Tracks In The Desert

[OGRE MAGE]

The Ruined Warlords Palace
The Aftermath, Mid Morning

While the others stay back, Cyril moves closer to address the stone monster.

As soon as they enter the now destroyed former bedroom, the gargoyle spins around to address them again, still speaking in the tongue of the Ixians.

"NONE SHALL ENTER THE PRIVATE CHAMBER OF THE WARLORDS PALACE!"

The stony creature flits down and takes a clawed swipe at the priest of Azathoth, raking him across the face with one grey hand. 2 dam

Actions!

Xenos AC:6 5/12 1st:2/2
Akhilleus AC:4 19/32 (2 Ioun stones)
Drest AC:7 4/16
Cyril AC:8 3/5 1st:2/3

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[The_Wanderer]

Cyril backs off, keeping his staff between him and the stone beast. "Ouch. That did not work. I think we come back when we are stronger and crush the thing."

[shaidar]

Xenos

"Let us rest up and try downstairs in the morning, if that is still the plan."

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus sighs and waits. He doesn't unsheath his sword. Whatever the level of intelligence of that creature, he doesn't want to provoke it.

"You know we're playing with fire here? We could just wait till tomorrow and give a try when we're feeling better."

[Rex]

Drest

"Agreed, lets rest up."

[OGRE MAGE]

The Ruined Warlords Palace
The Aftermath, Mid Afternoon

Deciding to leave the gargoyle alone for now, the group return through the open courtyard on their way back to their comfortable room. The scattered dead and headless bodies of the slaves they killed earlier are really starting to bloat now, baking in the warm rays of a dim Helios and stinking to the high heavens.

Inside their temporary bedroom again, everything is left just as it was. After ingesting some water and dry desert rations, they realize they don't have enough fresh water to stay more than one more day, unless they find another source below, or elsewhere.

The remainder of the morning goes by uneventfully, allowing more rest on the comfortable furniture that was left behind in here.

Actions?

If there are no specific actions for the rest of this day, I will move this timeline along to your next encounter.

Xenos AC:6 5/12 1st:2/2
Akhilleus AC:4 19/32 (2 Ioun stones)
Drest AC:7 4/16
Cyril AC:8 3/5 1st:2/3

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril

"Drest, you are not looking well. Would you like to partake of Azathoth's healing as we rest? I do not expect to receive another bounty of spells until tomorrow at any rate."

Just to clarify, are we resting until tomorrow?

[Karaunios]

That would be the idea. I don't thing going through the desert in our current state would be the best option (imagine that we encounter a pack of wild dogs).

Akhilleus

"We should try to find water. Let's go back to the kitchen. I'll go first, in case some other enemy might have come upstairs.

Once we found water, if we do, let's thing how we mount guards and such."

[shaidar]

Staying here we run the risk of encounters with creatures drawn by the smell. There is no easy answer.

[Rex]

Drest

"I will accept the healing."

We need to locate some water and the kitchen makes sense, there should be a well or cistern somewhere as long as it didn't get buried by the sands. I would think it would be a short distance from the kitchen but can't say for sure. At this point anything we do is very risky.

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril reaches out and places a firm hand on Drest's shoulder and mutters something unintelligible.

Everything goes dark for Drest. He hears a door creak open behind him along with wet footsteps walking toward him...In a flash he can see again and it is as if no time has passed.

[Rex]

Drest

"That was very strange, but thank you anyways."

[OGRE MAGE]

The Ruined Warlords Palace
The Aftermath, Mid Afternoon

Cyril applies more unwholesome magical healing to Drest, knitting together the majority of his lasting wounds.

The group investigates the bloody, burnt kitchen again, hoping to find a fresh water source in that horrifying place. The flies are still thick and the rats are everywhere. They seem to enjoy picking apart any remaining human flesh on the dead bodies that were left in there. The stench is even worse than the last time you entered this disgusting area.

Unfortunately, no well or cistern if located, though most of the desert dwellers in the group know that something like that would likely be found in the lowest level of the building.

The dark stairway in the corner remains quiet and uninviting, leading to somewhere below that hasn't been explored yet.

Actions?

Xenos AC:6 5/12 1st:2/2
Akhilleus AC:4 19/32 (2 Ioun stones)
Drest AC:7 10/16
Cyril AC:8 3/5 1st:1/3

[shaidar]

Xenos

"I must admit, I am concerned that staying here with the stench is almost definitely going to attract critters, I would deem this more likely than encountering something on the way back to Xambaala. In fact the longer we stay here the stench will mean we are even more likely to encounter something on the way back as they head our way. If we stay here overnight then we will need to reinforce the door to the room we are staying in." he nods towards the stairs "I am willing to take the chance of going below to at least have a quick look around. It might not take long and it would mean we can leave here more quickly."

[Rex]

Drest

"That makes sense to me Xenos. I am willing to do a quick search of below and even risk another night here but I think it best we head back while we still have a chance of making it. I fear if we wait much longer we will trap ourselves here."

[shaidar]

Xenos nods "The fall of night will bring out the worst beasts."

[Rex]

Drest

"Yes this is a foul place and such places favor the dark. There is reward here, I don't doubt it but we will need some luck on our side to claim it."

[shaidar]

Xenos

"Why don't the two of us go take a quick look. Akhilleus and Cyril can wait here, we can call out if we get into trouble."

[Rex]

Drest

"Scout it is then, stay close."

I assume Xenos will carry a torch?

[shaidar]

Yup, Xenos will carry a torch in his off hand