As Vashalla and Tesseryn discuss religious matters (the silence greeting his question regarding the location of Mitra's belt an answer in itself) Brindle and Wrukaog see to the disposition of the remaining trolls.

The halfling is somewhat disappointed that despite the pair's careful positioning of the twitching corpses, his recalled fire bolt only serves to ignite the first corpse ... yet the rubbery flesh burns very nicely and the flames soon spread to the last of the creature's consuming that one nicely as well.

Aurion pauses only to use a wand to assist Haltashaar, which worthy dutifully heads off to pass his message regarding the treasure onto Leisha and Cogwitz, before setting his ear to the south door even as Tesseryn, still deep in religious discourse with the priestess of Istar, checks his blade for any indication of undead.

Hearing/seeing nothing the pair open their respective portals ...

The Elf reveals a chamber, perhaps twenty by forty feet with a large alcove opposite the entrance.  There is another door to the west.  The room is very dusty and filled with fine cobwebs, but otherwise seems empty and long abandoned.

The Paladin's entrance is much noisier as the doors grate horribly as he pushes them open, yet the room beyond, perhaps twenty by thirty feet only, contains little more of interest.  There is a door to the east which has been inexpertly but enthusiastically and comprehensively boarded up, while the double doors on the south wall are identical to those just opened, save for a message scratched into the wood which reads 'KEAPP OWT'.

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

Brindle watches in satisfaction as the fire spreads to the last of the trolls and their twitching is finally stilled. Then he turns his attention to the dead reptilian man's possessions and the gear on the table. he positions himself with a good view of the whole lot and casts a simple cantrip.

OOC: Detect Magic.

Wrukaog laughs at the burning troll bodies for a while, the wanders off to see what all that noise that Tesseryn was making was all about.

Curiosity for the cobweb-filled room outweighs curiosity for the spoils of the fight, so Aurion leaves Brindle to manage the latter and looks about the dusty corners of the empty room before crossing to the door and opening it.

Tesseryn considers Vashalla's words, and chooses his reply carefully so as not to cause offence.  "Ishtar's interests certainly seem broad.  What does she love?  And who is she at war with?"

He crosses the small room to the double doors and reads aloud "KEAPP OWT"  As Wrukaog approaches within range of a splash and a poke he asks Vashalla "Could you please treat our patient again?"

He tilts his head and reads again "TWO PPAEK?"  He shrugs and opens the door, sword ready.

The priestess smiles at Tessryn's careful choice of words, appreciating both the effort and the wisdom the ex-Paladin shows in not antagonising an earthly representative of a goddess of love and war, neither of which any right minded person would willing choose to lessen their chances.

As Tesseryn ventures into the chamber she lingers by the outer door, turning her healing magics upon Wrukaog once more while continuing to assist in the religious education of the ex-Paladin.

"Ishtar ... is free with her favours, though she loves her husband Dumuzid unto death ... and beyond for she stormed the gates of the Underworld herself to try to win his release."

"She wars ..." Valshalla considers a moment counting on her fingers before shrugging ... " with most of the whole damned pantheon at one time or another, including Enki, An and the seven judges of the Underworld."

"The other gods consider her somewhat impetuous ..." she watches approvingly as Tesseryn opens the far door.

With the trolls' remains disposed of, Brindle casts a spell to examine the body of the reptilian gentleman and the suit of platemail, two suits of chainmail, gold hilted scimitar, mace, one agate, one perdot and three quartz gems, a gold necklace and a pair of silver slippers on the end table.

In the southern chamber, Aurion struggles with the door which refuses to yield to him (though at least this one doesn't try to argue with the Elf).

Valshalla casts another healing spell upon Wrukaog as the big Orc comes to watch Tesseryn, while continuing to instruct the ex-Paladin about the ways of her goddess.

Tesseryn, moved to impetuosity by her words, hurls open the southern doors to reveal a largish cavern, made much smaller by the raging bonfire over which what appears to be half a cow roats on a spit, with four large, powerfully-built dogs with rust-red fur, black teeth and glowing red eyes curled up extremely closely to it.

From a tunnel to the east, what seems to be a huge dwarf (standing twelve feet tall with a barrel chest that might be nine feet or so around) with coal black skin and bright orange hair raises a hand in greeting.

"Come, come ! Warm yourself at my fire !  You would like some meat ?  I hope you brought something for us to drink !"

"Watch the step !"  He roars with laughter.

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

Brindle examines the treasures on the table then points to the mace.

"This mace is enchanted. The aura is of moderate strength, so it is not just the basic level of enchantment. Who would like to wield it? Nothing else here is enchanted but perhaps one of you might like to wear this suit of plate armor or one of the suits of chainmail? Or this scimitar, if it is fit for use as a weapon and not just for show," he offers.

Then he piles the rest of the items into his backpack.

"We can divide these up after we get back," he explains more softly.

"Sounds like a carking great party," Wrukaog admits as he moves up and looms behind Tesseryn.

"Let's go find a couple of kegs of booze and come back here later on," he suggests.

The surly paladin steps up beside Brindle, casting his eyes over the table eyes lighting with fury, reaching out his hand to grasp the golden scimitar.

[Language unknown: "Ho ichlesset !  Day esteauugh !  Utfi chers wh Virdonitii !  Ilth the amekorfor es ac, antherati wh butersthaous asnaichopl ni thoonsatetraard ri olhe !"] he cries out, turning around.

Hearing his words, Vashalla winces, leaving Tesseryn and Wrukaog to deal with the strange man and his dogs, hurrying into the end chamber, taking stock of the situation as she too looks at the items upon the table.

[Language unknown: "Wersa ateoerastsom !"] she admonishes Moram sternly.

"My apologies," she tells Brindle.  "These are our missing belongings.  He thinks you are trying to steal them."

[Language unknown: "Pr ut bleameant mo wiltedder est !"] the paladin insists in the face of her ire.

"Yes, we'll be back with the drink."  Tesseryn looks about, portraying 'lost'.  "We were supposed to report to Haffrung Helleyes, but we had some trouble with these idiots out here.  Any idea which way we should be heading?"

Leaving the unyielding door to keep its secrets, Aurion cuts through the troll's room, smirking at Brindle's predicament as he passes. He heads quietly up the stairs to see what's there, elf senses on full alert.

"Oh a thousand apologies!" Brindle stammers. "I should have realised, but in all honesty, I had forgotten we were still in search of your equipment. You all performed admirably well in that battle under the circumstances."

He lifts his backpack to the edge of the table and with a wave of his hand all of the items he had just piled inside come pouring back out onto the table.

"On the bright side, though, perhaps this means we are closer to finding your missing friend."

OOC: Oops. I lost track of what has and hasn't happened over the last 6 months or so.

Vashalla smiles her gratitude to Brindle as the Halfling replaces all the items on the table, scooping up the agate and quartz gems, but handing back the peridot gem, the gold necklace and the silver slippers, indicating that these items to not belong to her and her companions.

The surly paladin says no more, though his sullen silence speaks volumes, claiming the platemail and scimitar.  He begins to don the armour.

"The chainmail belongs to Haltashaar and the missing Vastavaar," the priestess tells Brindle.

"I heard the ruckus !" the huge Dwarf laughs merrily. "Haffrung likes to surround himself with idiots !"

"The wizard's workshop is just north of here," he tells Tesseryn, "but if you've had enough exercise for the moment I'd avoid the main entrance - his guard-beast can be a bit tetchy.  Try the back entrance at the end of the west passage - sometimes it's left unlocked."

"And hurry back with the drink !"   He rubs behind the ears of one of his fearsome pets.  To your surprise it doesn't bite his hand off.

Aurion climbs the stairs ... only to find that they end in a blank wall of stone.

Brindle returns the peridot gem, the gold necklace and the silver slippers to his backpack.

"Do you folks want to carry Vastavaar's chainmail until we find him, or do you want me to store it in my haversack until then?" he asks Vashalla.

With a glance at the paladin who is busy donning the cumbersome suit of platemail, he whispers to Vashalla, "I'm sorry I insulted his scimitar. I'm sure it is a worthy blade if a paladin chooses to wield it, but with all that gold I thought it might just be a ceremonial weapon."

Giant Wrukaog listens to the giant dwarf's advice and nods agreement, especially at the idea of returning with drink.

"I like your hounds. They're awesome! Much better than my little doggie," he adds, putting a hand on Tesseryn's head and ruffling his hair.

Then he turns away, chuckling, and walks away from that doorway to see whether everyone else is ready to move on.

"Grrrr..." Tesseryn growls, not smiling.  He closes the door and looks up at Wrukaog, pointedly ignoring the oversized orc's grin.  "So, nothing north of here yet, for we need to find the Belt before we enter Haffrung Helleyes lair.  Did he call him a Wizard?  I'll have to ask Gnevron about that."

He walks to the next door to the west, on the south side of the passage, and opens it, sword drawn.

"This would explain why no one thought to run when Wrukaog entered." But having climbed the stair, Aurion stays to do his due diligence and investigate. He uses his delicate fingers and elvish senses to search for a secret door, and to see whether the stairs are dusty or well-trodden.

Wrukaog's arrival seems to spur on the brave explorers at the western end of the corridor to rapidly wrap things up.  Having gathered up all of the treasure that was guarded by the vanquished wraiths, Cogwitz and Leisha, with Haltashaar and Virdonitii at their heels, and the big Orc at the rear, dutifully trot out into the passage to join Tesseryn as the Paladin flings open the next door along the corridor.

An overwhelming smell of cow dung permeates the air as the ex-Paladin peers inside at a small, rectangular room with a broad alcove to the south - the sort of architecture that one might well suspect of being a side-chapel, were it not for the probably human bones, rags and rent armour that all but conceals the floor.

At the back of the room, in the alcove, a large pile of electrum coins topped by one crown fashioned from the same metal and another from white marble sit atop the grisly detritus.

In the eastern chamber, while the surly warrior proceeds to strap on his plate mail, Brindle continues to express his regrets.  The Halfling's kind offer to carry the armour belonging to Vastavaar is eagerly accepted by Vashalla who waves away his apologies.

"The blade is ceremonial," she tells Brindle.  "A great blow to Moram's honour to have had it taken from him.  Be assured he is grateful to have it returned, but unable to say such to a non-believer."

At the top of the stairs, Aurion notes footprints in the dust and is not particularly surprised when his fingers pass through the stone that blocks the way ahead.

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

Ah! Pleased with himself, Aurion casts DetectMagic then pops his head through the wall to take a look. He concentrates on the spell but is ready to duck back if someone takes a awing at him.

"Thank you, I understand," Brindle assures Vashalla.

He slides Vastavaar's chainmail into his haversack then heads off to fetch Haltashaar so he can don his chainmail and reclaim his other possessions from the table, too.

Wrukaog has a quick look into the room Tesseryn has opened then turns away in disgust.

"Stinking cow boys!" he mutters, then heads back to see Vashalla about another dose of that healing magic from Tesseryn's magic flask.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:12, Sat 02 Jan 2021.

Having the stomach for this sort of thing, Tesseryn wades through the reeking mess, tossing aside rags and pelts as he searches for a belt.  He will select the newest looking scraps for inspection by the newcomers.  "Does anything here belong to Vastavaar?"

While Wrukaog heads off to seek more healing magics, Brindle is coming the other way to deliver unto Haltashaar his chainmail armour, encouraging him to return to the end chamber to don it and have a look at the other items discovered there.

Tesseryn, in the meantime, has gamely waded into the dung-pile to investigate it further.  While it is to be hoped that none of the rotten leather he finds was the belt he seeks, the bits and pieces that are least damage are still in pretty poor shape and are not improved by the coating of ordure.  Being the unlucky one still remaining in the vicinity, poor Virdonitii is forced to choke back his retches as he fervently denies ever having possessed any of the nasty things the ex-Paladin optimistically hauls out or of knowing anyone who did.

As Valshalla proffers Tesseryn's magic flask to the big Orc, Aurion casts a spell of detection, which indicates that weak magic from the illusion school lies upon the wall at the top of the stairs.  Poking his head through, the double mager finds an entirely empty room, perhaps forty feet wide by twenty feet long, with only a set of drapes hanging on the southern wall for furnishings. 

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

Still concentrating on Detect Magic, and still able to See Invisible, Aurion peers about the empty room half expecting secret doors to reveal themselves to his Elvish and Magely senses. He tiptoes to the tapestry to tweak back a fold take a peek.