Dues for the Dead (DM Lerus)

(@Drache: This might only intensify the taunt, but if Neya is sitting down to be bandaged by Doozey before investigating the desks, then the poisoned condition would have ameliorated. Going by the first die, this does not change your roll, however.)

For the next several minutes, the party members take turns between being field-treated by a still transformed Doozey and investigating the area. Overall, it looks like the party may need to let the dust settle for a while longer, however, as their studies don't seem to get them too far.

@Neya: There are still quite a few pieces of paper on the two desks you have seen in this area. That said, the first three you pick up are all written in a language you don't understand. The fourth is a map labeled in Draconic, but it only seems to show the area of the catacombs you already explored (perhaps a copy of the destroyed fresco near the entrance.) The next piece of paper is written in Common and seems to be some straightforward orders to the Cultist Graxx felled early in the fight, including the need to stay as silent as possible, stay away from the harder-to-control undead, and where to go if he needed to relieve himself. It is nothing truly interesting and you are beginning to get a bit frustrated. (Neya recovers 14 HP.)

@Utar: The magical circle of runes should have a story to tell, but you fail to recognize any runes in it. Whatever power they had is no longer there, or perhaps just a hint of it. You guess this might have been a one-use only magical circle, but you can't be really sure of that either. Maybe you need to rest a bit more before trying to discern whatever secrets this circle may still hide. (Utar recovers 14 HP.)

@Graxx: You spend more time than you'd like wading through bone before you can locate the greataxe you heard about but had not yet seen. You look at the weapon up and down after picking it up and, surely enough, you find an emblem of Tempus carved in the center piece of the weapon, right in between the two axe blades. In fact, there are some tiny runes just underneath the emblem, but you can't read them. You are happy to find the emblem and runes but can't help seeing the slight funnier side of having a sword carved on the side of an axe. The weapon seems magnificent to you, but you haven't had the time to either study or practice with it, and you know you want to spend time with this weapon. It is best not to rush it. (Graxx recovers 15 HP.)

@Doozey: Once you finish patching up Biscuit and yourself, you turn and happen to meet eyes with Cassyt. It is plain to see that she is not happy that you didn't even offer to tend to her wounds. Whether she has any, is a different matter. "And after I got your dog back up... twice." She murmurs to herself. By the way, she doesn't seem to mind too much that both you and Biscuit went through some transformation. Anyway, you watch as she slowly makes her way to the room beyond the curtain and can't help but follow her. You find a modest-sized room, appointed in the furnishings of living quarters—a few straw pallets, a couple chests,  and a table with a few chairs—all in complete disarray. Furniture has been turned over and upset, papers are strewn all about the room (Neya would have noticed this earlier too.) Cassyt kicks the dust off the floor and murmurs something else: "No longer will you profane this place with your presence! We won't let you come back." (Doozey recovers 17 HP; Biscuit recovers 13 HP.) 

(OOC: Those were some awful rolls, I'm afraid. You are welcome to try something different, or request another character's help.) 

Boozey raised a bushy brow at Cassyt for the comment, having quite clearly heard it all despite the low tone of voice. Though it would take a moment or two, and the thought leaving him sidetracked enough to follow after her without thinking, the realization she hadn't been either scared away or or unnerved by the transformation finally sunk into mind. Both Fey Touched Mastiff and Weretouched Halfling share a brief look to one another as if coming to the same thought.

But before more can be put into it, they are drawn back to Cassyt. "Hmph. Bold words." He said, crossing his arms and squinting up at Cassyt towards the end. "Though I hope by 'we' you're not referring to me and mines now. As we won't always be around. Nature of our profession 'n all that." He added rather plainly. Biscuit lightly growled at Biscuit as if to chide the stoutling, only have Boozey absently pushed the mastiff's face away while not breaking eye contact with Cassyt.

"But, I don't doubt your conviction. You'll need to get stronger of course. More experienced as well. Both things sure to happen as we resolve this mess. But, you'll need to surve that to make it happen, so... here. For emergencies." Boozey digs out a potion of healing and offers it to Cassyt. "I'd, uh... offer a bit more, but you're not quite ready for that." On that rather mysterious note, Boozey leaves Biscuit in the young half-elf's presence as a comfort animal, and heads back into the main room.

Seeing Neya trying to piece together the papers in the desk, Boozey thumbs the direction of the room and says, "There's more in there, if'n ya missed it. Best ya collect it all and get settled, as I don't think we shall be pressing on for a bit anyhow." He then moves on to stand beside Utar and the circle, saying plainly, "Circle troubling ya, I take it? If so, well... I've worked in the company of arcane practioners before. So, if ya wanna clue me in on what you've figured so far, I could maybe piece the rest together?"

(@Lerus: Potion to be deducted form Doozey if Cassyt accepts it.)

(@All: Spoiler only to apply if Utar or another is able/willing to help Boozey study the circle for more details.)

Grateful for the stoutling's help in the matter Utar points out what he knows about the circle although it doesn't amount to much.  At points he gets the distinct impression that he's teaching his grandmother how to suck eggs...

Graxx admires the greataxe...  The shaft of greataxe is tightly bound by a dark reddish leather strap giving a sturdy grip to Graxx on the weapon.  The shaft leads up to a double headed axe with a spike in the middle.  In the right light the edge of axe almost seems to have a reddish hue to the metal.  Graxx is enamored.

"A true relic of Tempus... Won in battle."

Graxx walks over to Utar and Doozey conducting their study.

"I thank you and Tempus thanks you for battling the foe.  I'm sorry I couldn't make it sooner but I didn't want to leave Neya surrounded with a wizard."

Annoyed at her inability to decipher the documents, at first, Neya takes the documents with her. Someone should be able to comprehend what is written on them.

She moves back in the room beyond the curtain, herself and looks for clues.

Perception: 22

Cassyt takes a moment to think about what exactly she might have meant with her bold words. While trapped in her own head, she reaches out to grab the vial of healing potion that Doozey offers her almost out of some ingrained piece of muscle memory allowing for the acceptance of a mundane gift. She whispers some unintelligible gratitude. This all happens within a few seconds, but it feels like minutes. Before she can snap out of it, Doozey moves on. Whenever she does, Biscuit will be there for emotional support.

Doozey then extends a hand to Utar and the two go over the runes on the ground together. Utar shares that he thought he saw the wizard appear in the middle of the circle of silver runes on the floor and, after muttering a single word, she was enveloped in a blinding flash of green light. Doozey spots a few runes he recognizes and deduces that this is a teleportation circle of sorts. The pair agrees that it behaved like a more fleeting version of the spell Doozey is partially familiar with, and definitely not as lasting as the ones found in high temples in large cities in Faerun... an emergency escape, if you will. That said, it is anyone's guess where this might have led to.

The duo's thoughts are interrupted by Graxx's arrival. The barbarian seems enamored of the new weapon he is holding and makes sure to thank his friends for fighting its previous wielder. 

Separately, Neya begins to put away the papers that she found and then looks into the room beyond the curtain more generally. Her eyes are drawn to the desk Doozey had mentioned. She finds two more pages of unintelligible script and puts them into her bag. Perhaps more interesting, Neya finds another copy of the map of the catacombs. This one, however, shows an additional detail: it displays a narrow tunnel that exits this area toward the southeast, and it is labeled in Draconic with an arrow pointing further east and a single word—“Pool.” 

"... You're sorry for not arriving sooner?" Boozey parroted as he looked up to Graxx, giving him a dry look. "I told you all I had that well and covered, and to focus on the wizard. Instead, ya decided not trust me to keep that oversized distraction at bay." At that point he turns fully to the pair, arms crossed and gaze fully on Utar and Graxx. "Why is that? And don't give me no crap about not leaving a friend behind or anything like that. Not that I didn't 'preciate the help. But the mage was far more dangerous than some bag of bones." He asked plainly.

Trying to take the middle ground between Doozey and Graxx, Utar accepts the barbarian's apology.  Were it a relic of Torm; he is fairly sure that he would have made the same call.

"We'll catch up with Zaralda soon enough.  We caught up with Ixas eventually and I don't see how a change of robe colour will make any difference to that outcome."

Assuming he understands Doozey's explanation of the magics involved in the creation and use of the teleportation circle, Utar thinks it best to make as detailed a copy of the runes as possible while they are here.  It may be that a more studious magic user may have a better grasp of where Zaralda ended up and that in turn might give CRAP a direction to point themselves in.  Assuming Utar does not have any paper on his person, he quickly hunts out a scrap of blank left behind in Zaralda's haste to escape.

(OOC @Lerus, assume there might be a skill check involved here but not quite sure what it is.  Maybe arcana? Not at all sure.)

(OOC Here goes nothing on Utar's sleight of hand check which I guess he'll chuck a guidance at too.

7 plus 2

In my head cannon for this, there is a very furrowed brow and a lot of sticking out of his tongue. If nothing else Sister Ahkt can put it on the Faerun equivalent of a fridge!)

Graxx nods toward the new axe and then looks back to Doozey.

"This is what caused me to come back Doozey.  A sure sign of Tempus if I ever saw one.  I know you could have taken on the foe alone but I could not ignore the calling."

Graxx shakes his head apologetically.

"I'm sorry for stealing your glory."

Graxx looks around.

"We will indeed find the wizard.  We will track them down.  Did we find anything that could help us in the hunt?"

"I think I have something..." Neya says, bring out her discovery. "It won't help us find her, directly. But, it does imply that they are still looking for, or have discovered, the Pool of Radiance, we've been hearing about, lately."

Doozey scolds some of his companions but Utar and Graxx deescalate the situation by both setting their aim on Zaralda and presenting Tempus' calling. By the time Neya arrives to share her finding, Utar has already began trying to copy the runes onto a piece of scrap paper he collected from the ground. As best as he can tell, his sketch is a close enough approximation... not that the half-orc has much of an artistic eye.

Cassyt has apparently finished thinking about her earlier words. She returns to the group alongside Biscuit and says: "I think we should report back to the Doomguide."

(OOC: What's next?) 

Boozey narrows his eyes at Utar just a tad, clearly unsatisfied at the deflection. But following Graxx's eventual response, the stoutling went from looking all the more disappointed to flabbergasted at the presumption. He's only just able to get a, "I don't care for personal glory" before Neya's chiming in pulls attention away from the topic at hand.

By that point and given the news to follow, Boozey opts to drop the matter with a quiet, defeated huff. "Considering what we've learned, that... wouldn't be a bad idea. He can send word off to our allies as well, considering the remnant of that cult having their meddling hands in this. We can also take that kobold with us for an interrogation. That cultist' body too. Neither might not know much, but any information might be well worth it. Though before we leave-..." Boozey unsheathes Apostle, and after examination of the circle to try and imprint at least some of the design in mind, he carefully tries to carve out a few choice notches in the design in hopes of making sure it cannot be used again.

Once satisfied at his work, he turns to the others and say, "There. Shall we be off then. Gonna need to figure out a way to get back up those stairs., but I'm sure we can figure something out there. Or, shall we take a break here. Just a brief enough one to give those bandages time to properly set and a breather taken in case there's more surprises awaiting our attempt to return."

Graxx's eyes twinkle.

"THE KOBOLD!" shouts Graxx.

Graxx sets his backpack down and retrieves his manacles.

"I forgot we left one alive!  Good thinkin' Doozey." says Graxx.

Graxx will go retrieve the Kobold and manacle it's hands and sit down next to it.

"Let us rest as you stated.  We have dealt a blow to the cult this day."

"I feel we should be able to move back out of these catacombs unimpeded, now that Zaralda is no longer present." Neya says. "I do have some rope, I could move up to the top of those stairs and anchor a rope."

When given the chance, Doozey reminds the group they have an unconscious prisoner, a potential target for another necromantic conversation type of spell, and some broken stairs to deal with. Graxx picks up on the first item on that list, promptly making sure the kobold is bound with the pair of manacles the barbarian always carries with him. 

Neya instead elaborates on the last listed item, failing to see too much trouble in securing a way out.  

(OOC: It sounds like the group is leaning toward a short rest, so go ahead and roll hit dice if you so desire. Perception checks would be a good idea too.)  

"Mn. I wouldn't be so keen to presume as much. Even if Zaralda is the main culprit behind all the undead activity, she's had at least a couple tendays to stir up other trouble." Boozey said frankly. "But, if you would prefer we at least headed back to those ne'er-do-wells before camping, then.. that's fine. At least then we'd can bar the door, and escape the hatch up top there." He offers as a middle ground.

In either case, if they are to short rest in a bit or at whatever time the group does so, Boozey finally returns to being just plainly Doozey, and seemed far less borderline on the verge of an outburst. He shakes his whole body once the transformation is undone, spending a few moments rubbing his jaw. Even without his more bestial form, the stoutling's sharp ears and in some ways sharper nose stayed keyed for approach trouble as he alternates between tending further to his own wounds, and patrolling lightly.

Doozey Perception: 19. (adv. if Keen Hearing or Smelling applies)

Biscuit Perception: 12.

Doozey Hit Die Spent(2): 11 Hp.

Biscuit Hit Die Spent(2): 14 Hp.

At last satisfied that his sketch of the runes forming Zaralda's escape route is fairly respectable recreation of the real thing, Utar carefully stores his parchment with his other important papers.  Finding himself with a bit more time on his hands, Utar spends a few minutes poking around Zaralda's desk, although he suspects slim pickings given that it's already been looked over by Neya.  Assuming the wizard to be a sneaky one, he also spends a little time knocking on the desk itself in case he should be able to find an otherwise hidden compartments.

Investigation - 13 - Focussed on checking the desk.

Should he get a free moment, he'll focus his attention on Doozey, miming jaws full of teeth and animal ears with his hands.  "So uh, do you want to tell us about these newfound changes? Do you want me to speak to someone at the temple?"

Perception - 26 - Focussed on not letting any sneaky skellies sneak up on CRAP.

(OOC Rolling 3 of Utar's hit dice for 3d8+12 healing = 25)

Should they get a free moment, which in fairness, an hour of downtime was bone to alot for it, the question from Utar is one met with confusion even despite the whole pantomiming. Then something seems to click, resulting in Doozey going from wide-eyed to smiling softly and even chuckling.

"No. No, I very much don't want to do that. And to be clear, the... change isn't new. I've been, uh, like that for far longer than I've known ya. Well before that whole, uh...meeting those thieves." He said, looking away towards the end and growling a bit. "... *ahem*... I... belong.... belonged.... eh... let's say belong to an Order called the 'Grey Hunters'. Or at least, the sect I belong to went by that. Reclusive folk for the most part, and you can partially see why." He looks up to Utar, and by extension anyone else interested in the story.

"To sum them up a bit, and maybe set yer minds at ease is this: The Grey Hunters and its associated sects hunt the monsters that prey on society using their own power against them. In the Hunter's case, it is lycanthropy. Which we have through body augmentations and training, uh... adapted ourselves in order to control the curse willing accepted as part of The Taming." He explained. "Which was why I was particular on edge  when we first met and that whole Wererat business. And why I was very particular agitated when we learned about those thieves and how they were exploiting it for selfish means, and even spreading it wantonly. Both actions already warranting their destruction. But, them taking my blood, which again had been augmented? Now that was just right infuriating. And I had not been taking suppressants at the time, I might've transformed at the time and tried rending them limb for limb... likely dying trying in the process."

Hit dice: 16 + 8 = 32

Neya listens to Doozey's account, acknowledging the similar experience of reclusion with a group.

Perception: 14