Turn 60 -- Continuing the Hunt

"Let me down, you big....down I said! Grrbl....Aaaaaargh... Why is it so dark?....Hnnnnnnn....."

Beleg, startled by Druckner's words, gently sets the dwarf on the floor of the chamber. He then stands back to give him room.

Dain shouts, "Wait! There could be a trap laid in the path of our retreat. Druckner is the only one that is really hurt. Men of faith, do you have the strength to heal him? The rest of us can form a protective circle while one of you heals him. My father always used to say that when the caravan is under attack, you have to circle up the wagons and stand your ground using your goods to protect you, no matter how priceless they may be. What say you Talimar?" He then waits blankly for a reply as his sudden burst of courage ebbs away. Taking out his pipe from his pouch, he begins to fill it with tabac and light it.

After listening to Dain's proposal, Gnore nods and slaps the caster on his back. "Aye, I'll stand guard. It might do well for those who's strength lies in religion to destroy that cursed thing!" The dwarf suggests pointing to the altar. He then takes up a position near the company facing the altar with his bastard sword ready.

A smile breaks over Ortho's face as he sees Druckner is not mortally wounded. Looking at the limp dwarf, Ortho says, "Wal, me bucko, ye could na wait til Gnore an' me could come wid ye? Yer lucky Ahm here." With that, he pulls out his small silver holy symbol and proceeds to cure the wounds of the rash Druckner. "Tha' should hold 'im," he says after releasing the cleansing healing energy into the body of his wounded companion. A little color returns to the face of Druckner as the pain of his wounds subside.

After curing Druckner, Ortho turns to Randor, "Wal? Where was that light spell ye promised? Ye needs ta be quick on yer feet, mon."

"I cannot be in two places at once!" replies Randor incredulously. "No one told him to rush into the room by himself anyway!"

"Hmmph!" replies Ortho as he moves away from the priest. Coming off the emotional high of the prospect of battle, he feels the call of nature. Knowing no better place to take his leave, Ortho walks over to the opposite side and waters the evil altar.

Following the end of the quick battle with the zombies, Kersath walks about the room inspecting it for any secret passages or hidden alcoves. Finding none, he returns bad to the center of the room and the altar. Finding Ortho returning from the back side of it, he wrinkles his nose at the putrid smell, "Nice, Ortho. Now we've got to contend with that smell as well?"

"We won't be 'ere long friend and wat better place for that than an unholy altar to a death god?" Ortho laughs as we walks back to the others.

"I agree with Gnore that this unholy altar is a blight upon all the surrounding area," says Kersath as he shakes his head at the departing Ortho. "That thing could only bring more trouble. What do you say we turn this unholy creation to rubble so it can do no more harm or cast its evil shadow on the land?"

"Sounds good to me," answers Randor as he moves toward the altar, warhammer ready in his hands.

Taking a moment to stop his job of piling the once again dead undead in a corner of the room, Kre moves over to stop Randor from striking the altar. "Wait, this setup reminds me of a job I had a while ago. This really freaky mage, no offense Dain and Tal, hired us to get a silver skull from an altar. Well, can't hurt searching..." He then moves around the altar to search it more thoroughly. The search proves futile though as there are no hidden compartments on the altar or anything of value. Randor is able to tell that the alter was originally devoted to Torm but was long ago desecrated and now devoted to Cyric. From the dried blood and entrails left on the altar and the mutilated bodies around the room, it is obvious that the altar was used as a place of sacrifice to Cyric.

"There's nothing here," says Kre disgustedly. "Destroy it."

"Is there a way to remove this evil presence from this chamber?" asks Talimar to Randor and the other priests. "That should weaken or at least upset whoever created this evil place. These bandits must have an evil cleric helping them to create this unholy place. Someone should check the zombies for a means of identification so we could inform their relatives upon our return."

"We can destroy this altar here," offers Randor, "But we'll need a priest of Torm from the town to reconsecrate it. Destroying it now is definitely a good idea though." With that, he brings his warhammer to strike on the altar, smashing a large chuck of rock off it. Kersath and Garth assist with the destruction of the altar as the others stand guard. Gnore steps out into the hallway outside the room and leans against the wall there. He keeps his bastard sword handy and gives a wave to Ras and Lyntern down the hallway to let them know everything is ok.

Kre returns from checking the bodies shaking his head. "There's nothing on those bodies to identify them," he says to Talimar. "They've been terribly mutilated and all possessions stripped from them. At least there was nothing to indicate that any of them was Jelenneth."

As the altar is now destroyed, Dain shakes his head as he returns from his own inner thoughts, "I believe I hear a secret door beckoning to us. Now that we are done here, I can't see any reason to halt our search any longer. Druckner, are you able to walk? I can help you along if you want."

"The secret passage might prove worth a look," blurts out Gnore from outside the room. "Only a suggestion, mind you."

Druckner gets up holding his head, "Ouh, me head. Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get to it. The secret door looks like the place to go, although I can't believe there's nothing special in here. I would like to spend some time looking for another secret door and such."

Before that, he turns to address Beleg, "Beleg, I was a bit daft after that slimy zombie bonked me. You saved my skin back there and I prize my skin very highly. You're a true companion and friend and I thank you."

Beleg acknowledges the dwarf's thanks with a salute and deep bow. Druckner then moves toward the doorway as Druckner makes his own little search of the room; again though, nothing is found.

After destroying the temple, Garth sits for a second to rest and reduce his winded state. While watching the others scurry about and listening to them debate their options, he adds his own comments, "I don't suppose anybody knows where old one-eye got to? I would hate to be diddling around here knowing that he was making a clean get away."

"He's gone mate," replies Ortho. "Clean away. Ne'er saw 'im once we got downstairs. Could be halfway to the Count by now. If we DO see him again down here, be assured that it will be on HIS terms. Now, watch lively."

"Aye, the passage. Tha' appeals ta me," he adds.

Blowing a smoke rings into the air, Dain's pipe bobs up and down in his mouth as he quietly speaks to himself, oblivious to the others listening to his words, "A man flinging spells one after another. Spells that appear to be mage spells. Yet he commands undead to do his bidding. My deduction earlier was a necromancer, but now this altar. Hmmmm....He can't be! But that would be the only explanation. The hold spells are logical, but what in god's name kind of priest could cast a spell that makes you sprout wings? That has to be it. But what god would he serve? I must consort with Brother Randor on the subject. Yes. Mmm, hmmm"

"Brother Randor," he says in a normal tone of voice, startled to see that everyone was paying attention to him all along. "Yes, yes. If you are not busy, could you come here. I have a question or two for you."

Randor smiles to himself at the inquisitive mage as he moves over to join him. With heads together, they quietly begin to contemplate the background of the mysterious man.

"Well then, if everyone is rested up," begins Talimar with a look to Druckner and Garth, "we can head down to this secret door."

Seeing agreement from everyone, the party heads back down the hallway and toward the secret door where they meet up with Ras and Lyntern. Talimar quickly informs them of what happened in the altar room and what they found as well as informing them of their intention to enter the secret door.

"Easy enough," replies Ras as he knocks his improvised stopper out of the way. "It should open right up now."

"Get ready everyone," says Talimar to the group. "Beleg, you and Kersath take the front followed by Gnore and Ortho. Druckner and Randor will follow you, then myself, Kre and Dain, followed by Garth. Ras, Lyntern and Kuiper will bring up the rear and guard us there. Everyone agreed?"

Each member of the party nods to Tal as they make their individual preparations and get set to enter the unknown passage. Beleg sets his shield with bastard at the ready and Kersath draws his twin longswords next to him. There is a massive grin on the faces of Gnore and Ortho as the battle surge begins to grow inside each of them. Randor is quietly saying a prayer to Tyr while Druckner checks his crossbow and Garth offers up a prayer of protectio to the Lady Selune. Kre and Ras each have their throwing daggers ready while Dain's knuckles grow white as he grasps his staff anxiously. Lyntern appears none to eager to enter the doorway and holds his sword cautiously. Kuiper says a few words of encouragement to the youth.

"Well let's get on with it!" says Dain.

Beleg pushes the pressure point shown to him by Ras and the doorway opens up to reveal an elegantly furnished bedroom.

"I swore there was a passageway beyond this door," says Ras in shock as he catches a glimpse of the room through the legs of all the giants in front of him.

The group enters and finds themselves in a neatly and well furnished room, unlike any other they have encountered in the Keep. The room is 50'x40' and has several sumptuous but morbid wall hangings that appear to be appropriate to the god Cyric. Two elegant wooden chairs and a delicate rosewood table with a leather surface stand by the east wall and a table bearing decanters and bottles of superior liqueurs stands beside a comfortable-looking armchair to the west. Admiring the decor is not exactly high on the group's list of priorities at the moment though as they notice the inhabitants of the room. To each side of the party as they step into the room is a zombie standing at attention. Blank stares look at the party from grotesquely mutilated faces. Across the room, seated at the table is the one-eyed man with four other zombies around him. As the party enters, he rises from the table.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Company of the Red Feather," he says to the party as he sweeps his arms out to encompass the room. "You have caused me quite a bit of trouble these last few weeks, but no more. Ah, Dain Blackfeater, I see you remember me?" he says as he notices Dain visibly shaking upon once again seeing him. "You shall be mine, mage. You and your friends Talimar Silverblade, Ortho Pestkiller, Randor Skycastle, and the ever humble Garth. Why so surprised that I know each of you? I know many things. You cannot defeat me. Surrender now and those that I have no need for will receive a quick death. Which will it be? There are no heroic tales to be sung of the Red Feather Company after this day! Know that Ranchefus, priest of Cyric is the one who vanquished you!"