Galin picks up his sword from the ground and wipes off the blade before sheathing it, Is that not what happened to us? I certainly didn't expect their attack. Now that they're gone, does the banner seem restored to normal?
The banner lay on the ground, knocked over during the brawl. It looked just as it had before, with the expected Iomedaean iconogaphy.
Blink looked at the others. "Yeah, I'm really nervous about picking that up," she admitted. The rogue was somewhat uncertain that she would survive another mimic. "I don't suppose it detects as Good now?"
Steave will detect for the taint of evil. If not, Steave will pick up the banner. He cannot abide with it touching the floor.
Steave will detect for the taint of evil. If not, Steave will pick up the banner. He cannot abide with it touching the floor.
The Sword of Valor carried no taint to the Captain's senses. It felt like no more than ordinary cloth, not at all like an artifact of legend.
Steave will fold it up and stow Her banner as reverently as possible in his pack.
"Now, where?"
Yridhrennor dusts himself off and studies the banner with his rcane sight. "Let's see why this banner is so important..."
Yridhrennor dusts himself off and studies the banner with his rcane sight. "Let's see why this banner is so important..."
The banner showed no trace of magic.
"Do we want to rest and recover before continuing?" This place had certainly taken a toll on their abilities at this point.
Yridhrennor nods. "I think rest would be.. wise."
"I could use a little rest." he says as he rubs his chest.
The crusaders withdrew to the camp of their besieging army and took a much-needed rest. Come the morn, they were fresh and ready to explore Drezen beyond the piles of rubble about its center.
Approaching the pile of rubble, Blink checked it for traps. The uneven masonary would make a great place to hide something, after all.
Approaching the pile of rubble, Blink checked it for traps. The uneven masonary would make a great place to hide something, after all.
[dice=Perception]1d20+10+2
Blink finds the uneven masonry treacherous footing, but otherwise free of menaces. Beyond, she found a long corridor with many closed doors.
"Here we go again," Blink murmured, checking the double doors to the East, opening them if neither noise nor trap presented themselves.
"Here we go again," Blink murmured, checking the double doors to the East, opening them if neither noise nor trap presented themselves.
[dice=Perception]1d20+10+2
Blink heard nothing and had to give the doors a good push to open them, shoving side rubble behind as she did. She found the debris littered much of the room. Pillars supported a ceiling high overhead. Many defaced statues lined the walls.
Padding softly around the room, Blink checked it for the usual variety of interesting things.
Padding softly around the room, Blink checked it for the usual variety of interesting things.
[dice=Perception]1d20+10
Blink found signs of recent habitation: broken and overturned furniture that didn't have a layer of dust, scraps of something that might have been food, stains that looked a bit like spilled drink. Someone had been in this chamber fairly recently. Some of the stains were still damp, which she thought put it to within the last day.
Clicking her tongue, Blink hoped this didn't mean that the enemy were consolidating their troops deeper within the fortress. That could be a pain.
Heading out across the corridor to the single door to the West, and tried that door.
Clicking her tongue, Blink hoped this didn't mean that the enemy were consolidating their troops deeper within the fortress. That could be a pain.
Heading out across the corridor to the single door to the West, and tried that door.
[dice=Perception]1d20+10+2
The door was safe to open and unlocked. Beyond, Blink found a simple chamber meant for storage full of empty weapon racks in poor repair.
Who let there armaments get to such a poor state? Those that had no need of them, she supposed. Still, she took a look to see if there was any hidden gems.
Who let there armaments get to such a poor state? Those that had no need of them, she supposed. Still, she took a look to see if there was any hidden gems.
[dice=Perception + Detect Magic]1d20+10
Alas, Blink found nothing noteworthy.
Blink tried the usual routine on the double door the West, although she eyed the one to the North as she did. She suspected that was where anyone interesting.
Blink's keen eyes spot twists in the air about the western door. Wards!
Clicking her tongue, she backed off a little, using Detect Magic to examine them and see if she had a way to disarm them.
Clicking her tongue, she backed off a little, using Detect Magic to examine them and see if she had a way to disarm them.
Blink detects three abjurations about the door, two faint and one of moderate strength.
Brass took a deep breath and tries to dismantle the magic around the door. Starting with the most powerful
Brass took a deep breath and tries to dismantle the magic around the door. Starting with the most powerful
[dice=Disable Device (Moderate)]1d20+15
[dice=Disable Device (Faint)]1d20+15
[dice=Disable Device (Faint)]1d20+15
It took some quick thinking and careful work, but a few scratches here, a touch of iron filing there, and a single drop of blood roused each of the wards just enough to show faint glimmers of light before they sighed to nothing, their energy dissipated harmlessly back into the Worldwound.
Blink wiped her forehead, rather wishing there was a place for a bathroom break. That had been nerve-wracking. Grounding the last of her magic with a flick of her fingers, she gestured to the others before entering, as she expected something suitable dangerous with such wards inside.
Galin, who has leaned against the wall as he watched Blink dismantle what seemed like a barrage of protections upon the door, now steps forward with his rapier in hand. Do you need a rest before we enter? That looked difficult.
"I'll be OK," the rogue replied with a grin. "It was just more protection that I've ever run into before, magically speaking."
"I'll be OK," the rogue replied with a grin. "It was just more protection that I've ever run into before, magically speaking."
Beyond the warded door, the crusaders found a chamber littered with maps. A small stone table with an arch carved into its top stood to one side, a flickering blue flame dancing beneath and about the severed head of a dwarf, which it did not consume. As the door opened, the head moaned.
Looking at the head, Blink tilted her own to the side. "That's...really weird." Some kind of necromantic archive of knowledge, maybe? Or a warning device for those deeper in that there maproom had been broken into?
Looking at the head, Blink tilted her own to the side. "That's...really weird." Some kind of necromantic archive of knowledge, maybe? Or a warning device for those deeper in that there maproom had been broken into?
[dice=Knowledge (Arcana)]1d20+10
Blink is sure this is all quite magical. The moaning was too low to serve as much of a warning, unless it triggered some unseen spell. Rather she suspected the head was some sort of accursed undead, though why demons would torment such a thing, excepting entertainment, she couldn't say.
"Anyone a clue what that is?" The veteran crusader asks, expecting Yridhrennor to know everything.
"Creepy," Blink replied, choosing to ignore it for now while looking around elsewhere.
"Creepy," Blink replied, choosing to ignore it for now while looking around elsewhere.
[dice=Perception]1d20+10
On closer examination, Blink could see that the general way things were strewn about suggests the chamber's prior occupants withdrew through the doors to the northeast.
As she looks about, she sees the severed head's eyes follow her. Its moans turn plaintive.
Blinking in surprise, the rogue gather her courage and approached, slowly. "OK...let's see if we can reach an understanding. Blink once for yes and twice for no. Can you understand me?"
Theran steps forward. "Perhaps my ancestors can reach him. Please, grandfathers, help this poor soul communicate."
Blink received blinks in answer, after a few moments. Clan Silverlight had better results.
"Abandoned...accursed...left to burn and not be consumed...my fault...my betrayal..."
He stands solemnly. One must always show respect to the stories of the dead. "We have come to drive out the evil and reclaim this place. Tell us what happened here."
Blink watched, vaguely confused.
He stands solemnly. One must always show respect to the stories of the dead. "We have come to drive out the evil and reclaim this place. Tell us what happened here."
The head moaned for a spell, then continued.
"Staunton always wanted to break my fake in Droskar. Make me serve the Abyss instead of a god... But I was strong in my faith every day, until the crusade broke our armies. Too weak... You'll kill him soon, my own brother. Wasn't strong enough to work the corruption forge anymore. Made me no good to him. But Droskar got his in the end...cursed me for false. Now I burn and am not consumed."
"What fake in Droskar? What's a corruption forge?" Steave asks in case the undead head can hear him.
"Nothing good," Blink murmured softly.
"What fake in Droskar? What's a corruption forge?" Steave asks in case the undead head can hear him.
The head gave no sign of hearing Steave, but when Theran repeated his words the head answered.
"In life, I strived for Droskar. But I turned from him. Now my shade is in his grip, bound here where I failed. The forge burns with the Abyss, turning anything put in it and worked long enough to the bottomless depths. Staunton wanted to use it on the Sword of Valor."
Blink winced, glad they hadn't found that.
Theran grinds his teeth, "Where is this forge? Where is your brother?"
Theran grinds his teeth, "Where is this forge? Where is your brother?"
"He and the others are below."
He'll look around at the others to see if they have anything to ask.
Blink considered. "How do we put you to rest?"