[DAY 9 - Thunderday, Mao 26th, CY 81]
After Ben prayed in the morning and Kayla studied from her books, the next exploration into Quesquaton was mounted. Climbing down the well had become practiced for the group, but a surprise awaited them in the side hall half way down. The door to Quesquaton was closed. Instead of saying the original password "quesquaton" which opened it, Igor pressed the plate next to the Zelligar etching to the right of the door.
"WHO DARES ENTER THIS PLACE AND INTRUDE UPON THE SANCTUARY OF ITS INHABITANTS?"
Ben wasn't in the well when they had first opened the stone portal, but he did remember this loud call echoing up the well.
"ONLY A GROUP OF FOOLHARDY EXPLORERS DOOMED TO CERTAIN DEATH!"
Our heroes chuckled a little at this. Today they planned to search for any final secret doors or rooms as the whole of Quesquaton was now explored in their minds.
"WOE TO ANY WHO PASS THIS PLACE-THE WRATH OF ZELLIGAR AND ROGAHN WILL BE UPON THEM!"
"Qua" said Igor. "Quest" said Brother Ben. "On" said Dram and the door opened.
The central corridor was empty. Igor checked for kobold tracks or those of any others that might have closed the door and found two different types. Both small distorted footprints were erratically about and several points sticking in the sand and debris. "kobold tracks and what I think is the second spider", said Igor. Brother Ben remembered the 7' beast. "Maybe it was simply spear tips," thought Ben, but chose not to say anything. Brother Ben was glad Darius had relented and Igor was traveling with the group again. Hadn't he healed the once-misshapen fellow? Besides Igor was a far better tracker than any of the others.
The secret doors in the two alcoves in the left side of the main corridor were still open. The two on the right were searched again, but nothing was discovered. Heading into the main halls, the group traveled into the pool room as the small footprints seemed to lead in almost every direction. Checking on the crack in the wall leading to the collapsed storage chamber Kayla rediscovered Ben's lost list. It contained the inscriptions encircling each of the pools. Ben made sure to hold onto it lest he misplace it again.
- The frightening endless black pool = Speak My Name
- The healing fruit juice which looked pink and fuzzy = Restore Health
- The greenish clear fizzing acrid liquid pool = Strip Flesh
- The murky grey liquid pool = Curse Upon
- The green gooey pool = Slime
- The icy water pool = Fresh as Mountain Stream (becomes beer when spoken)
- The dark red liquid pool = Bordo
- Dry, parched pool = Dust in the wind (fills with dirt when spoken)
- Flaming pool = Toil & Trouble (fire goes out when spoken)
- Empty pool, but with an uneasy feeling surrounding it = Your Worst Fears
- Greenish liquid pool = Go to Sleep (speaker becomes drowsy)
- Goldfish in water = Here Here Fishy Fishy (when spoken this kills the fish)
- Ice (steaming) = Freeze
- Heaping pile of gold coins = Fools Treasure (The phrase makes the coins appear or disappear)
- Slowly trickling water = Be Silent (There is no sound from this pool)
- Incomplete in construction = (There is no writing around this pool.)
- Milk pool = Sour Puss (The milk curdles when spoken)
- Swampy water with frogs = Ribbett (When spoken the tadpoles become frogs and more appear in the water)
- Pool of ashes = Ashes to Ashes
- The now empty pool which contained the cloth-wrapped corpse = Arise
The healing juice pool was about half empty at this point. Members had been filling their waterskins after fights. The other pools were filled to within a foot of the brim. The group had an empty quarterbarrel lowered down the well by the guards above. Once full everyone else filled waterskins until the juice was gone. Ben planned to make a tally of available doses once above ground again. The quarterbarrel was tied off and raised back up the well with instructions to store it carefully in the infirmary.
Further down the hallways more footprints could be seen. A collection lead through a series of closer rooms. The armory was still disheveled and full of rusted arms. The utility room's junk piles also seemed untouched. The footsteps led on and past the room with the smashed idol in it.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
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