While people are still talking the ranger pulls a CLWs potion and downs it.
If the fight still hasnt started Grym also fishes his 3 vials of holy water out of a pouch. He whispers to the others, Anyone need a weapon vrs undead?, ready to offer it to any who want it.
The creature seems not the least intimidated. "You are mistaken. The poison and disease are not of my doing. The foul machinations of the Urgathoans is none of my concern. I was here first, and they simply left me here to work knowing that I could kill them all. I suggest you simply shove off and do whatever it is children do. Kill them all for I care." There is no sarcasm in his voice.
What? That makes little sense, ya are a vamp, the disease is called blood veil. If your not working with them, then what are you working on that a sane living person would be ok with? From the looks of it your experimenting with live subjects, and that one right there we would like to get out of here
"This? This man is nothing to me. He is simply a subject. I am tired of my undeath. I have been this way for longer than I can remember. I do not wish to end my existence in this state. I want to find peace after this."
Morkeleb sees his companions gearing up to fight, and is alarmed. *whisper* We can't win this fight! He is too powerful for us! Stand down!!
Getting in on the exchange with the nosferatu, Morkeleb tries to engage the creature intellectually.
From everything I have ever heard of undeath, there is no way to alter one's state back to life, or to otherwise change one's state from undeath other than destruction. Have you any indication that you are making progress in this endeavor?
.
And, since this man means nothing to you, what can we do to convince you to allow us to take him with us, alive and unharmed?
hmmmmm Make a Diplomacy check Morkeleb.
Thorgrym is clearly ready to do battle with the undead and destroy this abomination against life. Bucho even lets out a very low growl deep in his chest.
The two obviously have no idea what they are getting in to.
Yet Grym is a team player. When the wizard tells him to stand down, the ranger puts his vials of holy water away and sheathes his dagger. Yet he keeps one vial out palmed "just in case" the damned vampire attacks. He takes a knee and places lays an arm over Bucho's shoulders making sure the dog doesnt lunge forward to attack on his own. As the seconds play out the ranger idly swears his dog seems bigger. Certainly not fatter, Bucho has always been typical for his breed. A muscled powerful build but fairly small and low to the ground. A small part ofhis brain figures this must be a trick of the light or maybe the ground is a bit uneven where the dog is standing...
Morkeleb's diplomacy check
Sir, your work seems to be going pretty well. You have a healthy looking glow, you cant hardly notice the smell and aside from dentition which can be fixed by purely mundane means you have a good ghing going here in the bowels of the city. I see this Ruan fool as totally unnecessary for your goals. I hope you'll agree with my robed friend here and release him to us.
"You are likely correct child, there is no way. I have been looking for a way out since the time of Earthfall. This individual subject is of no import. Bring me something of equal value, another subject, or say.... 2,000 Sails. This should buy me all the supplies I need to replace him."
Grym has a pouch with 300gp in it. He also has another pouch of 50 platinum crowns. And 3 potions of water breathing.
He doesnt wish to part with anything else.
I wouldn't be mindin if ya took our queen and did ya experimentin on her the dwarf said absently.
As heads turned his way, he realized that he had actually spoke that thought aloud and even through his helm you could see the glow of the blush as he shifted nervously.
Abadar would not allow me to let you be on your way for 2,000 Sails.
Ferox casts an eye over his comrades, then turns back to the nosferatu.
1,000 Sails for the boy and you're to leave Korvosa and not return.
"Dis.....Dis is acceptable to me. Allow me to pack up. I need dees now. Make no mistake, I vood keel you all if I even smell und dooble cross."
Lets make it so. Grym ponies up his share of the gold.
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Right but then this bard owes us 2000 sails.
Morkeleb draws his money pouch and quickly counts out his share (167).
With the money presented, the ancient undead takes it, steps back and bursts into a thousand tiny spiders before scurrying out the door. You're left with a badly wounded and tortured Ruan.
I get Ruan to drink one of my CLW potions.
Here lad let us get you back ta your sister. Drink this slowly now
Happy to see the nosferatu go, Ferox examines the the restraints holding Ruan to the table. He also takes some time to search the room, curious to discover what exactly the vampire was up to, what he was doing to Ruan, what his connection to the Urgathoans was, and if he did have anything to do with the blood veil. Looking for personal affects, notebooks, scrolls, etc.
Ruan is locked tight to the table, and to work the lock will definitely take some Guidance. Meanwhile, Sandor helps Ruan down a potion. It brings him to conciousness, but he's clearly out of it (Heal check for specifics.) The experiments are esoteric in the extreme (Knowledge (Arcana)). There are 6 vials of Acid, a Masterwork Alchemist's Kit, and a rather long treatise on the Blood Veil which might prove useful, but would require 3 days of Downtime to digest.
Sandor, you detect the telltale signs of some trickery in the stone work. There's a secret door to the West. It's of shoddy make, but your average cultist would never find it.
Hey lads this wall over here is wrong, lets see what's behind it, after our fine Gaius does his thing
If none are found then Sandor will open the door, and assume to find a casket and other fine stuff.
Gaius does indeed find a trap, a clever one indeed. The first poor soul to try and open this door would have set off an Enervation spell.
Ferox will take a moment to examine Ruan.
Ferox will also take the treatise on Blood Veil to examine later, after they have dealt with the cultists.
GAIUS: Gaius uses Guidance (if he can't cast it today, he'll get Ferox to do it!) before disarming the trap.
MORKELEB: Esoteric experiments?
The experiments are far too arcane for you Morkeleb. Ferox, it looks like Ruan has taken CON and CHA damage (enough that any more will kill him.)
Gaius just barely succeeds at the trap.
XP: 367 each for the success of the Nosferatu negotiation and trap disarmament.
Is the door open yet?
The ranger and his dog move up to the hidden door. Bucho sniffs the air, (scent perception
Grym also uses his senses The ranger feeling a little off about letting some evil undead walking away w/out slaying, is ready to find baddies that he is allowed to hunt and kill.
Bucho makes no growling of any sort. (Bucho knows the "Seek" trick, right?)
Bucho makes no growling of any sort. (Bucho knows the "Seek" trick, right?)
Of course.
You can take 10. It's not actively causing him harm. He appears to be ...ratcheted down using a complex set of chains, gears, and manacles. I looks like the whole set up keeps him totally immobile with a single twist of a wheel. Unfortunately, the wheel is locked into place and no one found a key.
Gaius: Who needs a key?! I've opened chastity belts worse than this...
Taking Guidance, he goes for the disable to free the bard.
Sandor will assist Gaius, in two ways.
Look at the device, and determine what the key should look like.... Is there a Key laying around?
After that is a success or fail, Sandor will go check out the other room
Gaius is successful in unlocking the device (though he makes Sandor feel useful, he didn't actually need it.)
I'll have to post the rest tonight.
The next room over has truly macabre trappings. There is a singular coffin, as well has hundreds of vials filled with what looks like blood. There are all manner of books as well. The books don't contain any educational benefit. They seem mostly to be journals in format (anyone read Varisian? I would assume so). They look like various entries from years past. An Appraise check can determine the resale value.
Grym sends the dog forward into the room. (Seek)
Bucho stealth
perception (an additional +8 for scent)
Bucho growls at the blood, but nothing more.
Grym and Odric move forward into the room. Odric speaks up Do we have a stake? Or something we can improvise.
Grym pulls a torch from his pack.
perception
What do you need a stake for, Grym?
(Morkeleb doesn't speak/read Varisian)
Morkeleb uses Detect Magic, in case any of the vials are not blood.
Oh, Gaius takes the treatise on The Blood Veil.
What do you need a stake for, Grym?
Odric and Grym want a stake just incase there is a vampire in the coffin.
The lid is open, there's no vampire in there. Morkeleb, you're confident that the books would fetch about 1,500 to the right buyer.
Oh, Gaius takes the treatise on The Blood Veil.
So, after Gaius pops the lock and Ruan drinks the healing potion, is he conscious? Is he free of the table?
He's conscious and free of the table, but he's taken a LOT of ability damage. It'll take a long while to heal naturally. His CHA is so low that he's barely a man.