one primary target plus one additional target/3 levels
Lupi was by no means a leader, but this was dire straits. She saw Erix as their only hope as it would take Lupi too much time to get one more Burning Arc prepared. She shouted to Erix pointing the Madcaster "Go kill it! Otherwise it raises Phantasms back!!" Lupi took a step backwards and cast her weakest spell to the Phantom nearby. It took the hit to its stomach and its rotten flesh fell down from the hissing acid from Acid Splash.
Baran, still holding Alua's shoulder faultered as he spoke, "Fight on! Fight on ... fight on ... fight ..."
"No!" Alua cried, both in pain and anger. "You will NOT kill us!"
Alua had cast her sanctuary with the intention of using its protection to summon help. But the aberation before her was too deadly, but it also looked hurt. She needed to take it out, now.
Drawing her mace, she swung straight at the face of the horrid undead, hoping to smash its brains to pulp and put it down. The oracle struck true, and the creature flopped limply to the ground, oozing grotesquely.
Just pointed out that I rolled a 20!
Erix growled as he saw the Madcaster. Blocked in as he was, surrounded by the wounded and the dying - if it got into his head again someone would die. He could run, maybe. Otherwise one of them - him or the monster - had to die. Uncharacteristic indecision warred within the soldier.
She shouted to Erix pointing the Madcaster "Go kill it! Otherwise it raises Phantasms back!!"
Decision made, he followed the order and stepped forward.
Even as he finally moved the cleric landed a massive blow, the creature's skull shattering under the impact and all but decapitating the monster.
Freed from his fear of murdering his friends the soldier fell on the Lasher, unleashing all his anger in blow after blow.
Even as he finally moved the cleric landed a massive blow, the creature's head deformed by the impact.
Hope rose in the soldier's heart, and he committed completely, ignoring defence to concentrate on pure attack. He unleashed the fury he felt and reached forward with grasping hands to grab, pull, and rip the monster's damaged head apart.
Even as he finally moved the cleric landed a massive blow, the creature's head deformed by the impact.
Hope rose in the soldier's heart, and he committed completely, ignoring defence to concentrate on pure attack. He unleashed the fury he felt and reached forward with grasping hands to grab, pull, and rip the monster's damaged head apart.
With a howl he turned on the Lasher, flailing at it with the remnants of its companion.
[dice=clw]1d8+3
Baran, still holding Alua's shoulder faultered as he spoke, "Fight on! Fight on ... fight on ... fight ..."
Baran released Alua's shoulder and placed it on Erix' back, buttressing him. The boy's oratory had become a drum beat of a yell. It was as if he was trying to bolster a tug of war with fate itself. "Fight! On! Fight! On! Fight! On!"
Despite the pain and confusing visions, Alua’s mace struck true, crushing the overly bold aberrant’s skull and showering the nearby walls with black blood and bits of the creature’s brains. The Madcaster’s death marked the end to the aura of madness, and even as your heads began to clear you saw the goblin phantoms fading away, this time for good, both of them greeting the oracle, their liberator, with a bowed head and fisted right hand held over their hearts in salute.
The still-reeling Lasher remained, but as Erix descended on it in a flurry of heavy blows it wasn’t long before it followed the other aberrant to the grave. It took a moment for the brawler to work his anger out of his system, but in the end, he stood over the lasher’s savaged remains, panting in exhaustion and pain.
Baran leaned against a stalagmite and took a breath. He felt nearly completely spent. Almost every last bit of inspiration was gone. He looked at the others and smiled at Erix. "Was that one punch? You knocked me out in one punch?! Wow. Oh ... wait ..." He saw Phin laying on the floor and rushed to her side. He pulls out his healer's kit and goes to work trying to administer a powdered stimulant mixed with water. While it takes effect he bandages any bleeds starting with the most serious. "I think she'll be ok but we'll have to stabilize her before heading back ... We are going back?!"
And it stopped as quickly as it started. The monsters were destroyed and Lupi saw the spirits of ancient goblins released. Somehow she felt happy for the Phantoms, who knows how long they had had to suffer here.
Lupi was not really sure, if it was safe here yet, so she spent some time to prepare Burning Arc to the last slot she had.
She felt worried about Phin, but as Baran was there to heal her, she concentrated on the other thing that worried her. She took a couple of steps closer to the haunt, but was wary not to go closer than anybody else had gone. Lupi used her last drops of mental strength to see in future, on how to find information about the haunt. Ummm, stay back, I will take a look at the haunt," she said.
Erix panted over the mangled remants of the Lasher as Baran talked.
He shook for a few moments as Baran knelt over Phin, then pulled his blade and cut the lasher limb from limb in a vicious display.
"This was about as close as I've been to death, Ki... Baran. I couldn't do anything till the caster was gone."
He hesitated and started again "If Alua hadn't taken that thing out I couldn't have attacked this one. I've been close to death before, but this... having allies turned to enemies in my mind..." he delivered another vicious kick to the Lasher's head, the orb sailing through the air to smack off a wall like a meaty football.
"We head back. I got overconfident. Committed us without a line of retreat. Phin nearly died. It's pure luck I didn't have a blade in my hand when I attacked you, or you'd be dead as well." his head came up to stare at the bard "You did well." He looked around "You all did well. But we got lucky. You don't push luck. I say we go back" he looked to Alua "But it's up to you, Boss."
The half serious-half joking turn Erix used when referring to Alua had changed in the aftermath of this fight. There was little humour left anymore.
Alua stared at the fading phantoms with something like shock. The mace slid from her limp fingers, and she found herself suddenly needing to sit. Putting her head between her legs, the oracle took a few minutes to compose herself. That had been close.
Finally pulling herself together, she looked up to see Baran caring for Phin. "Phin!" She scrambled across the gore-spattered cavern floor, and knelt by the fallen elven woman. Summoning the power of the long forgotten spirits, she closed up the worst of her wounds. Seeing the musician breathe easy again, she sighed in relief and sat back on her haunches, surveying the rest of them.
Lupi was hurt, though was bearing up well. Likewise Erix, who bore his injuries with soldierly stoicism. Moving to the goblin, she lay a hand over the worst of her wounds, and called upon the well of mercy that lay deep within her.
She then repeated the process with Erix. The tall man was covered with cuts and bruises; she drew the warmth of her own spirit to heal him as best she could.
Exhausted, she leaned against the cavern all, her forehead to the cool stone.
**
Agreeing with Erix, she said, her voice a harsh whisper. "We go back. That was too close. I'm tapped out, I think we all are. We need food, warmth, sleep, and safety. No treasure is worth getting killed for."
Phin was trapped in darkness and couldn't get out. She could feel an oppressiveness weighing on her mind that made her want to scream in agony but where she was there was no sound. Did she even exist anymore? Was she dead and this was all there was - to both exist and not exist at the same time?
Just at the point where the elf thought she was going mad, the crushing blackness began to lift and sound returned. She could hear familiar voices and she slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry at first but soon Baran's face came into focus along with Alua's. Both showed concern so it must have been touch and go for her.
Phin tried to sit up and soon regretted her decision. She groaned as it felt as if someone had played her head like a drum. Whatever that evil creature had done to her, it made her head hurt.
Not wanting to risk a head nod, she parroted the others, "Agreed. We need to return. I feel like I've literally had the life sucked out of me. I'm in no shape to continue just now."
While Alua and Baran did what they could to the wounded in the group (in the end, after having spent their spells and talents, leaving everyone exhausted but alive, and all but the oracle mostly patched up), Lupi busied herself examining the room… or rather the strange sight of ghostly goblin forms trapped in the byeshk crystal veins. Given both time and proximity for her studies, she determined the strange phenomenon was nothing actively dangerous to you – to her, it looked like the psychical residue of some horrible magical tragedy that had befallen this once-grand Dhakaani fortress, souls frozen in time of their agonizing death inside the natural crystals of the chamber.
After you had a chance to rest for a moment, you followed Alua’s and Erix’s suggestion to head back to the camp. Scaling the twin cliffs to get back to the obelisk room proved a rather more daunting task for tired minds and bodies than it seemed it might on the way in, but eventually you got out into the chilly air outside. Back at the camp, you were greeted with considerable attention – the blood and scars on your clothes and bodies were clear enough, and the expedition’s healer, the dwarf Grennadak Lanthar, hurried to offer his assistance, fussing around Alua, the one most obviously hurt as she had used herself up healing others, ignoring her own wounds.
Once Baran had been deemed healthy enough, professor ir’Morain called you for a debriefing, listening with wide eyes of your latest exploits. ”Mr. 'Elmswright, you do seem to have a gift of making discoveries. Just do try to take it easy for a little bit, hmm? No matter the wonders you have found for us, it won’t be worth it if it ends up costing you your lives. Still, very well done,” he said, nodding – half-bowing almost – to the young bard. ”We’ll start securing the new areas you have scouted out and cataloguing the findings first thing tomorrow. You are more than welcome to join us, of course, but do take some time to rest, yes? With your luck, there’s no telling what you’ll run into in the next chamber!”
"Baran. When they call you in..." Erix announced "Tell them we're not going back in without backup, a way to kill undead, and scaffolding. Otherwise I'm going to carve steps in their precious dig site with a pickaxe."
"Baran. When they call you in..." Erix announced "Tell them we're not going back in without backup, a way to kill undead, and scaffolding. Otherwise I'm going to carve steps in their precious dig site with a pickaxe."
Baran went to see Professor ir'Marain with his rapier in tow. We swaggered like some kind of young man-about-town, hiding how he depended on it as a walking stick. His whole spine was one long bruise even after Alua's miracle healing. When he arrived to the professor's tent he spoke of the delve - which he could do quite well. He had already committed his oration to memory. Though, in this telling, he worked to leave out the dramatic embellishments.
He remembered to mention there was still shadowseed. He spoke of the forms of different haunts and images of lost goblin souls. "It was if a blast so violent came that could disintegrate the body and burn the reflection of lost creatures into the surrounding crystals - a frozen scream!" OK, he embellished a little. He also made sure to suggest the team be accompanied by some good strong backs. "No, no. Not for fear of some creature. But the terrain does get quite difficult. Which leads me to the request for some scaffolding. We don't want people carving stairs out of the dig site now ... what? Oh, of course nobody suggested ... I'm simply saying someone might, in error, try to make the way more ... defensible."He did seem to forget to mention the copper wand.
”We’ll start securing the new areas you have scouted out and cataloguing the findings first thing tomorrow. You are more than welcome to join us, of course, but do take some time to rest, yes? With your luck, there’s no telling what you’ll run into in the next chamber!”
"Sir, I find I must say that it is my team that have done the lion's share of the scouting. I'm glad for my training. I don't shirk the responsibility of dig team leader. They, however, have drawn me to them. In many ways I am their biographer. They have done some great work and I am lucky to have them with me. All of this is to say, 'they are worth consideration should any special task arise'. Thank you for the time off our feet. We will be by the dig site to help make sense of the situation when we are able ... and to watch out for competitive dig teams."
Baran snuck this last little note in as a throw-away comment but watched the Professor for a reaction, then waited to see if any information might be offered up about the strange airship that flew past. His friends had proved reliable, and capable in strange circumstances. Would the Professor take a chance on them and open up???If nothing came of it he took off his scholar's cap, bowed respectfully, leave to check on his friends, and play the long game on information gathering.
"Baran. When they call you in..." Erix announced "Tell them we're not going back in without backup, a way to kill undead, and scaffolding. Otherwise I'm going to carve steps in their precious dig site with a pickaxe."
Alua submitted to the inspection and the healing with no small amount of embarrassment. It was her[/] job to take care of her team, not to be use up the limited resources of other healers. Still, she couldn't deny that she felt better having received magical aid, and a good night sleep helped as well.
She spent the next day puttering around the campsite, helping where she could. Though she was stiff and sore, she knew that movement would help more than laying about, so she helped with meals and bringing warm drinks to those who needed it.
[i]Sorry, creative juices tapped, hopefully I'll be able to dedicate a bit more brain power to the games after the move.
Phin was grateful to get back to camp once they had managed to slowly crawl out of the ruins they had been exploring. The elf would never have described herself as old but in that moment, having had life and goodness sucked out of her, she felt old. It was all she could do to keep herself gracefully upright instead of stooped and hunched over like she felt.
She hovered a bit over Alua and made sure she was settled and in Grennadak's capable hands before she found her way to her own bunk and buried herself in as many blankets as she could find. Unfortunately, her rest that night was not peaceful as she kept jerking herself awake as dreams of the MadCaster sucking her life away plagued her sleep.
The next day, Phin was happy to flit around the camp playing a go-fer for whoever needed it. She may have looked physically healthy but it was obvious that she was mentally tired and distracted when she brought back an item to the same person who had sent her away with it more than once. After about her fifth apology, she was sent to sit by one of the fires and stoke it when needed. She was then encouraged to play her lute to entertain those who were working near the fire. She smiled gratefully at their kindness and eagerly played her lute. Through this she seemed energized and the heaviness that was weighing on her spirit began to lift.
Baran went back to the team and with a grim smile told them all that the work groups were already too strained and they would not be spared any assistance going deeper into the passages. "But we have been provided with this!" He really tried to sell the six bottles of holy water to the others. Then he grinned ironically to show he knew them to be a pale replacement for extra hands.
After he slept as best he could in this cold he looked for Karola and tried to help her design the scaffolding without getting in the way but eager to learn from her experience. He did try to influence the design towards ease of escape.
When he returned that afternoon Baran could see it. That morning his friends had shown a lightness of spirit - while dragging their feet and nursing their hurt. The cold, the strange ship, and the rumours of what happened to his team seemed now to be casting a shadow over the camp. Just as the discoveries had peaked their interest. Everyone on the dig would get the credit of having been part of a great find.
Late that evening, he took to the fire and found a rock to stand on. He saw to Phin and looked at her compassionately. He was glad to see her spirits up. "Do you have a little mood music in you? Perhaps to add a little drama?? I am going to try to engage the camp's imagination."His eyes closed as he tried to remember his oration of the day before. 'Remember to project. Speak with confidence. Breathe at opportune moments but do not interrupt the speech,' he thought to himself to buffer against the requirement for endurance, something he was not known for. He looked at those nearby, nodded, and hoped his projection might draw others.
Baran held his hands at head height with palms forward. He summoned his dancing lanterns and sent them as far as he could then drew them back to lead people to the storytelling. He swept his hands downward and began to slowly walk in place as he spoke.
"As cold crept through the cavernous mound it was as if spirits came to haunt the steps of the living.
No forms did appear but of the four lanterns held by unseen hands, born aloft as men might do to precede them on their way.
The quiet of true death hushed the paths under the ground as our ghostly lantern bearers knelt and paid homage to a fallen soul.
Come attendants and bring your spectral lights.
The scene awaits."
Baran stopped pacing and mimed bending down and finding the beyshk knife.
"With Ghostly lanterns in attendance, the passage gave up strange fruit.
A knife left as a hint to the false quiet.
The ‘Eyes of ir’Brock' moved forth, for no detail, be it concealed nor minuscule, could avoid her notice.
But with nothing revealing itself and yet a crooked cavern to delve, if danger will not apperate then they shall go to it.
But danger was there none, but three sentinels of a bygone war."
He stood stock still in the attitude of the Warforged.
"With skillful deliberation, the crew talked their way past the three statuesque guards of an ancient site only to have mystery answered with mystery.
Please, let these words shed a little light on the present darkness."
He brought his dancing lanterns near and let them slowly circle him so as he continued the shadows of his face waxed and waned.
"The greyness of forgotten time yawned with horizontal vertigo
as the investigators made their way into the underworld itself,
where the ruins of Darguun have grown spiteful in their loneliness.
The team felt themselves bring something into these halls it hasn't seen for an age. Camaraderie.
The shadows awoke with aeons old death.
With steely resolve the investigators met eyes with the decrepit foe, watching
as corpse's ichorous anima moved with foul intention.
Having not yet learned to fear the strength and cunning of the ir'Brock team.
But let all shadows recede before them."
Baran had drawn his rapier and swung it about as if fighting a hoard or wraiths.
"Let the devils come! Mindless hate is no match for mindful fidelity.
We spit at thee and draw thee forth.
Leader as is, our Alua swung hard to deliver the cankerous spirit some pains
... and found a little lunge more space as her heart rose to give her extra strength!
The befouled spirits advanced to meet the stalwart battle line
and only found ready hearts and trained hands.
Every investigator’s eye steely as befits the seriousness of the task ahead.
Mace, shod foot, bare fist, and thorn’ed blade.
Friend to friend raised arms and punished the decrepit deathlings.
Allies swapped places as easily as dancing
before the slightest of the team belched awesome fire!"
At his last phrase he stopped swinging his rapier and mimicked Lupi's spell casting.
"With such shadows dispatched by light
come again dear lantern bearers and announce us the deeper darkness.
We have come to find you - in your hiding places."
Baran sent his lights out again to a larger circle so they briefly lit the listeners in turn. Then he used his power to summon an apparitious flute which he played briefly.
"On the windless air came the sound of a tiny flute
and so one appeared as if there the entire time.
Hiding places of such bitter rankness that belies a foulness of spirit.
Even in such dolorous guards heroes such as these,
with nobler intent and more brave,
will always come through smelling like a rose.
Taunting spirits
in ancient caves unwittingly showed the way to the invisible supplicants.
Wait ... is that a light ahead?
Lower you lanterns you grim procession."
The dancing lights stopped circling and lowered to the ground giving several listeners operatic upward shadows.
"The procession of lanterns, be they serious, go forth.
Into the graves of ancient animus
and faced without warning aberrations and devilry,
the brave delvers closed ranks.
A scene of puissance,
Erix stage left,
Alua stage centre,
Lupi stage right
... and Phin Exeunt!
At this Baran's voice turned most serious and he went as quiet as he dared to be overheard over the crackling fire.
"Now it is time for all stalwart women and men to face the evils of the earth.
‘Underground’
Spit out your worst and watch the ir'Brocks stand fast.
Laugh you vile dead, and, in soon finding our blades in your throats,
drown in your our profundity.
We shall not miss a beat but with every step
be the horrors that come to haunt you."
The bard's voice began to rise again.
"Lanterns of ghostly bearers drew near to give prudential aid
as the daemons of old slavered at their prey.
They remained steady still, the Investigators,
as they fought off the reckless hate of their surrounding fiends!
But, where perdition triumphed not, let surreptitious aid come.
And all watched as our leader showed her grit,
bit down on her tongue,
and found new resolve to fight on!
Her team, by her example, found new courage."
Baran crescendoed here, yelling out, inspiring all those near enough with courage for the last of the story.
And then went quiet and thoughtful.
"Strange.
The banished evil, as it faded finally,
smiled
released, unchained from their basement prison.
So it was
in that place
at that time.
The dark yielded glory.
The ir’Brock Investigative Agency lifted their fallen
to find greater aid and the kind faces of their compatriots
who sift through evidence of ancient times.
To find the past in it's hiding places
and to release it
and triumph.
So this humble storyteller thanks you.
Goodnight."
Erix put a hand on Baran's shoulder "You did well. These'll be worth more than men if we end up fighting wraiths or shadows. They'll be enough to cover our retreat if we end up in desperate circumstances again."
Erix blinked back tears as Baran finished.
He'd tensed when he realised what the man was doing. His recollections of the fight were troublesome and vague - though he assumed he'd see more in his nightmares over the coming nights - but he realised the bard would be well within his rights to roast the comrade who hit him. Nothing to do but bear the barbs.
The actual story left him moved, and the performance was extraordinary. Not something he had ever expected to hear sitting on a log eating slop out of a tin bowl. 'The man is wasted as a scholar.' he reflected.
After the performance Baran went about the camp and tried to bolster morale where he could.
"... Yes, think of the storey you can tell your boy. An ancient Darguun ruin. You were there! ..."
"... A feather in the cap of any Morgrave alumn ..."
"... I miss home to. Just think of how good that beer will taste. You'll have earned it!..."
As people started to retire he went to his own bed and refused to plan for tomorrow until tomorrow.
Alua sat with elbows on her knees, rapt expression on her face. Baran made her forget the story was about her own deeds, and she found herself rooting for the beleaguered heroes.
When he was done, the audience burst into riotous applause. Leaping to her feet, Alua joined in, "Bravo! Wonderful!" It didn't occur to her that it was...unusual...to be cheering for her own story.
Lupi sat listening Baran a bit absent-mindedly. She could not help thinking about the poor ancient goblins trapped into a haunt. Maybe there would be a kind of way to free them deeper in the caves, she thought.
”All of this is to say, 'they are worth consideration should any special task arise'.”
Excavations, day 6
The day after your life-and-death struggle proved blessedly uneventful. Baran took the Professor’s offer to once again assist in the investigation of the rooms you had cleared of enemies, and while you felt a certain amount of trepidation when entering the chamber of the trapped, tormented goblin souls the chamber remained safe, with only the two bodies of the Deathgaunts reminding you of the battle you had fought… but during the day, you kept feeling the weight of eyes on you. At times you stopped to peer into the shadows cast by the stalactites, looking for the hidden observer, but never caught a sight of him or her… or it. You did not imagine the attention, however, as during the day, other people brought up the same creepy feeling of being stared at.
Yet nothing ever came of the constant feeling of being watched, and everyone eventually put it down to the unseeing eyes of the goblin souls staring at you from their crystal coffins. But you were not entirely convinced of it…
Back in the camp, you had a chance to catch up to the latest news and rumors. One of the other two teams had finally made a breakthrough of their own, quite literally as they had managed to excavate a tunnel into a part of the ruins that sounded as well preserved as the one you had been exploring. Thus far, they had found little of real excitement and only a modicum of danger, as the team had dispatched a nest of gigantic carrion worms that had found their own way into the ruins and set up a nest in the first chamber the diggers stumbled into, but the beasties had been dealt with easily enough.
The presence of your Rhukaan Taash watcher, however, was heating things up, as the hobgoblin’s presence had struck sparks with Kaynet Symyth, the human who had been vocal about his dislike of the uppity mercenary race during your flight here on the Gallant Storm. Kallaad Draa'kash had declared an ancient blade unearthed by Kaynet’s team as an item of interest to the Darguun crown and thus their rightful property, spurring the human to a confrontation – that had ended swiftly as the Bladebearer’s guard had decked the human with bare fists, snarling that the scum was not even worth him baring his blade. Kaynet had been dragged away by the rest of his team, but the incident had increased the tension between your two factions.
In the evening, Baran’s and Phin’s performance did a lot to distract anxious minds from trekking down dark paths, and the applause at the end of the tale was thunderous. Even the mostly-silent Kallaad Draa'kash was seen nodding approvingly at the very edge of the crowd.
When he was done, the audience burst into riotous applause. Leaping to her feet, Alua joined in, "Bravo! Wonderful!" It didn't occur to her that it was...unusual...to be cheering for her own story.
”Indeed, that was a tale well told,” a cheerful voice commented from the back of the crowd. A voice, you realized, you had not ever heard before. As one, everyone turned to look in the speaker’s direction, and those closest to the edges of the crowd saw an attractive gnomish girl with her honey-blonde hair in a complicated braid, clad in dark leathers and waving at you cheerfully, the top of her head barely reaching to the waist of the tall hobgoblin who stood directly behind her, armed to the teeth, not unlike the Bladebearer’s bodyguard you had almost got used to seeing around the campsite, but this one’s armor sported the colors of another clan.
”Hi! the gnome continued, waving at you as if she was a celebrity greeting her devout followers. ”We were in the neighborhood so we decided to come over and introduce ourselves. My name is-“
”You!” Professor ir’Morian’s shout echoed around the campsite as the old archaeologists pushed his way through the crowd to confront his old nemesis.
”Yes, me! Pleased to see you too, dearest! As I was saying, my name is Alina Dalian, and me and the professor over there go back simply ages,” the woman continued, giving the fuming professor a bright, welcoming smile. ”We are in the same line of work, after all, so we do end up moving in the same circles, and-“
”As if there’d be anything common between me and a looter like you!” the professor fumed.
”Oh details, details. As if you have never accepted your rightful due for your hard work.”
”There is a difference between the work I do and whatever it is that you call your looting,” the professor snarled, and it looked like the elderly academician was actually about to confront the gnome girl physically, but his aide rushed to his side and held the old man back.
”Well, we can just agree to disagree,” she said brightly, giving the professor’s assistant a sultry smile that the young man pointedly ignored. ”Anyway, pleasantries concluded, I think it’d be best for us to take our leave, if only to avoid dear old Rand’s heart from bursting from all this excitement. Do try and give it your best, people. I so love good competition – it makes the victory all the sweeter!”
Excavations, day 7
The following day, Professor Rand ir’Morain seemed a man possessed. At the communal breakfast, he urged everyone to redouble their efforts at the excavations, promising double pay for significant discoveries – without going into details he seemed certain Alina’s own expedition would cut every corner to plunder the ruins of the last shard of pottery if given half a chance, and there was a real chance that, working the same buried ruin from the opposite side, their excavations would eventually reach the same tunnels your teams were seeking to clear.
Phin was so focused on her lute and Baran's performance that she never noticed the strangers' approach. Her head snapped up at the unfamiliar voice and she watched them warily as they definitely had an agitating effect on the Professor.
The elf listened to the exchange and couldn't help but think it sounded a lot like rivals gangs fighting over turf in Sharn. One group thought the others were far worse of character than the other because of how they did things. She knew from experience that these kind of disputes never ended well. One gang usually decimated the other.
Once their unwanted visitors left, Phin sought out the others and in a quiet voice asked, "Should we plan some sort of reconnaissance to find out more about our competition? If we did go, it would have to be at night. Less chance of us being noticed that way."
Excavations, day 7
Phin ate her breakfast as the Professor addressed the group, promising more pay. Admittedly, the promise of extra pay was welcomed considering the Agency was struggling but it was quite obvious that the Professor was reacting in desperation to what happened last night. She couldn't help but be doubtful that he could pay what he was pledging. So it was with a mixture of hope and skepticism that Phin made her way back down into their dig area.
The idea to use scaffolding was a welcome one considering they would never have been able to quickly scale some of the drop-offs they'd encountered and there was only so much rope you could carry. When they made their way to the small platform on the other side of the room where she had almost died, Phin considered their options. "I think digging our way through rather than squeezing our way through would be better. I don't like the idea of anyone having to crawl through that and being vulnerable on their stomachs should they meet something on the other side. Or worse, get trapped."
Lupi did not notice Alina at all before she spoke. After Alina departed she shared her knowledge with others "The hobgoblin is a member of Kech Volaar, the Wordbearers. That tribe is mostly interested in finding and preserving ancient goblin items and lore. I wonder, if professor's accusations on Alina are really true. Baran, do you know her?"
Once their unwanted visitors left, Phin sought out the others and in a quiet voice asked, "Should we plan some sort of reconnaissance to find out more about our competition? If we did go, it would have to be at night. Less chance of us being noticed that way."
Lupi got immediately exited on Phin's proposal "Yes, and while we are there, let's go get a competing offer from Alina. Professor does not pay us too much... and... We have showed our competence here... and... ummm..." Lupi looked around for approval on others.
Lupi did not notice Alina at all before she spoke. After Alina departed she shared her knowledge with others "The hobgoblin is a member of Kech Volaar, the Wordbearers. That tribe is mostly interested in finding and preserving ancient goblin items and lore. I wonder, if professor's accusations on Alina are really true. Baran, do you know her?"
Baran never let his eyes off of Alina. When she complimented his story he bowed formally but couldn't help but feel most of her compliment was meant to enhance her entrance. 'This one is like a character out of a story book. Is it all for show,' he ruminated. He whispered back to Lupi, "Her feigned friendliness seems certainly meant to get the professor's ire up but I feel just as certain there is a practical side to her. She may be impossible to argue with, difficult to reason with, and easy to barter with." In whispers he reveals all that he has heard of her to the others.
When the group gathered to discuss the new gnome Erix was reluctant. "I'm not keen on scouting. We're good, but they may have someone better. We definitely don't do it without checking with command first."
He looked to Alua and Baran "And we need clear instructions on what we can do if we run into them, and information on what we can expect. I'm defaulting to 'kill them all' if we run into them down below."
"I'm with Phin. Not being able to withdraw almost killed us once already." Erix considered "Guess I'd be okay with someone squeezing in to ensure it's not a dead end, but not going all the way through. Also, not going to be me, for obvious reasons."
When the group gathered to discuss the new gnome Erix was reluctant. "I'm not keen on scouting. We're good, but they may have someone better. We definitely don't do it without checking with command first."
He looked to Alua and Baran "And we need clear instructions on what we can do if we run into them, and information on what we can expect. I'm defaulting to 'kill them all' if we run into them down below."
"Agreed, from what I heard, this Alina Dalian isn't above absconding with someone else's find. I'm not too clear on wha conditions she left the someones. Heaven help us if her contingent found us snooping about their camp."
Before heading out that morning, Baran sought the Professor or the professor's assistant to get a call on rule-of-engagement with the Dalain dig team, should them come across them.
_______
When they re-entered the cave Baran shrunk a bit. He looked uneasy and looked around a lot. "Do you feel that? I have the creeps every time I come in here." He must have been thinking about it for some time because ten minutes later he added out of nowhere, "It's fascinating..."
"Guess I'd be okay with someone squeezing in to ensure it's not a dead end, but not going all the way through. Also, not going to be me, for obvious reasons."
"Listen, I think I'd like to try. Just to get a quick look." He tied a 50' rope to his ankle and looked Erix in the eye. "If I pull once then pull me back. If I pull twice then pull me back fast!" The bard centred himself and focused five feet beside him. "Apartition, apparition, come unto this place, brighten and wizen, and copy my pace. Apparition, <repeat>" It was like a child's rhyme to ward off darkness. A figure Baran's height, barely humanoid - a blob with two arms and two legs - appeared. It got down on its' knees and started to crawl into the hole and Baran followed suite.
Lupi was visibly disappointed her idea of changing teams was not catching fire in the hearts of her friends. "Strange indeed," she thought. A standard goblin would have given at least a sly smile on her proposal, most likely a bit of laugh, but these... nothing..."
Later Lupi also realised another thing "I might have to fight my own KIN!" For the first time she got caught with the idea of wanting to avoid hurting opponents in a fight. "This must be how Alua feels like..."
Lupi got up early and prepared her spells. This time it was obvious they were going to descend more into the caves, so she prepared more combat oriented spells.
Lupi watched as Baran went down and then cast a Mage Armor for her protection. The place was as eerie as the last time, but at least now they were healed and rested.
"Fine by me. Ever been dragged backwards? Make sure nothing's going to catch - like your scabbard, keep your feet together, arms forward. Try to keep armour between you and the floor." Erix looked grim "Scream if something catches, but if I have to break your arm to stop you being killed, I can and wil do so."
"Fine by me. Ever been dragged backwards? Make sure nothing's going to catch - like your scabbard, keep your feet together, arms forward. Try to keep armour between you and the floor." Erix looked grim "Scream if something catches, but if I have to break your arm to stop you being killed, I can and will do so."
The scholar found this oddly comforting. 'Good thought', Baran took off his scabbard and pushed it in front of him as he went.
Phin was going to argue with Baran and suggest that she was a better choice to go into the tunnel based on size, but upon a closer look she realized that there wasn't much difference in size between herself and the bard.
She held out her hand towards Baran, "I'll take care of anything you want to leave behind while you take a look. And remember, don't be a hero. We'll most likely need to dig our way in anyways so see what you need to see and then get Erix to pull you back. At least this way we'll know how far we'll need to dig."
"I'll take care of anything you want to leave behind while you take a look. And remember, don't be a hero. We'll most likely need to dig our way in anyways so see what you need to see and then get Erix to pull you back. At least this way we'll know how far we'll need to dig."
Baran nodded quietly and handed Phin his Hulusi flute and the leather holster that he kept his spell book in. "Be right back", he said and winked.
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Crawling through the collapsed tunnel was quite the claustrophobic experience – the passage was narrow enough that every time Baran tried to lift his head to see ahead of him his head scraped painfully against the rough ceiling, and there was hardly a moment when both his shoulder weren’t touching the tunnel walls simultaneously. And while his conjured human-shaped lantern did at least light up the narrow confines, it did quite effectively interfere in his attempts to see more than a foot in front of him – staring right into a bright light inches from one’s nose had its downsides as far as vision went.
Thus, the bard found himself focusing more on his other senses, mainly his hearing, trying to ignore the scuffling sounds of his own laborious crawling, the worrisomely-frequent click of small stones dislodged by his passage falling from the tunnel’s ceiling, the murmur of voices behind him as his companions awaited word from him with baited breath.
And, suddenly, as if you had inched your way past some invisible barrier, sounds of combat from ahead. The clash of weapons rings out over shrieks, some in the Goblin, others in a guttural tongue unfamiliar to you. Trying to peer through your conjured light into the darkness ahead was not easy, but you did realize you had almost made it through the tunnel, which had turned out little more than 10 feet long. Little by little, you could make out some details as your eyes got used to the light. A huge chamber, well preserved through the disaster that had damaged so much of the ruins you had explored thus far, that might once have been a barracks. Bones and debris are scattered across the floor as are rotted remains of what might once have been furnishings and weapons. Rotted purple tapestries hang at intervals, some of them obscuring stone benches set to the floor. And in the center of the chamber, a number of ghostly goblins are engaged in a fierce melee with a trio of hideously deformed goblins with four twisted arms on their bodies and two mouths on their faces.
Baran tried to pull at the rope once by extending the leg it was tied to the side as he sent the source of his light back to the team. Then the boy tried to crawl the path in reverse as he waited to feel the rope go taught.
With a single tug on the rope Erix starts hauling Baran back, hand over hand. He closed his eyes, doing his best to feel the tension on the rope in case Baran catches, or tugs again for more speed.
Instead a moment later the rope shakes, loosens and tightens. Doing his best to keep a steady pace he continues, hoping Baran will settle down.
Eyes still closed he asks "Anyone got a way to talk to him?"