Shrugging off the after-effects of the creature's attack, but still smarting from the wound it inflicted, Yildiri draws her mace and prepares to give battle.
Yildiri - 19
Gwerach – 14
Sasithorn - 12
Shadow Wight – 4
Appearing out of the deep dark shadows behind the curtain, a strange human like creature lashes out at Yildiri. The soft rustle of the curtain as it is roughly shoved aside does not go unnoticed, and Gwernach and Marvin are quick to stop and come running at the first sign of trouble.
Yildiri draws back from the encounter and draws her mace
Round 1…
Yildiri – takes 4 damage
Marvin takes a small step forward and brandishes their dagger, holding their musket in the other hand, before slashing at the creature.
Yildiri raises her mace and brings it down upon the shadow, without apparent effect.
Yildiri - 19
Gwerach – 14
Sasithorn - 12
Shadow Wight – 4
Round 1…
Alerted to the encounter, Marvin takes a quick step back toward the curtain and attacks with a dagger in one hand while he tries to move the curtain aside with the musket held in his other hand. His knife hits something soft and the creature lets out a low wail. The confusion around the curtain throws off Yildiri’s timing as she aims for the shadow with her mace, swinging with both hands
Gwernach wastes no time trying to figure out where best to stand and charges through the curtain to get inside the room beyond. Once he is there his keen vision allows him to just make out a shadowy, lithe shape between him and his companions. He wracks his memory for any clue as to what he might be up against but cannot discern what this thing might be. It appears, at first, as if some sort of apparition, but when his axe strikes the form solidly he knows that it is not a ghost or shadow creature, but something substantial.
Sasithorn struggles to see what manner of thing has appeared from behind the curtain, but with the others moving in and around the opening causing the curtain to flip and fold this way and that he cannot see any details
Inside the room, the shadows seem to weave and pulse around the monster and Gwernach believes he actually sees the monster turn in upon itself until it has turned to face him. Its face, in the darkness, is a swirling and grotesque visage of agonizing soundless screams and animal snarls
The dwarf feels the familiar cold burn and pull on his life force that is normally associated with attacks that draw upon the power of the negative plane.
Startled and caught a bit unprepared for the monsters bizarre appearance, Gwernach is struck across the neck by sharp claws
Yildiri – takes 4 damage
Round 1
Shadow Wight – takes 3 damage (23)
Shadow Wight – takes 9 damage (14)
Gwernach - takes 8 damamage (36)
The blow to his neck burns causing Gwernach to grimace. Fighting off the attack to his spirit with a dwarven battle cry, Yaaaaaaaaaahhh! the ranger glares at the dark figure. Studying the odd pulse and weave the creature Gwernach raises his axe for another attack. With skilled timing again the dwarf's axe connects with the curtain monster, the feeling of its solid form resist the edge of his axe a reassurance to the dwarf.
Yildiri tries again, swinging her weapon at her foe's insubstantial form.
Marvin continues to slash their knife at the creature, aiming to strike it down as fast as possible, not knowing if the noise they were making would alert any nearby foes.
Unfortunately, their haste proved to be counter-productive to their goal.
Yildiri - 19
Gwerach – 14
Sasithorn - 12
Shadow Wight – 4
Round 2…
It becomes almost a farce as the three heroes struggle to take down the enemy while between them the curtain whips this way and that.
Marven leans to one side and lunges but it is only a shadow made by the curtain that his blade strikes
Yildiri takes advantage of the monster’s change in focus, now attacking her dwarven companion, and strikes a blow on the monster’s back.
A low and drawn out hiss escapes the monsters curled lips as it rears back for another attack on Gwernack when with a snarl and battle cry of his own the dwarf buries his axe in the monsters forehead driving down onto the stone floor in a crumbled heap.
The shadowy shape twitches for a moment and is then still.
As the heroes watch it carefully for any sign it may rise again, the dark color of its shape unfolds spilling out across the floor until it is spread so thin that it evaporates leaving behind a cold bluish corpse, with skin taunt across bones and dead black eyes.
Yildiri – takes 4 damage
Round 1
Shadow Wight – takes 3 damage (23)
Shadow Wight – takes 9 damage (14)
Round 2
Shadow Wight – takes 6 damage (8)
Shadow Wight – takes 11 damage (-3, destroyed)
Looking up and glancing around the room, Marvin, Yildiri, and Gwernach find that this small alcove appears to have been the creature’s lair. There is a pile of rage on top of what appears to be an old thin mattress in one corner.
Gwernach gives the blue corpse a tap with his boot just to make sure it stays a dead, undead thing. Somewhat satisfied, the ranger silently nods to the others then moves over to the corner of the alcove. Using the blade of his axe, the dwarf carefully sifts through some of the rags checking the mattress for anything of interest, Perhaps thars some'thn 'ere ta suggest wha tha is?
"Aydınlatılmadan doğmak", replies Yildiri, "A demon of the shadows, though I'm not sure I've seen its like before"
Sasithorn approaches the others mingling around the curtain, wondering what it was he just missed, while Yildiri kneels down to take a closer look at the corpse on the floor.
Over in the corner Gwernach uses the head of his weapon to carefully lift pieces of ratted, deteriorating cloth from what was once a kind of mattress filled with natural fibers but is now no more than a compressed, almost petrified into wood like hardness, matt.
As another piece of cloth is lifted suddenly two items roll off the matt and onto the floor with a slight clattering sound
*clickity-clack-clack*
A long, white, stick not much thicker than a finger, and a heavy silver colored ring, with a red stone, fall out of the bed onto the floor.
Noticing the items, Gwernach softly whistles to get his companion's attention, Per'aps you'll want-ta check these, eh? The dwarf's eyes lit up, he looks pleased to have found something.
While the others confer over the remains of the creature and the items, Gwernach joins MARVIN in the passage, silently keeping watch in case the commotion attracted something else.
Yildiri scowls.
"Help yourself. I would be suspicious of anything left lying about in this place - look at what happened to that", she says, gesturing at the corpse. "However, I will take the wand, although I am wary about using it". She picks up the wand, placing it in a pocket, then walks out to join the others in the passage.
Marvin waits for the group to gather before pointing out where else they can go. "There is another curtain down the hallway that may hide another alcove and steps that lead to a higher elevation. This unit suggests checking behind the other curtain and exercising caution when doing so."
"Agreed", says Yildiri. "Could one of you watch my back while I do so?"
We'll all go lass.
Attempting to move quietly, Gwernach moves with the others to investigate the second curtain. His leather armor creaks as he steps and the distraction of knowing he can do better shifts his attention.
The wand is picked up by Yildiri, while Sasithorn continues to hold out the ring, waiting for one of the others to speak up. When no one does, he is safe to assume it is his.
The group, now lead by Yildiri, moves across the open passageway to the south to a curtain hanging in the same manner in the opposite hall, and takes up positions in case of an altercation.
Gwernach is ready to spring on anything that might pop out, but when the curtain is moved aside all that is revealed is a dank and musty room, overgrown with a dark, deep red fungus.
Bah! The dwarf is, for some reason, disappointed to find nothing lurking behind the curtain. Still, there is the musty red fungus. Some species of fungi have been known to be dangerous and given the reputation of this place, Gwrenach would not be surprised if the stuff suddenly lurched out at them.
Yildiri wrinkles her nose.
"I doubt there's anything in there, and even if there was, I'd prefer to leave it well alone. Let's move on"
'Fungas deargas' Gwernach identifies the growth using the dwarven nomenclature, Tis a wee bit toxic ba oth'rwise good on boils an such. Ah donna recommend us'n it for-ra face mask thou. The ranger uses his axe to push some of it out of the way as he conducts a careful search.
Pushing the strange fungus away in large swaths with the head of his axe, Gwernach uncovers the skeleton of a small humanoid. The skeleton is completely bare, but for a silver bracelet made from small flat disks and fine silver wire
Yildiri looks surprised.
"Let me see that bracelet!", she says, then after examining it:
"Caerin, unless I'm much mistaken, and whoever had it was of some importance. They're another tribe, similar to mine, but they don't normally come this way", she explains to the others.
Yildiri frowns.
"Let me think - when did they last visit?"
Also, if she can get close to the skeleton without disturbing the fungus, Yildiri will examine the skeleton to see if there are any clues as to the cause of death.
Yildiri cannot remember the last time the Caerin were seen in the gorge, or on the southern rim. She steps carefully toward the skeleton and kneels as Gwernach clears away more of the short, fat, red mushrooms. Looking at the bleached bones she cannot determine the exact cause of death, but can see that the skeleton appears to have not suffered any extensive or obvious trauma.
Right then, less carry on. Gwernach hefts his axe and carefully makes his way down the hall, tripping himself up on the curtain in the process.
Yildiri grunts in agreement and follows Gwernach.
Marvin nods an affirmative and follows behind as they continue to explore the temple.
The party continues down the ten foot wide passageway, passed the second curtain into a large chamber
The chamber has a high ceiling, and is oddly shaped.
On the right the chamber is dominated by a platform built into the walls which rises about two feet above the floor. This platform resembles a stage and is made of wood. In the center of the stage is a statue of a god-like figure
The statue is made from dark stone, similar to the stone used on the columns that support the entrance gate. The statue is of a thin, Eyesturlun like being, dressed in a long robe that is gathered around the body as if it is caught in a whirl wind. The figure is sexually ambiguous, having both masculine and feminine features. The face is attractive, and wears a half smile.
To the left as you enter there is a passageway, ten feet wide in the apex of the room, where the walls come together at an angle, and from this direction a soft red glowing light can be seen
Not one for androgyny, Gwernach moves towards the light, mindful of any more curtains lurking to trip him up.
"That does not bode well", says Yildiri grimly, upon seeing the statue.
"Friend Gwernach, what is that light?"
Yildiri, Sasitorn, and Marvin approach the platform, while Gwernach takes a route to the other end of the room, and the faint glowing light.
The dwarf holds up his hand to gesture he needs a minute and quietly makes his way to the passageway, stopping short of entering it. Scanning the corridor beyond Gwernach observes the alcoves for a quick minute, waiting to see if the source of this noise makes a fleeting appearance.
Marvin nods in response to Gwernach and holds their musket, keeping watch over the dwarf's back.
Yildiri nocks an arrow to her bow and stays alert.
Taking a bit more of a risk, Gwernach approaches the ten foot wide passageway, hoping to learn a little more of what is generating the red light
Gwernach puzzles, Wha tha devil's tha? Feeling less informed by what he's seen and heard than before he'd gotten closer, the ranger shrugs then steps softly back to the others so he might relate this.
Emerging from the corner passage the dwarf rejoins the others, Am rally no sure wha ta tell ya. Gwernach frowns, Tis a hall, ten foot by ten with alcoves. Two alcoves 'ave glow'n red objects, he pauses quizzically, Ah think. Defin'ate-lay red an humm'n like bees. A wee bit an throb'n 'swell. They move slow-lay up an down too. One thang's fa certain, Ah didn't see no bees or tha like. Finished his report Gwernach pensively pulls at his beard, hoping someone will offer some advice.
|
"If I were to hazard a guess, it sounds like more alien science. From what I've seen of it, it does tend to hum. Amazing it's managed to remain concealed all these years. You'd think at least a few of history's great adventurers would have...of course, maybe there's some great and terrible secret...." Sasithorn shrugs, ambivalent about the implications of what he's saying.
"Strolling up there seems unwise, if we don't know what they do", offers Yildiri.
"Although I could always fire an arrow past them. If it's a snare, that might set it off and give us the chance to get past safely..."
Gwernach shoots a look toward Yildiri, Ya suppose it'sa trap? The ranger frowns as his considers the possibility then nods agreeably, Aye lass, tis bett'r ta be cautious, ba tak'n a shot seems wasteful. Gwernach reaches into his pouch to retrieve a copper piece, We'll toss a coin, follow tha up with wha we see.
Carefully picking his way back to the glowing passage, Gwernach returns to a position giving him a clear view of the hallway. Then he tosses the coin down the middle of the corridor watching the copper ting and bounce its way to the other end.
"I have no idea what it is, but it's worth wasting an arrow if we can find out", replies Yildiri. After she's finished speaking, she draws her bow and fires an arrow down the hall, between the two red objects.
Perhaps it is Gwernach’s peculiar way of speaking. Maybe it is the overwhelming sense of foreboding in Yildiri’s heart, but for whatever reason, things do no go as well as anyone had hoped.
Gwernach creeps close to the passageway and throws a coin down the hall and immediately two creatures appear.
They resemble tortle’s* but appear to be made from wood, metal, and perhaps bone. Each is about four feet tall, moves on three short fat legs, and has a head that glows in a dull red color. The creatures have three short, fat, articulated arms which end in heavy fat fists.
The creatures come from the alcoves, one from each, as soon as the coin passes the area, and stand still. It is difficult to tell what they might be contemplating, but then, from behind Gwernach, Yildiri fires an arrow high over the creature’s heads, which is noticed by them somehow, it is difficult to see if these things have eyes, and the machine like monsters turn in place and start hustling toward you.
The sound of Yildiri's arrow whizzing past his head causes Gwernach's eyebrow to shoot up in surprise. He has only time enough to give the girl a quizzical look before the fat sounds of hustling legs return's the dwarf's attention to the passage. Too shocked by the obscure appearance of these creatures to immediately react Gwernach can only curse, Bloody 'ell! Thas no wa Ah was ex'pect'n.