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Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids.

Posted by The RaconteurFor group 0
Liseth Thoradin
Human Oracle, 820 posts
Deluge of Positive Energy
HP 24/24
Tue 15 Apr 2014
at 18:56
  • msg #252

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

"It...but..."  Liseth was still processing what had just happened.  It had been over so quickly!  The light cast by her glowing focus made eerie shadows dance on the wall of the skull-filled chamber; thanks to her shaking hand clutching it so tightly and the light spilling through her fingers.

A loud gasp escaped her when the small acolyte realized that she was surrounded by those staring, grotesque skulls that were arranged in the room.  Any one of them might be another of those monsters, waiting to strike!  She desperately invaded Kerr's personal space, pale and wide-eyed in shock.

"How could it do that?  By kissing you?"  Liseth cringed at the thought; as though a horrible skull-faced monster kissing you wasn't bad enough!  It was a twisted perversion of the worst kind.  She had wondered before what having a baby was like; there was never an older woman around to tell her.  She supposed that was one of the things mothers were supposed to teach their daughters.

But having an awful monster put its...its spawn inside of you was too terrible for her to imagine.  Liseth didn't know how Cato was so calm; if it had happened to her she would be an absolute wreck by now.

"I don't know any magic that can take a baby out of someone; even a baby monster.  That isn't the sort of thing that Sarenrae teaches."  The girl looked down at her white-knuckled grip on her holy symbol to Sarenrae and frowned in thought.  "Maybe a priest of Pharasma could help; if we can find one?  Or even a priest for Naderi...as long as her solution isn't killing yourself."  She frowned again.

"Um...um...I think that we should go right away."  Liseth placed her divine focus back around her neck while she answered Kellan.  "We should take one of these...Soul Tormentors?  We should take one to Mr Voon too.  He knew all about the quasit, maybe he knows about these too?"

Anxiously rubbing Kerr's arm, Liseth watched Cato lean heavily on his staff.  She suddenly released Kerr and swung her knapsack off of her shoulders, setting it down on the ground.  Leaning over it, the girl dug around for a few moments before taking a tin cup out from within the knapsack.  Holding it in both hands, she walked to Cato before concentrating a moment to fill the cup with clean water.  Then she offered the cup of water to the stricken wizard.

"Maybe a drink will make you feel a little better?  You could...um...wash out your mouth at least."  Frowning in concern as she looked up at Cato's face, Liseth tried to think of some kind of solution.  "Do you think that medicine from my healer's kit will help?"  She watched Pisca open the next door, "Maybe the...um...the monster baby is like a parasite?  The right medicine might get rid of it?"
Cato Crispin
Human Wizard, 462 posts
Have arcana, will travel.
Tue 15 Apr 2014
at 19:03
  • msg #253

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Cato gladly took the offered cup.  He took half the water into his mouth, and spit it back onto the ground.  Then he downed the remaining half of the cup, waiting to feel the cool trickle as it made its way into his viscera.

"I'm as concerned about whatever that skull put inside me as any of you.  I want it out as soon as possible.  But if another of those things made it out of here and attacked someone in Sandpoint when we could have prevented it, I don't think I'd ever be able to live with myself.  The people above are counting on us to end the menace these dungeons represent.  There could be even worse things down here than what we've already seen."  Cato shuddered.  "Though I can't immediately think of what those might be, and what we've seen so far has been bad enough.  I'm a little worried that with the quasit gone, whatever else is lurking down here might not respect the boundaries of the dungeon."

Cato stood up straight, flexing his knees and arms.  "I feel okay for right now.  Whatever that thing did to me, it's not immediately affecting me.  Kerr, would you mind taking one of those skull-corpses in a bag?  I'll really have to owe you for bags now, between the quasit and these things.  Hopefully, when we're back in Sandpoint, Father Zantus or Voon or someone can help me.  Maybe even Brodert!  He's read a lot more than I have.  I'm sure someone in town has heard of this or can do something about it."

Cato smiled a little.  "Or at least I hope they can.  Maybe you're right, Liseth.  Maybe this is like a parasite or a disease, and we can find a way to cure it."
Kerr Mollin
NPC, 56 posts
Acolyte of Desna
Chosen of Iomedae
Wed 16 Apr 2014
at 19:58
  • msg #254

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids


Kerr looked vaguely ill; he hugged Liseth tight as she flew to him in her distress.  “That’s . . . that’s just horrible, Cato.”  He gave the shattered skull a look of distaste as he listened to the wizard’s explanation, favoring the remaining skulls in the room with his own suspicious glance.  “And now that you mention it, I think I learned something about this kind of thing in my theological studies for the priesthood.  Apparently priests should know about these things, I guess.”  He looked at the scholar with some trepidation.  “And if I learned it aright, the way these,” he kicked a skull fragment, “things reproduce isn’t by laying eggs in your stomach, or anything like that.  It’s by, um,” he looked uncomfortable, “giving you a disease that eventually turns you into one of them.”  He shrugged uncomfortably.  “Or your head at least.  Which is a silver lining of sorts, isn’t it?”  Kerr looked as if he was trying hard to believe his own words.  “I mean, diseases can be cured, right?  Um, easier than removing unwanted demon babies.”  He paused, not really liking where his train of thought was going.  “I would think.”

The young acolyte gamely changed the subject.  “But I agree, I think it’s important that we finish clearing this place out as quickly as we can, then get you to Father Zantus.  He’s a full priest, and very knowledgeable, so hopefully he’ll know what to do.”  Kerr gave Pisca a half-hearted grin as she suggested he collect the destroyed creatures for study.  “You know I’m never going to be able to use these bags again, right?  I’m going to have to burn them.”  Nevertheless, he knelt down and began placing the fragmented, formerly-flying skull into the aforementioned bag.

“And no, I don’t even want to imagine what would happen if some of these things got loose in Sandpoint.”  He stopped and looked up at Cato.  “You know, if I remember correctly the disease is delayed by daylight, or the presence of a strong light source.  Maybe we should keep you as lit up as possible?  You know, just to be safe.”

Kerr looked up in concern as Pisca headed for the rooms sole sealed portal.  “Wait, Pisca, I’m not done, do you want to . . .”  But the gnome had already thrown the door open, revealing whatever horrors might lie beyond.


This message was last edited by the player at 19:58, Wed 16 Apr 2014.
Cato Crispin
Human Wizard, 464 posts
Have arcana, will travel.
Wed 16 Apr 2014
at 20:02
  • msg #255

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Cato barely had time to respond before Pisca flung the next open.  "Ah, that certainly makes sense, I suppose.  So these flying skulls here used to belong to some poor unfortunate soul who turned into more of them?  That's hard to contemplate.  Well, if sunlight helps delay the disease, that's fortunate.  I'll try and stay in the light down here, for whatever good it does, and then see Father Zantus as soon as we finish."

Cato whispered, and his staff flared to brilliance in front of him.  "It's not sunlight, I guess, but maybe it will help."
The Raconteur
GM, 882 posts
Teller of Tales
Writer of Wrongs
Wed 16 Apr 2014
at 20:08
  • msg #256

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids


Pisca flung the door open to find . . . that whatever horrors remained in these evil catacombs were not present in the space beyond.  Rather, she found a 15-foot passageway, a smaller twin to the one that had led to the Skull Room, making a steady incline upwards to yet another unmarked, closed stone door.

OOC:

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26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+


D  = Door      G = Pisca (she's a Gnome, right?  So as not to confuse her with Pools)
A  = Altar     L = Liseth
S  = Stairs    K = Kellan
P  = Pool      C = Cato
               R = Kerr

DL = Pisca's Dancing Lights



This message was last edited by the GM at 20:08, Wed 16 Apr 2014.
Pisca Neep Freemish
Gnome Archaeologist, 841 posts
The Gnome!
And Her Imagination
Wed 16 Apr 2014
at 20:33
  • msg #257

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Pisca frowned.  More doors.  How many doors did they need?  This wasn't even a proper room.

"Are you sure, Kerr?" the gnome asked, turning her back to the newly opened stretch of short corridor.  "I could have sworn ... "  The images had been so intense that she never even questioned the fact that it was nothing that she'd ever actually seen herself with her own eyes before.  Even more curious, the gnome didn't really find this in any way odd.  "I have a vague memory of this sort of thing requiring a ... a ripley ... for the cure.  Whatever that is."

She shrugged.  "Well, at least the floor is still going up.  It might open up into sunlight.  Then we can get help.  And, you know, if the disease is stopped by sunlight, then maybe the Tormenters couldn't have made it into Sandpoint anyway.  Well, during the day at least.  I suppose night would have been bad."

"Lets keep going."  Pisca turned back to the empty corridor, and for the first time today wished that she had her hat.  Some places were just simply hat places, and this place seemed like one of them.  But, there was no going all of the way back just for a hat.  Sometimes you just had to make do.  Sometimes life was disappointing that way.  Gnomes didn't always get their way, as amazing as that was to imagine.

"Lets see what's behind door number two," she said as she stepped cautiously into the corridor and made her way with great care and much alertness.  Hopefully this short stretch of corridor wasn't designed to suddenly fill with sand.  That could make things difficult.

Perception check for traps.

Active Effects:  Antitoxin 1h, Message-All but Kerr 20m, Dancing Lights 1m

AC15
HP 15/18
Archaeologist's Luck: 2/7
Used:  Antitoxin, Arrows -3

This message was last edited by the player at 23:21, Wed 16 Apr 2014.
Kellan Storval
Human Fighter, 514 posts
Former Red Shirt
Wed 16 Apr 2014
at 20:52
  • msg #258

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Kellan was obviously having reservations about continuing with Cato in his current state. The thought that these hideous winged thungs had been people like himself made his stomach clench up. He could scarcely imagine that Cato, the same guy who had saved the life of his godson could have his head ripped free from his body to flap around in some sort of cruel mockery. That it would seek to do the same thing to himself.

And yet Cato was right. They had a duty to clear this place out and they were not done yet. With a heavy sigh he resigned himself to sticking it out.

"If your sure...but if anything changes let us know"

Taking up his poleaxe he followed Pisca, picking up his shuffle to catch up to, and hover over the intrepid gnome.
Liseth Thoradin
Human Oracle, 824 posts
Deluge of Positive Energy
HP 24/24
Thu 17 Apr 2014
at 02:02
  • msg #259

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Once Cato had finished with her tin cup, Liseth took it back and held it in her hands.  "If you think that you'll be okay for a little while...I guess...we do need to make sure that there isn't any more monsters hiding down here."  The acolyte concentrated again to put more water in her cup, then drank some herself.  In the light being cast she still appeared rather pale.  "Don't worry Cato, we'll find something that will cure it."

Liseth was a little bit surprised when Kerr corrected everyone on exactly what was happening.  She didn't think that he would know anything about monsters like those flying skulls; Kerr was even smarter than she thought.  But the information that he revealed sounded even more terrible than what she had originally imagined about baby monsters growing inside of people.  And she hadn't thought that was even possible!

Finishing with her water while Pisca announced that she was getting ready to open the next door in the climbing passage, Liseth returned to Kerr.  She tried her best to not imagine Cato or anyone else actually turning into one of those terrible, cruel monsters; but of course the act of trying to not think of something resulted in the opposite of the desired effect.  The fact that there was so many skulls in this particular room, along with the shattered ones that Kerr was collecting, didn't help any.

She wanted to help Kerr gather the pieces up and place them in his bag.  But every time the young girl almost picked one up she felt queasy; she really did not want to touch them.  Instead, Liseth put her cup away into her knapsack, put it back around her shoulders, and helped by holding the bag open for Kerr.  The whole time she kept her eyes closed and the girl's lips moved as she silently said a prayer to Sarenrae.

Hopefully, Pisca would be right about the passage opening up into the sunlight.  Liseth had never missed the sun as much as she did right at that moment.
Cato Crispin
Human Wizard, 465 posts
Have arcana, will travel.
Thu 17 Apr 2014
at 02:19
  • msg #260

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Cato watched Kellan exit. He briefly considered making a joke, but the Mage honestly didn't know if he'd be able to keep going, or if his forced laughter would turn into sobs. If Cato kept quiet, and kept busy, he could push what had happened to the back of his mind for now. Later, later he could deal with what had happened and figure out a way to stop the deadly transformation. It was strange, in a way. As a Hellknights, and later running from the Hellknights, or when fighting skeletons or goblins in Sandpoint, Cato had risked death. But now he knew it was coming, knew for certain he would die if nothing changed. Before, it had been a calculated risk, and he had no choice but to fight to survive. Now, nothing he could personally do would save him. He just had to hope that Father Zantus or Voon could help him.    Cato finally let out a small chuckle. In a way, this was the most faith he ever had.
The Raconteur
GM, 884 posts
Teller of Tales
Writer of Wrongs
Thu 17 Apr 2014
at 16:57
  • msg #261

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids


Pisca's careful journey down the 15-foot corridor revealed no traps or any suspicious indications whatsoever.  She carefully inspected the door at the far end, but the portal was just as uncommunicative as its brethren had been; it gave no indication of any trap, trick, or anything else to hint at what might lie beyond its stone-faced visage.

Pisca carefully tested the latch; once again the door opened easily, almost strangely easily for something that had lain unusued for millenia.  It seemed as if Thassilonian engineering was truly built to last.  As the gnome crept into the room, she found a flight of spiral stairs winding up a circular pillar into the darkness above.

The circular room itself was as sparse and spartan as the passageways had been, save for a stylized rune carved on the door.  The rune depicted two jagged symbols that looked almost like Rune Dog legs, each the mirror image of the other, laid atop a distinctive seven-pointed star.



Looking more closely, her keen gnomish eyes discovered that the darkness was caused by an expanse of rock that had apparently collapsed in atop the staircase.  Although there were small fissures at various points, the rockfall seemed to be very solid and completely immune to any further passage in that direction.

OOC:

   P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X   Y  Z AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH II JJ KK LL MM NN OO
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1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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3 |  |  |  |  |  |X |  | X|  |  |  |XSSSSSSSX|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX--+--+--XXXXXXXXXXS-+--+-SX--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  D  |PP|R DL |C |K DGS|DL|SSX  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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D  = Door      G = Pisca (she's a Gnome, right?  So as not to confuse her with Pools)
A  = Altar     L = Liseth
S  = Stairs    K = Kellan
P  = Pool      C = Cato
               R = Kerr

DL = Pisca's Dancing Lights



This message was last edited by the GM at 16:59, Thu 17 Apr 2014.
Pisca Neep Freemish
Gnome Archaeologist, 845 posts
The Gnome!
And Her Imagination
Thu 17 Apr 2014
at 18:00
  • msg #262

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

"Well ... "  The gnome stood at the bottom of the spiral stairs with hands on hips.  "Didn't expect that," she said, momentarily at a loss as to what to do.

"Looks as though this might have been a way up at one time.  But now it's blocked.  Maybe the floors up above collapsed.  Or, maybe something big and stony landed on top of the entrance at one time in the past.  Maybe fired by some great and inexplicable Thassilonian engine of war.  *PUH-SHOOM*"

"Anyway, there's no getting back to Sandpoint this way.  And maybe better yet, there's no way for any Rune Dogs to get out this way either.  Looks like we'll just have to go back the way we came.  And maybe this is it.  Maybe that's all there is to this place."

"Maybe ... "

"Not very likely ... "

"I mean, this was supposed to be a prison laboratory, right Cato?  Where's the lab?  And where are the prison cells?  The only thing left for us to do is to go back to the Statue.  There was a door in the north of that room.  Maybe that leads to more of this place.  We could also check the tunnel.  It seem to go on further and just stop.  But we haven't really checked to make sure."

"Are you sure you're alright, Cato?  We have to go past the room with the Statue anyway.  Come on, lets go," Pisca said leading the way back, with the Gnome-Shaped light trailing obediently behind.  "We can peek through the door and decide at that time whether to back to Sandpoint or to push on."

Active Effects:  Antitoxin 1h, Message-All but Kerr 20m, Dancing Lights 1m

AC15
HP 15/18
Archaeologist's Luck: 2/7
Used:  Antitoxin, Arrows -3

Kellan Storval
Human Fighter, 515 posts
Former Red Shirt
Fri 18 Apr 2014
at 00:37
  • msg #263

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

"Huh"

Kellan stood staring up at the ancient collection of stone that had falled during the collapse. Leaning slightly on his weapon at first he stepped forward and tool a quick look at the damage before shrugging and begining to make his way back the way they had came.

"I wonder where this came out at" he mused to the others.

Had the situation allowed for more time, it would probably be fun to aid Cato in a few arceological searchs of the place. It probably contained all sorts of interesting baubles and valuable finds. Of course with what had happed to the Mage, Kellan keenly felt eqch second ticking by and as sure was eager to see the job done.

"Well...back to the statue then?"
Cato Crispin
Human Wizard, 467 posts
Have arcana, will travel.
Fri 18 Apr 2014
at 00:55
  • msg #264

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Cato looked with interest at the collapsed staircase.  The first indication so far that the Thassilonian ruins were not indestructible or immune to the passage of time.  Something interesting to note in and of itself, even if there were more pressing concerns on Cato's mind.

Cato stopped for a few seconds to study the stylized rune, hoping to gain any more insight into the nature of this place.

"You're right, Pisca.  There definitely has to be more to this complex than what we've seen so far.  But I think there's at least two ways we haven't gone yet.  Back in the statue room, as well as that original hallway we came in, where we found the two Rune Dogs.  That kept going, I think, after we exited into this complex to avoid the 'front door.'"

OOC:
Knowledge checks to ID the rune.  History, perhaps?

Liseth Thoradin
Human Oracle, 827 posts
Deluge of Positive Energy
HP 24/24
Fri 18 Apr 2014
at 01:35
  • msg #265

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Kerr and Liseth, mostly Kerr, finished the grisly task of gathering up the fragmented skull monster corpses while everyone else explored the dead-end chamber.  Once it was done, Liseth gave the monster-and-demon-filled sack back to Kerr without ever once having looked inside of it.  The mere thought of what was contained inside made the girl shiver.

"Father Zantus will know what to do, right Kerr?"  Once she finished shivering, Liseth looked towards Cato where he was still occupying himself studying the ruins.  "He's close to Desna, She'll tell him how to cure Cato.  Right?"  The young acolyte's face clouded with worry.

Filled with so much concern, Liseth left the skull-filled room to get closer to Cato.  She couldn't imagine that he was doing as well as he claimed.  Passing Pisca as the gnome already made her way back out, Liseth took a look at the rune Cato was studying just as he turned to leave it alone and follow Pisca.  She placed her hand into his and walked with him; to make sure he knew that he wasn't alone.

"So, um...Cato..."  Liseth wanted to say something, but she didn't think that he would appreciate her talking about what she was really thinking, "You...um...you studied Thassilonian ruins like these a lot, right?  Are they anything like you imagined them so far?"

OOC:
I'd think that the rune might just fall under Religion.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:37, Fri 18 Apr 2014.
The Raconteur
GM, 885 posts
Teller of Tales
Writer of Wrongs
Fri 18 Apr 2014
at 17:23
  • msg #266

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids


Kerr accepted the demon-skull-sack from Liseth with a small grin.  She was clearly disgusted by the whole process, but he loved her for helping out as much as she could despite the fact that she would clearly prefer to be standing at the very opposite end of the room pretending that no demon skulls ever existed in the first place.  He secured the sack with some rope, placed it in his pack next to the quasit sack, then washed his hands in some water Liseth quickly conjured for the purpose.  He gave her a kiss of thanks, an encouraging hug, and offered her an arm as they went to follow Pisca and the others towards wherever the mysterious door went.

“I think he will, Liseth,” Kerr nodded encouragingly.  “After all, Father Zantus is the one who was teaching me the lore about outsiders.  And no one’s ever been able to bring Father Zantus an illness or injury that he wasn’t able to at least help somehow.”  His eyes glazed over slightly, remembering.  “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to become a priest, you know.  To help heal people, like Father Zantus and Father Tobayn did.”  He sighed, giving his bow a slightly-sour look.  “But I guess the gods really made me to destroy, not to heal.”  He looked saddened at the thought.

After the group found the blocked staircase and the intricately-carved door-rune, they made their way back down the long passageway to the statue room.  Not one to waste time, especially given Cato's condition, Pisca immediately moved to the northwards door, cracked it open, and peeked inside.

As she did so, she saw that it let out onto a raised, rickety wooden platform that jutted out about 25 feet into a room of indeterminate purpose before a similarly-raised wooden walkway led off to the right.  The door itself seemed to be located in a 15-foot wide alcove that subsequently widened out into the room in full.  A forbidding stone wall stood some 40 feet away from where Pisca stood, seemingly demarcating the limit of the room's area.

Pisca could neither see down to the floor area or into the right or left portions of the room from where she stood peeking in the door.  She stopped to listen, but could not hear any noise from the room that might indicate the presence of any potential attackers.

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26|X |  |X |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  X--+--X--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

D = Door
S = Statue


Cato Crispin
Human Wizard, 468 posts
Have arcana, will travel.
Fri 18 Apr 2014
at 17:50
  • msg #267

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Cato pondered Liseth's question, glad to have something to distract him.  "Most of the other Thassilonian ruins in Varisia have been exposed and open to people for millennia, and reveal little about their original purpose.  Sure, the Old Light is still standing there right outside Sandpoint and the Irespan still stands in Magnimar, but most of the interesting parts have been carried away or lost to the ravages of times.  It's certainly interesting to see someplace like this, with all the 'art' and the original furnishings - as well as some of the original inhabitants - left for millennia.  I think a find like this will have sages buzzing all around Varisia - perhaps all around Golarion - once they hear of it."

Cato looked briefly worried.  And will the Hellknights hear about a certain wizard who helped to explore them?  "It's almost a shame that this place is full of monsters and we need to seal it off.  Maybe once all this trouble with the goblins has settled, we'll be able to make sure these dungeons are secure and open it up to the wider world.  I'm sure Sandpoint would appreciate the new traffic in town.  Ameiko and the other tavern owners would certainly have a new clientele to serve!"

Cato pointed back the way they had come.  "I mean, take those runes back there.  That was the symbol for Wrath, over the symbol of the Thassilonian empire.  What those are is well known, but one hasn't been found in that fine a condition in, well, ever."  Cato shook his head.  "It's just a tragedy that such a great historical find has to be linked to such terrible things."  Cato's face fell again, as his mind remembered what lay lurking for him in his own body.

Trying to ignore that, he peered around the corner, looking between Kellan and the wall.  "Wooden platforms?  I trust those aren't thousands of years old, unless there's some very potent magic at work here.  This must be more recent."
Pisca Neep Freemish
Gnome Archaeologist, 847 posts
The Gnome!
And Her Imagination
Fri 18 Apr 2014
at 17:57
  • msg #268

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Rickety ...  Walkway ...  Rickety ...

This was where Right-Sized folks had a distinct advantage over the Bigguns.  She'd have to warn the others back a bit before testing Mister Rickety Walkway.

"Hold up."  Still looking through the door and into the room, Pisca held up a hand to call a halt.  "There's a walkway from here that doesn't look too stable.  Made of ... wood.  That's strange.  Don't you think?"

"I see a wall quite a bit away, but the walkway looks like it ends half way there.  No telling what it might drop off into.  Why don't you wait here and let me go in first and test the walkway."

"Errr ...  Does anyone have any rope?  I was thinking that maybe I should have something tied around my waist before I go."

"In the meantime, why don't you go on ahead of me," Pisca whispered to her Gnome-Shaped light.  This, despite the fact that she knew full well that it could neither hear her nor respond in any way.  "Go over to the edge there and take a look over," she prompted, before willing the Dancing Lights forward to the edge of the walkway.

Send Dancing Lights to H-3.

Position H2

Active Effects:  Antitoxin 1h, Message-All but Kerr 20m, Dancing Lights 1m

AC15
HP 15/18
Archaeologist's Luck: 2/7
Used:  Antitoxin, Arrows -3

Liseth Thoradin
Human Oracle, 828 posts
Deluge of Positive Energy
HP 24/24
Fri 18 Apr 2014
at 23:27
  • msg #269

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

"That's not true Kerr."  After being given a welcome kiss, a hug, and an arm by Kerr, Liseth had to correct him when he said that the gods made him to destroy things.  "You are a healer.  You healed me after I was cut up by those mean goblins.  Nobody else has ever healed me before.  And you healed Pisca too; she even gave you a hug for it.  Right Pisca?"  She asked, but the gnome was already off and away.

"And you're a protector too.  Not a destroyer.  The gods don't need you to be a destroyer, Kerr."  She looked up at him, "What did you say Desna told you?  That you were supposed to protect and support me, right?  A destroyer doesn't protect things.  A destroyer destroys things.  A protector keeps people safe, and only fights when he has to.  So that makes you a protector and a healer.  A hero."  Liseth stood up on her tiptoes to give Kerr a kiss, "My hero."

Liseth gave Cato her attention as they followed Pisca.  She displayed a polite level of interest, but clearly knew very little about ancient empires and symbols.  But she did chime in once he mentioned what it might mean for Sandpoint, "Do you really think that so many people would travel all the way here just to explore these scary ruins?  I wouldn't want to come down here, except that we're the only ones who can stop the monsters before they climb up into town."

"A wooden walkway?"  Liseth whispered back once Pisca gave her report of what was through the door, "I'm sorry Pisca, I don't have any rope.  Be careful."  At least Pisca was so small and light.  The walkway shouldn't collapse under her petite frame...right?  "Kellan, maybe if you prod the walkway with your spear, we can see if it's safe to step on?"

Seeing Cato's face fall again, Liseth became flustered in her concern, "Gods grant you courage."  She touched the wizard and transferred a mote of divine power into him.  Liseth held Cato's hand again, with both of hers, "Um, Cato...if you don't mind my asking...which god do you favor?"  She amended quickly, "So that I know who I should pray to, to help you get better."

Cast Guidance on Cato.
Cato Crispin
Human Wizard, 469 posts
Have arcana, will travel.
Sat 19 Apr 2014
at 00:39
  • msg #270

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Cato looked to Liseth.  "I favor Desna, actually.  I'd done quite a bit of traveling before coming to Sandpoint, and I find comfort on the road in praying to her for my continued safety on the road.  I think my travels have honestly gone smoother since I found her."  At least the Hellknights don't seem to have found my trail again, which is saying something.  The mage smiled.  "And, of course, for luck.  Everyone needs that, right?  I actually remember it.  I had a rather bad night in Magnimar, and I happened to run into an itinerant priest of Desna's on the road the next day.  As we walked, we exchanged stories and advice, and he convinced me to try addressing my prayers to Desna as long as I was traveling, and The Great Dreamer would aid me in my travels."
Kellan Storval
Human Fighter, 517 posts
Former Red Shirt
Sat 19 Apr 2014
at 04:51
  • msg #271

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Kellan couldn't help but chime in during Liseths and Kerrs conversation. He waited for a good moment of course, not wanting ro interupt the two love birds.

"You say destroy like thats always a bad thing Kerr" speaking over his shoulder while mostly keeping his gaze to the front.

"If you destroy the problem in the first place, like that Quasit for example...then you don't have to protect anybody from it ever again, right? Just think of all the hate and fear and harm that thing has been responsible for over the years. How many people it could have hurt if it got loose."

He turned to face the young acolyte right as they reached the wooden platform

"Would you rather heal all the victims? Or just kill the thing causing the victims in the first place? Hell, you can probably do both"

All this talk of people coming from far and wide to visit Sandpoint made him kind of excited. It would be good for the town, for Ameiko, for the Vinders...

"Hmmmm, you'd think this stuff would have rotted a long time ago" he mused as he prodded the first plank firmly with the blunt endof his pole axe. At Pisca's question Kellan perked up a little.

"I do have some in fact...useful for when the cows or horses around here get loose." He grounded his pack and came away with a coil, wrapped around the middle mountaineer style which he handed to her.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:38, Mon 21 Apr 2014.
Cato Crispin
Human Wizard, 470 posts
Have arcana, will travel.
Mon 21 Apr 2014
at 13:48
  • msg #272

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

While waiting for Pisca to explore the dungeon, Cato activates Detect Magic and examines the rickety wooden structures in the next room.  Could this wood have been preserved for thousands of years by preservative magic, or is it of more recent construction?  If the former, there sure must be a tell-tale aura.

OOC: Cast Detect Magic
Pisca Neep Freemish
Gnome Archaeologist, 849 posts
The Gnome!
And Her Imagination
Mon 21 Apr 2014
at 17:37
  • msg #273

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

"You wouldn't want your gnome to plunge down into the dark depths of the pit when the rickety walkway collapses from age, would you?"  With the piteous look of a gnome thrown to the cold and impersonal dangers of the world, Pisca took the rope from Stomper and undid the bindings.  She secured one end around her waist and held up the length somewhere in the middle for the human to take.  "Grab hold of this and play it out as I work my way onto the walkway, alright?"

Cautiously, the gnome edged her way, further and further onto the walkway of dubious durability.  The slide her feet across the ancient wooden boards competed with the beat of hear heart.  Slowly, slowly slowly she made her way.  Then, fully out into the room, Pisca finally stole the opportunity to examine the room in its entirety.  She stood quietly, and glanced around herself.

Perception check ... and stealth for the heck of it ... please.

Position H-1 / Dancing Lights at H-3

Active Effects:  Antitoxin 1h, Message-All but Kerr 20m, Dancing Lights 1m

AC15
HP 15/18
Archaeologist's Luck: 2/7
Used:  Antitoxin, Arrows -3

The Raconteur
GM, 886 posts
Teller of Tales
Writer of Wrongs
Mon 21 Apr 2014
at 20:30
  • msg #274

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids


“It really is a shame, Cato.”  Kerr nodded; he knew about things that should otherwise be unalloyed sources of joy proving themselves to be wellsprings of trouble instead.  “Do you really think this would drive a lot of tourism to Sandpoint?”  The young acolyte hadn’t been that impressed with the ruins to this point.  “I mean, we’ve found a lot of Thassilonian, er, monsters I guess, but it doesn’t seem like there’s been much in the way of important ruins.”  He gestured around the corridor as they walked back.  “I mean, it’s mostly just stone.  Right?”  He scratched his head.  It seemed strange that one well-preserved rune could cause a wave of scholarly attention to crash into their little town.

Kerr smiled down at his adorably-short girlfriend; she had an uncanny knack of making him feel better.  “I guess that’s true, Liseth,” he said, squeezing her close.  “Just make sure I keep on that road, okay?”  He glanced over at the big guardsman.  “That’s true, Kellan.  Destruction isn’t automatically bad.  I just don’t ever want to be one of those people who destroy things just for the love of battle or destruction, even if the things being destroyed are evil.  While things might need to be destroyed, I would always rather do it out of a sense of sorrow, rather than gladness.  I think it’s better for me.  Or my soul, at any rate.”

Kerr helped secure the rope around Pisca’s waist, then drew an arrow as she stepped out on the walkway.  “Be careful, Pisca,” he said, an admonition which didn’t seem as unnecessary with the gnome as it might be for some others.  He watched with some trepidation as she slowly made her way out onto the platform to see what she could see.


The Raconteur
GM, 887 posts
Teller of Tales
Writer of Wrongs
Mon 21 Apr 2014
at 20:30
  • msg #275

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids


Secured by the rope to Kellan's imposing bulk, Pisca carefully stepped onto the wooden platform, which, to her surprise, she found to be much sturdier than it looked.  The large chamber was obviously once a prison, as Pisca could see from the twenty cells lining the room's perimeter.  The intrepid gnome could see the rotting remains of skeletons inside the cells; most of the doors stood wide open.

The wooden platform onto which Pisca crept overlooked the room; it was clearly some sort of walkway from which prison guards could observe those unfortunate enough to be incarcerated in the facility.  Two flights of stairs on either side descended to the prison floor ten feet below.  A five-foot-wide wooden walkway ran from the northern edge of the platform, ending at a passageway that ran off to the east.

Most importantly, the gnome spotted three Rune Dogs bickering amongst themselves near the southeastern group of cells.  The Rune Dogs seemed very agitated; they did not notice the gnome's impressive display of sneakiness.

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D = Door    1 = Rune Dog 1
S = Statue  2 = Rune Dog 2
T = Stairs  3 = Rune Dog 3


This message was last edited by the GM at 20:31, Mon 21 Apr 2014.
Kellan Storval
Human Fighter, 519 posts
Former Red Shirt
Mon 21 Apr 2014
at 21:04
  • msg #276

Re: Chapter #7:  Catacomb Kids

Kellan made a stout knot at the end of his line before looping it through his belt like a make shift climbing harness. Coiling the rope carefully near his feer he let out a little slack at a time, keeping the rope taught in the case that one of the platforms gives way. As he fed the rope through his gloved hands, his weapon leaning against the wall at his side, he kept his attentions on Pisca and her crossing.

All the while however his mind was slowly ticking away the seconds and wondering how quickly Cato's condition would begin to manifest.
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