"Huh. Arlan Ward taking the diplomatic approach.", Lys mutters under her nose, just loud enough for Arlan to hear. She moves closer to Nerak, seeing him move cautiously. "Nerak, come on, give me a hand. I think it's best to let the others move freely.", she suggests, slinging the crossbow on her back. "Uh. We can use your crossbow for a walking stick, until we get you fixed. It's not like you'd be using it for something else!", she can't help but put on a nervous smile in the situation.
Nerak wears a seemingly permanent scowl as his bison trots forward with him atop it.
"I prefer to stay with Lorn and on Ronan. I may be blind but they are not and I still have a few spells that don't rely on sight. I suggest no one stand in front of me unless you wish to be burned alive or trampled."
You can spy Lorn sitting on top of Nerak's head, patting it in what you suspect are directions while the normally foul bison seems very pleased with itself. Perhaps some how knowing that it has been given permission to gore anyone that crosses it's path.
A series of detailed woodcarvings depicting druidic worship decorates the walls of this room. To the southeast, a short flight of stairs leads to a dais, upon which sits a throne crafted of dead, overgrown brambles and thorns. Doors to the north, west, and northwest offer exits from the chamber.
Arlan = 52/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14
Varin = 50/51 HP & AC 20
"Is this the meeting chamber? It seems rather empty to me." Beltzer takes a few steps past the threshold, then as a precaution casts detect magic to see if there is any residual magic from something powerful that passed through here.
Then moves south a little towards the door to the west while looking around.
When Beltzer steps into the room detecting the presence of magic, he spots an old elven woman stand up and step out from behind the throne. "Oh. Hello there. Who might you be?"
Arlan = 52/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14 ** Blinded by the light
Varin = 50/51 HP & AC 20
Walking in carefully, Lys lets out a whistle. Someone needs to trim the hedges around here., she thinks, staring at the throne, then is startled as the woman. Her mouth opens, before she realises it's probably better to let someone with better control of their mouth speak first, putting a wide smile instead. "Psst, Arlan. Keep talking the fancy talk!", she squeezes through her teeth to her comrade, without averting her eyes from the elf.
Arlan smiles at Lys and approaches the elven woman slowly, bowing awkwardly and holding up the lantern.
My name is Arlan and we come from Trunau on a mission from Silvermane and Mossmoon of the Council of Thorns. A giantess is gathering her forces and sent a raid on our home, and we mean to strike back before her soldiers raze the land to the ground. She is a threat to all, but we need the weapons here to give us a chance to destroy her. Will you help us?
Varin picks up the freshly unconscious and still firmly tied up Dwarven woman and walks slowly after his companions, using his hammer as a walking stick. He stands behind Arlan, letting the woman down slowly, and waits, hands resting on the pommel of the weapon. He inclined his head to the woman and let Arlan speak, not trusting his words after their last encounter.
Following Arlan's cue Beltzer also beseeches the aid of elven woman.
We hope by your aid we will rid a problem for us both, as I don't think the giantess would stop at Trunau
Nerak clears his throat slightly after hearing the exchange. Hopefully the closes person looks his way, he can't tell.
"Mind asking if this elven lady has anything for blindness?"
He remains silent for a reply or acknowledgement of his words.
"Hello, Arlan. Yes, of course I will you help you find these weapons. You could check in there. It's storage for the garden. I've never found any weapons, but maybe I didn't know what to look for." She points to the doors in the southwest corner.
"If they're not in the closet, they'll be through there down the stairs." She points to the doors in the northeast corner.
Arlan = 52/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14 ** Blinded by the light
Varin = 50/51 HP & AC 20
What why does she not know what to look for? Does she not live here? Beltzer looks at the woman warily while he waits for Arlan to continue the conversation.
Well this just got awkward., thinks Lys, as she continues putting on the odd smile on her face. She takes a long look at the elf, then, biting her lip, her curiousity takes over. "Uh. Sorry, miss, er, I mean, milady.", she puts on an innocent look on her face. "Don't mean to be, like, rude, but who are you?", she asks in a cheerful tone, paranoia lurking within, as she makes her way past the elf.
"Oh my manners. I'm Ewigga, Guardian of the Vault. Thank you for asking, honey." She smiles at you like an old grandmother.
"You have to understand, we're on a demiplane next to the First World. Everything shifts and has attracted the fey. The Petal Gate to this Council Chamber appear the most anchored. And the bridge spans an area that has changed over time. Even the closet there changes over time adding and losing contents. Beyond here, the weapons will have moved from where we stored them. It was part of their protection." She looks for your understanding.
Arlan = 52/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14 ** Blinded by the light
Varin = 50/51 HP & AC 20
Varin coughs slightly and grabs the Dwarf carefully by the back of the shirt, laying his other hand on Nerak and beginning to lead him forward toward the woman.
"To be Guardian of this here vault you have to have strong magic I would wager. Can yeh do anything for these two. The Cocky one is blind and Sleepy is afflicted with some madness. Anything you can do would be greatly appreciated ma'am!"
"Alas, I do not have the power to help your companions. However, I've found magical potions within the closet from time to time."
Right, well, what are we waiting for? Arlan bellows cheerfully, opening the southwest door.
Lys puts on a grin on her face. "Rummaging through an old vault full of artefacts? I'm waiting to wake up, honestly!", she laughs, patting her crossbow. "I should've worn my bigger pockets today.", she says, following Arlan straight in.
When Arlan opens the closet door, he finds it packed with crates, burlap sacks, and gardening tools.
Arlan = 52/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14 ** Blinded by the light
Varin = 50/51 HP & AC 20
What the--Bel, gimme a hand? Is this stuff magical, or just the bunch of junk that it looks like?
If Bel doesn't shout a warning about any magical dangers, Arlan will start rummaging around.
"Wow. And I thought my dad's basement was messy.", whistles Lys, picking up a rusty pitchfork. "One man's junk is another man's treasure, right?", she quips. "I can see us using this against the orcs." Leaning the pitchfork on the wall, she sighs. "Anyone remember any noteable rites we should perform?", she suggests, looking around.
Beltzer looks at the tools quizzically. These.. are just garden tools? Really?
Beltzer is jolted by Arlan's question "Oh right, yes that might be true." He casts detect magic over the tools and looks around. Beltzer thinks Nerak might be best for the job but considering his predicament might not go down so well.
After a while, you find three magic potions among a background of very strong magic. Beltzer understands the demiplane they are make the environment itself magical. The potions are very inferior magically.
Varin sighs when Bel pulls out their discoveries. "Well... maybe one of em can cure Nerak, maybe?"
Arlan takes one of the pitchforks and pokes around in the closet, searching for a hidden or extradimensional space.
After 15 minutes of searching, the only things interesting found are the three magic potions.
Arlan = 52/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14 ** Blinded by the light
Varin = 50/51 HP & AC 20
Lys frown, reaching over to tap Arlan on the shoulder. "I suggest we go down the stairs. There's probably going to be more stuff down there?", she says, unsheating her crossbow, and heading down the stairs.
"Hello!", she shouts down. "Any talking swords in here?", she asks, taking a step into the darkness.
Beltzer shrugs at the fruitless venture for more potions, then he begins to follow Lys down the stairs. This has got to be the least amount of direction someone has given us to their own home. Let's just get what we came for and get out of here before more denizens of this place attack us.
Arlan nods in agreement, following Lys, spear at the ready.
Lys leads the troop down the stairs. Followed by Arlan, Beltzer, Varin and Ewigga.
An ornate staircase descends to a small platform. Several giant lily pads sway gently in the chamber’s air currents, each floating at a different height. Below the lily pads, a sheer drop fades into darkness, where a droning buzz reverberates off the chamber’s walls. At the other end of the chamber, a second platform and staircase lead out of the room.
Arlan = 52/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14 ** Blinded by the light
Varin = 50/51 HP & AC 20
Lys looks around, staring at the floating lily pads. "Well. Say what you will about ancient cults.", she jests, her eyes wide in awe. "They sure know their theatrics." She looks down. "Why do I have the feeling, it's not a 10 foot drop into a steaming hot bath?", she says, sighing. "Well, here goes nothing.", she says, tapping the first lily pad with her foot to test the response, ready to leap back if it starts to fall through.
Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down..., she repeats to herself, grabbing onto her crossbow as if it could slow her fall somehow.
Beltzer waits to see how Lys fairs across the lilies. That does not sound nice down there and I ain't the most acrobatic type of person." He peers over the edge.
"Think we can set up a rope for the less...athletic of us... and the blind" Beltzer turns to Nerak remembering that predicament. Also that cow, how are we meant to...?
Lys nimbly jumps on to the first lily pad. She can be all the way across if she wants.
Arlan = 52/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14 ** Blinded by the light
Varin = 50/51 HP & AC 20
"Uggh..." Varin looks from the lillypad, to the drop and back again, before shaking his head.
"I am literally a walking mountain of metal. One of us is blind. This isn't going to work. F%~$. Arl it is up to you to take the hits over there. I'll stay here with those who can't make it across."
"Good because I am not leaving Ronan and he was not going to be roped across anything. Odds are he is heavier then everyone here combined."
Ronan snorts as if he took offense to that.
"Either we can get Arlan to take over a rope or" Beltzer raises his voice a little so he can catch Lys's attention. "Think you can send a message in the form of a rope?" Miming firing the crossbow.
Lys looks at the group in the distance, then drops her backpack. "Good thinking there, Bel!", she shouts, rummaging through her backpack, and throwing a loose, hard loaf of bread in the hole. "Uh... I don't really have a rope.", she says, blushing, before looking at the lily pads. "If you have one, I'll come back and get it?", she asks, smiling nervously.
Jumping gracefully on the lilies, she gets to the other side with a wide, s~#+eating grin. "Right. So. Can I get some rope, guys?", she asks, before grabbing the coil. "I'll send it back, promise.", she grins, before jumping all the way across once more.
Coiling the rope around a bolt, she looks in the distance, and shouts. "Watch it! Arlan, stand in front of people that don't want to be hit by bolts!", she shouts, as she fires the bolt in the air, hoping to get to the other side.
The bolt flies in the air, Lys's foot stepping on it on the other side. "Alright! That should help you, let me see if I can attach it somewhere!", she shouts back, looking at the wall for a structurally sound place to tie it. "Arlan, if you want to jump across and help me hold it, that'd be great!"
She looks at the doorframe. If we were planning on the stealthy approach, that's ruined now.
Varin glanced over the drop again and sighed, grabbing the rope and holding it tightly. "I'll ah... act as an anchor on this side?"
As Lys rummages through her backpack looking for rope, when a glittering blue dragonfly about the size of a horse and large enough to carry off small farm animals or people emerges from below the first lily pad.
Arlan = 52/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18 ** effectively prone
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14 ** Blinded by the light
Varin = 50/51 HP & AC 20
"Lyyss..." Varin hisses slowly in warning. "Lys run back here and I'll swat it if it follows!" He grips his hammer tight, waiting to do just that, if it arises.
Back off! Arlan yells at the creature, anger boiling just below the surface.
Lys shouts out. "What?!", then stands up, draws her crossbow, and takes a step next to Arlan. "Should we kill it?", she asks, aiming the crossbow at the dragonfly.
Beltzer tries to figure out what it is (if it's anything more than a dire dragonfly) and if it is normally aggressive or territorial.
Lys stands up allowing the large dragonfly to strike. But Lys rolls out of the way.
Arlan appears to cause the vermin to flinch.
Beltzer thinks this is a fey giant dragonfly. They ordinarily are voracious hunters of warm-blooded prey, including humanoids.
The giant dragonfly swoops in on Arlan and tries to grab supper. It retreats to near the ceiling looking for another opening in your defenses.
Ultramarine Chaser = AC 18 touch 14
Arlan = 52/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14 ** Blinded by the light
Varin = 50/51 HP & AC 20