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Biter yelps in pain, a sound everyone at the pyre is sure to hear. He streaks past the other scouts, feet barely touching the floor, bow clattering in the floor behind him. The goblin rolls to a sliding stop, tumbling back to his feet as his blade comes out, his face set in a rictus snarl as he growls out, "Fvcking birding man is'ing in there!"
Strae almost leaps out of his skin as the yelling goblin races past him sporting the eldritch markings. The gnome holds his ground, waiting through long heartbeats for the Bird Man to arrive, ready to attack. After another few seconds of nothing, he stalks forward cautiously, looking for the Bird Man or whatever spooked Biter.
startled by biters cry
"What bird man?
What is he talking about."
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Straehan, as Biter cried out you did see the same image. He was being held and slashed by a human-sized figure in a hooded cloak of feathers, bleeding from empty eye sockets and a tongueless, bloody mouth. As Biter pulls of that fantastic flip to escape, the image vanishes, leaving only a rusty woodcarving knife at the top of the stairwell.
Seeing the attack and the lingering magical effect, Straehan calls back, "It was some sort of necromantic energy. I can't say whether it was a spell or a haunting. I'm going to kick the knife, it's focus, out of the way, and see what happens."
Putting actions to his words, the gnome steps forward and boots the knife into a corner - bracing himself to see the Bird Man again.
still red on her face, and with slightly slurred wording
but sobers up at hearing "necromantic energy" for a short while
"So were going to be dealing with some nasty crap, ahead?"
Biter -- obviously hurt -- nods to Straehan, "Is'ing to be dealing with'ing some nasty craps already."
Alkaid casts Cure light wounds on Biter
Biter unconsciously rubs a meaty little hand along the eased bird symbols on his skin, nodding his thanks to the long-legs girl... then tentatively follows the gnome, watching carefully to see what happens with the knife is kicked, blade at the ready.
Straehan kicks the knife, sending it skittering down the stairwell. A long way down from the sound of it. Nothing else happens.
"Be careful up there." Sparrow follows behind Straehan, an arrow knocked and ready.
"You can count on it, Miss Sparrow." Straehan takes lead to give Biter a chance to recover from the attack. He descends the stairs warily, looking for any more artifacts or unwelcome surprises.
The stairs actually go both up and down. Up looks shorter, maybe one level, down goes much deeper.
Which way do yo go first?
"Those of you wanting to move in, that's gonna lower your property values. That was a manifestation of tortured souls, reacting to the living, a haunt. I've read about them, but this is the first time I've seen one. Supposedly they're difficult to be rid of, each is different."
"I have to agree in that it was a haunt,
I recall in Ustalav there are devices that can remove haunts,
But since we don't have one it's a mute point."
After the healing, the goblin catches back up with Straehan, looking extra gruff now. "Biter is'ing to say to checking up first... then down. Notting to liking having one area above notting explored."
"Sounds good to me. Lead on, and let's hope the spirits shut up for awhile." Sparrow will begin with the magical investigation as they go up, though her bow is ready.
Biter nods, switches back to his bow, and stalks up the stairs, red eyes probing for dangers as his feet pad quietly on the stone.
The stairwell winds upward for about 10' before opening into another corridor. At the far end of the corridor is a set of double doors, also marked with that strange rune. As you get closer you see that the symbol has been carved and painted over with an odd birdlike symbol.
It is also sealed with a bar across it and there is something tacked to the center of the bar.
So far, none of you have spotted any traps.
"What with the seven-pointed star symbol, it seems old.
I'm starting to wish I studied history a bit more."
The gnome eyes the door suspiciously and casts a spell...
"I guess just opening the bar may be a bad idea?"
"I guess just opening the bar may be a bad idea?"
"Cation my large friend. Let the sneaks do their sneaking. There will time enough for smashing later."
"I guess just opening the bar may be a bad idea?"
still red on her face, and with slightly slurred wording
"It would not be a bad idea,but given this real estate's history I would say no.
As you don't know what lies beneath the ground."
Nothing in the corridor or on the door detects as magic.
"Nothing is registering as magical. Looks like we'll do this the old fashioned way.... I really hate this part."
The gnome walks forward, examines the bar and whatever is tacked to it before attempting to lift the bar out of the way.
It's just a wooden bar, much like you might find on a barn. Tacked to it is a tongue.
The gnome masks his disquiet with a feeble attempt at humor. "I'd mention this door is made of tongue-and-groove slats but I fear the joke would be in poor taste."
He ignores the tongue and unbars the door.
The air wafts with the heady scent of mildew and rot in this dingy room. Tiny bone carvings of horrific winged creatures lay scattered about room. A moldy blanket in one corner indicates this room was once inhabited. Leathery papers lay scattered amidst the rubble and shards of bone. In the center of the room is a small hole in the floor.
This Cutter was one seriously depraved man. I am amazed none of us ever realized just how twisted he was.
The gnome hits Cilyanka with a serious look. "Maybe some of your townsfolk did. Until we know for a fact that this Cutter fellow was the necromancer that created the abominations in the other room it is possible he was in league with someone far more devious and less of a mad-dog."
Straehan gingerly approaches the hole, nudging aside bones with his foot to avoid crunching them. He peeks into the hole.
The hole looks down into the large central lower room. You can see a bird symbol carved into the floor from here.
The floor of this room is about 10' above the floor of the entry chamber.
As for how far underground you are, given the number of steps on that spiral, the entry chamber is about 40' below the surface of the island.
The gnome hits Cilyanka with a serious look. "Maybe some of your townsfolk did. Until we know for a fact that this Cutter fellow was the necromancer that created the abominations in the other room it is possible he was in league with someone far more devious and less of a mad-dog."
"Now I think you're just trying to creep us all out." Sparrow will start examining the papers, checking for magic as she goes just in case.
The papers are lessons of sorts, and a crude diary. It would seem that the Chopper was training an acolyte, either an illiterate one or a child. Some of the notes are particularly gruesome and pathetic.
'He took my tongue because I said I was sorry we had to hurt her like that. She was nice to me. He made me make the small bird while she watched. He said if I was very faithful next time, the Bishop would regrow my tongue so I could continue to praise Pazuzu.'
'I guess he wasn't faithful either. They killed him. I hope the Bishop comes to let me out'
'I'm hungry and so very thirsty'
As Sparrow reads the papers, she becomes visibly angry at the implications in the notes. "I don't know what this madman was doing, but if he is indeed dead, I hope Pharasma sent him where he belongs." Trying to calm herself, she shows the notes to the others. "We may be dealing with someone else though. It looks like he was...training someone."
"Let me see maybe I can figure something out."
Sparrow hands the papers to Alkaid.
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"The more I learn of Chopper, the less I like him."
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Everyone in the upper room hears - or thinks they hear - clhildish alternating whispered sobs and laughter.
reading the papers
"Ok, that's creepy,
and who is the Bishop?"
hearing the whispered sobs and laughter
"What the?
It might be our lead,
...
or a trap."