The dungeon of adipose

chapter 2

Nettie was sucked headfirst into this with enthusiasm. As she examined the mural above her she jotted down notes without looking. She was sure to master that skill first of all, the eyes always should be searching for more. She began recalling the various demons she studied back at the Schola. It was what she hoped to master in after all, and the information came flowing into her brain as to which demon this might be (24 History Check).

Once she finished writing she began pushing her small frame into the massive stone door. Strength was certainly her worst attribute but it wouldn’t stop her from, with pure determination, pushing the door open. The thought of leaving and bringing a Cleric or Paladin back with her rose to the top of her brain for a second before her globes of light hovered into the new space. She continued to explore paying more attention to the walls, ceiling, and anything that stuck out more than the floor she walked on. She tried not to think of the souls that desperately despised being fed, she usually found focusing on the dark and dower inhibited her research.

Despite the caster's vast mental library of knowledge and memories, all she could gather on this seemingly obscure and relatively unknown demon was the small legend that it was a foul, wicked being that could literally draw power from the roundness of bellies around it, growing stronger with each victim ensnared in its lifestyle. There is no more knowledge prior to encountering it in person....

Upon finally achieving the otherwise seemingly impossible feat of pushing the stone slab of solid earth out of the way just barely enough for the small and dainty spellcaster to squeeze her way into the tight, narrow space she had created, the door would immediately slide back in place behind her with a loud ker-thunk! suspending her in a state of ink black darkness for a second or two before-

*Fwoosh!*

*Fwoosh!*

* Fwoosh!*

The walls of the dungeon would bloom with light as torches perched along the walls seem to burst into view, illuminating the dark stair passageway leading downwards into the unknown depths down below. But due to rolling a low perception score of 8, our wizard would fail to see the wafer thin string along the bottom of the stairs triggering a soft but very distinct sound:

*Ring-Ring!*

A bell had been hanging just overhead now being triggered, no doubt as an alarm system for whatever could be lurking in this dungeon, leaving our caster only a few seconds to react. What will she do?

Nettie furrows her brow, it’s rare she can’t recall at least a nickname of a demon. But the thought only proved to encourage her further! This was new territory, a place undocumented by one of the largest magic schools in the area! She waited for her dancing lights to phase through the slab and follow her in. Worst case scenario she did have a necklace with one charge of the spell Scry, an emergency device the Schola use frequently. 

Nettie made her way down the stair looking at the walls for arrow or dart holes but didn’t spot anything abnormal. And when she felt the click of a tripwire and the ring of an alarm she froze. How could she miss something so obvious! 

Out of pure instinct she sent three of her dancing lights forwards. Keeping one by her side in the tunnel, just in case it came from somewhere else. And she readied to shield herself with a spell, hoping that if it were a dart it’d be blocked, and if it was a creature her mana may hold it at bay. But she tried to ready herself as her legs gently began to quiver in fear beneath her lithe 100 lb frame.

Whatever was creeping softly in the cover of the shadows would soon revealed by the caster's dancing lights, it was a sight that would leave the female wizard somewhat puzzled to say the least.

*Drip!*

*Drip!*

*Drip! *