IC XIII

[Atlictoatl]

It probably makes the most sense, though there's something about fighting it in its 'lair' that makes me cautious. I'm also hoping that it hasn't somehow miraculously healed off some of the damage we've dealt it. It's been a couple of minutes now, with the First Aid.

But, yeah, I'm game.

[thirdkingdom]

Round Five

The adventurers throw open the doors and rush in to meet the mechanical spider. It scuttles forward, meeting Tev Meren halfway across the room; the wily fighter evades both of its claws but the spider lunges and bites his ankle. With a single stroke of his enchanted blade, Tev decapitates the monster. There are several bright flashes of light, a small explosion of smoke and a whirring sound, and then the thing collapses. Tev finds he can easily pry the thing's jaws loose from about his ankle.

4 damage to Tev.

[thirdkingdom]

A search of the creature's lair reveals layer upon layer of moldering detritus. Most of it is impossible to identify, but a large percentage are bones. The skeletal remains found nearest the surface are human -- or at least, humanoid -- in size and shape. Some are recognizable as being of an orcish origin, whilst others are clearly human, or dwarven. The orcish bones predominate, however. Digging down deeper uncovers the remains of a race of beings larger than the average humans by factor of at least 50%. Curiously, the skulls that are uncovered appear bestial in nature.

The two recent corpses prove to be human. One is clearly a warrior, and the companions recognize him as an itinerant sell-sword from Threshold that had been listening to the tales of the Forgotten City. The second corpse is likely a cleric, as she wears the symbol of Halav about her neck and is clutching a shoddily-made mace. They have a total of 120 gold between the two of them. The cleric has two flasks in her pack marked with symbols identifying it has holy water and a wooden scroll-case containing a single sheet of vellum.

Severi is beginning to despair when the real prize is uncovered, near the bottom of the pile. A decaying velvet bag turns to dust upon touching it, and four brilliant, sparkling diamonds roll out. The avaricious adventurers estimate their worth to be approximately 4,000 gold apiece. One final item of note is found. In one corner, at the very bottom of the layers of debris, the adventurers uncover a crude statue fashioned from clay. It is strangely heavy and warm to the touch. Several runes in an unknown language are carved into its "chest". The statue has a roughly humanoid shape.

[Wyzard]

Severi Silvertongue, Elf

In an effort to avoid putting all of our eggs in one basket, I want the diamonds split up among four different PCs. Please post here or in the OOC thread to confirm that you've recorded the loot on your sheet, so that we don't lose out on it.

The gold pieces, potion, and scroll should go to our magic user, if that's okay. Again, please post to confirm it's recorded on your sheet as treasure.

Severi examines the statue appraisingly, and puts it outside the door. "Well. This has proven not to be a waste of our time." Severi takes some time to examine the spider, to determine whether it is purely artificial or contains fleshly elements. "If this thing won't rot, it might be worth hauling back to town. There's a sage somewhere that would love to figure out what made it work. Or it might have valuable components, like some kind of platinum cogs or something..."

He pockets one of the diamonds, and passes the others around to be split up among the characters.

[Alethan]

Not sure why the mage would get the holy water (not a potion)... Maybe give that to Semele? The scroll is most likely a clerical one, as well. Won't do the magic user any good. Who is going to carry the statue? Seems like it might be valuable. We'd probably want the wagons again if we want to haul the construct to Threshold.

Rhys will take one of the diamonds to hold for the party.

Semele the Healer

Semele performs first aid on Tev.

[Atlictoatl]

Tev Meren, Fighter

Tev shakes his head at the oddity of the creature as he pries its jaws off of his ankle. He'll carry a diamond for the group.

Diamond recorded. No objections to the wizard getting the 200 gp and other items.

[thirdkingdom]

The construct does appear to me entirely artificial in nature, and not some blasphemous amalgamation of flesh and machinery. However, it appears to have been constructed and run by magical -- as opposed, say to the clockwork mechanisms favored by gnomish and some dwarfish craftsmen -- means. It is possible that some sage would like to study it, but the remains are heavy, weighing as much as two or three adult humans.

[Alethan]

Rhys the Traveler

While the others examine the spider corpse, Rhys moves out into the hallway and listens at the other three doors to see if anything alive might be within.

[MonsterMash]

Thurgan, dwarf

Thurgan takes a diamond and puts it into his coin pouch. "What nature of creature built this?"

[thirdkingdom]

Whilst the others are occupied examining the construct, Rhys ventures out into the hallway and examines the three other doors in turn. He hears nothing, nor can he detect any traps. Once his companions are done, the doors are opened one by one. They find:

The door opposite the construct's lair conceals a set of stairs leading up. The stairs are of polished stone, and inlaid with the same blue tiles. Beneath the stairs is a smaller door that proves to be locked. To the best of Rhys's estimation, it is not trapped.

The room adjacent to the construct's lair features the same decorative tilework. The patterns swirl together around the perimeter of the chamber. The large portion of the floor forms a sunken cavity; it calls into mind the soaking tubs used by decadent Thyatians, except large enough to fit two dozen or more humans. Frescoes decorate the walls, depicting large, human-like creatures with animal heads. The activities portrayed are, quite frankly, of an erotic nature. Some more conservative types might even call them perverted.

The final room is lined with benches and features frescoes of a similar nature. There are no windows in this room. Every six feet or so a hole, the size of a human fist, is set into the floor.

The entirety of the first floor is notable for the lack of dust and general good condition.

[Alethan]

Rhys the Traveler

If nobody has an easy way of opening the locked door, the Rhys begins moving up the stairs, checking them for traps as he goes.

[Wyzard]

Severi packs the statue into his backpack, assuming that it might have some value as an enchanted item. He then tries the iron key he recovered from the orcs on the locked door. "I doubt this is going to work, but it's worth an attempt.

[thirdkingdom]

The key does not come close to fitting. However, while everything on this floor is scrupulously clean, it soon becomes apparent that the cleanliness is a thin veneer, partially obscuring the damage of time. It is quite likely one or two stout blows could break the lock and force the door open.

[Atlictoatl]

Tev Meren, Fighter

Tev ponders the possible resemblance of the creatures depicted on the frescoes in the bath-house room to the large race with bestial skulls at the bottom of the killing pile in the spider's lair, and consults with Koren on the passing similarity.

If no-one objects, Tev grabs a small hammer from out of his saddlebags and applies brute force to the lock.

[thirdkingdom]

Note that by this time it is approximately 3:00 in the afternoon.

Several well placed strikes with the hammer reduce the lock to metallic flakes. The door swings open, revealing a narrow, enclosed staircase descending into the darkness. Unlike the rest of the this building, a thick layer of dust and grime covers the stairs, and mold coats the wall. A blast of warm, fetid air rises from the darkness below.

[Atlictoatl]

Tev Meren, Fighter

"This place is just full of unpleasant smells, innit?" Tev comments to no-one in particular. "If it's all the same to everyone else, I'd vote we go up first, while there's light, and save this hole for the evening or tomorrow. I'm thinking we could sleep in this building if we wanted. I doubt any orcs would come in here. Though we'd need to get the horses."

Do the frescoes seem like they could be related to the old remains we found in the spider lair?

[Wyzard]

I also figure up, then down. I just want to make sure all items of treasure are accounted for before we leave this floor.

[thirdkingdom]

I've added the coins, holy water and scroll case to Quint's character sheet. Tev regains 1 hp. 1d20=5, 1d3=1

[thirdkingdom]

Tev Meren, Fighter

Tev ponders the possible resemblance of the creatures depicted on the frescoes in the bath-house room to the large race with bestial skulls at the bottom of the killing pile in the spider's lair, and consults with Quint on the passing similarity.

If no-one objects, Tev grabs a small hammer from out of his saddlebags and applies brute force to the lock.

Tev concludes that the beings depicted in the frescoes are the same as the large skeletons discovered in the debris. A close examination reveals that, whilst the other, more recent dead all seem to bear evidence of violence, the larger, older skeletons show little evidence of physical trauma. Furthermore, a close examination of the frescoes reveal that amongst the revelry and orgifying, there is the occasional depiction of humans. All such depictions show the men as being in a sort of subservient role. In addition, the scale is similar to that of the skeletal remains, with the humans cowering before the larger beast-headed creatures.

[Wyzard]

Severi, Elf

"Well, it looks like they had a good thing going on, whoever they were. Let's ascend and see what lies on the level above us."