Crystal Quest Aftermath, Part 7
11-5-04
After Andune discovers that she can't actually carry Rolth up the stairs. After lots of discussion, Oy-hat gets fed up and carries Rolth singlehandedly upstairs. The rest of the group follows.
Circling around the tower, they alternately go up steps and over bodies. The group discovers that they have been really really bad news for the would-be occupying forces.
Upon making it to the top, they hand over Rolth to the watchers. Sarai sees if they happen to have any spell components. Akili roots through his bag of stasis. He does not find the spiral shell that Sarai wants, but he does find a book that ends up belonging to one of the Watchers, that's been missing for a couple weeks. Akili hands it over, when he discovers it only has to do with plants.
After some more discussion, the Watchers offer the feed the adventurers, who gladly accept.
They go down to the kitchen, and the total mess of the dining area is discovered. Circuit boards are discovered resting on the floor beneath the packing material. Several Watchers start repacking the empty boxes with the packing material, and Akili assists... also pocketing one of the circuit boards, putting it in the Bag of Stasis. Sarai recovers some melted wood from one of the ceiling-high posts, courteously freed by a well-placed monk kick from Oy-hat.
During dinner, the Watchers explain that the invaders snuck in sized as ants, before the barrier could be raised, when asked how they were taken over so easily. The Watchers never saw them coming. Also, while they can identify the golems as bearing Matro's hallmark, they are reluctant to believe it could really be him, but they also can't confirm that he's not exerting influence over the world yet.
Upon being asked how they can help, the Watchers say that the group can come back after defeating the other castle to learn more about the invaders; they're going to use the time to research current events.
Before heading off, though, the adventurers sleep for the night, getting to sleep in actual beds for the first time in a long time.
Waking up the next morning, they make their preparations to go. Akili attempts to ask if his 8-Ball has any special powers, and the Watchers decline to investigate, citing personal safety. Sarai raids the cellar, stealing 50 flasks of oil. No one appears to notice. After questioning the Watchers for best methods, she then works on melting gold into small single objects, for use in a spell. A little more scrounging and question-asking later, and the group is finally on their way to the other tower.
Akili: "So, do you want me to warn you guys if I cast leave, or use my own discretion?"
Sarai: "Warning us would be nice."
Akili: "Okay."
Oy-hat: "Will that work on all of us?"
Akili: "Yeah."
Sarai: "How about all of them?"
Akili: "Well, if they all stand together in a nice little cluster...."
Sarai: "And not argue?"
Akili: "Look, I can cast Weirdness 26 times. I promise that *something* will be tragic."
They wait for nightfall, and stealthily creep up to the castle. Seemingly unnoticed, Sarai scouts around the castle for alternate entrances, and doesn't really find any. Oy-aht takes the Kwalish into the moat with Akili and Kaira, and end up in what seems to be a sewer-like area. After wandering around a bit, they find a flat spot to drop Akili off, and Oy-aht goes back for Sarai, and once more for Andune.
The platform that they've found has a ladder that leads up to a closed hatchway, that light partiall shines through. Akili can hear the sounds of people talking, walking, laughing, screaming, etc.
When the group is finally back together, the game is paused.