"I am absolutely relieved to see you recovering fully!" Talios says putting a reassuring hand on the shoulders of the his companions as they head back down.
"I believe we should try the single door before we open the double doors."
After a few feet you come to another door to the south- you think it might lead the same spot as the door from V7, or you can continue down the hall further. . .
Talios looks to the others, "Is this a sign to check this room or should we clear the rest of the level...I do not like having doors behind us." he whispers.
"Let's check the closer room," Mitsuru replies.
Not quite a torture chamber, this dungeon features three cells made of iron bars—one to the north and two to the south. A filthy, nestlike 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.
One cell holds an ulfen woman, stripped to her underclothes, and the other holds a gnome likewise stripped, the third cell has a pile of what must be these prisoner's gear.
But between you and the cells stands an ogre!
Round 1
The creature moves with surprising quickness, swinging his great club at Mitsuru:
a crushing blow!
Turn Order:
1. Ogre
2. Emili
3. Talios
4. Red Oni
5. Kaloora
6. Mitsuru
7. Kage
Status:
Mitsuru: 7/24
Sh*t! Emili’s whip falls easily into his hand, uncoiling like a snake about to strike. ”I don’t think you need that club - why don’t you just...”
CRACK!!
”...let it go?”
"By Erastil. I am glad this thing wasn't left to torture these prisoners. We must deal with it quickly." Talios exclaims as he pushes through the tight hallways before getting behind Mitsuru to heal her.
"Quickly move back before it gets a chance to strike you again!"
Hearingthe crash up ahead, Kage says "That doesn't sound good." and casts Mage Armor.
Mitsuru, discombobulated equally by the powerful blow and Talios's quick healing, hesitates for a moment as her brain processes what's going on.
Round 1
Emili's whip cracks out and pulls the great club from the ogre's grasp!
Talios cures Mitsuru!
Kage casts mage armor!
Turn Order:
1. Ogre
2. Emili
3. Talios
4. Red Oni
5. Kaloora
6. Mitsuru
7. Kage
Status:
Mitsuru: 18/24
Kaloora notices the commotion, and moves to sit down. He doesn't have anything with him - but at the same, he has everything with him. He could even cast his spells and spell-like abilities - he does so based purely in his emotions, which he has under control now - but they're not offensive. He was always a protector.
Instead, he starts humming and bouncing with his head, side by side. This was his biggest opportunity - whoever these people were, they were fighting the ogre. Even if they were somehow still enemies, at this moment they were enemies of his enemies - and, besides, he wanted to trust someone and have hope. Yes, hope - never lose hope. Don't bleach.
He puts his arms up as his chanting intensifies, as if showing the initial marks of the Bleaching starting to impact his skin. In his mind, in his heart, he had only the gnome heroes of the past, that after their deeds ended up succumbing. And he was calling them...
With a sudden flash of insight, Mitsuru grabs the ogre's club, dragging it back through the door and beyond the giant's reach.
Round 1
Mitsuru drag away the club, while Kaloora begins summoning his phantom.
Round 2
The ogre shouts, "No, why? You aren't supposed to be here!? Unless yous want to go in the cage? You want go in the cage!?"
The ogre reaches forward to grab Talios!
he snags Talios, and pulls him close to his oversize, ugly body!
Turn Order:
1. Ogre
2. Emili
3. Talios
4. Red Oni
5. Kaloora
6. Mitsuru
7. Kage
Status:
Mitsuru: 18/24
Talios: Grappled
Seeing Mitsuru take a crushing blow, Rin dashed behind the Orge and unleashed a flurry of blows upon the creature. Hoping to take it down before it could finish off her friend.
--
”Oi! Drop him!” Emili cracks his whip again - this time aiming for the ogre’s leg!
”Or that.”
Dropping the club, Mitsuru draws her rapier and rushes in after Rin. Once in position, she takes advantage of Emili's next maneuver and strikes for maximum effect.
Round 2
Emili trips the ogre!
Now prone, Rin and Mitsuru each hit, Rin three times and shred the ogre!
Status:
Mitsuru: 18/24
You are left alone in the room with the ogre's corpse, and the two prisoners. . .
"Well. That was...anticlamactic.
Talios dusts himself off and climbs up from the floor, "Luckily, for my sake. Thank you everyone but I need to make sure these prisoners are safe as well."
He heads over to the cells but keeps his distance, "My name is Talios, is anyone badly injured while we figure out a way to release you and learn who you are?" he asks.
Perhaps that came off more like orders than requests.
As the remains of the ogre slid to the ground, Rin nodded at Mitsuru, glad her friend was alright. "Want to try your magic on their chains while I look for a key?" She said with a hidden smile to her flanking buddy.
Kaloora stays chanting, eyes turning up as if he was in a trance of sorts. At this point, he was particularly glad the ogre was already gone.
The ogre carried a small, ratty pouch made out of a cow’s stomach in which he keeps his collection of shiny river rocks, a few dead turtles for munching, the key to the three cells, 77 gp, a filthy masterwork dagger for pimple care, and his lucky rock (which appears magical when inspected with detect magic).
In the third cell, Kaloora and Kelda's gear is piled.
Rubbing at her partially healed bruise, Mitsuru nods in reply to Rin. "Good thinking with that whip, Emili," she says, withdrawing the lockpicks from her sleeve. "Bet he didn't see that one coming." Just then, though, she spots the keys and decides to give those a try. I'm not lazy, I'm just practical!
"Should we wait for them to at least respond before opening the cage. Not that I assume they are dangerous but caution is advised in here." Talios asks stepping closer to the cages.
Sure enough the cages open- and some of you recognize Kaloora! The gnome has spent time in Sandpoint, though departed there of late. . .
”If they weren’t able to escape the ogre and were locked in cages, they’re very likely the victims here,” Emili answers Talios after bowing to Mitsuru with a flourish. ”At the very least we can let them out.”
The gnome stays focused, and it seems obvious that he's working on some sort of ritual of summoning. For the people more used with Sandpoint, they should recognize the old shorty as a good hearted brewer who supplied the Rusty Dragon - and that he, himself, used to drink a bit and laugh over past stories together with the owner, Ameiko. He was a regular, at least once a month, though not as much in the most recent times.
He likely recognizes some of you as well, as even in his concentration he smiles warmly in an almost peaceful manner.
"If she was so bad we should leave her locked up in her small clothes then she probably would have been working with the monsters. Also, that's Kaloora, he was one of the suppliers of the Rusty Dragon, we can trust him. Kal what are you even doing here!?"
"I just remember how some dangerous creatures prey on anything, even bandits but since you are familiar with Kaloora then I am at ease. I spent too much time outside the city to know many people." Talios says shifting into a more relaxed stance as he moves closer to inspect them for any injuries he can help with.
"I wonder if that was the only of those brutish creatures lurking about in here."
The Ulfen woman speaks, "My name is Kelda Oxcutter. We were not captured by THAT brute."
"The lizard things that were outside?" Kage asks, hopeful.
"He's a bit strange," Mitsuru adds, "but I guess for gnomes that's actually quite normal." She turns to Kelda and performs a theatrical bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kelda. Who did capture you? Did they leave you here for the ogre on purpose or did he just wander in?"
As the time passes, Kaloora once again stands up. Behind him another figure starts forming out of thin air - a somewhat translucent, gnome-looking phantasmagoric creature, dressed in what appears to be a very old and battered war armor.
I am sorry for my manners. - says Kaloora, in a nice and warm tone, approaching slowly - Gnomes aren't actually too normal in any standards, right? My name is Kaloora... Kaloora Plimp, from the Lands of Linnorn Kings.
He turns to Rin.
And I know some of you! Like young Rin. We never talked much, but I was likely Ameiko's best customer! Hah. - he said, with a chuckle - Thanks for the rescue. I was travelling with Kelda when we were captured.
Finally, the gnome turns his hands towards the phantom, speaking with some reverence.
And this here is Jareremoono, a mythic hero, hierophant of our legends, that gracefully agreed to accompany us today. - and as he spoke, the other gnome silently and emotionless greeted the others. Different than most gnomes, he didn't seem to have any more joy in anything: like many others, he perished to the Bleaching.
Kelda tells her tail. . .
"We came here to seek the treasures of this lost place- legendary Brinewall Castle, but disaster struck even as we were just arriving! A terrible Sea Drake attacked in the harbor and slaughtered most of our company-- only Kaloora and myself escaped!"
"Nevertheless, we forged on and came into the castle- but what we encountered was a simply dreadful monstrosity! Tentacles, TEN tacles, two with claws, leathery wings, and a monstrous face, and it dwelt in the utter dark!"
"A Sea Drake!? I'm glad we didn't come by ship then. I'd definitely rather fight bandits and goblins than Sea Drakes."
"Nevertheless, we forged on and came into the castle- but what we encountered was a simply dreadful monstrosity! Tentacles, TEN tacles, two with claws, leathery wings, and a monstrous face, and it dwelt in the utter dark!"
Kelda's description caught Rin's attention. "Wait, what was it that Ameiko was muttering? Something about a 10 handed thing having a key and fear being an ally?"
"The danger in those mutterings are far more literal than I had hoped, it seems. We must proceed with extreme caution...what kind of creature could match such a description!" Talios exclaims at the story.
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”One with ten hands presumably,” Emili answers with a straight face. ”So, shall we investigate that door over there?” He jerks his thumb over his shoulder towards the passageway to the north.
An intricate iron screen 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.
The door is locked.
"I've got this," Mitsuru says confidently, examining the door for traps.
Next, a set of lockpicks drop from within her sleeves and into her hands, and she gets to work on the door.
Ah! Lady of Graves. Pharasma. - said the gnome, looking at the painted woman.
He approached the phantom by his side and touched him, muttering a spell as Mitsuru worked on the door.
The lock clicks, and the gate swings open allowing you to continue into the crypts. . .
Emili cautiously takes the lead, whip in hand as he checks each nook. "Might want to have your clubs ready," he quips. "One of us seems to be rather irresistible to skeletons given how many of them we've found."
Rin nods before sheathing her wakizashis and pulling out her hanbo.
"One can hope that a crypt protected by Pharasma wouldn't have any risen dead but this place hasn't been typical." Talios says making sure he knows where his blunt arrows are. If needed he will cast light on arrows and use them as torches.