The group heads back up to the large central chamber before turning and moving to the door on the east side. Opening the door leads to a winding narrow passageway that branches off with a door on the southeast after about thirty feet. The main corridor opens in a larger room with an intricate iron screen on the east side that blocks further progress into this large chamber, although a wooden door painted with the image of a tall, beautiful blue-skinned woman sitting on a throne stands in the middle of the screen. Beyond, the room stretches dozens of feet to the east, supported by stone pillars and with deep funerary alcoves to the north and south. The far end of the room seems to have partially collapsed into a large cavern in which faintly glowing motes of light swirl and dance in the air.
Looking at the screen in front of them Shae gives a shrug and looks to the others "Any thoughts, or do we go back and check that other door?"
"We'll have to go back," Relisha says, a trace of a whine slipping into her voice. "We have to find the vault."
Ahreni gives Shalelu a wide grin with her unnaturally white teeth. The expression makes her look very young for a moment as she basks in the elf's praise.
"Find vault." She agrees with Relisha. "Most important! Look at blue lady later."
Deciding they need to move back to the previous door, Olaff leads the way and opens the souther door.
The room beyond is not quite a torture chamber, but the dungeon features three cells made of iron bars—one to the north and two to the south. A filthy, nest-like bed lies in the middle of the room, heaped around a central stone pillar next to what can only be a half-eaten giant centipede the size of a horse. The source of the bite marks was obvious - the room is also home to a massive ogre. In the southern cage a shadowy form sits behind the bars, hiding out of sight in the back of the cell.
The ogre blinked as you entered. "You’s not allowed in here. ’Cept if you’re here to be going in a cage? You want in cage?" he asks in rough Common, reaching for a greatclub as he rises to confront the Ulfen.
"We're not going into a cage," Relisha says in a determined voice. "But since these very dangerous people have slain everyone in the fortress above, you should really consider just leaving and never coming back."
It would have sounded a lot better without the slight squeak at the end.
Ahreni 27/27
Olaff 30/31
Relisha 18/33
Shalelu 38/38
Thanara 17/17
Not being able to see with Olaff and Ahreni in the way Shae waits until there is an opening for her to move up and attack.
Olaff steps forward while he raises his shield to adopt a defensive posture before attacking. He then yells at the creature. "I'll take pleasurre in killin' ye, giant... therre is alvays rroom forr rrevenge forr my brrotherrs!"
________________________________________
5 ft. step
Attack with fight defensively
Demoralize
Ahreni falls in just behind Olaff, ready to take the giant in the flank once he attacks.
Ahreni cautiously steps forward to let Shalelu move in and get a firing lane on the large creature. She hits with her first arrow, but misses with her second. Olaff's attack is too guarded and he pulls up just short of the large brute. "More long haired humans!" he says joylously as he swings his greatclub towards the Ulfen, but swings too high as Olaff ducks underneath his attack.
Thanara holds her attack as well as she waits for better positioning to arrive.
"Watch out for its weapon!" Relisha yells out. "It looks like it'll hurt!"
Ahreni 27/27
Olaff 30/31
Relisha 18/33
Shalelu 38/38
Thanara 17/17
Shalelu steps to the side where she can still see the ogre, opening a space for Thanara to join the battle. She then takes aim and looses two more arrows as she comments "Let's hurry up and kill this stupid thing so we can get on to more pressing matters!"
Ahreni steps up next to Olaff and starts tearing ineffectually at the ogre.
Olaff lowers his shield just a bit and tries to breach the Ogre's defenses this time.
________________________________________
5 ft. step
Attack
Thanara steps up and gasps at the sheer size of the thing standing opposite Olaff. She sends a bolt of electricity at the thing over his shoulder.
Both Olaff and Shalelu each land a hit with the Thanara and Ahreni not even coming close. The ogre looks away from the heavily armored man when the wolf-girl walks up and swipes at him. She looks squishier so he tries smashes her into the ground with his club, nearly breaking her in two from the force . The ogre grins "Squishy squishy wolf girl go in my cage all broken."
Relisha coughs as she feels her ribs crack and the coppery taste of blood fills her mouth. She draws the wand of healing and expends some of its energy upon herself.
Ahreni 16/27
Olaff 30/31
Relisha 22/33
Shalelu 38/38
Thanara 17/17
Shalelu shakes her head and mumbles "We really need to get her some better armor..." as she launches more arrows at the brute.
Olaff continues to attack the ogre while looking worried at Ahreni for her lack of proper defenses.
________________________________________
Attack
Ahreni reels from the blow from the large keeper of the cells, managing to stay on her feet thanks most in part to Relisha continuing to heal her wounds. She slips 5' southeast to divide the ogre's attention and try and get closer to a flanking position with Olaff.
Unfortunately the ogre tracks her and she moves he says "Where you go little wolf? Oh. There you are. Stay still!" as he brings his greatclub crashing down on her head once more, twisting it at an odd angle and sending her collapsing to the ground in a bloody, twisted mess.
"There. Wolf girl gone. Now pointy ear girl in hall."
Relisha falls to one knee as the pain in her chest is now matched by the sensation of a spike being driven through her head. She holds her concentration, though, focuses her attention on the beast's huge club. With a guttural phrase, she gestures at the wooden weapon and watches as it shatters in the creature's hands.
Ahreni -1/27
Olaff 30/31
Relisha 17/33
Shalelu 38/38
Thanara 17/17
"Ahreni!" Thanara cries out before sending another bolt of lightning at the giant!
Ahreni growls and twitches slightly from the floor...
Shalelu just shakes her head as Ahreni goes down, but still seems to be alive. With nothing more she can do, she sends more arrows toward the ogre in an attempt to bring it down.
Afterwards she steps back, making it more difficult for the ogre to easily get to her.
As Ahreni goes down again, Olaff raises his sheild higher, knowing for sure that the ogre would have to pass him to hit the others in the hall before attacking.
________________________________________
Attack defensively
The ogre resists Relisha's attempt to sunder its dangerous weapon.
Shalelu's first shot misses, but she lands her second. Olaff takes a more defensive posture and can't follow through on his swing, but Thanara's blast of electricity zaps the ogre.
Though it shows signs of weakness and injury is evident, it retains its footing. With Ahreni down the ogre wants to attack Shalelu but can't reach her, growling frustrated. "Out of way, little man!" he shouts, smashing his club down on the Ulfen hunkering under his shield. The greatclub smashes the shield so hard that it flies backwards into Ulfen's face, nearly concussing him.
Her attempt to disarm the beast a failure, Relisha staggers back as the pain from two of her friends begins to overwhelm her. She attempts to stave off the inevitable with her wand.
Ahreni 5/27
Olaff 22/31
Relisha 16/33
Shalelu 38/38
Thanara 17/17
Shae steps back over loosing more arrows as she comments to Thanara "If you have anything more you can do... now is the time!"
Olaff hides even more behind his shield, fully aware that if the ogre gets past him, it will be a disaster.
________________________________________
Total Defense
”I’m trying!” Thanara yells back, the fear evident in her voice as she sends another bolt at the ogre.
Shalelu's shot pierces the left eye of the ogre who staggers backwards as Thanara's bolt of electricity shocks it again. It staggers backwards a few more steps before collapsing on the ground near Ahreni.
From the back of the jail cell a slow clap echoes in the shadows. A female voice speaks out with an Ulfen accent "Took ye bloody vell long enough."
Ahreni clambers back to her feet as her wounds continue to heal and kicks hard at the ogre with a growl. She then drops into a defensive crouch as someone else speaks from the darkness.
Ahreni 5/27 link
Olaff 22/31 link
Relisha 16/33
Shalelu 38/38 link
Thanara 17/17
Olaff and Ahreni heal 5 HP each. Relisha takes 10 damage.
Ahreni 10/27 link
Olaff 27/31 link
Relisha 6/33
Relisha 14/33
Ahreni heals 5 HP. Relisha takes 5 damage.
Ahreni 15/27 link
Relisha 9/33
Relisha 12/33
Ahreni heals 5 HP. Relisha takes 5 damage.
Ahreni 20/27 link
Relisha 7/33
Relisha 12/33
Ahreni heals 5 HP. Relisha takes 5 damage.
Ahreni 25/27 link
Relisha 2/33
Relisha 5/33
Relisha 10/33
Relisha 18/33
After multiple uses of her wand, Relisha finally rises to observe who's addressing the group.
Ahreni 25/27
Olaff 27/31
Relisha 18/33
Shalelu 38/38
Thanara 17/17
As the ogre falls into the ground, Olaff rushes forward to make sure Ahreni is still breathing, but the familiar voice completely catches him off-guard. "Oh f~~% no... vhat the f*%# arre ye doing herre, Asta?"
”Who?” Thanara says with between panted breaths as she stepped into the room to take it in, trying in vain to avoid the hulking body sprawled on the floor.
From the shadows a tall Ulfen woman steps forward, placing her hands on the bars. Her long blond hair hangs past her rear end, divided into numerous braids. Blood stains her body and face and she remarks "The motherr of his child, that's bloody vhoo! Bastarrd trried ta leave me. Trried to kill him, but it didn't take. Left me vith child to rraise on ma own vhile he rran off forr forrtune an' glorry and southerrn girrls!"
Thanara pales and turns to look at Olaff in total shock.
Olaff cleans his blade on the ogre's corpse while he shakes his head, actually smiling. "HAHAHA... its actually imprressive, Asta, forr therre is not a single trruth in all these vorrds."
He then frowns his brows, thinking. "Ye trried to kill me? This I could believe..."
Turning to Thanara and the others, Olaff explains. "Girrls, this is Asta Varrgdottirr frrom Trrollheim. We verre once loverrs vhen ve verre both Blackrravens, at least until I figurred out she vas crrazy." He then knees and starts to look for the keys to the cages on the ogre's body. "This 'child' storry? Yeah, hearrd that beforre in firrst perrson, but afterr being patient and vaiting forr herr belly to grrow for half an yearr, I gave up... but I can assurre ye nothing larrgerr than a big dump everr came out o' herr..."
"I can count, forr f+%!s sake. I have left you morre than an yearr beforre I had rretirred frrom the Blackrravens and ye had no child... now stop telling lies, orr I might leave ye in therre!" He threatens her, even if she for sure knows Olaff would never leave a kin locked in this place, even her.
The women in the cell shrugs "Make up vhwateverr lies ye like to make yerrself feel betterr, Olaff. Yerr the one vho left yerr son back at home. Yerr motherr, she knew the truth 'forre she died."
"Go ahead and do what ye must. I'm alrready shamed by my failurre of the rraid. Disgrraced and forrgotten, fitting I'd be found by ye." She turns from the bars and sulks back into the shadows.
Relisha wipes the blood from her mouth and looks between the quarreling Ulfens. She leans closer to Thanara and whispers, "Do you think this would be a good time to mention that I can tell if a woman has borne a child with an examination?"
Thanara seems to not even register Relisha’s comment. Instead, she is intently focused on the conversation at hand.
Olaff stops searching for the keys for a moment and eyes Asta coldly. "Ye vill not drrag me motherr to yerr lies! This I vill not accept. Motherr neverr liked ye and ye know... frrom the verry firrst day she met ye she told me: 'This voman is no good, she is a snake hidden in a girrls body'... she vould neverr leave a grrandchild vith ye. Hell, not even yerr own motherr trrusted ye..."
He resumes searching for the keys. "Also, as I've said, this makes no sense... The last time ve f&#&ed it vas like a yearr and a half ago, so unless you sook forr a spell to take the seeds o' me balls, therre is no vay I vould not know o' this child, and even if some cursed God allowed this nonsense to happen, this child vould have what? 5-6 months? Not even ye, who was hatched frrom a snake's nest, vould leave a baby alone forr rraiding."
"But if you did, then I'm forr cerrtain leaving ye trraped herre." There was a different tone in his voice this time.
Shalelu rolls her eyes at the back and forth then calls out to Olaff "Just leave her here for now. We have more pressing matters than your little lovers squabble. Plus, she is probably safer inside the cell until we make sure this place is clear. We can get her on our way out."
She points to the door to the west and continues "Let's check that door, if there is nothing then our only other option is figuring out what the deal is with that grate back in the tunnels."
Ahreni nods and goes to check the door.
The woman inside the cage shakes her head "Olaff still have Ulfen firre, also still have no brrains! Idiot! Baby came earrly, almost lost 'em. Gunnarr say emotional strress of you leaving cause it to happen. Tell yourr new frriends yer lies and insult me as ye see fit. I am a failurre and deserrve to die in this dungeon anyway."
She seems to not address the topic of leaving the baby.
There is a door to the west in this room.
While searching the room before you depart, Shalelu and Ahreni both discover a secret door embedded in the eastern wall of this room.
Seeing Thanara's dismay and the friction the situation is causing, Relisha approaches Olaff.
"Umm... I'm not sure if this will do more harm than good," she begins, "but ... uh ... I am a midwife. Given Asta's willingness ... and some privacy ... I could determine the truth of what she's claiming. At least as far as whether she's delivered a baby or not."
Thanara was trying to process what all she was hearing, and wasn’t liking the outcome.
Is he in denial? Is she lying? How many arguments until he’d leave ME in a cage?
When the others talk about leaving her, Thanara sets her jaw and finally speaks up. ”We are NOT leaving her! I don’t care what your personal problems are or were. She deserves to be free and we can use the help to save Ameiko! And besides,” she pauses as she locks eyes with Olaff, ”If she IS the mother of your child, you can’t just abandon her here. If we make it out of here, you two clearly need to sit down and talk like CIVILIZED people and figure this out!”
She stomps over to Olaff and holds out her hand for the cell keys.