Sir Gorrid shrugged.  The figure was a friend of Gianam's, and Gianam was 'the sword'.  The figure within the crystal didn't look like they could wait until his unconscious wizard woke up.  He cleaned his blade carefully on body of one of the dead elves, then stood in front of the gem and brought his sword down squarely on the top of the crystal.

quote:

13:30, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 5 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,2.  Defy Danger - Str - open crystal.

Seriously?

The redhead watched as her companions attempted to decipher the dark elves' intent.  It seemed likely that Irene's spirit was the lady he sought, perhaps they had arrived in time and prevented whatever ill design had been intended...

They had prevented it, hadn't they?

"Have we any idea what the spell was their leader cast just as we attacked?" she asked the group, glancing to Istvan and Spriggy whom she expected might know more of magic.

Then to the priest she queried, "And what of the remains of Irene, Istvan?  Have they been corrupted in any way?"

Sir Gorrid should know if the call he felt was still there...but if it were not was that good or bad?
This message was last edited by the player at 14:04, Tue 26 Oct 2021.

This gave Istvan a sudden idea. "I don't know about that... but if her spirit is trapped in any way... I should be able to free her right now by touching the thing that's trapping her... But... what exactly should I be touching? Her remains? The crystal? And would that even be a good idea in the first place...?"

Istvan looks around carefully, trying to get a clue...

(08:48, Today: Istvan Vanoson rolled 13 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 5,6.  Discern something useful please...!


NOICE

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?)
This message was last edited by the player at 13:50, Tue 26 Oct 2021.

Looking at the crystal, Istvan deduces that the simplest way to release a spirit trapped in them is just to break the crystal. There is the question of where the spirit will go after it's free, but Gorrid moves before Istvan can bring up that point.

Gorrid smashes the crystal with ease. A single blow is enough to create a network of cracks that spread around the crystal, soon causing glowing shards to fall off as it falls to pieces. In a few moments, the entire mass falls on the bloody floor, it's glow fading...

And appearing in Gorrid's eyes. "Thank you for your aid, paladin. I do not like to contemplate what those demon spawns had planned for me." The voice comes from the paladin's mouth, but it's clearly a woman's voice.

The paladin dropped to his knees and bowed his head.  He wasn't sure what the protocol was for addressing the deceased companion of one's god, let alone one that was somehow 'inside' you, however he figured he needed to do *something*.

"It was my honor my lady.  We will do our best to determine their plans and ensure they are permanently foiled."

He hesitated briefly.  "Is there something I must do to help your spirit rest, or is there other aid we can provide?"

His mind was full of questions, including the that of whether the being within him could sense those questions.  He forced himself to stillness, silently reciting again and again the mantra of his order.

Kharla's eyes light up as it becomes clear Sir Gorrid had succeeded in freeing Irene's spirit.  She bit her lip...but only for a moment before blurring out a stream of questions, "Wastherealightwhenyoudied?Didyougointoit?WhatwasGianamreallylike?IsGianamawareofhisfollowers?DoeshethinkSirGorridshouldstoptakingeveryoneprisoner?Hedoesdoesn'the?You'renottrappedintheurn,areyou?DidyoulearnanysecretstodefeatingDarkElvesbesideskillingthem?"

She held her breath to see if Irene might respond.   Seriously this was an opportunity for knowledge.  She was pretty sure Gianam was going to back her up on the whole "fewer prisoners" approach.

Speaking of....she eyed the crumpled elf menacingly
This message was last edited by the player at 17:54, Tue 26 Oct 2021.

Spriggy had been flipping through his book in confusion, wondering how he had managed to mix a book of wild tales in with his reference tomes. He was about to throw it to the side in disgust when the crystal breaking had snapped his attention back to the present. Then he actually dropped the book in surprise when Gorrid spoke with the voice of a woman.

Spriggy found himself in a rare moment of speechlessness as he awaited the answers to Gorrid and Kharla's questions. They seemed to believe the spirit was not harmful, but Spriggy continued to observe the situation with a skeptical eye.

---

I am trying to Discern Realities on Gorrid's possessed state:
16:39, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 5 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 2,2.  Spout Lore - Gorrid's possession.
Well, another XP...

The question I would have asked was "Who is really in control here."

The blue glow 'blinks' at Kharla's stream of questions. "I... um... I'm not..." Gorrid shakes his head. "I'm fairly sure the plan of these dark elves are ruined. However... they used my ashes to bind me to this crystal. I'm afraid I can't stay on Arete without being anchored to someone. I apologize for borrowing your body, paladin, but I would be unable to continue my quest otherwise."

After a pause, Gorrid turns to Kharla. "I'm sorry, what was that about Gianam and dark elves?"

Sir Gorrid found his loss of verbal control more than a little disconcerting.  Being occupied by a woman, even more so.

He opted to wait quietly to allow the others to ask their questions and his 'visitor' to provide her responses before he interjected any more of his own.

"What exactly is your mission?" Spriggy asked curiously. "We may be able to assist you. Additionally, do you think it might work to bind you to an object? That fancy scythe in the other room perhaps? It seems set up for something of that nature. Then perhaps you could assist us as an additional team member, rather than as a sort of... He searched for the correct words, but none sounded particularly pleasant. "... spiritual parasite."

---

If I can, I would like to use my Bardic Lore ability on "bonded souls." My question would be, "How can we bind the soul (willingly) to something other than a living person." She was already bound to the crystal, so it seems reasonable she could be bound to something else too. I thought the scythe sounded flavorful, (especially if Gorrid wanted to wield it), and it is already within some kind of spirit barrier, right? Maybe Spriggy could even add his Telepathy spell into the mix to allow an inanimate object to effectively communicate? Just throwing out ideas.

"I was sent to investigate some... disturbance, I suppose you could say. When Thovis, Zholkahn, and Gianam were granted divine status, they were able to sense things beyond what normal beings like us can. Gianam could not well explain such sentation, but he asked me to investigate the farthest realms of Arete. So far, I believe those disturbance may come be related to the Ancients, though I've yet to find much about them."

The scythe, on close inspection, seems dedicated to entrapping a soul to use it as a source of power. A good way to imprison a soul, not so much to store them.

Overall, binding a soul in a safe manner would require a magical ritual (as in, the Ritual move of a wizard). The best person to help with that would be Mortimer, back at the guild.

The paladin noted that his visitor had not responded to the second part of the question - the part about the possibility of her occupying something other than himself.

He focused his thoughts  My lady, you will find me an unworthy vessel, but if it is your will and Gianam's, then I will serve as long as these old limbs can wield sword and shield and my eyes shine with His light.

Aloud, he said "Was this mission before your...", he glanced awkwardly at the urn, "untimely demise?  Or had you somehow returned to this world prior to being entwined in the work of this evil cabal?"

Not having gotten the response she'd hoped for from Irene/Gorrid (technically they were part of the same organization and you don't criticize you fellows in front of outsiders, it's just unprofessional, Irene would probably school Gorrid later) the rogue bent to securing the dark elf to prevent any surprises should he happen to awaken.  In battle she would not stay her blade but with their foe unconscious and helpless she could do little else.

She told herself she wasn't helping with taking prisoners but...ew...she felt used.

1 use of Adventuring Gear for rope to bind the dark elf

Gorrid shake his head briefly, as though his guest forgot where she was. "No, I was given this task a few years ago. I could move freely when my ashes were in the temple, but someone managed to steal them, and hand them over to the elves. I do not believe they are related to my quest, though. The dark elves are far too enamored with their own importance bow down to a divinity.

Again, I am sorry I must impose on you, but until a skilled priest or wizard is able to prepare another focus for me, I cannot safely leave. If something can be arranged though, I will do my best to repay you to the best of my abilities."

It felt *extremely* odd to wait for a pause in the conversation to use his own voice, but if that is what his God willed, so be it.

"While journeying to this place to rescue you, we learned of a concealed tower where a necromancer resides.  Apparently they have discovered a new book of power.  Do you feel we have time to deal with that before embarking on the continuation of your own task?  If not, we should alert someone as to the issue.  We will also need further supplies.  Finally, I would learn what we can of this plot of these dark elves so we can be confident it is well and truly foiled..."

"Yes. We should definitely address that threat of the other necromancer before heading back. But I do believe our guild's wizard should be able to help with the soul issue once we return. Are we bringing our prisoner all the way back with us?" He looked around with unease. He did not like the thought of dragging the caster all that way. "I suppose at the very least we should ensure this place has no additional secret areas we need to explore. You wouldn't happen to have any knowledge of that, would you Irene?"

"I found nothing during my search," Kharla shrugs in answer to Spriggy's wonder of secret exits and rooms and such before regarding their prisoner once more, "We cannot trust to take him with us to confront more of his ilk but I admit I am sickened by executions.  Dying bound and helpless is wrong to me, much better to fall on one's feet and fighting."

"Unless...unless this one knows of these others and may have some information to share.  Perhaps how to bypass the wards against the living?"

She was ever a lover of freedom, never wanting for any to be bonds against their will (or by local municipality laws against trespassing, pilfering or trade in such items).
This message was last edited by the player at 13:12, Fri 29 Oct 2021.

"We need to understand what they were trying to accomplish and from whence they came.  It may be that these are the first but will not be the last.

Justice is justice.  An execution allows for the possibility of atonement.  If death delayed can serve the living, it is best to help those we can.

However, I agree that taking him with us when we have so many other mouths to feed is unnecessary.  Let us waken him now and learn what we may."

He stood from his kneeling position and looked around at Kharla and Spriggy.  "I would value your assistance again, if you are willing.  It is...easier than other ways.  Also, I do not speak the Elvish tongue - unless you do Lady Irene?"

My objectives:
- understand what they were trying to do
- understand if more will follow after them
- understand what the heck that scythe is
- understand how they got the urn, especially if there's a traitor within the temple
- understand if there are other groups we can reasonably deal with - whether now or later

"I know enough to understand what he says."

After waking up your prisoner, you eventually get him to answer your questions.

They were a small squad sent to craft a new weapon for one of their leaders. They hoped using Lady Seraph's soul would help in fighting the Ghostwalk.

They didn't plans for reinforcement, and were expecting to leave in a few days once their ritual was completed.

The scythe is the weapon they were trying to enchant.

The urn was stolen by a very skilled thief. A dwarf called Dagnal Wickaxe. He left a while ago, and the dark elf has no idea where or how to find him.

He doesn't know of any other plan in the area. Seraph points out that even if there were other dark elves squads in the area, they would not know of each other to insure secrecy if one of them got captured.

As far as he's aware, the other necromancer is an independent agent. He doesn't know how to find him.

Is there anything dangerous or special about the weapon now?

Spriggy noted the details of their interrogation, especially the name Dagnal Wickaxe. He also took some time to copy pieces of the magic from the crystal and scythe rooms into his spellbook. The pieces he could understand well enough to perhaps draw inspiration from in the future. For non-evil purposes, of course. Then, since he didn't want to just leave it here, Spriggy grabbed the prepared-for-enchantment scythe so that they could bring it back for the guild wizard to look at. Perhaps it would help the wizard to prepare a vessel for their spirit-pal.

As he grabbed for the scythe, Spriggy was thinking about how he was very glad that the animal spirits within him did not have the same level of influence over his body as Irene had over Gorrid's body.

---

I don't think so, but let's find out. I'll attempt to grab the scythe and put it in with our loot.

As Spriggy pulls the scythe out of the magical circle, you notice the dark elf flinch. Much in the same way that an artist would flinch when seeing a piece he's worked on for a long time being damaged by careless hands. Most likely, the circle was keeping the scythe 'pure' to ease the entrapment of Seraph's spirit. But now, it's only a very well made (if somewhat creepy looking) weapon.

OOC: Worth 60 coins if sold at the shop.