Upon spotting the hidden switch on the top shelf of the western rack, Darius mentions it to the rest of the group and gingerly opens it to reveal a hidden room. Upon seeing the vintage bottles of wine, Darius examines them (Ever wary of another haunt trying to kill him), and, provided they don't seem haunted or cursed, decides to take them with him, storing them in his pack for later.
"If we survive this hell-hole, I say we open up a bottle for celebration, then sell the rest. Yeah?"
Zoli listens to Destrina while trying not to take her eyes off of the stained glass image of the man who appears to be watching them. She moves back and forth a bit before saying "Can any of the rest of you tell? He's watching us. Look!" She points to the way his stained glass eyes follow their movements.
"Destrina, I couldn't agree more...though we should see what else we can find here first. We need to be confident we've stopped the source of those horrible murders and lain whatever haunts this place to rest.
"Look in the picture how he seems to be crumbling into a seven-sided box. Let's keep our eyes peeled for any Sihedrons, or anything that seems to harken to Thassilonian times."
Also, the iron cages each contain a dead rat covered in boils, tumors, and fungus. The cages themselves have a small symbol of a pig with a mouthful of lock picks peering at a keyhole. Under the pig is a guildsign that says "Pug's Contraptions - Magnimar."
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"Fascinating! I mean, really really really creepy too, but this seems like genuine instructions for making oneself into a lich. We should certainly take it with us." Looking up at the guy in the stained glass, she adds, "Whoever that dude is is way beyond creepy."
"If I recall correctly, there is no 'one size fits all' regarding instructions to become a lich. Whoever here sought the transformation would have had to research his or her own method, especially if he or she actually wanted to succeed." Darius, piqued to interest after having been examining the bottles of a wine a little 'too' closely (Almost having been tempted to open one and begin his celebrations a bit 'too' early), follows Zoli and begins examining the books and notes himself, cautious in case they ended up being booby trapped - or haunted. "I wonder if we could sell these to someone in Korvosa.. certainly enough neer-do-well arcanists there that one or two might be interested in such notes. Might make a tidy profit."
He realizes his cousin might've heard him and glances over at her and clears his throat. "Of course, these notes shouldn't be allowed to exist, so I'll just uh.. gather them up to ensure they're disposed of properly once we're out of here."
"OK, let's stop and think about this. Foxglove Manor is over 80 years old, and has been the seat of the Foxglove family the whole time. It was built decades ago by Vorel Foxglove, a merchant prince from Magnimar. He and his family lived there for 20 years before the entire family perished from disease. The surviving Foxgloves of Magnimar shunned the place for 40 years, until Traver Foxglove moved back in. Traver and family lived there as recently as 2 decades ago, but then a fire burned down the servants' building.
Cyralie Foxglove was found dead - burnt and dashed on the rocks below the cliffs behind the house - and Traver Foxglove was found in his bedroom, dead by his own hand. Presumably Cyralie is our revenant. Whoever murdered her must still be alive, based on everything Destrina said about revenants. That means either Traver wasn't the murderer...or he's still alive.
We know the children, including young Aldern Foxglove, were sent away to be raised in Korvosa by distant relations and that Aldern recently returned to live int he manor. Given that things have gotten worse recently it seems likely that Aldren is as rotten as his ancestors. I know Aldren was young enough to be sent away, but was he perhaps also old enough to murder his mother?"
In a moment of impusive boldness she stares straight at the eyes in the stained glass. "Vorel, is that you? Or is it Traver? Whoever you are, your plans are unravelling and we're here to put a final stop to them!"
Before listening to the door, she says, "Say, did I mention an old tale I heard about a huge bat-winged devil living in the caves below the manor? I didn't think too much of it at the time...but since the tales of wailing and haunting and whatnot have born out...anyone have any preparation they'd want to do before meeting something like that?"
The door opens up into a narrow passageway that contains yet another door, though this one hangs ajar. Beyond is a flight of stairs leading down into a square 15'x15' chamber.
Piles of broken stone, dirt, and a few ruined pickaxes line the edges of this room. The floor in the middle of the room has been torn up to reveal an ancient set of stone spiral stairs. obviously of much older construction than the surrounding basement, winding deep into the bedrock below. A foul stink, like that of rotten meat, wafts up on a cold breeze from the darkness.
As the group files down towards the stairwell, all but Destrina can tell that the stink of rotten flesh is growing stronger and stronger.
As you all move towards the stairs, you see Eugeni suddenly stop and stare at the opening in the floor, his eyes unmoving. Suddenly, a look of terror washes over his face, and he reflexively reaches for an arrow before he begins to jerk and thrash in the air as if he were being shaken by a mob. Deep red claw and bite wounds appear on his flesh before he falls to his knees before the stairwell.
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"Augh!" Eugeni cries. He clutches at his wounds, trying to keep the blood in, but after a moment realizes it's futile. His face twitches in pain, then he speaks. "I had a vision. Aldern, sweaty, filthy, and wild-eyed, was digging away at the stone floor of this room with a pickaxe. With each swing, he grunted out two words: "For you." I knew that Aldern was speaking about me, or whoever's memory I just received. As the vision ended, Aldern broke through into the room beyond, and a horde of shrieking ghouls rose up to pull him into the darkness below...before they turned on me!"
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"A horrible vision to be sure." Destrina says, retrieving a cloth to dab away some of the blood on the aasimar's fur. "Perhaps it is a true vision in some sense. It could be that Aldern or another of these Foxgloves lies waiting below. Steel yourselves for battle, perhaps we may end this cursed place yet." After giving her companions a moment to ready themselves, Destrina leads the way down the stairs, her halo illuminating the path down.
The spiral stairs descend about 80 feet into the bedrock of the cliffside, mold and fungus continuing to coat the walls in thick patches of unsettling shapes. They end in a limestone cavern, the walls dripping with moisture, and swaths of black and dark blue mold growing in spiraling, tangled patterns on the floor, ceiling, and walls. Rubble and broken bones clatter the floor, and a rhythmic sound - like the breathing of some immense creature - echoes through the cave from three tunnels, one to the north and two to the west. Of the two western tunnels, the southernmost one seems to be a relatively new creation.
The light from your various magical sources pierce the darkness for perhaps the first time in years, as a variety of sightless vermin scurry away from their radiance, taking refuge in cracks, beneath rocks, or retreating down the passages.
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(-1/-1 if more than 30' from me)
Eugeni stalks silently down the hallway behind the group's leader, an arrow half drawn on his longbow. He scans constantly for threats, ready to sink a shaft into anything hostile that appears to confront them.
"Hey guys, curious as I am...that breathing sound keeps reminding me about the story of the bat-winged devil down here. Seems like a good time to heal up, eh?"
After that, Zoli suggests: "Shall we follow this newer tunnel?"
When we're moving forward again, Zoli will stay right behind Destrina. Following Eugeni's lead, she keeps a loaded sling in one hand and her scimitar in the other.
Following Zoli's suggestion, the group moves through the southernmost tunnel. It is a narrow corridor filled with an awful stench. It eventually opens up into a long cave that stinks of rotten meat. The source of the horrific smell is readily apparent - a swath of carcasses is strewn about the floor of this place.
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"There's a bat-like creature hanging from the ceiling there," Destrina says, pointing at it with the head of her hammer. She calls upon Ragathiel to determine whether the beast is evil, and then smites it if it is. Finally, Destrina's hair turns white, her skin turns pale, and her bulk increases, she grows half a foot, and her facial features are subtly different than before.
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Standard: Alter Self (Racial) Move: Detect Evil, targeted (Class) Swift: Smite Evil
"On it," Eugeni says, moving forward in a crouch. As soon as he has a clear line of sight on the bat he stops and raises his bow. With a smooth action he draws to the ear and fires at the undead bat.
"There's a bat-like creature hanging from the ceiling there," Destrina says, pointing at it with the head of her hammer. She calls upon Ragathiel to determine whether the beast is evil, and then smites it if it is. Finally, Destrina's hair turns white, her skin turns pale, and her bulk increases, she grows half a foot, and her facial features are subtly different than before.
"On it," Eugeni says, moving forward in a crouch. As soon as he has a clear line of sight on the bat he stops and raises his bow. With a smooth action he draws to the ear and fires at the undead bat. It screeches out in pain as the arrow buries itself into its body.
Zoli and Morythine move into the chamber and take up readied combat positions.
The skaveling's jaws drip with saliva as it unfurls its wings and begins flying in the air of the 30' tall cavern. "Фресх месо! Цоме то дииииииИИИЕЕЕЕЕЕЕЕЕЕ !!!"
It's final word grows into an ear piercing shriek as it approaches the group, forcing you all to clutch at your heads and cover your ears. While Morythine appears resilient enough to shake off the effects, the rest of the heroes are left with ringing ears and a stabbing pain in their skulls.
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“Pull yourself together lads and lasses!” cries out Morythine as the bat thing swoops down on the party. One hand keeping his tricorn atop his head, he somersaults into the air to meet it, , one foot leading and conking the creature firmly on the nose.
Several pairs of blood red eyes appear in the tunnel behind the party as a ghoul appears behind Darius and sinks its teeth into his neck where it meets his right shoulder. "AAAAAGGGGGGGHHHH!" the wizard cries out in pain.
“Pull yourself together lads and lasses!” cries out Morythine as the bat thing swoops down on the party. One hand keeping his tricorn atop his head, he somersaults into the air to meet it, , one foot leading and conking the creature firmly on the nose.
The skaveling's jaws snap at the martial artist, but fail to rend flesh as it had hoped.
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Morythine’s previous kick gives him leverage to leap even higher, launching him off the bat monster’s nose and into a second somersault above it. As gravity takes hold, he crashes down towards his flying foe with all his weight, but with a beat of its wings the skaveling dodges aside.
Morythine's legs fold beneath him to absorb the shock as he comes back down to earth. Behind he hears Darius' shriek of pain.
"Looks like we've got our necks on the executioner's block here," he exclaims.
Punishing kick 2/3
The ghoul tries to sink its claws deep into the flesh of Darius, but fails to penetrate his arcane protections. However, it does manage to sink another bite into the wizard's shoulder, eliciting another grunt of pain from the Galtan.
Morythine’s previous kick gives him leverage to leap even higher, launching him off the bat monster’s nose and into a second somersault above it. As gravity takes hold, he crashes down towards his flying foe with all his weight, but with a beat of its wings the skaveling dodges aside.
Morythine's legs fold beneath him to absorb the shock as he comes back down to earth. Behind he hears Darius' shriek of pain.
"Looks like we've got our necks on the executioner's block here," he exclaims.
The bat manages to latch its teeth into the monk's thigh as it whirls past its head, tearing away an deep serration in the dhampir's flesh, though Morythine manages to still land on his feet.
The ghoul continues its assault on the wizard, their icy cold claws finally piercing his magical armor and finding flesh. As the talons sink deeper into Darius' chest, the look of pain and terror on his face freezes in place as he becomes paralyzed by the thing's deathlike grip.
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Trying to ignore the horrible sounds echoing down the corridor behind him and his own wound, Morythine focuses on the present enemy.
“Let’s keep it simple this time,” he tells himself, and throws himself back at the ghoul bat with a barrage of punches. The first strike misses, but the second crunches into the monster's head. As he follows the swing through, Morythine closes a fist, tearing a decaying ear right off the creature's skull!
Punishing kick 2/3
Zoli grimaces at the ear-splitting scream but (with Chaldira Zuzaristan’s lucky grace) just manages to keep herself together.
She hollers, ”This is a ghoul-bat, or skaveling. They can paralyze or infect with ghoul fever--so don’t let it bite you! Oh...and I hear it has a wicked scream.”
She brushes her lucky button and then starts to cut and jab at the massive ghoul-bat. Scoring several clever cuts and feeling as though she’s starting to hamper it.
Emboldened, she sticks out her tongue at it and taunts, ”Hey Stinky! How’s it feel to be on the receiving end? Go ahead, let’s see if you can bite me! I dare you!”
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HP 39/39
Luck 5/8
Panache 3/4 (-1 if attacked)
Charmed Life 2/3
Buffs luck (3/3) NOTE, this gives +2 to all saves (as well as hit/damage/skill rolls)
"Argh! Not the ghouls again!" Eugeni growls in frustration. He begins firing arrows as rapidly as he can at the ghoul bat.
Hit, Miss, Miss. 14 dmg.
The ghoul continues its assault on the wizard, their icy cold claws finally piercing his magical armor and finding flesh. As the talons sink deeper into Darius' chest, the look of pain and terror on his face freezes in place as he becomes paralyzed by the thing's deathlike grip.
Trying to ignore the horrible sounds echoing down the corridor behind him and his own wound, Morythine focuses on the present enemy.
“Let’s keep it simple this time,” he tells himself, and throws himself back at the ghoul bat with a barrage of punches. The first strike misses, but the second crunches into the monster's head. As he follows the swing through, Morythine closes a fist, tearing a decaying ear right off the creature's skull!
Destrina picks up her hammer and steps in between her cousin and the ghoul savaging him.
Zoli grimaces at the ear-splitting scream but (with Chaldira Zuzaristan’s lucky grace) just manages to keep herself together.
She hollers, ”This is a ghoul-bat, or skaveling. They can paralyze or infect with ghoul fever--so don’t let it bite you! Oh...and I hear it has a wicked scream.”
She brushes her lucky button and then starts to cut and jab at the massive ghoul-bat. Scoring several clever cuts and feeling as though she’s starting to hamper it.
Emboldened, she sticks out her tongue at it and taunts, ”Hey Stinky! How’s it feel to be on the receiving end? Go ahead, let’s see if you can bite me! I dare you!”
"Argh! Not the ghouls again!" Eugeni growls in frustration. He begins firing arrows as rapidly as he can at the ghoul bat.
The bat screeches in pain, but continues its attack without seeming to be deterred. It takes a huge bite out of Zoli's shoulder, swallowing down a large chunk of torn away flesh afterwards. Zoli quickly finds herself overwhelmed with fear and the effects of the Skaveling's paralysis.
The next ghoul in the tunnel launches itself at Destrina, but only manages to rake it's teeth and claws against her steel armor.
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Leaving the Rivennes to fight their own battle, Morythine continues to focus on the ghoul bat, hoping to finish the creature before it can take advantage of Zoli’s helplessness. Unfortunately, the desperate straights the party find themselves in seem to have spoiled his focus, and his attacks miss their mark.
Punishing kick 2/3
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Destrina smashes the ghoul in front of her with the large silver hammer, tearing chunks of rotting flesh and bone from the thing in a long runnel across its chest. She desperately wants to turn and face the bat-ghoul and protect her allies, but until Darius can turn these ghouls to ash, she is forced to defend this flank.
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Eugeni steps back and looks at the Skaveling. It is peppered with his arrows and slashed to ribbons from Zoli's scimitar. He judges two more shafts ought to do the trick, and draws them at the same time. As he releases the arrows they flash across the short distance to the skaveling's head. The missiles hit with devastating force, blasting the top of the thing's skull off and killing it. Eugeni grins.
Leaving the Rivennes to fight their own battle, Morythine continues to focus on the ghoul bat, hoping to finish the creature before it can take advantage of Zoli’s helplessness. Unfortunately, the desperate straights the party find themselves in seem to have spoiled his focus, and his attacks miss their mark.
Destrina smashes the ghoul in front of her with the large silver hammer, tearing chunks of rotting flesh and bone from the thing in a long runnel across its chest. She desperately wants to turn and face the bat-ghoul and protect her allies, but until Darius can turn these ghouls to ash, she is forced to defend this flank.
Eugeni steps back and looks at the Skaveling. It is peppered with his arrows and slashed to ribbons from Zoli's scimitar. He judges two more shafts ought to do the trick, and draws them at the same time. As he releases the arrows they flash across the short distance to the skaveling's head. The missiles hit with devastating force, blasting the top of the thing's skull off and killing it. Eugeni grins.
The narrow passage continues to fill with the bodies of the ghoulish undead, even as the heavily injured one continues to lash out at Destrina. Its sharp, icy claws sink deep into her ribs beneath her breastplate as its teeth rake against her shoulder guard.
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Although it's her second time being paralyzed, familiarity does little to dull the panic of being frozen in place.
Yoiks!! I didn't think that thing would get past me! C'mon Chaldira Zuzaristan save me fr--Two arrows arc over her shoulder, felling the bat-ghoul--HEY! You did it!! Chaldira, blessed Luckbringer, you killed it! I knew taunting it would work out OK...now if I could just wiggle my toe here...
"You just sit tight Zoli," advises Morythine, then turns to Eugeni "Any room for me there?"
Eugeni moves deeper into the cavern. "Destrina, Darius, this way!" he calls to his friends, unsure whether they can respond or not. He fires an arrow off at a partially obscured ghoul. His aim is true, even around the narrow corner. The arrow buries itself in the ghoul's shoulder. "Take that, deader..." Eugeni mutters, reaching for another shaft.
Morythine slips past Eugeni and takes up position behind Destrina, hurling a shuriken as he does so at the lead ghoul. The mighty weapon lodges in the ghoul's jaw; doing devastating damage to the monster. in the wall of the passageway, doing awesome damage to the stonework!
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After laying a hand on herself momentarily, Destrina steps forward into the breach. She raises the hammer over her head, shouting "The Divine Vengeance of Ragathiel take you!" She brings the hammer down on the first ghoul in line, crushing it to the ground and nearly ripping its rotting body in half.
Although it's her second time being paralyzed, familiarity does little to dull the panic of being frozen in place.
Yoiks!! I didn't think that thing would get past me! C'mon Chaldira Zuzaristan save me fr--Two arrows arc over her shoulder, felling the bat-ghoul--HEY! You did it!! Chaldira, blessed Luckbringer, you killed it! I knew taunting it would work out OK...now if I could just wiggle my toe here...
To her amazement, the toe does in fact wiggle just slightly, and she can feel movement returning to her body.
"You just sit tight Zoli," advises Morythine, then turns to Eugeni "Any room for me there?"
Eugeni moves deeper into the cavern. "Destrina, Darius, this way!" he calls to his friends, unsure whether they can respond or not. He fires an arrow off at a partially obscured ghoul. His aim is true, even around the narrow corner. The arrow buries itself in the ghoul's shoulder. "Take that, deader..." Eugeni mutters, reaching for another shaft.
Morythine slips past Eugeni and takes up position behind Destrina, hurling a shuriken as he does so at the lead ghoul. The mighty weapon lodges in the wall of the passageway, doing awesome damage to the stonework!
After laying a hand on herself momentarily, Destrina steps forward into the breach. She raises the hammer over her head, shouting "The Divine Vengeance of Ragathiel take you!" She brings the hammer down on the first ghoul in line, crushing it to the ground and nearly ripping its rotting body in half.
As the ghouls continue to push their way down the hall, one of them lets out a furious cry and lunges along the side of the wall, using its claws to give it leverage in a nimble leap past Destrina, catching her completely off guard and now placing her surrounded by the undead! The ghouls ferociously scrape claw and fang against her armor, causing painful, ear piercing screeches to echo through the cave, but causing her no further injury.
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As before, Zoli gives a tremendous gasp when she's finally able to move again.
Turning to look at the crowded corridor she hollers, "Hey Morythene, do you mind moving woody there out of the way? Now that I've got my limbs back I'm itching to join the party!"
"Hey Morythene, do you mind moving woody there out of the way?
Taking Zoli’s mispronunciation of his name as the result of her recent paralysis, Morythine grabs hold of Darius and hauls. The nearby ghoul hisses and lunges as the monk hurls the paralyzed wizard over his shoulder and out of harm's way.
“Yeah, bite me, skinny!’ he snarls back.
Punishing kick 2/3
The ghoul's fangs sink deep into Morythine's exposed arm as he tries to move Darius out of the way, slinging him across the cavern.
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Eugeni steps behind the paralyzed Darius, and begins to fire on the only ghoul he can see.
"Thanks, Mory! Nice shot, Eugeni." Zoli pipes as she zips into the space opened up by her frigid companion's removal.
Her blow is true, slicing the ghoul from neck to belly, spilling fetid intestines before it crumples onto the dirt.
As she sees the soulless eyes piling up before Destrina, Zoli she concentrates on the Sihedron medallion around her neck, and feels a grey glow invigorating her with new vitality.
HP 22/39 +10 THP
Luck 5/8
Panache 3/4 (-1 if attacked)
Charmed Life 1/3
Buffs 10 THP for 5 hrs
As before, Zoli gives a tremendous gasp when she's finally able to move again.
Turning to look at the crowded corridor she hollers, "Hey Morythene, do you mind moving woody there out of the way? Now that I've got my limbs back I'm itching to join the party!"
Taking Zoli’s mispronunciation of his name as the result of her recent paralysis, Morythine grabs hold of Darius and hauls. The nearby ghoul hisses and lunges as the monk hurls the paralyzed wizard over his shoulder and out of harm's way.
“Yeah, bite me, skinny!" he snarls back.
The ghoul's fangs sink deep into Morythine's exposed arm as he tries to move Darius out of the way, slinging him across the cavern.
Eugeni steps behind the paralyzed Darius, and begins to fire on the only ghoul he can see.
"Thanks, Mory! Nice shot, Eugeni." Zoli pipes as she zips into the space opened up by her frigid companion's removal.
Her blow is true, slicing the ghoul from neck to belly, spilling fetid intestines before it crumples onto the dirt.
As she sees the soulless eyes piling up before Destrina, Zoli she concentrates on the Sihedron medallion around her neck, and feels a grey glow invigorating her with new vitality.
Destrina continues to rampage through the ghouls, her hammer slamming the next into the cavern wall, separating the upper half of it's body from the lower in a grisly snapping of bones. She steps forward once more, unwilling to give the ghouls even an inch of ground.
The ghoul in front of the paladin is a bit stranger in appearance, as this one has a hunk of stone lodged deep in it's skull, which appears to have been sculpted to be a wing of some sort at some point before it found its new home in this thing's cranium.
The one behind, however, lunges forward, hoping to bypass the warrior as the one before it had. Destrina was prepared this time, however, and smashes the thing against the wall like a fly with a rolled up parchment.
The final ghoul takes advantage of the opening, lunging forward and wrapping its sharp claws around the warrior woman's breastplate, trying to bury them into her back. Meanwhile, it manages to sink it's teeth deep into her upper arm, managing to puncture through her steel armor and find purchase in her bicep.
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