Totem of Hunger

You stand in the wilderness at the behest not of the Adventure's Guild, but rather the Temple of Eluna. Sure the request came through the Adventurer's Guild, but it originated from the temple. You were informed during the pre-mission briefing that a mound had been found on the far north-eastern border of Alexandria. This mound it seems has been the source of a few disappearances (or at least blamed for them) and so an investigation of it is necessary.

It's taken you a couple of days to reach this destination as you were forced to walk to this desolate and uninhabited region of the land. Luckily when you were told 'you'll know it when you see it', in this case it was very obvious that you'd reached your destination. The mound is something like a small hill, but too perfect to be a natural formation of land. At its top, it is capped by a stone dome that fits perfectly into the ground. One marked carefully with the deities symbols in some order that you don't immediately recognize. They are placed in a circle, and there are esoteric symbols inside the dietetic ones. They seem to have no discernible meaning, but they seem... oddly familiar. As if you should know them.

A mound! Kard does little to contain his interest in such a delving. Mounds are the best places to look for old magitech. The ride out was... he doesn't remember the ride out clearly. Huh. No matter.

Dolan had been idly perusing the boards at the Guild in search of one that might bring in a little money without being too far over his head, but any request from the Temple of Eluna right now catches his attention most thoroughly. He was quick to sign up, and now stands with the others, surveying the mound with his arms crossed over his chest. "That definitely looks wrong," he observes, probably needlessly, but takes a step to take a closer look at the symbols in their order.

GAME: Dolan rolls knowledge/religion: (18)+6: 24

These sorts of things happening outside the city are nice for Barclaiigh as it means he gets to bring along reinforcements! Porter makes for a large shadow bit the black bear is stick-tight and tagalong with the Khazadi druid through the wilds. Boiled leather plates with matte steel studs are layered across the animal's back, flank, and arms and they rattle quietly as he lopes along.

Bar employs his green-glowing spear as a walking stick and combs at his bushy beard with curled fingers idly as they go. He travels with a small pack on his back and all manner of pouches, sacks, purses, and even a carved wooden travel mug hanging from his wide belt. His sandals crunch and slap as he goes.

Early spring morning, the flowers finally woke up after a cool winter nap. Fresh as a daisy Percy's smile was just as blooming as the color of the flowers, she was on her own no one to accompany her this time. This time she was alone looking for one thing, what 'really' is the cause of these disappearances?...and maybe where's the nearest place to get a bite to eat for after this. She stood there among the rest, holding her satchel close. Standing tall, her large blue eyes glanced at the scenery around the mound taking it all in. With a deep breath she stretched carefully to not get in the way of her large detailed sword, old but well taken care of.

"Weird." Dolan's gaze on the mound as he studies the symbols is unwavering, unnerving, some might say. The green gem set into a bronze-and-steel ring that rests where his right eye socket must once have been, amid twisted and furrowed flesh that makes up most of the right side of his face. "Looks almost like one of those old burial mounds you find sometimes, but it's not. It's a sacred - testing ground, almost? But usually those are marked with whichever deity it belongs to - this one's marked with all of them. So if it belongs to _all_ the gods, there's something in there that shouldn't be, mark me."

Kard says, "Like a splinter. We should take it out." Kard thinks he is agreeing with Dolan, but likely he just didn't grasp the complexities of the religious significance. Not his best attribute. Carefully deepening and pacing his voice does nothing to hide he eagerness to dig in and uncover whatever the mound holds.

"Er..." Barclaiigh sounds dubious and his thick eyebrows are pushed together. "Y'reckon th'marks're forgeries?" He wonders. There's an aside in Khazadul to Porter and the bear takes a few steps to one side before laying down, Bar continuing to walk a circuit and have a closer look.

"If th'gods all agree a thing should be tucked away might be best t'leave it so?" The dwarf glances down from the capstone and considers the earthen mound. "... huh," he wonders wordlessly.

GAME: Barclaiigh rolls Survival: (17)+15: 32
GAME: Kard rolls perception: (3)+6: 9

"Some folk went up'n in," Barclaiigh observes with a grunt, sausage fingers pointing out old tracks. Tracks that go up to the stone dome but don't come back down. "Or... up'n... up?" He points up towards the sky and shrugs. "Reckon in, though."

Despite the shady possibilities of what has caused the losses of people, she stood back up right and tall still with a smile on her face. Percy turned to the rest of the people that at best were also informed about the disappearances and how it seems to the temple at fault. She joined them in the pondering. "...All the gods' symbols at once, here? It's so far out from a town for anyone to give homage to whomever this is for." Why for whatever reason place this out here and at the top of this mound. Whatever its reason to be here was, it was unusual.

GAME: Dolan rolls perception: (16)+8: 24
GAME: Percy rolls perception: (9)+4: 13
GAME: Barclaiigh rolls Perception: (1)+13: 14 (EPIC FAIL)

Dolan turns to watch Barclaiigh work, his arms coming uncrossed to hang by his sides. When the druid makes his pronouncement, he shakes his head. "If they disappeared in there, it's too late to leave it be. We've got to see where they went." His hand goes to the harness holding the well-crafted greatsword to his back. "There, in the middle. There's a button. Push it and it'll open stairs."

Kard is not much of a tracker, so he trusts Barclaiigh's word for it and heads in that direction. He didn't notice anything significant but the mention of a button gives him confidence that they are on the right track. He'll push the button with the butt of his spear.

That is, if he can see it.

GAME: Barclaiigh casts Longstrider. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16
GAME: Barclaiigh casts Goodberry. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16
GAME: Barclaiigh rolls 2d4: (3): 3

The peak of the mound is considered and then Barclaiigh has a look at Porter, small eyes narrow. His sandals slap as he walks back over and has a word with the bear. Really, just one word. In Khazdul. Then there are some gestures and an affectionate pat. The dwarf takes a detour past some brush and chants in his secret cant, holding onto his boar's tusk fetish, and plucking a few ripe-to-bursting berries that he drops into a pouch. "... danged stingiest berry bush I never met," he grouses as he stands.

Another entreaty to Ea through the spirit medium of dead Truffles and tiny, nearly-imperceptible zephyrs begin to dance around his feet. Faster now, he heads up the mound to join the others near the cap. "Y'all got light? Eyeballs'at work'n th'dark?" Tiny eyes squint dubiously at the humans.

The button is pushed and there's a grinding in the air as the circular stone mound becomes a stair case. There's plenty of time to back up before the stairs reveal themselves leading down, down into pure darkness. Your eyes can not peirce it, and that alone is unsettling enough. It's like looking into an inky well, but with a line drawn beyond which one simply can not see.

"That's very dark." Kard says. "Not natural at all." He prods the steps ahead of him with his spear butt. He won't make the mistake of assuming there are stairs. "Might get lighter later."

"The Knight'll provide," Dolan answers Barclaiigh, his words nearly drowned out in the opening of the path down. He shuts right up, though, as that line of impenetrable blackness appears, and he hesitates. "That isn't good. What in all the green garden hells did they stash down here and forget about?" The question is half-rhetorical, and he breathes out, as if to settle his own nerves. "Let's go." He moves to follow Kard, reaching down carefully with each foot as he goes.

"This seems danged foolish..." Bar opines, pausing when he passes beneath the line and even his fine, Khazadi sense is foiled by the magical darkness. There's the sound of a wooden haft hitting a calloused palm a few times as he tries to jar a bit more light from the enchanted weapon. No luck.

"So I see what y'mean about th'"Night" providin' but it ain't abundantly helpful," he grumbles. "Reckon I could get inta somethin' what's got a good nose but then y'all ain't gonna ken what all I'm chitterin' 'bout."

"... gonna hold yer belt here, fella. Ain't gettin' fresh but I don't wanna keep bumpin' inta ya," he adds the last bit for Dolan, pawing out until he's got hold.

"Tracks?" Percy perked her head up curiously. Careful not to slip down the mound side, she made her way down to the rest of the group out of the way for the button to be pushed, after which she waited for the others to pass her and followed behind Dolan quietly. It makes sense why it is so dark in here, dark enough for trespassers to get lost but if we are well known to this place we might have a better chance to find our way, though that is to say if we can go more ways than directly forward. It would be best not to try just to avoid bumping into anything unpleasant. Than again depending on what I may or may not get into, Percy's mind continued to wander doing her best to keep walking straight without getting into anyone's way.

Quite abruptly the darkness breaks and suddenly you're standing in what looks like a stone passageway. The passageway spills out into a broader area ahead of you, continuing to the left and to the right. You notice that there is faint sunlight ahead of you, spilling in from somewhere above, but you're not sure how or why. It's just enough light to see by, and that's a comfort you're glad for after the pitch darkness.

After a few moments of standing in the hallway you realize that there's a wall between you and the exit. Not a door or darkness or stairs, but a wall where there was not one before.

Dolan doesn't answer anyone immediately, but seems to accept the grasp on his belt well enough, and only when he is safely through the magical darkness and into mere dimness does he relax, and reach for the sunburst at his neck. "Very funny. Holy Daeus, sunlit Dragon, lend us your light." He reaches back with his free hand and taps the pommel of the greatsword, and it begins to glow with a sunlit warmth.

Another couple of steps in, and he absently turns around - and the stairs are gone! "What the - where'd the stairs go?"

Kard can't hide the signs of relief when they make it through the darkness. "Damn. Should have counted the steps." He realizes, turning around as if he was going to do just that. Instead of steps he sees a wall and hmms. "Guess that's unnecessary now." He turns to examine the delving. "Well. I'll take second." He offers, screwing a spearhead into the haft of his longspear.

The dwarf let's go Dolan as soon as they're through the dark, blinking and squinting and opening his eyes wide in rotation. When folks make mention of the way back sealing, he turns and glances over his shoulder. There's a grunt and he has a look at the fresh wall for seams or cracks, tracing his finger along the edge.

"Came down a fair bit, too'n there's sunlight streamin'n even afore yer spell got off," the druid observes. "We tryin' t'be sneaky'r...?" He gestures with the speartip towards the fork ahead.

Percy, out of the blinding darkness couldn't help but stare at the sunlight curiously and back to the wall behind her. "Well, it seems we have to choose. Right, or left. We have to move forward, I mean have fun trying to turn back but with no stairs and a wall in the way that'll be a little difficult." Percy stood silently to think as she began to pull her hair up into a ponytail, still a few strands of her hair made it out of her grasp and hung in front of her face. She paused for a moment and tilted her head up a little higher to see the fork in the path before finishing the last knot. "That's? Not good. It seems that there is no telling which way is the best to go, so we might end up having to split the group as evenly as we can."

GAME: Dolan casts Light. Caster Level: 2 DC: 13

A bark of laughter and a cheeky grin from Dolan greet the wildman's comment. "I'm as stealthy as a dragon in a luthier's shop, my friend." He lets go of the sunburst in his hand and taps the chest piece of his breastplate with his free fist. "I don't know that splitting up is a great idea, if something's down one side, I'd rather we all be together than split."

"Best we stay together." Kard intones. "An alarm on the direction we don't go is a good idea. I can rig something. Lead the way One-Eyed Dolan." He nods to Bar.

"Old dwarven sayin' 'bout explorin' tunnels," Barclaiigh drawls, walking towards the split and poking his head out. When he speaks his voice is lower but still conversational and he rattles off a saying in Khazdul from rote memory. "'Always left every time,'" he translates. There's a shrug and he looks down at the ground, kneeling.

The Khazadi druid blinks a few times and squints, tugging at his caterpillar mustache. "... always harder on rock but iff'n we can figger which way the other fellas went..."

GAME: Barclaiigh rolls Survival: (1)+15: 16 (EPIC FAIL)

The hall splits to the left and right with a door to either side ending the hallway. The doors look identical. However between the doors and you are several fallen pillars and on either side of the hallway that you came from are two skeletal guardians. Fully armored and armed, these silent sentinels do not move. They make no move to attack, no move to intervene. There's no sense of life to them either, but they stand in a pair of archways between you and the doors.

When the sunlight spills across the skeletal guardians, Dolan pauses, reaching automatically for the harness that holds his greatsword to his back. "Hope those stay put," he mutters warily.

Kard slaps his gauntlets together. "They won't." Kard assumes. He nods for Dolan to try the left door while he readies an attack for the skeletons if they so much as turn their heads toward Dolan. "Left again?"

"'til we make a full-on circle," Barclaiigh says with a nod, offering the skeletal guardians a side-eye as they pass. The dwarf turns as he goes, glancing down the opposite direction while walking backwards. "Or we see somethin' worth steerin' us another direction."

About-facing again to walk straight on, he idles as the door is reached. The butt of the spear rests on the ground with a clack.

Percy glanced to her back at the handle of her own sword and back to the skeletons, her smile shifts a bit, she looks much more focussed than optimistic as she usually does. She moved slowly to make sure she wouldn't miss a step, she wouldn't want to slip off the edge. Then again who would?

GAME: Barclaiigh rolls Perception: (3)+13: 16
GAME: Percy rolls Perception: (10)+4: 14
GAME: Kard rolls perception: (4)+6: 10
GAME: Dolan rolls perception: (12)+8: 20
GAME: Dolan rolls reflex: (4)+1: 5

"Yeah." Dolan casts a last, wary look at the guardians, then turns away, his hand dropping from the harness to reach from the door. He pushes on the door, frowns, pushes again. "It's not opening." Then, he tries to pull his hand away - and it doesn't pull. he's literally _stuck_ to the door. "I'm stuck to the door!" he calls warningly, panic abruptly beginning to rise in his mind.

GAME: Barclaiigh rolls Strength: (9)+3: 12

The Khazadi druid's darkwood armor clatters as he bounces ahead, sparks and embers seeming to spark off the corners as he moves. Bar has his spear in one hand and takes hold of Dolan's belt again (he's making a habit of this!) with the other. "On three, fella..! One... two..."

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+1: (4)+1: 5

The door wraps around Dolan, squeezing him tightly as Barclaiigh tries to pull him away. "Hey there! Must be dinner time." Somehow... the door is speaking? As if things couldn't get more bizarre.

Kard says, "Fuck it, better safe than sorry." Kard hoses the skeleton closest to Dolan down with tanglefoot juice.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+1: (5)+1: 6
GAME: Dolan rolls strength: (17)+3: 20

"Find something else, asshole. Only one person gets to eat me." Dolan's words are just about snarled, and he grunts, and his armor creaks alarmingly amid ominous cracking beneath it. He wriggles mightily and grabs for the khazad's meaty hand. With his help and a hard jerk, he frees himself of the glue, leaving the sticky substance on his clothing and armor, and casts his harness at once to the stone floor of the passage. The greatsword comes free, and he assumes a ready pose. "Son of a bitch," he swears at the movement from the guards out of the corner of his eye. "Now we're surrounded."

Kard shifts his spear into his off hand and dons his right gauntlet. The hoses jerk to life as he points at one of the skeletons. Viscous yellow fluid pumps out and over the leftmost guardian. Oops. His eyes register that it was probably the fluid, not the conflict with the door that triggered them. Oh well, they were probably going to trigger eventually anyway. He readies his spear to keep the unmoored guardian at bay.

GAME: Barclaiigh casts Flaming Sphere. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+5: (14)+5: 19

Percy's big blue eyes winded fast in alarm as she saw Dolan warn about the door, unable to detach himself from the door handle. She rolls up her sleeves and puts her hands together to warm them up real quick, locking her legs and holding tight to her heavy and large sword. She yelled back to the door. "Nope! Not dinner time! It's the morning you've just missed breakfast!" realizing the door had just spoken, her pointy ears drooped slightly with surprise and confusion.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+10: (12)+10: 22
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+1: (13)+1: 14
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8
GAME: Percy rolls Reflex: (2)+1: 3

Barclaiigh uses the momentum from helping pull Dolan loose and backpedals a short distance, frowning as all manner of inert things come to life. And then Dolan is talking about who eats whom and the Khazadi fellow wears a confused expression before erupting in a violent blush. "Ain't-- agh..! Why'd y'go'n put that danged image in mah... agh!"

The wavy auburn mane and great bushy beard sway back and forth as the dwarf shakes his head violently. He decides it's best to lose himself in the matters at hand and snatches up the boar's tusks and Yggdrasil medallion. He chants again in the druidic cant and a massive sphere of fire erupts right next to the door.

The flame crackles and pops-- but the door doesn't snap! It bends out of the way and escapes the worst of the heat.

Worse, the door retaliates, grabbing up Percy and squeezing tight. "BREAKFAST THEN!" Cries the door with surprising glee.

GAME: Kard activates his Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Str
GAME: Kard casts Shield. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14

Kard shoves his hands into his oversized gauntlets. The meaty titan fists come alive, fingers mimicking human motion and fluid pumping from the armored carapace to the gloves and back out again. Their incongruous dimensions imply a supernatural strength to the wielder, the forearms of an ogre attached to the torso of a human being.

GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1: (3)+6: 9

"Doors don't get breakfast. Or anything else." Dolan is not amused, and brings the greatsword around in an effort to cut Percy free. He tries to avoid cutting the squirming Percy, and ends up hitting neither, though.

GAME: Percy rolls strength: (14)+3: 17
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+5: (10)+5: 15
GAME: Barclaiigh rolls 3d6: (6): 6

Percy now caught in the entanglement of this apparently very hungry door she squirmed and yelled out. "No! I said it's past breakfast! I can give you something better than breakfast! Just put me down and listen to me!" Percy hugs her sword carefully not to stab herself or the door, yet.

During her squirming and yelling she finally makes it out. "Oh, I'm free." Without hesitating she backs away from it with her sword out.

GAME: Barclaiigh rolls weapon3: (2)+7: 9

The door is in a jam, choosing foolishly to stay so close to the roiling fire. It begins to catch, small flames and charred black scoring decorating its surface.

Catching Percy's retreat, Barclaiigh stabs in, waving the spear about. The dwarf seems to forget the which is the business end and just sort of... batters at the malleable wood. "Dang it all t'heck... how'n a... git! Just git!" scolds the Khazadi wildman.

GAME: Kard rolls weapon5: (3)+0: 3
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (18)+7: 25
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+1: (5)+1: 6

The door creates an eye on its surface, hissing at the burning sensation and realizing suddenly that there's more of you than it thought. The fallback of being blind. "Better?" Offers the monstrous door, staring at Percy with interest. "Gold? Gems?" It licks the ground hungrily and drools sticky material onto the ground.

Meanwhile Kard has his hands full with the skeletal guardian whom finally reaches him and attacks with its sword. The weapon manages to get around his armor and pierces flesh.

GAME: Kard rolls weapon2: (14)+3: 17
GAME: Kard rolls weapon2+2: (11)+3+2: 16
GAME: Kard rolls 1d8+4: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Kard rolls 1d8+4: (6)+4: 10
GAME: Kard rolls reflex: (18)+5: 23

Kard makes a feeble attempt to keep the skeleton at range with his long spear, but no luck. He discards the spear and raises both gauntlets protectively. It is almost a dancer's stance that Kard adopts. He leans back and lets fly, relying on the size and magitech strength to overcome the protection of the armor the skeleton is wearing. What he is unprepared for is the shrapnel blast from the skeleton being destroyed. "COOL!" He says after lowering his guard and seeing no more explosions in the offing. "What was that skeleton MADE of?!"

GAME: Dolan spends ONE use of JUDGMENT.
GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1: (20)+6+1: 27 (THREAT)
GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1: (11)+6+1: 18
GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+4+2d6+4: (8)+4+(7)+4: 23

With Percy now freed, taking this thing out is a little easier for Dolan - and it even presents him with a tempting target! "Holy Knight, guide my blade!" Steel flashes, and Dolan slams the point of the massive blade unerringly through it. "No eyes, that's creepy, asshole." Apparently the Daeusite is not in the mood for play, ichor and blood spewing from the target so presented and seized.

Percy lowers her sword with a peaceful smile, glad that the door listened to her when she had been entangled. "I see you look for riches and a feast. Food, money it's all temporary but an honest good friend that is forever. What's a good time if you have no one to share it with? It's just lonely. If you're interested I'm always happy to make a new friend, I'm here offering my friendship to you. Before even thinking 'no' just tell me have you ever had a friend before? If not, then why throw away the chance to experience something new?"

GAME: Percy rolls diplomacy: (13)+1: 14
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Barclaiigh rolls weapon3: (11)+7: 18
GAME: Barclaiigh rolls 1d6+5: (2)+5: 7
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6: (5): 5
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+10: (12)+10: 22

"Reckon it's a bit late for that, miss..!" Barclaiigh suggests with the briefest glance over his shoulder. The door is cavorting like a Tsura gymnast to avoid the flames and the dwarf just doesn't appreciate that amount of alacrity from his portals and entryways.

The wavy auburn mane bobs as he tries to follow the path of the strange creature, finally finding an opportunity and stabbing out with the spear. The soft-green glow flashes at the contact. "Danged... -finally-," he exhales.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+1: (8)+1: 9
GAME: Barclaiigh rolls Reflex: (12)+3: 15

The door roars in fury as its eye is punctured and it bleeds all over the place. "YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE FRIENDS! YOU WANT TO KILL!" It takes a breath and then grabs the nearest person - Barclaiigh and smashes him against itself. "WELL I KILL FIRST!"

One last skeletal guardian makes its slow way toward Kard. Carefully picking its way around fallen bits of pillar.

GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1: (20)+6+1: 27 (THREAT)
GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1: (10)+6+1: 17
GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+4+2d6+4: (10)+4+(8)+4: 26

Dolan has other ideas. "You started it, you little shit. Don't whine," he growls out. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or maybe being grabbed out of the blue makes him testy. The bloodied blade comes down again, and this time, it hits pay dirt, cleaving the door in half from top to bottom, spraying him with ichor and blood, and leaving it a mass of teeth, claws, blood, glue, and flesh sinking to the floor. "Fuck that thing." The sounds of battle from behind him prompts him to turn, bringing the blade up into a ready pose.

Kard is bleeding from where the guard between gauntlet and breastplate did not protect him, but he has had worse from a chicken in all honesty. But his goo is doing the trick, and he only has one of the guardians left. He pops the spear into the air with a booted foot and catches it in a massive fist. It's a tooth pick in the augmented arms of his magitech armor but still long enough to poke at the approaching guardian before it can strike him. Maybe with luck it will explode a little farther away this time. "Don't get close without armor! I think they are explosively fragile."

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (3)+7: 10
GAME: Percy rolls weapon7: (17)+7: 24
GAME: Percy rolls 1d10+3: (10)+3: 13

Picking her sword right back up, she looked back at where the door used to be before turning to the skeleton, she charged at it and hit it hard; knocking its head clean off. "Four!”

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (17)+7: 24
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+1: (6)+1: 7

The boar's tusks and wooden Yggdrasil medallion sway and bounce on the enchanted wood-and-fire breastplate Barclaiigh wears as he steps back over to the edge of the rubble. He settles into a fighting stance with a spear at the ready. A tight nod and some concentration has the looming ball of fire rolling across the floor and taking up position should the skeleton choose to get closer.

The guardian doesn't seem to mind the loss of its head, so it swings wildly at Percy and manages to connect with her. The wound is no glancing blow either. Seems that the guardian can sense the living even without its head.

GAME: Kard rolls 1d20+5: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)

When Percy arrests the skeleton's movement, he cautiously advances, not close enough to be hit, easily, but close enough to stab at the thing. He overestimates the height of the ceiling though and cannot even find an angle to attack.

GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1: (7)+6+1: 14
GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+4: (9)+4: 13
GAME: Dolan rolls reflex: (6)+1: 7
GAME: Percy rolls reflex: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6: (4): 4
GAME: Kard rolls reflex: (7)+5: 12

Say it once, say it twice, take a chance and roll the dice! The others turn away from the mimic, and the only thing left to deal with is the last skeleton that just left his companion bleeding. Dolan does not hesitate in the slightest, using its distraction as it goes after the other two to bring the bloodied and sticky greatsword crashing down on the headless monstrosity.

The skeleton, like the one before it, explodes into a thousand pieces. Bone fragments scatter around the room at a high velocity, striking those in the front lines of battle with chunks of aged ligament. It's a bloody mess by the time the air clears, with Percy in particular looking much the worse for wear.

Kard doesn't have his guard up when the second skeleton explodes. He twists his body, ducking his chin, but his choice to go unarmored below the waist bites him in the ass, literally. He claps a gloved hand over his trousered behind with a sharp yelp.

With a shunted hiss and a clunk, the gauntlets Kard is wearing become innate again, with effort each one is lifted into place on the yoke he is wearing and are once again inert, hoses still, fluids stopped. Whatever Kulthan artifice brought them to life is exhausted, like Kard himself who seems worn out from the strain.

Kard will need some time to recover. Like... at least four minutes.

Barclaiigh's eyes are wide as the other three all go rushing into the fray only to be buffeted by exploding undead. The druid cants his head again and the fire rolls to one side of the ruined pillars, crackling quietly as its duration runs on.

The dwarf tucks his spear back into his sling and starts navigating across the rubble, squinting at the assorted injuries and twirling his calloused finger through the long leather necklace. "Danged if y'all didn't get poked but good..." he mumbles.

Moving to Percy first he advises, "This'll feel real nice, miss, 'promise..." and starts to chant against in that guttural cant.

GAME: Barclaiigh casts Cure Moderate Wounds. Caster Level: 5 DC: 18
GAME: Barclaiigh rolls 2d8+5: (7)+5: 12

Dolan throws up an arm to shield himself from flying fragments, but to no avail, several fragments burying themselves in the back of his right arm and a few more into his side, leaving both bloodied. "Ow," he swears, lowering an arm to reveal a front and face that is thoroughly sweaty and a little singed from close proximity to Barclaiigh's flaming ball. "Don't you worry about me. See to her," he tells the khazad, turning and striding back to the dropped harness on the stone floor. This he lays down his greatsword long enough to stuff into his pack, then picks up both again with its glowing pommel.

GAME: Barclaiigh casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16
GAME: Barclaiigh rolls 1d8+5: (8)+5: 13

Shortly after Kard regains his breath there is a hiss and a pop. The blue device he activated on his chest earlier gives off and acrid burst of smoke and begins foaming at the edges. He pries it off his chest plate and shakes the ooze off of it. "What are the odds both of those doors are mimics?" He asks, eyeing the other exit. He eyes Barclaiigh coming toward him and takes a knee.

Percy dusted off her sword of the small bits of bone left from the skull she had knocked off, and back at Dolan. "Nice hit!" She turned her attention back to Barclaiigh with a big bright smile. "Thank you so much for healing me, I really appreciate it!"

"Ain't gotta do that, mister," Barclaiigh grins, chanting and conjuring that same soft green glow. It's an odd sensation; the little green vines sprout and suture the wounds closed as warmth suffuses out from the prior paint points. "Could knight y'all while yer down there but th'family's only got a waystop, brewery'n some fields. Not much'a kingdom, honestly."

It's about then that the fireball sputters and winks out with a cough of black smoke.

"More'n welcome," he offers back with a guileless grin, glancing then to the door. "Once more unto th'breach..?"

Kard regains his feet, sets his gauntlet on his arm and gestures. "I'll take this one if you like." At least if Kard has only one hand left, he can still punch things with the other. He balls a titan fist threateningly. If this second one is a mimic and knows what is good for it, it'll keep pretending to be a door.

"Yeah." Having packed away his harness, clearly Dolan intends to keep the bloodied blade to hand, although he lets go with his off hand long enough to pick a shard of bone out of his tricep. "Let's go." Both hands now on the hilt, lighting the way, he looks back to see if the others are ready. "When you're ready."

With a bright smile and a deep breath Percy held her sword ready this time. "I'm ready."

"Reckon I got them berries left'n can keep folks from bleedin' out'n a pinch but that's all my proper healin'." Barclaiigh admits a bit sheepishly. He thinks to mention his lamentations at Andelena's absence but then remembers Dolan's earlier comment and blushes mildly instead.

Recovering, the Khazad-aul gives the wooden medallion he wears a quick double-knock and mutters, "(alright, y'all, let's git this one a bit smoother, please..!)" Hopefully the Word is listening.

The second door is... just a door. Either that or a mimic REALLY dedicated to doordom. Either way you open the door and pass through without event. On the other side is a dark room with a pedestal sitting in the middle of it. The pedestal holds a figurine on it. A small wooden image of a humanoid transforming into... something. Something indistinguishable and somehow just looking at the thing sends a shiver down your spine. There's a door to your left. Just the pedestal, the wooden image, and the door. In fact the door that you entered through is gone now.

Dolan isn't the first one through the door, but he's about three paces into the room when he sets eyes on the pedestal and its contents. "Fuck. Bar." He points with the tip of the still-bloodied blade at the statue. "Whatever happened to the other one?"

"Okay. Something is wrong here." Kard says. "Where are the missing?" Yeah, he hasn't lost sight of the mission, find the missing persons.

"It, er..." Barclaiigh steps to one side with one hand cupped on the back of his neck, out of single-file so he can get a better look at the idol in question. "Danged thing smashed t'pieces after a onn'a them dreams. Pulled it out like a damn fool tryin' t'get this big ol' monster of a wyrm t'answer some questions'n..." the dwarf sighs heavily.

"Things went directly t'pot," comes the admission. "Only way seemed like we could stop it was t'smash th'vile thing. When I woke up... was smashed in th'bag."

Glancing between Kard and Percy he warns, "It's tied t'Garm. Or... uh... Carraca'toth? Don't touch it iff'n y'like yer sleep all quiet'n cosy-like."

Percy's sword was not lowered however her thin pointed ears perked up the cautious curiosity that had struck her again, with one question. What is that? After receiving Barclaiigh's wise words she nodded. “I really do like having cozy sleep. I'll be careful to stay away, thank you for the tip.”

"Caracoroth," Dolan growls. "Think we can smash it?" He's staring at it, quite hard, and by no means kindly. "Yeah, definitely don't touch it." He lowers the sword only a little, still wary.

"Wait. It's a totem that causes nightmares? Are we... in a nightmare? You've been... and you..." Kard points at Barclaiigh and then Dolan. "Quick. What is my horse's name?"

"Wanted t'get the Union a chance ta... turn it around, I reckon? Try'n track whatever agents Garm's got causin' all this mess," the dwarf informs the inquisitor. "Don't know that I got th'sense to hold onto another one, though, so a good smashin's probably best doin'."

"... 'les y'all think y'all can hunker down'n keep yer wits," but the druid doesn't sound especially confident with that idea.

Percy flipped her sword to the blunt side, it is not meant for smashing anything usually however in hopes this time using the blunt side will deal less damage. Unlike certain attempts to deal less. In a quiet tone she asked. "If we're going to smash it we have to get there first, how are we gonna do that without possibly getting attacked?"

GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1: (4)+6: 10
GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+4: (12)+4: 16

"No. Let's destroy it." Suiting words to action, Dolan raises his blade and slams it down at the statue in a two-handed overhand chop. It's not an especially accurate hit, but it is quite hard - and bounces merrily off an invisible forcefield just inches away. "Damn it!" he shouts, only just able to keep a hold of the blade and keep it from skittering across the room. He staggers a few paces to the side before he can control his own balance.

Kard reflexively armors up and holds his armored forearms at waist level to protect himself.

"Dang..." Barclaiigh mumbles, furrowing his brow when the sword rebounds. He unslings his spear and looks at the narrow, green-glowing point, then the grotesque idol. "Doubt this'll be up t'the task."

The dwarf takes hold of his focus and thinks, toying with the tusks. "Got no shortage'a lightnin'..."

"Doubt a deathray would do anything to it." Kard says. "And I'm not going to fire a buss in these cramped quarters." He doesn't object to brainstorming, but he is short on solutions.

GAME: Dolan casts Magic Weapon. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14
GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1: (12)+6: 18
GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+4: (9)+4: 13

It takes Dolan a moment to regain his balance, but when he does, he's a few steps away, and turns to walk the last steps back to it. He brings the blade bloodied point upwards to his face, the hilt between his hands, and bows his head. "Holy Daeus, lend me your power, that I may strike true and destroy a thing of evil." The prayer's tone is quiet, reverent, a thing totally at odds with the unforgiving and brash exterior the one-eyed man has presented this far.

The blade begins to glow beneath his hands a sunlit gold that runs along the blood-darkened blade, a quiet glint that is clearly separated from the lit pommel. It is still for only a moment before he brings it up and sends it crashing down at the statue once more.

This time there's a loud gonging sound as Dolan's blade slams home, and he's forcibly shoved backwards by the force of his strike. There's no damage done to the statuette as near as you can tell. It seems that this method is not going to suffice to destroy it.

Barclaiigh grunts and frowns, wiggling his caterpillar mustache in thought. The dwarf's sandals slap against the stone floor as he walks over and tries to take hold of the idol…

GAME: Dolan rolls reflex: (4)+1: 5

There's nothing there to block _his_ efforts, nor does it seem to have any ill effect on the dwarf to hold it.

Kard says, "Does this mean you're going to have nightmares again?"

Dolan goes sprawling backwards a pace or more, the massive blade skittering noisily across the stone to lie there, glowing gently; some paces away. While the Daeusite groans at the hard landing on the unforgiving floor and rolls over onto one side, clutching at the ribs that the mimic had squashed for him earlier. That hurt.

"Reckon so..." Barclaiigh sighs, looking down at the idol. He stops to look over at Dolan to make sure the man isn't in immediate danger of further injury. Then, quickly, the dwarf turns to face the opposite wall and throws the idol just as hard as he can..!

The idol bounces off the wall and lands on the floor. Rolling toward everyone a few inches before coming to a stop. It's... quite inert it seems.

Percy put her sword away fast and crouched down. She faced Barclaiigh worried. " Are you alright?! AwgeeseIdon’tknowhowtohealpeoplethisiswhyIshouldhave." Her attention turned aways from Bar as the idol watched as it slowly rolled back after bouncing off the wall… How did it not break?

Kard says, "I guess... we must have missed a turn."

Slowly, Dolan rolls over and, with an effort, gets to his feet. "Damn it. I need to find a wizard to talk to anyhow. There's supposedly a spell that can send nightmares," he tells the others. "Maybe ... with this -" He moves over to rescue the blade that had gone flying. "We can work out who or what sent it. They've got to be connected." He still seems to be in at least mild discomfort, but is moving and most likely stretching it out. "There's a man somewhere called The Nightmare, or at least that the one werewolf called it. A wizard, if what he did to the one I had captive is any judge."

"... fine, miss," Barclaiigh looks from the rolling idol over to Percy. He affects a smile but he's obviously tired and frustrated at the prospect of carrying the idol. Still, he walks back over and picks it up. There's a heavy sigh and then he has a ratty old horse blanket out of his pack. He wraps up the little statuette and stuffs it away.

"I'll get it straight on to th'Union. No more dawdlin'... ain't gonna mess this up twice, I promise."

Reaching into a pouch, he fishes out the three berries he'd conjured aboveground. He pops one into his mouth and offers the other two to Dolan. "Ain't much but it'll soothe th'aches, bud..."

Kard doesn't know much about magic or religion. "Nightmare. Not bad. A little too direct. I mean, people would say the name a lot, but there have got to be times when your name is also an every day occurrence that makes it confusing. Now if he was: Bob the Nightmare, it'd be easier to tell when you were talking about him. But, not Bob. Have to choose something better than Bob." Kard realizes belatedly that he is babbling.

Without thinking, without asking, Dolan takes the two berries and pops them into his mouth, eyes going a little wide at the sharp, refreshing pop of flavor. "Thank you, man," he nods his thanks to the druid, releasing a slow, careful breath as the aching eases off a little.

Kard, again, takes up the door duties leading out. Fool me once mimic, shame on you.

With that, you turn to the one remaining door and with many pecautions taken to hand in the form of weapons, you make your exit from the room. There's a moment of too-bright light and as you blink it away you find yourself standing on the mound so previously left behind. This is of course... by all rights impossible. You ascended no stairs and yet... here you are. The door is gone when you turn to look for it. Leaving no evidence behind that you were ever inside the mound save for the stone face of the mound itself. Button, waiting to be pushed.

All that remains now, is to make the long trek home again.

Unfortunately, it is a long journey of three days and nights, and each one of them is filled with terrible nightmares. Nightmares of hunting people down and murdering them with your bare claws. Of eating them with a mouth full of terrible teeth. Nightmares that do not cease until the full brunt of morning rises and sends you from them sweating and full of terrible knowledge.

It should not feel so good to be a monster. Not even in your nightmares.

-End