The group all turn to look, curious, but still wary of the newcomers in their midst.
Coop shrugs, drops, and starts climbing into the small room.
George smiles to the one occupant. ”I am not to fond of the tax man myself. But he has a bigger stick than me. I prefer to bleed a little all the time, than have it slit in the middle of the night. Privateers may not make as much profit, but pirates a successful until their luck runs out. If you are serious about getting away, why not send one of you to talk to the Eagle Knights? Maybe if you are willing to barter your services to escort some non-combatants away they will supply or discount what you need to relocate.”
Once Coop starts moving in the darkness, George addresses the group. ”This might be a good time to take your stuff and relocate. Peace to you, and stay on the side of light.”
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"Just a moment lads, let me look at some things before you head down."
First Clancy will go to the item giving off magic, see what it is, and take it. Then he will move to the switch for the secret door and attempt to disable it so it cannot be closed behind them. Giving the group of men a hard look he will say "That door stays open." Finally he would like to make a sense motive on the men, to make sure they have no ill intent.
After all that he will follow the group into the basement.
Firas will follow along, keeping his concentration up on the paladar to watch for foes and/or more evil shrines beyond.
As Clancy approaches the bag of goods and tries to look at the item, the men pull it away and position themselves between the Inquisitor and their items. "What are you doing man? You can't just come in here and try to take our stuff." Several of the men tense up and seem like they are ready to fight if necessary.
Coop stands back up and looks at the men mildly.
”NOW, NOW, LETS ALL STAY CALM. I’M SURE NO ONE WANTS A FIGHT HERE.”
He considers the men for a moment.
”I’M ESPECIALLY SURE YOU DON’T.”
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"Fair enough. You lads want to walk about with an unknown enchanted item, feel free. I'm sure it will work out fine. Of course if I noticed it this easy, so will others. Others who might not be so scrupulous as we. But nay, keep your item of power, which you didn't know you had. I'm sure no one else will try to take it from you."
George frowns a bit. "If you have some items that you are not sure of the properties, that could cause problems." He looks toward Coop. "Coop is fairly good at figuring these things out. Would you be willing to having him puzzle them? Then if you don't want to use them, perhaps we might have something in trade.'
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"'Bah, let the cowardly lot scarper off with their ill-gained, demon attracting loot. I'm sure a band of pasty-faced, underfed, barely armed, washed up mercs such as these will do just fine trying to get them past the beasties and bastards that roam the streets. If we find their bodies later we'll give 'em a right proper burial. If we can scrape up enough of what's left of 'em to do so when the demons are done with 'em."
"Man, you guys are almost as bad as the demons. Come in here like you own the place, and try to take things. You say we don't know what it is? Bah, I know exactly what it is, but I have no need of it at the moment, so it stays in the bag til we can sell it. You wanna trade coin, maybe we can talk, but don't just get all grabby."
One of the older looking men stands, "It's getting too crowded in here for my tastes." He turns and heads out the door. Slowly the other five follow him out into the streets.
Coop shrugs.
"CAN'T SAY WHAT THEIR MOTIVES OR INTENTIONS WERE, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALONE, WHICH IS THE MOST WE CAN HOPE FOR IN THIS MESS. I WON'T LOSE ANY SLEEP OVER IT."
Once everyone is ready to move on, he enters the room with the stairs.
Firas redraws his scimitar and illuminates it, as he leads the party through the secret door.
George follows closely behind, keeping the pole arm ready.
Clancy is confident that he has disabled the door as the group heads downstairs.
The air in this basement is damp and musty-smelling. The walls and floor are packed earth, while dozens of gourds hang from the ceiling beams. A sludge of rotting plant matter covers the floor. Against one wall, a wooden table holds a strange apparatus that looks like a clockwork toy of a snake-bodied, six armed woman holding a sword in each hand. A tightly corked bottle, filled with what looks like water, sits before the statue. A wooden chest covered with engraved runes stands under the table, and a sinister image of a star surrounding a goat’s face is painted on the wall above the table.
There is magic in this room, on the wall and from the bottle on the table. As the group looks over the room and searches for traps, everything looks clear.
George will move closer to the center of the room and studies the symbol over the table.
Clancy determines that the aura from the magic on the wall is from an illusion spell. George is uncertain what the symbol represents.
As George moves up to look closer at the symbol, he is unable to identify it. The symbol does begin to shift and twist as he approaches.
“Ahh... I hope you are among Iomedae’s slaves... I would hate to think of mere peasants wasting such a personal greeting from Lord Baphomet!”
As it speak the last word, the small toy swings it's swords at the bottle and knocks the stopper out. Noxious fumes flood the room instantly.
"Baphomet, not Gozreh. Should have known." As he starts coughing.
"Chicanery!"
Round 1
25 Clancy 25/25
23 Green
20 George 27/27
17 Coop 25/30
04 Firas 31/31
As Clancy studies the small clockwork toy, an unusual construct to be sure. It does not appear to have any DR and only a hardness of 2, and as the arrows strike it, it falls to the floor and remains motionless.
From the ground just ahead of Clancy though, a small creatures pulls itself up from the vegetation. This filthy creature resembles a small, wide-mouthed fat child made from leaves, vines, tree bark, dirt, and pallid tubers. It turns quickly to take in all those that are in the room... and then shrieks.
Round 1
23 Green
20 George 27/27, 3NL
17 Coop 25/30
04 Firas 31/31Round 2
25 Clancy 25/25
As George prepares to act, he finds that his nose has developed a bit of a leak. It does not seem to harm him, but he feels a bit lightheaded.
George quickly hums a sustained note to try and dull the edge of the shriek.
George whips his ranseur like fanning a torch back to life. The tip of the weapon starts to crackle in a low flame. He then moves to a striking position of the creature.
Coop stumbles forward.
George easily recognizes this as a mandragora. Typically chaotic evil, small plant creatures. This one seems particularly stout for a member of it's species. They have resistances to acid 5, cold 5, and electricity 10, as well as plant traits. A vulnerablility to supernatural darkness, which can cause them to become slowed. Mandragora's have poisonous claw attacks that causes confusion and fatigue, as well as a bite that can cause them to drain their victims of their life blood
The small creature takes a 5ft step closer to Firas and begins trying to assault the paladin, scratching at any holy symbology it finds on the half-orc.
Round 2
23 Green, grappled
20 George 27/27
17 Coop 25/30, nauseated 2rds
04 Firas 22/31, nauseated 1rd, 2con dmg, grappledRound 3
25 Clancy 25/25, nauseated 3rds
"Gonna make you sweat to you bleed!"
George shuffles off to the side and swings like a woodsman, trying to avoid Firas. With a solid thunk, it appears to do nothing.
for
Forgot the
Coop stumbles forward, keeping near the ugly plant child.
Round 2
23 Green, grappled
20 George 27/27
17 Coop 25/30, nauseated 1rd
04 Firas 22/31, 2con dmg, nauseated 1rd, grappledRound 3
25 Clancy 25/25, nauseated 3rds
As the paladin tries to settle his disoriented senses, made even more difficult now that there is a small plant gnawing on him, Firas gathers his wits and pulls out the golden rapier.
Clancy backs up and heads to the room above.
The mandragora reacts by releasing Firas, then continues it's attack, trying to scratch at holy markings.
Round 3
23 Green, grappled
20 George 27/27
17 Coop 20/30, nauseated 1rd
04 Firas 7/31, 4con dmg, grappled
"Gonna make you sweat to you bleed!"
George is surprised by the sudden strike at Coop. Seeing the accuracy of its strikes, he grits his teeth and swings again.
for
Coop also seems to have a slow leak, as he moves about and droplets of blood fall from his nose.
Firas strikes the creature with the holy blade, causing it to hiss and release it's grip... before coming in for yet another assault.
Round 4
23 Green, -10 27/37
20 George 27/27, 3NL
17 Coop 20/30, 3NL
04 Firas -3/31, 4con dmg, dying, prone