Gnorcia and Lhoss return to the cul-de-sac with the cold room and attempt by turns to pick the locks to the east and west, but are unsuccessful. Feno has had good luck forcing open stuck doors, but these locked would not be budged. And if Feno can't bust down a door, whomst among us could?
Feeling itchy to explore something new, Lhoss and Feno backtrack to the brick walled-off room that is giving off odors of death and decay. What earlier seemed like a bad idea was suddenly worth a try. To their shock, words appear on the wall: "Foolish Orlanean group, why do you tempt fate?" and three death symbols that fade into and out of sight 💀💀💀. The group doesn't immediately take the hint and contemplate what this could possibly mean! Then the words "Do you have a death wish?" appear. This is enough to push Kyro to declare that this place is unsafe and we should all leave. The group doesn't require any more prompting and retreats toward the catacombs. Incidentally, the note that had been left by the thieving adventurers was now gone.
Calbach reveals himself to be more chaotic than previously known when he declares he wants to lick the lichen on the walls. Gnorcia's most recent encounter with a fungus inform her actions to physically restrain him and talk some sense into that wild brain of his. Calbach is contented to merely poke at it instead. The group winds their way through the catacombs looking closely at dead ends for hidden doors (well, the two elves in the party do) and hoping to find something they've missed. Lhoss hears squeaks and chatter and Feno sees shiny sparkles on the floor and hears flapping wings. Then the whole party sees a group of stirges descending upon the heroes, thirsty for blood!
In a dash of dexterity one of the stirges actually bites and attaches to Feno. Less surprising but still upsetting, another two attach to Niki and Gnorcia. Calbach engages with a battle cry of "your mother!" but doesn't actually hit anything. Lhoss explodes the creature feeding on Gnorcia with a magic missile and Feno sunders the one feeding on him... and all but one remaining bloodsucker in a flurry of swinging steel. Calbach attempts to intimidate the remaining pest by calling out "Buzz off, you hit like a lady bug! And... YOUR MOTHER!" This has the unfortunate effect of enraging the stirge which attacks and attaches to Calbach. Gnorcia blinks in surprise at the turn of events then collects herself to vault into an attack. She and Lhoss both miss with their strikes, but Feno is able to finish it off. Calbach kicks at the bloodstain and utters a final "your mother!" while the party collects the clutch of gems they had seen sparking earlier.
The group eats lunch and chats then further explores the catacombs. They come upon an open space that smells strongly of a strange rotting stench. Suddenly, Lhoss is swept up and viciously attacked by a cave fisher that is perched on a ledge. Feno uses his grappling hook to climb up. Gnorcia considers throwing some darts at the creature, but Lhoss is badly injured and a missed shot could knock her unconscious. Instead, she attempts to have Calbach boost her up to administer a healing potion. She gets the boost, but is unable to maneuver into place to get the vial to Lhoss. Lhoss fires a magic missile at the creature, but it does not release her from its grip. Niki is able to climb up Feno's grapling hook as well and heal Lhoss to get her out of the danger zone. Gnorcia lands a blow and Feno kills the fiend. The treasures of the cave fisher include some studded leather armor and a partially destroyed scroll which reads "red, black, purple" in Elvish.
The group heads out, Orlane bound and comes across another disturbing urn. This one is filled with severed ears. Is someone collecting battle trophies in the barrowmaze? The group also notes some warmer air coming from beyond the arches but does not investigate further as it is a disquieting thing to notice temperature changes in the tombs. The group exits into the barrow marsh, and makes toward Orlane.
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