Delia does what she can from her position, continuing to fling the acid at the creature. It's better than anything she may do with a weapon at this point.
Round 5:
Initiative Order: Giant Stirge, Kendra, Haunt, Delia, Valachi, Father, Alistair, Ember, Agnar, Reid.
Delia throws another acid ball, and this one strikes the thing right in the face. Its carapace steams and hisses in response.
Valachi peaks around the corner and into the hall, but is unable to see any more skeletons, stirges, or any other visible threats.
Father moves past Valachi and daringly steps into the hall. He sees no threats.
Alistair brings up a magic ward, and shields all of those present.
Agnar takes another mighty swing at the monster, hoping to finally kill it. . Unfortunately he fails to hit the buzzing monster.
Reid looks around for the source of what he felt moments before, even taking sniffs of the air. He smells many things, but nothing that might indicate what the unseen threat might be. The lonely music of the flute continues its dirge, seemingly from all places, and yet still from none.
Round 6:
The giant stirge now alone, presses its attack with the single mindedness of a primitive predator. , . This time it latches on to the strong barbarian, its nose sunk deep in his flesh, and drinks deep of his blood. .
Delia feels a cold presence coming close to her, like a man with icy fingers placing his hands on her shoulders. She focuses her mind, and drives the presence away.
Kendra throws another acid splash at the creature now gripping Agnar so tightly. . It hits and sizzles.
hesitent to be this close to the disgusting creature, Alistair takes a quick stab at the beast with this dagger before stepping back.
After the thrust, Alistair takes a step back, centering himself amongst his friend, and he continues to concentrate on the protective aura to provide them some additional defense.
"Is it the piper's tones that are causing the mind invasion?" Ried muses, "Let's see if we can counteract what he's doing, perhaps? Play the actual pipes? I'd be willing to give it a shot if no one else wishes to."
Ried will take the flute/pipe and give it a whirl.
Delia decides that at this proximity it may be safer for her to use her dagger on the thing. She draws it from its mostly ornamental scabbard at her belt, and stabs at the big ugly bug. Much like the scabbard though, the dagger also has had a more ornamental purpose up until now as well. "Yes, there is something about the music that's giving me the creepy leering old man feeling. If you can do something with that pipe, then have at it."
Round 6
Delia passes the flute to Reid and strikes at the creature with her dagger. Trepidatious of hitting Agnar, her blow does not come near the monster.
Valachi and Father continue to search the area for the sign of further threats, but see nothing.
Agnar tries to get free of the creature that hold him. . He grabs the creature and pushes it away, its nose pulling free of his body.
Reid pulls the flute to his lips and begins to play. The instant he does, the giant stirge seems to quiver, and then its wings begin to keep pace with the rhythm of the music. It appears distracted, as though it is fighting loosing all its attention to the music. However, it continues to stare at the barbarian, looking at the trickle of blood trickling down his chest with lust. The music that played in the background of the floor, cuts off with a shriek, almost as though someone had ripped a pipe from a piper's hands while he played. It is replaced with an agonized sound of pain; similarly seeming to come from all directions and yet none.
Round 7
The stirge moves to attack Agnar once more. , striking, and then trying to latch on again. , but it fails to get a grip.
Kendra shivers for a second, seemingly trying to shake something off, but then she regains composure and lobs another splash of acid at the creature, but misses.
"Looks like something's happening!"
Ried continues to pipe away
"Kendra, step back please." Valachi moves up, swapping places with Kendra to help against the stirge.
;
Round 7
Ried continues to play the pipe, causing continued sounds of anguish from somewhere nearby.
Round 8
The giant stirge attacks Agnar again; but it hits only steel.
Kendra steps back to allow Valachi to get in next to the flying monster, lobbing another glob of acid first. .
Valachi tries to hurl a javelin at the giant stirge, but cannot line up the arc in the confined quarters.
Keep playing the tune.
...uuhhhg...
Delia moves to the space that was recently vacated by Valachi. She imagines he may be more effective up close to this thing than she is. Meanwhile, she scans the area using Detect magic, in hopes of discovering whatever is trying to get into their minds.
Round 8
Delia moves back from the monster at the doorway, and scans around for anything magical with a cantrip. Nothing appears magical within her line of site.
Valachi throws his javelin, but cannot contact the target.
Father stands ready, continuing to keep a watchful eye out for more foes from the interior of the jail.
Alistair summons his will, and manages to force the presence from his mind. As he does so, the bleeding comes to a stop. His perceptions return to normal and he is able to make out what is truly going on around him.
Agnar takes another slash at the beast before him. The blow catches at a bit of an angle, but at the last moment it catches a hold of an area weakened by acid and the sword sheers through. Blood and ichor splashes out, spraying Agnar with much of his own blood.
Reid continues to play the flute. . The wailing sound that took over from the flute's dirge heads up to a shriek and then cuts off. For a brief instant you all think you see the figure of a man, clad in minstrel's garb with a flute in hand, but then he fades as though ripped from reality.
Combat Ended
Ember shakes herself like someone coming out of a long sleep.
"I am sorry, my friends, but the piper had somehow dominated myself, and I could not act until he was gone. I think Reid's playing of the flute vanquished him. Thank you, Reid."
She looks to the rest of the group. "Who is injured? I should tend to your hurts before we continue."
"I am, but mostly from the damn bleeders."
"No problems here, thanks Ember." Ried looks at the flute, grinning. "Now that was a solution to a problem!"
He looks up seriously, "Before we progress, I think we need to redistribute the other items to ensure we're using them. If this was that effective against something we couldn't see nor apparently harm in any other way, we need to revisit who holds and uses these other ones."
He thinks for a second, rubbing his chin. "Chains of Holy symbols, Bloody Axe, Smith's Hammer, and Moldy Spellbook. The flute seemed obvious in its use, and I'm guessing the axe and hammer are as well. We need to determine what we should do with the spellbook and the list of symbols or at least what we should try when we encounter these spirits?"
"Oh my, I feel...lightheaded. Alistair wobble a bit, and tries to find a relitivley clean portion of wall to lean against.
Delia checks over Father, making sure he's okay before addressing Ried's suggestion. "Sadly, all we have are empty guesses until we see these things and how they manifest, be they living, dead, undead, haunts or spirits. Until we witness or learn how they operate, we don't have much to go on for how to use the items against them."
"This potion should help you a bit, Valachi." She hands Valachi a potion of Lesser Restoration.
"Let me see what has been done to you, Alistair."
Ember examines the wizard's injuries.
Valachi nods thankfully before quaffing down the vial's contents. "Better, thank you," he sighs.
The air in the prison has returned to musty silence; almost eerie silence, as if the mold and damp in here are sucking the sounds out of the air. Only the soft sound of rain outside can be heard. Although it is dark in the prison, light streams in hear and there, either from the tiny high windows in the cells, or through holes that have formed in the ceiling, which admit streams of water as well as small amounts of gloomy light. From where you are, there are basically two ways to proceed. Down the hall to the west (right side on the map), or straight ahead to the north (bottom of the map). The west appears to be a communal dining area, with long tables and benches, and the area ahead to the north appears to be all cells.
"Let me see what has been done to you, Alistair."
Ember examines the wizard's injuries.
"It, i..who..it... It was the piper, he, he showed himself, I, I couldn't move, then, stirges, there were dozens of them, all over, they bit me, I..." Alistar drifts off, less due to injury, but he is seeming to process what he saw, and justify its exsistance.
Ember uses a wand upon Valachi, curing more of his wounds.
"Yes, Alistair, I saw him myself, and his fear held me, although his phantom stirges did not attack. Will you allow me to tend to your injurys?" Ember asks, wand at the ready.
"Um, ah, yes if you don't mind, the injuries seem rather minor, but I wouldn't be opposed to them being gone."
Once healing is complete, Ried will take the lead and suggest we move straight north, checking the cells as we go by with judicious use of detect magic.
Ember uses the wand upon Alistair.
Once healing is complete, Ried will take the lead and suggest we move straight north, checking the cells as we go by with judicious use of detect magic.
Valachi nods to Ried's suggestion.
The group walks slowly down the hall, looking into each cell and scanning for any magic. Each cell seems a grim repeat of the one before. A ten by 10 ft stone walled room with a cot and a small table, one or the other often broken, and a door that has broken open, or been forced by the skeletons that so recently occupied them. When you reach the end of the hall, off to your side you are able to see a guard area, set behind bars to keep the prisoners out, but allow the guards to see them and watch for any disturbances.
Near this spot at the end of the hall you do spy one cell door that has not been forced, and for some reason remains closed when all the others are open.
"That room, you think the remains of the piper are in there?" Alistair asks, obviously a bit hesitant to examine the cell to see if his guess is correct.
Ried nods his head and checks the door.
Take 20 perception.
The door is still secure, though it shows the same signs of age and rust as the others. The door is locked, though a little force will probably be just as effective in opening it as a key. There are no noticeable traps upon it.
Inside the cell, on the far wall, is a skeleton still chained to the wall with what appears to be more chains wrapped about it. The area shows no sign that this skeleton moved when the other ones did, nor is there any indication that it is about to. It is utterly still.
Valachi sniffs the air. "I don't trust it... too still."
"One of you burly guys want to bust down this door? Putting these bones to rest may prevent any potential return of the spirit"[/b]
I..I agree, perhaps putting his corporal remains to rest, will soothe his spirit?"
The door is closed, but is only a flat iron latticework door, meaning you can see through it easily.
After a few moments of struggling, the lock breaks and a few metal bits go clanking through the door to the floor. The rest of the door swings open.
Ried will enter and check the skeleton closely, "I think we should gather these bones and put them in a proper resting place ... just to be sure."
Unless there's objection, he'll set about doing just that and then lead the way back out of the cell and continue to the north.
As you enter the room, you get a better view of the body and the surroundings. Although this cell is rather spacious, it contains no concessions to comfort. A skeletal body dressed in the rotting remains of a prisoner’s robe lies slumped against the eastern wall, wrapped in numerous chains on which are affixed numerous weights emblazoned with several different holy symbols.
As you approach the bones, the many chains seem to make the sound of jingling together without being moved. As you handle them, the joints break apart easily, being dry and barely clinging together, allowing you to store them in a bag without trouble.
"Seems this is more likely Father Charlatan's skellie. Anyone think we will need the shackles for any reason?"
Press to the west then. [Ooc]Still can't see the maps on phone or at work, so wasn't able to double check, but thanks for the clarification![/b]
You pass first a guard post, blocked from the cellblock by an arc of iron
bars. Within sits an old wooden table and a few chairs. Beyond, you can see the ruined balcony the sits atop the main entrance of the prison. Numerous holes exist in the floor, and it appears too weak to walk upon in more than a few places.
Guard Post
Moving on to the west, you find a smaller cell block in the north west corner of the prison. Skeletons of the prisoners lay on the floor or on the cots of these rooms, but none stirs. Whatever influence the piper of Illmarsh had over the skeletons on the far side of the prison, it does not appear to have reached this far, and these dead remain undisturbed.
West Cell Block
Having reached the Western end of the prison, you loop around again taking a hall to the south. This brings you close to the mess hall you could see from your original entrance point to the building. Wooden benches once lined this large hall, but several are now stacked in a jumble and others are overturned in disarray. Weakened by fire, the entire east wall has collapsed away,creating an unintended entryway to a wooden deck beyond. The view of the lake beyond would be beautiful if the silence were not so eerie.
The last rooms on the western wall prove predictably to be the kitchen and pantry. However, these rooms are now nothing more than charred,
blackened remains.
Kitchen and Mess
Walking the circuit again, you circle the upper floor again discovering nothing new; no haunts, treasures, or things worthy of investigation. It appears that this level has been set to rights; for now.
Complete Second Floor