First, I just want to say thank you to all you people who pop in here with nice things to say about the story. I really do appreciate such comments, even if they give me a swelled head.
Rel has the right idea when he lumps the praise on the players, too; they're absolutely fantastic, and I probably don't tell them often enough in person how much I appreciate their dedication, good nature, fun attitude, and willingness to swallow all the crazy stuff I throw at them.
But enough with the gushing... on with the story!
Sagiro’s Story Hour, Part 142a
Kibi glances up uncomfortably at the walls and ceiling of this huge room – over 100’ on a side, with no pillars or arches for support. As a dwarf and former stonemason, he knows this room should be collapsing under its own weight. He casts
detect magic -- and of course it doesn't work, because Grey Wolf is still carrying around the Divination Sink. They stick it in the
bag of holding, Kibi casts again, and he sees that all of the walls are glowing with enchantment magic. He breathes a little easier. While he’s got the spell up, he does a quick sweep of the room identifying magical loot. There is plenty on the bodies of the four they fought, but none down in the bloody soup in the lower part of the room. "Just as well," says Ernie. "I’m not into looting with a sieve."
Kay flies up through the hole in the roof, to get a better sense of just what this ritual room is below. She discovers that the retractable roof opens into a courtyard nestled nicely in the center of several city-estates. It looks like it abuts three different properties – those belonging to Lord Southinghorn, Lady Canterrin, and "that nice old chap" Lord Cosnor.
With many party members low on health after the fight, and nearly out of spells, the Company decides to burn a few more charges of their
wands of cure serious wounds. Shaking their heads at how many total charges they’ve used, they estimate that since they were made, those wands have cured over 1,100 hit points of party damage!
Ernie takes some of the remaining soldiers and goes upstairs to see what has become of Cobb. He finds signs of heavy fighting throughout the upper level of the Black Circle complex – over 20 dead house guards from the Silent Quarter, along with 14 of Cobb’s men and 6 priestesses of Ell. But Cobb still lives, his unconscious body tended by two Ellish clerics who also survived the battle. Together with two other injured city guards, the five of them are the only survivors of the skirmish. The clerics are out of healing magic, so Ernie uses more charges from a healing wand to restore Cobb. The guard captain opens his eyes, sees Ernie, and says, "Oh, hell, they killed you too?"
"No!" Ernie says cheerily. "We’re alive. And we won! We beat the Black Circle, and they’re the ones who are dead."
Cobb looks around, the truth dawning on him. "Hot damn!" he says, breaking into a grin.
Down in the Ritual Room, Dranko has spotted a door in the lower chamber, semi-concealed by the patterns of stonework. It seems that there’s more to discover down here, but the Company knows from experience that the door is probably trapped. Sure enough, Kibi detects strong abjuration magic. Out of other useful spells, and not wanting to subject Flicker to the risk, Morningstar casts one of her few remaining spells,
summoning an octopus which Dranko then heaves against the door. As it strikes, it triggers the
harm glyph, and wounds open up all over the body of the poor sea creature. It writhes in pain for a few seconds before Dranko puts it out of its misery with his mace. All of the clerics wince, and look up to the heavens in an apologetic manner. It’s not their finest moment. Dranko swings the door open.
Beyond is a straight hallway, lit with
continual flame torches. It goes on for over eighty feet, and ends at another door. There are two doors on either side of the hallway as well, making five in all.
Little does the Company know just what a hall of horrors it is they are about to explore…
…to be continued…
