At first, Derry coughs uncontrollably, caught by the mephitic cloud before he could step back. Then his dwarven constitution asserts itself, and the coughing subsides nearly as quickly as it had erupted.

17:35, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 10 using 1d20.  Save vs. Poison. Need 8.

Derry and Wyndham escape the poisonous gas cloud without ill effect. The yellowish cloud of gas then began to disperse in the large high roofed chamber.

After the noxious vapors have sufficiently dispersed, Derry will further assist Wyndham in his disassembly of the conveyance. Perhaps there is something secreted within the capsule after all -- something someone had not wanted to be found.

20:44, Today: Lady Chessintra rolled 18 using 1d20.  Save vs. Poison.

Phew she softly said as she moved along with the others.

"If we do find the source, do we want to get close to it?

In reply to Derry the Dwarf (msg # 151):

Did Derry suggest this of her?

Persistent Wyndham and Derry began to dissemble the interior the capsule. Despite the discovery of the trapped vapours they did not find anything else.

OOC Day 35. Time: 11:40am. Weather: Rain. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Wyndham’s torch 2 turns
Valerian’s lantern 2 turns
Devin's torch 2 turns

Disappointed, Derry resigns himself to a return to Fourtowers. The only surprises the cellar held were of the nasty variety.

Back to town. Pick up worm corpse along the way, using the ladder as a conveyance.

Wyndham kicks churlishly at the wreckage of the capsule before joining Derry and the rest of the party back to Fourtowers.

"So are we headed back to Stonehell for our next trip?" Devin asked on their march back.

The capsule abandonded the party gathered up the corpse of the coin worm and exited the dungeon. The sky remained cloudy as they travelled through the forest and back to Fourtower Bridge. It was later afternoon as they crossed the bridge and into the village.

OOC 33 XP each.

Upon their return, Derry decides on two orders of business: first, introducing Lady Chessintra to Fourtower's lady wizard and, second, selling the coin worm skin to the tanner (if the wizard wasn't interested).

The elderly wizard Dagunn Rakel politely greeted Derry as the dwarf trooped the adventurers to the door of her tower. She was pleased to be introduced to the elf Lady Chessintra and examined the corpse of the coin worm. She could not tell whether the creature was the result of nature run amok or magical experimentation. Whatever the answer mistress Rakel was intrigued and offered three hundred gold pieces that she might take the creature for further study and perhaps have the skin stuffed for display.

Derry thinks Rakel's proposition is a grand one, both the purchase and the eventual taxidermy.

He summarizes their latest trip to the cellar for her as well, thinking she might be interested in their findings.

"Never did find a wand for the statue," he laments.

He turns to Lady, "Well, what's on your mind?"

Sold for 300 GP.

 Brilliance, thumbing the spine of her spell book and looking expectantly at this Dagunn Rakel, almost harumphs at the attention that Lady Chessintra receives over her.  But, she describes... in her own newfound way... the silvery pools and the effects that they seemed to have on everyone if she should be asked.  Or feel that she should be asked.  For her own part, the Medium describes her more vibrant approach to social interactions as "feeling overcome with resolve and ambition".

Devin was happy to sit quietly in the background.  After a nights rest, he expected they'd head back to Stonehell in the morning.

Wyndham spends a night kicking back and resting up for their next outing. The Cellar felt done. He tried to remember how many rat tails Derry had saved up for the bandits.

Valerian goes back to his room to study his grimoire and regain his sleep spell.

Chessintra was pleased to meet the Lady Rakel nodding her head "I'm new to these lands and I know very little about what is all happening around here.  Would you be able to share some of your wisdom about the place we keep returning into?

“This Fourtower Bridge. Myself and my three companions Athalgrim, Silar and Mother Majken make up The Four who watch over the old Kings Road. Travellers pay a toll for passage, many travelling to the dungeon of Stonehell in search of riches” the tall elderly explained to Lady Chessintra.

"Can you tell us more about this place called  Stonehell?  It is all new and I never heard of this place. she replied.

"Who created it, who was last to live there anything is helpful.

Looking at the woman a bit more curiously now, that she has stated that she is one of the Watchers of the old Kings Road.

“Stonehell was once the Kings prison. It has been over a century since its doors were thrown open to release those incarcerated within. I have not ventured within its walls myself but have heard tales of cannibal kingdoms inhabited by pale-skinned ghouls alongside stories of magical experiments gone awry” ms Rakel explained.

After a sufficient amount of R&R, Wyndham rejoins the group at the inn.
"Lorna, do you know of any potentially lucrative destinations nearby? I only know about the Cellar and Stonehell, of course. Heard any juicy tales from other adventurers?"

“I’ve heard that there’s caves and smaller dungeons in the canyon at the entrance of Stonehell” Lorna tells Wyndham.

"Very good, then! Let's make that our destination!" says Wyndham, giving the tabletop a firm smack with his hand.
"Let's gear up and head out!"
Wyndham buys another 6 torches and pays whatever's due for his rest time at the inn.

This message was deleted by the player at 19:39, Sun 26 Mar 2023.