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"This is not how I was expecting the day to go - though it gives me new purpose to see these men and women freed from the Derro. We must escape!" says Andaris, "Let us rest for a few minutes then we must head out for the surface." After catching his breath, Andaris speaks to Kaidan. "Let us scout the exits, I will go this way," he points, "and you survey that exit." Andaris attempts to pass silently through one of the exits.
Andaris moves back towards his companions, chanting a healing incantation as he does so.
"What's the plan friends, do we go through the guards or try the long way around? I think we have the strength to push through!"
Andaris attempts a more precise recollection of the building's layout, and tries to think of faster ways to get out into the streets.
"Follow me - hurry!" says Andaris as he hastens down the hall. He rounds the corner ready to fight, if necessary, but intending to flee as quickly as he can. Having seen the layout as they walked in, he tries to recall the way to the entrance.
Andaris tears down the hall, catching up to the guard. He is prepared to incapacitate the guard if given an opening.
Andaris leaps into Okik, slamming his knee into the Derro's face.
Andaris dashes into the hallway to try and catch up with the guard . As he exits the room he says, "Grab Okik, perhaps we can use his life as leverage. Hopefully someone else speaks the common tongue around here!"
With his spell completed, Andaris bashes his fist into Okik's head. He pours madness into the attack, hoping to lower Okik's defenses.
Andaris swiftly blends his mantis style with the style of dragons. He steps back and begins a summoning incantation, reaching into the void for greater power. Breaking through from the beyond, something akin to an eagle takes position opposite Mihail surrounding Okik. You see it shifting and twisting as if the very geometry of this world isn't designed to accommodate the foreign species.
"Fantastic, those potions should assist greatly in this dark land." Andaris turns from Okik to his companions, "Let us prepare to depart now, the faster we can acquire the shard, the sooner we can return to our brothers. I will say a quick prayer for guidance." Andaris casts Divine Favor while mumbling about seeking strength and wisdom.
Rising from his prayer Andaris swiftly adopts his mantis style and swings his foot at Okik's face attempting to stun him.
"Yes, a distraction would be good. I'm certain the ranger and the warrior could create a suitable situation," Andaris mused, gesturing towards Kaidan and Mihail. "The rest of us can sneak inside and secure the vault contents." Turning to Iluna, Andaris adds, "Sister, I think it necessary that Okik brings the shard along with us. We can exchange the research for the shard immediately to ensure the greatest trust among us, yes?"
"Then let us talk strategy," Andaris said to Okik. "Our savant will have no problem getting through this door, but I doubt your Triad are so complacent as to leave it unguarded. We are ready to fight, but we must know the preparations of the Triad."
Andaris attempts to take stock of the number of guards in the room and obvious or hidden along the route they took to get here.
Andaris steps up to the shard and runs a finger carefully along the edge. He mutters a short incantation to detect magic in the shard.
'So, they are real, yet I cannot divine their purpose', Andaris pauses to consider his alternatives. 'What they ask is likely out of our expertise, we have no great thieves among us. Perhaps we could seek the favour of the Triad and assault this compound together, but I fear they are as likely to kill us as talk to us. For now I shall continue with the original plan and negotiate with this vile creature.' "Yes, it is authentic, but you have mislead us," Andaris says derisively. "This shard is small, weaker than what we came to acquire. I do not see how it would fit into our master's plans. What
Andaris replies, "That will be sufficient, I can identify the shard when we arrive. Please lead the way."
Andaris replies, "Whoever they are, they believe we are on their side. Can we maintain the farce until we have a better idea of what we are dealing with? Iluna, you must be our voice, for I do not trust myself to bluff through this." "Mihail, I trust your judgement in this as well, when the time comes for us to fight I will follow your call."
Andaris follows the creature, beckoning his friends onward with him.
Andaris nods once, then quickly ensures the downed guard is stabilized.
He is not certain whether this other creature was genuinely expecting them, but admits to himself that any careful observer would have noticed all of the subterranean traps being sprung. Andaris chooses to follow the aklys wielder, using his intuition to get a hunch about his motives.
"Cultists, light armour and crossbows!" Andaris announces to his companions before surging forward with deadly grace.
Andaris, feeling foolish for having been tricked twice into triggering these traps, decides to prematurely activate the next one. He stands well back from the spider silk thread , then ties a stone to the end of his rope and throws it over the thread.
Andaris shakes his head to dispel any lingering numbness, before grunting, "I've taken stronger poisons than this and lived before, let's continue. Perhaps with a bit more caution though..." Andaris continues down the path, vigilant for further places in which traps could be hidden.
Andaris jumps back and to the right, expecting a similar trap to the one encountered earlier.
Andaris replies to Gonan, "With all we have seen from these dark brothers, I would expect them to cover their tracks." Taking a look towards either tunnel, Andaris chooses a path, "Yes, Mihail, I will lead us onwards!" Andaris heads down the southern path.
"Most of this world's foulness," Andaris replies, "lies within the souls of men and women. If good people seized power to scour the physical and spiritual depths of this world, we would need fear no darkness. We must pursue these shadowy cultists no matter where they hide!"
Testing the depth with light and sound, Andaris infuses light into a stone and throws it into the pit.
"Gonan or Iluna, do you have the ability to leave an invisible mark upon this doorway? I hope we do not become lost, but a waypoint may be wise." Andaris steps in the room, continue to search for signs of cultists.
In particular, he looks around the chamber's exits for humanoid footprints.
"Poisoned? Let me see that."
"It's probably just damp in here, I doubt the cultists could afford expensive poisons. Needless to say, we are not the first to travel these tunnels. Let us continue with further caution."
Andaris leads the way back to the fungus. As Gonan takes some time securing a dose of spores, Andaris pushed forward. First: Hearing a click from overhead, Andaris dives forward and to the left, attempting to roll before coming back onto his feet.
Interested in the glowing fungus, Andaris withdraws an empty bottle from his pack. He tries to recall anything he knows about the subject, but for some reason can only think of the time a high alchemist visited the monastery's scriptorium to have his treatise on radiation copied. Perhaps that was a type of fungus? He attempts to scrape a portion of fungus into the bottle - hopefully Gonan will be able to identify whether it truly was the dangerous radiation variety. Andaris intends to return to his companions with a description of the tunnels thus far and his sample of fungus.
Andaris tries to get a sense for whether the passage is leading under the city or beneath the bay.
He sits to take a short rest, waiting for his companions to catch up before continuing. He meditates on his combat skills, seeking the peace of the void for guidance.
Andaris follows the tunnel sloping downwards, continuing his stealthy approach and careful observation in darkness.
Coming to a fork in the road, Andaris attempts to chart their potential paths in his mind.
Andaris beckons Kaid'an over and whispers softly to him, "The slope and direction of this passage seems to head back to the lighthouse - but how could that be? We took the only passage down. I suspect it will lead back to the cellar - the magically sealed wall, but we cannot be certain." Stooping to examine the floor, Andaris ponders, "Has anyone passed by here recently?" Andaris checks to see if there are any footprints or other signs of passage leading to or and from both passages.
Andaris whispers to Kaid'an, "Thanks, but cover the light so that there is just enough for you to not stumble. And keep back a bit, I will signal if there is anything ahead in the darkness."
"Light I can easily manage Mihail, but perhaps I should scout ahead without it? We know not what lurks below and may be disturbed by our trespass." Andaris attempts to make his way slowly and silently down the tunnel, keeping his eyes open for any signs of life or recent activity.
Andaris roughly wakes his companions, urging then to make haste, lest they miss the tide. He hands each some tough bread, cheese and cured meat as they walk out towards the lighthouse. The party attempts to cross the low tide bay and make their way back to the basement.
Andaris drifts quickly into slumber after the night of tales and laughter. He makes ready to depart early in the morning, to catch the low tide.
Andaris shifts his attention to Gonan, "Now it is your turn for a tale, friend and master of fire, how did you acquire a taste for such a dangerous element?"
Andaris releases a hearty chuckle, "My most fearsome tale? There is quite a list of candidates, but let me tell you of the time I fought demons with my bare hands..." Andaris relates a lengthy tale of how he fought with a group of rebels in the Chuyokai forest of Chu Ye. His descriptions of the hidden fortresses and fearsome Oni are detailed and precise, convincing all that there is much truth behind the brave story.
Andaris listened with rapt attention to the tales, fascinated by each one in turn. In a rare moment of stillness he gets the attention of the four and says in a soft voice, "You tell tales of glorious treasures and ancient ruins filled with relics of a golden age, but I have heard whispers of dark magic too. Relics of evil, shards of blackness, have you brave men encountered such shadows?" Raising his voice, he challenges, "A pint for the most fearsome tale!"
Andaris perks up at the mention of ruin exploration, and walks over to speak with the married man. "Ruins, you say? That's a dangerous business all right. I have explored many distant lands but never the ruins of Taldor. Can I buy you a drink in exchange for a tale?"
The heroes head off to find accomodations for the night, if the time is appropriate. If it is still early, we gather information around town about the dark brothers.
Andaris spends some time clearing an area around the larger stone block, removing smaller stones from around it. Finally able to see the thickness of the large stone, Andaris says, "Tomorrow I can ask for strength in my prayers, I feel that between Mihail, Kai'dan and I we can drag this large stone away from whatever hollow it is covering."
"Hm," says Andaris, "If this is an entrance to a dark brotherhood hideout... they have certainly me fooled. It looks like one of those sealed up entrances to the locker or something, not a gathering place for cultists. Shall we return to town and try to dig up some information on the dark brotherhood's activities?"
Andaris, curious, experiments with the floor and wall. He attempts to stomp down on the floor, then tries to pry the flagstone out of the floor.
Andaris knocks on the wall section, listening for hollowness on the other side. He gives it a solid strike with his warhammer for good measure.
Andaris goes down into the room, which seems to be abandoned and seldom used. He takes a look around:
"It looks like one section of wall here is newer and cobbled together - perhaps a wall collapsed or someone is covering a tunnel? And here, there is a section of floor that has seen more recent use then the rest. Maybe someone removed a box from here recently?"
Andaris walks closer to inspect the floor and wipes it clean to see if there is anything special about the area.
Andaris gathers his friends at the base of the lighthouse, then quietly opens the trapdoor and peers down below.
"Yes, well, sorry to be a bother," Andaris says, nonplussed. He turns and heads back down the stairs, intent on exploring the trap door at the base of the lighthouse.
Andaris looks at the couple, trying to see if they have any concealed weapons.
Andaris smiles sympathetically at the couple, saying, "Our apologies for ruining your afternoon. Before we escort you out, can you tell me if you have seen any other men in black cloaks come and go from this place?"
Andaris notes the poorly tidied area, using his century long experience in floor cleaning. He sees that the dirt is crudely swept to make the area more dirty. 'For what purpose -' he thinks and immediately realizes that there is a trap door in the floor. "There is a trap door, likely leading into a storage area below the lighthouse. I suggest, however, that we keep our knowledge of this hidden for now. I do not care to be surprised from above while exploring some caverns. Mihail, if you bring your horse inside, we can block the lighthouse entrance with crates then proceed to climb upwards undisturbed. If no one else occupies the tower, I say we can explore the area beneath." Andaris motions for Kai'dan to lead the way up the stairs, as he observed no immediate danger from traps.
Upon entering the lighthouse, Andaris looks around for signs of traps laid by the dark brothers. If he sees none, he begins to climb the stairs, carefully watching for an ambush.
Andaris, seeing Iluna and Gonan hesitate, grabs them by the arms saying, "Come on, let's hurry, before the ones from in town return". He drags them with him towards the lighthouse, certain Mihail and Kai'dan are following.
Andaris acquires a description of the cultist clothing from Iluna, then assembles a makeshift disguise. He hopes it will delay undue scrutiny by lighthouse observers. He approaches the lighthouse quietly, hoping the disguise won't be needed at all. --- He has no visible weapons, except perhaps his cestus. |
