Company of the Random Encounter ('complete' 14 Nov 2004)

[Capellan]

Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 8

The next morning, the group enjoys a leisurely breakfast while attempting to decide what they should do nezt. Captain Jarrek had been unable to offer them any further employment when they saw him the previous day, and they have no other leads at hand.

The Padre is suggesting - with little enthusiasm - that they might look for the missing cat, when Ai Quan and his female student, Ming Li, enter the inn.

"Excellent! I am very glad to have found you!" Ai Quan approaches their table immediately, "You said yesterday that you were adventurers. If so, I have need of you. Ai Ling went into the caves of challenge yesterday, and has not returned. I fear he is in danger. I am barred from entering the caves myself, and Ming Li does not yet have the skills to enter alone."

"Sure we can help ..." Mantreus leans forward, "But what's in it for us?"

Ai Quan spreads his hands,

"We are simple monks, and do not carry many possessions, but whatever I can find, I will give to you. Plus of course, you would be free to keep anything you find in the caves?"

"Does that include your student?" Mantreus quips. He mimes holding something up by the scruff of the neck, "We found him, we keep him?"

"What, you want another pet?" Elspeth asks, nodding at the halfling.

Ai Quan ignores them both, waiting for an answer to his plea.

"We'll do it." the Padre stands and turns to Elspeth, "We could use your help. Want to join us?"

The Ranger nods, and with that, Ai Quan, Ming Li, and the reinforced group set off into the woods, first heading back to where they met on the path the day before, and then travelling further into the high ground, till at last they pass two boulders and approach a small cliff face.

"Stop!" Ai Quan calls, pointing at a mass of green vines that cover part of the cliff. "The entrance is just there, but that is fetterweed across it."

Fetterweed, the old monk explains, is a carnivorous plant that attacks by striking prey with its vines, which secret a sedative-laced sap. Only by finding the trunk of the plant and destroying it, will the vines - which can stretch for hundreds of years - be rendered inert.

The group wastes no time in tracking the vines back to the trunk of the tree: with two Rangers amongst their number it is no challenge to do so. The trunk is over 10' thick and covered in a tough membrane, surrounded by a thick matt of vines. Near the trunk itself, the group can see the remains of a body.

The group spends a considerable amount of time discussing strategies for attacking the fetterweed. They manage to determine that it senses the vibrations of passing creatures, though quite what a spectator would have thought of their experimental method - Stormstrider jumping up and down on the spot - is anyone's guess.

"Maybe we could set fire to it?" the Padre suggested.

"The plant's vines run for hundreds of yards." Ai Quan reminds him.

"Not seeing the problem. It'll all burn."

"The forest would catch fire."

"Still not seeing the problem."

"You are in the forest."

"OK. Now seeing the problem."

"Maybe we could use bows to shoot it?" Elspeth suggests.

Ai Quan shakes his head.

"There are too many vines in the way."

This will become a familiar refrain for the old man, as no less than three other party members subsequently make variations on the same suggestion.

Slings? There are too many vines in the way.

Crossbows? There are too many vines in the way.

Throwing Axes? You don't have any, and even if you did, there are too many vines in the way!

Eventually, it is Ming Li who suggests that, while they may not want to set the creature alight, they might be able to fend off the tentacles with flaming torches, and thus get close enough to the trunk of the fetterweed to destroy it.

Though an hour in the making, the plan takes less than fifteen seconds to succeed. The group charges in as a tight bunch, waving torches to fend off the vines, then hacking into the trunk with their weapons. The skin of the plant is no match for the group's steel and Ming Li's fists, and it is soon destroyed.

With the fetterweed no longer a threat, the group checks the body they spotted earlier, finding it to be that of a female dressed in leather armour and carrying a scimitar. The body has a handful of gold coins and a wooden druidic token (carved with the emblem of Obad-Hai) in its pouch. The group pockets these in short order, then heads back to the entrance of the cave.

Arriving there, they find that the vines here have collapsed to the ground with the death of the fetterweed, and they are free to enter. They decide not to do so immediately, however, spending an hour resting and recuperating from their battle with the fetterweed (which only inflicted some light subdual damage on them).

And then, shouldering their packs, they enter ... the caves of challenge.

They still haven't asked the halfling her name, though.

 

[Capellan]

Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 9

There follows an extended debate about who should carry the lantern. This and other vital social questions occupy several minutes, but eventually the group manages to get organised and get into the cave.

Where they promptly debate whether it might be wiser to leave and ask Ai Quan whether he has any advice; or indeed, whether they even can leave, now that they are inside. In the end, they decide to press on.

At least until they get to the first room.

Then they stop and linger at the doorway, apparently loath to enter. The chamber is circular, and about 40' across. At the centre of the room they can see a status of a muscular male monk, while beyond that are five doors set in the curve of the wall, all of which presumably lead deeper into the caves. As the seconds tick by without anything leaping out to attack them, the party slowly edge into the room.

Well, all except the Padre, who continues to fool around at the tunnel entrance. Isn't that just like a Priest?

Eventually, the Padre deigns to join the others in the chamber. At which point the tunnel promptly seals shut behind him, becoming a solid wall of rock.

"You cannot leave the caves until your task is complete." The voice booms from the statue in the middle of the room.

Mantreus - for reasons known only to himself - wonders aloud if anyone else finds the statue to be "studly". Much laughter ensues at his expense.

Spreading out, the group starts to search the room, with Mantreus and the halfling-with-no-name checking the two left-most doors for traps. Finding none, they for some reason neglect to search the remaining three. Instead they turn their attention to the statue, which proves to have a second face set into the back of its head.

"Two-faced." Ming Li says, as if it bears some deep significance to her.

As if in answer, this second face suddenly speaks,

"Forever, you shall be as noble as your purpose."

"Uh ..." The group looks at one other. There are several shrugs.

Putting the statue's cryptic remark out of their minds, the party turn their attention to the doors once more. Having determined that the two left-most doors are trap-free, they try to open the third one - which they hadn't checked. It turns out to be locked, as does the fourth - which they also failed to check.

Turning their attention back to the leftmost door, they find it unlocked. The Padre moves so as to cover the door with his crossbow while Elspeth turns the handle. The door swings open onto a dark and narrow tunnel. After a moment, the group hears the shuffle of bare feet approaching through the darkness. From the slow, dragging sounds of the movement, the party quickly guess that there are zombies on the way. However, the halfling - and thus the group's lantern - is some distance from the door, and thus they cannot see far enough down the tunnel to confirm their guess.

"Hey you! Halfling!" Elspeth yells from next to the open door. "Bring that lantern over here!" Then she suddenly pauses, as long-rusted social skills suddenly grind into action, "Uh, I mean, could you please come over here? And uh ... what should we call you?"

The halfling, it turns out, is named Rose.

 

[Capellan]

Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 10

Rose moves up to the doorway, and the light spilling into the tunnel reveals the approaching creatures to be zombies, just as the party has surmised. There are two of the beasts, shuffling slowly forward on bare and wrinkled feet.

"Yaaaaaaaarrrh!" Elspeth draws her blades and charges straight down the narrow tunnel. Her scimitar strikes wide, but the shortsword in her left hand bites deeply into the first zombie. The creature comes to a stop, staggered by the blow, and swipes back in response, but its claws scrape weakly across Elspeth's armour.

"Back foul beasts, in the name of St Cuthbert!" the Padre lowers his crossbow and invokes the holy might of his deity, but proves unable to properly focus his will: neither of the two zombies seems to have been affected.

"Elspeth!" Mantreus calls, crossbow to his shoulder, "Pull back! I can't get a clear shot!"

And indeed it is clear that the elf's sudden charge has left her alone in battle with the undead. The dank tunnel is only a few feet wide, with no space for anyone to stand beside her, and she is squarely in the way of any missile fire the group may attempt.

Begrudgingly, Elspeth retreats back into the room, forming a cordon at the tunnel entrance with Stormstrider, Rose and Ming Li. With the way now open, the Padre raises his crossbow again and looses a bolt that takes the lead zombie right between the eyes. The creature rocks back, but then presses forward again, the crossbow bolt bobbing up and down with each shuffling step.

It is not much longer for this world, however, as it is cut to pieces within moments of emerging into the room. The rangers and the monk combine with brutal efficiency to strike it down, and just as quickly dispose of the second beast, which manages only to claw futilely at Stormstrider's armour before Ming Li crushes its skull with her quarterstaff.

With the threat destroyed, the group quickly explore the tunnel from which the beasts emerge, but it proves to be a simple dead end, terminating at a small and featureless chamber.

Stifling his revulsion, Mantreus gingerly picks through the zombie's clothing, and discovers an ornate key in the pocket of the second creature.

"Must be for one of the other doors." He surmises, "Maybe even all of them. Is that one locked?" he points at the nearest door - one that they have already checked for traps.

Elspeth tries the handle, and nods in response. So Mantreus moves up and inserts the key into the lock, then turns it.

There is a flash of light as the key vanishes, but there is also the soft click from the lock.

"Don't open it yet." Mantreus warns, as he and the Padre move to cover the door with their crossbows. "There might be more undead in there."

The group fans out, preparing for danger, and only once every is ready does Stormstrider step up and open the door.

The room beyond is small - only a few paces across - and the far wall is covered in a confusing array of levers and buttons. The group counts them rapidly:

"Twenty in all. Ten of each." Mantreus clucks his tongue, "Anyone got some dice?"

The Padre fixes the rogue with a stern look,

"That's a dangerous attitude." He disapproves, "We should look for other ways forward before we risk touching any of those contraptions."

Mantreus shrugs, quite evidently unabashed.

"Those two doors are locked," Ming Li indicates the other two doors they have already tried, "but we have not investigated that one there." She points at the door which is furthest to the right.

The group quickly agrees to her suggestion that they try opening it, and once more adopts a position of readiness, prepared in case of monsters bursting from whatever room is revealed.

Ming Li steps forward and tries the door. It opens easily, and the young monk has just enough time to register the blank stone wall behind it, before the pit trap opens beneath her feet.

 

[Capellan]

Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 11

Ming Li falls hard, landing in the bone-strewn bottom of a 20' pit trap. Battered but still conscious, she clambers to her feet as the concerned faces of her companions appear above her. Seeing the monk is alive, their thoughts of concern quickly give way to those of greed.

"Check the bodies for treasure." the Padre instructs, gesturing at the remains. "We'll get you a rope."

As Ming Li turns back to the bones, however, she sees them begin to stir, and then slowly rise upward, forming into the unmistakable shapes of undead skeletons.

Elspeth reacts fastest, pulling a rope from her backpack and throwing one end down to Ming Li. As the others dig for missile weapons, Mantreus raises his already loaded crossbow and fires a bolt down at the skeletons. However, his concern to fire wide of Ming Li spoils his arm, and the bolt shatters harmlessly against the stone at the bottom the pit.

"Abominations! Back to the graves from which you came!" the Padre once more invokes his god, but once more is unable to summon the strength to harm the undead creatures.

Ignoring the efforts of those above them, the three skeletons claw at Ming Li, two of them raking her badly with their bony hands.

Drawing on her last reserves of energy, the young monk unleashes a flurry of blows against the first skeleton. Her firsts slam against bone, reducing the creature's ribs and spine to powder, and it collapses at her feet.

While Elspeth continues to hold onto the rope she has cast down for Ming Li, the others loose a volley of missile weapons. Although their accuracy is reduced by the need to avoid the Monk, the party's sling bullets and crossbow bolts splinter one of the two skeletons to pieces.

The last creature attacks Ming Li again, but she has recovered from her surprise and easily evades its blows, retaliating with two swift strikes of her own. Moments later, shattered shards of bone are the only remnants of the undead threat.

Drawing a deep breath to centre herself, the young monk looks up, intending to thank her companions for their assistance.

"Check the bodies for treasure." the Padre instructs, gesturing at the remains. "We've got you a rope."

 

[Capellan]

Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 12

Ming Li discovers a long coil of silk rope under the remains of the skeletons, which she loops over her shoulder before clambering out of the pit. It doesn't seem much in the way of spoils for their troubles, but the group is not inclined to waste any treasure, no matter how scant.

"There's always those levers and buttons." Mantreus suggests, his fingers plainly itching to try one.

"Why don't we try the other doors, first?" the Padre is evidently unenthusiastic with Mantreus' suggestion. "I'm sure you and Rose will be up to the challenge of unlocking them."

With his talents on the line, Mantreus cannot afford to appear reluctant, and quickly kneels before the middle of the five doors. Rose moves to the other unopened door, and they each set to work.

Mantreus makes short work of his chosen lock, but Rose's choice proves a much more difficult challenge, and even after utilising every ounce of their skill, neither rogue is able to unlock it (Dm's note: in other words, Rose - who has the better skill bonus - tries taking 20).

Still reluctant to try the mysterious levers and buttons, the group readies to open the door that Mantreus succeeded in unlocking. As always, everyone is braced and ready, weapons to hand. Had there been any monsters in the tunnel beyond the door, they would surely have been intimidated.

As it is, however, the door opens onto a short corridor, at the end of which a stone face has been carved into the rock. To the left and right of the face are closed doors. There is another long discussion about whether it is safe to proceed, before the group heads into this corridor.

As they advance, the face animates - its eyes open, and it speaks:

"One door to lead you out, the other, to nothing. Answer this riddle and I will show you with way: what is bound, yet helps others to escape? You may each have one guess."

Someone opens their mouth, but the Padre clamps his hand across their lips and points silently back the way they came. Everyone dutifully filters back into the room, where the priest explains his action,

"I was concerned that anything we said might be taken as an answer, so I wanted to move out of earshot."

Although it's not clear how far the 'hearing' of an animated stone face would extend, the others agree that this seems like a reasonable precaution, and they settle down to the task of solving the riddle.

"A book." Elspeth says almost immediately. "It's bound, but it helps people to escape into their imaginations."

The others think this is a good answer, but they decide that it is better to come up with some alternative ideas before heading back into corridor. They do eventually come up with three more options, but none seem as strong as Elspeth's original suggestion, and the Elven ranger seems determined to give her answer a try, so the decision is made to try "a book" and see what happens.

The face smiles and replies,

"You have answered correctly. The left door is the way out."

Having successfully answered the riddle - and pointedly ignoring the extremely smug look on Elspeth's face - the group considers its options.

"It said that was the way out." The Padre frets, "But we don't want to leave yet. We still have to find the missing monk."

"Ai Ling." Ming Li reminds him of the young man's name. "Before we entered, my teacher told me that there was only one entrance to these caves. This seems strange if this door truly is the way out. It is not the path by which we entered."

Further discussion ensues as to the relative merits of trying the door they have been told is the "way out", but it seems no-one is willing to risk that it might truly be the exit. They all remember Ai Quan's explanation that the complex can only be entered once by each person.

Finally, with no other obvious path forward, the group returns to the bank of levers and buttons. Surprisingly, when it finally comes to the moment to try one, it is not the eager Mantreus who steps forward to do so, but the sceptical Padre.

Faced with no discernible clue as to the function of any of the levers or buttons before him, the Padre takes a deep breath and grabs hold of the most conveniently-placed lever. After a quiet word of prayer to his god, he pulls the lever down ... and promptly vanishes.

 

[Capellan]

Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 13

There is a moment of silence as everyone stares at the point where the Padre had been standing just a second before. There is no sign of the priest of St Cuthbert now, except that one of the ten levers has been moved from 'up' to 'down' position.

"Now what?" Stormstrider wants to know.

"Maybe if one of us moves the lever back, he'll reappear?" Mantreus suggests. Everyone simply looks back at him, and he sighs, "Fine. I'll do it."

Nervously, the rogue moves forward, unsure whether whatever force claimed the Padre is still in effect. Nothing untoward occurs, however, and he is just about to reach out to the lever when the missing priest suddenly reappears, looking tired.

"You're still here?" he exclaims in surprise.

"Still here? You've been gone less than a minute."

The Padre frowns,

"It felt much longer to me ... an hour at least. I was trapped in some kind of huge stone maze, empty and cold. I went looking for a way out, and when I finally found it, I reappeared here."

"Let's not play with that lever again, then." Mantreus decides, looking at the array in front of him, "Perhaps I'll try a button instead. Why don't you leave this room, just to be safe?"

He is, however, talking to empty air: the Padre scurried out as soon as any suggestion of further tampering was proposed.

"I shall try a button after you." Stormstrider assures Mantreus ... though such promises are easy to make from the safety of a different chamber.

Alone with the strange array, the rogue shrugs, reaches out; pauses for a moment; then randomly grabs a lever and pulls it down.

Magical energy blasts out of a corner of the room, a white bolt of force striking Mantreus unerringly, despite his desperate attempt to dodge out of the way.

Fortunately the wound, though serious, is not life-threatening, and Mantreus is able to exit the chamber, looking a little pale. The Padre immediately moves to his aid, then hesitates before deciding to sacrifice only an orison. The resulting cure minor wounds puts a little colour back in Mantreus' cheeks, but goes only a small way to healing the injury he has suffered.

Stormstrider suddenly seems much less eager to try his hand at the array, so the group has to reconsider their plan of action.

"You know," Mantreus remarks thoughtfully, "each time we activate that thing it only affects the person in the room. Why don't we try activating it from out here?" He points at the buttons. "If we hit one of those with a crossbow bolt, we should be able to activate it."

The others agree that it is worth a try, and Mantreus - as the originator of the plan - is given the honour of trying it out. He raises his crossbow to his shoulder, aims carefully ... and completely misses the button with one of the most embarrassing displays of marksmanship any of the group have ever seen. Red-faced, the rogue swiftly reloads and fires again.

This time the bolt strikes true. There is a black flash from inside the room as the button slides into place, but - far more importantly to the group - there is a clearly audible click from the lock on the only door they have not yet opened.

There are congratulations all round for Mantreus, and then the group adopts its usual practice when opening doors. As before however, there is no threat to greet them. Instead, the door opens onto a narrow flight of stairs, which runs down into the darkness.

The group immediately suspects a trap: no flight of stairs in such a place could be innocent, they decide. The steps will collapse, or turn into a ramp, or prove to be an illusion. They therefore decide that not everyone should venture down: apparently their logic is that it is better to have only half your group with you when you get ambushed, because that way fewer people will die. Or something.

In any event, the injured Mantreus and Ming Li both choose to remain in the current chamber, where it is hoped they will be safe. Just in case they do face some danger, Elspeth also remains, leaving the Stormstrider, Rose and the Padre to march through the door and into the darkness.

Seconds later, the door slams shut and the screaming begins.

 

[Capellan]

Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 14

The group were right: the steps do indeed turn into a ramp. This occurs just as the three adventurers reach the mid-point of the staircase. To add insult to injury, when the individual steps drop down, they reveal small openings in the wall. Out of these openings pours a slick and slippery flood of grease.

The Padre is at the rear. He falls on his back, but immediately jams both feet out against the narrow walls. This quick thinking allows him to lodge himself in place, though it does not prevent him from ending up doused in the foul-smelling grease.

Rose is next, and despite her innate dexterity, she is unable to keep her feet. Unfortunately, being smaller than the Padre, she is unable reach the walls and stop herself from sliding. She consequently shoots down the ramp, knocking Stormstrider off his feet as she goes. The two of them hurtle down into the darkness (Rose grimly holding onto the lantern as she goes). Both are braced for a bone-jarring impact, and are thus surprised to land in something soft and yielding.

This momentary relief turns to mounting horror, however, as they realise that they are both stuck fast in a giant spider web, and that their arrival has not gone unnoticed. A huge black spider, covered in thick hairs and nearly as large as a man, scuttles out of the darkness and toward the helpless adventurers.

Rose attempts to wriggle free of the sticky strands, but her skills as an escape artist are not up to the task, and the spider is rapidly bearing down upon her.

With a mighty shout, Stormstrider rips himself free of the confining web, his brute strength succeeding where Rose's skills and guile have failed. The action proves as much of a boon for the halfling as it does for the ranger, however, as the spider - no doubt attracted by the ferocity of his struggle - moves straight past Rose to attack him.

Stormstrider tries to fend the creature off with his weapons, but the spider rushes on, not in the least intimidated. It's mandibles, drooling poison, bite deep into the elf's leg.

Still on his back, lying on the stairs, the Padre calls upon his god to place a bane on the spider. It is a difficult position in which to cast spells, but he is able to focus his mind, and cast successfully. Seeing Stormstrider visibly wilt from the spider's poisonous bite, he can only hope his spell has affected the beast.

Meanwhile, the three who were let at the top of the stairs rush to the door and try to re-open it. To their relief, it proves not to have locked when it swung shut, and Ming Li quickly wrenches it open, while Elspeth loads her bow and Mantreus his crossbow.

Rose continues to try and escape, but again fails. Meanwhile, Stormstrider is the only thing holding the spider's attention away from her. The ranger swipes twice at the beast, scoring a minor hit with his sickle, but neither of his blows displayed their usual strength - a worrying sign.

The spider, seemingly unaffected by the Padre's magic, bites again, scoring another hit - this time on Stormstrider's trailing arm. Poison once more washes through the Ranger, and he staggers, his strength failing still further as the foul liquid enters his bloodstream.

Unable to rely on his god, the Padre raises his already loaded crossbow and lets fly at the beast. The quarrel sinks home, plunging deep into the spider's abdomen.

"Get out of the way!" Mantreus and Elspeth are both yelling at Ming Li, who coolly hurls a sling stone at the spider before stepping aside to give them a clear shot. Unfortunately, the monk's missile flies wide, but both of her companions prove more accurate: their shots plunge into the creature's thorax, and it collapses to the ground, stone dead.

Moments later, Stormstrider also collapses, the continuing ravages of the poison leaving him trembling and weak (went from 18 STR down to 6).

Gingerly, the Padre moves down the stairs, which have re-set to their original position. Quickly, he checks on Stormstrider. The young elf is weak, but does not appear in imminent danger of death.

"Hey! What about me!" Rose yelps, from where she is still suspended in the web. Abashed, the Padre quickly cuts her free. As he does so, he notices two other things in the strands: the first is a man-sized bundle; the second and a small, wriggling ball.

"Spider eggs!" the priest has a torch and his flint and tinder out in an instant. His gaze is fixed fearfully on the wriggling ball.

"Wait!" Ming Li calls, "The large bundle! I think that's Ai Ling in there!"

Staying well away from the wriggling ball, Rose investigates the man-sized shape. Ming Li's hunch proves accurate, and the Padre - now even more abashed - cuts the goal of their quest free from his sticky prison. It seems they have come within an instant of killing the very man they came to save. Ai Ling is in a bad way - even weaker than Stormstrider - but between them the Padre and Rose are able to carry him to the base of the stairs. From there, those at the top throw down a rope, and the group climbs up hand over hand, wary in case the stairs suddenly become a ramp once more. They then repeat the process with their elven companion.

Once everyone is safely at the top, the Padre again produces his torch and lights it. This time there are no objections as he hurls the burning brand down into the spider web.

Flames immediately engulf the wriggling ball, which lets out a plaintive - and feline - yowl of pain before being forever silenced.

The group looks at one another in shock as they realise that they are watching the missing Scratches - and their fifty gold piece reward - go up in smoke.

 

[dpdx]

Awww!

They killed Scratches! You...

Anyway, excellent story hour. Your narrative's the best part.

Look forward to future Random Encounters.

 

[Capellan]

Hi dpdx. Glad to hear that there's more than just Hammerhead reading this ... even more glad to hear you are enjoying it!

What happened to Scratches was certainly a surprise to me - but I should probably be glad it was "only" the cat that got burned. The Padre came this close to lighting the web while Ai Ling was still in it.

Anyway - time for a new part to go up, I think.

 

[Capellan]

Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 15

"You have completed your intended mission, and may now leave." The booming voice emanates from the statue at the centre of the room. Moments later, part of the stone wall grinds open, revealing once more the tunnel by which the group entered this area.

Ming Li nods to herself,

"Forever, you shall be as noble as your purpose." She quotes the words spoken earlier by the statue, "We have accomplished our goal, and thus may leave. It is fitting."

The other group members refrain from expressing their opinions, instead concentrating on assisting Stormstrider and Ai Ling out of the chamber. This process is not as quick as they might like, given the two men's weakness, but in time everyone is back outside in the fresh air.

As soon as the group emerges from the caves, Ai Quan hurries over,

"Thank you, my friends!" he exclaims, helping Ai Ling to sit on a large rock, "I was concerned I would not see my student alive again." He pats the young man on the shoulder, "It seems he still has more to learn."

Ai Ling can only nod weakly, as his teacher turns to Ming Li,

"Ming Li, you are my younger student, but in successfully returning from the cave, you have proven your readiness to choose your own path. There are no more lessons I can teach you; you must learn them for yourself."

The young female monk nods her understanding and turns to the others of the company,

"We have travelled as companions today. I would continue to do so."

There is no need for discussion: the group has seen Ming Li's prowess first hand. The Padre speaks for them all when he answers,

"You are welcome to travel with us." He turns to regard Elspeth and Rose, "As are each of you."

The three women glance at one another, then nod their assent. The group, including those left in Amberdale, has now grown to eight.

"And now, as promised, I have found a reward for you." Ai Quan begins to pull items out of a nearby sack, spreading them out on the ground. "You may each choose one item. I am sorry that I cannot give you more for saving my student, but I have nothing else to offer."

Despite the old monk's apologies, the items offered prove enough to sate the group's hunger for treasure ... for a short while, at least. There are three potions; two of cure light wounds and one of bull's strength; a purple amethyst, a magnifying glass, and specialised kits for both a healer and a climber.

Elspeth eagerly announces her desire for the amethyst, which is duly handed over. Rose quietly requests the climber's kit, while the Padre and Stormstrider both take the healing potions. Mantreus takes the bull's strength potion. Ming Li, content with the reward of choosing her own path, needs nothing.

With their adventures in the caves seemingly at an end, and with wounded to tend to, the group bids goodbye to Ai Quan and sets out at a gentle pace toward Amberdale.

"I could use that potion of bull's strength." Stormstrider suggests, gesturing weakly at Elspeth, who is carrying his pack for him, "It would help me recover from the poison."

The Padre demurs,

"Such magic lasts only a few hours," he explains, "we would be far better served to seek proper healing for you. The priests of the Sanctuary may be able to help."