IndyPendant's Sunless Citadel

[IndyPendant]

As Jerek covers the doors, Lehko kneels down and examines the goblin corpses. They seem about a month old, rat-chewed, and stripped of valuables--although each still has a well-used shortsword nearby. Jair gives Terrek a smell of the clothes, and the wolfhound begins sniffing at the ground--sneezing a lot from the dirt and dust, but apparently at a loss for finding any scents. The spear has been driven right through the goblin and apparently wedged into the wall, holding the corpse upright; a casual tug by Heirmund fails to dislodge it.

 

[Voadam]

"If there is no scent then it is up to exploring and one way is as good as another, let's try the northwest door."

 

[Shayuri]

Seeing the mage's attempt to pull the spear free fail, Kuma sheathes his notched blade and takes the spear by the end.

"Allow me."

With a ferocious tug, he tries to yank the spear out of the wall, so it can be examined.

 

[Sorrow The Man Bear]

Lehko grimaces mildly as he examines the corpses. "These bodies have been chewed on. Needless to say, keep an eye out for more of the thrice damned rats," that said he idly scratches the spot where the last one of those beasts he encountered tore a chunk form his thigh. He selects the best conditioned of the goblin shortswords and gives a practice stab or two agianst the air. After sheathing and un-sheathing it several times to make sure it doesn't stick he straps the scabbard to the small of his back. Pausing for a mmoment he picks up another and straps it tightly to his thigh. Feeling more secure in his armament, despite his unfamiliarity with the weapons, he stands and rejoins the rest fo the group.

 

[IndyPendant]

Kuma yanks the spear out of the wall and hands it to Heirmund, as Lehko arms himself with goblin shortswords. It looks like an ordinary spear--for a normal person. Heirmund quickly realizes it's not a goblin spear.

What is more surprising is what is revealed as the goblin corpse, free of its support, slithers to the ground with a sound like a wet rag--and expelling a gagging, rotting stench. Etched into the wall behind the body with either fire or acid, a word is scrawled that none of you are familiar with--although something in the back of Heirmund's mind twinges vaguely when he reads it.

ASHARDALON

Heirmund has heard the word before, but try as he might, he can't remember where it was from.

Then Terrek, sniffing (and occasionally sneezing) around the northwestern door, begins barking excitedly, jumping up on his hind feet and pawing at it.

 

[Voadam]

"Good boy Terrek! I think we have a trail lads."

Jair moves over to the northwest door.

 

[Shayuri]

Kuma squints at the strange word, then shrugs. Maybe some goblin warning, or an overly grand name for this forlorn and wasted place. The dog's reaction is far more interesting though, and he draws his sword and approaches the door...

 

[Mithran]

"Definately a spear of human make" Heirmund looks closely at the word for a moment but as his friends begin to move on falls back into line.

 

[IndyPendant]

Kuma opens the northwest door as Jair calms Terrek down, to reveal a long ten-foot-wide hall heading west. It extends nearly 40 feet, with doors opposite each other facing north and south near the far end, and a third westfacing door right at the far end. The southfacing door is unusual; even from here, you can see it is made of stone, carved into a basrelief of a fish.

Otherwise, the hallway is empty.

 

[Voadam]

Jair is amused by the fish but gives Terrek the lead to track down the youths.