Mr. Pitch pecks at the retreating cleric.
|
Mheenah’s teeth sink deeply into the cultist cleric’s neck…he sighs, murmuring ”Damn…imp,” as he slumps to the floor, motionless…
COMBAT Over - Victory!
With the fight over now, you fully take in this secret chamber…
This large room is dirty and unkempt, with shards of rock lying around four crude granite statues standing about the room in haphazard locations. In the southeast corner is a polished jade figure of a snake with a female human head that is set apart from the other statues by its obviously superior crafting and material. Near it, a small cage with iron bars holds the listless figure of a beautiful young woman clothed in tattered rags. In addition, two brass-bound chests sit next to the east wall.
Mr. Pitch hops on the ground around the fallen cleric and looks up inquisitively at the woman in the cage.
"Em..hello? Are you alright, miss?"
|
This large room is dirty and unkempt, with shards of rock lying around four crude granite statues standing about the room in haphazard locations. In the southeast corner is a polished jade figure of a snake with a female human head that is set apart from the other statues by its obviously superior crafting and material.
"I bet he was using her as an artist model. See, this is why you can't trust artists. They don't pay their debts and they join weird mind-control snake cults. Happens every time. Ask her if she likes Snake Women -- if she says yes, leave her in the cage."
Mheenah goes back to the previous room and begins rummaging about the exquisite desk trying to find any clues about what became of her mistress.
|
|
Mheenah finds nothing of real value in the previous room room. The rags are barely recognizable as tapestries. The desktop is covered with insane scribblings in the lawful evil alignment tongue: "Snake mother..." and "A crocodile has many teeth" are examples of Abramo's scrawlings. The chest contains only ripped clothing of poor quality, and worthless fragments of ivory that once made up a statue of Merikka. It appears the cleric Abrams’s was quite mad…
You find upon Abramo’s body, a ring of keys on his belt…
Upon hearing Mr Pitch’s query, the girl in the cage snaps out of her listlessness, a glimmer of what might be hope appearing in her eyes. ”Are you here to rescue me? Or are you ensorcelled by the naga as well?”
|
|
Mheenah grabs the keys from the dead cleric and flutters over to the cage to unlock the girl.
"We're looking for our masters. They was taken by the snake lady cult. By this dirtbag and his pals..." She kicks Abramo's dead body as hard as she can. "You look like you was in here for a while. Do you know anything about where prisoners got taken? My mistress was a girl, a little younger than you, all in black leather clothes with a lot of silver jewelry. Black hair and pale complexion. Her name was Elly. Did you see her? Did you hear him talk about her?"
"Yeah, we're against these evil cult people!" Spirit declares. "We're going to go save everyone they've kidnapped we can, our friends first!"
|
|
Once the cage is unlocked, the girl runs over to the cleric Abramo’s body, draws a dagger from his belt and slits his throat deeply…
She then stands with a defiant look. ”He deserved that…he was a bad man…
“I am Cirilli Finla…I am the daughter of the village storekeeper. I made the trek to the naga's lair with the rest of my family; they all succumbed to the naga’s charm…but I was able to resist. Mr. Abramo here took a fancy to me and he brought me back as his personal prisoner. I’ve been beaten and mistreated over the last three months, but the bastard never broke me. I told him I’d kill him when I got the chance…but he just laughed…he’s not laughing now…
“I have not seen your friends; however, if you have not found them here nor in the tunnels below, I can guarantee they’ve been taken to the naga’s lair to be charmed…
“I am grateful to you for rescuing me. What else do you wish of me?”
|
|
Cirilli shrugs. ”Not exactly…it’s east of here, in the swamp…somewhere in the Rushmoors. They took us on the road towards Hookhill but we turned down a trail south into the swamp…but it was a blur, I don’t know the exact location of her lair…the naga is known as Explictica Defilus…at least that’s what it sounded like to me…
“And before you ask, NO, I will not return to that hellhole nor even approach it…it would mean my death…”
|
|
"Ya know, I have a cousin named Explictica. Small world."
"I assume you ain't got no problem with gettin' outta this hoosegow? We've been through the whole place top to bottom now, and our masters ain't here, so it's time for us to get out. But it sounds like you probably shouldn't go home Cirilli, a lot of the town is controlled by the naga now, so they'd be sure to come lookin' for ya. You should come with us and stay with the elf brothers -- they ain't charmed and they're lettin' us stay at their house."
"At least for tonight, huh? Shall we vamoose?"
"We should leave, yeah... but we should go looking for them tonight!" Spirit declares. "That way it'll be a surprise when we show up!"
"Don't worry! Soon we'll free all of them and everything will be fine!" Spirit declares with impossible yet sincere optimism. "Come on! Let's go!"
He bounds off towards the stairs.
"I can squish space or teleport us again!" Spirit suggests enthusiastically.
|
|
"Good, that'll work! Me and Mr Pitch can just fly outta here. I'll go let the elfies know we're coming out and make sure the gate's unlocked, then I'll head up to the roof to check where the patrols are. When it's safe I'll throw something down in front of the doors here -- I'll grab some carrots from the kitchen. See a carrot fall, make a break for the gate! Sound ok?"
|
|
Between Mheenah’s invisibility allowing her to scout the patrol unnoticed and Spirit’s teleportation magic, you are able to escape the temple grounds without further discovery…
As it appears to be a couple of hours before daybreak, you head back to the Elves’ house since you find no sign of them at the temple…
You find the two brothers in various stages of undress as they were prepping for bed and seem to have arrived here not too long before you…
Llywillan arches an eyebrow at your sudden appearance, asking, ”Well, well…you survived the temple…good. Pray tell, what did you discover?”
|
|
"The place was dirty all right. They've turned it into a processing center for the Cult, just like you guessed. There were two clerics running it, a lady and a crazy guy named Adamo. They won't be bothering anyone any more. Adamo was keeping this girl captive in his chambers because he's a gross creep. Her name is Cirilli. Her family has all been turned, but she resisted the charm spells. She needs a place to hide out. Maybe that druid would take her? Or the mayor? Someone we know isn't charmed who can hide her."
"They've got cells in the basement and more troglodytes plus an ogre thing. Our masters were held there, but they've been moved. It looks like they're being taken to the Naga camp in the Rushmoor swamps east of here. To be charmed by the naga lady herself. Cirilli says they took her and her family down the road to Hookhill then turned south down a trail into the swamp. Shouldn't be too hard to find."
"We gotta move fast! If they get our masters to the camp and charm 'em..."
Mheenah leaves the last thought unfinished and rubs her little claws together with worry.
"Don't worry! We'll get there in time!" Spirit declares. "We'll beat up that bad naga and get our friends back! Let's go!"
He follows this up by yawning. "Okay, maybe we should sleep first..."
|
|
Llywillan nods. ”Cirilla can stay with us until we can the enchantment on her family can be broken. Your excursion into the temple should put the cult on their heels for a little while since you seem to have cut the head off the leadership, so to speak…
“I agree with the ferret, you should get some rest before you set out tomorrow; it’s at least a three day journey to the Rushmoor, likely another day or so to search out the lair. You mentioned meeting the hermit; you might want to pay him a visit before you leave. He was once a man of nature and knows his way around these parts…and his weasel is one heckuva tracker, if you can convince the old man to help you…
“But come now, get some shuteye…”
With the rest and some attentive healing from the Elves, you’ll set out refreshed with no wounds…
|
|
Mheenah seems restless, even after her full day. She flutters aimlessly from place to place, and spends a lot of time looking out the window forlornly, her little claws clacking on the window panes.
Eventually she settles near the sleeping Cirilli and spends some time making narrow little braids of her hair, just to keep her little fingers busy. But it seems to calm her. Around midnight she crawls under the girl's pillow and settles down for a bit of sleep.
Spirit, as usual, is hyper right up until he crashes and is suddenly asleep. And then is right back up in the morning.
"Let's go let's go let's go!" the little ferret chatters excitedly, running across the floor and up the wall. "Look at what I can do now! I can't wait to show my master!"
He continues until he's walking across the ceiling. "Look, I'm tall now!"
|
Lorelei rises with the sun. She sniffs the air before getting to her feet and immediately indulging herself with a tremendous yawn, front paws stretched out and hind quarters arched high above her head. She then pads slowly and quietly about the room, making sure everyone is accounted for and safe, taking an extra moment to gently take Cirilli's blanket in her teeth and pull it up over the woman's shoulder.
She then settles herself by the door to wait for the others to awaken. When Spirit begins running about on the walls and ceiling, she smiles, her tongue hanging out a bit from her toothy maw.
"The gods have favored you, little one. You should give them your thanks." she says in a kindly voice.
"See, obviously that means everything will turn out fine!" Spirit declares.
|
|
The Elves feed you and send you with some rations for the road, primarily Elven waybread, nuts, and berries and the like...
Llywillan smiles before it turns into a more serious look. "The road you travel will be dangerous...not nearly so much as when you get to the naga's lair. Finding the lair might not be so easy either...I'd rely on the lady wolf's nose...the troglodytes obviously came from there and their stench is strong...
"We will hold down the fort here, so to speak. Be wary and fare thee well..."
He bows and then heads back to his bunk...
Cirilla arose early as well to see you off...with a wide yawn, she says heartily, "Good luck! Slit Explictica's throat for me!" With that said, she too returns to bed...
|
|
Llywillan somberly shakes his head. "I'm sorry, little one, but no...we are here at the behest of our former comrade in arms, the mayor, who saved our lives in battle more than once, to make safe Orlane. While you have struck a blow at the cult leadership in the temple, there is still the town constable, his cronies, and numerous other 'charmed' cultists to deal with, not to mention the troglodytes. If we were to leave here, the town would be at their mercy...
"If you could delay your journey by a week or more, perhaps we could join you...but I know you can't afford to do that, your friends have not the luxury of time. If you are looking for further allies, as I mentioned earlier, you might try to sway the hermit...his weasel is an expert tracker. I'm sorry, but my brother and I are pledged to stay here for the time being. I wish you well...and hope to see you come back safely, with your masters..."
"That's fine! I'm sure we can do it!" Spirit declares, scrambling down the wall to the floor. "Let's go let's go!"
|
|
"Tracking my child will not be difficult once we are truly on the trail." says the wolf. "And if there are troglodytes in the area, it will only make the task all the simpler. When I find this naga queen, I will make her regret her wicked deeds." As she speaks this last bit, her voice descends to a growl, and her pale brown eyes gleam.
|
|
In the interest of time, you decide to forego the hermit’s help and hit the road before daylight. The Elves have sent you with enough rations for a week and you make good time. Lorelei’s nose easily picks up the scent of troglodytes first and, not too long after, the scent of her boy.
The first day of travel is by road, long but uneventful…then you turn south into the woods. At the end of the second day of travel in the forest, the trail reaches the edge of a broad and fetid marsh. Thick rushes, interspersed with patches of scummy water, stretch as far as the eye can see (even if someone climbs one of the trees at the edge of the forest). Further advance will involve wading through one or two feet of water and slimy mud. The good news is that the trail is very obvious here, since the rushes have been crushed out of the way to open the passage.
You figure you are close to the lair when you come across a troglodyte patrol; Mheenah’s stealthiness and Lorelei’s scent ability are up to the task of keeping the party hidden from the enemy. Turning invisible, Mheenah is able to follow the trogs back to what she believes is the lair…
Entry to the lair looks easy since there is a gaping hole in the ground at the center of the dry land. Mheenah looks down this, seeing a muddy set of wooden stairs descending into the earth. The corridor within is about 10' high and the same distance wide…she returns to the party to report her findings…
Spirit takes the sensible route of mostly riding on Lorelei's back during the journey, his own legs being much too short (especially once the group reaches the swamp). This doesn't stop him form, on occasion, jumping off specifically to climb up a tree and hang upside-down from some of its branches, just to show off his new powers.
Mr. Pitch is, of course, much more level-headed, instead keeping an aerial eye on the party's course, watching for trouble. He is the first to see the troglodytes and warn the rest of the group.
Spirit walks up the wall onto the ceiling and starts heading down the stairs upside-down.
|
|
As Spirit and Lorelei avoid slipping and make their way down, one via stairs, the other via ceiling, Mheenah flies down invisibly to check things out...towards the bottom of the stairs she sees...
...a fair sized entry foyer, unlit but with dim light coming from the stairway, 3 passages exiting to the north, east, and south. She also notes 4 human guards, each armed with a spear...
They appear to be totally oblivious to her presence...
|
|
Mheenah stops and hovers, looking around at the guards, and is about to flutter back to warn the others.
But instead she scratches her chin then mutters to herself. "Eh, they'll figure it out."
And without further ado, she flies straight as a dart at the nearest guard, grabs him by the neck, and bites at his jugular.
Mr. Pitch hangs back for now, not wanting to involve himself in this scuffle unless someone needs healing.