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Doubtful frowns slightly, as Dunkel mentions the reduced effect of his wand.
"This whole cursed place is probably to blame." He agrees.
"Toss negative, and it will pull you into its loving embrace.... try to send positive... it still drags you in... but screaming."
He glances worriedly at Imrana, when she starts mentioning she's hungry, and slowly moves himself between her and the recently deceased bodies, in case she's suddenly getting cannibalistic urges, like Dunkel did on their previous visit, and will need to be restrained.
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The man sounds exhausted and disheartened.
"We are...were...the crew of the Pride of Aspenthar. You lot sent us to this hellish place. We were waiting to pick up the team when a storm dashed us against the rocks. Food's been getting tight. Ate everything we could salvage from the wreck and whatever we could find here. And then one of them came out of the hole a couple days ago, speaking some sort of nonsense before Atanda tied him up.
The half-orc had three arrows that detect as magical, two potions, mwk chain shirt, mwk
composite longbow (+2 Str) with 20 arrows, mwk falchion.
Each of the humans had two potions, an alchemist fire, studded leather, heavy
crossbow with 10 bolts, mwk scimitar, throwing axe. The survivor parts with his without complaint.
The prone figure Dunkel saw is a heavily armored human man, blindfolded with his hands and ankles bound with rope. The man is Taldan, scrawny, and redheaded.
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Imrana begins to speak up, but Doubtful gets to her question first, so she instead turns her attention to the various magic items that Jair is going through and attempting to identify.
After checking the arrows and potions, Imrana will scan the bound man with detect magic, looking for any suspicious lingering spells or items on him.
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The arrows all appear to be +1 flaming arrows. The potions on the half-orc are divine favor and shield of faith. The men had cure light wounds and bull's strength.
"He was speaking some crazy language. We couldn't make sense of him. And Atanda decided our contract ended when the ship went down.
This does seem to match the description of Jaohd.
Examining the rest of the top level reveals little had changed since last time. The same creepy effigy and standing stone remain, as does the crack leading down to the Hall of the Flesh Eaters.
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Doubtful gives the effigies a wide berth, remembering them trying to put the whammy on them on their prior visit.
"So contract over, so you knock him up and tie him up?" The dwarf responds, still frowning.
"Don't think the hired help in these parts came highly recommended"
He studies the unconscious man critically.
"Probably never going to wake up." He comments. "If there's anything left to wake."
"All of him went down. This place probably only let part of him back up." He adds, ominously, poking the man lightly with one booted foot.
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Waits ! We need to know more about what happend below. We need to wake up Jaohd.
Jair moves to the uncounscious man and tries to understand what is wrong with him.
Having no idea, she uses her wand on him, hoping it will wake him up.
Looking at her wand she says to Doubtful Seems to work better on him ! May be there is a countercurse down below ?
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The words "Jaohd" is easy to make out at the beginning of the man's response, and "Shelyn" at the end.
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Wyatt raises an eyebrow, but shrugs.
"He says his name is Jaohd. Apparently, the tunnels below are preternaturally tricksome, and he was separated from his allies. He also says that after witnessing so much horror and ugliness, he can't bear to speak any other language... which I admittedly find a bit odd (especially since I thought Paladins were immune to fear and horror)..."
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Dunkel waves his hand at Jaohd.
"Ah've got ah few cousins, refuse t' speak Common too, says it sullies their dwarven tongues..."
Dusting off his knees, and wiping the blood from his axe, Dunkel shrugs.
"Cannae tell us anything about these unspeakable horrors? Any insight from which we might'n prepare ourselves better?"
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"Only advice this guy could give, would be what not to do." Doubtful mutters unhappily.
"And what we shouldn't do is drag him back down there. The Island clearly still has its hooks in him, if he can't even talk right."
He continues to eye the man suspiciously, clearly sure he's some sort of evil doppelganger or simulacrum just waiting to betray them all to the madness down below.
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Imrana cranes her neck towards Jaohd, then takes a few steps around him to the left, taking a few notes, then around to his other side, taking a few more. Finally, she kneels down behind him on the balls of her feet.
"I am currently taking stock of his current status. I think we should take him with us. We can keep an eye on him and observe him for signs of any magical influences and I can track any small discrepancies."
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Once you're all prepared, you descend down into the now-silent Hall of the Flesh Eaters, mercifully clear of leeches and ghouls. Heading to the previously impassable door, you find it hacked open, presumably by the adamantine longsword lying beside it.
The doorway leads to a spiral staircase, descending eighty feet to a large chamber, filled with green mist. A humanoid figure can be seen in the mists.
Acts in surprise round!
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The figure is a wight, an undead creature whose attacks do negative energy damage. Creatures they slay rise as wights shortly thereafter. They have no particularly notable defensive abilities, but they can instantly slain through raise dead or more powerful spells.
The mist surrounding it seems to move independently of its surroundings. You get the suspicion that this is a Hungry Mist, a less powerful version of the ooze known as a Hungry Fog.
The fog does negative energy damage. It is resistant to cold and non-magical weapons, immune to acid, electricity, and sonic damage. Despite not being undead, it has negative energy affinity. Its gaseous nature allows it to fit in small spaces, and leaves it vulnerable to wind effects.
The area within 10 feet of it is filled with haunting images, which can leave victims shaken.
Similar to the typical ooze engulf ability, it can envelop others in its mist. Enveloped creatures take negative energy damage and are staggered, though they can otherwise move normally.
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The mist rolls over those in the room, contorting into the shape of pained faces and grasping hands.
Wyatt, Imrana, and Ragnar each take points of negative energy damage, unless they make a reflex save to dodge the envelopment. They may make an AOO instead, but those who begin their turn in the mist are staggered.
Jair, Doubtful, and Dunkel are up.