Alistair and Dargys creep forward. Rounding the corner to the stairs then slowly descending the stairs. You see slight standing water on the ground here, an inch or two deep based on the rough floor surface. As you continue around the corner you see that this cave section continues for some distance. Your torch light reflects off the water that just slightly covers the cave floor here. As the torch light fades, you think that you can see it reflecting off something large and dark. But that is just at the edge of the torch light.
Taking pause from the labor of moving the stones, Rasmus has a bite to eat from the bread in his bag. He stands beside the earthen jar that he carried into this room. With his off the cuff comment about the rat with the collar Klaus would almost want to smack himself on the forehead as he realizes that it could be a possibility that the rat was this mad mage’s familiar.
Those in the chamber with the tables looks towards the cavern entrance as their torchlight begins to fade. Turning towards the collapsed hallway you see that even though you made progress, there is still a lot of debris to remove. But it can be done.
"So far, so good?" he mutters to Alistair, deferring to him in this.
Klaus smacks his forehead as a sudden thought is placed into his brain occurs to him.
"Rats are often used as familiars. Given this skeleton has a collar and this place is supposedly linked to a 'mad mage', we might just be looking at the 'Mad Rat' if you're following along this train of thought."
Alistair nods and moves forward, looking for danger, and loot.
Rasmus frowns at the mention of a "mad rat."
"Rats as familiars? I don't reckon I know many wizards who'd keep somethin' that squalid sittin' around with them as they do their researchin'. It don't sit well with me nohow anyways. A person bindin' their soul to a creature, it's temptin' fate, is what it is. Ye bind yer soul to a creature fer too long, ye start to become like that creature. Klaus is right, we might be lookin' in the wrong way."
He follows Dargys and Alistair, readying his sword once more.
"I might as well make use of meself."
He adopts a slower pace and glances around thoughtfully.
"All this old stone and rock, wonder what stories it could tell, if it had the voice to speak?"
[ooc]Rasmus is going to make a survival check to inspect the cave system they are in.
As Rasmus moves forward to catch up with Alistair and Dargys he examines the cave system. It looks to be naturally made. There is common knowledge/rumor that the buildings in this section of Dulwich are all interconnected by a save system. It looks like the builders used the cave system that was here and build this level of the cellar. The only man-made part that you can see are the roughhewn steps that were hacked into the bedrock.
As the three of you move forward, the torch light falls on an object that looks completely out of place. A black jagged shard of something juts from the cavern floor, reaching almost to the ceiling. You are unsure of what it is from this distance. If it is stone, it has been polished so much that it reflects like glass. The odd thing is that it isn’t reflecting your light as it should, it is actually consuming the light and where your light should make this place brighter it is absorbing it.
You can see some odd runes of a malignant demeanor cover the parts that you can see of this ‘ebon stone.
This is no polished rock. This is obsidian, and a lot of it. You have seen this in markets for sale and decorative pieces, but also in larger pieces to make weapons and armor out of. You also know that this out of place as obsidian is a black volcanic glass and there are no volcanos in this region.
Dargys gives Rasmus a hapless shrug at the wrong way possibility
Rasmus frowns at the mention of a "mad rat."
"Rats as familiars? I don't reckon I know many wizards who'd keep somethin' that squalid sittin' around with them as they do their researchin'. It don't sit well with me nohow anyways. A person bindin' their soul to a creature, it's temptin' fate, is what it is. Ye bind yer soul to a creature fer too long, ye start to become like that creature. Klaus is right, we might be lookin' in the wrong way."
Klaus starts at such condemnation.
"I'll have you know, rats of the non-pestilent variety are actually quite cute. Most magic users I've met who have chosen such a companion keep their rodents very clean and may even adorn them with accessories like that collar."
Klaus lifts a hand in concession as if Rasmus had just made a counterpoint as he walks following the older man. "Having been raised a country bumpkin myself, I can easily forgive the confusion. Most people associate familiars with the witches and warlocks and other hedge magic practitioners out there. I assure you that wizard and mage familiars are nothing like such creatures which are merely conduits for some grotesque otherworldly patron of dubious occult origin."
"Well.. Um. It seems like we've split up more or less." Deshe is uncertain of whether he's supposed to stay with the current group or follow the others.
Noting that both his light source and Rasmus are headed down the tunnel, Erik guides Shep in that direction.
He adopts a slower pace and glances around thoughtfully.
"All this old stone and rock, wonder what stories it could tell, if it had the voice to speak?"
"I dunno, Mr. Rasmus, but maybe we can find out."
As Erik joins Rasmus in inspecting the cave system, he sees the same things that Rasmus noticed previously. He is thankful in this case of being a halfling since this cave system moves from 5-feet to 7-feet in heights.
Seeing the black jagged shard, Belfer knows that this is what he was seeing through the trap door. With his low-light vision he can see that there is a faint brownish discoloration at the top. The stain looks like whatever it was dripped down the sides. At this distance you are unsure what it could have been.
As more of the party comes to this part of the cave system the splashing of foot steps in the shallow water reverberates off of the stone walls.
Deshe and Sethiel are the only remaining in the chamber with the tables. Sethiel has been overly quiet and is struggling. Continually holding his head, he looks to Deshe and collapses on the floor.
Erik rides Shep forward, looking around for clues as to what might be going on down here.
Alistair moves forward with Erik, looking for anything interesting. "If we don't find anything down here we'll need to check out that metal door atop before cleaning out the stairs."
"It's looking like this loops around ? I can't be sure, but yes, that metal door is looking more likely."
"Sethiel's in a bad way! I'm gonna take him to go get treated!" Deshe yells at the others before setting Sethiel's arm over his shoulder and making to slowly heave him back out of the dungeon.
"That trap door is just the other side of the room with the table Alistair. However, be careful around that crystal. If it's like the bowl, it might allow... other things to look back into our world. It looks like there's some brown stuff covering the top. It's probably worth taking a closer look."
Belfer moves forward slowly until he can get a better idea of the brown stuff.
"Sethiel's in a bad way! I'm gonna take him to go get treated!" Deshe yells at the others before setting Sethiel's arm over his shoulder and making to slowly heave him back out of the dungeon.
"Deshe might need some help. I'd offer, but it might be easier for one of the taller folk," Belfer suggests to those around him.
Erik, Alistair and Belfer move forward to investigate this “stone.” As they do they can all see that this stone is roughly 5-ft tall. Just about 2-ft away from the ceiling in this section. Belfer can just make out where the trap door is above it. There is one section where it appears a section was sliced off it. Roughly 6-in in diameter, running about 3-ft long.
Erik takes a little closer look and believes the brownish stain on it could possibly be dried blood. Looking to his feet, he cannot tell if there is a stain on the ground due to the water at the bottom of this cave.
The runes that are on it wrap mostly around its reflective surface. They don’t look like they were etched, carved, chiseled into the obelisk. It looks to be from when it was created. The runes themselves are another mystery. They are in no language that any of you know of or any language you’ve seen while studying.
Deshe move to pick up Sethiel. While Sethiel isn’t a big man, he is currently dead weight. He fights to get him up off the ground and then into a position where he could possibly move with the elf.
Suddenly everyones light source, magical or torchlight, begins to flicker. Light a candle that is fighting in the wind. As the lights begin to flicker it begins to play with your eyes as it goes from light, to pitch black of this sub-cellar. You begin to think you see things moving as it flickers. Then when the light stays for longer than a flash you only see your friends. Flickering again, movement around the chambers you are in. This continues on…
"Figures." Deshe says with a bit of dark humor. Nothing for it then. Mustering all the strength he can, he nonetheless shoulders the weight of Sethiel alone and begins moving, resolutely as he can, forward. He knows that if he slams his hat into the wall in front of him, then hugs the left wall apart from that one gap for the room with the bones in it, he should make it out.
"Deshe might need some help. I'd offer, but it might be easier for one of the taller folk," Belfer suggests to those around him.
"I'll be with you in a moment, Deshe, if you really need the help but I think..." And then the lights flicker and things move "On Second thought, we may need your help... stuff is getting weird!" He yells, raising his shield defensively.
Rasmus' face pales, and his eyes widen.
"Somethin's here..."
He shakily, and somewhat loudly, speaks to the others ahead of him in the cavern,
"We should regroup, get back to a safe loca...ah, to blazes with it. Run, lads! It's never good when somethin' like this is happenin'"
He takes one last look around the room before starting to try to get the others to leave, fight another day if they can. His eyes land on the mysterious symbol. He shivers, and some sweat rolls down his forehead. He glances around, looking for the thing that keeps flickering in and out of vision. He brings his sword into an offensive position, and advances on wherever he saw the thing last.
When the lights start tripping and the darkness seems to begin moving, Klaus reflexively chants the spell for mage armor.
He gulps nervously.
"We should regroup, get back to a safe loca...ah, to blazes with it. Run, lads! It's never good when somethin' like this is happenin'!"
As if Klaus needed any motivation, he turns and runs out of the area, but isn't able to run flat out due to the flickering light.
"Let's exit for sure. That looks like dried blood and I see no treasure here. Remember, smooth is fast so stick together and let's walk out of here together." With that he starts to the east since that is the closest exit from the cave and the closest to the way out then he sees Klaus take off the other way. "Dang it. Let's follow Klaus, I don't think we should split up while this is going on." Alistair says as he moves toward the mage.
When the lights start flickering, Shep growls and bolts back the way he and Erik had come in, leaving Erik pulling on the reins futilely. "No, buddy, no! We can't leave Mr. Rasmus!," Erik yells at his companion. Shep ignores Erik's words, just as he ignores the reins that Erik is pulling as hard as he can to get him to stop. Frustrated, Erik pulls out his sling with one hand and looks back over his shoulder to see what is going on.
"Very well... staying here alone seems like a bad idea. Keep your eyes on the walls as we head back - in case there's another spirit forming."
Dargys takes a deep breath, nods and moves. "Topside it is. We can regroup there, Rasmus, and try again" He sees Klaus go one direction, "pardon..." And he follows the Wizard's path. Klaus is the only one here he'd call friend, and he'll stay by him.
Besides, magic might be the only thing that works on some ghosts!
Rasmus hesitates for a moment, and then sighs,
"You're right, lad. Let's be goin'. Elara can wait."
He follows Klaus' path out, his feet slipping and sliding on the slightly moist stone. He glances at the shadows with a bold look in his eyes, as if daring it to try to strike.
"Kalron..."
he whispers,
"Grant me the strength to face this new terror!"
His lantern flickers ominously in the supernatural dusk, but he holds it high, turning it to its full strength, letting the light fall on all it can. He says, almost to himself,
"Let me lantern shine with the light of ages past. With the light of me father, and me mother, and me brothers. Let me lantern turn back the shadow and guide us to our salvation. And if we perish, and Kalron's chariot comes to collect our penitent souls, then let us go forth on the golden river, to the ether's prismatic, scintillatin' colors, and the vast clouds of the heavens above, where me ancestors wait, callin' to me. To the great misty halls of the Eternal Sentinel's domain, let me lantern's light shine with the light of a thousand suns, and let me ancestors wait a while longer, before I join them in the garden of stars!"
The torches and spells flicker causing a strobe effect as you rush through these under chambers. You see something moving, humanoid shapes, rushing around the halls, climbing the walls, even walking on the ceiling as if you were upside down…
Deshe grabs hold of Sethiel, hoist him up and the wall as his support, he heads toward the entrance chamber.
Dargys raised his shield in a defensive stance.
Rasmus moves and brings his sword up and advances towards the closest thing… but they are all around him.
Klaus cast Mage Armor and moves. Alistair moves on the heels of Klaus.
Erik hangs on tight to Shep and tries to reign him in.
Belfer follows the rest of the group.
The lights flickering continues to cast odd shadows and the figures moving cause your nerves to begin to stand on end. They rush towards you in split seconds, and if you swing your weapon they are gone as if they were never there. Suddenly the lights, magical or otherwise, go black.
Your lights flicker back on, but they cast a grey light. You see that the creatures that were moving in the darkness reveal themselves as the lights stay on. These monstrosities look as if they were creations.
Dropping down from the walls and ceiling, is a grotesque creature with long arms it use to climb and walk.
Hallow eyes fall on you as the bladed arms of this creature rush to penetrate you.
Deshe looks down the hall he just came from and sees one of the creatures dropping from the ceiling, then he hears he sound of metal on stone and looks west and staring at him is the empty eyes of the bladed creature.
Klaus runs face to face with blades longer than his torso. Belfer sees the long armed creature crawl down from the wall besides him and the dangling torso is the same size as him.
Dargys sees a final creature crawling down from the ceiling in front of the odd looking stone.
You are Spooked by what you are seeing. Your nerves are on the edge and every little movement causes you to jump and do a double take.
Upon sighting the enemy's Deshe's thoughts tumble quickly. Mayhaps he can fight these monsters, but while protecting Sethiel? He needs a chokepoint, but the one behind is too far away. Nothing for it to keep going forward and hope he finds no more monsters.
Finding his way clear for now, Deshe continues forward into the corner, figuring it's the best choke point he'll be able to find. He sets Sethiel into the corner as best he can, then stand firm and shoulders his shield.
"We're caught betwixt and between," He curses as he grits his teeth to help fight the fear. So far, so good. Maybe a quick 'kill' is possible. Sword in one hand, shield in another, he steps up to the nearer of the two foes and slices. "Rasmus, another is going to be behind us shortly. Double team this, or back to back?"
Rasmus scowls at the creature Dargys attacked, deftly sliding across the wall next to it.
"We can fight these foul fiends together!"
He adopts a quick fencing stance, but he wields his heavy longsword with more force than normal for such a stance. He takes a half step forward with his right foot and brings his sword upward in a diagonal-left manner, slicing toward the creature's back.
Alistair moves toward Klaus. Knowing the wizard doesn't wear armor he calls out, "Klaus, get behind me." and then he readies to stab the thing should it get close enough.
I put the damage and the to hit roll on the same line.
"Wh-what is causing that? Why is it affecting my light spell as well?" Belfer asks, hoping someone knows what's going on. Belfer inches backwards nervously as the long-limbed creature stalks closer. When Rasmus moves forward to attack, Belfer sees the opportunity to dart further back(5' step).
"I'll try to keep the other one busy Dargys while you help Rasmus..."
Belfer takes out a small bag and stuffs it with what appears to be a waxen sculpture, crudely formed into a tear drop shape. Hastily he begins reciting the necessary incantation, the words growing louder each time. When enough energy is gathered, Belfer winds up and hurls the bag deeper into the cave. As if controlled by an invisible hand, the bag stops rotating inverted. The bag opens up, and a thick, viscous goo pours out, plopping onto the rocky terrain.
Deshe moves to the corner and places Sethiel in the corner. As he moves to put his shield and axe between him and the creatures his light pours into the entry chamber. It looks clear.
Erik and Shep are both are Spooked by what is going on.
Dargys blade finds a foe. It’s eyes are locked on the blade, but then catch Rasmus as he squeezes by. Both bladed men swing out at the abomination with long arms and cut the creature down. In a piercing screech, the thing falls. Both of you have no idea what these are, but it appears they can be defeated.
Belfer is also a bit unnerved by the sight of these creatures tries to determine what these are. These horrors are not natural creatures. They look to have been created, or even things of nightmares. The one looks to be a created undead while the other looks to be an amalgamation of several different creatures. He knows if he had time to study the foe that he could figure it out. Knowing he doesn’t have the time, he begins casting a spell.
Alistair moves up to protect Klaus and readies an attack once he gets behind the rogue.
"They can be hurt!" Dargys eyes light up "And steel can do it." He even smiles. Unknown or not, he can fight these!
Despite the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach, Erik finally manages to get Shep to stop and turn back towards the sound of fighting. Erik pulls out three pebbles from a pouch on his belt and touches them on to the focus hanging from his neck.
Erik gets ready to use his sling and stones as he cast Magic Stone on the pebbles. As Klaus takes a withdraw action and switches places with Alistair. Alistair attacks out with his rapier. The attack lands and it seems to sink in easier than he is used to. The hallowed eyes “look” back at the rogue with malice.
These When these creatures move, it isn’t natural. They move almost as if they are blinking in and out of existence. One moment they are 5-10+ feet away from you and when they blink that are right before your eyes.
That is what Deshe experiences as the creatures with blades for arms appears to move through the table that separates them before he knows it the creature is standing before him punches out with his bladed arms. The attack would have skewered him if it wasn’t for the Breast Plate he is wearing. Looking down, Deshe sees a dent where it tried to puncture through the armor. Sethiel is protected behind him. He has no idea where the long-armed creature went.
Erik, Klaus and Alistair are taken back at the quickness that the creatures move. It punches out and what feels like it would have been a critical attack the blades just miss vital organs. But the blade still pierces Alistair. Blood flings against the walls at it pulls it bladed arm free.
Dargy, Rasmus, and Belfer see the long-armed creature jerk out and convulse as it lays dying. The long-armed creature besides the weird stone begins to rush Dargy, but not on ground. It contorts and uses the wall to the south as its bath to reach Dargy. It lets out a bellow as it runs up to Dargy, but it misses its attack. The sight of this creature moving almost in quick jerks and sound of what this creature is doing is unsettling.
If you failed this save, you are Spooked by what you are seeing. Your nerves are on edge and every little movement causes you to jump and do a double take.
If you are already Spooked, you become Shaken as fear has taken hold of you and you are no longer thinking or acting clearly.
.
.
.
Klaus emits an embarrassing "Eeek!" when the lights go out and then on only to reveal the bladed terror before him.
Klaus stands petrified when Alistair's voice gets him moving, and the wizard falls back while the man rushes forward. Unfortunately for Klaus' future therapy sessions, Alistair immediately receives a devastating injury protecting him, and the man's blood splatters on Klaus' face. No amount of scrubbing would ever wash away the memory of just how pathetic Klaus had been when the chips were down.
The warm liquid reaches Klaus' lips, and the metallic taste seems to drive home that inaction is not an option. This was not the time to let others do what needed to be done. Klaus had to do more and do it now if Alistair was going to make it out of this alive.
"Alistair, I think you should get behind me now!" he shouts. "There's two healing potions in my pack if you can get to them."
Klaus takes a breath to center himself. "Let's see if magic works on this thing."
Klaus clutches the amulet at his next and channels power through it allowing it pull into his memory the spell he knows he needs...something that can't miss, magic missile.
Chanting the words for the spell, he points a finger at the monster before them and hopes it's more fragile than it appears. With his other hand he feels for a familiar tab on his scroll box and yanks out a scroll.
Rasmus starts for a second at the uncanny movement of the creature, then rallies. He glances for a second at Alistair in concern,
"Don't bleed out on us, lad, we need you."
Rasmus is going to try to grab the creature rushing towards Dargys on the wall.
He tries to pull it from the wall and stab it, but seems to have trouble accounting for its jerky movements.
"Stand still, ye blighted critter!"
"Just zap the stupid thing. You can't cast spells if its tearing you up also." Alistair says but knows well enough to protect himself as well. He goes in for total defense while keeping the thing from Klaus and hopes the wizard can drop it before he himself bleeds out.
As blood is dripping of the bladed arm that was just pulled free from Alistair, Klaus reactionary lets loose a Magic Missile that hits the horror and causes it to stumble back and fall to the ground while screeching. It begins convulsing, bladed arms flailing before it ceases moving. Free from the blades, Klaus pulls free a scroll.
Rasmus approaches the long-armed creature to grapple it, the creature strikes out with its dangling arms that is holding a wicked dagger that looks to be used for filleting. The dagger misses Rasmus causing it to be more difficult for Ramus to grapple it.
Holding his abdominal wound, Alistair watches the creature fall to the ground and die. Seeing the his blood soaked clothes, that could have equally have been him on the ground instead of that abomination.
.
Dargys whirls around to face the rushing foe...
Once more his courage holds, and once more he strikes out with his sword