Rosia Lightfoot's Journal - Part 7

We found a strange artefact, a weapon of some sort, made out of bone and covered with ancient runes. I tried to decipher them, but didn't recognise the script. The weapon rested on top of a sphere of glass, and was surrounded by the charred bodies of the flying octopus (FO) creatures. Assuming there was a trap I was about to move in to disarm it (or set it off, which would have been more likely...) when Isaak stopped me and instead performed some incantation which allowed him to move the weapon safely towards us through the air without touching it! I watched him carefully when he did this, and I think I could master this skill if I had a bit of help.

Anyway, after seeing the runes on the weapon, Isaak and Quercus were keen to go back to the manacle room (the one where I had my nasty experience) and make copies of some of the runes we saw there. (Or in Quercus' case to destroy them, I expect. I worry about his fanatical attitude, I think it could lead to problems...) Anyway, I had no inclination to go back there, and Curbag didn't seem very interested either, so we decided to split up. The two of us went off to the north east, and the others went off looking for runes. Curbag and I discovered a large room, full of kobold and orc bodies, and more dead FOs. (But no Trogs, do they carry their dead with them? Or worse, are they cannibals?) We decided not to explore too far into this room, at least not until the others caught up with us. Instead we explored some side passages, which just led back into the main room (although I did find a nasty wire trap, which we were able to circumvent).

The others finally caught up with us, and we explored more of the large room. We noticed an FO there and chased after it, ending up in a room to the east. Here we were ambushed by several very large FOs, who came out of nowhere. Their darkness effect was stronger than the smaller ones we have met before, and even the magical light rods we are using now could barely penetrate the gloom they generate. We decided that we could defend ourselves more easily from behind a closed door, and ran back into the larger room. Unfortunately there were three small FOs waiting for us there, although this was a fight much more in our favour. We were able to kill two of them, but the other escaped. It took with it the body of Toerag, who got strangled to death. Can't say I'm too sorry to see him go! I think we should move on from this open area, it is too easy to be surrounded. We need to rest as well, I am growing weary in this underground tomb. We still haven't found a decent source of food. We might end up eating FOs...