(Adventure) To Delmon's Aid (Creamsteak Judging)

[Uriel]

Velbrik examines the feral monk as well.

Knowledge (arcana) +8, bardic knowledge +5

The Monk, from what you can gather, has been transformed very recently to his current state.
perhaps this one had more WIll and was fighting the alien nature of the transformation, or perhaps he was merely going through the last stages of it when you came along.

 

[GnomeWorks]

Troi shrugs. "Might be, Thurgan, but I dunno if we've got th' stuff ta do that, y'know? Th' guy who's doin' this prolly knows what he's doin'..."

OoC: Uriel - was only Velbrik able to ascertain that, or did Troi, too?

 

[WizWrm]

Velbrik says, "It looks like he was recently transformed into this state. Either he was in the last stages of the transformation, or he was fighting it somehow."

 

[Uriel]

OoC:If you folks didn't see in the discussion thread, Im off for a week of gencon West, see you all monday.

Troi made the guess about the recent nature of the transformation as well, GW.

 

[Keia]

OoC:If you folks didn't see in the discussion thread, Im off for a week of gencon West, see you all monday.

OOC: Enjoy!

 

[Uriel]

OoC:Back all...

IC

Thurgan clearly hears the sound of chanting and the pound of drums now, growing louder with each passing minute.
Openingthe far door, he sees a short passage that ends in a far door, this one open. As the other Companions crowd around, they too can make out what is clearly chanting and drumming. Something is happening down that passageway, something unnatural.

Creeping to the far end, the Companions can see a short flight of steps down, perhaps ten feet, these leading into an open chamber from whence difusseed light seems to be eminating. From the angle at the top of the stairs, it is impossible to get a look at what is within the chamber.
The sound of the drumming is quite loud at this point,pounding a primative tattoo throughout the air, rattling the teeth in your heads.

OoC:Awesome drawn map to follow. The dotted line represents the extent of what you can see of the chamber from your position at the top of the stairs.

 

[Uriel]

Map...

 

[GnomeWorks]

"Dunno if I like th' looks a this." Troi observes quietly. "Kinda creepy, y'know? I hope th' others are around somewhere..."

He cautiously peers into the darkness. "Hmm... y'know, these are th' kinda times I wish I'da learned how ta sneak around a little more. I can move around quiet-like, sure, but I dunno if I can do th' hidin' thing..."

He shrugs. "Worth givin' it a shot, though, eh? I'm gonna head on in a little ways, check th' lay a th' land an' whatnot. If ya hear fightin', chances are it's me in trouble." He smiles.

With that, he heads for the bottom of the stairs, moving as quietly as possible, as well as trying to blend in with the walls or shadows or whatever else presents itself as cover. As he goes he listens for any distinctive sounds.

Listen +7, Move Silently +8, Hide +2.

 

[Keia]

"Ya think yer goin' alone, yer mistaken," Thurgan rumbled quietly. "Them drums sound like trouble, so I mena ta creep down there with ya."

Thurgan let Troi head down first counted to three, then headed down himself as quietly as he could.

Listen +5, Move Silently +2, Hide +2, Spot +5.

 

[Uriel]

Creeping forward, Troi and Thurgan descend the steps, their forms pressed against the walls, trying to remain out of sight.

What they see in the chamber is chilling.
A long room, perhaps once a storage or meditation chamber has been horribly desecrated.

Perhaps a score of enemies are within, Feral Orcs and Monks as well as a few other humans. On a makeshift alter (created from a dining table perhaps) lays a stripped-down man. Several Ferals hover around him, as well as another man, one in a brown robe. Something familiar strikes Troi about the man...

Past this gathering is a short staircase against one wall, ending about 10 feet up at a platform with a door set into the wall (this is opposite where the Companions stand).

Six of the Ferals are engaged in drumming and the rest seem oblivious to the spying of the pair and suddenly the drumming reaches a crescendo, the robed man snarls and plunges his back-taloned hand downwards,into the chest of the sacrificial victim.
A bloody arm shoots skywards, a mass of pulsating flesh held tightly, the heart of the man...

With a howl,those gathered around begin feeding on the now dead man in a frenzy of bloodlust.