Hamar holds his blades at the ready, wary of whether this is a trick.
"That's, terrible. All those people, imprisoned in that monstrosity. No wonder it didn't react like an undead or even a golem." Justin murmurs.
Paranoia and adrenaline still pumping, Justin politely returns a wary bow to the ghostly figure.
"You are most welcome sir. Glad to have been able to assist."
Justin glances at the others, then back to the speaking spirit.
"If you, perchance, have knowledge that may help us to put a stop to those who did this to you, we would welcome it. Otherwise, we will not delay your well-deserved rest any longer. Go in peace."
The noble-looking elf nods
"Thank you. My name is Prince Brightflame. I am a wizard from a prime world known as Oerth. I was planeswalking in an attempt to discover a secret that has been literally erased fro the fabric of reality. Only the rumors of rumors hint of a titanic power struggle between the gods themselves. "
He guestures to the surrounding shades
"That creature was a trap for wizards, an Arcanovore. It would have absorbed all of you arcane magical folk into itself, as it did me. It is quite lucky you defeated it so quickly. "
He gazed at his translucent body
"My soul feels much stronger here, yet I am compelled to leave. I will tell you what I have found out"
He looks st the party
"Once, many years ago a demon-god ruled in the Abyss. His name has been erased from all memory, for names have power. However, his assassin didn't take into account he was a Lord of Undeath. He had crafted a plan to rise as an undead creature should he ever be killed, a demon-god specter, if you will. This new creature called itself Tenebrous. It raised minions from the slain lieutenants that once served him. These 'visages' are abominations , beings that should not exist. Yet, the power of Tenebrous is such that he could bend the laws of the Wheel to his liking.
Now, Tenebrous is weak, at least relative to his past. He searches for an item, one which long ago he poured much of his essence into. This artifact is the key to regaining his god hood"
Prince Brightflame pauses, then continues on
"Within a room in this fortress is a drow vampire. This vampire is somehow connected to the artifact. Tenebrous has him imprisoned and guarded by his visages. His knowledge could lead to the artifact. "
The shade suddenly loses some solidity, becoming less visible
"I must go. Please, take care and try to stop Tenebrous. His is an evil that should not reappear in the cosmos"
"Tenebrous. So now our foe has a name, I must admit, it is a food name".
"Oh! I'm from Oerth as well!" Karrin beams, "Name's Karrin Kind. So nice to meet someone from back home . . ."
Karrin frowns as he disappears.
"Well, we got some Intel and a target for our explorations. We need to find this vampire and get what he knows."
"Tenebrous. So now our foe has a name, I must admit, it is a food name".
"Oh, don't remind me off food Hamar, it's been over an hour since I last ate."
"Oh! I'm from Oerth as well!" Karrin beams, "Name's Karrin Kind. So nice to meet someone from back home . . ."
Karrin frowns as he disappears.
"Well, we got some Intel and a target for our explorations. We need to find this vampire and get what he knows."
The wavering shade bows to Karrin
"My lady. I am from the Faerie Kingdom of Celene originally, but there were ... difficulties amongst my kin and I decided to depart. I call the City of Greyhawk home now. Hopefully I will be able to contact my students and arrange for a resurrection now that I have been released from that living imprisonment."
He wavers a bit. The party notes the other shades are disappearing in twos and threes
"One last thing. Tenebrous has recently acquired some puissant ancient magic. It is strong enough to destroy minor deities. Be careful in your quest."
"Wonderful, more magic..."
"Hmmm, yes we should eat, Karrin is right".
Nari looked up from repairing her bowstring which had slid out of place while she was trying to shoot. This was what she got for not using it for so long, although it wasn't the most useful weapon against undead. "I don't need to eat, but for those who do, wouldn't you prefer somewhere that err.....smelled better than this room? It's one of the more er...odiferous rooms we've come across here. And that's saying something."
"Thank you for your help Prince Brightflame. Safe journeys wherever you go. If you ever make it to Sigil, look for us at the Silver Rose." Justin waves in farewell to the fading spirit.
Justin takes a look at the huge corpse on the floor, and shudders. "Lucky is right!" He murmurs. He is obviously VERY disconcerted about the possibility of being absorbed into such a monstrosity.
"THAT'S how it was able to fire off those spells. It must have been using the knowledge of those it had,... eaten." Justin shudders again, and takes a step away from the remains.
"RIGHT! So,... We have a Name. Tenebrous. Somewhere there's a Vampire Drow, with a connection to an artifact/key thing which we can't let Tenebrous get to, AND he ALREADY has access to ancient magic that can destroy minor powers. This day just Keeps. Getting. Better!" Justin says clapping his hands together and rubbing them briskly with a huge, obviously fake, smile on his face.
'Yep. I'm with Nari. Maybe nothing can throw you off your meal Karrin, but my stomach is a LEETLE more delicate than yours. Let's find a room with less,... THAT in it before we break out the snacks." Justin indicates the corpulent mass on the floor.
"Mwhat?" a crumb speckled, Karrin asks, "Mmi Mwhast mmayming mmatenchan" Karrin manages to say before putting another handful from her never ending rations into her mouth.
"...................................What do you mean you dont need to eat?"
"...................................What do you mean you dont need to eat?"
"I thought I mentioned it before. I haven't needed to eat since I got this body. I can if I want to, but I see no reason to use up rations that the rest of you need when I don't actually require food. I just have to spend a little mental energy to keep going. I don't seem to need to drink either, now that I think about it. It's a useful ability when we're far from home. But yes, it does prove that whatever I am, it isn't human, even if I do look close enough to pass for human." She cursed a little bit in elven as her bowstring continued to be difficult before she finally got it properly back into place.
"Anyhow, fearless leader," she said with a smile for Karrin, "I do believe it's time for you to lead the way out of this....exceptionally sticky and smelly room," she added with one last look of nausea as she glanced back at the general grossness.
Justin looks at Nari.
Justin blinks.
"Well. That can be useful. And interesting."
Justin's eyes momentarily go out of focus as he begins doing esoteric calculations in his head, trying to figure out if there was a charm that could be devised to substitute arcane energy for sustenance. He quickly shakes his head to clear it.
Maybe later. He added it to 'the list'.
"Well, whatever she is, she's still Nari! AND she's right. After you 'Boss'."
Justin winks at Nari with a grin to show he was jesting. (While she hasn't been that same shy, scared little elfin waif he first met for a while now, first impressions are lasting, and had no desire to risk hurting her feelings.) Then bows slightly to Karrin.
"Elan can do other things too, where did you say you hailed from again Nari?" asks Hamar gruffly.
He waits for Justin or Karrin to give the order before he scouts the next set of rooms.
Stealth
Perception
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Remember everyone to keep your eyes out for vampiric drow assassins," Karrin says, reminding everyone what they heard only a short few moments ago, which would seem redundant to the heroes, but might be a helpful reminder to someone observing from some alternate universe where time flows differently. It would have been only moments for the heroes, but who knows, maybe weeks for outsiders.
"Remember everyone to keep your eyes out for vampiric drow assassins," Karrin says, reminding everyone what they heard only a short few moments ago, which would seem redundant to the heroes, but might be a helpful reminder to someone observing from some alternate universe where time flows differently. It would have been only moments for the heroes, but who knows, maybe weeks for outsiders.
Hamar steps into the next room and is greeted with an obvious dungeon. Implements of torture are scattered about this room, which is elongated rather than the usual spherical shape of many of the other rooms they have explored.
Six jail cells line the walls. All are uninhabited, save for one. A drow is chained to the wall in full manacles, engaged in a death stare contest with one of the floating mask creatures. The two seem utterly intent on the other, and Hamar gets the feeling that although he is moving as silent as a ghost in a cloud, if he was singing drinking songs at the top of his lungs they wouldn't break off each other. Something beyond the physical realm is occurring between the two
"Jump em?" Merle whispering to the others.
Justin steps through the portal doorway. He must be getting used to them, because his moment of disorientation seemed to be much briefer. And lo and behold if the first thing he sees isn't another of the demon-mask creatures having a staring contest with a drow in a cage.
"Wow. Ask and you shall receive. What are the odds I ask you?" Justin murmurs quietly.
At Merle's hissed question, Justin is momentarily taken aback by the predatory gleam in her eyes. Or was that just the usual reflection?
Justin points to the floating masked-demon-ghost.
"First target. The Dark Elf is in a cage, deal with the known danger first." He murmurs quietly.
Justin begins moving his fingers slightly, preparing a spell,...
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Just as Hamar is about to spring into action, Justin steps through and waggles his fingers. Hamar prefers his fire cooking the meat of game and not his own precious hide and so the barbarian holds to see what the Wizard has in store. The barbarian is betting it's more fire.
"First target. The Dark Elf is in a cage, deal with the known danger first." He murmurs quietly.Justin begins moving his fingers slightly, preparing a spell,...
"What did I just say five minutes ago?" Karrin hisses, "Target the ghost, we want the dark elf ali . . . er, undead!"
There is the smell of ozone around Nari as she forms a protective shield around herself.
Justin finishes murmuring his short offensive spell, causing a variety of glittering effects from various items he wears. (Gloves, Amulet, ring, etc) He points his forefinger at the demon-ghost, using his thumb as a sight, and mutters "Fuego Lancus Intensicus!"
A thin, blazing ray of fire spits from Justin's forefinger and reaches for the floating (and hopefully unsuspecting) masked spirit,...
Karrin will charge in with her axe:
Ferissirion cleaves into the ghost face creature, slicing its mask. It hisses and turns
Justin's flame attack burns the mask at the same time, frying the mask further
Merle spends the suprise round hasting the group
After the flash and flame and Karrin, Hamar will head at the undead, bolstered by Merle's spell, his blades work fast!
Attack #1 Scimitar Planar - Keen - Damage .
Attack #2 Off-Hand Vorpal - - Damage .
Init
Justin admires the effect his spell has on the masked ghost-demon-spirit thing.
It takes him a moment to realize that his companions are not pausing to admire the bonfire.
Mask brawl::
Arnav info
. . (L) +2 heartseeker crystal, deep nodachi (PA) +14/+14/+9 (2d8+18/18-20) or
Arnav swings his crystal sword at the mask
The crystal sword slices the mask in twain
Mara the Cenobite cocks a hairless eyebrow at the group
"Well done"
The chained drow looks up, and strains against his bonds. The group can hear movement in some of the shadows of the other cells
Justin blinks, even he seems taken aback by how suddenly the expected battle is over.
"Well,... THAT was fun! Surprise attack for the win!" He says cheerfully.
Justin frowns at the noises now coming from the shadowed cages,
"Let's see what we're dealing with. Next." Justin says wryly, and makes a gesture with his right hand. There is a flicker of light from up his sleeve, and a few small spheres of variously colored lights, each as bright as a torch, spring into existence.
Justin waves his hand lazily, and the small bright balls of light move slowly forward, spreading out to illuminate as much of the room as possible,...
...Justin waves his hand lazily, and the small bright balls of light move slowly forward, spreading out to illuminate as much of the room as possible,...
Two of the other cells have occupants. One is a skeletally-thin form in armor wearing a mask. Another is a more-robust form in armor . The drow Vampire in chains strains against his bonds and hisses
"For the love of the Pale Mistress set me free!"
...Justin waves his hand lazily, and the small bright balls of light move slowly forward, spreading out to illuminate as much of the room as possible,...Two of the other cells have occupants. One is a skeletally-thin form in armor wearing a mask. Another is a more-robust form in armor . The drow Vampire in chains strains against his bonds and hisses
"For the love of the Pale Mistress set me free!"
Justin snorts, trying hard not to laugh out right.
OK, he isn't trying that hard.
"Yeah. THAT'S gonna happen." He says to the nearest party member, all wide-eyed & innocent.
The wizard gestures again, directing his lights closer to the other occupied cages,...
Ramuah blinks, awakened from her reverie by a sudden blast of flame and heat.
"Ah, warmth and light are both things that have been sorely missed in this place!" She jumps to her feet, wraps her hands around the bars and peers at the group arrayed before her, blessedly on the other side of the cell bars. "I say, you look to be an interesting and varied group! More welcome than these strange floating masks, at least. Dreadful conversationalists. I can only hope to convince you to assist me in leaving my current accomodations. My name is Ramuah. I assure you that I mean no harm to any who wish none to me."
Ramuah raises one hand to shield her eyes for a moment as the thin man with an evident propensity to throw fire around motions a light toward her cell. After her eyes adjust, she lowers the hand and glances down at herself, adjusting the fall of her surcoat and helplessly brushing at the stains from her stay in the cell with one hand as she pushes masses of escaped hair behind her ears with the other. "My apologies for my presentation, I'm afraid this place has been lacking in providing facilities that allow one to maintain the niceties of civilized existence." She looks at the weapons still on her belt, sheathed. "And while I have no desire to remain here, thus far my skill at conversations both spoken and martial have proven...less than useful in securing an exit." Her shrug reveals that under her light chain armor and the well cut surcoat, her form (or shoulders, at least), are surprisingly sturdy.
Ramuah appears to be a young woman with an obvious planar heritage. She appears mostly human, but there is a metallic sheen to her skin, reminiscent of steel, and her eyes have a uniform blueish gray glow, such that it can be difficult to tell where her gaze is resting. Her hair is a mass of barely restrained platinum blonde waves, pulled into an obviously sleep-mussed french braid. She's slightly taller than average, and appears built on a solid rather than slender scale. She wears a finely wrought and exceedingly supple chain suit, and from her belt hangs a scimitar, a falchion and a dagger. The edges of a shield are visible peeking over her pauldrons, and a tall glaive is leaning against the corner of the cell, incongruously decorated with a mass of brightly colored ribbons tied to the haft.
Ramuah's expression seems more hopeful and open than might be appropriate, given her current circumstances.
"Sooooooo thats a lot of uh colourfull................blades and other stabing implements you got there?"
Ramuah shoots quick glance at her beribboned glaive and sketches a quick bow and smile at the catfolk before her. "It is a small tribute to the Lady of Love, and a reminder to keep her in mind whenever I find a cause to consider using the harsher implements of the path I have chosen in her service.
"I hope I do not presume too much in saying I fancy myself to be something of a philosopher. As such, I have found that when I find myself in disagreement with another, the mostly commonly successful tool to arrive at a satisfactory resolution is soft words. At times, when these are exhausted, sharp words are the next tool I use in an attempt at finding a solution.
"Once these have failed, following the previous pattern of soft to sharp implements, one might surmise that soft weapons are the next tool to pull from one's metaphorical conflict resolution toolbox, but in truth, I must say I find such to be entirely useless. Therefore, in those unfortunate situations where soft and sharp words have failed to be efficacious, I am afraid I jump right over the use of soft weapons to sharp ones."
Ramuah gestures to the walls of the cell that surround her with both hands. "Considering my current circumstances, it may be that my philosphy on conflict resolution, such as it is, has faired poorly on some point or another. Despite my earnest attempt to remember how I have arrived at this point, I have unfortunately, been unable to do so."
She looks down at her belt and then back at the thin human man and the cat folk woman, her lips quirking into thoughtful frown for a moment as she compares their relatively unarmed state. "As to the number, why, some prefer mastery of a single implement. I fear I am less loyal to the use of only one tool, as I feel that different situations necessarily prefer different solutions. Just as one uses hyperbole at some points in a debate, but metaphor is more useful in other situations during discourse."
Ramuah tilts her head as she examines the group outside her cell. "As neither simile or bladed implements have been useful in this current situation, it seems I have not cast my net wide enough in my efforts to collect a wide array of problem-solving implements."
Justin raises an eyebrow as the young woman expounds upon her predicament. The wizard glances at the others.
"Philosophy? From a well armed and armored young woman? Oh yeah, she's gonna fit right in,..." Justin murmurs, glancing aside, (Not TOO obviously) at Karrin.
"Yeah. I like her." Justin announces with a small smile. He makes a small half bow towards the lady in the prison cell.
"Greetings miss Ramuah. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Justin. I personally find your philosophy for conflict resolution surprisingly well thought out and logical. The fact that there are multitudes of creatures in the Planes who simply refuse to be reasoned with, delicately or directly, in no way invalidates your philosophy. And no system, no matter how well mastered, can deal with every conceivable situation. That is why we choose to travel as a varied and diverse group. Our styles vary greatly, and conflict as often as they complement each other. But we find that that the sheer variety of philosophies at our disposal allows us to overcome every obstacle that we have encountered thus far. Oft times with spectacular results." Justin smiles.
"AH! I do apologize! While I appreciate your desire for a rapid release, I do beg your indulgence while we establish your bona fides, and prepare for whatever else may be in the vicinity. Rest assured that we, as a group, mean you no ill will, as long as you bear us none. Allow us to secure the chamber, and we will see about getting you out of that cage, shall we?" Justin says smoothly, surprising himself at how swiftly the high-manners drilled into him during youth returned to his tongue.
Ramuah nods. "I completely understand, sir. I can find no argument with your strategy, in fact I find it quite satisfactory. As to my bona fides, please do not hesitate to inform me of anything I may provide in order to assist you in determining them."
"I can help with the lock if you need," Nari said quietly from her usual hiding place behind Karrin. It was generally safer behind Karrin given her tendency to axe any problems that got in the way.
Initially glaring daggers at the drow vampire and debating the merits of putting him out of his misery, Blayze's attention is drawn to the conversation between Justin and another of the captives. Strolling up to take a look she gains an immediate sense of....familiarity as she takes in the captive woman's features, identifying an angelic heritage similar to her own.
Stepping closer to the cage her eyes emanate a silver glow for a moment, taking in the pure beauty of the captive's soul. "She checks out Justin, about as close to a purely good person as I've seen. Definitely a damn sight better than anything we've encountered here so far."
As the celestial-blooded paladin converses with the small group of travelers, the skeletal armored figure in the adjoining cell silently rises to its feet and grasps the iron bars between it and the newcomers, addressing them in a harsh, hollow whisper.
"You... do not serve the lich-lord? And you are not more of my masked jailers. Why have you come to Tcian Sumere?"
"Do we look like masked jailers to you?"