"What door? There's just the wall th-... ooooh!" Lor-Sinn snaps their fingers enthusiastically as Kajiwara points out the secret door. "A secret passage! I've never seen one before. How did you figure out it was there? It looks like ordinary wall to me! Did you feel a draft? Oooh, was the dust on the ground disturbed? The stones scuffed? Are there more secret doors in this place?"
Eager to explore this new discovery, the tiefling starts running their fingers across the area of the wall where the alleged secret door is, trying to figure out for themselves where it is.
Moving north through the secret door, you find what may have once been a delightful garden, but now it’s a tangle of weeds surrounding a pool of water choked with thick, slimy green algae.
Everyone but Lor-Sinn takes note that there is something moving inside of the water just below the surface.
Ruka raises her arm to prevent anyone from moving past her. "There's something there, under the water. Make sure you're ready for whatever it is before we move closer."
Once everyone seems to be in position, she holds Murasamemaru in a ready stance and approaches the pond.
"Oh, is there? I hadn't seen it." Trusting Ruka's keen senses, Lor-Sinn readies an arrow, preparing to engage the creature in the water - should it prove hostile.
"Do you think there's frogs here? I think I heard once that they like stagnant water. Maybe it's a giant frog. If it is, think what huge legs it must have! We could give them to Poppy, she'd make quite a meal out of that, I bet. Shame she didn't come with us, but I can imagine that exploring haunted castles isn't really what she signed up for." Lor-Sinn sighs. "Now I'm hungry."
Asuka holds her sword out in front of her as she glances about. "A giant frog?! Where?"
Kajiwara draws an arrow and nocks it to his bow, then says, "Ready when you are, Ruka. As to whether or not it is a frog, we will have to see. It doesn't have any way out, so it might be something worse."
A bug, a big bug emerges from the water as you approach and it doesn't look at all like a frog. Ten feet in front of Ruka, a twelve foot long creature with six powerful legs, each ending in a hooked claw, jut from the shieldlike body of this massive insect, moves towards you.
Lor-Sinn wants to say "Ewwwww", but talking and archery don't go very well together, so the tiefling is content to make a disgusted face for now while the arrow sails towards the giant bug.
Ruka stares at the creature in disbelief for a second. "...I would have preferred the frog."
Her disgust makes it difficult for her to focus, and Murasamemaru swings harmlessly over its head.
"We can agree not to tell Ms Cotton about this one, right?" a thoroughly disturbed Samton asked over the scuttling of the giant insect and the rushing water it was displacing. "'Cause I don't know what this thing is, but I do know I don't fancy eating it tonight."
Actually, this was rather getting ahead of oneself, the young wizard acknowledged. All that mattered for now was making sure the giant pest didn't eat them. And while he was reconsidering his own words, did he know what the beast was?
Whatever it was, he was fairly sure it wouldn't much enjoy acid being spattered in its hideous face. So hoping that it could be scared off without causing anyone any harm, Sam aimed his vial and shot a toxic green dart from it. Hm. Come to think on it, he didn't want to sound ungrateful for Poppy's cooking. Sigh. Maybe one of the legs wouldn't be too bad grilled...
Asuka spins around the big bug, her practiced skill at acrobatics the only thing saving her from looking an absolute fool.
She stares down the bug as she uses the momentum of her twirling to slash at it.
"Whirlwind Blade Attack!"
Still calling out attacks? Well, I guess she won't really change on that.
Kajiwara lifts his bow and fires one arrow, then quickly draws and fires another.
Though Ruka and Lor-Sinn both missed the bug that Samton would later explain was a Belostomatid, Kajiwara's excellent shout coupled with Asuka's whirlwind blade attack left the creature barely alive. Samton's acid splash was just enough to knock the creature out and send it falling back into the ill-kept pond.
Nothing of value seems to be in this former garden, so the party backs out and checks the next door to the right from the secret one. The room is unremarkable and likely was once a storeroom of some kind.
While searching the room, Kajiwara finds a case of 20 masterwork cold iron arrows and Ruka uncovers a single arrow wrapped in red silk.
Skipping the double doors for now, the next door to the southeast is opened and proves to be another storeroom, but this one is bare and contains nothing of interest.
"Ooh. Neat." Fresh from tussling with the giant insect, Samton evidently found something to pique his interest in the one silk clad arrow the party came across. "Check this out," he said, boyish face carrying every sign of wizardly - or nerdy - amusement. Flicking the arrowhead with one finger, he transferred the minutest amount of magic power into it. The results were almost explosive. The tip of the arrow immediately burst into surprisingly aggressive flames, burning bright and clear. The old adage of the strongest flame burning out the quickest holding true, however, it petered out just as quickly. And yet the arrow looked no worse for wear, its smooth shaft not even marred by soot.
"It's enchanted," Sam explained. "It will burn even stronger when fired. Ms Imass, Mr Shogahiro? Best for either of you to take it, right?" He held out the arrow.
"Whoa! That's amazing! Do you need to put magic into it to work?" Lor-Sinn starts at the sudden burst of flame, but then leans in close to examine the arrow.
"Anyway, I missed my last shot, so maybe best for Kajiwara to take it, as he seems to be the better archer." The tiefling grins at Kajiwara, no trace of envy or rancor in their face or voice.
Kajiwara says, "Very well, then. I will endeavor to use it at the right time. Is the oni vulnerable to fire?"
"Let's check the other secret door before we go through the double doors."
"Agreed." Ruka still feels a bit wrong, but she wants to get through this place as quickly as possible. She does smile slightly in response to Samton's amusement at the flaming arrow. It is a wonderful piece of work, and likely to come in very handy. Otherwise she continues scowling and occasionally rubbing at her temples to ward off a headache.
She'll take her normal place at the front of the group as they go through the secret door.
Sliding the stone door aside to the south, the wall opens up to the outside once again. As the light streams in, you take note of a smaller courtyard that contains what may have once been a fine garden, but neglect has seen the death of the flowers that once grew here. Several broken benches complete the sense of loss. An area in the middle of the old cloister has been cleared of debris, and is marred by numerous bloodstains.
Two malformed humanoids are currently wrestling in the circular area they’ve cleared in the middle of this cloister. Each is a towering specimen, a muscular humanlike figure nearly 7 feet tall and riddled with deformities as well as numerous bruises and wounds. Neither appears to have noticed you as the door opens.
Ruka pauses, then backs slowly back into the room. Once the door is shut again, she asks, "Anyone have any idea what those things are before we talk to and/or fight them?"
Asuka's expression darkens as she taps along her beak. She speaks with an uncharacteristic gravity. "They are two rivals, brothers-in-arms from hundreds or even thousands of years ago, who have persisted beyond death out of a desire to finally and without question best each other. They have toiled at every hour of every day these long years, losing their weapons and armor piece-by-piece to damage or decay until they have nothing left but to wrestle each other day-in and day-out for all eternity. Their unmended bruises and cuts have warped them over time into something beyond what they once were. None dare to bother them because even the slightest hint of favor or advantage given to one will be met with brutal violence from both, as a victory means nothing if it was not fair. Should one of them finally prove victorious, shall the other fall dead, a smile on his face? Or shall he wander Golarion in search of even greater foes, challenging all within his path. Perhaps it is better for all of us that neither triumphs until the day Groetus swallows us all."
She brightens instantly, the spell cast off. "That's my idea! How'd you like it?"
Lor-Sinn's mouth drops open at Asuka's tale. "Whoaaaa, really? How do you know all this? What are their names? What are they fighting over?" The tiefling takes another peek through the secret door at the wrestling figures, then retreats. "I wouldn't want to interfere in their contest, so let's leave them alone."
Tiptoeing back to the double doors, the only exit left unexplored, they put their ear to the wood, listening.
Asuka laughs and then pats Lor-Sinn on the shoulder. "Oh it's just an idea, Lor-Sinn! That's just my guess as to what they are doing.It may be factual, or it may not. Or it may be true but not factual, I suppose. But regardless, I think it's a pretty good explanation and I'm glad you do, too!"
Leaving the two creatures alone, Lor-Sinn puts her ear on the doors to the east and listens, but doesn't catch anything beyond. Deeming it clear, she pushes the pair of doors open.
It’s impossible to tell what this room may have originally been used for, as the walls and floor are decorated with countless preserved animals and creatures, ranging from small birds and forest creatures to fearsome predators. Several of the displays look uncomfortably fresh or humanoid in shape.
A 2-1/2-foot-tall,dainty elf like creature with long twitching antennae and wearing a brightly colored dress made from butterfly wings and preserved wildflower petals looks up as you enter.
"Uh, don't suppose you two have those cold iron arrows from earlier on hand, do you?" the clearly troubled young man whispered as surreptitiously as he could manage to Lor-Sinn and Kajiwara upon entering the strange room. "Fey," he offered by way of explanation. "Quickling, I think. Very speedy."
While the elf-like creatures were known for mischief at best and slaughter at worst, Samton didn't want to assume too much immediately upon encountering one such. Zaiobe the harpy had turned out to be perfectly civil after all. Still, no harm in being prepared. The wizard was so very careful by nature. And the somewhat macabre room itself didn't exactly reassure him either.
"Hi there," he offered, his flimsy nerves nevertheless not allowing the boy raised by misters Parooh and Gandethus to forget his manners. "This is some nice, uhm, stuffed... stuff you got here."
Asuka sheathes her sword and steps up, waving gregariously. "Wow! Hey, Mister Fey. I've got a bit of fey in me, too. That's pretty wild, huh? I'm pretty fast, too. Though probably not as fast as you, haha."
"Oh, they look a bit like Spivey, don't you think?" Lor-Sinn remarks as the fey comes into view.
"Hi there! Is this is a museum of sorts? Like the local wildlife? Very interesting, what's this bird called? It's pretty."
Maybe it's something you said or perhaps they aren't very friendly. Either way, the quickling isn't interested in discussion. Unsurprisingly, the quickling moves faster than you expect. In a blur of movement, its shortsword is in its hand and its upon you and burying the blade into Lor-Sinn's right thigh.
"Ow! That is very rude! Why, you little- nnnngh! I'll show you!"
Pushing through the door to make room for Ruka behind her, Lor-Sinn draws her bow and starts feeling around in her quiver for those cold iron arrows.
Kajiwara moved into the room right next to the little quickling and fired a cold iron arrow at it.
Well, that escalated into violence awfully quick! Was this just in a quickling's nature, jumping to extremes at a drop of the proverbial hat? Samton didn't know, but he did know that he didn't fancy shooting at the elusive fey with his allies in the fray. With this in mind he instead reached over to Ruka at his side, gifting the young woman just a bit of the strength she had lost fighting the wight.
Ruka's shoulders relax slightly as Sam's spell makes her muscles feel normal again. "Thank you." She spends a few seconds studying the small creature, trying to get a feel for how they will dodge, then swings.
Asuka circles around the little jerk with quick fake-out that is too choreographed to fool anyone. Her stare is as sharp as ever though, and her blade is even sharper as she strikes with powerful precision.
Unable to move quite fast enough, Asuka and Ruka end the life of the quickling so quickly, it does not even see its own death coming. The slight elf with the bloodied and drab clothes is splattered all over the floor and quickly taken out of the way. The quickling's bloodied shortsword lay on the ground near its body.
Searching the room, you find vials of poison that accompany rings, necklaces, anklets, and bracelets worth 220 gp in all.
"Well, alright..." Lor-Sinn, having finally found a cold iron arrow, now stares at the quickling's body with the arrow in hand. "That's what you get if you mess with us. Your own fault."
The tiefling sniffs at one of the vials, then moves to inspect the displays in the room. "I guess this wasn't a museum then? What now, do we search the rest of the castle? Any rooms on this floor that we haven't looked in yet?"
Ruka sighs a little as the spell runs out and her muscles start to ache again. "That was nice while it lasted. The spell I mean, not the fight."
She'd feel bad about killing a creature that was so obviously outmatched, but a look around the macabre displays quickly cures that. Did she preserve these things alive?!
Definitely for the best that the creature wasn't around anymore.
"There's the courtyard with the wrestling creatures. Sam, any idea what those were? Not sure it's worth bothering them if we don't have to." Ruka sighs and rubs her forehead again. "This place is way too big, and I keep getting turned around. I don't think we've explored the entire floor, but I'm not sure."
"If everyone's good to keep going, I guess maybe head downstairs? I still think that's the most likely place for Kikonu to have disappeared to."
"There's the courtyard with the wrestling creatures. Sam, any idea what those were?"
"C-couldn't tell you for sure, no. Sorry," the young wizard replied sheepishly, feeling awkward, even ashamed, at not being able to fulfill the one role within the group he usually managed with some consistency, that being furnishing them with some encyclopedic knowledge. "Almost looked like some sort of giants, but I can't say so with any confidence."
Still stewing in his own inferiority, Sam did still nod to the younger Kaijitsu's sentiment about the castle. "The place is a grindstone, yeah. Slowly wearing us down. Ms Imass, are you sure you're alright?" He looked to the tiefling's bloodied thigh with some concern. "That sword, uh, looked like it went in pretty deep."
"Are there any rooms on this floor we haven't searched yet?"
Returning to the ballroom, you take the steps down to the lower level. The corridor ahead turns north and goes down another set of steps to a door. Opening that up reveals a larger room with several doors.
Stone pillars support the ceiling over this large kitchen—although the fire pits, tables, and pantries here look like they haven’t been used in decades. Thick layers of dust cover everything in the room.
The door in the east wall is locked. There is also a double door in the southeast, a double door in the southwest a single door west and a single door north.
"'m alright." Lor-Sinn replies to Sam's query, although they are favouring their wounded leg a bit.
As they descend into the dungeons, the tiefling wiggles their fingers at the expanse of dusty floor before them. "Do the thing with the prints and the -ACHOO- dust."
Kajiwara looks for signs the dust has been disturbed.
Searching the ground, Kajiwara determines that this room is a crossroads of activity for three of the doors. The southwest double door, the southeast double door and the northwest door. Little to no tracks lead west or east.
"Shall we pick a direction at random?" Ruka has no idea which way to go. Probably one of the three rooms with regular activity, but which one?
On a whim she points towards the double doors to the northwest. "How does that way sound?"
Opening the single door the northwest reveals a ten foot corridor that dead-ends and turns west after another five feet into another door. Opening that door brings out a tangle of stalactites and stalagmites fills this low-ceilinged cavern, with only a five-foot-wide path running along the southern wall being clear of obstruction.
In the far western wall, Ruka finds another secret passage, but the difficult spot door is locked with an impressive set of multiple locks that you don't possess the key to.
Lor-Sinn runs a finger along a stalagmite and then inspects the moisture on it. "Do you think it leads to the Darklands? I heard that sometimes caves do."
As they come upon the locked door, the paladin sighs. "Alright, so maybe we come back to this one later. Next one..."
Retreating back the way you came, you move down through to the southwest doors and push them open. Long benches in various states of disrepair and several battered and filthy wooden tables stand between stone pillars in this room. The air here stinks of reptiles.
Standing at the far end of the room is the red-faced creature you've been searching for, Kikonu. Between you and he are four more troglodytes, all being spoken to by the oni in what looks to be some form of a pep rally. As you push the doors open and everyone looks in your direction, he finishes "Them! KILL them!"
Raising his longbow, he takes aim at Lor-Sinn on the far side of the room and fires. She reacts just in time and the arrow twangs as it embeds itself in the wooden door beside her head.
"Still a coward, I see! Hiding behind your... phew, what's that smell? behind your minions!" shouts the tiefling as they step forward into the cover of a pillar as the harpy's bow is readied. Kikonu was too far back in the room, with pillars between himself and Lor-Sinn, so the shot is aimed at the closest troglodyte instead. If the creatures wanted to die protecting this demon, so be it. Whew, but they were stinky! Eyes watering, the paladin looses the arrow at the one against the northwestern wall.
Ruka's initial disappointment at having found nothing through the north door is replaced with satisfaction as Lor-Sinn's choice finally leads them to their quarry. (Or so she assumes. It's too dark for her to actually see him, but that voice is hard to mistake.)
Without hesitation she charges at the nearest troglodyte. She's able to push past the stink without losing her lunch, but her watering eyes make it hard to actually see where to hit.
"Y-yeah, Ms Lor-Sinn. You're right. Uh, sure is a s-sad excuse for a fiend, huh?"
Odd as the sudden question was, especially in the face of a demon-led horde of walking lizards, Sam's tone in asking it was even weirder, shaky with an awkwardness and uncertainty unlike that of his more self-deprecating moments. Those who had traveled with him found more to ponder in his stance, it being rank and wide-legged, thin chest thrust out so far you'd think a charging rhino was attached to his nipples. He looked like a parody of some far more daring and confident youth than himself, his obvious discomfort in this role only making it all the more clumsy. What was he playing at? There was really only one conclusion: Sam was acting.
Or trying to anyway.
"Honestly, who ever heard of a t-true-blooded fiend running away from his enemies? And twice too! Now we find him in the basement, hiding in the dark like, uh, like a kid pulling his blanket over his head? With an extra security blanky in the form of a bunch of smelly henchmen? J-just sad!"
Awkward as he felt in the terribly unconvincing pantomime, the wizard would be damned if he'd let the oni run away yet again. So with this in mind he tried the only gambit he could think of in forcing Kikonu to fight them: provoking him. Now he just wish he was a better actor. The stage was clearly not for the self-conscious young man. He'd actually been trying to emulate Asuka's daring conviction, but the tengu was obviously better at this than him. So much so that he wasn't entirely convinced that she was acting in her more boisterous moments.
"Uh, here, Ms Kaijitsu," he went on in twirling his hand through an incantation and then touching it to her. "It's not like you're going to need it in fighting this... poltroon, but have this spell anyway."
Ruka was immediately shielded in a glittering haze, and Samton took heart in that even if his psychological ploy failed, his magic could at least help some.