Chapter One: The Lost Tower of Balaz-kai

[sonofotho]

The door opens easily with a pull from Haroun. Everyone relaxes involuntarily as nothing pounces on them from inside the tower. Peering into the dark space beyond, the party can make out a few things from the outside; some sitting furniture, an old rug, a stairwell up, perhaps? The far half of the room is not visible with the limited light entering from the outside.

ooc: Since it is very overcast and rainy, there is limited outside light to shine in. You’ll need a light source once inside.

Actions?

[Captain Kinkajou]

Jayamanka

Noting that Haroun has no torch, in fact little in the way of possessions other than what he is wearing, Jayamanka reaches for one of hers and quickly lights it. From her position just behind him, she holds it up to cast some light inside.

"Xantius, did you say it was the door that was enchanted or the doorway?" she asks, looking suspiciously at the threshold.

[9littlebees]

Xantius

"I can sense magic around the area of the door, nothing more. There could still be a magical trap inside - maybe I should be the one to enter the tower?"

Xantius steps up to Jayamanka and holds out his hand for the torch.

[badams30]

Jasper - Rogue

Jasper glances in the room, hoping to see some of the riches rumored to be held within. He sighs as all he sees is a sitting room. Eyes darting around, he sees Xantius reaching for the torch and he says quietly "I can hold that for ya, keeping your hands free, you know. My mama used to say Jasper! You dummy! Don't play with fire. But since she ain't here, I reckon that's no matter..." Jasper chuckles at the thought of his mom, momentarily lost in thought.

Jasper will gladly carry the torch if everyone else wants to keep their weapon hands free.

[Captain Kinkajou]

Jayamanka

Jayamanka hesitates, seemingly considering for a moment.

"If it's all the same to you," she declares to Xantius with a tight smile. "I think it's probably my turn to show my mettle."

She turns and, holding the torch aloft in her left hand and her spear out ahead of her in her right, she steps past Haroun and through the entrance.

[sonofotho]

Jayamanka steps through the doorway and holds the torch high. The light reveals a circular room, roughly 35 feet in diameter. Several cobweb-covered chairs and a decaying couch stand in the middle of the room atop a timeworn rug. The air is surprisingly fresh and she feels the hint of a draft.

Her eyes quickly scan the room and the huntress sees along the wall to the north, a circular stairwell leading up the tower. Exactly opposite in the southern side of the room a similar staircase leads down.

Along the western wall on the opposite side of the chamber from the door, she sees a high table atop which sits a large glass box. The contents cannot be clearly made out, but inside appears to be something colorful and perhaps moving?

Jayamanka sees also what appears to be two bodies on the ground, both near the table.

ooc : Actions?

[Captain Kinkajou]

Jayamanka

Jayamanka breathes a sigh of relief but remains wary of the table and the large glass box with its mysterious contents. She cautiously moves a little further into the room to clear the doorway but does not approach the table.

"It appears safe to cross the threshold at least," she says to those behind her. "Though there are two bodies in here, so I suggest we remain cautious. And there is something else. I'm not sure what it is exactly. Xantius, you may want to take a look at it."

ooc: While I'm standing there I continue to look around. Can I discern anything from the floor? Is it dusty? Are there any tracks?

[sonofotho]

Jayamanka

ooc: While I'm standing there I continue to look around. Can I discern anything from the floor? Is it dusty? Are there any tracks?

ooc: Not much dust. And no tracks. The cobwebs on the furniture are visible though.

[badams30]

Jasper - Curious Rogue

Jasper makes his way toward the glass box and table to examine what's on it. "OooOooOoooooo look! Somethin's moovin!"

[Captain Kinkajou]

Jayamanka

"Shit! Be careful Jasper! Haven't you noticed, the only other people over there're dead," she warns.

She can't help but edge forward a little. Her instinct is to be near enough to Jasper to have a chance of protecting him if he triggers something. Though, she'd rather he didn't get her killed.

[LtTibbles]

Skagvurd

Skagvurd will keep to the side of the entranceway they entered and guard while the others deal with the strange glass and dead bodies.

[Nitehood]

Fiddleback

I go in and take a closer look at the bodies.

OCC: What do they look like? Are they mummified, recently dead, warriors, servents? etc... I'm trying to get a better description and perhaps cause of death.
Where they slain, cut to ribbins, burnt, etc..

I wonder what these poor souls died from?

[sonofotho]

Jasper and Jayamanka make their way over to the other side of the chamber to get a better look at the glass box and its contents.

As they get closer they see a strange swirling, opalescent mist of orange and blue colors inside the box. A large spider, a tarantula, the size of a large man’s hand crawls across a bed of tiny, colored stones at the bottom of the box.

The box itself is perhaps five feet long and half as deep with a similar height. It is covered with a glass lid which appears to be removable.

Meanwhile, Fiddleback kneels down to examine the two desiccated husks on the floor. Both appear to be almost mummified, their deaths likely many years ago. No signs of significant wounds or trauma, but he does see double puncture wounds on various parts of both bodies. Whatever clothing the two wore has rotted away to nothingness, however two rusted swords lie nearby.

OOC: Actions?

[Longfingers]

Fiddleback

I wonder what these poor souls died from?

Don't suppose it was alcohol poisoning? piped up Haroun with a wicked smirk. I've had quite enough water for one day, but a flagon of red would go down veeeery nicely about now.

Ignoring the contents of the room, he strode over to the top of the stairs heading downwards and peered hopefully into the darkness, while absently wringing some of the moisture out of his shirt.

OOC: long shot, but see if Haroun can see anything. Otherwise, have a sniff to see if there's a whiff of anything untowards coming up from the depths.

[sonofotho]

Fiddleback

OOC: long shot, but see if Haroun can see anything. Otherwise, have a sniff to see if there's a whiff of anything untowards coming up from the depths.

ooc: Haroun cannot smell anything of note coming up from below. The staircase is made of stone and the steps spiral down, so not much can be seen from the chamber.

[badams30]

Jasper - Rogue

Jasper stares at the glass box and spider, and says with a tone of awe: "That's a funny looking spider box." He waves his hand at the box and it's mists and says: "I'm wonderin' if those dead fellas on the floor wuz caused by this here spooky spider? Reminds me of a time back when I was small, and I tried to eat a brown hairy spider, he bit me on the lip and my face got all swollen and puffy lookin'. Mama smacked me around realllll good for that one. Yup." He chuckles, lost in thought... (or lack of thought...)

Jasper will stand fast, waiting for some guidance from someone.

[sonofotho]

ooc: Status check. Haroun is over by the spiral staircase which leads down. Jasper and Jayamanka stand in front of the table with the glass box. Fiddleback is examining the bodies. Skagvurd and Xantius are still by the front door.

Actions?

[LtTibbles]

Skagvurd

Skagvurd takes one final look outside of the door before closing it almost shut. He takes a look at the corpses and strange creature in the glass.

"Maybe we shouldn't tempt fate with this thing, might be wiser to just move along."

[Captain Kinkajou]

Jayamanka

"I'm with the Northman," Jayamanka declares, purposefully moving away from the table.

She nods to the stairs. "So, what do you reckon, up or down?"

As an after-thought she turns back to Jasper. "Come on Jasper. Leave the creepy spider alone. Your Mama had the right idea."

[9littlebees]

Xantius

Xantius strides over and looks into the glass box intently.

"Most interesting..." he mutters, then abruptly stands, turns his back on the box and says "Up or down is of little importance, I think we will need to search the entire tower. Any preferences?"