TWO HUNDRED SIXTY TWO
(I/C)
"Well...we found Hoots,” Lannis said with a frown. “Don't have to worry about him suddenly showing up somewhere.
"Si Hoots es on our tails... maybe me no gusta estar en the rear anymore.” Abraxas gave Lannis a gentle rebuff from behind, motioning up the stairs. “Let's "pick up the pace," shall we? Rapido, amigos."
Nodding from the front of the party, Brendon resumed climbing, eyes peeled as he continued south. “Hoots isn’t running towards us, so let’s stay focused and make our way to the Sulfur room”
“Yeah, lets just keep going there and maybe the smell will drive him away, unless someone has something that will do that sooner?” He was giving Kovid a pointed stare from behind, covering his nose and turning his head as if trying not to gag.
“I saw that Big Brain,” the dwarf replied, turning back long enough to give the Magic User a withering glance.
“Whatever. If we can’t rely on stale dwarven body odor and spoiled alee, maybe we can use the terrain to get behind him before he sees us.” He pointed at the map that Kovid was referring to. “Right here, see? It’s either a square set of hallways or a drunken scrawl, maybe we can use that."
At the top of the stairs they continued past the side corridor that had led to Grilljax’s food larder at one point, and made their way to the square passages that originally had a room that housed the stone barrel of green slime. Meanwhile, still hearing the odd hoots and noises echoing towards us from far behind, Wyn whispered, “Hm... Hoots sounds sad. Or angry. Or hungry? I need to try en remember size sounds.”
“I’d say all three,” Lyra guessed. “He sounds like he’s all three.”
“Tal vez he should eat una barra de Snickers,” Abraxas noted.
Wyn nodded, “De good ting is dat we shouldn’t need to worry about tings behind us while Hoots be dere... unless some wandering monster ignores Hoots for some reason?” He frowned. “Dat would be weird.” He shrugged and smiled. “Allons-y. Forward. Sulfur.”
As they made the hall outside the Sulfur chamber, Lyra wondered, “Does anyone have any bright light spells or anything that will make a lot of light?”
“Oui, why?”
“Owls are very sensitive to light - I’d assume it’d be the same for owlbears - of course that’s assuming he gets too close.”
“Let’s try not to Doctor Doolittle the rampaging murder bear, alright Princess?” Lannis scoffed.
“Whatever,” she replied voice heavy with scorn. “Don’t get your panties in a wad. I’m just saying he might actually do us some good by putting himself between us and following orcs or goblins.”
“If I need advise on the best feedbag to put over my snout, I’ll ask you. Otherwise, leave the tactics and strategy to anyone not related to a quadruped.”
Kovid snapped his fingers, pointing at Lannis. “Enough. Keep going, keep quiet.” As the dwarf turned back around, the Magic user mimed Kovid talking with his flapping hand, making sneering faces as he did so. “Again, I saw that Big Brain,” Kovid said, voice both heavy and weary.
“Eyes front there, Gizmo.”
Lyra had donned her rawhide gloves and withdrew the bandages. “Ok, everyone, let’s go. The fumes get pretty heady so please, cover your mouths and stay away from the stairs. Normally it’d be just Kovid and I, but with the Owlbear wandering around, we all need to come down here and keep the light away from the stairs.”
“We are wit’ you, Priestesse,” Wyn answered, bow out and ready.
“Alright then, let’s go.” The party followed Lyra down the stairs to the rough cavern where the reek of sulfur was pretty strong as the grey pool bubbled and roiled near the back western wall. The very long dead remains of the elven looter was still here and the place appeared to be untouched and no different. Everyone getting far enough from the stairs and Kovid taking the light closest to the pool so no chance illumination would get to the stairs, most of the party took shallow breaths through the sleeves and hems of their cloaks, listening to the castle at the top of the stairs, while the dwarf watched the Cleric carefully as she laid the Sclepian Bandages out and began washing the first one in the grey boiling water.
Meanwhile, the Owlbear had eventually made its way to the top of the stairs and continued ambling south (Scent group, -6 penalty Sulfur, >Black 9 – no) where it paused, made a few low growls and then decided ultimately to head (1d4 Random: Blue 3 – East) south to the entrance room with the sofa and then continue east.
“He’s moving on,” Brendon whispered from the stairs (Hear Noise +20 bonus, =Red 55).
“Thank Aine,” Lyra muttered, already cleaned two and was working on the third. As for the fumes, the group was doing their best to tough it out (Save vs Poison: >Pink 15, +3 bonus >White 12, <Orange 11, >Blue 19, >Red 16, +2 bonus >Yellow 8) but Wyn began at first clearing his throat a few times in a row. Then it became a cough or two. And then it suddenly became racking heaving coughs as he tried to clear his lungs of the acrid fumes. (Wyn, take 1 damage)
“Get him out of here,” Lyra ordered, pulling the last bandage from the pool as it sparkled to pristine white. “All of you, let’s go.”
“Come on,” Brendon looped one of Wyn’s arms over his neck and held the gasping elf aloft as he dragged and led up up the stairs and away from the worst of the sulfurous smells. The rest of the party followed and Wyn took to wrapping his cloak against his face as he shook his eyes clear and choked into it again and again.
Looking him over (Wis>12, Cleric – no roll needed), Lyra patted him on the shoulder. “You’ll be fine in a few minutes, just take it easy.”
“Ok,” Kovid looked around, satisfied that Wyn’s muffling of his coughs were not sending undue echoes down the halls. “As soon as Wyn is up to it, where are we going now? I do NOT recommend heading east unless you all want to face Hoots.”
Time now is Day 7, 3:25 PM
(OOC)
Bandages are good! For those interested: HP is currently: Wyn 6/11, Lyra 22/22, Wyn 13/15, Abraxas 25/29, Brendon 10/14, Kovid 37/37. Where to and how to get there?
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