Chapter 3: The Monastery at Dimwater

[GreyWolfVT]

Kragg "Gods be damned careful with that thing. A moving pouch isn't usually a good thing." the dwarf looks to work with Yon trying to open the pouch maybe using his sword as Yon has his shield up.

[Storm11]

Hex, the brave steps quietly back a few more paces

[Mant72]

Yon tries pushing away the cocoon wrappings with the tip of his club; it adheres to his weapon in ropy strands and tenaciously clings to the wood. He is not very successful until Kragg assists him. Together the two keep pushing the glutinous material from side to side and flinging the excess goop from their weapons.

Hexalon steps back a couple of feet, watching closely with anticipation. He eyes the saddle bag beneath the hanging chrysalis and the coins that have spilled from within with temptation.

Beneath the thick, fibrous layers of the cocoon, the cleric and dwarf finally uncover what remains of a desiccated pony. It is impossible to determine how long ago the poor thing perished; however, it still wears a relatively new black leather saddle. The saddle is rather small, seemingly fitted for a halfling or a gnome. It is adorned with a silver pommel in the shape of an eagle's head that Kraag's keen eye for precious metals determines could be sold for about 50 gp. The initials "M.G." are tooled into the leather.

Attached to the inside of the pony's hollowed out rib cage, is what looks to be a yellowish-green egg sac. Several shapes writhe and push outward from within the fluffy mass of silk.

[Storm11]

Hexalon, master pony rider oos and ahhs as he sees the fine saddle, fit for one just as he or Fin!

As the sacks squirm the halfling encourages the others to kill the grub babies quickly before they get free and poison the lot of us.

[Inferno]

P.T. Codswallop, halfling impresario:

His arrows poisoned, Phineas stands guard outside the stable, scanning the courtyard for anything catching a glimpse of lunar illumination.

"We're burning moonlight, gentlemen," he says impatiently, eager to find the moon portal before the sun rises.

[Storm11]

Hex calls back out to his fellow halfling. "We got more bugs in here! And a rather swish and well sized saddle yes yes indeed. You need to chillax about the moon thing, we made our deadline, so we did, we are, after all, in the monastery grounds by moonlight already!"

[Grognardsw]

Aric, barbarian

Watching over the shoulders at the prodding of the cocoon and movement within, Aric wonders about the wisdom of civilized folk. He readies his sword if they don't exterminate the baby grub.

[coil23]

Osprey Palearctic, elven fighter/magic-user

Osprey will get back on his feet, arrow nocked, and will stand guard outside the stables along with Phineas.

[GreyWolfVT]

Kragg pokes at the cocoon with his sword. "Some fine metal in that goop but whats in the cocoon baby enemy or maybe the gnome that once rode this pony?"

[Inferno]

P.T. Codswallop, halfling impresario:

As Osprey joins Phineas, the little man produces a green glass bottle with a fancy label from his backpack and says, "You've had quite a spill there, son! May I kindly suggest Mister C.K. Pickering's Wondrous Elixir of Vitality? A potent, therapeutic restorative tonic, sure to cure what ails you! Just one gold piece a dose, friend!"

[coil23]

Osprey Palearctic, elven fighter/magic-user

Through slitted eyes Osprey slowly shakes his head no to the offer.

[Inferno]

P.T. Codswallop, halfling impresario:

"Don't be shy! This miraculous cure-all is an astonishing panacea known to heal the sick and cure the lame, according to many reputable and fully substantiated reports!
"What's wrong, son? Don't you have a gold piece?"

[Mant72]

Kragg pokes the cocoon with the tip of his scimitar, and as he does, dozens of tiny bloodgrubs quickly spill out to scatter and scuttle about the place. Measuring only about an inch or two in length, they are far too small to be of any harm; however, this makes them no less disgusting as they swarm about seeking the dark recesses of the stable.

The silver pommeled saddle and the saddle bag that lies on the ground now seem to be there for the taking.

[Storm11]

Hex, halfling grub squsiher quickly sets about cutting the little devils to pieces as they scrabble.

"Nasty little critters, yes yes indeed," he shudders as he dispatched the last.

"Well this might clean right up and no mistake, could sell it for a pretty penny to I would guess, yes yes yes," the little wizard says enthusiastically, trying to move it carefully to the tower the company has chosen and cleared for a base.

[coil23]

Replying to Phineas, Well, I had a silver piece and that seemed poorly spent on a promised escape. I'll be more careful with the gold. But if I do vomit again I will ask your help in holding my hair.

Osprey turns his head away as if to scan the grounds for trouble before a grin breaks through onto his face.

[Grognardsw]

Once dawn light breaks, Aric suggests they see the grounds from the tower top, then explore the outside for tracks.

[GreyWolfVT]

Kragg steps on the grubs as the spill out of the cocoon. "Nasty is darned right. I'll end email as I can so they can't grow a by bigger and harm anyone else later on."

[jdluna]

Luna joins in the stomping of the grubs so he can finally hit something.

[Mant72]

Luna, Yon, Kragg, and Hexalon commit to exterminating the bloodgrub larvae as the vile insects dart about the dilapidated stable.

Hex removes the saddle from the husk of the pony, and the carcass falls to the floor with a hollow thud. The halfling then lugs his new found treasure back to the watchtower.

Day breaks, and the sun slowly begins to crawl over the horizon. The group decides to assess their situation and their surroundings from the heights of the watchtower. Although the sky is still somewhat overcast, the view is still quite impressive, and the expanse of the monastery grounds is revealed.

Map:

The Monastery at Dimwater.jpg (578.3 KiB) Viewed 512 times

- The group is able to identify some of the buildings and structures based upon their outside appearance:

- Area 17 is another gate.

- Area 16 is overgrown with foliage that is contained within a low wrought iron fence. Possibly a garden?

- Area 14 is a crumbled and ruined section of the monastery wall.

- Area 13 is a graveyard.

- Area 11 is the largest structure on the grounds, and it is obviously a church.

- The group is unable to tell what type of building area 3 is, but lying out on the ground in front of the structure is what looks to be a body.

- The purposes of the other buildings cannot be determined based on their outside appearances.

- There was enough bloodgrub venom to coat Aric's knife blade and ten of Phin's arrows.

[Inferno]

P.T. Codswallop, halfling impresario:

As dawn broke, Phineas returned Mr. C.K. Pickering's wondrous elixir to his bag and lamented, "Alas. If the moon egress is only visible by moonlight, we'll not find it now.
"But at least we've cleaned the stables. Heracles would be proud."

Then, "There!" He pointed at the large impressive building (11). "That seems a more likely place to find crates of diamonds and the arcane secrets of a lost brotherhood than a horse barn, don't you agree?"