"I've completely lost track of the time, and whether it's day or night. Maybe regrouping would let us get our heads on a bit straighter."
"It's morning. I know this because I'm not hungry much but haven't eaten lunch. ... I think."
Its not too late in the day yet.
Kenzo pulls his hand from his side and looks at the blood covering it. "I'd like to rest and dress these wounds," he says, "but I feel we should press on while we have Nualia and her friends on the defensive."
The monk mutters something about "really being a cat person" as he bends to pick up his spear, but then he sways and has to brace himself with a hand on the wall. After a pause, he grimaces, and adds, "maybe we should rest."
After squatting on his heels for a few minutes, Kenzo stands up and stretches, and after a moment, says, "Alright . . . I'm okay. Shall we press on?"
"Yes," Mitnal agrees. "We're here for a reason."
Then, uncertainly, he glances at Jeslara, "We're here for a reason, right?"
"Yes. We are..." Jessa agrees. She tucks the Thassilonian wand back in her belt. "Well, we've made it this far," she grins, "Let's see how much more trouble we can cause."
Stone fonts containing frothy dark water sit to the north and south of the eastern entrance to the room, and twin banks of stone pillars run the length of the long chamber. At the western end, shallow stairs rise to a platform about two feet off the ground. The walls surrounding this platform are lit by hanging braziers that emit glowing red smoke, giving the place an unnerving crimson lighting that throws the bas-relief carvings of countless monsters feasting on fl eeing humans into lurid display.
A black marble altar stone, its surface heaped with ashes and bone fragments, squats before a ten-foot-tall statue. The sculpture depicts a very pregnant but otherwise shapely naked woman who wields a kukri in each taloned hand and has a long reptilian tail, bird-like taloned feet, and the snarling head of a three-eyed jackal with a forked tongue. Its left kukri fl ickers with fi ery orange light while the right one glows with a cold blue radiance.
I cast detect magic and scan the room carefully.
Kenzo takes a good look around, with particular attention to the kukris held by the statue.
Mitnal stares bug-eyed at the shapely naked woman, not quite sure what to make of her. Revolted, yes, but ...
Jessa worries incessantly and keeps an eye on the doors, afraid some new terror might soon arrive. But she stays with everyone else while they investigate the chamber. 'After all, there's still lots more safety in numbers,' she surmises.
The flaming kukris are part of the statue but the flames are most certainly magical.
Kenzo sees that the altar has been used in the not too distant past. There are ashes and bits of burnt bone atop it.
The flaming kukris are part of the statue but the flames are most certainly magical.
Kenzo sees that the altar has been used in the not too distant past. There are ashes and bits of burnt bone atop it.
I wander over to examine the statue.
I check if the flames are hot or cold, then I realise how close I am to the thing and recoil in revulsion.
"Where now then?" I ask my compadres.
The flames are neither hot nor cold.
"Back the way we came, or how about that door over there?" Kenzo asks as he points to the left of the altar.
Mitnal gets over his reaction to the statue and begins to search the room.
Aside from the flaming statue and the water fonts, Mitnal does not find anything.
"Okay, gang," Kenzo says, "Anything else worth checking out here, or should we move on?"
"AWWK! Moving on...moving on..."
Which way?
Mitnal heads over to the door on the left (when facing the alter) and opens it.
Kenzo takes up a spot near Mitnal, ready for trouble.
The door opens to reveal a five foot wide stairwell that descends down about four feet and forward another five feet. There is a slightly open door at the bottom of the stairs.
Jessa peers past Mitnal and into the stairwell.
"Well, if they had those two dogs guarding this chamber, maybe they were also meant to guard these stairs?" Jessa suggests, "That may mean we're on the right track to finding Nualia."
"Hmmmm..." she pauses to think for a moment.
"You know, I could put a spell on myself to look like Lyrie," she proposes, "That way, if we do encounter Nualia, maybe such a disguise might buy us some time to get the upper hand on her? It wouldn't last long though. Maybe ten minutes or so. What do the rest of you think?"
"Can you make me look like her cat?"
"Can you make me look like her cat?"
"Ummm...no. At least...I don't think so. No. I could make Blackwing look like her cat at the same time, though."
Then Jessa hesitates, as if unsure if she wants to ask her next question.
"Wh-why exactly do you want to look like her cat?"
Kenzo is peering down the stairs, when he hears Mitnal's question, and slowly turns to look at the large, shaven headed barbarian. His mouth opens for a moment, then closes as he shakes his head.
"If we meet Nualia, you'll need some back up. ... Hmmm, maybe you could tie us up like you captured us. That way you could bring us all when you meet Nualia."
"Not a bad idea," Kenzo muses for a moment before adding, "Of course, if we show up and that girl is standing next to Nualia, we may be in trouble."
"Unless we can fool her into thinking that one is the fake," Jessa offers.
"Ooooh," Mitnal says, pondering the intricacies of their dastardly plan, "that's ... that's ... wow."
"We do need to find Nualia first. So, shall we head down? or look around this floor some more first?"
"Down we go..."
Who is going to go first? Then second?
"I wish we knew were Lyrie had gone."
I mill about, not wanting to go down first.
"We do need to find Nualia first. So, shall we head down? or look around this floor some more first?"
"It's as good an option as any," Kenzo says with a shrug as he takes the lead, spear in hand.
Mitnal smiles and takes up the lead.
Kenzo shrugs as the big man heads down the stairs first. Before stepping in line behind him, he says, "Eugne, maybe you should take up the rear and keep anything nasty from following behind us."
As Mitnal opens the door, he notices the goblin on the other side almost at once. The goblin begins to raise a crossbow...
Goblin Initiative:
If Mitnal beats that he can act in the surprise round before the goblin. Otherwise he'll go right after the crossbow goes off. The goblin is fifteen feet away.
Mitnal smiles.
initiative:
Surprise Round
Goblin: Initiative 19
Mitnal: Initiative 15
crossbow:
The bolt strikes the door near Mitnal's hand with a thrum as it sinks in and vibrates.
"Look out! Another goblin!"