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<blockquote data-quote="Lwaxy" data-source="post: 5731826" data-attributes="member: 53286"><p>"A stranger? Maybe we should ask for help. We need to inform the town, too." Always the practical mind, Cajun thought for a moment. "Maybe Wilbur can carry a message? We can hide and wait somewhere, not wise for us to go in there alone, if at all."</p><p></p><p>"Wilbur is a hawk, not a pidgeon," Samin complained. </p><p></p><p>"Maybe the r-riders of these h-horses and, from the l-looks of it, p-pack p-ponies are b-back home already." Mook pointed to empty saddle bags. "They are d-d-dead for at least a d-day, likely m-more, a-and if no one is w-waiting to s-see if we r-run into any p-p-pranks, which is unlikely a-after this happened, th-they should be at l-least close to home." </p><p></p><p>"Why didn't they try to stop us and warn us, though?" Cajun shook his head. "If there is a dangerouns predator about..." </p><p></p><p>"Maybe n-not. You f-f-forgot something." Mook pointed to the evidence. "The ske-ske-skeleton. I think I k-know why this is a ske-ske-skeleton and not a co-co-corpse."</p><p></p><p>"Care to enlighten us?" Zaza didn't like the tendency of her friend to turn her discoveries into lectures or guessing games. </p><p></p><p>"It was a ske-ske-skeleton attack. The wounds w-would fit..."</p><p></p><p>Cajun burst out in laughter. "Undead? Here? There were no undead around for decades!" </p><p></p><p>"Not that we know of," Samin corrected, looking worried. "Let's head back and get help."</p><p></p><p>Right then, something came crashing down the slope with a loud curse and dropped hard to the ground. Whirling around, the group saw Samin's father in a heap of dust. "Ohh darn. Ouch. Hah, I knew something would happen and you would need my assistance," the bard exclaimed. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>A bit down the valley, a well armed short figure on a proud warhorse was approaching, following the increasing glow of his sapphire amulet. A heirloom of his father, the hero of many adventures, the new initiated Pathfinder and paladin Bjön was determined to rat out undead and other evils while exploring the world. And it looked as if one of his first steps was close by. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>"No one has come back to the village, we thought they would be watching you maneuvering fake traps," the bard explained to the young people. "If the mounts are dead, maybe they are, too, or at least need our assistance. We can't wait to get more help. As bad as this is, we should at least check out the entrance to the crypt." His eyes fell on his son. "You and Zaza should probably stay here while we..." </p><p></p><p>"And have no one to protect us? We are just two, and have no idea how to survive out here if something happens to you either." Zaza's protest was so loud mook took a look around if any evil might have heard them. </p><p></p><p>"I'm not leaving my sister outside," Cajun growled. "Nor my best friend."</p><p></p><p>"You rather want them inside?" Teltz countered. </p><p></p><p>"I want them safe. We should go," Cajun insisted, folding his arms. "What could a few of us do if there are really undead? Or anything else dangerous?" Then he frowned. "Why were you even following us? Do we look that incompetent not to be able to bring a simple flame back?"</p><p></p><p>While they were arguing, Mook had followed her wolf to the entrance of the crypt and peaked through the doors. It was too dark to see much. Her low-light vision only let her see some bones close to the door, likely from more broken apart skeletons. "H-help me o-open the door, p-please," she said, eager to look for survivors. </p><p></p><p>While Teltz still explained how it came he was here, they automatically did as Mook asked. Slowly they pushed at the entrance. As the heavy doors swiung open, the faint light from outside revealed a long chamber with risen platforms on either side. A faded painting of Kassen wason the far wall. The room appeared to be the site of a gruesome battle, with two bodies piled in the center and a number of skeletons scattered around. An echoing wail could be heard somewhere in the distance, beyond this foul chamber.</p><p></p><p>"Oh my!" Zaza went all pale. "They are all dead!" </p><p></p><p>Out of surprise, forgetting all care, Cajun stepped inside, sniffing for living beings. Unfortunately, that was about what 6 skeletons not yet shattered did as well. Surprisingly quick, the undead things were rising from the chaos inside. Without thinking – again – Cajun let out a battle cry, took his greataxe and hammer and went rotating in the middle of the room, hacking at everything. With a scream, Zaza and Mook took cover left and right to the exit. The wolf vanished somewhere inside. Samin threw himself on the ground. Teltz drew his rapier, thinking of assisting the half-orc,. but deducted that it would be unwise to step into the way of the flailing blacksmith. </p><p></p><p>Some time later, Cajun noticed there were no more skeletons left to smash. Breathing heavily, he lowered his weapons, stumbling backwards over some bones into the middle of the room. Teltz was quick to follow him, grabbing a sunrod from his heavy backpack. In the pale light, them and the others soon could see the faces of two dead villagers. "Gerol and Vark," the bard said. "Friends of the mayor. They love to do the set ups for the Quest." </p><p></p><p>"Don't grown men have anything better to do?" Zaza growled. "But there are 6 bedrolls."</p><p></p><p>"So maybe there is a survivor." Teltz pointed to the back of the room. "I don't know who else came with them, but I intend to find him or her."</p><p></p><p>Dad, you and your hero complex," Samin mumbled. "There might be more of those things."</p><p></p><p>"Hah, and if!" Cajun looked all happy with himself. "I just took on 6 of those on my own. It can't be so hard. Maybe none of those wannabe pranksters was armed." </p><p></p><p>The wolf came back down the stairs to the platforms and whined in a confirming way. "Nothing u-p there," Mook said. "E-except 2 doors, he says."</p><p></p><p>Once more Zaza wished she could communicate with animals in such a way. "So can he tell us where the survivor went?"</p><p></p><p>"That w-way," Mook said, pointing to the left. </p><p></p><p>Not hesitating, the bard went up the short flight of stairs, followed by the wolf, Mook and Cajun. Samin sighed and looked at Zaza. "Wilbur says the rider he saw earlier is just outside," he called out. "Maybe we should wait?" </p><p></p><p>"What? Rider? You didn't tell me." Teltz stopped short. From outside, they could hear the angry whicker of a horse, then someone heavy getting off from it. Steps came closer, then a deep friendly voice called out. "In the name of Desna, I'm here to bring down the abominations of the undead. Are you of a righteous mind, or do you plague the world with evil?"</p><p></p><p>Oh dear," Teltz groaned, not sure if to be happy about the new arrival or not. "A paladin, if I have ever heard one."</p><p></p><p>"A p-paladin? Of D-desna?" Mook's face brightened in the light of the sunrod. She had never met a paladin in her life, but heard only good about them. "W-we are u-p here, about to l-look for survivors." </p><p></p><p>"Ah, yes." The paladin, an amulet on his chest spreading a silver light, took in the scenery. "Friends of yours?" A dwarf, they noticed, battleaxe in hand and wrapped in scale armor, a heavy shield at his side.</p><p></p><p>"Friends of our mayor. Those young folks here were supposed to do a traditional quest but now it's all a mess," the bard replied, resigned to the fact that he would not get rid of the paladin. And in truth, they could use the help. "Well met, stranger." He proceeded to introduce them in a hurry. </p><p></p><p>"Bjön," the paladin nodded as he came closer. He was surprisingly young for one owning an amulet like that. Yet he sure looked competent – at least more so than the bunch of youngsters. "My quest is to rid the world of undead where I find them. And other evils."</p><p></p><p>"You'll n-never finish," Mook couldn't help saying. </p><p></p><p>"No, but a paladin needs to have a goal, and that is mine. At least I'll never run out of work to do." The dwarf looked up at the bard. "Shall we?" </p><p></p><p>Teltz pushed at the alrerady half opened door and they went into the room behind. This large chamber contained a maze of pillars that obscured the far side of the room. Next to the door was a pile of empty saddlebags and three brooms.</p><p></p><p>"I can see, your people were preparing some fake adventure," Bjön deducted. "Little did they knew it would turn into something deadly for them." </p><p></p><p>Again, there was a wailing, louder this time. Zaza aqueaked and barely controlled herself no to hide behind the paladin. "Do undead make such noises?" she whispered. </p><p></p><p>"Or your survivor." The paladin went on, carefully looking for danger while doing so. Cajun went right past him though, trying to discern where the noise came from. He followed the next wail right, then left again to not end up in a dead end of the maze. A moment later, they could hear the sound of a wooden squeak and then the squeak of an orc. The noise of something heavy hitting something soft followed. "You are doing this for the first time, obviouslky," the paladin frowned, following the sound of the sprung trap. </p><p></p><p>They found Cajun on top of several stacked pillows at the bottom of a simple trap door pit. Amazingly, he was unconscious and a large bump was forming where his head had hit the edge of the trap. "Unbelievable," Samin chuckled, not really worried. Cajun's head was hard. "He comes tumbling down the whole slope with only a few scratches, and then this harmless mock trap knocks him out?"</p><p></p><p>"I c-can't wake him u-up!" Mook and the wolf, the latter licking Cajun's face, were down in the trap now. </p><p></p><p>"Maybe we should leave him here and pick him up later," the dwarf suggested. "Bit of a hot head, no? Can be dangerous in here."</p><p></p><p>"He d-dismantled 6 ske-ske-skeletons," Mook disagreed. </p><p></p><p>"What's with the stutter?" Bjön frowned. "Ever tried to sing instead of talk? Helps most of the time.At least it did it for my brother." </p><p></p><p>"I c-can't sing. I t-tried," Mook sighed. </p><p></p><p>"Indeed," the bard agreed. "And none of us wants her to try again." </p><p></p><p>The paladin considered this, then nodded. "Well, if he does not wake up, maybe his sister can stay with him until he does and then they can follow us."</p><p></p><p>"Can't you just heal him? I thought paladins could do that," Samin asked. </p><p></p><p>"Only a few times a day, and I'm afraid I already had to heal someone earlier today."</p><p></p><p>"Well, we can't get a potion into him while he's not awake," Zaza sounded disappointed. "And a few potions for accidents is all they gave us." </p><p></p><p>"W..wait with him here until h-he w-waked th-then give him the p-potion," Mook suggested. "Dadawin w-wil stay with you and lead you to u-us later. H-he can w-warn you of any danger t-too."</p><p></p><p>Zaza wasn't happy with this, but wouldn't leave her brother either. So she nodded, and when the others moved on, she carefully, closed the trap door above them so no evil would find them easily. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Not too long later, the rest of the unlikely group found an exist south of the room. The wailing seemed to come from behind. The door was locked. Attempts by the paladin to push it open were met with too much resistance, and the bard's attempt to disable it didn't go well either. "What now?" Samin asked. </p><p></p><p>"You are a wizard, right? Don't you have a knock spell? There must be some way to let the 4 of you through or your whole quest would be pointless." The paladin looked around to see if there was anything else to open the door with. </p><p></p><p>"Sorry," Samin sighed. "That's one spell I was never interested in. I'll get to that when we get home." </p><p></p><p>"Great. Looks like we'll need to go back to the entrance and take the other door then," the bard growled. "I can't do that either." </p><p></p><p>After a bit of discussion, they did just that. On their way back, they shouted to the two under the trap door about the change of plans, and the wolf howled an answer. </p><p></p><p>Under the trap door, Zaza had just fainted from panic as she heard approaching steps, not thinking that it could be the party returning and not noticing the lack of the wolf's reactions. So the wolf was the only one who heard them.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lwaxy, post: 5731826, member: 53286"] "A stranger? Maybe we should ask for help. We need to inform the town, too." Always the practical mind, Cajun thought for a moment. "Maybe Wilbur can carry a message? We can hide and wait somewhere, not wise for us to go in there alone, if at all." "Wilbur is a hawk, not a pidgeon," Samin complained. "Maybe the r-riders of these h-horses and, from the l-looks of it, p-pack p-ponies are b-back home already." Mook pointed to empty saddle bags. "They are d-d-dead for at least a d-day, likely m-more, a-and if no one is w-waiting to s-see if we r-run into any p-p-pranks, which is unlikely a-after this happened, th-they should be at l-least close to home." "Why didn't they try to stop us and warn us, though?" Cajun shook his head. "If there is a dangerouns predator about..." "Maybe n-not. You f-f-forgot something." Mook pointed to the evidence. "The ske-ske-skeleton. I think I k-know why this is a ske-ske-skeleton and not a co-co-corpse." "Care to enlighten us?" Zaza didn't like the tendency of her friend to turn her discoveries into lectures or guessing games. "It was a ske-ske-skeleton attack. The wounds w-would fit..." Cajun burst out in laughter. "Undead? Here? There were no undead around for decades!" "Not that we know of," Samin corrected, looking worried. "Let's head back and get help." Right then, something came crashing down the slope with a loud curse and dropped hard to the ground. Whirling around, the group saw Samin's father in a heap of dust. "Ohh darn. Ouch. Hah, I knew something would happen and you would need my assistance," the bard exclaimed. A bit down the valley, a well armed short figure on a proud warhorse was approaching, following the increasing glow of his sapphire amulet. A heirloom of his father, the hero of many adventures, the new initiated Pathfinder and paladin Bjön was determined to rat out undead and other evils while exploring the world. And it looked as if one of his first steps was close by. "No one has come back to the village, we thought they would be watching you maneuvering fake traps," the bard explained to the young people. "If the mounts are dead, maybe they are, too, or at least need our assistance. We can't wait to get more help. As bad as this is, we should at least check out the entrance to the crypt." His eyes fell on his son. "You and Zaza should probably stay here while we..." "And have no one to protect us? We are just two, and have no idea how to survive out here if something happens to you either." Zaza's protest was so loud mook took a look around if any evil might have heard them. "I'm not leaving my sister outside," Cajun growled. "Nor my best friend." "You rather want them inside?" Teltz countered. "I want them safe. We should go," Cajun insisted, folding his arms. "What could a few of us do if there are really undead? Or anything else dangerous?" Then he frowned. "Why were you even following us? Do we look that incompetent not to be able to bring a simple flame back?" While they were arguing, Mook had followed her wolf to the entrance of the crypt and peaked through the doors. It was too dark to see much. Her low-light vision only let her see some bones close to the door, likely from more broken apart skeletons. "H-help me o-open the door, p-please," she said, eager to look for survivors. While Teltz still explained how it came he was here, they automatically did as Mook asked. Slowly they pushed at the entrance. As the heavy doors swiung open, the faint light from outside revealed a long chamber with risen platforms on either side. A faded painting of Kassen wason the far wall. The room appeared to be the site of a gruesome battle, with two bodies piled in the center and a number of skeletons scattered around. An echoing wail could be heard somewhere in the distance, beyond this foul chamber. "Oh my!" Zaza went all pale. "They are all dead!" Out of surprise, forgetting all care, Cajun stepped inside, sniffing for living beings. Unfortunately, that was about what 6 skeletons not yet shattered did as well. Surprisingly quick, the undead things were rising from the chaos inside. Without thinking – again – Cajun let out a battle cry, took his greataxe and hammer and went rotating in the middle of the room, hacking at everything. With a scream, Zaza and Mook took cover left and right to the exit. The wolf vanished somewhere inside. Samin threw himself on the ground. Teltz drew his rapier, thinking of assisting the half-orc,. but deducted that it would be unwise to step into the way of the flailing blacksmith. Some time later, Cajun noticed there were no more skeletons left to smash. Breathing heavily, he lowered his weapons, stumbling backwards over some bones into the middle of the room. Teltz was quick to follow him, grabbing a sunrod from his heavy backpack. In the pale light, them and the others soon could see the faces of two dead villagers. "Gerol and Vark," the bard said. "Friends of the mayor. They love to do the set ups for the Quest." "Don't grown men have anything better to do?" Zaza growled. "But there are 6 bedrolls." "So maybe there is a survivor." Teltz pointed to the back of the room. "I don't know who else came with them, but I intend to find him or her." Dad, you and your hero complex," Samin mumbled. "There might be more of those things." "Hah, and if!" Cajun looked all happy with himself. "I just took on 6 of those on my own. It can't be so hard. Maybe none of those wannabe pranksters was armed." The wolf came back down the stairs to the platforms and whined in a confirming way. "Nothing u-p there," Mook said. "E-except 2 doors, he says." Once more Zaza wished she could communicate with animals in such a way. "So can he tell us where the survivor went?" "That w-way," Mook said, pointing to the left. Not hesitating, the bard went up the short flight of stairs, followed by the wolf, Mook and Cajun. Samin sighed and looked at Zaza. "Wilbur says the rider he saw earlier is just outside," he called out. "Maybe we should wait?" "What? Rider? You didn't tell me." Teltz stopped short. From outside, they could hear the angry whicker of a horse, then someone heavy getting off from it. Steps came closer, then a deep friendly voice called out. "In the name of Desna, I'm here to bring down the abominations of the undead. Are you of a righteous mind, or do you plague the world with evil?" Oh dear," Teltz groaned, not sure if to be happy about the new arrival or not. "A paladin, if I have ever heard one." "A p-paladin? Of D-desna?" Mook's face brightened in the light of the sunrod. She had never met a paladin in her life, but heard only good about them. "W-we are u-p here, about to l-look for survivors." "Ah, yes." The paladin, an amulet on his chest spreading a silver light, took in the scenery. "Friends of yours?" A dwarf, they noticed, battleaxe in hand and wrapped in scale armor, a heavy shield at his side. "Friends of our mayor. Those young folks here were supposed to do a traditional quest but now it's all a mess," the bard replied, resigned to the fact that he would not get rid of the paladin. And in truth, they could use the help. "Well met, stranger." He proceeded to introduce them in a hurry. "Bjön," the paladin nodded as he came closer. He was surprisingly young for one owning an amulet like that. Yet he sure looked competent – at least more so than the bunch of youngsters. "My quest is to rid the world of undead where I find them. And other evils." "You'll n-never finish," Mook couldn't help saying. "No, but a paladin needs to have a goal, and that is mine. At least I'll never run out of work to do." The dwarf looked up at the bard. "Shall we?" Teltz pushed at the alrerady half opened door and they went into the room behind. This large chamber contained a maze of pillars that obscured the far side of the room. Next to the door was a pile of empty saddlebags and three brooms. "I can see, your people were preparing some fake adventure," Bjön deducted. "Little did they knew it would turn into something deadly for them." Again, there was a wailing, louder this time. Zaza aqueaked and barely controlled herself no to hide behind the paladin. "Do undead make such noises?" she whispered. "Or your survivor." The paladin went on, carefully looking for danger while doing so. Cajun went right past him though, trying to discern where the noise came from. He followed the next wail right, then left again to not end up in a dead end of the maze. A moment later, they could hear the sound of a wooden squeak and then the squeak of an orc. The noise of something heavy hitting something soft followed. "You are doing this for the first time, obviouslky," the paladin frowned, following the sound of the sprung trap. They found Cajun on top of several stacked pillows at the bottom of a simple trap door pit. Amazingly, he was unconscious and a large bump was forming where his head had hit the edge of the trap. "Unbelievable," Samin chuckled, not really worried. Cajun's head was hard. "He comes tumbling down the whole slope with only a few scratches, and then this harmless mock trap knocks him out?" "I c-can't wake him u-up!" Mook and the wolf, the latter licking Cajun's face, were down in the trap now. "Maybe we should leave him here and pick him up later," the dwarf suggested. "Bit of a hot head, no? Can be dangerous in here." "He d-dismantled 6 ske-ske-skeletons," Mook disagreed. "What's with the stutter?" Bjön frowned. "Ever tried to sing instead of talk? Helps most of the time.At least it did it for my brother." "I c-can't sing. I t-tried," Mook sighed. "Indeed," the bard agreed. "And none of us wants her to try again." The paladin considered this, then nodded. "Well, if he does not wake up, maybe his sister can stay with him until he does and then they can follow us." "Can't you just heal him? I thought paladins could do that," Samin asked. "Only a few times a day, and I'm afraid I already had to heal someone earlier today." "Well, we can't get a potion into him while he's not awake," Zaza sounded disappointed. "And a few potions for accidents is all they gave us." "W..wait with him here until h-he w-waked th-then give him the p-potion," Mook suggested. "Dadawin w-wil stay with you and lead you to u-us later. H-he can w-warn you of any danger t-too." Zaza wasn't happy with this, but wouldn't leave her brother either. So she nodded, and when the others moved on, she carefully, closed the trap door above them so no evil would find them easily. Not too long later, the rest of the unlikely group found an exist south of the room. The wailing seemed to come from behind. The door was locked. Attempts by the paladin to push it open were met with too much resistance, and the bard's attempt to disable it didn't go well either. "What now?" Samin asked. "You are a wizard, right? Don't you have a knock spell? There must be some way to let the 4 of you through or your whole quest would be pointless." The paladin looked around to see if there was anything else to open the door with. "Sorry," Samin sighed. "That's one spell I was never interested in. I'll get to that when we get home." "Great. Looks like we'll need to go back to the entrance and take the other door then," the bard growled. "I can't do that either." After a bit of discussion, they did just that. On their way back, they shouted to the two under the trap door about the change of plans, and the wolf howled an answer. Under the trap door, Zaza had just fainted from panic as she heard approaching steps, not thinking that it could be the party returning and not noticing the lack of the wolf's reactions. So the wolf was the only one who heard them. [/QUOTE]
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