There were precious few places left to check on the lower floor, one of them was the orc barracks that had been set ablaze long ago and we ran through and from. The other is the Locust sounding room that the group keeps bringing up and the wizard keeps reminding the party its a terrible idea. Both the Fighter and the Elf went up at this point - and given the nature of the adventure, will be the last time either of them do until it ends. The dwarf is on pace to go up next and then after that the wizard and thief MIGHT go up one more time before the final fight with Corfard. We'll see!
Follows:
THREE HUNDRED SIXTY FIVE
(I/C)
“I’ve got this,” Brendon said with a whisper. He withdrew the poison atomizer and motioned for Kovid to come to the top of the steps with the lantern. “Don’t want to get too close, but want to douse them all with this.”
“They are mushrooms,” Lannis whispered. “They don’t have lungs.”
“They’re breathing,” Brendon pointed out, “You can see them swelling and stuff.”
“No organs. It’s a damned fungus.”
“Dey have a skin,” Wyn corrected the wizard, “And de fungi dey do breath trew de skin.”
“Besides,” Kovid offered, “If the poison doesn't work, Brendon, I have some of that Gnome Fire left."
“Hang on,” Brendon suggested, “Be right back.” He started creeping down the stairs, eyes fixed on the 8” tall mushrooms in the gloom below.
“We sure this is a good idea?” Lyra whispered, “No alternative sleeping spots?”
"Hoots found a good spot,” Lannis shrugged, “Think he'll scoot over for us?"
From the back of the group, watching the hall behind them, Abraxas turned his head and gave a short aside, "Señora Lyrus, I'm sure Brenchan is knowing que haces. Despues de mushrooms are gone we should check los Barracks. Then el Jail."
“Can we go now,” the magic user complained quietly, “I don’t want to be here anymore.”
Brendon got as low down the steps that he dared. As the closest fungi began to make small swells and rhythmatic pulses, he extended both arms, aimed right to the center of Shrieker cluster, and squeezed (>+5 to hit, Red 12). A hefty soaking of toxic liquid drew up into the bulb and then was forced out through the serrated nozzle, shredding the droplets into smaller and smaller particles until it filled the air with a thick, heavy, vaporous cloud. Where it hit the fungi, it was sucked into the spiracles and had an immediate effect. Each fungi made a faint exhaling weak squeak and then seemed to deflate on itself, the purple caps leaning over and growing pale as the bases took on a series of black spots.
Within a minute there was no movement or activity from the danger and Brendon motioned the party down the stairs. “Problem solved,” he said, putting the half full atomizer away (2 doses left).
“A song of heroism for you to trade at the tavern when you get home,” Lannis chuckled, “Great job.”
“Eat a dick, Lannis.”
“Enough,” Kovid scolded the two of them. “Let’s go. Eyes front.”
The group continued along, passing the remains of Travis’ room and the secret door, both open and empty of troubles. They went down the steps and continued north until they arrived at the corner near where the Beekeeper was. After listening and a quick peak, Brendon led the group around the corner, past the former wolf room that now had a dozen cages still in it, and onward.
It was while they were passing the Beekeeper’s office and eventually the honey area and finally the exit and main portcullis for the castle that Brendon motioned the group to go on, the Scout tilted his head and listening (<Hear Noise, Red 27). We could all hear very far distant noises and voices as we passed, but it was after 20, 30 seconds that Brendon jogged up and filled us in on some more detail. “Hobgoblins,” he muttered. “I can tell they were outside.”
“How many?”
(d6+6 – Red/Black 3 – 9) “Nine of them. Sounds like they are discussing possibly digging under the shield but getting frustrated because the shield seems to go into the ground.”
“They coming back?”
Brendon shook his head. “No, sounds like they were going to be out there for a while.”
The group passed through the guard door and on the north wall was the open portal leading to the former orc barracks. Still not hearing anything nearby, they stopped there and peered inside. It still had a number of bunkbeds and footlockers, the floor was still burned as well as the table and chairs. The crate that had been removed was back again, much closer to the door now.
“Let’s do this quick,” Brendon said, entering and looking about. Wyn, Lyra, and Kovid followed to help, Lannis and Abraxas kept watch in the hall.
The footlockers were the easiest thing to look through, most of them were open. So while Brendon was checking the crate out for traps (>Find Traps, Red 63), the other three went through the orcish belongings. Most of it was clothes, not too clean or in good condition. Some of it was uniform shirts that might have belonged to the Ispan’s original staff, but they too were in poor condition and the orcs had ‘modified’ them.
“Why would you cut “v” necks into all the shirts?” Lyra asked.
“Dis on has de bottom all cut up like fringes.”
Kovid held up a jerkin that had most of the back cut away. “Orcs are not known for their fashion sense.”
There was a small smattering of coins that continued to amass as they dug through the 8 lockers. Lyra held up what seemed to be 5 rib bones from a pig, all tied neatly together with a length of green ribbon, a dried set of daisies in the middle of the batch. “What in the world?”
“Secret admirer?” Lannis asked from the hall. “Should have been carrots or oats for you.”
The Cleric flipped him the friendship finger and then look at the note dangling at the bottom. “To Alha,” she read, “May these find you well. Thinking of you. Stanley Sharpfang.” He looked them over. “So…it’s a gift, for the orcish werewolf girl.”
“Ugh,” Wyn frowned, “Leave it here. All de parties involved are dead. De best for for de orcs to be.”
“This is ok,” Brendon said from the crate. “Stand back.” He went from the side and using his prybar, lifted the top. But nothing happened. Feeling safer, he opened it all the way and we could look within. There were half a dozen blankets that had not been cleaned anytime recently. In addition there were 2 sets of chainmail, crude and orcish made, but serviceable. Three short swords, with a bit or rust and needing a little work had been tossed within. There was also loose arrows, a dozen of them . And finally, there was a 4 and a half foot long fancy silk scarf. It had been expertly died the long way in an alternating melding spray of color running from red to pink to yellow to light green.
“Um…ok?”
“Let’s go,” Lannis whispered. “Leave the crappy orc stuff. But bring that scarf. I’d like to look at it, see if it’s magical.”
Scooping up the coins (12 gold, 38 silver, 56 copper), Wyn pointed to the arrows. “Bring dem at least for now, leave de rest.”
“Get. The. Scarf.” Lannis reminded them, pointing at it. “That’s it!”
The group filed back into the hall and Kovid led them on to the far eastern “T”. He turned them north and we travelled up to the jail. The door to the jail looked like someone had tried to force it, and the lock had been scratched and hit, but the door had held up without issue. Brendon used Wyn’s key and the party entered, going deeper in and around the corner. A last check verified the place was empty and the Scout locked the jail and then joined the rest of the group, handing Wyn back the key.
“Well dat’s done!” Wyn sighed.
“Let’s get some food, some rest, and figure out tomorrow,” Kovid sighed, dropping his pack. “I have a number of weapons to clean. And tomorrow will come soon enough. Big day ahead of us. Locusts first I imagine,” he smiled. “And then either we work our way back to the fireplace or hit the stairs to get back up.”
Time now is Day 8, 4:01 PM
(OOC)
Explore XP: 30 each
Treasure xp: 3 each
Total – Everyone add 33 xp, except Brendon – add 58
Everyone add 2 gold, 6 silver, 9 copper. Both Wyn and Abraxas make it 7 silver and 10 copper please.
OK – 4 weapons to clean – kovid has no roll takes an hour. Anyone else can take a shot, needs a roll, failure means time wasted. Assume Kovid has enough paste for maybe 10 possible cleanings left (not on inventory, just part of your assumed maintenance belongings). We resting here? Eating? Watch?
Oh, And…DING!!…DING!!
Wyn: 4th level. D6 hp, no CON adjustment – 3. New total, 18 hp – and you are fully healed
Saves adjust to: 10, 11, 11, 13, 12. To hits all go up by +2 (Magic Sh sword is +6 to hit, Sht bow is +8/+7/+6)
Sure shot is now 2/day. You also get all your spells back. You also get 2 2nd level spells a day. Random roll came up with: Cont Light, Detect Evil, and ESP – pick one
Abraxas: 5th level. D8, +1 Con – 5+1=6. New total 35 hp – and you are fully healed
To hits go up by +1 (Scythe is +8 to hit, Spear is +5/+4/+3)
Next to go up is Kovid with 1,245 xp needed.
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