Quest #21 "Island Hopping"

[wolfpack]

yeah I am definitely not carrying that out of here.

[OGRE MAGE]

Back In The Cave
Moonday, 15th of Goodmonth
Mid Morning, Rainy, Misty, Humid

Maag remains uncharacteristically quiet as the group advances on the stink. Crestbrook tries to determine if there is evil coming from the passages ahead, but again, all he sees is the now tortured face of poor Cora in his mind. Her visage appears to be turning more sour each time he attempts to use this ability, though he knows not why.

Andron covers his face from the horrible smell, hoping that his theories about the dead bodies ahead are correct. No new tracks are seen in the dust on the stone floor and no evidence of anyone or anything being moved is found. Lerrick stares at her new mace longingly, thinking of a name for it as they advance.

The voice in Cresty's head does not abate as he moves closer to where they left the dead bodies in the passages. The stink doesn't get any better either. When he rounds the next bend, they find the dead and bloated body of Jeevus, Gramble's former scribe. The young man has looked better, now starting to rot away in the tunnel, leaking his body fluids out in a puddle on the ground. His spongy remains lie right where he was left, but there is no sign of Cora's body anywhere to be seen.

The sultry but horse voice continues to call to Sir Crestbrook in his mind. "You're getting clossssser, Cresssssty. Come find me ssssoon." The voice and continuing horrid smell seem to be coming from down the eastern passage.

Actions?

map:

774874F7-A85E-4FB0-9AED-A43B11712F2E.jpeg (232.82 KiB) Viewed 1148 times

Sir Crestbrook 11/11 LoH
Saracen 28/33 4/5 1st 2/2 2nd
Gramble 13/16
Lerrick 11/11 2/4 1st
Alordan 15/18
Andron 6/6 1/3 1st CL, DM, RM / 1/1 1st (torch: 40'r/4.6T)
Tlachtga 8/8 1/4 1st (torch: 40'r/5.4T)
Cu AC:3 13/13
Maag 12/12

[wolfpack]

poor loyal jeevus

Gramble wipes a tear.

we should burn his body here

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Not sure that is a good idea right now, perhaps after we deal with whatever is ahead."

[Jernau35]

Maag

"Take a lotta wood to burn 'im proper" Maag points out. "Not just a bit of oil. We got no shovel to bury 'im an' der's not many rocks about to build a...cairn?" He tries out the unfamiliar word.

"We'll just 'ave to scoop 'im up in 'is cloak, put a couple of rocks in der wiv 'im, an' chuck 'im overboard on der way back 'ome".

"Trus' me. Water's der way to go when yer gotta get rid of a body quick-like".

Maag nods agreement with Tlachtga. " 'e's not goin' anywhere fer now".

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Agreed on the water burial, except you forgot to mention you slit the body open and fill it with rocks, otherwise they end up floating for sure."

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche begins to respond to Gramble's suggestion, "These tunnels are narrow, a large fire would produce a prodigious amount of smoke, and ...", he stops abruptly just now fully processing Maag's idea and stares at him and Tlachtga with incredulous horror. "We will absolutely not toss the poor man's corpse into the ocean like a piece of jetsam! A proper burial on the island will be performed, alone if I must." Andron relaxes a bit with a sigh as he continues, taking a different tact, "... besides, with this island so close to town a strong storm may still carry the body to its shore, prompting many questions about his demise."

"I agree there is nothing more we can do for him now, let us proceed east to vanquish this evil and avenge his death", Andronichishche states with firm resolve, carefully peering into the tunnel east.

[ravenn4544]

Alordan listens to the wisdom of holding off on burning the body here - the horrid stench that it would create would probably be unbearable. The following nonchalant conversation of dumping a sliced up corpse filled with rocks into the ocean illustrates to Alordan just what type of folks he's getting to know and come to rely on in this new home. Perhaps it's more getting to know each other than he counted on. He stares despondently at the space where Cora should have been.

[Storm11]

Saracen rolls his eyes. I want you all to know, if I should fall to some evil on our travels, I do not expect you to lug my corpse back to the island. ESPECIALLY not to the island, where the dead seem to rise as zombies. That’s a fate I would not wish to endure. Feed me to the sharks or the cats or what have you, a brief prayer to Pholtus to welcome me home is enough. No burden do I wish to be if I am already dead. I think it unwise to take him to Beachtown, more fodder for the necromancer or whatever is raising the fallen into i death. That is my opinion at any rate. More importantly, what has happened to Cora’s corpse? And who has it now?

He grips his sword all the tighter and whispers a swift prayer to the Lord of Light. “Lord of Light, Shining bright, be with us now and part the night!”.

He follows Crestbrook diligently as the Paladin moves onwards

[kruk]

Sir Crestbrook the Mighty

COOORRRRRAAAAA!....COOORRRRAAAAA!! WHERE ARE YOU!? The paladin faces forward but talks to Saracen. No evil detected...only terrible images of Cora. The voice taunts me more and more saying that we are getting closer. He points his 10 foot pole in he direction of the eastern passage. This way The paladin presses forward down the eastern passage when everyone is ready, prodding away at the floor in front of him and tapping the sides of the walls. He checks the ceilings as well, careful not to move from the torch light.

Lerrick

The cleric gives says a prayer for Jeeves as she passes the bloated body. I saved you from the jaws of the big cat...but I couldn't save you here. So sorry. Rest in peace. She continues with the others with mace and shield equipped.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche shakes his head at Saracen's remark, "Allow me to clarify, I only mean to bury him here, on this island, perhaps just a cairn in the stone circle ... but, lacking the rocks or tools we may have no alternative to a burial at sea." He is indeed a Pholtite, practical, determined, with a healthy disregard of protocol if it interferes with the tenets of the Blinding Light. Often tiresome, but invaluable in an ally. Andronichishche pauses to consider the area where Cora's body should have also been found. "That is indeed a pertinent question", he says to Saracen. "No evidence of the body being moved, on its own volition or by another. Very strange ..."

[wolfpack]

keep your eyes averted.

Gramble keeps his eyes down and holds out his axe blade watching its reflextion

[OGRE MAGE]

Back In The Cave
Moonday, 15th of Goodmonth
Mid Morning, Rainy, Misty, Humid

Leaving the dead body of Jeevus behind for now, Cresty continues his unusual method of shouting throughout these tunnels, leading the group towards the strange voice that sort of sounds like Cora, but not really. They pass another lone statue of an unremarkable minotaur and come to the next three way intersection before stopping again.

This passage houses a pair of very similar looking stone bullmen, one pointing to the left, and the other pointing to the right. These statues look just like all of the others, with the exception of their odd positioning. It can be easily deduced that the northern passage ties back in with the stinking tunnel they passed earlier, but the other two options are completely unexplored as of yet.

The stink and the whispering in the mind of Crestbrook continue calling him towards the east where another statue can be seen just beyond the halo of their torchlight.

Actions?

map:

BDABBAE5-3EB5-445F-9654-F113B0BDE828.jpeg (337.87 KiB) Viewed 1114 times

Sir Crestbrook 11/11 LoH
Saracen 28/33 4/5 1st 2/2 2nd
Gramble 13/16
Lerrick 11/11 2/4 1st
Alordan 15/18
Andron 6/6 1/3 1st CL, DM, RM / 1/1 1st (torch: 40'r/4.5T)
Tlachtga 8/8 1/4 1st (torch: 40'r/5.3T)
Cu AC:3 13/13
Maag 12/12

[Rex]

Tlachtga

Tlachtga continues along, acting as one of the rear guard.

[Jernau35]

Maag

Looking at the pointing statues, Maag says "Yer know, I'm startin' to fink dat maybe der really is just a really good sculptor down 'ere..."

To be on the safe side, he fishes his mirror out of his beltpouch as they go on their way, using it to keep an eye on the rear.

[wolfpack]

if the voices wants us to go that way, shouldn't we go a different route.

[ravenn4544]

Alordan takes Maag's suggestion and examines one of the statues more closely. He'll tap it with his sword to see if it seems hollow like an empty water cask or if more solid - and maybe more real.

[kruk]

if the voices wants us to go that way, shouldn't we go a different route.

Sir Crestbrook the Mighty

The paladin stops but still faces forward with his sword ready to strike. Good point. If that is what the party wants to do then we head to the right. The voices tell me to go to the path containing the statue to the left. What says everyone else? I still wish to follow the voice.


Lerrick

I'm in favor of going to the right.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche closely examines the statues with Alordan, "It is rather curious the resemblance each statue has with another, indeed suggesting a common sculptor or familial relation, perhaps the same minotaur ... yet, if they were alive and petrified by the medusa, I would expect an expression of surprise or rage, but these are ... pointing?"

He replaces the kerchief into his shirt pocket and procures a small hand mirror, gripping it tightly in his left hand. Before the party continues forward he addresses the group, solemnly turning the mirror in his hand, "Since we've broached the subject of advance directives, if I should meet my demise dispose of me as necessary ... but, if at all possible please return this mirror to the Lady Nallissa at the town mercantile, the Hi-Lo. That is my only request."

Andronichishche considers the directions ahead and the ongoing discussion on the path to take, "I agree, let us continue towards this voice you hear, complete the destruction of this evil entity, and recover Cora's remains.", he says soberly to Sir Crestbrook. "I will however, yield to the majority if the other direction is chosen."

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"I don't care as long as we keep moving, I don't like being underground any longer then we need to be."