Shattered Sea Chronicles, Book I: Festival of the Dead

May 3, 1106 Morning
beneath Stonegate

The battle comes to an end, as the crossbowmen surrender their weapons, with worried glances at the blood covered harridan that the normally attractive Johanna has become. Of course her rage leaves her a few moments later, leaving her tired, but by then the crossbowmen are disarmed.

As they are marched back to the guard post, they seem unwilling to speak, until the one that first offered the surrender says, "Bah, we owe them nothing, the fanatic bastards! Six months ago, we were part of the Iron Manticore company, sworn to the Baron of Three Forks. We fought a battle with the Dark Rune, and the Baron was defeated, most of our company killed. We who remained were taken by the orcs, who dragged us off to Rivenshield Delve, as slaves for the old dwarven mines. Instead, these crazy Ebon Flame bastards show up, with a Drow Speaker, of all things. They buy us from the orcs, give us back our gear, and bring us here. That swine of a captain killed four of the lads before we got through the mountains, and you've done for most of the rest of us. What's left of them are in the shrine, chanting in their death speech to their precious Ebon Flame, probably raising the dead against you. There is the chief priest, and two of his acolytes, left. Plus some walking dead, four or six of them. I'm not sure, we're not allowed to enter their "place of the flame."

The guards take charge of the prisoners, and the group makes its way back down into the darkness. A fairly short walk takes them past the scenes of their previous battles, heading north, then turning west, checking a few empty rooms as they go. Some of them appear to have been used as sleeping quarters, but aren't used any more, and one of them has a considerable store of water, food, torches, and other supplies.

Their trek brings them finally to a pair of double doors, on the northern wall of the east-west hallway. The doors are heavy oak, bound in old black iron, and seem quite solid. From behind it can be heard the almost frantic sounds of speech in some dark tongue. A quick examination indicates that the heavy doors are barred from the other side, quite securely.

The hallway continues on past the doors, to the west, going about 40' past the doors before ending in a blank wall. Interestingly, as Jillian and Broderick look over this wall, they find that a hidden catch will cause a 5' section of the wall to swing outward, revealing a passage beyond. Inside the hidden passage, immediately to the left/south, is a metal barred gate, with a huge old chain, and iron padlock, with steps leading downwards beyond. To the right/north, a narrow passage heads north. The floor of the passage is covered in a fine layer of dust, as if no one has trod it for many, many, years.

OOC:

500 xp each

Loot:
1 suit masterwork full plate
1 masterwork heavy shield
1 masterwork heavy flail
1 masterwork shortsword
4 halberds
4 heavy crossbows w/36 bolts
9 bucklers
5 breastplates
4 chain shirts
4 shortswords
4 longswords
1 morningstar
1 longspear
10 daggers
1 silver Ebon Flame unholy symbol.

2 potions cure light wounds (CL1)
1 potion protection from good (CL1)
1 potion bull's strength (CL3)
1 potion cure moderate wounds (CL3)


150 gp
84 sp
200 gp in misc brooches, rings, etc.
 
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Jillian Wolfrunner : Female Elf Rogue 2

Before heading back in Jillian grabs the silver Ebon Flame unholy symbol. "Hmmm. This might come in handy later." She places it in her pouch as the group heads back in to take care of the last of their problem.

Later:
She looks at all the options and then back at her companions as she whispers. "Which way?"
 

Blarkon Dragonslayer said:
May 3, 1106 Morning
beneath Stonegate

Their trek brings them finally to a pair of double doors, on the northern wall of the east-west hallway. The doors are heavy oak, bound in old black iron, and seem quite solid. From behind it can be heard the almost frantic sounds of speech in some dark tongue. A quick examination indicates that the heavy doors are barred from the other side, quite securely.

Johanna was uncharacteristically terse and sullen for some time after her rage passed, as if those few moments expended nearly all of her emotion. As they explored the tunnels, though, her good nature seemed to slowly return, and by the time they finished thier sweep a broad smile adorned her face once more. She looked with great interest at the ancient hidden tunnel- who could know what secrets lay unclaimed down that shadowy, forgotten path? But that particular riddle was for another time- they had important work still to be done. And so it was that she stood before those heavy, ominous doors...

"So they tell us it is just a few priests, and some of their shambling dead, who remain back there. Do we have any good surprises lined up, or any easy way through these doors? Or are we going to have to do things the hard way?" Even as she spoke, she rolled her broad shoulders almost unconsciously, and drew the heavy woodsman's axe from her backpack. Especially with those iron bands, it would take some time to cut through the doors, but it ought to work.

OOC: We probably ought to just pile up the loot so far- except the potions, which we can parcel out to those in need. As far as the priests go, we ought to lead with the alchemists fire, and possibly more of "Pauly's" entangling power (that was nice...). With the doors actually barred, I don't know if we've got any options besides brute force- but time is not really a big pressure right now...
 

Redbeard 17/17 hp AC 15

"When the time be right would ye like me to use make a mist to cover our entrance?" Redbeard asks. "Ye don't think that hidden passage leads to this room? We wouldn't want foes sneakin up behind us."
 

Pauly "The Psion"

"Judging from the floors, I think it is safe to say that our advisaries do not know of these tunnels." Says Pauly in a careful tone as he takes a careful eye to the passage ways. "And that can be to our advantage." He says to the group. Sparking another tinder twig he gives the group an eager smile and says, "The priests can wait."
 

Redbeard

Redbeard hesitates to follow Pauly into the tunnel at first. "Perhaps this is leadin' to tha room with the carrion an' priests. They might not be havin' found it yet." Redbeard then follows any who enter into the tunnel.

[sblock=ooc]I'll use survival skill to try and determine whether the open tunnel moves along the room with the undead. Survival +9.[/sblock]
 

Redbeard is able to determine that the passage to the north is at least going the right direction. Broderick's darkvision is able to see that the passage goes about 50' north, before ending in another heavy oak door.
 

Larren groans at the thought of more battle. "I wonder how many guys are in there that they're not telling us about. Oh well, guess we'll find out. But before we charge in, does anyone need healing? I didn't get much chance to cast in that last battle, so I'm all charged up."
 

"Hold lads, let's let Jillian here take a look at this lock before we go ahead' off otherwise. Best to know if we hove more'n one way ter go" suggests Broderick.
 

Redbeard

"I be fine Larren. Yes, let the elf girl check out that lock. I still say we go ahead and see if this here passage leads to the room with the priests and carrion."
 

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