"No sense in being bashful, we might as well join the party," Kenzo says before leading everyone north.
The dug tunnel slowly begins to widen.
Thirty five feet north from the first "Y" the party comes to a second "Y," the branches again going North and East.
The light reveals that after five feet, the nature of the tunnel to the east changes dramatically. Rock and Dirt gives way to tile and at the edge of the light, the suggestion of plastered walls. It seems there is a chamber of some sort to the east here. Also, just at the edge of the light, again to the east, is a red, marble statue, still partially obscured by shadows.
To the north, the tunnel continues on as before, perhaps narrowing some. Another strange cry comes from the north, followed by savage hoots.
The light spells suddenly go out. There is a howl from the north, neither beast nor man.
"Darnit!"
I hurriedly cast light on the wall next to me, then use that light to pick up a few stones and cast light on a half-dozen .
And so within seconds the lights are back on. The tunnel appears to be unchanged.
"Mental note," Jessa says to Gyorgy, "Let's plan on stopping and recastng that spell every now and then. I don't like the dark...underground...with strange howls echoing down the tunnels."
Jessa looks between the east and north passageways, torn over which way to go. The red marble statue might be a huge archaeological find! But the noises up ahead could be someone who needs their help. She listens more closely to see if she can discern anything more specific about the noises...and particularly if any of the sounds seem like a Sandpoint citizen under duress.
Perception check... (1d20+2 = 13)
"I don't know, guys," Jessa says aloud, "Is that another monster...or someone in need?"
As Jessa strains to listen, she can just make out words being uttered from the north, in a bestial voice. The language is impossible to determine, however, either for reasons of distance or sound distortion.
"I can't tell..." Jessa admits, "But we should probably investigate anyway. Kenzo? Let's keep going north and find what's making those noises...and why..."
"I can't tell..." Jessa admits, "But we should probably investigate anyway. Kenzo? Let's keep going north and find what's making those noises...and why..."
"Agreed; let's go. We should keep it quiet & slow. If we start seeing light, let's pocket our stones so we can hopefully observe or surprise in case it's one of those things again."
The end of the tunnel soon comes in sight, for it continues only another twenty five feet to the north. As you move forward, you have to wonder where the noise is coming from, for it is obvious that the tunnel comes to a dead end but the noise is also growing louder. Sharp cries, howls and grunting laughter.
And then you see the hole in the floor. About three feet wide. Soft light shines feebly up through it, indicative perhaps of a torch somewhere.
"Derthink Glumjink!" shouts a hoarse voice, whether in anger or amusement it is impossible to say.
There is another shout.
Looking down the three foot wide hole reveals a ten foot drop into a larger room. Moldy straw is on the floor below the whole. Torchlight from somewhere to the north-east dimly illuminates the floor. Without sticking a head down or dropping into the hole, it is impossible to make out any more details.
"Derthink Glumjink!" shouts a hoarse voice, whether in anger or amusement it is impossible to say.
Speak Language (Thassilonian) check... (1d20+1=17)
"It sounds like more of those...things," Jessa whispers to the others.
Looking down the three foot wide hole reveals a ten foot drop into a larger room. Moldy straw is on the floor below the whole. Torchlight from somewhere to the north-east dimly illuminates the floor. Without sticking a head down or dropping into the hole, it is impossible to make out any more details.
"I'm starting to wish I'd brought Blackwing with us," Jessa mutters, "He could tell us what's down there."
"Well, what do the rest of you think? Do we go down? Do we call out? What if they try to fight us again?"
"I don't think we've really got any choice but to press on - we can't leave something like that to wander into Sandpoint."
I shrug; "Although, it's easy to say that kind of thing from the back."
"Derthink Glumjink!" shouts a hoarse voice, whether in anger or amusement it is impossible to say.Speak Language (Thassilonian) check... (1d20+1=17)
[Jessa:
Only one person could drop down the hole at a time. As its only a little more than a 10 foot drop, a person could lower themselves down and drop unhurt to the floor below.
Jessa:Spoiler:"Tear the flesh, drink the blood,..." seems to be the translation, this is followed by what might be, "...my initiative," or possibly, Jessa realizes, "...my turn."
"Uh-oh," Jessa realizes, "That doesn't sound good. They're talking about tearing something apart and drinking its blood. And they're taking turns at it."
Only one person could drop down the hole at a time. As its only a little more than a 10 foot drop, a person could lower themselves down and drop unhurt to the floor below.
"Well, Gyorgy, I agree. We can't leave any of these things to wander up to Sandpoint if they're all as violent as that last one we fought. I guess we have nothing else we can do but face them. Who's going down first? And what can we do to prepare ourselves a little better this time?"
"Well, Gyorgy, I agree. We can't leave any of these things to wander up to Sandpoint if they're all as violent as that last one we fought. I guess we have nothing else we can do but face them. Who's going down first? And what can we do to prepare ourselves a little better this time?"
"Alright, let's drop in on them," Kenzo whispers. "I'll go first and will move to the right side once I'm down there to make room for everyone else. Eugen, you after me? Moving to the left once down? Maybe Magazin after that? Everyone ready?" Kenzo switches his sword to his off hand and draws a dagger, readying in a throwing grasp.
"Alright, let's drop in on them," Kenzo whispers. "I'll go first and will move to the right side once I'm down there to make room for everyone else. Eugen, you after me? Moving to the left once down? Maybe Magazin after that? Everyone ready?" Kenzo switches his sword to his off hand and draws a dagger, readying in a throwing grasp.
"Everyone go as quietly as they can..." Jessa suggests, "Drop down and hide until most of us are with you, Kenzo. That way, we can attack together, if necessary. And, if we don't have to fight, it'll give me time to learn more about what's going on...and what we're facing...I hope."
Then she looks to Gyorgy, "After Magazin goes down, do you want to go next...or me? If I'm down there in time, maybe I can talk to them? But, if we really do have to fight, they may need you before me."
Kenzo drops to the ground and immediately steps out of the way for Eugen to follow him, dagger at the ready.
Kenzo
There is a much larger room on the other side of the iron bars, lit by torches, which are out of sight (at the moment) to the east.
Eugen positions himself to drop through the hole in the floor.
Damn, Kenzo thinks, I knew we should have risked a look first. Sheathing his dagger and setting his sword aside, Kenzo holds his hand up to signal Eugen to wait. Once it's clear that Eugen is holding back, he examines the door to the cell to see if it might be open.
15+6=21 if perception
15+8=23 if escape artist
Kenzo
There are wooden steps just outside the door to the cell, going up towards the east. The wood is highly polished.
Whomever or whatever is making the noise in the larger room beyond the iron bars is well out of sight, though they continue to make sounds similar to that of fighting.
The bars are set close enough together that squeezing between them is not really much of an option.
Kenzo sheathes his sword, moves back under the hole and tries to jump up and grab the lip.
1d20=8+8=16 acrobatics for vert jump, 1d20=13+5=18 climb
Kenzo sheathes his sword, moves back under the hole and tries to jump up and grab the lip.
1d20=8+8=16 acrobatics for vert jump, 1d20=13+5=18 climb
Kenzo leaps up, grabs the ledge and as Eugen grabs his arms, he pulls himself out of the lower chamber.
Leading everyone a little ways back from the hole, Kenzo whispers, "Okay, below the hole is a small, locked cell. Looking through the bars, I could see other cells to the West and the across to North, and they all seem empty. There are stairs leading up to the East, and it's in that direction that the light and voices are coming from, but I couldn't see anything more. Suggestions?"
"Okay, below the hole is a small, locked cell. Looking through the bars, I could see other cells to the West and the across to North, and they all seem empty. There are stairs leading up to the East, and it's in that direction that the light and voices are coming from, but I couldn't see anything more. Suggestions?"
"Hmmm...there were a couple of passages back the way we came that go east," Jessa surmises, "Perhaps if we take the next one down...wasn't there a statue of some kind we could just make out in that direction?...but perhaps if we go that way, we can eventually come back north and connect to those stairs you saw...unless of course, we meet something else along the way..."
"i guess the only thing to do is look around for other ways down, maybe if we hurry we can save whoever it is they're tearing apart."
"Let's go," Kenzo says, hurrying off with sword in hand.
Heading back along the dug tunnel, the companions return to the room with the statue. The room is irregularly shaped and has four exits, one in each direction. The north passage has a door, currently closed.
The red marble statue is quite imposing. It is of a beautiful but obviously angry woman. In point of fact, anger is a mild word compared to the bestial rage and fury captured in the statues face. The woman is dressed in flowing robes and her long hair is kept back from her face by an intricate headress of hooks and sharp looking blades. She holds, in her left hand a closed book with an embossed seven pointed star on its face. Her right hand holds a glittering metal and ivory Ranseur. The Ranseur is obviously an addition to the original stonework of the statue.
The red marble statue is quite imposing. It is of a beautiful but obviously angry woman. In point of fact, anger is a mild word compared to the bestial rage and fury captured in the statues face. The woman is dressed in flowing robes and her long hair is kept back from her face by an intricate headress of hooks and sharp looking blades. She holds, in her left hand a closed book with an embossed seven pointed star on its face. Her right hand holds a glittering metal and ivory Ranseur. The Ranseur is obviously an addition to the original stonework of the statue.
"Oh my gosh!" Jessa gushes, taking a few tentative steps towards the statue to examine it, "It's beautiful! Look at the craftsmanship! This must be...thousands of year's old. And it's been under Sandpoint all this time?! The chapterhouse is never going to believe this! Just a few days into my assignment and I've already found something worthy of writing about...maybe even getting published!"
It's clear the poor witch is quite obsessed with the discovery and less aware of any dangers or the pressing need to investigate the noises they'd overheard...
(i follow kenzo)
for anybody who had trouble accessing the picture, here is another location:
http://www.papercanary.org/pbpcow1.jpg
for anybody who had trouble accessing the picture, here is another location:
http://www.papercanary.org/pbpcow1.jpg
for anybody who had trouble accessing the picture, here is another location:
http://www.papercanary.org/pbpcow1.jpg
There are faint and familiar sounds coming through the door to the north, though, not quite as loud as they were in the tunnel outside this room.
There are faint and familiar sounds coming through the door to the north, though, not quite as loud as they were in the tunnel outside this room.
Jessa remains transfixed by the statue, occasionally circling it to take in every detail. "Fascinating..." she mumbles from time to time, "It looks like this weapon was added sometime later...separately from the carving. It must be quite valuable. And not just for the precious metals it contains..."
Appraise check... (1d20+7=25)
Knowledge (history) check... (1d20+8=21)
I give the statue, and Jessa, a quizzical look; then satisfy my curiosity with a quick spell (detect magic). Then I attempt to steer Jessa by the arm after our allies.
"What's a chapterhouse, something to do with books?"
Neither the statue nor the weapon it holds are magical.
"What's a chapterhouse, something to do with books?"
Jessa lets Gyorgy guide her away, but continues looking over her shoulder at the statue. "What? Oh," she explains somewhat distractedly, "A chapterhouse...it's an...organization that I belong to...back in Magnimar. We...look for ancient things like this...to study and learn from them."
Which way is Gyorgy steering Jessa? The others had not yet chosen a direction.
I steer Jessa away from the creepy statue and wave my other arm at my compadres to indicate that we should get going.
Kenzo waits for everyone to get together before opening the door to investigate the noise.
Opening the door reveals a large chamber, lit by torches. The floor of the chamber appears to be wood, but a second glance reveals that this is not the true floor but a well polished wooden platform built about ten feet above the true, stone, floor.
From their vantage point in the doorway, the explorers can see what appear to be cells around the room.
"Kiljonid dishtum Apar'kinjoug," says a savage voice and there is the sound of flesh being torn followed by guttural laughter. The speaker is out of sight to the right.
Kenzo waits for everyone to come through the door, and tries to determine how many (things?) there may be waiting for them around the corner.
Kenzo waits for everyone to come through the door, and tries to determine how many (things?) there may be waiting for them around the corner.
Jessa tentatively peeks past Kenzo and Eugen into the room. She strives to listen in on any further conversation wafting up from the floor below. And her knuckles turn pale white from gripping her longbow in preparation for another fight.
As Kenzo, followed close by Eugen, peers around the corner, he sees that the wooden platform goes all the way across the room to the east, where there is a dark archway.
Two creatures, very similar to the monstrosity encountered in the cave off the tunnel, stand near the archway atop the wooden walkway.
One of them is bleeding, his cut arm slowly healing itself.
"Sugnik," says the injured one, clicking its strange jaw together and then it rips a claw across the first one's chest. Blood splatters across the wood and the first one howls. The one with the almost healed arm seems to chuckle.
Engrossed as they are in their mutual mutilation, they do not appear to yet notice that the door has been opened and the room has been entered by intruders.
"What are they doing?!" Jessa whispers in horrific fascination, "Is that...some...kind of...ritual? Or what?"
Kenzo draws both daggers, and leaves the sword across his back sheathed for now.