The creature trying to come in stops rattling the door at Teodor and Korriban's charade, and when it speaks again there is fear in its voice. "Oh, oh! Me leave you 'lone, Vreeg. Me not want to be made undeaded!" Heavy footfalls retreat down the hallway, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief.
Suddenly the footfalls stop, and you hear muttering.
"Wait...Vreeg say me old friend. Me not old friend. Me not Vreeg's friend at all." For a few seconds, you can almost hear it struggling to think.
There's a bellow and something massive slams into the door...which stays firmly shut. You can hear more muttering: "Ow, not use head, must remember not to use head..."
Korriban curses and picks up the work. However, he keeps an eye on the door in case the guy manages to break it down.
The dwarf braces himself against the door, hearing the rapid thumping of feet on the ground as the beast charges the door. It takes the hit rather well, and gives Diamon enough time to go and pick up his Lucern Hammer and take up his spot braced against the door again. While Adoros beside him, he reaches into his pack and drops the length of rope in it beside him. Signing to his teammate that he wants to stretch the rope across the doorway and trip the creature, then tie up his legs, if they need to escape.
Adoros remains posed by the door, his greatsword lifted up and ready to behead the creature breaking down the door.
Adoros continues to keep his sword poised, as Diamon attempts to wave him into compliance with the rope trick. You hear the creature back up again, and then there's an enormous splintering sound as the door is knocked clean off its hinges. A huge man barrels through, easily six and a half feet tall. He's nearly as wide as the doorway, enormously fat, and hideously deformed--his face is a mass of fleshy growths. As he stumbles forward, Adoros brings his sword down toward him in a MASSIVELY DEVASTATING OVERHAND SWING. The sword bites into the huge man's side, opening a massive gash! He staggers and roars.
His words are somewhat undermined by Korriban hurling his masterwork dagger into his throat, which causes the huge man to stagger back, gurgling and bleeding. He's barely on his feet.
Foe: HP: 0 exactly. AC/T/FF: 20/11/19 | Fort +7 Ref +2 Will +0 | CMD: 20 (22 vs. grapple)
Gadriel jumps as the door crashes open, but Abu seems unfazed. His eyes glowing black, he gestures a tiny paw at the monster. A grey aura shimmers around the creature as Gadriel starts laughing again.
The Dwarf is shoved back form the grotesque monster bursting through the door, dragging his hammer along with him. He grips the polearm more firmly and moves into position, taking a swing at the already wounded creature. But watching his hammer bounce off his mutated flab.
Attack:
Adoros grins viciously as he sees his sword cut so easily through the mountain of meat that is the brute. A spray of blood across the room and Adoros brings his sword about for another strike but lets his cockiness get the better of him as he mistimes his slash, "Surrender or face your fate!"
Korriban decides to aid his companions. He grabs his rapier and bolts for the big guy, flipping over him and landing behind him.
Teodor steps up toward the huge opponent and brings his massive flail swinging around in a vicious arc, but it--like Adoros and Diamon's attacks--bounces right off his foe's thick, rubbery hide. Gadriel's magic seems to confuse the huge, deformed man, but as Korriban attempts to lunge between his legs your opponent bellows and lashes out with a meaty fist, catching the young rogue in the jaw with a sickening crack that sends him reeling backward. Crazed and still bleeding from his earlier wounds, he lets out a high-pitched scream of rage and flails at you blindly with club-like fists. Diamon ducks one sledgehammer-sized arm as Gadriel's laughter echoes through the chamber and the freak slips in a puddle of gore. He crashes to the floor as he does so, and lies still.
The underground chambers suddenly feel eerily silent, after your ears have grown used to the crash and ring of battle...
Abu hops off the little girl's shoulder and scampers over to the huge creature. The small monkey lifts one of the unconscious creature's eyelids before letting it fall back. Reaching out to pat the creature, Abu's eyes glow white for a brief second before the fallen foe's breath eases and becomes regular again. With an intelligent nod, the monkey returns, scampering back up Gadriel to her shoulder once again.
"Abu has stopped the creature's life bleed, in case others wish to engage in talk with it."
Korriban smiles as the big guy falls, a bit of blood leaking from his mouth. He says weakly, "Hurray. We did it. Give me a moment." He then spits out the blood in his mouth. He smiles, seeing that no teeth were spit out as well. Looking at the others, Korriban says, "So, should we interrogate now or let Kroft take care of them?"
After he gets his answer, he goes and picks up all of the daggers that he threw. He then proceeds to loot the big guy and little blue guy. He then looks around the room for valuables.
Korriban then limps off and continues to remove the head off of the body.
When that's all done, he looks at the entrance that the big guy came through. "Should we check that way?"
Korriban's rifling doesn't turn up anything especially valuable from the pockets of the deformed freak lying on the floor, although he's wearing a suit of remarkably fine studded leather armor. The blue humanoid isn't carrying any coin either (do his kind even use it?), but the dagger he was waving around is masterwork, and his robe is finely stitched. He also wears a simple but finely wrought gold ring, and in his pockets you find a wand made of bone with a finger-shaped pointer on the end, as well as a bottle containing a thick, sludgy-looking, dark blue liquid.
The search of the room reveals little else--as you saw when you entered, the cave is clearly some sort of surgery or dissection chamber. There are various saws and surgical tools hanging on the walls or scattered on the table, but none are fine enough to be worth more than a few pieces of silver.
Peering down the southernmost exit reveals a rough-hewn tunnel that extends a ways to the south, eventually coming up to a set of stairs.
Korriban smiles. "A lot of nice looking things. Anything special about them?" Korriban takes the masterwork dagger. Korriban looks at the others. "Anyone want this? If not, I'll take it."
Seeing the massive beast fall much faster than his flying counter-part, Diamon sheathed his weapon and watched Korriban pick over the room more carefully, turning up a few goodies for them. The Dwarf peered over the items carefully, having a sudden flash of insight as he identified each one. "Th' robe is easy enough. Necromancers tend t' favor Robes of Bones. Th' ring is a Ring of Protection +1. Always handy. Th' leather armor here is a +1 set of fine stuff. Seems suited for ya, Korriban. And th' wand.. THe Dwarf made a face at what was contained within the wand. "Ghoul Touch. Looks pretty full too."
Spellcraft:
Korriban smiles at Diamon. "Well, I'm taking that then." He then takes the time to don his new set of armor. "I'll also take the masterwork dagger, unless someone needs it. Like Gadriel?"
Abu looks over the odd assortment of items, his eyes a red hue. "Abu says some of the items are enchanted. The armor, the cloth, the ring, and the finger." She places her hand upon the items, one at a time. Her eyes glaze over as she starts to describe the intricate magic imbued. "The armor has a minor enchantment of protection. It will assist against the swords of the living, but not the shadowy touch of death. The cloth is wrapped in summoning magic, tied to the dead and drained but still usable. The ring is also wrapped in protective magics, though it is also enchanted to ward against the touch of the grave. The finger contains many charges for another magic. A word can overwhelm the target with the stench of death." Her eyes refocus as she shakes her head slightly, and Abu's eyes return to their normal color.
"Abu can use the finger, and we would not oppose the robe. Though, we wonder if Korriban knows a person who may help to make the robe... look different... at least the outside."
When offered the dagger, she shakes her head. "Abu thinks another should take the weapon. We are not versed in its use, so another who is should use it."
Gadriel shakes her head sadly at Diamon. "We are sorry. Abu had no more ability to mend and tend to the fruits of battle. Abu is growing tired, Abu's power is waning."
Korriban nods at Gadriel and looks at the others, offering the dagger.
When Gadriel asks about changing the robe's appearance, Korriban scratches his head. "I don't know. It may take some time to find someone. Maybe we can ask Imperia." He looks at Teodor while holding up the ring. "You want the ring? It can help fortify your armor."
Korriban hands the wand and the robe to Gadriel.
"A ghastly engagement, Korriban, but I'd hate to break your heart."
Korriban chuckles at Teodor. "It would be a doomed engagement. You seem to be married to your faith, good sir. I really can't compete with an undead moon."
He points in the direction that the big guy came from. "Let's go that way. We got the head and legs. We just need to find the torso and its limbs." He moves down the hall silently.
Proceeding cautiously to the south, Korriban climbs the set of earthen stairs that terminate in a large nexus chamber. To the west, a passageway leads to what he can tell is the chamber in which they earlier fought one of the little blue creatures. To the east, around a massive earthen pillar, a small tunnel exits the cavern, far too narrow for a human or dwarf to pass through without being uncomfortably squeezed and scraped. To the south the passageway opens up into a larger chamber that, from where Korriban stands a few feet away from its entrance, seems to be a platform overlooking several large pits...from this direction he can faintly hear the sound of moaning.
Korriban continues to move forward carefully, keeping his wits about him.
Sighing and shrugging his shoulders some, he says, "That's alright, Gadriel. Think I still got a bit o' healin' in me left. In case of an emergency." Falchion drawn once more, he takes up a position near the middle of the group along side Adoros, allowing Korriban to sneak ahead more easily.
Perception:
As Korriban sneaks forward, he finds himself in a foul-smelling cavern bordered on three sides by 10-foot-deep pits. It is from these pits that the rancid smell of excrement and decay fills the air--each pit contains a few heaps of moldy straw, a wooden trough of filthy water, a few rotting body parts, and a couple still living prisoners.
All of the pit inhabitants look severely malnourished, and some have greivous-looking wounds. None have noticed you yet.
Korriban sees the prisoners and decides to walk up. "Hello? Are you all right down there? You need out? Trust me. Those pits don't look sanitary."
"Wh-who are you?" a woman in the southernmost pit asks, staring up at you with wide brown eyes. "How did you get in here?! C-Cabbagehead will be back any minute, you've got to get out of here!"
"You stupid b#&$@, they said they want to help us!" the grizzled old man lying on his side in her cell snarls, although he makes no move to get up. He looks at Korriban with empty eyes. "I say it's a trick, though. False hope. Something Rolth or that derro scum, Vreeg, cooked up." He snorts and turns away, devoid of hope.
The woman turns back to you. "Please--you do need to go--but throw me a rope or something! We may not be able to repay you, but you'll have our everlasting thanks!"
Korriban approaches the southern pit and looks down at the two. He smirks. "Korriban Balros, ma'am. At your service. These are my friends, Gadriel and Abu, Teodor, Adoros, and Diamon. We're were sent by Field Marshal Kroft to investigate."
Korriban looks at the old man when he says his piece. "Oh, you mean the chattering, flying blueberry and the slow, big guy? Those are their names? Really? Anyway, they're going to be out for a while. We introduced them to sleepy time. So, let's get you guys out."
He then turns to the others for some rope. As they get the two out, Korriban asks, "Say, you two wouldn't have seen any body parts belonging to a young Shoanti, have you? That's what we're trying to collect." He also looks around the room for anything of worth. Korriban does like to be thorough with his collecting, after all.
Hearing voices, Diamon quickly re-joins his stealthy compatriot, and sees the pit before him containing a few still-living prisoners. Wasting little time, he pulls the rope from his back, secures one end to whatever he can, wraps it then around himself, and throws the other end down into the pit. Leaning over, he says, "Tie yourselves t' that end and I'll haul ya up. We cleared out most of this place already, includin' that Derro prick you mentioned."
"Wh-what? Vreeg and Cabbagehead are..." Words seem to fail the woman, and tears start to pour down her face. "Oh, thank you. Thank you, thank you thank you thank you!"
After about five minutes of hauling, you manage to get all of the survivors up onto the "platform" level. Most seem unable to comprehend their new freedom; they look shellshocked, or just dazed. The woman who spoke to you initially is clearly the one with the most wits left, and she moves from one to the next, checking on them and encouraging them as Diamon hauls them up. When that's done, she steps over and speaks to your group in a low voice.
"Thank you, again. I know it may not seem much to great heroes like you, but we--well, we're not the sort of people many would miss." She swallows, hard, suddenly. "I never thought to be out of this den of horrors...my name is Tiora. I don't have much--but you will receive a proper thank-you from me once we've all made it out of here."
Looking around at the others she says grimly, "Most of them here aren't in any shape to move fast. If you're sure the way out is clear, I'll lead them out and we'll be out of your way; if not, we'll wait here--if you don't come back to let us know it's safe in an hour, I'll...I'll try to lead them out myself."
She doesn't look any too confident in her ability to do this, but she looks dead set on trying.
"Oh, and I haven't seen a young horser--or one's body--but they never stored bodies already dead with us." Her voice drops subconsciously, and she stares into space. "Just those soon to be dead."
The Dwarf grunted and worked hand over hand to haul up the captured souls, glad to see that, for the most part, they were unharmed. NO doubt most were traumatized, but they were alive at least. He turned to Tiora and passed her the handle of the dagger he kept in his boot. "'ere, take this with ya, just in case. If anyone asks where ya got it, it was granted to you by Diamon, Paladin of Abadar." On the blade itself was the rough scratching of the god's symbol; A city before a huge vault door.
Korriban nods at Tiora. "Go on, Tiora. We still have some investigating to do here. The way should be cleared. We got rid of all of the blue guys. Vreeg and one of them are still alive, but unconscious. If you want, one of us can go with you to the exit."
Tiora accepts the dagger with a grateful look, and then shakes her head at Korriban's offer. "Thanks, but if you say the way is cleared, I'm prepared to trust you." Her mouth quirks oddly. "...Not something I say often. C'mon, everyone--let's get out of this hellhole."
The other prisoners stumble behind her as she leads the way, dagger drawn, up the tunnel and then to the left, passing through the chambers you fought in toward the exit. They're soon lost to sight around the curves of the carved walls.
Your group heads back to the north, where Vreeg and Cabbagehead (as you know them now) still lie unconscious. Proceeding cautiously down the hallway that runs to the northwest, you find yourself in a rough-hewn stone room. This chamber holds a large four-poster bed and a simple writing desk, along with a full-length mirror propped up against one earthen wall. To the east, a short tunnel runs into a chamber that you can see from here holds a smaller bed.
Teodor stops the man who spoke earlier. "She is in charge now. Call her a b#@*% again, you decrepit f+$~, and you'll pray to the good Lord Himself to spend the rest of your days as Cabbagehead's b#%#$."
Perception:
Diamon spits on the ground near Vreeg as they walk past, heading into the new room. He heard an occasional thumping sound, but couldn't quite tell where it was coming from. His Falchion sheathed once more, he couldn't find much else of interest in the room, opting to just stand at the entrance to the larger room. Keeping eyes open and staying on alert for the rest of his allies.
Korriban walks into the room and looks around.
As he looks around, he stops, hearing something. "Guys. I hear something. Scraping, scratching, and thumping. It's not rats in the walls, that's for sure. I think there might be something else around."
He then searches the rooms for anything of value.
Sadly, Korriban's quick toss of the room reveals nothing of any valuable. Whoever sleeps in here clearly uses it more as a cell or temporary quarters than an actual home...
This dry, well-kept chamber contains a narrow bed, a relatively empty shelf containing only a few books and some bones and skulls, and a long bench. A man's torso, the chest bearing numerous tribal tattoos and the right arm still attached, lies on the bench. The arm periodically thrashes and clutches at the air as if alive...sometimes scraping the wall and producing that strange noise that you heard.
It seems likely that this is Gaekhen's torso, leaving you missing just his left arm.
Gadriel slowly moves towards the torso, eyes full of morbid curiosity which are only mirrored by the small monkey riding her shoulder. Abu's eyes glow a little, signifying the use of his magic.
Korriban stares at the twitching torso and flailing arm with a tired deadpanned expression. "Okay. I am not carrying that. I'm not doing too good anyway."
The arm continues to thrash aimlessly, lying quiescent for only a few seconds between spasming bursts.
Looking at the body, Korriban thinks. Taking out one of his masterwork daggers, he looks at the others and says, "I could stab it until it stops."
"Yes, please stab the body we're recovering. Think, boy. It cannot hurt us."