Pink eye jumps out the back of the wagon and next to Tenzo who he commands to guard him and uses his ability to fire a bolt at the thing
"I really dislike this place," Aerin grumbled, keeping a tight rein on the horses as violence broke out again.
She made a throwing motion and a glowing crescent flew from her hand and started orbiting the crab, darting in to harry it.
Zabeth's crossbow bolt bounces off of the hard shell of the monster. Meridian's shot simply goes wide as the creature scuttles over bodies and wreckage nimbly.
Frank approaches dismissing B to bring about another, less valuable foe to fight this thing.
Gauntlet backs away and to life springs his weapon, ready for use and it looks like he is going to need it.
Kana rides her hose away from this foe who could likely snap its neck far too easily.
Dev's lightning though strikes the creature directly eliciting a piercing screech from it. Aerin's crescent manages to make a crack n the shell of the creature.
Then it moves forward at EE on the attack!
No Critical Miss - Claw #2
The creature stumbles in its rush and almost impales itself on a halberd sticking blade end up, almost. It then regains its footing and strikes at EE again but his armor is too hard for the crab's shell to penetrate.
Pink-Eye's Forebolt burns the face of the thing, still, it does not yield or retreat.
Still holding up her inspiring performance, Kana thinks for a moment.
Then she shoots her bow at it.
Kana puts an arrow right through the creatures bulbous eye and it goes down in a heap!
What a shot!
Is that the only danger here? If so, perhaps it is worth searching for further treasures from this forsaken field of battle....
Frank summons celestial eagle before realizing that the beast is already dead.
"Oh, uh. Nice shot Kana. Remind me to never piss you off..."
Frank the eagle flies away from the falling creature and looks in your direction, then it looks into the sky and launches high circling about and screeching...
Frank puts the crossbow away and returns to his horse.
"It doesn't seem to be pecking any friendlies, maybe summoning magic is fine. Anyone want to help me look for relics that need saving? The bird will have our backs for the next few minutes."
Looking at the creature and the rest of the battlefield, Gauntlet points and releases his sword back into the nothingness that it came from.
"I doubt any other predators are around here with that thing hunting here. This area should be safer than most for now. Maybe we should find a defensible position and rest here too. We could salvage...almost anything we need. Maybe even food and water for your needs if it doesn't spoil here."
Having faced death and survived, EE takes some moments before reacting. If he had a living body, he would probably be trembling. He gets to Kana and thanks her briefly until he hears about searching more thoroughly. That really catches his attention and makes him forget about the situation quickly - few things he likes more than searching and finding things.
Trying to comb zones he hasn't before, and coordinating with his friends, EE goes for the hunt again...
Kana takes a slight bow on her horseback and smiles.
My pleasure. I doubt this thing would have found you up to their taste EE, but it might have tasted my horse or me afterwards, so it was in my own best interest as well. And i'm just beginning to enjoy your company.
Good point about searching the premise for something we can use, even though i'm not pleased with this thought.
She spurs her horse to ride around a bit and check out different spots of interest nearby.
I don't see much on first glance, maybe we should search this more thourough!
EE and Kana begin to search the ruins as Gauntlet inspects the double bladed scimitar.
Each of the scimitar’s two blades is engraved. One bears the stylized image of a horse’s head, while the second features a flowing horse’s tail. The weapon is magnificent and its magic is unique, in that it has hidden abilities that likely only an elf can draw out, it is as if it is actively resisting your ability to uncover what it can do...
As the drow and the warforged search, night comes in full force. The darkness of the sky is menacing especially with the gray clouds overhead which threaten, but never produce, rain. In the distance, lights flash but no thunder or explosions can be heard. The strangeness of this place only grows.
The searches though do uncover several useful items and treasure:
• 1 masterwork Talenta tangat
• 1 wand of magic missiles (1st level)
• 1 cloak of resistance +1
• 3 potions of cure moderate wounds
• 1 potion of invisibility
• 1 (undamaged) suit of half-plate armor
• 1 flametouched iron holy symbol (Sovereign Host)
• 3 vials of antitoxin
• 1 vial of acidic fire
• 1 letter of credit with the Kundarak Banking Guild for 400 gp
• A total of 250 sp, 38 gp, and 4 pp
Gauntlet nods at his assessment of the double-scimitar, and approaches Viorr.
"I don't know if the gods intended this, but you are the only one I see who could possibly wield this weapon to its maximum effectiveness, both with the skill and blood to do it. You may have to unlock some of its power over time. I'm unsure. It hides...its full nature. Your hand could unlock much."
<Up to you to decide, guys.>
Frank rearranges his handy haversack to accommodate the newfound coin.
As the loot is being examined and distributed, Frank asks "Anyone need a holy symbol?" while holding up a flametouched iron holy symbol of the Sovereign Host.
Zabeth waves off the offer, and shows no interest in the loot.
"Yes.. good point, Gauntlet. Resting here might be a good idea."
"I will be able to help keep watch throughout the night. With a little preparation, I am able to maintain my awareness while I sleep."
Casting Time: standard action
Components: V, S, DF
Range: personal
Target: you
Duration: 8 hours
You become aware of sounds and smells you would normally overlook, and even retain the ability to detect threats when soundly asleep. For the duration of the spell, you gain a +5 bonus on Perception checks to act in a surprise round. Additionally, you don’t take a penalty on Perception checks while sleeping, and can choose to wake if you notice a threat while asleep.
Sharon mumbles something looking at the double scimitar....but shrugs. She looks at the alchemical items with a professional eye but put them the back into the pile and walks of a little bit with a glance at the double scimitar...she seems to be talking to herself..,
"Some sleep would be nice," Dev says, stifling a yawn.
"It's been a long day; things are starting to get a little fuzzy, if you know what I mean."
Pink eye will take the first watch which is when he prays casting his healing spells on anyone damaged to save on the goodberry wine. He sets Tenzo to guard him while he prays and then he will finish the watch and finally rest.
<Don't need to make guard shifts> EE explains to all those who are getting ready for it. <Can take all the night by ourselves> he says while pointing at himself and Gauntlet, <and helps us too> he finishes, referring to Madame Zabeth.
As you may have noticed, EE speech is weird; he skips all (or most) of the subjects (subject as the syntactical concept). Way back, he spoke like a vending machine or a low-IQ AI. This is part of his evolution, which I wanted play as getting better when he levels up and which might add a bit of fun from time to time ("Who's on first?") Don't you worry, next level up or so he'll be talking normally. Maybe, and that's a big maybe, if we reach something like 10th level, he'll start talking a bit more... "intellectually" (which might prove a challenge to me, since I'm obviously not English native and certainly not a high-IQ guy).
Just so you all know, if you even actually cared :P
The night passes by uneventfully. The non-Warforged open their eyes to a grey sky overcast as if about to rain, so the same as yesterday!
The group gathers their items, new and old and get ready to finish their journey to the hidden Cannith forge.
Meridian rises early, stretching to shake off the last of the sleep lethargy. Once fully awake, she settles near the small fire and does what she can with their supplies to prepare a breakfast that is not simply cold trail food.
Zabeth gathers everyone for some healing before resting.
= 2 (1 for warforged)
= 5 (2 for warforged)
= 4 (2 for warforged)
= 2 (1 for warforged)
Frank summons Broulnindre for both Zabeth's healing before resting and for the morning after.
"Thanks for breakfast Meridian." Frank says while double checking the loot from the strange battlefield.
"I think I'm ready to head out."
"Noting fon here anyvay..." Broulnindre agrees, a bit grumpily.
Kana does some morning stretches and spends quite some time with a washing bowl, a little mirror and some colors.
During the long night, EE helps Gauntlet get some of his parts repaired, and also gathers some mixtures to prepare his potions, of which he gives two bottles to the heavier Warforged.
Pink Eye rolls out of bed and collects his things getting on his armor and once more doing his prayers.
The journey to the Cannith forge is uneventful. After the events of the day before this is a welcome respite. It takes most of the day to arrive at location that corresponds on the map from the Rose Quarry.
Once more they grey day gives way to the grey night as the sun must be going down behind the haze that is the sky over the Mournland.
At the base of a low hill, a timbered opening leads into a dark tunnel. At first glance, it looks like any other abandoned mineshaft. Then, with a more careful inspection of the opening, you spot the House Cannith seal emblazoned on the center crossbeam. This is it, you have found the Whitehearth facility!
Pink eye comes to the tunnel with Tenzo ready to enter the darkness at peace with the caves as they are a home for Balinor.
Guantlet looks into the darkened facility with dread, and a strange sigh escapes him, although he does not realize he does it.
"Okay. It goes without saying that EE and I should take the lead again. Most of us will need some light, so I will conjure some for us. You cna follow ours, or create your own. Again, stay behind us and provide ranged and magical support as much as possible. Between the two of us 'forged, we should be able to take the brunt of anything we find first, but not without some basic support. If we miss something and you need us to turn around, yell out 'Canary.' If things get really bad in front, EE or I will call out 'Code Yellow.' Then we all try to escape in an orderly manner and head back outside to meet here at the wagon and horses. We can decide from there what to do. I would suggest someone stay with the wagon and animals to guard them while we are down there..."
He then looks semi-expectantly around the group, not really thinking a single volunteer would want to stay up here alone.
"Hoi, Franky." Broulnindre says while pointing into the sky.
"Dot fonny bordy..."
Broulnindre gets Frank's attention while he's loading his crossbow in response to Gauntlet's request for ranged support in the immediate future.
"Huh?"
He looks and sees what he half-jokingly suggested might be a zombie dragon.
"Oh boy. Hey guys, the prison people might be following us. I suggest we get going, whatever we do."
Frank finishes cranking the crossbow back and loads it before starting to produce rope from his sleeve to tie up the horses.
"B and I can wait here. Sort of. B can wait here and I can go about a hundred feet in. I have a spell for whispering over a hundred feet away ... in case something happens."
Frank gives the far away flyer a worried look before adding.
"Should be fine."
Frank puts down the weapon for a few minutes as he ties up the horses.
Broulnindre looks mildly offended at being volunteered for guard duty.
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Dev's eyes go wide at Gauntlet's plan, and he manages to suppress his laugh, waiting more or less politely until the big 'guy' is done.
"That's an awfully well-organized scheme ya got there, General. Usually we just poke around 'til something tries to kill us and then run around screaming and throwing as much metal and magic at it as we can."
Turning to Dev, Gauntlet seems undisturbed and responds easily.
"That works sometimes. We could even do that if you prefer. I've seen it work often enough back during the war, but the losses were not worth it. Personally I'm not in a hurry to die. Are you? We cannot afford to waste resources here, or stay too long in this land. Eventually...your kind will malfunction here without your ability to self-repair. So efficiency seemed best. I'm good at that. But I'm NOT in charge. We could...vote on a plan if you all prefer? I do not have much of an ego to bruise. I am not a golem, but I am here to help, not cause contention or disruption to your normal patterns of behavior."
This sounds like a good plan. I don't need any light, but i don't want to be last either.
Kana casts a spell (acute senses) on herself and looks around.
Broulnindre enters the steep sloping tunnel into the mine. After about 20' there is a set of stairs that leads down approximately 20' more. This place is made of rough hewn stone and is pitch black. As she reaches the bottom of the stairs she finds herself in a large cavern, about 40' by 40' with ceilings about 30' high. At the far eastern end of the cavern is a series of tunnels that appear to snake off in different directions. There is no sound here besides the sounds that come from the group up the stairs outside the mine.
Pink Eye taps Gauntlet on the shoulder and pulls him to the back whaipering to him best to look at our letter now
The letter reads:
"My friends,
The object you recovered for me from the ruins beneath Sharn is a schema, a piece of a pattern used to create items both mundane and magical. I have learned that another schema connected to this pattern was being studied in a secret Cannith workshop in Cyre, called Whitehearth. I wonder if this research is tied to the Day of Mourning?
Regardless, parts of my own house seek this pattern for evil purposes, and I do not know whom to trust. So I turn to you. I need you to travel to Cyre, find the workshop, and recover the second schema.
The location of the workshop was a closely guarded secret lost when the patriarch of House Cannith died in the destruction of Cyre. You must travel to the House Cannith outpost in the town of Rose Quarry, in Darguun, to recover a record of all of Cannith’s hidden workshops.
In Rhukaan Draal, find a man named Failin in the Bloody Market. He can provide you with transport to Rose Quarry. From there, travel into the Mournland to find Whitehearth and the second schema.
It is an adamantine plate in the shape of a diamond, about the size of a human’s palm. Once you have retrieved it, return to Rhukaan Draal, where I will meet you. Succeed, and I will see to it that you are well rewarded for your courage.
Lady E".
A search through the bag reveals one odd item that was not paid much attention to the last time around, a tiny rod of blue metal, three inches in length, with a sapphire embedded at one end. It was the only not identified item.
Trying to be useful, Guantlet holds up the small rod.
"A key maybe? Cannith like their magical toys..."