The gem in question is a 20,000gp Sapphire as big as a baby's fist, resting on a pedestal one level down.
How exactly do you take it? You see no particular method of removing it that won't involve touching of some sort (even if it's at the end of a 10' pole, which you don't see - I'm just saying it's possible you have one).
Barael considers his options, looking at the immovable stone pedestal. He looks the pedestal over, frontways to be backside.
"Briar!! I don't want to touch the gem, don't want to trigger any magics around it. You think you can come down and take a look, try to understand what magics might be involved? This is a pretty sweet gem."
Barael will look around this floor of the Sunken Queen, searching for a box that can contain the gem itself, once it's been lifted safely from the pedestal.
Abruptly, Barael straightens out, and reaches into his satchel, producing the cinnamon-colored rat, for her to stretch her little legs, and lend her second set of eyes, should it be warranted.
Finally... Glad, at least, to see you in one piece, Once Touched.
Briar airwalks near Barael, casting Detect Magic, and examining the gem.
Spellcraft
"I can use Seri to pry it out if you'd like," Briar says with a smirk.
"Just so long as you don't touch the thing, Briar. Ileosa wanted us to touch it, and she had nothing but ill-intent for doing so." Barael continues to search for a container suitable enough to bear the gem.
Nikolay holds onto Charlie as Briar and Fondo engage in another one of their invisible sword matches.
The queen's death has done little to change that. Hopefully Korvosa will at least be better for her death.
He welcomes Dandi's tender touches on the poor man since he finds himself incapable of offering the same.
I've become hard, perhaps too hard to be of any more use to my city.
He doesn't join in the magic detecting and searching that ensues. Once people are done, Nikolay will offer to teleport the party.
The magics are strong on the gem. You do not think dispelling it is an option. The anti-magic should suppress it, but the best thing to do would be to break it - or have it broken. If the party just smashes it, you'll get gem-shards worth ~10,000gp. If you have a gem cutter do it, you should get much more.
Briar looks at the gem, then at Majenko, then at Barael...as if weighing humor vs. risk.
"Barael, this gem is not likely going to kill any of us...just provide an unpleasant experience. Majenko can touch it safely...however, it should probably be destroyed it is not used against us. The fragments of such might be worth a bit."
Briar looks at Majenko.
"Did you want this big gem or that small ring, dragon?" Briar asks. "I could fashion it into a amulet for you...or a little dragon crown."
Barael leans in, quite close, when he sees the names of each member of the HarrowCast.
"Look, Briar... Each of our names, each to a facet..."
"Barry Garrett... Nikolay Vasilevich... Fondo Barondo... Briar Kaleeater... wait..." Barael licks his thumb and reaches out, before catching himself. "No, not Kaleeater, but Kaleseder. That's interesting. Don't know as I've had the pleasure, Ser Kaleseder." Barael smiles at Briar, where surnames carry very little weight between the two of them.
"Hmmm... let's see... alright, there... Charlie Buckminster... and..." Barael leans up. "Really? That's her name?"
Briar looks at Majenko.
"Did you want this big gem or that small ring, dragon?" Briar asks. "I could fashion it into a amulet for you...or a little dragon crown."
Majenko does take some time to consider, and casts his own detect magics on the two items.
"Now I'm not great at this, but I think this ring is quite a bit better than that gem. Besides, I like rings, and I'm not as big a fan of amulets. I've never had a crown either, but it seems weird. I'm no king or anything."
He looks at the two rings on his hands.
"No, I'll keep this one, if that's OK. Unless we need to sell it to raise Charlie of course." he looks with sad eyes toward your fallen comrade still radiating anti-magic. "We are going to raise him aren't we?" He looks to Briar and the others.
Briar looks at Dandi's inscription as well, his elven eyes narrowing on the fine print.
He looks at 'Barry' and re-reads the name again.
"Well, that's a surprise, but I suppose...well...you know...it shouldn't be. We should have expected."
Briar's eyes dart to Dandi as if seeing something new in the Waif.
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Barael returns to Dandi, restraining himself with a new air of... what, decorum? He reaches his love, still attending to Charlie's body. Quietly, he takes the cloth from her hand, and bids her stand. He encourages her to follow him downward, to the pedestal, and the sapphire that bears more than ugly magical traps.
His voice softens reverentially. "Do you see it? Right... there..." For a second time, Barael almost touches the gem, so eager is he to see her see it. Like he and Briar saw it.
"It's... it's all our names. Well, except for Majenko. But, they're all there. Including yours, I believe..."
The last facet of the gem bears the name... Ariadne Arabasti.
"What? What is it? Are you ok? Is everyone else ok?What?" Her stomach churns as he takes her hand, her hair finding a semblance of life as she shakes her head back and forth from Charlie to Barrie's earnest expression. By the time they reach the pedestal, she is flying again, the anti-magic of Charlie's presence stifled by the stone between them.
"What is it? It's just a gem, Bar-bar. I have you, I don't need baubles and gems."
Still, he insists, and so finally she looks. Her hair, freed from its death in the sphere, curls and brushes at Barael, coiling about his shoulders to comfort....him?
"Wha...?" So suddenly does she draw back she almost smacks into him, her overly large blue eyes wider still with the shock. "N-n-no... That can't be. My father was Elven... I saw it" In her mind, she remembers the dreams, the hallucinations from shiver.No real memory does she find, nothing at all to say who she was. "...it in a dream."
"I... suppose it could be one of Ileosa's cruel tricks, plaguing us still from beyond the Veil, but I don't think so. My airs with my name, it cares nothing for it. It calls me true." Barael places a hand on the small of her back, steadying her.
"A lot of things make sense now." Barael can't suppress a couple of surprise grunts, as he spins through his time with Dandi. His other hand comes to rest on her necklace, and he smiles.
"As if my time with you hasn't been heady enough..."
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"I... suppose it could be one of Ileosa's cruel tricks, plaguing us still from beyond the Veil, but I don't think so. My airs with my name, it cares nothing for it. It calls me true." Barael places a hand on the small of her back, steadying her.
This is easily proven. Just have Dandilion touch the gem. If it's her name, she'll be effected by it. If it isn't, she won't! Easy. :)
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"How does any of this make sense now?" She shakes her head, dazed by the thought. "it can't be true. the Varisian woman in the market place, I remember that. That wasn't a dream. and I remember the stories she told me, of my father, the most powerful mage in all the world, an elf, with green eyes. Only a pretty green, not ugly and vile like the Queen's...." Her mind reels trying to remember any true thing, anything real.
Her grip tightens on her beloved's hand, a tormented catch to her voice as she whispers, "But... that would mean I'm... but I can't be..." but the word trembles in her mind as the name waivers in her sight from unshed tears. It is too much to believe that she might be...
"Chelish."
"I... suppose it could be one of Ileosa's cruel tricks, plaguing us still from beyond the Veil, but I don't think so. My airs with my name, it cares nothing for it. It calls me true." Barael places a hand on the small of her back, steadying her.This is easily proven. Just have Dandilion touch the gem. If it's her name, she'll be effected by it. If it isn't, she won't! Easy. :)
"How does any of this make sense now?" She shakes her head, dazed by the thought. "it can't be true. the Varisian woman in the market place, I remember that. That wasn't a dream. and I remember the stories she told me, of my father, the most powerful mage in all the world, an elf, with green eyes. Only a pretty green, not ugly and vile like the Queen's...." Her mind reels trying to remember any true thing, anything real.
Her grip tightens on her beloved's hand, a tormented catch to her voice as she whispers, "But... that would mean I'm... but I can't be..." but the word trembles in her mind as the name waivers in her sight from unshed tears. It is too much to believe that she might be...
"Chelish."
Majenko thinks for a moment, and flies over to Dandilion.
He lands next to her, and goes down on one knee, bowing before her.
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Barael watches Majenko land in front of Dandi, and gapes a bit as he witnesses royal genuflection. He blinks, letting his eyes move behind his lids, opening them only when he looks upon Dandi again. The look on her face tells him in no uncertain terms that taking a knee second to the psuedodragon would likely mean a very platonic celebration upon their return to Korvosa.
"I'm well acquainted with some very good Chels, I'll have you know. As for color, the only one that matters is your blue. It's who you are, my Love. We are all descendant, influenced by family and experience, and a change of a name won't change that. I'll just keep calling you Mine, if that's alright by you." Barael inhales again, readying more words, but none come right away.
......
"Majenko!"Flustered, Dandi stops and tries again, her voice softer now, kind and gentle, and tinged with guilt. "Majji, please don't. I am me, only me. And you will be King of the Korvosan skies once we are home. You need bow to no one, my friend."
She is beyond grateful for Barrie's stabilizing presence. Moving into his arms, she whispers, "That is beyond all right, my darling. It is all I need."
Barael bids Briar and Majenko make their final determination over the sapphire, so the group can return to Charlie's corpse, and be gone from the Queen.
"We can go now. Just let me crawl into the Hole with Charlie here, and we can be off." Barael looks to Nik and nods, before holding his breath deeply, and tucking himself in.
Briar smirks as Majenko takes to bow to Queen Dandi, and the proclamation of royal lines. He outright smiles, not yet sure what to make of it all.
He changes the topic, looking at Majenko.
"Majenko, be a dear and smash that gem, won't you? Once it is broken, it's power over us will be gone. Best not let such a weapon be too close to our precious Queen...wait...we could touch it to the Halfblood, preserving him until he is raised. That might be an effective counter to the odor he is sure to give by morning."
Fondo smiles and laughs at the revelation of Dandi's lineage. "Do not your brow too tightly knit, my flutterfly. I'll ever see you as my sister true, be you a queen of men or queen of rats." He winks at Barael, and holds the portable hole open.
"Methinks the space within shall keep our fallen friend quite fresh,
until the priests of Kaer Maga do bring him back this day."
Once Barael's in, he gives Nikolay a nod before folding it closed. Ready.
Majenko gets up from his kneeling position all smiles.
He smashes the gem, producing a number of smaller gems - still of fantastic value.
Everyone gets near Nikolay (and Barael in the hole) and he teleports to Kaer Maga!
The smell of the city rolls over you like dirty bathwater. Still, it's fresh compared to the gore you've been surrounded by these last couple hours.
It is just after supper on Oathday Rova 20, 4707 and the city is at your feet.
Fondo quickly reopens the portable hole and offers a hand to Barael. "Now let's find ourselves some hierophants." He begins to clean himself and any friends, in hopes of looking a bit more presentable to Kaer Maga's high priests.
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Due to the nature of his death, a full resurrection is required, but you are able to find a priest, up late and a little drunk, but capable and ready to earn a bit of coin.
The spell takes longer to cast than usual, but he finally pulls it off with nary a slur in the wrong spot. Somehow fitting for Charlie.
It's nearer midnight than dusk by the time you're done - but the bars are still open. You overhear, a few tables over, a traveller talking about the uprising in Korvosa. Apparently, a few days ago, the Queen was on her heels, but not quite out of the fight.
You share a private laugh at the old news...
Briar doesn't have much more to do in Kaer Maga now. He will be bopping back to Korvosa if anyone else wants a ride.
Dandi breathes in the smell of the City that calls to her in her dreams, then sighs, letting it go. "After Charlie is on his feet, I suppose we have to return to Korvosa, don't we?" She squeezes the bit of gem still left in her hand, the shard with her name on it, and feels it cut into her palm. Still, she doesn't let go. "At least for a little while."Her hair flutters and curls, reaching for Barrie. He is her comfort in uncertain times.
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Nikolay pauses and takes a long drink. "Yes. I guess we should."
He takes another drink.
And then what? I'm rather good at destroying things. Healing? Building?
--You'll learn.
Maybe. I suppose there will at least be the regular criminals to deal with--the ones without oversized crocodiles or dragons.
--Sounds boring.
Yes, it does.
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Barael gladly accepts Fondo's hand, bounding from the hole, and the recent proximity of the pickled.
Barael brings his arms around Dandi, initially taking comfort in the embrace. He tenses as the rat chases down his right arm, swiveling through her hair, and gain the left arm, to complete the circuit. He maintains the embrace, while lowering his voice.
"Boundaries, personal boundaries, Argente."
Leave room for Aroden, Once Touched. I jest, I jest. So, when do we celebrate? I predict tables full of viands, both large and small, and all hoard-worthy. My mouth waters just thinking about it. I'm ready to leave, when you are.
Barael turns to Charlie. "So, you'll remember you were recently raised from the dead, right? You'll need to celebrate with restraint, is my guess. When you think you're approaching your limits, you've gone on too long."
"Well, no better time like the present. With Charlie returned to us, I have no immediate business in Kaer Maga, and I have several farewells waiting back in Korvosa."
"Farewells, Brov? You've saved your childhood home, and now can rightly call yourself its hero born. Seems odd to leave it now." He ponders, a bit wistful. "Korvosa's ever been the Fall and Spring upon Barondos' road. To see it free again... Mayhap it means my journey may resume."
A look of sadness passes over his face, lingering. And yet a traveler's lost without his band. Who'll ride beside me as I find my way?
Upon being pulled out of Death's cold embrace Charlie hacks up a lung and says to the priest, "Thank you, Brother. Do you have a bit of the turpentine that's on your breath? I could sure use a pick-me-up."
"We did it! Let's go back to Korvosa and receive our due. The party there is going to be one for the books."
Briar smiles as Charlie is revived.
"I knew you'd come back. I knew *magic* would bring you back if you wished it, Halfblood," Briar states confidently. "Can we celebrate now?"
The priest quickly produces a, unfortunately mostly empty, flask and offers it to the newly risen.
Shortly thereafter the party is on the streets of Kaer Maga yet again. You could look up Saul - who would certainly be willing to share a jar with you, and a little trade if you so wished. You could even try to track down the halfling Corbinian Farfoot if you wanted something a little less then legal.
You do, presumably, have the Queen's body as well, for what it's worth. It is unrecognizable as the Queen in it's current dry and husky state pummeled by magical lighting and chains.
You can celebrate here - there are bars and pubs a plenty, or you can return with Briar to Korvosa, city under siege, now - just before midnight.
Dandi shudders as Barael's rat scampers through her hair. She shudders, moving into his embrace, not away. Murmuring into his chest, she whispers, "She'd make a beautiful newt, my love. You might want to let her know that."
Suddenly, she squeals, jumping up and floating back down. "CHARLIE! You're back! I knew you would come... well, hoped you would. You saved us Charlie. All of us, and Korvosa, and likely the whole world!" Relief and laughter bubble up inside her.
"Yes, we can celebrate, but not here. Let us go to Korvosa, that the whole city can understand our joy!" Dandi turns a radiant smile on each of them, hoping they'll agree.
Fondo shakes his head, his pensive thoughts about his future mixing with the reality of the city they've left. [b]"We can celebrate, for sure. Korvosa, though, is likely still at war. We bring a body when our allies sought a prisoner to try. So, yes, find joy in what we've done. But there's still work to do, and likely blood to see."[b]
"She's right, Charlie." Nikoaly nods to Dandi.
"Things wouldn't have ended in Korvosa. It would have spread like the plague to the whole world."
--But what a fight it would have been!
Yes. There will always be more though.
"For those that wish to return to the Craftorium now, I shall be leaving," Briar states the obvious. "I have dreams of a bottle of elven wine and some quiet time in familiar surroundings."
Briar holds his hands out to those who wish to go home.
Briar blips home after those are coming come.
Barael listens to Fondo's and Briar's ruminations. He turns to Dandi, raising an eyebrow, sees what he needs in her eyes, before turning back to the others.
"Elven dreams shouldn't be denied. Let's return tonight, rest through the night, and wake to our final survey of the damage." Barael makes his way back into the hole, once the rat makes her way back into his satchel.
Dandi takes hold of Briar's hand, ready to face Korvosa one more time. "To Elven wine and our own surroundings."
Fondo steels himself for another trip powered by the elf. Ruan awaits. My port in the storm. And Deyanira, who has saved my life ere many times. She should much of these fine treasures take.
"I fear I must away a bit, to share with friends the news of what we've done. Wine is fine, but lives may stay within their owners' grasp, if we establish Ileosa's fate." Once arrived, he quickly greets Deyanira and Ruan before going in search of a messenger who might report to Cressida or Vencarlo.
The party arrives safely at their underground lair below the Harrow House, back home in Korvosa. It is quiet, but well lit with continual flames flickering in many otherwise dark corners.
Alas Fondo the only possible runners are Ruan or Deyanira - here hiding out. Eries is out fighting in the war, in her own way, and you permit no others in your sanctum. You know of course that they were using the church of Pharasma as their base the day before yesterday, but they had been moving it to the more defensible citadel after they took it that day.
"Might I take this for now?" Fondo holds up the queen's impressive armoring amulet.
Regardless, he gives Ruan and Deyanira tender hugs and readies himself for a walk through town—casting a glamer on himself to look like a simple cheesemonger. He then rummages through the portable hole, drawing out... The Fangs. "We must find a way to destroy these, or keep them safe. Think on it while I'm gone. I'll return as soon as Desna's will allows."
Barael breathes deeply, taking in the familiarity of the Warrens. For all we've been through, it feels kinda like returning to a childhood home.
He sloughs off his haversack, grateful for Fondo's tending, as right about now, he should be smelling all sorts of sour. Taking White Twitch from his hip, then Black Tooth, he considers. A moment later, he resheathes them both, White Twitch a different form than Black Tooth- a katana.
When Fondo speaks of activity, Barael shows no outward signs of fatigue. "Brov, if you need to run down some folk, I'll go with you. Won't do for one of us to get struck down, with Korvosa ignorant of what was accomplished this day." Barael readies to leave with Fondo, on his direction.
"Do you think... those scry sensors that all went out... all of them the queen's? Or do you think folk in Korvosa already understand what took place in the Sunken Queen?"
Majenko hops up on Fondo's shoulder as well.
"I'll come! I have one more spell yet, so I can dimension door us away if things get really rough."
...clearly Majenko really likes his new spell.
"Assuredly, some one somewhere already does. At least one, if not more. There were sensors on the queen herself, and extra ones on Nik as well." Dandi looks about the place, smiling at the memories within.
Majenko hops up on Fondo's shoulder as well.
Barael, the broad shouldered Fondo, and Majenko (at least) head up into the Harrow House and out the short distance to the Citadel. They’re stopped well from the gates by a squad of Cressida’s troops, and a few back and forths later, you are admitted to the inner sanctum.
Majenko excuses himself just before the meeting and splits off for the barracks and infirmary...
I won't be far, he whispers telepathically to Barael and Fondo, Just holler when you're ready to go if I'm not back.
Cressida is up, as usual, and looking a little haggard at this late hour, but smiling. She greets you warmly and welcomes you into her office. She probably hasn't slept in weeks.
”You did it! You really did it! You killed the Queen!! We were scrying you and saw most of what happened. We haven’t told anyone yet, I wanted to hear from you first.” she thumps down heavily in her seat and leans forward in her chair. ”And of course I didn’t see it. Please, tell me how it went!”