"That sounds like a fine idea. I like that idea. Let's add it to the list..."
Felmor blanches, and shoots an alarmed glance at Morgaard. Ach, is she jokin'. Wit' 'er, its 'ard ta tell....What the heck is this list??
"That sounds like a fine idea. I like that idea. Let's add it to the list..."
Taking out a journal, Alexis makes a note with her quill pen, "Should that go before defeating a red dragon and making a new outfit from it's hide or after exploring an untamed continent?"
"Definitely before fighting a dragon. Besides, it'll be good practice for sailing to lost shores."
When Alexis puts her book back away, Alis hefts her broom in the air like it's a lance and says, "Alright, shall we go spear those switches with our mighty broom handles then?"
MAP: Room 02 #00f
"Definitely before fighting a dragon. Besides, it'll be good practice for sailing to lost shores."
** spoiler omitted **
Ach, she is jes makin' a joke. Whew.
"On 3...2...1..."Felmor triggers the switch on instructions from his Captain.
"Alright, on three then. One... twooo... three!"
On the count of 'three' Priyya, Felmor, and Alis all trip the switches before them with the ends of their broomsticks. Instantly, electric arcs spring forth from the switches playing across the walls and floor of the alcoves in which they are located.
Meanwhile, in front of Morgaard, there is click from within the door, although it sounds like a spring or timer is winding down inside. Hesitantly, he gives the door a nudge with the butt of his axe and it pivots on its center just before there is a solid *thunk* and deadbolts protrude from the top and bottom of the door jamb on either side.
XP: +100 each = 1136/2000
Beyond the door, you see a T-shaped hallway. Alis scouts a bit down each direction and reports that the western turns further south then west again while the shorter eastern path ends in a door while also having another passageway branching off about halfway down.
"The wailing is definitely coming from down the eastern hallway," she whispers.
MAP: Room 02 #00g
Just to be thorough, Priyya carefully moves down to O19 and peeks around the corner to see what she can see... ...then she returns to the group.
"While I am loath to follow an obvious lure - such as that wailing - that might be the straightest course to the girl or our enemy... and I owe him or her a comeuppance for the death of Erastil's servant." She says, referring the priest who wore the bloody clerical vestments that were found earlier.
Priyya is lost in thought for a moment, recalling the battle in the first room.
"That wave of necromantic energy came from the South and proceeded North. If we take this corridor West, we should be heading more directly towards the source of that dark power. I'm inclined to cut the head off the snake as quickly as possible." She thinks a moment, "I'll follow your lead Alis but at a minimum maybe we should investigate the western corridor for a little ways before following the lure of the wail."
Felmor nods at Priyya's suggestion."Aye, Priyya, good thinkin' don't wanna leave us ta be bushwhacked by some stragglers. We kin check it out a little ways. I think caution is good 'ere, since they have'nt rushed us yet."
Alis listens to Priyya and Felmor's desire to scout out the hallways and says, "Sure, sounds good to me. I'll be right back..."
After a minute or so, she returns and says, "Well, the door to the west is sealed and I can't find any way of opening it."
"The next hallway south of here ends in an unlocked door that's ajar, but there's a definite funk coming from it."
"As for the door that the wailing is coming from, I didn't want to get too close, but it's closed and appears there is a lock mechanism on it although I didn't get near enough to check it just yet."
"The funk... was it a charnel smell like a grave? Or a dead body smell?"
"Well, there was a fainter smokey smell, but also a stronger musky odor. There might have been something dead in there, but I don't really spend a whole lot of time around dead bodies or charnel houses really... It didn't smell like a mausoleum though."
"Well, then, shall we test the 'wailing' door or find out what that funky smell is?"
"I say test the wailing door!"
"The Wailing Door™ it is!"
STEALTH
The mournful wailing grows louder with each step toward the door at the end of this musty hallway. There are a host of bones strewn on the floor here, many of which are cracked and broken.
Alis winces a bit as everyone piles in behind her making far more noise than she'd care for. From here, the wailing is louder seemingly coming from on the other side of the door. Turning around, she holds a finger to her lips before turning her attention back to the lock.
It takes her barely a moment before you hear a soft *click* from the lock. Alis makes a motion with her hands and looks to you with a questioning look on her face.
Priyya indicates, by gesture, it should either be Morgaard or herself that opens the door.
Morgaard looks at Priyya's gesture and nods. He agrees to be the ONE!
Alis nods and scoots back keeping her mace and hand crossbow at the ready.
Priyya gets in position to go in right after Morgaard in case this is a trap. Crossbow ready.
Morgaard steps forward and tries the door, but it appears that something on the other side is blocking it from opening.
Priyya looks vexed. She gives a "What now?" shrug.
"Perhaps it would be better to return and try some of the other doors at this juncture. Gut instinct tells me that kicking in this door will take our element of suprise and Torag knows what's on the other side of it; a few weak undead, a circle of highly-skilled war mages conducting a secret ritual, or perhaps even Tiamat herself. Trying to get though it without being able to at least sneak a peek on the other side of it could be catastrophic, to say the least - and we may yet find a way to enter that same room in a more clandestine fashion."
"Then our only option is the 'funky' smelling room or going back into the main room and taking the West door."
"I'd say try the west door and explore our tactical options. At least we can see if it smells like a more secretive route to the wailing or gain a little more intelligence about how to complete our mission here."
"So back to the first room then?"
"I wouldn't mind sneaking a peek in the funky room... if only to see what is causing the funk, but I can see the hazard in it. If you wish to got West, I have no objection."
"Alright, let's take a peek before we go heading back at least..."
STEALTH
With all the quiet grace of a siege tower, Priyya, Morgaard, and Alis try to reorient themselves in the hallway while Alexis and Felmor stand quietly to the side wonder what the hell they are doing.
PERCEPTION
Finally getting over to the door, the three peer inside finding the small chamber mostly empty, save for the body of a dead human sprawled in the center. Looking up at you from atop its carcass is a man-sized brown and yellow beetle that had been trying to push the corpse into the corner where a pile of trash and filth awaits.
Its territory threatened, the over-sized insect clicks its chitinous plates in warning and hunkers down over its prize. Beside you, you hear Alis give as squeamish, "Eeeeee!!!"
INITIATIVE
MAP: Room 04 #01
, Felmor, enemies, Alexis, Alis, Priyya
Morgaard moves past Alis to attack the beetle with his great axe:
Morgaard has little trouble shouldering his way past Alis who had shrunk back and seemingly did her best to disappear upon seeing the oversized vermin. Without much care, the stoic dwarf strides up to the territorial beast and delivers a mighty blow with his axe that sends splinters of its carapace flying.
The hulking creature buzzes in anger and snaps its oversizes mandibles in rage.
, enemies, Alexis, Alis, Priyya, Morgaard
Felmor moves into the room to assist Morgaard.
Felmor runs up to the chittering creature and tries to bat it upside what passes for its head, but the giant beetle draws back at the last moment allowing the attack to pass harmlessly in front of it.
Retreating five feet, the creature emits a shriek and a gout of green fluid sprays from beneath its mandibles attempting to soak Felmor and Morgaard in its digestive juices...
Felmor's HP Remaining:
Morgaard's HP Remaining:
...Morgaard manages to duck aside avoid the worst of the attack, but Felmor gets thoroughly drenches in the vile burning liquid.
Upon hearing Felmor's cries of pain and anguish, Alexis blanches and decides maybe it would be best to those who are more capable at melee than she to handle whatever's going on.
Eyes wide with horror as she sees the effect the acid is having on Felmor, Alis reaches around the corner and fire her sewing kit at the giant bug...
...the bolt flies true burying itself inside the wound left by Morgaard's axe. She then retreats out of its line of sight and takes to the shadows.
, Alexis, Morgaard, Felmor, enemies, Alis
Priyya does a blast of healing energy, avoiding the oversized cockroach, healing Felmor and Morgaard.
Then she levels her crossbow at the beast, while looking around for other exits to the room... We may need to race past this monstrosity.
HP Remaining:
Felmor /12
Morgaard /16
Alexis keeps a look-out in the hallway behind the rest of you to ensure nothing is attracted by all the noise you're making.
, Felmor, enemies, Alis, Priyya, Alexis
Morgaard gives it another go::
Morgaard winds up his greataxe and steps forward as he swings. The giant beetle almost dodges the attack, but it is too little too late. The sturdy dwarf's axe catches it in the side and splits it wide open pouring out a vile black ichor and dozens of eggs that it was no doubt about to implant in the corpse you found. Its legs twitch spasmodically for a few moments until he puts it out of its pain with an overhand chop.
XP: +120 each = 1256/2000
Priyya nods thanks to Morgaard, puts her crossbow up, and then goes to examine the 'host' body.
The body is that of a middle-aged human male who looks to have been killed in the last day or two. His leather armor is similar in manufacture that worn by the othe bandits. His body bears several gashes from sword wounds and many of the bones are cracked from where the beetle softened it up in preparation for laying eggs. You supect that may be why it didn't rise up as a skeleton like the other bodies you've found.
What possessions remain on the body are rather unremarkable, although you do find a pouch containing 15gp and a now-broken woman's hair comb.