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"I'm not leaving you..." His words wash over her, calming, soothing. Settling. Soften. She looks again, his furry muzzle so close to her own face.
Not a monster. a beast, nothing other. Just Barael. Barrie.
...and he said he'll stay.
She sniffs, snuffles, and nods within his arms.
"Stay."
"Brother Rose, allow me. She's been struck by some enchantment. No doubt our weak willed Brother Rat has, as well. Let me talk them down."
He sheathes his rapier, clambers up the statue and attempts to help Briar open the door. My nana's curse lays strong upon me: may you one day tend to fools as great as you. Far greater still, dear Nana.
"I'm going to need help getting in there."
"Brother Rose, allow me. She's been struck by some enchantment. No doubt our weak willed Brother Rat has, as well. Let me talk them down."
"Go for it. I've no desire to climb in there."
Now that the party can see into the chamber (more or less) you can see what lies within (or at least have it described to you by a sane party member).
This small chamber is nondescript save for two trap doors - one in the floor (from which you enter), another in the ceiling fifteen feet above. Four narrow windows, arrow slits really, look out over the castle rooftops.
The room’s only feature is a single shriveled dwarven corpse huddled at the base of the west wall, its bony arms locked firmly around its bent knees, its parchment-thin skin dried and cracked in places, revealing the bones beneath. A bushy, gray beard still covers much of its skull-like jaw line, though portions have fallen out into its lap. Next to it is a small coil of string and a pile of tiny bones with a few black feathers interspersed among them.
Dandilion is here, and no spells are needed to reveal that she doesn't want to leave the chamber and is currently in a grapple with Barael - though who's grappling who is a little hard to tell at the moment.
Briar, just ahead of Fondo, may make a knowledge arcana check as he climbs into the room and has a chance to examine Dandilion with Detect Magic examining her many auras. Fondo too is in the small room eventually.
Laori, Charlie, and Nikolay remain below guarding the hallway. Majenko sits on the statues head where he can almost see into the hidden chamber, but not quite (unless he jumps/flies a bit).
Fondo looks over Barael as he enters.
"Brov, jel'inedra, you've some enchantment upon you. Let drop the veil from your eyes. Our prize awaits yet further on."
Dandi smiles and leans into the Barael's ...grapple. "Thank you! You'll see! It'll be wonderful. Wraith can weave us some curtains and maybe a doily or two and... BRIAR!" She practically squeals seeing the elf behind Barrie as he enters the room.
"Isn't it wonderful?!?! We're safe here, finally totally, completely safe! It's so good that you're here. You can create food and help with the decorations and FINALLY! We can have a craftorium again!" She practically beams at him as she welcomes him into the safest place ever!
Her hair coils happily, reaching out for both of them in joyful communion.
"Look, Barrie! Briar's here! Now he can be safe with us here. The others will follow and we'll all be completely, perfectly happily, safe together!" She smiles down at him, her voice softening from its over exuberance. "It's all going to be ok, Barrie. You'll see. We're all going to be ok."
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"Look, Barrie! Briar's here! Now he can be safe with us here. The others will follow and we'll all be completely, perfectly happily, safe together!" She smiles down at him, her voice softening from its over exuberance.
Briar gets a *very* wild look on his eyes, as if he were finally seeing something within Scarwall that would terrify him beyond belief.
The Horror. Life...forever...with *them*?!
Briar yells, returning down to the base of the statue, away from the horror, his lips quivering with fright.
Taking deep breaths trying to quell the rising vomit, Briar tries to focus on other things while Fondo deals with the horrors above.
What makes this statue necromantic and not enchantment?
Fondo looks puzzled as Briar flees. What was that all about? "Come, friends, let's go. Jel'inedra? Little one, snap out of it!"
Dandi's eyes prick with tears as Briar's obvious cursed nature comes out. "Wait, Briar, NO! Don't go! It'll get you! Come back!" Seeing Fondo in the doorway she smiles through the tears, "Brala! Catch him. We'll have to hold him until tomorrow when I can cure his curse!" Her hair whips out to grab Briar again, for his own good.
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Barael's grapple loosens, but does not fall away. He starts to picture what Dandi describes, and he loses his will to drag her from the room.
He remembers back to the times of craftorium, late night debates about proper techniques vs go-with-your-guts, sleepy sanctuaries, kind words, and laughter. All brought about in the unlikeliest of places. And here it is again. A slow, goofy smile spreads across the wererat's face.
Barael is about to lean into the... grapple, when the arrival of the others breaks him from his revery. He nods briskly as Fondo tries to encourage Dandi to join the rest. But... she's so happy here... couldn't we just leave her here, safe and sound? At least until we cleared the rest of the castle...? NO. That's how it gets you... it lulls you into the sense of security, but that's false, it is.
Before he breaks free completely, he snuffles, catching her scent. And he remembers.
Briar re-casts Detect Magic, examining and trying to build upon his previous necromantic readings. Briar will take his time, taking the full 18 seconds to see the auras true and clear.
Spellcraft
If Andi or Barael leave of the Room of Haired Eternity, Briar might resign to check them for residual enchantment magics.
Know (Arcana)
The statue seems to have the power to bestow a very powerful curse on any who look upon it. You imagine there is some 'safe' period after a save has been made, but you're not sure how long that period is.
Yes, Briar can destroy the statue with stone shape.
You see no further auras on Barael and Dandilion now that they have resisted the curse.
Dandi blinks as Briar flees and Fondo enters. His tone breaks her focus, breaks the pull of the room upon her hopes, shattering the illusion of safety about her. Her eyes itch with un-shed tears and her exuberance drains away.
"It's ok, Barael. I.. I'm sorry."
Suddenly very aware of her hair and his fur, she slowly untangles the one from the other. When her own tresses have put themselves back in their plait, she awkwardly pets the pelt on his shoulder back into place. "I didn't mean...that is, did I hurt...uh...there now, back to normal, back to.." She swallows, uncertain what other foolishness she might say to make things right, before realizing there's likely nothing that could quite do the trick this time.
Fondo raises and eyebrow and smiles at Dandi and Barael. These times make for strange bedfellows. I do hope the children have two legs, not four or eight.
Do wererats blush? Barael is relieved to be hairy at the moment.
"Aww, you don't have to... no harm done... don't go to the trouble, I can do that..." Barael doesn't wave away her hand, but finds himself baring his teeth a little in the embarrassment of being groomed in what can very loosely be described as public.
He trots back towards the trapdoor, when he sees Fondo and his eyebrow. Barael punches Fondo in the shoulder. "Yooouuu."
When Barael drops through the door, he allows his first ring to bring him gently to the floor below. He sidles up to Briar, and holds out his hand, showing the dwarf's ring. "Any idea what this does, Long-Lived? Feels warm and wonderful, but other than that, I've got no clue."
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Briar airwalks up to the head of the statue, checking to see how much stone there is to work with. Somehow satisfied with the structure of the stone, Briar casts Stone Shape and begins to use *magic* to sculpt the world into a new image: an image of wonder and arcane discovery. An image worthy of the giver of magic.
Briar's fingers move tentatively at first, his fingers unused to artistic renderings. However, as the spell's effect begins to mold stone, Briar's hesitations release and his fingers move across the stone unhampered.
Briar crafts an image of the Elven vision of Nethys overlaying the statue with a new vision and with new purpose.
Craft (stone shaping)
When finished the final sculpt, Briar will draw an arrow and inscribe a message into the statue.
Why do Elves so often speak to their God?
Because Elves long to speak to their peers.
When that is done, Briar will step back and admire his handiwork.
"Any idea what this does, Long-Lived? Feels warm and wonderful, but other than that, I've got no clue."
Briar takes the ring after dusting off his hands from statue-dust.
"An interesting find, Rat. Your expendability has decreased, indeed," Me, the Varisian, Halfblood, Majenko, The Waif/Laori (only one of them is punchy), the Rat, Nikolay.
Briar will examine the ring, casting Detect Magic.
Spellcraft
Barael hands the ring over to Briar with a little reservation, as he loses the feeling of warmth and comfort. While Briar studies it, Barael moves to the statue, and tries his hand at translating the elven newly inscribed.
"Elves speak 'why god'? Elves speak long to friends." Barael cocks his head, and looks at Briar. "A shame you don't have better sculpting tool. Some of those letters. Are they supposed to look that way? And are you trying to question your god? It must mean something else in your community."
Dandi takes a moment to gather herself before moving to the trap door. She looks back once, lingering over a memory that never was. It would have been loverly...until we starved to death.
With a quiet sigh, she slips back through the trap door, pondering the irony of actually falling through a hole in the floor.
Fondo lingers a moment. Nudges the dwarf corpse. Shrugs. "Not a very hospitable suite for our young lovers." He puts a hand on the big ears of Elf-Nethys and swings downward. "Looks a bit like you, Brother Rose."
Briar will examine the ring, casting Detect Magic.
1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 17 + 2 = 26 Spellcraft
It's a ring of sustenance as well as a handsome gold ring. Barael would have been up there a long, long time...
Barael takes the Ring of Sustenance off, and slips the Ring of Evasion back on. He shudders to think of what might have been.
"Well, now. I think we can finally get to those doors." Barael continues past the statue, extending his paws to the double doors.
Briar hands the ring back to Barael. "This ring is not unlike the one that 'Sward wears. That one keeps him lightly fed and underslept, almost as if he is trying to emulate the elves. It should serve you well should you wish to go back into that hairy rathole."
Briar looks back to the statue, noting the imperfections in his work, but willing to give himself time to do better.
"What's that, Rat?"
"Elves speak 'why god'? Elves speak long to friends." Barael cocks his head, and looks at Briar. "A shame you don't have better sculpting tool. Some of those letters. Are they supposed to look that way? And are you trying to question your god? It must mean something else in your community."
"Oh, Rat, I forgot you could read at all the Elven script," Briar answers, puzzled as to why he forgot that fact. "That saying is long known within Elven circles. In a way, it is questioning God...for we must ask if we are to learn. However, the true meaning of the phrase is much deeper than that. I'll let you dwell on it for a while. The answer might have kept you sane for a long time should you have discovered it before going into that room."
Briar gives another gaze to the statue and prepares to push forward again, mindful of dire wraiths and dangers of Scarwall once again.
Briar backs up from the doors as Barael investigates.
As the party quiets down and clusters around the door ready to rush in after Barael looks through the door, everyone please make perception checks.
Clover shaped pillars support key portions of the roof above the polished floor of stained cherry, and a wide dais provides room for an orchestra to play or stage performance to occur. A few broken chairs have been pushed into the corners, but otherwise this room is empty.
Barael mumbles something to himself, as he peels his paws away from the door.
"Four undead, all chained up.
The first one spits red,
Stands at his post, all undead.
The second one is up in a tower
A demon with cold power.
The third one's the dragon, was the dragon.
The fourth one's a smart undead,
and hopes to finally rest his head."
"We have a ballroom. Nothing I can see is moving around presently. Some broken chairs, a stage of sorts. At least there's no corpses laying about." Barael scritches his chin for a moment.
"I can't figure which of the remaining three this could be. The Red Spitter? This ain't no tower, so no demon here, likely. Least, the one we're looking for. Maybe we have a smart undead lurking about." Barael looks to the others, and waits for the signal to open the doors, and proceed.
Briar backs up from the doors as Barael opens the doors.
Perception
"Maybe it's just a room. An empty room," Briar suggests dryly, watching his daylighty light sparkle with magic.
Fondo declines the ring. Surrender sleep and dreams deny? Nay.
Dandi looks over Briar's handiwork, her frown deepening for a moment before she joins the others and moves on.
Barael peers around the door after opening it.
Something makes Barael hesitate, before entering the ballroom proper. He turns back to Dandi. "As much as you might consider dancing here, try to refrain for now."
Something makes Barael hesitate, before entering the ballroom proper. He turns back to Dandi. "As much as you might consider dancing here, try to refrain for now."
Dandi stops mid step. "b-but...I like dancing." *Some* people might even say I'm good at it! Dandi bites her lip as she tries to peer around Barael.
"b-but...I like dancing."
"Yes, yes, but we should wait until we return to the Korvosan courts, don't you think? Much too dangerous here."
Dandi begins to nod, to smile again, but that quickly crumples into a frown. "But they'll be in green, all evil and shiny, like the Queen. I don't want to dance to the Queen's tune. I thought that's why we were here in the first place?"
Barael slowly starts to nod as he realizes how far they've come. "Ah, yeah, that's true. But here, they'll be in black, all evil and shadowy. We'd sooner dance to Yuan's ocarina, than all the orchestrations of the Queen." Barael pauses. "How about a compromise, then? We'll stop in Kaer Maga for a song or two, and you can remember what it is to dance. How does that sound?"
Dandi's face lights up and she bounces lightly on her toes as she agrees. "I *do* like Kaer Maga! I don't feel so strange there. Yes, let's do that. I won't dance here with the shadows, we'll wait for Kaer Maga, and dance there! That sounds... lovely."
We'll dance there?! But I don't dance... "Yes. Yes, you, uh, it does sound lovely." Barael sets his jaw, and turns back to the interior of the tomb-like ballroom. So, is it to be a dance with death here? Let's get on with it then. Kaer Maga awaits.
"Wait until later? Why would we do that? Where shadows fall, let dancers shine. Good work needs joy, not brows stitched with sorrow."
"The only shadow I'd feel comfortable dancing with is Fondo's afternoon stubble." Barael waves off participating, and starts into the ballroom, almost in avoidance of the antics outside of the room.
"Let's finish this floor. There's more waiting for us above." Barael clutches at Black Tooth, ready to draw the weapon at a moment's notice.
Barael keeps looking back over his shoulder, as Fondo and Dandi finish their dance.
What, he doesn't care for my morning stubble? The other lads like it... Fondo follows gamely, quiet but with a jocular stride.
Briar appreciates the dancing. Even in the midst of dark and wraiths and fear, the dancing serves a purpose.
He, however, does not join in and instead keeps is focus on potential threats.
Perception
As Fondo finishes his briefest of dances with Dandilion, he and Barael cautiously shadow each other into the room.
As they enter, a quintet fades into existence on the dais and begins to play a light tune. Well, to those of you with discerning hearing, it's a little flat, but they're clearly trying hard, their ghostly faces sweating with the effort.
As they do so, Barael turns to Fondo and takes him in his arms and...
As you all dance, the room slow, fadingly, fills with ghosts and shadows from the walls, floor, and even ceiling - all dancing along with the party. Dozens of them, their forms drifting in and out of your forms and, in some cases, leave with a bit of your soul. The dancers too look covered in a sheen of sweat, almost as if they too are being forced to dance here.
Dancing. For eternity. Locked in embraces centuries old, bodies long since fallen away in the dust on the floor. Worn down. Worn down by the dance, the lilting tune in your heads, and theirs.
By Aroden's left testicle! Barael's tail allows him to lean Fondo out, quite close to the floor, almost defying gravity...
He's heavy...
At least he smells good...
Dandi spins, first with Fondo, then, with less enthusiasm, As Barrie and Fondo spin and dip around the floor.
Will Save
Briar dances in the air, seeking a pairing with Tauriel Laori.
Dancing is nice, but something isn't right here.
Fondo's joyful dance turns into a tortured one as he spins Barael around and around. And around. And around.
Barael finds himself trying to keep up with Fondo's dance as best as he can. Fondo turns out to be a very good leader, it seems.
Barael looks around, observing his fellow dancers, and starts to sweat himself.
If I do this much longer, I'm gonna puke
AC 23 Magic Plate Armor w/ fly
CMD 14
Harrow Points: 4
Elemental HP 68/68
Defensive casting = 23 (@12th)
Holy Water Vials: 10
potion(s) of lesser restoration:3
[b]diamond dust: 9400gps
If anyone is poisoned or diseased Charlie will attempt a heal check (15)
The spells/day listed will include the casting (if any) that I made this round
Orisons DC:16 (Create Water, Guidance, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Stabilize, Mage Hand, Read Magic, Ghost Sound)
First Level: DC:17 (7/8 per day) (Bless, Bless Water, Doom, Ray of Enfeeblement, Remove Fear, Cure Light, Protection from Evil)
Second Level: DC:18 (4/8 per day) (Admonishing Ray,Communal Prot. from Evil, Hold Person, Lesser Restoration, Sound Burst, Cure Moderate)
Third Level: DC:19 6/7 per day) (Create Food and Water, Prayer, Remove Disease, Searing Light, Cure Serious, Dispel Magic)
Fourth Level: DC:20 (5/7 per day)(Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Holy Smite, Neutralize Poison, Restoration, Cure Critical Wounds)
Fifth Level: DC:21 (5/5 per day)(Constricting Coils, Scry) (Mass Cure Light Wounds)
Sixth Level: DC:22 (4/4 per day)(Anti-magic Field, Heal) (Mass Cure Moderate Wounds)
Oracle Revelation: Eldritch Bolt 9/9 times per day. 1d8+6 dam
summon elemental: Twice per day 6/6, 6/6 rounds per day + ring: 6/6 rnds
Sociable Trait6/6 rounds per day
wand CSW 16/37 (+5)
wand CLW 3/50
wand blessings of fervor 31/50
Rod of Reach 3/3 per day
wrist sheath: breath of life scroll (+3 backup)
Weapon equipped = Biting wit (and a MW dagger)
Shield equipped =OMG please don't hurt me
Nikolay tries to resist the call of the music, but fails.
I haven't drunk nearly enough today to dance in front of other people.
--Shades! Shadows! Darkness! SWING ME!!!
Nikolay tries his best at a sword dance he has seen performed by travelers.
Like this? I didn't know you liked dancing.
Ahh yes, the Harrow Re-roll. Any of the other dancers want to try that as well? I have Barael, Fondo, Charlie, and Nikolay all dancing.
The Danse Macabre (audio and poem)
As the party dances uneasily but fervently, they see a figure unlike the others. A figure wreathed in green fire. A figure that slowly descends from the ceiling, dancing with a couple now and again as he goes. Each couple he joins, dims slightly and weakens. One of the dancers seems to fade entirely and her screams echo in your head as she fades. Another dancer joins the temporarily unjoined partner, and they renew their jig through the chandelier.
The figure glides down near the door, and watches the dancers carefully. The creature caresses Barael, Fondo, and Nikolay as he dances, and focuses it’s attentions on Laori with a single attack made during round 1, the dance round.
Bareal, Fondo, and Nikolay, on their initiative in round 1, provoked an attack of opportunity with their dancing. :( The green figure casually took advantage and then honed in on it’s real target. Yes, he clearly has combat reflexes and a dex larger than 16.
and
I think I missed Fondo, even though the weapon is incorporeal (ignores armor) and Fondo has a -4 AC. I think his armor is ghost touch...
and
and
and
As for the dancing, the following is true...
"The subject feels an undeniable urge to dance and begins doing so, complete with foot shuffling and tapping. The effect makes it impossible for the subject to do anything other than caper and prance in place. The effect imposes a -4 penalty to Armor Class and a -10 penalty on Reflex saves, and it negates any Armor Class bonus granted by a shield the target holds. The dancing subject provokes attacks of opportunity each round on its turn."
Barael
Briar
Charlie
Dandilion
Fondo
Laori
Nikolay
Majenko
Good Guys
Round 2
The round begins with the creature, again attacking Laori, but this time more fervently.
and
and