The adventurers settle in for the night. Rations are shared, weapons cleaned and sharpened, armor straps checked, and wounds cleaned with what water skins are still full. Wulfhart, who can barely read, continues to be obsessed with The Mounds of Tindalos. The latest chapter details the advantages of back door penetration into architectural structures.
The magic-users compare notes as they study the arcane scroll. Asherrion unfortunately lacks any belongings, including his spell book, since his transformation back to solid state. His naked gray flesh seems in a surprisingly better condition than it did an hour ago, which the adventurers find puzzling. Wrenly transfers the Sleep and Shocking Grasp dweomers into his spell grimoire. Asherrion studies the Enlarge spell. (Please add these spells to your sheet.)
The party talks about the long and deadly day, which started early morning ascending the hill and entering past the standing stones into the skull-faced statue chamber. Then moving past the Asmodeus palindrome corridor into the Great Hall with its degenerate and disturbing wall etchings and glory holes. Strange and transformative battle with the ink creature. Catacombs beyond with powerful magic items and skeletons. The startling and mysterious suicide of Sleestak witnessed by only Wulfhart. Secret doors to talking bugs and the sarcophagus chamber with the hell grub, succubus, incubus-polymorphed-dragon, death of two adventurers and a dog, and finally the secret library/sex dungeon chamber in which they rest. And no sign of the children.
The floor is hard. Perhaps some contemplate sleeping in what could pass for beds in the sex dungeon half of the chamber - padded tables with hand cuffs and dangling accouterments.
Watch is set. The night passes by thankfully uneventful. Porphyry the satyr has necrophilic dreams; Wulfhart dreams of pounding Tindalic mounds. Asherrion dreams of a bright light outside his home and a lifting feeling through the walls. Groyn chases Bene in a field of flowers in his dreams. Wrenly is crowned king of magicians. Fingal is stealing crown jewels. Swilbosh dreams of his home swamp. The adventurers feel a little bit refreshed the next morning.
Those injured please roll 1d3 for HP regained overnight (a LL rule.) Spellcasters can select spells for the day on your character sheet.
As strange as my dreams were, this place is yet stranger. I say we explore further. If the lives of children are at stake, then we have no choice. If need be, I shall travel alone to rescue them.
Groyn awakens to the realization that all that have passed are far better off than those comrades that still remain. He knows that Bene is always with him in spirit, which is all he needs to keep going.
Wulfhart packs The Mounds of Tindalos in his pack and winks at the lizardman. "We have seen no live beings in this accursed place. I suggest we go to the rock to look for the children."
Wrenly awakens early, more or less well rested. Aside from the hours of page rustling as Wulfhart pored over the Mounds of Tindalos, his sleep was uninterupted. He sets to memorizing his spells for the day, thinking perhaps he'll try one of the new ones from the scroll he copied last night - it doesn't look terribly difficult and he imagines it might be quite dramatic discharging huge amounts of electrical energy with a touch of his finger. He almost can't wait to see the looks on the others' faces. It should make for quite a show. He imagines Bene's tail wagging wildly in approval and then remembers Bene is no more.
Amazingly he finds that he has gained sudden insight into the most complicated spells in his book, the ones that had eluded him previously, so he memorizes one of those, too. "Those felllows will positively soil themselves when they see this one," he thinks, gleefully.
"It's good to see you interested in learning, Wulfhart, though it's been said that The Mounds of Tindalos can make one go blind if consulted too frequently..." Once he has his things gathered he moseys over to the bookshelf, where, when the others are busying themselves with their packs, he surreptitiously pockets a small copy of the Spankotic Manuscripts for later study.
"Well, what's it to be? I must say I am also of a mind to proceed to the standing stone. It seems our best lead yet - the children are certainly not in this temple. We can always come back here at a later time to 'clean it out,' so to speak"
ChubbyPixie wrote:
"It's good to see you interested in learning, Wulfhart, though it's been said that The Mounds of Tindalos can make one go blind if consulted too frequently..."
The barbarian woodsman grunts with disapproval and shows the wizard his palms. "Already turned these hairy. Blindness would be another curse."
Porphyry awakes, stretches his goaty legs and smacks his lips contentedly. While others re-dress their wounds, he looks smug about remaining unscathed. Ah, the rewards of cowardice superior tactical acumen.
Porphyry adds his two cents to the party's plans: "Perhaps we could swing by the catacombs, again? I could ensorcel a few more skeleton friends."
Groyn agrees with Wrenly, Yes, let's get out of this great tomb of death. He waits for a response from the others as he shrugs off an unnerving shiver!!!
The adventurers break camp. They climb the stairs into and out of the sarcophogus, where the lingering scent of burnt flesh greets them. The cavern of the Great Tragedy seems undisturbed, the sand floor burnt and blood strewn. Morning light shines down from the hole in the ceiling, confirming the shaft must extend all the way up to the surface top of the hill under which they fruitlessly explored yesterday.
As the party moves down the corridor to the well shaft, the last member in the marching order - Swilbosh - hears sounds drift down from the ceiling shaft. The grunts and calls of men? The lizardman alerts the others, who return to the cavern and hear the ever-so-faint noises as well.
Porphyry, despite feeling miffed that no one wants to help him round up some undead, volunteers to don his spider-ring and climb up the shaft to get a better listen.
"Do they sound as if they're coming down or are they merely camped on the surface? If we pace it off carefully, perhaps we can ascertain where the outlet to this opening is on the surface, relative to the cave entrance. Then we may be able to come on them unawares if we believe they mean us harm..." suggests Wrenly. He awaits Porphyry's report.
Porphry twists his spider ring and is soon scrambling up the shaft. At 30' is an offshoot tunnel that is slimy and extends 20' into a chamber. The satyr hears the noises above a little better now. He looks up and sees the shaft continues a few hundred feet. He continues to climb and after a few minutes approaches the rim. It is covered by vegetation.
The goat legged adventurer hears male grunts and exhortations of pleasure beyond the rim. There is an occasional lewd comment, whistles, slaps, moans.
