@Fubsy The tunnel is 3' square, making it tight, but easily traversable by the halfling. It turns to the right (west) almost immediately, then continues straight for 30' before turning right again (north). Does she continue?

The blade struck true, for a moment the snake tried to move, only for the dark-elf to lift the tip of the rapier higher to impale it further. When he was sure the snake was dead Tarquin - no, that was the name of the bard - Taroyn swung the rapier to the side, sending the lifeless snake to the ground. The tall dark-elf seemed a bit puzzled. He glanced around like he was not fully up to speed on the happenings around him. Then he noticed Eve and flashed a little smile - unlike the bard's the smile of the swordsman was cold, but not a hostile one. "Fear not, the memory of my Brother seems to find you intriguing so I will not harm you." As he spoke Taroyn wiped the blade of the rapier against his surcoat.

Eve stood and slowly made her way down the stairs towards him. "I saw that Tarquin was wounded by the ghoul. Can I see how badly he was injured? I would like to help if I can." Eve kept her eyes on his and asked him, " You said Tarquin is your brother. He speaks very highly of you and very often. What is your name?"

@Marcus XVI

"It'll be a tight fit," the halfling warned. She paused before the turn, mentally judging the size of the tunnel. "But not impossible. It's probably best to just send June."

"Ya I got this, I wouldn't want her going alone anyway" she said to Rockmar as she began levitating twards the ledge and went into a position like she was laying chest first in a coffin and moved into the space and she thought "I'm a piece of toast" "could there be more husks in here"

The dark-elf sheathed his rapier and slightly clutched his side, assessing the damage. Lucky for him the wounds wouldn't be quite fatal, but they'd need to be taken care of or they might well end up as fatal. "There is no Tarquin. He is just a figment of imagination. Both mine and yours. He is how I choose to remember my brother in all but skin and name. This... however..." He lifted the pendant "Makes me mix things up, forgetting which is which, making both the same while still being neither." The tall dark-elf shook his head slightly. "But enough of that... I think you'll prefer the company of 'Tarquin' over Taroyn anyways."

Wimena shuddered at the thought and kept going. "If there are, then I'm glad you're with me." She found no appeal in going alone in a dark tunnel, with or without monsters. The halfling turned the corners, continuing on.

Eve walked over to him and carefully pulled his clothing over so she could see the wound. It wasn't as bad as she had imagined but it was laced with whatever poison that a ghoul had on it's claws. She was paying no attention to Tarquin or Taroyn or whomever he was. She pulled a small vial and cloth out of her bag and cleaned the wound gently then she warned him.

"This might sting a little." As she poured it into the wound she chanted a healing spell over him and to distract him from the stinging she asked him, "So you think I am intriguing huh? Why is that?"

@Marcus XVI

The dark-elf did not grimace, or even really wince at the sting of the ointment. He did however let out a very little gasp. "I do not find you intriguing - at least not in the same manner." He tilted his head slightly and wondered if trying to explain how the pendant worked to be worth anything. Taroyn lifted the pendant slightly and smiled faintly. "This pendant holds great magic in it, but only to me. For anyone else it would be just a decoration. When I wear it I take on a completely different persona - it's part of the magic you see. The persona is not really me, nor is it my brother either. Not even close. It is however as I said how I choose to remember my brother." The dark-elf rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You could say that 'Tarquin' is a completely different person. Now, if you wonder why I'd change my skin and all that? Well let me ask you this. Have you ever seen a 'good' or 'heroic' dark-elf?"

@Marcus XVI

"Honestly, I've never seen a dark elf at all. You are my first. So, enlighten me." She watched as the spell worked at healing the wound. It was taking longer because of the poison it was removing. Eve looked up and smiled. She wasn't certain if it was to put him at ease or herself as she was still a little weary of the elf. "This should be healed in just a few more minutes."

Taroyn sighed and shook his head. "Us dark-elves are a hated race. Our gods demand sacrifice on a nearly daily basis and do not much care who ends up as a a sacrifice. Backstabbing and distrust is in our blood. There have been a handful of dark-elves in the entire history of our race who have not been... well, murderers or even worse. We are distrusted where ever we go and admittedly I do not blame other races for distrusting us." He paused for a moment and picked up his shirt. "Our society is a matriarchy and a rather brutal one at that. Males are more or less disposable - even the few who have any arcane or divine magics. I am not going to lie to you - after all you did heal me. Back home I used to be a warrior, executioner and even a murderer... Assassin, you might call it, but if it makes you feel any better I do not kill without a reason. This 'Tarquin' on the other hand is the hero. He's the thing no dark-elf should be. He can be kind and polite. He doesn't have to cover every patch of his ebony skin to remain hidden from whispers and threats. He doesn't have to hide who he is just to avoid death." Taroyn sounded quite bitter. "My brother was not that lucky..."

Eve was a little confused about the way both brothers spoke of each other. "What do you mean your brother wasn't that lucky? Is that why you say that he is the version you want to remember? Are you both dead and both alive in that necklace? Is that why he talks to you like you are always with him when he thinks no one is paying attention?"

The more she thought about it the more it made the most confusing sense." If I am right then can you explain how you both ended up like this, both in it and out of it? Are you cursed?"

@Marcus XVI

"Ghh..." Taroyn lowered his head slightly and took a deep breath. "My brother is dead. I am alive. This pendant contains a version of my memories of him that allow me to become someone I am not." The dark-elf seemed slightly annoyed by Eve's questions. "I do not feel like talking about this right now. I suggest you ask about it a later time." With that he placed the chain of the pendant around his neck again and suddenly his skin was changed to the color of ivory. Tarquin smiled a bit sheepishly. "Huh, it seems I'm still alive. Quite magnificent. Guess I owe you a thank you, maybe a nice dinner, wine, all that." The tall elf smiled and closed his left eye. "For someone so talented you don't seem very good with magical items - no offense meant, just saying. This thing is a bit on the more difficult side to comprehend." He pointed at the pendant before pulling the white shirt over his head and wearing the blue vest again. "Now I'd ask you do not speak of this to anyone else, ok? Because if you do..." He left the end of the sentence hanging in the air for long enough for him to pull the surcoat over his head and adjust it. "...I'd be very disappointed." Tarquin opened his left eye and winked playfully with his right eye.

Eve looked at Tarquin and smiled. "I'm glad to see you back. I think I understand what is going on with you and your brother." Eve felt much more sympathetic to Tarquin now. "Your brother said you were intrigued by me." She chuckled. "I found that very interesting since I thought you disliked me. As for my magical talents, you've only seen the smaller stuff. With any luck there will be no need to see anything too large. As for your secret. I won't tell anyone unless I have to to save your life or that of someone else. Agreed?"

@Marcus XVI

Cedric scrunched his brow, at bit worried to send June and Wimena off on their own. But there wasn't much he could do about it now. "Constable, would you mind keeping an ear on those two and yell if there's trouble?"

Leofwine nodded his agreement.

Cedric turned to the half-orc. "Rockmar, want to check out that other tunnel? I'm worried that Eve was right that time is running short before we need to head back."

---

Te ceiling of the crawlspace is lined with twigs and small branches, so brittle that they break and crumble if bumped.

@Fubsy As Wimena rounds the second turn, she would see ahead that the crawlspace opens into a high vaulted chamber, resembling the interior of a great hall. In the center of the chamber is a column, rising to the ceiling. The column is decorated with dozens of stylized carvings depicting the deaths of wolves. The column itself seems to be made of alternating sections of stone and wood. Hung from the column like trophies, some 20 feet above the floor, is a long wolf-spear and a bronze shield.

@Lunar June, still in the crawlspace, notices a small, but distinct difference in the gravity just above her, as if there is an open area about 2 feet wide and that the branches and twigs were put in place specifically to camouflage the hidden passage.

@Kelewen
Rockmar nods to Cedric, "Good idea, if you call us, constable, we will come running.
Let us go. We shall be back soon."

June felt an alteration in the gravity above her as she floated through the crawl space. That's when she noticed there was a patch of sticks and old leaves. With the lightest touch they crumbled revealing a new room. "Hey halfling, I think I found another secret room" June said examining the opening she had just made.

Wimena gaped as she stared into the chamber. "So did I..." She scrambled to move towards the room, her eyes locked on the weapons and carvings on display. As she entered the antechamber, the Halfling stood and slowly walked towards the center column. Her fingers brushed over the strange and gruesome carvings. Could this be the key to destroying the beast?

@Garth Enough light from outside comes through the hole in the ceiling of this room to see fairly well. This chamber has partially collapsed: tall stone slabs that once supported the ceiling are now canted inward by the weight of the earth above and fallen debris is piled in the center of the room. It seems as if the entire chamber could collapse with the slightest disturbance.

In the rubble, barely visible, is the corner of what looks like a large stone chest..



---

@Lunar The twigs fall away easily, revealing a tunnel about 2 feet wide that goes straight upwards. It's too dark to see much of anything, but as she is looking upwards a ghoulish creature (same as before) drops down toward her, dirt covered nails outstretched toward the woman...

@Fubsy The column is made of alternating stone and wood sections, arranged like an elaborate puzzle, each resting upon the next. The constant pressure from above has slowed, but not halted, the wood's rot.

When she saw the hust jump down at June she shot forward into the room where the halfling was. As she flew in she saw a spear and she thought "I'm great with spears" as she flew closser and grabbed the spear then did a few twists and spins of the spear to get a feel for it. Then aimed the spear at the whole ready to throw it with all her force. "Stand back, I'm gonna make some husk on a stick" she said to the half long who was studying the pillar.