Strife in Sokara - A solo game for Brother Shatterstone

"Certainly, if you'd like." Hestia looks a little surprised by Brystasia's request, but pleased as well. "I'll warn you, I'm not a good teacher..."

"I don't like the dagger, and this book bothers me even more. There's something about the language that seems too familiar..." Ged pages through the book again, a deep frown settling on his brow. "Whoever owns this either has very poor taste, or has something nefarious in mind. I personally suspect the latter."

"I think that means he agrees with you." Hestia teases. "If we take them for now, we can stop anyone using them against us, if they're evil. And if they're not, we can put 'em back."

Bryastasia Purelove: Half-Nymph/Female (Gestalt:Holy Warrior/Rogue)

Brystasia gives a thoughtful frown but she reluctantly nods her head in agreement, “I’m very afraid it’s the right choice in the matter. If in the end we’ve made an error and confiscated an innocent persons stuff then we will simply have to make amends later on…”

Dropping her head she whispers a small silent prayer for guidance and forgiveness and she quickly gatherers her share of the items and places them in her backpack.

When finished gather her items she looks thoughtfully to her companions, “We still have the caller to explore but we also have this book, and various other facts, that could point to more than we could handle. Something is not right here, but if we leave now and have the book looked at then we might miss are chance as someone could very well discover that we where indeed here.” With a look of grim resolve, “We should not delay in discovering the true facts behind this undead menace. I suggest we go to the cellar now.”

"I agree." Ged says, handing the book back to Brystasia. "We can afford no delay in finishing our search of the building. If someone finds that..." He looks to the now rather worse for ware chest. "... they'll have time to flee, or conceil whatever they've been doing."

"We'd better be quick, then. We made enough noise opening the chest that anyone roaming about these parts will have heard us." Hestia notes as she carefully places the vials into her backpack. She look over, then feels inside the sack, making a small surprised sound.

"There's something in here..." She pulls out a small, grey fuzzy ball. "Odd thing to have in a bag."

**********

The set of stairs beyond the skeleton sweeper's room takes the group back down to the ground floor and into another short passageway. Both the stairs and the ground-floor passageway are dusty like the rest of the lower story, and footprints lead down the stairs and along the passageway to the door at the far end. Ged opens it, to reveal the backstage area dominated by the masterfully painted backdrop.

With Brystasia taking the lead, the group quickly makes its way across the stage, along the dressing room hallway, past the foul-smelling corpse of the creature that attacked Ged earlier, and to the stairs down to the cellar. Hestia holds the torch low, looking down the stairway.

"Look, no dust at the bottom..."

Bryastasia Purelove: Half-Nymph/Female (Gestalt:Holy Warrior/Rogue)

Looking determined Brystasia nods her head at Hestia words and replies in little more than a whisper but her quite words carry a convinced tone, “Someone certainly wants everyone to believe that this theater is empty but judging by the lack of beds I think our occult is just beginning to operate here.”

She points to herself and then down the stairs, “Let me look around, but stay close, and remember no undo risks.”

Pulling her two blades out and keeping low to the ground Brystasia proceeds down the stairs into the unknown hoping that her grace and keen eyes will alert her to any dangers.

Brystasia leads the way down the stairs as quietly as possible. She steps down from the bottom stair onto the stone floor of the cellar, only to hear the rattle of bones. As she looks first to her left, then to her right, she sees two skeletons stepping forwards from the shadowy corners of the basement room...


(OoC: Due to a good spot roll, Brystasia's not surprised.)

Bryastasia Purelove: Half-Nymph/Female (Gestalt:Holy Warrior/Rogue)

Using the tip of her blade Brystasia silently points out the two skeletons to her companions but she stays on the defensive placing herself where she can help protect Hestia.

Ged brings his sword smashing down through the ribcage of the skeleton to your right. Even with the undead's lack of flesh, his blade seems to prove effective, as the skeleton staggers back a few steps.

Before Brystasia can move to protect Hestia, she's taken hold of the crystal tear-drop pendant around her neck, and lifted it high into the air.

"Morwyn, give these souls back to the rest they deserve!" She shouts, and painfully bright white light floods the room. The skeletons are reduced to ash in seconds, although the glowing afterimages remain in everyone's vision for several moments longer.

"Ah..." Ged sounds surprised, and he looks at Hestia with renewed respect. "Truly, you are blessed." Hestia smiles at his words, letting the pendant fall back to her chest.


(OoC: Annoyingly high initiative rolls from everyone apart from the skeletons... Ged dealt 4 points of damage, and then Hestia rolled high on her turn undead attempt.)

Bryastasia Purelove: Half-Nymph/Female (Gestalt:Holy Warrior/Rogue)

Brystasia gives Hestia a knowing smile as Ged flatters and discovers newfound respect for her before she pips in with her own flowing praise, “Indeed you did just wonderfully.”

With her keen eyes Brystasia glances around the room, and threw the little remains of the skeletons, quickly looking for anything out of place or of interest.

Hestia smiles back at Brystasia as Ged joins her in her search of the room. It yields little, other than two more brooms propped up against the wall close to the door.

The door itself proves to be something of an oddity, however. It's has a very solid look to it, being made of oak studded with iron rivets. There's a large keyhole beside the door's latch, but she can hear no sound from the other side.

"Why would a theater need a door like this?" Ged ponders. "Shall we try to open it?"

Bryastasia Purelove: Half-Nymph/Female (Gestalt:Holy Warrior/Rogue)

Brystasia shrugs her slender shoulders as she quietly address Ged, “To my knowledge, mind you it’s fairly limited, there is really no reason to have a door like this in a theater…” Her blues eyes seem lost in thought as she continues, “Is it possible that the owner had more invested in just a simple theater?”

As she waiting for his reply Brystasia bends down and stats to look the door over.