Hydrand adroitly corrects for the change in orientation... and falls flat on he left side.
Hope nobody saw that...
He felt some small mirth at the comment by Bertram. Righting himself, he moves over to Andras to check him over. He claps a hand on his shoulder and looks back at Hokey, offering her another grateful nod.
It's a shame I can't really smile... But it's fine. If anyone understands me with my lack of features, it's her.
He looks back at the cave they came out of and then back at the party.
"I'm good for another look now that thing isn't in there waiting for us."
He checks the straps on his shield and gives his mace a twirl, indicating his anticipation.
"Lets get moving then. This place gives me the creeps anyway and I'd like to see the real outside again. It feels like itss been years." Bertram carefully wipes away the remaining mud on his gloves with a rag. He resumes the small tune he hummed before, a pleasant little campfire song, and leads the way with a jaunty step. He stops long enough to ignite a torch. The light in one hand and a knife in the other, he leads the way back inside for the party.
Lets keep an eye out for traps, right? It's our job.
"Shhh, I know what I'm doing, don't you worry." He mutters to himself. His eyes are peeled for any more strange mud puddles or changes in the stone. There had been so many surprises already today.
You make reentry into the caves beneath the tower of Catemenia island, wade through the now ankle deep mud pit, coating your boots and pants with a thick layer of wet dirt, and further into the cave.
It leads beneath the main tower on the island; you step further in with your boots squelching. You enter into a room that is obviously a part of the old tower; it is no longer a part of the cave system. It looks as if someone (perhaps that mud monster?) dug out the cave to get access to this underground laboratory, likely at a time after the entryway from the tower above was sealed.
The stone of this room is ruined in what appears to be a blast of massive malevolent force. Embedded in the center of the wall are a semi-melted skeletal form and an indentation of some sort of large gem that is no longer there.
Melted into the floor are the permanent stains of two charred remains.
There's several exits made of worked stone.
Lots to see here...
Hydrand opens his senses as detective mode kicks in...
And hear!!
...and hears unmistakable susseration. He throws an arm out to halt the party, gesturing to where his ears would be, if he had any, his eyes scanning the room.
Andras hears it too, whispering at the edge of his senses. He tries to hear what they are saying.
I don't want to say anything, lest I disturb whatever it is...
He carefully scans the branching paths ahead of him, trying to spot anything different or interesting about any of them.
The voices start to come into focus...
Can you hear us? Can you see us? Are you there? Are you a figment of our imagination? Hello? Can you hear us? Can you see us.....
Andras replies before he can help himself, looking at the others and shrugging as if to say 'here goes'.
I would hope that I'm not imaginary... We can hear you, but we can't see you! Where are you? Do you know anything about this place?
As you address them, three individuals slowly come into focus. Three men, all of slight stature. One is obviously in charge of the other two. A faint green outline covers all of them. They're dressed in a manner that gives the impression that they're researchers, perhaps even one primary researcher and two assistants.
Yes, I can see you now. I know this place. This is my place, my tower. Are you here to rescue us? To free us? Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us! Help us!
Andras looks pensive.
Well, we’re kind of trapped too. What do we need to do to free you? And if we do, can you help us get out of this place?
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Of course! Of course! Bring me the Crystal! We need the crystal! Bring it to me! Bring it to me! Bring it to me! Bring it to me! Bring it to me! Bring it to me!
Hokey notices everything there is to see in this room, thanks to her Truesight. She spares the voices none of her attention at all, even as they get louder and more focused. She continues to look around the room when a few silhouettes appear in the room.
There must be something else here.
Finally hearing something she wants to hear, Hokey asks a barrage of questions.
"it sounds like you know what's going on here. I need a summary of events. What happened here?"
Awful hears the voices but pays them no mind, that is until Andras starts talking to them.
"Surprisingly, I find it difficult to put my trust in the disembodied voices of what sound like addicts."
Handing his flame thrower to Hydrand, he pulls his knife and primes it for throwing.
"It's a lot easier to trust people that I can see with my eyes. Where are you?"
Hydrand takes his cue from Awful, levelling the flamethrower at the ghosts and readying to put it to good use.
There certainly is something very wrong with them... Once again, the crystal makes an appearance, what is its part in all this?
He gives the room another scan before settling into a ready stance, eyes sharp on the ghosts.
"it sounds like you know what's going on here. I need a summary of events. What happened here?"
The authoritative looking ghost turns to Hokey and responds, Yess.. We were researching the crystal, spent many mo the trying to discover its secret. I must have done something wrong. It exploded, killing us and keeping us trapped here. You must return it to me so we can be free. Only it can set us free. Set us free. Set us free. Set us free.
It... exploded? Andras asks incredulously.
If it exploded, then is there even anything left of it to bring back?
Yes. It is still intact. Look, he says, pointing to the indentation in the wall, You can still see where it hit the wall. We were working on a solution, and I was nearly done when she stole it from us! That witch! That hag! That awful half bird creature took it from us!
And where can we find this witch? How long ago did all this happen anyway?
Andras looks mildly annoyed at the cryptic ghosts.
As if we hadn't had enough mysteries for one day...
"So what's with these tentacles? What are they about and how do we get rid of them?" Hokey says, exasperation as clear as her fatigue from the recent fight.
"How do we prevent the connection in the future? Also, is there a way to get a message out of here?"
"And where can we find this witch? How long ago did all this happen anyway?"
The lease responds to Andras, We can sense it is near, but we cannot leave this room. We have tried, but we are bound here. I do not know how long it has been. Hours? Years?
So what's with these tentacles? What are they about and how do we get rid of them?"
"How do we prevent the connection in the future? Also, is there a way to get a message out of here?"
Meanwhile, one of the assistants speaks to Hokey, Tentacles? What tentacles? What is it you are trying to prevent? I wonder if this is linked to the crystal? Maybe if we... he turns, focused in on himself as he starts to ponder the situation. As he does so, the other assistant starts talking and they rapidly speak back and forth before fading from view. The leader notices them and turns his back to you, joining them and fading away, lost in their work.
Down one of the several exits from the blasted chamber, the melted and shattered walls break way into a large and open chamber. The passageway is blocked with melted and fallen stonework. Only half-sized creatures can easily enter the antechamber. Other creatures must perform a Strength challenge with 1 bane to move the necessary amount of rubble to allow entry.
The area beyond feels wrong. Something is eminating power from within, and it figuratively rattles your bones.
"Ah, hmmmmm... Here, Hydrand, I'll take that. You do something about this."
Awful holds his hand out to the clockwork expectantly and then gestures to the rubble blocking their path with a nod.
Ignoring Awful's appeal to Hydrand, Andras attempts to clear a passage through, but even with Jet's help his arms are still aching from his attempt to parry the blow from the monster earlier. His strength fails him and he sits down dejectedly, breathing heavily.
Ughhh... hopefully Hydrand will have better luck. And not a word, Awful. You'd feel the same if you had been hit by that creature earlier.
Andras tries to clear the rubble, but doing so ends up loosening some lodged rocks above, and they come tumbling down on top of him.
Hydrand wordlessly hands back the pyrogenetic device before stepping up to the metaphorical plate.
Rubble. Easy. Especially with the shape I'm in. Thanks again, Hokey!
Hydrand walks up to the rubble pile behind Andras. He steps to the side to assist in moving the rubble just as Andras shifts that way to find better purchase on the stone.
If I could just...
Hydrand shifts back the other way just as Andras leans between Hydrand and the rubble once more.
Please, can you... just... nevermind.
Hydrand steps back to wait.
Andras, making certain he doesn't have the ability to leverage away any of the larger rubble, steps back. Hydrand waits expectantly for Awful to fire back over being addressed by Andras.
"My turn."
Hydrand steps up to the rubble, flexes his arms and drives them into some small spaces between chunks that would have likely cut softer flesh. He spreads his fingers to find the widest purchase possible, and then heaves.
The rubble largely breaks down, a couple of large chunks are removed from the pile by Hydrand, which in turn loosens enough debris to fall free from the blockage that the path becomes largely unblocked.
"You know..."
Hydrand leaves a pregnant pause.
"The mud monster didn't hit that hard..."
He stands with his hands on his hips, admiring his work, his back to the rest of the party. After a moment, he glances back over his shoulder at Hokey, a twinkle in his eye.
Hydrand clears the rubble without any further issues. Most likely because Andras had already successfully cleared out any dangers and prepared the area for Hydrand to work. You should thank Andras. He deserves your thanks.
You crawl through and discover an antechamber. The antechamber is open to the sky from a secluded high point of the ruins above. The large bowl of the area is mostly bare and contains a large straw nest as well as several piles of discarded bones of humans and animals. Also discarded are several effigies woven of animal fur, rushes and reeds adorned with wildflowers from the area crafted in odd
shapes and small structures (i.e., small infant children, old and infirm men, dancing naked women, etc.). Many are dry and brittle from times past.
A large chunk of blood-red stone (the size of a human skull) rests on a craggy black pillar, pulsing with an intense and corrupted diffused light.
Strange music seems to be coming from somewhere.
Hydrand starts whispering to the party, "So, is that the crystal? Going in there is..."
He pauses, hearing something faintly.
Music?
It itches at the back of his mind, but he brushes it off.
"...is probably not safe, but I can protect one person if they want to grab the crystal and get out. I'll go if nobody volunteers, but it'd be better if it's someone quicker."
Andras glowers at Hydrand, vividly recalling the clockwork's hasty retreat following just a single blow from the mud creature, but holds his tongue. Being painted as weak after being struck by falling rocks was literally adding insult to injury. On the plus side, he was too upset to really pay much attention to the supernatural singing.
I bet that whatever that witch is, nests there. What if there's some kind of trap? Or alarm?
He looks around suspiciously.
Do we even want to touch that thing? I'd wrap it in some cloth at least. I have the remains of my clothes that we can use - I shredded them earlier trying to save little Jet here.
He cracks his neck and works his tired muscles, waiting on the others to chip in.
"Maybe both of ya should try not getting hit next time. It's worked for me so far."
Awful simply shrugs, then follows the two bruised bruisers into the opening.
With an expressive whistle, Awful takes in the carnage.
"Look at that... How... Interesting!"
In a similar fashion to the encounter at the warehouse, he inspects every detail of the display, his clinical expression a stark contrast to the typical unnerving grin.
"Ugh. More winding tunnels. This better not lead to any water." Hokey says as she follows closely behind Hydrand. She crawls through and immediately gets up to pat as much of the dirt and dust off as she can. She freezes as she sees the rest of the room.
"What the...These remind me of..." Hokey mumbles, her hand going into a beltpouch to give her doll a squeeze. "I don't like it here, guys. Let's grab that thing and go. Has anyone ever heard this song before?"
Bertram had quietly stayed near the back after the encounter with the ghost in the laboratory. The fact that spirits were trapped here and fed on by... something... was enough to make his skin crawl.
Entering into the antechamber, he squats to take a look at the strange straw nesting on the ground.
"What in the world would build a nest in this place?" The question is barely out of his mouth before he regrets the question.
"Is that... music?" Bertram slowly draws a knife as he notices the melody. He looks at the pulsing red stone, uncertain if perhaps the song was emanating from it.
"I think Hokey is right. Lets grab that thing and go." He looks to the others. No immediate volunteers it seemed. "Yeah, alright. That's fair. I'll go."
Hydrand nods along with Bertram's declaration of responsibility. He positions just behind him with one hand hovering over his shoulder and prepares the spell.
"Ready?"
Bertram gives him an affirmative. Hydrand focuses his will and summons up some magic for a working. He runs it down his arm and lays it out like a cloak over Bertram.
"Ok... Go!" He whispers, urging Bertram forward, the concealing energies bleed into his manner as the spell finishes washing through him.
Bertram takes off quickly and quietly across the straw and toward the pedestal. The spell clings to his body and he can only hope it's enough. He didn't want to know what was nesting here. He readies his pack in one hand to quickly scoop the crystal inside and run.
Hokey stops as the singer sings. What beautiful music, she says. She steps forward, makes her way to the edge of the antichamber, and starts climbing to wall to get closer to the source.
Meanwhile, several half man half lobsters appear from the top and start making their way down towards you. Four in total.
Hokey! Stop! What are you thinking? yells Andras. But she bears him no heed, and trots off on her merry way.
Spotting the crustacean-hybrids, Andras bides his time and waits for the creatures to get a bit closer, before springing into action and helping Hokey.
Disgusting...
"Gah! What the f@%+?!"
Awful shouts, startled at the sight of the Lobster Men. Despite the shock, he doesn't waste time drawing his trusty knife and throwing it at the closest grotesque mutant.
Bertram watches the monsters come crawling up and decides this is exactly what the shroud of magic Hydrand had placed on him was for. Bodyguarding was Hydrand's expertise after all. Bertram prepares to cast a spell to make his passage to the crystal swift and easier.
"Long as we have the crystal, we can just run, right?" He whispers to the others as he prepares to bolt.
Awful grabs his knife and launches it at one of the lobstermen. The kinfe sticks in it hard and ichor starts leaking out, dripping down into the antichamber below.
Hokey tries to climb up the wall to get closer to the singing, but she cannot quote get a grib on the smooth surface. She eyes the nest as a better way to climb up.
The singing continues.
Two lobstermen climb over the edge and leap off; seemingly floating to the ground. They snip at Bertram and Hydrand when they land.
Andras is so taken aback by the floating lobster-men that he barely gets his sword out of its sheath in time, lashing out in an arcing blow towards the nearest enemy.
He splits the swords into two, adopting a defensive stance.
Bertram sees his opportunity when the monstrous crustaceans close in on Hydrand. He finishes his spell and suddenly his feet feel lighter. A breeze that isnt really there tickles his back and pushes him forward and he begins a full sprint toward the crystal.
What if something sees through the veil?
"Then we wont have much time to worry about it, will we?" Bertram hisses to himself. He was keenly aware thst one of these monsters could reach out and pull him apart at any moment as he passed.
Hydrand began to panic at Hokey's enthrallment with whatever that sound was itching at his mind.
She's not been well lately, now this?
The panic rose further when the crustaceo-sapiens came crawling out from whatever hole they were in; he was about to call out to her when they dropped down and seemed to ignore her.
Maybe being under the spell keeps you from their ire... then she is safe for now.
As the mild relief from that fact washed through him, he stepped up alongside Andras. The two of the crab-men attacked him with their pincers, he ducked to the side of one and knocked the other aside with his shield.
Seeing his opening, he takes a swing at one of them with his mace.
He catches one of their claws on its way back from attacking him, but only just.
I can't even be sure that hurt this thing...
He pulls his shield back up and prepares for their next attack.
As the lobsters come tumbling down, both Andras and Hydrand immediately try to keep them occupied long enough for Bertram to do something secret that they can't see.
Meanwhile, Bertram climbs up the nest to find the crystal. It's there, in the nest, awaiting for the disguised dwarf to reach out and grab it. It's thrumming with power - the same sharp power that seems to pervade the entire island. Does he grab it?
The other two lobstermen slowly make their way down the walls; unlike the first two who seemed to float down, these two walk down as if the wall was a floor.
Damage Tracker
Lobsterman 1: 16, Bleed
Lobsterman 2: 1
Andras watches the lobster creature attack Hydrand, looking for any weakness, or chink in their armour. He sees Hydrand’s mace fly through the air, glancing off the creature’s claw. He watches it stagger, ever so slightly, from the heft of the weapon.
It’s enough. Andras separates his blades, and goes in, swinging both of them low, slashing at the soft underbelly between the cracks in the chitinous plates covering the thing. Surprised, it leaves itself open for a follow up attack, and Andras obliges, stepping forward and impaling it with both his blades simultaneously. Yellow ichor sprays from the wound, dripping onto the floor next to him.
Panting, he looks at Hydrand as if to say, “you’re welcome”.
Hydrand watches the evisceration happen in front of him, followed by Andras's smirk.
"At least it's not a mud monster, eh?"
He steps up towards the space where the recent corpse fell and bellows a challenge to the two newest arrivals, pounding on his shield with his mace.
"Are those vestigial arms, or are you boys just happy to see me?"
Andras immediately slaughters one of the lobsters, while Hydrand goes into a defensive stance.
The one near Hydrand and Andras attacks Hydrand.
Up in the nest, the two lobstermen close in on Bertram.
Bertram hesitates at the pulsing gem, then removes the pack from his back and opens the top. He hurriedly tries to scoop the crystal inside without touching it. This place seemed bad enough without physical contact with the horrifying artifact. He has every intention of flying back down the nest and calling the retreat.
Bertram uses his sack to grab the black pulsating gem. As soon as he does so, the power keying it to the island shifts. The sharpened walls become less so, and the entire island starts to shake.
This causes the singing to stop and Hokey - at least for the moment - is free of the trance she was held in.
The three lobstermen grow agitated; they do not see who took it, so instead lash out at anyone nearby.
From atop the opening, a strange woman appears. She had bird-like wings on her back; her legs are that of an eagle's with toes ending in sharp talons. Bloody male appendages hang from a leather thong worn like a necklace around her neck. She hisses at you and screeches, Who stole my gem?!!?
If these attacks hits, the creature also automatically grabs the target. The grabbed character is immobilized and the Lobsterman will begin removing items from the PC. At the end of each round, the character must make a Strength challenge or remove 1 item of the GM’s choice (i.e., weapon, armor, equipment).
Damage Tracker:
Damage Tracker
Lobsterman 1: Dead, bled out.
Lobsterman 2: 1
Lobsterman 3: Dead
Lobsterman 4:
Andras dodges a surprisingly swift lunge from the nearest crustacean, and swings his blade for a counter-attack. It glances off the thing's horrific carapace, and he steps back, whirling his sword and waiting for another opening.
He looks up to see the woman, but focuses on dispatching the creature in front of him first.