Global Condition: None |Global Condition:
Thomas HP: 8/10 AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Guruthos HP: 3/8 AC: 15/13/12 Status: 1pt DEX dmg (no penalty)
Joriannika HP: 6/9 AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Hanzo HP: 6/10 AC: 17-1/13-1/14 Status: 1pt NL dmg, 3pt Dex dmg (-1 Penalty)NPCS:
Ghoul HP: -8 AC: 17
A snarl of pain escapes from the mask on the elf's face as the flames lick his arm. Knowing he's in no shape to go toe-to-toe with the rotting corpse in threatening him, Guruthos once more steps back beside Thomas and readies an attack for when the beast advances.
The ghoul continues its barrage against Thomas
The ghoul bites Thomas, sinking its teeth deep into his arm. Almost immediately, Thomas stiffens.
Bold may act:
Guruthos // Ghoul // Thomas, Joriannika, Hanzo
Global Condition: None |Global Condition:
Thomas HP: 4/10 AC: 16/12/14 Status: Paralyzed (4rds), Helpless
Guruthos HP: 3/8 AC: 15/13/12 Status: 1pt DEX dmg (no penalty)
Joriannika HP: 6/9 AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Hanzo HP: 6/10 AC: 17-1/13-1/14 Status: 1pt NL dmg, 3pt Dex dmg (-1 Penalty)NPCS:
Ghoul HP: -8 AC: 17
What is this? Am I dead? Belmanok, what's going on?
"You're an idiot. That's what's going on. The wimpy ghoul paralyzed us. I will haunt your soul forever if this is how we perish."
Hopefully the others can finish it. My spear did pierce him well already...
"Don't put your fate in someone else's hands! That's a mistake I already make and cannot undo."
"Dangit!" Joriannika cursed, shifting her rapier to her right hand. "Sorry guys! I shoulda brought a sling! En garde, you ugly corpse-eater!"
Unfortunately, her wild thrashing with the rapier to save Thomas did not have the intended effect.
Hanzo whirled his daggers in his hands and stepped in to slash at the ghoul. "Say yer prayers, pike. Though I guess they'd be to Urgathoa, so on second thought, don't."
Hanzo slashes at the ghoul's throat with his mithral dagger. The dagger makes contact, cutting deeply into the creature. The ghoul attempts to groan in pain but cannot. Both its hands go up to its throat, and with no emotion expressed on its blank face, it simply dies...or re-dies...or, well it's down now, and it's not getting back up. The ghoul falls backwards to the floor and moves no more.
Combat over!
Thomas stands frozen to spot for an additional 18 seconds or so after the creature is vanquished. His ability to move and speak hits him quite suddenly with no warning or inkling that movement is beginning to return.
Luckily, he maintained his focus so that his spear remained lit.
Global Condition: None |Global Condition:
Thomas HP: 4/10 AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Guruthos HP: 3/8 AC: 15/13/12 Status: 1pt DEX dmg (no penalty)
Joriannika HP: 6/9 AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Hanzo HP: 6/10 AC: 17-1/13-1/14 Status: 1pt NL dmg, 3pt Dex dmg (-1 Penalty)NPCS:
Ghoul HP: -13 AC: 15 Status: Defeated
"Well, that was lucky." Thomas declared while trying to free his spear tip from the ghoul remains. He also examined the ghoul, while he was standing above it anyways.
Then he looked at his arm and the large bite marks and spoke some incomprehensive words.
"Anyone else needs some scratches patched?"
You notice some wounds on the ghoul that don't seem to have been inflicted by your group. This ghoul was already injured when it attacked you.
Thomas notices some scratches and wounds that don't fit the spots where his spear and Hanzo's knife pierced him. "It was already wounded. Someone else was here and .... Hm. Didn't survive?... Fled?... Outran the ghoul?"
Gradually the tension eases in Guruthos' muscles, and he processes the scene, looking for any remains of the ghoul's prior victims. He desperately attempts to ignore the ache from his wounds, but still not trusting the man who casts with a wicked tongue, he ignores Thomas' offer for aid.
He turns his attention toward the bars, hoping beyond hope that something contained within can ease his pain. If he can only find a way in without triggering any more traps.
Guruthos staggers back down the hallway to retrieve the pack he forgot, and relight his torch. When he returns to the ghoul's room, he examines the slots on the floor.
They are bigger than standard key holes. Maybe a couple inches across. You would need something bigger than a key, that acts like a key.
Yes. the slot looks straight, exactly like something a dagger would fit.
Guruthose watches Thomas poke at the slot with his spear, then slides out his mithril dagger and tests it in the slot.
The spear gets stopped by something in the slot. When you try the dagger, however, it fits perfectly. You hear tumblers aligning as you insert the mithral dagger.
Guruthos nods to Hanzo, points at his dagger (still firmly in the slot before him) then points to Hanzo's dagger, then to the other slot.
Hanzo obligingly used his dagger on the other slot.
"Sorry about that, Thomas, Guruthos," Joriannika said, a bit sheepish. "I don't know how I missed that thing when it was so close! I was just mad that it bit you, Thomas, but I guess I should control my temper."
To Hanzo and Guruthos: "Well done. I guess I helped a little, didn't I? You sure, you don't need a little healing?"
Answering Jori: "No worries there, Jori. Nothing wrong with a little temper. I know what I'm talking about. I get overwhelmed fast." He carefully worded that last sentence.
Hanzo and Guruthos both insert their daggers into the floor slots. Just like Guru's, Hanzo's clicks into place with a perfect fit. They look at each other, and turn their dagger-keys simultaneously. You hear the turning of gears and various machina, then the ceiling-to-floor cage begins to lower into the floor, leaving the seven black iron chests up for grabs. They are all locked, and whatever keys might have gone to these are probably long gone.
"Wow. A treasure after all. I know you guys love your fiddling with tools. But I'm sure you don't mind if I open this chest here."
Thomas moves to the chest farthest to the left and carefully apllies his spear.
It took a frenzy Thomas only half a minute to hack his chest into pieces.
Guruthos watches the apparent madman rain down blows upon the chest and rolls his eyes. Well, if there was anything fragile within, such as a healing potion, it is no longer a consideration.
He walks over to the tunnel to make sure there is no imminent threat coming from that direction.
He then selects a chest (away from Thomas, so he avoids the dangers of flying splinters) and checks it for traps.
He then selects some tools and proceeds to pick the lock.
Guruthos:
Hanzo:
Guruthos went to the far side, away from where Thomas was smashing at the lock of one of the chests. It took hardly any time for him to unlock his chosen chest.
With Thomas beating one senseless, and one opened, that left 5 locked chests.
The elf made his way, and Hanzo eventually decided he should help too, though he was still feeling drained from whatever venom that centipede had injected him with.
In the end, Guruthos unlocked four more chests, Hanzo unlocked one, and then they waited for about 5 minutes while Thomas relentlessly beat the crap out of the first lock.
Inside the chests, the party discovered piles and piles of copper, silver, gold, and even a few platinum coins. Thomas' chest held a teak case containing 30 gems, fortunately undamaged.
"That must be thousands of gold worth. But who should carry all that? We need to come back with a waggon or something. At least the mystery of the kobolds is resolved..."
Guruthos stares at the pile of coins and gems. Never before have I seen so much wealth in one place. I would not have to worry about food or shelter for a very long time.
Then his bones ached and reminded him of his current situation. He swished his hand through the pile of coins, hoping to uncover a hidden vial or wand or something. I would trade it all for a healing potion, a roast chicken, and a cup of hot tea right now, though I doubt the others would be in agreement. He stands and a shot of pain races through the burn on his arm. He grumbles and moves toward the tunnel.
After the haul is collected and distributed, unless someone doesn't want that to happen, Guruthos walks over to inspect the tunnel. A pair of low barricades made of timbers and rocks partially block the passageway, which opens into a larger cave beyond.
Guruthos grumbles uneasily, and looks carefully for traps.
Thomas let the coins glide through his fingers. You could see his eyes dreaming of what one could buy with this. Then abruptly he said "we can keep it, right? It doesn't belong to anyone living, right?"
He tried to remember if there was a blacksmith in Belhaim.
You do recall this about kobolds: they're small, can see perfectly in the dark, but have a sensitivity to bright lights (bright sunlight, or Daylight spells Dazzle a kobold). They're not particularly strong or "durable", but they can be hard to hit.
Guruthos examines the barricade of this roughly hewn tunnel, but sees no traps.
Thomas racks his brain but does remember seeing a blacksmith.
The party agrees that since the baroness didn't mention anything about money other than what she promised to pay, this must be a treasury long forgotten. They would gladly, and silently, accept this as their "finders' fee."
"I don't think so... the Duchess didn't mention it, and you'd think nobles would mention anything they owned," Joriannika mused. Then she grinned. "Anyway, we can invest it back in the community! I'm giving some to that sweet innkeep. And is there anything I can get for you, Thomas? As thanks for being so kind!"
Hanzo dusted off his hands gleefully, "his" money nowhere in sight. "Nobles are rich enough. Anyway, this is like... pay for the hazards we've suffered. Like being set on fire." He thumped Thomas' arm companionably, and went to see what Guruthos was looking at.
"Nice rock collection. You can haul it," he grinned at the elf.
"I guess they can always keep the plaque- oh no! I said I was sorry!" Joriannika protested weakly. "I really am!" She gave Thomas and Guruthos a contrite look, and approached cautiously.
"Careful - the tunnel might not be stable," she warned them, going over to check it.
Joriannika and Guruthos search for any signs of a trap while Hanzo takes it all in. For the moment, everything seems okay.
Thomas announced he'd go last and would gladly give anyone a boost for climbing the barricade. Anyone who accepted the help anyways.
Well, he tried his best, but wasn't much help after all...
Joriannika also attempted the climb, accepting Thomas' help. "This tunnel is new, so this barricade has to be new, too. Beyond this point it looks like we'll have to hunch over - about big enough for a kobold, don't you think?"
She turned and reached down for Thomas' arm, meaning to help him up the slope in turn.
Hanzo scrambled over the barricade as well.
LOL. Of course, now!
He peered into the cave, looking for danger, his daggers appearing in his fists - just in case. After all, there had been a ghoul down here!
Skeptical, Guruthos stares at the barricade. "Why didn't it climb over?"
As Joriannika gracefully climbs over the low barricade, she clips a trip line she hadn't noticed earlier, triggering the trap above. Several broken-off stalactites swing down like pendulums at all of you.
Everyone who was also about to climb over the barricade tumbles over to lay flat on the ground and they avoid the stalactites. Guruthos, on the other hand, usually ever vigilant, was distracted by his own thoughts.
One whacks him right in the head. And while his mask doesn't look much worse for wear, the elf has landed flat on his back, unconscious. Or, at least, you think he's unconscious. It's hard to tell.
Luckily, he doesn't seem to be bleeding out anywhere and he's still breathing on his own.
Thomas who was about to reach for Joriannika's hand heard the big rock hitting the elf behind him while he dodged one himself. A second later he stood over the unconscious ally. "Well you can't actively reject it now."
Thomas stands over the unconscious elf, muttering his words of healing.
Guruthos' body heals itself and he slowly regains consciousness, and the first thing he sees is Thomas standing over him.