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The Zakath Desert
The Ruined Warlords Palace
Afternoon

Looking through the open front doors, there is no movement or sound coming from inside.

The circular pit trap dug into the sand just inside the door hasn’t been reset from Cyril’s last tumble.

Actions?

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 7/7
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13
Akhilleus (F3) AC4 32/32
Taibhse (Sh1) AC7 7/7
Belloc (M1) AC6 9/9
Sik (Ba1) AC5 12/12

Ground Floor map:

Drest

"Looks clear, do we want to try entering here? I am for it."

Belloc, his attention drawn away from the sketches that had occupied him, muttered in a hushed tone as if addressing an unseen audience.

"Interesting, I thought they might have reset their defenses by now. They had ample time, didn't they?" He shifted slightly, as if anticipating a response from thin air. "Yes, of course," he nodded in agreement, then raised his tone slightly for his nearby companions to hear. "Looks like the initial confrontation could've taken a toll on the cult's resources."

Belloc leaned in and whispered to his small owl companion, Crestos, who was about to take flight into the room, "Quiet scouting, Crestos. Don't disturb a thing."

He then turned back to his companions, presenting the incomplete map. "Where did you leave off? Any clues indicating a larger complex?"

Kainaxarthos

The distinct lack of screaming assures Kain that things are ok. "What areas have you explored so far? How big is the underground?"

He starts looking around. "We'll need a place to rest tonight. Can we assume the cult is more active at night?"

Drest

"Tell your owl to be careful over there." He points to the location of the Gargoyle. "There is a nasty Gargoyle over there."

To Kain, "We didn't get very far underground, but most of this level we at least looked over quickly. Could use a more through look over now that we are in better shape."

Xenos

"We should sweep the ruins and check it's clear, avoiding the gargoyle area. Then decide whether to try and deal with that before we head downstairs. I only saw one underground floor, and not all of it as I ended up unconscious. There were maybe a dozen above ground, cannibals and the two snake priests, and I saw perhaps half a dozen underground, those vicious short men."

Kainaxarthos

Kain grips his weapon a bit tighter now that he knows this area really isn't safe. "Ok, then. Any suggestions on where to start? How about this part here on the left? (3 and 4)"

Ceana

The druid of Yoon'Deh is whispering to herself, some type of chant or mantra. Those looking at her can see the fear on her face. Her knuckles are white as she holds her bow; her other hand holding a crudely carved holy symbol.
"A sweep of the grounds is a good plan. We don't want anything following us below and trapping us there," she says with a shudder.

Xenos

"As Drest indicated the Gargoyle is roosting at the top of the stairs on the far side of the circular courtyard." he gestures "Don't approach the bottom of the vine covered stairs as it will attack."

Area 6 and the stairs between 5 and 6

Drest

Drest will start the sweep, moving towards area 3 and 4 first as suggested.

Akhilleus gives a brief explanation of what they found in each room last time they were here.

"In this room (3, 4) there was nothing but rubble, as far as I can remember.

We entrered the palace through that hole in the roof (5). The big circular room was full of slaves that attacked us on sight. They're women and children cowered and I take most of them have fled.

In the room yonder (9) we found what looks like a stable. Xenos found these two little gems there in a bucket." He points at the two ioun stones floating around his head.

"Then to the right from the stable (11, 12, 13) there are some rooms with just some furniture. We survived a bloody battle there against the snake men and their cannibals. We found them for the first time in the... kitchen (14) were they were cooking... people. We fought and decided to stay the night there because, due to our state, we didn't want to venture the desert. Then they attacked us at night, but we killed them.

In the kitchen there's a stair which leads to a basement. There were the women and children hiding. We just let them leave. Behind the room they were hiding in there was another, dark, room, in which four dwarves attacked us. They looked like strange vikings made out of stone.

Xenos has already told you about the gargoyle.

Let's move forward. I don't think much has happened since we left."

Belloc
quietly follows closely behind, keenly observing any details that might unveil additional information about the inhabitants

Taibhse

Taibhe listens to the info intently making mental notes as these details might save him later on. Takes time checking his equipment and making sure his bow is strung and ready.

Sorry for the delay here, I was hoping we could get everyone posted before I updated.

The Zakath Desert
The Ruined Warlords Palace
Afternoon

Descriptions for rooms that have already been explored start here: https://www.unseenservant.us/forum/view ... 09#p640109

The party moves inside the ruins, finding nothing guarding the way to their approach. The place looks completely deserted, with little evidence remaining that the smaller group was here at all.

Crestos takes a quick tour of the halls and open courtyard, confirming to his master that there are no threats present. The stone gargoyle still sits on his perch above the western stairway, burt when you scan the debris at the bottom of the stairs, you no longer see the treasures it was previously guarding laying there anymore.

Akhilleus humbly describes the actions taken on their last expedition, bringing the newcomers up to speed about what they encountered here so far.

Actions?

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 7/7
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13
Akhilleus (F3) AC4 32/32
Taibhse (Sh1) AC7 7/7
Belloc (M1) AC6 9/9
Sik (Ba1) AC5 12/12

Drest

"I would like to deal with the gargoyle first, but suspect we will need some magic to do so."

Xenos

"I had a plan to disable it long enough to get that gear we saw...but since it's gone I'm not sure there is any point." he shrugs.

Ceana

"One guess as to who took that gear, Xenos."
This from the druid as she scans the shadows, arrow ready.

Drest

"I would like to know, I wanted the bow. Someone is around then."

hedgeknight wrote: ↑Tue Sep 12, 2023 1:40 pm Ceana

"One guess as to who took that gear, Xenos."
This from the druid as she scans the shadows, arrow ready.

Cyril

"I don't think we know this. That gear was here guarded by the gargoyle so I am not sure if the snake cultists could have even gotten to it before."

Cyril stoically studies the scene, trying to observe any other details.

Taibhse

"Well as the treasure is gone and the gargoyle remains how do you know it was guarding it? Seems to me we'd see a battered gargoyle if it had been beaten or killed by someone taking its hoard. And, I agree that if there is no treasure no sense in tempting the gargoyle.