Janiries Shaelara |
Throwing the mask back down, Janiries leaps away with a grimace, looking rather creeped out and annoyed.
"Barely worth anything anyway.. hmmph."
The Sun Elf then waits for Matthias to pick up the mask, before looking over her shoulder at the room behind her.
"But there might be something worthwhile in there. Come on Landon, may as well check it out."
Turning on her heels, Janiries heads into the back room where the monster emerged from, on alert for any traps or other surprises.. but mostly looking out for any treasure.
Perception Check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Hezar |
Hezar follows though unbidden
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
DM Locke |
@ Janiries, Landon, and Hezar - the room beyond was carved out of the living stone deep under the hill. Relatively narrow and long, the floor is littered with broken skeletons in ancient armour, with old rusted weapons laying strewn amongst them. You detect no traps in the room proper; but you may find something of value in the refuse on the floor.
On a ledge on the south wall are four large ceramic jars, each topped with a different animal head. On the north an old wooden coffer has been set into a hole in the wall. And on the north, a throne, carved out of stone, and set into the wall. How many centuries- millenia- did the evil ancient undead spend alone in here?
Hezar |
Hezar checks the refuse on the floor, leaving the other things to the others.
Matthias Valbrand |
"Cursed," Matthias said with distaste, turning the mask over to avoid accidents. "Nobody look at its eyes. Does anyone have a sack?" He looked over at Landon, holding the mask up with one hand. "The curse is quite powerful. Do you know of a way to destroy it? Helm has not granted me the knack of removing magic from such things. Perhaps your Order...?"
Landon Crane |
"Unfortunately no. In our hunts we destroyed what we could and returned any cursed items to the church for proper cleansing and destruction. If no one has a sack we can wrap it in one of my blankets and bind it with rope. Although I am not sure how safe it would be to travel with it, it will be much safer in our care than left here for some unfortunate passerby."
Hezar |
What does it do?
Matthias Valbrand |
"Agreed. I'll leave it here for now, while we examine the tomb." Matthias carefully set down the mask, face-down, before joining the others in the tomb, looking for anything else magical while he could still see it.
Belgrin Stoneshield |
Belgrin scoffs, rolling his eyes about the gnashing mask as he follows Janiries into the next chamber. "Who the devil makes a mask that bites..."
knowledge engineering: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 pffft, nevermind.
The new chamber seems to catch his interest, however. While the construction almost reminds him of Dwarven work, his furrowed brow implies that he can't quite place the familiarity. His eyes narrow at the various bones strewn about, however. He spins his maulaxe around the the blunt side with a growl. "Too many bones in this place. We oughtta splinter 'em all, what with the undead god lazin' about, aye?"
Hezar |
Here! Hezar tosses one towards Belgrin letting him shatter it out of the air.
Amestri Atezadeh |
At Matthias' warning, Amestri mutters some words Cigam Tceted and touches her eyes before looking at the contents of the new room, in case there are further cursed objects within.
Detect Magic
DM Locke |
Janiries detects no traps upon the coffer; slowly opening it, the smell of sandalwood precedes a small cloud of dust. Inside the chest is a single ivory scroll case, sealed with beeswax. There is something within!
Amestri's spell detects something magical on the floor - under the bones and armour is a scimitar, virtually unblemished. The edge remains sharp despite the vast age since it was last wielded, and the blade has a hint of sapphire blue running up the edge. It is light and beautifully balanced.
Little else of value was found, save for an ancient locket, the symbol of an open, ever watchful eye on the front.
Matthias Valbrand |
Matthias picked up the locket, holding it up in the light. "I wonder what it was doing with this... perhaps the faithful died putting Tanebrous in here?"
Amestri Atezadeh |
Amestri clears the bones and dust to uncover the gleaming magical scimitar and peers at it for a few more moments, turning it over in her hands.
Round 2, Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Round 3, Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
She frowns as she is unable to pierce its complexities.
"Matthias, are you able to determine the magic behind this scimitar?"
Belgrin Stoneshield |
Belgrin taps his boot toe on the floor, shaking out the bone chips from the latest skull crushed underfoot; his eyes are suspicious of the elven hands opening the long sealed coffer and the gleaming weapon beneath the refuse.
"Bein' gifted a weapon by a ghost's one thing, but now we're doin' no better than the grave robbers we just knocked around, lads. Can't complain about spoils o' war when ye win em fair 'n square, but this ain't Lassathor we're plunderin' here. If ye're satisfied with yer loot, could we be done with it already?"
The disapproval in his lecture just barely masks his anxiety; this is no Dwarven tomb.
"Can't think o' many things what can't be cloven or crushed; but the longer somethin's dead, the harder it seems to be to kill a second time. Wishin' I had a minin' team here so we could collapse the tunnel and leave this tomb undisturbed."
Amestri Atezadeh |
Amestri snatches the scroll out of the air and turns her vision to it. "There may be information here on whether this dead will actually come around a second time. The fleeing locusts and the cursed mask makes me wonder," she says to Belgrin before unrolling the scroll to view it's contents.
Rolls if necessary
Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Matthias Valbrand |
"To be fair, Belgrin, Tanebrous didn't seem like a wholesome foe, either. I wouldn't want to leave this locket here, in any case - though perhaps with the remains of the guardians outside... Do we have the time to build a cairn for them?"
Hezar |
dude we suck at IDing things
Amestri Atezadeh |
Testify. I should just take 10 on these things so we'll know what they are if they're 3rd CL or less, and know they're better on a fail. If we ever find a longer term safe zone, I can swap out Grease for Identify, which should do the trick.
DM Locke |
Unfortunately, neither the scroll nor the sword seem willing to give up their secrets just yet; you can try again after a short rest.
The amulet, just to note, is not of the Helmish faith, though it looks similar. There is writing on the back, but it is in some sort of pictogram language that none of you are familiar with.
Hezar |
Lets get out of here. We need to interrogate that bandit.
Hezar turns and quickly heads out to checkon Belina, Marius and Apollo.
Matthias Valbrand |
While the others interrogated the bandit, Matthias built a quick cairn of rubble for the guardians that they laid low. They might not have been Helmish, but they were guardians who had served long and well, and deserved a place of rest.
Matthias prayed briefly over their final resting spot, then went to join the others.
"The amulet possibly suggests that Tanebrous had another enemy, one that locked him in that vault - perhaps an ally to us, should we discover who it was. Perhaps it might help against Lassathor if we had the amulet translated." He paused a moment. "Or maybe the amulet belonged to Tanebrous or his minions. Either way, translating it seems a good idea. But if you disagree, I will leave it within the cairn."
Hezar |
Take it. I am sure he will be back. Those locusts did not scatter they swarmed.
DM Locke |
The bandit is awake and aware as you emerge from the crypt. She's younger than you had thought - perhaps only 19 or twenty winters - and despite her rough appearance and the scowl she bears, she's rather pretty, albeit tomboyish. Her long brown hair is pulled back in a simple ponytail. Belina has stripped the girl of her armour; she retains a pair of rough leather breeches and a brown linen blouse. Her wrists are bound behind her back with the manacles and she sits, cross-legged, on the ground.
Belina meets Hezar with a long hug, and Apollo yips excitedly upon seeing the ranger. Tethys stalks up silently to Marius and gives him a headbutt on the leg, before moving from one party member to the next, butting and purring.
She's not said a word, says Belina, consternation upon her lovely face. I promised we wouldn't hurt her, but I've not even been able to get her name. I didn't know if anyone else wanted to try talking to her.
Hezar |
Hezar scoops up Apollo after the hug, then pets Tethys heartily.
Sir Crane? I believe this is your area of expertise.
Janiries Shaelara |
"More information is always useful, Matthias. Best take it with us, along with the scroll and sword. I'm sure we can find someone in Port Kir to help us translate them all."
Taking one last look over the room, to make sure she didn't miss anything, Janiries heads back outside, rather relieved to be out of the tomb.
Landon Crane |
diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
"Alright," walking up and stopping before the bandit. "I am sir Crane, a member of the church of Helm. My companions and I have some questions for you so I hope that you'll cooperate."
if several polite attempts to acquire the information fails Landon will switch tactics and taking a 10 on intimidate for a total of 20
"Girl, I tried to do this the easy way, please don't make me show you what I've learned as a member of the Inquisition."
DM Locke |
The girl blanches a little at Landon's threats, as his more diplomatic entreaties seem to fall on deaf ears.
I ain't afraid of you, Helmite! You're all full of bluster and hot air! I don't have to tell you people ANYTHING. But I will do you this favour: release me now, and my people won't come after ya. But if ya don't - if ya keep me bound an' trapped - they will come in the night and kill all of you. She spits on the ground by Landon's feet and then looks up with a sarcastic smile.
Matthias Valbrand |
If Matthias is present, he'll try to be the good cop to Landon's bad cop.
Matthias knelt by the girl, meeting her eyes earnestly. "We needn't be your enemies, miss. The offer I made earlier, of a better life than graverobbing for all of you, that stands. All we're asking is that you answer a few questions, nothing more. Please, don't make us fight your people. We already destroyed the thing that killed half of them before; I don't want any more of you to get hurt."
diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16 Well, it was worth a try...
Hezar |
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14 SM
Hezar stands quietly with Belina, unsure what to make of it all
DM Locke |
The girl sneers at Matthias' words. By keepin' me you're making the decision to fight, priest. By nightfall you'll have two dozen of my people, trainin' arrows on ya! Now let me go!
This one is a real treasure ... Belina mutters under her breath, shaking her head. Should we just leave her here? If her people are really so eager to get her back they'd no doubt find her in short order. Belina looks to Hezar for his opinion.
She's going to slow us down, one way or another. says Marius, his eyes looking north, no doubt thinking about Kane and his group.
Hezar |
Well I have a feeling that her people are long gone. If we leave her she will probably die. I could be wrong. The good thing is that since I am just a humble forester I do not have to make the decision. Hezar replies thoughtfully
Belgrin Stoneshield |
"Bah!" Belgrin barks. Securing his weapons, he adresses everyone at once. "We've plenty of things to waste time on, like buildin' a barony and killin' an undead god, not playin' games with a fool girl who's countin' on thieves ta save her hide! Cut 'er loose and let's be on our way."
He then points to the bandit girl and issues his own ultimatum.
"Ye care to scout that tomb, girl, ye'll find four--FOUR unlivin' monstrosities turned ta dust and bones at our hands. If yer bandit clan thinks they can top that, they're welcome to deliver us more loot and combat practice! If they got the slightest knock o' sense in their skulls though, they'll stay their bows and pay attention. In the days ta come, cleanin' out coffins'll be the LEAST of yer worries, lass."
Hezar |
Come over here with me Belina, this might become unpleasant.
Hezar takes her hand and goes to check on the horses.
Belgrin Stoneshield |
Belgrin casually shoulders Janiries out of the way, putting one fist within the other and cracking his knuckles. "Nay, elf, let her squawk like a pigeon! Let her fool bandit friends deliver us a new set o' daggers and bows for supply an' I'll be happy to show her who's the 'little man' around 'ere! We're 'bout to start a barony, we'll take any donation o' weapons and armor we can get! Our future staff'll thank ye for savin' us some revenue!"
DM Locke |
No; you guys are currently in the foothills of the Starspire mountains, passing through the Grim Jaws pass on the way to Port Kir and the vicinity. Your protectorate is well south and east of your current location.
The girl stares grimly forward. We are thrice, nay, four times your number at my camp alone. As a tribe we are.... she stops abruptly, as if concerned that she has given away too much, and says nothing more.
Landon Crane |
sense motive: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
"Are you sure your kin, your tribe, are coming to save you? Are you really valuable enough to them to risk losing more people in a protracted battle against seasoned warriors?" he paused and steps away, "Remind me again what the penalty for tomb raiding and banditry is. I'm quite sure it's hanging. Who has some rope? Since she has no intention of helping us then I see no reason why we should shield her from the law. We've been given the responsibility of upholding the law so let us finish this and continue with our real task."
Matthias Valbrand |
Matthias frowned, and moved to stand by Janiries so that the girl couldn't see his face. "Is it really worth our time to terrorize this girl? What could she tell us that would be worth us acting like this?" he whispered to her so that the girl wouldn't hear. "We should just let her go, and deal with her bandit friends if they dare meet us in battle. If we are to rule a barony, why not start by showing mercy? That might make it easier for the wild peoples hereabouts to rally under us."
Matthias is whispering so he doesn't screw up the interrogation - he's just too soft-hearted to stand by while we scare the heck out of a girl. I figured Janiries wasn't right beside the girl; he'd talk to whoever in the interrogation group wasn't too close to her.
Janiries Shaelara |
Turning to Matthias, Janiries likewise lowers her voice to a whisper to respond to the Cleric.
"Terrorise her? That's not what I'm after. If we let her go free, then she'll just go tell her bandit friends about us, which will lead to another confrontation and more deaths, potentially on our side. Despite Belgrin's confidence, I don't like the idea of being attacked by a whole lot of bandits in their terrain."
Janiries sighs a moment, before continuing.
"Either we kill her now and get it over with, or take her with us to Port Kir and turn her over to the authorities there. We do have the manacles, after all."
Matthias Valbrand |
"I can't argue about the bandits - if they are as many as she says, and they have horses, we'd have trouble with them - though she did promise to leave us alone if we let her go. I doubt they could have _that_ many horses, but who knows? But I'm in favor of the manacles, if we don't let her go. We aren't murderers, after all." He looked at Janiries with worried eyes.