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You awake in large marble hall with columns, stone benches, large stone double doors centered on each of the four walls. It is very cold. You are very hungry. Clareg looks relieved but exhausted when he sees your eyes open: "You're awake. I'm cold. It's snowing."
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When everyone awakes, Clareg relates the events of the past few days. He barely managed to bring the three bodies inside the hall before the new army reached the spire. He barred the doors and, other than some curious knocking and such, no one has bothered trying to get in.
The evening of the arrival of the Breakbones, he opened the doors an crack and witnessed a curious ceremony that he didn't fully understand. A particularly nasty looking hobgoblin who he took to be a commander was forced down on his knees by two other goblins with spears. The Creep descended from the stairs and asked questions to the commander which, when he refused to answer, resulted in a command to the goblins behind him. They pierced him with their spears but the hobgob spun around and grabbed one goblins spear, stabbed in up under his head and lifted him in the air. While holding him aloft, The Creep leapt up onto the goblin hanging from the spear and started to bite and drink at the kicking and squirming body. Blood spurted everywhere over the crowd of assembled goblins as they proclaimed their loyalty to The Creep. There was not a dry eye in the house, by which I mean, blood got in everyone's eyes. Blood everywhere. It was nasty.
It began to snow that night. New huts were built.
He took to opening the door enough to gather some snow and then closing them again. He melts the snow and boils it in one of the skeletal guards helmets and mashes your rations into a soup.
"I don't know if I did ya any favours. We're trapped on one side and those three doors are locked. That one, I'd keep shut 'cause I hear somethin' tapping on it. ... something big. They took the bridge away and unless Rellios can work his magic on the locks, we're trapped in this room. The food's running out and it is getting colder. ... I've been ... I haven't been ... I've been losin' my faith, frankly. Never been in anything so deep."
As much as it pains him Hru cracks a smile, he's encrusted with blood from wounds and no ones ever seen a shade of green this pale his normally sinuous physique looking a bit drawn under the battered armor. "Your not the only one, heh...ow!" He grabs his ribs and his breath rattles out of his chest. "I've lost the favor of Gorum...his token lies somewhere in those accursed halls back there" he gestures towards the doors. "Be there any weapons of use here?" he askes glumly casting his gaze about the room.
"Can ya handle a warhammer, Orcblood?" Clareg laughs before a hacking cough stops him.
Despite his fatigue and headaches, Rellios smiles and says, "My thanks for your aid and protection, Clareg. Don't lose hope; the fact that we've made it this far is a sign of the gods blessing. We'll make it somehow."
"There were moments there when I thought for sure that my death was imminent...but perhaps this is a chance to start anew."
Hru smiles again weakly and says "I'll try anything to be have'n vengeance, but I'm no stranger to the forge, if a hammer of battle is anything like to that of the smithy."
Rellios will give the three other doors a once over to look for traps first. I would take 20 if we can spare the time; or would a Perception check be preferred for this action?
There are four double doors, one on each wall. Rellios does not find any traps on any of these but three of them are locked. The one you came through had its lock breached in ancient days.
"My thanks, friend Clareg, yer an 'onor ta yer family."
"My thanks, friend Clareg, yer an 'onor ta yer family."
"Ya say that now but ... I'm more than a little scared. What the 'ell are we gonna eat?! Ya know, I can sometimes smell the stuff they're cooking across the bridge and it is foul but I'd even eat the goblins food if'n I could. But they've removed the logs and trapped us here. I don't know why that vampire hasn't come after us but he ne'er did. This place was built by dwarves and I can understand that they might not be wantin' to try to take us on and if'n they didn't know you three were snoozing they mighta been thinkin' that it was better to starve us out. I been thinkin' they might be right on that count. What the 'ell are we gonna do?"
"I was carrying enough food from the barge ta last me fer a month. That's a week fer each of us if we make it last. Clareg ye've got yer pack too, there should be some food in that. I say that we 'eal ourselves wit' that wand. Torag 'elps those that 'elps themselves Clareg and ye've done good. Don't be losin yer faith. When Rellios and Hru are ready, we be 'avin' a look in some of these 'alls. Mayhap there'll be somethin' that will aid us agin the gobbos outside and that blood-sucker that be leadin' them."
Yes, Clareg you have my thanks as well, I owe you guys my life, and will sell it quickly again to see you out of this predicament...though haha...ow! Dwarves and indeed all of us can't live on oaths of loyalty"
"As far as food goes, I be lovin' the taste of rat as much as the next dwarf and I bet there's rats n' bats 'n other tasty treats within. We just have ter find 'em. Its never over Clareg till ye're dead 'n afore the forge of Torag."
"Rellios, I know ye were takin' that wand first, but it may be doin' more good with Hru."
Hru take the wand and starts doling out CLW's, then stretching and doing a few combat moves he sits down and begins to pray.
Clw charges (1d8+1=2, 1d8+1=5, 1d8+1=9, 1d8+1=2, 1d8+1=6, 1d8+1=8, 1d8+1=4, 1d8+1=4, 1d8+1=8, 1d8+1=9, 1d8+1=5, 1d8+1=8) Clareg=16 Rellios=22 Klyndak=18 Hru=14
As the others prepare themselves to go further in, I meditate upon the forces of magic. And food. I meditate upon the forces of magic and acquiring food. And vampires. I meditate upon the forces of magic, acquiring food and how to kill vampires.
As the others prepare themselves to go further in, I meditate upon the forces of magic. And food. I meditate upon the forces of magic and acquiring food. And vampires. I meditate upon the forces of magic, acquiring food and how to kill vampires.
Klyndak:
There are four, four-sided bone dice. Words are written so that when they are thrown, the words around the base of each one will be the same.
These are the words:
WHO die: Ally / Enemy / Self / Other
WHAT die: Danger / Reward / Power / Food
WHERE die: Near / Far / Up / Down
WHEN die: Never / Now / Soon / Future
Also, in the center of each triangle, the other words appear so that while one word could be at the base, the side facing you will display another word as well.
When you found them, they read:
WHO die: Self (Enemy)
WHAT die: Danger (Power)
WHERE die: Near (Far)
WHEN die: Soon (Now)
So the goblin witch read that as saying "Self Danger Near Soon // Enemy Power Up Now"
Rellios opens the door without great difficulty. It is a simple lock when he takes his time.
There is a short corridor that opens up into a room 30'x15'. In the center of the room is a cage of iron that hangs on chains and a pulley system embedded deeply into the ceiling. The cage allows you to see out on all sides. A winch within the cage is designed to allow the cage to be raised or lowered from within.
I let Rellios take the lead in examing the cage and the room.
Meanwhile...
"Let's be leavin' our food 'n beddin' in this room and be comin' back to it after we explore a ways. Its been safe enough thus far."
"Also, Elf, I be thinkin' it might be a good idea ter be opening both doors wherein there is no knockin'. Jest so we be knowin' what our options are."
Before Rellios opens the first door, I draw a circle in the floor, shake the dice, and ask "Is the source o' the knockin' beyond the door a foe too dangerous for the four of us ta be fightin'?"
"Also, Elf, I be thinkin' it might be a good idea ter be opening both doors wherein there is no knockin'. Jest so we be knowin' what our options are."
"Fair enough, if you don't mind me taking my time."
Rellios will again take 20, and open the lock on the other set of doors where there was no knocking (N or E?).
I'll wait to see where we want to head before making any decisions on checking the first room's interior.
Klyndak:
The major meaning is: Enemy Danger Near Now
The minor meaning is: Ally Reward Up Future
"Also, Elf, I be thinkin' it might be a good idea ter be opening both doors wherein there is no knockin'. Jest so we be knowin' what our options are.""Fair enough, if you don't mind me taking my time."
Rellios will again take 20, and open the lock on the other set of doors where there was no knocking (N or E?).
I'll wait to see where we want to head before making any decisions on checking the first room's interior.
Opening that door reveals a long stone table engraved with dwarven runes and heraldry. Though some have been chipped or broken, 12 sturdy stone chairs surround the table.
"Let's be searchin' the room wit' the table first. Perhaps it holds clues as ta this 'alls purpose."
If it is agreed, I will allow Rellios to sweep the room for traps. Meanwhile, I check for magical aura's.
"Let's be searchin' the room wit' the table first. Perhaps it holds clues as ta this 'alls purpose."
If it is agreed, I will allow Rellios to sweep the room for traps. Meanwhile, I check for magical aura's.
You do not detect any magic. Actually, correction, Clareg's chainmail gives off a magical aura. He gathered it off of the skeleton guard as it was better than what he'd been wearing.
Klyndak:
** spoiler omitted **
When you use the bone dice, you can meditate on your interpretation of the meaning and get a feeling of rightness or wrongness to your interpretation.
Hru looks around for armor and a weapon
Hru looks around for armor and a weapon
"You were sleepin' at the time but I saw that only the one mess o' chain was not all tarnished up and worn out. Me axe was choppin' chain apart as it flew! I'll gladly let you squeeze into me old chain shirt, though if you be needin' it."
Hru looks around for armor and a weapon
The skeletons also carried warhammers which would be useable. There are four of them so if they wear out (they are quite ancient) you could just replace it.
When you use the bone dice, you can meditate on your interpretation of the meaning and get a feeling of rightness or wrongness to your interpretation.Klyndak:
** spoiler omitted **
MEDITATION
"Let's be searchin' the room wit' the table first. Perhaps it holds clues as ta this 'alls purpose."
If it is agreed, I will allow Rellios to sweep the room for traps. Meanwhile, I check for magical aura's.
"Sounds fine." Rellios steels himself, and then gingerly enters the room to look for traps or anything else noticeable about the room. He's keeping his ears up for any noise that might be noteworthy.
He'll start with the perimeter, before focusing on the central table and it's chairs.