The Dark Ages - Southern Seas - Act 12 - Skalfier
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Fall 21
It is a quiet and tense ride back to Skalfier, and the horses need to be ridden hard to try to make it there before nightfall.
Claudia has remained silent, and TAKASHI hears brief words only whispered, perhaps a prayer.
As you get close to the outskirts of the city, you realize that while Claudia riding with TAKASHI isn't a big deal, nor TOBIAS riding with GRAIAN, but the trussed up woman lying on the horse behind CALLIN is sure to raise the eyebrows of the guards at the gates that you are now approaching.
TAKASHI: "Does anyone have a suggestion as to how we can get her through the gates? Or should TOBIAS and the woman stay outside while we go to the temple and tell them of the situation?"
TOBIAS: "I can stay back there if it'll make things easier, I don't want those guards to start a fuss..."
ATACIUS: "Can she be put to sleep somehow? That way we can pass her as a corpse we're bringing to receive the last rites in the Church of Light." the littleling suggests. "If not, I'll stay with TOBIAS and the woman outside of town."
TOBIAS: "I don't think so... I could ask her to take a nap if she understood me, but I don't think she does."
The woman has not moved or uttered a single sound since being bound and placed on the horse.
CALLIN: "I may be able to get her past the guards, but they may decide it best to slay her. It might be the safest course of action to have her wait out here with TOBAIS and return with a priest to heal her."
GRAIAN nods his head "Yes, it would be better to bring a priest out here to see her, the guards may not take too kindly to us taking one of the Damned into the city
TAKASHI: "We will leave our horses with you, then TOBIAS. ATACIUS will stay to keep you company, and the rest of us should head to the temple immediately. Let's go."
CALLIN Nods and joins TAKASHI and party as they head into the gates.
There is an area near the gates where caravans marshal to enter or exit the city. Currently, there are many wagons taking debris outside the city and supplies inside the city. These are probably for the recovery and rebuilding that is happening to the stricken Westedge neighborhood. At first, nobody pays ATACIUS and TOBIAS much mind as they wait. ATACIUS and TOBIAS can see several watchmen walking among the wagons, making sure nobody steals from them. Aside from the watchmen, the two adventurers are the only ones here.
TAKASHI and CALLIN are allowed into the city after being asked where they are from and where they are headed. The two guards acknowledge CALLIN's holy symbol and quickly open the night entrance for him. It is a short distance down Trumpet street to the Temple. The night deacons are on duty, sleepily rising from benches as CALLIN walks into the central prayer area.
"Yes, brother?" one of the priests asks CALLIN upon seeing his holy symbol. "How can we be of service?"
CALLIN: "Yes I was hoping to speak with Brianinov. Is he avaialble. Please let him know CALLIN is requesting him."
One of the night deacons nods and goes off through the side door that leads to the priest's quarters (where you can go as well, FYI) and in a few minutes returns with a sleepy looking Brianov, who quickly rubs the fatigue from his eyes when he sees you.
"CALLIN! It is good to see you!" he says, but his eyes flick over to the heavily armed and armoured TAKASHI who has signs of battle and blood on him still. "Are you OK? What do you need?" he whispers as he takes you by the arm and leads you away from the now-curious deacons.
CALLIN: Once we are in private. CALLIN will whisper "Hello Brianinov. We have faced some of the Damned at a farmhouse out in the countryside near Appleton. The battle was fierce but the LIGHT was on our side. We have slain all but one. However myself and one of our compainions were bitten. We were hoping to have rights performed on us to ensure we have not been given the desease." He pauses for a moment. "We also have one of the Damned under a spell which renders her harmless for the time being. She is currently just outside the gates. I was afriad what the guards might do to her. Do you have someone you trust that would help cure her?"
"The... the... the... DAMNED?!?!" Brianov squeaks and his face goes pale. You can tell that he wants to move away from you as you mention the bites, but he doesn't. His face looks pale, even in the dim light currently shining in the hallway leading up to the prayer area.
"I.. uh... hmm... the only ones who can cure those kinds of diseases are the High Curates."
He thinks for a moment and then nods. "Deneb has Otollum under watch, if not in his pocket." he whispers. "But Maria, she isn't on good terms with either. A bit of a outcast these days, from what everyone says. But she'd be interested in helping you... anything to give her a bit of excitement these days. She's probably at one of the taverns along the docks." He chuckles. "She ... ahhh... witnesses for the light in unusual ways."
CALLIN: "Thank you Brianinov. We will follow up with Maria at the taverns. May the LIGHT stay with you, and shine bright my friend."
Brianov nods, suddenly looking as if he's deep in thought. As you start to walk away, he suddenly calls out in a loud voice. "WAIT, brother!"
He comes up closely to you and he looks very sad and somewhat guilty.
"My brother... I hate to do this... but I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't. He (Brianov nods to TAKASHI)... he can go find Maria. But you... you cannot. You must stay here with us. If you have been bitten, and you were to... change... to become one of the DAMNED... unprotected... " he stops for a moment to let you think about it. "I must send for the guards to bring your friends who were bitten...or who are infected. Is that one restrained?" he says apologetically. "I'm so sorry!"
TAKASHI nods to Brianov.
TAKASHI: "I understand. The woman we brought has been secured, and so long as TOBIAS is near her, she seems to remain calm. Perhaps you could send your guards for them, and then those who were not bitten by the damned can come with me to look in the taverns along the dock.
You will find our group outside the Eastern city gates, where the caravans usually gather before leaving the Skalfier environs. Please have your guards be quick, as I do not know how long my friends have before the madness begins to set in. Perhaps, CALLIN, when I am away you can talk with Brianov and learn all you can about this."
CALLIN: "Of course Brianov. No appology necessary. I wish no to harm no one, and precautions are always good." Callin looks at Brianov closely and whispers "Is all alright?"
Brianinov grimaces. "I'm so sorry, CALLIN, I don't want to be a bother. You should stay here, in the prayer area, and wait. I'll be back with you friends. I just.... it's just... you shouldn't be walking around if you might turn!"
Brianinov nods to TAKASHI. "If you want, I can go to his friends outside the gates, and you can go get Maria from.. well, wherever she is drinking tonight."
With that, Brianinov leaves and heads down Trumpet Street to the North Gate.
(I'm going to split the party below. Hang on! :D )
ATACIUS, TOBIAS, Claudia and woman...
TOBIAS: "ATACIUS, what's it like inside Skalfier? I've never been before..."
Meanwhile, while it's taking awhile for CALLIN to return...
The watchmen who've been winding their way around the carts have looked at you curiously a couple of times and finally, one approaches with a lit torch.
"Hello there... can I help you?" he asks cautiously. His companion stays a few steps behind him.
TOBIAS gives a quick look, a bit wide-eyed, to ATACIUS, then turns back to the watchman.
TOBIAS: "Umm... I don't think so. We're waiting for a friend of ours... a cleric... to come back with some help from in town. Our lady friend..." He motions towards the woman on the horse, "is really, really sick, and we didn't want to take the chance of spreading it to the people in Skalfier."
"Spreading...?" the watchman repeats the word a couple of times, each time getting a bit more frightened sounding. "What kinda sick be she that she be spreadin' it?" They both take a few steps back. "And... " he looks carefully at her in the torchlight. "... that she need be tied up?!?"
"Well," TOBIAS says, brushing back his hair to look up at the watchman, "it's the kind of sick what needs magic to cure. She's ok now; she can't spread it or anything as long as nobody gets too close, but she's got a fever what has her not in her right mind, so we have her tied, not moving so she won't hurt herself. You could help, I suppose, by making sure nobody wanders over here too close until our friend gets back with someone what can cure her."
ATACIUS tries to answer TOBIAS the best he can, since he arrived for the first time to Skalfier less than two weeks ago and Skalfier is somewhat new to him too. He tell him where he's been so far: the Captain's Quarters and its dice games, the luxurious Golden Coach full of elves, the Merchant's Guild with its bureaucracy and library, and also Notebana's quaint abode. He'll recall a couple of anecdotes to pass the time: their escape from Skalfier Keep and then how he posed as Graian advisor to grant them entrance to the Golden Coach.
When the watchmen retreats a bit, he steps forward next to TOBIAS. "Good night gentlemen. We're fine, thank you for asking." he says with a slight bow. "You're doing a fine job out here and we thank you for that."
(Tobias's explanation warrants a reaction roll...)
Michael S (chgowiz) rolled 1d12 for a total of 9
The watchman nods. "OK, you said you're gettin a cleric so sure... we'll make sure nobody be botherin' ye, but ye keep away from folks as well, so that nobody get sick, OK?"
TOBIAS nods enthusiastically.
The watchmen move off and a short time later, a man with a shaved head breathlessly runs towards you, it looks like he's come from the town.
"Hallooo... are you CALLIN's friends?" he calls out.
ATACIUS: "Well, yes... and you are?" says the littleling to the stranger. "Has anything happened to him?" he asks taking a step towards him, not succeeding in hiding a note of worry in his voice.
"Oh, I am Brianinov, I am a deacon of the Temple." he says and he shows you the symbol of the light, a wooden one, around his neck.
"He is fine.. but as he was.. umm... possibly sick, I had him stay at the Temple. Come. I will get you past the guards and to to the temple. Your very well armored friend and the elf who was with him, they are off fetching the canon who can help." He ushers you all forward.
Once you are up to the gate, Brianinov shows the guards his symbol and tells them that he is taking you to the Temple. Because of the woman being ill, the guards allow you to take the horse into the town, although the other horses will need to be stabled. A sleepy stableboy wakes up, quotes you "5 silver crowns a day" to stable each horse, you're given your check-disc after paying and he leads the horses away. (Players deduct however much silver you paid - 10 silver crowns = 1 gold crown)
Brianinov leads you to the temple and after securing CALLIN's horse, leads you all inside, while helping TOBIAS with the woman. Brianinov looks fearfully at first at the Damned woman, then surprise as she follows TOBIAS's simple commands.
"How did you do this?" he says with some astonishment.
TOBIAS (brushing his hair back): "Well, um, it's magic, you see... a spell what makes people my friends, even when they're being mean to me. It took me a lot of practice, but I'm pretty good at it now."
Brianinov starts to clutch at his wooden symbol, but then just nods and gulps. "Oh... o... kay..." he says and motions you on. You enter into the main prayer area, which is an amazing sight to those who haven't been here, even in the middle of the night.
There are no seats in the prayer area, simply a marble floor inside the circular prayer area. A large crystal set in the roof of the church glistens in the dim candle/torchlight, and it's set so that it reflects sunlight into a pool of water in the center. The worshippers create circular rows around the pool, as you can see on the marble patterns in the floor. There are kneeling pillows piled to one side.
Brianinov leads you through prayer area to a door set in the wall, unnoticeable until you look for it.
ATACIUS takes mental note where the door is and try to figure out how Brianinov opened it.
He pushed it open. It looks more decorative in nature than functional, in terms of being a "secret door"
OK, got it.
The craftsmanship is impeccable. Whoever built this Temple, clearly knew their business. For you, it's easy to pick out, but this sort of work is hard to believe in a backwater place like Skalfier. Even if it had been a port to Ramathia.
ATACIUS: "Brother Brianinov, I couldn't help to notice the fine craftmanship of the Temple. Do you happen to know who built it? It's a building like no other in Skalfier!" says the littleling looking all around.
If it's ok with Brother Brianinov, TOBIAS will take one of those pillows so he can try to get some rest. The experience at the farm was harrowing for him, and he can't get the thought of what he did with that dagger out of his mind.
"You can come lie down in back where CALLIN is, young man." Brianinov answers. He smiles at TOBIAS in a warm way.
TOBIAS; "Thanks... as long as he doesn't mind having the sick lady back there, too..."
"The Temple was one of the first buildings built during the founding of Skalfier, little one." Brianinov answers, in almost a singsong-reciting-by-rote way. "That was back in the year 112, over a thousand years ago! It has been kept maintained through the good works and contributions of the faithful."
Brianinov takes you to a smaller room where CALLIN is cleaning up. It is a tight squeeze for CALLIN, Claudia and the woman, who Brianinov motions for you to put her on.
He steps outside.
"Maria should be here soon... " he says. "She will help."
Looks like you all will be together, so I'll continue it below.
CALLIN
And... now you are unaccompanied in the quiet Temple. You are in the front hallway that leads to the central prayer area, where the night deacons are at.
CALLIN will take this time to clean up a bit and pray to the LIGHT that CLAUDIA and the Girl can be cured, that his Shrine will do well for the people of Appleton, and that his friends are safe on their journeys.
(I haven't forgotten you! I'm just waiting for time to pass a bit... muahahaha....)
Oh I know. Just playing in character....Besides I want to look a little better before the big guy comes around :D
The room you had been ushered to a few days ago is still unoccoupied. And as you were entering the hallway to go there, a thuggish looking man brushes rudely by you as he is leaving the private chambers area. He is wearing a necklace and symbol you'd seen before. The symbol of the Light with a heavy ring around it and a strange symbol in the middle of the sunburst.
CALLIN states and the man brushes by. "And may the LIGHT be with you whenever Darkness is around!" Slightly irritated.
The thug stops, turns, looks at you and chuckles. "Ya, whatever, priest." One of his eyes is swollen a bit and there's a scar on his mouth and chin.
CALLIN: regaining his composure a bit. "If you like i can tend to your wound"
He grunts again and turns and moves on.
CALLIN goes and cleans himself up to be presentable, and prays, while awaiting his friends to return.
Looks like you all will be together, so I'll continue it below.
TAKASHI and GRAIAN
(Graian, assuming you're going with Takashi. If not, let me know where you'd go and I'll move you.)
You make your way through the Old Walled City of Skalfier and out into the docks area. You get some strange looks from the guards, but as you have the appearance of a man on a mission and don't seem hostile, they don't bother you.
Coming into the docks area, you come out on the long east/west street of Portside. A great many warehouses and taverns and hole-in-the-walls are here. It's just past Middle-Watch-Two-Bells and the drinking is coming to a stop. Groups of sailors and seamen cluster on the street, not ready to go to bed for the evening. There are a few guards walking about, but it seems to be a relatively peaceful night, all things considered.
TAKASHI to GRAIAN: "I'm not fmiliar with these parts, nor do I know where a priestess of the Light would prefer to drink. Perhaps we should ask a guard."
TAKASHI will walk with GRAIAN and approach the nearest guards.
TAKASHI: "Good evening. Brianinov from the temple of the light has sent us to fetch High Curate Maria, and he thought she might be witnessing to the Light *wink* *wink* in one of the taverns here by the docks. Have you seen her or know where she usually frequents?"
The guard looks at you very carefully and then at GRAIAN and then back at you. She chuckles.
"So Mean Maria is up to her old tricks, eh? Well, go look for the tavern where the boys are leaving with lumps... that'll be where Maria is, teaching the 'sinners' the way of the Light. Well.. at least the Light from her bottle!" she roars in laughter. Her partner nods and chuckles with her. She points to the east. "I've seen a couple of drunks coming back with some lumps from that direction... good luck!"
A short walk later, you hear a CRASHTHUD from a hole in the wall and soon, a man comes staggering out. He is holding his mouth and moaning, and you're pretty sure the front of his shirt is covered with blood.
A peek inside shows an odd sight. The tavern is a dump, little more than a shack with chairs and a bar, clearly a place for getting drunk as fast as possible. The odd sight is that most of the patrons, rough looking seamen and dock workers, are circled along the wall, staying as far away from the middle as possible. In the middle of a room, unsteadily standing and waving a bottle in one hand and a mace in another, is a burly looking woman. She takes a deep swig of the bottle and continues to drunkenly speak about something... her words are so slurred, it's hard to tell what she is saying.
TAKASHI looks over the scene carefully, then looks at his elven friend.
TAKASHI: "Well, I caught the tiger - you're turn to skin it!"
TAKASHI chuckles and waits to see what GRAIAN will do.
GRAIAN looks at Takashi, "Caught is an interesting word, I fear skinning this one will take more than a sharp blade. I somehow think reason will not work here, maybe we could buy her a drink, the bottle is looking a little low on content." Peeking back inside, "We could just ask her to explain the Light in detail and guide us to the Temple, I am sure both of us look like we need saving!"
The drunk Maria continues to witness and drink. At some point, when the bottle is empty, she drops it on the floor and in slurred words, demands another. The bartender brings it out gingerly and hands it to her quickly and retreats.
TAKASHI: "I am not sure that she is one to take deception well, even in her current state. Perhaps the direct approach is the best one to take at this time. Plus, she just had another bottle handed to her. Things will only get worse the longer we wait, for everyone involved. However, you are more diplomatic than I, so I will defer to your decision."
GRAIAN sighs, "Very well, but remember you are the one with armor!" Opening the door he walks in, "Deacon Maria I believe. I am relieved to find you, my friends are in urgent need of your assistance and the power of the Light. We were sent by Brianinov to find you."
TAKASHI will follow GRAIAN into the tavern, and stand by his side just in case things get ugly.
Maria, in mid-swig, sets down the bottle oh-so-carefully and then looks at you with some astonishment, drunken astonishment.
"..not usebd pto being interrupted. are you jan elfb? i have znot seen enlves out and tobua, euxcept for eotsh prissy elvves in their little conclave, or whuatever you call itp. you arpe a nice lookixng elf though. and whos's the good-rlooking man in ahrmor? you say im'm needed adt tehe temple?" she slurs as she waves the mace about. Although not in your general direction. It might even be that she's waving it around to keep herself sitting up.
TAKASHI: "I am TAKASHI, your grace. May I escort you back to the temple with my friend, GRAIAN. Brianinov said that you were the only one that would be able to help us with our DAMNABLE situation. We have three that are extremely sick, and need your help."
TAKASHI will offer his arm to Maria, as he thinks she may need it.
(That warrants a reaction roll... Michael S (chgowiz) rolled 1d12 for a total of 3 ... I think the dice hate you, TAKASHI.)
Maria looks at the approaching TAKASHI with either drunken stupor or drunken bravado, he's not sure with. In either case, she drops the mace and stands up and assumes a wrestling position.
"so gyou wmanna take me dowln, hukh? welhl, dwo your wohrst! i wong't go without a fight!"
(So she wants to wrestle. We can do this as a grapple attack, which you can roll to defend, or opt to use your strength bonus as a penalty to her attack roll. You automatically gain initiative and she's at some disadvantage due to her drunken state. Or you can opt to not fight. Surrender. Or some action similar. Your choice, TAKASHI!)
TAKASHI hands GRAIAN his sword and shield, then turns towards Maria.
TAKASHI: "I don't think the LIGHT will mind a bit of good natured wrestling this evening?"
With that, the Eastern fighter lunges in towards Maria, attempting to shoot past her flailing arms and drop his shoulder into her sternum, wrapping his arms around her as he does so. He is hoping to knock her down, and perhaps drive all of the wind out of her sails.
(TAKASHI has no strength bonus, but he will attempt to subdue the drunken priestess as best as possible.)
TAKASHI rolled 1d20 +3 for a total of 18
Maria also doesn't appear to have exceptional strength, so her ability must come from a stout constitution. Or practice. Or both. Either way, she (Michael S (chgowiz) rolled 1d20 -2 for a total of 10) tries to avoid you, but falls in a drunken heap, with you having her in a hold.
The others in the bar let out a cheer and crowd around a bit to see what will happen.
(You can now go for pummeling or a pin. A pin will make it very tough for her to escape.)
TAKASHI has severe reservations about pummeling Maria, a woman AND a servant of the LIGHT, so he will go for the pin.
TAKASHI whispers to her: "I will not hurt you, as you do good work in this world. We need help to cure three people who have encounteret the DAMNED. Please!"
TAKASHI rolled 1d20 +3 for a total of 18
Maria is now pinned. She grunts and struggles and wheezes, but is unable to free herself. She sees the bottle lying out of reach of her arms and tears roll down her cheek.
"alxl i want is another nidrk. whly can't i have aunother dbrink?" she cries.
TAKASHI: "If you help our friends now, afterwards I will come back down here and drink with you until dawn, on my coin. Tears don't befit a lady like yourself. Come now, we've work to do!"
At some point, your words must've made some impression on her, as she huzzes a sodden "OK..." and you feel her relax.
TAKASHI: "Can you pick up her dropped mace, and then help me get her back up to the temple? I pray we are not too late."
With that, TAKASHI will attempt to get Maria on her feet, and wait for GRAIAN's help to get her moving towards the temple.
Graian picks up the mace and moves to the other side of Maria to help her walk, "Interesting way of preaching she has," he comments as they move towards the door.
TAKASHI: "Aye, the LIGHT comes in mysterious ways and many forms, or so I think I've heard CALLIN say in the past. I'm wondering what he'll think about this..."
"Huzzzzzzzzz...." Maria groans as you both pick her up. She is a very solid woman and it's quickly obvious that this will be a long... slow... smelly... drag/walk back to the Temple.
The other folks in the tavern start to fill out the room as you leave, with a lot of laughter and some good-natured comments about Maria. It's the type of jokes that are made of regulars.
As you pass the guards again, they chuckle. "Aye, Maria be deep in'er cups! Good luck, mates!" one calls out.
It's a really long drag. Maria's head lolls between TAKASHI and GRAIAN and she breathes foul, liquor-smelling exhales at each of you.
TAKASHI: "We've spent way too much time carrying people as of late, GRAIAN."
GRAIAN nods, trying to keep his head turned away from Maria "Indeed, maybe this will be the end of it, at elast for a little while."
It takes almost three quarters of a bell to maneuver, cajole, wrestle and outright drag her to Temple. The night deacons, forwarned, are waiting by the door and walk with you as you take Maria to the central prayer area.
Just as you reach the central prayer area, she seems to regain conciousness. "Huhhhh... oh, Temple... " she mutters and manages to stand on her own and shake you both loose. "Fine.. s'fine... leggo..." she mutters.
Once freed, she unsteadily walks to the central pool, kneels down and starts to splash water on her face and drink it. The night deacons at first start to object, then sigh.
"It is her way... a powerful woman in the Light, she is... but not very respectful." one of them says in a rueful tone of voice.
After a few minutes of noisy cleaning and drinking, she stands up. It's hard to believe this woman is a powerful priest, with as bedraggled, wet and dirty she looks, and swaying slightly, as she tries to focus on you all.
"Someone.. sick?" she says. "OK, let's go..." she turns and walks to a wall ... and walks right into it. WHAP! THUD!
One of the night deacons runs up to help her up and the other gently opens a hidden door that was three feet away.
"Uhh... someone move damned door again?" she demands.
"No, canon... here let me help." says the deacon assisting her.
You are taken down a curving hallway that seems to run along the circumference of the circular prayer area, and then into a narrow passage. At the end, you see an open door with light, and ATACIUS, TOBIAS and Brianinov standing outside the door.
Brianinov looks at Maria with concern. "Oh dear... she is a bit drunk."
TAKASHI: "Yes, we had to do a bit of convincing to get her to leave the tavern, and she was well in her cups long before we arrived."
TOBIAS winces when he sees the condition Maria is in, and looks questioningly over at ATACIUS.
ATACIUS just shrugs at TOBIAS, a look of amusement and disbelief in his face.
Maria seems to have recovered some of her wits by the time she gets to Brianinov, although she seems a bit tipsy still. She reaches out and affectionately pats his cheek.
"You collected some friends, dear boy? Hmmmm... " she peeks into the room, sees CALLIN, Claudia and a tied up woman. She then turns and looks at Brianinov, TAKASHI, TOBIAS, ATACIUS and GRAIAN outside.
"This... is an interesting sight. I'm not sure this party is appropriate... for the Temple." she says with a grin on her face.
CALLIN upon seeing Maria bows deeply. "Thank you for coming so quickly Canon Maria. I'm afraid the LIGHT has not yet shown me how to conquer the curse of the DAMNED"
Maria gives CALLIN a bemused look and looks at the woman tied up.
"She's been this way a long time. Poor child." Maria says in a suddenly steady and matronly voice. She shrugs aside the dirty sleeves on her arms and sits besides the woman the bed and strokes her face.
"Poor thing, poor thing..." she croons and begins to sing a hymn and prayer mixed in. To CALLIN, he sees her suddenly wreathed in a pale aura, one that grows steadily as she continues the hymn.
On the bed, the woman suddenly jerks and her face stiffens in a rictus of some some sort of pain while her body twists. A drawn-out moan comes from her, descending into a gentle sob. After a few minutes, Maria finishes the hymn and prayer and the glow that CALLIN had seen subsides around her.
Maria sighs. "How long...? Are there more?" she asks.
She strokes the woman's head, who seems to have fallen asleep.
TOBIAS stands open-mouthed and wide-eyed in amazement at how easily Maria worked her miracle cure.
CALLIN awe struck at the power of the LIGHT and Maria responds after a moment of hesitation. "Unfortuanatly they attacked us in a maddened state, and we were outnumbered. Only due to TOBIAS' quick thinking to ensnare the womans rage were we able to save her. Myself and Claudia (CALLIN motions to the girl) were biten during the conflict, so we may be infected as well. We didn't have time to fully search the Farmhouse and outcropped building in which we were attacked....there may be more that lay undisturbed"
TAKASHI eyes the woman as she sobs.
TAKASHI: "Is she cured? That quickly?"
"So many questions... one at a time!" Maria snaps.
"Yes, she is cured, but she will need sleep and time. Many of those afflicted with the Damned have lain that way for one or two ten-years. Sometimes more. It's hard to say how long she was one of the afflicted, but it's been awhile."
"Come here, child." she says gently to Claudia, who steps forward hesitantly. "Oh, I am so sorry you have had to go through this. It will be alright, I'll make sure of it. Once we get you checked out, you need to eat and sleep though!" she says.
She glances at the rest of you. "Taking a child near the Damned? What were you thinking?"
She turns her attention to CALLIN. "I'm surprised you don't know this prayer, but not everyone remembers. Here, sing with me and pray..." and she begins to sing a song of praise to the Light, mixing in a prayer of sight and wisdom. Her hands move in practiced ways, holding her holy symbol. It is not hard to follow and soon, CALLIN, you feel the power of the Light within you and you can "see" that you are healthy and not afflicted, and neither is Claudia. The woman, who was Damned, has a faint "stain" on her skin, but it is fading fast. Maria smiles and nods at you. "Yep, that's right. It'll be gone soon, and fortunately, you both are non the worse for wear!"
"Now..." she says gruffly. "Let's tend to this one here... (she takes Claudia by the hand) and let this woman sleep in peace. Brianinov! Be a dear and have one of the deacons sit outside. She'll probably sleep a couple of days, but if she wakes, come get me. I'll have to stay in the temple till then... " she sighs dejectedly.
"And put up with Ottolum and hizzoner-the-emissary..." she grumbles. "Enough to drive one insane!" She is leading Claudia out as she says this, and Claudia has a fascinated smile as she's led away. She looks back at TAKASHI and waves.
"CALLIN, you may stay here of course." Brianinov says. "But... the others... we don't have the room, but there are places to bed for the night in town." He seems apologetic as he says it.
CALLIN: "Thank you for the lession. I am humbed and honored for the training." Callin says bowing again to Maria.
Then CALLIN turns to Brianinov "Thank you Brianinov. I must first get my horse back to the stables and give them their due. But yes I shall stay at the temple tonight to help Maria with Claudia and this woman."
CALLIN then turns to the rest of the group. "SHall we stable my horse then get you all settled in a room for the night?
TOBIAS nods. "She was pretty great. But who is... Ottolum? and the emissary?"
GRAIAN is beginning to realize that the Light is very powerful, "Yes the horses need to be stabled, I have a room at the Golden Coach, Shaiman is not going to be happy to see me back with no news.."
With the horses stabled, the night passes with you all getting a well-deserved rest. Claudia stays at the Temple for the evening, as a guest of Maria's. A message is waiting at the Golden Coach for TAKASHI that Claudia is doing well and can join him when he's ready to take her back to Appleton.
CALLIN, you receive word from Maria that the lady has regained a bit of conciousness, long enough to name herself as Carissa, then she fell back asleep.
What are your general plans for the next week of game-time?
TAKASHI feels that as Claudia is safe and disease free, she should be taken back home to Appleton to calm her parents' fears and assure them that she is alright. It will also allow her time to rest and recover from the wounds she suffered in the fight (those that remain).
Before leaving, he will look into purchasing armor for Claudia, as she needs protection if she intends to leap into battle again in the future.
TOBIAS' priorities would be:
1. Go back to the farm and see if there are any Damned left out there
2. Get Claudia home
3. Pool any coin found in that chest with what ATACIUS would get from selling the jewelry and divide it out, so he can use his share to:
4. Pay back GRAIAN, refill the "savings" for the village, and buy arcane materials for writing in his spellbook, doing rituals, write scrolls, etc.
5. See if anybody wants to go back to Athenum.
I'm good with trying to go back into Athenum (eum?).
ATACIUS haven't sold the gems yet, He just had them appraised.
(My bad, correcting...)
That's OK. We can see how much is there hidden at the farm, see how much we need for all that TOBIAS want to do, and if we need more we can sell some of the gems.
Also, is there a fee for Canon Maria services?
Because of CALLIN's association with the Temple, she did not charge for donations. That may not always be the case though!
CALLIN would want to make sure that this girl Carissa is taken care of. Then would ask Maria if she would wish to join us on a trip to the farmhouse to ensure that any damned that might remain are cured, as well as give those that have fallen a proper passing. After that I would like to go back to Appleton and try to help ease the fears with Claudia's family ( if we can ).
Good idea, re: Maria. Hopefully there won't be as much ready spirits in Appleton as compared to here - she could use a good dry-out and some proper work of the LIGHT to refocus her. She might also spill some of the issues driving her to drink if we get her out in the country and gain her trust fully.
There are some obvious troubles with the temple of LIGHT in Skalfier, and the associated leaders there. It would be good to get more information on them. Seems that Brianinov and Maria are "good" priests there, but there is some bad stuff going on as well, which we've heard mention of as of late.
I Agree! CALLIN does have ideas on trying to get an inside scoop on the goings on of the temple as well. It seems that the "LightBringers" are just local thugs, which CALLIN detests...
There's good cider in Appleton for her to try now and then.
That's what I was afraid of...
ATACIUS would like to go back to Athenum. With the bandits, orcs and Lightbingers stirring the pot he thinks it's enough. We don't want to add the elves going to war.
Talking about cider, is it made in Appleton or they just collect and ship the apples to Skalfier? If it is not made in Appleton, ATACIUS thinks it would be good for the village to have a brewery.
TOBIAS likes this idea... and maybe we could have an annual Apple Festival!
OK. So this is what I see:
1. Buy Claudia armor
TAKASHI, she is flattered and even shy when you mention that. She likes the look of leather armor and agrees to allow you to buy it for her, although there's a bit of defiance about her earning her own way. It costs 5 gold to buy the pieces, and there is enough pieces available that fit her for a full suit. She also has kept the wooden sword, and even cleaned it.
TAKASHI: "You have already helped save the life of TOBIAS, CALLIN, and me, so think of it as a well-earned reward."
She smiles shyly at the praise and is very thorough in checking out the pieces and then making sure they are stowed away where she has full sight and control of them.
"Thank you, Master. I'm not sure how I saved your life, but ... I see now why you were showing me the things you did. It all happened so fast, and not like you hear the bards tell the story of big battles and lines and columns and all those things."
2. Check on Carissa.
For the next couple of days, Carissa comes in and out of sleep, very disoriented. Maria says this is normal, especially for victims who have been afflicted for a long time.
3. See if Maria wants to come to the farmstead to see if there are more Damned.
Maria kindly takes you aside, CALLIN and explains that there are probably so many Damned lying around in abandoned farmlands and hamlets, that it would require an army of clerics to heal them all. She would prefer that if you find more Damned, do what you can to restrain them and then come get her.
If there are no other "in-town" actions, then we'll pick up things on the 24th day of Fall, with you heading in the direction of the farmstead and Appleton. To take care of #4 through 6.
4. Take Claudia back to Appleton
5. Check out farmstead
6. Go back to Athenum
7. DRINK! Appleton Cider questions.
TOBIAS, there is cider making and "moonshine" kind of liquor created in Appleton. Sir Flinigan called it his "warm-up" and kept a bottle in his bedroom.
They collect their harvest and bring it to Skalfier for either use in the town, or shipping out into the Duchy.
Great! Sir Flinigan only ever let Tobias drink the kids' cider, but now that he's older, he figures he can probably have a little moonshine, right? When he gets a chance, he'll talk to the folks that do the brewing and see if they want to become partners in putting together an actual big brewery in Appleton... maybe they could become steady suppliers to places like the taverns and inns in Skalfier. Hmm, and we could have a contest to see who bakes the best apple pie in town...
Well, let's see what happens when you get back there!
Yep, those are just plans in TOBIAS' head. Regarding Carissa: While we were there, TOBIAS would've tried to see her when she's awake and see if she was still showing signs of being charmed.
GRAIAN is anxious to go back to Athenum and seach for more information
24th day of Fall - SE of the Damned farmstead and Appleton
The trip back to Appleton is without encounter or incident. The light rain and drizzle from the previous week has given way to clear skies. The fall weather isn't too chilly, but there is a nip in the air in the middle of the night to remind you that, yes, Winter is coming.
You are a turn away from the farmstead, you can see it. Claudia shivers a bit behind TAKASHI, but she doesn't say anything.
TAKASHI: "I think we should all escort Claudia to her home to make sure she is welcomed there. CALLIN, if you could tell her parents that she has been blessed by the LIGHT in Skalfier's temple, perhaps that plus the time Claudia has been away will pacify them a bit. I will not have my student shunned in her own home. That is, if you do not mind, Claudia."
CALLIN: "I agree. Plus with tending to her wounds by the LIGHT there is no scaring, so we can show them she has been healed. I understand their fear, but we must show them the LIGHT and that CLAUDIA has risen above it, and so must they."
TOBIAS: "Okay. Let's take Claudia home, and then maybe come back here in the morning? With some rest, I'll be able to cast my spell again if there are any more out there. Maybe even twice, if I push it a little..."
The reunion of Claudia with her parents is brief, but cordial. Ilya weeps in gratitude as she hears that Claudia was not diseased. Marc, her father, shakes his head. "We've told the children to avoid those places for exactly that reason! The afflicted there are quiet and will kill you faster than you can blink an eye!" he exclaims angrily.
They listen to the story of Maria and the Temple and both parents smile as Claudia raves about the "fantastic Maria" and how wonderful the Canon is.
"I always thought she should go to Temple and become one of the priests." Ilya confesses to CALLIN. "Maybe this will lead her in that direction." She purposefully ignores the dark look Claudia gives her.
As you all leave, Claudia runs out and speaks to TAKASHI.
"Master.. I know you're leaving, but... will you be back? Will you teach me more? Take me on more adventures?" she asks in a hopeful voice.
TAKASHI: "So long as TOBIAS will have us here in Appleton, I think it safe to say that I will continue to teach you as much as you care to learn. I think the rest of us enjoy the peace and quiet of the village in the countryside, but there are things we must do to try and make this land safe for you, your family, and everyone else.
While I am away, I expect you to continue your practice. Drill with your armor on until it feels like a second skin, and when you take it off, you feel as bare as the day you were born. I have given you my axe, and leave it in your care. I know you like the wooden sword, but it will break on you when you need it most. If I come accross another sword in my journeys, I will bring it back here for your use.
Above all else, listen to your mother and father, for they deserve your respect. Show them that you are growing into a responsible young woman, capable and ready to face the world.
We will go on adventures again, of that I am sure!"
Claudia nods. "Yes, Master Takashi. I will. I hope you will come get me when we can practice again."
She waves as you leave and goes back into her house.
"Why didn't he tell me about them?" TOBIAS grumbles to himself, growing gradually louder as he continues. "He knew! I've been trying to talk to everyone, and get them to tell me about any problems in the village, ever since we got back from Athenum! This is because I'm not old, isn't it? Respect?? BAH!"
TOBIAS looks back at the entrance to Claudia's home in anger.
ATACIUS gives TOBIAS a pat in the arm. "Don't take so hard. Put yourself in their shoes. It'll take time for them to grow confident with you." says the littleling. "You won't get anything by getting angry at them. Think of what Sir Flinigan would have done in this situation, and remember respect is earned every day, not deserved overnight." he adds.
"Now, let's find the old man's spirits stash!" he whispers with a wink and a smile.
TOBIAS is skeptical of what ATACIUS first says - "Hmf!" - but he can't suppress a grin that forms on one side of his jaw at the littleling's last whisper. He gives a little nod, and starts heading towards the manor.
What would you like to do now? It's late in the afternoon.
GRAIAN follows Atacius and Tobias, "Not too many spirits, we have a lot to do. We should make preparations to explore the dungeon further, we need to find information about the Elven history in these parts."
"Oh, Elves and their keen hearing!" sighs ATACIUS at GRAIAN's words. "But there's wisdom in your words, my friend. It'll be just a sample, alright?"
CALLIN will head to the Shrine and make preperations for an evening "service". Attempting to calm the minds of the villagers especially with the buzzing around of "the Damned"
TOBIAS: "I could ask Enid if she'd be able to make dinner for all of us, GRAIAN, and we can all talk about that. I'd love to learn more about Elven history, but why is it so important now?"
TAKASHI: "Before trying to go back to Athenum, I would like it if we all went back out to the farmhouse to open up the locked and buried chest we found. It shouldn't take us long, and with ATACIUS and his skills, perhaps he will be able to get it open."
Enid agrees to make dinner for you all and at sundown, you are served a hearty stew with vegetables, meat and a good bread. ATACIUS and TOBIAS find that the small root cellar also has a number of bottles and jugs of apple cider - some fermented, some not. Enid frowns slightly at TOBIAS sipping at the hard cider, but doesn't say anything.
At dinner, TOBIAS asks, "Do we want to go back tomorrow morning to the farmhouse what had the chest, and then head to Athenum after?"
ATACIUS: "That sounds like a plan!" says the halfling helping himself some more cider. "Last one, I promise."
GRAIAN gives Atacius a long look, "Yes the sooner we start the better. I trust your fingers will be light and nimble tomorrow morning Atacius, there is work for them to do."
CALLIN, your service is well received, although virtually everyone simple accepts that the Damned are there and that the affliction was/is so widespread that these sorts of discoveries are inevitable. They are thankful that Claudia was not afflicted and that you and your friends were there to remove the threat. In several conversations, they echo what Maria said - that the presence of the Damned in abandoned farmsteads and villages is always assumed. One even says he heard a story from Skalfier that fishermen had discovered a full pirate ship out of Ramathia full of the Damned.
25th Day of Fall
This fall day is clear and crisp, with a chill in the morning, but quickly becoming comfortable and pleasant as the sun travels its path in the sky. The villagers are out early, tending to the trees and continuing their autumn harvest. Others are busy cooking some of the apples into jams and jellies to be stored for the winter. Others are drying other apples, to serve for late winter.
The trip to the farmstead is uneventful and in a short time, you all are close enough to the farmstead to see it.
(Note: I am assuming the spells you are showing as "memorized" are the ones you have. If you need to change them, please do!)
TAKASHI: "Be ready, friends. We cleared out the DAMNED that were here last time, but that may not have been all of them."
TOBIAS looks for the building where we left the chest, and points it out for the folks that weren't here before.
CALLIN: "May the LIGHT guide us and shelter us from the darkness. And should the darkness come forth, may we strike it down with the LIGHT"
The bodies of the Damned lie where they fell, but it is a gruesome sight of post-battle carnage and decay. You don't hear or see anyone else as you approach the larger barn.
Upon entering, it appears to be in the same state as you left it. The hole that had been filled in is still covered up, but easy to see as it had been disturbed by you.
TAKASHI: "OK - let's get this thing dug up and see if ATACIUS can't get it open with his nible fingers!"
TAKASHI will begin to excavate the still loose earth, gladly accepting any help.
Soon enough, the iron box is back above ground. To ATACIUS's trained eye, it's a simple lock, but very sturdy. It's not surprising that it couldn't be simply pounded open. But it should present no problem to ATACIUS. (I'll want you to roll, only to see if you avoid a 100% failure. Roll low. :D)
Gabriel Perez Gallardi rolled 1d100 for a total of 90
Too much cider I guess...
CALLIN: will begin preparing for performing last rights on the Damned that have fallen.
It feels as if a certain amount of peace come over the grisly scene.
CALLIN: once the last rites are performed, CALLIN will rejoin the rest of the group, assuming they don't find him first.
GRAIAN watches Atacius with ill concealed despair, "Come on Atacius, we need to get back to Athenum!"
Despite a hangover and bending an impromptu pick to almost the breaking point, ATACIUS can indeed open the simple lock. (It was never going to be a question, unless you really did roll a 00, which you tried to do!)
Inside is a fortune in gold and silver coins. It'll require careful counting to determine how many there are. There is also a worn leather packet peeking out of the silver and gold crowns within.
ATACIUS will look back at the elf and wink. Then he'll carefully remove the leather packet from the box, for everyone to see it. He'll proceed, with care, to take what's inside of it.
TAKASHI: "Either the farms around here are especially productive, or the person who stashed this treasure had an alternative occupation."
Does ATACIUS sees anything in the box, packet or its content, that might suggest what TAKASHI said?
Inside the packet are 5 slender unornamented bangles of gold and a red gem.
The box looks like an ordinary, although heavy, iron box. It looks like it has been buried for awhile, with the rust and patina of dirt on it. The lock looks old, but not beyond a generation or two. It's likely this could have been the family treasury. The coins date from before the Doom to shortly after the Doom, by maybe 5 to 6 years.
TOBIAS (eyes wide at all the gleaming coins): "Umm, maybe we should get this back to Appleton, some place safe, before we go to Athenum?"
ATACIUS: "Or we can take these, leave the heavy box here and pick it up on the way back." he says while putting the bangles and the red gem in his backpack.
GRAIAN: "Great idea Atacius. I think those bands and gem will bring in a tidy sum when we return to Skalfier."
Two for leaving, one for bringing with... any other ideas before I move you on?
OOC: Is Appleton on the way to Athenum, or would we be backtracking by going back to Appleton?
It's on the way-ish. You could head straight north from the farmstead and reach Appleton, or head NW and go straight to the Athenum. The Athenum is further away than Appleton. You'll reach Appleton in less than an hour and it's a couple of hours to the Athenum.
OOC: Oh in that case it actually makes sense to take it back and move on to Athenum
OOC: I'm not actually there as I'm performing last rights, however....should we consider the fact that one of the possible owners of this chest is still alive and back at the temple?
So we have 3 for taking back to Appleton (TOBIAS, GRAIAN and TAKASHI) , and 1 for leaving (ATACIUS), and 1 who is asking an interesting question (CALLIN). I will hold off moving unless nobody wants to address CALLIN's question? Otherwise it seems like tomorrow, I'll throw up something before 8am about moving the chest to Appleton and your journey to the Athenum.
TAKASHI: "Let's drop the found goods off in Appleton, then make our way to Athenum. It's not too far out of the way
TOBIAS nods. "There might be a way we can figure out what this was doing out here, if we can find records and such, but for now just get it back and then head to Athenum."
ATACIUS: "Alright then, let's go then."
Atacius will try to lock the chest back before leaving. (We don't want the coins to spill if it falls from the horse!)
Day 25 continued...
It is mid-morning when you return back to Appleton with the (now relocked) iron chest. The weather continues to be clear and autumn-like
The journey back to the Athenum is much quicker this time, perhaps from knowing the way, or perhaps from GRAIAN's impatience influencing the rest of the party. It is late afternoon when you reach the ruins. The birds and Apsuna are not there, but nothing looks out of the ordinary. A few smaller, normal-sized birds are still present.
What will you do now?
ATACIUS "Let's find a place where we can leave the horses hidden from view." says the littleling. "I can stay behind to see if someone follwed us. Then I will follow you guys, just mark your way in on the walls. After the encounter with those Orcs you can't be too careful, right?"
CALLIN will begin looking for a place to tether the horses that will be somewhat hidden, while allowing them to feed a bit.
The general interior area of the ruins is hidden enough, but not much grazing. There are trees to tie the horses to, nearby.
TOBIAS will get his lantern and other things ready, then he'll try to remember what that "special" door looked like so he'll be able to spot it again.
GRAIAN moves to the wall and stands in front of it, "Well here we go, another adventure." He traces a symbol on the wass with his wand.
As GRAIAN traces an unseen symbol on the strange wall, he and TOBIAS see the spiderweb of arcane energy again spread out from the symbol to what is now obviously a door. The rest see a door suddenly appear and open up, revealing the stairs that go down into it.
TURN 1
10 feet, 20 feet west, down the marbled stairs and you reach the small landing to the west, which opens via an archway into the half-circle room.
The room appears undisturbed from when you were here last. There is no sign you were here. The two doors (southeast 4:00, southwestern corner on the straight edge) are closed.
What will you do now?
TOBIAS grimaces at seeing the inside of this place again, the memory of what happened last time burned in his mind. He looks up elder elven companion. "Master GRAIAN, do you know where the elves would've put their histories in a place like this? With the information what you're looking for?"
CALLIN: "Perhaps we should go in another direction than the one we came from. Nothing good for the elves seemed to live down the path we trodded before."
ATACIUS: "On a second thought I'll go with you all. I don't think anyone but an elf can open that portal."says the littleling hurrying across the portal.
TAKASHI: "Smart move, ATACIUS. We'd hate to leave you behind and miss out on all of the fun."
Once you all are down the stairs, the door closes behind you. You are in darkness in the half-circle room, save for Tobias's lantern casting a pale, dim light around you. Those that can normally see in the darkness, your dark-vision is blurred from the lantern.
ATACIUS will move one step past the edge of light, let his eyes get used to the change, and peer into the darkness...
The light would have to be hooded, or you would have to move to where you can't see the lantern. If you want to do that, your options are to go through the archway (2:00 position on the half circle) or one of the two doors.
"TOBIAS, hood the lantern for a moment!" whispers ATACIUS as he moves quietly to peek through the archway.
TOBIAS nods. "I think Father CALLIN is right, we should go to the other door this time..." He nods to ATACIUS in acknowledgement and quietly hoods his lantern.
After the light is dimmed, those that can see in the dark can now fully see the entry hall and the small alcoves on the wall containing the strange and obscene figurines.
ATACIUS, as you look through the archway, you see a hallway that curves concave to you. You seem to have come on the right-lower side of the curve. There is a single square pillar about 20' in front of you and about another 20 feet beyond that is a closed door, similar in style to the doors you've seen elsewhere on this level. You also see strange markings, glyphs of some sort, on the walls in this curving hallway. And the more you stare at them, the more they seem to be moving...
ATACIUS quietly goes back to the group and tells in low voice what he just saw. "It's a curved corridor with strange markings and glyphs on the walls, and if you stare at them they seem to move and shift!", he shudders when he says that. "There's a square pillar in the middle of the corridor and beyond that another door."
TOBIAS has been facing towards the entrance to the second level with a strange look on his face, like he's listening to something. ATACIUS' voice seems to bring him back and he raises the hood on his lantern, but takes a look over towards the entrance. Finally, he turns back to the group and says, "So, umm... Which way should we go, then?"
CALLIN: "TOBIAS, GRAIAN can either of you decipher the markings on the wall? Are they dangerous? Are they traps?"
TOBIAS steps forward cautiously towards the hallway walls, lifting the lantern as he looks up at the markings to see if he can understand anything about them.
TOBIAS (staring at the symbols): "Some of these are like the ones in the pages and parts of books what I've found before, but some are more complicated... they're changing now..." After a bit, he grimaces and turns away.
TOBIAS: "They changed into different symbols, dark ones what hurt to look at."
TAKASHI: "I know little of the dark arts, TOBIAS. But I do not like the look of those glyphs. Not. at. all."
CALLIN: "Nor do I. They have a haunting feeling. I fear we should not pass them unless we can render them useless. I would hate to see what vile darkness such witchcraft would summon."
While TOBIAS checks the glyphs, ATACIUS will go to the other door (4 o'clock) and press his ear to it.
You hear nothing after a quick listen. (That is the door you previously were taken through, by Sir Flinigan, to go to the 2nd level. If you want to do a full listen, that'll take up your Turn 2. (As you're at the end of Turn 1)).
Sorry, I meant the one we didn't went through.
OK, that is the one on the S end of the straight wall. If you go back to Act 10, you can see GRAIAN's map.
You hear nothing after a quick listen.
GRAIAN is silent, pre-occupied, "Tobias, can you hear anything, a whispering? I am not sure where it is coming from but it feels like from the area of the archways." He moves towards the archway to look at the glyphs.
TOBIAS' face reddens as he turns toward GRAIAN. He nods sheepishly and says, "I can hear it."
GRAIAN turns away from the archway, "These do not mean anything as they are but I am sure they are Dark, I do not get a good feeling and agree, this passage is best ignired for now."
TOBIAS moves away from the wall markings and goes to inspect the pillar, looking for anything etched in the stone or anything else unusual about it.
The pillar has similar symbols moving on it, and is of the same rich marble that the walls, ceiling and floor are made of throughout this part of the Athenum that you've been through.
ATACIUS: "I have a bad feeling about those inscriptions on the walls and pillar." a note of worry in the littleling's voice. "Let's check the door on the straigth wall. I heard nothing beyond that."
ATACIUS nods at the rest of the group as they stand ready and quietly opens the door.
TOBIAS nods. "I hope we don't have to do something weird to open it, like make one of those symbols in the air like poor Sir Flinigan had to."
CALLIN: steps next to ATACIUS as he heads toward the other door. Ready in case something wishes to pounce on the little one when the door is opened.
ATACIUS: The door looks very similar to the ones you've encountered previously, painted, the same simple, but well made latches and hinges. The door is shut and doesn't appear to be locked.
TAKASHI, deferring to those who know more about these things than he does, says little. He will approach the door and stand ready with CALLIN and ATACIUS, ready to face any threat that may threaten his friends.
TURN 2
The door opens smoothly and it is dark inside. Once your eyes adjust, you see a small room, about 10 feet wide and going back about 40 feet. The wall to your right is straight, but the wall to your left curves concave from you, meeting up with the straight wall in the distance.
The room is full of hooks and poles with knobs. There is a shelf in the middle of the concave wall, with a small chair on it and what looks like a doll of sort in it. In the far corner where the curved and straight wall meet, there is a sack on the floor.
What do you do?
Do the poles are loose? If so, ATACIUS will grab one and poke the doll from the distance.
Yes, the poles are loose, they are straight up, with a base, and they are covered in knobs. They look a lot like something you'd hang hats or gloves or scarves on.
There is a sound of wood thunking on wood when you poke it. The doll doesn't move. It is roughly three feet tall, and looks crudely made.
CALLIN will enter the room and continue to cover ATACIUS should something decide to poke back. "Should we see what is in the sack?"
ATACIUS nods to CALLIN suggestion and moves forward past the doll and pokes the sack with the pole.
It doesn't seem to be very full, but there is a metallic "clink" sound as you poke the sack.
TAKASHI eyes the doll warilly.
TAKASHI: "What kind of room is this? It almost seems to be some kind of large coat room, although the doll on the chair perplexes me."
After TAKASHI sees ATACIUS poke at the doll and then move on to the sack, TAKASHI will move closer to the doll to try and get a better look at it.
TOBIAS approaches one of the poles, crooks a finger over one of the knobs on it, and pulls down with the approximate force that he thinks that the weight of a coat would make.
TAKASHI - the doll is crudely made out of wood. The joints appear to be small pins of wood through ball joints to keep the limbs attached, and possibly poseable. The face is roughly carved and shaped to look vaguely human. The fingers and toes are also crudely carved. It has no other features.
TOBIAS, the hook bears the weight without problem.
ATACIUS leaves the pole gently on the floor, slowly moves forward and kneels next to the sack. He then takes out his silver dagger and with it he carefully opens the sack to reveal what's inside.
Inside the sack is a a thick bronze torc fashioned like a cable of rope.
"Psst, TOBIAS, bring the lantern closer!" ATACIUS calls in hushed voice.
Just by looking at it, does it looks it was made to be worn on the wrist or the neck? How are the ends of the torc? Are they rounded ends or they depict an animal head or something else? Can we see any inscriptions?
And so ATACIUS reaches out with his chubby little fingers to pick the torc up...
TOBIAS shuffles over and bends down near the sack with the lantern...
It looks like a neck torq. The ends are smooth round balls. There don't appear to be any inscriptions on it that you can see.
The moment your fingers touch the torq, a shimmer appears in the middle of the room and a mouth seems to appear in mid-air.
"DO NOT TOUCH WHAT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU!" the mouth thunders.
As it speaks, the wooden doll comes to life right before TAKASHI's eyes. It falls to the ground with a wooden "clack", its limbs flailing. It clumsily stands and staggers towards ATACIUS, it's crudely shaped arms outstretched.
"WE WILL RETURN WHAT IS NOT YOURS!" the mouth shouts.
CALLIN: "Put the torq back in the bag ATACIUS!" THen Callin moves to stand between ATACIUS and the doll. "We mean no disrespect, that which is yours shall stay with you. Stand down we mean no harm nor insult"
ATACIUS shrieks, drop the torc and scrambles behind CALLIN.
The doll stops its charge but it clumsily moves to the sack. It rearranges the torc and closes the sack back up.
CALLIN will give the doll a clean path, but stay between ATACIUS and the doll. "Appoligies for disrupting your things. I am CALLIN, may I ask where we are and who you might be?"
The doll does not answer. It finishes with the sack and moves back towards TAKASHI and its chair. It starts to push a pole with knobs towards the shelf and the chair.
TAKASHI looks at the pole with knows that the doll is pushing, looking for any distinctive marks or ornamentation.
TAKASHI: "It seems to be an animated guard of some type, only acting when something detects an undesired action. Interesting."
TOBIAS is startled by the mouth at first and steps back, giving the doll a wide berth. Once he sees that there is no immediate danger, he begins to study both the mouth and doll with curiosity.
ATACIUS gets back to his feet, rearranges his clothes and retrieves his dagger. "That was close huh?"
As soon as ATACIUS had dropped the torq, the mouth disappeared.
The doll finishes shoving the pole next to the shelf and begins to clumsily climb the pole up to the shelf, using the knobs on the pole to pull itself up, like a ladder of sorts. Several times it seems like it might fall, but it manages to catch itself. Once it is level with the shelf, it manages to pull itself onto the shelf and then climb back into its chair. It stops moving.
TOBIAS sees it climbing up and barks a laugh!
CALLIN starts examining the poles... Are they of different lengths? If so he starts looking around the room for other places the doll might climb...He will also look at the hooks, and in turn look for places that you might use the hooks to grab a peg, or crook and pull yourself up. Perhaps a hidden ledge.
They all appear to be the same. Aside from the hooks in the wall, and the shelf that the doll and its chair sits on, the walls have no obvious signs of other ledges or shelves.
Do you want to search for secrets? That is fine, just let me know and we'll advance to Turn 3 and the results of that search. (Turn 2 being your search turn.)
GRAIAN watched the events, "Hmm, Magic Mouth triggered by the touching of the torque, interesting. The doll returns it and then gets back up, with no other interaction. I wonder what threat the doll really is or if it just to tidy things up?"
CALLIN: Will search for secrets....
OK, CALLIN, roll me a d6 please and tell me which ten foot section of wall you'll be checking.
When TOBIAS sees CALLIN checking, he'll follow his lead and start running his hand over a section of wall looking for cracks, etc. He'll check a section of the corner near where the sack was found.
OK TOBIAS (and anyone else that wants to check), please roll me a d6. For everyone else, let me know where you're searching.
ATACIUS will search the floor behind TOBIAS as he advances.
Gabriel Perez Gallardi rolled 1d6 for a total of 2
Derek Daniels rolled 1d6 for a total of 6
TAKASHI will search the section of wall underneath the shelf on which the doll now is now perched.
Alan Krause rolled 1d6 for a total of 3
GRAIAN will search the flat wall by the door.
Chris rolled 1d6 for a total of 5
CALLIN:
Callin: rolling 1d6 (6)=6
After ten minutes of stooping, standing on tip-toes, running fingers and palms across walls, floors, corners, shelves and peering closely at the same, the five of you come to two irrefutable conclusions:
1. This is the cleanest coat closet you've ever seen. With the exception of the sack tossed in the corner, there is nothing out of place, every seam, corner and surface is perfect, clean and looks like it is brand new, rather than decades of years old. Unusually clean and precise. Whoever actually did the work of constructing the Athenum was a master craftsman. And there is no explanation for the lack of dust and age debris.
2. There are no secrets to be found in this room.
Turn 3
The archway and other door in the entryway beckon, now that the coat closet-like room has been explored. Or will you risk taking the torq? What will you do?
TOBIAS: "I wonder who really owned what's in that sack? I'll bet if whoever it belonged to grabbed it, the magic would let us take it then."
ATACIUS: "Maybe you have to leave your hat or cloak here and the doll gives you the torq as a token to retrieve it later!" says the littleling with a chuckle.
CALLIN: "Interesting the ponder, but perhaps we should focus on the door ahead." Peering toward the other door to explore. "This place bothers me on a deep level. I can feel the darkness it houses."
If you need to refer to the map, please feel free to copy it from Act 10 over to here. :)
Minor note, because sometimes words don't do justice... what Atacius saw in terms of the room shape of the "symbol corridor" looks something like this:
GRAIAN: "Well I am thinking we take the Torq with us, the Mouth is just a warning and the doll, while a little aggresive, should be easy to overcome. We could even pin it with one of the rods before it gets chance to move."
ATACIUS: "We can tie the doll to the chair first, and then we take the torq."
CALLIN: "I thought we were here to help the elves. How will the Torq acomplish that? Aren't we looking for a Library?"
TAKASHI: "I think that it might be wise to avoid conflict, if possible. We can always stop back here on the way back out and try later if we deem it wise."
TOBIAS looks thoughtful and conflicted, and says, "It DOES seem to be magic more to frighten than to hurt anybody, like maybe to scare little kids... maybe we could grab the sack and get out real fast?"
GRAIAN looked at Callin and Takashi, "I was thinking the Torq itself does not seem particularly valuable therefore why is there such a play at protecting it? I was considering that it might be useful to us in our search, perhaps a key of some sort."
CALLIN: "It could be GRAIAN, I only wonder if we should stir up uneeded trouble if we don't have too. If we need the Torq later on, perhaps we should simply come back and fetch it. If you want to take the Torq, I will of course be at your side. I just ponder the consequences with no sign of the reward we are looking for."
GRAIAN pauses, "Wise words Callin, you are right, we know where it is if we ever need it. I would like to avoid the corridor with the glyphs for now, let us return to the bell chamber."
TAKASHI: "Wise words, indeed. To the bell chamber!"
The door at the 4 o'clock positions awaits... who will open it?
TOBIAS looks at the sack, then back at the others and shrugs. He walks over to stand in a spot near the door with his lantern, so its light will shine in for whoever opens it.
ATACIUS will crack the door slowly...
The oddly-bell-shaped hallway appears empty, just as you left it. The door opposite you is closed. The archway at the "bottom" of the bell looks the same.
What will you do?
ATACIUS wil quietly move to the opposite door and have a quick listen at it. If he hears nothing, he'll motion the rest of the group to approach.
You don't hear anything after a quick listen. The door appears similar to the other doors on this level. It does not appear locked.
TOBIAS moves up to stand behind ATACIUS.
CALLIN will stand to ATACIUS' left with his shield ready to protect the little one should trouble arise
ATACIUS, seeing his friends ready, opens the door...
You open the door to a short hallway which leads into a room. At where the hallway meets the room, the wall to your left seems to curve away, following the "shape" of the bell. (look at the map to see what I mean.)
Immediately opposite where you come into the room is a door to the south. The wall that the door is set into goes to the left. So you've come at a point/corner. (if you want to use triangle terms, you've come at the "acute angle" or "A angle".) However, you can't see the full dimensions of the room as it stretches to the left beyond your light.
What you can see, from the hallway opening into the room, are shelves of books. Scrolls, tomes, grimiores, bundles of papers tied together, they are all here on shelves.
The smell of old, dry paper and cloth fills your nostrils.
The door opposite you appears the same as the other doors. There is nothing else you can see... although your light doesn't reveal the full room - yet.
END OF TURN.
*CUE ELF-gasm*
A wide grin slowly spreads across TOBIAS' face. He looks up excitedly and expectantly at GRAIAN.
GRAIAN smiles back at Tobias, "This looks promising."
Turn 4
You've entered a room full of papers, scrolls, books and other writings. You can't see the full room yet. What will you do?
CALLIN will follow ATACIUS' lead. The Little one seems to know his way around such places. "ATACIUS, take the lead my friend. I will be at your side should the darkness creep forth"
TOBIAS will follow CALLIN in. As soon as he's able, the young mage will take a few sidesteps to the left and raise the lantern high to project as much light as possible.
TAKASHI will enter, and survey the room from a tactical standpoint. Exits, potential ambush locations, walking dead, etc.
After TOBIAS moves into the room, the remainder of it becomes clear.
If we continue the triangle analogy, the hallway comes in on the c leg - right next to point A. There is a door opposite you on leg b, right next to point A. All of the walls have shelves full of the papers and books that you saw when you first come in. The c leg/side seems to follow the curve of the bell shaped hallway.
The only unusual thing about this room is a large square pillar going from marbled floor to ceiling, near the corner at point B. It has the appearance of glass or highly polished black marble... but it appears to show swirling gas of some sort. Slowly swirling, twisting, turning, almost like a slow, lazy pipe casts off slow smoke.
GRAIAN will move to the shelves close by on the North wall and examine the the items he sees there, keeping away from the pillar.
Check your private topic.
TOBIAS is fascinated by the swirling smoke on the pillar, but he can't resist moving to the south wall and looking over the things on the shelves there. He pays special attention to the books, trying to see if he can spot any titles written on the covers.
TOBIAS: "Master GRAIAN, this is amazing! But how can we ever get all this out of here?"
Check your private topic.
GRAIAN turns towards Tobiashis face beaming with wonderment, "Indeed my dear Tobias, this is a wealth of knowledge that will serve us well and provide great help in our future quests. How we get is out, I am not sure, but we have our discs to help."
GRAIAN continues to examine the items, "I think we do need to determine what we want to take, there really is too much. If you find something particulalry interesting or enlightning, put it aside and we can take it back with us when we leave. We can return another time to examine further, there may even be more in other rooms!" He smiles wistfully.
TOBIAS: "I want to read 'em all! But..." (looking suddenly a little worried): "What if there's magic, like in the other room, what tries to stop us? If this was a library... maybe you had to do something, or be somebody special, to borrow the books..."
Is there anything specific you'd like to look for?
TOBIAS remembers that GRAIAN is looking for evidence that would help stop a war with the Elves from happening, so he is looking specifically for historical books and papers with names of important Elven people and places on them. But of course, if he spots any that happen to have any spells on them or any "how-to's" of spellcasting, he'll snatch them up quickly as well!
You don't see any books specifically related to Elven history or people, although there is a book or two on Elven magicks and the study of them.
You can find as many books/papers/scrolls on those subjects as you want to carry. To put it in terms of the encumbrance rules, each 150 coins worth of weight/treasure is 1 stone. Once you go above 5 stone encumbrance, you're at 60'/round. After 7.5 stone, you're at 30'/round. After 11 stone, you aren't going anywhere. So how many books do you want to carry? :)
After a few minutes of stuffing his backpack with books, papers and scrolls, TOBIAS hefts the pack, testing the weight, and looks around with a pained look: "Um, Master TAKASHI? Could I ask a favor?"
CALLIN: "If you would like me to carry anything TOBIAS I would be more than happy to help."
TOBIAS: "Yes, please! Thank you, Father Callin!"
Just let me know how many of the books (in 150 coin increments) each of you will carry. And note that on your sheets. If any of you need to adjust your movement rate, just let me know what the new rate is.
TAKASHI: "Yes you may, TOBIAS. I can help carry some of these back to Appleton, as there are many and book are quite heavy, as I recall from my early schooling."
(Ok. TOBIAS will try to carry 7 stones' worth (1050 coins), which would put him at 30' per turn movement. 2 stones (equipment) +7 stones (books) +1 stone (STR penalty)= 10 stone equivalent)
3 stone (450 coins) of books carried - 6 stone total equivalent - 60' per round.
Make sure you have enough sacks/packs to carry said books :)
I was just thinking that - I think I'm going to have to dump things from my backpack to make space
CALLIN will remove his tunic that is over his armor to make a makeshift sack to sling over his back messanger bag style. He willl load it with enough books he can carry without overloading himself. So perhaps 4-5 stone worth, should they fit.
I'm going to rule that the tunic would be equivalent to a large sack - 300 coins - 2 stone.
TOBIAS' bedroll, flint and steel, and waterskin lie on the floor, discarded to make room in his backpack.
I should also note that this search/investigation will take 3 turns - 30 minutes. There are a lot of books and papers to look through!
What will the rest of you do?
ATACIUS will listen to the door opposite we entered (leg b right next to point A).
A quick listen - you hear nothing. If you'd like to do a full turn of listening, roll me a Hear Noise (18%) or a d6 (roughly same percentage). :)
ATACIUS will listen carefully while the rest explores the library.
Gabriel Perez Gallardi rolled 1d6 for a total of 6
CALLIN will stand ready in case this is a trap. He will also keep an eye on the pillar to make sure non of that smoke escapes and takes them by surprise.
(Atacius, this will be your action till the end of turn).
Despite the excited sounds and chatter between GRAIAN and TOBIAS, you are able to listen... but it is quiet on the other side of this door.
TAKASHI will look for books specifically mentioning Ramathia or Skalfier in their titles, as he packs up books for TOBIAS.
The books he is looking at have many crazy titles - "The Endo-Tryonic Comingling of Aetherial Intricacies To Common Fleas" for example - but nothing that seems to catch your eye saying "Ramathia" or "Skalfier". You would guess that Tobias is gathering general studies, given what he is handing you to put in packs and sacks.
GRAIAN is happy to examine the books but the post is bothering him. Obviously magical it seems somewhat benign, maybe a scrying post.
Turn 7
After much deliberation by TOBIAS, he has filled up what packs he could with books, even dumping some of his items on the floor (OOC: Derek - go ahead and note what you've dumped. And if you don't have enough storage space in your packs. I'll rulle you can carry 300 coins worth of books in your hands. Even at 6 STR. That's 2 stone encumbrance, plus whatever you have in your packs.)
GRAIAN has ... (TBD on which books, if any, he's taken)
It takes time though, and in that time, TOBIAS's lantern has required a refill.
What will you do now?
ATACIUS, having spent last turn trying to listen at the door, despite his friends excitement for the new findings, will open it and take a peek at what's behind.
The door opens to a square-ish room with a door opposite you, a door on the east wall in the SE corner, and the west wall curves concave to the room.
You catch the glint of a few scattered coins laying on the floor in the middle of the room.
ATACIUS, leaving the door cracked open, will turn to his friends. "Psst, psst, guys! Another room, two exits and coins on the floor!" he whispers excitedly.
CALLIN Upon hearing the that there are coins on the floor. "ATACIUS wait! No one would leave coin on the floor, unless it was a trap or they were running from something equally dangerous! Be cautious!"
ATACIUS, following CALLIN's advice, will close the door and go to pick up TOBIAS discarded items.
TAKASHI: "As we now are quite laden with books and scrolls, should we return back to Appleton? I know that you are keen on looking these over, GRAIAN."
GRAIAN pulled back into the moment stops looking through the books, clearly in a dilema, "This is indeed a find and there is much here that can help us, time is of the essence and I don't think we can afford the time to go back to Appleton. We should press on and see if we can find anything about my race's history." He adds several books and papers to a pile he has been making, "We should leave everything here an pick them up on the way back, we can create discs and take a lot with us outside, the horses can carry them,"
TAKASHI: "Onwards, then. I do not enjoy the confines of the underground, but it seems that in these times, that is the only place where ancient knowledge still survives."
TOBIAS mumbles disappointedly, "Well... okay..." and puts the stack of books in his arms and his laden backpack next to GRAIAN's pile. He makes sure to keep his own travel spellbook with him.
OK, assuming that you all are moving on... which direction would you like to go? You have the door that ATACIUS just opened... or the door back into the bell room.
TOBIAS picks up the lantern and goes to stand near the door that ATACIUS seems excited about.
CALLIN: will add his books to the pile and replace his Tunic and prepare to cover ATACIUS once again as we head toward the door. "Keep your wits sharp ATACIUS, coin on the ground disturbs me greatly. It is not something most would simply cast aside"
GRAIAN will keep an eye on the column in the corner as he settles to the back of the group.
TAKASHI will take his place next to the door, looking at ATACIUS to do what he's going to do.
ATACIUS will open again the door and move along the wall, staying away from the coins, until he reaches the opposite door.
Cautiously, carefully, to the door you go. It appears to be very similar to the other doors you've encountered on this level - black polished paint with a door handle to open, and good quality hardware for hinges.
TOBIAS follows a bit behind ATACIUS, bending down with his knees when he's near the coins to get a good look at them.
ATACIUS looks if the coins seem to come from any of the two other doors to the one we entered, as if they're like a trail of fallen coins.
"TOBIAS, shed some light to the ceiling please..." he asks the boy in hushed voice.
The coins look older, nothing that you would recognize, TOBIAS. They are just lying on the floor, both silver and gold. Maybe a dozen or so.
ATACIUS, the coins are scattered randomly in the center of the room.
The ceiling and floor both look the same type of rich marble that the walls are made out of.
TOBIAS straightens up silently and holds his lantern high, watching ATACIUS.
ATACIUS shrugs and press his ear to the door for a quick listen at it.
You hear nothing.
ATACIUS open the door...
You open the door to see a roughly triangular room, with the wall immediately opposite you curving concave. You've come in the middle of the wall to the north (the c line from the diagram above). The wall to the right (the east wall of this room, the b side from the diagram above) disappears into darkness with TOBIAS's dim lantern-light showing only about 20 to 30 feet around. You don't see the A point of the room as it's in darkness.
The walls of this room have shelves going from the floor to ceiling, much like the large room you came from. There are some sort of containers on these shelves - some large, looking like boxes, others smaller, looking like quivers or some sort of leather container.
TAKASHI has followed TOBIAS, keeping to the wall, mimic'ing ATACIUS's approach.
GRAIAN follows them into the room and moves to the right, walking around the coins.
ATACIUS turns to his comrades and asks in low voice: "Do you want to enter or we shall look into this other room first?" pointing the door on the East wall.
CALLIN: "We have opened the door. Whatever darkness might lurk already knows we are here. We should enter and see what we can find. I think we should stay away from the coins however"
TOBIAS nods encouragingly and stands ready to go through the next door.
ATACIUS nods and moves forward while unsheathing his shortsword.
CALLIN will follow with ATACIUS staying to his side shield and hammer at the ready. Making sure to follow the little ones lead to ensure he doesn't fall into some trap
ATACIUS will move to his right following the curved wall. As he goes by the shelves he'll take a glance at what's them to see if anything catches his atention.
GRAIAN follows the others into the room and begins to examine the items on the shelves to the left of the door.
Turn 8
As you move into this room with the shelves and containers, the light reveals that the "b side" (east wall) is about forty feet or so in length. About 30' down the "b side" is a closed black door.
GRAIAN and ATACIUS, these containers look like scroll containers. Some are narrow stone boxes, some are leather, some are metal. There are no exposed scrolls, only the closed containers.
What will you do?
GRAIAN turns excitedly toTobias "This could be a great find my friend, I know there is much Dark Magyk around here but I think this is from before that came." He then picks up one of the containers and opens it.
With a hopeful smile, TOBIAS brings the light around to try and get a look at what is in the container.
There is a scroll inside the metal container.
TOBIAS' eyes light up. He places the lantern quickly but gently on the floor and goes to grab another one of the other containers while asking GRAIAN, "Are you sure it's safe?"
CALLIN will walk the perimeter of the room checking for anything out of the ordinary. Traps, sounds, ect
ATACIUS will check the new door and listen at it.
TOBIAS: You pick up a leather scroll case.
CALLIN: Aside from being in an abandoned magickal library and "other" type of place that seems to reek of Chaos... nothing out of the ordinary that you see.
ATACIUS: You hear nothing. Aside from TOBIAS's squeaks of joy.
TOBIAS opens the leather case. If there's a scroll inside, he will unroll it and see if he can decipher it.
The title of it gives away the scroll's contents - it is a practice scroll of some sort, used to practice the inscribing of magickal runes and symbols, those used to create actual magickal writings.
TOBIAS: *squeak!*
GRAIAN pulls out the scroll, hearing Tobias he turns, "What have you found?"
TOBIAS holds the scroll open for GRAIAN to see. "Look, it's for teaching!"
GRAIAN looks at the scroll, "Interesting, clearly this has been an institution of great learning, starting at the beginning."
GRAIAN then examines the scroll he just pulled out.
It appears to be a failed attempt at a spell scroll, but was apparently reused for practice as well.
GRAIAN, sighing, examines another scroll case hoping this is of greater usefulness.
TOBIAS goes from scroll case to scroll case for as long as they let him, stuffing his pockets with the scrolls he wants to hang on to.
(OK, I'm going to rule that each of you can grab 5 scrolls per turn, that's to look at the case casually, open it, get the scroll, look at it, then put it in a pocket. If you'd rather be careful and take your time, we'll do 2 per turn. Let me know which way you'd like to approach it. Right now, based on TOBIAS's writeup, he seems like he'll go with the 5/turn option. ;> )
(Works for me... I think, even with the wide pockets the most Tobias would be able to hold is around 10 scrolls, so 2 turns)
That works!
Are you doing the quick grab, or careful grab?
Quick grab... will play the odds!
TOBIAS - the 4 more that you grab are more of the same - either practice scrolls or failed attempts.
GRAIAN - two of these scrolls seem to be magickal scrolls and require read magic to figure out what they are of. One of the scrolls is garbage and the last scroll... as you look at it, with a sudden burst of arcane energy, the tendrils of the spell contained within burn into your hands, arms, across your shoulders, up your neck and into your eyes in a most visible way, purplish-green energy arc'ing and sizzling. TOBIAS sees it quite clearly.
(Please make two saving throws. One versus poison, one versus paralysis/polymorph. Tell me what you roll for each. )
vs Poison Chris rolled 1d20 for a total of 8
vs Polymorph Chris rolled 1d20 for a total of 5
(Ouch!)
Now please make a System Shock check (based on your Con) 1d100.
And then.... roll me a d100 after that. You want to roll ... high
First roll 53
Second roll 28... which in duo-decimal is 48, which is not low, therefore is high.
duo-decimal - I had to look that up! Bwahaha! ;) Actually, 28 in duodecimal is 24 ;)
OK, I'm writing in your private topic, then we'll go to the combat round, I'll reveal your fate in the first phase... :D
ATACIUS cracks open the door and peeks intothe other room.
ATAICUS: It is hard to see into the area behind the door with the lantern behind you casting enough light to prevent your dark-vision, but not bright enough to fully illuminate the area. You think you see a desk or table with a chair of some sort. The rest of the room is in darkness.
TAKASHI stays close to ATACIUS in case of trouble or he needs help.
CALLIN: After walking the room CALLIN will rejoin ATACIUS and TAKASHI to examine the next room.
ATACIUS: "TAKASHI, CALLIN, does any of you have a torch?" asks the littleling. "We don't want to leave the wizards in the dark!"
CALLIN: "I believe TAKASHI does."
"Ah, yes I do." TAKASHI nods. "This place, it gets to a person." He lights the torch, using TOBIAS's flint and steel, then brings the torch back and holds it up high and forward, so that you can see the area beyond.
It is a large room, roughly rectangular, although from where you are at, it looks like the NE corner is cut off a bit. The room goes south beyond the visibility of the torch.
The room appears to have up to a dozen desks or writing tables. What is odd is that at many of them appear to have figures in robes and hoods sitting at them, hunched over, perhaps writing or reading or ...?
CALLIN: Thinking back to the Damned who lay dorment sends a chill down his spine... "I do not like when things sit still for too long...I worry what curse might be upon them. We should enter with care, and be on guard"
ATACIUS will quietly move forward, sword in hand, following the right wall to the South. He'll motion CALLIN and TAKASHI to go after.
CALLIN will stay beside ATACIUS hammer and shield at the ready, keeping an eye on the still forms huddling around the desks.
TAKASHI turns, hearing the sounds of the magicks striking GRAIAN, just as the robed figures put down pens, raise up and STAND to turn and face ATACIUS and CALLIN, their skeletal forms creaking as their skulls turn to face the intruders....
COMBAT - TURN 9
ROUND 1
Something is happening to GRAIAN from reading a scroll, with TOBIAS next to him. ATACIUS and CALLIN have entered the room, but after getting about ten feet in, skeletal forms at the desks have stood to face the intruders, pointing skeletal fingers at them. TAKASHI is behind the two, still in the doorway, having turned to see what is happening to GRAIAN.
What will you do?
DECLARATIONS:
Takashi - Will take the most logical action to protect as many as possible, depending on what the other characters do.
Atacius - Will cover CALLIN back, ready to fend off any skeleton trying to cut our retreart.
ATACIUS: "CALLIN, is it safe to attack them while they're cowering?" asks the littleling, smiling and wide-eyed after witnessing the power of the Light.
CALLIN: "They fear the LIGHT that shines upon them and will flee from it, but they are not docile by it, they will fight. We can press forward and smite them down, but be quick my friend."
Callin - WIll step forward between ATACIUS and the skeletans. "TAKASHI, help GRAIAN and TOBIAS" then he shouts and the skeletans "You are no longer welcome in this world! Let the LIGHT banish you to the afterlife! THe Darkness will be shattered!" Showing his Holy Symbol high CALLIN will attempt to turn undead.
Graian - Staggers and will stop to try and understand what is happening to him
Tobias - Will cry, "Help!" and start doing any counterspelling techniques he can remember, to try and lessen or counter the effects of the spell attacking Graian. (Counterspelling works against an active magick user, a scroll is a device, unfortunately. You can choose a different action, if you like.) - (I know, this is more of an act of desperation on Tobias' part. He wants to help his friend, but he doesn't really know how.) (OK, we'll go with and see what happens)
INITIATIVE:
PCs: Callin Rolls for Initiative: 4
Monsters: Michael S (chgowiz) rolled 1d6 for a total of 2
RESULTS:
1st missile/spell phase:
TOBIAS, TAKASHI and GRAIAN:
The purplish/green energy crawling over GRAIAN's body has a shocking effect. Before your eyes, his form seems to change. His body shifts shape, his limbs change their structure and length, his skin grows darker and thicker, his hands and fingers elongating.
TOBIAS, as you work your counterspell, you see GRAIAN's shape flicker back and forth from his normal form to this changing form and back. Your counterspell seems to slow down the process, but it is not the same as countering a live opponent as you've read about. This flickering, or the effect of you interfering causes him pain and he screams hoarsely, that scream changing pitch and tone as his body changes, finally ending in a inhuman squeal as the spell effect from the scroll is too different for you to counterspell.
After a few minutes, you see this:
CALLIN, your holy symbol blazes forth a light as you face what are indeed undead (finally). Please roll a d20 for the turn attempt and a d12 for number affected if successful.
Callin: Level of Undead Turned:type4 (Shadow) ( I created a macro in roll20 to do the whole thing from the turn undead table If you would prefer individual rolls I can do that instead) - nah, I'm good. :) I know where these rolls came from, but I also trust you :) Besides... what if they were type 5.... :D
Number of Undead Turned: 12
Duration: 7 Rounds
1st movement phase:
TAKASHI, torn between watching the changing in GRAIAN and turning to fight the skeletons, sees that CALLIN has turned the undead. "CALLIN, do you want me to destroy them, or do you and ATACIUS have them?"
CALLIN: "The LIGHT is on our side TAKASHI, go help GRAIAN and TOBIAS! We shall shatter the darkness in here!"
TAKASHI, unsure of what to do for GRAIAN, moves cautiously towards him. "TOBIAS, what happened?!" he exclaims.
TOBIAS: "GRAIAN, he was reading this scroll, and a bad spell came out, and..." His face is going pale.
The skeletons, turned by CALLIN's power, rush away from the cleric and crowd into a corner of the room opposite him, cowering from the Light.
2nd missile/spell phase:
None
2nd movement phase:
The skeletons continue to stay as far away from CALLIN as possible.
3rd missile/spell phase:
None
Melee phase:
ATACIUS will sheath his sword, take out his sling and fire a bullet on the huddled skeletons.
rolled 1d20 +4 for a total of 10
Hit - roll for damage.
rolled 1d4 for a total of 1
ATACIUS slings a stone at one of the cowering skeletons. It explodes apart in a cloud of dust, bones and rotted cloth. The other skeletons continue to cower before the Light.
Round 2
TOBIAS and TAKASHI are confronted by what could be described as a demonic looking GRAIAN, who appears to have been changed by the scroll he read. CALLIN has channeled his faith and power of the Light to turn the seven skeletons and ATACIUS has managed to shatter one into pieces, leaving six. CALLIN knows that the turning will only last a little while longer, and then he'll need to try again.
DECLARATIONS:
Takashi - Will look to TOBIAS for some assistance or advice about what to do about GRAIAN.
Atacus - Will keep throwing sling bullets at the cowering skeletons. rolled 1d20 +4 for a total of 21 / rolled 1d4 for a total of 1
Callin - will draw his throwing hammer and hurl it at a skeleton.Callin (GM) Attacks and Rolls (with modifiers): 17 ; Callin (GM) Hurls his Hammer into his Foe: 5
Graian - will attempt to nod his head and speak,
Tobias - Will address the transformed GRAIAN in a shaky voice while slowly backing up towards TAKASHI. "GRAIAN, is that... still you?" He prepares to cast the Charm Person spell at the first sign of aggression.
INITIATIVE:
PCs: rolled 1d6 for a total of 1
Monsters: Michael S (chgowiz) rolled 1d6 for a total of 1
RESULTS:
1st missile/spell phase:
Callin's hammer and Atacius's stone smashes two more of the skeletons into bone fragments and dust, who continue to cower while CALLIN keeps his holy symbol raised towards the undead.
Melee phase:
The GRAIAN-figure turns towards TOBIAS, making hissing/grunting/screeching noises at him, while nodding its head.
Round 3
ATACIUS and CALLIN have destroyed three out of the seven undead who are turned by CALLIN's faith in the Light. TOBIAS and TAKASHI are near the changed GRAIAN, who is now attempted to ... communicate?
DECLARATIONS:
Takashi - "GRAIAN seems ok for now, so I'll help the others!" TAKASHI will charge towards the nearest skeleton and attack it if in range.
Atacius - Will load another bullet on his sling, swirl it over his head and let it fly towards the skeletons.
(rolled 1d20 +4 for a total of 21 /rolled 1d4for a total of 2)
Callin - Will draw his War Hammer, and make his way toward the remaining skeletons to smash them to powder. "By the LIGHT you shall fall creatures of bane!"
Graian - Will give up attempting to speak and holding his staff firmly in his claws will move towards the skeletons
Tobias - Will watch GRAIAN closely and follow him into the other room.
INITIATIVE:
PCs: Callin Rolls for Initiative: 1
Monsters: Michael S (chgowiz) rolled 1d6 for a total of 5
RESULTS:
1st missile/spell phase:
ATACIUS's deadly stones continue to rain destruction, with another skeleton crumbling to fragments and dust from the impact of the sling stone.
1st movement phase:
TAKASHI charges into battle, with CALLIN moving as well. GRAIAN, in his changed form, enters the room as well, with TOBIAS in tow.
The remaining 3 skeletons move away from CALLIN, keeping out of melee range of him, as a fighting withdrawal move. Suddenly, GRAIAN and TOBIAS have 3 skeletons moving in their direction!
2nd movement phase:
The skeletons continue to move away from CALLIN, and are now trapped between TAKASHI and CALLIN on one side, and GRAIAN and TOBIAS (in the doorway).
TAKASHI finishes his charge (which looked like a curving loop, thanks to the skeletons movements, away from CALLIN.
3rd missile/spell phase:
Melee phase:
(TAKASHI, GRAIAN, make combat rolls. CALLIN, they have moved away from you, but as they are now trapped, you can fight them next round)
TAKASHI rolled 1d20 for a total of 14 +3 (fighter) +2 (charge) +x (sword) = 19 +x
TAKASHI rolled 1d8 for a total of 6 +x (sword) = 6 +x
GRAIAN rolled 1d20 for a total of 11 (+1 for 2nd level mage) + any modifers related to his new form
GRAIAN rolled 1d6 for a total of 4 + any modifers related to his new form.
TAKASHI and GRAIAN both connect with the skeletons. TAKASHI's sword does not seem as effective as GRAIAN's staff, but together, they manage to reduce another skeleton to disconnected bones and dust.
Round 4
Two skeletons remain, with TAKASHI, GRAIAN and CALLIN closed to melee range and in close combat with the undead. ATACIUS had been deadly with his shots, but he can't fire into the melee now, without risking injuring his companions. TOBIAS is behind the changed, but fighting GRAIAN.
DECLARATIONS:
Takashi - TAKASHI will advance to the nearest skeleton, and try to bring this threat to an end.
Atacius - The littleling is dumbfounded by the presence of the demonic creature holding GRAIAN's staff that's helping destroy the skeletons. Confident his friends will deal with the remaining skeletons, he'll move to inspect the NE corner of the room.
Callin - "The Darkness can not protect you from the LIGHT creatures! May the darkness that haunts you shatter, and free your souls to peace!" And with that CALLIN will slam his hammer down on the skeleton.
Graian - Will try to attack another of the skeletons, in hios mind wondering if this is a permanent change.....
Tobias - Watches in wonder as his friends destroy the skeleton creatures one by one, but keeps an eye out for any way to help.
(Those of you attacking, go ahead and roll for to-hit and damage, please)
INITIATIVE:
PCs: Alan Krause rolled 1d6 for a total of 4 - PCs have initiative.
Monsters: Michael S (chgowiz) rolled 1d6 for a total of 1
Callin Attacks and Rolls (with modifiers): 12
Callin Smashes his War Hammer into his Foe: 5
Atk: TAKASHI rolled 1d20 for a total of 20 +3 (fighter) +x (sword) = 23 +x
Crt: TAKASHI rolled 1d100 for a total of 66 (no critical, needed to be <= 30)
Dmg: TAKASHI rolled 1d8 for a total of 1 +x (sword) = 1 +x
GRAIAN rolled 1d20 for a total of 16 + any bonus
GRAIAN rolled 1d6 for a total of 1 + any bonus
RESULTS:
ATACIUS calmly walks over to the angled cut-off corner of the room and starts to look it over. It doesn't seem unusual after a quick glance.
Melee phase:
TAKASHI and GRAIAN again combine to smash at a skeleton, but this one seems to be made of sterner stuff as it survives the assault. It is still trying to move away from CALLIN and it starts to move into the room holding the scroll containers.
CALLIN faces one of the skeletons and smashes his war hammer at it, but in the scramble, it seems to avoid his blows as it moves away from him.
Round 5
DECLARATIONS: (Those of you attacking, go ahead and roll for to-hit and damage, please)
Takashi - "Tougher than they look, aren't they?" TAKASHI will try and finish off the wounded skeleton.
Atacius - Will search for anything hidden in that corner.
Callin - "The Darkness will not protect you from the LIGHT! May it's brightness shatter your hold upon this world!" And with that Callin will slam his War Hammer down on the Skeleton who evaded him.
Graian - "<screech><hiss> are" and continues to attack the skeletons with his staff
Tobias - Looks again to make sure that Graian is acting like himself. He certainly doesn't LOOK like himself...
INITIATIVE:
PCs: Callin Rolls for Initiative: 3
Monsters: Michael S (chgowiz) rolled 1d6 for a total of 6
TAKASHI attacks and rolled 1d20 for a total of 14 +3(fighter) +x(sword) = 17 +x(sword)
TAKASHI rolled 1d8 for a total of 3 +x(sword)
Callin Attacks and Rolls (with modifiers): 17
Callin Smashes his War Hammer into his Foe: 3
GRAIAN rolled 1d20 for a total of 2
RESULTS:
1st movement phase:
The skeleton that GRAIAN and TAKASHI are fighting attempts to flee from CALLIN's Light, and offers up an excellent attack of opportunity for the PC. TAKASH's blade again connects a few times against the bones of the undead, but it seems to have less effect than he would have hoped. However, it is enough and the skeleton's bones fall to the floor with a hollow clatter, the jaw bone flying off into the scroll container room.
Melee phase:
The last skeleton cowers before CALLIN's Light and CALLIN smashes his hammer into the undead. It survives the onslaught and is twisting away to flee between TAKASHI and the changed GRAIAN.
ATACIUS, you see nothing obvious. If you want to search for secrets, that will take a full turn and we'll go through that after combat.
OK, no problem, I'll wait for the combat to end.
TOBIAS, aside from the screeching, the demon-GRAIAN seems to be focused on fighting the skeletons, although it has cast no spells... yet.
Round 6
(Turning will expire at the end of round 7)
One skeleton remains and it is trying to flee from CALLIN, to head out of the room and into the scroll container room.
DECLARATIONS: (Those of you attacking, go ahead and roll for to-hit and damage, please)
Takashi - TAKASHI will work in concert with his friends, and attempt to lay the Skeleton low with a mighty blow.
Atacius - Will put his sling away, draw the shortsword, and stay alert if something comes from the South.
Callin - "The Darkness has a strong hold upon you! But the LIGHT will prevail!" And again Callin will slam his war hammer into the creature!
Graian - Will follow the skeleton and attack again (@Chris- go ahead and roll for to-hit/damage, please)
Tobias - watches nervously as the skeleton gets nearer to the precious scrolls. His grip tightens on his dagger, still in its hilt...
INITIATIVE:
PCs: Callin Rolls for Initiative: 3
Monsters:
Callin Attacks and Rolls (with modifiers): 19
Callin Smashes his War Hammer into his Foe: 5
GRAIAN rolled 1d20 for a total of 2
TAKASHI rolled 1d20 for a total of 9 +3(fighter) +x(sword) = 12 +x(sword)
TAKASHI rolled 1d8 for a total of 4 +x(sword)
RESULTS:
Melee phase:
With a mighty call to the Light, Callin's war hammer smashes again and again into the cowering, fleeing skeleton and it too is reduced to a splintered mess of bone and dust. It is almost as if a nimbus of pure white light surrounds him momentarily as he steps back to take a few breaths.
END OF COMBAT.
Turn 10 - rest turn after combat. No activity is done.
Turn 11
The lantern that TOBIAS put down in the scroll library casts a dim light, and TAKASHI's torch, half burnt away, casts light into the now quiet scriptorium. ATACIUS, your search this turn -- please roll me a d6.
What will you do?
Actions here :)
ATACIUS: With the new light from the lantern the littleling will carefully inspect the NE corner of the scriptorium.
Gabriel Perez Gallardi rolled 1d6 for a total of 5
That would be from TAKASHI's torch, TOBIAS's lantern is in the other room (unless you are really that good at sneaking/hiding/stealing... :D ) but no matter the light, this wall seems like a wall. Just oddly angled, but then, this whole place has had odd angles and curves.
CALLIN will make sure no other creatures are hiding in the shadows, then will put away his war hammer, and pick up his throwing hammer, while trying to calm his breathing back down saying a small prayer for the undead souls released. "May your souls finally be at peace, freed from the Darkness. Head forth to the LIGHT and be free."
There are no other creatures hiding in the shadows. The floor and walls themselves of the room are the same as the rooms you've been in - very clean, dust free, rich marble. It is only the desks that have signs of age - crumbling parchment paper, dried out inkpots and small pots/containers of what look like strange herbs and dusts, tattered feathers that have small areas that show rich colors of what must have been fine quills.
TOBIAS will fetch his lantern from the other room and move to see if there are any labels or symbols on any of the containers.
You don't see any symbols or marks or labels on the scroll containers that you look at.
GRAIAN will move towards the South of the room, exploring as much as can be seen from the light of Tobias' lantern.
TOBIAS is in the scroll container room, with the lantern. TAKASHI is in the scroll writing room, with his torch. I'm assuming you mean the scriptorium :) To the south, you find more desks, much the same as I've described. The remains of their "tasks" and "tools" are decaying away.
(I meant for TOBIAS to bring the lantern into the scriptorium from the other room and check the containers of herbs and dusts and such for labels; I'm sorry I wasn't specific)
Got it. See below. I wasn't sure :)
CALLIN will look at GRAIAN with a bit of confusion. "GRAIAN? is that you? What has happened?"
TAKASHI will carefully look at the desks where the skeletons were.
"It seems that even in death, they labored over their studies to the very end. I wonder what fell magic kept them here, only to awake when we entered? What could they be protecting?"
TAKASHI will closely look at the desks, to see if he can find anything interesting or of value.
With the scriptorium fully illuminated between TAKASHI's torch and TOBIAS's lamp, you can see all ten of the desks in the room are the same.
TOBIAS and GRAIAN, the dusts and herbs look like what would commonly be used for creating spell scrolls. If you wish to spend another turn collecting them, then one of you give me a 1d6 roll, and that will be the value x100 of the surviving scroll components (My houserules are scrolls can be created in 1 week per level and cost 100 gp per level of spell to create. These dusts/herbs would save you that cost.)
Chris rolled 1d6 for a total of 1 (grrr)
Go ahead and record that as treasure found. However you wish to divide that up...
(GRAIN can have it all; TOBIAS still owes him 80 from the spellcasting from before, so he'll give his share (50) over to pay back most of that.)
TAKASHI, the parchments look rotted and decayed by time. It's hard to understand why the two mages are excited about pots of dust and herbs, but you know mages... :D Nothing else of value is on the desks.
TAKASHI mutters to himself: "Musty paper, strange ungents, mysterious ingredients - no wonder neither of you are married yet!"
ATACIUS chuckles, his keen hearing catching TAKASHI's comment.
TOBIAS helps get the dusts and herbs packed up for GRAIAN, then looks up at his face and shakes his head helplessly. He turns to CALLIN. "Father Callin, I don't know what to do! There are so many books and scrolls and things to go through and get out safely, but Graian said he needed to find those elven histories too, and... I think we need to find a spelll in one of these scrolls or books to... turn him back to... normal...."
ATACIUS approaches his friends eyeing GRAIAN with narrowed eyes.
CALLIN turns to TOBIAS. "I Agree we must do what we can to help GRAIAN become himself again. However I cannot decipher the texts which you speak of, so the task must fall to you. Perhaps you should begin looking at the books in more detail to see if there is something to be done for GRAIAN" CALLIN then turns to GRAIAN "You still seem to have your mind and spirit present...that is good. The Light continues to shine from you, even though your form is shrouded in darkness. Can you still write? Perhaps you can help TOBIAS and the rest of us to find a way to reverse what has happened to you. Unless of course you prefer the horns, claws and hooves." CALLIN adds that last bit, with a slight smile, hoping to lighten GRAIAN's mood a bit.
TOBIAS takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly. He picks up the lantern and heads back to the other rooms, to begin going through the books, searching chapter headings and indexes for anything that might lead to a spell or other magic they could use to restore GRAIAN.
If you do that, the party is in two different rooms. Which I'm OK with, but want to make sure that you knew this... you wouldn't be able to speak to ATACIUS or hear him...
(Ok. Tobias is just taking Callin's advice and going back to the book room so he has access to all of them to try and find something, even though he thinks it's going to be a really tough task. It's up to the others to decide if they follow.)
GRAIN follows Tobias into the library gesticulating and attempts to speak, he stops and pulls out some chalk from his back pack and begins to write on the floor.
CALLIN: watches GRAIAN's writings intently to see what he has to say
ATACIUS: "How can we help?" asks the littleling, looking from TOBIAS to GRAIAN, a note of worry in his voice.
TOBIAS looks up from the book he's holding and scans the room quickly, finally pointing at one of the shelves. "There... start on the bottom row, look for anything that mentions removing enchantments, or dispelling curses."
TAKASHI will move into the room with TOBIAS and ATACIUS, and begin looking (very carefully) at the books on the shelves, attempting to find something that might abolish all witchcraft, wizardry, and evil-doing.
TAKASHI: (muttering again) "When one tangles with unknown forces, surprising things can happen, eh ATACIUS? Lucky he wasn't turned into a pillar of salt, at least. Wonder what would happen if we went back to Skalfier with GRAIAN in his current state? We came with one of the Damned last visit, now with... this."
ATACIUS: "You're right my friend.", agrees the littleling, as he looks the books for something like TOBIAS mentioned. "It would be something to go back to Appleton with GRAIAN like that, not to mention Skalfier! Maybe the preiestess can teach CALLIN something to help him." he wonders. "Anyway we, or at least him, in the meantime should stay at the farm."
After searching for the rest of the turn, all you've come up with is "Possible Side-effects of Combining Meta-Humanistic-Properties With Spell-Alteration" as the book title. It doesn't seem to be a spell book, but it does have a lot of drawn pictures of humans and demi-humans being changed into... creatures and things. The pictures do not look pleasant to view.
GRAIAN: After marking something out that looks like Graian on the floor he starts to speak very slowly and deliberately " I hsss......Graian, hsssss.......... can be returned hssss........ real form"
CALLIN: "That is good news GRAIAN. What can we do to help you?"
End of Turn. We'll continue below :)
(Note: I'm waiting for GRAIAN to respond to CALLIN (and the possible discussion) before ending the turn. ATACIUS/TAKASHI and TOBIAS can continue next turn. @Chris)
Turn 12
You have all gathered in the library room, with the pillar of swirling ... something inside it (or is it on the surface?) TOBIAS has found a book that might be of help, but will require some time to study and see what it says. In the meantime, GRAIAN has written his name (rather shakily) in Human letters on the floor using his chalk and has spoken to CALLIN.
TAKASHI's torch is nearly out. TOBIAS's lantern continues to cast a faint, 30' radius glow.
Actions here.
GRAIAN will try to study the bo
TOBIAS will continue to look through books for anything helpful.
ATACIUS: "Before leaving, Maybe we can check the last door in the room with the coins...." he suggests.
It would take several days of reading to full grasp the tome and what it is saying. It does look promising in explaining things, but it is written in very dense language and is not easy to read or understand.
GRAIN closes the book and adds it to the pile to take back to Appleton. He goes over to Atacius ".....yessss."
ATACIUS instinctively steps back, then realizes it's GRAIAN. "Sorry friend, but that was creepy." he says looking ashamed.
CALLIN: with GRAIAN saying we should look in the next room, CALLIN once again takes position to the right of ATACIUS. "OK ATACIUS, lets see what's behind door number 3"
TOBIAS looks up from the books. He makes sure that any others that he's found that might be helpful are ready to go, then stands up, grabs the lantern and goes to stand behind the other guys.
TAKASHI will stand behind CALLIN and ATACIUS, ready to follow through the door to what (if anything) lies beyond.
Michael S (chgowiz) rolled 1d20 for a total of 16
Everyone manages to avoid stepping into the area where the coins are at. ATACIUS and TAKASHI are now in front of the door facing east. It is closed.
ATACIUS nods to TAKASHI, short sword in one hand, and reaches for the door handle with the other. He opens it slowly.
You open the door to see a long room beyond that stretches beyond the light of TOBIAS's lantern, so you are seeing about 20 feet into the room. It seems to run east/west, and you've come in at the west wall. It's roughly twenty feet wide (N/S).
In the light, you can that the N/S walls are bookshelves with what appear to be bound books.
The silence of the Athenum seems to want to press in on you. Except for GRAIAN's rasping breath.
TOBIAS will try and move into the room a little bit to let the light illuminate it better.
Traveling straight east, about 40 feet, you find an archway in the south wall that opens to a passage that runs SE. Peeking down that way, it runs about ten to fifteen feet before ending into a door. The room continues on past that about another 40 feet to the east wall. The east wall is empty, and just the normal marble, but a heap of cloth lies on the floor near it.
The bookshelves run the length of the N/S walls, and the archway is built into the bookcases, so there are a couple of shelves above it.
TOBIAS stands in the middle of the room, looking up at the bookshelves, grinning from ear to ear.
The smell of musty pages fills your nose. A slightly damp smell, different from the other library.
Damp? TOBIAS frowns slightly. That's not good for the books! Is there anything wet on the ceiling or walls that he can see?
Not that you can see, no.
CALLIN will enter the room as well looking for any dangers. He will peer at the pile of clothes on the floor. Not touching, but examining from a distance.
You don't see any obvious dangers. The cloth appears to be a tapestry or some sort of covering or some panel of cloth. It might have been on the wall at one time, but there's nothing to indicate it was or wasn't. There might be a design or some sort of drawing or painting on it, it's hard to see with it in a heap.
CALLIN will attempt to layout the cloth to see what the design is.
It looks to be a tapestry of a mage, a middle-aged figure with black hair and pale white, almost albino skin. The tapestry itself is faded and it looks like it is decaying in some fashion. There is no debris on the floor, but the tapestry itself rips and tears easily and fragments fall off as you move it around.
CALLIN: "GRAIAN, TOBAIS, does this mean anything to you? Is this perhaps a famous mage? I fear the tapestry will not last much longer, should it hold a clue, we might make haste to examine it."
TOBIAS comes over and looks at the figure on the tapestry. "He looks kind of like me, but a lot older..." he says softly.
ATACIUS will move cautiously down the SE passage and listen at the door.
(ATACIUS - a quick listen or a full turn listen?)
A full turn while the rest is busy with the books.
TAKASHI will move along the length of the bookshelves, attempting to get a quick overview of what they are about by looking at their spines.
TAKASHI: "I do not know if I have ever seen so many books in one place before. The combined knowledge contained in these tomes is... humbling."
The moment you get within 5 feet of a bookshelf, a "hand" of energy materializes and *PUSHES* you forcibly away from the books towards the middle. Then it vanishes.
TAKASHI (puzzled): "It appears as if someone does not want anyone to touch their books. Devilry abounds in this place!"
TOBIAS (looking up, surprised): "Wow! What a great way to protect books!"
CALLIN: "TOBAIS..... perhaps this Tapistry looks like you because it wants you to have access to the Library. Can you get to the shelves?"
TOBIAS looks skeptical. "I... don't know..." He lowers the lantern to the floor. After a moment, he also reaches down to unsheath his dagger, then bends down to place it on the floor next to the lantern. He straightens up and approaches the books slowly, cautiously, with his hands and arms stretched out in front of him.
GRAIAN waits to see what happens and if he can notice anything that may provide clues as to how to defeat the protection, "D..isssspel......agyk usssful ssspelssss."
TOBIAS continues until his hand touches the books. They feel old, and when you touch one, a small cloud comes up of dust and perhaps a bit of decay mold. It makes you sneeze, which leads to more dust and mold, but you are not interfered with in any way.
CALLIN: "By the LIGHT! TOBIAS, it seems we have found your study!"
TOBIAS blinks in surprise, and then begins to smile broadly as he slowly pulls out a book!
TAKASHI: "Perhaps the books favor the youthful, or disdain my ignorance."
The book he's pulled out has a strange appearance, as if the leather cover was not cowhide... but another skin. Or it might be the face that is embossed on the leather front. Or it might be the lock that keeps the book closed.... or perhaps that the face's eyelids have opened and the three eyes are staring at TOBIAS.
TOBIAS: "G-gahhh!"
CALLIN: "What vile darkness created such a book!" As he clutches his holy symbol then chants a quick prayer for his companions.
TOBIAS stands frozen in place, eyes wide and locked with the eyes on the book. Finally, he slowly raises his violently shaking right hand to the lock on the side of the book...
CALLIN: "TOBIAS, do you think it wise to open a book made of flesh!"
TOBIAS breaks the stare he shares with the books' eyes at CALLIN's shout. He looks at Callin but it takes a moment for him to find his voice: "Um... N-no, I.... guess not?"
TOBIAS walks back to the shelf and gingerly tries to return the book to its slot. Then he tries to scan over the other books and see if there are any titles written on their dusty spines.
TAKASHI quietly and non-chalantly eases his sword back into its scabbard.
The eyes close as TOBIAS puts the book back on the shelf.
None of the books have titles or authors on them. Some have numbers on them, or symbols that look more like heraldry than anything else, but nothing to indicate what they are, at least to TOBIAS. A great many of them seem bound in similar covering, judging by the books' spines that he can see.
This set up, though, looks oddly familiar to GRAIAN. His memories seem to go back to his days with his former mentor, Zabbas...
GRAIAN approaches the shelves to examine the books more closely....
It dawns on GRAIAN that he has seen this sort of set up before at Zabbas's library... these might be spell books. Although the spell books never had skin-like covers and eyes... but they did have numbers and symbols on the spines, much like these.
And GRAIAN approaches the bookshelves with no problem.
GRAIAN studies the books and tries to remember what he had seen in Zabbas' library, seeing if anything looks the same
Just the numbers and fact that symbols may be used to indicate schools or types of books. Zabbas did mention that different schools or different approaches to magick were represented differently.
GRAIAN continues to study the books and tries to match the symbols with those used by Zabbas to indicate the school of magick
TOBIAS (noticing GRAIAN looking over the books): "Master Graian, do you see one that might be able to help you?"
GRAIAN pauses and turns to Tobias, pointing to the symbols on the books "ssssyb...lssss", a look of frustration crosses his face and he concentrates more "dif...u..rent......sssskooolsss" a long pause then "dnt.... no...ssss.....wich sssss." He sighs and he slumps a little
TOBIAS pats GRAIAN on the arm. Then he turns back to the books, looking them over with a frown. He tries to find a symbol that might indicate transformative magick.
TAKASHI: "I would be glad to help, but it seems that I am not wanted near these books."
(GRAIAN - please roll 5d6 and compare that result to your INT. Let me know if the roll was higher, same, lower. TOBIAS, same for you, but do it on 6d6.)
For CALLIN, TAKASHI and ATACIUS, any time you've moved within 5' of the book cases, you've been unceremoniously pushed back. Only GRAIAN and TOBIAS seem able to approach the bookshelves.
END OF TURN.
Turn 14 (you spent a lot of time/activity previous, so we'll advance)
ATACIUS, you're not sure what you are hearing. There is some sort of noise, but it's not like anything you've ever heard before. It could be mechanical... or maybe it's magickal... or maybe natural. It doesn't seem to stay the same.
ATACIUS is going to search the door (door, frame, handle/lock) for traps.
You don't see anything obvious that a thief would normally find. (If you want to look for the extraordinary, that'll be your turn and you can roll and let me know what you get!)
ATACIUS has 29% on Find Traps and I rolled 1d100 for a total of 14, so if there's anything out of the ordinary I might find it!
Carefully examining the door, it's usual handle and hinges that are similar to the other doors, the door frame and just about everything that you can imagine... and the door appears ordinary. But those sounds ... you can *just* barely hear them, still... just at the edge of perception...
ATACIUS will go back to his friends. "Guys, that is the first door here that I hear something beyond." he says pointing down the SE corridor. "The sound is barely audible and I don't know what's the source."
CALLIN/TAKASHI, the hairs on your arms is standing up, as is the hairs on the back of your neck.
(Just to repeat from the previous turn blip - GRAIAN - please roll 5d6 and compare that result to your INT. Let me know if the roll was higher, same, lower. TOBIAS, same for you, but do it on 6d6.)
Derek Daniels rolled 4, 2, 6, 1, 1, 4 on 6d6 for a total of 18 - over TOBIAS's Int of 14.
GRAIAN rolled 5, 2, 1, 5, 4 on 5d6 for a total of 17 - equal to his intelligence of 17....
TOBIAS, it is hard to tell if there's a rhyme or reason to these symbols, or what they might mean. You can tell there are different symbols on the books, but the few shelves that you can cover in 10 minutes doesn't seem to help in figuring out a system.
GRAIAN, you recognize the symbol for Necromancy straight off, and that the symbols roughly correspond to the 8 schools of magic. But it seems whoever owned this place or these books used different symbols or had a different approach. Withouth knowing what the books may contain, it will be hard to know which symbols are for which.
What is disturbing is that most of these books seem like they are in bad shape, unlike what you've seen elsewhere.
TAKASHI: "Something is very wrong near here, and is heading our way. I suggest we leave with whatever it is you would like to carry, now."
TOBIAS, on hearing TAKASHI, tries to quickly but carefully grab a handful of books from the shelves, just the first ones he sees that appeal to him or that he likes the symbol on. Then he picks up his lantern, signalling that he's ready to go.
@Derek Daniels - roll me a d10, then roll a d6x(whatever the d10 number was). Tell me the results, please.
9 x 1 = 9
Well, I explained that badly, didn't I? I need you to roll 9 d6s please :) Tell me the results, individually.
Ahhh...
3, 4, 5, 4, 2, 5, 4, 2, 4
7 out of the nine books that you grabbed crumble in your hands, the pages rotted and decayed. Two of them do not, but they have similar "faces" embossed in the skin (or maybe the skin IS their face?) and locks/straps keeping them from opening.
GRAIAN will also try to take books, attempting to take ones that seem to be of different schools and in better shape.
GRAIAN rolled 1d10 for a total of 6 followed by 4, 5, 2, 1, 6, 1
GRAIAN, you are more fortunate, only 3 of the book disintegrate when you attempt to remove them. They all appear to be in similar shape until you remove them fully. The three that you have - All 3 are locked with a strap. 2 have faces and multiple eyes, one only has a strange lock with a finger sized hole in it.
CALLIN: grips his shield and hammer a bit tighter, and chants a prayer to the Light. " TAKASHI is right, there is something wrong here. It is time to leave."
GRAIAN carries the books and heads back to the library to add to the pile they have already collected
TURN 15
Navigating with several large books, GRAIAN and TOBIAS have made it back to the library room with their newfound books. TAKASHI, ATACIUS and CALLIN are right with them, and you do not hear those strange noises anymore.
What will you do now, in this room of books, the strange pillar of gases or moving surfaces.
What will you do? :)
CALLIN: "I think it best if we leave this place and inspect these books in the Light. This musty cavern is not a place of life. Just decay and death"
ATACIUS: "Yes, we need to get GRAIAN back to his former self and then look for anything that might help prevent the war between his kin." agrees the littleling. "There be plenty of times to get back here and continue to explore this place."
TOBIAS: "Sounds good to me!" He begins gathering up however many more books he can carry out.
GRAIAN lets out a sound to catch Tobias' attention, "d.....issssscccsss" and makes a circular motion with his hand. Taking out his spellbook and some components, which he attemtps to share with Tobias, he settles down.
TOBIAS frowns quizzically for a second at GRAIAN, and then exclaims, "Oh! The spell what makes the disks... right!" He gets ready to do some ritual casting.
GRAIAN suddenly stops and gets up "W..e.....mussst.... sstop....te..e war" he utters
CALLIN: "GRAIAN, I understand, but let us be reasonable, in your current state, it will be very difficult to identify any information which may stop the War, let alone parlay with the Elves. It would be in our best interest to work on removing whatever curse is upon you, and going through the books we have aquired for information to stop the war. We can even show the Elves what we have found, and that there is further knowledge to explore. That alone should push some doubt into any warmonger."
GRAIAN looks at the pile of books they have collected, he does not remember seeing anything that would help directly, but perhaps proof of the library's existance will be enough to persuade the Conclave that there may be a better solution than war. He has his doubts, but Callin's words make sense to him. Nodding slowly he settles back down and begins the preparations to cast.
Turn 15 and 16 are taken up with the ritual casting, so we will pick it up at Turn 17.
Turn 17
With two discs of arcane power floating before you, you can now load the books and move to where you want to go.
What will you do now?
ATACIUS: "Is Athenum in the lands of Appleton?" the littleling wonders. "What I mean, and here I'm thinking of the welfare of the Lord and the people of Appleton, when we mention the discovery of the library, we wouldn't want a rush of treasure hunters coming and going around here, without them paying what's due right?"
TAKASHI: "Hmmmm. Well thought, friend. Perhaps we could omit the location and name, but describe the trove of books found."
TOBIAS (scrambling to load as many books as he can on the discs): "Ok, ok! But let's load up these books and get out of here!"
GRAIAN loads books onto the discs and looks around to see if anything else catches his eye.
There are only books, tomes, bundles of papers and such. You had already made piles, so I'm assuming you are loading your discs to the limit of their capacity. We'll assume each book or bundle is 10 lbs (10 coins) in weight.
TAKASHI will try and help them load the books onto the discs, so long as the books do not actively attempt to eat him or move away from him. He is particularly wary of those with unusually "leather" coverings.
CALLIN will also help to load the discs and avoid being eatin by a book. "I agree we should not devulge the location simply inform them we can provide more information. Perhaps we should scan the existing books to make sure they should not fall into the wrong hands, and if they are safe enough pass them to the group to read while we inform them we can gather more information."
As we retrace our steps out, TOBIAS will watch closely to make sure nothing falls off the discs.
The trip back to the surface is quick, as you were not that far away from the entrance. Besides the doors closing behind you, nothing else of note happens and you reach the surface in good order. The sun is setting on the day.
Evening, 25th Day of Fall, The Athenum.
Apsuna and her flock are around the ruins as you emerge. The horses are nervous, but unharmed.
Apsuna, upon seeing you exit the Athenum, flies to the wall and alights on it.
"My friends." she croaks. "You have returned again from the depths... and with your leaves, I see. And ... "
She cocks her head curiously at GRAIAN and her mouth drops open, possibly in laughter. "... not unharmed, I see. You definitely have a different skin, my elven friend.. at least I hope you are the elf and not a new companion."
CALLIN: Smiles at Apsuna's response to GRAIAN's appearance. " Yes it seems he wished to see how the other half lived this day! But by the Light we will help out Elven friend get back to his former self! Thank you Apsuna for tending to our horses while we journeyed into the library!"
GRAIAN looks at Apsuna and shrugs, "U....ge..t usd t..o...it, co.u.d b wr...ssse" he 'smiles' and nods in gratitude for the help and support Apsuna has given
Apsuna cocks her head again to look at GRAIAN. "Indeed, and what a strange egg you've cracked open, my friend. I'm not sure I would have known, had it not been for your friends being with you, and now to hear you speak. The more I hear from you of this place, the more I contemplate moving our nest. This seems to be such a cursed place."
TAKASHI: "That may be wise, Apsuna. When I am there, I feel a malevolent force beneath the earth... with us. This place would need to be clensed from within before I would feel comfortable recommending it as a nesting site for you and your kin. Has anything ever emerged from beneath? If not, you may be relatively safe on this side of the portal."
Apsuna's feathers lift and ruffle from her neck down to her tail-feathers.
"My friend... you may be right, but those ruins have not been disturbed for many trips of the sun through the sky. All was quiet. Now that you've gone within, who knows if what has been awoken will come out?"
CALLIN: "We are so sorry to have disrupted your home Apsuna. I fear there is nothing but darkness in those caverns! I would rather not think of what may lurk out."
TOBIAS: "But we have to cleanse it anyway, don't we TAKASHI? There's no way we could carry all of those books out, and we don't have any place to put them to keep them safe even if we did!"
GRAIAN nods, "in..deed. we ..do m..y fre..nd. Th..is i.s an im..p.orta..nt pl..a.c..e."
TOBIAS nods vigorously.
TAKASHI looks towards CALLIN and ATACIUS while TOBIAS and GRAIAN (attempts to) speak.
TAKASHI: "The only way I know to cleanse an infected wound, is to cut off the dead and infected flesh, so that time can heal the wound. Cleansing the Atheneum may require a similar effort. It will be difficult, and I do not know what stirs below.
If it was a single location, then perhaps brother CALLIN could consecrate the area. But what we have seen below looks to be a fairly large complex."
Apusuna dips her head to CALLIN.
"Your kind usually does kick the twigs out of a nest, sometimes causing it to be stronger, sometimes causing it to fall. I do not judge your ways, only observe that you have gained two people their everlasting love even though they are both dead. That you come to this place seeking knowledge and it may be that some of you now carry that darkness on your skin... or in your heart."
She listens to TAKASHI.
"Such is your destiny, if the wind and sky blow that way. For me, I will keep watch, protect my children and if the evil stirs within and comes out, we will leave."
Alrighty, gents... what do you want to do now? Head to Skalfier? Head to Appleton? It's evening, sun is low in the sky. You can make it to Appleton by sundown. You could encamp to head to Skalfier. Or ... ?
Man, if we go back to Skalfier with GRAIAN looking like he does, they are really going to start to wonder about us. We bring back a Damned last time, a monster/GRAIAIN this time.. what's next?
I vote for staying in Appleton tonight, then heading to Skalfier in the morning.
I agree, but maybe the lady cleric that helped us with the Damned could help GRAIAN too.
TOBIAS will do his best to make sure the books are packed securely on the horses so that no harm will come to them on the journey back to Appleton.
CALLIN: head back to Appleton. See if Tobias can fix grain, and I will pray to the Light on it as well for some answers!
The trip back to Appleton is quickly interrupted as GRAIAN is overcome with the noises, smells, sights and a sensitivity to CALLIN's Holy Symbol that GRAIAN had never experienced before. For the first hour after leaving the Athenum, he is almost comatose, dealing with the changes to how his senses work. Several times, he nearly falls off his horse.
TAKASHI: "GRAIAN, do you know if this is a permanent or temporary change? Do you even know what kind of creature you are now?"
TOBIAS tries to find some ink, a quill, and some parchment for GRAIAN so he can (hopefully) more easily communicate.
GRAIAN manages to stay on his horse.... just. He hears Tobias' question and looks up, hoping he can keep his balance and stop the assault on his senses from Callin's Holy Symbol. "I...am...no..t ......ssure, th..ink ..it c..an ...be rev..er...s.....ed. Bu..t it ....may..n..ot b.e...s....o ba..d."
CALLIN: "I can think of no worse fate than being repulsed by the Light. It is what makes us who we are GRAIAN. We will purge this darkness from you. The Light will melt away this darkness that binds you."
There doesn't seem to be any long term ill effects to GRAIAN and you arrive at Appleton near the middle of the night. Which is fortunate, as it makes it easier to get to Flinigan/Tobias's house unseen.
TOBIAS, a long, sleepless night passes with you and GRAIAN looking through the books. As dawn breaks, a solid six hours of study has given you a few facts:
1. These books are very focused on magick and its study. They are near treasures and if you continued to study them, you would find your knowledge greatly increased, but it would take at least 3 ten-days of study to begin to scratch the surface.
2. The book "Possible Side-effects of Combining Meta-Humanistic-Properties With Spell-Alteration" covers a lot of what happens with a polymorph spell when used to affect another humanoid creature. It seems that GRAIAN was indeed polymorphed and has managed, through possibly luck or intelligence, to retain who he is, but with the body and possible powers of another creature. Some sort of dispel would be needed, either arcane or divine, to remove the effects, and hopefully GRAIAN would be strong enough to survive. It seems he would stay this way until changed.
3. One ominous note is that the writer, a mage named F'shal, was suspicious that certain forms might bring danger or opportunity, as some forms such as those of Chaos or demonic form, might tie the person changed closer to that side...
You hear villagers stirring outside and Enid unlocking the front door to let herself in...
END OF TOPIC. Next topic: https://rizzoma.com/topic/3026e074cc7da59a3b3fc12007eee2ee/0_b_8ont_7adh1/