Curse of the Crimson Throne

Game Master Euan

Auto-succeed to see through Charlie's tomfoolery. I love bards.

Briar looks for the next door to open.

"Maybe this door has something interesting. What's the worst that could happen?"

Briar airwalks to the first door on the left (#1) and opens it.

Briar brazenly opens the northern most door. It reveals a medium sized chamber of unknown purpose. In the middle of the room however, surrounded by old heavily worn children's toys is a skeletal toddler.

He is playing with some blocks when the door is opened and light floods the room. He seems to grin and throws his arms in the air with apparent glee. He quickly tries to stand, and after a try or two manages to get to his feet.

He teeters and stumbles, but eventually the little tyke manages to close with Briar. Cute little guy! That is until he takes a big bite out of your thigh (lose 1d2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 hp). I presume the party then finishes the little guy off...

No need for initiative, the toddler has no hp to speak of so I'm hand waiving the fight. Congratulations! You are now, presumably, child killers. :)

Curent Map

Fondo steps in quickly to danc the poorite skelly baby into the clobbering embrace of Barael and Nikolay. "Lets hope Oharasma sees this youth to brighter climes in better worlds. Icy Akiton were kindlier than Scarwall gray." He motions to Barael to sneak up the stairs, and follows closely should he consent.

Briar looks at the boned baby and shakes his head.

"Poor lil' guy seemed pretty irate. Must have been running a femur," Briar 'dead'pans.

Briar turns to look at Fondo.

"Why go up, Varisian? If anything, the secrets of this place lay down or at the center of his castle, not amongst the parapets. Let's us keep ourselves on the level and search smartly," Briar says, echoing a theme from before. I think Briar and Fondo had this same discussion in a dungeon of the past, but my brain can't remember which one.

"Sometimes when looking up, you find what you need when you go down. As with Dr. Davaulus and his necromancers. But whichever."

"I'd rather secure doors as harmless behind us, before ascending or descending. That sound alright?" He listens at the next door.
Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26

Barael looks to the others, then opens the second door. C-10

Opening the door, Barael peers down a short hall into a small dismal room. On the walls of this chamber are hung innumerable bags of netting holding bottles, clay jars, dried plants, desiccated bits of animals, and similar things. Tattered, gauzy curtains have been strung throughout, creating a diaphanous kind of maze. The whole is choked with a dank smelling smoke that seems to be issuing forth from a pitted iron brazier in the center of the chamber.

Even with your bright light sources, it's still hard to see what is within what with the smoke and curtains everywhere.

Please let me know if you have a light source out. I know Fondo has been keeping his broach open and flaming. Does anyone else, or is Fondo's the only light source? Remember, the light, though heightened, is still just a simple continual flame - 20' radius for those of you who are not elven blooded if I remember correctly.

Fondo looks for signs of undeath or life in his field of vision as he creeps into the room. 'Jenko, spy you any hidden creatures within?

Barael snuffles as he peers past the light source. Not sure what good his 30' Darkvision is in the presence of a light source.

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36

Briar has keen elven vision (low light), as noted.

He will peer around, casting an additional light as necessary, with Detect Magic.

1d20 + 22 - 3 ⇒ (10) + 22 - 3 = 29 Perception

Some baby killing and arguing. Not much has changed while I was in Yosemite.

Nikolay happily lets others look around and open doors.

When there's something to kill, I'll see it.

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33 Dandi peeks around with the others, her two large, half elven low light blue eyes open wide, and her small but slightly pointed ears perked up for every little sound.

Charlie will have his light open. He'll also dispel the ghost sounds, although the chuckling mysteriously continues.

perception: 1d20 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 6 = 26

The chamber is smokey and smelly - a wonderful smell to the alchemists of the group for the alchemy lab in use is one of the nicer ones that the party has encountered thus far. It is clearly an old lab, and well used, but the quality and breadth of the pieces is a wonder to behold.

Briar does, at first, detect magic in the room, but whether that's the party in front of him craning their heads through the door or new magic it is too soon to say.

The more perceptive of the party (everyone who rolled so far!) sees a small halfling bundled up in the netting about 6' or 8' off the floor. An older woman, she stares at the party with frightened eyes from her wrappings. She lies very still...

Briar continues to focus on his magics, trusting little.

Halfling, huh? I guess that's better than a stinking gnome.

Fondo gazes at the halfling for signs of life or undeath.

Barael moves further into the room, locking eyes with the woman. "Hey, now. You have a pulse?" Barael looks her up and down. "What in the world are you doing in this gods-forsaken place? You're the first living thing we've come across, and we've been through quite a lot of unliving." Barael waits for Briar to gather more information. While he waits, Barael takes in the surroundings, amidst all the alchemicals.

"What in the world are you doing in this gods-forsaken place? You're the first living thing we've come across, and we've been through quite a lot of unliving."

Briar goes to correct the Rat, but instead just thinks his thought, realizing it's not worth the effort.

Technically, the corpse orgy was alive. It's hard knowing so much...too much stuff to correct when one spends time amongst kinds such as these.

Sorry Fondo I forgot to post that - the Halfling is very much alive.

"I'm... I'm alive." she seems reluctant to say anything else, looking beyond you for someone else in the hall.

"Yeah, but for how long. Nets are usually for fresh catch. What caught you? And why do you keep looking over our shoulders. There are only the eight of us. We don't threaten you, do we?"

Dandi sniffs into the air, then dances in to join the others peering at the halfling.

"That's quite the web you've tumbled into. How did you get there, and why do you stay? Is that your brew I smell?"

dance, because she can: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25

Fondo approaches the halfling. "How'd you get here? Let's get you out of there." He pauses for a moment, gauging the halfling's trustworthiness before helping to free her.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (10) + 23 = 33

If Fondo feels she's on the up and up, the halfling can make an Escape Artist roll at +6 as he casts Liberating Command. Also, he draws his kukri and begins cutting away whatever is holding the halfling.

Briar continues to concentrate on Detect Magic.

"I am a prisoner of a hag, a wholely unwholesome beast, who would eat me I am sure!"

"Hurry, cut me down and we can destroy her scrying crystal upstairs. It's where her power is. Without that you can beat her surely!"

The halfling weeps with relief at the heroes arrayed before her.

"Cut you down? Don't be silly! The webbing will keep you safe while we go de-scryify the hag. Then we'll come back and free you! Trust the weave...." Dandi smiles her sweetest, most calming smile to reassure the poor halfling.

Dandi turns at the unfamiliar language, her eyes growing wide with wonder. "OH! I don't know that one. When we get back, will you teach it to me?"

Fondo smiles at the halfling. "Hag, you say? Next you'll expect me to believe Scarwalls a friendly spa, the wraiths it's attendants. Tell me a lie'll convince me."

"...Tell me a lie'll convince me."

"Mwahahahahaha!" the halflings laughter rings out, and loudly, echoing out into the hall beyond. The laughter gets even higher in pitch as the woman climbs out of the netting and changes shape. When she straitens up, she's a 7' tall unbelievably thin ugly old woman with a huge protruding jaw (image).

"OK, ok, you got me. I really need to learn the tongue if I'm to use that disguise."

She straightens up and brushes some of the wispy rags aside and scratches her belly. A bug crawls out of her belly-button and falls to the floor scurrying away into the dark.

"I wonder, for a little information, would you be willing to do me a service? No strings of course - I wouldn't dream of trying to fool you twice." She smiles - crooked teeth nearly falling out of her head - at Fondo.

GM Evilan: What knowledge roll on that beauty?

Briar keeps his focus on the magic while regarding the beauty.

Guessing Arcane: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21 Know Arcane

The beauty needs a knowledge planes role to delve her depths.

Briar, you can give me two spellcrafts if you like.

1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30 Know (Planes)

Briar looks at her again.

1d20 + 19 ⇒ (7) + 19 = 26 Spellcraft
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38 Spellcraft

"Ah, a beauty you are. What service do you seek? We're a handy bunch, blessed by Harrow and Boneyard both."

Bluff to seem to genuinely find her beautiful: 1d20 + 18 + 20 ⇒ (12) + 18 + 20 = 50

Fondo gives a reassuring look to the others. I've got a troll's bridge to sell her, and it's a seller's market.

Barael freezes still as death, as halfling turns into haunting.

He hears Fondo talk, and it responds, its words gurgling into his pysche.

He begins to sink beneath the dark wash of memory.

DON'T DON'TDON'T DON'T look into the eyes...

Barael starts to move to its side.

To avoid obstructing Fondo in his discussion with it.

To avoid its attentions.

To position himself...

better.

knowl planes: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33

Dandi's head tips as she watches the halfling turns hag, but what kind would have such a wonderful lab as this?

And it is a very *very* fine lab.

Dandi dances around the room, circling away from Fondo and humming to herself as she flits about the alchemical equipment.

Charlie will say a little prayer and have a drink. casting prayer His visor coming down with a clang.

bluff to hide the casting: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

"Ah, a beauty you are. What service do you seek? We're a handy bunch, blessed by Harrow and Boneyard both."

She gives Fondo a quizzical look but presses on nodding to Charlie, "Looks like your tin man doesn't like me much. He's well to be cautious for I am most dangerous. Still, I think there are things we can provide each other that will be of some value."

"I am here gathering souls for my collection. Much as I'd love yours," she fondles Fondo's hair causing the smaller ones to rise with revulsion, "I don't think that will suit either of us very well."

She stands a little taller, "Still, there is middle ground. You are, I gather, adventurers here to do good, fight the good fight, and bring peace to the castle or some-such. That's fine. I just want the soul of one of the greater creatures you kill."

"You're going to kill it anyway, so there's really no harm being done. I get my soul, and I'll tell you all I know about this fortress of death and it's denizens. Now grant you, I haven't been here long, nor have I wandered these halls much, but I do know a thing or two that might be of value to you."

"So what's it to be? Peace? Or War?" She leans back impossibly far, and stirs a pot just coming to boil and calms its dance.

Charlie, SR Check please to effect the tall inelegant creature with your prayer.

"We've steel enough ten thousand souls to reave. But tell me, what's the creature's name? It's kind? And where?"

Briar looks the hag up and down, recognizing her kind.

She has both magic and knowledge. Mayhaps she will live.

Briar lowers his bow and walks into the room.

"You think to trade with us, hag? While it is true that we could let you have the soul, but that doesn't explain what is in it for us. Knowledge is nice, but we'll be going through this place anyway...exploring it all for what we seek," Briar picks up one of the jars, examining the contents.

"You wish to purchase your life? We're going to need some really good knowledge...or some strong magics. What do you have to barter for your life, hag?" Briar asks, considering taking the soul jar and what it might be used for.

GM Evilan: 1) DR, how to kill it? 2) Magic abilities.

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@GM_Evilan: Immunities? how attached is it to this lovely lab?

Craft Alchemy to unravel the secrets of the lab: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (15) + 23 = 38

Dandi continues her perusal, her mind working on multiple levels as her hair twirls in many directions.

"We've steel enough ten thousand souls to reave. But tell me, what's the creature's name? It's kind? And where?"

"Ahhh, my lover that would be telling. What I have to offer is information - should I spill all before I'm paid? I think not!"

"You think to trade with us, hag? While it is true that we could let you have the soul, but that doesn't explain what is in it for us. Knowledge is nice, but we'll be going through this place anyway...exploring it all for what we seek," Briar picks up one of the jars, examining the contents.

"You wish to purchase your life? We're going to need some really good knowledge...or some strong magics. What do you have to barter for your life, hag?" Briar asks, considering taking the soul jar and what it might be used for.

You cannot quite get to the full jars. They are on a table behind her and unreachable except through her. You can, with a little contortion reach an empty and pick it up - essentially reaching behind her and exposing yourself. Let me know if you do so.

Her cackle is shrill and confident, "hahahaha! I am not bartering for my life long lived. I am bartering for a soul. If you have no interest in such a deal I will leave now and you can continue unenlightened on your crusade, stumbling around in the dark. I think we have something to offer each other - but perhaps I'm wrong."

She gives Laori a long look and smiles but keeps her thoughts to herself.

She gathers up a collection of jars on the table behind her and puts it in a small sack. If Briar has one of the jars, she reaches out a long arm requesting it back.

"Now, now, my beauty foul. Let not my friends our parlay end. But tell me: how can we your ends fulfill if your quarry's visage is to us unknown?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (20) + 24 = 44
Bluff: 1d20 + 18 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 18 + 20 = 51

'Jenko, how do I kill this thing?

Fondo - nice roll!

"Now, now, my beauty foul. Let not my friends our parlay end. But tell me: how can we your ends fulfill if your quarry's visage is to us unknown?"

She smiles warmly at her newfound admirer. "Oh, I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I have no particular quarry in mind - any decently powerful creature will do. Anything... plump."

'Jenko, how do I kill this thing?

"How're we to harvest said plump soul? With scythe and haggic magic dark? With strand of your dread beauty's hair, tied round the heart or head or neck? What implement have you their soul to suck?" He looks to his friends. "And too, though my heart beats for looks as foul as yours, my friends have appetites'll need your tongue to wet. Mayhap a bit of lore to sait them 'til our feast is set? You can in my good word your trust bestow."

Bluff: 1d20 + 18 + 20 ⇒ (20) + 18 + 20 = 58

"How're we to harvest said plump soul? With scythe and haggic magic dark? With strand of your dread beauty's hair, tied round the heart or head or neck? What implement have you their soul to suck?" He looks to his friends. "And too, though my heart beats for looks as foul as yours, my friends have appetites'll need your tongue to wet. Mayhap a bit of lore to sait them 'til our feast is set? You can in my good word your trust bestow."

"Harvest?" she smiles, her teeth all reaching in different directions. "I'll handle the harvesting my dear - you handle the killing. Easy."

She looks cock-eyed at Fondo, and relents (a little). "Tell you what. I know where there's a Dragon in the next room over. Well more or less. His name is Belshallam. Really nice guy, but his soul would be quite excellent. He's an umbral dragon, if you know what that is. Fair enough? Now let's go slay him and I'll tell you even more about this place."

Knowledge (arcana) re: Umbral Dragons: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Fondo whispers sotto voce, as if sharing a private insight with the hag, "A dragon's soul, you say? A banquet such as this should surely more than information yield. For myself, your love's enough. But these here friends've other hungers that they'd want to feed. Do say more: what wards a man would need to kill a shadow dragon dead."

1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31 Know (Arcana) - Umbral Dragon

Briar smirks at the hag, cutting into the flirtstorm and trying to withhold his gag reflex.

"Oh hag...do you have a name? Calling you by the common, Varisian, word seems so undignified. You say the dragon lives next door? And yet you have not called him to end us? Either you are not friends like that and/or you want his soul. So that might be true. However, you have not given us anything we could not have discovered by opening the right door," Briar eyes the satchel of jars and smirks.

So nice of you to package them for us.

"I'll make you a deal, hag, that will get you your soul. But...but...your kind has a stained reputation. Whereas we elves are known for our cherubic goodness. And these Varisians," Briar waives his hands at the rest of the party, "...they can be reasoned with."

wisdom check: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (13) - 3 = 10

Dandi's ears twitch as she listens, but she manages not to blurt out what comes to mind. Oh Great! They're going to fight over her and ruin MY NEW LAB!!!!