You return to the first floor and head to the smithy. A large forge and anvil mark this room as the keep’s smithy. Several weapons line the walls and fill a nearby weapon rack. Against the northern wall, a cot and pile of grimy clothes mark makeshift quarters.
A weary-looking man toils at the forge. Upon spotting you, he whirls and brandishes his hammer. "What is this? Have they sent you here to finally kill me? I'll die a warrior's death, then, in the eyes of Gorum!"
"Hold!" Ed raises his arms non-threateningly, "We have no quarrel with you. Are you Trygve? We need your help. Our Elder has been taken prisoner and we seek to free her."
Hess believes Vanda' words completely. He will stay close to her as they walk, prepared to cut her bonds should the need for combat help arrise.
"Say. I hate to be a whiner... but does anyone have any bandages to put on my wounds"?
Hess believes Vanda' words completely. He will stay close to her as they walk, prepared to cut her bonds should the need for combat help arrise.
"Say. I hate to be a whiner... but does anyone have any bandages to put on my wounds"?
"I can tend to those Hess" - Reknar nodded, getting to work in dressing his companion's wounds.
"Thanks Reknar. Somebody should take a look at your wounds as well. Even if we have to wait around for an hour or so. Don't want you wading in all injured and stuff".
”I can find herbs and make a poultice if I can forage for it, but I have nothing with me I’m afraid…sorry Rek.”
Tol likewise holds his hands out.
”We *fight* the Rust, Trygve. We’re here from Osprey Cove. Our Elder Ordwi is apparently held by the creature Azomi - will you aid us to rescue her?
"Thanks Reknar. Somebody should take a look at your wounds as well. Even if we have to wait around for an hour or so. Don't want you wading in all injured and stuff".
"I'm ok, it is but a flesh wound" - he winked at his companion.
"They speak truly, Trygve. They are here to help," Sister Vanda adds.
Trygve gives you another wary look, but he lowers his hammer. "Good. I don't know how much longer I could have gone on like this. I've been biding my time, hoping any other loyal Gorumites could retake Stonehome and free me from my tormentors, but I had nearly reached my breaking point. I suppose all of the others are dead or turned to the cult of rust?" Vanda nods solemnly, and Trygve sighs before turning back to you. "Very well. Then it falls on you to drive out those foul cultists. I am no in condition to aid you in battle, but I can help in other ways."
The smith crosses the room and removes a well-made cold iron greatsword from the wall. "This is my finest creation. Take it. I ask only that you use it to slay the cult's leader Meitremar if you can." He offers you the blade, then retrieves an iron key from his belt pouch. "And this will unlock the secure storage room in the basement. There is more useful equipment there that you can make use of."
"Thanks Reknar. Somebody should take a look at your wounds as well. Even if we have to wait around for an hour or so. Don't want you wading in all injured and stuff"."I'm ok, it is but a flesh wound" - he winked at his companion.
"You bandaged me up nicely. Can't you tend your own wounds as well"?
Hess looks at the greatsword, and thinks he probably couldn't even lift it much less use it, but eagerly grabs the ring of keys when it is offered.
"Goody! Let's go see what's in there".
Ed looks over to Reknar, "Looks like that blade was made for you to wield, my friend." Looking over to Hess he nods quickly, "Yes let us head to the basement now."
”Thank you Trygve! Is there anything else we can do for you? What will you do now?” he asks the smith, somewhat concerned for the man’s safety and wishing he had some way to aid or assist him.
After the leaving the smithy Tol attempts to bandage up Reknar’s wounds…with humorous results.
"The path is clear out of the temple, yes? Then I will go into town and seek shelter with the halfling Elsie," Trygve says. "May Gorum help you strike true and strike hard!" He thumps his fist to his armored chest before departing.
Once you are ready, you take the stairs down to the stony basement. Columns throughout the room support the keep’s structure overhead. Casks and wooden crates line the north and south walls, and a single iron door exits to the east. A large hole has been recently broken in the western wall, leading to a naturally occurring cave. Sticky smears of blood lead into this tunnel.
A pair of calico cats skulk about in the basement. Their eyes gleam green as the light from the torches along the walls reflect off of them.
Tol’s eyes likewise gleam in the flickering light as he glances at the door and the blood-stained opening.
”Ah. Civilised portal, or bloody opening?”
"You bandaged me up nicely. Can't you tend your own wounds as well"?
"I will try, once we have a moment to rest" - Reknar nodded in agreement.
Ed looks over to Reknar, "Looks like that blade was made for you to wield, my friend." Looking over to Hess he nods quickly, "Yes let us head to the basement now."
"I would be... Honored" - Reknar accepted the sword with wide eyes.
"Thank you Sir" - he nodded at Trygve - "I will do my best against this Meitremar"
Tol’s eyes likewise gleam in the flickering light as he glances at the door and the blood-stained opening.
”Ah. Civilised portal, or bloody opening?”
"Lets investigate the blood Tol"
Tol nods, and heads into the blood spattered passage…
Avoid notice exploration activity
Ed follows along behind the group, wary of any hidden magical auras.
Avoid notice exploration activity
Ed detects magic in the area, but he is unable to ascertain the source. As you begin to make your way towards the blood-spattered passage, the two calico cats suddenly begin to yowl. As you watch, the animals undergo a horrifying transformation, becoming terrifying creatures that look part dog and part worm with tendrils of viscera emerging from their mouths like writhing tongues! The monsters move to attack!
p[spoiler=Initiative]
◆ Load Hand Crossbow
◆ Strike
CB
Piercing bolt (Precision damage due to acting before enemy).
◆ Stride away from disgusting cat/slug/squid thingies.
Hess quickly fires a crossbow bolt into one of the monsters before retreating! Badly wounded, the creature casts a spell, surrounding itself with a trio of mirror images! The other one casts a more powerful spell, instilling fear within your minds!
Ed manages to resist the effects of the Fear spell, and quickly casts a defensive spell, while trying to recall what he knew of these strange creatures.
Tol overcomes his fear, and grabbing the dero’s aklys from his belt throws it at the monster that Hess shot. Then reeling it back in, Tol throws it again…
◆Strike ◇Interact (to reel in aklys) ◆Strike
Will Save
Reknar thought he remembered something he once heard a veteran adventurer talk about in the tavern, about closing in fast with 'spellcasters', and taking the fight to them. He wondered if these creatures were 'spellcasters', and if they should charge them, but since his companions stayed put, he did the same.
"We let them come to us?" - he snarled.
Ed does not recognize these strange fiends. Tol quickly hurls the aklys at the wounded enemy, scoring a critical hit that shatters its skull! As it falls, the monk reels the weapon back in and launches it at the other one, but this time his aim is off.
Turac fires a divine lance that goes wide. Reknar readies himself to attack...
◆ Load Crossbow
◆ Strike (At remaining foe)
Crossbow
Bolt
◆ Take cover or Raise shield if no cover available.
Hess still almost &eeing himself at the weird creatures loads his bolt thrower and tries to puncture the remaining puddy cat, then looks for somewhere to conceal himself.
"Kill it... It's just wrong".
The creature dodges Hess' bolt as it lopes towards Reknar. The fighter takes his readied action and hits it with his sword. The thing yelps in pain before lashing out at the fighter. Fortunately, Reknar avoids its attacks.
Ed maintains his defenses, and sends a mental jolt at the beast!
Hess curses to himself at his poor marksmanship, then loads and tries again.
◆ Load Crossbow
◆ Strike
Crossbow
Hopefully not as crooked Bolt
◆ Take cover or raise shield.
Reknar keeps his shield up defensively, and swings hard.
Leaving the dero's club on the ground where it lay, Tol dashes in behind the cat-thing and punches at it with desperate fury...
Tol pummels the strange fiend from behind, then Hess shoots it again, finishing it off.
"I don't know what those foul monsters were," Sister Vanda says from behind you, her hands still bound. "Likely guardians placed here by the rust-followers. The storage room is through the opposite doors. Perhaps you should check there first for helpful supplies before proceeding down the tunnel?"
Tol reels in the rope of the aklys while walking toward the dead foes, then bends down to retrieve the weapon. He examines the strange creatures, and nods to Vanda.
”Thanks Vanda, let’s do that.” He looks again at the bound woman’s hands.
”Rek - I’m with Hess. I say we free her hands. And give her a weapon. We need all the aid we can get.”
"What guarantees do you have she will not betray us? Again"
Tol looks askance at the dead creatures, and then down the hallway toward the doors Vanda indicated.
”None, Rek. No guarantees. Nor can I guarantee we will live long enough to regret it, or rescue Elder Ordwi. But I *believe* her. I have faith that she’s telling us the truth about wanting to atone. And that through those doors [here points toward the doors Vanda indicated, using his aklys as a pointer] are supplies we might use. What do you say?” he finishes, almost pleading.
Reknar shrugged - "Wanting to atone is all fine and well, but I have never heard about no atonement happening in mere hours" - the man grumbled - "Now regret, by being on the wrong end of a sword, that I have seen happen many times, and real fast"
"Also come on man - she is only telling us things we would find out any right after we went though the door" - he added with a scowl - "Why didn't she warn us about the damned rat monster things though? You're gonna tell me they just moved in yesterday?"
Ed considers the argument carefully before he shakes his head reluctantly. "My apologies Vanda, but you have not provided me with enough to trust you fully yet. Your hands stay bound...for now."
Tol nods, listening to Rek and Ed. Turac stays silent, perhaps not wanting to be the one to tip the scales either way. The young man shrugs to Hess.
”Fine. Fine. I understand. Best to be safe. Sorry Vanda.”
Tol immediately resumed his searching mien.
”Let’s go shopping!” he says happily and heads to the supposed storage room.
Vanda quietly accepts your decision to leave her bound. The key Trygve gave you unlocks the door to the storage room. This long storage room runs north to south with smaller firkins and kegs lining the walls, as well as small padded crates with delicate glass bottles. Some of the packing straw has been repurposed as improvised bedding, though most of it has now been soiled. The stench of filth and waste fill this chamber.
Three surviving Gorumite acolytes languish here. All are malnourished, dehydrated, and sport rust-colored bruises all over their bodies. They tell you that the cultists imprisoned them here after the battle for Stonehome. They have bene surviving on what little food or drink they could find in the storage room. They are grateful to be rescued.
Among the empty barrels and debris in the room, you can find an unopened pony keg of akvavit, an herb-seasoned vodka, worth 10 gp. There is also a case containing five minor healing potions.
Reknar shares his rations and water with the starving acolytes. Then he grabs one of the healing pots - "This might be useful"
"Are you OK to travel with us?" Ed looks over the Gorumites with a concerned look, "We seek to deal with the ones responsible, yet I fear you would not survive the battle. We did find Trygve and he is heading to meet with elsie. Can you find your way out of here on your own?"
The acolytes agree to meet up with Trygve and escape from the temple. They quickly depart, leaving you alone to take inventory of the meager supplies in the storeroom.
After several minutes of searching, you are confident there's nothing left of value in here. You prepare to leave, but before you can do so, a horrible creature steps up to block the doorway! The monster is horrifically emaciated and has unnaturally long arms and digitigrade legs, each with a trio of stubby, taloned digits. Its flesh is pale and hairless. Its head is elongated, bearing only slits for a nose, red eyes, and disturbing lower jaws that split in half at the chin, revealing pedipalps that end in tiny, three-fingered hands and framing a long, lolling tongue.
"That's Azomi!" Sister Vanda declares with a mixture of terror and disgust.
Azomi shrieks in delight. "Aha! There you are! Fresh meat to torment and feed upon!" The creature rushes forward to attack!
Azomi is upon you before you can react. He leaps at Turac, his teeth scraping against the cleric's armor. But his claw finds a gap in the armor as he savagely rips open Turac's torso!
Ed wastes no time here as he summons his most powerful spell here, pouring all of his energy into it and targeting Azomi
Tol stifles a rather large gulp as best he can then gets to work. He growls a low snarl, his hands bending into the familiar claw-like shape, then strikes twice in quick succession then steps out of Azomi’s reach. Both strikes are awful and hit only air…
There’s only one thing on the other side of this, let’s hope it’s the one I want.
◆Enter Wolf Stance ◆ Flurry ◆ Step 5’
◆ Recall Knowledge: (Arcana, Occultism, Society, Demon Lore all +5)
"What the heck is that thing"?
◆ Bring Hand Crossbow to bear
◆ STRIKE: Hand Crossbow
Damage