Anansi the Spider grins at Ragnar.
Demon, fey, and lycan oh my!
"As cool as that sounds, I don't want to add that to my ancestry," she shook her head. "Fr what Natalya told me, there is a way for us to get through without worrying about climbing this time around."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Caroliss startles Ambriel with her outburst so completely that Ambriel reacts instinctively. She spins around and gives Caroliss her well-practiced death stare.
"Quiet, this is a library."
Anansi the Spider accidentally bumps into Ragnar.
...out of the corner of my eye I spot a young woman wearing her cloak despite the pleasant weather. Terisha locks eyes with me a moment before losing herself in the throng again....
"Natalya did say there's at least one guard on the waterline where the crow may be. That's gotta be her."
I was just about to lay out my little surprise plan, but it is now safe to do so yesyes
Ragnar focuses attention on Anansi, while motioning for Krystal to shift to an ambush position.
You see, my would allow me to invoke the names of certain extraplanar beings, such as a certain entity known as the , who takes an incredibly dim view on as such mumble mumble mumble
Clearly subtly speaking about very dangerous things! Clearly Terisha could derive great benefits from gaining additional information about the vicious mercenaries vile plans to regulate the local Wererat population yesyes?
As Ragnar's booming voice carries above the din of the city street Terisha's face breaks out into a grin. She gives the group an exaggerated wink before tucking her hood tighter and disappearing in foot traffic.
Long hours in the library come and go and the world continues to spin around Ambriel. By the time the others have returned to the Lodge after a day in town, she's exhausted every possible book related to a variety of topics her new mission involves.
"I've got you a small boat. It isn't much, but it should get you to the piling safely when you're ready to enter the Crow. Be careful. I can't receive your report if you die." Captain Heidmarch says before leaving for her personal manor house the next evening.
Krystal gave you a mock laugh in response. "Please don't jinx things for us."
With that, she turned towards the others. "So... anyone knows how to use a boat?"
"Thanks, Captain Heidmarch. We'll get the next artifact!"
Caroliss shrugs when asked about using a boat. "Does it come with oars? If so, we'll let the big man row it, of course!"
I can certainly row, but well, Sarkoris is not exacly reknowed for the prowress of its ocean going Navy. The one lake we have that is not chockfull of Demons is party full of Demons and partly full of very irate Fey in service to the World Serpent.
Ragnar offers.
Anansi the Spider just shrugs in the direction of the disappearing Terisha.
I suppose that we shall see her at the Crow then.
"Right. Her." Krystal frowned. "That only means we need to hoof it over there even faster before she blows things for us."
Right, Ragnar says, apparently running some calculations in his head.
Definitly not enough time to spread rumors, I guess we hit em fast and hard then?
"We might as well go. Talking about the boat doesn't get us into the boat."
Ambriel leaves for the boat.
After thoroughly resting and preparing, the group heads to Dockway where Captain Heidmarch has arranged a rowboat for the recruits use. It doesn't take much time to get to the Crow.
The ten thousand year old piling rises two hundred and twenty feet into the air, and is two hundred or so feet wide at the waterline. Who knows how deep it goes unto the earth below the water.
A tall lancet arch at water level leads into a chamber at sea level within the side of the Crow. Inside is what was once a small, stepped terrace, now filled with sea water to the level of its top step. Three rowboats a re tied off to heavy stones placed on this step. Above, the ceiling rises almost all the way up to the top of the monument-an opening leads off this shaft to the west near the ceiling. At the west end of this room lies a small alcove whose floor shows the stains of countless campfires-the back wall of this alcove has broken through, revealing a passageway beyond.
Once the boat is tied up, the recruits can take a moment to look into the exposed passageway that the Tower Girls haven't sealed or re-hidden yet.
Rubble from the collapsed wall has been pushed out into the chamber. Traces of recent habitation-bits of trash and rubbish and the odd piece of clothing or equipment-are scattered here and there, though the room now appears to be unused. There is a stone stairway to the north, and a narrow passage south.
It took a while, but she managed to get the hang of using their boat onto the passageway. Once that was tied up, she placed a finger on her chin.
"M'kay. So there shouldn't be any rats on this floor so... passageway it is!"
She pointed both arms in that direction while looking after Ragnar. "After you," she grinned.
Ragnar Alchemical Silver Bec de Corbin out, silently moves ahead.
Eyeing the the ground for traps, wire traps in particular. He does have low light vision on account of being a horrible munchkin his Fae heritage.
That new Brestplate is a lot better, nice to know society work pays really well! He thinks.
Anansi the Spider sits silently in the boat. The shaman listening to the Ancestors' opinion of this route.
If you don't like it then swim.
The halfling joins Ragnar at the entrance of the tower. His blue eyes roaming about carefully, as they enter.
So far the area does not seem to contain any traps, but surely this will change. A terrible smell comes from the southern passage while dusty steps creep up to a landing a short way north.
Ragnar poins norths and nods, before pointing south, shaking his head and holding his nose, indicating his northern preference.
Caroliss has meditated below the Guardians ahead of this mission.
She casts Light on herself to see the way forward, and seems ready to head north with Ragnar, wanting to avoid whatever that terrible smell might be. She looks around for danger--or opportunity.
Krystal was more than ready to take the northern pathway. She could only hope that there wasn't anything to the south that they needed to get.
Ambriel follows along to the north if that's where everyone has decided to go.
Anansi the Spider wrinkles his nose at the smell coming from the southern passage. The shaman wonders what could be making that smell?
Between two curving stairwells lies a small landing. Three stone boxes, their lids raised, stand lined up against the east wall. A fine yellow powder surrounds them on the floor.
Anansi can tell that many sets of feet have moved through this room in the very recent past. The paths of soft boot prints and rat paws runs from stairs to stairs.
Caroliss is definitely suspicious when she sees the yellow powder strewn on the floor.
"Anyone recognize this stuff? Is it dangerous?"
Krystal took a good look at the material and smiled. "Ah, I've seen that stuff before. It's ungol dust. One sniff of that and you go loopy in a minute. They may have put it or it was there before the girls moved in. Probably the later, given it's already open."
She then gestured Ragnar to continue up the stairs.
Ambriel doesn't worry to much about what the yellow stuff is specifically. Of course it's something awful. She touches nothing, avoids getting close to anything that looks weird, and keeps people both in front of and behind her.
Tak tochno Ragnar murmers something in a language Krystal probably doesnt speak
His mind and sense being focused on being stealthy and perceptive for traps.
as he moves with far more grace then someone of his bulk should have, his movement patterns radiating predatorial intent.
The halfling also avoids the drugged flooring. He follows along.
"These stupid Tower Girls are looting valuable relics without any understanding!" Caroliss is clearly offended and moves onward eagerly.
The crew quietly moves up the stairs to room with pillars that line the center of this long hall. At the far end is a low rostrum, the dusty stumps of ancient votive candles lining its outer edge. Two of these have been knocked over. Colorful murals of Thassilon pilgrims and giants marching over an intact Irespan cover the walls. A narrow stairwell is on the west wall. Another stairwell sits in the west wall.
In the northwest corner of the room, unaware of the humans now entering it, is a rather large and noticeable rat.
They have a Cave....errr....dire rat guarding the entrance?
The Shaman quietly steps behind Ragnar and gently pushes him toward the dire rat.
Making use of the surprise, Ragnar charges, hoping to end the fight immidiatly.
Once the group made their way up to the room, she eyed the rat suspiciously. They could sneak past the thing... but it's better to be safe than sorry. And apparently Ragnar had the same idea. Krystal lined up a shot before letting it fly at the rat.
Caroliss also attempts a potshot at the rat!
Ambriel finds herself confronted with a very interesting puzzle. If there are wererats about, how should she think about them depending on their physical form?
This might be a good time to use my dazing cantrip, but it doesn't work on animals. However a rat might be a wererat in this particular case. Is a wererat in rat form a person or an animal?
Ambriel makes a mental note to research this question the next time she is able to make it to a library, and casts the cantrip on the rat. Sometimes experimentation is the only path to knowledge.
The rat squeals as Ragnar strikes it unexpectedly. He can see its eyes widen in an almost human-like expression of alarm, but before it can respond, Ambriel's magic clouds it's mind.
Likely wererat, it would be paste already if it was just a direrat
Ragnar informs the party of his opinion. Considering wererats to be quite dangerous, he unleashes his fury.
Free action Rage
Smiling at the exploits of Ragnar and Krystal, Anansi the Spider leaves the dispatching of the wererat guards to others, while the halfling begins searching for trap doors and such to avoid any surprises.
So the first arrow missed spectacularly. Luckily, she had plenty more were that came from. And this time, she had ample time to move up in a position to get a better shot out.
Caroliss calmly joins Anansi in surveying the area, trusting that the more capable fighters had the situation well in hand.