The ritual was... unpleasant. It reminded Gorrid far too much of the touch of life-draining undead. He felt healthy afterward though, and now Lady Seraph is able to 'walk' around the guild's base freely.

But as soon as the ritual is done, you're already planning your next expedition. Gorrid prayed for guidance, and eventually figured out the general position of the necromancer's tower, about two weeks into Death Forest, somewhere between Forked River and Balatgah.


OOC: Irene Seraph has agreed to help you on this quest. She is a Warrior 2/Protector 3 henchman.

Sir Gorrid watched the antics of the penguin expressionlessly and made no move to take any of the proffered, items.  He was equally stoic during the ritual.  When it was complete, he felt a loss.  It had been a long time since he had been so closely bound to another, and though the duration of this loss was comparatively short, the spirit's departure reopened wounds he had thought long-healed.

To compensate, he turned his full energy into their coming excursion, checking and re-checking supplies, studying maps, and generally making a nuisance of himself.

He also undertook his quest ritual, praying for and apparently receiving an unerring sense of direction to the necromancer whose tower they had learned of.

Is "Invulnerability to undead" an option?
Also, is Irene now substantial or still ghostly?  How do her abilities to protect/fight manifest?

Spriggy watched the ritual process with great interest, taking notes in his spellbook/songbook. He wondered if he would ever gain enough arcane knowledge to perform rituals of his own someday.

With the knowledge that Irene would be joining the party on their quest, and knowing they would likely be gone for several weeks, Spriggy opted to bring his pony and cart along this time. They would likely need the extra rations the cart carried. Spriggy also purchased some fresh elvish bread for the journey, but decided to save the rest of his funds for future use.

The only other thing he did of note before the group headed out was when he was having lunch at a park, the bard managed to form a friendly bond with a swan he shared some bread crumbs with. She seemed to enjoy being the center of attention as Spriggy sketched her into his book and soul-bonded with the big beautiful bird. He looked forward to trying out his new shape at some point during their adventure.

While making his sketch, Spriggy also had a minor epiphany that resulted in a brand new spell. His most potent yet! Using notes he had taken at the necromancer temple and the ghost ritual, Spriggy had developed a method for temporarily binding his soul to another person's with a touch to assume their likeness for a while. He could effectively mimic the appearance of another person.

He wasn't sure how such a talent would come in handy, but was sure it would.

---

I will spend 10 coin for some fresh elvish bread (Edit: and another bag of books. (Edit edit: And three vials of holy water.)) and save my other 60 coin for later. I still have a ton of rations on my pony cart that I left behind on our last adventure, so I should be good on rations. I plan to reshuffle my items a bit between my cart, unseen servant, and personal gear.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:09, Mon 08 Nov 2021.

Invulnerability from undead would protect your from their natural attacks (claws, punches, cold grasp...), but you could still be harmed by their rusty swords or influenced by their mind-controlling gaze.
Irene is still a ghost, and invisible to anyone who's not a member of the guild. She can influence the world a bit, either by briefly moving objects, or alter someone's movement just a bit.

"Well Irene will be a good guide to the dark elf's tower," Kharla admitted, "but should we bring along any physical assistance?  We haven't been as vocal about our victories of late but we might still be able to recruit some decent help."

Kharla will bring her horse with it's saddlebags and buy 5 more rations and 2 holy water (how much does holy water cost?)
This message was last edited by the player at 14:14, Mon 08 Nov 2021.

"If you have someone in mind, sure, invite them along. We could always use more help. I think we will also be fine if it is just the five of us though." Spriggy did enjoy having Charlotte to help him with his magic, but his skill had improved quite a bit since then.

"I'll see who's about and looking for an adventure," the redhead shrugs before heading to the bar.

Once there Kharla looks to Garth, the barman, and motions to a stool, "May I?"  She doesn't really wait before hopping up to stand on it and calling out for all to hear, "Oy you lot!  My friends and I are bound for the Death Forest, pay a visit to a dark elf there trying to recruit the local villagers to join his organization....as walking corpses.   Supposed to have a tower with a spell that prevents the living from approaching but we've got a little trick to get around that!"

"This one may be a bigger fish than the last group we squashed there, so puttin' out a call for a few extra hands.  What say you?  Who's up for crushing a necromancer?"

Hmmm, not gonna speak for the group so for this Recruit roll I'll only chooose:
When you put out word that you’re looking to hire help, roll:
• +1 if you make it known what you’re setting out to do
• +1 if you have a useful reputation around these parts

I'll leave that useful reputation up to our GM...only adding +1 to roll

12:44, Today: Kharla rolled 8 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,3.  Recruit.
- eh, 8 or 9 is same result sooo
✴On a 7–9, you’ll have to settle for someone close to what you want or turn them away.
- Any Protectors about?

"The necromancer has apparently found a powerful tome and hopes to use it in a ritual.  We put a slight crink in his operations while en route to rescue the blessed Lady Irene.  We now aim to ensure that book is never put to use."

quote:

12:51, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 6 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,1.  Aid Recruit.

Anyone want to aid my aid - either for the XP or to see if we push ourselves up to a 10? :)

If we do get someone, I'd prefer an adept.  Protectors end up taking the brunt of any nastiness - which is a given for that role, which means they tend to only be useful once.

Spriggy hurried to help bolster Gorrid's poor delivery. The guy meant well, but exciting a crowd into risking their lives didn't seem to be his strong suit. "We have already interrogated one of his assistants, and there is sure to be a lot of interesting magical stuff at this place, if that is your thing." Although, now that he thought about it, boasting a necromancer's profane magics as a selling point probably wasn't the right move...

---

14:04, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 5 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,2.  Aid Gorrid's Aid.
Hahaha, XP!

The offer doesn't seem to excite the guild members you see. Most of them look like they came back from their own adventure, and not eager to jump back on the road. Especially when there's no clear reward waiting at the end.

The only ones you can see that are clearly rested are two guys who always seem to hang around, Russel Albion and Leo Dunn. As they notice you're looking at them, they wave their hands. "No, no thanks," Leo says. "I'm alergic to undeads..."

Before Russel can make up his own excuse, Garth seems to rise behind them, and grab both in a double headlock. "It's been a month since you last did any work. Do you plan on just sitting here and racking up a bar tab?" The two struggle in Garth's grasp, but it's clear they can't break the burly man's hold.

OOC: Russel is a Burglar 2/Warrior 1, and Leo is a Minstrel 2/Priest 1. Both of them will work for a share of the loot... and to get out of Garth's grasp.

The redhead pirouettes on one foot atop the stool to face her companions.  "Weeeell, what say you?  Shall we have this pair join our quest or let Garth rattle their heads and toss them outside in the street?"

OOC: I'm good with those terms.

Also Gorrid, Adept was my 1st inclination but talked myself out of it for some reason.  Probably should have gone with it.

But I admit, I enjoy the hirelings.  Just never know what they'll add to the mix :)

"They are guild members like the rest of us, and we might have use of the extra hands. I say let them come along and start pulling their weight." Spriggy didn't exactly have high hopes for the two slackers, but still hoped they would surprise him.

With your group settled, and your supplies gathered, you set out toward the coast, before heading south into the forest.

Despite having not visited this part of the forest, it doesn't seem too different from the parts you've already seen. The smell of moldering trees is unpleasant as you travel, and you wonder what the furtive shadows darting between the trees are...

At least Leo and Russel stopped complaining once you passed the frontier, though it's more out of a desire to not draw attention than because they warmed up to your quest.

OOC: It will take 12 rations to reach the necromancer's tower. Time to make your Perilous Journey rolls!

Who are your Trailblazer, Scout, and Quartermaster?

Sir Gorrid could feel the tug of the tower like a loadstone in his chest.  That didn't mean it was always obvious what trails to take, but past experience with the forest helped him guide the party along efficiently.

quote:

11:13, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 10 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 5,3.  Trailblazer.

Figure it makes sense for me to take that one given that I've got the direction sense...

So our time to travel is reduced (and maybe rations too?)

The redhead took the lead, moving ahead to Gorrid's direction and watching for any signs of threat.  The trees and foliage restricted all's view so she would return briefly to report or occasionally be sighted ahead along the trail.  Sometimes she was observed skipping, once feeding a squirrel and a third killing a rather large centipede that she claimed was evil and had mystic abilities that "creeped her out".

08:08, Today: Kharla rolled 9 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 5,3.  Scout.
✴ On a 7–9, each role performs their job as expected: no one gets the drop on you but you don’t get the drop on them either.

Sir Gorrid did his best to tolerate his 'atypical' scout, but he did try to keep an extra ear out when the thief seemed overly distracted.

quote:

10:13, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 11 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 6,4.  Aid Kharla.

That'll bump Kharla to a 10, so we get the drop :>

Istvan tries to make sure everyone doesn't eat up all their supplies...

(11:56, Today: Istvan Vanoson rolled 9 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 3,4.  Quartermaster..

the normal number of rations are consumed)

Spriggy, having loaded his cart up with so many rations, did his best to help Istvan dole out appropriate portions of food for everyone.

---

Let's bump that to a ten too.
12:37, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 7 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 1,5.  Aid Istvan.
Istvan gets +1, but Spriggy also exposes himself to danger, retribution, or cost.

OOC: You manage to drop the ration cost to 10, but...

Spriggy thought he had a brilliant idea to reduce the strain on their rations by asking any animals he saw for food they could eat. And the animals have been quite helpful, too. Unfortunately... those animals aren't too familiar with what humans normally eat, let alone elves. So unfortunately, the bard find himself forced to make an emergency potty break to deal with his digestion issues.

That wouldn't be so bad, if not for the large gray humanoid that seems to have noticed the smell, and is heading toward him...

While the group waits for the Spriggy to return, Gorrid decided to stay rather close to the elf, in case of trouble. So when Kharla heard something moving through the bush, the paladin found himself in the perfect position to ambush the creature.

OOC: So a Gray Render has caught Spriggy with his pants down, while Gorrid is has the surprise for his first action. The rest of the group has to run in to intervene. What do you do?

Sir Gorrid muttered a quick prayer to Gianam to strengthen his sword, then stepped out from behind a tree once the deadly monstrosity had passed.  "Your death to Gianam's glory"  His stroke was quick and precise, stabbing deep under the creature's arm-pit as it turned, claws outstretched in response to his words.

quote:

15:03, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 11 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 6,3.  Cast magic weapon on my sword.
15:03, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 12 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 6,3.  Hack & slash.
15:04, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 17 using d10+3d4+1 with rolls of 8,4,3,1.  Damage.

"That's the last time I trust a brown berry brought to me by a toad," Spriggy muttered as he grabbed yet another leaf. Then he heard a crashing sound and looked over to see Gorrid attacking a gray monstrosity that was frighteningly close to where the bard was sitting.

"Ah! By the blood of Brightmoon, what is that!" Spriggy was almost glad that he had already been squatting over a hollow stump. Because if he hadn't needed one before, he certainly would have needed one now.

Whatever the creature was, he was glad that Gorrid had "grabbed its attention" so that Spriggy could focus on getting his trousers back where they would be needed for running purposes.

Kharla shadowed the Gray Render (she knew it was there!  prove otherwise!) and as Sir Gorrid attacked she chose to make her own assault upon it's unguarded backside...

If the beast is focused on Sir Gorrid and not expecting any attack from its backside, will just take the default from Backstab+Cheap Shot, +1 Piercing (because +1 Piercing!):
16:33, Today: Kharla rolled 12 using d8+d6 with rolls of 8,4.  Backstab the Gray Render.

Oooooor....if it's aware and a Hack and Slash roll is more appropriate...
16:35, Today: Kharla rolled 11 using 2d6 with rolls of 6,5.  Hack and Slash with Rapier, +1 Piercing.
- eat it Gray Render!

16:37, Today: Kharla rolled 1 using 1d8 with rolls of 1.  Dmg Hack & Slash.
-eeeeeeeeh bite me

The beast stumbles under Gorrid's blow. As it turns to fight back, Kharla slips behind it, jabbing her blade between two of it's vertebrae, felling the creature. Judging by it's tracks, the creature was traveling alone, though you can't tell where it came from.

Once Spriggy is ready to travel once more (the scare did a good job of cleaning his bowels), you resume your travel through the forest.

A few days later, Lady Seraph starts to correct your course, as despite Gorrid's divine guidance, the magic in the area manages to get you turned around. Finally, you find the tower you seek.

Strangely enough, you don't see any defenses around the exterior.

Sir Gorrid scanned the area trying to get as good a sense as he could of what they were up against.

quote:

19:36, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 10 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,4.  Discern realities.

What should I be on the lookout for?
What here is useful or valuable to me? - in terms of approaching/entering the tower undetected
What here is not what it appears to be?

There's little cover to approach the tower, though it looks like you could try using the plants covering some of the windows to be harder to spot. But you have a feeling that the necromancer must have magical defenses that are far more likely to give away your presence than being spotted will.

"I don't see any physical defenses, so I'm guessing we're looking at magic.  Spriggy, can you spot anything?"

"Hmm. Give me a moment." The bard began looking over the tower for any clues about it's history or purpose. As well as the surrounding terrain. He wanted to try and suss out exactly what level of peril they were about to walk into.

---

I would like to use my Elf move: "When you enter an important location (your call) you can ask the GM for one fact from the history of that location."

I would also like to use Bardic Lore: Spells and Magicks, since this seems like an important magical location. My question is, "What kind of resources would need to be expended to justify getting a setup like this place?" Like, is this guy super rich and well-connected? Because he sounded like a recluse. And if his defenses are extreme, it would mean whatever is inside is probably worth such extreme measures. I probably could have asked a "better" question, but this one seemed interesting to me.

Kharla reappears from scouting and relates what she's found

13:40, Today: Kharla rolled 10 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 6,1.  Trap Expert + Cautious
When you spend a moment to survey a dangerous area, roll+DEX.
✴ On a 10+, hold 3
• Is there a trap here and if so, what activates it?
• What does the trap do when activated?
• What else is hidden here?

A hidden entrance?
This message was last edited by the player at 21:00, Sun 14 Nov 2021.

Looking at the tower, Spriggy can only conclude that it's not actually a major landmark. The building is reasonably solidly made, but will little or not major skill. It's likely the necromancer built it with reanimated help and a bit of shaping magic thrown in.

As Kharla examines the area, she find multiple magical traps... that are all shut off. The trap should activate as soon as someone living comes close to them, but it seems they're all 'powered off' at the moment. As for what they would have done, the effect varies between causing irrational fear, to causing blindness, to draining the victim's life energy. But right now... it seems the path to the tower is completely unguarded.

From what you can tell, short of climbing the tower, there's no entrance other than the front door.

Sir Gorrid nodded.  Magic made sense - and he was glad there were people along who could find it.  "Do we sneak or do we all charge in and hope we can make it past the triggers before things get activated?  I'm not sure how good we all are with sneaking..."

Does the tower look climbable (with appropriate equipment)?  Are the windows large enough for a person to enter?

My 'senses' should be attuned to the location of the necromancer.  Can I get confirmation that they are actually in the tower?  Can I tell where within the tower?

The redhead frowned toward the structure and without turning to Gorrid suggested, "Unless Lady Seraph has been busy disarming traps, I'd say we've been invited in."

She shrugs, "That's always the worst kind of trap."

Looking round to all she motions toward the tower, "Best make our preparations now and head inside."

Seraph shakes her head. "I've been keeping watch for creatures, but I have no familiarity with magic. I wouldn't know how to disarm such things even if I could find them. The most I've felt is a strange tingle..."

Leo raises an eyebrow at that. "Like... in the back of your ear? Like a small tickle on the inside?" Seraph nods at the bard's description. "I think that's a passive detection spell. I've come across something like that a few times when visiting merchant houses..."

"Does that mean they know we're here?" Russel sighs. "Just great..."

The tower could be climbed by Kharla or Russel, but the windows are far too small for anyone to slip in.

Gorrid, as you looks at the tower, you frowns. You're sure you felt the necromancer was there a moment ago, but now... you can't locate him. You know he's somewhere, but you can't figure out in what direction that somewhere is.

Feeling the disconnect with he necromancer wasn't a good thing, nor was the news that he likely knew they were there.  The paladin prayed for guidance in the hope there might be some sign as to the safest way to approach, not that any approach was likely to be totally safe.  My Lord, we come with your companion's spirit to a place where the spirits of the dead are most at risk.  I would ask for a sign of how we should best approach our quarry to keep both her and your humble servants safest from Evil

Then he prayed further for the support of his God in the combat he knew was to come.

quote:

21:12, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 9 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,3.  Cast Guidance.

Will forget the spell

Also using the 'Detect Evil' spell

quote:

21:13, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 7 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 2,3.  Cast bless on self.

Will forget the spell

quote:

21:14, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 8 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 2,4.  Cast magic weapon on my sword.

And forget that one too :)

If we're not moving 'imminently', I won't cast those latter two spells until it's actually time.

"Definitely keep your wits about you, but I think we still need to walk in to this obvious trap. The tower appears to be... homemade. Hopefully he doesn't plan on toppling it down on top of us." And hopefully he hadn't just given the scrying necromancer the idea to do exactly that.

As he led his pony cart forward, the bard kept a sharp eye out for any noteworthy complications as they approached the tower. He was trying to piece together the necromancer's likely next move. "Irene, can you make sure Istvan stays Protected? Moreso than the rest of us. He is the one most likely to be able to help us if we get trapped, maimed, or overrun by a horde of undead."

---

03:57, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 9 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 6,2.  Discern Realities - approaching necromancer tower.

I will ask, "What is about to happen?" I also take +1 forward when acting on the answers.

Gorrid sees the image of a sword, pointing at the tower's door. You can also sense a vague feeling of malevolence within the building, though it seems unfocused.

Spriggy looks carefully as he draws closer to the tower, alert for any danger. Yet there's nothing there. The only thing missing from this scene, is a written invitation to step inside. The door isn't even locked.

"Seeing as the red carpet is out, I say we go in.  Anyone want to do anything else before we head in?  Spriggy, why don't you sing us a song!"

If we're not stealthing, may as well start with a bard buff or two :)

Spriggy nodded, then began singing to bolster his allies with his song-spells. He had recently learned a singing trick to stack two melodies atop eachother, creating two effects at once. In this instance, bolstering cooperation and offensive resolve. He... was not very skilled at using the double-song trick yet though...

---

I went ahead and kept rolling until I got a 6-. Only got two rolls... Added XP. The effect for both of them was to be the same. +1d4 damage and +2 when target received Aid instead of +1. Targeted Gorrid first, then Kharla. Was going to target Istvan and myself too, but then disaster struck. ;-)

19:15, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 8 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 2,4.  Arcane Art - boost Aid bonus, boost damage.

19:22, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 4 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,1.  Arcane Art - boost Aid bonus, boost damage.

This message was last edited by the player at 01:28, Thu 18 Nov 2021.

Kharla grinned as Spriggy's voice stirred her to action.  She approached the door upon the balls of her feet.  In only a moment the redhead checked to confirm that the portal was not warded and, if not, tried the door to see if it would yield.

20:48, Today: Kharla rolled 6 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 2,1.  Trap Expert + Cautious.
- When you use trap expert you always get +1 hold, even on a 6-
• Is there a trap here and if so, what activates it?

I'm assuming no XP since was still successful thanks to Cautious, correct?

Sir Gorrid followed behind the thief.  He gestured at the hirelings to keep up.  "The defenses are down now, but that may not last.  If you're caught on the wrong side of them, you'll be on your own..."

The henchmen nods, and follow behind you. The door is not only unlocked, but also without traps. Inside, you find what seems to be a combination of storage area and kitchen, with just a staircase heading up. The various boxes and chests holds run-of-the-mill supplies for an isolated building in the forest, though you notice a layer of dust suggesting nothing here has been used for a while.

The second floor is similarly left unused, though it does hold more fancy items. Half of the floor is taken by a simple bedroom. The bed is made, and clothes are in the wardrobe, but a layer of dust shows no one used the desk for a while. The clothes seems familiar, kind of like what the necromancer who attacked your inn was wearing.

The other half is a small necromancer's lab, with some valuable components (Worth 20 coins), and some disgusting rotten flesh and broken bones, made only slightly better by the layer of dust covering everything.

Third floor. Another, larger bedroom. This one seems in use, though. The soft bed is unmade, and the room needs a good dusting, but someone was sleeping here in the last few days, at least. But otherwise, there's nothing of note.

As you reach the fourth floor, a quick look outside tells you you're at the last floor. The door, still open and not trapped, leads into a major magical laboratory. The walls are covered with filled bookshelves, maps, scribbled notes in Elven, and a silver mirror. There's also alchemical equipment, but it seems to have been left in disuse for a long time, unlike various divination implement scattered on the tables. More books are tossed on the floor, with a few bowls of half-eaten food. The entire place looks like a mess, as though it's owner was too busy to do any form of cleaning.

The only part of the room that seems sorted is the central table, where an open book sits next to a loosely rolled-up scroll.

"Be careful of the scroll and book.  I fear they may be a trap.  Let's see if we can find some notes or something that might tell us what this mage was up to.  Also, he may be invisible and still here..."

The paladin hurried down the stairs, grabbed a blanket off the bed and threw it over the table, then began searching the room,

quote:

07:07, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 11 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 3,5.  Discern realities.

What happened here recently?
What should I be on the lookout for?
What here is not what it appears to be?

What is my 'connection' to the necromancer telling me?

Biting her lip the thief regards the silver mirror, "Don't suppose you've hear of any spells what would let a wizard step through a mirror to somewhere's far away have you, Spriggy?"

Spriggy considered the mirror in-depth after Kharla asked about it specifically. "Mirrors feature prominently in many different magical legends and stories. There are tales that tell of mirrors being used for scrying, transportation, creating duplicates, accessing a reflected dimension, magical wardrobe changes, reflecting gaze attacks, seeing someone's inner beauty, revealing a being's true form, and any number of other minor uses. Their usage is so varied that it is difficult to tell which uses are real and which are fabrication. Of course, some mirrors are used for mundane purposes as well, but I have my doubts that this one was used merely for brushing hair..." With that, Spriggy began examining the mirror to see if it was magical in and of itself.

As he scanned it, he mentioned to the others, "Someone could check the dust on the bookshelves. See which books have been pulled off the shelves most recently. It might help provide additional clues."

---

If the mirror is magical, I will use my Bardic Lore to ask, "What sorts of magic is this mirror used for?"

Judging how Gorrid's senses leads to a seemingly dead-end, Spriggy assumes the mirror was used to open a pocket dimension. A refuge the necromancer must have used to keep himself safe. The book and scroll on the table appears to have been left there deliberately, but it's impossible to tell why without examining either.

As you looks through the notes and papers, you get the impression that his magical research wasn't focused on necromancy, but rather on finding something. Some of the books written in the common tongue deals with the history of various villages to the north and east, as well as treatises on legends and curses.

Most of the notes are written in short-hand elven, making it barely decipherable by Spriggy and Leo's combined studies. From what you can gather, the necromancer has been investigating a very old curse. And by how old some of the journals Russel finds are, he's been doing that for decades, though the more recent the texts, the more angry and sharp the writing is. In the end, you think he found what he wanted. Something related to bloodlines, and a small village at the east end of the Sunrise Reach call Killbourne.

Seraph looks at the covered documents. "If you wish, I could examine the texts. It's unlikely any traps they have could affect me."

"He *wanted* us here.  And I'm pretty sure he *wanted* us to look at the book and scroll.  He new we were coming and he deliberately left them out.  He was a necromancer, and they have some power over spirits.  My leaning is to learn more before we take that risk.  Take the mirror, scroll and book with us and go check out the village.  And perhaps put some iron bands around the mirror or something to make it less likely he can pop out of it if he wants."  He looked around to see the thoughts of the others.

Did we find the name of this necromancer?  Any information at all about the nature of the curse?

"Really? I don't get that impression at all. I get the feeling that as soon as he thought we were nearby-- maybe an undead bat or something warned him-- he hid in the mirror. I can't imagine why he would want us to find this stuff. It feels a lot more to me like extreme haste than carefully setting up a trap for us."

"He *knew* we were here.  He turned off all his traps.  He left his door unlocked.  He's a necromancer sitting in his own tower.  I've never met one of those who ran away without putting up at least *some* sort of a fight.  We could melt his mirror, burn his books and he'd be up the creek.  If he didn't want us to take this book or these scrolls, he could have taken them with him or at least put them back on the shelf.  That would have taken the time it took us to cross from the trees to the front door, let alone to make our way up all those stairs.

This smells way too funny.  The obvious think to do is to read the book and the scroll.  We shouldn't do the obvious thing..."

"I think it likely Leo is correct, that the necromancer had a passive detection spell laid over the area around the tower and was alerted to our presence, Kharla paced round the table, reciting what they had surmised so far, "To that end it may be that he did leave in a rush and did not have time to tidy up.  He had no undead guards or servants here to marshal against us.  He was alone!  Vulnerable!"

"SO!  Was the book and scroll a trap?  Or were they simply not important enough for him to grab as he fled?  Will he pop back out from the mirror any moment and lay waste with fell spells and bring undead minions with him?" She seemed to be announcing the situation to an imaginary listener, like some great sleuth deducing the motive at the scene of a crime.   It was doubtful anyone in the room truly saw her as such.

She laid her hand upon the blanket Sir Gorrid had used to cover the book and scroll and whipped it from the table in a flourish...but smiled before leaning over to read, "Well we need find out one way or the other.  As of now we only know of this village, Killgore...no, that's not right...Killbourne! yes, Killbourne.  Lady Seraph's plan is sound, she would be an unlikely target for any fell trap given it was likely we, the living, who triggered the detection spell.  Ooooor I could...." she began to lean forward slowly, as if to begin reading...

For those that knew her it actually showed great restraint on the redhead's part that she hadn't already begun reading the book or scroll by this point.

Gotta do something.   Seraph or Kharla or Squiggy review the text?
This message was last edited by the player at 14:39, Sat 20 Nov 2021.

"He was in a rush, but had time to turn off his traps and unlock the front door, even though he knew we were here?  He had the power to create traps to cause fear and drain life but opted to use none of those while we approached his home -the center of his research for decades?  This is a necromancer with the power to manipulate minds to never find his tower in the first place, yet he flees from our rag-tag band without attempting *any* sort of defense?

If we can learn nothing at the village, then perhaps then, we can have Lady Seraph read the text.  If the mage has fled, there is no rush.  If he is watching and waiting for us to do as he desires, best not to do it.

The knight gave a brief prayer and glanced around the room before covering the book and scroll again with the blanket and, through the blanket, closed the book and gathered book and scroll into a bundle.

Our job was to stop the necromancer from using his book, not to read it.  If we bring the mirror, we can get it to someone who can either get him out, or ensure he remains safely 'in' for the remainder of his natural - or unnatural life.  And we can turn the book over to someone who has expertise in such things and can *safely* examine it and, if appropriate, destroy it.

I only suggest approaching the village so that we might have more useful information to report when we return."


What here is evil?
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:32, Sat 20 Nov 2021.

"You've got some good points, honestly. Why de-trap the place? So I tell you what..."

Istvan gets out his holy symbol, the little black crescent moon, and prays for Guidance.

(09:51, Today: Istvan Vanoson rolled 8 using 2d6+2 ((3,3)).

After you cast it, the spell is revoked by your deity. You cannot cast the spell again until you commune and have it granted to you.)

As the others spoke, Spriggy listened. But he also continued to examine the mirror. He looked for any arcane markings (or lack thereof), and continually referenced one of the books his unseen servant had brought along. He was trying to figure out if there was any way they might be able to access the pocket dimension themselves. It could be useful even if the necromancer had escaped through another back door in the mirror. "Anyone happen to know anything about pocket dimensions?" he asked quietly as the others discussed more important matters. "Or magical portals? Or even mirrors in general? ..."

When it became clear Gorrid wasn't going to let anyone look at the scroll and book, the bard tried to catch Kharla's eye and give her a "we will take a peek later" sort of look.

---

Using Spout Lore on the mirror, using a use of my Bag of Books. Trying to figure out how to access the pocket dimension.
10:11, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 9 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 1,4.  Spout Lore, with book - access pocket dimension.

An Aid could bump that to a 10+

Russel raises a hand. "Maybe he's not that strong? I mean, it's kinda like when you get into a king's castle. He's had years to build up defenses, but get him in a corner, and he won't last long."

"And his reason for removing the traps outside?"

He shrugs. "If he's scared of us enough, maybe he didn't want to get us angry. If we're angry, we'd just be even more likely to keep chasing him."

OOC: The necromancer's name is Teririgt, according to his apprentice.

"Um, guys? Having a little vision now... I'm seeing a black crescent... I mean besides my holy symbol... this one's 'horns' are pointing upward, which is usually considered a good sign... And it's... floating... over the book and scroll on the table. I think maybe Noric says it's cool to look at those. I'd do it myself, but if it's in Elvish, then..."

"The scroll is radiating pure and powerful evil.  I beg of you, please don't try to look at it.  If it is Noric's will that we look at the book, then I guess we can let the lady peruse it."

He allowed the book to drop gently out of the blanket onto the table without his hands coming into contact with it.  He kept the scroll safely contained.

He turned to look at Russel - "The king doesn't usually leave the door on his castle open so people can waltz right in..."

"Can you read Elvish, Irene?" Spriggy asked the spirit. "It really would probably be best if you read it first, but if only some of us living folk know the language, I should probably be the one to take a peek." He still wanted to take a peek at the scroll too, but it would have to wait until later.

He gestured with is thumb at the mirror he had just examined. "Oh, and the runes etched around the mirror's circumference do indicate that it is focus used for accessing a pocket dimension of some kind. I don't think destroying the mirror will affect the dimension though. And it is highly likely that this Teririgt guy has alternate exits from the place. I couldn't quite crack how to get in ourselves, but maybe our guild magician can?"

Kharla was torn with internal indecision.  One the one hand she did vaguely recall that she'd noticed all the traps outside had been disabled and that the necromancer was likely laying trap for them all.  But on the other she REALLY wanted to read the book and scroll. What to do?  WHAT to do?

But when Istvan said that Noric (God of Thieves no less) seemed to indicate that it was well to perues them, suddenly she felt certain there wouldn't be any harm in taking a peek.  Indeed, she often looked to Istvan for guidance and it seemed that once again the clerics divine wisdom had shown the way.

Sauntering over to the fallen book, Kharla picked it up and thumbed through a few pages to see if she could recognize the script before handing it to Seraph.

Kharla's bond with Istvan just has to come into play here.  If he says it's safe, she respects him and will believe it.

Hehe...she's gonna get nuked
This message was last edited by the player at 04:15, Mon 22 Nov 2021.

Sir Gorrid, having seen the gleam in Kharla's eye was ready and did his best to interpose himself, though trying to block the wily thief was easier said than done.  "Please let the Lady examine it first!"

Based on my own bond

quote:

Kharla is bold but impetuous.  I must keep her from getting herself (and us) in too much trouble.

, I'm going to try to interfere.

quote:

06:55, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 9 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 3,4.  Interfere w/ Kharla.

Unless my Bless is still effective:
*On a 7–9, they still get a modifier, but you also expose yourself to danger, retribution, or cost.

So Kharla needs to make a roll at a -2 (probably Dex?), but Sir Gorrid's probably messed himself up too.  And it's all Kharla's fault!! ;)

Gorrid slips the book out from beneath the blanket, and Seraph looks into it. "Most of it is written like the notes around the room. In elvish, but written in a shortened style. The last page is written in a... very clumsy common, and speaks of an escape spell. Using a scroll as a key?"

That last part is enough to convince the rogue, and Kharla nabs the scroll to take a look... Gorrid tries to stop her, but only succeeds in spilling the scroll to the floor, where it opens to reveal...

Something not that impressive. There's just a big black circle in the center. A circle so black, it seems almost like a hole. One that draws you into it, and seems to head deeper and deeper, almost sucking you in...

And within the unfathomable depths, you make out floating letters coming together, forming a short phrase...

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
^One _Hundred Years

---

Can we make a defy danger to not look?

Lol!  What Gorrid said.

OOC: Nope, you have both gazed into the abyss. And got put on voice mail.

"You are now cursed to die in a hundred years..." A raspy voice comes from the mirror, drawing Spriggy's attention back to it. As he watches his reflection, it seems to grow older at a break-neck pace, until it's so different that he realizes he's looking at someone else.

The old elf looks worried as he looks at Spriggy, only to relax when he sees Gorrid and Kharla standing over the scroll. "Were you not akind to mayfly, that may mean something. But for the likes of us, it is a long and drawn out torture that you can barely imagine."

"Hmm.  Not nearly as bad as living out the remainder of those years trapped in a pocket dimension with no escape or companionship.  I wonder how you'd fare if that lovely mirror were melted down to make silverware?"

The knight would be lucky if he made it another 20.  And the impetuous thief would not reach that high number.  At the rate she was going, the paladin would likely outlast her despite her significantly greater youth.  But he glanced at the bard and winced.  Kharla's foolhardiness might well have cost the bard many centuries.  Then he glanced at Istvan.  Had Noric *meant* for this to happen?  What freedom could come from knowing the date of one's own death - an accelerated one at that?

Sir Gorrid scooped up the scroll and re-rolled it and shoved it deep in his pack before anyone else - particularly the bard could glance at it.

The redhead's face twisted in absolute horror.

"100 years!?!  I don't want to live 100 years!  Do you know how OLD I'll be?  Over 100!"

"I've seen really old people.  They can't tell when you're picking their pocket.  They fall for the simplest cons.....  Gods help me...I'm going to be an...easy mark."

"NOOOOOOOOOOoooooo!" she cries to the sky, arms stretched wide, in anguish
This message was last edited by the player at 20:12, Tue 23 Nov 2021.

Spriggy was very relieved that he had been too busy looking at the book over (or rather through) their ghost's shoulder to properly see the scroll's curse at first. And then he had been too distracted by his own reflection seeming to age right before his eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it was the necromancer. Then he tensed back up when he realized it was the necromancer!

The bard wasn't sure what to say at first, so he let Gorrid make his threats (even though the necromancer likely had another way out of the pocket dimension). Certain details began to fall into place though. The reason this necromancer had been researching so relentlessly lately. The reason he would not let the other necromancer see his research. Why he had no interest in helping the group of necromancers that had gotten their hands on Irene's urn. How he knew just how torturous the curse was.

"You... You are at the end of the curse's duration, aren't you? You've been trying desperately to find a way out of it before the end of that hundredth year, haven't you?" Spriggy was not yet sure what to do with that realization. But it would definitely be important to find out if the man had succeeded in weaseling out of the curse.

The necromancer sneers at Gorrid's threats. "Do so if you wish, but if you want so desperatly to prove your heroism, I have a more noble method to suggest."

He seems to deflate when Spriggy makes his realization. "One of my apprentice found the scroll while gathering supplies. I had no interest in it... until a vampire attacked my tower and killed my apprentice to recover the scroll. From then, I found myself trapped deeper and deeper in a quest to recover the scroll, then to unlock it's secrets, and discover it's origins..." He sighs, lost in the memories of all he went through.

"The scroll... is a manifestation of an incredibly old death curse. One that dates back the old Elven Genocide, when they used the power of necromancy to win the war against the orcs, and turned their powers against humans and dwarves. Normally, such curses fade after a few decades, a century at most. I Only recently realized how it managed to last that long."

He nods in the direction of the maps on the walls. "When the elves turned against the humans, one of the first place attack was a village near the end of the Sunrise Reach. Close to the current village of Killbourne. During the attack, one human, someone of incredible will, uttered a curse with their dying breath, creating the scroll you now carry. Since then, anyone with a decent lifespan who discovered the scroll found their life cut short."

"Ok, so we burn the scroll so no one else gets hurt.  You spend the rest of your life in your pocket dimension and train no one else in the raising of undead.  What am I missing?"

The necromancer sighs, looking very much like Gorrid's old trainer when dealing with new recruits who can't figure out how to hold a sword. "Of course. If you can't see the scroll anymore, the problem is solved for you, is it not? That worked so well for all the others who tried it in the past." He snarls, shaking his head. "I remember how many years I've wasted tracking the scroll again the two times my search lead me to a pile of dust from such empty gestures. And I'm not foolish enough to think those were the only such attempts that were made. No matter what damage you make, the scroll will return, just like destroying this mirror will do nothing to hinder me."

"No!" Kharla leapt upon the table, stepped around the clutter covering it and pointed an emphatic finger at the necromancer's visage, "I WILL find a way to break this curse and free myself from this unjust fate!  This scroll will inflict its misery on others no longer!"

She seems quite emphatic in her declaration, but her eyes narrow in a seething anger as she adds, "And should I find you in my searching, YOU who arranged this diabolical trap, YOU will never reach 100.  Of that I promise you!"

With a final snort at Teririgt she steps off the table and begins to collect what loot she can find while contemplating where to best to place torches so that the books catch fire and the entire tower burns to the ground.

For the first time, Teririgt seems to loose a bit of his composure, surprised by Kharla's outburst. With a low voice, he asks Spriggy "does she not realize the scroll doesn't increases her life span? Or that I'm over four hundred years old?"

"Honestly, your guess is as good as mine," Spriggy replied to Teririgt, equally baffled by Kharla's logic. It wasn't until after he spoke that Spriggy realized just how casually and honestly he was speaking with the enemy necromancer. He decided to continue on in that manner though, since sometimes genuine honesty could convince people to share what they otherwise may not.

"So, Mr. Teririgt. Obviously we cannot reach you to do what we came here to do. And you obviously know a lot about this scroll you decided to leave behind. How can I get you to tell us more about the scroll's intricacies?" Spriggy did his best to be as charming and open as possible.

---

I am attempting to use my Charming and Open move to ask, "How can I get you to tell us more about the scroll's intricacies?"

The necromancer sighs as he leans back. "If only humans were as rational as us... The curse is fueled by blood. More specifically, the original curser's bloodline. I expect most of it is diluted throughout the land, but form what I can ascertain, some of these direct descendants still lives in Killbourne."

He casts a short spell, looking away from the mirror for a moment, before continuing. "Philip, Summer, and a child named Cathleen. Those three are all that remains of the bloodline that maintains the curse. Killing them could end it, but knowing the self righteousness some people have, I'm sure you'll want to find another way to end the curse. Honestly, I don't care what you do. I just want the curse to end, and for your band to leave me alone."

OOC: So tell us Spriggy, what does he has to do for your group to leave him alone?

"I'm sure killing innocent people is right up your alley.  Why do you need us?"

The paladin studied the necromancer closely, offering a brief prayer for insight into the man's soul.

What here is evil?
Dunno if that'll work through the mirror, but worth giving it a try.

"And I'm sure you would have no problem doing the same for the Greater Good." Teririgt replies. "I never said I needed you. I only told you of the curse you carry, and pointed out how you could stop it. Isn't that what you hero types do? Ending evil curses?"

OOC: Either he's not evil, or your sense doesn't reach through the mirror.

"Thank you for the info," Spriggy said honestly, then continued, "but unfortunately we can't leave you alone unless you can somehow prove you are not a threat to the innocent. And considering we already know you hired someone to harvest bodies from an inn we were visiting, I think it will be rather unlikely you will be able to make a convincing argument." However, Spriggy's tone let the necromancer know that he was still willing to listen to an attempt at making a convincing argument. Strangely enough, so far the man had been nothing but a friendly host. Cursed scroll aside...

"You practically *invited* us here.  If you could have taken care of it on your own, why were you just sitting here, door unlocked.  You've known for a week or more where this village was.  Why sit here waiting for us to arrive.  It doesn't seem like something you'd wait on, given how close you are to death's door.  Just lock your tower, turn on the traps and get to the village long before we could.  Why would you rely on us?  We could just as easily hold onto both the villagers and the scroll until you pass away and then deal with the curse."

"Opstay alkingtay easeplay," the thief mumbled loudly, still facing away from the mirror.

"I did not hire someone to attack an inn. I had a stupid apprentice who was too lazy to take the safe route, and wouldn't stick to gathering from the aftermath of bandit attacks and logging accidents. And as a result, I'm wasting my time dealing with you instead of focusing on the secrets of the universe."

He looks at Gorrid. "Unlike you, I have no desires to throw away my life on some rushed endeavors. I survived so long by being intelligent, not by being suicidal. You asked why I waited for you to arrive? I didn't. I've taken steps to deal with this issue, and I'm not relying on some crazed crusaders I didn't know existed until an hour ago.

I'm not the only victim of this curse. You want to sit and wait? Their lives may well be on your conscience. If that what you can live with... well, let's just say I never put much faith in the declaration of righteousness your kind puts forth."

Spriggy noted Kharla's words and thought she had a point. It probably wasn't too wise to spend so much time casually chatting with this necromancer, no matter how decent he was being. "Well, I think we will definitely need to talk amongst ourselves and figure out what to do."

The bard then withdrew to where he could (hopefully) converse with his allies without being overheard. He shared what he knew of binding beings to a pocket dimension and hoped Kharla might know some tricks as well since she was so handy with traps.

He wasn't sure trapping Teririgt was the way to go, but he figured it would be wise to share what he knew now in case it became relevant later. He also made sure the others knew he wanted to explore the books too. In case anyone was feeling particularly arson-y.

---

Spouting Lore. It is a partial success unless someone Aids.
16:03, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 9 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 3,3.  Spout Lore - binding someone to a pocket dimension.

Sir Gorrid had once come across an orc shaman who'd used a similar sort of magic mechanism (at least, similar as far as he could tell), and so he shared what he knew.

quote:

16:01, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 10 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,5.  Aid Spriggy.

Whoot.  Useful information comin' our way :)

Unless the person hiding in a pocket dimension of his own making is quite stupid or very confident, it's pretty much impossible to get them stuck in it from the outside. You'd need to get into his hideout, and find a way to bind him there... and at the moment, that necromancer controls the only way in you know of.

"I'm tempted to bring the mirror back to town and get someone with the necessary power to force their way into this wizard's special dimension and deal with him.  Unfortunately, he'd undoubtedly leave by some other mechanism, kill these poor people, then ensconce himself back in his tower, with all defenses reactivated.  We could probably take him, but it would be a challenge - and the trip to town would have accomplished nothing.

So my second choice is to loot whatever's worth taking from here, disable all the traps we can and burn the inside of the tower out, then go see what we can do about this curse.  Then we can see about dealing with this pocket dimension when the wizard doesn't have this comfy space to head back to so he'll be easier to hunt.  As far as I can tell, the only people in real danger right now are the people in that village and seeing as we can't stop the wizard from getting to them, best thing is to try to deal with the curse first, then the wizard once the people are out of danger."

The paladin was relatively certain the wizard could hear them - he'd shown an ability to eavesdrop before, no reason not to do the same now.  But it wasn't like they could keep their plan a secret once they started to exercise it anyhow.

As Gorrid finishes talking, Seraph points to the mirror. "It seems he cut off his spell." Indeed, Teririgt is no longer visible in the mirror, though you have no idea if he can still hear you or not.

"That's a relief." Leo says. "So what now? Do we drop the mirror off at the guild, then make our way upriver to Killbourne?"

"Oh! We could rent a boat to take us by the river! That means half the amount of walking!"

"Let's start by seeing what might be useful here"
He expected the mage would have yanked most of his valuable stuff with him into his pocket dimension, but there was always a chance something might have been forgotten.

quote:

10:19, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 9 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 3,4.  Discern realities.

What here is useful or valuable to me?

Grimacing the thief admitted, "I'd hoped we could put off pursuing the breaking of this curse but the...cursed...necromancer is right, others are also victims and may die before he.  I doubt all are dark elves, he certainly seemed to want to see you suffer from it, Squiggy."

The thought of her reading the scroll instead did bring a smile to her face, she grinned to Istvan, "Thank Noric for his guidance, did you see the look on Teririgt's face when he saw it was Sir Gorrid and I who read the scroll instead?" The image sent her into a fit of laughter.

She considered the question of the mirror and shrugged, "Is the mirror special?  Or would any mirror work for his spell?  I've no idea the answer so I cannot safely say it will help to bring the mirror except for its value in silver to the right buyer."  It was fairly obvious she'd been mentally estimating how much coin it would fetch.  "As for the rest, we've searched earlier but perhaps another pass would be useful."

Almost as an afterthought she added, "I like the idea of taking a boat downriver,  been ages since I've enjoyed the rocking of a ship.  But we should probably find a map and confirm that is the best means of reaching Kilbourne."

Kharla seemed all about business for the moment, her scattered, outlandish behavior was little evident.  Was it simply an act or did the redhead cycle between moments of mania and clarity.  The gods alone knew.

Maybe Teririgt had a good map of the area including where Kilbourne is?  Will Aid Sir Gorrid in his search in hopes of finding one.

20:55, Today: Kharla rolled 10 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 5,4.  Aid Gorrid Discern Realities
- woot, there ya go Gorrid

"As long as my pony can fit on the boat too, that is fine by me," Spriggy replied. "I do think this mirror was made special for Teririgt's needs, based on the engravings it possesses. But yeah, if we remove those we should still be able to sell it without 'cursing' the buyer. If we sell the mirror at all."

"And my name is Spriggy, not Squiggy," he muttered, knowing Kharla likely made the mistake on purpose. The bard wandered over to the books, now that they had their plan in mind. "Irene, can you keep an eye on the mirror while I search for any stand-out tomes?" He began searching for any new spells or other useful books filled with random knowledge or extreme value. He also kept an eye out for anything else of note.

---

Since I am probably looking for different stuff than Gorrid, I will roll separately.

21:28, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 11 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,6.  Discern Realities - books.
Nice!

I will ask:
What here is useful or valuable to me? (Any good books? Particularly ones that could teach me new spells?)
Who’s really in control here? (Are we as safe from Teririgt as we seem to be?)
What here is not what it appears to be? (Anything cool magical stuff that wasn't obviously magical when we first arrived?)

Additional questions:
What happened here recently? - e.g. what was he focused on moving/concealing
Is there anything here that is not what it appears to be? - e.g. concealed areas, secret compartments

Checking all levels

Looking around, it seems Teririgt kept most of his valuables elsewhere, probably in his pocket dimension. What little is left in his lab, his divination components, is worth about enough to pay for a boat trip. There are plenty of maps though, and they confirm the position of Killbourne close to the Moonstone Stream, not far from the eastern end of the Sunrise Reach.

You do find something magical... in the apprentice's room. Hidden in the back of his wardrobe, you find a set of racket with a bird. An animated bird. A bit of experimentation shows that it's 'programmed' to fly back when thrown or hit by the racket, acting like it was hit by an opponent. Someone who doesn't mind necromancy too much would probably pay 6 coins for it. It's also where you find the most spell notes, though they focus mostly on how to animate dead bodies and how to control their behavior.

The mirror's value is harder to evaluate right now, since you're not sure how much has to be change to break the connection to the pocket dimension.

It doesn't seem like Teririgt bothered hiding or concealing anything around this place, likely because he kept anything important elsewhere. As far as you can tell, the necromancer was ready and willing to abandon this place at a moment's notice, and he's unlikely to return unless he's sure you're not anywhere near here.

Kharla smiles as she traced her finger over the route the company could take to reach Kilbourne, "This looks well, we should reach the village in no time and better rested unless any find the rock of a boat unsettling."

She rolled the map up and secreted it in her pack should she need to refer to it again along the way.

"As Teririgt appears to have little regard for this tower, what shall we do with it?  Burn it to a shell to deny others of the Forrest it's use?  Or claim it and attempt to hold it as a place of refuge?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:35, Wed 08 Dec 2021.

"Can't imagine anyone wanting to use this place. We're far from the road, the coast, and either frontier. Heck, even bandits wouldn't want to settle so far into the forest." Russel says. "Maybe we could leave a surprise for mirror guy if he comes back?"

"Considering how careful he seems, I doubt he would fall for any traps we could make."

The rogue shrugs. "Maybe we could bait a monster to settle in? At least it would make it hard to come back. Hey Leo, you full on rations?"

"I'm good!"

Istvan snickers at this last idea. It's not that he thinks it's a good idea, as such-- when is encouraging a monster to set up a lair a great idea, exactly? --but he has to admit it's funny...

"I don't suppose there is any way to consecrate this area so that it can no longer be used for creating undead?" he asked Istvan and Gorrid. Smirking, he added, "It seems like it would be a justified punishment."

The bard loaded up his wagon to capacity with everything that seemed valuable. The animated bird, the mirror, the spell components, and even the necromancy notes. He figured maybe the notes could be useful in finding new ways to combat undead, instead of used to create them. At the very least, he would let their guild wizard take a look before destroying them. Spriggy also loaded up his wagon with as many bundles of useful books as he could manage. He prioritized ones that seemed to house a variety of interesting topics.

He also used his penguin token to conjure his penguin buddy and let him play around in the tower a bit. He figured the little critter might find the place interesting, and might appreciate being summoned for non life threatening reasons.

---

Loot:
Animated bird and racquets, (worth 6 coin)
Components, (worth boat passage)
Necromancy notes
Enchanted Mirror
Teririgt's Book
Cursed scroll
Kharla's map
Bags of books

GM, how many Bags of Books can I gather? As many as I have space for?

"I don't believe that's within my power, unfortunately."

Spriggy isn't going to touch the scroll.  It's sitting at the bottom of Sir Gorrid's pack and he will do his very best to avoid letting Spriggy get anywhere near it...

"At the very least, we can note down the location of the tower, and share it with any group heading in this direction. If the groups are adequately prepared, they could verify if the necromancer or one of his cohort attempts to use this building again."

A lot of the information is redundant and very specialized, but you still manage to gather two bags worth of reference books.

Once you've decided how you want to leave the tower, we can move on to your river trip.

Sir Gorrid wasn't thrilled with the notion of traveling by river, but did his best not to show it.  Plate mail was notoriously difficult to swim in...

"Even if we decide to burn this place down now, it would probably still be wise to have someone come check on the place every so often just to make sure no rebuilding has occurred. After all, the land itself has been modified by Teririgt, so he may still find it worthwhile to rebuild on the same location. Regardless of whether we set this place ablaze, however, I believe I am ready to go find our boat just as soon as I finish loading all of these supplies."

Spriggy had collected several stacks of books, the mirror, the bird toy, and the valuable components. As well as the necromancy notes. He left the scroll, Teririgt's Book, and the maps in the care of his allies.

With a shrug the thief followed Spriggy from the tower, "Then leave it, I say.  We know it's here and will spread the word to the Guild.  Perhaps someone there will have an interest."  She was humming something just under her breath as she went, it sounded reminiscent of an old sea shanty.

After gathering what loot you could get, you make your way back to Metrosan's Breach, keeping a clear map to guide future expedition to that tower.

The trip passes quickly, and you describe what you've learned, as well as prepare for your trip to Killbourn the next morning. But before you retire for the night, Garth calls Istvan over to the bar, before handing him a letter. "It came in yesterday. The messanger says it comes from Hanging Tree."

Istvan reads the letter. "...My father says something happened to Gania-- Gania was basically my best friend growing up. Dad needs my help to save her. He doesn't give a lot of details, but considering how much trouble your father gets into, him asking for help is a sure sign that things are... really bad. Guys... I'm sorry, but I've gotta go deal with this."

The redhead began to protest but stopped, took a breath, and offered instead, "You know that we are your companions and would not hesitate to help in any way we may to right events that trouble you.  But it does seems to be that this is a very personal matter for you; I understand if you you must address this alone.  If you will not accept our aid, then at least accept our wish for success and an quick return.  You know where we can be found."

There was none of Kharla's typical grin (mischievous nor heartfelt) or bravado.  It seemed the thief did not enjoy goodbyes.

Sir Gorrid scanned the cleric's face and concluded that the man was determined to deal with this matter on his own.  It was a choice the paladin could understand.

He clasped the holy man's shoulders and looked him in the eye.  "You have been a most pleasant companion and a champion of good and defender of those who need it.  May your Noric always smile on you and I will pray that our paths will cross again."

"Yes. Best of luck to you Istvan," Spriggy said, agreeing with the others. "We may have perished without you, several times over. We will do our best not to do so in your absence." He gave the cleric a tight hug if the Istvan allowed it, then stepped aside in case anyone else had anything else to say to him too.

---

Best of luck IRL too Istvan!

Do we owe the hirelings their payment yet? And if so, how much. Also, should we subtract rations for our trip?

OOC: You were able to grab enough food from the tower to get back, and the quest isn't considered 'done' yet. At least, not until you're done with that curse.

With a good night's rest, you get back on the river barge, and settle down for the up-stream trip. Despite your worries, the trip is quite relaxing. The flat-bottom boat, combined with the slow paced river flow, means there's no real risk of seasickness.

After two days of floating, with only a few pauses to stretch your legs, you settle down for another night on the boat... until you notice bird screech north of you, around the hills between the river and the mountain chain.

[Language unknown: "Allma! P st foreauthu si ca! Ill ev mifi!"
"Fiilhi ourio! Sta elasit m herstiwas!"
"Hemi!"
"Ck was olmill latithlat..."]

Sir Gorrid was up almost instantly, sword in hand, scanning the river banks for any potential threat.

quote:

11:35, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 11 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,5.  Discern realities.

What is about to happen?
What should I be on the lookout for?
Who's really in control here?

Spriggy's ears perked up as his magical amulet let him hear what the birds were screeching about. "They are... fighting over dinner," he reported. But the look on his face revealed he didn't know if it was quite as innocent as that. "Two are fighting over an eyeball and a spleen. I would suggest bracing yourself for a grizzly scene."

He wasn't sure if they were going to happen upon a moose carcass or an entire battlefield full of the dead, but he braced himself nonetheless.

The redhead only frowned and attempted to steel herself for what was to come.

"Can't we just stay on the boat?..." Leo suggests, only for the boat's pilot to bring his vessel close enough to the bank for you to jump of, after Seraph confirms that the area is safe.

Heading up the hill, you soon spot a group of vultures digging up and feeding on lightly buried humans. About a dozen of them, probably the remnants of a fight.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:24, Wed 15 Dec 2021.

Do I learn anything else from my discern?

Only that whoever survived the fight isn't around anymore.

The birds seemed to be fine, so Sir Gorrid wasn't super worried about traps and other danger.
 Once the boat docked, he moved in closer to get a look to try to understand better what had occurred.

quote:

11:30, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 11 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,5.  Discern realities again.

What happened here recently?
What here is useful or valuable to me?
What here is not what it appears to be?

The vultures gives you a few offended cries as they flap further away, while you examine the dead bodies. You count ten in total, six of them being patrolmen of the White Sword province. The others seems like hunters or bandits.

Most of the soldiers seems to have died by arrows, except two who fell to axes. The hunters, on the other hand, all died of sword blows, although one seems to have been executed rather than killed in battle.

A few footprints lead away from the remains, heading back toward the capital. They look like the same boots the soldiers are wearing. Those survivors must have taken the victim's belongings, though you find a hidden gem left hidden in a hollow heel. (Worth 5 coins)

"I will ask them if they know what happened here," Spriggy informed his friends. He then addressed the vultures, making sure they knew the party meant them no harm. He began by asking them if they knew what had happened to these people, how long ago they died, and if there were more dead bodies in the area.

The bard was happy to leave all of the physical examinations to Gorrid.

Kharla studies the site with her companions but made little in the way of remarks.  The count of the dead bothered her, more dead soldiers than bandits yet one bandit corpse appearing to have been executed by a sword.  Who was marching back to the capitol now?  Perhaps Spriggy could glean some helpful details from the wildlife.

Regardless this event seemed to have little to do with the group's quest.  The thief waited for the others to return to the barge and continue on.

Once the area and bodies had been thoroughly searched, the paladin set to work to do a more proper job of burying the dead or, if the ground proved too rocky, sought out enough wood or other fuel to create a proper pyre.  He didn't know who the men were and what guilt, if any, they might carry, but no human should serve as a feast for buzzards.

Spriggy spends a while talking to the vultures, translating their story once he was done sorting it out.

The guards were chasing the hunters, but some were shot down by the fleeing hunters (the birds say they looked too tired and stopped before catching up). When the guards caught up, the two group fought, and the hunters were killed. The guards then gathered everyone, and tried to hide them for later.

The vultures are also quite unhappy that Gorrid is trying to keep all the meat for himself.

"It sounds like the hunters took more lives, but the guards still won the overall battle," Spriggy said after recounting what the buzzards had revealed to him. "It doesn't really seem like anything we should get ourselves mixed up in though, as far as I can tell. We should probably continue on once all of the bodies are properly taken care of. I'll see if I can appease our helpful friends over here in the meantime." He gestured toward the vultures who were probably going to continue to be upset by the loss of their meal.

Luckily, Spriggy had a lot of supplies with him. Including some tasty treats he hoped the vultures would like. He assured the vultures that Gorrid would not be able to be 'reasoned with' and would not allow them to eat the peoples' bodies any more. The bard chalked it up to being "a weird person quirk" to not eat other dead people. He did offer the birds meat from his own stash though, and asked if they might allow Spriggy to sketch them in his spellbook while they ate. He wanted to 'befriend their spirits' if possible, since they seemed nice enough despite their putrid appetites.

---

Spriggy is trying to learn the vulture's shape by offering them some food. Can he use Adventuring Gear to provide some monster bait or something? Or maybe expend some extra Rations? If allowed, how many of each would it take?

The wake of vulture are satisfied with your preserved meat, unbothered by how it's dryness. And Spriggy is able to sketch the birds and study their spirits to learn their form during the night.

With a final morning prayer to the buried groups, you resume your trip to Killbourne.


After another day of travel, you leave the boat by mid-morning to walk the rest of the way to the village. As you spot the smoke of cooking fire ahead of you, you heard shouts and footsteps heading toward you.

"Hey! You! Hold your ground! Who are you, and why are you here?"

The man, wielding an old sword, leads a group of pike-wielding militia-men, as they try to look threatening while standing between you and the village.

Sir Gorrid smiled and gave a friendly nod before turning to look at Spriggy.  He was probably the individual best suited to making introductions and de-escalation.

"We are members of the Phoenix Blades, here on a mission," Spriggy said, stepping to the front of the group and keeping his explanation simple. He let his guild medallion show prominently and held his arms wide in a show of non-hostility. "What might your name be?"

---

I would like to use my Elf move: "When you enter an important location (your call) you can ask the GM for one fact from the history of that location."

We should also use Leo's Minstrel ability if/when it becomes relevant.

"I... am Grand Marshal Yoshiko of Killbourne!"

The militia men behind him sigh, and you hear one say "yesterday it was just marshal... if this keeps going he'll need a book for his title..."

Yoshiko clears his throat. "Well, I'm not sure who hired you... We haven't had the time to do so, as far as I know. The deaths only started a few days ago."

"Deaths?" Leo cuts in. "We weren't hired by your village specifically, but it may be related to our mission. What happened exactly?"

"We've had multiple murders. One or two person per day, for the last three days." Yoshiko shakes his head. "They've been shot by arrows, but we haven't found said arrows. Even when the victim was in the middle of the village. Needless to say, we're all on edge... half of us are expecting the barbarians to ride down from the mountain, the other half scream that the orcs have formed another horde and are coming to wipe us out."

As he speaks, the militia leads you into the village itself. It's pretty small, and not too different from any other farming village, with one major exception. In the center of the village is a circle of monolith, looking so worn that it must be older then everything else in the village.

Just looking at them, Spriggy can tell they were used in a magical ritual, maybe even a ritual used by the Dark Elves. The mere thought of that sends a chill down your spine...

Sir Gorrid scanned the area, looking for clues as to what was happening - and also trying to figure out where he might hide if he was a mage looking to assassinate people.  He also took a look at the people and the odd rocks, trying to get a sense of whether either might be involved in what was happening

quote:

15:56, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 9 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,3.  Discern realities.

What here is not what it appears to be?

Also, "What here is evil?"

Spriggy rubbed his chin as he pondered the information. "Thank you... Grand Marshal Yoshiko of Killbourne. Do you know if there was any relation or connection between any of the victims? What can you tell me about them?"

Spriggy was also curious about the monolith circle and definitely wanted to take a closer look since they still seemed magical. Perhaps they were a clue. At the earliest opportunity he planned to examine them for any signs of magical ingredient residue, arcane markings, or other such clues that might help him determine when and/or what magics the monoliths may have been used for.

---

I would like to use my Bardic Lore ability on the monoliths. I will ask, "what is the most recent noteworthy magical act they were used for?"

"Other than living in Killbourne? Not really..."

"One of them was a gambler, another was the town priestess. Then there was our cobbler, and a fisherman." One of the militiamen lists off.

The monoliths are very old, and smooth from weather damage. There's no way to use them now, but back in the days they could have been used for a magical ritual. Something like turning all the dead bodies in the area into undead, most likely. Now, it barely qualifies as an historical ruin... though Gorrid senses a dark aura surrounding them. A pain and anger that refuses to end, despite the years...

Overall, the town seems normal, despite the clear worry you see on the villager's faces.

"None of the victims happened to be people named Philip, Summer, or a child named Cathleen, eh?" Spriggy wasn't sure if it was wise to outright say the names of the people their group was looking for yet, but it would be important to know the answer to the question, so he asked it anyway.

At the very least, Spriggy was happy to share with his party that the monoliths did not seem to be usable. That was one less thing they needed to worry about.

"Phillip went to fix the Warren's cart, north of town."

"I'm pretty sure Summer is at her home... and Cathleen's right there, playing with my daughter." Yoshiko says, pointing at two girls in the shade of a tree, playing with dolls.

The paladin spoke in a low voice.  "I'm pretty sure the curse is sustained somehow by these monuments.  Perhaps if we destroyed them, the problem would go away?"

"Anyhow, I'm going to scout around a bit and see if I can find any signs of whoever's been firing at the townsfolk."

quote:

10:23, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 6 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 2,2.  Discern realities.

Anyone want to aid that?

In the event of failure, most relevant question is "What happened here recently?"

"The monuments may be part of it, but not all of it." Seraph says, looking at the space above the stones. "There's a spirit here. A very angry looking woman, I believe. It doesn't seem like she's perceiving us though."

Spriggy was simultaneously relieved and disappointed that the people they came to search for were still alive. Relieved because he didn't want grave misfortune to befall anyone, but disappointed because if people were dead already then having their targets be among them would have simplified their mission considerably.

At least now they could be reasonably certain the local deaths probably were not assassinations by the mirror-necromancer, Teririgt.

"There is a spirit present, eh? Too bad Istvan didn't come along... Gorrid, do you have any holy magic that might help in his absence? Or Leo, do you have any proper priestly training? Or are your skills more self-taught? Is there anything you could do as a fellow spirit, Irene?" Spriggy wasn't quite sure what the group's next move should be yet.

"I do not believe I have been given such a gift, though I can pray and seek guidance..."

The holy warrior closed his eyes and muttered a brief prayer, asking what his God would have him do.

quote:

08:14, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 9 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 3,4.  Pray for Guidance.

I'll forget the spell.

Took XP from prior failure

Leo shakes his head. "I studied a bit of medicine. Spirits are a bit above my pay grade..."

"And for my part... I may be able to interact with her, but... I'm not sure it would be safe to do so." Irene points at the stones. "Those monuments seems to maintain and fuel her. She could be stronger than I am, or those stones could trap me as well. I think we should keep that as a last-ditch solution."

Gorrid completes his spell, and looks around for the tell-tale sign of his god. But to his surprise, it's not the white sword that appears, but the shield of Zohlkhan. It floats just above the head of Cathleen.

The knight wasn't clear on the urgency of Gianam's guidance, but he wasn't going to take any chances.  He strode up to where the two children were playing and knelt down, positioning his own shield and body to protect them from one direction, while he scanned for threats from other approaches.

"Hello Cathleen,

My name is Gorrid.  My friends and I came to help ensure that you and your friend and the others in your village would be safe from those who have been hurting people.  Is there a place you and your friend could play for a bit that is inside?"

quote:

13:08, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 6 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 2,3.  Defend Cathleen.

Won't take XP yet as I don't know if the roll was even needed - and in theory if it is, someone might aid

The two girls looks worried as you come up to them, but Yoshiko's nod reassures them. "Well... there's my home." Cathleen says, pointing at a nearby house. "We could play there..."

With a nod, you escort the kids to Summer's house. "Mom! Sir horrid says I should play inside!"

Looking through the open door, you see a woman with brown hair in a bun, working on a torn shirt. She gives you a curious look as you stand in the open door.

"Good afternoon madam.  My companions and I have reason to believe that the recent attacks on your village may not be completely random and that your daughter, and perhaps you yourself, might be at particular risk.  It would be best if the two of you could remain inside when possible for the next day or two.  If you need to be out and about, please signal to one of us and we'll help as best we can or keep a look-out for you."

"We are from the Phoenix Blades," Spriggy rushed to add, showing his medallion to Cathleen's mother as a way of indicating his credentials. "Please pardon our forwardness, bit it seems the gods themselves have directed us to guard you. May I ask your name? You may call me Spriggy. Spriggy Glompgut."

Gregor was native to a small town named Killbourne. During his latest trip out of town, he heard disturbing news. Someone has been killing people in Killbourne, and no one knows why.
He quickly made his way back, and as he walked in the town square, wondering where he might start his search about what exactly is responsible for the murders, he noticed a group of adventurers heading to the home of the local seamstress. It was doubtful they were going there only to get their clothes fixed. Thus he decided to pay the seamstress a visit himself and learn what he can. On the way there, he tried to remember what he knows about the seamstress and how that could be relevant to the current situation and the visit she just got from those adventurers.

Not sure if I should roll, but just in case, here's Spout Lore?

Gregor rolled 6 using 2d6-1 with rolls of 6,1.  Spout Lore?

"I'm Summer. What do you mean, gods? Risks?" She stands up with a bit of difficulty, judging by her stiff-looking leg. "Why would we be in danger? We never even left our village!"

As she speaks to you, you hear Seraph say "someone is coming. Human, trained fighter. I don't believe he's the assassin, but he seems ready and able to defend himself."

Sir Gorrid left it to Spriggy to explain the situation.  He was better at that sort of thing.  Instead, the knight turned to look for the approaching individual, his hand resting casually on the pommel of his sword.

From where he is standing guard over Spriggy's cart, Russel readies his bow and attempts to Discern what he can about the approaching fighter.

16:16, Today: Russel Albion rolled 7 using 2d6 with rolls of 5,2.  Discern Realities.
My stupid mouse double clicks sometimes so, taking the first click.

Looking at the man, you notice his gait more than anything else. The way he moves is quite familiar, something you've seen quite often when you were a mercenary. And that you're seeing right now, as you watch Gorrid move to meet the coming man. Both of them have the gait of professional soldiers, used to walk for miles with heavy packs.

"Hail friend!  What you to these parts?"

"I'm a local. And you?"

Spriggy did his best to inform Summer about the entire situation as best he understood it. How her ancestors created a curse tied to her bloodline, and how a necromancer might be trying to end her bloodline to end the curse along with it. And lastly, how their band of Phoenix Blade members intended to try and find a way to end the curse with nobody having to die.

By the time he finished his recounting of the tale, he noticed that their group had had a familiar face show up. Was that... Gregor? Gorrid knew Gregor too? He said to Summer, "You take a moment to let all of that information sink in, and I will try to answer any questions you may have. But if you'll excuse me for a moment, I have couple questions of my own I need to go ask right now."

Spriggy politely excused himself and peeked his head out the door. "Gregor? I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised to see you here. You and Gorrid know eachother? How?" Spriggy also signaled to Russel that he could put his bow away. "Russel, trust me, you don't need to point arrows at this guy. I've been on an adventure with him before. He is... passable company," the bard joked.

Yoshiko perks up when he sees Gregor. "Gregor! You came back! It's good to see you again!" He shows off his insignia, marking him as the leader of the militia, a post you used to have. "As you can see, I'm now the Lord Grand Marshal of Killbourne!"

The other militia men just facepalm at the inflated title.

"I'm glad you're here, considering all the murders that happened..."

"Not a local, but here to help out given some recent troubles."  His hand shifted from pommel to belt once it was clear the man was recognized and welcomed by the inhabitants.

The man was vaguely familiar, but the paladin couldn't quite place him.  He strode forward and extended his hand.  "I'm Gorrid.  Where did you serve?"

"I've fought in the campaign against Vigglum, east of Vigilant Lake. Perhaps we crossed path there?"

Gorrid remembers that battle. A previously small-time warlord had managed to gather a few tribes to raid the Middle Lands. Thankfully, elven spies learned of his plans soon enough that a force could be gathered to stop them. It was still one of the larger conflict Gorrid was involved in.

OOC: Lake Vigilant is the smaller lake to the north-east of the map, and the source of the river flowing through Metrosan's Breach.

"Ah, yes.  That was quite the fight.  We'll be glad of your help then."

As Gorrid seemed to know the guy. Russel lowered his bow but kept an eye out for ambushers.
Talk was that Necro guy was going to kill people so, best to keep alert.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:18, Thu 13 Jan 2022.

After a while, Spriggy clasped his hands together and said, "Whelp, it seems things are pretty secure here at the moment. If it is alright with the rest of you, I think I will head out to try and collect the last of our three potential bloodline targets. Probably best to have them all at the same location, if possible. I'll have a chat with some of the local animals while I am at it too, to see if any of them happen to have any additional information about the recent assassinations. I expect I will return shortly."

If there were no serious objections, Spriggy would head out to do exactly as he had said.

The paladin nodded.  "I'll accompany you, just in case you run into anything unpleasant."

"Spriggy, you bringing the cart or should I stay with it here?" asked Russel.

"The stuff on it may be useful but it also should be fine with the locals keeping an eye on it."

To Sir Gorrid, "You think nothing unpleasant will be coming here? What with two of the three being right here?"

Sir Gorrid shook his head, sighing slightly.  "Nope.  Time to earn your keep.  Keep your bow out and your eyes open.  Between you, Garth, Kharla, Gregor, and the town militia, I'm sure you'll be fine for an hour or two."  Russel had the potential to be useful if he wasn't so focused on shirking work...

Not trying to tell everyone what to do, just playing up the relationship between Sir Gorrid and Russel and Garth.

"Actually, when you put it that way Gorrid, I wouldn't mind having Russel come along as well. They'll be fine here without him, and his bow could come in really handy if we do run into an assassin. But yeah, I'll leave Lydia here for now."

"Let's have the three of us go have a look around town, collect our guy, then come back here. It would certainly be nice to have a few more helpful hands in our crew though. Think anyone in town might be willing to assist us in our cause?"

"Well if you think it's necessary..." agreed Russel but, not with enthusiasm.
"Hey Spriggy, you got any extra arrows stashed away I can borrow?"

Russel errs on the side of caution not so much shirking. Why risk your life if there's a way not to?

Sir Gorrid shrugged, then turned to Summer.  "Remember, stay here until we get back.  If you must leave, bring your daughter and some protection with you."  Then he waited for the bard to lead the way.

Following the directions Gregor gives you, you head to the Warren's farm, in the hills north of town. It's a short walk, and you soon see the farm ahead of you. The sound of cracking wood greets you, as a man is working on a piece of timber.

Sir Gorrid left it to Spriggy to make introductions, while he scanned the area for potential trouble.

quote:

16:01, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 9 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 6,1.  Discern realities.

What should I be on the lookout for?

If anyone makes a successful aid, they can add a couple more questions

Idi ate up what passed for a road in these parts with long strides, his pace carrying a hint of hurry. His sturdy traveling clothes hung loosely on him, but with his frame everything hung loosely on him. He didn't particularly like travelling on foot, and alone even less so, but his objective was too pressing for him to be picky. He hoped the jagged little mace at his belt and the small, round shield slung over one shoulder would deter any trouble a lone traveller might attract; he could handle ruffians—maybe, hopefully, and if not then surely his god could—but it would still slow him down.

He hummed quietly in time with his steps, something catchy he'd heard a bard working on before he'd been sent out here. He couldn't remember most of the words, but the tune helped pass the time and keep his cool; Idi was ready to curse the land itself as he crested yet another of the little hills he'd been hiking up and down all morning. But as he came over the top he saw something that made him breath a sigh of relief.

Killbourne. Finally. He squinted at the cluster of buildings still a little ways off—it really wasn't very big, was it? Although those huge dark stones were certainly out of the ordinary... But didn't break his stride for even a heartbeat. With Thovis' blessing, he wouldn't be too late.

Now that he had the village in sight, he started looking for signs of people. His news was dire, but all the more pressing for that. He had to keep them alive, if he could, despite the trained killers that could be swooping in any time. What could a sleepy village like Killbourne have done to draw down assassins? Idi only hoped that some help would be available, and soon, because even with the guidance of Thovis he didn't know how he would stop a cadre of actual assassins.


I'm not sure who, if anyone, I'll run into first, but I'll head straight towards the center of town until I run into someone.

Spriggy shook his head at Russel's question. "Sorry. No arrows. But you can have these. I have others in case of emergency." The bard unfastened a small strap that held four throwing daggers. They didn't have the range of arrows, but could still be helpful in a pinch.

As the party neared the farm, Spriggy waved to the timber-worker as friendly as he could manage. "Ahoy! Philip I presume? I am a fellow farmer, as yourself, turned adventuring magic-man. Do you mind if we have a chat? I am afraid it is important."

---

Russel, Spriggy handed you four of his 8 throwing daggers:
Throwing Dagger x4 (thrown, near, 0 weight)

Gorrid, I didn't think it made sense for me to Aid your discernment if I was making intros at the moment. Maybe Russel can Aid you though?

Idi, I am unsure which side of town you are entering from, and so I am unsure if we would see you yet. GM, do we see Idi?

While Sir Gorrid was scanning clockwise, Russel helped him evaluate the situation by scanning counter-clockwise. From his exposed position he had a good view of the area.

10:28, Today: Russel Albion rolled 6 using 2d6 with rolls of 2,4.  Discern Realities.
Opps, was supposed to be "Aid or Interfere" If we have a bond, which I think we do, then that's a +1 more for 7.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:34, Mon 17 Jan 2022.

I believe we have a bond - so ask your two additional questions :)

Gorrid sees little out of the ordinary, except for a strangely dressed halfling inside the barn...

While Russel keeps watch on the area, he notices someone quickly walking toward the village. It takes a moment for you to recognize him, but you realize it's Idi, who's supposed to be at his church, from what he last told you...

The paladin kept an eye on the halfling as he continued to monitor for threats, but left it to Spriggy to do the talking.

Stirring from a deep sleep, Buckthorn lazily sat up amidst a large pile of hay just inside the barn. His first thought of a hot meal was quickly replaced by concern that the farmstead had become a bustling crossroads for travelers.

He stared back at the heavily armed man alongside his talkative and puzzlingly Elven squire. Perhaps things had gotten worse in Killbourne and the rumors were true. The farmer didn't appear threatened.

Rather than slip out the back of the barn, Buck decided it best to bid the farmer farewell and thank him for hosting. He gathered his things and slowly made for the group, brushing hay from his cloak as he walked.

When yet another traveler appeared on the road in the distance, Buck frowned momentarily and had to reassure himself Killbourne was just a small village where he could gather information and be on his way in a matter of two days, perhaps less.

The man looks surprised at seeing Spriggy. "Yes, that's me. What's the problem?" He asks you, glancing around until he spots another farmer near the house. He probably wants to make sure someone will have his back if problems are brewing...

---

As Idi approaches the central square, you quickly spot a group of militia, accompanied by someone that seems like a mercenary. Strangely enough, it looks like they guard a small ordinary house.

Figuring it might be wise to sus out these new individuals, the paladin murmured a quick prayer, seeking insight.

What here is evil?

As Buck neared the gathering he caught the increasing concern of the farmer. As a precaution he produced a short-spear from his cloak and began casually using it as a walking staff. Buck stops short of the farmer offering a reassuring nod before focusing on the armored newcomer finishing a quiet recitation of some sort.

Philip nods to Buckthorn, before waiting for Spriggy's reply.

Sir Gorrid held back a bit, sensing that neither of the individuals meant trouble and his presence was causing more angst than reassurance.

"The problem?" Spriggy replied, pausing to take in all of the people emerging out of the surroundings. The growing crowd of people was a bit unnerving, but Spriggy sensed it was a bit unnerving for all parties. Not just for his own group. And since nobody seemed intent on creating hostilities (at least not yet), the bard continued, trying to remain as cool and collected as possible. He would let Gorrid and Russel keep an eye on the road-travelers/militia, and take any necessary precautions on his behalf.

"I assume you have heard of the recent assassinations in town, correct? My friends and I recently came to town to protect a handful of individuals when we had reason to believe were in danger. We are unsure if the assassinations are related, since none of the victims were the people we came to protect, but we are hoping to put those people under heightened guard nonetheless. At least until we can figure out what is happening around here."

Perhaps Philip could see where Spriggy was going with this, but he explained further regardless. "We already have Summer and Cathleen under heightened security. We came here to try and convince the third person to join them in safety. That third person is you, Mr. Philip."

"W-what? Me? Why me?" He looks around, confused.

Subtly nodding as more rumors were confirmed, Buck studied the pair of traveler's from town and their watchful Bowman.

He fully relaxed after hearing the elf speak, if these two were on the side of the assassin(s) they were terrible in their work. Leaning forward onto his spear, Buck continued to listen intently.

Russel keeps glancing at where Spriggy is and who he is talking to but mostly is actively scanning the area opposite Sir Gorrid.

"Sir Gorrid, you think we have to worry about dead things rising or that the Necro has other tricks up his sleeves?" ask Russel.

Armed people, standing about in the open. Well, that was probably good, right? That's probably not how assassins would approach their work. Maybe the cavalry had arrived before Idi could. Still, no sense in being reckless...

He unstrapped his shield, but left it loosely slung over one shoulder. With his hand resting on the mace at this belt, he continued towards the group, at a more leisurely pace. He didn't want to cause any alarm, but he was wary just in case he was walking into a bad situation. But to his relief, as he approached he recognized--

"Russel? Thovis' mercy, that's a relief." Idi relaxed at recognizing the man, but his caution was quickly replaced by curiosity. "What are you doing here? I had word there were assassins--have you seen anything?"


I think I have the right read on the situation that Russel might be the first one Idi gets close enough to recognize, but let me know if I'm wrong there and I'll edit!

Russel's relief in seeing someone that he didn't think was trying to kill them, made him a little talkative.
"Idi!? What are you doing in these parts?"
"Seen anything out of the ordinary in the local area? We hear that there is a Necro with intent to have a few specific people killed. We're here to stop that one way or another."
"Something about a curse and that is one sure way to break it."

What he said reminded himself to also keep alert for anyone else approaching.
So he did another scan around while listening with one ear.

Idi smiled at the man, still feeling relief at finding allies instead of enemies--so far.

"Seems we're here for the same reasons then, more or less. The church got word of this necromancer sending some assassins. I had hoped to be in time to intervene until some reinforcements could arrive, but if you're here already then so much the better!

"Who have you got with you? Any sign of, you know, assassins?" Idi peeked past Russel to see who else he could recognize, then joined him in keeping an eye on the surroundings.

"The one in the armor is Sir Gorrid of Torr and the one doing the talking is Spriggy Glompgut."
"I'm with them and we are still on the lookout for anyone that might be trying to kill the ones we have found that need protecting."

While Russel trusts Idi, he doesn't know who else might be listening and so, doesn't say exactly who the ones needing protection are.

A part of Spriggy's consciousness noted that Russel recognized Idi and was filling the guy in on what was going on, which Spriggy was glad for. And the person who emerged from the barn seemed to be a friend of the guy they had come to protect, which Spriggy was also glad for. The fact that Spriggy didn't have to worry about these other entities meant he could focus more on answering the question asked of him.

"Why you? The full answer is probably pretty complicated. But the basic answer is "because of your bloodline." You see, apparently once upon a time your ancestors created a powerful curse tied to your family's bloodline. And the simplest way for people currently affected by that curse to end it is to end your bloodline. Luckily we have arrived though to try and find a... less messy solution to the problem."

Sir Gorrid spoke up from a distance.  "Perhaps a more thorough discussion could wait until everyone has moved to a place that's a little less exposed - ideally with the others?"

He kept a sharp eye on the tree-line for any sign of movement that might warn of a potential new attack.

quote:

09:46, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 12 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 5,5.  Discern realities.

What is about to happen?
What should I be on the lookout for?
What here is not what it appears to be?

"Oh... I... I have no idea..." He shakes his head, looking a bit overwhelmed by what you told him. "What should I do?"

You lead him back into the village, and toward Summer's house. As Gorrid looks over the area, you get the impression that the village is open enough that someone couldn't just walk up to the house without being seen. At least, during the day. The house has a few windows, but closing the drapes should be enough to stop a sniper from picking them from afar.

Looking at the people of the town, you're certain they're all locals, and quite worried about the situation. Except for the kids, who seems blissfully unaware of the problem.

Buckthorn made sure to (very) briefly introduce himself to Gorrid before the group hit the return road to town. During the trip he hung back, mostly to avoid conversation but also to act as a rear guard. With the rumors confirmed, everyone seemed on high alert.

Upon reaching the Killbourne and making initial preparations, Buck speaks to Gorrid again when an opportunity presents itself, succinctly explaining he has intended to protect the town and reassuring the knight his labor is readily available to assist the group.

When there was an opportunity to talk to the others without being overheard, Russel says,
"I might not have any idea about how some Necro can kill his targets but, seems to me, clumping them all together just makes it easier, to be sure he got them all in one shot."

"Magic isn't my thing but, I'm sure burning a house down with people in it doesn't end well for the people."

"Also, disguising the kid somehow may help spread out the targets."

"It's easier to defend a single point than to defend many.  Though I agree, fire is a risk.  Are there any more robust locations here?  If not, we should ensure a good supply of water is available.  We should also be cautious around food."

When he had a second, he queried Buckthorn and the other newcomer about how/why they had come to the village.  His tone wasn't accusatory, but he watched them carefully as they responded.

The unnatural draw of the darkstone circle." Buck answered simply and in a low voice. After a drawn out moment of solid eye contact he added "Hearing of your desire to protect the townspeople, I've yet to decide which is the more pressing matter."

Looking around the area, Russel doesn't see a better option that hiding in the houses. Far as he can tell one house is pretty much like another in this small village.

07:55, Today: Russel Albion rolled 5 using 2d6 with rolls of 4,1.  Discern Realities.

"Wish I did have a better idea cause I'm not sure where they are is actually the best one", he said to Sir Gorrid.

Idi followed with the group, this being his first real look around the village.

"Keeping targets together does give assassins an easy place to focus, but that could be good and bad. At least we'll know where they're going," he gave a half-hearted smile. "Makes that part easier, no?

"Has anyone seen any of the assassins yet, or sign of them? The Inquisitors told me to come looking for the Necromancer's assassins, but implied the Necromancer himself is still hidden. Hard to know what these assassins might bring against us—dark magics? poison? or just a quiet blade?" He frowned thoughtfully, looking around yet again for somewhere that looks sturdy enough to be reassuring.


What does look to be the sturdiest, most defensible place in the village?

"One's an archer, we know that much. Not that we could find any of their arrows..." One of the militia member, with a semi-fancy cape, says.

Looking around the town, the safest place, from the outside at least, seems to be the wind mill on a nearby hill. It has only one door, and a high window. The rest of the buildings are made of wood, including the shrine. None of them are very big either, except for a manor a good distance away.

"Tell me more about what you felt from the circle.  I expect that's what we will need to deal with in the end, though first we must protect those the assassins are coming for.

Also, are we sure the assassins are from the necromancer?  It's possible they have another objective.

Would the town mind if we guarded those we believe are at risk at the windmill?  It seems the most defensible."

Buckthorn nodded in the affirmative, but instead of a reply he turned and made for the center of town and the mysterious stone circle, leaving Gorrid and the others to settle the rest of the matters at hand.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:28, Sun 23 Jan 2022.

"We don't need the mill right now, so feel free to use it. It's where we hide our kids if we're afraid a monster or bandits are about to attack anyway."

As you prepare what your wards will need to stay safe, Buckthorn takes a moment to sit near the stones.

Spriggy helped the villagers prepare all of the things they would need and packed it into his pony cart to help bring it all to the windmill. He sang songs as they worked, both to help keep the situation from feeling too heavy and simply because it was in his nature to do so.

To his allies (new and old) he mentioned that after the three villagers got situated at the windmill, he would go have a chat with the various animals around the village. See if the critters could provide any new insights about what was going on around town. He also mentioned that it might be a good time to use his new Mimic spell soon. If he took on the guise of one of the villagers they were protecting, perhaps he could lure out the assassin without actually putting the villagers in harm's way.

Once their charges were secured, Sir Gorrid nodded at Spriggy's plan, then headed over to see what Buckthorn was up to at the stones.

Russel takes up position near Sriggy's cart but able to keep an eye on the area around the mill.
He tried to not make it obvious something of value was in the mill in case someone was trying to locate their charges by where was being guarded.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:46, Mon 24 Jan 2022.

Buck cocked his head the moment he heard the heavy approach of his well armored new acquaintance, abruptly  ending his rhythmic breathing. From one knee, with head bowed and eyes closed at the center of the dark stone circle, he slowly released two handfuls of soil. He paused a few moments longer before unhurriedly rising, turning to meet Sir Gorrid.

Buckthorn spoke slowly but steadily as if his words carried forth a great weight from his lips;

"For centuries these stones have set, unmoving, yet they are not dormant. Held fast within, a spirit. A human spirit, and within that spirit a smoldering anger. Anger in tandem with worry... for her children." While he looked as if reading the words at a great distance, staring through the knight before him, Buck refocused his gaze to meet Gorrid's eyes and relaxed his serious manner just in the slightest before continuing, "Inexplicably, I sense a second human spirit. Not of the these stones, not fixed by place, though bound nearby. Much calmer in nature, with her emanating a desire to protect the village." This second statement perplexed him greatly.

"Is there anything you want us to do?" The Marshal asks you, eager to help, even if it's only by staying out of your way.

If you feel comfortable with those arrangements, everyone roll +WIS or +INT. Except Spriggy, who can roll +CHA.

 When the time came, Spriggy cast his spell and took on the guise of Philip. He made a show of "sneaking out" of the windmill and away from the party's protection.

---

Casting Mimic to try and take the form of Philip.
09:27, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 11 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 3,5.  Casting Mimic.
Success!

quote:

You take the form of someone you touch while casting this spell. Your physical characteristics match theirs exactly but your behavior may not. This change persists until you take damage or choose to return to your own form. While this spell is ongoing you lose access to all your wizard moves.

Charisma roll:
09:28, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 6 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 3,1.  Charisma roll.
He must not be very convincing. I'll wait to see if someone Aids before adding XP. (Or if Int was a valid choice, that would also add +1.)

"Does the spirit bound to the stones wish release?  If not, the best way to eliminate the threat is for it to retract its curse - not that one of those impacted isn't deserving..."

The paladin made a show of "looking" for the escaped 'Philip', calling his name and looking everywhere that he knew Spriggy wasn't.

quote:

09:16, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 7 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,4.  Rolling +WIS.
09:16, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 10 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 5,4.  Aid Spriggy.

No XP for you Spriggy :>

I'm no help at all! :(
12:32, Today: Russel Albion rolled 1,2 using 1D6,1D6 with rolls of 1,2.  "everyone roll +WIS or +INT".

Idi put a hand on the marshal's shoulder, with a serious look to make his request carry weight. "Are you able to bring food up to the mill? Meat, game meat if you have it, would be splendid, and whatever else you can spare. Wine and oil too, if possible. For the gods," he makes the sign of the Hunter, open hand at his eye, and smiles reassuringly. "It never hurts to keep the gods on your side."

Idi went up to the mill with their protectees, after making sure the others knew where to find him. He took a look at the place up close, doing a quick inspection. Satisfied, he waited to the side of the building where he could commune with Thovis under the open sky, as it should be done. If those offerings arrived soon, all the better to beseech the god for insight.


I'm going to start a "Commune" with Thovis, we'll see if there's enough time but if so I'll be able to requisition different spells. I'll also use Divine Guidance, before Communing if the food etc. arrives quickly, afterwards if not (assuming it does--if the marshal isn't able to pull anything together then I won't). I don't actually ask for any particular result from that, it's just "something useful", but with hidden assassins out there "something useful" from the Knowledge and Hidden Things domain might be on point.

I don't mean to rush anyone else, Idi's actions could take some time, just laying out my plans so it's all clear.

My +WIS roll: Idi rolled 14 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 6,5.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:38, Mon 24 Jan 2022.

"With no more to go on than the stones themselves and time limited, I can offer no answers."

Buck accompanied Sir Gorrid in his search but was distracted and distant.

everyone roll +WIS; Buckthorn rolled 6 using 2d6+2 (2,2).
This message was last edited by the player at 22:05, Mon 24 Jan 2022.

As you settle into your various plans, you work through supper time, while the sun sets...

Spriggy seeks out animals to help him, but you can only find farm animals and pets, who have little information to offer.

Gorrid and Buckthorn spends their time examining the stones, and 'seeking' Philip, to no avail.

Russel settles inside the mill to help Summer make their meal.

Idi makes his prayers outside the mill, preparing for the coming confrontation and asking for Thovis' aid.

And then...

You hear shouts of surprise and panic from the militia, as the get in position to fight the watery creature approaching the town from the west.

As Idi is about to stand, he notices an arrow laying on the ground, pointing to the north... and to a dark shape moving toward the mill, using the long shadows of twilight as cover.

Spriggy, sensing that the lack of wild animal was abnormal, quickly dove as he hears the shouts. A moment later, an arrow made of ice hits the tree next to you, deviated by a sudden movement from Seraph.

What do you do?

Sir Gorrid prayed as he ran toward the water creature.  He didn't know exactly how he was going to deal with it, but he DID know that the town militia didn't stand much of a chance.  He just had to hope that Gianam would aid him.

quote:

21:53, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 7 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,4.  Cast bless on self.
21:53, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 8 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 5,1.  Cast magic weapon on my sword.
21:54, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 15 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 6,6.  Discern realities.

Will forget both spells.  (I'm assuming I have enough distance to cover that I can do all of those things before I get to the creature?)

Questions:
Who's really in control here?
What here is useful or valuable to me?
What here is not what it appears to be?

(I know there are other threats, but Sir Gorrid isn't necessarily aware of them. :) )

Startled by Gorrid's immediate leap into action by running toward the monstrosity Buck falls in behind him at a steady pace. Knowing a halfling's spear won't offer much resistance, he soon splits off and makes for the bulk of the party at the mill while the militia holds the creature's attention.

Russel looked around for something to make a fire with. Hay bales or hay stacks, stacked fire wood, anything to give light and also provide an obstacle to a water based creature.

"Thanks," Spriggy muttered to Irene as he rolled back to his feet. If it wasn't for the ghostly hireling, he might very well have been a goner. But the bard had known the risks when he volunteered to be bait, so he didn't let the brush with death phase him.

Instead the bard looked to the ice-throwing creature defiantly, still in the guise of Philip. "You think I can be taken out that easily? Think again! Come get me!" And with that, Spriggy rushed toward the part of town where he knew his allies had been "searching" for him. He wanted to lead this creature toward some people better at doling out damage than himself.

---

If this creature falls within my Spells and Magicks bardic lore, I will ask, "what do I know about this type of creature." If not, I will roll a Spout Lore later.

I am also trying to bait the creature into a semi-ambush situation with Gorrid and the militia and anyone else.
15:10, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 7 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 3,2.  Defy Danger +Cha: bait the water creature into an ambush

Idi froze, eyes on the shadowy figure. He fussed with the offerings and trappings he'd just tidied up, pretending to still be busy and distracted while trying to get a better look. He felt exposed out alone in the fading light, but he steeled himself--panic would help no one.


I'd like to Discern Realities if I can...
17:28, Today: Idi rolled 10 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 5,2.  Discern Realities.
... asking these questions:
• What is about to happen?
• What should I be on the lookout for?
• What here is not what it appears to be?

And if I had to for Commune, my plan for spells is: Bless, Sanctuary, Hold Person

Gorrid is not as knowledgeable on supernatural creatures as Spriggy is, but he's fought enough shamans to recognize an elemental, a frequently summoned creature. If it's been called by the assassins, it's a far more obvious move than anything they've done so far. Meaning... they're probably making their moves. Right now, there's little of use to help fighting that creature, except for the militia. They can't beat the creature, but they can probably keep it busy for some time.

Russel quickly realize that they didn't bring much in the way of fuel, and he's stuck with only the torches in his backpack. You do notice Idi doesn't seem to pay much attention to the elemental, though. And that Buckthorn is heading toward you.

As Idi observes the form, you realize it's a person, likely a human. He's clearly heading for the mill, and from a direction that leaves him hidden from the militia.

Spriggy does his best to taunt whoever shot him, but your assailant is on the opposite side of the village from the attacking elemental, and well hidden by the trees surrounding you. As you try to run back through town, more icicle come shooting toward you. You can take cover to avoid them, but that will leave you pinned down, far from back up...

As Russel sees the person approaching the mill, and he is on guard for just such a thing, he will realize the creature is a distraction and ready an arrow for when this person gets in range. As he has few shots, he will wait for the best shot and not just the first possible.

When Buckthorn gets close, Russel will alert him of the person if he had not previously noticed.
"Over there, looks like someone's coming and they are not friends! I think that creature is just a distraction as this is the real attack."

Spriggy dove for the cover of a few nearby shrubs. He knew he would be pinned, but he already had a plan for that. The second he was out of sight, the multitalented bard dropped his Mimic spell and immediately tried to take on a different form instead.

A split second later, a distressed swan erupted from the shrubs, as if "Philip" had disturbed its roost. When in reality, the swan was Spriggy discretely escaping the spot he would have been pinned in.

The now-swan took to the air to loop around to try and see the archer who would hopefully still be trying to shoot him in the shrubs he had just left.

---

Using my Shapeshift move to take the form of a swan. I got 2 Hold. What moves do I get?
10:58, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 8 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,3.  Shapeshifter - to swan.

Buckthorn slowed to a cautious walk, nodded to Russel and held up an open hand which he closed into a fist, he hoped to silence the archer and not draw any attention to himself as he approached.

Buck scanned the horizon paying careful attention to the long shadows dusk has cast. He crept closer using what cover was available around the mill, intending to flank any assailants.

Buckthorn rolled 14 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 6,6.  Discern Realities.
What is about to happen?
What should I be on the lookout for?
What here is valuable to me?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:42, Wed 26 Jan 2022.

"Assassin!" Idi hissed, trying to alert his companions without tipping off the shadowed person that they'd been seen. "Here, in those shadows..."

Even as he rose to his feet, Idi pulled out the patinaed bronze spearhead holy to Thovis. He thrust it into the air towards the shadowed assassin. "The Hunter bind you!" he spoke, now clear and steady, as he cast his magic.


I'd like to cast Hold Person. I don't know if this would count as "Acting on the Answers" from Discern Realities? Which would use the +1 forward.
Idi rolled 5 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 1,1.
That is comically bad. Ok, well, I guess I'll take my 1xp and brace myself...

Realizing that the elemental was likely more a distraction than a direct threat, Sir Gorrid turned to see where that threat might be coming from.  Most of the team was still up the hill, but Spriggy was down here somewhere.  He set about trying to find the bard - for real this time.  He soon saw the familiar form the swan the singer had been practicing for the last several days, then noticed the glint of something on the ground.  As he approached, he could see some sort of melting pointed thing.  Keeping up has charade, he shouted "Phillip, where the dickens are you???  We need to get you to cover NOW!"  As the paladin turned, looking for 'Phillip', he was really trying to figure out where the threat actually was.

quote:

12:22, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 14 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 5,6.  Discern realities - find Spriggy.

My primary purpose for the discern was to figure out where Spriggy was and what was going on - as I wasn't sure what I was aware of IC.  I'm presuming I've rolled well enough to figure out that much.  If you want to answer any further questions, my priorities (in order) are:
What happened here recently?
What is about to happen?
What here is not what it appears to be?

Russel noticed that as Buckthorn approached, he held up an open hand which he closed into a fist. Russel assumed that meant he had things in hand, and didn't need additional warning.

With his compatriot warned, Russel moved into a favorable position to shoot the sneaking intruder.

Unfortunately, swans being diurnal, Spriggy finds that his transformed eye sight isn't good enough to spot a sniper hidden in a dark shadowy forest.

Idi stands to chant his spell, but that was too much warning for the shape. The man moves into a crouch, throwing a small knife at you. It doesn't hurt as it plants into your arm... but your head starts to spin.
You'll need a CON Defy Danger to resist the poison.

Russel and Buckthorn can see the man as he stands, but the halfling also notices that he makes a hand signal toward the nearest trees. There's an open field between you and those trees, but you see there are a few small ditches that could be used to take cover while getting there, if you choose to do so.

Gorrid arrives near Spriggy's former hiding spot, but other than the swan flying over the trees, you see very little. Trying to put yourself in the sniper's boots, you assume they're still hoping their target is hiding there, and waiting for a chance to strike. You do get a better look at the melting ice. It's in a shape that matches that of a crossbow bolt, though it will soon vanish into a small puddle of water.

The paladin looked around, considering.  He could charge the trees where he suspected the assassin was hiding, but it was a long tree-line and his odds of finding someone were poor.  So best to lure the man (or woman?) into the open.  He could move into the houses, but it'd be a hard to keep an eye on things from there.  So he stomped up towards the trees, still shouting out Phillip's name and threatening to do various things to him if the assassins didn't.

Once he was within the tree-line and had scoped around enough of his local vicinity to be comfortable that he probably wasn't right on top of the assassin, he picked up a few rocks which he tossed into the bush to greater and greater distances, still occasionally calling, but allowing his voice to get quieter and quieter - in the hopes of deceiving whoever was hiding.  Then he turned his attention to watching the clearing, hoping to see the attacker make a break for the bush.  He also kept a watch for the swan.  If it came back out of the woods, he'd have a better idea of where the assassin probably was.

quote:

20:46, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 12 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 3,6.  Defy danger - WIS (fool assassin).
20:47, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 12 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 6,3.  Discern realities.

The discern was looking for signs of the assassin and anything else that might help flush them out.
What is about to happen?
What here is useful or valuable to me?
What here is not what it appears to be?

"There's more." Buck made the simple statement flatly in a low tone to alert Russel before springing into action.

Looking past the nearest intruder he broke into a low run, rolling and sliding into cover and ditches as he hustled toward the treeline. It wasn't imperitive he remain completely unseen, he was confident he could Camouflage himself at the edge of the woods, wait out the hidden interlopers and follow them if they broke cover and approached the mill.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:18, Thu 27 Jan 2022.

If the man is standing still and a clear target, can Russel not shoot him with ease?
At night the man/woman could not even see the arrow coming to dodge.
Russel certainly has the skill to hit a stationary target within range.

Gorrid stays low, until he hears movement. There's too much shrubs to get a clear look, but you see someone moving... because he's drawn what seems to be a red-hot bolt, and prepares to fire it into the village.

Buckthorn makes it about half-way through the field, until he catches a glimpse of someone moving. You can't make out his exact movements, but the blue glow hints at a magical spell being readied.

Russel, the person is visible enough and in range for you to shoot him. He's not helpless or surprised, so you still have to roll Volley to hit.

Idi felt the hit, and the spearhead slip from his hand. That's not right... He dropped to a knee to retrieve it, needing both hands as the one hit by the knife was less than cooperative for the moment.


Idi rolled 6 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 2,3.  Defy Danger +CON (poison).
Oh dear.

Russel takes advantage of the pause in motion while the "assassin" threw a dagger at Idi to Volley at him.

13:35, Today: Russel Albion rolled 3,5 using 1D6,1D6+3 with rolls of 3,2.  Volley.
You have to move to get the shot placing you in danger of the GM’s choice
PG can please roll for the damage as I'm away from my rules currently.

In Gorrid's estimation, if the bush catches on fire, how much risk is there to the village from that?  Alternatively, what's the risk if the forest I'm in gets lit?  The answer will influence whether he chooses to let the assassin get his shot off before I charge.

Idi feels his muscles seize up, and refuse to move. The poison quickly paralyzes you, leaving you rather helpless to fight the dark cloaked man.

Russel, since you rolled less than 10, you need to pick your downside before rolling your damage.

Gorrid, the forest is not especially wet. If he dropped his bolt, it could turn into a fire after some time. On the other hand, the thatch roofs of the village would burn very quickly.

Russel had said

quote:

You have to move to get the shot placing you in danger of the GM’s choice

, so I think that's his choice.

Figuring it was better for the bolt to head his way than into the village, the paladin charged, letting out a roar of challenge as he carefully angled his shield to deflect the bolt he expected to head his way.  As soon as he got close enough, he cleaved at the target with his sword, leveraging the momentum of his rush in the swing of his blade.

quote:

20:12, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 6 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 1,4.  Defy danger - ?? - deflect bolt.
20:12, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 12 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 4,5.  Hack & slash bowman.
20:13, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 9 using d10+d4+1 with rolls of 5,3.  Damage.

Given that I'm charging, I don't think I can use 'defend' to defend myself.  I went with a defy danger, as I'm presuming he can get off a shot before I get there.  (If not, feel free to ignore.)

I'd *like* to use WIS on the defy danger, leveraging Sir Gorrid's combat experience to angle his shield appropriately.  That would make it an 8 and a partial success.  However, if the only thing I can use is DEX, that's a failure and I'll mark XP.  If I don't need a defy danger at all, that's ok too I guess :>

From his hidden position in the ditch Buck cursed under his breath. He quickly assessed the remaining daylight and decided on a course of action he had always detested, reassuring himself in the moment that 'desperate times call for desperate measures' as the old human aphorism goes.

He exhaled and focused on the blue glow of his target. Suddenly he leapt up and hurled his spear with an off-balance effort. His aim felt solid enough but he knew that such a strike from distance would offer little more than a disruption. Buck knew he must close the gap between himself and his foe.

Buckthorn rolled 7 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 1,5.  Volley (Spear)
*You have to move to get the shot placing you in danger as described by the GM
Damage; Buckthorn rolled 1 using 1d6

My mistake, I got distracted by the split dices.

Russel's arrow strikes the dagger wielder, getting a satisfying groan of pain. Meanwhile, Buckthorn sees his spear bounce off what looks like an ice shield on his target's arm. As you watch, the blue glow raises into the air, before raining down as shards of ice.

Russel and Buckthorn, you take 9 points of damage from the falling ice.

Gorrid charges after the crossbow man... but not fast enough. The bolt flies out of the forest, before landing on a dry roof. You see flames start to form, and shouts of "Fire!" come from the house. You still land a solid blow on the man, causing him to stumble back.

You weren't the target of the bolt, so Defend wouldn't help. It was just a question of getting to him fast enough, so you needed DEX. And now you've got a fire on your hands!

The paladin grimaced as he heard the villager's cries.  "For the harm you have caused that family, I deliver justice!"  The declaration was accompanied by a squelch as the god-blessed blade slid into the archer's chest.

quote:

09:03, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 14 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 6,4.  Hack & slash.
09:04, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 14 using d10+3d4+1 with rolls of 6,4,1,2.  Damage.

Invoking Exterminatus

What is my position with respect to the burning building, to the hill with the mill on it and to the elemental?

13:27, Today: Russel Albion rolled 7 using 1d8 with rolls of 7.  Arrow damage.

In the process of trying to dodge out of the storm of ice, Russel moved in the direction between the assassin and the mill.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:34, Fri 28 Jan 2022.

Buck painfully pressed through a sudden hail of frozen shards, sprinting straight for the source of the attack. Closing in he leapt for the shadowy figure...
This message was last edited by the player at 06:50, Sat 29 Jan 2022.

Spriggy had circled overhead for a while, taking in the entire situation. There was little he could do from the air though. He was about to land near his friends when they got paralyzed and injured, but then he saw the fire arrow fly and knew what he had to do. The flames would spread quickly on the roofs if they weren't smothered immediately. Luckily the bard was currently in the air and possessed a couple of appendages that could (hopefully) smother some small flames.

The bard flew his big swan body down atop where the flaming arrow had landed. He let out a loud cry of warning for the benefit of any who might be inside, but otherwise focused on putting out the fire before it could get too big. After a bit he resumed his elven shape and continued patting down the flames with his boots and body. He called out to the windmill, "Leo! Go help Idi!" Perhaps the hireling knew how to get the cleric moving again.

---

Trying to Defy Danger with quick thinking to smother the fire before it becomes a problem.
15:45, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 9 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 4,2.  Defy Danger + Int.

Also, asking Leo to try and help Idi with his priestly healing skills if able.

Gorrid cleaves down his foe, leaving him a moment to take stock of the situation. The sniper fired his bolt at the closest building, but Spriggy quickly swoops down to fan down the flames and kick off the hot bolt. Unfortunately, he followed this heroic act by returning to human form... and passing half-way through the roof.

You can't really see the elemental or the militia, other than through brief glimpse between the houses. They seem to be holding their ground so far.

Russel was forced to back out of a rain of ice shard, though he made sure to move close to the mill's door and where he could see it's only window, insuring the killer couldn't slip in unnoticed.

Idi is standing near Russel, just out of the ice fall. He doesn't seem to move, even as Leo reaches him.

Buckthorn's location is... unclear. You do see someone fighting at the edge of the forest, north of you. You could get close enough to see what's happening, the big question being if you want to move through the forest to be discreet (Defy Danger WIS) or out in the open to be faster. (Defy Danger DEX)

"You ok Spriggy?"  The question was asked as Sir Gorrid bent down and grabbed the cross-bow and any bolts he could find on his fallen foe.  The body could be looted later, but this particular weapon was too dangerous to just leave lying around...

How far am I from the mill?  Do I have any line of sight on what's happening there?

While the assassin finished casting and then started moving again, Russel had another shot, which he took while he could.
15:16, Today: Russel Albion rolled 10 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 5,2.  Volley.
15:19, Today: Russel Albion rolled 7 using 1d8 with rolls of 7.  Arrow damage.
By now the assassin must be wishing they had not been spotted, as another arrow pincushioned them before they could get back into cover.

Idi's eyes flickered side to side, a slight shiver passing through him as he tried to fight back against the poison. Sweat started to bead on his face despite the ice so close by—clearly straining, but the poison had seized control of his own body from him.

Thovis, help me... purge my body, oh Great Hunter, so I might do your work...

Desperately needing to regroup, Buck fled into the safety of the treeline with a mad  Dash.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:08, Mon 31 Jan 2022.

OOC: Gorrid, you don't see who is attacking the mill, but you could reach it quickly enough, no check needed. The crossbow is pretty normal, but the bolts seems to be alchemical trick ammo. Except for the slowly melting ice bolts, that seems to be just very well shaped ice.

Russel nails the assassin as they head around the mills for cover. As they vanish from sight, you look at Idi and Leo to see if they can help.

For a brief moment, Idi starts to shake as Leo drains the poison from his wound... and then falls over in the grass. Leo looks up at Russel. "It may take some time..."

Buckthorn quickly vanishes in the bushes, leaving the angry mage behind. Without you to bother him, he turns his attention back to the mill, looking for a way to help his partner.

With Leo there to help Idi, Russel bolted after the assassin.
While running quickly, he tried to stay as quiet as possible and angle such as to catch the assassin unprepared.
Russel hoped for the opportunity of a back stabbing.

"I'm good!" Spriggy yelled back to Gorrid. Then, instead of climbing back up out of the hole he had fallen into, Spriggy pulled in his arms and dropped the rest of the way into the house below. It would be easier to take the stairs than drop down off the roof anyway. As he ran for the front door, to any inhabitants present he said, "Sorry, sorry. Emergency. Check the roof for any lingering fire. Gotta go help defend the town. Sorry!"

Once outside, the bard made a b-line toward the mill to regroup. He pulled out one of his antitoxins for Idi as he ran. He assumed the guy could still use it even though Leo had got him moving again. "What's the situation? Did we get them all?"

---

Idi, you can have an antitoxin from me to help speed up your recovery. I will mark it off my inventory.

Sir Gorrid charged through the village and up the hill towards the windmill, scanning and trying to determine what was going on as he ran.

quote:

15:33, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 10 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 2,5.  Discern realities.

What happened here recently? (to get up to speed
What should I be on the lookout for?
Who's really in control here?

Russel, I'll need a Defy Danger (DEX) to see if you surprise your foe.

Idi, the anti-toxin breaks the paralysis effect, letting you act once more.

Gorrid, I did a recap in OOC, only changes to make are that you and Spriggy are now near the mill. For what you need to look out for and who's in control, the answer to both would be the water mage in the forest. His ice rain spell covers most of the field between you and him, making it dangerous to run toward him. Also, if he moves the spell, he can basically force you either into the mill or away from it.

Spying the mage and deciding that enough of his companions were dealing with the third figure, the knight headed that way.  He put his shield above his head to help protect from the falling ice and charged the spell-caster, his feet nimbly moving over the slippery ground and his body apparently insensitive to the stinging cold and loud drumming cause by the falling missiles.

quote:

21:46, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 12 using 2d6 with rolls of 6,6.  Defy danger - ?? approach mage.

I wasn't sure whether I needed dex, con, or something else, but with that roll, it doesn't matter!  (Just balancing things out for Id :>)

I don't mind taking damage, but I don't want the mage to stop me from charging him.

Russel closed on the assassin much more quickly and quietly than they had expected.
Caught with his hand on the door, the assassin was surprised by Russel's Backstab attack.
Russel's dagger sunk to the hilt into the assassin's back. Just below the ribcage.
06:55, Today: Russel Albion rolled 8 using 1d8 with rolls of 8.  Deal Damage.

Freed from the grip of the poison, Idi dry-heaved a few times and shuddered violently as his body was purged. He had to lean on Spriggy to get back on his feet, but the anti-toxin seemed to be working well—Idi's colour and composure came back in with just a few long breaths.

"Hunter bless you, thanks," Idi murmured with relief. "I think there's at least one more still in the woods, Russel should have got the other now." Idi retreated just as far as the stone wall of the mill, putting it at his back to get at least a feeling of solid safety. He holds the green-bronze spearhead in his hand, tracing the etchings with his thumb while he peers out into the fading twilight, whispering the mantra that was both a prayer and an aid for clearing the mind. It was one of the first ones he learned as an initiate, to better observe the world as it is, free of thoughts or assumptions.


Today: Idi rolled 9 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 1,5.  Discern Realities.
Ok, I'd like to ask: What is about to happen?

Russel's target gasps, whispering "Olgiengar..." before dying.

Gorrid charges through the falling ice, fast enough that only a few of the shards hit him, and they just break on his armor. The wizard, seeing the armored warrior charge across the field, raises his ice shield as he prepares a new spell.

Seeing that two of the attackers are dead, Idi judges the mage to be the only real threat remaining. If you can take him down, the elemental should either leave or be dismissed, being so far from it's element.

From the obscurity of the trees a narrowed set of eyes keenly tracked the Spellcaster's every move.

As Sir Gorrid charged, Buckthorn sprang from the wood's edge and rushed for his discarded spear.

"Your turn, wizard!"

Reaching the figure, the paladin's sword swung in an arc, twisting at the last second to impact the magic user's skull with the flat of his blade rather than the edge.  It was still a nasty blow though.

Glancing at Buckthorn as he approached with the spear, Sir Gorrid explained his actions.  "We want him alive..."

quote:

10:40, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 15 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 6,5.  Hack & slash.
10:40, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 12 using d10+3d4+1 with rolls of 7,2,1,1.  Damage.

Invoked Exterminatus

With the spellcaster reeling from Gorrid's heavy blow Buckthorn pushed his spear out in front of him, parallel to his belt, slamming the side of the wooden handle  into their foe as he smashed into them at a run.

Seeing that Idi would be alright, Spriggy stepped closer to the mage-battle to help his friends. He didn't care about getting too close though, since all he really wanted to do was bless his buddies with some musical melodies.

He could see the injured Buckthorn going for a strike, so Spriggy inhaled deeply, then exhaled some eldritch notes of an unnamed hymn in a forgotten language. A quick melody that could use the tinkling crashes of the ice storm to enhance his sound, rather than dampen it. At least, that was Spriggy's intent.

---

Using Arcane Art to heal and enhance Buckthorn. With my Eldritch Tones ability, I can heal +1d8 and boost damage by +1d4 with a single performance.

16:22, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 4 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,1.  Arcane Art - Heal Buckthorn and boost his damage.
Aaaaand that's disastrous. +1 XP for me! Let's see what disaster befalls me.

After glancing around to ensure the rest of the team had things under control, Russel rifled through the assassins pockets and pouches.
18:10, Today: Russel Albion rolled 11 using 2d6 with rolls of 5,6.  Discern Realities of pockets/pouches.

He also wondered what "Olgiengar..." had meant and why it was important enough to be the assassins last words?

Between Gorrid's solid blow and Buckthorn surprise attack, the mage is quickly knocked out. As you look back toward the mill, you expect his spell to die down...

Russel quickly searches through the assassin's pocket, finding 12 coins, a few daggers, three vials of poison , and a medallion of iron in the shape of a feline skull.

As you all look around, Spriggy's chant seems to echo strangely through the sound of crashing ice. Somehow, the tones seem to feed the spell, keeping it going despite the original caster being unconscious.

Unfortunately, that seems to also apply to the summoned elemental, who is now rushing toward Spriggy...

Buck's brief moment of respite was cut short by the elemental's sudden change of focus. Alarmed and unsure of the magic feeding the lumbering monster Buck turned out the mage's pockets in search of anything that might be keyed to the force that animated it.

A totem? A ring, a scroll... he knew the chance of finding anything useful in the moment was slim but he had to try. He looked frantically, putting the thought out of his mind that he might not even know such an item if he did find one.

Sir Gorrid studied the approaching water creature trying to determine if it had any areas where a sword strike might actually prove useful.  Then, because he wasn't confident that brute force would be effective, he tried to see if he could command the thing.  "BY THE SWORD OF GIANAM, I ORDER YOU TO RETURN TO THE WAVES FROM WHENCE YOU CAME!"

quote:

11:27, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 9 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 2,4.  Discern realities - elemental.
11:28, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 5 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 2,1.  I am the law.

What here is useful or valuable to me? - specifically, anything that might help defeat/dissipate the elemental

Because apparently lecturing it is not so effective...  XP marked :>

With an elemental barreling toward him, Spriggy would have been smart to flee. But instead, empowered by Gorrid's words he roared, "This ends now!" and stood his ground. He planted his feet firmly with the ice storm at his back. Then he planted two more feet firmly. And then two more for good measure. He had six feet planted firmly as the elemental approached, having had taken on the form of a Man-sized Rhino Beetle. He trusted this shape's thick hide to be able to withstand the elemental's initial attack.

Attempting to shapeshift into a Man-sized Rhino Beetle.
22:05, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 10 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 3,6.  Shapeshifter - to Man-sized Rhino Beetle.
Success! Three Hold. I will use 1 right away to use Thick Armor, if that move is the same as last time he used this form. Two Hold remaining.

"Ohh, that elf is gonna get himself squashed one day," Idi groaned. "Thovis, give him your speed and your might in this fight, he's going to need it."


I'd like to cast Bless on Spriggy, help him out!
Today: Idi rolled 7 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 3,1.  Cast a Spell (Bless).
So Spriggy, that's +1 ongoing for you "so long as battle continues and you stand and fight". I'll pick "spell revoked by deity".

Buckthorn doesn't find much. The only thing unusual on the mage is a bola with weird runes on it.

As Gorrid rushes to stop the elemental, he gets the impression that the creature is... smaller than it originally was. Not that it's easy to tell, as it washes over him and drags him along like a wave...

Spriggy braces himself, as the elemental hits him head on. The earth turns to mud under the elf, but he finds enough purchase to keep still as the elemental passes over him, failing to push him into the ice rain.

OOC: Gorrid, you're currently caught into the elemental, and unable to breathe. What do you do?

Seeing just how liquid the water elemental actually was gave Spriggy an idea. He turned his bulky frame, aimed, then charged! He tried to burst completely through the liquid form to snag Gorrid as he pushed through the elemental's body. Hopefully he could damage the enemy and rescue a friend with a single maneuver.

---

Using another hold to use the beetle's move: Charge a foe. Trying to run completely through it. Also trying to Defy Danger (with quick thinking?) to try and snag Gorrid as he charges directly through the elemental.

10:24, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 10 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 2,4.  Defy Danger + Int? while blessed
I used Int for quick thinking. If Str is required, that is a 6- without Aid. Any other stat is a 7-9.

Russel felt that there was not much he could do about a magical creature but, that he could keep an eye out for any more assassins sneaking up so, he watched the area with redoubled effort.
He continued to glance with concern, occasionally, at what was happening with the rest of the team.

Buck held the Bola up in the dim light, he wasn't well versed in the elemental arts but did know a bit about water magic as many residents of the Stinking Mire did. If this ranged snare was even magical at all...

He studied the runes, ignoring for a moment the battle still raging.

Buckthorn rolled 11 using 2d6+1 (5,5) Spout Lore

This wasn't exactly his finest moment, but Sir Gorrid would worry about 'lessons learned' later.  Right now, he needed to destroy this creature and get some air - not necessarily in that order...

The creature was powerful.  Picking up a man his size with the weight of the armor he was wearing was challenging to do.  And without air, Sir Gorrid didn't have a lot of time to waste.  Best to see what the creature thought of having a mini tornado in its belly!

The water was already tumbling him a bit, but Sir Gorrid accellerated it - swimming, thrashing with his shield and magic-infused sword, and kicking his legs as wildly as possible in an attempt to disrupt the creature.  As he did, he shouted out, his words forming bubbles in the thrashing water.  "You...die...now!"

quote:

11:07, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 6 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,3.  Defy danger - Con.
11:08, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 15 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 6,5.  Hack & slash.
11:09, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 10 using d10+3d4+1 with rolls of 2,3,1,3.  Damage.

Don't know if a defy danger was needed to hack & slash from inside or not.  And if one was, not sure if it needed to be con or could be strength.  If con, I failed.  Let me know if I should mark XP.

Gorrid swings his blade through the creature, seeking to cleave it apart. Unfortunately, water cares nothing about his effort. The elemental just turns to focus on Spriggy once more, just as the bardic insect rushes through.

Choking on the elemental's body, Gorrid struggles to catch Spriggy's horn... only making it when he feels Seraph's ghostly hands push him the right way. The two stumbles, barely, out of the elemental.

OOC: A STR check was more appropriate, but your friendly ghost pushed you into success range. Not before you both breath in some water, though. You can either take some time to cough out the water, or take 4 points of damage, no armor.

As Buckthorn looks over the runes, he recalls seeing similar markings used to bind spirits. Perhaps the mage had to give a bit more freedom than normal to his elemental, and kept that bola as a form of protection?

Took the damage

"Thanks!"

The knight dropped, coughing, from the giant beetle.  He stumbled away so it couldn't immediately re-engulf him, then scanned the area and the material he'd taken from the bowman to see if he had anything that might be helpful against the creature.

quote:

21:04, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 11 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 2,6.  Discern realities.

What here is useful or valuable to me?
Who's really in control here?
What here is not what it appears to be?

With no better plan and the hulk raging out of control Buck had to try his luck with the runic bolas. He had only a passing familiarity with the weapon as a popular tool for hunting the tall and spindly legged water fowl of the Stinking Mire.

He did his best to whip them into a frenzied wind-up, getting a feel for the awkward weight of the weapon as he charged, closing the distance to the huge target.

The damned thing was gigantic but he lacked confidence in landing a throw. It had already tossed Sir Gorrid about with ease.

Buckthorn rolled 5 using 2d6+1 - Volley (Bolas)
This message was last edited by the player at 04:16, Fri 04 Feb 2022.

Buckthorn spins the bola, take two steps to throw the weapon... only to trip on the unconscious mage as he releases it. The bola flies through the air, and tangles itself around Spriggy's scarab horn. He doesn't have much time to worry about it though, as he seems to be caught up in the mage's pants.

Looking at the bolts, Gorrid sees small marks on them, likely from the alchemist who made them. It's not clear what they all mean, but one looks like a water drop with an X on it.

Meanwhile, the militia has regrouped and is trying to engage the elemental once more, but to no real effect.

Shrugging, Sir Gorrid grabbed the bolt and easily wound the crossbow's mechanism, backing up a bit more as the elemental continued to advance.  He aimed and uttered a quick prayer for his the bolt to fly true, then fired.

quote:

13:57, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 3 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 1,1.  Cast magic weapon on crossbow.
13:58, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 12 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 6,5.  Fire crossbow.
13:58, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 8 using 1d10 with rolls of 8.
14:01, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 8 using 2d4 with rolls of 4,4.  Forgot extra damage.

Not sure what the ramifications of the spell going wrong will be and whether they'll eliminate the subsequent actions or not.  I'd forgotten I'd already invoked Exterminatus, so total damage is 16.  If there's any...

The irony of entangling himself while attempting to throw a bolas was especially bitter for Buckthorn as he watched his misguided attack come to rest ensnaring the beetle's horn.

Glancing down he kicked free of the mages garb then yelled to those nearer the melee;

"Try BINDING it with the BOLAS!"

Spriggy's compound beetle eyes went crosseyed as he watched the bolas wrap around his horn. Where had that come from. But then he heard Buckthorn's words and understood. The bard lowered his about and used his bolas-wrapped horn to try and toss (or at least dislodge a chunk of) the water elemental.

But Spriggy's connection to the beetle's spirit had begun to wane, and he soon found himself shrinking back to his natural form.

---

Using my last hold to the beetle move, Toss a Foe Away. Trying to at least dislodge a chunk of the watery beast. I will use the horn that the bolas is wrapped around to see if the bolas adds any additional effect.

Edit: Oh, and I will take the 4 damage from earlier.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:57, Sun 06 Feb 2022.

As Gorrid finishes his spell, the crossbow shakes in his hands. He looks at it for a moment in worry, before the weapon snaps in two, the bow staying in place as the stock gets shot into the elemental. Gorrid is left standing with an unusable bow, and a bolt in his hand.

OOC: You can try to search for a new crossbow, or you can try stabbing the elemental with the bolt using a Hack and Slash move. Since it's really not made for that, you'll have to roll your d10 twice, and take the lower result. Exterminatus will not be affected.

Spriggy tries to flip away the elemental. For a moment, it looks like it won't work, the fluid body having nothing for the beetle horn to catch. Until the bola comes into contact with the water. At that point, a large chunk of water is tossed into the air, raining back down on the group, and leaving the elemental growing smaller, to about the size of an ogre.

Sir Gorrid shoved the now useless bolt back into the bandolier and rushed to grab the bolas off the ground where they'd fallen.  (Spriggy's nose wasn't nearly as effective a holder in human form...)  Picking them up, he grasped the chain on one end and began to swing the device around his head, almost like a handle-less mace.  Then he strode forward to try to smash the device into the now diminished figure.

quote:

14:52, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 8 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 3,1.  Hack & slash w/ bola.
14:53, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 13 using d10+2d4 with rolls of 6,4,3.  Damage.

Russel felt helpless as he watched his friends fighting the magical creature but swore that nobody was going to take advantage of the distraction and get to those he guarded.

With a series of solid blows, Gorrid manages to scatter the elemental until it's no more than a puddle. Behind you, the hail also dies down, leaving a battered field behind. As you catch your breath, you find that the battle is over. You're still somewhat nervous as you rest for the night, but as the morning rise, you've gotten some sleep.

One of the militia guards comes to see you as you have breakfast. "Your prisonner, the guy we stashed in the cellar? He just woke up. He's still gaged and tied up, but he's kinda scary when he glares at us..."

OOC: The bola's power seems to have faded after the elemental was defeated.

Sir Gorrid had spent most of his watch carefully oiling each piece and joint of his armor to defend against the rust that could follow such a drenching.  However he was at least somewhat refreshed.  He'd also fashioned a small knight out of some straw and string that he shared with the child in the morning, reassuring her that she'd been very brave to stay with her family the night before.

"Who wants to handle the interrogation?  I can help keep an eye on the prisoner, but I'm not the best at asking questions..."

Presume I'm back to full health?  Also, assuming we thoroughly searched the bodies - did we find anything interesting?

Spriggy was glad that Gorrid had basically read his mind when they were fighting the elemental and used the bolas. And it had worked! Their little adventuring party had been victorious and earned a chance to rest. Spriggy had spent his downtime chatting with their allies he did not know very well, like Buckthorn and Idi. He also took a good long look at all of the gear they had recovered from the assassins to figure out what was magical and what it could do. Lastly, Spriggy prepared for the inevitable interrogation that was to occur by reselecting his spells he had prepared.

"Do we want to aid our interrogation with magic?" Spriggy asked when Gorrid brought up the subject. "I could try charming the prisoner, and/or link telepathically with someone to share silent messages during the process."

---

If we are resting, Spriggy should be back to full health. I will also switch my prepared spells. Prepared Spells: Light, Prestidigitation, Unseen Servant, Charm Person, Invisibility, Magic Missile, Telepathy

If any of the gear we confiscated falls within my Bardic Lore, I will ask, "what does this item do?"

Trying to be helpful Russel says, "I can try the 'if you don't talk I won't give you the antidote' after poisoning them but, they may want to die at this point."

"I can stab them in places that won't kill them out right if you want."

"I'd rather magic or drugs than stabbing.  Stabbing can be messy and counter-productive."

"I can speak with the prisoner. People like opening up to a priest," Idi offered with a laugh. He quickly finished up with his breakfast and the bitter tea he'd been sipping on, then gathered a few choice food items from what remained. "We'll get this conversation off on the right foot I think, no need to be uncivilized."

With a breakfast for the prisoner in one hand and a water jug in the other, Idi let the militia guard lead the way to the prisoner.


Since we advanced to the next day, I'll take the opportunity to Commune and take new spells.
rotes: Light, Sanctify, Guidance
level 1: Bless, Charm Person, Cause Fear, Sanctuary, Speak With Dead

When Idi enters the cellar, he finds the mage leaning against a wall, looking like his night was less than restful. He gives you a tired look, but doesn't bother trying to speak through the gag.

The mage and the sniper had 10 coins together, but they had little else of value. The set of bolt can be used to either beat a monster's resistance or to damage small objects (3 uses).

"Breakfast," Idi announced and set the food and water down on the floor. "Nothing fancy, but it isn't a fancy village I'm afraid. The sausage is quite good, if you have a taste for the local spices. But first... Indulge me a few moments longer, if you would? A service to my faith." Idi took his spearhead in hand, held not as a weapon but with reverent familiarity. He carried it in a full circuit around the walls of the cellar, whispering a prayer to Thovis.


I'd like to cast Sanctuary, encompassing the cellar room.
Today: Idi rolled 9 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 4,2.  Cast a Spell (Sanctuary).
I'll choose to have the spell revoked.

The man just looks at Idi, not bothering to move. Either his defeat has broken his will, or he's smart enough not to pick a fight after he already lost so badly.

Buck sat quietly near the doorway. As Idi prepared the walls he began whetting the worn edges of his spearhead, slowly sharpening the weapon, though not in a particularly menacing way. He was making good use of his time, disinterested in the captured mage at least for the moment.

"Now, let's get that off you," Idi moved to loosen the man's restraints, pausing just a moment with his hand on the man. "We might have been on different sides of the job you were sent for, but that's not personal—no reason we can't be cordial, is there?"


I'd like to cast Charm Person...
Idi rolled 10 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 5,2.  Cast a Spell (Charm Person).


"Have some breakfast, everything looks better on a full stomach," Idi offered as he pulled away the binding enough for the mage to feed himself. He brought the food and water over, then stepped back to give the man some space (such as there was in the cellar). Idi's attention wandered to Buckthorn (and anyone else) near the door. He hoped things would go smoothly with this mage, but if he tried to bolt... Well, better to have contingency plans.

"I assume the necromancer sent you?" Idi asked, trying to keep his tone casual even though the question wasn't. "We are interested in finding him, of course."

While Idi worked on getting information from their prisoner, Spriggy sat outside the room and sang some magical melodies at a subtle volume. Loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough to be a distraction. The exact words Spriggy sang were largely gibberish to anyone listening, including Spriggy himself. It was an unknown language that the bard for some reason could sing in, but not speak.

Of course, sometimes being unaware of the exact words you were singing had its downfalls. Especially when the acoustics we're also terrible...

---

Using my Arcane Arts to buff Idi from outside the room. Trying to make his next Aid bonus +2 instead of +1, and boost his attack damage just in case. But my roll failed terribly. +1 XP for me!

16:26, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 4 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,1.  Arcane Art - boost Aid bonus, boost damage for Idi.

"Good luck with that..." The mages says, taking a long drink of water. "Teririgt is of the 'don't message me, I'll message you' school of thoughts. He said he's contact us once the job's done..."

Idi stiffened suddenly, and his eyes darted about the room with some alarm. "Someone is here," he said loudly, counting on some of his companions hearing him. "Or something..." Idi scrutinized the mage quickly, wondering if he had something to do with it, then continued looking around the small room for some indication of what had violated the sanctity of his spell. He turned in a wary half-crouch, fingers clutched around his ceremonial spearhead for all the good it would do him.


Discern Realities?
Idi rolled 12 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 4,5.  Discern Realities.
Questions!
• What is about to happen?
• What here is not what it appears to be?
• What should I be on the lookout for?

Disturbed by the change of tone in Idi's voice, Buck stands up uneasily casting his eyes around the cellar and listening intently.

Discern Realities;
Buckthorn rolled 8 (4,4)
Who’s really in control here?
This message was last edited by the player at 16:31, Sat 12 Feb 2022.

The mage looks at you, surprised, but then seems to grow pale. You quickly realize the mage is not the one who's hostile, someone else is. But it's only because of Buckthorn's affinity to spirits that you can figure out the threat: the spirit from the center of the town is near, and it's attacking your prisoner.

"PLEASE."

Buck spoke loudly and clearly, addressing the spirit, hoping to give it pause.

"This man is but a symptom of a greater rooted malice. Give us a sign you will hear us out, that we all may benefit. In return, we will offer no hindrance and give our word the mage's fate belongs to you."

Buck eyes Idi and extends a hand to indicate inaction and silence on both their parts, again he looks around the cellar for a response.

Hearing the raised voices from inside, Sir Gorrid peered inside.  Nothing was obviously amiss, though the participants seemed a bit agitated.  He continued to monitor things through the window, in the event that backup was required.  He also whispered a quick prayer.

What here is evil?

Gorrid can feel there's an evil presence in the cellar, but that pretty much what he heard already.

OOC: Buckthorn, you'll need to make a Negotiation check (roll + CHA)

I was assuming Sir Gorrid was outside the cellar, so not necessarily aware of what was going on inside

Sensing that there was something amiss within, Sir Gorrid drew his sword and moved inside, praying as he went.

quote:

09:34, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 6 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,3.  Cast bless on self.

or not...

Will see if someone aids that before marking XP.

"We promise justice," Idi said with a nod, backing up Buckthorn's words. He strained every sense for some sign of the spirit's presence.


I'd like to help Buckthorn make his case if I can (the Aid move).
Idi rolled 12 using 2d6 with rolls of 6,6.  Aid Buckthorn.
I'll give him the +1 (... not the -2!).
Sorry Gorrid, I'd be happy to help but don't see how to pull that off in the fiction at the moment!

Buck slowly moved next to Idi, leaned his spear against the wall and raised his empty hands in the air imploring Idi to do the same. "If the mage dies with his secrets, more will come for your children and you will never be at peace."

Not every spirit could be reasoned with, but there were no fruitful alternatives.

Buckthorn rolled 6 using 2d6-1 Negation Check, potentially +1 with Idi's aid
This message was last edited by the player at 18:31, Sun 13 Feb 2022.

The spirit feels even angrier... before it seems like it calms down. But there's still a chilling feeling down your spine.

Sir Gorrid opened the door and stepped into the room, sword unsheathed.  His gaze was clearly focused on the mage.

A wide eyes and on edge Buckthorn holds up an open palm to stop Sir Gorrid at the entrance. "Calm." is all he says.

As the spirit grants a momentary reprieve, Buck seizes the opportunity;

"I feel we've been granted a chance to state our intentions. Idi, please." Buck nods to Idi.