so she waited to see how the creature reacted to Boros question. And if it doesn't like it maybe a dagger in the back would help ... She bit her tongue and weighted the blades in her hands. They felt heavier then usual and she wasn't quite sure *where* she should aim, but other then that ... It'll work out!
As Nissim starts toward the room where the others are, it occurs to him that there seem to be more rats around than he recalls seeing before. In fact, it seems as if the rats are showing up and gathering, some of them around the gnome.
"Do you see what those rats are doing? Strange isn't it?" he says to Lily, Juliette, and Rexus.
Nissim reaches into his pouch and brings out Lugo.
"What do you think little friend? What are they doing?"
Lugo, looking up at you, follows your gaze, then goes limp for a moment. A quarter of a second later, he escapes your grasp and runs towards the gnome and the skull pile, and the gathering of other rats.
The creature, now at the top of the stairs, shifts heading without really moving, starting to flow in a new direction, with it's legs and torso slowly shifting towards it's new goal, giving the fact it actually fakes walking while sliding sideways somewhat of an unreal look while it's facing and heading are still misaligned.
In much a similar way, it's head jerks towards Boros, without the neck movement usually part of such a motion:"The defiler who seeks to break the seal...he who kills to reach his goal...", the voice speaks, keeping it's head and eyes focused on Boros, drifting forward without bobbing
Nissim is beyond surprised at Lugo's behavior. Surely some enchantment must be at work. How to break it if so? Lugo must not be endangered!
As the ooze creature begins to coalesce, a tension seems to appear across Varuzhan's face. "That flowing thing - it doesn't belong here. It's an intruder. We need to kill it! Leave the rats alone!" Varuzhan shouts all this with surprising certainty, as he immediately takes a swing with his quarterstaff at whatever that ooze is!
;
As Varuzhan takes a swing at the creature, Boros quietly groans. This promised to be incredibly problematic for a number of reasons, not least of which was the fact that he could barely see what was happening. Thinking quickly, he moves to the door and calls out to Varuzahn and Miranda, "Get it out of the room, away from whatever it is that's flowin' up the stairs toward it!"
-Posted with Wayfinder
That doesn't sound right?! Her birdy comrade hadn't been in a super talkative mood earlier but she'd *think* he would have mentioned if he really loved rats. Odd. Very odd! Wonder why ... Miranda quickly went over the day so far to try and think of something - anything - that could have caused this. And how! That is the most important part ...
She had heard of magical hats that could change peoples minds. But he wasn't wearing one. She had also heard about powerful spells that could wipe out a mind and replace it with a new - But I can't do much about that! There was also a whole slew of spells that merely suggested and implanted thoughts and they *could* be broken. With a bit of help? And they were usually broken if the subject were forced to act against their personality. Gee, I do hope he does like me at least a little ... Miranda contemplated and braced herself for what to come. With a quick rub on her lucky boots for well luck she took off with a sprint!
I hope this is the right choice, that creepy blob isn't really reassuring! She emerged from her hiding spot and quickly moved across the room, curling together and aiming for Varuzhans center of mass. With a bit of luck, the tackle would push him out of the way of the creepy blob and they could get him back. Maybe?!
*Boink!*
Varuzhan looks stunned as Miranda launches into him with a flying tackle. He quickly attempts to sidestep out of the way while sticking out his foot with the intent to trip Miranda.
Instead, of getting tripped up, Miranda seems to just bounce off of Varuzhan ineffectively. "What're you doing Miranda? We need to put a stop to this ooze before it goes after the gnome and the rats!"
While Boros can't see what is happening, his ears tell him quite a bit, and he groans quietly to himself. Not only has the chance for any further negotiation with the creature likely flown the building, but his companions are now attacking each other for some reason. And this day started out so promisingly too.
"No! We need to figure out what's going on!" Miranda snaps back after regaining her bearings. "Now come on and get out of here or I'll have to make a fool out of myself again..." She added with a nervous laughter and glance at the ooze, pulling Varuzhan's sleeve towards the exit of the room.
Varuzhan stops fighting with Miranda given that she didn't take advantage of the opening he gave her. But he seems dead set on continuing to engage the ooze. "It's obvious what's going on - this thing is an intruder, and we need to destroy it. So help me or get out of the way!"
What happened so far: While Team Gnome was chatting with the local residents, Team Slime was still verifying the anatomical correctness of Slimerina as she blubbered up the stairs.
Varuzhan surprised everyone by taking advantage of the offered surprise round, used to strike the creature.
Miranda rushed at him attempting to tackle him out of the way, and he attempted to trip her in return, both of them failing. Meanwhile, Nissim, wanting to hurry to his friends after considering the option of bound creatures, realizes the rats are kongregating towards the gnome and his shrine, and asks Lugo to talk with them, rather surprised that Lugo instead promptly joins his brethren.
Lily and Rexus hear some commotion outside the Livery, and move towards the doors to investigate
Juliette, hearing Boros's cries for light, advances further down, but doesn't make too much progress, taking time to cast light on an arrow.(surprise round action, 5-foot step and light).
As such, Boros will have to decide what to do in what little light is coming in through cracks in the walls and holes in the roof, or reflected from other parts of the livery.
Round 1: The bold may go:
Lily - (went to answer door)
Nissim - (went after Lugo(for a few steps, at least-)
Miranda - (went after Varuzhan)
Boros
Slimerina
Varuzhan
Juliette
Deciding that the room is just a bit too dangerous with the slime creature, the poor lighting, and his allies suddenly attacking each other, Boros falls back to the kill floor area, then makes his way to the main part of the Livery.
As he enters the short, gated hall between the kill floor and the remainder of the Livery, Boros calls to the others an explanation of what is happening.
Shaking his head in exasperation, Boros turns to face the office door, waiting expectantly for either the slime or one of his apparently crazed allies to appear. The spot he's chosen to stop at is a nice one, defensively speaking, as it offers a good choke point that one person can reasonably hold for a time. It should be more than enough for Nissim, Juliette, and the others to get ready and get moving, because Boros is pretty sure he's going to need backup, and plenty of it.
The slime being, realizing it has been attacked, even if it was clumsy, lashes out at Varuzhan and Miranda, who is close by. The creature seems confused by what you are doing, and it ends up missing both of you, seemingly being unable to decide who to strike. In response, it simply states, not looking at anybody in particular:"Out of my way. I will not be held!", before floating further towards the door.
miss
Round 1/2: The Bold may act!
Slimerina - (went closer towards it's goal.
Varuzhan
Juliette
---R2---
Lily - (went to answer door)
Nissim - (went after Lugo(for a few steps, at least-)
Miranda - (went after Varuzhan)
Boros - (went to the chokepoint)
Juliette will move to Boros, to see what is going on, holding her lit arrow threateningly in her bow, bringing light closer so that Boros could see.
Round 1
"That's fine, you're too slimy to hold anyway, slime girl!" He steps closer to slimerina and gives another swing of his quarterstaff.
;
Nissim finds the attention the the little cadre of rats, including Lugo, is suddenly giving him unnerving. The feeling that things in the building are about to go badly sideways is strong enough for him to take a step back from the gnome and the cluster of rats.
He draws the vial that contains his Cognatogen and drinks it down. Then he says to to his familiar: "Lugo, come here. Come here to me."
As he tries to talk Lugo back, he also watches the gnome attempting to figure out what precisely he's doing.
As the wet sound of the slime creature's movement draws nearer, Boros lifts his rapier to a ready position, prepared to engage the creature if it refuses to halt. He also adjusts his stance in the narrow section between the wall and the piled junk to present a minimal profile to the creature. Though it will hamper his strikes, the creature's own attacks will be similarly restricted.
As he shifts, he notices that the kill floor is getting easier to see, and a quick check over a shoulder draws a smile from Boros as he recognizes Juliette approaching with a brightly glowing arrow, of all things.
Varuzhan swings at the slime elf again, but can't quite seem to hit his mark. Without a doubt, the alien, unnatural movements the creature makes contribute to his difficulties, but she IS slow enough to allow him another strike.
Miranda sees the trail of reddish slime flowing up the stairs and towards the creature and is tempted to check it's origins, but is torn between sticking with her new friends, or giving in to her curiosity.
"I will not be contained!", Slimerina states as she does not seem to care about Boros attempts to slow her down or block her movement. Instead, moves right towards him.
Juliette closes in with her light arrow, and both she and Boros get a first proper look at the creature, Juliette getting to witness from close range how Boros's plan falls to hold the doorway seems to potentially backfire against him when the slime being simply moves on, uncaring.
Nissim attempts to draw Lugo away from whatever causes him to act as he does. His attempt does not seem very focused, considering he's at the same time drinking his Cognatogen and trying to keep eyes on the gnome, and Lugo merely acknowledges his attempt, staying put where he is.
Nissim can't learn much, having no idea about what magical effects may be in place, but he does catch some hand gestures from the gnome that seem to enact some kind of magical ritual. Unlike regular spells which follow a general pattern, with similar words, gestures, and effects between even different schools of magic, rituals can, depending on their goal, be vastly different between practicioners of the craft. As such, it's very hard to learn what the gnome is trying to do without watching longer.
Whatever happened at the entrance seems to quiet down as well. While Nissim has no attention to spare, he's the only one still able to see(well, Juliette probably, too, while moving towards Boros.
Besides Lily and Rexus, there's 2 more men at the entrance. One of the man, together with Rexus, is grappling with another young man, dragging him closer, as Lily stands at the door with a shocked expression, holding it more because Rexus seems to have told her to do so rather than because she wants it.
; . "Hold still, will ya?" says Varuzhan out of frustration.
Miranda tip-toes behind the slimy 'woman'. She wasn't sure what she should do, but running off into the dark cellar on her own didn't feel too good so she settled for this.
"That creature of slime, needs to be put down for a time." Juliette lets out a few notes, starting her bardic performance.
At the door, the two men quickly subdue the young person they dragged in. While Rexus starts to bind the young man, despite his protests, his friend tries to get an overview of the situation in the livery, and is surprised to find it so crowded(includingy someone who seems to live here and about 20 dozen rats. And from his vantage point, he hasn't even seen Slimerina yet.
Round 3
The Bold May Act!
Slimerina - (tried to Engulf Boros, AAAALMOST managed to do so!
Varuzhan - (only did his AoO yet)
Juliette - (started Bardic Performance
---R3---
Lily - (blocking door)
Nissim - unsure where to stare first(Lugo? Gnome? Rats? Dogs?
Miranda - (followed Slimerina sneaky-peaky like. Still gets to do something THIS round.
Boros - (barely managed to escape without being slimed.
??? - Just arrived on Scene.
Ever since that - literally - bloody protest, Aldous' life had been turned upside-down and inside-out. For instance, Aldous had never once in his life been in a fight.
Until now.
Though, to be fair, calling this grapple-fest a fight was a bit charitable. The barrister had merely grabbed the man's shirt while his old friend Rexus did most of the work, ushering the three of them past the striking girl at the entry and through the livery's front door.
Their enemy rubbed one of his hands, hairy and sweaty, into Aldous' face, and the barrister let go, content to let Rexus bind the man. Stepping back, face flushed with anger, Aldous put forth his most commanding voice.
"Calm down, you git! What's your name and why were you..."
His questioning trailed off as Aldous realized they weren't alone. Nearby, a tousle-haired young Chel with stained fingers seemed to be talking with a pack of rats, a pile of skulls, and an obviously destitute gnome. Attention momentarily diverted from their enemy, Aldous sucked in the air, a clipped and quick breath.
"Rexus...?"