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10:40, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

=== Deridor's Tower and the Hat ===

Posted by GM StarMasterFor group 0
Aniyu
NPC, 48 posts
Human Winter Witch/Druid
AC: 20/16/16; HP: 100/100
Thu 17 Dec 2020
at 17:23
  • msg #3

=== Deridor's Tower ===

Aniyu stepped outside the monastery looked around, but Stein was already out of sight. He had no idea how fast Stein could travel on his strange mount, but Aniyu went through his little ritual to produce a potion of Overland Flight, drank it, and flew off in the direction that the painting had indicated.

As he went, he increased his elevation, and soon spotted Stein quite a distance ahead, but not so far that he couldn't catch up to him. As he neared, he dropped in altitude until he was flying about five feet to the side.

"Hey, Stein!" he called out. "Thought you could use some company."

"Have you given any thought to what kind of tower we might be looking for?"

GM StarMaster
GM, 134 posts
Thu 7 Jan 2021
at 17:26
  • msg #4

=== Deridor's Tower ===

It does occur to Aniyu that the term 'tower' can be applied to a lot of different things. A pillar of rock, for instance, could be called a tower, particularly if someone built a cabin on top of it. Even a tree with a treehouse in it could be called a tower, more as a euphemism than an absolute.

With that information shared, there's now a broader scope to look around for a tower.

While no tree that might be a possibility is spotted, it isn't long before a spire of rock is located. It's about 30 feet in diameter and rises around 100 feet. The top is a point, though, so no chance of a cabin up there. On the other hand, it also occurs to you that "Deridor's Tower" doesn't have to be a wizard's tower. It could just be a landmark, named after the first person to have found it. The only drawback to that theory is that there doesn't appear to be any significant point to having such a landmark in the area.

Still, approaching it, you start to get a feeling about it. Most people would probably just attribute it to a sense of wonder or amazement that this pillar of rock was carved out by nature and left standing for who know how many years or centuries.
Hardcore Jimmy
player, 52 posts
Half-Elf Ranger/Rogue
Sat 9 Jan 2021
at 01:04
  • msg #5

=== Deridor's Tower ===

((ooc I am not at a lack of ideas, though the direction is find given the pause in activity. that is to say I get it. Just havent gotten myself back into rpol'ing. my motivation is building back up but it's still slow. Working on applying for a few jobs and trying not to sleep for several days in a row. I'll post soon though, likely in the next few days or next week)).
Aniyu
NPC, 49 posts
Human Winter Witch/Druid
AC: 20/16/16; HP: 100/100
Thu 21 Jan 2021
at 18:26
  • msg #6

=== Deridor's Tower ===

Approaching the tall spire of rock, Aniyu says, "I suppose it could be seen as a tower, especially from a distance... at the right angle... in the dark..."

"Are you getting that strange feeling, too? It's a bit like the feeling in the green star that drew me to the monastery in the first place."

"Let's walk around it and past it to see if the tingle still points to this rock."


He didn't see any point in searching the rock for secret compartments or whatever... not just yet, anyway. Fortunately, with his earth-glide ability, they wouldn't have to destroy the 'tower' to find the Wonder.
Hardcore Jimmy
player, 53 posts
Half-Elf Ranger/Rogue
Sun 24 Jan 2021
at 21:35
  • msg #7

=== Deridor's Tower ===

Stein scanned up the length of the rocks, whistling out a WHEEEEWWWWW.
Though, his immediate concern was to make sure to scan the surrounding area "while you do that, I am going to check for any peripheral dangers."

Aided by his bugs, he'd take some time to draw local foliage and fauna onto his gear to aid in his natural camoflouge abilites. Then going around the around to check that they arent being watched, that there arent any traps, or otherwise there wasnt some kind of threat in the area.
GM StarMaster
GM, 140 posts
Sun 31 Jan 2021
at 19:09
  • msg #8

=== Deridor's Tower ===

As Aniyu and Hardcore Jimmy move around the area, looking for signs, clues, threats, traps or anything else out of the ordinary.

As Aniyu moves around the pillar of rock, the tingling he felt doesn't diminish. However, when he begins to move farther away from the rock, the tingling does fade until it's completely gone when he's around 100 yards away.

Jimmy doesn't spot, detect or otherwise find anything that might be considered an immediate threat, but he does find bear tracks that are several days old that moved through the area towards the mountains.

He also senses something odd in the pinnacle. He's not quite sure if it's a trap, but it definitely has a magical feeling to it.
Aniyu
NPC, 50 posts
Human Winter Witch/Druid
AC: 20/16/16; HP: 100/100
Wed 10 Feb 2021
at 14:50
  • msg #9

=== Deridor's Tower ===

After Jimmy shares his findings with Aniyu, and vice versa, the Druid goes over to the pinnacle of rock and begins examining it, although it occurs to him that the Oracle could just as easily have put the Wonder in the ground and then stuck the pinnacle of top of it! On that off chance, he tries to see if there's a direction to the 'tingle'... up, down, left, right, straight ahead... Maybe it'll work.

He does this while he searches for any secret compartments and trap doors... such as a crevasse in the rock that might hold a hat... or more than likely a box in which the hat is stored.

"It just occurred to me that if the hat is an item of trickery," Aniyu says, "it could look like just about anything... even a part of this rock!"

"Okay, maybe not... because if it was, a simple Detect Magic spell would find it. Right?"


He was kind of hoping Jimmy would tell him his logic was flawed. If it had been polymorphed into similar-appearing rock and then sovereign glued to the pinnacle, would that count? He'd heard of a magic spell that actually masked magical auras... not just altered them. If true, it was both a clever and absurd idea--magic that wasn't!
Hardcore Jimmy
player, 54 posts
Half-Elf Ranger/Rogue
Fri 12 Feb 2021
at 10:13
  • msg #10

=== Deridor's Tower ===

Having checked the area to satisfaction, The flamboyant 'knight' moves to stand near Aniyu "I've had detect magic going this entire time, while a potentially artifact level item would likely be as bright as a solar flare it is also entirely possible this 'hat' is concealing it'self. Why not topple the 'tower'?" Stein used actual air quote fingers for every accentuated word.
Aniyu
NPC, 51 posts
Human Winter Witch/Druid
AC: 20/16/16; HP: 100/100
Wed 17 Feb 2021
at 15:50
  • msg #11

=== Deridor's Tower ===

"Yes, I could burrow underneath it and cause it to topple," Aniyu replies, "but what would be the point of being so destructive?"

"As near as I can tell, this is a natural formation. Wind and weather have eroded its surround terrain until this is all that is left of a magma column. Since it is natural, and has been here for many more centuries than just since the time of Esmeralda. It is, no doubt, why she chose it--a landmark well-known locally and easily found."

"The hat might also be encased in lead; that would prevent detecting it magically."

"Ah! What have we here?"

Hardcore Jimmy
player, 56 posts
Half-Elf Ranger/Rogue
Sat 20 Feb 2021
at 08:46
  • msg #12

=== Deridor's Tower ===

Still watching the formation, "natural land marks come and go, Just like the trees burn away and grow stronger during a fire. toppling the 'tower' would undoubtedly make it easier to search for this artifact... unless the tower is the artifact." Stein crosses his arms and waits for Aniyu to continue.
Aniyu
NPC, 52 posts
Human Winter Witch/Druid
AC: 20/16/16; HP: 100/100
Sun 28 Feb 2021
at 01:15
  • msg #13

=== Deridor's Tower ===

"Ha! I'd like to see you put this tower on your head!" Aniyu replied.

"That's a bit more magic than I'm familiar with. Could you really transform a hat into a pinnacle of rock this large? Even with using an Enlarge spell?"

"Oh! What if Esmeralda started with a giant's hat? That might work! Once it was magicked, it'd rezize itself to whoever put it on, right?"

Hardcore Jimmy
player, 58 posts
Half-Elf Ranger/Rogue
Sun 28 Feb 2021
at 01:55
  • msg #14

=== Deridor's Tower ===

With a small chuckle, Stein turned his gaze from the rocks to the human "is that a dare? Wanna bet I make rock hats look good? Something significant, nothing meager for this one!"

Then, to answer the queue of questions, "An artifact can be anything from a leaf to a cloud." He started looking around the base of the rock as if to look for a weak point, "God's and wizards alike love their games, once I heard about a minuscule stone butterfly artifact and another time I heard of rogue's deck of cards filling a room with lava to herald an incorporeal werewolf intent on tearing the rogue limb from limb."
GM StarMaster
GM, 151 posts
Sun 28 Feb 2021
at 02:24
  • msg #15

=== Deridor's Tower ===

Aniyu's discovery was two finger size holes in the rock pillar just above head height. He bravely sticks his fingers into the hole and attempts to pull at the rock. Surprisingly (or maybe not), a section of rock pulls out of the rock like a drawer.

Before either of you can even look into the drawer, a creature suddenly appears on the rock above you. Its eight legs grip the rock and its gold teeth-lined snout snarls at you. It's about the size of a lion, with golden fur, and its appearance seems to be a cross between a badger and a cat.
Hardcore Jimmy
player, 59 posts
Half-Elf Ranger/Rogue
Fri 5 Mar 2021
at 15:57
  • msg #16

=== Deridor's Tower ===

Although his initial reaction was to reach for his bow, instead the colorful creature made the snap judgment of thinking how a creature creeped up on him despite magical surveillance and a careful check of the area. Suggesting it either had been there the whole time or had teleported there.

Given the hat was supposedly of illusion magic, he felt it was most likely this was some kind of guardian and may have illusionary properties. With that in mind, his snap reaction was to activate his fearie fire spell like ability on the 6 legged creatures.
Aniyu
NPC, 53 posts
Human Winter Witch/Druid
AC: 20/16/16; HP: 100/100
Fri 5 Mar 2021
at 20:14
  • msg #17

=== Deridor's Tower ===

Under the circumstances, the sudden appearance of this large creature startled Aniyu until he realized the familiarity of the appearance.

"It was summoned," he informed Jimmy even as his odd companion cast a spell on the animal.

"Green star!" he then directed at the animal, wondering if there was some creature there wearing the hat and making itself look different.

The golden fur of the creature seemed somehow familiar. The 8 legs should have been a give-away, too.
GM StarMaster
GM, 154 posts
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 16:45
  • msg #18

=== Deridor's Tower ===

For a moment, the creature seems to have a confused expression on its face as he's attacked by Jimmy and spoken to by Aniyu. Although he's now surrounded in faerie fire, he seems to realize that he wasn't injured so maybe it wasn't an attack after all.

One of his forward paws reaches out to the rock above the now open drawer and scratches aware the years of accumulated weather, dust, dirt and debris that obscured what lay beneath--which is a green star carved into the stone and inlaid with jade.

It then appears as if he salutes you with one paw... and vanishes.
Hardcore Jimmy
player, 60 posts
Half-Elf Ranger/Rogue
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 22:46
  • msg #19

=== Deridor's Tower ===

In reply to GM StarMaster (msg # 18):

Just as confused as the beast was, The eccentric decides to test his luck. Reaching over to touch the exposed green star... since a physical action is what revealed and then exposed it. If nothing happened, he would then try to push, and then pull, the green star.
Aniyu
NPC, 54 posts
Human Winter Witch/Druid
AC: 20/16/16; HP: 100/100
Wed 17 Mar 2021
at 19:03
  • msg #20

=== Deridor's Tower ===

"I think the green star was just showing us that the stone drawer is what we were looking for," Aniyu says.

"The creature was just... well, pointing the way for us. It might have been more significant if we hadn't already found the drawer. But, then again, if we hadn't found it, would it have even appeared?"

He waited to see if Jimmy found anything else under the star. It did make sense that there could be some kind of misdirection.
Hardcore Jimmy
player, 61 posts
Half-Elf Ranger/Rogue
Thu 18 Mar 2021
at 22:00
  • msg #21

=== Deridor's Tower ===

"A perplexing challenge indeed, It's not going to be anything obvious but I am trying all the obvious things anyways. The drawer may be a decoy, too."

If nothing happened from his prodding, he would try to turn, twist, and tip the star... If none of that worked, the metal-clad fighter would place his hands on the sides of the drawer and then dip down to place the top of his head into it while shouting 'TOH!' in an overly dramatic effort.

If none of that worked, he would then examine the area for any markings, scriptures, or signs of any sort.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:00, Thu 18 Mar 2021.
GM StarMaster
GM, 158 posts
Wed 24 Mar 2021
at 14:52
  • msg #22

=== Deridor's Tower ===

It's unclear just how the green star is marked into the rock, though it's clearly not inset. Some sort of dye was probably used.

After Jimmy tries all his machinations, the result is still the same. Nothing happens. The green star seems to be just a discoloration in the rock marking the location of the drawer.
Aniyu
NPC, 55 posts
Human Winter Witch/Druid
AC: 20/16/16; HP: 100/100
Wed 24 Mar 2021
at 14:59
  • msg #23

=== Deridor's Tower ===

After Jimmy explores all avenues of investigation and finds nothing, it finally occurs to Aniyu that they haven't yet looked IN the stone drawer that popped out.

It didn't come out all the way, and he suspected it might close on its own... somehow... before too long.

"Maybe the hat is in the drawer," he suggests to Jimmy. "It could look like anything. Does a normal Hat of Disguise return to its original shape when you take it off? Or does it remain in whatever form you last made it?"
Hardcore Jimmy
player, 62 posts
Half-Elf Ranger/Rogue
Sun 28 Mar 2021
at 05:47
  • msg #24

=== Deridor's Tower ===

In reply to Aniyu (msg # 23):

"Well, I tried to put my head in the drawer. So if its not out all the way then it must need a really good tug"

Prompting himself, Stein tries to pull the drawer out with all his might.
GM StarMaster
GM, 162 posts
Wed 31 Mar 2021
at 21:50
  • msg #25

=== Deridor's Tower ===

The stone drawer pulls out farther with little effort, and Jimmy can see now that it's more like a slab of stone that had a section carved out of the top of it that was the right size, shape and depth to hold a hat... or, more exactly, a piece of cloth.

As he gingerly pulls out the cloth, he can see that the depression is lined with lead.

The cloth unfolds easily into a hat, looking like a knitted hat children often wear in the winter.
Hardcore Jimmy
player, 63 posts
Half-Elf Ranger/Rogue
Tue 6 Apr 2021
at 07:29
  • msg #26

=== Deridor's Tower ===

Taking ahold of the hat, Steiner looked around for a moment before then shrung "ok, well, I guess thats it. Lets head back" He would then turn around and begin making way back to the temple.
GM StarMaster
GM, 166 posts
Fri 9 Apr 2021
at 20:40
  • msg #27

=== Deridor's Tower ===

The trip back to the monastery is uneventful, but you start to get a feeling of foreboding as you approach it again.
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