As the group arrives at the top of the cliff they see a grove of pine and cedar trees perhaps a hundred yards thick, that sits atop the cliffs on this side of the isle. A well worn path winds it's way between the trees and up towards the abbey and the old watcher that was seen rounding the point of the coastline. Through the trees they can make out fences on either side of the path that hem in fields of wheat and grain. Beyond the southern field is an orchard full of apple trees surrounded by a low wooden fence, the gate tethered by a rope and peg whilst closer to the abbey itself, goats can be seen in fenced enclosures. It is still mid morning (around half ten) and the sun is bright in a clear sky with only a few clouds lazily being nudged on by the gentle breeze.
Passing through the grove the group become aware that the fields also harbour carrots, potatoes, cabbages, turnips and assorted other vegetables. About fifty yards past the end of the farmlands a low stone wall, some six feet in height, borders the abbey itself.
Now here we have a bit of a dilema folks. The abbey's detailed enough to warrant a large scale map. However, I know that evil photobucket would probably resize it since it's a very big map (837 by 1068 pixels, shrinking it down anymore would lose a lot of detail that you guys'll probably need to see).
However, the lovely CD that came with the adventure includes a 3d rendering of the abbey, as seen from the outside, which I can rotate the camera around so I could take screenshots from various angles and post them, since they're an external view. The maps could then be used for the interior areas since they're indoors maps :p. Sound good?
OOC: Woohoo, I knew that Awareness(Assorted Vegetables) would come in useful ;)
Snapshots are great, Balgin!
"Seems a bit quiet, doesn't it? I think we should try the front door. Mr Kelden, these people are expecting you, aren't they?"
"Erm, why yes, so they are," mutters the old sage thoughtfuly.
Actualy most of the vegetable patches seem to be dedicated to growing a kind of marrow or squash, it may be even related to the pumpkin. Most of you will remember the sailors mentioning this sweet vegetable that grows on guardian for it is considered a delicacy on the mainland.
Auarm is tired of all the talking, "lets go tell them we are here already." (Then maybe one of you can help me figure out what this pendant is). Aurum continues to look around and listen.
"You're totally audacious, Aurum, dude."
Raul knocks on the door (with the knocker, if there is one, with his fist, if not).
Aurum moves up behind Raul (just in case we don't get a warm welcome) and in front of the sage.
There is no knocker as such, however, the heavy iron rings that serve as handles also serve as wonderful knockers. Nobody answers the door. After a while someone gives the doors a bit of a shove and they swing slowly open to reveal an entrance hallway that seems to lead into a cloister up ahead. To the left a doorless entrance leads into what seems to be the refectory. The smell of some savory stew wafts gently from that direction. Wide basins of water stand at either side of this entrance.
Opposite it, to the right, are a large set of double doors. They are closed. One door features a carving depicting a wise and venerable looking gentleman seated upon a throne. Upon the other door is set a small blackboard framed with polished cedar wood into which intricate patterns are carved. SOmeone has written the following verse upon the blackboard in white chalk:
Of man-made work am I,
A home to the son of the sun,
I drink but do not eat,
Sleeping by day, rising by night
Ivor is somewhat unnerved by the lack of residents in the place, and falls into line behind Raul. With the flick of a switch and the turning of some crank handles, the various bells and whistles of his rucksack deploy from hidden recesses, making it easier for him to utilise them at short notice, and he twirls his walking stick, loosening his joints as he goes. Looking around to see what the rest of the party is doing, he makes sure to note Naedath's reaction, and absent-mindedly adjusts some wiring in his harness. (In order to cast Mage armour if necessary)
Aurum cautiously advances with his shield and axe readied. He keeps his aura of senses up for himself and the party and continues to listen and look around.
"Well, I think I know the answer to that riddle. Why do we keep finding places with silly riddles on the walls, Ivor?" Raul laughs. "Oil lamp, in case anyone was wondering. Shall we check out that great smell?"
Sorry Balgin, it just seemed kinda obvious!
"Um, oil lamp, indeed, appears to be correct. I've been trying to work out a theory behind the seemingly widespread riddle-on-wall phenomenon, but so far I've drawn a blank. Whilst I've not entirely discounted the possibility of a puzzle-pixie, or a flock of wandering sphinxes, the climate in which some of the aforementioned wall-mounted conundrums seems suggestive of..."
Ivor tails off, suddenly aware that he's rambling again by the glazed expression in the eyes of his friend.
"Anyway, let's see about getting something to eat- I've been looking forward to trying some of the fabled pumpkins!"
"I'm still sticking with the puzzle-pixie theory. Why in the god's names people feel the need for this sort of thing, I have no idea! The only thing worse are those half-blank number grids that easterns have a penchent for!"
Quote from: keeper40k on July 08, 2007, 06:58:42 PM
"Well, I think I know the answer to that riddle. Why do we keep finding places with silly riddles on the walls, Ivor?" Raul laughs. "Oil lamp, in case anyone was wondering. Shall we check out that great smell?"
Sorry Balgin, it just seemed kinda obvious!
It is? I would've taken ages working it out if I didn't have the answer written down for me already."Ah, now I believe I can help you there" says Naedath, leaning on his staff heavily. "The priests of the church of Theydori like riddles, puzzles and wordplay. It helps them to keep their wits about them as they continue their search for knowledge. Why I wouldn't be surprised if the riddle was not changed on a weekly basis, possibly even daily."
Peering about he says, "now then, is there anybody home?"
As Raoul and Ivor advance into the refectory they see plain tables and benches laid out neatly across the well worn floorboards. An archway in the right hand wall leads to what must be the kitchen (and where that lovely smell comes from). Beside the arch is a wide wooden counter for serving meals. Wooden bowls are stacked upon the counter as are a tray of spoons.
A loud rumble comes from the general direction of Ivor's stomach.
"Well, I suppose an obvious place to start looking for someone would be the kitchen- after all, if the aroma is anything to go by, somethings cooking."
Ivor sets off for the kitchen, feeling rather hungry after all that running up and down the cliff.
Aurum heads of behind Ivor "No one should go off alone."
Approaching a bench the sage Naedath mentions that it's "a bit late in the morning for breakfast isn't it?"
As Ivor enters the kitchen he sees a scene that brings him up short. The pot of stew sits in the fireplace where a few dying embers send smoke drifting lazily up the chimney. Boxes of vegetables, sacks of flower and barrels of ale line the walls but these are not what catches his immediate attention. In fact most of the room is blocked out by the dead body sprawled on the floor. Flour is scattered throughout the room and on the floor is the body of a middle aged man, his black hair streaked with grey (although that could be from the flour that covers his apron). His face bears a look of absolute horror but he has no visible wounds.
Dun dun dun dun.......
Aurum shouts over to the rest of the group "get in here, there is a dead man on the floor." He looks around the room to see if there are any signs or clues he can find.
Raul rushes to follow his smaller companions.
"Oh...Oh my."
Ivor is suddenly glad that his stomach is empty, as he approaches the man to check for signs of life, or evidence of what may have occurred. I'm assuming that if there are no obvious signs of injury and the stove is still lit that he couldn't be dead more than a few hours, and therefore it's not immediately obvious he's dead without someone taking a closer look.
Raul checks to see if the guy really is dead. If he is, he'll also look to see if there is any clue for someone leaving the scene - not forgetting to look up as well as at floor level.
The cook really is dead. He was clearly not a priest and he thrashed about spilling flour before his death. Any tracks in the flour are probably covered by his own as he staggered about the kitchen a lot. There are no visible wounds upon his body but from the look on his face he may have been frightened half to death.
Unfortunately years of experience mean Rogan recognises death immediately, whereupon he moves over to the corpse and closes the eyes gently (if rigor mortis hasn't set in).
Narrowing his eyes as he notes no wounds, Rogan looks around to check if there is any food or drink on the table, a ladle lying near him on the floor etc. - anything that might suggest the man has been poisoned.
(Failing that, he turns to Kiaphas.
"Friend, will Gurthor grant you the ability to see if there are any lingering after-effects of magic in the area?")
OOC: Oops, forgot to prepare Detect Magic myself...
Aurum lifts his shield and tightens his grip on Axerager. "We need to stay on guard now." Aurum switches to his energy shield aura.
Raul approaches the exit at the end of the small corridor (the one at the top of the room where the body is) to see if there are any clues as to what happened that way.
Aurum isn't interested in the dead man on the floor. He wants to find what did that to him. He heads off behind Raul to back him up in case of anything.
The door is closed and there seems to be less flour up that end of the room (most of it seems to have scattered from the table).
Ivor spends a few seconds manipulating some cables and dials on his backpack, then taps the side of his familiar's cage with his walking stick, causing it to start running frantically in its wheel. He pulls a chunky trip switch located on the right shoulder strap and an electric-blue glow surrounds him briefly, before disappearing, leaving no trace but for the fact that his hair is standing on end. He casts mage armour on himself.
He then trots off after Raul, keeping in hand a hose which runs along his arm to a sturdy metal keg on the lower left part of his backpack. He gets ready to cast melf's acid arrow when necessary.
"Aurum turns around and points with Axerager back toward the entrance "Maybe we should check the other rooms."
OOC: if anyone goes with him he checks the room to the right of the entrance.
"Um...perhaps it may prove beneficial to scan the area for the presence of magical auras and the like? I could probably do that, if no-one else wants to. I'm sure I've got the right equipment here somewhere..."
Ivor will cast Detect Magic if encouraged by Raul or someone else; failing that, he'll continue following his friend.
Aurum walks over to Ivor and says "why not" and shugs. He stands by Ivor as if guarding him while casting.
Encouraged by the dwarf's acceptance of his idea, Ivor twiddles with the lenses on his headband, eventually settling on a green and red tinted pair. (Cast detect magic.)He looks around, first at the body, then the room, and then goes into room and scans there. He'll continue to scan the place, room by room, unless he detects a magical aura (not belonging to his party, of course), in which case he'll concentrate on it to determine more about the aura.
OOC: What does Ivor detect from the pendant aurum is wearing?
Currently Ivor's sensors are not picking up anything unusual. However, the party seem to have some magic objects he was hitherto unaware of so he now knows that some of you have magical items. Oh, and the lucky pendant Aurum gained from Galmid is enchanted too, as is something in the pocket Alarian put the selkie's pearl in as well :p.
Naedath observes the dead body and mutters "oh dear, oh dear oh dear" to himself. Although he is clearly not upset or worried in the least, he is perturbed that such an unorthodox event has interrupted the smooth flow of his day.
Ivor continues into the dining room, giving it a quick scan before carrying on across the corridor to the room opposite (but not before taking a quick look up the corridor for anything interesting.)
Arriving at the large doubledoors Ivor is frustrated to find them locked. The lack of a keyhole would suggest a bar, or some obstacle propped up behind them.
Aurum clearly agitated walks over to Naedath and asks "Do you know of anything dangerous on this island?"
Undeterred, Ivor turns and continues up the corridor, trying to make the most of his magical detection ability before the power shorts out. As he goes, his mind wanders a little, pondering if the basic mechanism of this spell could be tweaked to study magical items in more detail. Perhaps a greater power source would help...
Raul will try the door in the kitchen and have a quick look around outside, if it is unlocked. If it is locked, and barring anything unusual outside the kitchen door, he will follow Aurum and Ivor.
Naedath reassures Aurum that he knows of no great dangers associated with this island, that "it is, in fact, an undiscovered entity, waiting to be studied". Raoul opens the side door and peers out into the yard. He observes a few nearby buildings but nothing out of the ordinary.
Ivor, however, is not so fortunate. As he ambles absentmindedly down the corridor he happens to glance through the openning to his right and out into the enclosed garden within the building. It is quite a lovely little garden, walled about by the shrouded cloister, and the building itself, on all four sides. The monks have clearly devoted much loving attention to this garden, keeping everything neat and propper over the years of their stay on Guardian Isle. Various herbs, small trees and seasonings are beautifuly arranged in four flower beds, each walled about with a small hand woven fence of twigs and leaves. Arranged about the edge of the garden are a number of flowering plants, many not native to the isle of Guardian and some gardening tools, a spade, a few trowels and so on lie nearby. A hexagonal stone well sits in the middle of the garden and a stattue, the stone bust of a man atop a five foot pillar, stands against the southern wall.
However, it is not this beauty which catches Ivor's eye, but the body that lies across one of the flower beds. This one wears monk's robes. There is no blood nor sign of how he perished.
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/DeadMonk.jpg)
"Um... Gentlefolk!" shouts Ivor, before moving into the garden. "I seem to have stumbled across the cadaver of another unfortunate resident of this apparently unfortunate isle."
He takes a quick look around the garden before bending down to examine the corpse, checking for life, injuries, and anything else out of the ordinary.
Raul runs to join Ivor. Seeing Ivor is looking at the corpse, Raul looks around the garden, and takes a particular interest examining first the statue, then the hexagonal fountain.
The man is dead. Dead as a doornail. And to make things worse, he also has a look of sheer horror upon his face. it would appear that he was crouching down by the side wall, trying to hide from something, before he met his fate.
A wooden plaque on the plinth beneath the statue reads Jarden Gamete, Founder of Guardian Abbey". The well is functional, with a bucket and rope. It's open topped 'though. No lovely little roof on top :(.
Ivor's got about two minutes of detect magic left.
Can Raul see how deep the well is, please, Balgin?
"Um... it appears to be the same means of expiration as his companion from the kitchen. I don't know about you, but I have a bad feeling about this- maybe we should do a quick sweep of the building, make sure whatever is responsible lurks not in some dark corner?"
Ivor clutches his walking stick tightly, drawing comfort from stout oak and the proximity of his long-time companion. This trip to see elven ruins really wasn't panning out the way he had hoped.
Assuming his friend agrees, Ivor will follow Raul on a recce of the remainder of the ground floor, before heading upstairs to check the rest of the building.
"Good thought, Ivor, let's do that."
OOC: See OCC thread post.
If now one has already done so, Aurum checks the body of the dead man in the kitchen for clues or anything that might help the party. If someone has already then he does the same for the dead monk in the garden.
The body in the kitchen has already been examined. All they could tell was that death probably occurred within the last 48 hours (and given that this morning's breakfast's still in the pot it was probably more recent than that). This second body also bears no signs to indicate how he may have perished.
The picture I posted was not a picture of the dead monk in the garden (as his description sates that he is quite young, in his late teens) but it was on the same page and I was going to post it the first time you discovered a dead monk anyway :p.
I'm not sure if that's this morning's breakfast from a few hours ago or the previous day's. I'd need to check some notes for that but I think it's from this very morning, an hour or so before you lot got off the ship.
Ahah, found it. That's not this morning's breakfast. It's last night's dinner.
After examining the bodies Aurum goes off after Ivor and Raul grumbling "why do they keep going off alone?"
The three head out into the cloistered walk and explore it a bit. After a minute or two Ivor's spell wears off, his eyes grow tired and he must remove the crystal lens through which he looks and place it in it's oily casing. It's smoked up and it needs a propper mechanical clean before he can use it again.
They observe the small porchlike walkway to an adjacent building constructed of wattle and daub. Around the corner they come across a large pair of iron gates through which they can see a set of stairs leading straight down, clearly to some kind of cellar. These gates also sport a rather substantial looking lock.
Okay guys, the orangey yellow blobs by the walls are lanterns. The grey blobs in the middle of the cloistered walk are pillars supporting the roof. Now where there's a lock there's usualy a key or two so one of the monks has probably got it. SO before you panic and start smashing doors and batterring locks it might be worth looking for the easy way, especialy if there's still some monks left alive who might be scared rubbish*less at the sound of someone kicking in the doors they're hiding behind :p.
The map shall be updated as you guys explore it. Currently it's a view from the doors although if people head in you'll get a much better view of the refectory. That's a spiral staircase at the far end of the corridor in the bend there. It leads up.
The full map, or sections of it, will go in the player handouts thread. The temporary version shall be kept here, moving to whichever post it suitably belong in as stuff happens.
No prizs for geussing what the chalk outlines on the floorplan are guys :).
Aurum Looks around for a second and concentrates trying to block out the noise his companies are making to see if he can hear anything. "Guys if there is a lock maybe the key is somewhere inside, lets go back in and finish searching to see if we can find it."
OOC: Listen and spot checks.
Quote from: Custom_Hobby on July 13, 2007, 02:14:42 PM
OOC: Listen and spot checks.
Listen and spot are mostly passive so I'll be doing them all the time anyway when they're needed :p. Search is mostly active so that's the one you'd need to tell me about :).
Search is finding things. Listen & spot are noticing things.
OOC: Sounds good, most DM's I played with you had to specifically state it
Kiaphas has his scimitar drawn, and is standing warily, guarding Naedath. That's what we're here for, to keep this guy safe. So that's what he's doing.
Okay then. You guys have searched all of the ground floor of this building that you're going to get to without removing a few obstacles so where do you fancy going next and what would you like to do?
OOC: Both doors that lead into the blacked out area are locked?
Aurum gets tired of locked doors and says "I'm going upstairs, anyone coming with me?"
"If the esteemed mage will come upstairs, I shall too." Rogan replies. "I wouldn't want Kiaphas to be left to guard him alone though."
He also takes out his morning star, keeping a finger around the end of the chain to stop the ball swinging free while unwanted.
"Well," mutters the sage, "if there's no-one downstairs then maybe upstairs is worth a peek." He fingers his beard and raises his walking staff, preparatory to hauling himself upright.
I'll update this post in a few hours' time with some upstairs stuff.
Ivor follows the rest of the group, concentrating more on cleaning his lenses than on the world around him. He catches his foot on a step, but being used to tripping over his feet he catches his balance almost unconsciously as he goes.
At the top of the stairs the group finds themselves at the corner of a narrow corridor. A pair of large wooden chests featuring intricate recurring carvings grace the landing. To the left a hurriedly drawn curtain seals off another room (although anyone's welcome to draw it aside).
To the right the corridor narrows drasticaly as it passes a number of small doors placed so closely together that they cannot lead to very large rooms. After about twenty feet the corridor meets a wider hallway. However, clearly visible around the corner are the head and shoulders of another monk. His face cannot be made out too clearly at this distance but he clearly fell on his back, his arms flying out in disarray as he landed.
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/Abbey2-1.jpg)
Aurum uses his axe to draw back the curtain to see inside the room. He keeps his shield in a readied position while thinking about his breath weapon just in case.
Seeing the close quarters of the corridor, Rogan decides there isn't really a whole lot of room to swing a mace properly. Putting it back in its belt loop, he readies his crossbow. That done, he lays a hand on Aurum's shoulder and quietly implores the Earth Mother to heal him. (Cure Moderate Wounds)
Raul redies himself with his sword, just in case something needs fighting, but he's more interested in those chests. As soon as the guys are out of the way, he'll have a quick look to see if they are trapped ...
Hauling aside the curtain Aurum reveals an organised room containing rows of large tables along the walls with benches beside them. Each table bears quills, knives for keeping the tips keen, various bottles of different coloured ink, blotting paper, small shells used for mixing colours and various other objects used in the production of illuminated calligraphy.
Upon most of the tables are unfinished work, tacked down at the corners with bits of gum. The walls contain an array of sample sheets dedicated to displaying various calligraphic styles used throughout the land. At the far end of the room the body of a red headed youth in an acolyte's robe lies slumped beneath a table. His robes are heavily stained with blood and loose sheets of vellum lie around, and over him, clearly scattered as he fell.
Aurum is healed for 14 points.
Raul examines the chests, and if apparantly untrapped, will open them. When he's done that, he'll go and have a look at the next body, unless someone else does so first ...
Rogan waits outside, keeping his crossbow trained down corridor d. Wouldn't do to let anything to sneak up on them after all.
Ivor keeps doddling along, cleaning his lenses, and looks up to find himself in (b).
"Ooh, aren't they pretty!" he exclaims,in reference to the artwork, before looking around and noticing the bloody cadaver. "Oh my," he exclaims, as he rushes over to check the body.
Aurum smiles and turns to look at Rogon "Thank you brother. Since you are guarding my back I will take the point." As he walks down corridor "b" he keeps the thinking (find the keys). When he gets to where Ivor is with the body he tells him "look to see if he has any keys." He also looks to see if he can figure out what the wounds/bleeding were caused by.
Once he is done with that Aurum moves past the body and into the next room to see what is there, constantly on guard (with his shield and axe readied) in case something attacks him. He maintains his aura of protection for himself and the party.
The two chests on the landing seem to contain supplies for the writing room. In addition to a great many sheets of vellum the first one also contains a lambskin wallet with small sharp blades for cutting the vellum into size and sharpenning quill tips and a few spare wooden compasses and some tiny hammers for beating slender strips of gold and silver into shape. The second chest is full of clay pots and jars full of different coloured inks (with a great many containing black ink too). Leadm, chalk, quills and some bone needles also grace this chest, as do some balls of fine thread for stiching the spines of books together.
Unfortunately the "blood" that is splattered across the acolyte's body proves to be nothing but red ink. The pages scattered about him are mostly incomplete works, knocked from the table as he fell. However one was very recently scribbled and in a very rough hand too.
shade appeared in council-chamber I
have hidden myself. Milinus and
Basyd slew first - killed them with
its touch. I hear screams down
hall. so scared.cannot move more
shouts. someone praying for mercy.
something cold passed my door -
felt its presence. gone now. noises
from below yells quiet for awhile
now. will try to look around. go
downstairs
saw me
its coming
outside door now
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/itsawme.jpg)
Drums in the deep :).
What does Aurum see in the next room? Oh and did anyone check to see if he had a key?
Quote from: Custom_Hobby on July 16, 2007, 07:24:09 PM
What does Aurum see in the next room? Oh and did anyone check to see if he had a key?
Aurum can see through a closed door? :p
Don't worry mate, it's not locked, you can open it (and I can update the map again). The dead acolyte did not have a key.
OOC: Aurum will open the door and have a look around. What is the sage doing?
Naedath's not doing a lot. He's mostly regaining his breath from climbing the stairs (he has a truly crippled npc statblock so we'll just assume he's older than it says). He does cast a bored glance down at the dead body and seems to be more interested in the different calligraphic styles displayed on the walls. The windows upon the scriptorum's southern wall look out over the small garden you explored below.
Beyond the door is a tidy room where everything is in it's place. A comfortable looking bed is drawn up against the near wall. A writing desk and a small chest of dark stained wood stand near the bed upon which Aurum can clearly make out a remarkable ink stand fashioned to hold both bottle and quill, carved to resemble a coiled dragon. A well worn ledger sits firmly in the centre of the desk. A large bookcase stuffed full of various tomes and scrolls stands against the far wall. Another door leads off to the right (clearly heading back around the other edge of the garden).
Is the room to the sounth locked? I want to search the room "c"
Moving up behind the rest, Rogan keeps his crossbow trained behind them. Taking a look at the note he shudders. Undead. Silently calling on the power of the Earth Mother, he prepares himself to fight whatever manner of abomination the attacker may be.
Raul liberates some chalk, thread and needles from the chest, whilst everyone else is distracted.
Got to keep his hand in, and well, you never know when stuff is useful :)
Overseen by Rogan, Aurum begins searching the room. Well for starters there's this nice big book on the desk but he never was one for much reading so he leaves it where it is (let me know if anyone else wants to take a look at it).
The bookshelf doesn't interest him much either (most of it's contents seeming to be collections of poetry from Drechanon and Elkia) but, after checking the other door will open, he heads for the chest. Placed neatly atop a pile of folded robes are a priest's ceremonial skullcap made of polished leather with inlaid silver trim. Beside it are a square cup of beaten copper, with an inscription, and a small wooden box carved with decorative patterns. The inscription on the cup reads "To our Basyd, let your mind transcend the limitations of the body."
Aurum turns to Rogon "Brother take a look at this (showing him the inscription) and the books. I will stand guard." Aurum hefts his shield and raises Axerager in a readied position while looking around.
Is Naedath showing any interest in these books? He is a wizard.
Quote from: Mr Teufel on July 17, 2007, 07:09:49 PM
Is Naedath showing any interest in these books? He is a wizard.
Yes, Naedath is more interested in the books than he was in the wall charts :). he isn't actualy actively searching for anything but he's casting his eyes over the spines to see if there's anything he hasn't read before. He occassionaly makes comments like "good, good, not so good, good, got, oh very good.... really? I didn't realise he wrote another before he died, I must get a look at that one later. Good, mediocre, good, not so good...."
Whilst examining the contents of the chest Aurum discovers that the small decorative box contains a key. It's a propper key for a heavy duty lock, not some fiddly little musical box kind of thing for intricate stuff.
Aurum takes the key and shows it to Rogon. He then puts it in his pouch (not hiding it from the group). Aurum starts to think there are too many people in a small space. "I will move into the next room while you finish searching through here" Aurum cautiously advances through the next door ready for battle, just in case.
Raul enteres the room as Aurum leaves. "Just writing supplies in those fancy chests out there. Ivor, why don't you scan through some of this stuff, see if any of the stuff they were working on might explain why all these monks are teminally unwell."
Then Raul will follow Aurum, since he doesn't want anyone to be left alone.
Rogan takes a look at the spines or covers of the books to see what sort of things they contain. Applicable knowledge checks apply. ;)
"Um, yes, that sounds like a good idea."
Ivor puts his lenses away in a pouch and starts examining the manuscripts, then wanders over beside Rogan to look at the books.
Kiaphas is keeping an eye out for a short club of some sort. A blunt weapon might be useful vs. corporeal undead, and his Shillelagh spell would improve that further. His trident's not much good indoors, and his scimitar is not a great weapon, against undead especially.
The door opens into another narrow corridor leading to small cells lining the other wall of the upper floor overlooking the garden. Ivor spends some moments studying the workings in the scriptorum and as he does so old Naedath opens the book upon the desk and leafs through it. it seems to contain timetables detailing which monk should be attending which tasks, and when. The most recent pages are dated yesterday.
The pages for the last two days read as follows:
Two Days Ago:
Removal of waste and sewage: Dunbar
Sow lower terraces: Taprid, Geldon and Lusac
Slaughter four goats: Salath
Cleaning of the chapel: Bern, Wosel, Oswin
Write up requirements from Medhera: Myself
Scriptorum work: Ebondan, Hestil, Erlik
One Day Ago:
Evening prayer duty on tower: Erron
Scriptorum work: Erlik, Hestil, Oswin
Sow upper fields: Lirris, Geldon and Jurth
Milk goats: Salath and Fordas
Removal of debris from dig: Ballick, Jondyn
Changing linnen in guest house: Werrin
Repairs of storm damage: Bern, Wosel, Ebondan
Repair longboat: Werrin
Raul takes an interest in the chest in room c, as he passed through. Anything of interest there, Balgin?
Ivor scans the books, looking for anything interesting, magical or otherwise, then takes another look at the body. Given that it appears there's a rogue undead creature on the island, he takes a closer look to see if there's any clues not immediately obvious to one with less magical knowledge.
Having gleaned everything he can from the scriptorum, Ivor continues through (C), down (D) and round to (I) to complete the circuit, looking for anything unusual.
Quote from: keeper40k on July 19, 2007, 12:16:33 PM
Raul takes an interest in the chest in room c, as he passed through. Anything of interest there, Balgin?
Yes, it's the same chest Aurum searched (although he's swiped the key by now). I can repeat the contents if you want mate :).
Aurum turns around and annouces "I am checking the cells." He searches the cells to see if he can find anything. Once he is done with that he proceeds to the end of the hallway where he sees a door.
Quote from: Balgin Stondraeg on July 19, 2007, 01:45:05 PM
Quote from: keeper40k on July 19, 2007, 12:16:33 PM
Raul takes an interest in the chest in room c, as he passed through. Anything of interest there, Balgin?
Yes, it's the same chest Aurum searched (although he's swiped the key by now). I can repeat the contents if you want mate :).
Sorry, brain-fart moment. Missed that. Thanks Balgin :)
Anything in those cells
The small cells are pretty sparse. Each contains a pallet, a writing shelf fixed to the wall, a bench and a chest for personal effects. Most also have sheets of parchment and writing equipment on the "table"'s along with a small statue of Theydori, or one of his lesser spiritual servants.
Each cell also contains a window looking out over the garden. Through these Aurum can see an opposite row of windows indicating that the cells opposite are probably quite similar. However, the southern wall has no windows.
This takes some time (a few minutes) before he reaches the corner. Peering down the corridor he sees carpets and a second body lying beyond the first that they have seen although he cannot make out much more than the monk's habbit at this distance. There are five doors along the southern wall of the corridor and one at it's end. The branch heading roughly northwards must lead back to the stairs (the body of the closer monk confirms that).
Ivor continues his dander round the square, pushing open the doors of the bottom corridor as he goes. He peers inside, checking for bodies/survivors but doesn't search very thoroughly plenty of time to ransack the place when we've determined if there are any survivors!
When he comes across any bodies, he'll give them the once over to see if there are any differences to the ones encountered so far.
Erm? I'm going to assume that d's a w (making it wander). I'm not sure how he could walk across the square without going downstairs again.
I'll post a propper update sometime tomorrow (when it's not nearly 4 in the morning).
Well, it's a Norn Irish/Ulster-Scotch word, but the meaning is essentially the same. What I mean was that he continues around the circuit- having walked south (?) from the room where Aurum found the key, past the cells the dwarf is searching, he continues along to where the two bodies are lying. On the way, he'll have a quick look in the other rooms along the bottom wall to see if there are any other dead monks lying around. Hope that's clearer.
Okay, Aurum was going to look in the first room anyway so I'll get an update on the way soon.
Sounds good to me
Upon openning the door Aurum's eyes move immediately to the bed. The bright blue blankets and bed linnens are quite eyecatching. A moment or so later he is able to look away and take in the rest of the room. A large table stands crammed with all manner of alchemical paraphenalia and an ironbound chest sits at the foot of the bed. The walls are covered with sheets of parchment inked with mostly indecipherable calculations in someone's really bad handwriting. A smell of sulphur hangs in the air.
Aurum decides to search the entire room and see what is in the chest. Before He starts the search he calls over to Ivor "you might want to help me look in here."
Just a note for the next few turns: Aurum will search room by room all the way down to the end. He will also make sure not to move too far ahead of the group.
Ivor is brought back into the real world by the dwarf's gruff shout, and hurries into the room to see what is wrong. Noticing the table of alchemical stuff, he examines it carefully, interested in what's going on, and if there's anything salvageable.
"Um... it might take me a while to get through all this; can't rush these things. The alchemist's notations are rather difficult to read, it has to be said..."
Don't tell me all those skill ranks in alchemy are going to come in handy? Great!
Quote from: Alex on July 21, 2007, 06:14:21 PM
Don't tell me all those skill ranks in alchemy are going to come in handy? Great!
:)
From what he can see on the table Ivor believes the monk who's room it was was clearly a skilled alchemist. Most minor quacks wouldn't know what to do with half the stuff on this table other than talk about it to make themselves look impressive (and even then they'd have a load of useless rubbish too, rubbish which is conspicuous by it's absence here).
As he reaches up to examine a particularly fine alembic there is a mighty screaching wailing sound. With a "mrrraow" a small furry creature leaps out from under the bed, springs out of the room and goes tearing off down the corridor!
After a few seconds Raoul realises it was a cat. Aurum takes a bit longer to work it out and Ivor is preoccupied with the double retort which had toppled from the table as he leaped in fright. He caught it against his chest and is struggling to place it back on the table.
Sparks crackle in Ivor's rucksack as his familiar starts running in the wheel in fright.
Assuming he doesn't drop it, Ivor will replace the retort on the table and continue his inspection. Once he's familiarised himself with the table's contents, he'll take a brief look at the stuff on the wall, then tell Raul whether he's noticed anything significant. After that, he'll suggest they have a good look round for survivors, rather than getting bogged down with searching the place too thoroughly.
Aurum decides to check the next room (I am assuming room "f") and see what is going on in there.
Keeping his crossbow out and trained on the door, Rogan heads down corridor i and looks into the room at the end of the hall (far left, by the two bodies), leaving Aurum and Ivor to look at the rooms along the outer side of the building.
Raul stays en guarde at the door to the room, but he tries to take note of which way that damn cat went!
As Aurum starts to walk out of the room he suddenly remembers he has a Key. He turns back to see if the key works on the chest.
If it doesn't then he moves on to the next room
The key does not fit the lock of the chest. The cat streaked out into the corridor and ran off towards the dead bodies (that's one o the reasons I was considering having it go the other way guys).
Aurum heads into the next room. Back in the taskmaster's study the others, startled by the sounds from the south, have come to see if everyone's alright. The nexzt room is markedly different once again. Marigolds and other flowers from the garden decorate the room. A tapestried curtain depicting a hunting scene hangs around the bed at the foot of which sits a small leather bound chest. There is a large map of the great inland sea on the right hand wall and up against the far wall shelves of books and scrolls stand (although they do not obscure the window). On the table is a small platter bearing the remains of a light snack (breadcrumbs and some leftover stones from some tasty fruit). Beside this lies a sheet of parchment bearing a drawing with handwritten notes in the margin.
The piece of paper on the table:
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/LyndenNote.jpg)
Aurum finds that sketch on the desk and immediately walks back out to call for Neadath & Rogon to come to take a look at it. "I figure one of you might be able to make some sense of this". After handing it over to one of them he goes back in to check the chest to see if he can open it. He continues to search the room.
Called back, Rogan takes a look at the drawing and poem, then shrugs. "It's odd," he begins. "The language on the drawing of the jar doesn't look to have any repeats, so each symbol probably represents a word. The poem beside it could well be the translation. Are there any books in here? One of them could show how to translate this writing in case we find more."
The chest is not locked. It contains four neatly folded priest's robes and a heavy woolen hooded cloak. In addition there is also a prayer book, a silver cup inlayed with polished stone panels and a jug of something alchoholic smelling.
The books on the shelf are mostly concerned with what little the Drechani know of ancient (and more modern) elvish writings. After looking through one of these books for a few minutes Ivor believes the writing on the drawing is probably an attempt at translation. Naedath the scholar is very interested in the drawing, less so in the books. "Ah," he says, "looks like elvish to me. Obviously I'd like to find the original artifact. Much more worthy to translate the original than a copy."
Aurum likes the look of the cup and the smell of the Alcohol. He puts those in his backpack. "I'm off to the next room" As he passes rogon he smiles and says "coming brother?" Before he heads into (what I assume is) room 'g' Aurum asks "Does anyone know how to pick a lock? The chest in there," as he points to room 'e' "is locked."
Aurum searches the entire room 'g' to see what else he can find.
Actualy it's room I. The I on the map should be a J (according to the map key) so this room without a letter is room I. I'll add in the update sometime this afternoon or evening.
God, I'm so lost :Doh!:
Having maintained a silence so far, wrestling with his unease about the abbey... Alarian asks if he can examine the parchment scrud* that was recently discovered.
In all instances like this, please assume that he takes bardic lore checks. Thanks!
"I had occasion to learn something of the theory of locks in the past, Aurum. Show me what you want to see inside. I've even got some clever tools here I, ah, appropriated, from a very disreputable gentleman who really should not have been allowed such things."
I'll search the chest first for traps, using my Search skill, remembering it might be a magical trap in this place. Then, assuming I don't find one, I'll have a go with my Open Lock skill (I've got some Theives' Tools that I'll use for all this). If I do find a trap, let me know what I've found before I do anything!
"I've been working on a prototype for an unlocking mechanism, though it would take a day or so to set it up. If we can't get into it now, we could always try then."
Ivor's getting increasingly restless- he's not convinced that they should be rummaging through the monks' personal posessions, let alone pocketing their drinks.
"Um, perhaps it'd be best to look for survivors, before we start, um, looting the place? They could be injured and need our help."
Aurum looks at Ivor and frowns, he reaches out with the items he 'appropriated' "here put them back for me." He steps past Ivor to Raul and takes him to the chest "it is right in here."
Rogan also felt a little uneasy when Aurum began to take the dead monks' possessions, but wasn't going to say anything. It's not as though they were going to need them again after all. Still, the unease doesn't go away when he gives them to Ivor. He just hopes that this isn't going to cause broblems between his brother and the little gnome. Leaving the situation for a bit, he goes back to take a look at the room at the end of the corridor.
Okay, so Raoul and the two dwarfs head north to investigate the locked chest. That's going to take some time so does anyone else want to do anything while they're away?
As Aurum walks back to the chest with Raul and his brother he notices the uneasy in his body language. He is reminded of happier times from their youth and times when his brother wasn't happy with his rash actions. "Rogon I am no thief. I had to scavenge a lot in the wilderness and I guess some habits are hard to break. I will never dishonor you or our clan."
OOC: The locked chest was in room 'e' right?
Back in the alchemist's room Raoul examines the locked chest carefuly for a few minutes before producing some bent bits of wire which he inserts into the lock and starts to fiddle with. After a minute or two's delicate operation the lock clicks open and he is able to lift the lid safely.
Inside the chest he discovers two sets of priest's robes, a polished wooden scroll tube (sealed at each end with a copper plug) and a priest's skull cap similar to that found in the master scholar's room (but a bit neglected and less proudly kept than that of the scholar). He also finds a rather large book entitled The Experiments of Detronimar and a leather sack containing sheets of gold and silver leaf for use in the illumination room.
"I guess the sage should look at all of this" He calls over to Neadath, Alarian, Ivor and anyone else who might be interested in the books, "come on over we found these locked up" He heads back in and grabs the scroll tube to take a look inside.
Kiaphas continues to stick close to Neadath. He looks uncharacteristically nervous. "I mislike being stuck indoors with unnaturally dead bodies," he mutters darkly.
Alarian asks "May I examine the book? Perhaps we can glean something of what is going on in this place from it."
Such a sight, young one...
Yes, but for me, it is not a pleasant one.
Much to Aurum's disappointment the tube is empty (:(). The book appears to be dedicated to cataloging and detailing the experiments of a certain renowned alchmist. Surely any student or master of alchemical studies could benefit from having this thing handy as he works.
Reading the book would require about 200 hours of solid study. After that it could be used as a reference book/tool to gain a +2 competence bonus to alchemy checks made if using the book as a reference/set of instructions.
Naedath and Ivor are, indeed, interested in this rather weighty tome. It is above and beyond quite possibly the most valuable book they've come across so far here at the abbey.
"Ivor, I think you should take this book for now, and return it if we come across any surviving monks. Its clear that you don't like the idea of looting, Alarin, but I don't think there are any Monks alive here, any more. Although we should keep looking. Something as valuable as this book should not be left for the rats and the seagulls."
Aurum smiles as Raul points out what he was thinking earlier. He keeps the scroll case just in case he finds something that needs it later. "If it is too heavy I have space in my pack and can carry it for you." Since there is nothing left in this room, and it seems quite crowded at the moment, Aurum goes off to examine the next room down the hall. "Come on brother lets see what other clues we can find, or even a survivor. If there are any."
Everyone stand around for a while deciding what to do next. While they do the wind causes a bit of a ghostly wail in the abbey walls.
There are some mistakes on this map. This is area G (not important to you guys but very important for me at the moment).
The walls of the next room are decorated with drawings and embroidered wall hangings depicting mythical creatures and characters from stories. A dark brown blanket covers the bed which is curtained off from the rest of the room just as the bed in the last room was. The desk is stacked high with neatly cut parchment with writing tools nearby. The desk itself bears countless ink stains it's wooden surface a myriad of different colours. There is a plain pinewood chest in one corner and a bookcase opposite it.
Aurum enters the room and begins to search. He checks the bed behind the curtain (under it as well), the desk, shelves, and chest. If he doesn't find anything then he moves on to the next (slightly larger) room.
The writings upon the table are mostly associated with the folklore of the fishermen of Dorvin Isle (where the Grey Gull went next before doubling back to pick you guys up). Interestingly there are a few mentions of women rumoured to take the shape of seals when wearing a sealskin shawl. Most of the papers seem to focus on research into the tales of Euraki, a legendary hero of Dorvin isle, and his struggles against the sea spirits.
The chest contains four sets of robes, a pewter cup, a small box of inks and ivory carvings of fantasical creatures. Hey, he's got miniatures :)! The books on the shelves are mostly concerned with folklore (especialy that of Dorvin isle).
OOC: How many miniatures are there? And what are they? Did Rogon go with his brother? DId the guys take that big book themselves or did they give it to Aurum to hold onto?
Aurum keeps the miniatures in his hands as he walks back out of the room to call over to the rest of the group to let them know he found more books and papers. Once someone starts to head over to the room he just came out of he moves on to the next one (Aurum doesn't really care for books and papers, without pictures :icon_wink: ). He tosses the miniatures is his backpack.
Quote from: Custom_Hobby on July 28, 2007, 02:47:02 PM
OOC: How many miniatures are there? And what are they? Did Rogon go with his brother? Did the guys take that big book themselves or did they give it to Aurum to hold onto?
Well they're probably more like those "little" stattuettes you see on people's mantlepieces. I'd say there are around eight or nine of them. Definately a unicorn and one or two dragons (one curled around a rock it's sitting on top of and the other one being pretty stylised). The others will all be distinctive, yet easy to carve (so no manticores or catoblepas's). I'd say the unicorn and one of the dragons (the rock one) are very well carved, the others are okay.
I'm assuming one or two people went into the room with Aurum. I'm not sure what happened to the book.
OOC: Since there is a bunch of them I put them in his pack instead (especially the dragons). If no one says anything about it (the alchemical tome) I will assume that Aurum took the large book to hold onto it for Ivor (the sage may be with us but Ivor is a part of the team :icon_wink: ).
Naedath moves over to the table and begins examining the notes on Dorvin folklore. "Oh yes, quite interesting," he mutters to himself, tutting as he discoveres an inaccuracy.
Aurum has had all he can with Neadath only saying little bits here and there. "Have you been able to find anything out about what they were doing here? Especially if it caused all of these deaths. Remember you need to make it off of this island too."
Alarian studies the writings concerning the fishermen's tales; anything to expand his knowledge of legend and lore.
Raul moves on to look in the next room, as the others seem quite occupied with the contents of this one ...
Another map correction. This is not room G, it is rom H.
This room is larger than most others on this floor. The sweet scenet of fragrant oils hangs heavily in the air. A large bed stands in the centre of the room surrounded by a woolen embroidered hanging depicting Theydori and his chest of all knowledge. A writing desk stands against the right hand wall.
The surface of the desk contains a number of miscelaneous items - a tall urn (remarkably similar to the picture from the folklorist's room), a lacquered box, a broken statuette, a large wooden dragon's head (stylised in the manner of the ship's figureheads of the north) and a broach. Most show signs of age and are cracked and corroded. Small brushes and dirty cloths sit amongst these objects. The desk has two draws.
A large bookshelf contains many books, furled scrolls and wax tablets. A colelction of polished seashells is displayed atop the case many being spiralling cones, others being brightly patterned. Some larger shells have been sliced in half to display the inner structure. Beside the bookcase a formal clerical robe hangs on a peg in the wall. It is white with gold patterns about the shoulders and the symbol of Theydori stiched upon both breasts.
On the floor before the bookcase a number of weapons have been laid out on a tarpaullin. Most appear badly corroded and worse for wear. There is a chest and a smaller coffer in the room. The chest is of plain polished cedar wood and the coffer is more eye catching, being of stone with a lid decorated with polished tiles.
Rogan moves a little way ahead and takes a look at the room on the far left (k? the one with the chair showing on that last diagram). He's now a little more relaxed, and he keeps his crossbow pointed at the floor so that any accidental discharge will be as harmless as possible.
Whilst the others crowd into the abbot's room (and Naedath and Ivor marvel at the sheer wealth of ancient relics gathered here for cleaning and examination) Rogan passes on down the hallway. Beyond the two dead monks on the floor he has seen that the door at the end of the hallway stands wide open and decides to peep through it to check it's safe to ignore. What he sees chills him to the bone.
The floor of this large room is littered with bodies. Whilst two wear the plainer robes of the clergy, two others wear more ornate robes of office whilst the other four wear the common clothes of normal men.
As for the room itself, a beautiful Elkian rug is laid upon the polished stone floor. Six chairs line the east and west walls, three at each side. A more decorative high backed chair sits against the southern wall (imagine those really lovely wooden carved "throne" chairs). On the north wall is a large tapestry depicting three women placing books and scrolls into a large chest that is stylisticaly recognisable as Theydori's chest of all knowledge.
A small table stands close to the door. A heavy black book rests upon this table.
Aurum searches the large room he entered (the one labeled 'g' on the map). He looks behind the curtain to see if anyone is in the bed and then looks under the bed to see if he finds anything. After that he searches the shelves/book cases, and then moves on to the chests. He takes his time searching the room.
OOC - I covered the general search above and these are some pointed questions based on your description of the room:
1) Is there anything in the lacquered box?
2) What is the broken Statuette of?
3) How large is the dragons head? Aurum takes it.
4) What type of Dragon is it supposed to be?
5) What does the broach look like?
6) Is there anything in the desks two drawers?
7) Are any of the shells rare (Nature Knowledge check)?
8) Are any of the weapons paid out on the tarpaulin in good shape? you said "Most appear badly corroded and worse for wear," so I want to know if any of them are in are. He is a weapon smith so he might be able to glean some information from their condition.
9) What types of weapons are they?
10) what is in the chest?
11) What is in the coffer?
Drawing aside the curtain he sees that the bed is empty. Stooping and eventualy kneeling to lean and peep under the bed he sees no cat (nor anything else interesting for that matter) :p. As he straightens he hears Naedath's voice from the general direction of the weapons, "I say, remarkable, what do you think Ivor?"
Heading over to see the weapons Aurum glances down at the tarpaullin. On it he sees the rather rusty remains of a number of weapons. There are seven daggers, six long axes, three broadswords and one so large that it would require both hands to use. The daggers are mostly of the scramsax variety:
(http://www.medieval-weaponry.co.uk/acatalog/HW2184B.jpg)
Although they're so rusty that in their current state they almost look this bad:
(http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/b/b9/180px-Seax_merowingian.jpg)
The axes are northern long axes, most being little but tarnished heads. However if Aurum knows anything about these blades, he'll know they'll usualy be mounted on hafts about four feet long, or even longer, and often used single handed with a shield by very strong men, or by both hands by normal men.
(http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/14F4B85F-C6C2-428B-B430-12BFFD5ED3E9/727/viking_axe_A23441_200w.jpg)
(http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/manufacturing/pix/axe_assortment.jpg)
When new they would have looked something more like this:
(http://www.valleymartialarts.com/images/XH2099N.jpg)
(http://www.walhalla.no/images/2382.jpg)
The swords are northern broad swords with heavy broad blades, wide fullers, sharp edges and blunt, almost rounded tips. These are no poncey rapiers for prodding but heavy duty battle swords for hacking and hewing.
(http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/manufacturing/pix/sword_assortment.jpg)
(http://www.kultofathena.com/images%5CCS88VS_l.jpg)
Yes, the sword blades are pretty long, most being about 34-37" without counting the hilt (adding another 4-5" for a pretty impressive overall length).
Most feature the tri lobed pommel so typical of northern blades although a few feature the diamond/triangular pommel too.
(http://www.sword.cz/jilec1c.jpg)
(http://www.sword.cz/detail5.jpg)
After a few moments Aurum realises what has caught the sage's attention: two of the weapons are barely corroded, almost as good as new. Both bear runes of power carved upon the blades. They are a keen edged looking scramisax and a northern broadsword, it's tri lobed pommel and quillons (crosspiece) decorated with intricate interlocking patterns. These two were once mighty weapons, and will be again if a man finds the heart to wield them. What surprises him is that these two weapons have evidently been cleaned of the same ammount of muck as the others gathered here and yet they are in a much better condition. According to the state of the other pieces then these two must have lain in deep muddy muck for a good two or three centuries and yet they looka s if they've barely been in the earth ten or twenty years.
Glancing back he observes that the large wooden dragon's head on the table looks remarkably like object number 7 here:
(http://www.spirasolaris.ca/vsymb2b.gif)
It appears to have snapped off somewhere around where the join is clearly visible in this picture here and shows a lot of water corrossion as if it has lain in the sea for many years (in fact, he'd wager about the same ammount of time as the swords). It has a label tied on with string reading "Found off east beach by Wirren, approximately two fathoms deep. Brought in off the reef by the storm?"
(http://www.oceandictionary.net/z8964.jpg)
Alarian too sees the dragonhead and the weapons but this makes no sense and in his mind things whirl. Mankind was only supposed to have discovered this island some eighty years ago and yet here are objects of northman crafting dating back some three hundred years. His mind recalls some harsh winter tale, told at the fireside on a cold night, of northmen who discovered the magic land of the elves but then lost it, never to return. He had always dismissed it as some folly, truly the tale was rarely told to "soft southern *****sons" but still he had merely considered it a rare tale, a treat, a closely valued treasure. Maybe these objects, these wound weary battle blades are the lost treasures of those very heroes themselves, and the sword and the dagger look to be in remarkably good shape indeed.
Shrugging Aurum and Raoul turn their attentions away from the weapons on the tarp and leave the sage and the gnome to marvel and conjecture at what rare properties and qualities in the metal may have caused these ancient blades to resist corrossion. As Aurum and Raoul examine the contents of the room they are interrupted by Rogan's return. He bears sad tidings of the sorry state of affairs in the large room at the end of the corridor and no doubt some of the group will go and take a look at the scene of devastation before returning to search the abbot's chamber more thoroughly (although I could be wrong on that front :p).
As some of the group leaves to see what happened in the room Rogon was talking about, Aurum picks up the broad sword & scramisax and look at Raoul "if we can find a little time I can bring these back to good as new." He continues to search the room since it is large and he was interupted (he thinks, they are all dead in there so I might as well look for clues).
He speaks loud enough for anyone in the room (and maybe some of the group out of it) to hear him. "I wouldn't mind a swim, maybe we can go look and see what ship that Dragon & these weapons came from." He keeps searching. Once he is sure that he has found all that he can Aurum will leave the room and start searching the bodies in the hallway and then move in to the room the rest of the group went into. He also reminds them to go back and check the relics, book, and scroll he didn't have any interest in.
"Aurum, would you mind if I carried that broad sword for a little while? From the way it hasn't corroded like the other weapons, there is a chance it may carry some kind of charm. And that might be useful if we come across whatever ghostly apparation scared these monks to death, as although my weapons are of an exceptional quality, none of them are charmed."
"Well, it does look rather interesting. If you're sure we're only borrowing it..." says Ivor, and he carefully puts the book into one of the many pockets of his backpack. He then proceeds to follow the others through the rest of the upper floor, until they view the carnage in the large room.
"Oh... Oh my... Um... Mr Naedath, sir, how many monks are there supposed to be, exactly? Is there anyone left to find alive?"
"Well now," the sage peers down at the gnome," I really do not know for certain. You see the very existance of this abbey and island have been a highly guarded secret for some years now. However that door downstairs was bolted from the inside so there must be someone else in there too....." He ponders for a few moments and then adds that "the presence of workers here from the dig suggests that the same fate may have also befallen them."
Aurum smiles at Raul and hands him the broad sword. "I am not proficient with it, and it fits you better. The dagger is more my style" Aurum continues his search of the room.
"I feared as much," growls Kiaphas. "These fools have been attempting to retrieve things that Gurthor took for His own! No good can come from this. We should return these things to the depths, and not meddle with Gurthor's realm!"
"Um, maybe we should make the most of the daylight while it's still here to check the rest of the monastery for survivors? There's bound to be someone the monster has missed, isn't there? And if we happen to bump into the monster on the way, well, it won't know what hit it til it finds itself back in whatever hell it spawned from!"
Ivor's clearly upset, angry in a way Raul has rarely seen since they first met. He may be a bit scatterbrained a lot of the time, but if there's one thing that focusses him, it's people picking on the weak. There's a fire in his eyes that shows he means business, as he makes to walk down the stairs to search the rest of the site.
"You're right, of course, Ivor. All of these dead bodies are making me think that everyone is dead, and that, of course, is not necessarily true. Lead the way, my friend."
Aurum pauses for a second at the talk of battle. "I see our brother of the earth has spirit," he hefts Axerager and exclaims "the shade will see a fury that will make the great wyrm proud!" He reverently touches his axe to the crest oh his breastplate. "Did any of you check the bodies to see if they had any keys or clues?" He then continues search the large room.
"Raul before you head off with Ivor, maybe someone in the group can tell us what these 'charmed' items do. Will any of you help us out? I also have the pendant that the sailor gave me after I saved his life. Naedath, Ivor, Alarian, Kiaphas, brother..... any help? You also might want to take a look at that item on the desk that looks like the sketch we found."
Ivor calms down a little at the mention of a task.
"Um, I could take a look at them, I suppose, but unless it's something I've seen before, the best I can do is tell you whether it's magical."
Ivor will examine stuff he's given, making appropriate knowledge checks, but will only cast detect magic if pressed- he'd prefer to save it for later.
While the others mostly move off to examine the meeting room, Aurum continues his search of the abbot's bedchamber. Appaoraching to the table he observes the wooden dragon's head once more, with it's tag denoting when and how it was found. The small statue beside it depicts an elven warrior but the left arm is missing. The note tied on reads "Site one. Style suggests Elven origin. Rendering of a great lord."
The silver broach on the table bears the small painted image of an elven woman of great beauty. The colours have faded somewhat with time's passing but it is still a thing of rare value. The tag reads "Site two. In celebration of our (friendship) love. Not sure. Some pledge. Gift given by Aedrinia."
The urn on the table looks very similar to the drawing found in another room. However, a tag has been tied on to it's unbroken handle which reads "Site three. Early Elven design. Made in honour of Tarimth." Faded elven writing is inscribed on one side of the urn and the other bears a depiction of well known astrological constellations as if the engraver was looking up at the night's sky.
The lacquered box shows no signs of aging. It's tag reads "Removed from podium. Transcrip complete. Copy held in archives." The box is easily opened, revealing many pages of modern elven writings in a smoother, more flowing style and also a delicate looking key with the grip carved to resemble a demonic looking head. If Naedath the sage is informed of these documents he will most likely volunteer to translate them whilst the rest of the group explore the monastery.
Turning his attention to the two draws of the desk Aurum discoveres spare parchment, ink, quills, tree gum, string, small brushes and a number of glass lenses. Dissinterested he pushes the draws shut and move on to the cedarwood chest which turns out to contain several sets of priestly robes, a decorative holy symbol of Theydori (an amulet in the shape of his chest of knowledge) hung from a silver necklace, and a jade drinking cup inscribed with swirly Drechani style designs.
Looking up he observes that some of the shells may be rare specimens, the colours are certainly pretty. But for now his mind is not on the shells but the strange stone cube that sits on the floor. The coffer bears no visible lock nor hinges and yet it has a lid. Also that lid proves resistant to openning. The polished stone tiles upon it's surface form a pattern and he can see that each tile is separated at the edges, capable of being pressed in like a button. Beneath the tiled grid of buttons is a carved inscription:
To enter me, this task I set
The hand of Theydori shows what's hid
But seven more hands must close,
Before you'll free the patterned lid
First press the silver hand right down
That is where the path begins
But each hand that follows that
Must not align itself with it's kin
up or down or on a slant
The Hands all pressed must not align
For if they do the game must end
And what I hide is still mine
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/EvilSuDoku.jpg)
So it's like su doku but with diagonals as well! And this adventure came out before we even knew about Su Doku (2001 ish) so maybe it was very common down under, the author of the adventure was an Aussie after all and that's pretty close to China, right?
Aurum picks up the broach and puts it in his belt pouch thinking *this might sell well.* When he comes across the key with the demon head he puts it with the other key he found in his pouch *this will save me from having to kick in a door*. As he looks around he takes the Jade cup and puts it in his pouch thinking *we have to get paid somehow for this trip.* He turns his attention back to the sea shells and remembers his love of the sea.
If someone will allow him, Alarian will make the appropriate checks when examining the weapons.
And, anything gleaned from reading the fishermen's tales?
"This island becomes one great riddle, it seems... composed of many smaller ones. I say we tread carefully, lest we encounter whatever has done for these poor souls. Some elvish wight, perhaps?"
"Thank you Alarian, here take a look (he hands over the Scramisax and the Amulet). Isn't anyone else hungry. I am going to eat while we figure out what is going on and that box gets opened." Aurum reaches into his pack and sits on a chair eating with his axe accross his lap.
In the meeting room Rogan, Raoul and Ivor look around. The book on the table by the door holds records of monthly meetings, with the occassional few irregular meetings held to deal with emergencies like storm damage. From these records it becomes obvious that the priests were copying documents sent from Drechanon to build up their archives of knowledge (held down below), growing a local vegetable they refer to as the sweetgourd and brewing guardian fire (an alchoholic beverage). They were also organising the retrieval of elven artifacts from the ruins and studying them. In addition to that they have been hiring divers from the mainland to recover sacred relics lost in the shipwreck that stranded them here in the first place.
The last recorded meeting was "an inquiry over the theft of an artifact from the Southcrown dig". This meeting has no notes. Clearly the individuals here perished before any notes could be written down. The two acolytes in the corridor outside were clearly fleeing this room when they were struck down by this strange assailant.
Searching the room they discover that one of the acolytes seems to have something in his pocket (it turns out to be a lump of honey cake wrapped in a hanky), of the two senior priests, one is certainly more ornately dressed than the other. The more modest of these two monks bears a pouch containing chalk and a few foreign elven coins and a keyring with two metal keys.
Once he is finished searching, Aurum calls over to the rest of the group that is over in the meeting room, "I found a few things in here." Naedath potters on back over to see what he's found. The dwarf points out the tag on the dragon's head, the note on the statue, the urn on the table, the lacquered box that mentions a transcript, and the silver broach that he takes out of his pouch. "I found this broach and also another key but no where to use the key in here."
"That coffer doesn't have any key holes but seem to be locked. There is also a puzzle on top of it. Maybe one of you can figure it out. I am tempted to use Axerager to open it."
After he is done with showing what he has found he walk to Ivor and says "cousin there were some lenses and brushes in the desk, maybe you might be able to use them. Thank you for looking into the weapons and the sailors charm. Are you able to figure out what it is and what it does?"
Aurum addresses the rest of the group, "while some of you are trying to figure out the puzzle will anyone else help us figure out what these items do?"
We should see if either of these keys open that locked room downstairs too. Did any of you check all of the dead bodies? I can do that if no one else wants to."
Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. After taking the sword, Raul followed Ivor on his search of the rest of the compound. In the event that he does see Aurum making acquisitions, he's won't be bothered, or mention it.
Hope that helps.
Okay, let's see. Ivor went to see what was going on in the other room when Rogan brought news of the bodies. He then got very wound up and wanted to go search the rest of the place for any survivors, leaving the others behind to their looting if necessary.
He was then asked to take a look at the magic weapons before he left, which he agreed to do, briefly. This was about as far as I'd gotten in the game. So, if Aurum or Raul give him the weapons to look at, he'll spend a couple of minutes examining them. Regardless, he's going to head back downstairs and start looking round the rest of the abbey, starting with the first building he sees as he exits through the kitchen door.
"Ivor, this is the weapon I think may carry a charm. If it does, we might need it, if the thing that did all this is not of this world, and I don't think that the Northman from the sunken ship has any need of it now."
"Well, yes, I suppose not. Let me take a look at it, then. We'd better hurry, though; judging by the state of those poor men, we'd best find this monster before it gets its hands on any of the others."
Ivor scans the sword for any indication of its abilities, such as runes or noticeable designs, and examines the rust-free blade, looking for any indication that it has magical properties, then he'll swing it through the air a couple of times to see if anything happens. appropriate knowledge tests. He won't cast detect magic on it just now; we've a pretty good idea that it's magical anyway, so no point in wasting the spell, is there?
"I agree with our gnomish friend," says Kiaphas. "Before we go combing this place for details and nick-nacks, we should scout the whole site for survivors. They're more likely to tell us what happened than old books and puzzles!"
QuoteThe more ornate coffer is made of stone. It is two feet in length, one foot in width and six inches tall.
Alarian has been busy looking over the many documens in the folklorist's room. He has come to the conclusion that the folk of Dorvin like to tell tales about a hero called Euraki who struggles against the evil sea spirits. This probably makes sense for a small island community since they probably have a lot of boats so victory over the sea is also important. There are also a few tales concerning "shape leapers" who leap out of one shape and into another. Now that is a very interesting way of thinking of shapechangers. He's not sure that he's come across the term shape leaper before but it sounds like it originated from the northern lands so maybe the men of Dorvin are folk who were once shipwrecked off that small isle or who migrated there many years ago as a stopping point where northmen could rest and restock on their long raiding voyages.
After peering at the sword and dagger, Ivor is certain they must hold some powerful enchantment bound to their form. The runes serve a purpose and that purpose is either to attract power, or to keep it there. Whatever their function, he's sure they weren't simply placed there for decoration. These must be magic blades.
"Thank you for looking over this weapon, Ivor. I feel safer knowing it has an enchantment, if there are evil spirits abroad! Now, shall we see if there is anyone left alive, here?"
"Why, yes, that seems the most sensible course of action. Um... where to now?"
"Does this place have a basement? Seems the logical next step," says Kiaphas thoughtfully."Else the building adjoining this to the North-East."
Aurum finishes his meal and gets up. Stretching his legs and tucking the sailor's charm amulet back under his armor he says "I'm going to have a look in the next room while the sage finishes and you figure out what we are doing about the stone box." He hefts his shield & axe as he heads off to the next room (the last one unexplored on this floor).
"I think Aurum really wants to see inside that box, let me have a look at that puzzle, it shouldn't be any harder than keeping old man Pfondue's accounts in order."
Raul examines the puzzlebox to see if he can see the solution.
Unless anyone has an objection to him working it out, he'll try the solution I put in the OOC thread, after a few minutes study, unless someone with more intelligence wants to look over his shoulder and beat Raul to it! :)
Ivor watches Raul study the box for a minute or so, then gets frustrated- he's quite keen to get a move on, to search the rest of the place.
"Let me take a look at it. I doubt there are any survivors hiding in there." he says grumpily, as he manoeuvres to get a better view.
"Hmm... I see. Well, it's really rather simple, really. Just push these buttons..."
OOC: Testing.... Please ignore
-TOC
Everyone feels a wrenching sensation in their stomach, as if the very fabric of reality was being rent asunder and put back together.
-TOC
Reality again...
-TOC
The usual map correction: the H in this room is the I (just like the I in the corridor outside is the J).
This last room contains a bed and a small writing desk. There are a pair of matching wooden chests and a bookcase crammed full of books and scrolls. A large square box stands upon the desk.
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/AbbeyUpstairs.jpg)
Pained by the amount of death in the end room, Rogan stays back with the others where they are trying to work out how to open the box. With a bit of thinking, he helps Raul work out the solution to the box (same intelligence, but a lot more wisdom - does that count toward logic?) and presses in the buttons tentatively.
They prerss the first button and it clicks in. A second button clicks in too. The third button they press causes the others to pop back out again. Experimentation proves that pressing any wrong button resets the puzzle (as does pressing the silver one). However, it does not matter which order the correct ones are pressed in. Unfortunately Raoul's idea doesn't quite seem correct.
I think the solution might actualy almost be wrong. You guys got the gist of it right but either the solution is wrong or there's at least three other combinations you haven't thought of yet. Annoying or what eh? :(
Aurum searches the room he is in starting with the box on the desk, the desk, and the chests. He then moves to search the rest of the room.
The box contains a single stattuete of Theydori. There is a draw in the desk in which is a writing set of carved bone and a long flat tray-like box. Openning that up Aurum discovers an array of tattooist's needles neatly set out on the velvet lining. The bookcase holds mostly theological works relating to the Theydorian faith. There are a small collection of prayerbooks from other religions too.
The chests are full of clerical clothing and a selection of coins of differing denominations from different nations. Clearly this man was a bit of a coin collector. There are also a pair of holy symbols, one of simple carved wood whilst the other is silver set on ebony.
Rogan marks out which buttons were correct and which were false using the materials on the writing desk, before trying to work out a new combination.
OOC: could we see which ones worked and which didn't please?
Sorry if I missed this, but is there an obvious cause of death on any of the bodies?
Quote from: Fabian on August 12, 2007, 11:54:59 PM
Sorry if I missed this, but is there an obvious cause of death on any of the bodies?
There is no obvious cause of death but they all look really scared.
Aurum takes the coins and the silver & ebony holy symbol (is it Theydori?). He heads back to the room with the rest of the group trying to solve the puzzle. When he gets back in there he tells them of the tattooist needles and other items he found in there (he doesn't mention that things he took).
He takes the entire coin collection? It's contents are not specified so I'm just checking. Yes, it's a holy symbol of Theydori (again, there's quite a lot of them around here you know :)).
He doesn't take the entire thing. He takes the most valuable ones based on their metal value (he doesn't know anything about collecting coins). I just wanted to be sure about the holy symbol, someone could have been worshipping something else on the side :shrug:
When he gets back to the oher room he is shocked to see everyone just about the same as they were before, "aren't we going to try and find the thing that did this?"
"I don't think any of us can solve this puzzle box at the moment. Let's head downstairs and come back for it later." Raul heads off downstairs with Ivor (I assume.).
"Who else has Keys? I found a few, let's see if we can open that locked door downstairs." Aurum goes with the rest of the group who is headed downstairs.
"Neadath, you're coming too, I hope?" asks Kiaphas, making a move downstairs. "Don't want anyone getting separated while some lethal wraith is killing people!"
"They probably died in fear of having to do any more damn praying. No offence intended, Kiaphas. But the thought of praying four times a day and diging up old elvish tools would put the fear of the gods into me enough to make me keel over!"
OOC: By the way did eadath find anything out with all that study
"Hah! It's not me you should fear offending, friend."
"I must be serving the Gods well enough in my own way, as I'm still alive, for now. I'm sure they'll take me to their own when I'm famous enough to meet them" Raul grins. "I doubt they'd want someone like me praying to them, anyway. I wouldn't want to sully them with my prayer, for fear of causing offence."
Once downstairs the group finds that the key from the taskmaster's room does indeed unlock the big iron gates to the stairs leading down. As they are about to descend Rogan cocks his head to one side and asks Aurum if the stonework to the left of the stairs looks a little bit irregular to him. Aurum replies that he doesn't see anything unusual about it. Pushing on it, Rogan reveals a revolving wall section - a sectret door leading into the previously inaccessible room.
You've got stone cunning and a flukey natural 20 to thank for that :).
Aurum smiles at Rogon "maybe I have spent too much time above ground brother :icon_wink: Let me take the point" Advancing with his shield in front of him and Axerager at the ready Aurum calls out "are there any survivors in here?"
OOC: Is the room well lit or can I see anything with my darkvision? Also is there a map update coming :icon_wink:
Stepping through the secret door Aurum observes a most disturbing sight. Drawing aside a heavy grey curtain he sees coloured light from the three glorious stained glass windows above the alter illuminating the scene. The altar itself is set upon a hexagonal raised podium, a heavy grey cloth draped across it. Upon the altar rests a chest, to the left of the chest rests a furled scroll and to it's right a large leather bound book held shut with a metal clasp. These are the sacreds symbol of Theydori. Heavy grey curtains drape the walls, matching the altar cloth in colour. A small chest and a bookshelf also stand against the walls.
Each window portrays a different female figure: the three disciples of Theydori. One holds aloft a cube in one hand and ascroll in the other, the second reads from a book whilst the third holds up an astrolabe to observe the stars.
Four robed bodies lie scattered upon the floor. Two lie prone over by the door, a third is slumped up against a pillar that supports the roof. The fourth figure lies sprawled against the altar and his robes are by far the most ornate you have seen so far. His robe bears gold and blue embroidered panels and he wears a ring with a cube upon it graces his right hand.
As Aurum stops for a moment Naedath brushes past him, his interest aroused by the secret door. At the sight of what he sees he hessitates for a moment and then announces that "well someone had better check these fellows too." Gazing down upon the abbot he says "poor Abbot Olmaren, I would have liked to meet him....."
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/Abbey1-6.jpg)
Selected screenshots from the 3d scene on the CD in the atatchments. 1 shows the secret door from the isnide, 2 shows the altar, 3 shows the positions of 3 of the bodies (exept for the abbot slumped up against the altar) and 4 shows the desk and bench by the door. There are two other camera angles but one's right up by the main door and the other's up in a corner near the cieling so I couldn't get any shots looking in through the secret door.
Since Neadath brushed past him Aurum goes to the far end and check the three bodies over there. He then comes back to the altar and check the body.
Whilst checking the abbot over Aurum observes the faintest flutter of movement in the man's robe. The collar trembles ever so slightly. Raising the back of his hand to the man's face he discovers he's still breathing. Do unconscious people breath? I'd assume so. Spurred on by this he checks for a pulse and finds it, it's very weak but it's there. Clearly the abbey still has at least one survivor.
"Guys come quick, the abbot is still alive." Once the rest of the group comes over to check him Aurum goes about searching the rest of the room for clues. He also stays watchful in case something tries to sneak up on the group.
Those of the group who search the remaining three bodies observe that they bear burn marks and singed clothes. The one slumped up against the pillar bears the most severe burns (especialy to his face and right hand) as if he had been at the center of an explosion of some sort. The other two must have been caught in the blast. Given the way they've been hurled up against the door it's highly probable that the abbot was hurled across the room by the blast and landed up against the altar.
Two pieces of a broken amulet lie on either side of the badly burned monk, torn assunder by whatever explosion brought his life to an end. One of the figures by the entrance has an expression of sheer terror upon his face, whilst the other (and the burned monk) were clearly afraid, but not so much, as if something had bolstered their courage in their last moments. Each of the monks wears a square amulet about his neck bearing the symbol of a stylised white hand.
The abbot himself is unconscious but still breathing (he's badly wounded and also suffering from a hell of a lot of subdual damage too).
The list of the dead has been updated. Can I attach mp3's in the attachment area? I've got some nice suitable music files.
(Yeah, unconscious people still breathe.)
Ivor is shocked by what he sees, as he quietly follows Raul into the room. He looks round, trying to make sense of what has happened.
Aurum walks past the abbot and asks "will he live?" as he finishes his search (did he find anything of use?) and heads to guard the door.
"Can someone heal this man?"
"I fear I cannot help him. My healing skills are very limited, and I have no potions."
Rogan kneels and presses his hand against the unconscious abbot's forehead. Swiftly he prays and the abbot's wounds close up leaving discoloured bruise-like marks upon his skin. The wounds themselves still exist but have been sealed over, speeding the recovery. Some more healing ought to speed the recovery, reknitting torn muscle groups and causing the body to assume it's natural form.
CLW cast, Ive edited the notepad to reflect this.
"Brother is that enough for him to let us know what happened?" Aurum continues to stay on guard in case anything attacks.
"Come, friend monk," said Kiaphas kindly to the injured man. "We can help keep you safe, if you but tell us what we face."
Hold up guys, the Abbot's still unconscious. I'm just deciding how much healing Rogan should use because he won't have it later when you guys need it.
Once again Rogan opens a channel to the sacred realms and lets healing power pour into the Abbot's crumpled body. The wounds close up leaving clean unblemished skin and his breathing settles. "He had quite severe concussion," Rogan announces, "but he should come round in an hour or two, maybe less."
CMW used, any more and he'll be spont'ing.
"Still not awake? Why don't we leave him here for a moment and check downstairs to make sure nothing is in the building?"
"I would be happy to join you, Aurum, if someone was to stay with the Abbot. I wouldn't like to leave him alone any longer."
"Neadath want to stay with him while we go check?"
"I'm not keen on leaving Neadath alone with the abbot," muses Kiaphas. "We were hired to protect Neadath."
"Anyone want to stay and guard Neadath and the abbot?"
(given that we want those online to come searching, wouldn't it be better to ask who's coming, then let those who don't "put their hand up" stay with the abbot?)
I was going to make it Quicker and just let Blagin rule on who stays and then we can move on. Same idea, different approach.
I was going to assume that Naedath, Rogan and Ivor are willing to stand guard over the abbot but is everyone else happy to leave them there? I know Raoul tends to stay near Ivor so it seems a tad awkward.
With Rogon and the sage they should be fine plus we should hear any commotion (if there is any) and can come running back up.
(Agreed)
Okay so where did you guys want to search next then? Downstairs wasn't it?
(yup)
Those prepared to explore down below head out through the revolving wall panel and down the stairs beyond. At the bottom of the stairs they find themselves in a broad hall. Halfway along the hall are another pair of large barred iron gates. These ones, however are open. Sprawled upon the floor between the gates is the body of another high ranking priest, his face contorted with pain and astonishment. His decorative robes are somewhat the worse for wear and could probably do with some patching up. At his belt there is an iron key (identical to the one that opened the gate leading down here, the iron gates he lies by also use the same lock - so both keys will work with both gates) and on his right hand there is a ring set with an iron cube (identical to the ring the abbot wears).
Beyond the gate the hallway turns to the right with a door straight ahead. When someone looks around the corner they'll spy another door as well.
Map in the attachment.
[attachment deleted by admin]
Aurum cautiously advances and checks the body of the dead priest for anything else that might help. Are there any other signs of exactly how he died? After that Aurum advances slowly and looks down the hall to their right. If he doesn't see anything or one then he will check the door in front of him to see if it is open and then goes in the room.
Raul is right behind Aurum.
Fidnign nothing other than the ring and key on the monk Aurum heads off through the opened gate to the corner. Looking around the corner he sees the passage come to an end with a mural depicting some kind of battle painted on it (when someone gets closer I'll describe the mural). A small wooden stoll stands beside the mural. The two doors do not seem to have locks, or bolts or bars for that matter. I'll get a map update done sometime before posting the next update as the two rooms beyond the doors are fairly small and easily searched.
Aurum takes the key and gives it to Raul. He then moves into the closest room and searches it before moving on to the next (and searches that one too). I will wait for the map and the room descriptions.
Raul will examine (and search) the mural whilst Aurum is searching the two rooms.
Whilst Aurum searches the first room, Raoul walks over to examine the mural. It depicts a scene of battle between an elven army (with decidedly modern equipment) fighting against a force composed mostly of orcs and goblins. In the foreground an elven lord is being struck down by a troll. A central panel at the top of the scene (in a long panel of ceramic tiles) bears the following inscription: The Fall of King Pelentine. Beneath the letters a smaller inscription reads Elven Reckoning.
Meanwhile Aurum has opened the door and looked in upon the first room. There are a large table, a bench and an unmade bed. The table is stacked with books and parchments. A wooden case with a sliding lid fits snugly in the corner whilst a small wooden chest sits at the foot of the bed.
Aurum searches the room to see if he finds anything that would interest him or the party might need. The shelves, desk, chest, bed, etc. When he finishes he moves on to the next room.
The books and papers on the table don't really interest Aurum much. The case contains quills, inks and writing materials. The wooden chest has clerical attire within, and also a small collection of wooden puzzle games (like chinese puzzle boxes or that "seven shapes" Napoleon thing). There's also a small bone mug and a pouch containing around 30 silver coins in there too.
Don't you just wish Aurum had a better search skill? You got lucky this time and found a lot of stuff (but not neccessarily everything).
Aurum calls Raul over to the room "Do you think any of this will interest everyone?" He takes his time (takes ten) searching the room to see if he finds anything else.
Mate, you got a 16 on the search check, taking ten'll only give you a 9 (less than you original found).
If Raoul comes over then I'll make some appropriate checks.
I will leave it up to Raul then. I will take 20 in the next room though.
Raoul looks at what Aurum's found and agrees that there's nothing much very interesting there. However he does spy a folded piece of paper in the writing case with some interesting notes on it. It seems to be a list of requests made by monks for various documents from the archives.
Brother Chernis:
Tales of Harsemia: a collection of folklore
Cultural C/651
Creatures of the Sand: Translated from the Harsi writings
Cultural C/55
Brother Aras:
Glassblowing techniques
Materials M/43
Brother Lynden:
Elven to Sylvan: the subtleties of elven writings
Language L/210
Translation of Aedrinia Document found on Guardian Isle
Special Archive 32
Aurum moves to the next room to searcha nd see what he finds. If nothing then he moves on to see the tapestry and what else is arround it.
The next room is somewhat smaller and features a pallet with bedding and a writing table. There are a pile of damaged books upon the table which are in the process of being repaired. Beside them are a pot of glue, some brushes, needle and thread and some sheets of soft doe skin.
The table also bears a drawing that looks something like this:
Brother Oswin's sketch:
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/OswinSketch.jpg)
Aurum take the sketch to show it to the group. He hands it to Raul for safekeeping. He moves on to the next area of the basement.
The next area of the cellar is the dead end hall with the mural. That's a suspiciously small cellar for such a large building but that seems to be about it.
Aurum takes his time (20 if need be) and searches for fake walls/hidden doors. He checks the stonework for any indications of such. He checks behind the mural as well.
Quote from: Custom_Hobby on August 21, 2007, 06:23:46 PM
He checks behind the mural as well.
Okay, methinks Raoul should explain to Aurum that a mural is painted onto the surface of a wall (that's the defintition of a mural). So I doubt he does search "behind" it.
Aurum searches, he takes 20, he observes that the tiles on the panel at the top of the picture look like they might be able to be pressed into the wall individualy. However, they're way out of his reach even if standing on tip toes or something (although there is that stool). Alternatively he could ask for Raoul's assistance.
Picture of the buttons in the attachment. I left out half the picture because the rest of the page was taken up by the (in)correct puzzle box solution :p.
Aurum waits for Raul to come over and have a look after he calls him. He sits on the stoll while he waits. "Can you figure out the puzzle?"
"Perhaps the elves use base 8?" muses Kiaphas. "My guess is we're to enter the date of the seige the plaque mentions - although puzzles aren't my thing."
"It could be, but the digits either side of the title indicatre 1 through 8, from counting the symbols on each one. To be a base 8 system, it would need figures representing 0 through 7. Base coversion was something I had to do a lot of as a clerk, trading between different cities with different currencies. Did you know that the Rapwindi tribes in the far islands use shells instead of coins and count in base 13 - now base 13 is hard to convert to and from! But not nearly as hard as assessing your worth is shells! Anyway, I digress."
"In addition, I cannot see a date on here." Can I, Balgin?
"Well, there are number systems without zero. (Roman numerals)*, for example." Kiaphas notices the strange looks he's getting.
"My father was a merchant, and you don't want to know how some people count their money!" he says, looking a bit sheepish, but defiant. "Why, one strange land used multiples of twelves and twenties!" ( :icon_twisted: )
*Insert setting equivalent here
"You are quite right about number systems without zeros, of course, but they do not repeat the use of the digits in order to create larger compound numbers, at least, they cannot repeat them for each base level."
"OK, so lets just try some buttons." Raul reaches up and presses some of the 'numbers' either side of the title of the mural to see if they are part of the title, or they move separately, since we've only made an assumption so far!
Aurum sits on the stool lightly tapping Axerager against his shield, "Will one of you start pushing buttons so we can get back to the search."
The two tiles either side of the central one do indeed go in. Nothing else particularly interesting happens 'though (and they don't stay pressed in either but pop back out again).
Raul then tries pressing in both at once. If that does nothing, he'll run his hands over the whole mural - especially the primary figures, to see if they move.
Aurum taps the wall with his axe to see where it is hollow behind it.
If he finds the secret door can he do a strength check to see if he can force it open?
Aurum taps at the wall a bit, occassionaly scratching the paintwork. The entire wall seems to be hollow as if there is a room on the other side. However, the method for openning the secret door, lost in the secret of those buttons, seems to elude him for now.
"Damn puzzles, too bad I can't melt the sone!" Aurum sits back down to wait.
"Hmmph. Well, if we can't open the secret door now, let's check the other outbuildings for survivors," Kiaphas says. "At worst our abbot friend or Neadath can have a go at it, as it looks to be aimed at men of learning."
"You are right," with that Aurum gets up and heads for the stairs. When he gets back up stairs he goes to check to see if the abbot is awake. He tells the others about what they found in the basement.
Aurum, Kiaphas and Raoul head back upstairs and check up on the abbot. He's still unconscious but "stable" (whatever that means). It's been around 10 minutes so he should recover another subdual point in a bit.
Since you've now found all the secret doors on the map (apart from one which you can't reach yet because of where it is) I'll post the entire abbey's ground floor map as an attachment here so you guys can pick a building to investigate. Once you're outside I'll give a quick description of each building (since one's basicaly a small tool shed, one or two are workshops or various buildings with obvious functions). I'll post the map, check which building is which, and then post a brief "what you'd see from the outside" description of each of them.
"As the Abbot is still out cold, shall we go an check the other buildings? Are you guys still going to stay with him, so that there is someone here when he comes around?"
Here's that map I promised.
"I say we should go to the nearest, connected building, then widdershins!*"
(*anticlockwise; basically in numerical order on the map.)
"Sounds like as good a plan as any. Shall I lead the way?" And Raul heads out in the direction suggested.
The purpose of the building directly oposite the cloistered walk (2) is uncertain but considering how it's joined to the main building it's probably important, or similar in function. The building outside the kitchens (6) is also fairly plain. The other building near the kitchens (5) looks slightly more attractive, and less homeley than the others and it is to this that the explorers go. Looking between the two buildings they spy the garden shed (4) in the distance and the other building (3) is clearly a stable.
The building they have chosen to investigate is a wattle and daub structure with a thatched roof. Inside an airy common room has recently been tidied and prepared to recieve geusts. Fresh flowers stand in a vase on a table in the middle of the room and a basket of apples, quinces, bread and cheese has been left out beside it. There are two bedrooms, each containing a freshly made bed, neat sheets on ever so soft blankets, and a chest for storing personal possessions (both are currently empty).
This is clearly the geust house. As the group are about to leave the temperature drops noticably and a slight breeze brushes their cheeks as if someone had recently passed very close by entering the room from the doorway. Turning they watch in awe as an invisible hand writes in the dust on the tabletop.
The Beast struggles to be free. The stones must be returned. Seek for Diamasin at the Southcrown. The way is hidden but the Lord of the Starlit Realm knows the way.
Dadda dun dun dun dun...........
"Right. Now that is downright freaky. But ... I think I know what stones it is talking about, even if I don't know where they are to be returned to - although I'd guess it would be the dig site."
"B-by Gurthor's Hairy Armpits! Let us find these cursed rocks and take them back where they belong!"
"When we were back in the tavern in port, where we picked up this job, I was approached by a swarthy type who said that his colleague intended to steal some jewels from the dig site and he needed help getting them off the island. I talked to him, and let him think I agreed to help him, without actually agreeing to anything, thinking that any information about where we would be going might be useful."
"Well, I suppose it has been, as I can't imagine these monks being rash about taking things willy-nilly from the dig site and unleashing ghostly hands and terrors that seems to kill without touching - but I can imagine some two-bit theif doing such a thing for a shiney gemstone."
"I know where the drop is supposed to be - that is to say, where some of these gems might be, if we want to go an look for them."
"I am sorry I did not share this with you all earlier, but we had only just met, and I didn't want to tell you all I talked to some criminal on the same night we started on this adventure."
"No worries here Raul. Someone should write that message down to show the others." Aurum grips Axerager tightly and adjusts his shield "It looks like things are going to get fun now!"
Raul makes a note of the message before the group press on.
"Shouldn't take but a minute to check the other buildings quickly, before we head off for the tree- I mean, wherever the jewels be hidden!"
Aurum does a quick search of building 5 to make sure we have not missed anything.
Well there's the fruit and flowers but there's nothing else really (obviously naything the last geusts left behind has been collected by the monks, maybe even sent back to the mainland).
"Well I guess we keep moving."
Off to building 6?
"Agreed."
Building 6 it is! Drag me around with you guys, I'm offline for the night, now. Zombie me, please, CH in the event of a fight.
No prob
Quote from: keeper40k on August 28, 2007, 12:37:29 PM
Zombie me
You may come to regret that precise choice of words later on :p.Once they approach the next building and try the latch the group discover that there is something heavy blocking the door on the inside.
Aurum attempts to force the door open.
Aurum applies presure to the door and a few sharp shoves. Those present hear the sound of stacked up objects being dislodged. With Raoul's assistance he is able to force the door open causing the stacked up benches behind the door to topple to the floor.
Inside a table, benches and chairs mark this room as a communal living area. Some wooden cups and platters with scrud*s of leftover food lie dotted about the table. There are also some discarded hands of playing cards and a few coins (15cp, 7sp).
A workman in a coarse shirt and light brown britches lies dead near the table. His face is paralized with fear and his right hands grips a pendant at his throat.
Dead list updated, abbot healed 1 subdual damage. I left off the description for the stuff behind the curtain because you guys might want to deal with this room first :).
Aurum searches the room we are in with the dead man. He takes the coins and looks for any clues that will help us.
Raul searches the body to see if he can find any clues.
Kiaphas peers beyond the curtains.
Beyond the curtains Kiaphas sees a fairly plain room with bunk beds lining the walls. Some of the beds are made whilst others are still pretty messy. Three chests stand against the walls and washing bowls and a few chamber pots are scattered about as if there had been some kind of struggle in here. A few items of laundry hang upon ropes strung across the room between the beds.
Did Aurum find anything when he searched that first room?
Aurum moves on to the next area (b) and looks around. He checks the chests and then moves to check the back door.
Raul follows Aurum into the next room and also searches for any clues.
The chests contain common everyday work clothes for the workmen who once slept here. There is also a battered old Esmian prayerbook, a small pouch containing 4 copper pieces, a jar of alchohol (Guardian Fire, a local brew the monks make from the gourds, it's highly prized on the mainland) and a wooden Hnafltafl set.
Ivor finds somewhere comfortable to sit down and gets out the alchemy book found upstairs. As he begins to read, he whistles a jaunty tune he half-remembers from the army, and promptly zones out of the real world.
Aurum takes the alcohol for 'future use' and checks the other door to see if anything went on over there.
Through the back door Aurum spies a well tended lawn with a flower bed, clearly something for the workers to enjoy that isn't work related. The garden contains iris and marigolds laid out in a spiral pattern. The body of a fair haired young man lies face down in the flowerbed.
Raul approaches the dead man to see if he is a monk, and to see if there is anything different in his death, than in any of the others.
Aurum steps through the door and looks around to see if anything else is around.
From his clothes the man was clearly a worker. He's even got four copper pieces (4cp) in his belt pouch and he clutches a knife he must've sought to defend his life with in his last moments.
"I'm going to check out that small building over there." Aurum points at building 4. As he walks over he does look at through the gate to see what is out there. Once the group is together (assuming everyone came along now) Aurum continues toward the little building.
Balgin what does he see when he looks through the gate?
"I'll join you Aurum," says Kiaphas."Have a care though, neither of us is set up for taking on ghosties, if that's what be here!"
Nevertheless, Kiaphas has his trident at the ready.
Aurum smiles and stops to wait for Kaiphas. As Kaiphas gets closer Aurum responds and asks "are they flame resistant?"
"Gurthor concerns Himself with the living, mostly, so I'm not too sure." Kiapahas frowns. "I gather they might be. I'd be happier if we had a cleric with us; they're more savvy with this "afterlife" business, so I'm told."
Raul pockets the 4cps and then follows Aurum and Kiaphas.
Raoul, Kiaphas and Aurum approach the toolshed. A quick rattle of the handle proves the door to be locked.
Hmm, bad adventure writing here. QuoteThe key is held by a workerwho lies dead in the dormitory (6)
When I checked location 6's description there was no mention of his body having a key so I didn't tell you.
He had a key. I'll assume you try the keys you've got to see if any of them work.[/i]
A few keys are tried and the key from the dead workman in the building they have just come from fits the lock. It turns too and the door swings open. Inside the floorm is hard packed bare earth, trodden down through the constant tread of many feet. Shelves and ranked up around the walls and indeed across the floor itself making the shed very crowded. There are hammers, saws, trowels, spades and all kind of tools for gardenning and woodwork in this shed. There are also bundles of rope, chains, some cut pieces of wood, lanterns, barrels of nails, barrels of oil, folded canvas and assorted other things.
The air within the toolshed is noticably colder than elsewhere (and reminds you all of the temperature drop that you experienced in the geust house only here it's more of a given constant rather than a sudden and temporary change).
What "gate" was Aurum wanting to look through on the way there?
"I think a coil of rope might come in handy, if we're going to he headed to the cliff again, then the mines to see if those gemstones are the ones that the thief told me about." Raul enters the toolshed to pick up some role.
"Blimey it is cold in here! I hope that etherial hand isn't about!"
What mines?
You're right - I meant the archeological dig. Getting myself confused with a hackmaster game I used to play where there was a mine which was also an archaelogical dig. Sorry about that. Raul still wants the rope, though, as I couldn't say he would really know the difference between the two!
We walked from the topmost door in building 6 along the stone wall to building 4. So as we walked we would have passed the gate that is on the map.
Aurum tightens his grip on his Shield and Axe when he hears that it is cold in the shed. If nothing happens then he goes in to search the shed and takes his time (takes 20) to see if he finds anything of use that was hidden. If something does happen the he advances to attack and defend Raul. "The rope will come in handy, is there anything else we can use?"
In that case you would have seen the road leading off o the watch tower you spied earlier as the ship rounded the point of the island. And if I'd been a better GM I would've mentioned that without you needing to go and have a look :p.
An exhaustive search turns up nothing other than tools. The rope will probably come in handy 'though.
"Only tools but at least we have the rope. Lets move on to that next building." Aurum moves on to building 3. While he is walking he looks around to see if he notices anything.
The stable itself is a large wooden building with a thatched roof and large double doors at each end. Inside there are stalls for animals and a small smithy. An anvil and forge are tucked away in one corner with a bench of tools. A number of horse shoes and nails have been cast recently, the molds out and piles of the finished articles sitting in heaps, ready to be tidied away later. A rough pallet and a weathered old chest are tucked away in the western end of the stable.
Straw is heaped up near the eastern doors with a few pitch forks leaning up against the wall. Yoke and harness for an ox and cart hangs on the walls. The two wooden stalls have been broken down with splintered sections of wood scattered across the stable as if the beasts kicked their way out and fled off into the night.
Two bodies lie sprawled across the floor, one by the piles of straw and one by the western doors. Both are dressed in common clothing and one is a bearded middle aged man whilst the other is barely a youth (clearly the stable boy). Both men's faces show the, by now familiar, expression of extreme horror.
Aurum searches the bodies and then moves on to search the stable. He takes his time and searches thotoughly (takes 20).
"Oh, not a child! That's unforgivable! We have to find and stop this menace, whatever it be."
Kiaphas helps search. (+2 support skill)
Togehtre they find nails, horse shoes (well, shoes for oxen hooves), the smith's tools, hay, pitch forks and not a lot else. Sorry guys, good effort but in this location there really wasn't anything interesting to find :dontknow:.
Aurum finishes his search and says " I guess we should move on." He leaves and heads for building two. as he does he stays cautions and looks around. He stays ready with his shield and axe.
The group enters the large building adjoining the main abbey. Through the doorway a central hallway grants access to two side rooms. To the right an empty doorway (not really an arch but it was never designed to hold a door) grants access to a room in which four alcoves are curtained off with rough hessian cloth. The room has a damp feeling and smells of soap and something else.
To the left a door grants access to another room.
Aurum goes to the left ..... and something happens :p.
Ahem... I assume that Alarian stayed with the Abbot, since no mention was made of the poor bardarian at any point? In which case, doesn't magical healing also cure subdual damage... shouldn't he be up and talking again? Unless I misremembered that part on healing?
As the door opens the group see a young woman with shoulder length brown hair and a gentle face. She is clad in white robes and wears a headdress of white cloth. She sits beside a bed tending the fevered brow ofa man lying there. She turns towards the door, her eyes clearly spying the intruders, and raises a finger to her lips for silence. The light streaming in through a window catches the pendant that hangs about her neck dazzling the onlookers. When they have finished blinking and can see again, she is gone. The bed too is empty.
Once she has departed the group can see the room again and begin to take in it's details. Four beds line the western wall. A long table stands in the middle of the room and a couple of chests hug the walls. A bench and a comfy chair stand against the northern wall. The floor is scattered with sweet woodruff stems, the flowers clearly intended to drown out any unpleasant smells. Dried posies of marigold and iris dangle from the ceiling in sporadic places, brightening up the room with a splash of colour and gracing the air with their smell.
And here are some pictures reflecting the brief glimpse of the woman that you had.
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/WynsarGhost1.jpg)
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/WynsarGhost2.jpg)
Quote from: Fabian on September 02, 2007, 11:15:52 AM
Ahem... I assume that Alarian stayed with the Abbot, since no mention was made of the poor bardarian at any point? In which case, doesn't magical healing also cure subdual damage... shouldn't he be up and talking again? Unless I misremembered that part on healing?
I honestly can't remember if Alarian stayed with the abbot or went exploring with the others. If he stayed with the abbot the explorers haven't exactly gone far (they're just exploring the other buildings in the abbey compelx) so he could easily have gone looking for them and found them.
Magical healing does heal subduaul damage if you'd like to administer some. After giving him some healing Rogan decided to save his remaining resources (in case they were needed later).
I assumed he stayed, being a considerate soul and all.
"I have some small skill, but I shall do what I can for this holy man..." Alarian starts to quietly sing a lilting melody, as he places his hands on the Abbot to heal him.
Cure Minor Wounds! :icon_wink:
OOC: Just to be clear you did say she was gone, so the guy is still there?
Aurum cautiously searches around the room
Erm, he doesn't have cure minor so I went with a light.
Back in the abbey, with a groan the abbot begins coming too.
It'd be nice to wait and let the other guys respond to the rather unusual sight they've just seen before moving the focus of attention back to the infirmary for now 'though.
Quote from: Custom_Hobby on September 02, 2007, 11:36:21 AM
OOC: Just to be clear you did say she was gone, so the guy is still there?
Aurum cautiously searches around the room
QuoteWhen they have finished blinking and can see again, she is gone. The bed too is empty.
He has vanished as well.
Aurum and the others search the room. This takes some time allowing us to shift the scene back to the abbey where the abbot has regained consciousness.
I meant light... I got mixed up. Duh. :Doh!:
Groaning the abbot murmurs something indistinguishable and slowly opens his eyes. He doesn't have much energy at the moment, whatever it was that did the damage really took it out of him. He's lucky to be alive.
"Oh my head," he murmurs, "my eyes, I'm alive. I'm alive?" Then his eyes widen somewhat in an expression that would be caleld surprise if he had the energy for it, but in his current state seems more languid. He has just realised that he's got company.
Here's a picture of the abbot (I should've posted it earlier).
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/Balgin/Doodles/Grim/AbbotOlmaren.jpg)
Quote from: Balgin Stondraeg on September 02, 2007, 11:49:23 AM
Here's a picture of the abbot (I should've posted it earlier).
Dont kick yourself. He wasn't awake yet so he didn't look as he is drawn. So what is going on next Door?
Quote from: Balgin Stondraeg on September 02, 2007, 11:22:08 AM
As the door opens the group see a young woman with shoulder length brown hair and a gentle face. She is clad in white robes and wears a headdress of white cloth. She sits beside a bed tending the fevered brow ofa man lying there. She turns towards the door, her eyes clearly spying the intruders, and raises a finger to her lips for silence. The light streaming in through a window catches the pendant that hangs about her neck dazzling the onlookers. When they have finished blinking and can see again, she is gone. The bed too is empty.
Once she has departed the group can see the room again and begin to take in it's details. Four beds line the western wall. A long table stands in the middle of the room and a couple of chests hug the walls. A bench and a comfy chair stand against the northern wall. The floor is scattered with sweet woodruff stems, the flowers clearly intended to drown out any unpleasant smells. Dried posies of marigold and iris dangle from the ceiling in sporadic places, brightening up the room with a splash of colour and gracing the air with their smell.
"I'm not sure we should enter," mutters Kiaphas."I think those flowers could mean plague! Does anyone remember seeing that pendant elsewhere? Or perhaps that is what we must seek in the tree drop site?"
(What did the man she was treating look like?)
The pendant does indeed look familiar. Kiaphas has a distinct feeling he should know it from somewhere, her robes and wimple too. It looked similar to the garments of a priestess of Esmia, the goddess of healing.
OOC: So how is Aurums search going?
OOC: Sorry for the wait - things got a bit hectic after the holiday :icon_neutral:
IC: "Rest easy, Master Abbot." Rogan says gently. "You're in safe hands now and have no need to fear us. The gods obviously have further plans for you. Please, could you tell us of what has happened here?"
"La la, doo doo doo... Oh my, I hadn't thought about doing adding that to the mixture... How interesting! Deedly dee doo doo..."
Ivor's sat in the corner, reading the alchemy book, oblivious to the newly awakened abbot. Science texts are just too interesting!
Quote from: Custom_Hobby on September 03, 2007, 01:21:38 PM
OOC: So how is Aurums search going?
Slowly. There's a whole room to search. The other people are talking, that takes less time :p."The thing, the thing," gasps the abbot, "is it truly gone? The amulet, knew it would work. What we didn't know was..... It.." at this his voice chokes up with sorrow as he sees the charred corpses of his former monks.
Alarian places a comforting hand on the abbot's shoulder, and says kindly, "I am sorry for the loss of your brethren, and pardon my plain speaking now; but you must tell us what creature do you speak of? What has happened here?" They have found something they should not have done... and paid for it... Alarian hears in his mind, along with the suggestion of a throaty chuckle.
The abbot's eyes dart nervously about as if he expects the creature to return at any moment. "The creature," he gasps, "the creature. It came out of nowhere, right out of the air. Killed them all, slew them in the council chamber and they fled before it. Then it hunted us all. No living soul has such a form, black shadowy substance......"
He breathes erraticaly, "I knew, you see," he continues, "knew, saw the sign. Came here, chapel, brother Lynden tried to use the holy amulet to banish the creature. It grasped at it to wrench it from his hands and the thing shattered with a blast of energy." He blinks a few times, eyes moving to examine his surroundings in a more composed manner. "Is it gone now? Maybe the blast destroyed the thing. Oh my poor brethren, how many of them have suffered an ill fate this day." He goes to rise but falls back, exhausted and in need of rest. Closing his eyes he murmurs "and now the sacred amulet is gone to us, shattered by the spawn of darkness." Opening them once more he asks in a more controlled manner, "I must ask but, who are you people? I am forever indebted to you for saving my life. Theydori alone knows how I survived the blast." At this he raises a hand to the back of his head. "Why, it is a miracle, a true miracle the like of which few men shall ever witness. I would assume that you are our visitors but alas, ill fortune has marred the day of your arrival."
Aurum is still searching.
Raul is still with Aurum, searching too.
As is Kiaphas.
Alarian looks puzzled and asks, "We are indeed visitors to the isle, accompanying this learned sage here. So, this creature is not of the living? You believe it still to be at large on the isle?"
"I, I do not know," blinks the abbot, "it was there. It reached out with it's hand to snatch away the sacred amulet and then there was an almighty blast and I was lost to the world."
"Our friends should take great care then. I will tell them of this, and leave you in the care of these good folk." Alarian leaves the group with the abbot and goes to find the search party.
"Wait," gasps the abbot, "the beacon. Did you see the beacon on your way in? What colour was it?"
There was a silvery light shining from the top of the beacon tower.
Alarian turns to the abbot and says "It was silver - I take it this has some significance?"
The abbot lets out a sigh of relief and visibly relaxes. "The light turned a ghastly green before the creature appeared, a warning that covered the whole island in it's clammy glow. If it has returned to silver then surely the blast from the amulet must have destroyed it. And yet," he adds, "the second time it atatcked it looked vastly different indeed, almost a different creature entirely."
Meanwhile, in the infirmary....
Those searching discover that both the chests are unlocked. The first contains various jars and pots of oitnments, powders and other things used in the treatment of various ailments. These containers are sealed with lids of cloth and each have a wooden tag tied to them identifying the contents. These include borthwort, comfrey, liquorice, valerian and feverfew. There are also bundles of cloth for use as bandages, a leather pouch of surgical knives and saws, wooden splints and bowls for bleeding unhealthy patients.
The second chest contains books and papers of a medical nature. Amongst these ppaers is a coroner's roll, a list of all those who have perished on the island (and it goes back a good eighty years). Reading this document for useful information is likely to take at least an hour if anyone wants to check for any unusual patterns, diseases, unexpected cause of death etc. There is also a small wooden box within this second chest containing two clay bottles with cork stoppers sealed with wax. Each bears the word Elzera" on a label. Kiaphas recalls that Elzera is a rare healing tonic that rapidly assists wound recovery, even encouraging some limited form of tissue regeneration, in other words, a healing potion. Each bottle looks good for three doses.
Drinking a draught of Elzera has the following effects: Instant recovery of 4hp (magical healing). Also hp recovery from resting is doubled for the next 24hr period. It will not regrow lost body parts or replace missing organs.
It is made from the distilled blood from the glands of the Harsemian desert fox.
"Potions are always good to find. Either of you might want to look into the papers." Aurum takes one of the Saws and puts it in his pack (you never know it might come in handy). He them moves on to room 'b' to see what is going on in there.
Alarian is intrigued... "Pardon my curiosity, sir," he says, looking at the abbot with narrowed eyes "I have more questions for you - it seems each detail you provide produces yet more queries! You say the creature was different... how did it differ from its first appearance to the next time? In other words, what did it look like to begin with, and what did it next look like?"
"The first time," replies the abbot, "the first coming last evening was preceded by the greeen glow from the watchtower. I knew it was no good sign and began to gather the more high ranking priests about me here in the chapel where many of the relics are kept. The creature appeared in the council chamber where a meeting was still in progress and it's touch was death. It was a shadowy form like unto a man and yet all vague and indistinct in shape. It struck down those within the council chamber and then it departed as if it had finished it's grizzly task.
"When it returned once more it stalked the abbey, destroying all who crossed it's path. it even entered the sanctuary of the chapel here among us and brother Lynden used the sacred amulet to drive it fleeing into the darkness. Our prayers and preparations had prevented it's foul onslaught.
"We felt relieved, grateful even, but then it returned a third time and now it's coming was like thunder. It's form now was more distinct. It was taller and broader. From it's head sprouted huge horns and no living creature looks as this giant of shade did to us that night. Brother Lynden raised the amulet and it's great clawed hand and the amulet was torn assunder, blasting that foul fiend back into the pits of hell and destroying my remaining brethren in the process. It is indeed a miracle that I myself survivied and only Theydori himself knows how I came to survive such a powerful blast."
With that the abbot leans back to rest, all his energy spent in relating the tale.
Alarian looks stunned and horrified... only allowing a modicum of this to show on his face. What can this creature be? Some form of undead? No, it seems more like unto a demon, one whose power grows with each life it takes... he thinks. Sending his voice out into the strange mental space inhabited by his 'guest' he asks, Do you know something of this, spirit? All he hears is a giggle from far off. Damn you! When I need your advice, you are as fickle as you are bloodthirsty. Very well, we shall use mortal cunning and logic to defeat this beast.
"Rest easy, abbot" he says kindly, and turning to the assembled group he says, "Well... we have several learned men here. What is this creature, and from whence does it hail?"
Any appropriate checks, please! Bardic lore, knowledge, anything!
Back in the outbuilding
Kiaphas takes the book. "We need to look at this later, methinks."
"Now, we should finish searching these houses and get back to see how the abbott is doing. If he's still ailing, these potions may help."
Aurum is still searching room 'b'. (He took a saw and one of the potions earlier)
Raul offers to take a look at the list of the dead, looking for any odd patterns, or clues that might be of use. He hopes his previous skill as a scribe and assistant running the trader's business might be of use.
"Aurum, I'll look over this list and these other documents. Do you want to carry on searching whilst I do so? It might take a little while, but we might find out something useful."
"Sounds good to me." With that Aurum moves into to Area 'B' and starts searching. He moves back a the curtains with his axe and keeps looking around.
Ivor becomes vaguely aware that Alarian is trying to get his attention, and looks up from the alchemy book. "I'm sorry...um, what was the question?"
Aurum investigates the right hand area with the curtained alchoves (each of which turns out to contain a large wash tub full of water with lumps of crude soap resting on wooden shelves on the walls beside them. Submerged in one of the wash tubs is the body of a young acolyte. His face is calm, white foam flecks his lips and he clutches a small vial labelled "Vasical" in his hand. Clearly he took his own life rather than suffer the same fate that was meted out to his brothers.
A curtain at the back of the bathing room leads to a communal toilet chamber. Long wooden topped box like benches line the walls with evenyl spaced holes for the obvious purpose. The room is hung with posies of dried herbs to mask out the obvious smells but there is still a recognisable stench that hangs in the air.
Well guys you have now explored all of the abbey that you could get to without opening a few difficult secret doors and the abbot probably knows how to open them. Feel proud of yourselves guys as the abbey's a lot more detailed than most of the other locations are so looking around took a good length of time.
I think we can call it sometime around two, maybe even half two in the afternoon now, leaning towards two 'though.
OOC Did that also include searching area 'C'? If it does: Aurum goes back to the rest of the group in the infirmary and lets them know what he has found. "I guess we should go back and check on the others."
Kiaphas hands Raul the book. "Indeed, let's get back."
"OK, Kiaphas." Raul continues reading stuff as he walks back, having searched the abbey, and knowning that competent people like Kiaphas and Aurum are around him, keeping an eye out for danger.
Quote from: Custom_Hobby on September 07, 2007, 10:20:17 AM
OOC Did that also include searching area 'C'?
C's the toilets.On the way back you all bump into Alarian who has come looking for you with disturbing news (as if ghostly visitations were not disturbing enough :p).
When we get back into the room with the Abbot and the rest of the part Aurum tells everyone what they have found and encountered. He makes sure to mention the ghosts and the other dead men they have found. He also introduces himself to the abbot and asks "Do you know the combination so we can see what is going on behind the mural downstairs? We were trying to search around for survivors or the creature that did this and were unable to get in there."
Alarian addresses the re-assembled group, "This creature is of fearsome power, and as we are many, I believe that our combined efforts can thwart it with luck and skill." Turning to the Abbot, he asks, "Good sir, it's needful you tell of us of any other relics that might aid us in this endeavour, or (if it is within your knowledge) how we might combine the pieces of this amulet."
Kiaphas stands beside Raul, and mutters to him,"I think we need to mention the jewelery in the tree, and its possible relevence."
"The tree?" Abbot Olmaren is clearly still somewhat dazed from his spell of unconsciousness. "Gems I know of, a gem was stolen from the ruins yesterday. We were holding an investigation into the theft when the beacon turned green and the creature came upon us." He struggles to sit up a bit straighter. "There are some objects up in my room, a large stone coffer with a special secret lock. We found them at the dig and they may be of use to you. There are a few sacred relics in the archives below as well."
At the mention of interesting items Naedath's ears prick up (you all thought I'd forgotten him didn't you? :p)
Aurum takes note of Neadath's interest "Sage is there any light you can shed on any of this?" Aurum waits to see if he answers. After he gets a reply he walks over to the abbot and asks "can you give us the codes so we can get the items from the coffer and downstairs to help us?"
Quote from: Fabian on September 08, 2007, 10:56:13 AM
Aha! I thought that might be the case! My memory was a bit fuzzy though. Thanks! Balgy, are you wanting us to solve this ourselves or can this be resolved with Alarian being a smart-alec know it all? :icon_wink:
The abbot knows the solutions, he's just too shaken up to move without asisstance at the moment and badly needs to rest.
As a priest of the god of knowledge and information yes, he is listening out for interesting bits of information.
However.... did someone describe the ghostly visions in his presence? I can't remember if they did or if they were only spoken of outside the chapel.
Aurum described everything to the the group when everyone was together again. Isn't Neadath a wizard?
Alarian turns to the Abbot once more and says "Sir, I know that this asking much, but perhaps you could show us how to gain entry to both the box and the archives. Friend Kiaphas, is there some aid you could give to this reverend man?"
"I'm not a healer, friend Alarian. However, I'd think the abbott would heal better in his bed than lying on the floor of this hall."
Ah, in that case the abbot seemed nervous when you mentioned the ghostly appearances but he didn't have the energy to speak at the time.
"Abbot would you like for us to help you up to your room?" Aurum walks over to him
Helping the Abbot up, Rogan helps him to his room as best he can. Both the Abbot's and the group's stories have disturbed him, and he mulls over the details as they go. (Knowledge:Religion check?) He has a nasty feeling that this may not yet be over, even as he hopes that the amulet's explosion did the trick.
"You asked about a tree. I would have told someone earlier, but since you're the first alive and concious member of this order we've found ... well, before we set of, I was made an offer by a very disreputable man in a tavern to help smuggle gems off this island. Clearly, I would do no such thing, and resolved to lead him along and turn over his colleage to you at the first opportunity. However, it seems these his petty larceny may have something to do with this mess. At least I know where the missing gem you mentioned should be! In the aforementioned tree!"
Supported by at least two of the gathered company the abbot is ushered upstairs to his bedchamber. Unfortunately the shock of such rapid healing is something his body simply isn't used to. Once there he kneels over the stone coffer and begins pressing buttons on the lid, his fingers waver and he hessitates but soon the lid jumps up ever so slightly as the locking mechanism is released. With a contented sigh he sits back and leans against the side of the bed.
OOC: I can imagine the two stout dwarves helping him up the stairs.
Aurum helps the abbot over to his bed so he can get some rest. "Well it is open so what do we have in there?"
Laying the Abbot down on his bed, Rogan carefully opens the lid of the box.
Within the stone coffer is a black lacquered box with a hinged lid, a scroll and a battered sphere of silvery metal. Naedath eagerly leans over the box (there, you thought I'd forgotten him didn't you? :p.)
Aurum turns to the abbot and asks "were there people on other parts of the island that might still be alive?"
OOC: Anything special about the metal I can see, being a dwarf and all, or does it just look like a solid ball of steel for instance? "Silvery metal" makes me think of mythril anyway.
Also, is the Abbot still conscious?
Examining the sphere first, Rogan weighs it in his hands, trying to judge if it's solid or not and what metal it's made from. If there doesn't seem to be anything more to it than a ball of metal, he replaces it in favour of the laquered box, which he opens gently.
Presumably Naedath will be examining the scroll, though I could be wrong.
Alarian is eager to examine the contents of the box to divine any clue. Bardic lore yada yada, not that it seems to have helped at all...
Quote from: Rod the Worm on September 12, 2007, 04:25:03 PM
Anything special about the metal I can see, being a dwarf and all, or does it just look like a solid ball of steel for instance?
There's a picture or two I haven't uploaded yet regarding that item :p.
OOC: Does the abbot respond to my question?
Here's a picture of the metal ball. I'll get round to that question in a bit.
Aurum looks over at his brother (while still standing next to the abbot), "brother does that thing open?"
Rogan nods as he continues to examine the outside of the ball. "It looks as though it does," he replies, gently sliding back the outer rune-covered hemisphere with his thumb.
Alarian regards Rogan's examination of the ball with interest, and asks "Do you know of anything like this? We could do with putting our heads together, as they say." He smiles.
"Looks a bit otherworldly to me. I'll leave it to you chaps who know more about such strange things."
And Raul moves to see if there is anything he can do for, or get the Abbot.
OOC: Waiting for the next update before I reply. Balgin, could you let us know the results of my knowledge:religion check and Fabian's bardic knowledge when you do?
OOC: I eagerly await that result - it's the only useful class ability I have at the moment!
OOC: Aurum is still waiting on his answer and then I will post what he is doing
"Abbot aside from wanting to know what if there are any other possible survivors on other part of the island, what is the code to get into the room in the basement?"
Ok so now I am waiting on two answers
"Let us not press the man so. While our need is urgent, we do not wish to lose him as well."
Alarian stares at the metal ball clasped firmly in the dwarf's hands and it seems to fascinate him. The writing engraved upon it's surface looks elven to him but he cannot tell when it was made or what it's purpose may be. It is about four inches across and and appears to be hinged in such a way as to allow the outer casing to be slid back over the inner workings, revealing goodness knows what within. A hardened vellum tag, tied on with twine, bears the words "Site three. Connection with tower crystals (?). Writings indicate that the stones actualy absorb sunlight."
With caution Rogan slides the globe open and a circular hole in the surface of the globe is revealed. The inside of the ball is studded with thousands of tiny milky white crystals.
"The sun sphere" gasps the abbot, "it shines in the dark places." Poor abbot Olmaren seems very tired and needs to rest. He doesn't immediately seem to have noticed the questions he is being bombarded with. Naedath peers at the ball with marked interest before reaching for the box within the coffer. Openning it up he reads under his breath "removed from podium, transcript completed, copy held in archives" and, reaching into the box, he draws forth a stack vellum pages and bears them over to the table.
"So, do we rest, as the Abbot here does before we go and find out what else has happened on this island, or should we get going? I would favour the latter."
"Resting would be foolish at this point considering our present circumstances and surroundings - we are not wearied and a creature is at large on the grounds. I recommend that our esteemed colleague", he indicates the elderly wizard, "should stay with the Abbot whilst we make what best speed we may to stop the beast."
His eyebrows knit in frustration with his own lack of knowledge and he turns to the sage, "Sir, this sphere, what do you make of it? I cannot decipher the writing, I'm afraid. My guess is that replacing this in its proper site and somehow activating it in the creature's presence will give us some hope against the demon, if not defeat it utterly."
"So do I, remember the boat will be back in three days and that is it! Why wait for the thing to come to us? Lets find out what we can and get it before it kills anyone else." Aurum walks away in disgust mumbling.
"Right, I need some bread and cheese. We've not eaten all day, and the food downstairs will only spoil now. Let's grab some from the kitchen on the way out, and we can eat it on the way to see what else this cursed island has to offer in helping us solve these riddles. Ivor, could you give me a hand with collecting some food, please?"
And Raul proceeds to the kitchen to gather enough food for everyone to eat as we walk.
Alarian unpacks his rations and chews on some hard tack, wishing that it was of the quality of fare he used to experience back home.
"Mmm-nnn-ggg, ghhhmmm nnggfgghh"
He swallows it down.
"My apologies, sage Naedath, what I was trying to say was 'Do you think that you will be of greater value to us by staying out of harm's way here, or by accompanying us to help identify some way to beat this monster?'"
Aurum watches Raul and Ivor head down to get some food "I could eat again." He shifts his gaze back to Naedath "Good question Alarian, so sage are you any good in a fight?" Aurum punctuates the word fight by hefting his axe.
"Well now," ponders the sage, "that is a most interesting quesyion. You see, I am chartered, that is, hired, to come here and study the findings from the dig site. It therefore makes more sense for me to remain here, as this is where such objects are held. However", he adds, "were I to accompany you I could see these marvellous ruins for myself and that alone is something I would love to do. Unfortunately this wet and windy weather reeks havoc on my bones and I suspect that I would be better off here out of the cold and the damp."
Frowning down at Aurum he leans down a little, leaning hard against his staff, and replies that he "doesn't think he'd be any good in a fight but he might have the odd spell or two to help out in a rough situation" and with that he adds a knowing wink before painfuly straightening up once more and turning to the document upon the table before him. Without turning round he informs those present that "it's probably worth your while to check back here periodicaly as, who knows, I might have uncovered something of use to you in this mystery."
You guys can almost see him making a mental note to memorise more combat related spells tomorrow :p.
"Very sensible, sir" says Alarian "So, Raul, shall we head out?"
Aurum stands up taps his axe on his shield and shouts "lets go!"
"I'm joining you," says Kiaphas, swallowing a portion of rations.
Aurum gets up and heads for the door, he stops in the doorway turns around and asks, "er which way do we go..?"
"Back to the cliff edge!"
"Right - I've got directions to the shrine tree from the top of the path, so we'll need to start there."
Alarian makes ready and starts to head out, eager to be doing something active.
The action has now moved to Part 4 (http://www.customhobby.com/forum/index.php?topic=1222.0).