Quest #21 "Island Hopping"

[Storm11]

Saracen agrees with the burning plan, saying a quick blessing to the scribes departed spirit.

Which way is the graffiti we are seeking? We should all head along the corridor heading that way before we beginning the burning, for the smoke and stench could be thick, if the last times we did this are any indication. We could have a quick look at where the smoke is naturally heading also, that night off a clue or two, if there is a secret entrance nearby. Let us be swift about it tho. Andron, direct us to the tunnel we need before the body is cremated if you would. Nothing was drawn by Cora’s burning so that’s a good sign. You never know though, so let’s be ready to move once it’s on fire.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche rubs his chin, visibly deep in thought after the lithic autopsy of the statue revealed the bite occurred before petrification. He nods to Gramble in apparent agreement as to the cause of the bite. "The basilisk is such a species of reptile with a petrifying gaze like a medusa. However, the bite itself is similar to what would be produced from a human sized skull. We know one thing for certain now, though. This minotaur and likely most of the rest were definitely petrified by some means."

When the group returns to find the corpse of Jeevus, Andron doubles over and nearly vomits and adding to the putrefying morass of decaying tissue on the floor. After several moments he regains his composure along with the bamboo pole he earlier abandoned here. Speaking with a heavily nasal tone as he attempts to avoid breathing through his nose, "I ahgree with buhrning the bohdy here." Andronichishche produces his map and points to their current position. "The tunnahs narth then nartheast leads bahck through the secreht dohr near to where we fahnd the writtahn clue. From thar it's due narth to the hahring stahtue thaht may have a secraht dohr behahnd it."

He glances down again at the rotting corpse, this time with a quizzical expression. I wonder if corpses normally decompose so quickly here. The onset of liquefaction seems unusually fast, but could be just the climate? He leaves this unpleasant topic of conversation to himself, for now.

[ravenn4544]

Alordan agrees to the burning, "let's just get done what needs doing - moving off ahead of the smoke is a good idea."

[kruk]

Crestbrook the Mighty

As the others discuss what to do the paladin moves a a couple steps up the northern passage and then stops. He sets up watch with the pole still in his left hand and his sword in his right hand.


Lerrick

The cleric inspects the smoke from her torch, watching which direction the smoke moves.

ooc: oh mighty and wise DM ...which direction does the smoke from the torch move?

She then tells the others the direction of the smoke and suggest that everyone move in that direction before the body is set on fire.

[OGRE MAGE]

I am no mortician, so please don't take my descriptions of the decaying body process too literally. It's all just window dressing unless I make it obvious otherwise.

Back In The Cave
Moonday, 15th of Goodmonth
Late Morning, Damp, Dim, Humid

Agreeing to burn the corpse of his scribe right where he lay, Gramble gets out some more oil. Lerrick tries to determine which way the smoke will travel by studying her torch. It appears to be moving towards the north, which would make sense if it is eventually venting out of the cave entrance. The huge fighter douses the decaying body of his trusted employee before striking a spark to it. (Please remove 2 more oil flasks. They can be split up amongst you if you prefer) Maag watches it all with a look of disbelief on his rugged mugg, wondering how lamp oil is going to do away with an entire human body. He shakes his round head and starts moving north.

Once the body is alight, the oil, clothing, hair, and skin all burns away pretty fast, leaving behind the soft, squishy, wet goo underneath. The fire doesn't get hot or large enough to completely dispose of the mass, leaving behind a pile of blackened goo on the floor in its place. The stench and smoke the burning body gives off is impossible to breath, causing the group to relocate in its entirety as the passages fill with the stinking cloud of dead Jeevus.

Once they are back in the main entrance area again, the group catches their breath as the stink and smoke vents out of the cave naturally. When Alordan notices that his second net is now also missing from the floor, the group deduces that this room appears to have been visited since they were here last.

Actions?

map:

B73E2291-94C6-4874-A5AD-43EBC7B6C18A.jpeg (135.34 KiB) Viewed 563 times

Sir Crestbrook 10/11 LoH
Gramble 13/16
Tlachtga 8/8 0/4 1st (torch: 40'r/5.7T)
Cu AC:3 13/13
Lerrick 11/11 2/4 1st (torch: 40'r/5.0T)
Saracen 28/33 3/5 1st 2/2 2nd
Alordan 15/18
Andron 6/6 0/3 1st CL, DM, RM / 1/1 1st
Maag 12/12

[ravenn4544]

Alordan searches the ground for any new tracks to indicate what type of creature would have come through... Does it appear that something strode off the dais again?

[Storm11]

Saracen wanders over to the left hand tunnel as yet unexplored, and peers into the passageway, trying to gauge what’s down that corridor without stepping into it. He will try and use his infravision if he can.
He will sniff and then listen carefully in case anything comes from that direction.

[Rex]

Tlachtga

Tlachtga covers her mouth and nose with her tunic and moves along with the others.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche breathes deeply of the cleaner, less Jeevus-y air for several moments. "That cremation wasn't quite as complete as I had hoped, but it's much preferable than leaving him to rot and feeding the maggots ... in my opinion, at least." He glances about the room and his gaze quickly focuses on the area just before the dais. "It appears Alordan's net is missing yet again, interesting." He rubs his chin in thought and leans on the bamboo pole recently recovered, noting with curiosity Saracen peering down the western tunnel. "We've explored much of this complex already but have seen no trace of this mysterious Brutus, who I assume is responsible for removing Alordan's nets."

He points to the west tunnel, "That tunnel doesn't seem to align with the other two sections we've explored. The clean northern areas and the dirty southern. I had thought it linked up via secret door to the alcoves with the weathered humanoid statues, but maybe it leads to Brutus's lair?" Andron shrugs his shoulders. "I'm inclined to discover who, or what, took the nets, and that passage is the most logical direction to explore. Brutus hasn't expressed any violence and almost certainly knows we are here. If he's not hostile, he could be an ally, and may know more about what turned these minotaurs to stone and the meaning behind that clue."

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag cautiously approaches the cave entrance. He carefully peers outside, remaining in the shadows rather than standing directly in the light at the entrance.

I wonder if der's anuvver one 'angin' around outside?. If der is a sleepin' mat, sumfin' is 'ere for a long time. One out, one in" he thinks to himself.

[Quonundrum]

I am no mortician, so please don't take my descriptions of the decaying body process too literally. It's all just window dressing unless I make it obvious otherwise.

Thanks for the clarification. Definitely the climate, then!

[kruk]

Sir Crestbrook the Mighty

The paladin moves next to steps nexts to Maag and takes a deep breath in of fresh air, the exhales obnoxiously loud. Good to not smell the burnt remains of the dead. He then turns back and heads towards the unexplored passage to the west, ready to proceed in that direction when the rest of the party is ready to go.


Lerrick

The cleric smiles warmly when she sees the sunlight lighting up the cave. She then checks her torch. If we want to make use of the light from this torch we better move soon.

[OGRE MAGE]

Back In The Cave
Moonday, 15th of Goodmonth
Late Morning, Damp, Dim, Humid

Alordan finds no tracks on the stone floor of the entrance chamber, though it does look like his net was dragged away along the floor towards the north. He cant tell if something appeared on the dais again or not.

Maag takes a look and a listen outside of the cave, but sees no evidence of any new monsters out in the stone circle.

Saracen moves away from the light for a moment to have a sniff down the western passage. He finds no clues as to what might be lurking in that direction.

Lerrick and Crestbrook appear ready to continue searching in either direction. Gramble remains quiet, grumbling to himself about stupid minotaurs and medusa as the stink of his burnt scribe lingers on the air. Andron suggests that they might find the aforementioned Brutus down the western route, though since the net was dragged north, he isn't quite sure about that assumption anymore.

Actions?

map:

CFD18547-D116-4A44-99CE-35C2BFA572A8.jpeg (117.77 KiB) Viewed 503 times

Sir Crestbrook 10/11 LoH
Gramble 13/16
Tlachtga 8/8 0/4 1st (torch: 40'r/5.6T)
Cu AC:3 13/13
Lerrick 11/11 2/4 1st (torch: 40'r/4.9T)
Saracen 28/33 3/5 1st 2/2 2nd
Alordan 15/18
Andron 6/6 0/3 1st CL, DM, RM / 1/1 1st
Maag 12/12

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche blinks in surprise upon learning the results of Alordan's tracking. "To the north?" He pulls the map of the complex from his backpack and runs a hand through his hair as he contemplates the significance of this new revelation. "Considering the bamboo pole I left with Jeevus's corpse also wasn't stolen suggests that whoever took the net did not follow us down the southern passage after we arrived. Granted, we haven't fully explored that section yet." Andron carefully folds the parchment map and returns it to his backpack before continuing. "That would leave us with our original objective, the hearing statue and what secret may be found on or around it." He glances about the chamber to gauge reactions. "Any other suggestions or interpretations?"

[Storm11]

Saracen shrugs. I am happy to test out the riddle dead end, but if Alordan thinks he can track the net, we might actually get to meet what’s been stealing them! It might be another Minotaur, or Brutus, and it might not necessarily be an enemy. How long ago do you think it took the net ranger, can you tell?

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche nods at Saracen in agreement. "Absolutely! The northern passage is the shortest path to the hearing statue. If Alordan can track it to at least the first passage on the left, that strongly correlates with my theory."

[Storm11]

What theory is that again. I must confess I have forgotten! the holy champion says sheepishly.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche waves his hand in a gentle dismissal of any offense. "Sorry, it's probably my fault. I frequently think faster than I can communicate effectively. The hearing statue is in the northwest chamber of the complex, per the map. On our arrival we followed the voice Sir Crestbrook heard down the south tunnel. When we first passed Jeevus's body I left my bamboo pole at the same location. The net was stolen but not my pole, which suggests that whoever took the net didn't move via the south tunnels. The net was dragged north and the only evidence we have of any other secret areas in the northern section is based on the clue to ... look hear for a secret."

[ravenn4544]

Alordan examines the dais once more, frustrated at the loss of his net - and his last remaining coin. "The tracks head north...," and he ventures just a few yards north as long as the entrance way or torch light permits, "... but it stops right here - the tunnels are all stone after here. There are no tracks to be had, I'm afraid.."

[wolfpack]

if we don't find them soon maybe we just start yelling and bring them to us