I wonder if this leads to the Spire....
The ghouls bite is indeed infected,Rallos,it's a carrier of filth of disease.What would you expect from corpse-eating creatures? Their rotten teeth ccan gives you what is commonly called "Ghoul fever", an atrocious disease which sap the stamina and destroy coordination. If you die from this disease, you become a ghoul yourself. Of course, that mean I'd be obliged to kill you. No ill feelings. I truly hope you'd do the same for me.
Ea will check Rallos and Grayface wounds for any sign of disease, cleaning the bite marks.
Then she will take care of the two partially eaten cadavers, careful they don't seem to become ghouls themselves.
Gulp. Gray listened as they described the infectious nature of the ghouls and what his fate might be if he was indeed afflicted. He could almost feel a little itchiness and restless legs, but he might have been imagining it.
Your Fate might not be yet sealed.Only Pharasma knows when you're fit to die, and when you shall live a little longer.
Ea traces a spiral on Grayface's wounds, curing most of them.
Pertreeko coughs when the powdered essence of ghoul washes over them. "I may have been a little overenthused," he comments, wiping ash off his beak.
"There may be more of them down that cave," he warns, not liking the look of the tightly enclosed tunnel. "But if that is where our adventure leads, I will follow."
And, to Grayface, "Don't worry. I won't let you turn into a ghoul."
Do we proceed into this cave and see where it goes or do we head back to the fort and give our report? I think maybe heading in might be prudent.....but we are a little banged up. Plus, I think this wound needs to be looked after. I am worried about that disease Ea was talking about. I don't want her to smash my head in with that morning star of hers....
The druid smiles at Rallos. "So eager to deliver your reports so soon? Let's exhaust our supplies and spells first! I'm ready to blast some more of those horrible abominations should they arise."
"I am more than eager to chop into a big slice of evil, but I am concerned about these wounds and the disease."
The fighter looked to Ea and Pertreeko, "Do either of you have the means to cure such a heinous disease? If my strength begins to wither away like when the spider poison racked my constitution, I would rather wait then delve straight into trouble."
Little bothered the warrior more than subtleties. The notion of a creeping disease coursing through his veins like burglars in the dark...it sent an angry chill down his spine. He preferred real, tangible problems--preferably problems that could be solved with an angry stare or the slice of a sword.
As you decide on your next steps, a light snow starts to fall - pristine snow gradually covering the corpses that lie in the clearing...within fifteen minutes or so, the virginal snow has almost completely disguised the violence which occurred earlier...
I am not yet able to cure diseases magically. All I can, and will do, is to clean your wounds, and give you something to strenghten your stamina so you'll be able to better fight the disease. It's too early to know if you've been infected, as the disease takes a few hours to manifest. Tomorrow, I'll be able to cast a spell to detect any disease you might have, Grayface, and Pertreko can do the same to Rallos.
Personally satisfied with the priest's response, Gray nods in the direction of the hidden cave. "I am ready then. Rallos? What are your thoughts?"
Let's see what this cave has in store for us. If it appears too much, we can always head back....correct? Fortune does favour the bold....
Rallos first goes out to a tree by the entrance of the cave and marks it with an "X" on the trunk.
So we know where the cave is or have to direct someone to it.
He then heads towards the entrance of the cave and listens at the entrance.
Listening at the cave entrance for a while, Rallos hears nothing more than the gentle dripping of water and the occasional whistling of the wind...
Rallos waves his companions forward as he sneaks into the cave. He checks the entire immediate area using his keen vision.
The cave, dark and uninviting, is warmer than the wintry scene developing outside - near the entrance you find a couple of sacks of provisions; bread, cheese and ale. The cave narrows at the back and becomes a lot less naturally formed - an excavated heading downwards and to the east...
Anyone care to wager that this leads to the Spire? Shall we head down or no?
I suggest we go deeper.
Following the tunnel downwards for well over a mile, you pass a few empty crates and signs of campfires long since extinguished - but little sign of activity - eventually arriving at an opening into a wider cave.
...a cave that you quickly realise is familiar to you, the large natural cave that led to Tarrin Dars' temple and the rest of the Splinters' hideout.
Rallos puts his ear to the door to see if anyone is in the room to the west.
Ea seems pensive as Rallos check on the door
So, as we supposed, the wandering undead are linked to the Spire..
Yasmin is rather surprised to find herself back in the bandit lair. But then it occurs to her . . . "Well damn, it makes sense now. I was wondering how the bandits were getting in and out of the Spire without running into the other creatures in here. Let's see if there are any who didn't learn their lesson."
Listening at the heavy stone door that, marked with a version of Pharasma's sigil, clearly leads to a crypt - Rallos hears nothing.
Ummm...Ea? is this not a sign of your Goddess? What might that be doing down here? Is it a sign to keep out or a ward? I am hesitant because I do not now what it is...that, and I don't want a morning star smashed into my face if I misstep.... Rallos says, slightly jovial about the morning star, but more serious about his not knowing what the sign means.
- there are no auras emanating from the door or, as far as you can tell, from beyond it.
- as far as you can tell, the door is not trapped.
For the first time, there is some real emotion and excitement in the priestess voice
This is a very ancient tomb. This kind of symbol isn't used anymore among the priesthood and worshippers of Pharasma, and hasn't been used for centuries, maybe. If I hadn't read old books at the temple library recently, it would be the first time I'm seeing it.
Ea let Rallos check for traps, then looks at the door itself, with unearthly patience
Rallos, please help me there. I want to be sure this tomb hasn't been opened.
There are fresh scrapes around the door frame and enough dislodged dust to suggest that the door to the crypt has indeed been opened relatively recently.
Ea frowns and tense
I don't like that. See theses scrapes? Either something entered the crypt, or get out of it, and quite recently. It is my duty to see to the honored bones of the departed, and to destroy any unliving corpses.
Give me a few minutes to pray to Pharasma and ask forgivance for disturbing the eternal rest of whoever was buried there. Then we go in.
There is no trail coming from the crypt (or going towards it) however the dampness of the floor within the cave suggests that trails would be unlikely anyway.
"Five gold says there are undead waiting for us inside." Yasmin casts dancing lights before the door is opened.
I fervently wish you are wrong, Yasmin. But I think you are right. That blasphemy shan't be unpunished.
Ea tries to open the door, perhaps with someone else's help
I will open the door. Ea, Gray...you two be ready to smash whatever lays on the other side. I think Yasmin and Pertreeko would be best is they were ready to cast spells.
Rallos grabs the door handle and counts down. On the count of 1, he flings open the door, his blade at the ready in case there is an immediate threat.
The ancient stone door opens into a dusty old crypt...cobwebs coat the dark corners of the room. Five stone sepulchers sit in the chamber’s northern and center portions, each is carved with an effigy of a masked man or woman. Whilst, to the south, one large sepulcher lies, its lid apparently secured with iron bands.
...across each of the sepulchers lies a red satin drape, each one delicately embroidered with the image of a skull.
Yasmin lights up the crypt with her dancing lights. "Hm, maybe there aren't undead here after all. Since someone was here recently, do you suppose the bandits might have looted this place?" She will enter (after someone else does) and look for signs of disturbances in the sepulchers.
Oh this is not good....I don't like this at all.
It isn't the same symbol at all...there is no crown on these skulls...and, now you look at them a little more closely, you realise that the drapes seem new and fresh whereas the crypt itself is clearly very old...
Rallos looks closely into the room, peering into the shadows.
Pertreeko glances warily at Yasmin, not finding much humor in her words despite her jesting tone. He keeps his senses attuned to the spirit world, peering about him on the search for undead or ethereal auras, with the paranoia inherent to all bird-kind. He considers summoning a fireball to his palm, but elects to save it for when he really needs it.
Peering into the darkness, Rallos doesn't see anything unusual but, when Pertreeko feels out with his Spirit Sense, he senses the ley lines distorted by the presence of undead... In the southernmost sepulcher - it's abominable life force pulsating strongly...
After several moments of tension, Gray's sword arm sagged a bit in relief. His friends had gotten him riled up and ready for action, which wasn't very hard considering their previous encounters in this tower.
The dusty room seemed harmless enough after a few moments of still silence, so the fighter took a moment to observe the surroundings from a perspective of curiosity rather than caution.
I see nothing of note in the shadows. Shall we proceed in and investigate? I know there is more to see here...I can feel it.
The druid's voice is dreamy, distant; he murmurs "there..." and points with one feathery finger in the direction of the southernmost sepulcher. "A disturbance...strong..."
Oh, you mean the one with the iron bands around it. I am going to take a wild guess and say those are not mean to keep people out....again, just a guess. Rallos tries to inject a little humour to hide his trepidation.
Yasmin is a little freaked out as Pertreeko enters into his trance. She enters a guarded stance, her voice dropping to a whisper. "So there's undead after all. Do you suppose it might be a mummy? Or a vampire?"
Grayface briefly sighed... so much for a peaceful crypt.
He moved into a position adjacent to the southern sepulcher, ready to strike the undead that Pertreeko motioned to.
Was the undead trapped and locked into the coffin? Unlikely, but possible...
Ea prepares herself for the upcoming fight
I will go to the side and undo thenstraps....Ea and Gray up close to smash, Yasmin and Pertreeko ready with spells. And I will run away.....just kidding. I will join in when we engage. Rallos looks to his friends for any feedback.