DM Zyren's Heart of Riddles (Inactive)

Game Master Zyrenity

Out of the corner of his mouth, Sebastian mutters, "Hissing that sounds like a melody. Sounds like the altar to me, like if a blast of air moved through it."

The big man shook his head although whether in denial, from a disturbing memory or both it was hard to tell. His comment would leave little doubt

Could be but bodies hiss like that when they burn... that many people burning...

Sebastian blinks. He turns to look at Kabal. Blinks. Shakes his head and turns back to look at the ghostly girl.

"Just be aware that regardless of the intentions of the spirit within, there still lurks an evil aura around that kernel of decency, and that the supernatural forces trapping that poor child here may well force a hand if they feel they need to..." Winter lets the matter ride, pleased there might be a more peaceful solution, but keeps his swords grasped in readiness to dole out the will of Erastil should it be required.

Bree moves slowly towards Sebastian, whispering quietly to him, although she can speak and understand elven just fine, she things that Sable was right when he said it might be best to come from someone who shares her lineage. "Please, tell her that the drow took my brother too. That they might be keeping him here, ask her if she's seen anything."

The girl seems to find some confidence in Sebastian's words and is about to say something as she suddely stops and turns her head to the door

Mommy is coming to get me...finally...you opened the door...thank you.

A gust of wind whirls through the door and a glimpse later the banshee appears in the frame.

"Whoa....was not expecting that."

Sebastian slowly steps back, giving the Banshee a clear line to approach her daughter. He does not want to get stuck between Momma Ghost and Baby Ghost.

He finds his mouth very dry. He licks his lips and speaks softly to the figure in the doorway, "She has been looking for you, as you were for her.........<swallow>....We are looking too, for those like us. The Dark Elves might have had them as slaves. They are our family, taken from us too." Sebastian feels the bead of sweat running down his back as he wills the Spirit to be glad at the reunion and not think they were part in hiding her daughter from her.

Bree issues a quiet "Bloody hell," under her breath as she likewise moves back to clear the path between the spirits. She somehow manages to also keep Sebastian between herself and the spirits. Some habits just die hard :)

Winter appears to be wrestling mentally with some almost irresistible impulse... he maintains his composure but the Mandate of Heaven filling him is hard to leash.

Caterine is out of her depth and remains towards the group's rear. She keeps grip on her whip however and an eye to Winter in case that violent action becomes preferred.

The wisp rises and slowly hovers over to the banshee whose distroted face slowly seems to change to that of a young elven woman...

It seems like they have only eyes for each other and if they have totally forgotten the world around them...

- any actions from your side?

Quick Winter - Murder-Death-Kill it while it's distracted :P

Winter fights the impulse to send them both to Pharasma, his sword at the ready...

"Stay close, they so much as twitch..."

Kabal, this is your chance to ruin the party :)

DM akseth and DM receiveth

Well, aint that just gods damned cute? A butt ugly hag reunited with an even creepier kid.

The big man shuddered as kids set his nerves on edge anyways...let alone ones that fly around in balls of light... and the proximity of the Benshe?...or whatever Sebastian called it...

This crap just aint right and there aint no way I'm gonna get any mother milking sleep with them two floating around. Strap up!

The flood of anger that exhaustion had barely held dammed in check broke and Kabal rushed the pair and with bunched muscles, swung his blade in an arc aiming for its neck and possibly even its eerie offspring.

Free action - enter rage +4 Strength. Move to within striking distance, which didnt sound like very far.

Power Attack vs Banshee: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27
Damage: 1d8 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19

Cleave vs globe girl if Banshee hit: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

"You need to move....." The rest of Sebastian's thoughts are lost as Kabal charges the pair. "Wait, they were...crud." He braces himself for an ectoplaasmic backlash.

Ninja'd by Kabal. I edited my post to retract what I said and instead react to Kabal.

Bree's face falls suddenly when Kabal charges before they even have the chance to see if the ghosts might be able to lead them to Brandon. Knowing that there's no going back however, she grips her daggers tight and begins to move towards the fight trying to make her way to a flanking position. I'm kinda waiting to see the effects of Kabal's attack before attacking myself.

Init?

Are you kidding me? You are a far too nice bunch for a TPK...I mean Banshee + Wisp? Guys, seriously...

As Kabal rushes over to the newly united pair, he already notices how they begin to blur before his eyes and when his falcata cuts through the air he doesn't feel anyresitance - with a loud "clong" the balde hits the granite tiles and nearly catapults back into his shins.

The ghosts are gone, both...but on the floor tile on which they stood last a strange pattern of small cavities is visible. Some are a nuance deeper than others.

Damn it!

The Brevian cursed as he almost cut his boot. Feeling foolish, Kabal sheathed his sword and stared at the ground where the pair had been a moment ago.

That was way too easy. What happened?

Sebastian gives a nervous laugh at Kabal's wild swing but responds quickly with, "They moved on. Right timely too, that might not have gone well. Both were cursed, the girl with being lost and the mother from having someone lost. A reunion allowed the curses to be lifted. What was keeping them apart all these years, I can only fathom a bad guess...but it will make a great poem."

Working title The Ballad of Banshee and Glow Girl

"But hold on, what's that at your feet?" Sebastian kneels to get a better look at the depressions.

Huh? The globe said we opened the door... but actually you opened the door bub. Probably that altar you made music through. Nice job. Now can we go get some sleep?

Sebastian looks up from his kneeling position, "I think it is deeper than that, not so literal. I think an act of kindness on a field of war that had seen such horror. The kindness overcame fear and rage....ooh, I got to write that down..And yes we should be able to sleep a little better with those two put to rest. But what to make of this?"

The banshee would have got itself smashed, good luck with doing much to Winter, and enjoy all the smites :p Banshee got lucky getting away in the first place :P

"Gone is gone... is that a code? perhaps some musical medley?"

After several minutes of studying the pattern of cavities Sebastian is convinced that the holes resemble the small opening in the altar, now he has to try out whether the deeper ones are the ones that have to be blown or not - actually this then is something like a very basic illustration of a score.

Mercus has meanwhile taken a position at the door and keep an eye on the shocker lizards

Yo Kabal, you think these things taste like chicken?

With the danger apparently passed; Kabal let his guard down and allowed himself a chuckle at the lad's question.

Hells if I know, do you want to find out?

Bree leans against a wall in the shadows, arms crossed beneath her breasts but daggers still in hand. She looks disappointed and deep in thought.

I am glad for your confidence because i don't see it. You are immune to the touch attack whereas we just share your bonus. they fly 20 ft up, wisp goes invisible and and the banshee wails...it's a death effect, not a fear attack. We would get a bonus to save, but seems a couple of us take 140 points. I think Sebastian has the only magical missile weapon that would have a chance to disrupt her, but I would need to countersong, so it would be a half effect 3d6 lightening bolt from Sable...a quick glance says Sable and I can't even save short of a 20 without your buff or a high countersong roll......I just don't see the cakewalk, but would have liked to see you wail on her, as it were. ;-)

"A melody, exactly. The depth indicates a place on the scales, but is the depth an indication of distance from the bottom or the top. I will record it both ways."

Sebastian gets out his journal and copies the scales in both forms, "Just think. This particular tune has been lost foe a millennium, to now once again be heard..what a highlight for the developing play."

Satisfied he has recorded the scales, he will whistle the tune aloud.

If no result he will try again by the altar, although he suspects it might be for some mechanism under the altar.

Hit Daylight, Banshee then gets pounded - can't attack and is staggered. Smite still in effect too. Likewise Protection from Evil still on Kabal, which assists him too - if we played it righgt, the biggest issue would be the wisp. Still, I am finding the AP's enourmously frustrating at the moment, there seems to be a uniform issue of fighting APL+8 creatures etc, which is getting a bit dull/pointless. Really not sure what the go is, but they are starting to put me off rapidly. Winter hasn't had an actual fight in about a year.

daylight spell doesn't affect daylight powerless creatures, only real sunlight. I just recently DMed a Shadow Demon so that is fresh on my mind....

Yeah had another look at the banshee - true sadly :p Still, we were gearing up for battle in November after spending a lot of time wandering about... its been a year IRL since we've actually had a foe to fight.

I'm with Winter here... the 'freaky out of time / space' aspect of the AP just has me scratching my head. I honestly don't know what we're meant to be doing or how to get back to the drow butchering aspect...

I too wanna know how we get back to smiting foes and crushing Drow :p

Nothing happens as you whistle the tune, but everyone at once likes the wonderful melody

Wow, that's a good one, a truely haunting meldoy - hah! You got that, haunting melody?!...oh well...

At the altar it's the same, nothing happens. I got that right, right? Just by the altar?

yep. I don't think we want to open it again right now, I think the vote is to get sleep, new spells, then in the morning go down under the altar and finish looking for any Drow presence and/or slaves. THEN try to activate the shadow gate and follow the Drow home.

"Well a nice tune and all. Will try it again in the morning."

So, setting up camp? Where? Guards?

"Let us go away and rest, we don't know that this place is safe... we can return in the morning with the Sun"

Unless Winter finds more evil, he'd prefer to sleep in comfort than on a floor.

Well, we'd already started setting up camp at the Observatory before all the fun with lights began. Seems as good a place as any right now.

With the drama behind them... for now at least...there aint no rest for the weary...or is wicked?...bah!..who gives a damn?..either way we'll be neck deep in trouble before we know it... Kabal leads the way back to where Mercus had set out bedrolls.

Bree offers to take first watch. She doesn't think she could sleep just yet if she wanted too.

Yes the goal is to sleep near the shadow gate to keep an eye on it. Sebastian will take first watch too. Winter and Sable should be last watch, that way the spellcasters get uninterrupted sleep (hopefully). That leaves Kabal and Kat on midwatch if that is ok with everyone, if not speak up.

As the others start to bunk down, Sebastian will take the time to try to document the day in his journal....realizing he will need a week, he jots quick notes to be filled in later.

In typical soldier fashion; Kabal nodded his agreement with the watch postings and added that Mercus would join him and Cat before promptly falling asleep right after filling his gut on rations and water.

Even though the nightmarish apocalypse that haunted Celwynvian was over, the night is still eerie with strange sounds piercing then and now through the darkness...when the sun dawns the ruined city looks much friendlier. Colourful flowers grow in cracks of alabaster and marble and songbirds are perching on the walls and roofs of towers and collapsed houses.

After morning preparation, Sebastian is eager...clearly eager, to set off back to the musical altar. "Come. We have better light, are refreshed, and an ages old discovery awaits."

If no objections, he will lead the group back and match his previous evenings performance to open the altar.

Bree figures that Sebastian's fiddling with the altar are as likely to lead to her brother as anything else at this point.

A few more hours of sleep and some stretching were all Kabal needed to work out the knots in his back. Sunny skies, flowers and bird song did nothing for demeanor of course but he didn't have anything to complain about this morning.

So, down under the altar today? Or do we wait for the elves?

At daylight the Coliseum looks far more friendly and even the shocker lizards hide in cracks and small holes and won't disturb you.

When Sebastian uses the altar to intone the tune, there is a distant clicking noise and the stairwell leading down into the cellar of the temple shivers shortly.

That's all? What did that do?

Mercus asks and gives the stairs a dubious look.

Sable peers down the stairwell. "I believe that has opened the way for whatever new horrors await us in the bowels of this nest. Let us be on with it then, these lingering winds and empty roosts fill the feathers with unease."

Bree looks to Winter and Kabal to lead the way.

Mercus gives the stairs another look

Maybe it was rigged, eh?

Yo Kabal, ladies first, heh.

Bree puts her knife to Mercus' back, using it to push him towards the stairs gently. There's a devious grin on her face and she says, "Oi, alright then. Go ahead Mercus, ladies first."