Chapter 5 : Clueless

[BigRedRod]

Collin sits next to the crushed creature and begins to pick up the small bits of gore and examine them carefully for any coins,gems or other valuable items they may contain.

[ooc: this is gonna take 15-20minutes, so the rest of you should feel free to act while collin shifts through the remains]

[BigRedRod]

Tolven ackowledges his companion's desire to wait ebfore attempting to remove the book, he stands waiting in a corner.
Grakus drops out of the air onto the elf's shoulder and plods aorund for a few moments before climbing out of sight somewhere on Tolven's person.

[BigRedRod]

Collin's search of the remains eventually yields him a small pile of treasure, containing :

28 gold pieces
12 silver pieces
A gold and silver ring clearly made for something with fingers a good amount thicker than a typical human, it may just be able to secure itself on the base of Collin's thumb. The ring is styled to look like it is made from a silver band and a gold band which coil around to form the ring
A golden nugget, which may have been a replacement tooth
A huge heavily damaged axe, the head is twisted slighlty and the haft, although metal, has been deformed
A set of furs, which haven't been damaged as much as having their former owner pressed into them, to create a truely grotesque set of "clothing"

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

Shaking off the loose bits of monster and using the water in his waterskin to wash away the remaining gore as best as possible, Collin tucks the somewhat clean recovered goods into his pack. When it comes time to fold the hides away, he grimaces in disgust. He thinks to himself as he finishes his task, I'll just have to clean it when we get to the surface. And maybe buy a new pack when we return.

He keeps out the ring as he moves further down and into the room that Tolven's been patiently waiting in. After studying the layout and decor for a moment, Collin bends down to check the halfling. He moves its head back and forth and pries the jaw open.

Following the examination, he asks the sorcerer rogue, "Have you analyzed the trap and searched him? If you're having problems with the trap, perhaps we might ask our fallen friend here what happened to him. Of course you might want to give me the questions you need answered before I begin the incantation."

[Gnarsh]

Lynores paces back and forth absentmindedly, swinging his rapier about, dueling with the air, waiting for the others to hurry up and talk with the corpse...

[BigRedRod]

Tolven looks at the priest,
"Anything he made it past was dis-armed, I doubt he knows anymore aobut traps. Still he may have managed to gather information from elsewhere, ask whether he knows of any traps inside the chamber holding the book. I assume he tripped the one into the chamber, but how he died would be useful"

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

"Okay, let's begin." Collin says as he starts his incantation.

Drawing out his holy symbol, he presses it to the dead halfling's head and chants. "Come forth! Let your spirit return, this I command! Now, answer me...how did you die?"

[BigRedRod]

White and Black streams of energy fly from the holy symbol and into the corpse, it shudders briefly and beings to speak
"I made an enemy of a pair of minotaurs"
The corpse speaks with slighlt difficulty, whatever killed him have have damaged his jaw slightly

[itches]

Following into the room, Unknown steps to one side once within, and looks around. Making his way around the room, paying close attention to the pedestal and the leather clad book.

Muttering softly to himself, his wings twitching in annoyance, the half-fiend tried to hunt down the source of the music. After several moments of vain searching, he swears audibly.

"Where does that infernal music originate!"

Glancing over as Collin begins his incantation, the dark-creature moves over to where Tolven stands, and quietly asks him about where the trigger to the trap was, wether it extended to the room.

Once the answered were questioned, Unknown once again resumes his pacing, talking quietly to-himself.

"Something about this trap doesn't seem right. The trigger at the doorway would make it seem that it is to stop you from entering the room. Yet when the walls closed in they close in the furthest away first."

Rubbing a taloned-hand over his face, Unknown concludes.

"The trap was designed to keep people from getting out, less then it was to stop people from getting in. But there must me more to it then this."

Falling silent, Unknown looks over at the dead-thief.

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

Collin gives Tolven a quizzical look following the halfling answer to the first question. Taking some initiative he gives the dead his second question.

"Describe how the trap in the room that contains the music and glowing book works."

[BigRedRod]

The expression on the face remains locked in the one it wore in death as the mouth opens and closes almost in time with the words he speaks

"It blocks the exit and releases the guards"

[itches]

Taking another look around at the dead theif's words, Unknown edges towards the book.

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

All the color seems to drain away from Collin's face as he listens to the halfling speak. He closes his eyes in anguish, squinting so hard, tears begin to form at the corners. Raising his arm, he beckons everyone to move away from the book. Shaking away the impending dispair, Collin turns towards Tolven, giving the sorcererous rogue a questioning look.

"I've got one more question to ask..."

[BigRedRod]

Tolven back at Collin,
"I've searched everything, there are no more traps. The trigger which our deceased friend didn't manage to notice is one which I have disarmed. I don't think there is anything else to concern us, bar the book itself."

[Cadrius]

"Bad business," Varidiir mutters under his breath while Collin performs his ritual. As expected, the results are displeasing to the Azer. He frowns, he scowls, he mutters, but he keeps it to himself and does not interrupt the questioning.

Guards? he wonders, perhaps this will get interesting. I'm rather tired of all this sneaking around.

[Gnarsh]

"About time we got some guards in here. Too much silence and sneakery for my tastes so far." Lynores says, then a nervous expression creeps across his face- "But-if the trap was already set off, and the guards were already released...couldn't they be anywhere?"

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

A devilish smile flickers across Collin's face as he asks his last question.

"Where in life did you hoard your non-portable treasures?"

Following the final answer, Collin completes the spell by releasing the spirit. He then turns to the others and gives them an innocent look before speaking.

"Tolven, are you quite sure that you managed to disarm that trap the halfling mentioned? Not question your abilities, but look at the halfling, he was an expert at this sort of thing and even he missed it." Collin gestures to the dead halfling.

Frowning in thought, Collin tries to think about how they can get out of this mess. The strange musical notes keep interfering with his meditations. Eventually he sighs in frustration and blurts out, "Gah! You'd think that music would soothe the savage beast, but all it seems to do is give me a headache! Any idea on where it's coming from?"

[BigRedRod]

"Under the sea..."
With the answer complete and the spell ended the head of the liberator falls to the side as streams of light of all colours weave out of the body and through the air, eventually fading into nothing. And the corpse becomes just as mundane as any other

[BigRedRod]

Tolven shakes his head,
"I've searched, if there is a another trap then it was created by the Gods themselves to be beyond my skill. As for the music, it comes from the same unseen location as the light, I think it would be more trouble than it's worth to deactivate whatever produces it"

[ooc: dammit, I forgot I was npcing Tolven]

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

"Well, according to that," Collin points at the mangled halfling corpse, "the room is sealed and big nasties come out of the walls to pound you into corpse dust. I don't think leaving one person in here to grab the book is such a wise idea. And as I said before, just because you don't see anything, doesn't mean that there isn't a trap. It might be magical in nature, and so hidden that it requires a magician's touch to identify."

The priest begins looking at the group's diviner. "What say you, magician? Is there a way of seeing past the mundane? Or perhaps you can deliver the book through magic?" Collin begins waving his hands and wiggling his fingers, "You know, a little wand waving to make the book come to you."

Crossing his arms across his chest, Collin says sarcatically, "Or is the plan to leave Tolven in here to pull down the book and make a run for it? If so, I'll prepare some healing solutions and funeral rites, just in case."

[itches]

Licking his fangs, and looking over the book, Unknown takes a moment to think.

"I might be able to do something, but not with all of you in here."

Motioning towards the door, the half-fiend looks towards Collin.

"You lot wait out there and get ready those healing spells you do so well, I don't like being cramped - Better yet, wait out in the other room. I might set off the trap, and it would be a shame if you lot made too much of a mess."

With a wolfish grin, Unknown adds.

"Try to stay away from the opening, I might end up running out of here."

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

The priest backs away and stands in the doorway before committing to Unknown's plan of waiting in the other room. "What exactly are you going to do? I mean, are you sure you want to do this alone? Perhaps Tolven or one of the others should stay by the door with something to brace it, just in case? If not, then may Gul'ren not be at your back."

[itches]

Already turning his attention to the book, Unknown waves aside Collin's comments.

"I doubt bracing the door would do anything. Let me have my secrets, if this doesn't work, all the easier on my pride."

[Cadrius]

"Messin' with the book?" Varidiir asks, "Well, it's your hide, lad." The azer gives a slight shrug of his coppery shoulders before moving out into the hall. "If you change your mind about bracin' the door, let me know."

Giving the fiend a nod, he turns and exits the room.

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

Collin shrugs his shoulders and follows the Azer down the hallway. "I hope he knows what he's doing. I can heal injuries, but not death."

Once in the safety of the first room, Collin prepares himself to heal the injured. Taking a potion of cure light wounds from his potion belt, he hands it Varidiir. Just in case, use this to stabilize any wound.

[BigRedRod]

The four head into the previous chamber, away from the trapped passage and await either the sounds of agony or the triumphant return of the nameless one clutching the grimoire.

A vague chanting can be heard from outside, and then it is replaced with an evil laugh which echos around the vault, and then after the a strange air disturbance which wafts sheets of air toward the four, there is only the vague sound of the music. And the momentary sound of hurried footsteps coming from the staircase which leads to the rest of the vault and eventually the surface. But as the group turn to look there is no sign of anything coming down the stairs.

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

Freezing in place, Collin, keeping his head still, looks around the room with just his eyes. Listening for just a moment to be sure that the music is playing, he whispers to the others, "I didn't do anything. It wasn't me. Now who wants to check on Batman?"

[WhoNAN]

OOC: BRR, c'mon NPC doesn't mean dumb down my character to the point of idiocy.

Tolven rushes out the stairs after the invisible Unknown. Taking only a brief second to cast Detect magic once out, scanning for unknowns aura.

OOC: I'm not back, but couldn't help.

[BigRedRod]

Tolven rushes up the stairs and reaches chasm, and at at once he realises he no longer has his potion of spider-climb nor is it still active.

[ooc: you have four party members and between you all three potions of spider climb]

[Gnarsh]

Lynores blurts out a long string of curses in Abyssal. "Well, this is quite a predicament, now isn't it? Hmmm...Collin, could you take a potion and carry Tolven across?"

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

"Don't bother," replies Collin. "I've another way across." He says, as he uncorks a potion from his belt.

With a scream of pain, his body shudders and contorts. His skin seems to age, turning from it's usual pasty white to ashen black. Instead of flesh, the cells become ridged scales. His hair follows suit. The red leeches away, turning gray, white and finally falling out all-together. The tips of his ears quiver before growing out into points. Along his forehead, four bony growths burst out from beneath his scalp. But the most drastic change is the formation of two large bat-like wings from his back.

Collin takes a second to look at his hands, which end as talons. Glancing up at the others he gives them a fiendish smile, filled with gleaming white sharp teeth.

"I take it the potion I drank was a success?" He laughs a sinister laugh. "Do I look anything like our craven Batman?"

Still laughing, he leaps into the air and flies over the cavern to the other side. "Drink your potions and hurry along!"

[BigRedRod]

As Collin spreads his newly formed wings and leaps intot he air he was quite unprepared for just how dramatic an effect the shifting gravity would have. It feels like he has fallen into a spin and is plummeting or maybe rolling down a steep hill, and then he collides with the edge of the chasm. Scrabbling forwards he manages to pull himself fully onto the opposite side.
His flight wasn't quite as successful as Unknown's first (nad possibly second) crossing, but he's alive and unscathed and across

[Gnarsh]

Lynores takes one of the spider climb potions and makes his way across.

[WhoNAN]

"Well then toss one over."

He waits anxiously. Upon receipt he makes haste, pausing briefly to listen, to attempt to notice the Unknown ones unprudent gloating.

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

Nearly hyperventilating after an exhilerating first flight, Collin gulps down air as he lies on his back. Between deep breaths, he mutters, "How in the nine hells does he do it?"

Once his wind has returned, the cleric stands and makes ready for the group's departure.

[Cadrius]

Once again drinking the bitter potion, Varidiir climbs his way across.

Do they actually put spiders in these? he wonders, grimacing at the taste.

[BigRedRod]

The remaining four of the original six rush toward the next passage, but as he reaches the door Tolven notices that the four coins marking the tiles which released poison gas have been moved, and now sit randomly on tiles. As much as he tries to recall, Tolven can only remember the location of a single activation tile, the first which was discovered roughly half-way down the corridor.
With the door at this end of the corridor lodged open, it's highly likely that an activation of the trap will cause the poison gas to flood into the chasm chamber

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

"Keep going!" Cries Collin. "Use the walls before your potion wears off!"

In the meantime, the duplicate fiend continues to fly. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this.

[Gnarsh]

Lynores, following Collin's advice, makes his way across the room on one of the walls. (the left side of the room, if it matters)

[BigRedRod]

Gliding through the corridor or scrabbling across it's walls and ceiling, the four reach the opposite end with barely a pause. Dashing toward the surface with Varidiir leading the way, the four race to catch up with the traitor and the grimoire.
Collin quickly starts to lag behind, his heavy armour restricting his movement and not allowing him to run at anything like the same speed.

The flaming dwarf bounds out the tunnel followed by Tolven and the sounds of Collin attempting to move quickly, he can make out a number of horses galloping away from the tunnel mouth, where Collin's steed lies on the ground with it's throat torn out. Looking up, the shape of a black winged humanoid is all too easy to make out, gliding quite high in the air and heading roughly northward.

The dried scrub surrounding the patch of dead earth and very uneven landscape, will make any attempts to chase him across the ground much more difficult. The growing pool of blood around collin's horse adds a little colour to the grey dead-spot of earth marking the enterance to the vault. The small dead tree which once grew near the rift still contains small pieces of rope tied to it which once tethered the horses

[Gnarsh]

"Get back here, you cowardly bastard!" Lynores yells in the winged creature's direction, his eyes glowing bright red with rage. "This is wonderful, just wonderful. Stuck in the middle of a bloody DESERT, with no mounts! And all my food was in my saddlebags! Two bottles of some nice wine too! Son of a f..." His words trail off into a string of half muttered, unintelligible curses.

[WhoNAN]

Grasping at his offensive wand Tolven sizes up the fiend, and releases a volley if the attempt has a mild chance of closing the gap in the air.

"Where was my mind, it must have been absent."

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

Huffing and puffing, Collin finally makes it out of the dungeon. Leaning over his knees while catching his breath, he sees one of his horses lying dead at his feet. Son of a three teat fiendish hoar...

Glancing around, he catches sight of Tolven firing off spells at the diminishing traitor. Using his hand as a visor, Collin stares in the direction that Unknown flies. "By Gul'ren, I'll gut that demon and sacrifice his soul to lay in the Abyss for eternity! GAH! I should never have laid a healing hand on you! Curse be on you and all your kind! May everything you touch wither and crumble to dust!"

With his anger vented to some extent, he hurries to his mount, checking to see if anything can be done to save it. Judging by the amount of damage and blood loss however, all he can do is shake his head in despair. "The other mounts, where are they?" He asks the remaining party members. "I've got two horses, maybe he didn't have time to kill the second horse, or your own mounts. Worse come to worse, I'll inform Edgley of Batman's traitorous actions. There is no chance that he can make the journey in one evening."

[BigRedRod]

The half-demon continues to fly through the now pink-tinted sky. The night is approaching fast, and the bolts of mystical energy whirr through the air with suprising accuracy but fade shortly before they should strike the airborne traitor

[BigRedRod]

Experience

Collin 6,548
Tolven 6,549
Lynores 6,450
Varidiir 6,532

[ooc: ok add it on, work out any levels and whatnot and on to the next chapter once I make the thread]