After a short rest and a bit of healing the party reforms and heads on through the dark corridor just east of the walkway. After a short ways it opens up into a modest sized chamber, perhaps some 15' by 20'. The room contains several ancient relics of what appear to be torture implements, although their function and style seem strange and archaic. In one corner sits a spherical cage with spikes protruding inward from its iron bars. In another stands what appears to be a star-shaped wooden frame, its surface studded with rusted hooks. And in the center of the room is a long table covered with leather straps and a number of cranks that seem designed to rotate and swivel. All of the equipment seems to, thankfully, be fare too decayed or rusted to much use today. To the South and East there are a couple of doors.
Opening the door to the East, the party sees a flight of 5' wide stairs descending into the gloom some 20' below. Deciding to check to see what is behind the Southern door before making their way to a lower level the party finds the remnants of several chairs and a long table cluttering the floor of what appears to be an ancient study. There are a trio of stone slab doors to the South along the wall of the 15' long room, each bearing the symbol of a seven pointed star with hooked points.
Checking the doors from West to East the party finds them all open into small 5' diameter rooms each containing a humanoid skeleton. One has three arms, another has an enormous, misshapen skull, and the third has a ribcage that extends all of the way down to its pelvis- a pelvis with stunted legbones strewn below its strangly flat girth.
With a brief search of the cells and office(?) while passing through Dehrisan notices fragments of countless books and crolls with bits of spiky writing on them in a strange alphabet, and Flitter's keen eyes notice a once ornate but now tarnished scroll case like those used to sheild magical writings from the elements half extending from beneath the broken chair before exiting the room. Opening it up is a scroll in fine condition despite its obvious age, hinting at having a magical nature, though once again written in the strange archaic style.
Once finished with the small sidechamber the party continues on down the dark and narrow staircase, their half-elven warrior in the lead. Once low enough that he can see below the stone ceiling at the bottom of the old linestone stairs and into the room a short hallway beyond he is greeted by an abhorrent sight. The ceiling of this strangely cold chamber arches to a vaulted height of 20'. The floor contains 11 wooden lids strewn haphazardly over 11 5' wide pits in the ground. From the darkness within these pits echo up strange shuffling and, every so often, a low moan. More frightening though, is that in the center of the room is what appears to be a strangly mutated goblin of mythic size.
He is at least as tall as a man, with 4 arms, two are highly muscled, while the second pair are more in porportion with his twisted body. In its strong arms it cltuchs a disturbingly nicked meat cleaver and a fine longsword, etched in an archaic pattern. In one of its smaller hands is a silvered dagger. It is covered in glowing crimson tattoos that give off an eerie blood colored light and has a third eye just below its ribcage, while all 3 are milky and without pupils. It has a second pair of legs growing out of the backside of its skull, though they appear vestigial and useless. As Ansruath and the brute lock gazes it opens up its toothy maw and gives a horrifying ululation before shambling foward, its long, black talon-like toenails rasping against the floor.
"Now that is one ugly goblin." Ansruath says as he sees the odd goblin before him. He than turns his head slightly to say to the group "Our company looks odd as if something changed him." He than moves with his blade in front of him to strike at the goblin should it come near him.
"Strange as in 'OH DEAR GOD IT IS BLUE AND QUARREL PROOF!?' or strange as in 'Well now... Why is he in a dress?' strange?" Flit calls, from the stairs, before he starts moving forward.
"Ah... Strange... Yes!" Flit grimaces as he catches sight of the Goblin. Raising his crossbow, he awaits his chance to strike.
"That sounds far less than pleasant!" Dherisan mumbles as he moves down the stairs. He comes to an abrupt halt as he enters the room, his eyes going wide at the sight of the charging monstrosity. Spitting a curse as the beastly figure, he stalks backwards, taking a place behind Flit as Ember barks furiously.
Round 1 - Initiative 20
Gorgoron moves forward to see the beast, guarding himself with his spear. He shouts a prayer to his goddess, to bless her champions against this creature.
Ansruath bolts around the corner and squares himself, readying his blade to quell any offense. As Gorgoron also makes into the room his voice takes on an otherworldly quality, lifting everyone's spirits and invigorating them with a holy fervor. Following suit Dehrisan bursts around the corner, leveling a cursed glare at the goblinoid freak, hexing it into a clumsy (clumsey?) blunder.
Much like Ansruath, Flitter readies to attack the strange monstrosity when it nears the group. Shortly after the Halfling draws a bead, the creature obliges, its ire focused on the nearest potential target- Gorgoron. The goblin's eyes bulge as it rushes forward and slashes visciously with the engraved longsword.
Round 2, Inti 23, 17/22
Ansruath noticing the goblin go after moves to be able to attack it. He swings his blade at the goblin's chest hoping to get it's attention.
As the beast charges towards Gorgoron, Flit grins, leveling his crossbow and counting out the steps, before releasing, setting his eyes on the monsters ugly twisted face.
Round 1, Init 6
Alyoma moves to the bottom of the stairs. She utters a arcane spell, and gestures at the goblinoid freak. A chill beam leaps from her finger...
Round 1
Tardek rushes down the last steps of the stairs and seeing the monster shouts 'Give the monster a bit of space after attacking it!'
Round 2 - Initiative 20
Gorgoron scrambles to recover under the beast's ferocious attack. After regaining his balance, he side steps to another of the solid stone sections, between the rickety wooden trap-doors. Once set in his stance, he wheels and thrusts the spear into the creature anew.
Unfortunately a shot from Flitter misses its mark, but Alyoma reaches the bottom of the stairs and unleashes a ray of ice from her palm. Frost motes coalesce in the air about the beam as it strikes the mutated goblin, paling a patch of his flesh to an sickly, pallid hue. It whimpers slightly, and glares with its cold, pupiless eyes at the sorceress. Soon enough though it has greater troubles to worry about as Ansruath steps forward and takes a powerful swing, drawing a deep gash down the brute's side. The creature howls and turns its rage toward the half elf. With a quick, yet careful step around the rickety wooden lids, the party's dwarven priest takes a second thrust with his spear, but has difficulty penetrating the monster's thick hide.
Bemoaning the failed shot, Flit sighs and begins to reload.
Round 2
'Thats more like it!' Tardek shouts, as he grabs a fizzing vial and hurls it at the strange monster.
vs. touch
fire
Round 3, Init 23, 17/22 HP
Ansruath looks carefully at the goblin before moving his blade to strike at it once again. He swings his blade low to try to trick the goblin.
Dehrisan continues his arcane glare, vexing the monster's ability to defend itself even further with a quick curse. Flitter cranks up his crossbow for another shot, while Tardek's explosive vial bursts in a flash of white hot flame, severely burning the strange, multi-limbed being. It howls another disturbing ululation before beginning a counter attack routine, stepping forward to threaten many of you, starting its attacks on Flitter! With each crazed strike it turns to lash out with a different weapon:
Round 3
Gorgoron steps back in order to be able to reach the monster with his spear, and attacks again.
Round 2, Init 6 (the tail end)
Alyoma yelps as the cleaver almost cuts into her, her arcane protection turning it aside at the last second.
She jumps to the side, and dodges past Ansruath to put space between her and the creature.
Stumbling under the force of the blow, Flit steels himself, growling sharply at the monsterous being. "Have to try harder than that beastie!" Stepping away from the beast, Flit levels his crossbow, a dark grin painting his face.
Alyoma races past Ansruath, easily ducking a powerful slash from the mutated creature as she goes. Luckily its wild flailings lack the finesse of a true warrior like Ansruath or Flitter, but it is obvious that the monster has quite the power behind each swing, and if one were to land, it would likely be the end of someone. Ansruath steps up into a position where he can easily flank the monstrosity with Gorgoron and attacks low, but the goblinoid is surprisingly quick to dodge and has a tough, if unarmored, hide. The dwarven priest steps back and stabs forward, spearing straight through the creature, spraying the half-elven warrior with thick, dark blood. However, upon withdrawing the tip from the creatures body after landing such a direct blow, it remains standing as surely as it was as the start of battle. It gives a below of pain and anguish but keeps up its furious assault. Dehrisan hisses a arcane curse to lull the creature into a deep, magical slumber with a gesture toward the brute...
...which halts its onslaught suddenly and wavers from side to side before crashing to the floor, its weapons clattering on the stone as it snores loudly in frightening growls.
After slaying the goblin Ansruath looks around at the group "Everyone alright? Looked as if this thing could cleave one of us in two with a good hit." He than looks at the wooden lips "Anyone have any idea what are under these lids?"
Alyoma carefully peeks under a lid.
"This pit has some sort of rotting creature in it!" Alyoma exclaims. "Are all the pits like this?"
'This place is certainly deadly,' Tardek murmurs to himself.
'I hope we can find the rest of Tsuto' hopefully small numbers of allies quickly. I'd like to seal up that tunnel soon.'
He rolls his shoulders and looks around, 'Rotting creatures?'
Tardek moves to another pit and lifts the lid off to look down into it.
Dherisan steps to the edge of the pit alongside Tardek. He peers into the darkness for a moment before summoning a set of pale blue lights to brighten the depths. At the sight of the shambling things at the bottom, he recoils with an uncharacteristic sneer. "Abominations!" he hisses. "Whatever manner of blasphemy they might be, they're continued existence cannot be suffered."
'Agreed. Twofold. But, they can't escape for now, best to conserve our wrath for their keepers, we can put these to rest after we're finished in this accursed place.'
"Undead creatures. I wonder why they would keep them around. I agree with Neighbor Tardek lets us move on." Ansruath says after hearing what the others have said what are under the lids.
There is only one other exit to this room aside from the one that you entered from, so your next course if obvious. Again the hallway narrows to but 5' wide and the party must likewise narrow down to a slim line. After going perhaps 20' down the hallway, a passage on your left opens up into a spiral staircase, though it seems to have long since caved in. Just past the first couple of steps rocks and rubble completely block any opening which was once there. Just further ahead is an old stone door, once again bearing that mark of the odd, seven pointed starburst with hooked tips. Opening it by sliding it into a recess in the wall beside you can see into a most odd little room.
The small chamber consists of a 15' diameter sphere. Several objects float in the room, spinning lazily in space; a ragged book, a rolled scroll sealed with a wax star, a bottle of blood-red wine, a dead raven surrounded by a halo of writhing maggots, and a twisted iron wand with a forked tip. Yet perhaps the most unnerving aspect of the room is the walls, for they are plated in sheets of strange scarlet and gold metal that ripples every once in a while with a silent black electricity that seems to coalesce into strange runes or even words far too often for the effect to be by chance.
Ansruath stops before the door in the room not wishing to step inside. He than turns to the others "This is very odd room. Do any of you wish to go inside?"
'I'd rather not, but we'd be somewhat lax in our investigations if we did not. This is to noones suprise clearly a magical room. Best to see what it contains that may be of use.' Tardek examines the edges of the door frame.
Perception:
Alyoma finds the talk about the weapons to be not really that interesting, until the comments about archaic symbols on the longsword.
"May I see the sword?" she asks, and (if allowed) peers at the synbols. She alings her sight to be sensitive to the arcane with a spell, and examines the longsword.
"What keeps them floating?" Alyoma asks, wanting to move forward but stuck further back in the line. "Does anyone have rope to tie to something to throw out there?"
Dherisan immediately moves towards the walls, inspecting the dark lightning and the words that it forms. His eyes dart left and right as he attempts to find any coherent pattern in these ripples.
Letting Dehrisan pass into the speherical room Tardek sighes to himself 'At least the door doesn't seem trapped, I'm not so sure about the lightning on the wall.'
Dehrisan moves into the room, heading to inspect the sphere-shaped walls. As soon as he breaches the entrance to the strange chamber he feels incredibly light, as though gravity would no longer hinder him. And indeed, moments after stepping foot inside, he begins to float lazily in place, and has trouble propelling himself, as he is suddenly affected by some sort of levitation magic. Spending a few moments studding the symbols the coalesce along the metal panels with strange arcane lightning Dehrisan doesn't understand whatever language they are in, however the alphabet and characters are vaguely reminiscent of older dialects of Varisian, and while he can pick out a syllable here or there, the phrases last for few seconds, or less in some cases and he has little time to decipher anything. Some, with his knowledge of the arcane, are obviously eldrtich runes dedicated to Divination and Transmutive magics that must have been, or must still be, in place.
"Ah!" Dherisan states simply as he takes to the air. He waves his arms about, attempting to orient himself and giving a cautionary shout as Ember bounds after him. The fox will not be deterred, however, and quickly looses interest in its master as it is itself caught in the enchantment, growling softly as it spins in place. "I may need some help here..." Dherisan confesses as he looks about the room. "The enchantment doesn't seem to be dangerous, but it is making rather queasy"
'Now how to get him out... Grad the stuff within while your in there, we'll try and figure out how to remove you. Who has rope?'
"Well, let's not be overly hasty. There seems to be no immediate danger, and the arrangement of these objects might have some significance - significance that might be lost if we tamper with them. We should give them a closer look first."
"This longsword we have gotten from that creature has an enchantment of sharpness upon it," Alyoma says after studying the sword. "Would any here wish to use it, as it should strike truer than an ordinary blade?"
"Can you see any magical eminations from the items?" Alyoma asks Dehrisan. "A web of magical energies should be there if there is a significance to the item's placement."
"Significance isn't always magical..." comes Dherisan's distracted reply as he inspects the items. "At the very least we'll want to make notes of their positions. Does anyone have parchment?"
"I'm afraid not, Dehrisan. I can probably help you move about with my spear if you need to."
Gorgoron reaches the butt end of his spear into the sphere as far as he can reach.
After making mental note of the article floating about the room, the witch gathers up most of them and is eventually aided in exiting the strange chamber to show what he retrieved to the rest of the party.