(050) The Heart of Woe

[waysoftheearth]

danhem wrote:
Ulric sighs then hustles back over to Olaf and Torben.

"I think it's coming this way," Ulric hisses. "If it comes out I can hit it with a ball of flame to see if it has any effect. Be ready to run if it doesn't."

[waysoftheearth]

flightcommander wrote:
"Ahh, what have we here", purrs Armando to himself, quietly brushing aside the lingering dust and ash with the wrist of his sleeve and endeavoring to perceive the latch or clasp by which to unseal the trapdoor. Being naturally devious, he is mindful the aperture may be engineered to do him harm ...

[waysoftheearth]

verhaden wrote:
Torben

Torben quickly looks down at Guntram and shakes him. "Friend, hey, I really need you to get on your feet. Wake up!"

[waysoftheearth]

eris wrote:

Ulric sighs then hustles back over to Olaf and Torben.

"I think it's coming this way," Ulric hisses. "If it comes out I can hit it with a ball of flame to see if it has any effect. Be ready to run if it doesn't."

"Oh, boy!" Olaf says, "We'll need some cover from that eye. The belltower?"

[waysoftheearth]

danhem wrote:
"We just need to be out of sight," Uric replies. "There's the hole Guntram tore into the wall just over there; that also gives us a route back to the rest of the group. If we can lead the giant out, perhaps Gustave, Highbough, and Armando can catch it from behind as well."

[waysoftheearth]

heartless wrote:

Outside

Rufus trots off to the rear of the abbey, from whence Olaf and Ulric have just come, in search of the broken windows. It's a reasonable distance to be skirted around the inside of the tar moat, and will take him a minute or so...

Rufus thinking that the windows was just a step away, but seeing it is now far, stops and decides not to get lost on his own. He stops and turns around to return to the others Ulric, Olaf, Guntram, Torben. Keeping to the shadows and with a constant eye on the others direction.

[waysoftheearth]

eris wrote:

"We just need to be out of sight," Uric replies. "There's the hole Guntram tore into the wall just over there; that also gives us a route back to the rest of the group. If we can lead the giant out, perhaps Gustave, Highbough, and Armando can catch it from behind as well."

"Lead on!" Says Olaf.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Inside...

Armando can scarce believe his luck as the guardian turns and begins, slowly, to lumber back the way it came!

When it continues to move away, he brushes aside the ash covering the 1ft square trapdoor, to reveal a brass pull-ring, the size of his thumb set into the timber. The ring looks benign enough... but what mischief might be triggered should it be pulled is the question... Armando prods and examines the contraption with all his cunning {1d6}, prodding and prising at it with fingers and dagger point, but for all this it appears as innocent as may be.

Armando opens it.

Below is a 1ft deep enclosure lined wholly with a deep purple velvet. The lining is burned near the top, but otherwise unharmed. Ensconced safely within the secret nook lies something approximately the size of a child's head concealed beneath a velvet cloth.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Outside...

Torben slaps Guntram about the face a few times, until he eventually stirs.

"Whaaa..?" he stammers blearily, but Torben is heartened that at least Guntram isn't completely catatonic any more.

He is still groggy and confused, but is isn't asleep.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
At the Bridge

Rufus thinks twice about circumnavigating the entire abbey again while Ulric and Olaf make hasty council.

Retreating across the courtyard with all haste seems like the best option, but having made ready to flee, Ulric notes that he doesn't hear nor feel the tremor of ponderous foot steps approaching...