Kiera pounces on an opportunity to sate her curiosity. "Nualia? Who's that?" she says.
"The name seems familiar..."
Mayor Deverin looks over at Keira's comment. "This was before your time here, dear. She was a foundling, raised by Father Tobyn in the old Church. We believe she was part Aasimar, and her beauty turned many heads around town. She became almost a recluse in the church before it burned down, killing her and the Father. The fact that Father Tobyns remains were stolen in the raid lends even more curiosity to this situation. We need to get to the bottom of this quickly. Get your torches and whatever else you may need, and hurry back to the Glassworks. Find that tunnel and whatever else may be down there."
"We need to get a few things I suspect. Torches, some provisions, and I think I need to make a few fuses. Mistress Kiera, as keeper of the Company purse and our local shop expert," Volkar gave a teasing grin as he described the Wizardess' new roles. "Do you think we can find a place that would treat us fairly in purchasing such things?"
"I believe we may have accidentally insulted the local potion brewer, so getting a good deal may be harder than we hope. I am ready to head back in without purchasing anything, but every edge we get helps us cut our way through this mystery quicker."
"Um, yes! I can probably talk to the alchemist and sort that out. Also there's a library and the schoolteacher is a magician. Maybe we can get some simple spell scrolls. Plus the interfaith temple sometimes has healing supplies," says Kiera hopefully.
"Perfect. Given our short timeframe, shall we divide and conquer?" Andrezi asks.
"I'll head to the temple to see about the scrolls and potions that are of a divine nature." he offers.
"I will need time to prepare my concoctions, so I may need to let the shopping be left to those who are less demanding?" Volkar grinned at his colleagues. "We dwarves have a tendancy to push for the advantage in a negotiation. It can be a bit intense."
Mayor Deverin pipes in from behind her desk as the party discusses their next moves. "Had a run in with Nisk, have you? Unless you have an iron gullet and are willing to risk gods only knows what by drinking those concoctions of his, I would suggest you leave the healing to the clerics! Father Zantus should be able to help with the potions. He keeps a small supply for his patients and for emergencies, and although the Turandarok Academy is lead by a wizard, Ilsoari Gandethus is less an academic than a collector. A better bet for scrolls and such would be Vorvashali Voon over at the Feathered Serpent. He has a pretty good stock of wizardly supplies and such for sale." She concludes her advice by standing and walking towards the door. "Good luck to you, and report as soon as you can. Right now, I have to oversee the council and inform the Scarnetti and Valdemar families of Longjiku's passing, and call them in for a meeting of the council. The guild leaders should be arriving any time, and we need to begin preparations to hold the city until the Sheriff can return with help. I will also be dispatching a runner to try and catch him on the road with this new information."
Before everyone splits up to complete their own small assignments, I turn to them all. "It would seem that you all have the purchasing covered, so I think I shall return to the Glassworks building and keep an eye out for anyone or anything leaving the building. It does mean that if anyone emerges from the tunnel, then I can try to settle the problem before it gets too dangerous."
Volkar nodded in agreement with Daelric's suggestion. "I would add that maybe we employ for a gold piece a fast running lad who could bring back to others any need for help. They wouldn't need to be in harm's way, just in a position to hear you yell to them to run for help. Maybe we should all meet outside the Glassworks when we are ready to meet up with Daelric/
Volkar then turned and left for his room. He began the process of combining the components necessary to ignite the small wood and metal canisters into grenades. The small glass vials with their stoppers, when filled properly, would crack inside the wooden and metals casks and initiate an explosion that would leave a lasting impression.
When he finished with the vials, he twisted them down into the casks' fillings which were the explodant. He then sealed the opening in the casks with wax keeping all of the components in place.
He gathered what gear he thought he would need and headed back to
Daelric moves ahead of the party to keep watch on the basement of the glassworks, while Volkar takes the time to prepare his bombs and alchemical weapons. This leaves Kiera and Andrezi to go shopping, and they each break off to their respective trades: Andrezi to the Cathedral, and Kiera to the wizards shop.
I agree with your assessment. Four scrolls of cure light wounds would run us 100 gp. Then maybe two shield of faith (50) and two... oh! Magic weapon! That's only 25 also and it's a minute of +1 to attack and damage. Plus in case we encounter something with DR/magic...
"Yes, Yes, I have some magic weapon spells here.. a few scrolls, no doubt. Can that be all that you wish? Perhaps I could interest you in this beautiful cloak? It can assist you in many different ways, helping to avoid traps or spells directed your way! Or how about these boots?! Made for walking silently, they are. Special enchantments such as these are not something any adventurer should take lightly!" The excitable man dashes about his cluttered shop, pulling items out and displaying them for effect in an effort to catch the young wizardess' eye.
Seeing that Kiera is unlikely to bite, He begrudgingly returns to talk of the scrolls. "These scrolls, they are very well written, guaranteed to work for you.. But everyone now knows of the hero that has been hiding in our midst for the last few years. I will make you a deal: for you, and only you, you may have these wonderful scrolls for but 25 gold each."
The party gathers together once more in the basement of the Glassworks, searching for any hint of more trouble.
After ponderously going over every inch of the tunnel to, you discover a well concealed tunnel near the concealed door to the beach. This door opens onto another tunnel, winding in a generally westward manner through the sandstone and deep into the earth. Along the way, you come to a branch, but it leads only to an ages old collapse. Returning to the main tunnel, you eventually come to the remains of yet another dismantled brick wall. Beyond, torchlight can be seen flickering as the tunnel opens up to the right. From this open area, a figure drawn straight from you nightmares shambles forward with an awkward gait.
A horribly deformed humanoid, hairless and emaciated, lurches out of the shadows. Its unnaturally long arms end in three-fingered talons, and its legs bend like those of a dog. A writhing network of bulging veins form dark blue patterns across its pallid skin. But worst of all is its face—its nose is little more than a pair of slits, and its eyes are bulging and red. The lower jaw splits in half at the chin into two wretched arms that end in tiny three-fingered hands to either side of an open gullet with a lolling tongue.
Kiera Videns
Volkar Glanral
Daelric Morieth
Thing
Bold May Post
Daelric
Volkar
Thing
Kiera
Andrezi
As soon as we all meet at the Glassworks, share out the items and head inside I make sure that my shield is attached to my arm, ready for any dangerous encounters. I walk around with it up and am cautious when turning blind corners.
At the sight of the creature I walk forwards, raising my shield high and swinging my axe around, hoping to slice it mid-drift.
Volkar's face showed his disgust at the look of the creature now confronting them. He followed along to the side of Daelric and when the opportunity arose, he swung his ax at the thing.
Daelric and Volkar, stalwart dwarves they are, rush in to battle the nameless horror. Each strike solid blows, but the beast keeps its feet. Snarling, it lunges at the lesser armoured alchemist, claws swiping through the air.
The nimble dwarf dodges the first claw, but catches the second.
Bold May Post
Party
Thing
"Believe me, if I could afford those kinds of magics, I'd be your happiest customer! But alas I've only got pocket money at the moment. I'll purchase a couple of your scrolls... but I may come back for that lovely cloak if I strike it rich!"
Unsure so far of what threat this monster poses, Kiera goes back to her known quantity, launching a small burst of acid at it.
(-4 firing into melee, -4 firing past cover, touch attack)
Andrezi rushes up next to Daelric, taking a swing at the hideous creature with his starknife.
Kiera sends a bolt of acid in, but the girls aim is off, and the acid smacks into the back wall with a sizzle. Andrezi moves in, but with all the mayhem of the sudden melee, he is also unable to connect.
"Bold May Post
Party
~Kiera- acid
~Andrezi- Knife
Volkar
Daelric
Thing
I try to end the battle quickly with the strange creature, before my team mates get hurt any more. I keep my shield up and move around the creature so that it is between Volkar and myself, then swing my axe towards it's legs, hoping to unbalance it enough to take advantage.
The creature bites at Daelric as the dwarf shifts positions to open up the fight. Luckily the heavily armoured dwarf is able to keep just out of reach, and brings the monstrosity down with one final swing of his ax. The echoes of the brief but furious combat are absorbed quickly by the porous sandstone walls of the cavern.
Out of Combat!
I let out a sigh and look to my comrades, "What; by the stone, was that thing?!"
Kiera shrugs. "Beats me, sorry."
"We cannot continue to run into those things." Volkar sighed and he grimaced as he did so. His wounds were deeper than he thought. "I think Andrezi, I am going to need your help here."
Volkar's tunic had spots of blood on it with deep gashes across his arm and hand.
Andrezi nods.
"Not a problem. Looks like Daelric has a little scratch too." he says channeling energy.
Displeased with results, he channels again.
"Truly grateful friend, that helped a lot." Volkar shook his head as he saw the bleeding stop, and the would seal, then a pink fresh scar take hold. "Truly grateful. Now, let's go see what that thing was guarding here."
Volkar moved deeper into the creature's chamber and searched about to see if there was something of interest or value being guarded.
Volkar is unable to find anything unusual about the cavern you are in. It is rough hewn sandstone, with absolutely nothing in it except for the beast quickly cooling in the middle of the floor. With this disappointing news, the party moves deeper into the tunnel. Shortly after the first cavern, a tunnel splits off to the east, while the main tunnel continues to the north. Just barely visible is a second tunnel farther up the passage, this one also heading to the east.
I look to Volkar and Andrezi, "It's just a ..." Before I can finish speaking Andrezi releases a wave of energy that washes over us all and removes the scratch on my face, "... scratch. Thank you for the healing, now which way do you all think we should head first?"
Kiera thinks momentarily, then points to the east. "Leave a clear line of retreat back here if things go awry. We'd only get cut off if someone came from all the way further down the hall and hooked around behind us."
The party follows the tunnel to the east, where it dumps into a room much, much older than the sandstone tunnel. Masterfully carved and worked stone builds this room, from the flagstones to the cleverly fitted ceiling. The original purpose of this chamber is unclear, but large mounds of rubble lie strewn on its floor. Moving over the debris, you exit the room into a hall leading north. Winding back and forth, you come to another decision. To the east, another hall runs straight for some ways before turning back to the south. To the north, a room opens before you. In that room, you can see a door across the room from your hallway, and a break in the wall to the left, presumably another entrance to the tunnel that brought you this far.
"Daelric, which do you feel is better to the right here, or up ahead ?' Volkar kept looking both ways trying to determine which was the better path.
I look to all the possible routes, "I think East again, if we are not wanting anyone to come up to us from behind, that seems the safest bet. What say you all?"
"I agree with that approach, my friend." Volkar nodded in agreement and as he tapped the handle on his ax.
"Sounds like a reasonable approach to me." Andrezi adds, agreeing with the two dwarves.
"Let's go then!"
Volkar followed after Daelric down the well crafted corridor. He made an effort to study the stonework as he walked down the long corridor heading to the east.
As they trudge down the hall, Volkar inspects the stonework. He cant specifically date the architecture, but it is ages old.. many hundreds of years old, and much older than Sandpoint or its environs.
Taking the eastern tunnel again, the party continues around the corner. The tunnel widens here into what appears to have once been a small shrine, for to the northeast steps lead up to a platform of gray stone. Sitting atop the platform is an ancient altar, little more than a jagged block of black marble with a shallow concavity on top of it. This basin is filled with what appears to be filthy water. A heavy pair of double doors close the south eastern corner of the room.
"I don't understand how, but these tunnels are centuries older than Sandpoint." Volkar ran his hand along the wall, and pulled it back when the wall opened up into the small alcoved shrine. He stepped on the second step and looked about at the shrine and its filthy water. Who carved these rooms and halls? What was their original purpose?
"Maybe they were built by whomever made that old lighthouse-like structure in the town?"
"That is a good possibiliy, Mistress Kiera. I think I will need to learn more about Sandpoint and Magnimar." Volkar continues up the stairs, and without touching the filthy water, walks about the black plinth looking at it trying to find some indication of whose diety it was errected for.
The alter is plain, with no adornments or markings. However, the top is scarred from centuries of malevolent and evil magics. You cannot tell who this alter belongs to.. but the very air seems foul and corrupt.
I look at the alter, "That is a nice piece of workmanship, the way the whole thing seems to be made out of a singular piece of marble is truly exquisite." I start to walk towards it and suddenly stop, shaking slightly as if we were being watched. Sensing that the air is more corrupt around the altar, I grasp at my rubbing stone, "Oh Oath-Keeper, help me see what it is that corrupts the stone and I shall grant you an offering during my prayers."
The alter resonates strongly as a very well and frequently used portal for evil. Specifically, you recognize the water as being blessed by some dark deity into unholy water.
[b]"Your thoughts on how we best proceed, Daelric? For if we are dealing with both magics and evil, are we truly prepared for what that may bring?"[b/] Volkar asked as he wandered towards the two large doors taking the time to inspect them for both function and any indicators as to the makers.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Cautiously I would say, also don't go near that water at all. It appears to have been blessed by a dark presence or deity. I personally don't have anything to protect me from such magics, so just advance cautiously and slowly."
I move over to the doors and once everyone is ready, I nod to them before pushing the door open with Volkar's assistance.