Rubius snaps his hands and summons a few allies to help in this situation.
The invisible elementals begin telekinetically throwing rocks at one of the aberrations.
Tawny then charges the same foe.
Round 1
Rubius summons the Aether elementals, who hit the front Elder Thing.
Tawny pounces, and catching the thing unprepared hits three times and grapples it!
Dvalin casts false life.
Turn Order:
1. Vargas
2. Rubius
3. Dvalin
4. Kragg
5. Dark Eye
6. Things!?
7. Thurgrom
Status:
Dvalin 10 Temp HP
Damage Done:
42, grappled by Tawny
Forewarned about not using his powers of ice, Kragg instead made a stone axe. It was sent flying at the strange creature. For if that failed to hurt it as well, then he knew that they were going to be in serious trouble.
Round 1
Kragg hits another one, damaging it!
The things move to attack!
Dark Eye attempts to wriggle free from the tentacle grappling him!
The thing grappled by Tawny attempts to break free:
Turn Order:
1. Vargas
2. Rubius
3. Dvalin
4. Kragg
5. Dark Eye
6. Things!?
7. Thurgrom
Status:
Dvalin 10 Temp HP
Damage Done:
Dark Eye 5
42, grappled by Tawny
Orange: 29
Kragg took a step back, fending off the attacks. A spear formed in his hand, which was sent stabbing forward. At such close range there was no way to dodge it.
Rubius steps back and fires rapidly at the tentacle monster that attacked him.
The invisible elementals keep sending chunks of rock and debris at the offending tentacle-monster!
Tawny keeps ripping, tearing, hissing and spitting at the creature he is grappling.
Dvalin forms a small bolt of Arcane Lightning using his native abilities, then throws it at one of the wounded creatures.
With combat already joined, he is too careful not to hit any of his allies, and the bolt slams into the ceiling above the battle ineffectually.
Rubius misses with his first shot, then hits with his second, and one of the elementals hits.
Tawny shreds the thing in his grasp, and it collapses into a heap of oozing tendrils.
Dvalin sends out the burst of lightning and the damaged thing is destroyed!
Kragg hits another Elder Thing.
Turn Order:
1. Vargas
2. Rubius
3. Dvalin
4. Kragg
5. Dark Eye
6. Things!?
7. Thurgrom
Status:
Dvalin 10 Temp HP
Damage Done:
Dark Eye 5
Red: 34
Thurgrom rushes forward to help defend the dwarven inquisitor.
Thurgrom misses.
The Elder Thing there attacks:
All 5 tentacles miss!
Another attacks Dark Eye:
one hit!
With Dark Eye grappled the other begins seeking other threats.
Dark Eye attempts to escape:
He escapes again!
Turn Order:
1. Vargas
2. Rubius
3. Dvalin
4. Kragg
5. Dark Eye
6. Things!?
7. Thurgrom
Status:
Dvalin 10 Temp HP
Damage Done:
Dark Eye 9
Red: 34
Once more a stone spear flew out, striking the mass of tentacles. He had no expected such a life and death struggle within the heart of his city, but he wasn’t about to run from it.
Tawny moves to flank the tentacled thing with Thurgrom, not about to prioritize the strange-smelling creature at the end of the hall over his comrade Rubius.
Seeing Tawny take a pretty good chomp at the enemy, Rubius grins cockily and steps forward to point-blank range with his bow.
He draws his massive bow back and lets arrows fly straight into the creatures face.
Then the aether elementals also launch projectiles at the foe.
The storm dwarf scion keenly noticed Tawny's flank maneuver, slightly nodding to the great cat.
Thurgrom hits.
Tawny's bite and claw hit, killing that thing.
Rubius fires at the final, hitting both.
Kragg's blast hits the Elder Thing finishing it
Status:
Dvalin 10 Temp HP
Dark Eye 9
As you finish off the Elder Things, Dark Eye finishes unlocking the vault, and the door swings open, the Hobgoblin stepping inside.
”Oi! Bloody well stop ye ingrate!” Kragg yelled as he ran after the hobgoblin.
Rubius sends Tawny rushing after the hobgoblin at high speed as he follows as fast as he can.
Tawny rushes in after the Hobgoblin into the vault, and as you follow behind him you see the cat holding Dark Eye in his jaws.
Then you notice the contents of the vault 76, the vault which should not be-- gold coins, art objects, furniture, all the trappings of the most illustrious palace, and all unmistakably Gold Peak dwarven craftsmanship.
Finally, your eyes are drawn to the lone inhabitant of the vault- a single cloud dwarf, naked, chained to the wall, a thin smile on his lips.
You find yourselves with an overwhelming sense of deja vu- you've been here before, though you'd forgotten about it. You spoke to this dwarf before, but he looks familiar beyond that.
He looks so much like the captured King Dak Nimbus that it is uncanny almost- certainly he must be related.
He opens his lips, and a sibilant voice spills out, "Hello again. We spoke, once before, about you freeing me. Should I assume you've reconsidered my offer of wealth, fame, or whatever else you desire that is within my power to grant in exchange for the simple act of striking these chains?"
”What...what...who the FOOK are ye?!” Kragg blurted out, his blood still pumping from the battle.
”That is actually a good question.”
"You wouldn't remember me. There's been a powerful enchantment in place for thirty years to make sure of just that. Unless you release me- the spell will break, and you will remember exactly who I am.”
Rubius shakes his head firmly. "No way. Whatever dwarves put you in hear had a dang good reason. And we had a good reason not to let you out last time." He turns to Dark Eye, struggling in Tawny's grasp. "Let's take this fella away to be dealt with by the authorities."
Kragg nodded at the sage words. ”Not our first time here? We’d better write this all down then, so we don’t forget again. Especially as we may well forget while we are taking the hobgoblin to the authorities. Anyone have some paper? We should really research this.”
"Surely there must be something I can offer to convince you? Gold? Noble titles? Quick deaths to your enemies?"
He thinks for a minute, then adds, "You think their reasoning was sound, but what if I told you I was put here to rob me of my birthright?"
”We need evidence of that. Now, we’re gonna write this all down. So how about ye tell us where to find information to corroborate yer story. And while ye be at it, tell us who ye are. We aren’t helping now. But we can always come back.”
"You'll have trouble finding someone to corroborate my story-- the magic on this place will make you forget, and it has made them all forget as well. But if you need a name- I am Prince Nim Nimbus, rightful heir to the Crown of Gold Peak, older brother to Dak Nimbus, and Chosen of the Goddess Fey'la. If you'll not release me, and I will remind you once again that you will be compensated if you do, I am sure she will send another of her servants to release me."
Rubius nods heartily to Kragg. "Good idea, writing things down!" He shakes his head and chuckles. The wild man was rarely one to think of such book-smart ideas. "No way we let you go on just your word, sir. But if we can find evidence you've been imprisoned wrongly, we'll help." When he hears the dwarf talk of his right to the throne superseding that of King Dak, he grows uneasy, unwilling to pander to such a disloyal thought. He grumbles more to himself. [smaller]"Need more evidence indeed..."
Feyla, you know, is the Goddess of Murder, Thieves, and the night.
He seems to all of you to be telling the truth, but you cannot remember Dak Nimbus having a brother.
Leaving the chamber, you take Dark Eye back to the inns where you had been staying in Gold Peak proper, and prepare to investigate the matter.
Kragg returned to his clan holdings...thoroughly confused by his notes. But trusting the note’s contents, for he warned himself that he would forget, he made a request to speak with the elders of Clan Oldstone. For this seemed like a matter beyond his station.
Rubius finds these questions above his head and, making sure Dark Eye is carefully watched by trustworthy dwarves, he goes with Kragg to get answers.
Earlier....
"The vault is secret, and I never heared of it. Yet this Mercenary walks right in here as if perfectly aware of what to find. Before we turn Dark Eye to the authorities, we may want to question him ourselves - maybe he can offer some additional perspective to what is going on."
Ignoring the chained Dwarf for now, Dvalin looks at his companions: "Clearly, we are kept in the dark about something, here. I am not saying there is any truth in his story, but as you said, someone DID lock him in here, and made sure he survives - and that nobody knows about it. The question is why..."
Finally turning to the chained men, he continues, louder:"And the most important question of them all - why would you still be alive if your story is true? Most stories of a relative usurping a throne have some regicide thrown in soon after they make their move. Keeping you alive and chained up would be a danger."
Taking only a short break, he follows quickly with another question:"And regarding your claims that we've been here before...I cannot speak for the others, as we only work as a team since a couple weeks, but I do have a very extensive and detailed memory of the places I have visited in the past. Including knowing exactly when I was in Gold Peak, and to my knowledge, I never had business with the vaults. I may have forgotten - magic can do that, but since you keep memories of the past - and, knowing it's been thirty years, you seem to have some means of measuring time passing: When was I here? And what did I tell you to prove such, if I return?"
"Welcome, welcome. I have been told you have something to ask of me?"
Back at the cave:the man on the wall looks at Dvalin and smiles, "Aye, you I've not seen before- just your companions. I don't suppose you'd free me without their say? I could make you. . . very rich. Or if it's power you want- I can give that too."
Kragg took a deep breath. ”This is going to sound crazy. But I’ve seen crazier. I found a message, written by myself. To me. I’d like you to read it...” He handed over the letter.
Kragg,
When you were twenty you found Zarr’s erotic engravings of maidens, and you never told a soul, making it your only true secret. With that out of the way, I’m writing this to myself, because Vault 76 erases the memory of any who leave it. The dwarf held inside says that it is not our first time there. He claims to be ‘Prince Nim Nimbus, rightful heir to the Crown of Gold Peak, older brother to Dak Nimbus, and Chosen of the Goddess Fey'la.’
You must find out all you can about this. Because the chained dwarf says that if you don’t help, then Fey’la will keep sending champions until the deed is done. If you don’t figure out who is being held there and why, then it is only a matter of time until the chained one is free. Luckily I know myself enough to know that I’ll take this seriously.
Signed,
Kragg Oldstone
Kragg waited until Marcellus had finished reading. ”And now I don’t have any real secrets left.” He said, his cheeks flushed. ”But I don’t know who else to turn to on this...” He trailed off.
”You are the wisest dwarf I know. As crazy as this sounds, if you can’t help, then nobody can. This letter was written by my hand, that I know to be true. And the contents seem to be a threat far beyond my experience to deal with alone.”
Marcellus thinks for a minute, and you can see his mind struggling, he almost begins to speak, but then sighs, "No, I have never heard of this Nim Nimbus. I should remember if there were another Prince save Dak born to his father, I am old enough to, but I. . . cannot. Maybe my old age is getting the better of me."
You cannot be certain, but you think the powerful magic may be keeping him from remembering.
”If I may be so bold. I believe that powerful magic is at work here. For your mind is sharper than any other’s in our Clan. We are not feeble humans whose minds decline with age. As a precaution, might we have ourselves cleansed of any magic which might be effecting us? And if that does not work, Mayhaps we could visit the vault with armed guard. My letter proves that it is but minds which are clouded, and the magic does not effect notes written within.” Kragg said, as diplomatically as possible.
"Any magic you might use to cleanse would likely be of little use. A spell this powerful, affecting so many people- all of Gold Peak? for so long- decades? This can only be pact magic- and to break a pact there are conditions which must be fulfilled, no simple dispel can do so."
Rubius interrogates the hobgoblin and asks "How did you know about the Vault? Who hired you? What was your goal there?" Tawny stands behind the dwarf, silently emphasizing each question.
Dark Eye smiles, "Would you believe it was a divine intervention? I had a vision, Fey'la told me to come, to free her servant. Nobody hired me. . . For this."
Rubius eyes the hobgoblin suspiciously. "Ya mean ya were hired for something else?"
”Pact magic...never heard of it. Is there any way to find out what the conditions are? Is there anyone in the hold with experience in such matters?” Kragg asked, with a concerned look on his face.
Sadly Khazuk was just as lost as Kragg.
Dark Eye nods, "Yes- I told you this already. We're to fight some giants or some such for Gold Peak." He still appears to be telling the truth on this.
Kragg: There are few wizards within Gold Peak, and none of any real note. The Priesthood of Spiryth, headed by High Priest Kilgain Kragmore are the most notable/famous/well known powerful spell casters within Gold Peak.