Kirito bites the creature in the... eh... whatever it is, while Caranthir and Bruce stand spewing confused gibberish. Thistle manages to avoid getting swallowed but is grappled by the creature - a feeling that causes him to smell roses.
---
Asuna
Jelani
Fellgrim
Caranthir
Bruce
Thistle
---
Mouther (33)
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Thistle tries to break from the grapple, but fails. What happens next is as predictable as it is inevitable: the gibbering mass envelopes thistle, and starts draining blood from the saurian.
---
Asuna
Jelani
Fellgrim
Caranthir
Bruce
Thistle
---
Mouther (33)
---
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Asuna tries to toss another acid goblet at the critter.
Kirito will continue to tear away at the hump of meat.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Kirito rips a large chunk out of the gibbering mouther, which in turn only manages a SURFACE TENSION!. It turns out those were the creature's last words, as Jelani intervenes and stops the madness with a forceful blow.
The jailhouse contains two cells, one of them - the one the gibbering mouther wasn't in - is unlocked. There's also a door leading north.
Thorough as though Bruce's inspection is, it turns up no new finds.
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Thistle shudders from inside of the horrific creature with the forceful thud as Jelani crushes it with his hammer. With some effort, the Nagaji extricates himself, slime covered and in general disgusting array.
Poorly attempting to contain his seething anger, Thistle grabs his board, wipes some slime from one of his pieces of chalk on a nearby scrap of cloth, and writes one word. "Shower"
He grabs some of the bedding in the area and does his best to wipe himself clean. After some semblance of order, he takes his customary place behind bruce, lending aid to his search, and protection in case something goes awry.
Three matched doors stand on the corridor’s east side. Each is carved with the images of lordly feasts, although a hooded gray figure appears in each image, silently watching.
Bruce hears several human voices conversing within..
The gray figure is the god Norgorber in his aspect as the Gray Master.
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Caranthir grimaces as he pulls the arrow from his leg.
A self-inflicted wound...how pathetic. You must steel your mind, elf!
The archer rips a strip of cloth and wraps his wounded leg tightly rather than asking for assistance.
Looking at the carved images on the east side of the corridor, Caranthir points at them.
"This gray figure represents the deity Norgorber in his aspect as the Gray Master," he says. "Thievery, assassination, and keeper of secrets."
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Thistle nods as Bruce indicates the enemies beyond the door. He holds up his hand to indicate for the party to wait a moment, then uses his wand to cast a spell on Caranthir.
With that complete, he casts bless, and then points to the door. With that, he grips the leather covered handle on his morningstar a bit tighter, and prepares to rush into the room.
This mess hall’s north and south walls are fitted with shelves containing mismatched goblets, platters, and bowls. A number are made of fine porcelain emblazoned with crests of noble families. A raised table with three lavish chairs stands at the east end.
After kicking the door open, the party finds four of the same scouts they encountered before. They are taken completely by surprise
---Surprise round---
Asuna
Jelani
Fellgrim
Caranthir
Bruce
---Regular round---
Asuna
Jelani
Fellgrim
Caranthir
---
Scout
Scout
Scout
Scout
---
Bruce
---
Caranthir plants an arrow in the chest of one of the scouts, nearly killing him, after which Asuna sends three other into a deep sleep.
---Surprise round---
Asuna
Jelani
Fellgrim
Caranthir
Bruce
---Regular round---
Asuna
Jelani
Fellgrim
Caranthir
---
Scout (7)
Scout -ZzZ
Scout -ZZZ
Scout -ZzZZ
---
Bruce
---
...And Fellgrim bombs the one scout that is awake into oblivion.
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Thistle takes a deep breath, sets his jaw and bursts into the room ready to cut the first person down that he sees.
And abruptly stops as an arrow darts over his shoulder, 3 others fall asleep, and a bomb explodes on the pour soul who still can't figure out why there is an arrow protruding from his neck.
Wasted that spell... Or was it a waste? Blessed indeed...
He huffs in satisfaction, straightens his tunic, and goes about assisting Caranthir in binding the sleeping cultists.
I may not hear a thing, but hopefully my companions can squeeze some information from these thugs.
Once that business has concluded, Thistle picks his way carefully around the room while his companions interrogate the captives.
Thistle notices that the plates and cup are all different, and some are quite valuable. The scouts carried a potion of cure light each, as well as two doses of a poison each.
The poison is green blood oil
There's two doors on the north side.
This room serves as a kitchen. A large hearth takes up most of the south wall, and there’s a basin for washing up against the west wall. Dry goods, provisions, and cooking gear clutter the space.
The door opens to a chamber, which must be someone’s personal quarters. A comfortable bed stands in the southwest corner. Several small keepsakes, including a couple of small leather journals, clutter the wall shelves.
In the mess hall, the three defeated scouts are bound and gagged. ()
The journals are of one Lenik Hastenfar. Form the quick glance through the journals, Bruce learns that he is currently out on a raid in the echo woods. The entire operation here seems to be based around a central leader, Tarrin Dar, whom Lenik calls a 'religious fanatic'. She's apparently constructed an entire false history of 'the Splinters', and induced new members into 'an elite group of bandits' that roam the echo wood. Initiation rites include the stealing of a plate and cup from a difficult location.
The bandits operate through a secret exit from their underground den to the echo wood.
There's several knickknacks in the room that are of value: a golden chess piece, a statuette of a woman with a lyre and an ivory comb. All of them are mundane, though.
The reawakened scouts look at Caranthir defiantly, and try to gain eye contact among themselves.
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"Let's split the lads up. I will talk to them one at a time. I have ways of making them talk." She says with a grin and a lewd wink to one of the prisoners.
After she is in a room with one of the prisoners she will cast charm on him (dc19).
"Hello dearie, now would you please tell me everything about this place?"
Y-you're not going to hurt me? Not what you did to Raynor?
Now that he is alone and away from his comrades, he dares to talk Why are you here? Tarinn is in the chambers down the hall, just beyond the pond. Or you can talk to Phenogian, he's usually in the apothecary or with his menagerie. He's our alchemist, he makes the synesthesia gas.
Will you let me go now? he adds, cowardly.
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"Tell me more about them and why you are here and what you are doing. Our beneficiary likes to hear this from the lower ranked ones."
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Wuh, what? We are the Splinters, the most elite and dangerous bandit clan in the echo woods! We steal from the rich, and keep it. As profit. For ourselves.
This is our den, our secret hideout. What the hells are you here? Do you work for Klarkosh?
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"What is your connection to Klarkosh anyway? I would guess he would sooner make zombies out of you than keep you guys around for no reason."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Dar pay tribute to him, and he agreed we would be safe! Why are you here?