Roland is going to get stabby.

Attack: 22 Damage: 11

Bonus Attack: 7 Damage: 4

Sneak Attack: 2

Holy water splashes into the space where the wraith once floated. The creature dodges aside, hatred seeping from its glare at Nemean for the attempt. With its attention so focused on the tabaxi, Thulgrim's axe passes through the creature twice more, both spraying wisps to its side as it becomes less and less structured. Finna fires another bolt through its center; this time the hole it causes does not repair itself, leaving a gap in the creature's form.

"How dare you!" it screams. "You can not begin to understand the depths of power that I--"

And then the wraith dissipates into a howl of nothingness. Where it once floated, Roland now stands, sword still outstretched in its killing blow.

Room Description:

This room looks like it was heavily damaged by some sort of destructive blast; dust, ash, walls blackened by fire and heaps of debris lay about the room. The furnishings--tables, chairs, bookshelves, beds--are charred or splintered, but otherwise well preserved. A scorched iron chest stands near the foot of one of the beds. Another stone door is closed along the southern wall.

OOC: Each character has received 175 XP for defeating the wraith.

"That... was fast. Is it really gone - like, for good, or did it turn invisible somehow?" The victory came suspiciously easy. On the other hand, holy water could help somehow - even if it looked like ghost avoided impact. "Well, one more door to go. Hope, that thing does not wait for us on the other side." And Finna tried to open the door again.

"When you are done with the chest - can everyone step aside along that wall? Where the door is? Just in case, you know."

(When everyone is ready, Finna opens the door carefully, in case the thing, that burned that room - where everyone stands now - is still behind the door and ready to blast everything again.)

Thulgrim will go to the chest and examine it, opening it if it is unlocked.

Roland follows Thulgrim to the chest to help examine it, and unlock it if needed.

Despite Finna's trepidation, the other door within the room opens into a small space with nothing inside. The walls here are also blackened, and if anything used to be here it was likely incinerated.

The scorched chest is unlocked, and Thulgrim opens it to find it is filled with coins. Inside are 1,100 copper pieces, 160 silver pieces, 50 electrum pieces, three diamonds, and a wooden pipe adorned with a platinum filigree.

Full Map:

OOC: Each character's split of the coins has been added to their inventory: 275 cp, 40 sp, and 12 ep. Left over are 2 ep, the three diamonds, and the pipe.

"That is one fine smoking pipe." Roland observes with awe.

Finna was thankful for some coins (even druids need money if they use armor and weapon) but did not lay claim to anything else, of course. "It seems we are done here? If you do not plan to get rid of that eye-monster. Can't say I envy your prise."

Thulgrim feels confidant that Gundren would approve of Finna, Nemean and Roland claiming a diamond each, and he will take the pipe and the loose change. He also asks whether they would like to try eradicating the eye-monster, despite the fact it poses no current threat...

Finna threw the diamond in the air, caught it and put in the pocket without arguing. "It's your call. Or your clan's. I say - if it recognizes you as workers and users of the mine - let it be. If not... Well, then the monster has a problem."

Nemean steps forward and speaks solemnly to Thulgrim. “The Rockseekers are the true stewards of the mine, if the creature does not recognize that, we should destroy it ourselves.”

Well, says Thulgrim, I'd like t' take another look at th' Forge, at any rate. An' I'll nae be goin' in there alone. It's more'n I should ask of ye, but if'n yer willin', I'd be 'appy to 'ave you along.

OOC: Inventories have been updated with the spoils of the last battle.

Ready to advance once the next action is taken.

Nemean stretches himself as he stands back up from their brief rest after recovering from the fight. “Perhaps the beast will now listen to reason and recognize us as the new guardians of this place. Why should he stop us now that we have accomplished what he could not? We will try once more to reason with it, but we must also be ready to fight!

Nemean leads the group as they boldly march into the creature’s lair. “Aha!” He cries “We told you that we are the true guardians of this place, we have vanquished the evil spirits that have tormented this place at last! With all you see surely you see this as well? You have protected the Forge nobly, but we can now begin the era of the Rockseekers, the new and rightful stewards of this place. Those who bound you to this place have long since passed, you are all that is left of that world, let this new one begin.”

Leaving the other structure behind, Nemean leads the party up the stairs to the first building in the cavern.

The floating creature still floats about the room, illuminated by the soft green glow of the flame in the brazier in the center of the room. The cluttered, old workbenches also remain as they were.

The creature's large eye narrows, looking at Nemean while three of the smaller eyestalks each watch over another of the party and the fourth rotates around the room.

"You have attempted to deceive me for the last time. I warned you not to interfere, but it seems you are intent on disrupting my duty!" the voice resonates inside of your minds.

"I can't believe we are doing it again," quietly mumbled Finna and added louder, "let's not be hasty here. How exactly did we interrupt your duty? We just walked in, because we too work in the mines. You do not think all the iron will come here by itself and smith itself into weapon, do you? Do your duty and guard - and we shall do ours and work."

Thulgrim enters the forge room with the others, again feeling somewhat disappointed about the lackluster flame in the room's center. Seeing the eye-monster and remembering the wraith, he wonders whether involving mages in mining and forging isn't more trouble than it's worth. The dwarf isn't too hopeful of a diplomatic outcome here, and he holds his greataxe in a ready stance as he allows his companions to make the attempt. Meanwhile, he casts his eyes around the room, trying to see anything that might reactivate the Forge.

"You continue to claim dominion over a mine that you do not own," the voice in your minds booms as the creature's eyes begin to glow, each a separate color. "Your futile attempts at trickery distract me from my purpose."

The glow fades from the eyes when Finna finishes. "Finally, you speak sense. Work if you must, but do not disrupt the Forge of Spells, for that is my charge to guard and protect," it imparts.

For Thulgrim:

Seeing that the eye-monster is less threatening, Thulgrim will stow his axe, cross the room and examine the mace and breastplate (including picking them up and swinging the mace).

Both of the items on the table that Thulgrim approaches are spectacular to view. The head of the mace is shaped like a sunburst and made of solid brass, and the name Lightbringer is carved into the handle. It is light in the dwarf's hands, remarkably balanced for a weapon crafted of such steel. The breastplate is also very well made, and has a gold dragon motif worked into its design.

"You are free to examine the results of the Forge of Spells, but those are not for you," the voice speaks in your minds.