Karth blinks a couple of times and stares at Fascher. "All three, or maybe none at all. It's a matter of being prepared. And as Zeldin said, we did find some... abomination down there." Karth ponders a long moment.
"I will take both. If we have need of it, we will likely want more than one such weapon."
|
Fascher nods his head and gives a shiver at the mention of an abomination as he goes and unlocks the cabinet, bringing out two potions and laying down the label card that was before them. He turns and fishes through the pile of goods you offer, picking out a few things to take in trade. "Anything else, or the rest in just gold?"
Well, I don't need anything at the moment. Are we ready to settle?"
Errigal moves to face off with Katherine and readies his shield, then pulls out a sheathed dagger. Errigal takes a deep breath and blows out, mist forming in the cold air, "Let's see how you hold up against an ogre charging at you," Errigal then grins at his own joke and breaks toward Katherine, shield held high...
Ready to head to the Delve when everyone else is. I imagine the oils should be held onto by Kathrine and Kend-Krid - if memory serves they've got the most damage potential. I suppose there's an argument for Karth, if it can be applied to a bundle of arrows. I'm fine either way. (Also we sure have a lot of K names.)
There's six of us so I say a CLW each would probably be best.
|
|
Finishing up with both the shopping trip and sparring, the party regroups at the Lost Shepherd and sets off for their second excursion into the Dragon's Delve.
The morning is cool as they travel along the roads through the farms, a number of villagers work in their fields, trying to get last minute crops planted, though they don't give more than a single glance at the party as they make their way past. Just enough to tell you aren't bandits of some sort.
Entering the clearing surrounding the delve, nothing much seems to have changed from the night before. The campsite is still barren and empty and there are no obvious new tracks from the entrance, though the warm dry weather would have likely made spotting any difficult anyway.
"Well, is there anywhere specific we should explore? Or are there any suggestions for what we do next or for the rest of the day?" Kend looks around the group gathered outside the entrance to the Delve, hoping someone will speak up. I don't know where to start, but they might have a good idea. "Otherwise I feel we should just keep exploring, securing, and familiarizing ourselves with the areas closest to the entrance and working outward."
"It would be best to get used to the layout, I agree," Karth remarks. He'll follow the rest in, remaining in his ever-vigilant rear guard position.
Zeldin agrees with the others... Those doors off of rm 1 seem as good a place to start as any.
We should be wary though, lest the bestial horde has reinforced this area when they saw what we have done yesterday.
|
|
Moving down into the long hallway, the inside looks as undisturbed as the outside. The rope of bells is still cut, the doors left open are still ajar and no clear sign of any recent passage marks the passage.
Moving down to the first unknown door on the eastern side of the hallway. Inside are eight more filthy straw mattresses that are currently unused but seem to have been fairly recently. The number of beds certainly seems to imply that there are a good number more of these creatures than you have seen, even if they don't return here every night.
Karth will take a look around the room and rummage about to see if there are any clues about or treasures left by the occupants.
Perception
Kathrine follows the rest of the group as we descend into the Dragon's Delve once again. Her hands gripped tightly around her Fauchard as she looks around the rooms we open one by one.
"Perhaps it would best if we took the stairs and see where they lead?" Her voice quiet enough to not echo through the corridor as she looks over the room with Karth.
"It seems we are not finished with our beastly friends..."
|
|
Giving a quick search through the room doesn't produce a whole lot, it almost gives the impression of a rotating barracks, where someone may not be expecting to come back to the same bed every return trip.
A few simple things are uncovered among the various bedding however. A serviceable longbow is found along with a dozen crudely made arrows and scattered around the room in various places where they have fallen are 9 copper coins.
Zeldins casual chatter evaporates as they approach the hole in the ground just as it did the day before.
When they see the beds, Zeldin takes some care in ruining them so they are not easily usable again.
Errigal makes a search of the room, looking for anything out of place, such as secret doors or loose floor or wall stones.
Seeing Errigal thus engaged prompts Zeldin to do the same.
Kend stands guard out in the hallway, not sure that more of the Host arn't waiting for the explorers to return.
I would prefer to see what is n the last door in room 1 before we use the stairs... But okay with a group decision to the contrary.
Kend will go along with the proposition to explore beyond the final unexplored door.
|
|
Pulling open the door reveals what looks like a long shrine of some sort.
The walls of this oddly-shaped temple are partially covered in tattered red and black curtains. You can see an archway leading south despite it being half-covered by one of these curtains. The vaulted ceiling above is painted black. Spattered bloodstains cover the floor, particularly around the plain stone altar resting in front of the deep eastern recess. The place stinks of murder and pain, as well as the musk of some angry beast.
Currently the room looks to be empty.
Errigal cautiously enters the room and approaches the altar to begin a search.
|
|
Perception Check DC 13
As you move into this room any feelings of anger or bitterness you have seem to rise up to the surface and threaten to boil over, consuming you in a fury. At the same time however, you know you could control it if you chose to focus it.
Knowledge(Religion) DC 16
Approaching the altar, Errigal doesn't find any sort of traps or secret areas. However, the stone top is coated in a number of layers of dried blood, enough that it has often spilled down and coated the floor around it. Its clear that some sort of sacrifices are performed here with regularity.
Knowledge roll for Buckwell
The gnome glances around as he enters the room, frowning at the dark energy that pervades the place. "Be careful. Whatever force is in here isn't something I want to pay homage too."
Zeldin moves in slowly after Errigal. His instincts here are not to linger. This is confirmed when he feels his heart well with bile and animus.
He struggles to concentrate and see if there is anything here needs further attention.
Buckwell, can you bless this place? Can any of you? he asks.
Kend looks around for obvious signs that any of the Beastial Host that was encountered the day before frequented this room. I doubt the Beastial Host would get along with anyone else using a room so close to them. Although being who they were, they probably wouldn't interfere with anyone they were afraid of. I feel my self control being tested, anger rising up even though there is no enemy before me. Kend shifts his weight from foot to foot anxiously, clearly uncomfortable with the presence of the room. Then blurts out, "Well, maybe this is the reason the Host was here. Could this be a place dedicated to Lamashtu?"
Perception +8
The sudden rush of anger almost takes Karth aback, the feeling so familiar and so foreign at the same time. With some effort, he does his best to keep things in the back of his mind, submerging the negativity and focusing on the here and now.
He steps into the room and to one of the nearest curtains, pushing it lightly aside and putting a hand on the wall. "Fey," he growls, tracing some of the drawings with one finger. "It looks as though this place was re-purposed. Could this be where that... Monster from yesterday came from?" he wonders aloud.
He then takes a quick stroll around the room, stopping when he comes to the altar and Errigal.
Kathrine nearly jerks back in surprise when the unnatural anger settles over her mind. Her eyes narrow and focus inward and her hands tremble around her Fauchard.
Why didn't my father tell me about anything like this? I... I should give him a piece of my mind when I see him again!
Hearing that the gnome cannot cleanse the place her voice snaps out in anger, "Does your Goddess not command a greater power Bucky?! Does she not trust you enough to grant you enough power to cleanse this room?"
Realizing what she has just said, she gives her head a shake and her eyes soften again. Looking down at Bucky sincerely, "I am sorry Bucky, you... you said there is a force here? Perhaps it would be best if we moved from here quickly, my mind is not my own in here."
As if heeding Kathrine's words Zeldin moves back the way they came and watches for danger.
|
|
When Kathrine mocks him, Buckwell's hands clench for a moment and a spark of flame unconsciously runs along them before being snuffed out and he shakes away his own impulses.
He glances at Kend "Saranrae could fight back this darkness, yes, but her blessings are earned. I only have the power she gives me. This could be a shrine to Lamastu though I don't see any of her markings. Her sacrifices are normally gruesome."
Karth makes another circuit of the room, paying extra attention to the altar. There are a couple small oddities about it, considering its purpose in sacrifice. There don't appear to be any spots for restraints on it or even a reasonable way to wrap a rope around the solid stone block.
Also, the blood has made quite a mess over the stone to the point its covered with it as no channels have been carved to divert it as you would expect in a place where living sacrifices were regular.
Brief flashes of anger at the sort that would do this beat against Karth's sense of calm, but the only outward sign are his muscles tensing and his fist clenching. His tone remains almost eerily calm. "I'm not sure that the sacrifices are unwilling," he remarks. "There are no restraints. Who... whatever is sacrificed here give themselves freely."
He turns back to the group, catching sight of some of the old murals. "We should leave this place before someone loses their cool," he says, his voice cracking at the end as old attacks and resentment start to batter down his mental barriers.
This is a place that should not be visited again. I wish there was some way to destroy it or despoil it so the spirit that is there is compelled to flee. Zeldin says warily.
Lets take Kathrine's suggestion and go to the stairs.
Errigal had remained silent in the strange altar room, lost in his angry thoughts of his father and his past.
Yes, let's head to the stairs. Anyplace but where we just were.
Karth grunts an affirmative as Errigal suggests the stairs again.
|
|
Moving up the stairs, the room opens into what looks like a musty cellar that may have been connected to the keep above at one point. Rubble, old barrels and casks, rotted wooden crates, and other debris clog this area. Cobwebs fill the corners. The air is dank.
A short set of stairs runs up to a slightly higher level from here. From where you are it looks like there are wine racks filling the area.
Zeldin enters the space as noiselessly as he can all the while keeping his eyes open for danger.
Kathrine steps into the room with Zeldin, her Fauchard raised forward and her eyes scan over the room. Noting the general sense of decay evidenced by the old barrels and dank air, she moves over to one of the casks and very gently tries to push it, just to see if it is filled with anything.
If Kathrine fines nothing out of the ordinary she will say, "Perhaps this could be used as a camp for the night, it is relatively easily defended and I would honestly prefer to stay here more than a single day."
|
|
Looking around, more cautious of staying quiet than searching deeply does reveal a little in the area just up the stairs. Among the various bits of broken glass around the rotting wine racks are two bottles that appear to be intact. Looking closer at them draws Zeldin's attention to a small scrap of paper that has been tucked down at the bottom of the rack, likely what was a good hiding place before the wood split.
Perception
Karth takes a stroll around the room, grimacing at the unpleasant air.
"It does look as though little traffic comes through here," he remarks in response to Kathrine's suggestion. He ends his circuit at the other stairwell, taking a few steps up and peering into the darkness there as well.
Upon finding the note Zeldin excitedly moves close to a light source and reads it to the group. What do you think it means? he asks the group.
Before we decide to stay here or not, lets see whats up there. Zeldin says, gesturing to the steps that Karth has stepped on.
It looks like another door over there. Zeldin remarks, peering into the higher chamber.
He gathers the bottles of wine and places them in his back pack before moving toward the door.