1.3 - In Search of Sanity - Never-Ending Nightmare

Razhel follows Grim from the room and looks either way herself. "We should be ready to fight either way." She answers him in a hushed voice. "Its either us or them." She point south with the business end of her crossbow.

Elias looks at Grim as he kicks around the "dog's head". "Well, yes. But could this be the sort thing hidding in the mist? Are those nighmares finding their way inside now?"

' It was a type of sakhil, a fallen psychopomp. Interesting creatures actually.' The scholar starts to go on about the creatures even if no-one else is listening, as they head to their next destination.

At the mention of psychopomp, Elias stops. He wasn't really paying much attention to the detailed academical description of that horror, but then and there he was overtaken by an uneasy feeling. "Aren't those guiding the souls of the departed?" he asks worried. "Pharasma bless our souls if even such thing can be corrupted by this mist." he send a quick silent prayer to the ground.

Grim strides to the double doors with blade in hand. He glances back to the others and nods, then kicks the doors and steps in ready to face whatever menaces are waiting inside.

Razhel loads up and swings the end of her crossbow through the opening as soon as there is one, looking for a likely problem to shoot.

Approaching the double doors here, you spot to the west, against the far end of the hall, a series of pipes, valves, and chains. (Along F21 and F22)

Grim kicks the door in, revealing a room of cracked, river-green tiles covering the floor and walls in what appears to be a large communal shower. Dry metal spouts jut from several walls, overlooking grates in the tile floor. A sizeable portion of the floor drops into a shallow pool, filled with something other than water: a vile stew of corpses and blood.

The smell of rot and copper fills the air. Three alcoves, providing minimal privacy, run along the south wall. In the center, a simple chair has been transformed into a gruesome throne covered with draped viscera and gnawed bones.

Razhel immediately spots potential targets - several, in fact. Standing within the room, most within the grisly pool of rot itself, stand four ghouls similar to those you've fought previously. Upon the chair sits a creature that appears very similar, yet bears eyes that betray a scheming and sharp intelligence not found in the others. It has only one hand, though the missing appendage is strung upon a thong around the creature's neck. It grins directly at you, cocking its head to the side, holding a hand up as if to signal other creatures to hold their positions.

It is clear this creature was waiting for your arrival.Initiative:

Name	Init	Status
Iosef
Razhel
Axon
Elias
Grim		20/22hp
Ghouls x4	?	?
Enemy Leader	?	?

Razhel aims for the smug leader sitting on his throne of filth and fires. The bolt plunges short into the pool of gore.

Elias slowly steps into the room, weapon at hand, though still disturbed by the idea of Pharasma's own servants being corrupted by the evil lurking in the mist. As Grim kicks the door open, the putrid smell of rotting flesh hit him, forcing him to stop for a moment. His attention is taken by the strangely intelegent look in the undead's eyes... and already deadly creature made worse.

He points his swords towards the throne. "You there, what sort of villainous sorcery is going on here?" he demands, just as Razhel takes a more... sharp diplomatic approach.

Grim takes a quick assessment of their situation and grips his sword; ready to take on another gaggle of ghouls. The the stench in the room is sickening.

Elias recognizes this thing as a ghast. Similar in many ways to their lesser brethren, ghasts are said to be far more deadly and cunning. They are stronger and more resilient. Like ghouls, their teeth and claws can cause paralysis, however a ghast's paralysis even bypasses the natural resistances of elves. They, too, carry the potential for disease in the form of ghoul fever, but a ghast also exudes a putrid stench that bends the stomachs of anyone of lower constitution that come within 10 feet of them.

The creature upon the throne smirks and continues to sit, as if untroubled by your arrival and failed attack, though his eyes to glance toward where the crossbow bolt landed in the pool of filth.

"Tsk, tsk, is that any way to treat a gracious host?" the creature asks. "It is you, that have trespassed upon my territory, after all. You come here killing my people, and fire upon me? How very rude." He grins further, proudly displaying the rows of needle-sharp teeth within his otherworldly maw. "But then where are my manners? I am Klades, ruler of the ghouls here, and I have a proposition for you."

Initiative:

Name	Init	Status
Iosef
Razhel
Axon
Elias
Grim		20/22hp
Ghouls x4	?	?
Enemy Leader	?	?

Elias looks at the others to warn them. "This one is dangerous"

He steps into the room confidently to challenge the creature. "What sort of proposition could a thing like you possibly have for us?" he looks around for a moment "Your rightful territory is in the Boneyard with Pharasma."

"Pharasma can keep her realm, I got all the Boneyard I need right here," he says, gesturing to indicate his palace of filth. "But I'd like more. I want those yellow-robed fecks gone. Yesterday's meal, you get me? And I think you lot could make that happen, so we can push into their camp and go straight for their throat - the one they call Zandalus!"

Razhel reloads while standing outside of the ghouls' sight in the hallway, then pushes through the open doors and stands in the corner ready to fire.

From the safety of behind the bulkier members of the group Isosef gives a worried look. He wanted more.. would he stop after the cultists. The scholar perks up at the name.

'What do you know of this..Zandalus?'

"I know enough," the creature replies, split flying from his mouth. "Him and his followers have killed several of my people. Cut us off. We grow hungry and they try to starve us out. His creatures make this mist that keeps us here on the island. If you help us take them out, we'll claim this place for ourselves and let you leave in peace." He sits back, eyes flashing to Razhel. "A more than fair offer. I get what I want, you get to live, and this mist, hopefuly, goes away with Zandalus when we rip his pretty throat out."

While Klades yaps with Elias and Iosef, Grim steps into the room, staying a safe distance from the pool and whatever may be lurking in there.