"Uuggh!! Puh! Puh! That wasn't delicious at all!"
She pets Lion and says, "Look, I'm not sure what's going on here. For now, why don't you ride in your satchel where it's safer."
Opening the double doors to the north reveals a large shaft with a winding staircase. The wooden walls of this musty shaft abut the natural stone of the cliff face to the east. A sturdy-looking wooden stair and rail starts at the bottom of this shaft and circles up into the heights, running clockwise. Above, its passage is lost in the gloom, like the musty interior of an ancient silo. A thick length of chain hangs down the shaft in loops, its links swaying and clanking softly to the periodic gust of wind that penetrates the walls. No windows pierce the wooden walls. Propped against the east wall near the door is an upended wheelbarrow.
Jeevika carefully leads the way up the stairs. She keeps her monochrome eyes and pointy ears peeled for danger. For instance, undead trees and spontaneously exploding dwarf ghosts.
Rylibird flies in and alights on the handle of the wheelbarrow. She also keeps her senses alert for danger.
Ryli slips out of the tent of the elders and makes her way through the herd until she's at its edge. She feels the stares, but can't bring herself to face anyone.
The heat that Chogra had kindled in her soon fades, replaced by a gnawing guilt in the way she had disrupted the herd. That, and the fact that she couldn't help but hate the idea of sharing. Even though she had every intention of embracing this herd's ways, she felt a very two-legged reaction to the idea of becoming Chogra's fifth wife. His obvious interest and sacrifice for her made it even more difficult. He'd saved her life once and her standing with the herd twice. And the things he could do to her with just a touch --
She shakes herself from that line of thought before she embarasses herself. Trying to clear her head, she whistles for Olympus. A large mass of feathers several yards away lifts its head, stands with a shake, and hops over to her. Ryli hugs him, burying her face in the soft feathers of his neck. She longed to take him for a ride, but wouldn't dare shift into one of her old forms within sight of the herd.
Instead, she turns around to face the herd and sits down with her roc friend, folding her legs underneath her and leaning her torso against him. She throws one arm around his powerful feathered shoulders and just enjoys his presence. She looks at the centaurs through half-lidded eyes, observing the mixed reactions and emotions, picking out snippets of conversation and catching the sidelong glances in her direction.
She wanted to tell them all that she could be trusted. That she would use all her powers to protect the herd and they needn't be worried about her. But she had tried that with the elders and it was nearly a disaster. She wasn't going to try it with the rank and file of the herd.
Instead, she just stays quiet. She felt open and willing to talk with any who would come up to her, though she had to wonder if it was her or Olympus they were avoiding. She idly thinks that any young stallion brave enough to approach with the roc so close would rise in esteem in her eyes, and smiles wistfully at that.
"You'll always be my first love, buddy," she whispers to Olympus.
The climb up the stair is uneventful. Creaky, but uneventful. That is until about 50 feet up, when Jeevika spots three stairs that look a bit...off, if only slightly. As she looks them over, she can tell that they are designed to give way and tip anyone over the edge should they put even the slightest bit of weight upon them.
Upon seeing the likely trap, Jeevika halts the group progression.
"I think I see a trap. Zoli, would you kindly take a look at those three stairs and attempt to disable the danger? Be careful; they are designed to give way should even the slightest bit of weight be put on them and send the source over the edge."
Jeevika's Communal Air Walk spell would likely trivialize the problem, but she would rather save it for an occasion that Zoli couldn't just disable.
Zoli takes out her thieves' tools, whirls them around, and sets to work disabling the trap.
"Lemme see what I can do here."
The diminutive thrush that is Ryli hops up past the weakened stairs, flying unerringly through the dim light thanks to her echolocation that has her as alert as a bat in a cave.
Zoli manages to disable he mechanism and rig the stairs in such a way that they will not tip over and send any of you for a long fall down the shaft.
Zoli gives a pleased-as-punch fist bump, and says, "Hey, I still have it in me."
Then she continues up the stairs.
"Indeed! Excellent work, Zoli!"
With that said, Jeevika follows the Swashbuckler up the stairs and again keeps her monochrome eyes and pointy ears peeled for danger.
As the group reaches the top of the stairs, the large chain connected to the ore bucket suddenly lashes out with a life of its own! It whips about at both Zoli and Lorthan, failing to connect with either of them!
__________
Lorthan stays in place and attacks with the adamantine end of his double sword.
"Ha, if you think you can hit me that easily, you're missing a link there, chainey!"
Zoli whips Wrathblade around with blinding speed, trying to cut the chain into ribbons.
Jeevika also joins the melee beatdown.
plus
plus
plus
Ryli watches the battle closely, trusting the melee combatants can deal with the animated chain. She prepares to use her magics in a protective manner in case the threat manages to get a lucky strike in.
The chain is quickly dispatched, sending small shattered bits of it's iron links clattering noisily down the chute. You find yourselves on a loft overlooking the stairwell. No windows open into this dark, plummeting shaft. A heavy winch bolted to the balcony supports the remains of the rusty chain that ran up through a pulley mounted in the roof of the shaft and from which hung a heavy iron bucket. Heavy wooden chocks have been nailed to the floor at the edge of the balcony, and the front wheel of a wheelbarrow rests against them. Nearby lies a 10-foot pole with an iron hook at the tip.
Jeevika inspects the door to the west.
Zoli says, "Psst, Jeeves and Elthariel, aren't you elves supposed to be good at finding secret doors? Look over here!"
Zoli goes over to give it a look and listen.
Ryli stays alert. She debates returning to a speaking form, but Zoli spotted the secret door as well. So there was still no need at present, and the press of bodies made the thought of adding one more large creature unpleasant.
"That's an old myth," Jeevika chuckles. However, upon seeing Zoli move to inspect something, she adds, "Wait, you're serious? How'd I miss that? I'm so high on magic right now that I should be able to see Xin-Shalast!"
The door appears safe to open.
Zoli motions for everyone to get ready and then peers inside (thinking to herself how nice it is to be able to see in the dark now).
Turns out the secret door was locked, but with a grin and flick of her tools, Zoli quickly remedies that problem.
Seven large burlap sacks sit against the northern wall of this small room, while to the west sits a small desk and chair. A leather-bound ledger lies atop the desk.
"Oooh, I wonder what we'll find in here?"
Restraining her curiosity just enough to turn the ancient pages with care, Zoli starts to leaf through the ledger.
Meanwhile, Jeevika carefully examines the contents of the seven large burlap sacks.
The door creaks loudly when opened. Five of the sacks are stuffed with gold dust and are worth 1,000 gp each. The last two actually hold gold nuggets and are worth 2,500 gp each. Each sack weighs 40 pounds. Hidden behind one of the sacks is a small coffer holding 14 uncut gems, worth 50 gp each.
The ledger on the desk contains several detailed maps of the regions the brothers were mining, and locates all of their assay points and mines. Notes on the payout of each mine are listed—it appears that all of them have played out without imparting any particularly rich lodes. Several pages near the end of the ledger have been torn out.
Ryli hops onto Jeevika's shoulders so she can look at the ledger as well.
Jeevika takes a moment or two to pack away the wealth in the group's Bags of Holding.
"This feels like grave robbing," she mutters under her breath. However, the wealth could be put to good use in the war against Karzoug. Leaving it to rot just feels wasteful.
After everything is securely packed away, Jeevika joins Zoli in reviewing the paperwork.
"I don't think there's anything useful in there. Strange. This is usually the part where we find some convenient paperwork and then continue on our merry way!" the Ambassador notes dryly.
Zoli scratches her head. "Well then, what next? Shall we check out the mines shown on this map? Perhaps some of them will have a clue to help us.
"Unless someone else has a different idea? Either way, we can "
"Let's try the other door (the not secret one) before we start digging through any old mines," proposes Jeevika with a chuckle.
Knowing that it is already safe, the Holy Vindicator moves to open the not-so-secret door, using her "skeleton key" if necessary...
This room obviously doubled as the main living quarters and kitchen for the inhabitants of the cabin. A stone hearth and chimney occupy the southeast corner, with an iron hook holding a cauldron above the grate. The rest of the room is in a horrific state—firewood, cooking utensils, pots and pans, and even the furniture lie in scattered heaps. A painting of two dour-looking dwarves standing in front of an enormous elk hangs askew on the northern wall. Ancient bloodstains mar the walls and floor and bits of overturned furniture here and there, but there are no bodies.
Through the one window you can see thanks to the last few minutes of daylight shining in that the weather outside has turned for the worse as a strong snowstorm has whipped up. You all also start feeling pangs of hunger clawing at your stomachs. Lorthan in particular clenches at his stomach and drops his weapon, groaning with hunger. He looks around at the group, an addled look in his eye, as he licks his sharp teeth with his tongue...
Ryli cheeps the bird equivalent of, "That's not good," when she sees Lorthan succumbing to whatever malevolent spirit is haunting this place.
She looks around at everyone else, worried.
Jeevika growls and briefly holds her own stomach. However, in contrast to Lorthan, she manages to power through the apparent phantom hunger. She remembers how her Ring of Sustenance would make it incredibly difficult for her to actually starve.
"Easy, Lorthan," Jeevika says, attempting to reason with the dragon man. "I feel the same hunger. However, it isn't real; it's a trick! ...Besides, if we attack each other, that could hurt Elthariel and orphan Kallie! We don't want that to happen, right?"
She recognizes that it is a bit of a low blow invoking Elthariel and Kallie, but if that does not stop Lorthan from attacking them, then nothing will.
"You are not going to attempt to eat us, are you Lorthan?"
Elthariel, also anxious at the sight of Lorthan peering at them hungrily, says ”I feel it too, Lor...it’s...it’s not real! Don’t let it trick you!”
He just snarls as a thick band of saliva drops down from his maw, ”Must...EAT!” he roars as he enrages and lunges at Jeevika, and wraps her up in his powerful arms!
Zoli gives Lorthan an apologetic shrug, saying, "Apologies in advance for the lumps, Lorry, but you're not seeming yourself right now!"
She swings Wrathblade at the man-dragon, attempting to knock him out with the flat of her blade.
Gah! Why's he trying to eat me?!
Jeevika's eyes flicker around the room. As is, all of Lorthan's potential targets who aren't elves are below four feet. Between herself and Elthariel, only "Swolvika" (as her twins called their mother when they were little) has any real meat on her bones. Of course the hungry dragon would target her first.
"Eugeni, Zoli has the right idea; a few Magic Missiles should knock out this big lug!" Jeevika calls out in Aklo.
At Jeevika's suggestion, Eugeni tosses some Magic Missile at Lorthan; combined with Zoli's earlier swings and the false hungry, it's enough to drop the big guy like a sack of potatoes.
Lorthan indeed does fall unconscious, and the room grows eerily silent, save for the building winds of the snow storm outside. The last bits of daylight slowly trickle in casting an eerie gloom over the bloodstained room.
Zoli bends down to look at Lorthan. "Sorry buddy, I hope that didn't hurt too much."
Turning to Jeevika and Eugeni, she asks, "Any idea what's going on here? Jeeves, weird stuff like this suddenly happened when we explored the totally haunted Foxglove Manor. This seems like the kind of place that could be haunted too."
"I believe you just said it yourself, Zoli; this place is clearly haunted like Foxglove Manor. My divinations indicate that the Vekker brothers were murdered, which sounds eerily similar to what happened to that poor Iesha," Jeevika summarizes. "We did see that... ghost downstairs."
Jeevika turns to Elthariel and attempts to calm her companion.
"Everything should be alright, Elthariel. I am going to Heal Lorthan now. My spell should treat his madness and certainly will cure the false hunger."
With nothing better to do, Jeevika casts Heal on Lorthan, praying that the spell restores his sanity. However, before she does, the Holy Vindicator sneaks in a quick prayer of Good Hope.
Lorthan groans as he sits up, clutching his head. ”Wha-what happened? I was so hungry...”
He clearly is still not thinking clearly.
"Your mind was impaired by some hostile undead entity," Jeevika explains as she helps Lorthan stand. "The damage appears to be more extensive than I thought, and I do not think I can treat it right now; I should probably invest in some scrolls of Restoration..."
Jeevika sighs and takes a few seconds to inspect the surprise blizzard outside.
"Lovely," she snarks in a very Setsunan manner. The Holy Vindicator turns to the others and insists, "I propose that you all stay put. As is, I have perhaps the strongest protections against these... haunts, and, well, if I am compromised, then my casting is much less potent than Mr. Silva and Grandmother, my martial skills and melee damage are far less than those of Zoli and Lorthan, and I lack range like Elthariel; you could stop me with minimal damage."
With that said, Jeevika moves to search the room and then the door to the left; however, despite her proposal, she makes no effort to stop anyone who attempts to join her.