Lilith Sylvari |
Lilith conjurs a small light now that they are pursued anyway. Lenneth, can I hold one of those paper animals? Lilith says as they make for the cathedral.
GM Fiendish |
Abandoning stealth actually helps you for the few hundred meters you have to cover to get to the cathedral, the light cast by Lilith's spell is scant, but just enough for those without darkvision to see where their feet are going.
Moving quickly and dodging past the scattered groups of groaners, you reach the ornate gates with a small lead ahead of your pursuers. Dashing inside the consecrated ground and turning to close the the gates behind you, you find they move slowly with loud juddering creaks, but eventually slam together just as the large group following you catches up.
As you slam the large bolt home to bar the gates, arms thrust through the blackened iron bars and ravaged, decayed faces press themselves as close as they can, all yellow bloodshot eyes and snapping jaws.
The gates bulge towards you as more groaners join the assembled throng, but they're holding, for now...
You find yourselves in a scarred and broken landscape of empty graves and fallen tombstones. Everywhere there is unmistakable evidence of groaners being here in the past, but no signs of anything moving inside the church grounds at present.
The church soars above you, a towering architectural monolith of stone, it's a severe contrast to the small wood-construction buildings you've been inside recently. The outside is severely cracked, and most of the gigantic stained glass windows are broken, almost as if a giant fist had spent time battering it.
The front doors are ajar, and you can see dull light flickering in the doorway and occasionally the windows. There is another smaller door (locked) down the side of the church, but no other entry points present themselves.
The clothing of those carrying the folded paper animals begins to vibrate intensely now you are near the church.
I know Lenneth has the broken butterfly (which she can feel fluttering very slightly), but please let me know who has which of the other folded paper animals, and who (if anyone) is carrying the locked, silver-filigree journal that belonged to the priest (you recovered it in the shop cellar that first day)...
Lenneth Barlow |
Lenneth has the paper frog also; there should be a third but I can't remember who had it. Also did we bring Turrey's body/belongings with us?
With the immediate danger past, at least for the moment, Lenneth reaches into her backpack and fishes out the paper frog that they'd found in the alchemy shop and passes it to Lilith.
"Barricade the church or maybe try to pick some of them off through the gates?" she asks, panting slightly from the exertion.
Euron Velren |
Getting out of the current danger for now Euron looks around. "We should get inside and secure it, we don't know if they can get in somewhere else. There could be someone inside have you been here before?"
Lilith Sylvari |
At the entrance to the building Lilith pauses and takes the paper frog out and places on the ground in front of the doors. She watches it intently.
Polonius Fynch |
With them slamming shut behind them, Polonius slumps against one of the heavy gates. He has time to take one deep breath before several pairs of hands shoot through the bars and start grasping at him.
He curses loudly and foully in his native tongue which, to those who cannot understand, has an odd sing-song quality.
Come on, quick now! he rushes toward the massive building. Euron, Azmerai we need to make sure every entrance to this place is secure. If those Moaners get in here, those bits of paper aren't going to mean a damned thing!
Something is drawing them here, that much is obvious and in truth Polonius finds the paper tokens remarkable but this is a simple equation - deal with the base elements first. And for Polo those base elements are shelter and safety.
I hope you're ok, Kaiya.... please be safe...
Euron Velren |
When Lilith steps towards the entrance and places the paper animal, Euron looks on confused. What is going on, what is it with these paper animals. Then snaps out of it when Poloinus shouts, he follows after him. "You're right, we don't have time to mess about let make sure nothing got in."
Lilith Sylvari |
Lilith looks annoyed. There is strong magic at work here. Let a practitioner study it for a moment before we blindly break a barrier and enter this holy ground.
GM Fiendish |
The paper frog shudders for a moment, then hops inside the church with renewed vigor.
Lilith's careful sensing for dweomers, malevolent or otherwise, reveals nothing other than a very slight aura of positive energy emanating from the building.
Carefully peering inside it take a moment for your eyes to adjust. There is a short entrance area with various religious symbols on the walls, evidently this place served as chapel for all the faiths of the townsfolk.
The entranceway opens out in to the main vaulted chamber, and you determine the light is coming from a chalice at the far end of the room, placed on the centre of a table, and glowing with silver-white flames. Bathing the room in its radiance, it causes the remnants of the stained glass windows to reflect myriad colours sweeping across the floor.
You are momentarily shocked to see that some of the pews in the room are actually in use, figures are seated in place, unmoving. A cautious approach to the nearest reveals it as a middle-aged man, clad in the tattered remains of a robe. Your greeting freezes in your throat as you see that the half of his face that was hidden from you is missing, like it had been eaten away by predator's teeth. The distinctive yellow, bloodshot eyes confirm your fears this is a groaner, as you realise you are in a room with around 20 or so of them, though none are reacting to your presence at all, and remain completely motionless, with the reflected lights passing over them.
The remaining paper animals wriggle their way out of pockets and bags, and unless stopped, begin to hop, crawl and strut down the centre aisle towards the chalice.
There is a set of stairs behind you that likely leads to the balcony above, and towards the rear of the chamber there are two exits, one woooden door in the back wall, the other an open archway leading to more stairs that likely gives access to the belltower.
Polonius Fynch |
Polonius is in no state to stop the paper animals. In truth, he only barely registers the rows upon rows of dead all around him.
His eyes glaze over and a feeling of serenity washes over him like a warm spray from a bubbling brook. He staggers and almost falls to one knee.
He has never been a religious man. Of course only a fool or a lunatic would deny the existence of the Gods, their influence on day to day life was only too plain. And yet on all his travels in searching for a cure for his wife's illness, he had seen mages and medicine-men perform all kinds of magic and yet claim to have no connection to the deities above.
As an alchemist he walked a difficult road where magic and science meet and diverge and meet again. But never had there been a place for religion in his life. And yet standing here, in this church at this moment, he had never felt close to the Divine.
The feeling of serenity is replaced by a sudden gut-wrenching sense of vertigo as he is ripped from where he is standing to fly as the birds, hurtling over fields and hills and roads heading east into the rising sun. And then suddenly, incredibly; he sees him.
B--en...! his own voice from a hundred miles away cracks.
He thinks he sees his son look up at the calling of his name but is it just his imagination? Is this all just his imagination?
And then he is back in the church, head spinning and stomach churning.
Ben... he croaks again. My son... he's out there, I saw him. He's alive...!
He slumps to his knees and half watches through eyes blurred with tears as the paper dolls make their way toward the chalice.
Lilith Sylvari |
Lilith slumps and stumbles as she entered. She reaches for closest pew just to steady herself. I... so tired. I need to rest. Yes rest just for a moment. She begins to move to sit in the pews.
Euron Velren |
Euron drops his weapon the clang echoes through the church, but no one seems to take note. Gripping his head as the pain is almost enough for him to scream out. Why do i have to relive this! He is assaulted by the people he killed the monster he saw on that night. He then turns looking at the others. Do they know? They can never know.
He slumps to his knees, taking in long deep breaths he is blind to everything. "That... what was that." Finally catching his breath he stands picking up his weapon getting his senses back. "I don't know about safe I... just saw something. We have to make sure this place is safe there is something powerful here." He then looks down the aisle at the chalice.
Lilith Sylvari |
With everyone else tending to their own reactions to the energy of this place Lilith fights the pain from her wound and the fatigue that has washed over her. Falling to her hands and knees is the only way she can stop herself from sliding in next to one of the undead. Looking up to the others she begs Help me get out of this room. If I do not leave now, I may never leave.
Lenneth Barlow |
Nearly overwhelmed by the presence of her patron, Lenneth looks on the current scene as if through a fog. She hears her voice, coming from what seems a million miles away.
"There's something here...something powerful. This book..." she says, holding the priest's book in outstretched hands. "Indigo, what's happening?"
The last is directed at the small cat who has suddenly appeared and clambered out of the backpack Lenneth is carrying.
Valex |
Valex is silent for a moment, observing the powerful reactions of the people around him. He wonders at his own, curious detachment. Have I been abandoned by the Divine for the failure of the Order?. His face falls as the thought saddens him, but Lilith's plea snaps him out of his reverie.
"Here, Lilith...lean on my shoulder. There are signs here - please help me search, if you would."
Know/Religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Know/arcana: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
If Lilith joins him, he will keep her awake and walking, and work his way around the perimeter of the sanctuary.
Lilith Sylvari |
Grateful to Vales, LIlith grasps the man's shoulder as an alternative to the pew she so wanted to avoid. She does not weigh much, but Vales receives much of that burden as the fatigued wizard leans on him fully. Yes, we need to search. she agrees and begins to look around for the first time. So tired. She says. And in a near state of exhaustion adds And the wound burns so in this room.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
She will also recast Dancing Lights as 4 bright globes of light and send them flashing off into the corners and any dark recesses as she looks around.
Polonius Fynch |
Polo pulls himself back to his feet and wipes the back of his hand across his eyes.
His mind fills with images of his son. Older, more weary but still Benvolio. But too much is happening at once.
Lillith looks suddenly weakened in the church and Lenneth seems panicked over something.. a book? The others also seem in varying states of confusion and anger.
Every instinct is telling him to grab his gear and run. Run to Ben as fast as he can and damned to the consequences!
But in many ways science represents the triumph of reason over instinct. And he pushes that instinct away down, closes the cover on it like an important thesis and stores in a corner of his mind to be revisited later. But soon.
For now, there were other matters.
Lillith, I know you're tired and I know you're in pain. But we need to know what's happening here. You just chided me that a practitioner of magic should have a moment to study the effects of this place. Then do it! he says, intently. use your discipline and study, forget the pain and exhaustion and tell us what is happening!
Though his voice is raised Polonius attempts to give Lillith something definitive to focus on so that she might better withstand the pain. It was something he himself did after Amelia passed away.
Euron Velren |
Euron checks over the room making sure no one is hiding being weary of the undead.
perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
He then takes a look towards the chalice, trying to understand what is it he's seeing.
religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
He then steps towards Lilith, hoping to help her.
"Wound? Is she ok? I could take a look at it."
Lilith Sylvari |
Make a diplomacy roll Euron. Gonna set a DC of 15 for this. Background is that Lilith has been hiding something but feels guilty for doing so,as it could affect more than just her. She is quite lawful after all. I figure now that its causing a problem, or even problems, and she is weak there is a chance she might come clean. But I do not want to just give up all her secrets for nothing. :)
Euron Velren |
"Please let me help you Lillith. Did you get hurt in that last fight?" He steps forward with his hand out.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
sounds good to me, there's a lot of secrets going around it seems :)but maybe not today
Lilith Sylvari |
Lilith hesitates, looking at the man hopefully, but then says. Well those large undead really clobbered me. Came right out of the fog and caught me unaware. I used what healing I had but I think I am still dazed. She wobbles for effect. If you do a heal check, she is suffering from the onset of some disease, and in fact is down a little con, but is at full hit points.
GM Fiendish |
As Azmerai kneels at the altar, he is joined by the crawling paper tiger, frog and bird. They seem to be resting on the dais under the table, basking in the glow like cats do in sunlight. The chalice rests on a simple homespun cloth, but aside from this there is nothing else on the table at all.
As Lenneth holds the book in her outstretched hands, it begins to glow with the same colour light as the flames. Lenneth feels like she is filled with oil and water, two separate powers of completely different providence. The book is very slightly pulling towards the chalice.
Indigo has his ears pinned back to his skull, he is practically vibrating with tension, you can sense his heart is going four times normal speed with the strain he's under. He ignores you completely, his mind is ..so...taut....focused.....stressed......
Lilith's lights scour the dark corners of the room, revealing naught but dust motes spinning in the light of the chalice's flames. The seated throng ignore the lights, they appear to only have eyes for the radiance of the chalice.
Valex |
Valex surrenders Lilith to Euron's care, and, with a quick glance at the seated Groaners, checks the markings of the Order and begins to search for a cache.
Take 20 on perception for 24? or Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Euron Velren |
Stepping forward he takes a look over Lillith, being careful as he checks her wound.
Heal: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
As she leans on him he gets a flash of felt sensation, his shoulder burns as he feels faint. Pulling back quickly he stares at her for a moment. What was that.. this place something is different. Taking another step back he looks to the others. "She's infected, i've seen this before and i haven't found anything that could help yet."
He grips his weapon remember what had to be done before, but then loses him grip. "You said you might have a cure, i hope for her sake and ours you have i can't watch anyone turn again." He then reaches out to show some compassion to Lillith but pulls back at the last second remembering what happened last time.
Turning again to look to the Chalice. "That Chalice seems to be a divine focus for a lingering spell, i've never experienced anything like this before. I dont understand whats maintaining it, it could end any second or it could last for years. We should be safe and clean this room of all enemys."
GM Fiendish |
Gah, missed Lilith leaning on Valex a few posts back, so you both also get:
As Lilith leans on you, you get a flash of felt sensation, your shoulder burns and you feel faint. Then as suddenly as it arrived, it is gone. That was odd, you do seem to be the only one not unduly affected by this place's influence, but that touch set off something...
As you lean on Valex, you get a flash of felt sensation, failure, remorse and underpinning all, strong resolve saturates your senses. The feeling ebbs, but leaves you feeling slightly bolstered. You are now fatigued instead of exhausted...
Azmerai's keen scavenger instincts ferret out a battered large wooden shield tucked behind one of the pulpit curtains, but aside from that the thorough search of the room finds no secret drawers or doors.
Valex also finds no further markings, but muses that the church is more than this one area, so likely the cache may be in one of the other rooms.
Lilith Sylvari |
To retcon a little: With the above spoiler Lilith will weakly resist being transferred to Euron, clinging to Valex saying Somehow he strengthens me. Let me stay with Valex.
With Euron's proclamation Lilith looks betrayed and confused. What do you mean Euron? she manages. I know I am sick but now we have medicines. And then her eyes fill with compassion as she comprehends some of the shared sensation. And Euron, you do not need to feel such shame and guilt. We have all done things since the Harvest that we are not proud of. We have had to to survive.
Euron Velren |
Euron stares at Lilith, he finally found more survivors that vision it all came tumbling back. "You felt something too as we touched..." Then turning away he finds it hard looking at anyone. "As you said Lilith we've all done bad things, we don't get to take them back. Now lets keep surviving and take out these undead, let's do it together. " Euron then signals the others.
Polonius Fynch |
He strengthens me... You felt something too as we touched...
Hmmmm.... the gnome scratches his chin and thinks back to the rudiments of diagnostics - test and observe.
He lightly touches Azmerai on the elbow, saying;
Thank you for carrying Turrey. He didn't deserve to be left there.
The sentiment is heartfelt, but in truth the alchemist simply wants to test his hypothesis that the group is linked in some way - perhaps by the chalice.
GM Fiendish |
As Euron's blade stabs in to the head of the first groaner, a very faint nebulous black shape escapes the body, struggling briefly with the light from the chalice before being dissipated by the strength of the flickering flame's radiance.
Lenneth continues to feel the pull on the book, and is now being moved step by slow step, down the aisle towards the chalice. Indigo clings around her feet like a second shadow dancing under the sun.
Euron Velren |
@first kill
"Did you see that? it seems the chalice is banishing whatever dark force compels them."
@Poloinus
Euron turns back from his next kill as Polonius speaks. What if they all feel my guilt what if they see.. Hesitantly he steps forward next to the others. "I felt something earlier when i touched Lilith, i felt a burning sensation in my shoulder." Looking at the hand offered to him by Azmerai he slowly reaches out and grasps it. If i refuse they won't need a reason to distrust me.
Valex |
With an expression of curiosity, Valex maneuvers himself and Lilith to the circle, taking Azmeri's other hand, and holding onto Lilith's.
Lilith Sylvari |
Lilith is last to join the circle. She is not so much hesitant as she is fatigued. Her grip is very weak. She tries to open up her mind to both send and receive. If I could tell them this way it would be easier than having to say the words. she thinks as she completes the circle.
Lenneth Barlow |
As the book begins to compel her foward, towards the chalice, Lenneth drops the book and attempts to dig her heels in to pull herself to a stop. "The book...all of these things are connected, somehow. But someone else should open it - it doesn't feel right for me." She then joins the circle with the others.
GM Fiendish |
You stand there in your circle, holding hands, and for a moment nothing happens. Suddenly you each feel a warmth building in you, and you can sense the presence of the other's minds near your own, like a barely audible, distant conversation.
A whirl of emotions spin through each of you: pride and peace at having survived and gotten here safe; relief and fear that a loved one thought lost is alive but not close by; curiosity and certainty that this place holds something that might help survive; shame and a resolute dedication to atone; grave concern and fright of what might happen soon...then your minds touch something otherworldly and instinctively try to recoil, but tendrils of inky blackness lash forth and embrace you, overwhelming your senses as three voices speak, each syllable dripping with terrible power.
...†Hi§ wAs NøT m€aN† †ø b€...
...øUr dAuGh†€R ¢AnNø† ¢øn†aIn øuR €§§€n¢€ iN †Hi§ pLaC€, †H€ ¢ønDuI† †rAp§ u§...
...†H€¥ aR€ JøIn€d, Iƒ w€ dø nø† A¢† †H€¥ Ma¥ B€ Lø§†...
You feel discord, your minds separated forcefully as if a knife blade had been placed in between. Slowly you come back to your senses, just in time to witness black energy seeping from Lenneth's eyes and coiling in to the air, the swirls of blackness spread and each seems to encompass a spinning facet of silver-grey flame as it dances around the room. The dark motes seem to strangle the light, and the air shudders with the play of different powers, in moments the flames of the chalice have all but extinguished. As they expire, one last spark flies free and is absorbed by the paper tiger.
Eyes glowing brightly with white light, the sole illumination in a room now choked with darkness, it moves on newly mended legs, swiping at the darkness trying to smother it.
Then it seems you are alone again, in between breaths whatever supernatural or divine energies were present here, they have now faded away.
The tiger prowls up and down the dais, but the chalice's fires are out for good. Thoughts moving to the seated groaners, you realise they are completely unmoving. Whatever energies once animated them, they are gone too.
Indigo lies at Lenneth's feet, out cold.
Due to the deep experience you have just shared, from now on whenever you make an 'aid another' skill check to assist a character who participated in the circle with you, add +3 instead of +2 to their check if you are successful.
As you look across at each other, you can each feel something of the dark still lingering in you, like a scaffold who's task is complete, yet still stands to support the building. Something of that power lingers and has changed you in a fundamental way.
Go ahead and advance to level 3!
Valex |
In the quiet dark, for a few long moments, Valex stares around at his new companions in open-mouthed awe.
He clears his throat a couple of times, the noise like a shout in the stillness.
"Next time we need to get to know each other...can't we just talk?"
Then his usual serious expression returns, and he glances around the room to make sure that everyone is alright.