Standing next to the ward stone she smiles as she looks at its glowing magic. With the magical black bag in hand she looks over at Saronis and scoffs. She puts the bag over the ward stone and the light goes out. She quickly jumps down the far side where no one is located.
With the covering of the stone all light goes out unless you had a torch lit. All the light from the treasures go out, all the light the ward stone was emitting, and now it is very dark.
You hear a loud otherworldly scream. Maybe some sounds or screams from your group but this one is much 'bigger'. Then you begin to hear shrieks and moaning.
Varrick stares at the elf a bit and guffaws. "What a crock! I'm way worse sober!" He continues to chuckle as he follows his favorite bartender to the path of dragons.
"Well, hey there, pal! You been here long? Just arriving myself, along with the talented and lovely Maqan ..." he leaves her last name to her to reveal.
Gavin looks excitedly back and forth from Saronis to the crest of the unicorn. "Wow, so I really am going to become a great hunter and be able to help people, like a hero in the tales?! And this unicorn is the crest of my family... the Proudfoot family? I wonder why we are called the Fickletoes now... hmm... but yes, I am definitely going down my family's path! Here we gooooooo!"
With a spin, Gavin turns back toward the unicorn's path, and heads excitedly down the tunnel, a torch in his left hand and his sickle in his right.
----
Going down the tunnel alone, he feels the gloom settling in heavy even though he carries a torch with him. With every noise and creek he spins about, checking for any unknown threats. Gavin's mind races through many thoughts as he ventures further. 'What is this place? What horrors lie within? No, wait a minute, the spirit voice in the elf just said I will be a great hero sometime, and a hero isn't scared. I must be a hero - onward!'
Steeling his resolve, Gavin commits to get to the end of the tunnel and find the other end of things. Suddenly, a dark, shadowy figure emerges from a crack on the side. Rearing up, it lunges toward Gavin.
Undaunted by this umbral horror, Gavin brandishes the torch forward. "I am Gavin Fickletoe, of the Proudfoot clan, you foul demon will not stand against me. Go back to the darkness!" Swinging the torch as one would a sword, Gavin leaps at the unknown creature and tumbles past it, the flickering flames causing it to disperse even as the nimble fellow escapes its reaching grasp.
----
Coming out of the tunnel with brave smile on his face, he is just in time to see his lord's sister throw the bag over the stone and disappear. As the chamber fades into darkness, lit only by his meager torch, Gavin instinctively utters a warning, "Oh, by my tingling toes, this can't be good..."
"I'm sorry to bother you, but we really need to get by." Maqan said. "There are people counting on us so I'm sorry, but I must make it through." She tried to explain
-----------------------
Maqan's eyes became wide with horror as Ilnarissa took the ward stone.
"You fool!!" Maqan cried out as she bolted right for the elven woman.
"Give it back now! Or you'll kill us all!" Maqan told her as she grabbed the bag that Ilnarissa had in her hands. "I knew you couldn't be trusted! It is for the fact that you are Saronis's sister that I trusted you and you betrayed that trust! Give it back or so help me I will end you!" Maqan said as she tightened her grip upon the bag, her eyes lit up with that of a burning light and her body heat was starting to make the area around the two uncomfortably warm. "Do not make me hurt you!"
Cook-Cook looks at Saronis as he goes towards the other tunnel with serpents and a triangle.
Cook-Cook sticks out his hand to shake Saronis' hand.
"Me hope see you again. Hope I chose wisely. Good luck!"
Cook-Cook in earnestly sees no one fall at first, the people who he cares about are more buried inside himself than with other people trying these trials.
Then slowly but surely, Gryusha apparates before Cook-Cook's sight and she appears to stumble and fall off the stairs.
"No Gryusha! You first accept Cook-Cook for own self!"
Luckily, Cook-Cook manages to catch Gryusha's hand, though he has no trust in his own ability to pull her up. Strangely enough, this succeeds without a hitch and he pulls Gryusha to safety.
Walking further down, Cook-Cook sees a shimmering fire spring up around him and he attempts to make a run for it, but then stands still and inspects it.
"Cook-Cook used to fire. Cook-Cook make meals, know when fire is hot. This not hot fire. This not real!"
The fire seems to subside and Cook-Cook makes his way further. As he comes closer he hears the sounds and voices of others down the stairs.
Also he notices a small furry animal at the foot of the stairs and tries to discern what kind of creature it is.
Though Cook-Cook can't identify it, though he sees that it is searching for food. Cook-Cook pulls out some pieces of older bread from his pocket and tries to lure it to him instead.
"Come here little creature! Cook-Cook won't harm! Want piece of bread?!"
Perhaps it's his creepy tone of saying it, perhaps the critter was a carnivore and didn't like the smell of bread. Whatever the case, Cook-Cook's attempt to persuade the critter to come to him didn't work.
Then Cook-Cook sees the large rock fall down, threatening to squash the little creature.
"No. No, no, no, no!"
Cook-Cook quickly tries to hurry and push the creature out of the way.
Though his attempt to save the creature was successful in the end, the speed required and impulsivity to do so made Cook-Cook fall down the stairs and the rock falling after him.
Just as he deftly managed to break most of his fall of from the staircase, he gets hit right on the head by the dislodged rock as he looks up from a prone position.
"Owww!!!!"
A loud goblin yelp can be heard from his side of the room.
Cook-Cook looks up at Ilnarissa stealing the Wardstone and opens up his mouth in response to say something, but then the lights go out.
That why she went soon. Wanted wardstone.
Cook-Cook looks around him through his darkvision and gulps as he sees the undead rise, his eyes become really large.
"Not good! Not good! Undead even rise! Undead worse than dragons!"
Those on the two headed dragon in front of a tree path soon find themselves in a fog, luckily you don't fall off the edge but you do find yourself separated from the others. You come to a landing and find a figure with its back turned to you. On the ground in glowing script it says, 'make them your friend.'
Crap! Urdrsk thought I'm a miner.We ain't known for our 'social graces'. Better try something.
Brandishing his pickaxe, Urdrsk says, "Whát hó! Ì àm Ùrdrsk Stónéwárd òf Clán Stónèwárd, à mèmbèr òf thòse whò hèlpèd càrvè thèsè càvèrns ànd fìnd thè Wárd Stóne. Ìf yòu sèèk tò dò ìll tò thèsè càvèrns, yòu wìll hàvè tò déál wìth mé!!"--------
Once out of the tunnel, Urdrsk sees the horror in front of him take place.
The dwarven miner unhooks his pickaxe strapped to his back.
"Thèsè càvès hàve bèèn càrvèd by Stónéwárd hànds, ànd ìs pròtèctèd by thìs Stónéwárd!"; the dwarf spits in Common.
Those on the swordfish on a bed of chevrons path must make a successful reaction to some stairs falling from below you; or fall... everyone after needs to make another one.
Making his way down the path, Andreas deep in though does not notice the stairs and falls down the stairs flat on his face. Torch and quarterstaff flailing about on the ground.
Urdsk successfully cows the figure allowing him to pass. Andreas falls down 30 feet into a pit, , he falls unconscious Varrik and Maqan easily convince the figure to step to the side for them to go to the bottom of the stairs.
Andreas can be found next to one of the stairways.
With Maqan's words and Urdsk's threats, she drops the bag and recoils from them. Looking into the bag it seems empty. Reaching in you find nothing but an empty bag.
"No!" Maqan cried out when she showed everyone the bag was empty. "You foul stupid b@$$!!" She snapped at Ilnarissa as she dropped the bag. Maqan was know to be a patient woman, and slow to anger, but this could not be forgiven. Ilnarissa had doomed the town, her town! "You've killed everyone here and all we hold dear!" Maqan shouted at Ilnarissa, holding nothing back as Maqan's gold hair glowing like a flame. "You will pay with the one thing you have cost us all, life." Maqan said though it didn't sound like a threat, more like she was stating a fact. Throwing the bag back at Ilnarissa in disgust she added "I would say I'm shocked at how two siblings could be so different, but I can honestly say I didn't like you from the start. Such a disappointment. Do something right for once and appease that thing before it kills innocent people" Maqan said as she pointed to the creature that was pulling itself out of the ground. "Apologize, beg, whatever it wants! But mark my words even if it doesn't kill you should you fail know that I will ensure you never leave this place alive!"
To emphasize Maqan's words, Urdrsk stood within melee range before the fearful elf woman, pickaxe in hand.
"Yòu hàvè 5 sècònds", the dwarf simply stated.
Andreas lays motionless on the ground.
If time is taken to do a Heal Check you would notice Andreas is struggling to breath and that here is a slow trickle of blood coming from his nose and ear. He clearly took a hard hit to the head from his fall.
Cook-Cook easily sees the unconscious body of Andreas laying at the bottom of the stairwell and moves over slowly towards him as the others berate and threaten Ilnarissa.
Cook-Cook thinks Andreas is fine, as he's still breathing, still he calls out to the others.
"Mer-Sjant man lay here! Think he okay! Feel air from mouth! Not responding though! Any help?"
He leaves the situation concerning Ilnarissa to the rest of the group. Ashamed he looks to the ground. Slicing a few trembling hands to pieces as he moves towards Cook Cook. Kneeling besides the merchant he says, "Skylark." Healing the man, , as his belt lights up and he touches Andreas.
He quickly gets up letting the man awaken at his own pace and begins looking for reaching hands to slice.
She doesn't know what to say being fully intimidated and looking at the axe she slowly reaches down for the bag.
There is no immediate threat but just on the outskirts of the light or your darkvision you see undead collecting. You also hear some loud cracking, moments later you hear massive sections of stone falling and smashing into each other. After a few minutes the shaking and cracking stops. Though you hear the otherworldly scream again.
Urdrsk curses, as his pickaxe hits the spot where Ilnarissa once was, in frustration.
With ample amount of rage, the dwarf miner looks for undead to unleash upon finding none, but instead hears an otherworldy scream.
"Òh nó", Urdrsk deflates. "Ìt hàs bègùn."
A hand springs up next to Gavin, it trips him to fall into Urdrsk who falls though Gavin somehow stays standing.
Cook-Cook two hands spring up to grab your legs... pulling you down to the ground.
Gavin your ability manifests... you feel the transference of the bad luck to Urdrsk.
"NO!" Maqan cried as Ilnarissa vanish. "A curse upon you and your descendants! May you and they always carry the pain you have caused to this place all their days! Never shall it be broken till you have made it right!" Maqan shouted, though the victom of her curse was no longer there.
Anger slowly cooled before stomping over to the rest of the group, she looked at Saronis. "We'll speak of this if we get out of here..." Obviously her anger hadn't completely cooled, but she was now more level headed. "Most of the dead was crushed by the falling debris. But we need to find a way out of here before we get crushed as well." Moving to find a way out Maqan almost tripped over something. When feeling around she held up a chainshirt, finely made. "Not turning this down now." She muttered as she pulled it over her head.
"GÀVÌN!" Urdrsk shouted. "Dámmìt! Nòw ìs nòt thè tìmè tò rìlè mè fùrthèr, bòy!" With a grumble, the dwarf picks himself off the dusty cavern floor, and looks around, hoping his time underground will help the group find a way out.
Nothing within your view lets you know which way to go. Traveling out into the gloom and darkness appears to be your only choice.
The dwarf's pickaxe binding snaps and the head falls to the ground. You do see another handle of a weapon deep in the earth. With a strong heft, , you pull the dwarven waraxe from the ground. It is ancient and marked with much use but at least in one piece.
There seems to be a run of bad luck for most of the group, striking with your weapons makes them chip or loose some of the binding. Nothing too serious compared to the dwarf. Amongst the rubbish that was once treasure you can claim a new weapon or three.
He looks up at Maqan with pain in his eyes after she says her stinging words, turning from her to smash down some more undead hands.
As he did he saw a glint among the rubbish, collecting the blue gem and gloves. Without a thought he slipped them on and flicked the gem into the air. It began to float slowly around his head. He shudders for a moment and then continues his search.
Maqan paused when she saw the look in Saronis. She reached out and touched his shoulder. "I... I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that..." Maqan tried to clarify. "I just meant... I didn't think you'd want to talk about it here... I... I'm sorry."
Now angry with herself, Maqan turned and looked to an area in which more hands were pulling themselves up from the ground. "We need to get out of here! Look for another path!" She called out.
The dwarf miner cries in shock as his cherished pickaxe breaks before his eyes. Through his disbelief, Urdrsk quickly sees another weapon handle sticking out of the rubble.
Urdrsk can tell even in the dim light that this dwarven waraxe was made by a superior craftsman.
This means something, The dwarf thought. The destruction of my old life, the pickaxe, for the beginning of a new life of.. I don't know, adventurer? A chance to be a one of the Ancient Dwarven Heroes of Old?
Urdrsk takes command, barking orders in the chaos.
"ÀLRÌGHT! Fóllów mè! Wè nèèd tò gèt bàck tò thè tùnnels tò òrìènt òùrsèlvès, ànd fìnd thè bèst ròùtè tò thè sùrfàcè. FÒRM ÙP! Thòse whò hàvè dàrkvìsìòn lèàd thè ònès whò dòn't!"
Waking up, Andreas sees Saronis and Cook-Cook around him. He stands up and gathers up his Quarterstaff and torch. Once he has his belongings collected he turns back to the group and sees hands springing from the ground to grab Cook-Cook. Jumping to action, Andreas uses the Quarterstaff to knock Cook free from the hands.
Slowly he responds to Maqan, only a few words come out as he thinks on what words to say, "Yes, well. She is my responsibility. Yeah... I am sorry too." He sighs and obviously not knowing what to say. "It would be best to focus on getting out of here first."
He waits back still looking a bit, once the group begins to move he is following from the rear, a good 20 feet behind. He is cutting down anything rising from the ground.
Andreas knocks off one of the hands and after a bit likely gets the other off as well. The ground seems rather loose but all the thrashing that the arms do, shows a new tale. They are cemented into the ground, only their arms and hands can reach out.
Another massive shriek can be heard echoing around the cavern.
Following the dwarf he takes you to the cavern wall with Andreas in the back with a torch, the only torch which seems odd. Following the cavern wall you eventually find a tunnel, a tunnel that Urdrsk approves of. It has been a lot longer since you last heard a shriek come from the 'creature'.
Maqan grips Saronis's hand lovingly, giving it a gentle squeeze before she brought it to her lips and kissed the back of his hand.
When Urdrsk calls out that he had found a way to go, Maqan ushers everyone that way. Every time she looks back to Saronis, keeping him within easy to access reach. She didn't want the last words they said to each other to be of anger, and she knew that with Urdrsk guiding the way through this there was little for her to worry about.
He smiles, a change from his furrowed brow since Ilnarrisa betrayed them. Keeping a firm grip with one hand and the other upon his blade he stays close to Maqan. With her next to him his leadership begins to shine again, "Let's do a role call, before we venture any further... Maqan, Urdrsk, Gavin, Andreas, Cook Cook... oh what was his name, the drunk one..."
"Varrick." Maqan answered. "I got him in line too!" She told to Saronis. "Urdrsk is leading the way, Gavin is right behind him, with Cook-Cook then Andreas and Varrick. Then it's me and you."
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Once enough of the hands are off of Cook-Cook he pulls him up and we head towards the group. "We are here!" placing the little goblin directly in front of him he pats him on the shoulder, leans in and whispers; "A man wakes up from a nasty fall and you are one of the few over me checking in. I am indebted to you..."
As Andreas and Cook-Cook get in line he begins looking around waving the torch from side to side; "Do any of you hear that? A woman's voice? I cannot tell where it is coming from. Maybe ahead?"
Not entirely sure how his little frame managed to trip up and knock over a hardy dwarf, he looks up at Urdrsk apologetically. "Not sure how that happened, sorry."
Seeing the dwarf pull a mighty waraxe out of the pile, Gavin spends a moment rummaging through looking for anything useful.
Falling into line with the others, he is about to follow the dwarf when the merchant mentions the strange woman's voice. "Oh, I heard it! She said 'Help Me.' Sounds like someone is trapped, but where?"
Cook-Cook was more than transfixed as the undead hands grappled him. He just stood there, fear in his eyes. For poor Cook-Cook, undead are one of his greatest fears.
Though even when he stood there frozen in fear and looking scared around him, the help of Andreas was there to keep the undead hands away from him. After that even helping him run away and make for the exit with the others, all the while Cook-Cook was still in a bit of a stupor.
As Urdrsk leads the way into the tunnels, Cook-Cook hears two voices, the voice of Andreas thanking him and another smaller voice thanking him.
To Andreas, Cook-Cook replies in his usual short sentences:"No worry. Is all good. Cook-Cook not great healer. Tried."
Cook-Cook speaks up louder as he hears the voice of the little creature speak, also reacting to the question if he was there.
"Cook-Cook here! Heard funny little voice in head. Where be little critter from stairs?"
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Trying to remember the name he says it a few times, memorizing the syllables, "Varrick, Varrick, Varrick."
"Do any of you hear that? A woman's voice? I cannot tell where it is coming from. Maybe ahead?"
"I thought I heard something but couldn't find its source, almost as if it was in my head," he relays to the group.
Then he looks to Cook Cook, asking, "Was it a little fluffy blue critter?! I saved one from some tumbling stones, did you see it too? I dont know where it went."
Cook-Cook looks to Saronis and shakes his head. "No see blue. Critter was sort of white. Really fluffy. Cook-Cook not catch it. Too fast."
Cook-Cook looks to see if he can see the critter somewhere again, but moves to carry on further into the tunnel.
Bringing his lips up to the right in thought with one hand on his large curved blade and the other in Maqan's. He then responds to Cook Cook, "Well I suppose it could have been white, there wasn't much light to get a good read on its color. Darkvision is more shades of gray than anything."
The group heads up into the tunnel soon to find it branching three ways.
"I didn't hear a voice." Maqan told the others. "Are we sure it is real? After all this place is enchanted." She pointed out.
"Àlrìght, fòlks. Thè frèsh àìr ìs comìng ìn stràìght àhèàd. Fóllów mé ànd wátch yóur stép", Urdrsk spoke with confidence.
Having heard the whispering voice and focusing on it, Gavin turns back toward the center of the room. "One second, I think I know where it is. We can't leave someone, or something behind...." He searches the center of the room for the source of the whisper, from the floor to the ceiling.
"I would agree with you Gavin but everyone that came down with us is here. Then the only thing else is whatever is making that shriek. I think it might be enticing us. If you want to be sure I will go with you. Also the shrieking didn't start until after the ward stind was gone." Saronis relays offering support to his squire.
Many small bones lie in a huge pile below the prison and tuffs of bloody hair are among the top bones.
Looking closely you can see her eyes are fierce.
The fey in the ground was just..wrong. The dwarf barked at the others in his care. "Wè'rè lèàvìng. "
Using his quarterstaff to point, Andreas ask Urdrsk; "Are there any streams or waterfalls that comes from these mountains you mine? I mean besides the one we crossed to get in here? It sounds like water is down that way." as Urdrsk mentions fresh air; "Seem like that is the winning path."
Hearing Gavin and Saronis' conversation; "I don't know exactly what is down here but I am ok with leaving it behind..."
Trying to remember the name he says it a few times, memorizing the syllables, "Varrick, Varrick, Varrick."
"Yeah, pal, Varrick. What can I call you? You need a drink?"
"Yeah, pal, Varrick. What can I call you? You need a drink?"
"You may call me Saronis. It is a bit strange you joined us, rather taged along with us. No I should stay alert." he responds simply to Varick.
Then looking to Gavin to see his choice and thoughts on the creature.
"Sounded like a lark. Not like I had any plans. So what are you alert for? What's the deal here?"