From his position behind Tesseryn's legs, Brindle translates Tesseryn's fine speech into the goblins' own language to make sure they clearly understand Berkam Shem's instructions.

OOC: Brindle rolled 14 using 1d20+7.  Aid another: DC10 Bluff check to help Tesseryn.

Aurion, safely away from the stench, casts his spell into the well-appointed chamber.  For some reason none of those accompanying the Elf choose to get in the way of that and all staunchly hold their positions.

Once he has time to take a proper look, what seemed to be some sort of insect at first glance is quickly reclassified as a bone throne, which is heavy on the yellowed skulls. 

Meantime at the pointy end ...

The goblins listen politely to Tesseryn's lies (the ex-Paladin showing a remarkable gift for such, now he's had a bit of time to practice), but become increasingly restless as he continues and their leader, a rather large specimen, rudely interrupts Brindle's kind rendering of the gist of it into their own tongue ...

"What you mean ... Berkam Shem 'as kilt our boss ?!!" he questions, angrily.

Relieved to see only a sinister looking bone throne, Aurion steps into the room. "I don't detect any magic in here, but does something smell like Dog? I wonder if this was where Vastavaar has been staying?" He sits at the desk and rifles through its contents, perhaps not very successfully.

18:30, Today: Aurion Moonbeak_ rolled 9 using 1d20+6.  search.

Oh, too much?  Tesseryn stutters to a stop.  These goblins don't seem to be interested in Mitra's holy belt.  More interested in the who's-who than the what's-what.  He changes direction and tries to set them on a different mission.

"Yes!  Mayor Avaakris is dead!  Slain by Shem the Cunning!  Shem needs your aid to rid his town of that Traitor Ishpemo.  In return you'll be granted his rooms here on the second level, and the barracks in the town.  What say you?  Come up to the town and fight""

19:42, Today: Tesseryn Brightsoul rolled 26 using 1d20+14.  Diplomacy with goblinses .

Brindle shrugged sympathetically at the goblin's reaction.

"Sounds like you'll be needing a new boss. Probably a good idea to join the winning side, don't you think? Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!" he suggests.

OOC: Brindle rolled 11 using 1d20+4.  Aid another: DC10 Diplomacy check.

The task Aurion sets himself to search the desk proves easy enough as there is naught to be found.  Indeed, though richly furnished, the room is devoid of any of the little touches that might suggest it belongs to anyone in particular, more in the way of a guest room than someone's personal chambers ... which fits in well with the theory that Gratchscartch may have been recently staying here.

On the far side of the black abyss ...

Goblin's are simple creatures and while the vengeance that Tesseryn's silvered tongue suggests (ably assisted, or at least not blatantly undermined by Brindle) is rather appealing, their personal safety comes first.

"Wot's it like up der ?" their leader asks, sounding like he's trying to make his mind up.  "Did a lot die in der fight ?" he adds, cunningly.

In reply to Skald (msg # 897):

As plans formulate the Gnoll's brow appears to be waging it's own war over cranial territory.  Little waves of fur erupt to crash upon others, fighting over a patchy orange tuft, and he is unusually quiet and withdrawn.

As he stands there with the more eloquent of the group parlaying the Goblins he starts to lose focus and interest.  An ear twitches here and there and he shifts uneasily from foot to foot.  He absently toys with a spice on the flail, drifting away as the conversation progresses.

The names of people whom he doesn't know, and likely wouldn't remember anyway, flit to an fro in Gratchscarth's constrained mind, colliding, rebounding and colliding again, ripples and shockwaves everywhere, confusion upon confusion mount and mount.

Unable to cope with such a complex situation a snarl builds and his head darts this way and that in annoyance, akin to trying to catch a super fast flea that cannot be caught.  Mild at first they increase, then as the conversation continues a tremble sets in and his fingers twitch randomly and he starts to jiggle a touch.  This continues to increase and the muscles in his jaw show he's doing all he can to hold in his anger.

Finally as the Goblin leader not only refuses to do their bidding but actually challenges them (I mean who asks Goblins?} he explodes, letting out a blood curdling half howl half primal scream.  Foam, drool and spittle (and a few pieces of sausage) burst forth over the assembled Goblins.

In wild fury he wades through the Goblins brushing them aside like they aren't there to stand over the leader.  At full 7ft height he looks directly down upon itthreatening with a near apoplectic shout "Do as say cowarrrd pit worrrm orrr I rrrip head off"  Finishing up with a snarling display of very capable teeth as punctuation.

However he doesn't give the leader time to reply and turning to address the Goblin contingent in an all out deluge of drool that whips across the Goblin faces he swings his head back and forth crazily.  "Scum sit herrre like elf prrrety flowerrrs hiding...weak...lazy...soft..." And with a sinister smile and just enough pause adds 'juicy'

He raises his flail  "You no go fight and grrreat god Yeenoghu gets many sacrrrifices now"  And with this said stares at them maniacally ensuring the they understand it is them who will be on the menu.

Snapping back to the leader and brandishing his flail he demands with barely restrained anger "You darrre not do now!"

As he stares down the Goblin leader he casually reaches out to pick a morsel of previously spat sausage off the leader, tossing it in his gaping mouth snapping down suddenly and loudly upon it.  Sausages it seems are also a political tool.

The Gnoll knows the lot in life of a Goblin and is reminding them in case they have somehow managed to forget.  They're at the bottom of the food chain and do what they're told.


OOG: Apologies all for my absence.  Been very busy and unwell, but am back.

OOT:  ROFL.  That's so good, welcome back G!  :-)

Tesseryn gapes in amazement as Gratchscartch wades in and threatens the goblins.  His own lies and persuasion had moved them not an inch.  He shuffles back from the doorway just a bit to give the goblins room to escape!

"Seems this is not Berkam Shem's room after all." Aurion closes the door. On a whim, he opens the cage and sets the lizard free, watching what it does or following if it goes somewhere. If it doesn't go anywhere he'll slipper his way down the stairs to see what's that way.

Wrukaog's face lights up with savage joy as the gnoll takes charge of properly threatening all those stupid goblins. He gleefully steps over the pair of halflings and stalks across the room after Gratchscartch.

"Yeah! You tell 'em, gnoll-friend! Last one out the carking door is dinner for you and me, right?" he laughs enthusiastically.

Brindle's eyes grow wide as he watches the performance of gnoll and orc versus goblins.

Tesseryn's response seems eminently reasonable. Brindle hastens to copy his example and make way for the anticipated goblin exodus.

Closing the door to the well furnished room, Aurion frees the lizard from his cage watching it intently as it paces back and forth for a bit in a non-aggressive fashion before starting to climb the nearby wall.

Bored, the Elf leads his little group ever onward down the stairs.  Having descended fifty feet or so, the wide stone steps suddenly narrow and darken, continuing another twenty feet before opening out into a narrow tunnel about ten feet wide by the same deep with a door on the far end of the north wall and a rather nattily dressed fellow leaning against the wall.

"I say," he smiles languidly, easing himself upright and negligently waving his narrow blade in your direction.

"Must've dropped off ... very pleased to meet you.  I'm Halphed.  Halphed Bloodgusher.  May I be of assistance ?"


Somewhere above, ...

Moved by Gratchscartch's impassioned pleas and Wrukaog's support, the goblins, en masse and wailing their enthusiasm, race for the exit.

So keen are they to be on their way that they forego the chance to say goodbye to Tesseryn and Brindle as they head north.  Shortly, you are able to discern an opening in the centre of that furthermost wall, filled by mist into which the goblins (and their six pet wolves) pour ... then the rush stops dead as the stragglers find themselves crashing into something solid that causes them to cower back ... whereafter they spontaneously decide to try for the southern doorway after all, though they give Gnoll, Orc, Human and both Halflings as wide a berth as they can in the general push and shove, heading west and then north as they round the corner.

The chamber is considerably quieter now it is empty ... and rather less smelly for all the soiled sleeping rags, dung and other refuse (that it would be better not to examine too closely) remain.

The only decoration in the room are an unimpressive collection of shields that line the walls, probably looted from the corpses of fallen foemen after they'd been tested to destruction in the main, though perhaps half a dozen of the shields are usable, if only just.

There is a doorway to the east of the southern part of the chamber, and, as the mist clears, a solid block of stone blocking the exit in the far wall of the northern area.

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

That was effective!  Tesseryn nods his satisfaction at Gratchscartch and Wrukaog.  Although, where exactly did they go?  The gnoll was not specific on that point.  Well, let fate decide... his recent embrace of chaos has little perks, like not having to ensure justice is done.  All will be revealed eventually.  Now, what's behind door number two?  He steps around and over the debris to the eastern door and opens it.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:35, Sun 05 Sept 2021.

"Asleep! On duty!" Aurion snarls at Halphed. "I'm here to do an inspection. Seems I should have come sooner. "

He turns to the gaggle of recently rescued captives behind him. "Stay here and guard this door while Halphed is busy saving his career."  He gives them an unambiguous signal to play along (wink). "And let them know upstairs that I'll be delayed here only a short while." He glances toward Leisha with a completely ambiguous arched brow, then turns back to Halphed and points at the door with a hand that bears the mayor's ring. "Open up and lead on, show me everything!"

"First time for everything, I suppose," Halphad seems genuinely disinterested, though he greets the news of an inspection with a broad smile, which doesn't fade even as Aurion proffers the hand with the mayor's ring.

"That might be a problem though," the guard surmises.  "A gift, perhaps ?"

Despite his friendly but unhelpful attitude, he has no trouble standing aside to allow the Elf and his entourage access to the door.


Pleased with the way things are going, and with a confidence that all should find terrifying, Tesseryn proceeds to fling open the eastern door ...

...to reveal a circular chamber, rather familiar to some of you, perhaps seventy feet across, with a tall ceiling, doors to the north, east and south, and a large hole in the floor nearby.

In the middle of the room stands a stone statue, towering over Tesseryn by a good five feet.  Its features are very similar to the relatively smaller silver statue of  Mitra that Wrukaog carried for some time, but with certain subtle differences that render it not so much noble and godlike as simple and ugly.

The statue wears red shorts, black pointy-toed shoes, an ornately floral patterned vest over a ruffled shirt, and a red pillbox hat, and holds an inordinately large broom.

"Your belt !" Samalgidacion greets the ex-Paladin.  "Give it to me !  Oh, it's you."

"Not likely!" Aurion sniffs. He plucks a scroll from a pocket of his robe and steps forward, gesturing with it for Halphed to open the door. "Lead on Halphed."

"Ah!  Sam!  So, we're back here again."  Tesseryn is surprised and pleased to find this round room and it's statue inhabitant again.  He enters the room, unbuckling his belt with the leering goblin faces, hoping to swap again and be rid of the ugly thing.  He offers his out to the statue while holding up his sword and metal breeches and making introduction to the newest member of the party.  "Gratchscartch, this is Samalgidaceon.  He likes belts.  Feel free to swap yours to make friends."

"Awfully sorry," Halphed tells Aurion, unapologetically.  "I'm afraid it's locked.  And, alas, I don't have the key."


Though Tesseryn fumbles with his belt, the ex-Paladin is unable to remove it ... though Sam seems to have lost interest in it after recognising the wearer.  The statue does stare keenly at the door to see if any other belts might be in the offing.

"Of course. I'll return later with a key." Aurion turns about and gestures for the others to return upstairs. He makes his way slowly back to the pitch black doorway, but using his elvish senses to detect secret doors along the way, and look out for the lizard. Halfway up the stairs, where they narrow for no apparent reason, he casts Detect Magic to check for more illusion-covered walls.

Back at the black doorway he looks thoughtfully at its nothingness. "I'm up for a slice of toast and a sip of wine. How about the rest of you? Should we call it a day?" He steps into Burkam-Shem's workroom and asks hopefully "Hingest, does Shem keep any food or drink in here?" After that he'll either make toast or slump down in a comfy chair to read one of Shem's books while he waits for the gnoll to return the others through the dark room.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:34, Tue 21 Sept 2021.

Tesseryn gives up on his belt, grimacing at the ugly thing.  "I recall that you have never left this room, Samalgidaceon, and you don't know what's beyond these doors.  Can you remember who comes and goes through here?  Goblins?  The wizard Berkam Shem?  Anyone else?  And do you mind if we search beyond these doors later?"  He pauses for answers and permission before leaving the room with the statue and closes the door.  Outside he asks the others, "Shall we regroup and rest?"

"So this is where that giant you mentioned is hiding out," Cogwitz muses.  "That perpetually rolling ball is just up the corridor from there then - those argumentative doors too," the halfling nods towards the chamber.

"I'm rather fond of this belt," he pats his ample belly where his belt of healing holds his pants up, "family heirloom, you know.. and would rather not hand it over, so I think I'll steer well clear of him!"

Brindle looks at his own belt for a moment then shakes his head.

"I already swapped belts here too. Yes, let's find the others and rest up. Goodness knows how many meals we have missed down here already!"

Wrukaog glances down at his own belt, which is made of leather braids with an ornate dragon buckle.

"Yeah, me too. It's a good un. I reckon I'll keep it."

He looks at Brindle and grins.

"Are you always thinking of your stomach? Good on ya. I hope you're thinking of enough to fill mine too! Yeah, let's go find out what's cooking!"

Halphad smiles insolently as Aurion leads Leisha and the not-so-merry band of ex-prisoners back up the stairs, with but a quick pause for a fruitless examination of the walls before returning to Berkam-Shem's workshop.

Having learned from the talking (if not talkative) ceiling that 'Shem usually orders in', the Elf, hungry and unable to find anything else to read to take his mind off his stomaach, leafs through the ink-stained parchment sheets. 


After Samalgidaceon disinterestedly admits that his visitors are infrequent and all vaguely look like Tesseryn himself, and with a shrug that indicates he has no objection to any comings and goings (though his interest is piqued that there might be other belt-bearers around) the ex-Paladin resignedly closes the door and, having garnered everyone's agreement on how to proceed (over the sound of rumbling stomachs), prevails on Gratchscartch to lead the way back through the darkness ...

... where you all meet up once more outside the temple entrance.  Discussion about exactly where you might find a quiet corner to rest and recuperate, undisturbed, proceeds apace.

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

"Shall we go back to visit the gnomes again? The food was good there," Brindle suggests eagerly.