Attack the Darkness

The party ascends up the ladder. As they pass through the spell, they are immediately slapped in the face by fresh air. Outside of the spell effect, there is no hint of the oppressive stench below. The party helps Surallel climb the ladder, with little difficulty, and the party departs the over the hole. Darvan pulls the rope ladder up after them. The party decides to make camp in the ruins above ground. Rothgar, Ravna and Surallel lie on the ground, hoping to tend to their rotting wounds.

Darvan spends the rest of the day scouring the woods for medicinal herbs and supplies. He finds some herbs that might help, though he has never encountered wounds likes these before. The best he can reasonably hope for is to prevent them from festering. He fears that some manner of dark magic might be the source, in which case his herbalism is likely worthless, but it is the only thing he can do. Tessa starts a fire and begins boiling rags to use as bandages. Ravna's horse snorts quietly on a patch of grass not far from the ruins.

The plan, as I understand it, is to rest the night, and spend the entire next day resting. Rothgar, Ravna and Surallel are on 'bed' rest, Darvan can engage in light activity, but will need to stay close to those 3. If all goes well, those 3 will heal 5 ability damage in each stat. After the first night, everyone will be fully healed, either from rest or spells. Tessa can do pretty much whatever she wants. Is there anything, anyone would like to do that they are able?

Most of the party drifts to sleep, Tessa and Darvan taking turns keeping watch. In the dark of the night, they are alerted by a strange rustling sound near the camp. As they rise to investigate, they see the tent over the hole below whipping about and dancing in the firelight. It sounds as though a wild animal of some kind is trapped within. The movement become more frenzied, more violent, and the whole tent is ripped from its guide poles and lines. The whole thing then collapses in a heap before Tessa and Darvan. A moment later, whatever is inside resumes its struggle. Eventually, it tears itself free from the canvas. Darvan and Tessa are shocked to a ghoul erupt from the tent.

It looks similar to the others, except that this one has seen significant combat. Its right arm ends in a ragged stump, it has a deep gash where its left eye would be, as if a dagger was plunged into it. Now free, it quickly looks around the area, before stopping when it sees Darvan and Tessa. It charges them, hissing. As it moves, it drags one of its legs behind him, apparently it lacks full use of the limb. As it approaches, it clumsily swings a single claw at Darvan, who easily dodges. Without a word, both Darvan and Tessa draw their swords. Tessa slashes across the fiend's functional leg, while Darvan chops its single arm. The creature collapses with a sickening thud on the ground. It still tries, in vain, to attack, snapping with still sharp fangs at Darvan and Tessa's feet. Without functioning limbs, it is a pitiful effort. Tessa's ends the display by inserting her swordpoint into the creature's temple, which ends its thrashing. Darvan and Tessa rush to the hole, fearing that this was just the pitiful tip of an undead spear. They wait, on edge, for what seems like years. They block out the sounds of the forest, as well as the heavy breathing of their companions. Peering into the hole yields nothing but a swirl of black fog, barely visible in the distant firelight.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the fire, Surallel observes the events. His meditations interrupted, he watches the final moments of the mangled ghoul. As his eyes pass from the corpse to his companions, something catches Surallel's eye. A folded scrap of paper has been affixed to the back of the ghoul. It would normally be a minor curiosity, except that it bears a strange mark.

SLL


All players please respond

Tessa moves cautiously away from the hole after a few moments.  She looks to the fallen ghoul and gestures toward where the ladder was pulled up, How do you suppose it got up here?  She cranes her neck a little to look at the paper stuck on it's back and casts detect magic as a precaution.

Ravna rises from her pallet and gingerly steps toward the fallen ghoul. Her eyes widen with a mix of fascination and revulsion as she reaches out slowly and pokes the carcass. When it fails to stir, she snatches the note and takes a few steps backward, angling the paper to read it in the dim glow of the firelight. 

Blistering gnomes, Ravna mutters under her breath. Something in the tone of the note reminds her of Surallel - perhaps the unknown depths of arrogance; she slides a glance at the sorcerer, wrapped in thought a long moment. She flips the note over, looks at the dedication - SLL - and comes to a decision.

This appears to be addressed to you...

Surallel limps over the destroyed tent, crumpled note clenched in his shaking fist. He angrily struggles with the rope ladder. After a few moments, he finally pushes it into the darkness. He then attempts to climb down the rope ladder into the murky darkness below.

Climb check
v_e6gu6u1d20-7

As Surallel places his first foot below the edge of the stone opening, he loses his grip, and falls. His cursing is cut suddenly short as he falls into the spell effect.

Falling damage
2d61d20-7·2d6

"Ohhhhhhhhh, my ribs! My pride! I really hope no one saw that."

Surallel remains crumpled on the dungeon floor occasionally groaning and cursing at the darkness of the dungeon.