Clearing the way, checkin, Surin out front
Subject Clearing the way
Salix looks on in disgust. These people valued death more than life. He wanted to be the one to purge the world of their taint, but that was not his mission. His mission was to rescue Acer. After they had done that, maybe they could do something more. "Surin, Kal keep a listen at the west door. Ally, you and I will keep watch on the southern door. The rest of you drag those bodies back to the pit. It might give us a few minutes leeway when they are discovered missing."
As the party members scramble around, the stronger members carrying bodies back down the hallway after stripping them of most of their gear. Their equipment is fairly basic, not nearly the quality that the party already has. Harp makes sure to keep several of the torn and bloodied tabards. The guard's bodies are quickly disposed of and the eight party members are back in the room in short order. The party also found 27 silver pieces, 59 copper pieces and 10 gold pieces. Surin looks at Salix and the druid nods. Surin takes the coins and puts them in his bag, making sure they don't make any noise.
"Surin, any idea of which way we should go?" The halfling shrugs "I've been listening and checking and both doors look the same. The one on the west wall looks like it might be used more than the one on the south, but other than that, I'd flip a copper piece."
OODM: Which door?
From: Kevin
Subject Clearing the way
"The west one it is. If there is no clear sign one way or the other, lets go with the one that is more used.
Surin, you take the lead until we see something. Kal, you and Mund stay as close as Surin says. The rest of us will give you some more space."
From: Porter
Subject Clearing the way
Mund sees what that he's trying to do and drops the man like a hot yam. That just ain't right, a man doin' that to hisself. Gives him the creeps.
Mund goes ahead and drops his body down into the pit, but now it ain't not enjoyable-like like it should be. He don't even look to make sure it gets impaled on the spikes.
"Well, that was useless. The survivor, I mean. Good spell you cast there, elf."
"Let's get a move-on."
From: Mark
Subject Check in
I would like everyone to check in just to make sure no one wants to do anything before I move on.
From: Kevin
Subject Check in
Just check to see if there is anything that looks like it might be of some use (a map of the area, listing of prisoners and where they are kept, special instructions from Faldor, etc.).
From: Kevin
Subject Check in
I am also checking in for Harp, Surin and Salix.
From: Jason
Subject Check in
I'll just check in, nothing Ragnar wants to do here.
From: Josh
Subject Check in
Kal nods and waits for Surin's lead.
From: Josh
Subject Return
Do we know when Karl and Chris are coming back?
From: Derek
Subject Check in
Allistair's ready to go too. He's also impressed with Kal's spell, and will be asking him about it later.
From: Randy
Subject Check in
Check.
From: Mark
Subject Return
They are supposed to be getting back on Saturday, May 5th. I do not know how quickly they will be getting back up to speed, having been gone for three weeks. They are in the middle of opening a Quiznos franchise, so I am sure that that will take some of their time.
From: Josh
Subject Clearing the way
"Well, that was useless. The survivor, I mean. Good spell you cast there, elf."
Kal looks at Mund a little surprised. "Thank you." And then stands ready for Surin's lead.
From: Mark
Subject Check in
Ok most everyone has checked in. I have an auction to run this afternoon so it will likely be tonight before I get a turn out. That will let Porter get a chance to check in.
Then the party will head through the west door.
From: Mark
Subject Surin out front
With Ran and Ragnar watching the southern door, Surin heads to the western door. Mund and Kal take up position near the door, ready to follow the halfling when signaled. Surin spends a few seconds looking over the latching mechanism on the door. "Not trapped. Good sign" he says to himself. Holding up a hand to signal silence, Surin works the mechanism and the door swings into the room a little bit. Both Kal and Surin can see some light through the crack in the door. Surin pulls the door open a bit more and slips through, motioning the other two to hold position. The hallway is short, only 5 feet or so. Surin takes a glimpse around the corner and sees a large room. The room is about 25X60. At the south end the last 10 feet or so are raised and there is an alter made of steel. The alter has pulley and clamps and chains and other objects that Surin is not sure of.
Along the east and west walls are lit braziers. These cauldrons are filled with burning coals that heat and also light the room with an eerie red light. Surin sees three other doors in the room. One is just across from where he just entered, and the other two are on the same wall as where he just came in, just further down the wall. Against the far wall, just past mid way down, Surin sees what must be a bloodhulk. The creature is the size of a large man and dressed in rags. However, the figure is bloated and distended veins criss cross its livid skin. The figure seems not to notice Surin and the halfling edges his way behind the brazier right next to him. His skin prickles at the heat and sweat starts to form under his armor. Just then Surin hears a door open and he freezes where he is.
The door in the west wall opens and a man walks through dragging a small figure by its arm. The man is dressed in rust colored robes with a skull and scythe symbol on them. As he drags the figure behind him Surin can hear him talking "Come on little one. Faldor has given me the high honor of preparing the sacrificial dagger and it must be cleansed in the blood of an innocent. That means you." As the man moves past where Surin is, the halfling stifles a gasp of shock. The figure is a little girl, maybe 5 or 6 years old. She is nude. Her hair is matted and she is filthy, but the worst part is the vacant look in her eyes. She stumbles along after the man, whimpers coming from her. The man continues "This is going to hurt. A lot. You can scream and yell all you want. In fact I encourage it. My master feeds on the fear and the pain."
The man leads the child to the alter and lowers one of the restraints. He starts putting the girl into the restraints and the child begins to realize what is about to happen. She starts to scream, a pitiful thing at first, but growing in panic and power as the man traps her down and then starts to raise the metal form she is tied to. The man then starts pulling on one of the chains and the girl is hoisted into the air, feet first. Surin realizes what is going to happen and hurries back to where the party is. "Girl, 5 or 6. Cleric is going to sacrifice her. He is stringing her up now. There is a bloodhulk in the room."
OODM: Actions or questions. Time is of the essence.
