Watching the rats for several moments, Boros eventually comes to the conclusion that something about their behavior seems off. Unfortunately, he got a pretty good lungful of smoke from that wagon, which has left him light-headed and somewhat fuzzy when he tries to think about just what it is about those rats that isn't right. Whatever it is, Boros is pretty sure it isn't the result of smoke inhalation, however, and as his brain clears and gets working again, he decides to mention this peculiar behavior to his companions. Perhaps one them can figure it out.
Joining the rest of the party in the office, he finds them in discussion with their new host, and Boros settles against a wall for the moment, letting things proceed uninterrupted until a good opportunity presents itself to raise his observation about the rats.
As Boros mentions the strange behavior of the rats, Varuzhan pipes up. "When I was in the possession of the skull pile, I felt a compulsion not to harm anything that was considered a resident of this home. That included the gnome as well as any and all rats. We were guests. The skull pile viewed everything else, such as our slime friend, an intruder. Perhaps the rats have a collective consciousness? Let me double back just to observe."
Varuzhan goes upstairs and also observes the rats.
Unable to discern anything, he instead asks Lily for a favor. "Sorry to trouble you, but would it be possible for you to use some of your magics to heal me, before we descend downstairs?"
Once all that is done, he hustles back and addresses the slime creature. "Can you explain why the traps won't be set off if just two of us go forward?" Varuzhan was a little suspicious of the suggestion to divide the party further.
Seeing as things were a bit troublesome to resolve for the moment Miranda finds a nice spot and sits down. She usually found that thinking too hard about something - when you could just do it - was a bit of a bother but now she just appreciated a bit of rest. It was true that the Slimey ones suggestion was a bit suspicious. But she also couldn't really figure out how the Chelaxians could have put her there as a trap without accessing the secret door. Or did they just put the key back?
"Hmm. I don't think she is a hell-wrought trap. I mean, it certainly didn't look like they ever found the key ..." She mentioned, sharing her thoughts. Perhaps someone could piece together the whole picture?
Doubling back to Rexus, Aldous cocks an eyebrow, giving his old friend a slight smirk. Not keen on exploring the basement with an otherworldly slime-lady, eh? The barrister couldn't blame him. Indeed, Aldous was not very keen on the idea either. Still, with this Gregory fellow backed into a corner, it would be a way to let the man stew a bit.
"Why don't you and your lovely companion here watch over our spy? I'll assist the others and let you know what we found."
Aldous nods towards Gregory, frowning. "And then we'll have to deal with him. You've got a few minutes to think about coming forward with the truth, stool pigeon. Your life will go easier if you do."
"Uhm...sure. I can do that."
Gregory seems miserable. When Aldous tries to read his expression, something suddenly becomes clear to him: Gregory does not KNOW that you are aware he's not just a random civilian passing by. Most likely, he is afraid of "telling the truth" expecting that to worsen his situation, assuming you don't know it yet.
Regarding the Livery being empty since the war:
Nissim's inquiry is answere, unmoving and not meeting his gaze:"Why would my summoner have been an enemy of the rebels? You make no sense. My aim is to fulfill my purpose, so that I may find freedom. You will understand, in basement! Hurry along!"
When Varuzhan inquires about the trap, she actually looks at him:"Why, it senses your life energy. Too many sparks of life? No sparks of life any more. Need to pass an area, or attune yourselves, with a tool beyond. Come now!"
The creature is obviously in a hurry to get you moving, but that may simply be due to it's mind not used to thinking in the same patterns you do. So far, it seemed there was never any doubt in Slimerina's decisions or courses of action, so hesitation may simply be something unknown to her.
All this talk of the Livery's history manages to spark something in Boros' mind, and he recalls one of the many briefings he'd received from his rebel contacts, this one covering Chelish staging areas and supply centers that might be activated--and thus, become targets to strike at--in the event of an active rebellion, apparently based on old contingency plans made after the civil war.
One of the proposed supply centers was actually quite close to the Livery, and Boros recalls how it was chosen because the former site, an old slaughterhouse not too far away, was no longer in a state to be safe for use. The briefing also covered the possibility that the abandoned location might be put back into service, but this was deemed unlikely, as the building was a condemned ruin barely fit for use by the vermin infesting it, and rumored to have some other problems besides.
With a start, Boros realizes that the Livery must be the abandoned supply location mentioned in the briefing, and he mentions what he has managed to recall to the others, with the caveat that the connection is tenuous at best and based on information that he can't verify.
Any further thinking on the subject of the Livery's background is diverted by the slime's insistence that the group--or rather, two of their number--hurry down the waiting stairs into the basement. Boros considers this urgency to be rather odd, and even a bit suspect, but nothing about the slime's utterly inhuman and expressionless form provides him with any hint that the slime is being less than earnest about its good intentions.
Varuzhan thanks Lily for the magical healing before returning to the others.
Varuzhan doesn't like how slimerina is in such a hurry. "Listen, er, what was your name again? Sorry. Anyway, you're being a little too mysterious about what's going on here. I think you need to explain yourself before I run inside to possible death. What is down there? What is this trap and what is this tool I need to attune myself with? Who are you, and where will you go when you're free? I think we're on the same side here, but you have to understand that everything a rebel does comes with extraordinary risk. We can tell you all about ourselves, but we need you to do the same."
Thinking back to her accumulated reserve of barely useful tales, Miranda can think of quite a few that would strengthen the narrative Boros is suggesting. After all; there were plenty of spooky tales about this house and both with rats and ghosts as punchlines!
But by now Miranda was all raring to go, even if Varuzhan's questions cooled her eagerness a bit. Finding out what is going on would be nice. Living trough that revelation would be nicer!
When it's her turn to go down to the basement, Juliette will follow after the others, making sure not to go down all at once.
-Posted with Wayfinder
With members of the party preparing to head down the stairs, Boros casts a critical eye at the arrow he's been lugging around since the fight ended. It's still glowing quite nicely from Juliette's spell, but something tells him that he might want to make sure it lasts a bit longer, if possible. Leaning toward Juliette, he hefts the arrow in his hand. "While we have a moment, can you repeat whatever it was that you cast to make this arrow glow? I think it'd be a good idea to have a source of light handy that isn't a burnin' bit o' wood," he concludes with a pointed look at the highly flammable firetrap they're currently standing inside of.
Juliette places her hand on Boros' gun and casts light. "There, not a burning bit of wood, as you said." She adds with a smile.
Taking note of Gregory's fear, Aldous decides to let him stew a bit. "Watch him close."
Making his way to the stairs, the barrister pushes his glasses up on his nose, and squinting, peers into the dark.
"Well then," Aldous says, to no one in particular. "Shall we?"
Boros jerks back in surprise and lets out a rather nervous laugh as Juliette causes his pistol to light up, the light shining from the arrow fading out to nothing at the same instant. "Ah, thank you, yes, that'll do quite nicely. But, uh, for the sake of my nerves? Please tell me before you cast any spells on my pistol. The powder can be awfully touchy at times, and prone to reactin' explosively under the oddest circumstances."
He swallows convulsively and carefully pats the holstered weapon. "And I'd rather not have a chunk o' somethin' important blown out o' my side if the powder responds poorly to a spell you cast in good intent."
Varuzhans questions are answered dismissively:"Come, or come not. One to me. Not mysterious. I told you there is a trap. Don't believe me, you can all bunch up and die. I am bound, by rules, and cannot tell many things. You should know, by now."...with some untypical deliberation, it adds:"Once free, I return to my home."
Once Miranda and a second person(Varuzhan or otherwise) entered the stairs, it will address the others:"Don't go down on your own. I will return to fetch the next two once we are done.", then enter the stairs behind them moving downwards.
"Alright, alright." Varuzhan is concerned but steps up anyway. I hope this works.
As Varuzhan steps forward to accompany Miranda, Nissim casts Message on him. An old half-remembered rhyme, "two by two they were led", disturbing his thoughts.
As Miranda and Varuzhan descent, they notice that the stairs are very steep. Going up or down the slightly arced stairs in a hurry would likely be impossible. There's a layer of stone and dirt in-between the upper floor and the lower one. If the entrance was closed, it would be unlikely that any sound would penetrate upwards.
Miranda had already established that the mechanism was beyond repair and likely stuck open, so that was hardly an issue...but even so, any sounds would be very diminished, so Varuzhan feels a bit better knowing Nissim cast Message prior to him and Miranda going on the stairs.
They find themselves in what seems like a storage chamber or workshop. The eye-watering stench of urine and rat feces fills this large room. Nests made of chewed crates and barrels line the walls, while rusty knives and hooks cover the tabletops.
The wall they face when they come down, after the 90-degree turn the stairs make in total, is curved. It's likely there is more to the cellar on the other side, as the curved wall would be somewhat of an unnecessary luxury otherwise. Not only that, but time had also not been kind to the lower levels structural stability. Some of the walls have cracked, showing earth or stone beyond. In other places, some far-reaching roots from nearby trees seem to have found their way inside. In the corner between the southern wall and the curved one, there's a huge crack going all the way to the ceiling and spreading over it, likely a result of the extreme weight it support in form of the formerly smooth-stone covered slaughter-room. Some droplets of (probably red) slime can still be seen in that ceiling corner's cracks and along the wall.
A single door exits the room on the other side, and Slimerina points towards it:"There, there. go ahead. Beyond door."
As the first two members of the party disappear down the stairs, Boros drums the fingers of his left hand against the grip of his pistol in a display of nervous energy, while his right hand is gripping the hilt of the gladius hard enough to whiten his knuckles. He can't shake the growing sensation that something is going to go horribly awry in all of this, and it takes all the discipline he has to keep from rushing down the stairway after Miranda and Varuzhan.
In an effort to settle his nerves a bit, he decides that a bit of tea might be in order. It is, after all, rather stiffling inside the Livery, particularly after the heat from the torched wagon filled the building. In a rather impressive display of manual dexterity, he pulls the canteen from its heavy canvas carrying holster with his right hand, tucks it under his left arm, and unstoppers it without spilling a drop of the contents. The entire time, his left hand's fingers are still tapping ceaselessly against his pistol, their rhythm uninterrupted by his other actions. Taking a deep swallow of the tepid tea--which is still cooler than the air in the office--he then offers the canteen to Juliette with a questioning glance. "Little belt o' sweetend tea to wet your throat? Might need it if ya plan on burstin' into one o' your inspirational tunes."
Aldous peers down the stairway, watching the trio as they pass from view. Cursing silently, the barrister shifts from foot to foot impatience showing on his face. The sensation was similar to when he would listen to another barrister's closing arguments; half a mind on the task at hand, Aldous was already thinking ahead to when his turn came.
At least the strix and the slip seemed to have made it down the stairs alive...
"Now that doesn't look too good!"
Miranda comments and looks up at the giant crack. But then, it had held together so far. No reason it would come crashing down ontop of them right now right? Just to be safe-ish she made sure not to stand directly under it!
"So trough that door then. Varuzhan, could you tell the rest that we are okay so far and heading towards a door? If we don't Message back in half a minute or something they can come rescue us!"
She notes cheerily then carefully makes her way towards the door. The effect the slime had on the dogs and gnome were still fresh in her mind - and she liked her boots and feet too much to have them melt off due to a simple misstep! Mmm no that wouldn't be no good!
Once she gets close enough she takes a quick look for foul play then waits for Varuzhan to do the same and also open the door. It didn't look like it had been opened in a while and she wasn't really in the mood to pry it open herself if she didn't have to!
+
The door does not seem trapped, and "hasn't been opened in a while" is a serious understatement. Taking a more accurate look at the closing mechanism suggests that it is locked, and the lock rusted into place, making it unlikely to be pickable.
Luckily, the hinges on the other side seem to have rusted through quite a bit as well. With some application of strenght, it could possibly be dislocated permanently.
"Uh." Miranda looks at the big, probably stuck and seemingly heavy door twice her height. Then she steps to the side and looks up at Varuzhan again. "I think it is best if you try to force it open!"
"Yup, let me try this door."
Just in case, Varuzhan first inspects the door for danger, being quite suspicious of this entire affair. .
Assuming it seems safe enough, he prays to his ancestors and gives it a push.
The door gives way easily enough. The hinges pull free quickly and the door can be placed on the floor, leaned against a wall or whatever you please to do with it.
The way free, you move forward into a larger room. Dirty salt and sawdust coat the floor of this gloomy hall. Bits of the wall masonry have been chewed or clawed away, revealing narrow, winding animal tunnels beyond. Steel rails are mounted in the ceiling, with a few lonely iron hooks dangling from them. A pile of stained pillows and motheaten blankets lies in a ten-foot-square depression in the floor to the northwest.
Miranda, still busy taking in the new sights of this room, does not realize it in time, but Varuzhan, already coming down suspecting foul play, does, and watches in some horror as the slime creature extends a pseudopod and moves towards an unsuspecting Miranda.
On the plus side, she seemed smaller again after placing that membrane from part of her own mass.
Round X1
Varuzhan
Nissim(+ others)
Slimerina
Miranda
+?
As they enter through the rotten door, Varuzhan begins to comment on what he sees. "Strange, I wonder if the rats ever got down here to --- what in the abyss?"
Varuzhan spins around seeing the slime creature seal the doorway. He makes use of the Message spell Nissim cast. "Nissim, the slime creature betrays us! Get people down here and kill it!" His suspicions come true, he draws his sickle and tries to move protectively between it and Miranda as he begins slashing.
;
Nissim's face goes white when Varuzhan's connection to him is severed.
"I've lost my connection to Varuzhan! Something is wrong! We have to get down there now!!" he says as he moves toward the stairway.
"I fear we've been duped and betrayed!"
Hearing Nissim's yell, Boros groans and puts his canteen away. Somehow, he's not the least bit surprised by this turn of events, though he is somewhat embarrassed by how easily they were all duped into believing the slime's claims. He also spares a moment to offer a mental apology to the slain gnome, who might have been mad, but seems increasingly likely was not their enemy. He then follows Nissim down the stairs, pistol out to provide light so they don't all break their necks rushing down a darkened flight of stairs.
He makes use of the Message spell Nissim cast. "Nissim, the slime creature betrays us! Get people down here and kill it!"
"Blast and avast! Two at a time! The creature may have been lying, but I wouldn't test it!"
As he clatters down the stairs behind Nissim, Boros recalls something from the earlier fight involving the slime, and he quickly reminds the others of it as well. "Those rats set themselves on fire before tryin' to attack that slime. Fire might be a weakness that it has!"
With the point of a finger, Juliette cats Message on Boros. "Tell us when you've reached the bottom, and then we'll be on our way down." Juliette wanted to rush down below, but was also worried about the possible trap as well.
"Yes, I remember. and I hope it's so.
On finding the doorway covered, Nissim tries slicing the slime layer with his dagger. Throughout he continues trying to regain communication with Varuzhan.
Unimpressed by Varuzhan's sickling, Slimerina moves on to lash out at the unaware Miranda. Hearing Varuzhan approach, she turns around just in time to find a pseudopod slam into her face, quickly followed by two more crashing into her body simultaneously. A weird burning sensation washes over her for a brief moment, but the force of the impact combined with the intense pain make her lose her consciousness. Almost as an afterthought, one of the pseudopods remains attached to her leg, though clearly, the creature is shifting her attention towards Varuzhan now. In a more fluid manner than before, it speaks in a guttural voice:
Meanwhile, Boros and Nissim, who hurried down the stairs, find the room Varuzhan described earlier, and a sealed doorway, covered in a semi-translucent red substance. It seems clear that they will need to find a way to get past it if they mean to help.
Round 1 - the bold may act
Varuzhan
Nissim
Boros
Juliette
Aldous
Slimerina -x HP
Miranda (-6 HP, dying, grappled )
Not bothering with the spell Juliette casts upon him, Boros simply yells back up the stairs. He can't make out anything through the barrier in the doorway, but he does make note of the nearby door. Holstering the pistol, he takes a few steps to the door and grabs an edge while looking at Nissim. "No time for plannin' or debate, get over here and grab the other side. We're using this as a batterin' ram!
When the next pair of foot steps reach the bottom of the stairs, Boros doesn't even waste time looking back at Juliette and Aldous. He merely taps the door impatiently while glaring at the barrier. "Alright folks, each o' ya grab a corner here and help me and Nissim power this ram forward. We got allies in trouble on the other side o' that thin', and a slime that needs dealin' with in a permanent fashion."
Varuzhan is horrified as the slime creature pounces on Miranda, ready to consume her. He aims right for the appendage that's grappling her. "Why don't you feed on this, snotbrains!"
;
;
Fueled by desperation, Varuzhan lands a vicious slice. He prays that's enough to get this creature to let go of Miranda.
Nissim follows Boros' directions in using the door as a ram.
Aldous, always agile if not a gifted athlete or muscular of build, takes the steps two and three at a time once he hears the soldier's voice. Bounding down the steps, as soon as he sees the slime door, the barrister scowls, and forces his will outward and at the door. The sounds of boulders rolling down a mountainside reverberates around the room before the wall next to the slime barrier shakes, as if bumped into, a fine cavalcade of dust drifting down to the floor.
Blinking absently, Aldous realizes the soldier is barking orders. Reaching up, he grabs hold of the door/ram.
The swing from Varuzhans sickle hit true, not only severing the appendage holding on to Miranda, but cutting deep into the jelly-like creature in front of him.
The force of the blow, however, came right back towards him when Slimerina used the momentum to deliver a swing to his unprotected side, her acidic touch burning on Varuzhans skin, seeping through his clothing like water during a rainstorm.
Varuzhan very barely manages to keep standing, but he does. It's unlikely he could take much more, being pushed to the limit of pain his body can handle by the intense acidic burn.
Meanwhile, Juliette and Aldous reach the bottom, and see Boros handle the door like a battering ram, telling them to grab on, which they do.
Nissim, unsure what to do, also follows Boros instruction.
The slime covering the door seems to harden, turning slightly opaque, but hiding any details...not that any of you felt you had time to make them out.
Round 2 - the bold may act
Miranda -6(?) HP (dying)
Varuzhan 1/12 HP (-9 acid damage this round)
Nissim
Boros
Juliette
Aldous
Slimerina -x-17 HP
Hoisting his side of the door, Aldous runs forwards with the others, the door slipping a little from his grasp as he runs. Thankfully, he just manages to catch it in time, and winces as the door slams into the slime, the impact reverberating through his body.
Nissim gives it all he's got, which isn't much :(