Part 11: Back at the Abbey

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Those present think that's the last of the corpses but aren't entirely sure.

Returning to the main building the group rests 'till dawn. The night goes uninterrupted but when the sun rises the green glow from the watch tower still permeates the island, 'though barely visible in daylight.

In the mornin Kiaphas feels the need to visit the toilets. Heading downstairs he enters the side building and heads for the seat of relief. As he does so he hears a dripping sound from one of the curtained alcoves containing bath tubs. Something is rising from the water and it's not living!

I'm off to hand out healing and stuff now. People may prepare spells for the day ahead and then we're all set to go. Alarian and Kiaphas have each regained a point of lost con so Rogan might want to prepare a few lesser restorations today.

I felt the need to pick a random victim (based on a combination of who's got the lowest constitution, lowest xp and dice (although lowest xp's going to be the main factor).

Oh, and I'm going to give everyone 200 xp each for surviving their first day on Guardian island (and for uncovering most of the mystery) otherwise you'll never level before part 2 of the adventure.

[Balgin Stondraeg]

As the poor corpse of young Jurth shambles, dripping, from the bathtub, razor in hand, Kiaphas retreats out into the covered walkway between the buildings. "There's another one over here" he calls out as he moves out into the open courtyard.

Circling lazily overhead Squall spies a manthing walking, as if injured, in a threatening manner towards her master. Swooping she dives, sinking beak and claw into that dead face. But the flesh is already dead, already cold. As friends arrive from the kitchen they see Squall circling up and away while the flesh on the thing's face hangs in tatters and at least one eye is gone. The haples corpse of the acolyte is soon put down by the rest of the group.

That one went on for far too long. It began eating into my enthusiasm. I suspect everyone will now eat a hearty breakfast and then you'll all set off to do something.

[Custom_Hobby]

Once the group is back together Aurum asks "So what next? Do we check out that 'secret door' in the hill?

[Hawkins]

ive no idea aurum,  but that secret door sound solid as a next step.

[PaulH]

"Yes - maybe the answer to these problems can be found there. But not on an empty stomach"!

Ivor then finishes his breakfast & checks his kit over once more.

[Custom_Hobby]

Aurum laughs "You eat more than an ogre."

[Hawkins]

'eats more than and the ogre i think.' Alarian barks a laugh and smiles to take the sting out of his jest, and then grabs one more quick bite.

[Mr Teufel]

Kiaphas feeds Squall, then himself. "Bit of exercise gives a man an appetite!" He turns his attention to his non-feathered companions. "I agree, the secret door should be checked out. I'm also concerned that the body at the base of the cliff might have something useful."

[Custom_Hobby]

Aurum looks around and says "I'm not jumping again"

[Balgin Stondraeg]

After breakfast old Naedath pipes up. "Well now," he says, "we have established that there is a powerful demon chained in some sort of extra dimensional prison beneath the island. We have also discovered that something has weakened it's prison and it is beginning to exert it's powers on the world around it. Three gem stones have been removed from the prison, probably weakening it. We have recovered one of these gems and we have a sketch indicating which one should be placed where."

"Now," he looks about, "we should probably all endeavour to regain the other two. The one we found had been stolen by a greedy workman and he has paid for his folley with his life. He would appear to have removed both the others too but tey were not stashed at the prearranged location. Now I'm interested in this tower myself. There is a piece of cut glass, you say, in the window, that allows a man to see a set of large doors built into the hillside. If these doors are hidden then I'd very much like to see them. I doubt the demon had anything to do with them. They were probbaly created by the dwarven stnemasons at the design of the elves who brought the demon here to hide it from the rest of the world."

While people fall to discussion and planning Kiaphas sends Squall off to spy on the body at the bottom of the cliff to see if there are any shiny gemstones with it. The great bird soars up into the air and quickly crosses the island. Reaching the cliff she lowers herself slightly and trains her eyes on the ledge below. The body is not there. Squall is perturbed, even confused. Angling her keen eyes to the ledge itself she sees signs that the body came to and hauled itself off the ledge and into the ocean. That is certainly strange behaviour for a human but then a lot of the humans seem to have been behaving very oddly recently, acting all clumsy and confused. And then there's the fighting too.

Well, no shiny gemstones are in sight so Squall returns to her master (after first searching up and down the coast about half a mile in each direction to see if the clumsy man had clambered up from the waves and dragged himself up a beach to some hidey hole). When she returns it is evident that the majority of the group would like to go and find these doors on the hillside but that Naedath would like to examine this piece of enchanted glass first, he'd also like to take that globe of sunlight as well since going into the dark places beneath the earth would use up many torches but the sunglobe merely holds light from the previus few days.

Kiaphas caws and squaks, making small birdlike noises, and discovers that the body has climbed down into the sea. The sea where the seal woman they rescued also lives - she who has given him a pearl to cast into the ocean to summon her if her help is needed.

[PaulH]

"I reckon we find out as much as we can about this Demon's prison. Then, when we're ready to confront him, we can use that pearl to get some extra help".

"So - we off then..."?

[Mr Teufel]

"I'd like to cast the pearl first; I think we should warn the selkie there might be a zombie swiming or walking around which could endanger her. If she's warned, she may be able to take it out - and see if it has one of the gems we seek."

[PaulH]

I'd like to keep the Pearl until we really need it. Don't think a zombie walking on the sea floor would be much of a risk to a water based creature. Besides - do we need to use the pearl to contact her - can't we just go to the sea & look for her? If the zombie appears we can destroy it so it won't be a threat to anyone.

[Mr Teufel]

"Perhaps. We can seek her in mundane fashion, though I doubt it will achieve much. If I recall, the myths of the pearl say that the pearl is the only way to call a selkie. They are very shy folk, otherwise. And given her treatment by others, do you doubt why?"

[Custom_Hobby]

Aurum waits a second and adds"I can breathe water so I don't need to worry about drowning while looking for her..."