After getting some rest we decided it would be best to take
a closer look at the tavern Adran had discovered called the White Rose named
for the white rose bush planted outside the door.
The plan was to have Pron, the druid, and I go inside and
have a drink while waiting for Pointer and Rafiqua to arrive. They would be
made up to look like a couple of wannabe cultists hoping to draw out a reaction
that would provide more information to work with.
Things never got that far. That idiot Pron chose this moment
to piss off the owner by vandalizing his pride and joy, the rose bush from
which the tavern gets its name.
Having already upset the fellow, getting a seriously
threatening dressing down, and being told to clear off, she follows me inside.
I was about to make an effort at an apology by way of buying a round for the
patrons, but before I could finish the offer, not only the owner, but his bar
full of patrons rose up at the sight of Pron, and attacked us both.
Pron retreated out the door leaving me surrounded and at 7
to one odds against. I was lucky to escape with my life and a beating.
My face bruised, lip split, and nose bleeding, I moved a
short distance away from the tavern while Pron managed somehow to win over the
manager and his bar full of thugs and got to go back inside unmolested.
Pointer and Rafiqua who had been observing from a vantage
point nearby noticed what hasd also caught my attention. Someone darted down
the alley beside the tavern and in the darkness I could not see where this
person went.
Some investigation of the alley led to discovery of a barrel
with a false bottom covering a hole leading below the building.
Gathering our group together we descended into the hidden
chamber below. There we discovered a rickety door, two barrels with scratching
sounds emanating from them, some moldy sacks, and a tarp covered chest. We
wasted a goodly amount of time examining things while the person we had hoped
to follow below went where they wanted beyond the door of the chamber.
During our poking and prodding we managed to get attacked by
venomous centipedes from the barrels and animated skeletons from the covered
chest. Rafiqua suffered from a centipede's poisonous bite and we finally
retreated to get some rest.
Pointer remained behind, hiding on a nearby rooftop to
observe comings and goings at the barrel entrance. When we finally rejoined him
at the hiding spot he let us know that two persons had come out earlier.
We have again descended into the chamber and moved at last
beyond the door.
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