"Sure, I don't have the best spell ready but I might be able to tell you something." She cast light on Toni's sword then detect magic.
The DC is 17 for identifying the properties of the Scythe. You get +5 and a second try with spellcraft if you can pick it up to study it.
"Oh, thank you, Ms. Szabo," Toni says as her sword lights up unexpectedly. She leads with her sword, using its length to get a view of what's inside.
If no one minds or tells Gur otherwise he will walk up towards the chopping block to retrieve the scythe. "I don't know why you are all so afraid. This is a sacred place, a solemn place where justice was done."
"What? Are you goin' to declare war on wheat now?"
So two things happen here. First Toni and Talon (I think you said you follow her?) Step through the door and find themselves in T4a on the interior map (map updated). Nothing happens to them as they do, they just find themselves in a 20X40 room with a door to the south. To the north a large window opens into a commanding view of the moorlands.
However, as Gur picks up the Scythe, a massive pair of ghoslty skeletal arms appears and attempts to retrieve the weapon from the orc...
No! It is mine! Give it back!!
DC26 strength check to yank it from the ghosts' hands. If you get it I'll tell you what happens. If you do not succeed, it takes the weapon and attacks you, I will roll initiative.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Is it just me or is a Scythe a very odd weapon for an executioner to use. I thought axes, swords or nooses were the normal. Gur do you mind if I have a closer look at that." she asks, then continues almost to herself "The whole removal of the heads always seemed like a waste to me.
Assuming Gur gives it to Gabbi
Ghostly arms look like this
Ghostly arms: No you can't see it, girl, it's MINE! Call off your Orc. Tell him to give it back!!
The two struggle (gur and the arms) desperately for posession of the weapon.
Gur stares at the scythe in his hands, trying to comprehend the nature of this new strange thing. Funny how one becomes numb to the confusion when it becomes an everyday occurrence.
"In the name of Dammerich, the Weighted Swing, lord of justice, and headsman of the emphyreal court I entreat you. Give me your aid oh instrument of justice, and I will see that you are employed once more to part the heads of the debased from their earthly form."
creature CMB +1, CMD 12
Gur CMB +9, CMD 19
Grapple checks make sense, an opposed grapple check. I'll roll for the creature:
vs Gur CMD 19
damn.
And for Gur for good measure:
vs Arms CMD 12
You wrend the Scythe from the ghostly arms. You hear the sound of weeping as it's weapon is lost to it. You notice a ghastly tattoo on the left arm: justice done. And another tattoo on the right: falsely accused. How terrible it must have been for this spirit upon it's death to see before it the lives of all those it had executed, both justifiably and falsely. Sure, it was just doing it's job but...
Talon will step back outside grumbling, "What're you playin' at out here, the door's open."
Give it back, Orc! I need it...You don't know what you're doing. They will come out this door if I'm not here to stop them... The ghostly skeletal arms shake and grasp for the Scythe as best they can.
"Your watch is over brother, your troubles are over. I am here to lift your burden and carry it forth, find your rest for you carried this burden long and well and now it is time for me to carry it in your stead. Rest now and find peace."
The arms cross themselves. The arms tap their index fingers as if in thought. Then the arms unfold and *shrug*. Then the arms disappear.
I planned to have my arms try to kill you but you role played your way out of it. Nice.
Treasure log updated.
"Well said Mr Gur. That was very eloquently put. May I have a closer look?
"It seems to be both the real world and incorporeal, which would explain why the ghost could fight for it."
Talon hear's pipe music coming from inside Harrowstone beyond the door that the arms were guarding. He also hears the low buzzing of insectoid wings. Like maybe a giant giang mosquito...
Talon will step back inside, "What's that noise?"
You and Antoni are in T4b. To the north, the window. To the south, there is a door.
"What I wouldn't give for a sticky-fingered thief right about now," Toni says, eyeing the door. "Do you think it's safe?"
I don't think so. Oh, you weren't asking me? Sorry.
"Is there anythin' worth lookin' at out the window, lass?"
Talon will move to the door and listen...
and wonder what makes a buzzing noise like a giant mosquito...
"I guess I'll look," Toni says, going up to the window.
With things resolved outside Gabbi will follow Toni and Talon in and seems surprized to find her self in a small room. "Everything alright in here? I expected to find myself in a coridor or large room or something, this feels more like a cell."
"This was probably the last room that those condemned to die passed through. It needn't be fancy," Toni notes.
I am sure the rest of us go in the room as well
As Toni looks out the window she sees beautiful moorland under a grey sky. Just before a giant buzzing Stirge slams into the window trying to needle her face! It bonks itself a few times trying to get her then flys off. That should explain the buzzing...
Now everyone can hear it, soft pipe music.
Before he snatched his victims, the Piper taunted his targets with a mournful dirge on his f lute. He preferred to paralyze lone victims by dosing their meals with lich dust and then allowed his pet stirges to drink the victims dry of blood.
"Someone shut the door before the wee beasties get in here."
What does Talon know about Stirges?
You knowledge checks:
by certain bardic performances or a Perform skill check), it ceases its attacks and swoops down to land next to the musician. As long as the bardic performance continues, or as long as the musician can continue to make DC 15 Perform checks (or as long as no one else attacks it), the
giant stirge remains docile.
Did anyone make a check I missed?
Talon will pass on what he knows of stirges. "So anyone feel up to serenadin' a bunch of bugs. I'd do it but, ahem, I had a cold recently and my singing voice hasn't quite recovered yet."
"Well, the fighting will get worse as we descend," Toni says of her discovery.
"Watch the blood come out the pipe. Feeds the stirge, so nice and ripe." Gabbi says quietly.
"I think might be one of the major haunts, watch out for its pipes, I don't thik music is the only thing that is going to come out of them." She says louder. Then goings into the case from the crypt and pulls out one of the small flasks of swirling mist.
"Is everyone ready?" Talon asks, a hand on the doorknob.
Before he can turn the doornob, the freakin door opens. By itself.
You find yourself in a spacious cellblock. The roof is made of a glass dome with iron ribs, though many of the panes are broken and open to the sky (buzz buzz).
Many of the cells contain skeletons. Some of these skeletons twitch as weak undead.
Worst of all, the pipes youve been hearing are clearer now. They are pipes indeed...Organ pipes. A terribly complicated music is coming from what must be an organ behind the doors across the space (the twin doors at T1). The rest is as you see it on the map, which you are free to explore...
Talon jumps, "AAAAHHHH!"
Drops his longbow and quickdraws his greatsword.
Gabbi moves closer to Gur "Surely there is some other way. Maybe if we just hide up here the music will stop."
Talon will pick up and shoulder his bow and keep his sword out, "Ahem, I was just tryin' to scare whatever opened the door."
Catching sight of the massive Scythe Gur is carrying, "Are you really bringin' that thing? It's kinda... creepy."
We can not delay with this chatting and joking. There are children trapped in here that need our help. Saying that Rasgraton pushes past all of you and steps into the room through the door that opened by itself.
Gur fixes Talon with a scowl that could curdle milk."It is a sacred trust I carry now, the headsman's burden is a holy one. When you find a bit of stone or some cracked anvil that you feel the need to liberate from where it lays I will not nay say you."