GM ShadowLord's Rise of the Runelords Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master GM ShadowLord

As the battle ends Delendir runs towards Ghina and picks her up carefully. Seeing the bird has been stabilized by Jessica's channel he sighs relieved "Uff! My little, you fought bravely." and rolls her into some cloths, making a save hanger where to carry her in the shoulder.

The half-elf approaches then to Nualia and kneels in front "She deserves no good but we need some answers on what happened."

He uses the rope to bind her hands and retrieves the holy symbol so she cannot use her magic. Delendir gets then the masterwork longbow and observes the sword "She ruined my armor with a single hit of her sword. We were lucky of having you here, Tal, to make that sword out of her hands."

"I'm out of healing magic and I don't know the normal kind." Grace admits. "I'd personally be fine with slitting her throat right here and now but I respect Kiley's need for closure. Not to mention the town's right to know what really happened."

She stretches out, then says.

"Someone should poke a few extra holes in the dog thing, though. Just in case."

"Zhat, I can compromise to." Sunday lets out a dark chuckle as he moves over to completely hack the creature's head off with his axe.

"When I tie a girls hands it is only with her consent..." Tal says back nonchalantly.

"Delendir could you make sure no goblins come down and jump on us while I explore Nualia's room?"

Once he's succesfully freed the dog-beast's head from its body Sumday will, without anything else pressing at the moment, move over to look at the sword the woman was using.

If Delendir meant observe as in simply looking at it then Sunday will try to pick it up to hold.

"Sure" says Delendir as he sets aim to protect the door with Nualia's bow.
Perception (+2 vs goblins): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

"We should explore fast, I cannot see the moment to get back to Sandpoint."

Sunday picks up the blade. It is very well-balanced, but a bit awkward in one hand.

"Both the armor and sword are magical and nature, basic enhancements to improve them. The necklace however... it provides the wearer a sense of luck. Also it can give you some temporary healing which could be useful. It appears to be tied somehow to the Thassilonian culture. Curious, where would Nualia have gotten this from. Perhaps from the quasit..." Tal explains.

Also waiting for feedback of the room where nualia came from :)

Once he's succesfully freed the dog-beast's head from its body Sumday will, without anything else pressing at the moment, move over to look at the sword the woman was using.

If Delendir meant observe as in simply looking at it then Sunday will try to pick it up to hold.

"You probably want to pick up the armor too Daud, or perhaps Kiley, it is clearly a great piece of work. I would like to know from whom she stole it." he looks despised at the laying woman.

"The armor is obviously custom built. She wanted to show off her stomach and that armor's designed for it. She didn't steal it." Grace points out. "That's a bit of theatrical costuming if I've ever seen it."

Edit: Ninjaed by Grace lol

"She probably found it vith zhe rest of zhis stuff, or perhaps zhe Quasit led her to it." Sunday absentmindly says as he takes in the sword and ceremonial armor before turning to Kiley and shrugging. "Vho do you zhink vould look better in it?" he halfheartedly jokes.

Tal, don't have the book in front of me. Go ahead and proceed and we'll process that later. I know there's no more bad guys in there.

Delendir laughs at the idea "Look, this kind of armor that do not cover the bottom part of the body is called breastplate. It is quite standard, and due to the lack of reinforced articulations it easily fits whatever kind of humanoid body shape. Usually only full plates need to be adjusted."

Very well. I'll copy the text describing it from the book.

A wide stone ledge of red marble lines the curving walls of this room, which is well-lit by four burning skulls that sit in each corner. Three chairs rest in the room, and both stone ledges are covered with books, scrolls, teeth, bones, scrimshaw artwork, jars of deformed creatures soaking in brine, taxidermied animals and limbs, and other strange objects. To the north, a large round fountain filled with frothy blue water fills the room with the gentle sound of bubbling.

Tal steps into the room and at the absence of any danger relaxes. He moves towards the table with notes and journals and blindly stuffs as much as he can carry into his bag. Finding nothing further of value he returns to the others.

"A creepy room to be sure. Once you are done fighting over the girls armor you are welcome to check but I found nothing of value. I grabbed some paperwork and documents which look to be her journals and notes. But it is too much to study right now. Let's return to Sandpoint, we can determine their content over there."

Grace peers down the corridor, standing outside the room which Tal currently explores.

"You don't want to go further in?"

Looking at the state her companions are in and then at the state of Nualia as she helps tie the woman up she says, "I hate to say this, but we shouldn't waste our healing on her as we might need it to get back out. I also don't think we can afford to take her out with us for the same reason, we do have a lot of goblins between us and the exit, unless we can find another way out anyway."

"Jessica, please. I need to know what happened to her. I need to know why Father Tobyn and Momma had to die, why she killed them."

Kiley slumps against the wall, her voice pleading.

"As for the goblins, well, show them Bruthazmus' head and they shouldn't be a problem, especially with Nualia out cold and bound."

"According to the mercenaries and Tsuto something else is down there. Something that scared all of them and that Nualia hoped to unleash. Let's not run into it by accident when we are this vulnerable." Tal responds to Grace as he exits Nualia's room.

As he returns to the room with the others he overhears their conversation.
"We either take her with us, or make sure she never stands again. To keep her here like that... She might recover and we will not be able to get to her again.

Kiley, I have her notes and journal. Perhaps your answers lie in them. She didn't seem too talkative before, I doubt she will be in a prison in Sandpoint." Tal says as neutrally as possible.

Moving to Kiley, Jessica puts her arms around her, "I don't think that would be a wise idea, I just don't think we can risk it." Taking a deep breath, "But I don't think leaving her here alive is wise either, and I certainly don't feel that murdering her is acceptable." Looking at the group Jessica says, "I would suggest this, bringing Nualia back to face justice is the right thing to do and we don't have the right to murder her in cold blood now that she is helpless. I won't waste our precious healing on her as it's more important that we get out of here alive than her." Gathering her resolve she says, "I think we should take her with us, unconscious, but if it comes to us all getting away alive or taking her back, we have the priority." Looking into Kiley's eyes, "That means that, if we have to, we kill her and leave her body behind. I don't want to, it's disrespectful and wrong, but it might come to that."

Kiley looks up at Jessica, ignoring Tal entirely. Weariness and grief that is old and deep looks back out at the priestess. It was only a moment before her eyes fall back to Nualia.

"I... I understand," she says in a voice that is flat and dead, "I'll carry her."

"I'll stay near you and help as I can Kiley, I won't leave you to face this alone." Jessica picks up her glaive and stays near her friend, watching her sadly and with concern.

Raising a hand towards the girls and wanting to say something he quickly lowers it, not knowing anything appropriate to say in order to comfort the fighter.

"Good point." Grace notes to Tal. "Unless, of course, she's already freed the thing or done what is needed to free it and all it needs is, I don't know, the next full moon's light to fall upon the door to its cage of such. In that case we'll end up fighting it when it descends upon Sandpoint anyway."

Grace shrugs her shoulders.

"I'm not a citizen of Sandpoint. Or, rather, I'm a new arrival. I don't think I get a vote on what we do with Pretty Princess Mindf&!! over there. Those of you who are residents, I believe, should be the one to decide. Either we kill her right here, right now or we trundle her up and take her with us. Once we get away from Thistletop it won't take long to reach the town at all."

Sighing loud enough for the others to hear, Tal shrugs his shoulders and mutters "Why do I even bother..."

Tal inspects his crossbow, ensuring it is still loaded and moves towards the stairs leading up. "Lets head out. We have got a bugbear to decapitate to scare off the goblins in case they wish to pursue us."

Not knowing what all to do right now Sunday decides to go with one of the few things he knows something about as he looks the bastard sword over. Pulling the ranseur off his back he'll walk over to offer it to Kiley. "Um, it's balanced really well and you're better at using polearms zhan me so vould you like it?" he sheepishly days before quickly adding "So zhat Jessica can keep her's next time!"

Elisai watches the proceedings with interest, but, like Grace, believes that she herself is inexperienced enough to not provide a vote. Besides this, she didn't feel entirely comfortable deciding anothers fate. It was all very well and good slaying someone in combat, but deciding whether to execute someone or take them back to face further punishment was a topic she had never had much experience in, or much interest with.

"I would take her to Sandpoint for judgement if it was to my decision." Delendir looks with distaste at the fallen woman "As about resting, we can certainly benefit of some healing cares even if not magical, I have some knowledge on it. But I do not think it will take a lot for the goblins to realise the humans are being particularly quite and the goblin women are missing."

The ranger looks at the stairs going up "In case you insist into resting here I would try to go up and hide the carnage. Goblins are not super intelligent and they might confuse one human with another, thus, if some of them comes around, there is chance we might confuse them letting them think we are one of Nualia’s minions. We might find a good disguise and distraction for it."

He then looks at Tal "For most I would dislike to rest here and the danger I think it means, I am with Tal on the fact attacking the lair for a second time might be even harder, with all the goblins in alarm and ready. We need to discover, either by Nualia's words or her notes if there is some danger here we have to deal with. If there is no reason to think something else controlling her acts is hidden below, I will vote to leave now and do not risk the action. If Nualia was just the face of the real danger, we better stay and handle it before days pass and the goblins discover what happened."

"I think we should simply leave this place, and take Nualia with us to face justice, it's not right to murder the helpless, it makes us just as bad as them, and if we wait here, getting back out may not be as easy as getting in was if we stay the night."

Not knowing what all to do right now Sunday decides to go with one of the few things he knows something about as he looks the bastard sword over. Pulling the ranseur off his back he'll walk over to offer it to Kiley. "Um, it's balanced really well and you're better at using polearms zhan me so vould you like it?" he sheepishly days before quickly adding "So zhat Jessica can keep her's next time!"

Kiley takes the polearm and tests its weight before setting it carefully aside and wrapping Sunday in a hug.

"Thank you, Sunday. Now I can help you out even if there's only room for one of us at the front."

As the others discuss what to do next, Kiley slumps against the wall. She just lets the words wash over her, until the subject of Nualia comes back up.

"I can carry her. I have at least that much left in me. She shouldn't be able to cause trouble with her mouth gagged and someone else hanging on to this," Kiley says as she holds up the gold symbol of Lamashtu.

At this, Nualia's purple eyes open. She flexes her muscles against her bonds, but doesn't seem to panic. Her eyes bore into Kiley, full of hate.

Gonna move things along, per the discussion thread.

Going through the paperwork, Tal & Grace now know the whole story.

Having been found and raised by Father Ezakien Tobyn, Nualia's childhood was lonely and sad. Her beauty incited jealousy from some children, and caused the other children to shy away, not feeling worthy. Adults took to calling her blessed by Desna, and treated her angelic heritage almost as a reverse deformity. Some even suggested that her very touch could cure minor ailments, and a lock of her hair could be brewed into a tea to increase fertility. Nualia felt like a freak.

When she was an late adolescent, a young Varisian named Delek Viskanta began to court Nualia, and she fell for him hard, as much for gratitude as anything else. Father Tobyn would never have approved (he wanted her to remain a virgin, to join a prestigious convent), so Nualia kept her trysts with Delek secret, meeting him several times around town, once even in the smuggler's tunnels beneath the Glassworks, which Delek had discovered as a youth.

Soon, Nualia learned she was pregnant with Delek's child. She revealed this to Delek, who called her a slut and fled Sandpoint rather than face Father Tobyn. Nualia was shocked at first, but her shock slowly kindled into a rage that she could not vent at its source. Father Tobyn unwittingly sparked the rage when he learned of her condition. He forbade her to leave the church, and lectured her nightly, commanding that she pray to Desna for forgiveness.

When the runewell in the Catacombs (with the quasit) flared to life, it was drawn to Nualia's anger like a magnet. The wrathful thoughts completely infused her, and she flew into a furious frenzy. Later that night, at seven months pregnant, she lost her child. She only briefly glimpsed it before the horrified midwives carried it away, but she saw it was monstrous and deformed. The young woman could not handle the stress, and fell into a coma.

As Nualia slept, she dreamed. Lamashtu whispered her secrets to her soon-to-be daughter, cultivating Nualia's rage into a tool that she could use. Nualia came to realize that her horrible existence was in truth brought upon her by those around her, and was brought about by her angelic 'curse'. The Mother of Monsters kept guiding Nualia, showing her in her bleak mindscape how to expunge the angelic taint, replacing it with something more pure. A real freak for the town to hate.

When Nualia finally woke from her coma, she was not the same person. She was remade, fully in the service of Lamashtu. Her first act upon waking was the jam her father's door shut with a wedge, gather an accelerant, and start the fire that caused numerous deaths years before. The townsfolk believed Nualia had died, but instead she had fled to Magnimar. It was there she found some aid she so desperately wanted, the Skinsaw Cult. The murderers helped Nualia track down Delek, whom she killed slowly, by inches. Yet her rage did not subside, it only burned more fiercely, for the hated citizens of Sandpoint still drew breath.

The leader of the Cult gave Nualia an item called a Sihedron Medallion, and Nualia learned that she had a larger part to play than sheer vengeance. She decided her dreams were a map to her destiny, so returned to Sandpoint and the smuggler's tunnel beneath. She was drawn to a brick wall she had only noticed in passing when she and Delek had initially conceived her lost child. She broke the wall down and discovered the Catacombs of Wrath and the quasit Erylium, a fellow worshiper of Lamashtu.

Nualia studied under Erylium for many months, and started receiving another vision. This was of a monstrous goblin wolf imprisoned in an underground room. In the dream, she learned that Malfeshnekor was also one of Lamashtu's chosen. If she could find and free him, he not only could help her achieve her goal against Sandpoint, but could also be the key to cleansing herself of her celestial taint for good.

As Tal is reading through the notes he shares what he finds with the others as he keeps cross referencing between the different sources.
"This poor girl. A misfortunate celestial trait, a supersticious town, a boy taking advantage of her, a monstrous goddess taking advantage of her and some cult as well. They destroyed her bit by bit, until creature or pure hate remains." Tal stays silent for a moment and looks at the scarred and mutated woman, pity in his eyes.

"We also have our answer as to what is here. Some creature still imprisoned underneath here. I doubt we have to make sure it is taken out of it's misery immediately. Nualia tried her best setting it free and was unable to. I doubt the goblins will fare any better in our absence. By the sound of it, it seems to be quite powerful and we best not go in half-assed.
Tal starts to stand and looks at each person individually.
"My suggestion stands, we get out of here and come back when we are better prepared."

Kiley takes the polearm and tests its weight before setting it carefully aside and wrapping Sunday in a hug.

"Thank you, Sunday. Now I can help you out even if there's only room for one of us at the front."

Sunday tenses for only a moment before returning the hug. You're velcome."

As Tal is reading through the notes he shares what he finds with the others as he keeps cross referencing between the different sources.

"This poor girl. A misfortunate celestial trait, a supersticious town, a boy taking advantage of her, a monstrous goddess taking advantage of her and some cult as well. They destroyed her bit by bit, until creature or pure hate remains." Tal stays silent for a moment and looks at the scarred and mutated woman, pity in his eyes.

Sunday closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths as he takes all the information in. "So I vas right... unfortunately. She didn't follow Grandmother Nightmare on a whim, she vas driven to her."

"We should make sure we remove anything the goblins could use to free the beast." Grace says. "That goblin Druid struck me as cunning."

"It also occurs to me... If any of you know anything about architecture I know a song that is particularly hard on inanimate objects. If you point to the right spots we can collapse the stairway that leads to this level and perhaps keep the goblins, and any of Nualia's friends, out."

Nualia's notes did seem to indicate she had not found the beast yet, if that is helpful in any way.

Delendir remembers about his own daughter on listening to Nualia's history "Sic"

During the search the ranger tries to tend towards Daud's worst injuries with the little means he has at hand.
Heal (treat deadly wounds): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

"I know nothing on how to demolish buildings Grace, even goblin lairs."

He then lowers his eyes to look at Nualia "It is pitiful you only found an opportunity on Lamashtu arms... Will you take us to where the Meskelneftor is closed? Why have you failed to release him?"

During the search the ranger tries to tend towards Daud's worst injuries with the little means he has at hand.

Heal (treat deadly wounds): 5 = 5

"Needle and thread does not work that way!" Sunday yelps before moving a good distance away from the ranger.

The woman just glares at the ranger, not offering a head shake or nod, nor a muffled sound through the gag.

Delendir shakes in frustration "Stop crying and moving like a baby and I might sew that one properly. Weasels and birds are easier to treat than you Daud."

After the work Delendir moves to Nualia's chamber "So, Tal, is there no other room in here?"

Seeing Tal opened only one of the doors, the half-elf inspects the closed one for sounds and danger.
Perception (+1 vs traps): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

He also inspects Nualia's chambers for any secret door.
Perception (+1 vs traps): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

"If I understand properly there is some kind of barrier Nualia was not able to go through to release the creature. Being it because of mechanical or magical locking, or by pure concealment." he thoughts for a while "Perhaps, if we are able to find that blocking, and somehow make sure no one is able to go through it, we can leave without facing Malfeshnekor nor having to come back to secure the area. Do you think it is possible?"

If no one thinks there is a solution like that Delendir will just vote to take Nualia and go back to Sandpoint.

"That spasm was in no way voluntary, you hack. Suture and puncture are two entirely different words."

"Its potentially nearby", Elisai offers. "It wouldn't surprise me if we interrupted her..although this requires the assumption that she knows where it is and was just unable to release it, for the time being".

Nualia's chambers do not contain any secret doors to Delendir's skilled eyes. Listening at the southern door in the corridor, the ranger does not hear anything beyond.

Beyond moving her hateful gaze to Elisai, Nualia contents herself with sitting there calmly.

Looking at the group as they discuss what to do still, and having made her preferences known, Jessica sits and begins praying, her melodious song quiet, so as not to disturb her friends discussion.

Since we seem to be sitting here for some time, I am taking the fifteen minutes of prayer needed to fill in the new 2nd level spell slots.

It will take 1 hour to fill them all, or 15 minutes each.

I have been busy with the journal so no spells for me :p

-Posted with Wayfinder

Sitting next to Kiley, Jessica begins treating her wounds in an attempt to get them into better shape for the trip back out. "We'd better take care of this as best we can."

Treat Deadly Wounds: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

As the party does not move to retreat as previously talked and the door has clearly recently been opened by Nualia, Delendir opens the southern door, bow at the ready and steps in, checking for new hints on the basements mystery.
Perception (+1 vs traps): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

He also observes Nualia expression looking for hints on what she feels on the go forward.
Sense motives: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11