Gameplay thread
The year is 4707. The Varisian City of Magnimar. The city of Monuments, peppered with monuments from bygone days.
The morning you all wake up in your respective homes. A note is waiting for you. Keleri Deverin, a local aristocrat and scholar, and an acquaintance of yours has left the note.
The note reads: Hello friend, I have some work for you. I have sent this note to a few others who's talents can be useful. Please meet me at my home later today. Come prepared. With much thanks, Keleri Deverin.
--- For Fezzik ---
You where sent by your new boss, a brutish hobgoblin, named Drakus the Taker to steal from some longshanks. You where forced to go dig into vaults and basements and take all the shinys! After digging into the last vault you found, you rebelled, with a few other Goblins. All where cut down and killed. Well you and Talga survived.
With no home or place to go, when a longshanks found you. Talga begged for help. She wanted the Longshank, Keleri, to send adventurers to your old lair, a placed called Ashen Ossuary by some.
You agreed to help as well. Keleri is not an adventurer, but knows people. She sends out a notice to some friends to gather. With your help you might be able to stop new bad bossman.
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Note in hand, Joliryn Starsoul strides up the wide steps to the manor of Keleri Deverin. She's a relatively young dwarf, at 40 years of age, with red hair, smooth skin, and a stocky frame. She wears her hair done in elaborate braids, and paints lines on her face in blue paint -- although what they represent you're not sure. Her clothes are well-worn, and clearly meant for overland travel on the surface, but are brilliant shades of purple, blue and teal. Dwarven knotwork is stiched onto her cloak and bodice in silver and black thread. She wears a silver holy symbol of Desna on a thick chain around her neck, which she bears with pride.
Joliryn had been surprised at the invitation. She wasn't aware that her effort spread the Holy Word of Desna had borne such fruit! I mean, she had a reputation, that much was certain. But it was not entirely... stellar. Her Dwarven kin thought she was mad at best -- heretical at worst, and that stigma had followed her through her lifetime, and even into the Desnan clergy.
But this?
She had no idea what this Keleri woman wanted, or what talents she referred to, but she knew that she was destined to go! And destiny was not something Joliryn balked before.
Desna had saved her. Led her through the darkness and into a world of glittering stars and intense joy. She would trust in Desna now. As she always had.
As Joliryn passes through the entry doors and into the manor, she looks around, curious what other souls she was destined to meet on her life's journey...
Delitash strides through Magnimar's streets, a thinly gloved hand fiddling with the clasp of her long, gray cloak. A torrent of braids spills down her back while a rather rotund toad with bulging, unblinking eyes floats along several inches above her left shoulder. She is tall and slender, and excitement has made her steps fast and springy.
Delitash had been absolutely thrilled to receive the note. It seemed her chance to impress Keleri had finally arrived, and she might not have to wait for her uncle's long-delayed arrival to have a chance at joining the Order. This particular mission was probably not Palatine business, but it could very well be some sort of test.
Ascending the Deverin manor's steps, Delitash takes a deep breath and prepares to discover what exactly this new chapter in her existence will entail.
Fezzik threaded his way nervously through the side streets of Magnimar, hood lying far over his mottled green skin. By sticking to the dark and lesser-known by-ways of the city, he'd mostly avoided any uncomfortable run-ins with the longshanks, though he hadn't missed the view odd looks from passers-by. Most types you found on the back streets either shuffled along, eyes down, or else sized you up with greed in their eyes. His small, hurrying form drew puzzled glances from both types.
Emerging from a side alley, he glanced furtively at the paper scrap clutched in his hand and the sloppy scrawl of longshank writing on it. Deverin Manse. Second bell. Eying the expansive estate across the street, he compared it to the rough drawing on the paper. Four walls. Roof. Stairs. Snickering, Talga's picture could be any of a hundred longshank mansions in the city. Luckily, he knew of the Deverin house. Most of his friends and family hadn't made it out alive, after all.
Fezzik moved with a purpose across the street and swiftly up the stairs fronting the estate, not risking any more time alone amongst the longshanks of the city. He banged through the door into the entryway. "Fezzik here. Fezzik find house. Fezzik good finder!" he says in broken Common.
Mazok had already finished breakfast and was in the process of checking the straps of his armor when he'd heard the knock at his door. Lowcleft being what it was - he hadn't exactly chosen this district for its luxurious living conditions - he'd grabbed his hatchet before unlocking and opening the door.
He'd smiled to see the familiar - if mirthless - face of Bensmith, a halfling servant of House Deverin. Mazok was well acquainted with him through his service to Hobart, though the two did not work together directly. Bensmith, ever the consummate professional, had pressed a slip of paper into his hand and silently departed with a courteous nod. After reading the note, Mazok made his way down the winding streets of Lowcleft toward Deverin Manor.
Upon arriving, he finds that he is not the first to arrive: a human woman and a fellow dwarf are already waiting at present. After a brief greeting, he settles into an easy stance to await Mistress Deverin, when he is startled by the unexpected and clamorous intrusion of... a goblin?!
Mazok pulls his axe instinctively and steps in front of the diminutive intruder before noticing that it doesn't seem to be wielding any weapons at the moment. This revelation does not stop him from remaining armed and on guard.
Pulling up abruptly as an axe-wielding dwarf steps towards him, Fezzik's hood slides back further on his head and his two green ears make an appearance.
He stills and blinks repeatedly as he eyes the dwarf, but otherwise shows no reaction. "Longshank...not so long?" He appears impressed that he needn't look up nearly as high as usual to meet the dwarf's eyes.
After a second, he casts an arm out of his cloak, hand hanging limply at the end like some bizarre pantomime of a noble expecting her ring to be kissed. "Shake? Longshanks shake for hello, yes? Name Fezzik!" He continues to eye the dwarf expectantly, clearly new at this.
Delitash eyes Joliryn's holy symbol with an odd mix of apprehension and curiosity as she waits with the two dwarves, but Fezzik's arrival quickly draws her attention. She watches his attempt at a greeting from the side, then steps forward and asks the goblin, "You're not... by any chance... here at Lady Deverin's request, are you?"
Fezzik seems to notice for the first time the two female longshanks beyond the dwarf with the axe. ”Deverin? Yes, Deverin!”
With disconcerting speed, Fezzik reaches into his cloak and pulls out a small scrap of paper, offering it. The semi-literate scribbles do seem to indicate that someone intended the goblin be here.
There is a solid moment of wild-eyed bewilderment plain on Mazok's face as Fezzik extends his hand. "What is your busin- wait. I, uh,... yes? Hello." he finally sputters out, stumbling to make sense of both the broken Common and the question itself. He lowers the axe partway in a clearly de-escalating gesture, though he does not extend his hand as well.
Before he is able to say anything else, the human woman behind him pipes up. After she speaks, Mazok seems to recall the bit from the note about it having been sent to "a few others," as Fezzik produces a similar bit of paper. Mazok begins to wonder just what the nature of this errand really is, as he lowers his axe further and visibly relaxes.
Judging the longshank greeting ritual a failure, Fezzik shrugs and returns his two outstretched arms to within the cloak.
He begins to wander off around the perimeter of the entryway, eyeing closely the rich trimwork and delicate woodcarvings that adorn the walls of the room.
”Ah. I see. This should be... interesting, then.” With another wary glance at Joliryn, Delitash steps back and begins absently stroking her floating toad, hoping that Keleri turns up soon.
As you all gather up at the house, Keleri greats you all, "Ah, great! I see you have all met. I know you seem like an odd group, but from what I know of each of you, you will all bring useful skills for a task I have"
She shakes her head, "But I am getting ahead of myself. Here, come with me. Let us share a drink and I will detail my offer"
Walking all of you into a plesent room. "Before I get down to it, who would like wine, ale, or tea for those wishing to keep a straight head?"
Slowly trailing the group of longshanks as they move deeper into the house, Fezzik perks up upon hearing a familiar word. ”Ale! Ale!”
"Interesting indeed," says Mazok as he sheathes his axe, before following Keleri and the rest. "Ale, please."
Joliryn smiles down at the friendly little goblin in delight and shakes his hand heartily. "Well, hello Fezzik! I'm Joliryn. Have you heard the Holy Word of Desna?"
Unfortunately her attempt to convert Fezzik to Desna's faith is cut short by Keleri's arrival.
"Oh, hello Lady Deverin." Joliryn gives a polite little curtsy to Lady Deverin and follows her into the house. "Yes, tea please."
Once in the serving room, Fezzik gravitates toward the female dwarf that grabbed his hand in the appropriate longshank greeting ritual. He attempts to smile up at her, succeeding mostly in proving that advancements in dental care have yet to reach the Goblin communities in Varisia. He seems fascinated by the colorful markings on her face. "Desna? That Desna?" he asks, indicating the same markings.
Joliryn smiles kindly at the goblin and shakes her head. "No. Desna is a goddess of the Stars and Skies," Joliryn explains. "She brings beauty and light to the darkness. She is also the goddess of travel and luck. Have you had any good luck recently, Fezzik? If you have, you might want to give her a thank you." She points to the lines on her face. "These lines represent a few constellations. A constellation is like a picture, made out of the stars in the sky. These constellations can have importance. Some say that the movement of the stars can even be used to divine the future." Joliryn explains to the goblin. "Have you had much chances to view the stars, Fezzik? They're the most beautiful thing in the world. I can show you some of the constellations in the sky after our work is done, if you like."
"Well I guess I should bring out our guest"
She leaves the room for a quick second coming back with a very skittish goblin with bruses and cuts on her face.
"This is Talga. Fezzik knows her, as they are.. excuse me.. where part of the same tribe. Talga here has provided some information. But first let me give you some background"
She takes a sip of her tea. "2 days ago my house was broken into. The basement was broken into from the sewers by a group of goblins. When I went down there to learn what happened I found a trashed room, but hiding behind some boxes was Talga, here. Talga, could you described what happened?"
The small goblin moves into the side of the room. With a very shakey voice she says, "My tribe, and Fezzik, is the Mudchewer tribe. Our new leader is a terrible hobgoblin named Drakus the Taker. He was forcing members of my tribe to dig into vaults and basements all around town. We were supposed to look for shineys and glowing things. Some of us said no, but he would just kill them and hang them as a sign. Bloody sign.... I was forced into it, and when we got to this house, we rebelled. There were 4 of us. Me and Fezzik survived."
She shutters.. Keleri stands up and walks over to Talga and puts a hand on her shoulder. Talga speaks up again "Anyway.. I know where lair is. what longhshanks call Ashen Ossuary. We get there through sewers.. I can make map.. You go and get stuff back, and kill bad leaders? Fezzik and I free? I can spread word to other tribes you are free, so you only deal with bad Mudchewer."
She steps back and Keleri turns to you, "I know of each of you personally, or through other contacts of mine. And Fezzik here offered to help take care of his tribe. Here is a map Talga drew of the lair. Do you have any questions for Talga before you set off?"
"Oh, how horrible! You poor dears. Desna must have smiled upon the both of you, that you survived to freedom!" She nods her head. "Don't you worry. We'll put an end to this vile Drakus fellow."
The Ashen Ossuary is an old temple to Pharasma. Long abandoned.
Delitash rolls her eyes at Joliryn's efforts to proselytize Fezzik, but fully turns her attention to Keleri when she arrives. "Lady Deverin!" she exclaims, following along with the others, "I must confess to being greatly intrigued by the nature of this task of yours. Oh, and I'll have tea as well," she adds. "Thank you."
She listens to Talga's tale with interest before asking, "Do you have any idea what Drakus' motive for all this theft might be? Also, how many Mudchewers remain under his control?"
The small goblin listens and tries to answer "Drakus is scary hob. He drinks blood and..... might be a vampire! He sometimes takes goblin into back room. Then we find goblin with big hole in neck and no blood! Then put bodies in sleep area. Bad Hob!"
"There maybe 10 left? Not sure, he kill so many."
Listening intently, like a child at his mother's knee, Fezzik nods eagerly as the dwarf woman completes her tale. "Sky shinies, yes. Fezzik knows. Fezzik good at finding shinies, even in sky. You show Fezzik later."
Fezzik concentrates on downing his mug of ale with alacrity, but stops when when Lady Deverin brings Talga into the room. He amplifies her message to the group. You all listen Talga! She speak true. She save Fezzik. Drakus big bad hob! Danger..."
"The Ashen Ossuary was once a temple to Pharasma. How sad that it's become the lair of a vampire."
"A vampire? That's concerning." Delitash takes a sip of her tea, then looks over at Joliryn. "You're supposed to know how to deal with undead, right?
Vampires normally leave 2 holes in the neck. One hole seems weird.
The small goblin looks up, shaking "More questions? Need sleep"
Mazok sits as Mistress Deverin explains the situation, listening as he takes down most of his ale in a few hearty gulps. By the time Talga has finished, his mug is empty, and he sets it aside.
When the map is handed to him, he places it on a small table in front of him. Steepling his fingers, he studies it for some time, noting a few blind corners and some likely ambush locations were Drakus to learn of their approach.
As the discussion veers towards Drakus being a potentially blood-drinking hobgoblin, he looks up in curiosity and interjects: "I've never heard of a vampire hobgoblin before, let alone here - and wouldn't there be some talk of folk around the town going missing, with a threat like that under our noses?" He turns to Keleri, continuing. "You know that I have contracted with Hobart for the time being, in service to your House, and the retrieval of your goods is certainly part of said contract. Besides that, stopping a band of goblin thieves led by a conniving hobgoblin will be pretty impressive work by any standard, if we can pull it off."
He walks over to Fezzik, addressing the goblin. "Listen, I don't have a lot of experience dealing with your kind in any way other than fighting, but seeing as you are an acquaintance of Mistress Deverin and clearly you seem to be just as invested in stopping Drakus, I can work with you. But you can bet I'll have my eyes on you too."
With that, he shakes his head to indicate that he has no other questions.
"Drakus leaves just one hole in the dead he drains? That's interesting. Vampires usually leave two..." Joliryn thinks on this as she drinks her tea. She seems oddly distant...
Suddenly she smiles and shakes her head. "Oh! Sorry! I've no other questions."
She finishes her tea and readies herself to head down into the sewers.
As the rest of the invitees ask their questions, or once the party gets moving, Mazok will sidle up to Joliryn and ask, "So where did you learn about Desna? Abadar and Torag are givens with the stout folk, but I can probably count on one hand the number of us I've seen pay homage to the Dreamer."
"She called to me, Mazok. And I answered." Joliryn replies. "Do you ever look at the stars? I mean really, truly, look at them? Don't they set your heart alight? Make you want to soar?"
"No more questions from me. I suppose we should try to deal with Drakus before he robs anyone else." Delitash rises and departs with the others.
He walks over to Fezzik, addressing the goblin. "Listen, I don't have a lot of experience dealing with your kind in any way other than fighting, but seeing as you are an acquaintance of Mistress Deverin and clearly you seem to be just as invested in stopping Drakus, I can work with you. But you can bet I'll have my eyes on you too."
Fezzik nods along as the dwarf addresses him, seeming to take it all quite literally.
"Yes! You watch Fezzik. Fezzik show you he good. Good finder. Stop Drakus."
Seemingly satisfied, he prepares to depart with the group.
"Do you ever look at the stars? I mean really, truly, look at them? Don't they set your heart alight? Make you want to soar?"
"Well, sure I've looked them before, but I don't think that's what you meant. I've seen some beautiful night skies, and slept under the stars more than a few times, but it didn't inspire me the way it does you."
Keleri Deverin thanks the small goblin "Thank you, you may go rest now. I will come in with some food."
She turns to you, "Well. Thank you all for being willing to do this. It will save my skin. There were a few items that are very important to me, that I would like back. I also want this taken care of. My sister has invited me up north to her town to go to the Swallowtail Festival. I just need to get this business resolved first"
Now with directions to the Ashen Ossuary through the sewers you are all able to prepare how you wish and make your way to the entrance. The sewer path is gross, but safe. Till you arrive at the entrance.
"You need not worry, Lady Deverin. I am certain that we will return swiftly with all of your possessions recovered," Delitash says before departing.
As she approaches the Ossuary's entrance, she draws a wooden cudgel from beneath her cloak, clasps her hand over its end, and mutters an incantation. A soft but penetrating light begins to emanate from it, illuminating the sewer.
Evidently somewhat nervous, Delitash turns to look at Fezzik. "Perhaps you should enter first? Since you're already familiar with the terrain, I mean."
Fezzik keeps to the edges of the group as they make their way to the Ossuary's entrance. At the lady wizard's prompting, whom he seems a bit frightened of, Fezzik produces a cruel-looking little shortbow from seemingly nowhere and moves to the fore. "Fezzik keep us safe. Find danger and tell longshanks, yes?" The goblin moves out ahead of the group and into the Ossuary proper.
When the group reaches the entrance to the Ossuary and Fezzik moves up to scout ahead, Mazok takes 2nd lead, walking a few feet in front of Delitash and Joliryn, with waraxe and warhammer in his hands.
As they head underground Joliryn curls up her lip in disgust. She moves without difficulty underground, but clearly doesn't like it. Throughout the journey she keeps looking up, as if expecting to see the sky, before crinkling her nose and returning her gaze to the stinking tunnel ahead of her.
As they approach the Ashen Ossuary, Joliryn draws her starknife and follows behind Mazok.
The damp sewer passages have led to a slime cistern that stinks of decay. On the northern edge of this circular chamber lies a pile of burnt bones in front of a scorched tunnel.
As Fezzik steps forward he becomes aware of a strange moving pile of slime.
Round 1
Fezzik, Delitash, Mozak <- Block init, you all can go in whatever order.
Monster
Joliryn
Creeping along the walls of the stinky cistern, Fezzik notices a shadow in the corner start to pulsate strangely. He circles around it as it becomes clear it is no pile of refuse. He calls to the group. "Danger! Slimy git!"
Dropping his shortbow, he draws his dogslicer and hacks at the creature.
Mazok also notes the strange pile of muck moving unnaturally. By the time Fezzik has shouted his warning, the dwarf had already begun to stalk forward, weapons raised.
He swipes sideways with the axe, using the momentum to propel his hammer afterwards.
Delitash walks forward, takes a deep breath, and telekinetically hurls her club at the mass of slime. She tries to guide the weapon to hit the sludge, then mentally pulls it back to her hand.
As the goblin approaches and stabs the creature, it seems to hurt it, but the precise strike of his blade seems to not cause any more damage than normal.
The first of Mazok's strikes lands successfully onto the creature, ripping some of its strange gooey flesh.
Delitash's club flys past and strikes the creature, with a bit of its ooze splatting on the floor.
The creature seems to quiver, all of the debris inside it seems to squeeze. A wave of filth and slime splashes outward in a giant wave.
Everyone seems too quickly duck out of the way of the worst part of it. Not taking any negative effects.
The monster then lashes out at Mozak and Fezzik. Striking both of them with a combination of sewage and detritus.
Round 1-2
Joliryn, Fezzik, Delitash, Mozak <- Joliryn is first, but then we go into full block.
Monster
Seeing Fezzik get hurt, Joliryn brandishes her holy symbol and chants a prayer aloud! A magical ward that glitters like stardust flickers around Fezzik for a moment, before disappearing.
Then she moves into the chamber.
Delitash again sends her cudgel whirring through the air at the ooze before bringing it back to her hand.
Just in case the slime should happen to attack her, she then conjures up a magical shield with a few arcane words. A faint, circular shimmer floats in front of her, ready to intercept any incoming blows.
Fezzik cries out in pain as the slime lashes him. "Gahh! Slime burns!!" About to flee the creature, he sees a blessing from the dwarf woman sparkle in front of his eyes. Like the sky shinies! Taking courage from this, he strikes out twice and backs off.
"Auugh!" Mazok growls, acid still sizzling on his exposed leg. "No more of that, you!"
With one last attempt, despite being slightly off-balance, he swings back with the warhammer.
With Mozok's final strike down on the creature, whatever energies held it together break and all the items stuck in the slime dissipate and clatter to the ground.
The room quiets down from the sound of battle.
---- When you are ready to move to next room ----
The walls of this long chamber are scorched dark, and the thick layers of soot crusting to the ceiling above attest to the tremendous fire that must have raged through this room in the past. Burial niches in the walls and the row of central pillars contain only fragments of burnt wood and charred bone.
From where you enter the room you can't see the other end quite well. There also seems to be offshoots of this room to the left side.
Nursing his acid burns, Fezzik retrieves his bow and will begin pressing ahead down the length of the next chamber, mentally marking the side rooms and carefully examining the burial niches.