Day 7, late evening, 111 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 6:30 pm)
The ghost of the Goblin King answers Stephanie’s questions
”There were, as best as I’ve been able to learn, eleven chests carried by the wedding party. These chests are ornate, and each held treasures, but I do not know what the treasures were exactly. Once I overheard the Vampire Queen mention a list, but I’ve never seen this list. The undead who serve the Vampire Queen, these that can only be active from sundown to sunset, have been searching the island for centuries for the chests and their treasures. Deep below us she has gathered eight of the chests.”
”Many other treasures lay here, the spoils of ancient Goblin Kings, as well as other treasures that date to a time before that. Some are guarded by the spirits of those who could not leave this world, but not all of these spirits are under the control of the Vampire Queen. The gods of the realms of the dead each have their own powers. She is protected by the gods of the human kind, but the other gods protect their own.”
”Your offer is welcome, Daughter of the two races. There is nothing you can do for me. I will remain here, and protect this room for as long as I can. But you should know this, the Vampire Queens power is not fixed, it ebbs and flows with the natural rhythms of the world and the worlds beyond. With each ritual she perfects her power grows and when her power grows the power of those that serve her also grows. Be careful. If you can end the curse, I will leave this world.”
Well, this is about all you can learn from the Goblin King, unless you have more questions. You can move on when you are ready.
The ghost turns to Hallister with a puzzled expression.
”I imagine they would be difficult to destroy, but more than that I do not know why you would want to do that. The items, the wedding gifts, as I understand, were not enchanted items, originally, but they were all of the finest quality, as befits someone of the bride’s station. But it was in the curse that they took on the qualities they now possess, and I believe that each of the items is connected to someone in the wedding party. A spirit now is bonded to the items. Part of the madness that consumed the Bride’s Maid is tied to the recovery of those gifts. The wedding gifts must be accounted for, returned to the Bride, and must be present during the ceremony the Vampire Queen hopes to carry out or, if I am correct, must be present to end the curse. As it seems now, I am not altogether certain that the ceremony the Vampire Queen hopes to fulfill is very different from the same sort of ceremony that must be performed to end the curse. But of one thing I am certain, the Vampire Queen is relentless in collecting the wedding gifts, and will not proceed with her plans until they are all returned. If you destroy even the smallest of the gifts, I fear they may be no hope in ending this curse.”
Gnome* Wizard/4, HP 15/23 (2 NL), AC 13 (T-13, FF-11), Fort +0 Ref +5 Will +4 ---- Init. +8, Perc. +2
Terquem wrote:
”Your offer is welcome, Daughter of the two races. There is nothing you can do for me. I will remain here, and protect this room for as long as I can. But you should know this, the Vampire Queens power is not fixed, it ebbs and flows with the natural rhythms of the world and the worlds beyond. With each ritual she perfects her power grows and when her power grows the power of those that serve her also grows. Be careful. If you can end the curse, I will leave this world.”
Stephanie bows low to the ground. She's touched that the others are even considering what a potential coup would mean for her, but also feeling rather embarrassed that such a thought frightens her a little.
Before they leave the room, she finds a moment to speak with Miagnik. "If you would be willing," she whispers, "I would like to hear more of goblins and spiders. It appears my intellectual pursuits have been rather selfish, and there is much I still need to know and understand."
Miagnik looks down at the Ring he is wearing and then back to King Heelggod.
"If Hallister is correct, then it may be beneficial, at least for the moment, that we may possess one of these wedding Gifts. That said, we will continue to investigate further and hopefully recover any of the other gifts that we can.
It is good to know that you keep this place safe for now. We will likely return here for rest should we require it." He then reaches into his backpack and pulls out a piece of chalk and begins to sketch a map of what he remembered them traveling through on the wall.
After he had drawn up a simple map he turned to the group.
"I think it would be best for us to get moving again. Either set of those double doors behind us might be good to check out but we should press forward first to see if we can get our bearings. Rownig, you and Hallister take the lead."
Princess Stephanie wrote:
Before they leave the room, she finds a moment to speak with Miagnik. "If you would be willing," she whispers, "I would like to hear more of goblins and spiders. It appears my intellectual pursuits have been rather selfish, and there is much I still need to know and understand."
Miagnik stops before leaving and lets the others head out first. He had managed to cool off somewhat from before and the revelations that had been brought up by King Heelggod made his earlier statements seem petty by comparison. But still... it was something to speak of.
"I had forgotten, momentarily, that there are far more Dwarves on the island than Goblins. It makes sense that you wouldn't necessarily know everything about us. We have our kings, yes. But we must seem like barbarians to most nobles in the capital." He let his eyes drop to the floor and let out a derisive laugh. He then looked up and met Stephanie's eyes. "But, yes when we have time, I will tell you more about us."
M Dwarf Rogue 5, Init 5(7), P10(12traps), HP 35/35, AC 15(16), 13 T, 10 FF, Save F: 3(5 pos/sp), R: 7, W: 3
Rowing motions for the dwarves to gather round. "figured y'all are gettin' a feel fer the lay out of the complex. We cleaned out what appears to be a quadrant. the double door t'da North probably lead to a another." he looks around the wall way. Then points to the the four way intersection to west. "I think we need to git our bearings and check out that intersection first. See if we can see any doors leading off the corridor."
Day 7, late evening, 111 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 6:30 pm)
It feels strange to leave the room of the ghost of a Goblin King, and one by one the party flows back out into the hall, moving awkwardly as if they feel they should keep their eyes on the ghost until the last minute. Finally the doors swing shut silently as Atharerssa is the last one out.
Rowning and Miagnik exchange a few words about the areas that have already been explored, and then Moralane makes a hand signal that means, wait. She jogs back to the east, being careful not to get beyond sight, and listens at the double doors on the north wall.
As she moves, holding her equipment close to her body to try and not make any sounds, Rownig looks around at the walls, and tries to remember every nuance that the group has seen so far. He is getting a good sense of how the place is laid out, and what sorts of inconsistencies indicate that secret passageways can be found
Rownig:
Great roll! From now on, you can add a +2 modifier to any Perception checks you make to find secret doors, and if you spend time explaining what you have figured out (you don’t actually have to explain it, just indicate that you will spend the time and have someone in the party willing to listen, they can get that bonus as well
The party then proceeds to the four way intersection to the west.
To the north, the passageway stretches off into the darkness, but there is a set of double doors on the west wall just twenty feet to the north, and another set of double doors on the west wall again thirty five feet past the first set of double doors.
To the south is the entrance, or now the exit from the tombs back out onto the mountain.
To the west the passageway stretches into darkness with no sign of any doors
M Dwarf Rogue 5, Init 5(7), P10(12traps), HP 35/35, AC 15(16), 13 T, 10 FF, Save F: 3(5 pos/sp), R: 7, W: 3
"windel you guard our backside."
He gets Miagnik's attention, "listen up. This place be loaded with hidden doors, crafty stone work even by dwarf standards. The goblin's were creative. Since y'seem to be staying up front wit me I tell this. We need to t'make that intersection...like I've been doing with me chalk." He spends a few minutes to explain how the stone is shaped and worked.
Miagnik:
You can start to add +2 to your perception rolls when looking for secret doors.
Miagnik nodded to Rownig as the Dwarf explained the differing intricacies of stonework. He wasn't entirely sure he'd be able recall it all offhand in a day or two from now, but for the moment he was sure it would be something he would remember.
That's actually something I had never thought about doing before. Really great idea Rownig!
Day 7, late evening, 111 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 6:30 pm)
The party gathers around at the intersection. Here everything seems quiet. To the south, the doors have closed and it is impossible to tell if it is day or night other than the fact that no light seeps in through the cracks of the doors to the temple.
M Dwarf Rogue 5, Init 5(7), P10(12traps), HP 35/35, AC 15(16), 13 T, 10 FF, Save F: 3(5 pos/sp), R: 7, W: 3
At the 4-way intersection Rownig will turn right (north heading towards the top of the map) and scout out 40 feet or so to see if there are any doors or adjoining halls.
Day 7, late evening, 112 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 6:40 pm)
Rownig and Miagnik scout to the north some distance until they come to a passageway that is off the main passageway and goes to the left. The Passageway is ten feet wide and goes to the west for sixty feet before ending in a pair of stone doors. Meanwhile this main passageway continues on to the north another forty five feet and there is a tee intersection there where there are passageways going east and west that are twenty feet wide, and a huge pair of double doors stand in the north wall that are each ten feet wide making the doors twenty feet wide in total. While scouting you both pass two pairs of double stone doors on the west wall, but nothing on the east wall and you detect no secret doors.
You double back now, and wave for the rest of the party to move northward where you all gather near the two doors on the west wall, about half way between them while you discuss your next course of action.
"Well we can either start checking the doors or we could continue mapping out the rest of this area. If we do decide to start checking out the doors, I think it would be best for me to enter first, as I have plausible reason disguised as one of the guards here to be wandering through. The rest of you could hide in the hallway just out of sight ready to come in at a moments notice."
Gnome* Wizard/4, HP 15/23 (2 NL), AC 13 (T-13, FF-11), Fort +0 Ref +5 Will +4 ---- Init. +8, Perc. +2
Stephanie hadn't been paying attention to the stonework until Rownig drew attention to it. In truth, it was difficult to make out the details that he and the others must be able to see. She's aware that her own sight is quite limited in this darkness, but had grown so used to it that she has forgotten what it was like to see detail.
"Whiskey can scout as well." She offers, somewhat timidly and uncharacteristic of one of her stature. "He flies silently and sees quite well even in this darkness, though he wouldn't be able to open the doors."
M Dwarf Rogue 5, Init 5(7), P10(12traps), HP 35/35, AC 15(16), 13 T, 10 FF, Save F: 3(5 pos/sp), R: 7, W: 3
Heading back to the group. Rownig will explain what was scouted. "When we came out of the hallway back there." he motions back down the original hallway by the ghost. "Let's check out that far door, first, we won't leave a potential enemy behind us then." He begins to walk in that direction. he mumbles to himself thought there was going to be a door on that east wall....crafty builders.
DM I'm referring to the door that we previously past by that Windel was watching.
Once he gets back to the door, he will check it out for traps and locks.
Day 7, late evening, 114 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:00 pm)
Rownig leads the team silently back down the eastern passageway. He raises a hand, and when the group stops he waves in a special way that means, “everyone assume door opening positions,” and the team moves into position.
Atharessa takes a place near Stephanie, while Miagnik and Melodak move to the front. Hallister puts his back to the wall near the edge of the doorway, and makes brief eye contact first with Miagnik, then with Rownig. Moralane takes a position in the hall with her bow ready, arrow notched, while Windel moves in to stand next to hall.
Finally Rownig takes a position on the opposite side of the doorway from Hall, and nods to the Goblins.
The goblins push open the double doors, and everyone holds their breaths for a moment. Miagnik scans the room quickly, and sees that it is empty, so he turns to Hall, and gives the all clear sign.
Slowly the party moves into the room.
It is another burial room, and here, again, there are many broken jars, but as you walk around the room searching for secret doors you all notice the peculiar absence of any bones in the piles of ash that must be the remains of some Goblin. You find no secret doors, and a quick examination of the pedestal that once held the jars reveals no secret compartments.
this was a 25’ x 30’ room with no special features
After one more quick look around the room you are ready to leave. You move quietly and slowly back to the main intersection and then repeat the same maneuvers at the two sets of double doors on the west wall in the passageway going north. The task is routine, tedious, and is becoming boring, but again you find nothing of interest. You are surprised, however, that these two new rooms you have explored are much larger than any before and each contains two separate platforms, many broken jars, and again no bones and no secrets.
these two rooms are 25’ feet wide (north to south) and 50’ deep (east to west) each has two 10’ wide and 15’ long platforms
Your group spends about thirty minutes exploring rooms and you find three empty rooms with no secrets. There is a passageway at the first (main) intersection going west, that has not been explored, and there is a “T” intersection to the north with some really massive doors, and a side passageway going west just fifty feet south of the “T”. Where would you like to go now?
Gnome* Wizard/4, HP 15/23 (2 NL), AC 13 (T-13, FF-11), Fort +0 Ref +5 Will +4 ---- Init. +8, Perc. +2
Stephanie nods, after wiping a bit of hair from her eyes.
She's beginning to feel bad for all of these remains that they're finding. Jars of... bodies, strewn across the stone floors like dust. They once were individuals, with aspirations, families, legacies. Perhaps it's the brief chiding she received from Miagnik, but she's beginning to identify more with these goblins of the past.
Day 7, late evening, 114 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:00 pm)
Rownig and Hallister lead the group to the north, where there is a large intersection. It is a tee intersection and on the north wall stands a massive set of stone doors, much larger than any they have encounter so far. To the left the passageway extends into the darkness beyond the limit of your vision, while to the east, to the right, it seems that the passageway does the same only if you stare long enough you can see a side passageway just about 55 feet down on the left hand side (on the north wall of the passageway).
When Rownig has looked east and west and is sure the way is clear, he motions for the others to follow as he crosses the intersection and approaches the doors.
”Those are the biggest damn doors I’ve ever seen,” Atharessa says with awe.
Rownig frowns at the young dwarven girl, and puts a finger to his lips.
”Oh, right, sorry,” she blushes.
Examining the door and its frame Rownig has a sense, just a hunch really, that this door is much older than the doors that have been encountered already, and he even suspects that the other doors may be modeled on this one. He checks the door carefully and finds no traps. He listens at the slight gap between the two doors and hears no sounds. He steps back, and then he asks Atharessa to give him a hand as he shoves on the right side door. This door, alone, is ten feet wide and twelve feet high, but with only a slight efort from the two dwarves, the door swings inward, to the north.
Miagnik pokes his head around the partially open door and declares the way is clear, and the two dwarves push further inward.
You find yourselves standing in yet another twenty foot wide passageway going to the north. Fifteen feet to the north on both the left and right is a pair of smaller, but still tall, stone doors and then the passageway goes on out of the range of your sight.
Day 7, late evening, 114 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:00 pm)
Proceeding to the north, eyeing the doors to the left and right suspiciously, Rowning sees another massive pair of doors ahead.
The passageway ends, 60 feet beyond the doors on the left and right in a pair of doors twenty feet wide and fifteen feet high.
The party approaches the last pair of doors and as they grow closer they can begin to make out details of engravings on the doors
On the left door an image of a Goblin deity, a beautiful goblin woman with six arms – she has large eyes, and a small nose and wild hair that radiates out from her head like the rays of the sun. She is dressed in a flowing robe, her legs cannot be seen. She holds her arms out in an array, and in five of her hands she holds a different object
Upper Right – a four stringed musical instrument
Middle Right – a rod topped with a cut gemstone
Lower Right – empty, palm facing, fingers spread
Upper Left – a quill
Middle Left – a spoon
Lower Left – a vine with fruit
On the right door an image of a Goblin deity, a crone with six arms – she has small eyes (and she has four eyes!), a large nose and straight hair falling to her shoulders. She is dressed in armor, her lower body resembles a wolf spider. She holds five weapons in her hands
Upper Right – curved short blade
Middle Right – two balls on a chain attached to a handle
Lower Right – Empty, back of hand facing you, two fingers (middle and third) extended from a fist pointing upward
Upper Left – short spear (assegai)
Middle left – Club
Lower Left – Sickle
Gnome* Wizard/4, HP 15/23 (2 NL), AC 13 (T-13, FF-11), Fort +0 Ref +5 Will +4 ---- Init. +8, Perc. +2
Princess Stephanie instinctively pushes herself toward the front of the group. She can't possibly get close enough to appreciate the amount of detail on these carvings. She reaches with her hand to touch it, but pauses a few inches from the door and pulls it back quickly, looking toward the others in apology.
Does she recognize these figures? And those symbols, they're more than just images...
Rather than touch it, she reaches for her pouch of reagents and searches for traces of magic...
Cast Detect Magic Knowledge History:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 Spellcraft:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
Day 7, late evening, 114 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:00 pm)
Stephanie casts what she knows to be a fairly routine spell and when she is sure she has completed the casting correctly she turns her concentration toward the doors, but then…
Stephanie:
You feel a pull, nothing too serious, it is almost like someone pulled a thread connected to you, a slight tug. Then that is followed by a sensation of the spell you have just cast being pulled out of you, and into the doors. Make a Will Save, the DC is 12. Also, historically these must be representations of two Goblin Deities, but you do not know much about Goblin Religion and History (only the few things your mother has told you), but given what she has taught you, you think the prettier one is a Goddess you have heard mentioned called Zeenthia and the crone then would be her sister, Rath’Zeen, but then something about all of the things that ghost was saying about the Goblin Gods keeps nagging at you and you can’t put your finger on it.
Miagnik stares at the door, he knows without a doubt that these are the images of Rath'Zeen and Zeenthia. But he tries to discern what the two symbols mean.
Day 7, late evening, 114 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:00 pm)
Windel:
You can recall nothing in your training that informs you about the nature of these carvings
Hallister:
You have had some exposure to ancient Goblin lore, and you know at least this much. The Goblin Gods are many and appear in many forms, some tribes have traditional Pantheistic beliefs while others are more Shamanistic and worship many anthropomorphic “spirits” rather than fixed gods. It seems that the belief in a fixed Pantheon is the older tradition among the Goblins, and these two images are probably 250 to 300 years old. The symbology is not well understood, even by modern goblins, but the image on the left is meant to represent the “Mother” of all Goblins, while the image on the right is supposed to be her older sister, a childless Goblin woman who represents the chaotic nature and short, but dramatic life of the Goblin people. Something comes to mind in the words the Goblin Ghost King recently said about these two goddesses, can you remember? Your K. Religion check is high enough to allow you to recall one more important piece of information. These two representations are almost never seen on the island and when they are, they are always protected by a powerful magical drain that can be dangerous.
Miagnik:
The only history you can recall that has meaning in this situation is that these are very old representations of Goblin goddesses. Your K. Religion informs you that they are representations of the goddesses you think they are, but wait. Didn’t the Goblin Ghost King warn you about something about these two? Once you begin to cast Detect Magic, you feel confident about what the spell will help you discover, but as you turn your attention to the doors to examine them using the spell, something pulls at you, as if a rope has been tied around your waist. It is a gentle pull at first, but it grows stronger quickly. Please make a Will Save, the DC is 12
HP 38/38 , AC 15*, CMD 18, Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +4, Init +0, Per +0
"…the other gods protect their own." Hal said to himself, repeating the ghost king's words from earlier.
"Hold up!" he said stopping suddenly and throwing his arms wide to keep others from approaching further.
If anyone tries to move forward, Hal will try to stop them.
"This is dangerous. These statues are old goblin gods. They're protecting something. The goblins might be safe, but the rest of us aren't. Can someone check for magic auras? I'm betting there's a strong one here."
You may want to wait until Stephanie and Miagnik have a chance to read the results of their attempts, but if you want to press forward, then as you cast the spell everything seems fine. Once you turn your concentration on the doors to examine them for magic, you feel a pull from somewhere deep inside of you, as if a rope is tied around your insides and something is trying to pull them out. It is painful! Make a Will save, the DC is 12
Day 7, late evening, 114 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:00 pm)
Hallister throws up his arms in alarm and tries to warn the others of possible danger, but it is too late…
Stephanie:
You feel the pull intensify. It feels as if the spell is being pulled from your mind and even though you have not needed to “prepare” such a simple spell in a very long time, suddenly you realize that you have forgotten how to cast Detect magic you will need to rest, and study your Spell Book before you can cast this spell again. You feel as if something has reached into your mind, something alien to you, but not something aggressive. It is a disturbing feeling, and just as you are coming to terms with the realization that something about these doors has drawn the spell out of you an intense fear grips you as it seems your will has left you vulnerable. It now feels as if the power that drew the spell out of you is digging deeper into your mind. You suddenly realize that you cannot remember how to cast any of your prepared cantrips because of the failed save, the door has wiped cantrips from your mind until you can rest and study your spell book. You must now make a new Will Save, the DC is 13, if you fail this save, you lose the ability to cast one of your prepared first level spells, until you can rest and prepare it again we will roll randomly from the prepared spells you still have to determine what spell is drained. If you fail the new Will Save, you begin to feel sick, and must then make another save, with a DC of 14 to see if a second level spell is also drained. This DC 14 Will save will be the last one you must make, but if you fail it as well, you become fatigued as well as lose one second level prepared spell
As the others watch Stephanie, Miagnik and Windel attempt to detect the presence of Magical Auras on these elaborate doors.
Things appear normal, for a moment and then suddenly Stephanie reels back, turning her head from side to side as if something is turning her stomach. She appears to be struggling with an unseen force.
Windel also feels the assault, but summoning the will of his ancestors he grows in defiance and staggers back.
Windel:
You feel the spell, Detect Magic, being pulled from your mind and realize that you will need to rest and pray before you will be able to cast it again even though it has been a long time since you needed to prepare such a simple spell. As you fight against the will of the door to reach into your mind you summon up a reserve of strength of mind you did not know you had and you can feel the presence of the door being driven out of you, and then you feel safe, but clearly you now understand that directing any kind of magic toward the doors is very dangerous.
Gnome* Wizard/4, HP 15/23 (2 NL), AC 13 (T-13, FF-11), Fort +0 Ref +5 Will +4 ---- Init. +8, Perc. +2
Will Save DC 13:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Her eyes grow wide as she staggers backwards, whimpering in the process. She's never been one for physical altercations, but finds herself wrestling in her mind - a front she's accustomed to controlling. With a surge of fear and adrenaline, she manages to purge the force from her mind, but not without losing something in the process.
Without saying a word to the others, eyes wide and panicked, she reaches for her components and begins to cast something... to check something, but quickly stalls. "I... forget..." She says, astonished. Her eyes begin to moisten. "Nobody cast near this door... oh gods, what has it done?
Day 7, late evening, 114 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:00 pm)
Miagnik barely gets the words out of his mouth…
Miagnik:
You manage to fight off the power of the doors to drain you of your ability to cast spells. you lose the ability to cast Detect magic until you rest and recover, but otherwise you are unharmed. However, as you take quiet solitude in the strength of your will to fight off the assault, something strange happens. From the left door you feel a presence enter your mind that says, “Welcome, child of ours” while from the right door you feel another voice speak these words, “Nothing can grow from seeds that are ignored.”
