Tunnels:
The reunited group action a few decisions. One charmed Orc is disarmed, bound and gagged by
Olleg. The Orc looks pleadingly at his 'friend'
Durrant but the mage is nonchalant and uncaring towards his restraining.
Instead the mage can ponder upon how best to help the rescued and traumatized
Elwita while
Galadria ministers her last healing grace,
+7hp. By random chance, the mage has the Calendar portrait of a sexy-playgirl lounge pin-up, which just happens to be 'a bearded dwarven wench'. The spell scripted upon the back of the calendar gave opportunity for the caster to take on the image of the portrait. By random chance too, the Icon hero located in the Aspis caves was a skinned Elwita, still alive despite her trauma through her exceptional constitution. Healing has buffed her physical body but her mind is still grievously wounded.
Change Self, the Illusionist spell allowing the caster to take on any form, proven as
Mortar phases into an Orcish illusion. The spell on the Calendar was not the full spell however as it only recreated the dwarven babe portrait if cast in a similar way to reading a spell from a scroll.
One might wonder whether that restriction to limit that specific image is balanced by being able to replicate it upon any willing recipient instead of solely being a caster only spell?
Durrant can risk casting it, losing the spell from the calendar and his opportunity to learn a cross class spell, but try and bend his arcane ability to cast it as an illusion upon the maimed Icon.
Vennar & Edel talk to the
held but unrestrained Orc. Once the stationary magic wears off, the Orc can reply to the questions.
"One way leads to the Temple access. It is below the Sanctuary. The other tunnel goes towards the reserved Slave market but the passage was prone to recent collapse and is less used. We were tasked with helping a repair team as Kharnak can lift up the support beams and fallen boulders. The other passage goes to the Sewer Network and guard posts." he blabs, hoping repeating information will stall any execution.
Jacupo & Rogger continue to guard the passage, using the firebrands taken from the Orcs to sweep at the Giant Ants that scuttle out the dugout tunnel, dissuading any of them from coming too close to harass the party.
Meanwhile
Mortar & Brick ascend the slippery staircase. The door to the Kennels on the right at the top of the stairs is closed, you walk by and pass the derelict room on the left, turning at the passage junction to head into the Sundew room. You note the Stable door is also closed but
Brick's experience with Ear-Seeker grubs discourages further listening in to the Orc grooms activities.
You enter the Sundew room where the large sticky mass of carnivorous Drosera Capensis is splayed across the floor. Thinking how to transport it, the carcass can be hacked apart and tendrils coiled up, halves placed upon a couple of the barrel lids to carry or drag down to trade with the Aspis.
It sounds a good plan and the pair set about that but as they do, their task is interrupted by two Orcs and accompanying juvenile weasels that enter from an unexpected patrol of the corridor leading away from the Sundew room towards the Treacherous Beam room.
Orcs reactions: [1d100]=1 that's rolled as immediately hostile so let me describe how conflict happens.
The initial contact reaction is positive as the Orcs assume you part of the Temple community though they don't recognise you personally. However the Giant kits are much more inquisitive about these new guests and go to sniff them out. Despite the very striking visual illusion, the Gnome
Mortar is not able to disguise his racial scent. The kit sniffing him becomes more agitated and frictious.
It alarms the two guards.
"Hey, didn't those lads in the Tool-shed say an half-blood and little rogue masquerading as a deathly haunt troubled them. Well here's an half-blood and a smaller fellow. Don't recognise either of them. Do you?"
"Nah, strangers to me and strangers to Trixy. She wants her teeth into that one."
"Best you pair put down that mess before you get yourselves into a deeper mess." they say, drawing broadswords to challenge you both.
Next Actions
Mortar & Brick in Sundew room.
Edel, Durrant, Galadria, Vennar, Olleg in the underground passage.
