Day 2.2: Still…

The day that never ends

Finally got to see the second grave after Charles had banished the spirit to rest.

Iula Marin – “Rest in grace in death’s peaceful arms” – Will have to remember to ask the locals about these graves and why the spirits would be restless.

 

Approached the church and decided we should explore around it first before entering just to make sure we don’t get ambushed (again) by something. (They have no idea what things can lurk in the shadows – I do.) The first bush a head poked out of a cute weasel looking critter. Thought he might show us something, until the dwarf burped or farted or something and scared him away.

 

Left side of church was in ruins. Thulnir complained this wasn’t dwarven work and was probably some shoddy Human stonework. Don’t know the first thing about stone, so guess I have to believe him on this point. Might be able to enter that way once we clear outside.

 

More trees, but I noticed they didn’t have the black spider-like veins crisscrossing the trunks. They hadn’t been corrupted then. Note to self: Should go back and investigate them to see why they were protected and the others weren’t.

 

Rest of the outside was clear so we decided to enter the church through the ruined left side. Broken tile everywhere and the stench. Ugh. Floors creaked but seemed stable. The main floor of the church was broken up and rotten but looked stable enough to me. Mutu & Thulnir agreed but Charles stopped everyone until he shifted some boards. Have no idea if that made a difference or not, but hey, no splinters off my feet.

 

Managed to get to the toppled steeple tower (T#1) and find an inside door. Wanted to know what was causing the lights in the unbroken window in the steeple. Upon opening the door, a dark malevolent presence pushed at us. My occult knowledge came up short, but seems Charles pulled out some religion book learning and was able to make it go away. Most of the floor and what was probably a staircase were pretty much gone but we could see a hole in one corner. I noticed a now disintegrated trapdoor with a ladder leading into a lower section.

 

We moved in closer and quickly found the source of the flashing lights. A bunch of glowing eyes opened and stared at us from the dark, broken steeple. Wasps. Lots and lots of wasps and Thulnir managed to piss them off brilliantly. Both he and Mutu smacked a bunch of them down but not enough as the buggers injured both the dwarf and the metal man, and took Mutu out in fact. (Never seen tubes and metal “swell” from stings. Couldn’t really tell the difference on the dwarf, but he said he was hurt.) After a rather ineffective attempt of hitting them with my rapier, I decided it would be better to get something that would hurt them. A fiery torch! Charles managed to burn the rest of the wasps with his hands (hope that was a spell otherwise his intimate partners would be in for a hot time in not so good a way) and I torched the rest of them and the nest. (Burn baby burn!) Grabbed a sample as their poison could come in handy later.

WASP SAMPLE (2)

 

Charles woke Mutu up (sleeping on the job?) and I managed to perform medicine on Thulnir (my first time) without killing him! Guess those skills are useful on others too. Decided to check out the other tower (T#2) before descending to lower level.

 

T#2 was completely destroyed. It had collapsed on tow of itself. However, a stray glint of light caught my attention. An intricate key lay buried in the rubble. In pointing this out, the team managed to move some debris and like one of the best trapeze/tightrope walker from the circus, Thulnir minced his way and grabbed the key. (Having dragged him, I didn’t think anyone that dense in stature could move like that! Kinda impressed.)

 

The key was made of iron, but was made to resemble antlers. Charles said it related to the God Arastle – God of Hunting and Farmers. Nothing else unusual about it. Not sure what it opens, but pocketed it for now.

 

Working our way back to T#1, we decided to check out what remained of the alter. I had heard there were sometimes secret compartments, but didn’t find crap. (Where is this damn treasure they talked about?). Mutu checked too. He found nothing on the alter but definitely found the hole in the floor. Good thing he’s metal. That would have hurt me. Thulnir acted like a rock anchor (does the man shift density on a whim?) and we managed to get him back up to the same level with us. Finally made it to back to T#1 and down the hole we went.

 

Cool lower room. Octagonal shaped room with an ever-burning torch in the center and doors to the east & west. 6 coffins surrounded the room, 3 top (north), 3 bottom (south), with one in the bottom that was broken. I’ll admit curiosity got the best of me and I poked at the broken coffin. Next thing I know I have a pissed off skeleton warrior in front of me and two more up top. (ooops!). Some book I stole read reminded me what they were – Linguistic Kamzk (mine), Radiant Unst, Dutiful Minerho – non-intelligent, undead resistant to pierce & slash & fire (-1 TH). Thulnir stepped up and obliterated his into dust. Like wow. Well, I was determined to do the same. I knew my enemy, knew its weaknesses, so focused my strike. I nailed him, hard, and almost killed him myself (you go girl). Not quite as good as the dwarf, but not too bad if I do say so myself. Mutu came in and punched my target with his fist and demolished him (I softened him up). Charles punched his target and nearly killed it. Thulnir, I think got cocky. Tried to headbutt the skeleton and failed miserably (his density much have changed again.) Might have gotten cocky (pun intended) myself. I ran over and tried to kick it in the nuts. Its dead numbnuts. It doesn’t have balls anymore. Second time aimed for the crotch/pelvis area and connected. I killed it!

 

Found 2 Scimitar swords on the top bodies, one of them looking better than the others (+1). Mutu and Charles discussed who would be better equipped the handle the prize. I decided to check out the other body near the broken coffin and found another regular Scimitar. Can’t use it, but we can sell it next time we get back to town (if that ever happens!) Nothing in the coffin either.

 

Decided we’d check out one of the doors. Went east. Thick heavy door that was build to keep people out. But guess what? The key unlocked it. Entered a shrine looking area. An elk-headed statue centered on east wall surrounded by holy relics and offerings (treasure?). Another one of those mystical torches was nearby, but this one wasn’t build into the stone like the others and seemed to be removable. Someone said it used some kind of elemental energy (evocation? Whatever that means). It was bright, but had no smoke and wasn’t hot to the touch (neat). Charles went to grab the torch. The statue animated and stared to move.

 

Crap – here we go again…