Post by Dead Greyhawk on Jul 23, 2007 22:50:24 GMT -5
Otto consults his map. The paths in this area are a bit blurry, as if water had been dribbled on the map prior to its lacquering. Now that he knows that the thieves hid here, the lack of detail makes more sense. The map shows several paths, but it seems that holding to the right wall will lead the Company through the area most quickly. Otto leads them on, instructing the others to keep a close eye out. The passages wind and split, with small rooms, sometimes the remains of sunken buildings, other times rude lodgings dug out of the side of the sewer wall, sprouting from them. The rooms appear to have been fairly recently inhabited, though the belongings are strewn about as if rifled for valuables. The Company hurries on. "Expect that the exit on the far end of the tunnels is as fortified as this one was," says Dell. "This enclave would have been heavily defended by trick and trap." Otto nods and keeps the others moving.
The Company begins to reach the other side of the blurry patch of the map, and the symmetries that Dell warned of begin to become clear. A high chair, embedded in the wall, comes into sight, located where it would be able to see down the corridor, but be difficult to spot. "Get ready to look for a way pass the, Look out!" Otto cries at Dell. Behind and before the Company, appearing as if out of the walls themselves, are a group of diminutive forms. They lunge to the attack, striking into the rear of the Company with devastating power. Maximilian and Cedrus are both struck from behind, Maximilian strongly enough to knock him unconscious, while Otto's warning provides enough time so that the others can turn and face their foes. Ugly, dour gnomes wield spiked maces and stabbing swords, and as surprise is lost, some of them grunt and groan and expand to the ceiling, becoming horrifying giants! "Sprigga!" cries Pfiffwin in unreasoning fear, and he turns and flees from the battle straight towards the pits!
While giant-sized gnomes might be a dangerous mixture for some, for the Company, battle-tested against true giants, they are merely a minor obstacle. While Dell tackles Pfiffwin to the ground, the other two mages unleash a flurry of magical bolts into the gnomes, slaying two of them. Otto wades in with his giant-slaying sword, lopping limbs from the giant gnome before him, and Diego puts arrows through the throat and eyes of another of the giants. Even Cedrus and Hugh, surrounding one of the gnomes, are able to fell one, Hugh driving his broadsword deep into the gnome's back in a strike of retribution. The Sprigga, apparently unprepared for such fell foes, fatally falter, giving the Company an opening. They continue their drive through the gnomes, and in an eye-blink, the Sprigga are all dead. Cedrus and Hugh turn to Maximilian and begin returning him to consciousness.
With the death of the Sprigga, Pfiffwin is calmed. Pfiffwin explains that the Sprigga are fables of his kind, horrible nightmares that come and take young gnomes from their beds and torment them. The gnomes are marked, scarred, and stretched, causing them to be the next generation of Sprigga. The Sprigga are rarely seen and strike quickly and with great fear. Few gnome warriors can stand against them. The Sprigga seem to have little of the thieves' treasure on them. Instead they have a collection of giant-sized coins, mainly the ones with Nosnra's mark of the uprooted tree, and some minor jewelry. Each seems to have a badge showing a snarling creature, perhaps a badger or dog, but one actually carries a folded note. Otto hands it to Dell, who carefully looks it over for any signs or marks. "At least it doesn't say 'Read Me' on it," jests Dell.
Dell sidles away from the others and then unfolds the note. Written in a cramped hand are strange marks. Dell rotates the paper twice, trying to make heads or tails of the note. Squinting at it, he realizes that the marks are similar to the elder giant language that he had studied before heading to the glacier, but that the grammar is related to gnomish. Feverishly, he sounds out many of the words, and the general message is revealed. "It says to go into the tunnels and secure them. Kill all and take no prisoners. Allow none to pass. Enter quietly into burrow, that's probably city, and make maps and drawings of the places of power," relays Dell. "I guess this is how they got intelligence on the city, pretending to be gnomes or dwarves."
While Dell has been working out the writing on the note, Otto has been searching the surrounding area for tracks. Previously, he had assumed the small tracks were caused by children or gnomes, but now he knows better. Comparing tracks found in adjacent corridors with the patterns of the Sprigga's boots, he quickly identifies them. "We're missing one," says Otto. "Big guy with a chunk out of one heel and a missing hobnail in the other boot." The Company could try to hunt him down and perhaps find the Sprigga's lair, but time is at a premium. Instead, they choose to continue on.
The pits on this side of the thieves' den are in the same state as the other. They are even, if possible, more full of the dead. Dell posits that the Sprigga entered by stealth or subterfuge into the thieves' den and then used their frightening appearance to drive the apprentice and journeymen thieves into their own traps. Only Pfiffwin was affected by their hideous appearance, so it is possible that the master thieves might have fled or continue to be in hiding. If so, Dell suggests, the Company would be ill-suited to search their den.
Dell leads the others past the traps and into the passages again. The tunnels appear drier here, less like sewer tunnels and more like catacombs or dry cellars. The Company must be heading inland, away from the Javan and the city. Not having a good sense of the elapsed time, Otto hurries the others along, having to restrain himself, in his magical boots, from rushing forward. His map indicates that after several crossings, the area becomes cold for some reason, and then past that, the walls are unsafe. Reaching an intersection, he calls for a rest, much needed by the others, and turns to Pfiffwin to see if he can take Al's role of checking for unsafe walls. Pfiffwin assures Otto that he can, but also sniffs and wrinkles his impressive nose. "Thunderstorm. It smells like a thunderstorm," he says.
Diego cries out as a strange creature, a levitating maw with a long, sparking, whip-like tail, latches onto his shoulder. A handful of these strange creatures descends on the Company, either having floated down from an unseen hole above or snuck up on the Company while they rested. The bite and electrical lash of the creatures are sharp and painful, but the creatures themselves are relatively weak. Magical bolts from the mages deal with most of them, but the one latched onto Diego and another latched onto Cedrus pose a challenge. "Hold very still," says Otto, lifting his sword over his head. Diego closes his eyes, flinching at the pain from the lash, unwilling to see Otto strike at him. Otto, of course, lops the creature in two, missing Diego by a hairbreadth. Cedrus's creature is equally easily dispatched.
"Ok, rest time is over," says Otto, as he leads them forward towards the section marked on his map as cold. The area, a series of tunnels shaped like a set of interlocking squares, is indeed colder than the rest of the tunnels. Seeing no threat, Otto continues forward past the first intersection, but Diego grabs hold of him and stops him. "What?" asks Otto.
"When we were in the volcano," starts Diego, "there was this stairwell that looked the same color as those walls ahead. When I went up the stairs, it got very cold, very quickly. So cold that I almost lost my fingers. Let's go another way."
Otto grunts and looks at his map. "The other ways have unsafe walls," he points out.
"Better unsafe walls than no fingers," replies Diego.
Otto leads the others back to the intersection to take a different route. Pfiffwin takes the lead and finds the map did not lie; the walls are indeed unsafe. Pfiffwin leads the others past the unsafe wall section, single file, until they reach the next intersection. Here, the Company can continue forward past more unsafe walls, or take a longer route around. Otto, still glowing his golden self, walks a few steps down the longer route. The walls of the tunnel are coated with an olive-colored slime, and large blobs of the slime seem to recoil from Otto's glowing grace. "Right, more unsafe walls ahead," decides Otto. "Back in front, Pfiffwin."
Pfiffwin leads the others further down the passage, past more crumbling masonry. Of the whole Company, only Otto has difficulty passing by the walls. Because of his lack of dexterity, he goes last, and twice the walls collapse as he either steps wrong or leans his weight on them. Otto is quite vexed each time, as the blocks of stone and mortar carom off him. The dangerous tunnels are eventually passed by, and a final, long passage, the smugglers' passage lies ahead.
The Company hikes down the passageway for a long time. The passage, well maintained and seeing much travel, slopes upwards slightly, and becomes drier and drier. At the furthest extent of their vision, a metal object blocks the tunnel, glinting in the light. The Company slowly, carefully approaches, to find that the passage has been sealed shut by a great metal door. The Company huddles together to plan their next move. Rather than risk the sound of the tuning fork or the battering of Otto's strength on the door, they decide to spend enough time for Dell to memorize a door-opening enchantment. They hunker down in the passage, posting guard.
When Dell is ready, the Company reassembles by the door. Cedrus enchants a coin with blessed silence and then moves back away from the door. Dell speaks his enchantment, and the door rolls aside as if in some sort of track. Otto charges forward, his golden aura lighting the way, and comes face to face with a huge, unearthly being. Well over nine feet tall and having four limbs, the dog-faced, scaled being lashes out with all four appendages, striking at Otto, and a cone of mauve light emanates from its snout. The Company is caught in the unholy light, and Pfiffwin, Winthrop, and Maximilian flee back down the corridor, frightened of things only they can see.
The golden light spilling from Otto's frame causes the creature some apparent discomfort, and it shrinks away from Otto. Otto gives the creature no time to raise the alarm, but instead lashes out with his sword, carving two great wounds in the creature's side. Cedrus's coin bounces off of Otto's back, dampening the sound of the combat, and Diego, having seen such demonic creatures before, eschews his shortbow for his bastardsword. With a mighty, two-handed blow, he lops the creature's head off. Surprisingly, the Company has easily prevailed against the demonic beast.
The others pile into the passage, a three way intersection. Diego tosses the magical coin further down one passage, while Hugh and Cedrus, who have each enchanted a stone with blessed silence, throw theirs into the other two passages. The Company stands in an area of sound amidst islands of silence, hoping that any further sound or spell casting will be muffled and dampened by the silenced objects.
"Hugh, get after the others," commands Otto. "They'll be in the long passage behind us, but vulnerable if that Sprigga catches them." Hugh lopes back down the passageway, chasing after those frightened. As the rest of the Company peers about and begins to spread out, Oaklock gives out a startled cry and flies into the air, sliding down the corridor.
Dell turns and thrusts a wand down the opposite corridor, a cone of hoarfrost extending from its tip and filling the corridor. Nothing is revealed, but the absence of a target tells the Company that Oaklock is sliding towards his opponent, not being pushed away from it. Otto and Diego charge down after Oaklock, but Dell is sent flying through the air, apparently affected by the same power as Oaklock.
Otto's golden light shows another of these strange four-armed creatures towering over Oaklock, pummeling and rending at him with all four arms. Oaklock is a mess, blood pouring from him, but he continues to try to defend himself even as he slides helplessly along the floor. Like the other creature, Otto's golden light is anathema to it, and it shrinks back, away from Otto. Otto takes great advantage of the creature's hesitancy, striking great blows along with Diego. This creature seems more hearty than the other, and its eyes dilate, strange films nictating over them, as it attempts some unknown magic. The magic seems to fail though, and it is left, instead, to beat on Otto. The blows rain furiously on Otto, a steady hail of bludgeons ricocheting off of Otto's shield and armor.
Otto, secure in the power of Myrick's ring, weathers the blows until an opportunity presents itself. He then runs the creature through, pinning it place, allowing Diego to again strike with great two-handed blows. The creature is surprised by the damage these puny humans can absorb and deal out, and the surprise is its downfall. Diego and Otto push against the great dog-faced creature, beating it into submission and death. Diego and Otto look quickly around, searching for a third of these creatures. Otto's golden glow warms the corridor, and the evil creature melts under its light. The two warriors circle back to the others and find them safe and undisturbed.
Once the others return, somewhat abashed at their great fright, Otto, Diego, Cedrus, and Winthrop make a quick check of the surrounding passages. It appears that they are unoccupied, though at the far end of one of the tunnels, a burst wooden door leads into a cellar, starlight streaming into it from above. Otto, not wishing to expose his radiance, hastens with the others back to the iron door.
"Dell, go scout the space beyond the door," instructs Otto.
Dell, who has his spellbook already out and in his lap, frowns and shakes his head. "I'm reading. R E A D I N G. Send your little buddy instead." Otto glares at the half-elf, who pointedly ignores him, and then turns to Pfiffwin. Pfiffwin, not liking the attention, shrinks under the golden glare.
"Go. Search. Don't be seen," growls Otto. Pfiffwin scurries off, grumbling about overbearing humans.
Pfiffwin creeps forward quietly, searching out the cellar that supposedly lies at the end of the corridor. Indeed, down a corridor and through a burst door, is first a root cellar, and then a cellar itself. He climbs carefully through the darkness, peeking out of the cellar door. A strange form, dwarf-sized, lies on the ground, and a foul stench fills the air. Pfiffwin's nose twitches as he swallows deeply and then creeps towards the form.
The cellar has seen better days. The villa above has been destroyed, and starlight streams though the holes above. A damaged stairwell clings to one wall. As Pfiffwin creeps up on the strange form, it resolves itself into a horribly recognizable shape: half a ghoul. The ghoul appears to have been ripped in two by some beast, its lower half missing.
Pfiffwin dithers and dithers, whispering to himself. "I'm sure they'd want to know. I should go back. No, no, haven't seen it all yet." Pfiffwin steels his nerves and walks up the stairs, his small form seeming to cause a disproportionate amount of noise.
No one stands watch in the ruin above. Pfifwin crawls over to the open doorway and peeks around the doorjamb. He quickly draws back in fright. The camp is near, a few hundred yards away at most, but between the ruin and the tents are packs of ghouls. Even at the tents themselves, the strangely powerful zombies stand watch. One tent, larger than the others, more like a pavillion, is well lit, with figures within.
With a quick glance at the sky to estimate the time, he flees back to the others to tell them the new. The sky is still dark, and the Company has arrived.
The Company begins to reach the other side of the blurry patch of the map, and the symmetries that Dell warned of begin to become clear. A high chair, embedded in the wall, comes into sight, located where it would be able to see down the corridor, but be difficult to spot. "Get ready to look for a way pass the, Look out!" Otto cries at Dell. Behind and before the Company, appearing as if out of the walls themselves, are a group of diminutive forms. They lunge to the attack, striking into the rear of the Company with devastating power. Maximilian and Cedrus are both struck from behind, Maximilian strongly enough to knock him unconscious, while Otto's warning provides enough time so that the others can turn and face their foes. Ugly, dour gnomes wield spiked maces and stabbing swords, and as surprise is lost, some of them grunt and groan and expand to the ceiling, becoming horrifying giants! "Sprigga!" cries Pfiffwin in unreasoning fear, and he turns and flees from the battle straight towards the pits!
While giant-sized gnomes might be a dangerous mixture for some, for the Company, battle-tested against true giants, they are merely a minor obstacle. While Dell tackles Pfiffwin to the ground, the other two mages unleash a flurry of magical bolts into the gnomes, slaying two of them. Otto wades in with his giant-slaying sword, lopping limbs from the giant gnome before him, and Diego puts arrows through the throat and eyes of another of the giants. Even Cedrus and Hugh, surrounding one of the gnomes, are able to fell one, Hugh driving his broadsword deep into the gnome's back in a strike of retribution. The Sprigga, apparently unprepared for such fell foes, fatally falter, giving the Company an opening. They continue their drive through the gnomes, and in an eye-blink, the Sprigga are all dead. Cedrus and Hugh turn to Maximilian and begin returning him to consciousness.
With the death of the Sprigga, Pfiffwin is calmed. Pfiffwin explains that the Sprigga are fables of his kind, horrible nightmares that come and take young gnomes from their beds and torment them. The gnomes are marked, scarred, and stretched, causing them to be the next generation of Sprigga. The Sprigga are rarely seen and strike quickly and with great fear. Few gnome warriors can stand against them. The Sprigga seem to have little of the thieves' treasure on them. Instead they have a collection of giant-sized coins, mainly the ones with Nosnra's mark of the uprooted tree, and some minor jewelry. Each seems to have a badge showing a snarling creature, perhaps a badger or dog, but one actually carries a folded note. Otto hands it to Dell, who carefully looks it over for any signs or marks. "At least it doesn't say 'Read Me' on it," jests Dell.
Dell sidles away from the others and then unfolds the note. Written in a cramped hand are strange marks. Dell rotates the paper twice, trying to make heads or tails of the note. Squinting at it, he realizes that the marks are similar to the elder giant language that he had studied before heading to the glacier, but that the grammar is related to gnomish. Feverishly, he sounds out many of the words, and the general message is revealed. "It says to go into the tunnels and secure them. Kill all and take no prisoners. Allow none to pass. Enter quietly into burrow, that's probably city, and make maps and drawings of the places of power," relays Dell. "I guess this is how they got intelligence on the city, pretending to be gnomes or dwarves."
While Dell has been working out the writing on the note, Otto has been searching the surrounding area for tracks. Previously, he had assumed the small tracks were caused by children or gnomes, but now he knows better. Comparing tracks found in adjacent corridors with the patterns of the Sprigga's boots, he quickly identifies them. "We're missing one," says Otto. "Big guy with a chunk out of one heel and a missing hobnail in the other boot." The Company could try to hunt him down and perhaps find the Sprigga's lair, but time is at a premium. Instead, they choose to continue on.
The pits on this side of the thieves' den are in the same state as the other. They are even, if possible, more full of the dead. Dell posits that the Sprigga entered by stealth or subterfuge into the thieves' den and then used their frightening appearance to drive the apprentice and journeymen thieves into their own traps. Only Pfiffwin was affected by their hideous appearance, so it is possible that the master thieves might have fled or continue to be in hiding. If so, Dell suggests, the Company would be ill-suited to search their den.
Dell leads the others past the traps and into the passages again. The tunnels appear drier here, less like sewer tunnels and more like catacombs or dry cellars. The Company must be heading inland, away from the Javan and the city. Not having a good sense of the elapsed time, Otto hurries the others along, having to restrain himself, in his magical boots, from rushing forward. His map indicates that after several crossings, the area becomes cold for some reason, and then past that, the walls are unsafe. Reaching an intersection, he calls for a rest, much needed by the others, and turns to Pfiffwin to see if he can take Al's role of checking for unsafe walls. Pfiffwin assures Otto that he can, but also sniffs and wrinkles his impressive nose. "Thunderstorm. It smells like a thunderstorm," he says.
Diego cries out as a strange creature, a levitating maw with a long, sparking, whip-like tail, latches onto his shoulder. A handful of these strange creatures descends on the Company, either having floated down from an unseen hole above or snuck up on the Company while they rested. The bite and electrical lash of the creatures are sharp and painful, but the creatures themselves are relatively weak. Magical bolts from the mages deal with most of them, but the one latched onto Diego and another latched onto Cedrus pose a challenge. "Hold very still," says Otto, lifting his sword over his head. Diego closes his eyes, flinching at the pain from the lash, unwilling to see Otto strike at him. Otto, of course, lops the creature in two, missing Diego by a hairbreadth. Cedrus's creature is equally easily dispatched.
"Ok, rest time is over," says Otto, as he leads them forward towards the section marked on his map as cold. The area, a series of tunnels shaped like a set of interlocking squares, is indeed colder than the rest of the tunnels. Seeing no threat, Otto continues forward past the first intersection, but Diego grabs hold of him and stops him. "What?" asks Otto.
"When we were in the volcano," starts Diego, "there was this stairwell that looked the same color as those walls ahead. When I went up the stairs, it got very cold, very quickly. So cold that I almost lost my fingers. Let's go another way."
Otto grunts and looks at his map. "The other ways have unsafe walls," he points out.
"Better unsafe walls than no fingers," replies Diego.
Otto leads the others back to the intersection to take a different route. Pfiffwin takes the lead and finds the map did not lie; the walls are indeed unsafe. Pfiffwin leads the others past the unsafe wall section, single file, until they reach the next intersection. Here, the Company can continue forward past more unsafe walls, or take a longer route around. Otto, still glowing his golden self, walks a few steps down the longer route. The walls of the tunnel are coated with an olive-colored slime, and large blobs of the slime seem to recoil from Otto's glowing grace. "Right, more unsafe walls ahead," decides Otto. "Back in front, Pfiffwin."
Pfiffwin leads the others further down the passage, past more crumbling masonry. Of the whole Company, only Otto has difficulty passing by the walls. Because of his lack of dexterity, he goes last, and twice the walls collapse as he either steps wrong or leans his weight on them. Otto is quite vexed each time, as the blocks of stone and mortar carom off him. The dangerous tunnels are eventually passed by, and a final, long passage, the smugglers' passage lies ahead.
The Company hikes down the passageway for a long time. The passage, well maintained and seeing much travel, slopes upwards slightly, and becomes drier and drier. At the furthest extent of their vision, a metal object blocks the tunnel, glinting in the light. The Company slowly, carefully approaches, to find that the passage has been sealed shut by a great metal door. The Company huddles together to plan their next move. Rather than risk the sound of the tuning fork or the battering of Otto's strength on the door, they decide to spend enough time for Dell to memorize a door-opening enchantment. They hunker down in the passage, posting guard.
When Dell is ready, the Company reassembles by the door. Cedrus enchants a coin with blessed silence and then moves back away from the door. Dell speaks his enchantment, and the door rolls aside as if in some sort of track. Otto charges forward, his golden aura lighting the way, and comes face to face with a huge, unearthly being. Well over nine feet tall and having four limbs, the dog-faced, scaled being lashes out with all four appendages, striking at Otto, and a cone of mauve light emanates from its snout. The Company is caught in the unholy light, and Pfiffwin, Winthrop, and Maximilian flee back down the corridor, frightened of things only they can see.
The golden light spilling from Otto's frame causes the creature some apparent discomfort, and it shrinks away from Otto. Otto gives the creature no time to raise the alarm, but instead lashes out with his sword, carving two great wounds in the creature's side. Cedrus's coin bounces off of Otto's back, dampening the sound of the combat, and Diego, having seen such demonic creatures before, eschews his shortbow for his bastardsword. With a mighty, two-handed blow, he lops the creature's head off. Surprisingly, the Company has easily prevailed against the demonic beast.
The others pile into the passage, a three way intersection. Diego tosses the magical coin further down one passage, while Hugh and Cedrus, who have each enchanted a stone with blessed silence, throw theirs into the other two passages. The Company stands in an area of sound amidst islands of silence, hoping that any further sound or spell casting will be muffled and dampened by the silenced objects.
"Hugh, get after the others," commands Otto. "They'll be in the long passage behind us, but vulnerable if that Sprigga catches them." Hugh lopes back down the passageway, chasing after those frightened. As the rest of the Company peers about and begins to spread out, Oaklock gives out a startled cry and flies into the air, sliding down the corridor.
Dell turns and thrusts a wand down the opposite corridor, a cone of hoarfrost extending from its tip and filling the corridor. Nothing is revealed, but the absence of a target tells the Company that Oaklock is sliding towards his opponent, not being pushed away from it. Otto and Diego charge down after Oaklock, but Dell is sent flying through the air, apparently affected by the same power as Oaklock.
Otto's golden light shows another of these strange four-armed creatures towering over Oaklock, pummeling and rending at him with all four arms. Oaklock is a mess, blood pouring from him, but he continues to try to defend himself even as he slides helplessly along the floor. Like the other creature, Otto's golden light is anathema to it, and it shrinks back, away from Otto. Otto takes great advantage of the creature's hesitancy, striking great blows along with Diego. This creature seems more hearty than the other, and its eyes dilate, strange films nictating over them, as it attempts some unknown magic. The magic seems to fail though, and it is left, instead, to beat on Otto. The blows rain furiously on Otto, a steady hail of bludgeons ricocheting off of Otto's shield and armor.
Otto, secure in the power of Myrick's ring, weathers the blows until an opportunity presents itself. He then runs the creature through, pinning it place, allowing Diego to again strike with great two-handed blows. The creature is surprised by the damage these puny humans can absorb and deal out, and the surprise is its downfall. Diego and Otto push against the great dog-faced creature, beating it into submission and death. Diego and Otto look quickly around, searching for a third of these creatures. Otto's golden glow warms the corridor, and the evil creature melts under its light. The two warriors circle back to the others and find them safe and undisturbed.
Once the others return, somewhat abashed at their great fright, Otto, Diego, Cedrus, and Winthrop make a quick check of the surrounding passages. It appears that they are unoccupied, though at the far end of one of the tunnels, a burst wooden door leads into a cellar, starlight streaming into it from above. Otto, not wishing to expose his radiance, hastens with the others back to the iron door.
"Dell, go scout the space beyond the door," instructs Otto.
Dell, who has his spellbook already out and in his lap, frowns and shakes his head. "I'm reading. R E A D I N G. Send your little buddy instead." Otto glares at the half-elf, who pointedly ignores him, and then turns to Pfiffwin. Pfiffwin, not liking the attention, shrinks under the golden glare.
"Go. Search. Don't be seen," growls Otto. Pfiffwin scurries off, grumbling about overbearing humans.
Pfiffwin creeps forward quietly, searching out the cellar that supposedly lies at the end of the corridor. Indeed, down a corridor and through a burst door, is first a root cellar, and then a cellar itself. He climbs carefully through the darkness, peeking out of the cellar door. A strange form, dwarf-sized, lies on the ground, and a foul stench fills the air. Pfiffwin's nose twitches as he swallows deeply and then creeps towards the form.
The cellar has seen better days. The villa above has been destroyed, and starlight streams though the holes above. A damaged stairwell clings to one wall. As Pfiffwin creeps up on the strange form, it resolves itself into a horribly recognizable shape: half a ghoul. The ghoul appears to have been ripped in two by some beast, its lower half missing.
Pfiffwin dithers and dithers, whispering to himself. "I'm sure they'd want to know. I should go back. No, no, haven't seen it all yet." Pfiffwin steels his nerves and walks up the stairs, his small form seeming to cause a disproportionate amount of noise.
No one stands watch in the ruin above. Pfifwin crawls over to the open doorway and peeks around the doorjamb. He quickly draws back in fright. The camp is near, a few hundred yards away at most, but between the ruin and the tents are packs of ghouls. Even at the tents themselves, the strangely powerful zombies stand watch. One tent, larger than the others, more like a pavillion, is well lit, with figures within.
With a quick glance at the sky to estimate the time, he flees back to the others to tell them the new. The sky is still dark, and the Company has arrived.