In reply to Croak (msg # 56):

A dread comes over you and your skin crawls. Bile erupts to choke the throat. The dark statue you gaze upon is almost overwhelming to the senses.

Please, make a Will save. (DC 15).

The desert warrior sighed, Renli was gone. She didn't have time to think of what that meant for them, much less what the loss of her reliable dwarven friend meant to her. "I'm afraid we currently do not have the luxury to guess about Renli's whereabouts." the former scorpion guard stated, hating it right when she said it.

Zaineb's lips became a thin line as she wondered how to proceed, if they left Bullock outside every deathwalker would know somebody was here. On the other hand they might think the intruders were killed. - Yeah, fat chance, they would still sound the alarm, at least she would.

"We need to clean up the corridor as well as we can, we don't want to alert anyone." she declared, then turned to address Croak "How about we drag the minotaur inside, as well as the other corpses?" she asked him, already on the move. At least this would allow her to recover her own scimitar and shield.

AS she led the rother toward the body, it refused to budge. Breonna paused for a second then looked up to see if she could spot Tom or Edgrin.

Moving around the rising water Zaineb gave him, a sound came from Croak's throat like a toad caught red-handed. It was too late to avert his eyes of milk and jade. The statue's gaze rested over him like condensed terror, searing at his sense of self. The maneuverist managed to hold steady against the impalpable force that bombarded his willpower.

It was downright awful, and Croak didn't like it one bit.

Yet even horror had its time, and the time was not now. Too many things to do. Too many skulls to crack open for the good of those skulls were at least still covered in scalps. So once again, Croak dug deep into the shelter of his own mind, feeling time whirl close to a stop, giving him ample time to flick the switch that allowed him to say to this frightening figure:


"How about we drag the minotaur inside, as well as the other corpses?"

Zaineb's voice cut through the fading fog of fear. "Yeah...sure," Croak muttered, dropping the drapes back down. Before he moved over to help Zaineb haul corpses, he looked to the priest and the orator.

"Don't look under there." The brim of his wide hat jerked towards the covered monstrosity. "It'll just be...a bad time."

OOC: Will Save 25 (used Boost Moment of Perfect Mind)

"Uh... ok." Varlian says, confused by Croak's warning. He really had no desire to gaze upon the statue anyways, so this served as more than enough of a warning.

"Bullock is massive.  We can certainly try to move the corpse, but I'm not sure that we can.  Should we examine what the rothe was carrying?  I took a quick look earlier but didn't see anything of importance on it."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:15, Mon 01 Feb 2021.

In reply to Croak (msg # 61):

You are fine now, and ... PM -

"Guess?  There's no guessing.  He's back in that giant chasm with the dragon.  All we have to do is fly after him.  Anyone got a dragon in their pocket?  Carpet of flying?  Several highly trained giant riding sparrows?"  The gnome let out a sigh as his shoulders slumped.  "Me either.  Man, we didn't come prepared for this."

"So what do we do?  Just leave him?  I'm going to kill him when I see him again.  Running off like that without me.  He can't tell a decent tale to earn a beer.  He'll forget details and I'm going to have to elaborate and fill in some holes, just to make it palatable to an audience."  He stood there with hands on hips frustrated at the dwarf.

Finally Boddynock shrugged and took a look around the room.



"Huh?  Don't look where?  Ooooo, brass nails.  Those will come in handy.  I saw a brass sculpture this one time of this naked..."  He spoke to no one in particular as he walked around the column looking to see if there was a ladder or something on the wall that would get him up there.

End of month XP = 300 XP. I gave a few folks an extra 25 because I wanted to even out the numbers. Craok I gave you 100 XP.

Varlian = 11,400 of 15,000 needed for level 6
Bronna - 5,300 of 6,000 needed for level 3
Zaineb - 8,100 of 10,000 needed for level 5
Boddynock - 7,800 of 10,000 needed for level 5
Croak - 6,400 of 10,000 needed for level 5

Thanks for the XP, Chronicler :) That's a really nifty rule.
And just double-checking, are we waiting on anything in particular? I know we're moving corpses, checking out the rothe (I had to look that up!) and waiting for Boddy to suffer the consequences of his curiosity.

Note:  Boddynock doesn’t suffer from curiosity.  He just finds wonderful new experiences for the others to participate in.

The gnome casts detect magic.  He looks around the room for a miniature ladder that he’s sure expands to allow the janitors to put those nails in.

“Can anyone climb?  I’ve never been the physical type myself prefering to pour over books.  Those nails are an incredible find.  We have to get them!”  He asked the others forming a plan B if he can’t locate the ladder.

@Croak. Thanks. Your doing what adventurers do, lol, explore and get into trouble. Hahahah.

@Boddynock : Please, make a Will save. (DC 15).

Huh.

As Croak stepped out of the hall to help Zaineb maneuver corpses, still unaccustomed to Boddy's exploratory tendency, Croak lifted the brim of his hat enough to partake in the carnage they had left in their wake. The bodies of beasts and brutes were considerable, and Croak couldn't help but wonder if it was all so necessary. It didn't take him long to presume that the answer was yes. It was necessary.

Taking 20 if possible to search the rothe for anything of interest, on Varlian's suggestion. If possible, Croak will also not be shy about inspecting each boy he helps Zaineb move.

Varlian helps Croak examine the traveling packs on the deep rothe thoroughly, trying to determine if it holds anything of necessity for the journey beyond the general supplies he saw earlier.

"Croak can you tell us why you were journeying to Falcon's Hollow?  Did you respond to a call for help?  Perhaps you've heard some news regarding the situation we hadn't heard of yet."

"Hrk."

Croak procedurally sorted through the packs alongside the priest. There was little in the way of wasteful efforts, though the fruitfulness had yet to reveal itself.

"I made it...here...by one way or another..." The maneuverist's memory was still hard to manage. "It was the Keeper. At the inn. Wayfarer's. Said undead at Falcon's Hollow. I didn't want to be...the last one to the dance." Partway through pushing something inside the bag aside, he froze as something flicked a light on inside of him.

After he swiveled his thick neck slowly towards the priest, he asked, "Where'd you get your invitation?" A once over with his mismatched eyes followed. "You don't look dressed up for...a night out on the town."

Varlian looks down at his simple traveler's robes and blushes.  "Yes, I do feel rather ill equipped for this type of thing.  I originally went to Falcon's Hollow to help cure a mysterious illness; I thought the years I spent poring over books would finally be put to good use."

Varlian looks over his shoulder at Tom, "Turned out even that required use of force, but thankfully Tom was able to help out and we were able to secure the ingredients to concoct a cure. But shortly after that some kids were stolen by kobolds, so Tom, myself, and one other who is not present, went to save them."  Varlian pauses for a long moment and runs his hand over his bald head.  "We discovered Edgrin, saved him and the kids," he finally says, clearly uncomfortable and not wanting to elaborate more.

"Then the undead kobolds attacked.  We went to investigate, but were not up to the task... not by a long shot.  Zaineb and Breonna showed up to offer their help, so we were going to try again when we were teleported here and discovered Renli and Boddy."

Breonna looks at the others as they start searching the rothes gear "Why are you searching the packs, Red is coming with us." she says plainly. She helps shift the bodies, and also searches she helps shift

The packs have 2 weeks minotaur/Rothe food (large creatures) The rations are the bulk of what the animal carries.

Crowbars x 2
Picks x 4
Shovels x 4
Buckets x 2
Sacks x 6
Flint/steel
Grappling hook
Hammer
Lantern, Hooded
100' Hempen Rope
Lantern oil (x10 pints)

Croak listened as the priest presented their history of events. It sounds like the man was relatively more familiar with the area. And though some of the names were familiar, he presumed, with confidence, that they were important. Certainly more important than what they found in this hunt for usefulness.

"In search for gold?" Croak rumblegrumbled as he noted the picks and shovels. He would offer the party first pick in any of their findings, but would be more than happy to deposit what they needed into his pack. It had plenty of room.

"Why are you searching the packs, Red is coming with us."

He looked up out the corner of his ivory eye at the wolf-tamer, then made sure to give his look a lap around. Whoever Red was, he was sure he would meet them shortly. Or he wouldn't.

"So this Red, Edgrin, Renli...will be catching up later?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:12, Mon 08 Feb 2021.

"Huh... well, THAT's interesting."  Boddynock stated after the strange effect washed over him.

Boddynock Mourningle rolled 23 using 1d20+3.  Will Save.

The gnome somehow dodges another bullet...

Breonna answered pointing at the Rothe "Thats Red, hes coming with us. SO you don't need to unload him" she said matter of factly, continuing with her task of searching and moving the bodies.

"Apologies, that must be a lot of names to remember.  Edgrin is the gnome standing by Tom.  Renli was taken during the battle in this hallway... I'm sure he will show up again, surely." Varlian says, not at all sounding confident.

After Breonna speaks he replies, "Doesn't make sense to carry things just for the sake of carrying them; I'd rather know what supplies we have at our disposal.  At the very least we no longer need to burden it with the minotaur rations.  However, I personally see no need to bring the rothe with us now.  We can take what we need, set its food out and leave it here, that would be safer for both it and us."

"Rothes are herd animals, without its herd its not safe here, its vulnerable. When we find other rothe to leave it with, we can leave Red, if he wants to stay. Until then we are his herd." Beonna answers Varlian

"Hmmmmm," Varlian ponders Breonna reply.  "I imagine they travel in herds for protection.  We are heading straight into danger; we've already lost thr... we've already lost two of those we set out with.  I truly think it best for all of us, Red included, if we are able to go forward without it.  We could hit a corridor that is too small for Red, or we could need to move stealthily lest we stir some foul evil, or... well the potential problems are endless." Varlian lets out a deep sigh and pats the rothe kindly.

"Is it possible to send it back in the direction from which we came?  It wasn't so far, and the beastmen likely have the rest of his herd there.  I will of course agree to take him along if you feel strongly about it, you are most knowledgeable in these matters.  If it comes to that let's remove the minotaur rations; they are heavy and cumbersome."

Zaineb was sweating profusely while moving Bullock's huge body, the bull-man was a heavyweight for sure. When they put him down in the circular room, she quickly patted him down to see if there was anything useful on him beyond a waterskin and his money pouch. Armor and weapons would be way too large for anyone in their group to use.

The scorpion guard had to be practical for all of them, after all she had sworn to keep them safe. A bang up job she was doing, she noted mentally with a deep sigh. Listening to Varlian and Breonna speak about the rothe she felt compelled to share her point of view. "There is no food for Red to find down here, leaving him behind means letting him die from hunger or become prey of these wannabe skeletons. He will go with us as far as we can take him." she settled the matter; they had lost Renli and the minotaurs under her watch, she'd be damned if they left anyone else - even a beast of burden - behind.

With Bullock out of the way, Zaineb could pick up the scimitar and shield that she had dropped during the fight in the corridor, and while she was glad to have her shield back, she noticed the deformations it had taken from the minotaur dropping on it. The desert warrior resigned she would have to buy a new one at the next opportunity.

"I suggest you all pick up one of the longspears these guys were using." the warrior told her companions, then her eyes fell on gnome and halfling. "Well, maybe not Boddynock or Edgrin. For everyone else it may come in handy to have a weapon with the same reach as your opponents. It's fairly easy to use as well: Put the pointy end of the stick into the body of whoever seeks to kill you."

Zaineb put on a brave face, hoping to inspire courage in her companions, before pulling up the cloth before her mouth and nose. Part of her mind wanted to mourn Renli's departure and likely demise, but there were still people counting on her to lead them out of this mess. She needed to focus and stay strong.

"Let's move!" she said, gripping her exotic-looking polearm and moving forward.

ooc: Sorry for my slow posting, I've been feeling under the weather lately.

Breonna collects up her belongings and has a quick check for her sling bullets, before they head off. She takes a spear off one of the deathwalkers and tries to use it a few times before giving a bit of a nod, and taking it with her.

She calls Ulfric to her side and stands ready to lead Red onwards.

"WHich way are we going?"

ooc
Assuming we found nothing of interest on the DW bodies?