Slumbering Tsar: Forward - The Camp (Inactive)

Game Master Lord Manticore

Damn, maybe I should have led with Charm Person instead. Guess it's time for Speak with Dead.

Well that was unexpected.

Ruul steps out onto the deck of the barge and forces Digory to his knees again. He lays Shamil down several feet away from him.

He turns for a moment to offer Lavinia a hand up onto the deck behind him.

"I hope Elen is able to learn more from Roondar", the bull says.

No, This is unexpected.

Lavinia accept Ruul's hand up and looks about for the captain. "I hope so as well. At least one of these idiots has to know something."

Elen grows pale, murmuring "That wasn't me, it really wasn't. "

[dice=perception for Elen]1d20+12
[Dice=perception for Ally]1d20 +10

This is based on a 32 (Ally + Aid Another)

It's miniscule in size, you can see how most would have easily missed it. You see a very small gear, flat along the plane of the wound, hanging off of a piece of muscle (or it could be a vein, it is hard to really tell at this point).

Lavinia, you can cast spells you haven't prepared using LM's house rules - See post #180 in the discussion thread.

Oh yeah, forgot about that already. :)

Heal Aid Another from Ally: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Can't do aid another untrained with knowledge

knowledge (engineering) to identify the gear: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Heal check toto examine the wound with Aid Another from Ally: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 2 = 22

Flinching back from the gnome's sudden death, Ally assists with Elen's examination of the body, then wings it to the room where Ruul and Lavinia were speaking to the other captives. Not finding them, she looks around until she finds her quarry on the deck if the ship. "Roondar is dead! Something killed him when Elen's hexes began breaking down the defenses of his mind. She's trying to figure out what. Can you try to conjure up his spirit to talk to us?"

"Does that mean there is someone invisible aboard the ship killing people or a spell done at a distance? Either way, yes I can speak with the dead, but the questions should be thought out and decided upon before I cast it since only a limited number can be asked."

Ruul's horned head snaps to attention.

"You mean there's another killer aboard the ship?" Ruul begins to growl again and takes a few steps closer to Digory.

[Dice=Heal Aid Another from Ally]1d20+4

Can't do aid another untrained with knowledge

[Dice=knowledge (engineering) to identify the gear]1d20+8
[Dice=Heal check toto examine the wound with Aid Another from Ally]1d20 +5+2

Ruul lifts the bound man off the deck of the ship with one arm.

"Is another of your band at large on the ship? Speak the truth or you will become much better acquainted with my anatomy."

Macavity searches the male gnome's body again.
perception take 20 = 35

Going with what has been revealed, Macavity holds up a gear and reaches a conclusion after not finding the gnome's heart, "It appears the gnome's heart was replaced by some gearwork. I've seen poison pills or teeth rigged in case of mission failure or capture. Maybe it was similar."

He stands up and lets his new Brooch of Cleanliness remove the gnome's grime from his clothes.

Having kept watch uptop, Calendir notices the commotion between Ruul and the captured man - he jumps down from his watch post inquiring:

What has happened Ruul? Is this not over yet?

Does it appear that his heart was destroyed, or removed and then vanished?

"Take Lagash and do a sweep of the cabins below. There may be one more of these assassins on the loose."

As the gnomish bard dies Azaraunt looks around suspiciously.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

Seeing no foe, he casts See Invisibility, just to be sure, and begins looking around in the cabins, starting with the captain's cabin.

Assuming he finds nothing he says That appeared to be some type of arcane device set to kill the gnome before he betrayed his master. His fate is decided, unless our paladin cares to call him back. And I do not think the gnome would accept the gift of life from any of us. Captain, these prisoners committed their most recent crimes aboard your vessel. It is your call as to their fate. I caution against setting them free.

Ruul lifts the bound man off the deck of the ship with one arm.

"Is another of your band at large on the ship? Speak the truth or you will become much better acquainted with my anatomy."

"What in the hells are you talking about?" Digory's head is flopped forward when you pick him up, as if he doesn't have the strength to pull it back himself. "It was just me, horny over there, and three thugs I grabbed out of my gang. There shouldn't be anyone else here besides your group, the sailors, and Captain Teach." Digory starts to look pale and even Shamil has gone quiet.

Does it appear that his heart was destroyed, or removed and then vanished?

It was destroyed, to the best of your knowledge.

Once things have calmed down Azaraunt still wants to try to ID the magic items each opponent had.

Macavity searches the male gnome's body again.

perception take 20 = 35

Going with what has been revealed, Macavity holds up a gear and reaches a conclusion after not finding the gnome's heart, "It appears the gnome's heart was replaced by some gearwork. I've seen poison pills or teeth rigged in case of mission failure or capture. Maybe it was similar."

He stands up and lets his new Brooch of Cleanliness remove the gnome's grime from his clothes.

You take a closer look at the gnome. There is nothing (from an external standpoint) that would indicate that he was implanted with some kind of item. You'll have to remove his studded leather )Already noted as magical in nature, but is currently broken, due to the impact of whatever happened to Roondar.) to look more closely at the exit wound. You can just make out a scar, old from the look of its appearance, at the top of the wound. You cannot tell exactly how he was killed, the exit wound is too big and there is nothing between the epidermis and where the heart would be but air. If you pressed me for it, I would say that the exit wound is about 2" in diameter.

As the gnomish bard dies Azaraunt looks around suspiciously.

[dice=Perception]1d20+11

Seeing no foe, he casts See Invisibility, just to be sure, and begins looking around in the cabins, starting with the captain's cabin.

Assuming he finds nothing he says That appeared to be some type of arcane device set to kill the gnome before he betrayed his master. His fate is decided, unless our paladin cares to call him back. And I do not think the gnome would accept the gift of life from any of us. Captain, these prisoners committed their most recent crimes aboard your vessel. It is your call as to their fate. I caution against setting them free.

Even with See Invisibility, you find nothing that would indicate another person being on board, on top of who is already here.

I think I'm at a loss (both in and out of character) at this point. I'm just waiting for judgement from Teach.

Ruul drops the bound man back onto the deck of the ship.

Once things have calmed down Azaraunt still wants to try to ID the magic items each opponent had.

I had not forgotten, I was just waiting for a good moment. The 27 Spellcraft check will count towards Roondar. I'll need Spellcraft checks for each person (remember that only Roondar has been stripped.

Oh, I thought they'd all been stripped.

Ruul would have stripped them before bringing them above deck.

The 27 was taking 10, which should id everything, but if you need roles I can comply.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (10) + 17 = 27

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (10) + 17 = 27

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (10) + 17 = 27

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25

The captain comes up to the top deck, after making sure that his other sailors are ok. Lavinia, Elen, and Numair hear the captain tell Niles that he is glad that he is okay and that there is no need for him to take the last watch in the pilothouse tonight. Niles thanks him in return, looking slightly confused I don't think that Niles has realized that he was brought back from the dead.

Teach comes up to Ruul and the other prisoners as he drops Digory to the deck.

random 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
X1: 12 - 1d6 ⇒ 12 - (3) = 9
Y1: 8 - 1d6 ⇒ 8 - (4) = 4
Z1: 12 - 1d6 ⇒ 12 - (3) = 9

Looking to Ruul, the captain asks, "What have these miscreants said about being here?"

"These two do not know much. They were hired by the gnome below decks to kill us and claim it is the work of the 'Harbinger'", the minotaur explains. "Nigel was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"This is your vessel. What would you have done with them?"

have they said who hired them? Maybe I missed it in the posts?

The 27 was taking 10, which should id everything, but if you need roles I can comply.

[dice=Spellcraft]1d20+17

[dice=Spellcraft]1d20+17

[dice=Spellcraft]1d20+17

[dice=Spellcraft]1d20+17

[dice=Spellcraft]1d20+17

[dice=Spellcraft]1d20+17

Not a problem.

Elen emerges from below to see the progress of the interrogation. She whispers to Ruul:

If no one objects, Elen will use Evil eye on Digory to reduce hos saves, then Charm Person, DC 17 Will Save with a -2 to his saves.

Someone doesn't learn their lesson...

Ruul glances at the elf, "I believe they have told us all they know but if you think it best, try it."

I would try to Charm Shamil but I don't think it would change anything.

I kind of want to see if he'll blow up too.

Stop blowing up our captives!

Why? You want blown instead?

Don't give Shamil any ideas.

random 2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
X2: 9 - 1d6 ⇒ 9 - (6) = 3
Y2: 4 - 1d6 ⇒ 4 - (5) = -1
Z2: 9 - 1d6 ⇒ 9 - (2) = 7

Final: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

You look back and forth as the captain asks you about the captives. Digory is bent over, trying hard not to say anything, or so it seems. Shamil on the other hand is a different story. You see her start to giggle, repeating, "Dong, schlong, billibong," over and over again, almost as if in a mantra. After a moment, she begins slurring the words, more mumbling than anything. She starts frothing at the mouth, gurgling nonsense. As this happens, her hair, formerly a deep purple with blonde streak, begins turning silver, and then almost pure white.

Ruul grabs the small woman by the shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"Lavinia, what's happening to her?"

The stomach pain started not long after he had met that minotaur. Bad enough that he was buggering some poor human, but to throw his 'creaturehood' around was just too much. The pains always came whenever he was under stress, all the way back to his days as an orphan. He didn't like it, there was little that could be done about it, although he was able to find some warm milk on occasion that would do the trick, but drinking the stuff made him feel weak, and that could not due. So he figured they would work him over, maybe toss him over the side. He would cut the ropes at that point, swim across to the other side of the river, and make his way back home.

By the time he was on the top deck, however, things were progressing from bad to worse. It felt like he had eaten daggers or something, his insides were roiling. When he was dropped on the deck by that thing, it was all he could do not to throw up. Then he saw Shamil. They had known each other for a few years now, done some jobs together when he needed finesse over brute force. They were not lovers lords only knew what she was carrying as much as she rolled around in the hay. But she was very good at what she did, and Shamil was one of the few people on this planet that he trusted. So when she started going pale and mumbling to herself, he became concerned. They were probably bluffing him about the bard killing himself, he didn't seem capable of hurting a fly, but the magic that flew from his violin was a life-saver. When her hair went from purple to silver, then white, within a few short minutes, he became afraid. Perhaps what that bard was saying about what might happen should they fail in killing the party might be true.

Before he could say anything however, his stomach lurched again. He spat on the deck, and steam came up from it, having nothing to do with the cool night. Digory stared at it, wondering what was going on, when the first wave hit. It felt as if everything was coming up, and it was. His dinner, probably his lunch...he didn't eat chicken, did he? Then more came up, and it wasn't just food anymore. He was almost choking on what came up, and that's when he realized that he was dying; it wasn't just bile, but whole bits of his insides were coming out. The pain was so excruiating that he couldn't think anymore. He passed out, choking on his insides.

Lagash, stay sharp! Watch the river and the banks!

Calendir cannot help but pause momentarily at the horror they are witnessing... That split second of dread is interrupted by allowing his colder, outcast side to take control, offering perspective, and emotional distance: Something is killing them - it looks as if they were poisoned but it cannot be - the timing would be too perfect... Magic? A curse? What the hell are we up against...?

With a short run and a jump, the nimble half orc climbs up to the captains' house, drawing his bow and taking a look around from an advantageous point - Whatever is doing this cannot be too far away, can it..?

He surveys the area surrounding the vessel intently, but mainly the banks of the river.

Perception +11 (+13 vs. EvilOutsiders, +15 vs. Undead, +13 while in Desert terrain): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Lagash Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Heal 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19
know arcane 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Lavinia looks over the gnome trying to figure out what's happening to her and then turns in surprise to Digory as be begins puking up his innards. "What's going on here? First the bard dies and now these two are dieing as well?"

Ruul looked over the two dying captives. A glimmer of pity is visible on his bovine features.

"Can they be helped?"

The minotaur nods and looks to Lavinia.

"If nothing can be done, we should end their suffering."

"Try protection from evil and remove curse!"

I can help with one of those.

Ruul nods at the witch's suggestion and grips his holy symbol/wayfinder in a fist.

With the other his traces a brightly glowing symbol in the air, his meaty digits moving with surprising deftness. (Well, surprising to everyone but Lavinia.)

"Lord of Magic, grant me your blessings. Guard me and those under my protection a shield against the darkness."

Magic Circle vs Evil

As the minotaur finishes his spell, the sigil burst into points of light. As these tiny motes of magical energy fall on those nearby they become charged with Ruul's divine power.

In addition to the Magic Circle, everyone within 15' of Ruul gain his divine boon. This boon grants a +2 bonus on the next attack roll, skill check, or ability check made before the end of their next turn.

Not sure what else to do right now, Lavinia will attempt to cast Dispel Magic upon Digory. "We may have to just put them out of their misery if none of this helps."

Shamil looks around. Why can't the beast man give her more thingy? She wasa good girl didn't mean to play wit knifes ugly boy with one eye wouldn't go way. I was suposed to do somethng bad bud don't remember what now. Why do I feel so sad now?Thisnotright. Wish I. What? Where is First World, miss mommy.

With her skin, hair, in fact whole body now porcelin white, a tear forms on her right eye, almost blue against the backdrop of her skin. She then slumps over, dead.

Lagash, stay sharp! Watch the river and the banks!

Calendir cannot help but pause momentarily at the horror they are witnessing... That split second of dread is interrupted by allowing his colder, outcast side to take control, offering perspective, and emotional distance: Something is killing them - it looks as if they were poisoned but it cannot be - the timing would be too perfect... Magic? A curse? What the hell are we up against...?

With a short run and a jump, the nimble half orc climbs up to the captains' house, drawing his bow and taking a look around from an advantageous point - Whatever is doing this cannot be too far away, can it..?

He surveys the area surrounding the vessel intently, but mainly the banks of the river.

Perception +11 (+13 vs. EvilOutsiders, +15 vs. Undead, +13 while in Desert terrain): 1d20+11

Lagash Perception: 1d20+5

You don't see anything out there, but yet, you can almost feel as if someone or something is watching all of this unfold. You strain your vision, and link with Lagash to do so +2 for Evil Outsider and +2 for Aid Another but you don't see anything. However, you can almost taste the evil in the air, and it doesn't taste like rainbow.

I can help with one of those.

Ruul nods at the witch's suggestion and grips his holy symbol/wayfinder in a fist.

With the other his traces a brightly glowing symbol in the air, his meaty digits moving with surprising deftness. (Well, surprising to everyone but Lavinia.)

"Lord of Magic, grant me your blessings. Guard me and those under my protection a shield against the darkness."

Magic Circle vs Evil

As the minotaur finishes his spell, the sigil burst into points of light. As these tiny motes of magical energy fall on those nearby they become charged with Ruul's divine power.

In addition to the Magic Circle, everyone within 15' of Ruul gain his divine boon. This boon grants a +2 bonus on the next attack roll, skill check, or ability check made before the end of their next turn.

Fort Save vs ???: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

The spell seems to have no effect on Digory, who is turning blue.

Ruul can grant him (and Shamil) the divine boon as well so they'd have an extra +2 - if a 16 makes a difference.

cast clw 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
any effect?