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Miasshirra sticks her head through the hole and looks around, ignoring the potential dangers of the precarious looking rubble pile she is climbing on.Miasshirra scrambles to the top of the pile of rubble. Just as she reaches the top, a chunk of stone slips out from under her foot.
Miasshirra's foot slips from under her, but she manages to grab hold of the sides of the opening and keep herself from falling. She pokes her head through the opening and it takes a momment for her eyes to adjust. She is unable to stifle a series of sneezes, but once calmed, she smells dust, must, and decay.
Poking her head in, she sees that she is near the floor of a stone chamber, the floor a little higher than the floor of the cellar. This chamber is clearly not part of the town home. It is covered with thick layers of fungus, and large mushrooms appear to be growing to along the opposite wall. The fungus is disturbed near the opening, as if something came through and stirred it up.
Poking her head in, she sees that she is near the floor of a stone chamber, the floor a little higher than the floor of the cellar. This chamber is clearly not part of the town home. It is covered with thick layers of fungus, and large mushrooms appear to be growing to along the opposite wall. The fungus is disturbed near the opening, as if something came through and stirred it up.
Miasshirra clambers in, making room for the others. "Pass me a light." Scanning the room, she tries to figure out where the goblins came from - perhaps a hole in the other end of the chamber?
Rynia quietly mutters, "Uggh. I hate mushrooms. Even in a good venison stew. They taste and spell like dirt ... or horse dung." She hangs nearer the back, content to let the others through the hole first (assuming everyone goes through).
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Miasshirra clambers in, making room for the others. "Pass me a light." Scanning the room, she tries to figure out where the goblins came from - perhaps a hole in the other end of the chamber?
These all appear to be natural fungi. The mushrooms are large, but of a harmless variety. The "carpet" fungus, while it may aggravate everyone's allergies, is also benign.
Our heroes enter from the south side of the chamber. It appears there is a second opening on the east wall, also the result of some type of damage. The worst of the rotting smell comes from the northwest corner. There is a large heap, covered in the carpeting fungus. However, it appears that a rotting hand is sticking out from the side of the heap. A glint of metal catches your eye.
Our heroes enter from the south side of the chamber. It appears there is a second opening on the east wall, also the result of some type of damage. The worst of the rotting smell comes from the northwest corner. There is a large heap, covered in the carpeting fungus. However, it appears that a rotting hand is sticking out from the side of the heap. A glint of metal catches your eye.
"Hello, what's this?" Miasshirra wonders out loud as she tip-toes over the fungi to the body. She takes a deep breath of "clean" air before she crouches down and starts poking at the mound with her dagger.
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"Hello, what's this?" Miasshirra wonders out loud as she tip-toes over the fungi to the body. She takes a deep breath of "clean" air before she crouches down and starts poking at the mound with her dagger.
Poking the fungus releases a cloud of spores that cause Miasshirra to cough and her eyes to burn. After blinking away a few tears, she discovers no permanent damage. Now that she is closer, it is easy to see that the fungus covers a partially decayed body. The hand sticking out has little skin left, but it is wearing a large, golden ring on its finger. The ring appears to be a signet ring.
Rynia gasps as she sees the body. "Oh dear ... Miasshirra, can you tell who that might be? Is there anything that would identify that person?"
Rynia gasps as she sees the body. "Oh dear ... Miasshirra, can you tell who that might be? Is there anything that would identify that person?"
"Looks like there's a signet ring..." Miasshirra removes the ring, cleans the worst of the gunk off, and tosses it to Rynia.
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Rynia gasps as she sees the body. "Oh dear ... Miasshirra, can you tell who that might be? Is there anything that would identify that person?""Looks like there's a signet ring..." Miasshirra removes the ring, cleans the worst of the gunk off, and tosses it to Rynia.
Upon examining the ring, Rynia can tell it is from one of the noble houses.
Miashirra looks more closely at the repulsive bundle. Time and decay have not masked the signs of violence. This man's throat was cut.
Zilroy asks Lothian to reveal any enchantments in the area.
Miashirra looks more closely at the repulsive bundle. Time and decay have not masked the signs of violence. This man's throat was cut.
"Looks like this fellow's been dead for a while... and it wasn't an accident, either. I don't think it was the goblins, though, it seems too old for that."
Standing back up, Miasshirra sticks her head through the opening on the other side of the room.
"Whoever he was, he was from one of the noble houses ... I mean, I think he was from one of the noble houses. Not that I know any of 'em well, but I think he could have been from House Dallimothan. But I could be wrong." Most of the others can tell that Rynia seems a little nervous here, almost like she gave out too much information ...
"A noble? Down here?" Tusker frowns. "Suddenly, I'm not sure I like the looks of this. What would a noble be doing in a place like this?"
Gallows' smirk makes his scar shift, making it look like his mouth goes all the way to his eye.
"Clearly, he was picking mushrooms. All the rage among our social betters, right?"
He heads behind Miasshirra to check out the opening in the opposite wall.
Odd, sense of humor that guy has. Not sure how anyone could insult someone who's died, Rynia thinks, frowning a bit.
"Right. No big deal; it's just someone who was murdered, after all. Probably picking mushrooms in someone else's fungus farm, and the other person got even. You know how violent the mushroom trade is, after all," she says, with all obvious sarcasm and irritation.
Gallows chuckles at Rynia's remarks.
"Who knew fungus was such a competitive business? I'll say a prayer for this soul the next time toadstools are on the menu."
Zilroy smiles uneasily. "Uh...perhaps we can let this dead man rest in peace, for the moment and move on."
He utters a brief prayer over the corpse, trying not to betray his squeamishness.
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Miashirra looks more closely at the repulsive bundle. Time and decay have not masked the signs of violence. This man's throat was cut."Looks like this fellow's been dead for a while... and it wasn't an accident, either. I don't think it was the goblins, though, it seems too old for that."
Standing back up, Miasshirra sticks her head through the opening on the other side of the room.
** spoiler omitted **
Through the other opening, there appears to be a short drop into a dry, stone room. The walls, while not exactly smooth are regular and appear to have been worked. This room is dark and his thick layers of dust on the floor. A few seemingly random stone and chunks of rock are scattered about the room. Miasshirra estimates to the room to be roughly square, about 30ft by 30ft. She can also just make out two exits, one in the middle of the wall to her left, and one in the middle of the wall to her right.
Seeing that the stone rooms continue into the darkness, and that the rest of the group seems to be dead set on continuing, Rybia shivers a bit, but not from cold. Great, what did I get myself into? she thinks. She briefly says a few arcane words that sound almost like ice cracking, and a thin sheen of frost seems to form on her skin. Amazingly, it does not melt.
Standing back up, Miasshirra sticks her head through the opening on the other side of the room.Through the other opening, there appears to be a short drop into a dry, stone room. This room is dark and his thick layers of dust on the floor. She can also just make out two exits, one in the middle of the wall to her left, and one in the middle of the wall to her right.
"It looks like it keeps going... I'll check it out." Miasshirra takes a moment to light one of her own torches then hops down into the next room. Once there, she looks more closely for signs of recent goblin passage.
"It looks like it keeps going... I'll check it out." Miasshirra takes a moment to light one of her own torches then hops down into the next room. Once there, she looks more closely for signs of recent goblin passage.
"Right behind you."
Gallows follows Miasshirra into the next room.|
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"It looks like it keeps going... I'll check it out." Miasshirra takes a moment to light one of her own torches then hops down into the next room. Once there, she looks more closely for signs of recent goblin passage."Right behind you."
Gallows follows Miasshirra into the next room.
A closer inspection reveals that several humanoids have indeed used this room for passage. It appears they came through the opening to the right. Some went through the opening you just come through. It appears a few others crossed the room to the opening on the left.
Aside from dust and gravel, this room appears empty. However, you detect an unpleasant odor, not unlike the smell of raw sewage. It's relatively faint at this point.
Tusker climbs through the hole, glancing back at his dog to persuade it to join him. The hound whines a little at the smell, but clambers over the rubble easily enough, its tail drooping as it hurries to stand by the half-orc's side.
"Looks like the goblin problem might keep going," Tusker murmurs, pointing at the tracks that lead through the other exit.
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Tusker climbs through the hole, glancing back at his dog to persuade it to join him. The hound whines a little at the smell, but clambers over the rubble easily enough, its tail drooping as it hurries to stand by the half-orc's side.
"Looks like the goblin problem might keep going," Tusker murmurs, pointing at the tracks that lead through the other exit.
The hound growls. With hackles raised, he looks to the shadowy exit on the left wall.
Following the others, Rynia is slightly startled by the dog's growl. Was he here the whole time? she muses.
"So, follow the goblin tracks?" she asks no one in particular.
Sword at the ready, Gallows walks to the hole on the left wall and peers in with his remaining eye.
Perception: 1d20+2=17
Zilroy casts an eye about and then heads through the hole in the wall.
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Zilroy casts an eye about and then heads through the hole in the wall.
Gallows peaks through the opening, but Zilroy bravely starts through. Just as his shoulders are clearing the opening, he feels a sharp pain on the top of his head. A searing heat works its way down from the crown of his skull. He stumbles back through the opening, nearly tripping over Gallows. There is a huge, black, hairy spider on his head. Several more spiders crawl out of the opening now that the dinner bell has been rung.
Zilroy cries out "Aaaagh! Something bit me, and it was no goblin!!"
There is a huge, black, hairy spider on his head. Several more spiders crawl out of the opening now that the dinner bell has been rung.
"Hey! Be more careful!" Standing a ways back from Zilroy, Miasshirra pulls out her whip and strikes one of the spiders that is headed his way.
Trusting Lothian's grace (and his chainmail) to protect him from the spider's bite, Gallows reaches out to grab the spider from Brother Zilroy's head.
Initiative: 1d20(+3)=9, Grapple: 1d20+4=24
Trusting Lothian's grace (and his chainmail) to protect him from the spider's bite, Gallows reaches out to grab the spider from Brother Zilroy's head.
Initiative: 1d20(+3)=9, Grapple: 1d20+4=24
Rynia lets out a startled, and disgusted, expression as the spiders come into the room. She'll target one of them (not on Zilroy) with a blast of cold.
elemental ray rgd touch (1d20+3=23, 1d6+1=2)
crit confirm (1d20+3=15, 1d6+1=3)
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There is a huge, black, hairy spider on his head. Several more spiders crawl out of the opening now that the dinner bell has been rung."Hey! Be more careful!" Standing a ways back from Zilroy, Miasshirra pulls out her whip and strikes one of the spiders that is headed his way.
Miasshirra cracks her whip at one of the creepy crawlies, but misses. She does manage to scare a couple back into the hole.
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Trusting Lothian's grace (and his chainmail) to protect him from the spider's bite, Gallows reaches out to grab the spider from Brother Zilroy's head.
Initiative: 1d20(+3)=9, Grapple: 1d20+4=24
Gallows bravely rescues Zilroy by swatting the creature off of the Cleric's head. It falls to the ground and crawls back toward's Zilroy's leg.
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