Normally, Rig would think the taking of someone's head to be anathema. But under these circumstances, he can't really bring himself to strongly oppose it. "I don't think we need to take her head, but we don't have to save her, either."
Rig will also take her holy symbol away from her to make sure she can't use it again. "Thanks, Flo." He also casts a spell to help Guiness recover.
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Groaning, Guiness opens his eyes as the pains in his mortal coil descend upon him once more. ”Okay, so this hurts too much for me to be dead,” he croaks. ”How in the blazes did I survive? That went so totally wrong...Ungh...
Guiness tries to sit up against whatever wall is nearby, but the floor is too slick with blood...his blood.
Kargas grunts his disagreement with Rig. "Not going to risk it." He turns back to Nualia, and the bloody falchion rises and falls with finality.
As Guiness tries to sit up Kargas turns his head. "I'm impressed, dwarf, thought you were a goner for sure."
[ooc]Would like to poke my head into that T-intersection and look both directions, please
While you begin recovering from the brush with death, the hallway trap goes through its cycle. Glaives swing in, the floor opens, closes again, and then the portcullises swiftly rise back up into the ceiling. To Rig's eye, it'll take a skilled hand to jam and disable this complex trap. Thankfully, now that you're not in imminent combat, its easy enough to simply take a running jump over the trapped floor and avoid it that way as well.
Rig does so easily, and once he's on the other side he returns Guiness to consciousness.
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While Flo heals your group, Kellek moves forward to detect what magical auras may be coming from Nualia's body.
A +1 bastard sword
A masterwork composite longbow (Str rating 2) and arrows.
A golden holy symbol of Lamashtu worth 100 gp
A fine silver medallion inscribed with a seven pointed star.
You also find 44 pp and 35 gp on her.
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To the north, Kargas sees a circular room. Wide stone ledges of red marble line the curving walls of this room, which is well lit by four burning skulls that sit evenly spaced around the room. Three chairs rest in the room, and both stone ledges are covered with old books, scrolls, teeth, bones, scrimshaw artwork, jars of deformed creatures soaking in brine, taxidermied animals and limbs, and other strange objects. To the north, a large round fountain filled with frothy blue water fills the room with the gentle sound of bubbling.
To the south, a short tunnel opens up into a larger chamber, though from this position, you don't have a clear sight of what might lie within it.
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Despite the pain, Guiness cracks a smile and responds, ”My Ma always said I was tougher than I had any right to be. Maybe I should rethink battle tactics, though. Rushing the spellcaster might have been good militia tactics, but it did me no favors today.”
As he is (hopefully) healed somewhat further, Guiness will get a description of what went on during the battle. After that, he’ll help where he can, humbly offering his thanks for yet another rescue and volunteering to take watch assuming people want a rest.
Flo also voices no objection to killing Nualia, but she turns her head to the wall while it happens. Kargas is right. I wish we didn't have to kill her, but she was hellbent on killing us. If she came to again, her channeling could take most of us down! After Nualia is acquaintd with the falchion for the last time, she says a quick prayer over the corpse.
"I know we have barely started the day, but it has been a draining start... We've practically been fighting for our lives the entire time. Should we try to get a message back to Sandpoint that they have been saved and rest here a day? Hopefully, we can clear the rest of this place out with one more day," she proposes to the group.
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Once Floredana makes it over the trap and heals him, Guiness stands and looks around, taking in the details of what was very nearly the site of his demise.
After the trap is described, Guiness suggests, ”There might be something interesting in the pit under the trap if that is where it drops its victims. Maybe we can take the Glaives from the statues and use them to wedge open the portcullises.”
Not wanting to take any risks, Kargas brutally finishes Nualia off.
"Kargas, I sincerely hope you did not just chop her head off before at least relieving her of her amulet." Kellek says like a knowing parent inquiring into the activities of their naughty child.
Kellek explains the function of the various magical items that can be looted from their fallen foe.
A +1 breastplate (modified to bare the midriff without affecting the armor's defensive qualities... somehow. :D)As a side note, the Stag Lord from the Stolen Land in the Kingmaker AP wears a magical leather armor kilt, but otherwise goes around bare-chested.A +1 bastard sword
A masterwork composite longbow (Str rating 2) and arrows.
A golden holy symbol of Lamashtu worth 100 gp
A fine silver medallion inscribed with a seven pointed star. (Kellek identifies this as a 'Warding Star', a neck slot magic item that provides a +1 resistance bonus to saving throws. Once per day, it can be activated as a free action to cast False Life (CL 5th) on the wearer. While worn by a dead body, it preserves that body indefinitely, as Gentle Repose. The sale price for this magic item is 2000 gp)
You also find 44 pp and 35 gp on her.
Kellek inspects the armor. Pondering it, and his own momentary magical disguise he wonders what makes people wear such things. "Mid-bosses." he mutters.
Once the trap resets, Colvyn tries to make that it will not activate ever again.
Kargas patiently lands blow after blow against the glaives being wielded by the trap. After a dozen such blows, the two weapons are bent and twisted enough that they're unlikely to do more than lightly batter someone trapped between them. While Kargas works, Colvyn analyzes the trap's trigger plate.
The ratfolk's first attempt to jam the trigger instead accidentally triggers it. But as no one is currently standing in between the statues, the trap feebly clanks and then resets without putting any of you at risk. After a couple more attempts, Colvyn is able to get the trigger properly jammed and the trap disabled.
While Colvyn is taking his time disabling the trap, Guiness watches over his shoulder. He shines a light down into the 10ft deep pit and spots a broken body sprawled out in the bottom amidst some crumbled bones. The body looks relatively recent, with no signs of decay, but the gruesome angles of its limbs confirm that it must be dead. The body is dressed in some kind of red-grey furs and wears a pack with both weapons and gear.
Colvyn studies the trap for a moment. Trying to figure it out, he gently pulls the panels covering the mechanism. "Ok, so this activates that, and this thing move that one over there. Seem simple enough." He pokes at it for a few more seconds. Ok, so it is either the blue gear or the red gear. Pretty sure it is the blue gear to disable this. Yeah, let's go with blue." Stretching his hand to reach the gear. He grabs the red one and pull it hard. The mechanism comes alive and the traps activate. "Crap, stand clear!" He ducks out of the way while the traps go through its cycle again. Once it is over, he slowly walks back to it. "Hehe... sorry about that. Let's try this again." Grabbing the right gear this time, Colvyn render the trap inert for good.
Colvyn leaves the fishing of the dead body to the others and starts exploring the circular room. He uses his magic to see if there is any magical aura in the room.
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The body you retrieve from the pit is a dark-skinned Shoanti man. From his wounds he was likely savaged by the two glaives before breaking his legs falling into the pit.
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In the circular room, Colvyn detects a faint magical aura from the frothing pool of water, and further faint magical auras associated with each of the burning skulls that sit along the edges of the room. He also notices that there are extensive texts, scrolls and other occult paraphernalia scattered around the room.
Beyond the texts and items, Colvyn also discovers a small and battered old book that he quickly identifies was Nualia's journal. The first few pages are a child's messy scrawl, but the latest ones are penned with sharp, angry strokes - clearly written within the last few weeks.
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Guiness searches the body for useful and/or identifying items and asks, ”Does anyone know who this human might be, or what tribe he might be from?”
He lays the body out in a respectful manner, preparing to take it upstairs when the others are done searching here. Guiness considers what he knows of Shoanti burial practices.
How many met their end here? "I don't know much about the Shoanti, but they always struck me as the kind of people to be put to rest with a weapon in hand..." Flo says. Once everyone has had a chance to look through Nualia's journal, she tucks it away into her pack.
Exhausted both physically and emotionally, Flo merely sits while the others busy themselves with the trap, Shoanti, and the surroundings. Now that Sandpoint is safe from the joint goblin threat, I wonder if we'll get a break. These past few days have been brutal.
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After Guiness reads the journal, he says, ”Well, that certainly explains a lot—although some of the names I don’t recognize, being as I was kidnapped by goblins before I ever made it to Sandpoint.”
”Are we sure that we have gotten everything taken care of here? There may still be threats here we need to eliminate“.
Now breathing a bit easier, Kargas frowns at the door leading south. "I think if Nualia had any further minions to throw at us, she would have done so...but I don't know that for certain. Shall we press on? Or go feed that stupid horse and get some sleep?"
"The immediate danger has passed. We should rest and take stock before continuing."
"I believe Shoanti burn their dead—in the presence of horses. More reason to retire for the day."
The journal's tale is very sad, and something Rig can identify somewhat with. He knows what it's like to be different, and have people notice that. But her "solution" is madness. Utter madness.
Rig steps up to Kellek as she grabs up the religious texts. "Let's make sure those get burned when you're done with them, okay? I know they may be worth something to someone, but the danger they represent isn't worth it." He doesn't know anything about Shoanti burial practices, but fire seems as good a way as him to any.
Kellek inspects the dead Shoanti man and locates a series of faded tattoos of stylized horses, marking him as a member of the Shriikirri-Quah, or Hawk Clan. He also sees an old slave brand on the man's back, though that could have come from any of the slave holding parts of Varisia or further south. Neither Kellek (nor anyone else) is able to recall the specifics of Shoanti funeral practices, but giving the man a funeral pyre doesn't strike anyone as obviously incorrect.
In the circular room, Kellek analyzes the magical auras in the room and concludes that the burning skulls are enchanted with a continual flame spell. The water-filled basin evades him however. Its aura seems similar to someone casting a Create Water spell, but it is far more complex. At the same time, he deduces that the magic in the basin has degraded over the years (or centuries) and that it likely no longer has its original function.
Guiness searches the body and finds a battle axe and a hand axe, hide armor, a few non-identifying personal items, traveling gear, and a pouch containing 40gp and 48sp.
"See? Horses." Kellek let's the dead man's head drop with a thud.
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Guiness is for seeing to the horse and animal companion, checking on the prisoners (and maybe telling them of their manipulation by Nualia), then building a pyre for the unknown Shoanti man and resting. He doesn't have a preference for where to rest as long as it is defensible.
If we burn the body with his armor, clothes, personal items, and a weapon, that seems reasonable to Guiness. We should keep the coin and any traveling gear or weapons we might find useful.
"Yeah, I don't think there is any immediate threat down here. We should head back top side to rest and make sure that the goblins didn't fix the bridge." Colvyn didn't say it, but he was worried about Phasgan being up there alone for so long.
Flo lifts her head up from her knees. "I agree with Colvyn, no need to keep pressing when we've already run low on resources. Let's take some time to rest and then tackle whatever is left of this place tomorrow. There isn't an impending goblin raid now, so Sandpoint should be ok if we delay another day," she says. "How about the same place as before?"
"Suits me fine," the half-orc rumbles, taking up the rear guard as the group heads up. Before they reach the prisoners he slows and asks aloud, "Should we be worried about the demon-dog thing Nualia thought was trapped here?"
"Well she talked about needing to free Malsk-- Malaka-- the demon dog monster that's trapped under Thistletop to get her revenge on Sandpoint or whatever," Kargas explains, pointing at Rig's backpack where the journal was placed.
"That last yeth dog was mean as hell, but not strong enough to destroy a town, since we were able to kill it. Maybe that means there's something worse still sleeping beneath our feet...?" He trails off, looking at Kellek and Flor for reassurance.
"I for one certainly hope so."
Rig also wants to make sure the prisoners are cared for. The woman in particular might know more about said demon-dog. Speaking of which, "Yes, I believe we should be very worried about it. But, it might also do us some good to sleep on it. A clear head might help us think."
That barely even registered with me when I read it. "As long as it stays sleeping, we should be ok, right?" Flo says with a smile, placing a hand on Kargas' arm. "Like Rig said, after a night's rest, we will be back on our game and ready to face it if we do stumble upon it!"
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"If there is anything left down here, he are not in shape to face it." Colvyn start walking back toward the stairs. "Let's go get some rest, check on the prisoners, feed Phasgan and the horse, and check the bridge." With that, Colvyn heads up the stair to the previous level.
Not long after Rig raises the alarm, Flo spots another distressing fact... the rowboat you took to arrive at Thistletop is no longer anchored where you left it! She looks out through the vine-covered cave opening where you fought the tentamort, and her sharp eyes spot the rowboat bobbing in the waves about 200ft from the island. A large figure is rowing hard to get away from the rock as fast as he can. Next to him lies a long cloth wrapped bundle about the size of a human.
Colvyn draws his bow and aim at the boat. He turns his head slightly at Flo. "Feel like taking a swim?"
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Guiness can't help but give a wry smile at the mercenary's resourcefulness. "Maybe he can tame that shrew after all", he thinks.
Aloud, he says, "As much as I'd like to give Orik a second chance, he did have the singularly bad judgement to follow demon-arm girl. And that mage Lyrie was more than willing to kill us. I'll help if I can."
Guiness goes looking for a spare crossbow or longbow that might be of use in this situation. He is certainly not going to swim for it!
Rig laughs and shakes his head as he sees the former prisoners row away. "He took the sorcerer? Bad judgement indeed." He puts a hand on Colvyn's shoulder. "Could we catch them? Perhaps. But then what? Out in the middle of the water, and if she wakes up, she'll be quite an opponent on that turf. I don't feel like they'll be back anytime soon. I say let them go. We have enough to worry about here."
"Let 'em go, we got the one that matters," Kargas rumbles, glaring across the water at the rowboat. "But if I ever see either of them again I'll kill them."
"I could catch them quickly, but then what, as you said Rig? Tipping the boat would be my only real option, which feels a bit too close to murder for me. We fought, we won, and they escaped. May Desna bless their travels, I hope they find a better life than the ones they lived here," Flo says. "I'd be comfortable delivering a message or even healing the wizard if anyone thinks we should do so."
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As you discuss the merits of chasing after the fleeing mercenary, the little rowboat gets further and further away. Not so far away that Flo couldn't swim over and catch up, but far away enough that Rig's and Flo's arguments begin to seem more reasonable. The boat drifts away and you turn your attention back to your earlier plan.
Back on the surface, you meet up with Phasgan and the horse you rescued. The two of them seem to have learned to tolerate each others company well enough. When you arrive, you find the riding rat napping against the horse's legs. Both animals spring up excitedly when you arrive. Colvyn immediately sets about feeding and watering the two of them.
Meanwhile, the rest of you inspect the bridge leading back to the mainland. Its slats lie in the vertical and only one side of the bridge connects fully between the two sides. As far as you can tell, this is exactly the same state you left it: no one has tried to touch or mess with the bridge.
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As the sun is still high overhead, you settle in near to the animals to recuperate for the rest of the day. You look out across the craggy shoreline and watch the gulls swoops lazily through the overcast sky. You pause, taking a deep breath as you absorb the idyllic scenery. No matter what else happens now, you can rest comfortably with the knowledge that Nualia's plans for Sandpoint have been averted. That reassuring knowledge lets you all relax in a way that you haven't been able to since you arrived at Thistletop.
The day passes uneventfully and you head into the night. You each take watch during the night, just in case another group of goblins pull together enough courage to try to brave the rope bridge.
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While the goblins stay far away and out of sight, the night doesn't pass completely without incident. During Flo, Colvyn, Kargas and Guiness' shifts, each of you both feel and hear a deep rumbling emit from somewhere within the bowels of the stone head underfoot. The rumbling lasts only a few seconds, but it repeats multiple times over the course of the night, as if something within is stirring. As morning approaches, the intermittent rumbling ceases. And as the sun peeks over the horizon, you're left wondering if you didn't just imagine the whole thing.
Each time you awake in a sweat, and the moment you close your eyes the visions begin anew. Your sleep is far from restful.
After the third or fourth hour or fitful sleep, Kargas rises from his resting place and takes a few circuits around the goblin compound, hoping to clear his head. He spends a while looking up at those stars Flor is always going on about, and wondering vaguely about divine intervention.
He doesn't try to go back to sleep, instead climbing up to the highest point of the goblin compound, staring at the sky and mouthing prayers to his tribe's patron spirits.
Strange night, but nothing stopped us from our rest! Time for the rest of this place! Hopefully we are almost done, it's been too long since we've seen Sandpoint. Rising with the sun, Flo helps Colvyn tend to the animals before praying to Desna for safe travels into the depths below. With the trauma of yesterday firmly in the past, she seems much more chipper, if perhaps just a little weary from the past days' events.
Noticing Kargas' absence, she wanders a little around the compound with her starknife out until she finds him. "You're up early!"
"Bad dreams," the half-orc says softly. "Did you feel that rumbling, tonight? I didn't feel it before last night but I keep thinking about that thing Nualia was trying to free. I promised the shamans a monster's head, but I think there's plenty of nasty beasts roaming free...I think I'd prefer this one stay trapped."
Sitting up, he fishes a dried loaf and some cheese from his ration pack and offers Floredana half. After eating in silence for a few minutes he looks back up at the stars. "This is a bad place, Flor. Demon temple or something. There was that other demon temple under the glassworks too. Whoever lived here before Sandpoint, they weren't decent sorts."
"I did. It was... disconcerting, but so far nothing seems to have happened and I think that's for the better. I agree, if whoever made this place decided to lock something up instead of killing it, it must be truly dangerous," Flo agrees. "Besides, we've got the Sandpoint Devil to hunt! If that lives up to it's reputation, the shamans won't have a choice!"
Taking the offered food, she bites into it before staring back up at the sky with Kargas. "We have a knack for finding them, eh?" she says jokingly. "And not just a little indecent, this whole area must have done some serious demon worshiping. Both places make my skin crawl while we are inside and I feel like something begins gnawing at the back of my mind. I'll be glad to be done with this business once Sandpoint is safe," she admits.