With Brother Yew's return came news of yet more members of the party splitting off, if only (hopefully) temporarily. Decisions now had to be made by the handful left about the best path to follow in order to retrieve the candelabra and deliver it to it's destination.

"Soon'r we git on wi' i', tha soon'r we 'ook up back wi' Kal'dor an' tha lad."
Arek looked pointedly at each member of the diminished party.
"So, which way we goin'?"

"We just retrace our steps back to the chamber with the candle sticks." Ronalt offered.

Brother Yew nodded agreement.

"I asked if there is another way back downstairs. The troll said there is - through the Water Temple. From the way he laughed as he said it I suspect it is not an option we should consider at this stage. So we must go back through the chambers where we faced Alrrem."

"That'd b' two "votes" then. Anyone else gonna spea' up?"

Sven creakily nodded approval of Yew and Ronalt's plan. He spoke briefly; "Boring but practical wins."

Tindo nods in agreement.

With agreement reached on how to proceed, the diminished party set forth to retrieve the candelabra from the level below. I barely a minute they'd reached the rooms where the battle against the followers of the fire temple had been fought - nobody is in evidence and little had been done in the short time available to tidy up.

Moving through (minimising the time apart from Gwythe and Kalador in everyone's mind), the group headed straight through into the "throne" room and then back up into the huge east-west hallway. A turn to the right and they were back at the stairs and heading down.

A short while later and passage through the storeroom, and the party was once more looking at the large, heavy (about 120 lbs), and rather bulky candelabra, the object of the current "mission". Nothing and nobody had impeded progress thus far, but with at least two of the stronger members of the group required to carry it, perhaps unseen observers might see an opportunity for ambush...

With Sven and Arek hauling the candlesticks Ronalt patrols around them to protect the small group from ambush.

"Yer want me ta what now!?" Arek exclaimed in astonishment at Ronalts suggestion that he, the oldest and smallest amongst them carry the heavy load. He was already moving slowly under the load of just his own personal equipment and supplies. Carrying the candelabra, even just sharing half the load, would leave him barely able to stagger a few short feet at a time before needing to stop and rest.

With his backpack and halberd already a moderate load, Yew can just manage to carry half the weight of one of the candelabras. He is shorter than Sven or Ronalt so he suggests he should assist Arek to carry one, if they can manage it between them. It might be necessary to lighten their own loads a bit, too.

OOC: How heavy are they? ~200gp each? ~500gp?

In reply to Tindoome Uurraumo (msg # 12):

Umm, message #8?

So you're looking at 1,200 gpw or 55 kgs - essentially the same as a small person.
And then there's the bulk - it's not all nice and compact but quite large and about 3 feet across (at least), and around the same height. Even the strongest character will have troubles simply due to the awkward shape of it.

OOC: There are two rose gold candelabras. (See msg #862 and #894 in 'Through the portal' thread) Each designed to hold 13 candles. So that's 2 x 2250gp rose gold candelabra (weight 2 x 1200gp).

"We offered both to Oohlgrist as trophy racks as payment for his assistance. It will probably take at least 4 of us to carry them both and it might still be slow going," Yew advised. "I'm not sure Iviana and Tindo will be able to carry one, so we probably cannot afford the luxury of having you standing guard, Ronalt."

Raising a skeletal hand to the group Sven rasped; "Anyone ever hog-tied a duregar before?"

His following silence filled the room in expectation, only to be broken to expand on the idea: "Just find a pole & some rope and we're good to go. Long & sturdy enough pole and we can walk all four in a line & each have one hand free for guttin' beasties."

The party members cast their minds over the various rooms they'd visited, mentally searching for a suitable pair of poles. The answer it seemed lay just a few dozen feet away in the form of various pole arms arrayed around the walls of the hall of armoured skeletons (far north east room on the map). Elation soon turned to disappointment though as each and every weapon was found to be rotted and decayed to the point of uselessness.

OOC: Nice idea that. Might even work if someone can come up with suitable materials.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:22, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

Yew offers his halberd if it is long enough to help. He is happy enough to fight without weapons if it comes to that.

"I have a pair of 10' Poles in my robe. Would they be suitable for the sort of litter you have in mind, Sven?"

"Tha'd b' perfec'!" Arek exclaimed before cocking an eyebrow in puzzlement.
"Thou' ah don' know if'n thar stron' 'nough bein' collapsible an' all."
How else could she hide something so long under her robe when she herself was barely 4 feet in height?

"Yes, Mistress Tindoome, please do produce these poles from your robe. I should like to see how it is done. I also have some rope in my backpack that we can use to secure the candelabras to the poles."

So saying, Yew immediately unpacked a coil of rope. His backpack was noticeably lighter after that.

"Ah go' 'nother opshun i' yer wan'? Ah kin anima'e ah few o' tha dead bugbears an' tha 'uman tha 'ad tha flamin' sword ta carry t'is lot."

Yew showed no sign of emotion at the suggestion but his voice was slightly sharper and more formal when he responded.

"Please, Master Arek, first let us see if we can manage without disturbing the dead," he suggested.

"Yer t'ink those e'mentalist's 're gonna 'esitate a' makin' a few zombie's o' their dead?"
"Bett'r we do i' an' 'ave 'em workin' fer us than they do."

Tindo's face scrunches up as she gags on Arek's suggestion. A moment later she clears her throat and says in a barely audible whisper, "I don't have a better suggestion. I fear we must do what we must."

"I fear that no good shall come of such a course," Yew tried to explain. "Apart from the moral issues, which are not insignificant, have you considered that you would be parading those zombies through the same fire temple precinct where their former friends, or allies at least, would be watching? The same people that hold Prince Thromel hostage. Might it not provoke them to some act of vengeance against their hostage, or at least use the tale of our act as a weapon to turn him against us? What would a paladin like Thromel think of us if we use the dead in such a way?"

"I to am not comfortable with animating the dead."
"Let us carry this burden and see to this alliance. Unholy and wrong as it is." Ronalt added. "The sooner I get a chance to ram my blade down that smug priest's throat the better."
"Stole me blade and gear after using that darn hold spell I hate so much."

Sven shrugged to Arek and spoke with an appropriately dead face and usual leaden tone. "Doesn't bother me either way. Dead is dead. So long as it's just you and I who think so, let's see how the poles go first."
A faint look of disappointment did cross his bleak features after speaking, but it was immediately swallowed by the horror of his usual mask.
He stepped forward to assist the group in rigging the treasure.

"So, 'ow 'bout those poles then lass?"

Muttering an incantation under her breath Tindo draws two oblong patches off her robe. For a moment the limp fabric rests in her hands then it begins to writhe and grow. A moment later she holds in her hand two stout poles, each 10' in length.

Without further words, she offers them to the rest of the party.

Arek moved cautiously over the Tindoome and totally ignored the poles. Finger outstretched he poked her shoulder experimentally.
"Wha' else yer go' in thar?"

Yew takes the poles and turns to Sven.

"How do you wish them arranged?" he asked him. "One candelabra tied to each pole, like a T shape to be carried by two people, or all tied together in a H shape to be carried by 4 people or more? Or were you thinking of some other arrangement?"

"Plan is," Sven replied, "Ivianna here and myself have one pole over each shoulder. We tie the candelabras to both poles in a vee shape, makes things nice and even. With luck we're tough enough to walk slowly by ourselves. If not, you step in the middle between the candelabras and take some weight."

Ronalt nods and picks up the end of another pole, ready to carry the burden.

The two candelabra are soon made ready for transport with Sven leading the way, a pole on each shoulder, and Yew and Iviana trailing behind. There had been a little trading off of personal equipment, but nothing would need to be left behind.

Mist led the way followed by Arek a few dozen feet behind. Then came the carriers with Ronalt overseeing them and ready to dive in and assist as necessary. Finally Tindoome brought up the rear with Butch and Sundance.

The procession made relatively good time, the only real difficulty being the stairs, but even so it only took about twice as long going back to Oolhgrist as it did going down to the candelabra. Beside a few stray voices echoing through the ventilation system (which caused a few heart stopping moments as they seemed to come from just through the nearest wall or around the next corner) the journey back was essentially uneventful, if somewhat slow.

"We're back!" Yew announced to the guard troll with the hydra. "These gold things are the payment for Oohlgrist if we have a deal. Open the door so we can take them through to continue discussions with Oohlgrist."

Then he remembered the guard troll doesn't speak Common, so he repeated the request in Gnoll-speak.

Relieved they have made the trip successfully, Tindo remains attentive to danger.

The troll "guard" eyes the party and it's load.
[Language unknown: "Iest wilol illessear."]

[Language unknown: "K ou ons virho ec li eauouswhe. Ng time con ear, eeneno."] Yew barked back in gnoll-speak.

"He commented that we are back quickly," he explained to his companions. "I asked him to open the door now as we do not have time to waste."

[Language unknown: "Ainta in! Fo e ounnt le Thowitionugh telope chout kor."]
The troll motioned the party to stay where they were for a moment before heading through the western door. A few moments later and it returned and waved the carriers (Sven, Yew and Iviana) onward, its other hand indicating Arek, Ronalt and Tindoome (and animals) remain.