Day 5, Tuesday morning, approximately 7:40 am (turn 48, turn 5 of 6)
With a slow purposeful stride and deep breaths, Morgrym steps back from the doors, turns to his right, marches on to the north. Flint catches up to the dwarf just as he turns to face the next set of doors, and both men shove them open at the same time.
The room is identical to the last one, deep, but not wide, and also empty.
Exhaling through gritted teeth, Morgrym looks to the north again. Just fifteen feet to the north there is another ten foot wide opening in the west wall, but there are no doors here, t appears to be a side passageway, going west. It is only ten feet wide, and the fog fills the passageway from floor to ceiling.
"Can someone with more knowledge of architecture than me explain to me why this building is designed this way?" Namfoodle whispers loudly.
Yeah, it makes no sense. Must have been done by elves.
In an attempt to answer the gnome's question, Flint thinks hard about what his former adventuring companion, a wanna be archeologist, said about architecture through the places they had explored together.
"I think he's coming around. He actually said 'elves'," Jade whispers to Myna. In her normal voice, she adds to the group. "This looks like one of ours."
Then she slips to the front of the group and advances slowly down the hall.
Myna smiles at the elfess's remark and follows her down the hall.
Stealth:
Perception:
"Seems like it was designed as they went more than anything else. Probably meant to confound trespassers and make it difficult for them to find what's hidden here." Kayne drops his head and pulls down his scarf before taking a drink from his waterskin. "But you're very skilled adventurers and warriors, no? Veritable conquerors of the unknown. I'm sure we'll be fine."
Day 5, Tuesday morning, approximately 7:50 am (turn 49, turn 6 of 6)
As Myna and Jade slowly sneak down the smaller passageway, side by side, Flint tilts his head and tries to keep his eyes on them while he racks his brain for any old story he might have heard about this place
Moving next to Jade, Myna is as quiet as a mouse, and for a moment Jade can only hear the sound of her own belt as it shifts with each of her steps, then something catches her ears.
Jade pauses for a moment, and Myna advances a few steps.
Having advanced some distance, the fog here seems to be getting thicker. Ahead of Myna and Jade, a set of double doors appear directly in front of them. The doors fill the width of the passageway and are nearly nine feet high. On the walls to each side of the doors, someone has driven several odd
Thinking back, Flint finally returns to himself. "Not sure what these ruins are for. They're a confusing mess. I think this one is the biggest of them on Baylor though. So, we're in the heart of the confusing messes."
Dryly and more to himself than anyone else, Namfoodle remarks on the predicament. "I am glad to hear I am not the only one who thinks so."
"Cat," Jade whispers, and wonders what is hanging on each side of the door.
...sized spikes and nails, directly into the stone of the walls. From these places hang strings of rotting garlic, herbs and flowers woven into long loops, and assorted holy symbols.
Namfoodle looks at the herbs and flowers and tries to identify them.
Day 5, Tuesday morning, approximately 7:50 am (turn 49, turn 6 of 6)
As the group gathers in close to the doors ahead of them (but not too close!) they each find themselves looking at the assortment of strange wards hanging on the walls, as these certainly are the kinds of things a superstitious person would think would ward off vampires and other creatures that exist through a connection to the dark realms.
Kayne notices that is has become a bit darker recently
Namfoodle comments dryly about the situation, looking first at Kayne, and then to Amon, who are the ones closest to him, when suddenly he realizes that Amon is not there. Somehow, in the thick fog, the strange fellow has slipped away and is nowhere to be seen.
Startled by the disappearance of the unusual fellow, Namfoodle cautiously approaches the strings of herbs hanging on the wall
Kayne makes sure to stay close to Namfoodle as the dungeon becomes even dimmer, and he frowns under his scarf and glances about. This accursed darkness and fog... Have to look into some way to counter them. See through the obscurity. He turns to mention such thoughts to the other arcanist, wondering if Amon knows aught of use for the situation, but he finds that the tiefling has disappeared. A shame. Now here I'm left with these lovely unfortunates.
He tugs on Alighieri's reins and glances at the herbs which Namfoodle is examining. Perhaps for the best. Doubtless he would have stolen the lore hidden here for himself, and probably anything I garnered as well. Such misfortune that our trade all but requires a level of selfishness. Only the strong and cunning can remain long in pursuit of the arcane. He reaches out and touches one herb with a gauntlet and smiles. Better that he didn't face me in that game. I didn't make it this far without playing to win.
For a moment Namfoodle considers calling out for the missing companion, hoping that he had just gotten lost in the fog. Something tells him that he is gone for good. It is unsettling.
He looks at the torch and decides to let it die out. A torch stub is worth little for the purposes of lighting. And there were more where that came from.
"Storms and bliters! Where did he go?!" Flint says, noticing the teifling's disappearance and peering through the fog and darkness to see... Nothing. "Can't say I like THAT. As far as omens go, it isn't a happy one."
Flint frowns at the fog, he frowns at the darkness, at the diminished light with Amon gone, and at the strange talismans on the wall. "Think this means we're gettin' closer, eh?" He says to the group at large.
Myna looks around quickly for the missing Amon as well, but then turns to the gnome and asks, "What is with the flowers and junk? Some sort of tribal warning or something?"
Namfoodle shrugs. "Common wildflowers. Dried." He shrugs again.
"If they have some other use, it is beyond me. Possibly a religious fetish of some type."
When the torch goes out, Namfoodle will pull out another one and light it with druidcraft.
Day 5, Tuesday morning, approximately 7:50 am (turn 50, turn 1 of 6)
The group stands near the doors and whispers to each other questions about the bizarre display…
It goes completely dark, and Namfoodle fumbles around in his pack for a moment, retrieving a new torch and when he sets it ablaze, the sudden return of light brings everyone to silence for a moment, as they contemplate their next course of action.
"Well, Horns or not, let's do this." Flint says and takes his position at the door
Myna slowly enters the room, keeping his eyes peeled for any movement or anything that looks out of place.
Perception:
Day 5, Tuesday morning, approximately 7:50 am (turn 50, turn 1 of 6)
Myna pushes open a door, while Flint readies himself for the unknown.
There is a slight jog in the passageway beyond the door, to the left, and then the space opens into a large room, filled with primitive furniture, a small fire pit, and dozens of small domesticated cats.
The room is cleared of fog, due to a small fire burning in the center of the room, but, in the far southwestern corner of the room you can see a hole in the floor where fog like vapors rise steadily, coalesce near the ceiling and flow around the edges of the room to eventually seep out above the doorway.
On the north wall of the room are three small tapestries, hanging by long wooden rods. The tapestry on the right shows a beautiful dwarven woman, with long golden red hair. The tapestry in the middle shows two small dwarven children, both boys, each holding a wooden sword, and the tapestry on the left shows a handsome dwarven man, with a full beard and a bald head. The tapestries appear to be related and are made from similar fabrics and use similar decorative motifs. It appears to be a family, dressed in upper class (possibly minor nobility) garments.
Flint blinks in surprise when he turns the corner of the door to find... Housecats!
Gods! What is with this place?!
He moves into the room, past the elf, and makes sure there isn't anywhere someone can hide.
If any cat approaches him, he'll gently, but insistently, kick them away.
Namfoodle scowls at the domesticated cats, as though the idea of domestication of the beautiful feral creatures was distasteful to him.
"Looks like someone's been feeding them. And I don't think it was the bandits."
Day 5, Tuesday morning, approximately 8:00 am (turn 49, turn 2 of 6)
Flint looks all around the room, but there are s many small innocuous items that it is a little overwhelming and he doesn’t notice anything unusual
Namfoodle enters slowly behind Flint, and all he can se are the animals all around the room. They are healthy, well behaved and well fed. He is right, someone is taking good care of them.
Myna takes his time ad searches the room for any clues as to who is living here.
Investigation:
Kayne also enters the room, sniffing a little as he steps between cats. "Wonderful. More signs that something isn't right here, and plenty of... pesky little creatures. Who bothers to take care of them?"
Having not found anything lurking in the room, Flint shrugs and cautiously approaches the hole to take a look down it.
"No clue. Want a couple?"
As everyone moves into the room, taking careful steps to avoid stepping on a small feline, they all look around at the crud furniture and strange tapestries
The shadowy man gives another sniff and seems to contemplate one of the cats for a moment. "No. If I need a sacrifice or components for a spell, I'll know where to come, but for now..." He pauses, then shakes his head. "No. Leave them."
Jade stares intently at the tapestry of the dwarven man for a moment before she reaches back and ever-so-casually draws an arrow. She gives a sharp whistle, to get the others' attention, and raises her bow as if to shoot the unnatural, monstrous beast dwarf in the tapestry.
"We're being watched," she says softly.
Hearing Jade's message, Myna casually moves over to the one side of the tapestry, motioning Jade to go to the other.
Perception:
"Well I for one would like to meet the person who is taking such good care of these animals. They must be a gentle soul...and in such a place, it is rare to find one such as that."
Day 5, Tuesday morning, approximately 8:00 am (turn 49, turn 2 of 6)
The eyes in the tapestry grow huge as the realization that the jig, so it is, is up, and a old dwarven man's voice cries out.
Ack! Don't shot. I'm not dangerous. Wait let me get this door open...
There is a sound of several latches and chains being undone, and then a door creeks open and the tapestry is pushed aside.
A strange, bent, little dwarven man, thin, and shaky on his legs tries to come out from behind the tapestry, but he gets tangled up in the cloth turning round and round, until he is almost completely bound up in it, then with a grunt, he spins slowly around the other way until he is free, but no he is very dizzy and he staggers into the center of the room, one hand on his head and another holding a short wooden cane.
Oh, ah, what, who, ah, the room is spinning, no, I'm spinning, no you're spinning, Who are you and what do you want?
Bah. He speaks nothing but riddles. Ones I don't intend to figure out. Send him out to meet the others at the camp.
"If anyone can tell us more about this place, it's probably him." Namfoodle says nonchalantly. "I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss him." He shrugs as though he didn't really care what the group decided.
"Like, where's all this fog coming from, for one thing."
The strange bedraggled old dwarf marches toward Namfoodle, and closes one eye, and then says
never seen you in the shop before. The fog, he points at Flint with his caneComes from a spring and a crack in the mountain deep down below. The air outside is sucked in, when it is cold and dense and mingles near a hot spring deep,deep down in the pits, and the fog rises, here, and in other places. Somedays you don't get the fog, but most days you do.
"I'm Flint" says Flint, arching an eyebrow at the strange dwarf. "... and I want to know who the hell you are and what the hell the shop is!"
Flint will steady him if he seems in danger of losing his balance and falling down the hole. "Also, what the hell are you doing in here? Dontcha know this place is dangerous?!"
Jade moves to flank whoever is behind the tapestry, taking a position opposite Myna. Before they can act, though, a dwarf stumbles out and tangles himself in the tapestry.
The others seem distracted by the sudden appearance, but she is slow to trust. She steps up to the doorway the strange dwarf came through and checks to see what else may be lying in wait on the other side.
Kayne also stands wary at the dwarf's appearance, clutching Alighieri's lead in his free hand and keeping his gauntlet ready at his side. He glances around and sees Jade moving to investigate the door the dwarf came through. If he catches her gaze for a moment, he nods subtly. Good. See what's beyond. Take a glimpse behind the tapestry. Seems there might still be another in this group who won't get us killed too fast.
Day 5, Tuesday morning, approximately 8:00 am (turn 49, turn 2 of 6)
The strange old dwarf looks cross at Morgrym, and ignores his demand, and then when he is finished explaining about the fog to Namfoodle, and Flint expresses disbelief at the old man for just being down here, the Dwarf introduces himself, while Jade peers behind the curtain
Walking a step toward Flint, the old dwarf bows and says,
My name is Myladur Nithanstummple, and I live here. My shop, well, small that it is, is accessible from a secret door in the passageway north of this place. Or, if you are kind, I can show you to the shop by way of my sleeping room.
Mylandur seems calm and well spoken, but then suddenly he shouts
Everyone knows it’s dangerous! Everyone told her to stay away, but she had to come. She had to try and save our son, and I lost them both! LOST THEM BOTH! But not forever, no I will rescue them soon. I just need a few more days to plan, prepare, and once I’ve sold a few more jars I will have all the money I need to buy them back, BUY THEM BACK.
He grows quiet again and says calmly,
Do you have any money? Would you like to see my wares?
When the dwarf yells, Flint exchanges a glance with whoever is at hand. He furrows his brow and takes a small step back from Mylandur.
"Err... Yeeeess....?" he says, uncertainly.
Namfoodle rolls his eyes at the strangeness of "civilized" folk.
Jade doesn't turn away from the doorway, but stays on alert, bow readied. At the same time, she keeps one knifey ear on the conversation happening behind her.
"You lost who? And who will you buy them back from?"
Day 5, Tuesday morning, approximately 8:00 am (turn 49, turn 2 of 6)
The little old dwarven man , holds out his one good hand, leaning heavily on the cane in his other hand, smiles and points toward the tapestry and the secret door beyond, urging Flint to head in that direction. When Jade asks him about his loss, his face clouds over with dark rage, and he says in a low rumbling voice
The Goblins. I lost my wife and son, to the goblins. They took my son, and then she went to bring him back and never returned. I came here and established this place. The goblins buy and sell people, some they eat, but they do not eat dwarves in the palace of the queen, no, she would not allow that. I know they are here, and when I have enough money to bargain with. I will buy their freedom. It will be soon, soon.
When he has finished talking, he leads Flint (and anyone else who follows) through his sleeping room, and up the passageway to the north, to the doors on the east wall. He pushes open the doors easily, and a small chamber is revealed beyond. This room is lined with shelves all along the walls and the shelves are stacked with various sizes of glass jars with metal lids. The jars range from tiny, not even filling a hand, to huge, requiring two hands to pick up, and they come in a variety of colors from clear to dark green and black glass. All of the gars appear to be empty.