"The poor fools," I mutter as the orc blood and Clareg snore away on the ground.
As I catch my breath from the brief but fierce fight, I survey the room to make sure that there is no other immediate danger and then(assuming there is not), I cast a small cantrip to discern whether or not there is anything arcane or magical within the room.
"The poor fools," I mutter as the orc blood and Clareg snore away on the ground.
As I catch my breath from the brief but fierce fight, I survey the room to make sure that there is no other immediate danger and then(assuming there is not), I cast a small cantrip to discern whether or not there is anything arcane or magical within the room.
You sense the presence of magical auras. Given a moment, you are able to discern that the spear with which you were stabbed is magical. It is of fine quailty and quite unlikely to have been made by a goblin. Four bone dice that lay at her feet also have an aura to them. These are marked with goblinized versions of draconic writing.
You sense more magic as well emanating from a chest in the corner.
Rellios:
Rellios has peered under the hide and found that inside a wooden barred cage is an emaciated shocker lizard.
You have checked the door at the back and found that a hastily made corridor extends on steep angle upwards from it. It is of poorer construction than the rest of the fortress.
Klyndak:
You see in the room the chest, which has a lock on the outside. You also see a corridor off of the room.
Rellios, having had little chance to act on the witch's fight, works towards getting Hru and Clareg awake - if he can - with a good slap or shake.
"There appears to be a shocker lizard in this cage the goblin was holding...if anyone's looking for a pet."
"The door up here leads to another pathway, although it clearly is not of fine dwarven craftsmanship like the rest of the edifice."
"There's a chest over there that ya may be after wantin' to investigate," I say to Rellios, matter of factly, as he enters the witch's room. I don't comment on either the sleeping couple as he tries to awaken them nor the lack of help he afforded in the fight. Alls well that ends well, after all, and the day a dwarf needs an elf to get him out of jam is a sad day indeed.
"These 'ere dice are interestin'," I mutter, more to myself than to him. And I focus on the dice, trying to figure out the nature of the magic that went into their making.
"There's a chest over there that ya may be after wantin' to investigate," I say to Rellios, matter of factly, as he enters the witch's room. I don't comment on either the sleeping couple as he tries to awaken them nor the lack of help he afforded in the fight. Alls well that ends well, after all, and the day a dwarf needs an elf to get him out of jam is a sad day indeed.
"These 'ere dice are interestin'," I mutter, more to myself than to him. And I focus on the dice, trying to figure out the nature of the magic that went into their making.
"There's a chest over there that ya may be after wantin' to investigate," I say to Rellios, matter of factly, as he enters the witch's room.
Rellios give the chest and its lock a look to see if there are any traps. Assuming there are not, for the moment, he'll then pull his theives' tools and take a crack at it.
Klyndak can detect that these dice have been enchanted with some kind of divination magic. The aura is very faint.
"There's a chest over there that ya may be after wantin' to investigate," I say to Rellios, matter of factly, as he enters the witch's room.Rellios give the chest and its lock a look to see if there are any traps. Assuming there are not, for the moment, he'll then pull his theives' tools and take a crack at it.
Rellios detecting no traps on the lock begins to open it, which, of course, triggers the trap on it.
I pocket the dice into my belt pouch until I can study them later and heft the spear.
"Ya think ya might be after havin' a use fer..." I begin and then the elf triggers the trap.
I groan inwardly, my outward face remaining stoic. I begin to fear for the competence and safety of my remaining comrades.
Rellios detecting no traps on the lock begins to open it, which, of course, triggers the trap on it.
Rellios detecting no traps on the lock begins to open it, which, of course, triggers the trap on it.
Rellios feels dizzy for a second and may want to find a corner to throw up in but he recovers. The chest is stil locked.
Rellios feels dizzy for a second and may want to find a corner to throw up in but he recovers. The chest is stil locked.
"Ugh, gonna need a second...but I should be alright...bloody trap."
"Should be after bein' more careful," I say helpfully to the elf.
"You wakin' up then priest?" I say to the half-orc as I observe him observing the elf and myself.
I return my attention to the elf, "Be gettin' that chest open lad 'n then be seein' if ya have a use fer this shiny spear. Then after we've 'ad a look inta the chest we can be lookin' at that 'allway of yers. I don't like the idea of goblins addin' their own little tunnels."
Rellios feels dizzy for a second and may want to find a corner to throw up in but he recovers. The chest is stil locked."Ugh, gonna need a second...but I should be alright...bloody trap."
"Take yer time lad," I tell the elf, "The other two are after bein' tired anyway."
Clareg and Hru have awoken by now.
The elf is able to open the chest, which contains a finely-crafted (re: dwarven make) battleaxe head, a ceramic jug, 75 sp, and 15 gp.
I return my attention to the elf, "Be gettin' that chest open lad 'n then be seein' if ya have a use fer this shiny spear. Then after we've 'ad a look inta the chest we can be lookin' at that 'allway of yers. I don't like the idea of goblins addin' their own little tunnels."
"Working on it, Master Klyndak. As for the spear, maybe one of our javelin throwers have more use for it than me. I'm a swordsman and bowman more by practice. Still...if no one is wanting it, I won't turn down a magical gift (I assume it's magical...sorry if that't out of context)."
The elf is able to open the chest, which contains a finely-crafted (re: dwarven make) battleaxe head, a ceramic jug, 75 sp, and 15 gp.
"Since this seems to be some of your people's trove, I give you the honors, Master Klyndak."
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"What in the name of Torag's hammer!" splutters Clareg, awakening.
"I got no use fer a spear, magicked er otherwise," I say to Rellios.
"Ya took a nap," I say to Clareg with a chuckle, "The climb up the wee stairs was after sappin' yer strength I be imaginin'."
Then, looking within the chest, I focus my attentions on discerning which items are magical.
"I got no use fer a spear, magicked er otherwise," I say to Rellios.
"Ya took a nap," I say to Clareg with a chuckle, "The climb up the wee stairs was after sappin' yer strength I be imaginin'."
Then, looking within the chest, I focus my attentions on discerning which items are magical.
The ceramic jug is giving off an aura of healing magic.
After examing the coins as to their place of origin, I pocket 5 of the golden coins. The silver coins and the axe head I give to Clareg to carry ("A token of appreciation lad,") and offer five golden coins to the elf and the priest. As for the Jug, I offer it to Hru, "Tis somethin' fer the healin' of the body I be imaginin'. Ya can be carryin' it if ye want."
"'N as fer injuries, there do be a couple of ye that look a little worse fer wear." I eye Hru's minor burns as I talk.
"Thanks for the coinage. I'll start checking out the pathway that the goblins seem to have made."
Once everthing else is settled, Rellios will lead back towards the hallway that he checked earlier.
Hru's still abit bleary eyed but offers the fast talking dwarf his thanks for the coin and jug "..er, thanks this stuff will pobably come in handy..I seem to have nodded off..." He picks up his sword where from where it lay then says with a grin "I'll just keep this handy heh! Shall we proceed, and what exactly-besides spreading the blessings of Gorum-are we looking for?"
"We be after the throne o' the dwarves," I tell Hru cheerfully.
"It is rumored ta be somewhere still in these 'alls."
"Lead on good elf," I say and follow after Rellios.
After examing the coins as to their place of origin, I pocket 5 of the golden coins. The silver coins and the axe head I give to Clareg to carry ("A token of appreciation lad,") and offer five golden coins to the elf and the priest. As for the Jug, I offer it to Hru, "Tis somethin' fer the healin' of the body I be imaginin'. Ya can be carryin' it if ye want."
"'N as fer injuries, there do be a couple of ye that look a little worse fer wear." I eye Hru's minor burns as I talk.
"This be well-made," says Clareg with mild interest, "Say, if'n we live, will you craft me a handle to match the quality?"
Pocketing the coins he says "This'll be for Dareg's wife and young'uns."
"This be well-made," says Clareg with mild interest, "Say, if'n we live, will you craft me a handle to match the quality?"
"What da ya mean, 'if'n we be livin'? Ye be keepin' yer 'ead 'n we'll be givin' those coins ta Dareg's family afore ye know it. 'N I can be makin' ye that 'andle fer sure, ."
The passage was hastily tunnelled out of the spire but Klyndak is still suspicious as to whether goblins could have managed even this.
It continues all the way up to an open door that meets up with the stairs. The stairs descend to the right and ascend to the left (counterclockwise around the spire). Any destination in either direction is hidden by the curve of the spire.
"So what da the rest of ye be thinkin'. I was afeared that there might be murder 'oles up 'ere but its just another exit onto the stairs."
"Maybe we should be goin' back around the spire down ta see if there be other chambers up 'ere?"
"'O course, the stairs could always be trapped as well," I add as the others try to make up their minds as to their own opinion.
Descending on these stairs, the party meets a dead end -- a huge chunk of the stairs is missing. The spire at this point appears to have been hit by a stone of incredible size. The stairs here have been destroyed with an identation into the wall that shows it has been hit by a stone would have been at least 8' in diameter.
It is not hard to guess the direction the stone came from. It could only have come from the other spire.
From here you can see the other spire more clearly. The other spire has similarly sized and shaped indents which could only have come from this spire.
Directly above you, you see a balcony -- perhaps the target of the stone that destroyed the stairs at this point. From it, a bridge extends to the next spire. It too has been partially destroyed -- a 20' gap in the bridge about halfway between the spires is patched by logs.
"Well, that be answerin' one question," I mutter.
"Back we go lads that we might be goin' forward."
"Well, that be answerin' one question," I mutter.
"Back we go lads that we might be goin' forward."
If Rellios agrees:
Travelling down the hallway you come to a hole in the floor. Otherwise the corridor is a deadend. The place stinks of death and you feel a terrible chill. A bucket and a rope are coiled nearby. Looking down the hole, you see the reflection of your light upon dark, murky water.
Rellios backs out into the main room, "The room's a deadend, but there's a hole in the floor - it looks like it leads down into a water source."
"I can't say I would recommend going down there - it stinks of death and I am none too comfortable with what might be down there. It may some of kind of dumping ground, as well."
"Unless we are bent on investigating it, I would suggest we get back to the stairs and continue upwards. Maybe we can get above the balcony and climb down?"
"We can be goin' back up," I say, "I imagine there is another level or two above us. If we can be makin' sure this spire is after bein' clear of anything nasty today then we can be makin' a camp on this spire from which to foray further on."
Travelling three quarters of the way around the outside of the spire, you find yourself approaching the broken bridge. It extends from a wide oval balcony that juts out from the wall of the spire. Without even having climbed up far enough to see what the balcony holds, you suspect it to be inhabited. Streams of smoke rise from the balcony.
NOTE: Whatever kind of railing the balcony had has either rotted or rusted away.
Rellios cautions everyone to stay put, and makes an attempt to sneak closer to the balcony to see what he spots.