Cole waits for the all clear from Raff to come upstairs. He looks across the room at the glowing red crystal, and shudders. Crap, what is that thing?"
"Is anyone hurt?"
Desvartes smiles,
"Nay, the thing didn't lay a glove upon me." The Elf grins cheerfully. "Well done there Raff, fine fist work." Des nods to the monk, even offering a salute with one of his rapiers.
"As for the glowing crystal...um...magic I would hazard..." He adds, trying to be helpful but really not having a clue.
"Yeah, since I have no idea what it does, we should just leave it alone." Cole then looks around the upstairs room, looking for anything else of interest.
Assuming nothing else happens, or we don't find anything else, then he will say, "Let's check the basement level, just to be sure nothing else surprises us."
"Wait a minute, so I can rest up. I was so tired, Mash didn't get a chance to stab them bones."
"Yeah, rest up, seems safe for the moment."
Cole watches Jirah's actions with a look of astonishemnt, mixed with curiosity. Not sure what to make of this, he asks quietly, "Is there something about this tower you know of, Jirah?"
"Do you know who this could be, and if they have other allies working against us?"
"Do you mean the drow?"
"Hold on. We just tussled with some minions of the drow? We're being hunted by them for the item?" Raff looks concerned for the first time.
Cole mirrors his brothers concern. Hmmm. If the drow are involved with this, then things are going to get very interesting. If we're all ready, then the downstairs level awaits. We might find some more clues about these drow down there."
Desvartes blinks at the woman's' actions. Watches her impassively as the events at the orb play out, then continues to watch her as she walks and stands beside the door.
With a thoughtful look upon his features he also moves to join the party as they prepare to head down into the bowels of the tower.
"This is certainly not the adventure I thought I would find myself in." He comments quietly.
Raff takes the lead in going down the stairs...
"Tonight, we drink ambrosia from the skulls of drow."
Des cannot help the look of revulsion that crosses his face at Mashs' descriptive outburst.
Cole looks around the basement for any hidden passageways or secret doors.
Too aid Cole in finding anything noteworthy.
Jumping on the aid another band wagon
Perception
"Priest, I have a wound at my side that needs healing. I just realized. You know, the heat of the battle and all."
Cole walks over to mash and casts a healing spell on him.
"Nothing important in there. Only scrolls and paper." Mash will still attempt to look around to spot any obvious traps.
Perception
Cole sighs at Mash, but decides not to press the issue. He takes the scroll and examines it.
Des cautiously advances upon the scroll.
"If this were another time and place I would be in half a mind to say "Look gang, a clue!'." Des smiles to try and help the joke, but is very distracted trying to work out the facts about the parchment the party has found.
"Priest, that is a good idea! Now that the trash is out of my way." After the scroll has been removed from the crate, Mash will use the blade of his sword in an attempt to open up the box.
Strength
Cole pockets the map, once Des has finished looking at it, realizing its significance. He turns back to Mash, only to be splattered by the cantaloupe innards.
He wipes them off of his clothing, and says wryly, "Still hungry, Mash?, I thought meat was more to your tastes."
He continues to the rest of the group, "I guess now would be a good time to stock up on provisions. We still have a long ways to go to Haven."
He wipes them off of his clothing, and says wryly, "Still hungry, Mash?, I thought meat was more to your tastes."
"Like I said, this room is worthless."
"Jirah, your guess is as good as mine, but we can keep an eye out for one later."
As Des also wipes gunk off his clothes with a sigh, but a smile, he notes Jirahs' question about a river.
"Well, we now have a map...?" indicates the scroll Cole has tucked away.
He too will load up with extra supplies.
After replenishing his supplies, Raff heads back outside to the trail they were on.
"Yeah, let's get moving. We can still make some good time before nightfall. Jirah, if we pass a river we can stop for a moment, so you can get cleaned off."
"I thought you already had a map, from the slightly more trustworthy source of your employer."
Des smiles at these first simple words directed to him.
"No, not that map. This new map. I d believe our first map is more drawn around simple 'This is how you get from here to there.' type of thing. This new map seems a tad more detailed in its depictions of the surrounding locals." He says gently to Jirah.
Mash will leave the room last, looking at Jirah's spinal column most menacingly. He will keep his hand close to the pommel of his blade.
Cole will have the rest of the group proceed down the road, and the marching order will be Mash, Des (and horse), Jirah, Cole, Raff, single file. We will continue on until eventime, then look for a place to camp.
Mash asks his comrades (ie not Jirah), "So does tower have any history with drow? Might help to know what drow have done."
"Not that I'm aware of, Mash. Though I will be the first to tell you, we don't know too much about this area. It seems to me, the drow are probably behind the bandit activities in the forest, at the very least. Maybe the map we found has more answers."