[KAUAI]The Rod of Seven Parts: Of Hexes and Gems

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Gamad

Brakkus, Chev, you fools, Come over here and stop playing with the creature in his own yard.
Gamad calls out loudly, when he sees Voadam come out he sighs.
Here is one smart guy that will not battle sharks in the depth on the ocean.
The albino decided it is time to load a bolt to his crossbow

 

[SlagMortar]

Having driven back the foe, Brakkus finally heeds Gamad's words and retreats back near the crack in the cave. "Well done, Chev! I could feel the thing trying to turn me inside out ... or something. Thank Narn you struck it when you did. Narn is truly watching over us."
To Gamad, Brakkus says, "We could have run, but it would have done no good. It is dark outside and it would have followed." With a slight waver that would have been absent just yesterday, Brakkus continues, "Besides, there is no shame in battle, though it would be good if one of us escaped to spread the story."
To the group again, "Whatever is thumping is still coming. Can one of you help me get this armor on straight?"

OOC: Brakkus tries to fix his armor so that it is readied properly. If that's not possible without taking it off first, then he merely waits for the thumping creature to emerge.

 

[Voadam]

"Hela, I wish I had gotten the demon's name before it fled. Back up a bit now, let's get clear ranged shots at whatever is coming once it emerges out of the demon's darkness. We'll use his magical attack on us to set up a tactical advantage now. I've still got magic that will work on living beasties and you've got that throwing knife Brakkus, let's get ready to use them, sounds like we don't have time for fixing armor."

move back further up the passage and ready a ray of enfeeblement for any hostile beastie emerging out of the darkness.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Two rounds pass, during which Voadam readies an action to cast ray of enfeeblement at anything skulking out of the magical darkness. Brakkus continues to attempt to strap on his armor to a more thorough completion. Chev and Brakkus, having rejoined the others closer to the crack, look ahead into the darkened area surrounding the pool while Gamad loads and aims his crossbow. Long seconds tick by. The dragging sound ceases without anything coming forward out of the dark, but still the darkness lingers. A loud crack of rollicking thunder and then a flash of bright lightening outside announces a storm brewing. Shortly thereafter, rain begins showering in driving sheets. Despite the crack having been somewhat widened by Brakkus earlier in the evening, little wetness permeates the cave. Dry, and facing off against the dark and whatever creature lingers in its grasp, Brakkus, Chev, Voadam, and Gamad wait out a tenuous hour. The weather outside sours; peals of thunder resound in the cavern and more lightening ensues. After more than an hour, the darkness cast by the shadow wears off, and still no sign of Maelicent.

When the darkness dissipates, the lantern light firms up at the end of the terraced cave. There, in the tunnel mouth, lies a woman on the floor, one arm outstretched ahead of her even as she lies unmoving on stone.

 

[Voadam]

"Cuthbert's cudgel." Voadam rushes forward to see if she lies dead or unconscious, drawing his healing wand as he goes. He looks for the rise and fall of her chest to indicate breathing and any visible wounds.

ooc search +7

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Voadam is the first to reach the woman. Checking for a pulse on her neck, Voadam notes the woman has three severe gashes on the side and front of her neck that look to travel all the way down diagonally across her torso. The woman is quite dead. Young, but plain with long brown hair, and a gaunt frame, the woman is dressed in tatters. When Brakkus approaches, he recognizes Celine of Jorunne, daughter to the regent of Isle Jorunne. Her courtly silk skirts, heavy brocade bodice, and once oft-admired face and frame now reduced to ragged grey remnants of their former reknowned beauty.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Voadam hastily searches the woman but finds nothing other than the rags she wears, broken manacles on her wrists and ankles, and an amulet of green sea glass hanging from her neck.

 

[Mista Collins]

While Voadam is crouched next to the woman, Chev stands with battleaxe and shield in hand between the body and the passageway where the noise was emanating from.

"We did not kill that beast, but we did scare him off. Hopefully he is smart enough not to return."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Looking down the tunnel, Chev can see drag marks in the packed dirt on the floor. It looks like the woman drug herself up the tunnel from the depths below.

 

[Mista Collins]

"I don't think that dragging noise was something coming to ruin our night. I think it was this woman. Any idea who she might be and why she was here?" Chev says as he still maintains and eye further down the passageway.