I have been waiting for this for some time. There have been hints about it regarding the dead bodies piled up here and there, but no one has cottoned to it yet. But this opportunity is waiting for them to be adventurers and just poke the bear.
Follows:
FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY THREE
(I/C)
“Stow it, Big Brain,” Kovid said. He went to the baths and took a tentative drink from the water. He spat it out to the side, and did it again. Satisfied, he lowered his empty waterskin to the surface and allowed it to fill. “Are we going on the hunt?” he asked. “Sitting around waiting for a patrol sounds time consuming. Where should we go?”
"Si amigos, agua por todos. Let's get algun agua y move out. Maybe algun comida survived Hoots?” Abraxas wondered. The Fighter did the same, filling his skin as the rest of the group stepped up as well. Lannis took out his Ishtari Rod as he did so. Abraxas continued, “Maybe miramos en el room mas frio? Pero yo no se que hacemos mas que ese. Maybe una trap a los stairs, similar a como los Roberts made por us? No se."
Brendon was waiting for the rest of the group to get their fill first. “Should we patrol around down here in hopes we can lower their numbers?” he asked.
Turning to give the Scout withering look, Lannis crossed his eyes and huffed. "Duh! Considering that's literally the reason we came down here, yes, I do."
“Chill Loser,” Lyra muttered, smacking her backpack against the wall, aiming for the pocket where the Artificer doll of Lannis was located. She looked over at its head sticking out, smiling on seeing it’s face was blooded and purpled. She looked past the wizard to the other party member and said, “That’s a point. I doubt the hobgoblins are patrolling in one single posse. We could always wait downstairs until we hear a small party coming. We take them out, wait for another small team to investigate where the last one went.”
“Hey, Beardboy,” the magic user nudged Kovid. “Let me see that ‘map’, would ya?” As the dwarf was taking it out, Lannis looked around at the party and stomped one foot. "Yes, let's fill OUR water skins now, since it’s MY idea and I thought of it first.”
Wyn sighed deeply, running the crease between his eyebrows. “Wyn be pretty certain he suggested dis place, Offop.” Tapping his temple he asked sarcastically, “Maybe dat head wound still be affecting’ you. Still ‘ear dat ringing?”
“Nope, nothing in my head except genius.” He tapped the map, indicating a circuitous route. “Now listen up, you Screwheads. I've laid out a route we could take,” he pointed to Brendon who was finally filling his skin, “at the very least Namor should listen at every door and we should check the big ones. There, two genius ideas back to back, you don't deserve me."
Looking at the route, Wyn rubbed his chin and gave a small smile and nod. “Let’s head to de store room south of de dinin’ room first. Haven’t checked in dere fer a while.” He traced his finger along, “Den we go to de hallway nord of de dining room en listen down to de nord toward de spy room de hall ta see iffin we hear de Hobs.” He then shifted over to the northwest section of the map, “An finally we den continue ova to de Butcher’s old room.”
“Wow,” Lannis let his jaw fall open, eyes bugging out, “I literally just pointed all that out, Wyn. Did you hit YOUR head? Are your ears ringing?”
“Your genius ideas are just infecting everyone,” Brendon snorted. “Let’s go kids.”
The elf turned to the wizard and smirked, capping his skin, “Oui. Shall we?” (Everyone fill your water back to 4 days)
Before they left, Lannis held the rod tightly and concentrated on lowering the effect of the steam, feeling something happening within. “Hang on,” he said, stepping into the mosaic room, “Just want to check something.”
“Come on,” Kovid grunted, “Have no time to look at barely disguised tile pictures of sex acts, Big Brain.”
“We don’t?” Abraxas asked surprised. “Too bad!”
Lannis was indeed happy to see the amount of steam coming out of the vent was barely a trickle. “Neat,” he muttered, heading back. “Ok, ok. We’re good to go.”
“’Bout time,” Lyra replied with poor grace, purposely hurting the Artificer doll again and smiling on seeing Lannis absently rubbing his arm in the same location. “Let’s do this.”
Back in the Catacombs again, the reek of the rotting ape assaulted us as we stepped around the dead primate, keeping clear of the cloud of flies. We crossed the rough floor to the western side of the area and then proceeded to climb the stairs. Brendon was moving at a steady and slow clip, stopping to listen often, eyes wide and watching. At the hall before the Lower Barracks, we came to the door on the west wall and then lead us through and up the flight of stairs to the Main North Hall.
“We ok?” Kovid asked quietly (WMC: Red/Black 6), getting a nod of approval from the Scout.
We made our way through and once in the hall, turned north, walking slowly along until we arrived at the storeroom. A look inside showed that maybe two of the barrels were missing based upon out last assumptive count, but there was nothing else in there to raise suspicion. We moved on past the kitchen and eventually the Dining Room, stopping at the “T” intersection before heading west on Brendon’s say so (no roll needed).
We paused at the “T” leading north to the stairs and the other half of the lower floor, but heard and saw nothing so continued on. We passed the Classroom and then moved on beyond that to the hall outside the Scriptorium, turning north and heading that way. The door to the Scriptorium had been blown off when the oil stores had gone up and the entire area still smelled grimy and foul even after4 days or so later. “What a waste,” Brendon noted and then we moved on.
At the Dressmaker’s room we stopped to listen and heard nothing, making our way along the hall with slow care. We wound west and then northward, our footsteps echoing ahead of us down the long hall. Eventually we came upon the door to the Butcher’s, closed as we had left it, and Brendon listened (>Hear Noise, +15 bonus, red 72), eventually giving the party a thumbs up.
“We going in?” Kovid asked, hand on the knob, “Or still taking a Big Brain inspired tour?”
Time now is Day 10, 3:25 PM
(OOC)
All skins filled, good job. So far no issues, you are around by the Butcher’s room. In or onward?
No comments:
Post a Comment