Truk'tosh |
Truk'tosh's vision blurs as he feels his sister invoke her magic and her spirit retreat into the spirit world. He wasn't certain what she'd done but the results were clear as the goblins' foul magic abated and the air cleared.
He climbs to his feet and hacks at the robed goblin a second time - just to be sure.
Valjoen_GM |
Grym: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9dam: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
GrymShield: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24dam: 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Confirm: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7dam: 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
G: 1d100 ⇒ 47
@Truk'tosh - With your orc double axe or with the sorcerer's leg?
As Truk'tosh hacks the sorcerer into more pieces, the sole surviving goblin in the green cloak attempts to roll away from Grymdor. The dwarf grimaces as his waraxe misses the goblin, but he brings his shield down upon its back, crushing the life from the goblin.
The immediate threat is over, but I'm going to leave us in 'rounds' until any actions dependent on time restrictions are completed. Note that some skill checks are free actions.
Battle of the Crypt - Round 18
Truk'tosh (-3, Infernal Healing 5/10)
Niyut (-3)
Goblin Warriors [red(dead 4 rd), blue (dead 2 rd), green (dead 1rd), yellow(dead 2 rd)]
Gruskorb <-- UP (-13)
Grymdor (-10)
Garidan <-- UP (-11, Infernal Healing 5/10)
Malthazir <-- UP (-3)
Robed Goblin (dead 2 rd)
Goblin Workers [orange(dead), pink(dead)]
Garidan Vissir |
As the last living goblin goes down with Grymdor's shield shattering its spine with an audible cracking noise, Garidan cautiously returns his rapier to its sheathe after wiping the blade clean on a trouser leg. Limping over to Malthazir and Niyut, he nods in the direction of the purified font. "I don't suppose either of you can hazard an educated guess about what they were attempting here?" With a wary glance at the lump of something in Niyut's grasp, he continues. "Or what exactly happened to stop it?"
Move action to stow the rapier, and another to move two squares right and two squares down.
Niyut |
Niyut will make some spell craft checks as free actions if she can.
Spell Craft: Essences (Red Goblin): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Spell Craft: Essences (Black Robe): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Spell Craft: Essences (Pink Worker): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Spell Craft: Essences (Orange Worker: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Spell Craft: Essences (Blue Goblin): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Spell Craft: Essences (Green Goblin): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Spell Craft: Essences (Yellow Goblin): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Valjoen_GM |
Niyut |
"Malthazir, there is magic lingering in the sorcerer. We will need to work swiftly to get both essences out."
Malthazir |
I have both extract essence and imbue essence prepared and available at will.
Malthazir nods to Niyut and quickly steps forward, taking point. He targets the sorcerer and tries to extract any essence.
Not sure how many rolls are needed, but here's a few.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
Valjoen_GM |
Just need one spellcraft check per goblin to identify which Niyut did. Now, just need both of you to cast Extract Essence. I will assume you both do so next round.
Niyut and Malthazir, together, cast the spells, interweaving their magic upon the dead sorcerer's body. The energy begins to pulsate, continually shifting between the many colors of the spectrum. It flashes a blinding blue for a moment then softens to a warm orange-red before finally turning a glowing emerald green. The pace of the changes quickens until the many shades and hues blend into a single brilliant white crystal. Malthazir reaches out and cradles the ethereal energy in the palm of his hand.
As the elf gathers the ethereal essence, a thousand strands of golden energy waft up from the goblin's open mouth and nostrils, twisting and turning until they combine into a brilliant, braided strand of energy. The strands shimmer with radiant light and begin to solidify into a crystalline shard that floats toward Niyut. As if frozen in time, the shard dangles before her. Pulsing like a beat of a living heart, the life essence comes to rest upon her hand.
No sooner had the pair extracted the essences, the water in the font begins to form a mist that slowly spreads throughout the room engulfing all of you. With each breath, you feel rejuvenated. Memories of your youth come flooding back and a sense of peacefulness overtakes you. A calmness; a heavenly stillness that brings a smile to your weary face. It is Halcyon.
May the waters of life fill and renew your spirit for you have renewed mine.
Everyone is healed to full hit points and gains 1 class level. Additionally, each of you receive the Gift of Halcyon (+1 to all saves). Truk'tosh won the fire elemental essence. You should distribute the life essence and the ethereal essence.
We are out of combat. Any actions?
Garidan Vissir |
Oooo, level gain and a shiny campaign boon? Nice!
Garidan watches with a somewhat awed expression as Niyut and Malthazir work together to draw forth the strange energies from the body of the goblin leader, converting the shining, varicolored light into a pair of crystal-like objects. The display of magical prowess from the pair leaves him with a faint feeling of regret over his childhood decision not to wield magic as either of his parents had done. His musing is cut short when the font begins to release a growing cloud of mist. As the mist fills the room, Garidan tenses up and looks around warily, expecting some horrid delayed after effect of the goblins' foul work to afflict the party.
When the mist proves quite the opposite of harmful, however, he quickly relaxes and lets it cover him, a faint sigh of happy relief leaving his lips as he feels his accumulated injuries healing. The pleasant memories that accompany the healing effect are a wonderful treat in and of themselves, which Garidan particularly enjoys, as they aren't accompanied by the sense of loss that has tainted them since the disaster with the rift. Only the voice filling his mind, clearly not that of his sister, finally snaps Garidan out of his reverie, and he swallows nervously as he replies with a thought. "And my thanks to you, oh beneficent Halcyon, for your blessing."
Valjoen_GM |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
As Niyut feels the living energy of Halcyon fill her being, her eyes are drawn to the sorcerer. She stretches out a hand and feels the heat radiating from his still chest. Drawing back the blood soaked robe, she reveals an onyx talisman strung on braided cord of coarse, black hair. On either side of the talisman, two large red fangs dangle. With a quick incantation, Niyut detects a strong evocation aura on the talisman.
Further study of this talisman, reveals to Niyut that it can act as a focus effect for her cold cantrip giving her icy magic a fiery effect (an additional 1d3 fire damage). Each fang could be consumed as a material component to an evocation spell causing the spell type to change to fire (2 charges of Elemental Spell metamagic). She also knows that the talisman itself could be used as a material component for a fire based evocation spell but is unsure of the effect. Using the talisman as the material component of a spell will consume the talisman. Using the fangs as the material component of a spell will not affect the talisman as a focus item.
Niyut |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Niyut flinches at Halycon's grace. Light casts shadows, but it can also banish them. To the spirit guide, the gods are just overly proud spirits who can easily tip the balance between the world of flesh and the world of spirit. For one such as Niyut, opening oneself up to a goddess is to invite possession.
There are already enough voices in her mind.
Yet, this goddess makes no effort to usurp Niyut in her palace of bone. For which the young oracle is grateful. Halycon even appears to be aiding her, by revealing the goblin sorcerer's hidden talisman.
With a gesture the tiny spirits who inhabit the sacred room fetch the Talisman of Fire and bring it to Niyut's outstretched hand. Mage Hand
When her fingers curl around the coarse, black braid of hair, Niyut's entire body goes rigid and she collapses onto the floor.
Two shards of crystal roll away from her. The golden crystal comes to rest next to Garidan's boot, while the lurid, red crystal gravitates towards Truk'tosh.
Niyut opens her eyes. She is lying on the floor of the chamber of the sacral font, yet she is not.
She is more fully in the spirit world than she has ever dared venture before.
Silver chains bind her left wrist to a handsome elf with silver hair. His right hand clutches her left. Their eyes meet, and the elf, Viosil, tries to jerk his hand from hers but he cannot seem to unclench his hand. Her hand feels wet from his effort and she looks down at their intertwined hands.
Something is wrong with her hand. A fang mouth is inset on her left palm and it seems to be slowly devouring the elven sorcerer.
Their eyes meet again, and they both scream.
Niyut hears an ominous chuckle in reply to their screams.
Little sister, little sister, what are you doing? a sibilant voice inquires.
Niyut jerks her head towards the "sound" of the voice. She sees the sacral font blaze with the power of the sun goddess. She can almost make out a figure within the glare. But closer, much closer, almost leering over her is a shadowy figure with too long of arms and smoldering coals for eyes. She can see ruby fangs flash at it speaks.
Ah, little sister, you seem to be eating this elf . . . The voice trails off.
Niyut watches as the hunched figure with its distended arms clambers over her supine form. In a flash of ruby, the figure takes a bite out of Viosil.
This spirit is delicious, little sister, no wonder you are eating him whole. Usually your kind must die before you start preying on the weaker spirits. My kind needs no such incubation. You interest me, little sister. You are something new. You are something different. As the flame births the shadow, so too will I midwife you unto the world.
The thing -- be it spirit or god -- leans close to her ear. She can feel its hot breath on her neck like the promise of a sirocco. It began to whisper secrets into her ear, dark and terrible secrets. If there is anyone else who can see this terrifying tableau, they could be forgiven for not knowing who screamed louder, Viosil or Niyut.
I thought it would be cool to have a little story and a little horror about the Dark Secrets of her new revelation. We can totally ignore this if you don't like it.
Garidan Vissir |
Garidan twitches in surprise and leaps forward in an attempt to catch Niyut before she hits the floor, but the calming effect of the mist slows his reactions just enough that she's already down by the time he starts moving. His effort is further hampered when his foot comes down on something small and hard that rolls beneath his boot, sending Garidan crashing to the floor as well. Fortunately, he takes no injury from the fall, and is soon sitting up. With a wordless grumble of annoyance--the most he can manage under the soothing influence of the mist--he picks up the odd crystal that caused his spill. The moment his hand closes around it, his body goes limp and slumps back to the floor, regardless of his efforts to stop it.
While Garidan is sprawled out, the crystal disappears in a wash of golden light that is quckly absorbed into his body, giving his skin a momentary golden tint that fades as quickly as it appeared. Once the tint fades, he finds that control of his body is restored, and he scrambles to his feet with a rather anxious look at his empty hand. Dimly, he notes that his body seems to be moving just a bit more smoothly--for want of a better term--than it used to, but that little detail is of no importance right now. No, right now, he's very much interested to know just what that crystal was and where it went. Equally important is his concern over Niyut's collapse, and the conflicting problems leave him jittering wordlessly in place, unable to decide which to address first.
The life essence has given Garidan a +1 increase to his Dexterity.
Valjoen_GM |
I thought it would be cool to have a little story and a little horror about the Dark Secrets of her new revelation. We can totally ignore this if you don't like it.
That was great!
Valjoen_GM |
The life essence has given Garidan a +1 increase to his Dexterity.
Additionally, Garidan can add 1d6 fire damage to any successful riposte. This ability is innate to Garidan, not his blade. So, he could use this with any rapier.
Garidan Vissir |
Garidan Vissir wrote:The life essence has given Garidan a +1 increase to his Dexterity.Additionally, Garidan can add 1d6 fire damage to any successful riposte. This ability is innate to Garidan, not his blade. So, he could use this with any rapier.
Ooo, neat! Now to think of how to write that up...
Truk'tosh |
Truk'tosh rushes to his sister's side when she collapses. The spirits were often less than gentle with her and he worried she might have cracked her head on the crypt's flagstones.
His approach is interrupted when the fiery crystallized essence that slipped from Niyut's grasp rolls into his path. As if possessing a life of its own, it leaps into the air and collides with the big orc's chest directly over his heart. The moment it touches his flesh the crystal melts away into rust-colored vapor which disappears entirely a second later. Warmth swells within Truk's breast as the last tendrils of essence fade from view. The heat grows in intensity but never causes the orc any pain.
Well done boy. The Spirit of the Forge favors you, Truk's dwarven companion explains.
Valjoen_GM |
The fiery essence entered Truk-tosh's veins infusing itself with the very blood which pumped through his heart and carried life to his head and hands. Only moments before it had been with the goblin whose very core was fire and pain. The goblin had called forth its elemental powers building up an explosive burst of flame in its hands. Yet, that power had never been released. The half-orc had seen to that... and now that power resides in Truk's hands.
In addition to Fire Resistance 5, Truk-tosh can cast Burning Hands as an SLA 1/day using hid druid level as the caster level.
Garidan Vissir |
While Garidan struggles to decide what to do, he happens to see Truk'tosh encounter a crystal similar to his own. Watching it as it is seemingly absorbed into the half-orc's body sparks a recollection of the previous day, when he watched Gruskorb with a similar crystal formed from the strange energy gathered from those Shadow Rats. The memory settles him somwhat, enough so that he can pick a course of action, and he kneels next to Niyut and hesitantly prods her shoulder. "Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?" Looking her over when he gets no response, he doesn't see any visible evidence of injury from her collapse, and he looks up at Truk'tosh with a frown. "She doesn't look as though she's hurt, from what little I can tell. And I have no idea what made her fall like this either."
Frowning, he returns his gaze to Niyut, then blinks and leans a bit closer as he spies something clenched in her hand. Lifting her hand to get a better look, he realizes that she's gripping a hideous little talisman of some sort. He's pretty sure she didn't have that in her hand during the fight just moments before, so perhaps she got from some place in this font. And he suspects he knows exactly where it came from. Glancing back at Truk'tosh, Garidan nods at the hand he's holding. "I think that this thing, whatever it is, is the reason for her collapse. And I'll wager she got it from one of those goblins just now."
Truk'tosh |
Truk'tosh flexes his hand, watching the flames dance across his fingertips briefly before joining Garidan at Niyut's side.
"This isn't the first time the spirits have taken hold of her. She'll come out of it soon", he explains as he sits his sister up and checks her hair for blood.
Garidan Vissir |
When Truk'tosh makes reference to spirits, Garidan looks at him with a confused expression. The expression doesn't last once he makes the relevant mental connections, and understands that the half-orc is talking about the minor powers that exist outside the scope of the Ealintaine--though 'minor' is, of course, a relative term--and not the tagalongs that Garidan is fairly certain that everyone in the party has one of. "Well, if you're sure she'll be alright, then I guess I'll check on the others and then make a start of rounding up the plunder we won here."
Suiting actions to words, he straightens up and decides to speak first with Malthazir. Though the elf rubs him the wrong way, he won't deny that the spell-slinger knows his business, and perhaps he can answer Garidan's question about that odd crystal and what happened to it when he touched it. As he approaches Malthazir, whom he notes has a crystal of his own as well, Garidan again how his body moves differently, and he pauses with a faint frown. Digging into one of the pouches at his waist, he withdraws a copper coin and slowly walks it across the backs of his fingers, from one side of his hand and then back. This little trick serves to confirm his suspicion that the crystal had an effect on his body, as the coin moves just a bit easier than it did the last time he did that trick.
Tucking the coin away, Garidan moves to stand alongside Malthazir, looking curiously at the crystal the elf holds. Pointing at it with a finger, he asks the first question on his mind. "Pardon, but perhaps you could enlighten me as to what, exactly, that is? I had one myself a moment ago, of a different color, that disappeared the moment I touched it. And I watched as Truk'tosh apparently absorbed a third crystal himself just now. Is that something we should be worried about?"
Niyut |
Nearly ten minutes after Niyut fell, though much longer from her perspective in the spirit world, she wakes up screaming.
She thrashes a bit before realizing she is leaning against her twin's chest. She swallows another scream and instead gives a ragged sigh. Her left hand relaxes its grip on the talisman, but does not release it.
It is a prize that I will not soon relinquish.
Niyut combs her green-black hair with with her right hand in a nervous gesture.
"You . . . you are a monster. You are eating me!" Viosil screams in her head. Niyut does not respond to the unwelcome guest in her palace of bone. There were more important things to consider.
She does not believe that the thing that accosted her in the spirit world was an ancestral spirit. From what it said, she doubted that it had ever been mortal. It is a hungry thing of shadow and flame. Unless there is bleeding earth nearby, she didn't think it was a spirit of nature either. Maybe it is some small god of the goblins. Niyut shakes her head. She does not even want to think the word: demon.
No, it is some god. There was something almost ape like about it with its grinning ruby maw and long arms. These goblins must have been sacrificing to it. Foolish.
For once, Niyut regrets her studied ignorance of the gods. If her assailant is one, it was far too potent for her at the moment. But what works on lesser spirits might be efficacious with the greater.
She feels the elven spirit paying rapt attention to her thoughts. She knows that Viosil wanted to know what it is almost as much as he wants to be rid of her.
Niyut blinks again, looking up at her brother with a wan smile. "How long was I gone this time? I think the goblins attracted the attention of something best left undisturbed. I need to make this place safe for the dwarven spirits who are its rightful guardians."
Almost unthinkingly, Niyut put the talisman around her neck and covers it with her shawl. Then she busies herself with her bad pulling out a turtle shell, a wand with vulture feathers on one end and the tail-hair of a donkey on the other, several bundles dried sage, rags, a small compass, and finally two pieces of flint.
Taking the rags, she wets them in the font and begins to clean the basin of the goblin sorcerer's blood. Once the font is pristine, Niyut lights a bundle of sage on fire and places it in the turtle shell. With her left hand she holds the shell and with her right hand she holds the vulture-feather wand. As the smoke begins to rise, she smudges it in the air with her wand, facing north, then east, then south, and finally west.
"Halcyon, greatest spirit of life, we thank you for your aid. You are welcome in this sacred space."
Though she does not trust the goddess, there is no reason not to be gracious. Besides, the goddess might see fit to drive out whatever assaulted her in the spirit world if she is acknowledged politely. Returning to the north she begins to smudge the air again with the burning sage doing a full rotation.
"Honored spirits of the dwarven dead, this is your place. We thank you for allowing our entrance and exit. We thank you for your aid in the battle to expunge those who profaned your hallowed stone."
Her reverence for the dwarven dead is much less ambivalent. They helped her when she helped them. That was the appropriate bargain between the world of flesh and the world of spirits. Spirits of the dead could be trusted to have more understandable goals, like protecting their descendants. She smudges the air again in a third rotation, beginning in the north and ending in the west.
"All other spirits, you are unwelcome here. Begone. This is not your place. You are nameless in these halls and unclean before the dwarven spirits. Begone. Trouble this place no longer. Begone. The light of life and the wisdom of the dead abjure you. Begone!"
Profession (Medium): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Malthazir |
Malthazir swiftly grabs the essence off of the dead goblin spellcaster. He holds the volatile energy before his hands as a bead of sweat appears on his face. I must contain this swiftly. He levitates his red ooze out of his pocket and brings it to the essence, where it appears to come alive and devour the essence. The light goes out and Malthazir brings it back to his pocket.
Truk'tosh |
Despite his claims that Niyut's fits were commonplace, Truk'tosh breathes easier when she comes to.
"Minutes. A handful at most", he explains. "Are you strong enough to stand?"
Truk's question is answered quickly enough when his twin quickly climbs to her feet and gets to work undoing whatever harm the goblins had worked, also aiming to appease the hall's rightful guardians. He'd been through enough similar situations to know that his sister was rarely wrong about these types of things. If he'd been the warrior the Firebird clan had hoped for, his sister was their sage and lorekeeper. He does what he can to assist Niyut in her rituals but mostly tries to keep out of her way.
Niyut |
Once her rite is complete, Niyut does her best not to imagine sibilant laughter. Her twin is always a source of strength and comfort for her, so she focuses on him.
"Yes, thank you, Truk'tosh. I think it is this place. Crossing the threshold here is almost too easy. But that might be an after effect of what I did to stop the goblins' ritual. I slipped further into the spirit world than I intended."
Malthazir |
Malthazir gets out of his own head and turns to Garidan. "An essence, living magic that can be used to empower people and items. They dissipate quickly and must either be stored or used once released from their vessel. That spellcaster was a strong enough being to have his own essence, which I harvested."
Garidan Vissir |
Pondering Malthazir's response, an expression of comprehension eventually appears on Garidan's face. "Oh, so that's what all those scholars were referring to when they spoke of 'vital energies given form' and such. Not once, in any of the texts I ever read, was there ever a simple description of what an essence actually looked like." Garidan stares at his hand for a time before continuing. "Since you did say that these essences empower the people or items who receive them, I'm going to go ahead and guess that I can stop worrying that my hand is suddenly going to turn on me and try to strangle me in my sleep," he says with an absolutely serious expression.
"Well, thank you clarifying that for me, and I hope that your, er, thing there enjoyed its meal, or whatever it was that you did with that essence." With a weak smile, Garidan leaves Malthazir's side. He's seen it in action once already, when Malthazir touched him and Truk'tosh with it to grant them a rather useful bit of accelerated healing. At the time, Garidan had been able to avoid focusing too closely on the thing with the prospect of further combat occupying his mind, but what he saw just now had no such filter in place. It was quite disturbing to witness Malthazir's... What was it, a pet? A familiar? An experiment of some sort? Garidan didn't know, and he didn't know if he ever wanted to find out, to be honest.
Putting further thoughts of the noisome ooze out of mind, he joins Gruskorb and Grymdor. Turning to the latter, Garidan bows a bit. "We were quite fortunate to have your help in here. I think the fight could have gone much harder if not for your presence. Are you going to stick with us until we're done here, or do your superiors require an update now that the actual fighting has ended?"
Malthazir |
"Essences come in many forms and appearances. They are each unique." He gives a mhmm and a nod, setting the ooze on his shoulder and letting it crawl back into his bag.
Valjoen_GM |
As the red ooze consumes the pure ethereal essence, it begins to glow. The intensity of the brilliant light from the ooze strengthens, and you struggle to keep your eyes upon it. Slowly a ripple flows across the surface of the ooze, followed by another, stronger ripple. The ripples continue across the surface of the ooze coming faster and more violent until the vibrations can be felt throughout the chamber. You listen to the waves of kinetic energy reverberate about you to create a wall of sonic noise that coalesces into a symphony stirring your very soul until the shattering of glass breaks your concentration... and the room goes still.
A puff of red mist flows out of the goblin sorcerer's robes and floats toward the ooze. As it enters the primordial substance, its red hue begins to flicker as a flame. The ooze's surface hardens a moment and then relaxes as Malthazir brings it back to his pocket.
Niyut reacts first and searches the goblins robe only to find a hidden pocket holding the shards of two broken vials. She raises a piece to her nose and the unmistakable scent hits her senses. "Alchemist's fire," she whispers to the others.
Along with its added spell, the ooze can now act as focus item for Scorching Ray or any spell using alchemist's fire as a focus. Additionally, 2/day it can act as a material component to affect spells as alchemist's fire.
NPC - Grymdor Hallowheart |
"I will inform Katadante of our success and to see where we are needed. Clear these nasty corpses from our sacred chamber," Grymdor grunts as he grabs a goblin corpse and drags it away with him. The dwarf quickly makes his way from the crypt, leaving the goblin's coprse at the base of the stairs. As the party, nears the steps they hear the faint sounds of battle still raging on the floors above them.
Valjoen_GM |
From the 14 goblin warriors, you scavenge 14 shortswords of poor quality, 8 shortbows, 32 arrows, 13 sets of small leather armor, 1 set of red stained leather armor made from a flesh no one can identify. From the sorcerer, you find a shortspear adorned with several strips of leather made from the same flesh as the red armor, a scroll and two broken vials. Upon the shaman, you find a plain staff, a foul smelling hide armor, and a vial of alchemist's fire. The workers have 2 sets of patchwork clothing, 2 cracked, clay mugs, and a scrap of parchment with strange markings in an unknown language.
Niyut |
The unknown language is definitely not Goblin? Do any of the scavenged items detect as magical? Specifically the red armor and the short spear?
Niyut pockets the scrap of parchment with the strange markings. She examines the loot for magic. Detect Magic Then she examines the scroll. Read Magic
She is growing more comfortable using Viosil's magic. Almost as if it were her own.
Garidan Vissir |
And six squares worth of caltrops, let us not forget! ;D. Further, we have a bevy of Knowledge skills, and Garidan does have Craft skills for armor and weapons, while Truk'tosh has that Profession (trapper) skill. And yet, not one of us can peg that red leather's origin? Weird, very weird.
After the goblin bobies have been piled at the stairs and the plunder catalogued, Garidan hefts one of the swords in his hand and grunts sourly. The expertise he's inherited from his sister's brief shared residence within his body and mind tells him that this sword--that all of the swords, in fact--are just this side of being garbage. Certainly the dwarves will see them as such, which means that the party might get their value as scrap metal when trading them in, but little more.
The other gear is at least a little better quality, though the armor poses a problem in its size. Garidan very much doubts there are any dwarves who can fit themselves into that, which lowers the value by a considerable margin. And that rank hide armor is probably getting burned, because that smell is never going to leave it. That leaves the bows and arrows as the only prizes likely worth anything, and Garidan quickly refills his own quiver from the latter. He then turns his attention to the oddities of the assorted loot, the suit of armor dyed red and the shortspear. He can see that Niyut is already examining both items herself, and he doesn't interrupt, instead trying to figure out why these two items merit such special attention in the form of leather of a type he doesn't recognize.
Spent 5 arrows, gained 32, inventory updated.
Valjoen_GM |
The language is goblin which I don't think anyone has. Gruskorb's race of Hobgoblins speak a different language although there are some similarities. You can make a lingustics check to read it. Gruskorb, if he has that skill, gets a +5 bonus. Also, you can make a dungeoneering check to examine the strange leather.
@Garidan - give me a craft(armor) check and a perception check.
@Niyut - The scroll has two spells Burning Disarm and Burning Arc
Garidan Vissir |
I'd like to take 20 on all of the checks, if possible. I really want to know what that leather came from, and why those piece of gear merited its use, and Garidan does too. Time-wise, there is no action count or time specified for Knowledge use, I'm assuming the Craft check is more about the knowledge side as well, and thus similiar in time required, while the Perception check is a move action x20. Two move actions to a round, 10 rounds in a minute.
Knowledge (dungeoneering) Check (Take 20): 20 + 6 = 26
Craft (armor) Check (Take 20): 20 + 7 = 27
Perception Check (Take 20): 20 + 7 = 27
Garidan studies the leather intently, so much so that he utterly tunes out the crypt and the others around him. Though he has had moments of intense thought prior to this, this is certainly the longest yet. His body goes still, save for only the shallowest of breaths, while his eyes stare blankly at something only he can see. Within the confines of his mind, he's digging through every little scrap of knowledge he's ever memorized, looking for any clue to the answer he seeks. Even the knowledge acquired from his sister is metaphorically ransacked, as her--and now, his--skill with armor craft is focused on the material's origin. Only half aware of his actions, he even goes so far as to caress the leather in a somewhat disturbing manner before leaning down to sniff at it, hoping that perhaps a sensory input will provide the necessary spark of inspiration.
Niyut |
Niyut speaks (and reads) Goblin. It is one of her bonus languages from high intelligence.
Niyut hands the scrolls to Malthazir. "The sorcerer had a potent fire evocation. You might be able to master it when we have more time rest."
And level again. . .
Something about the elf made her feel uncomfortable. However, he had been a stalwart ally these past two days. She is committed to give him the benefit of the doubt until he proves himself false.
Valjoen_GM |
Niyut |
Niyut frowns. Blood of fire? She was no alchemist, but she does not think that pouring alchemist's fire into the font would be the only part of the goblin's ritual.
She goes to the tub, and takes a sample of the foul liquid. Does it detect as magical?
Knowledge: Arcana (Religion?): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 Can Niyut reconstruct the method, process, and ultimate purpose of the goblin's ritual from what she saw, the essence she extracted, and from what they left behind?
She then pauses to reflect on all that her mother taught her about Goblin culture. She remembers that there was once a goblin clan that traded with the Firebird. She did not think that they were fanatics, but Niyut realizes she has no idea of the history between the goblins and the dwarves.
Knowledge: Local: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22 Are goblins matriarchal? What does she know of their political institutions?
Valjoen_GM |
As you gather the bodies at the base of the stairs, you take a good look at the goblins for the first time. They are taller than what you would have thought given any knowledge of the race. They stand as tall as the dwarves but thinner and more gangly. Their eyeballs are black with a red iris.
Garidan Vissir |
Garidan comes of his trance with a low whistle of amazement. While he wasn't able to discern the source of the leather use, he was at least able to confirm that the material making up the armor and decorating the spear came from the same type of creature (?). He's even more impressed by the armor's overall quality, which is utterly superb and quite surprising, in light of the borderline trash the majority of the goblins were equipped with. Further, Garidan suspects that this suit of armor was crafted in such a way as to make it particularly receptive the work of magical artisans, though he doesn't know how he'd go about confirming that suspicion.
Stretching, he contemplates the armor with pursed lips and a thoughtful hum, then points at it as he informs the others of what he's discovered. "Whoever made this armor right here is someone I'd like to meet, even if it's a goblin. This is, with no exaggeration, one of the most well-crafted suits of armor I have ever seen with my own eyes. Couldn't tell you what the leather came from, so I don't know if it's a natural property or a result of the treatment, but it could stretch and shrink, on its own, to fit someone as small as a goblin, someone human-sized, possibly even someone a bit larger, with only minimal adjustments to the straps holding it together."
Looking visibly impressed by the armor, Garidan continues to list what he knows or suspects of its virtues. "The protection it offers is, honestly, amazing. I can't prove it, or even explain what leads me to this conclusion, so keep that in mind, but I believe that the armor was intentionally made to be particularly easy to enchant as well. This is is the kind of armor people pay small fortunes to own, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why what was apparently a common goblin footsoldier had it."
Valjoen_GM |
The spear is normal other than the adornments. Nothing else is magical.
Niyut |
Niyut secures the sample of the "blood of fire" in a vial that once held acid. She is careful not to let it touch her skin. Perhaps she could speak to Dtukk Flamefest about it later. The wizard might better understand this foul alchemy.
What does Niyut think would happen if she used Ray of Frost on the tub? Does she think it will be rendered inert or explode?
Niyut rejoins her companions as they stack the bodies of the dead goblins like firewood.
"Brother, I think the sludge they were pouring into the font is quite dangerous. I do not believe that we should leave it next to it. Do you feel strong enough to safely move the tub?"
She gives Garidan a polite ear as he waxes rhapsodic about the virtues of the armor.
"I suspect these were not all common foot soldiers, Garidan. I fear some have may have been the elite of a goblin religious authority. They were here for a purpose, and that purpose was to desecrate the font of life. That suggests that these goblins know quite a bit about their dwarven enemies."
She steps closer to Garidan and sniffs the armor he is inspecting, and then gives the shorter man a toothy grin.
"If you wear this armor, it will fit you like a second skin. For I believe it was once worn as skin."
Truk'tosh |
Hearing his sister's suggestion, Truk'tosh squares off with the tub and tries to lift it.
Strength Check?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Garidan Vissir |
As Niyut offers her guess as to the leather's source, Garidan glances at her, back to the armor, and then to her once more, his face paling visibly. "Um, when you say 'skin', you mean... skin-skin, as in 'once worn by people by until the goblins skinned them' skin?" Setting the armor carefully on the stone floor, he looks at his hands briefly, swallows, and chuckles weakly. "Well now, that would be a pretty good explanation for why I couldn't identify the material's source then, huh? Not many armorers that I know or have heard of work in that particular material, after all."
Niyut |
Taking pity on Garidan, Niyut shrugs.
"Yes, skin, as in skin that once graced a palace of bone. To goblins, meat is meat. The hunters of my clan make use of every part of the animal. The goblins do much the same, but their prey might also walk and talk."
She shrugs again. "It is a suspicion only. I suspect it because from what I can remember of my mother's lessons, goblins have no taboo against eating the flesh of other speaking peoples. In a way, it is only pragmatic. To waste is to want."
Although she guesses Garidan is several years older, he feels younger. He must have had a sheltered childhood. Those who grew up in the badlands know well the tyranny of hunger. All things considered, she does not look down on the goblins for their dietary practices. After all she joined with their enemies for equally pragmatic reasons. No the reason she does not like these goblins is more esoteric, and likely to give her nightmares in the nights to come.
Valjoen_GM |
Point of clarification, the scales are naturally attached to the leather hide not sewn on or otherwise attached. That is, the creature whose hide was used to make the leather is scaled. There are sewn seams between the scalled sections and the joints. It was certain crafted to fit a humanoid. The soft leather sections appear to be from the same creature but likely a non-vital area (armpit, underbelly, etc.)
Niyut secures the sample of the "blood of fire" in a vial that once held acid. She is careful not to let it touch her skin. Perhaps she could speak to Dtukk Flamefest about it later. The wizard might better understand this foul alchemy. What does Niyut think would happen if she used Ray of Frost on the tub? Does she think it will be rendered inert or explode?
Sure thing on Dtukk. Just let me know when you want to talk with him. As for the blood of fire and ray of frost, your best guess is that it will have neither result. You believe the origins of the substance is divine, and would require a divine action (spell, ritual or otherwise) to render it inert.
Goblin - Tarvak will lead you to eternal glory. Corrupt the dwarves' life font with the blood of fire. Your sacrifice to destroy the unbelievers will be remembered. It is signed by a goblin symbol for mother.
Truk'tosh, with little effort, is able to pick up the tub. As he takes a step, it begins to slosh about. The half-orc immediately stops, and the liquid comes to rest.
It is rather awkward to carry. Nothing about that description was meant to say that it 'moved', just that it's hard to carry by yourself without spilling. Dex check DC 15 or it will spill upon you. Carrying it with another person makes the DC 1... that is as long as neither of you roll a "1", you're good.
Garidan Vissir |
Well, good to know it isn't Soylent Green-brand armor... And once Garidan calms down from his little freak out, he might remember the scales himself. On another note, if Truk'tosh needs some help, he might want to give a yell. I think letting that vile brew slop about would qualify as a "bad thing."
Truk'tosh |
Truk'tosh pauses when he notices the foul liquid sloshing dangerously. "Some help might be a good idea. It's awkward moving this alone and I might lose some of it."
Garidan Vissir |
Hearing Truk'tosh's call for aid from the rear of the crypt, Garidan gratefully leaves the matter of the armor's precise materials for the future, as he goes to render what assistance he can. After a short conversation sorting out who will be doing what, Garidan waits for Truk'tosh to lift the awkward container--and marvels just a bit enviously at the half-orc's sheer strength--then gets into position to support and guide it.
Dextery Check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22