A/N: And here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Dungeons and Dragons. I only own my original ideas.
Chapter 40: Searching the Hideaway
Once we were rested up, and Narcrath had put on his new robe, we began exploring the passages of this chamber. We started with the door to the north. While the room we were in before was finely appointed, this corridor was far more dismal. After turning a corner, the hallway terminated at an iron door with silver glyphs. There were other doors to the north and south. This seemed odd, as other doors in this place and been formed from stone. The northern door had nothing but a skeleton in moldering robes lying on the ground, while the southern door contained noting but dust.
"I'm not sure what these symbols mean, but I doubt it's anything good," said Narcrath, "It looks like that key we found earlier might fit the lock".
We used the key. And then Charles lifted the bar off the door. The door opened, revealing a rather angry-looking spirit.
Lydratir moved in and attacked with his rapier, hitting it once. Krisyra summoned up a flame and launched it at the spirit, but it didn't seem that effective. Charles swung around twice at the spirit, hitting both times, but it seemed to resist his attack. Narcrath fired a chromatic orb, but it did reduced damage as it went right through the spirit. The spirit let out a ghastly shriek, and flew through Charles to attempt to strike Narcrath, but its strike went wide. I tore into this ghostly creature with my claws, but they met little resistance. Lydratir moved back into range of the spirit striking it twice with his rapier. Krisyra summoned up another flame, before releasing it. the flame suddenly burned brighter, and the spirit dissipated.
There was nothing else of interest in this area, so we returned to the trophy room and checked the hall to the south. As we made our way down the corridor, I picked up the scent of something like the smell of brimstone. The path soon split with the hallway continuing west and a door to the south. We decided to check the south room first.
The door swung open to reveal a high-ceilinged, circular chamber. A round fire pit lay in the center of the area, surrounded by woven mats. Dim but steady illumination was provided by glowing globes of light that floated overhead. Squatting near the fire pit were four creatures of savage disposition. Two of the humanoids carried polearms, wearing only torn rags over their pebbled, purple skin and sported beards that look as if they were fashioned from wire. The other two creatures were smaller but no less sinister in appearance— Red-skinned humanoids held aloft by semi-transparent wings. The numerous long spines on their limbs, their thorny tails, and their forehead horns denoted their otherworldly origins.
Their faces twisted into sneers as they caught sight of us. Near these creatures was large canine, a mastiss-like creature with sooty skin and eyes that glowed like smoldering red coals. Cords in its neck straining, the creature tensed to pounce.
"Intruders!" shouted one of the bearded creatures.
Krisyra slammed the end of her staff against the floor, and the ground the center of the chamber erupted upwards hitting all of the enemies. One of the smaller devil got struck hard, taking it out instantly. One of the metal-bearded devils spat a fireballs towards us, but its aim was off and it splashed agaist the wall. The other metal-bearded devil moved up, and swung its hooked blade at Lydratir, missing by a mile. It the lashed out with its beard striking this time. Narcrath cast a translucent ball of energy into the room. This spell compressed on itself for a moment, before bursting outwards with a loud ringing sound. The other of the smaller devils fell, dissolving into acrid smoke as it went. The hellhound bounded forwards at attempted to stike Lydratir, but in couldn't find purchase against his armor. I made my way forwards and bit at the hellhound, taking it down. That nagging feeling at the back of my mind reveling in this, but I did my best to ignore it. I took a swipe at the devil, but it seemed to rest my strike. Charles moved past us, and brought his greatsword the bear against the other remaining devil. Both his swings were true, but just like my claws, the devil resisted it.
Krisyra blew across her hand, and a wave of icy magic flew at the neared of the two devils, causing it to fall as well. The remaining devil struck out with blade and beard at Charles, hitting both times. Narcrath charged forwards, his hands arcing with power as he cast Shocking grasp against the devil, taking it down.
With the area clear, we searched the room, but came up with nothing. We returned to the hall, and continued to the west. The hall opened up to what had once been a study or studio of some sort, but it was now in ruins. Near the entry was a shattered desk, and the floor was littered with overturned chairs, glass, and other broken pieces of furniture. Standing amid the debris was a tall, muscular figure with ruddy skin clad only in windings of chain.
"You! You will not harm the mistress!" shouted the figure.
I charged in, and tore into the devil with my claws. It seemed to resist my attack like the other ones had. Lydratir moved up as well, and drove his rapier into the devil, doing decent damage. The devil lashed out, swinging its chains. Lydratir dodged one, but the other wrapped around my neck and began digging in painfully. Krisyra tried to blast the devil with ice, but it dodged. Narcrath fired off a chromatic orb, further weakening our foe. Charles moved in, and slashed away with his greatsword, but like with my claws the devil resisted the attack.
The chain dug at my throat as I strained against it, and managed to break free. I tore at the devil with my claws again, but I was off balance and my strikes were shallow. Lydratir brought if rapier around with a flourish, and with two swift strikes the devil fell.
We searched the room, but didn't find much of interest. The devil had destroyed but in its anger. The only thing that caught my eye was a lacquered mahogany box. Something about the box intrigued me, so I stashed it safely in one of the pouches I wore. There was another door ahead of us, but what lay beyond?
A/N: And there were go! Next time the exploration continues! See you then!