Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter 3

[ewancummins]

Primeiro, surprised and repulsed by the swarm of centipedes, nevertheless acts quickly. His rapier literally leaps back to his hand as he moves to strike as many of the vermin as possible. "Get off her!!"


Benn shouts a quick warning to Everline before beginning an incantation. His voice deepens, enunciating ancient, eldritch words of power. He reaches into a pouch, pulling free a small packet which he lobs to the ground, at which point it bursts into flames! The flames expand to roughly the size of a human head before Benn points towards the vermin, sending it rolling forward on a smoking, smoldering path.



---Dorgio's eyes widen with fear as he sees the creatures swarm over Everline, and the priest's look of fear only deepens as he hears the commotion down below. With only a split second to make his choice, Dorgio drops the rope down to Jeurgin and braces to help the boy climb faster. He digs in his heels as he steadies the rope.---


Once the rope drops down, the lad grabs it and grabbing it tightly in both hands, he jumps up and begins scaling the wall as fast as he can. "Okay, I am leaving now, Dark One. Meet you up top."

Everline's choked screams grow louder as her hair and clothes catch fire! Roasted centipedes fall from her body as she jerks and hops.

Eustace is unable to reach Everline until the flaming ball has rolled clear of the girl. He finds her badly burned, but conscious--and in great pain. Her clothes and hair are still smoldering. The centipedes are all gone or dead.


From the pit comes a heavy noise-


THUMP

THUMP
THUMP

[Ail]

Eustace had meant to advance to Everline in a hurry, a momentary stopgap orison prepared. But Benn was quicker than he and the destructive ball of fire he conjured out of his bag of tricks cleared Everline of all the bugs... but left in the air the characteristic smell Eustace was well acquainted too: the smell of burnt flesh and hair.

How ironic that Everline was a woman: in almost all the instances Eustace had watched a human burning, the victim had been a woman too.

He shrugged these thoughts quickly. Although indoctrinated in the church of Belenus, and indeed having taken the first steps towards an inquisitor, he still had some doubts about some particular methods of his church. His compassionate side took the front and surpassed the emotion the odour had caused in him. After all, he had chosen to specialize as a healer. That was his calling in the church. well... perhaps after the books.

The way being clear, he opted for a more secure healing spell instead of the one he had readied, and approached Everline with haste.


"Here, let me help you with that. Perhaps the others can douse the flames, but I have to heal you first."

[Adam]

Bennedict wills the ball of fire to roll away from Everline, a surprised expression evident. He concentrates to maintain the flame, at least until we know whether whatever is behind the door is about to escape.

"Apologies, it appears I underestimated the severity of your injuries from this morning. I expected you would be more than capable of avoiding the flames." Once the flames are doused and Everline his healed, he hopefully adds, "But at least the bugs are dead. Right?"

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio begins coughing as the burning smell reaches his throat, but he holds steady on the rope as Jeurgin continues to climb. "You are seeing to Everline, yes?" He calls back to Benn and Eustace, "Because we are about to have more trouble from below!" He jerks his head toward the pit and the thumping noises.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Everline coughs, spits out a centipede leg and groans when the healing magic hits her.

"Don' fuss," she growls at Benn. "Like ye said, the bugs're gone. Tha's good."

Still grimacing, Everline pulls a different wand from her belt and presses it into her chest, squeezing the handle. Her wounds become even less puffy and angry-looking, and she heaves a quiet sigh.

"Better," she announces. "Now, 'ow about dis, den?" She holds up the ivory cilinder.

(OOC: Everline uses a charge from her wand of Cure Light Wounds. Five more hp restored.)

[Ken of Ghastria]

Primeiro wrinkles his nose at the smell, but his eyes show relief. "I admire your concentration," he says to Everline. "To be able to hold onto that while those... well, impressive.

"In any event," he continues as he directs his gaze to the pit, "the danger has not passed. Our mysterious creature seems most insistent on leaving."

He addresses the group. "What arcane weaponry remains at our disposal, should it break free?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Everline rises, limps to the edge of the pit -- and spits into it.

"Hush yer gob, ye great bull-buggerin' boggard!" she snarls in the direction of the door, then turns her back on it and returns to the others. "'E en't goin' nowhere," she says with confidence. "Magic's still blazin' aroun' da door. 'E's jus' makin' a fuss ta scare us; whate'er's down dere feeds on fear, remember?

Now, then. Who wants ta be firs' ta open da tube? No' me, this time. I bin bit enough fer one day."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Primeiro sheathes his rapier and holds out his hand. "Give it to me, mademoiselle," he says matter-of-factly. "The rest of you have skills better suited to dealing with immaterial foes, and thus our collective well-being may well reside on your continued health."

Unless there are objections, Primeiro attempts to open the tube.

[ewancummins]

The thumping sound from the pit stops.

Primeiro finds an old vellum scroll stuffed in the hollow tube. It is covered in writing, but he cannot read the spidery script.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Fortunately, the contents seem safe to handle," says Primeirio, "if somewhat fragile. But I'm afraid the writing is as meaningful to me as a goblin's love poem. It may be arcane in nature. Anyone care to try deciphering it?" He holds the scroll out for one of the others to take.

[Ail]

Eustace is quick to offer for a look. He puts some gloves on and then asks Primeiro to give him the scroll, so he can examine it.


"I've got some practice with these, let me just see if I know the language."


OOC: I just ad-libbed he'd have some clothes as part of his normal vestuary, being used to long sessions of writing in cold rooms and all. Those could be helpful. But if it's not ok, I can remove that part, Ewan. Anyway, the idea here is that the scroll might be fragile and it would best not be in direct contact with greasy and wet skins.

[Adam]

Seeing the piece of fragile paper, Benn mentally nudges the flaming sphere a bit further away from the party to avoid any stray sparks landing upon the scroll.

[RocEter]

Petrie freezes instinctively upon spotting the unknown beast; his hunter senses taking over. He moves the butt end of his spear to tap Thom on the leg. "Thom, hold steady and don't make a sound." He utters as quietly as possible while tracking the thing with the tip of his long spear, "There, we're not alone lad."

He moves to a crouch gradually to get closer to Thom's level. "I'll keep my eye on 'im. Check behind us; make sure there are no more. We need to watch it for a while." He scans the area in front of him with his eyes to discern if there are any other surprises accompanying it. Petrie also attempts to make a mental determination of the direction and strength of any breeze.

"There is wolf or dog print here," Thom says in a hushed voice, indicating the paw print in the sand with a gloved hand. "I am no hunter but I don't see any other tracks. Might be alone, might not. Near as I can tell it is. Lets be careful though, my understanding is there are no dangerous animals out hear besides us humans. Maybe its that creature every one claims they saw when we first got here, if that is the case best use iron or silver weapons.." Thom continues on in the same hushed voice.

Thom silently and carefully turns on heels, stealthy moves away at slow crouched pace. He scans the area for any other four legged furry creatures and other possible threats.

[ewancummins]

the lost settlement-


Thom spots a mangy, lean hound snuffling about one of the ruined cottages (maybe thirty feet away from Thom). The dog looks up at Thom and Petrie and whines pathetically.

[steveflam]

Juergin climbs out of the pit finally. HE spies Dorgio with the rope and feels a wave of relief flow over him. "Thank you Herr Dorgio!" Then he lowers his voice "I had ein accident, I need to change my pantalons." Then he sees what is happening and exclaims "Mein Gott, what has happened to Miss Everline?"Standing, he forgets his won discomfort and walks ever so uncomfortably to Everline.

"Are you ok, Miss Everline?"