WO HUNDRED EIGHTY SIX
(I/C)
“Maybe we could check out the throne room,” Brendon suggested. “I thought I heard something last night. If it’s clear we could go to the Guardian area to the north west.”
The elf held his hand up, “Afore we do anytin, Priestess, if you could spare a healing word from Aine for Wyn, it would be appreciated.”
Abraxas perked his head up, "Ooo! Señora Loyrae, do you have an extra Heal from Annie? I'm still a bit bloody and bruised from the Dykechess attack. Also, Kovid is limping a bit, maybe he could use it?”
“I have two right now,” Lyra said, looking the group over. “Wyn is a definite, but the last is either you or Kovid, and Master Dwarf,” she said turning to look him over, “I hope you don’t mind, but it seems Abraxas is a bit more hurt than you. Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” he replied.
“Great. Lyra Aine,” he intoned, laying one hand on Wyn and the other on Abraxas, “Summer Goddess, let your healing power run through me and aid both of my companions on this your most glorious day.” The white healing light flowed into the elf (CLW 1d6+1: White 6 – Heal 7 – Max!) and the fighter (CLW 1d6+1: White 5 – Heal 5!), adding strength to their stance and vigor to their step.
“Merci, Priestesse!” “Gracias!”
Brendon had opened the door back to hall after listening (no roll), and made his way to the north and then south secret doors, listening there as well (no roll needed again), not hearing anything. Abraxas and Kovid were replacing the furnishings back into the Vault and the group was getting the last of the equipment ready to go. Pointing south, Brendon said, “I know the guardians back there are closer but so is Corfard and Mirabelis’ areas.”
“Maybe we kill the north Guardians,” Abraxas suggested, “take their bodies to the garden, and depose them there, keeping the thorns and vines off us, while we deal with those Guardinos as well?”
“So the guardian’s in the garden?” Lyra asked, tightening the straps on her shield. “Do we just go in there or lure them out? I can only imagine what kind of nefarious plants live in there.”
“There is a Decapus,” Lannis reminded the party, “Which I don’t know what it is, but sounds too much like decapitate, so that isn’t good.”
Wyn shook his head, “Mayhaps we go after de North Guardians en you cen drink dat potion to control de undead... den we go kick some ass!”
Checking out the potion, the Cleric smiled, making sure it was close to the top of her pack and handy. “I guess we go there and play it by ear. Now is as good a time as any I suppose to get into a scuffle.”
"Let’s get moving then, find us some guardians to rustle up.” Lannis smiled. He turned to Lyra and snapped his fingers, “Oh and Hay Bale, if you find yourself getting your groove back I'd like to have my stone returned please."
“You leant it to her, didn’t you?” Brendon asked.
“Doesn’t involve you, gnome lover. Just reminding Hortense Horsesense that the property she is borrowing comes home to Lannis when she’s done or doesn’t need it.”
“Guardians it is.” Kovid checked out his map with care, comparing it to the one the Gargoyle had drawn for them. “Maybe we scout a route west and north? It should loop around looking at Arik’s map.”
“Sure as fuck don’t want to go through the Throne Room,” the Scout muttered.
Clapping Lannis on the back, Abraxas grinned and offered, “Vamonos amigos, andale!"
“You are too fucking cheerful at 5:05 in the morning, you know?” the Magic User groused.
Wyn made sure the Vault was locked up tight again and the party made their way south to the secret door. Once again, Brendon worked the toggle on the bottom and when the portal opened, him and Kovid pushed it slowly open. The Summoning Room appeared no different that it had yesterday and the party entered with care, weapons out and ready. The door on the north wall was closed and the group could hear many voices snoring on the other side. The door to the south was also closed but a quick listen showed that it was silent. (Orc hear group? >Black 15 – fuck no) Abraxas shut the secret door behind us, the wall appearing once again smooth and featureless.
We snuck through the south door and once though there, again the Fighter shut the passage behind. At the end of the short hall was the door to the main hall outside the Garden and Brendon laid his ear to the portal to listen while Kovid pointed through the portal and then to the west, getting a nod from the Scout.
(WMC: Red/Black 1 – of course!. What: White 1. Number? White d6 – 6. Great! Sense the party through the door? >Red/Black 9 – no. Traveling? 1-3 East, 4-6 West: Pink 2 – East.)
After a few seconds Brendon signaled the group to freeze and be silent, his fingers pressed lightly to the door, head tilted. He held up 3, then 5 fingers. Then another one again. And the group then heard. Footsteps. Barefoot and wet sounding. Along with slobbering and some sort of strange barking spit full sounding gibbering laugh. It approached the door, paused briefly, and then kept going, heading east and making strange chewing and slavering sounds.
Brendon had the group wait and be silent until long after the wandering monster had passed through. We were also cognizant of some number of orcs sleeping behind us, and no place to retreat to since the secret door was closed. After enough time had passed, the Scout visibly relaxed and let out a shaky breath. “Fucking hell, don’t know what they were, but a half dozen Poseidon only knows what wandering the halls did not seem like a good idea for us to run into 10 minutes after deciding to move on.”
“Good call,” Kovid muttered. “They went east, so more of a reason for us to go west. Don’t know if they’re gonna wander back, so step lively people and no dawdling in the hall.”
The door opened, Brendon checked the hall in each direction, and then led the party to the west, once again Abraxas shutting the door once we were all through. The passage went on for some 20 to 30 paces and then came to a 4 way split. There where arches of stone on the north, east, and west passages here, the south one had fallen to disrepair. The arches showed three of the elven goddesses in bas relief, Lolth to the west, Morrigaan to the north, and Theystra to the east. The Ishtari one to the south was broken some time ago.
Looking down the passages, south went on at least as far as the lantern light and kept going, west revealed two doors on the south wall as well as more passage beyond (Wyn Wis, +2 elf, >Orange 17 – nope, nevermind), and north had a single door on the west wall as well as the passage continuing.
“Anyone feel dey just missed sumtin important?” the elf wondered. Getting a slew of head shakes and mutterings of ‘no’, he shrugged and pointed ahead. “No problem. Was probably just de heebie jeebies. Allons-y.”
“Which way?” Brendon asked.
Time now is Day 8, 5:20 AM
(OOC)
@ 4 way split. Not making any assumptions.
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