Nadya shares a look with Kalt as his thoughts mirror her own and the concerned mother rushes to her neighbor, rapping out a particular rhythm on the door. It opens and Nadya and any who followed are quickly ushered inside. There she is pounced by her two young boys as they come out of a hidden room.
As the group nears the Tower is becomes blatantly clear that a fearsome battle has taken place across much of the land. Pock marks from explosions litter the group, as do dozens of fae and soldiers in various levels of decay. Sites of various ambushes are spotted, with many trees pin cushioned with arrows that presumably did not find their target. Analyzing the various scenes, Kalt can tell that Gil had a number of hit and run skirmishes through out the mile approach to the gleaming spike of ice. Of concern is the lack of Gilganis anywhere to be found.
The woman shakes her head. "I came with you all to fight witches... and if they've truly mustered all their forces, then it seems to me you're likely to need all the help you can get."
"I've had a bit of training, but... not very well, no," responds Lana apologetically. "I've treated some wounded animals during my travels, though, so I think I can at least be of some aid."
"I have no protective spells prepared, but what I do have may serve us well." Avora says.
" I have no problem with being the bearer of curing wands, friend." Ankih responds as he puts the wand in his pack.
" I feel we need these too much sometimes."
I am glad Nadya's children are ok. Losing one child , is one too many. More would be devastating. These witches must be stopped.
" I have a mystical shield of faith or I can again grant you the Dawnflower's Strength, Sven. Or I have a veil of goodness that defends against mind intrusions and evil beings..."
"Sven's right," says Kalt, unsheathing his sword and settling his buckler onto his forearm. "Let's get close and see what things look like, and if they get ugly fast, Ankih can pull out all the stops. If they're holding their toughest back for us, we'll want to have some in reserve." With a lopsided grin, he adds, "Though I'm not sure how we'll spot the difference. So if things are looking tough, Ankih, a touch of the Dawnflower's strength would be welcome - especially if there's a troll between me and Radosek."
Bugsby stops as the others make their own preparations, snatching a few glowing globs from the air and quickly gathering them in his hands till it's a substantive size. He carefully hangs the glowing mess in the air next to him, dipping his hands in it and smearing it all over his small frame. As he does so, a shimmering outline of magic armor remains behind, fading from sight a few seconds after forming. When he's finished with himself, he holds up one hand with glowing magical goo, "Anyoneelse?"
Lana raises an eyebrow at the gnome's actions. "Impressive."
She looks around and nods at the preparations, reaching up to brush a stray lock from out of her face. "Are we ready?"
Ankih will cast shield of faith on Sven, holding off on other spells until needed or requested. Save for guidance on himself.
" Blessed be, Milady."He intones quickly. "Let's be about this shall we?"
Working their way through the last bit of wilderness, the iris to the courtyard surprisingly remains open to the group. As they near, a few ravens take flight from the ramparts near the top of the iris, leaving behind a gruesome scene. Perched atop the opening in the ice wall is the horned head of a tiefling, though who it is is hard to discern due to the ravaging it has taken both from carion eaters and the weather.
Continuing in, the group finds the courtyard completely deserted, though there have been signs of travel, as boot prints dot the area.
"If that is what remains of Gil, then those who dwell here will pay dearly!" Avora vows.
Bugsby frowns up at the grisly horned head, not wanting to accept the most likely explanation. He turns away and follows after the others, eyes hard. He starts casting detect magic, leery of illusions which seemed to get used a lot their last visit.
Kalt nods grimly at Avora's words, saying, "We didn't know him long, but he helped us when we needed it."
He then moves into the tower shoulder to shoulder with Sven, eyes alert and intent on what's to come.
Pressing on, despite the gruesome scene, the group continues to find the first floor eerily quiet. Taking the transporters to the second floor, they find the dining hall equally empty, though the table has been righted and chairs replaced.
As Sven approaches the door, Kalt pauses a moment to listen for anything on the other side, saying quietly, "I guess death has made me cautious, brother."
If he hears nothing, he raises his blade and gestures with his head for Sven to open the door.
Kalt puts his ear to the door, and hears the sounds of chopping, bubbling, and whistling. He also gets the faint aroma of a meaty stew filled with aromatics.
Pushing open the door into this oddly angular room reveals a well-stocked kitchen. Shelves of food stuffs and tables littered with meals mid prep line much of the wall space. Feverishly cooking away is a small greyish humanoid in rags and an apron. His whistling stops when the door opens and a crazed look comes over his face. He gesticulates wildly with his fingers and a cleaver while jabbering on in a mix of Aklo and Gnomish.
"What's he saying?" whispers Lana, eying the gnome uncertainly.
Bugsby steps forward confidently, jabbering a similar string of sounds back at the cook, gesturing and pointing all the while.
"Either that or he's pretending..." she mutters under her breath, careful not to let the gnome hear.
Clearing her throat, she addresses the cook-gnome. "Esgusodwch fi am dorri ar draws, ond a allech o bosibl ddweud wrthyf, yn penfras chi?"
The small man stares at Bugsby as he talks, rage slowly building in his eyes until he jumps into the air with a loud BLEBELEWELBLEW!”
He shows no sign of understanding your words.
Lana frowns and studies the creature intently. "No joy..." she whispers to no one in particular.
Lana gets the feeling it doesn't want you in its kitchen.
The northwoman shakes her head. "Perhaps we should go," she offers quietly, "it seems harmless enough, despite its sad life."
As the party leaves, the spriggan makes a few rude gestures and the sound of a bolt slamming into place can be heard shortly after the door closes.
Bugsby shivers, quivers and shrugs at the sudden compulsion nearly overtakes him, but in the end he just shrugs, apparently just fine. "ThatwastheleastfriendlygnomeI'veevermet!" he comments as they move to the area north of the library.
He continues his magic searching.
Ankih follows the group through the icy castle, but is very quiet and not paying much attention.
Gil. He wasn't well known, but what a nasty surprise. May the Lady's Light guide you to paradise, my friend. I hope it was quick and painless....
"Wha-what gnome Bugsby? I didn't see..."
He asks as he momentarily seems to recover his senses.
Kalt steps along behind Sven, curious to see the reaches of the tower he's never visited before. He finds the little creature in the kitchen fairly entertaining, once he's sure it means them no harm.
As they prepare to open the next door, Kalt again stands at Sven's side and listens carefully.
Bugsby points back towards the recently closed kitchen door, "Somelittlegreythingbackinthere. Hesaid, - 'Go away! Get Out! Begone or I’ll put you in a stewpot! Tasty stew, not good for beggers, BEGGERS! Go, go, go! Maybe they wants something to eat! No, bad intruders! Go away!' orsomethinglikethat. Iforgetexactly." He shrugs without much concern, "Hedidn'tlikeusverymuch."
Kalt listens at the door and hears nothing. Sven opens the door and reveals several tables covered in flowering plants and decorative figurines both large and small that occupy the corners of this brightly lit room. A large mirror hangs on the northeastern wall, while a second set of double doors lead further north. As the group enters, a filthy creature resembles a small, wide-mouthed fat child made from leaves, vines, tree bark, dirt, and pallid tubers emerges from a pot and begins to shriek loudly.
Perhaps it's the way the sound resonates through the icy crystal doorway, but Ankih, Avora, Bugsby, and Lana all find the sound brings bile to their throats and they begin swaying as the nausea temporarily overwhelms their senses.
The creature then closes on the group as it lashes out with two barbed vines and its toothy maw.
A vine clangs of Sven's armor, while another lashes across Kalt's thigh. The creature also manages to get a few fangs into the ranger. As the venom of the beast seeps into Kalt veins, he finds his vision blurs, and he can no longer tell friend from foe and his limbs grow heavy.
Lana coughs as the screaming takes its toll on her stomach, drawing her weapon and trying to calm her roiling innards.
Kalt reels a moment under the bizarre creature’s assault, his eyes clouding over with puzzlement and doubt. He then raises his sword and swings at the thing.