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Levistus' calm words seem to get through, and the man begins a new set of motions, pointing frantically behind him -> thataway.
Marianna pipes up again, "Looks like he wants us to shut off some device, back there. He is trying to tell us it makes his eyes hurt."
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Mariana turns to Olo exasperated, "I don't speak his jibber-jabber, but his motions are obvious." Despite her words, she tries to get the point across to the man. He just cocks a quizzical eyebrow at her antics and continues pointing behind him towards the source of his distress.
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"Looks safe to me..." With that she pushes the door open.
Burning, blinding light explodes from a large circular alcove in the northeast corner of the room. Within, an elaborate arrangement of mirrors, prisms, and similarly refractive materials stands carefully positioned by calipers, strings, and wires marking its precise settings. In the opposite corner dangles a three-dimensional mobile of various sized metal spheres. A complex frame surrounds the spheres. The length of the frame is etched with numbers. A broad work desk divides the two alcoves.
As the piercingly bright light stabs forward Marianna stumbles backwards, cursing, groping about for any support. After a moment of disorientation she wryly says, "This bloke wasn't messing around. It is bright." After shaking her head and rubbing her eyes, she seems to regain her sight. A bit more cautious this time she steps into the room, eyes shielded, and disables the contraption.
As the light dies down, the man gives out a cry of delight and immediately attacks! MAP
Enemy Initiative
Marianna Initiative
Thovar Initiative
Shalla Initiative
Tambric Initiative
Levistus Initiative
Olo Initiative
- Shalla
- Levistus
- Tambric
- Enemy
- Marianna
- Olo
- Thovar
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The man stares dumbfounded at Levistus, seemingly stunned as his spell takes effect. Immobile, he merely watches as Olo strides forward with that terrible gleam in his eye, and cuts a large chunk out of his side...
Marianna, hearing the clash of battle comes to investigate, while Thovar's attempt to finish Olo's good work fails.
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Shalla's fury falls upon the man, but her talons and beak seem to only catch on the rags that the man wears. Levistus touches the man lightly, and he begins to burst into laughter, even though his eyes are dark and hateful, full of the pain that Olomorn has inflicted. His gaze is diverted however, when a vial of acid strikes him, burning his skin. Eyes angry, but unable to do more, he steps back a foot towards Tambric, his intent clear through the timbre of his laugh. Which is cut short, as Olomorn's axe cleaves clean through the man's spine. He falls limply to the floor, a pool of blood spreading where he lay.
Marianna rolls her eyes as she spots the dead man. Shaking her head, she returns to the secret room... you can hear her rummaging about. "Hey! Found some of Miregold's journals... some of these seem to contain some pretty damning evidence about some robberies, or 'appropriations' as he calls them, and a little Pathfinder money he's funneled. Looks like he's been funding some sort of research..." After a moment more of rustling, she comes returns holding out a sheet of paper, and comments, "Found some dog eared pages concerning dealings with dark folk... and look at this!"
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Reading the letter, "Hmmm, interesting. According to this he's involved in many interesting ventures. That must be the prototype you just switched off Marianna. This little man must be one of these...dark folk and couldn't stand the light coming from it. Did you search him or this chamber Marianna? Your eyes are so much keener than mine. Be careful, seems they use all sorts of unsavory toxins."
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Marianna nods, and rifles through the library for a bit.
Disappearing into a closet for a moment, she comes back out looking rather pleased with herself, but makes no comments to the others. Rifling through the dead man's possessions she comes back with a dagger and what seems like three doses of some dark poison.
Levistus finds no sign of Wiltshire family or locket, other than a log stating that the Wiltshire of interest to Levistus was indeed present at the inn a few days ago, and has not yet signed out.
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Marianna replies, "Maybe it has something to do with that aureolyte stuff Kalistoff was talking about... and it glowed quite brightly at that... just why it offended our little 'friend' here, who must be one of the dark fold these papers are talking about. I don't fancy carrying it about as it is right now though... getting blinded once was enough for me!"
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Marianna sidles up to the door and checks it over. Finding no traps she pushes the door open.
A narrow passage leads south from this musty storeroom. Beyond, an arching, iron tripod rises from the center of the room, spanning a narrow hole in the packed dirt floor. A wooden-handled winch holds a thick chain that leads down into the darkness below.
Marianna peers downwards, before taking a sunrod and dropping it into the darkness. It falls and after a moment, you hear a faint splash. She turns back, "It looks like the mechanism on this winch has been jammed and I'll have to climb the 20 feet downwards... unless one of you gentlemen would prefer to do it?"
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Marianna shrugs, and begins to edge down the chain into the darkness below.
She successfully makes it down. From below you hear a clanking and cursing. After a moment, she calls up, "Alright, got it working!" as a platform ascends to the top.
ACT 2: DEEP INTO DARKNESS
A makeshift platform stands between a series of limestone stalagmites protruding from a seemingly endless subterranean lake. Only a small pool of light illuminates the platform, falling from the hole in the cavern’s ceiling above and holding back the thick darkness stretching in all directions. Three ornate ivory gondolas float nearby, tethered to one of the planks forming the haphazard platform. A rope tied to the tallest stalagmite stretches taught into the darkness to the south.
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In the deep stillness the sound of the water under the gondolas is loud as you pull yourselves along the guidelines further into the dark. After some time, you lose sight of the platform in the gloom, and the soft splashes that the keels of the gondolas are making is soon lost in a sound like cloth rubbing against cloth. The enormity of the sound comes closer, until on the edge of the light, you spot flutters of black wings: bats!
Marianna Initiative
Thovar Initiative
Shalla Initiative
Tambric Initiative
Levistus Initiative
Olo Initiative
- Tambric
- Bats
- Thovar
- Marianna
- Shalla
- Olo
- Levistus
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As the swarm hoves into view, it erratically changes direction, back and forth. The swarm envelopes the lead gondola, and Marianna and Thovar disappear from view.
Thovar tugs on the line, attempting to bring the gondolas closer. Succeeding, he and Marianna cross over, bleeding from a profusion of bite wounds. Marianna digs into her pack and comes up with some probable weapons: A hooded lantern, and a flask of oil.
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As the swarm of bats swirls around to chase its prey, Tambric tosses his flask. Though the flask hits the body of the bats, it doesn't burst until it is past most of the bats, limiting its damage.
The swarm envelops Marianna, Thovar, Olo and Levistus.
Thovar and Marianna rush to the gondola that they had just evacuated. Thovar grabs the flask of oil from Marianna's hand, and both toss at the swarm.
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No land in sight, Olo lets out his cry of frustration as he leaps onto the gondola after Levistus. Three bottles arc out into the air behind him.
The size of the swarm is such that all three projectiles hit, though all are off target splashing the occupants of both gondolas. The flame seems to engulf a large portion of the bats, and they swerve off into all directions as the swarm dissipates.
As the swarm dissipates, Thovar grumbles and growls, looking at his bleeding wounds. Striding to the center gondola, and stamping out the residual flames he calls upon his diety to heal.