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Mouser, a wicked smile on his face as he winks at Hoom, let's split this later - and pockets the diamond for future examination. He'll poke through the small chest for any hidden compartments, just to be sure.

DM:

As Hoom looks on, Mouser's eager fingers probe the inner lining of the iron lockbox. They discover a false wall.
Behind it is folded a sheet of parchment.
Mouser opens it and cannot comprehend the writing.



Hoom can read the Elvish alphabet. Moreover, he recognizes the handwriting.

The letter reads:

• Dearest Hoom,
  
  As you now no doubt know, we've entrusted this family heirloom to an old friend for safekeeping against the recent troubles.
  
  Now it belongs to you.
  
  Its clarity is unique. May it inspire within you insight and vision, as it has us.
  
  Your loving parents

Pip will come back and tell everyone about the rope down.

Concerned about tricks, he attempts to disbelieve this awe-inspiring hoard. He doesnt request any of the magic items.

"You have many changing requests and no answers," Grothnak tells the mirror, eyes still closed. "I cannot trust you, and I cannot risk our mission. I am sorry." He lays the mirror face-down again before opening his eyes.

He turns toward the treasure orgy. "Art mabas lufut!"* he growls. "You look like swines at the trough! We have souls to save! We need to move on. Quickly. And Hoom and Mouser—stop stuffing gems down your throats, or we'll have to cut you open when it's time to divide the spoils."

He picks up the iron halberd, however, and considers it, assessing whether it would be a better weapon than his own. Vadok has brought him through many battles and felled uncounted foes—but this is no time to be sentimental about a weapon.

Mouser reluctantly retrieves the diamond and hands it to Hoom. His whole I-don't-see-your-name-on-it argument he was planning is now for naught...

Brevos will enter the vault and pick up the shield with the tree engraving.

Do we follow Bo's suggestion of using an illusion to cover our hidden presence here or do we press on?

Bo

"I say we press on, but remember this room in case we need to come back here."

His suspicions about Hoom lessen somewhat after seeing his family heirloom, but he continues to watch him anyway.

Realizing there is no one better suited to use the arrows, Telkis will also snag them from the pile. ”Whoever’s running this place is going to get a face full of these,” he says as he straps them on.

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric will also take the scroll of clerical spells, as she is the only one capable of using it. Let us not forget this other healing potion. Does one of the fighter types wish to carry it, as you will be most likely to require its use, or would you prefer I keep it so that I may distribute it where needed?

"I will take it for safe-keeping. I do not trust anything else down here" replies Pelias as he grabs the potion of extra-healing.

As he watches Hoom and Mouser stuff their pockets, he says forcefully "We will return these to their rightful owners - or their kin. Else we are no better than common brigands."

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom puts the diamond back into the box and hand is to Mouser. "Grey I ask for you to please hold this for me in your pack as I don't have anywhere to place it. This time, please don't leave it behind like my other belongings."

Within the Hell Mouth, the Rushmoors, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Ten. Sundown. Tuesday, October 25th, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, foggy







Beneath the bizarre fungal shapes of the cavern's unnatural formations, the heroes grimly divide the riches of the damned.

Not trusting this hellish netherworld, Pip of Hochoch refuses to believe the hoard is real. It persists despite his doubt.

Grothnak abandons the sundered voice of the mirror. She sobs, broken and forlorn.

Ready to continue their harrowing ordeal, the heroes replace the muddy canvas and the heinous diptych. Pelias regrips the bound, unconscious cultist whose soul he labors to save. (C5)

Then they advance down the westward tunnel.



The palpable sense of dread and nausea abates, except for Mouser who still bears the evil tome bound in human flesh.

At the tunnel's end, the failing light of day, somewhere high above them, illuminates a thick, knotted rope that trails down into the darkness of the abyss.


Actions?!


Cutaway View:

West is left. East is right.
PCs are near the red "X." The oozing horror is at "O." A dead cultist is at "C."

Map:

One square = 10 feet. Z = the undead. C5 = Pelias' unconscious, bound captive.





PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 19/27
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 5, HP 9/15, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 20/28
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 17/22, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 3, HP 11/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 23/30, Spells: 1/6 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 3: Move: 6", AC: 2(0), HP: 19/30, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Pip, Human Monk 2: Move: 16", AC: 9, HP: 11/12
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 17/28
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC 6, HP 9/9, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl, Torch

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far, in words)
  Graven Images (the story so far, in pictures)
  The Innocent and the Condemned (npc's)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

looking at mouser Brevos says.

why do you still carry that monstrosity pointing a the book

Mouser debates on what to do. After an internal struggle his conscience edges out his curiosity and he returns the book to the treasure room and puts Hoom's small chest into his pack. He grabs a few more gems and jewels while he's at it and stuffs those in his pack as well...

Before the mass climb down of the rope begins, Bo takes the time to make the room look as it did when the group first entered. He drags the dead bodies into the secret treasure room before it is closed up tight.

With his eyes closed, he also lifts up and rights the mirror again, once everyone has moved into the chamber and can no longer accidentally look into it, that is. He whispers while he works.

"I will look upon you on our way back through this room. But only if you do not speak of our being in here to anyone."

Once the grisly task is completed, he awaits his turn on the ropes, ready to climb down and leave this room behind.

"Please be wary on the ropes, gang! We must keep alert on our descent and try to find our aggressors before they find us."

As the group hesitates at the top of the rope, Telkis thinks a bit on the elven arrows he picked up in the "treasure" room. He's never seen arrows so fine before - they must be incredibly balanced. He's saddened by the thought of where they must have come from - one of the elves from the abandoned house in town if he doesn't miss his guess. But who knows, really? He just wants to get this over with, and hopes that he can go some way towards avenging the victims of this place by putting the arrows to good use. He broods for a moment, then says, "I'd give just about anything for a nice chat with a vole about now."

Pip will stop Mouser from returning the book "We can't leave it to them. We should burn the book as soon as we find a proper fire..." He'll hold the book, without opening it, if Mouser doesn't want to carry it.

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom thanks Grey and gets in line to descend on the rope.

Urdur sees the others in the group hefting new weapons and shields. It occurs to him that this is no time to be squeamish. He is out of spells, and there is doubtless danger ahead. Any resource should be used.

The gnome takes the bracers out of his pack and puts them on his wrists. He hopes like heck they aren't cursed.

If he doesn't die or turn into a cockroach or anything, he follows the others down the rope.

Mouser waves away Pip. "If we are taking the book with us, I might as well carry it" He puts in back in his pack.