"Or we ken leave al watch the battle from afar, perchance I shall pen a song......Bastion without a bastard...."
Jaegr goes to work with the pick, which makes a lively racket, prompting Wyvurn to put his fingers in his ears (or ear, as the case may be). Caspian sings a song along with the cadence of the swings.
The dwarf's mining experience finally begins to show; he makes an efficient job of it (assuming Taking 10), knocking down a minimum of area. There is some sort of loud "boinging" sound as a spring and a variety of small metal pieces come out of the wall in response to his assault; one of the metal pieces appears to be a razor blade, coated with some sort of foul-looking substance. Jaegr looks down at it curiously, shrugs, and turns his attention to a small hollow in the wall he's uncovered.
Inside is a box, about 2 ft. on a side, with thick reinforcing bands and a heavy padlock.
Inside is a box, about 2 ft. on a side, with thick reinforcing bands and a heavy padlock.
Jaegr set the box on the table/
"Hmm well now this is interesting. Maybe one of those keys works the lock? I would be cautious however as there may be more traps on this box."
"Might be one of those keys does, but I'm sure that pick will do the job if they don't"
"I suggest we find out the contents of this box and then get to the tasks at hand. At least one of us should watch our friends here. Someone else needs to find out the leader of this town...or new leader if it was the Marshal...and make them aware of our situation. Upon thinking about it, this town may need our help after all. Finally, we should see where our caravan friends got off to. Any preferences on who does what?"
"Might be one of those keys does, but I'm sure that pick will do the job if they don't"
"My concern would be the contents of the box remaining intact and usable." Jaegr shrugs "My curiosity has me interested in what is going on and maybe this would have some clues, or it could be his stash of money."
Caspian hands over his key ring, and then keeps his hand out for the return of the keys......
Caspian hands over his key ring, and then keeps his hand out for the return of the keys......
Jagr takes the keys after searching the box as well as he can for anything obviously trapped
Afterwords, if he doesn't notice a trap, he'll signal everyone to stand back and start using the keys to open up the chest, trying to figure out which one looks like it would be the best
You're no expert on traps, and don't really know what to look for, so it's no surprise that you don't see anything obvious. Luckily, selecting a key is more a matter of size and shape, and you have a fairly easy time picking out what you think is the correct key from the mongrelman's ring.
Find/bypass/disarm/create/identify/evaluate mechanical trap/lock = Disable Device;
Find/bypass/disarm/identify/evaluate magical trap/ward = Spellcraft;
Listen/spot/smell/feel/taste = Perception.
You're no expert on traps, and don't really know what to look for, so it's no surprise that you don't see anything obvious. Luckily, selecting a key is more a matter of size and shape, and you have a fairly easy time picking out what you think is the correct key from the mongrelman's ring.
{ooc] I figured I didn't really have a chance to find anything, so figured I'd give it a shot before breaking stuff[/ooc]
Jaegr studies the keys and finds the one that looks like it will fit and inserts the key and turns it, waiting for something nasty to shoot out
Jaegr studies the keys and finds the one that looks like it will fit and inserts the key and turns it, waiting for something nasty to shoot out.
He doesn't have long to wait. Like an insane jack-in-the-box, a roiling wave of flesh gushes out of the box amidst the reek of sulfur and brimstone. Amid the fatty surge wriggle half-formed limbs and a dripping, diabolical face. The thing does not appear to be friendly, but luckily seems to be shocked at being summoned to the material world, and is taking a few seconds to fully materialize.
He doesn't have long to wait. Like an insane jack-in-the-box, a roiling wave of flesh gushes out of the box amidst the reek of sulfur and brimstone. Amid the fatty surge wriggle half-formed limbs and a dripping, diabolical face. The thing does not appear to be friendly, but luckily seems to be shocked at being summoned to the material world, and is taking a few seconds to fully materialize.
The reek of brimstone suggests some form of demon or devil, although you're certainly no expert on such matters. It is most definitely hostile, however, already feebly trying to swipe at you with half-formed claws even as it materializes. Despite your slow reaction, you still act before the thing can fully appear and effectually attack.
"Close tha box an lock it, we ken take it with us!"
The reek of brimstone suggests some form of demon or devil, although you're certainly no expert on such matters. It is most definitely hostile, however, already feebly trying to swipe at you with half-formed claws even as it materializes. Despite your slow reaction, you still act before the thing can fully appear and effectually attack.
Jaegr, unaccustomed to fighting foes from other planes, badly misses his blow. Still, as the thing fully enters the material plane, there's ample opportunity for Wyvurn, Vanya, and/or Caspian to pile on it.
Vanya extends his blade and lounges at the fiend.
Vanya extends his blade and lounges at the fiend.
Kelsin, having apparently neither seen nor heard anything of interest outside, makes his way back to the sheriff's. Opening the door, he calls out. "Hey, it's quiet out there yet, everybody, nothing big going on. You want me to go farther? Maybe leave the city limits and - WHOA! What is that?!" Rounding the corner, the wood elf spots the horrid flesh thing and preps his sling to help fight.
Caspian comes in with his shortsword.....
Melee shortsword
attack
Damage
Wyvurn lashes out with his kukri at the pseudopod attacking Jaegr.
Wyvurn lashes out with his kukri at the pseudopod attacking Jaegr.
The half-formed blob has fully solidified, like frozen wax, into a 4-ft. tall, twisted humanoid shape. A tormented, diabolic face gibbers unintelligibly while its clawed arms swipe at you.
Wyvern's kukri strikes the thing's arm; the main force of the blow seems unable to penetrate the fiend's blobby skin... but a trace line of ichor runs down from a shallow cut nonetheless. The monster hisses in pain and attacks.
2 claws (vs. Jaegr, Wyvern): ,
Damage: ,
The monster's counterattack draws blood from Wyvern's arm as well.
"I told yah tah close tha box."
Melee shortsword
attack
Damage
Seeing Wyvurn barely wound the creature with a solid blow and then get wounded back, Jaegr work his way to an advantageous position and attempts to put everything he can into his blow.
Jaegr's blow has all of his considerable strength and skill in it; like a thunderbolt, it strikes the steaming fiend dead-on, cleaving through its damage reduction and disrupting the thing in a cloud of sulfur. After he recovers and steps back, choking, nothing is left of the monster but a charred spot on the floor. The box sits there, lid open, seeming to grin at you like a gaping mouth. And there's stuff in it.
"I knew i could banish tha fell beast the halfling mighty shortsword is a feirce weapon, I shall pen a tale of mighty halflings an tha help of a mighty dwarven side-kick."
** spoiler omitted **
CJ
On-topic:
The interior of the box has been fitted with some sort of padding, hollowed in the shape of what appears to be a humanoid head. In the hollow is a hideously-carved rock, resembling a leering lupine or goblin visage. One glance reveals that the stone head doesn't fit the hollow very well at all -- obviously the box was intended to be holding something else, and the rock was jammed into its place as an afterthought. A second glance shows that, outside the padding, the box has been lined with a thin layer of lead.
Knowledge lore for the box and the rock
box
rock
General wisdom check for box and rock respectively
On-topic:
Profession (mining) to identify the rock type and provenance;
Craft (construction or fine art) to intuit anything about the craftsmanship;
Wisdom checks, for any random "feelings" about it;
Caspian
(a) To hold something that one doesn't want magically detected; or
(b) To hold something that one wants to "shut off" while it's closed up.
Wyvurn
Jaegr
"Seems tha box is tah hold somethin an keep it from bein detected as magic o tah hold mystical energies inside...."
"What is the shape o tha thing tha fits tha box?"
"I've seen this before, "Ghourstone" it is called, found only in the deep places under the elder mountains. Where Ghourstone can be found to mine, you can usually also find savage humanoid enemies. This stone I would guess would be found nearby the Deep Goblins." Jaegr spits, "They are numerous and ally themselves with bugbears. They die like anything else, but are dangerous as they are ruled by some wolf god from another plane who keeps organized and dangerous."
Jaegr pauses for a moment and says " I wonder if there is some connection with the goblins nearby and the deep goblins....or if the goblins nearby are deep goblins."
"Seems tha box is tah hold somethin an keep it from bein detected as magic o tah hold mystical energies inside...."
"What is the shape o tha thing tha fits tha box?"
"I wonder if this thing is magical. Maybe we can a mold to see what the thing the box is supposed to hold looks like"
|
** spoiler omitted **CJ** spoiler omitted **
"I have nothing to offer other than that whatever it is disturbs me. Should we ask our friends in the cells upstairs or should we keep this to ourselves?"
"So what err we doin seems we are fartin round here till the attack happens, I think we needs tah get while tha gettins good."
"Bagpipes, I need a set of bagpipes, I am certain I could teach myself to play them."
I need some idea of what you all are doing.
Closing the box? Leaving it open?
Going bagpipe shopping? Looking for your merchant friends? Looking for an antique shop to pawn the head? Looking for Aunt Mildred for a cup of tea? Looking for a plane flight to Miami?
"So lets put tha thing back in tha box, tie it closed an head out."
Caspian moves to put the rock back into the box, close the box and tie it closed.....
"Come on guys, I have money tah spend an fine wine tah drink let us do so from tha next town away from brigands, mayhap I shall find those bagpipes I ave been wanting."
A suggestion for Caspian:
You can certainly teach yourself the bagpipe, and with little problem. You can also probably learn to use an instrument that requires only your hands -- that would allow you to talk while maintaining a bardic inspiration.
Then again, I'm amenable to letting you do that with the bagpipe, too (we'll just assume you're speaking in between breaths or something), because I don't believe that one instrument should automatically be "better" than another one. That would also separate the mechanics from the flavor, which I like. Thoughts?
Certainly a lingering note on the bag-pipe would let me do both, continue playing and talking as I squeeze the bag...
My thinking is, pan-pipes rock,
but bagpipes.....is pure awesomeness!
I also figured it might take a few levels to actually find bagpipes....
Certainly a lingering note on the bag-pipe would let me do both, continue playing and talking as I squeeze the bag...
Works for me. We'll call it a go. Now to find some!
Vanya looks at the thing with a bit more attention than he usually displays. "This is not good. That thing is a Teufelkopf, a magical totem object carved by savage humanoids. It is supposed to expand the control of a fiendish ruler over its tribal minions, curse their enemies, and serve as a focus for malign influences. Some legends even claim the creature depicted can perceive the world through the object. Constructing one of these things usually requires a tribal high priest of some power, such as might appear among goblins only once in a generation. I fear that we are observed even as we speak, but I am at a loss what to do with it."
Vanya looks at the thing with a bit more attention than he usually displays. "This is not good. That thing is a Teufelkopf, a magical totem object carved by savage humanoids. It is supposed to expand the control of a fiendish ruler over its tribal minions, curse their enemies, and serve as a focus for malign influences. Some legends even claim the creature depicted can perceive the world through the object. Constructing one of these things usually requires a tribal high priest of some power, such as might appear among goblins only once in a generation. I fear that we are observed even as we speak, but I am at a loss what to do with it."
"This changes everything. I fear they are way above what we can handle. Lets close it up and put it behind the wall again and move on with the caravan and get as far away from here as possible." Jaegr closes the lid and latches it. "OK, now we need to decide what we are really going to do. I say let's take the fight to them. But what do we do with the box until then. We probably shouldn't take it with us, but we also cannot leave it here."
"I wonder if this is the box that is being sought after...It does not make sense that the Marshal would have it right under his nose..but..Regardless, although I would like nothing more to be done with this business, we cannot leave this town defenseless. I say we find Geof and Wilbur, have a bite and a bit of wine, and discuss our next course of action and who we can trust. Jaegr is right in that this may be too big for us, but taking the fight to a force that may include bugbears might not be a healthy decision."