Free Action: Nidhi aims at the closest enemy (the blue one) as she continues her Inspire Courage:
"Show me you strength,
Show me your might!
They're within arm's length,
Hurry and win this fight.
Quickly, while they lack the foresight."
Standard Action:
Nidhi - you could attack from there, but I'd get an Attack of Opportunity as you're using a ranged weapon. If you step back 5', I'll get cover however - so either action carries some risk.
What would you like to do? :)
1 Stay
2 Move
Nidhi stays, provoking an Attack of Opportunity for the hit.
and DC 12 Fort vs Poison or this injury can only be healed magically on a DC 20 caster level check
Alas, my luck is good and the bite connects into Nidhi's soft flesh. The head tears away some skin and munches greedily.
Nidhi is bitten by the floating head. Nidhi yelps
or this injury can only be healed magically on a DC 20 caster level check
Zilchus looks at his sword, wondering what went wrong.
⁞⁞⁞⁞ ⁞⁞⁞⁞
‖‖‖‖‖‖‖‖ • • ‖‖‖‖‖‖‖‖
"You'll need cold iron to damage the head in front of you, Zilchus! Or a good aligned weapon..."
How can this possibly go right?
"I don't know much about the other head. It's vargouille and...it flies, as you can see!"
Disappointed at seeing his spell failing, Benedictus shakes his head. His eyes start sarting around in search of a way out. "The odds are against us! We should withdraw! But we must do so together! And close the doors behind us!"
Even in the dire circumstances, Benedictus manages to stay calm and hold his crossbow with both of his hands. Then he aims carefully and fires at the vargouille.
_________________________
Conditions – diseased
Wizard spells prepared (CL 2st, concentration +6)
1st ()―
Cantrips ()― dancing lights, detect magic, prestidigitation
Round 3, Init 8
Zilch tries to resist the poisoning.
Fort vs. DC13 (higher for previous poison)
Zilchus is about to use his falchion again, but with Ben's warning, he draws his cold iron dagger and swings with that.
to hit; (flank)
slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+5+1[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]2d4+4[/dice] slashing damage.
HP: 16/19 1 NL ::DISEASED::
AC: 18 (6 armor, 2 dex)
DF: 0/10
Smite: not used
Grit: not used
Panache: are you kidding me?
Ki: not used
Rage: maybe later
Grunting: 3/4 used
Quick Prayer: 1/4 used
Florence continues to stab at the newcomer, but does not connect even with help. Nidhi trades blows with the vargouille, and its hard to say who got the better deal. Benedictus has a teaching moment, which distracts him from his military might as he misses. Cahal however most decidedly does not miss and does indeed skewer the Vargouille to her spear. Zilchus draws a more appropriate weapon and does indeed draw blood from the smaller head.
The tiny creature witnesses and assault on the Vargouille, and tastes its own blood on the short blade of Zilchus, and decides to depart. It flies quickly to the hight window in the western wall and out.
Unfortunately, it provokes from Cahal (either with reach or adjacent - your choice) and Florence. It withdraws, and so does not provoke from Zilchus with the cold iron blade.
The window is high and small and Imanish ducks down quickly so there is no line of sight on your round. I think we’re out of initiative, but if any of you have something to surprise me, we'll backtrack.
"Nice strike, Cahal," Zilchus comes over to offer a boot to help get the impaled head off Cahal's spear. "Those things were scary, but mostly harmless," he says, looking at the hickies he got.
He itches his right leg where the cats bit him.
"Maybe we should search this room more thoroughly," Zilchus begins a slow and careful search with Detect Magic. "They might be guarding something."
Nidhi kicks at the dead Vargouille with the tip of her boot. "Yeah, those things were pretty nasty. The must have something valuable around here - why else nest in this dilapidated house?"
While Zilchus takes his time examining the room, Nidhi finds interest in examining the corpses of their foes.
Are they... related? Perhaps a mated pair? Nidhi examines with interest. I've never seen creatures like this before...
Imanish got away, so you can't identify his corpse. Do you have Knowledge Planes trained? If not, your max DC is 10, which doesn't give you any further information.
However, if it is trained, you may read the spoiler in this post (link).
Zilchus finds something as well.
The northern most dresser has no actual drawers, only handles on the front face, which is carved to look like drawers. The entire fixture is more akin to a box with an open back. When placed against the wall, the dresser conceals a bronze chest, which is revealed when the dresser is pulled away from the wall.
The chest is tarnished, but otherwise in perfect working order. The chest may be worth 40gp on the open market.
"Why would a sand woman be living in a house with a varighoul?" Nidhi doesn't remember exactly what Benedictus called it. Nidhi turns to her party with the question.
"The two creatures don't exactly look like they'd be best buddies." I mean one is made of sand and the other one looks undead... "What kind of people were Pentheru the Elder and Pentheru the Younger?" Nidhi thinks back to the shrine of the three gods downstairs. Nidhi remembers Zilchus mentioning the three gods: Abadar, Pharasma, and Sarenrae.
Nidhi's eyes widen as fantastical possibilities begin to form in her mind, "Maybe when Pentheru the Younger died, Pentheru the Elder went and started to dabble in Necromancy to try to bring his family back!" Nidhi nods assuredly at her own assumption - it would make for a great story at least.
You do get an AoO, and connect, but do no damage as it's not Cold Iron. I suspect Cahal will do the same, and I'll escape. So I was being predictive...but not necessarily correct.
We shall see what Cahal brings to bear- another critical like the last could do it even with DR!
"Something bothering you?"
"Nah, I'm fine. Just a scratch," Zilchus jests, politely refuses the CLW from the wand. He nonetheless feels like itching himself further but doesn't in front of Florence. "It's nothing. I'm sure it's nothing."
The chest is tarnished, but otherwise in perfect working order. The chest may be worth 40gp on the open market.
Zilchus will drag the chest to the center of the room so that it can be opened.
Nidhi takes a gander at the chest. Is it trapped?
If Nidhi notices that the chest is trapped, Nidhi offers to disable it.
If Nidhi doesn't detect a trap, she encourages Zilchus to open it. "Open the chest, Zilchus! What are you waiting for, your birthday?"
------
"Normally I'd have never bought this but I met a man on the trip from Cassomir to Absalom who warned me that there are plenty of critters out there who find the bite of cold iron painful. Of course he made it sound like it was mostly fairy-tale creatures that didn't like it, but I'm glad I bought one just the same."
Nidhi is intrigued by Florence's story. "What kind of critters? Did he specify? Like tooth-stealing fey? Perhaps we'll run into one inside a tomb!" Nidhi sounds hopeful. "You should share more of your stories Florence," Nidhi shakes her head "I had no idea you were so worldly!" Nidhi wistfully contemplates her own life and what little adventure she's had so far.
It's true, no traps are found. It's a fine heavy chest.
Zilchus examines the chest, then opens it.
Perception
Ahhh, I did not realize Cahal's weapon was cold iron! A close thing indeed, but she missed with her AoO and so the head does indeed get away, but a narrow departure indeed.
Zilchus opens the chest, and crossbow trap within shoots him, well, in the chest!
and DC 11 Fort or suffer
If he survives the poison, the interior is quite well appointed with twenty small gold ingots worth 25gp each. The ingots each bear a seal.
- - -
There's also a taut black band, clipped with a black metal skull, that can be attached on the outside of a hat or the like or can even be worn as a normal headband. It glows softly with magic under the Detect Magic spells likely to be cast.
- - -
- - -
"Ah, c'mon!"
Zilchus looks down at the bolt in his chest, then gives Nidhi a look. He shakes his head as he draws it out quickly before it becomes infected, waving for Florence and the healing wand.
Fort save
Zilchus looks down at his wounds, then turns his attentions to the contents of the chest while itching his leg.
Know (History)
"Oh good, the seal might be worth something, I think," Zilchus looks to see if Ben agrees. "Might want to sell these at auction."
Nidhi peeks over Zilchus’ shoulder, trying to get a look at the goodies inside the chest.
"You should really try to stop itching that leg," Nidhi advises. "Benedictus, what do you think of the stuff inside the chest?" When in doubt, ask the scholar.
Nidhi stands up and moves to be closer to Cahal. "You did great in battle earlier. You could probably teach us all a thing or two about fighting," Nidhi tries to smile seductively: "Do you... practice a lot?" Nidhi leans in a little, raising her eyebrows. Even her sweat smells nice. Nidhi straightens again. "Sadly, with my current routine - helping at my family's tailing shop and everything - I haven't had much time for weapon practice."
Nidhi frowns, realizing something: "This is such a disappointment! We've barely found anything the tells the story of Pentheru the Elder and Pentheru the Younger!" Nidhi crosses her arms and sweeps the room with her eyes, letting out a little huff. Did the looters beat us to it? "At this rate, Abdur will be disappointed with the amount of loot we've found today compared to yesterday!"
"It does WHAT!?" Zilchus' hand which had stopped itching for long enough to begin to reach for the headband, goes back to trembling and trying to avoid itching.
"You mean it's cursed? I would call that cursed! But that doesn't make sense..." Zilchus' face scrunches up in thought.
"This chest was both locked and trapped...and I don't think those floating heads could have done this, right? Let alone move a chest this heavy...which means someone else must have been using it to collect those heads below. We should be cautious...unless we think Ben's Sandmaiden friend did it? But that doesn't seem like her...this is worrysome."
Zilchus looks to see if others are following his train of thought.
Ben takes a prolonged look at the chest’s inside, but his attention is initially drawn by the trap. The scholar kneels down, close to Zilchus. “Are you alright?” Although the question is useless and quite rhetorical, Ben can’t find a better way to communicate to Zilchus that he’s sorry for what has happened.
After Zilchus’ poison has been treated and his wounds healed, Ben turns his attention to the chest. The gold ingots cause a small smile to appear on his lips, but the seal on them quickly turns that smile into a smirk.
When Zilchus mentions that the seal might be worth something at the auction, Ben nods and turns to the others. “Zilchus is right. I know that seal. It is the seal of the Keleshite sultan who governed Osirion at the time of the Plague of Madness, 2,215 years ago. Might fetch a good price if there will be collectors at the auction.” He smiles at Nidhi, who has asked his opinion. “This will earn us a lot of gold, I promise…”.
When Florence reveals the curse on the black band, Ben suddenly stops. Just about to detect the magic aura on it, his eyes go wide in surprise as soon as he learns from Florence that the item is cursed. “Wow, that’s…impressive, Florence. My compliments!”, he says with genuine appreciation. “Identifying a cursed item for what it is before it’s too late is no small feat. Thank you!”. Then Ben looks around. “I think we should it anyway. We don’t want anyone to stumble across this. Besides, cursed items can prove useful, if one knows their true nature, don’t you think?”
After the examination of what the chest holds, Benedictus takes a little time to relax and sighs. Then he stands up. “Hey, everyone. I don’t know how are you feeling, but I think we used almost all of our healing wand, and as far as I’m personally concerned…Well, I’ve used all of my resources for the day. I’m exhausted. Do you think there are many rooms left? I’d like to rest for a while…”.
Nidhi still ignores the fast Zilchus was damaged from the trapped chest but she shifts to examine to chest again.
"I can still heal someone once today," Nidhi notifies her party members.
Nidhi adds: "I would prefer to finish exploring this place today so we don't have to come back tomorrow. ...Although, I DO want to stop by the Church of Pharasma when we leave to look at my injuries from the cats. So let's leave in time for that, please." Nidhi still believes that she is slowly turning into a feline.
"This chest was both locked and trapped...and I don't think those floating heads could have done this, right? Let alone move a chest this heavy...which means someone else must have been using it to collect those heads below. We should be cautious...unless we think Ben's Sandmaiden friend did it? But that doesn't seem like her...this is worrysome."
Zilchus looks to see if others are following his train of thought.
Zilchus looks around, wondering if anyone heard him since no one responded.
Did I stutter?
He shrugs, letting it go.
"I think we can go a bit further. I think we're almost done," Zilchus opines. "Like you've stated, we've barely found anything of interest outside of this chest. Besides, I think there is a fell force at work here. I don't want it to escape."
With a reminder to stay spread out, Zilchus will open the next door when others are ready.
Nidhi looks up briefly from her examination of the chest's lock to comment to Zilchus: "As I said earlier, perhaps when Pentheru the Younger died, Pentheru the Elder went crazy and started to dabble in Necromancy to try to bring his family back. Unless you all have a better explanation, I'm sticking to my beliefs! ...Those severed heads and those things we just fought are undead... right?" Nidhi isn't sure. Nidhi is making broad generalizations. Severed heads flying around qualify as undead, right?
Zilchus opens the doors.
You check the remaining rooms of the upper floor without further incident. Well, Zilchus punched his foot through the floor in one spot, but a slightly twisted ankle and he’s almost as good as new.
Dust blankets the northeastern room. The walls, once brightly painted to depict life in ancient Wati, are now faded. A smaller room or alcove takes up the northeast section of the room; it was once closed off by a wooden door that since has rotted away, leaving only its hinges in the doorframe. A strong, cloying odor of decay pervades the room, and you suspect that the Vargouille resided here.
The scenes painted on the walls depict the arrival of a Keleshite sultana in Wati by royal barge, a ceremony or possibly a party where a young woman is being anointed and crowned while a gathering of onlookers observe, and another where three young women swim in a river while armed guards with spears watch from beneath the shade of a tree.
Most of the contents of the middle eastern room have fallen apart or otherwise been reduced to dust from the dry desert air. A foul, cloying smell fills the chamber.
Finally, the southeastern room appears to be some sort of study. A large lacquered desk, now in poor condition, sits in the center of the room. Bookcases stand along the eastern and southwestern walls, sagging as if ready to collapse at any moment. Their shelves have fallen out, and the piles of dust at their bases are all that remains of books and scrolls that failed to survive the long years.
The lacquered wooden frames of what might once have been divans stretch along the north and south walls, but their upholstery has disintegrated.
Remember, you've only checked the rooms, not searched them.
Since the middle room to the East smells, Nidhi purposefully avoids it. Nope, nope, nope. Not right now.
With Zilchus' slightly twisted ankle, Nidhi cautiously follows Zilchus into the Southeast room with the sagging bookcases that look like they are about to collapse. She enters into the room and - wordlessly - takes her time to look around. Nidhi avoids getting too close to the shelves in fear of them falling on her head.
Nidhi uses Detect Magic in the room as well please.
Zilchus takes his time to explore Nidhi's room as well.
"We can't be done here. Must be something we missed," Zilchus hisses, looking more closely.
Ben snorts when the others deny him what he conceives of as a hard earned period of rest. “Since we are a group, I’ll have to comply. But know that apart from my insights on what lies ahead, I won’t be able to give much help”. The scholar shrugs, fixes his backpack on his shoulders and follows his companions.
When the initial exploration of the upper floor does not reveal anything notewhorty, Ben snorts again. At least, we didn’t come across any monster…, he thinks to himself as a way to look at the glass half-full.
Ben takes his time to sketch the wall paintings in the northeastern room, and also takes some notes about it in his journal. Instead of following the others in the other rooms, Ben prefers to stay. “I’ll take a closer look at this paintings”, he simply states. After a few minutes of examination, though, he joins his companions. “So, did you find anything noteworthy?” The negative answer he gets makes him shrug again.
Ben then heads in the southeastern room. The scholar tries to analyze the contents of the books without destroying them.
After the first exploration attempts, Ben asks the others to gather around him. “Since there seems to be no threat here, I believe we should look around more carefully. We have time to do so. I will search the northeastern and southeastern rooms. Remember to scan the rooms for magical auras”. The scholar then begins his long search of the rooms he has indicated. “Is someone willing to accompany me?”
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In the southeastern most room, no magic is detected, but Zilchus does find a key wedged in the back of a crumbling desk drawer, and Nidhi matches it with the chest. She further confirms that the key will disarm the trap (which can be re-armed easily enough).
A few minutes searching the middle room turns up a Small rusted dagger, a handful of marbles, and a small lacquered wooden box. The lacquered box is actually an ancient board game whose rules have been forgotten over time. Inside the box are several small, carved stone playing pieces. The box functions as the game board. To an Osirionologist, the game is worth 50 gp as a rare antiquity.
Finally the northern most room is the most interesting as Benedictus and Cahal find a few items of note.
Buried amid the debris in the room is a large dark wood box worth 100 gp. Inside is a white silk Osirian wedding robe that is extremely fragile with age. You quickly realize that any attempt to remove the robe from the chest will ruin it, but make whole, mending, or similar magic cast upon the robe prior to handling completely restores it. If preserved, the robe is worth 150 gp.
The chest also contains several pieces of inexpensive jewelry worth 35 gp in total, and a strand of freshwater pearls worth 200 gp. A small sealed tube contains five applications of kohl of uncanny discernment (image).
the whites of the wearer’s eyes to stand out distinctly.
When applied to the eyes, kohl of uncanny discernment grants its wearer low-light vision and a +2 competence bonus on Perception checks. If the wearer already has low-light vision, the kohl doubles the distance the wearer can see. The wearer also gains a +2 resistance bonus on saving throws against gaze attacks, patterns, visual effects, and sight- based attacks. These effects last for 1 hour. Applying the kohl is a full-round action, and it must be applied to both eyes to function. An unopened tube of kohl of uncanny discernment contains 5 applications and is worth 1,500gp
- - -
Finally, a long scroll tube holds a rolled-up papyrus painting - a self-portrait of the gorgeous Ariseti, accompanied by her signature in Ancient Osiriani. Unlike the wedding robe, the painting has been protected from air for many years and can be safely handled without damaging it. It is worth 80 gp to a collector.
And with that, the house is silent, its secrets stripped away and laid bare. There is no where else to search that has not already been examined carefully, save perhaps for the depths of the well and commode, and digging in the sands of the garden.
It is midday, and the sun is high and hot in the piercing blue sky. You are tired, and ill-supplied, but perhaps warmed with the feelings of a job well done.
"Oh! Zilchus, keep that key safe! It'll disarm that chest." Nidhi advocates to take everything they can find that is worth monetary and historical value - except the wedding dress in fear of ruining it.
Nidhi, in a completely different mindset than Cahal, stands with a stoic expression in the hallway upstairs. This exploration was a bit of a let down. Lots of creatures and little finds. "So Ben, why was that middle room so stinky? Was there a dead body inside?" Nidhi is hesitant to look herself. A lot had happened this morning.
"Wow! That's...more than I had imagined...", comments Ben with a faint smile at seeing the treasures he and his friends have found.
"And as for the stinky room, Nidhi...", Ben shrugs, "to be honest, I'm not sure what the source of the stink was. A lot of awful things happened in this house, and I'm sure it's one of them. Which in particular, that I don't know..."
Ben carefully lists everything the group has found on his journal and makes sure to copy everything that could be useful for the book he's projecting. "There's a lot to learn from what we've found. My book is going to quickly become one of the classic studies in Osirionology, I can feel it! And think about what we're going to find in our last site!"
After taking all the time he needs in order to gather the information about what they've found in Pentheru's house, Ben turns to the others. "I think it's now time to rest. It's a shame I can't magically mend that wedding dress. But if we rest here, I'll be able to mend it tomorrow. What do you think about it?"
Then, when the matter is addressed, Ben finally reveals to the others the magical properties of the kohl, according to his analysis.
"You all know about the use of nonmagical kohl in Osirion and Osirian history, don't you? You know, it's something really distinctive, I believe. Anyway, this kohl here is magical. When applied to the yes, it grants the ability to see in dim light, and also makes one more resistant against everything which is based on his eyes. It's worth 1,500 gp, more or less. I don't see any good use of it, at least if we judge it according to its price. Do you think we should sell it?"
Zilchus follows the Professor wherever he goes and helps search. He eventually relaxes enough to undo his weapon cord and sheathe his falchion. He searches with his hands and eyes, while protecting the Professor.
He eventually creates water and has a long gulp.
"I think this is everything. I really do. I don't think we've missed anything...but we did find some deep appointment. I wish there was a bit more items of interest. Something to sell," Zilchus says as he slumps against the wall, itching his arm then his leg.
"I think these bites might be infected. Maybe. Huh. Weird."
If there is nothing else, Zilchus will begin to load up the ass (the donkey, not Cahal, but Cahal too ;)) with all the loots and things of potential value. He'll leave the delicate item for another to pack and handle. His hands are not made for soft work.