Jolly Rogers
Ravas notes the helm glowing and proceeds to walk over to the Mask sigil. As he does so , he watches to see if the Helm sigil ceases to glow once he moved to a different spot on the floor.
Ravas looks down at the Mask sigil and beckons Helter over to it. "This one might respond better to you..." he says , fully aware time is dwindling for the duo.
He moves back to the Helm sigil in the vain hope that something might happen .
Sputlyre found a current of air, gliding across the gap onto the runed platform. She could see another ledge to the northwest, and a ledge to the southwest. She heard a grinding squawking tune in the darkness above.
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Sputlyre took to the air again. The gusts were rougher, and she heard the beat of wings moving to intercept. She could trying to race the source of the wings, or she could divert southwest.
The Jolly Rogers
As Helter slid into place, the sigils glowed brightly, and the hourglass suspended with not much more than a few grains left in the top half. The Djinn’s face twisted into a scowl as it’s mouth creaked and hinged open, allowing access to a compartment within.
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Durgon got about halfway across the hold before a pair of half-rotted sharks swam in from the hole in the hull. Further progress would be more difficult
Durgon can Defy Danger again to try and dodge the undead sharks or pull back to try a different approach
Sputlyre wheeled left, avoiding what appeared to be a great bird carved from obsidian and landed to the southwest. The hall proceeded downward for almost thirty feet before ending in a giant Golden Door.
Matev on
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Team Ramrod | Durgon | L4 | Cleric | HP 24/24 | DMG D6 | AR 1
Durgon paused as the sharks appeared, but knew that he wasn't going to have too many options to get away if he tried something else. And so, he pushed forward, attempting to dodge them in the water best he could.
Team Ramrod | Durgon | L4 | Cleric | HP 19/24 | DMG D6 | AR 1
"Ow! Ya' damned beasts!" Durgon pulls himself out of the now bloody water, which had now attracted more sharks. "Ah, hell." He raises his voice to the others still on the island/boat. "Get yerself over here, and I'll heal up whatever gets bitten off."
The Dwarf waited just inside the doorway to the new room, leaving room for the others to climb up, but given the large hole where there should be a floor, also preventing anyone from popping over the ledge.
“Ravas! There is an empty pedestal in here. What should I put on it? Or do you think something had been robbed already? Bloody thieves. You can’t have nothing these days.”
Helter will wait for their pal’s reply, else they’ll leave in a short while.
Ravas looks a bit confounded, unsure how to react given his compatriot's odd behavior minutes ago.
"Any sign that anyone else had been in there recently?" he shouted back as he moved over to the purple crystals around the djinn. Examining to see if any were loose or had changed at all since Helter entered the chamber
"You can always just try destroying it......" he shouts and then under his breath "Kind of seemed like you might do that anyway". Still rummaging about, another idea crosses his mind "Do you still have those dolls from the altar?" he yells
“Yup! Right here. Not sure we should put our little copies on anything like this though, gods aren’t picky about anything that looks like a sacrifice.”
“I don’t think I’ve got the strength to break solid stone, that’s more your deal.”
Helter pauses, “Hey Ravas? I really like adventuring with you. I just thought you should know.”
Edit: Helter has the lowest IQ of any character I’ve ever played.
Helter felt a terrible interminable pressure in their skull. It blossoms into a fresh agony that Helter has not felt in some time.
Defy Danger +Con skeleton
Ravas examined the outside of the Djinn, not seeing an appreciable change. He did now notice, that the right ear had a hole about the size of a fist through it’s lobe. As he contemplated this, a throat cleared behind him. He whirled around, and beheld Death.
“Hello Ravas. Where is Helter? They have something I need.” Mist curled off their form, the immediate ground they stood on seemingly drained of color. Stray souls swirled about, howling a damned refrain in a tongue not meant for the mortal.
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Helter felt the pressure build as they flung themselves out of the Djinn’s mouth. Helter felt another thing they hadn’t felt in some time. An itch, where their nose would back. Teeth rattled and clacked as centuries old reflexes fired, anything to relieve the cracking ache in their skull.
”Achoo!” with a painful scrape of metal on bone, Helter expelled a tiny oil lamp from their nose slit, the item growing to a normal human size after exiting the skeleton.
“There thou art.” Death intoned as they turned to regard Helter.
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
“Oh, don’t look so glum Fatetempter, we want what we want. Where is the Great Key?” Death gazed at Helter, eerie in that they also did not draw breath.
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Helter took the cyclop’s key out from their tattered robes. “I was hitting it against the floor a moment ago, it’s not bent out of shape though. I thought tree was the answer first but it turned out it wasn’t...”
Helter kicked the floor. “Did you see when I killed the cyclops? You must have, right? I hope he’s alright, beyond that gate of yours.”
“This is the key you mean right? Maybe I should stop taking for a sec. It’s nerves you see. Which is funny because I have none!”
“All find solace in mine kingdom, despite what many would tell you. Despite what you yourself believe.” Death stretches out their fingers, two or three joints more that most mortals, “Give unto me the key, and I wilt finally reclaim what is denied.”
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
As Ravas was examining the crystal he began to respond to Helter about their time together "I...." before being silenced by the appearance of death. The warrior managed to eek out a weak "Hi" along with a wave to the grim reaper, he was unsure as to the proper way to greet Death incarnate. But there it was.
After lowering his arm, he wondered if it was proper to wave to Death for a moment but he had other things on his mind. Once Helter reappeared, Ravas backed away slightly. Obviously he wasn't of primary concern in this situation, yet the situation still understandably alarmed him.
He watched Death and Helter discuss "matters", uncertain if he was actually listening to Helter or some other being that dwelt within him.
if I can
geth roll 2d6+1 for Discern Realities (Wtf is going on)
If I can, Ravas is attempting to determine what exactly the dynamic between Death and Helter is aside from Helter being subordinate to some degree. Which to be fair , it is Death O_O
What is about to happen?
What should I be on the lookout for?
and I guess
What here is not what it appears to be?
As they entered, you saw the walls of this dark chamber were decorated with mosaics of devil’s faces cast in jade. Two statues of masked, hooded mages faced each other near the center of the chamber. A great iron plate on the southern wall featured a looming embossing of Death themselves, their arm extended into the room.
The Jolly Rogers
Ravas couldn't believe his eyes, but knew in his gut that this was indeed Death walking the mortal realm, and conversing with his companion. Helter was about to be very disappointed. The lamp glimmered near Helter's bony frame. This room seemed to dead end, but that had not been the case in the vast majority of the rooms they had ben in. He would need to act fast.
Death tittered at Helter, the souls mimicking the sound and sounding like a mocking chorus.
"Thou think thoust can challenge the Ur-Mage? Hah! And tis cute how thou think thou get to make demands here." Death pointed the key, "Key. Now. And be thankful we art asking."
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Helter hands over the key, and picks up the lamp. They rub it, as the tales tell you should. Actually most tales have evil genies, but Helter hasn’t read in a good long while.
“I don’t know how I’ll challenge the Ur-Mage... I just know I’ve got to... it’s the memory that always sticks...”, Helter looks down at the lamp to distract themselves.
Helter rubbed the lamp they had sneezed out. Smoke billowed out of the spout, ceiling into the form of a skeletal Djinn, golden manacles binding it’s wrists and runes etched into it’s bones
”Wish for some form of Knowledge. Wish for worldly Wealth. Wish for Power the likes of which the world does not know. Choose one, for that is all you shall receive.” The Djinn spoke directly into Ravas and Helter’s minds as Death began to depart with their prize.
Matev on
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Kestrel frowned as she went into the room, still holding her injured hand. Even healed, something about the injury seemed wrong. It hadn't been bleeding until she'd touched it. It hadn't even hurt. Magic, she supposed, but still...
There was no way to tell who the statues were supposed to depict; either could have been the Ur Mage. Or neither. Or both, for all she knew. There was one interesting detail though.
"The hand's pointing at that one," Kestrel commented, nodding at the one on the left.
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
The Jolly Rogers
Ravas looked on helplessly as Helter handed Death the Cyclop's key. The wounds he received from that creature still fresh in his mind as he took in his surroundings- which seemed more and more likely to be his crypt as each hour passed. He looked at Helter with a worn expression, he says quietly
"I wish for......Power the likes of which the world does not know. "
Posts
Sputlyre will attempt that and try to look for interesting passageways or items of interest.
Ravas notes the helm glowing and proceeds to walk over to the Mask sigil. As he does so , he watches to see if the Helm sigil ceases to glow once he moved to a different spot on the floor.
The Jolly Rogers
The Helm sigil fades as Ravas steps back. The Mask sigil lighhts as he walks on it, but not as bright as the Helm.
Ravas looks down at the Mask sigil and beckons Helter over to it. "This one might respond better to you..." he says , fully aware time is dwindling for the duo.
He moves back to the Helm sigil in the vain hope that something might happen .
Sputlyre found a current of air, gliding across the gap onto the runed platform. She could see another ledge to the northwest, and a ledge to the southwest. She heard a grinding squawking tune in the darkness above.
Helter powerslides over to the Mask sigil.
geth roll 2d6+2 for hoping to the next ledge
Sputlyre took to the air again. The gusts were rougher, and she heard the beat of wings moving to intercept. She could trying to race the source of the wings, or she could divert southwest.
The Jolly Rogers
As Helter slid into place, the sigils glowed brightly, and the hourglass suspended with not much more than a few grains left in the top half. The Djinn’s face twisted into a scowl as it’s mouth creaked and hinged open, allowing access to a compartment within.
Geth, roll 2d6 for Defy Danger (Dex)
Durgon got about halfway across the hold before a pair of half-rotted sharks swam in from the hole in the hull. Further progress would be more difficult
Sputlyre wheeled left, avoiding what appeared to be a great bird carved from obsidian and landed to the southwest. The hall proceeded downward for almost thirty feet before ending in a giant Golden Door.
Durgon paused as the sharks appeared, but knew that he wasn't going to have too many options to get away if he tried something else. And so, he pushed forward, attempting to dodge them in the water best he could.
Geth, roll 2d6 for Defy Danger (Dex)
Durgon made it across, but one of the sharks also got their due as well, biting a chunk out of the cleric’s leg in the pursuit.
The blood in the water brought another trio of the creatures in from the outside. Crossing would be even more difficult.
"Ow! Ya' damned beasts!" Durgon pulls himself out of the now bloody water, which had now attracted more sharks. "Ah, hell." He raises his voice to the others still on the island/boat. "Get yerself over here, and I'll heal up whatever gets bitten off."
The Dwarf waited just inside the doorway to the new room, leaving room for the others to climb up, but given the large hole where there should be a floor, also preventing anyone from popping over the ledge.
Helter says something in an ancient tongue (though they don’t have one) in a voice almost... feminine...
They make their way to the chamber, sickle outstretched like a divining rod.
Helter entered the chamber and saw a small pedestal. There was nothing on it. The door which the pair had entered creaked open again....
“Ravas! There is an empty pedestal in here. What should I put on it? Or do you think something had been robbed already? Bloody thieves. You can’t have nothing these days.”
Helter will wait for their pal’s reply, else they’ll leave in a short while.
Ravas looks a bit confounded, unsure how to react given his compatriot's odd behavior minutes ago.
"Any sign that anyone else had been in there recently?" he shouted back as he moved over to the purple crystals around the djinn. Examining to see if any were loose or had changed at all since Helter entered the chamber
"You can always just try destroying it......" he shouts and then under his breath "Kind of seemed like you might do that anyway". Still rummaging about, another idea crosses his mind "Do you still have those dolls from the altar?" he yells
“Yup! Right here. Not sure we should put our little copies on anything like this though, gods aren’t picky about anything that looks like a sacrifice.”
“I don’t think I’ve got the strength to break solid stone, that’s more your deal.”
Helter pauses, “Hey Ravas? I really like adventuring with you. I just thought you should know.”
Edit: Helter has the lowest IQ of any character I’ve ever played.
Helter felt a terrible interminable pressure in their skull. It blossoms into a fresh agony that Helter has not felt in some time.
Ravas examined the outside of the Djinn, not seeing an appreciable change. He did now notice, that the right ear had a hole about the size of a fist through it’s lobe. As he contemplated this, a throat cleared behind him. He whirled around, and beheld Death.
“Hello Ravas. Where is Helter? They have something I need.” Mist curled off their form, the immediate ground they stood on seemingly drained of color. Stray souls swirled about, howling a damned refrain in a tongue not meant for the mortal.
The thief fumbles, falls to their knees, and grasps for the exit. Helter hopes to get to their friend, no matter what comes next.
Geth roll 2d6+1 for Defy Danger
Helter felt the pressure build as they flung themselves out of the Djinn’s mouth. Helter felt another thing they hadn’t felt in some time. An itch, where their nose would back. Teeth rattled and clacked as centuries old reflexes fired, anything to relieve the cracking ache in their skull.
”Achoo!” with a painful scrape of metal on bone, Helter expelled a tiny oil lamp from their nose slit, the item growing to a normal human size after exiting the skeleton.
“There thou art.” Death intoned as they turned to regard Helter.
Then Helter said, “Err...”
“Oh, don’t look so glum Fatetempter, we want what we want. Where is the Great Key?” Death gazed at Helter, eerie in that they also did not draw breath.
Helter kicked the floor. “Did you see when I killed the cyclops? You must have, right? I hope he’s alright, beyond that gate of yours.”
“This is the key you mean right? Maybe I should stop taking for a sec. It’s nerves you see. Which is funny because I have none!”
“All find solace in mine kingdom, despite what many would tell you. Despite what you yourself believe.” Death stretches out their fingers, two or three joints more that most mortals, “Give unto me the key, and I wilt finally reclaim what is denied.”
“I can hardly say no...”
“I’m going with you, if this key gets us to the Ur-Mage.”, it wasn’t a request, or an order, it was said as if it was fact.
As Ravas was examining the crystal he began to respond to Helter about their time together "I...." before being silenced by the appearance of death. The warrior managed to eek out a weak "Hi" along with a wave to the grim reaper, he was unsure as to the proper way to greet Death incarnate. But there it was.
After lowering his arm, he wondered if it was proper to wave to Death for a moment but he had other things on his mind. Once Helter reappeared, Ravas backed away slightly. Obviously he wasn't of primary concern in this situation, yet the situation still understandably alarmed him.
He watched Death and Helter discuss "matters", uncertain if he was actually listening to Helter or some other being that dwelt within him.
geth roll 2d6+1 for Discern Realities (Wtf is going on)
What is about to happen?
What should I be on the lookout for?
and I guess
What here is not what it appears to be?
Grim Company: @Nips @Rezari @saber_of_black @SalmonMax
Rat will try to pick the lock.
Geth, roll 2d6+3 for Tricks of the Trade.
The door's lock popped open with a click, and the crusaders were able to proceed.
As they entered, you saw the walls of this dark chamber were decorated with mosaics of devil’s faces cast in jade. Two statues of masked, hooded mages faced each other near the center of the chamber. A great iron plate on the southern wall featured a looming embossing of Death themselves, their arm extended into the room.
The Jolly Rogers
Ravas couldn't believe his eyes, but knew in his gut that this was indeed Death walking the mortal realm, and conversing with his companion. Helter was about to be very disappointed. The lamp glimmered near Helter's bony frame. This room seemed to dead end, but that had not been the case in the vast majority of the rooms they had ben in. He would need to act fast.
Death tittered at Helter, the souls mimicking the sound and sounding like a mocking chorus.
"Thou think thoust can challenge the Ur-Mage? Hah! And tis cute how thou think thou get to make demands here." Death pointed the key, "Key. Now. And be thankful we art asking."
Helter hands over the key, and picks up the lamp. They rub it, as the tales tell you should. Actually most tales have evil genies, but Helter hasn’t read in a good long while.
“I don’t know how I’ll challenge the Ur-Mage... I just know I’ve got to... it’s the memory that always sticks...”, Helter looks down at the lamp to distract themselves.
Helter rubbed the lamp they had sneezed out. Smoke billowed out of the spout, ceiling into the form of a skeletal Djinn, golden manacles binding it’s wrists and runes etched into it’s bones
”Wish for some form of Knowledge. Wish for worldly Wealth. Wish for Power the likes of which the world does not know. Choose one, for that is all you shall receive.” The Djinn spoke directly into Ravas and Helter’s minds as Death began to depart with their prize.
The Golden Door refused to budge.
Kestrel frowned as she went into the room, still holding her injured hand. Even healed, something about the injury seemed wrong. It hadn't been bleeding until she'd touched it. It hadn't even hurt. Magic, she supposed, but still...
There was no way to tell who the statues were supposed to depict; either could have been the Ur Mage. Or neither. Or both, for all she knew. There was one interesting detail though.
"The hand's pointing at that one," Kestrel commented, nodding at the one on the left.
Immediately upon witnessing the leering demonic faces, the Argent Specter holds his sword hilt to his helmeted mouth, intoning a prayer.
"Pasyr ao zmy wriuzmw ikajy, qrilz py ulwuqmz, smiz oafdlyww qrasw ul ph erywylty?"
Ravas looked on helplessly as Helter handed Death the Cyclop's key. The wounds he received from that creature still fresh in his mind as he took in his surroundings- which seemed more and more likely to be his crypt as each hour passed. He looked at Helter with a worn expression, he says quietly
"I wish for......Power the likes of which the world does not know. "