there's a shrill screech, like metal freezing too quickly, and the violet fungal growth is destroyed, as the frost from the liquid ice melts, there's nothing but ash where the growth used to be. The frost reveals an inscription:
The western door leads to a vaguely "U"-shaped passage, and ends at a plain wood door with yet another inscription:
Looks over Victor as he approaches and introduces himself formally. Her tone is pleasant though her look is critical.
Well met, sir. Always happy to have some help. What skills will you be supplying to the party?
I follow along down the hallway.
Forsythe, this skeleton is a useful ally. Even more so because he is completely disposable. Much better than that stupid Ogre was. We'll have to always be sure to keep some disposable allies around.
Izzbit turns the handle, and pushes the door open. The room is dark. Unnaturally dark. The only one perturbed by this darkness though is Temperance. There is silence from within.
You move up to the door, peering in cautiously. The chamber beyond is dark, but this darkness holds no secrets from you. A globe of obsidian rests atop a podium in the center of the room.
Izzbit enters. There's a door to the north, and a door to the east. Both doors look barred. Easy enough to remove the heavy bar with a full round action if you can see what you're doing. No inscriptions are visible from the hallway.
Izzbit enters the room and moves up to smash the orb, knocking it off the podium and smashing it on the ground. As it shatters, the darkness dissipates. A mist rises from the ground, enveloping Izzbit. a whispy cry that sounds angry erupts from the mist.
the bolt sinks through the mist, clattering to the floor beyond it, you notice that as its a mist, it's... Well it has no anatomy. The mist closes the distance with Forsythe though, the mist causing his skin to bubble, blood seeping out. the mist looks more flush after Forsythe's pours open up. the mist then darts around the corner.
Izzbit careless misses, swinging at the mist as it moves. You step back down the hall, locking eyes with Loran and healing both of you. Izzbit then charges as commanded, the acid from his strikes appears to do something to evaporate the mist a little, but his strike otherwise just displaces mist.
Unless it can get sleepy, not much I can do to this mist. I'll hold back until I can contribute
the frog's attack seems ineffectual...
Loran commands spawn to attack, Spawn ungainly surges forward, his pale skin blushing in the presence of the mist. Slashing at the mist, some of it seems to effect the Mist, it recoils slightly.
::edit::
Spawn double moves up so that he can attack next round.
Leo comes in swinging, his falchion parting some of the mist, you're not sure if it recoils, or if there's a breeze from the attacks. but it seems to be weakening.
the mist surges toward Leo, opening lesions and gashes along his skin
izzybit savagely slashes into the mist, which is joined by a puff of smoke as the poisonous frog ash conjured leaves the battlefield. Then Leo maneuvers to a good position, slicing through the mist as some of the blood seems to drain from the spongy fog. Ash tries to join, stepping up with his mace to the southeast of the mist, but his swing doesn't stir the breeze or seem to disrupt the dense mist.
The mist, seeming... Paler... Continues whining in Aklo.
the mist surges towards Leo, his blistered skin dripping, the mist looking more flush.
spawn rends at the mist, disrupting it. Leo follows suit with deep cuts into the spongy fog with his falchion. the mist pops, and you're caught in a storm of blood for a second, as little droplets pelt you.
looking around, there's nothing that can be done for Leo, but the rest of you are no worse for the wear. looking around the room, you find nothing else of interest. both doors out appear barred though. from the inside. with the darkness shattered its easy enough to check the doors and unbar them.
you check and open the door to the north. at the end of a short passage is another wooden door. unsurprisingly, the door is inscribed with yet another platitude:
the door to the east snakes up a hall toward the north before turning east again. Upon the door is an inscription:
I am sturdy. The dark lord protects me.
We need to find the sapphire and silver pendant. We may need to explore every path to find what we seek.
I agree the north path seems best.
I will help with searching
you discover... no traps. but i shall express my answer in dance.
opening the door to the north, following the short passage, you pass under the door marked "Cruelty is a tool not a pastime. Be ruthless to thy enemy but reward those who serve thee well".
There's only one thing in this room - a torturer's rack. This cruel implement is functional and ready for use but currently empty. The chamber is lit by an oil lantern that hangs from the center of the room. There does not appear to be anything else here.
you search, and search, and search. until... you hear some breathing, slow and shallow, trying not to be heard. Searching by the noise you heard, you manage to find a secret chamber. Inside, there's a terrified looking man dressed in a squire's outfit. He cowers in the little hidden niche, obviously injured, he tries to cling to the shadows in the back of the small five by five alcove.
Perhaps we have found our enemy? though he hardly looks it.