Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Whizbang Dustyboots" data-source="post: 3254969" data-attributes="member: 11760">Satisfied for the moment that the odd room is safe, Tosh turns on his heel and heads back to the others to report his findings."I think the room bears exploration. But how about I go ahead and see what is at the top of the center stair before we set out?""Go right ahead, friend Tosh," Emmerson says.The gnome slips up the stairs, finding the largest room within this cairn at the top.This room is massive, a 65-foot wide semicircle with the tunnel mouth angling out to meet the diameter of the semicircle. The room likewise arches upwards, the ribbed ceiling reaching a height of 30 feet in the middle of the room.Debris at the top of the stairs suggests a great stone seal once stood here, locking off this room, but it was long ago shattered inwards.Five alcoves, the size of the ones lining the Hall of Guardians, are equally spaced along the edge of the semicircular wall. Each statue depicts a robed figure holding a different mask to its face.In the middle of the room, atop a tall stepped dais, rests a single ornate sarcophagus carved in the shape of an enormous nesting owl of singularly sinister aspect.Tosh returns to the group and gives them their options."I believe that the big semi-circular room would likely be the place we're looking for, if indeed we're actually looking for something. I also think that, considering the previous sarcophagi, it's likely we'll find another bag of bones there."So, eaten by an animal, killed by the undead, or one from the mystery room? Personally, I'd like to go check out the room to the northeast with some light. Might be something interesting that darkvision doesn't reveal.""I still think that we should head down the first tunnel, so's that we at least know what's down there instead of turning our backs to it," Emus says. "But we don't wanna split up, so if we decide to go down one of the other two tunnels, I don't care which one."With a wordless whine, Renraw makes it known rather loudly that he'd like to go up the stairs with no bears, skeletons, or anything that might hurt him."As long as the bear's not a threat to the town or us, then we might as well let the damn thing sleep," Tucker agrees. "Or at least, have the sense not to expect to win when we're fighting it in its own bedroom. And despite what this gash on my neck might say, the skeletons we've seen so far haven't been too tough to take apart. I say we check out the storm room, then return for the larger semicircle.""I'm not altogether convinced that bear-thingy isn't a threat, though," Bufer says. He quickly explains to the others about the weird cysts he found growing in the bodies of the three dead kobolds, and the organ that appeared to be missing from the body of the fourth. "Now that mighta been caused by some kinda malady they'd come down with, albeit one I done never seen before, in which case, I hope it isn't catching. Or, it mighta been the result of somethin' been done to 'em."He nods towards the stairs that lead to the creature's den."Yonder animal might be the cause. Or, on the other hand, it might be the effect, if you catch my meanin'. Either way, I find it mighty odd that it done left those bodies alone long as it has, and I reckon it bears investigation.""The bear does NOT bear investigation, gnome," Renraw snaps. "Not barely, not at all. If it IS spreading some type of disease, shouldn't we do what we can to avoid catching it? It only makes good sense to me."Hazel shrugs."You all know how I feel about the bear. What say we check out the other two rooms first? If the bear does wake up, we'll hear it coming. Doesn't much matter to me which room we start with.""We've got a bunch of sharp, pointy swords, now," Tucker says. "Why don't we hold off on the hallways for a bit and -- being entirely respectful of the fallen, of course -- take one of our newly won swords and go see what's inside those lumps on the kobolds' bodies?"We cut one open and find nothing but tissue and water, then we leave the rest alone. But we give it a nick and some kind of crazy egg-laying bear-baby falls out, then maybe we'll have a better idea of what's waiting down the end of that burrow."In fact, while everyone grumbles back and forth about which door to take, I think I'll go do that. Either of you torch-bearers care to come with me?""So, you want to go back and possibly create a new threat between us and the running-away door?" Hazel firmly shakes her head. "That sounds like a bad idea to me.""Cut open the cysts? What?" Tock goggles at Tucker and Bufer. "Are either of you a trained physic? Because I don't recall you going on at length about it at any point. I refuse to be a part of cutting open any innocent, fallen kobolds. Medical examination by Glittergoldian 'priest' is one thing, but hacking and slashing by way of bloodthirsty redneck deputies is another!"I'm with Renraw on this one. Even if there is some sort of MAGICAL BEAR that GIVES PEOPLE DISEASES, that's not what we're here for. There's no treasure in that, right, Ragglus? Let's leave the living and the dead as they are, and see what, you know, inanimate objects we might find.""Tock, I understand how you feel, but we could be looking at the beginnings of some kind of plague, here," Bufer says. "Even if it only affects kobold-kind, I should think it's worth lookin' at."Now, I'm not one 'a your fancy human physics, but my grandfather's sister's niece was the best gnomish healer ever did live, and I spent a goodly part of my childhood helpin' her tend to the sick and the dyin', so I know a thing or two about it."And while a rusty sword ain't exactly the right tool for the job," Bufer says, glancing up at Tucker, "if somebody thought to pack a knife, or a dagger, or the like, I could certainly take a look.""Count me out. You want to play doctor and get your little head diseased, do it on your own time with other folks more suited to the task," the bard replies. "I'm going to go search that room. You folks can either come with me or let me take whatever's in there myself. You want to stay with Doc Asshigh, feel free. I'll be getting rich.""I'm going the disease-free route, thank you," Renraw says, appearing by Tock's side as if by magic.Ragglus nods at Tock's comments."Come back with'a set of priests n' magisters n' whatever some other time. They's ain't goin' nowhere."Bufer's nostrils flare at "Doc Asshigh", but he quickly relaxes and lets a smile spread across his lips as he looks from Tock to Ragglus, and back again."Typical humans," he says, shaking his head, "always thinking with your purse or your pud. Fine, I can examine the corpses later. Let's go get rich, and return to town, and infect our friends and neighbors with the plague we may be carrying now, for all we know, but are so anxious to remain ignorant of. I'm sure they won't mind all the sickness and death, long as we come back with a shiny bauble, or two."Oh, and bard, if any of your innards happen to get spilled in the next few minutes, I hope for your sake you can manage to hold 'em in 'til we get back to Maidensbridge. Y'know, when you can get a real doctor to look at you.""You speak like we have friends in the town," Tock says placatingly, "And don't worry, Doc, I know you're a real healer. I just don't think the rest of us have any business examining diseased corpses. Ragglus is right. Bring in other people better-suited to the task. I haven't learned a song yet that could cure disease."Ragglus scowls a bit at being scolded."Whatever we're doin', let's do it. Sittin' here arguin' about pokin' dead folk while waitin' for bears or more o' them other dead folk that fights to come up on us ain't doin' no good. Someone decide." He sneers suddenly. "My pud has spoken.""Seems to me that the most are in favor of going to the northeast," Tosh says quietly. "Anyone with a big scary sharp object and a torch want to lead the way?""If the kobolds are contagious, we are already infected," Emmerson says, unsheathing his warhammer and equipping his shield. "I see no reason to backtrack all the way there just to make sure. Let us go exploring up there. Afterwards, we can let the corpse examining to Ebuferpaly and decide if we are fit to return to town."Let's go upstairs."Bufer exchanges glances with Tosh and Emus, mutters something in Gnomish under his breath, and follows the party up the northeast stairs, chuckling and shaking his head all the while."What was that, Doc?" Tock calls back in perfect Gnomish.</blockquote>

Verification