Varrel |
Varrel skips to the side, hopefully out of it's line of sight.
I remember a reference to a Third Eye Bloodstone. I suspect it is a scrying tool.
Varrel slices a sheet of curtain and throws it over the eye.
Asherick Whiteplume |
Ok. Since it does not radiate evil.. its not sanctified to evil {at least}. Must be Very obscure for a Religion check of 20 not to get the deity's name.. so its likely a deity not worshiped anymore
Ashe turns an heads for the library {D7}
Across the telepathic link, {"Let's all regroup in the Library with Graxer."}
Making his way to the room Ashe enters and looks around at the scene...
{'Two floor-to-ceiling bookshelves decorate the south and west walls of this chamber, facing a curved north wall on which hang a half-dozen grotesque paintings depicting torture, murder, cannibalism, and even necrophilia...'}
Looking at the paintings Ashe frowns, "Well THAT is disconcerting!"
Ashe detects for evil from this point on scanning for sources. At Ebon Wing's comment about spirits... Ashe pans his gaze up at the ceiling... hoping the floor is not a foot of stone to block his senses. At first he didn't bother to scan the floor.. but thinks better of it and pans his Detect Evil all about floor, ceiling and walls as he walks around the library toward the Western door.
Asherick Whiteplume |
Asheick turns to Varrel, "Wait.. what..? A Scrying device? Enchanted into bloodstones? Ok..good thing most of us are invisible. I'll keep an eye open for those and cover them where I can."
OOC: Has Ashe detected any sources of evil in his scan and walk here or in the floor above as sensed by Ebon Wings?
Leading the way Ashe exits this room by the North West door and goes across the hall to room, {D9}. He listens at the door first detecting for evil and magic... and looking for another of those elephant head door mantles or Bloodstones.. before entering the room to search.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Megan Robertson |
Ashe, evil presences upstairs, none on the ground floor.
D9 appears to be a trophy hall. Glass cases line the north and south walls of this hallway. To the north is displayed a wide collection of exotic weapons, many of which resemble swords, spears, or starknives, hanging on the wall around a suit of bright blue leather and ivory armour. To the south is a somewhat gruesome display of a stuffed tiger feeding upon a very realistic sculpture of a dead Vudran man.
Nobody is in here, but there is magic emanating from the display of weapons and armour. Oh, and from the display of the tiger at lunch.
Graxer Firebeard |
{I suppose we should head upstairs then..}
Lead the way the D8 and then upstairs..
Stealth: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (12) + 27 = 39
Asherick Whiteplume |
{I suppose we should head upstairs then..}
Lead the way the D8 and then upstairs..
Stealth: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (10) + 27 = 37
{"Hang on.. Graxer, let's finish searching the ground floor level first! There are three more rooms to examine on the first floor {D8}, {D10}, {D11}. I don't want any surprises coming up behind us. Varrel... there is something magical about that stuffed tiger.. check it please."}
[{D4} Ashe knows is a garden and seems too wide open to search until all the rooms have been searched first. Plus, he knows.. there is some kind of balcony above the garden on the map.. too easy for a sniper ambush until the upstairs is secured]
Ashe moves over to look closely at the magic on the weapons displayed with his detect magic trying to identify what might be magical...
Spellcraft: {Take 10!} 10 + 5 = 15
Varrel |
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20
The elf concentrates on the aura emmitted by the disturbing relief.
Very well, Asherik
Megan Robertson |
Sorry, Varrel, what are you looking at?
The paintings in the library - which appear to be Salvator's work and which are extremely disturbing? Or the statue, over which you have just chucked a curtain, to cover the third eye bloodstone?
Graxer, are you waiting for Ashe and the rest or charging on regardless?
Graxer Firebeard |
He would wait.. Impatiently..
Megan Robertson |
OK, thanks Varrel.
As stated, this gruesome display shows a stuffed tiger feeding upon a very realistic sculpture of a dead Vudran man. The tiger was once a real beast, but is now stuffed with sawdust. The human it's depicted as disemboweling looks realistic, but is nothing more than a wax sculpture. The body's exposed heart, though, is in fact a large carved bloodstone... and it is this which is emanating magic, it's another third eye bloodstone.
Asherick Whiteplume |
Ashe moves over to look closely at the magic on the weapons displayed with his detect magic trying to identify what might be magical...Spellcraft: {Take 10!} 10 + 5
Can I get an answer on what is magical in the weapons display?
Graxer Firebeard |
{Do yall think you can wait on treasure hunting till after the baddies are dealt with?}
Asherick Whiteplume |
{Graxer, some idea of what is here may give us some idea of what we're dealing with... not everything can be solved with 'just hit it harder'. We're not here to kill everything.. we're here to find Neolandis and Vencarlo. Those, Bloodstones are being monitored from somewhere.. if what I'm getting from Varrel is correct. I know you have cast tons of spells beforehand and they are running but you chose to do that.. before we even knew what we are dealing with here. Patience, this search is not taking that much time.}
[OOC: And it doesn't help when we must wait days to get answers to questions we asked before and then have to repeat them again. Just saying. :)]
Varrel |
Well, I am damn sure we have taken at least 7 minutes. Your invisibility will be wearing off soon.
Once Varrel understands the nature of the decorative heart/stone, he again wastes no time finding a rug or curtain to throw over the thing.
He speaks aloud to the mental conversation.
If they are being monitored, then surely guards will come when the sensor goes dark.
He lets the implications set in. Graxer would likely find combat soon.
Asherick Whiteplume |
Well, I am damn sure we have taken at least 7 minutes. Your invisibility will be wearing off soon.
Once Varrel understands the nature of the decorative heart/stone, he again wastes no time finding a rug or curtain to throw over the thing.
He speaks aloud to the mental conversation.
If they are being monitored, then surely guards will come when the sensor goes dark.He lets the implications set in. Graxer would likely find combat soon.
"As I am unconcerned friend Varrel.. I have more charges on this wand. Do you think we ought to collect those bloodstones and keep them in an extra-dimensional space so they cannot even be scryed upon?"
Megan Robertson |
Ashe, the weapons in the northern display case consist of six masterwork punching daggers, two masterwork sais, two masterwork sianghams, a dozen masterwork daggers, a masterwork falchion, two masterwork spears, and a +1 ghost touch kama. The suit of leather is a suit of +2 light fortification studded leather.
OK, where next?
Asherick Whiteplume |
Satisfied Ashe informs the Justicars, of the magic items telepathicly and their enchantments.
Leaving the room Ashe exits the room at the door to the west entering {D10}.. again scanning for magic and evil
Megan Robertson |
D10... A gracefully curving wall lined with tall windows presents a commanding view of the western palace grounds. The room itself is empty save for three human-sized statues, each depicting a Vudran warrior holding aloft a glittering blue-green javelin with a head carved from bloodstone.
All three statues give off magic auras, but there is no trace of evil.
Asherick Whiteplume |
Ashe tries to determine the nature of the magic upon the statues - but figures the elven magus with his long life experiences may be better at such analysis and asks, "Varrel.. there is magic upon the statues.... can you identify it...? Please be careful covering the BloodStone third eye foci... be mind ful of any elephant statuary that might conceal another magic mouth alarm...!"
SpellCraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Ashe is also looking around for anymore of those elephant-headed frescos or statuary.. in case there is another such magic mouth alarm about...
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Varrel |
The magus moves quietly into the room and spends a few rounds focusing on the Statues.
Detect Magic+Spellcraft: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (2) + 16 = 18
Not wanting to set off traps is the reason I haven't touched the bloodstones yet.
There is an impatient tone to the elf's voice, normally the patient one, for some reason the Elf was a little more on Graxer's side of thinking one this mission.
Asherick Whiteplume |
Ashe comments, "Where are all the Arkona? They have a huge family...! At least all the times I've seen them at court. I'm not understanding why this palace is so deserted. Something... sinester is a foot I think."
Ashe moves around to the double doors of {D11} to open them and look inside, his own anxious impatience getting the better of him. He scans the room for magic and evil within what appears to be a huge dining room...
Megan Robertson |
Varrel, you think there is conditional magic - perhaps indeed magic mouths - on the statures, but whatever their trigger might be, they haven't gone off yet.
No elephants, Ashe.
D11 is indeed a banqueting hall. A magnificent mahogany table dominates this room, the surface of which is decorated with an immense cover fashioned from the brightly colored skins of various great snakes.
There's magic on the double doors leading out into the palace grounds, but nowhere else in the room.
Graxer, are you still lurking on the stairs?
Graxer Firebeard |
Indeed..
Asherick Whiteplume |
Ashe frowns, getting more and more conscered with there being no Arkona around...
He heads back to the statue room and enters room {D8} the apparent library...
Again scaning for evil and magic...
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Asherick Whiteplume |
Ashe, the library is exactly as you left it.
Megan Ashe has never looked into room {D8}... Ashe looked into room {D7} initially on entry.. but room {D8} is new.
Megan Robertson |
Oh.. sorry. I'll describe it for you now... got confused as you said 'Library' and now want D8! (D7 is the Library)
D8, then, appears to be a smoking den. A long couch and two stuffed chairs sit around an elegant rug on the floor of this room, the walls of which are carved in depictions of air spirits cavorting in the clouds. The scent of strange and exotic smoke lingers in the air, and four bejeweled hookahs sit in the room, two at either end of the couch, and one next to each chair. A flight of stairs leads up to the floor above, and a glass case built into the underside of these stairs displays a wide collection of cigars, pottery jars, and bundles of dried leaves in a range of colours.
The glass case emanates magic, perhaps it is trapped in some way? No evil is present (unless you are an anti-smoking campaigner!).
Asherick Whiteplume |
[My bad Megs, I meant to post "go to the 'Study' {D8}" - didn't know it was a smoking room, not library and when I saw my miswording it was too late to change it.]
Ashe grimaces again, {still.. no one here...!!!}
Across the telepathic link, {Ok Justicars, I'm thinking a trap has been set for us. There are no Arkona on the first floor at all that's highly suspicious... unless they are gathered in the garden for some bazaar reason. There is a stair in this room leading up.. I say we avoid the main stair and use this one as one might expect someone to come up the main stair and set a trap for them and not this secondary stair. I'd like to avoid ... whatever trap the Arkona have likely set for our arrival and catch them unawares by approaching them from a direction less 'hopefully' expected... this secondary stair. Regroup in the smoking parlor {D8}.. we go up the stairs here and search the upper levels.}
Graxer Firebeard |
{There's movement coming towards the stairs im on.. I think everyone is upstairs having a pow wow.. I say we get this ass beating started..}
He holds his ground at the base of the stairs and awaits whatever it might be coming down..
Graxer Firebeard |
{I get the feeling whoever is upstairs knows we're here.. We need to get up there and take care of the problem before they have to much time to prep for us.. Enough toy searching.. Im moving up!..
Graxer casts Divine Favor and then moves up the stairs..
Stealth: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (5) + 27 = 32
Megan Robertson |
A very quiet dwarf, to be sure...
Are you telling the rest, through the telepathic link, that you are going up?
... the first thing you see are a pair of paws, covered in greyish-mottled fur. The alignment suggests the owner is bipedal and facing away from you...
Graxer Firebeard |
the ooc was him telling the group his actions..
Graxer pauses at the sight of the paws.. knowledge check?
know planes: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
Asherick Whiteplume |
Across the telepathic link, {"Ok. Graxer we're on our way to you... be mindful.. there may be a trap on the main stair well which is why your 'contact' may be waiting..."}
Ashe grimaces... he'd rather not go up the main stair and use the back stair instead... but Graxer seems determined to go up the main stair for some reason.
[OOC: Er why knowledge planes Graxer? Don't you mean knowledge Nature... with animal paws?]
Ashe moves through rooms D10, D9, D7 to get to the door to the main stairs not wanting to open the double doors in Room D8.. for fear of another magic mouth alarm potentially over the door.
Varrel |
The elf moves to the base of the stairs {{Ashe, move up after Graxer. It will get bloody quick with him going first. I will hex your foes. }}
Graxer Firebeard |
Didnt Ebon detect some outsiders? If not i can do nature..
Megan Robertson |
As you look at the paws, thinking about what - who? - might own them, they shimmer and change into booted feet. And start to turn around...
Shapeshifter... outsider... evil... rakshasa?
... the rest of the figure comes into view. A tall, noble-looking man with a slight softness, speaking of self-indulgence, wrapped in a silk robe.
"Is someone there?" he calls in a light tenor.
Asherick Whiteplume |
Ashe stops... behind Graxer... seeing the feet shift...
He mutters, "Oh crap! Rakshasa..."
Then it all made sense... all the animal motifs all the Vudrani art, all the wild debauched parties and the vanishing courtesans.... there was no telling who was a Rakshasa... or how many could potentially be in House Arkona. Not to mention House Arkona's criminal activity, and control of vice... it pointed to something DEEPLY sinester... even the Raktavarna given to Verik in the form of a dagger made sense now. It was likely the corruption went as far as the head of House Arkona had potentially been compromised... even the fact the palace was relatively empty pointed to the voracious appetites of the evil powerful outsider fiends... that walked in the guise of men!
Ashe put a hand on Graxer's shoulder and telepathically spoke, {"Dear gods... if there are Rakshasa here... not one of them must be allowed to escape! We must slay them all, they are a plague and a corruption of evil that knows no restraint... they would turn Korvosa into the graveyard to feed their insatiable appetites for vice, evil and human flesh! Graxer sheath your greatsword.. I have a weapon that will harm them most grievously for you... everyone switch to silver piercing weapons and douse them in the oils of bless weapon I will hand out!"}
Ashe drew from his efficient quiver a long two0handed sheathed piercing blade - a Nodachi. Unsheathing it revealed a piercing two-handed sword... made of alchemical silver... which he handed to Graxer. Then he retrieved a potion bottle from his Handy Haversack in the form of a large belt pouch.. and applied it to the piercing silver weapon.. an oil of bless weapon its holy purity making the weapon aligned to good.. the bane of Rakshasas!
[OOC: As you may all recall Ashe did all this research before... and prepared.]
Ashe says to Graxer, "Go, let the lord of Iron feast on the foul flesh of evil fiends until he is drunk in their slaughter!"
Graxer Firebeard |
{Thanks Ash, but my greatsword is more than up to the challenge of overcoming his resistances..}
Graxer moves within full attack range and uses judgement as a swift, activating smiting to act as a good aligned weapon and justice for added accuracy.. He rages as a free and lets the Rakshasa have it..
Attack 1: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (14) + 21 = 35
Attack 2: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35
Dam 1: 2d6 + 21 ⇒ (5, 1) + 21 = 27 Counts as +3 and good for DR purposes.. +3 overcomes silver..
Dam 2: 2d6 + 21 ⇒ (6, 4) + 21 = 31
Confirm Attack 2: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (2) + 19 = 21 Meh vs FF it may hit..
Crit Dam: 2d6 + 21 ⇒ (1, 2) + 21 = 24
Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Asherick Whiteplume |
[Graxer.. their DR is Silver, Good AND Piercing.. which your Greatsword is not! Miss one of them.. and their DR is full.. you have to be all that. Magic will not overcome Weapon Type - Piercing specifically in this case DR]
Megan Robertson |
Graxer charges, the being backpeddling, alarm spreading over the all-too-human face...
Whirling his robe aside he pulls out a wicked-looking kukri and makes ready.
His initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
He lunges, thrusting with the blade.
His attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30, damage 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
and again, a backslash...
1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19, damage 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
As Graxer follows up, there's room for Ashe to come upstairs (you may join in next round...)
Graxer gets his blows in, his greatsword whirling as it thuds into the rakshasa twice. Blood spurts... and the foul thing laughs.
"And I was only going to invite you to come meet my cousin, the patriarch Glorio Arkona!"
Then he raises the kukri again...
And it's time for Round 2. Actions and rolls, please...