The zombie bites into Kharla's leg, spoiling her advance on the necromancer and drawing blood. OOC: with 4 points of damage.

Spriggy tries to help Kharla, but his spell does little to stop the zombie.

Sir Gorrid advanced on the mage he'd previously stabbed.  "Your turn now, elf..."  On hearing Istvan's warning, the knight glanced back at the downed leader who still seemed unmoving.  "What're you talking about Istvan?  He's still down..."

Unfortunately, the distraction meant his blade didn't connect as cleanly as he might have wished.

quote:

09:24, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 14 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 6,5.  Hack & slash.
09:24, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 6 using d10+2d4+1 with rolls of 2,1,2.  Damage.

"Rude!" the redhead yelps as the zombie's jaws crush leather and skin.  She hacks and whacks at the creature with her rapier and manages to gain some room.


13:54, Today: Kharla rolled 10 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 2,6.  Hack and Slash with Rapier.
✴ On a 10+, you deal your damage to the enemy and avoid their attack. At your option, you may choose to do +1d6 damage but expose yourself to the enemy’s attack.
- huh, I forgot about the +1d6 option....eh will skip for now

15:10, Today: Kharla rolled 4 using 1d8 with rolls of 4.  Damage +1 Piercing
- 4 damage, w/Piercing

Just remembered she has 1 armor too so she's only at 11 / 15 hp....for the moment

"Alright, now you get the horn," Spriggy said to the zombie in frustration. He did not want to see his friend eaten alive, and so he focused on the form of a man-sized beetle.

His slim body bulked up instantly and he fell forward onto six legs. A powerful horn erupted from the bard's face and he was already leveraging it for a powerful zombie-toss even as the last bits of his transformation were taking place. {"Hope this helps,"} he said to Kharla over their shared telepathy.

---

Shapeshifting into the man-sized rhino beetle.
02:24, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 10 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 6,3.  Shapeshifter - to Man-sized Rhino Beetle.
Hold 3.

If the moves are the same as last time, I will use 1 Hold to "Toss a Foe Away" on the zombie trying to chomp Kharla, since it seemed like it was the biggest threat for his previous Magic Missile.

Kharla's blow loosen the grasp enough that she can free herself, just in time for Spriggy to toss the creature away. It breaks apart at it hits the far wall of the room.

OOC: Keeping the same moves for the Beetle.

Having a good sense that some sort of mind manipulation was going on, Sir Gorrid decided to put an end to it the most efficient way he knew how.  He charged forward and embedded his sword in the chest of the mumbling wizard.

quote:

12:27, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 8 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 4,1.  Hack & slash - yet again..
12:28, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 13 using d10+2d4+1 with rolls of 8,2,2.  Damage.

Will expose myself to damage on that one...

"Alright, who's next?" Spriggy tried to say. But all that actually came out were angry beetle grunts. Eh. It still conveyed the same sentiment. The bug-bard turned to fix his focus on a new target, then charged!

---

Using another Hold to "Charge a foe." Targeting the closest and/or most obvious threat. 1 Hold remaining.

"Let's not have any more zombies, shall we?" Kharla asks no one in particular as a throwing dagger seems to appear in her hand before being casually tossed towards the nearest necromancer.

19:33, Today: Kharla rolled 12 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 6,4.  Volley
- clear shot, deal damage which is....

19:35, Today: Kharla rolled 1 using 1d8 with rolls of 1.  Damage
- bumpkis.  a papercut might hurt more

It flies straight as an arrow...and entangled itself in the dark elf's hood.  The redhead isn't even certain if she sees blood as her blade dangles from the villian's robe.

"Oi!  Give that back!" she demands.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:40, Fri 22 Oct 2021.

Before Kharla can chase down her dagger, Spriggy helpfully charges the mage, crushing him against the wall.

Gorrid cuts down another mage, only to feel a blow from behind, as the last visible dark elf tries a desperate magic missile.

OOC: That only does 4 damage on Gorrid.

Sir Gorrid turned and grinned  through the opening in his helm.

"I bet you were hoping that would hurt me...  I promise, this will hurt a lot more!"

He swung his longsword at the elf's head, twisting it at the last second to connect with the flat of the blade.  There were fell magics at work here, and it could be they'd need some information on how to disable them, or determine where this group had come from.  Justice could be patient when it needed to be.

He watched as the man crumpled to the floor.  It would probably be a while before he'd be up to responding to any questions though...

quote:

21:43, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 15 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 6,6.  Hack & slash - stun.
21:43, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 16 using d10+2d4+1 with rolls of 9,4,2.  Damage.

Pretty sure that'll drop him :>

The final sorcerer collapses, leaving you free to explore the area.

Despite the numbers of exits to the room, you find little in them. Two of them lead to bedrooms, one for the guards and one for the mages. Another leads to the large trapdoor you found outside, while the others leads to a series of empty cages.

Overall, there are two room that seem interesting: the one with the large crystal, and the one left of where you fought the guards. Looking inside it, you see it has a glowing magical circle inside, white an evil looking scythe floating in it.

As far as loot goes, you find 140 coins, an enchanted golden chain the leader wore as a necklace, and an impressive-looking Elven leg brace worn by one of the casters (worth 120 coins).

Sir Gorrid focused on his 'connection' to the woman who had first summoned him, trying to discern where she was.

"Guys? I thought Sir Gorrid was down. Was I hit in the head and didn't realize it? Or... magic? ...Hit in the head by magic...?"

The paladin laughed.  "I may be hold, but I'm a long way from down!"

"And you're certain this is the location of you dream girl?" Kharla asks Sir Gorrid as she turns round eyeing the room and its doorways to...little.

Her gaze lingers on the crystal, "And that the source IS a girl?"

With an eye for hidden secrets the thief begins to case the room.

08:20, Today: Kharla rolled 10 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 3,6.  Discern Realities
• What should I be on the lookout for?
• What here is useful or valuable to me?
• What here is not what it appears to be?

Istvan blinks, taking a minute to parse this. Nothing quite makes sense to him anymore. He's glad that everything seems all right for the moment, but... wha?

Maybe channeling divine power will help? "Anyone need healing? Uh, more than me, I mean...?"

---

(Note: I eventually figured out the typo, but the real confusion I felt briefly just inspired me to continue Istvan's having difficulty getting a grip on reality a bit longer.)

Spriggy stomped over to each body while still in beetle form to make sure they really were no longer threats. Especially the zombie. When he was satisfied, he reverted back to his elven form. "You were ensorcelled, Istvan? If I had known, I may have been able to do something about it. Sorry. At least we are all still alive after that skirmish though. I myself seem to have emerged unscathed."

Now that Spriggy had hands again, he helped to rifle through all the pockets of the dead for clues. Who knew when reinforcements might show up. When they found the enchanted chain, the bard examined it closely to figure out its purpose. He also examined the scythe they found with similar careful scrutiny.

He shared what he discovered with the group, along with what he already had recalled about the enchantment crystal.

---

Using my Bardic Lore twice here. Chain necklace: "What does it do?" Evil floating scythe: "What is its purpose?"

"I... think so...?"



"Hey, I only just found out myself."



"Yeah. Unless we lost and you're actually an evil elf mage, and I just think you're Spriggy, and actually my friends are all dead. But that's probably not the case, huh." Istvan smiles weakly. (Very weakly.)

Looking at the necklace, Spriggy figures it's enchanted with a form of mind-control. Nothing too bad, it just makes it so the wearer cannot feel fear... at all.

The scythe, however, is a beautifully crafted weapon. If you're in the 'not as dead as it should be' esthetics. It's clearly prepared to be enchanted, but has no magic on it at the moment. The circle surrounding it is merely there to prevent the passage of spirits, into or out of the circle.

Despite your digging, the dark elves carried very little texts with them. Just a few poetry journals, or letters from family. Nothing explaining what they were working on, or how they reached this place. You do find one thing that's out of place: an urn, marked with the White Sword, normally used to hold ashes.

Sir Gorrid moved up to the crystal and examined it closely, then prayed - seeking guidance as to what he should do.

quote:

11:00, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 6 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 2,2.  Discern realities.
11:01, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 8 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,2.  Cast Guidance.

That's a failure unless my Bless is still in effect (I assumed it expired when we confirmed the last combatant was down) or someone aids me...

"Hmm. Logic would suggest that they were in the process of powering up this crystal in preparation to enchant the scythe. But to what end? And what is with that urn? Hmm." The bard pondered for a moment, then began helping Gorrid to look for any further clues after first referencing one of his books. He helped to point out why the urn might be present in hopes to jog some sort of additional religious insights into the matter from Gorrid.

---

Spouting Lore on the urn, using a book. Specifically, I am trying to Spout why the urn might be useful for this sort of ritual.

15:36, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 11 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 5,3.  Spout Lore, with book - urn's use.

15:37, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 6 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 3,1.  Aid Gorrid.
Looks like I get some XP too!

Also, I say we start a treasure pile to collect on the way back out. We can put the coins, leg brace, and fancy scythe in the pile. Maybe the crystal too, if we don't need to destroy it instead.

You're not surprised to find that it's a very old funerary urn of the Ghostwalk. What is surprising is the name engraved on the urn's lip. Irene Seraph. One of the closest companions of Gianam. Somehow, these guys got their hands on the remains of a hero from before the Ghostwalk was born.

PM

"Irene Seraph?" Spriggy quickly exchanged the book he was holding for a different one that his unseen servant was carrying. He began searching through it's pages, hastily. He definitely knew the name and the weight it carried, but what he did not know was why they would want Irene's remains here. He hoped to gain some clues from her story.

His desire for answers caused him to momentarily forget they were in the middle of an enemy stronghold...

---

Spouting Lore on Irene Seraph. Using another book from my Bag of Books.
07:21, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 5 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 1,1.  Spout Lore, with book - Irene Seraph.
And that's another XP!

Spriggy's book describe Seraph as a twelve foot-tall giant that crushed unbelievers with an immense club. It also describes most of the companions of the Ghostwalk as power-crazed maniacs causing nothing but pain and destruction... maybe using propaganda text of the Nuatian Califate isn't the best for of reference you could use.