Evert fires off another shot.
Round 8: Lysithia, Astoria, Enemy, Kelda, Evert
Easily deflecting the clumsy attack, Lysithia whirls her staff, stepping to the side as Kelda and Evert's attacks create a distraction, before bringing her weapon up in a quick, yet devastating blow that fills the chamber with the sound of a shattered skull.
The enemy falls to the ground with a loud thud.
Taking a moment to breath, she looks back at the others before speaking, "We should keep going in the direction they came from. They came out of somewhere and might have Yoska hidden somewhere. We need to find him and get him back home." She says before continuing on to where she saw the bad guys come from.
Nodding, Lysithia moves to take the lead. "Someone should check the bodies, see if there may be a key or something."
Kelda stops in her tracks and goes back to the bodies to check them for anything useful, "Good idea love, I guess I'm just anxious to find him and not thinking." She responds as she starts looking over the bodies.
Kelda finds two suits of leather armor, two light wooden shields, two morningstars, 6 javelins, 39 gold pieces, a small ceramic container with a stopper taped to the top and a clear vial sealed in the same as the ceramic container with some golden liquid in it. There is a note written in a language none of you recognize on one of the combatants.
"We can figure out what those do later, after we find the boy." Lysithia says, gesturing at the containers as they gather useful equipment. "Let's go find him!"
"a clear vial sealed in the same * as the ceramic container with some golden liquid in it"
The passage you fought in continues straight and there is a passage to the right where the enemy fled to earlier.
Kelda nods in agreement, "Aye, Yoska is what matters right now, not all this stuff." She stuffs the note in a pocket as they get ready to continue one.
Not seeing any other direction they can go, Kelda turns down the passage on the right with her weapon at the ready just in case.
Following down the passage that the enemy had fled to, Lysithia grips her staff, ready for another possible confrontation.
You find yourselves in a medium-sized chamber. There appears to have been some effort to make this chamber feel homey. On the right side of the chamber, a small-sized bed sits on a dirty rug with a ill-proportioned chest at the foot of the bed. A barren bookshelf is propped against the far wall, looming over a sitting chair and crude table. There is a half-melted candle stuck to the top of the table. On the left wall, a small recess has been made in the stone. You can see the remains of more candles along with some stone figurines. There is also a fire pit and you can smell some faint foul odor coming from it.
Apprehensive, Lysithia moves toward the firepit, dreading what might be the source of the smell.
Lysithia maintains her composure as she spots various parts of rats in different stages of decay in and around the fire pit.
"Well that's ...less than pleasant. But no sign of Yoska yet." she says looking further around the room.
"If he's not here, then we should move on," Evert says, looking around.
There are no exits in this room besides the way you came. Evert doesn't see anything particularly useful here.
With a nod, Lysithia leads the way out of the room, heading down the other passageway.
The passage you return to leads to a cliff overlooking an underground lake. You see a waterfall flowing from the passage you opted to not take earlier. You spy some light down below.
Moving closer, Lysithia focuses on the light source, looking for any sign of activity.
Astoria follows along diligently keeping clear of the muck as much as their pace allows.
It's difficult for Lysithia to see detail about a half mile down in the dark, but she spies a boat in the waters below, which is where the light source is. She does not note any movement.
"It looks like we have to go back the way we came and take the passage going down...unless someone has a way for us to climb or fly down there safely."
Kelda looks for a way to get safely down to the bottom, and for anything else of importance.
Kelda sees that there may be a way down that doesn't involve the waterfall, but you would have to find a passage. There is nothing but a sheer drop from the cliff to the water below here.
Kelda shakes her head, "It couldn't be simple could it?" Heaving out a sigh she says, "Nahhh....there is another passage beside that one. The one that was that room with the crates where we were ambushed? I think we should start with that one. I don't think any of us can fly, I'm not a swimmer, and I'm no climber....of cliffs, despite my name." Looking over at Lysi, she gives her a crooked smirk.
Giving her love a smile she nods. "Alright, let's find this passage then."[ she says leading the way back to the room Kelda suggested.
Going back to the room with the crates, you head down the next passage. This tunnel looks like it had been dug out by hand. It slowly spirals downward with little to distinguish one turn from the next. After a short while, you hear voices coming from ahead of you.
Evert listens to see how far away the voices are.
Lysithia listens closely as well.
As she hears the voices, Kelda stops and listens along with the others.
Given your experience, you can tell that whomever is ahead is speaking in Goblin, though that gives you no clue what is being said. You hear three distinct voices and they sound like they are coming from about twenty feet below you.
"We might as well move forward. Waiting around here isn't saving Yoska any sooner." Lysithia whispers.
Not really being able to make out anything useful from the voices, Kelda continues to make her way down the path with the others. Her weapon drawn and held at the ready. She silently curses herself for the need of her armor in such a cavernous place.
Evert loads a bolt into his crossbow, ready as he'll ever be to face what's next.
You finish your walk down the spiral path and come upon a crude wooden dock. You see several cages lined up next to a boat. From where you stand, you are sure that there are people inside of them. A small robed figure directs two of the larger creatures you battled earlier to load the cages onto the boat.
"Everett, Astoria, if you have a way to hit them from distance, do it now, while they don't know we're here. We'll rush in while they're still off balance." Lysithia whispers, gripping her staff
Kelda nods in agreement, gripping her hammer in anger at the sight before them.
"Alright, I'll cast Sleep and we can move forward once you're ready." Astoria answers. She waits until everyone is in position before casting her spell.
The larger enemies fall asleep, but the small robed figure remains upright.
Initiative:
Round 1: Kelda, Evert, Lysithia, Bigguns (asleep), Robed Figure, Astoria
As the two big lugs fall to the dock, Kelda gives Astoria an appreciative nod. The look on her face speaks volumes, before turning her attention back on the robed figure.
Kelda gives Lysi a brief look and nod just seconds before taking off at a full run for the enemy, and praying silently to Torag for their safety and the return of those captured to their loved ones.