Dark Gods Dread - Game Thread

"My grandmother used to say "Curiousity without caution will get you killed!"  Invisibility sounds cautious but be careful.  Are we going to drag these guys along with us?  Doesn't seem good to leave them here."  Gestures at the unconsious people.

"I think there is too many of them to drag. And will take too long. I think their best hope is that we can work out what evil is going on here and stop it."

"Quite right" The Cloaked Figure agrees "Giant man, would you like me to perform my spell so we can all go through that door?"

"Your only other option is to wait for Demetrius to get back. We should go before the townsfolk find us" The Cloaked Figure says, sounding worried. As long as Beshlog doesn't object, The Cloaked Figure raises their hands, and shrinks Beshlog, so they are know 4 feet tall. "Come on!" The Cloaked Figure climbs through the small door, and proceeds down the long tunnel.

Do you follow?

Beshlog will follow. He's not in the mood to wait around to deal with more of these damned mutants. He casts an unhappy look over his shoulder at the unconscious bodies still in the murder room, but he knows there isn't anything that can be done for them right now.

Ember follows.

You all climb into the dark tunnel, and thankfully, it appears the Cloaked Figure doesn't have darkvision, so they light a torch. The flame flickers to life, the shadows cast by the fire dancing along the rough-hewn walls of granite. The tunnel is damp, a faint drip of water permeating the cave, a steady drip-drip-drip....

Eventually, the tunnel starts to climb, higher and higher. Out of curiosity, what type of animal has Artan turned into? Finally, after what feels like an eternity down in the claustrophobic place, the tunnel ends in a vertical shaft of solid stone that moves upwards out of sight of the light cast by the torch. A ladder leads up into the darkness. The Cloaked Figure turns to the group "This is it. Stay silent" With that, the figure puts out the torch. and the tunnel is plunged into darkness. One by one, with the Cloaked Figure in the lead, you all fumble for the ladder, and make you way up, and up, and up.

Finally, the cloaked figure reaches a trapdoor in the ceiling and pushes it open. Climbing through, you see a 15 by 15 foot room, filled with barrels. A door is set into the north wall, and the trapdoor you came through is in the southeast corner. The Cloaked Figure looks at you, brushing off their cloak "We're here. Follow me." With that, they open the door and step through. 

The room they come out in appears to be a greeting chamber. Two double doors, which you recognise as the front doors of the wizards tower, are set in this new rooms south wall. To the northeast is a door, which the Cloaked Figure opens, revealing a stairwell. Another door set into the northwest corner of the room leads to who knows what, though the smell of cooking food and wine permeates the air around the door.

What do you do?

Maintaining the requested silence, Ember gestures to the stairwell the cloaked figure just opened with an "after you" expression.

Artan is a giant wolf spider assuming it fits (medium creature. Description states smaller than a giant spider). If it makes a difference at any point, it has 10ft of blindsight (and he is uneasy so keeping a look out for invisible creatures) He follows silently, sticking to walls rather than the floor where possible.

Emilia follows as well.

The party makes their way up the stairs, which spiral higher and higher. Artan notices no invisible creatures. You climb past multiple floors, those counting would note about four in total.

Finally, the stairs top off at a landing, with two double doors in front of the group. The Cloaked Figure looks back at the party, and motions for them to wait. They slip in the door, and shut it softly behind them. Those looking can glimpse what appears to be some sort of office, like the office of a president of a company. A figure sits at the desk, looking imperiously at the Cloaked Figure, who removes their hood, and you get a glimpse of long green hair. Then the door closes, and you are left waiting in the hall.

Looking around, two small tapestries hang on each side of the doors. The first depicts a potion bottle against a green field, the second a grasping hand against another green. The rug beneath your feet is very interesting. It depicts a circle made up of six different symbols, with the seventh symbol in the middle. The six symbols are a green grasping hand, an obsidian heart, a crimson dagger, an orange goblet, a golden coin, and a blue sleeping person. In the middle is a purple crown, its symbol larger than the rest.

Would you like to do anything?

Not sure if it would be Arcana or History to recognize all the symbols, but it doesn't matter since she rolled a 3.

She's probably convinced the wizard is Slytherin or Sith (use the equivalent fictional organizations from the game world)

Finally, the door opens, and the Cloaked Figure, now with their hood back up, beckons you inside. The room you enter is finely furnished, a maple wood desk dominating the center, flanked by two burly human guards, though they carry no visible weapons. Seated at the desk is a short, pudgy man with round, piggish eyes and a mustache. He looks at you, appraising your ragged forms and dangerous weapons "Pleased to meet you. My associate here tells me you are running from the townsfolk? I don't blame you, they are so ignorant of magics true potential. All the see is witchcraft and deals with fiends." The Man's mouth curls up in disgust, then relaxes "Yes, magics true potential. The potential to give you all of your hearts desires" His eyes gleam with hunger for a split second. "Such a wondrous thing, magic, isn't it? Of course, you did not come here to listen to me ramble, tell me, why have you come to my town?" He leans forward, staring intently and expectantly at you all.

"We were told we were being recruited to try and save the world from whatever the %$#@! these things are.  But it looks like nobody from the townsfolk up, have any clue about that. So were we recruited to save the day, or were we played for fools?"

The spider walks into the room. Quickly sensing for invisible creatures. If none are sensed, Artan will morph back into his firbolg form.

Emilia, curious about the rug beneath her feet, kneels in order to get a better look at it. A collection of interesting symbols and other miscellany... what could any of it mean, she ponders? Emilia's not the smartest, but that's not to say she doesn't know meaning when she sees it.

"Do these... pictures mean anything?" She thinks to herself.

Artan notices no invisible creatures.

The fat Man looks on at you "Ahh, so you are the heroes I've heard so much about. Well, in that case..." The Man thinks for a second, then slowly begins to rise from his chair. As he stands, you realize he is a lot taller than you thought, and not as heavy either. Wait, why is his skin so ashy? Is he okay?

Those of you who are more perceptive would notice the two guards tensing, as if something is about to happen. They stand up straighter, their hands curling into firsts, their mouths curl into sneers

Artan sighs thinking Does everyone want to kill us? I knew I shouldn't have trusted that cloaked figure, especially as the grey man was in the tower earlier. He clenches his staff tighter, ready to fight if this does progress that way. (Did we ever get a rest or have all our rests been interrupted?)

Emilia, taking her attention off of the rug once she hears the voice speak. "Hm..?" She voices, standing right back onto her hooves and glancing amongst the fat man and the two guards. She raises her hands in preparation should any fighting come. She does not like the look those guards have.

All your rests have been interrupted. Don't worry, you probably won't die. Probably. Though I will go meta for a second and say you will all get a long rest soon. 

The Man continues rising from his chair, until he appears to be almost as tall as Artan, but very thin and emaciated. His skin is grey and pale, his head devoid of hair save for his long mustache. The Grey Man.

His guards take a step forward, and their features shift slowly, but before they can transform into whatever horrible monster they are, the Grey Man reaches his hands out, curling his long talons, and his guards freeze. They begin to choke, as a fine red mist pours from both their mouths. The Grey Man is boiling their blood into steam, and then he inhales, and the crimson vapor flows to him through the air, and he sucks it in, consuming the life force of his guards. Once he has completed the process, his guards, pale and drained, fall to the ground, and he turns back to you. His dull, lifeless eyes are now flecked with crimson, and a hungry gleam appears in his eyes. With a shriek, he leaps forward, hungry for blood.

Initiative: