The investigation continues.....

[Inferno]

Sir Ugghra, half-orc aristocrat:

Tomas Did anyone even look for these two when they went missing?

"Why Yes. We Did. At Length. We Just Neglected To Look Underneath This Building. If Only Someone Had Informed Us of the Evil That Resided Here - Someone Who Knew - Then Perhaps We Might Have Spared Their Poor, Wretched Lives."

You all notice something strange as you begin back up the trail. There is a woman who is dressed in men's clothing standing alone near the intersection where the trail leads to the tower ruins.

The traditionalist troglodyte doesn't wish to acquaint himself with yet another gender confused individual. He'll wait that the others may quickly determine what's wrong with the girl. "Pray, Tarry But a Moment Madam," he said to Angella. "Let's Not Divide Our Forces... Yet Again."

Hey, where is the alcoholic?

Sir Ugghra looked around. "Why, I Thought Young Ernie Was With You, Sir."

[OGRE MAGE]

Brother Tomas gives Ugghra a confused look but says nothing to the elegant brute.

Any attempt to speak with the woman or even approach her ends with her walking back towards the center of town. She doesn't seem interested in speaking with you in the least, she was just watching you.

You are welcome to peruse her further, with more aggression, or head back out to the ruins.

[ChubbyPixie]

"Here I am, Brother Tomas. It's me, the alchoholic," says Ozwaldus, not trying to hide the amusement in his voice, "...no, to your left. There. I've been invisibly keeping an eye out for any parties keeping an eye on us, or you. But I think we just found her. Still, my invisible state may yet come in handy. Oh, and if we further delay the exploration of this tower and the secrets it holds, I may drink myself into visibility out of sheer frustration. She didn't seem to want to talk anyway."

Oh... and what did you mean back there when you said you've seen that sort of destruction before? I certainly haven't. It's not exactly an everyday occurence, is it?

...none of you have ever seen this level of destruction before, by fire or anything else.

The good Brother Tomas ... shakes his head and joins back up with the four visible party members.

I've seen this type of magical destruction before and......it pains me to think of the absolute desperation these poor men must have had to succumb to. At least they didn't feel it for long. Snapping ones own staff? I shudder to think about it....

[Grognardsw]

Orando, mage

Orando watches the woman recede down the path.

"She could be the evil source behind this all," the elf smirks. "Or not."

Upon reaching the ruins, Orando proffers rope for brave Ugghra to climb and check if it is safe below.

"We'll need your holy symbol for the door," he says to Brother Tomas.

[Scott308]

Father Dowling

The priest will wait until someone else goes down and makes sure it is okay. Once the all-clear is given, he will descend.

[Inferno]

OM, do we make it back to the ruins?

[OGRE MAGE]

The ruins lie in wait, just as you left them.

As the rope is dropped down the shaft again, noise can be heard coming from the bloody battle room with the pentagram on the floor.

It sounds like some kind of thrashing and grunting noises mostly. It seems to be coming from a single creature, but you can't see down the narrow hallway to confirm what it actually is.

Brother Tomas does not elaborate on his story of magical destruction to Ozwaldus after he asks. Perhaps the memory of it was a painful one. He looks rather concerned when the shaft is about to be entered again.

Oh, good heavens! What could be making that horrific grunting down there? Was there a monster guarding the place the last time you investigated?

[Inferno]

Sir Ugghra, half-orc aristocrat:

"Yes," says the courteous courtesan-creature. "Rather Unwelcoming, I'm Afraid, and Not Much of a Conversationalist."

The nobleorc drops a lit torch down the shaft to get the thing's attention, and to illuminate it when it draws near. Then he unshoulders his bow and prepares an arrow.
"If You've a Ranged Weapon, My Fine Gentlemen and Ladies, You Would Do Well To Ready It Now, If You Don't Mind Me Saying So."

[OGRE MAGE]

The grunting and rustling becomes a great deal louder after the light is lowered down the shaft but, nothing enters into your visual range.

[Storm11]

Angella gets her sling ready and places a bullet within, letting it twirl and gain some Momentum as she watches for the approaching creature.

[Cauchy]

Epi

The ranger readies her long bow, "It seems this one is not stupid enough to walk into our line of sight. Seems we may have to go down and ferret it out."

[Inferno]

Sir Ugghra, half-orc aristocrat:

Epi
The ranger readies her long bow, "It seems this one is not stupid enough to walk into our line of sight..."

"Indeed. He Must Be Of Their Aristocratic Stock.
"If There Are No Objections, I Shall Lead Our Descent Once We Douse the Torch. Have Any Of You a Waterskin?"

[Grognardsw]

"There were a few inconveniences before our path," answers Orando to Brother Tomas.

Orando draws forth The Bitch and nocks an arrow, waiting for the creature to appear at the bottom.

The Bitch [1d20] = 9, [1d20] = 18, pain [1d6] = 5, [1d6] = 4

[ChubbyPixie]

Having failed to study Detect Invisibility this morning, Ozwaldus takes out his Everflowing Decantur and sprays it down into the hole, to see if the splashing stream of water reveals any shapes otherwise invisible. He'll not set it to it's highest setting, not wishing to cause damage and reveal himself. "The invisible revealing the invisible!" he says, wondering if he'll be proven correct.

[OGRE MAGE]

The adventurers turned investigators all wait a moment for the creature to show itself.

The noises in the main room continue but nothing appears at the bottom the shaft, invisible or otherwise.

Sir Ugghra takes the lead and begins climbing down the rope.......

[ChubbyPixie]

"Hmmmm." says Ozwaldus when he fails to cleverly reveal an invisible creature below. He blushes. Invisibly.

Invisible blush emoji here ------->

He waits a moment to see what becomes of Sir Uhggra before committing to following down the shaft.

[Cauchy]

Epi

Epi sighs and lowers her bow as firing into a melee is ill advised and firing into one in the dark seems exceedingly so.

[ChubbyPixie]

Sir Uhgraa threw a torch down there. Ozwaldus wouldn't have sprayed directly at the torch, so it should still be lit?

[Inferno]

Fwiw, Ugghra wanted the torch doused, so he could use his infravision.

[Grognardsw]

Orando Magnus Gallus, The Most Interesting Elf in the World

Orando sweeps his cloak aside. "I often live vicariously through myself."

He climbs down the rope after the man-orc-in-denial, calling to him "Stay bloodthirsty my friend."