I am not thrilled we have chosen to take this person along but am full of glee at the chance to ask questions
Simon was thoughtful at the idea of using undeath as a punishment. Something about it chilled him to the bone. He reaches for a specific objection but cannot find anything beyond the disgust he feels at bringing those dead and in rest back to serve in prison. "We met a group of blighted undead when we first entered... I had thought them protectors. Guards who refused to leave their post even in death. I thought that brave in a bittersweet way. Beautiful in its way. They were escaped prisoners. Reborn to suffer pointlessly. We should have killed more I think... I babble." he whispered quietly.
"What crime could be so heinous to deserve such a punishment? And who are these Knights? What order?"
“My trade? Just a wanderer, but I suppose you might say I’m a collector. To do both, you need to know about, well, everything, and knowing how to brew up something for what ails you is a good start.”
—
Simon
You peel your eyes from the shadows on the wall. Your vision is yours.
There is a symbol on the back of Watki’s clothes that you’ve seen before during your lessons on the subject of Wytch-Knights. Not purely a symbol of the order, but one they shared with other arcane groups. It has something to do with natural cycles; water to rain, phases of the moon, the metamorphosis of a caterpillar…
“Hm. Not the wisest move to talk about the Sovereign, ever, even with them gone, but it’s said the old chief of the Oudru spurned their offer of a ring. This was right back at the beginning, you know? They didn’t take sides in whatever wars were going on back then, you see, so they were already in everyone’s bad books. I suppose it was to join forces, maybe?”, Watki stammers, speaking quicker, “Yes, that was it. I know. Oudru spurned the advances of the Sovereign, and so they were cursed. If you won’t live with me, and die for the war, you get neither.”
Watki laughs and spins around, jostling the line.
“The Order of the Cerulean Rose, who else is going to dye a full set of plate blue?”
There’s probably a better way to do this but it’ll do.
Go to: https://www.naturalreaders.com/online/
Choose the text to speech option “Chiara”
Copy this text into the box:
Pharaste …
Pharaste …
Pha … ra … ste
And that’ll give you a decent insight.
For Oudru, it’s just ooodruuuu. Real elongated vowels.
The rest of the places are pronounced in an English way, however you’re seeing it, it’ll be right.
As Watki begins to speak Simon can't help but reach out at the symbol of metamorphosis on Watki's back. His first clue! This place was so strange and not at all what he thought it would be. He still pictured the land of lords and riches that Hildegarde had described so long ago.
Watki continued "... who else is going to dye a full set of plate blue?” and Simon froze his hand still reaching towards Watki. For a moment no one seemed to move.
Finally he he pulled his hand back as if burned. "That was the order?" he said making an attempt to appear less interested and shaken.
Ok so just to make sure I understand.
Sovereign=The leader in a war. Almost certainly an Enthroned.
The Order of the Cerulean Rose are the one who we saw escorting an undead earlier? And also they rule here? Order of the Cerulean Rose
Portmanteau or weird coincidence?
Understanding everything is not something I wish to make clear in this game.
The Sovereign is the one that ruled all, for a time, but then the Crown Eternal was shattered and the Enthroned took what they could for themselves. Or so it’s said.
Rule? An interesting idea. Perhaps they do rule this land now.
Arthur walks, quill in hand, taking notes as Watki and Simon talk. Finding a group like this has exceeded his expectations in every way. The amount of pure information he has been able gather has been incredible. He was going to need to make time after this journey to sit down and summarize thought it, his shorthand notes were written hastily and need organization.
The feeling a a cold wind on his face brings him back into the present, however. To the left, the tunnel continues, which must be the source of the wind. Ahead is an alcove, with a skull stuck in it. Mindful of the pressure trap that they just experienced, Arthur tries searching around to see if anything out of the ordinary can seen. He doesn't want to get up close and set something off like Gruush just experienced.
Oooooo that's a nice catch! I totally missed that. IT CAN'T BE A COINCIDENCE!
The whole point of bringing Watki along was as a guide. Kirina isn't wanting to strike up conversation with them, but as no one else in the group is pressuring on this, she feels she must.
"Watki. You were coming in here alone, to 'wander' or 'collect' or whatever else. You must have a better idea of where to go and what lies ahead. Do you have a map? What is down this passageway?"
"Raising undead is already a disgusting concept." Solomon says "But to raise someone as undead just to imprison them is beyond cruel. I do not know much else of the Oudru, but this is just evil. Punishmemt should not be levied lightly, and if one's crimes are deemed heinous enough, execute them and let the Gods decide their fate. Though I highly doubt the perspective of those who willingly wielded such an inhuman punishment, their own view of good and evil would be perverse." He remembers the knights who had passed by earlier, "It was most wise then that we avoided those knights. Jailers seems to be a more apt descriptor, however, based on what we've heard."
Solomon then spends the next few minutes in silence, walking alongside the group. Punishment was something he was familiar with. He never liked having to be the one who handed down the final judgement on those found guilty, but he always believed it to be necessary. The ones who'd broken their oaths and betrayed their comrades and country, they needed to be stopped before they could harm anyone else.
The moss covered dead end isn’t all that special. The moss isn’t pointed out to be unique by Watki.
The skull is stuck fast, sat so long the moss has lifted it up and grown around and within it. It’s bottom jaw is moving, barely perceptible.
The slope on your left is steep but manageable—horses have evidently just gone down there—but still foreboding. There are no traps that way. Not any more, anyway. You can see little dents in the walls where traps used to stand. There are many slashes in the rock, where some exceptionally strong people tried to fight long ago. Their bodies are long gone.
—
Kirina
“Ah, padre, right to the meat of it I see. I like that, I really do. This is where I was heading. Down there is loads of creeping fungus. That’s the good stuff.”, they point down the dark, sloping pass, “Key ingredient for your common healing potion. Take no replacement!”
They detail that the area at the end of the slope to your left is a wide, hollow cavern that reaches up to holes in the other side of the mountain. Enough to let in air and the weather, but no pathways up. Like being inside a naturally occurring domed shrine. Beyond that? They just shake their head. Watki doesn’t go further down into the depths of the mountains, that’s madness.
Arthur stares ahead, then squints his eyes as if he doesn't believe what he's seeing. "Is that skull's mouth moving?"
He steps closer to inspect it.
Edit: What is going on? Geth, you are going to cause me such pain in such a terrible way. There is no way this keeps happening without the other shoe dropping.
Edit: What is going on? Geth, you are going to cause me such pain in such a terrible way. There is no way this keeps happening without the other shoe dropping.
My assumption is you're just stealing all the good rolls, as goodness knows I haven't gotten any.
Kirina responds to Watki, "thank you for the information. The knights, those that imprisoned you. Do you know if they go deeper, or are they also after something in the domed cavern?"
She's also ready to continue moving on, but will wait if anyone (aka Arthur) stops to look at the skull.
"So the jailer knights have come through this way? Chances are we'll wind up confronting them eventually, so we'd best be prepared for a possible battle."
Solomon looks to Watki, "You say they mistook you for undead and trapped you here. Did they say anything to you at all? What about to one another as they dragged you here? Considering the... limited way in which undead can communicate, it seems strange that they would not notice you being alive. I wonder if they have also fallen victim to this curse of undeath and continue to pursue their duty out of lingering loyalty. I'd hoped that diplomacy would be an option, but if they're cursed as well I doubt they'll be willing, or even able, to hear us out."
I do have a feeling that the Cerulean Rose, at least the ones we've seen, are themselves undead.
The skull has remained undead to this bitter of ends. Will you touch it?
Your keen observation skills coupled with your prior run ins with the undead lead you to believe it will bite you, for no particular reason, if you handle it poorly. Better to use a tool to free it, and to keep your fingers clear. However, you gain the strict sense that an intelligence remains ingrained right to the marrow. With the proper ritual or implement, you could pry one last piece of information from it.
We can flash-back this if you do anything with the skull. Let’s keep going.
—
Adventurers
You continue your harrowing journey, now down the slope into the depths. No bugs above you. Only a vicious cold.
“There not a lot I don’t know!”, Watki says, waggling their eyebrows, “If you catch sight of a locked door or a set of iron bars, it’s a place the blue boys are going through. It’s like a pilgrimage, yeah? They do it all the time.”
All the time is purposely flippant. Could mean every day, every month, every 4 years.
As you come within 30 feet of the slope’s end, Watki shushes Solomon. She crouches, motions you to do the same.
“Watch out for the undead. Any funny movement, flag it up. Knights should be down below us now.”
No more answers for you yet.
Before you is a great slab of unyielding stone, cracking it places, with bottomless black falls either side of it. High above you a handful of holes allow you to peak out at the blizzard rushing over the mountain tops. Snow drifts in from time to time, descending beyond sight into the chasms around you. Shattered skeletons, decades old or more, litter the ground. Some wear cloth, some nothing at all, and occasionally you see one with a backpack—fallen mountaineers. Weathered, often featureless, a number of broken gargoyles lean against rocks or lie face down, limbless and limp. Defeated, you think.
Far ahead, you see a sudden dip in the rock. You know not what is in it.
In the past
Arthur stares at the skull for a moment. He taps a finger on his chin, then exclaims "Wait here a minute!"
Running back to the statue, his picks up a piece of quarterstaff, which had been destroyed when it was shoved into the trap gear. Returning with a small chunk of it, he first cuts strips of his shirt off of the sleeves, then shoves the quarterstaff chunk into the skull's mouth. Once it bites down, he wraps the clothing strips around it to secure the skull around the wood it had bitten into. Finally, he places the skull into his bag.
If any of this isn't ok or needs rolls, let me know and I can edit it
Mostly Simon just fumed. His great aunt had spoken with constant an effulgent praise for the Cerulean Rose. She mentioned them in the same breath their own order was spoken. Simon shuddered at what this could all mean. Things were so much worse than he had expected. This place truly was ruined. A garish mausoleum to those who still walked although their spirits had long left their body. And he wasn't talking about the undead. He listened to Solomon speak on them and found himself nodding along.
"They can not be allowed to continue like this, Solomon. They must be made to see their corruption and repent. Or else we must do the merciful thing and stop the corruption ourselves" said Simon trying to appear steadfast and strong. If you spoke with vigor you left no room for argument. In truth inside he wilted. So much of what he had believed in appeared to have withered and died. Now to his surprise he found the other five people around him to be the only thing he could depend on in all the world. He silently prayed that Solomon understood. These Knights corroded all they touched. That had to end.
As the group entered the large room Simons eye was drawn to whatever was at the bottom(or top) of the sheer slopes at the center of the room and of the lever. If he could he would get closer to the center to see what the red and gold are. He also tries to gage what the lever might be for.
Any noticeable machinery telling us what the lever does? I see a hanging cage drawn just off the map. Does that indicate there are more above us in this room? If so do we see any movement?
"Perhaps... Gruush, maybe, could try to carefully take a look and see if there are dangers around corners or in holes?" Kirina whispers. "I think he's probably the quietest of us all..."
She casts Guidance on whomever is going out, assume we're able to squeeze around to shift who's in front and for her to touch someone and whatnot.
You slip out of line and race over, staying low and rolling between large rocks, aware the threats may loom from any shadow.
With great mental strain you pull the lever to a new position. You hear… something. Something from far below, echoing through the mountain. The noise of it is soon accompanied by short hisses and distant, truly distant wails.
Whatever it is, it sounds mechanical, and it’s racing to come up to meet you!
—
Simon
The dip is like an empty bath. It’s going down, not up.
Looking up, you notice one hanging cage held perfect still from the dome above over the immense drop into the dark below. An awful lot of work. An absurd about of work.
Inside the cage is a lone figure. They are standing, head bowed against the iron bars of their cage.
You could not possibly reach them.
—
Adventurers
The lever pulled, a noise rises up from below.
That noise sounds about 3 rounds long…
The blizzard worsens above, blocking all light from piercing the mountain. Wind and snow dives in, settling hard and fast against the toppled gargoyles and sharp rock formations. You suddenly need to shout just to be heard by the ally next to you!
Two prominent skeletons wrench themselves from the freezing stone, drawing in bones, any bones, as if magnetic! Dust spins around them, caught in their terrible orbit! The skeletons scream! Like discordant woodwinds, like a tangle of tormented, tongueless mouths. Hate with no name.
All across the slab of rock, bones begin to rattle…
…and in that moment, Kirina’s blessing disappears. From the back of the line, Simon’s torch alone lights your way.
A torch, by the book, providing bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. If you can’t see in the dark and you’re not near Simon during your turn, you’ll be totally blind. Take appropriate action. I won’t accept a ranged attack if you’re blind, and I’ll halve a melee attack.
Well for this first turn I see very little option but to move forward 12 squares to get to the mouth of the room. Should give you guys a little more options at least.
I'm quite literally useless right now. No darkvision, no torch, only ranged.
Whoever our darkvision holders are, probably need to be upfront out of the hallway because the rest of us will need to cling to Simon (unless someone else has a torch).
Does a ranged attacker need light in their space or light over their target's space? I would guess the latter. I have torches and can light one up and fight with my longsword. That's what I'll go ahead and do
Solomon moves up behind Simon and reaches into his pack for a torch. Solomon then draws his longsword, "I'm right with you, Sir Simon."
Using my object interaction and action, I can draw a torch and my longsword. Torch is currently unlit. Since Simon has a lit torch, can he use his free object interaction to light my torch? That can happen next round since he just moved. I just wanted to have a weapon out so I can use Interception in case Simon gets hit.
At least dim light over your target is required for a ranged attack.
Consider doing something improvised on your turn @AustinP0027 even if it’s just to light Solomon’s torch. There’s always a bonus to doing something unexpected.
The flames engulf and are then draw into the whirling bones! It’s orbit grows much wider briefly, flinging bones across the cold stone. Unlike the undead you fought earlier, there’s nothing to burn, but they still suffer against the power of fire!
You hunker down behind a rock as the undead’s screams merge with the bitter wind above.
Thanks for the tag, I hadn't come back yet to see what Solomon was doing, so I will very much just do that.
For Arthur, the world suddenly went black. Simon still had a torch, but everything ahead was gray, and then everything ahead was black. He froze in his spot. After a few moments, he saw Simon with the torch moving ahead, positioning himself at the entrance to the room they were headed towards, but Arthur still couldn't see much.
Arthur crept forward slowly, keeping Simon's light in front of him. As he neared, Solomon was also now standing there, unlit torch in hand. The wizard couldn't see anything out in the darkness to attempt to fire at, so instead he decided to try and be helpful where he could. Conjuring a ball of flame, he held it up to Solomon's torch to light it, and then flung it off ahead into the darkness to release it.
Light in hand, then fling it just to get the fire away. Not rolling dmg or even aiming, other than shooting straight ahead since no one from our side should be off in that area.
The flame ignites and passes over he torch, briefly illuminating a screaming mass of death and rage, empty sockets red before vanishing completely.
Solomon’s torch is now classed as a magic weapon where rules apply, and will burn out in ten minutes. Solomon is proficient with the torch, which deals 1d4 damage.
Kirina would like to run up as far as she can naturally, squeezing past people, and then cast Toll the Dead on whichever bone monster she can see/is the closest. She has full 300 ft Darkvision still, so wouldn't have necessarily it ending for anyone else as they haven't really said anything yet...
Edit: Forgot to roll. Wisdom saving throw or they take...
What an ill fated position you’ve begun this battle in… will you turn back the tide of doom?
Currently, one foe is dimly lit by torchlight. Most of you only know there is another by the unearthly shrieking it’s making. Alzav could be dead in the dark for all you know.
@mrpaku I feel like a dash is on the cards. Though, don’t let my idea stop you from trying literally anything.
Could Gruush DASH up through the line 9 spaces (45 feet) and move right 3 spaces (15 feet)? Should give him good placement to assist the bridge or the pit areas as needed come next turn
Could Gruush DASH up through the line 9 spaces (45 feet) and move right 3 spaces (15 feet)? Should give him good placement to assist the bridge or the pit areas as needed come next turn
Hell yeah.
Going to be a late update today as I’m busy with work. Helps if I have my tablet handy for it too.
With no opposition to the contrary, Watki bolts back up the slope. You see them skip over a rock as they vanish from sight—clearly Watki can see in the dark just fine. If Alzav was there to see it, he might have some flash of understanding. Gruush? Perhaps envy.
“This is how I live my friends! This is what I do!”, there is a fervour to Watki’s cry, “You’ll die like everyone else, and for what?! Gods’ spit.”
As Gruush skids out of the tunnel and side flips into the open, the first whirling mass of cracked bones and marrow dust races towards him, drawn by his sudden movement.
The undead lets out a piercing scream! Dozens of sharpened bones are flung towards him, then drawn back in to the twister… then flung back out a second time!
Gruush! You suffer 9 damage. You are bleeding heavily!
Geth roll 1d6+1 for Bonemerang
Geth roll 1d6+1 for Bonemerang
A terrible stench rises from the cold stone, drawn like a line between the whirling undead and an old climber’s corpse by Gruush’s side. It attempts to rise, but cannot, for its legs are shattered. So it slams it’s blackened fingers into the stone and crawls towards the masked rogue.
—
Meanwhile, as Alzav hunkers down by a large rock, a second whirling undead zig-zags across the stone. The many skulls within it dislocate their jaws and let out a prolonged wail. Pebbles vibrate into the air! Then suddenly the mountain itself is commanded! A wall of rock smashed through the surface, blocking the square shaft by the lever Alzav pulled moments ago.
That same stench, utter rot, wafts through the air. A corpse, more bone than flesh, spasms into life and begins to crawl like a spider towards Alzav!
@mrpaku you have begun to build up a status effect called bleed.
You have 2/5 bleed.
If you reach 5/5 bleed, you’ll suffer 3 damage per round until you get healed by magic, an exceptional Medicine roll from an ally, or take a short or long rest.
Gruush is currently sitting at 11/25 HP and 2/5 Bleed, so barring a heal from someone this next round, he's gonna be staying the hell out of the way here for a little bit (unless there's a safe opening for a finisher somewhere) and barking encouragement to others from the sidelines
Posts
Geth roll 1d20-1 for perception
I am not thrilled we have chosen to take this person along but am full of glee at the chance to ask questions
Simon was thoughtful at the idea of using undeath as a punishment. Something about it chilled him to the bone. He reaches for a specific objection but cannot find anything beyond the disgust he feels at bringing those dead and in rest back to serve in prison. "We met a group of blighted undead when we first entered... I had thought them protectors. Guards who refused to leave their post even in death. I thought that brave in a bittersweet way. Beautiful in its way. They were escaped prisoners. Reborn to suffer pointlessly. We should have killed more I think... I babble." he whispered quietly.
"What crime could be so heinous to deserve such a punishment? And who are these Knights? What order?"
How should I be pronouncing Pharaste?
“My trade? Just a wanderer, but I suppose you might say I’m a collector. To do both, you need to know about, well, everything, and knowing how to brew up something for what ails you is a good start.”
—
Simon
You peel your eyes from the shadows on the wall. Your vision is yours.
There is a symbol on the back of Watki’s clothes that you’ve seen before during your lessons on the subject of Wytch-Knights. Not purely a symbol of the order, but one they shared with other arcane groups. It has something to do with natural cycles; water to rain, phases of the moon, the metamorphosis of a caterpillar…
“Hm. Not the wisest move to talk about the Sovereign, ever, even with them gone, but it’s said the old chief of the Oudru spurned their offer of a ring. This was right back at the beginning, you know? They didn’t take sides in whatever wars were going on back then, you see, so they were already in everyone’s bad books. I suppose it was to join forces, maybe?”, Watki stammers, speaking quicker, “Yes, that was it. I know. Oudru spurned the advances of the Sovereign, and so they were cursed. If you won’t live with me, and die for the war, you get neither.”
Watki laughs and spins around, jostling the line.
“The Order of the Cerulean Rose, who else is going to dye a full set of plate blue?”
Go to: https://www.naturalreaders.com/online/
Choose the text to speech option “Chiara”
Copy this text into the box:
And that’ll give you a decent insight.
For Oudru, it’s just ooodruuuu. Real elongated vowels.
The rest of the places are pronounced in an English way, however you’re seeing it, it’ll be right.
Watki continued "... who else is going to dye a full set of plate blue?” and Simon froze his hand still reaching towards Watki. For a moment no one seemed to move.
Finally he he pulled his hand back as if burned. "That was the order?" he said making an attempt to appear less interested and shaken.
Ok so just to make sure I understand.
Sovereign=The leader in a war. Almost certainly an Enthroned.
The Order of the Cerulean Rose are the one who we saw escorting an undead earlier? And also they rule here?
Order of the Cerulean Rose
Portmanteau or weird coincidence?
The Sovereign is the one that ruled all, for a time, but then the Crown Eternal was shattered and the Enthroned took what they could for themselves. Or so it’s said.
Rule? An interesting idea. Perhaps they do rule this land now.
Directly in front of you is a alcove of moss with a skull stuck in it.
To your left, a tunnel that descends into the depths of the mountains. Wind whips up from it, cold as ice. Fresh air. Inside a mountain? Most strange.
It should be evening now.
The feeling a a cold wind on his face brings him back into the present, however. To the left, the tunnel continues, which must be the source of the wind. Ahead is an alcove, with a skull stuck in it. Mindful of the pressure trap that they just experienced, Arthur tries searching around to see if anything out of the ordinary can seen. He doesn't want to get up close and set something off like Gruush just experienced.
Geth, roll 1d20+4 for Perception
Oooooo that's a nice catch! I totally missed that. IT CAN'T BE A COINCIDENCE!
The whole point of bringing Watki along was as a guide. Kirina isn't wanting to strike up conversation with them, but as no one else in the group is pressuring on this, she feels she must.
"Watki. You were coming in here alone, to 'wander' or 'collect' or whatever else. You must have a better idea of where to go and what lies ahead. Do you have a map? What is down this passageway?"
3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
Steam profile
Solomon then spends the next few minutes in silence, walking alongside the group. Punishment was something he was familiar with. He never liked having to be the one who handed down the final judgement on those found guilty, but he always believed it to be necessary. The ones who'd broken their oaths and betrayed their comrades and country, they needed to be stopped before they could harm anyone else.
The moss covered dead end isn’t all that special. The moss isn’t pointed out to be unique by Watki.
The skull is stuck fast, sat so long the moss has lifted it up and grown around and within it. It’s bottom jaw is moving, barely perceptible.
The slope on your left is steep but manageable—horses have evidently just gone down there—but still foreboding. There are no traps that way. Not any more, anyway. You can see little dents in the walls where traps used to stand. There are many slashes in the rock, where some exceptionally strong people tried to fight long ago. Their bodies are long gone.
—
Kirina
“Ah, padre, right to the meat of it I see. I like that, I really do. This is where I was heading. Down there is loads of creeping fungus. That’s the good stuff.”, they point down the dark, sloping pass, “Key ingredient for your common healing potion. Take no replacement!”
They detail that the area at the end of the slope to your left is a wide, hollow cavern that reaches up to holes in the other side of the mountain. Enough to let in air and the weather, but no pathways up. Like being inside a naturally occurring domed shrine. Beyond that? They just shake their head. Watki doesn’t go further down into the depths of the mountains, that’s madness.
He steps closer to inspect it.
Edit: What is going on? Geth, you are going to cause me such pain in such a terrible way. There is no way this keeps happening without the other shoe dropping.
Geth, roll 1d20+5 for Investigation
My assumption is you're just stealing all the good rolls, as goodness knows I haven't gotten any.
Kirina responds to Watki, "thank you for the information. The knights, those that imprisoned you. Do you know if they go deeper, or are they also after something in the domed cavern?"
She's also ready to continue moving on, but will wait if anyone (aka Arthur) stops to look at the skull.
3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
Steam profile
Solomon looks to Watki, "You say they mistook you for undead and trapped you here. Did they say anything to you at all? What about to one another as they dragged you here? Considering the... limited way in which undead can communicate, it seems strange that they would not notice you being alive. I wonder if they have also fallen victim to this curse of undeath and continue to pursue their duty out of lingering loyalty. I'd hoped that diplomacy would be an option, but if they're cursed as well I doubt they'll be willing, or even able, to hear us out."
I do have a feeling that the Cerulean Rose, at least the ones we've seen, are themselves undead.
The skull has remained undead to this bitter of ends. Will you touch it?
Your keen observation skills coupled with your prior run ins with the undead lead you to believe it will bite you, for no particular reason, if you handle it poorly. Better to use a tool to free it, and to keep your fingers clear. However, you gain the strict sense that an intelligence remains ingrained right to the marrow. With the proper ritual or implement, you could pry one last piece of information from it.
We can flash-back this if you do anything with the skull. Let’s keep going.
—
Adventurers
You continue your harrowing journey, now down the slope into the depths. No bugs above you. Only a vicious cold.
“There not a lot I don’t know!”, Watki says, waggling their eyebrows, “If you catch sight of a locked door or a set of iron bars, it’s a place the blue boys are going through. It’s like a pilgrimage, yeah? They do it all the time.”
All the time is purposely flippant. Could mean every day, every month, every 4 years.
As you come within 30 feet of the slope’s end, Watki shushes Solomon. She crouches, motions you to do the same.
“Watch out for the undead. Any funny movement, flag it up. Knights should be down below us now.”
No more answers for you yet.
Before you is a great slab of unyielding stone, cracking it places, with bottomless black falls either side of it. High above you a handful of holes allow you to peak out at the blizzard rushing over the mountain tops. Snow drifts in from time to time, descending beyond sight into the chasms around you. Shattered skeletons, decades old or more, litter the ground. Some wear cloth, some nothing at all, and occasionally you see one with a backpack—fallen mountaineers. Weathered, often featureless, a number of broken gargoyles lean against rocks or lie face down, limbless and limp. Defeated, you think.
Far ahead, you see a sudden dip in the rock. You know not what is in it.
What do you do?
Arthur stares at the skull for a moment. He taps a finger on his chin, then exclaims "Wait here a minute!"
Running back to the statue, his picks up a piece of quarterstaff, which had been destroyed when it was shoved into the trap gear. Returning with a small chunk of it, he first cuts strips of his shirt off of the sleeves, then shoves the quarterstaff chunk into the skull's mouth. Once it bites down, he wraps the clothing strips around it to secure the skull around the wood it had bitten into. Finally, he places the skull into his bag.
If any of this isn't ok or needs rolls, let me know and I can edit it
Mostly Simon just fumed. His great aunt had spoken with constant an effulgent praise for the Cerulean Rose. She mentioned them in the same breath their own order was spoken. Simon shuddered at what this could all mean. Things were so much worse than he had expected. This place truly was ruined. A garish mausoleum to those who still walked although their spirits had long left their body. And he wasn't talking about the undead. He listened to Solomon speak on them and found himself nodding along.
"They can not be allowed to continue like this, Solomon. They must be made to see their corruption and repent. Or else we must do the merciful thing and stop the corruption ourselves" said Simon trying to appear steadfast and strong. If you spoke with vigor you left no room for argument. In truth inside he wilted. So much of what he had believed in appeared to have withered and died. Now to his surprise he found the other five people around him to be the only thing he could depend on in all the world. He silently prayed that Solomon understood. These Knights corroded all they touched. That had to end.
As the group entered the large room Simons eye was drawn to whatever was at the bottom(or top) of the sheer slopes at the center of the room and of the lever. If he could he would get closer to the center to see what the red and gold are. He also tries to gage what the lever might be for.
Any noticeable machinery telling us what the lever does? I see a hanging cage drawn just off the map. Does that indicate there are more above us in this room? If so do we see any movement?
She casts Guidance on whomever is going out, assume we're able to squeeze around to shift who's in front and for her to touch someone and whatnot.
Edit: OK looks like Alzav's taking the initiative
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You slip out of line and race over, staying low and rolling between large rocks, aware the threats may loom from any shadow.
With great mental strain you pull the lever to a new position. You hear… something. Something from far below, echoing through the mountain. The noise of it is soon accompanied by short hisses and distant, truly distant wails.
Whatever it is, it sounds mechanical, and it’s racing to come up to meet you!
—
Simon
The dip is like an empty bath. It’s going down, not up.
Looking up, you notice one hanging cage held perfect still from the dome above over the immense drop into the dark below. An awful lot of work. An absurd about of work.
Inside the cage is a lone figure. They are standing, head bowed against the iron bars of their cage.
You could not possibly reach them.
—
Adventurers
The lever pulled, a noise rises up from below.
That noise sounds about 3 rounds long…
The blizzard worsens above, blocking all light from piercing the mountain. Wind and snow dives in, settling hard and fast against the toppled gargoyles and sharp rock formations. You suddenly need to shout just to be heard by the ally next to you!
Two prominent skeletons wrench themselves from the freezing stone, drawing in bones, any bones, as if magnetic! Dust spins around them, caught in their terrible orbit! The skeletons scream! Like discordant woodwinds, like a tangle of tormented, tongueless mouths. Hate with no name.
All across the slab of rock, bones begin to rattle…
…and in that moment, Kirina’s blessing disappears. From the back of the line, Simon’s torch alone lights your way.
A torch, by the book, providing bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. If you can’t see in the dark and you’re not near Simon during your turn, you’ll be totally blind. Take appropriate action. I won’t accept a ranged attack if you’re blind, and I’ll halve a melee attack.
—
Initiative Order
Let’s keep this simple.
1. The Party
2. Watki
3. The Enemy
Like a runner at the Great Games, the would-be Wytch-Knight runs by everyone with his torch held aloft.
Not properly drawn, but the gist is you can dimly see a whirlwind of bones quickly forming!
Whoever our darkvision holders are, probably need to be upfront out of the hallway because the rest of us will need to cling to Simon (unless someone else has a torch).
Solomon moves up behind Simon and reaches into his pack for a torch. Solomon then draws his longsword, "I'm right with you, Sir Simon."
Using my object interaction and action, I can draw a torch and my longsword. Torch is currently unlit. Since Simon has a lit torch, can he use his free object interaction to light my torch? That can happen next round since he just moved. I just wanted to have a weapon out so I can use Interception in case Simon gets hit.
Never hidden.
At least dim light over your target is required for a ranged attack.
Consider doing something improvised on your turn @AustinP0027 even if it’s just to light Solomon’s torch. There’s always a bonus to doing something unexpected.
A jet of pink flame lances from his hand into the center of the nearest cloud of whirling bones as Alzav ducks behind the rocky formation nearby.
It looks like moving back will put me between friends and enemies -- I'll try to take cover behind the thing nearby instead.
Geth roll 1d10+2d6 for Sneak Attack Firebolt
The flames engulf and are then draw into the whirling bones! It’s orbit grows much wider briefly, flinging bones across the cold stone. Unlike the undead you fought earlier, there’s nothing to burn, but they still suffer against the power of fire!
You hunker down behind a rock as the undead’s screams merge with the bitter wind above.
For Arthur, the world suddenly went black. Simon still had a torch, but everything ahead was gray, and then everything ahead was black. He froze in his spot. After a few moments, he saw Simon with the torch moving ahead, positioning himself at the entrance to the room they were headed towards, but Arthur still couldn't see much.
Arthur crept forward slowly, keeping Simon's light in front of him. As he neared, Solomon was also now standing there, unlit torch in hand. The wizard couldn't see anything out in the darkness to attempt to fire at, so instead he decided to try and be helpful where he could. Conjuring a ball of flame, he held it up to Solomon's torch to light it, and then flung it off ahead into the darkness to release it.
Light in hand, then fling it just to get the fire away. Not rolling dmg or even aiming, other than shooting straight ahead since no one from our side should be off in that area.
The flame ignites and passes over he torch, briefly illuminating a screaming mass of death and rage, empty sockets red before vanishing completely.
Solomon’s torch is now classed as a magic weapon where rules apply, and will burn out in ten minutes. Solomon is proficient with the torch, which deals 1d4 damage.
Edit: Forgot to roll. Wisdom saving throw or they take...
Geth roll 1d8 for Toll the Dead necrotic damage
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The toll echoes through the mountain!
Mindless as it is, your enemy fails to overcome your spell… and though you clearly see a rib shatter… the twisting menace begins to spin faster!
The undead closest to Simon appears to be more active! A whole attack action more active!
It was damaged though, so small wins.
The echoing of your spell continues deep into the mountain…
This was maybe a bad decision. OOPS
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Or maybe we won't. Either way, something will happen!
What an ill fated position you’ve begun this battle in… will you turn back the tide of doom?
Currently, one foe is dimly lit by torchlight. Most of you only know there is another by the unearthly shrieking it’s making. Alzav could be dead in the dark for all you know.
@mrpaku I feel like a dash is on the cards. Though, don’t let my idea stop you from trying literally anything.
Hell yeah.
Going to be a late update today as I’m busy with work. Helps if I have my tablet handy for it too.
To be continued!
With no opposition to the contrary, Watki bolts back up the slope. You see them skip over a rock as they vanish from sight—clearly Watki can see in the dark just fine. If Alzav was there to see it, he might have some flash of understanding. Gruush? Perhaps envy.
“This is how I live my friends! This is what I do!”, there is a fervour to Watki’s cry, “You’ll die like everyone else, and for what?! Gods’ spit.”
—
The Undead
As Gruush skids out of the tunnel and side flips into the open, the first whirling mass of cracked bones and marrow dust races towards him, drawn by his sudden movement.
The undead lets out a piercing scream! Dozens of sharpened bones are flung towards him, then drawn back in to the twister… then flung back out a second time!
Gruush! You suffer 9 damage. You are bleeding heavily!
Geth roll 1d6+1 for Bonemerang
Geth roll 1d6+1 for Bonemerang
A terrible stench rises from the cold stone, drawn like a line between the whirling undead and an old climber’s corpse by Gruush’s side. It attempts to rise, but cannot, for its legs are shattered. So it slams it’s blackened fingers into the stone and crawls towards the masked rogue.
—
Meanwhile, as Alzav hunkers down by a large rock, a second whirling undead zig-zags across the stone. The many skulls within it dislocate their jaws and let out a prolonged wail. Pebbles vibrate into the air! Then suddenly the mountain itself is commanded! A wall of rock smashed through the surface, blocking the square shaft by the lever Alzav pulled moments ago.
That same stench, utter rot, wafts through the air. A corpse, more bone than flesh, spasms into life and begins to crawl like a spider towards Alzav!
Classic Dark Souls