"Tik'Klik!"
Sparks continue to arc off the golem's open arm, and it keeps it's arm pointing in the direction of the flying skull. With another SNAP crack of electricity, a small jolt of energy arcs between the golem and the tip of Graham's Lucerne Hammer.
"Tik'Klik!"
As the flapping blackened tongue undead creature swoops at Taicho he raises both claws and declares in his flat baritone
your flying does not honor Hei Feng the god of wind
then in the shackles caw
s'bout times ta put ya on tha deck, wroight
As the foolish Undead floating abomination of strangeness has the audacity to get within swinging range, Graham smirks as he raises his Lucerne high, having braced for such a thing.
And whether that strikes or not, he can't be sure in all this darkness. With what distance it passes, he still gets the luxury of striking it yet again with a wide grin crossing his face.
Of both blows, he feels rather confident about his first one, rather happy with the placement.
With a swing of his mighty hammer, Graham sunders the creature...fragments of bone shower both Taicho and Graham whilst small flecks of black ichor are spread over a wide area... Yet the wings, barely attached to the pulped head, still flap on mindlessly and it takes Taicho's claws to pull them from the air.
An examination of the dead creature reveals that it was undead (the absence of fresh blood, the putrefaction of the flesh and the overpowering smell of decay confirm it beyond any doubt), however what the creature was in life is a mystery.
Leaving the remains of the undead beast behind you, you approach the heavy wooden door to the East. As you move to the eastern end of the corridor you see that the corridor does indeed turn to the right at the door (heading in a southerly direction). This southern spur of the corridor widens (from ten feet to fifteen feet) and proceeds for around forty feet where it terminates. The chamber is decorated with large carvings of religious ceremonies and priests handing down judgements to the common people. Stone benches are lined up before a single podium at the southern end of the room.
After Taicho kicks the remains of the pulped head he moves forward and inspects the door for traps and locks, in his Shackles caw he continues
'ang on blokes, I's'l inspectorfy the doorsy ta see if its safe, wroight
Taicho - Listening at the door for a while with everyone standing quietly, you can strain to hear light footsteps from beyond the door...your visual check of the door itself reveals no traps...
Taicho turns to the group and placing his finger over his mouth he makes a gentle Shhh... and then using two fingers makes a walking gesture. He then attempts to open the door.
Aston, relieved that the undead creature has been vanquished, takes a moment to admire the chamber south of the door.
Afterward, when Taicho starts to open the door, he moves to about ten feet behind him and keeps his crossbow leveled at the door in case anything comes out swinging upon entry. "Careful, friend," he whispers.
"Hm. Strange creature. It's always interesting to kill undead that aren't of a humanoid race... Though frankly speaking when it's just a head, you can't expect them to be capable of taking hits that well... A pity really." Graham says as he walks away from the fleshy bits. He knows his allies are far more stealthy than he is, but carefully walks a ways behind them all the same.
"Tik'Klik..."
The golem looks at the undead corpse, and then *phoomp* hits it a couple of times with acid, melting the remains into a puddle.
"Tik'KliK!" The golem seems satisfied finally.
- Looking around the chamber, it certainly appeared to have had some religious purpose in the past...although the level of accumulated dust suggests that it last saw such use centuries ago. Looking around the chamber reveals no threats nor does it reveal anything worthy of continued examination.
Taicho pushes hard against the door with his foot...and nothing...the door barely moves - although it's not so much locked as it is blocked - possibly barricaded?
as the door resists Taicho's nudge he steps back away and shrugs his shoulders; he then whispers in his Tian tenor
the door may be brocked, possibry barricaded
he reiterates in his flat baritone
however the room does seemed to be occupied
After an awkward pause, Aston blinks and clears his throat. "Oh. Ah. Sorry, were you waiting on me...?" If he could blush, his cheeks would be bright red.
He quickly retrieves his crowbar and attempts to pry the door open.
Trying to keep quiet, Aston attempts to press his weight against the bar, but it does not seem to be working. "Just... a little... bit... more..." he says in a strained whisper.
Taicho, reaches up under Aston and grabbing the bar, tries to help pull
With the additional leverage provided by Taicho, the door creaks open and then, with a terrific crash, swings inwards...dislodging a pile of furniture which had been haphazardly pushed against the door. The light from the group standing at the door seems somehow less potent as it struggles to sparkle in the pressing gloom.
The room you have opened is no more than 20 feet (North to South) by 15 feet (East to West) with two doors; the one that you have just opened and a second door in the Eastern Wall. The room itself clearly has (or had) a ceremonial function as religious carvings depicting the judgement of souls cover every wall of the room. A stone pedestal with a bowl-shaped depression on top stands in the North-West corner of this room whilst wooden cabinets and chests of drawers line the walls.
Seeing the Tengu put a surprising amount of force behind that pull, Graham chuckles a little after realizing his assistance might not have actually been needed in the first place. However, all that considered, he looks back to the Golem, giving it a shrug. "Oh, fantastic..." he says as the room opens up. ""I can finally hit things without the shadows playing tricks on me. How about we just lure everything back here forever?" he says with a smile and just a glaring hint of sarcasm.
shadows playing tricks
hearing Graham's humor Tachio casts light on the large hammer and says in his flat baritone
now you are the light carrier, they will come to you
as Tachio goes into the room he looks around carefully
and notices someone, or something, is hiding behind a trip of robes hung on the northern wall, drawing out a chakram and calling out in his Shackles caw
Oy, you's hidin' in tha wardrobe, come on out's wheres we can see's ya, wroight
Stepping out of the gloom, a cloaked figure standing no more than three feet high, nervously looks around,
”D…D…D…Did you k…k…kill that thing? That awf…awf…awf…”, the figure tries again…”…horrid head thing?”
The figure is humanoid and speaks in a very guttural (and terribly nervous) way…in the dim light you aren’t able to discern much about this individual…other than the fact that a notably large nose protrudes from the hood of it’s cloak…and, frankly, it smells quite pungent.
what a lovely nose
Taicho tilts his head, looking at the strange little humanoid and answers back in the flat baritone
Graham Sykes of the luminescent hammer
in the shackle caw
'E smashed it ta smithereens, 'e did, wroight
then in the tian tenor
prease, what and who our you and why our you here in this prace?
Trying his hardest to ignore the smell, Aston smiles pleasantly, though he is not so naive as to come any closer. A friendly facade can be kept up just as easily from ten paces. "Indeed, my good fellow, we have exterminated the creature that lurked outside this door. How long have you been barricaded inside this room? 'Twould seem freedom is yours at last, in any case." Keeping up his pleasant smile, he gives Graham a knowing nod. "And, if we could bother you with a few quick questions once your nerves have settled, perhaps you might share your knowledge of this curious place with us."
Graham looks at the creature with the large nose and smiles simply as he walks along, letting the light radiate from his hammer. He keeps his mouth shut and his smile wide, but stands with his Lucerne drawn and closed within his two hands. His cool eyes look towards Aston and he quickly raises them high for just a moment before drawing them back at the creature with a large nose.
He doesn't audibly mention it, but he can't help but think of something; "How long has this fellow been in here, how has he survived, and worse still, how did he get in..."
"Tik'Klik!"
Tik looks at Graham, then the figure in the dim room, and then Taicho, and then Aston.
The golem apparently isn't bothered by the rank odor. Not a surprise, given his general lack of a nose. No doubt he has something that works much the same, but likely isn't wired into his non-existant hind brain like organics are.
"M...M....My name is Falk.... I only came up here to get some shinies for my master....and then th...th.....that thing, it was horrible...."
Wiping it's nose on it's filthy cloak, "You won't hurt me will you?"
Seeing Graham, and taking in the size of the luminous weapon that he is brandishing, Falk starts to cower and snivel again....
"I don't know...so....so...much about this place...sir, sorry sir, sir? Are you sure that thing is dead?"
"Let me check." Is all Graham says as he walks over towards the strange undead head, raising his Hammer, and smashing his hammer down as hard as physically possible.
Taicho tilts his head and repeats the frightened creature
get some shinies
tilting his head the other way, satisfied with his imprssion he fishes into his pouch pulling out a gold coin and handing it to the little guy, smiling in his flat baritone
Shiny
done with his interaction with the odd fellow he begins to search the room
"Well, I'd say it's had enough," Aston says, chuckling at Graham's display. "All's well that ends well. Now then, Falk, I see no reason for us to wish any harm upon one another. So long as this 'Master' of yours is not the grave-robber we are searching for, I don't imagine we've any cause to part ways as anything other than friends." Realizing that Falk is still frightened, Aston again makes an effort to calm him down.
"Do not worry, we can find other sources of information here. Tell me, Falk, have you encountered anyone else in these halls? Anyone who, perhaps, spends a good deal of time here and might be willing to help us?"
Aston nods appreciatively to Taicho as he begins inspecting the room. "Tik'Klik, shall we take a quick sweep around for any items of a magical sort nearby? Assuming, of course, that our friend Falk here has not already claimed them for his own."
"Tik'Klik!"
The golem steps into the doorway, and his eyes begin to glow purple. His head begins to slowly spin 360 degrees, examining the hallway, the closet, the strange creature, the other adventurers, everything.
Falk jumps as Graham's hammer smears the remnants of the Vargouille across the floor. "Oh no sir... My master isn't a grave robber or any of those other things... Those dead things have started coming into our tunnels too - 'orrid they are". Whilst he is still visibly stressed, his pale fingers beating a staccato rhythm on the table top, he does start to tell you a little more, "I came up from our place and thought this place long dead... But it's not!!! There was that thing and...", in a hushed tone whilst motioning at the eastern door from the room, "there is something awful in that room... I think it is a Naga!!! Watch out, it is REALLY evil...."
"Tik'Klik."
The golem finally moves again, and it's eyes begin to glow yellow as it takes two scrolls from the wall, unrolling each, one after the other, scanning them with yellow eyes.
Then it moves over to the clothes rack, and pulls a tattered cloak from it, and puts the cloak on the table.
"Tik'Klik ick klik tik tik klick." It then points to a few of the older objects in the room, the priestly vestments and older scrolls, but doesn't pull them out.
"An evil Naga..." Aston says thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "And undead swarming forth from these crypts, even deeper into the Undercity, I presume. Curiouser and curiouser still. Thank you for the information, Falk."
"Good find, Tik. Seems we've found some useful tools here- and I'm sure Sister Nerissia would be very interested in these vestments. They could be of considerable historical value to the Church of Pharasma."
- the scrolls are both for the arcane delay of poison effects.
"Tik'Klik."
Tik hands one scroll to Aston, and the other vanishes into his arm. Not the arm with the morning star. The one he usually uses for firing spells from.
"Does this Naga make it a point to leave her den to wander the halls occasionally? If so I would very much like to save her for after we've dealt with the person we're looking for."[/b] Graham asks simply. "Speaking of which, Aston, this isn't particularly the time.. but.. I am not a lover of secrets, no? You seem to be the priestesses most favored among us, yes? What was so grave that she could only tell you?" he asks simply. "If my suspicions are correct, I'm willing to bet fairly good money that this is all some silly orchestration of an Ex Pharasman... You know, I've always found this religion to be so funny, haven't you?" he asks as he walks towards the two of them as they collect their belongings. "It teases those that might enjoy Necromancy in the future, does it not?" he asks with a smile. "Since we've been here I've been thinking that... well... Perhaps we're looking for a turned?" he asks quizzically.
after inspecting the room Taicho will inspect the door going to the east for traps, he will then see if it is locked or unlocked
Taicho finds nothing untoward on the door to the east - so far as he can tell, it isn't trapped and it certainly isn't locked.
Falk pipes up and simpering to Aston, asks, "Can I? Can I... Can I go sir?"
Unless there is a trap Taicho will open the door.
Taicho finds nothing untoward on the door to the east - so far as he can tell, it isn't trapped and it certainly isn't locked.
The handle of the door releases with no trouble... And, with minimal effort, the door is opened.
The first thing you notice...before even you peer into the room....is a pervading sense of damp...the air passing from the room is noticeably colder, there is a smell of mildew and, listening, you could swear you can here the sound of water dripping.
The room itself, as the door is fully opened, can be seen to be of a similar size to the one you currently stand in; although there is no evidence of ornate furnishings here....just a pile of damp wood and rugs in the centre of the room. The room itself is not lit however, the light you are carrying illuminates the room readily....
...and shines from the scales of a serpentine tail disappearing behind the woodpile.
...at the same time, Falk let's out a scream of terror and runs out into the corridor...as Falk leaves the room (at considerable speed), a few things become apparent; firstly, the terrible smell starts to dissipate, secondly your light source becomes far more effective allowing you to see freely within this room (conversely, the corridor has become dim as Falk scurries off)...
In the moment before the door opens, Aston smiles disarmingly to Falk and gestures toward the door they entered through. "Of course, Falk. You are free to-"
And then the door opens, and something slithers behind a pile of wood, and Falk screams and runs out of the doorway.
"-go," Aston says, staring blankly at the spot where Falk had stood moments before. He casually turns in the direction of the fleeing creature and waves. "Do be careful out there, Falk!" he calls after him. "Watch out for traps and the like."
With that, he levels his crossbow at the woodpile. "Well, gents," he says, "clearly the thing knows we're here. Shall we give the diplomatic approach a try? It worked well enough with old Falk. Perhaps this Naga will listen to reason."
Taicho watching the tail slither out of sight, exclaims gleefully in his shackles caw.
Grabs it, grabs is, snakes good eatin, wroight
Then in the flat baritone
if it attacks we may justify killing it and consuming it
Approaching the woodpile he says in his tian tenor
prease come out tasty creature, we haf been sent to crear the crypt, you may reave peacefurry or we wirr attack
Attempting diplomacy with the owner of the serpentine tail, Taicho cautiously enters the room, moving towards the clutter of detritus behind which the tail had been seen.
"Ssssstop.....beware Sssstrangers!!!!", comes a whispered voice from behind the pile....and, as if to emphasise the point, the dark serpentine tail reappears from behind the pile, flicking menacingly.
"Tik'Klik!"
The golem enters the doorway and scans the room with whirling purple eyes.
Not one for actual Diplomacy, Graham walks up all the same and gives the creature in question a concerning look as he maintains a good distance and allows his Lucerne to swing gently down to the ground and rest it's head on the floor. "Dear me, pardon the intrusion. Taicho! Have some manners, and don't refer to something that speaks as tasty, that's just rude. Besides, this is certainly no Naga... I do believe it's far too small." he says with no real knowledge of Nagas. "Creature, do be of assistance and name yourself, if you would. I assure you, we're the diplomatic sort. Taicho is just a bit... eccentric." he says, tapping his left hand to his chin for a moment as he looks at him and tries to find the right word for it.
"Verrrrrry Well", the serpentine tail disappears once more from view and, following a small amount of clattering as some of the piled furniture falls to the floor, reappears atop the pile of sodden furniture…..attached to the rest of a four feet long snake….or, it would be a snake, but for the grey, lipless goblinoid head topping the serpentine body.
"Greeeetingsssss, I am Yrix…..of the Wyrmfolk", the creature dramatically pauses, almost as if waiting for gasps of astonishment.
When it becomes clear that you are not going to prostrate yourselves in front of this 'Wyrmfolk', Yrix continues, "What do youuuu sssseeeeek? I am a purveyor of knowledgggge….and thissss isssss MY domain". Following another brief pause from dramatic effect, the creature lets off a repulsively odourous belch.
"Tik'Klik."
The golem looks at the creature, and continues to make clicking sounds. "Tik ick klick ick lick tik tik lict tick klik ick ik."
snakes are nummy but a goblins head, who eats goblins
Taicho tilts his head, looking at the odd creature, then in his flat baritone he says
Sister Nerissia of The Cathedral of Pharasma has tasked us to bring order to the Ossuary
imitating the creature he continues
That is what wee are sssseeeeek, and thissss isssss NOT YOUR domain
then glaring at the creature in his Shackles caw
you's, ya bloody lit'le bugger, is trespassin' wroight, we's'l giva ya's abouts thoirty seconds ta leaves,
adding in the tian tenor
reaving all of the Ossuary treasures in prace
"Thisss isss my home... Pharasma cares not for what happens down here... Pay me gold and I...may tell you ssssome of my ssssecretsss.... Otherwise you ssssshould jusssst leave", Yrix starts to slither to the top of the sodden wooden pile in an attempt to be more imposing than it's bulk and size truly allows.
thanks for exposing yourself, you should have taken the deal
tired of talking to the potential meal, Taicho quickly draws a chakram and throwing it at the snake thing says in his shackles caw.
I's a tried ta warn ya's, wroight
As Taicho's weapon flies wildly over Yrix's head, he screams with indignation, "How dare you!!! This issss my place not sssssome dusssssty old goddess'ssssss"
"TIK'KLIK!"
The golem turns to face Taciho and begins to let loose a string of outraged ticks and clicks. In the middle, some of the tics and clicks seem to make some sense.
"...ick tick! Tick tong ong tong wrong ong... wrong... ong wr wr ong wrong... ick tick tick click klik ick!"