“You want me to what? Give you my only defense, is it? And you think I’m the crazy drunk? Have you gone daft? Seems the dank air has gone to your head. Ha!” Medicus flat refuses to hand over the crossbow, and in fact brandishes it with some small amount of menace. Apparently he had acquired for his own use following the skeleton incident less than an hour before. Wung looks much as you left him.
“Now then, as I figure it, we’re all dead , right, if I lock you in, so not much point in me guardin’ the door from up top here. But, I can try to hold the hallway for you lot. If they come up behind ya, well, you’ll hear this I reckon,” he shakes the crossbow. “Wung can stay up here. He’ll be fine, init. Or as fine as he is now anyway.”
You then find yourselves, a few moments later, gathered in the first branched hallway. Tooly is in the lead, with the captain, followed closely by the rest of the crew. Clovis notes another sconce. Taz, without being asked, takes a deep breath and moves forward to light it. You see another sconce, but this one appears a tad different - there is no glass in the open jaws.
The noises are louder here, predominated by a clang of metal on metal. It sounds as if it is just around the next bend.
Clovis edges up to the corner, preparing to peer around it, flame gun in his left hand, held at chin level so he can lean out and expose only his head and gun. He is wary of the glassless sconce, suspecting it's some sort of trap, and is ready to jump back along the wall to get out of it's line of sight at the slightest change.
ReplyDeleteAs Tooly leans his head out so that he can peer around the corner, he spies a woven steel door. The layered metal appears to be dented from the other side and is beginning to bend under a slow repetition of blows, but is still containing whatever malevolence stands behind it.
ReplyDeleteHe takes a quick peek at the ‘sconce’ but is unable to see much about it that he hadn’t noted before; the sconce does not appear to note his glance, either.
Xisco will move forward to get a view of the sconce (Notice 5+2; Lore 2, Bennie 6; Detect 17 (Backlash); Arcana 2, Bennie 14).
ReplyDelete-------
Speaking of Bennies, could I get your count? Likewise for PP? Here or email's fine.
Blendin moves to the nearest turn and kneels, musket at the ready, watching for Tooly and Xisco to begin running toward him.
ReplyDelete"Let's set up at this intersection (by the lighted sconce and just beside it). When the doors come down and whatever is turns the corner we let loose. We try to fire firearms first and then the flame gun to finish up."
ReplyDelete----------------------------
Basically everybody hold actions for enemies to appear. Try to have Taz, Blendin, and I shoot first (and Xisco, I don't know what kind of weapons you have). Then Tooly with the flame gun. Then Taz, Fang and I quickly move to melee if necessary. That's my plan suggestion at least.
"Good plan, skipper," the dwarf agrees. "Hey, Blendin. Set one of your bombs in the corner, there. It'll go off when I shoot, give a little extra punch. There's something big 'n' nasty in there."
ReplyDeleteHe eyes Xisco oddly as he walks past to the maybe-sconce. "Uh, you don' wanna be there if that door comes down..." He considers trying to cover Xisco from his current position, but he'd likely fry the human if he fired anyway. Instead, he pulls back toward the first intersection as Gardner suggested. "Study later! Come on!"
------------------
OOC: Am I right that if Blendin puts a bomb in the corner in front of Gardner, it will (probably) go off if Tooly fires the flame gun? And not hit us at the intersection?
I went ahead and rolled “the plan” as described by you guys. The sick result of this damnable plan can be seen below. Everyone gets a benny, you bastards.
ReplyDeleteThe seconds seem like hours, but finally you hear the door give way, under a series of paired, particularly heavy blows. It clatters and rings before the silence returns. Then noise erupts again, this time in a clatter of clawed bony feet. A skeletal drakin warrior armored in the same chainmail and shortsword you saw earlier rounds the corner at a run, weapon raised. Taz has the first shot, and takes it. (SR: 5, DAM = 19?! WTF are you guys feeding your npcs?) The quarrel from his hand crossbow shatters the pelvis of its target, and it crashes into pieces. Right on its heels is another skeletal warrior: Blendin’s. His shot cracks like thunder (SR: 11, DAM = 19. I can see where this is going, and we haven’t even dropped a bomb on them yet. I need less ‘mindless’ enemies I guess.) and splinters its ribcage beneath the armor. It skids to a stop by his feet as the next skeleton, armored and armed as his dearly departed friends, makes an appearance and is dropped by a clean shot from the captain’s pistol (SR:6, DAM = 19. Seriously?)
The clatter of approaching skeletal feet is made real an instant later, when the hoard begins to round the corner. Most are unarmored, but a few carry weapons and armor. Tooly waits until the last moment, as the hall fills with at least 10 opponents before squeezing down on the trigger of his flame gun, aiming where he things he might still hit Blendin’s explosive. (SR: 7, DAM = 12) The jet of flame billows down the hallway, catching many of them in its path. (AG Rolls, in no particular order: 1, 2, 11, 5, 2, 3, 5, 6, 2, 6 – resulting in 3 shaken armored skellies, and 1 unaffected unarmored skelly, the rest are dust). The flames caress the outside of the small explosive flask placed carefully by the lizardling, (anything but a 1 roll: 4) which detonates in a shower of destruction (DAM = 11. On 2d6. You have got to be shitting me). The remaining 4 you could see are now scattered to pieces, and nothing else immediately appears around the corner.
The smoke obscures you vision, and its acrid smell in these close quarters is somewhat distracting, but you fear there may be danger lurking around the corner still.
Combat, ROUND 2. It hasn’t gotten any better for the ‘home’ team.
Xisco, JOKER
Gardner, A of Spades.
Blendin, A of Diamonds.
Unidentified threat, Q of Hearts.
Tooly, Taz, and Medicus, 6 of Clubs.
Current Benny, powerpoint count:
Blendin: 6
Gardner: 5
Clovis: 2, 5pp
Xisco: 2, 2pp
Reshuffling deck.
oh, forgot to mention, that sconce at the corner where to bomb went off is now not functional. light from taz's lantern gets you most of the way to the corner though.
ReplyDeleteTooly cheers as the flash/heat/bang clears the hall. "Whoo! Another bomb, little guy?"
ReplyDelete------------
OOC: Wow. That went well. Guess I'll wait my turn for once.
"Should I roll one into the room?" Blendin asks as he steps forward, after reloading his musket.
ReplyDeleteLR, we are round by round right now - where are you stepping forward to as you reload?
ReplyDeleteGardner starts reloading his pistol and stays put. "Lady's guiding our shots today."
ReplyDeleteBlendin stayed put as he spoke then.=)
ReplyDeleteCombat, ROUND 2. current situation - if xisco wants to hold for an interrupt, I can go ahead and take my action, just let me know.
ReplyDeleteXisco, JOKER
Gardner, ACTION TAKEN
Blendin, ACTION TAKEN
Unidentified threat, Q of Hearts.
Tooly, Taz, and Medicus, 6 of Clubs.
Xisco is holding
ReplyDeleteHeavy footsteps echo down the corridor as you frantically reload your weapons. Two massive skeletons round the corner together, appearing amidst the smoke. Neither are clothed, and while they bear some similarities to the smaller skeletons you've seen so far, these two fill the relatively narrow hallway. Both have long whipping tails, and heavy bone-like scales covering much of their structure, and long shredding claws. One has spindly full wings folded tightly against its back, while the one in the lead appears to be rearing back its head. You smell sulfur and feel an increasing heat ahead of you as its jaws open to jet blue flame.
Xisco, go for that interrupt now if you'd like - Spindly is in back, Sulfy in front.
Xisco speaks a couple short Drakin-sounding words (Spellcasting 5), then charges forward, hitting Sulfy in the face with his buckler (Fighting 7, Bennie 8, Wild Attack), and continuing through to end his charge in the twilight between the two skeletons.
ReplyDelete------
Joker bonus and MAP should cancel out.
The edge of his buckler hits Sulfy squarely in the teeth, crunching satisfying as he charges past (15 damage, SHAKEN, 1 Wound). It stumbles under the blow, head shaking. The other skeletal hulk takes a swipe with his long claws, and just barely connects with Xisco's chest as he tries to divert out of the way. Due to his quick feet or some incredible luck (this one, folks. After a fabulous attack roll, I rolled 5 damage on a d6, a d8 and a d10), the rending gets no further than his armor.
ReplyDeleteXisco, ACTION TAKEN
Gardner, ACTION TAKEN
Blendin, ACTION TAKEN
Sulfy (shaken, 1 wound) and Spindly, ACTION TAKEN
Tooly, Taz, and Medicus, 6 of Clubs.
The insanity continues...
ReplyDeleteTooly unslings his musket, letting his flam gun dangle on its cord, and shouts to Medicus, "Get over here with that boomstick, NOW!" The spindly man, tense with all the shooting, strides over, crossbow ready, and aims over teh dwarf's shoulder. His jaw drops as his sights settle on the front skeleton, still reeling from Xisco's blow, and he fires. Tooly, figured the human will shoot for the closer target, squeezes off a hasty but lucky shot at the farther enemy swiping as Xisco.
Taz draws his melee weapons.
-------------------
OOC: Phone's acting wonky, so I can't look up Taz's melee weapons or Medicus' shooting skill. Medicus is firing an explosive bolt at Sulfy.
Tooly, on the other hand...
Tooly rolled snake-eyes on his shooting, so I spent a benny to avoid shooting Xisco. Aced. 12-2=10. Damage: 4+8+8+2=ouch (also, 22) BEFORE adding an extra d6 (result: 5) for a raise, if relevant. It's not Spindly's day.
Luckily, the medic's target is large enough that his ill-aimed shot still makes contact, however glancing. The explosive goes off after ricocheting of his plastron, in another deafening boom. Xisco, in range of the blast, seems unscathed, but so do the armored brutes that were the targets of the shot.
ReplyDeleteSpindly's jaw is ripped clear by the dwarf's shot, giving him a comical overbite. The unnatural beast wavers, and falls with a crash, never to rise again.
combat, round 3.
Xisco, Q of spades
Gardner, 6 of diamonds
Sulfy (shaken, 1 wound), 6 of clubs
Blendin, 5 of clubs
Tooly, Taz, and Medicus, 4 of spades
"Over here, dust for brains!" Xisco challenges Sulfy as he swipes his blade at the former Chosen (Fighting 10). He steps back to give himself cover from his allies shots.
ReplyDeleteBone clacks against bone harmlessly, and Xisco retreats back carefully into the darkened corridor to avoid shots from his friends. It's to dark to be sure, but he sees no immediate threats near him, aside from the monsterous skeleton between him and his allies.
ReplyDeleteGardner finishes reloading his pistol, aims it at the skeleton and shouts "Hey you, this dwarf with his flame gun is closer to a dragon than you ever got. He's probably got a bigger dick, too." (Taunt 4+2-4=2). Fang launches himself at the skeleton's ankle (fighting 7, damage 14).
ReplyDeletegood lord, you almost killed it with your dog. 2 wounds now. Dick jokes have been in short supply in this game - along with the implied character to character insult, its benny material in my book.
ReplyDeleteThe dragon looks down at the 'puny' beast tearing at his legs, and almost appears to laugh. He no longer seems disoriented, nor does he seem disturbed by the captain's insults, however good they may in fact be. In his new-found clarity, the skeletal chosen unleashes a torrent of blue flame down the hallway towards his opponents (SR = 4, adjusted AG defense rolls for Medicus -1, Taz 3, Tooly 4, Gardner 5, Blendin 2. Blendin, if you wish to use a benny to reroll, you'll need to beat a 4 with AG roll at -2.). The captain and dwarf dodge to safety, and the hound is below the flames, but the rest of the crew take the brunt of the attack (DAM = 12. Catch fire checks all succeed, as in, you don't catch fire. Medicus, incapped. Taz, incapped. Blendin, shaken, 1 wound.). The crossbow clatters to the ground as the wiry man in the loincloth collapses. Taz's uniform jacket is blackened with soot from his hair and mustachios as he topples forward onto the cold stone below.
combat, round 3 continues.
Xisco, ACTION TAKEN
Gardner and Fang, ACTION TAKEN
Sulfy (2 wounds), ACTION TAKEN
Blendin, SHAKEN, 1 WOUND **PENDING SOAK or AG ROLL - OR BOTH I GUESS** 5 of clubs
Tooly 4 of spades
**INCAPPED**
Taz
Medicus
I called it a dragon - its not. its a skeletal chosen as you've all surmised.
ReplyDeleteThe dwarf pops back around the corner as the flame subsides, cocking his musket, and snarls, "Someone needs a breath mint. Try this!" as he fires at the gaping, bony mouth.
ReplyDelete----------------
OOC: Shooting 7-2=5, damage 12. Not a called shot or anything--just flavor.
Sulfy is shaken by that shot.
ReplyDeleteBlendin is apparently meant to take the hit and be shaken. 2 Bennies spent, failure on both.
ReplyDelete------------------------------------------------
If he can, Blendin will take a shot. (shooting: 8-2=6
apparently blendin saved it all for his vigor roll, which was a 15. on the d4, mind you. You are not just unshaken, but caffeinated. Oh, and I'd like to point out that I did roll to see if that little bomb you're carrying blew up - it didn't.
ReplyDeleteThe jittery wildling reloads with practiced grace and cocks the hammer back, trying to ignore the singes on his flesh. He shoulders the weapon and fires a quick shot (DAM = 10 with the raise. and there's the blendin dice we know and love!). Although the ball cracks firmly against its armored frame, it appears to do no permanent damage.
ooc: combat, round 4. Xisco, your magical effect will end at the start of your next action (as in not this round, but the one following).
Blendin, 1 WOUND, JOKER
Xisco, K of Clubs
Sulfy (SHAKEN, 2 wounds), J of diamonds
Tooly, 9 of Clubs
Gardner and Fang, 3 of Hearts
**INCAPPED**
Taz
Medicus
reshuffling deck. I need to come up with a polar luck edge that blendin can take, I guess.
Blendin reloads and takes a careful aim at the undead beast's head.
ReplyDelete----------------------------------------------
Shooting (w/ Bennie): 8-4+2(joker, right?)=6
OOC: LR, Blendin has a -2 MAP for reloading and a -1 wound penalty. I wouldn't try a called shot.
ReplyDeleteBerky: Just wondering, with Blendin's shot last turn: I assume you took the 2 AP on muskets into account, so is Sulfy super-tough or did he just soak a wound?
Also, I'm not enjoying always going after the baddies, here. Just sayin'.
Xisco stabs at the Chosen (Fighting 3).
ReplyDeleteShooting: 8-5+2=5, then. Still a good aimed shot with the additional extra action.
ReplyDeleteIf it gets to Gardner he is going to fire his pistol (Shooting 4+2=6, damage 3) and Fang is going to clamp down on whatever bone looks tastiest (fighting 1).
ReplyDeleteFrom BR via quick phone call (he's out and about and can't update):
ReplyDeleteBlendin's shot cracks through the skull of the fire-breathing undead Chosen. The light in its dead eyes and the aura of evil are snuffed like a candle, and it collapses to the ground in pieces.
--Combat ended--
Post after-battle actions in any order.
In the silence following the re-death of the last Chosen, Tooly re-slings his musket and dashes past the piles of bones, flame gun poised to blast anything moving in the hall or the room beyond, his dwarven vision peering through the darkness. Finding nothing, he returns to check on the casualties.
ReplyDeleteWith two men down, the dwarf mutters something about humans learning to duck their big heads and sits down, switching off his flame gun and pulling out his eyepiece. After ripping out a part of the fiery Chosen's skull near the back of the throat, and affixing it to the eyepiece with some Dwarvish chanting, he brings the strange device over and picks up the lantern. Holding the flame so its light shines through the eyepiece, he runs the beam of blue light that emerges over the burned flesh of Medicus, whereupon the singed skin turns pink, looking healthy, though hairless and smooth.
-----------
OOC: Converting the eyepiece as we discussed. Using sympathetic magic--twice, I guess--to make a burn-healing device. Weird Science roll: 4 to make it, time roll on d20: 1, so I guess it'll be done within the "golden hour." WS roll to use it: 12.
Unless Medicus is feeling well enough, I suggest Gardner try healing Taz, since you have, what, SEVEN bennies at this point, Mr. I-have-a-smart-mouth-and-haven't-been-swarmed-by-hordes-of-skeletons? Unless Xisco has some skill in the field, of course.
Gardner will try to heal Taz (first roll 2-2=0, benny to reroll 8-2=6). Is that sufficient to keep him alive?
ReplyDeleteXisco faints at the sight of burnt flesh.
ReplyDeleteTooly looks over a Xisco as he's healing Medicus. "You know any healing spells? Or maybe just regular healing techniques? Take a looks at Taz, there." When the man collapses, the dwarf guffaws and finishes working on Medicus. "Well, that answers that..."
ReplyDeleteback in the driver seat - thanks to tooly for wrapping up that segment in a fashionable way - benny for you!
ReplyDeleteAlright, resolving remaining actions. We've got medicus healed up by burnin his burns - yeah what, its magic. By my count (since its the one that matters), he's back in action, and can move on to tending the other wounded. Taz is stabilized and awake thanks to Gardner's benny, but he's not feeling 100% right now. Medicus will offer to take over, and will see about salves for the burns. Blendin crushed his 'what this? this is just a prop' roll with a 14 on his vigor roll, after mods, so apparently his scorch was just psychosomatic.
Xisco comes to, and takes stock of his surroundings. He is alone in the tunnel, but hears voices nearby. He steps out into the first hallway and sees his comrades are helping a groaning and rather more bald taz up the stairs, while a rather more animated than expected Medicus' voice coaches from above. When his comrades return, they glance through the charred bone and dust to find a couple more suits of rusted chainmail and 2 more of the shortswords.
Shockingly, the lantern is still functional, and with its help, they light the corner near the odd sconce so that the party can take a look at it. The crew is stumped, except for Xisco, who finally realizes its purpose based on the . He steps forward and brazenly puts his hand into the open jaws up to his elbow. After some twisting of his arm, a series of clanks can be heard within the walls, and then a pair of thin chains clatter and hang down from the doorjam, swinging freely. It appears the locking mechanism is no longer functioning properly with the mesh metal door ripped free from its slot in the wall, but these delicate chains may serve as consolation.
"Hey, nice one, Skinny. Those chains are one of the best things we've found." The dwarf claps Xisco on the back, then slips past the chains to explore the room beyond, hands never far from his weapons.
ReplyDeleteXisco will assist in the exploring, but suggests resting up for an hour or two after this room.
ReplyDeleteOnce lit by a chandelier in the center, you note the room contains 2 large sarcophagi, as well as small piles of dust and wood shards that appear to have been bunks in a previous age. The sarcophagi have been burst open from the inside, and the lid of one of them appears to have crushed a statue in a small low fountain near the center of the room. Xisco's examination of this indicates that the tiles lining the fountain has now cracked open, and the underlying foundation leads into a dark tube, descending down, probably large enough to pass a man once the debris is cleared. Xisco informs the others that in ruins of this age, it is possible this tunnel led to a natural spring, or other body of water, but now it appears dry.
ReplyDeleteThe walls of the room are interlocked stone, and oddly patterned in complex tessellations. You saw similar patterns on the walls in the room with the jars.
"Well, lets get this loot to the ship." Blendin says.
ReplyDelete"Do you think there might be anything down the shaft worth looking at or taking?" Gardner asks Xisco? Gardner also wanders around the room, looking into the sarcophagi and at the walls.
ReplyDeleteAs the rest of the crew hauls goods back to the room above the door, Gardner looks over the sarcophagi and walls. He finds two gold medallions the size of his palm, matching, on heavy chains. Each of them bears the visage of a dragon on the obverse, and the number '8' on the back. They are added to the loot, and taken upstairs.
ReplyDeleteAs he walks along the walls, he notes a stone out of place along one side (notice 11). Upon touching it, it slides into the wall, and after a series of rumbles, the stones fold away, revealing a narrow dark passage.
I'm assuming the armor, weapons, door, chains, and necklaces made the trip upstairs in this amount of time. Xisco, you know that drakin of this period held a great deal of superstition for their water sources (lore 9), usually thinking of them as inhabited by demiurges or minor demons. Since you have no practical experience with natural springs, you don't know whether to believe these tales or not. In addition, you expect that the fountain here might be common with any other water sources in the building - it may be possible to travel through it to other rooms, or that something could travel through it to you...
If you have power points, one more has recharged by the end of this period.
Tooly eyes the hole after the loot has been hauled up. "Why put a well in a tomb. Makes no damn sense to me. I say it's a secret passage!" When Gardner opens the hole in the wall, the dwarf clears his throat. "See, I knew there'd be a secret passage in here. What'd I tell ya?" He peers down the opened hallway without entering it just yet.
ReplyDelete------------
Notice: 3. Woo.
its a tunnel. it may end or curve a ways down, you can't really tell, because you're nasty ol' depth perception ain't what it used to be.
ReplyDelete"Might be. Could be a way to move around, but first I think we should see how far we can move around up here, first," Xisco remarks quietly.
ReplyDelete"Let's check out this passage." Gardner loads his pistol and carries the lantern in his other hand as he heads into the secret passage, Fang at his heels.
ReplyDeleteClovis shrugs in his bronze armor and follows, switching on his flame gun.
ReplyDeleteThe dust here is undisturbed, and the hallway is narrow but silent. Thin strands hang from the ceiling in places where the stone has given way; roots of some plant from above perhaps.
ReplyDeleteThere is an abrupt turn to the right, and a small chamber that is hardly large enough to hold your party. The chamber has 2 open-mouthed statue heads, likely locks like the one Xisco operated outside of the primary room. They are mounted side by side, at what was likely a far stretch for a single drakin, but can probably be operated at the same time by a single human easily enough, if such is necessary.
Tooly positions himself at the bend, watching the party's rear with his flame gun ready. "Xisco, you wanna do what you did with that other one of those statues while I watch our rear? Nothing'll get to us while me and The Burninator are covering the tunnel."
ReplyDeleteXisco takes a look at the locks and listens a bit (Notice 7+2).
ReplyDelete------
Assuming nothing looks out of place, he'll reach in and see what happens...
After some mumbling to himself about left vs right, and some commentary on drakin psychology, Xisco shrugs, and reaches into the left-most switch. After some turning, a loud 'CLANK' can be heard that seems to echo through the walls.
ReplyDeleteThe room is then silent, and you do not hear any sign of additional threats.
APPEAR!
ReplyDeleteTooly waits, a bit tense, but focused on making sure nothing traps them in this dead end.
ReplyDeletehow long you wanting to wait. five minutes later, nothin' shown up yet.
ReplyDeleteJust waiting for Xisco to finish sticking his arm in strange mouths and everyone else to get bored and go back out. Watching the back trail.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that Xisco desires to tempt fate again yet - I dunno.
ReplyDelete"So..." Blendin said into the silence, "I think I'm going to head back into the other room. Maybe it opened up a door somewhere else."
ReplyDeletethe lizardling returns to the room with the sarcophagi without incident. He hears distant noises of shearing metal, but nothing that seems immediately threatening or changed.
ReplyDelete"Sounds good to me," the dwarf pipes up, preceding the small Wildling out of the narrow hallway. He makes his way to the first intersection to watch for more undead and make sure they can't get past to the entrance.
ReplyDelete"Let's head up that middle passage."
ReplyDeleteThe dwarf shrugs. "Lead on, fearless leader! We've got you covered." He waggles the glowing barrel of his flame gun. Despite his words, he stays next to Gardner, rather than behind him with the powerful weapon.
ReplyDeleteThe party travels back through the tunnels together. Tooly keeps an eye on the corridors with his flamer ready. It is quiet for most of the trip, and the air is still. The take the untraveled fork, and Gardner lights the sconce at the bend in the hallway.
ReplyDeleteYou see a stone wall heavily ornamented with detailed carvings in the motif of a floral arrangement surrounding a large leathery egg. It is set into the wall on both sides and above while flush on the bottom, suggesting it is a door that can be raised. You see no evidence of a handle or other mechanism, but you can hear faint sounds on the other side of the door. Fang sniffs at the thin cracks around the 'door' and begins to rumble a growl.
Tooly lets the flamer dangle against his breastplate and unslings his musket, then attaches the bayonet. He approaches the egg and prods it, looking for any sign of give, as leather might have.
ReplyDeletethe egg appears to be made of the same stone as the door; the leathery appearance is the work of diligent and skilled craftsmen.
ReplyDeleteXisco has been much quieter than his companions are used to since the first combat: no stories and no exclamations of interest or fascination. His eyes still linger on the murals and other artifacts, but he has not made any additional notes in his journal, which has not appeared with him since he left his satchel upstairs the first time the crew hauled up some loot.
ReplyDelete"Maybe we should check out the other direction? We're not likely to move this door, and what's on the other side can move it, then it might be better to face it after it has rather than before it gets around to it?"
"I wonder if we have to activate another mechanism like the one in the secret room to open this. Let's check out the other passage."
ReplyDeleteThe hallway becomes noticeably colder as you walk down it. You did not feel this chill when you last trekked down this way. You also note a glow of lights ahead that you do not recall.
ReplyDeleteAs you round pass the sconce, you see the hallway widen and the ceiling stretches high above you, arching over in a spider web of parabolic curves connecting at pillars spaced evenly along the walls. Each pillar is semicircular and carved in finely detailed ‘ivy’ motif that reminds you of The Gipper, seemingly of a single piece of stone set into the wall. You see that the ivy patterning on the left side pillars has begun to glow a ruddy orange, casting deep shadows across the grand hall. The shadows dance as if alive as the light shifts and moves within the pillars, seeming toward the other end of the hall. Ice crystals hang in the air on the left side of the room and frost has begun to mar the tiles undefoot, and you can see your breath.
At the end of the hall are two doors of basalt with carvings picked out with gold filigree. They are over twice as tall as Gardner or Xisco, and as wide as the hall. The left door seems to be glowing the ruddy color as well, although it could just be a trick of the light reflecting off the gold. The filigree pattern is ivy from top to bottom, but draconic text appears to be interspersed on the doors as well.
Gardner lights the nearby sconces and notes aloud that there is another hallway that appears to have collapsed ages ago. It appears impassible without extensive work.
Tooly lets out a low whistle. "Those are some fancy doors. I get the feeling the good stuff is behind 'em. Xisco, why don't you go trigger that other lock thing in the little room? I get the feeling it's linked to the other half of this room."
ReplyDeleteXisco scrunches his forehead in thought; "I'm not so sure it isn't linked to the other door," he indicates the egg-door. "I'd really like to study what's going on in here, but, assuming those," indicating the ivy patterning, "are using the same type of energy transference as the sconces, I think it'd be best if we started a bonfire, or something, unless we want to become icy statues. Or we could... I'm going to need that"
ReplyDeleteXisco grabs the lantern and dashes out of the room.
-----
He's heading toward the locks, and he'll try to undo the lock he previously did.
Tooly shrugs at the eccentric human and looks at Gardner. "A fire seems like a good idea to me. Maybe we should grab the cannon while we're at it, in case there's something nasty behind those doors. Or if we need it to get through them, though they're likely worth a lot if we can salvage them intact."
ReplyDeleteThe dwarf pats his breastplate and adds, "Maybe we can get some food while we're up there, too."
ReplyDeleteclosing thread
ReplyDelete