Mary would like to buy a scroll of CLW.
Since it's a general party funds, she'd 'prefer' to pay half (12,5 gp) herself and half from what was left.
GM rolls, don't worry
Katara again counts the money afterwards and looks at Arula.
"If you don't want to hold onto it I can. I don't like being shortchanged, but when it comes to money I don't shortchange either. Its a compulsion in fact. I am always fair with it. Where I grew up doing anything less ended with your entrails being used for divinations for the gods." Looking at each of them.
"Any of you have experiences with traps and magical traps? I am sure the Spire has quite a few."
"I have some experience with the mundane variety, though it was not a major part of my training."
"Really? Small animals suffice for that purpose.
There's more ways than merely killing to utterly punish a transgression.
Eventually they actually 'wish' for death."
The same smile now has an odd vibe to it, as she says it casually.
Just what was she taught in her childhood?
"I never said they died, now did I." Katara says just as casually. "Gorok, will you assist me in looking for traps then. Two sets of eyes are better than one when it comes to these things."
"I will hold it as we agreed on. Something my father taught me, is to always keep your word, especially, if you want to live as long as he does. Even if it was a simple agreement, not a contract or promise, its good to make a habit of it."
"I don't know much about traps, except for the theory about some of the magic ones, but zombies make some rather good trap detectors"
Zurka watches the interplay between his teammates with a carefully honed disinterested look on his face, yet those who watch him closely can see he is far more interested in the team's banter than he is letting on.
The women would fit in quite well in my homeland. They could teach my people a thing or three.
In response to the human woman Katara, he shakes his head. "I have no training in discovering traps or bypassing them. Perhaps I would be best suited as rear guard once we arrive at the Spire. As for using zombies..." He shakes his head in disgust. "Useless waste of time. Zombies are mindless...little more than hunks of flesh and bone, useless for anything but the most trivial tasks. I would not trust one to trigger such a trap properly!"
It's the beginning of the afternoon, for what you have heard the trek to the Spire should take around 4 hours, as you must pass through the Echo Woods.
That means you'll have maybe two hours of sun left, when you'll reach the Spire, before the night comes. Of course, you could walk faster.
"They might be mindless hunks of flesh, but i think i won't hear you complaining if they fall down a hidden pit, making you aware it is there."
Zurka cannot help but smirk on hearing Mary's reply. "Yes, I concede your point here, but how will they climb out?"
"That is not of great importance, in a giant spire there will probably be an abundance of fallen unfortunates to work magics on, to create new diversions."
Aralu chuckles "There are always more zombies"
"I would prefer having them fight 'for' us, instead of 'against' us."
"I can help with that, taking control of a single zombie is easy"
Gorok listens to the conversation, ponders a minute, then adds, "But how is their manual dexterity? They would certainly suffice for tripwires and pressure plates, but what about locks and such? And I've heard more advanced traps can detect creatures by their inherent biological nature, so I don't believe zombies would suffice in that case. Anyways, it seems rather inefficient."
"Sometimes ya just gotta use what's handy. You won't always have time or opportunity to pick the best tool for the job. Sometimes ya gotta improvise."
"I think we should hustle while we have the light. It's less dangerous to make camp when ye can't see than it is to travel when ye can't see."
"My master Skurj taught me that. It was his first lesson. He even said it just before he triggered the explosion that took his fingers and eyes."
"Alright, well, either way I will be blind in the dark so expect light to travel with us. Unfortunately I wasn't born with the ability to see in the dark like some of you. I need to get one of those continual light spells put on a mirror disc and put it in a scroll case for easily portable directional light." She mused out loud.
"As for the zombies and such. I am not a fan but that is because of the smell. I agree use what resources we have available though."
-Posted with Wayfinder
After a two hour walk at a brisk pace through the Echo Woods, you finally spot the Emerald Spire.
Fortunately, the woods were quiet today, even if you've heard at the Fort rumors of bandits, unwordly dangerous creatures and strange beasts roaming the forest. You manage to get an hour rest, catching your breath and massaging your aching limbs after the long and quick walk.
Standing in a wide clearing within the Echo Wood, the Emerald Spire, a supposed Azlanti very ancient relic, is the ruin of a large tower that appears to be made of green glass harder than stone. The upper portions of the tower were destroyed long ago, leaving broken, halfmelted glass blocks lying jumbled around the tower’s perimeter and the ground nearby.
The Emerald Spire, from the outside
The clearing itself, as you finally realise, is an almost perfect circle, with the Spire at its center.The trees of the Echo Wood crowd up against this unseen border and suddenly halt—nothing larger than a sapling grows in the Glen. Even those who weren't raised in a rural area undertand this is not natural.
For those with some sense of strategy, that means that you'll have no cover to reach the Spire.
Zurka pauses for a brief moment as he catches his breath and looks around him. The fact cover will be lacking disturbs him greatly. As his companions recover from the brisk walk, he tries recalling what little he knew of the Spire's history.
Unfortunately, noting else immediately came to mind.
Well, this is what I am here for, is it not? He thinks wryly to himself.
Drawing his rapier and holding it at the ready, he whispers to the others. "A perfect spot for ambush. We should scout the perimeter before approaching closer."
Mary, despite having traveled alot, is suffering from a blank spot.
Looking around.
"Scouting the perimeter would probably be good but if the underbrush is stopping there it will probably be thick." Looking at him. "You good at staying quiet?"
Gorok stays quiet for the journey, lost in her own thoughts. She does keep an eye out for any common poisonous plants in the woods, thinking they would be useful to have with her components. Arriving at the clearing before the spire she eyes up the broken tower, appraising it's construction, but does her best to remain concealed in the woods.
Aralu looks at the spire with awe "fascinating" and makes a quick scetch of the tower in her journal, with notes.
"Scouting the perimeter would probably be good but if the underbrush is stopping there it will probably be thick." Looking at him. "You good at staying quiet?"
Zurka nods, "Yes, I can move quietly when the situation calls for it. Do you require a light source?"
"I do which is why I would give us away if we were to scout. But one can not help the circumstance of their birth."
Katara would look at him. "If you think you can do safely go ahead."
Zurka nods quickly and making sure his chain shirt is muffled against the clinking of the chain links, he slips off to the left and makes a circle around the Spire, eyes peeled for danger.
-Posted with Wayfinder
more than a rubble-strewn cliff. On the tower’s south side, a dirt
path winds up the steep embankment to a pitch-black doorway. You could stay here, or even get closer, but maybe the dog will sniff you. And you don't know yet if it's alone or not.
You see your companion get closer to the Spire, from a safe distance. He suddenly stops, but you don't know why
Aralu, wondering why Zurka stopped so suddenly, looks for any reason for the stopping.
How long to wait here...I shall give it sixty seconds to move away, then I shall get closer...
"Do any of you excel at being quiet and sneaky? Or any of you arcane types got a flying familiar that could quickly scope out what's happening with Zurka. Gorok, can you see in the dark? If so, would you mind getting closer to Zurka? Give us a signal if there is trouble and we'll come running, but I don't want to spook the situation if he's spotted something has hasn't been spotted himself..."
"I can see in the dark, but I am not trained in stealth. I can attempt to check on him if you wish."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Zurka returns to the others as quietly as he is able to do so. Once with the others he reports, "It looks like there is a goblin scout watching the entrance to the Spire, riding a war dog. I could not tell if the goblin was alone or not. Also, I believe the dog did scent me." He smiles grimly. "We could try to capture it. It may know more of the Spire and also lays therein."
Katara would look at Zurka. "What weapon's did it have? Since I need light to see someone will have to guide me and provide light when we fight. Or, let me go up there with light and be the distraction while you use the shadows. Especially since you want to capture him."
Katara looks at the other. "I'll also take a light in a pouch that I can pull out when I need it. Once in I have a lantern and torches."
"Mistress, i could fly and scout ahead too.", a small hushed voice whispered into Mary's ear.
"If it's numbers you want a better estimate of, i have a highly trained bird that could scout the numbers."
Zurka replies to Katara, "The goblin was armed with a small bow and a rusty blade on some kind of pole. A light armament which led me to believe he is a scout. I think your plane is sound as well."
Turning to Mary, he nods in agreement. "Very well. Can your bird count numbers?"
Upon hearing that goblins are present, Meurasod spits on the ground and says "Hmmphh, vile vermin. I will slay them all. They are nothing more than an infestation, and I will purge them."
"Decently enough."
Mary strokes her left hand under her hair. Retracting her hand, a small colorful bird sits atop her index finger.
Mary repeats a small circle gesture.
"Explore, return."
The little bird turns its head in the quick pace usual for birds, sings a bit, then takes off. It will fly high enough to see the field, but not low enough for taking a proper shot.