TWO HUNDRED THIRTY NINE
(I/C)
“Game plan?” Brendon asked, cracking his knuckles and picking up his discarded potion vial. “I’m on it. Wyn, see if you can get me another light spell. Doc, stand up and see if the toys go back in their box. If anything comes through the door, tell them to kill it. I’m filled with potion and have the skills to help them out. Everyone get through the door if you can get it open, I’ll knock 6 times when I need you to let me in. Let’s go go go.”
Kovid leaned towards Wyn and whispered, “Please try the key, now.” He then raised his voice and hissed at Brendon, “I have no idea what you are raving about but we are about to have a lot of company and have no time. Come ON!”
“But what about commanding the red men to attack the gobs?”
Abraxas shook his head, “Brewdog, we should all just leave, now. Can you jam this switch so the Guards stay active? Will a hammer y spike to do it? Señor Wynsred, get el puerto open ahora. Señor Laney, help Brewstag look at this chair device. Also, Brewski, on your way here grab the snake y place it in front of the soldiers here, then we all run out and close el puerto behind us. Andale, mas rapido amigos." He stood up and…the elven warriors remained! Feeling bold, he commanded, “Defend the door and kill anyone who tries to come through that door."
And as one the elven warriors silently moved away from the dais and almost floated as they made their way to the main double doors in, weapons high and ready. Brendon was jogging over, bending down to pick up one of the 300 lbs snakes and with his enhanced strength, did it with ridiculous ease.
Wyn made sure he had the Throne room key, placed it by the hole, whispered, “Ok, hope dis works,” and pushed it in. It caught for a moment on some long forgotten grit, but rasped into the lock and he turned it, and an entire section of the south wall pivoted on its axis and revealed a very dusty unused corridor running south beyond. Grinning, he pushed Kovid and his lantern through first and called out, “Ok mes amis, allons-y. Dat means you too, du Lac. Don't know how we dis passage works and don't want you to get stuck."
"Ah, ahora vamonos el fuck out de aqui, amigos. Let's go." Abraxas stepped away from the throne – and the nub he had hit with his boot remained plugged in. “Ah, exellente! Forget about the other thing then.”
“What thing?” Brendon asked jogging up.
“Nothing, We’re good. Rapido!”
We could hear voices louder at the door along with some deeper tones and a rattling of keys. Wyn was waving the last of us through, “Let’s go, no dawldling!” and once the last one had stepped through, he came inside and shoved the secret door closed, turning the locking dog on this side near the floor over and sealing us in.
And about 10 seconds later, we could hear through the wall the other door open up and goblin voices and something deeper calling out for a Duchess. And then all hell broke loose. There was the sound of exploding steel and shrieking goblins. Bodies were flailing and falling and we could hear deeper voices calling Blessed Corfard and stop. The raucous combat went on for three minutes until it slowly petered out and ended and the party was silent, listening. It sounded like the goblins had won.
We were in a hall about 40’ long, featureless, plain, and had about 30 years of dust on the floor. We walked slowly and carefully to avoid kicking up too much of it but there was no other way out of here. “Dis makes no sense,” Wyn whispered.
“I agree,” Kovid replied. “We’re here now, let’s keep a weather ear out there and look around for a secret door. Can’t imagine the Ispan would an escape hall run out and let him get trapped.”
The party was looking while they could hear voices on the other side. Some of it was in goblin, but the Catharandamus figure and others spoke common. “Did you know about this?” “No Dark One. This was a surprise.” “Fucking Ispan and his fucking tricks.” “Are they dead?” “No, they believe they are. Will probably be out for hours.” “The illusion was debilitating.” “I know. I knew it wasn’t entirely real and I still can feel the sword stroke against my chest.” (Enemy Search: Black 12…Black 2)
“How many?” “Three Adepts and eleven goblins, Dark One.” “And Duchess?” “I would say she slipped out in the combat.” Whoever it was, there were at least 6 bodies moving around in there and they seemed to be pacing the room, looking about. The party continued to search for secret doors on this side.
“Why the snakes?” “Pardon?” “Why kill them?” “She had been fascinated with the elven gem, Dark One. Claims Blessed Corfard promised it to her once he ends the ward.”
Some more pauses. “Hmm. Blessed Corfard will be pissed.” “I do not doubt it.” “*sigh* It will fall to me to tell him. I look forward to hearing his magnificence debase me as if I had the serpents slain.” “Will he bring them back to life?” “Who knows. He is capricious.”
“Take the fallen out of here and bring them to their room to recover.” “Yes, Dark One.” Another pause. “Orc.” “Lord?” “This arrow. It’s Orcish. Grimtooth and Duchess are NOT known for sharing or swapping gear.” “Perhaps the Orc was here, Dark One?” “No. He has his own mission. And Duchess is a poor shot with the bow.” “There are many arrows, Dark One.” “Yes.”
Another long pause. “This blow here. Hammer I’d say.” “Yes. Tore the skin and scales.” “This blow is a sword stroke.” “Big one.” “Dark One?” “I think our goblin friends were mistake regarding Duchess.” “The invaders?” “This blow is very long, and very sharp.” “Dark One?” “Come. I think it’s time we leave. I’ll talk to Blessed Corfard, and then I’d like an honor guard to follow me downstairs.”
The voices were growing fainter as they walked across the room to leave. “I’ll arrange it. Hunting the invaders yourself?” “Not necessarily. But I want to talk to the Bitcher and see if that hairy troublemaker loaned out her toy.”
The group did not hear the door close but we did hear grunting and movement as ‘someone’ was moving roughly 14 fallen goblins and others who had been struck down with illusionary fatally blows. Meanwhile the party had spent 10 minutes checking out the hall (Secret Door: >Pink 4, >White 3, <Orange 1, >Blue 3, =Red 1, >Yellow 4) as best they could.
Along the south wall, Wyn could see a faint distortion in the dust showing an air current came from that wall and once he knew that, traced it up and around, finding where it was. Opening it involved pushing a stone along the wall in but the wall was thick and he didn’t hear anything on the other side.
And along the east wall, Brendon had been knocking about when he detected a strange vibration and hollow spot, letting him know there was a chamber back there. Getting closer he felt about, fingers delicately flicking around, until he managed to find a section of the wall where he could press his fingertips in the groove and pull out a strip of crumbly mortar. Revealing a keyhole.
Time now is Day 6, 4:57 PM
(OOC)
In the very dusty hall – no one has been here for 30 years. Potion has 44 minutes left. TWO secret doors – south wall and east wall. South wall is press stone and it opens. East wall needs a key. What’s the plan? Can’t go back to throne room now as someone is moving fallen bodies out and will be doing so for another ten minutes at least.
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