Oleksandr walks a wider perimeter around the camp site muttering to himself intently, making motions as if he were sprinkling a fine powder on the ground.
"I feel fairly safe with these protections, but that house...I'm still uneasy. I will take the final watch."
He spends the rest of the evening pouring through his spellbook though he will respond if anyone needs his attention.
"Should we build a fire? We're all wet. It'd be nice to dry off. I have some spare clothes, but tragically, they were soaked when we all fell into the basement."
Please describe any conversations, actions, preparations or rituals you go through during the next 8 hours.
You fall asleep quickly once you've quickly sated your hunger, thirst and any other pressing matters or other manners of rest.
When you awake in the afternoon, you can see the noon sun beginning to fall. Your clothes and supplies have mostly dried, though some more absorbent things You could make it about a day's travel by nightfall if you hustle and take the right route. You feel refreshed and grateful to be alive.
The basement is still full of water, and some items you may wish to take remain in the mansion.
Thravum volunteers for first watch. "You guys sleep. I got a few more hours in me. Maybe this headache will pass and I'll sleep better. Forget some of those pictures in me head."
You all watch as he pulls some waterlogged sundry items from his pack, eventually unearthing a small cask. Grimacing, he hefts it aloft over his head and pulls the cork from the bung. The slurping sounds are mildly unsettling. Eventually he pulls it down and holds it to keep the contents in. "Who's next?"
He stands unsteadily to his feet and walks to stand holding the cask over Olias "Thirsty, elf?".
"Sure, let's build a fire!" Florr says, passing out apples and fish jerky and refilling water sacks. She finds a clean enough bucket and fills it to the brim, opening her left hand and letting the water pour out of her palm. "We took all of the artifacts and herbs from the house, right? Olias, I can take some of them if you are out of room for the journey. We need to make sure we have as much evidence of this as possible, besides the tablet. Does anyone have the letters we found? Do you think we should check the attic? These are things we can ponder overnight and decide in the morning."
Florr chews on some fish jerky "Yum. Did you guys notice the broken cart? If someone knows how to fix it, we can attach it to Storm Surge. We can put supplies or other things we want to take back with us, or even ride in it. Thravum, are you handy with the hammer?" She offers another apple to Storm Surge.
"I will take the second watch. After we rest, Storm Surge needs a walk and a buddy, so we will watch and walk the perimeter for a while." She will strip off her wet garments and wrap herself in Storm Surge's saddle blanket to keep warm until her clothes are dry.
Thravum volunteers for first watch. "You guys sleep. I got a few more hours in me. Maybe this headache will pass and I'll sleep better. Forget some of those pictures in me head."
You all watch as he pulls some waterlogged sundry items from his pack, eventually unearthing a small cask. Grimacing, he hefts it aloft over his head and pulls the cork from the bung. The slurping sounds are mildly unsettling. Eventually he pulls it down and holds it to keep the contents in. "Who's next?"
He stands unsteadily to his feet and walks to stand holding the cask over Olias "Thirsty, elf?".
"Ni'lassui, Thravum. Much appreciated!
"As for the manor... there's still that water carpet in the basement, and the chest. Now that the house is mostly drained, and we are better rested, I think we have a better shot of neutralizing the beast and claiming whatever is down there. There were also a few food items in the attic.
"I'll take third watch."
"Good morning all!" Florr calls from the bank of Storm Surge after a refreshing late afternoon canter around the grounds. "I have three apples left, so wants one?"
She dismounts and tossed apples to anyone who wants one.
"Now that we are rested, I think we should go back in the house and take care of that creature the basement and investigate that chest. We could look in the attic too. And that pendant? "
Oleksandr gladly accepts an apple.
"Thank you Florr."
"Now that we are rested, I think we should go back in the house and take care of that creature the basement and investigate that chest. We could look in the attic too. And that pendant? "
With a mouthful of apple:
"I agree, while it seems the major conflict has been resolved within I would also like to gather more information about just what occurred here. We should also bury the dead. We made a promise to the woman from the house."
Olias eats an apple and mumbles that he agrees to check the basement.
"Ok, get the pendant, check the attic, and drag everyone out here for burial," Florr summarizes. "Thravum, anything else?"
"Olias, I've seen you looking at that lute and I'd like to help you fix it. I enjoy your music during our downtime, it actually seems to help me focus on my studies. I might be able to use this scroll of mending but I want to make sure we don't have a higher priority here first. That wagon over there might be useful to get us back to town quicker, and considering our food supplies might be a good idea to pursue. And who knows what we have yet to find inside. If we need to use it for something else here I will gladly help you find a reputable magic user at Haven's Cross to get it repaired. Between my evaluation of their skills and your way with words I'm sure we can find the best price for the task."
"Thravum, anything else?"
"Thravrum, how are you feeling after the rest? The energy emanating from the tablet seemed to take a lot out of you and I'm truly grateful for that sacrifice."
"Thanks, Olek. It grieves me that it's damaged, but I think I can hold out until we return to town. I'll play the flute in the meantime. For now, let's go kick some water carpet ass!"
You'd estimate digging a grave for each corpse you found would take about 8 hours labor for 4 people with shovels.
Many scavenging birds have taken up residence on the hill under the manor picking at the bits of so many dead sea creatures.
Making your way back into the house feels a bit odd (I'll assume you keep the front door open for light).
It's much quieter now.
You make your way up to the master bedroom through the servants quarters and your eyes fall upon the two skeletal bodies embracing in the bed in the center of the room. You're reminded of someone you've felt that way about (if you've met such a person before.)
The desk drawer has some uninteresting trinkets and writing instruments but you find the pendant (picture) quickly.
Based on your shared knowledge and abilities, it's clear it's a relatively nice, magical pendant of Lathander, a greater diety that's also known as "Morning Lord". He's a very popular god worshipped by many common folks and righteous knights. His portfolio includes the creativity, dawn, renewal, birth, athletics, spring, self-perfection, vitality and youth. He favored those who dispelled the undead and blessed those who planted new life. Lathander was also the god called upon to bless birth and fertility related ceremonies.
On the back is an inscription. "From death, life. There is always another dawn. In the dawn, beauty reigns, and the way is clearer."
It's magical properties seem mostly intended to benefit worshipers of Lathander and they're hidden from you. You can tell that any good character in possession of it can ask it to cast "Daylight" once. It also allows a good character in possession to cast "Holy Aura" once. In order to recharge the amulet, it must be left in the light cast by a sunrise.
The door to the Fountain room (basement hole) is held shut by your immovable rod.
"No interest in this amulet. Someone grab it and let's go into the basement and finish this."
"I feel a hell of a lot better this morning than I did last night. Ale helped. Remind me never to get on a boat- I'll stick to dry land."
Thravum is absently scratching his leg as he answers Oleksandr- "Leg seems like it'll hold, maybe I can use it as bait for that thing. Pin it right to the floor with that spear I found. I don't care what it tastes like, I'm eating part of that thing. Bite still itches like I brushed up against some starthistle or something."
"That pendant is beautiful," says Florr. She takes it in her hand to look at it closer. "Could come in handy in our battle in the basement. I'm already wearing a pendant. Oleksandre, do you want to wear it?"
"That pendant is beautiful," says Florr. She takes it in her hand to look at it closer. "Could come in handy in our battle in the basement. I'm already wearing a pendant. Oleksandre, do you want to wear it?"
It's surprisingly warm in your hand.
"That pendant is beautiful," says Florr. She takes it in her hand to look at it closer. "Could come in handy in our battle in the basement.
"Why don't you hang onto it Floor. I still have a few scrolls from Karl. Might be best to keep our arcane abilities spread amongst us to keep us flexible."
Making your way up the stairs and through the mansion you're able to see things in the light of day as you open up windows and doors. (pictures: The Staircase, The ballroom)
In the attic, aside from a corpse laying down in front of a pile of writing supplies, is filled with paintings and some partially eaten rations of hardtack biscuits, dried meats and jars of pickles. It wouldn't be great eating but you estimate it'll last the 4 of you for the trip back to Haven's Cross (if you ate sparingly).
There are also a number of paintings being stored leaning in a pile against the north wall.
Painting one
Painting two
Painting three
Painting four
Painting five
As you make your way back down to the first floor to the fountain room, you wait outside the doorway. Your immovable rod holding the door in place.
Oleksandr is curious about the paintings. Wondering if they would be worth hauling back to Haven's Cross if they are depicting anything unusual or significant in regards to magical events, people, or places. He doesn't care about the artists' ability or their monetary value.
At the bottom of the staircase Oleksandr halts.
"Hold on, let's not get *too* wet if we don't have too. I'm not sure if that room is still full of water. Just stand here on the staircase and I'll grab the rod."
He steps off the staircase as if he is heading for the door but immediately stops again. He glances up and down at the door, measuring it up from a distance. He fallows an invisible line from the top of the door jam to his feet with his eyes.
He raises his right hand dramatically towards the door-
"Oh wait, I almost forgot!"
Oleksandr pulls out his spell book, flips open to a book marked page and begins mumbling to himself in a monotone voice. He makes deliberate gestures with his hands, crossing his chest and face over and over.
"Ohkrana propusk zaschita bronya latly skafandr..."
This goes on for a good ten minutes...
"Ah ok, I hope you were preparing yourselves as I was."
He re-raises his hand dramatically pointing towards the door
"Before we open that door, who will be our best fighter if we have to go underwater? I can help you out for the fight..."
"Thravum, do you want to wear this ring?" Florr says as Oleksandr is casting his spell, motioning to the Ring if Water Breathing. "That way you can follow the creature and get up close."
"Aye, I'll take the ring, and the help. Follow this thing to wherever it goes- grapple with it to the last. Back home, we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him."
Thravum stands several feet back from the door with the spear leveled.
"From hell's heart I stab at thee"
"Valkur protect us!"
"Let's be friends?" Olias attempts to persuade the creature to join them.
Thravum stabs at hell's heart, using his spear for some bonus stabbing...
Oleksandr hurls a freezing blue orb at the creature.
Olias turns to the creature. "Hey, Ugly! Cen- tye ana cúma, tye kuu'datto!! He draws a dagger and pricks his finger and casts Bane:
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a drop of blood)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Up to three creatures of your choice that you can see within range must make Charisma saving throws. Whenever a target that fails this saving throw makes an attack roll or a saving throw before the spell ends, the target must roll a D4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2n
Spell Save for monster DC = 13 (Charisma)
"This worked last time, here goes..." Florr says as she touches her Amulet and reaches a hand toward the creature. She takes a couple steps forward. A thunderous boom and wave of force fly from her outstretched hand.
In addition, unsecured objects that are completely within the area of effect are automatically pushed 10 feet away from you by the spell’s effect, and the spell emits a thunderous boom audible out to 300 feet.
Thravum continues to work the blade into the creases in the crab's chitin, stabbing furiously.
"Smile you son of a b~*~#"
"hrggggghnnnn"
Oleksandr crashes to the floor.