3) The Return to the Not Exactly Haunted House

[Mant72]

Keilif:

Looking up from the prone Umrick, Keilif responds to Doubtful, "I am for resting here. We can set up watches to ensure safety. I will take first watch and look after the fallen gnome; however, I will need to commune with Shileil at some point so that I may receive her blessings before we proceed." Keilif continues to administer what aid he can to Umrick.

[coil23]

Doubtful

He nods at Keilif. We'll have a sentry at each end. I'll prepare a fire wall at each end as well. A lantern by each and we can light a wall in a second. Let me know if you need anything. He looks a moment longer at Umrick and shakes his head sadly.

Doubtful will work on the two walls of casks originally soaked with flammables. He will ensure that each is well saturated with a lit lantern nearby (not too close!) on the inside area so that a sentry can toss the lantern and ignite the wall on a moment's notice. He will also gather several buckets of sand to have near the seaward fire wall in case the party needs to extinguish a path quickly here to beat a quick escape to the boats. He will then organize a sentry schedule with everyone to make sure there will be a guard at each end at all times but that everyone will have time to rest as well. When that is done Doubtful prays quietly to Pelor, sleeps when he is able.

[OGRE MAGE]

The exhausted and badly battered group gets to work securing the chamber so they can rest for the remainder of the night. They put Alec's body in the boat and wrap it in the presumably stolen silk. Jonas agrees to stay outside and watch over his fallen friend. They also try to make Umrick and Jervis as comfortable as possible, again utilizing the bolts of cloth to create makeshift beds for everyone. The cave is cold, musty, and damp, definitely not ideal for camping, but it will have to do. Are the dozen dead bodies still just lying around?

Mercifully, the night goes by without any incident. In the morning, you begin to pick up a nasty oder of decay coming from the yet unexplored western tunnel that you didn't start to smell until recently. Unfortunately, Umrick is still unconscious and in bad shape and Jervis is still quite blind.

You can regain full spells but unfortunately I can't award any healing due to the subpar conditions of your rest. Please carry on, starting with anything that you might have wanted to do over the resting period. Thanks!

[wolfpack]

I still cannot see, I am afraid the demon used his abyssal powers to take away my sight for good. I am not sure what good I will be wounded and sightless.

[hedgeknight]

Burly, the Bloodied, Bruised, and Beaten Baker

Having slept fitfully and in constant fear that something else might attack them, Burly feels like he has been run over by a runaway wagon and dragged through the town. Through bleary eyes, the fledgling wizard memorizes his only spell, puts his spellbook away, and checks on Jervis.
"You okay, buddy? You need me to find you something to eat? drink? You got anything in your pack? If not, I think I have some food."

After helping Jervis eat and drink, Burly tries to round up some of his companions to help him drag the dead bodies out of the way, so they can then check out the western corridor.

[coil23]

Doubtful ponders how they can help Jervis but for now goes to one he can help, even if only a little. He casts succor cantrip on Umrick and has some food and water for him if he wakes.

heal[1d2] = 1

[ravenn4544]

Ben suggests"With the apparent quietness this evening, do we press our luck and explore a bit for loot - or do we return to town with our bounty here and show the council Sanbalaet here and the cause of their concern? With a quick trip there and back we could rest up and return and loot this place"

[coil23]

Doubtful

I hate to lose the ground we just gained at such a high cost considering it would be surprising if we would keep it if we leave. But Jervis' condition decides it for me. I think we need to go back to town to recuperate, particularly to help Jervis. We barely made it through this starting at full strength ( ) and we are even more depleted now. Jervis is not only not able to fight to defend us, he is too vulnerable to take into another fight. I don't want to lose any more of us. But what do the rest of you think?

[Mant72]

Keilif:

"Yes, and the body Alec must be tended to. I am not familiar with dwarven burial practices, but I believe they favor interring their dead beneath the earth. We must return him to Saltmarsh."

[OGRE MAGE]

After a restless night in the cave, the group awakens perplexed at their current situation. Every one of them is badly injured, painfully sore, and still completely exhausted. Burly sees to the upset Jervis and then begins moving the dead bodies around.

Doubtful meditates over the unconscious Umrick, healing him slightly and cementing his chance of surviving his terrible wounds, but not bringing him around. He then tells the group that due to the condition of Jervis, he does not want to risk pressing further into the tunnel. Keilif agrees with the druid but a few members still seem willing to press on a bit further before heading back home.

If you decide to head back to town, I will need a pretty detailed description about the condition that you leave the cave in. Especially what you do with a dozen (possibly more) dead bodies.

I find it funny that the only guy who has been in here before, who could tell you exactly what is left to uncover, is currently unconscious.

[Mant72]

Keilif:

"After a night of prayer and contemplation, I have changed my mind about returning to Saltmarsh. I fear that with the condition of our group that we will not all make the return journey. I am fairly familiar with these waters, and they can be unforgiving. I think it is in our best interest to remain here and press forward. After we are healed, of course."

With this the priest calls upon the healing powers of Shiliel and administers aid to those most in need.

Keilif casts CLW on Umrick: Cure Light Wounds: [1d8] = 1

Cure Light Wounds: [1d8] = 3

Cure Light Wounds: [1d8] = 4

Ogre, I forget how many cantrips we are able to cast per day. I think it was two. Keilif casts Healing Waters upon Burly and Ben (+1 HP each).

Man, I had to use all 3 CLW on Umrick just to get him a little above death. I reiterate, the dice roller is shit! It has it out for me tonight. Looks like we're still in dire straits.

[Scott308]

Umrick Histix, Gnome Warrior

After healing magic is applied to the unconscious gnome, he slowly begins regaining consciousness. Groaning, he sits up, albeit shakily, and asks about the enemy. Sand Belly- where is he? Are there more smugglers? Reaching for his sword, he manages to get to his feet.

[coil23]

Doubtful

He helps to reorient the awakened gnome on the current situation and then starts in on the questions. What is further in the cave? Describing the casualties on the smugglers' side so far he then asks, who else is about that you know of?

[ravenn4544]

Ben awakes also still completely sore and battered like a whale chewed him and spat him back out. He looks out at the sea's mood and is not encouraged.
"If we return to town in these conditions - we may not make it back at all in our state. I've been at sea most of my life but never as beat up as we are. Crews don't return to the ship when in this condition.... I tend to agree that we secure a spot here and rest up before the seas embrace yet another ill-prepared sailor.."

[Scott308]

Umrick Histix, Gnome Fighter

When they captured me, they brought me through the kitchen and down a flight of stairs, to a wine cellar where the body of your friend in plate mail was on the floor. We went through a hidden door into a long room with a lot of beds. From there, there was another hidden door in the corner that led to a stairway down to the caves. They led me down a slippery corridor to...this room, I'm pretty sure. That looks like the table they questioned me at. I saw 8 men, but there could be more, I don't know. I also smelled something nasty, which I now know was gnoll. I never saw any of the dogmen, so I have no idea how many there are...were. When they finally believed I did not know the people that had robbed them, they smacked me in the head. When I woke up, I was in the cage where you eventually found me.

[hedgeknight]

Burly, the Bleary-Eyed Baker

Grateful for even the slightest bit of ease to his wounds, Burly thanks Keilif and then listens to Umrick recall his experiences at the hands of the smugglers. "We were in all of those places...except for finding the passage leading down here. I say we muster up what we can and retrace Umrick's path. Might be we find the place empty since it looks like we killed off most of the smugglers. How many bodies do we have?"
Burly starts counting...

[coil23]

Doubtful

He nods as Umrick describes the layout. So maybe there isn't much more new territory. That's good news. The one worry is about which room took them from that barracks where we attacked the "musician" down to the caves. If it was the room where the dead things started rising then we can't just walk through there.

Looking around, we could stuff bodies into the cage and sink it to get rid of the evidence...and the smell.

[ravenn4544]

Ben suggests "We have that guy Sanbalet to show to the council - should we take some evidence of the gnolls as well to prove our story and the peril we faced?" As the bodies are counted, Ben will search the walls and bodies (making sure they are indeed dead) in the immediate area.

[OGRE MAGE]

The priest of Shiliel moves around the room healing the injured party members with his blessings. He is able to bring the gnome back to consciousness. Doubtful suggests sinking all of the dead inside of the small cage that might fit 2 of them in total. Burly and Ben set to work counting and then searching the dead bodies. More gold rings and other valuable trinkets are found on the smugglers and the gnolls. Ben gathers it all together with what he has already pilfered from Sanbalet. I will add this to the treasure sheet when I get home.

Burly comes up with exactly the same amount of bodies as beds, hopefully indicating that all of the enemy have already been dealt with. The party listens to Umrick’s tale of where he has been before inside of this hideout. His story has some noticeable holes in it however. The most obvious one is that nobody in their party ever had full plate mail armor. It is possible that the little guy has had some memory loss from all of the trauma he has endured and has forgotten about any remaining threats to the group.

Ben checks all of the walls again and does not find any more concealed or secret doors anywhere within this cave complex. The dark, smelly western tunnel seems to be the only way that is still unsearched.

[OGRE MAGE]

Let me know if you want to change anything up in the marching order.